A federal appeals court ruling this month could be seen as the latest indictment of the inability of Congress to regulate at anywhere near the speed of tech.

Known unknowns All the things Nintendo didnt tell us about the Switch 2 Some informed speculation on everything from price to battery life. Kyle Orland Jan 22, 2025 7:00 am | 0 How many gold coins need to be in that question block to pay for a Switch 2? Credit: Aurich Lawson | Nintendo How many gold coins need to be in that question block to pay for a Switch 2? Credit: Aurich Lawson | Nintendo Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAfter literal years of speculation and leaks, it was nice to get an actual glimpse of the Switch 2 hardware (and its increased size) last week. But even with the console officially "revealed," there's still a wide range of important unknown Switch 2 details that Nintendo has yet to address.As we wait for the company to dribble out additional information in the coming weeks and months, we thought we'd take a quick look at the biggest outstanding questions and concerns we still have about Nintendo's next gaming platform, along with some analysis of what we know, what we can guess, and what we expect on each score.Launch date?The teaser trailer's promise of a "2025" Switch 2 release technically covers any launch date between "tomorrow" and December 31. But we can probably narrow that window down a bit.For one, Nintendo promised "a closer look at Switch 2" in a Direct video presentation scheduled for April 2. It would be a little weird for that "closer look" to come after the console itself was launched, so a launch before April seems out of the question. Is a holiday launch in store for the Switch 2? Credit: Aurich Lawson Is a holiday launch in store for the Switch 2? Credit: Aurich Lawson Nintendo is also planning a series of worldwide "Nintendo Switch 2" hands-on experiences through which consumers will be able to try the console for themselves. Again, it would be odd to run an exclusive, ticket-limited hands-on experience if the console was already available in stores. The latest Switch Experience event is currently scheduled for May 31 through June 1 in Seoul, South Korea, making a Switch 2 release before June seem unlikely (though a staggered regional rollout could change this calculus).Before the Switch launched in March of 2017, Nintendo's previous three home consoles all launched in November, dating back to the GameCube in 2001. Don't be shocked if Nintendo reverts to form and waits until the high-impact holiday sales windows near the end of the 2025 for the Switch 2's release.Price?When the Switch launched in 2017, its $300 price point was actually a little higher than the contemporary prices for the aging PS4 and Xbox One. And Nintendo has steadfastly managed to avoid offering a single price drop on the best-selling console since then (though inflation has lowered the value of that pricing a bit, and the Switch OLED came in at $350 in 2021). While the nominal price of the original Switch hasn't changed, inflation has eaten into its "real" price a bit. Credit: Kyle Orland / Ars Technica While the nominal price of the original Switch hasn't changed, inflation has eaten into its "real" price a bit. Credit: Kyle Orland / Ars Technica In the meantime, Sony has actually raised the PS5's (already significant) launch price in many regionsand has seen strong initial sales for the $700 PS5 Pro. On the other side, Microsoft's $300 Xbox Series S seems to be vastly outselling the $500 Series X, showing there is still quite a bit of sensitivity to console pricing in the market.Taking all that into account, a $350 to $400 asking price for the Switch 2 doesn't seem out of the question. But Nintendo has surprised us with both lower than expected and higher than expected hardware launch pricing in the past, so we wouldn't bet the farm on where this one ends up.Games?While it was neat to see a few brief seconds of what we assume is Mario Kart 9 in the Switch 2 teaser trailer, it would be nice to hear more about what first-party games Nintendo has planned for that all-important launch window. *Mario Kart 64 voice* Welcome to Mario Kart! Credit: Nintendo *Mario Kart 64 voice* Welcome to Mario Kart! Credit: Nintendo Nintendo could follow the example of the original Switch and launch with a new Zelda title again, but this seems a bit unlikely since we're still less than two years out from Tears of the Kingdom. A new full-fledged 3D Mario adventureperhaps expanding on some of the open-world ideas from Bowser's Furyseems like a better bet this time around, given how long it has been since 2017's best-selling Super Mario Odyssey (which continued Nintendo's long tradition of launching a Mario game in a new console's first year).And let's not forget about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which Nintendo officially teased last summer, long after its original 2017 announcement. The planned 2025 release seems perfectly aligned to be a big launch title for Nintendo's new system.Battery life?The additional size of the Switch 2 tablet could offer a bit more space to squeeze in some bulky rechargeable batteries. But those batteries will be powering a much larger display this time around, as well as some more powerful internal hardware.We'd expect this trade to roughly come out as a wash and for the Switch 2 to match the 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life that Nintendo quotes for modern Switch consoles, depending on the game being played.Weight?At less than a pound, the Switch has always been less heavy to hold for extended periods than modern portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck (1.4 lbs) or the Lenovo Legion Go (1.88 lbs). The upsized Switch 2 will likely add a little bit of weight over its predecessor, but we'd be surprised if it ends up significantly heavier on a relative basis. Big boys like the Lenovo Legion Go help you appreciate just how small the Switch is. Credit: Lenovo Big boys like the Lenovo Legion Go help you appreciate just how small the Switch is. Credit: Lenovo Nintendo's long history of handheld consoles has always prioritized designs that are comfortable for the smaller hands and arms of younger players. We don't expect that to change significantly for the Switch 2.Hardware power?Back in 2023, leaks suggested that the Switch 2 would be powered by an Nvidia T239-based chip. That mobile-focused chip would be a significant step up from the Tegra X1 in the original Switchwhich was considered slightly underpowered even when it launched in 2017but still only roughly equivalent to a 2021-era RTX 2050 Mobile chipsetas far as graphical performance is concerned. Still, that would be enough for some fancy graphical features like hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and DLSS upscaling on at least some games.In a speculative piece based on those leaks, Digital Foundry said this kind of chipset could likely manage a "far from pristine" but "decent [upscaled] image on a 4K living room TV." That seems like a reasonable guess, and it could be a good excuse for publishers to re-release new versions of some late PS4/early PS5-era hits for Nintendo's next portable.Screen resolution/quality?The 