[~OMAR~]

Previously a leak, now a confirmation. Microids and IMPS have recently declared their latest project: a 3D adventure/platform game titled The Smurfs 2 – The Prisoner of the Green Stone. The game is set to launch in Q4 2023 on several platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Developed by OSome Studio, this upcoming title is a sequel to The Smurfs – Mission Vileaf released in 2021. The new game promises a fresh narrative that will take the fans of the blue creatures on an exciting new adventure. In The Smurfs 2 – The Prisoner of the Green Stone, Handy Smurf is on a mission to retrieve the famous Green Stone from the clutches of the villainous Gargamel. This key ingredient is vital for completing his latest invention, the SmurfoMix. However, things turn when a mishap causes the Green Stone to explode, dispersing its fragments across the Cursed Land. This catastrophic event also frees the malevolent Stolas, an entity hell-bent on spreading terror. A team of four Smurfs, including Handy Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Clumsy Smurf, and Smurfstorm, embark on a quest to save the Cursed Land from Stolas. With the help of SmurfoMix and an unlikely ally in Gargamel, the team ventures into the unknown. The game introduces players to an accessible and intuitive gameplay that caters to Smurf enthusiasts and fans of action/platforming genres. It promises dynamic gameplay involving exploration, platforming, and combat, enhanced by the innovative SmurfoMix. Interestingly, the game allows players to collaborate with Gargamel for the first time in a video game. Players can travel through the Cursed Land using his teleporters and discover three brand-new, unexplored regions. Players will also have the chance to collect various resources to acquire the BoostiBoom and enhance the SmurfoMix throughout their journey. A co-op mode is also available for those who want to share the adventure with a friend or family member. [https://www.futuregamereleases.com/2023/05/microids-announces-the-smurfs-2-the-prisoner-of-the-green-stone/]

Nickname: OMAR Video author:I.M. OWN GAMER Name of the game: Granny Link video:

BMW Motorrad has recently filed several patents indicating the development of an intelligent seat that will be used in future models of the brand. According to Motorrad website, this seat will feature electric and electronic adjustment options, not only to change the width of the seat, but also to adjust various factors related to ergonomics and comfort, depending on the rider’s height and riding situation. The patent filings detail various technical approaches that involve the use of electric servo motors to adjust the seat cushions at decisive points, such as the front transition of the seat to the gas tank. This will allow the seat to be transformed into different shapes and heights, according to the rider’s preferences. A sport seat that extends into a two-passenger seat also appears to be viable. In addition to the electromechanical devices, BMW is also working on an electro-hydraulic or electro-pneumatic seat that can be quickly transformed by means of air or fluid ducts and chambers within the cushions. This system will allow the contour and hardness of the seat to be altered even more rapidly, possibly automatically during riding, according to the driving situation. The possibility of automatically adjusting the seat during riding is something that could be a major breakthrough in motorcycle seat technology. For example, inflation in the front area can provide support for the rider during braking, while inflation in the rear area can provide support during acceleration. It is also possible that the massage function may be incorporated into this intelligent seat. BMW is once again leading the way in terms of technological innovation in its products, and the intelligent seat is another example of this. Although we do not yet have precise information on when these seats will be implemented in the brand’s production models, it is exciting to see the possibilities that technology is bringing to the world of motorcycles. Certainly, riders will eagerly await to experience this new level of comfort and technology. [https://motonewsworld.com/revolutionary-bmw-motorcycle-seat-patent-filing-reveals-intelligent-and-adjustable-design/]

Conservative right wingers are growing increasingly anxious about the direction of Rishi Sunak's government - and what might come after it. "What is the point of all this?" I am on the phone. The long-standing Conservative on the other end has an analysis that is unflinching. "The party has wasted its period in power." What I am hearing is a post-mortem, postponed. We would have heard much more of it a week ago, immediately after the Tories' huge losses in the English local elections. But the Coronation delayed the autopsy. There is nothing delaying it now. Train fruit pickers to cut migration - Braverman Voter ID backfired on Tories, says Rees-Mogg Tory leadership errors cost us dearly - Patel But much of the discussion privately within the Conservative Party, and in particular on its right wing, is much more than a reflection on a grim set of council results. It is, instead, a much wider look back, and look forward. Tory members And along come two conferences doing exactly that, neither vastly helpful if you're sitting in Downing Street. Firstly, the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), which is all about party democracy, empowering the