Good People, if you join us, over four weeks, we will enter the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) together. I will take you through how to set up and run foundational AI models like DeepSeek, Gemma 3, and others, right from your personal computer. You will understand not just how these systems work, but how to bring them alive on your laptop. Then, I will provide Python scripts which you can expand and adapt to summarize web pages, build your own personal AI chatbot, classify data, or even plan creative stories. (I am writing more codes and adding them to the class library).

Beyond your computer, we will also move into the cloud, learning how to deploy AI systems on virtual private servers. You will see how these distributed engines run, powering modern digital enterprises. This is not a coding class; we will not teach syntax. Instead, this AI Lab focuses on connection, how to integrate the many components that make AI agents possible. Upon those constructs, you can then write codes to expand the boundaries of your imagination.

So, are you joining us for the next edition of Tekedia AI Technical Lab, beginning Nov 15? Go here https://school.tekedia.com/course/ailab/

*image: Ndubuisi Ekekwe speaking at Brown University (2009); I just overlaid text on the photo

GameStop ($GME) shares surged 7.7% on October 27, 2025, closing around $23 after hitting intraday highs near $25.28, driven by a viral social media exchange with the White House.

It started when Microsoft announced a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved titled Halo: Campaign Evolved for PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC in 2026—breaking decades of Xbox exclusivity.

GameStop’s official X account (@GameStop) posted a mock “presidential statement” on October 25, declaring itself the “Neutral Entity” ending the “console wars,” urging fans to “cease hostilities” and enjoy multiplatform gaming.

The White House’s Rapid Response 47 account (@RapidResponse47) amplified it on October 26, joking it was Trump’s “NUMBER 9” war ended. The official @WhiteHouse account then reposted on October 27 with an AI-generated image of President Trump as Master Chief saluting a flawed, 40-star American flag, captioned “Power to the Players”—GameStop’s slogan.

GameStop replied with more memes, including Trump and Master Chief shaking hands. The posts exploded (e.g., White House: 149K likes, 38M+ views), reigniting GME’s meme-stock hype amid its pivot to collectibles (Q2 profit: $168.6M) and $8.7B cash pile.

No formal policy “announcement”—just playful engagement that fueled retail frenzy. Halo: Combat Evolved’s iconic campaign, rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5 for a 2026 release on Xbox Series X|S, PC Steam, Xbox app, and PlayStation 5—the first Halo on PlayStation—with day-one Xbox Game Pass support, full crossplay, cross-progression, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Visuals & Audio: High-definition 4K visuals with rebuilt environments, alien architecture, and vistas evoking the original’s grandeur. Updated cinematics using new motion-capture animations, based on original storyboards for fidelity.

Remastered soundtrack recreating Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori’s score, plus new sound effects and re-recorded dialogue by the original cast (e.g., Steve Downes as Master Chief, Jen Taylor as Cortana).

Refined controls with sprint (toggleable for classic feel), improved aiming (e.g., ADS on weapons like Assault Rifle and Needler, similar to Halo 5/Infinite), and enhanced precision combat.

All 10 original levels rebuilt with refined designs, better wayfinding/navigation, improved pacing/enemy variety (e.g., overhauled “The Library” Flood encounters and environmental storytelling).

Expanded arsenal: 9 new weapons from later games (Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, Needle Rifle, Fuel Rod Cannon, Sentinel Beam). Vehicles: Hijack enemy rides (Elites can hijack back), pilot Covenant Wraith tanks, 4-Spartan Warthog seating (Warthog less indestructible).

Updated Flood with Halo 3 pure forms. New Content3 prequel missions: Set before Halo: CE, starring Master Chief and Sgt. Avery Johnson with new characters, environments, enemies, and gameplay.

Most Skulls ever in a Halo campaign (e.g., weapon randomizer, Grunt Birthday Party), plus “Campaign Remix” to replay missions with modifiers for randomized elements. Solo, 2-player split-screen co-op (consoles only), or 4-player online co-op.

No competitive multiplayer (focus on campaign; use MCC/Infinite for that). The remake preserves the original story while addressing 25 years of feedback for a “timeless yet brand new” experience.

Halo: Campaign Evolved’s three prequel missions form a brand-new story arc set before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, starring Master Chief and Sgt. Avery Johnson—marking the first new single-player Halo content in years.

Takes place prior to the Pillar of Autumn’s crash on Installation 04, potentially drawing from The Fall of Reach novel (e.g., events during Reach’s fall or Chief’s escape), bridging gaps in Chief and Johnson’s alliance.

Emphasizes Chief-Johnson interactions, with Johnson as a key ally likely NPC, but co-op speculation exists. Introduces “new characters, enemies, environments, and dangers” to deepen lore without altering the core campaign.

Available from launch not confirmed as unlockable post-campaign; playable solo or in co-op. Exclusive mechanics/enemies not in the original 10 levels; leverages remake upgrades like sprint (toggleable), ADS aiming, vehicle hijacking/piloting (e.g., Wraith), expanded arsenal (Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, etc.), and UE5 visuals.

Co-op Integration supports 2-player split-screen (consoles) or 4-player online with crossplay/progression—ideal for Johnson-focused squad play. Compatible with “Campaign Remix” mode and the most Skulls ever (e.g., weapon randomizer, Grunt Birthday Party).

Names, specific locations, and detailed gameplay remain under wraps—Halo Studios has teased “more info very soon,” with fans speculating Reach-based levels such as space combat, ground defense.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic leader and vocal critic of President Donald Trump’s second term, has publicly confirmed he’s seriously considering a run for the White House in 2028.

In a CBS Sunday Morning interview aired on October 26, 2025, Newsom stated he’d “be lying” if he claimed he wasn’t thinking about it, but emphasized he’d decide after the 2026 midterm elections. This marks his most direct acknowledgment yet, shifting from years of denials where he described his interest as “sub-zero.”

His term ends in January 2027 due to term limits, freeing him up for a national bid. Newsom’s comments come amid heightened speculation fueled by his high-profile clashes with Trump, including challenges to federal military deployments in Los Angeles and pushes to redraw California’s congressional maps to counter Republican efforts in states like Texas.

He’s positioned himself as a “resistance” figure, mocking Trump’s social media style and warning of threats to election integrity—tying into his support for Proposition 50, a ballot measure aimed at safeguarding voting rights. A recent CBS poll showed strong backing: 72% of Democrats and 48% of all registered voters want him to run.

Trump’s 2024 victory over Kamala Harris has left Democrats scrambling for a post-Biden/Harris leader. Newsom, who was a key Biden surrogate in 2024, has surged in visibility by leading Democratic responses to Trump’s agenda on immigration, climate, and redistricting.

Earlier in 2025, Newsom visited South Carolina the potential first Democratic primary state and met with influential figures like Rep. Jim Clyburn, signaling early groundwork. He’s also addressed misconceptions about his “silver spoon” background, emphasizing his single-mother upbringing to broaden appeal.

The field is wide open, with no clear frontrunner. Newsom’s combative style contrasts with more moderate Democrats, but he faces hurdles like perceptions of California as a “failed state” due to homelessness, crime, and high costs—issues Trump allies like JD Vance a likely 2028 GOP contender could weaponize.

A Crowded Democratic PrimaryNewsom isn’t alone in eyeing 2028. Here’s a snapshot of potential rivals based on recent polling and betting markets (e.g., Polymarket odds as of October 2025).

Polymarket aggregated polls from CBS, NYT, and WSJ. Newsom leads early hypotheticals, but a Harris-Newsom showdown could dominate headlines, given their shared California roots. On X, reactions are polarized but intense: Enthusiastic Democrats see him as the “people’s president” who “gets things done,” with posts like “Gavin Newsom 2028? YES” gaining thousands of likes. Parody accounts and fans flood timelines with “Make America California!” memes.

Conservatives mock him as a “Botox-stiffened” “wanna-be” whose state is a “landfill’s asshole,” predicting a rout by Vance. One viral thread called his Trump obsession “creepy” and his run “doomed.”

Prediction markets give only a 6% chance he’ll announce by December 31, 2025, reflecting caution. Broader discourse ties his bid to Democratic urgency, with some urging figures like Obama to re-enter the fray.

Newsom’s net worth ~$30 million from wine and hospitality ventures and family (wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom and four kids) are under new scrutiny, potentially humanizing him but also inviting attacks on “privilege.”

Newsom plans to focus on 2026 midterms, aiming to flip House seats and bolster Democratic turnout. If Republicans hold or expand their narrow majority, it could turbocharge his “meets the moment” narrative. A formal announcement might not come until mid-2027, but his CBS pivot has launched the unofficial campaign.

In a fractured party, Newsom’s blend of charisma, combativeness, and caution positions him as a top contender—but success hinges on proving he can win beyond the coasts. As he put it: “Who the hell knows?” For now, the speculation is louder than ever.