Pelican Press

Pizza Chain Transforms Your PS5 Into a Pizza Warmer With Free 3D Printed Design Pizza Chain Transforms Your PS5 Into a Pizza Warmer With Free 3D Printed Design Forgot the PS5 Pro, Pizza Hut is giving every PS5 owner the opportunity to upgrade their consoles with the ultimate upgrade, a pizza warmer. Source link #Pizza #Chain #Transforms #PS5 #Pizza #Warmer #Free #Printed #Design Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This custom Raspberry Pi voice assistant is built around ChatGPT This custom Raspberry Pi voice assistant is built around ChatGPT If there’s one thing the Raspberry Pi is good for, it’s a little bit of everything. Home automation and voice assistant projects definitely aren’t unheard of—you can find quite a few around online. But today we’ve got an impressive voice assistant project made from scratch to share that we think is really impressive. Maker and developer Suryatejadev has created a custom voice assistant using our favorite single board computer (SBC), the Raspberry Pi 5, along with a little bit of help from AI thanks to ChatGPT. The concept is simple, but it’s obvious that it took a fair bit of work to put together. The Raspberry Pi listens for audio using a microphone. This audio is then processed and parsed through ChatGPT so the command can be interpreted. Responses from ChatGPT can then be played back through the Raspberry Pi 5 with the help of a speaker. This setup is very similar to what you find with a more commercial system like Alexa but with the added benefit of bypassing Amazon servers for a little more privacy. We’ve covered similar projects the past with things like TextyMcSpeechy, which makes it easier to implement unique voice profiles in voice assistant projects. We’ve also seen some with a lot of personality and character, like this Bender-themed voice assistant from ‘Futurama’. However, this project by Suryatejadev is more barebones and easy to build on if you want to make something of your own. The main board powering this particular setup is a Raspberry Pi 5, which comes with plenty of power for handling the various components of the project. However, you’ll still need a fan to keep the unit cool as the Pi 5 is notorious for running warm. You can use any compatible microphone for audio input and any speaker you’d like for audio output. The Raspberry Pi is programmed to listen for a keyword, in this case “corgi.” When the keyword is detected, the Pi barks in response. Audio can also be detected using a phone using an application called “Easy Voice Recorder.” The Pi can listen to audio through this app if both the phone and Pi are running “Syncthing.” Audio is converted into text using OpenAI, which is then parsed to a ChatGPT API. Responses are converted into audio using an OpenAI model and then played through whatever speaker you’re using. Suryatejadev was kind enough to make the project open source and has shared plenty of details about the workflow for anyone interested in knowing more. The Raspberry Pi uses a custom Python script to handle the audio input and share it with ChatGPT. All of the source code is available over at GitHub to download and explore. If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, you can check it out over at the official project page. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #custom #Raspberry #voice #assistant #built #ChatGPT Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Airlines suspend flights as Spirit plane hit by gunfire Airlines suspend flights as Spirit plane hit by gunfire Several airlines have suspended flights to Haiti after a passenger plane from the US was hit by gunfire as it tried to land in Port-au-Prince. Spirit Airlines Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale in Florida was diverted to the neighbouring Dominican Republic where it landed safely at Santiago Airport. A flight attendant suffered minor injuries, the airline said in a statement, adding that no passengers were hurt. It is the second time in three weeks that aircraft have been shot at over the Haitian capital. Haiti is in the grip of a deep political crisis with armed gangs controlling large parts of the country. On Monday, a new prime minister was installed by the country’s ruling council after the previous leader, Garry Conille, was ousted less than six months into the job. The Spirit Airlines flight had been scheduled to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport on Monday just before 12:00 local time (17:00 GMT) when it was hit. Unverified video of the incident shared on social media appeared to show several bullet holes on the inside of the aircraft, where the crew sit during take-off and landing. Spirit Airlines said that damage “consistent with gunfire” was found when the plane was inspected at Santiago Airport. The aicraft was taken out of commission, Spirit added. The airline said it had also suspended flights to Haiti “pending further evaluation”. Two other US airlines, ********* Airlines and JetBlue, have also suspended flights to Haiti until at least Thursday. The security situation has further deteriorated in Haiti in recent months. In October, gang members opened ***** at a UN helicopter, causing some airlines to temporarily cancel flights to the Caribbean nation. A UN-backed policing mission, led by officers from Kenya, had begun in June in an attempt to wrest back control from gangs. Spirit is a low-cost airline, based in Florida, which flies throughout the ******* States, Caribbean and ****** America. Source link #Airlines #suspend #flights #Spirit #plane #hit #gunfire Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokémon TCG Pocket: best decks to play right now Pokémon TCG Pocket: best decks to play right now At the start of your Pokémon TCG Pocket journey, you will mostly be focused on getting as many decent cards in your collection as possible. Once you’ve finally battled some friends and crafted some cards, you’ll be able to make a great deck. Unfortunately, even a good deck can’t rival some of the best decks anyone can create in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Players have finally cracked down on the game’s meta, so if you want to compete in the big leagues against others online, you should create some of the best decks listed below. Mewtwo ex deck Nintendo x2 Mewtwo ex x2 Ralts x2 Kirlia x2 Gardevoir x2 Potion x2 X Speed x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 Giovanni x1 Red Card x1 Sabrina This Psychic deck becomes unstoppable with this setup if you start the game with the right cards. Your main attackers are your Mewtwo ex cards, but if successful, you should only need to use one to win. Ralts can evolve into Kirlia, which when evolved to Gardevoir has a passive ability to give any Psychic card in the active spot an extra Psychic energy. Since the Mewtwo’s most powerful ability requires four energy but will spend two, you can keep spamming this move each turn even with just one Gardevoir on your bench. Articuno ex deck Nintendo x2 Articuno ex x1 Froakie x1 Frogadier x1 Greninja x2 Potion x2 X Speed x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 Giovanni x2 Misty x2 Sabrina x1 Red Card All the Articuno ex deck needs are two of its star players to win, alongside Greninja helping from the bench. Although Greninja isn’t crucial for this deck to work, they can deal 20 damage to any of your opponent’s Pokémon from the bench every turn. Otherwise, Articuno ex’s best move only requires three energy and deals 80 damage to the active Pokémon while simultaneously dealing 10 damage to all benched Pokémon. If you pull a Misty card and successfully gain enough energy on an early turn, Articuno ex is a deadly deck to face off against. Pikachu ex deck Nintendo x2 Pikachu ex x2 Zapdos ex x2 Helioptile x2 Heliolisk x2 Potion x2 X Speed x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 Giovanni x1 Red Card x1 Sabrina The Pikachu ex deck is versatile since all this card needs is three other Lightning-type Pokémon sitting on the bench to get a full output of 90 damage each turn. While it’s best to have two Zapdos (or Zapdos ex), you can try other Lightning Pokémon if you don’t have Helioptile and Heliolisk. You could swap them with two Voltorbs and Electrodes, which have similar health and damage outputs, Pincurchin can paralyze your ******, or Eevee to Jolteon can deal up to 160 damage if you’re lucky with coin flips. Dragonite deck Nintendo x2 Dratini x2 Dragonair x2 Dragonite x2 Koffing x2 Weezing x2 Potion x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 Koga x1 Sabrina x1 X Speed This is the only non-ex deck on this list, but it’s still just as powerful as the rest. It’s important to ensure you only allow Water and Lightning energy for this deck and not Dark because you won’t be using it for Koffing and Weezing. They’ll act as decoys to tank hits while you start building up to a Dragonite, but can still do damage in the meantime with Weezing’s ability to poison your opponent. Then use Koga to immediately put Weezing into your hand and replace it with your Dragonite. If you don’t have Koffing and Weezing, you can swap them out for any other Pokémon with a good chunk of health to withstand hits. Venusaur ex deck Nintendo x2 Bulbasaur x2 Ivysaur x2 Venusaur ex x2 Petilil x2 Lilligant x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 Erika x1 X Speed x1 Red Card x1 Sabrina x1 Potion The Venusaur ex deck is the best Grass-type deck that utilizes Lilligant’s ability to grant extra energy to a benched Pokémon anytime they use their main *******. This will help you build up to a Venusaur ex with enough energy early on. You can then swap in the Venusaur ex that can deal 100 damage while healing itself for 30 HP. We also recommend you bring more Erika cards with you than Potions since Erika can heal 50 HP to any Grass-type Pokémon, while a Potion only heals 20. Starmie ex deck Nintendo x2 Staryu x2 Starmie ex x2 Froakie x2 Frogadier x2 Greninja x2 Potion x2 Poké Ball x2 Misty x2 Professor’s Research x1 Sabrina x1 Red Card Starmie