Pelican Press

Aussies vow to maintain the rage despite rare ODI flop Aussies vow to maintain the rage despite rare ODI flop Australia have vowed to maintain their attacking mindset with the bat despite an Adelaide Oval calamity being one of the country’s most embarrassing ODI losses. Pakistan levelled the ODI series at 1-1 after thrashing Australia by nine wickets on Friday night. Australia were bowled out for 163 in 35 overs, with Pakistan cruising to the victory target with 141 ****** to spare. It marked the first time since 1992 that Australia have lost a home ODI by nine wickets. McDonald is backing the pair to turn their fortunes around. “Matt Short (in the ODIs and T20s) in England showed he’s up to the task,” McDonald said. “And Jake is not the finished article either. I think everyone thinks he may be the finished article. “He’s going on a journey with his career, and we believe he’s good enough to play at this level at this point in time. “Clearly there’s always going to be some setbacks within that. But we believe we’ve got the right personnel in there to continue to grow as a group.” Australia will make mass changes for the series decider in Perth. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will all be rested so they can prepare for the upcoming five-Test series against India. Josh Inglis will captain the ODI side in Perth, while Lance Morris, Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly and Marcus Stoinis are among the possible inclusions. Australia will need to find an answer on how best to handle star Pakistan paceman Haris Rauf, who has snared 3-67 and 5-29 so far this series. Source link #Aussies #vow #maintain #rage #rare #ODI #flop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This $400 Wireless LG Soundbar System Is Only $180 In Best Buy’s Early ****** Friday ***** This $400 Wireless LG Soundbar System Is Only $180 In Best Buy’s Early ****** Friday ***** ****** Friday is always one of the best times to upgrade your home theater, and this year, we’re already seeing some awesome early deals on TVs, speakers, and other gear. One notable offer is for LG’s SQC4R 4.1 Channel Wireless Soundbar system, which is $180 (down from $400) in Best Buy’s early ****** Friday *****. The soundbar can sync to your TV wirelessly via Bluetooth, or you can hardwire it via auxiliary, optical, or USB cables. It comes with a wireless subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers, all of which communicate with the soundbar via Bluetooth. This 4.1-channel surround sound setup normally costs $400, which is pretty reasonable for a complete setup with these features. The $220 limited-time discount makes this one of the best values we’ve seen all year on a soundbar setup like this from a major manufacturer. The soundbar measures roughly 26 inches wide, 2.2 inches tall, and 4 inches deep LH SQCR 4.1 Channel Soundbar There are plenty of other great home theater deals in Best Buy’s early ****** Friday *****. If you need to upgrade your TV, there’s a limited-time Doorbuster Deal that drops the 2024 model of Samsung’s 75-inch Class DU6950 Series Crystal 4K Smart TV to $550 (was $750) until November 10. While the Doorbuster Deal ends soon, there are other deals in the main ***** sticking around longer, including Sony’s 65-inch Bravia XR X90L 4K Smart TV for $1000 (was $1,200) and Samsung’s 50-inch DU6900 Series Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV for $250 (normally $300). On the private listening side of audio deals, Best Buy is offering a $100 discount on the superb Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones, and Amazon is matching this deal. If you’re in the market for a new laptop, Best Buy has some excellent deals on budget options as well as high-end productivity machines. You can even get an entry-level gaming laptop for only $430 (another Doorbuster Deal). Be sure to check out the rest of Best Buy’s ****** Friday ***** for big discounts on gaming laptops, PC monitors, headphones, and more. Source link #Wireless #Soundbar #System #Buys #Early #****** #Friday #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles approves new charges against Lil Durk A federal grand jury in Los Angeles approves new charges against Lil Durk A federal grand jury in Los Angeles this week approved new charges against Lil Durk in connection with a 2022 *******-for-hire plot that targeted a rival rapper but instead left the man’s cousin *****. The U.S. attorney’s office in the Central District of California announced Friday that a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Lil Durk — the 32-year-old Chicago native born Durk Banks — with one count of *********** and one count of use of interstate facilities to commit *******-for-hire resulting in ******. It also charged him with one count of using, carrying and discharging firearms and a machine ****, as well as possession of such firearms in furtherance of a ****** of ********* resulting in ******. Banks, 32, remained at the federal lockup in Miami on Friday, where he has been since his arrest last month, allegedly while trying to flee the country on a private jet. He’s being held without bond pending his transfer to Los Angeles to face the charges. Court dates there have not been set. Feds: Chicago rapper Lil Durk planned private flight to Italy before charges in *******-for-hire plot filed Banks and five others were charged last month in separate cases that alleged a cross-country *********** to avenge the 2020 slaying of King Von, born Dayvon Bennett, another Chicago rapper and close friend of Banks who was gunned down in Atlanta in 2020. Charged in the initial indictment were: Kavon London Grant; Deandre Dontrell Wilson; Keith Jones; David Brian Lindsey; and Asa Houston. Arraignment hearings for all six are expected in the coming weeks, according to the prosecutors’ office. Banks is accused of offering money and “lucrative music opportunities” to anyone who would ***** Quando Rondo, a Georgia-based rapper whose real name is Tyquian Terrel Bowman. Bowman, his sister and his cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, 24, were riding in Bowman’s ****** Cadillac Escalade near a gas station in West Hollywood in August 2022 when gunmen opened *****, according to the charges. Bowman and his sister were not injured, but Robinson was struck multiple times and *******. The superseding indictment also alleges Lil Durk “sought to commercialize” Robinson’s ******. After the *********, Banks released a song that included news footage that featured Bowman’s reaction to his cousin’s ******. The song, the indictment says, “explicitly references audio from a news clip taken shortly after (Robinson’s) ******* where (Bowman) screamed ‘no, no!’ after seeing (Robinson’s) ***** body.” OTF was founded by Lil Durk more than a decade ago as Chicago’s drill rap scene was gaining international attention. Federal prosecutors say the group primarily “produced and sold hip hop music” from artists from Chicago. FBG Duck, the Chicago drill rapper, was ******* in a hail of gunfire on Oak Street in 2020, and his ****** led to the convictions of several men in a federal *********** trial last January. Earlier this month, FBG Duck’s mother filed a lawsuit alleging Lil Durk, OTF and King Von were involved in the *********, as well. The lawsuit alleges that OTF operates as a ********* enterprise. According to the initial indictment, after tracking Bowman to the Los Angeles area, Grant rented a hotel room for the co-conspirators on Aug. 18, 2022, and later met them there. He brought several firearms, including one that had been modified to operate as a fully automatic machine ****. Grant also provided two rented vehicles to “use to find, track and *****” Bowman, the indictment stated, a white BMW sedan and a white Infiniti. The group followed and tracked Bowman’s ****** Escalade from his hotel to a ********** dispensary and then a clothing store in downtown Los Angeles, the indictment stated. A surveillance image included in the indictment allegedly shows the BMW and Infiniti following the Escalade as it traveled between stores. When Bowman stopped at a gas station, Houston drove around to the alley and let Jones and Lindsey and another unidentified co-conspirator out to carry out the *********, according to the indictment. Chicago Tribune’s Jason Meisner contributed. Source link #federal #grand #jury #Los #Angeles #approves #charges #Lil #Durk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Boosteroid Cloud Gaming Commits to Unlimited Play and Reduces Prices Boosteroid Cloud Gaming Commits to Unlimited Play and Reduces Prices After GeForce NOW announced new play limits on paid subscriptions, Boosteroid Cloud Gaming CEO is committing to unlimited play AND they are reducing prices on annual memberships until month end. Source link #Boosteroid #Cloud #Gaming #Commits #Unlimited #Play #Reduces #Prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Crypto expert with links to gang shot ***** at Brazilian airport Crypto expert with links to gang shot ***** at Brazilian airport A Brazilian businessman, with ties to one of the country’s most powerful ********* groups, has been shot ***** at Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paolo. Antônio Vinicius Gritzbach had recently entered into a plea bargain with local prosecutors to provide information about Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) – or First Capital Command. He received ****** threats from the gang as a result, local media reports. Three others were injured in the *******, with footage online showing the aftermath. Police said officers had been deployed to the airport and surrounding area. The moment two hooded men exited a car holding sub-machine guns and began ******* outside the airport terminal was caught on security camera. Gritzbach, a former member of the PCC, dropped his bag and tried to run away – but he was shot many times and ***** at the scene. A cryptocurrency expert, Gritzbach had been in the process of telling officials how he helped the gang to launder millions of dollars. Reports in Brazilian media suggest he was once considered a key player in the gang’s operation. As part of his plea deal, Gritzbach had promised to help investigators locate other members and hand over documents. In exchange, Sao Paolo prosecutors are said to have offered Gritzbach a judicial pardon and a reduction of his sentence for money laundering. The PCC was formed in the early 1990s and has gone on to become one of Brazil’s most feared ***** gangs. Its members, however, are not confined to ****** America. Last year, a report by security services in Portugal alone suggested the group had 1,000 associates in the ********* country’s capital, Lisbon. Sao Paolo’s organised ****** taskforce estimated in 2023 that PCC makes almost $1bn (£773,000) from international ******** trafficking. Source link #Crypto #expert #links #gang #shot #***** #Brazilian #airport Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

