Despite its name, YouTubes Stats for Nerds feature isnt just for nerds. The option is turned off by default in all YouTube videos, but when enabled, a small window appears over your video with information like current video quality, buffering information, not to mention a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo. That mumbo jumbo, however, can prove to be quite useful.What each stat for nerds actually meansIf you're having a problem with playback on YouTube, or you're just curious about your video's stats, these details can be quite informative. Here's what each one means: Video ID / sCPN: The videos ID in YouTubes database and the code for your specific playback instance.Viewport / Frames: The video players resolution (not the videos resolution) and the current frame youre on.Current / Optimal Res: The videos current resolution versus its original resolution.Volume / Normalized: The current volume of the video youre watching and how much the audio is normalized. Normalization matches louder and quieter parts of the sound more closely to protect the listeners ears and speakers. The parenthesis shows how loud the video is compared to YouTubes baseline.Codecs: The medias video and audio compression codecs.Color: This shows the current color range of the content youre watching.Connection Speed: Your devices network connection. Network Activity: The data transmission from YouTubes servers to your device. The higher a videos resolution, the higher the network activity will be.Buffer Health: How much YouTube is able to buffer the video to avoid playback hitches and dropouts due to poor connection speed.Mystery Text: A long string of text whose meaning is not clear at first. More on this below.Date: The current date and time for the viewer.YouTube doesn't disclose exactly what Mystery Text is, and many have guessed at its meaning. But the top comment on a previous version of this article, posted by Raphael Chalk, broke each section down for the Mystery Text example of s:4 t:1759.84 b:1459.421-1884.549 P pbs:3354:s:4: The stream number or segment number.t:1759.84: The video's current timestamp, in seconds.b:1459.421-1884.549: Denotes the video's buffer range, in seconds. 1459.421 is the beginning of the buffer, while 1884.549 is the end. It shows how much of the video is actually buffered. P: This appears whenever the video is paused.pbs:3354: pbs stands for "Playback Session," and identifies the current session of video playback.Some of this information is neat, but most of it will look like techno gibberish for average users. That doesnt mean it isnt helpful, however. The network information is useful if youre having playback issues and cant pinpoint whats causing it.However, Stats for Nerds main use is for aiding YouTubes engineers with troubleshooting bugs. If you ever encounter YouTube problems like sudden app crashes, slow video buffering, or other issues, snap a screenshot of the Stats for Nerds window and send it to YouTube support with a bug report.How to turn on YouTubes Stats for NerdsStats for Nerds is useful, but finding and turning it on will differ slightly based on the device youre using.Desktop (Windows, Linux, Mac)Open YouTube.com in your browser of choice.Start watching a video.Right-click the video once to open the video menu.Select Stats for Nerds to toggle the overlay.AndroidIn the YouTube app, go to Settings > General > Enable Stats for nerds.Next, play a video.Tap the three-dot More button in the video player.Tap the Stats button. iOS and iPadOSOpen the YouTube appGo to Settings > General.Enable Stats for Nerds.Play a video.Tap the video, then tap settings gear, then tap Additional Settings.Tap Stats for nerds. SmartTVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devicesIn general, toggling Stats for Nerds should work the same on these devices.Open the app on your device.Start a video.Bring up the video playback controls (usually by pressing your remote/controllers default select button).Tab over and select Settings.Scroll over and select Stats for Nerds.

In the great world of kitchen appliances, the air fryer has reigned supreme for several years nowcrisping, dehydrating, reheating french fries to their former glory like no other can. But an air fryer only does its job one way, by eliminating moisture quickly, and thats not always what you want. If only there was an appliance out there that could cook my entire meal without shriveling it up. Oh, wait, there is. Its called a combi oven.What is a combi oven?Combi is short for combination. You might also see the combi oven called a combi cooker, multicooker, or combi steamer. It turns out thats a pretty apt title since it combines the functions of some cooking appliances, namely steamers, ovens, and convection ovens. Similarly to the air fryers history, combi ovens have been in use in commercial kitchens for ages. Now, what was once only made for industrial use has been shrunk down to a countertop size, and with a price tag that matches.A combi oven might have an array of cooking styles listed on the packagelike steam, air fry, broil, sous vide, sear, or braisebut the combi oven really has just one big difference from the average kitchen appliance: controllable steam injection. Ninja Combi All-in-One Multicooker $229.