FazzNoth

Police arrested three Connecticut adults last week and charged each of them with more than 100 counts of animal cruelty after they were found hoarding what authorities estimate were more than 200 cats. Authorities arrested James Thomen Sr., 61; Laura Thomen, 53; and Marissa O’Brien, 30, on Oct. 19, charging each with 106 counts of animal cruelty and two counts of risk of injury to a minor, according to a statement from the Winchester Police Department. Another warrant is pending for a fourth adult, police said. The arrests come four months after police found the cats at the family's Winsted home after receiving an anonymous call about a sick cat in June. Officers found what they believe were more than 200 cats on the scene, along with "horrible conditions" that led them to contact the state Department of Children and Families to remove a 6-year-old girl and 10-year-old boy living in the house and place them with relatives, according to police. A dozen cats had to be taken for emergency vet care, NBC Connecticut reported at the time, adding that most also had fleas. Two dogs and a ferret were also removed from the home, according to the outlet. Through a subsequent investigation, authorities proved the family owned at least 106 of the cats, using records from veterinarians and statements from the family, Fitzgerald said. The family began collecting the cats because Laura Thomen wanted to bring them in from the cold and feed them, Fitzgerald said. "It probably started out as a good idea humanitarian type of thing but it obviously got out of hand," he said. The cats have since been distributed to shelters throughout the state, and some have been adopted, according to Fitzgerald. The house where they were found has since been condemned, NBC Connecticut reported. Of the time that passed between police's arrival at the home on June 13 and last week's arrest, Fitzgerald said authorities first had to ensure the safety of the children before then removing the cats from the home and beginning their investigation. "It took time it was a very complicated case," he said. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/three-adults-arrested-on-charges-of-100-counts-of-animal-cruelty-after-hoarding-more-than-200-cats-police-say/ar-AA13uc11

Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was savagely beaten with a hammer early Friday morning after an intruder looking for his wife broke into their San Francisco home. He was taken to a hospital, where he’s undergoing surgery. Fox News responded the same way it does to pretty much anything that reflects poorly on Republicans or the United States, which is to blame President Biden. “I think where we’re at … the president promised to bring down the tenor of political discourse in this country,” Kennedy said on The Five. “That hasn’t happened. There are people who see words as violence, and then there are people for whom it’s very easy for them to cross the line and commit acts of violence like this because they’re moved by their politics.” The network earlier in the day brought on Caitlyn Jenner, who argued that the attack shouldn’t be turned into a partisan issue before blaming Pelosi for not having better security at her house, “soft-on-crime liberals,” and, yes, President Biden. “Truly, he has done nothing to tone down the rhetoric and unite this nation,” she said. “Violence in our nation is everywhere and it’s at record levels. He has become the divider-in-chief.” The network’s morning programming also took aim at the president. “If we have a situation where this is politically motivated, you have to step back and say, ‘Why is our country so divided? President Biden, you got up to the podium and said you were going to bring us together and that was one of the things you promised people. It’s one of the reasons they voted for you and they backed away from Trump, because they did think that he was divisive. So why is this happening and why are we polarized?” It’s unclear what motivated the alleged attacker, David DePape, to break into Pelosi’s house, call out for her, and then assault her husband with a hammer. Rolling Stone did, however, uncover a digital trail showing DePape raging against groomers and “pedos,” and posting about racism, misogyny, voter fraud conspiracies, QAnon tropes, and other talking points and conspiracy theories po[CENSORED]r among right-wing conservatives. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fox-news-blames-biden-for-conspiracy-theorist-beating-nancy-pelosi-e2-80-99s-husband-with-a-hammer/ar-AA13uXXQ

Nickname: @FazzNoth Video author: ElAnalistaDeBits Name of the game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Link video: Rate this video 1-10: -

Microsoft‘s head of gaming Phil Spencer has suggested that Xbox consoles, games and subscriptions may increase in price in the future. Speaking at WSJ Tech Live, the Xbox boss discussed the console’s price point, as well as the prospect of charging $70 for games – something most third-party publishers (and rival Sony) now do. “I think at some point we’ll have to raise the prices on certain things,” Spencer said (via journalist Tom Warren), “but going into the holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices.” He added: “We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription. I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise some prices on certain things…” In August, citing the challenging global economic environment, Sony raised PS5 prices in Europe, Japan, and parts of North America. Following Sony’s announcement, the UK arms of both Microsoft and Nintendo told VGC that they weren’t currently planning to raise console prices. Microsoft has so far held firm on this, instead seeing the Xbox platform as a way to move players to its Xbox Game Pass service, which offers games for a monthly fee, including Microsoft’s own first-party titles on the day of release. While some third-party publishers charge $70 / £70 across both platforms, Microsoft’s first-party games are largely priced at $60 / £50. However, due to Game Pass, the reliance on sales of individual games vs the value of Game Pass has largely decreased for Microsoft, with the company no longer promoting sales numbers and instead touting the number of users on Game Pass. This is in contrast to PlayStation which continues to release prestige first-party titles at $70 / £70 and has so far dismissed the suggestion of putting them on their equivalent service, PlayStation Plus. Just last month Spencer told CNBC, that he believed it wasn’t the right time to increase the price of consoles. “We’re always evaluating our business going forward. So, I don’t think we can ever say on anything that we will never do something,” he said. “But when we look at our consoles today, and you talked about it Series X and Series S we think value is incredibly important. We love the position of Series S in the market, which is our lower cost console. Over half of our new players that we’re finding are coming in through Series S. “And I can definitely say we have no plans today to raise the price of our consoles,” Spencer continued. “We think in a time when our customers are more economically challenged and uncertain than ever, we don’t think it’s the right move for us at this point to be raising prices on our console.” Spencer said last month that he doesn’t think Microsoft will be able to satisfy demand for Xbox consoles this holiday season. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/phil-spencer-hints-at-future-xbox-console-game-and-subscription-price-increases/

