When a deadly wildfire tore through Lahaina on Maui last August, the wall of flames scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic towns Front Street. But the sprawling tree survived the blaze, and thanks to the efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of it are growing back and even thriving.One year after the fire, heres what to know about the banyan tree and the efforts to restore it.This combination of photos shows the historic Lahaina banyan tree in Lahaina, Hawaii, after the Lahaina wildfire on Aug. 11, 2023, left, and July 6, 2024, right. [Photo: AP]Why is Lahainas banyan tree significant?The banyan tree is the oldest living one on Maui but is not a species indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. India shipped the tree as a gift to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Protestant missionaries to live in Lahaina. It was planted in 1873, a quarter century before the Hawaiian Islands became a U.S. territory and seven decades after King Kamehameha declared Lahaina the capital of his kingdom.The tree is widely beloved and fondly remembered by millions of tourists who have visited Maui over the years. But for many others it is a symbol of colonial rule that has dispossessed Native Hawaiians of their land and suppressed their language and culture.For generations, the banyan tree served as a gathering place along Lahainas waterfront. By many accounts, it was the heart of the oceanside community towering more than 60 feet (18 meters) high and anchored by multiple trunks that span nearly an acre.The enormous tree has leafy branches that unfurl majestically and offer shade from the sun. Aerial roots dangle from its boughs and eventually latch onto the soil to become new trunks. Branches splay out widely, and have become roosting places for choirs of birds.What happened to it during the fire?The 2023 fire charred the tree and blackened many of its leaves. But it wasnt the flames so much as the intense heat that was generated that dried out much of the tree, according to Duane Sparkman, chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee. As a result of this loss of moisture, about half of the trees branches died, he said.Once that section of the tree desiccated, there was no coming back, he said.But other parts of the tree are now growing back healthy.This combination of photos shows the historic Lahaina banyan tree in Lahaina, Hawaii, after the Lahaina wildfire on Aug. 10, 2023, left, and July 6, 2024, right. [Photo: AP]How was it saved?Those working to restore the tree removed the dead branches so that the trees energy would go toward the branches that were alive, Sparkman said.To monitor that energy, 14 sensors were screwed into the tree to track the flows of cambium, or sap, through its branches.Its basically a heart monitor, Sparkman said. As weve been treating the tree, the heart beats getting stronger and stronger and stronger.Sparkman said there are also plans to install vertical tubes to help the trees aerial roots, which appear to be vertical branches that grow down toward the ground. The tubes will contain compost so as to provide the branches with key nutrients when they take root in the soil.A planned irrigation system will also feed small drops of water into the tubes. The goal, Sparkman said, is to help those aerial roots bulk up and become the next stabilizer root. The system will also irrigate the surrounding land and the trees canopy.You see a lot of long, long branches with hundreds of leaves back on the tree, Sparkman said, adding that some branches are even producing fruit. Its pretty amazing to see that much of the tree come back.What other trees were destroyed in the fire?Sparkman estimates that Lahaina lost some 25,000 trees in the fire.These included the fruit trees that people grew in their yards as well as trees that are significant in Hawaiian culture, such as the ulu or breadfruit tree; the fire charred all but two of the dozen or so that remained.Since the blaze, a band of arborists, farmers and landscapers including Sparkman has set about trying to save the ulu and other culturally important trees. Before colonialism, commercial agriculture and tourism, thousands of breadfruit trees dotted Lahaina.To help restore Lahainas trees, Sparkman founded a nonprofit called Treecovery. The group has potted some 3,500 trees, he said, growing them in micro-nurseries across the island, including at some hotels, until people can move back into their homes.We have grow hubs all over the island of Maui to grow these trees out for as long as they need. So when the people are ready, we can have them come pick these trees up and they can plant them in their yards, he said. Its important that we do this for the families.AP writer Audrey McAvoy contributed from Honolulu.Claire Rush and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Associated Press

American furniture manufacturer Steelcase and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation have released two collections of furniture based on pieces from the American architect's late residential projects.The two collections were derived from designs within the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's (FLWF) archive.Called Rockford and Galesburg, the collections were based on furniture seen throughout Wright's oeuvre but directly reference pieces in Laurent house and his series of Usonian homes in Galesburg, Michigan.Steelcase has partnered with the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation on a series of residential furnitureSteelcase, which manufactured some of Wright's furniture during his lifetime, opted to select later designs because of their "accessibility" and reproducibility and worked through thousands of archival designs to find ones for a residential line of furniture.The Rockford collection features armchairs and a small table with nesting stools.The armchair was used in multiple settings and featured in Wright's own office. However the team based the new chair on one made for the Laurent house a project Wright carried out for a mobility-impaired veteran and his wife."Wright wanted to focus on capability and not disability [for the