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $229.95 at Amazon A combi oven that offers steam control and large array of cooking styles. Anova Precision Oven $699.00 at Anovaculinary.com Shop Now Shop Now $699.00 at Anovaculinary.com Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer $246.99 at Amazon $359.00 Save $112.01 Shop Now Shop Now $246.99 at Amazon $359.00 Save $112.01 SEE 0 MORE How does a combi oven work?The combi ovens made for home kitchens are electric convection ovens (much like an air fryer): A fan placed in front of an electric heating element stirs up the hot air and circulates it around the chamber to drive moisture away and out the vent, and in doing so, cooks the item faster and hotter than a conventional oven. Add in the steam capabilities and you have three true functions: convection, steam, or convection with steam.Steam injection can help maintain moisture in the cooking area or introduce more. Incorporating the steam function takes the combi beyond the likes of the air fryer because now you can keep meats and vegetables hydratednay, juicy even!while also browning the outside.You may or may not be thinking, Well, Ill just put a pan of water in my air fryer. (Maybe Im the only one who thinks like that?) Anyway, Ive tried it, and its not the same, sorry. The convection winds just blow the moisture around; in this case, technology really has the upper hand. Many combi ovens have frustratingly cool features that digitally control the moisture level of your oven from the phone app, custom settings, or embedded presets for large roasts so you end up with the juiciest pork loin youve ever cooked. In a few months, Ill be roasting a Thanksgiving turkey in a combi oven just to see how it goes. Im already dreaming of how I could have the entire conventional oven dedicated to warming up side dishes at a reasonable temperature while the bird cooks away in a countertop combi. Pros and consThe pros Cooking versatility. You can cook almost anything in a combi oven. Steam rice, boil an egg, cook a whole casserole, make a souffl. Attention, bread bakers: You finally have a proof box with humidity control, and you can bake a loaf of bread with the appropriate amount of steam for once.Precision temperature control. Some models include a probe thermometer, and I recommend those if you can afford it. The probe thermometer will allow you to keep an eye on the temperature of the food youre cooking, which you can see on the digital display or an app. Humidity control. You can easily control the humidity and temperature with the digital controls on the appliance or on your phone. You can even get sous-vide-like results and moisture levels in your large cuts of meat.The cons Practice makes perfect. While the air fryer is as easy as "dump and press 'on,'" a combi oven has more functionality and more of a learning curve.The price. Well, its not as bad as it used to be. A few years ago there were very few makers dabbling in home combis, but now there is more competition and its driven the price down to a more reasonable level. Instead of spending at least $600, now you can find some models for around $200.The size. Combi ovens made for the countertop arent very big. Some models offer more cooking space than others, but if youre making a couple casseroles to feed 15 people, youre better off cooking them in your conventional oven.Combi ovens worth checking outFor a more affordable optionThe Ninja Combi All-in-one Multicooker. This appliance sits at a much more approachable $229, but the tradeoff is that it does not offer the steam control that other brands do. Instead of steam injection, the Ninja facilitates passive steaming from a steaming tray that sits on the bottom near a heating element.For cooking larger items with excellent steam controlThe Anova Precision Oven. This is a true combi oven with steam injection from a separate water reservoir; it includes a probe thermometer, and its large enough to cook big portions or large cuts of meat. With more control and functionality comes a higher price tag. This combi costs $699 but occasionally goes on sale.The Goldilocks CombiThe Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer. The Dreo ChefMaker offers steam injection, a probe thermometer for accurate temperature reads, app control, and has a smaller footprint than the Anova, which means it can work well in conjunction with other items in your kitchen, or serve as a great option in a small kitchen. The Dreo retails at $359, but you can occasionally (and right now) find it on sale.

When you think about the court system and lawsuits you might think about huge, big-money lawsuits that go on for years, or splashy legal conundrums played out on your favorite lawyer-themed TV show. But millions of lawsuits every year dont reach those dramatic heightstheyre filed in small claims court, where the monetary damages are low and you dont even necessarily need a lawyer.Its very possible you could find yourself in small claims court someday. If a contractor thinks you owe them money, or a neighbor claims something you did caused them harm, its pretty easy for them to pay a small feeoften less than $100and drag your ass into court. If that happens, you should take it seriously; it might be tempting to think of something like Judge Judy when you think of small claims court, but the consequences of not taking it seriously are very real. If youre being sued in small claims, heres what you need to do.Negotiate or mediateYour first step is to try to avoid the trouble in the first place. If theres been a misunderstanding or you think theres negotiating room, theres no reason not to reach out to the person suing you and try to work things out between you. Theres no prohibition against trying to work things out prior to your court date.If that doesnt work, you can suggest mediation, which brings in a trained, objective third party to try to work out a settlement. Again, theres no rule against thisin fact, many small claims courts require this step before your court appearance, and many that dont require it offer assistance identifying and engaging a mediator, so its worth reaching out to the small claims court clerk.Show upIf you cant negotiate directly, you should prepare to show up to court. Even if you dont care about losing, you shouldnt ignore a court date. Even if you need to postpone the hearing for some reason, youll need to show up for your court date to ask for that postponement. The basic rule is, unless the judge has explicitly told you otherwise, you need to show up for your court date.If you dont, there are two bad consequences:Default. The most likely result if you dont show up for your small claims court date is that the judge will almost certainly find in favor of the plaintiff by default, and will almost certainly grant them whatever they asked for. Any chance you might have had to whittle down the amount of the judgment by giving your side of things is gone.Loss of appeal. You can appeal a small claims decision just like any court decisionunless you fail to show up and a default judgment is