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She-Hulk Recap: Episode 9 | Jen Breaks the MCU – United By Pop

Posted: October 19, 2022 at 2:45 pm

The season finale of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is finally upon us. While Im going to miss seeing Jen (Tatiana Maslany) on my screen every Thursday, lets get into it one last time. Episode nine, Whose Show Is This?, starts off with a great homage to the 70s Incredible Hulk intro. After the self-aware homage, we are immediately back at the high-security prison where Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) was kept. Jen is currently in his cell after her outburst. However, she is quickly released after agreeing to wear an inhibitor. But things quickly take a turn for the worst for Jen. She loses her job, cant turn into She-Hulk anymore, and has to move in with her parents.

Nikki(Ginger Gonzaga) being the best friend she is, stops by Jens parents house to help Jen figure out who created Intelligencia and who HulkKing is. Its going to take time and in a very mom move, Jens mom sends Nikki a video of Jen having a great time in college which proves to be a valuable asset for Nikki later on. Feeling defeated, Jen decides to go to Emils retreat for a mental health break.

Before Jen arrives at the retreat, Nikki is back in the office. She is uploading the video of Jen dancing in college to Intelligencia. Dont worry, shes not betraying Jen, shes just trying to bait these jerks into giving her information. And boy does it work! They send Nikki an invite to an event happening later that night. The only catch is they think Nikki is a man (of course) so she has to reel Pug (Josh Segarra) into her scheme.

Nikki and Pug arrive at the event. Nikki waits outside and has Pug wear an airpod so she can help him figure out what to say. Pug then meets HulkKing and surprise, surprise, its Todd Phelps (Jon Bass). Apparently, Todd and everyone at this event think that all female superheroes dont deserve their powers and Jen only became She-Hulk because of nepotism. (sounds like a fun, cool group.) Anyway, Jen cant find Emil so she goes to find him at his lodge. He is hosting a private event for none other than Intelligencia! But Emil is there as the Abomination, violating his parole.

In the best way possible, this is where the show goes off the rails and turns super meta. Obviously, Jen finds Emil as the Abomination and finds out that Todd is HulkKing and that he stole her blood. Todd injects himself with Jens blood (because he quote deserves it) and starts to transform into a Hulk. At this point, Jen turns to the camera and says, This cant possibly be where this season was going. But trust me, it gets even weirder. Titania(Jameela Jamil) shows up and then the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) shows up! Its a classic Marvel showdown with Jen saying, This is a mess. None of these storylines make any sense. And shes right, it is a mess. So Jen does what she does best, she breaks the 4th wall.

Jen breaks her inhibitor and transforms into She-Hulk. The Marvel homepage on Disney+ pops up and She-Hulk literally smashes herself into another show, Marvel Studios: Assembled; Marvels behind-the-scenes show. She then breaks her way onto a Walt Disney lot. She crashes the writers room for She-Hulk to berate them over how the finale is going. She is rightfully pissed off and wants to see Kevin, yes that Kevin but she has to fight off security (possibly a hilarious nod to the weak security at Marvel after all of the leaks) to speak to Kevin. But in this world, Kevin is K.E.V.I.N. an A.I. machine that makes all the decisions.

Before K.E.V.I.N. can answer She-hulks questions, it asks her to transform back into Jen because she is expensive and the VFX team is working on another job. Thats when the drum beats from Black Panther play. I told you we were getting meta! K.E.V.I.N. apparently possesses the most advanced entertainment algorithm in the world and produces the best possible outcomes. But Jen tells K.E.V.I.N. that its her show so she should come up with the ending. After going back and forth, Jen makes her closing argument.

This is the moment Jen breaks down the MCU and its flaws. She says, The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for its big spectacles and high-stakes plotlines, but its often said that Marvel moves all end the same way. Perhaps, this is a result of following some unwritten rule that you have to throw a bunch of plot, and flash, and a whole blood thing that seems super suspiciously close to Super Solider Seram at the audience in the climax. I propose we dont have to do that. Jen argues that her stakes arent the same as the other superheroes because hers is finally figuring out how to live as Jen and She-Hulk; so she rewrites her story. She doesnt have Todd turn into a Hulk, the Hulk turns back into Bruce and the Abomination turns back into Emil. Before she is done rewriting her ending, she says one of my favorite lines of the episode by saying, Would not mind seeing Dareveil again. A woman has needs. She really is just like us!

Before Jen finally leaves though, she does have a couple of important and pressing questions to ask K.E.V.I.N. like whats with all the daddy issues in the MCU? Or when are the X-Men coming into the MCU? The A.I. machine makes sure Jen will never be able to access K.E.V.I.N again because she obliterated its ending and before we get back to the show, Jen says, Yeah, thats what Hulks do. We smash things. Bruce smashes buildings. I smash fourth walls and bad endings. And sometimes, Matt Murdock.