PC Games in India will start to get more expensive now, so if a PC game was originally sold for ₹1,299, it will now cost ₹2,400 on Steam.Madhav Banka | Published 26 Oct 2022 18:19 IST Valve has updated the regional pricing for Steam games for various countries including India. This means, that PC Games in India will start to get more expensive now, so if a PC game was originally sold for ₹1,299, it will now cost ₹2,400 on Steam. Let’s first take a detailed look at what exactly is regional pricing and how does it work? How Does Regional Pricing Work? In case you’re not aware of how regional pricing for video games works, Steam sells games in 39 different worldwide currencies, so it can be hard for the publishers to set the prices for their games. So for this reason, Valve offers a regional pricing recommendation tool which automatically suggests prices for various regions. With the recent updates, it has become even easier for PC developers to just accept a quick conversion. This regional pricing tool is purely based on a developer's chosen base USD price and the developers are not required to follow the recommendations set by Valve. This is the main reason why some of the games that come at the same prices in the US might differ in other countries like India. How Does This Affect PC Games Becoming More Expensive? As for how PC Games prices might get affected, if a certain developer followed the regional pricing recommendation set by Valve, the prices for their games can now be increased. This sudden change is due to evolving foreign currency exchange rates against the USD. The prices of existing PC games on Steam as well as upcoming titles may increase in the coming months. For instance, Half-Life: Alyx, which is priced at $60 in the US, was previously priced at ₹1,299 in India. However, with the recent regional pricing changes made by Valve, the same game now costs ₹2,400. In an official post, Valve said, “With purchasing power and foreign exchange rates constantly evolving, we needed to make significant changes to those conversion recommendations to stay current.” https://www.digit.in/news/gaming/valve-increases-regional-pricing-for-pc-games-on-steam-65795.html

Today, running for office requires great risk and great courage. Risk that you never know who your actual political opponent might be. It’s like being in a boxing match with an opponent you can’t see. It takes substantial courage to fight someone you can’t even see. It is time to end that. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. That’s why I am joining Democrats, Republicans and independents asking you to vote “yes” on Proposition 211, the Voters’ Right to Know Act. If passed, any group spending more than $50,000 on statewide campaigns or $25,000 on local campaigns will have to disclose the names of the original contributors who provided the money for the campaigns. 'Dark money' shouldn't get special treatment Former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard is leading this effort. You may remember that Terry ran against me in 1990. He was a worthy opponent and ran an honorable campaign. Today he is trying to bring honor back to Arizona politics through Proposition 211, and I am proud to support Terry and this initiative. Another view: Proposition 211 sets up conservatives for harassment “Dark money” is political spending on elections by anonymous sources. Dark money benefactors have the power to donate unlimited funds without any disclosure, ultimately impacting the results of our elections. The contributions of ordinary citizens are capped and are a matter of public record, yet a few organizations and individuals are protected from declaring their donations. It is time to end that, and this initiative will do that. Arizonans have the right to know who is participating in our elections. Today undisclosed contributions could be coming from out of state, out of country – potentially even organized crime groups, drug cartels or foreign governments. We don“t know. Other states demand disclosure. Arizona can, too We must put an end to this. We must return the power to the voters, to the people of our great state and demand that contributions be disclosed. This is as it was and as it should be today. Arizona’s Senate race was one of the top in the nation to attract dark money in the 2020 election, according to Open Secrets, with more than $1.7 million pumped into the race. This election cycle seems to be just as bad, as anonymous political spending is used to attack people and issues and the public is in the dark as to who is cutting the checks. It’s not right. Arizona voters deserve to know the individuals and corporations that are influencing our vote. Other states such as Alaska and Montana have demanded disclosure, and it’s time for Arizona to do the same. As the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia wrote, “Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed. For my part, I do not look forward to a society which, thanks to the Supreme Court, campaigns anonymously ... . This does not resemble the Home of the Brave.” It is time we live up to the late Justice Scalia’s hopes for our country and be brave. This initiative will do that. It deserves your support. Please vote yes on Proposition 211. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/proposition-211-would-help-bring-honor-back-to-arizona-politics/ar-AA13r84z

