Pelican Press

'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]

Sims Competitor InZOI Has Been Delayed, But It Finally Has An Official Release Date Sims Competitor InZOI Has Been Delayed, But It Finally Has An Official Release Date There’s good news and bad news for fans of the life-sim genre. The bad news? The Sims 4 competitor inZOI–a wildly detailed life sim with high-quality graphics–has been delayed. The good news? It now has an official release date, and that date is just a few months away. InZOI, which was set to launch in early access for PC sometime in late 2024, is now set to launch on March 28, 2025. In the wake of the delay, inZOI’s developers at South Korean video game publisher Krafton–yes, the same Krafton that gave us PUBG–released a statement regarding the game’s future. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. inZOI – Official Gameplay And Character Studio Reveal Trailer | Gamescom 2024 Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter InZOI director and producer Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim shared an explanation–and an apology–for the game’s delay on the official inZOI Discord server. “First, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to inZOI fans around the world. Your immense love and interest mean everything to us. I was especially touched by the wonderful reception we received at Gamescom, and it was incredible to see everyone creating such unique Zois during our ‘inZOI: Character Studio’ demo *******,” Kim said. After expressing gratitude to the many players who tried out the game’s Zoi creator during a community test-run of the feature, Kim detailed the reasons behind the delay. “After reviewing your feedback from inZOI: Character Studio and analyzing a wealth of data from our various play tests, we have decided to release inZOI in early access on March 28, 2025,” Kim revealed. “We apologize that we couldn’t bring you the game sooner, but this decision reflects our commitment to giving inZOI the best possible start. “It’s 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. The extra love and care required to nurture a child to adulthood 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 reflects our commitment to building a stronger foundation for inZOI, so we can embark on this journey in the best way possible.” As incredible as it looks, inZOI has several other competitors in the life-sim genre. Although Life By You was recently canceled, another life sim called Paralives is set to enter early access sometime in early 2025, and EA has reaffirmed its commitment to improving The Sims 4 while also working on Project Rene, a multiplayer Sims-like experience. Still, inZOI includes a plethora of interesting features, from Zois crashing their cars to communing with ghosts, that–combined with its stunning visuals–have players eager to get their hands on the game. But Kim says the wait will be worth it. “Until the release date, we’ll continue working to improve any areas that need attention, striving to create a game that truly captures the essence of life simulation,” he explained. Kim ended his letter with a promise to keep fans updated on the game’s future, and said the development stream is striving to create a life sim with a healthy lifespan. “Our goal is to deliver an experience fans can enjoy for a long time to come.” Source link #Sims #Competitor #InZOI #Delayed #Finally #Official #Release #Date Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

SpaceX Dragon fires thrusters to boost ISS orbit for the 1st time SpaceX Dragon fires thrusters to boost ISS orbit for the 1st time When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit The International Space Station is going a just tiny bit faster today, after receiving an orbital boost from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply mission lifted off Nov. 4, launching a Dragon cargo vehicle to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS), docking to the station’s forward-facing port the next day. Today (Nov. 8), for the first time, Dragon performed an orbit-raising maneuver to stabilize the ISS’s trajectory in low-Earth orbit. Such maneuvers are routine for the orbital lab, which requires periodic boosts to maintain its altitude above Earth and prevent its orbital decay into the planet’s atmosphere. Historically, this has been accomplished using Russia’s Soyuz and Progress vehicles, and other spacecraft, but, for the first time, it has now been performed SpaceX’s Dragon. The milestone marks a symbolic beginning of the end for the ISS, as data from the maneuver will be used toward the design of the deorbit vehicle NASA has contracted SpaceX to construct to plunge the decommissioned space station into the Pacific Ocean sometime after 2030. Today’s reboost began with the ignition of Dragon’s thrusters around 12:50 p.m. ET (1750 GMT). The ***** was expected to last about 12.5 minutes to raise the station’s orbit “NASA and SpaceX monitored operations as the company’s Dragon spacecraft performed its first demonstration of reboost capabilities for the International Space Station at 12:50pm ET today,” NASA posted on X. Related: SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule arrives at ISS on 31st resupply mission (video) Dragon isn’t the first U.S.-built spacecraft to lend its fuel to the space station’s orbit. NASA tested an ISS orbit reboost using a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vehicle in 2022. The data from Dragon’s reboost, however, will ultimately pave the way for a catastrophic “un-boosting” of the space station’s orbit. The ISS has been in continuous use and occupancy for almost 25 years now. NASA has projected the ISS’s viability through the end of this decade. Citing aging technology, increasing maintenance requirements and rising costs, the space agency aims to retire the space station no earlier than 2030, and in July, awarded SpaceX the contract to develop the vehicle tasked with safely plummeting the football field-size spacecraft into the sea. When the burden of ongoing ISS costs are alleviated from its budget, NASA will count on the availability of new commercially operated space stations to continue its research in low-Earth orbit. The space station’s retirement will free up financial room for the space agency to expand endeavors like the Artemis Program and other deep space exploration missions. Jared Metter, director of flight reliability at SpaceX, expressed optimism during a press conference Monday (Nov. 4), saying today’s attitude control maneuver was “a good demonstration” of Dragon’s capabilities as the company designs the ISS deorbit vehicle. RELATED STORIES: — SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts, including Boeing Starliner crew, fly Dragon spacecraft to new ISS parking spot (video) — SpaceX launches 3 tons of cargo on 31st ISS resupply flight for NASA (video) — SpaceX has dreamed up a Dragon ship on steroids to drag the ISS out of space Though international tensions were inflamed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S.-Russian partnership as it pertains to the ISS has persisted. Dragon’s success, however, does eliminate another U.S. reliance on Russia for operation of the space station, should that partnership dissolve. Between the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011 and the beginning of Dragon’s crewed missions, the only way for NASA astronauts to launch to the ISS was aboard Russian spacecraft. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon returned the launch of NASA astronauts to ********* soil in 2020, and has now proven it can maintain the space station’s orbit, indefinitely. While NASA has committed to its ISS partnership through 2030, Russia, as of yet, is only committed through 2028, stating its intent to launch a new Russian space station into polar orbit by 2027. Source link #SpaceX #Dragon #fires #thrusters #boost #ISS #orbit #1st #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony Talks Concord’s ******** And The Hard Lessons Learned From It Sony Talks Concord’s ******** And The Hard Lessons Learned From It The disastrous launch of Concord was the focus of a new interview with Sony president Hiroki Totoki, who spoke about how the company plans to avoid a repeat of this with future game releases. Part of Sony’s strategy will ensure that a game goes through a more rigorous ******* of testing and evaluation prior to it being released. “Currently, we are still in the process of learning,” Hiroki said through an interpreter (via VGC) during a Q&A session following its latest financial earnings call. “And basically–with regards to new IP–of course you don’t know the result until you actually try it. So for us, for our reflection, we probably need to have a lot of gates, including user testing or internal evaluation, and the timing of such gates. And then we need to bring them forward, and we should have done those gates much earlier than we did.” You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. The Human Cost Of Layoffs | Spot On Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Hiroki added that Sony will also look at when it plans to launch a game, so as to avoid potentially cannibalizing sales between releases from its first-party studios and third-party partners. It’s worth noting that Concord launched just three days after ****** Myth: Wukong, a game that performed very well on PS5 and PC, and other high-profile releases around Concord included Star Wars Outlaws and Madden NFL 25. On the opposite end of the live-service spectrum, Helldivers 2 was a surprise hit on PS5 and PC, and Sony said that there were lessons to be learned from both games, going forward. The company also plans to release a mix of single-player and live-service games in the future, allowing it to focus on its strengths while pursuing riskier projects. Other takeaways from the financial earnings call have been largely positive, as Sony reported that sales for its Game and Network Services division were up and 3.8 million PS5 consoles were shipped during this quarter, which ended on September 30. Source link #Sony #Talks #Concords #******** #Hard #Lessons #Learned Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘The attacks live on’ – why bands are once again rocking against racism ‘The attacks live on’ – why bands are once again rocking against racism Getty Images The Specials played an anti-racism gig at Coventry’s Butts Stadium “We shouldn’t be having this conversation about racism and ******* attacks almost 50 years on.” Lynval Golding, founding member of The Specials, is ****** that this summer’s riots have given him “flashbacks” of his experiences in Coventry in the 1970s and 80s. But after ********* flared across the ***, fuelled by online misinformation and and anti-immigration sentiment, Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) is being relaunched, more than 40 years after its predecessor Rock Against Racism (RAR) first combined pop music with politics. A Coventry event on Saturday, involving a gig with local bands, will add poignancy, organisers say, given the city’s history of brutal ******* killings and violent assaults. Getty Images A march was organised by Coventry Committee Against Racism in the wake of two brutal ******* killings in the city in 1981 “How can people get into the state where they would want to go and ***** down a hotel with other human beings in it?,” guitarist and vocalist Golding asks. The Specials were one of many bands, including Birmingham reggae legends Steel Pulse, Aswad and The Clash, to play RAR gigs. The movement emerged in 1976 in reaction to a rise in ******* attacks before LMHR launched in 2002, picking up the mantel of its predecessor. It is now necessary to revise the movement to ****** “a frightening expansion of the far-right across Europe,” said Clive Dixon, from Coventry LMHR. “We mustn’t be afraid to confront it again.” Getty Images Lynval Golding said he was proud of the work The Specials had done with Rock Against Racism, in the early 1980s During the late 1970s and early 80s, areas of Britain experienced increasing ******* intolerance and *********, and in a ******* of just five months Coventry witnessed two ******* killings, one attempted *******, several petrol bombings and numerous attacks. The ********* formed the backdrop to the foundation of the 2 Tone movement, by Jerry Dammers. In April 1981, 20-year-old student Satnam Singh Gill was stabbed to ****** in broad daylight in the the city centre, reportedly for walking with his white girlfriend. This followed the ****** of Dr Amal Dharry, who was also stabbed outside a chip shop in the Earlsdon area of the city. At the time, it was reported in court that a 17-year-old had ******* the professional for a bet. Both deaths shocked the city. In response to the ********* local groups including the Indian Workers’ Association and Anti ***** League banded together to form Coventry Committee Against Racism (CCAR). It also prompted The Specials to organise a benefit concert in the city. Getty Images Mourners attend the ******** of Dr Amal Dharry, stabbed to ****** outside a takeaway in the Earlsdon area of Coventry Previously a prosperous city, Coventry had been hit “particularly hard” by the recession, said Dr Nirmal Puwar, of Goldsmiths University in London. Growing up there, she said, you always had to be on your guard. “[Racism] affected the activities you did, the time of day you went out, who you went out with,” she said. “The hostility became part of your membrane.” Asians were specifically targeted because they personified difference, she explained. Co-author of a book ******* Tones, documenting stories of racism from parts of the 1970s and 80s, she said football crowds were particularly fearsome. “Match day was almost a day when curfew would encircle the family and you had to make sure everyone was home, because there was such a lot of anger and *********,” Dr Puwar remembers. Getty Images Women and children took part in the peace march in Coventry following the ******* killings of Satnam Singh Gill and Dr Amal Dharry Co-author Jitey Samra, whose family had a business in the Foleshill area of the city, said she had “almost normalised” ******* incidents she witnessed. One particular “terrifying” experience involved a driving instructor who had made ******* comments during a lesson. “I actually ran from the car, but it was the racism and the hate in the guy’s face that really frightened me,” she said. The atmosphere in the city following the ******* killings was “like a cloud” had descended, she added. “You know when you have this horrible gut feeling and a feeling of ***** for children as well,” she explains. Getty Images Thousands