Author: Michael Comaous
Michael Comaous is a dedicated professional with a passion for technology, innovation, and creative problem-solving. Over the years, he has built experience across multiple industries, combining strategic thinking with hands-on expertise to deliver meaningful results. Michael is known for his curiosity, attention to detail, and ability to explain complex topics in a clear and approachable way. Whether he’s working on new projects, writing, or collaborating with others, he brings energy and a forward-thinking mindset to everything he does.
At a rare gathering of roughly 800 generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Tuesday, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized "woke" policies and outlined stricter fitness and grooming standards [nytimes#1][csmonitor#1][cbsnews#1][theatlantic#2]. Hegseth said all combat roles will be held to the “highest” male standards, service members must pass fitness tests twice a year and meet weight requirements, and DEI initiatives and beards would end [allsides#2][allsides#3][theatlantic#2][nytimes#1]. The event drew praise from some conservative commentators and sharp criticism from veterans and civil-military experts, who questioned its tone, timing, and political overtones [nationalreview#1][dailysignal#1][alternet#1][msnbc#1][theintercept#1][salon#1].Highlights:Unusual assembly: Hegseth summoned hundreds of senior…
Instagram head Adam Mosseri posted on his account on Wednesday to dispel the myth that the social networking giant is actively “listening” to its users surreptitiously, in order to target them with relevant ads. The idea that Meta would secretly turn on the microphones on users’ phones to record their conversations is an age-old conspiracy theory — and one that the company has disputed before. But, ironically, Mosseri’s new myth-busting claim comes just as Meta has announced it will soon target ads to users across its social apps using data collected from their interactions with its AI products. In other…
A federal judge in Boston ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration unlawfully targeted noncitizen pro-Palestinian students and activists for deportation, violating the First Amendment and chilling campus speech [washingtonpost.com#1][nytimes.com#1][cbsnews.com#1]. Judge William G. Young also found the policy arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act and affirmed that lawfully present noncitizens have the same free-speech rights as others [chicagotribune.com#1][boston.com#1]. The case was brought by the AAUP and the Middle East Studies Association in March after arrests that included student Mahmoud Khalil, who was released from detention in June [theintercept.com#1][nytimes.com#1].Highlights:First Amendment: The court held that efforts to detain and deport noncitizen…
Instagram is testing a potentially major change to the app: making Reels the home tab of the app. As part of an opt-in test in India, Meta is making Reels and DMs the first two tabs on the app, according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Mosseri says that Reels and DMs have been a key driver of growth for Instagram over the past few years, which is why it’s “exploring” the change.In a video in his post, you can see how the new home tab would work. Part of the tab will look familiar, like the horizontal list of Stories…
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry asked the Pentagon to deploy National Guard troops to New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, aligning with President Trump's broader push to use the Guard to combat crime [washingtonpost.com#1][nytimes.com#1][msnbc.com#1]. New Orleans police leaders said local crime is falling, with an assistant superintendent noting "our crime rate is going down," while indicating the department would coordinate if troops arrive [abcnews.go.com#1][alternet.org#1][washingtonpost.com#1]. The Defense Department has drafted a similar plan, and one account says Landry's letter sought up to 1,000 Guard members through October 2026 [washingtonpost.com#1][alternet.org#1].Highlights:Request details: Landry asked for 1,000 National Guard personnel for New Orleans, Baton Rouge…
Google launched Gemini for Home on October 1, replacing Google Assistant on smart speakers via an Early Access program and debuting a redesigned Home app with a conversational Ask Home hub [theverge#1][9to5google#5][engadget#2]. It also released wired Nest Cam Indoor 2K ($99.99), Nest Cam Outdoor 2K ($149.99), and wired Nest Doorbell 2K ($179.99), available now, and said the rebuilt app loads up to 70% faster with camera views 30% quicker [theverge#2][9to5google#4][engadget#2]. Nest Aware has been rebranded as Google Home Premium starting at $10/month, with advanced AI camera features and Gemini Live on speakers behind that plan (also included with Google AI…
The U.S. federal government shut down at midnight after the Senate failed to advance competing short-term funding bills, marking the first shutdown in nearly seven years [cbsnews.com#6][npr.org#1][nytimes.com#51][cbsnews.com#7][time.com#1]. Disagreements centered on whether to pass a "clean" continuing resolution or include Democratic priorities tied to health care, including extending Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing planned Medicaid cuts [allsides.com#3][cbsnews.com#10][pbs.org#1][theatlantic.com#1]. The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed daily, with a potential $400 million in delayed compensation per day—though federal law guarantees back pay when funding is restored [time.com#2][pbs.org#3].Highlights:Competing votes: The Senate rejected both a GOP seven-week funding bill…
When paleontologists only have so many clues to infer a fossil’s original form, it’s all too easy to make honest mistakes. Sometimes, supposedly reasonable assumptions set researchers on the wrong path—as demonstrated by a “rediscovered” creature sporting an unlikely mix of reptilian features. A Nature paper published today introduced to the world Breugnathair elgolensis, a reptilian creature from the Jurassic era with the short body and limbs of a gecko. But like its name, Gaelic for “false snake of Elgol,” its jaws and hooked teeth resemble that of modern-day pythons. The combination was so seemingly impossible that when paleontologists first…
Chunk, a roughly 1,200-pound brown bear with a broken jaw, won Katmai National Park’s popular Fat Bear Week on Tuesday, earning his first title after finishing second the past three years [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3][nypost.com#1]. The annual online, bracket-style competition lets the public watch 12 Katmai bears on live webcams and vote over a week [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3]. In the final round, Chunk (Bear 32) defeated Bear 856, according to the organizers’ posted totals [thehill.com#2].Highlights:Breakthrough win: Chunk secured his first Fat Bear Week crown after three straight runner-up finishes, despite sporting a broken jaw and weighing an estimated 1,200 pounds [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3][nypost.com#1].How voting works: Fans follow…
When is October Prime Day 2025? This year, October Prime Day will run from Tuesday, Oct. 7 through Wednesday, Oct. 8. It will be a two-day sale, compared to four days for July Does Costco also hold a sale for Prime Day? Costco doesn’t hold a specific sale event to compete with the October Prime Big Deal Days sale. In July, it held a Member Savings Days event the same week as Prime Day. But you can expect to find the store’s usual monthly price markdowns during this time.How did we choose these Costco deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy…