This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Elon Musk, DOGE, and the Evil Housekeeper problem Dan Hon is principal of Very Little Gravitas, where he helps turn around and modernize large and complex government services and products. In trying to make sense of the wrecking ball that is Elon Musk and President Trumps DOGE, it may be helpful to think about the Evil Housekeeper Problem. Its a principle of computer security roughly stating that once someone is in your hotel room with your laptop, all bets are off. Its incredibly hard to protect a system from someonein this case, the evil housekeeper, DOGEwho has made their way inside and wants to wreck it. This administration is on the record as wanting to outright delete entire departments. But, if you cant delete a department, then why not just break it until it doesnt work? Thats why what DOGE is currently doing is such a massive, terrifying problem.Read the full story. Meta has an AI for brain typing, but its stuck in the lab Back in 2017, Facebookunveiledplans for a brain-reading hat that you could use to text just by thinking. We're working on a system that will let you type straight from your brain, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared in a post that year. Now the company, since renamed Meta, has actually done it. Except it weighs a half a ton, costs $2 million, and wont ever leave the lab. Still, its pretty cool.Read our story to learn why. Antonio Regalado How the tiny microbes in your mouth could be putting your health at risk Jessica Hamzelou This week Ive been working on a piece about teeth. Well, sort of teeth. Specifically, lab-grown bioengineered teeth. Researchershave created these teethwith a mixture of human and pig tooth cells and grown them in the jaws of living mini pigs. Part of the reason for doing this is that although dental implants can work well, theyre not perfect. They dont attach to bones and gums in the same way that real teeth do. And around 20% of people who get implants end up developing an infection called peri-implantitis, which can lead to bone loss. It is all down to the microbes that grow on them. Theres a complex community of microbes living in our mouths, and disruptions can lead to infection. But these organisms dont just affect our mouths; they also seem to be linked to a growing number of disorders that can affect our bodies and brains.If youre curious, read on. This story is from The Checkup, MIT Technology Reviews weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday,sign up here. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 DOGE staffers are feeding sensitive federal data to AI systems Its just one of many alarming security lapses at this point. (WP$)+The courts are slamming the brakes on some of Trumps executive orders. (NBC)+The trauma and anguish this is all causing is a feature, not a bug. (New Yorker$)+And its really got nothing to do with saving money either. (Vox)2 Thousands of sick people worldwide are being abandoned mid-trial Due to the US abruptly withdrawing funding via USAID. (NYT$)3 Last month was the hottest January on recordWhich was a shock, as scientists expected the La Nia weather cycle to cool things down. (FT$)4 DeepSeek is sending sensitive data over unencrypted channels This really doesn't look good. (Ars Technica)+US lawmakers are pushing to ban DeepSeek from government-owned devices. (WSJ$)+DeepSeek might not be such good news for energy after all.(MIT Technology Review)5 Google had to re-edit a Super Bowl advert for its AI toolAfter yup, you guessed it, the AI spewed out factually inaccurate stuff (about cheese.) (BBC)+OpenAI is making its TV advertising debut at the Super Bowl.(Quartz$)6 US shoppers are being charged $50 or more to get packages from ChinaThe new tariffs seem to be throwing e-commerce, shipping and US border services into disarray. (Wired$)7 US immigration is gaming Google to create a mirage of mass deportationsSeems you dont need to change reality these days. You can just change search engine results. (The Guardian)8 This is what Apples future home robot might be like It might even befun. (The Verge)+Will we ever really trust humanoid robots enough to welcome them into our homes?(MIT Technology Review)9 An asteroid has a 1.9% chance of hitting Earth in 2032Well that would be something for us all to look forward to. (Ars Technica)10 Intentionally bad conservative girl make-up videos are all over TikTok Its giving drained, its giving dusty. (Fast Company)Quote of the day "Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool." What Marko Elez, one of Musks 25-year-old DOGE acolytes, tweeted last July, theWall Street Journalreports (he has since resigned.) The big story Is the digital dollar dead? STEPHANIE ARNETT/MITTR July 2023 In 2020, digital currencies were one of the hottest topics in town. China was well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other countries launched CBDC research projects, including the US. How things change. Three years later, the digital dollareven though it doesnt existhas become political red meat, as some politicians label it a dystopian tool for surveillance. And late last year, the Boston Fed quietly stopped working on its CBDC project. So is the dream of the digital dollar dead?Read the full story. Mike Orcutt We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.)+ Want to cook the perfect boiled egg? First,set aside half an hour+ Well thats a side to Elvis Presley Idcertainly never heard about before.+ Kudos to Electric Six for making (surely) one of the cheapestmusic videosof all time.+ Heres a fun challenge for the weekend:let yourself get bored. Go on, I dare you.

