Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHow to download your reading data from GoodreadsMaking sure your data is correctImporting your Goodreads books into StoryGraphGoodreads has been the only game in town for Android and iOS book-tracking for a long time now, and like most monopolies, it has grown old and fat. Acquired by Amazon in 2013, avid book readers have had lots to complain about in recent years, with the service languishing unloved, with no serious updates and an aging interface. It's been due some serious competition for a long time, and lo and behold, some has arrived. StoryGraph is a book-tracking app that offers everything you'll find on Goodreads but with an algorithm that lets you know about what you might love, and adds features any bibliophile will know are essential like a Did Not Finish list.Recommended VideosDifficultyModerateDuration15 minutesBut if you're anything like us, the last thing you want to do is abandon years and years of book-reading data from Goodreads. While a clean start is nice, it's better to have the choice, and if you've been reading a significant number of books every year, then you probably won't want to lose all that, especially when it can be used to pinpoint your next read. Thankfully, you don't have to abandon all those books, because there's an easy way to transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph. Here's how to do it.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsYou'll need a computer to complete these steps, as it's not the easiest to complete from a smartphone.Step 1: Start by signing up for StoryGraph, if you haven't already.Step 2: Now, you'll need to go to the Import Goodreads section.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsRelatedStep 3: Scroll down until you find the Export my Goodreads library button.Step 4: This will take you to the Import/export section on Goodreads. Select Export library to download your data. This may take some time, depending on how large your library is.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 5: Select the Your export from [date of export] - [time of export] link to download the .csv file.Now, you can just import this straight into StoryGraph, and if you're impatient, you can skip straight to the next section to do just that.However, keep in mind StoryGraph's warning: Some elements of your Goodreads data may be incorrect, as the "Date Read" column can be incorrect. If that's a problem you want to fix, well, we're with you and we're going to be fixing it right now.Step 1: Find your downloaded .csv file and import it into the spreadsheet program of your choice. You can use Excel or anything that you're familiar with. We're using Google Sheets because it's free for everyone to use.Step 2: Check the Date read column and make sure the date format matches the Date added column next to it.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 3: If it doesn't match, select the entire Date read column by selecting the top of it. Then head to Format > Number and select Date.Step 4: Next, any books you added to Read without adding them to Currently reading in the Goodreads app will have Date read data missing. You can add this if you want to by copying over the data from the Date added column.Step 5: When you're done, save the file by going to File > Download > Comma-separated values (.csv).Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsHere we go; it's showtime. Here's how to take that data and import it into StoryGraph.Step 1: Head back to the StoryGraph import section.Mark Jansen / Digital TrendsStep 2: Select the Browse button, choose the .csv, and select Open. Then, select Import my Goodreads library.Step 3: If you have any custom shelves in your Goodreads library, then the importer will ask you to assign any of those shelves to its categories, if they fit. Just use the drop-down boxes to highlight if any of your custom shelves fit their criteria.Editors Recommendations

Make sure the battery isnt low and turn on Lost Modeeven if the luggage isnt lostfor more frequent alerts.

oh, dear Human versus autonomous car race ends before it begins A2RL admits that this is a hard problem, and that's refreshing. Roberto Baldwin Dec 22, 2024 7:05 am | 14 A2RL chose the Super Formula chassis to install its autonomous driving tech. Recently, an A2RL car went to Suzuka in Japan to try and race against a human-driven version. Credit: Roberto Baldwin A2RL chose the Super Formula chassis to install its autonomous driving tech. Recently, an A2RL car went to Suzuka in Japan to try and race against a human-driven version. Credit: Roberto Baldwin Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreA2RL provided flights from San Francisco to Tokyo and accommodation so Ars could attend its race. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.TOKYORacing is hard. It's hard on the teams, it's hard on the owner's bank account, it's hard on the cars, and it's especially hard on the drivers. Driving at the edge for a few hours in a vehicle cockpit that's only slightly wider than your frame can take a toll.The A2RL (Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League) removes one of those elements from its vehicles but, in doing so, creates a whole new list of complexities. Say goodbye to the human driver and hello to 95 kilograms of computers and a whole suite of sensors. That setup was poised to be part of a demonstration "race" against former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat at Suzuka Circuit in Japan during the Super Formula season finale.But again, racing is hard, and replacing humans doesn't change that. The people who run and participate in A2RL are aware of this, and while many organizations have made it a sport of overselling AI, A2RL is up-front about the limitations of the current state of the technology. One example of the technology's current shortcomings: The vehicles can't swerve back and forth to warm up the tires. The A2RL team and former F1 racer Daniil Kvyat (center) smile for the media at Suzuka. Credit: Roberto Baldwin Giovanni Pau, Team Principal of TII Racing, stated during a press briefing regarding the AI system built for racing, "We don't have human intuition. So basically, that is one of the main challenges to drive this type of car. It's impossible today to do a correct grip estimation. A thing my friend Daniil (Kvyat) can do in a nanosecond."Technology Innovation Institute (TII) develops the hardware and software stack for all the vehicles. Hardware-wise, the eight teams receive the same technology. When it comes to software, the teams need to build out their own system on TII's software stack to get the vehicles to navigate the tracks.Not quite learning but not quite not learningIn April, four teams raced on the