Posted by from MMO Champion
Journey Through the Wandering Isle and Take on the Way of the Monk
Originally Posted by Blizzard
(
Blue Tracker /
Official Forums)
With the release of the Mists of Pandaria pre-expansion patch, a new race—Pandaren—along with a new class—the Monk—become available. As a new Pandaren, you’ll start your adventure on the Wandering Isle and begin learning about this noble race and culture.
The Myth and Magic of the Wandering Isle
The Wandering Isle is the breathtaking starting zone for Pandaren players, offering a distinctive experience unlike any other in World of Warcraft. This is no ordinary landmass—but a living turtle named Shen-zin Su that roams the vast oceans of Azeroth. This unique starting zone serves as the birthplace and cultural hub of the Pandaren. According to lore, Shen-zin Su’s unending journey symbolizes the Pandaren’s connection to nature and their quest for enlightenment.
The isle is a lush and vibrant ecosystem, teeming with cherry blossom trees, bamboo forests, serene temples, and bustling villages. Designed to reflect a harmony between nature and civilization, it embodies the Pandaren philosophy of balance. Despite its idyllic appearance, the Wandering Isle is far from a utopia, and it is here that players begin their journey to uncover the troubles brewing beneath its surface.
Choosing Your Path: Meet the Pandaren
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Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the existential-questions department: theodp writes: The job of the future might already be past its prime," writes The Atlantic's Rose Horowitch in The Computer-Science Bubble Is Bursting. "For years, young people seeking a lucrative career were urged to go all in on computer science. From 2005 to 2023, the number of comp-sci majors in the United States quadrupled. All of which makes the latest batch of numbers so startling. This year, enrollment grew by only 0.2 percent nationally, and at many programs, it appears to already be in decline, according to interviews with professors and department chairs. At Stanford, widely considered one of the country's top programs, the number of comp-sci majors has stalled after years of blistering growth. Szymon Rusinkiewicz, the chair of Princeton's computer-science department, told me that, if current trends hold, the cohort of graduating comp-sci majors at Princeton is set to be 25 percent smaller in two years than it is today. The number of Duke students enrolled in introductory computer-science courses has dropped about 20 percent over the past year."
"But if the decline is surprising, the reason for it is fairly straightforward: Young people are responding to a grim job outlook for entry-level coders. In recent years, the tech industry has been roiled by layoffs and hiring freezes. The leading culprit for the slowdown is technology itself. Artificial intelligence has proved to be even more valuable as a writer of computer code than as a writer of words. This means it is ideally suited to replacing the very type of person who built it. A recent Pew study found that Americans think software engineers will be most affected by generative AI. Many young people aren't waiting to find out whether that's true."
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Posted by from MMO Champion
Mists of Pandaria Classic Launches July 21
Originally Posted by Blizzard
(
Blue Tracker /
Official Forums)
You've ended Deathwing's destructive rampage; now, you must unlock the mysteries of a lost continent and discover the dark secrets of Pandaria's past when World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic launches on July 21 at 3:00 pm PDT.
Explore ancient kingdoms hidden since before the Sundering, plunder vast treasures from the depths of the forgotten vaults, and rise to defend Pandaria from the shadow of a long-buried evil before it is too late.
Your new journey begins with the pre-patch hitting the servers the week of July 1, with regional server restarts.
Mists of Pandaria Classic Pre-Expansion Patch Available July 1
The Mists of Pandaria Classic pre-patch launches the week of July 1—return to the mystic lands of Pandaria, a world shrouded in fog and mystery. This ancient realm, untouched by time and war, is returning with a renewed sense of wonder and adventure, inviting you to lose yourself again in its lush forests, cloud-ringed mountains, and timeless secrets.
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Posted by from MMO Champion
Mists of Pandaria Classic: Mogu'shan Vaults Raid Launches July 31
Originally Posted by Blizzard
(
Blue Tracker /
Official Forums)
Gather your allies and prepare to explore the hidden secrets of the elusive Mogu empire in the Mogu’shan Vaults—available globally on July 31 at 3:00 pm PDT.
Explore the Mogu’shan Vaults
The mogu, proud of their supremacy, kept lengthy records of their accomplishments within a great complex of vaults. The construction of these vast chambers predate any pandaren written records, shrouding their depths in mystery. Rumors once circulated of a mighty army locked within; for this reason, the vaults were the first target of the ancient pandaren rebellion, and they have been sealed ever since the mogu empire was overthrown.
Where: Kun Lai Summit
Level: 90
Difficulties: (10) Normal and Heroic, (25) Normal and Heroic
Bosses: 6
Dais of Conquerors
The Repository
Forge of the Endless
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Posted by BeauHD from Slashdot
From the promising-results department: A groundbreaking stem cell treatment developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals has allowed 10 out of 12 patients with severe type 1 diabetes to stop insulin therapy after one year. While the trial included some side effects and two unrelated deaths, the results mark a major step forward and have progressed to phase 3 clinical testing. ScienceAlert reports: The pancreas's islet cells are responsible for maintaining most of our bodies' insulin levels. Donor transplants of healthy versions of these cells have shown promise in treating type 1 diabetes in the past, but multiple donors are required, and donors are rare. So University of Toronto surgeon Trevor Reichman and colleagues infused 12 patients with islet cells derived from human stem cells in a treatment known as zimislecel. The patients also received immunosuppressive treatment before and after their zimislecel infusion. The islets not only produced insulin inside their bodies, but they did so at safe levels, reducing the patients' dependence on costly doses of insulin. "These findings showed that zimislecel islet cells were functional and self-regulated appropriately," the researchers write in their paper.
The mild to moderate side-effects, including decreased kidney function and the anticipated drop in immune cells, were all linked with the immunosuppressive therapy. Sadly, two additional participants died during the trial; one from an infection arising from surgery and the other from complications due to an unrelated condition. As there were no serious adverse events attributed to the new islet cell therapy, the clinical trials are have progressed into phase 3. "These findings provide evidence that pancreatic islets can be effectively produced from pluripotent stem cells and used to treat type 1 diabetes," Reichman and team conclude. The research has been published in the journal NEJM.
Posted by BeauHD from Slashdot
From the land-down-under-16 department: Australia's eSafety Commissioner has urged the government to deny YouTube an exemption from upcoming child safety regulations, citing research showing it exposes more children to harmful content than any other platform. YouTube pushed back, calling the commissioner's stance inconsistent with government data and parental feedback. "The quarrel adds an element of uncertainty to the December rollout of a law being watched by governments and tech leaders around the world as Australia seeks to become the first country to fine social media firms if they fail to block users aged under 16," reports Reuters. From the report: The centre-left Labor government of Anthony Albanese has previously said it would give YouTube a waiver, citing the platform's use for education and health. Other social media companies such as Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have argued such an exemption would be unfair. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she wrote to the government last week to say there should be no exemptions when the law takes effect. She added that the regulator's research found 37% of children aged 10 to 15 reported seeing harmful content on YouTube -- the most of any social media site. [...]
YouTube, in a blog post, accused Inman Grant of giving inconsistent and contradictory advice, which discounted the government's own research which found 69% of parents considered the video platform suitable for people under 15. "The eSafety commissioner chose to ignore this data, the decision of the Australian Government and other clear evidence from teachers and parents that YouTube is suitable for younger users," wrote Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager for Australia and New Zealand.
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Once you add the balloons into the model, it makes forecasting easier overall--the forecast is always 'cold and dark, with minimal solar-driven convection.' 