My quest to beat UFO 50’s hardest game saved my soul My quest to beat UFO 50’s hardest game saved my soul On November 6, I was rudely awoken by my alarm blaring from behind my pillow. It couldn’t have known that I’d barely slept the night before, anxious about what world I’d wake up to the next day. No hesitation. It was time to rip the Band-Aid off. I opened the CNN browser tab I’d been obsessively refreshing the night before. I looked at the election result I’d always known was coming and shut my screen off just as quickly. I’m in a rush. In 45 minutes, I need to be in a cab on my way to the airport. As fate would have it, I had a morning flight to Canada to catch. While standing in the shower, the void in my chest opening wider, I wonder if I’d get on that return flight in three days. It’s a feeling I’ve felt twice before. Once was in 2016, when I’d had the exact same experience upon waking up one November morning in a world I struggled to recognize. I’d feel it again in 2022 when I learned that one of my closest friends had ***** in a car accident. All three of these moments left me standing frozen with a phone in my hand, trying to see the future through a blackened sky. I arrived at the airport two hours early, a distant life lesson my parents instilled in me back when they seemed more committed to helping me navigate the world. It was a ghost town compared to the usual zoo that is John F. Kennedy Airport. After a quick pass through the security line, I finally have an hour to myself. Do I check my phone? I try that for a minute, but I only see the pained cries of others like me pouring in through social media. I’m frustrated that I can’t help, so I shut the screen again. The only thing I can think to do is pull out my Nintendo Switch and play the game I’d started downloading the night before. Fate had another cruel trick up its sleeve, though; my download had stopped ***** in the night and torpedoed my plans. It’s a tiny moment, but also the proverbial straw. Everything feels hopeless. I stare into space for an hour. The silence is only interrupted by a gentleman reading the day’s news stories to the woman with him who sat with her head in her knees. I barely even hear the boarding announcement. I trudge to my seat like a zombie and prepare for another long hour alone with my dual anxiety: both my ***** of flying and, in this moment, my ***** of landing. I go for plan B. I pull out my Steam Deck this time and start scrolling through my library hoping that there’s something that can distract me. My cursor moves over UFO 50, a collection of original 8-bit games that I’ve already put 80 hours into since its launch. I’d already beaten a good chunk of games in the collection and figured I wouldn’t clear many more. They’re designed to feel like old games, so the skill-based challenges of the remaining batch felt insurmountable after so much play time. I open the app up anyway and start scrolling through the list. I just need something to keep me distracted for 60 minutes. It’s then when my eye meets my greatest rival: Velgress. Mossmouth There are many fiendishly difficult games in UFO 50, but Velgress has had my number since launch. It’s a vertical platformer, in which its space pirate hero, Alpha, is trapped in a pit by the nefarious Princess Charkas. A short opening text scroll sets the scene over menacing music. I’ve survived the long fall, but I’m now trapped in the darkness surrounded by monsters. I only have one mission: climb out. That’s much easier than it sounds. Like a lot of old games, Velgress is unbelievably punishing. There are no checkpoints. No saved progression. When I **** by falling into the spinning blades that chase me from the bottom of the screen, I’m ***** and have to start from zero. Finding stable footing is only a small piece of the battle. As I climb, I’m swarmed by alien enemies determined to knock me off my feet and send me to my ******. The forces of this dark planet have it in for me. I’ve played Velgress for hours on end over the past few months and barely made any progress. Every time I’ve tried, I find that something always gets the best of me. Sometimes it’s an overly hopeful jump that leaves me plummeting to my ****** as I fail to land on solid ground. Sometimes it’s a projectile from a ***** clipping into me and throwing me off balance. More often than not, I’m my own worst ******. When things get tough, I panic. Rather than focusing on my jumps, I freak out about where I’m supposed to go next. Sometimes I hesitate too long; the platform I’m standing on quickly erodes below my feet. I try to jump, but I can’t think fast enough. If only I were a little sharper. Then maybe I could rise up against Charkas. Mossmouth I load up Velgress on instinct. I don’t know why. It’s only ever brought me frustration. I’ve spent nights on the couch swearing at my screen feeling like escape was impossible. It’s rarely a productive play session. I’d only ever gotten to its second biome, where I’m consistently thwarted in an instant by spinning laser bars and exploding platforms. Maybe I see Velgress as the game I deserve at this moment: an inescapable ***** into the abyss rather than a fun distraction. No. Not this time. I need to do it this time. I need a sign that I can survive. My first few attempts are familiar as I plummet to my ****** over and over. It’s clear that whatever I’ve been doing up to this point isn’t working. I need a new strategy, one that gives me the focus and precision I need to overcome the evil critters out to make my life a living *****. I lock in. My hands grip the Steam Deck a little tighter. I feel my shoulders pressing inward as I put my entire body into controlling Alpha. Something changes instantly. I’m no longer hopping around like a scared animal clawing its way onto anything it can. Now I’m moving with renewed purpose. Each press of the A button becomes more deliberate. What once felt difficult was now feeling like second nature to me. I’m a dancer using my enemies to my advantage as I bounce off their heads to gain height, leaving them to be fed to the wood chipper below. I’m now clearing the first biome with ease instead of dying in seconds. With each attempt at the second, I’m moving up higher and higher — a white line shows me my previous best attempt, and I’m seeing it on every run now. It’s not long before I make my real breakthrough: Level 3. I’ve never beaten the second biome, but I’ve finally made my way there. It’s entirely different from anything I’ve seen up to that point. Despite being closer to the surface, I’m somehow underwater now. I bounce between bubbles and leap off fish. I’m caught off guard when a giant sea creature dives from the top of the screen and destroys everything in its path, sending me to a watery grave. I ****, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Somewhere during that playthrough, the airplane hits sudden turbulence. Flying is my ultimate *****, combining my distaste for both speed and heights, so the hairs on my neck immediately stand up and Alpha falls to her ****** as a result. My once strong hands are now shaking as another challenge in my day rears its head. My hope fades away for a minute, and I’m back in the harsh real world that I’m so desperate to escape from, with the wind outside eager to tear me from my seat and send me to the ground below. I can’t do this. I can’t go back down there. How can I? A regime change in my home country threatens to harm everyone I hold dear. If that doesn’t ***** me, big tech companies are desperate to take my livelihood with tools like generative AI that aim to both steal my work and then replace it. The rent is too high. My eyesight is getting worse. My friends are dying. There is no way out. ****** that. I’m beating Velgress. Mossmouth I embark on another run, back at the bottom with no abilities at my disposal. I’m more determined than ever. I leap from platform to platform without a second of hesitation. I blast through the first level with no hiccups. When I get to the second biome, I finally start paying attention to every obstacle on the screen. I learn to tell the difference between ****** and friendly gadgets that’ll let out a safety net of clouds when I ****** them. I’m more aware of the shrapnel launching up at me as the buzzsaw sets off ******. I duck and weave my way to Level 3 without breaking a sweat. I still don’t have a full grip on all the obstacles here, but I’m convinced I can take them as they come. I’m not jumping off jellyfish with confidence, hopping from bubble to bubble. Suddenly, my old nemesis dives down at me from above. I side step the giant fish, leaping to some bubbles out of its path. It wriggles in the ground for a moment, its giant body remaining on screen for a few seconds as I keep ascending. That’s when I realize it. I’m not the scared animal here; it is. I’m facing down an ****** creature lashing out at anything in its way. It doesn’t care who gets hurt in its quest for self preservation. I won’t become its fish food. I take a leap of ****** and jump onto its body as it twitches, launching me up to a far-off platform. The menacing monster wants me to ***** it, but it can’t hold me down anymore. It’s just another platform for me to step on in my quest for progress. As I climb higher, the elevator platform at the top of the screen comes into view