Los Angeles Animal Services has unveiled a revamped website that officials said will make it easier for people to find a furry friend to adopt or foster, locate lost pets, apply or renew an animal license online, find upcoming adoption events and learn about alternatives to surrendering a pet to a shelter. “Our website is the most public facing tool we have to communicate and showcase the programs and resources we offer to better serve pets and the families who love them,'' said Annette Ramirez, interim general manager for LA Animal Services. “The redesign of the site enables us to broaden our outreach and further educate and generate awareness of our offerings like the spay and neuter vouchers available to all city residents and their companion animals; free pet food assistance through the Pet Food Pantry; and provide helpful resources and guides to assist first-time pet owners and foster families to care for their pets to keep families and their furry family members together while also increase engagement by inviting the community to view the site in their preferred language,'' Ramirez added. The changes apply to both desktop or mobile device users. LAAS officials are also inviting the community to be part of the LA City Pets Share Squad, a virtual community in which residents help spread the word, via social media or email, about the adoptable pets in city shelters. The department also introduced a new logo called “Animal Forward,” which officials said ``speaks to the way forward that LA Animal Services, like many animal welfare organizations across the country, are caring for animals, both in and out of our shelters by working collaboratively with our community. It also lets people know what we stand for at a glance -- that as an open intake municipal shelter, no animal is turned away. The dog, cat, and rabbit are representative of some of the animals who make their way into our shelters, while the cityscape, mountains, and foothills, represent the communities we serve and support, which includes pets, the people who love them, and the wildlife surrounding our city who call Los Angeles home.'' Many residents had complained in recent years that the previous LAAS website -- along with the department's phone system -- was not user-friendly and sometimes led to frustrating obstacles or delays in service. The changes come two days after City Councilman Paul Koretz – who chairs the council's animal welfare committee -- approved a series of his own motions requesting funding and adjustments to the department through a committee, including $3 million in emergency funding. The motions still must be approved by the full council The committee held two meetings over the summer bemoaning alleged animal neglect and insufficient staffing at the city facilities and accused the department of dismissing multiple volunteers for blowing the whistle about various issues at the shelters in a Los Angeles Times article in July that widely exposed the problems. Koretz, who is termed out on the council this year, released a 46-page report earlier this month on the department. In it, he wrote that the department has been the victim of a ``chronic budget issue'' and is in need of “much more personnel and a drastic increase of its funding.” The report mostly blamed staffing shortages for failures to walk dogs on a regular basis and clean kennels more frequently. Staffing issues have also contributed to approximately 300 unprocessed volunteer applications, according to the report. It called for the City Council to relax a mandated 10-day quarantine for animal shelter staff exposed to COVID-19, recommending the period be cut to five days and a negative test. City shelters have reached critical levels of overcrowding due to a combination of factors, including continued chronic pet overpo[CENSORED]tion, the aforementioned staffing issues and increased owner surrenders brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The six LAAS shelters are open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are required on Wednesdays and Fridays for pet adoptions, fostering and owner surrenders. Shelters are closed on Mondays, although sick or injured animals are admitted without an appointment. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/looking-for-a-pet-la-animal-services-wants-pet-adoptions-easier/3017817/

https://www.yahoo.com/video/kanye-west-latest-news-apple-110255090.html Kanye West's Essentials Playlist appears to have been removed from Apple Music. The move comes as the rapper, who goes by the name Ye now, continued to face backlash after making a series of antisemitic remarks during interviews and on social media. While there has not been an official statement by Apple yet, its rival Spotify's CEO Daniel Ek denounced the rapper's comments in an interview with Reuters. “It’s really just his music, and his music doesn’t violate our policy,” he was quoted as saying. “It’s up to his label, if they want to take action or not.” Meanwhile, his school Donda Academy also appears to have been closed with immediate effect. Donda Academy principal Jason Angell emailed parents on Wednesday saying “THERE IS NO SCHOOL TOMORROW”, adding “at the discretion of our Founder, Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately”, reported The Times. The rapper, who has been involved in several controversies over the years, has been dropped by both Adidas and Balenciaga over the “hateful and dangerous” comments. A number of fellow celebrities have also condemned his behaviour. Kanye West’s Essentials Playlist appears to have been removed from Apple Music. The move comes as the rapper continued to face backlash after making a series of antisemitic remarks during interviews and on social media. There has been no official statement by Apple Music on the development yet.

If in a model we ask for the link to the posts you made in the project, you must put them. In the project, there is a weekly review where we check the activity of the members and if they make copy/paste post of old posts we simply hide/delete it. I will give you pro for pending since you started doing activity here a few days ago.

