After studying years of old Hubble space observations, a scientist just discovered all-new signs of water vapor lingering on Europa. When it comes to our Solar System, there are certain destinations that tend to take up the spotlight. Mars is the focal point for many people right now, there's a reemerging interest in the Moon, and everything else tends to take a backseat in mainstream conversations. One location that's quickly rising in interest, however, is Europa.Europa is one of four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter. It's the sixth-largest known moon in the Solar System, has a surface covered in ice, and is widely believed to have vast liquid oceans beneath its harsh exterior. Many people in the space and science communities believe that alien life is living in that ocean deep beneath Europa's surface. Europa may not receive the same attention as its Mars and Moon cousins, but it has countless secrets just waiting to be uncovered.
Tania Maduro will be joining 90 Day: The Single Life season 2 as a cast member with 90 Day Fiancé husband Syngin Colchester after their split. South African man Syngin first ignited rumors of a messy married life with his cryptic Instagram posts. Soon enough, Syngin was spotted with a new woman from Arizona whom fans thought was his girlfriend. While the 90 Day Fiancé season 7 couple kept TLC viewers confused about their relationship status, Syngin was announced as a cast member for The Single Life. And as it turns out, the discovery+ show will also have Tania joining the likes of Big Ed Brown, Jesse Meester and Natalie Mordovtseva.Interestingly, Tania was never meant to meet Syngin in South Africa as she had traveled there for a date with a different man. But Tania ended up rejecting her man and walked into a bar, where Syngin worked as a bartender and thus began their 90 Day Fiancé relationship. The road to the altar wasn’t an easy one for Syngin with Tania away in Puerto Rico for a month out of his K-1 visa’s 90 days. And later came a time when Tania confessed that her husband wasn’t her soulmate as Syngin felt that he did not belong in the United States. Still, no one expected that Tania and Syngin’s next spin-off after 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? season 5 would be 90 Day: The Single Life.
Mojang recently revealed the three new Minecraft mobs available for Minecraft Live 2021’s mob vote, and one Reddit user compared the options to Pokémon starter choices. Like last year, Mojang is allowing the Minecraft community to decide which mob will be added next to the 3D voxel sandbox. During Minecraft Live 2021 on October 16, fans will choose between the Copper Golem, Allay, or Glare, three new mobs with their own unique abilities. Mojang did the same thing last year, allowing the community to pick Minecraft’s new mob during Minecraft Live 2020. The choice then was between the Glow Squid, Iceologer, and Moobloom. The Glow Squid ultimately came out on top and arrived alongside the Caves & Cliffs Part 1 Update earlier this year.For this year’s Minecraft mob vote, Mojang first introduced the Glare, a passive mob that shows players dark spots where other mobs can spawn. This utility will be especially useful when the Caves & Cliffs Part 2 update drops later this year, because the update adjusts light level requirements for dangerous mobs to spawn. The second new mob was the Allay, a flying creature that delivers gifts to players in exchange for music. Upon receiving a collectible, craftable item, or block, the Allay looks for more of said item and gives them to players if a music note is nearby. The Copper Golem is a completely buildable mob and would bring with it a brand new copper button.
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Chucky season 1, episode 1.Chucky episode 1 saw the iconic villain unleash his unique brand of horror upon Hackensack, New Jersey — here's why he chose that town and how it ties to his origin. Since Don Mancini created him in 1988, the Brad Dourif voiced Chucky has rampaged through a variety of locations. In his human form, the serial killer was dubbed the Lakeshore Strangler and terrorized Chicago for years. After Charles Lee Ray transferred himself into a doll in Child's Play, he retained the same stomping grounds for a few more outings before moving on. Chucky subsequently targetted a distant Military Academy in Child's Play 3, went on a road trip in Bride of Chucky, and then resurrected in Los Angeles for Seed of Chucky.After an extended hiatus, the titular doll returned for 2013's Curse of Chucky. Going on a more centralized murder spree, he picked off the extended Pierce family solely within the confines of their home. Cult of Chucky followed a similar formula, with the killer doll terrorizing the patients and staff of Harrogate Psychiatric Hospital. With the ending of Cult of Chucky, Mancini directly set up Chucky. In the process, he promised a much wider playground for every one of Chucky's movie forms to inhabit and unleash havoc.
Marvel's Iron Man is one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe - and he's also one of the shrewdest businessmen on Earth, so it's no surprise that the genius, billionaire, playboy-philanthropist would quite literally invent a lawyer for himself. As the CEO of Stark Industries, Tony is often beset by legal troubles; lawyers accompanying him everywhere he goes would not be seen as out of the ordinary. In the short story collection Iron Man: Titanium, the tale Railguns, Power Ties and Titanium Men, written by Adam Warren with art by Salva Espin and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, introduces readers to Tony Stark's very own "Lawyer Armor."At the start of the story, Tony Stark accompanies Pepper Potts (along with bodyguards and lawyers) to a public meeting in a new skyscraper; the young Chief Technological Officer of the company Designed Intelligence, Huang Qiaolian appears ready to announce the company's IPO before dozens of potential investors. Instead, she kidnaps all the attendees and holds them hostage through the use of the Titanium Man: a robot that can also deploy smaller versions of itself. To add insult to injury, Huang Qiaolian isn't from Designed Intelligence at all, but Advanced Idea Mechanics, or A.I.M.