members. The CDO, which was born out of the Boris Ballot - an unsuccessful campaign demanding Tory members get a vote on reinstating Mr Johnson after he resigned - met in Bournemouth over the weekend. The group insists they are more than a campaign to get Boris Johnson back as Conservative leader, but most at the conference would absolutely love that to happen. And then there is the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon), an American import, with an emphasis on patriotism, Brexit and low taxes. Post traumatic This three-day gathering at Westminster, which got under way today, is expected to attract quite a few Tory MPs, who will listen to speeches from right wing commentators and Donald Trump-supporting US Senator JD Vance, among others. NatCon has gathered once before in the UK, but it only involved a few dozen academics when it did. This time it is attracting senior politicians - cabinet ministers Suella Braverman and Michael Gove and former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who was also at the CDO conference in Bournemouth. If the chaos of last year, and the installation of Mr Sunak as prime minister led to something of a post-traumatic vow of silence within the Conservative Party, it seems safe to say that is over. Privately, plenty are scathing about Mr Sunak. Phrases that have made their way into my notebook in the last few days: He is "a reverse firework." He has a "quiescent defeatism." These two conferences have generated excitement in some parts of the Tory Party. Asked why this was the case, my contact told me: "Rishi has a backhanded ability to enthuse people in the opposite direction." Ouch. But very few think it would be a good idea to try to remove him. 'Moved to the left' Some of this is an expression of the frustrations of the failures of the right of the party: the spectacular implosion of Liz Truss's premiership yes, but what many see as a longer term failure throughout the Tory years in government. "We accepted the Blair/Brown consensus. And then we gold-plated it," one said. "Britain has moved to the left on our watch." This is a reference - among other things - to the tax burden and the size of the state, two stones in the shoe of many on the right. And some of it is an articulation of defeatism: "We are damned. We are condemned," in the judgement of one, when asked about the next general election. This gets at an unspoken truth about both these conferences: they are about the future of the Conservative Party after the general election. The ideas that might shape it, and yes, the people who might lead it. 'Principles of Conservatism' Step forward Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, who gave a speech about immigration on Monday afternoon. On Sunday night, Downing Street had signed off what she was going to say but some overnight "tinkering" from Mrs Braverman's team meant it was sent back to No 10 again on Monday morning. The argument about immigration matters massively. We can expect lots of debate about it in the next 10 days or so. But the home secretary's speech matters for what else she talked about: Her "overarching principles of Conservatism," as it was described to me. The speech - which lasted around half an hour - was personal, touching on her family and her background. Senior politicians only do this kind of thing when they have half an eye on the future. In fact, scrub that. Both eyes on the future. 'Functional' government No10 and the Conservative Party machine are attempting to put a brave face on all this, suggesting that a few hundred activists gathering in Bournemouth over the weekend is not worth attaching too much significance to. And there are plenty of Conservatives - a quieter majority, I would say - who are relieved beyond words that the party, the government, is no longer a shambolic laughing stock in the eyes of many and is getting things done. "It just feels great to be able to work away at things and achieve things, even little things," a minister confides. "The system works, Downing Street works, things are functional. I know that doesn't sound like much but it is such an improvement." Those around Rishi Sunak think his unflashy competence, as they see it, is exactly what people want after what went before. But there are wider jitters in the party that competence won't be enough, and a glance too towards the political horizon and how that might look. [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65595954]

Special counsel John Durham found no evidence that the US justice department and the FBI conspired in a deep-state plot to investigate Donald Trump’s ties to Russia in 2016, though the report released on Monday found that the FBI’s handling of key aspects of the case were deficient. FBI investigation into Trump-Russia collusion relied on shaky intelligence, says John Durham report – live updates Read more The Durham report was sharply critical of how the FBI decided to open the counterintelligence investigation into Trump, known as “Crossfire Hurricane”, accusing top officials at the bureau of relying on raw and uncorroborated information to continue the inquiry. Much of the criticism of the FBI in the roughly 300-page report was already known when the justice department inspector general issued its own report, which raised similar concerns but ultimately concluded that the FBI investigation into Trump was justified. The Durham report was more scathing, finding that the FBI moved quickly on a vague tip