gathered in Coventry city centre for the anti-racism march Despite using music to spread anti-racism messages with The Specials, Golding described how he himself was also subjected to horrific ******* *********. He was beaten up in a park for intervening in a ******* incident and had to run for his “dear life” through the city centre, chased by thugs. In early 1982, he was also stabbed in the neck whilst at a city centre nightclub, leaving him traumatised. Looking back at the ******* was “very painful, emotionally,” he said. “It took years to get over being in a club without having my back against the wall,” he explained. “The stabbing and ******* attacks – it lives on with those who’ve had to go through the trauma for years.” Those experiences would lead to Golding writing The Specials’ Why?, which is on the B-side of 1981’s iconic Ghost Town. Getty Images More than 70 demonstrators were arrested at the peace march in May 1981 In response to the attacks the CCAR organised a march for ******* harmony in the city, joined by thousands of people. The demonstration was a mile long, and was attended by groups from across the country, said Mr Dixon, who took part. Setting off from Edgwick Park in Foleshill, by the time marchers entered the city centre “it all got a bit tense”, he remembers. “The National Front were waiting for us, and the police were attempting to keep us apart,” he said. “And there were justifiably ****** young Asians, determined to show that they were not going to be too intimidated.” Reports from the time document large numbers of skinheads had lined the route giving *****-style salutes and chanted “Sieg Heil.” When the rally reached Cathedral Square, mounted police were sent into the crowd who retaliated with rocks, sticks and bottles. Eleven police officers received minor injuries and 74 demonstrators were arrested. Ace Ambrose Ace Ambrose is one of the musicians taking part in the Love Music Hate Racism re-launch in Coventry More peaceful was the concert at the city’s Butts Park Stadium, which Golding said he was proud to have taken part in. It was one of many in the area attended by Mr Dixon. “I remember seeing Tom Robinson, John Cooper Clarke, Stiff Little Fingers, all at Warwick University at a Rock Against Racism gig,” he said. He also attended the RAR march and concert at Victoria Park in London in the same year, joined by an estimated 100,000 demonstrators. “And now we’ve got to do it all again,” he said. Groups like RAR had, in the 80s, “pushed racism into the background, so that it became unfashionable, it wasn’t cool.” “And this is as much about allowing artists to take a position on it, and allow them to sing on behalf of something,” he added. Duke Keats Duke Keats Coventry musician Ace Ambrose said she was excited to be taking part in the re-launch concert, and it was important musicians took a stand against racism. “It’s now become engrained that music is a universal language, it’s one of those things that binds us together regardless of what type of human being you are,” she said. “This event is to remind people of that,” she added. Another who is set to play, Duke Keats, said the movement also served as a reminder of how “diverse and rich the city is”. “It’s absolutely incredible to think I have been born in a city with such a culture of cultures banding together,” he says. “Everybody loves music and everybody deep down should hate racism.” The movement reinforces our culture that’s already there, including the 2 Tone era, and allows people to look back and feel represented. “I’m proud of what we did with The Specials, Fun Boy Three, Steel Pulse, Aswad – all of those bands who got out to support Rock Against Racism,” asserts Golding. “Is there something wrong with us because we want to deal in love and unity? I don’t think so”. Love Music Hate Racism re-launch is at LTB, Littern Tree Building Showrooms, 1 Warwick Road, Coventry from 17:00 GMT on Saturday 9 November. Source link #attacks #live #bands #rocking #racism Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Upcoming PC games: 2024, 2025, and beyond Upcoming PC games: 2024, 2025, and beyond While the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X might dominate the gaming news spotlight, the PC continues to be one of the best gaming platforms out there. This year has seen a variety of high-profile releases already, and there’s still more to come. If you’re searching for your next big PC game (or want to see what’s on the horizon before investing in a new rig), here are the best upcoming PC games set to arrive in 2024 and beyond. Upcoming PC games 2024 Confirmed 2024 releases Here’s everything that’s on our radar for 2024. The games immediately below have set release dates. We’ll get into anything that’s more up in the air below the confirmed launches. Possible 2024 releases These games are confirmed to be coming to PC at some point soon. Some have been given vague 2024 release plans while we’re just speculating on others. 2025 games These games are slated to come either on a specific date or in the window of 2025. There’s a chance some may slip from that window, but for now, they are aiming to arrive this year. Games with no release window All we know about the games listed below is that they’re in development. Most of them are probably a few years away from launch. Source link #Upcoming #games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Baby Jasper's brave battle with rare nerve cell ******* Baby Jasper's brave battle with rare nerve cell ******* One in 8000 *********** ******* will develop neuroblastoma or nerve cell ******* but if it’s caught early, they can survive. Source link #Baby #Jasper039s #brave #battle #rare #nerve #cell #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fallout Season 2 Adds Macaulay Culkin In A Lovely Role Just For Him Fallout Season 2 Adds Macaulay Culkin In A Lovely Role Just For Him The wasteland is going to add some new star power for Fallout Season 2. Macaulay Culkin, best known for the Christmas classic Home Alone, will show up as a recurring character when the Prime Video TV series returns–though there’s no release window yet. Deadline reported that Culkin will “be playing a crazy genius-type character.” On Instagram, Culkin confirmed the news, adding: “It’s happening.” He will join a returning Fallout cast for the sophomore season that includes Ella Purnell (Lucy), Aaron Moten (Maximus), and the Ghoul (Walter Goggins). You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Fallout TV Show Review Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Culkin, who changed his full name to Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin years ago, is best known for his childhood acting, appearing in movies like Home Alone, Uncle Buck, My Girl, and Richie Rich. Over the past few years, the actor has shown up in some notable TV series, such as The Righteous Gemstones and ********* Horror Story: Double Feature. Prime Video’s Fallout has been one of the biggest hit TV shows of the year and became an Emmy-winning series in September. The creators have big plans for Lucy going forward, with Amazon saying Fallout is ahead of schedule for Season 2. For more, check out GameSpot’s Fallout TV show review. We also have an explainer for the ending of Season 1. Source link #Fallout #Season #Adds #Macaulay #Culkin #Lovely #Role Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be on short list for HHS secretary, Trump allies say Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be on short list for HHS secretary, Trump allies say Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now on a short list being floated by some Trump allies to serve as the next head of the Department of Health and Human Services, multiple people close to the president-elect’s campaign say. Hopes among Kennedy’s backers that he could be nominated to lead the department have risen in recent days, after Republicans cemented their majority in the Senate. Kennedy’s odds of clearing a Senate led by Democrats would have been low, given his long record of what the party called “anti-science, fringe public health stances” that outraged Trump’s opponents and a broad array of health experts during the campaign. That includes a comment that “there’s no vaccine that is safe and effective” and his chairmanship of the group Children’s Health Defense, which has claimed that the “parallel between rising ******** rates and the increasing number of childhood vaccines is hard to ignore.” Doctors argue statements like these mislead about the safety of immunizations and threaten to erode hard-fought improvements in U.S. vaccination rates against preventable *********. Kennedy himself has been noncommittal when asked publicly about the possibility he could be picked to head the sprawling HHS umbrella of agencies, which includes the Centers for ******** Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Food and ***** Administration. Ahead of the election, Kennedy told Fox News he was “confident that if I wanted to do HHS secretary, the president would ****** like ***** to make that happen,” but also said that he was unsure if that would be “the most effective” role for him. In a CNN interview last month, Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, was asked whether Kennedy would be in charge of HHS. “Of course not,” he replied. But two people close to the campaign say the election results have played a big role in changing the thinking on whether Kennedy could clear a steep and often painful Senate confirmation process that can bog down nominees. Kennedy’s supporters argue that the election offers a mandate not just for Trump’s platform overall but for Kennedy and his “Make America Healthy Again” proposals to combat chronic ********, citing the votes Kennedy may have delivered in Trump’s favor. As one example, podcast host Joe Rogan initially voiced support for Kennedy and his ideas before later endorsing Trump. “We have not yet decided exactly what that strategy is going to be, but that is a possibility,” Kennedy told NPR in an interview after the election, asked if he would be named to a Senate-confirmed position. As to the question of whether Kennedy is now in serious contention for the HHS secretary role, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Americans reelected Trump “by resounding margins because they trust his judgement and support his policies, including his promise to Make America Healthy Again alongside well-respected leaders like RFK Jr.” Other potential HHS secretary picks However, Kennedy is not the only name that has been floated by Republicans for the top job at HHS. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested Wednesday his top health official, state surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo, could be a candidate. Under Ladapo, the state’s health department has warned some against getting COVID-19 booster shots, citing claims that federal health authorities and outside experts criticized as unproven or misleading. Other names floated by Trump allies in Washington include former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former deputy HHS secretary Eric Hargan, who supporters think could be effective because he knows how to navigate the department’s bureaucracy. But people close to the campaign say few Trump surrogates and supporters have spent as much time with the president-elect as Kennedy or plotted as ambitious an agenda. The two spent hours flying together in the final stretch of the campaign. Kennedy was also in Florida after the election, huddling with the president-elect’s top ranks to weigh potential candidates to fill the administration. “He’s going to help make America healthy again. And he’s a great guy and he really means it. He wants to do some things, and we’re going to let him go to it,” Trump said on Wednesday morning after the election. Trump has previously said he’s been friends with Kennedy “for a long time” and would let him “go wild” on many of his policy priorities, except for curbing fossil fuels. “I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on medicines. The only thing I don’t think I’m going to let him even get near is the liquid gold that we have under our feet,” Trump said in New York on Oct. 27. Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” platform Kennedy’s nomination would come at a key time for many of the issues he campaigned on, which he says underpin “the chronic-******** crisis.” Kennedy has accused the FDA of “aggressive suppression” of a range of products, including psychedelics — after MDMA ******* to earn the agency’s approval earlier this year — and raw milk, which officials have discouraged amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak on dairy farms. Other proposals include restricting pharmaceutical advertising and rewriting the laws that currently rely on drugmakers paying fees to fund most FDA approvals. Ahead of the election, he warned FDA officials who “are part of this corrupt system” to “pack your bags.” In the days ahead of the election, Kennedy said Trump had asked him to “root out the *********** and the conflicts of interests” in agencies that oversee drugs and vaccines, pledging to “restore transparency” and stop “hiding science.” “He doesn’t want me to take vaccines away from people. If you want to take a vaccine, you ought to be able to take it. We believe in free choice in this country,” Kennedy said in remarks posted on Nov. 2. His call for stopping water fluoridation comes as the Environmental Protection Agency is now facing a court order to take action against the practice. That ruling was driven in part by a review released by the NIH earlier this year, examining the risk it might lower children’s IQ, and comes as critics have called on the CDC to revise its statement backing fluoridation. The NIH review found that concentrations of fluoride in drinking water higher than recommended levels were associated with lower IQ in children, but more studies were needed on the effect of lower concentrations of fluoride. But were he to end up HHS secretary, some of Kennedy’s aims would fall outside of his jurisdiction, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Other responsibilities under the broad HHS umbrella could consume much of Kennedy’s time, some allies worry, distracting from his priorities. “Bobby is very action-oriented, brilliant, an excellent communicator, has a great grasp of details, and is a transformational leader. He is not, his skillset is not, as a bureaucrat administrator,” said Dr. Robert Malone, a longtime Kennedy ally who was with him and Trump on election night. Malone said he had spoken with many of the aides from some of the “at least four different HHS