Category Archives: general

Government will release September jobs report next week, ending data drought from federal shutdown

Posted on by
Reply

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Labor Department will release its numbers on September hiring and unemployment next Thursday, a month and a half late, marking the beginning of the end of a data drought caused by the 43-day federal government shutdown.

The statistical blackout meant that the Federal Reserve, businesses, policymakers, and investors have largely been in the dark about inflation, job creation, GDP growth, and other measures of the U.S. economic health since late summer.

Thomas Simons and Michael Bacolas at Jefferies, a financial firm, wrote in a commentary Friday that over 30 reports from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau were delayed by the political standoff.

The Labor Department did not release its weekly report on the number of Americans signing up for unemployment benefits for seven straight weeks. That jobless claims report is seen as a potential early indicator of where the labor market is headed.

The Labor Department did release its consumer price index for September—the most popular measurement of inflation—nine days late on Oct. 24. The government made an exception for that report because of its urgency: it is used to calculate the annual cost of living adjustment for tens of millions of Americans receiving Social Security and other federal benefits.

The interruption of federal economic statistics came at an awkward time. President Donald Trump’s policies—sweeping, ever-changing import taxes and massive deportations of people working in the United States illegally—are creating uncertainty about the economic outlook.

Meanwhile, the economy has sent conflicting signals. Economic growth looked solid at midyear and unemployment has been low. However, job growth has lost momentum, and inflation has remained stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, partly because of the impact of Trump’s tariffs.

Jefferies’ Simons expects the September employment report to show that employers added 65,000 jobs that month—unimpressive, but up from a meager 22,000 in August. He figures that unemployment remained at a low 4.3%.

**Investors and policymakers hungry for data**

The data cutoff has caused consternation on Wall Street and deepened divisions among Fed officials over whether to cut interest rates for a third straight time at their next meeting in December.

This week, some Fed policymakers have suggested that a lack of data is one reason they may support holding off on another rate cut. As a result, fresh reports on jobs and inflation in the coming weeks and months will carry huge weight at the Fed because new numbers could help resolve disagreements between those who support another interest rate reduction and those who are opposed.

Even with the government reopened, however, it could take a few more weeks for the data to fully recover.

Earlier this week, Kevin Hassett, a top White House economist, said only a part of October’s jobs report originally scheduled to be released Nov. 7 will eventually be released.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics will likely have enough data from businesses to calculate how many jobs were gained or lost last month, as much of that information is submitted electronically. But a separate survey of households, which is used to calculate the unemployment rate, didn’t take place during the shutdown.

As a result, for the first time in 77 years, the BLS may not calculate an unemployment rate for the month of October.

Other White House officials have previously said there also won’t be an October inflation report, because the data couldn’t be gathered due to the government shutdown. That will pose a challenge for the Fed, which is seeking to determine whether inflation is headed back to 2%.

The data interruption occurred just a couple of months after Trump fired the director of the BLS, Erika McEntarfer, after it produced employment figures on Aug. 1 that he didn’t like. They showed only modest job gains in July and sharply smaller increases in May and June than previously estimated.

Still, economists said the upcoming reports should be free from bias. Currently, there are no political appointees at the agency after Trump withdrew his nominee to head the BLS on Sept. 30.

“The data are being produced by roughly the same set of people as in the past,” said Aaron Sojourner, senior economist at the W. E. Upjohn Institute.
https://ktar.com/national-news/government-will-release-september-jobs-report-next-week-ending-data-drought-from-federal-shutdown/5776441/

I tested the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 projector, and it has incredible performance and features for the price

Posted on by
Reply

Epson Pro Cinema LS9000: One Minute Review

The Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 is the latest—and least expensive—member of Epson’s LS series of projectors. Priced at $3,999 / £2,999 / AU$7,299, this entry-level dedicated home theater projector is notably cheaper than comparable options from JVC and Sony, yet it still comes packed with an impressive array of features and performance to match.

The Pro Cinema LS9000 follows in the footsteps of the Epson LS12000 model, which currently tops TechRadar’s Best Projectors list. It aims to continue this legacy by employing the same 15-element glass VRX lens structure, laser light engine, and 3LCD technology as the LS12000.

Similar to its step-up sibling, the LS12000, the LS9000 supports 4K at 120Hz signals, boasts relatively low input lag for gaming, and is compatible with the HDR10+ high dynamic range format. Motorized lens shift, zoom, and focus make setup adjustments straightforward, and out of the box—in Natural picture mode—it delivers accurate colors and a crisp image.

