All posts tagged: sticks

Trump sticks with Pulte, FISA hurtles toward expiration

Trump sticks with Pulte, FISA hurtles toward expiration

Published by Sam Flores

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (R) (D-NY) speaks alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (L) (D-NY) on the steps of the U.S. Senate during an event with congressional Democrats on May 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images The U.S. House on Thursday rejected a proposal to extend a key foreign surveillance program through July 2, as Democrats continued to withhold support over President Donald Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. The program will expire on Friday. Trump tapped Pulte for the role earlier this month, setting off bipartisan backlash. Pulte is currently the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has used his perch to launch probes into several of Trump’s political opponents over allegations of mortgage-related wrongdoing. He has no prior national security experience. House Democratic leaders came out against the short-term reauthorization ahead of Thursday’s planned vote, effectively dooming the measure. Speaker Mike Johnson was attempting to approve it under a procedural tool for normally used for non-controversial bills that requires support from …

Southern Baptists pass a ban on women pastors again. This time, they hope it sticks.

Southern Baptists pass a ban on women pastors again. This time, they hope it sticks.

Published by Sam Flores

ORLANDO, Fla. (RNS) — A proposal by the nation’s largest Protestant denomination to ban churches that have women pastors or let women preach on Sunday mornings passed overwhelmingly on Wednesday (June 10), marking the first step toward enshrining the ban in the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution. Almost three-quarters (74.6%) of local church delegates, known as messengers, voted in favor of the so-called Truth and Unity Amendment during a Wednesday morning session of the SBC’s annual meeting. A quarter (25.09%) voted against the measure. Under the denomination’s rules, any change to its constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority in two consecutive years. Two previous attempts to approve the ban had failed. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has said the ban will keep the SBC from getting too liberal.   “There’s a great line that divides liberal and biblical evangelicalism, and you can see it on this very issue,” said Mohler, who wrote and proposed the amendment. “The trajectory of liberal denominations is clear.” Thousands of people attend the …

Most streaming sticks have terrible remotes — this is what a good one feels like

Most streaming sticks have terrible remotes — this is what a good one feels like

Published by skeptic

I’ve been using the 256-core Nvidia Shield TV for years and I love it. While it’s overkill for most streamers (and at $199 it’s one of the most expensive options), it packs a lot of power and expansion capability that makes the Shield TV really compelling. Something else the Shield TV has going for it has perhaps the best remote control of any streaming device. The triangular remote for the Shield TV has a bunch of great details and features, like a built-in motion sensor that turns on the backlighting button each time you pick it up. It has a built-in microphone for searching, and even has a built-in speaker for paging the remote with the Shield TV app. The remote feels like a dream in-hand thanks to its triangular shape and substantial length. On top of that, the remote is powered by two AAA batteries that seem to last forever. And it uses Bluetooth so it works through walls and cabinets. Let’s explore why Nvidia built not only the best streaming device, but the …

Gang jailed after killing man with hockey sticks and baseball bats

Gang jailed after killing man with hockey sticks and baseball bats

Published by Sam Flores

This is the shocking moment a gang of thugs launched a horrific attack with hockey sticks and baseball bats on a defenceless man, killing him. Chilling CCTV footage captures a group of armed men running towards Shamus Hussain, 39, before attacking him in broad daylight. The court heard they savagely beat him before he was stabbed in the back twice, causing fatal injuries during the incident which happened at around 8:10 pm in Crow Nest Park, Dewsbury, West Yorks., on July 12 last year. Six men were found guilty of killing Shamus . Source link

Amazon Is Being Sued Over Fire TV Sticks That Stopped Working. Here’s What You Need to Know

Amazon Is Being Sued Over Fire TV Sticks That Stopped Working. Here’s What You Need to Know

Published by skeptic

There are probably a few old Fire TV Sticks still plugged into TVs across the country, collecting dust and loading just slowly enough to make you wonder whether it’s time to replace them. According to a proposed class-action suit filed in California, that sluggishness isn’t an accident. The suit alleges that Amazon deliberately ended software support for first- and second-generation Fire TV Sticks without adequately disclosing its plans to do so, effectively pushing functional hardware into early obsolescence and steering frustrated owners toward buying newer models. The plaintiff named in the suit, Bill Merewhuader, filed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, said he purchased two second-generation Fire TV Stick devices from Best Buy in 2018, four years after the company debuted its first Fire TV Stick. Merewhuader said that a few years later, he experienced slower streaming speeds, difficulty navigating menus and long load times.  He eventually was unable to use the device. He purchased new Fire TV Sticks in 2024, according to the filing. Merewhuader says in the complaint that Amazon intentionally made older …

Amazon is running a Fire sale on its 4K TV Sticks for up to 50% off right now

Amazon is running a Fire sale on its 4K TV Sticks for up to 50% off right now

Published by skeptic

Kerry Wan/ZDNET The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max got a big refresh, with 16GB of internal storage, cloud gaming support, and a gallery of over 2,000 pieces of museum-quality art to turn your TV into a frame. Ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, you can snag the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for over 40% off, bringing the price down to just $35.  You’ll also find the latest Fire TV Stick 4K Plus on sale for just $25, saving you 50% off the regular price.  Also: The best Amazon Spring Sale TV deals live now  The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is one we recommend over the Roku Streaming Stick Plus if you value Dolby Vision and seamless Alexa integrations. It features Alexa and Wi-Fi 6 support, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio, as well as access to free movies and TV shows from ad-supported streaming apps like Fire TV Channels, Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.  You can also use it to play Xbox games without a console through your Xbox Game …

11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

Published by skeptic

Photograph: Simon Hill Other Flash Drives We Like We have tested many other USB flash drives that did not make the cut. Here are a few that might be worth considering for some folks. Photograph: Simon Hill Kingston Dual Portable SSD (1 TB) for $229: With a snazzy metallic red body, this SSD disguised as a flash drive is very speedy, matching the stated 1,050 MB/s read and 950 MB/s write in my tests. It is USB 3.2 Gen 2 with a C jack at one end and an A jack at the other, both with removable covers. As much as I like this drive, which comes in 512-GB, 1-TB, and 2-TB models, it is on the pricey side. Amazon Basics Flash Drive (128 GB) for $18: I like the grippy texture on the slider of this drive because it’s easy to open one-handed and locks in place securely. The loop at the top is perfect for a key ring, and it is lightweight. Performance was limited, as you might expect at this price, but …

These Official ChromeOS Flex USB Sticks Can Give Your Old Mac or Windows PC a Second Life

These Official ChromeOS Flex USB Sticks Can Give Your Old Mac or Windows PC a Second Life

Published by skeptic

“People want something that lasts them a long time, that is quality, that is useful,” says Google senior director Alexander Kuscher. “Eventually, when it breaks or when you lose it, you get a new one because you feel taken care of. So I think that builds trust, and the trust is important.” Flex started as an enterprise service for businesses; Google offered companies worried about security vulnerabilities on aging hardware a way to easily update to a more secure operating system. Or, at least, one that still received updates. After a while, other users started to get ahold of the software, downloading and installing it on their own USB sticks for their personal machines. “We didn’t make it particularly easy at the time,” Kuscher says. “But people did it.” What led to the more consumer-oriented push of ChromeOS Flex—like this partnership with Back Market—was the end of software support for Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system last fall. While the OS still technically works, it stopped receiving security updates, and Microsoft has encouraged users to update …

Warner Bros Rejects Revised Paramount Bid, Sticks With Netflix

Warner Bros Rejects Revised Paramount Bid, Sticks With Netflix

Published by Sam Flores

By Dawn Chmielewski, Kritika Lamba and Dawn Kopecki LOS ANGELES, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Warner Bros Discovery’s board unanimously turned down Paramount Skydance’s ‌latest attempt ​to acquire the studio, saying its revised $108.4 billion hostile bid amounted ‌to a risky leveraged buyout that investors should reject. In a letter to shareholders on Wednesday, Warner Bros’ board said Paramount’s offer hinges on “an extraordinary amount of debt financing” ​that heightens the risk of closing. It reaffirmed its commitment to streaming giant Netflix’s $82.7 billion deal for the film and television studio and other assets. Paramount and Netflix have been in a heated battle for Warner Bros, its prized film and television studios, and ‍its extensive content library. Its lucrative entertainment franchises include “Harry Potter,” “Game of ​Thrones,” “Friends” and the DC Comics universe, as well as coveted classic films such as “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane.” The Warner Bros board voted against the $30-per-share cash offer on Tuesday, telling shareholders that Paramount’s financing plan would saddle the smaller Hollywood studio with $87 billion in debt ​once the …