720p screen on the original Switch was a revelation after decades of Nintendo handhelds with notably low-resolution screens. Since the launch of the 800p Steam Deck in 2022, though, most portable PC makers have opted for a full 1080p display or higher for their handheld offerings.Increased resolution could be even more important on the Switch 2 if Nintendo wants to maintain a decent pixels-per-inch ratio on the new console's expanded screen size. Previous Nintendo consoles like the Switch OLED and 3DS XL show what happens when you expand the screen real estate but not the pixel resolution of an existing platform. The larger 3DS XL didn't improve the screen resolution, leading to some chunkier-than-normal pixels. Credit: Kyle Orland The larger 3DS XL didn't improve the screen resolution, leading to some chunkier-than-normal pixels. Credit: Kyle Orland While a full 1080p screen would likely increase the Switch 2's materials cost a bit, it's a price Nintendo is likely ready to pay to show off the power of the Switch 2 in portable mode. Don't expect a pricey OLED screen at launch, thoughif the Switch is any indication, Nintendo will save that for a mid-generation upgrade in a few years.Compatibility with old hardware?While Nintendo has stressed that your old Switch software will still work on the Switch 2, it has so far been less clear on whether all your old Switch controllers and accessories will be compatible with the new console.First- and third-party Switch controllers simply use the Bluetooth standard, which Nintendo seems overwhelmingly likely to keep using for the Switch 2. Given that, there's little reason that wireless Switch controllers shouldn't continue to work on the Switch 2. The same goes for wired USB controllers and wired accessories like the GameCube controller adapter. So what's up with that new dock? Credit: Nintendo So what's up with that new dock? Credit: Nintendo Using your old Switch Joy-Cons in portable mode is a different matter, as the Switch 2 seems to lack the physical plastic "rail" needed to slide those controllers into place. But since the Switch 2 comes packaged with new, larger Joy-Cons, there aren't many situations where you would need to physically connect your old controllers anyway.The Switch 2 teaser trailer briefly showed a more rounded Switch 2 dock, suggesting that the new console might not be able to connect via docks designed for the original console. What's currently unclear is whether that dock upgrade is primarily cosmetic or houses some new internal circuitry necessary for upscaling Switch 2 games on the big screen.Improved performance for old games?If you own a Switch, you're probably used to stuttering frame rates and other performance issues on the system's more taxing 3D titles. The additional hardware power of the Switch 2 could theoretically help these legacy games run more smoothly, much as it does for backward-compatible software on recent Sony and Microsoft systems.Nintendo will likely follow its competitors' lead in this regard to some extent. The biggest question is how much work developers will need to put in to unlock the best performance for original Switch games on the Switch 2.Doom on Nintendo Switch runs well below 1080p resolution, but it's still suitably creepy. Credit: Nintendo / Bethesda Doom on Nintendo Switch runs well below 1080p resolution, but it's still suitably creepy. Credit: Nintendo / Bethesda On the PlayStation 5 Pro, for instance, developers have needed to patch in "Enhanced" versions to take full advantage of the console's power. Titles without those specially designed patches simply get a less optimized "PS5 Pro Game Boost," which can still offer some significant improvements.Switch Online?Nintendo has confirmed your current Switch Online account will still work with the Switch 2. But the company hasn't confirmed which perks from that subscription will carry over to the new system. What good is the Switch 2 if it doesn't play Super Mario Bros. 3? What good is the Switch 2 if it doesn't play Super Mario Bros. 3? The expansive Switch Online classic game library is the biggest perk in question here. Since the Switch 2 is backward-compatible with old Switch software, it would be a bit odd to suddenly cut off the emulated game library that is a core of the Switch Online experience. But Nintendo has shut down access to officially emulated games in the past, so it's not out of the question.It's also worth remembering that Switch Online subscriptions haven't increased in price since they started in late 2018, despite years of higher-than-normal inflation. The launch of a new console could serve as a good excuse for Nintendo to foist a price increase onto consumers.Kyle OrlandSenior Gaming EditorKyle OrlandSenior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper. 0 Comments

Nathan Eddy, Freelance WriterJanuary 22, 20255 Min ReadCagkan Sayin via Alamy StockNegotiating a higher salary or better benefits can be daunting, but IT professionals can strengthen their case by aligning their contributions with organizational goals and adopting strategic approaches.The key to securing a raise lies in preparation, communication, and demonstrating measurable value to higher-ups. Quantifiable metrics are crucial during salary discussions, as they provide clear evidence of your impact. Key performance indicators (KPIs) to highlight include revenue generation, cost savings, productivity improvements, customer satisfaction, and security or risk mitigation.Demonstrating how your contributions align with these metrics makes a compelling case for your value to the organization.Scott Wheeler, cloud practice lead at Asperitas, says its important to start raise negotiation preparations by understanding the organizations strategic and tactical goals.Taking on projects that are both impactful and achievable shows alignment with the companys priorities. Identify work that aligns with those goals and has reasonable delivery timelines, preferably under a year, Wheeler says.He adds that building a productive rapport with managers is another cornerstone of effective salary negotiations. Understand what your manager values and what they will be evaluated on, Wheeler says. Align your work with their goals and share progress on your projects regularly.Related:He says establishing a personal connection with higher-ups can also help. Knowing what your manager values, both in and outside of work, creates a better partnership and makes communication easier, Wheeler explains.Megan Smith, head of HR at SAP North America, says she agrees the more an employee can master the art of communicating proactively with their manager, the greater the trust they can build.This includes things like sharing the right level of information at the right time, she explains via email.For example, providing a heads up around possible risks in a project, and sharing summary updates regularly of what is being accomplished, helps the manager trust they have the right degree of visibility necessary for the overall success of the team.Salary as Reflection of PerformanceSmith says having a conversation with your manager about your salary is really a conversation about how you are achieving your goals, because a salary increase reflects