Bailey scores 19 as Incarnate Word beats East Texas A&M 65-53It's a well-worn meme at this point that the writing staff of "The Simpsons" must be time travelers with all the things they've managed to predict over the years. From Donald Trump's presidency to Disney buying out 20th Century Fox, things that are played for simple gags on the animated sitcom end up eerily coming to fruition. Of course, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why "The Simpsons" is able to do this. The show's been on the air for decades, with hundreds of episodes, so it's bound to get something right now and then. Add in the fact the show regularly dabbles in social satire, poking fun at things that are relevant at the time, and it only makes sense that history would wind up repeating itself to where it looks like the show was super prescient. Still, it's impressive to watch all the same, especially when it comes to how much advanced technology has been featured on the show years ago only to actually come out years later. Certain devices, like smartwatches, were bound to come out one way or another, but it's far more humorous when something like a baby translator ends up being made — sort of. Here's all the cool tech "The Simpsons" featured years before it was a reality. Consider it an incentive to check in with newer episodes of "The Simpsons" to see what society might get 20 years from now. On "The Simpsons" Season 9, Episode 12 — "Bart Carny" – Marge tries to get the kids to do some yard work. She's disappointed when they refuse, but Homer, as his usual oblivious self, ends up taking them all to the carnival anyways. Once there, they want to go on all fun rides, with Bart expressing his enthusiasm over trying the "Yard Work Simulator," despite his reluctance to perform any actual yard work earlier. The joke is clear — kids don't want to do anything productive, but they'll jump at the chance to perform manual labor if it's presented as a cool video game. That's pretty much the ideology behind "FarmVille," the Facebook game that took the world by storm in the 2010s. People could log on to plant crops and raise livestock, with the main feature being that your Facebook friends could visit your farm to help you out. It sounds like a lot of time and energy when one could learn actual skills like planting their own garden to become a little more self-sufficient in real life. Sadly, all that time invested into "FarmVille" was all for naught when the game shut down for good at the end of 2020. In a way, "The Simpsons" joke could be seen as predicting the prevalence of all sorts of mundane video game simulators, such as "Car Wash Simulator" and "PowerWash Simulator." At the very least, perhaps these simulators show people how fun and rewarding it can be to do these tasks in real life. When it comes to "The Simpsons" predictions, the Holy Grail remains the Donald Trump premonition in Season 11's "Bart to the Future." This is just a throwaway line in a flash forward episode showing Lisa as President of the United States, but before that, "The Simpsons" had a different peek into the future with Season 6's "Lisa's Wedding." It sees Lisa almost getting married to her first love, Hugh Parkfield. When his first attempt at a proposal goes wrong, he immediately speaks into a phone located on his wrist. It's easy to see this as a precursor to modern smartwatches where people can make calls and keep track of all sorts of important data right from their wrist. Of course, real-world smartwatches simply have little screens instead of flipping open like an old-fashioned phone, but Hugh's gadget does exude a certain old-school charm. To be fair, there's a long line of media predicting smartwatches before even "The Simpsons" was around. Arguably, the first well-known example came in the 1940s with "Dick Tracy" comics, with the titular character sporting a two-way radio on his wrist. "The Jetsons" and "Star Trek" followed suit, and there's the real-world forefather to smartwatches with the Hamilton Pulsar Time Computer . This device, which looks super futuristic and featured an LED display, came out all the way back in 1972. Hugh's smartwatch almost seems crude by comparison. "Lisa's Wedding" actually has quite a few technological predictions that were supposed to come out in the far-off year of 2010 — in case you need to be reminded of how long "The Simpsons" has been airing. After Hugh proposes, Lisa calls Marge on a video phone to tell her the good news. Much like Hugh's smartwatch featuring a flip phone, the video calling device has some old-school sensibilities, such as how you still need to input a number using a rotary dial. Still, it manages to predict how people could call one another and actually see who they're speaking with. It wouldn't take too long for this technology to appear, as smartphones with front-facing camera began making waves in the late 2000s. It's not bad for a TV episode that came out in 1995. However, the technology became far more commonplace with the introduction of the iPhone 4, which came with