Despite these strengths, some missing features highlight its entry-level position. The most notable is the lack of dynamic tone mapping—a feature beginning to appear even in some less expensive home theater models. With a rated 2,200 lumens brightness (both white and color), the LS9000 is best suited for rooms with good ambient light control rather than bright, multi-purpose living spaces.

Still, the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 offers incredible performance for its price point. It’s a solid, easy-to-set-up projector that also offers plenty of image customization options, appealing to new or budget-conscious home projection enthusiasts alike.

Release Date and Price

The Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 was unveiled in July 2025 at the Audio Advice Live show in Raleigh, North Carolina. As the least expensive among Epson’s Pro Cinema laser projectors, it costs $3,999 / £2,999 / AU$7,299.

For comparison, the Home Cinema LS11000 retails for $4,499 (up from $3,999 at release), and the LS12000 is priced at $5,999 (up from $4,999 at release).

Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 Review: Specs

  • Motorized zoom, focus, and lens shift
  • 4K 120Hz support
  • Motorized lens cover
  • Two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz & eARC support
  • HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ support
  • ±24% horizontal and ±96% vertical lens shift
  • Throw ratio: 1.35 – 2.84:1
  • Brightness: 2,200 lumens (white and color, rated)

Design & Features

The LS9000 shares a similar design with its premium siblings—the Pro Cinema LS12000 and Home Cinema LS11000—as well as the high-lumen Epson QB1000 released in late 2024. All connections are located on the back panel, alongside touch controls for convenience if the remote is misplaced.

Internally, it uses the same VRX lens with a 15-element glass structure and Epson’s 4K 3LCD architecture with three 0.74-inch LCD panels. Like other Epson projectors, it employs pixel-shifting technology to achieve a 4K resolution from 1080p chips.

While some enthusiasts may criticize this approach as not being “True 4K” compared to using native 4K chips, the pixel-shifted 4K image from the LS9000 is remarkably detailed and crisp, especially from a normal viewing distance. The chip also supports a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

The laser light source emits 2,200 lumens of both color and white brightness (IDMS and ISO rated) with an expected life of up to 20,000 hours across all modes. This brightness is slightly lower than the LS11000 and LS12000 models, which deliver 2,500 and 2,700 lumens respectively, explaining part of the price difference.

The projector uses a blue laser diode array that shines through a fixed yellow phosphor to create white light — a system first introduced with the LS12000—instead of a phosphor wheel. This design also allows it to run silently.

The LS9000’s brightness suits dark or light-controlled rooms more than fully bright living spaces, but it still delivers enough brightness for comfortable daytime viewing (more on this below).

Lens adjustments are generous, with ±24% horizontal and ±96% vertical powered lens shift, motorized zoom with a 1:1.2 ratio, and motorized focus—all controllable via the remote, making setup a breeze. The throw ratio ranges from 1.35 to 2.84:1.

Vertical and horizontal keystone correction (±30 degrees) is available, although with extensive lens shift, keystone adjustments should ideally be avoided to prevent picture distortion.

The LS9000 supports an anamorphic lens kit (sold separately) along with third-party options. Users can save image presets and lens positions for different aspect ratios thanks to a memory feature. Additionally, the lens is protected by a motorized cover that opens and closes with the projector’s power cycle.

The projector supports HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ formats and includes two HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of 4K 120Hz. While great for gamers, it does not support ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode); instead, users need to manually switch between Fine and Fast image processing modes to optimize input lag.

HDMI 2 also supports eARC, allowing you to send audio (including Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Audio, and DTS:X) out from the projector if you connect a streaming stick directly to it.

One downside is the absence of dynamic HDR tone mapping. Instead, there is an HDR Dynamic Range slider for manual brightness adjustments of HDR images.

The included remote is somewhat chunky but features a backlit keypad with all necessary buttons for easy control during viewing. Dedicated buttons handle gaming mode toggles (Fine/Fast), lens memory recalls, signal information, lens adjustments, and color modes.

Design & Features Score: 4.5/5

Picture Quality

The LS9000 offers five picture modes—Dynamic, Vivid, Bright Cinema, Cinema, and Natural—consistent across both SDR and HDR content. Each mode produces a watchable image out of the box, though most have a mild blue tint in the grayscale, with Natural being the most color-accurate option.

The default color temperature is set at 6500K, slightly on the cooler side. Adjusting it to 6000K results in a slightly warmer (redder) tone. Users planning professional calibration can assign separate picture modes for SDR and HDR and save settings using the Image Memory feature.

Out of the box, in Natural mode, SDR measurements showed an average Delta E of 2.8, with some grayscale points exceeding 4 due to the blue bias. After calibration, Delta E values can be reduced below 2.1, with many readings under 1.

