Pelican Press

Stalker 2 Dev Admits It’s “Rough Around The Edges,” But Is “Committed” To Fixes Stalker 2 Dev Admits It’s “Rough Around The Edges,” But Is “Committed” To Fixes Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is out now, but it seems players should expect a bumpy ride, as even its developer is warning that it is “rough around the edges.” In a heartfelt message posted to social media, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World said the 15-years-later sequel, developed during Russia’s ongoing invasion, is a “love letter to Ukraine” and a “project of endless love and passion” from the team. However, GSC also didn’t sugar coat the state of the game at launch. A message from the GSC Game World Team. Before you step into the Zone, we’d like to take a moment to share something from the heart. pic.twitter.com/wuLRAkq7Ba — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) November 20, 2024 “Stalker 2 is a massive game,” GSC Game World said in its statement. “We understand that in such a game, there may still be rough edges: we literally haven’t released anything of this scale before.” Numerous reviews, including GameSpot’s Stalker 2 review, took notice of the game’s technical problems, reporting numerous visual bugs and frequent crashes. GameSpot reviewer Richard Wakeling said the game’s “torrent of technical issues” ultimately hampers the game’s oppressive atmosphere. The first-person shooter combines elements of military sims and survival horror, as players attempt to survive a Chornobyl exclusion zone filled with mutants, hostile humans, and strange anomalies. GSC Game World, for its part, said it’s committed to the game and making improvements. “We’re absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback, and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention,” GSC said in its statement. “In the first days after release, we’ll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can.” Larger updates and additional improvements will come over time, GSC said, which will include free in-game content. A content roadmap for Stalker 2 will be revealed in December. “We have big plans for the Stalker universe,” GSC said. “In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey.” Stalker 2 is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, where it’s also available via Game Pass. Source link #Stalker #Dev #Admits #Rough #Edges #Committed #Fixes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Iceland volcano erupts for tenth time in three years Iceland volcano erupts for tenth time in three years More volcanic activity is occurring on the Reykjanes peninsula, some 30km southwest of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. Source link #Iceland #volcano #erupts #tenth #time #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Path of Exile 2 announces Early Access price Path of Exile 2 announces Early Access price Grinding Gear Games has revealed the price for interested players to get Early Access to Path of Exile 2 at the strong price of $30. The plans will release tomorrow during a live event detailing what is available in the game as it launches. As announced on its forum, the new packs, dubbed Supporter Packs, will introduce Early Access keys and replace current Core Supporter Packs, which include cosmetics and points to spend on specific mechanics, like storage and other customization features. Unlike our usual tiers of core supporter packs, Early Access packs will begin at $30 USD. — Path of Exile (@pathofexile) November 19, 2024 Path of Exile 2 launches to Early Access early next month following a brief delay earlier this month. It’s not clear how long the game will remain in the state, but with the ambition behind the developer — 100 bosses, 240 active skills, 1,500 Passives, and more, it’s gonna take a while, we’re sure. Path of Exile 2 Early Access starts on December 6 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Source link #Path #Exile #announces #Early #Access #price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Asia markets live: Nvidia results, Adani charges Asia markets live: Nvidia results, Adani charges CNBC Pro: HSBC names 3 ‘underappreciated’ ****** stocks to watch in 2025 — giving one 63% upside potential ****** markets will look “very different” in 2025 in light of China’s new policy measures, the slowing Indian economy and Southeast ****** countries’ investments into new infrastructure, according to HSBC. Still, several stocks can “benefit from these changes in Asia as they are best positioned to capture growth from these opportunities and that our analysts like from a bottom-up perspective,” the bank’s analysts noted. “In highlighting these stocks, we decided to look outside of consensus ideas, which are generally well owned, and our aim is to highlight quality stocks that are relatively underappreciated,” they said, naming three of their top ideas. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Amala Balakrishner ‘Significant corrections’ followed stock markets this stretched in the past, Deutsche Bank says The stock market has always pulled back when valuations are stretched as they are now, according to Deutsche Bank macro strategist Henry Allen in a note to clients this week. “[T]urning points can happen quickly, and … when valuations are stretched to start with, there can be limited scope for further gains,” Allen noted. “[E]xamples of high returns through history have often been followed by sizeable reversals.” The bank cited lofty current readings in the Cyclically Adjusted Price-to-Earnings (CAPE) ratio developed by economist Robert Shiller, arguing that “the CAPE ratio for the S&P 500 has only been higher on two other occasions in the last century” than it is today. During the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s and the ******* before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, “there was little scope for further gains since valuations were already so stretched to start with, and they were each followed by a significant correction,” Allen wrote. “Indeed, on both the occasions the CAPE ratio has got as high as it is today, there was then a significant correction.” — Scott Schnipper Fed Governor Bowman says inflation progress has ‘stalled’ Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman said Wednesday that progress on bringing inflation back to the central bank’s goal has slowed. “We have not yet met our inflation goal and, as I noted earlier, progress in lowering inflation appears to have stalled,” Bowman said in remarks in West Palm Beach, Florida. “I see greater risks to the price stability side of our mandate, especially while the labor market ******** near full employment, but it is also possible that we could see a deterioration in labor market conditions.” Recent data has indicated that the Fed has neared its 2% inflation target, though the all-items consumer price index nudged higher in October and the core rate indeed has held steady around 3.3% since August. Inflation concerns caused Bowman to vote against the half-percentage-point interest rate cut in September, though she did vote for the quarter-point reduction earlier this month, which she would have preferred for the initial move. The policymaker said she approaches her role “in an independent way, relying on facts, analysis, my own experience and judgment,” and with the inflation mandate in mind. “In some cases, this approach has led me to depart from the views of my colleagues,” she said. — Jeff Cox Fed Governor Cook expects more rate cuts as inflation eases Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said Wednesday that she sees inflation continuing to ease while the labor market “******** solid” despite some recent signs of weakness. Consequently, she expects the central bank to continue lowering its benchmark interest rate, though the path ahead is uncertain. “Going forward, I still see the direction of the appropriate policy rate path to be downward, but the magnitude and timing of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks,” Cook said in remarks at the University of Virginia. While inflation, particularly at the core excluding food and energy, ******** above the Fed’s goal, she expects progress to continue as housing services prices, such as rent, slow their ascent. — Jeff Cox Source link #Asia #markets #live #Nvidia #results #Adani #charges Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review | TheXboxHub S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review | TheXboxHub Review – S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – one of the most immersive, grittiest, most brutal of games, for multiple reasons. Source link #S.T.A.L.K.E.R #Heart #Chornobyl #Review #TheXboxHub Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Could Trump reinstate forgiven student debt? Here’s what experts say Could Trump reinstate forgiven student debt? Here’s what experts say Mementojpeg | Moment | Getty Images Since President Joe Biden took office, the Education Department has canceled the federal student loans of nearly 5 million people, totaling $175 billion in relief, according to the White House. It has done so mostly by improving existing student loan relief programs that had long been plagued by problems, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness initiative and income-driven repayment plans. Those borrowers should be in the clear, experts say. “Any regulatory changes must be prospective only,” meaning that eliminations to loan forgiveness programs would only impact new borrowers, explained Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit that helps borrowers navigate the repayment of their debt. “They aren’t allowed to change regulations retroactively,” she added. For that reason, even borrowers who have been pursuing forgiveness under an income-driven repayment plan or a program like PSLF, but have not yet received that relief, may be safe. The terms of a loan, which are spelled out in the master promissory note federal student loan borrowers sign when they take out the debt, can’t be change in the middle of repayment, experts said. In June, U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Wichita, Kansas, described student loan forgiveness as having an “irreversible impact,” in his decision to block one of the Biden administration’s relief measures. More from Personal Finance:****** Friday deals aren’t always the best28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday tabHere’s who can ‘easily afford’ holiday costs The retraction of student loan forgiveness is incredibly rare, Kantrowitz writes in a recent article in The College Investor. For example, in February, some borrowers saw their debts reinstated under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Yet that only occurred because the debt cancellation was granted through an error, and the borrowers were not yet eligible for the relief. “Don’t worry,” Kantrowitz said. “The president does not have the legal authority to reinstate forgiven loans.” Still, borrowers should keep a record of the notices they’ve received about their forgiven debt, and any loan documents showing a $0 balance, Kantrowitz said. In a new report, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cites, among the errors reported by student loan borrowers, “balance reinstatements,” in which a loan servicer tacks a loan balance back on to one’s account. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Trump #reinstate #forgiven #student #debt #Heres #experts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game is out now on iOS and Android, bringing yellow bullet heaven action Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game is out now on iOS and Android, bringing yellow bullet heaven action Give bathtime a boost with the newly-released Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game A mixture of auto-battler and bullet heaven, ******** hordes of enemies with a squad of rubber ducks Find it now on the iOS App Store and Google Play! Would bathtime really be the same without rubber ducks? These cutesy floating critters have been gracing bathtubs around the world since time immemorial. But what happens when the chips are down and action is needed? Well in real life we probably wouldn’t recommend it, but in Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game you turn to this feathered anatidae! Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game is an intriguing mix of squad-based auto battler and bullet heaven. You’ll assemble a squad of diverse rubber duckies with different themes and abilities, before pitting them against waves of enemies and bosses to ********. While nobody will dub Rubber Duck a groundbreaking new step in the field of interactive media, what it does offer is quite well done. Cutesy graphics, approachable gameplay and a genuinely fun little twist on a genre that, speaking personally, I feel has been done to ****** lately. Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game is out now on iOS and Android! Duck, you ******* Yes like I said this isn’t exactly groundbreaking and has probably been done before. But Rubber Duck: Idle Squad Game, to me, looks to be a genuinely decent entry in the genre with plenty to offer. I think the mixing of auto-battler and bullet heaven game is a fun one, and it means that there’s plenty of action on-screen that you don’t usually get beyond tapping to activate ultimates in the former genre. Whether or not it’ll be able to distinguish itself outside of that though, will be up to how Rubber Duck does when it gets into your hands. If you’re looking to get more recommendations for top new releases and get ’em fast, you should also be checking in on our new site, PocketGamer.fun! Featuring plenty of fantastic, interesting new releases, there’s always something new to add to your to-play list. Source link #Rubber #Duck #Idle #Squad #Game #iOS #Android #bringing #yellow #bullet #heaven #action Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ukraine Strikes Inside Russia With U.S. Missiles Ukraine Strikes Inside Russia With U.S. Missiles The next two or three months in Ukraine are likely to be exceedingly violent, in a war that has already been the deadliest in Europe in the past 80 years. Marc Santora, who has been reporting from Ukraine since the beginning of the war with Russia, explains why. Source link #Ukraine #Strikes #Russia #U.S #Missiles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

William Shatner’s Captain Kirk returns one last time in an eight-minute short film William Shatner’s Captain Kirk returns one last time in an eight-minute short film William Shatner, who once sparred with Engadget , has finally reprised his most famous role. Captain Kirk is back in the short film 765874 – Unification. This eight-minute story is live now on YouTube and follows the events of Star Trek: Generations, which was the last time Shatner donned his Starfleet uniform. The short was made by a graphics company called OTOY, along with Paramount and Shatner himself. It technically exists to honor the 30th anniversary of Generations, but it also acts as a proper send-off to the first Star Trek captain. Now it’s time to get into spoiler territory, for those who haven’t seen a 30-year-old movie. Captain Kirk is *****. He ***** on an uninhabited planet after trying to stop Malcolm McDowell from unleashing an extra-dimensional time ribbon called the Nexus on an unwitting solar system of innocent folks. You know the drill. It’s Star Trek! Anyways, the short follows Kirk after dying on that planet. Is it the after-life or maybe the residual effects of the Nexus? We don’t know. There’s no dialogue to help us along. Instead, a de-aged Kirk, sometimes played by Sam Witwer, wanders an otherworldly realm until he eventually finds an old friend. It’s surprisingly touching, particularly for ****-hard Trek fans. The emotional depth is enhanced by the soundtrack, which is helmed by veteran Star Trek composer and MCU director Michael Giacchino. I knew it was him in like five seconds. The music reminded me of Lost, which was another show scored by Giacchino. Barring some new life extension technology, this is likely the last time we’ll see Shatner’s Kirk. The man is 93 years old. Paul Wesley has stepped into Shatner’s space boots to portray a younger version of the captain on . Despite his advanced age, Shatner . Source link #William #Shatners #Captain #Kirk #returns #time #eightminute #short #film Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quordle today – hints and answers for Thursday, November 21 (game #1032) Quordle today – hints and answers for Thursday, November 21 (game #1032) 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 #1032) – hint #1 – Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*. * 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 #1032) – 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 #1032) – 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 #1032) – 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 #1032) – hint #5 – starting letters (2) What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with? • R • E • C • B Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1032) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1032, are… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. EAGER is one of those annoying words that always trips me up in Quordle. I see the -AGER pattern and immediately think ‘I need a consonant, then. L for LAGER, P for PAGER or W for WAGER.’ But no, there is a vowel that goes there too, it’s E for EAGER, and I always fail to consider it. Fortunately the other words here were fairly simple solves for me, although ****** is a difficult word in isolation; BBI for the final three letters is not common at all (in fact, I don’t think there are any other words that have that format). BRASH might have caused problems depending on which letters you had ruled out (TRASH and ****** are alternatives), but all told this was a straightforward Quordle. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Daily Sequence today (game #1032) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1032, are… Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1031, Wednesday 20 November: MINTY, TOPAZ, BRUSH, LAPEL Quordle #1030, Tuesday 19 November: NINJA, PENCE, PAINT, FOIST Quordle #1029, Monday 18 November: ASCOT, BRINK, WEIRD, HOMER Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER 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 Source link #Quordle #today #hints #answers #Thursday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is nuclear power regaining energy? Is nuclear power regaining energy? Getty Images A number of countries including the *** are building new nuclear power stations A decade ago, it seemed as though the global nuclear industry was in an irreversible decline. Concerns over safety, cost, and what to do with radioactive waste had sapped enthusiasm for a technology once seen as a revolutionary source of abundant cheap energy. Yet now there is widespread talk of a revival, fuelled by tech giants Microsoft, Google and Amazon all announcing investments in the sector, as well as the growing pressures on wealthy nations to curb their carbon emissions. But how real is the comeback? When commercial nuclear power was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s, governments were seduced by its seemingly unlimited potential. Nuclear reactors could harness and control the same awesome forces released by atomic ****** – to provide electricity for millions of homes. With a single kilogram of uranium yielding some 20,000 times as much energy as a kilogram of coal, it seemed like the future. But the technology also inspired public *****. And that ***** seemed to be justified by the Chernobyl disaster, which spread radioactive contamination across Europe in early 1986. It fuelled widespread public and political opposition – and slowed the growth of the industry. Another accident, at the Fukushima Daichi plant in Japan in 2011, re-energised concerns about nuclear safety. Japan itself shut down all of its reactors in the immediate aftermath, and only 12 have since restarted. Germany decided to phase out nuclear power altogether. Other countries scaled back plans to invest in new power plants, or extend the lives of ageing facilities. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, this led to the loss of 48GW of electric power generation globally between 2011 and 2020. Getty Images The Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 raised new fears about the safety of the global industry But nuclear development did not stop. In China, for example, there were 13 nuclear reactors in 2011. There are now 55, with another 23 under construction. For Beijing, scrambling to meet rapidly growing electricity demand, nuclear had, and still has, a vital role to play. Now interest in the sector seems to be growing elsewhere once again. This is partly because developed countries are hunting for ways to meet energy demand, while striving to meet emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. With 2024 projected to be the warmest year on record, the pressure to cut carbon emissions is mounting. A renewed focus on energy security, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has also been a factor. South Korea, for example, recently scrapped plans to phase out its large fleet of nuclear power stations over the next four decades – and will build more instead. And France has reversed plans to reduce its own reliance on nuclear energy, which provides 70% of its electricity. Instead, it wants to build up to eight new reactors. In addition, last week the US government reaffirmed at the ******* Nations Climate Change Conference, or Cop29, held in Azerbaijan, that it intends to triple nuclear power generation by 2050. The White House had originally pledged to do this on the side lines of last year’s conference, Cop28. A total of 31 countries have now agreed to try to triple their use of nuclear power by 2050, including the ***, France and Japan. Also at Cop29, which ends on Friday, 22 November, the US and *** announced that they would collaborate to speed up the development of new nuclear power technology. This follows after it was agreed in the final statement or “stocktake” of last year’s Cop28 that nuclear should be one of the zero or low emission technologies to be “accelerated” to help combat climate change. But hunger for clean power is not just coming from governments. Technology giants are striving to develop more and more applications that use artificial intelligence. Yet AI relies on data – and data centres need constant, reliable electricity. According to Barclays Research, data centres account for 3.5% of electricity consumption in the US today, but that figure could rise to more than 9% by the end of the decade. In September, Microsoft signed a 20-year deal to buy power from Constellation Energy, which will lead to the reopening of the infamous Three Mile Island power station in Pennsylvania – the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history, where a reactor suffered a partial meltdown in 1979. Despite its tainted public image, another reactor at the plant continued to generate electricity until 2019. Constellation’s chief executive Joe Dominguez described the deal to reopen it as a “powerful symbol of the rebirth of nuclear power as a clean and reliable energy resource”. Other tech giants have taken a different approach. Google plans to buy energy produced from a handful of so-called Small Modular Reactors or SMRs – a nascent technology intended to make nuclear energy easier and cheaper to deploy. Amazon is also supporting SMR development and construction. SMRs themselves are being promoted, in part, as a solution to one of the biggest drawbacks facing nuclear power today. In western nations, new power stations have to be built to exacting modern safety standards. This makes them prohibitively expensive and complicated to build. Hinkley Point C is a good example. Britain’s first new nuclear power station since the mid-1990s is being built on a stretch of remote coastline in southwest England. It is meant to be the first of a batch of new plants to replace the country’s ageing reactor fleet. But the project is running some five years behind schedule and will cost up to £9bn ($11.5bn) more than planned. It is not an isolated case. The US’s newest reactors at Plant Vogtle in Georgia opened seven years late, and cost more than $35bn – well over double their original budget. SMRs are designed to solve this problem. They will be smaller than traditional reactors, using standardised parts that can be assembled quickly, at sites close to where the power is needed. But while there are some 80 different designs under development globally, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the concept has yet to be proven commercially. Getty Images Microsoft’s need for electricity will see the Three Mile Island nuclear power station, pictured, restart Opinions about nuclear power remain highly polarised. Supporters claim the technology is indispensable if climate targets are to be reached. Among them is Rod Adams, whose Nucleation Capital fund promotes investment in nuclear technology. “Nuclear fission has a seven-decade history showing it is one of the safest power sources available,” he explains. “It is a durable, reliable source of power with low ongoing costs already, but capital costs have been too high in Western countries.” Opponents though, insist nuclear power is not the