design]", FLWF president Stuart Graff told Dezeen. "It was an instance of compassionate design."The Rockford collection is based of design for Wright's Laurent house projectThe chairs are slung low to the ground with short, solid arms so that users can easily lift themselves out of it. The oak frame's dowels are prowed to the base and the legs taper.Meanwhile, the small table is made of plywood and has beveled edges and a triangular top.The originals were made of hardwoods, but Steelcase applied Wright's fascination with industrial plywood for consumer settings. It aimed to change the designs while still adhering to Wright's material choices.Read: Dezeen readers name Racine by Frank Lloyd Wright best furniture design of 2023"The original furniture was created in hardwood, and it was adapted at Taliesin West to be this chunky Redwood furniture," said Graff."But as we were working with Steelcase on this, we started to draw on the fact that Wright in this period, doing what he does so often in his career, is taking an industrial material, in this case plywood, and adapting it for domestic use," he continued."He wants to show you how the plywood is constructed and turn what might have been considered to be this raw material of default into a feature by making it the hallmark of the design itself."The chairs in the Rockford collection have short, solid armsThe Galesburg collection is an elaboration of the built-in banquet seating that Wright installed in a number of houses.It includes arm chairs and a sofa with upholstery that cantilevers over a wooden base with bull nose edges. The team utilized the geometric, single-pane character of Wright's architectural projects and applied them to a redesigned vision of the chair.The original chair had "winglets" on the arms that made the chair more delicate, so the team decided to make the arms more substantial and add welts to the fabric that pay homage to Wright's architectural forms as well as the original chair arms."We wanted to see a new design inspired by Wright's ideas," said Graff.The welts run horizontally around the sides of the chairs and sofa, and also up the middle of the sofa at the cushion break to create three distinct seating areas.The Galesburg collection is based on Usonian built-in sofasThe sofa also includes an ottoman that can be attached to create a chaise lounge on either side."You have this one unifying element that wraps around and this other unifying element that's vertical there's there's subtle details, but we know that that's what makes great design, and that's what Wright is using to create his great design."All of the furniture is available to consumers with a variety of textiles supplied by Designtex.This is the second major collaboration between Steelcase and FLWF. Last year, they launched a line of office furniture based on Wright's design for the SC Johnson Administration building, which Dezeen readers named the best furniture design of 2023.The post Steelcase releases two Frank Lloyd Wright-informed furniture collections appeared first on Dezeen.

Welcome to Furniture Friday! Today, we explore Frank Lloyd Wrights iconic design legacy through two new collections from Steelcase, created in collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. The Rockford and Galesburg collections breathe new life into Wrights mid-century Usonian aesthetics, blending historical elegance with modern functionality to suit todays lifestyles.Designer: Steelcase + Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wrights philosophy of organic architecture emphasized the integration of human habitats with their environment. This principle is beautifully manifested in the Rockford and Galesburg collections, which draw directly from Wrights archival designs. These collections honor their historical roots while offering pieces that meet modern needs.The Rockford Collection is inspired by Wrights Laurent house, a project designed for a disabled veteran. The collection features a lounge chair that maintains the originals focus on accessibility but updates it with modern materials such as plywood. Accompanying the chair are movable seating and polygonal tables designed to enhance interaction and serve practical daily use.Continuing this theme, the Galesburg Collection transforms the built-in banquettes of Wrights Usonian homes into standalone pieces suitable for modern settings. The collection includes sofas, sectionals, and lounge chairs characterized by clean lines and geometric shapes, reflecting Wrights architectural finesse. These pieces merge historical inspiration with contemporary needs, making them perfect for home and office environments.A key element of both collections is using plywood, a material Wright favored for its versatility. In these designs, plywood is celebrated as a main feature, highlighting its durability and aesthetic appeal. The modern, understated upholstery complements the wooden structures, enhancing the overall experience and focusing on quality craftsmanship.The collaboration between Steelcase and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation goes beyond a typical business partnership. It actively engages with historical contexts, aiming to adapt Wrights innovative designs to contemporary needs. This partnership began with Wrights designs for the SC Johnson Administration Building 80 years ago and continues to ensure his architectural philosophies remain influential in todays spaces.By introducing Wrights timeless designs into everyday environments, Steelcase honors his architectural legacy while demonstrating that thoughtful design continues to enhance human experiences and environments. These collections show that great design effectively bridges historical heritage with modern functionality, impacting how we live and work today.The post New Steelcase Furniture Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wrights Iconic Designs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hugo Martin says the new modding tools available for Doom Eternal are "professional level tools, and definitely take some time to learn."A new launcher and mod portal, plus a beta version of the idStudio toolset, are now live on Steam.

