Max has renewed DC animated series Creature Commandos for a second season.Creature Commandos kickstarted James Gunn and Peter Safrans rebooted DC Universe when Season 1 of the adult animated series launched earlier this month. Its written and executive produced by Gunn himself, with the Season 1 finale out January 9.Creature Commandos follows a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. It features a number of characters who are voiced by actors who will reprise their roles in subsequent live-action DCU projects. For example, Frank Grillo plays Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos and the upcoming Superman movie.Creature Commandos Season 2 is confirmed.Its certainly been well-received, with IGNs Creature Commandos review returning an 8/10. We said: Creature Commandos introduces the new DCU with a story only James Gunn could cook up, balanced by high-energy animated action, outrageous humor, and strong, emotional character arcs.Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO & Max Comedy Programming, commented: Only James Gunn could have conjured this wild band of misfit monsters who tug at your heart and force you to root passionately for them. We couldnt be more delighted to continue their stories with James, Dean Lorey, Peter Safran and our fantastic partners at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. James Gunn and Peter Safran also offered a quote: We're thrilled to team up with Max for another season of Creature Commandos mayhem. From our spectacular first season of Peacemaker to the astonishing run of The Penguin to the record-breaking launch of Creature Commandos, Max has consistently delivered above industry expectations and beyond our wildest imaginings. Thank you, Casey, Sarah, Pia, Sono and the entire team for your tremendous support of DC Studios. We are proud to call Max home. Season 1 stars Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, the aforementioned Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.Before Creature Commandos Season 2 comes out, the DCU continues with July 2025s hotly anticipated Superman movie. IGN has an explainer on all the DC Heroes and Villains in the new Superman trailer, comments from James Gunn on Krypto actually being a pretty terrible dog in the movie, thoughts on how Superman is about hope, and more.Photograph by Courtesy of Max.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Game Pass is all about options. Want the total gaming experience? What about high-quality games on PC? Or do you just want to play with your friends? Whatever type of player you are, Game Pass has you covered with an ever-expanding set of top-tier games.Heres a one-stop shopping guide to Game Pass to help you choose the plan thats right for you:PC Game Pass Want to play high-quality games on PC? PC Game Pass offers hundreds of games, including new titles on day one like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Plus, get an EA Play membership, Riot Games benefits in Valorant, League of Legends, and Teamfight Tactics, and more. Members also enjoy discounts of up to 20% on many games. If youre a PC player, then PC Game Pass is designed for you.Game Pass Core Is your main interest jumping on your Xbox console and challenging your friends online or teaming up to take down a final boss? Game Pass Core is a great avenue for online console multiplayer. For a low monthly price, play with others online, get member deals of up to 50% off select titles, and enjoy a select catalog of over 25 high-quality games in the Game Pass library, including Grounded, Among Us, Halo 5: Guardians, Gears 5, and more.Game Pass Standard Are you looking to level up your Xbox console gaming experience at a great value? Then Game Pass Standard may be right for you. In addition to all of the benefits you receive with Game Pass Core, including online console multiplayer and member discounts, you get access to hundreds of high-quality console games in the Game Pass library. Legendary series like Halo or Age of Empires, and massively popular games such as Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, and Tom Clancys Rainbow Six Siege are ready for you to play. Dive in and discover your next favorite game today.Game Pass Ultimate Are you a player who wants the total gaming experience? Then Game Pass Ultimate has what you need with all the Game Pass benefits we have to offer. Enjoy hundreds of high-quality games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Starfield, and Diablo IV, including new games on day one like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on your console, PC, and cloud. Get beloved series like EA Sports F1, Battlefield, and Star Wars with EA Play. Get a head start in Valorant, League of Legends, and more of the biggest PC and mobile games from Riot Games. Join friends and play together with online console multiplayer. Experience premium member benefits with deals and discounts on games and add-ons, free Perks, and more. Stream a game with cloud gaming before you download it on your console no installs required. With Game Pass Ultimate, theres always something new to play.We continue to be focused on delivering the best gaming experience at a range of price points so players can choose the plan with the features that best fits their gaming needs and budget. If you are interested in learning more about Xbox Game Pass and pricing for each plan, please visit our main page.

