All posts tagged: option

The Ahmadinejad Option

Published by Sam Flores

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that at the outset of the war, the United States and Israel sought to install former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran’s leader, after the anticipated fall of the Islamic Republic. The inauspicious first step in this brilliant plan was to blow up part of Ahmadinejad’s compound in an air strike on February 28 in the Narmak district of Tehran. Days later, I noted that the attack—then assumed to be an assassination attempt—may have been intended to free him from house arrest imposed by the Iranian regime. The Times confirms this interpretation. It says that Israel and the United States had “consulted” Ahmadinejad about this plan, but that he “became disillusioned” with it after the strike. The idea that Israel and the United States might back Ahmadinejad in a coup has drawn guffaws from several different groups. The first is people who stopped paying attention to Ahmadinejad in 2010. Americans and reform-oriented Iranians reviled then-President Ahmadinejad for his Holocaust denial, his backward attitudes about gay people, and his …

Turf vs seed: which is the best option for you?

Published by Daniella Wilson

As gardeners start to spruce up their lawns in spring, some will be wondering which option to go for – turf or seed? There are pros and cons to each, says lawn expert Luke Taylor, co-author of Lawns: An Uncomplicated Guide, with Marc Kerr, joint founders of lawncare service So & Mo. “It’s all down to scenario and cost,” says Taylor, and here, he weighs up the options of each. For the budget-conscious “If you can afford to returf, it’s going to be the quickest way, whereas if cost is a factor, there’s no doubt that seeding is a lot more cost-effective,” says Taylor. For quick-fix gardeners If you want a transformation, turf is for you, and once laid should be ready for play in a couple of weeks. But check it has been in the ground long enough to develop a strong root system and density before you start mowing, he advises. Once you’ve had the turf delivered, it needs to be laid within 24 to 36 hours, Taylor adds, before it starts to …

Iran Might Use Its Economic-Doomsday Option

Published by Sam Flores

If you’ve been following the Iran war, you will have heard about the surpassing geopolitical significance of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway responsible for carrying a fifth of the world’s oil out of the Persian Gulf. Shortly after first being attacked, Iran announced that it would not let ships pass through, a move that almost overnight created what the International Energy Agency called the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.” The good news is that the effects of closing the Strait of Hormuz will reverse almost as soon as it is reopened. If the conflict were to end tomorrow, then everything would quickly go more or less back to normal. The bad news is that Iran has an even more potent weapon than closing the strait, one with the potential to turn a temporary supply disruption into a lasting shortage: destroying oil-and-gas infrastructure in Arab nations. In recent days, Tehran has demonstrated that it isn’t afraid to use it. President Trump, eager to avoid a full-blown energy disaster, …

Chevy is dropping this Equinox EV option for the 2026 model year

Published by Miika Tikkanen

The Chevy Equinox EV is “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV” for a reason, right? For the 2026 model year, buyers will have one less exterior color option to choose from. The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV loses a color option Starting at under $35,000, GM still calls the 2026 Chevy Equinox EV “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV.” Even with the new 2027 Bolt EV and the 2026 Nissan LEAF, both starting under $30,000, the Equinox offers more driving range, up to 319 miles. In fact, GM is even offering a 20% discount on 2026 Chevy Equinox models this month, bringing the price down potentially to around $30,000 on some trims. Well, GM has to cut costs somewhere, and it looks like, for the Equinox EV, that apparently means one fewer paint color option for buyers. According to GM Authority, the Galaxy Gray Metallic exterior color is no longer available to order on 2026 Chevy Equinox models. While it’s still listed online in some areas, the available models are from existing inventory. The …

Giving Up Is Always an Option, but Rarely the Best One

Published by Jenni Sidey

Sour are the grapes that we can’t reach. Aesop’s fox did not suddenly develop refined taste. He simply could not get to what he wanted, and instead of sitting with the sting, he rewrote the entire story. The grapes were not unattainable, they were undesirable. Case closed, and a fox’s dignity preserved. The fable captures something uncomfortable about the human condition. When the world withholds what we want, we often protect ourselves not by adjusting our effort, but by adjusting our desires and rejecting that which rejects us. Today we are watching a modern version of this unfold in real time. The “lying flat” movement that originated in China emerged as a quiet counterweight to the country’s relentless 9-9-6 grind culture (working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week). If work no longer guarantees security or status, why continue to bleed for it? If the social contract feels broken, perhaps the answer is to step out of it altogether. With more people feeling that the ladder has been pulled up, giving up on obligations …

Nothing Headphone (a) review: The superior option for design and button enthusiasts

Published by Miika Tikkanen

ZDNET’s key takeaways Nothing’s new Headphone (a) are available now for $199. They offer a unique design, long battery, great sound, and intuitive button controls. Although they’re lighter than their predecessors, they still feel a little clunky after extended wear. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. These days, good sound isn’t that hard to come by. So how do headphones differentiate themselves? If you’re the London-based Nothing, you’ll give your headphones great battery life, add some smart quality-of-life improvements, and a distinct visual style. Also: Forget iPhone 17e: Nothing’s Phone 4a Pro costs less and looks a whole lot better But most importantly, you price them at $200 — significantly less than competitors. I’m talking about Nothing’s Headphone (a), the brand’s latest over-ear pair. I tested them over the course of a week, and found lots to love, but they aren’t perfect. Best headphone deals of the week Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article. Nothing launched its Headphone (a) alongside its Phone 4a series …

Whole Foods Ditching Its “Dystopian” Pay-By-Palm Biometric Payment Option

Published by Jenni Sidey

Whole Foods Market is shutting down its palm-scan payment system nationwide, removing the devices from more than 500 stores by June 3 after shoppers largely ignored them. The chain, owned by Amazon, had pitched the feature as a frictionless way to pay. Instead, it became an experiment few customers embraced, according to The Daily Mail. The program, called Amazon One, allowed shoppers to link their Amazon accounts to a scan of their palm and check out with a wave of the hand. Amazon says it processes more than a million biometric authentications each month across locations where the service operates, but a spokesperson said weak adoption at Whole Foods drove the decision to discontinue it there. In interviews at a Union Square store in Manhattan, none of the dozen customers surveyed had used the scanners. Several said they had never seen anyone else try. “I haven’t [used palm payment], and I haven’t seen anyone use it before,” said Priscilla Flete. After learning how the system worked, she added, “It’s a bit invasive.” The Daily Mail …

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