Mass Effect TV Series Writer Claims They Were ‘Caught Off Guard’ by Rewrite Rumors
Prime Video’s upcoming *Mass Effect* series is in active development, with screenwriter Daniel Casey—known for *F9* and *10 Cloverfield Lane*—leading the script. A report from The Ankler claimed the show was being rewritten to appeal to non‑gamers, sparking fan concern. Casey responded on Bluesky that the claim caught him off guard and that no such directive was communicated to him. The denial leaves the series’ creative direction uncertain but suggests the production may stay true to its source material.
Earthworks Celebrates Alannah Acaq Hurley, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner
Alannah Acaq Hurley, Executive Director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay, was named one of the six 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize winners for her leadership in halting the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska. The mine threatened the world’s largest wild‑salmon...
$166B U.S. Refund Starts Today — Who Gets Paid First?
The U.S. Treasury launched the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal today, allowing companies to claim refunds for tariffs deemed unlawful. The Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, obligating the government...
NIH Grant Funding Slashes, Women’s Health Projects Plummet
Elections have consequences.... The number of competitive grants awarded by the NIH is down by more than half compared with the same period last year. Overall, the NIH supported over 2,700 fewer scientific projects in fiscal 2025, about a 15%...
Oil Flows Through Hormuz Won’t Normalize Until July
Rystad Energy says it will take until July for roughly normal flows through the Strait of Hormuz "Our analysis shows that it would take until July for oil flows to normalize to some 80-90% of pre-war production levels, and another 1-2...
All Things Creator Marketing with Becky Owen
Becky Owen, CMO of creator agency Billion Dollar Boy, explains why U.S. creator ad spend is expanding four times faster than the broader media market. She emphasizes that creators’ community‑driven, authentic approach delivers performance‑based results that traditional ads struggle to...
Whereby Report on Virtual Care: Why Patient Engagement, Trust, and Reliability Will Define Telehealth in 2026
The 2025 Whereby "State of Virtual Care" report finds patient engagement the top strategic priority for telehealth in 2026, with 55% of leaders flagging it as their primary focus. Technical reliability remains a pain point, as 91% of respondents experience...
A Muzzle to the Town of Hanover, N.H., for Refusing to Release Arrest Records After a Dartmouth Protest
In October 2023 Hanover, N.H., refused to release arrest records for two Dartmouth College protesters, prompting a lawsuit by The Valley News. A state judge ordered the records disclosed, but the town delayed and declined to pay the newspaper’s legal...
Palantir Issues Ominous Corporate Manifesto
Palantir released a 22‑point Twitter summary of its 320‑page corporate manifesto, sparking outrage over its hard‑line, anti‑woke worldview. The document calls for universal national service, prioritizes hard power over moral appeal, and envisions a software‑driven world order. Critics, including philosophers...
Transit Briefs: San Diego MTS/NICTD, MDOT MTA, NJ Transit, Amtrak
San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) recommended their first fare hike since 2009, raising adult monthly passes from $72 to $85 and outlining a second increase to $95 in 2027. Maryland’s MTA announced a...
The USC Professor Who Pioneered Socially Assistive Robotics
Maja Matarić, a USC professor of computer science, neuroscience and pediatrics, helped define socially assistive robotics in 2005 and has since built robots that provide therapeutic social interaction. Her work includes the Bandit, Kiwi and Blossom platforms, which support children...
Palantir Posts Bond Villain Manifesto On X
Palantir posted on X a summary of CEO Alex Karp and Nicholas W. Zamiska's upcoming 2025 book, "The Technological Republic," framing its ideas as a Bond‑villain manifesto. The excerpts champion a future where democratic societies rely on software‑driven hard power,...
Best Identity Theft Protection Services We've Tested in 2026
CNET’s 2026 roundup names Aura as the top identity‑theft protection service, citing its three‑bureau credit monitoring, unlimited family coverage, and a low entry price of $13 per month. Competing providers such as LifeLock, IdentityForce, IDShield and Zander offer higher insurance...
Granblue Fantasy: Relink's Expanded PS5, PS4 Re-Release Adds an Actual Story Intro
Cygames announced that the upcoming re‑release of Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok for PS5 and PS4 will include a proper story introduction. The new intro recaps the events from the mobile game and anime, giving newcomers a clear entry...
Eve Advances eVTOL Flight Testing with Prototype Demo
Eve Air Mobility announced that its full‑scale eVTOL engineering prototype has completed 35 test flights, accumulating roughly 1.5 hours of flight time since its debut in December 2025. The aircraft reached 140 feet AGL, demonstrating stable three‑axis control and low‑speed performance...
EU Carbon Border Tariff Is Reshaping Industrial Trade Flows
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its pricing phase on Jan. 1, 2026, imposing certificates on imports of iron‑steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, hydrogen and electricity. Obligations are calculated from embedded emissions, market of origin and EU ETS prices, with default...
China’s Top Streaming Site Under Fire Over AI Actor ‘Database’
China's leading streaming platform iQIYI unveiled Nadou Pro, a tool that connects AI creators with actors willing to license their digital likenesses. More than 100 Chinese celebrities have signed up for the new "artist database," sparking a social media firestorm...
Rep. Mike Johnson Tries, Fails To Sneak Clean Section 702 Re-Authorization Past The Goal Line
Republican House Majority Leader Mike Johnson attempted a last‑minute push to reauthorize the NSA's Section 702 surveillance program, but both the five‑year renewal and an 18‑month extension were defeated after a coalition of 20 Republicans joined Democrats. The votes, held...
China Restarting Massive Coal-to-Gas Project After Decade-Long Pause
Chinese state‑owned China Datang Corp. is restarting its $3.7 billion Fuxin coal‑to‑gas project, originally halted in 2014, with a planned online date in October 2026. The revival is driven by a surplus of domestic coal and recent disruptions to Middle‑East gas...
After Watchdog Slams Understaffing, AI to Vet Pentagon-Backed Professors’ China Ties
The Pentagon’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency disclosed that only two staff members were tasked with vetting roughly 27,000 defense‑funded research awards for foreign influence, prompting the department to roll out artificial‑intelligence tools to screen academics for ties to China....
Novel Solid-State Transformer Supports 800-V DC Power in AI Data Centers
Navitas Semiconductor and EPFL unveiled a 250‑kW solid‑state transformer (SST) that converts 3.3 kV AC to 800 V DC, targeting AI‑driven data centers. The device uses a single‑stage modular bridge‑rectifier topology and Navitas’s ultra‑high‑voltage SiC MOSFETs, eliminating bulky low‑frequency transformers. Demonstrated at...
EP273 From CISA to Cloud: AI Assurance, Concentration Risk, and the New Regulatory Frontier
In this episode, Google Cloud’s VP of Risk and Compliance, Jeanette Manfra, discusses how moving to the cloud reshapes security, privacy, and regulatory compliance for organizations, emphasizing the benefits of scale, transparency, and auditable controls. She explains that cloud introduces...
Why EPC Firms Are Key to Nuclear Growth
Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms are becoming central to the anticipated nuclear renaissance, prompting a wave of M&A activity. Recent deals—Natura Resources acquiring Shepherd Power, Studsvik buying Kärnfull Next, and Energy Capital Partners re‑acquiring EnergySolutions—secure the full nuclear value...
New Tractor With 12-Valve Cummins and Zero Electronics Goes Back to the Basics
Ursa Ag, a Canadian startup, has launched a line of tractors powered by remanufactured 12‑valve Cummins engines that omit electronic controls. The 150‑hp, 180‑hp and 260‑hp models are priced at roughly $95,000, $110,000 and $146,000 USD, about half the cost...
Radio’s Problem Isn’t Relevance, It’s the Balance Sheet
Radio isn’t dying; its biggest challenge is balance‑sheet strain. Companies such as Townsquare Media, Cumulus Media, Audacy and iHeartMedia are letting licenses lapse because debt, bloated overhead, or loss of local relevance make stations unprofitable. The author argues the root...
Boeing Lands Chinook without a Pilot at the Controls
Boeing announced that a U.S. Army CH‑47 Chinook completed a fully autonomous landing using its Approach‑to‑X (A2X) software. The test, part of the Army’s broader push for autonomy, required the pilot only to set key parameters before the system guided...
Tweaked Blandtown Build Nears Top-Out Stage on Huff Road Corridor
Crescent Communities’ Novel Blandtown project has nearly topped out on a 3‑acre Huff Road site, featuring a seven‑story, 250‑unit multifamily tower with a concealed 322‑space parking deck. The planned 4,700‑sq‑ft retail building is on hold, replaced temporarily by an urban...
5 Strategies for Accessing 70% of the Supply Chain Talent Market
Traditional recruiting for supply‑chain roles reaches only about 30% of the talent market, leaving roughly 70% of qualified professionals passive and invisible to job boards. Harvard Business School research identifies 27 million U.S. supply‑chain workers who are systematically overlooked. The article...
Article 5 and the EU AI Act’s Absolute Red Lines – FireTail Blog
Article 5 of the EU AI Act, which defines eight absolute prohibitions on AI, became enforceable on 2 August 2025 and carries fines of up to €35 million (about $38 million) or 7 % of global annual turnover. The European Commission’s February 2025 guidelines clarify the scope...
Molecules vs Electrons: Energy System Outpacing Old One
The Energy Revolution in Two Words: Molecules vs Electrons What an energy transition looks like in real time: the steady expansion of a new global energy system that grows faster than the one it is replacing. #energytransition https://markhamhislop.substack.com/p/the-energy-revolution-in-two-words
Rio Tinto Trying to Meet U.S. Aluminum Demand as Middle East War Roils Supply Chains – by Nicolas Van Praet...
Rio Tinto is ramping up production at its six Canadian aluminum smelters to satisfy rising U.S. demand as the Israel‑Iran conflict drives global aluminum prices higher. The Saguenay, Quebec facilities and the Kitimat, B.C. plant are already near full capacity,...
The Internet Archive Makes 758 Classic PC Gamer Demo Discs Available to the Public
The Internet Archive has uploaded a collection of 758 classic PC Gamer demo discs, covering titles from the 1990s and early 2000s. The archive includes popular games such as Soldier of Fortune, Left 4 Dead, Need for Speed: High Stakes, and...
Space Force Releases Likely Bogus BB7 Search Orbit Data
Well this is REALLY WEIRD. Space Force just issued another BB7 orbit with an epoch of 1235 UTC yesterday and a nominal orbit of 455 x 462 km x 49.5 deg. I suspect this orbit is BOGUS and is a...
U.S. Army Buys VAPOR CLE Drones Under $14.6M Contract
AeroVironment secured a $14.6 million contract from the U.S. Army to deliver its VAPOR CLE (Compact Long Endurance) unmanned aircraft system under the Company‑Level Directed Requirement (CoLvl DR) Small Uncrewed Aircraft System Tranche 2 program. The award supports the Army’s Medium Range Reconnaissance initiative,...
Brain Stimulation Improves PTSD Symptoms
A two‑week, MRI‑guided low‑frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) trial at Emory University showed a marked reduction in right amygdala reactivity and significant alleviation of PTSD symptoms. Forty‑seven participants completed the double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study, with 74% of the active‑TMS group achieving...
Brand Overhaul Triggers User PTSD Over Poor UI
I admit I have PTSD from Microsoft simply ruining Wunderlist (remarkably so, with a minimum number of high impact changes) ... but I'm feeling that way all over again with @blacklane. Branding's changed. Rides are now journeys. ...
New Google TPUs Arrive, Compute Shortage Trumps GPU Debate
$GOOGL will launch its next generation TPUs this week. The narrative in the press will be Google vs. $NVDA. I strongly suggest not spinning wheels on the TPU versus GPU debate. Right now all capacity is good capacity because we don't...
Two Southwest Airlines Planes Nearly Collide Mid-Air As They Come Within 500 Feet of One Another Over Nashville
On April 18, two Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX‑8s – inbound flight WN‑507 and departing flight WN‑1152 – came within 500 feet of each other over Nashville International Airport after air‑traffic control mistakenly directed the inbound aircraft into the departing plane’s path....
Panasonic Avionics Targets 202
Panasonic Avionics in 2027 plans to offer a “truly global” multi-network LEO satellite-powered IFC solution — including across G7 and BRICS countries — by pairing two LEO-only ESAs atop aircraft fuselages to support service from OneWeb and China’s Spacesail. https://t.co/lKUdtEPHvt
AI Fuels CPU Renaissance, Lifting AMD, Arm, Intel
AI-Driven 'CPU Renaissance' To Boost AMD, Arm And Intel, Analyst Says https://t.co/QTANhz2sSt $AMD $ARM $INTC $RMBS
Where To Watch Last Year’s Oscar Contenders On TV This Year
The 2025 Oscar season’s top nominees—including Elle Fanning, Jacob Elordi, Kate Hudson, Chase Infiniti and Oscar Isaac—have swiftly resurfaced on streaming television. Their new series and season returns arrive just weeks after the Oscars, positioning them for potential Emmy consideration....
Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian Tuapse Oil Refinery, Killing One
Ukraine continues to target Russian oil facilities. Last night, a Ukrainian drone hit an oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, resulting in significant damage. Reuters reports that at least one person was killed. https://t.co/uMGk8uMXm0
Bots Account for 37% of Web Traffic, Redefine Analytics
Web traffic metrics increasingly hide a structural distortion. Malicious bots generate 37% of activity, so marketing analytics, ad spend and cybersecurity baselines must be recalibrated because a growing share of “users” is no longer human. Source @StatistaCharts via @antgrasso https://t.co/kfAwyiqWYw
Jared Isaacman Wants YOU for 'NASA Force'
NASA has launched its inaugural "NASA Force" program, inviting applications through April 21, 2024. The initiative offers two‑year temporary deployments to early‑mid‑career engineers, scientists, and private‑sector technical operators, with no lower age limit. By recruiting younger talent, NASA aims to...
Stocks Must Remain Strong to Shield Crude From Gas Slide
Stocks May Need to Stay Up for Crude Oil Not to Follow US Natural Gas Down https://t.co/TLsVGd92SK #crudeoil @BBGIntelligence
US Sanctions Waiver Fuels Russian Oil Gains Amid Iran Conflict
Why Russia is the big winner from the US-Iran war US sanctions waiver boosts Russian oil revenues https://t.co/uGny0kDGDL @DeutscheWelle
QXO's $17B TopBuild Deal Offers 5.9% Arbitrage Yield
➡️ M&A Deal Sheet ⬅️ TopBuild Corp. $BLD to be acquired by QXO, Inc. $QXO for $227.25 cash per share + 11.11x shares, 23.1% premium, $17.0 billion, 14.7x EBITDA (2027E) Trading at a 5.9% arbitrage yield and an implied 92% odds of...
Measles Outbreak Could Cost $7 B, Anti‑Vax Shift
Two Bloomberg measles stories - $7 billion in potential costs and some anti-vaxers coming to their senses: https://t.co/oLkHtaLjmY https://t.co/qXAG8FfXIx
Refinery Fire Erupts Before Modi Inauguration, Confirming Hanke's Theory
Today, a fire broke out at the Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan, India. The blaze comes just one day before PM Modi was set to inaugurate the project. Just more confirmation of Hanke's Schoolboy Theory of History: It's just one damn thing after...
Air Force Extends Three A‑10 Squadrons Through 2030
The Air Force will extend three A-10 squadrons, the service announces today. One Moody active duty squadron and one Whiteman reserve squadron to 2030, plus another Moody squadron to 2029, according to the service. https://t.co/pNrdLnWk15