Image by Getty / FuturismDevelopmentsUnitedHealth, the largest healthcare insurer in the United States, reportedly went to extreme lengths to deny care to seniors and cut costs to pad out its profit margins.As The Guardian reports, nurse practitioners say that UnitedHealth pressed them to change patients' status to "do not resuscitate" — even after those same patients had "clearly expressed a desire that all available treatments be used to keep them alive.""They’re pretending to make it look like it’s in the best interest of the member," one practitioner told the British newspaper. "But it’s really not."UnitedHealth also allegedly tried to prevent patients from transferring hospitals, risking their health further.While the company has denied the allegations, the reporting paints an alarming picture of the state of healthcare in the United States, where insurance is treated much the same way as a tech company trying to maximize profits while cutting costs.UnitedHealth already has a lengthy track record of finding creative ways to deny people healthcare coverage, including deploying an AI that automatically denied and overrode claims for elderly patients.The company has attracted particular controversy after its CEO was murdered in December, in an apparent act of lethal anger at the injustices of a notoriously greedy and deficient system.The company has had a miserable year since then. Its shares have dropped almost 40 percent year to date, following a flood of damning reports.Following The Guardian's reporting today, UnitedHealth's stock price slid by more than six percent.The company has also been the subject of criminal and civil investigations into its practices, including medicare fraud, as Reuters reports.Last week, UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty abruptly resigned, citing "personal reasons" and drawing even more scrutiny over the company's operations.Whether the departure had anything to do with a continuous flood of bad press remains unclear. According to a whistleblower lawsuit cited by the Guardian, staffers at nursing homes were directly incentivized to leak sensitive resident records so that UnitedHealth sales teams could solicit their plans to them and their families.A patient who showed key symptoms of having suffered a stroke, for instance, was denied care by a remote and underqualified UnitedHealth employee, who suggested she was suffering from a less serious condition, according to UnitedHealth logs and records obtained by the newspaper. The delays caused by healthcare practitioners waiting to hear back from the insurer led to the patient's health deteriorating further.Per The Guardian, there have been countless other instances like it.In short, UnitedHealth seems far interested in cutting costs than ensuring people in senior homes stay healthy."How many of those people were further harmed because they never received the care that they needed?" former UnitedHealth nurse practitioner turned whistleblower Maxwell Ollivant told The Guardian. "When you just look at the percentage reductions in hospitalizations, it doesn’t say anything about patient outcomes."Share This Article #insurance #company #accused #pressuring #medical

Tiller is seeking an experienced, team-oriented backend engineer with a passion for building robust, scalable software and systems for customer-focused financial products. You may be a perfect candidate if you have excellent communication skills, appreciate simple solutions to complex problems, are open and flexible around sharing ideas and accepting feedback, and enjoy working collaboratively.You are not expected to have expertise in all listed requirements. We are most interested in developers with relevant professional experience. If you feel passionately about Tiller’s mission, vision and values, please apply.Our engineering team is fully remote and based in the Pacific Time Zone. We have a strong preference for candidates who are located within two to three hours of our timezone.What you will bring to TillerExpertise with our core tech stackStrong understanding of cloud platform servicesKnowledge and skills for effectively monitoring distributed applications on the Google Cloud platform.Experience with tools and techniques for maintaining and refactoring legacy code.Reasonable and appropriate use of AI tools for coding.Reliable workspace and internet connection, and ability to travel to Washington State or another US location three to four times a year.A growth mindset and desire to continuously improve.Within 2 weeks, you will:Introduce yourself and work with each of our teams from engineering to customer success and more.Familiarize yourself with our product and core codebase.Learn about our roadmap and exciting opportunities ahead.Get your first project into production and learn about our development processes.Within 3 months, you will:Improve the core codebase by developing a performant and maintainable backend feature.Lead and participate in blameless, empathetic code reviews.Gain a full overview of our service architecture and implement 3 metrics to increase visibility into the health and performance of our services.Have paired with others on the team to deliver on at least one new feature to our customers.Within 6 months, you will:Contribute to the engineering team’s culture of operational excellence by creating a proposal to improve a system or process.Take ownership of a new product initiative through the entire development lifecycle.Be a subject matter expert in one or more areas of Tiller’s service architecture.What we offerCompetitive salary + equityMedical benefitsFully remote position with flexible working hoursUnlimited paid time offAnnual company and team meetupsAbout TillerTiller’s mission is to help people gain greater confidence and control of their financial lives. We’re passionate about empowering people with their financial data in a flexible, private, and customizable format so they can take control of their future.Our VisionMoney matters because life matters more.Our ValuesWe communicate directly and respectfully to build an environment of mutual support.Our team structure is built on trust, where each member is a “manager of one”.We bias towards action and focus on tangible outcomes. We take reasonably informed risks, and view failure as an opportunity to learn.We work to make a positive impact, internally and externally. We own our processes and collective outcomes as a team.We embrace a growth mindset, staying curious and seeking help from others to expand our possibilities. It’s okay to make mistakes here: we are human, and readily admit when we are wrong.Commitment to diversityTiller is committed to making this a great place to work for everyone, to encourage diverse perspectives and to make technology more representative of the humans we serve. We strive to cultivate an environment that supports our team’s full lives, to enable them to do their best work.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Back-End Programming JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot #tiller #experienced #software #engineer #backend

