Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Review | Console Creatures
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Review | Console Creatures
Console Creatures writes, “Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 is a step up in every way with punchy gunplay, exciting maps, and Omnimovement at the center.”
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#Call #Duty #****** #Ops #Review #Console #Creatures
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Right now, the sun is far more active than predicted—and small satellites are paying the price
Right now, the sun is far more active than predicted—and small satellites are paying the price
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Last week, three tiny *********** satellites from Curtin University’s Binar Space Program burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. That was always going to happen. In fact, Binar means “fireball” in the Noongar language of the First Nations people of Perth.
When a satellite is in low Earth orbit (2,000km or less), it experiences orbital decay as it drags closer and closer to the surface, eventually burning up.
But these cube satellites (CubeSats), known as Binar-2, 3 and 4, entered the atmosphere much sooner than originally planned. They only lasted for two months—a third of what was expected. This significantly reduced valuable time for science and testing new systems.
The reason for their untimely demise? Our sun has kicked into high gear, and the Binar satellites are far from the only casualty. Recent high solar activity has been causing an unexpected headache for satellite operators in the last few years, and it’s only increasing.
Why is the sun so active?
Solar activity includes phenomena such as sunspots, solar flares and solar wind—the stream of charged particles that flows toward Earth.
This activity is a product of the sun’s ever-changing magnetic field, and approximately every 11 years, it completely flips. At the midpoint of this cycle, solar activity is at its highest.
While this cycle is known, specific solar activity is challenging to predict—the dynamics are complex and solar forecasting is in its infancy.
In the last few months, indicators of solar activity were more than one and a half times higher than predictions for this point in the current cycle, labeled solar cycle 25.
The impact of space weather
Space weather refers to the environmental effects that originate from outside our atmosphere (mostly the sun). It affects us on Earth in a variety of noticeable and unnoticeable ways.
The most obvious is the presence of auroras. In the past few months, auroras have been visible far more intensely and closer to the equator than in the last two decades. This is a direct result of the increased solar activity.
Space weather, and solar activity in particular, also creates additional challenges for satellites and satellite operators.
Higher solar activity means more solar flares and stronger solar wind—resulting in a higher flux of charged particles that can damage or disrupt electrical components on satellites.
It also means an increase in ionizing radiation, resulting in a higher dose for astronauts and pilots, and potential disruptions to long-distance radio communications.
But for satellites in low Earth orbit, the most consistent effect of solar activity is that the extra energy gets absorbed into the outer atmosphere, causing it to balloon outward.
As a result, all satellites less than 1,000km from Earth experience a significant increase in atmospheric drag. This is a force that disrupts their orbit and causes them to fall towards the planet’s surface.
Notable satellites in this region include the International Space Station and the Starlink constellation. These satellites have thrusters to counteract this effect, but these corrections can be expensive.
Low Earth orbit also contains many university satellites, such as the Binar CubeSats. Cube satellites are rarely equipped with tools that can adjust their altitude, so they’re entirely at the mercy of space weather.
What happened to Binar?
The Binar Space Program is a satellite research program operating out of Curtin University. It aims to advance our understanding of the solar system and lower the barrier for operating in space.
The program began operations with its first satellite, Binar-1, in September 2021. This was less than a year into solar cycle 25 when solar activity was relatively low.
In these conditions, the ten-centimeter cube satellite started at an altitude of 420km and survived a full 364 days in orbit.
The program’s follow-up mission—Binar-2, 3, and 4—were three equally sized CubeSats. However, they were expected to last approximately six months owing to the extra surface area from new deployable solar arrays and a forecast increase in solar activity.
Instead, they only made it to two months before burning up. While cube satellite missions are relatively cheap, the ********** ending of a mission will always be costly. This is even more true for commercial satellites, highlighting the need for more accurate space weather forecasting.
The good news is the sun will calm down again. Despite the current unexpectedly high solar activity, it will likely slow down by 2026, and is expected to return to a solar minimum in 2030.
While this was not an explicit goal of the mission, the Binar Space Program has now poignantly demonstrated the dramatic effects of solar activity on space operations.
While the untimely loss of Binar-2, 3 and 4 was unfortunate, work has already begun on future missions. They are expected to launch into far more forgiving space weather.
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Shopify stock skyrockets 25% on revenue beat, rosy holiday forecast
Shopify stock skyrockets 25% on revenue beat, rosy holiday forecast
An employee works at Shopify’s headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada.
Chris Wattie | Reuters
Shopify shares popped more than 25% in Tuesday morning trading after the ********* e-commerce company posted better-than-expected revenue for the third quarter and gave an optimistic forecast for the holiday shopping season.
Here’s how the company did:
Earnings: 64 cents per share. That may not compare with LSEG estimates.
Revenue: $2.16 billion vs. $2.12 billion expected by LSEG
Shopify said it expects revenue in the current quarter to grow at at a percentage in the mid- to high-twenties. That surpassed Wall Street’s expectations of 22.8% for revenue growth, according to FactSet.
****** merchandise volume, or the total volume of merchandise sold on the platform, increased 24% year over year to $69.7 billion during the third quarter. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were looking for GMV of $68.1 billion.
Shopify sells software for merchants who run online businesses as well as services such as advertising and payment processing tools. The company has been investing heavily in marketing in recent months, even at the risk of pinching near-term profits, as it looks to gain further market share. The company competes with e-commerce juggernauts Amazon and Walmart, as well as software providers like Salesforce and BigCommerce.
On a call with investors, Shopify president Harley Finkelstein said a growing number of major retailers and companies signed up for its services during the quarter, pointing to Lionsgate Entertainment, shoemaker Reebok and luxury fashion brand Off-White, along with handbag company Vera Bradley and Hanes.
“Shopify is increasingly the go-to platform of choice, not just for entrepreneurship, but for all of commerce,” Finkelstein said. “We are well positioned for extensive growth across different merchant segments, size, geographies, channels and products.”
Jeff Hoffmeister, Shopify’s CFO, said on the call that the upbeat fourth-quarter forecast is “driven by the same factors that have supported our strong revenue growth results so far this year,” including “assumptions around the continued strength of our merchants GMV.”
Shopify shares are up about 45% year to date. The Nasdaq has gained roughly 37% over the same stretch.
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The bullish Meta trade is paying off. How to keep exposure while limiting risk with options
The bullish Meta trade is paying off. How to keep exposure while limiting risk with options
As we approach the expiration of our Meta Platforms (META) trade from early October we have successfully captured 78% of the total maximum gain. Given the approaching expiration and the trade’s profitability, it’s time to roll the position. The goal is to maintain bullish exposure as we continue to see a positive outlook that continues to improve for META, especially as it now takes on Apple head on in the augmented reality space. If we examine a chart of META, we see that it continues to form a base above $540 after breaking out above it in mid-September. With overall momentum remaining positive, we continue to see the chart as constructive for a continuation higher to new all-time highs as the market hits fresh record highs. On the fundamentals, META stands out as a leader in profitability and growth compared to its industry peers. It generates an industry leading net margin of 35.6%, significantly higher than the industry average. And with analysts expecting EPS growth of 23% and revenue growth at 16%, META outpaces the industry averages by a significant margin. Additionally, META trades at 23x forward earnings, which is a 15% discount relative to its peers, presenting a substantial upside potential. Beyond AI, Meta’s recent advancements in augmented reality through the introduction of its Orion AR glasses position the company as a significant competitor to Apple in this emerging field. META has built a strong foundation to capitalize on AR technology, potentially establishing a leading position and beating AAPL at their next primary product line. The trade To continue benefiting from META’s growth while limiting risk, we are rolling our trade to a Dec 27 $585/$550 put vertical, which involves: Selling the Dec 27 $585 Puts @ $21.83 Buying the Dec 27 $550 Puts @ $8.60 This position allows us to profit if META ******** above $585 at expiration, with a maximum reward of $1,323 and a maximum risk of $2,177 if META is below $550 at expiration. The breakeven point is $571.77, meaning the trade ******** profitable as long as Meta stays above this level. ( View updated pricing on this trade on OptionsPlay .) DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
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Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will have a “family conversation” to “figure out what happened on election night”
Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will have a “family conversation” to “figure out what happened on election night”
House ********* Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday that Democrats will in the weeks and months ahead engage in post-election analysis following bruising outcomes for the party last week, as Republicans will take control of the White House, Senate and possibly even the House.
“We’re going to have a family conversation that needs to be clear-eyed, candid and comprehensive to figure out what happened on election night,” Jeffries said on “CBS Mornings.”
The New York Democrat acknowledged that “the ********* people have spoken,” saying the party has to to “work with the incoming administration whenever and wherever possible, and strongly disagree when necessary, and that’s going to be the approach that we take.”
The comments come as Republicans appear poised to hold onto their narrow majority in the House, with just a few seats to go. CBS News characterizes the House as leaning toward Republicans.
House ********* Leader Hakeem Jeffries on “CBS Mornings,” Nov. 12, 2024
CBS News
Democrats had hoped to flip the House this cycle, going on to elect Jeffries as the first ****** speaker in history after he succeeded Speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi at the party’s helm in the lower chamber.
