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NASA was ultimately prepared to initiate the inaugural crewed mission of the Artemis program, Artemis II. Nonetheless, with Artemis II encountering numerous challenges, the space community has remained anxious, uncertain about when the space rocket might actually launch. Regrettably, it appears that the issues have prevailed, as NASA is now getting ready to return the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, effectively postponing March’s launch attempt, at least for the time being.

For those not entirely familiar with the various terminology employed to describe different phases of a rocket’s launch, a rollback refers to the process of transporting the rocket and all its components “rolled back” to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, from the launchpad. The VAB is where the rocket can be adequately serviced, permitting the engineers responsible for the rocket and its multiple systems to address any problems that may have arisen, and it takes around 12 hours to move the rocket back to the VAB, given that it is a four-mile journey.

In this specific case, the issue that seems to be delaying the launch of Artemis II is not related to Artemis’s spacesuits or even the hydrogen leak that the SLS rocket has been facing during refueling. Instead, it seems that one of the recent attempts to ready the rocket for launch has uncovered a new complication: a helium leak in the upper stage rocket.

creating a rather chaotic situation, of which Microsoft is fully aware. A January security patch even caused some computers to become unusable, among a host of other problems, though rendering devices inoperable is about as severe as it gets. However, a new preview update for February, featuring non-security improvements, has just been released, and it appears to have introduced some genuinely beneficial and desirable enhancements that many users will appreciate, primarily related to performance and aesthetic upgrades.

This update, designated as version KB5077241, is accessible as an optional download for all Windows 11 users, allowing you to obtain it immediately if you choose. Yet, since this is a preview update, it is not included in the stable release channel. The comprehensive update is set for a full release on March 10. In the spirit of fostering more favorable experiences and potentially positive developments, it is worthwhile to highlight some of the new features included in this update so that everyone can be informed about what to anticipate. These enhancements will make their way into a stable update in March, ensuring you will encounter them eventually. But prior to that, perhaps before you proceed with installing the preview, let’s examine the details more closely.

If You Enjoyed Netflix’s The Rip, Check Out This Iconic John Carpenter Film Next

Best cinematic pals Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have collaborated on screen multiple times, and the outcomes have often been a delight. The duo joined forces again for a gritty Netflix crime thriller titled “The Rip,” casting them as two Miami police officers who stumble upon a massive cache of ill-gotten cash. As time runs out on what to do with their discovery, lines are crossed and loyalties are put to the test as friends turn adversaries, all while holed up in a house in a disturbingly deserted neighborhood, where assailants are attempting to invade.

Though the film may not have achieved the same heights as their earlier collaborations, it succeeds in creating a tone reminiscent of other thrillers taking place over a single night, and, more notably, a John Carpenter classic. The ambiance is centered around a quiet night that’s just a shade too still, with characters probing each other’s intentions amid onslaughts from unseen gunmen lurking just beyond view. Devoted movie enthusiasts would certainly want to queue up the 1976 classic, “Assault on Precinct 13,” after finishing “The Rip,” to remember how films of this caliber are truly executed.

Assault on Precinct 13 is not only an outstanding thriller — it’s a remake executed flawlessly

Long before John Carpenter introduced audiences to characters like Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken from “Escape from New York” — a film James Cameron contributed to prior to “The Terminator” — the legendary director had audiences gripped in the titular location where the law-abiding and the lawless had to join forces. “Assault on Precinct 13” portrays Lieutenant Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker) and the minimal staff of a police precinct standing their ground against a heavily armed gang called Street Thunder, who aim to eliminate everyone in the building, including convicted killer, Napoleon Wilson (Darwin Joston).

For what was, at the time, a contemporary reinterpretation of the 1959 western “Rio Bravo,” “Assault on Precinct 13” remains an exhilarating thriller, superbly performed by its small cast. It also showcases Carpenter’s extraordinary talent for amplifying the anxiety of confinement, a technique he would replicate in the sci-fi horror film, “The Thing,” in 1982 (the finest year ever for cinema). Carpenter’s mastery of silence and the encroaching faceless threats would define his career for years, securing his place as a favorite for many fans seeking a thrill. More crucially, however, “Assault on Precinct 13” clearly illustrated to audiences that Carpenter was willing to challenge limits, even if, in retrospect, he came to regret one of his most unsettling artistic choices.