FaceTime, allowing even more people to partake in this futuristic novelty. In fact, FaceTime came out in – 2010? Okay, are we sure "The Simpsons" writers aren't actually time travelers with this one? The video conferencing scene on "Lisa's Wedding" is even more humorous with Marge not realizing she's on a video call, like crossing her fingers when promising Homer won't ruin Lisa's big day. Anyone who's ever had an awkward conversation with a parent who didn't quite understand these newfangled gadgets can surely relate. "The Simpsons" certainly didn't invent robots, and society has been hard at work trying to create these mechanical entities. Sometimes, this leads to useful inventions, but other times, it leads to some truly haunting robots getting put out into the world . In "Lisa's Wedding," the robots featured here — not counting the tin men seen toward the beginning — include a librarian whose face catches fire after crying. Roboticists may be hard at work creating more realistic humanoid robots, but we already have librarian robots to a degree. In 2016, the introduction of a robot named AuRoSS, which was developed by Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research, was widely reported on. It's an autonomous device that's capable of scanning the myriad bookshelves to find any pieces that are out of place. After doing the rounds, it can then inform the librarian staff of which books need to be moved manually. AuRoSS definitely can't do everything librarians do, but it helps take the busywork out of a more menial task. AuRoSS also can't cry when you remind it that it's just a robot, but that's probably for the best. Season 16's "Future-Drama," yet another peek into what could happen if the Simpson family ever aged, sees Bart and Lisa graduating high school. Marge takes a picture of the two before they go to prom, only for the photo to expand into a cake. Marge then exclaims, "It's so great. We can do anything now that scientists have invented magic." To explain this phenomenon in the real world, one could argue Marge making that cake through the process of 3D printing. Researchers have been trying to develop viable means of creating food, such as using food inks that preserve the nutrition and flavor of frozen and fresh vegetables . This relies on piping an edible paste into whatever structure the user wants, and it could be a great way to ensure individuals get the nutritional requirements they need. Unfortunately, the technology is still pretty expensive for in-home use, and it's not quite as easy as just taking a picture of whatever you want plastered on a cake. "Future-Drama" definitely has some more outlandish future technology compared to something like "Lisa's Wedding," which looks downright grounded by comparison. Chief Wiggum has gone full RoboCop and Moe has a clone. Still, bioengineered food is within the realm of possibility — even if it's not exactly magic. It often takes a more far-out framing device to see "The Simpsons" dabble with new technology. "Treehouse of Horror XII" includes a segment where the family gets a new smart home, tricked out by a nefarious AI voiced by Pierce Brosnan. It does everything for them, from cooking their favorite foods to cleaning the dinner table. Of course, the AI also falls in love with Marge and tries to kill Homer, but before that, it shows off some pretty nifty technology. Most people probably aren't giving their homes full chrome makeovers, but plenty of high-tech gadgets make it easier than ever to have a smart home of your very own. Much like the Simpsons family, you don't even need to be that rich, seeing as there are many affordable smart home devices to choose from. Ring Video Doorbells allow you to see who's at the front door before answering, smart thermostats allow you to control your house's inner temperature even when you're away. Plus, smart vacuums clean your house autonomously , which comes in handy even if it can't really help you clean the table after a meal. The Brosnan-voiced AI — which borrows heavily from HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey" — even exemplifies many people's fears surrounding AI. Granted, the only human he wants to kill is Homer, but what if a highly advanced intelligence wanted something more than just marrying Marge? On Season 2 of "The Simpsons," we learn Homer has a half-brother named Herb, who is voiced by Danny DeVito. He's a successful businessman who loses his fortune by the end of the episode due to Homer's incompetence. Fortunately, he gets redemption in Season 3's "Brother Can You Spare Two Dimes" when he borrows money from Homer for a gadget that'll put him back on top — a baby translator. Maggie Simpson makes for the perfect test subject, as he analyzes her coos to figure out what she's really trying to say. No doubt an actual baby translator would be a major asset to new parents who just want their child to stop fussing. In the modern AI era, there are numerous services that market the ability to translate a baby's cries into understandable demands. For example, the