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Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is concerned about a lot of things. But apparently, the suffering and deaths of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan—wars she supported with her votes—is not among them. On Thursday, Collins took a jab at her expected Democratic opponent, Graham Platner, an Iraq War veteran who had slammed Collins for sending him to “die in Iraq.” “First of all…

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Cognition makes Devin, the first and arguably most successful AI coding agent. But famed coder Wu says it isn't designed to supplant human programmers.

For many, safety doesn’t come from a system — it comes from a person who shows up.

Meet Erika. Erika is an In-Home Support Services (IHSS) caregiver. IHSS caregivers are independent contractors who care for older adults and people living with disabilities. When everyday tasks become a challenge, IHSS provides support so seniors and adults with disabilities can maintain their independence. Just having someone present can make all the difference. Daily tasks can include helping around the house, running errands, personal care like bathing and dressing, medication management and transportation support. 

IHSS caregivers bridge a gap to help people continue living at home, where they can remain in their communities. This program also can delay or even prevent expensive long-term placements in care facilities.  

Erika knows that as a caregiver, she must make sure that her clients have everything they need so that they can maintain their independence. Erika sees this as more than a job – it’s a calling and rewarding work. 

Becoming an IHSS caregiver would be ideal for someone who likes to take care of the elderly and those in need. Clients can even hire trusted friends or family members, allowing loved ones who may already be handling caregiving duties the opportunity to be compensated. Anyone can become an IHSS caregiver. Caregivers set their own schedule, select their clients and do meaningful work that makes a real difference in someone’s life. 

“In Santa Cruz County, the needs for help far exceed the number of available IHSS caregivers,” said Whitney Barnes, supervisor at Adult and Long Term Care. “Many people we serve are still waiting for caregivers able to work with them.  Our community desperately needs more caregivers to meet the growing demands of care for elderly and dependent adults.”

There are many ways to become a caregiver. Protecting vulnerable adults starts with people who care. Learn more at www.santacruzhumanservices.org/AdultLongTermCare or call 831-454-4101.

The post Help those in need – become an IHSS caregiver today appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Although Spider-Man is a comic book character first and foremost, the wall crawler had a long and healthy run as a syndicated newspaper strip hero from 1977 all the way to 2019. For a large chunk of these years, Spidey’s co-creator, Stan Lee himself, wrote the strip. Now, the folks at Clover Press are collecting Lee’s Amazing Spider-Man newspaper comics from 1981-1984, in four new softcover volumes. These follow up on the previous volumes, covering 1977-1980. These new editions feature art by Iron Man co-creator Larry Lieber, Airboy artist Fred Kida, and Transformers artist Floro Dery. You can check out the first images for each cover of these new editions, along with their slipcases, in our gallery down below:The Amazing Spider-Man Classic Newspaper Comics 1981-1984 Click To View Gallery Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press Clover Press/Marvel Comics Marvel Comics/Clover Press

Each of these volumes will measure 11″ x 8.5″ in a horizontal format. They’ll arrive housed in a vertical slipcase designed for protection and easy shelving. By backing this Kickstarter campaign, readers will get all four volumes together in one bundle. The campaign will also include a puzzle, stickers, lithographs, a second pocket book facsimile, and more. These editions reprint each strip just as readers experienced them nationwide, with the full-color Sunday pages integrated with the dailies. This era brought Spidey vs. killer robots, Doctor Doom’s flying saucer, the Spider Brigade, and even a “Spidey Jeans” craze. The early ’80s were a wild time for Peter Parker. But really, has he ever had a normal decade?

Clover Press

Clover Press Publisher Hank Kanalz issued this statement on the upcoming release:

By the early 1980s, Spider-Man was firmly established on the newspaper page. Following the success of our campaign to collect the first four years of The Amazing Spider-Man Newspaper Comic, we are thrilled to continue the line. The strips from 1980 to 1984 feature a more seasoned wall crawler navigating longer, more intricate storylines that balance action, emotional drama, and classic Peter Parker misfortune. This era paired Stan Lee with a rotating roster of artists, including Larry Lieber, Fred Kida, and Floro Dery, each bringing their own visual style to the daily strip.

If you’re a Spider-Man completist, these are definitely books you’ll want to add to your collection. Especially as the newspaper strips were far kookier than anything going on in the regular monthly comics at the time. For more information, head on over to the official Kickstarter page.

The post SPIDER-MAN Comic Strip from the ’80s Coming in New Collected Edition appeared first on Nerdist.

I have loved Disney’s Hollywood Studios since it first opened in 1989 as Disney–MGM Studios. A whole lot more than just the name has changed in 37 years, though. In many ways it’s an entirely different park. Hollywood Studios’ used to be about making movies. It was part theme park, part working studio. Guests could watch real animators and other talented TV and film creators working on real projects. There are still areas and attractions based on that concept, like the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, but most have closed. Now immersive experiences like Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and the upcoming Monstropolis expansion are about putting you in the movies. For some the remnants of the park’s original focus combined with its current one can make it feel like Hollywood Studios’ exists between eras.

Now the newest update to the park has bridged that divide. The recently reopened, fully reimagined Animation Courtyard, based on the Emmy-winning short “Once Upon A Studio,” is already a beautiful, much-needed upgrade to what had been Hollywood Studios’ most underutilized (to be polite) space. But what’s even better is that it’s not yet done. And when the final piece of this refresh opens it’s going recapture the original spirit of the park in a way that still fits in with its modern identity. And we know because Nerdist got to see it firsthand.