Meanwhile, Republicans flipped the Senate in a key victory for the incoming Trump administration, serving as a partner in passing his agenda and confirming his nominations.
Jeffries said Congress needs to focus on tackling the issues that matter to Americans, including lowering costs and improving peoples’ quality of life, saying “there are times to campaign and engage in the political process,” but “that time has come to an end.” Now, he said, the focus should be on solving problems for Americans.
“America’s a resilient nation, and so we’re going to get through this political moment and continue to be the greatest country, in my view, in the history of the world,” he said. “But we have problems that we have to solve.”
While Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton said following the Democratic losses that the party spends “way too much time trying not to offend anyone” and called for a new approach from the party on the transgender issues, Jeffries said Tuesday that he “didn’t want to get ahead of the conversations we’re going to have collectively.”
House ********* Leader Hakeem Jeffires on “CBS Mornings,” Nov. 12, 2024.
CBS News
“There are 435 members of the House of Representatives, which means at the end of the day, that means there are 435 independent contractors who, at the end of the day, are most accountable — and should be —to the communities they represent,” Jeffries said. “We’ll have a responsibility as House Democrats to have that conversation about how to move forward.”
Kaia Hubbard
Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
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Trump ********* case ruling delayed by election
Trump ********* case ruling delayed by election
In this courtroom sketch, former U.S. president Donald Trump appears by video conferencing before Judge Juan Merchan during a hearing before his trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence ***** star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, May 23, 2023.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
A New York judge on Tuesday delayed by one week ruling on whether to toss guilty verdicts against President-elect Donald Trump in his ********* hush money case, or to move toward sentencing in late November.
The postponement was announced two days after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office asked the judge for time to consider how Trump’s electoral win affects the case.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who was set to issue his ruling Tuesday, is now scheduled to determine if the case should be dismissed on Nov. 19.
Trump is currently set to be sentenced Nov. 26 on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to ***** star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
Read more CNBC politics coverage
Trump’s lawyers asked to dismiss the case and vacate the jury verdict in July, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that greatly expanded the scope of presidential immunity.
DA Alvin Bragg had urged Merchan to ******* that request, arguing that the high court’s ruling — which granted presumptive immunity to former presidents for all official acts in office — had no bearing on Trump’s conviction in the hush money case.
On Friday — three days after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race — defense lawyers had asked Bragg’s office to agree to a pause on all proceedings in the case.
The DA’s office signed on.
“The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances,” DA prosecutor Matthew Colangelo wrote Sunday in an email to Merchan that was shared in a public court filing Tuesday morning.
The defense lawyers’ arguments “require careful consideration to ensure that any further steps in this proceeding appropriately balance the competing interests of (1) a jury verdict of guilt following trial that has the presumption of regularity; and (2) the Office of the President,” Colangelo wrote.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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How to Get Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket
How to Get Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Mew is comfortably one of Pokémon TCG Pocket’s rarest cards, and very few people own this purveyor of all things psychic. Acquiring Mew is extremely difficult in Pokémon Pocket, and we have step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
As a ****, I loved Mew. Even at an early age, I appreciated the lore of Mew and its ties to ancient Pokémon mysticism. Add the fact its design is adorable (despite being ridiculously powerful) and its heated rivalry with Mewtwo, and you have one of the coolest Pokémon in the entire Pokédex to this day.
Pokémon TCG Pocket’s launch set mostly pays homage to the Kanto 151 era, and Mew is very much part of this elite collection of Mon. You might not be able to see Mew when you look at the Genetic Apex set in its entirety, but I can assure you, that Mew is obtainable.
How to Unlock Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Mewtwo has competition once more. Credit to The Pokémon Company
Mew is an automatic unlock once you collect all 226 cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket’s Genetic Apex set.
Firstly, no, you don’t need to collect all the Hyper Rares, Full Arts, and Promo A cards—just the base set of 226 cards. This does mean you need the initial EX cards though, as they comprise the original collection. When you have the 226th and final card to complete the group, a challenge unlocks, and Mew is yours.
Here’s a quick walkthrough:
Play Pokémon TCG Pocket and open booster packs.
Use the best ways to open free packs to speed up the process.
Once you’ve collected all cards from booster packs, Wonder Picks, or crafting cards, a prompt appears telling you you’ve done the “Complete the Kanto Pokédex” objective.
Press “OK” in the confirmation to acknowledge this.
You now receive Mew—an Immersive Three-Star Rare card.
Swipe up to add it to your collection, and this fills in the 283 slot in the Genetic Apex deck.
The Kanto Pokédex task is one of several secret missions that few players know about in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Ordinarily, doing this takes weeks, months, or maybe even longer—depending on your level of commitment.
Mew Stats in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Mew is a Basic, Psychic-type Pokémon with 60 HP, and has one move. Take a look at Mew’s full stats below:
Stage: Basic.
Type: Psychic.
HP: 60.
Moves: Psy Report—Your opponent reveals their hand: 20 Damage.
Weakness: +20 Darkness.
Retreat Cost: 1 Energy.
It’s believed that YouTuber Willow was the first person to unlock Mew in Pokémon TCG Pocket. I’ve provided a video of the moment the social media personality first unlocks Mew, as well as a look at the card’s special Immersive video.
More players are bound to obtain their own Mew as time goes on. Again, the Genetic Apex set isn’t supposed to be completed so quickly; so have patience, and your time should come.
Find out how to get Mew’s genetic counterpart—the Mewtwo 10 Promo Card—as well as details on the famed Pokémon TCG Pocket **** Pack.
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X is testing a free version of its Grok AI chatbot that doesn’t need a blue-tick subscription
X is testing a free version of its Grok AI chatbot that doesn’t need a blue-tick subscription
Over the weekend various users of X noticed that they were being offered a free-tier version of Grok, X’s AI chatbot, to try. The free version comes with some limitations, however.
So far Grok has only been available on subscription, an approach that’s markedly different from other AI generators like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Meta’s MetaAI and Google Gemini, which offer a free tier that has fewer features than the paid-for version. Similarly, Apple Intelligence is still yet to roll out completely, but will remain free for its first few years at least.
X user @lohansimpson posted a screenshot of the Grok invite and wrote, “Free Grok is coming(With limits)! It will be limited locations at first”.
BREAKING: Free Grok is coming(With limits)! It will be limited locations at first pic.twitter.com/V8tbV8QkQtNovember 10, 2024
Screenshots of the invitation to try Grok contain the text, “A free tier of Grok is now available in your region. Chat, generate images and analyze photos. Limits apply.”
According to a researcher on X who has the user name swak, users on the Grok free tier will be limited to 10 Grok 2 questions every two hours and 20 Grok 2 mini questions every two hours. Grok 2 and Grok 2 mini are different LLMs that X offers. You will also be restricted to analyzing up to three images a day.
It’s not all good news for X users, because if those are the limitations on the free tier of Grok then it will be much more restricted than its competitors, like MetaAI.
An image created in Grok 2. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff/X)
Unrestricted images
Grok raised a lot of eyebrows, and quite a few questions, when Grok 2 was released in August this year containing the Flux image generator which had very few restrictions on its image-generation capabilities compared to other AI image generators.
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While most AI image generators will stop short of letting you create images of politicians, celebrities, and copyrighted characters, like Superman or Iron Man, Grok seemed to be happy to let you create these type of images with abandon.
It’s not clear if the free version of Grok will have the same unrestricted access to the Flux image generator as the subscription service X currently offers, but a move to offer Grok to the wider X user base for free could dramatically increase the number of Grok users almost overnight, turning it into a real competitor to ChatGPT, Meta AI and Google Gemini.
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Car finance industry sets aside billions for motorist claims
Car finance industry sets aside billions for motorist claims
BBC
Marcus Johnson did not know he would be paying commission on his car finance agreement
Motorists who bought a car on finance could share in billions of pounds in compensation following a landmark test case.
When Marcus Johnson, 34, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, bought his first car – a Suzuki Swift – in 2017, he was not informed the car dealership was being paid 25% commission, which was added on to what he had to pay back.
In a landmark case with two other claimants, the Court of Appeal ruled in October that the finance company should pay the hidden commission plus interest back to Mr Johnson, and he is now due to receive just over £3,200.
Trade Centre Wales and MotoNovo finance’s parent company FirstRand have not responded to requests for comment.
Mr Johnson said he was “furious” when he found out what had happened, adding: “I paid £1,650 for what I can only describe as showing me around the showroom for 10 minutes and then printing off a bit of paper.
“I signed a few documents and then drove away in the car.”
He said he had no option but to use finance when he bought the car, describing it as “heartbreaking” to find out so much extra money had been taken.
“Someone in my situation at that time, not being able to buy that kind of age car with cash, you would use finance,” he added.
“And for companies to be able to be allowed to charge these ridiculous amounts of commission without disclosing it, without me being made aware of it at all, myself and thousands of other people.”
Mr Johnson bought the car from dealership Trade Centre Wales for £4,600, and the company arranged finance with Cardiff-based MotoNovo Finance.
He was not informed that the dealership was receiving commission of £1,650, which amounted to about 25% of the total he borrowed.