Cappella app states how it uses AI to translate a baby's cries to determine if they're hungry or sleepy. The app claims to be 95% accurate, but with membership costing $9.99/month, it's natural if parents are skeptical of whether it'll actually help them raise their kids. Similar apps include Nanny AI and ChatterBaby . Herb becomes rich through his invention, although he becomes broke again later in the series, so the money clearly dried up somehow. Maybe there was some kind of flaw in his baby translator that resulted in massive recalls. Or perhaps the general population got tired of hearing Herb's voice whenever their babies wanted to talk. Gone are the days when people need bulky cameras when they can capture solid footage and photos on just about any smartphone . Today, it's quite common for drivers to install cameras on their dashboards in the event of a car accident and for homeowners to put up video doorbells that monitor the outside of the home. Either way, the wide availability of hands-free cameras today makes people's lives easier in more ways than one. This idea of hands-free cameras can be seen in an episode of the "The Simpsons" called "Homer and Apu." Homer is tasked with capturing Apu's negligence on camera with a device so small it fits inside an oversized novelty hat. Of course, this camera is still huge, but Kent Brockman's news team manages to get the footage wirelessly. It's the kind of joke that only works in the context of the mid-'90s, as nowadays, Homer could've just clipped something to his shirt to prove that Apu sells dangerously expired food. Today, hands-free cameras are an asset even when you're not trying to narc on a small business owner. There's even an iPhone hack where you can turn it into a hands-free camera for greater accessibility. On Season 10, Episode 22 — "They Saved Lisa's Brain" – Lisa meets up with the smartest people in Springfield, and eventually, they're put in charge of running the town. Among them is Professor Frink, who frequently has all sorts of neat inventions to factor into the plot. At one point, he pulls out a sarcasm detector, although when it is confronted by the frequently sardonic Comic Book Guy, the device soon explodes due to a sarcasm overload. One would assume picking up sarcasm would be fairly simple in day-to-day conversations, but researchers have actually come out with an AI-powered sarcasm detector. The University of Groningen's Matt Coler told The Guardian , "When you start studying sarcasm, you become hyper-aware of the extent to which we use it as part of our normal mode of communication. But we have to speak to our devices in a very literal way, as if we're talking to a robot, because we are. It doesn't have to be this way." Ultimately, the application seems to mostly apply to humans speaking with AI models, which may be more inclined to take everything literally. There's really no need to use it on someone who's sarcastic in virtually every conversation like Comic Book Guy. Hopefully, this doesn't lead to people taking a bunch of bad advice from AI because it starts deciding to be sarcastic. The history of practical VR goes back decades, usually involving people wearing some kind of goggle-esque headset to see things that aren't really there. "The Simpsons" certainly didn't invent the aesthetic, but it's hard not to see similarities between the VR headsets featured in Season 28's "Friends and Family" and the Apple Vision Pro, which would come out eight years after the episode. Much of the episode centers on Mr. Burns acquiring a VR headset and using the Simpson family — minus Homer, that is — to create idyllic family scenes since he never had a family of his own. However, the most relatable scene from the episode likely comes at the end when everyone in Springfield is seemingly using the headsets as they go about their day. This often results in catastrophe, like when Agnes Skinner falls down a manhole. The Apple Vision Pro, despite having a Travel Mode, isn't really meant to be used outside, despite the presence of videos of people using them out in public. One of the biggest complaints of the Apple Vision Pro is the narrow field of vision compared to competitors like the Meta Quest 3. It poses many dangers, so it might appear that in addition to "The Simpsons" predicting the Apple Vision Pro, it also anticipated its major drawback. Perhaps that's the source of "The Simpsons" being able to predict so much — no matter what technology gets invented, people will find the most hilarious way to misuse it.Parthian Discourse: Nigeria Poised For Economic Recovery In 2025, Says Rewane
Arlo technologies general counsel sells shares worth $1.03 millionThomas scores 19, Rhode Island beats Providence 69-63
AP News Summary at 9:36 p.m. ESTAFC East-leading Bills refreshed coming out of bye week, and looking ahead to host 49ersBulls vs. Grizzlies Injury Report Today – November 23
