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The star of Assassin's Creed Black Flag has hinted at a remakeMatt Ryan, the actor behind the game's protagonist Edward Kenway, told a fan that they "might have to beat it again"Ryan added that "there's a reason" he said that, but added he "can't say anything"The lead actor of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag has suggested that a remake of the 2013 game is on the horizon.Rumors about a Black Flag remake have been circulating for a good while, but now Matt Ryan, the actor behind the game's protagonist Edward Kenway, has hinted at its potential release once again.During a recent convention meet-and-greet, Ryan asked a fan if they'd beaten the Black Flag, and when the fan said they had, the actor gave the most obvious hint that the game is on the way (via IGN)."Have you beaten the game?" Ryan said in the video from TikTok user 'therebelarchive'. "Well, you might have to beat it again..."When the fan responded, asking, "Is this true? I have to run through all of them again," Ryan winked, saying, "Well, especially this one. There's a reason I say that, but I can't say anything."Matt Ryan (Voice of Edward Kenway) Teases Black Flag Remaster via a fan interaction at a convention! Quote “Have you beat the game?… well you may have to beat it again 😉”And “There’s a reason I say that but I can’t say anything…”@TheHiddenOneAC @TheRealZephryss pic.twitter.com/vg6RghgcE7June 29, 2025In June 2023, it was reported that Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag was allegedly in line for getting a remake. Two sources at the time said the remake was "still in its earliest stages" and that Ubisoft Singapore is involved, one of the studios that has developed the franchise's ocean technology, to help modernize the stealth game.Later that same year, Black Flag was quietly delisted from Steam, reigniting remake rumors, but it was later confirmed that this was due to technical issues, and the game was later reinstated on the platform.Almost two years later, Ubisoft has yet to make a formal announcement of a Black Flag remake.Following the success of Assassin's Creed Shadows, earlier this year, Ubisoft announced that it was delaying some of its major unannounced titles to allow for better quality games, which included titles from its biggest brands: Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, The Division, and Ghost Recon.It's confirmed that there are multiple Assassin's Creed games in the works right now, including Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe and Assassin's Creed Jade, but it's safe to assume that these titles have been affected.You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeAccessory maker Dbrand responds to botched Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con grips, admits its initial reaction to unhappy fans was 'a spectacularly terrible response to the issue at hand'

Nvidia has announced a sweet deal for anyone with an Nvidia Geforce RTX graphics card: a free subscription to a host of Adobe’s best creative apps, including Photoshop and Premiere Pro.Given Adobe has recently ramped up subscription prices in the US - and I’d expect the rest of the world to follow at some point - a month or two of free access is to be welcomed. A monthly subscription to Creative Cloud Pro already costs $69.99 a month on an annual contract, so already that’s a big saving.Adobe and Nvidia have a long-standing partnership, collaborating on a whole range of projects from unlocking GPU acceleration in Premiere Pro to training LLMs on PDFs (no, really).So, giving away Adobe apps free won’t come as a massive surprise - but there are a couple of catches if you want this deal.How to get the dealThere are two things to note before jumping on this deal. It’s only available to new subscribers, so if you’re already enjoying life in the Creative Cloud ecosystem, you can’t sign up. And you’ll need to own an Nvidia RTX GPU.Not all deals are created equal, either. If you own an RTX 40- or 30-series card, you get one month of Creative Cloud. If you’re rocking an RTX 50-series, you can sign up for two month’s access, which also bundles in Substance 3D.To sign up, you’ll need an Nvidia account and download the Nvidia app. From there, head over to the rewards section. If you have a supported graphics card, you’ll see the offer here.Signing up will mean setting up a payment plan with Adobe, so get that credit card ready and if you’re planning on only using the apps while they’re free, remember to unsubscribe before the trial period ends.You can download the app by clicking here. This offer is available now and runs until June 2028.Don’t have a supported GPU (or just don’t want another subscription)? I’ve rounded up the best alternatives to Photoshop and the best Premiere Pro alternatives to skirt Creative Cloud plans.Subscribe the old-fashioned wayTry Creative Cloud Pro free for 7 daysCreative Cloud Pro is easily the best way to experience the best of what Adobe has to offer - and still the cheapest option if you’re using multiple apps. The plan bundles over 20 different apps, including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Acrobat, and InDesign, alongside extras like Adobe Stock and 4000 monthly AI credits. View DealYou may also likeWe rounded up all the best graphics cards you can get right nowBusinesses won’t need SEO experts anymore if Adobe’s one-click LLM Optimizer actually works as advertisedAdobe launches new Express tool for small businesses - and I spoke exclusively to its chief to find out the top 5 things you need to know

The Mexican Sinaloa cartel hired a hacker to track and surveil the FBI, then used that information to intimidate and even kill witnesses against drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, according to a Justice Department report spotted by Ars Technica. The hacker used relatively sophisticated data collection techniques and weaknesses in the FBI's cybersecurity to identify the witnesses, the report states.

According to the highly redacted report, which is based in part on testimony from an "individual connected to the cartel," the hacker offered gang leaders "a menu of services related to to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices."

The hacker "observed people going in and out of the United States Embassy in Mexico City" and identified people of interest, including the FBI's Assistant Legal Attache (ALAT). They used the ALAT's mobile phone number to "obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data associated with the [attache's] phone." The hacker also used Mexico City's camera system to follow the ALAT around the city and identify people they met with. "According to the case agent, the cartel used that information to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses," the report states.

The exact technical methods are redacted but the report explains that the hacker used "ubiquitous technical surveillance" (UTS) to spy on the FBI, which was investigating and eventually convicted Guzmán. The report defines UTS as the "widespread collection of data and application of analytic methodologies for the purpose of connecting people to things, events or locations." In other words, the cartel used some of the FBI's own methods against it.

The report said that the recent availability of commercial tools that allow UTS is an "existential" threat. It cited other examples including the use of credit card transaction reports widely available from data brokers along with cell phone call logs.

The FBI's response to the UTS threat was "disjointed and inconsistent," according to the Justice Department, and countermeasures instated in 2022 were "inadequate" and lacking in "long-term vision." It recommended (among other things) that the agency incorporate all UTS vulnerabilities into its final mitigation plan, identify key officials authorized to execute the strategy, establish a line of authority for responding to UTS-related incidents and ensure ongoing training on UTS strategies. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/el-chapo-drug-cartel-reportedly-tracked-and-killed-informants-by-hacking-an-fbi-phone-120002259.html?src=rss

Trump says this was the second time AT&T was responsible for a disruptionAT&T says it was the video conferencing platform that was at faultWe don't know which platform Trump was using - is he a Zoom or Teams man?US President Donald Trump has criticized AT&T on Truth Social, claiming its network failed during a major conference call with faith leaders."I’m doing a major Conference Call with Faith Leaders from all over the Country, and AT&T is totally unable to make their equipment work properly," the leader wrote in an online post.Trump added this was the second time AT&T had caused disruptions to a video conference, calling for improvements to be made to the network's stability.Trump blames AT&T for video call disruption"If the Boss of AT&T, whoever that may be, could get involved – it would be good," the President added, while mentioning that "tens of thousands" of participants were also on the line.Responding to US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X, AT&T wrote: "We've reached out to the White House and are working to quickly understand and assess the situation."However, in a follow-up reply to the thread, AT&T disclosed the issue was "caused by an issue with the conference call platform, not [the AT&T] network."Neither AT&T nor the White House have disclosed who the video conferencing provider was in this instance, and Trump is yet to publicly acknowledge AT&T's response. There are no details on the earlier disruption Trump associated with AT&T, either.In a follow-up post, Trump "apologize[d] for the long wait on the Faith Leaders Conference Call," adding he may have to reschedule the call using a different provider.TechRadar Pro has asked AT&T for more details on the incident and the results of its investigation, but the company did not immediately respond.You might also likeWe've listed the best business networking appsThe best mesh Wi-Fi systems could help ensure you have better coverage at home or workTrump Mobile’s T1 phone won't actually be made in America – and I'm not even remotely surprised