Disney

Last year, Disney announced it was totally revamping Hollywood Studios’ Animation Courtyard. Located near the park’s central hub, it had once served as one of its most important areas. One of it’s many functions was serving as the home of the satellite animation studio. The Courtyard was definitely not an important part of the park when Disney closed it down for its big transformation. (The less said about Star Wars Launch Bay the better.)

Now, ten months after the announcement, the entire Courtyard looks better than ever. It’s based, both in appearance and spirit, on the Walt Disney Animation Studios lot in Burbank. It even has the original California building’s Sorcerer Hat as its centerpiece. What it doesn’t have is the old, cumbersome archway that served as an entry point, an otherwise small change that has made a big difference.

Iconic figure and Chip.

Animation Courtyard reopened during a media event Nerdist attended, and we saw firsthand just how much this open, inviting space has helped a park that needed exactly that. The Courtyard also has a newfound vitality and energy. There’s plenty of seating—much of it shaded!—for families to relax and eat. But that’s just one aspect of an area dedicated entirely to Disney animation. (There’s no Pixar here.) There were plenty of characters roaming around interacting with kids. My four-year-old son got a high-five from Donald Duck and talked to Chip while other kids took photos with Rapunzel and Mulan. We also searched for character figurines who dot the area. Some are easy to spot. Others require a little more work. Looking for them all was part of the fun. My guy was most excited for the tiny Jiminy Cricket.

Nerdist

The open Courtyard is genuinely fantastic entirely on its own. It’s fun and lively without feeling chaotic or crowded even when it is. It’s like a college quad for kids who go to school with their favorite Disney characters. But one of the best new additions takes place entirely inside. Opposite the wonderful The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure stage show that opened last year, guests will now find the Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!. Some will already know the show from Disney’s California Adventure. It’s an absolutely perfect addition to both Disney World and Animation Courtyard, a live stage show/dance party/sing-a-long designed for kids that this grownup also found entirely enchanting

My little guy, along with every other kid in attendance, loved this show, which features Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto. It’s pure Disney in the best way. I also really enjoyed being inside a large air conditioned theater on a muggy 93-degree day while my super happy and engaged child couldn’t leave my eyesight. Perfection.

Nerdist

Two great live shows, a big beautiful open space, and character meet-and-greets would already make the revamped Animation Courtyard one of the best new additions to any Walt Disney World park in years. But the area’s signature attraction, The Magic of Disney Animation, hasn’t even opened yet. That’s coming later this summer, and this old school Hollywood Studios fan and dad who got a sneak peak cannot wait for its debut because it’s a new addition that captures the park’s original spirit.

Nerdist was among a small collection of media members who got the chance to visit the active construction site to learn about what awaits visitors at the end of this summer when The Magic of Disney Animation is expected to open.

Disney

The attraction’s building is based on the Roy E. Disney Animation Building out west. It’s located at the back of Animation Courtyard. Like the original in California, guests will enter under the signature Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat . Inside, around an Open House mini courtyard, they’ll find four distinct interactive main areas.

Disney previously offered an early look at one of the four, “Olaf Draws!” That section will see an Olaf animatronic lead different character drawing lessons—which will actually be taught via video by iconic Disney animators—that run roughly 12 minutes each. It will take place next to a gallery showcasing upcoming projects. Disney execs told us Josh Gad himself said such a gallery had to be included and so it is. Because when Olaf talks, everyone listens.

In the building’s opposite corner families will find “Drawn to Wonderland.” It’s a kids playground—something Hollywood Studios’ currently does not have—designed for children ages 6 months to five. The area takes its inspiration from Disney Legend Mary Blair’s original concept art for Alice in Wonderland. And while it’s not yet complete, what I saw was already incredible. It’s full of art and playsets that look right out of the classic film. The playground is fun, pretty, and downright whimsical. It will even feature a tiny table for a tea party for all those Merry Unhappy Birthday celebrartions.

Disney executives also made sure to highlight it has plenty of seating for adults, making it a great spot for grownups to cool off while kids burn off some energy. (Over the last two years Walt Disney World has really made this kind of experience a priority and it’s a much appreciated effort by this father.)

Disney

The Magic of Disney’s “Off the Page!” portion will also let guests interact with iconic animated figures for a unique photo opportunity. Once Upon a Studio  co-director and Walt Disney Animation Studios Director Dan Abraham worked with Imagineers to capture the spirit of his short film in person. Each character will have their own spot that celebrates animation and storytelling. The meet-and-greet opportunities, which Disney says is meant to immerse you in different aspects of the animation process, will include:

• Mulan in Story
• Rapunzel in Layout
• Chip n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation
• Donald and Daisy in Computer Animation
• Goofy in Lighting 
• Stitch in Effects

The space for “Off the Page!” also takes place where real animators used to once work. Back then visitors could look down on the working studio. Guests will now get the same chance from the “fish bowl” upstairs. That way fans of all ages can take part in the experience even without getting in line.

Finally, guests can actually watch the short that inspired the attraction in the Once Upon A Studio Theater. You’ll see more than just a movie in there, though. Characters will pop up in the theater’s artwork so you feel like you’re inside the story. There’s also going to be an enchanted art gallery celebrating iconic Disney Animation characters.

