Pelican Press

GTA 5 Actor Says He Is Filled With Bullet Holes Like His Character GTA 5 Actor Says He Is Filled With Bullet Holes Like His Character Shawn Fonteno’s GTA experience goes back two decades to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, when he lent his voice to the game. But the actor had a much ******* role in Grand Theft Auto 5 as Franklin Clinton, one of the game’s leading characters. More recently, Fonteno dropped in on Kai Cenat’s stream and related how much in common he has with his now-iconic character, including some grisly wounds. “When they picked us, they picked the right people for the job… Like my experience is just like that dude, Franklin. I got bullet holes all in my body [from] gang-********,” recalled Fonteno before pulling up his shirt and showing off the scars from some of his bullet wounds. “It was easy for me to be that character,” continued Fonteno. “I didn’t have to act like nobody else. I didn’t have to change my voice… You know, I had to pull up and interview with a bunch of dudes y’all ages. So I was like. ‘Man, I ain’t going to get this.’ But I guess they liked the voice, and the persona, and who I was. They called me back, and that’s when I met the dude that plays Lamar… Slink Johnson.” Fonteno and Johnson both reprised their roles for GTA Online, and the former called the latter for a vocal guest appearance during this stream. Fonteno also called his cousin, Young Maylay, who played Carl “CJ” Johnson in San Andreas. Maylay also briefly spoke to his cousin during a call into the stream. Fans hoping for any Grand Theft Auto 6 scoops from Fonteno may have been disappointed when he didn’t share much information or even confirm whether he’s involved or not. A former developer for Rockstar Games recently stated that fans will be “blown away” by GTA 6. Meanwhile, Rockstar has confirmed that GTA 6 is still on track for a Fall 2025 release. Source link #GTA #Actor #Filled #Bullet #Holes #Character Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former Dixon school teacher arrested for allegedly paying students to have **** with her Former Dixon school teacher arrested for allegedly paying students to have **** with her DIXON, Mo. — A teacher for the Dixon School District was arrested by law enforcement on Tuesday, Nov. 12 on 19 charges, including statutory ***** and ******* contact with a juvenile, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD). Online court documents state that Carissa Smith is charged with the following: Eight counts of second-degree statutory ***** One count of second-degree statutory ******* Two counts of ******* misconduct with a student Three counts of ******* contact with a student Two counts of second-degree ******* trafficking of a child under 18 years old One count of patronizing prostitution Two counts of hindering prosecution Online court records say Smith began as a substitute teacher for Dixon Middle School in 2022 and 2023. She was then hired as a Paraprofessional for the high school for the 2023-24 school year and was later hired as a long-term substitute until her resignation in August 2024. Two West Plains people arrested for ***** trafficking After interviewing multiple victims, PCSD says Smith offered money to students in exchange for **** or ***** ****, mainly at her residence. One victim stated they had **** with Smith when they were in middle school. The probable cause statement also accuses Smith of providing ********** and alcohol to students and letting them smoke and drink in her presence as well as sending inappropriate photos of herself to a victim through Snapchat. Smith is currently being held in the Pulaski County Detention Center with a $250,000 cash or surety bond. PCSD says she may face more charges after they interview more victims. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR – OzarksFirst.com. Source link #Dixon #school #teacher #arrested #allegedly #paying #students #**** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Early ****** Friday Lenovo Laptop deals 2024: Up to 20% off Early ****** Friday Lenovo Laptop deals 2024: Up to 20% off Mark Coppock / Digital Trends ****** Friday falls on November 29 this year, and while it’s still quite early, there are a lot of great Lenovo deals you can take advantage of already. Along with Dell and Asus, Lenovo is one of the best laptop brands on the market right now and offers a pretty substantial choice of laptops for you to pick from. In fact, its laptops often show up on our list of best laptops and best gaming laptops, so pretty much everything you grab from Lenovo is likely going to be pretty excellent. That’s why we’ve gone out and collected some of our favorite early ****** Friday Lenovo deals and put them for you down below. IdeaPad 5i 2-in-1 — $507 $634 20% off Lenovo This configuration of the IdeaPad 5i is perfect for those who want a budget-oriented 2-in-1 laptop, and with a 14-inch WUXGA resolution screen, it’s really quite portable. It comes with an entry-level Intel Core 3 100U processor that should handle most tasks just fine, and while the 8GB of RAM isn’t a ton, the 512GB of storage is, plus it has a solid 20% discount. Yoga 7 2-in-1 — $680 $880 22% off Lenovo The Yoga lineup from Lenovo shows up on our list of best 2-in-1 laptops quite often, and this configuration comes with the mid-range AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS processor that gives you a bit more versatility. The 14-inch screen makes this very portable, while the 16GB of RAM is really nice to see at this discounted $680 price point. LOQ 15 — $810 $909 10% off Lenovo This configuration of the Lenovo LOQ is a great budget gaming laptop, especially since it’s been discounted to $810 from $909 and comes with an RTX 4050. That should let you play most free-to-play and older AAA games quite easily, and the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS is a great mid-range CPU for work and day-to-day activities. Lenovo Slim 7i — $900 $1,130 20% off Mark Coppock / Digital Trends The Lenovo Slim 7i is a great mid-range work option if you want something relatively portable. It has a mid-range Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, 16GB of RAM, and a substantial 1TB SSD, as well as a 1080P FHD camera which is great for those who have online meetings. The 20% discount is also pretty great. Legion Pro 5 — $1,750 $2,000 12% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends / Jacob ****** / Digital Trends A great mid to high-end gaming laptop is Lenovo Legion Pro 5 series, and even our lead reporter Jacob ****** said “The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is a next-gen gaming laptop that is actually affordable.” This configuration comes with an RTX 4070, which should handle most games pretty well on the 16-inch 2K screen, plus you get an AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX CPU and 32GBs, all for $1,750 instead of $2,000. How to Choose a Lenovo Laptop on ****** Friday There are a lot of great Lenovo laptops on the market, and most of them tend to be broken down into specific subgroups that you can look at depending on what you need. For example, if you’re interested in a gaming laptop, then the Lenovo LOQ is a great budget-oriented option, whereas the Lenovo Legion is the mid to higher-end gaming laptop option you can go for. Just be sure that if you do go for a gaming laptop, to aim for at least 16GB of RAM for a better overall experience. Other options include the ThinkPad lineup, which tends to be made for business uses and tends to be smaller, comes with better webcams, and will often include a fingerprint reader. Alternatively, the Lenovo Yoga laptops are great 2-in-1 laptops but also have some very solid budget-oriented laptops if you’re looking for something like that. Ideapads are another great option if you’re looking for a budget-oriented laptop that’s great for general day-to-day work and also school and university, and some of them even come as Chromebooks. How We Chose These Lenovo Laptop ****** Friday Deals Because there are so many different types of Lenovo laptops, we do our best to include various options at different price points and configurations so you can pick exactly the type of laptop you’re looking for. We also rely on our experience and tools to find the best deals so you’re getting the best bang for your buck. That way, you know that you can shop in confidence knowing that you’re getting the best deal you could possible get. Source link #Early #****** #Friday #Lenovo #Laptop #deals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

