By Matt Novak Published March 5, 2025 | Comments (5) | Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images President Donald Trump wants to make Ronald Reagans long-ridiculed Star Wars missile defense program from the 1980s a reality. And he insists new tech can finally make it happen. Trump gave a rambling speech to Congress Tuesday night that included the kinds of dishonest nonsense the fascist president has long been known for. But as the most powerful person in the country, Trump has the power to make things happen. And he wants to create a missile defense system for the U.S. called the Golden Dome for America, previously known as the Iron Dome for America. As Commander-in-Chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I am asking Congress to fund a state-of-the-art Golden Dome Missile Defense Shield to protect our homeland, all made in the USA, Trump said. Trump went on to invoke the name of Ronald Reagan, clearly one of Trumps favorite presidents, especially since the current president seems perpetually stuck in a 1980s mindset. Ronald Reagan wanted to do it long ago, but the technology just wasnt there, not even close, Trump continued. But now we have the technology. Its incredible, actually. And other places that have it, Israel has it. Other places have it. And the United States should have it, too. Trump kicked off his pursuit of Reagans Star Wars on Jan. 27 when he issued an executive order calling for the creation of a next-generation missile defense shield.President Ronald Reagan endeavored to build an effective defense against nuclear attacks, and while this program resulted in many technological advances, it was canceled before its goal could be realized, the executive order said. Initially, Trumps program was supposed to be called the Iron Dome for America, copying the name of the ground-based system from Israel, but that name is trademarked by an Israeli company, so it makes sense the gold-obsessed president would choose a new name with a gold theme. Reagans Star Wars, officially known as the Strategic Defense Initiative, was announced in 1983 as a space-based missile interceptor program and never properly got off the ground. At the time, detractors likened the system to something like attempting to shoot a bullet with another bullet. The tech simply wasnt advanced enough, and it required the militarization of space, something that was previously prohibited by international treaties. Trumps executive order from January specifically calls out the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, from which the U.S. withdrew in 2002. The general idea is to protect the U.S. from missiles, though its not clear who would be firing at Americans anymore, our old allies or our new ones? And the problem Trump now faces is making a missile defense shield that covers the entire United States. Israels Iron Dome system obviously protects a much smaller area from short-range rockets. Does Trump expect rocket attacks from Canada or Mexico soon? Such a question wouldve been absurd in any other era.And unfortunately for Trump, its not clear whether the tech really is there for a land mass so vast. The executive order doesnt lay out specifics about how the Golden Dome would be constructed. Theoretically, if you threw enough money at agencies like the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Space Force (which already has systems for tracking missiles) and any number of private contractors, you could come up with a system. But Trump keeps insisting hes trying to cut government spending. Which brings you to the problem that Congress is supposed to fund projects like this. And while Trump said he wants Congress to find the money for this project, its not clear why the House and Senate would ever agree to such a large new expense. Trump has asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to find about $50 billion in cuts that can be reallocated for projects like the Golden Dome, but thats not how any of this is supposed to work. Illegality isnt going to stop Trump, obviously. The Trump White House has already been ignoring direct court orders and the courts are powerless to do anything about it. So if Trump cant get Congress to fund it, he clearly has other options, even if theyre not entirely legal. Will Trump pull off a shiny new missile defense shield? Who knows? But the challenges are obviously much larger than just scaling up Israels Iron Dome and its not entirely clear why the U.S. would need such a system. Everything seems up in the air at the moment, including who might be considered Americas allies. Trump has slapped tariffs on Canada and Mexico, while threatening to hit Europe next. All there are reports the Trump regime plans to drop sanctions against Russia while imposing much smaller tariffs on China.Its a brand new world out there for Americans and theres no telling what tomorrow might bring, let alone the next year. The U.S. could have a new missile defense system funded entirely by programs cut by Secretary Hegseth. And the U.S. could quite literally go to war with allies like Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Panama. Theres no telling at this point. And Americans should be prepared for anything.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published March 4, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 4, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published March 4, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 4, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 3, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published March 3, 2025

