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Australia will conduct a wide-ranging parliamentary inquiry into the behaviour of the world’s largest technology companies and the need for new legislation, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday. Australia has led global efforts to rein in the powers of the likes of Alphabet and Facebook, installing legislation that has been heralded as a model for others to copy. Raising the possibility of additional regulation, Morrison said on Wednesday that the new inquiry will have a wide scope, including asking the committee lawmakers to investigate the algorithms used by social media platforms, how the companies verify identification and age, and the extent to which restrictions on these are being enforced. “Big tech has big questions to answer,” Morrison told reporters. “Big tech created these platforms, they have a responsibility to ensure they’re safe.” https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/12/1/australia-announces-inquiry-into-tech-giants

Sometimes, software is just like us. It can be bloated, slow, and messy. Humans might see a doctor if these symptoms persist (maybe not for messiness), but rarely do we push a flawed software program to go see its developer time and time again. The answer to why our software is flawed is ensnared in a web of reliance on flashy hardware, limits of a “code-and-fix" approach, and inadequate design. MIT Professor Daniel Jackson, who is the associate director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), looked at the existing limitations to create a new framework to improve how our programs function. His theory of software design takes a human-centered approach that views an app as a collection of interacting concepts. “The Essence of Software,” Jackson’s new book, draws on his many years of software research, including designing Alloy, an open source language and analyzer for software modeling. Q: Bugs. Security flaws. Design flaws. Has software always been bad? A: Software is actually better than it ever was. It’s just that the power and functionality of software has grown so rapidly that we haven’t always been able to keep up. And there are some software products (Apple Keynote, for example) that are close to perfect — easy to use, flexible, with almost no bugs. My book offers an approach that will empower everyone to make software that good. Q: In your new book, "The Essence of Software," you introduce a theory of software design that demonstrates how a software system "can be viewed as a collection of interacting concepts." How does this overturn conventional wisdom? A: First, conventional wisdom sees user experience primarily in the user interface — its layout, colors, labels, etc. Concept design goes deeper, to address the fundamental mechanisms that the programmer builds and the user experiences. Second, most apps have large areas of overlapping functionality, but existing approaches don’t recognize that, and developers build the same pieces of functionality again and again as if they were new, without taking advantage of the fact they’ve been built many times before. Just think about how many social media apps have implemented up-voting or comments or favorites, for example. Concepts let you identify these reuse opportunities and take advantage of accumulated design wisdom. Q: The year 2021 was one of the worst years for data breaches. Boeing 787s have to be rebooted every 51 minutes to prevent "several potentially catastrophic failure scenarios." Can your approach help with these kinds of security and safety issues? A: A high proportion of security and safety issues come from a lack of clarity in the design. Concepts can help with that. More directly, concepts can ensure that users actually understand the effects of their actions, and we know that many disasters happen because users do the wrong thing. In the area of security, getting the user to do the wrong thing (such as granting access to someone who shouldn’t have access) is usually the easiest path to taking control of a system. So, if you can design an app to make it harder for users to do things they’ll regret, you can mitigate this problem. https://news.mit.edu/2021/3-questions-can-we-fix-our-flawed-software-1201