your performance.Discuss your performance with your manager early and often, so that when you want to connect it to salary, which can be done at any time but recommend at least a couple months prior to the salary review timeline of your company, this is a natural connection, she says.Related:She recommends approaching salary conversations with curiosity, for example by asking your manager how they perceive your salary aligning to your contributions and impact.Get educated on your own point of view, she adds. Do you have any data from internal salary ranges to suggest if you are positioned low?Smith says its important that you dont make it about asking for a raise but rather, make the conversation about an informed discussion about how your salary reflects your contributions, and if that presents opportunity for an increase in the next salary review cycle.IT as a Leadership ProfessionFrom the perspective of Mark Ralls, president at Auvik, the nature of IT work provides ample opportunities for IT pros to show leadership even if they are not in a formal managerial role.Cross-functional or team-based project work allows IT pros to demonstrate the ability to manage through influence, where they help coordinate the efforts of others through relationship building and persuasion rather than formal authority, he says.Wheeler also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving goals.Related:Form partnerships, either internally or externally, that can help you deliver results, Wheeler says. Most work requires a team effort, and sometimes moving to a different internal team may be necessary to produce the desired outcome.Documenting and showcasing these successes are critical to building a strong case during salary discussions.Success in salary negotiations also depends on effective communication and the ability to understand and address the motivations of various stakeholders to align everyone with a common objective.Gaining buy-in and achieving desired outcomes by establishing credibility and trust is a key indicator that someone is ready for that next step to management, earning a raise and potentially a promotion in the process, Ralls says.A recent engineering career mobility report by SignalFire indicates specialization is a key way to turbocharge upward mobility -- and with it, salary bumps.Jarod Reyes, head of developer community at SignalFire, says instead of focusing on a general KPI around developer productivity, he would focus on finding a project, or place in the engineering organization where one can become the specialist.We can see in the data that specialization is the key to rapid upward mobility for engineers happy in their current role, he says. We could see engineers who wanted to move into management roles would take paths that developed more broad skill sets, expanding their surface area and sphere of influence.This includes finding ways to lead a project and looking for opportunities to improve the business or reduce costs -- what Reyes calls sure fire bets.He notes that engineers who wanted to move up a non-management path (down a specialist path, like principal or staff engineer) focused on narrowing their skill sets, taking roles where they were expected to be the directly responsible individual like a site-reliability engineer or data architect.Reyes says from personal experience managing engineering teams and building engineering teams for the last 13 years he could say communicating often with the team about the values that are rewarded is very important.Having direct conversations not just annually, but monthly with your engineers is an important way of building trust and earning loyalty, he says. I think more important than upward mobility I have found that engineers really enjoy working on a team that is crucial, efficient and impact oriented.About the AuthorNathan EddyFreelance WriterNathan Eddy is a freelance writer for InformationWeek. He has written for Popular Mechanics, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, FierceMarkets, and CRN, among others. In 2012 he made his first documentary film, The Absent Column. He currently lives in Berlin.See more from Nathan EddyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Over the past year, weve seen organizations differ in their approaches to AI. Some have taken every opportunity to embed AI in their workflows; others have been more cautious, experimenting with limited proof-of-concept projects before committing to larger investments.But unlike past technology breakthroughs that were only relevant for specific employees, AI is a horizontal skill. Business leaders need to embrace this fact: Every single employee needs to become an AI employee.In 2025 and beyond, we will start to see the difference between companies that treat AI as a feature and those that view it as a transformation. Here's how business and learning leaders should think about AI adoption throughout their organization.Establishing an AI-Ready Skills VisionFor businesses to develop an AI-ready workforce, they need to establish a skills vision that sets out which employees require which level of competency. This vision shouldn't be permanent; instead, it should evolve in response to technological advances and the needs of the business.There are two ways of structuring an AI skills vision. The first is simple: builders and users. A small portion -- roughly 5% -- of an organizations workforce will require the expertise to build AI systems, products, evaluation tools and language models. The remaining 95% simply need to know how to use AI to augment and accelerate their existing workflows.Related:For a more detailed framework, leaders can break down their workforce into four levels:Center of excellence: Synonymous with AI builders. Think about data scientists, machine learning engineers, and software engineers. Their entire role is to design, build, and refine AI tools for internal or external clients.AI + X: These are the subject matter experts whose roles can be reimagined with the addition of AI. Employees at this level could come from a wide range of backgrounds, from mechanical engineers to finance leaders. AI can help these employees build something truly meaningful in their specific area of expertise.Fluency: At the fluency level, you dont need to know how to use AI tools or apply them to your workflows. Instead, fluency is the required level for employees who are interacting with a technical counterpart. For example, a marketer selling a highly technical AI product needs a certain level of understanding to be able to accurately and effectively market that product.Literacy: This is the basic level of AI skills needed for front-line workers and individual contributors. AI literacy could help these employees boost productivity depending on their role and responsibilities. But its equally important for these employees to be part of the broader cultural change. A company is in a better position to innovate when every employee has achieved a standard level of AI literacy.Related:Avoiding Dangerous AmateursFor an organization to make the most out of AI, it needs to know the precise skill levels of its employees and where they need to grow in the future.For example, a companys solutions