The Defense Department has made its position clear that any new federal cybersecurity fighting force should not be centralized outside Pentagon authority.

Elon Musk's X implemented new terms of service that are driving some users off the microblogging platform.

Bproduction released Population 2, the new version of its Blender crowd simulation tool, featuring bidirectional paths with adjustable width, a path-painting option, an updated stadium mode, and more.Get it here: https://80.lv/articles/population-lightweight-crowd-simulation-tool-for-blender-got-updated/

Alexander Ameye showcased a custom Unity tool that lets him paint hidden outlines, which are then used by the outline shader.Learn more and get his outlining toolkit: https://80.lv/articles/this-unity-tool-lets-you-paint-hidden-outlines/

Activists and experts who are pushing world leaders to save an overheating planet learned its not so easy, even in a simulated world.The Associated Press brought the board game Daybreak to the United Nations climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan. Experts from three countries were asked to play the game, which involves players working together to curb climate change, caused by the release of greenhouse gas emissions when fuels like gasoline, natural gas and coal are burned. The goal of the game is to prevent the world from getting too hot or overrun by devastating extreme weather events.Three times activists, analysts and reporters took turns being the United States, China, Europe and the rest of the world, coping with weather disasters, trying to reduce emissions with projects like wetlands restoration and fighting fossil fuel interests, all according to the cards dealt.The yellow-red crisis cards are the ones that set players back the most. And every round comes with a new card, such as, Storms: Every player adds 1 Community in Crisis per 0.1 degrees Celsius (0.2 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature rise, or Sea Level Rise: Every player loses 1 Infrastructure Resilience.Those are tempered by blue cards that represent local projects, such as around fertilizer efficiency, which eliminates one game token of methane-spewing livestock, or universal public transport, which eliminates a token of polluting car emissions.In each game, the temperature went beyond the limit that the world set in the 2015 Paris Agreement: 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times, roughly the mid-1800s. Technically, the game isnt lost until a temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) is reached. However, 1.5 degrees has been ingrained as a threshold in climate circles, so the shoulders of players drooped in defeat when their fictional world blew past it.After just one round of play, which lasted about 20 minutes in the second game, the global thermometer rose to 1.45 degrees Celsius (2.61 degrees Fahrenheit).How did that happen? It happened so quickly, said Borami Seo, head of food and agriculture at Solutions for Our Climate in South Korea. She purposely chose Europe, arguably the world leader in climate policy and financial aid, so she would be in a position to help the rest of the world.She couldnt.I thought this game was supposed to give us hope. Im not gaining any hope, Seo said in a voice somewhere between curiosity and frustration.fThe first two games were cut short because players had to go elsewhere during busy climate negotiations.But the third game went 47 minutes and three rounds. Jake Schmidt, spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, was playing in the majority of the world role and a hurricane hit at a time that average global temperature rise was 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 degrees Fahrenheit). For every tenth of a degree above 1.2 degrees Celsius, players had to add a communities in crisis game token.Schmidt had more cities in crisis than the 12 that the game permits: All my communities are gone.The game and world were lost.Im sad, Schmidt said. We very quickly got toast. That was only three rounds and my communities were toast. And we were already at 1.8. I think they need a little slower way, start at a lower base.The game starts at 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. The real world is now 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) higher, according to the United Nations.Getting rid of the emissions was really hard, Schmidt said, adding that it seemed realistic. But it made him more pessimistic about climate change, he said. It reminded him of how hard the problem is.Thats the point, said game co-designer Matt Leacock, who first created the board game Pandemic long before the real one beset the world.I wouldnt want most people to win the game the first time they play. I dont think thats a productive message, Leacock said. I want most people to lose, but to blame themselves and to learn from their experience and then really want to play again and be like, I see what we did wrong. Ive got an idea of what we can do better. Lets try again and see if we can see if we can pull it off.'There is a political message to the game that the world needs saving, Leacock said. Winning, or stopping the world from runaway temperature rise, is doable but hard and requires dramatic early action, he said. Thats what experts say is required in real life.Leacock, who researched the science and politics of climate change negotiations and consulted with the World Resources Institute, said it was the middle of the real-life pandemic lockdown a few years ago when he decided to turn what many call an existential crisis into a board game one where people work together instead of against each other.He wanted a game that could make a difference.In the first game, Courtney Howard of the Global Climate and Health Alliance took that to heart and felt the weight of the world as temperatures rose and disasters multiplied.You feel the anxiety rising as youre getting farther away from your goal and the crisis points are increasing, said Howard. So I think were going to need to anticipate increasing anxiety. And whats that going to do to human behavior on the local and global stage?A Canadian emergency room doctor, Howard was playing the role of the United States and was doing whatever she could to help Nathan Cogswell of the World Resources Institute, who was playing the majority of the world and getting bogged down by troubles.Howard was then dealt a debt reparations card that allowed her to give Cogswell anything out of her hand. She wasnt going to pass that up, saying, I feel very guilty for my historical emissions. The U.S. has contributed the most emissions of any country in the world.As most of the developing world, Cogswell jumped at the offer from Howard, who then added a political and medical perspective to what was happening on the board.Im feeling like this real glow of goodwill, Howard said. Did you know that giving actually increases wellbeing more than receiving? And Im feeling that right now.But it didnt help. The players couldnt quite save the world this time.The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.Seth Borenstein, Associated Press science writer