Cyberpunk 2077 may be sliding down the sales charts after its wild month post-Edgerunners and patch 1.6, but there’s one more figure that’s worth taking note of. On Steam, Cyberpunk 2077 has now hit 90% “Very Positive” reviews for the first time since release, nearly two years ago. While it’s overall number remains “Mostly Positive” at 77% including all the old scores, the most recent reviews are at 90%. I will note that Cyberpunk 2077 was reviewing with 71% positive reviews back during the launch of 2020. That already indicated that fans were enjoying it a little more than the anti-hype news cycles would have suggested back then, though it’s important to note that the game looked and performed best on PC. It still does, of course, but consoles were way, way rougher than they are today. You’ll recall that Cyberpunk 2077 arrived with 9s and 10s from many critics who again, were given only PC review copies, and none of them played on console. Still, hitting 90% here, two years later, is certainly a moment of significance, and represents the larger turnaround effort that CDPR has orchestrated for the game and the IP. Edgerunners being good on Netflix isn’t responsible for the scores, but it is responsible for herding people to play the game after patch 1.6, which was the culmination of many, many patches before it, fixing some of the game’s biggest issues. There are now debates about whether Cyberpunk 2077 has experienced some sort of “No Man’s Sky” type turnaround, which is the gold standard for redemption stories. I’m not sure we can go that far, as No Man’s Sky added just absolutely massive amounts of free content and Cyberpunk’s patches have mainly been about fixing what was broken or adding obvious QoL improvements. Its first real DLC will be next year’s Phantom Liberty, and it ain’t free. They Inherited Billions Upon Billions: Meet America’s Richest Heirs Overwatch 2’s First Limited-Time Event Is A Great Preview Of PVE, But The Monetization Is Still Rough The Legendary London Hotel, Claridge’s, Opens New Spa But yes, you can certainly say that to at least some degree, among those who have come back to play it, the perception of the game has shifted, and many are finding themselves enjoying what has become an industry cautionary tale about releasing before you’re ready. Unlike No Man’s Sky, I don’t think CDPR is ever going to patch in every feature missing from the game over time, as after this DLC, they are going to be working on an actual, full sequel. But with 20 million sales and now the “vibes” swinging back into positivity around Cyberpunk, I don’t think it has to live forever as the pariah it’s been for the last two years. Something has indeed changed. https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/10/25/cyberpunk-2077-hits-90-positive-reviews-on-steam-for-the-first-time/?sh=4e182db86752

It’s time to get your “wololo” on the go go go. To accompany today’s Age of Empires 25th anniversary broadcast (man, a lot of games are turning 25 this year) World’s Edge and Xbox Game Studios announced Age of Empires is going from PC to iOS and Android. This is the latest attempt by Microsoft to break into the mobile gaming market, and it’s already got a leg up with its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, which is slated to complete in 2023. Age of Empires has been brought to mobile before, but this seems to be the most faithful adaption of the game yet. In 2015, Age of Empires: Castle Siege, a tower defense game, and Age of Empires: World Domination, a real-time strategy game, both arrived on mobile. Both games were short-lived, with Castle Siege shutting down after just four years and World Domination ending after only one. The announcement was a brief trailer, so no first looks at gameplay just yet, although it will be interesting to see how the developers pare down the massive and complex strategy game into something suitable for on-the-go playing. Earlier this year, Crusader Kings III — an even more menu-intensive strategy game — made the jump from PC to Xbox consoles earning decent reviews, so it can be done. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/age-of-empires-is-coming-to-a-mobile-device-near-you/ar-AA13mIXr

Fans of FromSoftware's Dark Souls series have been given both good and bad news today in regard to the game's online services. For the majority of 2022, the Dark Souls franchise on PC has been struggling with various problems, which led to FromSoftware taking down the servers for a prolonged period of time with each entry in the series. And while these issues have largely been rectified recently, it seems that this won't be true for all entries. In a new update shared on social media today, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco informed fans that the PC servers for Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin are now back up and running. FromSoftware thanked fans for their support throughout this whole ordeal and also provided an update regarding the original Dark Souls 2. While that version of the game has yet to see its online services return just yet, it was made clear that they'll come back "at a later date." While this news was encouraging, FromSoftware did have a disappointing message to share as well. In short, it was made clear that the servers for Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition are never going to come back online. First launched back in 2012, FromSoftware said that these servers are being shuttered for good due to an "aging system." As such, the game in its full original form is now going to be unavailable to play with others. Even though this might seem concerning, Dark Souls will still be playable with its online components in the future thanks to the Remastered version of the game which released a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, the servers for Dark Souls Remastered continue to remain down at this point in time as well. FromSoftware has told fans that it will provide more information in the future though when they return. Are you saddened to hear that the original version of Dark Souls is never going to be playable online again? And what do you think about these continuing difficulties with the Dark Souls series on PC? https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dark-souls-games-servers-pc-update/