Wuyang Cultural Station / WAU DesignSave this picture! Siming WUCultural CenterWuyang, ChinaArchitects: WAU DesignPhotographsPhotographs:Siming WU Lead Architects: Linshou WU, Xiangying ZHAO More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Situated in Wuyang, a coastal town in Guangdong's Zhanjiang area with a rich history spanning over a thousand years, the Wuyang Cultural Station aims to celebrate the town's historical and cultural heritage while revitalizing local cultural identitycentral themes in rural revitalization. To facilitate this vision, the government has designated a plot of land in the northern section of the town government courtyard for the construction of a cultural center. This center will feature diverse facilities, including a historical and cultural exhibition hall, temporary exhibition spaces, conference rooms, and a library. The site itself has an irregular shape, bordered by village lines to the west and north, and extending toward Wuyang First Street, the town's main thoroughfare, to the east.Save this picture!Save this picture!Architecturally, the design incorporates a dual-direction single-slope roof, with the two inclined surfaces forming a 16-degree angle that aligns with the eastern and western boundaries. The functional spaces are arranged in a compact L-shaped layout along the village borders, creating an open area that acts as a natural "wind corridor," facilitating efficient ventilation and connecting directly to the coastline. These functional units are unified under a shared eave, with varying ceiling heights and semi-outdoor corridors enhancing connectivity. The sea breeze flows beneath the eaves, creating a refreshing ambiance reminiscent of "opening windows to welcome a gentle breeze."Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Employing a design strategy that "divides the whole into parts," the project responds to climatic conditions while mitigating the institutional feel that larger volumes might evoke. This approach fosters a harmonious dialogue between the cultural station and the surrounding self-built homes. The semi-outdoor spaces beneath the expansive roof allow visitors to flow seamlessly between indoor and outdoor environments, bridging everyday life with historical reflections. Subtle variations in ceiling height offer a three-dimensional experience that invites exploration, described as "ascending a platform to view the sea." Meandering pathways visually connect the cluster of self-built homes with the nearby South City Gate ruins, enhancing the site's historical narrative. Together, the semi-outdoor corridors and an elevated plaza form a community "cultural station" that supports a variety of activities, such as markets, tea gatherings, and exhibitions, invigorating the local daily life.Save this picture!Save this picture!The architects express cultural memory through spatial prototypes: the lowered eaves facing the main street evoke the imagery of a temple porch, while the ascending steps and elevated roof reflect the emotive spatial techniques of traditional temples. The separation between the steel structure of the roof and the concrete body allows for the expression of structural elements, subtly referencing the timber construction of ancestral halls. The entrance screen is adorned with 836 ancient Ming Dynasty bricks, beneath which lies the site of an old city wall, revealing the historical layers of the site through an "archaeological exhibition" narrative.Save this picture!Save this picture!To maintain harmony with the local environment, the construction employs familiar materials such as red brick, washed terrazzo, tiles, and galvanized steel plates. Economic considerations are integral to the project: the profiled galvanized steel plates used in the ceiling also serve as the roofing surface, reducing scaffolding costs, while the bluestone slate tiles come from leftover materials from landscaping projects. These "low-tech" construction methods not only preserve the texture of traditional dwellings but also enhance the public character of contemporary rural life.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Wuyang, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeWAU DesignOfficePublished on March 05, 2025Cite: "Wuyang Cultural Station / WAU Design" 05 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027521/wuyang-cultural-station-wau-design&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save? / WAUYou'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

Streamline project organization in SynthEyes using three essential tools: the Project Selector, Project Tag Manager, and Workflow Presets Manager. Join Moritz Fortmann for a quick look at these tools. Even if you're not working at a facility, these tools will help keep projects organised consistently and in a way you want to use them.// K E Y P O I N T S // * The Project Selector acts as a master switch, enabling users to create and load project presets that automatically update default settings. * Project Tag Manager is introduced as a dynamic file path builder. Set your base folder paths and defines tags. * This setup extends to MaskML, allowing for organized mask output management. * The Workflow Presets Manager is presented as a central database for all SynthEyes presets, allowing for easy management, including renaming, deleting, and copying presets.Learn more about SynthEyes here : https://borisfx.com/products/syntheyes/ // D I S C O R D C H A N N E L //https://www.borisfxdiscord.com/ #matchmove #VFX #motiontracking

