By BY ELDA CANTÚ from NYT en Español https://ift.tt/3gNbEMY
Elizabeth Holmes on Trial
By BY ANDREW ROSS SORKIN, JASON KARAIAN, SARAH KESSLER, STEPHEN GANDEL, LAUREN HIRSCH, EPHRAT LIVNI AND ANNA SCHAVERIEN from NYT Business https://ift.tt/3t1Coht
The TMNT Tabletop RPG Was Bizarre For All The Wrong Reasons
A tabletop RPG based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was published in 1985, the year after the mutant foursome made their debut in comics. That game was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness from RPG publisher Palladium Books. The “Other Strangeness” part of the title was well-earned, though not for the reasons fans might have expected. The game included an alignment system with a significant focus on torture, a complex trauma system that dealt with sexuality and drug addiction, and character creation rules in which nearly every element was randomized, leading to some characters who are well-funded and educated government super-soldiers, and others that are wild animals with random mutations.
The TMNT RPG preceded the popular 1987 children’s cartoon series, as well as the 1990 live-action film. The game was among the earliest RPGs from Palladium, a roleplaying game publisher that would later become best known for Rifts. Palladium's games had earlier used largely shared mechanics, a Palladium house system later dubbed the Megaversal system, which functioned similarly to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, with "roll high" d20 rolls for attacks and saving throws, and a "roll low" percentile system for skills, as with D&D Thief skills in AD&D.
The alignment charts and trauma rules were also shared among these Palladium games, with some tweaks made over the course of later revisions to the rules. The TMNT RPG alignment chart noted that Principled and Scrupulous “good-aligned” characters would never resort to torture but detailed the circumstances under which the “selfish and evil” aligned characters would, and which alignments would torture for pleasure. The RPG version of TMNT continued its focus on the macabre with its “Insanity” rules in its earliest print run, noting that characters “witnessing or experiencing a shocking grotesque atrocity,” undergoing torture, and other traumatic events, would roll on a table. Results could include a “sexual deviation,” rolled on separate table, another form or neurosis or phobia, or the roll could cause the character to “become a psychiatrist.” This edition also included strangely in-depth rules relating to alcoholism and drug addiction.
Though the RPG was based on the original TMNT comics, which were certainly darker and grittier than the later cartoon adaptation, the pages of rules dedicated to the subject matter of torture, trauma, and addiction, were out of synch with even the comic book source material. The TMNT comics were in part parodies of popular comics of their era, particularly Frank Miller’s Daredevil comics, with the intentionally bizarre concept of turtle ninjas as the heroes. When the comics juxtaposed outlandish science fiction elements with ninja action and urban violence, it made for an amusing contrast, but the tabletop RPG’s focus on darkness, trauma, and addiction, was more inexplicable.
The character creation itself was just as bizarre, in TMNT and Other Strangeness. Like many other tabletop RPGs of its era, including D&D, character creation was largely randomized, with rolled stats rather than a point buy option. After generating base stats, the player rolls first for the character's animal type, then for the cause of mutation. This could result in a “random mutation,” where the character has the education and resources of a wild animal, or a result of “deliberate experimentation,” where the character begins with a college education and tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cash and starting equipment. The game then had players spend BIO-Energy points, which differed based on animal type and were required to buy basic mutations including bipedal movement, hands, and human speech. This allowed players to potentially roll up mutant animals that were incapable of speech, though they could instead purchase the psychic power of telepathy to project their thoughts.
Later revisions of Palladium’s TMNT RPG would remove the trauma tables and addiction rules, though the references to torture in the alignment chart would remain. Even omitting the most eyebrow-raising rules, the game remained bizarre, with chart-based character creation rendering a functional party extremely unlikely, and character balance all but impossible. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness was an odd RPG, but it was not Palladium’s only attempt a licensed tabletop game, as they later published a series of games based on the Robotech anime license.
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Windows 11 On Older PCs Is Allowed, But There's A Price To Pay
Microsoft has released an updated list of processors that will support its next major OS upgrade, but the company now says systems based on older non-compatible CPUs will also be able to run Windows 11 after all — albeit not through an official method. To recall, the company kicked up a storm when it revealed Windows 11 and laid out a list of hardware requirements for the next iteration of the operating system. The minimum hardware needed for Windows 11 is quite modest, except for a huge list of processors that Microsoft excluded, starting as early as the 8th Gen Intel processors on the baseline.