Warning: SPOILERS for Halloween Kills belowActress Judy Greer has revealed which death scene from Halloween Kills she found to be the most vicious, accidentally spoiling one character's fate in the process. The killer Michael Myers has been on a gruesome rampage since 1978 when he first appeared in John Carpenter’s classic slasher Halloween. David Gordon Green helmed a direct sequel to the original film in 2018. Simply titled Halloween, an older but still traumatized Laurie Strode prepares to confront her would-be killer 40 years later. Michael’s reign of terror continues on October 15 when Halloween Kills hits theaters and streams on Peacock.Halloween Kills will see the return of much of the cast from the first installment, including Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie, Judy Greer as her daughter Karen, and Andi Matichak as Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson. The film is set to pick up moments after the 2018 film left off, with the women rushing to the hospital to seek medical treatment for Laurie. In part one, Karen dismissed her mother’s seemingly put-on paranoia. Now that Karen has experienced Michael’s wrath firsthand, the pair’s estranged dynamic is certain to change in Halloween Kills. Unfortunately for Karen, she’s doomed to witness even more of Michael’s bloodlust as he tears through Haddonfield.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto 3, Rockstar is offering all players a free t-shirt in Grand Theft Auto Online this week. GTA Online has become incredibly successful since it first launched, giving players the chance to explore the large open-world with friends and other users or compete in a series of multiplayer game modes. Extensive creation tools even allow fans to create their own content, such as iconic real-world racetracks in GTA Online races, and the online game has an active community of creators adding to the vast library of available content.News of the free t-shirt comes just after Rockstar officially revealed that Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy is in development. The studio announced the remasters of Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas last week, announcing that the collection was "coming soon" to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. However, Rockstar did not reveal what graphical and performance upgrades would be included in the remaster or when exactly Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy will release.
Illustration: Alex Castro / The VergeGoogle is making it easier to doomscroll through search results by automatically loading newer results as you get to the end of the page. Previously, when you got to the end of a page of Google search results, there was a big “See more” button at the bottom you could tap to, well, see more results. With continuously loaded results, you’ll be able to just keep on scrolling to see more.
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeSecure messaging app Signal’s founder Moxie Marlinspike is doing a bit of trolling by releasing an NFT that shows up differently depending on what platform you’re looking at it on — and that will, allegedly, display as a poop emoji in your wallet if you actually buy it.He seems to be doing this to point out the potential fragility of NFTs, which are supposed to act as a sort of permanent record of owning a piece of art or media. They’re unique digital tokens that are stored on the blockchain, but in most cases, it’s actually just the record that lives on the chain — the image is stored elsewhere. That means that people shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars for them could be at the mercy of image hosts who are operating...Continue reading…
Letitia Wright denies a report that claims she is expressing anti-vaccination views on the set of Black Panther 2. Following a few COVID-19 related delays, production of the sequel to 2018's Black Panther began in Atlanta this past June ahead of its July 2022 release date. Original director Ryan Coogler is returning along with writer Joe Robert Cole. However, the sequel had to be reworked considerably following the tragic passing of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman. The film will see Black Panther stars Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong'o, and Winston Duke reprising their roles.There has been a lot of intriguing news coming out of the Black Panther 2 set as of late, including the revelation that Dominique Thorne will be making her MCU debut in the film as Riri Williams, a brilliant inventor who creates her own Iron Man suit, ahead of her upcoming Disney+ series, Ironheart. Letitia Wright, who will be returning as Shuri, was hospitalized in late August after suffering a minor onset injury, though she was able to return soon after. Earlier this month, Wright became embroiled in another controversy when The Hollywood Reporter claimed she was speaking out against the COVID-19 vaccine on set.
Adult Swim Festival 2021 has announced its lineup, including a Rick and Morty panel and several musical performances. This is the latest in a run of exciting live stream festivals featuring huge announcements from popular properties. Just a few weeks ago, Netflix had its TUDUM event, which included the trailer drop for Stranger Things season 4 and the announcement that Chris Hemsworth would be returning for Extraction 2. On October 16, DC FanDome 2021 is poised to feature similar blockbuster announcements for its popular superhero projects. This year's Adult Swim Festival will be the fourth annual iteration of the event, which includes live music performances in addition to panels and screenings. Last year, when the festival switched to a virtual format, the lineup included The Eric Andre Show, Toonami, and Run the Jewels. Back in 2019, the in-person event included a performance from Lil Nas X hot off the success of "Old Town Road," as well as a screening of a full episode from the then-upcoming Rick and Morty season 4.
An Animal Crossing: New Horizons content creator has devised their own Squid Game contest within the Nintendo game. The YouTube streamer invited players to their island to take part in a series of Animal Crossing minigames, and while competitors weren't playing for their lives, they were playing for an impressive 99,000 Bell prize. Netflix's Squid Game is one of the biggest shows of the year, engrossing viewers with its dark premise and narrative twists and turns. The Korean drama focuses on a series of competitive games in which players compete for a cash prize, with those eliminated from the games also losing their lives. The show has been a global success that has spawned countless fan-made video game recreations in releases including GTA Online, Roblox, The Sims 4, and of course, players have also been reimagining Squid Game in Animal Crossing.