Have a look at the likes of Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, and numerous other tech resellers right now and you'll find plenty of 'deals' on gaming PCs. While there absolutely are some great bargains out there, not every reduction or deal you see is necessarily what it first seems. All the best Black Friday PC deals you can grab today. Unfortunately, figuring out whether something is really a deal is rarely straightforward. Some enterprising systems builders will sneak out-of-date components into their machines, or have such ridiculously high starting prices that even with a seemingly hefty reduction, the machines are still not worth the money being asked. Obviously, we're here to help and have dedicated plenty of hours to track down the best Black Friday gaming PC deals, but this is how we ascertain whether a deal really is a deal or not. A peak behind the curtain, so to speak. This is what we think constitutes a good deal price for the relevant GPU, because that's largely the deciding factor right up front. We've also provided an example link to show you the sort of rig you can expect for that price. Gaming PC deals crib sheet RTX 3060 ~$1,200 - CyberPowerPC | $1,469.99 $1,229.99 at B&H Photo RTX 3060 Ti ~$1,400 - CyberPowerPC | $1,599.99 $1,399.99 at Best Buy RTX 3070 ~$1,700 - Asus ROG Strix | $1,799.99 $1,749 at Newegg RTX 3070 Ti ~$1,900 - CyberPowerPC | $2,099.99 at Best Buy RTX 3080 ~$2,400 - HP Omen 30L | $2,319.99 $2,219.99 at HP RTX 3080 Ti ~$2,600 - iBuyPower | $3,199.99 $2,599.99 at Best Buy RTX 3090 ~$3,500+ - ABS Legend | $4,499.99 $3,699.99 at Newegg (Sold out) The is a guide only, and you may well find machines that are more expensive than this that warrant the extra outlay—better storage options, more powerful CPUs, or more RAM for example. The general rule still stands though, you don't want to pay $1,700 and end up with an RTX 3060 in your PC, as that sort of cash should net you a much better RTX 3070 PC. I've split these up by graphics card, as that's the most important component when it comes to PC gaming. As a general rule, and RTX 3060 is perfect for 1080p gaming, the RTX 3070 is what you want for a 1440p panel, and the RTX 3080 and beyond are for 4K gaming. The Ti models blur the lines a little, but the general banding still works. Check the specs The processor is the next important factor, and ideally, you want either an AMD Ryzen 5000-series chip or an Intel 11th Gen Core CPU. In a perfect world, you'd want an Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU, but that just isn't going to happen, at least not this Black Friday. Picking up a bargain PC with a Ryzen 3000 or a 10th Gen Intel chip isn't the end of the world, as while they aren't quite going to hit the highs of the newer chips, they won't really hold your gaming back much either. CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme Desktop | i7 11700F | 16GB RAM | RTX 3060 Ti | 1TB HDD, 500GB SSD| $1,599.99 $1,399.99 at Best Buy (save $200) This prebuilt PC packs in a lot of great specs for the price, like its i7 11700F and its 3060 Ti. Several users report high temps with its poor CPU cooler, so you might need to upgrade it. If its hard drive and SSD storage are enough, it's a solid build.We expect 16GB of RAM as standard for all but the most extreme of budget PCs or the most over the top futureproofed offering, where 32GB puts in a brave showing. If you're on a tight budget and find a machine with only 8GB of RAM in it, try and work out whether it's a single stick, as that will hurt overall performance. These machines should come with reasonable storage options too—a 1TB NVMe SSD is the preference, although a 512GB boot drive and a 1TB SATA/HDD are acceptable as well. You can always upgrade the storage later down the line, or treat yourself to a speedy SSD this Black Friday while you're at it. The good news is that there definitely are some great gaming PC deals out there, you just need to know what you're looking for, and what you should expect to pay. Happy hunting! https://www.pcgamer.com/dont-pay-more-than-this-for-a-black-friday-gaming-pc-deal/