will only ever be as good as their best contributors. Organizations must do everything they can to maximize the abilities of their Center of Excellence employees, because they set the bar for the rest of the organization. At one software company, I saw leaders transfer an expert in clean coding to a team struggling with code quality; improvements were evident across the organization within weeks, demonstrating the contagious nature of expertise.But, while experts should be placed at the forefront and driven to achieve more, organizations must be careful not to give the same opportunities to those who overstate their abilities. My friend and collaborator Fernando Lucini refers to these employees as dangerous amateurs, and they can slow down an organizations progress with AI. As companies transition from prototyping to productizing an AI solution, they may realize that the experts they were counting on dont have the skills needed to bring the product to market. Meanwhile, competitors with an accurate measure of employee skill levels will race ahead.Related:Create the Foundation for InnovationFor companies to innovate, they need to be able to adapt quickly to changing technologies and skills demands. In 2016, one of my most important tools was TensorFlow, a commonly used programming language. Less than a decade later, TensorFlow has evolved so much that I can no longer use it effectively without retraining and updating my skills. Highly technical skills perish quickly.Employees must establish a strong foundation in durable skills in order to master the perishable, cutting-edge technical skills. OpenAI built ChatGPT using innovative, breakthrough technologies. However, they could only create ChatGPT by drawing on their foundations in durable skills like mathematics, statistics, coding and English. AI-ready companies will need to embrace a T-shaped approach to skills development, combining a broad base of horizontal skills with a narrow set of deep, vertical skills. Innovation breaks through as a result of perishable skills but sustains as a result of durable skills.Every company is becoming an AI company. Every employee will need to use AI. Those who dont embrace the change will inevitably fall behind.

2025-01-22T12:34:02Z Read in app I enjoyed eating at Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas. Jena Brown This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? I had dinner at Gordon Ramsay Steak, located inside the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.The wagyu filet was cooked perfectly, and the mac and cheese was full of flavor.I'd definitely recommend dining at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant for great food and an upscale vibe.As someone who has been living in Las Vegas for almost 20 years, I'm always asked about the best places to eat. Recently though, I decided to take a chance on a restaurant I'd never been to Gordon Ramsay Steak at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.The steakhouse chain, which now has six locations in cities like Baltimore, Vancouver, and Kansas City, first opened in Las Vegas in 2012. Here's what our experience at the celebrity-chef-owned restaurant was like. I visited the restaurant on a Thursday evening.The entrance to the restaurant was meant to represent the Channel Tunnel. Jena Brown After making a reservation on the restaurant's website, I visited Gordon Ramsay Steak for dinner on a Thursday.Once I arrived, I was seated almost immediately. As I walked through the red, neon tunnel into the restaurant, the hostess explained that the entrance was meant to be an artistic representation of the Channel Tunnel connecting England to France.The restaurant's interior was trendy and elegant.Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas has two floors. Jena Brown The steakhouse is laid out in a two-story tiered design. My table was on the second floor and had an amazing view of the rest of the restaurant, including the iconic Union Jack flag painted on the ceiling and a neon-red chandelier.I later learned the red lighting fixture was designed to represent Chef Ramsay's hands as he cooks.I started with the warm breads and spreads.The breads and spreads were the perfect way to start off the meal. Jena Brown Although all the starters sounded incredible, I decided to try the warm breads and spreads ($17). The dish came with a baguette, a triangle of crunchy lavash bread, and a fluffy roll that was half honey whole wheat and half French onion.It also came with chimichurri oil, English butter, and another butter made with beef fat and red wine. Both butters were topped with Hawaiian lava salts.I loved the variety of breads and tried them all with each spread. The baguette, however, was my favorite.For my entre, I ordered the wagyu filet, which was cooked perfectly.The wagyu beef was plated with a red-wine reduction and mustard seeds. Jena Brown Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but there was no way I was going to a steakhouse and ordering anything but a steak. So, I opted for the wagyu filet.The presentation was beautiful, with a swirl of red-wine reduction and a pyramid of mustard seeds on the plate.The filet was seared perfectly on the outside and was cooked to a buttery-soft rare temperature on the inside. In my opinion, the 8-ounce filet was well worth the hefty $105 price tag.The mac and cheese made a delicious side.The mac and cheese was topped with bacon and breadcrumbs. Jena Brown Along with my steak, I ordered the mac and cheese, which the waitress said was the most popular side.The description on the menu sounded delicious, and it also felt like the most robust choice, since all the sides were $19 each.The amount of flavor in the dish blew me away. Mac and cheese is usually on the heavier side, but it was surprisingly light despite having bacon, smoked jalapeo cream, onion jam, smoked Gouda, and white cheddar packed in with the noodles.The bacon added texture to the dish, and the jalapeo cream and onion jam added bursts of flavor. The breadcrumbs on top gave it just the right amount of crunch, making the dish immensely satisfying.I would highly recommend dining at Gordon Ramsay Steak.I'd definitely return to Gordon Ramsay Steak in the future. Jena Brown From start to finish, my experience at Gordon Ramsay Steak was top-notch. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu and the restaurant.I would definitely go again, if for no other reason than to make sure I save room for the delicious-looking sticky toffee pudding for dessert.In my opinion, Gordon Ramsay Steak is the perfect choice if you're looking for an upscale restaurant with a trendy edge. Foodreview