The script for Blumhouse Pictures remake of The Wolfman starring Ryan Gosling is still in development says producer Jason Blum. The Wolfman is one of the most iconic of the Universal Monsters, having first appeared in the 1941 film starring Lon Channey Jr. In 2010, a remake starring Benenco Tel Toro in the title role opened in theaters after a very troubled production to negative reviews and was a box-office bomb.After Universal attempted to relaunch their monster's property with the critical and box-office failure of 2017's The Mummy, they scrapped their plans for their cinematic universe called the Dark Universe. The studio decided to do stand-alone horror stories, the first being 2020's The Invisible Man, which was a box office and critical success. Hot off the success the studio reteamed The Invisible Man director Leigh Whannell and producer Jason Blum to do another monster property, The Wolfman, which had already secured actor Ryan Gosling for the lead role.
The Suicide Squad director James Gunn says he once pitched a movie of Gilligan’s Island with a cannibal twist. The original show about a group of castaways becoming stranded on a desert island during what was supposed to be just a three-hour-tour aired on CBS from 1964 to 1967.Years after that original three-year CBS run, the show received a revival in the form of three TV movies: The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island, The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island and Rescue From Gilligan’s Island. Today Gilligan’s Island is probably most known by younger people for its barroom-argument-inspiring “Ginger or Mary Anne?” question and its classic theme song, and of course older folks still cherish it. But despite the enduring popularity of the CBS sitcom, Gilligan, The Skipper and company have to this day never been brought back in theatrical movie form.
The latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune is making its way to the screen on October 22 when the film premieres in theaters and on HBO Max. The film features an incredible cast and epic science fiction story with warring factions, alien races, and political scheming. Including in this cast are Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the leader of House Harkonnen and enemy of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and his nephew, Glossu Rabban played by Dave Bautista.
The Radeon RX 6600 and RX 6600 XT are two of AMD's most affordable PC gaming GPUs, but which one is ultimately worth buying? While top-of-the-line graphics cards are a lot of fun to talk about, the reality is that most people aren't buying them. The vast majority of gamers are relying on low and mid-range cards to power their rigs. They may not be capable of the best graphics or highest frame rates, but budget GPUs are getting better every year. Along with affordable options from Nvidia, AMD also understands the need for these types of GPUs. AMD launched the Radeon RX 6600 XT in July 2021. At the time, AMD was hailing it as its cheapest GPU launched during the year. A few months later in October, however, AMD one-upped itself with the even lower-priced RX 6600. Both graphics cards are compelling options for budget-minded gamers, but which is the best overall choice? Here's what you need to know.
Marvel never asked actor Richard Madden to dye his hair blond or change his accent for his role in Eternals. Madden plays Ikaris, who has traditionally had blonde hair in his comic-book incarnation. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, Ikaris is an Eternal, created by the Celestials thousands of years ago, gifted with superhuman abilities that are meant to protect and guide humanity. Ikaris' earliest appearance shows him with longish blonde locks and he is fitted with a blue-and-red costume with three circular-shaped designs on his chest. Eternals is directed by Academy Award Winner Chloé Zhao and stars Madden, Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Lauren Ridloff, Ma Dong-seok, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Barry Keoghan. The film takes place in the MCU's Phase Four series of films, which ushers in a new era for the franchise universe, introducing a bevy of new characters, which began with last month's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Eternals will be the first live-action realization of the characters in the MCU.
Kurt Busiek is returning to Image Comics and bringing along his fan-favorite series Astro City and Arrowsmith. Fans can expect a new Arrowsmith miniseries beginning in January 2022 and an Astro City one-shot in March 2022 that introduces the new status quo of the upcoming series. Image also teased that the creator would be bringing more new comics such as Free Agents and another story in The Autumnlands series, as well as re-releasing some of his other popular titles.Busiek is well-known in the comic book industry not only for his creator-owned projects but also for his work at the Big Two, including Avengers, The Marvels, Superman, and JLA. Arguably his biggest creator-owned series is Astro City, a superhero comic book that began back in 1995 at Image Comics before going through several other publishers, including Image's partner studio Wildstorm before eventually ending up in the hands of DC Comics and Vertigo. The series paid tribute to many iconic superheroes, notably including homages to characters like Superman (The Samaritan) and the Fantastic Four (Furst Family) while also exploring struggles superheroes could face in the real world. Then there was his fantasy title Arrowsmith, which began as a miniseries back in 2003 under the Cliffhanger imprint of Wildstorm. The title took place during World War II with not just guns but also magic.RELATED: Wonder Woman Writer Claims DC Deliberately Designed Comic Not to SellThe official Image Comics press release expanded on a bunch of announcements related to Busiek's return to the publisher. First off, his Arrowsmith comic book returns with a six-issue miniseries called Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines. It will begin in January 2022 and the original series, Arrowsmith: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms, will be collected in hardcover for February 2022. The artist for the new miniseries will be Carlos Pacheco (Avengers Forever, Fantastic Four, Final Crisis). In the new miniseries, Fletcher Arrowsmith will be behind enemy lines and a secret history will be unveiled.