***-listed stock Renold plc could rise over onshoring trend ***-listed stock Renold plc could rise over onshoring trend A 145-year-old British industrial company is positioned to capitalize on major trends, including the reshoring of manufacturing and increased defense spending, according to analysts at Shore Capital. London-listed Renold plc , which traces its roots to 1879 and Hans Renold , the inventor of roller chains, is the world’s second-largest industrial chain manufacturer. The company commands about 8% of a market worth more than £3 billion ($3.8 billion). RNO-GB YTD line The Manchester-headquartered company makes chains, gears, and transmission products that are essential components of automated manufacturing systems, where even a brief downtime can cost companies millions. Analysts say supply of such components has become increasingly critical to modern manufacturing, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic and trade tariffs in recent years have upended global supply chains. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to apply 10% import duties on products brought into the U.S., with imports from China potentially facing additional duties of up to 60%. Renold, however, operates two manufacturing facilities each in the ******* States, ******* Kingdom, Australia and six others globally to serve its customers in more than 100 countries, thereby potentially avoiding Trump’s taxes . “We believe with its high-quality, essential/mission-critical product offering and strategically located manufacturing/customer service locations, Renold will be a significant beneficiary of structural trends such as onshoring, reindustrialisation, automation and defence,” said Shore Capital analyst Akhil Patel in a research initiation note to clients on Nov. 13. Shore Capital has a “buy” rating and a target price of 90 pence per share, which points to more than 60% upside from the current share price of 55 pence. U.K. shares are generally priced in pence, with 100 pence equal to one British pound ($1.27). The company’s shares have risen by more than 55% this year as it has expanded through acquisitions. In September, Renold acquired MAC Chain Company for $31.4 million, expanding its presence in the ******* States and Canada even further. The Shore Capital analyst also noted that their 90 pence target price could rise to 130 pence if Renold continues its acquisition strategy of around one purchase of around £20 million in revenue annually. That would lift the stock by 133% from current levels. The company also reported steady performance in its latest trading update, with orders up 14% to £105.5 million in the five months through August. Looking ahead, the company also said that its order book stood at £85.5 million. “Our order book at year end was close to historic highs and well above pre-pandemic levels,” said Robert Purcell, chief executive of Renold, in an earnings call with analysts in July. Source link #UKlisted #stock #Renold #plc #rise #onshoring #trend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple ****** Friday deals include a four-pack of Apple AirTags for a record low of $70 Apple ****** Friday deals include a four-pack of Apple AirTags for a record low of $70 ****** Friday deals are already popping up around the web, and that includes some Apple devices. You can pick up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $70, which brings the price per tag down to $17.50. That’s a record-low price for the four pack and just about the cheapest we’ve seen on the price per unit. Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, particularly for regular iPhone users. We love the vast finding network, which really helps when you misplace a tag. Just think of all of those AirTags, iPhones and other Apple devices out there helping to create this network. Apple Apple AirTags also offer the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol. This creates a sort of game out of finding lost items, as long as the object is within 25 feet of the phone. The screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter so you can zero in on the lost item without having to ring the AirTag. There are some caveats. These trackers only really work with iPhones, so Android users should buy something else. Also, the ringer only goes for seven seconds at a time, which isn’t always enough time to track something down. Finally, there’s no attachment point for connecting to a keychain or a related item. However, there are plenty of good AirTag accessories to solve that problem. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Apple #****** #Friday #deals #include #fourpack #Apple #AirTags #record Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Credit card debt hits record $1.17 trillion, New York Fed finds Credit card debt hits record $1.17 trillion, New York Fed finds Collectively, Americans now owe a record $1.17 trillion on their credit cards, according to a new report on household debt from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Credit card balances rose by $24 billion in the third quarter of 2024 and are 8.1% higher than a year ago. Despite that increase, credit card delinquency rates improved — with 8.8% of balances transitioning to delinquency over the last year, compared with 9.1% in the previous quarter, the New York Fed found. That change could “suggest that rising debt burdens remain manageable,” the New York Fed researchers said on a press call Wednesday. “Overall, balance sheets look pretty good for households,” the researchers added. Credit card debt has remained stable over the last two decades; however, in the years since the pandemic, households largely spent down their excess savings, which sparked a rebound in credit card balances. Consumer spending continues to remain strong, despite high borrowing costs. But now, growth in credit card balances has slowed, a separate quarterly credit industry insights report from TransUnion also found. The average balance per consumer stands at $6,329, rising only 4.8% year over year — compared with an 11.2% increase the year before and 12.4% the year before that, TransUnion found. More from Personal Finance:28% of credit card users are paying off last year’s holiday debtHoliday shoppers plan to spend more while taking on debt2 in 5 cardholders have maxed out a credit card or come close In the last three months, 42% of Americans said their total debt hasn’t changed, while 28% of have seen their debt rise, according to another survey by Achieve, which helps consumers manage debt. Of the latter group, most said the increase was due to the ongoing difficulty of making ends meet. Others cited general overspending and a lost job or reduced wages. Achieve polled 2,000 adults with one or more kinds of consumer debt in October. “Across the board, unemployment is low and wages have risen, but those macroeconomic conditions aren’t felt equally across the population, especially for consumers who live in areas where the impact of inflation is the greatest,” Brad Stroh, Achieve’s co-founder and co-CEO, said in a statement. Credit card rates still top 20% Meanwhile, credit cards have become one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. Lower-income households, who had to stretch to cover price increases, have been hit especially hard after the Federal Reserve’s string of 11 interest rate hikes lifted the average credit card rate to more than 20% — near an all-time high. Even as the Fed lowers its benchmark, the average credit card rate has barely budged. For those with variable rate debt, such as credit cards, “it’s obviously going to help if rates come down,” the New York Fed researchers said. However, “the borrowing amount is more important than the interest rate,” they added. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Credit #card #debt #hits #record #trillion #York #Fed #finds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hearthstone’s 2025 Roadmap Includes StarCraft Crossover, Return To Un’Goro Crater Hearthstone’s 2025 Roadmap Includes StarCraft Crossover, Return To Un’Goro Crater Hearthstone’s next mini-set is a StarCraft crossover: one that will reimagine the various units of Blizzard’s beloved sci-fi RTS in card form. In addition to this, Blizzard announced an entire year’s worth of Hearthstone expansions in one go and a dramatic change to the game’s Arena mode, giving players a full picture of what to expect in 2025. Yes, Blizzard made the bold move of announcing a StarCraft crossover during its Warcraft 30th anniversary direct–a livestream that also celebrated 10 years of Hearthstone. The crossover is the largest mini-set Blizzard has ever done for its digital card game, with 49 total cards. To learn more, GameSpot sat down with Hearthstone senior game designer Cora Georgiou and game designer Leo Robles Gonzalez ahead of the direct to talk about what it was like adapting StarCraft into card game form, the upcoming changes to Arena, and all of the expansions coming next year. Gonzalez said the development team is trying to be a bit more “adventurous,” given that the game is a decade old and its players are eager to see new things. That’s one of the reasons it went big on the upcoming StarCraft mini-set. “I think we’re trying to swing pretty hard here,” Gonzalez said. “It’s the first time we’ve ever done something this deeply outside of Warcraft.” Different classes will be able to use a specific StarCraft hero. Each StarCraft faction will have its own set of cards, some of which can be used by any class and others that are class-specific. Warriors, Paladins, and Shamans, for example, can use Jim Raynor and take full advantage of Terran cards, while ****** Knights, Hunters, Warlocks, and ****** Hunters can embrace the Zerg swarm with Kerrigan. Meanwhile, Mages, Priests, Rogues, and Druids can use the powers of Artanis, with a focus on powerful, high-mana-cost Protoss units that can be made cheaper. Gonzalez said adapting StarCraft into the card game wasn’t all that different from adapting Warcraft (both involve lots of research). The main difference was instead of looking to specific characters for card ideas, the team had to draw inspiration from StarCraft’s iconic units. Gonzalez said it was also important to capture that feeling of StarCraft’s gameplay. Kerrigan will be usable by ****** Knights, Hunters, Warlocks, and ****** Hunters. “The gameplay of it–there’s micro and there’s macro–and it was really important to us to make sure that the macro of, ‘What is your game plan overall with one of the three factions’… does that feel quintessentially like them?” Gonzalez said. “That’s not something we had to super duper think about with the average Warcraft character.” The Heroes of StarCraft mini-set will release in January 2025, but the StarCraft crossover was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Hearthstone announcements. Blizzard also revealed a full 2025 roadmap with three upcoming expansions, as well a major shake-up to the game’s Arena mode. Arena, Hearthstone’s premium draft mode, has been largely unchanged since the game launched in 2014, but that will be changing soon. In the first half of 2025, Blizzard will change Arena in a big way by introducing two versions of Arena to choose from. Normal Arena will be similar to what exists now but sport faster runs while still letting players flex their competitive deck-building muscles. Another new version of the mode, the Underground Arena, will take things even further. The Underground will include players of all skill levels (in contrast to Normal Arena, which will still use a win-based matchmaking system), longer runs, and a new feature called “re-draft on loss” that lets players re-draft cards and edit their deck before going again in order to up their chances of winning. Both Arena modes will have their own ranked system. Georgiou said the splitting of Arena into two modes came as a result of wanting to create an easier entry point for newer players while simultaneously giving existing Arena players more challenge and higher stakes. The mode is currently difficult for new players to ***** into because of how heavy the competition can be, as many who specialize in Arena have been playing since Hearthstone first released. “It was really to raise that ceiling for players who want that but also lower the floor a little bit so Arena can be a place that is welcoming for all types of players again,” Georgiou said. Hearthstone’s 2025 roadmap. Hearthstone’s first expansion set for the new year, Into the Emerald Dream, will transport players to the idealized, natural version of Azeroth as druidic defenders of the dream battle against the forces of the Old Gods. It’s something the Hearthstone team has long had in its “back pocket,” Georgiou said, and always knew would eventually be an expansion. It was actually in the running to be released last year, but the team pivoted to avoid stepping on the toes of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight’s Emerald Dream-themed update. The expansion’s mini-set, Druids of the Flame, will add the faction of corrupted elemental druids to further stoke the fires of battle. Its second expansion of 2025 is actually a sequel, a first in Hearthstone history–The Shrouded City. This set picks up where 2017’s Journey to Un’Goro set left off, as the explorer Elise hunts for a lost Tortollan city, with a Tortollan-themed festival mini-set coming later. The Hearthstone team actually invented the Tortollan race for the original Un’Goro set (which would later be added to WoW), and the upcoming expansion provided a great opportunity to further flesh out the backstory of the Tortollan and “peel back” some of the layers of the original Un’Goro expansion. “To be able to revisit an area that is so compelling that had so much that wasn’t explored before, and to be able to look at it in a new light, I think will be really, really fun,” Georgiou said. The third and final Hearthstone expansion for 2025, Heroes of Time, will explore alternative versions of Azeroth’s past, where players will find versions of legendary heroes as players “have never seen them before.” That will all lead to an epic battle at the end of time with the corrupted leader of the Infinite Dragonflight, Murozond. Given how much of an emphasis WoW has put on the Bronze Dragonflight and Chromie in recent years, it’s a little surprising Hearthstone hasn’t dived deep on alternate timeline shenanigans yet. But that’s worked out in the team’s favor. “I think doing it when there is so much to pull from in Hearthstone’s past feels like the perfect, pun half-intended, time to do it,” Gonzalez said. “There’s so many characters our fans love and characters from Warcraft that our fans might not even be super exposed to that are in that thematic bucket. It’s a really rich theme.” In other Warcraft news, Blizzard announced as part of the direct that its newly announced remastered versions of Warcraft 1 and 2, as well as a major 2.0 update for Warcraft 3: Reforged, are all available now. Source link #Hearthstones #Roadmap #Includes #StarCraft #Crossover #Return #UnGoro #Crater Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

World’s largest coral found in the Pacific near Solomon Islands World’s largest coral found in the Pacific near Solomon Islands Photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas Local people had no idea the coral was there The largest coral ever recorded has been found by scientists in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The mega coral – which is a collection of many connected, tiny creatures that together form one organism rather than a reef – could be more than 300 years old. It is ******* than a blue whale, the team say. It was found by a videographer working on a National Geographic ship visiting remote parts of the Pacific to see how it has been affected by climate change. Manu San Felix, National Geographic Pristine Seas The coral measures 34 metres wide “I went diving in a place where the map said there was a shipwreck and then I saw something,” said Manu San Felix. He called over his diving buddy, who is also his son Inigo, and they dived further down to inspect it. Seeing the coral, which is in the Solomon Islands, was like seeing a “cathedral underwater”, he said. “It’s very emotional. I felt this huge respect for something that’s stayed in one place and survived for hundreds of years,” he said. “I thought, ‘Wow, this was here when Napoleon was alive’,” he added. Scientists on the expedition measured the coral using a type of tape measure under water. It is 34m wide, 32m long and 5.5m high. Globally coral is facing severe pressures as oceans warm with climate change. Often described as an “architect” of the seas, corals can join together to form vast reefs where fish and other species live. Coral reefs also underpin the livelihoods of one billion people including by supporting tourism or fishing, according to the World Economic Forum. Manu San Felix, National Geographic Pristine Seas Scientists say the newly discovered coral is in good health This specimen was found in deeper waters than some coral reefs, which may have protected it from higher temperatures at the sea surface. The discovery was announced at the same time as the UN climate talks COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan that are trying to make progress in tackling climate change. Mr Trevor Manemahaga, climate minister for the Solomon Islands at the summit, told BBC News that his nation would be proud of the newly-found coral. “We want the world to know that this is a special place and it needs to be protected,” he said. “We rely mostly on marine resources for economic survival so coral is very, very important […] And it’s very crucial and critical for our economy to make sure our coral is not exploited,” he said. Small island nations like the Solomon Islands are extremely vulnerable to climate change. Mr Manemahaga said he’s seen first-hand the effects of global warming on his nation, as it causes more powerful cyclones and erodes the coastline causing homes to fall into the water. photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas Scientists calculated the age of the coral by measuring its growth Many developing countries at the talks are calling for more cash from richer nations to help them pay for their strategies to tackle climate change. Mr Manemahaga said that more finance for the Solomon Islands would help the country create more varied jobs that would mean fewer people worked in industries that damage coral reefs. Currently logging is a major part of the country’s economy – between 50-70% of the country’s annual export revenue – but it cauuses high levels of water pollution that damages coral in the area. Eric Brown, who is a coral scientist on the National Geographic research trip, says that the health of the coral was “looking pretty good”. “While the nearby shallow reefs were degraded due to warmer seas, witnessing this large healthy coral oasis in slightly deeper waters is a beacon of hope,” he said. The coral is a species called Pavona clavus and provides a home to shrimp, ******, fish and other marine creatures. The age of the specimen also means it acts like a window into the history into oceanic conditions in the past. Scientists hope to study it to learn more about how it has grown. A report this week found that 44% of corals living in warm waters are threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. That is an increase of a third since the species were last assessed in 2008. Source link #Worlds #largest #coral #Pacific #Solomon #Islands Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct: everything announced Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct: everything announced Blizzard Entertainment put on a big virtual event on Wednesday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Warcraft series in lieu of an in-person convention this year. The stream not only looked back at the history of the franchise in