John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13’s most troubling moment

“The Rip” may have taken cues from “Assault on Precinct 13,” but there’s one element of Carpenter’s classic that other films might not replicate, involving the tragic death of a child. Early on in the movie, one of the Steel Thunder gang ruthlessly shoots a young girl (Kim Richards) at an ice cream truck. It’s a shocking moment that sets the tone for the film and the villains intent on eliminating those striving to survive it. However, looking back, Carpenter expressed regret over including the death and would have omitted it from the film completely if given another chance.

In an interview with Review Graveyard, Carpenter was questioned about how he managed to avoid an X rating from the MPAA back then. It turns out he presented the certifier a version of the film without the scene before reinstating it for release. “Those were the old days when they didn’t scrutinize as much, so that’s what we did,” he revealed. Yet, he still felt dissatisfied with the final outcome. “I’m not sure how clever it was. We had a scene where a little girl gets shot, and it was pretty awful at that moment — explicit. I don’t think I’d do it again, but I was young and foolish.” Perhaps, but this youthful talent would flourish in the future, and we owe a nod to “Assault on Precinct 13” for helping him along the way.

thousands of individuals across the United States have turned to VPN services to evade age verification needed for accessing online content. While there are valid arguments for implementing age verification to safeguard teenagers and children from explicit material, there are numerous issues related to how companies have managed this sensitive information historically.

The primary concern with age verification services is the management of the private data needed to confirm your age. Recently, this issue has been highlighted by the community’s apprehensions regarding Discord’s initiative to mandate age verification for all accounts; however, the company has since retracted its intentions to enforce a widespread implementation of this system in the near term. Although this is a positive development for Discord users, other platforms are still advocating for age verification, such as Spotify, which may deactivate accounts it considers insufficiently aged. Additionally, Google is employing AI to assess individuals’ ages. Fortunately, a few states have begun exploring alternative methods to tackle this issue, going beyond merely requiring apps to check age. Instead, California and now Colorado aim to confirm a user’s age at the device level.

Seems like a positive development, right? In certain respects, it undeniably is. Yet, it still fails to tackle the major concern: the necessity of disclosing your personal information merely to access online content.

prevent mobile devices from monitoring our behaviors. However, new studies indicate that the possible dangers are far more intricate than that. A gadget designed to be with us all day significantly influences our lives, impacting everything from our sleep patterns and concentration to causing eye strain and even jeopardizing personal information. Below are five common hazards associated with smartphones and tips on how to mitigate them.

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connected to the web. If there are known vulnerabilities, they turn into easy targets for hackers. Furthermore, having just one compromised device within your home network jeopardizes everything else connected to it. Therefore, if you’ve been overlooking updates until this point, it’s time for a change. A device that is current is not only secure but also less likely to experience glitches and performance setbacks.

recognize the constraints of Chromebooks and consider an upgrade. Keep in mind, you don’t have to discard yours just yet. Even older Chromebooks come equipped with decent webcams, relatively loud speakers, reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, and a sharp display, which can be used in various ways throughout your home.

The challenge with repurposing an old Chromebook, or any computer for that matter, lies in people’s expectations for it to perform every function, which restricts its utility. It simply needs to excel at one task. Once you identify that single function it can still manage, whether it’s for data storage, showing images and videos, or serving as a home security camera, it will prove to be unexpectedly valuable. This approach not only aids in saving a significant amount of money but also helps reduce electronic waste.

A Recent Study Indicates Nevada’s EV Charging Stations Could Be At Risk

You can’t operate a conventional car without fuel, and you can’t operate an electric vehicle without a charged battery. It’s fairly straightforward when you reflect on it, but whereas fuel stations are well-established landmarks globally, EV charging stations are comparatively scarce in certain regions of the United States. In states like Nevada, they are becoming increasingly uncommon.

In mid-January, Scott Allison, the proprietor of the website Scott Explains, released a personal analysis he conducted on the electric charging stations across Nevada. For those unfamiliar with the area, in 2015, the Nevada government initiated what they termed the Nevada Electric Highway project. The aim was to establish an infrastructure to support EV charging stations along various interstate routes, beginning with US-95. The initiative later expanded to include US-93, US-50, I-15, and I-80. However, Allison notes that from the state’s original 29 fast-charge EV stations, only seven remain operational, leaving significant service gaps that can extend up to 232 miles. Unless you have an electric SUV featuring one of the longest battery ranges available, you won’t be making that journey without a lengthy stop to recharge at a slower EV station. And no, enhancing the vehicle’s range by employing eco mode and utilizing regenerative braking won’t assist.

Once the funding ran out, the stations did too

Per Scott Allison’s research, the operators of the EV stations depended on grant funding to “acquire and install” the essential equipment. Given the extensive areas with minimal population (approximately 90% of Nevada’s landscape by his estimates), these financial aids were crucial for establishing these charging sites. While one EV station ceased operations in 2021, the majority closed down between March 2023 and October 2025 — a relatively brief timeframe. And since Allison disclosed his findings in January 2026 and only possesses data on when a charger was “last online” until December 2025, it’s feasible that his information is already outdated. This is partly because the data EV drivers utilize to locate nearby chargers is also outdated.

During his data collection for the blog post, he encountered a “very nice site” in Alamo, Nevada (not to be confused with Alamo, Texas). The site appeared to be well-kept and welcoming, except for one issue: The chargers were nonfunctional and have remained unplugged since March 2025. Based on comments from other EV users, this specific location was designated as “available” despite being disconnected from the grid. The entire northern half and most of the eastern section of Nevada are utterly devoid, leaving EV drivers without a dependable source of rapid charging.

Nevada’s electric highway is receiving some support, but it may not be sufficient

In the interest of fairness, Scott Allison acknowledged that there has been a significant effort to enhance the number of charging stations throughout Nevada, but this presents a double-edged sword. As he has elaborated, the initiatives are primarily concentrated around Las Vegas and throughout I-15 and I-80. While he remains hopeful that the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program might assist in improving the situation and aid the Nevada Department of Transportation in establishing a “reliable charging network,” he doesn’t anticipate much progress until late 2026.

But, you may wonder, what stops new EV charging station owners from running low on funds, leading to even more deserted locations? Allison pondered the same question. As previously mentioned, rural operators require government support to remain operational, and according to Allison, they must achieve an uptime of 97% (that is, they are operational and accessible 354 days a year). If they fail to meet this threshold, they do not merit government investment.

Ultimately, the future of Nevada’s electric highway may depend on the success of electric vehicles nationwide. If manufacturers can market EVs to a significant number of Nevadans and/or tourists visiting Nevada (and if they can resolve the semiconductor shortage), then Nevada’s roads might see sufficient traffic to warrant the maintenance of existing fast EV charge stations and the construction of new ones.

to stream on Peacock — burst onto the horror landscape just as exceptionally crafted low-budget fright films often do. Out of the blue, without any notable star, from two fledgling filmmakers previously unknown, but with an incredible high-concept that not only attracted Gen Z’s interest but also motivated nearly every horror veteran to tune in and discover what the excitement was all about.

As we now understand — since “Talk to Me” swiftly morphed into a contemporary classic — the excitement revolved around a severed, preserved hand that a group of Australian teenagers found had the power to connect them with deceased spirits whenever they urged it to “talk to me,” and even take possession of them for a brief time when they proclaimed “I let you in.”

At first glance, the Phillipou brothers’ debut feature might’ve appeared to be just another straightforward possession-horror, but due to their unique directorial perspective, the duo approached the reinvention of the genre — or at the very least, revitalized it in a manner we haven’t witnessed in a long time. Undeniably unsettling, dark as midnight, and saturated with primal dread, “Talk to Me” secured a position among the most exhilarating and horrifying horrors of the past decade.