Color gamut coverage measures 90.25% of UHDA-P3 and 66.86% of the BT.2020 standard.

Brightness measured in Dynamic mode averaged around 2,062 lumens, slightly below the rated 2,200 lumens, partly due to image zoom caused by projector positioning. This brightness is sufficient for viewing with some ambient light, although shadow detail will diminish in such conditions.

The projector truly shines in a dark room environment. Colors appear accurate and inviting, SDR and HDR detail is sharp, and contrast along with shadow detail impresses—especially with the Dynamic Contrast setting at High Speed enabled. Though not as stellar as the LS12000’s contrast, the LS9000 delivers excellent value for its price.

However, HDR performance sometimes requires manual tweaking. Bright highlights can cause clipping, for instance, the sunlit underwater scenes in The Meg where bright sun refracts through ocean water. Adjusting the dynamic range slider from its default setting of 8 up to 10 can reduce clipping and soften overly bright scenes.

Throughout testing, I typically set the dynamic range between 8 and 10 depending on content. For example, during the Battle of Pelennor Fields in Return of the King I kept it at 8, but raised it to 9 during bright day scenes in Mad Max: Fury Road for added depth. While adjustments are subtle and not transformative, they allow personalization, something dynamic tone mapping would have automated.

Gaming Performance

Traditionally, home theater projectors struggle to deliver low enough input lag for gaming. With two HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz and manual mode switching between Fine and Fast processing, the LS9000 is positioned as a strong gaming projector for casual players.

Using the Fast setting on a 4K 60Hz input, input lag measured approximately 20ms; on Fine mode, lag rises to 44ms. Although the projector lacks ALLM, this input lag is acceptable for most non-competitive gamers. My son enjoyed playing Minecraft without issue, and during reaction-based gameplay in titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, performance remained satisfying.

Competitive first-person shooter gamers may notice a difference compared with top-tier gaming TVs, but for the majority, the Epson LS9000 offers a great big-screen gaming experience.

Picture Quality Score: 4.5/5

Value

The Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 stands out as the most affordable model in Epson’s LS series and ranks among the most budget-conscious premium home theater projectors on the market. By comparison, the JVC DLA-NP5, a lamp-based projector, retails around $6,000, as does the Sony VPL-XW5000ES, released three years ago.

The LS9000 delivers greater brightness than both and offers features neither possesses, such as a high-quality laser light engine, HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K/120Hz and eARC support, an excellent lens with motorized adjustments and cover, zoom, image memory, and 2,200 lumens of brightness.

However, compromises include the absence of dynamic tone mapping (a feature available in some projectors costing half as much, like the Valerion VisionMaster Pro2), no 3D support, lower brightness compared to the LS11000 and LS12000, and lack of ALLM for gaming.

Despite these, the LS9000 produces a detailed, color-accurate picture that is very engaging in dark viewing environments. The low 20ms input lag and 4K 120Hz support also enhance big-screen gaming enjoyment.

Value Score: 4/5

Should I Buy the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000?

Buy it if:

  • You want a feature-rich 4K home theater projector at a more affordable price point.
  • You prioritize an easy-to-use projector with motorized lens controls and accurate image quality out of the box.
  • You enjoy casual 4K 120Hz gaming on a large screen and can manually toggle image processing modes.
  • You plan to watch mostly in a dark or light-controlled room for best performance.

Don’t buy it if:

  • You require dynamic HDR tone mapping or 3D support.
  • You need ALLM for automatically optimized low-latency gaming.
  • You watch mostly in bright rooms and need the highest lumen output available.
  • You want “True 4K” projection from native 4K chips rather than pixel-shifting technology.

Also Consider

Other models like the Epson Home Cinema LS11000 and LS12000 offer higher brightness and some additional features at increased prices. If dynamic tone mapping or ALLM is essential, exploring options such as the Valerion VisionMaster Pro2 might be worthwhile.

How I Tested the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000

  • Evaluated under various viewing conditions—ambient daylight, ceiling lighting, and dark, light-controlled rooms.
  • Measurements and calibrations were done using professional-grade software and hardware.
  • Setup included ceiling mounting roughly 11 feet from an Elite Screens CineTension 3 ISF-certified CineWhite screen, with image fitting a 100-inch diagonal display.
  • Content sources included streaming apps (Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu) via Apple TV 4K, high-quality movie playback on a Kaleidescape Strato V, 4K Blu-ray discs using an Oppo UDP-203 player, and gaming on an Xbox Series X.
  • Objective measurements included: X-rite i1 Pro 3 spectrophotometer, Murideo Seven-G 8K pattern generator, Konica Minolta LS-100 luminance meter, Calman calibration software, and a Leo Bodnar 4K lag tester for input lag.
  • Testing conducted by an ISF-certified Level III calibrator with decades of display evaluation experience.

https://www.techradar.com/televisions/projectors/i-tested-the-epson-pro-cinema-ls9000-projector-and-it-has-incredible-performance-and-features-for-the-price

Poison lead singer Michaels WSJ Crossword Clue

Posted on by
Reply

That should be all the information you need to solve the “Poison lead singer Michaels” crossword clue!