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle,the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.Ive been a CleanMyMac subscriber for nearly a decade, and Ive been truly impressed by the apps heavy focus on providing Mac users with remarkably simple yet effective malware detection and prevention features. So, when MacPaw offered to fly me out to Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet and interview the folks leading Moonlock, its cybersecurity division, I jumped at the opportunity.This interview is divided into three parts: About Moonlock, the technology behind the Moonlock Engine, and whats planned for the future.Disclosure: Ukraine is a country at war. Many members of the Moonlock team also aid in the defense of their country, so false names may be used below to protect their identity. Some parts of the transcript were edited for clarity.Youre reading Security Bite, a security-focused column on 9to5Mac. Each week, Arin Waichulis delivers insights and interviews on the latest in data privacy, the current malware landscape, and emerging threats within Apples vast ecosystem of over 2 billion active devices.At the time of writing, MacPaws HQ, the very place where this interview was conducted weeks prior, was just severely damaged in a ballistic missile attack. My heart goes out to the team. Please consider supporting MacPaws relief effort here.With that out of the way, heres my full interview. In the room: Oleg (head of product for Moonlock), Borys (head of Moonlock Lab, research division), Anastasiia (senior PR specialist at Moonlock), and myself. Q: Could you tell me what the inspiration was for MacPaw to open a cybersecurity division?From Oleg, head of product for MacPaws Moonlock:It became clear that after the first malware detection modules were added to CleanMyMacX, this was a much bigger topic than we initially thoughtwed only scratched the surface.We started asking ourselves: why not build something better and more comprehensive? This vision evolved into Moonlock. Unlike other cybersecurity companies focused on businesses or Windows systems, weve been working with Macs for years, so it felt like a natural fit. Additionally, many Mac users have the misconception that Macs are immune to viruses or malware, which isnt true.The next logical step for MacPaw was to address this gap. We were already cleaning machines and removing malicious files, so why not take it further and prevent them from causing harm in the first place?Q: Got it. And the mission of Moonlockwhats the focus?Oleg:The mission of Moonlock is to make cybersecurity accessible to everyone. When we talk to users, they often express awareness about cybersecurity and sometimes concerns, but they rarely take proactive steps to protect themselvesunless theyve already experienced an incident.For many users, an incident acts as a wake-up call. Before that, even if theyve heard about cybersecurity threats, they often take a passive approach because theyre unsure where to start or dont have the time to learn.Thats where Moonlock comes in. We aim to bridge that gap. Cybersecurity concepts can have a steep learning curve, but we believe we can provide tools that protect users without requiring them to become experts.CleanMyMac is perceived as a simple yet powerful tool. We want to bring the same philosophy to Moonlock. Its about creating solutions that are easy to usemaybe just a couple of clicksbut still incredibly effective.Q: Moving on to the technology, can you explain what the Moonlock Engine does?Oleg: The Moonlock engine is specifically designed for Macs. Its built by engineers who understand macOS, including how malware can persist and infect systems. This deep expertise allows us to tailor the engine to address Mac-specific threats effectively.One of its most significant advantages is that its integrated into CleanMyMac. So, any user who installs CleanMyMac, even for cleaning purposes, automatically benefits from the built-in security features.On the technical side, the engine uses a combination of static and dynamic analysis. Static analysis involves examining the code itself, while dynamic analysis involves running the code in a virtual environment to observe its behavior. This dual approach is crucial because some malware is designed to sleep for weeks or months, making it harder to detect.Weve also balanced thorough scanning with performance. For example, we have a fast scan that quickly checks the most common locations for malware and a deeper scan that examines additional areas and file types.Q: Are there any new security features in the new redesigned CleanMyMac?Oleg:Were not adding new major security features to CleanMyMac at this time, but were constantly updating the engine behind the scenes. Its not radically new, but it improves with each update. Were updating databases frequently to catch top-layer threats, adding signatures, and modifying detection methods to keep up with malware authors. Its always a cat-and-mouse game.Apple does a good job at stopping malware for the most part. They have protection tools built into the system, like XProtect and Gatekeeper. But users still click links or launch suspicious things, and thats where we try to help prevent them from doing dangerous things.Borys, head of Moonlocks research division, Moonlock Lab:In MoonLock Labs, we study not just samples or