answer. According to Professor M.V. Ramana of the University of British Columbia, it is “a folly to consider nuclear energy as clean”. It is, he says, “one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity. Investing in cheaper low-carbon sources of energy will provide more emissions reductions per dollar.” If current trends do herald a new nuclear age, one old problem ********. After 70 years of atomic power, there is still disagreement over what to do with the accumulated radioactive waste – some of which will remain hazardous for hundreds of thousands of years. The answer being pursued by many governments is geological disposal – burying the waste in sealed tunnels deep underground. But only one country, Finland, has actually built such a facility, while environmentalists and anti-nuclear campaigners argue that dumping waste out of sight and out of mind is simply too risky. Solving that conundrum may be a key factor in dictating whether there really will be a new age of nuclear power. Source link #nuclear #power #regaining #energy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buying ****** Ops 6 Or Playing With Game Pass Comes With A Nice Bonus For Warzone Buying ****** Ops 6 Or Playing With Game Pass Comes With A Nice Bonus For Warzone Activision has revealed that Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 players can get a nice bonus in Call of Duty: Warzone. A new trailer called “Maximize Your Gameplay” confirms the people who buy ****** Ops 6 receive a 30% XP boost in the free-to-play battle-royale title. GameSpot understands that people who play through Game Pass can also get the XP boost. The fine print in the trailer specifies that the 30% XP boost is only available during the seasonal content for ****** Ops 6, which suggests it’ll end in time for 2025’s inevitable Call of Duty game. Still, the 30% XP boost should last for nearly a year, which is a nice perk if you want to spend $70 to buy the game. In other XP news, the legacy double XP tokens that were removed from ****** Ops 6 have been reinstated, and that’s good news for people hoping to level up faster. Season 1 of Call of Duty continues to add new content to the game, with Ranked Play mode arriving to multiplayer on November 21. In other related news, Call of Duty is now more popular on Xbox than it is on any other platform for the first time in over a decade. Source link #Buying #****** #Ops #Playing #Game #Pass #Nice #Bonus #Warzone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, November 21 (game #263) NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, November 21 (game #263) 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 #263) – hint #1 – today’s theme What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands? • Today’s NYT Strands theme is… You’re getting warm NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #2 – clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #3 – spangram What is a hint for today’s spangram? • Watch the flames dance NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #4 – spangram position What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches? First: left, 5th row Last: right, 5th row Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #263) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Strands, game #263, are… POKER CHIMNEY BROOM FLUE HEARTH SCREEN MANTEL SPANGRAM: FIREPLACE My rating: Easy My score: Perfect This will date me, but does anyone else remember those wonderful Busytown and Lowly Worm books by Richard Scarry? I loved these as kids, poring over the illustrations in search of all of the different named objects and characters. Playing Strands sometimes feels like a similar exercise. “Today’s theme, children, is FIREPLACE. Now name as many words as you can that are related. Yes, CHIMNEY, that’s a good one. Oh well done, you got BROOM!” Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. That is the point of Strands, I guess, but equally it’s more challenging when the puzzle is a little more creative – for instance when it involves pairs of things, or phrases, or logic in some way. Just naming things is a lot easier, and Strands is not a difficult game at the best of times. We’re 250-plus games in now, and I don’t think I’ve ever ******* one. Contrast that with Connections, where I fail regularly, and you can see the problem. Anyway, there’s no major problem with today’s game, it’s just a little straightforward to hold the attention for longer than a few minutes. Maybe that’s no bad thing, given how busy we all are, though. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 20 November, game #262) LITTER BONE COLLAR KIBBLE BALL LASER CATNIP SPANGRAM: PETSUPPLIES 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 #Thursday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Matt Gaetz ethics report release uncertain after panel deadlocked Matt Gaetz ethics report release uncertain after panel deadlocked Getty Images Pressure has mounted on the ethics committee to release its findings into Gaetz A congressional ethics committee has ******* to reach an agreement over whether to release a report on alleged ******* misconduct by Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the US Department of Justice. The House committee met for two hours behind closed doors on Wednesday, as calls grew for details of its investigation into Gaetz, a former Florida congressman whose nomination to serve as attorney general has proved controversial. “There was no consensus on this issue,” Democratic Representative Susan Wild told reporters, adding that a vote had been taken but the bipartisan committee remained split along party lines. She said they would meet again on 5 December. It is unclear whether they could release the report into Gaetz, who denies any wrongdoing, before then. Pressure has mounted on the ethics committee to release its findings, as members of the Senate begin meeting with Gaetz ahead of a hearing when they will vote on whether to confirm him as attorney general. “They’ve been going great,” Gaetz said of the meetings on Wednesday. “Senators been giving me a lot of good advice. I’m looking forward to a hearing.” The ethics committee had been preparing to vote on the report’s release before Gaetz’s abrupt resignation from the House, which came just after Trump’s nomination, the New York Times reported. His departure cast doubt on whether the report would see the light of day, because having resigned he is no longer under congressional jurisdiction and the committee only investigates House members. The committee Chairman Michael Guest, a ***********, told reporters on Wednesday that he had “some reservations” about releasing the report because it is still going through the review process. He told CNN the committee would consider releasing it publicly or sending it directly to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it ******** uncertain whether it will leave the committee at all. Reporters and members of the media packed the hallway outside the room where members of the committee met on Wednesday. Most lawmakers remained tight-lipped as they passed the gauntlet of journalists on their way out of the meeting. Speaking to MSNBC afterward, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, a Democrat, said he had ****** “we will get to the right solution”. Gaetz, 42, is a lawyer who made a name for himself on Capitol Hill and cable news as a right-wing rabble rouser. He is a staunch defender of Trump and led a successful effort to oust *********** House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. Some of Gaetz’s former House colleagues have voiced support for his nomination, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who called him a “reformer” who would “bring a lot to the table”. But Gaetz also has been dogged by allegations of impropriety in recent years. The US justice department previously investigated him for allegations he had a ******* relationship with a 17-year-old girl and violated **** trafficking laws. But the case was dropped and Gaetz, who denied the allegations, was never charged. In June, the ethics committee announced it was investigating several allegations against Gaetz, including that he “engaged in ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favours to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct”. Two women testified to the committee that Gaetz paid them “for ****”, their lawyer, Joel Leppard, told CBS this week. One of the women also testified that she witnessed the then-congressman having **** with a minor during a party in 2017, the lawyer said. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and says the accusations are politically motivated. “***** were weaponised to try to ******** me,” Gaetz posted on X on Friday. “These ***** resulted in prosecution, conviction, and prison. For the liars, not me.” Trump showed no sign of backing down on his cabinet pick this week. “Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponisation of our justice system,” Trump transition spokesman Alex Pfieffer said in a statement. Meanwhile, Senators of both parties have spoken in favour of accessing the ethics report. ***** Durbin, an Illinois Democrat and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded that the other committee “preserve and share” the report with his panel. “Make no mistake: This information could be relevant to the question of Mr Gaetz’s confirmation as the next attorney general of the ******* States, and our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent,” Durbin said. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa *********** who also sits on the judiciary committee, said: “I think that if they want a speedy consideration of this nomination, we’ve got to have as much transparency as we can have.” North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher makes sense of the presidential election in his twice weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers in the *** can sign up here. Those outside the *** can sign up here. Source link #Matt #Gaetz #ethics #report #release #uncertain #panel #deadlocked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stalker 2 studio outlines plans to smooth the game’s ‘rough edges’ Stalker 2 studio outlines plans to smooth the game’s ‘rough edges’ GSC Game World has acknowledged Stalker 2‘s “rough edges” and pledged to make improvements to the newly released title. Following a lengthy and highly challenging development cycle, which included the studio partially relocating from Kiev to the Czech Republic following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the post-apocalyptic shooter launched today for Xbox Series X/S, PC and Game Pass. While reserving praise for the game’s setting and side stories, VGC’s Stalker 2 review said the game suffered from “constant performance issues” and “an uncountable number of bugs”. In a message published on X today, GSC Game World said it’s “incredibly proud” of its “love letter to Ukraine”, before stating that its work on the game is far from complete. “We understand that in such a game, there may still be rough edges: we literally haven’t released anything of this scale before,” it said. “We’re absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback, and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention. “In the first days after release, we’ll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can. Then, we’ll switch to larger updates that include constant improvements. There will also be free in-game content – we’ll share its roadmap later in December. “We have big plans for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe,” it continued. “In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey. We’re blessed to have you before, we’re blessed to have you now. The Zone belongs to you. Have fun.” A message from the GSC Game World Team. Before you step into the Zone, we’d like to take a moment to share something from the heart. pic.twitter.com/wuLRAkq7Ba — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) November 20, 2024 At the time of publishing, Stalker 2 has scores of 74 (PC) and 81 (Xbox Series X/S) on review aggregation site Metacritic. The game has got off to a strong start on Steam, reaching a peak of over 113,000 players. Source link #Stalker #studio #outlines #plans #smooth #games #rough #edges Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Absurd’: Aussie doctor behind ‘******** capsule’ speaks out ‘Absurd’: Aussie doctor behind ‘******** capsule’ speaks out An *********** right-to-**** activist behind a new so-called “******** capsule” has spoken out for the first time after the pod’s first-ever user was instead allegedly strangled. Philip Nitschke said he was not present for what was reportedly the first ever use of the “Sarco” capsule by a chronically ill US woman in a Swiss forest on September 23. Despite Dr Nitschke claiming the pod worked as planned, people were arrested following the 64-year-old’s ****** amid reports she may have been strangled. Those claims were rejected by the South ***********-born humanist and founder of pro-euthanasia group Exit International in an interview with the Associated Press. “It is absurd because we’ve got film that the capsule wasn’t opened. She got in herself, pressed the button herself,” Dr Nitschke told the US wire service this week. Camera IconThe so-called ‘******** capsule’ cost $1.5m to develop and build. Credit: NewsWire Dr Nitschke said the head of Exit International’s Swiss affiliate, Florian Willet, was present for the ****** and called police who later took him into custody. The activist said he was compelled to speak out because he was “desperate” about the plight of Mr Willet, who could remain bars on remand for weeks. Other people were also arrested after the woman’s ******, including a journalist with a Dutch newspaper, but were later released. The “Sarco” cost $1.5m to develop according to Dr Nitschke and allows a person sitting reclined in a seat to push a button that floods the chamber with nitrogen gas. Within minutes, the user is supposed to slip into unconsciousness before they **** of suffocation. Camera IconExit International founder and director Philip Nitschke said the woman’s ****** was ‘dignified’. Credit: Supplied Dr Nitschke said the pod’s first user was a woman from the US Midwest who had “compromised immune function” that made her “subject to chronic infection”. In a separate interview, Dr Nitschke said Mr Willet, who was the only person present for the ******, had told him it had been “peaceful, fast, and dignified”. But, on October 26, Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the woman might have actually been strangled. Dr Nitschke said he had been told the pod’s use would be legal in Switzerland, one of the few countries foreigners can come to legally end their life. Source link #Absurd #Aussie #doctor #******** #capsule #speaks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2, PC Master Race Must Abandon Nvidia in 2025 The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2, PC Master Race Must Abandon Nvidia in 2025 The godfathers of the gaming industry are about to make a return with exciting new installments in the form of *****: The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2. Both of these series have had their ups and downs in the last couple of years, but they want to make a comeback against all odds. 2025 is packed with many exciting releases. (Image via Microsoft) With an undisclosed 2025 release date, it’s going to be a while before you get your hands on both these games. However, you must prepare your gaming rig to maximize the performance of these games. The best way to go about that is by picking the right graphics card, and that space is currently owned by Nvidia, not AMD. The Hot Pick For All Games in 2025 is Nvidia Once Again Nvidia is the leader when it comes to the gaming industry. (Image via Nvidia) Putting Nvidia up against AMD for GPU comparison is basically looking at a constant cycle of software-based enhancements, and massive gains, thanks to the rival chip designers’ constant efforts to gain the upper hand. However, in the last couple of years, many in the community have felt that the tide has turned in favor of AMD. It’s often been stated that Team Red’s graphics cards offer better performance than Team Green’s and are perfect for budget gaming builds that are looking to maximize performance and reliability. Nvidia started the year with a large shift that addressed the biggest criticism regarding the pricing of the RTX 4000 Series GPUs. It released 3 GPUs in quick succession: the RTX 4070 Super, the RTX 4070 TI Super, and the RTX 4080 SUPER. All of these replace the old RTX 4000 series cards at different price tags. While AMD didn’t directly respond to this with newer entries in 2024, it has opted for price cuts to keep RX 7000 series GPUs more competitive in the market in terms of price-to-performance ratios. It’s clear from day one that Team Green is ahead when it comes to raw power efficiency for