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Pokémon’s trio of upcoming Sinnoh region games now have official release dates. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will come out on Nov. 19, while Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released on Jan. 28, 2022, The Pokémon Company announced on Wednesday. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are remakes of the Diamond and Pearl games that came out in 2006 for Nintendo DS. The remakes will return players to the Sinnoh region and let them explore it and its cast of native Pokémon. Players will be able to play through the story exactly as it was in the original release, but The Pokémon Company says that it has “colorfully revitalized” some of the game’s other functions. Pokémon Legends: Arceus will also send players to the Sinnoh region, but in a very different time period. The game will take place in the fairly distant past, long before the events of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is also a new twist on the Pokémon game genre that The Pokemon Company describes as fusing action and role-playing game elements. source

Robert Pattinson and WarnerMedia have signed a first-look deal. This deal will include exclusive first-look rights with New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Television and HBO Max. This deal comes a little less than a year prior to the duos biggest film yet: Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Pattinson will be stepping into the mantel of the cape crusader that has awed audiences for over eight decades from comics to film. After this announcement, Pattinson will be stepping into another important role that he has not done yet: producing. The 35 year-old actor was only a producer on Remember Me from 2010, but now with this deal he will be an active producer on any number of projects. He just has to approve them. In a statement released with this announcement Pattinson said that he’s “thrilled to be working with them to discover the most exciting new voices in film and television and help bring their visions to life. I’ve loved working with the studio over the years and have so much respect for their dedication, their willingness to take chances and their desire to push the envelope creatively.” Both sides seem satisfied with one another after they worked together on Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, so hopefully the good times can continue to role with their subsequent projects. Their next project The Batman is set for a March 4, 2022 release date. source

Chelsea Wolfe has been voice-acting the part of Wonder Woman in the episodic Dark Nights: Death Metal short film. Now, she shared a song called “Diana” from the DC Comics event’s official soundtrack, after Wonder Woman’s canonical birth name. “Diana” balances shrill bits of industrial guitar noise and rumbling bass with Wolfe’s signature ethereal vocals. The result is dark and cinematic, fitting of the comic series. Many of the lyrics are hard to make out for certain, but Wolfe says the song is about a moment of peace amidst all of the fighting in the series. When Wolfe comes in for the song’s climax, she sings clearly, “Ooh I’m so tired/I can’t take this fire.” “It has been such an honor and delight to be involved in this whole project, from contributing a song to the soundtrack, to voicing Wonder Woman for the DC Comics Sonic Metalverse episodes,” Wolfe stated. “I really love the story and artwork of this Dark Nights: Death Metal series, and felt really drawn to Diana’s part in the story – her strength and perspective.” She explained the inspiration for the song, “There’s this moment in the first comic book issue where she meets with Wally West and he’s so drained from his travels and all he’s had to do. I picked up on this intimate energy between them that felt almost romantic, but more just like two old friends who have an understanding between them – a moment of comfort and respite amongst all the fighting and chaos. I ended up writing this song about that encounter. Working with Tyler Bates on ‘Diana’ was a great experience. He’s obviously so killer at creating music that feels like the soundtrack to your own movie, so between him and my co-producer Ben Chisholm there was this elevated sonic landscape surrounding the song that just brought it to a different level.” The full soundtrack is set to be released digitally on June 18, 2021 via Loma Vista Recordings, and physically on July 16 via DC Comics. Some of the other songs to be shared from it so far include Rise Against’s “Broken Dreams, Inc.,” Mastodon’s “Forged By Neron” and Maria Brink of In This Moment’s “Meet Me in the Fire,” featuring Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides. Other artists on the soundtrack include HEALTH featuring Chino Moreno of Deftones, Grey Daze, Manchester Orchestra, Denzel Curry with PlayThatBoiZay, Carach Angren, Starcrawler, GUNSHIP, Greg Puciato with Gil Sharone, Show Me The Body, IDLES and Soccer Mommy. Wolfe’s last single was a collaboration with Emma Ruth Rundle called “Anhedonia,” which followed her and Chisholm’s feature on Jesse Draxler’s 2020 single “Valerian.” Wolfe’s last full-length album was 2019’s Birth of Violence. source

Although Boston Calling had to cancel the 2020 and 2021 editions of the festival, the event’s 2022 return will still feature Foo Fighters and Rage Against the Machine as headliners. Both bands had originally been announced for Boston Calling’s 2020 lineup, along with Red Hot Chili Peppers. Boston Calling’s website promises that there will be another headliner announced along with the rest of the festival’s lineup. It’s possible that it could still be Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tickets are also available through their site, starting at $299.99 for 3-day GA passes. Those who rolled-over the tickets they had purchased for the 2021 festival were given a credit of up to $75 to use during the festival. However, they were allowed to request a refund instead if they preferred that. The two headliners have had a couple of other things in common over the past year. In November 2020, Rage Against the Machine’s iconic guitarist Tom Morello and Foo Fighters’ keyboardist Rami Jaffee both contributed to a cover of Eurythmics’ 1983 super-hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” along with Kathy Valentine of the Go Go’s, Cheri Currie formerly of The Runaways, Vicki Peterson of the Bangles, Wayne Kramer of MC5, Kris Myers of Umphrey’s McGee and both members of The Bird And The Bee. The other thing is that both Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters were among the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees, although only Foo Fighters made it in out of the two. Archival footage also leaked out of Rage Against the Machine’s vocalist Zack de la Rocha joining Dave Grohl’s pre-Nirvana punk band Scream on stage during a 1994 concert. Zach de la Rocha has been spending a lot of time with Run the Jewels lately, since at least 2017. Run the Jewels’ El-P even said that he sees the singer as a third member of the rap group, adding “I wouldn’t be surprised if we fucked around and dropped a Run de la Rocha record.” Morello has historically been even more keen on collaboration. This year alone, he’s worked with Serj Tankian of System of a Down on a cover of Gang of Four’s “Natural’s Not In It,” with The Pretty Reckless on a new single called “And So It Went” and with Pussy Riot on a new song called “Weather Strike.” Rage Against the Machine moved their reunion tour dates to Spring-Summer 2022, with support from Run the Jewels. The tour had originally been announced for Spring 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 lockdown beginning around the same time they had intended to head off. The popular rap-metal band had announced that they would reunite for that tour in late 2019. They were booked for a ton of major festivals before quarantine began, including Coachella, Firefly Festival, Lollapalooza Berlin, Ottawa Bluesfest and Quebec City Summer Fest. Foo Fighters had a lot of things going on before their induction. They shared their latest album, Medicine at Midnight, in February this year. They covered Andy Gibbs’ “Shadow Dancing” at Rock ‘N’ Relief in March. They released a documentary about bands hopping in a van and going out on tour early in their careers, called What Drives Us, in April. As for other future plans, they’ve been announced for some major festivals later in 2021, including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and BottleRock. source