The pandemic has even affected the way we name our cats and dogs. On Tuesday, the good humans at Rover.com, an online marketplace catering to our furry friends, released its annual list of “Canada’s Most Po[CENSORED]r Pet Names and Trends of 2021.” As the company let me know in an embargoed release the night before — I was sworn to secrecy under the threat of fostering an aggressive ferret named “Lauren Boebert” — pet naming this year was influenced by COVID-19. Maybe a friend adopted a cat and named it “Delta” or “Zoom,” two new feline additions in 2021. Or perhaps there is now a dog on your block named “Rona” or “Fauci,” both of which debuted in 2021 as trending canine sobriquets. Dr. Anthony Fauci is a fascinating public figure. To some, he’s a good man who has tried to steer the world through a once-in-a-century health crisis with reason and scientific expertise. To others, he is a showboating Satan. The polarization is bizarre. On Monday, Fox’s Lara Logan compared Fauci to Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. Wow. I will simply point out nobody is naming their cats or dogs “Lara Logan.” What happened to her? She was once an emerging superstar in the foreign correspondent ranks. Now, she’s having Tupperware parties with Maria Bartiromo as they compete to see who can cram the most Crazy Flakes into a Super Cereal Storer. According to Rover, space travel also inspired pet naming in 2021. Dogs named “Mars” spiked by 496 per cent this year. Huge, yes, but not as big as “Venus,” which had a 722 per cent increase. If I ever got a dog — and my daughters are now threatening to run away if we don’t — I’d be partial to “Andromeda” or “Cassiopeia.” I’ll tell you who should be disturbed by this new pet name survey. Our prime minister. There are undoubtedly snoozy Saint Bernards named “Biden” and dachshunds in Munich named “Merkel.” But according to Rover, in a line that made me spit out coffee on Tuesday, “there are no dogs or cats named Justin or Trudeau in Canada.” I have no idea how Rover can state this as fact. Then again, I have yet to stumble upon a preening poodle in fancy socks that condescends to other dogs in the off-leash park with woke platitudes while running up the national debt. Other trending pet names in 2021 came from Canadian athletes and po[CENSORED]r culture: “Maggie,” “Penny,” “Andre,” “Twyla,” “Moira,” “Lucifer,” “Arya,” “Stark.” “Norm,” as in the late and eternally great Norm Macdonald, is now a po[CENSORED]r dog name. Meanwhile, “Drake” witnessed an 83 per cent rise. More Canadians this year named their pets “Britney,” or turned to “Star Wars,” as “Leia,” “Obi,” “Yoda” and “Boba” became statistically significant. Pet names based on superheroes included “Loki,” “Pepper,” “Thor” and “Bucky.” It seems Canadians also turned to food and booze when naming pets: “Pepper,” “Olive,” “Oreo,” “Maple,” “Cookie,” “Honey,” “Guinness,” “Tito,” “Caesar” and “Pinot.” The name “Donut” went up 122 per cent this year, presumably by Canadians who never entered a Tim Hortons to sample the new Timbiebs Timbits. I apologize for so many lists, which are no fun to read. But indulge me so I can get through the obligatory Toronto highlights for 2021. Top Male Dog Names: 1. Milo. 2. Leo. 3. Charlie. 4. Max. 5. Teddy. Top Female Dog Names: 1. Luna. 2. Bella. 3. Coco. 4. Daisy. 5. Lola. Top Male Cat Names: 1. Oliver. 2. Oscar. 3. Leo. 4. Simba. 5. Finn. Top Female Cat Names: 1. Luna. 2. Lola. 3. Bella. 4. Sophie. 5. Daisy. When I emailed my editors on Tuesday morning to notify them of today’s subject, I’m sure they were thinking, “I’m sorry, what? You’re writing about pet names?” Yes, and I’d do it again tomorrow. When Lara Logan compares Dr. Anthony Fauci to Josef Mengele, we humans have crossed the Rubicon of decency. Somehow, and this has accelerated during the pandemic, we have gotten remarkably good at demonizing anyone and everyone on two legs who does not share our beliefs. So here’s my admittedly sketchy theory: loving animals might just be what we humans need to reconnect with one another. Let’s say I get my daughters a dog soon — if you have any breed suggestions, please email me — and I’m walking my new dog named “Salma Hayek.” I know in my heart I would welcome any sidewalk chit-chat with other dog owners, even if their beast was garbed in a MAGA sweater. Our connection would be forged as animal lovers. Politics would cease to matter in those chance encounters. My beloved Burmese cat, born in 1999 and named Satchel Maui Meowy, went to kitty heaven earlier this year. She was the greatest. I can’t tell you how much my heart still aches. Missing her wakes me up at night. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/opinion/2021/11/30/fauci-is-a-2021-trending-pet-name-maybe-animals-can-help-humans-reconnect-after-the-pandemic.html

Stigmatized for his two ridiculous races at Ferrari in 2009 and for the negative record of most appearances in F 1 without a single point (50), Luca Badoer is now recognized as a "second class driver". With this tribute we will argue the opposite. Initially, by the end of 2020, this negative record seemed to be threatened by George Russell. The talented Briton was already established in the basement of the standings with the weak Williams team, but his extraordinary call from Mercedes to GP Shakhir allowed him to put an end to any scenarios about the overthrow of the historical statistic of Luca Badoer - even if the performance of finally rewarded just with a 9 the position. Typically, in the event that this individual appearance was abandoned and there was little progress in Williams' performance, Russell was very likely to surpass the 50 "empty" matches in the 2021 Belgian GP and to unorthodoxly overtake the Italian in the relevant list. Luca Badoer, the Formula 3000 champion in 1992, was definitely much more capable of driving than many today claim. He was by no means considered a world champion, but the label of incompetent driver that was given to him in 2009 after the brief replacement of Felipe Massa at Ferrari certainly does not belong to him. Badoer's record-breaking failure record was also greatly favored by the scoring systems utilized in F1. In his maiden championship season in 1993, the Italian found himself in the desperately slow Lola T93 / 30 of the faltering Scuderia Italia and finished 7th in the chaotic GP San Marino. The points were then only given to the top 6 and, in fact, Badoer was one lap behind Sauber 's JJ Lehto 6 , whose engine had delivered spirit just two laps before the finish. In total in his career he scored another 10 finishes in the top ten, a fact that under the current scoring system would place him at 26 points and would give the unwanted record mentioned above by Charles Pic (39 games in Marussia and Caterham). Badoer's triumph in Formula 3000 was based on his team, Crypton Engineering , which innovated in the event using a single-shock suspension on the Reynard 92D. Based on this, he won 4 victories and stood worthy next to emerging names such as David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello. His show of absolute dominance in Enna-Pergusa began his quest for the title and he became one of only four drivers to win the F3000 title in their first attempt - the other three being Stefano Modena (1987) , Christian Fittipaldi (1991) and Jörg Müller (1996). However, when the F1 door "knocked", Luca Badoer's career never took a steady and upward trajectory again. The Lola he faced in 1993 had been hastily established and never entered an aerodynamic tunnel until her plans had already been completed. It did not have active suspensions or traction control like most grid teams and, according to sources, produced only 30% of the vertical force of the top combinations. So since he was not a car worthy of helping fit a rookie, Badoer at least managed to learn little next to teammate Michele Alboreto . The veteran prevailed in the qualifying tests with a score of 8-6, before the poor finances of the team prevented her from appearing in the last two games of the season. https://automotonews.gr/ypotimimenoi-afantoi-tis-f1-5-luca-badoer/

high sugar levels during pregnancy, also known as gestational diabetes, can lead to some serious health complications in women. It is usually diagnosed at the beginning of the second trimester. Though it is asymptomatic, it can be diagnosed during a routine screening through a glucose tolerance blood test. Usually, pregnant women who do not have diabetes before, are detected in the middle of the pregnancy i.e, between 24 and 28 weeks. Around 10% to 20% of pregnant women in India are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Though it goes away after the birth of the baby, some women develop type 2 diabetes at a later stage. It can also have an adverse effect on your baby’s health. Who Are At Higher Risk Women who are overweight or obese, or the one who gains a lot of weight during pregnancy are at higher risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/how-to-find-motivation-for-exercise-in-winters-here-are-5-workout-hacks-4493324.html

The US Supreme Court is about to hear the most important abortion case in a generation. On Wednesday it will consider a Mississippi law which asks the court to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Its final ruling, due in June next year, could cut off abortion services for tens of millions of women. What is the right to abortion in the US? A woman's right to abortion was established in 1973, following a Supreme Court ruling in a case known as Roe v Wade. The decision gave women in the US an absolute right to an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy, and limited rights in the second three months. Nearly two decades later the court made another key decision. In Planned Parenthood v Casey, the court ruled that states could not place an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions before foetal viability. In the US, this threshold for when foetuses can sustain life outside the womb has been set at about 23 or 24 weeks. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59340789

Fire-Boltt replaced Huami for the third position in the India smartwatch market recently, as its share jumped to 15.3% in 3Q21 from 5.5% from a quarter before. In order to further strengthen its position in the Indian market Fire Boltt has launched its latest smartwatch. The company has launched its first AI-powered Bluetooth calling smartwatch. The Fire Boltt AI smartwatch comes with an introductory price of Rs 4,499 and it is available online on Flipkart. Customers can purchase the smartwatch in three different colour options -- black, blue and pink. Fire Boltt AI smartwatch comes with a 1.7-inch HD display with 280x280 pixel resolution. It comes with 10 different sports modes and a stress management system. The wearable comes with IP67 rating which makes it water-res .. Read more at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/fire-boltt-ai-smartwatch-launched-in-india-price-specs-and-more/articleshow/87820731.cmst

SWOT analysis is a simple strategic planning tool that organizations can use to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their company or project - and, ultimately, form a strong business plan. SWOT stands for strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T). It’s one of the most commonly used tools when making decisions or analyzing a component of a business. You can use the SWOT framework to guide any type of business decision, such as repositioning your brand, launching a new product, or entering a new market. A SWOT analysis is often done in a matrix or table, divided into four categories, with a box for each of the four SWOT components. Brainstorming alone or with colleagues, make a list in each box of the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as they apply to your company or current project. Generally, strengths and weaknesses relate to internal factors within your organization while opportunities and threats are external factors. While it’s not essential to differentiate, internal versus external factors can help you see which factors you have control over and which are out of your hands. By doing a SWOT analysis, you can put all of your thoughts, concerns, and ideas into a written framework. https://www.techradar.com/news/what-is-a-swot-analysis

Nvidia's CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, appears not to be too worried about AMD's recently announced Instinct MI200-series HPC GPUs—you know, the ones with two GPU dies squished together on the same chip. Despite the potential performance and bandwidth out of the dual-wielding card, Nvidia's boss brushes away any claims it could be an 'Nvidia killer'. In a discussion with Tim Prickett Morgan for Next Platform (via WCCFTech), Huang is asked what Nvidia's response will be to new competition from AMD, and, to a lesser extent, Intel in the compute arena. Huang responds: "First of all, we have competition all the time. So it is not true that this is the first so-called Nvidia killer that has come out. So Huang isn't worried, but he wouldn't give away the game even if he was feeling the pressure from AMD's latest. AMD has a frightfully powerful package in the MI200-series, codename Aldebaran, whether these cards turn out to be Nvidia killers or not. The AMD Instinct MI250X offer 14,080 stream processors, up to 47.9 TFLOPS of FP64 performance, and 3.2 TB/s of memory bandwidth. I mean, this thing is tremendously large by both AMD and Nvidia's standards. https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-ceo-brushes-off-amds-massive-new-graphics-card-every-year-theres-an-nvidia-killer/

Are you searching for a list of animal names with animal pictures in English? Here you will learn different types of animals to increase your vocabulary about animals and thus enhance your English in general. When learning English, you are likely to come across a lot of animals, each of these has its own name. There is a range of animal types and it is often easier to learn the names of these animals by type, for example, mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. You may also like to learn animal names by location such as farm animals, jungle creatures, and pets. Some people like to learn animal names alphabetically. But whichever method you choose, learning the names of animals in English is an important part of your learning. https://7esl.com/animals-vocabulary-animal-names/

I’m not usually one for naming cars, but I’ve decided to call our new Nissan Qashqai Ed. As in Sheeran. You see, I reckon the scruffy-haired singer-songwriter and Nissan’s family SUV have quite a lot in common. For starters, they’re both among Britain’s biggest exports, achieving phenomenal global po[CENSORED]rity. And they’ve both used similar tactics to achieve that success. Ed Sheeran basically nicked elements from a handful of genres and repackaged them into a musical form that seemed quite fresh but was actually determinedly mainstream and laser-focused to achieve mass-market musical domination. Similarly, the Qashqai took edgy elements from four-wheel-drive off-roaders (mostly the high-riding position and rugged styling cues) and appropriated them into an automotive form that seemed quite fresh but was actually determinedly mainstream and laser-focused to achieve mass-market motoring domination. It’s the same trick in two different guises: make a populist mainstream product feel like it’s still a bit radical. But now both Sheeran and the Qashqai face a challenge: how do you maintain a semblance of edgy cool once you’ve become so successful that you’re at the centre of the mainstream mass market and have a raft of identikit rivals trying to steal your sales with their own twist on your formula? https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/nissan/long-term-reviews/nissan-qashqai-2021-long-term-review

TOKYO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Japanese costume designer Emi Wada, who won an Oscar for her work on Akira Kurosawa's 1985 movie "Ran", has died aged 84, local media reported on Sunday, citing her family. Wada died on Nov. 13 and a service was held with family and close friends, according to the reports, without citing a cause of death. Born in Kyoto, Wada began work while still a student at Kyoto City University of Arts. She also created costumes for theatre and dance productions. As well as working with Kurosawa, Wada designed costumes for many international films including Peter Greenaway's "Prospero's Books" (1991) and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (2002) and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004). She continued to work in her 80s, creating costumes for Ann Hui's "Love After Love", which premiered at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/oscar-winning-costume-designer-emi-wada-dies-aged-84-reports-2021-11-21/