NoneEngland and Harlequins full-back Ellie Kildunne has won World Rugby's women's player of the year award. The 25-year-old claimed the award after an impressive year that saw her crowned 2024 Women's Six Nations player of the championship , help England retain their WXV1 title and score 14 tries in nine tests for the Red Roses. Also at the awards ceremony in Monaco, 21-year-old Ireland back row Erin King won the women's breakthrough player of the year award. England back Kildunne's accolade comes off the back of a year that also saw her represent Team GB at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they finished seventh. She beat Red Roses team-mate Alex Matthews to the award, as well as France's Pauline Bourdon-Sansus and Canada's Alex Tessier. In the last 12 months the Harlequins back has become one of England's most recognisable women's rugby players having also moved into fashion design, photography, and launched her own podcast with fellow Red Rose Jess Breach. King took the breakthrough player award having only made her international XVs debut in September. She won four caps and impressed during a WXV1 campaign that saw Ireland finish second, including a famous win over world champions New Zealand. King also represented her country in Sevens at the Paris Olympics, and ended up going viral on social media. During a restart in their match against Team GB, she held team-mate Emily Lane above her head , external , using her strength to prevent Lane from falling backwards before bringing her back down with the ball.Manyawu, Stirtz lead Drake to 81-70 win over Vanderbilt, Charleston Classic title
France celebrated the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday at a special church service that featured a standing ovation for the firefighters who saved the 12th-century landmark from destruction during a 2019 blaze. A two-hour service attended by incoming US president Donald Trump among other world leaders began with the archbishop of Paris knocking on the doors of the cathedral three times. "Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to bring together the far-flung children of God in joy," archbishop Laurent Ulrich commanded, banging with a wooden staff crafted from a roof beam that survived the inferno five years ago. Trump could be seen sitting on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lighting installed as part of the overhaul. In a short speech, Macron expressed the "gratitude of the French nation" for the restoration work, achieved at frenzied speed over the last five years. France had "rediscovered what great nations can do -- achieve the impossible", he said. One of the most moving moments came when firefighters in their protective gear walked through the congregation to thunderous applause as the word "Merci" ("Thank you") was beamed on the intricate facade and famous belltowers of the Gothic masterpiece. Small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds outside to witness the renaissance of a monument, which came close to collapsing due to the intensity of the inferno that toppled its roof and spire. "I find it really beautiful, even more so now that the spire has been restored," Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwest France, told AFP outside. The reconstruction effort cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline despite predictions it could take decades. Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year. Saturday's service featured classical music, the cathedral's choir as well as the "re-awakening" of the 8,000-pipe organ which is considered the voice and soul of the cathedral. A televised public concert planned outside featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather. Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Macron, Notre Dame's renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring a symbol of Paris has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a confidence vote. Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity -- as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. He scored a major coup by attracting Trump along with around 40 heads of state and government, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame. Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia's invasion expected to have been discussed. Trump has vowed to end the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office on January 20, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron. One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people and weighed into a row about whether the place of worship and tourist attraction should remain free to enter. The "immense" numbers set to visit Notre Dame should be welcomed "generously and free of charge", he said, clearly opposing a proposition from the French culture ministry to charge for entry. The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason. On Sunday, the first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), followed by a second service in the evening at 6:30 pm which will be open to the public. adp-sjw/jjSam Darnold-led Vikings down Packers for ninth straight win
Arsenal, Man City and Bayern advance to Women's Champions League quarterfinals