about potential contacts between a Trump campaign aide and Russian officials in July 2016 based on “raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated evidence” in a “departure from how it approached” the Clinton campaign. But Durham’s inquiry failed to uncover any blockbuster revelations suggesting the bureau targeted Trump out of political motivations, and the report at times came across as a defense of his lengthy investigation. Also contained in the report: Durham said the FBI was more cautious of allegations of foreign influence when it came to the Clinton campaign, and did not pursue evidence in two cases of foreign governments trying to gain influence with Clinton while providing defensive briefings, unlike with the Trump campaign; Durham said the FBI was overly reliant on investigative tips from Trump’s political opponents and did not rigorously analyze the information it received, which extended the investigation and led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Trump; Durham said the FBI decided to move ahead with Crossfire Hurricane despite a lack of information from the intelligence community that corroborated the hypothesis on which it was predicated and FBI agents ignored information that exonerated key people in the case; Durham suggested that Crossfire Hurricane was “triggered” by the so-called Steele dossier, when it was in fact based on a tip from an Australian diplomat in London that a Trump campaign aide appeared to have advance knowledge about Russia releasing damaging information on Clinton. The top FBI officials who oversaw the Crossfire Hurricane investigation and left the bureau years ago have long maintained that they had a duty to investigate allegations that Russia, a strategic US adversary, was seeking to garner influence with Trump, who had no experience in government. The delivery of the report to the attorney general Merrick Garland and to the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate judiciary committees several hours before it was made public, largely marks the end of the nearly four-year investigation led by Durham. Durham’s appointment as special counsel by former attorney general William Barr was unusual in that he was essentially tasked with investigating a different special counsel – Mueller. The investigation was beset by controversy, including when Barr pressed Durham to draft an interim report just before the 2020 election, a directive that gave rise to allegations of improper political interference. In September 2020, according to the New York Times, one of the prosecutors on Durham’s team and former acting US attorney Nora Dannehy discovered that other members of the team had written a draft report that she had not been told about. Dannehy was reportedly furious and told Durham that no report should be issued before the investigation had been completed and especially not relying on disputed information that could impact the election. Dannehy sent her colleagues a memo about her concerns and resigned. While Trump once predicted that Durham would uncover the “crime of the century”, the investigation proved to be defective in court. Two people he charged were acquitted in court, and only the former FBI lawyer who altered an email to help prepare a wiretap application pleaded guilty. After the second acquittal – Igor Danchenko, a researcher who was a primary source for the 2016 dossier alleging Trump’s ties to Russia was found not guilty about lying to the FBI about where he got his information – Democrats called for Durham’s team to be shut down as a waste of taxpayer money. The Durham report ended without recommending any wholesale changes at the FBI, but suggested the creation of a position at the bureau to provide oversight of politically sensitive investigations with the power to challenge every step of investigations, including for wiretaps. Durham’s investigation was recorded as costing about $6.5m as of last December. Durham, a longtime federal prosecutor who was the US attorney in Connecticut during the Trump administration, was allowed to stay in his role by the current attorney general until the completion of his work. Two cases that Durham took to court ended in failure. Last year, a jury found cybersecurity lawyer Michael Sussman not guilty of lying to the FBI. A jury also found Danchenko not guilty of making false statements to the FBI in October, in a case argued personally by Durham. Durham extracted a guilty plea from Clinesmith, who was sentenced to one year of probation after admitting in a 2020 plea agreement that he had altered a government email that a colleague then used to justify to a secret surveillance court the wiretap of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/fbi-durham-report-trump-russia-investigation]