Adele has persuaded Spotify to take the shuffle button off all album pages so tracks play in the artist's own order. The singer tweeted: "We don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. "Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended. Thank you Spotify for listening." The streaming service replied "anything for you" and took away the option for listeners to mix up the order music is played from album pages. However, the shuffle symbol - two intersecting arrows - still appears on individual album tracks. This means it is still possible to start listening to albums on any track and opt for songs to be played in a random order. The shuffle button also still appears on playlists. The BBC has asked Spotify for a comment. Adele's 30 - her first album in six years - was available on Spotify from its release on Friday. This marked a change from her last album - 25 - which could only be bought physically or downloaded when it was released in November 2015. It became the fastest-selling album in British history, shifting more than 800,000 copies in its first week. It was not until June 2016 that it was made available on streaming sites such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59365019

Chinese display manufacturer BOE will reportedly overtake LG as OLED supplier to Apple. According to a report by TheElec, the company is ramping up its production to manufacture smartphone flexible OLED panels for Apple. As of now, the company’s B7 and B11 factories situated in Sichuan province in China manufacture OLED panels for Apple and now CEO of analyst firm UBI Research claims that other factories of the company will also make OLED panels for Apple. Currently, Samsung is Apple’s largest OLED supplier followed by LG. As per the report, Apple is expected to ship 240 million units of OLED iPhones by 2022 and Samsung Display will aim to provide 150 million units of OLED panels, LG Display will aim for 70 million units of OLED display panel and BOE is aiming for 50 million units of OLED panel. This means that BOE can aim to overtake LG Display in shipment in 2023, the CEO of the analyst firm added. According to a previous report by TheElec, LG has started to develop OLED panels for the 12.9-inch Apple iPad model as well. Apple is preparing to launch two new iPad models with a low-power LTPO OLED display in 2023 or 2024 and LG is developing a panel for that device. The report further says that Samsung is also expected to make OLED panels for the Apple device after the deal for 10.8-inch iPad Air went sour. LG is reportedly planning to use LTPO TFT technology to make the panel, Apple first demanded for the same from Samsung. The panels are expected to use the same Gen 6 substrates used in the iPhone 13 Pro models which may allow the devices to boast a much wider range of refresh rates. As per various reports, Apple has abandoned plans to launch the OLED iPad Air in 2022. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/this-company-may-overtake-lg-as-oled-supplier-for-apple-iphones/articleshow/87804269.cms

DETROIT-- General Motors said it will soon lift charging, parking and range restrictions on Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUVs that have been recalled because of battery-fire risk. Owners of 2019 Bolts who have not yet received battery module replacements can receive a software update from their dealership that will remove the restrictions starting Friday. The software will be available to owners of 2017-18 and 2020-22 Bolts within the next 30 days, GM said in an emailed statement on Friday. The new software significantly reduces fire risk by automatically setting the vehicle's maximum state of charge to 80 percent, spokesman Kevin Kelly told Automotive News. The software reduces vehicle range but eliminates the need to follow GM's previous guidance. It allows owners to safely charge indoors overnight, park indoors after charging and operate their vehicles below 70 miles of range. The software also includes diagnostics to detect specific abnormalities that might indicate a rare battery issue. The recall includes more than 140,000 vehicles -- every Bolt EV and EUV GM has built since 2016--and could cost up to $2 billion depending on the number of module replacements needed. Battery supplier LG Energy plans to cover the vast majority of the cost. The sweeping callback has been a black eye for GM as it prepares to launch its next-generation electric vehicles, powered by its proprietary Ultium batteries, different from the batteries in the Bolts. GM plans to roll out 30 EV models globally and invest $35 billion in electric and autonomous vehicle development through 2025. Owners of 2019 Bolts who have not yet received replacement battery modules should schedule a service appointment with their dealer as soon as possible to install this software, GM said. Owners of other model-year Bolts will receive a letter from GM when the software is available for their vehicles. GM advises them to follow its previously issued guidance in the meantime. GM began replacing battery modules in 2017-19 Bolts last month. The automaker plans to run separate diagnostic software on 2020-22 Bolts to determine whether modules need to be replaced. That software is not yet available. https://www.autonews.com/regulation-safety/gm-lift-2019-chevy-bolt-restrictions-after-software-update