the form of a concert with a full orchestra but it also announced a remaster of Warcraft RTS, the first-ever Warcraft title, and updates for World of Warcraft Classic. Of course, modern World of Warcraft will also be getting some big updates, including the addition of a feature that players have asked about for decades. It was a surprisingly packed showcase (you forget sometimes just how many Warcraft games there are), so here’s a rundown of everything you might’ve missed. World of Warcraft: The War Within gets first major update Blizzard Entertainment World of Warcraft got its latest expansion, The War Within, in August, and it’s getting its first major content update soon. Undermine(d) will take players to the underground goblin city called, well, Undermine, where they’ll have to take down Xal’atath the Harbinger. It’ll feature a new dungeon and two new delves. But in a fun twist, Blizzard will introduce a ground mount with a new system that’ll let players drive so fast around Undermine. There will even be races so players can test out their driving skills. Blizzard says the update will release on November 23. Housing is finally coming to World of Warcraft Most MMOs these days have some sort of housing system, and now World of Warcraft is finally getting some of its own after 20 years. Blizzard just released a short teaser without any details, but it’ll be coming in the Midnight expansion, which is set to be officially revealed in summer 2025. World of Warcraft Classic returns to Mists of Pandaria World of Warcraft Classic is continuing along its nostalgic journey, with Blizzard announcing that it’ll be releasing the beloved Mists of Pandaria into the game. The 2012 expansion brought players to the Pandaria continent and introduced the pandaren — a joke race that soon took on a life of its own. To this day, it’s still the only faction-neutral races in the game. The expansion also allowed users to play the Monk class for the first time. Blizzard is remastering the original Warcraft RTS games While Warcraft is best known as the basis for the famous MMORPG, it started life as a series of real-time strategy titles in the 1990s. The first Warcraft Battle Chest during that decade bundled the original and expansion together, but this new one announced during the presentation has all the RTS titles. They’re now available to play for $40 (although this can change if you already own one of the games in the bundle). The graphics have gotten a huge upgrade, and Blizzard added some quality-of-life improvements, along with the ability to choose between classic and new graphics. More importantly, Warcraft 3: Reforged, the poorly-received remaster from 2020, is getting a 2.0 update to hopefully fix some issues. Everything else World of Warcraft Classic: 20th Anniversary Edition will allow Classic Era players to start fresh when it launches on November 21. ********* servers will also be available, and will also progress through the content updates into Burning Crusade Classic. You can also transfer your ********* character to a non-********* mode. The Heroes of Starcraft mini set is coming to Hearthstone. Hearthstone players are also getting three expansions in 2025, starting with Emerald Dream before heading into The Shrouded City and finally The Heroes of Time. Warcraft Rumble is coming to PC, with an open beta on December 10. Rumble is also getting a new feature where you can play two families at once. Source link #Warcraft #30th #Anniversary #Direct #announced Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

GOP holds onto House majority — clinching the trifecta GOP holds onto House majority — clinching the trifecta Republicans have achieved the government trifecta — keeping control of the House as well as winning the Senate and the presidency. It will be the first time Republicans have had full control of Congress and the White House since 2018. House Republicans have been quietly preparing their legislative agenda on tax cuts and other priorities for months, though an expected narrow majority will likely complicate those efforts, as well as Speaker Mike Johnson’s bid to hold onto the gavel in a January floor vote. The GOP held onto a slew of at-risk incumbents as results trickled in over the past week, and Republicans also picked up a few seats in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Colorado. But they still lost a handful of seats in New York and California. House control has been considered a toss-up for months. Though GOP leaders were publicly confident in their ability to retain the chamber, there were also deep fears as Republicans struggled to keep up with Democratic fundraising. Unlike in 2022, GOP leaders kept their election night estimates fairly modest. They also spent months hammering on a campaign message focused on the border and the economy, ******** that the two issues could be used as a wedge to squeeze vulnerable Democrats. Partisan redistricting has meant that there are fewer competitive seats to flip, limiting the true battleground districts to just a dozen or so races on both sides. Party leaders have acknowledged that the days of 30-plus-seat majorities are over for the foreseeable future. Republicans got some help this cycle by Democrats’ decision to pursue a less aggressive redistricting map in New York, which was at the heart of the ****** for House control. Similarly, a GOP-drawn map in North Carolina also helped offset Democratic gains elsewhere. “There’s only about 45 seats in the country that are truly competitive. … And so each one of them is very competitive and very expensive and our candidates are great,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told POLITICO ahead of Election Day. Beyond flipping Democratic seats, Republicans also managed to hold off Democrats’ reach targets that appeared to be in play in the final weeks of the campaign, including keeping endangered incumbents in Iowa and Wisconsin. Another major difference in the campaigns this year: Republicans were far more intentional with their candidate recruitment and which challengers they backed in the primaries than they were in 2022. House Republicans’ campaign arm worked closely with Trump, coordinating to boost candidates the party saw as the most likely to win the general election — a level of intervention that ultimately paid off. Vulnerable incumbent Republicans, namely Reps. Don Bacon (Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), fended off primary opponents who would likely have been weak general election candidates. In Alaska, the party managed to coalesce behind one *********** this year to avoid problems they had in 2022 with the state’s ranked-choice voting system. (That race has not yet been called, though *********** Nick Begich leads Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.) On the other side of candidate recruitment, Democrats’ relied on a handful of repeat candidates who narrowly lost in 2022. The party had thought they would benefit from existing campaign infrastructure and name ID among voters. But that didn’t work out for many candidates, and some were likely dragged down by a lack of enthusiasm for Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket. Source link #GOP #holds #House #majority #clinching #trifecta Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stargazing singer is beating his own expectations Stargazing singer is beating his own expectations BBC Stargazing singer Myles Smith has won BBC Introducing Artist of the Year When Myles Smith reflects on his journey – from an 11-year-old **** playing guitar and piano to a charting artist – he feels he’s continuously exceeded his own expectations. This year, the 26-year-old from Luton has had a top five single, played Glastonbury, smashed past one billion streams and just been named BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year. “I guess it’s taken a long time. But I finally feel comfortable in my own skin and I feel proud of the music,” he says. When Myles speaks to BBC Newsbeat, he is in Montreal, one of the stops on his North America tour. “What I think this year’s taught me is that expectations are there for comfort. But very rarely are they exactly what we imagine. “My expectations when I started 2024 was not in a year to have played over 100 shows or the billion streams.” Myles says he will never take the opportunity for people around the globe to choose to listen to his music for granted. His breakout hit, Stargazing, has achieved worldwide acclaim, been platinum-certified and even featured on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist. “For me it was just about prioritising writing music that comes straight from the heart and trying not to filter too much of that brain to mouth barrier. “I just wanted to write something that was simple, but something that we all experience and feel at some point in life. “I feel like doing that, it resonated with so many more people around the world,” he says. Getty Images Myles says he’s grateful for the opportunity to perform to so many people around the world The song, which he says was made in about 15 minutes, has also found a home on TikTok. And Myles is well aware of how important the platform is to artists looking to break through. In 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown, Myles began posting covers, with his acoustic version of The Neighbourhood’s Sweater Weather going viral in 2022. “Social media in general is so significant to an artist’s journey,” he says. “Some people may feel that the onus to