Musician Poppy released a cover of Jack Off Jill’s song “Fear of Dying.” The song was originally released on Jack Off Jill’s sophomore studio record Clear Hearts Grey Flowers via Risk Records in 2000. Poppy’s cover was released via Sumerian Records. The song was released with original single art created by artist Cotoh Sumi. It’s an image in the style of manga, of a girl with sutures around her mouth, and mouths on the back of her hands blowing steam. Poppy’s cover of “Fear of Dying” is a stylistic continuation from her second and third studio albums, Am I A Girl? (2018) and I Disagree (2020). Mxdwn author Cervante Pope reviewed I Disagree, writing “For the sake of creativity and possibly driving home the concept of the former self versus the future self, Poppy is doing something outside of the norm, sure. But what results in an album touted for being “post-genre,” yet having no considerable direction at all. There are parts of it that resonate individually, like the whole idea of transformation and some of the riffs themselves, but something about it carries an air of inauthenticity. It’s not really an album for pop music lovers and it certainly isn’t an album for metalheads, so it ends up landing somewhere in the middle. That limbo phase likely coincides with how Poppy might be feeling as a person, but it seems as though it is just a part of another persona.” Poppy has kept relatively busy during the COVID-19 shutdown, playing a livestream called “The Last Disagreement” in April 2021. Mxdwn author Lexi Houghton reviewed the performance, writing “Poppy has a very interesting stage presence and her music is a pretty big mix of different things. Her style is dark and cute, while her music takes on the tones of avante garde, pop and nu-metal. Nu-metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that combines elements of heavy metal and other hints of things like alternative rock, industrial and grunge. Her art-pop aesthetic makes her so fun and lively to watch when she’s performing… This show was very lively, fun and heavy. The songs were a mix of some sweet and powerful vocals, as well as heavy metal and styles. While those two things don’t typically go together, Poppy’s style blended these two elements together with ease.” In December of 2020, Poppy released a Christmas EP, A Very Poppy Christmas. Cait Stoddardt, mxdwn author, reviewed the EP, “Christmas music is cherished by millions of people around the world, and A Very Poppy Christmas EP offers a different view of this holiday season with how Poppy uses her low and tender voice to create a different style of music that can still leave listeners feeling merry and bright. The singer also released a few new songs, since her EP release, including “Say Cheese” in April 2021 at a WWE event and “Eat” at the Grammys Premiere Ceremony. source

Hyaluronic acid is known as the clear and gooey substance that is naturally produced by our body. It helps to retain moisture and keeps tissues and joints lubricated. It is also considered as the clear and lubricating substance that helps in repairing the tissues and gives protection to the skin. Hyaluronic acid is now included in many skincare products like moisturisers, serums etc. When hyaluronic acid is applied in the form of a cream, serum or any other product, it forms a permeable layer on the skin and penetrates deep into the skin, gives it hydration and makes it firm. In today's time, Hyaluronic acid has become a popular skin care treatment for all kinds of skin problems. Hyaluronic acid based gels, creams, and serums help to get rid of wrinkles and aging while making the face look better and glowing. Hyaluronic acid helps with the growth of soft tissue, prompts the body to make more collagen and elastin, keeps the skin moisturized, prevents tightness, boots elasticity, and reduces scarring. Here are few benefits of using Hyaluronic acid for the skincare: ● No matter what your skin type, it is essential to retain the natural moisture of the skin and hyaluronic acid is a best skincare treatment to retain natural moisture. It helps in improving the texture of the skin, combats dryness and patchy skin. ● Hyaluronic acid contains soothing and hydrating properties. It helps in improving all kinds of acne marks and reduces inflammation. Skincare products that contain hyaluronic acid helps to reduce inflammation of the skin. It soothes the skin and reduces acne marks. ● Hyaluronic acid unclog pores of the skin, which is one way to get clear and smooth skin. It has the property that helps the skin to breathe and replenish the scars. The natural hydration properties present in hyaluronic acid lock in the moisture, which makes the skin radiant and supple. ● Hydration is the best thing when it comes to reducing the appearance of fine lines and helping tighten skin’s texture. Hyaluronic acid absorbs moisture that’s physically put onto the skin, but it also absorbs moisture from the air As the skin retains extra moisture, that makes it look plumper and firmer. ● Hyaluronic acid also plays an important role in healing wounds. Its concentrations increase when there is damage in need of repair. Applying hyaluronic acid reduces the size of wounds and decreases the pain faster. ● As we age, our skin’s natural protective barrier gets weaker and it leaves the skin vulnerable to pollution and other environmental factors. Hyaluronic acid is known for helping boost the skin’s hydration content which, in turn, slows down the deterioration process and gives the skin a more youthful looking appearance. ● Hyaluronic acid helps to give natural hydration to the skin layer, which makes it clear and plump. A natural boost of hydration is essential for every skin type especially for acne prone skin, it is very sensitive, and one should be careful while picking products for this skin type. ● Hyaluronic acid retains water moisture and deeply hydrates the skin. Add hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine, it increases the hydration process, and gives the skin even more valuable, rejuvenating moisture. ● When hyaluronic acid is used in skincare products like creams and serums, it brings moisture to the surface of the skin. Its ability to draw and hold water on the skin, it can be used as a humectant in the skin care regimen. Inputs from Dr. Ajay Rana, Dermatologist and Aesthetic Physician Source