track in Abu Dhabi. As we've noted before, how the vehicles navigate the tracks and world around them isn't actually AI. It's programmed responses to an environment; these vehicles are not learning on their own. Frankly, most of what is called "AI" in the real world is also not AI.Vehicles driven by the systems still need years of research to come close to the effectiveness of a human beyond the wheel. Kvyat has been working with A2RL since the beginning. In that time, the former F1 driver has been helping engineers understand how to bring the vehicle closer to their limit.The speed continues to increase as the development progresses. Initially, the vehicles were three to five minutes slower than Kvyat around a lap; now, they are about eight seconds behind. That's a lifetime in a real human-to-human race, but an impressive amount of development for vehicles with 90 kg of computer hardware crammed into the cockpit of a super formula car. Credit: Roberto Baldwin Currently, the vehicles are capable of recreating 9095 percent of the speed of a human driver, according to Pau. Those capabilities are reduced when a human driver is also on the track, particularly for safety reasons. When asked by Ars what his biggest concern was being on the track with a vehicle that doesn't have a human behind the wheel, Kvyat said he has to "try to follow the car first to see what line it chooses and to understand where it is safe to race it. Some places here [at Suzuka] are quite narrowon the contrary from the Abu Dhabi trackand there are a lot of long corners. So I really need to be alert and give respect and space to the AI car," Kvyat said.Kvyat also noted that the AI car is traveling at a more respectable speed, so he really needs to know what's going on.The predictability of a human driver both on a track and in the real world is one of the issues surrounding AI. As we drive, walk, or bike around a city, we rely on eye contact from drivers, and there are certain behavioral expectations. It's the behavioral outliers that cause issues. Examples include things like running a stop sign, weaving into a lane already occupied by another vehicle, or stopping in the middle of the road for no discernible reason. On the track, an autonomous vehicle might choose to deviate from the racing line around a corner because of a signal input that a human driver would ignore or fold into their driving based on their real-world experience. The context of the rest of a lived life is just as important as what's learned on the track. Life and racing are hard and chaotic.The raceOn the Saturday of the race weekend, a demonstration of two A2RL vehicles raced around the circuit. The vehicles were moving quickly down the straight. The corners, though? We were told that they were still a bit tricky for the vehicles to navigate.Down in the pits, the team watched a bank of monitors. Sensor data came in from the vehicleszeros and ones representing the track translated into a sea of graphs. To help parse the data quickly, the system shows a green flag when everything is going well and red flags when the values are out of whack with what's supposed to happen. In addition to how the vehicle is moving, information about fuel consumption, brake wear, and tire temperature is shared with the team. Former F1 driver Kvyat was drafted in to compete against the AI. Roberto Baldwin Former F1 driver Kvyat was drafted in to compete against the AI. Roberto Baldwin The A2RL team at their battle station. Roberto Baldwin The A2RL team at their battle station. Roberto Baldwin Former F1 driver Kvyat was drafted in to compete against the AI. Roberto Baldwin The A2RL team at their battle station. Roberto Baldwin All of this data lets the team know how hard it is pushing the vehicle. If everything looks good, the team can push the vehicle to go a little quicker, to push a little harder for a better lap time. Humans elsewhere in the pits will soon tell their human drivers the same thing. Push harder, be quicker; the car can handle it. The data coming in predicts what will happen in the next few seconds.Hopefully.The individual teams will try to find the optimal line, just like the human team, but it doesn't always follow what humans have done before on a track. They work to create an optimal line for the autonomous car instead of just copying what humans are doing.This team has been at Suzuka for weeks ahead of this race. The HD map they bought from a third party was off by meters. In that time the team had to remap the track for the vehicles and teach them how to drive on a circuit that's narrower than the track at Abu Dhabi.The car is outfitted with Sony 4K cameras, radars, lidar, high-definition GPS, and other sensors. The electric steering can handle up to five Gs. The hydraulic brakes on each wheel could be triggered individually, but currently, they are not, according to Pau. However, Pau did note that enabling this function would open up new possibilities, especially in cornering. On the grid at Suzuka. Credit: Roberto Baldwin Pau took a moment while walking us around the vehicle to point to the laser that measures the external temperature of the tire. That, along with the ability to track the tire's pressure, are key to ensuring the vehicle stays on the track.The next morning, the main event was gearing up. Man versus machine. A modern-day John Henry tale without the drama of the song about a steel-driving man. We all knew Kvyat would win. A2RL was very up-front that the system is not nearly as quick as a human. At least not yet. But it had decided to bring the race to Japan, a country known to be on the cutting edge of technology. The "race" was to be held ahead of the season finale of the Super Formula season.It was cooler that morning than the previous day. The cars were pushed out to the grid. Kvyat was stationed behind the driverless vehicle. The time between leaving the pits and the race starting felt longer than the day before. The tires were cooling off.The A2RL vehicle took off approximately 22 seconds ahead of Kvyat, but the race ended before the practice lap was completed. Cameras missed the event, but the A2RL car lost traction and ended up tail-first into a wall. A rather anti-climatic end to weeks of work by the team. In the pits, people gathered around the monitors trying to determine exactly what went wrong.Khurram Hassan, commercial director of A2RL, told Ars that the cold tires on the cold track caused a loss of traction. A press release sent out later in the day noted that one of the rear tires suddenly lost pressure, causing the vehicle to lose traction and slide into the wall. The cameras missed the spin, but caught the aftermath. Roberto Baldwin The cameras missed the spin, but caught the aftermath. Roberto Baldwin The telemetry tells