Be sure to check out more clues on our Crossword Answers page for additional help and solutions.

The post *Poison lead singer Michaels WSJ Crossword Clue* appeared first on Try Hard Guides.
https://tryhardguides.com/poison-lead-singer-michaels-crossword-clue/

AlphaPepe and Lyno AI Sell the Dream, Zero Knowledge Proof Spends $100M To Build It

Posted on by
Reply

Recent updates on AlphaPepe and Lyno AI have stirred attention for different reasons. The former has drawn meme-coin enthusiasts with its staking pools and daily reward claims, while the latter has framed itself as an AI-driven arbitrage network promising algorithmic efficiency across chains. Both reflect the current mood of crypto presales in 2025: restless, experimental, and eager to turn narrative into momentum.

Yet they also hint at a question investors keep circling: what happens when utility, infrastructure, and fairness replace marketing theatrics? That question leads naturally to Zero Knowledge Proof, a project that upends the order of development itself. Instead of raising funds on promises, it built a $100 million network first, proving that privacy-driven computation can become the next functional standard for blockchain utility.

—

### Zero Knowledge Proof: The Privacy Breakthrough

Zero Knowledge Proof delivers what traditional blockchains have long promised but failed to achieve: complete privacy without sacrificing verification. It created a system where institutions can validate every transaction without revealing any underlying data.

Over $100 million has already been invested—not to build later, but to operate now. $20 million worth of infrastructure will process encrypted transactions, allowing finance, healthcare, and enterprise users to handle confidential information securely.

Only a few crypto projects in 2025 can demonstrate systems built to operate at this scale before their presale auction even goes live.

At the center of this ecosystem are **Proof Pods**, hardware devices that turn cryptographic validation into real daily earnings. $17 million is invested in manufacturing the Proof Pods, which will be delivered in five days once the presale goes live.

Each unit, priced at $249, connects to the operational network and starts earning automatically, with levels scaling up to roughly $300 in daily rewards. Instead of speculative mining, users contribute real compute power that supports AI and blockchain verification simultaneously, creating value grounded in productivity.

Fairness defines the presale. Every 24 hours, exactly 200 million Zero Knowledge Proof coins will be distributed through transparent on-chain auctions. Contributions from ETH, USDC, USDT, BNB, and 24 other currencies determine proportional shares from the ninety-billion-coin allocation.

For participants evaluating crypto presales in 2025, this model stands out: equal access, verifiable distribution, and a network that’s already running before a single promise is made.

—

### AlphaPepe: Meme Culture with Measurable Utility

AlphaPepe has built a following by mixing meme culture with actual mechanics that give holders something to do beyond watching charts. Its presale on the BNB Chain is priced near $0.00722 per token, with over 3,200 holders and close to $400,000 raised.

Smart contract audits score it a perfect 10/10 from BlockSAFU, and liquidity is locked to reduce early exit risks. The project also delivers tokens instantly after purchase—an uncommon step toward transparency.

A USDT reward pool worth over $2,000 and flexible staking options have turned it into a meme coin that functions more like a community protocol than a quick trend.

Analysts suggest a potential listing price of around $0.05, reflecting growing confidence in presales with real mechanics.

Every indicator shows AlphaPepe positioning itself not through hype, but through systems that keep users engaged daily: staking, rewards, and transparent distribution.

Meme coins rarely combine humor and structure well, but this one is attempting it with measurable progress. For investors watching the lighter side of blockchain experiments, AlphaPepe represents how entertainment value and basic utility can share the same network without conflict.

—

### Lyno AI: Automation Meets Blockchain Arbitrage

Lyno AI takes a different path, focusing on algorithmic cross-chain arbitrage instead of culture-driven momentum. Its pitch centers on using AI to scan multiple blockchains, identify pricing gaps, and automate trades that would normally require speed, expertise, and capital.

The presale price sits near $0.050 with over 869,000 tokens sold and approximately $43,000 raised so far. Contributions are supported by audits reportedly conducted by Cyberscope, and early buyers gain access to fee-sharing from arbitrage activity—30% routed toward stakers if the model executes as planned.