Look around you, Black Friday is happening right now. Every retailer on the planet is already pumping out Black Friday deals, and given the struggles with supply and shipping, it makes sense to jump on them early if you want a chance of bagging your tech before 2022 rolls around. Basically we recommend starting your deal shopping early, because availability may be the watchword this year, rather than just the almighty 'deal.' Tech is only going to become more scarce as we approach the end of the year, so it's the early deals that stand the best chance of getting to you in time. And while there may be some last-minute deals on November 26, there are enough protection schemes from the major players that you won't miss out on grabbing an early bargain either. One thing you're not going to see this Black Friday is any deals on graphics cards. While the likes of the RTX 3080 and RX 6800 XT are the best graphics cards upgrades we've seen in a long, long time, lack of availability means that these don't need price cuts to sell out. Plenty of gaming PCs built around such cards are out there though, and there are some healthy deals to be had if you're quick. So there are deals and plenty of them. Maybe not on graphics cards, but plenty of other components are enjoying large price drops. By way of example, SSDs are enjoying some awesome cuts already and system memory is looking pretty tasty too. We're seeing plenty of healthy discounts on monitors and TVs too. So, it's not all stock nightmares and chip shortage doom and gloom. https://www.pcgamer.com/black-friday-pc-gaming-deals-2021/

All animals and plants are important to their environment, but are some more important than others? Every ecosystem consists of complex interactions between plants, animals, and abiotic (nonliving) factors that keep the system in balance. If a very important species was removed from its ecosystem, is that enough for the entire ecosystem to collapse? What will happen to other species if one species becomes extinct? These are important questions that ecologists and environmental biologists ask when evaluating different ecosystems, especially in the face of climate change. As the natural world changes at unprecedented rates, it is important to understand the potential consequences. This article will define “keystone species” and explore why they are so important to their environments. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-is-a-keystone-species/

High-profile cars like the Trabant and the Zhiguli were just the tip of the automotive iceberg in eastern Europe and in Russia. State-controlled car makers leveraged the limited funds they had available to put millions of motorists on wheels, whether they needed a small city car, an off-roader or a spacious van for work. Some firms put an emphasis on design to conquer overseas markets while others took a strong interest in racing and occasionally beat more experienced rivals. From econoboxes with muted Italian genes to experimental mid-engined coupés, here are some of the hits, the misses and the plain weird cars that hatched from the eastern European and Russian car industries. https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/strange-eastern-european-cars-can-you-remember-any-1

We admit that we just can’t do without our daily cup (well, two) of hot steaming tea, especially in winters. Tea acts not just as a stress buster but also provides us with numerous health benefits. But, have you ever experimented with the many different varieties of tea other than your regular cuppa? While we are all aware of the common types, there’s also an interesting variation — Egyptian mint tea that you must try. Actor and TV host Mini Mathur recently shared its recipe that she learnt during her travel to Egypt. “Egyptians (just like me) take their tea rituals very seriously…been getting hugs from friends for making this ever since I got back,” she wrote as she shared the recipe. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/mini-mathur-egyptian-mint-tea-recipe-7630789/

As Windows 11 continues to be updated on many PCs and tablet devices since its launch in October, users are now becoming familiar with what the new release brings and how it benefits them. Yet Microsoft is taking the same approach in how Windows 10 was updated over the years, with seasonal updates that look to enhance the functionality of Windows 11 even more. While some are awaiting Android apps to arrive in the redesigned Microsoft Store, the company is looking at ways to improve aspects of the operating system that have been left by the wayside - such as the context menu when you right-click. This relatively small update to something we use every day could end up being one of the biggest changes Windows 11 brings to its users. https://www.techradar.com/news/windows-11-finally-makes-a-big-change-to-the-right-click-menu