it all. Roberto Baldwin The telemetry tells it all. Roberto Baldwin No one wants to see their car come back to the garage like this. Roberto Baldwin No one wants to see their car come back to the garage like this. Roberto Baldwin The telemetry tells it all. Roberto Baldwin No one wants to see their car come back to the garage like this. Roberto Baldwin Hassan reminded us that the vehicle does not know how to swerve back and forth yet to warm up its tires. But more importantly, he said that the gap between simulation and the real world is very real. "You could do things on a computer screen, but this is so important. Because you have to be on the track," Hassan said.The reality is that reality is chaos and always changing. When a company notes that it's doing millions of miles of simulated testing, it's vital to remember that a computer-generated world does not equal the one we inhabit.Reality and intelligenceA2RL doesn't want to replace human-to-human racing. It understands the emotional attachment humans have to watching other humans compete. It also realizes that as these vehicles improve, what the teams learn will not be directly pulled from the track and put on self-driving cars. But by pushing these vehicles to the limit and letting AI determine the best course of action to keep from slamming into a wall or other vehicle, that information could be used in the future as a safety feature in vehiclesa way to keep a collision from happening used in conjunction with other safety features.The day before the human versus AI race, Super Formula had its penultimate race of the season. During that race, two cars left the pits only to have one of their rear wheels come off. Also, another two cars collided with each another. Racing is hard, and accidents happen.For A2RL, failure is always an option. It may break the hearts of everyone in the pits that have prepped for weeks for an event, but it's important to remember that it's a controlled environment. A2RL seems to understand and talks about the complications of aiming for an AI-powered vehicle. It would be nice if those companies testing on our streets did the same. 14 Comments

Shelby Vanhoy has been personalizing her North Carolina home since December 2023.She recently decided to break up her open-concept living space with a glass wall.Vanhoy said the space is more functional and calming thanks to the change.Shelby Vanhoy has been in home decor mode for nearly a year now.Vanhoy, 34, lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, 2-year-old son, and two dogs. They relocated from New York City to North Carolina in December 2023 to be closer to family."My parents are here, and it just makes our life a lot easier," she said of the change.Vanhoy and her husband became homeowners when they moved back. Since then, Vanhoy, a full-time content creator who runs the blogPretty in the Pines, has been customizing their four-bedroom home, built in 1988. Shelby Vanhoy at her home. Shelby Vanhoy/Pretty In The Pines She told Business Insider her style leans traditional with a twist."Some people say it's 'grand-millennial' with all the mixing of patterns and prints and kind of like grandma vibes," Vanhoy said of her decor style. "I love tying in antiques and vintage furniture and lights to make our house feel older than it actually is."Vanhoy also said it's important for her home to function for her family which is how she decided to enclose her open-concept living space.Open-concept living didn't work for their homeThe main floor of Vanhoy's home featured anopen-concept spacewith a kitchen, dining area, and living room, which she wasn't excited about."When we bought the house, it was just something that wasn't my first choice," she said. The space was open concept. Shelby Vanhoy After they moved into the house, Vanhoy found the open area didn't work for her family."It felt very overstimulating," she said. "I would be in the kitchen cooking things, and then the TV room was right beside the kitchen and the whole downstairs. You could just see everything.""Even decorating it, it felt like everything had to kind of go together because you're looking at everything all at once," she added.Vanhoy also works from home and doesn't have a designated office space yet."I would be working in the dining room, which was connected to the kitchen and the living room, so everything just felt like you were doing so much at one time," she said. "It just didn't feel very calming when you were on that floor."Vanhoy decided she wanted to separate the living room to section off the space.A transparent solutionRather than fully enclosing the living room, Vanhoy decided to add a partial glass wall to her space. The French doors served as inspiration. Shelby Vanhoy "Our living room is, natural-light-wise, a little dark," Vanhoy told BI. "I did want to add some sort of wall to enclose it a bit, but I didn't want to lose any of the natural light."The living room also featured glass French doors that Vanhoy loved, so she took inspiration from them."We decided to make it glass and make it look kind of like a window while also making it feel like its own separate room," Vanhoy said. An archway sat in the middle of the wall. Shelby Vanhoy The wall features an archway in the middle, and the sides are enclosed with walls covered in windows.Vanhoy hired professionals to complete the project, who added wood beams for support and moved a few outlets to make the wall work. The project cost under $6,000. @prettyinthepines anddd another project currently in progress... a window wall to help divide our super open floor layout #windowwall #transomwindow #livingroom #openconceptliving original sound - Shelby The space is more functionalVanhoy said the glass offers the best of both worlds, as it sections off the space without making it impossible for her to see into the living room."The best part about it is that it created other little functions, and it made the whole downstairs feel a lot more functional," Vanhoy said, adding that the design also brought character to the space. The breakfast nook. Shelby Vanhoy "I made a breakfast nook on one side of the wall, so that added a whole other function that we didn't have," she said. "And then we have a little kids' craft table on another side of the wall."The glass wall isn't complete, as Vanhoy intends to add more ornate molding to the windows for a personal touch.But it's already changed the way Vanhoy feels about the space. The space creates more functions for the home. Shelby Vanhoy "I do like seeing through because that room also has a nice fireplace, and I like seeing the fire on," she said. "But at the same time, it just feels totally separated, and light shines through.""The one downside, I guess, is it's just more windows to clean," she added.

