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Missed the “Diablo IV” beta? You have a second chance to check it out

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

“Diablo IV” held the first of two betas last week, and Blizzard’s dungeon crawler was fantastic. It has the same addictive gameplay loop as players fought hordes of worgs, skeletons and other baddies earning loot and experience points on the way.The latest entry doesn’t change a blockbuster formula, but rather, it refines and updates it. From the few hours I played as the Rogue, the world of Sanctuary seems richer, darker and more alive with elements found in massively multiplayer online games. After a brief prologue that shows players that they really can’t trust anybody, they’re thrown into an expansive world that’s filled with danger and other players.They’ll find that it’s so large that players will need mounts later in the campaign, but for now, the demo limits players to a few quests around town of Kyovashad and the region called the Fractured Planes. It also caps the level at 25. That gives the curious an opportunity to te...

Rainfall chart: Bay Area totals for this week’s storms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

Spring started with 5 inches of rain at some Bay Area sites from back-to-back storms.The following are the National Weather Service totals, in inches, for Sunday through 6 a.m. Wednesday. They are raw numbers, meaning they haven’t been quality-checked for accuracy.Tuesday’s storm also brought winds reaching almost 90 mph (chart of peak gusts).LocationInchesPeninsula & South BayHuddart Park (Woodside)5.82Foothills Preserve4.48Almaden Reservoir4.33Los Trancos4.1Saratoga Big Basin/Pierce4.02Lexington Reservoir4.01La Honda3.71Rancho San Antonio3.58Uvas Reservoir3.47Redwood City2.3Calero Reservoir2.28San Francisco (Duboce Triangle)2.26Vasona Lake2.16Los Altos Maryknoll2.09Morgan Hill1.97San Francisco airport1.87Atherton1.69Palo Alto1.1San Jose airport0.95East BayUC Botanical Garden3.65Tilden Park3.49Rossmoor3.13St. Mary’s College2.91Orinda2.63Mount Diablo peak2.62Lake Merritt2.53Richmond2.45Black Diamond2.31Oakland airport1.89Concord Pavilion1.86Dublin San Ramon1.84...

You can keep car plugged in and idle at Tesla charging station, but it’ll cost you: Roadshow

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

Q: I’m probably the squillionth person to tell you that Tesla chargers have a limit … .Tesla assesses idle fees if a car is charged and left at a busy location. The idle fee is $.50/minute if the site is at 50 percent capacity or more, and $1/minute if the site is fully occupied … . By default, the station limits charging to 80 percent to speed up sessions. Most Teslas charge to 80 percent in 15-25 minutes. Not many people would sit around without charging. That is considered poor etiquette (and costly) … . There have been instances of rude Tesla drivers unplugging when charged without moving their car, and sometimes charger “vigilantes” plugged the car back in to teach the charger miscreant an idle-fee lesson.Jacqueline Mardell, Susan Hunts, Rod Whitten, Doug and Imi Blatz, Alan Arndt, Steve CrawfordA: I heard from many Tesla owners about what’s involved in charging their vehicles.Q: I have been reading your column for probably as long as y...

Prince Harry’s past drug use raises questions about US visa

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

Prince Harry continues to learn that not everyone in his adopted homeland is happy about him being here. The latest group of Americans to come after the renegade British royal is the Heritage Foundation, which is pushing to find out whether the husband of Meghan Markle admitted to his past drug use when he applied for a visa to live in the United States.The conservative think tank said it is in a battle with the U.S State Department, which is refusing to release any details about the Duke of Sussex’s visa application, the Daily Mail said. The group wants to know if Harry admitted using marijuana, cocaine and psychedelics on his application when he moved to the United States in 2020. If he failed to disclose his prior drug use, he could be accused of lying on his application, the group says. U.S. immigration law imposes harsh penalties for visitors and potential immigrants who lie to officials, including deportation and being barred from applying for citizenship.The demand to s...

From protests to punk to pandemic: KALX celebrates 60 years of student-run radio at UC Berkeley

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

BERKELEY — News reports on anti-war protests of the late 1960s. Play-by-play for Oakland A’s games in the ’70s. A 1985 interview with infamous cult killer Charles Manson. An early live-in-studio performance by a teenaged Green Day. Public-safety announcements through the Covid pandemic.KALX has broadcast them all.This year, UC Berkeley’s student-run radio station — streaming online and at 90.7 on the FM dial — is celebrating 60 years of broadcasting, solidifying its place as one of the longest-running college radio stations in the U.S.There’s something that feels unique about college radio; these stations proudly prioritize discovery and connection over professional polish and commercialism — and they’ve endured into a modern age where internet and streaming apps offer seemingly infinite content at the touch of a button.Since 1962, KALX has helped amplify decades of social change through its creative curating for listeners, priding itself on a track record of spotl...

