Analysts and industry officials were searching for new adjectives Monday to describe the cataclysmic fall of oil prices into sub-zero territory for the first time ever, prompting analysts to predict the idling of wells and bankruptcies.

Oil’s chaotic collapse deepened, and stocks around the world dropped on Tuesday as markets remain upside down amid the economic carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Colorado will delay hearings on a major revamp of its oil and gas regulations by about six weeks, even as concerns mount about how much of the state's petroleum industry will be left to regulate.

Weld County oil jobs are disappearing amid the double whammy of the coronavirus pandemic and a global oil price war.

People from outside the major parties who are pursuing elected office are exercising their First Amendment rights, and calling them spoilers is an act of “political bigotry” that should never be tolerated by the American people, civil rights champion and four-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader told “Democracy Now!” Nader’s comments come one week before the 2016 nominees’ first presidential debates, which the Commission on Presidential Debates—a private corporation owned and controlled by the Republican and Democratic parties—announced Friday will exclude both Jill Stein of the Green Party and Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party. Continue reading →

IBM and Stone Ridge Technology today announced a performance milestone in reservoir simulation designed to help improve efficiency and lower the cost of production. Working with NVIDIA, the companies shattered previous published results using one-tenth the power and 1/100th of the space. The news demonstrates the ability of NVIDIA GPUs to simulate one billion cell models in a fraction of the published time, while delivering 10x the performance and efficiency than legacy CPU codes.

IBM annonce de nouveaux services IT basés sur le Cloud pour aider ses clients à intégrer de façon rapide, facile et sécurisée les Macs au sein de leurs entreprises et dans leurs applications.

IBM (NYSE : IBM) annonce aujourd'hui le lancement de l’application « IBM Watson Trend App », qui offre aux consommateurs une nouvelle façon de décoder les principales tendances de la saison et également de prédire les produits les plus en vogue avant qu'ils ne soient vendus. L'application est disponible via téléchargement gratuit sur l’App Store d’Apple.

Let's take a moment to talk about the series Exit: The Game, which debuted in the United States in 2016.

Designed by Inka and Marcus Brand and published by Thames and Kosmos, the games are advertised as an Escape Room in a box. In an escape room, you and a group a friends are placed into a room (you may literally be locked in, depending on the fire code of the city where you book the room). Then,  a timer is set, a story is told to you to provide context and atmosphere for your puzzling adventure, and you attempt to solve a series of puzzles, the answers to which will eventually lead you to a key or combination to escape the room - hopefully before time runs out. These rooms typically book for $30+ per person, so the promise of replicating the escape room experience out of a tiny little box for a fraction of the cost is very appealing.

But does Exit: The Game live up to its promise? It does. It absolutely does, with one caveat - some of the games have you puzzling to solve a mystery within the time limit, but you aren't trying to escape anything.

Earlier titles in the series are fairly straightforward. A paper booklet of puzzles; a set each of riddle cards (pair with the booklet to solve the puzzles), answer cards (used to validate puzzle solutions and lead you to new riddle cards),  and help cards (hints for solving the puzzles); a decoder wheel (used to input codes derived from the puzzles); a simple rulebook; and various accessories (usually constructed of cardboard or paper) provide the core of the game experience. Players need to come equipped with scissors (destruction of components is required in nearly every game), pens/pencils, rulers, and a sharp wit to finish the game and calculate their score (measured in stars). The puzzle mechanisms vary, but they will be at least somewhat familiar to players who have done escape rooms or puzzle hunts before.  Depending on the title chosen, the puzzles also vary in difficulty. There is a difficulty rating printed on each box. We found that on average, we finish every Exit title in about 75 minutes; what varies for us across difficulty ratings is how many hint cards we lean on to solve the puzzles.

As the series has progressed in maturity, Inka and Marcus have been able to deliver titles with creative new puzzle mechanisms, changes in solving methodology (such as varying whether the puzzles in the paper booklet must be completed in sequential order or not), and meta puzzles. Meta puzzles are those which you cannot solve without getting a piece of the solution from some or all of the other puzzles included. For example, a puzzle that has you solve for a sentence comprised of words derived from other puzzle solutions is a meta puzzle. A good example of a title from the Exit: The Game series with a meta puzzle is Exit: The Game  - Dead Man on the Orient Express. It includes a meta puzzle that requires players to pay close attention to the passengers, their possessions, and locations throughout the game in order to solve it successfully. That game also introduced envelopes to open as the game progressed and it’s one of the titles that doesn’t see players escaping anything; instead they are trying to issue a code at the end to transmit the identity of a killer to authorities.

By the time the series release of Exit: The Game – The Catacombs of Horror  came around, I really thought the Brands couldn’t have any new tricks up their sleeve. I was wrong. With Catacombs of Horror, they have introduced the two part adventure, giving players a longer puzzling experience in one box. You can play straight through the entire game (allot yourself at least 2 hours) or play the first half and come back to the second half another time. There are also some fantastic new twists on the puzzling mechanisms (a candle is included and must be lit to solve one of the puzzles, for example), and the components got an upgrade (I’m holding onto the adorable little skulls indefinitely). Alongside the puzzle elements, the theming in the series has gotten better and better as new titles are released. Catacombs of Horror provides a well written narrative, albeit very very dark. As we solve puzzles, we find ourselves chasing down what happened to a friend of ours who disappeared into the Catacombs of Paris. It seems he may have met a dark end after having crossed paths with some demonic forces. This title is definitely not for the kiddos, which might be its only drawback. We have clever tweens who enjoy puzzle games, and this isn’t something we can share with them.

There have been at least three more titles released in the Exit: The Game series since Catacombs of Horror  was published in 2018 and more are on the way for 2020. If you’ve previously purchased any of the series, I’d strongly recommend adding Catacombs of Horror  to your must-play list. If this is the first you’ve heard of the series, do yourself a favor, and start with one of the easier titles, such as Exit: The Game – The Sunken Treasure. Then if you have a good time, move onto Exit: The Game – The Pharoh’s Tomb, before sinking your teeth into the most difficult titles like Exit: The Game  - Dead Man on the Orient Express or this one (Exit: The Game – The Catacombs of Horror ).

-------------------------------------------------
Publisher: Thames and Kosmos
Players: 1-4 (we always play with 2)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): About 2 and a half hours
Game type: puzzle, cooperative
Rating:

Jenni’s rating scale:
OUI: I would play this game again; this game is ok. I probably would not buy this game myself but I would play it with those who own it and if someone gave it to me I would keep it.
OUI OUI: I would play this game again; this game is good. I would buy this game.
OUI OUI OUI: I LOVE THIS GAME. I MUST HAVE THIS GAME.
NON: I would not play this game again. I would return this game or give it away if it was given to me.

1. Strategic oil storage to be full by mid-May: Dharmendra Pradhan  Livemint
2. India's fuel demand nearly halves in April amid national lockdown  Hindustan Times
3. Dharmendra Pradhan hints at new gas policy, says low oil prices no answer  Zee News
4. India has ample crude oil reserves: Pradhan  The Tribune India
5. India's Fuel Consumption Falls 46% To Lowest Since 2007  NDTV Profit
6. View Full coverage on Google News

Worried about whether you have enough toilet paper for the coronavirus lockdown? A German website can tell you how long your supply will last.

A quick-thinking Helsinki bakery has saved itself from financial ruin due to the new coronavirus pandemic by creating a cake that looks like a toilet roll.

From the darkness emerges a boot. An old leather, steel-toed, work boot. It shouldn’t be there resting on the seafloor nearly two kilometers deep. I’m…

The Deepwater Horizon disaster released approximately 4 million barrels of oil from the Macondo Wellhead over the course of 87 days in 2010.  Thus, becoming…

Leaky's Bootleg Edward has seen Deathly Hallows part 1 at a screening in Chicago, and this week we drill him about it, in addition to some new Harry Potter news!

Episode 228 — Bootleg Edward Spoils Deathly Hallows

Find the latest episode and explore PotterCast interviews, discussions and more at PotterCast.com

Visit the-leaky-cauldron.org for the latest and greatest from Harry Potter's Wizard World.

PotterCast is back with an all new episode this Halloween! We talk about some of the new Deathly Hallows TV spots and just what of DH Part 1 we HAVEN'T seen yet anyhow! More news including the release of the DH soundtrack and extended editions of the 3rd and 4th Potter film.

Episode 228 — Down the Toilets

Find the latest episode and explore PotterCast interviews, discussions and more at PotterCast.com

Visit the-leaky-cauldron.org for the latest and greatest from Harry Potter's Wizard World.

Well this is it, everyone. Leaky's own "bootleg" Edward was in attendence today for a public screening of Deathly Hallows Part 2. The following show is a relatively unedited account of his conversation with Melissa and John with his thoughts and their reactions.

Episode 237 — The Final Spoiler Alert

Find the latest episode and explore PotterCast interviews, discussions and more at PotterCast.com

Visit the-leaky-cauldron.org for the latest and greatest from Harry Potter's Wizard World.

By Maxwell Yezpitelok  Published: May 07th, 2020 

Four aliens crash-land into suburban America. They can't agree on whether Earth is awful or awesome.

The post ‘Solar Opposites,’ From ‘Rick And Morty’ Co-Creator Justin Roiland, Lands On Hulu To Warm Reviews appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. – Today, in Santa Ynez, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) met with federal and state agencies and leaders from the region’s agriculture and food production industries to make progress on on-farm composting.

Seattle, WA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled two federal Clean Water Act cases with Coleman Oil Company, LLC, located in Lewiston, Idaho, owner and operator of a former oil bulk terminal in Wenatchee, Washington, adjacent to the Columbia River.