Ok, now we are back to the regularly scheduled program. The big fight is over. Todd is being arrested and Jen will see him in court. But the twists arent over because Daredevil is back!!! He swoops in to help but the fight is already over. (at least their cute and fun banter can resume!) Emil is remorseful for turning into the Abomination but he still has to serve 10 years in prison for violating his parole.

The final few moments of the show bring us back to Jen and her family. They are eating outside with a special guest thats right, Matt Murdock is meeting Jens family! Matt is just visiting for a week but thats fine, Im just glad Jen got what she wanted. But again, the surprises dont stop there because the Hulk shows up! Hes finally back from Sakaar and will explain where he has been but before he does that, he wants to introduce his son, Skaar. Yeah, clearly missed a few chapters there

The very final moments of the show have Jen walking to a courthouse. The charges brought against her have been dropped and she can practice law again as She-Hulk. Before she enters though, a reporter asks for details about her lawsuit against Intelligencia and Todd. She says, People like Todd Phelps have to be held responsible for their actions. The message is that if you attack, harm, or harass innocent people, Im coming for you. The reporter then asks if she means in the courtroom or as a superhero and she says, Both. It appears that Jen has finally accepted who she is. But before the credits roll, the reporter asks who Jen is wearing because thats all we care about when it comes to women in the workforce

Just like with every Marvel project, there is an end-credit scene. Apparently, Wong (Benedict Wong) never learned his lesson because he breaks Emil out of jail. Not sure where we will see the Abomination or Wong again but Im definitely excited.

And with that, the season is over. The finale surpassed my expectations and might be my favorite Disney+ series so far. While She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will probably get a second season, I hope to see Jen pop up in other Marvel projects. (cough, cough, Daredevil: Born Again).

All episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law are now streaming on Disney+

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She-Hulk Recap: Episode 9 | Jen Breaks the MCU - United By Pop

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People with dark personality type desire enhancing their brains with future tech, new study reveals… – The US Sun

Posted: October 2, 2022 at 4:19 pm

RESEARCHERS have linked 'dark' personality traits with a desire to enhance their brain power.

A new study published in theJournal of Cognitive Enhancement looked at the correlation between certain personality traits and the desire to enhance human abilities.

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"Enhancement of human abilities has been a prominent topic throughout human history, but has received little attention from psychological research," said study author Elena Schnthaler of the University of Graz.

Nowadays, thanks to advanced technology, there are significantly more possibilities and means to optimize ones abilities," Schnthaler added.

"Finding out who would use enhancement methods has thus become an urgent question to answer."

In the study, 450 participants were assessed via scientifically-validated questionnaires that measured their personality traits.

The participants also filled out an assessment of their personal values.

Eight personality traits were of significance to the researchers: the 'Big Five' and the 'Dark triad'.

The big five personality traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Meanwhile, the 'Dark Triad' consists of Machiavellianism, sub-clinical narcissism, and sub-clinical psychopathy.

Researchers presented the participants with five different hypothetical methods to improve their brain power.

The methods included a new drug, two types of brain stimulation, genetic enhancement, and mind uploading.

Subjects were then asked to indicate how likely they were to try any of the methods.

After looking at their results, researchers saw a link between the Dark Triad and Big Five personality traits and personal values, and willingness to improve cognitive capabilities.

"Specifically, individuals high in agreeableness and conscientiousness and/or individuals following more conservative or self-transcending values (e.g., caring for the well-being of others) are less likely to accept self-enhancement methods," Schnthaler explained.

However, individuals high in Dark Triad traits and vulnerable narcissism and/or individuals following self-interested values are more likely to accept enhancement methods for their own use," Schnthaler added.

"This indicates that personality and values should be taken into account when investigating enhancement methods, especially to prevent misuse of enhancement methods with possibly negative consequences."

Still, researchers noted that just because someone wishes to enhance themselves, that doesn't mean they are exhibiting signs of a 'dark' personality trait.

They also pointed out that their findings were statistically significant but still weak.

There are likely many other factors that influence a persons desire to self-enhance.

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Emma Chamberlain has opened up the doors of her new home and I havent been able to think of anything else since – image.ie

Posted: at 4:19 pm

Since rising to fame as an authentic and #relatable Youtube personality circa 2017, Emma Chamberlain has somehow managed to both inform and transcend the influencer pipeline. Having gone from uploading vlogs and weekly Anything Goes podcasts to setting up Chamberlain Coffee, interviewing celebs on the MET Gala carpet and appearing on the cover of Vogue Australia, theres a reason why Time magazine named her one of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.

Having stepped back from her uploading schedule and become something of a more elusive character, Miss Chamberlain works alongside Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Levis so that while we may not know exactly what shes up to, her face is firmly in our eyeline. Now, Emma has opened the doors of the new LA home to Architectural Digest and this house tour is one of the best weve seen.

