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Vax has been chosen as the word of the year by lexicographers at the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Words related to vaccines have spiked in frequency in 2021 due to Covid, with double-vaxxed, unvaxxed and anti-vaxxer all seeing a surge in use. OED senior editor Fiona McPherson says vax was an obvious choice as it has made "the most striking impact". "It goes back at least to the 1980s, but according to our corpus it was rarely used until this year," she said. "When you add to that its versatility in forming other words - vaxxie, vax-a-thon, vaxinista - it became clear that vax was the standout in the crowd." Vax and vaxx are both accepted spellings but the form with one x is more common. Oxford English Dictionary definitions for vax: vax n. A vaccine or vaccinationvax v. Treat (someone) with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease; vaccinate vaxxie n. A photograph of oneself taking during or immediately before or after a vaccination, especially one against Covid-19, and typically shared on social media; a vaccination selfie anti-vax adj. Opposed to vaccination anti-vaxxer n. A person who is opposed to vaccination double-vaxxed adj. Having received two doses of a vaccine Presentational grey line Use of the word pandemic has also increased by more than 57,000% this year. Oxford Languages and Collins each decide their own word of the year, and in 2020 Collins chose "lockdown". But Oxford decided it was an unprecedented year with too many contenders, so expanded its award to encompass a handful of newly key words including lockdown, bushfires and Covid-19, as well as Black Lives Matter, WFH [working from home], keyworkers and furlough. This year's Oxford-winning word, vax, was first recorded in English in 1799, while its derivatives vaccinate and vaccination both first appear in 1800. All of these words ultimately come from the Latin word vacca, which means cow. According to the OED, this is due to English physician and scientist Edward Jenner's pioneering work on vaccination against smallpox using cowpox - a mild infection that occurs in cows - in the late 1790s and early 1800s. Oxford Languages says its corpus, or language resource, gathers news content which is updated daily and contains over 14.5 billion words for lexicographers to search and analyse. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59089596

Redmi Watch 2 was launched on Thursday — alongside the Redmi Note 11 series. The new smartwatch, which is the successor to the original Redmi Watch, comes with a larger AMOLED display over a TFT screen available on the earlier model. The Redmi Watch 2 also carries up to 12 hours of battery life. Alongside the Redmi Watch 2, Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi launched the Redmi Buds 3 Lite as its new truly wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. The new model is claimed to deliver up to 18 hours of battery life and Bluetooth v5.2 connectivity. Redmi Watch 2, Redmi Buds 3 Lite price Redmi Watch 2 price has been set at CNY 399 (roughly Rs. 4,700). The smartwatch will be available for purchase in China in Black, Blue, and Ivory dial colours starting November 11. It will also have Brown, Olive, and Pink strap shade options. The Redmi Buds 3 Lite, on the other hand, carry a price tag of CNY 99 (roughly Rs.1,200) and will be available in the Chinese market from Thursday itself. Details about the price and availability of the Redmi Watch 2 and Redmi Buds 3 Lite in global markets including India are yet to be announced. edmi Watch 2 specifications The Redmi Watch 2 features a 1.6-inch AMOLED display along with a 63.7 percent screen-to-body ratio. This comes from thin bezels that are designed to provide a better viewing experience over last year's Redmi Watch. The new smartwatch also includes 100 watch faces and has support for always-on display. In addition to the new display, the Redmi Watch 2 has an upgraded list of sensors that help deliver heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) tracking, and sleep analysis. The watch also has support for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou to track running and outdoor workouts.Redmi has offered support for 117 fitness modes on the Redmi Watch 2 that include 17 professional workout types. The smartwatch also has NFC support and includes XiaoAi AI Assistant for smart controls. The Redmi Watch 2 includes an upgraded low power-consumption chipset that is paired with a new battery management algorithm to deliver up to 12 days of battery life on a single charge, the company said. The smartwatch is also bundled with a new magnetic charger and has 5ATM water resistance. The Redmi Buds 3 Lite comes with an in-ear design that is tweaked from what was available on the Redmi Buds 3 and Redmi Buds 3 Pro. The company calls the design as a “unique cat-ear design,” which is claimed to help provide a stable fit to users.