The car finance industry is now setting aside huge amounts of money to settle similar possible claims in the future.
How can you claim?
It is important to log your claim as soon as possible, according to Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert.
He said claimants did not necessarily need to go via a claims management firm, which would take a cut of any payout.
Mr Lewis advised people first determine whether their finance agreements included a discretionary commission arrangement and, if it did, lodge a time-stamped complaint to the company.
This was echoed by Rip-Off Britain’s legal expert Gary Rycroft, who told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the legal precedent set by the Court of Appeal ruling meant “secret commission” was deemed unlawful.
He said it was important to check your contracts and ask your car finance company whether it had been disclosed if unsure.
He said non-disclosure made for a clearer case but arrangements “******* in the small print” could still be worth making a claim against.
But he added that, while getting your ducks in a row early was a good thing, there was a good chance lenders would be lodging a Supreme Court appeal, so claims may not be able to be acted upon for some time yet.
Marcus Johnson
Marcus Johnson bought a Suzuki Swift in 2017
Mr Johnson sold his Suzuki Swift in 2020, but after three years of regular payments, he still owed £3,500 which he assumed then was due to the interest on the loan for the car.
“With paying off the agreement for three years, I had only scratched the surface,” he said.
Dealerships were not acting outside of the rules and regulations of the industry by taking this sort of commission at that time, but they had a duty to inform their clients.
The court of appeal said “burying such a statement in the small print which the lender knows the borrower is highly unlikely to read will not suffice”.
There have been changes in the rules governing commission since 2021, when the Financial Conduct Authority banned discretionary commission arrangements.
Kevin Durkin, from HD Law, who represented Mr Johnson in the test case, said: “As a financial reward for them being chosen, FirstRand Bank paid Trade Centre Wales a commission which Marcus knew nothing about.
“There was only a vague reference to this arrangement in the paperwork which the court of appeal found was *******.
“As such it meant that Marcus paid more than he necessarily needed to.”
He added it was far from being an isolated case, with many car dealerships and finance companies having operated in this way.
“It’s completely widespread,” he added.
“Almost all cars that are purchased on finance through a dealer or credit broker are sold in this way.
“I’ve yet to see any terms and conditions in a case involving my clients where the terms and conditions reference is either absolute in terms of ‘we will receive a commission’ or alternatively is made prominent in the paperwork that is being signed.”
Mr Johnson said he would never use a finance agreement again, but was delighted when the Court of Appeal found in his favour.
“It was a big moment of relief and excitement and obviously happiness all at the same time – especially with how tough things are at the moment,” he said.
He said he hoped others would also get money back, adding: “I’m so happy that my case and the decision that was made could potentially help thousands of other families, to me that’s worth more than the money that I reclaimed in a way.”
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“There’s remote things that he just has to take a look at”: Todd Howard’s Workaholic Habit May be Responsible for the Greatest Bethesda Criticism
“There’s remote things that he just has to take a look at”: Todd Howard’s Workaholic Habit May be Responsible for the Greatest Bethesda Criticism
When it comes to an incredible legacy, Bethesda Game Studios is a company that not only has a long history but also a catalog packed with absolute bangers. Without many of the company’s leading RPGs, the genre would’ve turned out to be a lot different.
Bethesda is one of the biggest names in the gaming industry. (Image via Microsoft)
However, there’s no denying the fact that Bethesda’s recent games haven’t hit the mark. Fallout 76 is a tragedy that the studio probably wants to forget, and Starfield, despite its positive reception, didn’t deliver on what the players had hoped for.
What’s the reason for Bethesda fumbling its recent releases? There are many things, but one that might be the biggest factor is Todd Howard’s workaholic nature.
Todd Howard Might Be The One To Be Blamed For Bethesda’s Recent Failures
Bruce Nesmith is a person whose name you might’ve never heard, even though you’re a big fan of Bethesda’s RPGs.
He began working with the famed Dungeons & Dragons publisher TSR on Apple III titles and eventually partnered up with Bethesda as early as 1995, where he was one of the lead designers for The Elder Scrolls: Chapter II – Daggerfall. He stuck around the company until 2021 when he left to be an author.
Related
Todd Howard Doesn’t Want You to Know the Bethesda Game That’s Even More Doomed Than Elder Scrolls 6
In an hour-long conversation with KIWI TALKZ, Nesmith opened up about his decades of experience working at Bethesda and his relationship with Todd Howard. At one point, he mentions that during the end of his tenure, Howard would have somewhere around two dozen projects at his table.
There’s remote things that he just has to take a look at, in addition to a variety of larger projects. So, that’s a lot.
It’s great to see that Howard is working so hard to push out multiple genre-defining hits. However, one man simply can’t handle all such projects. The company’s RPG keeps evolving with every entry and gets ******* in scale. Howard singlehandedly leads all the projects, and it puts too much pressure on him.
With how Bethesda’s projects are delayed so much, it’s evident that the pressure is getting to Howard. It’s always hard to wait for a new title in a beloved franchise. However, that pain is more felt by fans of Bethesda’s franchise than other fanbases.
One of the company’s biggest IPs, Fallout, has already gone years without a new mainline release, with Fallout 4 dating nine years ago. The Elder Scrolls 6 has just now entered production, and even that franchise hasn’t seen a release in over a decade. It’s high time Bethesda considered hiring more developers or outsourcing projects to give Howard some breathing room.
Former Lead Admits Bethesda Games Could Be More Refined
The company’s games are infested with game-breaking glitches and bugs. (Image via Microsoft)
While Bethesda has given us some incredible games, its titles are undoubtedly bug-infested. Seriously, you can’t go a single minute without facing a game ****** or UI glitch that completely ruins your experience, and even the company’s own ex-employees agree with the problems.
Related
A Disastrous Flaw in Todd Howard’s Bethesda That Made Starfield Dev Quit Thankfully Never Affected Fallout, Elder Scrolls
In an interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith opened up about the development side of the company before he left in 2021. He admits that the company’s games could have a lot more time in the oven but believes there’s a good reason why the studio pushes out games that aren’t polished.
Having an NPC run in place in front of a wall for a little while became acceptable because of the 17 things you could do with that NPC, whereas most games you’d be able to do two.
Nesmith also states that the studio’s titles are so huge and include many moving parts that releasing a bug-free title is basically impossible. The studio has to make tough calls to publish something that’s filled with bugs or skip key deadlines.
Of course, there are plenty of game developers out there who give us buggy games, but the quality of the company’s overall recent work is a big reason why bugs might not be so overlooked as they were in Fallout 3 and Skyrim.
With that said, do you think it’s time for Bethesda to fast-track its big franchise releases? Let us know in the comments below.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
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Scientists Confirm Four Different King Cobra Species After 188 Years of Mystery
Scientists Confirm Four Different King Cobra Species After 188 Years of Mystery
A study has confirmed that the iconic king cobra, previously thought to be a single species, is actually a group of four separate species. This revelation ends a mystery that has puzzled scientists for over 188 years. The new findings mark a significant advancement in the understanding of the world’s longest venomous snake. For nearly two centuries, the king cobra was believed to be one species: Ophiophagus hannah.
The new findings, published in the ********* Journal of Taxonomy on October 16, claims that scientists began questioning this assumption due to noticeable differences in the snake’s physical characteristics, including colour patterns, across various regions. In 2021, genetic research uncovered distinct genetic lineages among king cobra populations. The latest study, led by Gowri Shankar Pogiri, founder of the Kalinga Foundation and director of the Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology, combined genetic findings with physical traits of museum specimens to identify the four species.
Four Newly Identified Species
The four newly recognised species include the Northern king cobra (O. hannah), the Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus), the Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga), and the Luzon king cobra (Ophiophagus salvatana). The Northern king cobra is found across northern India, Myanmar, and Indochina, while the Sunda species is native to the Malay Peninsula and several islands. The Western Ghats king cobra is exclusive to the Western Ghats in India, and the Luzon king cobra is located in the northern Philippines.
Researchers also observed unique body patterns and characteristics between these species. For instance, the Sunda king cobra often lacks bands or has narrow pale bands with dark edges, whereas the Western Ghats king cobra features bands without dark borders. The Luzon king cobra is distinguishable by angular pale body bands.
Implications for Venom Research
The discovery of these four species has important implications for antivenom research. As all king cobra species are venomous, this could lead to more targeted development of antivenoms, tailored to the specific venom of each species in their respective regions. Scientists, including Pogiri, suggest that there may still be undiscovered species, particularly on isolated islands, and studies are ongoing.
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Intel Core Ultra 5 225H delivers 14% better single core and 16% improved iGPU performance than Meteor Lake per early benchmarks — the CPU still falls short of its Lunar Lake counterparts
Intel Core Ultra 5 225H delivers 14% better single core and 16% improved iGPU performance than Meteor Lake per early benchmarks — the CPU still falls short of its Lunar Lake counterparts
Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra 5 225H from the Arrow Lake-H mobile family has been tested at Geekbench (via Benchleaks), delivering moderate uplifts compared to its predecessor in the CPU and iGPU (OpenCL) departments. However, even this sizeable uplift is still insufficient to leapfrog Lunar Lake, which sits comfortably at the top of the table at much lower power limits.
