There are a lot of reasons to like Arcane, Netflixs animated series set in the world of League of Legends: the dazzling animation, the creative use of original music, the compelling relationships. But one of the more impressive things about the show to me is how restrained it is about throwing in references and Easter eggs to the source material.Unlike a lot of other IP-driven shows, Arcane isnt just a nonstop barrage of Hey, I recognize that! moments. That helps keep the shows emotional moments from feeling cheap, and it also makes the moments where the show does drop in a reference to the world of Runeterra stand out more. (Especially now that Arcane is also League canon and theres plenty of in-game tie-ins.)Here are the best moments weve spotted in season 2 so far. Any we missed? Drop the ones you saw in the comments.[Ed. note: This post understandably contains spoilers for Acts 1 and 2 of Arcane season 2 (or through the first six episodes). Proceed accordingly.]Act 2 (season 2 episodes 4-6):Warwicks WThe design of Warwick in Arcane is a very cool departure from his more classic werewolf depiction in-game, but there are still plenty of nods to his League appearance (like the chambers attached to his body that pump that green ooze into his system).For my money, the coolest Easter egg of the season also doubles as one of the coolest visual effects: the adaptation of Warwicks W ability, Blood Hunt. In League, Warwick can sense enemies low on health and moves quicker toward them, shown in the game by a trail of blood from Warwick to the enemy. Arcane cleverly brings this to life in the fourth episode in a sequence from Warwicks point of view, with a trail of blood in the air as he races through the city toward the captured Singed.Jinx calls Viktor by his in-game titleEach League champion has a title as well as a name: Jinx is the Loose Cannon, Ekko is the Boy Who Shattered Time, Jayce is the Defender of Tomorrow you get the picture. Viktors title is the Machine Herald, which Arcane nods to when Jinx refers to him as a machine herald outside his compound in Act 2.Viktor says the line!When you lock in Viktor in a League lobby, he says, Join the glorious evolution. So when Viktor said that line in Act 2, you know I was pointing at the screen like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.Act 1 (season 2 episodes 1-3):Heimerdingers code phraseIn episode 2, when Heimderinger is breaking into his old lab (now Jayces) with Ekko, he uses a code phrase Ekko doesnt understand: The brambleback has left the jungle. In League of Legends, the brambleback, colloquially known as red buff due to the effect you get by killing it, is a neutral monster in the jungle that is generally a high priority for junglers to kill. A brambleback leaving the jungle? Now thats a rare sight.TeemoAlso in episode 2, just before Vi, Caitlyn, and the rest of Piltovers enforcers attack Jinxs lair, Jinx is cleaning up the place. The camera briefly lingers on a piece of art on the wall, which shows Teemo surrounded by a bunch of mushrooms with flashing lights. Teemo is one of Leagues most well-known champions hes one of the games foremost mascots, but also one of the most hated champions by players because of how dang annoying he is.Janna statueWhile underground chasing Jinx, Caitlyn and Vi encounter a statue of Janna, an elemental wind spirit who is another champion in League of Legends. Jinx taunts Vi with childhood stories their father figure Vander used to tell them about Janna, saving miners trapped underground with the air running thin: Wild, the kind of crap people get up to when you choke em out.The Black RoseToward the start of episode 3, Ambessa receives a visit from Amara, an influential member of Piltovers merchant guild. Amara uses mysterious magical powers to keep Ambessa and her muscle Rictus held still in an attempted assassination attempt. Rictus manages to break free, and Ambessa kills Amara, as a black rose disintegrates in the merchants hand and Ambessa warns Rictus that this means trouble. Which seems apt, given that Mel gets swallowed by Black Rose magic at the end of episode 3.In League of Legends lore, the Black Rose is a secret, Illuminati-type organization that operates out of Noxus, where Ambessa is from. There are a few champions associated with the Black Rose: the sorceress LeBlanc (who has voice-over that says The Black Rose shall bloom once more when you lock her in to play in League), the vampire Vladimir, the spider woman Elise, and the snake woman Cassiopeia.