rendered. Preserving the right of appeal may not seem too important if youre battling over a small amount of money, but why give away leverage?Abdicating any possibility of affecting the outcome in your favor is just a self-own.Be preparedOnce youve made plans to attend your court date, its time to prepare. Sure, these are small claims, but that doesnt mean this cant cost youthe value of those claims ranges from state to state, with Kentucky at the low end ($2,500 maximum) and Delaware and Tennessee at the high end ($25,000). Good for you if losing $25,000 by default is no big deal, but for most people the opportunity to at least get the amount reduced is well worth some effort.Seek advice. You dont need a lawyer in small claims court (and in many jurisdictions you cant have a lawyer represent you in small claims court), but you should review all the documents sent to you to make sure you understand what youre being sued over and what the plaintiff wants. If you dont understand, theres no rule against hiring a lawyer to advise you.Gather evidence. If the plaintiff has facts wrong, bring documentation to prove it. If youre arguing mitigating circumstances, be prepared to explain to the judge why you believe the amount demanded is too high, or why youre not the person who should be held responsible. Youll be speaking directly to the judge, so youll want to be ready to speak clearly and concisely. If you have witnessesand yes, you can call witnesses in small claims courtmake sure they arrive on time or provide a signed, written statement that you can submit.Pay attention. Finally, pay attention and do what the judge tells you to. Most small claims judges understand that you may not be familiar with the procedure; as long as youre respectful and make an effort theyll tell you what to do.

You can get Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows on sale for $44.97 right now (reg. $219.99) through August 4. Office 2021 includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access for one computer, which are the latest versions of the single-payment software suite before Microsoft introduced the cloud-based 365 subscription. It's a one-time download, but security and basic software updates are included. Unlike Microsoft 365, you only have to pay once with no monthly or yearly subscription needed. PCs need Windows 10 or 11, 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of hard disk space.Get Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows on sale for $44.97 right now through August 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

We use the term science fiction and fantasy as an umbrella for fantastical stories all the time, but in truth, these genres each contain multitudes. An SFF movie might be an alien invasion blockbuster; a bloody sword-and-sorcery epic; or a quiet, reflective fable. What these movies all have in common is the imagination to think outside of the world we can see from the window. Here are 30 of the best you can stream on Netflix right now.Damsel (2024) Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Enola Holmes) is practically the face of Netflix these days, and she's back again in this dark fantasy from director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later). She plays Elodie, the titular damsel, who's been offered into an arranged marriage by her family, which doesn't sound too terrible, until she learns that it's all been part of an elaborate ritual sacrifice intended to keep a dragon from destroying the kingdom. Lucky for her, she's far more resourceful than her in-laws give her credit for. First goal: get out. Second goal? Get even.Paradise (2023) Time is a literal commodity on this German sci-fi dystopia. Max (Kostja Ullmann) works for the appropriately named Aeon, a tech company that buys time (as in years) from the poor to extend the lives of its wealthy and powerful clients. He's great at his job, but it doesn't matter much when his condo burns down and he's liable for the loan backed by 40 years of his wife Elana's life. Suddenly married to a senior citizen, he's determined to get his wife's time back, whatever the cost.Nimona (2023) Based on the graphic novel from ND Stevenson, Nimona traveled a rocky road to the screen, surviving delays, company shut-downs, the pandemic, and pressure from Disney to tone down its queer themes. Luckily, none of that drama made it into the finished product (eventually brought to streaming by Netflix). It's a heartfelt, joyful, and funny fantasy set in a futuristic world full of medieval trappings. Ballister Boldheart, alongside his boyfriend Ambrosius Goldenloin, is about to be knighted by the queen, the first commoner ever to receive the honor. It's all good, until hes framed for the queens murder and forced to flee, becoming the criminal that the snobs already took him for. Luckily (or not) hes joined by Nimona, a teenager outcast shunned for her shapeshifting powers. The two work together to clear Ballisters name, even as Nimona has things to teach Ballister about living authentically.The Old Guard (2020) The comic-inspired Netflix film stars Charlize Theron as Andromache, the sometimes-leader of a group of immortal-ish individuals who are already centuries old as the film starts. They generally work as mercenaries when the cause is right, but find their group starting to splinter in the face of a new threat: Modern technology has made it harder to hide their secret, and a pharmaceutical exec has plans to capture them, figure out why theyre immortal, and then make a sellable product. The movies a solid blend of comic-book heroics and mercenary-movie action, with a sequel on the way. Shortly after this, director Gina Prince-Bythewood made the historical action-drama The Woman King, also on Netflix.Circle (2015) Its alien abduction for the Squid Game generation, this one picks up in the aftermath of a mass snatching. Circle opens on 50 people waking up in a dark room. Theyre on platforms from which they cant move on pain of laser-inflicted death, and they quickly realize theyre trapped in a game with simple, specific rules: Via hand gestures, theyre meant to vote on the next person to die (if not, someone is