Ubisoft has confirmed the global release times for Assassins Creed Shadows.Unlike previous games in the series and indeed Ubisoft games generally, Assassins Creed Shadows has a unified, actual release date. You cannot pay more for early access.Assassins Creed Shadows release date on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S is 12am local time on March 20, but its worth noting there are separate release times for the game on PC depending on whether youre getting it on Steam or Ubisofts own platform, Ubi Connect.Pre-load is already available on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC.PlayThere is of course enormous pressure on Assassin's Creed Shadows to do well for Ubisoft after a number of delays and last year's Star Wars Outlaws failed to sell as well as the company had hoped. Indeed, Ubisoft has suffered a number of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in the run up to Assassin's Creed shadows' release.IGNs Assassins Creed Shadows review returned an 8/10. We said: By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassins Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style its been honing for the last decade.Assassin's Creed Shadows global release times. Image credit: Ubisoft.Assassins Creed Shadows global release times:Assassins Creed Shadows Xbox Series X and S and PS5 global release times:Los Angeles (PDT) 12am, March 20Mexico (CST) 12am, March 20New York (EDT) 12am, March 20Montreal (EDT) 12am, March 20Sao Paolo (BRT) 12am, March 20London (GMT) 12am, March 20Paris (CET) 12am, March 20Johannesburg (SAST) 12am, March 20Abu Dhabi (GST) 12am, March 20Shanghai (CST) 12am, March 20Seoul (KST) 12am, March 20Tokyo (JST) 12am, March 20Sydney (AEDT) 12am, March 20Assassins Creed Shadows PC via Steam global release times:Los Angeles (PDT) 9pm, March 19Mexico (CST) 10pm, March 19New York (EDT) 12am, March 20Montreal (EDT) 12am, March 20Sao Paolo (BRT) 1am, March 20London (GMT) 4am, March 20Paris (CET) 5am, March 20Johannesburg (SAST) 6am, March 20Abu Dhabi (GST) 8am, March 20Shanghai (CST) 12am, March 20Seoul (KST) 1pm, March 20Tokyo (JST) 1pm, March 20Sydney (AEDT) 3pm, March 20Assassins Creed Shadows PC via Ubi Connect global release times:Los Angeles (PDT) 9pm, March 19Mexico (CST) 10pm, March 19New York (EST) 12am, March 20Montreal (EDT) 12am, March 20Sao Paolo (BRT) 1am, March 20London (GMT) 10pm, March 19Paris (CET) 11pm, March 19Johannesburg (SAST) 12am, March 20Abu Dhabi (GST) 2am, March 20Shanghai (CST) 8pm, March 19Seoul (KST) 9pm, March 19Tokyo (JST) 9pm, March 19Sydney (AEDT) 11pm, March 19Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

All jobs Backend Developer (C# & .NET) Posted A few minutes agoAt Truestory we want to help people experience more together. Truestory is a curated marketplace built to create and share experiences in Scandinavia. We cater to our customers and our hosts by being a helping hand. Our platform allows customers to find, buy, and book their next experience for themselves or as a gift for someone, while our hosts get exposure and a new customer base. Win-win.Working at Truestory is full of freedom and challenges that will move you professionally and personally. We have a flat organizational structure with a really ambitious growth plan, but still a goal of keeping things calm. We dont believe in burning the midnight oil we believe in balance and in being good at home, in order to be good at work. All of this while still delivering great results and constantly moving the bar and improving key metrics. Apply now The RoleJoin us as a Backend Engineer and be a key contributor in building an Experience Marketplace that helps thousands of people to explore new adventures. As a crucial member of our cross-functional team, your expertise in backend development will play a pivotal role in enhancing our product step by step, bringing us closer to our mission of becoming the most trusted experience marketplace in Europe. We invite you to embrace this role with high agency and dedication, as we collectively strive to elevate the quality and velocity of our backend and overall product. If you're growth-driven, passionate about your work, care about building a great product and thrive on bringing fresh ideas to life, you are the ideal candidate for us.What We're Looking For3 - 6 years experience with C# and .Net Core 6+/.Net Framework.Extensive experience in building web applications with ASP.NET Core.Natural flair for using AI-tools to boost efficientcyProficient in designing and developing Web APIs, adhering to best practices and principles.