Looking forthe most recentMini Crossword answer?Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.Today'sNYT Mini Crosswordbegins with a really odd clue. Does anyone out there consider the answer to 1-Across "applauding with one's fingers?" I mean, I get it, but come on. Need some help with today's Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times' games collection. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini CrosswordLet's get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers. The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for March 3, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETMini across clues and answers Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. 1A clue: Applaud with one's fingersAnswer: SNAP5A clue: Material for Elvis's blue shoesAnswer: SUEDE6A clue: Tree with white barkAnswer: ASPEN7A clue: Leather leggingsAnswer: CHAPS8A clue: Traditional garment for a Scottish groomAnswer: KILTMini down clues and answers1D clue: Food ordered in rollsAnswer: SUSHI2D clue: Country with the most mountains over 25,000 feet in elevationAnswer: NEPAL3D clue: Skilled (at)Answer: ADEPT4D clue: Ink-filled itemsAnswer: PENS5D clue: ___ race (picnic event)Answer: SACKHow to play more Mini CrosswordsThe New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day's Mini Crossword for free, but you'll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach JrEsther Lin/Premier Boxing ChampionsGervonta Davis spoke immediately after his controversial majority draw against Lamont Roach on Saturday night at the Barclays Center and again at the post-fight presser. However, his post on X on Sunday brought even more clarity to his mindset following the first blemishof sortson his professional record.According to Davis post, the WBA lightweight champion believes the judges took the fight from him after he took a knee and went unpenalized for it in the ninth round.Davis should have been deducted a point, with Roach rewarded a knockdown. Had that happened, Roach would have won the fight via majority decision. Even still, it is highly unlikely that two of the judges decided to penalize Davis on their own to even the score.Davis blamed the moment in the ninth roundwhen he took a knee and headed to the corneron hair grease dripping into his eyes. It wasnt the most believable excuse when Davis gave it immediately, and it became less believable when leebthebrand (on IG) the woman did his hair on Wednesday also said that such a drip was nearly impossible.Several fighters took to social media after the fight to voice their displeasure with referee Steve Willis decision to allow Davis to essentially call a timeout.I was with the media on Saturday at the Barclays for the event, and almost every writer in the section felt Roach won the fight. Most believed Roach had won even without the benefit of the knockdown being properly ruled.I scored the fight 116-112 in favor of Roach.There were some close rounds, so Im not completely horrified by the 114-114 cards. The 115-113 card is a little harder to stomach. When you consider that Davis should have had a point deducted, it makes things a bit uglier.In any case, the fight was a massive commercial and financial success. The official attendance was 19,250 which broke the record for an event at the Barclays Center. The event had the second-highest gate ever at the venue.Roach gained a wealth of new fans with his performanceboth in person (the crowd shift was real) and virtually (up to 105K followers on Instagram). It all bodes well for a highly anticipated rematch sometime later this year.Looking ahead to the next fights coming up in 2025, here is a look at the upcoming schedule.Boxing Schedule 2025Friday, March 7, 2025Location: Royal Albert Hall, London, GBTime: 1:00 PM (ET)The Ring Welterweight Championship: (c) Natasha Jonas vs. Lauren PriceWednesday, March 12, 2025Location: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, AustraliaTime: 3:00 am ETKeith Thurman vs. Brock JarvisMichael Zerafa vs. Erkan AySaturday, March 15, 2025Location: M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, GBTime: 1:00 PM (ET)WBA World Featherweight Championship: (c) Nick Ball vs. TJ DohenySunday, March 16, 2025Location: The Theater at MSG, New York City, USTime: 9:00 PM (ET)Callum Walsh vs. Dean SutherlandSaturday, March 29, 2025Location: Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USTime: 9:00 PM (ET)WBO World Welterweight Championship: (c) Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy RyanBruce Shoo Shoo Carrington vs. Enrique VivasSaturday, April 12, 2025Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USTime: 8:00 PM (ET)The Ring Welterweight Championship: (c) Jaron Boots Ennis vs. Eimantas StanionisSaturday, April 26, 2025Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, GBTime: 12:00 PM (ET)Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor BennAnthony Yarde vs. Lyndon ArthurLiam Smith vs. Aaron McKennaChris Billam-Smith vs. Brandon GlantonCheavon Clarke vs. Viddal RileySaturday, May 2, 2025Location: Times SquareTime: TBDRyan Garcia vs. Rolly RomeroDevin Haney vs. Jose RamirezTeofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.