Working in collaboration with Ashley Drost and Marie Trohman of Proem Studio, Emma Chamberlain wanted to create something completely personal and comfortable because, like many of us, this young woman works from home, and she wanted her space to mirror her own laid-back energy.

I brought in references from many decades and design eras, and I tried to meld them into something that feels not only cohesive but new, she tells AD. It wasnt about following the rules or sticking to one aesthetic. I tried to approach it all with a lightheartedness and an open mind.

The property itself was built in 1955 and clad in cedar shake shingles, and is reminiscent of long stretches spent at summer camp. Interior designer Ashley Drost recalls describing the feeling of the space as Wet Hot American Summer meets Troop Beverly Hills, but of course, was much too young to get the reference.

Setting about enhancing the buildings natural earthiness, they added an array of artisanal, organic materials including raw copper, free-form plaster fireplace surrounds, walls and ceilings lined in cork, slabs of honey onyx, and a wall covering of banana-tree bark with a subtle metallic shimmer.

Speaking on her creative process for finding the right direction to take her home in, she says: Im a mood board type of girl. I scoured every corner on the internet, every weird, deep hole on Pinterest. I find inspiration for the home everywhere, the same as fashion. Its all one in my mind.

A keen eye for art and plenty of vintage finds can be seen throughout the home. The works of Emmas father, artist Michael Chamberlain, can be seen adorning walls throughout the property, including a landscape piece hanging above a custom glass-brick console in the entry, and another beautiful piece hanging in the living room.

Long-time Youtube viewers wont be surprised to learn that Emmas gorgeously soothing green kitchen has a whole corner dedicated to coffee, and her drum set has found a new home in the music and television room.

Naturally, the fashion icons dressing room is incredible. What we wouldnt give to be let loose in there for an hour! From her collection of LV bags and sea of colourful shoes to the wavy full-length wall mirror and a rail dedicated entirely to sweater vests, its got Emmas name written all over it.

The exterior of this property is just as exciting as the interior, and there are nods to her quirky personality scattered throughout. From corn on the cob stools beside the sun loungers to little concrete mushroom seating, theres even a waterfall-esque landscape created by Sarita Jaccard Design.

Overall, Emma Chamberlains LA home seamlessly knits together refined maturity and youthful exuberance. Bathed in light and filled with personality, every corner has something to look at and engage with.

Watch the full tour of Emma Chamberlains home on Architectural Digests Youtube channel, or browse through our gallery below

Imagery by Christopher Sturman of Architectural Digest

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Emma Chamberlain has opened up the doors of her new home and I havent been able to think of anything else since - image.ie

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‘Don’t believe everything you read’: The story of The Onion – Bennington Banner

Posted: at 4:19 pm

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Scott Dikkers, the founding editor of The Onion, filled an auditorium with laughter by addressing his role in the avalanche of fake news and the stink The Onion so often leaves behind.

At the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Thursday evening, Dikkers spoke as part of the Hardman Lecture series; his topic was Fake News in the Age of Misinformation: The History of The Onion and How the Philosophies and Practices Have Adapted Over Time.

The Onions story began in 1988 when Ronald Reagan was president. Dikkers said USA Today created infotainment, a type of news that is presented to be entertaining, as well as informative but mostly entertaining. The publication included a lot of photos, he noted. Infotainment essentially created a picture book, where the main focus was entertaining the eye instead of the mind.

If you cut out the pictures, theres almost nothing to the paper, said Dikkers.

USA Today hasnt changed at all, but the world has all sunk to USA Todays level, he said. After seeing the success of USA Today, two college kids, Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson, on a college campus in Madison, Wis., decided they would start The Onion. It was named after one of the founders unfortunate eating habits.

They wanted to start an on-campus humor magazine that would tear down USA Today, because it was a threat to journalism. USA Today won its first Pulitzer in 2018 (after 30 years of direct Onion opposition).

The magazine never happened, because glossy color print products were a bit out of budget for the college students. Instead, they decided to print The Onion on newsprint.

In a world that seems to make less and less sense, as time goes on, it made sense that the newspaper of record should also not make sense, said Dikkers. The founders just made stuff up to fill the pages of the paper.

When politicians and pillars of the community make a habit out of lying and scamming the common people, there should be a news source that does the same. The Onion was made to have fake articles, fake reports and overall outright, damnable lies, said Dikkers. Were in a post-truth world, where fake news reigns supreme because its the only thing that makes sense, he noted.

The daily news, the real news, has become so outlandish that fake news seems realistic. Even Dikkers has a difficult time distinguishing Onion headlines from real ones.

Dikkers wasnt a part of the project until the third edition of the paper, after he hurled heavy critique at the first two editions. A year later, the two original founders of the fake news outlet bowed out, and Dikkers bought The Onion, and all the stress that it came with, for $3,000.