Microsoft has been boasting about the benefits of Windows 11 (again)It claims Windows 11 PCs can be 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 machinesThis comparison was made running the operating systems on different hardware, though, and it's very misleading as a resultIt likely hasn't escaped your attention that Microsoft is busy trying to drive people to switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11, what with the older operating system nearing its End of Life.In a recent blog post (noticed by Tom's Hardware), Microsoft has again been extolling the virtues of Windows 11 (and Copilot+ PCs), with Yusuf Mehdi (who heads up consumer marketing) presenting us with an array of reasons as to why the newer OS is the place to be.The post touches on the benefits of Windows 11, including accessibility features, AI, security, and performance, and it's the latter we're focusing on here. Specifically, the following claim that Mehdi makes: "Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs."That statement comes with a footnote attached – a vital caveat, in fact, which I'll come back to, but the broad suggestion here is very clear: Windows 11 is much faster than Windows 10. But is that true, or fair, to say? No, it isn't; so let's explore why, and consider the ins and outs of what Microsoft is asserting here.What Microsoft is claimingMicrosoft argues that Windows 11 is "faster and more efficient" and that compared to Windows 10 it delivers faster updates, quicker wake-from-sleep times (for laptops), and generally better performance on the desktop. Then comes the central claim that Windows 11 computers are "up to 2.3x faster" than older Windows 10 machines.Notice the use of "older" there, and this is where the footnote comes into play. Scan down to that and you'll see that Microsoft says it's basing this estimation on a Geekbench 6 multi-core (CPU) benchmark – and that's all we're told in this post.However, we're presented with a URL tacked on the end of the footnote, which is actually the source of this benchmark – an array of 'Windows 11 PC performance details' nestling within Microsoft's Learn portal.Here we learn that these comparative tests weren't run on the same PC, but different hardware. In short, the Windows 10 PCs running the Geekbench benchmark were older machines with Intel Core 6th, 8th and 10th-gen processors, whereas the Windows 11 devices used Intel Core 12th and 13th-gen CPUs. As Microsoft further notes: "Performance will vary significantly by device and with settings, usage and other factors."(Image credit: Elnur / Shutterstock)Why this is very misleadingThere's a big problem here which is plain to see – those much older PCs (with in some cases 6th-gen CPUs) are clearly going to be way slower than a modern machine with a 12th or 13th-gen Intel chip.What Microsoft should have done is to run the Windows 10 benchmark on a PC, then installed Windows 11 on the same hardware, and compared the results. That would be a level playing field – what we see here absolutely isn't.In short, that "up to 2.3x faster" claim is very misleading, because it's mostly showing the difference between the hardware components involved, not the software (the operating systems themselves). That's why the performance gulf seems so large and eyebrow-raising.Also, it's a weak argument to just cite a single benchmark (Geekbench) anyway. Preferably, we should have a few performance tests averaged (or a whole suite of them ideally). Otherwise, the suspicion is that the benchmark in question has been cherry-picked to make the marketing look as compelling as possible.That's a relatively minor issue, of course, compared to the fundamental problem here of comparing vastly different PCs running Windows 10 versus the computers with Windows 11 installed.Okay, so Microsoft could argue that this is only meant as an illustrative performance metric, and it does specify that Windows 11 PCs can be "up to" more than twice as fast as Windows 10 machines – so technically that's true. In most cases, they won't be anywhere near that, though; and as already noted, not having an apples-to-apples performance comparison here just makes the assertion so misleading.What I'm also unhappy with is the way that footnote is written. It's crafted so that even if the reader glances at it – and many probably won't – they'll just think "Oh it's Geekbench" and probably leave it at that, maybe not investigating the provided URL (featuring the actual test details). Notably, that URL isn't hyperlinked, so it's easy to miss, and you have to actually highlight and copy it to head over to the Learn portal to see the story behind the OS comparison. It all feels a bit smoke-and-mirrors to say the least.(Image credit: Future)The verdictMarketing is marketing, of course, and as noted the statement is technically true – a Windows 11 PC can no doubt be more than twice as fast as a Windows 10 PC. Especially if that Windows 10 computer has been pulled out of your attic, had the dust blown off it, and then runs a benchmark that's subsequently compared to a relatively new Windows 11 PC.Come on Microsoft – you can do better than this. Frankly, the crafty way in which this particular part of Mehdi's blog post has been concocted smacks of desperation in the effort to persuade folks to upgrade to Windows 11.What makes this worse is that, anecdotally for me, Windows 11 does indeed feel a bit snappier than Windows 10 in general everyday performance (although I realize that's a very subjective thing, and not everyone's experience going by some of the complaints I see online).In short, I think Microsoft has a point to boast about here in terms of Windows 11 offering somewhat peppier performance, and being more responsive in some respects – but it's spoiled any of that positivity with an over-the-top marketing effort here.You might also like...Windows 11's hidden PC migration feature proves Microsoft isn't messing around when it comes to killing off Windows 10macOS Tahoe 26: here's everything you need to know about all the new featuresCan’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends

Yesterday, the senate was poised to restrict states' power to regulate AI. Now, the measure is dead in the water, with the Senate voting 99-1 to remove the provision. Are you also having a bit of whiplash? Here's what you need to know about the amendments rightful journey into the trash can of history.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) had pushed for an amendment to Trump's tax bill that would ban states from regulating the AI industry for ten years — if the state took AI infrastructure funding included in the aforementioned bill. A version of the provision passed the House in May.

On Sunday, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) agreed to a version which would reduce the moratorium to five years and include exceptions for regulations around child safety, deceptive acts and protection of a person's likeness, voice, name and more.

The new provision also exempted Tennessee's Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, enacted last year. The ELVIS Act was passed to prevent AI from using musician's likeness and voice without their consent.

Yet, backlash against the amendment continued from Republican and Democrat leaders, Politico reports. My day's end Blackburn had found sense and withdrew her support. The senate voted early Tuesday morning to nix the amendment, with even Cruz backing its removal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/senate-votes-against-curbing-state-level-ai-regulation-130025055.html?src=rss

A new scam text is impersonating UPS and warning people of missed deliveriesIf you reply, you’re sent to a fake website that steals your personal dataYou can stay safe by deleting the message if you’re at all suspiciousIf you’ve recently received a text message from UPS, be careful: it could be a scam. You need to be especially wary if the message has come out of the blue or if you’re not expecting a parcel, as phishers and scammers are on the hunt for your private info. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe.Specifically, the UPS text message warns that you’ve missed a supposed parcel delivery and that if you don’t respond, the package will be returned to the sender. In reality, there is no parcel – something given away by the lack of delivery number in the message. In other words, the scammers are sending out blanket texts without any specifics in an attempt to trick any users they possibly can.The deception becomes more suspicious the closer you look. The messages in question contain a link that goes to a fraudulent website, but because the texts come from an unknown sender, many of the best phones will disable the link. In iOS, for example, links are not tappable if they come from new senders.However, as soon as you reply to a message, the link is re-enabled. To prompt this, the scammers sending the UPS messages encourage you to reply with the letter Y – when done, this activates the link. The messages also tell you to copy and paste the link into a web browser, just in case. Replying not only re-enables the link – it also tells the scammer that your number is active, potentially opening you up to further targeting.What the scammers are really after is your personal information, as they urge you to enter your details into their website. This can then be used for identity theft and other criminal activity. Needless to say, if you receive this message or are suspicious about its intentions, you shouldn’t reply or follow its embedded links. Instead, just delete it and report it as spam.How to stay safe(Image credit: Getty Images)Regardless of whether you’re expecting a UPS parcel, you should not respond to messages like this. Instead, go to the official UPS website and check the status of your parcel there using your provided tracking number.Telltale signs of a scam message are the lack of any identifying information (such as a parcel number or your name and address), and a disabled link to a website with a suspicious address, such as one that contains an unusual domain extension (like .pro or .xyz), misspelled words, or extra characters like hyphens that are not found in the official web address. If any of these elements are present, delete the message and report it as spam. You can also report it at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center by going to ic3.gov.Scam messages will often try to rush you into a decision by applying pressure and including threats. They might tell you that you will be fined or will lose the supposed package if you don’t respond. This is intended to get you to act too quickly and not think your decision through. If a message contains anything like this, take a moment to read it again and think clearly about whether it is likely to be genuine.Both iOS and Android have tools to help you combat scam messages. Aside from reporting them as spam, both Apple’s Messages app and Google Messages now come with built-in spam detection, which can automatically banish fraudulent texts so that they never reach you. The latest iOS 26 update also has a Call Screening feature that requires unknown callers to identify themselves before they can ring you, and this is something that also exists in Android.Vigilance is key to avoiding text scams, as despite the best efforts of companies like Apple and Google, there are bound to be some messages that slip through the net. If you get a suspicious text, check your gut feeling – does the text ask you to activate a weird-looking link? Is it overly vague with no identifying details like tracking numbers? Don’t panic if it threatens you – instead, take a breath and ask yourself if it feels off. If it does, exile it to the spam folder.You might also likeFedEx and UPS phishing scams are becoming more widespread - here's what to knowI've looked at all the best identity theft protection, and these are my top picksI get annoying spam calls all the time, so I can’t wait for the Call Screening feature in iOS 26

Cloudflare has rolled out a couple of new measures meant to keep AI bot crawlers at bay. To start with, every new domain customer that signs up with the company to manage their website traffic will now be asked if they want to allow AI crawlers or to block them altogether. The company released a free tool in 2024 to block AI bots, but with this change, users can block them by default without having to tinker with their settings. Several big publishers, including Condé Nast, TIME and The Associated Press have already signed up to block crawlers. In addition, Cloudflare has launched a private beta experiment called "pay per crawl," which would only allow crawlers to access a website's content if they pay for it.

Matthew Prince, Cloudflare's CEO, recently went on record to say that publishers are facing an existential threat, because people aren't clicking on chatbots' source links. If users don't visit those sources, the websites don't get the ad revenue they need to be able to keep running. "Original content is what makes the Internet one of the greatest inventions in the last century, and it's essential that creators continue making it," Prince said in a statement released with the company's latest updates. "AI crawlers have been scraping content without limits. Our goal is to put the power back in the hands of creators, while still helping AI companies innovate. This is about safeguarding the future of a free and vibrant Internet with a new model that works for everyone."

Cloudflare

Cloudflare believes publishers should be able to charge AI bots for access if they want to, and pay per crawl is its first experiment for that particular purpose. "Each time an AI crawler requests content, they either present payment intent via request headers for successful access (HTTP response code 200), or receive a 402 Payment Required response with pricing," Cloudflare explained. The company records those transactions and provides the underlying technical infrastructure. Publishers will be able to allow certain crawlers to access their content for free if they want to, and they can define a flat, per-request price across its websites for other crawlers.

The company says pay per crawl is still in its very early stages, and it expects the tool to evolve in the future. It also says that it supports the development of other marketplaces and ways to charge AI crawlers for content. A marketplace could, for instance, allow dynamic pricing that enable publishers to charge different rates for different types of content. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/cloudflare-experiment-will-block-ai-bot-scrapers-unless-they-pay-a-fee-121523327.html?src=rss

Google has rolled out the latest version of Keep and, as 9to5Google has noticed, it no longer supports the Apple Watch. Its iTunes listing now only shows what the note-taking app would look like for iPhones and iPads. Google made its Keep app compatible with Apple Watches back in 2019 when its apps made a return on the wearable after over a year of absence. It hasn't had a meaningful update for the device since then, but it worked just fine.

