Leveling up in Schedule 1 will unlock tons of new opportunities and options for you to grow your empire. You won't personally get any stronger than usual, but as you climb up the ranks, you'll be able to buy more stuff and unlock the rest of the game's features.

“Chicken jockey,” take a step back — it’s time for the official music video of “Steve’s Lava Chicken” to have a moment in the Minecraft movie spotlight. And by “official music video,” we mean “The Warner Bros. folks have released a 50-second clip from A Minecraft Movie and comically labeled it as an official music video.” As Steve, Jack Black sings a few little songs in A Minecraft Movie, but the “Steve’s Lava Chicken” song has gotten the most buzz, with clips turning up online even ahead of this “official” release. Steve breaks into song repeatedly in the movie, but none of those songs are full-fledged musical numbers. Also, none of the other characters have similar musical moments. So it’s just Steve singing to himself about whatever’s going on, which honestly sounds a lot like what hanging out with Jack Black would be like.  But considering Jack Black’s prior over-the-top movie musical performances, like Bowser crooning a melody to Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie or the “…Baby One More Time” cover in the credits of Kung Fu Panda 4 or the entirety of School of Rock and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny… Well, the official music video for “Steve’s Lava Chicken” seems a bit toned down for him. We have thoughts about it. Probably way more thoughts than a 50-second clip warrants. Let’s dig in.  Petrana: Not gonna lie… after the huge spectacle that was the official “Peaches” music video — wherein Jack Black wears an elaborate Bowser-evoking costume, plays a peach-colored grand piano, and dramatically twirls around and flops across the floor — I was kinda expecting more from an “official” Jack Black music video!  Tasha: Yeah, this is just straight-up a clip from the movie, no additional music or context or footage. I admit that when you sent this to me, I was hoping for a full-length band rendition of this little ditty. I had that reaction throughout the movie — every time Jack Black started to sing, I was surprised at how quickly he stopped. It isn’t like A Minecraft Movie is a committed musical; it’s more like Steve’s just the kind of guy who randomly sings little songs about whatever’s going on. (Um, relatable, honestly.) Then the Minecraft Overworld magically supplies him with background music. (Where do I sign up for that?) Petrana: It definitely feels like Steve just improvises everything on the spot. Sorta reminds me of the scene in School of Rock where Jack Black’s character makes up a song about learning math. But that one is fun because the other characters join in. Or, in the case of Principal Roz Mullins (Joan Cusack), look completely dubious. In the Minecraft Movie clip, Jason Momoa’s character clowns on the quality of Steve’s chicken jingle, but does anyone else in the movie go, “Oh my God, Steve, shut up”? Tasha: They really don’t acknowledge that he’s singing! It’s kinda weird — but again, maybe relatable. People sometimes politely avert their eyes when I burst into random spontaneous song, too.  Look, Steve just breaking into song in A Minecraft Movie kinda seems like a reasonable character beat, even though no one else ever sings. (Well, until the epilogue, when he and Momoa’s character form a band. Spoilers, sorry.) Steve broke from the real world a long time ago to go hang out in the Minecraft world, where he’s surrounded by creepy, blocky, bug-eyed pink sheep and villagers who only speak in murmur-burbles. One of the big threads in this movie is that he’s kind of a maniacal weirdo who isn’t used to being around other people, which lets Jack Black act freaky a lot. I can absolutely believe Steve made up a little jingle for lava chicken and is happy to share it with his new friends. I can also believe that the folks behind A Minecraft Movie saw that “Peaches” video and wanted some of that “video game-derived movie with a Jack Black song” virality for themselves, but also didn’t want to turn the movie into a full musical. So we get this weird compromise, where he sings, but only in tiny bursts. You haven’t seen the movie — how does this scene/song/plea for TikTok virality play for you?  Petrana: Hmm, with the knowledge that it’s a character beat, it feels a little more cohesive. But on its own it just feels weird! I think in the greater context of the movie, I probably would’ve laughed, because I, too, burst into random songs to narrate what’s going on in my life.  On its own, though, it feels a little too “primed for social media.” I feel like there’s enough pause between the singing and any other dialogue to perfectly cut for viral clips. Also — he’s squarely in the middle of the frame for most of the song, which makes it ideal for translating the movie into a vertical format for TikTok or Instagram! Tasha: Yeah, the framing and the length both feel very conscious and preplanned. So does the emphasis on a product that didn’t exist in Minecraft until the movie integration add-on dropped, for a little cross-promo energy. (At least it’s a free add-on and not a monetization ploy.) Here’s the thing, though: I just find Jack Black fun. At this stage of his career, he feels like he’s embracing everything about his energy and his physicality and making it into a gag we can all share. He’s like a wholesome, welcoming, upbeat version of Chris Farley who has no interest in the self-hatred humor that’s so often a core value for rotund comedians. Whenever I want a pick-me-up, I go back to his go-for-broke performance in “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Tacky” video and just revel in how much and how well Jack Black projects self-ownership and pride. So I’m kinda primed to enjoy this “video,” no matter how short, weird, and media-calculated it is. I guess I’m the target audience for this kind of nonsense. Petrana: I also like Jack Black’s whole schtick! I just wish the “official music video” went a bit harder. Like I said, I expected a whole production, not just a clip. Maybe this is less a fault of Jack Black and more on the Warner Bros. social media accounts. They should know better! Label it an “official clip” and set those expectations low.   Tasha: Here’s the important question that the characters in A Minecraft Movie have to face immediately after this clip, though. Would you eat the lava chicken? Petrana: I can’t front; it looks real good, even in its blocky shape. The sizzle and the juice drippings… mmmmm. Then again, it is lunchtime for me right now.  Tasha: You do you, but I tend to avoid square food. Too many corners. Now that’s what this little ditty needed — a second verse about how Steve goes about navigating a messy meal with sharp edges. Maybe for the sequel?