Identifying the truth about whether generative AI and LLMs are suffering from cognitive decline.gettyIn todays column, I examine the recent spate of claims that generative AI and large language models (LLMs) supposedly suffer from cognitive decline. This certainly sounds juicy. One related disconcerting factor is that comparing AI to the human condition associated with cognitive decline is an inapt analog and sadly another sign of excessive anthropomorphization of AI. In any case, the crux of the contention is that AI is presumably in some kind of state of decline regarding mustering computational and mathematical forms of exhibited intelligence.Lets talk about it.This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).Human Cognitive DeclineBefore we unpack the AI side of this matter, we ought to first establish the human facets of cognitive decline since thats the barometer being used in these emerging claims.According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the definition of cognitive decline consists of this aspect (excerpted from APA online dictionary):Reduction in one or more cognitive abilities, such as memory, awareness, judgment, and mental acuity, across the adult lifespan.The presence and degree of decline varies with the cognitive ability being measured.Cognitive decline is a part of normal healthy aging, but a severe decline is not normative and could be symptomatic of disease.It is the primary symptom of disease-induced dementias, such as Alzheimers disease.Im sure that weve all encountered someone who has been undertaken by dementia. They typically will be slow to process their thoughts and might at times wander from a given conversation. Forgetfulness is relatively common. The person gropes for words and has a tough time with a persistent train of thought.As noted above, cognitive decline can range from minor to wholly significant. The aging process has a natural impact on cognition and leads to a semblance of cognitive decline. If you meet someone at the age of 40 and carry out various intelligence tests and revisit them when they are 80 years of age, the chances are that they will perform less capably on the intelligence test.It would seem somewhat intuitive to suggest that people as they age are gradually going to reach a point in their later years that entails cognitive decline. Not everyone does so to the same degree. Not everyone does so at the same age. Nonetheless, it isnt surprising that for example, a 40-year-old when they are 80 years old is likely to show signs of cognitive decline from that early base test to their latest intelligence test.Generative AI And LLMsShift gears and focus on modern-day generative AI and LLMs. I will provide some quick background about the general nature of AI so that we are all on the same table as we get further into the unpacking of the premise of AI and cognitive decline.First, the usual way of developing generative AI consists of doing a massive data training effort that involves scanning a wide swath of content on the Internet. The approach entails doing mathematical and computational pattern-matching of how humans write and make use of words. After performing this large-scale pattern matching, the AI system is tuned and then released for public usage. The AI appears to be fluent in natural language and can engage in human-like dialogue.For more in-depth details on the building of AI, see my discussion at the link here.Second, the AI makers are rapidly progressing their generative AI models. New techniques and ways to optimize the underlying pattern-matching are a fast-moving realm of research and practice, see for example breakthroughs that Ive depicted at the link here and the link here. The aim is to make the AI bigger, faster, and more responsive.Though an AI maker might decide to take an existing version and extend it, the likelier approach consists of starting over with the newest capabilities and performing the data training all over again. This makes abundant sense. Rather than being trapped by the prior less capable restrictions that were used to do the data training on a prior model, you are bound to have better luck by doing the data training anew.Thus, if I share with you version 1.0 of an LLM that I made, and then I tell you to consider switching to my version 2.0, the odds are that I started the 2.0 from scratch and did not simply add onto version 1.0. I might have carefully studied 1.0 to see where it has issues and lacks capabilities, but I am probably not going to use that version to strive forward with my next version.In that sense, version 1.0 and version 2.0 are not the same. They are built on different premises, though certainly have similarities since they have much of the same internal infrastructure.Please keep this in mind since it is going to be quite a sticking point in a moment.Claims About AI Cognitive DeclineBanner headlines have been touting that AI is suffering from cognitive decline. This is eye-catching. Wow, AI is just like humans and has cognitive decline, thats the overt message or at times implied assertion of these pieces.Here are some recent headlines along those lines:Shocking Flaw Found In AI: Like Humans, It Shows Signs Of Dementia With Age (StudyFinds, December 19, 2024).Digital Dementia? AI Shows Surprising Signs of Cognitive Decline (SciTechDaily, December 18, 2024).Older AI Models Show Signs Of Cognitive Decline, Study Shows (LifeScience, February 16, 2025).A close look at such postings