Qualcomm, known for its Snapdragon ARM SoC’s, claims that the company is "very well positioned to be the preferred platform for PCs, in the inevitable transition to ARM." The comments came during the company’s 2021 investor day presentation. It’s a very big statement. Snapdragon System-on-Chips (SoCs) are often found in high performance mobile devices thanks to their very good performance per watt, a trait that's common to ARM devices in general, but they don’t have the raw performance to compete with established CPUs from Intel and AMD. That could be changing if new ARM cores from Nuvia, a recently acquired division of Qualcomm, can deliver performance that you'd expect from a PC with a good spec or a high-performance gaming laptop. The Nuvia designed CPU cores are being designed from the ground up to support PC workloads, where there's a lower emphasis on power efficiency. Additionally, as reported by Tom's Hardware, its Adreno GPUs are being designed to scale up to the levels of discrete PC graphics cards. Of course, that means they could land anywhere between a GTX 1050 or an RTX 3080, but if you let your team design a GPU with 20x the power budget of a phone GPU, the resulting performance could be very interesting indeed. ARM devices are gradually making inroads beyond the mobile market. Apple is committed to ARM with its excellent and stunningly efficient M1 SoC’s. Nvidia, which lacks an x86 license, is looking to buy ARM outright and Microsoft is ramping up its efforts to support the ARM ecosystem with its upcoming Windows 11 Android app support. Windows support is something that’s seen as a vital step on the path to widespread ARM adoption. https://www.pcgamer.com/qualcomm-gears-up-to-challenge-intel-amd-and-nvidia/

Note: While most shelters have closed their doors to the public many are still meeting prospective adopters through appointments. Please visit the shelter’s website or call to get information on adoption or fostering an animal at this time. Through Pet Project MassLive showcases pets available for adoption at shelters at rescue organizations across Massachusetts. With the participation of the shelters listed below, many animals should be able to find a permanent home. Pets are adopted daily so please contact the shelter directly if you are interested in an animal. Shelters across Massachusetts Dakin Humane Society Address: 171 Union Street, Springfield Adoptions are operating by appointment only in Springfield. The Leverett Adoption Center remains closed at this time. All available animals are listed on the website. If you are interested in an animal, please submit an application online by clicking the pink “Adopt Me” button on the animal’s page. Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center Address: 627 Cottage St., Springfield Telephone: (413) 781-1484 Adoption Hours: By appointment only Westfield Homeless Cat Project Address: 1124 East Mountain Road, Westfield Hours: Adoption clinics, Thursday, 5-7 p.m.; Friday, Sunday, 1-3 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. https://www.masslive.com/living/2021/11/pet-project-2021-these-animals-are-available-for-adoption-in-massachusetts-on-nov-18.html

We all know it, and yet there is still something mildly grating about a C300d not having a creamy 3.0-litre engine. In fairness, car manufacturers have by now figured out how to make an engine of just about any configuration feel as refined as it needs to, even though BMW still fits a straight-six diesel to the 330d. Instead, the most powerful diesel C-Class comes with a 261bhp twin-turbo 2.0-litre, assisted by a 48V mild-hybrid system. With the whole C-Class range now being four-cylinder only, it’s almost as though what powers it is incidental, and features like the revamped MBUX multimedia system are of greater importance in a new model. Whatever the case might be, the traditional elements such as the engine and suspension behaviour s This C300d was also our first opportunity to sample a right-hand-drive example of the new C-Class in near UK spec. Although our test car was still a mix of AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus, it was representative in that all C300d's in the UK come as some variation of AMG Line, including its sports suspension and 18in or 19in wheels. And that’s not necessarily a good thing. The natural order of things is that a BMW 3 Series is firm but engaging to drive, while a C-Class trades some sharpness for ultimate refinement. The reality is that the big wheels crash through surface imperfections and that the body never quite settles down over a bumpy road, either, reactively following the surface rather than smoothing it out for its occupants. On previous generations, air suspension was an option, but UK cars now all come on the confusingly named ‘Selective Damping System’. They are not adaptive dampers with different selectable settings, but passive dampers that supposedly react differently to high- and low-frequency inputs. Actual adaptive dampers are offered in other countries, so Mercedes UK should really reconsider, because the C-Class needs them. The C-Class steers pleasingly enough, with reassuring heft, precision and turn-in, but if you want a driver’s car, there are still better choices available, because it’s a little too stodgy to call it fun. At least Mercedes hasn’t forgotten how to make engines and gearboxes. With 261bhp and 406lb ft, it’s more than brisk enough in all situations. It has a fairly typical refined four-cylinder diesel sound, although if we’re nitpicking, there are quieter units around. It works seamlessly with both the nine-speed automatic and the mild-hybrid system, which lets the engine shut down when coasting to a stop.