Hasta La Gadget!

One of the world’s most prolific film composers is about to make a monster leap. Michael Giacchino, who recently directed the Marvel Studios special Werewolf By Night, has just signed with Warner Bros. to direct a remake of the 1954 sci-fi classic Them!, which was about giant, killer ants.

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Crypto lender Celsius Network is still facing the consequences of its tumultuous 2022 long after it declared bankruptcy. New York State Attorney General Letitia James has sued former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky for allegedly defrauding investors out of “billions of dollars” in cryptocurrency. The executive purportedly misled customers about Celsius’ worsening financial health, and didn’t register either as a salesperson or as a commodities and securities dealer.

The Attorney General’s office claims Mashinsky falsely boasted of low-risk investments and reliable lending partners while “routinely” exposing investors to high-risk approaches that resulted in losses the company chief hid from customers. He also made untrue statements about safety, strategies and user numbers, according to the lawsuit. Celsius’ ex-chief supposedly deceived hundreds of thousands of investors (over 26,000 in the state), some of which James says suffered “financial ruin.”

New York hopes to ban Mashinsky from doing business in the state. It also wants him to pay damages and otherwise compensate investors. In a statement to Engadget, Celsius would only reiterate that Mashinsky resigned as CEO in September and is “no longer involved” in managing the firm.

Celsius is one of the more prominent casualties of last year’s crypto crash. Its token’s value plunged from $7 in 2021 to just $3 last spring. That was particularly damaging to a company that offered loans with little collateral and promised yields as high as 18.6 percent — it didn’t have the resources needed to endure the crisis. It tried freezing withdrawals last June to stabilize its assets, but opted for bankruptcy the following month to restructure and otherwise give it a better chance to regroup.

The lawsuit isn’t likely to be the end of the fallout. Several states are investigating Celsius’ practices, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has been in touch. Celsius isn’t alone in dealing with legal repercussions. Just this week, the crypto exchange Coinbase reached a $100 million settlement with New York over alleged financial rule violations. However, it’s notable that the state is going after Mashinsky directly, not just the business he once ran.

You know what the problem with glow sticks are? They aren’t big enough. I demand maximum glow. And here, to right that wrong, are these massive 14″ long, 1″ thick glow sticks. Available on Amazon (affiliate link), the sticks feature 12 – 16 hours of glow time, with a 5-year shelf life so that you can keep them right next to the Twinkies.

Recommended uses include camping, vehicle emergencies and natural disasters, and concerts, but they somehow forgot to mention lightsaber battles. An oversight, I’m sure. I mean, if you aren’t swinging one of these things at a friend in the woods, can you even call yourself a Jedi?

I still remember the first time a friend dared me to taste the liquid inside a glow stick. It does not taste very good. It will, however, make your mouth glow briefly, though, so there is that. My college girlfriend broke up with me that night after realizing I was a poor decision-maker. It was a smart decision.

[via DudeIWantThat]

The worst fear is dropping your new Samsung phone on the ground to the sound of a glorious crack. Here’s what it would cost if your screen is damaged.

Lenovo showed off its latest dual-screen laptop at CES 2023. It comes with two beautiful touch screens, lots of connectivity options, and a unique design.