Like champagne itself, the revitalized Maison Ruinart in Reims, France emanates a sense of lightness and effervescence. After two years of meticulous restoration, this historic address, deeply rooted in the winemaking tradition of Champagne, has been reborn with a fresh, modern vision one that captures the very essence of champagne through architecture, design, and landscape. Led by a renowned team consisting of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, landscape designer Christophe Gautrand, and interior architect Gwenal Nicolas, the collaborative design includes a new pavilion of stone and glass, nestled within a public sculpture garden that champions local biodiversity.Fujimotos design draws inspiration from the lightness of champagne bubbles, forming an airy, asymmetrical structure with sweeping curves that echo the roundness of a champagne glass. Fujimoto goes on to say, Through the pavilions bay window, facing the main courtyard, you see Maison Ruinart as if in a dream. The pavilions transparent wall opens to the main courtyard, allowing visitors to view both the historic surroundings and the landscape beyond in one fluid scene. Inside, visitors experience a blend of light and shadow, moving through connected spaces that reflect the limestone-rich landscape of the region. With its winding paths and expansive glass, the pavilion offers a sensory journey that emphasizes the subtle beauty of nature.The interiors blend textures and hues in a nod to Ruinarts chardonnay vineyards, with details like green-toned upholstery and oak and beech furnishings that evoke petal-like forms. Floating glass bubbles by Atelier Barrois decorate the bar, adding to the dreamlike atmosphere. An intimate cellar beneath the pavilion offers a secluded tasting experience for enthusiasts, featuring Ruinarts rarest vintages. I wanted to strike the right balance between the history of an ageold Maison and a more contemporary perspective. Visitors are invited to plunge into the world of Ruinart, feeling both guided and free to explore as they please, says interior architect Gwenal Nicolas.The restored site not only honors the heritage of Maison Ruinart but serves as a place for modern dialogue, welcoming artisans, artists, chefs, and visitors to engage in a shared celebration of culture, history, and the art of champagne.Photography by Raul Cabrera.

Fire tablets have been around since 2014 and have improved dramatically over the years while still maintaining their budget-friendly status. The Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet offers the biggest screen in the Fire Tablet lineupand right now, you can get it for $159.99 (originally $279.99); or spend a little more for the Fire Max 11 bundle, which comes with the official keyboard, stylus, and cover, for $279.99 (originally $404.97). The standalone tablet marks the lowest price it has sold for, after checking price-tracking tools. Vivid 11 display, all-in-one for streaming, reading, and gaming, 14-hour battery life... Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet $159.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $159.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $120.00 With Keyboard Case, Stylus Pen, octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM to do more throughout your day, 128 GB Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet Productivity Bundle $274.97 at Amazon $404.97 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $274.97 at Amazon $404.97 Save $130.00 SEE -1 MORE The Fire Max 11 is the 13th-generation Fire tablet and was released last summer. With its 11-inch screen, it's Amazon's biggest Fire Tablet, but it's also its most powerful: it has 4GB of RAM, a maximum of 14 hours of battery, and a resolution of 2,000 by 1,200. You also get an 8 MP front and rear camera, 128 GB storage version, and no ads on the lock screen. The 64GB storage version is also available, but for $20 extra, it's worth doubling your storage. PCMag gave the Fire Max 11 an "excellent" review for its big and vibrant display, improved design, respectable performance, and access to the Amazon ecosystem. If you're looking for an opportunity to stack up on essential accessories, the Amazon Stylus Pen for Fire Max 11, which costs $34.99, and the Amazon Fire Max 11 Keyboard Case, which usually runs for $89.99, are both available in a bundle. With the individual discounts, they come out to the same price as buying them individually.One of the biggest complaints regarding Amazon tablets is the restriction on apps. Because they are Amazon products, the default app store is the Amazon app store, but there are workarounds.

Ever since election night on November 5, Ive noticed a massive exodus of my X mutuals from the site. Thats not too surprisingowner Elon Musk has made his political affiliations clear, and those who dont want to support him financially are understandably bouncing. I myself have only stuck around because of work, although Ive stopped posting as frequently. However, a new update to the X terms of service has even my finger hovering over the deactivate account button (even if theres technically a better way to leave Twitter behind).Starting today, X is now allowed to start feeding all your posts to its AI models, possibly even if you opt. The depth of the situation isnt quite clear, but regardless of whats actually happening behind the scenes, the language isnt encouraging.Freshly added to the terms Your Rights and Grant of Rights in the Content subheading is a new mention of Xs AI, which reads:"By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) [and] you agree that this license includes the right for us to (i) analyze text and other information you provide and to otherwise provide, promote, and improve the Services, including...for use with and training of our machine learning and artificial intelligence models, whether generative or another type."Ive highlighted the new text in bold. While the non-exclusive, royalty-free license itself is rather typical for a social media site, the updated terms now essentially mean that, by continuing to use the site, youre agreeing for X to train AI off of your posts.That alone has users concerned, but what has them confused is that X technically has already been openly training its AI on user posts, with the caveat that its had a clear opt-out toggle. At time of writing, that toggle still shows up for me on both mobile and desktop, but with the new language, its unclear if it actually does anything now, or if the new terms of service will take precedence should X choose to ignore a users opt-out status.Unfortunately, its unlikely theres going to be a clear answer until someone challenges the AI scraping in court, which has its own difficulties. Any lawsuits over Twitters terms, according to the update, would be overseen by either the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas, both of which are known for conservative judges. Given Musks political leanings, as well as Xs headquarter location within the state, its possible the court could favor the company.X did not immediately respond to Lifehackers request for clarification. Without clear communication, whether you trust Xs AI not to scrape your data now falls on the honor system. If thats a bit shaky for you, I understandheres a guide on how to migrate your account to Bluesky, a popular Twitter alternative thats seen a massive boost in users amid Twitters current exodus.