Thanks to a hectic production schedule, The Fantastic Four: First Steps didn't begin filming until July 29, the day after Comic-Con. That wasn't enough time to get a trailer together, but Marvel didn't come to D23 empty-handed. During the presentation for the Fantastic Four reboot, Marvel shared the first look at Joseph Quinn's Human Torch costume in the film.The first look at Joseph Quinn in costume as Johnny Storm in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS! pic.twitter.com/q3fu922Gs5 MCU - The Direct (@MCU_Direct) August 10, 2024 As you can see from the pic, it's not an exact recreation of Johnny Storm's costume from the comics. It looks more like a hazard suit than a traditional costume. But it does have the bright blue area and a retro-looking 4 logo that echo some of the older Human Torch outfits.The pic in question came from a short video featuring Quinn alongside his FF co-stars, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from the set of the movie. They couldn't break away from the shoot, but they're eager to show off the reboot.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Many role-playing games include party camp moments where players can perform a variety of tasks including interacting with their companions, cooking meals, and managing their inventory. While at camp in Baldur's Gate 3, for instance, players can change their party composition, restore their HP, revive fallen party members, and engage in important, relationship-advancing conversations with any companion characters they've recruited along their journey. Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming fantasy RPG Avowed has been confirmed to include its own party camp moments that function in a similar way.

Hello guys I tried to find some similar thread but I didn't, I apologize in advance if I missed it I'm approaching game development by following the general advice I read on the web (including this forum of course).So I'm starting small, I'm trying to develop my Pong version in Unity: I'm breaking down every single problem in smaller tasks, in some case I try to not follow a tutorial if I have an idea how something should be done (and then comparing what I did with what the

Image: Pixar Daniel Chong directs a bonkers-sounding 2026 release Continue reading

M. Night Shyamalan's career began in August. At least, that's when the world took note of him: In August of 1999, his supernatural thriller The Sixth Sense was inauspiciously released and went on to become a critical success and a box office juggernaut. This flew in the face of expectations for the hottest month of the year: The month was seen then, as it still often is today, as something of a dumping ground for movies saddled with low expectations. Often August is set aside for movies that Hollywood doesn't know what to do with. Maybe the test screenings went poorly, or a troubled production gave them the stink of failure. With kids headed back to school, it's generally not a great spot to release a would-be blockbuster, so why not fill the schedule with misfit movies that will at least attract audiences looking for two hours of guaranteed AC? And yet, the eighth month has actually hosted some pretty great movies over the years. This year, Shyamalan is even back in his familiar spot on the schedule with Trap, and if the decidedly silly thriller is no The Sixth Sense, it's still a great deal of fun. In that spirit, here are 17 August releases that defied expectations by either selling a lot of tickets, or just by being pretty damn good.Dirty Dancing (August 21, 1987) This cheaply made musical romance was hardly expected to be a blockbuster, but that didn't stop audiences in 1987 from having the time of their lives (sorry). Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze have absolutely combustible chemistry as increasingly disillusioned daddy's girl "Baby" Houseman and buff dance instructor Johnny Castle, respectively, their two worlds colliding at a Borscht Belt resort. Not only was the movie a hit, the soundtrack generated two multi-platinum albums with multiple singles each (not to mention earning an Oscar for Best Song). It was a genuine cultural phenomenon.Where to stream: Digital rentalBabe (August4,1995) When not knee-deep in Mad Max movies, George Miller has explored some fascinating sidelines, including this rather lovely story of a farm pig who'd much rather be a sheepdog. Miller produced and co-wrote the unlikely box office champ, which ultimately earned seven Academy Awards nominations, including for Best Picture. August movies are typically positioned between summer blockbuster and awards seasons precisely because they're expected to do well with neither, but here's a rare case of a film that expertly navigated that middle ground.Where to stream: Max, digital rentalEmma (August 2, 1996) Though she'd had a memorable role in Seven the year before, Gwyneth Paltrow made a name for herself as a leading lady with this sprightly Jane Austen adaptation, just two years before she won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. And thus was the Goop empire forged. The movie is brisk and playful, and Paltrow's casting at the head of a cast including Toni Collette, Alan Cumming, and Ewan McGregor feels revelatory. It wasn't a blockbuster, by any means, but did very healthy business, considering..Where to stream: MGM+, Paramount+, digital rentalHalloween H20 (August 5, 1998) The first time Jamie Lee Curtis returned to the franchise that she helped to build since 1981's Halloween II (also from director Steve Miner), H20 borrowed some self-aware teen slasher tricks from the Scream franchise. It doesn't go as deep or dark as the 2018 reboot, but it's a thrill to see Curtis facing off against Michael one more time. Until the time after this one. And then the three times after that. After a couple of low-rent sequels and diminishing returns, this became one of the highest-grossing in the entire series, and a fan favorite.Where to stream: Digital rentalBlade (August 21, 1998) The movie that might have kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe instead kicked off a trilogy that, like many a movie franchise, kinda crapped out by the end. Still, Wesley Snipes is perfectly cast as the title's human-vampire hybrid, a guy who can go outside in the daytime while he hunts bloodsuckers by night. Critical reviews were mixed, but some people just don't know how to have fun. The movie's blend of stylish, bloody action and swagger are memorable enough that Snipes returned to the role in a certain superhero blockbuster released this year (no spoilers!).Where to stream: Digital rentalThe Iron Giant (August 6, 1999) Maybe the early August date had the studio thinking that kids would catch it before school was back, but August seems to have doomed this gorgeous, heartbreaking classic to box office obscurity (it didn't come close to earning back its budget). There were other failures of marketing here, as well, but luckily it proved too good to be forgotten, and found an audience on home video. Still, back-to-school season just feels like a really bad time to release a family movie that might otherwise have had legs.Where to stream: digital rentalThe Sixth Sense (August 6, 1999) One of the clearest examples of an August release bucking the trend as a movie that beat both critical and box office expectations. This is the movie that introduced the world to director M. Night Shyamalanone of our most interesting and inconsistent filmmakers, and but the time the dust settled, it came in behind only The Phantom Menace among the year's top movies at the box office. Maybe there's a place for scary movies in August, when a certain type of moviegoer (me) is just beginning to anticipate the joys of spooky season. Where to stream: Max, digital rentalThe Others (August 10, 2001) As I was saying. I'm sure that Dimension films expected Alejandro Amenbar's gothic ghost story to earn decent reviews and maybe do moderately well at the box officebut there wasn't much of a market for haunted house-style horror movies in the Scream era. I don't think anyone had any idea that this dour period piece was going to do very impressive business (on a very small budget), and become an instant creepy classic.Where to stream: digital rentalThe 40-Year-Old Virgin (August 19, 2005) Judd Apatow had never directed a feature prior to this amiable rom-com, nor was Steve Carrell a household name. Avoiding many of the pitfalls of the typical sex comedy by foregrounding The Office star's general likability, the movie was a hit across demographics, blending some risqu comedy with sweetness. It made for a reasonably good break for parents after having carted the kids off to school.Where to stream: Prime VideoSuperbad (August 17, 2007) This coming-of-age sex comedy was likewise produced by Judd Apatow, and works in the way that the best of his movies do: it's a little raunchy, but never mean-spirited. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera play a couple of high school seniors who just want to get laid before they graduate. Silly, crude, and far less problematic than its premise would lead you to suspect, it was successful with both audiences and critics, even if it isn't the kind of movie that gets Oscar nominations.Where to stream: digital rentalScott Pilgrim vs. the World (August 13, 2010) Another Michael Cera movie in August, this one a rather dismal failure, at least at the box office. Edgar Wright's adaptation of the manga-esque graphic novel series about a slacker hoping to get a record deal while battling the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend is colorful, kinetic, and generally just a really great time at the movies. Too bad nobody actually saw it in theaters. Happily, that didn't stop it from garnering a cult following (and inspiring a Netflix animated remake more than a decade later).Where to stream: Max, digital rentalRise of the Planet of the Apes (August 5, 2011) The rise of an unlikely mega-franchise started here, with this reboot of the classic sci-fi series. Andy Serkis stars as the super-intelligent ape Caesar, both a brilliant technical innovation and a revolutionary character, literally, in our modern four-quadrant superhero blockbuster era. While the movies of the Marvel/Disney empire preach the virtues of the stars quo, Caesar reminds us that sometimes, change is worth fighting for.Where