malicious code, but try to understand the intent behind malware authors. Were living in an age with technologies that can hide, obfuscate, and mutate code. If authors use ChatGPT or neural networks to mutate code, they can generate many variants no one can understand from simple observation.We focus on understanding malware behavior and improve our technology to collect and study samples through their behavior. You can study code statically by viewing it, or dynamically by running it in a virtual environment. Malware can sleep for days, weeks, or months, so even improved sandboxes cant always reveal malicious behavior.A recent trend is malware-as-a-service. Someone can write malicious code without commercial purposes and sell it on dark web marketplaces for Bitcoin. This makes it more dangerous because now people who cant write malware can purchase and execute it.Q: Are you seeing an increase in criminal activity in specific regionsmaybe Russia?Borys: Attribution is the most challenging thing. You cant always tell from the code that its Russian, Chinese, or North Korean. Through research and diving into C2 servers, comparing code elements on GitHub or the dark web, you can follow the trail to understand its origin. Its like being an investigator.IP addresses arent absolutely useful because Russia uses expansion techniques. They capture IP addresses, deface sites in any country, hack infrastructure, and convert it to proxies. Botnets created from poorly protected smart devices are common. Theres legislation coming to make manufacturers adhere to security standards, as many devices still use default admin passwords.Oleg: The Mac market seems to be going through all the same stages as Windows did, just decades later and more rapidly. Its like season two of the same series on a different platform. Windows researchers can apply their knowledge to quickly address these problems before they become as huge as on Windows.Q: Are there plans to spin MoonLock off CleanMyMac into its own product, like an EDR solution?Oleg: We are currently working on a product like that. Weve talked about it during the MoonLock launch converting our knowledge and observations into practical help for users. Our first step was improving CleanMyMacs removal into the MoonLock engine to protect millions of users immediately.Were building to execute our vision of making cybersecurity accessible to every Mac user, making it more sophisticated, capable, yet easy to understand and approachable. It takes time. The main challenge isnt just making security tools, but inspiring users to implement them and change their habits.People often treat cybersecurity as boring or too complicated. We want to make it colorful and easy to use, like CleanMyMac where users dont need to think about steps, it just works. But its more complicated because with cybersecurity, if you have a problem, its already too late. Its like vaccines you need them before problems occur.End.I want to give special thanks to Anastasiia at MacPaw for organizing a flawless and safe trip during such a tumultuous time in Ukraine. The team at MacPaw is world-class. I can best describe the company as the Google of Ukraine. Seriously.More in Apple securityA newly-released app lets you regularly scan your iPhone for Pegasus spyware which can access almost all the data on a phone for a one-off cost of just one dollar.Moonlock Lab released its 2024 Threat Report, detailing how AI tools like ChatGPT are helping to write malware scripts, the shift to Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), and other interesting statistics its seeing through internal data.Apples Passwords app now has a Firefox extension for Mac. Interestingly, a Reddit thread reveals that this extension appears to have been created by a third-party developer. But Apple appears to have taken it over under its branding and name.Mosyle exclusively reveals to 9to5Mac details on a new family of Mac malware loaders. Mosyles Security Research team discovered these new threats are written in unconventional programming languages and use several other sneaky techniques to evade detection.Follow Arin: Twitter/X, LinkedIn, ThreadsAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

He said he'd "try to testify."Spill the BeansSuchir Balaji, the young OpenAI whistleblower whose death was made public earlier this month, was apparently being considered as a witness against his former employer in a major lawsuit, The Associated Press reports.Shortly before his passing, the 26-year old Balaji had sounded the alarm on OpenAI's allegedly illegal copyright practices in an October profile with The New York Times.But according to the report, his involvement with the newspaper of record wasn't set to end there.AP that he would "try to testify" in the strongest copyright infringement cases brought against OpenAI, and considered the NYT's high-profile one, filed last year, to be the "most serious."The Times seems to have had the same idea. In a November 18 court filing, lawyers for the newspaper named Blaji as someone who might possess "unique and relevant documents" that could prove OpenAI knowingly committed copyright infringement.Tragic DeathBalaji had worked at OpenAI for four years, but quit in August after becoming appalled at what he saw as the ChatGPT developer's flagrant disregard for copyright law. He had worked first-hand