After a judge on Thursday ordered an evidentiary hearing into The Onion's winning bid to purchase Infowars, Alex Jones site resumed operations and claimed the sale has been blocked. But Onion CEO Ben Collins countered this in an update posted on Bluesky and X on Saturday, writing, We left the hearing with clear next steps to complete the sale. According to Collins, a court date has been set for a week from Monday, when the process is expected to be completed, and Infowars asked for permission to continue publishing in the meantime. The long and short of it: We won the auction and you're not going to believe this the previous InfoWars folks aren't taking it well, Collins wrote.On Thursday, the person overseeing the auction told us that The Onions bid for InfoWars, along with the Connecticut Sandy Hook families, won, Collins wrote in the thread.We havent heard anything that changed that except, of course, from the guys currently running InfoWars, doing InfoWars stuff. Jones has unsurprisingly called the auction rigged, and in a livestream on X said that lawyers for Elon Musks social media site have gotten involved and attended the hearing, Mother Jones reported.The Onion only went up against one other bidder in the auction for Infowars: First United American Companies, which is associated with a website that sells Jones supplements. The company reportedly bid $3.5 million. The dollar amount of Global Tetrahedrons (The Onions parent company) bid has not been disclosed, but its been backed by families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. Per Bloomberg, trustee Christopher Murray, who is liquidating Jones estate, said these families have agreed to waive their potential recovery and give it to all other unsecured creditors that Jones owes.There was a status conference with the judge overseeing the auction on Thursday, shortly after we were deemed winners, Collins, who formerly covered disinformation and online extremism as a reporter for NBC News, wrote in the thread on Saturday. The judge had some questions about process and some assets. Were glad hes doing that, since our bid with the families is clearly the best and transparency is even better. He added further down: We expected all of this, obviously. Buying this site was always going to be fun later on, but annoying right away. The fun part is still to come.Collins plan for Infowars is for it to relaunch as the dumbest website on the internet. The nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety will reportedly be the sole advertiser at launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-onion-won-the-auction-for-infowars-and-was-given-clear-next-steps-to-complete-the-sale-ceo-says-222134454.html?src=rss

Its Half-Life 2s 20th anniversary, and in celebration, Valve has released a special update that adds the Episode One and Episode Two expansions to the base game so you can play it all straight through, along with a two-hour documentary, developer commentary, and much more. The game is also free on Steam until November 18. Valves announcement itself is an interactive experience grab the gravity gun at the bottom of the page and you can pick up just about anything on the screen and toss it around (including that can, which you can then put in the trash).Every map in Half-Life 2 has been looked over by Valve level designers to fix longstanding bugs, restore content and features lost to time, and improve the quality of a few things like lightmap resolution and fog, the team says. The release notes are extensive, including updates to the graphics settings, gamepad controls and the Steam Deck menu. Valve's also published some old demo videos from Half-Life 2's development.ValveThe anniversary celebration also brings good news for anyone who didnt manage to snag a copy of Raising the Bar, the 2004 behind-the-scenes book thats since become a coveted collectors item: an expanded second edition is coming in 2025. This new version adds concept art from Episode One and Episode Two, plus ideas and experiments for the third episode that never came to be.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-celebrates-half-life-2s-20th-anniversary-with-a-big-update-174316547.html?src=rss

Don't miss Gnomon's free livestream next Thursday, 21 November on the concept art of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where Senior Concept Artist Jared Krichevsky reveals his ZBrush and KeyShot workflow for the movie.https://www.gnomon.edu/news-and-events/events/behind-the-scenes-of-godzilla-x-kong:-creature-design-with-jared-krichevsky

Framestore's new VFX breakdown for Deadpool & Wolverine features a host of alternate-universe Deadpools, including the boggle-eyed, CG-enhanced, oddly adorable DogpoolWatch the full video on the Framestore YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JUB55LfLQM

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.