Month: February 2023
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will arrive in theaters two days early
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is bumping up its release date. The animated adventure will now open on April 5th in over 60 markets (it was previously slated for April 7th). Giving the movie a five-day opening over Easter weekend is an old Hollywood trick that could help pad its initial earnings and lead to marketing-friendly headlines touting its early success.
The film stars the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Chris Day as Luigi, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and Jack Black as Bowser. It was initially scheduled to release in December, but Illumination and Nintendo announced early last year they were pushing it back to this April. Throughout April and May, the movie will release in ten additional Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European markets; Japan’s release is timed to coincide with the Golden Week Holidays on April 28th.
The movie will mark Mario’s first big-screen starring role since 1993’s ill-fated Super Mario Bros., starring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, which bombed at the box office but became something of a “so bad it’s good” cult classic in later years. Before that, children of the late 80s and early 90s enjoyed The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, a live-action / animated series starring Captain Lou Albano and Danny Wells.
The upcoming Mario film could be a barometer for audiences’ appetites for video game movies. Hollywood adaptations of gaming IPs have a long track record of (rightfully) bombing with box offices and critics. Still, HBO’s excellent The Last of Us series has been a notable exception that Nintendo and Illumination would love to continue on the big screen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-super-mario-bros-movie-will-arrive-in-theaters-two-days-early-194505444.html?src=rss
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is bumping up its release date. The animated adventure will now open on April 5th in over 60 markets (it was previously slated for April 7th). Giving the movie a five-day opening over Easter weekend is an old Hollywood trick that could help pad its initial earnings and lead to marketing-friendly headlines touting its early success.
The film stars the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Chris Day as Luigi, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and Jack Black as Bowser. It was initially scheduled to release in December, but Illumination and Nintendo announced early last year they were pushing it back to this April. Throughout April and May, the movie will release in ten additional Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European markets; Japan’s release is timed to coincide with the Golden Week Holidays on April 28th.
The movie will mark Mario’s first big-screen starring role since 1993’s ill-fated Super Mario Bros., starring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, which bombed at the box office but became something of a “so bad it’s good” cult classic in later years. Before that, children of the late 80s and early 90s enjoyed The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, a live-action / animated series starring Captain Lou Albano and Danny Wells.
The upcoming Mario film could be a barometer for audiences’ appetites for video game movies. Hollywood adaptations of gaming IPs have a long track record of (rightfully) bombing with box offices and critics. Still, HBO’s excellent The Last of Us series has been a notable exception that Nintendo and Illumination would love to continue on the big screen.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-super-mario-bros-movie-will-arrive-in-theaters-two-days-early-194505444.html?src=rss
Dish Says Outage Due to ‘Cybersecurity Incident’ – CNET
The satellite TV provider says “certain data” was extracted during the breach but it doesn’t yet know if that includes customers’ personal information.
The satellite TV provider says “certain data” was extracted during the breach but it doesn’t yet know if that includes customers’ personal information.
FTX co-founder Nishad Singh pleads guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges
Nishad Singh, a co-founder of collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has pleaded guilty to US federal fraud and conspiracy charges. Singh, who was FTX’s director of engineering, is the third member of Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle to agree to cooperate with prosecutors in the case against him. Former executives Caroline Ellison and Zixiao “Gary” Wang previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Singh pleaded guilty to six criminal counts, including wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the US by violating campaign finance laws. He agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his actions, as Reuters reports. Bankruptcy filings showed that Singh received a $543 million loan from Alameda.
Singh admitted to making illegal donations to political candidates and PACs under his name using funds from Alameda Research (FTX’s sibling hedge fund and crypto trading firm). He claimed the donations were intended to bolster the political influence of FTX and Bankman-Fried (aka SBF), according to The Wall Street Journal. Singh added that he agreed with the stances of those he donated to but didn’t pick the candidates. Per OpenSecrets, he contributed $8 million to Democratic PACs and campaigns during the 2022 election cycle.
Moreover, Singh said he found out in mid-2022 that Alameda was borrowing billions of dollars in customer funds from FTX. It emerged by September that Alameda wasn’t able to repay those funds. Singh additionally claimed that he falsified FTX’s revenues at SBF’s behest to make the company more palatable to investors.