Users who rely on Keep across iOS and Android for, say, to-do lists and reminders, will have to find another option now. While I don't personally use it, Microsoft OneNote has both an Android app and an app for the Apple Watch. Apple is also bringing its Notes app to the watchOS 26 platform, which is rolling out later this year. It will sync with the Apple Notes app for the Mac, iPhones and iPads. And though it doesn't have an Android app, users can still access it on non-Apple devices through the iCloud website, where they could also access other Apple features like Find My.

For iPhones and iPads, Google Keep remains the same. The latest version only rolled out with bug fixes, but Keep still works as intended, allowing users to type in notes and create to-do lists.

While it removed Keep's support for the Apple Watch, Google has released a pared-down Calendar app for the wearable similar to its app for the Google Wear OS. It shows a week's worth of the user's events and Google Tasks as a list of cards, which users can then tap on to display more details. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-keep-no-longer-supports-the-apple-watch-123012984.html?src=rss

If you already plan on using Prime Day as an excuse to upgrade your home theater, Amazon has a great deal on one of its premium streaming dongles that could be the perfect thing to complete your setup. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is available for $25 off for Prime Day, lowering its normal price from $60 to $35. That's $2 away from its lowest price of $33.

While we still prefer Amazon's Fire TV Stick HD as a budget streaming option, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max could be worth the upgrade for you. Amazon's device supports 4K video, Dolby Atmos, HDR10+ and if you have a newer router, Wi-Fi 6E. It's the best option if you're committed to the dongle-lifestyle — the even-more-powerful Fire TV Cube needs a TV stand to rest on — and a surprisingly great choice if you're looking for a capable retro game console.

Amazon's also added in several features to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max that take it beyond a basic streamer. The built-in Ambient Experience lets the dongle display art and widgets when you're not using your TV, not unlike Samsung's The Frame and The Frame Pro. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max can also stream games from Xbox Game Pass using the Xbox app or Amazon Luna.

The only real reasons to not consider Amazon's platform is if you don't like using Alexa, which acts as the main voice interface for all Fire TVs, don't want to be pushed towards Amazon's services or your subscriptions are tangled up in another platform. You can buy subscriptions to a variety of streaming services and live channels through Amazon Prime Video, but if you've already done that on Apple TV+ for example, you might want to wait out your subscription before jumping ship.

This is just one of a few Fire TV deals you can snag for Prime Day. Others include the Fire TV Cube for $90 and the Fire TV Stick 4K for $25.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-is-on-sale-for-35-for-prime-day-122512093.html?src=rss

Nintendo is raising the price of the original Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite in CanadaAccessories, physical and digital games, and Switch Online memberships will also be affected, but the cost of the Switch 2 will remain the sameNintendo explains that the pricing update is "based on market conditions"Nintendo has announced that it will be increasing the prices of some of its products in Canada.As reported by IGN, the company said that a "pricing update" will be implemented soon in Canada for certain Nintendo products, namely the original Switch, the Switch OLED, and the Switch Lite.Notably, the cost of the new Nintendo Switch 2, which launched early last month, will not be impacted, and pricing will remain the same.It also confirmed that physical and digital games will be affected, which will likely impact Switch 2 owners since most games are backwards compatible, as well as accessories, and Nintendo Switch Online memberships.As for the reason for the sudden price hike, Nintendo explained that the pricing adjustments are "based on market conditions", but didn't offer any further details.Nintendo of Canada issued an advisory warning that stated that the full details of adjusted prices will be revealed later today (July 1), which will be reflected on the official Nintendo Canada store.We can't say for certain how much each product will increase by, but we'll keep you updated.Switch 2 pre-orders were delayed in Canada in April, following the delays in the US, which were made so Nintendo could assess the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.If you're hoping to get your hands on the new console, you can check out our live coverage of Nintendo Switch 2 restocks for the US and UK.You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeAccessory maker Dbrand responds to botched Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con grips, admits its initial reaction to unhappy fans was 'a spectacularly terrible response to the issue at hand'