Within just a day of going on sale, the early tickets for Marvel's Eternals have already begun to outpace Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. After being forced to take 2020 off due to the coronavirus pandemic, the MCU has returned in full force this year. So far, the franchise has put out two movies, and both have provided some sorely needed life to the domestic box office. Black Widow kicked things off in July with what was then the biggest opening weekend of the pandemic era, and Shang-Chi followed in September, breaking Labor Day records on its way to becoming the current highest-grossing film of 2021.Next up is Chloé Zhao's Eternals, a cosmic epic that is very different from Black Widow and Shang-Chi. For one thing, Eternals is an ensemble piece instead of a solo story. For another, it will span thousands of years and introduce a team so powerful, fans are wondering why they didn't take out Thanos on their own. Eternals will follow in Shang-Chi's steps and debut exclusively in theaters. Tickets went on sale this past Monday, and they're already hinting Marvel has another moneymaker on its hands.
Shawn has introduced his second relationship on Life After Lockup, and both times he's seemingly pushed his parenting aside to pursue love. On Life After Lockup season 4, viewers followed Shawn's new relationship with Sara after a messy breakup with his ex Destinie. It was just last year when Shawn was driving around town trying to hunt Destinie down to get his car back. He also proposed to her and wanted to build a future together, but Destinie was seemingly only interested in his financial stability. All the while, Shawn upset his ex Kelly due to how neglectful he was being to their six kids.Shawn has now gotten into a relationship with Sara and things appear to be going well for the couple. He admitted to lying about his age and owned up to being 10 years older than the original 36 he told Sara. While Sara is aware that Shawn has other children back home, she isn't fully aware of how big Shawn's sacrifice for her was. He relocated to Ohio to be with Sara and left his six kids behind. While he expresses his hopes of being a step-father to Sara's daughter, he already has six kids of his own who are missing their father.
Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.The Season 6 Battle Pass for Call of Duty: Warzone was expanded with Call of Duty: Vanguard's Stg 44 and M1 Garand, which players can earn for free ahead of the game’s official launch on November 5th. Sledgehammer Games’ Call of Duty will have full integration with Raven Software’s free-to-play battle royale when it launches, just as both Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War have had integrations with Warzone. The developers have confirmed many aspects of that future integration, including a massive new battle royale map that will replace Verdansk, as well as additional maps, modes, and events post-launch. Vanguard’s link with Warzone is reportedly stronger than past Call of Duty iterations, and the two will also share a new PC anti-cheat system developed by Raven Software.Last week, the StG 44 and M1 Garand dropped into Warzone, likely by accident, after the Season Six update. The mistake was quickly addressed and the weapons were stripped from the battle royale. The American M1 Garand and German StG 44 were visible in the Warzone Gunsmith, though the guns couldn’t be equipped in loadouts. One YouTuber, however, said he was able to equip and use the Vanguard weapons that briefly appeared in Warzone, though he was unable to inspect the guns. Now those weapons have officially dropped in Warzone and are unlockable immediately from the Battle Pass.
Photo: Leon Neal (Getty Images)If you use an Android phone and are (rightfully!) worried about digital privacy, you’ve probably taken care of the basics already. You’ve deleted the snoopiest of the snoopy apps, opted out of tracking whenever possible, and taken all of the other precautions the popular how-to privacy guides have told you to. The bad news—and you might want to sit down for this—is that none of those steps are enough to be fully free of trackers.
In a few days, Google will officially unveil its all-new series, Google Pixel 6 series. According to reports, this flagship series will arrive on October 19th in the U.S. and it will have two models. This series will have the Google Pixel 6 as well as the Pixel 6 Pro. A few days to the official launch of this series, the standard Pixel 6 is now available in Geekbench. As usual, the Geekbench listing reveals some key details about this upcoming flagship smartphone.
Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix's biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Wednesday.The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38 million), has become a worldwide sensation for Netflix since its launch less than a month ago.The dystopian drama has inspired countless memes, Halloween costumes of the ubiquitous green tracksuits worn by contestants and real world recreations of the various games. It has also sparked a debate within South Korea about toxic competitive societies and prompted new interest in the country's culture and language around the world."Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans — making it our biggest series launch ever!" Netflix posted on Twitter.The series reached that total in just 27 days, since its release on September 17, easily outpacing UK costume drama Bridgerton, which was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days.Netflix gives limited information on viewing figures for its platform and cuts the data it does provide in various ways. The 28-day debut figures it released for Bridgerton and other shows included any account that watched an episode for at least two minutes.Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told a tech conference in California last month said the streaming service was surprised by how popular Squid Game has become."We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity," he said.The series was so popular that South Korean Internet service provider SK Broadband sued Netflix to pay for costs from increased network traffic and maintenance work because of the surge in viewers.And a South Korean woman was in talks with the US firm about compensation after she was deluged with thousands of prank calls and text messages when her phone number was inadvertently highlighted as a key plot point in the series.Netflix has it would spend more than $500 million on content produced in South Korea this year.
Adobe is bringing Camera Raw to the iPad version of Photoshop, and has demonstrated how it works in a hands-on video. Ryan Dumlao, senior product manager for Photoshop on iPad, shows how Camera Raw can be used to edit RAW and DNG photos directly imported from a camera — in this case a Fujifilm — or ProRAW files from the iPhone 12 Pro and 13 Pro.Camera Raw is a long-standing plugin that allows for advanced RAW image editing within Photoshop, and it’s also the technical basis of Lightroom’s processing engine. Dumlao’s video shows how you can edit various settings and exposure parameters within Photoshop, including importing the RAW file as a smart object for non-destructive editing that can be carried over to the desktop version. In his demo, Dumlao uses Photoshop features to perform tasks like removing individual tree branches and adjusting the color of a specific rope in his photo.While many photographers use Lightroom as their primary editing tool, adding Camera Raw to Photoshop for iPad will dramatically expand the photo editing capabilities for iPad owners who use Photoshop as a big part of their workflow. Adobe hasn’t announced exactly when the feature will be released, only saying that it’s “coming soon.”
It is not available in China but Netflix's global sensationSquid Game has already built up a huge following in the country, with fans dodging strict internet controls to stream the show and snapping up merchandise such as its unique outfits.The dystopian South Korean thriller has become the most popular Netflix series launch ever, the streaming giant said Tuesday, but it is unlikely to pass China's censors because of its brutally violent content.Yet it is already a hit in cities such as Shanghai, where a crowd formed Tuesday at an eatery selling dalgona -- the crisp sugar candy featured in one episode -- with customers gathering at its Squid Game-themed sign to take photos."People were sending jokes related to the show in group chats when I started watching," a customer surnamed Li told AFP."It's rather fast-paced and therefore, quite thrilling," the video producer said of the series.After buying the candy, Li and his friend filmed their attempt at a challenge from the show, where contestants try to cut shapes from the snack without cracking it.Squid Game features a group of society's most marginalised and indebted people who are forced to compete in a series of children's games until all participants are dead except one. The "winner" gets $38 million.As the show became an international hit, China's ever-nimble manufacturers raced to tap into demand, with products -- including the bright pink uniforms and eerie masks worn by anonymous guards -- popping up across the giant online shopping platform Taobao.Vendor Peng Xiuyang told AFP his sales had spiked by around 30 percent thanks to demand for Squid Game merchandise.He had never heard of the show when a customer asked last month if he sold the masks -- a plain black full-faced covering printed with squares, triangles or circles.But now vendors like him and plastics manufacturers in the eastern hub of Yiwu are all rushing to meet demand -- from both domestic and international buyers."Our customers are those who have seen the series and want to join in the trend," he added.With Halloween coming up, the spine-chilling masks have become his most sought-after product.Illegal distributionThe lack of official availability has not stopped Chinese audiences from finding ways to watch the show -- including easily available unofficial streaming sites or file-sharing.The piracy problem is so widespread that South Korea's ambassador to China, Jang Ha-sung, recently told a parliamentary audit that he had asked Chinese authorities to take action."Our assessment is that Squid Game, which is gaining global popularity, is being illegally distributed on around 60 sites in China," Jang said, testifying remotely from Beijing.As fascination with the show swirls among China's tech-savvy youth, the hashtag Squid Game got nearly two billion views on social media, and related topics have been trending for weeks.Users discussed how they would pass the challenges featured in the show, and wondered what a Chinese version of Squid Game would be like.But one user said: "It's not like it would pass censors if we made such a show ourselves... if it were too violent, it would just get taken down."For now, fans just want to have fun.A customer in Shanghai surnamed Yang said: "I've seen (the snack) being sold online, but it's my first time finding it in real life."
The Tales Of The Walking Dead spinoff anthology series has been greenlit and is coming to AMC in 2022. The network announced the spinoff series was in development back in 2020, but few details have been revealed since. The show was originally touted as featuring new and old characters from The Walking Dead universe, exploring narratives that will include both backstories and stand-alone tales.The spinoff was announced at the same time that AMC said it would pull the plug on the main series, The Walking Dead, with season 11, ending its run in 2022. The Walking Dead has been running on the network since 2010 and became a global pop culture phenomenon, creating a number of spinoffs already, including Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. In addition to those spinoffs, it was previously reported that Andrew Lincoln's character, Rick Grimes, would be getting his own standalone movie trilogy, although the status of that project is still up in the air.
The archenemy of Thanos in Marvel Comics, Adam Warlock's origin and powers will be an interesting story to see unfold in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Following a handful of rumors saying that The Revenant actor Will Poulter has been cast as the MCU’s Adam Warlock, Guardians on the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn confirmed the news. This means that years after being teased for the first time in 2014, the Golden Gladiator is finally set to cross paths with Star-Lord’s team and potentially become an MCU superhero.Like Nova, Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Adam Warlock is one of the most important characters in the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. In fact, he was the central figure in some of Marvel’s biggest crossovers in the 1990s, including Infinity Gauntlet. For these reasons, fans have been waiting for him to make a splash in the MCU for several years now. The first big tease of his arrival came in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy when a cocoon identical to his was spotted at the Collector’s museum. Then, Marvel went even further by introducing his gold-skinned race, namedropping him, and revealing his real cocoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Ubisoft's Far Cry 6 includes a number of fun Easter eggs hidden throughout the game, with some hinting at a connection to the Assassin's Creed universe. This entry in the Far Cry series places players in the role of Dani Rojas, a Guerilla fighter working with rebel forces to oust the oppressive dictator Anton Castillo. It's a setup highly similar to previous Far Cry games, and fans' enjoyment may vary if they were expecting a revolutionary change for the series. Those looking for another Far Cry experience should still find a lot to enjoy with Far Cry 6, however, especially when searching for all of the Easter eggs tucked around Yara.Many video game developers have a tendency to include Easter eggs in their games that reference past projects, other games in the industry, and forms of media outside of gaming. Ubisoft is no stranger to a good Easter egg, with Doctor Who’s TARDIS popping up in Assassin’s Creed Origins and references to The Shining, Star Wars and more in Watch Dogs 2. The developer also uses clever references to link their franchises together, and Far Cry 6 is the latest example of Ubisoft’s supposed efforts to create an expansive “Ubi-verse.”
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for No Time To DieSeveral key elements of Safin's plan in No Time To Die simply don't make sense without the presence of the previous major Bond villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Although Blofeld does feature prominently in the narrative, it's clear that he is playing second fiddle to Rami Malek's Lyutsifer Safin. However, as a result of this reduced role, the film as a whole suffers and, ultimately, raises serious questions about the efficacy of Safin's supposed master plan.After occupying center stage in 2015's Spectre, No Time To Die sees Blofeld very much behind the scenes in a British prison. Although he is still running operations at the criminal organization, courtesy of a computerized eye carried around by colleagues, his power and influence has been reduced as a result of his incarceration. This is made clear when an attempt to use stolen nanobots to kill James Bond at a Spectre party inadvertently results in the death of Spectre's entire leadership. It later becomes clear that Safin is behind the mix-up as part of his plan to exact revenge on Spectre for the death of his family. Eventually, Safin manages to successfully assassinate Blofeld via James Bond, after Madeleine Swann infects him with nanobots programmed to match Blofeld's DNA.
The Book of Boba Fett points to a prequel problem in Disney's Star Wars universe. Boba Fett's return in The Mandalorian, season 2 was well-received, and the bounty hunter's upcoming spinoff is hotly anticipated. While it promises to be an exciting journey for a fan-favorite character, the show becomes part of a larger issue when considered alongside the rest of Disney's Star Wars slate.Between The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka, Disney is creating and hurriedly fleshing out a "prequel-to-the sequels" era. It's been wildly successful so far, and in many ways gets Star Wars right. As evidenced by Ahsoka and Fett's appearances in The Mandalorian season 2, these shows also promise to relate to one another. However, while these "prequel" offerings will likely be more favorably received than George Lucas' prequel films, this Disney era may be just as questionable - for more problematic reasons.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker packed on the PDA during the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star's latest romantic Disneyland date. For many months now, Kourtney and Travis are continuing to show off how in love they are despite the criticism they received for being extremely touchy-feely in public. Their latest Disneyland date comes after Scott Disick blasted the couple for packing on the PDA during their vacation in Italy. Alas, the couple remains unbothered by Scott's jabs and Travis even used a new reference to describe his love for Kourtney.Things have been going extremely well for Kourtney and Travis since confirming their relationship earlier this year. They have spent showing off their romance on social media and during public outings. Their double dates with Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox have made them one of the hottest couples in Hollywood. Kourtney and Travis even made their red carpet debut at the VMAs where Kourtney and Megan introduced their boyfriend's stage performance together. As they gear up for their first public holiday season together, Kourtney and Travis also made another visit to Disneyland.
Already one of DC's powerhouses, Wonder Woman's ultimate form was achieved thanks to her discovery of Marvel's Mjolnir. Displaced due to Thor's previous battle with Shazam, the mythological hammer lay undisturbed until Wonder Woman discovered it and learned that she was worthy of its power. While heroes and villains battled for the survival of their worlds in DC vs Marvel, this ultimate form of Wonder Woman not only showcased the best of both worlds but foreshadowed events yet to come in the legendary crossover series.In the series by Ron Marz, Peter David, Dan Jurgen, and Claudio Castellini, both comic book worlds experience a massive dimensional breach that has heroes and villains randomly disappearing and reappearing in new universes. While some fought and others worked together, all were left trying to make sense of the madness, only to learn it was all the precursor to a contest unlike any other. Two beyond powerful entities similar to brothers had discovered each other and sought to prove who was better by pitting hand-selected champions against each other, the winner would be allowed to live while the loser would be wiped from existence. While Wonder Woman had been seen briefly in DC vs Marvel #1, her most important role in this unfolding conflict was about to be revealed.
Players are finally getting their hands on Far Cry 6, and the newest entry in the series provides a fairly lengthy experience. Far Cry 6 has received fairly good reviews so far, with critics and players enjoying the core gameplay experience while recognizing the similarities to other games in the franchise. The game follows the tale of Dani Rojas as they attempt to bring down the devilish dictator Anton Castillo and save the fictional country of Yara.Ubisoft has become well-known for creating open-world experiences that contain a plethora of activities to engage their fans. Franchises like Watch Dogs and The Division feature wide-open city landscapes full of story missions and side quests that can keep players occupied for hours on end, and the Assassin’s Creed series has evolved from a more linear-based open world into a full-blown RPG affair. Far Cry titles fall into the category of open-world adventures as well, but distinguish themselves from Ubisoft’s other franchises by implementing a first-person perspective.
Content warning: the following contains plot spoilers for the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.Hulu's Only Murders in the Building has been dominating social media since it premiered, flooding the internet with fan discussions and investigations into who killed the mysterious Tim Kono. Viewers have followed along week to week as the unconventional crime-solving trio of Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) have searched for Tim Kono's killer.
Photo by JEFF DEAN/AFP via Getty ImagesFacebook has placed at least 986 groups on a private list of banned “militarized social movements,” according to internal Facebook documents published by The Intercept. The documents hint at the scale of militia organizing on Facebook — something the company cracked down on in August of 2020.Militarized social movements are one part of Facebook’s larger “dangerous individuals and organizations” list, which The Intercept published a snapshot of in its entirety. The term refers to armed groups that promote armed conflict, as well as groups that support violence or looting at protests; in practice, it’s apparently composed largely of right-wing militias with some left-wing, anarchist, or generally anti-government organizations.Facebook’s “dangerous individuals” list also includes white supremacist bands, hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan, and branches of Al Qaeda and other global terrorist organizations. All are banned from maintaining pages, groups, or profiles on the service. Beyond that, the categories are sorted into tiers. Tier 1 includes hate and terror groups, and Facebook users can’t express praise or support for them in any form. Tier 2 includes “violent non-state actors” like armed rebels that can only be praised for nonviolent activities. Militarized social movements are designated as Tier 3, which don’t have comparable restrictions on how users discuss them.Facebook noted in October of 2020 that it had identified 600 militarized social movements and removed around 2,400 pages and 14,200 groups maintained by them. The company also said it had removed 1,700 pages and 5,600 groups associated with QAnon — which is designated a militarized social movement but is not an organized group.As The Intercept notes, the group designations can be fuzzy. One subset of the violent boogaloo movement, for instance, is classified as a Tier 1 terrorist organization, while the larger movement is a militarized social movement. The designation also includes news outlets like the anarchist site It’s Going Down — which could theoretically have been grouped under the umbrella of “supporting violent acts amid protests” but is listed as an “armed militia group.”Facebook has been criticized for both overly lax and overly punitive enforcement. But most recently, it’s come under general scrutiny for not releasing details about its operations to outside researchers or policymakers, something that makes it more difficult to evaluate its moderation strategy.In statements to The Verge, Facebook said it had not previously released the list because publishing too many details might compromise the effectiveness of moderation.“This is an adversarial space, so we try to be as transparent as possible while also prioritizing security, limiting legal risks, and preventing opportunities for groups to get around our rules,” said counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy director Brian Fishman.
Image: 1PasswordPassword manager 1Password is making it easier to share passwords with anyone, with Psst! (password secure sharing tool), a new link sharing feature the company is releasing today. Instead of using 1Password’s pre-existing sharing options, which require an account, or just copying and pasting log-in information, which is inherently insecure, Psst! makes sharing a password a bit more like sharing a Google Doc with someone.You can create a link to share password credentials, set when it expires (when the first person views it, or at one hour, one day, one week, 14 days, or 30 days), and share the password with specific people (via their emails) or for anyone with the link. The whole process is a lot like sharing a link to a Google Drive folder or a Google Doc. You can get an idea of how the whole thing works by watching the video 1Password created:The experience for someone receiving a link can vary depending on the share settings. If you set what you’re sharing to be viewable by anyone, the link will just open up into a copy of the credentials at the time they were shared. If what you shared is only meant for a specific set of people, they have to confirm their email and then receive a one-time verification code to enter and receive access. It’s worth noting that the link only allows access to a copy of the information shared when you created the link. If you change the password stored in your vault later, old links won’t display the new password.The added security Psst! brings is partially dependent on the security of the email receiving those verification codes (one can imagine a scenario the receiver’s account has been compromised), but this method keeps the rest of your vault’s information secure, provides a way to track who accessed the login, and access to the login expires whenever you decide it should.
From the pilot of Gilmore Girls, it's clear that Lorelai has done an amazing job raising Rory on her own, making life full of lessons but still a lot of fun. When Rory's dad Christopher Hayden visits Stars Hollow in season 1, viewers begin to learn about their complicated connection. Chris loves his daughter and is proud of how intelligent and ambitious she is, but he can't seem to get this parenting thing right no matter how hard he tries.
On Tuesday, the Halo Infinite edition Xbox Series X console bundle was made available to pre-order for GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro members ahead of the game’s long-awaited release in December. The latest Halo installment is set to pick up where 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians left off, and it will bring with it an all-new limited edition new-gen console and controller.A special limited-edition Halo Infinite Xbox Series X console and controller bundle, in addition to a separately sold Halo Infinite Elite Series 2 controller, was unveiled in August, with the products being set for a November 15 release to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Halo franchise. Unfortunately, scalpers quickly got a hold of Halo Infinite Xbox Series X pre-orders and began listing them for prices upwards of $1000, just as has been done with the vanilla Xbox Series X since it launched in 2020. Luckily for some GameStop customers (some of whom might also be scalpers), the Halo Infinite Xbox Series X has been made available at retail price.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeTwitter is testing a new way to switch to your reverse-chronological feed a bit more easily, the company announced Tuesday. Right now, when you tap the three-star icon at the top of your feed to switch between the Home feed (which sorts tweets for you) or the Latest feed (which shows them in reverse chronological order), a small menu shows up that prompts you to switch to whichever feed you’re not on. For some users on iOS, though, when you tap the three-star icon, Twitter is testing new Home or Latest tabs at the top of your screen instead.Here’s what the change will look like, according to Twitter. If you’ve pinned lists, the tabs should look familiar:
There is plenty of high-flying fun to be had in Far Cry 6, but it doesn't come without its complications. Anti-aircraft cannons make it tough to navigate the skies over Yara, and destroying them can make it a whole lot easier to fly. Not only that, but anti-aircraft sites also contain depleted uranium, a valuable resource used to purchase weapons and equipment from in-game vendors.So, anti-aircraft cannons need to be destroyed, but it isn't that simple. Not only can they wipe out any aircraft that flies near them on their own, they can only be bypassed by Far Cry 6's wingsuit, but they are also heavily armored, and the sites in which they sit are protected by armed guards that must be dispatched.
Apple's expected to announce its 2021 MacBook Pro next Monday, and with just days to go before that, a new report claims the computer will have a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Apple recently announced its next hardware event is happening on October 18. The event's tagline is 'Unleashed,' and the general consensus is that the star of the show will be the new MacBook Pro lineup.Based on the latest rumors, the 2021 MacBook Pro sounds like a beast. Apple's expected to launch two models, including a new 14-inch version and an update to the 16-inch model. Both sizes are said to have slimmer bezels than previous models, additional ports, no Touch Bar, and the next generation of Apple's in-house silicon (named M1X or M2). While the current M1 MacBook Pro is still an incredible computer, it sounds like this latest generation is the one fans have been waiting for.
The Book of Boba Fett points to a prequel problem in Disney's Star Wars universe. Boba Fett's return in The Mandalorian, season 2 was well-received, and the bounty hunter's upcoming spinoff is hotly anticipated. While it promises to be an exciting journey for a fan-favorite character, the show becomes part of a larger issue when considered alongside the rest of Disney's Star Wars slate.Between The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka, Disney is creating and hurriedly fleshing out a "prequel-to-the sequels" era. It's been wildly successful so far, and in many ways gets Star Wars right. As evidenced by Ahsoka and Fett's appearances in The Mandalorian season 2, these shows also promise to relate to one another. However, while these "prequel" offerings will likely be more favorably received than George Lucas' prequel films, this Disney era may be just as questionable - for more problematic reasons.Related: Star Wars: What Happened To Boba Fett's Mentor, Cad Bane?Disney's sequel trilogy featured a stellar cast and had bright moments, but is otherwise largely thought of as an unorganized, poorly-planned mess. In light of that, Disney either needs to focus on narratives set after the Skywalker Saga or build up to the sequel trilogy's story in a meaningful, deliberate way. Without those, Disney's focus on the immediate post-Return of the Jedi era seems to be an attempt to quickly fix some of the sequel trilogy's strangest plot holes (such as Supreme Leader Snoke's clone origin) and to please disappointed fans. If that's the case, it's worth wondering if Disney's Star Wars is heading into creative decay.It's true that The Mandalorian connects to the sequel trilogy in a few ways, and it's likely that The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka will find ways to do so as well. However, for these shows to truly help redeem the sequel trilogy, they must connect in a way that lends narrative, not just logical continuity. George Lucas' prequels filled in the universe of the original trilogy, but did so in service of telling Anakin Skywalker's tragic story, not to fix plot issues. This is a far cry from how The Mandalorian tangentially fills in gaps in sequel trilogy logic, like its hasty setup of Force healing to explain how Rey and Kylo Ren can force heal in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and its glimpses of the Empire's first attempts at cloning. These revelations patch up holes in the sequel trilogy, but don't make them more interesting viewing in the way a series or film about Kylo Ren abandoning his Jedi training for the First Order might.If the post-Jedi shows don't add depth to the sequel trilogy, they must plant seeds for a post-Skywalker Saga timeline to avoid being simple fan service. Even if The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka connect to each other, the stakes will feel lower and lower if audiences realize each story is irrelevant by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even Ahsoka, which promises to reintroduce both Jedi (by including Ezra Bridger) and a brilliant villain to the post-ROTJ timeline, is unlikely to affect a post-sequel trilogy galaxy - Ahsoka herself is implied to be deceased by Rise of Skywalker, and her likely adversary Grand Admiral Thrawn is completely absent from the trilogy.It's also clear that Disney has been hesitant to commit to a post-sequel trilogy direction. Star Wars: Visions has proven the potential of the era, touching on the Force, lightsabers, and the future of the Jedi. However, it's not canon, further hinting that Disney is afraid to take the saga in a new direction. Lucasfilm's upcoming shows will surely please audiences. Without a larger plan, however, they may simply be safe bets and an appeal to nostalgia. Hopefully, The Book of Boba Fett will use the iconic character to grow the franchise in a meaningful way.Next: Book of Boba Fett Stories That Can Connect To The Larger Star Wars Universe