transition teams” under Trump, but not personally with Kennedy, in recent weeks about the future of the department. He said he thought Kennedy would likely do better in a role at the White House, serving as a czar who could target specific issues across different departments. “Make no mistake, what is being discussed is a major reimagining of the entire federal health research and promotion and protection infrastructure. That includes very significant reforms and changes in business practice,” said Malone. More Alexander Tin Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers the Biden administration’s public health agencies, including the federal response to infectious ******** outbreaks like COVID-19. Source link #Robert #Kennedy #short #list #HHS #secretary #Trump #allies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What to know about Seed to Table, a MAGA Trump-supporting gourmet produce store in Florida What to know about Seed to Table, a MAGA Trump-supporting gourmet produce store in Florida “Welcome to the happiest place in the universe.” That’s the can’t-miss message for Seed to Table, a grocery store-restaurant-bar-entertainment venue in Naples, Florida. When shoppers visit, it’s hard not to miss the beautifully arranged fresh produce or the multitude of signs for tacos, sushi or “made from scratch” specials available at the gourmet produce store. But in addition to its upscale grocery and community feel − recently, the owner hosted a Hurricane Milton pre-landfall party with food and drinks − Seed to Table has a reputation as a pro-Trump, Make America Great Again hub. Big ********* flags are on display across the market. Protests about COVID-19 masks, George Floyd and ****** Lives Matter have been held at Seed to Table. The store gained national attention during the Jan. 6 Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. And the muscle behind Seed to Table and Oakes Farms, owner Alfie Oakes of Naples, is as much a polarizing figure in Southwest Florida as his namesake business. Here’s what we know about Seed to Table, Oakes Farms and Alfie Oakes. What is Seed to Table? Where is Seed to Table in Florida? Shoppers look through the produce section at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market in Naples on Thursday, March 19, 2020. According to its site, “Seed to Table is a grocery store like you’ve never seen, featuring several restaurants, bars, live entertainment seven nights a week, and more. Located in Naples, Florida.” The message online? “Welcome to the happiest place in the universe.” The 75,000-square-foot farmer’s market-inspired store in North Naples features fresh produce from Oakes Farms. When is Seed to Table open? What are Seed to Table hours of operation in Naples, Florida? Seed to Table, 4835 Immokalee Road, Naples, also is home to Hops and Vines, the wine bar and the ***** bar that runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Dinner specials from the kitchen range, with a recent offering like Braveheart filet mignon, grilled veal chop or Lumina lamb rack, served with homemade mac and cheese and roasted seasonal vegetables. Seed to Table is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Hops and Vines, the upstairs bar, is open until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Mike Ellis, executive chef for Seed to Table and a consultant to The 239 at Mercato, previously worked at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, D.C., as celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s sous chef in 2004. A year later, Ellis moved to Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen as executive sous chef for celebrity chef Michael Voltaggio before taking over the kitchen’s reign when it earned a Michelin star. Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio have a long history with “Top Chef” − the brothers competed during their season, with Michael Voltaggio winning the season finale. Bryan Voltaggio competed two more times in the “Top Chef” universe, both times becoming a finalist. The Voltaggio brothers also have appeared on various Food Network cooking competition shows or have played themselves on shows like “Young and Hungry” on Freeform. Oakes opened Seed to Table in 2019. Call 239-310-7333 or visit seedtotablemarket.com. Who is Alfie Oakes? Naples, Florida, farmer and Seed to Table store owner has been called ‘MAGA Grocery King of Southwest Florida’ Women on opposite sides of a protest have a discussion outside of Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an incendiary Facebook post about COVID-19 and the ****** Lives Matter movement by Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter protest organized by Oakes. Alfie Oakes is a Florida farmer and owner of the upscale grocery store/entertainment venue Seed to Table. Oakes Farms, among the biggest agribusinesses in South Florida, employs about 3,500 people. His empire includes fields, stores, packing houses and even a boutique. The flagship is Seed to Table, a $30 million destination grocery experience that goes well beyond produce and includes a bakery, a butcher shop and performance space. Oakes also is known as a MAGA Trump supporter whose venue has been used for Trump events. Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, residents of Lee County and Collier County, Florida, were familiar with Oakes. At the time, he made headlines as an anti-vaxxer, for comments he made about George Floyd and ****** Lives Matter and for filing an anti-mask lawsuit in his hometown. Oakes also arranged bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, for the Insurrection − or what he called “the most peaceful beautiful demonstration from well over one million people that I’ve ever witnessed,” according to the Naples Daily News, a USA TODAY Network newspaper. David Silverberg, a political pundit in Naples, Florida, and former managing editor of The Hill, described Alfie Oakes as “our mini-Trump,” labeling him “the MAGA Grocery King of Southwest Florida” in a 2022 Mother Jones story. Though Alfie Oakes hasn’t run for a government position, he holds elected office as Collier County’s *********** State Committeeman. Protests, MAGA Trump events at Seed to Table in Florida: George Floyd, ****** Lives Matter hoax comments, COVID-19 masks A sign detailing Seed to Table’s mask exception guidelines hangs outside the entrance to the store during a gathering in opposition to the mask mandate passed by the Collier County Commissioners on Tuesday, at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Collier County Commissioners who voted against the mandate are shown with Uncle Sam hats, while those that voted for the mandate are depicted above the word socialist. Since Seed to Table opened in 2019, the upscale grocery store and entertainment venue has been in the spotlight. Just as COVID-19 was surging, owner Alfie Oakes became a lightning rod for headlines after telling Naples Daily News columnist Phil Fernandez that the Coronavirus ******** was bogus, taking Collier County, Florida, to court for its mask mandate. Throughout the pandemic, Oakes refused COVID-era mask mandates, scorned the ****** Lives Matter movement, helped boost pro-Trump local candidates into posts ranging from school board to ***** commissioner. Oakes also funded two buses of Trump supporters bound for Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Pro-****** Lives