Before having kids I was an editor at "Parenting" magazine and shared parenting advice.I thought I was ready to be a mom and used the techniques experts shared in our magazine.My kids did not respond to them, and that's OK because all kids are different.Before I had kids, I was an editor at "Parenting" magazine, where I gave expert-backed advice on sleep training, potty training, and using training wheels on bikes. So, when I had my first child in 2014, I thought I was well-trained.A couple of years later, I became the editor in chief of "Working Mother" magazine and a mom of two. Now that my boys are ages 6 and 10, I can safely say that the advice I printed on those pages has done little to help me successfully parent my sons.Parenting is not so simpleFor instance, we gave an oft-repeated tip in "Parenting." "If your child is having trouble picking what they want, or you need them to do something they're refusing to do, give your kid two choices you can live with. They'll happily pick one because they'll feel like they're in control without being overwhelmed." So I felt like a genius when I whipped out this old trick on my then-preschooler who wouldn't choose a meal at a restaurant."OK, you get to decide," I told my 3-year-old, ensuring he felt like he was in the driver's seat. "Do you want chicken nuggets or mac and cheese?" I envisioned being met with a wide smile and sheer elation to have a mother so well-versed in child psychology, followed by a definitive choice and contented peace.The reality was far different. And louder."None of these!" my son shouted. Wails and flails followed. We had to cool off with a walk outside.I tried this trick many more times on both kids. After all, I promised others it'd work. "Do you want to bring a pretend ice cube or an Indiana state magnet for I day for show and tell?" "Do you want to wear your green or black jacket?" "Do you want to hop into day care or tiptoe in?""None of these!" "None of these!" "None of these! (I had to stifle the urge to squeeze in a grammar lesson: "You mean neither of these.")My kids did the opposite of what I thought they'd doAs the kids got older, I imparted wisdom ripped from the magazines, like telling them, "We don't talk about other people's bodies." Surely, my oldest would wind up being one of the good guys, given how often we discussed this.On the last day of summer camp, a director called to say my 10-year-old was part of a group of boys who told a girl she'd break the trampoline because she was so big. Cue my shock and horror. My former fat self couldn't look at my son that night probably not the most successful parenting strategy either.We've given our kids chores, as I'd always written parents should do. The idea is to foster responsibility and instill confidence. Instead, there are weekly screaming matches about bringing out the trash. The tantrums over child labor subside more quickly when I up my firstborn's allowance. We've gone from a dollar for garbage schlepping to $5. I'm sure an expert I've quoted in articles would tell me I'm teaching my kids to throw a fit when they don't get their way. I'm also sure they've never seen the depths of destruction my 5'1 tween is capable of when he doesn't want to do something without pay.Kids can suck sometimesNow that I'm a decade into parenting, and not just a parenting editor, I know at least some of this is to be expected and at least some of this isn't my fault. Every kid sucks a little. And some kids (like mine) can suck a lot.But my kids aren't me, nor are they always a reflection of my parenting. They sometimes can't control their stupid impulses. Not everything I teach them sinks in. Besides, not every tip in parenting magazines applies to every kid anyway. Plus, parenting advice is more likely to work in a vacuum, not a desperate moment when a parent needs to do whatever it takes to calm their child.So, I'm focusing on little wins. We recently had excellent parent-teacher conferences. My kids are usually kind to their classmates and try to be helpful. If our children are progressing toward being useful more than they're hurtful, then we parents are all doing something right. Even if we don't feel like the paragons of success magazine editors like me led us to believe we could become.

Ive lived in Los Angeles for over 15 years. I moved here in fall 2008 to follow my dreams and attend journalism school, and like so many Angelenos, my goal has always been to turn my passions into reality (and pay the rent while doing it). Doing all this against a backdrop of breathtaking blue skies and picturesque palm trees didnt hurt either.After spending my adolescence in the San Francisco Bay Area, it feels almost heretic to call Los Angeles home, but Im not ashamed. I loudly proclaim that LA is my home. Its where my friends and I lounged on LACMAs lawn (the affectionate shorthand for Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to watch jazz in the summertime; where I learned that no matter how badly they want you to call it Crypto.com Arena, it will forever and always be the Staples Center; its where you can guarantee that no matter how your night is going, the tantalizing, comfortingly familiar scents wafting from the nearest taco stand are never too far away. Its where I internalized that you better gun it at the Beverly and La Cienega intersections unprotected left turn before the light turns red, lest your fellow road ragers erupt in a perfectly timed symphony of bleating car horns and brightly colored language. This vibrant hum was abruptly disrupted when multiple fires broke out across the Los Angeles metro area on January 7. Im now grappling with an unmistakable sense of loss, alongside so many others who havent lost everything, but are teetering on the edge of a new reality where so much has been lost all the same. After the Palisades Fire erupted, I sat in my apartment in Hollywood glued to my phone, shuffling between Instagram, various live news streams, messages with friends and family and an app called Watch Duty that has helped me stay in the know about the developing fire situation.Watch Duty is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that relies completely on volunteer dispatchers, first responders, reporters, scientists, and climate experts. Its a scrappy team, but the app was critical for me it ended up being the only place I felt I could get accurate by-the-minute fire alerts. I had never heard of the app before the fires, and neither had most of my friends and family, but its now an essential fixture on my phone. LA is prone to fire and wildfire has always existed on this landscape, but I was caught by surprise by a January wildfire that ignited outside of what we typically would consider Californias fire season. But thanks to climate change, fire seasons and the geographical distribution of fires are shifting, and in California, these changes are exacerbating the variables that feed fires: A wet winter allowed for a bumper crop of grasses and shrubs to thrive, but then an astonishingly long dry period desiccated the landscape, providing ample fuel for wildfire. And then, this years Santa Ana winds were especially fierce, driven by unprecedented heat in the Pacific Ocean.I watched with growing horror as the Watch Duty alerts poured in, each more urgent and damning than the last. The Palisades Fires acreage continued to climb steadily. Messages from my mom and brother pinged across my phones screen. Are you okay? What are you doing? Did you pack a bag just in case? Then the Eaton Fire came. The Eaton Fires devastation hits on a particularly personal level, partly because I have a number of friends and connections whose families have lost everything there, and partly because the Eaton Fire has consumed Altadena, a neighborhood east of downtown LA