Dyson's PencilVac is so thin and light it feels more like a broom than a cordless vacuum. Here's how using it went. #dysons #new #pencilvac #lightest #thinnest

Emma Stone and Dave McCary are offloading their Texas compound for million. The La La Land star and her writer-producer husband bought the property in Tarrytown, one of the oldest enclaves in the Lone Star state. The suburb is located minutes away from downtown Austin. After quietly tying the knot in 2020 and welcoming their first child the following year, the family of three moved from California to the historic West Austin estate, which holds the title of most expensive real estate purchase in their portfolio. The pair has decided to part ways with the abode after investing years into restoring the property.The home was completely updated by the award-winning architecture firm Cuppett Kilpatrick. For the project, the Austin-based firm took inspiration from “the gracious nature of the surrounding community,” per the official listing. The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom pad is tucked away on an oak-shaded street. The main house, constructed with Georgia-style masonry, spans 10,000 square feet. A detached garage is outfitted with a screening room and an entertainment space above. Elsewhere on the 1.24-acre plot is a two-bedroom guesthouse, a screened-in breezeway looking out onto the pool, and a garden reminiscent of a countryside retreat.A landscaped garden area in the yard of the home. Photo: Travis Wayne Baker/Twist ToursStone and McCary tapped local architects Koch McIntyre Construction to reimagine the interiors of the traditional-style house. Quaint features like herringbone oak, brick floors, and creamy marble used for fireplace surrounds and counters are incorporated in every room. The estate boasts five spacious living areas and two dining rooms flooded with natural light. Other amenities include arched doorways, leaded-glass windows, a sunlit solarium, a wood-paneled library, and a playroom. Construction on the property is not yet finished, though it is slated for completion in the summer. The listing is currently the most expensive in the city. #emma #stone #lists #restored #texas

Image: NintendoWe're getting closer to the Switch 2 and Nintendo has now revealed its plans for the launch events at its stores in the US. If you're planning on heading to either the Nintendo New York store or the newly-opened San Francisco store, you're going to want to show up on June 4th. Entry to both events is "first come, first served". In New York the event will kick off on 3pm ET and in San Francisco it will take place at 1pm PT. Following each celebration there will be a "separate Nintendo Switch 2 Shopping Session" at each store, taking place on 9pm PT/12am ET. To attend this, you'll need to have a Warp Pipe Pass, with more details "coming soon". Other locations in the US like GameStop will also be hosting midnight events, with additional units to also be made "available in-store and online". Pre-orders are now live for the Switch 2, with the base system priced at USD / CAD. But accessories "experience price adjustments" in the US "Didn't pre-order?" Update: Now open! Will you be heading to any Switch 2 launch events? Let us know in the comments. See Also Share:0 0 Liam is a news writer and reviewer across Hookshot Media. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of many iconic video game characters. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Nintendo Unveils Diddy Kong's Brand New Design Cap's off 27 Upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 Games We're Excited For In 2025 The very best Switch 2 games coming soon 12 Switch Games Are Getting Free Switch 2 Upgrades, Here's What You Can Expect Nintendo's free updates arrive next month Shigeru Miyamoto Explains Why Donkey Kong Has Been Redesigned You want expressive? You got it Here's A Look At The Size And Inside Of Switch 2 Game Cases Arriving in store next month #nintendo #store #outlines #switch #launch