Vegetarian, gluten-free and hearty to boot: a chunky vegetable soup/stew and an egg-free chocolate mousse This colourful, satisfying soup is great for those wanting to cut down on their meat intake, and ticks the gluten- and dairy-free boxes, too. It can be cooked on the hob, or in the oven, slow cooker or pressure cooker. Save the liquid from the tin of chickpeas and whip it up into a deliciously light chocolate mousse for afters. Chunky soup Save all of the vegetable peelings and trimmings, and use them to make the flavourful stock. Prep 15 min Soak 12 hr Cook 1 hr 30 min+ (depending on cooking method) Serves 4-6 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 onions, peeled and chopped small 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1 stick celery, chopped 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs, or 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs Salt and black pepper 800g mixed vegetables (eg carrots, sweet potato, leeks, potatoes), all cut into 2cm dice ½ tsp chilli powder, or 1 tsp hot chilli sauce or 1 medium fresh chilli (green or red), finely chopped 100g dried lentils, beans and/or pulses (puy lentils, red lentils, green lentils, yellow split peas, green split peas), soaked in 300ml cold water for 12 hours, then drained 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved for the chocolate mousse below 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes, or passata 800ml vegetable stock (see method) 185g frozen peas First, make the stock. Put all the vegetable peelings and trimmings, including the onion skins, any parsley stalks and the garlic skins, in a large, microwave-proof bowl, pour on 800ml boiling water, cover, microwave for 10 minutes on high, then set aside. In a large pan, pressure cooker or ovenproof casserole, heat the oil, then fry the onion and garlic on a low heat for five to 10 minutes, until they start to soften. Stir in the celery and herbs, a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes, to soften. Add all the diced mixed vegetables, turn the heat to high and fry, stirring regularly, until they start to catch and colour at the edges. Add the chilli and the drained lentils and chickpeas, then stir in the tomatoes and stock. To cook in the oven, cover with a well-fitting lid and bake at 220C (200C fan)/475F/gas 9 for about an hour, or until the vegetables are tender and the pulses have absorbed much of the liquid and thickened the soup. If using a slow cooker, cook for five to six hours, until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened; for a pressure cooker, cook on high for 20 minutes; on the hob, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 40-50 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then stir through the peas until cooked, and serve in warmed bowls. Chocolate mousse You will need four or five ramekins, or similar, in which to set the mousse. Prep 5 min Cook 15 min Chill 1 hr+ Serves 4-5 Strained liquid from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, about 180ml (see previous recipe) ½ tsp cream of tartar 45g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g dark chocolate (or milk, white or vegan), broken into small pieces Sprinkles, to decorate Put the reserved chickpea water in a bowl, add the cream of tartar and whisk, ideally with a hand-held electric whisk, until light, white and standing in soft peaks (much as egg whites would). Add the icing sugar in two parts, whisking well between each addition, then whisk in the vanilla. Put the chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl, then microwave on high in two 30-second bursts, until it’s fully melted; stir to help it along. Stir a spoonful of the mousse mix into the melted chocolate to loosen it, then pour the lot into the mousse bowl and whisk to combine. Divide the mix between ramekins, small bowls or serving glasses, then tap each one on a work surface to smooth them out and release any air pockets. Top with a few sprinkles to decorate, then chill for an hour or two, until fully set. [https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/may/15/1-pound-meals-budget-midweek-meal-chickpeas-nancy-birtwhistle-vegan]

The platypus, a species unique to Australia, was reintroduced into the country’s oldest national park just south of Sydney on Friday in a landmark conservation project after disappearing from the area more than half a century ago. Known for its bill, webbed feet, and venomous spurs, the platypus is one of only two egg-laying mammals globally and spends most of its time in the water at night. Due to its reclusive nature and highly specific habitat needs, most Australians have never seen one in the wild. The relocation is a collaborative effort between the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Taronga Conservation Society Australia, WWF-Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Four females were released on Friday into the Royal National Park, which was established in 1879 and is the second oldest national park in the world. No confirmed platypus sightings have been reported in the park, located about 35 kilometres or one hour’s drive south of Sydney, since the 1970s. The relocation comes at a time when the platypus is increasingly threatened by habitat destruction, river degradation, feral predators, and extreme weather events such as droughts and bushfires. Estimates on the current po[CENSORED]tion vary widely, from 30,000 to some 300,000. “(It is) very exciting for us to see platypuses come back into the park, for a thriving po[CENSORED]tion here to establish themselves and for Sydneysiders to come and enjoy this amazing animal,” said Gilad Bino, a researcher from UNSW’S Centre for Ecosystem Science. The platypuses, which live along Australia’s east coast and in Tasmania, were collected from various locations across south-eastern New South Wales state and subjected to various tests before relocation. Each platypus will be tracked for the next two years to better understand how to intervene and relocate the species in the event of drought, bushfire, or flood, researchers said. [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/platypus-returns-australian-national-park-first-time-half-century-rcna84390]