As another post-primary school year comes to and end this week, the circumstances we find ourselves in remain alien. There will be little of the traditional last hurrah for our students ahead of a summer of (limited) freedom: no full school assemblies, no graduation nights, no handshakes, or high fives. This end of the academic year always offers on opportunity for school leaders to reflect on the year that was and never has there been a more necessary time for such pause and consideration. Over the past year, school communities bravely overcame the many trials placed upon us by the pandemic and delivered the best outcomes achievable for our students. For that, all involved must be commended. However, we must take the learnings experienced in this collective effort and commit now to a new and sustainable model of post primary education. While the pandemic clearly unearthed new challenges for educators, many existed beforehand: poor ICT resourcing, a senior cycle curriculum no longer fit for purpose and burnout amongst school leaders. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) has long sought action in these three crucial areas. Technology While a return to full traditional in classroom learning for the next academic year is the shared goal of all in the school community, the adaptability shown during school closures highlighted how ICT resources can complement how we continue to deliver high quality education for our young people into the future. Equality of access is therefore paramount to this now necessary aspect of education. For this to become a lived reality, the Department of Education must ensure access to ICT and broadband is universal and not dependent on a student’s circumstance or privilege. Even with an additional €100million in funding provided for ICT this year, a recent Economic and Social Research Institute study found that access to online classes and communication between students and educators was not equitable during school closures. The adaptability of our school communities in embracing ICT demonstrates the compelling rationale for greater investment in such equipment. Senior cycle reform The challenges and shortcomings arising from our current Leaving Certification model of assessment are well documented and haven’t gone away. Now is the time to bring it into the 21st century and in line with our peers across the OECD. School leaders have long advocated for such change and for a system which considers the full, holistic development of our young people as we prepare them to become positive contributors to Irish society and the Irish economy. A step in the right direction for such reform is the broadening of apprenticeship programmes by the Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris. One’s ability to learn is unique to each individual and offering alternative avenues can provide equity across the learning spectrum. School leaders support a continuation of these educational programmes and the expansion of our technological universities. We simply cannot continue to limit choices for our young people through a blanket screening system from a bygone era. In communicating our ambitions to advance senior cycle reform, we must also acknowledge the strides taken to date by Minister for Education Norma Foley to address these many shortcomings. This includes Minister Harris’s plans to combine the CAO with the apprenticeships programme, in addition to the current review underway by the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to inform such progress. Challenges Pre-pandemic, one of the most prominent challenges emerging in second level education was a shortage of school principals. In light of the pandemic, this issue has become even more acute. Throughout the last 16 months, school principals have put the shoulder to the wheel to ensure the continued high standard of education and curtail the spread of Covid-19 amongst our school communities. This enhanced workload has exacerbated the high rates of burnout amongst our members and has created an even more challenging hiring backdrop for the many schools around the country struggling to recruit and retain school principals. In short, other members of the staffroom see the relentless pressures that come with the role and conclude its not worth it. To our frustration, school administration and compliance functions have long been shouldered by Irish principals and deputy principals. This additional burden of responsibility is entirely at odds with the role of school leadership in other EU member states. Critically, this additional workload comes at the detriment of our young people’s education, as it means less face time with students and more time spent buried under paperwork. A recent survey conducted by Maynooth University found that only 52 per cent of school leaders saw themselves staying in leadership roles in education. The majority of those surveyed stated that the burden of school administration provision was the root cause of such burnout. The NAPD firmly believes that the solution to addressing many of the challenges facing school leaders is to create more roles within schools for administration. The creation of such roles would free principals up to focus on leading learning rather than compliance. In an Irish context, this investment will inevitably lead to better education provision and reduced stress amongst our school leadership, allowing them to focus on learning outcomes and student wellbeing. The solutions to many of post primary education’s long-standing challenges are within our grasp. We need continued commitment and innovation on the part of Government and all stakeholders to achieve them. Clive Byrne is director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals source

@Gugustiuc. As far as I can see, the script has no problem except line 65, You used the 0006 functions which are set/change the variable on 3@. The goal is to see if I have the variable enabled, so you have to use the 0039 Function. there is a fixed code: 0B34: samp register_client_command "ffvr" to_label @fvr_1 while true wait 20 if 3@ == 1 then 0AF9: samp say_msg "Atentie, dau FVR in 10 secunde!" 0AF8: "{FFFFFF}{F1C40F}[TaxiTool]{FFFFFF} Doing {FFFF00}[/fvr]{FFFFFF} in 10 seconds..." wait 10000 0AF9: samp say_msg "/fvr" 0AF8: "{FFFFFF}{F1C40F}[TaxiTool]{FFFFFF} {FFFF00}[/fvr]{FFFFFF} done!" end 3@ = 0 end :fvr_1 3@ = 1 //Set the variable as enabled 0B43: samp cmd_ret If you would to add Stop fvr, use this code: 0B34: samp register_client_command "ffvr" to_label @fvr_1 0B34: samp register_client_command "sfvr" to_label @fvr_2 while true wait 20 if 3@ == 1 //If is enabled then 0AF9: samp say_msg "Atentie, dau FVR in 10 secunde!" 0AF8: "{FFFFFF}Use {FF0000}[/sfvr] {FFFFFF}To stop /fvr automatic." -1 wait 10000 if 3@ == 1 //If is still enabled then 0AF9: samp say_msg "/fvr" 0AF8: "{FFFFFF}{F1C40F}[TaxiTool]{FFFFFF} {FFFF00}[/fvr]{FFFFFF} done!" 3@ = 0 //Disabled end end end :fvr_1 3@ = 1 //Set the variable as enabled 0B43: samp cmd_ret :fvr_2 if 3@ == 1 then 3@ = 0 chatmsg "You've stopped the automatic FVR." -1 0AF9: samp say_msg "/f The FVR has been stopped." else chatmsg "There's no automatic FVR at the moment." -1 end 0B43: samp cmd_ret

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In recent months, more and more news is coming out about Marvel‘s Eternals, which is nearing its November 5, 2021 release date. And now, we’re finally getting a closer look at the highly anticipated film from the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland, Chloe Zhao, in the form of an official teaser that released earlier today. The film was co-written by Zhao alongside Kaz and Ryan Firpo. Eternals stars a stacked ensemble of names including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Barry Keoghan, Lauren Ridloff, Ma Dong-seok and Lia McHugh. The film follows the Eternals, a race of immortal beings who lived on earth and shaped its history. The new teaser shows the Eternals as they arrive on earth and proceed to help humans develop civilizations. Hayek, who plays Ajak in the film, narrates the teaser, saying “We have watched and guided. We have helped them progress and seen them accomplish wonders. Throughout the years, we have never interfered. Until now.” The film may be a new entry in the MCU, but Zhao has promised that Eternals will be a bit different. Zhao’s previous works have been microscopic in scale compared to the average Marvel film, so for her to make the leap from a film like Nomadland to Eternals seems like a big shift. However, the director promised that Disney allowed her to take the lead on the film and make it her own. “I want to be careful saying ‘my vision,’ even though I do want people to know they did support what I wanted to do. I want people to know that,” Zhao said in an interview with Variety. “But I also want to make sure they know that I got the support of this incredibly talented team, some of the most talented artists in the world. And it really is a village to make this film, but they did let me lead.” source

