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More Meta Layoffs, Google Squashes Employee Promotions

Mike Phalin
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More Meta Layoffs, Google Squashes Employee Promotions

Google and Meta are not going to have a good year. Both companies suffered from either cost-cutting measures or layoffs over the past twelve months.

A few weeks ago, we learned that Mark Zuckerberg was getting $14M for personal security while terminating thousands of employees. So it has to sting to know that after all this, even more people may soon find themselves labeled as redundant, according to a CNBC report.

Zuckerberg, the embattled Meta CEO, thinks 2023 will be the company’s “Year of Efficiency.” However, Bloomberg alleges that layoffs could start as soon as this week. The sources were unnamed, but given the company’s track record, there’s no doubt that Meta could shed more overhead in order to achieve whatever Zuckerberg considers “efficient.”

Meanwhile, over at Google, the company’s CEO is trampling employee morale. Those employed by the tech company who were trying to grow their careers are in for a tough road ahead, thanks to a statement in an e-mail sent out by Sundar Pichai, “The process is manager-led and will be largely similar to last year — though with our slower pace of hiring, we are planning for fewer promotions into L6 and above than when Google was growing quickly.” CNBC states that its staff saw the e-mail firsthand.

Remember when the tech giant wanted to start desk sharing to save money? Well, the Google CEO stuck his foot in his mouth a second time by saying workers are complaining about “big swaths of empty desks and it feels like it’s a ghost town — it’s just not a nice experience.” Sundar Pichai doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Then again, the company did have a huge struggle session after Donald Trump was elected. So, maybe weak leadership is common at Google.

With YouTube getting a new CEO, could we see a new tech bubble implosion? Let us know your thoughts below.

[Source: CNBC] [Source: CNBC] [Source: CNBC]

Mondo Now Taking Pre-Orders For 1:6 Scale MotU’s Trap Jaw!

Mike Phalin
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0
Mondo Now Taking Pre-Orders For 1:6 Scale MotU’s Trap Jaw!

Mondo’s 12″ tall Trap Jaw from Masters of the Universe has just launched for pre-order! Part man, part machine, all henchman, Trap Jaw comes with several interchangeable weapons, limbs, and even his pre-disfigurement identity: Kronis!

Yes, you can thread a string through his helmet’s loop and have him swing across your room, just like you probably did as a kid. However, do you really want to risk breaking something on this pricey figure just to recreate a bit of nostalgia?

Trap Jaw is priced at $235 and is expected to ship this September.

Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo
Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo
Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo
Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo
Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo
Masters of the Universe Trap Jaw
Photo Credit: Mondo

“Freshly escaped from Infinita, the psychotic interdimensional cyborg finally cracks our MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE 1:6 scale figure line. The Wizard of Weapons joins our other formidable Evil Warriors including Scareglow, Mer-Man and Faker. Complete with 30 points of articulation and an extensive array of accessories, plus a fully swappable Kronis head, Classic head and Kronis arm!”

The $235 Trap Jaw comes with the following:

  • Mondo Jaw Head 
  • Kronis Head 
  • Kronis Right Arm 
  • Classic Jaw Head 
  • Removable Shoulder Armor and Chest Harness 
  • Right Mech Arm 
  • Spiked Mace Weapon 
  • Faux Fur Loin Cloth  
  • Mech Arm Articulated Claw 
  • Mech Arm Hook 
  • Mech Arm Grapple Hook with String 
  • Mech Arm Crossbow 
  • Mech Arm Fly Swatter 
  • Mech Arm Blaster 

The Mondo-style head features a more angular and jutted jaw and lets you get a small glimpse of how damaged Kronis’s face is. Yeah, it’s a little grotesque, but maybe he’ll think next time before crossing Skeletor.

The previously announced 1:6 Battle Cat sold out on the same day it was announced. The same happened with the last He-Man figure Mondo announced. These things go quickly!

What do you think of Mondo’s 12″ tall premium Masters of the Universe action figures? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Mondo]

‘Ghost Rider’ Actor On The Marvel Films: ‘I Don’t Need to Be in the MCU. I’m Nic Cage’

Jacob Airey
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0
‘Ghost Rider’ Actor On The Marvel Films: ‘I Don’t Need to Be in the MCU. I’m Nic Cage’

Before ‘Iron Man’ launched in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, actor Nicolas Cage (It Could Happen to You) geared up as a flaming skull anti-hero Johnny Blaze in ‘Ghost Rider’ from Columbia Pictures. Though the film was followed by a 2011 sequel ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ before the rights to the character back to Marvel Studios in 2013.

Ghost Rider has largely been absent in the MCU films and some fans hoping Cage would return, but the ‘Con Air’ actor does not seem eager to return to the leather and chains.