Stella Nova falls into Universal's prime-value hotel category.The hotel will be across the street from the new Universal theme park. Terri Peters As someone who firmly believes a family's theme-park budget is better spent on things like delicious food and skip-the-line-style ticket passes, saving on a hotel is key.There are three tiers of hotels at Universal Orlando: signature, prime value, and value. Signature properties like the Hard Rock Hotel are usually quite expensive, but prime-value offerings like Stella Nova tend to be more affordable.I was able to book a room at the new resort for $124 a night using a Florida-resident discount, but I've heard of families booking the property for as low as $100 a night depending on the dates of their stay.Rates at these hotels always depend on when you're visiting January isn't exactly a peak time and as we get closer to the theme-park opening they're sure to go up.However, at the time of writing, there are still rooms available this summer for under $300 a night, which I think is a pretty great deal.Stella Nova's lobby is spacious.I loved the clean, modern look of Stella Nova's lobby. Terri Peters The modern-looking lobby area at Stella Nova was brightly lit and had tons of space.In addition to the front-desk area, lobby bar, and caf, there were plenty of places to sit, work on a laptop, or relax throughout the area.There's also a gift shop and a vacation-planning center, where you can purchase or pick up park tickets, make dining reservations, and more.I found some characters greeting guests.Guy Diamond from the "Trolls" movies was in the Stella Nova lobby. Terri Peters There are usually a few characters roaming Universal Orlando's hotel lobbies, and Stella Nova was no exception.During my visit, I spotted Guy Diamond from the "Trolls" movies and a few astronauts posing for photos with guests. The real highlight, however, was seeing characters from "Men in Black" (including Frank the Pug), who I've yet to meet at the theme parks because the lines to do so are always long.Meeting characters at your hotel is a great way to get those photos and autographs in a less-stressful environment.All the rooms have the same two-queen layout.My room at Stella Nova had two queen-size beds. Terri Peters All 750 of Stella Nova's rooms have two queen beds along with a dresser, nightstand, couch, and big closet.There are more than 20 ADA-accessible rooms, too, which can be selected at the time of booking.I also love the two-room bathroom layout.I like having the sink and toilet in separate areas. Terri Peters The rooms also have a bathroom with two separate areas, one for the toilet, tub, and shower, and another for the sink.I think this makes it easier for multiple people to get ready at at time, thus getting everyone out the door and into the theme parks much easier.My room had all the essential amenities.I found a coffee maker and a mini fridge in my hotel room. Terri Peters In addition to basics, like comfy beds and a place to sit, Stella Nova's rooms had elevated essentials like a mini fridge and a coffee machine.There's also an ice machine and a station for refilling water bottles on each floor two incredibly convenient things when you're trying to stay hydrated on busy theme-park days.The out-of-this-world touches felt luxurious for the cost.I loved the fun vanity above the bathroom sink. Terri Peters I loved the starry art on the walls above the beds and the beautiful back-lit bathroom vanity. I also got a kick out of the hotel's signature cosmic-amber-scented shampoo, conditioner, and soap.These little touches really elevated Stella Nova and made it feel high-end, despite the affordable price.The main dining area had plenty of options for every meal.I ordered some delicious banana-walnut pancakes for breakfast. Terri Peters Cosmos Cafe and Market, the main dining hub at Stella Nova, is the perfect spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner.From banana-nut pancakes to pickle-fried-chicken sandwiches, the menu had lots to choose from. The dining room was also spacious with plenty of seating.It's a great place to corral your family in the morning before heading to the theme parks or sip coffee and people-watch in the afternoon.There's a grab-and-go area that serves quick bites and Starbucks coffee.I like being able to grab a quick breakfast before visiting the theme parks. Terri Peters Cosmos also has a grab-and-go area selling breakfast sandwiches, salads, bottled drinks, and other quick bites.Most importantly, however, it serves Starbucks coffee drinks. I was thrilled to be able to sip a grande skinny vanilla latte en route to the theme parks each morning.My husband was also quite impressed by the store's case of ice cream he had a scoop before bed each night.The sleek lobby bar sells cocktails and mocktails.We stopped for drinks at Nova Bar. Terri Peters Nova Bar, the hotel's lobby bar, has an impressive menu of cocktails and mocktails.I ordered a zero-proof espresso martini that tasted no different from the alcoholic versions I've had. My husband ordered a whiskey drink that was smoked right in the glass.We also loved just looking through the space-themed cocktail names, like the Nebula, a drink made with mezcal and tonic, and the Black Hole, an alcoholic espresso martini.The pool area had everything I needed.There's a large pool at Stella Nova Resort. Terri Peters Stella Nova has a large, heated outdoor pool and a separate hot tub.Around the pool area, there are plenty of chairs and umbrellas as well as hula hoops and other activities for kids. At