The Core Ultra 5 225H is the successor to the Core Ultra 5 125H. It features 14 cores (four P + eight E + two LPE) and 14 threads alongside 18MB of L3 cache. The test bench is an upcoming notebook from Samsung—codenamed “NP965XHD”—offering 16GB of unspecified memory. Based on this test, the Core Ultra 5 225H clocked at a maximum of 4.9 GHz—roughly 9% faster than the Core Ultra 5 125H.
Starting with the CPU scores, the Core Ultra 5 225H amassed 2,547 points and 12,448 points in the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. This lands it 14% faster in single-core performance than the 125H, though multi-core ******** a disappointment at just 8% faster; that may be attributed to the lack of hyperthreading. Lunar Lake still takes the lead in single-core while consuming less power. The gap was more prominent with the previously leaked Core Ultra 9 285H, so these results probably do not indicate the final silicon.
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Arrow Lake ships with Intel’s upgraded Xe-LPG+ architecture with the Core Ultra 5 225H sporting the Arc 130T iGPU with 7 Xe cores (112 Xe Vector Engines) clocked at 2.2 GHz. Oddly enough, 7 Xe-LPG+ cores outperform 7 Xe2 cores (Core Ultra 5 228V), at least in OpenCL, a synthetic test.
To explain this, Lunar Lake operates at a lower TDP (17W – 37W) than Arrow Lake-H (expected to be 28W – 115W). Secondly, Lunar Lake offers faster gaming performance in practice than what theoretical benchmarks suggest, owing to architectural refinements and better drivers. Nonetheless, Core Ultra 5 225H’s iGPU scores 16% better than its Meteor Lake equivalent. Real-world performance, however, will primarily be subject to driver support and game optimizations.
Intel will release the Core Ultra 200H/U/HX/non-K CPUs at CES 2025. Rumors allege that Battlemage will arrive ahead of RDNA 4 and Blackwell as early as next month.
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#Intel #Core #Ultra #225H #delivers #single #core #improved #iGPU #performance #Meteor #Lake #early #benchmarks #CPU #falls #short #Lunar #Lake #counterparts
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Judge delays key ruling on fate of Trump hush money conviction
Judge delays key ruling on fate of Trump hush money conviction
In this courtroom sketch, former U.S. president Donald Trump appears by video conferencing before Judge Juan Merchan during a hearing before his trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence ***** star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, May 23, 2023.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
A New York judge on Tuesday delayed by one week his ruling on whether to grant President-elect Donald Trump’s request to set aside the guilty verdict in his ********* hush money case, or to let it stand and sentence him in late November.
The postponement was announced two days after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office asked the judge for time to consider how Trump’s electoral win affects the case.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who was set to issue his ruling Tuesday, is now scheduled to determine if the case should be dismissed on Nov. 19.
Trump is currently set to be sentenced Nov. 26 on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to ***** star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump’s lawyers asked to dismiss the case and set aside the jury verdict in July, following a Supreme Court ruling that greatly expanded the scope of presidential immunity.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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US ex-congressman Michael Grimm paralysed after polo accident
US ex-congressman Michael Grimm paralysed after polo accident
Former US congressman Michael Grimm has been paralysed from the chest down after being thrown from a horse during a polo tournament.
His friend and former New York City council member, Vincent Ignizio, told the Associated Press the “tragic accident” occurred in September, and that he was currently receiving treatment.
Ignizio has also set up a fundraising page to pay for the New York ***********’s medical treatment.
A former marine and FBI agent, Grimm, 54, represented Staten Island and part of Brooklyn in the House of Representatives, but resigned months before being convicted of tax evasion in 2015.
“Through the grace of **** and the amazing medical teams who have helped him, Mr Grimm has miraculously thread the needle to survive,” his fundraising page said, adding that the treatment to enable him to walk again would cost “millions of dollars”.
Ignizio said his friend was being treated at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey, where the late actor Christopher Reeve stayed after a similar accident in 1995, the Associated Press reported.
“His ultimate goal is to get himself to walk again,” Ignizio added.
On Monday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said his “thoughts and prayers” were with Grimm and that he was “deeply saddened” by the accident.
“Grimm is a Marine veteran, and as we honour our nation’s service members this Veteran’s Day, I hope for a full and speedy recovery,” he wrote on X.
Grimm was first elected to the House in 2010.
After a two-year federal investigation into his finances, he was charged in 2014, and the following year sentenced to eight months in prison.
Prosecutors at the time said he under-reported wages and revenue so as to avoid payroll, income and sales taxes.
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NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Chiefs back at No. 1, plus quarterback confidence rankings
NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Chiefs back at No. 1, plus quarterback confidence rankings
The Week 11 NFL Power Rankings are checking in on the most important position in the game — quarterbacks.
It’s been a weird year for the most high-profile position in the game. The best quarterback in the league has not been that impressive. A can’t-miss prospect is missing by a lot. A future Hall of Famer is finishing his career on fumes. And Russell Wilson is 3-0.
We’re rating every team’s confidence in its quarterback situation from 1 through 10, and you’ll notice we’re leaning heavily on EPA-per-dropback statistics provided by TruMedia. That’s simply how many expected points a quarterback generates each time he intends to throw. It’s not a perfect statistic, but it’s pretty widely considered the best way to measure overall efficiency at the position.
Our ****** in these teams’ quarterbacks affected the rankings this week in several spots, including at the top, where a familiar face is back despite barely winning once again.
Last week: 2
Sunday: Beat Denver Broncos 16-14
QB confidence rating: 10
Patrick Mahomes is 12th in the league in EPA per dropback (.12), 17th in passer rating and has thrown almost as many interceptions as touchdowns (nine to 12). That passer rating is on pace to be the worst of his career. Doesn’t matter. He’s still the player every team in the league would trade their guy for in a minute. Two more wins will give him 100 for his career counting the regular season and playoffs. He’s also a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time MVP and the reason the Chiefs are the title favorite again this year regardless of his numbers.
Up next: at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Last week: 1
Sunday: Beat Houston Texans 26-23
QB confidence rating: 7
This could be a nine, but there’s always a concern with Jared Goff that something bad is lurking around the next corner. For instance, a five-interception game like he had Sunday night against the Texans. That’s more interceptions than he had in the first eight games of the season combined. The other knock on Goff is his offensive coordinator and teammates make it easy on him. His air yards per attempt (6.9) rank 29th in the league. Still, his EPA per dropback (.16) ranks eighth in the league and can’t be dismissed.
Up next: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
‘Just to be here is surreal’: Jake Bates, Lions complete wild comeback vs. Texans
Last week: 3
Thursday: Beat Cincinnati Bengals 35-34
QB confidence rating: 9
The only reason this isn’t a 10 is Lamar Jackson’s 2-4 career record in the playoffs. Jackson is the frontrunner for NFL MVP, which would be his third. Only Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have done that, and Jackson is only 27 years old. He leads the league in EPA per dropback by a wide margin (.37). Rodgers is the only player since 2010 to top that number in a season. His .40 in 2011 earned him the MVP trophy.
Up next: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
4. Buffalo Bills (8-2)
Last week: 4
Sunday: Beat Indianapolis Colts 30-20
QB confidence rating: 8
Josh Allen has scored 58 non-passing touchdowns since being drafted in 2018. That’s 12th in the NFL in that *******. He has thrown 184 touchdown passes in that span, which ranks third. That’s 242 times he’s put the Bills in the end zone. This year, he’s seventh in EPA per dropback and has thrown 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions.
Up next: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Signature Josh Allen
: #BUFvsIND on CBS/Paramount+ : pic.twitter.com/K4WrqFMZ1w
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
Last week: 8
Sunday: Beat Dallas Cowboys 34-6
QB confidence rating: 7
The Eagles have won five straight, and in that stretch, Jalen Hurts is fifth in EPA per dropback (.20) and third in passer rating (126.1). Against the Cowboys, he was 7-for-9 for 115 yards and two touchdowns while under pressure, according to Next Gen Stats. He’s also leading maybe the best rushing ******* in the league. He had 56 yards and two touchdowns on the ground Sunday.
Up next: vs. Washington Commanders, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
The Eagles are ‘building that bully’ after an overdue Cowboys beatdown in Dallas
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2)
Last week: 9
Sunday: Beat Washington Commanders 28-27
QB confidence rating: 4
Pittsburgh is not in this position because of its quarterback play, but Russell Wilson deserves some credit for being 3-0 since taking the job from Justin Fields. Wilson’s chuck-it-deep style has been a nice fit with George Pickens and the Steelers. The veteran quarterback is third in air yards per attempt (9.9) since Week 7, and his .19 EPA per dropback is on pace to be his best since the 2015 season.
Up next: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
GEORGE PICKENS TD OH MY
: #PITvsWAS on CBS/Paramount+ : pic.twitter.com/rFXdORC9VE
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
Last week: 6
Sunday: Bye
QB confidence rating: 6
Jordan Love’s problem, and problem may be a relative word in this context, is that he just signed a $220 million contract, and he has thrown an NFL-high 10 interceptions. He’s 19th in EPA per dropback (.02), and his season has to have Green Bay fans a little worried that he’s a good quarterback who had an elite finish to the 2023 season rather than an elite quarterback.