Like the two goofballs that started the most trusted news source in the world, Dikkers said with a side of sarcasm, most people working during the early days of The Onion had no experience in journalism and a lot of us, to be honest, were hopped up on some kind of controlled substance, legal or illegal, for much of the time that we were working, he said.

He said he found his best writers by looking in the depths of human existence for people who were bitter, hateful and had no prospects in life. The character of his staff led to entertaining and outrageous headlines, but thats also what got The Onion into trouble.

Still, Dikkers believes the legal troubles helped the publication grow, because actual news outlets only wrote about The Onion when it caused a scandal. One of the first instances of this was with the governor of Wisconsin at the time, Tommy Thompson, who went on to work for George W. Bush.

The Onion wrote that Thompson proclaimed November as Masturbation Month. After complaints from the governor, they included a correction that stated it was a reporters mistake. He had in fact proclaimed it Sodomy Month, said Dikkers.

Dikkers said he often heard that The Onion would be sued out of existence from people who could have been more grateful to be featured on the cover of the publication.

A lawyer, paid by one of the complainants who got the free exposure, showed up at the office one day threatening to sue the publication out of existence. Instead of pushing The Onion back into the ground like he promised, this lawyer became The Onions pro bono attorney.

Hes like the worst human being on the planet, said Dikkers, but he read the paper prior to print to ensure there were no stories that could be actionable under the court of law, he deflected any legal issues that arose and, as a fan of The Onion, he was able to get a sneak peek at the upcoming issue.

As The Onion rose in power, traditional newspapers were going out of business. Infotainment became commonplace. Investigative journalists were being fired left and right only to be replaced with bite-sized nuggets of news, said Dikkers. Blatantly editorial news outlets, masquerading as news, were becoming really popular.

He has a theory that the traditional news outlets saw The Onions success and attempted to replicate it. More comedy equals more readers.

I thought I was doing it as a joke. I wasnt trying to influence the whole world of journalism, said Dikkers. But, he doubled down and continued to create content.

By the mid-2000s, online videos grew in popularity, and outlets like CNN and Fox were uploading their own video content. The Onion followed suit and started making videos that appeared to be real news, but were satire.

This is when Dikkers became exposed to nonreaders or people who only look at flashing moving pictures, who dont actually comprehend words. These people were gullible and believed the stories that were meant to be completely outlandish and comical.

Some people recognize The Onion is a joke, and they deserve that, he said. Others dont recognize the articles to be comic relief and consider it to be actual fake news, and thats their problem.

This whole situation should send us all a message like a laser beam right to our brains, a clear and powerful message that is so powerful, it can make us more critical thinkers, said Dikkers. It can make us a more educated citizenry. And it can make us more informed voters. But that message is simply dont believe everything you read.

The Hardman Lecture series is hosted by MCLA and funded by the Hardman Family Endowment.

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DJ Ace – Peace of Mind Vol 39 (Saxophone Edition Slow Jam Mix …

Posted: September 29, 2022 at 12:31 am

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Longtermism Movement Misses the Importance of War – Scientific American

Posted: at 12:31 am

Longtermism, an idea that has been attracting attention lately, says that while we should help people alive today, we should also care about those who might live in the future. We should try to maximize the number and happiness of these possible people.

And how exactly should we do that? William MacAskill, a philosopher and leader of longtermism, wrestles with this question in his new bestseller What We Owe the Future. MacAskills book is packed with can-do optimism and insights into a wide range of topics, from the history of slavery to the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

MacAskill excels at conveying the vastness of our potential future, during which our descendants might colonize other star systems. Our actions now, he argues, might determine whether trillions of our ancestors live well or poorly, or whether they live at all. We need to act wisely, he says in a recent New York Times essay.

Critics have charged that longtermism is too white, male and coldblooded, but I admire MacAskills passion for helping others. He has helped raise millions of dollars for charitable causes, such as fighting diseases in poor regions, while giving most of his income away, according to a profile in the New Yorker. I urge young people in search of a mission to check out What We Owe the Future. But I have objections to MacAskills pitch for longtermism, mainly that he worries too much about artificial intelligence and too little about capitalism and militarism.

In What We Owe the Future, MacAskill dwells on how harmful ideologies, such as totalitarianism, can become entrenched, or locked in. This problem concerns me too. Right now, humanity seems pretty locked into capitalism, which has been adopted even by communist China. Yes, capitalism has helped increase humanitys net wealth over the past few centuries, but it has severe side effects. Capitalism is a Darwinian system, with winners and losers, and it has bequeathed us climate change as well as inequality.

Can we do better than capitalism? Are fairer economic systems possible? MacAskill never addresses these questions; capitalism doesnt appear in his index as a stand-alone item. Is MacAskill reluctant to criticize capitalism because he hangs out with, and raises money from, the free-market libertarians of big tech?

MacAskill views scientific innovation as essential for solving our current problems, such as climate change and pandemics, and creating a better future. He fears that innovation is stagnating at a time when we can ill afford it. He compares humanity with a climber scaling a cliff with no safety net; if we stop climbing, well get tired and fall off the cliff. So, we need to keep climbingthat is, innovating.