the Galaxy Bar and Galaxy Grill, you can sip poolside drinks or order quick fare like burgers and shrimp cocktail.Weather permitting, the hotel hosts a nightly poolside movie. There's also a fire pit near the pool, which is a great place to unwind.Other amenities, like a fitness center and an arcade, were also nice.I liked the look of Stella Nova's fitness center. Terri Peters I think it's always a good idea to squeeze in some downtime on a theme-park vacation, and Stella Nova has plenty of options for families who need a break from the crowds.In addition to a vast pool area, I found an arcade and a fitness center both looked brand new and full of equipment.As someone who can't wait for Epic Universe to open, the resort gift shop was a highlight.I loved looking through the Epic Universe gear. Terri Peters I'm counting down until the opening of Epic Universe, so I loved shopping in Stella Nova's Universal Studios Store.It had all sorts of merchandise collections, from all-new "Harry Potter" items to fun Super Nintendo World products.A highlight was seeing Dark Universe merchandise, which features characters like Dracula and the Bride of Frankenstein, who will roam the monster-themed land of Epic Universe.There are a few transportation options to the parks.You can take a bus to the original Universal theme parks. Terri Peters Universal's other hotels are centrally located to its two original theme parks, so I wasn't sure how it would feel to stay a 15-minute drive from the action.Luckily, getting to the parks was still pretty seamless.I appreciated that Stella Nova provides buses to and from Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk. However, since I had my car with me during my stay (which cost $30 a night to park), I just drove.Once Epic Universe opens, it'll just be a short walk across the street from Stella Nova.Overall, Stella Nova is an incredible value that's perfect for families on a budget.I loved my stay at Stella Nova. Terri Peters As someone who writes about these theme parks for a living, this hotel is such an exciting value for families. It's so beautiful and nice but so incredibly affordable.In a world where theme-park hotel rooms seem to cost more every year, it's refreshing to see Universal Orlando open a resort that doesn't force families to compromise on quality or perks.I think Stella Nova is truly out of this world, and I can't wait to go back with my family.

Instacart on Sunday is set to air its first Super Bowl ad, featuring nostalgic brand mascots.In an interview, Instacart CMO Laura Jones shared the risks involved in creating the campaign.Instacart is betting its investment will boost the brand along with sales and ad revenue.Instacart's chief marketing officer, Laura Jones, acknowledges she's been a little stressed recently.Jones and her team are preparing to air Instacart's first Super Bowl ad, and the stakes are high.Any brand looking to stand out this weekend during TV advertising's tentpole event has a lot on the line. Some brands paid the broadcaster Fox upward of $8 million to secure 30 seconds of airtime this year. That doesn't even include the costs of producing the ad and the extra media buys on social media and elsewhere."There have been so many mornings over the past six months where I've just been scared we're taking this huge risk," Jones told BI. "There are points in the creative process when you are kind of operating on faith, and it's scary."Instacart's ad, which is set to air during the second quarter of the game, draws on nostalgia, bringing back memorable brand mascots from previous Super Bowls. Characters like the Heinz wiener dogs, the Green Giant, the Old Spice Guy, and the Kool-Aid Man join forces to deliver a family's grocery order.Jones said the ad sought to convey the idea that Instacart takes care of the groceries so its users can take care of their lives.When Jones took the early Super Bowl ad idea to Instacart CEO Fidji Simo, she said, she was asked by Simo, "How do we know this is going to work?"Jones did have a data point to back up the strategy: The company's "Bunny Ears" back-to-school campaign during the Paris Olympics had driven "material" sales growth. Still, the Super Bowl would be a much bigger investment.The four members of the Instacart marketing team behind the Super Bowl push had a make-or-break meeting about whether to go ahead."We were like, OK, we're choosing to do this," Jones said. "We're about to take on a ton of work. We're about to take on a huge risk. If we don't do this well, it could cost me or all of us our careers, but do we want to take this risk?""We did because we felt like we put in the hard work, we were ready, and we felt confident in our ability to execute," Jones added.System1, a company that rates TV ads on their potential to drive long-term growth for brands, rated Instacart's ad at 4.1 stars out of a possible 5.9. That's a good score that placed it ninth out of the Super Bowl LIX ads that System1 has analyzed so far. The top-scoring ad, with a perfect score of 5.9 stars, was "The Little Farmer" from Lay's, which tells a story about a girl growing her own potatoes. System1 asks a panel of consumers to indicate how they feel about the ad they're viewing from a list of emotions ranging from contempt and disgust to happiness and surprise.Vanessa Chin, System1's senior vice president of marketing, said the Instacart ad intensified its emotional connection with viewers by using familiar characters and music."Using 'Take It to da House' as the soundtrack was particularly effective, tying into Instacart's