After originally dropping the film due to Covid-related insurance issues, Lionsgate has reacquired the Gerard Butler action-thriller, The Plane. The film almost went to Solstice Studios, but the final details of the deal couldn’t be agreed on, and so, the project is back in Lionsgate’s hands according to a report from Deadline. Blood Father director Jean-Francois Richet is helming the film, which is based on a book by Charles Cumming, using a script from JP Davis and Cumming. The Plane stars Butler as a pilot named Ray Torrance who heroically lands his storm-damaged aircraft, only to find himself and the plane’s passengers in the middle of hostile territory. As they await help, Torrance must rise to the occasion and keep his passengers safe. “We have always been big believers in this movie as well as huge fans of Gerry and everyone involved, so we could not be more thrilled to be back as the distributor,” said Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions Jason Constantine. “We’re so, so glad that everything worked out in the end, and the movie is back with Lionsgate.” It isn’t the only film that’s leaving Solstice Studios either. The Mark Wahlberg-led drama Good Joe Bell was just recently re-routed to Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment. It’s not clear when we’ll see The Plane release, but production is apparently set to begin this summer in Puerto Rico. source

Get ready for another sweet adventure with the iconic fictional inventor and chocolate maker, Willy Wonka, who will be played by none other than Timothee Chalamet. Warner Bros. and Roald Dahl Story Co. have begun work on a film about young Willy Wonka and his adventures before opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory, Deadline has reported today. Paul King is directing the film from the screenplay he wrote alongside Simon Farnaby. This is the third film centering on Willy Wonka, the first, which released in 1971, starred Gene Wilder, and the followup/remake from 2005 starred Johnny Depp. This will mark the first take on the character without Charlie Bucket as the film’s central character. According to sources, the film will also give Chalamet the chance to show off his singing and dancing skills in several musical numbers. Chalamet has been a favorite to take on the role of Wonka for quite some time but had to push the part back due to scheduling issues. The actor was busy starring in Denis Villeneuve‘s upcoming adaptation of Dune and Wes Anderson‘s next film, The French Dispatch. Chalamet is also set to play a part in Adam McKay‘s upcoming Netflix film, Don’t Look Up, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. source

In the midst of celebrating Resident Evil‘s 25th anniversary, the newest mainline entry, Resident Evil Village, has been released. Set as a direct continuation to 2017’s Resident Evil VII: Biohazard, Resident Evil Village sees Ethan and Mia Winters trying to start a new live in Europe following everything they went through in Louisiana. However, their peaceful life doesn’t last long as they are soon thrust into the horrors of lycans, vampires, and all the ilk you’d expect. Resident Evil Village takes the basis that was Resident Evil VII and merges it with Resident Evil 4. The game takes a more action based approach this time compared to Ethan’s last outing. Though there’s more of an action focus over the typical scares, there are still plenty of tense, horror filled moments throughout that had me just as terrified as any moment in the series. The titular village is a cozy little place. Though it feels like it could have been expanded, the village has loads of places to explore and secrets to find. Between trips from the village itself, each of the four Lords have their own distinct areas they inhabit. These areas are all visually unique and feature a whole host of different enemies and hazards to avoid. While it’s great that there are more areas to explore in the game, some of the areas, and thus those Lords in those areas, feel like they’re done and over with way too soon. The iconic item boxes are gone again in this game, and, instead, item management is handled through a Resident Evil 4 like briefcase. Other things like key items, crafting materials, and treasures are separated in different menus making item management even easier. Then, there’s the game’s merchant, The Duke. The Duke offers items, crafting recipes, weapons, and upgrades to purchase as well as some interesting story bits every once in awhile. The combat of Resident Evil Village feels like a slight evolution from Resident Evil VII, however, it doesn’t feel as good as it should for how action heavy the game has become. Enemies, especially lycans, can move erratically thus making it harder to aim and get off accurate shots with how slow aiming feels. The block mechanic feels underutilized as well, and that is more apparent on the easier difficulties where I made it through runs of Standard and Casual without ever needing to use the block. On PlayStation 5, Resident Evil Village looks stunning. With fidelity mode being in 4k and having ray tracing turned on, Resident Evil Village is easily one of the best looking games on the console, and has plenty of beautiful vistas and rooms that I couldn’t help myself to just stop and stare at. Unfortunately, the frame rate took a few noticeable dips at times. Without ray tracing on, Resident Evil Village still maintains the 4k resolution and runs at a consistent 60 FPS throughout. Load times are basically nonexistent as well thanks to the PS5’s SSD. The characters of Resident Evil have always been one of the highlights of each game in the series, and Resident Evil Village is no exception to that trend. Ethan has evolved into a better character compared to his first appearance in the series. Resident Evil Village introduces some great additions to the series’s villains in the form of everyone’s favorite giant vampire, Lady Dimitrescu, and Karl Heisenberg being the stand out character in the game. Fan favorite Chris Redfield returns in an interesting way, but feels like he could’ve been in the game more. Finally returning since 2012’s Resident Evil 6 is Mercenaries mode. However, you can’t access the mode until you beat the main game. The mode itself turns Resident Evil Village into an arcadey, time attack, and score chasing bananza full of enemies for you to take out. Each map in Mercenaries mode tasks you with eliminating a certain amount of enemies within the given time. The more enemies you take out increases your time and combo score multiplier which nets a higher rank once complete. There are also plenty of arcade style abilities such as health buffs or enemy debuffs to experiment with as you progress through each area in a map. Unfortunately, Mercenaries mode still falters in some aspects. As aforementioned, Resident Evil Village‘s combat isn’t its strong suit, thus Mercenaries mode can be a tad cumbersome especially when trying to get the highest ranks in the harder versions of maps. Then, there’s the lack of variety when it comes to maps. There are only 4 distinct maps with each having its own harder version, thus making the mode feel repetitive the more you play. Overall, Resident Evil Village is an excellent continuation in Capcom’s streak of releasing great entries in the series. While combat doesn’t always feel the best, Resident Evil Village makes up for it with excellent moments of tension, great forms of exploration, and an engrossing story that pulls you all the way to the end. source