like a sunrise. I step onto it wondering where it’ll take me next. Nowhere. I’ve reached the top. What felt like an endless labyrinth of suffering could actually be overcome in a few short minutes so long as I had the patience, strategy, and ********** to pull it all off. I’ve escaped just as buildings of Montreal come into view, ready for me to land. As Velgress ends, another bit of text comes up on screen. I’ve made it out, but Princess Charkas is still alive. When I check a list of goals attached to Velgress’ game select icon in UFO 50’s menu, I realize there’s a secret ending. To fully defeat evil, I’ll need to collect keys earned from ********* down birds in each biome and make it to the end. That’ll unlock the true final ****** against Charkas. Alpha’s work isn’t done, and neither is mine. The airplane skids down the runway and comes to a stop. I shut down my Steam Deck with the closest thing to a smile that’s been on my face for the last 24 hours. I haven’t won the war, but I know I can. Despite the overwhelming difficulty and punishing restart system, I have figured out how to navigate a harsh world that’s ***** bent on destroying me. I’ve escaped once and I know I can do it again. I just need to choose my battles carefully, weigh the risks, and make my next move with purpose. Maybe I won’t thwart Charkas on my next run, or the one after, or the one after. But I know I can overcome and change this planet for the better one day. The ****** is just beginning. Source link #quest #beat #UFO #50s #hardest #game #saved #soul Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man accused of ******* student on Mary Baldwin University campus found not guilty Man accused of ******* student on Mary Baldwin University campus found not guilty STAUNTON – A jury deliberated Thursday night for several hours before acquitting a man on a charge of ***** after he was accused of ********* assaulting a student inside her dorm room earlier this year at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton. The jury delivered its verdicts at 1 a.m. on Friday. Alex A.J. Paxton, 24, of Shenandoah, was found not guilty on charges of *****, abduction and forcible *******. The jury found Paxton guilty of felony strangulation. During opening arguments Wednesday, Staunton Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Cassondra Baber said Paxton and the student knew one another, and said the defendant had gone to her dorm Feb. 17. During the visit, Baber said Paxton grew ****** and began to physically ******** the student by choking her before allegedly ********* assaulting her. Photos showed multiple bruises and scratch marks on the student’s neck. The woman went to Augusta Health in Fishersville the next day and was examined for signs of a ******* ********. But DNA evidence was found only on her neck, where defense attorney Louis Nagy said his client had given her “hickies.” Additional DNA evidence wasn’t found “where there absolutely should be DNA,” Nagy said during his closing argument. A bedsheet where the alleged ******* ******** took place also did not contain any DNA evidence. Thursday in Staunton Circuit Court, Nagy said the woman lied about the incident and said she made numerous inconsistent statements. Phone texts also cast doubt on the allegations, he said. “She is not to be believed,” Nagy told the jury. Baber argued the woman was ******, and said she repeatedly told Paxton “no” throughout the incident. She also reminded the jury the victim testified that his hands felt like a “****** grip” around her throat. The jury received the case at about 6:45 p.m. on Thursday and deliberated until 1 a.m. on Friday. Paxton ******** at Middle River Regional Jail. He will be sentenced on the strangulation charge Feb. 10, according to court records. More: SAW ******* Way closed by board of directors More: Stuarts Draft woman who was aware of husband’s **** assaults convicted after keeping quiet Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at *****@*****.tld. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter). This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Trial concludes in Staunton, defendant not guilty of ***** Source link #Man #accused #******* #student #Mary #Baldwin #University #campus #guilty Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Baldurs Gate 3 modders are making Dark Urge less insane, and others make them much more brutal Baldurs Gate 3 modders are making Dark Urge less insane, and others make them much more brutal The Baldur’s Gate 3 modding community keep making new mods for Dark Urge, making them more or less violent with each mod. Source link #Baldurs #Gate #modders #making #Dark #Urge #insane #brutal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Secret 132 year old message in a bottle found in lighthouse wall Secret 132 year old message in a bottle found in lighthouse wall Ross Russell The bottle has an unusual rounded bottom and its cork was secured by wire which had rusted Engineers have found a bottle with a 132-year-old message deep inside the walls of a lighthouse in the south of Scotland. The bottle was found inside the Corsewall Lighthouse at the most northerly point of the Rhins of Galloway. The “once in a lifetime” find is understood to be the first message in a bottle ever discovered in a lighthouse in Scotland. Written using quill and ink, the letter dated 4 September 1892 reveals the names of three engineers who installed a new type of light in the 30ft tower. It also has the names of the lighthouse’s three keepers. Engineer Ross Russell found the letter in a bottle dating back to 1892 The 8in (20cm) bottle was found by Ross Russell, a Northern Lighthouse Board mechanical engineer, during an inspection. He spotted it after removing panels in a cupboard but it was well out of arm’s reach. The team retrieved it using a contraption made from a rope and a broom handle. But they waited until lighthouse keeper, Barry Miller, arrived before they opened it. “My goodness am I grateful for them doing that,” he said. The bottle has an unusual convex base, meaning it cannot stand upright, and it is made of coarse glass, full of tiny air bubbles. It is thought it would have once contained oil. The bottle stopper was cork, which had expanded over time and stuck to the glass, while the wire which held it in place had rusted away. Ross Russell Corsewall Lighthouse keeper, Barry Miller, said his hands were shaking when he opened the bottle The men had to cut the top off the cork and very carefully drill the cork out. The note initially seemed too big to pull out the neck of the bottle so they devised a tool using two pieces of cable to twist it through the narrow opening. Mr Miller, 77, told BBC Scotland News his hands were shaking when he opened it. “It was so exciting, it was like meeting our colleagues from the past. It was actually like them being there,” he said. “It was like touching them. Like them being part of our team instead of just four of us being there, we were all there sharing what they had written because it was tangible and you could see the style of their handwriting. “You knew what they had done. You knew they had hidden it in such a place it wouldn’t be found for a long, long time.” What did the letter say?Ross Russell The lighthouse letter is dated 1892 Corsewall Light & Fog Signal Station, Sept 4th 1892. This lantern was erected by James Wells Engineer, John Westwood Millwright, James Brodie Engineer, David Scott Labourer, of the firm of James Milne & Son Engineers, Milton House Works, Edinburgh, during the months from May to September and relighted on Thursday night 15th Sept 1892. The following being keepers at the station at this time, John Wilson Principal, John B Henderson 1st assistant, John Lockhart 2nd assistant. The lens and machine being supplied by James Dove &Co Engineers Greenside Edinburgh and erected by William Burness, John Harrower, James Dods. Engineers with the above firm. ‘I was in utter amazement’Jane Murray John Wilson (second from the left) is mentioned in the letter. The principal keeper is with Robert Murray, George Craig and an unknown keeper who is believed to have been visiting. Ross Russell, who found the bottle with his colleagues Morgan Dennison and Neil Armstrong, said it was an unbelievable discovery. “The note was just sensational, I was just in utter amazement,” Ross said. “Being the first person to touch the bottle after 132 years was just mind blowing. “It’s a once in a lifetime find.” Ross Russell Ross (R) found the bottle with his colleagues Morgan Dennison and Neil Armstrong before giving it to Corsewall Lighthouse keeper to open The engineers had travelled to the 209-year-old lighthouse ahead of a year long project to check the bearing the five tonne lens rotates on. They were trying to check under the floor to see if that section would be able to hold the lens while it was off its bearing when they found the bottle. The men who wrote the note in 1892 had been at the lighthouse to install a different type of lantern and glazing at the top of the tower. “It was just a strange coincidence to find the note while working on the equipment described on the note,” Ross said. The 36-year-old said they planned to replace the note and bottle where they had found them as well as adding another of their own. Euan Murray Euan Murray is the great great great grandson of Robert Murray who worked at the Corsewall Lighthouse in 1892 Meanwhile a descendant of one of the lighthouse keepers said he was delighted by the discovery. Euan Murray, who grew up 10 miles (16km) from the lighthouse in Stranraer, is the great great great grandson of Robert Murray who worked alongside John Wilson at Corsewall. “I do find it very interesting to see a bit of family history pop up out the blue like this,” he said. The 32-year-old added: “It’s amazing to think that the work they did back then is still completely relevant today, even in the age of satellite navigation.” The Royal Navy chief engineer said: “Ships are still using these lighthouses for safe navigation on a daily basis. “All the more apparent because of my career at sea and having passed the lighthouse many times on