Federal water officials made public on Wednesday what they called necessary steps for seven states and multiple tribes that use Colorado River water and hydropower to meet an August 2026 deadline for deciding how to manage the waterway in the future.Today we show our collective work, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said as she outlined four proposals for action and one no action alternative that she and Bidens government will leave for the incoming Trump Administration with formal environmental assessments still to come and just 20 months to act.The announcement offered no recommendation or decision about how to divvy up water from the river, which provides electricity to millions of homes and businesses, irrigates vast stretches of desert farmland and reaches kitchen faucets in cities including Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles.Instead, it provided a bullet-point sample of elements from competing proposals submitted last March by three key river stakeholders: Upper Basin states Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming, where most of the water originates; Lower Basin states California, Arizona and Nevada, which rely most on water captured by dams at lakes Powell and Mead; and more than two dozen Native American tribes with rights to river water.Theyre not going to take the any of the proposals, said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. The federal government put the components together in a different way and modeled them to provide near-maximum flexibility for negotiations to continue.One alternative would have the government act to protect critical infrastructure including dams and oversee how much river water is delivered, relying on existing agreements during periods when demand outstrips supply. But there would be no new delivery and storage mechanisms, the announcement said.A second option would add delivery and storage for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, along with federal and non-federal storage to boost system sustainability and flexibility through a new approach to distributing water during shortages.The third, dubbed cooperative conservation, cited a proposal from advocates aimed at managing and gauging water releases from Lake Powell amid shared contributions to sustain system integrity.And a fourth, hybrid proposal includes parts of Upper and Lower Basin and Tribal Nations plans, the announcement said. It would add delivery and storage for Powell and Mead, encourage conservation and agreements for water use among customers and afford the Tribal and non-Tribal entities the same ability to use these mechanisms.The no action option does not meet the purpose of study but was included because it is required under the National Environmental Policy Act, the announcement said.In 2026, legal agreements that apportion the river will expire. That means that amid the effects of climate change and more than 20 years of drought, river stakeholders and the federal government have just months to agree what to do.We still have a pretty wide gap between us, Tom Buschatzke, Arizonas main negotiator on the Colorado River, said in a conference call with reporters. He referred to positions of Upper Basin and Lower Basin states. Tribes including the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona have also been flexing their long-held water rights.Buschatzke said he saw some really positive elements in the alternatives but needed time to review them in detail. I think anything that could be done to move things forward on a faster track is a good thing, he said.Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado said in a statement the alternatives underscore how serious a situation were facing on the Colorado River.The only path forward is a collaborative, seven-state plan to solve the Colorado River crisis without taking this to court, he said. Otherwise, well watch the river run dry while we sue each other.Wednesdays announcement came two weeks after Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election to Republican former President Donald Trump, and two weeks ahead of a key meeting of the involved parties at Colorado River Water Users Association meetings in Las Vegas.Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Great Basin Water Network advocacy group, said snapshots offered in the announcement underscore the uncertainty that is swirling around future river management as a new administration prepares to take office.The river needs basin-wide curtailments, agreements to make tribes whole, a moratorium on new dams and diversions, commitments for endangered species and new thinking about outdated infrastructure, he said.Buschatzke declined to speculate about whether Trump administration officials will pick up where Bidens leaves off. But Porter, at the Kyl Center, said the announcement shows an expectation of continuity.The leadership is going to change, but there are a lot of people who have been working on this for a long time who will still be involved in the negotiations and modeling, she said.Ken Ritter, Associated PressAmy Taxin, Associated Press writer, contributed to this report.