This is an idea built for users curious about automated strategies rather than meme-style community rallies.

Market commentary has thrown out aggressive upside projections for Lyno AI, sometimes citing quadruple-digit percentage targets, but the more grounded appeal lies in its attempt to simplify a process that usually benefits only professionals.

AI-driven arbitrage is ambitious, requiring consistent execution under real market stress, cross-chain coordination, and regulatory attention around automated trading systems. Still, the early structure, staged pricing, and functional narrative give it a clear identity.

For those watching AI intersect with blockchain utility, this presale explores whether automation can be packaged into something everyday traders can access, rather than merely admire from a distance.

—

### Key Takeaways

Both AlphaPepe and Lyno AI show how experimentation defines crypto presales in 2025. One blends meme-driven energy with structure—audited contracts, staking pools, and a live community around low-cost entry points. The other applies automation to trading itself, aiming to compress arbitrage decisions into seconds through AI.

Each reflects a different instinct in crypto culture: AlphaPepe turns participation into play, while Lyno AI transforms complexity into code.

Yet the project that truly redefines readiness is Zero Knowledge Proof. It built its $100 million network before asking for a dollar, merging institutional privacy with public verifiability. Its infrastructure, auction framework, and Proof Pod system are fully developed and prepared to go live—not theoretical plans.

Among crypto presales in 2025, Zero Knowledge Proof represents something rarer: technology completed before the presale even begins.

—

### Find Out More At:
[Insert relevant links and calls to action here.]
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/alphapepe-and-lyno-ai-sell-the-dream-zero-knowledge-proof-spends-100m-to-build-it/

Kenny Chesney, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban show off Nashville’s biggest stages in new ’20/20′ special

Posted on by
Reply

Ahead of the 59th Annual CMA Awards, our favorite country music stars are feeling nostalgic—and they’re sharing their stories in a special event titled **”Center Stage: Countdown to the CMA Awards Special Edition of 20/20.”**

Hosted by Luke Bryan, this special takes viewers on a memorable journey through Music City’s legendary stages. In the trailer, Kenny Chesney visits one of the iconic downtown Nashville bars on Lower Broadway where he played early in his career. Reflecting on those days, Chesney shared,
*”I sat on a stool a lot like this one and I sat and played four hours a night with a tip jar in front of me. God, it was so much fun.”*

The special also features reflections from Lauren Alaina, Gabby Barrett, Dan + Shay, Russell Dickerson, and Keith Urban on Music City’s most historic venue—the Grand Ole Opry. Keith Urban noted,
*”I got to Nashville and thought I’d made it because I’m in Nashville, you know. And then the Opry is this whole other level.”*

Of course, the celebration wouldn’t be complete without highlighting the CMA Awards stage itself. The special dives into this year’s CMA Award-nominated Musical Event of the Year collaborations, featuring some of the most buzzed-about pairings, including Blake Shelton with Post Malone, Carrie Underwood with Cody Johnson, and Ella Langley with Riley Green. Other notable appearances include Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, Ashley McBryde, and Dolly Parton.

**”Center Stage: Countdown to the CMA Awards Special Edition of 20/20″** airs on **Tuesday, November 18, from 10:07 to 11:00 p.m. EST on ABC**, and will be available to stream the next day on **Disney+** and **Hulu**.

The **59th Annual CMA Awards** will broadcast live from Nashville on **Wednesday, November 19, at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC**, with next-day streaming available on Hulu.

Don’t miss the live streaming preshow, **”On The Red Carpet at the CMA Awards,”** starting at **5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT**. Join for live interviews with nominees, performers, and presenters, plus red carpet fashion analysis and more! You can stream it all live at [OnTheRedCarpet.com](https://www.ontheredcarpet.com), [CMAAwards.com](https://www.cmaawards.com), [YouTube.com/OnTheRedCarpet](https://www.youtube.com/OnTheRedCarpet), and Hulu.

*The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this ABC station.*
https://abc7.com/post/kenny-chesney-jelly-roll-keith-urban-dolly-parton-are-among-stars-new-2020-special-ahead-cma-awards/18155586/

Brilliant Photonics, Brutal Fundamentals: Why I Would Sell Out Of POET Technologies

Posted on by
Reply

**Brilliant Photonics, Brutal Fundamentals: Why I Would Sell Out Of POET Technologies**
*By Luca Socci | 5.37K Followers*

—

POET Technologies is a small-cap company designing photonic integrated packaging solutions for advanced semiconductor and AI data center applications. The company leverages its Optical Interposer™ platform to integrate electronic and photonic devices, targeting the growing demand for high-speed optical modules.