do social media is a pressure that isn’t needed. “And others may see it as an opportunity to really sort of find a community at a global scale.” Myles sees it as the latter. “We have the autonomy and control to be able to market ourselves how we ******* and in ways which are most authentic to us.” But there has been some criticism that TikTok’s influence is changing the way music sounds, with impacts on song lengths and styles. “I think that the idea that TikTok somehow diminishes the quality of music or somehow you have to fit the music within parameters is a myth for me personally. “It’s given me more freedom than ever to do what I want. And how I want to do it. “Times change all the time. One time you were cutting records on vinyl next it was on CD, then MP3 and digital… it’s about moving with the times,” he says. Myles performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in his hometown Luton While Myles accepts the “privilege” of being able to reach so many online and on tour, he feels it’s important to highlight the “other side”. Artists such as Rachel Chinouriri, The Last Dinner Party and CMAT have previously mentioned the financial challenges of touring, particularly in North America. Myles agrees that it “is super expensive” to tour, and feels live music more widely needs greater support. In the ***, Myles said the “thriving” small venue and grassroots scene took a hit post-Covid, and struggle to support artists in the way the used to. Such venues have often been an important starting point for artists who’ve gone on to superstardom, including Adele and Ed Sheeran. “[It’s] truly fundamental to an artist’s journey and luckily I was able to start my journey a long time ago,” says Myles. “I think that moving forward, thinking about support for musicians and thinking about how we can move forward and value the arts is an important conversation.” The other thing Myles is keen to do when thinking about his future is to “keep making music I love”. Myles is due to support Ed Sheeran in 2025, describing him as “one of my idols”. “I just want to have the most fun and the best year that I can. “Spend it with the people that I love the most. “And that is a priority for me now.” Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Source link #Stargazing #singer #beating #expectations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off in an early ****** Friday deal The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off in an early ****** Friday deal Sure, early ****** Friday deals offer a great opportunity to snag some essentials and upgrades for a lower price than usual, but if you have the leeway for a fun treat for yourself or a loved one, you’ll find plenty of discounts in that realm too. For instance, you can snag the Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $50 off the list price. At $180, that’s not too far away from its record low price, making it a solid deal. While it isn’t quite the season for ice cream in North America, there’s never truly a bad time to enjoy it. The Ninja Creami is among our picks for the best kitchen gadgets. In fact, we reckon it’s the best ice cream maker around. Ninja Our favorite ice cream maker is back on ***** for ****** Friday. The Ninia Creami is as easy to use as a food processor, and it can be yours for $180. $180 at Amazon This is a more compact ice cream machine than many other household models. The Ninja Creami is very easy to use as well, since it operates in a similar way to a food processor. You’ll need to make a liquid ice cream base and then freeze it, ideally for 24 hours. You can then use the machine to blend in flavors. Cleaning up is a cinch if you have a dishwasher, since everything aside from the machine component is safe to place alongside your dishes on the racks. On the downside, it is a rather noisy machine. We estimate that the volume is somewhere between that of a food processor and a countertop blender running at full speed. It’s fairly tall too at 16 inches, so you’ll want to make sure you have enough space for the Ninja Creami before buying it. Otherwise, we have no major complaints, other than the design not being overly attractive. As such, we gave it a score of 90 in our review. The Ninja Creami has seven one-touch programs, but if you’d prefer an 11-in-1 deluxe model, you’re in luck: that’s on ***** too. At $220, it’s $30 off. It supports 24 oz tubs that hold 50 percent more ice cream than those in the original Ninja Creami. The Deluxe model also has a dual processing feature. This allows you to add two different mix-in flavors to the same base. So you can, for instance, add sprinkles to the top part and cookies to the bottom. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Ninja #Creami #ice #cream #maker #early #****** #Friday #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

House Ethics Committee planned to vote Friday on whether to release report on Matt Gaetz House Ethics Committee planned to vote Friday on whether to release report on Matt Gaetz The House Ethics Committee, which has been conducting an investigation into ******* misconduct and obstruction allegations against Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, scheduled a vote for Friday on whether to release its report, according to three sources with knowledge of the committee’s work. Hours after President-elect Donald Trump said he planned to nominate Gaetz to be attorney general, Gaetz resigned his congressional seat, effective immediately. “I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress, to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump Administration,” Gaetz said in his resignation letter obtained by CBS News House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that there was about an eight-week ******* during which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis could fill his seat by setting the date for a special election. Now that Gaetz has resigned, it is unclear whether the panel will vote on releasing the report, since Gaetz is no longer in Congress. There is precedent in Congress on the Senate side for an ethics committee report to become public after a member resigns from Congress, however. In 2011, this happened when Sen. John Ensign of Nevada resigned amid allegations that he tried to hide an extramarital affair. But it’s not clear that that would apply to the House, leaving open the possibility that the report on Gaetz would not be released. In June, the House Ethics Committee released a statement saying it was investigating a range of allegations against Gaetz, including ******* misconduct, illicit ***** use, and bribery. Multiple sources at the time told CBS News that four women had informed the House Ethics Committee that they had been paid to go to parties that included **** and drugs, and that Gaetz had also attended. The committee has Gaetz’s Venmo transactions that allegedly show payments for the women. Gaetz has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has called the committee’s investigation a “frivolous” smear campaign. Some of the allegations of ******* misconduct under review by the committee were also the subject of a previous Department of Justice probe into Gaetz. Federal investigators sought to determine if Gaetz violated **** trafficking and obstruction of justice laws, but no charges were filed. The House Ethics Committee resumed its investigation into Gaetz in 2023, following the Justice Department’s decision not to pursue charges against him. Gaetz has long blamed then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, also a ***********, for the probe. And Gaetz later led the movement to sack McCarthy as speaker. Michael Kaplan Michael Kaplan is an award-winning reporter and producer for the CBS News investigative unit. He specializes in securing scoops and crafting long-form television investigations. His work has appeared on “60 Minutes,” CNN and in The New York Times. Source link #House #Ethics #Committee #planned #vote #Friday #release #report #Matt #Gaetz Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AFL fixture 2025: Fremantle Dockers season book-ended by finalists gauntlet AFL fixture 2025: Fremantle Dockers season book-ended by finalists gauntlet The Dockers will take part in a blockbuster Anzac Day double header when they host Adelaide on Friday, April 25 at 6.10pm WST, which will follow the traditional Collingwood and Essendon clash at the MCG. Source link #AFL #fixture #Fremantle #Dockers #season #bookended #finalists #gauntlet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WoW Classic Is Finally Getting Fresh Servers As Cataclysm Players Move To Pandaria WoW Classic Is Finally Getting Fresh Servers As Cataclysm Players Move To Pandaria World of Warcraft Classic players begging for fresh “vanilla” servers are finally getting their wish, with new servers set to go live on November 21 in celebration of WoW’s 20th anniversary. Meanwhile, those playing Cataclysm Classic will progress on to Mists of Pandaria in 2025. Blizzard announced the news as part of its Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct, along the way confirming in advance the new vanilla servers (****** the fresh ********* servers that are also coming) will automatically progress to The Burning Crusade Classic when the time comes. Blizzard said that just because TBC is already confirmed doesn’t necessarily mean these new servers will keep moving forward all the way to Cataclysm (the expansion players who have kept progressing from WoW Classic’s 2019 launch