“I’ve gotta be nice about Marvel movies, because I named myself after a Stan Lee character named Luke Cage. What am I going to do, put Marvel movies down? Stan Lee is my surrealistic father. He named me,” he told Variety in an interview. “I understand what the frustration is. I get it. But I think there’s plenty of room for everybody. I’m seeing movies like ‘Tár.’ I’m seeing all kinds of artistic and independently driven movies. I think there’s plenty of room for everybody.”

He added, “I don’t need to be in the MCU. I’m Nic Cage.”

Cage made the comments shortly after winning the Variety Legend & Groundbreaker Award at the Miami Film Festival.

There was a planned sequel to the 2011 film, but Cage ultimately passed on it, prompting Columbia Pictures to allow Disney to acquire the rights after their purchase of Marvel Entertainment.

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ actor Gabriel Lune portrayed the Johnny Blaze successor Robbie Reyes in the MCU spin-off television series ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

The Johnny Blaze version of the Ghost Rider first appeared in 1975 in the pages of Marvel Spotlight. He was created by comic book editor Roy Thomas, writer Gary Friedrich, and artist Mike Ploog.

Den of Geek rated Johnny Blaze number 5 on their 2015 list of Marvel Comics’ monster characters.

Hulu Passes On ‘The Devil in the White City’ Adaption Following Loss Of Star

Jacob Airey
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0
Hulu Passes On ‘The Devil in the White City’ Adaption Following Loss Of Star

An adaption of the 2003 true crime thriller ‘The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America’ by Erik Larson has been in out of development limbo since the book’s publication. The project got some new life in 2019 when it was picked up by the streaming service Hulu for a TV production with ABC Signature. Keanu Reeves (John Wick) had been tapped to star.

It was reported that Reeves departed the project in October 2022 with the director Todd Fields leaving shortly thereafter. It has been confirmed that Hulu is following suit, choosing not to release the series.

“The devil was in the details, apparently: Hulu has decided not to move ahead with The Devil in the White City,” Deadline reports. “The long-gestating limited series was to tell the story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious “Murder Castle” built in the fair’s shadow.”

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (Titantic) and director Martin Scorsese (The Departed) are attached to the project as executive producers.

DiCaprio purchases the film rights in 2010 and was originally set to write a script with screenwriter Billy Ray (Richard Jewell) with Scorsese directing before it was announced it would be developed into a television show.

ABC Signature is shopping it around for production on another streaming service or network.

The book was published by Crown Publishers and has since won several awards including the 2003, San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, 2004 Edgar Award (Best Fact Crime), 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book, and was included in the 2009 ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (History & Cultures).

GoodReads explains that, “Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book’s categorization to be sure that ‘The Devil in the White City’ is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel.”

They add, “Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair’s construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor.”

Hogwarts Legacy & More Godzilla LP Soundtracks On The Way!

Mike Phalin
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0
Hogwarts Legacy & More Godzilla LP Soundtracks On The Way!

Mondo has announced it is taking pre-orders for three original soundtracks, including two Godzilla films and the smash hit Hogwarts Legacy video game!

The Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features a screen-printed D-side record that is pressed on silver-colored vinyl. The OST is limited to only 2,000 copies and will ship in June for $45.

Mondo did not list the tracks for Michiru Oshima’s score, but the Godzilla Fandom wiki states there are 34 songs.

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

The Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is limited to only 1,000 records. Mondo did not give us the entire tracklist. However, after some digging, the complete Akira Ifukube score contains over 30 tracks.

The OST is pressed on “Three Headed Vinyl.” In other words, it’s a golden yellow vinyl. The artwork on the cover by Greg Ruth is worth the $35 price tag alone. Expect Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah is to arrive this June.

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

Photo Credit: Mondo

 

The Hogwarts Legacy – Original Video Game Soundtrack is spread across three golden LPs and contains over thirty tracks. This is not a limited edition release and will ship around July. The 3XLP collection will only set you back $50.

Side A

  • Overture to the Unwritten
  • House Cup Finale
  • Fig’s Search
  • A Proper Hogwarts Welcome
  • Potting Mandrakes
  • Seeking the Keepers

Side B

  1. Ranrok’s Rage
  2. A Lost Friend
  3. Everybody Grab a Broom
  4. All Roads Lead to Hogsmeade
  5. Anticipating Rookwood

Side C

  1. Miriam’s Memory
  2. Grasslands Vivarium
  3. A Fitting New Home
  4. Isadora’s Pain
  5. See You After Class
  6. Hog’s Head Jig

Side D

  1. Guardians Awaken
  2. Accio!
  3. Legacy of Magic
  4. Ruins of a Noted Seer

Side E

  1. A Portrait of Love
  2. The Greenhouse
  3. Ollivander’s Wand Shop
  4. Coastal Vivarium
  5. The Four Houses
  6. You’ve Made Your Choice

Side F

  1. Soaring Over Hogwarts
  2. Haven
  3. The Halls of Hogwarts
  4. The Room of Requirement
  5. Niamh’s Lullaby
  6. Tresspassers
  7. Tribute

Looking for more soundtracks? Check out last week’s vinyl announcements here.