Matter protesters chant during a protest at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an incendiary Facebook post about COVID-19 and the ****** Lives Matter movement by Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter protest organized by Oakes. Here’s a roundup of notable events or protests at or near Seed to Table in Naples, Florida: Picketers showed up to protest Alfie Oakes’ 2020 Facebook creed against the ****** Lives Matter movement, which he called a hoax, and George Floyd, a ****** man who ***** in police custody in Minneapolis, who he called a “disgraceful career *********.” Lee County, Florida, schools cut ties with Oakes, and he took them to court, saying their termination of his three-year, $6 million deal was breach of contract, plus an infringement of his First Amendment right to free speech. Alfie Oakes has spoken against 5G cell towers and municipal fluoridation, which he considers a globalist strategy to subdue the population, according to a Naples Daily News report. “If you don’t think this is intentional to ***** us down, to keep control of the people in this country, then I don’t think you’re paying attention … We don’t trust the white coats anymore,” he said. In 2021, he footed the bill for two busloads of Trump supporters bound for Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 to attend to what Oakes later called “the most peaceful beautiful demonstration from well over one million people that I’ve ever witnessed.” In 2021, part time resident, rocker, ****-lover and COVID skeptic Ted Nugent appeared at Seed to Table before testing positive for COVID a week later. Naples Congressman Byron Donalds is a frequent Seed to Table guest. The following year, in 2022, all seven of “Alfie’s Freedom Picks” handily won their seats in Collier County, Florida, elections. In 2024, entrepreneur and former GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy showed up for lunch at Seed to Table. Live with the legendary Alfie Oakes, founder of Seed To Table, who the ATF is tried to shut down in 2020 during Covid & he said ***** no. pic.twitter.com/RkDtelUZpP — Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 29, 2024 Two protests are taking place in North Naples at Seed to Table on Saturday, June 13, 2020 following a Facebook post from the owner of Seed to Table. Contributing: Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Alfie Oakes, Seed to Table ties to Jan. 6, ****** Lives Matter, MAGA Source link #Seed #Table #MAGA #Trumpsupporting #gourmet #produce #store #Florida Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Should you save or leave the mayor in Dragon Age: The Veilguard? Should you save or leave the mayor in Dragon Age: The Veilguard? Throughout your long journey in Bioware’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard, your Rook will have to make a myriad of difficult decisions that can alter the narrative or change how your companions feel about you. You may not know in the moment how trivial or significant the choices you make are, especially when it comes to the life of a small-town mayor. You’ll eventually discover during the Shadows Crossing main quest that the mayor of D’Meta’s Crossing just so happened to be the reason behind his villagers perishing from the blight. Although he claims the gods made him do it and he would never typically do something so horrid, Rook is left with a decision to either save or leave Mayor Julius to **** by the blight in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Let’s discuss how this decision affects your game. Freeing the mayor Bioware If you decide to save the mayor of D’Meta’s Crossing from the blight, the only consequences of this decision are in your approval ratings. While Neve will approve of you freeing Mayor Julius, Harding and Bellara won’t be happy with your choice. By making this decision, you also lock yourself out of the sidequest called A Growing ***********, but freeing the mayor who doomed his village won’t leave you with any negative consequences later on. Leaving the mayor Bioware Choosing to leave the mayor of D’Meta’s Crossing to his fate gains you Bellara and Harding’s approval. On the other hand, your approval rating with Neve will decrease. Explaining your reasoning to Neve after your decision won’t improve your relationship with her, unfortunately. Due to this choice you’ve made, you will get the A Growing *********** sidequest further in the game which has Rook and friends trying to take down the blighted version of the mayor in a boss ******. What is the best choice? Bioware Overall, the better choice is to leave the mayor, but this also depends on whether you care about getting all sidequests and losing out on Neve’s approval. If you care more about getting on Neve’s good side over Bellara or Harding, or if you’re role-playing as a lawful good Rook, saving the mayor isn’t the worst choice. Leaving the mayor, on the other hand, gets you the approval of two party members instead of just one. Not only that, but you get a whole new sidequest to tackle that can earn you some XP. So to get the most out of your Dragon Age: The Veilguard experience, especially if you’re an Achievement hunter, you should leave Mayor Julius. Source link #save #leave #mayor #Dragon #Age #Veilguard Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A family’s grief after Spain floods A family’s grief after Spain floods Family handout Rubén (left) and Izan were “such happy kids”, their aunt said Like every parent in Valencia that day, Victor Matías had quickly changed his plans, fearing what could be on the way. The rain was still thundering down, but by now – early evening – he had managed to leave work early, safely pick up his boys from nursery and was about to make their favourite dinner – croquetas. The crispy fried rolls of mashed potatoes, stuffed full of cheese and ham, would be a treat for Izan, 5, and Rubén, 3, while their mum Marta finished her late shift at the supermarket in town. We have pieced together the tragic chronology of what happened next. Our picture emerges from the testimony of neighbours and relatives we spoke to, as well as what Victor was able to recall himself along with other first-hand accounts given to local media. The flooding destroyed the Matías family home The crushing story of the Matías family has generated huge attention in Spain. Many have followed updates on “Los niños desaparecidosas” – the missing children – as they have been frequently described. But this one family’s grief is many people’s grief as it’s a nightmare replicated across the Valencia region which was hammered by flash flooding nearly two weeks ago, ******** at least 219 people. More than 90 are still missing. Utter devastation When we arrived at the family home, a few days after the deluge, it was languishing in a sea of destruction. That startling statistic – a year’s worth of rain had been dumped on some parts of Valencia in a matter of hours – became easy to believe as you took all this in. Huge metal containers – broken free from their articulated lorries – rested at unfathomable angles amid a jumble of cars, crumpled furniture and treacherous mud. One of the few things still intact was the door to what had been the boys’ bedroom; the bright, white individual letters spelling their names standing out in a sea of brown. Most