servers are currently on), but it’s hard not to get some sense of deja vu. In an interview with GameSpot, WoW Classic lead software engineer Nora Valletta and software engineer Kevin Vigue offered more details on what players starting from scratch on the fresh servers can expect, their thoughts on moving on to Mists of Pandaria, and what the team has learned from more experimental swings like Season of Discovery. Blizzard is using advances in server technology to have larger realms that can hold more players but fewer realms overall for this batch of new servers. In a departure from normal, there will not be dedicated role-playing or RPPvP servers as has usually been the case in the past, Valletta confirmed. Quality-of-life improvements, like the world buff-saving Chronoboon Displacer, faction balancing on PvP realms, and updates to make the original game’s punishing Honor PvP rank system less punishing, will be present at launch for these new servers, as will a ban (at least in North America and Europe) on the controversial practice of GDKP runs–something Blizzard first implemented in Season of Discovery. In a change from 2019, the game’s first raid, Molten Core, won’t launch for a few weeks. The new servers will additionally have a group-finder tool (similar to one that appeared in TBC, Vigue said) to help players find groups without the need of an add-on. A recent, unpopular change that saw Blizzard update the guild interface in WoW Classic and Season of Discovery to a more modern version will be reverted come the rollout of the new fresh servers, Vigue announced. Players will instead have the option of choosing between the more modern UI or its original appearance: a choice Blizzard doesn’t want to make a habit of offering but said felt right in regards to guilds. “We realized, especially once we saw the community reaction, ‘Yeah, there is something really nostalgic about the original UI and how it’s presented and what it means for that game experience,'” Vigue said. Adding to the sense of we’ve been here before is Blizzard’s announcement that Cataclysm Classic servers will move on in Summer 2025 to yet another “new” expansion, 2012’s Mists of Pandaria. Players may have already revisited Mists of Pandaria as part of modern WoW’s Mists of Pandaria Remix event earlier this year, but Valletta and Vigue said they think the two experiences are different enough to warrant another go around. WoW Classic’s 2025 roadmap. Mists of Pandaria Remix used the expansion as backdrop for players to collect exclusive cosmetics and gain new overpowered abilities that could almost one-shot even the game’s toughest bosses, but it still played like modern WoW, with all of its current class design, talents, and abilities. Mists of Pandaria Classic will instead play as it did when it first launched over a decade ago. Vigue and Valletta also raised the point that every expansion was some WoW player’s entry point into the MMORPG, and so Mists of Pandaria is, for some people, their “classic.” It’s an expansion that was perhaps under-appreciated in its time, but players now have fond memories of. “I think the fact that MoP Remix was so well received speaks to…how much people love Pandaria as a continent and as an expansion,” Vigue said. As for the currently ongoing WoW Classic Season of Discovery, Blizzard’s more experimental take on original WoW that was released towards the tail end of 2023, there’s still some new content coming down the pike. The game’s Naxxramas update will arrive later this winter. In addition to vanilla WoW’s final raid, it will add new “instanced” content in the form of a new encounter against the Scarlet Crusade as well as the Karazhan Crypts, which Blizzard originally teased back when it first announced Season of Discovery at BlizzCon 2023. Vigue and Valletta wouldn’t say whether the new content will be in the forms of raids, dungeons, or a combination of both, and instead said players will have to “discover” what’s in store themselves. Vigue and Valletta also wouldn’t comment on what may come next after Season of Discovery–the “team’s always cooking,” Valletta said–but did say they have learned a ton from the seasonal server in regards to how to create new content for a 20-year-old game while still trying to maintain its original feeling. “We’ve found Season of Discovery to be incredibly successful,” Valletta said. “I think part of what made it successful is that sense of…[the new content] is very much down to earth. It wasn’t massive, universe-ending world threats. It’s you, yourself, as that character in that world…You’re not some mighty fine champion hero who everybody knows and everything revolves around you, right? You exist in the world but the world is the main character, and you’re part of that.” All the WoW Classic news was just one part of the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct. Blizzard also launched new remastered versions of Warcraft 1 and 2, announced a StarCraft mini-set for Hearthstone, and more. Source link #WoW #Classic #Finally #Fresh #Servers #Cataclysm #Players #Move #Pandaria Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

As President Xi inaugurates a huge ******** port in Peru, locals say they’re left out As President Xi inaugurates a huge ******** port in Peru, locals say they’re left out ******** President Xi Jinping is set to inaugurate a mega port on the Peruvian coast, a project expected to speed up trade between South America and Asia-Pacific. However, local residents are not amused that there are no opportunities for them. (AP Video: Cesar Barreto Mauricio Muñoz) Source link #President #inaugurates #huge #******** #port #Peru #locals #theyre #left Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One Major *** Retailer Has Already Cut The Price Of The PS5 Pro One Major *** Retailer Has Already Cut The Price Of The PS5 Pro PlayStation released the PS5 Pro six days ago and while we don’t know the exact sales numbers, it feels safe to assume the more powerful version of the PS5 hasn’t been selling quite as well as PlayStation might have hoped. Source link #Major #Retailer #Cut #Price #PS5 #Pro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The top gift to give this season? Travel— if you can figure out how The top gift to give this season? Travel— if you can figure out how Forget the headphones, the fuzzy slippers and the espresso machine that cranks out a cold brew. Globally, three out of four Gen Zs and millennials said that rather than a physical gift, they want a fun experience or trip this holiday season, according to an Amex Trendex survey. Gift givers are listening too. Half of consumers said they plan to buy a travel experience for someone this year, according to Accenture’s 18th Annual Holiday Shopping Survey published Thursday. But giving the gift of “travel” may be easier said than done. Chief among buyers’ complaints are needing to book exact dates (34%) and lacking details needed to book on behalf of another (29%), according to Accenture’s survey of more than 6,050 consumers across 10 countries. “Complex booking processes, coupled with the sheer number of choices and decisions travelers are faced with, could lead to lost revenue,” states Accenture’s report. To tell — or to surprise? Those skittish about locking in travel dates for another person can bypass the problem by surprising the gift recipient with the idea of the trip — and leaving the planning for later. One poster on Reddit said, “My brother & I surprised our mom with a trip to Italy for her 65th. We got her a Rick Steves Italy travel book, a travel purse and printed a little ‘plane ticket.’ … When she opened the gift [we] explained we would be going with her … on a date TBD but convenient for us all.” But for those who want to preserve the element of surprise, another Redditor explained how to use a simple ruse to extract available dates from the recipient — the poster’s father and his wife. Yet some caution against surprising anyone with a trip — and instead recommend planning with them and announcing later than you’re paying for all, or most of, the trip. Cards and certificates Still too complicated? Consider buying a gift voucher from an airline, hotel, cruise line or travel agency. Many companies sell gift cards directly from their websites, allowing buyers to choose physical or virtual cards — the latter ideal for last-minute shoppers — that the recipient can redeem at a later date. ********* Airlines lets buyers purchase multiple cards to be mailed to different addresses. Delta Air Lines allows buyers to personalize gift cards with photos and is shipping gift cards for free through Dec. 13. Marriott gift cards range from $25 to $2,000, and buyers can select a date for the company to email recipients their gifts. Hilton Honors members can buy or transfer points to others, which can be redeemed for free hotel stays, rental cars or rides on Lyft. Independent hotels brands, including Naumi and Mandarin Oriental, also sell gift cards. Royal Caribbean sells gift cards that can be redeemed for a cruise booking, but not pre-cruise purchases such as shore excursions, beverage packages and internet. However, these “will be available in the near future,” according to its website. Intrepid Travel, which specializes in sustainable tours for small groups, lets gift buyers purchase specific tours for another person. Road Scholar, a U.S. not-for-profit that plans educational trips for older travelers, sells gift certificates, starting from $50. Other websites offer gift cards that aren’t