Microsoft is looking to speed up the migration to Windows 11 by forcefully installing its suitability checker app on user's machines. BleepingComputer spotted that the latest Windows 10 update includes a force install for PC Health Check, a tool that evaluates a user's machine to suss out its suitability for upgrading to Windows 11.The new KB5005463 update doesn't mention PC Health Check in its title, but may upset some users who prefer to stay on Windows 10 until all the initial issues with Microsoft's new software are ironed out. Windows 11 update Microsoft says that users are able to simply uninstall PC Health Check using the Windows Settings app, however some users have complained that this is trickier than it sounds - namly because the tool keeps being reinstalled whenever a subsequent Windows update is released. PC Health Check doesn't appear too intrusive an addition to a Windows 10 PC, but users may want to disable it if they don't want to be reminded about Windows 11 - for example, if they are using an admin-controlled work device. Microsoft does advise giving your computer a Windows 11 health check before updating to its newest operating system, which was released earlier this year following months of anticipation. While Windows 11 is available as a free download, Microsoft has set a baseline of hardware specifications that allows users to take advantage of all its features. For starters, all PCs and laptops powered by Intel’s sixth and seventh-generation processors are not eligible to get the new update - and Windows 11 will also not support 32-bit systems. Similarly, if your device runs on AMD’s A-series and FX-series, along with Ryzen 1000 and most Ryzen 2000 processors, it will not be able to run Windows 11. Microsoft says that in order to download Windows 11 on your PC, it must meet the below requirements: Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC) RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB or larger System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver Display: 9in or larger display with HD (720P) resolution or more Internet connection and Microsoft accounts: Internet connection to download and set up the device. A Microsoft account is required for some features.

From today, you can preorder Nvidia's RTX 3080 premium third tier of membership for GeForce Now. Unlocking the power of an RTX 3080 will cost users of the cloud gaming service just under $100 for 6 months membership, and Nvidia claim it can outperform a local Xbox Series X on all counts. This power comes in the form of three times more TFLOPS than the console, through an eight-core, 16-thread AMD Threadripper equivalent, which is backed up by 28GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, and a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive, to boot. Of course, all this comes with access to the ray tracing capability of the RTX 3080, and membership supports up to 4K resolution at 120 fps, which isn't horrific at all for those packing a UHD monitor without the hardware to push it to its full potential. Though sadly you're limited to eight-hour sessions Basically, with this new GeForce Now membership tier, you'll be running one beast of a virtual machine that otherwise would have cost thousands of dollars to build. And that's provided you could even find the parts to jam into it, considering the current state of the market. The announcement includes five new games joining the GeForce Now foray this week. These include Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Riders Republic, Alan Wake Remastered, Hide and Shriek and Paradise Killer.

For four generations now, Rome has sought to conquer you — to add Caledonia to its ever-growing list of imperial provinces. Your people quickly realized that an empire as sprawling as Rome can't be defeated head-on. So they waged a different kind of war. One without direct conflict, which saw you burn your own settlements and leave only scorched earth for the legions. Eventually, Rome decided to stop wasting resources and claimed victory by building a 100-mile wall. But walls don't bring peace. You were out hunting when it happened. Smoke from the Roman wall. Someone shattered the fragile ceasefire. The Romans are sure to retaliate, and you know you're about to turn from hunter to prey. That’s the stage set by Sacred Fire, a psychological RPG developed by poetic and published by Iceberg Interactive. Loosely inspired by real-world history, Sacred Fire puts you in the shoes of a young Caledonian warrior mounting a fierce defense against the Roman invasion. Beyond that basic detail, you control everything about your character, from who they are to who they will become. Sacred Fire may appear quite challenging, currently — developed for tabletop roleplayers rather than the wider gaming community. But the developer has their ear to the ground. They're using Steam's Early Access as it's meant to be used, hearing and applying player feedback. So while the default experience may remain unchanged, difficulty settings will give you a great deal of control over how you play, allowing even those new to the genre to enjoy the story. Hero. Villain. Champion. Coward. Diplomat. Killer. Who will you be? Who will you become? And will it be enough to stand against Rome You’ll have to find that out for yourself. Link: https://www.pcgamer.com/sacred-fire-is-now-in-early-access-on-steam/