chose at random every two minutes). Its a sick scheme enacted by would-be invaders, but its also a study of our species, and reaches some not-entirely-flattering conclusions about how quickly well throw each other under the bus (er, laser beam).Godzilla Minus One (2023) Eschewing the more-is-more approach of the American Godzilla series, writer/director Takashi Yamazaki offers up this reminder that Japanese filmmakers really know their monster king. A prequel of sorts to the original 1954 film, this one finds kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) encountering Godzilla multiple times over the years following World War II. That wartime trauma, which harkens back to the original film, lends this one a kaiju-sized emotional weight. Nearly as important: the masterful, Oscar-winning visual effects make Godzilla scary again, and the action sequences have real weight and stakes. Ultraman: Rising (2024) This Japanese-American co-production reboots the beloved half-century-plus franchise with help of director Shannon Tindle and co-writer Marc Haimes (both of the brilliant Kubo and the Two Strings). Professional baseball player Ken Sato returns home to Japan when he inherits the mantle of (you guessed it!) Ultraman from his retired father. The stylish animation is lovely and there plenty of family-friendly action, but it wouldn't work half as well without the emotional arc: egotistical sports star Sato needs to reconnect with his distant father, even as he becomes the unwilling parental figure to an orphaned kaiju child.Conan the Barbarian (1982) It might not be exactly what prolific writer and Conan-creator Robert E. Howard had in mind but its a lot of fun in a shirtless, sweaty, sword-and-sorcery kind of way. Its the movie that kicked off a pretty cool cycle of 80s fantasy films, and also gave Arnold Schwarzenegger his big cinematic break. A long-haired James Earl Jones also offers up his second-most-memorable villainous performance as evil sorcerer Tulsa Doom. See You Yesterday (2019) See You Yesterday tricks you into thinking youre signing on for a sci-fi rompan early cameo from Michael J. Fox seems to underline it. As it begins, young prodigies CJ Walker (Eden Duncan Smith) and Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) develop a time machine and plan to test it by traveling back one day and scrupulously avoiding making any changes. Shortly after, the Spike Lee-produced film takes a dark turn: CJs older brother is shot and killed by an NYPD officer who mistakes a phone for a gun. CJ tries again and again to save him, but is frustrated as each attempt goes wrong in a new way. Its not an entirely downbeat movie, but, in the best sci-fi tradition, the high concept at its core has more down-to-earth relevance.The Midnight Sky (2020) Theres quite a bit derivative in this George Clooney-directed film, but its also quietly poignant in ways that modern science fiction rarely is. Thats a very specific mode, but refreshing in its way. Clooney plays Augustine, a scientist with a terminal condition in 2049 whos become one of the very few remaining humans alive on Earth after some unknown event left the surface contaminated with radiation. He discovers that a mission from a moon of Jupiter is on its way back to Earth, and makes it his mission to warn them that the planet is no longer hospitablea mission complicated by the discovery of a young girl he feels the need to protect.The Platform (2019) OK, the metaphor is a little heavy-handed: In a large tower, euphemistically referred to as the Vertical Self-Management Center, food is delivered in a shaft that stops on each floor from the top down: those near the top get to eat their fill; those at the bottom get scraps. The Spanish-language thriller is wildly violent, but inventive, and its not as if real-life capitalism is particularly subtle in its deprivations.What Happened to Monday (2017) Tommy Wirkola, director of the recent David Harbour Christmas-themed action movie Violent Night and the upcoming Spermageddon, helmed this high-concept science fiction story about the perils of overpopulation. In the near-ish future, a one-child policy sees spare kids frozen cryogenically until such time as they can be either become colonists on another planet, or until Earth finds more resourceswhichever comes first. Think Children of Men, but a bit goofier. Glenn Close is in charge of enforcing the policy, while Willem Dafoe plays the grandfather of identical septuplets. He comes up with a plan to keep all the kids out of the freezer: theyll take turns playing at being the same person (Noomi Rapace, in multiple roles). Ridiculous, but fun.Rebel Moon (2023) Zack Snyder, late of the entire DC cinematic universe, inspires passionate opinions all aroundbut his science fiction Army of the Dead followup can't be faulted for lack of ambition. It's a multi-part (currently unclear how many parts that will be) space opera that blends Snyder's distinctive visual style with Star Wars-style action. Sofia Boutella stars as a former soldier who rallies warriors from across the galaxy to join in a revolt against the imperial Motherworld on the title's out-of-the-way farming moon. You can currently catch part one (A Child of Fire) and part two (The Scargiver); the longer, R-rated director's cut debuts August 2..Back to the Future (1985) You know that Broadway musical that everybody likes? Turns out it was a movie way back in the 1980s. Who knew? It's a tightly constructed and impressively weird time-travel comedy about a kid who goes back in time and has to dodge his mother's romantic advances while trying to make sure that his still parents get together and get it on. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are a cinematic pairing for the ages in a movie that's funny and surprisingly thoughtful about its use of sci-fi tropes.The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) Halloween movies are valid at any time of year, so there's no reason to hold off on this family-friendly seasonal fantasy. The Howard family has moved to the town of Bridge Hollow just in time for the holiday, and daughter Sydney (Priah Ferguson of Stranger Things) couldn't be more exited about the town's holiday spirit. Dad (Marlon Wayans), on the other hand, is all about the science and hates the spooky nonsensemom Kelly Rowland often left to referee. The family has to try to come together, though, when Sydney accidentally frees a ghost who makes an army out of the town's decorations. Whoops!65 (2023) The Adam Driver-lead 65 came and went from the theaters pretty quickly in 2023, and not entirely unfairlyit doesn't really live up to the promise of its premise. But the high concept is so good it just about works anyway: 65 million years ago, a pilot from an alien planet (Driver) takes on a two-year long haul expedition in order to earn the money needed to treat his wife's illness (shitty capitalist medical care being, apparently, universal). His ship goes off course and winds up on an even more alien planet: Earth, circa dinosaur times. With the young girl who also survived the crash, he's got to try to get through the various terrifying Earth creatures and get back home before the asteroid that brought his ship down makes its way to Earth.The Matrix (1999) Perhaps you've heard of this indie classic from the Wachowskis? This is the action spectacular that revolutionized action in American movies while simultaneously sparking a million conversations about philosophy (many of them dumb, but that's hardly the movie's fault). Netflix is also the streaming home to the 2021 sequel, Matrix Resurrectionsthe best of the franchise since this 1999 original.The Adjustment Bureau (2011) Less well known than other Philip K. Dick adaptations (Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report), this is still a brisk and effective sci-fi yarn. Matt Damon plays a congressional candidate who meets Emily Blunt (in a men's room, of all places); their chemistry is instantaneous, and this would be a perfectly reasonable movie meet-cute if it weren't for the fact that it was never meant to happenat least according to the adjustors, well-dressed men responsible for fixing small mistakes in the timeline. Our two leads are determined that their own free will is more important than some idea of destiny, so they set about trying to escape and outwit their supposed fates.Life (2017) A creepily effective spin on Alien, Life finds a team of astronauts (Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds) encountering and investigating soil samples from Mars that appear to contain the first evidence of extraterrestrial organisms. It all pretty much goes downhill from there.Bubble (2022) From Attack on Titan and Death Note director Tetsur Araki and an all-star creative team, Bubble finds Tokyo cut off from the rest of the world when reality-bending bubbles rain down on the city (shades of Stephen Kings Under the Dome, perhaps). Anime fans were almost certainly on the lookout for the gorgeous, parkour-infused love story, but anyone who loves animation (or great sci-fi films in general) should check it out.The Sea Beast (2022) Chris Williams, an animator whos either directed or had a hand in some of the best of the last decade (Bolt, Big Hero 6, Moana, etc.) about a young woman who stows away on the ship of a legendary monster hunter (Karl Urban). The movie was nominated for an Academy Award, so its perhaps not that obscure, but still seems to have gotten lost amid last years major animated releases.My Fathers Dragon (2022) Based on Ruth Stiles Gannetts 1948 childrens novel of the same name, and geared toward even younger audiences than the other all-ages animated movies on this list, My Fathers Dragon still has plenty to recommend it to just about anyonealong with more emotional intelligence than many movies made for adults. In the film, a boy named Elmer (Jacob Tremblay) and his shopkeeper mother, Dela (Golshifteh Farahani) leave their tight-knit town in favor of a bigger citythough the promise of better circumstances doesnt quickly materialize. Elmers patience is rewarded, though, when a talking cat invites him to take a beautiful, candy-colored adventure. The movie is from the director of the The Breadwinner, set in modern-day Afghanistan, and Cartoon Saloon, production company behind animated movies like the beautiful Irish folk tale, Wolfwalkers.The Wandering Earth (2019) The title isnt a metaphor: this Chinese blockbuster is literally about what happens when the Earth goes off-course, and the people who come together to keep it from smashing into Jupiter. The whole thing begins when a rogue red giant threatens to engulf the Earth within a century, leading the nations of the world to come together around building giant engines to shove us out of the way. Its bonkers in the best possible way, with special effects that easily outpace those of many American blockbusters. The human element here is also a plus, as the movie makes room for a broad ensemble of interesting characters, suggesting that great things (like not hitting Jupiter) happen when people work together. Space Sweepers (2021) It doesnt entirely reinvent the wheel, but theres a refreshing focus on the underclasses of the future, without edging too far into the dystopian. Im not the first to make a comparison between Space Sweepers and Cowboy Bebop, but, given the recent and speedy failure of Netflixs live-action version of that cartoon, its not going too far to say that youll find a better encapsulation of Bebops spirit of rag-tag found family and its outer space western milieu here then in the live-action show that bore its name. What this one lacks in originality, it makes up for in engaging characters and extravagant special effects. Its also nice to see a less American-centric perspective on the future.The Block Island Sound (2020) Strange doings are afoot on Block Island, the most obvious of which are the vast numbers of dead fish that keep washing up on shore. More alarming though is the behavior of one of the local fishermen, Tom, who keeps waking up in strange places and generally losing time. His daughter Audry (Michaela McManus) works for the Environmental Protection Agency and is sent to investigate the mass fish deaths; she brings along her daughter and reunites with brother Tom (Chris Sheffield) along the way. Together, they