Id like to see continued innovation in clean energy, but I dont see innovation per se as beneficial, especially not in the context of capitalism. Medical innovation, for example, has boosted the profits of American health care providers without producing proportional improvements in health (although the rapidity with which biotech firms produced vaccines for COVID-19 was impressive). Per-capita health care costs are much higher in the U.S. than in any other country, while Americans health lags.

Innovation in artificial intelligence has helped rich, powerful humans to become richer and more powerful. But MacAskill seems to worry less about human-controlled AI than about autonomous, intelligent machines. He fears they will rise up and enslave or exterminate us, as in countless sci-fi flicks; wemust take steps to ensure that an AI takeover doesnt happen. MacAskill has apparently fallen forrecent hype about artificial intelligence. There are no signs that machines will become self-motivated any time soon, if ever.

Equally implausible is another scenario mentioned by MacAskill: that human psyches can be digitally reproduced and uploaded into computers. Uploading would require cracking the neural code, the algorithms that transform brain activity into perceptions, thoughts and memories. But the neural codewhich could also benefit AI researchis one of those problems that look less tractable over time. Researchers show no signs of converging on a plausible explanation of how brains make minds.

MacAskill focuses on the threat of war between great powers, especially those possessing nuclear arms or bioweapons. Otherwise, he doesnt give war the attention it deserves. War poses the greatest threat to our near-term and long-term future. War not only kills and maims people; it also drives them from their homes, creating huge refugee populations. And preparations for war consume over $2 trillion a year (more than a third attributable to the U.S.). That money could help us tackle poverty, pandemics, climate change, social injustice and other problems, which war often exacerbates.

War is perpetuated by the ideology of militarism, which is as deeply entrenched as capitalism. Militarism assumes that war is a permanent feature of the human condition, and hence that nations must maintain armies to protect themselves from each other. Militarism is an apex problem, one that makes other problems worse. Militarism corrupts science. The U.S. military is a major funder of research on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, neural interfaces and other fieldsnot to mention nuclear weapons. U.S. innovation in weaponry triggers destabilizing arms races with other nations.

MacAskill says would-be altruists, when prioritizing problems, should consider two criteria: Is the problem neglected, and it is tractable? Militarism, to my mind, satisfies both criteria. MacAskill himself notes that the risks of war have largely fallen out of the mainstream conversation among those fighting for a better world. Many people, including activists and others Ive polled over the years, see peace between nations as a utopian pipe dream.

If we can overcome our fatalism, I believe, the problem of militarism will turn out to be tractable. Virtually everyone except warmongers and arms dealers would welcome the end of war. War between nations is a top-down problem; Russias Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky could agree to end the war in Ukraine today.

The question is, how can antagonistic nations demilitarize safely, without raising the risk of preemptive attacks? How can we minimize the economic disruption, including the loss of jobs, resulting from demilitarization? How will nations and other groups resolve conflicts nonviolently? Do nations, individually or collectively, need some minimal force to protect themselves against attacks by rogue nations or violent, apocalyptic groups?

I would love to see MacAskill and other smart, scholarly activists hack the problem of war, infecting politicians and other leaders with their zeal. When I peer into the future, I envision a world in which war between any two nations has become inconceivable, just as war is today between Germany and France. Resources once devoted to death and destruction are used to improve human well-being. We should begin trying to create this world now. We owe it to the future.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those ofScientific American.

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Ten warning signs that your phone is spying on you and tips on removing spyware – Scottish Daily Express

Posted: at 12:31 am

Many people will be completely unaware that hackers have infiltrated their phone using malicious spyware that is harder to detect than ever before.

In 2021 The New York Times reported a 65 per cent increase in the number of phones infected by spyware and stalkerware through apps and links.

With this in mind, cyber security experts from VPNOverview reveal the top ten warning signs that could indicate that hackers are using your phone to spy on you. The study also details how you can prevent and remove spyware that hackers may have installed onto your phone.

READ MORE: From Google Glass to TwitterPeek, are these the most useless inventions of all time?

How can you detect spyware on your iPhone and Android? Below are ten common signs indicating that your phone is being monitored. If multiple of these signs are present, you very well might be dealing with spyware:

1. Slow performance

Constant slowing down or lagging is a possible indication of spyware operating on your phone. It could result from the resource-intensive spyware constantly running in the background, uploading your data, photos, and documents to an external server. Make sure this isnt happening by checking your phone for any unfamiliar apps and scanning any hidden apps using an antivirus program. Deleting these may improve the performance of your device.

2. Random reboots

Is your phone rebooting itself without your authorisation? This can indicate that someone has remote, administrator-level access to your phone. The hacker can do whatever they want with your device if this is the case. To rule out the presence of spyware, you can update your phones operating system, and delete any malfunctioning apps. If neither of these solutions solves the random reboots, you may have spyware on your phone.