The list even left machines such as Microsoft’s not-too-old and pricey Surface Studio 2 in the dead zone, alongside PCs packing high-end 7th Gen Intel Core series chips as well as first-gen AMD Ryzen silicon. Over time, Microsoft kept provided minor updates to the list and recently added a few more names which include the Intel Core i7-7820HQ, Core X-series, and Xeon W-series processors. However, what has remained unchanged so far is Microsoft’s stance on systems that will not be able to run Windows 11 if they don’t make it to the processor cut-off list. Well, that’s finally changing.
Microsoft says PCs based on older processors that are not listed on the compatibility database will still be able to install Windows 11, but outside of the official software update system. What this means is these machines won’t get the Windows 11 software update when it is released via the stable channel in the fall season. Instead, users will have to rely on downloading the Windows 11 ISO file and installing the OS manually. However, Microsoft notes that users should do this at their own risk because running Windows 11 on a non-compatible machine will come with issues such as driver compatibility and stability problems like system crashes and apps freezing randomly.
The gist is that Microsoft is no longer enforcing a hard block on installing Windows 11 on a non-compliant PC. Installing the new OS will come at a cost, as it won’t be a part of the official software update cycle, and crucial patches that roll out to supported machines will likely remain absent from unsupported hardware configurations. Another solution is to keep the non-compliant PC into the Windows Insider program for testing Windows 11 preview builds without having to meet the processor requirement. However, Windows 11 will still check for the minimum hardware requirements — a dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage — before installing Windows 11.
But do keep in mind that this method is primarily for enthusiasts and should not be performed on any computer crucial to daily life or work. To make sure that the point is well communicated, Microsoft shared some test results after running Windows 11 on non-compatible PCs. The company says systems that don’t meet the hardware requirement have a 52 percent higher crash frequency, while compatible systems will offer an almost crash-free experience; 99.8 percent crash-free, to be precise. The message is clear here: Microsoft won’t block millions of non-compatible PCs from running Windows 11, but doing so will come at the cost of a performance hit, system crashes, no official software update cycle, and a less-than-ideal user experience.
Source: Microsoft
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How Pokémon Masters EX Is Celebrating Its 2-Year Anniversary
The mobile game Pokémon Masters EX is currently celebrating its two-year anniversary with new and returning content. The free-to-play Pokémon game for Android and Apple devices gives Pokémon fans the chance to team up with (or battle against) prominent characters from the entire series. From Gym Leaders to previous rivals, Pokémon Masters EX introduces new storylines for players to enjoy, while exploring mechanics from previous main series games in a mobile setting.
Pokémon Masters EX's anniversary event will span from the end of August to the middle of October. Three anniversary-specific sync pairs have been added during this time, including Lillie (Anniversary 2021) and Lunala from August 29 to September 29, N (Anniversary 2021) and Reshiram from August 29 to September 29, and Steven (Anniversary 2021) and Rayquaza from August 31 to September 29. Players will also be able to get Swimsuit Misty and Psyduck between August 27 and October 15 by completing the first level of the Special Sync Pair Event: Misty & Psyduck.
According to Twinfinite, one of the most exciting features of the Pokémon Masters EX anniversary event are the 10-Pair Scout Tickets available until September 29. These tickets will allow players to obtain 10 sync pair scouts. These tickets can be earned by logging in ten separate times during the event, for a potential total of 100 sync pair scouts. There is also the ability to earn up to 10,000 Gems in Pokémon Masters EX by completing log-in bonuses, allowing players to scout even more sync pairs.
In addition to these opportunities, the official Pokmon Masters EX site announced the return of three Legendary Pokémon events. Upon completion, "Father and Foe" will allow players to team up with Ghetsis and Kyurem, "Give and Take" will allow players to battle with Professor Sycamore and Xerneas, and "New World Dilemma" allows players the chance to team up with Cyrus and Palkia. This is exciting news for those who may have missed the events for these Legendary sync pairs during their initial release. These returning events come alongside the release of Dynamaxing in the Pasio region, giving players plenty to do while celebrating the anniversary.
Pokémon Masters EX has expanded and changed many features since its release in 2019. Players no longer need stamina to play the main story, better filters have been added to sort sync pairs, and the numerous added storylines are exciting for those who originally may have found the game lacking in content. These are also encouraging changes for a game that was originally held back by a reliance on microtransactions and a frustratingly punishing stamina model for gameplay. Hopefully, the two-year anniversary event will entice new players to give Pokémon Masters EX a try and offer both new and old players alike ways to enjoy previous content alongside fresh anniversary celebrations.