The next time you open WhatsApp, you might notice some changes. As announced in a blog post on Thursday, the app is rolling out a dozen new features, affecting the chats, calls, and even the Updates tab. Here's what's new: Chat updatesGroup chats are getting a number of updates this go-around. WhatsApp is adding an online indicator to group messages, so you can see who in the thread has WhatsApp open at any given moment. That change should help you gauge how many people are currently reading the chat. You'll see the new indicator directly below the group chat name. Similarly, WhatsApp is adding a new "Notify for" section in group chat settings to manage the notifications you receive from these threads. You can use the "Highlights" option to limit when the app pings you, including for "@mentions," replies, or messages from saved contacts. Of course, you can always choose to accept notifications for all messages in any group chat, as per usual.The app is now adding the option to create events in one-on-one chats. This feature was previously exclusive to group chats, which makes sense—you're more likely to want to plan an event with a group than a single contact—but in case you want to formerly plan a hangout, or send a custom invitation to someone who doesn't have the invite app you're using, this change could be helpful. There are two features specific to iPhones here as well: WhatsApp now has a built-in document scanner on iOS, in case you don't want to use the one in your Notes app. You'll find the option in the attachment tray, under "Scan document." WhatsApp says the feature will walk you through how to scan the doc, as well as how to crop and save it. Second, you can now set WhatsApp as your iPhone's default calling and messaging app, if you spend most of your time chatting on WhatsApp over iOS' Messages.The last change to chats affects reactions. Now, you can copy someone else's reaction to a message without having to dig through the selections yourself.Updates to callsYou'll notice three new features when placing calls. On iOS, you can pinch to zoom when on a video call. This works on both your video feed, as well as the feed of the person you're talking to. For example, your friend might be showing you something on their end, but you can't tell what it is from the video feed alone. You can then pinch to zoom on the display to get a closer look. Conversely, if you want to see something in your video feed you can't make out, you can give that a quick zoom as well. You can now add a friend to a one-on-one call by swiping over to their chat, tapping the call button, and choose "Add to call." It's a small change, but one I can imagine being convenient whenever you need to phone a friend into an ongoing call.Finally, WhatsApp says they've upgraded their video call tech, optimizing the routing system and boosting bandwidth detection. Calls should be higher quality, as well as freeze and drop less often—but we'll have to see if that's the case with real-world use. Changes to 'Updates'There are also three changes to the Updates tab: Channel admins can record and post videos to their followers directly from the app (though these videos need to be 60 seconds or less). You can also see a transcription of voice messages updates in channels, and channel admins can share QR codes to link to the channel.

Slocap’s next game Rematch will be available on June 19. It’ll cost $30 and will be playable on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. The announcement was made at the The Triple-i Initiative indie showcase. Rematch is a soccer title, which may seem surprising for the company that made the brawlers Sifu and Absolver. However, it looks to be an arcade-focused affair instead of a serious sim. There are both 5v5 and 4v4 matches and the action looks fast-paced. There are no fouls, offsides or anything like that, as the title has been “designed for nonstop competitive play.” The game even has a Rocket League-style boundary wall, so the ball never goes out of play. Rematch offers a number of quickplay modes to get started with and a variety of backdrops for matches. There's even an underwater field.  Preorders are already online and there’s an open beta set to kick off (get it?) on April 18. Players can register for this two-day event right now. There are also a couple of other editions of the game that cost extra. The Pro Edition costs $40, but allows people to play the game a few days early and offers cosmetic and gameplay upgrades. The Elite Edition includes the contents of the Pro Edition, but offers even more upgrades. These include sneakers to “give your footwork the dazzle it deserves." This version costs $50.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sifu-devs-soccer-game-rematch-arrives-june-19-170031959.html?src=rss

Here's when you can stream The Last of Us season 2's opening episode in the US, UK, and Australia.

Apple remains stranded without a life raft, experts say, as tariffs on China reach a cumulative 145%.

Set 10,000 years before the events of the iconic films, this massive environment showcases the scale and ambition behind the series’ visual world-building.In this behind-the-scenes feature, VFX Supervisor Julien Hery and Environment Supervisor Scott Coates walk us through the layered creative process—detailing how design, scale, and atmosphere were meticulously crafted to bring the grandeur of the Dune universe to life.Rodeo FX The post Breaking Down the Breakdown – Dune: Prophecy  appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Weeks after ordering all Food and Drug Administration employees back into the office, the agency is reversing course, allowing some of its most prized staffers to work remotely amid worries that recent layoffs and resignations could jeopardize basic functions, like approving new medicines. An internal email obtained by The Associated Press states that FDA leadership are “allowing review staff and supervisors to resume telework” at least two days a week. The policy shift was confirmed by three FDA staffers who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters. The message was sent Tuesday to some of FDA’s hundreds of drug reviewers. Staffers said a similar policy was communicated to reviewers who handle vaccines, biotech drugs, medical devices and tobacco products although not necessarily in writing. It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s chaotic approach to overhauling the federal health workforce, which has included firings, a scramble to rehire some employees, and then additional layoffs last week of an estimated 3,400 staffers, or more than 15% of the agency’s workforce. When FDA employees were called back to the agency’s headquarters last month they confronted overflowing parking lots, crowded offices and broken or missing supplies. A spokeswoman for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is returning to “pre-COVID telework arrangements for reviewers, whose read and write work output is tracked in 15-minute increments to ensure productivity and accountability.” While many agencies switched to telework during the pandemic, the FDA began embracing the practice a decade earlier. The flexibility was seen as a competitive perk for recruiting employees who can often earn more working in industry. Last week’s cuts included entire offices focusing on FDA policy and regulations, most of the agency’s communication staff and teams that support food inspectors and investigators. Senior officials overseeing tobacco, new drugs, vaccines and other products have also been dismissed or forced to resign. Staffers have described rank-and-file employees “pouring” out of the agency. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler called the cuts “devastating, haphazard, thoughtless and chaotic” during a House hearing on Wednesday. When Kennedy announced plans to eliminate 10,000 staffers across the federal health workforce, he noted out that FDA medical reviewers and safety inspectors wouldn’t be impacted. In February, HHS was forced to recall some probationary employees who were fired, including hundreds of medical reviewers at FDA, who are largely funded by industry fees, not federal dollars. But last week’s cuts combined with resignations and retirements have raised a new threat: that FDA funding could fall so low that it short circuits a long-standing system in which companies help fund much of the agency’s operations. Nearly half the FDA’s $7 billion budget comes from fees collected from drug, device and tobacco companies. The agency uses the money to hire thousands of staffers to quickly and efficiently review new products. For example, about 70% of the FDA’s drug program is financed by user-fee agreements, which must be reauthorized by Congress every five years. But the agreements stipulate that if FDA’s federal funding falls below set levels, companies are no longer required to pay and, in some cases, can claw back their money. The threshold requirements are designed to ensure Congress continues funding FDA, rather than relying entirely on the private sector. FDA and industry groups are supposed to begin negotiations later this year to renew several user-fee agreements, including those for drugs and devices. “I don’t think the agency nor regulated industry can afford for ‘user fees’ not to be reauthorized,” said Michael Gaba, an attorney who advises FDA-regulated companies. Whatever the reasoning behind the telework shift, former federal officials say it’s a sign that recently confirmed FDA Commissioner Marty Makary is trying to retain and rebuild agency staffing. Makary made his first appearance at FDA’s headquarters last Wednesday, one day after the mass layoffs. According to the memo obtained by the AP, Makary signed off on the return to telework for some employees. “Dr. Makary needs to rebuild teams and restart the engine of productivity lost to weeks of job insecurity, uncertainty and shortages of team members,” said Steven Grossman, a former HHS official. “Turning commuting time back into work time is a great first step in achieving both.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Matthew Perrone, AP health writer

Despite its modest length of 34 feet (10 meters), the Violet Edition – Scarlett Loft by Mint Tiny House Company manages to fit three bedrooms into its compact design. This impressive arrangement allows the tiny house to comfortably accommodate up to six people. For those who don’t mind a little extra coziness, the sleeping capacity can even be extended to eight by utilizing a sofa bed. The Scarlett Loft is constructed on a sturdy triple-axle trailer and features a charming wood finish, giving it a warm and inviting aesthetic. It draws power from a standard RV-style hookup, ensuring convenience and compatibility for a variety of locations. The interior layout spans 426 square feet (almost 40 square meters) across two floors, making it mid-sized by today’s North American tiny house standards. While some models, such as the Tellico, can measure as long as 45 feet, the Violet Edition strikes a balance between space efficiency and the cozy charm that is typically seen in tiny homes. Designer: Mint Tiny House Company The main entrance leads directly into the living room, which is designed to be compact, reflecting the necessary compromises Mint Tiny House Company made to accommodate all essential features. This cozy area includes a sofa, a chair, and a coffee table, complemented by exposed wooden beams on the ceiling. To reach the maximum sleeping capacity, the sofa is intended to double as a sofa bed. Adjacent to the living room is the kitchen, which is thoughtfully equipped with a breakfast bar that seats two. It features a farmhouse-style sink, a fridge/freezer, and a propane-powered oven with a three-burner stove. The kitchen is finished with butcher block veneer countertops and offers ample cabinet space for storage. Remaining on the ground floor, the bathroom is conveniently located next to the kitchen. This well-designed bathroom includes a shower, a vanity sink, and a standard flushing toilet. For those interested in a more sustainable option, the toilet can be upgraded to a composting model, catering to eco-conscious homeowners. At the end of the tiny house, opposite the living room, you’ll find the master bedroom. This private space is accessible from the bathroom through a sliding door, providing a seamless transition between the two areas. Thanks to its downstairs location, the master bedroom offers generous headroom, enhancing the feeling of spaciousness. It is furnished with a comfortable double bed and includes some storage space as well. The master bedroom has its own separate entrance to the outside, featuring elegant double glass doors that provide both natural light and easy access to outdoor surroundings. The Violet Edition – Scarlett Loft features two more bedrooms located on the upper level. One of these bedrooms is accessible via a staircase that cleverly integrates storage, while the other is reached by climbing a ladder. Both bedrooms have a simple design, marked by low ceilings, and double beds. This charming tiny house is currently available for purchase for US$117,687. Buyers also have the option to customize their homes with additional features, such as increased storage space and a dishwasher, to further enhance their living experience. The post This 34-Foot Tiny Home Maximizes Space & Comfort While Sleeping Eight People first appeared on Yanko Design.

But will Giraffes on Horseback Salad be any good?