of the house was destroyed by the flooding, but lettering on the boys’ bedroom door is still intact Picking his way through this mess was Jonathan Perez, their next-door neighbour, who began to relive the terrifying sequence of events. “It was madness” he said. “I’ve never seen such force.” Jonathan explained to us how the raging torrent had scooped up trucks parked next door to the Matías family home with one smashing through an external wall. He said that Victor had explained to him how he’d grabbed his sons in his arms as the water dragged them all outside. Then – despite his desperate efforts to keep hold of them – they were gone. Victor was found around four hours later, more than 200 metres away. He had been clinging to a tree. His mother – the boys’ grandma – revealed that Victor had been ready to throw himself into the torrent and surrender to his fate, but then stopped. He told himself he could not leave his wife alone. Family paradise shattered For 5 year old Izan and 3 year old Rubén, few places felt safer than the playground that was their house and garden. Their aunt, Barbara Sastre, told us they were like little bugs – “bichetes” – an endearing description to convey how they buzzed around, that is, when they weren’t absorbed by their cartoons. “They were such happy kids” she told us. Family handout Izan and Rubén haven’t been seen for two weeks Izan and Rubén’s parents had bought the property from a man called Francisco Javier Arona. Javi – as he’s known – told EFE, the Spanish news agency, that the home had become “a paradise” for the Matías family. He said he himself had lovingly constructed the house in La Curra, a neighbourhood of Mas del Jutge, in a colonial style over three years. Javi said he’d affixed ornamental amphoras and delicate clay stars beneath a sweeping arch. Outside, there was little traffic in the ****-de-sac, meaning the boys could run around carefree with little perceptible danger. A year’s worth of rain fell on some parts of Valencia in a matter of hours in late October Family house surrounded by trucks The impending storm gathering overheard on 29 October was a very big danger, and so Victor closed his business early and picked up his boys from the nursey so that he could keep them safe and dry at home, as the rain fell ******* and *******. The force of the downpour became incredible, and soon the power was cut. The brothers’ grandma, Antonia María Matías, a 72 year old ******* patient, told ABC Sevilla that she had called her son Victor at around 6pm and heard the brothers crying. The water around them was rising all the time. But still, they were safe for now. It may have been their haven, but the family home was also next to a lorry park. Jonathan Perez, their next door neighbour, explained to us how this played a deadly role. He said, “The father told us that there was a truck that hit the back of the house and the force of the water tore away everything.” “Victor regained his footing and carried the boys in his arms. But then he realized he no longer had them. The water took everything in its path,” he explained. The family’s neighbour said that Victor Matías had said a truck hit the back of the house and “the force of the water tore away everything.” Barbara Sastre, the boy’s aunt also told us at least one truck had sliced open the house in a ***** that precipitated the boys and their dad being swept towards the nearby ravine. The unnamed owner of the parking lot from where the trucks came told one newspaper they had not hit the family house. He insisted it was the strength of the water that did the fatal damage. Jonathan, the neighbour, encapsulated the seething anger millions of Spaniards are feeling. Particularly, at the fact the official red alert sent to mobile phones came at 8pm – far too late. “They were loving life and they hadn’t even started being people, they were three and five years old”, he said. “With better coordination, better management, and an earlier alarm – even half an hour earlier – those kids could have been saved and those parents would not be going through *****.” The frantic search for the boys The whole neighbourhood in La Curra, stunned and shattered by the ********* of the flooding, immediately began to search for the missing Izan and Rubén. At least they did once the water had receded sufficiently for them to climb down from trees and clamber off their cars and try to re-orientate themselves. They were helped by police officers from nearby Alicante, including a friend of Victor’s, who quickly arrived and began a desperate search. But where to start? Cars, bricks, bed frames had been carried hundreds of meters from where they once stood. A team of firefighters from Mallorca and then Civil Protection volunteers from the island of Ibiza also came and scoured the most hard-to-reach areas. Despite nearly two weeks of intensive daily searches, the brothers have not been found. Spaniards are frustrated by officials’ response to the flooding Life ‘turned to dust’ In the hours before everything changed, Marta – the mother of the boys – had started her late shift at the shop, safe in the knowledge their dad would be picking them up from school and taking them home. In the early hours of the next morning, she was told her boys were gone. Relatives say they can’t describe what Marta is experiencing. The boy’s grandma, Antonia María, said her son Victor’s life had been destroyed – in her own words “turned to dust”. As he was recovering in hospital, Victor took to sleeping with his boys’ blankets – salvaged from the ruins of their family home – resting on his face. It is the closest he can be to them now. Source link #familys #grief #Spain #floods Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Ops 6 On Game Pass Helped Bring Back Lapsed Players, Activision Boss Says ****** Ops 6 On Game Pass Helped Bring Back Lapsed Players, Activision Boss Says Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6’s creative director has commented on how Game Pass positively affected the game’s launch, saying it helped improve player numbers in multiple ways. Speaking to the BBC, Miles Leslie said Game Pass helped convince people who were “on the fence” or “had some of that friction” to consider playing the game. He added that some people who might not have played a Call of Duty game in some time might have been convinced to “come back and try the game” thanks to Game Pass. “We’ve gotten to the point now where ****** Ops and Call of Duty have been around so long–I’ve been working on it for 16 years,” Leslie said. “And really the challenge for us is how do you bring along the fans that love Call of Duty, but how do you create an environment where you can welcome new fans in?” ****** Ops 6 launched on October 25 and set a number of records for number of players, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella specifically mentioned ****** Ops 6 helping to drive Game Pass subscribers at launch. Anyone who has Game Pass Ultimate ($20/month) or PC Game Pass ($12/month) can play ****** Ops 6 as part of their subscription for as long as their membership ******** active. The game is also available for direct purchase on Xbox, as well as PlayStation and PC. Before this, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick said he anticipated Call of Duty helping to drive Game Pass subscribers for Microsoft, but only for a ******* of time. As Zelnick sees it, releasing a major new game into a subscription service makes little sense and is a “lost opportunity” for sales. Zelnick, of course, runs a third-party publisher and has his own set of unique opinions for his business that might not compare directly to Microsoft’s own business objectives. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told GI.biz that Microsoft putting ****** Ops 6 could lead to up to six million in lost sales; he estimated that 25% of existing Game Pass subscribers would have bought it anyway. Pachter said Microsoft could see as many as four million new Game Pass subscribers thanks to ****** Ops 6. Microsoft has not yet provided any specifics on ****** Ops 6 unit sales. The game is also available on PlayStation and PC, where it’s enjoying strong year-over-year sales compared to 2023’s Modern Warfare III. ****** Ops 6 welcomes its first major update, the Season 1 launch, on November 14. It adds new multiplayer maps and modes, along with more guns and even a power drill melee *******. November 14 is also the day when ****** Ops 6 gets integrated into Call of Duty: Warzone, and when the new Warzone map, Area 99, arrives. Source link #****** #Ops #Game #Pass #Helped #Bring #Lapsed #Players #Activision #Boss Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Are luxury beauty advent calendars a rip-off? Are luxury beauty advent calendars a rip-off? Getty Images They’re all over your TikTok and Instagram – people unboxing the latest extravagant beauty advent calendar. Influencers excitedly wonder what eyeliner, serum or hand cream will be behind door one, and gush over the beautiful box it has come in. But are these products, which can cost hundreds of pounds, actually worth the money? Yes, says TikToker Cissy Jones from Manchester. We’re just over a week into November and the 27-year-old, who is a social media manager at fashion brand PrettyLittleThing but also makes TikToks on her personal account, has already posted a dozen advent calendar videos. Everything from chocolate, to beauty products and wine, and even a Pets At Home calendar for her dog. “There’s one – the Harrods 12-day one – where every product in it is something that I would buy,” she says. “So I’m saving money.” That idea of saving money is something that brands latch on to with their marketing. A calendar may cost £250 but it’s actually “worth £1,000”, they say, if you add up all the individual items. “But you do have to want the actual products,” says Cissy. “Otherwise, it’s a bit of a waste of money.” Cissy Jones/TikTok Cissy Jones says there is massive interest in beauty advent calendars online Retailers can afford to make such seemingly good offers because there’s a lot of margin built into beauty products, analysts say. And rather than aiming to make a big profit on them, they view advent calendars as a marketing tool to get you to buy more products afterwards. “A lot of retailers recognise advent calendars are a great way of getting new products to the consumer and a way to get them to convert,” says Natalie Berg from NBK Retail. However, Sarah Johnson from Flourish Retail says that while there are many lovely bespoke calendars out there, “a lot [of companies] just use advent calendars to shift stock that may not be popular, rather than having to discount it”. The size of the items in advent calendars can vary – with some offering full-sized bottles, some smaller versions, and some a mix of the two. But smaller sizes may be what people want, says Ms Berg, as it’s common to want to try something out before fully committing. Loraine Hogan has been buying beauty calendars for several years now. It’s something she and her daughter do together. “There was a bit of excitement attached to getting a beauty calendar. It was something to share together around Christmas time. It’s our little treat.” She believes they do represent value for money. “You get to sample items people might not necessarily choose for themselves.” With so many products out there, Cissy Jones’s advice is to look for a brand you like and to look for value for money, in terms of the total cost of all the items individually versus the price of the calendar. However, even if a product may seem like good value for money, for some, spending more than £200 on an advent calendar is simply a luxury they cannot afford. Nihal Nihal doesn’t think it is worth paying hundreds of pounds for a calendar unless you’re going to use every product in it As a result, many scam websites have sprung up, trying to take advantage of people looking for a good deal on an expensive item. Emma Jones and Nihal, who did not want us to use her last name, got in touch with the BBC after falling for fake adverts claiming to sell the Space NK £250 advent calendar for £28.99. Both women were attracted by the apparent discount, and say they would not pay full price. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable spending that amount of money, mainly because I wouldn’t have that amount of spare cash,” says Emma. “They can be very expensive – I’m not the type that would pay full price,” Nihal says. “I don’t think it’s worth it. If you’re going to use every single product then maybe yes. But sometimes in these prepacked stuff, you’ll probably only use two or three of these products.” But part of the reason beauty advent calendars are so popular is because shoppers still want to treat themselves, says Natalie Berg. And many are willing to pay full price – and beyond. Sephora/Harrods Many beauty calendars are already sold out, such as these from Sephora and Harrods The likes of Space NK, Harrods and Sephora have all sold out of their main calendars already. The Harrods beauty calendar was priced at £250 but claimed to include items worth £1,600, while Sephora’s £199 calendar said it included items worth £1,000. But you can find people selling them on eBay, asking for as much as £550 for the Harrods one and £399 for the Sephora one. “It goes back to supply and demand – dynamic pricing,” says Sarah Johnson. It might make sense to buy it even at an overinflated price, she says, if the retailer is sold out and you can’t get it anywhere else, especially if you perceive it as still making a saving on the total value of all the items. This begs the question though of why firms don’t just make more. Ms Johnson points out that it’s a seasonal product and they don’t want to over-order and be left with surplus stock that they would then have to discount. Space NK told the BBC that it produced 30% more stock this year than last year but due to “unprecedented” demand still sold out within two and a half weeks. It plans to increase production next year. Despite the expensive nature of beauty calendars, Ms Johnson says there is a “value perception” there. “People could buy it to break it out and give [individual items] as gifts. There’s an element of people treating themselves and also being quite savvy and saving themselves money in the long run.” With more and more of these calendars on ***** now, there was a thought a few years ago that we might have reached “peak” advent calendar. But Cissy disagrees – and thinks the opposite is the case. “They always sell out every year, so I feel like there’s room for more.” Source link #luxury #beauty #advent #calendars #ripoff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]