indicates that they are primarily based on a research study that sought to examine various generative AI and LLMs to see whether there was cognitive decline involved.The study is entitled Age against the machinesusceptibility of large language models to cognitive impairment: cross sectional analysis by Roy Dayan, Benjamin Uliel, and Gal Koplewitz, BMJ, December 19, 2024, and made these salient points (excerpts):In this study, we evaluated the cognitive abilities of the leading, publicly available large language models and used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to identify signs of cognitive impairment. Older large language model versions scored lower than their younger versions, as is often the case with human participants, showing cognitive decline seemingly comparable to neurodegenerative processes in the human brain (we take older in this context to mean a version released further in the past).Analysis Of The ClaimTime to do some unpacking.Lets think about this broadly. If I asked you to assess my version 1.0 LLM and compare its performance on some form of intelligence test to my version 2.0, what would you likely expect to see as the results?The odds are that version 2.0 would do better than version 1.0.Why?Because I have hopefully done something valuable in the added techniques and optimization that would make the new one better than the old one. Thats common sense. People expect that a newer model is going to be better than the prior one, else they might as well not switch to the newer one.Okay, under that reasonable assumption, suppose I gave an intelligence test to my version 1.0, and gave it again later on to my version 2.0. What should happen? Version 1.0 ought to score lower than the newer 2.0 because I sought to make 2.0 better than 1.0. and was likely successful in doing so.Since my 1.0 has scored lower than my 2.0, would you ergo conclude that my LLM has suffered a cognitive decline?Nope.That wouldnt make logical sense. The 2.0 is better than the 1.0. Thats good. The 1.0 is less capable on the intelligence test because it was my earlier version and not as advanced as my 2.0. Period, end of story.An assumption that a prior model, because it is said to be older, can be used to argue that a decline or degradation has occurred, in comparison to a newer model, defies common sense when you think of the progression involved in advancing AI from model to model over time. The mental trap comes into the picture when you start trying to do a one-to-one analogy to how humans operate, which Ill mention more shortly.Other ConsiderationsThere are more facets to unpack.When I give an intelligence test to a human at the age of 40, it is a one-time snapshot. They are never that precise age again since time moves on. I give that same person the same intelligence test around forty years later, at the age of 80, and see how they do. The chances are they wont do as well (all else being equal). They have suffered some amount of cognitive decline, possibly minimal or possibly a lot.It is the same person, tested over time.Now lets ponder the AI side.I give an intelligence test to my 1.0 version that I released in say September 2024 and do the test at that time. I give that same test to the same 1.0 version about six months later, around March 2025. The odds are that the test results will be approximately the same. I suggest this to be the case since though the AI maker is probably making some minor improvements to the 1.0, it roughly remains about the same. If anything, it will probably score slightly higher on the test in March 2025.I release my version 2.0 in December 2024 and give it an intelligence test. Later on, in March 2025, I give it the same intelligence test. The odds are that the score will be roughly the same, though it is possible that I made minor improvements during those months of usage, and it could score slightly higher on the subsequent test.We have tested two different AI versions. Trying to compare the test results of the 1.0 to the 2.0 version is potentially problematic. They are not necessarily the same versions. This is unlike the idea of one person that has one mind, and we test them over time.Even in the case of the same version, such as focusing solely on 1.0, the chances are that the AI has been improved over time and will perform better on the test. That doesnt indicate a decline, it instead indicates improvement.I trust that you get my gist.Revisiting The Decline ConsiderationNow that weve gotten that matter addressed, Id like to explore this topic with a fresh eye.At the outset, lets put aside the word cognitive since that is usually reserved to refer to humans. The same goes for the word think which is popularly used when referring to AI but again is overloaded with meaning since we use that word when describing human thought and cognition.I will simply revert to indicating that we can be interested in whether AI can be devised to improve over time or whether it might be devised such that it declines in capability over time. Notice that I didnt have to use the word cognitive or think in expressing that consideration.Is it possible that AI such as generative AI or LLMs might worsen or decline over time in their capabilities at responding to user prompts?Yes, this is indeed possible.Heres how.Suppose that we take an LLM and decide to give it some augmented data training. Our goal is that we hope the additional data will boost the AI. You can undertake such an effort readily