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Solid experience in both MS SQL and MySQL databases.Strong knowledge of using Redis.Experience in event-driven and scalable systems. (AWS SNS, SQS).Good in containerization using Docker and K8s for container orchestration and management.Experience with CI/CD.Experience working with ORMs - EF/EF Core.Strong communication skills in english - both written and spokenValue the boundaries of Remote-first and which requirements it implies for a team to work like that - hence you need to have clear experience working remote!Find refactoring and improving existing systems just as motivating as starting from scratchNice-to-Have skillsHands-on experience with Umbraco and uCommerce.Experience with NPoco.Proficient in serverless computing using AWS Lambda for executing code without provisioning or managing servers.Familiarity with ElasticSearch for efficient search functionality in applications.ResponsibilitiesBe part of cross-functional product teams to deliver solutions that improve our overall product experience.Build, test and deploy production quality code.Spare with members of the TECH team to ensure we deploy the most feasible solutions possible.Our ValuesTeam first: We value collaboration across functions and we expect everyone to participate in that with clear communication and agencyA mindset of excellence: We accept that we cant make perfection. However, as we all embrace our philosophy of improving 1% each day, we know we are going to do great things together.Autonomous A-player: Because we are a small team of highly dedicated an individuals, we expect everyone who joins to be the same.What We OfferRemote-First Culture: We relish the flexibility and convenience of working from anywhere.Career Growth: Seize the opportunity to become an early member of a scale-up company building an Experience MarketplaceCollaborative Team: Thrive in an environment where teamwork and collective achievements are celebrated.A Team of Dedicated Individuals: Join forces with a group of highly motivated people, all committed to excellence and ownership.Facts About the PositionFull-time (40 hours weekly).Freedom to work from anywhere: We value the freedom to work from anywhere. However, we expect you to have your primary residency within EU timezones. Or you are welcome to work from our Hub in Aarhus, Denmark.Salary range: 5,000 - 5,600 per month.Applications deadline: When the right candidate is foundApply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Truestory View company Jobs posted: 3 Related Jobs Remote Back-End Programming jobs

Role Purpose:As a Software Quality Assurance Manager, you will be an integral part of our quality assurance team, playing a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality software products. Your extensive experience in software testing, combined with your ability to identify defects and improve testing processes, will help us maintain and enhance the reliability and performance of our applications. You will collaborate closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive test plans, create detailed test cases, and conduct thorough testing. Additionally, you will mentor junior testers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team.Job duties and Responsibilities:Test Planning: Develop comprehensive test plans and strategies that cover all aspects of software testing, including functional, regression, performance, and usability testing.Test Case Design: Create detailed, well-structured test cases based on project requirements and technical specifications.Test Execution: Conduct manual and automated testing of software applications to identify defects and ensure product quality.Defect Management: Log, track, and manage defects using defect tracking tools, working closely with the development team to ensure timely resolution.Automation: Develop and maintain automated test scripts to improve testing efficiency and coverage.Continuous Improvement: Identify areas for process improvement within the testing lifecycle and implement best practices to enhance testing efficiency and effectiveness.Collaboration: Work closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to understand project requirements and ensure comprehensive test coverage.Mentorship: Mentor and guide junior testers, providing training and support to help them develop their testing skills.Reporting: Generate and present detailed test reports, including metrics on test coverage, defect rates, and quality trends, to stakeholdersRequirementsGood English speaking levelBachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.At least 5-7 years of experience in software testing, with a proven track record of successful project delivery.Extensive experience with both manual and automated testing tools and methodologies.Strong understanding of software development and testing life cycle.Proficiency in test automation tools such as Selenium, Playwright, Mocha, TestNG, or similar.Experience with performance testing tools like K6, JMeter or LoadRunner.Certifications (preferred): Relevant certifications such as ISTQB, CSTE, or similar are a plus.Notes:By clicking Apply, you will be automatically redirected to a form to fill out your information, after you fill out the form you'll be redirected to a 30-min exam. Please ensure that you are ready to begin, as the exam will start immediately upon redirection.Join us and get ready to Soar!Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now