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined federal partners—including the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of the Interior, the U.S.

I'm running low on toilet paper, thanks to hoarding in response to the coronavirus outbreak. I'm not worried, because I'm done with TP for good.

USC tries to stay optimistic in its underdog role at the Pac-12 tournament with the likes of UCLA and Oregon hovering in front of the Trojans.

Waggoner, who was battling cancer, died peacefully Tuesday at his Los Angeles-area home with his wife of 60 years, Sharon, at his side, according to a family statement.

As consumers panic-buy toilet paper in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, bidet sales spike.

Marc Ching, a prominent Southern California animal rights advocate, has agreed to stop pitching an herbal supplement as a remedy for COVID-19.

A small oil town in Southern California is pummeled by the economy during the coronavirus outbreak and economic downturn

French baker Apollonia Poilâne's latest cookbook, "Poilâne," teaches techniques and gives recipes for what to do with all that bread.

It's insane to think life can return to normal soon when we haven't even figured out how to get enough milk and toilet paper into stores.

AIRCRAFT engineers are on hand to do everything from small bits of daily maintenance at the end of a flight, to fixing major issues to avoid a fatal emergency. However, they also have the task of unclogging toilets - discovering some very bizarre items along the way.

BBC WEATHER has forecast temperatures of up to 25C as Brits celebrate VE day but by Sunday, conditions will drastically change as stormy downpours washout the UK.

EMMERDALE fans could be saying goodbye to Al Chapman later this year if Jai Sharma has anything to do with it.

LINE OF DUTY has been keeping BBC viewers hooked for nearly a decade and with the show set to return for its sixth season in the coming months, could one of its key cast members be revealed as a corrupt officer in a huge twist?

LINE OF DUTY has been keeping BBC viewers hooked for nearly a decade and with the show set to return for its sixth season in the coming months, could one of its key cast members be revealed as a corrupt officer in a huge twist?

Woolpert, Inc. is a cutting-edge national architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) firm that delivers value to clients by blending engineering excellence with innovative technology and geospatial applications. Woolpert was recently certified as an Employer of Choice by Great Place To Work .

AIRCRAFT engineers are on hand to do everything from small bits of daily maintenance at the end of a flight, to fixing major issues to avoid a fatal emergency. However, they also have the task of unclogging toilets - discovering some very bizarre items along the way.

Welcome to the real sharing economy. Friends and neighbors set up trades on Facebook and Nextdoor for household essentials like toilet paper, eggs and bread.

Will the benefits outweigh the risks?

Plainfield picked up a 59-42 win over Greenwoon on Friday night, and still has eyes on Mid-State title.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Syed Shah usually buys and sells stocks and currencies through his Interactive Brokers account, but he couldn't resist trying his hand at some oil trading on April 20, the day prices plunged below zero for the first time ever. The day trader, working from his house in a Toronto suburb, figured he couldn't lose as he spent $2,400 snapping up crude at $3.30 a barrel, and then 50 cents. Then came what looked like the deal of a lifetime: buying 212 futures contracts on West Texas Intermediate for an astonishing penny each. What he didn't know was oil's first trip into negative pricing had broken Interactive Brokers Group Inc. Its software couldn't cope with that pesky minus sign, even though it was always technically possible -- though this was an outlandish idea before the pandemic -- for the crude market to go upside down. Crude was actually around negative $3.70 a barrel when Shah's screen had it at 1 cent. Interactive Brokers never displayed a subzero price to him as oil kept diving to end the day at minus $37.63 a barrel. At midnight, Shah got the devastating news: he owed Interactive Brokers $9 million. He'd started the day with $77,000 in his account. To be clear, investors who were long those oil contracts had a brutal day, regardless of what brokerage they had their account in. What set Interactive Brokers apart, though, is that its customers were flying blind, unable to see that prices had turned negative, or in other cases locked into their investments and blocked from trading. Compounding the problem, and a big reason why Shah lost an unbelievable amount in a few hours, is that the negative numbers also blew up the model Interactive Brokers used to calculate the amount of margin -- aka collateral -- that customers needed to secure their accounts. "It's a $113 million mistake on our part," said Thomas Peterffy, the chairman and founder of Interactive Brokers, in an interview Wednesday. Customers will be made whole, Peterffy said. "We will rebate from our own funds to our customers who were locked in with a long position during the time the price was negative any losses they suffered below zero."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Operating revenues for the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium dropped by 60 percent in March, during coronavirus, compared to last year.

The municipality of Chateauguay is advising residents to boil tap water starting Monday as work will begin on the water system.

Meatpacking plants have been ravaged by the coronavirus.

Tensions on the streets were already high - now the disease has fuelled them, says Jeremy Bowen.

Products for the popular character from the Disney Plus hit "The Mandalorian" are about to hit stores.

As long as we have garbage, we'll never run out of oil, thanks to a technology called thermal depolymerization process (TDP).