For what may be a swansong for the naturally aspirated V8 muscle car, the Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a fitting tribute. It’s not a groundbreaking rendition of the Mustang recipe, but the chassis changes tighten things up noticeably, giving the Mach 1 a surprising degree of competence on a track. An £11,000 price hike over the standard car is steep, and European rivals tackle tricky roads with more finesse, but the Mach 1 is an entertaining brute. The new Ford Mustang Mach 1 represents what will likely be a last gasp for the naturally aspirated V8 engine in time, especially as Ford is pressing its electric future with the Mustang nameplate, including hotter Mach-E GT, which makes this Mach 1 now the sharpest iteration of the petrol-engined Mustang muscle car you can buy in Europe. With an uprated engine and chassis tweaks for this new version, Ford claims that the Mach 1 is the fastest-ever Mustang around a track you can buy here, too - because the hardcore Shelby GT350 and GT500 versions aren’t available in the UK. It therefore has a fair amount of weight resting on its broad shoulders, and it’s not shying away from the task. As part of the track-bred makeover, the Mach 1 receives a bespoke aero package that adds 22 per cent more downforce over the base car, and a whole heap of visual aggression thanks to a deep front splitter and a boot spoiler. The defining feature is a pair of large nostrils embedded in the front grille, which feed the 5.0-litre V8 motor and pay tribute to the Mustang Mach 1 of 1969. An upgraded induction system and a performance exhaust system ensure that if you’re somehow not seen, you’ll certainly be heard. Hit the start button and the Mach 1 erupts into life, before settling into a moody eight-cylinder gargle. An ECU remap and a new throttle body raise power to 454bhp - a 10bhp hike over the standard Mustang V8. From the outside, the noise is hair raising, but things are more subdued from the driver’s seat. The engine isn’t quite so hard-edged, and blipping the throttle results in a creamy exhaust roar, with the restless V8 rocking the car from side to side on its suspension. The interior is largely carried over from lesser Mustangs, aside from aluminium trim accents, a Mach 1 chassis number plaque on the dash and a ‘cue ball’ gear knob borrowed from the Mustang Bullitt. The design is appealing, with a tall, sculpted dashboard and retro toggle switches, although the overall fit and finish isn’t stellar. As with the rest of the line-up, the Mach 1 is at least fitted with a 12-inch digital dash, with crisp graphics that alter depending on the car’s drive mode. Ford’s Sync 3 touchscreen infotainment set-up also features, which includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a DAB radio. But it’s the chassis upgrades that are central to the Mach 1. The MagneRide dampers have been retuned, while firmer front springs, uprated anti-roll bars and stiffer subframe bushes all feature to boost handling precision. The electric power steering system has also been recalibrated, and these changes are noticeable. Link: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/mustang/356416/new-ford-mustang-mach-1-2021-review

We would like to hear from people who have done their Christmas food and decoration shopping early Have you already arranged everything you need for Christmas this year? We would like to hear from people who have already finished their festive shopping. Are you doing anything differently to prepare this year? Was your decision influenced by concerns around staff and supply chain shortages? Tell us using the form below. Share your experiences You can get in touch by filling in the form below or contact us via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding +44(0)7766780300. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact before we publish, so please do leave contact details. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/19/tell-us-are-you-preparing-for-christmas-early

At least 300 sea turtles have washed up dead on Mexico's Pacific coast. Preliminary exams suggests that the olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) drowned, an official with Mexico's environment ministry said. The official said they had probably become tangled in illegal fishing nets in the high seas or in abandoned nets known as "ghost nets". Olive ridley turtles are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN says that their po[CENSORED]tion is decreasing and that they are listed as vulnerable because they only nest in a small number of places. The turtles were found washed up on Morro Ayuta beach in Oaxaca, on Mexico's western coast. The beach is one of the sites where olive ridley turtles come to lay their eggs. All of the dead animals were females, turtle expert Ernesto Albavera Padilla told local media. It is not the first time a large number of olive ridley turtles has been found dead in Oaxaca. In 2018, fishermen found 300 of them entangled in fishing nets. Mexico banned the capture of sea turtles in 1990 and there are stiff penalties for anyone killing them. Officials said Mexico's navy would join environmental authorities in their investigation of the deaths. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59077086