Source: Twinfinite, Pokmon Master EX
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America’s Final Hours in Afghanistan
By BY MICHAEL BARBARO, CLARE TOENISKOETTER, ANNIE BROWN, STELLA TAN, PAIGE COWETT AND MARION LOZANO from NYT Podcasts https://ift.tt/3DwgWWW
The Taliban declare victory at a Kabul airport in disarray.
By BY MATTHIEU AIKINS, JIM HUYLEBROEK AND AURELIEN BREEDEN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2WF6Wtz
Florida withholds school funding as the battle over mask mandates grows even fiercer.
By BY ERICA L. GREEN, DANIEL E. SLOTNIK, SARAH MERVOSH AND ETHAN HAUSER from NYT World https://ift.tt/3Dwpq02
So I was sitting on the bus just reading a book when somebody tapped me on the shoulder.
I turned around and saw an old lady. She said to me, "Sonny, would you like some nuts? I've got a couple hazelnuts and almonds if you'd like."
"Sure.", I replied. Then she gave me a handful of nuts and went back to sit with her friends.
"What a nice lady", I thought, while happily munching on the nuts.
A few minutes later, I felt another tap on my shoulder and there she was again, offering some nuts. I gladly accepted and she went back to her seat.
After about 10 minutes, she tapped me on the shoulder, once again offering some nuts.
I asked her, "Why don't you eat them yourself?"
"Because we've got no teeth", she replied.
"Then why do you buy them?", I asked.
"Oh, because we just love the chocolate around them."
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Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack: Why '80s Music
When Square Enix revealed its Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy game back in June of 2021, it welcomed fans of the series into an entirely original universe, complete with unique interpretations of the team's iconic characters and a soundtrack that deviates significantly from that featured in the Guardians of the Galaxy film franchise. In particular, the game's songs are almost instantly recognizable as hits from the 1980s, which comes in stark contrast to the '70s tunes featured in the films. There are a few explanations behind this decision, but the most obvious revolves around the game's individual identity.
The characters in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy aren't quite the same ones that have been seen on movie screens. Particularly, they draw inspiration from both the films and the original comics, aided by a few original design choices to help set the game's characters apart. Gamora, for example, comes with a backstory that deviates largely from that featured in the MCU, and Peter Quill is more of an '80s child than a '70s one. His music choices reflect that.
As much as the game may be trying to take on a more individual approach, though, it's apparent that music will still be a large centerpiece of the gameplay experience, just as it's a key part of the Guardians' presence in the MCU. A recent developer insight video revealed that players will be able to queue up music in combat, even implementing a unique gameplay mechanic that revolves around doing so. As stated by developers, music is "infused into the DNA of the game," and so the particular musical inclusions featured in Guardians of the Galaxy are important to note.
In addition to the game's original orchestrated score, the soundtrack included in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy will feature a mix of rock and pop hits from the '80s, thus far including music from the likes of KISS, Rick Astley, and Iron Maiden. More are likely to be revealed closer to the game's October release date. The reasoning behind this choice - aside from wanting the game to serve as a standalone experience - is largely due to Star-Lord's characterization and backstory. He serves as the player character within the game, and players make decisions and dialogue choices through him despite involvement from other members of the team. As such, it stands to reason that much of the gameplay experience will revolve around him, and the musical elements seem to confirm that.
Steve Szczepkowski, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy's Senior Audio Director, said that reason the team gravitated towards the '80s, in particular, is also in part because the decade is "rich and it's a lot more familiar for our audience than the 70s". Not only will the licensed music reflect that decade, then, but many of the other experiences in the game will as well. Szczepkowski also confirms that the music was designed to organically fit in with gameplay, in most cases, meaning that players of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy will hopefully be treated to an in-game concert that isn't too immersion-breaking at the same time.
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A man rushed into a Doctor's surgery, shouting "help me please, I'm shrinking" The Doctor calmly said "now settle down a bit"..
.."you'll just have to learn to be a little patient"
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I have a dig bick
You that read wrong.
You read that wrong too.
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A genie offered me three wishes.
"Wait", I said, "Let me think... Ok, listen."