As far as remasters go, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is one of the best in recent memory. With significantly upgraded textures, more detailed models, wider range of colors, some new lighting effects, multiple quality of life gameplay enhancements, and support for 4K resolution, this remaster is nothing short of extensive and impressive. There's not a doubt in my mind that it's easily one of the best Xbox One role-playing games available. However, some of the realism-focused changes that the developers have made in the game — especially when it comes to the original Mass Effect — bother me considerably. To be clear, I'm not saying that the changes look bad. They look gorgeous. The problem I have with many of these changes is that they feel like a departure from the tone and mood of the original games, as opposed to a modernization of them. The most obvious example of the updated graphics ruining the tone of a scene is the overhauled version of Mass Effect's Eden Prime, which trades the ominous blood-red skies of the original game for a bright and warm sunset vista, complete with a giant lens flare. This makes the location look more realistic based on its in-game description, but it also makes the game's opening level feel much less nerve-wracking and tense. There was something distinctly terrifying and downright intimidating about how the Sovereign made a paradise world known across the Milky Way for its lush beauty look like a hellscape. That has been lost in the remaster. Noveria, the freezing, barely habitable planet where Commander Shepard and crew discover the Rachni species, is another good example. In the original game, the path to the labs where the Rachni is located is characterized by its cold blue color scheme, dim lighting, and a dark haze. In Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Noveria is much brighter overall, featuring more realistic white snow and more authentic whiteout. It's true that the remaster's version looks a lot more like an actual snowstorm, but the original version felt much harsher and more frigid. This, I think, was a much better fit for the wider context of Noveria itself — the dark weather set the mood for players perfectly as they prepared to venture into creepy, alien-filled laboratories. It's not just skyboxes and weather effects, either. One of the largest and most noticeable differences between the original releases of all three games and the remastered editions is that the new versions feature much lighter environments and fewer deep shadows, which is due to how the lighting feels more natural. Some people may view this as a good thing overall, and this is understandable; after all, there are some new details in the series' world spaces that were harder (or impossible) to examine closely without more realistic lighting. However, I think the loss of Mass Effect's darker, moodier lighting has a net negative impact on the atmosphere. Thematically speaking, Mass Effect is quite a "murky" series. Widespread political corruption, oppression, racism, and other types of social issues are all threads frequently woven throughout its narrative. The original visuals complimented these types of story beats well, giving these sensitive topics a fitting backdrop. A more realistic approach is certainly beautiful and impressive on a technical level, but is it worth sacrificing the original's distinct look and feel, ruining any possible environmental additions to the tone? Final thoughts As I said previously, some may think the changes are beneficial, but I feel that when a game is remastered, steps should be taken to preserve its style. The point of a remaster should be to elevate an older game to modern standards with things like new textures, better lighting effects, and gameplay tweaks. To its credit, this is largely what Mass Effect Legendary Edition does, but by overhauling the actual style of the lighting and the skyboxes to make them more realistic, the game goes a bit too far. Overall, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is still an excellent remaster, and despite my gripes, I'd still argue that it's the definitive version of the trilogy thanks to its more positive visual changes and its numerous quality of life enhancements. I just wish that the developers at BioWare had chosen to modernize the atmosphere that was present in the original games instead of significantly change it. What do you think of my argument? Do you agree that Mass Effect Legendary Edition should have preserved the atmosphere of the original games more, or do you like the changes the developers made? Let me know. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available now for $60 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, PS5, PS4, and Windows 10 PCs. For more on the game, check out what we feel the 5 things the next Mass Effect could learn from the Legendary Edition as well as our revisiting of Mass Effect 3's ending. source

Warhammer Plus is a new streaming service from Games Workshop, publisher of tabletop games in settings such as Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. It will be loaded with animated series from the British company’s flagship science-fiction universe, as well as the Warhammer Fantasy universe. There are 11 titles announced so far, with standouts such as Astartes 2, Altar of Wrath, Interrogator, and Blacktalon. Games Workshop teased part of this project back in March when it announced just a few titles from the launch lineup. Games Workshop has spent the last few years courting fan artists such as Richard Boylan and Syama Pedersen, who had created high-profile YouTube series independently. Now those creators are forming the core of the company’s attempt to participate in the streaming wars. There’s a wide variety of stories on offer, from 2D animation to 3D that aims for photorealism. The majority of stories do seem to focus on 40K and its vast setting of aliens and empires, but there are a few glimpses at scenes from the current Age of Sigmar setting as well. The show that we’ve seen the most of so far is Angels of Death, a 10-part animated series, with 10-minute episodes, focusing on the Space Marine chapter known as the Blood Angels. Pariah Nexus focuses on the Necrons, and has them fight against several factions within the Imperium of Man. Hammer and Bolter is an anthology series focusing on short stories within both Warhammer universes. Interrogator is a show about a man who is looking to avenge his dead boss, an Imperial Inquisitor. That should be particularly interesting for fans of the Inquisitor novels, which are currently being adapted into a live-action show for Amazon. Warhammer Plus will be available as an app on smart TVs, and on iOS and Android devices. The launch is set for July, although details of the subscription service, including how much it will cost, have yet to be announced. The announcement comes on the tail of Games Workshop’s launch of a companion mobile app for the Warhammer 40K tabletop game, a launch that included a consolidated login for its consumer website as well. Expect more about Warhammer Plus on June 23. source