on the company's massive data scraping efforts, in which it more or less pulled any content it could from the web to train its large language models."If you believe what I believe," Balaji told the NYT, "you have to just leave the company."On November 26, a month after his profile in the NYT, Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment, in what the police said was an apparent suicide. His death wasn't reported until December 13.Publicly, OpenAI mourned Balaji's passing. "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today, and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," a company spokesperson told CNBC at the time.Following SuitThe high-profile lawsuit that Balaji was being considered as a witness for was filed by the NYT last December, alleging that OpenAI had illegally used the newspaper's copyrighted work to train its chatbots. Balaji's documents were also being sought by another suit filed by comedian Sarah Silverman against OpenAI and Meta, the AP said.OpenAI and other tech companies argue that their use of copyrighted data on the internet constitutes "fair use" because their AI models significantly transform that content. But Balaji disagreed, saying that the AI models create a copy of the data they ingest, and are from there instructed to generate text of dubious originality."The outputs aren't exact copies of the inputs, but they are also not fundamentally novel," he told the NYT in October.Balaji's family said that a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California.Share This Article

Im not sure who created the now-pervasive practice of releasing six or eight or 40 character posters for every Hollywood movie. (Someoneshould figure that out andwrite a lengthy magazine profile onthat person.) All I know is you cant go to a multiplex these days without being inundated with countless posters for movies, many of them featuring actors you barely recognize playing characters youve never heard of before.There must be extensive studies or focus-group reports out there that prove this is a good way to market a movie, or at least to get a boatload of extra coverage on film blogs. And in 2024, even with fewer big blockbusters as a result of 2023s dual labor strikes in Hollywood, the practice showed so sign of slowing down. Even mid-level movies now sometimes get whole fleets of character posters. (You wouldnt believe how manyNosferatu posters there were if I told you.)All year, any timeI visited movie theaters around New York City, Ive kept a running list of the strangest examples; the oneswith incredibly minor characters, oramusing photographs,or Zendaya Is Meechee-esque phrases. With 2025 almost upon us, it is time to unveil my list of the 20 strangest character posters of the year. I cant wait to see what surprises the new movie year has in store for us. And please, whatever else you do, always remember: Dwayne Johnson is Callum Drift.The Weirdest Character Posters of 2024Hollywood studios inundate us with posters for every character in their big movies. Let us take a minute to honor the strangest ones we got in 2024.READ MORE: Ridiculous Character Posters From Previous YearsGet our free mobile appThe Dad Movie Canon: 25 Films All Dads LoveNo dad can resist these 25 movie classics.Filed Under: Best of 2024, IF, Madame Web, Red One, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, The Fall GuyCategories: Galleries, Lists, Movie News, Original Features

The leaves have fallen, there's a chill in the air and the sun retires early. We all know what that means -- winter has arrived, and it's officially cozy season.Luckily, there are ways to combat potential winter blues. Popular Scandinavian concepts like hygge, koselig and fredagsmys offer simple approaches to embracing and even enjoying the colder months. AleksandarNakic/Getty ImagesSimilar in essence, these phrases refer to the notions of slowing down and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. It's spending quality time with loved ones (or yourself). Its creating a sense of warmth and comfort by snuggling up with a blanket and hot cocoa by a roaring fire. Its decompressing after the work week with relaxing activities. It's about taking the time to unwind, and one of the easiest ways to do that is by cuddling up and watching a cozy movie or TV show.You probably already have a "comfort" show. It's the one you turn to time and time again, and the familiarity of it helps you de-stress. Whether it's soothing character voices, calming music or simply easy listening because you've seen it all before, comfort shows help us decompress from our busy and chaotic world.Our sleep and wellness experts at CNET are no exception. Here are the shows we put on to attain that sense of hygge -- the shows we rewatch to help us relax and stay cozy.Read more: Best Streaming Services of 2024Disclaimer: We typically don't recommend watching TV or movies while actively trying to fall asleep. Most experts agree that it's best to avoid all screen time for at least an hour before bed. We suggest shutting off your comfort show and giving your brain a break before actually trying to sleep. If watching your comfort show in bed helps you fall asleep, that's okay. What works for one person won't always work for the next, and whatever enables you to get your best rest is worth it. Over the Garden Wall/Hulu Over the