Up next: at Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Last week: 7
Sunday: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 12-7
QB confidence rating: 5
Sunday was the game the Sam Darnold skeptics have been waiting for. Darnold threw three interceptions and had a passer rating of 48.2 against a Jacksonville defense that had been very generous to opponents all season. Darnold is 21st in EPA per dropback (.01). After the first month of the season, he was 11th (.09), but fading in the second half has been a hallmark of Darnold’s career. It appears now more than ever that he’s just keeping the job warm for J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft), who suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
Up next: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
9. Washington Commanders (7-3)
Last week: 5
Sunday: Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers 28-27
QB confidence rating: 7
Jayden Daniels was just average on Sunday against the Steelers. It’s about time. The rookie was starting to look like he’d never stub his toe. Daniels completed 50 percent of his passes and had the second negative EPA game of his career. Still, he’s second in the NFL in EPA per dropback (.22) behind only Lamar Jackson. He is second in quarterback rushing behind Jackson as well, prompting a postgame question comparing the rookie to the reigning MVP. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin quickly shut that down.
Up next: at Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Mike Tomlin when asked postgame about similarities/differences between Jayden Daniels & Lamar Jackson:
“Man, be real slow comparing people to Lamar Jackson. That’s a multi-time MVP. That’s Mr. Jackson. We’ll see Mr. Jackson in a few days.”#RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/E4UG9Feju1
— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) November 10, 2024
Last week: 15
Sunday: Beat Tennessee Titans 27-17
QB confidence rating: 8
Justin Herbert’s numbers aren’t flashy, but he might be your favorite quarterback evaluator’s favorite quarterback. Herbert threw 18 passes Sunday but rolled up a 123.1 passer rating and is now sixth in that category among qualified passes (103.2). After toiling in relative obscurity for the first four years of his career, Herbert has a chance to get into the national conversation this year if the Chargers keep winning.
Up next: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
How Jim Harbaugh channeled a folk-rock ballad to lead Chargers to third straight win
Last week: 16
Sunday: Beat New York Jets 31-6
QB confidence rating: 7
Kyler Murray completed 22 of 24 passes Sunday, including his last 17, and it wasn’t because he was throwing to wide-open receivers all day. The odds of completing his final 17 passes based on their expected completion percentage was .245 percent, according to Next Gen Stats. Murray is 11th in EPA per dropback at .13, which is the best number of his career, and with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, he’s on pace to have the best touchdown-to-interception ratio of his career.
Up next: Bye
Kyler Murray completed 22-of-24 for 266 yards and a TD against the Jets (career-high +21.6% CPOE), including each of his last 17 passes.
The odds of Murray completing each of his last 17 passes based on the probability of each attempt:
1 in 408 (0.245%)
Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/clGT9nsCTr
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 11, 2024
Last week: 10
Sunday: Beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20
QB confidence rating: 7
It feels like Brock Purdy has reached an important milestone this season. There’s no longer a daily debate about whether he’s a great quarterback or merely the product of his environment. He’s just playing mostly good football. Purdy is sixth in EPA per dropback (.18) and second in air yards per attempt (9.1). Since he was drafted in 2022, he leads the NFL in passer rating (106.9). On Sunday, he threw for 353 yards and was 4-for-5 for 39 yards on the 49ers’ game-winning drive.
Up next: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
49ers, Jake Moody deliver wobbly win but team is still trying to find its dominant self
13. Houston Texans (6-4)
Last week: 12
Sunday: Lost to Detroit Lions 26-23
QB confidence rating: 7
C.J. Stroud’s season now officially qualifies as a sophomore slump. He had a 64.2 passer rating and threw two interceptions Sunday night and lost despite a five-interception game from his opponent. Stroud is 24th in EPA per dropback (******-.01). As a rookie, he finished sixth (.11). Houston has lost two in a row and three of its last four.
Up next: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Last week: 11
Sunday: Lost to New Orleans Saints 20-17
QB confidence rating: 7
Kirk Cousins is on track to be in the Comeback Player of the Year conversation, but his campaign took a hit Sunday as Cousins ******* to throw a touchdown pass against the Saints for the second time this season. Those are the only two games in which Cousins hasn’t thrown a touchdown in his first year with the Falcons. He’s 10th in EPA per dropback (.13) and has his team in first place in the NFC South. If you took away the two games against New Orleans, Cousins would be sixth in EPA per dropback (.17).
Up next: at Denver Broncos, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
15. Cincinnati Bengals (4-6)
Last week: 18
Thursday: Lost to Baltimore Ravens 35-34
QB confidence rating: 8
This losing record isn’t Joe Burrow’s fault. The fifth-year quarterback hasn’t played this well since he led the Bengals to the Super Bowl. Burrow is seventh in EPA per dropback (.17) and third in passer rating (108.1) after completing 34 of 56 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns while losing a thriller against Lamar Jackson on Thursday night. Those are both the second-best marks of his career. See, not his fault.
Up next: at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6)
Last week: 13
Sunday: Lost to San Francisco 49ers 23-20
QB confidence rating: 7
Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 24 touchdown passes. That’s only four short of his career high, which he set last year in Tampa. His EPA per dropback (.11) ranks 13th and is tied for the best mark of his career. Mayfield is trying to keep the Buccaneers afloat without receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and he almost did it Sunday against the defending NFC champions despite passing for only 116 yards.
Up next: Bye
BAKER MAYFIELD WHAT?!
: #SFvsTB on FOX : pic.twitter.com/Mlj7lDybXM
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
17. Denver Broncos (5-5)
Last week: 14
Sunday: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs 16-14
QB confidence rating: 6
Rookie Bo Nix had a higher passer rating than his counterpoint Sunday, which is notable because his counterpoint was Patrick Mahomes. Nix was 22-for-30 for 215 yards and two touchdowns and posted a .36 EPA, which is the highest mark of his 10-start NFL career. In four of Nix’s first five games, he posted a negative EPA. In three of the last five games, he’s been in positive numbers. He still ranks 29th overall in EPA (******-.11), but he’s moving in the right direction. He also has rushed for 290 yards and four touchdowns.
Up next: vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
‘We were right there’: Broncos heartbroken by blocked field goal loss to Chiefs
Last week: 17
Monday: Lost to Miami Dolphins 23-15
QB confidence rating: 7
This is not Matthew Stafford’s best season. He has thrown seven interceptions, including one in each of the last six games. He had 293 passing yards Monday night but couldn’t get the Rams into the end zone. Stafford, the No. 1 pick in 2009, is 26th in EPA per dropback (******-.03), which is the third-worst number of his career. Still, even at 36 years old, Stafford is a guy lots of coaches would pick to win them one game.
Up next: at New England Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
19. Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
Last week: 19
Sunday: Bye
QB confidence rating: 6
Since Geno Smith’s bounce-back 2022 season, his passer rating is going in the wrong direction. That year it was 103, the highest mark of his career as a starter. It fell to 92.1 last season and currently sits at 88.6. Smith isn’t playing poorly. He’s 16th in EPA per dropback (0.3), but it’s becoming clear that Seattle needs peak Geno to be competitive. An 11-to-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio is not peak Geno.
Up next: at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
20. Miami Dolphins (3-6)
Last week: 27
Monday: Beat Los Angeles Rams 23-15
QB confidence rating: 6
By the numbers, Tua Tagovailoa is playing great. He is eighth in EPA per dropback (.14), and he’s completing more than 70 percent of his passes. However, Monday night’s win, in which he was 20-for-28 for 207 yards, one touchdown and one interception, improved his record as a starter this season to just 2-3. Granted, those losses came to Buffalo (twice) and Arizona, but there’s still something missing from this offense, and Tagovailoa is the player most responsible for getting that fixed.
Up next: vs. Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
21. Indianapolis Colts (4-6)
Last week: 21
Sunday: Lost to Buffalo Bills 30-20
QB confidence rating: 3
Anthony Richardson was trending on X early in the day Sunday. That’s not a good sign considering he was benched two weeks ago. Veteran Joe Flacco hasn’t backed up the team’s decision to make that move. Flacco threw three interceptions Sunday and is 0-2 since replacing Richardson. Coach Shane Steichen says the veteran will remain the starter “until I say otherwise.” That should probably be soon. Developing a young player, even one with a 44.4 completion percentage, makes more sense than continuing with Flacco, who is 21st in EPA per dropback.
Up next: at New York Jets, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Drake Maye got the best of fellow rookie Caleb Williams on Sunday and is the Patriots’ biggest reason for hope at the moment. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
22. New England Patriots (3-7)
Last week: 29
Sunday: Beat Chicago Bears 19-3
QB confidence rating: 7
Drake Maye may be overrated here, but he gets a bump because he’s the only reason for hope in New England at the moment. Maye looked particularly good in comparison to fellow rookie Caleb Williams on Sunday. The Patriots have won two of their last three games, and Maye is 25th in EPA per dropback (******-.02). He’s also averaging 38.8 rushing yards per game, which is fifth among quarterbacks.