"Abbott Elementary" season 4Chris Perfetti as Jacob, Tyler James Williams as Gregory, Quinta Brunson as Janine, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara on season four of "Abbott Elementary." Gilles Mingasson/Disney Season four of "Abbott Elementary" picks up with Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) officially dating after their slow-burn romance played in the show's previous seasons. At the start of this season, the pair are unsuccessfully trying to keep their relationship a secret from their Abbott Elementary coworkers when they return to school.The writing of "Abbott Elementary" remains as sharp and culturally relevant as ever, and the latest season sprinkles in new characters that keep the show fresh and exciting from Jacob's younger brother Caleb (Tyler Perez) and an IT guy named O'Shon (Matthew Law) whom the staff have a crush on to a lovable guinea pig named Sweet Cheeks who breaks through Melissa's (Lisa Ann Walter) tough exterior. Olivia Singh "Arcane" season 2Ekko in season two of "Arcane." Netflix Netflix and Riot Games' "Arcane" is one of the most impressive and ambitious animated works of the past decade and while it doesn't always find its footing, the end result is still so spectacular.The series is adapted from Riot Games' massively popular video game "League of Legends," honing in on a small cast of characters who live in Piltover, the gleaming city of progress, and Zaun, its less-than-scintillating undercity. The conflict between the two cities has reached a critical point by season two. Unfortunately for all parties, so has the evolution of Hextech, a magic-powered technology that has spiraled out of control and turned one of its developers into a misguided messiah. Oops!Season two is nothing if not ambitious and widens its scope while leveling up its already excellent animation, courtesy of the French studio Fortiche. In the process, it loses some of the intimate character work and tight focus that made its first season truly extraordinary. Still, the second season serves as a fitting conclusion and is a harbinger of good things to come from Riot's entertainment arm. Palmer HaaschRead Haasch's interview with "Arcane" showrunner Christian Linke. "Baby Reindeer"Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn in "Baby Reindeer." Ed Miller/Netflix Few shows caused as much of a stir this year as "Baby Reindeer," starring and written by comedian Richard Gadd. Netflix and the creator himself billed the series as a true story based on Gadd's real-life experience of being stalked by an older woman. Unfortunately, the show's stalker character, Martha Scott, was quickly outed as Fiona Harvey, who took legal action against the streamer.Despite all the behind-the-scenes controversy, "Baby Reindeer" is a work of art. Gadd lays himself bare as Donny, who's loosely based on himself. He's a powerhouse in episode four, which flashes back to explain the source of Donny's trauma before meeting Martha.It's an engrossing watch with equally powerful performances from Jessica Gunning, who plays the disturbed but deeply sad Martha, and Nava Mau, who plays Donny's girlfriend, Teri. Caralynn MatassaRead about the legal drama behind "Baby Reindeer.' "The Boys," season 4Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell, Erin Moriarty as Annie January, and Karl Urban as Bully Butcher on season four, episode seven of "The Boys." Prime Video If "The Boys" is Prime Video's NSFW answer to superhero fare like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then season four feels like the equivalent of "Avengers: Infinity War" minus a snap from a villain that wipes out half the universe.Season four of "The Boys" is darker than past seasons, as the characters confront deep-seated traumas. For an aging Homelander (Anthony Starr), this means grappling with the legacy he'll leave behind for his son Ryan. For his nemesis Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), it means coming to terms with his looming death and trying to prevent Ryan from succumbing to Homelander's darkness.It's a season filled with even more gory, jaw-dropping scenes and yet another Emmy-worthy performance by Starr, particularly in Homelander's gory homecoming episode.The endgame is nearing, with afifth and final season of "The Boys"likely premiering in 2026. Season four ends with the perfect foundation for all hell to break loose one last time. OS "English Teacher"Brian Jordan Alvarez as Evan Marquez in "English Teacher." Richard Ducree/FX It's astounding that it took this long for Brian Jordan Alvarez to get a series order after the release of his excellent 2016 web series "The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo" but thankfully, "English Teacher" premiered this year.The series stars Alvarez as Evan Marquez, a beleaguered but idealistic Texas high school teacher who comes under fire at work when a parent complains about him kissing his ex-boyfriend in front of the students.While "English Teacher" embraces the thorny politics of being an American educator in 2024, it doesn't spin them into saccharine teaching moments or cheap jokes. It mines them for character threads and comedy. PH "Fallout"Walton Goggins as The Ghoul in "Fallout." Prime Video With "Fallout," Jonathan Nolan proved that prestige-y video game adaptations weren't exclusive to HBO. Rather than directly adapting one of the multiple games in the postapocalyptic "Fallout" universe, Nolan instead leverages the style, humor, and striking visual identity of the games to show us something new."Fallout" stars Ella Purnell as Lucy, a naive resident who grew up in an underground bunker known as a Vault, established to protect humanity from nuclear armageddon. However, after tragedy befalls her home, she ventures to the surface, only to learn it isn't as deserted or unsurvivable as she was led to believe.The series features stellar performances from Purnell and Walton Goggins, who spends most of the season admirably noseless. And while it's set in the grim aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse, it's also irreverently funny and endearing. PHRead Eammon Jacobs' review of "Fallout" and Jason Guerrasio's interview with Walton Goggins. "Hacks" season 3Jean Smart and Paul W. Downs in "Hacks." Jake Giles Netter/Max The Max original "Hacks" has only gotten better with age, and in season three, it feels like the show has hit its stride.The