For James MacLachlan, working as overall VFX supervisor on Season 7 of Netflix’s sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror, represented quite a jump from his previous work as VFX supervisor on Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso. “They’re very much the yin and the yang of my career so far,” he says. “I’ve always followed Black Mirror, and I enjoy a bit of a dark humor and love the technology side of things. I think I’m more aligned to Black Mirror in terms of personal ethos. But I’ve learned a lot from Ted Lasso. It’s softened my approach.” Black Mirror’s 7th season finale, “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” a sequel to the fan-favorite 2017 Season 4 opening episode, “USS Callister,” picks up years later where the ship’s crew, led by Captain Nanette Cole, is stranded in an infinite virtual universe, fighting for survival against 30 million players. MacLachlan spoke with AWN about how he and the visual effects team began with a fresh visual direction and an ambitious VFX brief, modernizing the original look while employing a collaborative pipeline to produce needed shots, and why family visits to set might help inspire a new generation of digital artists. The new episode returns to the USS Callister from Season 4, but in the future. It builds directly on the 2017 original. “We were a sequel,” MacLachlan says. “The original episode is much loved by fans. We were springboarding from a wealth of looks and ideas and themes that ran through it. We were standing on the shoulders of giants.” While the creative team worked from a familiar design language and characters, they updated the aesthetic. “The first episode leaned heavily into 60s design,” MacLachlan adds. “We were very much heading into the future. Some of the elements are similar, but the direction was new.” The production was anchored by director Toby Haynes and showrunner Charlie Brooker. “Together, the pair of them were able to directly point to where we were headed from that initial point in time,” MacLachlan notes. “Miranda Jones, our production designer, did a lot to establish the new visuals. The costume and props departments came in with fresh ideas. It was a really solid base.” He adds, “Some of the stuff we designed as we did the VFX, and some of the things Union VFX did were absolutely fantastic. You know, the teleportation, the defragging / fragging, the spaceship design, the space battles, they were all new elements this time around.” “There are north of 600 VFX shots in the episode, which is a significant shot count,” MacLachlan shares. “The largest body of work was obviously the space battle sequences in and around the Heart of Infinity,” he says. “There’s a lot of fully CG content — space battles, explosions, laser fire, dynamic camera moves.” Designing the action around a unique central structure was critical. “A key feature of the show was that everything is moving in and around this swirling, gyroscopic behemoth of a center of the Heart of Infinity,” MacLachlan says. “The team had to coordinate shots where the camera moves in and around a moving obstruction. I can’t think of another space battle where the object is shifting this way.” Describing other VFX highlights that included teleportation effects, defragging visuals, and transitions in and out of the game environment, he adds, “We were creating in-game effects within a real-world, immersive context. It wasn’t just stylized overlays — it had to feel like part of the world.” Planning began before the script was locked. “We read the scripts while they were still in development,” MacLachlan explains. “It was collaborative from the start. We’d meet with Toby, Charlie, the DOP Stefan Pearson, and just start bouncing ideas.” Early design sessions were hands-on. “We’d literally be using hand gestures to block things, filming each other, folding paper planes, moving them around,” he laughs. “We were doing sort of bad Tai Chi in the office. It started very organically.” The previs team at Bigtooth Studios helped refine the ideas. “They were fantastic,” MacLachlan says. “They generated shots and content we could slip into the edit. Union VFX then built on top of that. It was a really fluid process.” Because of the evolving nature of the edit, flexibility was essential. “We weren’t constrained to a single version of things,” he continues. “As the cut changed, the design could adapt. That was really lovely.” While there was no virtual production in the traditional sense, the team did employ a large LED wall for the bridge set. According to MacLachlan, “There’s a huge viewport in the USS Callister bridge. We figured it would be more cost-effective and give a better result if we used an LED wall. We pre-designed hyperspace, laser fire, different planets — then played them back live on set.” The benefits were both creative and technical. “The actors walked in and were blown away,” he shares. “Last time it was all greenscreen. This time it looked amazing.” From a cinematography standpoint, it also made sense. “The ship interior has reflective surfaces — shiny glassy chrome,” he adds. “The LED wall meant we had natural reflections, no need to fake them in post.” With real-time control, the team could fine-tune light and composition. “Stefan could move where a planet was to adjust lighting,” MacLachlan notes. “We did large matte paintings, animated them, and the crew could switch things on the fly. It gave us a lot of variation.” MacLachlan says the episode’s ambition pushed everyone to rethink traditional sci-fi staging. “We wanted to bring energy. The space battle had to feel dynamic, like the camera was part of the action. We had to consider how laser fire works. If a pulse leaves a fighter jet, it keeps going straight — even if the ship turns.” “It’s not something I’d really considered before,” he admits. “The Union team showed me tests, and we realized the physics mattered. It needed to be consistent.” Making it all work narratively meant threading effects into the story. “Teleportation, defragging — these had to look impressive, but also support what the characters were experiencing,” MacLachlan says. “We were building a game world that had its own logic.” He also emphasizes that collaboration across departments was key. “Everyone brought ideas. We’d be feeding off each other. Charlie, Toby, Stefan, the editor Tony Kearns — when everyone’s playing in the sandbox together, it elevates things.” MacLachlan adds that time was the only real limit. “We just wanted to keep putting more in. That’s always the challenge — knowing when to stop.” One moment that stood out during the production was the family set visit. MacLachlan shares, “Families were invited to come walk around the bridge. The cast and crew brought their kids. You could see them light up. It’s not something I’ve experienced before.” He believes those visits may spark something lasting, noting, “You hear a lot of people in VFX say, ‘It was Star Wars for me.’ Or ‘That day I visited set.’ Maybe some of those kids will remember this as their moment. That’s really special.” Ultimately, MacLachlan sees the episode as a mix of spectacle and thoughtful design. “Hopefully the energy of the space battle helps the story move forward. It’s not subtle. The VFX are right there. But it feels cohesive.” He adds, “We didn’t want to show off for the sake of it. The effects had to be part of the game logic, part of the narrative. It all had to feel photographic and believable in the context of the show.” For MacLachlan, the collaboration stood out most. “From script to screen, it was a wonderful experience. The humor, the dark areas, the tech — it all came together. I think that shows in the final product.” Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network. #inside #vfx #netflixs #black #mirror