[Source: Mondo]

Cities: Skylines 2 Trailer Promises “Most Realistic City Builder – Ever”

Mike Phalin
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0
Cities: Skylines 2 Trailer Promises “Most Realistic City Builder – Ever”

The addictive city-building simulator Cities: Skylines is getting a sequel. The long-awaited next-gen follow-up has been announced via a trailer on the game’s official YouTube channel. Unfortunately, the trailer does not show gameplay footage but alludes to exciting prospects.

The trailer’s narrator mentions the player will shape and change the future. The cities we create may be more than a series of tiny moving objects and arbitrary needs that must be filled with water, sewage, and electrical utilities. Perhaps Cities: Skylines II will allow us to create an actual living, breathing ecosystems. The video’s description says we should “get ready for a new epic scale in the most realistic city builder – ever.”

One thing I’ve come to expect from pie in the sky games announcements is never to expect the pie ever to land on my plate. So while I’m sure the team behind the game is trying to outdo the previous installment, I’ll hold onto my money until I see how well this thing runs and how much better it is than the original. I hope it delivers.

Cities: Skylines II will launch sometime this year on PS5, and XBOX Series X. XBOX Game Pass subscribers will find the game available for download, hopefully on day one.

“If you can dream it, you can build it. The highly acclaimed hit Cities: Skylines is now revolutionizing the city-builder genre again. The sequel to one of the best-selling management games of its decade is coming in 2023. Get ready for a new epic scale in the most realistic city builder – ever.”

The original City Skylines is available on most major platforms, including Nintendo’s Switch, XBOX, and PlayStation.

Why EA and Maxis haven’t produced a new SimCity in a decade is a mystery. The publisher has been milking The Sims franchise for years. Maybe there’s not enough DLC to squeeze when it comes to a city simulator? Oh, that’s right. So EA went the mobile app route with SimCity Build It.

Speaking of SimCity, remember when a gaming journalist made the incredibly stupid claim that the game could not be modded to operate offline? Larry Bundy, Jr. remembers:

[Source: Cities Skylines YouTube]

Federal Reserve Zoom Call Interrupted By Porn Spamming

Mike Phalin
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0
Federal Reserve Zoom Call Interrupted By Porn Spamming

Federal Reserve governor Christopher J. Waller was scheduled to speak during a conference call with Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America (MBCA) last week. However, Mr. Waller could not talk about 2023’s economic outlook and inflation because someone managed to get into the Zoom meeting and started spamming pornographic material.

According to stories on PC Mag and Yahoo! News, there were over 200 people on the Zoom call when a user named Dan took control of the apps sharing tool and started to upload photos of a sexual nature. Maybe Dan was in the right meeting, and the other 200+ folks accidentally joined the wrong call. It happens to me all the time.

Within minutes of Dan blowing his load, so to speak, MBCA had terminated the teleconference calling the reason “technical difficulties.”

The executive director of MBCA, Brent Tjarks, commented on the awkward event saying, “We were a victim of a teleconference or Zoom hijacking, and we are trying to understand what we need to do going forward to prevent this from ever happening again. It is an incident we deeply regret. We have had various programs and this is something we have never had happen to us.”

Thankfully, Zoom condemned “Dan” for being a naughty boy. Whether or not the Justice Department will investigate the event and charge someone in the hijacking hijinx is unclear. What is certain is that MBCA and the Federal Reserve won’t allow anyone to screen share without permission in the future.

Like Microsoft Teams and other teleconference apps, Zoom is susceptible to attacks and unintentional oversharing. But, thanks to people being unaware of their mics being unmuted or their webcams being turned on, coworkers all over the globe have gotten to see and hear things they wish they hadn’t. Well, unless you’re a pervert, then you’re grateful for these embarrassing gaffs.

[Source: PC Mag]

[Source: Yahoo! News]

Amazon To Shut Down Multiple ‘Go’ Grocery Stores

Mike Phalin
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0
Amazon To Shut Down Multiple ‘Go’ Grocery Stores

April Fools marks the day when 8 Amazon Go locations will shut down. The locations affected are Seattle, San Francisco, and New York. So did Amazon bite off more than it could chew with these cashier-free high-tech food stores?

Currently, there are 29 Amazon Go locations, primarily located in major cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. However, the stores were undoubtedly designed for atomized individuals, cutting out nearly all human-to-human interactions while out in public.