show follows veteran stand-up comedian Deborah Vance, who, on the coattails of a successful comedy special, is gunning for her dream: a late-night hosting gig. After cutting her young writer, Ava Daniels, loose at the end of season two, Deborah realizes that she needs Ava and Ava craves working with Deborah again, too.This central relationship and all the ways Deobrah and Ava support, encourage, and mess each other up is constantly in flux. Season three not only succeeded in being funnier and more resonant than its predecessors but also in shifting Deborah and Ava's power dynamic into something new and a bit dangerous ahead of season four. PHRead Haasch's interview with "Hacks" stars Carl Clemons-Hopkins and Mark Indelicato. "Industry" season 3Harper (Myha'la) has a new role in season three of "Industry." Simon Ridgway/HBO Move over, "Succession" there's another contender for the best HBO show about horny, psychopathic capitalists. "Industry," the show about London's most dedicated and depraved bankers, finally broke through to the mainstream with its third season.Seasons one and two delivered well-written, well-acted, character-driven drama about the highs and lows of a group of young bankers trading stocks (and spit). Still, season three upped the ante, spending more time away from the office in lavish locations, such as the English countryside, a yacht in the Mediterranean, and a Davos-like conference in Switzerland.The change in scenery enhanced the story and deepened our understanding of the series' core group of complicated characters, most of whom have greatly evolved since we first saw them sitting and sweating at their Pierpoint desks.All of it leads to an explosive finale that's massive in both budget and sheer plot, effectively wiping the slate clean for a now-confirmed season four. It's an appropriately daring move for a show confident in its vision. It's peak TV at its peak. Samantha RollinsRead Rollins' interview with "Industry" showrunners Mickey Down and Konrad Kay. "Love Island USA" season 6"Love Island" season six host Ariana Madix. Ben Symons/Peacock There were many (many) reality dating shows that aired in 2024. Having regrettably watched most of them, I can confirm that the latest installment of "Love Island USA" blew them all out of the water.The franchise, which spun off of the UK edition, has the secret sauce that makes this genre sing. It's largely thanks to a format that other shows have tried and failed to replicate, wherein participants must constantly recouple to find true love (and win a cash prize). Season six had a particularly explosive set of personalities among its cast, leading to some serious drama, shocking betrayals, truly memorable moments, and fan-favorite standouts, including Serena Page, Leah Kateb, and Jana Craig. CM "A Man on the Inside"Charles (Ted Danson) with residents of Pacific View in "A Man on the Inside." Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix 2024 "A Man on the Inside" is initially presented as a spy mystery series as Charles Nieuwendyk (Ted Danson), a widower who recently lost his wife, accepts a job to go undercover in a retirement home. That's all background noise to the main event, which follows the lives of a kooky gang of residents who find community with each other after being left behind by their loved ones.Anyone who has seen Danson in any of his other many roles would not be surprised that he is an incredible leading man. However, the show's real strength is the supporting cast, especially Margaret Avery, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Sally Struthers, who provide so much humor and heart that they may make you shed tears."A Man on the Inside" proves we really need more TV shows centered on older characters, and there's ample talent out there to make those stories worth watching. Ayomikun AdekaiyeroRead Rollins' interview with "A Man on the Inside" creator Mike Schur. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"Maya Erskine as Jane in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." David Lee/Prime Video Prime Video's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," a reboot of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's 2005 film (mostly in name only), is deeply funny, emotionally stirring, and clever.Sure, both titles share a similar premise a husband and wife who are both assassins but the television series flips it on its head to create something much better.Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play two strangers who, upon taking a new job as shady agents for a mysterious boss, are paired together as a cover story. The 10-episode season features a laundry list of guest stars, ranging from Ron Perlman to Micaela Coel. PHRead Haasch's review of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and Jacobs' interview with guest star Ron Perlman. "Nobody Wants This"Kristen Bell as Joanne and Adam Brody as Noah on "Nobody Wants This." Hopper Stone/Netflix Rom-coms are so back.Six years after Netflix was credited with a rom-com renaissance thanks to hits like "Set It Up" and "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," the streamer struck gold again with "Nobody Wants This," a comedy series starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. The show became an instant hit, proving audiences yearn for more high-quality modern rom-coms."Nobody Wants This," created by Erin Foster and loosely inspired by her love story, follows Noah (Brody), an attractive and newly single rabbi, and Joanne (Kristen Bell), the outspoken agnostic host of a sex podcast. Despite their different views on religion and lifestyle, they pursue a relationship.Noah and Joanne's swoon-worthy first kiss scene went viral, people realized that Brody had been leading man material all along, and the show jumped to the No. 2 slot on the streamer's Top 10 list for English-language TV in the week of its debut. Unsurprisingly, "Nobody Wants This" will be returning for a second season, which begins filming in February. OS "One Day"Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall in "One Day." Ludovic Robert / Netflix The second attempt at bringing David Nicholls' bestselling novel "One Day" to the screen (after a 2011 film adaptation) is a rousing success. The novel of the same name is already beautifully tragic, relatable, and perspective-altering, but the Netflix show amplifies all these strengths