Up next: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
23. Chicago Bears (4-5)
Last week: 20
Sunday: Lost to New England Patriots 19-3
QB confidence rating: 5
Is it too early for Bears fans to panic about Caleb Williams? No, probably not. This year’s top pick has three straight games with a negative EPA, and he’s 33rd in that category for the season (******-.13). He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since Week 6. His completion percentage (60.5) ranks 32nd. His sack percentage (11.4) is 33rd and a sign that not only is Chicago’s offensive line not as good as expected but that Williams is taking too long to get the ball out of his hands. Things are not good.
Up next: vs. Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
24. New York Jets (3-7)
Last week: 22
Sunday: Lost to Arizona Cardinals 31-6
QB confidence rating: 2
The Jets bet their present and future on Aaron Rodgers having one more run in him. They’re losing that bet badly. Rodgers is 26th in EPA per dropback (******-.02), 29th in completion percentage (62.4) and 25th in yards per attempt (6.4). On Sunday, he threw for 151, no touchdowns and completed only two passes that traveled more than 7 yards, and the Jets couldn’t manage a touchdown. If this is Rodgers’ last season, it looks like it will be a somber one.
Up next: vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
After blowout loss in Arizona, Jets are out of time and Aaron Rodgers is out of answers
25. Dallas Cowboys (3-6)
Last week: 23
Sunday: Lost to Philadelphia Eagles 34-6
QB confidence rating: 6
Dak Prescott is 31 years old, and he could be about to have season-ending surgery to repair a hamstring that is torn off the bone. It wasn’t going great when Prescott was healthy. He’s 27th in EPA per dropback (******-.05), which is not what the Cowboys were expecting when they made him the highest-paid player in the NFL in the offseason at $60 million annually. Cooper Rush, Dallas’ primary backup since 2021, passed for 45 yards on Sunday, and Trey Lance had 21 yards and one interception on six passes as the Cowboys dropped their fourth straight.
Up next: vs. Houston Texans, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
GO DEEPER
Trey Lance or Cooper Rush? Cowboys are a mess that neither quarterback can fix
26. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
Last week: 26
Sunday: Bye
QB confidence rating: 2
How much influence will new Raiders ********* owner Tom Brady have on which quarterback Las Vegas drafts in April? You’d think a lot. There seems to be little question the Raiders are going to be in the quarterback market. Current starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II, if he does in fact hang on to the starting job after the bye week, is 30th in EPA (******-.11). After that, the depth chart is Desmond Ridder and Aidan O’Connell.
Up next: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Last week: 31
Sunday: Beat New York Giants 20-17
QB confidence rating: 3
The Panthers have won two in a row with Bryce Young as their starting quarterback, but it’s probably a mirage. The wins have come over the Saints and Giants, and the former No. 1 pick hasn’t been the driving force in either victory. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per attempt with a ******-.10 EPA per dropback in those two games. Young only took back the starting job because of an Andy Dalton injury, and these last two weeks probably didn’t change the organization’s mind much.
Up next: Bye
Bryce showing off the wheels : NFL Network pic.twitter.com/KPM0mqUpGX
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 10, 2024
28. New Orleans Saints (3-7)
Last week: 32
Sunday: Beat Atlanta Falcons 20-17
QB confidence rating: 5
The Saints appear to be linked to Derek Carr through at least 2025 because of his contract. That comes with a ceiling, but it comes with a floor, too. Carr passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns to newly acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Sunday, and he is ninth in EPA per dropback (.13) this season. That’s on pace to be the second-best mark of his career and his best since 2019.
Up next: vs. Cleveland Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
29. New York Giants (2-8)
Last week: 25
Sunday: Lost to Carolina Panthers 20-17
QB confidence rating: 2
The best news for the Giants is they can move on from Daniel Jones after this season for the low, low price of $22 million in ***** money. It’s been time to move on for a while. Jones threw 37 passes Sunday and had only 190 yards and two interceptions to show for it. For the season, he’s 28th in EPA per dropback (******-.08). For his career, which has spanned six long years as the starter in New York, he’s 24-44-1. He’s had only one winning season and has never gotten to 10 wins.
Up next: Bye
GO DEEPER
The Giants are getting worse, so what is the case for retaining Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen?
30. Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Last week: 24
Sunday: Bye
QB confidence rating: 1
Deshaun Watson’s injury allowed Cleveland to change the subject from its controversial quarterback for now, but the conversation is coming back. Watson’s fully guaranteed deal means there’s no easy or inexpensive way to move past him. The Browns can take a small country’s GDP worth of ***** money, have a backup quarterback with a $72 million cap hit next year or start Watson again in 2025. Amazingly, the third option may be the most palatable, even though he posted a ******-.25 EPA per dropback this season, which ranks 37th among qualifying quarterbacks.
Up next: at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
31. Tennessee Titans (2-7)
Last week: 28
Sunday: Lost to Los Angeles Chargers 27-17
QB confidence rating: 2
The only reason Tennessee gets a two is because only Cleveland is getting a one. The Titans aren’t in much better shape, but at least they have answered the question they came into the season asking. Is Will Levis the starter of the future? No. Levis was fine Sunday, throwing for 175 yards and two touchdowns, but Tennessee fans are probably hoping that doesn’t provide the team with false hope. The game managed to even up his touchdown-to-interception ratio at seven to seven for the season. Levis is 36th in EPA (******-.22).
Up next: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8)
Last week: 30
Sunday: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 12-7
QB confidence rating: 4
The good news from Sunday? Mac Jones’ 14-for-22, 111-yard, two-interception day should make Jacksonville fans feel better about Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars’ regular starter may be headed for season-ending shoulder surgery, which might not be the worst thing considering this is a lost season in Jacksonville and Lawrence could use a reset. He has underplayed expectations since being drafted No. 1 in 2021, ranking 25th since then in EPA per dropback (.00). He had 11 touchdowns and six interceptions this season before being sidelined last week.
Up next: at Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
(Top photo of Patrick Mahomes: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PS5 Pro: upgrading Insomniac’s masterpiece
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PS5 Pro: upgrading Insomniac’s masterpiece
SimpleSlave246d ago
You’re most def in the *********. Yeah. Aside from some boneheaded decisions, like having a mask on Willem Dafoe or shoehorning Venom in the Third one, those movies are far more enjoyable and honest than the new Marvel’s Spider-Man movies.
As for Tobey and Kristen, they both help ground the characters and make them more relatable and human than the new Disneyfied versions. It’s no secret as to why the best parts of the Disney Spider-Man movies are the ones with the characters from the original Trilogy; Dafoe, Tobey and Molina.
The original trilogy is indeed not perfect, but they still have heart and feel like the people behind them actually cared about the property whereas the new version feels like brain numbing been-there-done-that by the numbers Disney affair.
But to each their own.
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Strengthening cyber: Best IAM practices to combat threats
Strengthening cyber: Best IAM practices to combat threats
The 2024 *** government Cyber Security Breaches Survey makes sober reading with 70% and 74% respectively of medium and large businesses reporting some form of cyber incident within the previous 12 months.
With phishing accounting for 84% of these attacks and AI enabling the launch of increasingly sophisticated cyber campaigns, organisations need to defend themselves against attacks targeting two key vulnerabilities in their defences: insecure user accounts and human error. IAM needs to be a key part of an organisation’s security posture against these threats.
Unfortunately, many organisations have inadequate IAM and lack effective control and visibility of who has access to their resources. This creates a vulnerability that is targeted and exploited.
Organisations should combat this threat by establishing an identity-centric security approach that moves the security perimeter from the edge of the corporate network to the individual user. It reduces the risk of an attacker exploiting insecure identities by enforcing verification and authorisation of all entities prior to allowing any access and then only permits authorised activity.
Identity-centric security needs to be at the core of an organisation’s cyber security posture. It is delivered through effective IAM governance, strong but proportionate access controls, user education, and proactive detection and response capabilities designed to rapidly identify and repel any breach.
Reduce the ability of attackers to exploit accounts through effective IAM governance
An effective IAM governance framework for managing the end-to-end identity lifecycle is a key element in reducing the ability of attackers successfully exploiting an account to infiltrate an organisation’s resources.
The first step is getting the basics right. At a minimum, regular re–certification reviews should be performed to see who has access to what resources and their entitlements. It should then remove any account and/or access right that is not required. This should be coupled with the enforcement of effective joiners, movers and leavers, and ‘access request’ processes designed to only provide users with appropriate access to resources they need to perform their roles.
This reduces the exploitable ******* surface by, for example, removing dormant or duplicate accounts and unnecessary access to resources. It should also deliver a single traceable view of who has access to which resources and enable unauthorised access to be more effectively identified.
Enforce strong but proportionate access controls to reduce the risk of compromise
As an organisation’s users and their accounts will be actively targeted, it is necessary to enforce access controls that not only reduce the risk of breach, but if an attacker does succeed, minimises their ability to exploit this access.
Organisations need to apply proportionally stronger controls according to risk. At a minimum, organisations should use Multi-Factor-Authentication (MFA) tools and techniques. These include mobile authenticator apps leveraging One-Time Passwords or biometrics combined with controls using contextual signals such as a user’s location or the status of their device. Such mechanisms provide an additional layer of defence in the event a user falls for a phishing email and provides an attacker with their credentials.