using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), as I describe at the link here.But imagine that inadvertently the data used for this augmented effort was lousy data. It is replete with falsehoods and mistakes. The proper way to do things would be to have examined and screened the data beforehand. Assume for the sake of discussion that the data was just used as is. No sensibility checks and balances were performed.What might happen to the LLM that is augmented in this manner?Well, if we administer tests and those tests perchance tap into the pattern-match realm that involves that lousy data, the odds are that the AI will do less well on the test. The AI will be answering based on flawed data.Voila, the AI has declined in performance.Fine Tuning And Forgetting You might be tempted to question whether having merely added lousy data to AI was the only way that the AI might decline in performance over time.There are plenty of other avenues.For example, suppose an AI maker opts to tweak their LLM.One aspect that has come up frequently is that people want to have the so-called right-to-forget when it comes to generative AI, see my coverage at the link here. This entails having the AI maker delete out facets that are in the AI, that someone believes ought to be forgotten about them. There is a great deal of controversy over this matter and not everyone agrees that having AI be adjusted this way is the proper ethical or legal way to go (others insist that it is).Anyway, envision that an AI maker is adjusting and refining their generative AI over time. They ought to do so with a careful hand. I mention this because they could lop out useful aspects that are crucial to their generative AI. If they arent mindful of the changes they are making, there is a solid chance that the AI will perform worse than it did before.That would be a considered example of generative AI or LLM that has declined or performed worse over time.Final Thoughts To Mull OverA twist to that aspect is that the changes to the AI dont necessarily have to be undertaken by the human hand. Some of the latest AI has been devised to be so-called self-healing, self-repairing, self-improvement, self-reflection, etc., see my coverage at the link here. Its a dual-edged sword. The AI might improve itself. Yay. But theres no guarantee that the upside is the only result. The AI might undercut itself. Sad face.Again, you would contend that the generative AI has declined or worsened over time.The most popular twist on this consists of using synthetic data for data training of generative AI and LLMs. It goes like this. Right now, the data on the Internet that is used for data training is substantially human-crafted writing. Generative AI meanwhile is being used to pump out responses, i.e. data, of which some or a lot is being posted to the Internet. This is referred to as synthetic data.Some research studies have suggested that if you data train generative AI on principally synthetic data, this can lead to what is known as catastrophic model collapse. The idea is that you are using cloned data and the AI gets weaker and less viable accordingly. Ive examined the truth of this claim, see the link here.So, yet another pathway to having AI decline over time.A final comment for now.You might be familiar with Mark Twain and his famous satirical remarks about his supposed death in 1897 (he actually passed away in 1910), namely that such reports were greatly exaggerated. Its a clever remark by the vaunted writer and humorist. Theres a lesson to be learned from that insight. Be cautious when you hear or read about AI and various eye-catching claims.Dig in and find out the real story.

Qualcomm is reportedly developing its next-generation high-end processor for Windows PCs, the Snapdragon X2. The new chip is expected to feature a significant increase in core count, boasting up to 18 Oryon V3 cores.As per information shared by WinFuture, the Snapdragon X2, identified by the model number SC8480XP, is anticipated to adopt a system-in-package (SiP) design, integrating both RAM and flash storage directly within the processor package. Leaked import-export documents suggest configurations may include up to 48GB of SK hynix RAM and a 1TB SSD. This integration aims to enhance data transfer speeds and energy efficiency by reducing latency between components.Recommended VideosThe core architecture and clock speeds of the Snapdragon X2 remain unknown. Its also unclear whether it will feature only high-performance cores or a mix of different core types. However, documents suggest it is a high-TDP variant, likely the most powerful version. To manage the increased performance and potential heat output, Qualcomm is said to be testing the Snapdragon X2 with an all-in-one liquid cooler featuring a 120mm radiator. This indicates a focus on maintaining optimal thermal performance, especially in desktop environments where higher power consumption is more acceptable.The Snapdragon X2 is expected to be branded under the Snapdragon X2 Ultra Premium label, targeting high-end laptops and desktops. This development aligns with Qualcomms strategy to compete more effectively with established x86 architecture processors from Intel and AMD, as well as ARM-based solutions like Apples M-series chips.This isnt the first time we are hearing about Qualcomms future plans for the Snapdragon X platform. Back in November, Qualcomm confirmed that its upcoming PC processor, the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, will