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report announced on Tuesday that it is slightly shifting its outlook of Republicans winning 10-20 seats to instead winning as many as 25 seats. Dave Wasserman, U.S House editor for the Cook Political Report, said they were changing the ratings of six House districts in Republicans’ favor: Reps. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) from lean Democrat to toss up, Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) from lean Democrat to toss up, Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) from lean Democrat to toss up, Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) from lean Democrat to toss up and Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) from solid Democrat to likely Democrat. A separate race in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, to fill the seat of outgoing Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), moved from lean Republican to likely Republican. Wasserman noted that all six House seats were won by President Biden in the last election. “In blue states where Roe v. Wade is certain to remain law, Republicans have been much more effective in channeling voter anger towards Democrats, who are effectively ‘double incumbents’ at the state/federal levels. They’ve had an easier time there focusing voters’ attention on rising inflation and crime – aided, of course, by news footage of tent cities in Portland and people being shoved onto subway tracks in New York,” Wasserman wrote. He also noted in the cases of Spanberger and Maloney, the pair have encountered challenges in their states’ redrawn electoral maps, forcing them into districts where they have had to reintroduce themselves to the majority of residents. Meanwhile, four races were shifted toward Democrats’ favor. Those include: Reps. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) from toss up to lean Democrat, Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) from likely Republican to lean Republican, Sharice Davids from toss up to lean Democrat and North Carolina’s open 1st Congressional District from lean Democrat to likely Democrat. Wasserman said that all of those districts were won by Trump in both 2016 and 2020. “…In red and purple states, many Democrats are still running impressively ahead of President Biden’s ratings and remain in strong contention,” Wasserman said, adding that in those states “Democrats have highlighted threats to abortion access to boost their own’s base turnout and paint Republicans as extreme.” https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3703728-cook-political-shifts-gop-house-outlook-with-wider-margin-of-gains/

This funny-but-frightening video shared by an animal adventure park worker shows him tapping wild animals on the nose as part of a trust-building exercise.James Smith, 35, from Sullivan, Missouri state, USA said it took him a lot of trust-building to "boop" animals from the Wild Animal Adventure zoo on the "snoot".After spending 18 years getting close with the animals, he has now revealed that the rather odd practice feels like "winning the lottery every day".James told Newsflash: "The feeling is really hard to explain. Closest I can get to it is to imagine the feeling you were gay doing the absolute best thing ever."Like eating your favourite ice cream or doing something you've always dreamed of doing."But he also revealed that he had dodged several dangerous situations over the years, including one time when he almost lost a limb.He said: "I've been in a couple of situations that you could deem dangerous I guess."Fed a close call with a hyena that resulted in me losing use of my arm and hand for about a week."But I was back in the enclosure the next day, wrestling and playing with them."I've had close calls with some venomous snakes and some large constrictors as well."The 35-year-old zookeeper explained that he finds passion in what he does because he loves animals and enjoys working with them on a daily basis.Despite many critics claiming otherwise, he reportedly finds zoos and animal educational facilities useful for future generations.He said: "If we don't have facilities like the one I work future generations won't have these amazing animals to see unless in a book or on a computer."Until mankind can leave nature alone and stop poaching and destroying the environment and planet, zoos will be needed."Smith explained that gaining animals' trust depends on the individual and how much time and patience a person is willing to dedicate to befriend them.He reportedly finds birds the hardest animals to approach, along with servals and caracals.He said: "As far as knowing, if an animal is going to attack or be comfortable around you, it's all in the body language for the most part."As long as you know what to look for and what to keep an eye out for you should be good."But they are wild animals so there's always that chance that things could go wrong and if you don't think they can't or won't, you are in denial." https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/zoo-animals-getting-booped-nose-143417263.html

Elon Musk has notified co-investors who committed to help fund his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter Inc that he plans to close his buyout of the social media firm by Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Equity investors, including Sequoia Capital, Binance, Qatar Investment Authority and others have received the requisite paperwork for the financing commitment from Musk's lawyers, the source added. The move is the clearest sign yet that Musk plans to comply with a Delaware court judge's deadline to complete the transaction by Friday. The banks that committed to fund Musk's buyout of Twitter have finished putting together the final debt financing agreement and are in the process of signing the necessary documents, according to a Bloomberg News report. Musk pledged to close the deal on a video conference call on Monday with bankers who are helping fund the deal, according to the report. Twitter declined to comment. Musk's lawyers were not immediately available for comment. Twitter shares jumped on the news and were trading up 3% at $52.95 on Tuesday, closer to Musk's offer price of $54.20. Musk has pledged to provide $46.5 billion in equity and debt financing for the acquisition, which covers the $44 billion price tag and closing costs. Banks, including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp, have committed to provide $13 billion of debt financing to support the deal. Equity investors, including Oracle Corp co-founder Larry Ellison and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, will pitch in with $7.1 billion. The closure of the deal will put to rest months of speculation that the erratic entrepreneur would abandon the takeover. Musk has touted himself as an advocate of free speech and has been critical of Twitter's approach to monitoring violent or hateful content, which has led to bans on many prominent conservative voices. https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-10-25/musk-expected-to-close-twitter-deal-by-friday-bloomberg-news

@-Artisan has been promoted from Leader to Coordinator. Reason: Great Activity, Show Interest & Support. @The GodFather has been promoted from Member to Co-Leader. Reason: Great Activity.