Landscapes of the Netherlands informed the design of this office in Hoofddorp by local studio Firm Architects, which features a curving brick wall and reflective materials referencing the role of water in Dutch culture.The 675-square-metre workspace belongs to APPM, a management consultancy that works across infrastructure, sustainable mobility and the energy transition.Firm Architects has completed the Land over Water office in HoofddorpResponding to the client's request for a design with a distinct narrative, Firm Architects drew on APPM's focus on sustainable development and its motto of "making the Netherlands more beautiful"."The design is inspired by what makes the landscape of the Netherlands so unique the eternal battle between water and clay, and the use of vegetation to hold the clay," the architects explained.A curving brick wall divides the officeThe existing interior, dating back to the building's construction in the early 1990s, was stripped back to make way for a modern workspace featuring areas for collaborative working along with individual workstations, presentation spaces and breakout zones.Areas along the facades were left open to allow for natural circulation, with large volumes at the centre of the office containing various dedicated functions.Reed-filled planters nod to local vegetation while flooring is made of recycled fishing netsThe configuration of spaces around a central communal zone allows natural light to penetrate throughout the various spaces while protecting the interior from major temperature fluctuations.Upon entering the office, visitors encounter the first of the three natural elements in the form of a shimmering, reflective reception desk that evokes the significance of water within Dutch landscapes.Beyond the reception is a 21-metre-long curved wall made from stacked bricks that divides the office and allows a glimpse through to a central kitchen area.Read: The Great Exhibition adds "world's first office rollercoaster" to its Stockholm studioThe wall is intended to represent traditional Dutch architecture, while the moisture-regulating properties of the clay bricks also contribute to improving air quality within the office.The final element, vegetation, is distributed throughout the workspace in the form of reed-filled planters and flooring made with natural fibres such as sisal, referencing the Dutch flora.The interior also features carpets made from recycled fishing nets with wave-like patterns that reinforce the water metaphor. Light-grey marmoleum flooring made from linseed oil and cork is intended to symbolise shallow waters.The office also includes a small kitchenFirm Architects developed bespoke joinery for the project, which was produced using plywood from Dutch firm Ecoplex and formaldehyde-free adhesives.Furniture and wall coverings were produced from sustainably sourced cork and recyclable raw aluminium was specified for the hardware of the glass partitions.Much of the furniture, including desks, tables and chairs, was reused from the previous office, while old cabinets were updated with new fronts.Brick was also used to form stepped seatingThe project features on the shortlist for Dezeen Awards 2024 in the small workplace interior category alongside four other projects including a cave-like workspace in Mexico City.Firm Architects was founded in 2017 by Carolien Rood and Niek Joanknecht. The studio works nationally and internationally on projects that are defined by a user-centred and narrative-led approach.The photography is by Giovanni Nardi.The post Firm Architects designs APPM office to evoke the "battle between water and clay" appeared first on Dezeen.

