![]() “We may be moving a little bit away from paralysis, but we’re still dysfunctional,” said Sen. “We did it in our first year, with things like the anti-Asian hate crimes legislation, the competition bill, and the bipartisan infrastructure package, and these two weeks now represent a productive continuation of that commitment.” “As I have always said, from my first day as majority leader, we will work in a bipartisan way whenever we can,” he said. Schumer took to the Senate floor last month to crow about all the bipartisan achievements under his watch. The typically slower-moving Senate - which already needs to pass a spending package for the current fiscal year, possibly with an emergency supplemental for supporting Ukraine, and then begin work on next year’s appropriations bills - now also has the Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to address. The question of whether Congress gets to those issues is one of logistics as much as will. monopoly and competition statutes that could upend the last half-century of antitrust law. There are also realistic hopes for bills that would overhaul the Electoral Count Act, ease the potential for financial mayhem when the benchmark LIBOR interest rate stops publishing next summer, and change U.S. Both have already passed the House by overwhelming margins. The Senate also appears poised to pass a major Postal Service overhaul and may act on a reauthorization and revamp of the Violence Against Women Act, which lapsed in 2019. In February, Congress banned pretrial arbitration for employee sexual harassment claims, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign. firms compete with China also passed both chambers but still has to go to conference - the Senate version is 2,300 pages long. A bill with hundreds of billions in subsidies to help U.S. The current Congress kicked off with the American Rescue Plan Act, another 243 pages of coronavirus relief provisions, and passed a hate crimes bill in the wake of attacks aimed at Asian Americans triggered by the pandemic.Īfter that, Congress passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Thanks mostly to coronavirus-related additions, the fiscal 2021 appropriations package weighed in at 2,126 pages, more than double the prior, pre-pandemic year’s relatively skimpy combined 933 pages. ![]() ![]() Lee credits COVID-19 for keeping the government printers busy. But as lawmakers pack more and more into fewer but increasingly bigger bills, it gives an arguably clearer view of legislative productivity. Raw page numbers may seem like a crude measure, similar to other simple counts like how many hours Congress spends in session or how many votes it takes. (The 116th’s average of 24.5 was the second longest.) While the average length of enacted bills in the ’50s was just 2.3 pages, the 89 new bills enacted so far have averaged 29 pages, the longest since 1947. The 117th Congress has continued this trend toward longer, presumably more substantive bills. According to statistics from the Brookings Institution and CQ Roll Call’s own calculations, the 116th Congress was actually the most productive since the 80th in 1947–48, the farthest back Brookings’ data goes. If you look just at the number of bills enacted, Congress’ productivity has been slowing down for some time now, from passing an average of around 828 bills per two-year meeting in the 1950s to less than half that - merely 339 - in the past decade.īut if you look at a different metric, the number of pages of public laws enacted, the prevailing narrative changes. “Congress is not in gridlock,” said Frances Lee, a political science professor at Princeton University. It’s always deadlocked, gridlocked, locked in a partisan fight, each party marching in lockstep, ready to lock horns once more to block the other side from destroying America.īut what if all that’s just a story we tell ourselves to make sense of politicians’ incessant bickering and a steady stream of negative headlines? What if Congress is actually getting stuff done? We all know, for a fact, that Congress can’t get much done.