discover no ordinary environmental catastrophe is to blame for all the dead fish, as the film blends the family drama and the eerie local events as it builds to a fairly chilling climax.Starship Troopers (1997) Starship Troopers is a wildly fascinating adaptation in the ways in which it takes straightforward source materialin this case, Robert A. Heinleins 1959 noveland largely satirizes it, by taking it at face value and doing a straight adaptation. Its a rather shocking bit of literary criticism disguised as a b-movie, turning the novels themes on their heads. At the risk of oversimplifying Heinlein, the novel (with a nearly identical plot) suggests that war is inevitable and that military service might be the best possible cure for a general moral decline. What we get in the movie is an ever-more-relevant picture of a militaristic slide into fascism thats also a pretty impressive action spectacle, and very funny. Okja (2017) A Korean-language sci-fi fantasy about a girl and her genetically modified pig might not sound like an easy sell, but the movie certainly attracted more much-deserved attention when its director, Bong Joon-Ho, won one of the best-justified Best Picture Oscars in recent memory for Parasite. The darkly whimsical film that challenges the norms of the American and South Korean meat industries is very much its own thing, but fans of Parasite will recognize Bongs mix of dark comedy, action, and hard-to-ignore social commentary.Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio (2022) The directors passion project, Pinnochio had a long road to the screen, but its hard to argue that it wasnt all worth it. Set in fascist Italy between the wars, and told through stunning stop-motion animation, the beautifully moving film won a well-deserved Best Animated Feature Oscar.Jumanji (1995) All three Jumanji movies are a lot of fun, but theres a lot to be said for the OG Robin Williams version, which just happens to be the only one streaming on Netflix. A group of friends become trapped in the title boardgame, one that unleashes jungle-related havoc on its players. Williams, having become trapped in the game previously, is at his most manic here, and the early CGI can be a bit wonky, but its still a charmingly goofy, family-friendly good time.Blame (2017) In the future, The City grows like a virus, endlessly in all directions, humans long since having lost control of the automated systems designed to run things. Those same systems now see views humans as illegals to be purged, so flesh-and-blood survivors are caught between the citys murderous defense systems and the need to find food. One group of humans, though, is on the hunt for the existence of someone with a genetic marker that they believe will allow for access to the citys control systemsa hunt lead by Killy, a synthetic human who might have the key.

If youre thinking of selling, but dont have the budget for bigger changes like a whole new kitchen or bath, you might think that staging is your only option to up your sale price. Luckily, there are quite a few smaller upgrades that dont involve demolition and reconstruction that you can do yourself to increase the resale value of your home. Get gardeningMaking sure that your landscaping is well cared for and has a clean look can increase the selling price of your home by 10 to 20%. To give your landscaping a boost, you can add some large planters with flowers for a pop of color, freshen up the mulch in your garden beds, or add some window boxes. Any upgrade you make to your garden will boost your curb appeal and can help you increase your sale price. Furinno 2-FG16450 Tioman Hardwood Flower Box, Two-Pack, Natural $49.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $49.99 at Amazon Upgrade walkwaysAnother good way to increase curb appeal is to upgrade your walkways. You can make a walking path using pre-poured pavers, or you can choose to mix your own concrete and mold your own pavers. If you prefer a gravel path, refresh your gravel and level your walkway with a rake to keep it looking neat and tidy.Install a picket fenceIt seems like a clich, but a picket fence can add the kind of classic charm you need to get a higher sale price on your home. In addition to adding safety for kids and pets, a picket fence can increase your selling price, so its a good project to tackle if youre an enthusiastic DIYer. Just make sure to call 811 before you dig so you dont hit any utility lines while youre digging your post holes. Put in a fire pitA fire pit can pull in a buyer with the promise of outdoor entertaining space, and you can add one with a DIY fire pit kit for between $500 and $700. The kit comes with most of what you need to build it, although youll need to level the area you want to put it in as well as clearing any vegetation from the area to avoid causing a fire hazard.Add some vintage detailsWhile it might not seem like a big thing, vintage hardware and fixtures can really make a difference to the overall look of your home. Vintage touches are in demand, and they can give your home a timeless quality that is attractive to buyers. Adding some vintage-inspired drawer pulls, cabinet handles, and knobs to your existing cabinets can give you an instant upgrade you only need a screwdriver to install. You can also opt for a vintage-inspired light fixture to add some nostalgia to your home. Alzassbg 10 Pack Antique Brass Cabinet Cup Pulls, 3 Inch(76mm) Hole Centers Cabinet Handles Hardware Shell Bin Cup Drawer Pulls Handles AL3033AE $37.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $37.99 at Amazon Install smart lightingSmart lighting like the Philips Hue system can improve your chances of getting a better sale price on your home as well as saving some money on your electric bill. The trick to successfully adding smart lighting to your home is to choose one integrated system that will communicate with other smart features. You can usually add smart lighting for between $300 and $400, and youll need some simple tools and basic knowledge of electrical systems to do the installation yourself. Make sure to turn off the power to the switch youre working on at the breaker to avoid electric shock.