and one of the oldest historically Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Altadena is a bastion for financial mobility and generational longevity for middle-class Black and brown Angelenos, which became one of the most integrated neighborhoods in Los Angeles County after years of white flight during the 1950s. In a region where homeownership continues to be one of the most challenging yet effective methods for generating and maintaining financial security for individuals and families of color, and when you consider the fact that the homeownership gap between Black and white homeowners remains the largest it has been in over a decade, the Eaton Fires impact is staggering, to say the least. A few days later, the Sunset Fire arrived. This fire, burning just north of Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood Hills, had begun to rapidly spread thanks to high-intensity winds that were already battering the Palisades and northeast LA. I scanned the Watch Duty map in shock as the level 2 and 3 evacuation warnings, demarcated by yellow- and red-colored zones indicating county-issued evacuation mandates, spread to my neighborhood.The colors inched closer and closer to my block. A mandatory evacuation zone was now three blocks away from my apartment. My anxiety climbed, heart racing and head pounding as my jaw clenched tightly. On Wednesday evening, I called my brother in Culver City. I think I need to leave my place, I told him. Can I come stay with you?I had thrown together clothes, electronics, toiletries and my passport in a suitcase the night before. I checked the contents of the bag before getting in my car and driving across town, stopping at a gas station on the way. A sense of panic and terror there was palpable. The air, heavy with haze and cast with a dim yet unmistakably orange tint, caused my eyes and throat to itch and burn. Fellow drivers urgently filled their gas tanks, their faces protected by n95 masks as flimsy ash particles fell across our shoulders like poisonous snowflakes. If this is the apocalypse, I thought, at least my brother is safe (for now). At least my parents are safe (for now). Ill find a way to replace my stuff if I have to.I arrived in Culver City, spent. The evening was a blur. I fell asleep on my brothers couch in a heap of exhaustion and desperation, wondering when or even if Id be able to go back home. The next morning, I again turned to the Watch App, where I tuned into a press conference featuring LA Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Crowley reported significant losses in the Palisades and Eaton fires, but also said that the Sunset fire was getting under control. I felt encouraged. Relieved. Grateful. But also: angry. Devastated. Skeptical. Optimistic. Pessimistic. Confused. Terrified. Utterly exhausted. By Thursday night, I was back in my place. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life. I fervently scrolled social media, where I encountered a disorienting expanse of different realities. Some friends were posting tearful, aching videos detailing what they had lost their home, vehicle, or family heirlooms. Some had lost everything. Others had evacuated but were back at home safely, sharing resources for evacuees from local mutual aid organizations. Some had fled farther south or east to Long Beach, San Diego or Palm Springs and were still there, unsure what their next steps may be. I was safe on my couch, but I didnt feel very safe at all. These catastrophic fires have raised questions for me about the true meaning of home. What does it actually mean to call a place home? How can we reconcile homes ability to encompass both a physical structure where we house our most precious things, as well as the grander, intangible, more esoteric essences that invariably connect us within a place regardless of its physical boundaries? Im extremely grateful to have a roof over my head and to know that my home was not lost. But thousands have not been as fortunate. I have the luxury of being unable to fully wrap my mind around what LAs homeless and housing insecure populations have had to contend with, let alone those who have lost everything but have or will have the means to rebuild. What I realized over the past week is that we all Angelenos are collectively in the process of grieving and rebuilding.Over the last week, Ive been brought to tears by the generosity, humility, and ingenuity of the community here. Ive seen people across all demographics take care of themselves and each other in stunningly kindhearted, tender ways. This has showed my a glimpse of an alternate future here: Where home is a place where mutual aid flows freely, where people work alongside each other using their strengths and talents in harmony, and where both our sorrows and triumphs are held in compassionate, gentle regard north-south and east-west rivalries be damned. I dont know what the future of Los Angeles will look like. Civic leaders, community groups, and everyday Angelenos are actively exploring these paths, right now. Im encouraged. And Ill be there too, with a street taco in hand. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

If all of President Donald Trumps Day 1 executive orders on immigration and deportation go through, he will have succeeded in a radical overhaul of US law. That, however, is a mighty if.His agenda Monday was a mix of new and familiar policies: In the latter category, Trump revived a number of measures from his first administration, including forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for decisions in the US immigration cases, implementing extreme vetting of immigrants coming into the US, and cracking down on sanctuary cities and states that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration agents. He also began to implement several 2024 campaign promises, including establishing a framework through which he intends to carry out mass deportations, mobilizing the military to the border, and paring back Biden-era programs that gave temporary protections to hundreds of thousands of immigrants. And he delivered on a long-standing promise to sign an executive order potentially ending birthright citizenship in the unlikely event it stands up to a court challenge. Some of these executive orders, such as the so-called Remain in Mexico policy, have already been tested in the courts during Trumps first administration or are clearly within his powers as president. That category includes rescinding his predecessors executive orders or agency policy guidance on immigration, such as a Biden directive prioritizing violent criminals and recent arrivals for immigration enforcement. Other Trump actions appear patently illegal; the ACLU and 18 state attorneys general have already challenged his order ending birthright citizenship, which legal experts have long argued is blatantly unconstitutional.The survival of other new policies, particularly around deportations, may depend on how they are implemented in practice. As new executive orders go into effect, legal advocates will be watching for the ways in which those policies could violate the constitutional rights of immigrants and existing federal immigration and national security laws.According to Doris Meissner, director of the Migration Policy Institutes immigration policy work, however, there is more sophistication, I think its fair to say, in the way that they [Trump administration officials] are going about it, compared to the hasty executive orders of Trumps first term. In short, were in for months or even years of legal wrangling and the outcomes of those fights will determine the reach of Trumps immigration overhaul.What Trumps immigration executive orders actually doTrump made immigration a centerpiece of his 2024 campaign after record-high numbers of crossings at the US-Mexico border early in the Biden administration. While border crossings came down significantly after former President Joe Biden implemented executive orders limiting access to asylum last year, Trump nevertheless signed Day 1 executive orders addressing what he described as an immigrant invasion and setting the stage for a large-scale deportation operation. Trump has sought to keep out and remove immigrants, both documented and undocumented, by multiple means:In addition to restarting the Remain in Mexico policy, he declared a national emergency at the border, blocked any noncitizens from entering on the basis that they could spread unnamed communicable diseases of public health concern, and prohibited them from claiming a right to remain in the US under its asylum laws. He ordered a rollback of Biden-era parole and Temporary Protected Status protections that allowed people from countries including Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to live and work in the US.He laid the groundwork to reestablish his policy of extreme vetting of legal immigrants from his first term, applying heightened scrutiny at the agency level to visa applications across the board. He will pause US refugee admissions for at least a 90-day period, starting on January 27. He has left open the door to future travel bans and agreements with other countries that would require asylum seekers to apply for protections there first.He cleared the way for the Defense Department to deploy the military to the southern border (though in exactly what capacity remains unclear) and ordered the construction of the border wall to restart.Trumps executive orders prioritize criminals (particularly members of drug cartels or international criminal gangs that he has now designated as foreign terrorist organizations) for deportation, but they make no promises to spare other undocumented immigrants. He is reportedly planning to order immigration raids in major cities in the early weeks of his new administration, though one such raid in Chicago may have been postponed following leaks. To achieve his promised mass deportation agenda, Trumps executive orders look to beef up immigration detention capacity, seek cooperation with local law enforcement, expand the use of fast-tracked deportations, punish sanctuary cities and states, and sanction countries that have been reluctant to accept their own citizens as deportees. Finally and perhaps most controversially, he issued an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship from February 19 onward, which would impact children born in the US to an undocumented mother or a mother in the US on a temporary visa, if their father also lacks citizenship or permanent residency status.How the courts could limit Trumps ambitions on immigrationDuring Trumps first term, the courts served as a check on his efforts to unilaterally remake the immigration system via executive order, regularly issuing nationwide blocks on his policies that often delayed if not ultimately doomed them. This time, Trumps policies are just as likely to be challenged in court. A group of former Biden-Harris officials, in collaboration with the legal organization Democracy Forward, are gearing up to file lawsuits against Trumps initial executive orders. The ACLU and other legal organizations are also beginning to inundate the new Trump administration with litigation.However, whats different about Trumps second term is the makeup of the courts. Trump appointed swaths of conservative judges to the Supreme Court and other federal appellate courts during his first term, and he may now find a more favorable legal environment to enact his immigration policies. Trump officials appear to have learned from their mistakes, experts noted, and are less likely to rush to implement splashy policies such as the travel ban on citizens of certain countries Trump pursued early in his first term without gathering the necessary justification at the agency level. I think that the time that the Trump administration had to study some of their losses could have played into how theyve framed these orders that just came out, said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank focused on immigration. Theyre trying to follow past decisions and put forward things that they think can stand up In the courts. As president, Trump has significant discretion over federal immigration policy, and he already tested the limits of that authority during his first term. For instance, his Remain in Mexico policy, an amended version of his 2017 travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries, and his efforts to expand expedited removal a process by which immigrants can be deported quickly and without a hearing before an immigration judge all survived legal scrutiny the first time around and likely will again. Many of Bidens immigration policies implemented via executive order can be and indeed, already have been undone via executive order. That includes Bidens implementation of immigration enforcement priorities and the CBP One app that allowed immigrants to sign up for appointments at the border where they were processed and often allowed to cross. On Monday, immigrants saw their appointments canceled.However, there are elements of Trumps executive orders that seem clearly illegal or at least deeply questionable, according to legal experts. That includes ending birthright citizenship, which most legal experts argue would require a constitutional amendment for which there does not exist sufficient support in Congress. In another executive order, Trump also lays the groundwork to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law passed as part of the Alien and Sedition Acts that allows the president to detain and deport noncitizens from countries at war with the US. It was last used during World War II to detain civilians of Japanese, German, and Italian descent. Despite Trumps rhetoric about an invasion and his decision to name cartels and international criminal gangs as terrorist organizations, however, the US is not at war, and experts say Trump likely lacks legal standing to use the law to deport immigrants.Most experts believe that to invoke [the Alien Enemies Act] requires a declared war, and only Congress can declare war, said Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute and director of the think tanks office at New York University School of Law. Whether this is a war or theres an invasion is going to be subject to litigation, and there is good law against the President on this. Some of Trumps executive orders, however, may occupy a legal gray zone until we know more about exactly how they will be implemented or how they could infringe on individual rights. That includes his deployment of the military to the southern border. There is a long precedent of the military supporting operations at the border through infrastructure and logistics, but not of US troops interacting directly with immigrants. An expanded presence on the border, particularly of active duty service members rather than National Guard troops, could violate federal law. That includes the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of the military to enforce federal law without the permission of Congress or the Constitution.These kinds of legal questions are likely to be resolved only after lengthy litigation, potentially delaying, if not sinking entirely, some key parts of Trumps immigration agenda. But the Trump administration also appeared on Monday more savvy about how it intends to defend the orders in court than it did in 2017 and with a more pliant court system in place, its an open question how far Trumps unilateral immigration agenda will go.