I didn’t get to see any of that artwork come to life. The building is still under heavy construction. (So much so it feels like it’s at least six months away.) But by the end of summer it’s going to be very….well….animated. When The Magic of Disney Animation opens, an already great, totally revamped Animation Courtyard is going to be even better. And it’s going to do so by immersing guests in movies while also celebrating how they’re made. It’s everything that was great about the old Hollywood Studios combined with everything I love about the park now. It’s a bridge between eras that, fittingly, draws on the park’s entire history.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He totally nerded out inside The Magic of Animation building. Seriously. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post An Inside Look at Walt Disney World’s New Animation Courtyard appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon‘s second season ended on a frustrating note. The show put the pieces in place for a massive, Realm-changing battle. Then it didn’t deliver that conflict. The result was the series’ sophomore outing felt like a whole lot of setup without a payoff. Showrunner Ryan Condal acknowledged as much after the season two finale. But he also promised it would be worth the wait. And now we think he might deliver the “hell of a win” he teased, because House of the Dragon‘s new season three trailer is full of violence, dragons, and tragedy. Rhaenyra Targaryen getting exactly what she wanted might be the worst thing that ever happened to her cause.

Not everyone has exactly loved HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Dance of the Dragons. That includes GRRM himself. But seven bloody hells if this show doesn’t know how to cut an absolutely amazing trailer. This sad, somber, bloody look at what awaits when the forces of Rhaenyra and her “usurper” brother Aegon clash in season three is just the latest standout promo for the show. It also gives people who don’t know what’s coming an idea of just how bad things will get.

The show’s third outing will see Rhaenyra claim King’s Landing and the Iron Throne. That is what her former friend-turned-enemy-turned-unlikely-ally, Queen Alicent, promised at the end of the series’ second season. It’s everything Rhaenyra wanted. It’s everything she thinks she deserved. But at what cost will she claim her rightful seat? And for how long will she hold it?

HBO

As this powerful promo teases, she might not like the answer to either. Because as HBO says in this trailer’s description, “The throne knows no mercy.” We’ll find out why soon enough. House of the Dragon returns to HBO and HBO Max next month. Season three will debut on June 21.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 3’s Final Trailer Chooses Violence appeared first on Nerdist.

Thousands of pounds of cocaine are still easily flowing into the United States months after President Donald Trump claimed that his bombing campaign against ships in the Caribbean would stem the tide of illegal drugs. According to The New York Times, government data and assessments by experts in drug trafficking show that the Trump administration’s fight against “narco-terrorism” is a dud.

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A cartoon by Clay Jones. Related | President Grandpa keeps going to the doctor…

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“There’s a new Toy Story movie coming out” is basically all the promotion Disney needed to do for the franchise’s fifth feature film. But promotion for the next Pixar film has certainly included a lot more than just a single sentence. Now it’s going to include a way for you to taste the movie. Select Papa Johns locations around the world are transforming into Pizza Planet pop-ups ahead of Toy Story 5‘s premiere.Papa Johns (Rendering)

Papa Johns Pizza Planet locations will serve customers what the restaurant chain calls an “immersive, retro‑inspired experiences designed to celebrate nostalgia, connection and the love of pizza.” On “select days” in June ahead of the animated film’s June 19 debut, certain Papa Johns locations in London, Seoul, Madrid, and Los Angeles will transform into Pizza Planets. (You can find the list of exact days and the locations here.) This is what the company says hungry Toy Story fans can expect during their visit:

“…each Papa Johns Pizza Planet pop-up will fully transport fans into the Toy Story universe, featuring all the elements synonymous with the iconic movie series. Designed as retro‑inspired pizza arcades, the spaces invite fans to step into an immersive world shaped by playtime and imagination as they reconnect over pizza.”

Th promotion will also feature “exclusive packaging, collectibles, and merch created for pizza lovers and Toy Story fans alike.” Papa Johns also promises “surprises around every corner,” as well as gifts and giveaways from adidas, Belkin, and more.

Participating locations will also offer three limited‑time Toy Story 5 pizzas. They will include Space Ranger Roni, Sheriff’s Roundup, and Reach for the Pie. Fans who can’t get to a pop-up can still order their own Toy Story pie at their local Papa Johns from May 26 until July 19.

Papa Johns

Did we need these pop-ups to get excited about Toy Story 5? We didn’t even need the trailers for that. But this crossover promotion is still a success. It has us, maybe for the first time ever, excited to go to Papa Johns.

The post TOY STORY 5 Headed to Papa Johns for Pizza Planet Pop-Up Promo appeared first on Nerdist.

Voters on Election Day on Nov. 4 at the Depot Park polling location in Santa Cruz. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local)

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY >> The final campaign finance disclosures ahead of the June 2 primary election reveal the people, organizations and political groups underwriting candidates for Santa Cruz Mayor, Santa Cruz City Council and Santa Cruz County Supervisor.

A Santa Cruz Local analysis of financial reports uncovered four key trends.

Read our full voter's guideFilling out your ballot?

We’ve got you covered with: quick comparisons between candidates, their answers on local issues and more.

Read our full voter's guideNuñez is boosted by rail opponents.

District 4 Board of Supervisors candidate Tony Nuñez started fundraising months later than incumbent Felipe Hernandez, and has a narrower list of endorsements. Nuñez has quickly raised a comparable amount of cash — about $29,000 to Hernandez’s $34,000. 

More than half of that money is from contributors listed as members of Santa Cruz County Greenway, a nonprofit that supports a trail only on the Santa Cruz rail corridor, or who have otherwise publicly opposed aspects of plans for passenger rail. Most of those contributors listed themselves as living outside the district, in mid-county or Santa Cruz. 

Nuñez said despite the support from Greenway, he differs from the organization’s long-term goals.

“I’ve been really clear since the beginning that I still believe in rail,” he said. But following reports that indicate the local price tag for the train could require a 1.5% sales tax hike, he said he’s concerned about the potential tax’s disproportionate impact on low-income South County residents. He said he’s open to wealth taxes and hospitality taxes as more equitable funding sources.

Any increase in sales tax may be more useful “to fund economic opportunity within South County,” rather than “to move people from South County to North County faster, in a more efficient way,” he said.

“If my residents want this, I’ll continue to vote for it,” Nuñez said of plans for rail. “I want to see it move forward, and I also have to be a good representative of my constituency.”

About 15% of Hernandez’s money comes from people with a history of vocal support for the rail, including members of Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail and Trail. 

Nuñez also has support from a handful of nonprofit professionals, including Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance CEO Jasmine Najera and Community Bridges Chief Financial Officer Douglas Underhill. 

Hernandez is buoyed by labor unions, plus agriculture and energy industries.

Nearly a third of Hernandez’s money comes from political action committees for labor unions, including:

• SMART Transportation Division, representing Santa Cruz Metro bus drivers. 
• The Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council, representing multiple building and construction labor groups.
• Dignity CA SEIU Local 2015, representing In-Home Supportive Services caregivers. 

The County Employees Management Association directly contributed $1,000 to Hernandez. A committee funded by the association independently spent about an additional $7,000 towards door hangers and other campaign materials. 

Hernandez’s other contributors include:

• Agricultural businesses, including Miles Reiter of Driscoll’s; Darren Story and Shy Ann Kenwood of Strong Agronomy, and Thomas Broz of Live Earth farms and Miles Reiter of Driscolls.
• Energy companies, including a sales executive for infrastructure contractor Energy Systems Group, a senior director of the Western States Petroleum Association, and a program manager for the low-carbon multinational utility Engie. 
• Steven Dobler, who has partnered with New Leaf Energy Inc. on a proposal for a battery storage facility on 90 Minto Road. Dobler and his farming company donated a combined $1,100. 
• Current and former elected officials, including Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo, former Watsonville Mayor Lowell Hurst and former State Senator Bill Monning.

Elias Gonzales, the third candidate vying for the District 4 seat, has raised less than a third as much as either of his opponents. His donors include the organization Santa Cruz For Bernie, Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Chris Krohn, Watsonville City Councilmember Vanessa Quiroz-Carter and anti-surveillance activist Lourdes Barrazza.

Ryan Coonerty has far outraised his opponents.

Santa Cruz Mayoral Candidate Ryan Coonerty has raised $67,286 in cash donations — more than twice as much as the four other candidates combined. 

Additionally, the political action committee Santa Cruz Together reported about $13,000 in independent spending for mailers. Santa Cruz Together was formed in 2018 to oppose the rent control voter initiative Measure M, and has since donated to oppose a 2022 initiative for an empty home tax, and supported multiple candidates for Santa Cruz City Council.

The group’s most recent fundraising push in 2024 included $5,000 donations from four companies: Redtree Partners, Santa Cruz Seaside Company, Swenson Builders and S.C. Beach Hotel Partners.

Coonerty’s other donors include:

• Current and former elected officials, including Golder, State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, U.S. Rep Jimmy Panetta (D-Santa Cruz) , Santa Cruz County Supervisor Kim De Serpa, and Santa Cruz City Councilmembers Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson. 
• Real estate agents and property managers, totalling about $5,000. 
• Developers and associated businesses, including Timerie Gordon, principal of Nielsen, and land use consultant Owen Lawlor. 
• Downtown businesses, including heads of Beachview Inn, Rush Inn, Pacific Cookie Company, Pacific Wave and Zoccoli’s Deli. Coonerty’s sister and owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz Casey Protti donated, as did his mother-in-law and owner of Dell Williams, Casey Bernard.

Coonerty has professional connections to developers and family connections to Downtown businesses. Neither, he has said, will compromise his decision-making process as an elected official. 

The progressive mayoral candidates have overlapping support.

The other four mayoral candidates — Krohn, Ami Chen Mills, Gillian Greensite, and Joy Schendledecker — have received donations from some of the same supporters.

Ten donors gave to multiple of Coonerty’s challengers, including three that backed all four challengers. Santa Cruz for Bernie founder Jeffrey Smedberg, former city council candidate Ron Pomerantz and Krohn’s wife Rachel O’Malley are among the repeat donors. 

One mailer paid for by Krohn’s campaign urged voters to vote for Krohn — or Schendledecker, or Chen Mills. 

Questions or comments? Email info@santacruzlocal.org. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.

Learn about membership Santa Cruz Local’s news is free. We believe that high-quality local news is crucial to democracy. We depend on locals like you to make a meaningful contribution so everyone can access our news. Learn about membership

The post Four takeaways from Santa Cruz County election funding appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

Partner Content This year, the global build-out of datacenters has become impossible to ignore, with the debate spilling into national media, local newspapers, and community council meetings alike. From Arkansas to Southern California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and most recently Box Elder, Utah, communities are weighing the economic promise of datacenter expansion against mounting concerns over energy, infrastructure, and residential impact. The same dynamic is playing out in the UK, where OpenAI's "Stargate UK" project has been partly shelved amid energy consumption concerns and regulatory pressure. A typical new hyperscale datacenter can face grid-connection bottlenecks of up to seven years in certain markets, well before the necessary transmission, substations, generation capacity, and transformers are in place. McKinsey, meanwhile, estimates that global datacenter spending could reach $7 trillion by 2030 - a figure comparable to the size of a top-12 global economy. AI intelligence at scale now dominates enterprise strategy and global politics because the promise of the technology is matched only by the infrastructure required to deliver it. Energy consumption is unavoidable in this new world, and the bet enterprise leaders are making is that the value AI creates will outstrip the cost of the power feeding it. That trade-off has produced a new equation for executives: intelligence per watt. Is your agentic ambition constrained by energy? AI-driven datacenters already account for roughly 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption, and the IEA expects that demand to more than double by 2030, approaching three percent of global electricity use. That's more than many major industrial sectors, including agriculture. The pressure will compound over the next three years, with IDC projecting onebillion agents running 217 billion daily actions by 2029. From Seattle to Barnsley in the UK, the race to build more datacenters close to energy sources is now a daily occurrence. If the right datacenter, grid, and power infrastructure for the first billion agents takes up to seven years to build, supporting two, three, or even eight billion agents implies timelines the industry has yet to cost. The mismatch between enterprise intent and energy capacity is widening. For enterprise leaders, this is a defining moment of decision. With 95 percent of global enterprises intending to become their own AI and data platforms in less than 780 days, AI, data, and energy can no longer be treated as separate priorities; they are now interconnected parts of a single platform strategy. The harder question is how executives can pursue those AI ambitions while managing energy efficiently at agentic scale. BFSI might be showing us the way forward Banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) enterprises have traditionally invested more heavily in technology than any other major sector. McKinsey estimates banking IT spending typically runs at between six and 12 percent of revenue, compared with 3.75 percent to five percent for the next-highest sector. The pressure to deliver new technology value, particularly through AI and agentic systems, is creating an operating language shared by CIOs, CTOs, and business leaders alike. AI and data are increasingly framed as the new competitive moat, yet the energy costs associated with maintaining that moat introduce a fresh dynamic into technology decision-making. The 13 percent of global enterprises winning with AI and agentic systems are more likely to build their data strategies around control, efficiency, and sustainability. The common pattern is repatriation: pulling AI and data out of single-hyperscaler silos and into their own control planes, where they can govern and manage information across clouds, on-premises environments, and systems they own. The pattern recurs among agentic AI leaders across EMEA, North America, Singapore, and Japan. The principle is straightforward: bring AI to the data, because the two must work together across the front lines and back offices of the business rather than operating as separate concerns. That logic explains why BFSI leaders such as Wells Fargo, Mastercard, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, ING, Crédit Agricole, UBS, and NatWest have made public carbon-neutrality commitments alongside ambitious plans to become their own sovereign AI and data platforms. AI and data sovereignty in Postgres wins on OpEx, environment, and ROI Agents operate at the data layer, which means energy must be managed at the same layer, since this is where much of the work happens. The alternative is the equivalent of turning on the heat while leaving every window open in the middle of winter. Only by controlling the data layer, agents, and broader data estate can enterprises build the foundation for managing energy consumption. Energy efficiency has to begin where enterprise operations already run, which is why PostgreSQL®, the world's most widely used database among developers, is well suited to the challenge. EDB Postgres AI is built specifically to address the energy-intensive nature of modern datacenters by improving database and AI efficiency at the point where workloads execute. By shrinking core usage requirements and tightening data-intensive agentic operations such as search, retrieval, and vector indexing, EDB Postgres AI can cut datacenter energy consumption by up to 81 percent and reduce emissions by as much as 87 percent. The ambition to become an AI and data platform carries one foundational requirement: AI and data sovereignty. Organizations that adopt this model not only achieve 5x ROI and deploy 2x more AI and agentic AI systems; they also gain more control, greater efficiency, and a smarter way to design and operate datacenters for the agentic era. The formula for success is sovereignty in Postgres — the most practical path to achieving more intelligence per watt. Contributed by EDB.