Folkestone & Hythe District Councils planning committee gave the go-ahead to the Kent-based pracitces plans at a meeting last night (18 March), with councillors backing the controversial scheme on a second go by nine votes to three.The Hollaway scheme includes replacing elements of the existing building a single-storey contemporary cottage while incorporating two former train carriages which already formed part of the current structure.The plans also increase the floor area slightly from 142m2 to 161m2.AdvertisementExternally, the Mr Doodle-designed faade of the cottage draws inspiration from the unique elements of Dungeness, incorporating native species, fishing boats, shingle, wave forms and structures like the historic train carriages, vernacular architecture and other familiar features of the area, planning documents state.However, concerns were raised in January when the scheme was deferred about the cumulative impact of the proposed faade, which features laser-cut doodles on weathered, rusted metal.Folkestones planning officers said in an updated report that extra images provided by the Tenterden, Kent-based Mr Doodle and Hollaway Studio showed that the designs were in fact more subtle when viewed from further away, where most views of the building would be taken from.The same report continued: It is not therefore considered that the doodles themselves would appear overly large or add clutter to the elevations, to the extent that they would detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area or the visual amenities of the wider area.Consultees to the planning application had previously criticised the appearance of the cottage, which replaces an existing white clapboard structure. Before the January committee, 11 objections were received, with two letters of support.AdvertisementA further 30 letters of objection were received before this weeks committee, relating to the design and size of the Hollaway design.Lydd Council, for example, told the district council that it objected on the grounds that the proposed metal faade would not be in keeping with the historical value of Dungeness.Hollaway said in planning documents that the laser-cut rusted steel faade of the proposals expresses weathered metal found on the Dungeness landscape, while its architectural form will honour the nearby home of artist and film-maker Derek Jarman at Prospect Cottage.In a statement to the AJ, Hollaway Studio added of the planning win: This is a truly unique project where art meets architecture in an exceptional location where we hope Sam (Mr Doodle) will follow in the legacy of other artists drawn to this place.A timeline for work is not known.Current view

Yasmeen Lari Source:&nbsp Anam BaigRoyal Gold Medal winner Yasmeen Lari has turned down a $100,000 arts prize from Israeli non-profit organisation the Wolf Foundation, citing continuing genocide in Gaza The Wolf Prize recognises exceptional individuals in the arts and sciences with a medal of honour and $100,000 prize money.Announcing her decision on Instagram after the latest recipients were named on 10 March, the 2023 RIBA Gold Medal winner stated that she could not accept the award or prize money, even from an organisation that is independent of the [Israeli] government.She added: All violence is unacceptable to me on any side of a conflict and Ive spent much of my life helping refugees, albeit climate migrants, and Gaza is unfortunately now one of the worst situations in terms of displacement.AdvertisementThe Wolf Prize, now in its 47th year, is awarded annually to acknowledge outstanding achievements in either the arts or sciences.The Wolf Foundation was founded in 1975 with an endowment from the family of German-born inventor and philanthropist Ricardo Wolf and his wife, Francisca, to celebrate outstanding contributions to humanity through the arts or sciences.The only other architect to receive a Wolf Prize this year was Chinese architect Tiantian Xu, for her architecture that transformed villages throughout China economically, socially, and culturally. Awards were also given for achievements in physics, medicine, agriculture and chemistry.Nearly 400 previous recipients of the Wolf Prize have included British architect Ralph Erskine in 1984, for his fundamental contribution to contemporary architecture, Guggenheim designer Frank Gehry in 1992, for his architecture as art and sculpture, and David Chipperfield in 2010, alongside Peter Eisenman, for his contemporary interpretation of Classical architecture.Lari, Pakistans first female architect, was featured in a 2023 AJ article discussing her journey from Brutalist starchitect to trailblazing humanitarian activist.AdvertisementThe 84-year-old left mainstream architecture practice in 2000 to dedicate herself to designing accessible, zero-carbon construction techniques for communities displaced by the impact of climate change.Laris 2023 RIBA Gold Medal recognised her robust, intelligent yet simple, architectural designs that allow those who are in distress to build for their own needs.The AJ has contacted Yasmeen Lari and the Wolf Foundation for further comment.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Yasmeen Lari (@barefootsocialarchitecture)Yasmeen Lari 2025-03-19Anna Highfieldcomment and share TagsYasmeen Lari