In the event these defences are breached, the enforcement of a least privilege model, where users are only provided with the minimum entitlements required for their jobs will limit the ability to exploit this. Building upon this, privileged accounts used for higher-level administrative activities must be kept separate and not used for daily business–as–usual work. Such controls impede an attacker’s ability to move laterally across the network and reduces their ability to compromise an organisation’s systems and data or deploy system corrupting ransomware.
Use education to reduce the risk caused by ignorance
Cyber attackers exploit ignorance and muscle memory with techniques such as MFA ******** (where attackers repeatedly spam the user with MFA requests until they accept) which is used to compromise credentials.
Education of these threats needs to be part of an organisation’s defences. Measures include awareness campaigns on how to identify and respond to phishing emails, best practice, and steps to take if they feel they may have been compromised. This helps the workforce take pride in good cyber security and empowers them to do the right thing.
Use threat detection and response capabilities to reduce the impact of any breach
Although effective IAM should be at the heart of the defence against cyber phishing and ransomware attacks, it essentially provides a static defensive perimeter. Organisations must assume this will be breached and use their wider security operations capability to proactively deliver threat detection and response, including approaches such as Zero Trust.
Organisations should develop capabilities to detect and analyse signals that could be an indicator of attempted or existing compromise. Trend analysis on usage and breaches can be used to identify and close vulnerabilities. Threat detection tools (e.g. a SIEM capturing IAM and PAM logs) combined with established playbooks can, for example, reduce the impact of a successful phishing campaign by detecting and responding to anomalous activities such as seeking escalation of rights.
A coherent identity-centric security approach needs to be a core part of an organisation’s defences if it is to successfully combat cyber, phishing and ransomware attacks. The combination of the use of high quality identity data and technology services to control access to its resources, with proactive threat detection and response capabilities, and user education, is vital for a security posture designed to meet rapidly evolving cyber attacks.
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Germany plans February election after coalition collapse
Germany plans February election after coalition collapse
Germany is set to hold elections on 23 February, following the collapse of the governing coalition.
The country was plunged into crisis after Chancellor Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democrats, fired the finance minister and coalition partner, ********** Lindner of the Free Democrats, following weeks of internal tensions.
The February date is a proposal and there are several steps to confirmation. The ******* press agency DPA reported that these were largely a formality.
It said the next step was for Scholz to put the current government to a confidence vote on 16 December.
If he loses, which is the expected outcome, the election date will formally be proposed to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He will then have 21 days to dissolve the ******* parliament, the Bundestag.
Tensions boiled over in the Bundestag last Wednesday during a row over the 2025 budget.
The chancellor fired Lindner, saying he had “betrayed my confidence” and put the interests of his party over those of the country.
Lindner accused Scholz of “leading Germany into a phase of uncertainty”.
The turmoil plunged Europe’s largest economy into political chaos, hours after Donald Trump’s US election victory triggered uncertainty about the future of the continent’s economy and security.
Scholz’s initial plan for a no-confidence vote in January and elections in mid-March was rejected by the leader of the opposition ********** Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz, as not soon enough.
The DPA reported that leaders of both main parties agreed the February date, and that the Greens and Free Democrats, the junior coalition partners, support the plan.
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Predicting the College Football Playoff rankings after Week 11: What to do with Indiana?
Predicting the College Football Playoff rankings after Week 11: What to do with Indiana?
Two top-five teams lost just days after the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2024 season were released, so there should be a Top 25 shake-up by the selection committee with the second rankings on Tuesday night. Just how much they change after Georgia and Miami lost is the question.
My College Football Playoff projections model predicts what the committee is likely to do with its rankings each week. Last week, my projected rankings had 24 of the top 25 teams (the only non-ranked team was Missouri, which I had 26th), so it did a pretty good job of identifying the Top 25. What about precision? The model predicted all of the top 17 teams’ rankings within two spots. The first big miss came when it projected Clemson and Army at 18th and 19th, respectively, while the committee had them at 23rd and 25th. Overall, 22 of the 25 teams were within two spots, 16 were within one spot and nine were exactly right, including seven of the top 12.
GO DEEPER
College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Indiana up to 92 percent chance to make field
This is a new week and a new test, as teams are going to be moving around a bunch at the top. So let’s take another stab at projecting what the committee will do with the rankings.
Projected CFP Top 25 after Week 11
Rk
Team
Record
****
AP poll
1
10-0
51
1
2
8-1
35
2
3
8-1
17
4
4
8-1
80
3
5
10-0
81
5
6
8-1
70
6
7
9-0
54
7
8
8-1
56
8
9
7-2
3
9
10
8-2
39
10
11
7-2
1
11
12
9-1
68
12
13
8-1
65
14
14
7-2
21
15
15
8-1
85
13
16
7-2
47
17
17
7-2
41
20
18
7-2
52
18
19
9-0
132
16
20
8-1
93
19
21
6-3
7
21
22
6-3
5
23
23
6-3
13
22
24
7-2
32
24
25
7-2
60
NR
Next five: Arizona State, Pitt, Tulane, UNLV, Illinois
Biggest question: How is Indiana being evaluated?
Indiana is fresh off a victory over Michigan, easily one of its best wins of the season but also its closest. For the first time in 10 games, the Hoosiers won by single digits, hanging on to win 20-15 despite having just 18 yards of total offense in the second half. Indiana has already crashed the AP top five for the first time since 1967. It is 10-0 for the first time ever and will be in the mix for a top-five ranking Tuesday after it was eighth in last week’s CFP rankings. The reason it’s not a surefire top-five team is because its strength of schedule, in my projections, ranks 81st. How much will that matter?
GO DEEPER
Why No. 8 Indiana is the 12-team College Football Playoff’s ultimate test case
The Hoosiers’ Playoff positioning will ultimately be determined by how they perform against Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 23 after they’re idle this week. If that’s a competitive game, you can almost guarantee the Hoosiers a spot in the CFP. But if it’s a blowout, some think they don’t have the resume to deserve or guarantee an at-large bid. And while I won’t defend their schedule strength, I don’t think enough attention is brought to some other CFP contenders.
According to my projections, Texas has played the 80th toughest schedule and Tennessee the 70th. Now, there are some differences across strength of schedule metrics from various sources, but Tennessee’s best win is Alabama and its second best win is arguably Kentucky (and it lost to Arkansas). Texas’ best win is probably Vanderbilt or Michigan.
Indiana will likely finish the season with the easiest schedule among the contenders, but I don’t think it’s as egregious as some have been making it out to be. A good performance against Ohio State should give the Hoosiers not only a Playoff bid, but an opportunity to host a game in the first round.
GO DEEPER
Indiana edges Michigan to reach 10 wins, likely Playoff and wants more: What is this world?
What the 12-team bracket would look like
The bracket below is based on the projected selection committee rankings for Nov. 11. Find my projections for the final bracket here.
(Photo of Curt Cignetti: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
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Rode’s tiny $149 Wireless Micro kit is designed for smartphone users
Rode’s tiny $149 Wireless Micro kit is designed for smartphone users
Rode has announced the Wireless Micro, a two-mic kit with a smartphone receiver and charging case that costs just $149. The idea is to help TikTok and other creators capture much better-quality audio than their smartphone’s microphone can offer.
The receiver unit connects to the bottom of your smartphone via a USB-C or lightning port. Meanwhile, the microphones (aka transmitters) attach to the subject via integrated clips or magnetic attachments, then capture what Rode calls “pristine” quality sound. Specifically, they offer a 20-20 kHz frequency range and 73 dB signal-to-noise ratio, with a transmission range around 330 feet.
Rode
To use it, simply connect the receiver to your iOS or Android device and it will take over as the system microphone. From there, everything is automatic, as the transmitter mics are automatically paired to the receiver and sound will be captured to your camera app of choice. Levels are automatically controlled with the company’s GainAssist technology.
The omnidirectional transmitters weigh just 12 grams (0.42 ounces) and are tiny enough to be discreet when clipped onto your subject. The built-in microphones use what Rode calls “acoustic chambers” with a patent-pending design. That supposedly lets you capture clear and intelligible audio while reducing wind noise, though a pair of windmuffs is also included in the kit.
Rode
The Wireless Micro also includes a charging case that delivers two full recharges for up to 18 hours of battery life, while giving you a secure place to store everything.
There are a few things missing, though. You can’t connect an external mic to the transmitters, unlike with other Rode wireless mics or the DJI Mic 2. There’s no smartphone Bluetooth capability, and it doesn’t offer a 3.5mm connection for cameras — a feature that will supposedly exist on the rumored DJI Mic Mini. Still, this looks like a great option for creators who primarily use smartphones. It’s now available in a two mic kit with a receiver and charging case for $150.
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Instagram AI Feature That Lets Users Generate Profile Pictures Spotted in Development
Instagram AI Feature That Lets Users Generate Profile Pictures Spotted in Development
Instagram could be working on a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that will allow users to generate profile photos. A new ***** claims that the Meta-owned social media platform is testing a feature that will allow users to use AI models to create new profile pictures using AI. While not a lot is known about the feature at this point, similar features are reportedly being developed for Facebook and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri recently announced that automatic feed refreshing, which was triggered when the app is opened after a certain *******, has been abandoned by the service.