ex is one of the most powerful cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket since it has no retreat cost and only needs two energy to deal 90 damage. Pair this with a Greninja or two on the bench so they can both deal 20 damage each turn to any of your opponent’s Pokémon. You should also bring Misty along for a chance to give yourself a bunch of Water energy if the coin flips go your way. If you don’t have the cards for Greninja, you could replace them with Articuno ex or Lapras ex instead. Charizard ex deck Nintendo x2 Charmander x2 Charmeleon x2 Charizard ex x2 Moltres ex x2 Potion x2 Poké Ball x2 Professor’s Research x2 X Speed x2 Red Card x2 Sabrina The Charizard ex deck relies on the Moltres ex’s Inferno Dance ability that can give your benched Charizard cards extra ***** energy depending on your coin flips. It has 140 HP to tank hits until you’ve finally built up to a Charizard ex, and with four energy it can deal a whopping 200 damage (although it consumes two energy). Since this deck is already so powerful, you won’t need a Giovanni with you. Blastoise ex deck Nintendo x2 Squirtle x2 Wartortle x2 Blastoise ex x2 Lapras ex x2 Potion x2 Poké Ball x2 X Speed x2 Misty x2 Professor’s Research x1 Red Card x1 Sabrina One of the most underrated ex cards is the Blastoise ex. Only needing three energy, its Hydro Bazooka move deals 100 damage on its own, but if your card has two extra Water energy attached, it’ll do 60 more damage. This pairs well with the Lapras ex card since it doesn’t take much energy and can act as a tank while you build up to a Blastoise. If you don’t have a Lapras ex, go for Articuno ex instead. It shouldn’t be difficult to get energy with two Misty cards on hand either. Source link #Pokémon #TCG #Pocket #decks #play Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I tried a web browser without tabs, bookmarks, or navigation I tried a web browser without tabs, bookmarks, or navigation Trails can be collapsed to help organize your sidebar. Digital Trends When it comes to web browsers, I am an inveterate tab hoarder (current count: over 400). It’s my main vice and is a hard habit to kick. I often find myself falling down the “Wikipedia *****,” opening tab after tab on topics that interest me, and before long I’m confronted with a mass of pages and no idea how I got to where I am. In other words, I think I need help. But there’s been a glimmer of hope on the horizon, as I’ve come across a strangely named browser called Horse that claims it can banish tab hoarding and offer a much better way to peruse the internet. Can it end my annoying tab habit (tabit?) once and for all? Goodbye tabs Digital Trends Horse works very differently from normal browsers. It’s built by two people and has a small community of users, making it a far cry from behemoths like Chrome and Firefox, the latter of which is my long-time browser of choice. Horse brands itself as a tool for students and researchers, but also insists it’s ideal for a broader array of people — journalists, designers, developers, shoppers, and more. Oh, and I nearly forgot the kicker: There are no bookmarks, no viewing history and no tabs. Instead of tabs, Horse uses what it calls “Trails.” These are nested pages that can be used to organize topics. Every time you click a new link, it becomes a new entry in the list of nested pages, which are housed in the sidebar. This makes it simple to see how you got to where you are currently browsing. The idea is to make organization simpler and prevent you being overwhelmed when you ***** deep into a topic. I’ll be honest: I was skeptical of Horse at first. Could I really break tabs’ vice-like grip over me? What would happen to those 400+ tabs currently waiting for me in Firefox? I know they’re still out there, after all. Picking up Horse would mean abandoning them all for good. The lack of bookmarks was also a concern to me. Surprise surprise, I have a huge number of bookmarks in Firefox, but saving pages for later is less tidy in Horse. I can’t bookmark a tab, close it, and come back to it later if I need to. If I want to save it, it must always be open, which I worried would cause the sidebar to become messy. In other words, this was going to take some getting used to. But I quickly found out that there might just be something interesting lurking in Horse’s approach. Forging a new Trail Digital Trends In use, Horse is a world away from what you expect from a plain old regular web browser. There’s certainly a learning curve, but it’s far from insurmountable. In the end, there’s a lot to like about it. Let’s start with Trails, the key feature of Horse. Every time you click a link, a new page (called a “SubTrail”) appears in the sidebar nested underneath the last page you were on. After a few clicks, you start to see a clear hierarchy of where you’ve navigated on the web. It’s something I quickly found myself enjoying. You can see your browsing history right there in front of you, and it’s super fast to get back to any page you want to by selecting it in the sidebar, even if it’s been many clicks since you visited it. On a regular browser, navigating that far back is much more cumbersome. Interestingly, there’s no back button in Horse because it’s quick enough to just select the previous page from your Trail. This stumped me at first — I spent a few confusing seconds aimlessly searching for a button that wasn’t there — but it feels natural quickly enough. Trails do create something of a mess of links, though. You can manually drag and drop pages into other Trails, which is a neat little feature, but your sidebar will quickly fill up with pages and Trails. If you want to see your history at all times, that’s great, but it can feel a bit cluttered. Fortunately, Horse lets you shuffle this mess out of the way (at least partially), as each Trail can be collapsed so that you only see the Trail header text (called, appropriately, the TrailHead). I’d still rather have bookmarks so that I can clear out the sidebar without losing the pages forever, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. You don’t have to open a SubTrail by clicking a new link — you manually open a new SubTrail and type in your link or search query instead. That’s handy for organization, say if you are reading a page and get an idea to visit a related website and want to keep the two pages closely associated within the Trail list. You can also create “SideTrails,” which are additional pages added to a Trail that are not nested underneath another page. It sounds confusing, but it makes a lot more sense once you start using the browser. Horse also lets you drag and drop pages to reorder them, add emojis to their titles, and rename them. That means that you can use it as a sort of ersatz to-do list app, such as by putting the most important page at the top of a Trail and adding due dates to the page titles. When you complete a task, you can delete it from the Trail. It’s not something I used a whole lot, and it’s unlikely to replace your dedicated to-do app, but it’s interesting to see that Horse is flexible enough to work this way (even if it is a bit rudimentary). I should also note that Horse is a beautifully designed browser. It’s very minimalist, with visual features that are all excellently considered, from the fonts and icons to the use of ****** and translucency. It’s apparent that Horse’s creators spent just as much time thinking about how it looks as they did thinking about how it works. Missing features Trails are subdivided into SideTrails and SubTrails, each of which has its own uses. Digital Trends It’s not all great, though, and Horse is notably missing a few key features from other browsers. One absence that I’ve really noticed is the lack of extension support. I use a lot of fantastic browser extensions with Firefox, from privacy-protecting safeguards like Consent-O-Matic to money savers such as Honey. Almost none of these work in Horse. While it has its own password manager and comes with two external extensions included (Ghostery for ad blocking and Dark Reader for dark mode), it’s not much to go on compared to rival products. The developer says they aim to add broader extension support but that it’s out of their budget right now. Hopefully that’ll change soon. There are other small ********. It would be helpful if the URL bar autofilled sites after you’ve been there once before, for example, instead of requiring you to type the whole thing every time. Horse also has a few too many top-level dividers in the sidebar — Trails can take the form of Areas (Trails that have a large header at the top) or folders (Trails that, uhh, don’t have a large header) and it was never immediately clear why I should use one and not the other. Then there’s the price. We are all used to browsers being free, but Horse requires payment up front. Its price of $20 a year or $60 for lifetime access means you have to really consider if it’s right for you. Compounding that is the fact that Horse doesn’t offer a free trial – there is a 14-day refund *******, but not everyone wants to shell out just to see if they like a product. This stance feels like it will prevent curious people from giving the browser a fair try, which could be a problem when Horse does things so differently to every other browser and really requires hands-on time to understand it. An impressive achievement You can use Horse as a makeshift to-do list app, although dedicated alternatives will always come out on top. Digital Trends Horse is an impressive achievement for a two-person team — it’s not just yet another browser to be added to the pile but one that actually attempts to rethink how a browser should work on a fundamental level. For the most part, it succeeds, and I’m confident its shortcomings will be addressed in time. That brings me to my final question: Is Horse worth its price tag? Answering that depends on your specific needs. If you just want a slightly different browser, it’s probably not what you’re looking for. But if you’re after one that addresses a