10:17 amUTCRogueywon says: Do we know what PC performance is like yet? I saw the Nvidia game ready driver for it drop last night. I also note this is, I think, the first PC game where the 4090 has appeared anywhere on the recommended specs sheet (I think Indy had the 4080 on its).I spent some of my review time playing via GeForce Now, but wouldn't want to base any firm technical opinions on that (I had no complaints, though!). Digital Foundry has a detailed look at Shadows' PC performance coming. Tom Phillips10:12 amUTCthemightyant says: - New Eurogamer feature? - How long did it take you to finish the game? and did you do much of the side quests?- Did you find side quests and exploration worthwhile?New Eurogamer feature/old Assassin's Creed fan - hello :)It took me 55 hours to hit the credits, completing the main story, all companion sidequests and the epilogue quests for both Naoe and Yasuke. That's the real meat of it all, though of course completionists have more to do. (Hello again.)Exploration is a big part of the fun of the game. I found it far more rewarding, not least because Shadows' world is so visually stunning. Anything to do with Naoe/Yasuke's personal stories are great and very worth doing. Companion characters are a mixed bag, and not essential. Tom Phillips10:08 amUTCStingingVelvet says: I'm only really interested in stealth. Just how often will I be forced to go all out action with the samurai guy?As a long-term Assassin's Creed fan, stealth is my go-to as well. As a percentage of the game's full run-time, it's not often Shadows forces you to play as one character over another - and as Yasuke much less than Naoe, who gets the game's lengthy prologue pretty much to herself. Tom Phillips10:01 amUTCAssassin's Creed Shadows launches today After years of wait and several delays, Assassin's Creed Shadows launches tonight - at midnight UK time on consoles, if you're planning to wait up. Join us as we answer your questions about the game throughout the day. Tom Phillips

Palworld gets crossplay, photo mode and more in latest updateHard Nox life.Image credit: Pocketpair News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on March 19, 2025 A year and a bit on from its monumental debut which saw the internet dubbed 'Pokmon with guns' game surpassing 2m concurrent players on Steam, Palworld now has crossplay.The update went live today across platforms, with developer Pocketpair proclaiming "the wait is over". Crossplay was included in a roadmap laid out by the developer back in January, where the Palworld team outlined its plans for the game's second year. At this time, however, no release date was mentioned.Other new bells and whistles added with today's update include a new storage system, dedicated servers for those playing on Mac, and a photo mode.Here's our Zoe playing some Palworld for your entertainment. Watch on YouTubeYou can check out the full notes for today's Palworld update below:New ContentCrossplay! Cross-play is now available across all platforms.Global Palbox - Store Pal data in the Global Palbox and transfer Pals between worlds!Dimensional Pal Storage - A new storage system with 10 times the capacity of a regular Palbox! Guild members can access it, and it can also be used as a personal storage with private settings.Cosmetic Armour System! You can now equip armour cosmetically in the Antique Dresser. Change your characters appearance without affecting armour stats!Photo Mode - Accessible from the Pal Command Wheel. Hide the UI and move the camera around to take stunning screenshots.Drafting Table - Combine low-rarity blueprints to create higher-rarity ones!Dedicated Servers for MacSpecification AdjustmentsBuildings can now be placed even if they overlap with a PalWhen connecting foundations or roofs, the connected pieces will now automatically align in the same directionAssigning an Ice Pal to the Flea Market will slow down item decay in storage and salesAdded torches at the entrances of random dungeons for better visibilityPlayers can now sit on chairs and cushionsSome weapons that dealt ultra-high damage to trees will no longer drop items upon destructionAdded new NPCs and improved NPC behaviour during conversationsBalance AdjustmentsAdjusted elemental chest rewards. Dog Coins will always drop from these chests and they also have a small chance of containing work suitability books. (Existing chests in current worlds will retain old drop tables; new ones will follow the updated table.)Increased EXP gained from defeating the Attack ChopperIncreased the DPS of FlamethrowersAdjusted the default attack used by Electric and Dark Pals when all active skills are on cooldown, making them more in line with the other elementsSome human NPCs now have work suitability and work animations when assigned tasks at a baseSummoned raid bosses can no longer damage other basesAdded Water attribute to DumudNPC event rewards have been adjusted. To maintain fairness, all NPC conversation logs have been reset, allowing players to claim rewards again!UIFavourites have been categorised into Favourite 1, 2, and 3 groupsHolding the +/- button in the Pal Soul Enhancement UI will now continuously increase/decrease valuesAdded a new sorting option for Pal Box: Sort by Work Suitability LevelAdded a "Extra Large" text size optionAdded Fullscreen ModeAchievementsAdded several new achievementsBug FixesFixed an issue where players could get launched into space while climbingFixed a bug where getting stunned