In our latest lookbook, we spotlight eight bedrooms with statement bedside tables that provide contemporary alternatives to run-of-the-mill stools and cabinets.The featured designs range in size, shape and material, from a wooden shelf built into a headboard to a simple stack of books, demonstrating the variety of options available to people seeking a perfect bedside unit.They also illustrate the aesthetic value of these furnishings, which serve more than just a practical purpose and offer a chance to inject a touch of flair and personality into a bedroom interior.This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with exposed concrete surfaces, light-filled cottage interiors and homes with plywood panelling.Photo by French + TyeKeeling House apartment, UK, by Ben AllenArchitect Ben Allen dotted bespoke artworks made of glass and mirrors throughout his self-designed apartment, which is located in a modernist housing block in London.Among them is a circular mirror, split in half by a semicircular brass shelf and positioned alongside the bed to act as a sculptural side table.To save space for books, cups and ornaments on the small shelf, a bulb has been draped across the ceiling and suspended overhead for use as a bedside light.Find out more about Keeling House apartment Photo by Prue RuscoeLa Palma, Australia, by YSGLined with contrasting strips of ash and walnut veneer, this bedside table contributes to the maximalist clash of patterns that YSG used to animate the La Palma house in Sydney.The table's designer Sarah Ellison enhanced its statement look with a pair of mismatched legs one straight-edged and one with a curved base.Find out more about La Palma Sacha, France, by SABO ProjectSABO Project incorporated side tables within the headboard of this bed in the Sacha apartment.It takes the form of a plywood pegboard wall, which means the side tables function as slot-in shelves that can be easily moved as required.Find out more about Sacha Photo by Tom BlachfordHighbury Grove, Australia, by Ritz&GhougassianA simple stack of books doubles as a bedside table at this house extension in Melbourne, which Ritz&Ghougassian constructed from concrete blocks.Set against this minimalist concrete backdrop, the books support a sculptural bedside lamp crafted in polished aluminium by designer Henry Wilson.Find out more about Highbury Grove Photo by Csar Bjar StudioCasa Cielo, Mexico, by COA ArquitecturaRather than opting for a typical short floating shelf, COA Arquitectura has stretched a bedside unit across the wall of this bedroom, transforming it into a focal point.The unit is built from wood, tying in with the light wood panelling behind it, and incorporates drawers to help conceal clutter.Find out more about Casa Cielo Photo by Dave WheelerBalmoral Blue House, Australia, by EsoterikoA classic three-drawer Componibili Storage Unit by Kartell was used as the bedside table in Balmoral Blue House in Sydney.It is bright blue finish was chosen to match the colour palette of the bedroom, which interior studio Esoteriko designed as the only colourful space in the house. It was created for the client's teenage daughter, who asked that her bedroom be finished in blue her favourite colour.Find out more about Balmoral Blue House Photo by Michael SinclairTelevision Centre apartment, UK, by Waldo WorksIn its renovation of a penthouse inside London's old Television Centre, Waldo Works sought to create a 1960s aesthetic that complemented the architecture of the building.In one of the bedrooms, this led the studio to use a wooden bedside table with organic curves, which is teamed with a globular green lamp and juxtaposed with gridded wallpaper.Find out more about Television Centre apartment Photo by Mark Durling PhotographyMalibu Surf Shack, USA, by Kelly WearstlerDesigner Kelly Wearstler opted for a "rustic and raw" aesthetic for her family's 1950s beachfront cottage in Southern California.In line with this theme, she chose a plaster side table for one of the bedrooms that furniture designer Alberto Pinto disguised as a fabric-covered block fastened with thick rope.Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with exposed concrete surfaces, light-filled cottage interiors and homes with plywood panelling.The post Eight bedrooms with bedside tables that add a modern touch appeared first on Dezeen.

Here is a strange set of objects that speaks of a modern human need.Digital publishing was supposed to kill print books. Instead, after the pandemic (and perhaps because of it), print books exploded in popularity. Barnes & Noble, the bookseller formerly at death's door, is on track to open 50 to 60 new stores this year. TikTok now has the book-promoting BookTok genre, and Instagram and Pinterest are awash in images of romanticized, cozy reading nooks.Because not everyone can actually create their own reading nook, Chinese toys-for-adults brand Rolifea proponent of the "slow life" movementhas created miniature reading nooks that you can put on your bookshelf. You may not be able to tell from the photos, but these are quite diminutive. They're sold as kits that you snap together, there are no adhesives involved. Picking up on other cozy-environment longings, the company also makes miniature coffee shops, bakeries, bookstores and greenhouses. You can see them all here.

Last year we saw these non-functioning Casio watch rings by a Japanese toymaker: Apparently Casio thought it was a good idea. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, this year the company is releasing this fully-functional Casio Ring Watch: The tiny, working watch module was made possible by "the adoption of advanced metal molding technology," the company writes. "The complex shape of the Casio watch is reproduced in detail in a full metal design in the size of a ring. In addition, glass bonding technology ensures airtightness." "The battery can be replaced, but it is waterproof for everyday use. By [utilizing] a small button battery, a digital watch with 3 buttons has been realized in a ring size. In addition, it is equipped with a 7-segment LCD. It displays not only hours, minutes, and seconds, but also date, dual time, stopwatch, etc. It comes with an emotional flashing light function that faintly flashes the light on your hand when the set time arrives."The ring size is 10.5, but there are spacers you can use to go as low as ring size 8. The watch will be released in December for ?19,800 (USD $128).