SBF now faces 12 criminal charges after an indictment detailing four additional ones was unsealed last week. Among other things, he has been accused of stealing billions of dollars in FTX customer funds and misleading investors and lenders. Notably, in light of Singh’s plea, the charges include alleged violations of federal campaign finance laws by donating to a super PAC under the names of two executives. SBF, who was arrested and extradited from the Bahamas in December, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial is set for October.
On the same day Singh made his guilty plea, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed civil complaints against him. The agencies said Singh is cooperating with the SEC’s ongoing investigation and that he agreed to settle with the CFTC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftx-co-founder-nishad-singh-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-and-conspiracy-charges-192939749.html?src=rss
Nishad Singh, a co-founder of collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has pleaded guilty to US federal fraud and conspiracy charges. Singh, who was FTX’s director of engineering, is the third member of Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle to agree to cooperate with prosecutors in the case against him. Former executives Caroline Ellison and Zixiao “Gary” Wang previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Singh pleaded guilty to six criminal counts, including wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the US by violating campaign finance laws. He agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his actions, as Reuters reports. Bankruptcy filings showed that Singh received a $543 million loan from Alameda.
Singh admitted to making illegal donations to political candidates and PACs under his name using funds from Alameda Research (FTX’s sibling hedge fund and crypto trading firm). He claimed the donations were intended to bolster the political influence of FTX and Bankman-Fried (aka SBF), according to The Wall Street Journal. Singh added that he agreed with the stances of those he donated to but didn’t pick the candidates. Per OpenSecrets, he contributed $8 million to Democratic PACs and campaigns during the 2022 election cycle.
Moreover, Singh said he found out in mid-2022 that Alameda was borrowing billions of dollars in customer funds from FTX. It emerged by September that Alameda wasn’t able to repay those funds. Singh additionally claimed that he falsified FTX’s revenues at SBF’s behest to make the company more palatable to investors.
SBF now faces 12 criminal charges after an indictment detailing four additional ones was unsealed last week. Among other things, he has been accused of stealing billions of dollars in FTX customer funds and misleading investors and lenders. Notably, in light of Singh’s plea, the charges include alleged violations of federal campaign finance laws by donating to a super PAC under the names of two executives. SBF, who was arrested and extradited from the Bahamas in December, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial is set for October.
On the same day Singh made his guilty plea, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed civil complaints against him. The agencies said Singh is cooperating with the SEC’s ongoing investigation and that he agreed to settle with the CFTC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ftx-co-founder-nishad-singh-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-and-conspiracy-charges-192939749.html?src=rss
Tesla selects Monterrey, Mexico as the site of its next Gigafactory
Tesla’s Investor Day isn’t here quite yet, but we may already know one of the company’s biggest announcements. According to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Elon Musk has promised to build the automaker’s next gigafactory in northern Mexico — specifically in Monterrey, the capitol of the northern state of Nuevo Leon. It’s a deal that’s been in the works for some time: Late last year, Musk visited Nuevo Leon to meet with the Governor of the region.
Even so, there were some questions about if Tesla could get approval to build in the area — after Monterrey suffered severe water shortages in 2022, President López Obrador said the government would not grant permits for water-hungry factories. After a series of phone calls with Elon Musk, Tesla was granted an exception. “There is one commitment that all the water used in the manufacture of electric automobiles will be recycled water,” López Obrador said of the call, adding that the factory would also represent “a considerable investment and many, many jobs.”
As for what Tesla plans to build in Monterrey, Mexico? We’ll have to wait a day to find out. The Mexican President wasn’t clear on exactly what the new factory would be producing, though it’s worth noting that Tesla has already announced a massive expansion of its facility in Reno, Nevada, where it’s investing $3.6 billion to build a battery factory and mass produce the Telsa Semi truck. López Obrador noted that we can expect to hear more details on Wednesday, March 1st — and hey, that’s Tesla Investor day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-selects-monterrey-mexico-as-the-site-of-its-next-gigafactory-192534657.html?src=rss
Tesla’s Investor Day isn’t here quite yet, but we may already know one of the company’s biggest announcements. According to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Elon Musk has promised to build the automaker’s next gigafactory in northern Mexico — specifically in Monterrey, the capitol of the northern state of Nuevo Leon. It’s a deal that’s been in the works for some time: Late last year, Musk visited Nuevo Leon to meet with the Governor of the region.