Modest Mouse shared the second single from their upcoming record, The Golden Casket, called “Leave A Light On,” and announced an extensive United States tour. It will be their first headlining tour since 2017, although they supported The Black Keys in 2019. “Leave A Light On” is a chill indie rock track built on a psychedelic-rock-inspired rhythm section and an oldschool organ tone to match. Frontman Isaac Brock takes it in a more anthemic direction with his repetitive chorus, “We’re leaving, we’re leaving, we’re leaving/We’ll be home soon.” The verse lyrics give a tour of weird houses. For example, Brock sings, “My friend’s house is full of cats but they are both allergic/Your house is inside my heart and your heart’s where my house is.” It follows The Golden Casket’s lead single, “We Are Between,” which features a similarly repetitive chorus and a post-punky instrumental. The full album is due June 25 via Epic Records. Their previous album was Strangers to Ourselves in 2015, which notably produced their most recent hit, “Lampshades On Fire.” While they remain best known for their biggest hit, “Float On,” they’re still critically adored for their late 1990s/early 2000s indie rock oeuvre, especially their albums The Lonesome Crowded West (1997) and The Moon & Antarctica (2000). The tour is set to start at the end of July with Lollapalooza Music Festival and will also include appearances at Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, NV in September and Austin City Limits in October. Modest Mouse is also set to play some notable non-festival locations such as Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY on August 11-12, The Masonic in San Francisco, CA on September 16, The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on September 25, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on September 28 and Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami, FL on October 15. Some nights will feature support from Future Islands. Tickets for all nights of the tour will go on sale through Modest Mouse’s website starting Wednesday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Modest Mouse Summer 2021 Tour Dates: 07/29 – 08/1 – Chicago, IL – Grant Park – Lollapalooza Music Festival 07/30 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee 08/03 – Columbus, OH – EXPRESS LIVE! – Indoor Music Hall 08/05 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia 08/06 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion 08/07 – Cooperstown, NY – Brewery Ommegang 08/09 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall 08/11 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel 08/12 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel 08/17 – Washington, DC – The Anthem 08/18 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE 08/20 – Detroit, MI – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre 08/21 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater 08/22 – Minneapolis, MN – Armory 08/24 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater 08/27 – Portland, OR – McMenamins – Edgefield 08/29 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater 09/11 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Park * 09/16 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic 09/18 – Las Vegas, NV – Life Is Beautiful Festival 09/19 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre 09/20 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre – Tucson 09/22 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre 09/24 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriet’s 09/25 – Los Angeles, CA – The Theatre at Ace Hotel 09/27 – Sandy, UT – Sandy City Amphitheater 09/28 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre * 09/30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom * 10/01-10/03 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits 10/04 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater * 10/05 – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center * 10/08-10/10 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits 10/11 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hallf 10/12 – New Orleans, LA – Fillmore New Orleans 10/14 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live 10/15 – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach 10/16 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live 10/17 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre 10/19 – Richmond, VA – The National 10/21 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater 10/22 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit source

Psychedelic rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard has rescheduled the North American tour dates they had originally planned for Spring 2020 to Fall 2022. This is the third time they’ve been rescheduled, from the initial dates to Fall 2020, then to Fall 2021, and now, another year later. Unfortunately, the new tour dates weren’t able to reschedule the Brooklyn, NY show, but they added appearances in Atlanta, GA and Oklahoma City, OK. Otherwise, the tour looks about the same as it would have in October 2021, but moved to October 2022. They’ll kick it off at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA on October 2 with a three-hour marathon set and close with the new concert at The Criterion in Oklahoma City on Halloween night. The other two three-hour marathon sets are still set to occur at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on October 10-11, 2022. All of the other concerts will be regular-length sets, and will include performances at other notable venues such as Moore Theatre in Seattle, WA, RADIUS in Chicago, IL, and Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia, PA. There are also a couple of Canadian concerts, so it’s not strictly a United States tour. When they had rescheduled their tour last time, they stated, “Unfortunately we’re forced to postpone this incredibly exciting tour again. We miss shows so much! But we must listen to the science, be responsible and do the right thing. Such is the world in this particular time in space. By the time we get back into it, we’ll have at least a couple of new records for ya’ll.” The sentiments appear to hold true. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard already shared those “couple of new records,” K.G. and L.W., but they’ve announced yet another album since then called Butterfly 3000, and they’re known to be remarkably prolific. Butterfly 3000 is set to be self-released without any preceding singles on June 11. A press release claims that it will “undoubtedly” be “the most accessible and jubilant album of their career.” Whether that turns out to be true, and whether they have any more records planned between now and October 2022 is yet to be seen. However, they haven’t released fewer than two albums in a year since 2018, and in 2018 they were recovering from having released five albums in 2017, including Flying Microtonal Banana and Polygondwanaland, which are two of the most popular records they’ve released yet. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 2022 Tour Dates* 10/2/2022 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre (marathon set) 10/4/2022 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater 10/5/2022 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum 10/6/2022 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre 10/10/2022 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (marathon set) 10/11/2022 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (marathon set) 10/14/2022 – St Paul, MN @ The Palace Theatre 10/15/2022 – Chicago, IL @ RADIUS 10/16/2022 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple 10/18/2022 – Toronto, ON @ TBA 10/19/2022 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia 10/22/2022 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall 10/23/2022 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem at The Wharf 10/24/2022 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit 10/26/2022 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern 10/31/2022 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion source

After rescheduling their 2020 Carefree Theatre tour three times, Surfer Blood will boldly hit the road for a month-long tour starting July 30, joined by opener Worn-Tin from Los Angeles. Since their latest album Carefree Theatre came out in 2021, Surfer Blood played several web concerts in conjunction with Noonchorus and Rough Trade NYC. The band will play a stripped-down acoustic trio set for a web benefit for Sweet Relief in conjunction with JaM Cellars. The Napa winery (and presenting sponsor of BottleRock Music festival) will contribute $1 to Sweet Relief for every like, comment, or share of the free concert. Sweet Relief provided grants to musicians during Covid-19 and has been helping musicians in need since 1993, and assisted with fundraising for cancer treatment for Surfer Blood’s late guitarist Thomas Fekete. The free JaM Cellars Happy Hour with acoustic Surfer Blood will broadcast live Friday, May 28, 7 pm Eastern, simultaneously on Facebook Live and Youtube Live. Check out the tour flyer below: Tour Dates 7/30 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl 7/31 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone 8/3 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad 8/4 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge 8/5 – Fort Collins, CO – Surfside 7 8/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge 8/7 – Boise, ID – Neurolux 8/8 – Spokane, WA – Lucky You Lounge 8/10 – Tacoma, WA – Alma Mater (Rooftop) 8/11 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret 8/12 – Bellingham, WA – The Shakedown 8/13 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey 8/14 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir 8/17 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill 8/18 – Morro Bay, CA – The Siren 8/19 – San Diego, CA – Casbah 8/20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo 8/22 – Tucson, AZ – Hotel Congress 8/24 – Austin, TX – Hotel Vegas 8/25 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada 8/26 – Houston, TX – Satellite Bar 8/27 – New Orleans, LA – The Parish 8/28 – Mobile, AL – Alabama Music Box source