3. Strange text messages

Hackers can use text messages to take a screenshot, detect your location or even gain control of your phone. You should be not only vigilant of incoming texts but also outgoing texts as a hacker can send text messages from your phone to communicate with their own server. Any message that looks unfamiliar, sounds like gibberish or appears outright strange should be ignored. This is especially the case for unfamiliar texts containing links; these links can allow a hacker access to your phone if clicked on.

4. Overheating

An overheating phone can indicate that a malicious app is running in the background, especially if the overheating occurs when the phone is on standby. You can rule out the threat of spyware by first checking that your phone doesnt have a hardware issue or checking that the apps you have installed are not large resource consumers. You can go into your phone's settings and check your app list to see which apps use the most resources; apps are usually presented in order of most resource use. Some apps will have legitimate reasons for taking up energy on your phone, but any that use more than they should be the culprit and should be deleted.

5. Unusually high data usage

A hacker's primary goal is to harvest your data, to sell it to the black market or use it to blackmail you. To gather this information, a hacker will remotely access your phone and transfer your files to their server, which requires data usage on your end. Therefore, if your cellular data usage seems unusually high, this could indicate that something suspicious is going on with your phone. It is a good idea to keep track of your monthly data use to identify any unexpected spikes.

6. Unfamiliar apps in your app list

Some viruses and spyware are cleverly hidden amongst your legitimate apps. It is good practice to regularly go through your installed apps and check for any apps you do not recognise or dont know the function of. Uninstall these apps by going to the settings on your phone and locating your apps list.

7. Battery draining fast

Your phone's battery life can be affected by two things: age, causing it to malfunction, or your phone is using a lot of resources that require a lot of energy. In the latter case, this could be caused by a legitimate app consuming too many resources or something more sinister, like spyware. To rule out the possibility of a hacker spying on your phone, you can replace your phone battery by a suitable technician or by yourself if possible. If your battery life hasnt improved, this could be due to spyware executing various tasks on your phone.

8. Taking a long time to shut down

If your phone takes a long time to shut down, it may be infected with spyware. This is because spyware tends to run constantly in the background transmitting your data to third parties, and your phone will be trying to close down all of these hidden programmes before it can shut down.

9. Weird sounds during phone calls

Phone tapping is perhaps one of the most well-known indicators that your phone is being monitored as many movies and TV shows portray this form of hacking. Spyware can be used to eavesdrop on your phone calls, and it frequently makes beeping and flashing sounds while doing so. These sounds should not be dismissed as they could be a warning sign of spyware.

10. Signs of activity in standby mode

Suppose your phone begins to light up or make unusual noises when in standby mode; your phone could be infected with spyware. If these noises and flashing lights are not due to notifications of calls, texts, emails, or any other familiar activity, you should check to see if there are any legitimate apps that are malfunctioning or restart your phone.

An expert from VPNOverview said: "Modern spyware installed by an advanced hacker is notoriously hard to find on your phone for the average user. Antivirus software such as Norton 360 is recommended to catch any spyware and protect your phone from being infected by spyware in the future.

"Whilst some spyware is hidden by hackers, some spyware programs will appear amongst your apps. These apps may show up as parental control apps intended to be used to monitor a childs cyber safety, however, they could have been installed by a jealous ex-partner to spy on you.

"It is essential to keep track of unfamiliar apps and delete them immediately. Look out for apps by the name of mSpy, Spyera, Flexispy, Umobix, Ikey Monitor, and Clevguard."

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Ten warning signs that your phone is spying on you and tips on removing spyware - Scottish Daily Express

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JNU Admission 2022: Registration starts for UG admission on the basis of CUET in JNU, fill your form from this link – News Day Express

Posted: at 12:31 am

JNU Admission: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has started the process of registration for admission to undergraduate programs (JNU Admission 2022) on the basis of CUET. All the students who are willing to take admission can register themselves by visiting the official website of JNU at jnuee.jnu.ac.in. Students should note that they have to use their CUET login credentials while registering for JNU UG Program Admission (JNU UG Admission 2022). Below is the step by step method to register. JNU Admission 2022 Fill Form With These Stepsstep 1- To register, students first go to the official website of JNU, jnuee.jnu.ac.in. Step 2- On the homepage of the website, click on the section of important links. Step 3- After clicking on the section, the registration tab will open in front of you. Now click on proceed further.Step 4- After that login by entering your CUET credentials and complete the application form. Step 5- After completion of the form pay the application fee and also take a print out of the form for future use.

Fill your UG Admission Form from this direct link..JNU Admission 2022 Direct Link

Application FeeThe students of General, EWS and OBC category who register will have to pay Rs 250 as application fee, while students of SC, ST and PWD category will have to pay Rs 100 as application fee.