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BOTW 2: Why Link And Zelda Have To Be Separated | Screen Rant
There is a very good reason why Nintendo may choose to separate Link and Zelda toward the very start of its sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. BOTW 2 is currently one of the most anticipated games on players’ radars, with many hoping to see even more from Princess Zelda when it debuts. However, it's likely the two heroes will still remain separated throughout much of the adventure.
Ever since Nintendo first revealed that it was working on a sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, there has been an abundance of rumors and theories thrown around. The small snippets of footage and the glimmers of information for BOTW 2 that have been revealed thus far have pathed the way for endless speculation about what is in store next for the Kingdom of Hyrule, including the fate of its heroes.
In the very first trailer for BOTW 2, fans saw Link and Princess Zelda exploring some dark and mysterious caverns beneath Hyrule Castle. What they found there was a mummified corpse, which is likely one of Ganondorf’s many reincarnations. However, before the duo could find out more about what was going on in the murky depths of Hyrule, Princess Zelda falls down through the crumbling earth, and away from Link. But, while this was devastating for those hoping to see Link and Zelda finally team up for some sort of co-op adventure, there is actually a very good reason that may explain why Nintendo has to separate the two Hylian heroes in Breath of the Wild’s sequel.
Throughout The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players work to uncover Link’s lost memories, all while purging the Kingdom of Hyrule of Calamity Ganon’s destruction. The more players discover, the more it is apparent that Princess Zelda considered herself to be a failure, as she had been unable to unlock her sealing power before the calamity befalls Hyrule.
However, the final unlocked memory in Breath of the Wild reveals that during the destruction of Hyrule, and after the demise of the four champions, Link and Zelda fled across the Kingdom in search of safety. Link is shown to be wounded and unable to fight anymore, resulting in him and Zelda almost being killed by a Guardian. But, before the Guardian could release its deadly strike, Zelda’s powers were finally awakened and she managed to destroy the advancing Guardians. Her power released a wave of energy that eviscerated all enemies that it came into contact with, and it was thanks to this newly awakened power that Princess Zelda managed to keep Calamity Ganon at bay for the 100 years of Link’s slumber.
As the events of Breath of the Wild’s sequel take place at a time when Zelda should have free access to this power, she would become an unstoppable force for any advancing enemies that may be encountered in BOTW 2. This would negate the need for the players, and Link, to fight – something that is a key part of any Legend of Zelda title’s gameplay. Therefore, in order to allow for Link to take on the mantle of the Hylian hero once more, he needs to fight alone in Breath of the Wild 2 - and without Princess Zelda’s powers being readily available to aid him on their quest.
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The Tale of California’s Recall Election
By BY KEVIN ROOSE, SYDNEY HARPER, ERIC KRUPKE, AUSTIN MITCHELL, DANIEL GUILLEMETTE, DIANA NGUYEN, MARC GEORGES, LISA CHOW, M.J. DAVIS LIN, DAN POWELL AND MARION LOZANO from NYT Podcasts https://ift.tt/3BpiT5K
Dark humor is like anal sex
Everyone knows it's disgusting but deep down every one likes it,
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I saw my math teacher with a piece of graph paper, and a very strange look on his face yesterday
I think he may be plotting something.
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Jesus on the cross
It's the day of Jesus' crucifixion, and Peter is consoling Mary at the bottom of the hill in Golgotha. Suddenly, Peter hears Jesus calling to him, summoning him up the hill.
Frantically, Peter sets off to make his way to his Savior. Unwillingly, he is stopped by two guards. Again, Jesus calls to Peter, and again, Peter attempts to answer, but the guards bring him to a hault. Peter weeps in remorse.
One last time, Jesus moans for Peter's appearance. Determined not to fail his Grace, Peter shoves past the standing guards and triumphantly stands at the bleeding feet of his King.
"My Lord, anything for you. What is it, my King?"
"Peter," Jesus painstakingly replies.
"Yes, what is it you must tell me?" Peter anxiously asks.
"Peter, I, I, I can see your house from up here."
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What Chris Harrison Has Been Up To Since Leaving Bachelor Nation
Chris Harrison may have exited The Bachelor franchise for good, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t finding ways to embrace adventure and follow his own journey to love. Harrison is sorely missed by some fans, while others affirm that his exit was more than appropriate after making the highly problematic decision to defend Rachel Kirkconnell to Rachel Lindsay. Chris issued a formal apology to Rachel Lindsay, fans of the show, and the entire Bachelor Nation. While it was initially reported that Harrison was just taking a break from the show, he's now made a formal exit officially.