Instagram Developing AI Profile Picture Generation Feature
Developer Alessandro Paluzzi found evidence of this feature on the Instagram app, and shared details in a post on Threads. He was able to find a new menu option when updating his profile picture on Instagram that says, Create an AI profile picture. A screenshot of the menu was also shared by the developer.
While it is difficult to say how exactly this feature would work as it is still in development, it will likely be powered by one of Meta’s Llama large language models (LLMs). The feature could work in two ways — it could let users generate an AI image from scratch using text-based prompts or convert existing profile pictures in different styles using AI.
This wouldn’t be the first AI feature to arrive on Instagram. The Meta-owned platform already offers access to Meta AI, its conversational chatbot, in the form of a standalone chat as well as in group chats. The company also rolled out an AI rewrite feature for DM messages, which allows users to rephrase and change the tonality of messages being sent to another user.
Meanwhile, Meta recently announced that it testing an AI-powered facial recognition technology to detect scam ads on Facebook and Instagram. The feature will spot ads that fraudulently use public figures in their ads to lure users and block them. It also revealed its plans to use the technology to verify users via video selfies to help them gain access to their compromised accounts. Neither of these features are widely available at the moment.
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Bitcoin Price Nears $90,000 After US President-Elect Donald Trump’s Victory: What’s Fuelling the Optimism Around Crypto
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28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday bill
28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday bill
Americans tend to overspend during the holiday season.
In fact, some borrowers are still paying off debt from last year’s purchases.
To that point, 28% of shoppers who used credit cards have not paid off the presents they bought for their loved ones last year, according to a holiday spending report by NerdWallet. The site polled more than 1,700 adults in September.
However, this is a slight improvement from 2023, when 31% of credit card users had still not paid off their balances from the year before.
More from Personal Finance: Here are the best ways to save money this holiday season 2 in 5 cardholders have maxed out a credit card or come close Holiday shoppers plan to spend more
Growth in credit card balances has also slowed, according to a separate quarterly credit industry insights report from TransUnion released on Tuesday.
Although overall credit card balances were 6.9% higher at the end of the third quarter compared to a year earlier, that’s a significant improvement from the 15% year-over-year jump from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023, TransUnion found.
The average balance per consumer now stands at $6,329, rising only 4.8% year over year — compared to an 11.2% increase the year before and 12.4% the year before that.
“People are getting comfortable with this post-pandemic life,” said Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion. “As inflation has returned to more normal levels in recent months, it has also meant consumers may be less likely to rely on these credit products to make ends meet.”
Recent wage gains have also played a role, according to Paul Siegfried, TransUnion’s senior vice president and credit card business leader. Lower inflation and higher pay “may be driving consumers toward a financial equilibrium,” he said.
Still, spending between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 is expected to increase to a record total of $979.5 billion to $989 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Shoppers may spend $1,778 on average, up 8% compared with last year, Deloitte’s holiday retail survey found. Most will lean on plastic: About three-quarters, 74%, of consumers plan to use credit cards to make their purchases, according to NerdWallet.
“Between buying gifts and booking peak-season travel, the holidays are an expensive time of year,” said Sara Rathner, NerdWallet’s credit cards expert. However, this time around, “shoppers are setting strict budgets and taking advantage of seasonal sales.”
How to avoid overspending
“There’s no magic wand, we just have to do the hard stuff,” Candy Valentino, author of “The 9% Edge,” recently told CNBC. Mostly that means setting a budget and tracking expenses.
Valentino recommends reallocating funds from other areas — by canceling unwanted subscriptions or negotiating down utility costs — to help make room for holiday spending.
“A few hundred dollars here and there really adds up,” she said. That “stash of cash is one way to set yourself up so you are not taking on new debt.”
How to save on what you spend
Valentino also advises consumers to start their holiday shopping now to take advantage of early deals and discounts or try pooling funds among family or friends to share the cost of holiday gifts.
Then, curb temptation by staying away from the mall and unsubscribing from emails, opting out of text alerts, turning off push notifications in retail apps and unfollowing brands on social, she said.
“It will lessen your need and ******* to spend,” Valentino said.
If you’re starting out the holiday season debt-free, you’re in a “strong position” to take advantage of credit card rewards, Rathner said.
Credit cards that offer rewards like cash back or sign-on bonuses will offer a better return on your holiday spending, she said.
However, if you are planning on purchasing big-ticket items to work towards such bonuses, make sure you’re able to pay off the balance in full to avoid falling into holiday debt, Rathner said.
What to do if you have debt from last year
People walk by ***** signs in the Financial District on the first day back for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) since the Christmas holiday on December 26, 2023 in New York City.
Spencer Platt | Getty Images
If you have credit card debt from last year, the first thing you can do is “look for ways to lower the interest you’re paying on that debt,” said NerdWallet’s Rathner.
A balance transfer card, for example, typically offers a 0% annual percentage rate for a ******* of time, which usually spans from months to even a year or more.
If you move your debt from a high-rate credit card, it may help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in interest payments, depending on how much you owe, Rather said.
“That keeps your debt from growing,” she said.
But you need to pay off the debt in full before the interest-free ******* ends to fully benefit, Rathner noted.
Additionally, there are a few caveats: You generally need to have good-to-excellent credit to qualify for the balance transfer and there may be fees involved. A transfer fee is typically 3% to 5% of the balance that you transfer over, Rathner said.
While you may need to budget for that detail, “the savings on the interest might be higher than the fee you would pay,” she said.
Otherwise, you may be able to consolidate into a lower interest personal loan, depending on your creditworthiness. Similarly, cardholders who keep their utilization rate — or the ratio of debt to total credit — below 30% of their available credit may benefit from a higher credit score, which paves the way to lower-cost loans and better terms.
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Supreme Court rejects Mark Meadows’ bid to move Georgia prosecution involving 2020 election to federal court
Supreme Court rejects Mark Meadows’ bid to move Georgia prosecution involving 2020 election to federal court
Washington — The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ bid to move his state prosecution to federal court in the case stemming from an alleged effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.
The court’s denial of Meadows’ appeal leaves in place a lower court decision that returned the prosecution to state court. Meadows and President-elect Donald Trump, for whom he worked, were charged alongside 17 others by Fulton County prosecutors for their alleged efforts to reverse Trump’s electoral loss in Georgia in 2020.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges. Proceedings have been on hold for months as a Georgia appeals court is set to consider in December whether to allow Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting Trump and his allies.
Meadows served as Trump’s chief of staff from March 2020 to January 2021 and was a prominent figure in the president-elect’s attempts to stay in office for a consecutive term after the November 2020 presidential election.
Two counts were brought against him by Fulton County prosecutors: the first alleges that he engaged in a wide-ranging racketeering *********** with Trump, and the second alleges he participated in an effort to solicit a public officer, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to violate his oath of office.
Meadows is portrayed in the indictment returned in August 2023 as a go-between for Trump and others involved in coordinating the strategy for contesting the 2020 election and disrupting the ****** session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021. He participated in a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Raffensperger, during which the then-president asked Raffensperger to “find” 11,780 votes, enough to make him the winner of Georgia’s election.
After Meadows was charged, he sought to transfer the case to federal court under a federal officer removal statute and argued that the actions alleged in the indictment related to his role as chief of staff.
The district court, however, sent the case back to the Fulton County Superior Court. While U.S. District Judge Steve Jones conceded that some of the charged conduct involved Meadows’ official duties, there was not enough evidence to establish that a “heavy majority” of the acts alleged against him related to his role as chief of staff.
“Meadows’s alleged association with post-election activities was not related to his role as White House Chief of Staff or his executive branch authority,” Jones wrote in his September 2023 decision.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld the district court’s decision, finding that the federal officer removal statute does not apply to former federal officers and “his participation in an alleged *********** to overturn a presidential election was not related to his official duties.”
“At bottom, whatever the chief of staff’s role with respect to state election administration, that role does not include altering valid election results in favor of a particular candidate,” Chief Judge William Pryor wrote for the three-judge panel.
Meadows appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that whether a chief of staff prosecuted based on actions related to his work for the president can remove his case to federal court is not a close call.
Calling the 11th Circuit’s decision “miserly and counterintuitive,” Meadow’s lawyers warned in a filing that allowing it to stand would open former federal officers up to politicized state prosecutions for unpopular federal policies.
“The chief of staff is a unique federal officer, the top aide to a coequal branch of government personified by the president,” they wrote. “If former officers cannot remove at all, and if even a current chief of staff cannot remove a case arising out of acts taken in the White House in service of the president, then the floodgates are open, and ‘nightmare scenarios’ will not take long to materialize.”
Fulton County prosecutors urged the Supreme Court to ******* Meadows’ appeal and leave the 11th Circuit’s decision in place. They noted that Trump did not even move his case to federal court, and said Meadows ******* to “articulate any coherent source of authority for the president or his staff to supervise or affect a state’s administration of elections.”
Melissa Quinn
Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.
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