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Criterion Collection 40-Film Box Set Preorders Are 50% Off Ahead Of November 19 Release Criterion Collection 40-Film Box Set Preorders Are 50% Off Ahead Of November 19 Release The Criterion Collection is responsible for restoring and preserving a bunch of classic and contemporary movies over the past four decades. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Criterion is releasing a 40-film box set dubbed CC40 on November 19. This mammoth collection contains 49 discs, 40 films, hundreds of hours of special features, and a 216-page retrospective book, all stored in a premium clouthbound slipcase. CC40 has a list price of $800 (ouch indeed), but you can preorder the set for 50% off at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The massive $400 discount is being offered as part of the annual 50% off holiday ***** on Criterion movies at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. But if you’re interested in watching and owning a good portion of the included films, you’re paying $14 per movie–and that is a great price for a Criterion Collection Blu-ray. CC40: The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Bundle $400 (was $800) CC40: The Criterion Collection 40-Film Blu-ray Bundle Aside from 40 digitally restored films, the collection includes exclusive packaging, a clothbound slipcase, and a 216-page book with essays from critics, authors, and other members of the industry. Criterion Collection says this isn’t a “top 40 compilation” or a “historical survey,” but rather is a wide assortment of films that display the artistic range of the community. Preordering at Amazon locks in the preorder price guarantee (making you eligible for any additional price cuts between now and release), though if Amazon sells out, you’ll also find the collection on ***** at Barnes & Noble. As a reminder, Amazon won’t charge your credit card until your order ships. CC40 Film List 8 ½ Tokyo Story All That Jazz Bicycle Thieves Repo Man ****** Jules and Jim Being There Weekend Yi Yi The Night of the Hunter Pickpocket Sweet Smell of Success On the Waterfront Do the Right Thing Ratcatcher Sunday ******* Sunday Mirror Barry Lyndon Safe Seconds His Girl Friday Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters Y tu mama tambien My Own Prive Idaho Love & Basketball Night of the Living ***** Ace in the ***** 3 Women The Red Shoes Down by Law La Cienaga Wanda House Sullivan’s Travels The Battle of Algiers A Woman Under the Influence Cleo from 5 to 7 Persona In the Mood for Love CC40 Special Features As for bonus features, you’ll get to enjoy alternate soundtracks, audio commentaries, documentaries, interviews with cast and crew, deleted scenes, TV ads, and more. The 216-page book is also a nice addition to the bundle, giving you a way to learn more about your favorite films while away from the screen. It’s hard to predict whether preorders for this collection will sell out. The Criterion Collection is well-respected in the physical media collector space. There are plenty of Blu-ray enthusiasts who specifically collect Criterion’s releases. That said, it’s a very expensive Blu-ray collection–even though you’re actually getting a pretty solid per-film deal. Source link #Criterion #Collection #40Film #Box #Set #Preorders #Ahead #November #Release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Golf Collective pitches plan to transform Sydney’s Moore Park South Golf Collective pitches plan to transform Sydney’s Moore Park South Golf lovers have presented a bold new plan to transform one of Australia’s major city parks, pledging the upgrade will expand green space and add several new public spaces while retaining an iconic 18-***** course. Golf Collective, made up of Golf Australia, PGA Australia, Golf NSW and Moore Park Golf Club, presented its plan for Sydney’s Moore Park South to the public for the first time on Saturday, as it moves to stop a proposal from the NSW government to cut the course in half. The government, led by Premier Chris Minns, wants to develop more parkland out of the course to cater to a growing population around the inner-city areas of Waterloo, Zetland, Redfern and Green Square. Golf Collective argues the course can be retained while delivering 15 hectares of “quality and connected recreational space” for the public. “Golf NSW believes the alternate proposal provides a win-win solution for the NSW government and a growing Sydney by offering a multitude of recreational activities, while continuing to service the massive demand for publicly accessible golf via an 18-***** course,” Golf NSW CEO Stuart Fraser said. Camera IconA golfing advocacy group has delivered its plan to transform Moore Park Golf Course to preserve it as an 18-***** course while also delivering more public spaces. Newswire / Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp AustraliaCamera IconA map of some of the proposed changes to Moore Park South from Golf Collective. Supplied Credit: Supplied “The proposed recreational hub will truly be the heartbeat of the precinct and golf industry stakeholders welcome the opportunity to maximise the recreational benefits of the site for the community.” The proposal would implant an adventure playground, nature play space, dog park, barbecue and picnic facilities, fitness trail, football oval, skate park half courts, a bicycle pump track and riding zone, athletics precinct and three kilometres of walking, running and cycling paths. It would also build a 500-space car park. The plan chips away part of the original golf course to allow more space for the developments, but would still preserve a par-68 18-***** course suitable for local, state and national competitions. “By enhancing existing infrastructure and revitalising un-used and under-utilised areas, the initiative aims to create a park that caters to diverse recreational interests in a financially sustainable way that solves the many challenges in the broader precinct,” Save Moore Park Golf advocate Jared Kendler said. “This exciting master plan delivers a minimum of 15 hectares of quality and connected recreational space for play, exploration, relaxing, walking and sports activities for people of all ages.” Camera IconNSW Premier Chris Minns and City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore both support cutting back the golf course to deliver more parkland for local residents. NewsWire / Monique Harmer Credit: News Corp Australia The government’s proposed changes have not yet been detailed, but in a discussion paper from February, NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said the redevelopment would repurpose 20 hectares of Moore Park Golf Course and retain a minimum 9-***** course, the existing driving range and clubhouse. “It is an important step to addressing the needs of residents living in the city’s most densely populated suburbs while providing a pathway for golf to continue in Moore Park,” Mr Scully said. The new public park is designed to cater to an expected 790,000 local residents in the area by 2041. “There are almost 690,000 people within a 5km radius of Centennial Parklands,” the discussion paper states. “The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure population projections estimate the population will rise by 100,000 people to almost 790,000 in 2041. “The large majority of these people live in higher density housing forms such as apartments and terraces, with limited access to private open space. Camera IconThe course includes a popular driving range. Newswire / Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia “To support this density, the government is acting on a need to deliver more public open space for people to enjoy the outdoor environment. “The government will repurpose the current golf course’s western boundary and part of the lands north of Dacey Avenue for transformed public open space.” Mr Minns announced the Moore Park transformation in October 2023. The plan to cut the course in half is contentious, and attracted a rebuke from Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg, who has thrown his support behind the “Save Moore Park Golf Course” campaign. “I know I’m not a citizen of Australia but I am pleading to you and everybody in NSW to save Moore Park Golf Club,” he said in March. “It’s been here for over 100 years and it’s been giving people hundreds and hundreds of years of pleasure and joy.” But City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore lobbied the government to alter the course for more parkland. “In the face of increasing need for public open space, we asked the government: Is an 18-***** golf course still the best use of inner city public land?” she told NewsWire on Friday. “That question is fundamentally one of equity and putting our public land to its best use in the community interest. “The government accepted our proposal and has now committed funding to convert the course from 18 holes to nine, retaining the larger area of land for golf, the clubhouse, depots, parking and popular driving range and returning up to 20 hectares of land to Moore Park for public recreation. “It has been the policy of successive state governments to increase housing in the Green Square urban renewal area and by 2040, up to 80,000 more people will be living in the Green Square and Waterloo area within 2km of here.” Ms Moore said some $2.6m had already been included in the state budget for conversion work. “It is imperative for growing, densely-populated communities to have access to open space with parkland and this will really help,” she said. Source link #Golf #Collective #pitches #plan #transform #Sydneys #Moore #Park #South Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Todd Howard Revealed Elder Scrolls 6 Will Have 1 Major Advantage That Bethesda Couldn’t Give to Skyrim Todd Howard Revealed Elder Scrolls 6 Will Have 1 Major Advantage That Bethesda Couldn’t Give to Skyrim The next major game for Bethesda and Todd Howard will be the highly anticipated Elder Scrolls, with the attention shifting to the title now that Starfield has had its time in the spotlight. It’s been a decade since Bethesda has visited the Elder Scrolls franchise. Credit: Bethesda Game Studios. There’s no denying the fact that the next Elder Scrolls entry is one of the most anticipated games. While Howard still hasn’t shared much about the game, he already has incredible plans for the future of Elder Scrolls 6 which would help it surpass Skyrim! Todd Howard Won’t Repeat the Same Mistake With Elder Scrolls 6 Elder Scrolls 6 will see extended post-launch support. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) In an interview with MrMattyPlays, the director and executive producer of Berthesda Game Studios, Todd Howard opened about the development process behind the studio’s various games and what the future holds. When asked about how long Bethesda plans to support Fallout 76, Howard’s answer was mostly driven by his regrets about the studio’s previous games like Skyrim and Fallout 4. He notes that these titles still remain popular thanks to updates, mods, and constant player engagement. However, Howard believes they should’ve had extended support, and it’s something that Bethesda will focus on for the Elder Scrolls 6. We know people are going to play it for a long time and so it’s not just what it means for content. It goes further than that. In the last couple of years, Bethesda has constantly supported and provided expansions for its smash hits. It’s still bringing new additions for Fallout 76 and even introduced a brand-new DLC to Starfield despite it’s negative reception. Extended support for the next Elder Scrolls game will allow Bethesda to present us with even more quests and characters, which would enrich the game’s lore and keep players engaged for a long time. With more hands on the deck and hardware improvements of the modern-day consoles, the next Elder Scrolls game will undoubtedly pass Skyrim when it comes to post-launch support. Elder Scrolls 6 Will Define Bethesda’s Future Bethesda has ******* to deliver in recent years. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) While it’s great to see Bethesda acknowledging its past faults, it still doesn’t change the fact that its recent releases haven’t managed to hit the mark. Even though Howard and his team promised that Shattered Space DLC for Starfield would be a generational expansion, it ******* to make an impact. Immediately, after its release, the expansion was review bombed as it didn’t bring anything new to the table. What’s even more concerning is that it took Howard and his team more than a year to develop the DLC, which is quite surprising considering they’ve given us some incredible DLCs in way less time. The way Studio handled Starfield and its recent projects hasn’t been the best. Even though Elder Scrolls 6 is one of the most hyped titles of the decade, some in the community believe it would be a ******** considering Bethesda’s recent track record. If Howard and his team don’t realize the errors of recent releases and bring what the community desires for the next Elder Scrolls game, Bethesda might fall into the abyss just like Firewalk Studios. With that said, are you excited for Elder Scrolls 6? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Todd #Howard #Revealed #Elder #Scrolls #Major #Advantage #Bethesda #Couldnt #Give #Skyrim Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Penn State moves forward with public-private partnership for student housing development Penn State moves forward with public-private partnership for student housing development Penn State is moving forward with a ground lease for a 1,500 bed housing project on its University Park campus as it looks to increase its enrollment in the coming years. The proposed real estate transaction was discussed during a Penn State board of trustees’ committee meeting Thursday and by the full board on Friday. The development, which was first made public in April, will have 1,500 beds intended for non-first year students at University Drive and College Avenue. The board approved it with one vote in opposition, Trustee Barry Fenchak. Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer for the university, told the committee Thursday that they want to accommodate growth and knew they’d need more housing for students that is affordable. “If we’re putting more first year students on campus, we want an affordable option for the rest of the students to go to. When we evaluated whether we wanted to use our own housing revenues and reserves for this project, or whether we wanted to think about other options, what was really critical to us is to continue to use our own resources to renovate our current housing inventory, which is critical for our success,” Thorndike said, which led them to explore a public-private partnership. Penn State is moving forward with a ground lease for a 1,500 bed housing project at University Drive and College Avenue on its University Park campus. This rendering shows what the development may look like. Penn State sent out a request for qualifications to 19 firms, received six responses, and evaluated four of those submissions. From there, the university narrowed the list to two. With the board’s approval on Friday, they approved selecting Graystar Development East as the lead developer of the project and to lease the property, among other items. The terms for the ground lease, including how long it would last or how much the lease costs, were not disclosed. On Thursday, Thorndike said it is a more than $20 million deal for Penn State. Fenchak said he voted against it, not because of any project specifics, but because of where it fits into the university’s mission. He said it is not in the university’s best interest to increase enrollment at University Park due to broader issues Penn State is facing internally like finances and the need for out-of-state tuition revenues, and externally, like students picking alternatives to higher education. “If we put ourselves in a position where we have to increase enrollment, that’s only going to exacerbate those concerns, and I don’t think they’re in the best interest of the university’s overall missions at this time,” he said. Rent affordability was an important piece to the university, as well as receiving economic benefits since it’s still on the university’s land, she said. The university will maintain ownership and long-term control of the property. Story Continues Some terms are still being negotiated, including the rental rates. Thorndike said the proposed rental rates for a one bedroom is 25% below the average downtown State College rent, two bedrooms are 18% below the average (and 60% below the top of the market), and the four bedrooms are 7% below the average rent (and 18% below the top of the market). Thorndike said they’re anticipating 775 beds by fall 2027, which will be “critical” for the university as it looks at enrollment growth and affordability, and the remainder will come in fall 2028. At least one trustee previously questioned if this development — which will be a short walk from the Lasch Football Building — will primarily cater to football players and other student-athletes. During this week’s meetings, the university reiterated that any non-first year student is eligible to live there. Penn State is moving forward with a ground lease for a 1,500 bed housing project at University Drive and College Avenue on its University Park campus. This rendering shows what the development may look like and where it’s located. Source link #Penn #State #moves #publicprivate #partnership #student #housing #development Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

15 Unreal Engine 5 Games That Look Ridiculously Good 15 Unreal Engine 5 Games That Look Ridiculously Good SPEAKxTHExTRUTH1d ago I saw Zero noticeable difference when I played it on Pro. The only game I’ve seen significant difference in is FF7RB but now I get these stutters after the Pro update. I can safely say that if you don’t have a PS5 then getting the Pro is a no brainer but upgrading from PS5 to Pro is not a wise move as of now. Wait for better new games. Source link #Unreal #Engine #Games #Ridiculously #Good Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, November 9 (game #1020) Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, November 9 (game #1020) Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles. SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Quordle expert Your Quordle expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief Quordle today (game #1020) – hint #1 – Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1020) – hint #2 – repeated letters Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters? • The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2. Quordle today (game #1020) – hint #3 – uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today? • No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers. Quordle today (game #1020) – hint #4 – starting letters (1) Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter? • The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0. If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier: Quordle today (game #1020) – hint #5 – starting letters (2) What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with? • F • T • A • S Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1020) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1020, are… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Sometimes the most obvious of words can prove tricky in Quordle. THERE is one that I always have to think about; it’s probably the single most common word in the game, but it often escapes my attention. The repeated Es don’t help, but even setting that aside it just doesn’t occur to me until I really, really think about it. THERE is one potentially tricky word in this Quordle, but there are others. ATOLL is also a tough one, and SANER could be hard to narrow down depending on the way the letters fell for you. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Daily Sequence today (game #1020) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1020, are… Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL Quordle #1003, Wednesday 23 October: DROSS, ANNEX, GRAVE, BROKE Quordle #1002, Tuesday 22 October: ADORE, SMITH, AFOOT, LUCID Quordle #1001, Monday 21 October: TREAD, NINTH, GRIEF, UNSET Quordle #1000, Sunday 20 October: CORAL, WHOSE, HEIST, SOAPY Source link #Quordle #today #hints #answers #Saturday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Police inquiry after boy shaken as baby ***** Police inquiry after boy shaken as baby ***** Handout/PA Real Life Bradley Nelson was left with disabilities, after being shaken by his dad as a baby A boy left ****** and brain-damaged after being attacked as a baby by his father has ***** in hospital, prompting a fresh police investigation. Bradley Nelson, nine, was left severely disabled and unable to walk after being assaulted by Darren Spreadbury in April 2016, when he was seven months old. Despite being born “fit and well” Bradley was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Nearly nine years later, Bradley, from Whitby, ***** at Scarborough General Hospital in last month after going into cardiac arrest. In May 2018, Spreadbury was sentenced to four years in prison, after scans found Bradley’s brain injuries had been caused by shaken baby syndrome. “Bradley was ****** because he shook him that hard, he snapped his optic nerve and he had a can of Coke’s worth of blood between his brain and his skull,” Bradley’s mum, Sharon Boocock, said. Doctors later determined he had suffered a brain injury that was “unexplained and non-accidental”, leading to the arrest of Spreadbury. He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was handed a 10-year restraining order, as well as being sent to prison. Handout/PA Real Life Bradley underwent several operations in the years following the ******* In the years following the *******, Bradley needed “24-hour care” and was unable to walk, talk or feed himself, according to his mum. He underwent several operations and suffered complications and infections. Ms Boocock said her life at the time was devoted to staying in to look after Bradley. “I couldn’t go anywhere after 17:00 because Bradley would come home from school and that was me housebound,” she said. She explained how she had juggled her job as a bartender to earn “whatever money she could” and said she was “learning to live again”. Last month, Bradley was sent home from school after complaining about feeling sleepy. He was taken in to hospital and Ms Boocock and her partner, Jonny Nelson, were told he had suffered a seizure after falling unconscious. Bradley ***** on 22 October after going into cardiac arrest. Handout/PA Real Life Bradley was described by his mum as “always smiling and happy” Sharon said, despite everything, Bradley had been “always smiling and happy”. Last week, police informed her they were investigating the cause of his ******. A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of the ****** of a nine-year-old boy from the Whitby area, who sadly passed away in hospital on October 22. “The child had complex medical needs and an investigation into the cause of his ****** is currently under way, reflecting due process in such circumstances.” A fundraiser has been launched on GoFundMe by Sharon’s friends to help cover Bradley’s ******** costs. It has raised almost £4,000 – where donors have described him as the “bravest little boy”. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Source link #Police #inquiry #boy #shaken #baby #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, November 9 (game #251) NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, November 9 (game #251) Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Strands expert Your Strands expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief NYT Strands today (game #251) – hint #1 – today’s theme What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands? • Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Generation jam NYT Strands today (game #251) – hint #2 – clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. NYT Strands today (game #251) – hint #3 – spangram What is a hint for today’s spangram? • GrungePop? NYT Strands today (game #251) – hint #4 – spangram position What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches? First: top, 3rd column Last: bottom, 3rd column Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #251) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Strands, game #251, are… BLUR OASIS PAVEMENT TOOL NIRVANA SUBLIME SPANGRAM: NINETIESBANDS My rating: Moderate My score: Perfect I have slightly mixed feelings about this Strands puzzle. On the one hand, the subject is NINETIESBANDS, and in many ways that’s my specialist subject. I’m a huge music fan (and former music journalist) and the ’90s was my era. Two of the bands in today’s list, PAVEMENT and BLUR, are among my favorites ever, and I have a soft spot for NIRVANA too. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. On the flip side, what on earth does ‘Generation jam’, the theme clue, refer to? I have no idea whatsoever. And setting that aside, this may prove very difficult for people who are either too young or too old to be familiar with the likes of TOOL and SUBLIME, who aren’t necessarily household names (or aren’t these days, at least). Still, rather this than yesterday’s silly emoji-based game. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Friday, 8 November, game #250) SHAKE WAVE CLAP PRAY PINCH FIST POINT PEACE SPANGRAM: HANDGESTURES What is NYT Strands? Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day. Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #answers #spangram #Saturday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PUBG is getting a 5v5 top-down shooter spinoff in 2025 PUBG is getting a 5v5 top-down shooter spinoff in 2025 Krafton and PUBG Studios unveiled Project ARC today. It’s a spinoff of the popular game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, but trades in the third-person battle royale gameplay for that of a 5v5 top-down shooter. Currently intended as a multiplayer-only title, Project ARC is trying to stand out by implementing realistic ********* mechanics into a top-down shooter. Things like target height, hit zones, destructible environments, and **** recoil matter in Project ARC when they typically don’t in top-down shooters. Players choose a character, each of which uses a unique ******* from PUBG and has a gadget like a Med Kit or Grenade Launcher. Right now, the only confirmed game modes are Team Deathmatch and Demolition, which has the same rules as the primary mode of games like Valorant or Spectre Divide, but swaps the ***** for a Decrypter hacking device. Krafton Unlike The Callisto Protocol, which started as a PUBG spinoff, but developed into its own universe, Project ARC is a direct PUBG spinoff set in the same world as the battle royale. That connection will mainly be seen through weapons and gadgets like the Blue Zone Grenade and Folded Shield. When it comes to expanding PUBG as an IP, developers said in comments provided to Digital Trends that “PUBG Studios is currently working on several new projects, including Project ARC. As a small team, the ARC Team will continue to pursue swift and bold experimentation.” A team of less than 15 people is working on Project ARC. Project ARC will be released into early access on PC in 2025. The developers will consider a console release after they add controller support, but don’t plan to bring the game to mobile. The developers are still deciding whether Project ARC will be a free-to-play or premium title. Source link #PUBG #5v5 #topdown #shooter #spinoff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to delete a character from Character AI How to delete a character from Character AI Character AI has a huge catalog of virtual personalities derived from history, fiction, and the imaginations of users. But, sometimes, you might make a character and later decide you don’t want to have it on the platform anymore. And while you can’t actually outright delete third-party AI-generated characters, in this guide, we will show you how you can manage them for yourself and others. Hide and overwrite character (Image credit: Future) Because Character AI does not offer a delete button for the AI personalities, you can’t make them disappear from the servers. But you can edit them and their availability to the point that it doesn’t matter. Making the chatbot private means no one will see it but you, all but making it invisible. You can also take more drastic steps and overwrite everything about the chatbot with gibberish or punctuation to wipe the personality away more thoroughly. Here’s how to hide or obscure your Character AI personalities: Open Character AI and log in to your account. Select the character you want to send to oblivion from the left sidebar to open a chat with it. Click on the three dots in the character’s profile on the right-side panel and click on the “Edit button. At the bottom of the AI’s profile is the “Visibility” option. Change that setting to private. Click the “Save Changes” button on the bottom right. If that’s not enough, you can overwrite your creation. Edit the character’s details in the profile by replacing the name, description, and other details with N/A or any other placeholder text. Save the changes like you did to make the chatbot private. (Image credit: Future) Meta AI’s comment summaries can be a nice way to sum up long or complex posts, but they also fill up