Learn the fundamentals of head tracking in SynthEyes and seamlessly export your scene to a 3D package for further refinement. Join Elizabeth Postol in this tutorial, as she demonstrates how to easily track an actor's head. Using SynthEyes' powerful auto features and masking, including the new MaskML feature for rapid garbage matte creation. We bypass manual tracking by leveraging automatic features and refining the solve for optimal accuracy. Discover how to align a base human head mesh within SynthEyes. Then use the Smudge / Relax tool for precise adjustments, and export your tracked data and geometry to a 3D package like Houdini for final rendering and compositing.// K E Y P O I N T S // * Utilize SynthEyes' MaskML for quick and accurate garbage matte creation. * Refine automatic tracking solves by adjusting camera motion and deleting extraneous trackers. * Align and adjust a base human head mesh using the Smudge / Relax tool for precise matching. * Export tracked data and geometry to Houdini via FBX for seamless integration. * Learn the importance of exporting reference geometry alongside tracking data for realistic compositing.Learn more about SynthEyes here : https://borisfx.com/products/syntheyes/ // D I S C O R D C H A N N E L //https://www.borisfxdiscord.com/ #matchmove #VFX #motiontracking

Congratulations to /u/sirdioz69 for wining February's contest with their harp inspired by classical Greek statues. You can see last month's results and entries here. Theme This month's theme will be fracture. The concept invokes images of damaged concrete, a crack running though glass, or a broken bone. But it can refer to much more abstract concepts such as a social schism, a temporal discontinuity, or an incoherent sense of self. Make something that embodies the idea of a fracture for this month's contest. Making a Submission. Entries will be submissions to r/Blender that meet the following criteria: * The post should be made before the end of March 30th UTC * Countdown to submissions closing * The post should be an render, animation, or other artwork which was made primarily using Blender * The post should contain supporting images/text or a top-level comment with the following content: * One of the following methods of proving that the artwork was made using Blender: * A link to the .blend file for the project, ideally including external assets or links to where external assets were sourced from. * A set of three image which may be clay renders, viewport renders, wireframe renders, or simply screenshots of the project open in Blender. Some variety is encouraged. * A screen recording of you manipulating, navigating, or otherwise interacting with the scene. * An explanation of of all work that was done outside of Blender, outside the time frame of the contest, or by other artists. * (Optional) The theme you would like next month's contest to have if you win. If you do not include this, then the theme will be chosen from the runner ups. * Once you have submitted your post to the subreddit, leave a comment down below linking to it * You are also encouraged to share details of your process with the community. Winning The winner will receive the flair Contest Winner: March 2025 and their post will be added to the subreddit's wiki under the Contest Winners list. The winner will also have the chosen theme selected for next month's contest, should they include one with their submission. When the contest ends, the results will be edited into this post and the 1st place winner will be congratulated in the announcement for next month's contest. The winner will awarded $100 USD. submitted by /u/Avereniect [link] [comments]

UbisoftAfter a period of silence, Ubisofts Project Maverick, an extraction-based multiplayer shooter spinoff of Far Cry, has reappeared with some positive news it has reportedly been rebooted after internal review.According to several sources of Insider Gaming, last December, the core tech team Talisker, which was also the project name before it split up into two different games in December of 2023, was moved from Maverick to solely focus on supporting Blackbird, i.e., the main entry Far Cry 7, to ensure its development was on track. This is said to be the final nail in the coffin, leading to the decision to Project Mavericks reboot.Now, Ubisoft Montreal, the development team of both Blackbird and Maverick, will bring the multiplayer game, which was originally set in Alaska and requires players to fight one another, animals, and the harsh conditions of the environment to survive, to prototyping together with Ubisoft Sherbrooke. There have been staff changes coming with this action as well, with a dozen or so developers at Ubisoft Berlin, who were supporting the games development, being moved to Blackbird.The reason behind Mavericks reboot has not been disclosed. However, its understood to be a decision made as a part of Ubisofts new strategy to streamline its teams and projects amid the companys struggles. Now that the games development is reset, it sounds unlikely that itll be launched in the planned 2026 release window.As for Project Blackbird, some on the Blackbird project feel like a 2026 release date is still fairly optimistic, with the project bloating in headcount and budget.Dont forget tojoin 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 Ubisoft Reportedly Reboots Far Cry Multiplayer Shooter appeared first on CG SHARES.

Branding illustrations for Gutsy.