His country is immersed in a gas crisis. But Nicu Popescu is trying to remain positive. "On Monday our country made history," Moldova's foreign minister tells me. "For the first time Moldova bought gas from a source that was not Russia's Gazprom." The gas shipment from Poland's PGNiG was one million cubic metres. Moldova will need much larger volumes if Gazprom does what it has threatened to do: turn off the gas taps. Up until now, 100% of Moldova's gas has come from Russia. But the contract to supply it expired at the end of September. Gazprom raised the price and Moldova balked at paying it. In the absence of a new deal, the Russian energy giant reduced supplies, prompting Moldova to declare a 30-day state of emergency. Gazprom accused Moldova of "provoking a crisis" and demanded repayment of a $709m (£514m) debt, which Moldova disputes. Negotiations continue. Moldovan officials say they would like to sign a new contract with Gazprom, but only if the terms are favourable. If there is no deal with Russia, could Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, buy enough gas elsewhere "It's the worst time to have a gas crisis at home," Mr Popescu admits. "The prices are higher than ever. We see this market crunch on a global scale. But we've had support. In recent years Romania built a new gas pipeline into Moldova which gives us a safety valve. We've also had some advice from the European Union on how to diversify a country's gas supply within a few days." Like many enterprises in Moldova, the sugar factory in Drochia has been affected by the gas shortage. "We're able to use just a quarter of the gas we need," manager Rostislav Magdei explains. "We're topping that up with alternative sources of energy. We hope our government will compensate any losses arising from the high price of fuel." Once in Moscow's orbit, Moldova has been tilting from Russia towards the West more recently. The country's leadership is now pro-European and supports closer ties with the EU. Many here suspect that the gas crisis is the Kremlin's way of expressing its disapproval. "This year we had parliamentary elections and the pro-Russia party lost," says Sergiu Tofilat, former energy adviser to the president of Moldova. "We have a pro-Western party in power here. So, Russia changed its approach on the gas supply. The Kremlin wants to punish the Moldovan people for voting against a pro-Russia party. It's pure politics." "Vladimir Putin is trying to keep former Soviet countries within the area of influence of the Kremlin. We do not want to stay on our knees in front of Moscow. We must say no to Russian blackmail and we have the opportunity now to get rid of Russian influence in Moldova." Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59048894

happy birthday

Ingeniously practical, well-built and impressively frugal, the HR-V ticks many of the compact SUV boxes. Our time driving in the UK has put to bed question marks over fuel efficiency - few cars in this class can offer the HR-V’s potential. It even drives smartly too, although it isn’t quite class-leading in any one area. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver enough to justify its relatively high retail price compared with some key rivals. Still, it’s the most convincing family car Honda has produced in years. Back in the late nineties Honda dubbed its first-generation HR-V “The Joy Machine”, and now into its this third iteration, this new compact family SUV will need to leave us grinning from ear to ear if it’s to topple rivals like the Toyota Yaris Cross, Renault Captur and Ford Puma from the top of a fiercely competitive crossover class. Our first encounter on German roads in left-hand drive form showed that there’s plenty to like, but the HR-V didn’t live up to Honda’s promise of class-leading fuel efficiency from its hybrid powertrain. What was clear is that Honda has worked hard to improve this new car in almost every key area, plus maintaining or boosting its strong points - literally. Torsional rigidity is up 15 per cent compared with the old car, while it’s now 40mm longer. Step inside and the driver is presented with a neat, uncluttered environment. Build quality is excellent and feels as plush as anything else in the class. It’s backed up by Honda’s latest infotainment system, which is lightyears ahead of what the previous HR-V was lumbered with. It’s towards the back where the really smart stuff starts, though. Overall knee room is up by 35mm, and in this area the HR-V measures up very strongly against its rivals. It’s just a shame that the boot is relatively pokey - the 319 litres on offer is disappointing. It does make up for this slightly with Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ though. These not only fold forward, but the seat bases can also flip upward, which is ideal for carrying taller items. This is made possible by the way that Honda’s engineers have packaged the fuel tank; it’s slotted beneath the front seats, as opposed to beneath the rear bench as in most cars. It’s partly because the HR-V uses a full hybrid, too. On paper, the HR-V’s petrol/electric set-up is clever. Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but for the most part this only serves to act as a generator for the battery and motor. In fully electric this motor/generator can be decoupled altogether, while under hard acceleration its energy isn’t transferred through a gearbox, but as a direct drive - again, in the name of efficiency. Link: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/hr-v/356255/new-honda-hr-v-2021-review