While fans absolutely adored Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe as the new hosts of The Bachelorette, there is also an international fan base who are missing Chris and wish he would return to the franchise. Chris has been prompt to respond to his fans that he does miss being an integral part of the show, while also making clear that he holds no ill will towards Bachelor Nation for moving on without him.
What we have seen of Chris is a cheerful anniversary tribute to his partner and fellow entertainment media personality Lauren Zima. Back in April, there was speculation that they secretly married after Chris posted a photo of the two looking doe-eyed in formal wear. Chris wrote under the post, “I’d stop the world and melt with you @laurenzima there’s no one I’d rather celebrate love with and I’ll be your plus one anytime.” Lauren clarified however that the shot was of a bridesmaid dress from a wedding Chris and Lauren attended together. The couple has been together since summer 2018 and despite a 16-year age gap they have been going strong ever since.
Chris has been feeling nostalgic about his daughter Taylor Harrison’s first day of her senior year. Chris wrote under the post “My baby girl headed off to her senior year of HS today. Tay I’ve never been more proud of the incredible woman you are. So many experiences and greatness ahead.” Chris finished off the post with a reference to Ferris Bueler’s Day Off saying, “‘’Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’” Some fans may remember he also took some time off during Clare and Tayshia's season to move his son into college at Texas Christian University.
If one thing is for sure, despite some stumbling blocks in 2021, Chris loves making eighties references and his life is as full of love as it’s ever been. Here’s hoping his journey outside Bachelor Nation will continue on that note and with greater respect and awareness of the very serious injustices plaguing this world.
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Bachelor In Paradise: Tahzjuan's Funniest Moments From Season 6
There are many Bachelor in Paradise contestants who have hit the beach over the years, but Tahzjuan Hawkins is one of the most relatable due to her many bizarre and funny moments. This season, her overheating and fear of crabs are making viewers chuckle, but Tahzjuan was just as entertaining on season 6.
So far in season 7, Tahzjuan has connected with Tre Cooper, though that’s largely due to the fact that she once dated his uncle. But despite the specter of Tre’s uncle looming over their relationship, Tahzjuan has commented that Tre is a good kisser and she’s more interested in him that she initially thought.
Back on BIP season 6, Tahzjuan also thought she had made a connection. She arrived late to the beach and most of the cast was already coupled up. Tahzjuan chose John Paul Jones—who was pining for Tayshia Adams—to go on a date with her. Their date was exceptionally weird and the next morning JPJ was taken on a date by Haley Ferguson. Tahzjuan began to spiral and ultimately didn’t receive a rose at the next rose ceremony.
Just like on Bachelor in Paradise season 7, in season 6 Tahzjuan had major problems with the heat from moment one. Tahzjuan was instantly sweating and even got a handheld fan from production just to make it through her interview. At one point in her BIP journey, Tahzjuan nearly passed out from the heat, but was soon back to her old self again, asking for chips and guacamole.
Tahzjuan’s date with JPJ was bizarre, to say the least. JPJ actually ate the date food, which Tahzjuan reminded him contestants aren’t supposed to do. Despite her warnings, JPJ went in on a congealed mystery mass that had Tahzjuan saying, “It looked like chicken, it might have not been chicken, I don’t know what the hell it was.” JPJ ended up gagging and retching, and it’s a wonder that Tahzjuan was still interested in him.
After the Tahzjuan-John Paul Jones-Haley love triangle formed, Tahzjuan exhibited some seriously jealous behavior and ended up concocting a strange metaphor about her and JPJ being seagulls and Haley being a pigeon. Nothing about the metaphor made sense especially because, as Haley rightly pointed out in an ITM, seagulls and pigeons have equally bad reputations.
At one point, Tahzjuan was off by herself commenting on the other couples and how “over this s***” she was. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” she said. “These two lovebirds are making out and it’s 110 degrees, how can anyone do any of that? It’s too hot to be touching.” Tahzjuan spent time munching on chips and pasta and eventually just screamed at the ocean.
Tahzjuan may not boast as many Instagram followers as the other Bachelor in Paradise season 7 cast members, but her antics are endlessly relatable to viewers who would probably be sweating it out just as much as she does. Though she didn’t find love on BIP season 6, Tahzjuan’s many weird and hilarious moments were enough to make her a fan favorite. She’s truly a cast member for the people.
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