feature the Oryon v3 CPU. This announcement came only a month after the Oryon v2 was unveiled, with plans to integrate it into the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for smartphones. The Oryon v2 is said to deliver a 30% performance boost and 57% greater power efficiency compared to its predecessor. Hopefully the v3 will surpass these improvements.The release of the Snapdragon X2 could also significantly impact the Windows on ARM ecosystem, offering improved performance and efficiency for users. However, challenges such as software compatibility and market adoption remain, as previous ARM-based Windows devices have faced hurdles in running certain applications and games. As of now, Qualcomm has not officially confirmed these details, and the information is based on leaked documents. More concrete information may emerge during upcoming industry events, possibly at Mobile World Congress (MWC) which kicks off starting today.Editors Recommendations

The 97th Academy Awards were held in Los Angeles on Sunday. The event featured memorable musical performances, wins, and speeches. "Anora" was the biggest winner of the night, taking home five Academy Awards, including best picture.Read the original article on Business Insider

AMD's CEO Lisa Su said she still uses a question her bosses asked when she was early in her career.Su said bosses at IBM asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up.Su's leadership kept AMD's focus on high-performance computers and gaming.The CEO of $162 billion chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices said that one early career question helped her make big decisions at the once-struggling company.As a junior employee at Texas Instruments and IBM in the mid-1990s, Lisa Su said she was lucky to have bosses who asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she realized she wanted to manage people and projects.Nearly two decades later, she asked herself that same question about AMD when she landed a leadership role at the chipmaker during a tumultuous time in the company's history.Deciding what AMD wanted to be long term "when we grow up" was key, she said during a talk at Stanford Graduate Business School uploaded online on Thursday."Decisions that we make today, you will really see the impact three to five years down the road," she said.Su said that when she worked as AMD's chief operating officer in 2014, the company evaluated building smartphone chips, which were taking off at the time."That is a good business, but that actually is not a good business for us because that's not fundamentally what we are best at," she said in Thursday's talk. The company opted to prioritize building high-performance computers.Su joined AMD as a senior vice president of global business units in 2012, after about 18 years in the semiconductor industry. She said the company was at a "crossroads" and her mentors advised her not to join AMD because it had "a track record of not perfect execution."After a six-month stint as COO, she was asked to become the company's CEO in October 2014.At the time, the company's stock was trading at around $3 a share, and it was rumored to be on the verge of bankruptcy due to intense competition from Intel and Nvidia.Su is credited for turning the company around. She led AMD to diversify its business beyond personal computers and into gaming consoles and designed new chips. In 2018, AMD replaced GlobalFoundries with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company as its main manufacturing partner.AMD's stock, which peaked at nearly $200 a year ago, was worth $100 on Monday. The fall in the last year came largely from underwhelming revenue data.

It wont go down as the most exciting Oscars on record there was no slap or envelope mix-up after all but for this years Academy Awards, ending an unexpectedly cacophonous awards season with a smooth, calamity-free ceremony clocking in at under four hours was arguably the best of all possible outcomes.The big winner of the evening, Anora, scooped up five of its six nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Mikey Madison (sorry, Demi!). The Brutalist also flexed several wins, including one for actor-slash-gum-thrower Adrien Brody, while several more overtly political films, like Palestinian-Israeli documentary No Mans Land and the anti-authoritarian Brazilian film Im Still Here, picked up some trophies.Overall, the vibe was markedly upbeat a series of solid comedy bits outshone politics, with amusing appearances from Adam Sandler, Bowen Yang, Ben Stiller, Amy Poehler, and June Squibb. Inside the Dolby Theatre, the atmosphere was chill, the music was decent, most of the speeches were short (no thanks to Brody), and best of all? We werent stuck watching until well after midnight. Can we do it like this every year? Still, as always, not everyone came through the night unscathed, and some attendees went home happier than others. Check out our winners and losers below!Winner: Conan OBrien kept things weirdFrom his slightly too-gross entrance clawing his way out of Demi Moores back to his cheeky song-and-dance routine promising not to let the telecast go on too long, Conan OBrien took the most thankless gig in show business this year and played it just a little weirder than youd think he could. We, for one, are thankful. Over the course of his monologue, OBrien affably roasted himself for not having had enough work done, Karla Sofa Gascn for her many offensive