tied to specific brands, but reviews are mixed on some of those companies. With any voucher or gift certificate, buyers should check the fine print for restrictions. For example, Finnair gift cards expire in one year, while Airbnb gift cards aren’t available in every region. Buying an ‘experience’ Rather than offsetting costs of a trip, buying a travel “experience” is a way to upgrade someone’s vacation plans — while tapping into a key trend in travel today. If you’re buying for someone who has already scheduled a trip in 2025, ask where they are staying and look at the hotel’s website. Como Hotels and Resorts sells “gift experiences” in seven countries, from night snorkeling in the Maldives ($128) to truffle hunting in Tuscany ($324). The luxury Four Seasons hotel brand also sells gift cards that can be redeemed for spa treatments, meals and experiences, such as golfing in Costa Rica or chocolate-tasting in Istanbul — and you don’t need to be a guest of the hotel to redeem it. Sleuthing for travel dates and a hotel name can open opportunities to work directly with the hotel too, to schedule airport transfers, a special dinner or to have a bottle of Champagne delivered to the room. Travelers headed to Hawaii over Spring Break may not spring for a helicopter tour, but these can be purchased on their behalf on websites like Viator and Klook. For those with no plans, an experience closer to home may be a better option. A cousin studying in Paris may enjoy a macaron-making class, and a nephew who just started college may enjoy a haunted pub crawl in Austin, Texas. As for grandparents who may want to choose their own adventure, the website GetYourGuide sells gift cards for more than 60,000 tours and attractions worldwide. “They’re aren’t any restrictions,” the company’s website reads. “Just select an amount and let the giftee pick their perfect experience.” Source link #top #gift #give #season #Travel #figure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to gameshare on Xbox Series X How to gameshare on Xbox Series X This is a good week for strategy game fans subscribed to Xbox Game Pass because November’s first new additions to the service all fall within that genre. Two of them are real-time strategy game classics from Blizzard Entertainment, and the other is a strategic take on an arcade classic. If you’re playing on a console, these additions may not mean as much to you, but for Game Pass subscribers with access to a PC, these recently added strategy game games are well worth your time. StarCraft: Remastered StarCraft Remastered Announcement The original StarCraft is a monumental release for Blizzard Entertainment. It gave the studio a third pillar franchise alongside Warcraft and Diablo, was one of the first major esports games, and set a standard that most RTS games after it have tried to follow. In 2017, Blizzard released StarCraft: Remastered, updating the classics’ visuals, audio, and online features; that’s the version of StarCraft that has come to Xbox Game Pass. While there are more approachable RTS games nowadays, PC gamers should check out the original StarCraft if they’ve never played it before to better understand the foundational building blocks of the RTS genre. Source link #gameshare #Xbox #Series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Homebuilder deal activity is surging, fueled by major ********* buyers Homebuilder deal activity is surging, fueled by major ********* buyers Exceptionally strong housing demand in the U.S. has large homebuilders in the driver’s seat and smaller builders ripe for takeover. The buyers are both domestic and *********. M&A activity in the single-family homebuilder space is having a record year in terms of dollar volume, and close to a record in the number of deals, according to Margaret Whelan, founder of Whelan Advisory and one of the biggest investment bankers in the builder space. “The big guys want to get *******. They want to get into more markets, more price points, more types of product, and as they’re doing that, they’re finding the most efficient way is through acquisitions,” she said. There have been a total of 19 homebuilder deals so far this year. Whelan says she alone has four more set to close by year end, and there could be more from others. The average number of deals across the industry over the last five years was 12 per year. The surge is the result of still-growing housing demand that reignited at the start of the pandemic thanks to record low mortgage rates and sudden new migration. But mortgage rates also caused a historic housing shortage. Homes were flying off the shelves in the first two years of the pandemic, when rates were low, but when interest rates rose, homeowners stopped selling so they wouldn’t have to trade a low mortgage rate for a higher one. That dynamic, sometimes called the mortgage rate lock-in effect, has exacerbated the housing shortage. Construction of a KB Home single family housing development is shown in Menifee, California, U.S., September 4, 2024. Mike Blake | Reuters The nation’s large homebuilders benefited from all of it, especially since they’ve been buying down mortgage rates to get customers in the door. Five years ago, builders accounted for 1 in 6 homes for *****. Now they make up 1 out of every 3, according to industry counts. The biggest builders have also gone from a 30% market share five years ago to 50% today. Public builders have clear advantages over smaller private builders. “Public builders have a lower cost of debt (less expensive to borrow) than private builders and generally don’t need to borrow to buy a large company,” wrote Danielle Nguyen, vice president of research with John Burns Research and Consulting. And it’s not just public builders in the U.S. Whelan said half of the deals she has done this year are with ********* buyers. “From their perspective, they have much lower growth at home than they have here, and they have much lower cost of capital. And because their capital is so cheap, they can afford to pay more, so an M&A process tends to be very competitive,” said Whelan. Some of the biggest builder deals this year involved ********* companies like Sekisui House, which purchased MDC Holdings. “The deal of the year was Sekisui buying MDC, which made them a top five builder. I expect Sumitomo Forestry and Daiwa House to follow suit, acquiring other big builders who are not gaining market share and having difficulty competing,” said John Burns, founder of John Burns Research and Consulting. Whelan said the ********* are particularly adept at value engineering the homebuilding process, in part through reverse engineering building plans to remove any waste. They often “build” the home first in 3-D imaging, reducing waste by as much as 20% to 30%, and use factories where they pre-cut all of the wood that’s going into the house, such as the trusses, frames, and wall panels, she said. “I think what we would love to see is that they would bring some of the efficiencies that they have at home in Japan that would make housing more affordable, more cost-effective. They’ve done it successfully in the U.S. auto industry,” Whelan said. Homebuilder M&A will likely continue into next year, as deals have a long lag time. The new Trump administration could also provide a boost. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to open up more federal land for homebuilding. He could also put pressure on state and local governments to loosen zoning regulations that have inhibited more growth. He has also, however, promised mass deportations, which could hit the builder workforce hard. Right now the highest costs for homebuilders are land and labor. Source link #Homebuilder #deal #activity #surging #fueled #major #********* #buyers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best Christmas gifts in 2024 that cover everyone on your holiday list The best Christmas gifts in 2024 that cover everyone on your holiday list This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you’re stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids’ teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there’s a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays. Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. We’ll update this post as more of our gift guides hit the internet, so check back for even more gift ideas throughout the season. Table of contents Best white elephant gift ideas According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened. Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas Best board game gifts We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones. Read more: The best board games to gift this season Best gifts under $50 We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them. Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers Best gifts for gamers This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023 did, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of great new releases. Between titles like Astro **** and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there were plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated of gamers busy in 2024. And if you’re shopping for one, especially as a non-gamer, it can be tricky to navigate what’s worth buying. We’ve got you covered with these recommendations. Read more: The best gifts for gamers Best retro gaming gifts A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork. Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays Best gifts for coffee lovers When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season. Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers Best cooking gifts There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chef’s routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories. Read more: The best cooking gifts Best tech toys for kids We’re all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it’s time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season. Read more: The best tech toys for kids Best gadgets for your pets In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about — just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and we’ve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps you’re shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful **** parent on your list — either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur *******. Read more: The best gadgets for your pets Best travel gifts Since the dawn of humanity, we have traveled. We’ve come a long way from on-foot journeys laden with animal hide satchels. But the goal of good travel gear is the same: Get you and your necessities to a destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who is always catching a flight, rides the train to work or is bravely embarking on a cruise, some new tech may just help them out. Read more: The best travel gifts Best gifts for remote workers There’s a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage. Read more: The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. Source link #Christmas #gifts #cover #holiday #list Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One in three drop out from health T-level One in three drop out from health T-level Getty Images Over 30% of T-level students doing health and science leave the two-year course within 12 months Nearly one in three students doing a T-level in health and science drop out in their first year, according to a new report. The Education Policy Institute (EPI) says T-level students overall are 20% less likely to complete their qualification than students on other types of courses. Health students saw high levels of dropouts after botched exam papers in 2022, which saw the exam board responsible fined £300,000. A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said the findings showed overall student retention rates were “improving as providers grow more familiar with delivering the courses”. T-levels are now in their fifth year, after first being rolled out in 2020. They are two-year vocational courses taken after GCSEs, which focus on subjects like education, construction and IT, and include a work placement that makes up roughly 20% of the course. Just over 16,000 students started a T-level in 2023. Although 2024 figures are not yet available, enrolment numbers have been rising each year. But the rollout has drawn criticism from the regulator Ofsted, and the government’s education select committee, with issues varying from the quality of teaching to the availability of work placements. The latest EPI report also highlights a persistent issue with students dropping out of courses early. The dropout rate of first-year health and science students was 31%, the report said. Only legal, finance and accounting courses had a higher rate, with 33%. Aleasha Lancaster said three of her health T-level classmates dropped out after the exams fiasco in 2022. Ofqual said it had had to take “unprecedented” action against the exam board, NCFE, to get 1,200 students’ results recalculated, after it ******* to develop “valid question papers”. Aleasha, 20, said it was a “big shock” when questions about “the acidity of volcanoes” came up in her science exam, rather than the health-based questions she had been preparing for. Aleasha Lancaster Aleasha is now doing a mental health nursing course at Liverpool John Moores University The healthcare T-level is recognised by NHS Employers as one way young people can start their career in nursing, or other NHS roles. Aleasha has gone on to study mental health nursing at university, but said she and her classmates often felt like “guinea pigs”, having the course tested on them in real time. “I think that because the lecturers didn’t really know the course themselves, it was like the ****** leading the ******,” she said. She said the course was sometimes disorganised, and lacked structure. The EPI report also raised issues which many T-level students have found with using their qualification to get into university. Nursing shortages It comes after a warning from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) last month, that the number of people studying to become nurses has “collapsed” in each region of England. “Across the NHS alone there are tens of thousands of vacancies, and demand for services continues to rise,” RCN’s Prof Nicola Ranger said at the time. “We desperately need more people to join the profession, but the reality is nursing numbers are going in the wrong direction.” ***-wide Ucas data from August found 23,800 students were accepted on to nursing courses for this academic year – 340 fewer than last year and 6,350 fewer than in 2021. The EPI report found that nearly half of health and science T-level students who drop out early end up leaving education altogether. It also criticised the T-level transition programme (TLTP), a foundation year of study to help students prepare for the T-level, with only 2% of health and science TLTP students progressing to the full course. T-levels were launched by the former ************* government, which planned to make them the main route into vocational education by defunding alternative courses, like BTecs, with overlapping subject areas. Critics have warned that many students who might not be suited to T-levels could be left with fewer options for post-16 education if the alternatives are removed. The new Labour government said it would continue with T-levels, but it is considering whether to continue defunding other courses. The result of that review is expected before the end of the year. A spokesperson from the DfE said: “We welcome these findings that show T-level students are more likely to go onto advanced apprenticeships and other higher levels of study than other vocational qualifications.” Source link #drop #health #Tlevel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PS5 Price Cut For The Holidays Edited Out Of New Sony Trailer PS5 Price Cut For The Holidays Edited Out Of New Sony Trailer On November 12, Sony published a marketing trailer for the PlayStation 5 that ended with the announcement that the digital PS5 Slim would be marked down for the holidays. That trailer has since been edited and re-uploaded to remove all mention of the temporary discount. The trailer originally stated that the digital PS5 Slim would be on ***** until December 24 for $380. The system originally launched for $400 before Sony raised the price to $450. Bringing it down to $380 for the holidays is a nice offer, and hopefully it comes back. Microsoft already slashed the price of the Xbox Series X by $50 for the holidays. The video has since been re-uploaded, with many commenters poking fun at Sony for editing out mention of the deal. GameSpot has contacted Sony to try to find out what’s going on here. Companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo typically offer discounts on their consoles and games for ****** Friday and the wider holiday shopping season, and it’s expected Sony will eventually roll out a PS5 discount. In other PS5 news, if you spend $1,800 on high-end jewelry, you can get a free PS5. Sony just released the PS5 Pro, but the console is aimed at a very small tech-enthusiast market rather than the general consumer. Some analysts are predicting a grim holiday for new console sales. If you don’t want a PS5, Nintendo just announced its own set of ****** Friday deals, including discounts on Switch bundles. Nintendo is expected to announce the Switch 2 in the next few months. Source link #PS5 #Price #Cut #Holidays #Edited #Sony #Trailer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AFL Draft 2024: Top West *********** draft hope Bo Allan a first-round lock after Melbourne invite AFL Draft 2024: Top West *********** draft hope Bo Allan a first-round lock after Melbourne invite Top West *********** draft prospect Bo Allan has cemented himself as a first-round lock after being invited to Melbourne next week. Source link #AFL #Draft #Top #West #*********** #draft #hope #Allan #firstround #lock #Melbourne #invite Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lego Horizon Adventures Review – Beautiful Horizon | COGconnected Lego Horizon Adventures Review – Beautiful Horizon | COGconnected “Clocking in at a fairly short six-to-eight hours, Lego Horizon Adventures offers up frequent, brief bursts of fun with its excellent combat encounters. However, this is wrapped up in an experience that feels way too shallow and repetitive to recommend to anyone other than the most enthusiastic Horizon and Lego fans. It’s clear that the intention is to woo new, younger gamers to Sony’s flagship franchise, but if you already own Zero Dawn and Forbidden West on PlayStation, we can’t see any reason why you’d want to check this one out. Mind you, if all you’ve got is a Switch, then this endearingly light-hearted introduction will have to do for now. It could have been so much more, though.” – Ollie Reynolds | NintendoLife Source link #Lego #Horizon #Adventures #Review #Beautiful #Horizon #COGconnected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]