Nickname: @FazzNoth Video author: theRadBrad Name of the game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Link video: Rate this video 1-10: -

The iOS 16.1 is now available to download just one month after the release of the iOS 16, which came out alongside the newest iPhone 14 range. With features including shared photo libraries and a new fitness checker, there's a lot more on offer. The new software update can be found in settings, for users who have an iPhone 8 or newer, and has been released to fix supposed glitches on the previous version, including reported issues with the iPhone 14 camera. But the new software also includes features that we've never seen on an iPhone before.Once an iOS software is downloaded onto an iPhone it cannot be undone, which is why users should be sure that the updated features will work for them. We've put together a list of three of the newest features, including one that iPhone users have never had access to before. Fitness without an Apple Watch iPhone users can now access the same benefits of an Apple Watch without actually wearing one. The newest feature for iPhone users in the iOS 16.1 update is the changes to the Fitness App. iPhone users can now access certain fitness details, that were previously exclusive to the Apple Watch. This means iPhone users can make the most of more than 3,000 recorded workout videos and see estimated steps and calories burned when working out. The App isn't free and costs £9.99 a month but it's the first time it's been offered to non Apple Watch customers. The App is what we like to describe as 'a digital gym membership' as it features home workout videos, from HIIT circuits to Yoga, as well as meditation exercises and pilates. Vodafone currently have an Apple Fitness deal, here. Users can also buy Apple Fitness as part of the Apple One subscription, which includes access to six Apple services including Apple Fitness+, iCloud, Apple Arcade, Apple TV, Apple News and Apple Music. Shared photos iPhone users with the updated iOS 16.1 can now share their photo libraries through iCloud. This feature is set to be perfect for families, or a travelling group of friends for instance who don't want to keep sending group images over text message or AirDrop. Users can set up a shared photo library with up to five other iPhone users, who can all edit, add and share. The new software has also introduced a new button in the Camera app which users can tap to take a picture directly into the shared iCloud library. Changes to Apple Wallet Apple Wallet has developed contactless card payments over the last few years, with a quick double tap of the side button iPhone users have been able to pay without carrying their handbag or wallets. And now the new iOS 16.1 will let users set up a savings account with Apple, and it does not require a minumum deposit or balance.The Wallet App is also used as a great organisational tool, and a po[CENSORED]r place to store tickets and travel boarding passes. Now users will also be able to share important tickets or bookings (for example) with chosen iPhone users in the iOS 16.1 'Key Sharing Feature'. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/iphone-users-can-update-their-phone-today-to-get-three-must-have-new-features/ar-AA13jCeF

The TSX Composite Index has slumped over 10%, heading into a bear market. The dip has created an opportunity for value investors to go stock shopping this holiday season. Some growth and dividend stocks are falling because the entire market is in sell mode, while their fundamentals remain unaffected. Such stocks are worth buying during the dip. Now is the time to buy two stocks that have touched a 52-week low. Constellation Software stock Constellation Software (TSX:CSU) has slipped 20%, or by $490, from its high and is trading closer to its 52-week low. What caused the 20% fall? Hedge funds ignited the tech stock meltdown on December 31 due to early warnings that the Federal Reserve would pull back stimulus money and increase interest rates. All tech stocks temporarily enjoyed inflated prices as individuals invested their stimulus money. With the stimulus pullback, inflated prices got a reality check and was corrected. Constellation stock got caught in the sell-off and fell 20%. It entered the oversold category on October 14. The company’s management used this sell-off in the tech space as an opportunity to buy some attractive, small vertical-specific software companies. It invested a record US$1.2 billion in acquisitions in the first half of 2022. And Constellation didn’t stop there; it has many more deals in the third quarter. As an umbrella company for software services, these deals will accrue on Constellation’s earnings per share (EPS) and cash flow. A pre-requisite for its deals is that companies have regular recurring cash flows. These cash flows might slow down as enterprises cut back on spending, but they could accelerate in the future. By the time the bear stint recedes, and recovery begins, Constellation will have acquired a sizeable number of companies with recurring cash flow. Constellation stock has lost almost 16 months of upside and is back to June 2021 levels. Now is the time to buy the stock. A single stock can earn you over $500 in a year when the effects of a recession recede, and cash flows from those acquired companies reflect in the stock price. Investing in real estate stocks Real estate is another sector that has been hitting new lows. Rising interest rates have made mortgages expensive, and inflation has increased the rental spread, making up for the two-year rent stagnation during the pandemic. Current conditions are challenging, but CT REIT (TSX:CRT.UN) has the backing of Canadian Tire. CT REIT Canadian Tire spun off its stores into a REIT and named it CT REIT. Hence, CT REIT’s biggest tenant is Canadian Tire, and the retailer serves as an anchor to pull other retailers near its stores. The REIT enjoys a 99.4% occupancy ratio and weighted average lease term of 8.6 years. These two metrics ensure cash inflows through rent. This REIT is more inclined towards rent and less invested in developing and reselling properties. Hence, any reduction in the value of its property portfolio won’t impact its distributions. Moreover, the REIT maintains a safe distribution payout ratio of 75% despite increasing the distribution at an average annual rate of 3.2% since 2014. CT REIT survived the short pandemic-related recession without any distribution cuts. It can likely withstand a longer recession by stagnating distribution growth until the economy revives. But no signs of this so far. The REIT’s stock price has dipped more than 18% since the first interest rate hike in March. It hit its 52-week low on October 11 and hasn’t recovered much. Now is a good time to buy the REIT and lock in an attractive 5.84% distribution yield. If the stock returns to its 200-day moving average of $16.8, that’s a 12% appreciation from the current trading price. If you invest $2,000 in this REIT, you can earn $235 in capital appreciation + $117 in distributions. That’s an investment income of $351, which could be exempt from capital gain tax if invested through the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). Investing the foolish way These two stocks have a good chance of recovering when the market rebounds with an uptick in the economy. They could continue to fall throughout 2022, but all you need to do is hold patiently for the long-term. Such value stocks reward patience. https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/value-investors-why-constellation-software-133300455.html