When I explore my buried Viking abilities, I realise there is a wild man in all of us. If only I had been competing without a dishwasher-related finger injury ihe Whistle Punks urban axe throwing venue is not easily missed. You can hear terrifying thunks of wood from outside, while inside hatchets whoosh past at head height, followed by cheers. The atmosphere screams “fraternity hazing” and I’m scared to walk in. The friends I’ve brought with me experience the atmosphere differently, a few describing themselves as “pumped” and “beyond excited”, which makes me wonder if they have under-active amygdalas. Basically it’s darts, with axes. Parallel lanes are enclosed in chain-link walls, with cartoon target boards at one end. A bullseye is worth five points; the concentric circles around it, fewer. Our instructor, Alice, teaches us single and double-handed throws. It’s a whole body movement, like headbutting, she says. I have never headbutted anyone; I am not a goat. I am surprised, though, by how little strength is required to generate a hefty WHUMP. When I go on to land a bullseye in training before anyone else does, an unexpected feeling of power blooms. I must triumph. Game on. We begin a tournament, Alice chalking up points on a board. Aiming to become the axe-throwing GOAT, I whip my hatchet down the lane. It over-rotates, smacking the target bluntly and uselessly. My competitor, Victoria, a former ballerina, sinks hers into the soft wood of the bullseye. This isn’t right. I trash-talk her for a few throws – bringing up past failures, financial insecurities etc. It does the trick and her last axe fails with a clatter. My turn. I raise my arm and let fly. Bullseye. The cleanest bullseye the world has ever seen. Then the axe trembles and falls out of the target on to the floor. “No points!” says Alice. Unharmed, I am nonetheless in a world of pain. Final round is a “death match”. Alice explains that this means, “One person lives, the other person dies!” (It means the two highest scorers face off.) Can the underdog pull off the impossible? “Believe in yourself!” roars Alice. “This is for everyone who bullied me at school,” announces Heather, throwing double handed. For the first time, her blade flies straight; directly into the bullseye. But she is in my lane. The axe wobbles and falls out. No points. “I guess you didn’t believe in yourself enough,” notes James, landing the most savage blow today. Gutting. Still, deep vindication for me. The winner is justice, or at least shared unfairness. Technically I finished last, but I also have a finger injury from unloading the dishwasher, which I never mentioned. There are a few undignified jokes about my induction into the Hall of Shame, but even I leave with a ruddy glow and an appreciation of my buried Viking abilities. There’s a wild man in all of us. The next day, James mentions that he’s been experiencing increased creativity. “I guess I needed to throw an axe into some wood.” Talking therapies are great, but taciturn flannel therapy? That hits the spot. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/25/rhik-samadder-tries-urban-axe-throwing-bullseye-i-feel-powerful

Millions of Afghans will face starvation this winter unless urgent action is taken, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned. More than half the po[CENSORED]tion - about 22.8 million people - face acute food insecurity, while 3.2 million children under five could suffer acute malnutrition, the WFP said. Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises, if not the worst," said David Beasley, the executive director of the WFP. "We are on a countdown to catastrophe." Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August after the US pulled out the last of its remaining troops and the militants swept across the country retaking ground. The takeover weakened an already fragile economy that was heavily dependent on foreign aid. Western powers suspended aid and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund also halted payments. A nation is considered aid-dependent when 10% or more of its gross domestic product comes from foreign aid; in Afghanistan's case, about 40% of GDP was international aid, according to the World Bank. Many Afghans are now selling their possessions to buy food. The new Taliban administration has been blocked from accessing overseas assets, as nations assess how to deal with the hardline group, meaning wages to civil servants and other workers have been withheld. "It has been more than five months that I have received my wages," a teacher in Herat told the BBC. "Life is tough. I am selling whatever we have at home. We are selling our animals, cutting our trees to sell the wood." "People are impoverished here," said a man in Kandahar. "Yesterday I saw a woman who was going through the rubbish bins at the local hotel, collecting the leftover food. I asked her why she was doing so and she said she didn't have any other solution, she was trying to find food for her children." The WFP warned that the looming winter threatened to further isolate Afghans dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive. And for the first time in Afghanistan, urban residents are suffering from food insecurity at similar rates to rural communities, the organisation said. "It is urgent that we act efficiently and effectively to speed up and scale up our delivery in Afghanistan before winter cuts off a large part of the country, with millions of people - including farmers, women, young children and the elderly - going hungry in the freezing winter," said QU Dongyu, the director of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. In September, the WFP warned that only five percent of Afghan families had enough to eat every day. Basic ingredients like cooking oil and wheat had skyrocketed in price. In October, the organisation warned that one million children were at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition without immediate life-saving treatment. In September, more than $1bn (£720m) was pledged by the international community at a conference in Geneva to support Afghans with about a third earmarked for the WFP. But according to the WFP on Monday, the UN humanitarian assistance programme remains only a third funded. The organisation said it may require as much as $220m (£159.6m) per month to meet the task, calling the current financial commitments a "drop in the ocean". The food crisis in Afghanistan has been compounded by water shortages and a severe drought - the country's second in four years. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59011501