Garden Wall (2014) Caroline Igo's comfort show CNET expert: Caroline Igo, sleep editorWhere to watch: Hulu, Prime VideoI had heard such great things about Over the Garden Wall that I was convinced to try it. I was told it was relaxing and charming and the animation art style was beautiful -- I wasn't disappointed. The main characters are two brothers, one voiced by Elijah Woods, who are lost and trying to make it out of the woods. Each episode is a mini adventure that they embark on together. It's cute and heartwarming, and the original background music is alluring and peaceful, Caroline explains. Caroline agrees with the sentiment of keeping the TV off in the bedroom: I like to watch an episode on the couch before bed in order to wind down from my day. I try not to watch TV in my bed so that my body associates my bed as the only place for sleep. Gilmore Girls/Netflix Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) Nasha Addarich Martnez's comfort show CNET expert: Nasha Addarich Martnez, managing editorWhere to watch: Netflix"You can't go wrong with falling asleep to Gilmore Girls. It's a cozy show where nothing too exciting happens, so you don't have the FOMO of a sudden plot twist. The show follows a heartwarming mother-daughter duo experiencing life in a small town. Lorelai's humor is incredible and each character is truly charming. There are also no jump scares, ultra-upbeat music or sounds that'll wake you from your slumber if you do fall asleep while watching, Nasha explains. Read more: 21 TV Shows on Netflix Perfect for Your Next Binge-Watch Frasier/NBC/Hulu Frasier (1993-2004) Owen Poole's comfort show CNET expert: Owen Poole, senior video producerWhere to watch: Hulu, Pluto TV, Disney Plus"Frasier is my all-time favorite sitcom and the perfect show to relax to before bed. The combination of the setting -- Frasier's beautifully designed apartment and a fancy Seattle cafe -- the classical and smooth jazz music and the pacing of each episode is calming and familiar. The show never really has "high-stakes" episodes that ramp up the stress for the audience, including an episode where the Brothers Crane (Frasier and Niles) try to find their way into a more exclusive section of their favorite spa before being told they need to stay in the "relaxation grotto." Watching Frasier feels like my own personal relaxation grotto -- it's the perfect before-bed TV show," Owen says.It turns out that snoozing to Frasier is common. There's an entire online community of dedicated watchers who fall asleep to the sitcom, including a subreddit of nearly 6,500 members. Forensic Files/Peacock Forensic Files (1996-2011) Taylor Leamey's comfort show CNET expert: Taylor Leamey, senior writerWhere to watch: Peacock, TubiAlthough it may seem surprising or counterintuitive, true crime documentary series and podcasts can help people fall asleep. Taylor knows this well, as watching Forensic Files makes her instantly sleepy.My go-to show for winding down to go to bed is Forensic Files. If Im having difficulty falling asleep, I put it on, and Im asleep within thirty minutes. And I know what youre thinking: weird thing to go to sleep to, Taylor. But for me, its less about the content of the show and more about the narration voice. Peter Thomas has such a slow and consistent voice that it lulls me into the perfect sleepy state. Its like my brain doesnt even register what hes saying; instead, it focuses on the tone of his voice, Taylor says. Joe Pera Talks With You/Max Joe Pera Talks With You (2018-2021) JD Christison's comfort show CNET expert: JD Christison, senior video producerWhere to watch: MaxTaylor is not alone in choosing Forensic Files. JDs partner Steph also turns to the true crime show as her go-to comfort watch. I know, weird choice, but I find the pacing of Forensic Files and the narrators voice to be super calming. Plus, its got that early 2000s charm! Steph exclaims.On the flip side, JDs genre of choice is an American comedy television series created for Adult Swim. My favorite show for relaxing is Joe Pera Talks With You. I like it because its a very innocent show where Joe Pera just talks about his perspective on the simple things in life that he enjoys. It puts me right out, in a good way, JD says. The Great British Baking Show/Netflix The Great British Baking Show (2014-) Erica Devaney's comfort show CNET expert: Erica Devaney, editorial directorWhere to watch: NetflixErica's go-to TV show before bed is The Great British Baking Show. "It's so calming and wholesome. It's a competition, but everyone is so nice." There's no yelling or loud fights like you'll find in the American version and other reality-type competition shows. A Reddit user expressed the same sentiment: "There is a gentleness that permeates the show. The judges, the contestants... are nice. It's a really relaxing watch."Erica also explains, "I hate waking up to something scary or stressful, so I put on a channel like Food Network or HGTV before bed because those are guaranteed not to be scary. I keep my TV on a barely audible sound level to go to sleep." If you also like to use the comforting background hum of the TV as white noise to fall asleep, it's best to keep it at a super low volume level.If you've ever been personally victimized by a show's unnecessarily loud theme song or credits (The Office, I'm looking at you) or a chaotic scene