vessels arriving and departing from around the world. Always a nice sign of home.” Source link #Secret #year #message #bottle #lighthouse #wall Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake brings the past into the future Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake brings the past into the future HD-2D is the natural culmination of looking back to the NES and SNES eras of gaming for inspiration. In the 1980s and early 1990s, games sported pixelated art styles out of necessity. In 2024, that look is now a stylistic choice for developers who want to associate with that retro gaming era. From UFO 50 to Volgarr the Viking 2, we’ve seen some impressive pixel art in 2024 games alone. But what if you combined pixel art with more modern lighting and artistic design sensibilities that are only possible on modern gaming hardware? The answer to that question is HD-2D, a distinct video game look that Square Enix debuted with Octopath Traveler in 2018, trademarked, and has used as the aesthetic for retro throwback RPGs and remakes of classics. Next week, a remake of Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation will bring HD-2D to a whole new level and cement it as an art style critical to Square Enix’s future with old-school RPGs. DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake – Release Date Trailer – Nintendo Switch Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches on November 14 and is a full-on remake of the NES classics known as Dragon Warrior 3 in North America in the HD-2D style. It’s a gorgeous remake I couldn’t imagine without the HD-2D style. With HD-2D in the title, it’s about to make that term mainstream in the gaming zeitgeist. As such, it made sense for me to discuss Square Enix’s journey with the HD-2D style with producer Masaaki Hayasaka. How HD-2D came about The seed for HD-2D came in the mid-2010s when pixel art games were at the peak of popularity with titles like Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge. Around the same time, developers at Square Enix were yearning to create RPGs in the style of the pixel-based RPGs they grew up with. Those were also the games that made Square and Enix household names prior to their merger. Hayasaka credits Masashi Takahashi, another Square Enix producer who’d worked on games like Bravely Default, with launching the project that would become Octopath Traveler and invent the HD-2D art style. “I participated in the project as one of its founding members, and we first started by exploring graphic styles,” Hayasaka tells Digital Trends. “However, rather than deciding that this was the right choice for Octopath Traveler, I recall the process was the opposite, where we came up with various ideas and features for the game that could match these graphics.” Square Enix That development process meant that Octopath Traveler felt like a game tailor-made for HD-2D, impressively showcasing how Square Enix could create impressive pixel art and juxtapose it with more dynamic lighting and 3D backgrounds to create something that looks retro and chic at the same time. Rave reviews for Octopath Traveler at the time all complimented its art style. Even in a Digital Trends piece that is more critical of the game, writer Steven Petite described the HD-2D style as a “magic trick.” Octopath Traveler kicked off an unofficial HD-2D series of games at Square Enix. Mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent and strategy game Triangle Strategy were HD-2D titles, as was Octopath Traveler 2. Then, a remake revelation happened. Perfect for remakes In the wake of Octopath Traveler’s success, Square Enix realized that the HD-2D art style could be applied to remakes of its classic 8-bit and 16-bit titles. HD-2D was created to re-create the look of those classics, so why not use it to remake them? An HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III was first teased in 2021. Square Enix released a remake of Live A Live, an RPG that had previously only come out on the Super Famicom in Japan, in 2022. Square Enix With these projects, Square Enix has cracked a code for retro remakes. If it didn’t want to do full 3D remakes like it has for Final Fantasy VII and Romancing SaGa 2, then HD-2D is a perfect fit. The HD-2D allows the remake to retain the 8-bit or 16-bit aesthetics of the games they are re-creating but look more gorgeous than it ever could on an NES or SNES. Hayasaka didn’t seem very surprised that this combination worked so well. “The HD-2D style was created and inspired by the golden age of the 16-bit era, when the quality of pixel art was at its prime,” Hayasaka explained. “Even when we simply say “remakes,” there are various methods of doing so that may fit the unique characteristics of a title, but because the HD-2D style was born the way it was, it was a perfect fit for remaking games that originally used pixel art. It’s almost ******* to believe they wouldn’t mesh well together.” Square Enix I couldn’t agree more after playing Live A Live and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. HD-2D is a natural fit for remakes, especially ones that aren’t trying to radically reinvent the original’s formula. It’s a safe way for Square Enix to recapture the aesthetics of its most iconic titles without sacrificing the artistic intent of the original or failing to appeal to modern audiences. It’s already committed to Dragon Quest I and II remakes in this style, so it’s a strategy Square Enix seemingly plans to stick with as well. Enter, Dragon Quest III Dragon Quest is one of Square Enix’s premier RPG franchises, and within that franchise, Dragon Quest III is considered one of the series’ best. As such, it’s unsurprising that Square Enix would look to remake it as it recommitted itself to making old-school RPGs. What better way to learn than from the classics? According to Hayasaka, Square Enix settled on utilizing the HD-2D style for this remake because of how well it works with remakes and how appealing it has been to Western gamers. Even though the HD-2D style works particularly well for remakes, Hayasaka still highlighted some of the challenges that come when re-creating a preexisting game in HD-2D rather than creating something new from scratch. “With an original game, you can build out and optimize the storyline, events, maps, etc. from the onset with the HD-2D graphic style in mind. However, the original game must come first with a remake like ours, so even if you come up with an idea that may look great in HD-2D, you wouldn’t be able to incorporate it if it’s an element that undermines features from the original game. In other words, the scope of restrictions inevitably becomes larger as you develop the game.” Square Enix Hayasaka ultimately believes that having a keen “artistic sensibility” is key to creating a great HD-2D game, commending the great work of the art teams on games like Octopath Traveler and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. The development team of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake had a clear vision of what they wanted to do and how they wanted to evolve this art style. Continuing to expand Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is the most important release for this art style since Ocotpath Traveler. It puts HD-2D right in the title and differentiates itself in clear ways. Specifically, the game uses a more vibrant ****** palette than any other HD-2D game and utilizes pixels mainly for characters and monsters rather than backgrounds. It gives this remake a distinct style, even within the broader spectrum of HD-2D titles. I asked how HD-2D had evolved, but Hayasaka described what is happening as more of an expansion of what the art style could do. “Rather than evolving, it may be more accurate to say that it’s expanding further and further,” Hayasaka said. “For example, in Triangle Strategy — which followed Octopath Traveler — the camera could be rotated, and in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, we experimented by utilizing ****** palettes that felt authentic to Dragon Quest alongside a formula to forego pixels in the background. I’m sure future HD-2D titles will also add their own unique new spin to the concept, and these innovations will continue to push the boundaries of HD-2D expression in the future.” Square Enix The HD-2D style came along at the right time for Square Enix. Over the past decade, we have seen the company truly recommit to *********-developed RPGs and a ******* to recapture the magic of Square and Enix’s golden ages in the 1980s and 1990s. HD-2D provides Square Enix with a way to do just that. It gives their retro-styled RPGs a distinct look, works on new games and remakes, and offers plenty of room for artistic growth and expression. Retro games resonate with people, and their beautiful pixel art and aesthetics are a reason for that. For now games, HD-2D is a way to show the game is in conversation with RPG classics. For remakes, HD-2D adds depth to what was originally a flat screen of pixels and combines old and new in an aesthetically pleasing way. With more Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes on the way, Square Enix is embracing HD-2D wholeheartedly. That’s a good thing for its retro-inspired RPG efforts. Source link #Dragon #Quest #HD2D #Remake #brings #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sasquatch Sunset review: poignant but comedic Bigfoot flick is less David Attenborough, more ***** And Dumber Sasquatch Sunset review: poignant but comedic Bigfoot flick is less David Attenborough, more ***** And Dumber ‘Sasquatch Sunset is one of the weirdest movies you’ll see all year. Think Harry And The Hendersons, only if Harry spent most of the movie with his wang flapping in the breeze.’ Source link #Sasquatch #Sunset #review #poignant #comedic #Bigfoot #flick #David #Attenborough #***** #Dumber Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buc-ee’s is coming to Hardeeville, South Carolina. Here’s when it will be built Buc-ee’s is coming to Hardeeville, South Carolina. Here’s when it will be built Hardeeville City Council gave an initial green light for a 46.2 acre-development known as Hardee Station, which will include a Buc-ee’s — a chain of travel centers from a small town in Texas outside of Houston. It will be located at Exit 8 between Highway 17, U.S. 278 and I-95. The “Hardee Station” location, outlined in red, is located on the northwest corner of I-95 and U.S. 278 in Hardeeville. During Thursday night’s meeting, Mayor Harry Williams said the widening of I-95 and the addition of a light at Highway 17 and U.S. 278, which are projects led by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, would be completed by 2028. He also mentioned plans for a ribbon-cutting event with “some beavers from Texas” will take place at the same time. In a unanimous vote, the council passed three separate ordinances on first reading, with a second and final vote on the development plan scheduled in two weeks. The “Hardee Station” location, outlined in red, is located on the northwest corner of I-95 and U.S. 278 in Hardeeville and will be anchored by a “travel center” now known to be Buc-ee’s. Rumors have been circulating for weeks on social media about the possibility of a Buc-ee’s in Hardeeville after the mayor teased the travel center during the State of the Region event last month. For decades, the stores could only be found throughout Texas, but in recent years they have expanded throughout the Southeast. The only other Buc-ee’s in South Carolina is located in Florence off of I-95. The chain is known for many things: their ******* mascot, their walls filled with fresh jerky, cherry sours and fudge, their breakfast tacos and jalapeno cheddar koloches. The development will also boast walking and bike trails, electric vehicle charging stations and a dog walking area, according to representatives at the meeting. This embedded content is not available in your region. During public comment, Valarie Guzman, a city council member, read aloud an email she received from a concerned resident. Ansley Fagan, a four-and-a-half-year Hardeeville resident, wrote that she was excited about the growth in the area, but that she was worried about the worsening of already dangerous driving conditions and traffic on U.S. 278. “I have serious concerns about the concentration of vehicle traffic and traffic that is about to hit the 278, 17 area,” she wrote. This embedded content is not available in your region. A Friday press release from the city stated, “This exciting development is set to become a significant economic driver for the region, enhancing the city’s reputation as a thriving hub for commerce and travel in South Carolina… The new store is expected to create approximately 200 new employment opportunities, ranging from entry-level positions to managerial roles, providing a boost to the local job market and offering stable, competitive wages.” Source link #Bucees #coming #Hardeeville #South #Carolina #Heres #built Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

inZOI finally gets release date, but it’s a delay to 2025 inZOI finally gets release date, but it’s a delay to 2025 Krafton The developers behind inZOI announced a 2025 early access release date on Thursday despite assurances that the hyper-realistic life sim would still launch sometime this year. Game producer and director Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim posted an open letter to the community on the inZOI Discord saying that the game will be coming out on March 28, 2025, instead of in late 2024 so that the developers can give the game “the best possible start.” While inZOI never received a concrete release date until Thursday, a spokesperson for the team at Krafton told PC Gamer just last month that the plan was to release it in 2024. In August, the studio released inZOI: Character Studio on Steam, a demo of its character creator. It was only up for five days, but immediately drew the attention of players who wanted to re-create fictional characters and real-life people with ridiculous amounts of detail. inZOI: Character Studio Official Announcement Following feedback from that demo, along with various playtests, Kim said the team needed to work more to give players “the most complete experience possible.” “It is said that among primates, raising a human child to adulthood takes the longest time because humans must be prepared to endure and adapt to their ever-changing surroundings,” Kim wrote. “The extra love and care that is required to properly nurture a child is how I see our journey with inZOI—a game that we will be nurturing together from its Early Access birth. This change in our release date represents our dedication to giving inZOI a stronger foundation, so we can embark on this journey together in the best way possible.” InZOI is poised to be a real The Sims competitor, and is one of the few still due for release after Paradox Interactive canceled its entry in the genre, Life by You, before it could even reach early access. At the time of this writing, it’s the 12th most wishlisted game on Steam. Source link #inZOI #finally #release #date #delay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Astonishing!' – Shaw scores for Man City after 23 seconds 'Astonishing!' – Shaw scores for Man City after 23 seconds Khadija Shaw takes advantage of a mistake from Tottenham’s Clare Hunt to put Manchester City ahead after only 23 seconds in their WSL clash. Source link #039Astonishing039 #Shaw #scores #Man #City #seconds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Empire of the Ants Single-Player Campaign Review – IGN Empire of the Ants Single-Player Campaign Review – IGN Pretty to look at but painfully dull and frustrating to play, Empire of the Ants’s single-player campaign has none of the depth of the multiplayer and packages bad AI with boring missions and a meandering story. Source link #Empire #Ants #SinglePlayer #Campaign #Review #IGN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Lim Kim fires ace and closing birdies for LPGA lead A Lim Kim fires ace and closing birdies for LPGA lead Grace Kim is hanging tough in the Lotte Championship with the *********** ********* a 4-under 68 in the third round to move to ****** ninth at the Hoakalei County Club. But while the 23-year-old is making moves and heading in the right direction, so is A Lim Kim who is not showing any nerves and holding strong at the top of the leaderboard. A Lim Kim had a *****-in-one on the par-3 ninth and birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and one-******* lead over Nataliya Guseva on Friday. “Calculate number and then chose line and then hit it,” Kim said about the ace. “I think 99 per cent lucky.” A Lim Kim rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 16th with birdies on the par-4 17th and par-5 18th. She had a 14-under 202 total with a round left in the event that started Wednesday. “Every tournament I think same – focus on my line and then hit it,” Kim said. “That’s it. Any result, I don’t care.” A Lim Kim is No.65 in the Race to CME Globe, and only has two tournaments left to ****** the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that pays $4 million ($A6m) to the winner. The 29-year-old South Korean player won the US Women’s Open in December 2020 for her lone LPGA Tour title. Guseva, the 21-year-old player trying to become the first Russian winner in LPGA Tour history, shot 68. She bogeyed the 17th for the third day in a row. “I enjoy playing out there,” Guseva said. “Still a lot of wind, but not as much as yesterday. Super excited for tomorrow.” Ryann O’Toole was third at 11 under after a 69, but she wasn’t pleased with the pace of play. “Very slow. Felt like it was turtle slow,” O’Toole said. Jin Young Ko shot 67 to join Auston Kim (69) and Yuri Yoshida (71) at 10 under. As it stands, Grace Kim is in 43rd spot in the CME rankings and not in danger of missing the top 60, but looking over her shoulder is Stephanie Kyriacou. The 22-year-old Sydneysider is currently ranked No.58 after dropping one spot. Kyriacou had a 2-under 70 on Friday and is tied 30th at three under for the tournament with compatriot Robyn Choi (71). Source link #Lim #Kim #fires #ace #closing #birdies #LPGA #lead Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A woman was murdered in 1974 while hitchhiking to a Chicago art show. 50 years later, investigators found her ******* A woman was murdered in 1974 while hitchhiking to a Chicago art show. 50 years later, investigators found her ******* Investigators in Wisconsin used genetic genealogy to solve a 50-year-old cold case this week, charging an 84-year-old Minnesota man with ******** a woman who was found ***** in 1974, authorities said. Mary K. Schlais, 25, was found ***** at an intersection in the township of Spring Brook, Wisconsin on February 15, 1974, according to the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. Her ****** was ruled a ********* and the initial investigation revealed she had been hitchhiking to an art show in Chicago when she was *******, the agency said. Jon Miller, of Owatonna, Minnesota, was arrested on Thursday after he “confirmed his involvement” with Schlais’ *********, according to Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd. He’s currently in custody in Steele County, Minnesota, and is awaiting extradition to Wisconsin, Bygd said. “This is a huge victory for our agency,” Bygd said at a Friday news conference. It’s the first time the agency has used genetic genealogy to solve a case, the sheriff said. For decades, detectives from multiple law enforcement agencies who were assigned to the ********* case received various leads and tips and conducted interviews, but no “viable” suspects were identified, according to the sheriff’s office. Evidence was also examined and reexamined over the years, but it wasn’t until the agency started working with a team of genetic genealogists at Ramapo College in New Jersey in recent years, investigators were able to identify Miller as the suspect using genetic evidence, the department said. Forensic genetic genealogy can generate leads for unsolved cases by analyzing DNA on top of traditional genealogy research, according to the US Department of Justice. It combines forensic genetics, or DNA analysis, with conventional