Today is your birthday @-Happy boyi hope you always have good fortune and may all your dreams the most important thing is marriage come true 😉 i wish you success in your life and the fulfillment of all your desires 🎂 ❤️

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My 22-year-old son is about to start his third year of a four-year degree course, and he is living at home. He has always been quiet and introverted, but po[CENSORED]r. Three years ago, when challenged by one of his sisters as to why he never tells us anything, he confided that he had been suffering from anxiety and feeling worthless. I felt sad for him, and powerless.We also discovered that he was smoking cannabis. I threatened to throw him out if he didn’t stop. There have been times when he has barely come out of his room, and others when he’s been better. He has tried antidepressants, at my suggestion. I have also advised that he see a counsellor, and he has done so; he says it has been helping.However, our relationship is not good. I feel he blames me for the anxiety that he is feeling, and he looks at me with dislike. He says it’s anxiety and frustration and he’s tired of trying to reassure me. He has a completely different relationship with our youngest child, who is 17. They find the same things funny and chat about TV shows. I sense him tensing up and being on guard whenever I’m around him. We have asked what we can do to make things better for him, and he has said to treat him “normally”. We’ve been trying but become frustrated when we get nothing back from him. My husband can take a step back from the situation and be more relaxed around him, but I don’t know how to move forward. You are trying so hard to make things right; I think you are projecting many of your own feelings on to your son and it’s overwhelming for him. Ruth Glover, a psychotherapist, wondered whether your son “couldn’t, or wouldn’t, communicate with you”. Couldn’t, because he’s too depressed or having problems expressing himself, or wouldn’t, because it’s his way of trying to establish some separation from you – “which, although painful and scary for you both, is an important part of growing up”. Given that he does communicate with others, the latter seems more likely. Although hurtful for you, that is the better way round. As a quiet and introverted person, he may be finding this period of transition difficult. He’s no longer a child but he is still living at home. Glover was interested in his relationship with his teen sister and wondered if he found it easier to identify with her. “With the pressures and expectations of young adulthood, he may be worrying about his future and not feeling ready. Some young people take longer than others to navigate this stage.” Glover said this period is often hard for parents, who can feel responsible and yet powerless to help, with the intensity of emotion making communication harder. “You think he doesn’t communicate with you, but he does listen to you: he has gone to the GP, tried antidepressants and is even going to counselling, following your suggestions. Those are big things and you helped him find them. But you need to listen to him, too. He’s told you he needs you to treat him normally.” She further remarked that he has gone back to college twice after false starts, which shows incredible resilience – you need to hold on to this. We both felt that it must be a strain for him to try to appear “all right” when he probably doesn’t know what’s wrong. He may also be trying not to disappoint you – a heavy burden for a child. I’ve said in the past that parents need to be the backbone their children can lean on, and it seems as if the opposite is happening here. I also think your messages are confusing: do this [smoke cannabis] and I’ll reject you, but hey son, what’s wrong, tell me.Try reconnecting with him without talking about it: “What did you enjoy doing together when he was younger?” asked Glover. But don’t use this to pry, just let him be. “And stop looking for reassurance from him.” You mention in your longer letter that you’re worried he’s turning into your brother, which is obviously a projection; he’s not. You need to see your son for who he is. You need to separate out your stuff and his. He is talking to someone to help him – is there anyone who can support you?Glover’s final words were, “Just step back, because your stepping forward is making him step back.” We suggest saying something to him like: “I’m here for you if you need me,” and then taking a back seat to let him breathe. Some organisations that may be of help: Young Minds; Talk to Frank Every week Annalisa Barbieri addresses a family-related problem sent in by a reader. If you would like advice from Annalisa on a family matter, please send your problem to Annalisa regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions: see gu.com/letters-terms. Conversations With Annalisa Barbieri, a new podcast series, is available here. Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure the discussion remains on the topics raised by the article. Please be aware that there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/22/my-son-seems-to-blame-me-for-his-anxiety-how-can-we-reconnect