gaming and other tasks. If you’re someone who’s not restrained by budgets and wants to game without any restrictions in 2025, Nvidia is the correct pick. Even in 2024, Team Green’s 4000 series brought us 3rd generation-ray tracing cores offering the fastest ray tracing experience to date. Seriously, you can hop onto any AAA games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, and witness Nvidia’s Path Tracing SDK abilities yourself. Also, Nvidia’s DLSS 3.0/3.5 is a total game changer as it brings massive performance boosts through features such as Frame Generation and optical flow acceleration. This makes high-resolution ray tracing even better on the older generation of graphics cards. The company’s approach to DLSS also ensures that you get tightly integrated performance in games such as Minecraft RTX and Portal RTX. Keep in mind that these benefits come with the current 4000 series. Rumors are already up in the air that Team Green is planning to bring the 5000 series to the table next year, which will take all the benefits we’ve mentioned above to the next level. Nvidia Has Emerged as The World’s Most Valuable Company The company continues to break records. (Image via Nvidia) Last month, Nvidia’s value ended up at $143.71 per share, alongside a $3.4 trillion market cap that put it right alongside Apple. The two tech-companies would switch the top spot as the world’s most valuable company. However, reports suggest that Nvidia has overtaken Apple with a total market value of $3.54 trillion as of October 25. This surge in the company’s market value comes from it being a leader in computing parts that are used for AI development purposes. The use of AI in the world of gaming is a polarizing topic, but the development of all the technologies behind it seems to be great for Team Green as long as it continues to deliver the best processors and other parts for gamers. Only time will tell if Nvidia will hang on to its position as the world’s most valuable company, but considering the fact that the next generation of graphics cards is on the horizon, the future is looking bright for the company. With that said, are you planning to pick Nvidia as your GPU for gaming in 2025? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Dark #Ages #****** #Stranding #Master #Race #Abandon #Nvidia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trial of youth center worker accused of holding down boy while he was ****** turns acrimonious Trial of youth center worker accused of holding down boy while he was ****** turns acrimonious MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The cross-examination of a man who says he was ****** as a teenager by youth center workers in New Hampshire turned acrimonious Wednesday, with the accuser at one point calling an opposing lawyer a “***** man” following a heated exchange. It was the second day in the trial of Bradley Asbury, who is accused of holding down 14-year-old Michael Gilpatrick on a staircase in 1997 with help from a colleague, while a third staffer ****** the teen and a fourth forced him to perform a **** act. It’s the second ********* trial to stem from a broad 2019 investigation into historic ****** at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. Asbury, now 70, is among 11 men who worked there or at an associated facility in Concord who were arrested. Gilpatrick, now 41, took the stand for a second day and was questioned by defense lawyer David Rothstein, who pointed out inconsistencies in his recollection of the events leading up to the alleged *******, including how many times he’d been released home in the months beforehand, what time of day the incident occurred, and whether there were other children around. Gilpatrick said his recollection of details before and after the ******* were hazy. “What I won’t forget, do you want me to continue to tell you?” Gilpatrick said during one of several fiery exchanges with the lawyer. “That your client held me down while another man ****** me.” “Go ahead and say it again, in case they didn’t hear it,” the lawyer responded. “Say it again.” “He held me down and ****** me,” Gilpatrick said loudly, as he leaned into the microphone. “Say it again,” the lawyer responded. “You want me to keep saying it? You’re a ***** man,” Gilpatrick said, before asking the judge for a break and storming off the stand. Rothstein said the ******* never happened and Gilpatrick is motivated by money. He pointed out Gilpatrick has received more than $146,000 against an anticipated payout from a related civil case. “You’re trying to establish that this is about money, and it’s got nothing to do with money,” Gilpatrick testified. Prosecutor Audriana Mekula said the ***** occurred after Gilpatrick made a smart-aleck comment to Asbury and his colleagues and was then dropped onto the floor from behind, picked up by his arms and legs, and dragged onto a staircase at the juvenile lockup. Asbury had been fired from the Concord facility three years before over allegations of physical and psychological ******. But he was later rehired and transferred to Manchester, where he worked until 2001. He is charged with two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated ******* ********. If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison term of 20 years on each count. The trial is expected to conclude either Thursday or Friday. An earlier case against Victor Malavet ended in a mistrial in September after jurors deadlocked on whether he ****** a girl at the Concord facility. A new trial in that case has yet to be scheduled. The investigation has also led to extensive civil litigation. More than 1,100 former residents have filed lawsuits alleging physical, ******* or emotional ****** spanning six decades. In the only civil case to go to trial so far, a jury awarded David Meehan $38 million in May for ****** he says he suffered in the 1990s, though that verdict ******** in dispute as the state seeks to reduce it to $475,000. The Associated Press generally does not identify those who say they were victims of ******* ******** unless they have come forward publicly, as Meehan and Gilpatrick have done. Source link #Trial #youth #center #worker #accused #holding #boy #****** #turns #acrimonious Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I sold my PS5 to upgrade to the PS5 Pro and it might have been a mistake I sold my PS5 to upgrade to the PS5 Pro and it might have been a mistake T3: Do I regret it? Ask me again in six months… Source link #sold #PS5 #upgrade #PS5 #Pro #mistake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Archegos’ Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison for massive U.S. ****** Archegos’ Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison for massive U.S. ****** Archegos Capital Management founder Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang attends his sentencing on a ****** conviction stemming from the 2021 collapse of his $36 billion private investment firm, at the ******* States District Court in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., November 20, 2024. Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Former billionaire investor Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday over the collapse of Archegos Capital Management, which cost Wall Street banks more than $10 billion. Hwang was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan, where a jury convicted Hwang in July on 10 ********* charges including wire ******, securities ****** and market manipulation. Archegos’ March 2021 implosion took less than a week, stunning Wall Street and Hwang’s lenders. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan sought a 21-year prison term for Hwang — unusually long for a white-collar case — and for him to forfeit $12.35 billion and make restitution to victims. “It stands among a rare class of cases that truly could be described as a national calamity,” prosecutor Andrew Thomas said at the sentencing hearing before Hellerstein. Before sentencing Hwang, Hellerstein asked the defendant’s lawyer, Dani James, how she thought Hwang compared to Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced in March to 25 years in prison for stealing $8 billion from users of the now-bankrupt FTX exchange. “Mr. Bankman-Fried was literally stealing from his customers,” James said. “I don’t think that’s what’s happened here.” Hwang had asked for no prison, forfeiture or restitution, and to remain free on bail while he appealed his conviction. James said his low risk of committing more ******* meant a lengthy prison term served no purpose. “The notion that he would commit a ****** in the future, it’s just not so,” James said. Bankman-Fried denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction. FILE PHOTO: Sung Kook ‘Bill’ Hwang, the founder and head of the private investment firm Archegos, arrives at federal court for his ********* racketeering trial, in New York City, U.S., May 21, 2024. David Dee Delgado | Reuters Started as a family office Hwang, 60, was a protégé of late hedge-fund billionaire Julian Robertson. He set up Archegos in New York as a family office in 2013, the year after his former hedge fund Tiger Asia Management pleaded guilty to wire ****** in an insider-trading case. Prosecutors accused Hwang of lying to banks about Archegos’ portfolio so he could borrow money aggressively and make concentrated bets on media and technology stocks such as ViacomCBS, now called Paramount Global. While Archegos eventually managed $36 billion, Hwang’s borrowing helped him amass $160 billion of exposure to stocks. His downfall occurred when Hwang was unable to meet margin calls, as the prices of some of his favorite stocks began falling and various banks unloaded stocks that had backed his so-called total return swaps. More than $100 billion of market value in Hwang’s stocks was wiped out. Several banks suffered losses, including Credit Suisse, which lost $5.5 billion, and Nomura Holdings. Credit Suisse is now part of UBS. Hwang’s lawyers’ request for no punishment also cited Hwang’s ********** ****** and his nonprofit Grace and Mercy Foundation, which has since 2006 donated at least $600 million to combat homelessness, ******** and human trafficking, among other causes. Hwang’s lawyers have said his net worth has fallen to “at most” $55.3 million. Hwang’s co-defendant, former Archegos Chief Financial Officer Patrick Halligan, was convicted at the same trial on three ********* charges. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27. Both chose not to testify at their two-month trial. Source link #Archegos #Bill #Hwang #sentenced #years #prison #massive #U.S #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Good Coffee, Great Coffee is the ideal digestif for Good Pizza, Great Pizza, coming soon Good Coffee, Great Coffee is the ideal digestif for Good Pizza, Great Pizza, coming soon Good Coffee, Great Coffee is TapBlaze’s newest release, set to arrive in early 2025 Currently announced only for iOS, it brings the culinary simulation to the world of baristas Serve drinks for a cast of over 200 NPCs with different personalities and attitudes Hot off the heels of the 10th anniversary of their flagship title Good Pizza, Great Pizza, developer TapBlaze have announced they’ll be tackling another favourite of folks everywhere. No longer content with exploring the world of culinary simulation, soon they’ll take your skills to the venerable world of baristas with Good Coffee, Great Coffee! If you’re familiar with TapBlaze’s other IP, then you won’t find much here to surprise you. Not to downplay it of course, as Good Coffee, Great Coffee is set to offer the same mix of story-based narrative and culinary simulation as you mix amazing-looking drinks for a variety of quirky customers. Yes, one of the main selling points of TapBlaze’s previous work returns as we see that the customers you serve coffee aren’t just faceless NPCs, but fully-rounded characters with backstories and attitudes of their own. Draw fun latte art, experience a fully soundtracked ambient score and even customise your own coffee shop! Hot, hot, oh we got it All things considered, I shouldn’t be surprised that TapBlaze is choosing to stay within the genre where they found their success, but there is something charmingly stereotypical of a developer to basically do the same but slightly different. Not to say I think Good Coffee, Great Coffee looks derivative by any means. However, there is a bit of a worry that it might not innovate quite enough to bring in new fans. Still, I don’t doubt there are plenty of you excited to hear that the series is continuing, and who knows? Maybe 10 years down the line we’ll be celebrating the anniversary of Good Coffee, Great Coffee too? Check it out when it arrives on iOS come February 27th, 2025! And if you want to turn up the heat in the kitchen further, why not check out our list of the top 15 best cooking games on iOS to cook up a storm? Source link #Good #Coffee #Great #Coffee #ideal #digestif #Good #Pizza #Great #Pizza #coming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

********* Airlines to shame boarding line cutters with new technology ********* Airlines to shame boarding line cutters with new technology Haiyun Jiang | Bloomberg | Getty Images Watch out, line cutters. ********* Airlines is rolling out new technology across the country to ****** down on travelers trying to get on the airplane before their boarding group is called. Customers who try to scan a boarding pass before their group is called will hear a two-note sound and be turned away, the airline said. ********* Airlines has nine boarding groups, ranging from first-class customers and top-tier frequent flyers to travelers who purchased basic economy fares, or the least-expensive tickets. Airlines reward their high-paying elite frequent flyers with perks such as earlier boarding, and have been trying to keep it exclusive. The new technology as of Wednesday is in more than 100 nonhub airports around the U.S. following tests over the past month at Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport, ********* Airlines said. The airline plans to roll it out to hubs later. The technology will roll out just as ********* expects 8.3 million people to board its planes between Nov. 21 and Dec. 3, which it considers the Thanksgiving travel *******, an increase of 500,000 customers over last year. Other airlines have experimented with new ways to prevent gate crowding, which helps board planes faster while also trying to protect early boarding for the swelling ranks of elite frequent flyer loyalty program members. ******* Airlines texts customers when it is time to board and provides live updates to customer’s iPhones and Apple Watches with a countdown-to-boarding clock. It also has digital signs showing which boarding group has been called. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #********* #Airlines #shame #boarding #line #cutters #technology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Italian Police Seize Stolen Etruscan Treasures, Including a Princess’s Sarcophagus Italian Police Seize Stolen Etruscan Treasures, Including a Princess’s Sarcophagus In a significant operation against the illicit trade of antiquities, Italian police have recovered a trove of Etruscan funerary treasures in Umbria, believed to have belonged to ancient aristocratic women, possibly princesses. According to The Guardian, the artifacts were looted from an underground tomb near the town of Città della Pieve and include eight urns, two sarcophagi—one containing the ******** of a woman aged 40 to 45—and a variety of beauty accessories. These finds, which date to between 300 BC and 100 BC, likely originated from a prominent Etruscan family. The treasures, valued at approximately €8 million ($8.5 million) according to the Carabinieri art police reported by CNN, were discovered after a police investigation earlier this year. The operation followed clues provided by photos posted online by the suspects – two local businessmen attempting to sell the artifacts to buyers abroad. Police traced the illicit activity to an area near the originally discovered burial site, which had been partly uncovered in 2015 by a farmer plowing his field. Beauty and Banquets: Artifacts Tell a Story of Etruscan Life Among the recovered items are four bronze mirrors, a bone comb, and a perfume jar that still contains traces of its ancient fragrance. According to The Guardian, these objects, alongside banquet *****, illustrate the lives and customs of Etruscan women. Experts hailed the discovery as one of the most significant recoveries of Etruscan artifacts resulting from a police investigation. Some of the ornate Etruscan artifacts that were seized by Italian police. (Carabinieri del Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale) The Etruscan civilization, which flourished in central Italy from the 8th century BC until being absorbed by the Roman Republic, is known for its advanced society and rich cultural heritage. Traces of their presence, including