Keep these things in mind while uploading documents1- Students should note that the scanned photograph and signature should be in JPG/JPEG format.2- The size of the latest scanned photograph should be between 10 kb to 200 kb.3- The size of the scanned signature should be between 4 kb to 30 kb.4- The latest photograph should be in color or black/white.

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JNU Admission 2022: Registration starts for UG admission on the basis of CUET in JNU, fill your form from this link - News Day Express

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RTI reply: 42 cars in CM Bhagwant Mann convoy, opposition says ‘badlav or waste of money’ – The Indian Express

Posted: at 12:31 am

There has been a steep rise in the number of vehicles running in Punjab CM Bhagwant Manns convoy since June this year, leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Congress MLA from Qadian Partap Singh Bajwa said on Wednesday citing reply to information he sought under Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The information under the RTI Act revealed that as many as 42 vehicles have been provided to the convoy of Punjab CM by the office of state transport commissioner (STC), beginning June 1 this year. The information revealed that in the first tenure of former CM Parkash Singh Badal from March 31, 2007, to March 30, 2012, the number of cars provided to the CM by the STC was 33. In his second term from March 31, 2012, to March 30, 2017, CM Parkash Singh Badal had the same number of cars in his convoy.

Similarly, former CM Captain Amarinder Singh had 33 vehicles in his convoy till the end of his term on September 19, 2021. From September 20, 2021, to March 2022, CM Charanjit Singh Channi had 39 cars in his convoy.

As per the reply under the RTI Act, while 39 cars remained in the CM convoy from March 16 till June 1 this year, three more vehicles were added to the convoy thereafter. Bajwa said apart from the 42 vehicles provided to the CMs convoy by the STC, Punjab Security Wing (PSW) has also given vehicles to the CM that make it an extravagant convoy. However the PSW has denied information of the vehicles added to the convoy citing security reasons.

Bajwa said, There is a self-contradiction between what Bhagwant Mann used to preach before becoming the CM and what he practises after becoming the CM. Mann used to blast the ruling party over such issues when he was an MP from Sangrur. Would Mann mind letting the citizens of Punjab know how this big convoy of vehicles serves the purpose? Why does he spend taxpayers money so recklessly? How can he afford to have such a huge convoy now?

He said, Such instances suggest that the people of Punjab have been deceived in the name of change (Badlav) by the AAP government.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, while uploading reply to Bajwas RTI Act query, tweeted, The revelation through RTI is shocking that the number of vehicles in CMs cavalcade remained 33 during both the CMs tenure S. Parkash Singh Badal Ji & @capt_amarinder Ji whereas 9 cars were added to AAM CM @BhagwantMann Jis cavalcade to keep him safe.

Punjab BJP core group member Parminder Singh Brar tweeted, Security vehicles being added regularly to @BhagwantManns cavalcade exposes his growing fear from those who voted him to power. @AAPPunjab govt under his leadership has deceived Punjabis, especially the youth, & now peoples ire is sending shudders down his spine!

Brar also tweeted, My honest advice to @BhagwantMann, if you are so scared to roam around freely amid the people, you should resign from the prestigious post & open your own #PoltryFarm as you used to preach before becoming the CM.

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10 best One Direction rock covers, from the 1975 to Wolf Alice – Alternative Press

Posted: at 12:31 am

Following the Tumblr renaissance of the 2010s, it was impossible to navigate pop culture without hearing about One Direction. Their debut was a cultural phenomenon that helped launch the resurgence of Western boy bands. With a five-album discography of catchy pop songs about being young and in love, the group developed a rabid fanbase with an intense online community. Between the lore, the (unspeakable) fanfiction and the unforgettable photo edits, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan had a chokehold on teen girls for years. While some might consider One Direction another example of inescapable bubblegum pop or a guilty pleasure, it didnt take long for the British invasion to spread to other genres.

Read more: How Louis Tomlinson had to find his purpose again to make Faith In The Future

Many of the former teen idols have experimented with harder instrumentals and deeper lyrics like Styles Kiwi or Tomilsons Kill My Mind since embarking on their solo careers. But fans are constantly drawn back to the bands older work, and that includes fellow musicians. From the 1975 to Mitski, these are some of the best One Direction rock covers.

What Makes You Beautiful The 1975

When you break it down, the 1975 and One Direction are pretty much the same band but in different fonts. Maybe thats why frontman Matty Healy has been so flippant on his opinions of the iconic boy band. But whether hes caught making out with a cardboard cut-out of Styles or questioning the integrity of the X-Factor prodigies, fans of the twin-flame British groups can revel in their cover of What Makes You Beautiful for BBCs Live Lounge. The band flip the high-tempo, high-energy song into an angsty, guitar-forward experience. Accompanied by Healys famously crunchy vocals, the song transforms from a beach trip banger into something youd listen to while dramatically looking out a car window in the rain.