NEW YORK — The Yankees were down a run against the division rival Rays. Two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Aaron Judge at the plate, Tampa Bay closer Jason Adam on the hill. An anxious 42,116 fans in attendance, most of them standing. Tension boiling with every pitch. Only the pleasant spring weather and the Mother's Day paraphernalia were reminders that this series was taking place in mid-May, not late October. By all accounts, the four-game tussle in the Bronx felt like a sneak peek of the postseason. The final out on Sunday afternoon was no exception. Judge connected on the Adam's first offering to him, a 79 mph sweeper that dropped into the heart of the strike zone, directly in the slugger's wheelhouse. The pitch fell into the center quadrant of the zone where, last year, Judge lofted 14 home runs of his final record-breaking total of 62. The swing, the pitch, the loud reaction from the crowd … who could blame Adam for immediately believing he had just allowed Judge to tie the game? As Judge watched the ball sail to the warning track in left-center field, Adam put his hands on his knees and exaggeratedly bent over, resembling a forward fold yoga pose. But there was nothing calm and relaxing about this moment. The game was on the line, as well as the series. If that Judge ball goes over the wall, the Yankees are a hit away from staging another improbable comeback versus the AL East's finest. For a few fleeting seconds, Adam seemed to believe that outcome. But 60 feet, six inches further away from the ball's trek, the mighty Judge knew better. "I hit it good," Judge later said. "But off the bat, I just hit it too high. And especially how deep it is out there, kind of praying for a miracle." The baseball gods sent that miracle for Tampa Bay. When Adam finally composed himself enough to stand up from his forward fold, he snuck a look into left-center field just in time to watch Jose Siri make the catch for the final out, a pace or two in front of the wall. Relief seemed to overwhelm Adam, as he put his hand over his heart and mouthed, "Wow." The gigantic grin that came next offered a glimpse of the tightrope he was walking. The Rays won the Sunday afternoon finale, 8-7, and split the series with the Yankees to wrap up a nail-biting weekend full of twists, turns, home runs, incredible diving catches and hard-to-believe rallies. Down to the very last pitch, the very last moment, this Rays-Yankees series was playoff-esque entertaining. "I thought it was 30 rows deep," Adam said of Judge's final out. "This whole series was a tough series. It was a battle on both sides." The series was a dogfight because the Yankees (23-19) played with an edge that we haven't seen this season. The Rays, with a 31-11 record that represents the best in MLB, never let the Yankees' efforts thwart their own goals. Randy Arozarena's antics on both sides of the ball, including his first-inning home run off ace Gerrit Cole on Friday, were a thrill to watch. Cole's response when asked about Arozarena's crossed-arms celebration — "He does that every time, right?" quipped Cole, "It's predictable." — brought another layer of spice to the fiery rivalry. Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe's five-hit, two-home run, four-RBI effort across 11 at-bats from Friday to Sunday aided New York's never-say-die attitude. Seven Tampa Bay hitters with an OPS of .875 or better made for a plethora of must-see at-bats. The level of talent on each club made for a competitive series that had all of us aching for more. "The Yankees were tough," said Rays infielder Taylor Walls, who crushed a grand slam off New York reliever-turned-starter Clarke Schmidt on Sunday. "Every time we got a lead, they would respond. They would either take it back by putting some runs up or match whatever we did that inning before. They are a good ballclub, especially with Judge back. Their lineup is dangerous. We didn't have a comfortable enough lead." The Yankees live and die by Judge’s bat, which is at least partly why the New York-Tampa Bay matchup just didn’t have the same competitive energy only a week ago, when the Rays hosted the Yankees in St. Petersburg. That series, the Rays behaved like the better team because, well, they undoubtedly were. They took two out of three. A Judge-sized hole in the Yankees lineup put the Bombers in a pickle before that series had even started. But with Judge back from injury — really back, with his swing returning to form and the noisy and passionate Bronx crowds working to his advantage — the Yankees got their groove back. Since Judge returned from the injured list on May 9, the Yankees have scored 45 runs and lifted their team slugging percentage from .394 to .415, as well as their team OPS from .695 to .723, all in just six games. In the 10 games that Judge missed due to a hip injury, the Yankees suffered their first four-game losing streak of the season and tallied a mere 35 runs. What a difference a Judge makes. The Yankees’ identity is built around battling. With Judge, the Yankees are a threat to win even when they’re down 6-0, which is what happened in Saturday’s matinée. Judge homered twice and drove in four runs in a thrilling 9-8 comeback. Teammate Anthony Rizzo, who seems to perform better when Judge is hitting in front of him, went deep three times throughout the series, including twice on Friday to help overcome Cole’s grind of a start. Which other team has a penchant for scratching and clawing? Ah yes, the Rays. Behind their stacked lineup and solid pitching, they erased deficit after deficit against the Yankees, both on their own turf last week and in the rowdy Bronx atmosphere this past weekend. Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen continued his domination of the Yankees on Thursday with seven scoreless innings. Adam’s fifth save of the season in Sunday’s finale bookended the Rays’ pair of wins in the series. The back-and-forth battles this weekend would’ve been the best thing on television, if not for the NBA playoffs. Again, it’s only May. But try telling these two cutthroat clubs that. The Rays and Yankees treated this series like their seasons would end if they didn’t come out on top. Alas, the four-game set was another reminder that, during this time of year, the fight can end in a tie, or a split, not a season-ending blow. Later, Judge said he was disappointed with the outcome; his Yankees would only be satisfied with a series win. On the other side of the stadium, the Rays were still riding high from Walls’ fifth-inning grand slam off right-hander Albert Abreu that put Tampa Bay on top for good. "We’re facing the best," Judge said of the pesky Rays. "They’re bringing it every single night; we’re bringing it every single at-bat. There were a lot of gritty at-bats. It’s fun to be a part of." And these foes are damn fun to watch, too. We just witnessed this Rays-Yankees rivalry go up another notch in intensity with these seven games. Is it too much to ask for seven more of them in October? Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for three-and-a-half seasons as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. She never misses a Rafael Nadal match, no matter what country or time zone he’s playing in. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar. [https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/rays-yankees-separated-by-mere-feet-over-seven-meetings-a-playoff-preview]

Out of all common refrains in the world of computing, the phrase "if only software would catch up with hardware" would probably rank pretty high. And yet, software does sometimes catch up with hardware. In fact, it seems that this time, software can go as far as unlocking quantum computations for classical computers. That's according to researchers with the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing, Japan, who have published work on an algorithm that significantly accelerates a specific quantum computing workload. More significantly, the workload itself - called time evolution operators - has applications in condensed matter physics and quantum chemistry, two fields that can unlock new worlds within our own. Normally, an improved algorithm wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary; updates are everywhere, after all. Every app update, software update, or firmware upgrade is essentially bringing revised code that either solves problems or improves performance (hopefully). And improved algorithms are nice, as anyone with a graphics card from either AMD or NVIDIA can attest. But let's face it: We're used to being disappointed with performance updates. And yet in this case, the performance gains are extraordinary. Truly, the results could hardly be more impressive. Through the improved algorithm (itself a hybrid of quantum and classical methods), future quantum computers can be made simpler than we thought possible: they'll be able to tackle bigger problems sooner than we expected, and at a lower cost. But the performance gains don't stop there. They could make it possible for conventional machines to process the degrees of complexity that only a quantum computer could supposedly solve. “Time-evolution operators are huge grids of numbers that describe the complex behaviors of quantum materials,” explained Kaoru Mizuta of the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing. “They’re of great importance because they give quantum computers a very practical application - better understanding quantum chemistry and the physics of solids." The algorithm improvement does away with the Trotterization technique quantum computers deployed until now - one already suspected to be unsustainable for long-term scaling. That's due to the technique requiring enormous numbers of quantum gates, with each gate requiring a variable number of qubits programmed to perform a given function. Even IBM's 1,121-qubit-count Condor QPU (Quantum Processing Unit), which is due to be released this year, would be hard-pressed to enable as many quantum gates as Trotterization is expected to require for workloads that actually mean something in quantum computing terms. No, quantum computing won't be happening in our smartphones. In a way, today's superconducting refrigerators could be compared to the ENIAC from before the dawn of integrated microchips. Or going from that point to the equivalent of today's fastest CPUs or Best GPUs. That's the road ahead of us for quantum - one where the starting shot still rings. [https://www.tomshardware.com/news/quantum-computing-algorithm-breakthrough-riken]

Nickname: OMAR Video author:I.Farlight 84 Name of the game: Granny Link video: Rate this video 1-10