intricate burial sites and vibrant artifacts, remain scattered across Tuscany and Umbria. The Etruscans, an enigmatic civilization that thrived in Etruria (modern Tuscany) and central Italy north of Latium, rose to prominence as a Mediterranean power by the 6th century BC, explains Petros Koutoupis. Despite their significant influence on art, mythology, and culture, much of their legacy ******** a mystery. Limited inscriptions in their unique language, often ritualistic in nature, and biased accounts from classical writers hinder a full understanding of their society. Etruscan culture was shaped by interactions with Greeks and Phoenicians, adopting and adapting myths, deities, and artistic styles. Their naval dominance in the Tyrrhenian Sea and alliances with other Mediterranean powers highlighted their strategic importance. However, the expansion of Rome led to the annexation of Etruscan cities by the 4th century BC, with their identity largely absorbed into Roman culture. The clearest insights into Etruscan life come from their elaborately constructed tombs, which reveal details about their sociopolitical structures, spirituality, and views of the afterlife. While much ******** unanswered, their contributions to the ancient world and their influence on Roman culture endure as part of their enduring legacy. The Carabinieri art police with a collection of artifacts recovered in the Umbria investigation. (YouTube Screenshot) Tackling the Tomb Raider Menace The suspects in this case, one of whom owned the land where the artifacts were unearthed, have been arrested on charges of theft and trading stolen goods. Italian police, renowned for their efforts to combat antiquities trafficking, often uncover artifacts stolen by “tomb raiders” who target archaeological sites. In this case, investigators tapped the suspects’ phones to uncover the extent of the looting and locate the remaining artifacts. A Legacy of Rich Discoveries This is not the first time Etruscan treasures have come to light through fortuitous circumstances. In 2022, as reported by Ancient Origins, archaeologists in Tuscany discovered 24 bronze statues preserved for over 2,000 years in a network of Etruscan baths in San Casciano dei Bagni. These included depictions of Hygeia, the goddess of health, and other figures, offering a rare glimpse into the spiritual and artistic world of the Etruscans. The recovery of the treasures from Città della Pieve not only preserves a critical piece of Etruscan heritage but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by ******** excavations. For now, these artifacts are safeguarded, ensuring their place in the story of Italy’s ancient civilizations. Top image: Ornate stolen Etruscan treasures that were seized by Italian police. Source: Carabinieri del Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale By Gary Manners Source link #Italian #Police #Seize #Stolen #Etruscan #Treasures #Including #Princesss #Sarcophagus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The PlayStation ****** Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions The PlayStation ****** Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation ****** Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the ***** will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2. PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be “up to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you’re upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe. Sony Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation ****** Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony’s retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don’t know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it. Sony didn’t mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming. The portable device’s inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling, to say the least. “Select” games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Madden ‘25 and Hogwarts Legacy, so we at least know a few on-***** games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don’t know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more. Source link #PlayStation #****** #Friday #deals #cut #percent #subscriptions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs Marriott International’s business operations and growth are solid, CEO Anthony Capuano told CNBC Monday, amid layoffs of more than 800 corporate employees and continued sluggishness in China’s tourism market. “We are ******* on all cylinders in every geography,” he said. The company’s third-quarter earnings showed a 3% increase in worldwide RevPar — or revenue per available room — despite an 8% drop in RevPar in China, the company’s second largest market. Capuano said he does not believe lackluster domestic demand in China will be a long-term problem, pointing to a record-breaking number of hotel signings in early 2024. “We signed more deals in the first half of 2024 than in any six-month ******* in our history in China. And so to me, that suggests that both public and private real estate entities in China are ******** on the long-term viability of the travel and tourism space,” he said. Domestic tourism in China is slowly gaining steam, he said, while inbound travel outperformed pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2024. “Pre-pandemic, about 18 to 19% of our total room nights were cross border travel,” he said. “Through Q3 we were already over 20% and that’s with more to come in terms of restoration of airline seat capacity in Greater China. So we think there’s more and more upside for that international inbound.” Marriott International reported net room growth of 6% year-on-year and room rate growth of 2.5%, driven by a strong return of group travel, which Capuano called the “bright, shining star” for the business today. The company raised its year-end guidance for net room growth, and added 9 million new Bonvoy members in the third quarter. Marriott’s loyalty program now has 219 million members, which Capuano credited to the work of hotel front-desk employees and new partnerships Marriott has inked with companies like Uber and Starbucks. Layoffs ‘not a traditional cost-cutting measure’ During Marriott’s third-quarter earnings call on Nov. 4, Capuano alluded to an “enterprise-wide process to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency,” a move Chief Financial Officer Leeny Oberg later estimated would reduce company costs by $80 million to $90 million a year, starting in 2025. That measure turned out to be corporate layoffs, first reported by the travel media company Skift on Nov. 14, which later linked to a notice of “mass layoffs” of 833 Marriott employees posted on a Maryland government labor website. Capuano denied that the company — which doubled in size during the past decade — grew too big, too fast, at least in terms of corporate employees, instead calling the move a much-needed “reorganization” of its global corporate structure. “This is not a traditional corporate cost cutting measure,” he said. “In [the past] decade, the continent teams have matured; we’ve grown dramatically. We’re in 60 new countries. And so we looked at this exercise to try and shift more decision-making to the continents.” Decentralized decision-making means the layoffs will be felt most acutely at its global headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Capuano said. The majority of job cuts are at the “above property” level — the corporate office — which means that they will “absolutely not” affect service levels at any Marriott-branded hotels, he said. Rather, the cuts “should make us more nimble and allow us to make decisions through the local market lens in real time.” Marching into the midscale market Capuano said occupancy levels and average rate growth are strong across most of Asia-Pacific, most notably in Japan, where Marriott opened its 100th hotel this week — a Four Points Flex by Sheraton (previously known as Four Points Express by Sheraton). The brand is leading Marriott’s push into the midscale market in Europe and Asia-Pacific, alongside City Express in North America, in an effort to capture budget-conscious consumers who want simple, comfortable rooms that come with modern-day wants likes Wi-Fi. The company plans to open a dozen more Four Points Flex by Sheraton hotels in Japan in the next six weeks, according to a press release published Monday. Source link #Marriott #CEO #business #solid #corporate #layoffs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]