Microsoft has rearranged the Copilot deckchairs once more, with a redesign, user interface tweaks, and greater integration into its productivity suite. The idea is to boost usage and allow users to deploy longer prompts with ease. The latest update is to the Copilot app for Microsoft 365, which the software biz claims now loads "more than twice as fast" and has response times for complex chat prompts "improved by 10%." The biggest change, other than a fresh lick of paint to the user interface, is the prompt line, which, according to Microsoft, is no longer a simple text box, but "a task-aware workspace." The plan is that as the user types, Copilot can show appropriate options. Jon Friedman, Chief Design Officer at Microsoft, wrote, "The prompt surface can expand to fill the experience, making room for deeper work: pasting content, retaining structure, and using inline formatting before sending. "Rather than presenting every path at once, this design organizes what matters first and reveals more capability in context, making the experience easier to navigate, understand, and trust over time." He added: "For the next wave of Copilot design, we stepped back, simplified, and reworked key parts of the experience to meet your needs with more craft, intention, and speed." This meeting of the customer's needs included the infamous floating Copilot button or, as Microsoft put it, "A consistent entry point across apps that sits above your work and understands the context beneath it." The user reaction to the Copilot button, particularly in Excel, could be charitably described as a little negative. Microsoft did, however, pay attention to customer disquiet and add an option to move the button back to the ribbon. One user said, "Putting a button over the working content was not a good move by Microsoft." Still, the design tweaks suggest a change of heart within Microsoft, and a shift toward making the assistant's entry points more thoughtful rather than the scattergun approach adopted in the past. Friedman said, "Rather than scattering touchpoints across the interface, it anchors Copilot as one connected system across Microsoft 365, surfacing relevant actions that help you stay in flow." So Copilot is most definitely not going anywhere, but Microsoft appears to have learned that using a virtual megaphone in the form of workflow interference to boast about the assistant's benefits is not the best way to persuade users to take advantage of their AI assistant. Microsoft did, however, brag about an increase in Copilot usage since the new in-app experiences were rolled out. "Copilot usage has increased by 27% in Word, 33% in Excel, 43% in PowerPoint, and 30% in Outlook," said Friedman. Impressive statistics, but utterly meaningless without the data behind them. The comparison for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, for example, compared activity from May 8 – 12, 2026 (after roll-out) to May 1 – 5, 2026 (before roll-out). Microsoft also cautioned, "Results reflect short-term changes observed during these timeframes and may not be indicative of long-term usage trends." Oh dear. ®

It hasn’t even been two days since Freedom 250, the Trump-tied group organizing a bunch of celebrations ostensibly in honor of America’s 250th birthday, announced the lineup for its Great American State Fair concert series. But the series already appears dead on arrival, with more than half of the scheduled performers fleeing.

The latest? Bret Michaels of Poison fame, who announced on Instagram:

“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.”

As of this writing, Michaels is now one of six of the originally scheduled nine acts to pull out. Some cited the overwhelmingly negative response to their participation in the Trump-backed events; others claimed they didn’t realize the events would be politically charged. They include Milli Vanilli, Martina McBride, Young MC, The Commodores, and Morris Day & The Time. Somewhat up in the air is C+C Music Factory, after its lead vocalist complained on social media that he “doesn’t fuck with Trump.” For now, Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida remain steadfast in their commitments, but anything can change.

So, what other bottom-of-the-barrel performers might we expect to save the fledgling series? Kid Rock? The Village People? Can a country’s humiliation get worse? Yes, it seems so.

A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from paying any claims through a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for the Republican president’s allies who believe they were victims of a weaponized government. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, also barred the government from moving forward with the fund’s creation while…

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There is a moment that repeats itself throughout The Boys, though the details constantly change. A character stands before cameras, livestreams, or cheering crowds and realizes something intoxicating: being seen matters more than being good. That revelation powers nearly every major tragedy in the series.

For all its graphic violence, exploding bodies, parodies, and corporate satire, The Boys may ultimately be one of television’s best examinations of modern attention addiction. Not fame in the traditional sense, but the constant pressure to remain relevant. In the world of The Boys, attention functions as currency, validation, influence, and identity all at once. The characters admire it and rely on it as a survival tool. And increasingly, so do we.

Jasper Savage/Prime Video

According to data from the Pew Research Center, this fixation isn’t just a Hollywood pathology; it is a defining feature of contemporary American culture. In their studies on teen digital habits, 29% of teenagers reported feeling immense pressure to post content that would garner high volumes of likes or comments, while the vast majority noted that social media platforms now function as their primary ecosystem for connection and validation.

In other words, attention is no longer an asset exclusive to celebrities. For a generation of younger Americans, being seen has become fundamentally intertwined with belonging and status. Over its entire run, The Boys held up a mirror to this reality, proving that in a world governed by algorithms, the most dangerous superpower of all is the desperate need to be noticed.

Homelander Craves Attention More Than Power

No character embodies that terror more completely than Homelander (played by Antony Starr). What makes Homelander frightening is not just his powers and abilities. Popular culture is filled with violent men. What makes him disturbingly recognizable is his emotional dependence on public affirmation and his desperate, toxic desire for family approval (namely, his father Soldier Boy). His ego and mental state got so bad that he wanted to be worshiped like a god. Every smile, every chant, every camera flash functions like psychological fuel. When admiration weakens, he spirals emotionally like a little child. Homelander hungers for control but even more for validation. 

That distinction matters because The Boys understands something uncomfortable about modern life. People will often sacrifice morality in exchange for visibility. The show’s world repeatedly rewards performance over sincerity, confidence over competence, and spectacle over truth. Look no further than characters like The Deep and Firecracker, whose narrative arcs are defined by a complete lack of moral dilemmas. They are characters who willingly sacrifice their dignity and moral compass in exchange for Homelander’s approval and the public’s attention.

Prime Video

In many ways, Homelander resembles a modern influencer, media personality, or algorithm-driven celebrity more than a traditional supervillain. Researchers at Harvard Business Review have written extensively about how digital platforms reward outrage, emotional extremity, and constant visibility because engagement itself has become economically valuable. Attention is profitable even when it is destructive. Homelander operates on that same logic.

Vought Understands That Outrage Is Profitable

Vought International thrives not because people believe in heroism, but because it understands how effectively fear, aspiration, and emotional identity can be monetized through media.

The company does not sell superheroes. It sells attention. Every carefully staged apology, every choreographed rescue, every patriotic slogan and empowerment campaign reflects a culture where emotional reactions themselves become products. In one of the show’s most unsettling observations, outrage and admiration begin functioning almost identically. Both generate engagement. Both maintain visibility. Both keep audiences emotionally invested.

These ideas feel less like science fiction every year. A 2022 MIT study examining online misinformation found that emotionally provocative content consistently spreads faster than neutral information across social media ecosystems. Vought’s genius lies in recognizing that attention need not be positive to remain impactful. 

Butcher Represents a Different Kind of Attention Crisis 

Even Billy Butcher (played by Karl Urban), who positions himself as morally detached from the system, repeatedly turns conflict into a way of life. His war against superheroes gives him purpose and something to believe in. Butcher represents a different response to the attention economy than characters like Homelander. He doesn’t crave public validation. If anything, he views anyone seeking attention with suspicion and outright contempt.

Part of that feels distinctly Gen X. Unlike Gen Z, Gen X came of age before a lot of current social media platforms, when identities were formed without likes, followers, and algorithms shaping every interaction. That doesn’t mean they reject digital culture, but many approach influencer culture with some skepticism. Butcher embodies that distrust. He assumes corporations, politicians, superheroes, and institutions are all corrupt, self-serving, and beyond redemption.

Jasper Savage/Prime Video

Yet his cynicism becomes its own kind of trap. It is a worldview shaped by decades of scandals, broken promises, and growing distrust of authority. The Boys suggests that cynicism can become just as consuming as narcissism. Homelander needs constant validation from an audience. Butcher needs constant confirmation that the world is as broken as he believes it is. He spends so much time exposing others’ hypocrisy that he struggles to imagine a future beyond fighting it.

Soldier Boy Represents the Last Era Before Attention Became Permanent

Unlike Homelander, Soldier Boy (played by Jensen Ackles) comes from a version of America where fame still had limits. He belongs to what historians and demographers define as the Greatest Generation, the cohort born between 1901 and 1927 that came of age during the hardships of the Great Depression and went on to fight in World War II. Researchers who study generational trends often describe this era as one shaped by personal humility, emotional stoicism, and a clear separation between public duty and private life.

Soldier Boy was built for mid-century television appearances, military propaganda, and old-school celebrity culture, but not for the endless surveillance of the digital age. He expected the kind of admiration that came with walking into a room and instantly commanding respect, along with the privileges he believed came with it. What he never anticipated, however, was the modern demand for minute-by-minute emotional validation from millions of strangers online, or even from his own adult son.

Prime Video

Soldier Boy embodies an older, deeply flawed version of American masculinity that’s emotionally shut down, violent, and obsessed with dominance, but he still carries himself like someone shaped by a world where a public image could eventually switch off. A television interview ended. A commercial stopped airing. A newspaper cycle moved on.

He belongs to a pre-algorithmic era, which makes his arrival in the 2020s feel like a complete system shock. More than anything, Soldier Boy wants respect and to be left alone. With The Boys spin-off Vought Rising arriving next year, we’ll have an opportunity to see the world that he knew and was impacted by. 

Why We See Ourselves in The Boys

The lasting appeal of The Boys may be that its central characters are not simply superheroes and villains. They are generational responses to the same cultural problem. Most viewers probably recognize themselves somewhere within that spectrum. 

Some miss the privacy Soldier Boy took for granted. Others share Butcher’s distrust of institutions and public figures. And many understand, even if they rarely admit it, the desire to be seen, validated, and remembered that drives Homelander is what drives them, too.

Jasper Savage/Prime Video

That is what makes The Boys feel so contemporary, because it’s a story about Americans trying to navigate a culture where attention has become one of our most valuable resources.

The true horror of The Boys isn’t that a drug can give someone godlike abilities. It’s that the show understands how easily modern culture can transform attention into power and how difficult it has become to imagine ourselves without it. 

The post THE BOYS and America’s Unhealthy Relationship With Attention appeared first on Nerdist.

Okay, we were obsessed with “Butterscotch Bitch.” That crooning sultry bop from The Vampire Lestat gave us everything we needed. But now, a new song from Lestat has arrived, and it’s HAUNTING. Yes, we’re talking about “Your Biggest Fan.” On the surface, it’s a soft, guitar ballad, maybe even romantic… But once we get into the lyrics, which we’ve shared with you below in full… Yup, it’s a dark doozy. The Vampire Lestat wasn’t available for comment on this one, but his great fans, the fledglings, are out there already speculating about the meaning behind the tale of obsession and fandom that “Your Biggest Fan” spins. You can listen to “Your Biggest Fan” below, or find it wherever you usually stream The Vampire Lestat‘s music.

Of course, long-time readers of Anne Rice will pick up some of the context clues embedded in this The Vampire Lestat song, which delves into yet another aspect of the complex vampire. For instance, the phrase “Wolf Killer” harkens back to a time in Lestat’s mortal life when he single-handedly killed eight wolves menacing his childhood home, a feat that shouldn’t have been possible for a mere human. As to who the biggest fan is, we couldn’t possibly say for sure. If you want to give yourself a better idea, might we suggest picking up Rice’s The Vampire Lestat book before the season arrives? But, in the meantime, we’ll leave you with some thoughts from The Vampire Lestat’s fans themselves. After all, who could know Lestat’s biggest fan better than all his other fans?