pain point, specifically one relating to tabs and online research, it’s an intriguing offering and one that you might find is worth the price. I’m glad there’s a one-off purchase option. Many people are wary of subscriptions, and $60 for lifetime access feels reasonable. That said, the $20 annual charge for the rolling subscription isn’t outrageous either, even if it is more than you’d usually pay for a browser (considering most are free). It’s hard to get past our conditioned feeling that web browsers should be free, and it’s absolutely valid to feel that you’d rather stick to cost-free alternatives. But Horse definitely brings something new to the table, and it doesn’t take long for its Trails system to prove its worth to your browsing experience. If you fall within its target audience, it might be just what you’ve been needing to tame your tab overload. Source link #web #browser #tabs #bookmarks #navigation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Edinburgh University warns students not to be ‘snobs’ Edinburgh University warns students not to be ‘snobs’ BBC Olivia Gallosi and Ronni Sharp Edinburgh University has warned students from privileged backgrounds not to be “snobs” towards their peers from Scottish and working-class backgrounds. The institution admitted class-related prejudice was a problem on campus. It said individuals from less well-off backgrounds were being “inadvertently or deliberately shamed by more privileged students”. The guidance was issued after the newly-formed Scottish Social Mobility Society complained lecturers and students regularly mocked and mimicked individuals from north of the border. “At the University of Edinburgh students who come from middle to lower socioeconomic backgrounds are in a *********,” it said. “However, in wider *** society they are the majority.” Examples of shaming included comments about “clothing and lack of knowledge or regional accents”. Getty Images There are currently 50,000 students at Edinburgh University More than 70% of the university’s students are from England, the rest of the *** or overseas. Those attending private schools make up 40% of the intake. One student quoted in the guidance said they had been told by their peers “you can’t be working class because you’re at university”. “We were discussing inheritance tax in class and people have explicitly said that they have more money because they ‘just work *******’, the student said. Olivia Gallosi, from Inverness, is a third-year student at Edinburgh University. She told BBC Scotland News she had come across discrimination. “A lot of people turn their nose up at you if you didn’t go to private school,” she said. “I’ve got a slight English accent because I was born there so people are nice and then they find out I’m actually Scottish and then their opinion changes. “I’ve got friends who refused to come to Edinburgh because they didn’t want to put up with the treatment of Scottish students so they went to surrounding unis because it is way worse here than anywhere else.” Ronni Sharp said she was aware of the problem “straight away” – as soon as she moved into halls of residence. “When I was in first year I had a job and people were very judgemental about it. “They were like why are you working you’re supposed to be having fun and I was like ‘I’ve got rent to pay’. “Scottish students find that a lot here at Edinburgh University. “There needs to be more awareness of embracing everyone’s pasts and cultures.” Shanley Breese founded the Scottish Social Mobility Society Shanley Breese, a law student who founded the Scottish Social Mobility Society, said that when she arrived at the university she had never heard of private schools. She set up the group so her Scottish peers had somewhere to go to feel they could fit in. She said it started in Freshers week when she was asked constantly what school she had gone to. “And I would say you won’t know the school, its in Dumfries and what they were actually referring to was what private school did you go to,” she said. She said that, as a result, it was really hard to make friends and figure out the culture. “It was a really isolating experience and there was no community to turn to,” she said. Shanley said it was hard to meet other Scottish students because most commuted as they had been priced out of town. She said creating the society created a space where Scottish students could communicate their experiences. “I felt so ******* and out of place for not knowing private schools existed and so it affected my academic ability,” she said. ‘Atmosphere of elitism’ “There is an atmosphere at the university of elitism,” Shanley added. She said she had been ridiculed. “My accent has changed so much since starting at uni because i was getting comments if I said a word like ‘canny’. They liked to point it out.” She also said tutors would ask Scottish students to repeat themselves or to speak more clearly. “Accent bias is one of the biggest issues. And they made assumptions from our accents on our intelligence levels and whether we would be friends or not,” she said. A University of Edinburgh spokesman said: “We are incredibly proud of our diverse community and work hard to create an environment that eliminates discrimination and allows all of our students to have the best experience possible during their studies. “Our Dignity and Respect policy sets out clear expectations of behaviour, including recognising when comments or behaviour may be harmful or upsetting to others and acting accordingly. “We have a well-established equality, diversity and inclusion committee which brings together staff and student representatives from across the university to provide oversight on our progress around EDI activities. “After listening to students, we have also introduced and continue to evolve a new support model that provides more dedicated pastoral and academic guidance throughout their studies.” Source link #Edinburgh #University #warns #students #snobs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A TV show about EA Sports’ Madden games hits Prime Video on November 26 A TV show about EA Sports’ Madden games hits Prime Video on November 26 Madden NFL has been around for almost 40 years (really) so it’s high time the gaming franchise got the documentary treatment. Prime Video has got you covered. The platform just announced that It’s in the Game: Madden NFL will stream on November 26, which is just ahead of Thanksgiving. The four-part docuseries will explore “one of the biggest video games of all time” that “became a worldwide phenomenon, spanning generations.” The show will explore Madden’s “archaic 8-bit origins to its success as an annual must have.” Prime Video says EA Sports has given it access to the vaults, so there should be plenty of new footage for diehard fans. As the story goes, EA founder Trip Hawkins approached commentator John Madden back in 1984 for his endorsement and expertise, but the game took four long years of development before coming out in 1988. This extended development time was allegedly due to Madden himself, who demanded a realistic football experience. I’m sure the documentary will get into all of that. Formerly known as John Madden Football, the franchise became an annual event in 1990 and changed its name to Madden NFL in 1993. These games have sold over 130 million copies worldwide since 1988. The latest iteration, Madden NFL 25, released back in August to fairly middling reviews. Source link #show #Sports #Madden #games #hits #Prime #Video #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Might be time to ‘Twist and Shout’ – The Beatles’ AI-restored song ‘Now and Then’ lands Grammy nominations Might be time to ‘Twist and Shout’ – The Beatles’ AI-restored song ‘Now and Then’ lands Grammy nominations The Beatles have scored Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance for their song “Now and Then,” a ‘lost’ track recovered and restored using AI. This is the first time a song produced with AI assistance has earned such recognition and could portend plenty of arguments ahead over the role of AI in music production. “Now and Then” was released last year and garnered plenty of attention not only for being a Beatles song most have not heard but also for its AI-infused production. Rumors swirled that surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr used generative AI to clone John Lennon’s voice for the song. That wasn’t true, however. Instead, “stem separation” AI let the producers isolate Lennon’s vocals from an existing demo track that was too low-fidelity to be useful for a real track. The AI tools enhanced Lennon’s voice by removing background noise and tuning up the voice to make the audio better. It’s a bit like how video call platforms use tech to filter out sounds that are not your voice to ensure the person on the other end of the call can hear you. Companies with a lot of archival audio that isn’t good quality are experimenting with stem separation too, including Disney Music Group. The Beatles – Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song (Short Film) – YouTube Watch On AI Grammys The Recording Academy, which gives out the Grammys, has been engaged in trying to work out how to incorporate AI used for music production into its infrastructure. Last year, CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke at length about AI and even held a roundtable with record labels, streaming services, artists, and the developers of AI for making music. Apps that use AI to make music, like Tad.AI, Suno, and Udio all face the issue of lawsuits from major music labels, which is only likely to get more complex if questions about award eligibility come into play. Unless you’re in the music business, “Now and Then” is just a nice way to get a little more Beatles music with the aid of modern technology. Whether it’s an omen of a new way of making and selling music is still up in the air. As one of the most popular bands of all time, The Beatles are something of an outlier. The nominations for “Now and Then” are