to stream: Hulu, digital rentalParaNorman (August 17, 2012) Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) can to speak to the deadand prefers their company to that of the living. Not sure I blame him. When his town comes under threat from a centuries-old curse, he's really the only one who can help. If he's brave and compassionate enough, and willing to put aside the judginess of his neighbors. Smart, fun, and gorgeously stop-motion animated, this movie did decent business, but suffered from its release month, as well as from a general hubbub around its acknowledgment of the existence of gay people. Refunds were not offered to anyone whose kid left the theater queer.Where to stream: digital rentalGuardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014) Dropping it early in the month was probably a smart way to make sure they could get as many kids in the seats as possible before school, but Guardians was an unknown quantity when it was released, and probably Marvel's biggest gamble since they kicked off the whole MCU with Iron Man. Despite starring Hollywood's least-favorite Chris (then best known as a sitcom sidekick), and featuring a team of heroes slightly obscure even among comics fans, the movie turned out to be one of Marvel's best, displaying a heart and sense of humor often absent from the its more calculated joints. Where to stream: Disney+, digital rentalAnnabelle: Creation (August 11, 2017) Most of the Conjuring spin-offs are cheap, efficient, and largely forgettable thrillers. The first Annabelle, having opened in October for Halloween, cost around $7 million, and more than made that paltry investment back despite pretty bad reviews. I'm sure the studio was expecting a similar outcome here, making it an easy August drop. This sequel/prequel, though, added director David F. Sandberg who, before his directorial career ran aground on the Shazam movies, was best known for a string of no-budget horror shorts that lead to the feature Lights Out. Sandberg adds some panache to the old-school scares for which the series has made its reputation, and the result was one of the best reviewed Conjuring movies, and among its top grossers.Where to stream: digital rentalBlacKkKlansman (August10,2018) Spike Lee's satirical true story adapts the memoirs of Ron Stallworth (played superbly by John David Washington), a Black detective in Colorado who set out to infiltrate and expose the KKK in the 1970s. The movie's release was chosen to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally, in which some "very fine people" gathered to give a boost to the panoply of American white supremacist groups, including the Klan. The timing didn't seem to hurt the box office: it became one of Lee's biggest grossers, and earned him an Academy Award in the process.Where to stream: digital rentalThe Personal History of David Copperfield (August 28, 2020) Charles Dickens by way of Veep creator Armando Iannucci, Personal History stars Dev Patel as the titular hero. It's a rather brilliant reimagining of the novel on which it's based, staying true to Dickens by amping up the satirical aspects. Dodging the trappings of fussy adaptations of the past, this version is a reminder that the author was a social critic as much as a dramatistit's stylish and funny in a way that feels fresh without feeling blasphemous. August of 2020 was not the best time for any movie's box office total (wee little pandemic going on, you see), so it sank pretty quickly. A shame, really.Where to stream: digital rental

Susan Wojcicki, who served as YouTube's CEO for almost a decade until she stepped down last year, has died. She was 56 years old. Her husband Dennis Troper has shared the news on Facebook, revealing that Wojcicki lived two years with non-small cell lung cancer. "Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many," he wrote in his post. "Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable."Google operated out of Wojcicki's garage when the company was just starting out, with founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin using it as their office. She became the company's first marketing manager, co-created Google Image Search and was the first product manager of AdSense. Wojcicki also headed Google's video efforts and was the one who encouraged the company to purchase YouTube in 2006, a year after the video-sharing platform debuted.In 2014, she was appointed as the CEO of YouTube, which became a key part of Google under her leadership. For the fiscal year of 2022, the year before she stepped down, YouTube ads brought in $29.24 billion in revenue, which made up over 10 percent of the company's total earnings. Outside of her work with Google, Wojcicki brought attention to the gender gap issue in tech and to the plight of refugees. She was also a proponent of lengthy parental leaves and talked about they're actually good for business. In a post on X, Alphabet's current CEO, Sundar Pichai, said Wojcicki was "as core to the history of Google as anyone" and described her someone who's "had a tremendous impact on the world."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/former-youtube-ceo-susan-wojcicki-has-died-110020190.html?src=rss