White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett talked about the string of coronavirus cases.
Boris Johnson Announces Modest Easing Of UK’s Coronavirus Lockdown
The government’s road map includes a possible return to school for some children on June 1.
Coronavirus Cluster Linked To California Birthday Party, Officials Say
A person coughing and not wearing a face covering at the Pasadena party is believed to have infected multiple people.
Starbucks Workers Confront The Big Question: Should I Go Back To Work In A Pandemic?
Baristas who do are complaining of flimsy masks and patrons who won’t respect social distancing guidelines.
John Krasinski Unites The Office Cast For A Wedding Party
This week’s episode of John Krasinski’s new YouTube feel-good show, Some Good News with John Krasinski, features something a lot of people have been asking for–a reunion of the stars of The Office. The stars have reunited over Zoom to surprise a freshly married couple…who had, in fact, been married by a recently ordained Krasinski.
Krasinski, who played Jim for nine seasons of the US version of The Office, started the new series near the beginning of the COVID-19 quarantine, and has previously used his show to reunite the original cast of Hamilton for a fan. Now, Krasinski has worked his magic to make a quarantine wedding extra special.
At about the 7:30 minute mark of the video below, Krasinski begins chatting with the couple, and…well, just watch. No judgment if it makes you a bit misty.
There’s a performance by country singer Zac Brown, lots of references and in-jokes for fans of the show (like the happy couple), and a few celebrities with wild, unruly quarantine hair–what more could you want?
There are also special guest appearances from Emily Blunt and Emma Stone in the video, and it’s nice to see them both.
Krasinski has previously said that he would love to be a part of a reunion special, and this is certainly the next best thing. It’s been reported that NBC is planning a reunion, so we might still see something official.
Here’s How Close Microsoft Flight Simulator Looks To The Real Thing
The Microsoft Flight Simulator series has always gone for accuracy in depicting real world locations, but the upcoming next-generation edition of the aviation sim is something else. Imgur user Utherellus has compared a handful of Microsoft Flight Simulator screenshots to their real-world equivalents, as picked up by Kotaku Australia.
The gallery includes some iconic aerial views, and some closer shots of well-known monuments that hopefully weren’t taken from a cockpit.
Some of the images are barely distinguishable from their real-life counterparts, looking like a photo taken with a different camera or at a different time of day. The game’s realism goes beyond just visuals, with a live play mode showing real life flight plans and weather patterns. All of this comes at a price, however–in this case, an absolutely massive game file size.
Verizon Is Giving Out Promo Codes For Games Including Pokemon GO
While Pokemon Go isn’t necessarily the most suitable game for self-isolation, Niantic has been working hard to keep the game enjoyable even for players who are stuck at home. Now, Pokemon GO players with Verizon Wireless or Fios can also redeem an extra item pack for free with a Verizon promo code.
The promotion is part of a campaign by Verizon to help its customers alleviate boredom at home, and also includes codes for Roblox and Sago Mini World–a godsend for parents with kids stuck at home.
The Pokemon Go play-from-home bundle includes a free Premium Battle Pass, two Incense and 65 Poké Balls. Thanks to Niantic’s temporary changes to the game, Incense now lasts for an hour and is more effective, and player battles no longer require walking to unlock. You can also now raid from home, but this requires a separate Remote Raid Pass item.
Dwarf Fortress Shows Off Its New Visual Style With A Complete Map Ahead Of Steam Release
Dwarf Fortress is getting a makeover ahead of its upcoming Steam release, ditching its ASCII style in favor of a tile system. Now, developer Bay 12 Games has posted a comparison picture to its website, showing the difference between the original ASCII version of a “medium” map and the same map rendered in the new style.
Dwarf Fortress originally released in 2006, and has been updated numerous times since. The two maps below show the most significant change to the game yet, though.
The Super Mario Animated Movie Is Still Progressing Well During Lockdowns
Among the numerous Hollywood adaptations of video games in the works is an animated film based on Nintendo’s Super Mario series. The film is slated to arrive in 2022, but some are wondering if the COVID-19 crisis may lead to a delay for the movie.
That remains to be seen, but a new report from Deadline paints an optimistic picture. The site reports that the Super Mario movie remains in “active development and production.” This is made possible because the team at Illumination was working remotely already. “They’ve always worked remotely,” Deadline reported.
A source familiar with Illumination’s plans stated that the studio has been able to remain “extremely productive, innovative, and creative” over the past two months working remotely on its various movies. In addition to the Mario movie, Illumination is producing a new Minions movie, The Rise of Gru, and Sing 2. Two other original movies are in the works at Illumination that have not been announced.
Guy Fieri Raises $20 Million For Out-Of-Work Restaurant Workers
In the midst of lockdowns and restaurant closures around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guy Fieri has stepped up to help provide aid to thousands of out-of-work restaurant staff, Variety reports.
In partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, Fieri has helped to raise over $20 million, which will be distributed to restaurant workers experiencing hardship in grants of $500. In the last two months, over 40,000 of these grants have been awarded.
“I started thinking about my brothers and sisters in the restaurant business, and a bunch of restaurants that I was closing–we gotta do something,” Fieri said in an interview with TMZ.