Me, at first thinking Your Biggest Fan was about Nicki and Louis: awww

Me hearing “I know I’m hard to look at sometimes”: wait….

Me hearing “wolf killer”: pic.twitter.com/uw1GwaOvZc

— 𝒮𝒶𝓇𝒶 🍒🍉🔞 (@MissSariie) May 28, 2026

how it feels listening to your biggest fan by the vampire lestat pic.twitter.com/ITDgPwtZkx

— sam reid’s emmy campaign manager (@sampunzels) May 28, 2026

This is NOT what I was expecting and I’m floored. Do you understand how insane this is. I need everyone to really sit down and listen and get how good this is. All releases have been very very well done but this is by far the best song they’ve put out omg pic.twitter.com/pIQ5zC1bgz

— m (@rockstatgf) May 28, 2026

curious that your biggest fan is the second song in a row where we have lestat talk about himself from an outside pov. first, a small “lestat is a hag”, but now a full song referring to himself in 2nd person. hinting at the depersonalisation he felt after the wolves and magnus? pic.twitter.com/vRsa5adyHa

— natalie 🩷 (@chikchikchirkun) May 29, 2026

ive been mulling over some of the your biggest fan lyrics and i think they are referencing lestat’s fear of death by saying if he drinks up, he will dance around the fire not be burned by it right and this goes back to the witches place pic.twitter.com/q5yB5U0MLm

— micky⁷ (@dionyjinsus) May 29, 2026

Just listened to Your Biggest Fan on over the ear headphones instead of my shitty earbuds and noticed the violins coming in at 2:28 in the pre-chorus for the first time pic.twitter.com/keWui2ghoV

— grace 💜 (@_griffonage_) May 28, 2026

#thevampirelestat your biggest fan pic.twitter.com/kPzC7bSca5

— tabslodge media (@tabslodgemedia) May 29, 2026

Well, The Vampire Lestat’s “Your Biggest Fan” certainly has his true fans in an uproar. And with a beautiful, multilayered emotional song like this one, it’s not hard to see why The Vampire Lestat is winning hearts and minds all over the world. You can watch his who story unfold when The Vampire Lestat releases on AMC and AMC+ on June 7.

The Vampire Lestat’s “Your Biggest Fan” Full LyricsAMC

[Verse 1]
You really caught my eye
I think you’re somethin’ special, babe
I wanna take you out tonight
I think we got real potential, babe

I got a bottle of wine
And yeah, that’s me at your window, babe
We’re gonna have such a God damn good time
I wanna be your crescendo, babe

[Pre-Chorus]
Don’t let me catch you cryin’
Don’t tell me the spell is breakin’
You’re so perfect in the ragin’ light
I know I’m hard to look at sometimes
But I’m here for the takin’

[Chorus]
I wanna give you everythin’ I got
I know you’re stubborn, but you have to ask for it
I can tell you’re everythin’ I’m not
Yeah, I’m a dog and you’re my brave little wolf killer
Yeah, I’m a dog and you’re my brave little wolf killer

[Verse 2]
Yeah, I’m your biggest fan
I came to see you every night this week
Yeah, you remind me of a man or two, or a few
I need you to need me
I got a bottle of wine
And that’s me watching as you sleep at night
And that’s me laughing in the darkness as you dream
All of the desperate desires of your life

[Pre-Chorus]
Don’t let me catch you cryin’
Don’t tell me the spell is breakin’
You’re so perfect in the ragin’ light
I know I’m hard to look at sometimes
But I’m here for the takin’

[Chorus]
I wanna give you everythin’ I got
I know you’re stubborn, but you have to ask for it
I can tell you’re everythin’ I’m not
So I pray that your love won’t last for it
I wanna give you everythin’ I got
I know you’re stubborn, but you have to ask for it
I can tell you’re everythin’ I’m not
Yeah, I’m a dog and you’re my brave little wolf killer
Yeah, I’m a dog and you’re my brave little wolf killer
Yeah, I’m a dog and you’re my brave little wolf killer, oh

[Bridge]
Oh, wolf killer
Wolf killer
My little wolf killer
Drink up and dance around the fire tonight
Wolf killer
Wolf killer
Brave little wolf killer
Drink up and dance around the fire tonight
Wolf killer
Wolf killer
My little wolf killer
La da-da-da da-da-da da-da
Wolf killer
Wolf killer
My little wolf killer
La da-da-da da-da-da da-da

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The post ‘Your Biggest Fan’: THE VAMPIRE LESTAT’s Most Haunting Song appeared first on Nerdist.

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Republican attempts to erase Black representation in the wake of the Supreme Court’s destruction of the Voting Rights Act have hit a few roadblocks in recent days. A federal court found that Alabama’s map, green-lit by the Roberts Court, intentionally discriminated against Black voters and blocked it for November. And the state senate in South Carolina adjourned a special session without passing a map that was designed to oust Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state’s lone Democratic House member and the first Black Congressman elected from South Carolina since Reconstruction.

But that shouldn’t distract from the damage that the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision has done to multiracial democracy. Republicans are already moving to eliminate at least half a dozen majority Black districts in the Deep South between now and 2028. That would trigger the largest drop in Black representation since the end of Reconstruction. On Thursday, the Louisiana legislature was set to pass a new gerrymandered map eliminating the district of Black Democrat Cleo Fields.

Watch our new explainer to learn how Republicans are reviving Jim Crow by targeting Black voters with surgical precision in the former Confederate states.