On a film set, a real-life tragedy has happened. Police say US actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on a film set in New Mexico. They were working on the film Rust. Tributes have been paid to Ms Hutchins, 42, while Mr Baldwin is said to be distraught. One local paper found him in tears outside Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. An investigation is under way and we don't yet know what went wrong. A spokesman for Mr Baldwin said there had been an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks. Such incidents are rare and the news has stunned the film industry. The use of firearms on set is subject to stringent safety standards. "On the film I recently made, even my plastic gun, I had to sign out, sign in every day," said Australian actor Rhys Muldoon. "So that's why this particular case is so incredibly baffling." A prop gun could mean a range of items, from non-functioning weapons to cap guns. But it can also mean a real weapon, or one adapted for firing blanks. Together they add authenticity to productions - fire a blank using a prop gun and you'll get a loud bang, a recoil and what's known as a muzzle flash, the visible light created by the combustion of the powder. Has this kind of incident happened before? Yes. You may remember Brandon Lee, the actor son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee died aged just 28 in 1993 while filming The Crow, when a prop gun which mistakenly had a dummy round loaded in it was fired at him. Dummy rounds contain no explosive charge and in this case were used to film a close-up. When blanks were loaded part of the dummy round remained in the gun. After Lee was shot, the cameras kept rolling. It was only when he did not get up at the end of the scene that those on set realised something was wrong. In another incident, in 1984, US actor Jon-Erik Hexum started joking around on the set of a television show after being frustrated by delays in filming. He loaded a revolver with a blank, spun the chamber, put the gun to his temple and fired. Unlike Lee, he was not killed by a projectile, but rather the force of the blast was strong enough to fracture his skull. He died days later in hospital. How can blanks and props be used safely? Hexum's death highlights a problem with blanks - even without a projectile they pack enormous power. Adding to the risk, some film sets use extra powder to make the visual impact stronger. Film sets usually have strict rules about the use of prop guns. Specialists provide weapons for use on film sets and advise on their use. "There's basic safety measures on every set," said Mike Tristano, an armourer who has worked with Alec Baldwin in the past. "You never point a gun, even if it is not a firing gun, at anyone else. I'm at a loss how this could have happened and how it could have done that much damage." A common shot in film shows an actor firing into the camera and Steven Hall, who has worked on films such as Fury and The Imitation Game, says it only happens with safeguards."If you are in the line of fire... You would have a face mask, you would have goggles, you would stand behind a Perspex screen, and you would minimise the number of people by the camera, " he said. "What I don't understand in this instance is how two people have been injured, one tragically killed, in the same event." Others working in film wondered why, at a time when gun effects can be cheaply added using computers, blanks are still being used at all."There's no reason to have guns loaded with blanks or anything on set anymore. Should just be fully outlawed," tweeted Craig Zobel, an actor and director whose credits include Westworld and Mare of Easttown. "Prop guns are guns," TV writer David Slack tweeted. "Blanks have real gunpowder in them. They can injure or kill - and they have. If you're ever on a set where prop guns are treated without proper caution and safe handling, walk away. "No show or shot is worth risking people's lives," he added. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59006905