by an enemy while riding a flying Pal over water would send the player flying into the skyFixed an issue where commanding a summoned Pal to attack would also target the Black Marketeer and Medal MerchantFixed a bug where Bounty Tokens with identical passive effects did not stack properlyFixed an issue where players would sometimes get launched upward when dismounting AzurmaneFixed an issue on dedicated servers where Pals could get stuck on top of feed boxesFixed an issue where raiding NPCs could attack players through walls if they couldn't reach themFixed a bug on dedicated servers where Bounty Token effects were not applied upon loginFixed an issue where attacking some NPCs did not add to the player's crime levelVarious many other minor bug fixes Image credit: PocketpairIn addition to the above, the Palworld studio is currently building an "ending scenario" for the game, alongside an upcoming Terraria crossover.Elsewhere, earlier this week Pocketpair discussed the moment it discovered Nintendo had launched legal action against its Pokmon-style game, calling it "a very depressing day".

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe live-service-ness of Diablo 4 has been a point of contention since even before release. While the games continued season updates are becoming more well received, the buggy nature of updates has been highly criticised.With Diablo 4 Patch 2.1.4, an old bug is rearing its head again as players keep being reminded of the games premium store via constant notifications.Diablo 4 Store notification wont go awaySince the release of the latest D4 patch, players have complained about the games buggy store notification that keeps drawing attention during play.When you open the Diablo 4 menu, the great glowing red SHOP button often has a glowing exclamation mark to tell you theres a new item to nab. After crawling through the store to check every single item, that notification icon is supposed to disappear, but it never does.This has been an area of complaint for a long while now, but its continued presence in the ARPG is becoming increasingly annoying as time goes on.Im convinced this bug is a marketing feature to get you to do exactly what youre doing, one player said on the games subreddit.I tried this same thing in earlier seasons and it never goes away and it pi**es me off to no end, said another. I know some people dont care, but this is currently the most annoying thing to me in this game. Never had this bug in earlier seasons though.These small quality of life issues are just one way in which the live-service nature of Diablo 4 simply hampers the experience. Instead of focusing on slaying mobs and nabbing loot, the eye is constantly drawn to the paid store.It might be an incredibly minor issue for some, but for players who get annoyed at constant notifications, or players who are bad at not spending money on games, this small bug can be a massive issue.For more Diablo coverage, read about how Conan OBrien wants to star in the next official game, or read about the reason annual expansions wont be happening anymore.Diablo 4Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Action RPG, RPGSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

The White House is working to improve Wi-Fi connectivity, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement emailed to The Verge. According to The New York Times, its using Starlink to address the issue, which White House officials blame on the propertys spotty cell service and overtaxed Wi-Fi infrastructure.Huh. Giving Leavitt the benefit of the doubt, Ill grant that you can connect to Starlink terminals, like the Starlink Mini we reviewed last year, directly over Wi-Fi. But thats apparently not whats happening here, despite the efforts of a SpaceX security engineer named Chris Stanley, who the Times says went to the roof of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex to explore installing Starlink there, only to trip a Secret Service alarm. Instead, the outlet writes that the White House is having its Starlink service piped from a government data center miles from the compound.Lets set aside the obvious conflict of interest and ethics questions at play here Elon Musk, who owns Starlink parent company SpaceX, has seemed to have his hand on the Executive Branchs till a lot since Trump took over as President. We can even skip over the security implications pointed out by a cybersecurity expert in the Times piece. As a practical matter alone, theres no obvious reason to add another ISP in order to improve Wi-Fi coverage, especially one that the FCC said less than two years ago didnt demonstrate that it could deliver the promised service required for rural broadband funding. The much simpler solution would be running some new ethernet cable or adding a few extra Wi-Fi access points, like routers. White House officials said Starlink has donated the service, the Times writes. Okay, free is free, hard to knock that. If we want to be really generous, maybe the White House is getting The Good Starlink that the rest of us dont have access to. You know, like that state-of-the-art Super TiVo the first Trump White House claimed to have in 2018.Even then, this is a connection thats beamed from space, through ever-changing atmospheric conditions, with all the stability implications that brings. Piping it in over fiber from a distant data center doesnt change that. Starlink is good for what it is the best, even! It just doesnt stack up against a solid, hardwired internet connection.Do you know why the White House is using Starlink?If you have information to share about why the White House chose to use Starlink instead of using more traditional means, please reach out to us.How to tip The VergeSee More:

INfeasible Furious at the FCC, Arkansas jail cancels inmate phone calls rather than lower rates One angry sheriff takes on the feds. Nate Anderson Mar 18, 2025 4:08 pm | 104 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreSheriff John Montgomery of Baxter County, Arkansas, isn't going to take it anymoreif by "it" you mean "having to offer lower phone call rates to incarcerated inmates." Noting that such phone calls are "not required to be provided by law," Montgomery is ending all inmate phone calls on March 30, 2025.The cause of Montgomery's wrath, and of his March 30 date, is the Federal Communications Commission, which set an April 1, 2025, deadline for smaller jails to lower the obscene rates of inmate phone calls. (Larger jails had to comply in January.) According to the FCC, 15-minute phone calls to inmates could run as much as $12.10 in these smaller jails. The Commission now demands that such calls cost no more than $1.35. (You can read the new rate schedule here.)The rates are high in part because extra security is required for inmate communications services, but the system had also become a way for local agencies to make money by charging vendors a "site commission payment." In this model, vendors might be selected based less on what was good for security and for inmate families and more on how much cash the vendor could funnel to the jail. FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks even referred to these payments as "kickbacks."In 2024, the FCC finally took a hatchet to this entire system. The Commission slashed the fees paid by inmates, it banned all sorts of nickel-and-dime fees that had crept into the process, and it prohibited communications vendors from making "site commission" payments to jails.Now, with compliance coming into view, agencies like the Baxter County Sheriff's Office are expressing their displeasureand taking it out on the inmates. Montgomery recently announced that he is canceling all inmate phone calls. He knows that this will "place a hardship on families," as his press release puts it, but he places all the blame on the federal government, which is name-checked three times in four paragraphs.If "the Federal Communications Commission reverses their adverse regulations," Montgomery said, "the Baxter County Sheriff's Office will revisit the feasibility of reimplementing the inmate phone system."One might expect this view to generate some sympathy in the MAGA-fied halls of FCC HQ. But the Commission's two Republicans actually voted in favor of the rate control order last year. Current FCC Chair Brendan Carr even agreed that inmate phone calls in American prisons were often "excessive" and that the private operators behind these systems represented a "market failure." He then voted for straight-up, old-school price caps.In fact, Carr went on to offer a robust defense of inmate calling, saying: "[I often] heard from families who experienced firsthand the difficulties of maintaining contact with their incarcerated loved ones. I also heard from formerly incarcerated individuals who underscored the decline in mental and emotional health that can result from a lack of external communications. Beyond that, studies have repeatedly shown that increased communication between incarcerated people and their families, friends, and other outside resources helps reduce recidivism rates."So Montgomery may not get this decision reversed easily. (On the other hand, Carr did just launch a "Delete! Delete! Delete!" initiative focused on cutting regulations, so who knows.)Baxter County claims that the FCC decision means that phone services are no longer "feasible." In 2018, however, when Baxter County wanted to expand its jail and didn't have the cash, officials found a way to make it feasible by asking voters to approve a 1-cent sales tax collected between April and September of that year. (You can even watch a time-lapse video of the jail expansion being built.) Feasibility, it turns out, is often in the eye of the beholder.Montgomery did say that he would add some additional in-person visiting hours at the jail to compensate for the lack of phone calls, and last week his office posted the new schedule. But as positive as in-person contact can be, in a busy world it is still nice to have the option of a reasonably priced phone callyou know, the kind that's "feasible" to offer at most other jails in the US.Nate AndersonDeputy EditorNate AndersonDeputy Editor Nate is the deputy editor at Ars Technica. His most recent book is In Emergency, Break Glass: What Nietzsche Can Teach Us About Joyful Living in a Tech-Saturated World, which is much funnier than it sounds. 104 Comments