Hello, fellow Olympians! The Paris games are in full swing, with thousands of athletes from all over the world competing in 32 sports (29 of which you won't hear about until the next Olympics). I'm glued to the competition, with an equal appreciation for athletic excellence and random heroes like Bob the Cap Catcher who gained international acclaim for jumping into a pool to retrieve a swim cap. Here are some highlights, lowlights, ongoing drama, and random observations from the Paris Games. The Seine is full of shitProbably the biggest story of the 33rd Olympics is whether the Seine is too polluted for human safety. "Mon Dieu! The river, she is full of merde!" a French official (who I made up) said of the matter. It's a big deal, because you can't hold swimming races in a literal sewer. Just hours before the scheduled start of the swimming portion of the Men's triathlon on Tuesday, officials were mulling whether the race would go ahead as scheduled, be postponed until later in the week, or be canceled altogether. Everything hinges on the results of water purity tests. The hope is that the levels of E. Coli in Paris's waterway will drop to "safe for humans," but since E. Coli rises when it rains, the race's future may depend on whether the storms scheduled for later this week materialize. An official of the World Triathlon, the governing body for the sport, told CBS that the swimming portion of the triathlon could be dropped altogether. "Then it would be a biathlon," he added.While canceling swimming might work for the triathlon (although triathletes who excel in swimming will be pissed), the marathon swim events scheduled for later in the games have no fallback position.Why Olympic street skateboarding is terribleDay three of the Olympics featured the finals of the street skateboarding competition. Japan's Yuto Horigome took home the gold medal, and Americans Jagger Eaton and Nyjah Huston won silver and bronze. But it was very stupid and bad because, as a concept, a "street skateboarding competition" is fatally flawed.First, because of Olympic drug testing. Skateboarders who like to smoke cannabis are ineligible for Olympic competition, which narrows the field of athletes considerably. Step one to improving Olympic skateboarding is ending testing for weed.But more importantly, street boarding, as it is practiced in reality, is nothing like the way it's "played" in the Olympics. Skaters don't compete by taking 45-second runs and scoring their best two tricks on scale of 0-100 points. Skaters compete by playing S.K.A.T.E. In S.K.A.T.E, a skater does a trick, then his opponent has five tries to replicate it or lose a point. Then they switch places. This is practiced in schoolyards and random stairways all over the world, and would be a much more interesting way to decide who the best street skateboarder is. S.K.A.T.E. involves direct competition, and has an objective outcome that doesn't depend on judges' interpretation. And it comes from the sport itself, not from whatever Olympic governing body made up the fake-ass rules for Olympic street skating. This is a great time to be into women's rugby Why did no one ever tell me that rugby is so amazing? All these years I thought it was like cricketsome foreign game for people who can't handle real sportsbut I've been glued to every game of Team USA's women's sevens rugby squad this Olympics, and it is badass. Plus, we are tearing shit up. We beat Brazil a couple days ago, and on day three, Team USA waged war against our eternal rivals, and the villains of the world, Great Britain. People in Great Britain actually care about rugbythey invented the game, after allbut team USA crushed 'em, 17 to 7, and barely broke a sweat. Highlights included a clutch score from team captain Naya Tapper at the game's halfway point, Sammy Sullivan mean-mugging the camera after putting the game out of reach in the second half, and literally everything Ilona Maher does, both on the field and on TikTok. This victory puts an American Rugby team into the Olympic semifinals for the first time ever. We're playing New Zealand on day four. They're very good, but I have faith in the mighty USA sevens. USA Women's Basketball: the anti-underdogsWhile the USA women's sevens rugby team are scrappy underdogs, our Olympic women's basketball team are not. We simply crush every competitor to the point that it's not even fun. Our victory against Japan adds a 56th game to USA's winning streak. The team hasn't lost a game since 1992. We play Belgium on Thursday. I don't think they have much of a shot.