tweets, and Timothe Chalamet for his baby face. He also got in a truly delightful bit about showing John Lithgows disappointed face to anyone who took too long with their acceptance speech, plus another long shaggy-dog one with a belligerently be-hoodied Adam Sandler. (Sandler didnt bother to put on a tux because hes too good of a person to care about his clothes, he boasted.) Making the Oscars funny is a feat in and of itself, but at the end of his monologue, OBrien one-upped himself with a genuinely heartfelt tribute to what the Oscars mean in the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires. Award shows for wealthy celebrities can feel shallow after so much devastation, he acknowledged but the Oscars also offer an incredible platform for the below-the-line talent that is not so famous. That the awards also lavished the nominees of the technical categories with the kind of praise they normally save for the actors? Well, thats the icing on the cake. Constance GradyConan OBrien presenting at the Oscars. Getty ImagesEarly on in awards season, trans actress Karla Sofa Gascn was hailed as a Best Actress frontrunner for her turn as the titular character in splashy musical Emilia Prez. But things quickly spiraled for the film: Not only did audiences critique the storyline for regressive and inauthentic storytelling, but Gason drew negative attention for shading her fellow nominee Fernanda Torres and then the real mine fields detonated: Twitter users dug up Gascns old tweets.It turns out Gascn had a long history of making racist, Islamaphobic, antisemitic, homophobic, and other offensive comments, arguably culminating in her musing in public that Hitler simply had his opinion about the Jews. Though Gascn soon apologized and deleted her Twitter account, the scandal prompted many onlookers to wonder why on earth someone with such views had been cast to begin with, especially in a role that, for all the scripts flaws, was a groundbreaking trans character. At the very least, the question of why no one deleted her tweets before awards season should haunt Hollywood PR staff for years to come.The Emilia Prez production distanced itself hard from Gascn and threw itself into supporting its other nominated actress, Zoe Saldaa, who picked up a win for Best Supporting Actress. (Saldaa did not mention Gason in her acceptance speech, though she did thank the cast in general). The Academy Awards also seemed eager to distance itself from Gason during the ceremony; some preview clips of the film barely referenced her, and despite Emilia Perez being a musical, nominated for Best Picture in a heavily musical Oscars year, the cast was absent from the stage. Ultimately, the film, which originally led the pack with 13 nominations, picked up just 2 wins, and Gason went home empty-handed. Aja RomanoWinner: Non-Emilia Prez musical numbersWhen it was announced that this years Oscars ceremony wouldnt include performances of the Best Original Song nominees, it seemed like both a blessing and curse. This musical showcase has long been a crucial part of the ceremony, punctuating the awards and keeping audiences stimulated. However, this years list of nominees included two songs from Emilia Prez, with songs that have been excessively mocked online. Nevertheless, one number, El Mal, took home Best Original Song. That was all the recognition the Academy seemingly wanted to give the films music during the ceremony, though, and it was ultimately a good choice. Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the show, with a celebration of the cinematic legacy of The Wizard of Oz and a tribute to Los Angeles following the catastrophic wildfires this past January. Grande performed Somewhere Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz, while Cynthia Erivo sang Home from The Wiz, ending with her show-stopping Defying Gravity riff. Then there was a delightfully random James Bond tribute (perhaps a eulogy, given its recent Amazon acquisition?) featuring pop stars Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye with a slightly shaky but amusing medley of Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever, and Live and Let Die. Lastly, Queen Latifah offered a spirited tribute to Quincy Jones, performing Ease on Down the Road from his production The Wiz. The Oscars seem to have taken notes from the Grammys, putting as many divas as they could onstage. In a ceremony defined by lackluster nominees, it was a welcome distraction. Kyndall Cunningham Ariana Grande performing at the Oscars. Getty ImagesWinner: Starting at 7 pm Eastern For the second year in a row, Hollywoods Biggest Night was actually late afternoon the ceremony started at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern. And you know what? Good! For Academy Award watchers on the East Coast, the show going over means getting to bed closer to midnight. Its a school night not everyone can stay up that late. Starting an hour earlier also makes the viewing experience more pleasurable. The time cushion makes everything feel a little less stressful (especially when the acceptance speeches go long) because theres essentially an extra hour. Host Conan OBrien even had an entire musical number/a promise that he wont waste time. Praise ABC and the powers that be, Sundays show ended before 11! Alex Abad-SantosBlame it on the vibe shift, blame it on the Los Angeles fires shaking up Hollywood, blame it on who knows what, but there was, frankly, a lot of peoples private