The Beatles’ first Grammy nominations in decades, for obvious reasons. They’ve been nominated a total of four times for Record of the Year now. But “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Hey Jude,” and “Let It Be” all lost the Grammy. With some AI boosting, “Now and Then” might change that losing streak. You might also like… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Source link #time #Twist #Shout #Beatles #AIrestored #song #lands #Grammy #nominations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Haiti’s main airport shut amid surge in gang *********: U.S. – National Haiti’s main airport shut amid surge in gang *********: U.S. – National By Staff The Associated Press Posted November 11, 2024 2:53 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Haiti’s main airport temporarily shut down Monday as gangs attempted to seize control, the U.S. embassy reported, the same day a new interim prime minister was expected to take over the direction of a country facing a surge of *********. Firefights between gangs and police broke out in parts of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, with heavily armed officers ducking behind walls as civilians ran in *******. In other upper class neighborhoods, gangs set ***** to homes. The ******* States Embassy in Haiti issued a travel warning saying that the city’s airport was shut down due to “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince which may include armed *********, and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports.” 1:45 Blinken urges Haiti to hold elections next year as gang ********* grips country It comes after reports that gangs shot at a Spirit airline flight and photos shared with the Associated Press of bullet holes in the plane, though The Associated Press was not able to immediately confirm the incident with authorities. Trending Now Ukraine attacks Moscow with 34 drones, biggest strike on the Russian capital One person is ***** and 16 are injured after a ********* at Tuskegee University Story continues below advertisement Spirit Airlines said in a statement to Reuters that a plane had been damaged after being struck by gunfire and taken out of commission upon landing in the northern Dominican city of Santiago. A flight attendant was injured in the incident, but no passengers were hurt, the airline said. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. The turmoil comes a day after a council meant to reestablish democratic order in the Caribbean nation fired the interim prime minister Garry Conille, who was at odds with the council, replacing him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The council has been marked by infighting and three members were recently accused of ***********. —with files from Reuters More on World More videos &copy 2024 The ********* Press Source link #Haitis #main #airport #shut #surge #gang #********* #U.S #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One Of The Best Lego Minecraft Sets Drops To Best Price Yet At Amazon One Of The Best Lego Minecraft Sets Drops To Best Price Yet At Amazon Minecraft: The Sword Outpost lets you snap together a cool playset featuring a large recreation of the iconic Diamond Sword in its background. The kit includes a few interactive components, such as a lever that collapses part of the playset. You’ll also find figures for a Sentinel Soldier, Guardian Warrior, allay figures, a pig, and Skeleton and Creeper mobs. That makes this a pretty complete playset for fans of the game. Toss in other accessories like a juke box toy and table with cookies, and it’s a fun set that’d make a great holiday gift. Source link #Lego #Minecraft #Sets #Drops #Price #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Intel admits defeat on Arrow Lake — but it’s not over yet Intel admits defeat on Arrow Lake — but it’s not over yet Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs aren’t off to a great start. As you can read in our Core Ultra 9 285K review and Core Ultra 5 245K review, Intel’s latest CPUs miss the mark across productivity and gaming apps, and they’re miles away from some of the best processors you can buy right now. According to Intel, there are several issues with the new platform that it plans to address within a matter of weeks. In an interview with HotHardware, Intel’s Robert Hallock was blunt about the release of Arrow Lake CPUs: “The launch didn’t go as planned … we have a number of things we got to go fix.” Hallock, formerly of AMD, is near the top of Intel’s technical marketing division. Although he didn’t address exactly what’s wrong with Arrow Lake, Hallock promised that Intel is working on updates that could significantly improve performance, and that they’ll arrive in a matter of weeks. “There are BIOS, firmware, OS-level issues that we need to solve,” Hallock said. “We’re going to come back with a full audit, an itemized list, of what went wrong.” It’s not exactly surprising that there’s something wrong with Arrow Lake. As we saw in our reviews of the processors, Intel pulled off some incredible feats with the new CPUs. For instance, the Core Ultra 9 285K, despite only having 24 threads, cleanly beats the 32-thread Ryzen 9 9950X in rendering applications like Cinebench. However, the new CPU takes a beating in games, especially compared to the new Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming The performance is disjointed. Intel makes big strides in some applications, while it’s woefully slow in others. Hallock admits that these issues aren’t the fault of users or reviews; he describes the issues with Arrow Lake as “self-inflicted.” Although Hallock didn’t provide a firm timeline for when we’ll see performance updates, they should arrive before the end of the year. Hopefully, they’ll deliver the missing performance so many reviewers — including Digital Trends — spotted during the launch window. Intel has been falling on hard times as of late, with some reports indicating that a potential AMD buyout is on the table. Arrow Lake, with its radically new architecture, looked like a turning point for the company. Up to this point, however, it’s fallen significantly behind the competition from AMD, and even Intel’s own last-gen options. Hopefully, the promised updates will deliver good news. Source link #Intel #admits #defeat #Arrow #Lake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First B.C., now Montreal ports: What a pair of shutdowns means for Canada First B.C., now Montreal ports: What a pair of shutdowns means for Canada Locked-out workers at ports in British Columbia were joined on the picket lines by their peers in Montreal on Sunday night, stymying trade at Canada’s two largest marine trading hubs heading into the busy holiday shopping season. While experts tell Global News that consumers will hopefully avoid a Christmas crunch, they also warn that the latest kinks in the ********* supply chain could affect hopes for an economic rebound. “This has been a constant drumbeat of disruptions in the logistics and transportation sector over the last year, year and a half,” says Fraser Johnson, professor of operations management at Western University’s Ivey Business School. “It’s been a constant problem and a lot of headaches for ********* companies.” 5:00 Impact of B.C. port shut down on Canada’s supply chain The labour dispute shutting down cargo container traffic at British Columbia’s ports for a week now has shown little signs of moving towards resolution, with the parties breaking off talks on Saturday. Story continues below advertisement The next day, dock workers in Montreal voted to ******* their employers’ latest offer, leading to another lockout starting Sunday evening. Johnson tells Global News the ports in B.C. represent roughly 45 per cent of inbound marine shipments to Canada, with the Port of Montreal handling 10 per cent. In other words, more than half of all goods coming into Canada by sea are currently disrupted by the twin shutdowns. Risks to Canada’s ‘economic lifeline’ The Port of Vancouver facilitates the import of many goods from Asia, including electronics and other consumer goods, Johnson says. Both Vancouver and Montreal also bring in automotive parts and vehicles, he adds. Johnson says the Port of Vancouver handles about $800 million a day in freight, while the Montreal terminals handle roughly half that, totalling more than $1 billion in daily trade. Story continues below advertisement Both the Vancouver and Montreal ports are also critical for getting ********* exports to the world. ********* agricultural and forestry products, oil and critical minerals all head to Asia and Europe through those channels. “Trade is our economic lifeline. Trade is what drives our economy,” says Pedro Antunes, chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada. “We keep seeing, repeatedly over the last number of years, snags that are affecting our ability to get our products to market.” Get weekly money news Get expert insights, Q&A on markets, housing, inflation, and personal finance information delivered to you every Saturday. Pascal Chan of the ********* Chamber of Commerce says the simultaneous disruptions at the ports means the country is effectively advertising that it’s closed for business. Chan, who is the senior director of transportation, infrastructure and construction at the chamber, says in a statement that the last thing Canadians struggling with high living costs need is another trade disruption. 2:22 Business Matters: Canada’s economy stalled in August amid rail shutdown The shutdowns at the ports come after operations at Canada’s two main railways were halted in August until the government stepped in, while B.C. ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway were disrupted last year. Story continues below advertisement Antunes tells Global News the series of labour disruptions in the ********* supply chain compound trade concerns stoked by Donald Trump’s election victory in the ******* States. During the campaign, Trump proposed putting blanket tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. and championed “America-first” policies that could disrupt global trade patterns. The world is becoming a more “insular” place and borders are becoming “thicker,” Antunes says. If ********* businesses continue to show that they can’t resolve labour disputes at the negotiating table, rising to the point of shutdowns, Antunes says that sends a message that foreign firms are taking ******* risks by setting up shop here. More on Money More videos “When businesses are looking where to invest and they need access to a U.S. consumer, for example, they’ll be looking south of the border more so if we keep having these snags in terms of our ability to get products out,” he says. Global News reached out to Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon’s office on Monday for a comment about whether Ottawa was considering intervening in either dispute to get goods moving through the B.C. and Montreal ports again. “The parties must understand the urgency of the situation and do the work necessary to reach an agreement. Canadians are counting on them,” a spokesperson from MacKinnon’s office said in a statement. The spokesperson also pointed to a Nov. 7 statement from MacKinnon, which said that he was “closely monitoring” negotiations in both regions, adding that talks were progressing at an “insufficient pace.” Story continues below advertisement Port lockouts could intersect with Canada Post strike Trending Now How ********* consumers can spot counterfeit $2 coins Ukraine attacks Moscow with 34 drones, biggest strike on the Russian capital With the busy holiday shopping season nearing, Johnson says he expects minimal impact on consumers. With the labour disruptions anticipated from businesses, many larger retailers were ordering stock in the summer and early fall to ensure their shelves were stocked for the holidays. Any additional inventory needs will likely be routed through ports in the ******* States and shipped up across the ********* land border, he says. But Johnson warns that it’s more likely to be Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses — those without the extensive supply chains of megaretailers like the Walmarts of the world — who feel the pinch from the latest set of port lockouts. “They don’t have the flexibility and the variety of alternatives in terms of shipping products. So we’ll probably see proportionally higher costs and probably greater delays and shortages as a result of the labour disruptions,” he says. Story continues below advertisement 1:56 B.C. port lockout threatens Calgary small retailers as holiday season nears The Retail Council of Canada warned Global News last week that with the chance of a Canada Post strike also looming, consumers and ********* businesses should prepare for a “triple threat” of disruptions in the weeks ahead. Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations for the Retail Council of Canada, said he was concerned about not only getting merchandise on the shelves given the port strikes, but also getting goods to customers who order by delivery. “A lot of small retailers in particular are really reliant on Canada Post to get the ordered goods to their customers,” he said. “It really does change the economics of the business model when you have to start looking at alternatives that could be pricier and especially when everyone else is, the prices spike and the service might not be as reliable.” Story continues below advertisement If the pair of labour disruptions are resolved in a timely fashion, Antunes doesn’t see the lockouts as a “game-changer” for Canada’s economy. But he notes that the shutdowns come at an uncertain time for economic output. Canada’s latest real ****** domestic product figures show the country is barely eking out growth in recent months. Forecasters including the Bank of Canada, which has been lowering its benchmark interest rate in a bid to stimulate growth, are projecting an economic rebound in the next two years. But Antunes says those estimates are anything but a certainty, with consumers still stretched by mortgage renewals and a weakening labour market. “The idea that we’ve successfully managed to get inflation down and have a soft landing and we’re going to see a re-emergence of growth, I think there’s still a lot of question marks around that,” he says. “We’ve only seen a couple of days of disruption here. But again, anything that is longer-lasting will have implications on the strength of our recovery in the near term.” — with files from Global News’ Sean Previl and The ********* Press 1:59 What economic impacts the U.S. election could have on Canada Source link #B.C #Montreal #ports #pair #shutdowns #means #Canada Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** police detain driver who ‘drove into a crowd’ ******** police detain driver who ‘drove into a crowd’ Police in the southern ******** city of Zhuhai say they have detained a 62-year-old man after he rammed a car into people exercising at a local sports centre and fled. One of the four hospitals that took in people for treatment said it had more than 20 injured people, state media reported. Police identified the man only by his family name of Fan, consistent with the practice by ******** authorities. The police statement said the vehicle knocked down “a number of” of pedestrians on Monday evening. It was not immediately clear whether it was an ******* or an accident. No motive was mentioned and police said investigations continued. The incident occurred on the eve of China’s annual air show in Zhuhai. The sports centre for the city district of Xiangzhou regularly attracts hundreds of residents. Following the incident, the centre announced it would be closed until further notice. Several attacks have taken place in China in which suspects appear to target random people such as schoolchildren. In October, a 50-year-old man was detained after he allegedly used a ****** to ******* children at a school in Beijing. Five people were injured. In September, three people were ******* in a ****** ******* in a Shanghai supermarket. Source link #******** #police #detain #driver #drove #crowd Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can You Play Farming Simulator 25 on Game Pass? Can You Play Farming Simulator 25 on Game Pass? As an active subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, I’m constantly on the lookout for new and upcoming titles hitting the monthly subscription platform. Who doesn’t want to test out new releases without paying any additional money? But not every title launches on Game Pass, leaving some communities waiting or caving in and buying a copy on day one. So, which is it for the upcoming farming game we’re all eagerly awaiting? Is Farming Simulator 25 on Game Pass? Is Farming Simulator 25 Coming to Xbox Game Pass? As of right now, Farming Simulator 25 isn’t coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. It could happen in the future, likely within one year of its launch, as the last game in the franchise did, but for now, we must either buy a copy or wait. For many, that means waiting. Now, I’m a massive fan of farming games in general, and I love Farming Simulator as a whole, but I know from firsthand experience that a Giants Software release is, more often than not, quite buggy. Related: Best Simulator Games Where Can You Play Farming Simulator 25? While most long-time fans of the franchise will ultimately play Farming Simulator 25 on PC, there’s still a growing community on Xbox Series X|S interested in the game. If you’re in the latter camp, you should know the game is approximately $10 more expensive per edition on console. On PC, it’s $49.99 for the Standard Edition but $59.99 on Xbox Series X|S for the same version. In any case, the farming simulation game is coming to: PC PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X|S FS25 will also offer Mac support. Will you grab a copy of Farming Simulator 25 on day one or wait for the inevitable Game Pass release? Let us know in the comments below, or visit the community forums to discuss the game and series more! If you’re a fan of simulation and management games, then you probably want to learn these hotkeys in Planet Coaster 2 for an easier time! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Play #Farming #Simulator #Game #Pass Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon developing driver glasses for speedier deliveries Amazon developing driver glasses for speedier deliveries STORY: Amazon has a vision for speedier deliveries, and it looks something like this: Smart eyeglasses for delivery drivers that would provide turn-by-turn navigation on a small embedded screen… meant to shave valuable seconds off of each delivery. That’s according to five people familiar with the matter, who say the smart glasses will guide delivery drivers around and within buildings. Known by the internal code name Amelia, the smart glasses, which are still in development, are intended to look similar to Amazon’s Echo Frames for consumers… and would rely on a small display on one of the lenses, freeing up drivers from having to use handheld GPS devices. The project underscores the retail giant’s efforts to reduce delivery costs and support margins as it fights increased competition from Walmart. By some estimates, half the cost of a product’s trip ***** in the last mile of delivery – which requires navigating neighborhoods, deploying more couriers and using more fuel. The eyewear, however, has potential roadblocks ahead: Amazon has had trouble making a battery that can last a full eight-hour shift and still be light enough to wear all day. That’s if Amazon can even convince its thousands of drivers to wear the glasses, which may be distracting, unsightly, or potentially interfere with prescription eyewear. Source link #Amazon #developing #driver #glasses #speedier #deliveries Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Yes, Hello Neighbor 3 is a thing Yes, Hello Neighbor 3 is a thing Well, tinyBuild has revealed