Another storm hits Bay Area: 89K still without power, Flood Advisories in effect

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- Tuesday's storm unleashed fierce winds and pounding rain across the San Francisco Bay Area. Rain will continue throughout Wednesday morning making for another slippery commute but will dry up around noon before another storm hits the region next week. Video shows couch fly through the San Francisco sky during storm Follow along for the latest Bay Area storm updates:Wednesday, March 227 a.m. -- Number of PG&E customers without power still on the riseAccording to PG&E's latest power outage report, the number of customers without power as of 6:45 a.m. Wednesday climbed to nearly 90,000. This number continues to slightly increase since 5 a.m. when numbers were below 87,000 customers as of Wednesday at 5 a.m. and around 88,000 customers as of 6 a.m. The outages are still largely impacting the East Bay with 49,501 customers without power.As of Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m., numbers were around 123,000, having peaked at more than193,000 Tuesday aroun...

Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial brings doctors to stand

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Doctors are expected to testify on Wednesday in a trial about a 2016 ski crash between Gwyneth Paltrow and a retired Utah man suing her and claiming her recklessness left him with lasting injuries and brain damage.On the opening day of the trial, Paltrow and retired optometrist Terry Sanderson appeared across the courtroom from each other, looking nonplussed to hear arguments that have become familiar over the past seven years. Since Paltrow and Sanderson’s skis intertwined on what they expected to be an enjoyable day on the slopes with friends and family, the two have been tangled in a lengthy legal drama about what really happened on a beginner’s run that day at one of the most upscale ski destinations in the United States.The mountain, Deer Valley Resort, has among the region’s most expensive lift tickets and is known for its après-ski champagne yurts and proximity to Park City — a posh resort town known for hosting the Sundance Film Festival.Though the cou...

Presidential waiting game: GOP hopefuls hold off campaigns

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — They are meeting with campaign donors and giving frequent interviews on cable news. They’re delivering speeches in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire and hobnobbing with local Republican groups. Some are even quietly discussing campaign jobs with political operatives. But don’t call them presidential candidates — at least, not yet.From Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, there appears to be little rush to join the field of official presidential candidates. The reluctance reflects the unsettled nature of U.S. politics as Republicans game out whether Donald Trump will maintain his grip on the party, particularly if a criminal indictment is leveled against the former president in New York as early as this week. While such a move would mark a historic moment in American politics, the presidential campaign still moves forward with the first debates slated for August and Iowa’s leadoff ca...

Sakamoto leads after short program at figure skating worlds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Defending champion Kaori Sakamoto took the lead after the women’s short program at the world figure skating championships on Wednesday.Aiming to become the first Japanese skater to win back-to-back world titles, Sakamoto received 79.24 points at Saitama Super Arena for a routine that featured a double axel, a triple lutz and a triple flip, triple toeloop combination.Russia’s typically dominant skating team has been excluded from the world championships for the second straight year because of the invasion of Ukraine. That ruled out Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and teammates Alexandra Trusova and Kamila Valieva from the women’s event.Sakamoto is 5.62 points ahead of Lee Hae-in of South Korea going to Friday’s free skate. Mai Mihara of Japan was third with 73.46 points.“Hearing the crowd cheering reminded me of the last time the worlds were held here four years ago,” Sakamoto said. “I was pleased with today’s short program and will just try to stay focused f...

Quick spring refreshes: Making the old place feel like new

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:55:35 GMT

Maybe you had hoped to be in a new home this year but were deterred by high housing prices. Maybe it’s just the arrival of spring that’s got you looking around your rooms and wanting something fresh.To make the old place feel like a new place, or just an updated place, designers and home editors say there’s lots you can do without spending a lot of money. Those include switching out a few furnishings or decorative items, rearranging others, and perhaps changing the purpose of a room.A DIFFERENT VIEWNew perspectives are often just as refreshing as new stuff.Caroline Utz of the home and lifestyle website The Spruce says that for renters in particular, there’s a simple trick that costs nothing but time.“I love leaning art on top of dressers, desks, mantels or bookshelves. When I’m looking for a change, I move the art to different rooms until I find a fresh combination,” she said. “The best part is that no nails, drywall repair kits or hanging equipment are...