According to Geekwire, an Amazon spokesperson said the decision was made after the company assessed a “portfolio of stores and [made] optimization decisions along the way.” The exact reason why these stores were being shuttered wasn’t stated; however, with San Francisco’s rise in crime over the past few years, it’s not surprising that half of the stores closing down are in that city.

Unsurprisingly, two of the stores in Seattle had already been closed before the announcement. Now, Amazon is just making it official. However, this doesn’t mean the company is stopping the Go store rollout. Assumingly, the same spokesperson who confirmed the closures also went on to say, “We remain committed to the Amazon Go format, operate more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the U.S., and will continue to learn which locations and features resonate most with customers as we keep evolving our Amazon Go stores.”

With rumored layoffs and an announcement that the tech giant was looking to cut back on remote workers, it’s hard to have faith in Amazon right now. Could it be spreading itself too thin?

Have you tried an Amazon Go store? With more convenience stores using similar technology to cut back on employees, would these new stores quickly be outpaced by long-established retailers investing in new tech? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

[Source: GeekWire]

[Source: Hover Institution]

LoZ: Breath of the Wild’s Daruk Statue Looks Jolly

Mike Phalin
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0
LoZ: Breath of the Wild’s Daruk Statue Looks Jolly

The pilot of the Divine Beast, Vah Rudania, is the latest Hyrule Champion to join the First4Figures line of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild statues. Daruk the Goron is here. He’s happy. He’s husky. His backside is a little exposed.

Don’t worry; there’s only one Daruk statue this time. First4Figures didn’t make six different variants. They even gave this single statue an LED light feature! Daruk is currently available for pre-order at a reduced “early bird” price of $159.99. This discount will last until April 3rd; after that, he’ll be priced at $169.99. The estimated release date is during the fourth quarter of 2023.

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

The Legend of Zelda
Photo Credit: First4Figures

●Sheikah Eye symbol featured on the base
●Two (2) Light-up LED modes (Static and Animated) for the base
●Limited edition numbering on the bottom of the base and packaging
●Authentication Card
●Rechargeable battery with USB-C Cable
●Special Premium deluxe box packaging

Are you looking for more Legend of Zelda statues? Check out the previously released champion Urbosa or the bronze version of Link on horseback.

In case you didn’t get all four Divine Beasts before facing Calamity Ganon, check out the cut scene from the climax of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild below. By freeing all the Divine Beasts, they take nearly 50% of Ganon’s life bar away during the final battle. Trust me, it helps.

However, doing the quests for each Divine Beast can be a pain in the backside. Oh, and Nintendo is still claiming videos of gameplay. That’s nice. Why is Nintendo so behind the times when it comes to streaming?

What did you think of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Will you be picking up the sequel? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: First4Figures]

Marvel To Explore Other Worlds With New 20 Century Studios Imprint

Jacob Airey
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0
Marvel To Explore Other Worlds With New 20 Century Studios Imprint

Disney is exploring new intellectual properties following their acquisition of 20th Century Fox through another one of their subsidiaries Marvel Entertainment. They are launching a new comic book imprint based on 20th Century Studios that is being billed as an off-shoot of Marvel in March 2023 with a familiar science fiction title as their debut series.

“The new imprint will kick off with PLANET OF THE APES #1, on sale April 5, shortly followed by Marvel’s upcoming ALIEN and PREDATOR comic book series. Fans will see the 20th Century Studios comic book imprint reflected on PLANET OF THE APES, ALIEN and PREDATOR covers beginning with PLANET OF THE APES #1, ALIEN #1, and PREDATOR #2 in April and moving forward,” Marvel said on their website.

They continued, “Marvel Comics’ new imprint will draw upon 20th Century Studios’ award-winning and pop culture-defining franchises that have reached millions of fans around the globe, including iconic franchises like Planet of the Apes, Predator, Alien, and more.”

Marvel previously had titles based on Alien and Predator but they were released under their main banner, but they will soon fall under the 20th Century Studios imprint.

Marvel editor-in-chief said in a statement, “Ever since we announced our Alien and Predator comics, we hoped to create a special space within our comics line to go even bigger and bolder and keep building on the iconic moments from these properties that we all know and love. This 20th Century Studios comics imprint, in collaboration with our friends at 20th Century Studios, is the perfect way to do that.”

20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell added, “We’ve had a blast working with C.B. and his team and, as lifetime Marvel comics fans, it’s an honor to be a part of such an enduring creative legacy.”

“We think fans will love the fresh takes on these beloved, iconic movies,” Asbell continued.

They also revealed the cover for Planet of Apes #1:

The first issue of ‘Planet of the Apes’ will be available for purchase is Monday, March 6.

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