your screen at times. If you find these summaries unhelpful, here’s how you can turn them off: Open Facebook on a web browser or as a mobile app and go to the settings menu. Click or tap on “Settings” within the “Settings & Privacy” “ menu. Open up the “Posts” sub-menu as indicated in the image above. Slide the “Allow Comment Summaries on Your Posts” to the left. Once toggled off, you shouldn’t see the AI summaries anymore after you reload the website or app. You might also like Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Source link #delete #character #Character Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Trump’s Win Is Explained by Right and Left Media Outlets How Trump’s Win Is Explained by Right and Left Media Outlets Media outlets across the political spectrum offered very different explanations about why Donald J. Trump won the presidential election this week. On the right, some media outlets said Mr. Trump had won because of the left’s embrace of what they called extreme political views, while others focused on how Americans were deeply dissatisfied with the economy under President Biden, which Vice President Kamala Harris defended. Outlets on the left were more divided in their explanations. Some said ********* voters had chosen to “***** it all to the ground” by choosing Mr. Trump. Others blamed the Democratic Party as a whole, arguing that Democrats had ******* to connect with voters on key issues, and that Ms. Harris had lost by defending what those commentators saw as a broken system. Here’s how a few outlets have covered the last few days in political news: FROM THE RIGHT Breitbart Breitbart, a ************* outlet, highlighted that Americans were upset with how Democrats had handled the economy, and argued that Mr. Trump’s victory was a “mandate for Trumponomics.” In one article, the reporter John Carney ticked through what he saw as the reasons behind Mr. Trump’s victory. He pointed to the costs of basic necessities like groceries, housing and health care, all of which had soared over the last four years, as well as fears surrounding high levels of immigration. Americans, in Mr. Carney’s view, wanted “less inflation, more economic nationalism and an economy they could feel great about again.” “The presidential election, in other words, was in significant part an economic referendum in which voters chose Trump and his economic policies,” Mr. Carney wrote. FROM THE RIGHT The Daily Wire The Daily Wire was one of many ************* outlets to point to transgender rights as a reason that Democrats lost the election. Throughout the election, Mr. Trump’s campaign attacked Ms. Harris for her support of trans rights, including one prominent ad that featured her saying that “every transgender inmate in the prison system would have access” to gender-affirming surgery. Messaging like that ad, wrote Mary Margaret Olohan, a senior reporter for The Daily Wire, helped win Mr. Trump the race. Ms. Olohan wrote that Americans “rejected far-left transgender ideology and the candidate who embraced these ******** positions.” “Donald Trump and his campaign effectively used her remarks to show the ********* people how out of touch she was on this topic,” Ms. Olohan wrote. Ben Shapiro, a co-founder of The Daily Wire, said Ms. Harris was “an empty vessel” who did not inspire voters, on a live version of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” after Mr. Trump prevailed. But voters did not ******* just Ms. Harris, in Mr. Shapiro’s view: It was the last four years of Democratic rule. “It was about a return to normalcy,” Mr. Shapiro said. “You feel more normal this morning.” FROM THE LEFT ‘Pod Save America’ “Pod Save America,” a ******** podcast hosted by former members of President Barack Obama’s staff, aired an hourlong episode after the election focused on what, in their view, went wrong for Ms. Harris. According to Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to Mr. Obama, Ms. Harris faced an uphill battle because of her truncated campaign. “He’s been running for almost 10 years straight, and she had to mount a campaign in 109 days,” Mr. Pfeiffer said. “And the country shifted to the right across the board.” Jon Favreau, another host of the show, said Democrats had to rethink their strategy. They cannot, he said, keep defending “a broken system” that many Americans want to see improved. “Donald Trump and his folks want to ***** it down,” Mr. Favreau said. “We should at least be the party that doesn’t want to ***** the system down, but wants to fix it and wants to reform it.” FROM THE LEFT The Nation Elie Mystal, a correspondent for The Nation, a ******** outlet, wrote that Mr. Trump had won because the country had proved itself “to be a fetid, violent people,” and that America “deserves to get what it wants” for electing him. “We had a chance to stand ******* against fascism, authoritarianism, racism and bigotry, but we did not,” Mr. Mystal wrote. Other writers for the site blamed the Democratic Party. Jeet Heer, a correspondent for The Nation, wrote that Ms. Harris had lost because Democrats were stuck in the past in a country that “desperately wants change.” “To a self-destructive degree, Harris tied herself to the policies of Joe Biden, an unpopular incumbent,” Mr. Heer wrote. “This gave Trump an easy pathway to again be the voice of dissatisfaction and change.” FROM THE LEFT Mother Jones Mother Jones, a ******** site, struck a dour tone after Mr. Trump’s victory. David Corn, the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones, wrote that the ******* States had met its “judgment day” by electing Mr. Trump, whom Mr. Corn described as “the first fascist and the first convicted felon to win an ********* presidential election.” “A judgment has been reached: This is a nation to be ruled by Trump’s politics of hate,” Mr. Corn wrote. Michael Mechanic, a senior editor for Mother Jones, wrote that Mr. Trump had won because of wealth inequality. Even though the economy seemed to be booming under Mr. Biden, “those on the losing end of our thriving economy don’t see it as thriving,” Mr. Mechanic wrote. “In courting Americans who, fairly or not, feel like the system has never done them a bit of good, Team Trump has the rhetorical advantage, because he says he’ll ******** that system,” Mr. Mechanic said. Source link #Trumps #Win #Explained #Left #Media #Outlets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Olympics drone-spying scandal not isolated misstep: CSA Olympics drone-spying scandal not isolated misstep: CSA The ********* Soccer Association says an independent review has confirmed the Paris Olympics drone-spying scandal was not an isolated misstep. Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said in a statement on Friday the spying “was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams.” Canada Soccer announced on July 31 Sonia Regenbogen of the law firm of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark had been retained to review the Olympic incident and any related matters. CSA is reviewing the report, with Blue adding he expects to release conclusions and future steps within a week. ​ ​ Canada women’s coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi are all serving one-year FIFA suspensions after New Zealand’s Olympic Committee filed a complaint with the IOC’s integrity unit, alleging drones were flown over a pair of pre-tournament practice sessions. Canada were penalised six points in the group phase and fined 200,000 Swiss francs ($A346,000). Trying to defend their 2021 Olympic title, Canada advanced to the group stage and lost to Germany on penalty kicks in the quarter-finals. “We know that more needs to be done and change takes time,” CSA board chair Peter Augruso said in a statement. Source link #Olympics #dronespying #scandal #isolated #misstep #CSA Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

1 Breaking Bad Star’s Work in Video Game Industry Makes Him a More Legendary Geek Than Henry Cavill 1 Breaking Bad Star’s Work in Video Game Industry Makes Him a More Legendary Geek Than Henry Cavill When you think of iconic, action-packed roles in Hollywood, Breaking Bad star Danny Trejo comes to mind. From his career-defining portrayal of the ruthless, ******-wielding Machete to his tough-guy roles in Predators and From Dusk Till Dawn, Trejo is synonymous with street-smart, no-nonsense characters. But there’s another side to the actor that might surprise everyone, he enjoys playing various video games. Trejo has been very active in the gaming industry and has voiced various characters. | Image Credit: Ubisoft’s Far Cry 6 While many people in the gaming community might know Henry Cavill as a massive gaming geek who regularly shares pictures of himself playing various games such as Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 and The Witcher 3, it’s Trejo’s deep roots in the video game world, both as a player and a voice actor, that might just put him ahead in the geek stakes. Breaking Bad Star Danny Trejo’s Surprising Legacy in the Video Game Trejo shared a image of Animal Crossing on the National Video Game day. | Image Credit: Nintendo Most fans might only associate Danny Trejo with tough-guy action roles, and understandably so. As his career has been defined by his gritty characters who ****** their way through dangerous situations, often with a machete in hand. But recently, Trejo’s social media posts have revealed a surprising passion: Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Yes, that’s right, the actor who is known for playing a hardened ********* is now relaxing in his own virtual village, fishing, decorating, and chatting with his animal neighbors. On National Video Game Day, Trejo posted a picture of himself playing Animal Crossing on his Nintendo Switch. What’s your favorite video game of all time? Mine… @AnimalCrossing: New Horizons! #NationalVideoGameDay pic.twitter.com/SvNhoAO0UM — Danny Trejo (@officialDannyT) July 8, 2024 Animal Crossing is a peaceful, cozy game focused on building and personalizing a virtual town. For most, it might seem like a stark contrast to his usual on-screen persona but it’s a clear reflection of his ability to appreciate the soothing and creative side of gaming. However, what most players don’t know is that Trejo’s love for gaming goes well beyond casual play. He has brought many characters in video games to life. His most notable appearances include voicing Raul the Ghoul in Fallout: New Vegas, Umberto Robina in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, and a recurring character in the Call of Duty franchise. In 2010’s street-fighting game The ******: Lights Out, he went beyond just voicing, he did full-motion video cutscenes, showing off his street-fighting skills. He’s even made a cameo in Far Cry 6, playing himself as a character. Trejo Might Edge Out Henry Cavill as a True Geek Icon Cavill might be more popular in the gaming community but Trejo has a higher influnce in the industry. | Image Credit: Nintendo While Henry Cavill is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most high-profile gamers, Danny Trejo’s long-standing and enduring legacy in the video game industry might just cements him as a geek icon in his own right. Cavill’s gaming hobby is always amazing to follow, making him somewhat relatable, but Trejo’s gaming legacy is multi-faceted. He’s not just a gamer, instead, he’s an integral part of gaming culture, with numerous voice roles under his belt and a diverse catalog of video game appearances. Trejo has spent years building up his connection with fans, and he continues to bring that tough-guy charm to both the big screen and the world of interactive entertainment. His unexpected love for Animal Crossing, a game that’s all about relaxation and community building, only adds to his appeal as a multifaceted geek. In the end, both Trejo and Cavill share a deep passion for gaming, but when it comes to true video game geek status, Danny Trejo might have just edge out Superman himself, with his iconic tough-guy charm and Machete ****** in hand. Did you knew about Trejo’s love for video games? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. Source link #Breaking #Bad #Stars #Work #Video #Game #Industry #Legendary #Geek #Henry #Cavill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop has an awesome discount today The Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop has an awesome discount today Dell Whether you’re a college student in need of a new Windows machine or you’re a workplace professional who needs a fast and powerful laptop, you can’t go wrong with Dell hardware. For years, Dell has produced some of the best desktop PCs and laptops, with options to fit every want, need, lifestyle, and budget. That’s why we decided to shine a light on one of the best student laptop deals we’ve seen in a minute: Right now, when you order the Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop through the manufacturer, you’ll save $200. At full price, this model sells for $730. Why you should buy the Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop This configuration of the Inspiron 15 Laptop comes with an Intel Core i7 (max clock speeds of 5.0GHz), Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. While we wouldn’t recommend this type of PC for heavy multimedia programs or all-day battery life, these types of core components are perfect for a more casual PC user. And as far as battery life goes, you can expect over 9 hours on a full charge. The 15.6-inch IPS screen delivers 1920 x 1080 resolution at up to 120Hz. This makes the Inspiron 15 a decent choice for watching Netflix movies and shows. With this spread of pixels and motion capabilities, you’ll even be able to enjoy some light to moderate PC gaming! There’s also no shortage of ports, with options including HDMI 1.4, USB-C, and USB-A connections. Other great features include a free 30 days of Microsoft Office 365 and a 30-day free trial of McAfee+ Premium. We’re not sure how long these Dell laptop deals are here to stay, so now might be the best time to save. Take $200 off the Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop when you order through the manufacturer, and be sure to check out some of the other great laptop deals we’ve been tracking down! Source link #Dell #Inspiron #Laptop #awesome #discount #today Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Researchers are learning more about ‘Zosia,’ the 17th century ‘vampire’ ******* with a blade over her neck Researchers are learning more about ‘Zosia,’ the 17th century ‘vampire’ ******* with a blade over her neck Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. With a sickle across her neck and a padlock on her left big toe, the corpse of a young woman found in northern Poland would have been unable to rise from her unmarked grave, according to local 17th century folklore. But her identity and how she ended up in such a state are secrets researchers say they are just beginning to unlock. Archaeologists first made the grim discovery in 2022 and have been studying the ******** to understand who the woman was and why she, and perhaps others ******* in the same field around 400 years ago, were feared as vampires or demons. Now, using the contours of her skull as well as information in a DNA sample extracted from her skeleton, researchers have recreated what her face may have looked like. The striking 3D reconstruction of Zosia, as locals nicknamed her, sheds light on the human found in the grisly grave. Archaeologist Dariusz Poliński, who led the team that unearthed Zosia’s ********, said it was a “mind-blowing” moment when he saw the reconstruction by Swedish forensic artist Oscar Nilsson for the first time. “He added so much feeling, so much emotion,” said Poliński, a professor of medieval history at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. “It wasn’t a mask.” The research team’s journey of uncovering Zosia’s identity is featured in the new documentary “Field of Vampires,” which was produced by Caravan Media and aired October 30 as an episode of the PBS series “Secrets of the *****.” For Nilsson, who painstakingly rebuilt Zosia’s face using clay placed on a 3D-printed model of her skull, it was emotional to see the young woman as she likely appeared in life. “I’m used to reconstructing faces, but in this case also I’m looking forward to giving her some human dignity back,” he said in the documentary. “She deserved something better.” Zosia was found ******* with a sickle across her neck and a padlock on her toe, a folk practice intended to stop the ***** from coming back to life. – Caravan Media Ltd A high-status outsider Between 18 and 20 years old when she *****, Zosia likely had a health condition that may have made her prone to experiencing severe chronic headaches and fainting spells, according to an analysis of the spine, Poliński said. In addition, the sternum may have been deformed, possibly leading to the growth of a visible chest tumor that could have caused pain. However, the disorder was not the cause of her ******, which ******** unknown, and detailed medical analyses are ongoing. Fragile silk fabric and metallic threads made of silver and gold, thought to be a trimming for a fine headdress or bonnet, found in her grave suggested she came from a wealthy or high-status background. Information gleaned from DNA and chemical isotopes in her ******** indicated that she may have originated from southern Scandinavia, perhaps Sweden. During the course of the 17th century, Poland and Sweden fought a series of wars, so Zosia could have been an outsider within her community. Europe in the 17th century was also in the grip of what’s known as the Little Ice Age, a ******* of cooling that in some places led to crop ******** and famine. Swedish forensic artist Oscar Nilsson made the reconstruction using clay to replicate her muscle and tissues. – Caravan Media Ltd ***** of the ***** The padlock and sickle were made of iron, Poliński said, a metal thought to offer protection against the supernatural, but he said that the objects were not placed on the body at the same time. “Initially she was ******* in a coffin in a natural position, with the head towards the west and on a pillow and the padlock on her toe,” he said. However, he said, it appeared the protective power of the padlock wasn’t enough for those who feared Zosia’s reanimated corpse. “Maybe because of some misfortune or the ****** of somebody else, they decided to open the grave,” Poliński suggested. In doing so, whoever ********** her ******** broke or twisted the spine. It was at this point, Poliński suspected, that they abandoned efforts to turn over or remove the body from the grave. Instead, the sickle was secured over her throat to deter the corpse from rising from the *****. Opening and disturbing graves in this way was relatively common during the 17th century in the region because people often attributed misfortune to supernatural activity by the *****, Poliński said. Revenant graves, as they are known, are found throughout Europe and date from several different time periods. “The ***** were blamed for different happenings. The deceased person was believed to be a kind of trigger for some ******** or ******,” he said. All cultures have a belief that the ***** may return to bother the living, said Martyn Rady, the Masaryk Professor Emeritus of Central ********* History at University College London. Rady was not involved in the research project or the documentary. “Generally, the ‘undead’ are people that have led violent lives or ***** violently or have not been ******* with the proper ******** rites,” he said. “All societies have revenants and they will use a number of strategies to stop them moving about after ****** — the sickle is one; staking down is another; putting thorny