The Dell AI Factory claims to speed up data throughput and lower latency for making AI predictions at the edge. Here's how the pieces come together. #dell #wants #your #onestop #shop

Looking for help with today's NYT Mini Crossword puzzle? Here are some hints and answers for the puzzle. #todays #nyt #mini #crossword #clues

In brief: Although Windows will likely never sync with smartphones as seamlessly as Macs interface with iPhones, Microsoft has long sought to emulate aspects of Apple's connected ecosystem. In line with this goal, an upcoming feature in Windows 11 will allow users with Android phones to access functionality similar to Apple's Handoff. Recently, Microsoft briefly published – and then deleted – a demonstration of a planned Windows 11 feature that lets users continue app activity between their Android devices and PCs. While it's still unclear when and if this feature becomes widely available, third-party developers are currently testing it. Aakash Varshney, Microsoft's Senior Product Manager of Cross Devices and Experiences, detailed the new feature, called Cross Device Resume, during the company's Build 2025 session. When using supported Android apps, a badge may appear next to the app's icon on the Windows PC taskbar. Clicking the badge resumes the activity from the mobile version of the app. On X, user "phantomofearth" shared a screenshot from an earlier version of the Build stream, showing the desktop Spotify app resuming a song that was paused on the Android app. It's unclear why Microsoft later removed this visual demonstration from the video. According to Phantom, Microsoft plans to begin rolling out Cross Device Resume via OneDrive later this month, with taskbar integration to follow. Spotify and WhatsApp will reportedly be among the first supported apps. The feature mirrors Apple's Handoff, which allows users to seamlessly continue songs, documents, browser sessions, and other activities across iPhone, iPad, Macs, and the Apple Watch. Handoff isn't the first cross-device feature Microsoft has attempted to replicate from Apple either. In January, Microsoft upgraded its Phone Link app to improve connectivity between Windows 11, Android phones, and iPhones. By syncing devices over Bluetooth, users can transfer files, handle calls, and send text messages from their PCs. // Related Stories While still far from achieving the level of integration offered by Apple's Continuity, which allows a Mac to remotely access virtually everything on a nearby iPhone, Microsoft is working to close the gap. Apple's tight vertical integration across its devices remains a major competitive advantage in this kind of scenarios. The Build presentation also touched on Microsoft's plans to streamline file and link sharing across apps and devices. Soon, users will be able to share content with contacts across multiple platforms with just a couple of clicks. Microsoft will continue hosting additional Build sessions aimed at developers through Thursday, May 22. Moving files between Android/iOS and Windows, is it...? #new #windows #feature #would #let

Microsoft, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, took a major step in dismantling one of the most prolific cybercrime tools currently in circulation. Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unitcollaborated with the DOJ, Europol, and several global cybersecurity firms to disrupt the Lumma Stealer malware network — a malware-as-a-serviceplatform implicated in hundreds of thousands of digital breaches worldwide. According to Microsoft, Lumma Stealer infected over 394,000 Windows machines between March and mid-May 2025. The malware has been a favored tool amongst cybercriminals for stealing login credentials and sensitive financial information including cryptocurrency wallets. It’s been used for extortion campaigns against schools, hospitals, and infrastructure providers. According to the DOJ website, “the FBI has identified at least 1.7 million instances where LummaC2 was used to steal this type of information.” Recommended Videos With a court order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern Districts of Georgia, Microsoft took down roughly 2,300 malicious domains associated with Lumma’s infrastructure. The DOJ simultaneously took down five critical LummaC2 domains, which acted as command-and-control centers for cybercriminals deploying the malware. These domains now redirect to a government seizure notice. International assistance came from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centreand Japan’s JC3, who coordinated efforts to block regional servers. Cybersecurity firms like Bitsight, Cloudflare, ESET, Lumen, CleanDNS, and GMO Registry assisted in identifying and dismantling web infrastructure. Inside the Lumma operation Lumma, also known as LummaC2, has been operating since 2022, possibly earlier, and makes its info-stealing malware available for sale through encrypted forums and Telegram channels. The malware is designed for ease of use and is often bundled with obfuscation tools to help it bypass antivirus software. Distribution techniques include spear-phishing emails, spoofed brand websites, and malicious online ads known as “malvertising.” Cybersecurity researchers say Lumma is particularly dangerous because it allows criminals to rapidly scale attacks. Buyers can customize payloads, track stolen data, and even get customer support via a dedicated user panel. Microsoft Threat Intelligence previously linked Lumma to notorious Octo Tempest gang, also known as “Scattered Spider.” In one phishing campaign earlier this year, hackers were able to spoof Booking.com and used Lumma to harvest financial credentials from unsuspecting victims. Who’s behind it? Authorities believe the developer of Lumma goes by the alias “Shamel” and operates out of Russia. In a 2023 interview, Shamel claimed to have 400 active clients and even bragged about branding Lumma with a dove logo and the slogan: “Making money with us is just as easy.” Long-term disruption, not a knockout Image used with permission by copyright holder While the takedown is significant, experts warn that Lumma and tools like it are rarely eradicated for good. Still, Microsoft and the DOJ say these actions severely hinder and disrupt criminal operations by cutting off their infrastructure and revenue streams. Microsoft will use the seized domains as sinkholes to gather intelligence and further protect victims. This situation highlights the need for international cooperation in cybercrime enforcement. DOJ officials emphasized the value of public-private partnerships, while the FBI noted that court-authorized disruptions remain a critical tool in the government’s cybersecurity playbook. As Microsoft’s DCU continues its work, this Lumma crackdown sets a strong precedent for what can be accomplished when industry and government specialists collaborate to eliminate threats. As more of these organizations are uncovered and disrupted, remember to protect yourself by changing your passwords frequently and avoid clicking links from unknown senders. #microsoft #doj #deal #crushing #blow