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would be releasing new hardware to encourage more developers to start using and supporting the Arm version of Windows. Dubbed "Project Volterra," all we knew about it at the time was that it would use an unnamed Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and NVMe-based storage, that it would support at least two monitors, and that it would have a decent number of ports. Today, Microsoft is putting Volterra out into the world, complete with a snappy new name: the Windows Dev Kit 2023. The Dev Kit 2023 will use a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3—essentially the same chip as the Microsoft SQ3 in the new 5G version of the Surface Pro 9 plus 512GB of storage and a whopping 32GB of RAM for the surprisingly low price of $599.We don't know exactly how fast the 8cx Gen 3 will be (Qualcomm says "up to 85 percent faster" CPU performance than the 8cx Gen 2, which would put it somewhere below but within spitting distance of modern Core i5 laptop CPU). But 512GB of storage and 32GB of memory should make the Dev Kit 2023 useful as a development and testing environment.Microsoft says the box can connect to up to three monitors simultaneously using its two USB-C ports and mini DisplayPort and that up to two of those displays can be 4K screens running at 60 Hz. Three USB-A ports, gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1 round out the connectivity options. he Dev Kit 2023 continues Microsoft's effort to get the entire Windows development toolchain up and running natively on Arm hardware without the performance penalty imposed by x86-to-Arm code translation that Windows uses to maintain compatibility with the wider universe of Windows apps. Visual Studio, both old and new versions of the .NET Framework, the Visual C++ Runtime, and other Windows development software are all either available as Arm-native versions already or as Arm-native previews that will be generally released by the end of the year.The last officially sanctioned Arm PC for Windows developers is last year's $219 ECS LIVA QC170 (another name that rolls off the tongue). It was much cheaper than the Dev Kit 2023, but it was also a lot less powerful, with a weak Snapdragon 7c processor, just 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of slow eMMC storage. I've used the QC170, and it works, but it's not pleasant. In everyday use, the Dev Kit 2023 should at least feel like a modern midrange PC. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/microsofts-snapdragon-powered-mini-pc-for-devs-includes-32gb-of-ram-costs-599/

he top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee said Monday that talk about GOP opposition to military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine is overblown. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, argued that the problem for many GOP lawmakers was not aiding Ukraine in its hour of need, but rather the expensive way Democrats have done so in recent months. "No one in Republican leadership has called for an end to aid for Ukraine," said Turner. "People on the Republican side are saying, ‘Why do we have to pass a $40 billion package to send $8 billion to Ukraine?’" Turner said House Republicans are eager to reassert fiscal responsibility over the federal government's efforts to bolster Ukraine. He said Republicans are worried about the different ways military and humanitarian assistance are being delivered. IRANIAN TROOPS IN CRIMEA TRAINING RUSSIANS ON DRONE STRIKES AGAINST UKRAINE, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "When we passed our bills for military aid and humanitarian aid, we sent military aid [directly] to Ukraine," he said. "We sent humanitarian aid to the United Nations, [which is] horrific in getting aid actually into the country."Turner said the U.N. sought to establish its own transportation lines for delivering assistance to Ukraine. The global agency also reportedly wanted to confirm humanitarian aid was only going to eligible people at a time when the country is being torn apart by war. Those moves, GOP lawmakers say, delayed food and other resources from reaching areas of Ukraine that needed them most. Turner said sensitivities about Russia, which holds a permanent seat on the U.N. security council, was also a likely contributor to the bureaucratic delays. "Because Russia is obviously a very important member of the United Nations, the humanitarian aid does not move at the speed that it should," Turner said. Turner's comments came after a trip to Ukraine last week with Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee. During the visit, the lawmakers met directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The trip came in the wake of statements from some lawmakers who suggested a Republican Congress would be more hesitant to approve large-scale military and financial aid to Ukraine. "I think people are going to be sitting in a recession, and they’re not going to write a blank check to Ukraine," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Punchbowl News last week. Democrats cited those comments as a sign that Republicans were preparing to abandon Ukraine as it continues to fight off a Russian invasion. "You either stand for freedom or you bow to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin," said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. "Minority Leader McCarthy is making it clear where the GOP stands." Turner dismissed the claims, noting that McCarthy and most Republicans have voted to provide weapons to Ukraine. He also claimed that Zelenskyy was aware of the nuance in the GOP's position. "He hears of these massive, bloated bills that are being passed in the United States," said Turner. "And he's very aware of the small portion, overall, that actually ends up in Ukraine… the concern is, and I used these words with him, ‘how many U.S. dollars do we have to spend to get a dollar to you.’" https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/top-house-intel-republican-rejects-dem-claims-that-the-gop-opposes-ukraine-aid/ar-AA13kc0G