While some have compared POET to a nascent NVIDIA, it’s important to note that POET is an early-stage designer—not a manufacturer—and currently lacks major commercial agreements. Although POET aspires to become the “NVIDIA of optical engines,” significant progress and validation remain necessary before it can reach that status.

### A New NVIDIA?

Working across the AI supply chains, I have encountered many new companies that appear intriguing. After dealing with established industry players like Applied Materials (AMAT) and understanding their key role in semiconductor manufacturing, it’s crucial to maintain a grounded view on emerging players like POET.

—

### About the Author

I’m a long-term investor focused on U.S. and European equities, emphasizing undervalued growth stocks and high-quality dividend growers. Through years of experience, I have learned that sustained profitability—evident through strong margins, stable and expanding free cash flow, and high returns on invested capital—is a more reliable driver of returns than valuation alone.

I manage one of my portfolios publicly on eToro, where I am a qualified Popular Investor, allowing others to copy my real-time investment decisions.

My background spans Economics, Classical Philology, Philosophy, and Theology—an interdisciplinary foundation that sharpens both my quantitative analysis and my ability to interpret market narratives through a broader, long-term lens.

I started investing when I became a father. By managing wisely what I receive and earn, I aim to provide for my children and myself—not so we have so much that we don’t need to do anything, but enough assets to be free to do what we want. The goal is not to free myself from work, but to have the freedom to work in the way and place where I can fully express myself.

—

### Analyst’s Disclosure

I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of SES either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

### Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole.

Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, US investment adviser, or investment bank. Our analysts are third-party authors, including both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

—

**Comments**
**Recommended For You**
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4844009-brilliant-photonics-brutal-fundamentals-why-i-would-sell-out-of-poet-technologies?source=feed_all_articles

Plant Easter Egg guide in Black Ops 7 Zombies Ashes of the Damned

Posted on by
Reply

The **Ashes of the Damned** is a massive map available for **Black Ops 7 Zombies**, and one of its hidden secrets is the **Plant Easter Egg**. This Easter Egg is easy to accomplish and offers a good reward upon completion. The best part is that you can continue completing it as long as you find the green glowing plants on the floor.

Upon completion, the Easter Egg guarantees a minimum of **500 Salvage**, and sometimes you can even receive weapons and other valuable items. In my playthrough, I completed the Easter Egg in Round 2 and received a rare weapon, which was very helpful during the initial rounds.

In this article, I will provide detailed information on how you can complete the Plant Easter Egg in **Black Ops 7 Zombies: Ashes of the Damned**.

—

## How to Complete the Plant Easter Egg in Black Ops 7 Zombies: Ashes of the Damned

You can start working on the Plant Easter Egg right from the very first round of your match. However, it requires following a specific sequence of steps:

### Step 1: Collect a Fumigator
First, you need to pick up a **Fumigator**. There are four available throughout the map:

– One in **Janus Tower Plaza**, where you spawn
– One in **Judgement Square** area in Ashwood
– One in the **Toolshed** in the Blackwater Lake POI
– One inside the **barn** in Vandorn Farm POI

Since you only need one Fumigator, it’s recommended to collect the one in your spawn POI itself. From your spawn area in Janus Tower Plaza, walk a few steps, take a right, and you will see a generator. The Fumigator will be located right beside it.

### Step 2: Spray on the Green Plants
Once you have the Fumigator, head toward any of the green glowing plants scattered around the map. When you’re near a plant, a **Spray** prompt will appear. Spray the plant to activate the sequence.

After spraying, you will need to **defend the plant for 30 seconds** as zombies will attack it. During this time, the plant will slowly inflate until it explodes, dropping your rewards.

—

### Why Complete the Plant Easter Egg?
The Plant Easter Egg is an interesting and easy-to-complete challenge in Ashes of the Damned. Completing it early in the game can give you useful rewards that will help you survive the initial rounds. Since you can repeat the process with other green plants, it’s a reliable way to earn Salvage and sometimes rare weapons.