Konstantine Lois and Shane Williams say they wrote a song called “Loveless” in 2015 for Williams’ musical group American XO. Now, they’ve sued Halsey, Khalid, and Blanco, claiming their 2018 smash hit, “Eastside,” is basically a carbon copy of their own song. In documents obtained by TMZ, Lois and Williams are suing for copyright infringement and are going after not only the above-mentioned artists but also Ed Sheeran, who’s credited as a songwriter on “Eastside,” plus the labels who distributed it. They say the similarities are obvious to their ears. The pair claim that there are virtually identical note dyads, note intervals, similar tempos, and an all-around familiar beat – and point to interviews Blanco gave that they say prove their case. In a Vibe article, Blanco is quoted as saying he listens to 10 to 12 new artists every day in hopes of finding inspiration for ideas he could try himself. Based on their lawsuit, Lois and Williams seem to believe Benny stumbled upon their song somehow – which was streaming at that point – and then lifted parts of it for “Eastside.” source

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest tourism network has called on policymakers to come up with an inclusive system that allows travel for all, even as business leaders advocate vaccine passes that may spur discrimination. Interviewed over the weekend, Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) president Jose Clemente III told The STAR that as much as vaccine passes may restart travel in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, making it a travel policy would be discriminatory against people who have yet to be vaccinated. Clemente said non-vaccinated individuals should be extended the same freedom to move around like their vaccinated counterparts for as long as they comply with minimum health standards. “We need to find a way to make it non-discriminatory for people who might be unable to take the vaccine. Some are for medical reasons, some are for political beliefs, but whatever they may be, it should not go in a way that these people will be discriminated,” he said. His suggestion is for government to speed up the pace of vaccinations in the country before it puts in place a requirement that demands immunity from the virus. Based on Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, the Philippines has immunized only 3.29 million people, or 1.5 percent, of its population as of Saturday. Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion is proposing the use of vaccine passes in Metro Manila to allow immunized people to go about their usual activities. Through the use of such an ID, business establishments can scale up their capacity depending on the vaccinated rate in their area, and hotels and resorts no longer need to mandate guests to present a negative COVID result. On the other hand, Clemente advised the Department of Tourism (DOT) to look into cautionary tales of tourist attractions that reopened to foreign travelers and then suffered a new wave of infections. The TCP asked the DOT to consider the experiences of island destinations abroad suffering from disastrous waves of local outbreaks like in Palau and Taiwan, before pursuing its plan to set up a “green lane” for vaccinated foreigners. In April, Palau put up a travel bubble that allowed the entry of visitors coming from Taiwan. Last week flag carrier China Air cancelled all of its flights bound for Palau until middle of June, as the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan rose to 224. Worse, Palau’s tourism establishments had to spend for the upgrade of their health facilities and equipment, but the travel bubble facilitated the arrival of just about 300 travelers. “For tourism to really take off, the dream is to vaccinate as many as possible. In principle, we, at TCP, are for the green lane. The factor that will determine whether we can push through with the green lane is the ratio of people vaccinated in our tourist destinations,” Clemente said. At present, the National Task Force against COVID-19 focuses its vaccine distribution in Metro Manila and seven areas outside it, including Cebu and Davao. Clemente said the use of vaccine passes and creation of a green lane can only do so much in reviving the tourism sector. He expects these policies to be put in place, and then revoked, in a back and forth due to uncertainties brought about by the spread of new variants. “We are hoping that once we resume travel, it will be for good. As much as tourism contributes huge sums to the economy, its stakeholders are the most vulnerable when performing their duty of interacting with tourists,” the TCP chief said. A small working group headed by the DOT and the Department of Foreign Affairs is assessing how to set up a green lane that vaccinated foreign nationals can use to enter the Philippines. The World Health Organization opposes the plan to make vaccination a requirement in entering foreign borders, as it has yet to be proven that immunization prevents the virus from spreading. Last year inbound arrivals in the Philippines went down by more than 82 percent to 1.48 million, from 8.26 million in 2019. Source

Spain will allow all vaccinated travellers to visit the country from June 7, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday, as the tourism hotspot aims to revive its virus-battered travel industry. "From June 7, all vaccinated people and their families will be welcome in our country, Spain, regardless of their country of origin," Sanchez said at an international tourism fair in Madrid. He also announced that British travellers would be allowed to visit Spain for holidays from next week. "From next Monday, the 24th of May, Spain will be delighted to receive British tourists again," Sanchez said, adding that they will be allowed in "without restriction". An official website that promotes tourism confirmed that British citizens won't even need to present a negative Covid test. Britain has long been the biggest source of tourists for Spain, but during the pandemic British travellers have only been allowed into Spain for visits deemed essential. Britain has meanwhile upheld restrictions on travellers from Spain, who have to quarantine on arrival, as well as showing a negative Covid test. Japanese travellers will also be allowed to visit to Spain for non-essential reasons from Monday, the interior ministry said. Spain's announcement came a day after European Union member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel throughout Europe. The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. The world's second most popular destination after France, Spain registered 83.5 million foreign visitors in 2019, official figures show. In 2020, the number of foreign tourists visiting Spain collapsed by 77 percent compared with a year earlier, falling below 19 million visitors as pandemic restrictions put the brakes on leisure travel. The country expects to welcome around 45 million foreign tourists in 2021, just over half the number who came in 2019 before the pandemic struck, the tourism minister said this month. Sanchez was speaking at the FITUR International Tourism Fair, which saw some 50,000 people gather this week for the first in-person meeting of its kind since the pandemic hit. The fair was taking place as many countries in Europe and beyond emerge from lockdowns and as people across the globe are gearing up to travel again. Tourism was one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourist arrivals are estimated to have fallen 74 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. source