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![]() If you have a song that is quite inaudible at the beginning but then loud in the middle part, it will adjust only the beginning part of the song making the whole MP3’s volume consistent and regular. Instead, it adjust levels inside the MP3 making it as naturally sounding as possible. MP3 Gain is a good tool that you can use, it does not normalize volume levels separately per entry. If you desire, it also can help you to speed up audio file. This might sound some extra work but on top of its free and no time limited recording. True that it doesn’t have the capability to automatically normalize audio volume level, but you can always re-record your MP3s and adjust volume levels manually. You can enter “Recording list” to play the songs. The normalized MP3 will be stored to your hard drive. ![]() Adjust the player volume or computer volume as you record or when changing to another song.Play the MP3 from your own file or on the internet and click the “Start” button.The program will launch and on its main interface, choose the appropriate “Audio input” as “System Sound”.Allow the launcher to run and make sure to choose “Launch Application” option from the pop-up window.Visit the MP3 recorder website and click the “Start Recording” button.Here you don’t need to tweak settings or study various technicalities, everything is simple and can be done in few steps. What makes this app different from other MP3 normalizers is that using it is right on easy. But with its advanced and flexible settings, you could also use it to change volume levels. Technically, this online application is a dedicated free audio recorder. With the Apowersoft Free Audio Recorder, you’re able to record and normalize MP3 volume levels accordingly without even installing it on your computer. If you don’t want to do the above somewhat technical process of normalizing MP3 volume level, no need to worry because there’s an easy way around. Discover more about them after the jump.Įasy Solutions to Normalize Audio Volume (For Windows) Apowersoft Free Audio Recorder Luckily, this can be solved with the help of MP3 sound normalizing tools. This indeed destroys a great music listening experience forcing you to reach out the volume controller every time you hear uncomfortable sound level. Yet albeit its convenience, downloading music files from different sources tends to give one major problem, erratic and very uneven volume levels. And at the same time you could easily rip songs from audio CDs by utilizing different programs. With tons of website offering high quality free music, one can quickly pile up huge amount of MP3s in no time. Nowadays, downloading MP3s online comes as easy as counting 1-2-3. ![]() The only downside I can find is that Micro Snitch can’t monitor some of the odd software devices I have installed, like Soundflower (which lets me reroute audio on my Mac) and the EpocCam driver that promised to let me use my iPhone as a webcam-I was planning a review, but recent security changes to Zoom and Skype prevented it from working. The hat and glasses icon doesn’t go away until you close it or the activity stops.Īfraid that you somehow missed the little spy guy? Choose Open Activity Log from Micro Snitch’s menu bar icon to see a log of every time either the camera or the microphone has been accessed. Whenever an app accesses your webcam or microphone, a large, square icon of a hat and glasses appears in the center of your screen and then moves to the lower-right corner. Micro Snitch lives in your Mac’s menu bar. ![]() Micro Snitch costs $3.99 either directly from Objective Development or in the Mac App Store, and Objective Development makes a free trial available. If you’d like a little extra peace of mind, consider installing Micro Snitch from Objective Development, makers of LaunchBar and the famous Little Snitch network monitoring utility. But there’s something about having an electronic eye pointed at you all day long that can make you feel like you’re being watched… Micro Snitch to the Rescue The reality is that you probably don’t have much to fear from your webcam, because even years ago it would have taken a targeted attack to access it. ![]() One TidBITS Talk reader pointed out that a clever attacker could use the webcam to take quick still images, flashing the indicator light so quickly that you might not even notice it.Įven if Apple’s webcam security is foolproof, what about third-party webcams? Built-in Mac webcams aren’t very high-quality (see “ The 2020 MacBook Air’s FaceTime HD Camera Is Still Lousy,” 8 April 2020), so many people who rely on videoconferencing (a number that has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic) have a third-party camera attached. The problem with any sort of “unbreakable” security scheme is that there are a lot of bad guys out there, and security breaches have real monetary value to organized crime and government surveillance agencies. No malware can bypass basic electrical connections. An earlier webcam implementation in pre-2008 Apple laptops was vulnerable to a firmware exploit, but a lengthy treatise by John Gruber of Daring Fireball quotes an unnamed Apple engineer as saying that this exploit is now impossible, because the connection is direct. That means the webcam cannot receive power without turning on the light. In theory, malware can’t activate your Mac’s webcam without your knowledge, because the indicator light is wired in series to the webcam. Our reporting on Apple’s warning against closing a MacBook with a webcam cover installed (see “ Don’t Close Your MacBook with a Webcam Cover Attached,” 14 July 2020) sparked an interesting TidBITS Talk discussion about Mac webcam security.
![]() The core of the criticism spurred from the beliefs that the game's core message was that the minority goblin group should be considered the enemy for rebelling against their oppressor and fighting for free and equal rights. The Wizarding World lore surrounding goblins has often been accused of being based on known antisemitic tropes. įollowing the release of the first gameplay trailer in March 2022, the game received criticism for basing it in the Goblin Rebellion era of the Wizarding World history with the game's story-line focusing on the player suppressing a goblin rebellion. Following the controversy surrounding his social media activity, Leavitt left Avalanche Software and the Hogwarts Legacy project, though he states that this was unrelated to the controversy. Online media outlets reported on the content of his YouTube videos such as "In Defense of John Lasseter" and "In Praise of Cultural Appropriation" as well as those showing support for the controversial Gamergate harassment campaign. In February 2021, a series of social media posts published by Avalanche Software and Hogwarts Legacy lead designer Troy Leavitt received widespread criticism. A Nintendo Switch version was also confirmed. The showcase features an official first look at gameplay along with insights from Avalanche Software. On March 17, 2022, PlayStation released a State of Play video on YouTube which is dedicated to Hogwarts Legacy. However, it was delayed twice, first to 2022, and later to February 10, 2023. Hogwarts Legacy was announced at a PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, with initial plans to be released for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. The game is being built using the Unreal Engine. Rowling is not directly involved in the game's development. According to Warner Bros, franchise creator J. established a new publishing label named Portkey Games, which was dedicated to managing the Wizarding World license. Interactive Entertainment from Disney in January 2017. The game is currently being developed by Avalanche Software, which was acquired by Warner Bros. As players grow these relationships, these schoolmates will become companions who can accompany players on their journey, expand their abilities and offer unique dialogue options as players learn their stories. ![]() Player characters will be able to establish friendships with interactable NPC characters. Some creatures can be used in combat such as use of the Mandrake to stun enemies. Dragons, trolls, acromantulas, graphorns, mooncalves, fwoopers, kneazles, and nifflers are other interactable magical creatures. Players will be able to tame, care for, and ride different magical beasts including hippogriffs and thestrals. Players can also acquire combat items, either through trading or crafting, which may be used to harm enemies or apply buffs to the player. As players progress, they will be able to develop their own special combat style. The player character will learn to cast various magical spells, brew potions and master combat abilities. The game will also feature environmental customisation elements players will be able to modify the Room of Requirement as they level up through the game. Level progression will allow the player to access and upgrade different spells, talents, and abilities. Players will be able to customize their character's voice and body type. Progressing through the game will see the interior and exterior of the castle change visually to match the seasons.ĭuring character creation the player is able to choose their appearance, house, and gender. Other areas as yet unseen visually in other media include the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms. Familiar locations from the Harry Potter franchise will be explorable such as the Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade Village. Players will be able to attend classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry including Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Potions. Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world single-player action-RPG. Antagonists featured in the game include Ranrok, the leader of the Goblin Rebellion, and Victor Rookwood, the leader of a group of Dark Wizards. The player character will also be introduced to new characters such as Professor Eleazar Fig, acting as a mentor figure to the protagonist. The player is able to interact with characters previously seen within the Wizarding World franchise including Nearly Headless Nick, The Fat Lady, and Peeves. The player character, who holds the key to an "ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart", is capable of manipulating a mysterious ancient magic, and will need to help uncover why this forgotten magic has suddenly made a resurgence and the ones that are simultaneously trying to harness it. Hogwarts Legacy is set in the 1890s (late 1800s) and follows a student starting at Hogwarts in their fifth year. ![]() ![]() Protecting him will result in his recruitment as a companion. Turning Him in Will result in him dieing. If you let him go, you'll receive 200 XP if you kill him, you'll receive 100 XP and no shards. When you approach him, he'll bribe you with 350 shards. Tell Ragnor what happened to receive 500 shards.Īlternately, lie to receive 1,000 shards and complete the mission, or frame Barin to receive 1,000 shards and receive a mission to take down Barin. Kill him to complete the mission (be careful to avoid citizens getting caught in the crossfire), noting he has both powerful ranged and melee attacks. An open bridge and an invisible wall prevent access to the rest of the isle. Bilgewater Port occupies all the starting zone and is the only explorable area. Rather than requiring both a purchase of the game and a monthly subscription fee, the only required payment is the initial price for the game itself. In the overworld, the region cannot be visited, though it appears in the Maelstrom continental map. Tamriel Unlimited was a rebranding of The Elder Scrolls Online coinciding with a change in the payment model for the game, beginning on PC/Mac on March 17, 2015, and on PS4/Xbox One with console release on June 9, 2015. When you go outside, Duras will attack you. Kezan is the name of the in-game starting zone for goblin players. If you tell Ragnor what Duras said, he'll distrust him for not coming to him with the truth and give you 1,000 shards. ELEX is a blend of science-fiction and fantasy. The few survivors organised themselves in factions, each with a different vision of the future and distinct ways of using Elex. Return to Duras and accuse him of the murder, which he'll confess to, although say it was in self defense. ELEX is the post-apocalyptic story of the planet Magalan, which was hit by a comet which brought not only mass destruction for its civilization, but also a mysterious and extremely powerful resource called Elex. Head for the Great Lift and find the Hidden Casket on the cliffside just past the gate. Ask him to come with you to have him join you as a companion. Return to Duras with what you've learned and he'll act suspicious then tell you to see what Barin might have hidden in the Valley of the Damned. Ask him about Askorto learn he has a solid alibi. Head north past Thorgal to find Rock (note there are some extremely dangerous mutants and a Stalker here), who it turns out is fed up with the Berserkers and wants to become an Outlaw. Ask him about Askor to learn he was too busy protecting a World Heart to murder anyone, and that his ambition to become a Paladin might've been his undoing. Question Barin south of Small Camp to learn he was good friends with Askor and has no motive.įind Thorgal north of Converter in Edan and tell him he seems undermanned to initiate The Missing Man, which will send you on a mission to find Rock (your final suspect). Question Geron a little east of Irdor to learn he prefers bows to swords so he's likely innocent. Question Irdor directly south of Goliet (find him next to the World Heart) to find he's not the killer. Speak to Duras after you have settled in Goliet to initiate this mission, during which you'll help him figure out who killed the warrior Askor. He is next to the concrete stairs leading up to the hotel. He has over 14.1k followers on Twitter, over 13.1k followers on Instagram, and over 14k followers on Facebook.In the region of Edan's Berserker city and main base, Goliet, head to the highest point holding the ruins of a hotel. Michaelson is active on his social media accounts and is often seen posting on his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Michaelson is currently working at FOX 11 where he works alongside other famous FOX 11 anchors and reporters including Although picking up dual degrees in broadcast journalism and political science, he received Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. He graduated first in his class from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism. Prior to that, he worked at XETV in San Diego as a weekend morning anchor and weeknight reporter. He was a reporter and fill-in anchor at KABC-TV in Los Angeles from 2010-2017. The recipient of 6 Emmy Awards and 13 nominations is Michaelson. ![]() Kiddy can pick up Dixie and toss her onto ledges. The game even encourages you to use both Kiddy and Dixie since certain situations will be better handled using one Kong more than the other. By and large, the general gameplay sticks to the old tag-team formula allowing the pair to perform team maneuvers. Dixie stays true to form retaining her ability to descend slowly after jumping up and down by using her ponytail helicopter-spin in midair, and players can still alternate between the two playable characters on the fly. While both Donkey Kong and Diddy are sorely missed, Dixie and Kiddy function, for the most part, just like Diddy and Dixie did in the last game. ![]() There is an Easter egg players can discover which shows Wrinkly playing the Nintendo 64 over the Super Mario 64 theme song. The story (what little we get) isn’t anything to write home about but when it comes to Donkey Kong Country games, it’s what we come to expect. Rool and his Kremling army which includes Arich, a large, red spider found at the end of Kremwood Forest, Belcha, a mischevious barrel who resides inside an old barn at the end of Lake Orangatanga and Squirt, a large, rocky slug who lives on a waterfall. Along the way they must battle against King K. Both the titular gorilla and his nephew go missing after a trip to the Northern Kremisphere and it’s up to Diddy’s girlfriend, Dixie Kong, and her younger cousin Kiddy Kong, to traverse the kremling-infested lands in search of them. The problem is, I’m still not sure how I feel about the game.ĭonkey Kong himself is once again absent, and this time Diddy’s also nowhere to be found. Now years later I’ve decided to give it one more shot, hoping to walk away loving it as much as I love every other game in the DKC series. Unfortunately, while I liked the game enough to recommend it, I just couldn’t wrap my head around why I didn’t like it as much as the original two. I was one of those fans, and it wasn’t until DK3 was later released on the Wii that I finally had a chance to play Rare’s 16-bit swan song for the first time. And with the N64, most of those players never looked back. When Donkey Kong Country 3 first hit store shelves in November of 1996, it was just over two months after the hardware debut of the Nintendo 64 and by that time, most players including loyal Nintendo fans had already moved on to Super Mario 64, a title acclaimed by many critics and fans as one of the greatest and most revolutionary video games of all time. Needless to say, Rare had some big shoes to fill when making the third and final entry of the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy. It pushed the boundaries of what the Super Nintendo was capable of and the follow-up Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest delivered in exceeding the standard set by its predecessor. Others are set in low-gravity situations, allowing you to jump ridiculous distances.Donkey Kong Country is a game held in high regard and with good reason. One level includes a giant ominous saw coming at you from the bottom of the screen. Some courses are timed races, and will feature a horde of insects chasing you the whole time. Another mini-game is almost completely identical to the half pipe minigame in Sonic 2, and features your character collecting items and avoiding spikes. "Cranky's Dojo" allows you to play as the elder Kong as he blocks incoming enemies with a shield. The only real change they implemented is more mini-games. Barrel-throwing is still prevalent, as well as the ability to turn into (or ride) your various animal friends. ![]() Almost any of these levels could have been included in the original game, and they wouldn't have stood out. Getting a DK barrel still regains your partner, shiny barrels are checkpoints, collecting K-O-N-G gives you an extra life, etc. While she's certainly useful, I found neither her nor Kiddy to be as likable as Donkey or Diddy Kong.Īll of the core gameplay mechanics remain unchanged from the other titles in the series. I'm not sure how the physics work on that, and I'm also not sure how a monkey grows a ponytail, but it's a helpful ability (especially in jump-intensive levels). Dixie Kong is far more useful, considering she can slow her descent using her ponytail. Other than the ability to break planks and skip across water, he controls almost identically to Donkey Kong in the original DKC. Granted, he's not particularly interesting or useful. Players control Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong, the latter of which seems to have been forgotten by Nintendo and Rare. This re-release should give younger gamers a chance to check it out, as well as those that missed out the first time. The same situation happened with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (which is a shame considering it's one of the best platformers ever). This third game in the series is easily the least played, mostly because it was released right around the same time that the 32-bit Playstation and Saturn were getting all the attention.
![]() Open your app if it isn’t already opened up. It’s a very solid pick, especially for high-resolution experiences. Leawo Blu-ray player: While originally designed for Windows 8, Leawo still works just fine with Windows 10 and can handle many different types of media, including Blu-rays and ISO files. That’s it! It’s a good option for those who don’t want to go with open-source players and don’t care too much about lots of customization. It’s a free app that plays Blu-rays and DVDs. It requires a bit of work to set up and get going but is otherwise very easy to use and an excellent choice when starting out.īlu-Ray PRO: If you want to make things really simple, just download Blu-ray PRO from the Microsoft Store. However, this may be preferable for those who already have and depend on VLC.ĭAPlayer: DAPlayer supports more than 320 video codecs and allows you to create all kinds of customized controls. The problem is that it doesn’t natively support Blu-rays: If that’s a problem, VLC does offer a workaround with additional keys that you have to download and implement. VideoLAN VLC: The incredibly popular VLC player is open-source, gets constant updates, and can play just about anything. Here are a few great free apps that can manage the job: Once you have an optical drive or video files, all you need is some software. Also, check your local library - a number of libraries let you rent Blu-ray/DVD players to access disks for a limited amount of time. For the very best deals, you may want to check used electronics in your area, too. You can lower the cost of a drive by looking for deals and arranging trade-ins of your older electronics. You should also make sure you have enough space for a new optical drive in your case. For further information on SATA, you can check out our guide that includes everything you need to know about it. Prices are comparable to external drives for both DVD and Blu-ray players, but you should make sure you know how to put together a computer first, as you’ll need to have a spare SATA and power cable for the drive. If your laptop only has USB-C ports, you may need to buy an adapter.Īlternatively, if you’re using a desktop and you’d rather not mess around with external drives, you could always install an internal drive. Make sure that it is the correct type for your system. Most external optical drives, whatever they play and whether they write or not, use a USB cable to connect to your PC or laptop. Drives that can play but not write DVDs or Blu-rays tend to be on the cheaper end of the spectrum. Depending on whether you want the ability to burn your own DVD/Blu-ray discs (often called a writer or rewriter), these can range in price from $20 to $40 for a DVD drive and between $50 and $100 for a Blu-ray drive. The easiest drive to use is an external one because you can plug it in as and when you need it and then put it away when it isn’t required. Fortunately, many manufacturers have stepped up to solve this issue by creating a bevy of external and add-in optical drives in all shapes and sizes to help you scratch that physical media itch. Even those that do are unlikely to have a Blu-ray drive built into them. Many PCs and especially laptops don’t ship out with a DVD drive at all anymore for space and cost-saving reasons. If you find that your PC or laptop doesn’t actually have a drive to play your DVD or Blu-ray in, you’re not alone. Step 1: Get a disc drive Jon Martindale/ Digital Trends This step-by-step guide will have you enjoying your DVDs and Blue-rays in no time. The 10 starting classes available in Elden Ring are as follows, as presented in the game: You can Respec Character Stats as you progress, but your starting class stats cannot be changed. It's important to choose the best starting class because this will influence your approach throughout the game. The starting class you choose will have an influence on your Stats and Weapons which can be improved and altered as you progress through the game. Starting classes in Elden Ring are the archetypes you'll choose from when creating a new character.
![]() The next step is to set up one or more computers where you plan to do development. Using the web interface ( Settings → Members), add (CS725 Admin) to the project and give it the Developer role so the project can be cloned by the instructor/grader. Do not not change other settings (especially the project name). Don't forget to click on Save changes (you may need to scroll down to see the button). Expand Permissions and set Project visibility to Private. The very first step you must do with the forked project is to make it private using the Settings → General → Permissions → menu. (The project may not appear in the “Trending” or “Most stars” categories but should at least be in “All”.) Use the Fork button to create a new project (in your namespace). Using the web interface, your first task is to create a new project 1 by forking the template project project can be found using “Explore (public) projects” on the web interface. You can log in the server at (use the Wildcats tab, not the Standard tab). Git repositories are hosted on the department’s GitLab server. Set as a remote of this repository in order to pull files added by the instructor.įor those who are new to Git, below are detailed instructions on how to achieve this. clone the new project into repository on a development computer.add as a project member in a Developer role.fork the GitLab project: into a project of the same name in your namespace: make this new project private.Make sure that you read and understand what is required.įor those familiar with Git/GitLab, the objective of this handout is for a student whose UNH login is xxx to: Charpentier's, the setup is slightly different. These instructions are equivalent to those used in CS 825, however, if you used CS GitLab in other courses, including Prof. Michel Charpentier and appropriated here with permission. (In this class, Git is not used for collaboration.) Theses instructions are based on a handout written by Prof. It is essential that the repository remain private at all times (not internal or public), as programming assignments must be worked on individually. ![]() Each student uses a private repository, shared with the class instructor and grader. All the files are hosted in a single Git repository. If anything is not clear or not working, ask on Piazza. Uniform structure of student submissions simplifies the grading process. You are expected to follow these instructions carefully. Program submissions outside of the repository will not be accepted and points will be taken for any repositories that do not follow the specified setup. The course uses the version control system Git to submit the programing parts of the upcoming assignments. CS 925 Advanced Computer Networks CS GitLab Instructions |
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