Smurfs Kart’s release date and features have been revealed in a recent post, and we also have a list of all playable Smurfs. Smurf Kart’s developers Microids accidentally announced the release date, features, and playable Smurfs, and Billbil was fast enough to take screenshots before they removed the post. According to the post, Smurfs Kart is coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on August 22, 2023, but Billbil says this is a typo and the release date should be September 22, 2023. Here is a list of features, and playable characters. Smurfs Kart Features 12 tracks set in the Smurfs’ universe: The village, the forest, the dam, the swamps… even Gargamel’s house! 12 iconic playable Smurfs: Handy, Hefty, Smurfette, Papa Smurf, Jokey… choose your favorite Smurf and get ready to race! Each Smurf has their own kart and a very handy special item to help you breeze past your opponents. Use the world around you: Bonus items, boosts, ramps, destructible boxes, shortcuts and more! Finish 1st in the races where 8 Smurfs compete in frantic races. Smurf together: Play solo or with family and friends, with support for up to four players in split-screen local multiplayer! “Time Challenge” mode: Try to beat every Smurf at their own racetrack and reach the top of the online leaderboard with your quickest time! Unlock bonuses as you play and try to Smurf them all in your personal album! Smurfs Kart Playable Smurfs Hefty Smurfette Farmer Chef Jokey Papa Handy Clumsy Blossom Storm Astro Robot Smurfs Kart is currently available on Nintendo Switch. [https://www.futuregamereleases.com/2023/05/smurfs-kart-ps4-ps5-xbox-one-and-xbox-series-xs-release-date-leak/]

Trainers, last year we published an article about a former Niantic employee and what is like to work at Niantic. They weren’t satisfied (that’s why they are former employees), and the story reached out to many people. The person explained they got punished by echoing Pokemon Go players’ complaints. Today, we discovered a new story, but this time it comes from a current Niantic employee. The thread was posted on April 28, 2023, by a current Niantic employee, under Senior Product Manager on Glassdoor. The title says “No Leadership,” so you already have an idea where this is going. The person shared pros and cons, and the funny thing is they said only two positive things about Niantic. Most of the things written explain a lot about the current situation. The person says the current PMs are the “weak ones” who please and serve engineers. He reveals that “decisions are always prioritized by how much engineers like about doing them, how much VP engineering likes about them, and how much the CEO favors them.” According to the current Niantic employee, the CEO doesn’t use external vendors, doesn’t like sharing data with anyone, and doesn’t like people to stay at home playing Pokemon Go. Here is what the person has to say about the current situation at Niantic and what is like working in that environment. This was posted on Glassdoor. Please note that you must add a review or compensation to see the review. “No Leadership Pros Individual contributors are good at executions Engineers individually have a decent tech background Cons Leadershipis a joke. Mid-management is an epic joke. Let’s be clear. This company does not have a northstar. Al they know is they want to use AR and geolocation to do something cool. They focus on solutions instead of purposes. Mid-management, especially tech lead managers and recently promoted engineering directors are junior people who are not supposed to be managers. This company has a ridiculous bias toward engineering. | was once told by the now head of Pokemon GO (eng) that product managers are supposed to please and serve engineers. This perfectly summarizes why Niantic is still in such a mess today. The product managers who still linger today are the weak ones who please engineers well – the strong ones all left. Decisions are always prioritized by how much engineers like ‘about doing them, how much VP engineering likes about them, and how much our CEO favors them. Our CEO has a very unique taste – he doesn’t like to use external vendors, he doesn’t like sharing data with rest of the company, and he doesn’t like people to stay at home playing his game. Our CPO could not be weaker – a typical Japanese elite who cares so much about hierarchy, seniority, shiny titles, and harmony with his boss. He literally doesn’t make any decisions. Our team of PMs, although most come with shiny backgrounds, are just minions and servers for the eng teams. We never talk about impact, never talk about how much money this feature will make for the company. We always talk about constraints about privacy, about GMT, about the release schedule, and about getting the checklists done. This is not how a mature and productive product management workforce is supposed to work. Engineers take all the control, but engineering leads are myopic. Principal architect from Google would brag about his olden days all the time. He would speak of database columns he changed so that we pay less money to GCP. Engleads would over-engineer their small products so much, but never listen to product advices. There is no speaking of impact, no speaking of making money for the company, no speaking of the next level up beyond the pathetic AR and geolocation. If you are a PM, don’t come to this place.” Now we know why they don’t listen to us. What are your thoughts about this? We would like to hear from you, so please leave a comment below. [https://www.futuregamereleases.com/2023/05/pokemon-go-current-niantic-employee-reveals-what-is-it-like-to-work-at-niantic-says-product-managers-are-supposed-to-please-and-serve-engineers/]