The article discusses the ongoing and seemingly unexplainable decline of the Giants, highlighting the mystery behind their continued struggles, with a focus on the Bay Area sports scene.
In the penultimate episode of The Regime, Agnes, the chancellor's loyal right hand, faces a decision to flee the country for Europe, prompting questions about her loyalty to Elena and the regime. As the rebels encroach on the palace, Elena remains oblivious, focusing on Christmas festivities while her government collapses. The episode ends with Agnes lying in a pool of blood, leaving the series with little palace intrigue and only two mismatched lovers on the run, devoid of power.
Former staffers of Sam Bankman-Fried's now-bankrupt FTX have struggled to find work and battled depression since the cryptocurrency exchange's collapse, with one ex-employee seeing personal investments vanish. Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for swiping FTX user funds to pay off an $8 billion debt at a failing hedge fund. Former colleagues have expressed shock and disappointment, with some struggling to reconcile with what happened and finding it difficult to secure new employment due to the association with FTX.
Byju's, once valued at $22 billion, has seen a sharp decline in popularity and valuation due to cash-flow problems, toxic work culture allegations, financial mismanagement, and a $1.2 billion loan default. The company's rapid expansion during the Covid pandemic led to a tumultuous fall, with its valuation being cut by 75% and facing scrutiny for non-payment of ad dues. Shareholders are seeking the ouster of the founders from top leadership roles, and the company is currently raising $200 million through a rights issue of shares to support a successful turnaround.
Journalist Jason Schreier's upcoming book, "Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment," will delve into the history and downfall of the beloved gaming company, covering topics such as the Microsoft acquisition, mass layoffs, and project cancellations. The book, set for release on October 8, 2022, will explore Blizzard's transformation from a small company to a gaming empire, the impact of Activision's influence, and the stories behind games like Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch 2. Schreier plans to incorporate recent events, such as the layoffs, into the book, providing a comprehensive look at Blizzard's challenges and successes.
Trucking startup Convoy, often hailed as the "Uber for trucking," has shut down after failing to raise cash or find a buyer. Despite raising over $1 billion from investors, including Jeff Bezos and Bono, Convoy struggled to navigate the volatile trucking market and secure profitable deals. Led by a CEO with an Amazon background but no trucking experience, the company's downfall highlights the risks of investing in startups with inexperienced management and questionable business models. The shutdown wiped out $900 million in equity investments.
Intel has disclosed a new processor vulnerability, dubbed Downfall, that affects several models of its chips dating back to 2015. The flaw allows attackers to bypass data isolation barriers and access valuable and sensitive information, including financial details, emails, and passwords. The vulnerability impacts the Skylake, Tiger Lake, and Ice Lake chip families, but Intel's current generation chips are not affected. Fixes are being released, but some enterprise users have the option to disable them due to potential performance impacts. The process of releasing fixes is complex and time-consuming, involving coordination with device manufacturers. The researcher who discovered the vulnerability emphasizes the need for faster response and improved detection systems.
Destiny 2's Hive, one of the game's most formidable adversaries, are currently experiencing a major downfall as their belief structure, based on the Sword Logic, crumbles when confronted by the Guardians. The loss of key figures like Oryx and Savathun has dealt fatal blows to the Hive civilization, leaving only Xivu Arath standing. While she continues to focus her rage on the Guardians, there is a possibility that she may question her sense of self and potentially join forces with humanity in the fight against the Witness. However, the Hive will have to make amends for their genocidal conquests before any alliance can be formed.
Tim Allen speaks out about his former "Home Improvement" co-star Zachery Ty Bryan's downfall, including allegations of domestic violence and financial fraud. Bryan has since pleaded guilty to strangling a woman he was dating and has been accused of leading a fraudulent scheme. Allen says Bryan "deviated" from the person he once knew and that he doesn't know what happens when people get corrupted. Bryan defends himself, claiming he was not "running some shady scam deal or something."
Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of The View, criticized American Idol during a panel discussion, calling it the "beginning of the downfall of society" due to society's obsession with judging others. Goldberg explained that once people were given the ability to judge others, it led to a cycle of negativity. American Idol started on Fox in 2002 and is now on ABC with different judges. Goldberg clarified that her comments had nothing to do with ABC, but rather the show itself.
Boris Johnson's repeated declarations of honesty during the investigation into the Partygate scandal have not saved him from a potential downfall. The former prime minister's mood alternated between testy and repentant during a committee hearing, where he was referred to photographs of boozy Downing Street gatherings during lockdown. If the committee finds against him, it may set in train a process that ends in him leaving Parliament. His polling is down, and his chances of hitting the political heights again are slim.