—

### Additional Resources
For more tips and guides related to **Black Ops 7 Zombies** and other Call of Duty content, check out the following articles:

– [How to Play Overload in Black Ops 7: New Mode Explained](#)
– [Black Ops 7 Not Launching on PC: Possible Fixes and Reasons](#)
– [Black Ops 7 Not Working on PlayStation: Possible Reasons and Fixes](#)
– [How to Unlock Napalm Burst in Black Ops 7 Zombies](#)

—

The Plant Easter Egg is a fun way to enhance your gameplay in Ashes of the Damned. Give it a try in your next match and reap the rewards!
https://www.sportskeeda.com/call-of-duty-game/plant-easter-egg-guide-black-ops-7-zombies-ashes-damned

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Nouvelle Vague’ on Netflix, Richard Linklater’s Love Letter to Jean-Luc Godard and ‘Breathless’

Posted on by
Reply

**Nouvelle Vague Review: Richard Linklater’s Love Letter to Godard and the French New Wave**

How do we feel about movies about movies these days? Not great, especially after *Mank* a few years ago, when Hollywood’s self-indulgence seemed to have reached a new high. But Richard Linklater’s *Nouvelle Vague* (now streaming on Netflix) might just warm us up to the idea again.

As the title implies, this film is Linklater’s genuflection toward the French New Wave, specifically focusing on the movement’s defining film, Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking 1960 masterpiece *Breathless*.

Shot in grainy, no-nonsense black-and-white—much like Godard often did—*Nouvelle Vague* recreates the making of *Breathless*, rendering it as a breezy dramedy about an insufferable yet brilliant auteur who breaks all the rules of cinema and rewrites the rules of the form, frequently flustering everyone in his sphere.

Ironically, the film itself is pretty conventional considering its subject matter. But that’s part of why it remains light-on-its-feet enjoyable.

—

### Nouvelle Vague: Stream It or Skip It?

**The Gist:**
It’s 1959. Jean-Luc Godard (played by Guillaume Marbeck) is a film critic for *Cahiers du Cinema*, France’s premier magazine and ground zero for the French New Wave movement. His coworkers include notable figures such as Jean Cocteau, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, and Francois Truffaut.

At this point, these men are just critics, but all would eventually become leading filmmakers of the movement. Godard, who had only made a short film until now, yearns to do more. He travels to Cannes to see Truffaut’s *The 400 Blows*, but whether he feels jealousy, contempt, or admiration at the ovation *The 400 Blows* received is hard to determine—especially since Godard always wears sunglasses, even indoors and in the dark, when a movie is playing. You might feel an urge to slap those glasses off his head just to bridge the distance between us and his eyes—or maybe to immortalize them in bronze.

Glass or no glass, Godard has a vision. He pitches it to producer Georges du Beauregard (Bruno Dreyfurst): “All you need is a girl and a gun.” He has no script, and Beauregard most likely believes Godard has no idea what he’s doing. Nevertheless, he is swayed by Godard’s ambitious ideas about pursuing the lyrical instead of a traditional narrative. They agree to shoot the film in 20 days, with a single handheld camera, guerilla-style on the streets of Paris.

Their approach is minimalist: no lights, no makeup, no dollies, no cranes, no microphones—nothing beyond a tiny cast and crew. Godard insists on no more than two takes per scene, and again, no script. Dialogue will be overdubbed during post-production.

Godard casts Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin), who starred in Godard’s previous short, as his leading man—the guy with the gun. The girl is played by Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch), an American actress fresh off some difficult Otto Preminger shoots. Thus begins a running joke in which Seberg repeatedly asks Godard to see the script.

Seberg is accompanied by her husband, Francois Moreuil (Paolo Luka Noe), and a makeup artist who mostly hangs around without working—after all, there’s no makeup.

Godard’s script supervisor (a comedic touch) tries to maintain visual continuity, but might as well be shouting at the sky. “Reality is not continuity,” Godard insists.

At least his cinematographer, Raoul Coutard (Matthieu Penchinat), has plenty to do. He even crams himself into a cart with a hole cut in it for the camera so they can shoot undetected on Paris sidewalks.

Godard and the crew hang out in cafés until he decides to shoot—if he bothers to show up at all. Some workdays last only two hours. Everyone is baffled: Belmondo finds it amusing, Seberg grows frustrated, and Beauregard (or “Beau-Beau,” as Godard calls him) is beside himself.

Eventually, Godard and Beauregard tussle on the floor of a café—a scene emblematic of the conflict between visionary artists and the money guys who don’t understand them, at least not yet.

—

### What Movies Will It Remind You Of?

If you liked *The Artist* director Michel Hazanavicius’s style—you might recall his Oscar win for that film—you may be interested to know he also helmed a different Godard bio, *Redoubtable* (aka *Godard Mon Amour*), about the making of *La Chinoise*.

In the same genre, there’s also *Mank* and the wildly entertaining *The Disaster Artist*. If you want to learn more about the gamine delight Jean Seberg, check out Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of her in *Seberg*.

—

### Performance Worth Watching

The characters here are secondary to the iconography, but Zoey Deutch—veteran of Linklater’s *Everybody Wants Some!!*, where she was utterly marvelous—remains one of the most underrated actors working today.

Her presence in *Nouvelle Vague*, as in most of her films, is robust, funny, and airy at the same time—it’s a balanced and substantive performance.

—

### Memorable Dialogue

Jean Cocteau congratulates Francois Truffaut on *The 400 Blows* with these words:
“Congratulations, Francois. Remember, art is not a pastime, but a priesthood.”

—

### Sex and Skin

None.

—

### Our Take

Richard Linklater is one of the truly great filmmakers to emerge from the ’90s. If he wants to make a love letter to influential cinema icons, he absolutely should. It’s no surprise that *Nouvelle Vague* is highly entertaining and stylish, shot with all the visual grit you’d expect.

Watch for the “cigarette burns” in the corners (those little dots projectionists use to switch reels) appearing in this Netflix streaming movie—something Godard probably would have lambasted as derivative pastiche.

Linklater’s core idea is simple: to show an artist willing to unapologetically pursue his vision, even literally going to the mat—the tile floor next to a pinball machine Godard was playing on instead of shooting his film—to see it through.

One imagines Linklater, a visionary himself, has been in a similar situation before (maybe *Dazed and Confused* will one day get its own Nouvelle Vague–style treatment).

He frames it more as a source of comedy and inevitability than dramatic tension, with a knowingly winking tone.

The film knows Godard is right and the skeptics and bean-counters are wrong, and that *Breathless* would become an influential beacon for decades of subsequent cinema.

The flatteringly unflattering characterization of Godard as a maddening capital-A Artist, whose interior life is either off-limits or nonexistent (dare I call the characterization vague?), is a nudge and a simplification, but also believable: it’s a snapshot of a man who knew what he wanted and executed it.

True to the ideological thread in Linklater’s filmography, *Nouvelle Vague* is structured as a slice of time, captured and encapsulated as it counts those 20 days of shooting.

He’s essentially arranging icons on a board in an amusing way, prompting our curiosity about who they were, what they did, and why they deserve to be highlighted.

As a traditional narrative, it’s flimsy. But as a nod to one of cinema’s greats, it’s far more fun than you might expect.

—

### Our Call

Non–cinephiles might find little meaning in *Nouvelle Vague*; good as it is, it will likely be regarded as minor Linklater.

But speaking as one, this is a smart, sharply crafted, and intensely likable film. **STREAM IT.**

—

*John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.*
https://decider.com/2025/11/14/nouvelle-vague-netflix-review/

Swiss Market Ends On Weak Note

Posted on by
Reply

Swiss stocks closed weak on Tuesday after languishing in negative territory right through the day’s session, tracking the trend in European markets. Uncertainty about the outlook for Fed and ECB interest rates weighed on the market. The benchmark SMI ended down 38. 59 points or 0. 32% at 12, 011. 02. The index touched a low of 11, 920. 09 and a high of 12, 015. 14. Swiss Re ended down nearly 4%. Logitech International ended lower by nearly 2. 5%. Logitech announced that the company’s Chairperson Wendy Becker will not stand for reelection at the firm’s 2025 annual general meeting. Holcim drifted down 1. 83%, while Swiss Life Holding, Zurich Insurance Group and ABB lost 1. 34%, 1. 24%, and 1. 19%, respectively. Roche Holding, SGS, Swisscom, Sonova and Lonza Group ended modestly lower. Givaudan ended slightly weak. The company said it has completed the acquisition of the remaining 75% it did not own in Italian makeup and skincare company b. kolormakeup & skincare, as part of plans to expand its presence in the beauty sector. Partners Group rallied 2%. SIG Group and Straumann Holding gained 1. 32% and 1. 2%, respectively. Kuehne & Nagel and VAT Group gained nearly 1%. Nestle ended 0. 7% up. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/swiss-market-ends-weak-note-0

Robots march across UT Austin campus in display of power and ingenuity

Posted on by
Reply

The Texas Robotics team at UT Austin recently showcased their cutting-edge robots in a vibrant parade. The event highlighted the impressive capabilities of these robots, which can dance, engage in conversation, and even provide medical assistance.

Attendees were amazed as the robots demonstrated fluid dance moves, showcasing the team’s advanced programming and engineering skills. Beyond entertainment, the robots’ ability to chat interactively opened new possibilities for human-robot communication.

Most notably, some robots exhibited medical assistance functions, emphasizing the practical applications of robotics in healthcare. The Texas Robotics team’s display not only entertained but also highlighted the future potential of robotics technology.
https://www.kxan.com/technology/robots-march-across-ut-austin-campus-in-display-of-power-and-ingenuity/