business happening in front of the cameras on Hollywoods biggest night. Kieran Culkin, accepting his Best Supporting Actor Oscar, told a long and admittedly funny story about his wife whose punchline was that she only agreed to have a third and a fourth child if he won an Emmy and an Oscar, respectively because she didnt think he ever would. Meanwhile, Andrew Garfield tried to make an unimpressed Goldie Hawn cry by telling her impromptu that she was his recently deceased mothers favorite actor while they were supposed to be presenting the awards in the two animated categories. None of this is necessarily bad, but it is traditionally the sort of thing you take care of when you are not being broadcast live across the world. Hollywood decided to tear down the boundaries tonight. Constance GradyWinner: No Other LandThe winner for Best Documentary Feature the result of a collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian activists was something of an upset, if only because its lack of a US distributor hurt it at some Oscar-predicting awards, including both the Producers and Directors Guild Awards. The films creators are also its subjects: Basel Adra, a displaced Palestinian activist, navigates the destruction of Gaza, while his friend and creative partner Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist, lives in relative security and stability.While the Oscars largely skirted political speech (no one referenced President Donald Trump by name), these directors succeeded in making an unusually direct address. In an uncompromising speech, Adra said, We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people. Abraham, echoed this sentiment, saying, We see each other, the destruction of Gaza and its people, which must end, the Israeli hostages, brutally taken in the crime of Oct. 7, which must be freed, before pointing directly to US foreign policy as blocking the path to peace. Meredith Haggerty Loser: The revamped Fab Five presentation One of the most beloved recurring features at the Oscars is whats known as the Fab Five format in the acting categories. The gist: five previous winners of each category Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress are brought on stage to present and praise the nominees and announce the winner. Its a touching way to honor the history and importance of the award.The Fab Five was supposed to be used again this year but, likely due to the impossibly thorny optics of introducing Best Actress nominee Karla Sofa Gascn and the controversy surrounding her Islamophobic and anti-Black tweets, the format was nixed. Instead, the Oscars consolidated. Three of last years winners Robert Downey Jr., Davine Joy Randolph, Cillian Murphy said something about each of the nominees in their respective categories. Meanwhile, Emma Stone, who presented Best Actress, more or less just introduced the category and didnt say anything specific about the actresses nominated, who besides Gascn included Demi Moore, Fernanda Torres, Cynthia Erivo, and winner Mikey Madison. The result felt a little less personal and a bit more awkward. Downey Jr.s casual glibness wasnt a really good fit for giving other actors their moment in the sun, and there was no way for Stone to elegantly avoid the elephant in the room. Just one more way the Gascn blowup impacted the vibe at this years show. Alex Abad-SantosSee More:

Jianshe Avenue Pedestrian Bridge / Atelier cnSSave this picture! HunkPedestrian BridgeFoshan, ChinaArchitects: Atelier cnSAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:400 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Hunk Architectural Design: Hairui Lin, Wenxuan Huang, Kaiyao Zhu More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The Jinshazhou E-commerce Live Streaming Base in Dali Town, Nanhai District, Foshan, is located at the heart of the Guangzhou-Foshan Metropolitan Integration area. Spanning 155 acres, it has developed a 220,000-square-meter digital economy ecosystem. By 2024, more than 800 companies from across the industry chain have gathered here, including MCN (Multi-Channel Network) agencies, supply chain service providers, digital technology research and development centers and etc., making it a key hub for e-commerce in Nanhai District.Save this picture!Save this picture!To the north of the industrial cluster, a 90-meter-long steel pedestrian bridge spans across the city's main road, reshaping the spatial layout. Acting as a vertical corridor connecting the north and south commercial complexes, it serves not only as a physical link but also as a visual embodiment of the digital industry's energy. The constant movement of live-streaming hosts, products, and data brings to life a dynamic scene of modern commercial civilization.Save this picture!Save this picture!The design team adopted the futuristic concept of the "digital wave" as the central theme, transforming the cold logic of structural engineering into an artistic narrative. The wave-like canopy design, inspired by the sine wave shape, achieves its precise form through parametric modeling. This fusion of mathematics and aesthetics mirrors the harmony between data and creativity in the live-streaming industrywhere rational structures support emotional expression, and technological foundations inspire a sense of romance in daily life.Save this picture!Save this picture!The canopy of the pedestrian bridge is made up of 177 segments, numbered from 1 to 177. The first 28 segments are all red (Color 