For so many Jews, Jerusalem stands as a symbol and a connection point. As a Jerusalem resident, I would assume that if given the opportunity, most Jews would take the time to visit the city. Yes, Jerusalem can be intense, with countless religious sects and communities spanning the entire city, the air itself is different in Jerusalem. Yet, Jerusalem with its history and religious significance, must be a non-negotiable for most Jews, right? And what about the Kotel? Would it be safe to assume that most Jews feel a love for such a symbolic site? I wanted to know how Jews, and liberal Jews in particular, felt about visiting the Kotel, and if we all share similar feelings about it. On Jerusalem Day, I took a survey. On the Women of the Wall Instagram account, I asked our followers to tell us how they feel about the Kotel. Going in, my feeling was that we’d mostly see positive responses. People who choose to follow our organization on social media must have fond feelings for the Kotel. No doubt, a place of such rich history and symbolism for the Jewish people emanates an almost other-worldly energy, which was not lost on some of our followers. About a quarter of the respondents expressed their love for and connection to the Kotel. It was quite uplifting to read comments like, “I love to pray with my sisters,” or, “the energy when I am surrounded by the women there.” Soon it became clear that these were minority opinions. The remaining comments were unfortunately not as superb. “Love the energy but hate the division,” some respondents simply said that the Kotel is nice, but not for them. However, I began to read firsthand accounts of people who had visited the Kotel, the most important Jewish site, only to have been harassed or made to feel unwelcome. A respondent claimed that she is “always afraid to be harassed for wearing a kippah and tallit.” One woman recounted the time she was “chased away by a hareidi woman.” While others shared that “it feels inaccessible to pray (I am a Reform Jew),” or as another woman wrote “I never know if I am wearing the ‘right thing’.” Reading these comments hurt. So many women whose desire to be a part of the Kotel experience was surpassed by their frustration at being prevented from doing just that. . Tragically, I began to sense that the majority of commenters had developed a genuine dislike for one of the Jewish people’s most cherished sites. “I don’t love the Kotel!!” A simple five-word sentence confirmed my suspicions with a bang. Worst of all is that I get it. I understand why someone would respond in that way because I have experienced the same frustrating Kotel visits myself. Every Rosh Hodesh, Women of the Wall wake up before the sun rises, and trek to the Kotel rain or shine. Their prayers and spiritual moments are greeted with the worst antagonism – yells, jeers, pushing, shoving, and even worse, physical violence. It’s not surprising that someone would declare their open disdain for the Kotel when it has become such an uninviting place. A symbol for the Jewish people, perhaps. Open and accessible for all Jews, absolutely not. On Jerusalem Day, we celebrate the incredible privilege of being a people reunited with their capital and the Kotel. But as our commenters made clear, the celebrations are empty of meaning until the people reunite with each other and welcome Jews of all sects and denominations to pray as they desire. Women of the Wall is dedicated to bringing women of all backgrounds together to pray at the Kotel, so that a proper connection can be forged – with both the Wall and the greater Jewish People. source

Numbers are our universal language — gifts from our ancestors’ clay tablets and parchments. Mathematics is the symbolic explanation of the world we live in and the order to the chaos of the cosmos. From our early study of the mysterious stars to our later exploits in space — launching rockets, satellites and even putting man on the moon — math has been and is still today humanity’s greatest tool. But California education officials don’t care. They believe that learning math actually perpetuates inequity in our schools. That’s why they proposed a mathematics curriculum framework under which math will no longer be an objective academic discipline, but a tool for calling out systemic racism. California’s Instructional Quality Commission decided to move forward with the guideline last Wednesday. The framework is expected to go before the state Board of Education later this year. Students who are good at math, and minorities in particular, will pay the heaviest price. Under the proposed recommendations, students would be grouped together in the same math classes from middle school through their second year of high school regardless of their mathematics abilities. This will deprive students who are gifted at math the opportunity to move at a quicker pace and take more advanced classes. Currently, students are sorted into different math tracks based on their performance. Some students pass calculus by their senior year of high school, or even take more advanced classes at the local community college. Others might not go beyond algebra. Not allowing tracking in mathematics will keep many students from studying advanced mathematics, leaving them less competitive candidates for universities in future. The framework as initially proposed included a document called “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,” which was ordered removed from the proposed framework by the Instructional Quality Commission on Wednesday. According to the document, the approach to education whereby “students have to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and if they fail it is their fault” is wrong because it “does not give room for the systemic reasons students fail.” Based on this definition, numerical mistakes are not seen as just mistakes that can be improved on, but as an effect of racism. Anyone can misplace a number or forget a formula because of other factors, including bad teaching practices. However, the document heavily limits the ability of institutions and instructors to explore those factors individually, because they have to look at it through the social justice lens. The document goes on about “instructional coaches” who have “the potential to scale their impact to a number of classrooms and students in order to dismantle the culture of white supremacy that exists within the math classroom.” In other words, math teachers must not simply grade students based on their final answers, but must have political considerations, too, defeating the purpose of mathematics and upending how mathematics education works. Studies show that students do better when grouped with others who are progressing in their studies at the same pace. A 2009 Fordham Institute study of Massachusetts middle schools discovered institutions with more tracks have significantly more students climbing the ladders of achievements in mathematics than failing. Additionally, the proposed framework is based on a fallacious premise that minority children are automatically disadvantaged in mathematics. And for many immigrant students in particular, according to research by Gianna Claudia Giannelli and Chiari Rapallini published in the journal Economics of Education Review, mathematical skills are more portable than language skills. Math is not only important to economic development, it is an integration tool for immigrant students in both school and society. Taking it away will not only harm California’s education quality, but will have severe socioeconomic consequences in the long run. I am an Iranian American. There are children in my community who moved to California with their families with high hopes of achieving things that they couldn’t in Iran due to political and economic crises. Few of them speak English, and most have little to no knowledge of American history and literature. So initially, the only thing that allows them to compete in their classroom is mathematics. Making math about social justice won’t help Iranian Americans succeed, and it won’t help other minorities either. If California education leaders are really concerned about closing the inequality of learning outcomes in education, they should focus on improving English language classes, not gutting math programs. Besides, math is one of the few subjects that all nations have collaborated on for thousands of years. We might never agree on the ideology, government system, or genre of music, but we all agree that 2+2=4. Students interested in exploring issues related to social justice should have the chance to pursue them voluntarily, not forcefully. source

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Australia has recalled 133 examples of its 2021 Jaguar E-Pace small SUV, citing a potential fault with the seatbelt pre-tensioner. The affected vehicles were sold between 16 June 2020 and 24 February 2021 (Model Year 2021). The recall notice, lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), says: “An incorrect wiring harness configuration to the restraints control module (RCM) links the wrong seat belt buckle – this can cause the driver's seatbelt pre-tensioner to not function, unless the front passenger seat is occupied.” “In the event of an accident, the driver's seat belt pre-tensioner may not operate when required. This could increase the risk of injury or, in the case of a serious accident, increase the risk of death to vehicle occupants,” the notice continues. When asked if there had been recorded cases of the fault locally, a spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover Australia told CarAdvice: "This move is precautionary only." source