What's This Weird Balancing Rock on Mars?

My colleague noticed something strange in the latest batch of photos from NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover: A roundish rock appears to be carefully balanced atop a jagged outcrop. How did that get there?

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Kit Harington's Jon Snow Will Return in a New Game of Thrones Spinoff

If you thought HBO’s plans for Game of Thrones’ future were all in the past at this point, you’re in for a shock: The network is planning to bring back Kit Harington’s Jon Snow for a new Thrones spinoff set after the events of the main series.

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Vince McMahon Steps Down As WWE CEO During Misconduct Investigation

Cult hit RPG 'Dragon's Dogma' is finally getting a sequel

Dragon’s Dogma didn’t rock the fantasy RPG world when it arrived in 2012, but it gradually developed a loyal fan base. If you’re part of that group, you’ll be glad to hear that Capcom has confirmed work on a sequel as part of a livestream celebrating the original’s 10th anniversary. Not that there are many details, mind you. As Kotakureports, game director Hideaki Itsuno shared the Dragon’s Dogma II name, a logo and nothing else — don’t expect a release in the near future, then.

The first game was flawed, with an awkward interface and a mediocre open-world experience. However, its wild story, enjoyable combat and extensive customization helped win people over. It was popular enough to warrant an expansion (Dark Arisen), a Japan-exclusive online RPG (Dragon’s Dogma Online) and even a Netflix anime series.

It’s safe to presume Dragon’s Dogma II will target modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. With that said, it’s too soon to say much else. A lot has changed in the past decade, and a sequel will have to compete with action RPG rivals like Elden Ring. Still, this might give Capcom more room to address the original’s flaws and otherwise shake up its game mechanics.

Microsoft's Most Embarrassing Product Failures

Microsoft is responsible for bringing many of us into the digital realm, introducing generations of consumers to the PC. Even today, the Windows operating system is used by more than a billion people worldwide. Beyond Windows, Microsoft and its brand Xbox have been a driving force behind the growth of gaming, Office…

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Mike Lindell Fumes Over Cancel Culture After Walmart Drops MyPillow

“You guys are just canceling us,” the MyPillow CEO reportedly told a Walmart executive.

Roku will put Walmart shopping ads on its streaming devices

Roku has teamed up with Walmart to serve a new kind of advertisement that will let you shop straight from your TV. Unlike typical TV ads that only showcase a specific service or product, these shoppable ads are more similar to advertisements you see online. Viewers who do find something they want to buy from the shoppable ads can press OK on their remote to begin Walmart’s checkout process. Their payment details will be automatically populated with their information from Roku Pay, so they’d only have to press OK to complete their purchase. They’ll then get an email confirmation from Walmart with shipping and return information. 

Since this is a pilot partnership between the companies, the shoppable ads powered Roku’s ad-buying platform called OneView will only feature products fulfilled by Walmart. Of course, ads always have the potential to be annoying, but Roku’s announcement suggests that it will at least show ads targeted towards its users, thanks to its advertising tech. The company also said that future iterations of this pilot program “will look for opportunities to build deeper commerce experiences that meet customers where they are.”

This isn’t the first time Roku and Walmart have joined forces: Last year, Roku debuted its new LE streaming player as a $15 Walmart exclusive for Black Friday. The device eventually made its way to other retailers like Amazon, where it’s being sold at prices ranging from $24 to $30. 

Elon Musk Offers Thoughts On Finances, Space Aliens In First Meeting With Twitter Staff

“Right now the costs exceed the revenue, so that’s not a great situation to be in,” Musk reportedly told employees.

UK government approves Julian Assange's extradition to the US

Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange’s extradition to the US has been approved by UK home secretary Priti Patel, according to a UK government factsheet. “Under the Extradition Act 2003, the secretary of state must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made,” a Home Office spokesperson said in a statement. “In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange.”

Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health.

The announcement was expected after a UK court issued a formal order to extradite Assange in April, a necessary legal step required before the government can act. “Extradition requests are only sent to the home secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case,” the spokesperson stated. 

After the earlier trial, Assange’s team would have had the opportunity to submit information to sway Patel, but that apparently failed to move her. The order isn’t necessarily the final word on the case, though. Assange’s legal team is expected to appeal within the 14-day window allowed, likely on the grounds of freedom of expression and whether the order was politically motivated. 

It’s not unprecedented for such appeals to be successful, either. Alleged British hacker Lauri Love won his US extradition appeal on human rights grounds, arguing that the order would have caused his Asperger’s condition to deteriorate. 

British Government Approves Extradition Of Julian Assange To U.S.; Appeal Possible

The decision is a big moment in the WikiLeaks founder’s years-long battle to avoid facing trial in the U.S. — though not necessarily the end of the tale.