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

TechAetherdrift is Magic The Gathering meets Mario Kart and I can't wait to playTime to start your engines as Magic The Gathering's latest set, Aetherdrift, is powesliding into stores soon here's all you need to know about the latest setdailystarBookmarkShareTechByLloyd CoombesGaming Editor10:55, 22 JAN 2025BookmarkThe concept art for Aetherdrift looks phenomenal (Image: Florian De Gesincourt)Magic The Gathering and a death-defying race might seem like odd bedfellows, but the long-running card games new set, Aetherdrift, is very odd indeed. Magics 103rd expansion (yes, really) tells the story of the Ghirapur Grand Prix, a race that sees participants dart between three realms for the grand prize of the Aetherspark, allowing free travel between universes. Its a Mario Kart-infused set that makes little sense as a card game in concept, but Im really intrigued by what Wizards of the Coast is doing. Start Your Engines! The Ghirapur Grand Prix features racers from Avishkar and Amonkhet, with both racing for very different reasons. The former have racing teams made up of scouts, pilots and smugglers that have become folk heroes since the Phyrexian invasion a few sets ago imagine Han Solo types racing for fame, fortune, and to show everyone a good time. The Amonkhet are looking to elevate their people. Its a noble cause, after years of suffering. Both nations host the race in their plane, while the Muraganda plane is also included as a sort of wildcard. There are three realms to explore through the set (Image: Leon Tukker) This primordial realm doesnt take an active part in the race, but does have dinosaurs and other obstacles to keep racers on their toes. As ever, Wizards is committed to the core narrative conceit of the set. There are full-art land cards taken from a drivers seat perspective, while in-universe racing teams like the White and Blue Guidelight Voyagers, or the Blue and Black Speed Demons should help even newcomers build a relatively cohesive playstyle. Theres also a nifty new mechanic Start Your Engines. Pit Mechanic Expect more than just firework explosions (Image: Titus Lunter) When a player triggers the Start Your Engines keyword, their speed moves from zero to one. Dealing damage to an opponent moves the speed up by one each turn, with a max speed of four. Once you hit maximum speed, cards gain additional benefits, like triggering extra card draw or adding tokens. This even affects lands, with Muraganda Speedway tapping for double colourless mana once you hit top speed. With such a focus on vehicles, you can expect plenty of new vehicle cards, while the Saddle mechanic also returns from last years Outlaws of Thunder Junction. As for Commander decks, were getting two this time with Eternal Might and Living Energy. While the latter has a a focus on creating energy and making vehicles, Im much more excited for the former. Im always looking to play Zombie decks where I can (or at least Black decks), and I love the idea of slowly amassing an undead army before going for a big swing. Final Thoughts Ive been wrong about the longevity of Magic sets before, but my interest for Aetherdrift went from low to full-throttle (see what I did there?) over the course of my preview session. You can preorder the set on Amazon here or on ZavviStory SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.More OnMagic The Gathering

Valorant's latest patch is here, with update 10.01's patch notes including updates to Rank Shields, bug fixes for new Agent Tejo and more here's the full listTech10:49, 22 Jan 2025Tejo is getting fixes in 10.01(Image: Riot Games)Nothing stays the same for long in Valorant, and shortly after the 10.00 update that introduced new Agent Tejo, the 10.01 patch is here.While it's mostly focused around bug fixes (many of them affecting Tejo), there's also the addition of Rank Shields for competitive play in Riot Games' tactical shooter.These will help ensure players don't lose ranks for every loss, giving a little bit of protection if your team isn't quite clicking the way it should when you jump in.Here are the full notes, courtesy of Riot Games:Competitive updatesRank Shields have been added to Competitive Mode!You are granted two Rank Shields while in Tier 1 (e.g. Silver 1, Gold 1, Platinum 1) of all Ranks except Radiant.When you lose a game at 0 RR, one shield is consumed, leaving you with one shield remaining.Losing again at 0 RR consumes the second shield, leaving you with zero shields remaining.If you lose three games while at 0 RR, you demote to the lower rank (e.g. Gold 1 to Silver 3).You do not have shields in the other tiers of a Rank (e.g. There are no shields when losing at 0 RR in Gold 2).Only when you move into Tier 1 via promotion or demotion, will you replenish two shields for that tier.Winning at 0 RR and going back to 10 RR will not replenish your shields.You can see all information about Rank Shields in the Rank Details screen in the client!Tejo can rain fireBug FixesAgentsTejoFixed an issue where players who exited then re-entered Tejo's Armageddon blast zone do not count as Displaced in the Combat Report.Fixed an issue where Tejo's Guided Salvo projectile would get stuck inside the wall when cast towards a path blocked by Sage's Barrier Orb.Fixed an issue where Tejo's Stealth Drone affected by Nearsight could see Enemy Players' model outline at certain distances.Improved an issue where Tejo's Guided Salvo smoke trail VFX could clip through thin walls and structures once cast.MapsBindFixed an issue where invisible collision would sometimes impede agent utility inside one of the teleporter rooms.PC Bug FixesPremierFixed an issue where there were inconsistent font sizes on the Change Zone and the Delete Team pop-up screens in Premier.Fixed an issue where Premier matches in match history did not show a mode tooltip when you hovered over them.Fixed an issue where the ineligibility warning tooltip in the lobby was very hard to trigger.Console Bug Fixes:Competitive SystemsArticle continues belowFixed a bug where the queue timer overlaps with a portion of the Leaderboard page.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED