Longtime fans of the cult TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 know that the series’ one constant is change (well, that and bad movies).

The show’s cast and crew were in a near-constant state of flux, a byproduct of the show’s existence as a perennial bubble show produced in the Twin Cities rather than a TV-and-comedy hub like New York or LA. It was rare, especially toward the middle of its 10-season original run on national TV, for the performers in front of the camera (and the writers’ room, since they were all the same people) to stay the same for more than a season or two.

Series creator Joel Hodgson embraced that spirit of change for the show’s Kickstarter-funded, Netflix-aired revival in the mid-2010s, featuring a brand-new cast and mostly new writers. And that change only accelerated in the show’s brief post-Netflix “Gizmoplex” era, which featured a revolving cast of performers that could change from episode to episode. Hodgson leaned into the idea that as long as there were silhouettes and puppets talking in front of a bad movie, it didn’t matter much who was doing the talking.

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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency is rescinding the legal finding that it has relied on for nearly two decades to limit the heat-trapping pollution that spews from vehicle tailpipes, oil refineries and factories. From a report: The repeal of that landmark determination, known as the endangerment finding, will upend most U.S. policies aimed at curbing climate change. The finding — which the EPA issued in 2009 — said the global warming caused by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane endangers the health and welfare of current and future generations.

“We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy,” Trump said at a news conference. “This determination had no basis in fact — none whatsoever. And it had no basis in law. On the contrary, over the generations, fossil fuels have saved millions of lives and lifted billions of people out of poverty all over the world.”

Major environmental groups have disputed the administration’s stance on the endangerment finding and have been preparing to sue in response to its repeal.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

There are plenty of unanswered questions about the origin of life on Earth. But the research community has largely reached consensus that one of the key steps was the emergence of an RNA molecule that could replicate itself. RNA, like its more famous relative DNA, can carry genetic information. But it can also fold up into three-dimensional structures that act as catalysts. These two features have led to the suggestion that early life was protein-free, with RNA handling both heredity and catalyzing a simple metabolism.

For this to work, one of the reactions that the early RNAs would need to catalyze is the copying of RNA molecules, without which any sort of heritability would be impossible. While we’ve found a number of catalytic RNAs that can copy other molecules, none have been able to perform a key reaction: making a copy of themselves. Now, however, a team has found an incredibly short piece of RNA—just 45 bases long—that can make a copy of itself.

Finding an RNA polymerase

We have identified a large number of catalytic RNAs (generically called ribozymes, for RNA-based enzymes), and some of them can catalyze reactions involving other RNAs. A handful of these are ligases, which link together two RNA molecules. In some cases, they need these molecules to be held together by a third RNA molecule that base pairs with both of them. We’ve only identified a few that can act as polymerases, which add RNA bases to a growing molecule, one at a time, with each new addition base pairing with a template molecule.

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The forthcoming Nintendo Virtual Boy accessory for Switch and Switch 2 can play VR-supported games, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. There are four available games to play, including Super Mario Odyssey, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

These aren’t new VR builds of the games, rather they are the versions previously released for the Nintendo Labo VR set. This was a kit for the original Switch that allowed users to build a cardboard VR headset, among other items.

However, this is very good news for Switch 2 owners as Labo creations generally don’t work with Nintendo’s shiny new console. So this is the only way to experience the VR versions of the aforementioned four games. It’s also worth noting that the Switch 2 upgrade for Breath of the Wild still includes the VR mode.

There are some caveats. The Virtual Boy accessory is available to purchase as a hardware unit or in cardboard. The cardboard version is much cheaper, at $25, and is actually the preferred method for playing these games in VR.

That’s because the hardware version sits on a stand, like the original Virtual Boy, making it harder to move one’s head around. The cardboard headset is free from those constraints. The hardware also includes red filters over the lenses, to better mimic the original experience, but these can be removed.

However, the hardware version is better for playing actual Virtual Boy games, as they were designed for a static headset resting on a table. You’ll have to decide if that trade-off is worth $100. It’s also worth noting that Virtual Boy games will not work with the original Labo VR headset, which is a bummer for OG Switch fans.

Both versions of the Virtual Boy accessories will be available on February 17, which is the same day several of the retro console’s games head to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription service. They can be purchased at the My Nintendo Store. We got a chance to try the headset and came away fairly impressed, though noted that the revamped accessory is “just as eccentric and ungainly as the original was three decades ago.”

For those wondering what all the fuss is about, the Virtual Boy was an actual console released by Nintendo all the way back in 1995. It was one of the first mass-market VR devices and, as such, was decades ahead of the curve. It was cumbersome, the games were only in red and there was nothing by way of motion control. Americans only got 14 games before the console was discontinued.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendos-virtual-boy-accessory-lets-you-play-vr-mario-and-zelda-on-switch-2-172138483.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader shares a report: OpenAI has warned US lawmakers that its Chinese rival DeepSeek is using unfair and increasingly sophisticated methods to extract results from leading US AI models to train the next generation of its breakthrough R1 chatbot, according to a memo reviewed by Bloomberg News.

In the memo, sent Thursday to the House Select Committee on China, OpenAI said that DeepSeek had used so-called distillation techniques as part of “ongoing efforts to free-ride on the capabilities developed by OpenAI and other US frontier labs.” The company said it had detected “new, obfuscated methods” designed to evade OpenAI’s defenses against misuse of its models’ output.

OpenAI began privately raising concerns about the practice shortly after the R1 model’s release last year, when it opened a probe with partner Microsoft Corp. into whether DeepSeek had obtained its data in an unauthorized manner, Bloomberg previously reported. In distillation, one AI model relies on the output of another for training purposes to develop similar capabilities.

Distillation, largely tied to China and occasionally Russia, has persisted and become more sophisticated despite attempts to crack down on users who violate OpenAI’s terms of service, the company said in its memo, citing activity it has observed on its platform.

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Who among us has not looked at a newly framed picture, then looked at their wall and thought, “Eh, surely I can eye-ball it this time.” Hanging pictures should be an easy feat, but so often they end up uncentered or slightly crooked, causing us to add more holes the wall than intended or desired. The next time you hang pictures or artwork in your home, use one of these 10 hacks so they’re level and evenly spaced on the first try.

Use a small ball as a makeshift level to hang pictures

A level is essential when hanging art—a frame that’s even slightly crooked will be an eyesore, and if you’re hanging multiple pieces in a group, it’s even more important that everything be level. If you forgot to grab your level, or you don’t have one, you can use a small ball, like a ping pong ball or a marble. Place it on top of the frame and adjust until the ball sits still, then mark it on the wall.

Use painter’s tape to accurately space two nails when hanging a picture

If your frame has two widely spaced hooks, knowing where to insert your nail, screw, or other fastener on the wall can be a mind-bending challenge. But if you have some painter’s tape on hand, it’s easy: Place a piece of tape across the back of the frame, with the top of the tape lined up with the top of the hooks. Mark the position of the hooks with a marker or pen, then remove the tape and place it on the wall at the desired height. Using a level, adjust the tape until it’s placed correctly. Then drive your nails right through the tape at the marked locations, remove the tape, and hang your picture. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Use toothpaste to help you mark the spots where hooks or nails need to go

An alternative to the painter’s tape method is to use some toothpaste (or any gooey, sticky stuff that will wash off your wall easily). Mark the hooks on the back of the frame with a gob of toothpaste, check that it’s level and at the desired height on your wall, then press the frame against the wall. The toothpaste will mark the precise spot where you need to drive your nails to hang the frame. Insert your fasteners, clean everything up, and hang that picture in the perfect spot. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Make this quick DIY tool to mark the spot for a hook or nail when hanging a picture

If you have spare cardboard (a cereal box will do) and a pin or thumbtack, you can make a little DIY tool that will make marking the spot for a hook or nail easy. Cut out a rectangle of cardboard, then cut a tab at the bottom that’s narrow enough to fit through the hook on the back of the frame. Slide the tab through, and push a pin or tack through from the back. Then push the picture into the wall at the right spot, and the pin will create a tiny hole where your hook or nail needs to be. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Use string to guide a hook onto a nail when hanging a picture

Got the nail in the wall, but can’t seem to catch the hook on the picture frame? Get a piece of string and loop it around the nail, then adjust so the ends are even. Take both ends together and run them through the hook, then pull the string tight as you bring the frame toward the wall. The string will guide the hook right onto the nail, no guesswork required. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Use a fork to guide wire onto a nail when hanging a picture

If your frame uses a wire across the back to catch a nail or hook in the wall, you know that sometimes you question your own perception of reality as you repeatedly fail to catch the hook on the wire. There’s an easy hack: Grab a fork from the kitchen and place it on the nail or hook in the wall so it leans outward. Then hook the wire onto the stem of the fork and slide the frame down, letting the fork guide the wire down. When it’s hooked, remove the fork and admire your work. (And wash the fork, probably.) Here’s a visual tutorial.

Hang pictures with Monkey Hooks if you don’t want to use any tools

Hanging art on drywall and dread all the mess and trouble of drilling or nailing? Skip it by using Monkey Hooks instead. These are self-drilling pieces of wire—you just poke them through the wall with a tiny bit of elbow grease—that spin around and provide strong, secure hooks that can hold up to 50 pounds of weight, all without a single tool. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Monkey Hooks Picture Hangers Home and Office Pack, Gorilla Hook, Drywall Hooks for Hanging Pictures, Wall Hooks, Picture Hangers, Picture Hanging Kit, 30 pc set

$15.49
at Amazon

$15.49
at Amazon

Make this paper template when you’re hanging multiple pictures in one area

If you’re going to be hanging multiple frames on the wall, grab some paper and create a template first. You can use wrapping paper, butcher paper or any kind of paper you have lying around or can get your hands on cheap (you can also use cardboard if that’s what you have on hand). Lay your frames out on the paper and trace them carefully. Then use the toothpaste or cardboard/nail hacks described above to mark where the nails need to be placed. Hang the template on the wall (ensuring it’s level), hammer in your nails, remove the template, and hang your frames. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Use an envelope to catch dust when drilling to hang a picture

If you’re going to drill or nail into your walls to hang pictures, you’re going to get a lot of annoying dust all over the place, unless you use a very simple hack: Tape an envelope to the wall underneath where you’ll be drilling. It will catch all that dust and save you the extra step of vacuuming afterward. If you don’t have any envelopes (or tape), some Post-it Notes will do in a pinch—just fold one in half and stick it to the wall under the spot where you’ll be drilling, and it will catch that dust. You can combine more than one Post-it if you need to. Here’s a visual tutorial.

Use your own saliva to mark the spot where you need to hang a picture

If all else fails, and you need to hang a framed picture but you are short on time or patience, there’s a simple solution: Lick the back of your finger, curl it over the hanging hook on the back of the frame, and place it against the wall at the desired height (typically around 57-60 inches from the floor). Your own saliva will leave a faint, temporary mark on the wall where you can confidently place your hook without fuss or delay.

You’ve seen this movie before: A disheveled man (Sam Rockwell) busts into a restaurant, threatening to blow up the joint unless a crew of people joins him. Like Groundhog Day, he’s been through this countless times before, and he immediately starts recounting otherwise unknowable details to convince the diner patrons. Like 12 Monkeys, he’s from the future — the timely twist in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is that, rather than a world-ending virus, he needs help preventing a humanity-ending AI from being born. 

Good Luck is more of a primal scream than a thoughtful articulation about where everything went wrong. There’s a bit of “old man yells at cloud” energy here (director Gore Verbinski is 61, and screenwriter Matthew Robinson is 47), but it fits the film’s satirical tone. Looking around at the world today, who doesn’t wish they could warn their past selves about the tech industry and the new ruling class it helped breed. 

Rockwell’s character eventually wrangles a ragtag crew of future saviors: Mark and Janet (Michael Pena and Zazie Beetz), a married couple of high school teachers; Susan (Juno Temple), a distraught mother; and Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson), a sad woman wearing a princess dress. There’s also Asim Chaudhry’s Scott, who mostly serves as comic relief, but doesn’t get any real backstory like the others. 

Good Luck wastes no time fleshing out its present near-dystopia in episodic chapters. It turns out Mark and Janet are also on the run from smartphone-obsessed high schoolers, who spend their days scrolling through endless TikTok-like feeds. Susan is forced to confront a horrific situation around her son (I won’t get into specifics here, but it’s a distinctly American phenomenon). And Ingrid is literally allergic to Wi-Fi and smart devices, which makes it hard to fit into the modern world. 

Each of these scenarios play out like mini Black Mirror episodes. Everything is heightened to the absurd, and all the problems can be traced back to unchecked technological encroachment and capitalism. Nothing subtle there. The glimpses of an apocalyptic future are even less so — all we see are destroyed cities, people trapped in VR headsets (which place them in an AI-generated reality) and robots hunting down anti-AI humans. 

Briarcliff Entertainment

Good Luck is at its best when it’s simply having fun. As Rockwell and crew make their way to their final destination — a child who is about to invent true AI — they encounter pig-faced assassins, Stepford-esque parents and an adorably horrific kaiju. Even when faced with half-baked scripts, Verbinski always manages to impress visually (think back to the creepiness of The Ring, or the wildly entertaining set pieces in Pirates of the Caribbean). That’s as true as ever here, where the final scene evokes the hyper-tech chaos of Akira.

As much as Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, evokes classic sci-fi, it still can’t hold a candle to the sheer terror of seeing AI unleash a nuclear bomb in Terminator 2. And despite its zanines, it doesn’t reach the madcap heights of Gilliam’s Brazil or 12 Monkeys. But if you’re sick of having AI products shoved down your throat, and you think the notion of “true AI” is a farce, it’s a fun way to channel your rage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/good-luck-have-fun-dont-die-rails-against-ai-in-style-154437854.html?src=rss