Vivo Y71t has been launched as the latest model in the company's Y series. The new Vivo phone comes with a 20:9 AMOLED display that carries a waterdrop-style notch design. The Vivo Y71t also includes dual rear cameras, 44W fast charging, and an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC. It also comes with up to 256GB of onboard storage and two distinct colour options. Other key highlights of the Vivo Y71t include a 64-megapixel primary camera, five-layer liquid cooling system, and a 98 percent DCI-P3 wide colour gamut. Vivo Y71t price, availability details Vivo Y71t price starts at CNY 1,799 (roughly Rs. 21,000) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The phone also comes in an 8GB + 256GB option that is priced at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 23,400). It features Mirage and Midnight Blue colours and is currently available for pre-orders in China, with its sale scheduled for November 1. Details about the global pricing and availability of the Vivo Y71t are yet to be announced. Vivo Y71t specifications The dual-SIM (Nano) Vivo Y71t runs on Android 11 with OriginOS 1.0 on top and features a 6.44-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 90.1 percent screen-to-body ratio. Under the hood, the Vivo Y71t has the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC, along with Mali-G57 GPU and 8GB of LDRR4 RAM as standard. The built-in RAM also supports virtual expansion by up to 4GB to enhance multitasking. For photos and videos, the Vivo Y71t has the dual rear camera setup that houses the 64-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.79 lens and an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 ultra-wide lens. There is also a 16-megapixel selfie camera sensor at the front, with an f/2.0 lens. The Vivo Y71t comes with up to 256GB of UFS 2.1 onboard storage. Connectivity options include 5G, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, ambient light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor. There is also an in-display fingerprint sensor. Vivo has provided a 4,000mAh battery that is rated to deliver up to 14.5 hours of talk time over a 4G network on a single charge. The battery also supports 44W Flash Charge fast charging. The phone measures 160.63x73.91x7.67mm and weighs 166.3 grams for the Midnight Blue colour, while its Mirage shade has 160.63x73.91x7.79mm dimensions and weighs 167.9 grams.

The best Linux distros for gaming, to make it simple and easy to play PC games on Linux machines. Gaming on Linux has come a long way in the last half a decade. While it was always possible to game on Linux, the titles that worked flawlessly on the platform were few and far between. Valve’s announcement of their own Linux gaming distro proved to be a turning point, which made gaming publishers stand up and acknowledge the presence of the open source platform. The titles soon began trickling in, and now even major gaming studios are proudly showing off the penguin compatibility of their marquee titles. Thanks to initiatives such as Proton, Linux users get decent game play even on titles that were designed only for Windows. Even before Valve got into the act, the flag bearers of gaming on Linux have been evergreen open source initiatives such as the WINE compatibility layer, gaming platforms like Lutris that rely on its strong community to power hundreds of gaming titles on Linux, and high-quality open source drivers from vendors such as AMD. Thanks to all these initiatives the open source operating system has not only proved itself as a very capable gaming platform, it can even sometimes outperform Windows. In true open source fashion, you have a handful of options that’ll help you create the perfect Linux environment for gaming. Here are some of the options on offer. Drauger OS describes itself as a Linux Desktop Gaming OS. The distro is based off Ubuntu LTS releases. However instead of opting for the kernel from Ubuntu, Drauger uses the mainline Linux kernel. The developers have compiled the kernel with low latency enabled and have also changed the scheduling frequency from 250Hz to 1000Hz. Thanks to these changes, gamers should experience higher frame rates, reduced screen tearing, and generally better performance in the game play. The distro installs Steam Client straight on the start of the Live environment. The distro uses a customized Xfce desktop environment and new users will appreciate the tutorial in the welcome app that’ll take them through a whistle stop tour of the new environment. Drauger claims to support most Xbox and Xbox360 controllers and some PlayStation controllers as well. The distro also has several applications and tools installed out of the box to improve the gaming experience, including PlayOnLinux, WINE, Lutris, Steam, and DXVK. The distro ships with a large cache of apps, which means you can use it as a very capable desktop distro for regular computing tasks as well. In fact, you’ll need a disk with at least 32GB of disk space to install Drauger.

Nvidia has released a firmware update for the RTX 3080 Ti, and the RTX 3060, one that addresses a problem with the screen blanking when using DisplayPort. Currently, the screen will only turn on once your OS loads, which makes getting into the BIOS problematic. Given the need for users to get into the BIOS to turn on TPM options in preparation for Windows 11, this is obviously a timely fix. The issue is related to the DisplayID specification and will only surface if your monitor also uses DisplayID. It only affects the two 30-series cards mentioned, as well. Nvidia says only those experiencing screen blanks should apply the firmware update. The update will check whether the update is needed, and will only give you the option of updating it if this is the case. You can grab the firmware update from this Nvidia support page. Alternatively, if you are experiencing this problem, Nvidia recommends either using DVI or HDMI, booting using a different monitor, or using a different graphics card or the one that's integrated into your CPU—although not all CPUs have integrated GPUs these days, particularly on AMD's side. Another of its recommendations is to switch from using UEFI to Legacy mode in the BIOS, although, in order to switch that over, you'd need to get into the BIOS in the first place. UEFI is also a better system for modern computers, so this isn't ideal on many levels. Still, unless you've got a pile of monitors, cables, and different graphics cards to hand, this could be your only option.