You can get this Eufy BoostIQ Wi-Fi robot vacuum on sale for $99.99 right now (reg. $139.99) until August 4. You can control it through the EufyHome app or connect Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to set schedules, create boundaries for the vacuum not to cross, or manually control it in the case of a spill. The robot is narrow enough to fit under furniture, as quiet as your microwave, runs up to 100 minutes on a single charge, and cleans effectively on tile, carpet, and hardwood floors with three different brushes. This is an open-box modela customer return or extra store inventoryso it's 28% off, even though its verified to be in new condition and comes with a 90-day warranty.You can get this Eufy BoostIQ Wi-Fi robot vacuum on sale for $99.99 right now (reg. $139.99) through August 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

If youre looking for the Wordle answer for July 30, 2024 read on. Well share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Todays puzzle is harder; I got it in five. Beware, there are spoilers below for July 30, Wordle #1,137! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to todays Wordle game.How to play WordleWordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if theyre correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isnt in the days secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)Ready for the hints? Lets go!Does todays Wordle have any unusual letters?Well define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it Edwin Shirdloo, like a name, and pretend hes a friend of yours.)Four of today's letters are from our mnemonic. The fifth is fairly common. Can you give me a hint for todays Wordle?Wild, like an animal. Does todays Wordle have any double or repeated letters?There are no repeated letters today.How many vowels are in todays Wordle?There are two vowels. What letter does todays Wordle start with?Todays word starts with F.What letter does todays Wordle end with?Todays word ends with L.What is the solution to todays Wordle?Ready? Todays word is FERAL.How I solved todays WordleI started with RAISE and CHANT, then went with MOPED and BREAK to eliminate possible consonants and get known letters in the right place. There were a lot of words left with R, E, and A, but only FERAL fit with the letter placements remaining. Wordle 1,137 5/6Yesterdays Wordle answerYesterdays Wordle was medium difficult. The hint was great, excellent, very and the answer contained four common letters and one pretty common letter. The answer to yesterdays Wordle was SUPER. A primer on Wordle basicsThe idea of Wordle is to guess the days secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, youll see an empty grid of letters. Its up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word.Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word:Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and its in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then its game over.The best starter words for WordleWhat should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, thats still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isnt a single best starting word, but the New York Timess Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:CRANETRACESLANTCRATECARTEMeanwhile, an MIT analysis found that youll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:SALETREASTTRACECRATESLATEOther good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that its better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.How to win at WordleWe have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if youre a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, dont waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldnt have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.Wordle alternativesIf you cant get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after anotherDordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the days solution. Youre required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

Over the weekend, we learned Apple Intelligence, Apple's brand-name for its generative AI features, would not be shipping with iOS 18 after all, and would instead arrive with iOS 18.1. While Apple won't officially roll out Apple Intelligence until sometime later this fall, that doesn't mean these AI features will be totally absent until then. In fact, you can try them out right nowwith some big caveats. On Monday, Apple dropped the first developer beta for iOS 18.1. This version of the beta is meant for registered developers, so they can test out the new software with their apps and services and make sure there are no critical issues with it. While that used to cost $99 per year, in recent years, Apple has opened up the developer beta to anyone interested, meaning you can install the iOS 18.1 developer beta on your iPhone, even if you're not an iOS developer. Apple Intelligence is not here for everyoneSome caveats: Apple Intelligence is only available on iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, or iPads with an M1 chip or newer. If you have an iPhone 15 or older, or an iPad without the M-series chip, you're out of luck. In addition, installing the iOS 18.1 beta isn't enough to access Apple Intelligence. The company requires you to sign up for a waitlist for the service first before you can experiment with these AI features. There's no set time for how long Apple keeps you on the waitlist, and Redditors on r/iosbeta had varying experiences: Some were approved instantly, while others had to wait 30 minutes.As you might expect, this version of Apple Intelligence is in its initial stages of testing, which means it won't come with all the features Apple advertised earlier this year. While features like Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration aren't live yet, some key features are. If you install the update, you'll be able to try Apple's AI writing tools, new AI features in apps like Mail and Photos, and some AI upgrades to Siri.It's also important to note that because iOS 18.1 is in beta, it's risky to install on your device right now. Beta software is in testing, and unfinished, which means there could be bugs and other issues that would interfere with your normal device use. If you don't have a spare Apple device to install betas on, make sure to back up your iPhone or iPad if you choose to install iOS 18.1. Installing Apple Intelligence on your iPhoneAssuming you have a compatible iPhone or iPad, open Settings, then head toGeneral > Software Update. Allow the page to load a moment, then choose Beta Updates. Here, choose iOS 18 Developer Beta, then hit Back. Once this page loads again, you should see Upgrade to iOS 18 under "ALSO AVAILABLE." Tap this, which should take you to the iOS 18.1 update screen. From here, hit Update Now, then follow the on-screen instructions to install the update.Once you're running iOS 18.1, head back to Settings. You should now have an Apple Intelligence option. Tap this, choose Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist, then hit Join Waitlist on the pop-up. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.