with gut-punching performances from leads Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod, who play destined lovers Dexter and Emma.With each episode set in a different year, "One Day" takes audiences on a 14-year journey as the two grow into adults and fall in love with other people and each other, but never at the right time. For romantics or young people worried about the future, this is the show to watch from 2024. AA "The Penguin"Cristin Milioti in "The Penguin." Macall Polay/HBO Colin Farrell leads the spinoff sequel to the 2022 film "The Batman," playing the titular comic book villain Oz "Penguin" Cobb. It was fascinating how quickly it became apparent that the show had more in common with "The Sopranos" than nearly anything DC Studios has released.Farrell utterly transforms as Cobb, the mobster clawing to the top in Gotham after the death of crime boss Carmine Falcone in "The Batman" left a power vacuum. Still, Cristin Milioti is the real standout as Sofia Falcone, Carmine's daughter and accused psychopathic serial killer, fresh out of a stay in Arkham State Hospital. CMRead Jacobs' interview with "The Penguin" showrunner Lauren LeFranc. "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"The cast of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" includes Jessi Ngatikaura, Jennifer Affleck, Mayci Neeley, Taylor Frankie Paul, Mikayla Matthews, Layla Taylor, and Demi Engemann, along with Whitney Leavitt (not pictured). Disney / Fred Hayes On its surface, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" was a show greenlit solely because of a TikTok scandal where several couples in a Mormon community were implicated in an alleged swinging scandal. That premise didn't seem like it'd carry far, but turns out the swinging was possibly the least dramatic thing about these women.After a moderately slow start, "Secret Lives" turns the dial up to 11 in episode four, a group birthday vacation where all hell breaks loose as the group of friends and frenemies start calling one another out. (Shout out to the truth box, the real MVP.)It was hard not to root for Taylor Frankie Paul and follow her tumultuous relationship with Dakota Mortensen or to root against the deeply annoying Whitney Leavitt, who became the sleeper villain of season one. We're dying to see what becomes of MomTok when the show returns in 2025. CMRead Haasch's interview with Taylor Frankie Paul and Mayci Neeley. "Shgun"Cosmo Jarvis and Anna Sawai in the "Shgun" episode "Crimson Sky." Katie Yu/FX There was no stopping "Shgun" at the 2024 Emmys, and for good reason. Based on James Clavell's 1975 novel, the stunning historical epic focuses on an English sailor who finds himself shipwrecked in Japan and crosses paths with Lord Toranga, a powerful warlord.With incredible performances, sweeping visuals, and mesmerizing battle sequences, it's no wonder the show set a record for the most Emmys won by a single season of television and that the creators decided to rethink their limited series plan and continue the show with second and third seasons. CM "The Traitors" season 2Ekin-Su was unexpectedly poisoned on "The Traitors." Peacock They were the words heard 'round the reality TV-loving world: "Oh lord, not Ekin-Su."Few shows were as memed as "The Traitors," the US iteration of the international competition series where reality stars and celebrities try to deceive one another to claim a cash prize. Season one, which aired in 2023, was entertaining, but season two reached new heights, largely thanks to compulsively watchable characters like meme factory Phaedra Parks and "Shahs of Sunset" star MJ Javid, who gave us one of the best reaction shots of the year. CMRead Matassa's interview with "Big Brother" alum Dan Gheesling, who tried and failed to extend his gaming skills to "The Traitors." "X-Men '97"Wolverine in "X-Men '97." Marvel Studios/Disney Not only did "X-Men '97" expertly capture the spirit of the original animated "X-Men" series, but it also made it feel modern and relevant to the 2020s amid some gorgeously animated action.The performances are seamless with the original show, adding new dimensions to the Marvel Universe that fans, new and old, will appreciate. It deserves all of the praise for easily navigating the messy Jean Grey/Madelyne Prior clone saga from the comics. Season two can't come quickly enough. Eammon Jacobs

In the last issue of this newsletter, I wrote about what went wrong with public housing in the United States how it didnt necessarily fail, but was routinely sabotaged because of bad policy choices that contributed to neglect and mismanagement. So this week, I want to look at what successful public housing can look like. Oftentimes, when looking for models to emulate, many Americans look abroad for answers Austria, Denmark, and Singapore, for example, are frequently cited as places to learn from. But one of the problems with turning to other countries is that their politics and governments are fundamentally different, and simply copying them isnt always an option. Thats why Im particularly interested in looking at examples of public housing models that have worked quite well here in the United States. After all, if one American city or county can pull off an ambitious program, then whats stopping others from doing the same?What we can learn from the DC suburbsEarlier this year, my colleague Rachel Cohen highlighted a place where local leaders are expanding public housing: Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County has long prioritized affordable housing. Developers, for example, are required to make at least 15 percent of units in new housing projects available for people who make less than two-thirds of the areas median income. But the county got creative with how it could provide public housing: It set aside a fund to finance and develop housing projects. And while the county partners with private developers, its investment makes it a majority owner of a given project. As the New York Times put it, the county, as an owner, becomes a kind of benevolent investor that trades profits for lower rents.For background, the countys Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) is not just a public housing authority, but a housing finance agency and public developer as well. We have these three different components that ultimately work together to help us really advance a very aggressive development strategy