genealogy, or one’s family history, for human identification. “Agencies can spend thousands and thousands of dollars sending DNA samples to private labs across the country to try and get results and we had a college very willing to step up and help us with this process,” Sheriff Bygd said. Two sheriff’s investigators who have been working on the case, Dan Westland and Jason Stocker, said at the news conference they spoke with Schlais’ family, who expressed relief and gratitude for the investigation. The sheriff’s office did not go into detail about what piece of DNA evidence investigators used to solve the case or the genetic genealogy process leading them to the suspect, saying they would leave it for Ramapo College representatives to address at their Monday news briefing. The sheriff said investigators were thrown a “curveball” while assessing Miller’s family lineage because he was adopted. “It takes a lot more work that these guys have put in over the last couple of weeks to try and dodge that curveball … We were able to sit down with him and let him confirm his involvement in her ********* yesterday,” he continued. Westland said when he and Stocker spoke with Miller Thursday, he was “fairly calm about what had occurred.” “I believe it’s got to even be a relief for him after 50 years of living with this. It’s had to have been on his mind almost every day. You would think anybody with a conscience, it would. So, I think he was done fighting it, personally,” said Sheriff Bygd. Many of the detectives and former sheriffs who worked on the case over the years have *****, said the sheriff, who added he was “elated” to tell some of his former coworkers who are still alive the case was solved. “I was actually sitting in a deer stand when I got a text from investigator Westland yesterday and I had a difficult time controlling my excitement,” Bygd said. “… I’ve been through with every investigator that’s picked this up and ran with it and got to a ***** end.” For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #woman #murdered #hitchhiking #Chicago #art #show #years #investigators #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How US election ****** claims changed as Trump won How US election ****** claims changed as Trump won Getty Images Donald Trump addressed supporters in the early hours of Wednesday after the election results became clear In the build-up to Tuesday’s US election, claims of voter ****** flooded social media – but as Donald Trump’s victory crystallised, the chatter largely subsided. The claims didn’t stop entirely, however. A number of right-wing influencers and organisations pushing stories about “cheating” and a “rigged” vote pointed to incomplete vote totals and continued to repeat discredited theories about the 2020 election. And disappointed Democratic Party supporters developed their own unsubstantiated voter ****** theories, some of which went viral on X, formerly Twitter, and other platforms. The reach of the posts is nowhere near the deluge of content that circulated after Trump lost the 2020 election. And with no support from losing candidate Kamala Harris or other Democratic Party officials, the chances seem slim of a large-scale movement developing along the lines of the “Stop the Steal” drive four years ago, which culminated in a riot at the US Capitol. How did ****** claims develop on election day? The BBC tracked a huge wave of pre-election ****** claims that carried through election day and into the evening. These included claims of the vote being “stolen” in some key swing states, with exaggerated takes on real events being used in some cases to bolster the allegations. Early on election day in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, a *********** stronghold, there were problems with voting machines malfunctioning. The issues were fixed and voting hours in the affected areas were extended. However, many online immediately used the story to suggest nefarious activities were taking place. One post at 08:45 local time on Tuesday said: “The election steal is happening!” Other rumours were spread in posts that popped up throughout the day, including one at around 14:00, which claimed ballots in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, had been pre-marked for Kamala Harris. In Milwaukee, the biggest city in the swing state of Wisconsin, elections officials made a decision to re-run around 30,000 ballots out of an “abundance of caution”, after doors on the back of voting machines were left open. Once the count was completed, it showed that support for Harris had dropped compared with Joe Biden’s four years earlier. Like many of the pro-Trump posters, Harris supporters pointed to real but isolated events – fires at ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon, and a series of fake ***** threats that disrupted voting at several polling locations on election day – as evidence of widespread voter ******. However, there’s no evidence that the incidents significantly altered the vote or changed the outcome. Several posts from Democratic Party activists questioning the result went viral and were seen by millions on X and other platforms. Pam Keith, a Harris supporter in Florida, posted: “Is it possible that the machines were hacked to switch the tallies from Harris to Trump?” Her message was seen more than one million times on X, according to the site’s metrics. The BBC has reached out to her for comment. Unlike Trump’s campaign in 2020, however, the Harris campaign and top Democratic Party officials have not endorsed allegations of cheating or voter ******. On election day, ****** rumours also came from President-elect Trump himself, who has repeatedly argued from the outset of his political career that the voting system is unfairly stacked against him. Just after 16:30 Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social: “A lot of talk about massive CHEATING in Philadelphia. Law Enforcement coming!!!” The now president-elect did not give any details and the Philadelphia Police Department told BBC Verify they were not aware of what Trump was referring to. Seth Bluestein, the *********** City Commissioner in Philadelphia, posted on X: “There is absolutely no truth to this allegation. It is yet another example of disinformation. Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure.” Trump has not repeated the ****** allegations since election day. We have contacted several hugely influential accounts that regularly posted about election ****** claims in the build-up to the vote, but none of them replied. With data firm NodeXL, the BBC tracked accounts that engaged with Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Lara Trump and Elon Musk on X around election day. Posts mentioning vote ****** peaked at 15:00 EST on 5 November – but then dropped off significantly that evening and into the next day as polls closed and results came in. Claims continue to circulate However, some organisations and activists who promoted voter ****** allegations in the past continued to repeat debunked rumours even after the results became clear. Emerald Robinson, a former reporter with right-wing TV networks and a pro-Trump influencer with more than 750,000 followers on X, insisted that Democrats were “cheating right now” and posted: “I always told people the voting machines were rigged!” More generally, reaction from pro-Trump groups and influencers who previously hyped up vote ****** claims varied – from silence on the issue, to continued insistence that the 2020 vote was marred by ******. The BBC contacted Ms Robinson for comment. EPA A dejected supporter of Kamala Harris. Some Democratic Party supporters have spread unevidenced claims in the wake of Harris’s defeat *********** theories based on vote numbers In another case, a chart that was widely circulating online claimed to show a sharp drop-off in vote totals in 2024 compared to 2020. Many are pointing to the figures as “proof” of ******. ************* commentator Dinesh D’Souza, a Trump supporter who has pushed voter ****** theories, posted the day after the election: “Kamala got 60 million votes in 2024. Does anyone really believe Biden got 80 million in 2020? Where did those 20 million Democratic voters go? The truth is, they never existed.” However, the chart and the figures circulating online were based on preliminary vote totals, which continue to go up as final results are still being tabulated. Already, Harris has more than 69 million votes in her column – with Trump on more than 73 million. As of Friday, fewer than two million ballots have yet to be counted nationally, in states including Arizona and California, according to Reuters. The BBC contacted Mr D’Souza for comment. Those same numbers are also fuelling *********** theories from supporters of Harris, who are wondering where their “missing” voters are – and ignoring the fact that turnouts and preferences frequently shift, often dramatically, between elections. Partisans on both sides are also pointing to differences in vote tallies for Harris and other Democrats running for Senate seats. But there is no requirement for US voters to support candidates from just one party, and “ticket-splitting” – voting for candidates from different parties in different races – although becoming rarer, is fairly common in ********* politics. The University of Florida’s Election Lab turnout tracker is showing slightly lower turnout in 2024 as compared to 2020 – 62.5% v just over 66%. Additional reporting by Shayan Sardarizadeh and Merlyn Thomas Source link #election #****** #claims #changed #Trump #won Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indonesian volcano erupts again, safety zone to widen Indonesian volcano erupts again, safety zone to widen Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted at least three more times, spewing an ash column nine kilometres high. A big eruption on Sunday by the volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province ******* nine people. Since then, authorities have been scrambling to evacuate 16,000 people from villages nearest the crater as eruptions continue. “The eruption accompanied by the ejection of hot lava and hot clouds to the west and northwest of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is still occurring,” said Muhammad Wafid, head of the volcanology agency. The agency plans to expand the restricted zone from eight kilometres to nine kilometres southwest to northwest of the crater. Evacuation efforts continue, with some 10,700 people removed by Friday evening, data from Indonesia’s disaster agency showed. On Friday, Mount Lewotobi erupted several times, with an ash column up to 10km high. Source link #Indonesian #volcano #erupts #safety #zone #widen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MultiVersus underperformed but Warner Bros. is focused on IP MultiVersus underperformed but Warner Bros. is focused on IP Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed that its free-to-play fighting game MultiVersus has underperformed, along with the rest of its video game division, as it announced two new characters coming to the character crossover brawler on Thursday. As reported by IGN, MultiVersus has contributed another $100 million to the already $200 million write-down from earlier this year after Rocksteady’s ******** Squad: ***** the Justice League, which launched to poor reviews, sold less than the company expected. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed in a recent earnings call that the games division has been “substantially underperforming.” However, he added that the company has four brands that it’ll focus on: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC (Batman in particular got a shoutout). Warner Bros. Discovery only released one new game in the most recent financial quarter — Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions — but it’s been supporting games like Mortal Kombat 1 and MultiVersus, along with reportedly developing a Hogwarts Legacy director’s cut. The single-player Harry Potter simulator was the top-selling game of 2023, so the company wants to lean further into that IP, with a sequel set to align with the upcoming Harry Potter HBO series. “We’re through some of the worst — and it hasn’t been pretty on the gaming business — but we have four games that are really powerful and have a real constituency that love them, and we’re going to focus on those four primarily,” Zaslav said. “We’re going to go away from trying to launch 10, 12, 15, 20 different games. I think we have a real chance now with focus to have the gaming business be steadier.” MultiVersus – Official Raven “Too Dark to Care” Gameplay Trailer The earnings call comes on the same day that the company announced more characters for MultiVersus‘ upcoming fourth season, which will launch on November 12. Midnight Misfits will feature Adventure Time‘s Marceline and Raven from DC. Raven will be available at the start of the season, while Marceline will come to the game at a later date. The season ends on January 21, 2025. MultiVersus is also getting a new arena mode that’ll have players match up in teams of two and hop in a match with a total of eight teams. There will also be two new maps. Despite the results, Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t seem to be letting up on MultiVersus any time soon. It falls into its focus on established IP (in that it features multiple IPs), and the company also recently acquired developer Player First Games to work more closely on the fighting game. Source link #MultiVersus #underperformed #Warner #Bros #focused Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Missing Wylie woman found safe by local resident, police say Missing Wylie woman found safe by local resident, police say WYLIE, Texas – The woman who went missing earlier this week from her home in Wylie has been found safe. Wyle police say 46-year-old Melonie Ballenger was found near Abby Lane and Tyler Trail by a local resident around 5:15 p.m. Friday. Police say Ballenger was severely dehydrated but otherwise in good health. She is being reunited with her family and is being checked out at the hospital. Earlier in the day, the department said there is no evidence of foul play in her disappearance. 46-year-old Melonie Ballenger was reported missing by her husband on Monday morning. He told told police he last saw his wife on Sunday night at their home on Parkwood Drive. He says when he woke up she was gone. Ballenger left behind her car, phone and critical medication. Police asked for privacy for the family as they reunite. They thanked the public for the search efforts. No other details were immediately released. Source link #Missing #Wylie #woman #safe #local #resident #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon’s New Iron Man Echo Dot Speaker Is $20 Off Amazon’s New Iron Man Echo Dot Speaker Is $20 Off Amazon recently launched a new 5th Gen Echo Dot model featuring a stand based on Iron Man’s iconic helmet. The bundle normally costs $90, but for a limited-time you can grab one for as low as $68. Three models are available, each of which comes with different ******** Echo Dot speakers inside of Iron Man’s metallic dome, including Charcoal ******, Glacier White, and Deep Sea Blue. For those who already have an Echo Dot and just want the Iron Man stand, you can pick one up by itself for just $40. Echo Dot Speaker 5th Gen – Iron Man Edition Like the other Echo Dots devices, these speakers offer a wide array of helpful features powered by Amazon’s Alexa AI assistant. They can play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music and other apps, or connect to your smartphone or other devices and play audio from there. They can also sync with other smart home devices, serving as a hub for interfacing with your in-home network via Alex voice commands. Amazon Iron Man Echo Dot Iron Man isn’t the only themed Echo Dot stand available if you’re looking to customize your speakers. Halloween might be over, but the Christmas season is almost here, just in time for a Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Echo Dot that sports the face of Jack Skellington. Like the Iron Man shell, those who already have an eacho Dot can pick up the Jack Skellington speaker case by itself for $40. For kids, there’s also the smaller Echo Pop with a striking Marvel design that’s on ***** for $55 (was $80) and there’s the 2024 ***** HD tablet that just got a massive discount. Normally $150, you can grab this for just $80. More Amazon Device Deals Source link #Amazons #Iron #Man #Echo #Dot #Speaker Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buses in England blighted by poor technology and infrequent services Buses in England blighted by poor technology and infrequent services BBC Janette Ward relies on her local bus to see her daughter and go to appointments The 12:40 bus has just driven past Janette Ward’s stop seven minutes early as she watches from the other side of the road, waiting to cross. There won’t be another for two hours. “It makes it very difficult when you’re going for an appointment or you’re connecting to a rail service or other bus service,” says Ms Ward, 74. There’s also been further changes to make her journey more complicated, she says. Janette now has to take four buses to see her daughter in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Before, she only needed to change buses once. Her situation is by no means unique. The frequency of rural bus services in England has reached a historic low, according to a report by the County Councils Network. They found more than a quarter of rural routes had been lost over the decade to 2023. And last week’s *** Budget revealed that the £2 cap on bus fares in much of England will increase by £1. It could mean an extra £40 a month for someone who gets a return five days a week. Since then dozens of people have got in touch with BBC News, many saying that buses remain fundamentally unreliable. Some passengers say there’s a lack of digital screens at bus stops and live app updates for some routes outside of cities, unlike trains and Ubers where many are used to tracking journeys in real time. And even where tracking exists, it can sometimes be out of date. Take Leeds, for example, where some locals claim they’ve had to endure “ghost buses” – they’re advertised as coming on live displays at bus stops, but never do. “For people who rely on the bus as their only means of getting to work it’s impossibly frustrating,” says Cllr Eleanor Thomson, who runs a Facebook group for bus passengers in the Yorkshire city. “Some people in the area have moved because they’re that fed up of it, or they’ve bought a car, which is costing them a lot of money.” Bus operators told the local authority in January they’re installing 4G technology to improve tracking, but Cllr Thomson says it “doesn’t seem to be getting any better”. ‘Poor technology’ Janette consults a paper timetable at her bus stop as the tracking app can be unreliable Janette has similar experiences of unreliable service updates in Hereford. “On bank holidays, sometimes the tracking service doesn’t know if a bus is coming at all,” she says. Campaigners think bringing the entire bus network into the 21st Century would give people more confidence in the service and make them more likely to use it. “If you know that your bus is coming in five minutes, then you know you have that certainty,” says Silviya Barrett, director of policy and research from the Campaign for Better Transport. “Whereas in some bus stops there isn’t even the basic timetable, let alone the live arrival updates.” Cost concerns Doreen Gower, who doesn’t drive, uses the bus regularly to attend hospital appointments in Hereford. Now that her service only runs once every two hours, she feels she sometimes has to find alternatives because of the inconvenience. “If you’re not feeling very well, you don’t particularly want to have to wait for another two hours for a bus. It means that I maybe have to pay £25 for a taxi to get me home,” she tells us. She also relies on volunteers, who provide a ring-and-ride service, to bring her to and from her local GP surgery in a neighbouring village around 20 minutes away. As well as passengers, poor rural bus services are costing employers. “It’s pretty grim, some businesses are completely