that plays at a much higher decibel level than the rest of the show, you're not alone. That's why choosing one with a steady soundtrack and consistent loudness or volume throughout can keep you from waking up abruptly if you fall asleep while watching. Read more: Best White Noise Machines of 2024 Bob's Burgers/Hulu Bob's Burgers (2011-) Anna Gragert's comfort show CNET expert: Anna Gragert, wellness editorWhere to watch: Hulu, FoxIt may seem like a no-brainer, but watching lighthearted shows or movies can help lower cortisol levels -- especially if it makes you laugh. A good chuckle releases feel-good chemicals in your brain, like dopamine and serotonin, which relieve stress and improve your mood.It makes sense, then, why Anna turns to funny and lighthearted shows to relax. "I basically only watch comedies, and while I am not usually a fan of animated TV shows -- I struggle with uncanny valley -- Bob's Burgers has stolen my heart. It's funny, heartwarming and relatable, and despite the difficulties the Belchers go through, they always make it through together. I will forever feel happy when I'm watching this show. I even watch old episodes if I need a dose of comfort," Anna says.Another show Anna recommends for unwinding at night is Abbott Elementary. "This show has everything you could possibly want in a comfort watch: friendship, comedy, love, community and family. It reminds you of your favorite coworkers who help you get through tough days with a laugh, and is there anything more comforting than that?" Abbott Elementary/Hulu Abbott Elementary (2021-) Giselle Castro-Sloboda's comfort show CNET expert: Giselle Castro-Sloboda, wellness and fitness writerWhere to watch: Hulu, MaxGiselle echoed Anna's preference for lighthearted shows like Abbott Elementary. "There's a lot of negativity in the world and humor is one of the best ways to make better use of that energy," Giselle says.Like many of us, Giselle has multiple go-to comfort shows that she cycles between. "I like watching reruns of popular sitcoms from the '90s, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, since it reminds me of my childhood. I also love shows like Frasier and The Golden Girls. During my parental leave last year, I binge-watched all eight seasons of Who's The Boss? I enjoyed the cast and how relevant some central topics are still today," she explains.Whether it's the cheesy laugh track, grainier film look, sepia-style color grading or the lack of technological devices in the episodes, sitcoms from the '80s and '90s tend to provide a level of simplicity and nostalgia that newer shows can't -- a blissful escape from the daily pressures of modern life. Drew Simms/YouTube Drew Simms YouTube Channel Dillon Payne's comfort show CNET expert: Dillon Payne, director of video productionWhere to watch: YouTubeAs a video director who creates content for YouTube, Dillon spends much more time watching YouTube than other streaming services."One YouTube channel I view while winding down is Drew Simms. Drew is a freelance photographer and filmmaker who specializes in documenting beautiful landscapes. His cinematography is stunning, and the visuals he captures are awe-inspiring. His calming sound mixing helps encapsulate the ethereal beauty of the location he is documenting. If you are a person who enjoys the beauty of the outdoors and is looking for a channel filled with adventure, wildlife and epic landscapes, I recommend checking out his channel before you take a snooze," Dillon describes.Listening to nature sounds, such as a babbling brook, wind in the trees, chirping birds or calm ocean waves, has many positive effects on the body. It helps reduce our "fight or flight response," lowering our heart rate and relaxing the sympathetic nervous system so we can enter a calmer state of mind -- which will help us fall asleep. The Office/Peacock The Office (2005-2013) Dillon Lopez's comfort show CNET expert: Dillon Lopez, senior video producerWhere to watch: Peacock"I'm doing the math now... and I can't believe The Office has been my favorite show for the past 17 years. It's hilarious, heartwarming and so familiar to me now that it's super comforting. Even though I've seen the episodes a million times, it puts me in a good mood. It's a mindless watch that I don't have to focus any brain power on, which helps me relax," Dillon explains.In a similar vein, Dillon has recently been falling asleep while watching The Detroiters. "It's funny and lighthearted. I love the dynamic between Tim and Sam, the two main characters. It's another show that instantly puts me in a good mood and helps me shut my brain off at the end of the day," he says. Schitt's Creek/Hulu Schitt's Creek (2015-2020) Jessica Rendall's comfort show CNET expert: Jessica Rendall, wellness writerWhere to watch: Hulu, Freevee, Disney PlusSchitt's Creek is another heartwarming show with a large dedicated fanbase on Reddit. Many of its fans fall asleep to the cozy sitcom, just like Jessica."Schitt's Creek is my favorite relaxing show because it's my favorite show, period. I'm both embarrassed and proud to say that I've watched the series multiple times over. I find it comforting because of the rich character development that allows an easy slip into the world. The big heart of the show makes for easy watching and low stress ahead of bedtime," Jessica explains. Read more: The 25 