The Daily Populous

US lawmaker who called out Star Wars Battlefront 2 lays out plans for anti-loot box law

The video lays out the basics of what Lee has in mind, which includes prohibiting the sale of videogames containing "gambling mechanisms" to anyone under the age of 21.

Lee also expresses concern about game publishers who adjust the odds of various items dropping in loot boxes in order to take advantage of people who really want them.

Casinos have long been criticized for building a business model around the exploitation of psychological vulnerabilities in many people.

In the wake of the recent loot box blowup there has been some call for the game industry to regulate itself in order to avoid government involvement.

"Game developers in the gaming industry are represented by their trade group, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

In 1994 the ESA created the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) to provide videogame ratings for consumers," the letter says.

Obviously there's a tremendous gap between a YouTube video and actual legislative action, but Lee and his team certainly appear to be giving the matter a serious push. »

Amazing Mimicker - The Superb Lyrebird

Authored by awesomestories.com

That special pet was a lyrebird who was able to mimic certain phrases of the flute-player’s music.

After a few years, the farmer released his pet bird into the adjacent forest of New England National Park (which features a "lyrebird walk").

Thirty years or so later, Neville Fenton - a park ranger in the New England National Park, near Dorrigo - recorded a singing lyrebird. »

Terry Crews Sues WME Agent Adam Venit for Sexual Assault

Authored by variety.com

Terry Crews has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against WME agent Adam Venit in regards to Crews’ claim that Venit groped him at a Hollywood party in February 2016.

The lawsuit alleges that Crews alerted Adam Sandler, who was at the party and is represented by Venit, by yelling, “Adam, come get your boy!

It adds that Crews told his agent at WME of the alleged incident, and met with WME chairman Ari Emanuel. »

Tesla deploys 6 battery projects in order to power two islands in Puerto Rico, more to come

Authored by electrek.co

Tesla will combine its Powerpack systems with existing solar arrays on the islands of Vieques and Culebra in order to run microgrids until the main grid connected with underwater cables comes back online.

Tesla was apparently able to quickly deploy the batteries with full inverter and Powerpack systems on Vieques, like the one seen on a trailer above.

Those projects follow Tesla deploying a solar+battery system at a hospital in Puerto Rico just over a month ago. »

Iceland elects 41-year-old environmentalist as prime minister

Authored by inhabitat.com

Katrin Jakobsdottir, the 41-year-old chairwoman of the Left-Green Movement, has been elected Prime Minister of Iceland.

One of the most well-liked politicians in Iceland, Jakobsdottir, a former education minister and avowed environmentalist, has pledged to set Iceland on the path to carbon neutrality by 2040.

As Iceland’s fourth prime minister in only two years, Jakobsdottir will take office at a time when national politics have been tainted by public distrust and scandal. »