cut off from public transport,” says Natalie Fryer, who has been appointed by Cumbria’s tourism board to improve the situation. “Employees are walking down dark roads from their closest bus stops or train stations, with employers concerned for their safety. Some businesses say they put up staff in their own homes just so they can stay open.” In an attempt to work around the problem, Gilpin Hotel, which ***** in the heart of the Lake District, spends £8,000 per month on taxis bringing some of its 137 staff to and from work. Many don’t drive, a common occurrence in the hospitality sector. Helen Tappenden, who oversees personnel at the hotel, says the business has to “put our hand in our pocket” to avoid recruitment and retention problems. “For our staff it can feel very isolating because, while they might love working here, without a bus route they struggle to have some normality – like popping to a coffee shop or a cinema,” she tells the BBC. And 40 miles away at Muncaster Castle – which is popular with visitors and wedding guests – Ewan Frost-Pennington lets some staff stay in a house on the grounds because of the lack of transport connections. “That’s got six young people living in it, of which I think two can drive,” says Ewan, whose family have lived in the castle for 800 years. Ewan Frost-Pennington provides staff housing to help keep Muncaster Castle running A franchised solution? The *** Government insists it recognises the current service offered by bus operators is unsatisfactory for many passengers – particularly in rural areas and it will introduce a new law to address that. Officials say the forthcoming buses bill will allow councils in England to deliver better services as they could choose to take control of them. Under this franchising system, councils could be able to decide routes, timetables and fares – with operators bidding to run services for a fixed fee. In London and Greater Manchester, where this system is active, bus fares will remain capped at £1.75 and £2 respectively after the new England-wide cap rise – and some passengers told the BBC they felt this risked widening regional inequality. But experts warn this kind of system is not suitable for all communities and that it works best when a council area includes both urban and rural parts. Campaign for Better Transport Silviya Barrett says some councils may choose not to run bus services as they don’t have the expertise “The benefit is that if you have both of these, the more profitable ones in urban areas can pay for the services in rural areas,” says Silviya. She adds that another reason why some councils may choose not to operate a franchised bus system is that they no longer have the expertise. ”They haven’t managed buses to this extent since privatisation,” she says. In 1986, services outside of London were deregulated and privatised. Before then most bus services were operated by publicly owned companies, which were often run by councils. Some experts say bus services would also be made better if the way they are funded was made simpler – as currently there are six separate pots councils can apply to for money. “Streamlining bus funding into a single, long-term **** would give councils greater control over services and spending and residents more long-term certainty over future services,” says Cllr Adam Hug, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association. A bus belonging to DRM who operate the service in Herefordshire used by Janette and Doreen Graham Vidler, from the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents bus operators, tells us: “We accept that passengers face a mixed picture depending on where they live.” He said better technology at bus stops was the responsibility of local councils but that many would struggle to find the money to upgrade them given their tight budgets and the fact there are so many. “In contrast to the rail network, where there is a manageable number of stations, there are tens and tens of thousands of bus stops across the country.” Louis Dyson, managing director of DRM Buses, which operates the route in Herefordshire that Janette and Doreen use, says the company had cut the route from hourly to two-hourly because of a drop in passenger numbers. “If as much funding was given to support rural services, rather than making city buses run every 15 minutes, then perhaps there would be more options for the public,” he says. Dyson says that when buses were running late it was usually caused by bad traffic, roadworks, bad weather and a lack of bus lanes – factors outside of drivers’ control. And in response to claims that passengers can’t always view accurate information about when DRM’s buses are arriving, he says vehicles have ticket machine tracking software but that the rural location of services interfered with their connectivity. Dyson says the service that Janette and Doreen regularly take would be changing to hourly “in the next month or two” if it gets approval from officials. For people like Janette and Doreen, that can’t come soon enough. For them buses are what give them their independence and a chance to see family and friends. “We’re only asking for the service we had before to be reinstated,” says Janette. “Nothing more.” Additional reporting by Jennie Dennett, David Spereall and Grace Dean. Source link #Buses #England #blighted #poor #technology #infrequent #services Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mario & Luigi: Brothership: challenge list and rewards Mario & Luigi: Brothership: challenge list and rewards You will face many obstacles on your quest across the islands of Concordia in Mario & Luigi: Brothership, in the form of classic turn-based battles and exploration. However, like every other Switch title, those who enjoy hunting for Trophies or Achievements won’t find them here. Instead, Mario & Luigi: Brothership includes its own set of in-game challenges to scratch that same *****. These are difficult tasks that are completely optional but reward you with some very precious upgrade materials that are worth the effort. These will push you to use all the game’s mechanics and tools. Most will be available from the start, but some only unlock later on so you can’t complete them all at once. If you want to know what challenges await you in Mario & Luigi: Brothership, here’s every challenge in the game and what your reward is for completing them. All challenges and rewards in Mario & Luigi: Brothership Nintendo There are 29 total challenges in Mario & Luigi: Brothership. Some of them require you to complete other challenges to unlock them, while others open up as you progress the story. Here is each challenge name, what you need to do to complete it, and the reward. Jump-Combo Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Jump ******* combo – Nut x2 Hammer-Combo Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Hammer ******* combo – Syrup Jar x2 Red Shell Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Red Shell Bros. ******* – Bros. Bean and Super Mushroom x2 Green Shell Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Green Shell Bros. ******* – Bros. Bean and Syrup Jar x3 Hatch Me if You Can Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Hatch Me if You Can Bros. ******* – Heart Bean x2 and Defense Bean Zapperator Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Zapperator Bros. ******* – Stache Bean x2 and Speed Bean ***** Derby Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the ***** Derby Bros. ******* – Speed Bean x3 and Power Bean x2 Jump Helmet Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Jump Helmet Bros. ******* – Heart Bean x3 and Bros. Bean x2 Clockout ***** Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Clockout ***** Bros. ******* – Stache Bean x3 and Bros. Bean x3 Yoo Who Cannon Expert: Get 30 Excellents with the Yoo Who Cannon Bros. ******* – Speed Bean x3 and Defense Bean x3 Watchful Eye: Dodge or counter attacks 100 times – 1-Up DX Damage Dodger: Win 100 battles without taking damage – Stache Bean x2, Power Bean x2, and Heart Bean x2 Lucky Star: Get 250 LUCKY ratings – Luck Charm DX, Stache Bean DX, and Speed Bean DX Item Buffet: Use items in battle 20 times – Defense Bean and 1-Up Mushroom x2 Flying Start: Start battles with first strikes 30 times – Speed Bean x2 and Super Nut Monster Buster: Defeat 999 enemies – Stache Bean DX, Power Bean x3, and Ultra Candy x3 Zokket Buster: Defeat 250 Zok Troopers – Defense Bean DX, Bros. Bean x2, and Max Syrup Jar x3 Minion Buster: Defeat 300 of Bowser’s minions – Heart Bean DX, Stache Bean x2, and Max Nut x2 Glohm Buster: Defeat 150 Glohm enemies – Bros. Bean DX, Defense Bean x2, and Max Candy x2 Coin Enthusiast: Receive a total of 5,000 coins in battle – Stache Bean and Super Syrup Jar Coin Collector: Receive a total of 15,000 coins in battle – Stache Bean x3, Heart Bean x2, and Ultra Candy Coin King: Receive a total of 50,000 coins in battle – Golden Stache Gloves, Speed Bean DX, and Defense Bean A Painful *****: Deal 1,000 damage or more with one ******* – Power Bean x2, Defense Bean x2, and Ultra Syrup Jar x3 A More Painful *****: Deal 1,500 damage or more with one ******* – Bros. Bean DX, Heart Bean x3, and 1-Up DX x3 ***** Dodger: Win 100 battles in a row without getting a Game Over – Heart Bean x2, Bros. Bean x2, and Super Candy x3 Do It Yourself: Defeat 300 enemies without equipping any wear, gloves, or accessories – Last-Ditch Gloves, Speed Bean DX x2, and Heart Bean DX Source link #Mario #Luigi #Brothership #challenge #list #rewards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Huge difference’: Andrew Giles defends HECS relief, free TAFE bill amid accusations of ‘vote buying’, inflation concerns ‘Huge difference’: Andrew Giles defends HECS relief, free TAFE bill amid accusations of ‘vote buying’, inflation concerns The Federal Government has defended its new student loan discounts amid accusations of the policy being “elitist” and attempting to buy votes amid high inflation levels. Source link #Huge #difference #Andrew #Giles #defends #HECS #relief #free #TAFE #bill #accusations #vote #buying #inflation #concerns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]