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch on Max Planet Earth/BBC/Max Planet Earth (2006-2023) Aly Lopez's comfort show CNET expert: Aly Lopez, sleep writerWhere to watch: Max, Discovery PlusWhen I want to watch something that will knock me out, I turn to documentaries or docuseries about nature, space, travel or history. Despite being interested in the topic, its usually less than 10 minutes before my eyelids are so heavy that I physically cannot keep them open anymore.Whether it's Our Planet or Planet Earth -- or any of the other "Planet" shows -- the combination of nature sounds, calming music and David Attenborough's endearing voice carries me to a tranquil sleep like a gently lolling sailboat on calm ocean waves.A weirder show that sends me into outer space (dreamland) is Ancient Aliens on the History Channel, primarily due to Robert Clotworthy's soothing narrations. I can't even tell you one thing thats discussed in this strange and controversial series because it immediately knocks me out whenever I put it on the TV. Australian Survivor/Amazon Australian Survivor (2002-) Wes Ott's comfort show CNET expert: Wes Ott, senior video producerWhere to watch: 10PlayFrom sports to reality to cartoons, various genres of shows help Wes relax at night. "There is nothing more soothing than SportsCenter replaying the same episode for hours after a good game ends. But my favourite show ever is Australian Survivor. I could never fall asleep during an episode because it's so good, but once it has ended, there's no way my day can get any better, so I know it must be time for bed," Wes explains.Wes also enjoys unwinding with Rick and Morty before bed. "Sometimes you need a quick little adventure to prepare for a sleepy night-night time," he says.Note: Australian Survivor is now geo-restricted, so streaming it in the US will require a VPN. Check out our Best VPN for Streaming in 2024. Family Guy/Hulu Family Guy (1999-) Jon Gomez's comfort show CNET expert: Jon Gomez, video producerWhere to watch: Jon has watched his comfort shows many times. "At this point, the familiarity of having watched all the episodes feels like white noise in the background that helps me sleep. It makes me and my partner feel comfortable and relaxed," he explains. The shows Jon prefers to watch at night include Family Guy, Futurama, George Lopez and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Having a few go-to shows of different genres or animation styles for unwinding before bed can help remove the pressure of scrolling through the countless options and trying to decide what to watch. For more ways to relax and unwind before bed:

These covers won't just protect your phone from damage but will also enhance the overall look and feel.

Hey everyone, it has been a really busy year and I need some time to recharge. We'll be back after January 6 with more Blender news. For now, get some rest, enjoy time with those close to you and we'll see you in the new year!Source

Artists concept of Parker Solar Probe. On Tuesday, Dec. 24, NASA's Parker Solar Probe got to within ... [+] just 3.86 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface.NASAs Goddard Space Flight CenterNASAs Parker Solar Probe has traveled to within just 3.86 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the suns surface a new record on Christmas Eve. You can follow Parkers landmark moment on NASAs Eyes On The Solar System page.In one of humankinds most impressive feats of space exploration, Tuesday, Dec. 24 saw a heavily armored NASA spacecraft no bigger than a small car become the closest human-made object to the sun in history. It also saw humanitys closest-ever approach to a star and the fastest-ever human-made object break its speed record.Monumental FeatThis monumental feat of exploration occurred at 11:53 UTC (6:53 a.m. EST) on Tuesday, Dec. 24, as Parker conducted an unprecedented close flyby of the sun, reaching just 3.86 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) from its surface. It was its 22nd close approach to the sun.At 96% of the distance between the sun and Earth well within the orbit of Mercury, at about 39% it is the closest any human-made object has ever been to the sun.Dr. Nour Raouafi, the projects scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, equates this missions significance to the moon landing in 1969. Its the moment we have been waiting for for nearly 60 years, he said during a media roundtable at the American Geophysical Unions annual meeting on Dec. 10, 2024. In 1969, we landed humans on the moon. On Christmas Eve, we embrace a star our star.Artists concept of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft approaching the sun. Launched in 2018, the ... [+] probe is increasing our ability to forecast major space-weather events that impact life on Earth.NASAMORE FOR YOUHyper-CloseIn what NASA calls a hyper-close regime, Parker will cut through plumes of plasma still connected to the sun and be close enough to pass inside a solar eruption, like a surfer diving under a crashing ocean wave, according to NASA.The heat that Parker will be subjected to when at its closest to the sun was nearly 500 times the hottest summer day we can witness on Earth, said Raouafi.Parker was already the fastest object ever built on Earth, but as it reached its closest point to the sun, it will go one further by traveling at 430,000 mph (690,000 kph), breaking its records for speed and distance. According to the missions website, thats fast enough to get from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., in one second.Mission operators at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, will lose contact with the probe for three days and wait for a beacon tone on Dec. 27, 2024, that will confirm its survival.Parker will complete two more hyper-close passes at the same distance on March 22 and June 19, 2025.Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Your Average SundayGame of the year 2024? For me, it was all about karaoke, a trip to Yorkshire, and irradiated teaForget Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo - here are the real big three that matter.Image credit: VG247 Article by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on Dec. 24, 2024 You know all those games we were talking about potentially being the thing this year around the time that Geoff Keighley was putting on his best corporate forced smile and preparing to take to the stage at The Game Awards?They can all go do one.Well, maybe aside from Balatro, because everyone likes Balatro.But I digress, Im not here to write about Balatro, no matter how many spare moments its robbed us all of. Im here to write about my personal games of the year. There are three of them, because Im an indecisive prick.Three games which have come to be in very different ways, and for different reasons.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Ill start off with Infinite Wealth, as 2024 did. Dropping in January (categorically the best month because its the one I was born in) Like A Dragon 8 faced a tough task. It had to out-do its critically-acclaimed direct predecessor, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, as well as somehow give iconic series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu a better ending than the one from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. You know, the ending that had all of us Yakuza-heads bawling like babies just a few months earlier.In my estimation, it did a better job of both than it had any right to. Its really two games. Ones a love letter to how far the long-unbeaten, but mentally bruised prize-fighter has come before he goes out to have what he believes could well be his final fight - the one in which the inevitable uppercut of time will knock him to the canvas through the gloves of his latest opponent. The other is the next chapter in the tale of someone whose life is all about approaching things in a way that Kiryu never has - to rely on others to do the fighting for you.You can argue that RGG bringing Kiryu back for what is his third attempt at a retirement tour gets in the way of letting Ichiban Kasugas portion of the tale (which is supposed to have him properly establish himself as the face of the franchise after his excellent debut) do just that. To me, with Kiryu in there, you get an entire package thats a lot more balanced in the tale its trying to tell. Its 'Doing It Yourself' versus 'Doing It With Help', and (spoiler alert) it ends with the guy who represents the former finally accepting the help he needs. Some of that supposedly infinite wealth. | Image credit: VG247/SEGAFallout: London, meanwhile, is set on sadness island, which is a lot less nice than Hawaii. While Shadow of the Erdtree has had us all debating whether DLC should be eligible for GOTY consideration, Id argue Team FOLONs massive creation makes a pretty good case that if DLCs allowed, mods should be, too.Its an incredible achievement in and of itself that a huge volunteer-led project like this actually got over the release finish line in a form anything close to what it did, and its kind of a tragedy that that initial release build ended up being so buggy. If you can get past that, the mods not just a nice little extension to Fallout 4 - its exactly the kind of expansive, interesting attempt at taking the Fallout series beyond its North American roots that Id have been impressed to have seen a professional studio with fairly hefty publisher backing deliver.Im not sure itll ever eclipse New Vegas on my list of best Fallout games, even with the fixes, but as someone who didnt quite enjoy the first series of Amazons Fallout TV show as much as others simply because it didnt really have capacity to offer the kind of different, unique take on the series world Im looking for, Im really glad London did just that. What a load of bank. | Image credit: VG247/Team FOLONFinally, Thank Goodness Youre Here from indie studio Coal Supper is the kind of game that, once youve shown it to someone, you dont really have to explain why you love it. I might be from somewhere slightly north of Yorkshire, but this picture of the quaint and quirky English town is one thatll speak to you no matter where in our crap nation that you happened to grow up, assuming you did so in a house without access to a butler and pony both called Giles.Its a hilarious love letter to working class people living working class lives, and in a year when weve had more and more soulless slop shovelled onto our plates, including the AI crap clogging up the socials, the simple and human deserves to be celebrated. It takes a village. | Image credit: VG247/Coal SupperAlright, you can bring all those other games back in now.