work on Hello Neighbor 3 is underway. We just hope this time, it won’t be as convoluted as previous entries, but we won’t hold our breath. A Dev Diary was posted on tinyBuild’s YouTube explaining the breakdown of the game. Largely, it seems Raven Brooks will be simulated in real-time with player choice at the forefront. Each character you face will have a different personality and it’s up to you to find creative solutions to the puzzles you encounter. Alongside Hello Neighbor 3, it seems a new online adventure, Raven Brooks Online, which will see Eerie Guest Studios aiding in development. Notably, this game will be a co-op experience rather than a competitive romp like previous Hello Neighbor multiplayer games. Hello Neighbor 3 is only announced for PC with no console announce in sight nor a release date. Source link #Neighbor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Preliminary specifications for Intel’s 65W and 35W Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake S CPUs leaked Preliminary specifications for Intel’s 65W and 35W Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake S CPUs leaked Specifications of Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra 200T and 200 non-K series of CPUs have been shared on X by data aggregator and leaker momomo_us. These CPUs are expected to arrive by CES 2025, in tandem with cheaper B860 and even H810 motherboard chipsets – making Arrow Lake accessible for budget-conscious consumers. The list details 7 SKUs spread across the Ultra 9, Ultra 7, and Ultra 5 families – the Core Ultra 3 segment ******** unaddressed. Intel launched the Core Ultra 200S unlocked (125W) processors last month and the performance has been disappointing, to say the least. As is tradition, Intel will launch budget variants of these processors with trimmed-down TDPs; the Core Ultra 200 non-K (65W) and Core Ultra 200T (35W) series. From the looks of it, this list might not be complete as a few CPUs are missing, but let’s go over them nonetheless. Starting with the Core Ultra 9 series: Intel is prepping a Core Ultra 9 285 with 24 cores and a base clock speed of 2.5 GHz. Its 285T counterpart on the other hand drops the base frequencies to 1.4 GHz due to its 35W TDP. The 20-core equipped Core Ultra 7 265 series sees a 100 MHz variance in clocks: 2.4 GHz for the 65W and 1.5 GHz for the 35W variant. Lastly, the Core Ultra 5 225 comes packed with 10 cores and clocks in at 3.3 GHz (65W), but seemingly lacks a 35W version which is why we can infer that this list is probably incomplete. For a quick sanity check, Benchlife shared specifications of the entire Arrow Lake lineup a while back – detailing a handful of unmentioned SKUs. In any case, despite the initial disappointment, Arrow Lake scales pretty well at lower power limits. The Core Ultra 9 285 (65W) was seen toe to toe against the unlocked i9-14900K in Geekbench a while back. This means that the 35W 200T offerings will be the go-to for efficiency-oriented users and can demonstrate Arrow Lake’s true potential. Sadly, this doesn’t mean we’ll see Arrow Lake in sub-10W mini PCs anytime soon, likely due to the high costs associated with its architecture and packaging technology. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Preliminary #specifications #Intels #65W #35W #Core #Ultra #Arrow #Lake #CPUs #leaked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Retirement rule changes coming in 2025 — here’s how you can save more money Retirement rule changes coming in 2025 — here’s how you can save more money Baona | E+ | Getty Images More from FA Playbook: Here’s a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. Starting in 2025, investors age 60 to 63 can make catch-up contributions of up to $11,250 on top of the $23,500 deferral limit. Combined, these workers can defer a total of $34,750 for 2025, which is about 14% higher than 2024. “This can be a great way for people to boost their retirement savings,” certified financial planner Jamie Bosse, senior advisor at CGN Advisors in Manhattan, Kansas, previously told CNBC. This can be a great way for people to boost their retirement savings. Jamie Bosse Senior advisor at CGN Advisors Roughly 4 in 10 ********* workers are behind in retirement planning and savings, primarily due to debt, insufficient income and getting a late start, according to a CNBC survey, which polled roughly 6,700 adults in early August. For 2025, the “defined contribution” limit for 401(k) plans, which includes employee deferrals, company matches, profit sharing and other deposits, will increase to $70,000, up from $69,000 in 2024, according to the IRS. How much older workers save for retirement The 401(k) catch-up contribution change is “very good” for older workers who want to save more for retirement, said Dave Stinnett, Vanguard’s head of strategic retirement consulting. Some 35% of baby boomers feel “significantly behind” in retirement savings, according to a Bankrate survey that polled roughly 2,450 U.S. adults in August. “But not everyone age 50 or older is maxing out [401(k) plans] already,” Stinnett said. Only 14% of employees deferred the maximum amount into 401(k) plans in 2023, according to Vanguard’s 2024 How America Saves report, based on data from 1,500 qualified plans and nearly 5 million participants. The same report found an estimated 15% of workers made catch-up contributions in 2023. 401(k) plan deferral rates typically increase with income and age, Vanguard found. Participants under age 25 saved an average of 5.4% of earnings, while workers ages 55 to 64 deferred 8.9%. Source link #Retirement #rule #coming #heres #save #money Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump demands Senate Republicans allow recess appointments as they elect new leader Trump demands Senate Republicans allow recess appointments as they elect new leader Washington — As Senate Republicans prepare to vote Wednesday on new leadership for the upcoming Congress, President-elect Donald Trump is already weighing in with demands for the new majority leader regarding his Cabinet. After a decisive victory in the 2024 elections, Trump is returning to the White House with a GOP-led Senate at his side. Senate *********** leaders are expected to ease the way for the president-elect’s agenda and his Cabinet and judicial nominees. Trump has made it clear that he’d like his nominees to be installed immediately, suggesting that he may want the option to bypass the Senate’s advice and consent role entirely. Trump weighs in on recess appointments Perhaps the biggest factor remaining in the leadership race is whether Trump himself weighs in on the candidates. On Sunday, he stepped into the conversation, demanding in a Truth Social post that anyone seeking the position as leader “must agree to Recess Appointments.” Recess appointments enable a president to temporarily install nominees without the Senate confirmation process. Trump argued in a post on social media that without recess appointments, “we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner.” “We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!” the president-elect said. The Constitution’s Recess Appointment Clause grants presidents the ability to “fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate.” The maneuver is considered to be a way to make swift appointments during the Senate’s absence, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service, which notes that recess appointments have also been used for political reasons — for instance, to make an appointment on a temporary basis for an individual who would not be confirmed by the Senate. With a GOP majority of at least 52 seats, Trump shouldn’t have too much difficulty getting his nominations through the chamber through the regular process. But pushback from a handful of Republicans like Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana or Sen.-elect John Curtis of Utah could imperil some of his more controversial picks. The process could also be delayed by Democrats in the *********, who could rely on procedural maneuvers to extend the time it takes for Trump’s Cabinet to be confirmed. But the recess appointment maneuver is a controversial one that both parties have combated in recent years. Recess appointments are allowed only when the Senate is out of session for 10 days. For the last decade, both chambers have headed off recess appointments by going into pro-forma sessions even when lawmakers are in recess. And a Supreme Court decision in 2014 gave the Senate more authority to prevent the maneuver, after controversial recess appointments by President Barack Obama. If Trump were to make an appointment during a recess in the first session of the new Congress, the appointment could last for almost two years, after which the individual could be appointed again through a recess appointment or the regular process, according to the CRS report. But without the Senate’s approval, the appointee would not be paid. Should Republicans force a change to procedure in the upper chamber, they would do so with the risk that Democrats will take the same steps in their favor when they regain the majority. Still, all three candidates for GOP leader threw their support behind Trump’s demand for recess appointments on Sunday. Former President Donald Trump is applauded by Senate Republicans before giving remarks to the press at the National *********** Senatorial Committee building on June 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The candidates for Senate majority leader Whip John Thune, a South Dakota ***********, and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas ***********, are considered the front-runners in the race to replace ********* Leader Mitch McConnell. But Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida ***********, has seen a surge of support from members of Trump’s orbit — from Tucker Carlson to Elon Musk — that has drawn increased attention to the race. Thune, 63, is currently the No. 2 *********** and considered by some to be the favorite in the race. He’s