The ethical and environmental price tag of cashmere is simply too high to keep it in Vogue Cashmere, an extremely soft and expensive wool alternative, was once a poster child for luxurious fashion. But as it falls out of favor with luxury designers such as Stella McCartney and high street favorites, including ASOS, could its use finally be coming to an end? Here are just a few of the reasons to give up cashmere, from species decline to serious animal welfare concerns. Plus, why the future of fabric is cruelty-free. Cashmere’s impact on the planet For the most part, cashmere wool comes from Mongolian goats who live in the Gobi Desert—hence why it is so expensive. It comes from the underbelly part of the goat’s body, where the hair is fine and delicate. It is obtained by extensive combing of the heavier, often shaggy top coats of the animals. Typically, four goats are needed to make just one average-sized sweater. Because of the way it is produced, cashmere has been linked to falling numbers of endangered animals. As the nonprofit Collective Fashion Justice highlights, cashmere goat grazing leads to significant natural habitat loss. This is referenced in a report entitled Globalization of the cashmere market and the decline of large mammals in central Asia, which was released back in 2013. Essentially, the goats harm the environment with their eating habits: the animals eat 10 percent of their body weight daily in the form of plants that they rip out of the ground. Roots and all. With an estimated po[CENSORED]tion of around 700 million, cashmere goats are creating a significant biodiversity deficit. In addition to their consumption, their tough hooves impact the earth, making it difficult for new plants to grow. Mongolia’s temperature has risen by an average of four degrees Fahrenheit as a result of global warming. This, combined with grazing goats, is considered to be responsible for the degradation of 65 percent of its grasslands. Plus, research suggests that increased goat farming across China and Mongolia has contributed to dwindling numbers of snow leopards, wild yaks, and saiga antelopes, amongst others, across central Asia. Researchers found that persistent ecosystem damage, caused by growing numbers of goat herds, reduced the likelihood of native species’ survival. A lack of ground cover for hunting predators and depletion of preferred food sources are cited. Is cashmere cruel? Cashmere is not only harmful to wild animal po[CENSORED]tions, but also to the goats themselves. Cashmere is a luxury product, commanding a high price tag due to its softness. Used in high-end fashion, it is produced using the fleeces of Changthangi or Pashmina goats. Commonly depicted as a gentle, even pleasant, process, hair fiber retrieval is completed through extensive combing of individual animals. In reality, animals are “combed” using sharp metal-toothed tools, which rip through their often matted topcoat to reach the ultrafine fibers on their underbellies. Goats have to be forcibly held or tied down during the process. And previous animal welfare investigations, including one conducted by PETA, have produced footage of animals screaming in agony during the procedure. https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/fashion/boycott-cashmere-species-loss-animal-cruelty/

The DOJ said the attorney general will address "malign influence schemes and alleged criminal activity by a nation-state actor in the United States." WASHINGTON Attorney General Merrick Garland will hold a news conference Monday afternoon to discuss "significant national security cases addressing malign influence schemes and alleged criminal activity by a nation-state actor in the United States," the Justice Department announced in an advisory. Garland will speak at 1:30 p.m. ET and will be joined by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen and other Justice Department officials. The advisory didn't provide any additional details about the case, including what the alleged criminal activity entails or what foreign country or countries may be involved. The Justice Department on Monday will unveil “significant national security cases” regarding “malign influence schemes and alleged criminal activity by a nation-state actor” in the United States, according to a statement by the department. Attorney General Merrick Garland was scheduled to hold a press conference announcing more details at 1:30 p.m. “Nation-state actors” typically refer to highly skilled cyber hackers working on behalf of a foreign adversary and aim for high-profile targets such as the military, government infrastructure, or large-scale disinformation or propaganda campaigns. The announcement comes nearly two weeks before the 2022 midterm elections on Nov. 8. Justice Department officials generally avoid taking law enforcement action that could affect voting within 60 days of an election. It's unclear if the announcement Monday is related in any way to the upcoming election. It was not immediately clear to which nation-state the Justice Department announcement was referring. However, the DOJ has announced charges in two cases involving members of the Russian government in recent months. In July, prosecutors accused Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov of recruiting political groups in Florida, Georgia and California and directing them to spread pro-Moscow talking points with the backing of the Kremlin. Ionov also allegedly paid for members of the groups to attend government-funded conferences in Russia, as well as a protest in the US against social media efforts to suppress online support for Moscow’s Ukraine invasion. Garland’s announcement comes 15 days before the Nov. 8 midterm elections. https://nypost.com/2022/10/24/merrick-garland-to-announce-significant-national-security-cases/