Drag Me Down Our Last Night

One Directions Drag Me Down is one of the few songs in their discography that leans more toward rock, with the presence of guitar riffs and heavier drums in the background. But that didnt stop post-hardcore band Our Last Night from elevating the track to its full hardcore potential. Known for uploading rock covers of popular pop songs on YouTube, Our Last Night have also covered artists like Taylor Swift and the Weeknd. Their interpretation of Drag Me Down brings the electric guitar riffs to the front of the song, substituting the original synth and computer effects for harder instrumentals.

Steal My Girl Wolf Alice

There must be a special connection between One Direction and British alternative-rock bands because they cant seem to stop covering them on BBC Live Lounge. Wolf Alice took to the studio to cover Steal My Girl in their signature style. 1Ds version utilized an electric keyboard to maintain the melody alongside the groups layered, chorus-like vocals. But Wolf Alice substitute in electric guitar, and Ellie Rowsells raspy vocals give it an edgier, laid-back vibe. Wed assume that cover went over well with the band, especially considering that Wolf Alice were invited to open for Styles European tour last summer.

Fireproof Mitski

As one of the reigning queens of sad girls everywhere, Mitski has become an unstoppable force in the indie scene. Her lyricism and vocal resonance seem to naturally draw intense emotional connections, which is why her cover of Fireproof is so remarkable. The original track utilized One Directions typical instrumentals and mixing style with drum loops and chorus-like vocal layering. Mitskis interpretation used harder instrumental riffs accompanied by her airy voice. The cover is also a minute shorter than the original, which means the buildup to her belts happens much faster.

Live While Were Young Lost

As historians of all things alternative rock, the Punk Goes albums are important artifacts when it comes to early 2000s culture. The series of albums was a project that had punk bands cover popular songs across different genres, often changing the track and transforming it into a rock cover. The Punk Goes Pop albums in the U.S. never covered a One Direction song, but many fans dont realize that the Japanese editions occasionally included bonus tracks. Appearing on Punk Goes Pop Volume 5, the Japanese punk band Lost covered Live While Were Young. Its one of the few covers on this list to include screaming vocals.

Night Changes The Vaccines

Another day, another British band covering One Direction on BBC Live Lounge. The Vaccines took to BBC Radio 1 to cover One Directions Night Changes, one of their most popular ballads. As a boy band, each member of One Direction typically has their own verse and harmonizes during the chorus. The Vaccines, along with most covers, keep the same vocalist throughout the entirety of the song, maintaining the tone and pitch. The indie group kept the song slow and sentimental as well, adding small electronic tweaks alongside airy vocals. Reminiscent of the 1975 and Arctic Monkeys, the track has the same angsty, 80s rom-com sound.

Midnight Memories The Vamps

Occasionally, One Direction would release a rock-adjacent song with heavier, prominent guitar riffs and percussion. Midnight Memories definitely leans more toward rock than pop, and the video even features the band getting into PG shenanigans. With the baseline of the song already rooted in rock elements, the Vamps took it a little further with their own cover. At their peak, the Vamps were constantly compared to One Direction because they were roughly the same age making music for the same demographic. But unlike 1D, the Vamps played their own instruments, which added a rougher edge to the cover.

18 At Sunset

One Directions 18 is another (nearly acoustic) ballad about being in love. The song features soft vocals alongside an acoustic guitar and light percussion reminiscent of a box drum. Pop-rockers At Sunset took the track up a notch with their own interpretation. With such a simple, light presence, 18 makes a natural transition into pop rock, replacing the light instrumentals with electric guitar and heavy drums. Not to mention its super pop punk for a band to sing about being in love at 18 no matter how much time has passed. At Sunset also added the chorus from Steal My Girl to the bridge as a little extra treat for all the hardcore 1D fans out there.

Story Of My Life The March Ahead

Despite their status as a typical pop boy band, One Direction brought dexterity to their vocal ability especially considering some of their harmonies and belts. This can be seen in the chorus of Story of My Life, which requires stronger, higher tones. When it comes to the March Aheads cover, the most substantial difference is in the instrumentals, which feature harder electric guitar riffs and forward drums. Former Attack Attack! vocalist Johnny Franck does an impressive job elevating the difficult belts in the chorus, too.

What Makes You Beautiful Fearing Farewell

You know what kind of cover this is going to be as soon as you get a look at Fearing Farewells, hair, which is peak 2012 pop punk. What Makes You Beautiful might be One Directions best-selling single, with its catchy chorus and high-energy beat, but that doesnt mean you cant scream along to it. Fearing Farewell, a metalcore band, took it upon themselves to create something truly magical: a screamo cover of What Makes You Beautiful. Alongside Ilya Yakovlevs screaming, the track also elevated the instrumentals into this masterpiece. Its like staring into the soul of a mid-2010s Hot Topic.

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10 best One Direction rock covers, from the 1975 to Wolf Alice - Alternative Press

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