that we have deployed over 50 years, said Chelsea Andrews, executive director of HOC. Historically, public housing projects in the United States have only been available to people making very low incomes. Thats by design: In 1936, the federal government set income limits for eligibility. While that might seem like it makes sense shouldnt public housing units be available to those who most need them? the reality is that this rule limited housing authorities ability to raise revenue by charging closer to market-rate rents for middle- or higher-income earners. As a result, public housing projects have been overly reliant on government subsidies and constantly underfunded.But Montgomery County is addressing that problem by opening public housing up to mixed-income renters.Mixed income accomplishes so many goals, Andrews said. It allows for housing authorities to ensure that they are creating inclusive communities. It takes away the concentration of poverty. Andrews added that mixed-income housing doesnt discourage people from advancing their careers since they dont have to worry about losing their eligibility to stay housed in an HOC property. And by making the developments mixed-income, the local government can use profits from some renters to subsidize others and keep the buildings in good condition.In many ways, this model is a rebrand. They are very clear about not calling it public housing: To help differentiate these projects from the typical stigmatized, income-restricted, and underfunded model, leaders have coalesced around calling the mixed-income idea social housing produced by public developers, Cohen wrote. But in effect, the model is still publicly owned units being rented to residents at subsidized rates.Montgomery County has seen plenty of success. The Laureate, one of these types of developments in the suburbs of Washington, DC, had leased out 97 percent of its 268 units within a year of opening in 2023.Its not just Montgomery CountyAcross the country, housing advocates and local governments have taken note of Montgomery Countys example and are keen on trying it out for themselves. In Massachusetts, state Rep. Mike Connolly introduced legislation last year to create a $100 million fund to finance social housing projects. While that specific legislation hasnt passed yet, the governor recently signed a housing bond bill that includes funding for a social housing pilot program. We got a lot of enthusiasm and support around us now doing the work of mapping out what these initial projects will look like. It could result in perhaps one or two local, mixed-income social housing-type projects in the coming years, Connolly said. If we can develop something and build it, people can see it, and then we can point to it and look to expand it. And, of course, Montgomery County, Maryland, has been the contemporary national leader here.As local governments struggle to deal with soaring housing costs, this model is providing a good solution by both building more units (which is very much needed) and providing below market-rate rents. And with more and more lawmakers approving these projects, America could be on the brink of a new era of public housing and this time, it might actually be a success. This story was featured in the Within Our Means newsletter. Sign up here.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

By Margherita Bassi Published December 22, 2024 | Comments (0) | The bone floor in Alkmaar. Municipality of Alkmaar archeology team. Hundreds of years ago, someone in the Netherlands concluded that the best way to fill the gaps in their floor was not with tiles, but with bones. Municipal archaeologists working in the historical center of the Dutch city of Alkmaar have uncovered a historic floor partially tiled with animal bones. This rare feature, announced in a December 13 municipal statement, has only ever been documented in the province of North Holland, usually in 15th-century floors. We were very happy to have the opportunity to see this bone floor with our own eyes. It is always a privilege to uncover something from a bygone era and add new information to the history of Alkmaar, Nancy de Jong, an Alkmaar municipal archaeologist, said in the statement. The bones are parts of cattle metacarpals and metatarsals (foot bones), and were all cut to the same size. Despite how worn the floor is, archaeologists were able to detect a kind of pattern to the bone arrangement. Specifically, the bones were placed vertically, with either the ridged end or the sawed-off end facing upwards.A close-up of the bone flooring. Municipality of Alkmaar archeology team. Archaeologists have seen this sort of thing before, having previously discovered similar bone features in floors in Hoorn, Enkhuizen, and Edam, with the Hoorn floor displaying a particularly similar pattern. Experts are now wondering whether this may have been a common 15th-century flooring solution or design in the Netherlands. Archaeologists have yet to date the recently unearthed bone floor. The corresponding house was built at the beginning of the 17th century, but that doesnt necessarily mean the floor itself is from the same century. In fact, it was not uncommon for new houses to be built on top of older foundations, according to the archaeologists, meaning the floor could conceivably still date to the 15th century, like most of the other bone floor examples.Possibly even more interesting than the date is the question of why someone would choose to fill the holes in their floor with bones. Tiles were not expensive at the time, the archaeologists explained, so there was no obvious economic advantage to using bones. Perhaps, then, they were meant simply as a filling, and not as tiles. The team also hypothesized that the feature might have made sense in the context of the type of craft produced there. There are an awful lot of hidden stories still preserved, waiting for our team of archaeologists to come and find them, said Anjo van de Ven, an Alkmaar municipal representative for heritage. Im always excited when they call me with an update on a find. What cool thing have they discovered now? I think.Ultimately, the mystery of the bone floor persists, but hopefully not for long as the archaeologists continue to investigate the find. In the meantime, the rest of the world has clearly discovered a new long-lasting flooring solution.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Margherita Bassi Published December 20, 2024 By Isaac Schultz Published December 17, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 15, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 13, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 9, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 4, 2024

The Museum of London: Exploring the Brutalist Landmark Facing DemolitionSave this picture!Museum of London, London. . Image Arnolt SmeadNestled within the junction of London Wall and Aldersgate Street in the Barbican district of the City of London lies the Museum of London. Built in 1977, the brutalist building was home to the world's largest urban history collection, with more than six million objects curated to highlight London's social history. The museum has been closed for over two years with plans for relocation, while its historic building faces demolition to make way for a new developmentthe London Wall West scheme. This has sparked mixed reactions from London residents and people across the country, with calls to review the proposed design and campaigns favoring retrofit over the demolition of this unique modernist building. Photographer Arnolt Smead recently visited the museum to capture its beautiful architectural moments and highlight its unique features. Save this picture!The Museum of London and its neighboring structure, Bastion House, were designed by RIBA Gold Medal winners Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya in the 1970s. The design features a series of chronological galleries and external pathways adorned with brutalist materials. Approaching the building from the road, visitors are greeted by its prominent featurethe rotunda. This giant brick circular bastion forms a circular forecourt at the entrance. Its curved walls guide vehicular flow at street level, while a raised walkway above the roundabout connects the former museum to surrounding streets. Save this picture!Save this picture!Within this curve lies a pleasant interior garden. Arnolt's images capture the procession to the museum through these curved walkways, highlighting the connection to the interior garden space within the bastion as a memorable architectural experience. In the current rehabilitation scheme, the rotunda would be replaced by a 'peninsula' traffic system looping around one of the proposed office buildings. This change would eliminate both the multilevel street experience provided by the circular bastion and any possibility of retrofitting this historical structural feature in a new design. Related Article AD Classics: The Barbican Estate / Chamberlin, Powell and Bon Architects Save this picture!Save this picture!Arnolt's images also capture the entrance to the building, which is accessed on the first floor from the raised walkway. It is a rectangular box form elevated on concrete columns and clad in white ceramic tiles that define its appearance. This simple box form features a row of horizontal windows reminiscent of Le Corbusier's five points of architecture. Walking around the building reveals a beautiful interlacing of rectangular forms raised on columns, creating moments of covered balconies, protruding green roofs, shadowed walkways, and encounters with external light. This experience is heightened by the contrast that the concrete material creates as a nuanced surface, beautifully reflecting any adjustable light source.Save this picture!Save this picture!Furthermore, another major feature is the skylight of the covered forecourt, which guides visitors toward the galleries. The combination of the skylight structure and interior walls clad in white ceramic creates a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. Two floors of exhibition space are arranged around a courtyard, with galleries laid out in chronological orderfrom the prehistoric period to modern times. The building also incorporates a viewing window overlooking one of the remaining pieces of London city wall, which the Romans originally built around three sides of the city.Save this picture!Save this picture!Photographer Arnolt Smead notes that even while closed, the building continues to offer a unique experience in its original form. He describes it as a beautiful modernist structure, and his images highlight its distinctive features as plans for demolition or redevelopment are under review. While the Museum of London prepares to relocate to its new home at the former Smithfield Marketa project designed by Stanton Williams and Asif Khan, currently under construction by Sir Robert McAlpinethe old building's architectural, spatial, and material elements continue to tell a story of their era and demonstrate how thoughtful design can create memorable architectural experiences.Save this picture!Save this picture!This feature is part of an ArchDaily series titled AD Narratives, where we share the story behind a selected project, diving into its particularities. Every month, we explore new constructions from around the world, highlighting their story and how they came to be. We also talk to the architects, builders, and community, seeking to underline their personal experiences. As always, at ArchDaily, we highly appreciate the input of our readers. If you think we should feature a certain project, please submit your suggestions.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorPaul YakubuAuthorCite: Paul Yakubu. "The Museum of London: Exploring the Brutalist Landmark Facing Demolition" 22 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024498/the-museum-of-london-exploring-the-brutalist-landmark-facing-demolition&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

The One Piece series would not be as beloved or popular as it is today if it wasn't for the incredible worldbuilding that Eiichiro Oda is known for. It's a story famous for vaguely introducing concepts early on, only for them to lead to a massive payoff many years and hundreds of chapters later. Because of this, the franchise is rife with fan theories and rampant speculation around the community about almost everything that the world has to offer.

Sunkenland is a pretty unique survival game in many respects. The gameplay takes place on a map that is covered in water, apart from islands dotted around the seascape. Underneath the water are the ruins of a previous civilization, and the player must access and exploit the resources these ruins contain.