1), while segments 29 to 148 are carefully arranged in 60 pairs, creating a seamless gradient from red to blue. The final 29 segments (149 to 177) are all blue (Color 60). This design, with its smooth gradient, beautifully reflects the precision and aesthetics of digital technology.Save this picture!The bridge design takes pedestrian comfort into full account, featuring a non-slip surface on the deck and ample lighting to ensure safe passage. At the same time, it seamlessly blends with its surroundings, harmonizing with the adjacent buildings and landscape.Save this picture!As the sine curve is permanently embedded in the steel structure, and data flows are materialized through light and shadow, this pedestrian bridge goes beyond its original role as a simple transport link. It has become a "viral bridge" that speaks for itselfa spatial symbol of the urban and industrial integration era, as well as a witness and creator of the digital economy's evolution. Here, each curve embodies the momentum of industrial upgrading, and each color reflects the warmth of urban renewal, casting vibrant hues both day and night.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeAtelier cnSOfficePublished on March 03, 2025Cite: "Jianshe Avenue Pedestrian Bridge / Atelier cnS" 03 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027342/jianshe-avenue-pedestrian-bridge-atelier-cns&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save? / You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Bitmap BureauIts been thirty-four years since Terminator 2: Judgment Day debuted. Now, the events from the beloved movie have been brought to life in Terminator 2D: No Fate, an officially licensed 2D action side-scrolling game with a pixelated graphic style. It is developed by Bitmap Bureau and published by Reef Entertainment.The game lets you play as legendary Terminator heroes Sarah Connor, John Connor and the T-800 as they take on Skynet and the deadly T-1000 in a story that blends iconic scenes from Terminator 2: Judgment Day with original scenarios and multiple endings, reads the games description.The developers said that a great challenge while working on the title is to turn the classic science fiction action movie into a complete arcade experience. We wanted to do justice to the Terminator 2 legacy, said Mike Tucker, design director and programmer at Bitmap Bureau.You can definitely expect to encounter iconic scenes, such as the Corral bar brawl and the motorcycle escape from the T-1000. Sarah Connor, who is excellent in melee combat, is equipped with a laser sight, which drew inspiration from the Miles Dyson scene.The games cinematic soundtrack features recrafted music from the movie and brand-new compositions. Also, it will provide various modes to experience and unlock, including Story Mode, Arcade Mode, Infinite Mode, Boss Rush, Mother of the Future, and Level Training.Bitmap BureauBitmap BureauLearn more about the making of the game, which is one that the developers believe we should have had back in our youth, by watching the video below:Terminator 2: Judgment Day will be available on multiple platforms when its launched on September 5, including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Dont forget to join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Terminator 2D: No Fate Is Officially Announced appeared first on CG SHARES.

While Steam has witnessed one and another games that break historical records in both sales and concurrent players numbers, itself has joined that queue as well a new milestone was hit on March 2, with over 40 million players playing on the platform simultaneously.As spotted by Blues News, the charts show that the peak online player count was 40,263,662 at 22:00 on Sunday, and over 26 million players are online at the moment of writing. Slightly over a year after reaching the record of 33,675,229 concurrent users, the number has the potential to keep growing.Captured on SteamWhile weekends definitely bring tides to the user number, the newly released Monster Hunter Wilds, which ranked top in both the top-selling chart and most-played chart, has been a great helper for Valve in breaking the mark. Of course, other games that are capable of attracting a large number of players, such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Marvel Rivals, and PUBG, have been pillars as well.At the same time, the great relationship between the platform and users is definitely a contributor. The platform itself is winning growing favorite sentiments from players with a series of new or enhanced policies that are great examples of user-friendly orientation. This strengthening connection amidst the growing PC gaming marketing makes the miracle happen.Steam has been steadily growing since its launch in September 2003, and it was made only possible by winning a lawsuit with Counter-Strikes publisher at that time, Sierra Entertainment, where a Korean-speaking intern named Andrew helped the now giant but then a starter-up to win and free from being bankrupt.Fast forward to two decades later, it is appropriately the dominant force in game distribution, one that Amazons Prime Gaming tries to beat but seems to have little chance of winning its VP Ethan Evans admitted that no one at Amazon cracked the code as they ultimately underestimated what made consumers use Steam.Dont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Steam Has Seen Record-Breaking 40 Million Concurrent Users appeared first on CG SHARES.