Even so, there were some questions about if Tesla could get approval to build in the area — after Monterrey suffered severe water shortages in 2022, President López Obrador said the government would not grant permits for water-hungry factories. After a series of phone calls with Elon Musk, Tesla was granted an exception. “There is one commitment that all the water used in the manufacture of electric automobiles will be recycled water,” López Obrador said of the call, adding that the factory would also represent “a considerable investment and many, many jobs.”
As for what Tesla plans to build in Monterrey, Mexico? We’ll have to wait a day to find out. The Mexican President wasn’t clear on exactly what the new factory would be producing, though it’s worth noting that Tesla has already announced a massive expansion of its facility in Reno, Nevada, where it’s investing $3.6 billion to build a battery factory and mass produce the Telsa Semi truck. López Obrador noted that we can expect to hear more details on Wednesday, March 1st — and hey, that’s Tesla Investor day.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-selects-monterrey-mexico-as-the-site-of-its-next-gigafactory-192534657.html?src=rss
FTX’s Nishad Singh pleads guilty to fraud charges
Former FTX engineer says he is ‘unbelievably sorry’ for his role in the alleged crypto scheme.
Former FTX engineer says he is ‘unbelievably sorry’ for his role in the alleged crypto scheme.
Watch these glassy-winged sharpshooters fling pee bubbles with anal catapult
This “superpropulsion mechanism” could help remove water from smartphones, watches.
Insects called glassy-wing sharpshooters have an “anal stylus” capable of flicking pee droplets at very high speeds.
The glassy-winged sharpshooter drinks huge amounts of water and thus pees frequently, expelling as much as 300 times its own body weight in urine every day. Rather than producing a steady stream of urine, sharpshooters form drops of urine at the anus and then catapult those drops away from their bodies at remarkable speeds, boasting accelerations 10 times faster than a Lamborghini. Georgia Tech scientists have determined that the insect uses this unusual “superpropulsion” mechanism to conserve energy, according to a new paper published in the journal Nature Communications.
A type of leafhopper, the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis) is technically an agricultural pest, the bane of California winemakers in particular since the 1990s. It feeds on many plant species (including grapes), piercing a plant’s xylem (which transports water from the roots to stems and leaves) with its needle-like mouth to suck out the sap. The insects consume a lot of sap, and their frequent urination consumes a lot of energy in turn, because of their small size and the sap’s viscosity and negative surface tension (it naturally gets sucked inward). But the sap is about 95 percent water, so there’s not much nutritional content to fuel all that peeing.
“If you were only drinking diet lemonade, and that was your entire diet, then you really wouldn’t want to waste energy in any part of your biological process,” co-author Saad Bhamla of Georgia Tech told New Scientist. “That’s sort of how it is for this tiny organism.”
TikTok Banned on All Canadian Government Mobile Devices
Canada has announced it is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices, reflecting widening worries from Western officials over the Chinese-owned video sharing app. From a report: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it might be a first step to further action or that it might be it. “I suspect that as government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones many Canadians from business to private individuals will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices,” Trudeau said.
“I’m always a fan of giving Canadians the information for them to make the right decisions for them,” he added. The European Union’s executive branch said last week it has temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure. The EU’s action follows similar moves in the U.S., where more than half of the states and Congress have banned TikTok from official government devices.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Canada has announced it is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices, reflecting widening worries from Western officials over the Chinese-owned video sharing app. From a report: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it might be a first step to further action or that it might be it. “I suspect that as government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones many Canadians from business to private individuals will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices,” Trudeau said.
“I’m always a fan of giving Canadians the information for them to make the right decisions for them,” he added. The European Union’s executive branch said last week it has temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure. The EU’s action follows similar moves in the U.S., where more than half of the states and Congress have banned TikTok from official government devices.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.