been in the Senate since 2004 and served as GOP whip since 2021. But he hasn’t always had a strong relationship with Trump, and initially backed Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina for president in the GOP primaries. Cornyn, 72, has been in the Senate since 2002 and previously served as the *********** whip from 2013 to 2019. His fundraising chops have made him a top candidate in the Senate leadership race. But like Thune, he’s previously distanced himself from Trump — a gap both senators have sought to close in recent months. Meanwhile, Scott has been angling for the position. The Florida *********** challenged McConnell for the role after the midterm elections in 2022, when he earned the support of just 10 members of his conference. Scott is similarly expected to find support from some of the conference’s ************* members in this year’s contest, and the outside endorsements from those who claim Cornyn and Thune are too close to McConnell could be a boon. Electing the “next generation of leadership” The leadership election comes after McConnell’s decision to step away after 17 years at the helm, becoming the longest serving Senate leader in history. McConnell’s decision to step aside and welcome “the next generation of leadership” teed up a high-stakes race for leader that has been shaking out behind the scenes since February. After Republicans flipped the Senate, the leadership race took on even greater importance. “I had really hoped I’d be able to hand over to my successor the majority,” McConnell told reporters at a news conference last week. “I’ve been the majority leader, I’ve been the ********* leader – majority’s a lot better.” Outside influence and endorsements The race, nine months in the making, has begun to draw input from outsiders in recent days. Tucker Carlson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are among the Trump loyalists who have weighed in to back Scott, urging that he is best suited to carry out the president-elect’s agenda. How the input from prominent outsiders weighs on the race ******** to be seen. Senate Republicans will meet behind closed doors to elect the new leader, casting secret ballots, which make senators less likely to be swayed by external pressures. For months, the three candidates have been working behind the scenes to persuade their colleagues to back them for the chamber’s top post. And so far, just a small portion of the *********** conference has shared publicly who they plan to support. Thune has the backing of Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, along with Steve Daines of Montana, who chaired the GOP campaign arm, the National *********** Senatorial Committee, this cycle and may have valuable sway with new members whose races he buoyed. Meanwhile, Cornyn has the support of Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri. And Scott has the backing of Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. In recent days, he also earned endorsements from Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee — two senators who have been floated as possible picks for Trump’s cabinet. The bulk of the conference has yet to weigh in publicly, and likely won’t be swayed by outsiders on a decision that will guide how the chamber operates for the next two years. But an endorsement of a candidate from Trump himself, who will work with the leader going forward, could change the dynamic. Whether Trump endorses a particular candidate ******** to be seen. Thune acknowledged on CNBC last week that Trump can “exert a considerable amount of influence” on the leadership race, but he cautioned him against doing so, saying, “I think my preference would be, and I think it’s in his best interest, to stay out of that.” “He’s got to work with all of us when it’s all said and done,” Thune said. “But whatever he decides to do, that’s going to be his prerogative, as we know.” Scott MacFarlane contributed to this report. Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #Trump #demands #Senate #Republicans #recess #appointments #elect #leader Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mattel pulls ‘Wicked’ dolls after printing ****** website on packaging Mattel pulls ‘Wicked’ dolls after printing ****** website on packaging Still from the film “Wicked” Source: Universal Studios Thousands of Mattel’s “Wicked”-branded fashion dolls are flying off shelves, but not because of consumer demand. The toy company has been forced to pull its line of character dolls after a package misprint. Instead of listing the website for Universal’s “Wicked” movie, boxes featured a link to a pornographic website for a group called Wicked Pictures. “Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” Mattel said in a statement. “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.” Target, Walmart and Amazon had removed the line of “Wicked” dolls from their online storefronts as of midday Monday, as had Best Buy, Barnes & Noble and Macy’s. The products were also being sold at Kohl’s and DSW, among other retailers. Some sites were still taking action on the listings throughout the day Monday. It is unclear if Mattel will reprint the packages or provide retailers with stickers to cover the incorrect website domain. Mattel did not return CNBC’s request for additional comment after providing its initial statement. “Like any business, mistakes can and do happen in the toy business,” said James Zahn, editor in chief of The Toy Book. “This was likely an innocent oversight that made it through the normal processes. Most consumers — kids and adults alike — will never read the fine print on a package, and at the end of the day, the packaging is designed to end up in the trash. The odds of a **** reading the back of a doll box and being inclined to go online and visit the website are pretty slim.” The mishap comes as Universal floods retail shelves with “Wicked”-related product ahead of the film’s Nov. 22 release. The green-and-pink barrage is expected to bring a big boost to the retail industry just in time for the crucial holiday *******. However, Mattel could see its revenue impacted by the cost of removing the dolls. “I suppose the impact depends on the resolution, which we don’t yet know,” said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar. “The big winners in the short term are resellers, as this snafu sparked a flipper frenzy this weekend as retail shelves were quickly emptied by opportunists looking to make a quick buck by selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace,” Zahn noted. Already dozens of Mattel’s misprinted dolls are available on eBay for list prices ranging between $40 and $2,100. The dolls retailed for between $20 and $40 depending on the character and outfit. Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked.” Source link #Mattel #pulls #Wicked #dolls #printing #****** #website #packaging Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Ops 6 Campaign’s Most Disturbing Mission isn’t ‘Emergence’ But One That Exposes the Dark Face of US Politics ****** Ops 6 Campaign’s Most Disturbing Mission isn’t ‘Emergence’ But One That Exposes the Dark Face of US Politics Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 has just been released. After completing the Modern Warfare trilogy, Activision is now looking to revive its ****** Ops series. The last game in the series, ****** Ops Cold War, didn’t get a proper reception from the fans, which is why all the honors lay on the shoulders of the recently launched title. Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 was released on October 25, 2024. | Credit: Activision. Although, things are not going very well for BO6, as the game is heavily criticized for the new movement mechanics and launch maps. Still, the game features one of the best campaign missions in franchise history. However, there is a controversial mission that is getting huge criticisms for its setting. ‘Most Wanted’-The Most Controversial Mission in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Some missions like ‘Emergence’ and ‘Checkmate’ in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 can literally give you chills in your bones. Sometimes it feels like the recently launched COD title is a horror game. That is why those two levels are one of the most talked about aspects of the game. However, the ‘Most Wanted’ mission is making fans more frenzy. This mission is actually exposing the dark side of US politics. In the mission ‘Most Wanted’, you and your team break Russell Adler out of a CIA facility by first breaking into a Bill Clinton campaign dinner. Pantheon breaks into the establishment and attacks the dinner as the mission comes to a close. Somehow, Pantheon is able to place the blame on you and the group. However, an ******** of that magnitude would impact the nation nearly as much as Pantheon’s eventual scheme to free Cradle in the Capital. Although assassinations and attacks on presidential candidates have occurred in real life, a massive ******* that spreads into the streets, like the one in Most Wanted, would have rocked the nation to its foundation, exactly as Pantheon intended. Fans are going absolutely frenzy after playing the mission. Talking about this mission, a long-standing fan has brought up the reference of probably the most controversial mission in the COD history. This is the same franchise that somehow Russians ********* up an airport causes world war 3, while ********* a kgb headquarters does not — BeeAggressive (@BeePlayingGames) November 10, 2024 Just like ‘No Russian,’ the player doesn’t have any choice. This is the same franchise that somehow Russians ********* up an airport causes world war 3, while ********* a kgb headquarters does not — BeeAggressive (@BeePlayingGames) November 10, 2024 You can’t hurt Bil Clinton in the mission. it’s because you don’t actually get to put bill clinton in danger, I tried to charge at him but the game puts you into a fail state as soon as you start physically assaulting his security, lame — mako/agent (@makochthonic) November 10, 2024 On the other hand, a fan doesn’t think this mission to be controversial. it’s because you don’t actually get to put bill clinton in danger, I tried to charge at him but the game puts you into a fail state as soon as you start physically assaulting his security, lame — mako/agent (@makochthonic) November 10, 2024 There are several side quests in the mission. In many of those side quests, the secretary has an affair with a senator, the senator’s wife is aware of it, and you are working for the wife to give the wife the evidence she needs to look after the secretary in order to save the senator’s reputation. These side missions appear to have been intentional, aside from the primary goal of the Bill Clinton campaign. And it was evident. How Scary Is Emergence in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6? Emergence is probably the most scariest mission in the entire Call of Duty history. | Credit: Activision. Cognitive Research, Administration, ****** Projects, and Advanced Combat Research are the four divisions of the lab itself, a futuristic complex that looks like it belongs in Control or Prey in ****** Ops 6. The corridors connecting each zone up trade thrills for chills, but each area has a zombified boss ****** to complete for a keycard. Like a wheelchair that wasn’t there just a second ago, some of it is subtle. Moments that are more on the nose—or, in the case of one mannequin that moves in for a much closer look when your back is to it—occur at other times. I didn’t think Call of Duty could have these quiet unsettling moments, and while ****** Ops 6‘s campaign centers around similarly ******* level structures, this is the most subversive of the bunch. The creep factor isn’t the only thing that makes Emergence stand out. While the nostalgic World at War track 115 roars around you, one boss ****** starts with a tentacled horror removing itself from a camera lens, setting up a battle that is half wave survival and half Gary’s Mod Prop Hunt. Treyarch, however, is horrified by the Administration branch, which sounds surprisingly ordinary. Finding stray reports and filing them for the director—a red mannequin in a locked office room—is your mission. After you get the first report, the other mannequins that are positioned around the bullpen in the area start to groan. Source link #****** #Ops #Campaigns #Disturbing #Mission #isnt #Emergence #Exposes #Dark #Face #Politics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

England: Morgan Rogers called into Three Lions squad as eight players withdraw through injury England: Morgan Rogers called into Three Lions squad as eight players withdraw through injury Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers has been called up to England’s squad for November’s Nations League internationals after eight players withdrew through injury. West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite along with Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford have also been added to interim boss Lee Carsley’s squad. Chelsea pair Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale have all pulled out. England face Greece on 14 November and the Republic of Ireland on 17 November. The squad is Carsley’s final one as interim manager before Thomas Tuchel takes charge on a full-time basis in January 2025. Source link #England #Morgan #Rogers #called #Lions #squad #players #withdraw #injury Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

5 Sonic The Hedgehog Remasters That We Need, Post Shadow Generations 5 Sonic The Hedgehog Remasters That We Need, Post Shadow Generations NoobFeed editor Ahnaf Tajwar writes – SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS captures the essence of what Sonic fans love most about the series. Adding classic levels, along with Shadow’s unique gameplay mechanics and an interesting storyline, is a big plus. At least that shows Sonic Team’s passion for the rebirth of this series. Source link #Sonic #Hedgehog #Remasters #Post #Shadow #Generations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Open source, single-PCB HIDman adapter lets peripherals to easily interface with old PCs that don’t support USB Open source, single-PCB HIDman adapter lets peripherals to easily interface with old PCs that don’t support USB Earlier this week, open-source developer and YouTuber TheRasteri announced a single-PCB open-source USB to HID adapter project, the HIDman— aimed at providing a more compact solution to USB to HID adapters than existing, cited open-source solutions like USB4VC and ps2x2. Besides the GitHub page outlining core information on the adapter, the HIDman release has also included a 22-minute YouTube video on TheRasteri’s YouTube channel, including a detailed rundown of why and how the unit was assembled. Detailed setup information is also included in the video, and for users who want to just order a ready-made HIDman, the project is also available for purchase with or without assembly from PCBWay. HIDman – Modern USB devices on old PCs! – YouTube Watch On So, why is an adapter like this necessary? In short, many old PCs simply weren’t made to interface with USB devices at all, and some simpler adapters may not even work properly, depending on keyboard or system. An all-in-one compatibility solution like HIDman or its contemporaries, then, becomes the obvious choice. The HIDman firmware is even already being used in the latest revision of the TinyLlama pocket DOS PC, TinyLlama2. TheRasteri also highlights a few even smaller HIDman variations made by others in the community, including one as small as an on-slot PS/2-to-USB adapter. Even if you can use custom drivers and adapters to force USB support in old operating systems, using an adapter and simply opting for PS/2 input is the better solution, since those solutions are known to be more prone to crashes. This is why HIDman firmware is integrated into TinyLlama2, and why it and its contemporaries are so desirable to DOS enthusiasts. Input devices supported by HIDman include nearly every modern USB mouse and keyboard, including those that are wireless via a USB dongle, and gamepads with support for HID input, like every USB PlayStation gamepad but no Xbox gamepad. Legacy input devices that HIDman can emulate serial mice with support for third buttons, PS/2 mice with support for up to 5 buttons, and a variety of classic keyboards and controllers, including the original line of IBM PC keyboards. While you certainly aren’t getting support for RGB or full-blown 12-macro-key mice, you’re still keeping a great deal of modern mouse and keyboard functionality intact on retro hardware here. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Open #source #singlePCB #HIDman #adapter #lets #peripherals #easily #interface #PCs #dont #support #USB Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Biden, Harris together for first time since election Biden, Harris together for first time since election US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have made their first ****** appearance since her election loss when they observed Veterans Day together by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National *********. Biden honoured the service and sacrifice of US military veterans, including those who paid the ultimate price, and their families, during what was his final time speaking at the *********’s memorial amphitheatre in his capacity as commander in chief of the US military. “It’s been the greatest honour of my life, to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you, just as you defended us, generation after generation after generation,” Biden said. “You are the greatest fighting force, and this is not hyperbole, the finest fighting force in the history of the world.” He reminisced about trips to US military installations around the world, and to such historical military sites as Valley Forge and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Biden also announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding the types of cancers covered under the PACT Act, legislation he signed to expand health care services for veterans who served at military bases where toxic smoke billowed from “***** pits”. More than a million veterans and families have been helped under the law, he said. The president opened his brief remarks by stating that the ******* States’ “truly sacred obligation” is to prepare those it sends into harm’s way and care for them when they come home, or don’t. “To all the military families, to all those with a loved one still missing or unaccounted for, to all Americans grieving the loss of a loved one who wore the uniform, Jill and I want you to know we see you, we thank you and we’ll never stop working to meet our sacred obligation to you and your family,” he said. Biden’s son Beau, who Jill helped raise, served in the Delaware Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq in 2008 for about a year. He ***** of brain ******* in 2015 at the age of 46. Biden and Harris, accompanied by Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, wore solemn expressions on their faces as they approached the tomb. They placed their hands over their hearts as the national anthem played before the wreath-laying, and again afterward as Taps sounded. The president and first lady Jill Biden had hosted veterans and members of the military community at the White House before they and Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, departed for the hallowed burial ground across the Potomac River from Washington DC. It was the first time that Biden and Harris had been seen together in public since the vice president lost last week’s election to former president Donald Trump. Before leaving the *********, Harris and Emhoff visited a gravesite. The White House did not say who is ******* there. After the observance, Biden was travelling home to Wilmington, Delaware, for reasons the White House had yet to disclose. Source link #Biden #Harris #time #election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]