branches around the neck yet one more,” he added. Rady said Zosia fell into the category of revenant, but was not technically a vampire, which he said were first described in the 1720s by officials of the Habsburg monarchy. “They were quite clear that, in popular local legend, the vampire had three characteristics — it was a revenant, feasted on the living, and was contagious. The Austrian definition shaped the literary vampire legend.” Ritualistic burials Archaeologists first excavated the site in Pień near Dąbrowa Chełmińsk in northern Poland in 2005, and Poliński said the rural field was used as a ********* for around four generations in the 17th century. No written records about the place exist, nor does it feature on any maps. Geophysical surveys suggest many more graves are at the site beyond the dozens already excavated, Poliński said. A year after discovering Zosia’s grave, the same team found a child’s ******** ******* in an unusual way. The skeleton was face down and the upper torso missing, and a padlock similar to the one found on Zosia’s body was uncovered beneath the legs. Another burial site revealed the skeleton of a pregnant woman with the ******** of a fetus still present in her womb. Poliński’s team is reexamining the previously excavated graves for “anti-vampiric” practices and hopes to understand how the individuals ******* there are connected to one another by studying DNA samples. Poliński said the findings will be published in a scientific journal next year. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #Researchers #learning #Zosia #17th #century #vampire #******* #blade #neck Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review – Don’t Breathe Too Loud I The Koalition A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review – Don’t Breathe Too Loud I The Koalition WTMG’s Kyle Nicol: “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a better game than I expected. It’s good, but it could have honestly been a lot better, even great. The developers have, for the most part, successfully managed to translate the movie’s unique and engaging premise into game form. However, uneven level design and repetitive gameplay holds it back from being truly great. I hope we get more from A Quiet Place, as there’s so much untapped potential in bringing it to gaming form, but this is a solid enough first effort.” Source link #Quiet #Place #Road #Ahead #Review #Dont #Breathe #Loud #Koalition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ChatGPT blocked 250,000 image generations of presidential candidates ChatGPT blocked 250,000 image generations of presidential candidates In this photo illustration, the OpenAI logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen with a photo of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Didem Mente | Anadolu | Getty Images OpenAI estimates that ChatGPT rejected more than 250,000 requests to generate images of the 2024 U.S. presidential candidates in the lead up to Election Day, the company said in a blog on Friday. The rejections included image-generation requests involving President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Vice President-elect JD Vance, OpenAI said. The rise of generative artificial intelligence has led to concerns about how misinformation created using the technology could affect the numerous elections taking place around the world in 2024. The number of deepfakes has increased 900% year over year, according to data from Clarity, a machine learning firm. Some included videos that were created or paid for by Russians seeking to disrupt the U.S. elections, U.S. intelligence officials say. In a 54-page October report, OpenAI said it had disrupted “more than 20 operations and deceptive networks from around the world that attempted to use our models.” The threats ranged from AI-generated website articles to social media posts by fake accounts, the company wrote. None of the election-related operations were able to attract “viral engagement,” the report noted. In its Friday blog, OpenAI said it hadn’t seen any evidence that covert operations aiming to influence the outcome of the U.S. election using the company’s products were able to successfully go viral or build “sustained audiences.” Lawmakers have been particularly concerned about misinformation in the age of generative AI, which took off in late 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT. Large language models are still new and routinely ***** out inaccurate and unreliable information. “Voters categorically should not look to AI chatbots for information about voting or the election — there are far too many concerns about accuracy and completeness,” Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, told CNBC last week. WATCH: AI likely to be less regulated and more volatile under second Trump presidency Source link #ChatGPT #blocked #image #generations #presidential #candidates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

When Trump’s victory became clear, online claims of election ****** quieted When Trump’s victory became clear, online claims of election ****** quieted By the time the polls opened on Election Day, baseless claims of voter ****** had been building on social media for months, fueling doubts about the integrity of the election. Posts proliferated on X and other platforms pointing to hiccups like technical issues with voting machines, power outages and spelling errors on ballots as examples of a supposedly brewing ***********. And at 4:30 p.m. on Election Day, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there was “a lot of talk about massive cheating” in Pennsylvania — which officials said had “no factual basis whatsoever.” But as the votes were tallied and it became clear that Trump was on his way to a decisive victory, the deluge of posts questioning the integrity of the election fell to a trickle, researchers say. “I think this shows that these narratives are pushed when they serve a purpose, and they are stage setting often for efforts to dispute unfavorable results,” said Max Read, a senior researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. “And then once that stage setting and those claims are no longer needed, they’re not pushed anymore.” The shift was stark in Elon Musk’s “Election Integrity Community,” a group of nearly 65,000 started by the platform owner’s political action committee encouraging members to report “voter ****** or irregularities.” The group had already become a repository for speculation and unfounded rumors before Election Day. When the polls opened, hundreds of posts an hour were shared until the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, when the race was called for Trump in Pennsylvania, all but eliminating a winning path for Vice President Kamala Harris. After that, the posting drastically diminished. Read’s team at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue also found that mentions across the platform of voting machines in Pennsylvania and Michigan soared on Tuesday afternoon but dropped to hardly any by Wednesday morning. On Tuesday morning, a software error caused voting machines to be temporarily down in Cambria County, a county in southwestern Pennsylvania with a population of about 131,000. Voters used paper ballots and a court order extended voting hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. But some on social media baselessly suggested the technical issues were something nefarious, a plot to discard votes in a county Trump won by a wide margin in both of the last two elections. Danielle Lee Tompson, who leads the Center for an Informed Public’s research on election rumors at the University of Washington, said the narrative around Pennsylvania voting machines echoed the conversation around election issues in Maricopa County, Arizona, in 2022. In that election, some ballots were printed with ink too light to be read by tabulators, so they were placed in a secure box and counted separately at the state’s election headquarters. Claims that the errors were intentional fueled a lawsuit challenging the results that was later dismissed. “On Election Day, we can always expect there to be irregularities or glitches or problems at polling sites,” Tompson said. “The question is will those issues be contorted into a larger narrative that election ****** is happening.” While the volume of election rumors has drastically decreased, false claims are still spreading about races that have not yet been called. In Arizona, where *********** Senate candidate Kari Lake trails Democratic candidate Ruben Gallego, social users on the right are using the fact that Gallego had more votes than Harris by Friday to cast doubt on the validity of his lead. Meanwhile, turnout numbers are being twisted by both the left and the right to cast doubt on election results. While millions of votes are still being counted, some point to higher turnout in 2020 as evidence that there are 20 million “missing votes.” On the right, some claim this is evidence that 2020 was stolen from Trump; on the left, some say it’s grounds for a recount. But the volume of posts questioning Harris’s loss was nowhere near the “Stop the Steal” efforts that followed Trump’s 2020 election loss, according to both Tompson and Read’s research. No elected officials cast doubt on the outcome the way Trump pushed election denial when he lost in 2020. Harris urged all Americans to accept the results of the election in her concession speech on Wednesday. “A fundamental principle of ********* democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” Harris said. “And anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.” More Julia Ingram Julia Ingram is a data journalist for CBS News Confirmed. She uses data analysis and computation to cover misinformation, AI and social media. Source link #Trumps #victory #clear #online #claims #election #****** #quieted Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ChatGPT blocked 250,000 image generations of presidential candidates ChatGPT blocked 250,000 image generations of presidential candidates In this photo illustration, the OpenAI logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen with a photo of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Didem Mente | Anadolu | Getty Images OpenAI estimates that ChatGPT rejected more than 250,000 requests to generate images of the 2024 U.S. presidential candidates in the lead up to Election Day, the company said in a blog on Friday. The rejections included image-generation requests involving President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Vice President-elect JD Vance, OpenAI said. The rise of generative artificial intelligence has led to concerns about how misinformation created using the technology could affect the numerous elections taking place around the world in 2024. The number of deepfakes has increased 900% year over year, according to data from Clarity, a machine learning firm. Some included videos that were created or paid for by Russians seeking to disrupt the U.S. elections, U.S. intelligence officials say. In a 54-page October report, OpenAI said it had disrupted “more than 20 operations and deceptive networks from around the world that attempted to use our models.” The threats ranged from AI-generated website articles to social media posts by fake accounts, the company wrote. None of the election-related operations were able to attract “viral engagement,” the report noted. In its Friday blog, OpenAI said it hadn’t seen any evidence that covert operations aiming to influence the outcome of the U.S. election using the company’s products were able to successfully go viral or build “sustained audiences.” Lawmakers have been particularly concerned about misinformation in the age of generative AI, which took off in late 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT. Large language models are still new and routinely ***** out inaccurate and unreliable information. “Voters categorically should not look to AI chatbots for information about voting or the election — there are far too many concerns about accuracy and completeness,” Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, told CNBC last week. WATCH: AI likely to be less regulated and more volatile under second Trump presidency Source link #ChatGPT #blocked #image #generations #presidential #candidates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Troy Baker didn’t think he was the right fit for Indiana Jones Troy Baker didn’t think he was the right fit for Indiana Jones On December 9, Indiana Jones will get his first video game adaptation in over a decade with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. With over three hours of cinematic cutscenes, multiple tools at players’ disposal, and a globe-spanning adventure, the game is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year. With the release date approaching and preorders for the game already available, Digital Trends caught up with Executive Producer Todd Howard and Indiana Jones actor Troy Baker to discuss The Great Circle and the wild few years they’ve had with the success of the Fallout and The Last of Us series adaptations. Both talked about the effort and insecurity behind turning an iconic character into a video game hero once again. Like a lot of skeptics, Baker didn’t believe he was cut out for it originally — and neither did Todd Howard. Digital Trends: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade, so it focuses on a younger Indy. When you went to make the game, did you get any tips or advice from Harrison Ford or Steven Spielberg about how Indy would move, act, and talk? Howard: They’re aware of the project, but we really used the movies as our guide. We looked at Raiders and said this is the character, this is the time ******* in his life, and these are his mannerisms. Baker: We have 40 years of source material, so there’s a lot to learn from. To prepare for the role, I would wake up every morning and watch some of Raiders, then I’d listen to John Williams’ score, and watch Temple and Crusade. What I found is that Harrison Ford is the auteur of that character, along with Lucas and Spielberg. But the Indy we all know and love is also created by how we all felt watching those movies. My idea of Indy will be a little different from Todd’s, even though we’re watching the same character in the same movie. For me, it’s not just about understanding his mannerisms and movements, it’s about understanding what’s behind it all. That’s what really helped us take the character they created and make our own story for him. Troy Baker stars as Indiana Jones Bethesda/MachineGames I have to say, you did a fantastic job of recreating his voice in the game. Baker: You know, I didn’t originally think I’d be right for the role. Back in 2019, Tom Keegan, a director I’d never worked with before, reached out to my agent and asked if he could call me. He said that they were casting for an Indiana Jones game and he’d like me for the role. I said, “Great I’ll give you two names and one of these two people will be a great fit.” He said, “Thanks, but I like you for this role.” So I agreed to put myself on tape, and I told him that if he thinks it’s good, he can send it on, but if it’s not, then ***** that tape (laughs). He ended up liking my audition and everything culminated in one final Zoom call with everyone, including Todd. And Todd gets on and says, “I didn’t want you in my game.” It was a ***** of a way to start a meeting. Howard: I’ll be honest, when they first said they wanted Troy for the game, I gave an eye roll. I believe my exact line was, “What, Troy Baker’s the guy to solve every lead actor issue in a game now?” (laughs) It just felt like a cop-out in some way. But then Troy’s audition came in, and it was just so good. It wasn’t just the voice, but also the mannerisms. We even did a bunch of ****** tests with Troy and some of the other possible actors, and every time, Troy won. Betheada/MachineGames I’ve already seen some chatter online with people wondering if this will just feel like Uncharted or Tomb Raider … which is ironic since both of those games are heavily inspired by Indiana Jones. Aside from Indy’s character, what would you say to anyone who is worried this will feel too similar to other franchises? Howard: Our game has a lot of cinematics. There’s over three hours of scenes in it, but at its heart, it’s still a game. There’s also certain things that work well for movies and things that work well for video games. Games do geography well and they can put you in a character in ways a movie can’t. It’s a new unique way to experience the franchise. Baker: I also feel like it isn’t a “do you pick up this or that,” I feel like a lot of people will pick up both. When you watch Indy, you want to be there, cracking that whip and solving mysteries, and that’s exactly what this game allows you to do. Bethesada/MachineGames This game is releasing after you’ve both had a pretty massive few years. Todd, you work on Fallout, which just received an acclaimed, Emmy-nominated series adaptation, and Troy, you’re the voice of Joel in The Last of Us, which has had a widely praised Emmy-winning series adaptation. What’s it been like navigating these few years? Howard: For Fallout, it was a long journey. There were a lot of pitches to do Fallout as a movie or TV show, and then I met Jonah Nolan and his crew at Kilter, and it felt like we melded on what this could be. My mode was ‘Don’t treat it like it’s a video game, this is source material for a linear story.’ It’s been great to see so many people experience the world of Fallout who never would have played the game. Baker: I think what led to the success of both Fallout and The Last of Us was that they kept the creators involved. Even if it’s a spiritual connection to the people who brought these franchises into the world, keep them involved and engaged, as opposed to just going, “Yeah, yeah, we get it.” Do you think there are any other games out there that would be perfect to adapt into a movie or TV show? Howard: Indiana Jones, I feel like Indiana Jones would make a good movie (laughs). Baker: Oh yeah, someone should really do that! Source link #Troy #Baker #didnt #fit #Indiana #Jones Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Dell G16 gaming laptop just dropped below $1,000 The Dell G16 gaming laptop just dropped below $1,000 Dell This deal from Dell proves that you don’t need to spend more than $1,000 on gaming laptop deals to walk away with a dependable machine. There are options like the Dell G16-7630. We highly recommend this offer which brings the standard price from $1,250 down to $950. We’re not sure how much time is remaining on this $300 discount, so if you’re interested in this nice gaming laptop under the $1,000 threshold, you better push through with your purchase as soon as possible. It features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with 8GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a solid Intel Core i7 processor at up to 4.90 GHz in Turbo. Why you should buy the Dell G16-7630 gaming laptop The Dell G16-7620 is a powerful budget gaming laptop, and its successor, the Dell G16-7630, fits that description even better. For less than $1,000 with Dell’s offer, you’ll get a machine that’s equipped with the 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM that our guide on how much RAM do you need says is the best place to start for gaming. That’s especially true considering this laptop is equipped with DDR5 memory, the fastest on the market right now. The Dell G16-7630 isn’t going to challenge the breakneck speeds of the top-of-the-line models of the best gaming laptops, but it will be enough to enjoy your picks from the best PC games. The screen of the Dell G16-7630 is relatively big and sharp at 16 inches and with QHD+ resolution, and with a 240Hz refresh rate, quick movements on the display will be smooth. The gaming laptop also comes with a 1TB SSD, so you’ll have plenty of space for your favorite titles, and with Windows 11 Home pre-loaded, you can start downloading and installing them right after you unbox this machine. Gamers shouldn’t settle for laptop deals that aren’t designed for gaming if they’re on a tight budget, because there are some nice gaming laptops that you can get for less than $1,000. One of them is the Dell G16-7630, with this configuration featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card available with a $300 discount from Dell that drops its price from $1,250 to only $950. We’re not sure how much time is remaining before this offer expires though, so you’re going to want to secure your own Dell G16-7630 gaming laptop immediately. Source link #Dell #G16 #gaming #laptop #dropped Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pierotti’s first goal for Lecce lifts club off bottom Pierotti’s first goal for Lecce lifts club off bottom Argentine forward Santiago Pierotti scored his first goal for Lecce to help stave off another Serie A defeat with a 1-1 draw against Empoli. Antonio Gallo crossed from the left for the centrally positioned forward to head a late equaliser for the home team. It was Pierotti’s first goal in 22 Serie A appearances since joining Lecce from Argentine club Colón de Santa Fe in January. Lecce started the game bottom of the table after losing five of their previous seven matches, but Friday’s point lifted them above Monza and Venezia before they play Lazio and Parma, respectively. Pietro Pellegri had fired inside the left post from outside the penalty area in the 33rd for Empoli, his second goal in as many games. Pellegri’s goal for the 1-0 win over Como last weekend was his first since his summer switch from Torino. Source link #Pierottis #goal #Lecce #lifts #club #bottom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Executives Emphasize Commitment To “New Ideas,” Not “******* Budgets” Nintendo Executives Emphasize Commitment To “New Ideas,” Not “******* Budgets” In a new interview, Nintendo executives stated that they are skeptical of big budgets and want to rely instead on “new ideas.” Nintendo itself conducted the interview as part of its earnings briefing for this fiscal year, which ends March 2025 (you can find the full English translation here). During the interview, various Nintendo executives–including Mario-creator Shigeru Miyamoto–were asked about the company’s recent efforts, such as the launch of Nintendo Music and the announcement of the Switch 2’s backward compatibility. When asked about rising development costs throughout the video game industry, Miyamoto replied that the company wishes to cultivate good ideas and refine games until the developers are confident in what they’ve made. While this does have costs, not all games need to be expensive. Miyamoto said, “it is possible to create appealing products based on intriguing ideas, without incurring significant costs.” Senior executive officer and corporate director Ko Shiota emphasized an efficient development environment. Because developers are already familiar with the Nintendo Switch, the company wishes to “maintain a similar basis for development environments,” according to Shiota. In conclusion, Shiota added, “I believe the most important thing for Nintendo is how we create new ideas. ******* budgets do not necessarily equate to better ideas.” In the same interview, Miyamoto said that he is not a genius. Nintendo also emphasized that it would generally prefer to “organically expand” rather than acquire new companies. News about the Nintendo Switch successor has been scarce, but leaks suggest an official announcement is set for sometime in the next five months. Alleged first images of the Switch successor leaked back in September. Source link #Nintendo #Executives #Emphasize #Commitment #Ideas #******* #Budgets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Get $50 off a Samsung 1TB SSD with this Best Buy deal Get $50 off a Samsung 1TB SSD with this Best Buy deal Samsung One of the best SSD deals around is available at Best Buy today: You can buy the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD for just $70 meaning, you’re saving $50 off the regular price of $120. That’s a huge saving on something that will be a massive upgrade to your PC, boosting performance speeds compared to a regular hard drive. It also means more room — SSD speeds are a better option than any of the external hard drive deals happening. If that instantly sounds appealing, read on while we take you through all you need to know about this deal. Why you should buy the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD If you’ve read through our SSD buying guide, you’ll know the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD has a ton of potential. It promises read/write speeds of up to 5,000/4,2000 MBps while also being highly energy efficient. That means up to 70% improved performance per watt over the 970 EVO Plus that came before it. It uses Samsung’s fine tuned Smart Thermal Control and heat spreading label to provide effective thermal control so there are no performance drops, circumventing one issue with these kinds of SSDs. The Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD is compatible with both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2, so it’s all good for your future proofing plans. If you’re still unsure about the difference between SSD and HDD, trust us when we say that SSD is faster. Besides the raw performance, the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD also comes with Magician Software for easy updates. Adding to the simplicity, the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD is super easy to install once you open up your PC. It’s hard to pick fault in this, especially at this price. Usually priced at $120, the Samsung 990 Evo 1TB SSD is currently reduced by $50 at Best Buy, down to a bargain price of $70. That’s a budget price for a great, easy upgrade to your PC. Check it out now by tapping the button below to be one step nearer to improving your PC’s performance. It’s a super easy upgrade that will make a big difference to your PC. Source link #Samsung #1TB #SSD #Buy #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What to know about the House push to expand some Social Security benefits What to know about the House push to expand some Social Security benefits WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to try next week to pass a Social Security-related bill to ensure benefits for workers who are also eligible for other pensions despite a surprise move by hard-right Freedom Caucus leaders to derail the effort. It’s a quick turnaround to salvage what had been a bipartisan effort to pass the bill during what’s now the lame-duck post-election ******* of the Congress. Here’s what’s going on: WHAT DOES THE BILL DO? The measure that would repeal the so-called “government pensions offset” has been gaining support in the House — a robust 300 lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have signed on to it. The bill summary says the government pensions offset “in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own.” The bill would repeal that provision and reinstate full Social Security benefits. HOW WAS THE BILL ADVANCING? To force the legislation forward, the sponsors of the bill, *********** Rep. Garrett Graves of Louisiana and Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia used a rarely successful process called a discharge petition. They collected the minimum 218 signatures needed from House lawmakers to dislodge the bill from committee and send it to the floor for a vote. The move is often seem as an affront to House leaders, particularly the House speaker and the majority leader who determine the floor schedule. But Spanberger and Graves — who both did not seek reelection — had little to lose. Besides, Johnson backed the bill before becoming speaker. HOW DID CONSERVATIVES BLOCK IT? Two leaders of the ************* House Freedom Caucus intervened when the rest of Congress was away from Capitol Hill, mostly in home states for Election Day. The Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., and former chair Rep. Bob Goode, R-Va., used a routine pro forma session of the House on Tuesday to swiftly table part of the measure. The Freedom Caucus tends to block new spending. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would add some $196 billion to the federal deficit over a decade. Graves said that’s the amount people are missing out on without reinstating full Social Security benefits. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? In tabling the legislation the conservatives actually set back its procedural rule, but not the bill itself. The legislation is expected to move forward with a House vote anyway, possibly in the week ahead. That said, passage will now be tougher, requiring a supermajority threshold rather than a simple majority as had been planned under the rule that the Freedom Caucus leaders turned back. WHO WOULD BENEFIT IF THE BILL PASSES? The summary says the legislation, if approved, would repeal the provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. It says the bill also eliminates the so-called “windfall elimination provision” that “in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes.” If it passes the House, it’s unclear if the bill has enough support to clear the Senate. But the wide margin in the House indicates potentially broad support. It would then go to President Joe Biden’s desk. If signed into law, the summary says the changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023. Source link #House #push #expand #Social #Security #benefits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]