delivery business while enhancing the emotional impact with its upbeat tune, often played by marching bands," Chin said.Instacart faced added complexity by partnering with brands that were also its advertisersThe concept of Instacart's "We're Here" Super Bowl ad itself had added challenges. Instacart had to carefully manage the intellectual property and brand guidelines of all the partners involved which also happen to be advertisers on its platform. The company worked with the ad agency TBWA\Chiat\Day LA to produce the ad.Instacart has also been mindful of those relationships as it extended the campaign beyond the TV spot. In the lead-up to the game, it brought some of the mascots to shows, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and the "Today" show. It partnered with Kraft Heinz to have the Wienermobile, driven by the Cheetos mascot, Chester Cheetah, make deliveries in this year's Super Bowl host city, New Orleans, as well as Kansas City and Philadelphia, the hometowns of this year's teams. Instacart's ad features several partner brand mascots, including the Old Spice Guy and the Pillsbury Doughboy. Instacart "You get this huge benefit of added reach through social, through news coverage," Jones said.Jones said Instacart would test whether it achieved demonstrable benefits in areas such as unaided awareness and consideration, and whether the campaign produced a measurable lift in gross transaction volume. Instacart will also look at whether the Super Bowl push helps generate revenue for its own advertising business. It's working with its partners to push promotions in the app, such as letting users add a free bag of Cheetos to their orders during game week. Instacart and its advertiser partners are offering free snacks for users to add to their orders during game week. Instacart Like many other Super Bowl LIX advertisers, Instacart decided to keep its campaign lighthearted this year.Jones said the marketing team had considered making a heartstring-puller but felt it would be difficult to stand out. She recalled The Farmer's Dog's "Forever" commercial from the 2023 Super Bowl, which was widely lauded, while other tearjerkers that year weren't as memorable.Jones said humor served as a great connector, which she hopes will drive affinity for the brand as millions of people tune in Sunday to watch the Chiefs take on the Eagles."Humor is something that really plays better in a group," Jones said. "It's more fun to laugh when you're in a group of people than when you're alone in your bed streaming at 11 o'clock at night."

Over the last few years, Ive written a lot about degrowth ideology, the view that the only way to save the planet is to abandon economic growth as an objective. Degrowthers sometimes say uncontroversial things like that GDP isnt the only thing that matters in the world and sometimes say more controversial ones like that you dont need or deserve a washing machine, air conditioning, or out-of-season fruits and vegetables.I have two major disagreements with degrowthers. The first is that I think theyre wrong about how to save the planet: Many countries have successfully cracked the code to increasing prosperity without increasing carbon emissions, and continuing down that pathway seems promising. The second is that we live in a democracy, and its hard to find anything that polls as badly as trying to shrink the economy. Most voters consistently rank the economy as their highest concern. If your plan to fix the world requires making their lives concretely poorer, then your plan will lose at the ballot box.This story was first featured in the Future Perfect newsletter.Sign up here to explore the big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them. Sent twice a week.Ive been thinking about this this week because I think we are witnessing the birth of right-wing degrowth, which has all of the same flaws as left-wing degrowth but potentially with much more political power. I saw it most concretely during the 24-hour period where it looked like we were imposing punishing tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Sure, some commentators acknowledged, the price of goods is going to rise dramatically, but they were proud to pay more for goods or have less access to them in order to restore American greatness. Sure, the economy will crash, but American patriotism matters more than the economy. The tariff threat, of course, didnt last long. The stock market dipped, and Donald Trump declared victory and put tariffs on both Canada and Mexico on hold. And thats instructive, because while some of Trumps bad ideas are popular, I think right-wing degrowth is as dead-on-arrival an ideology as left-wing degrowth. Thats not just a problem for the tariffs part of Trumps agenda; I think its also a problem hell run into if he starts on his promised mass deportations.People are not willing to suffer for your ideologyThe fatal flaw of left-wing degrowthism, Ive written, is its disinterest in political realities. People care about owning a washing machine; they care about owning air conditioning. In the developing world, people buy these things as soon as they are within reach. People also care about the environment, but if you put their concern for the environment at odds with their ability to have material goods, their preference for material goods will win. In fact, one of the lessons of the last election is that even delivering quite a lot of improvements for workers will not save you if prices rise; the voters really hate inflation and will punish it at the ballot box.Under Trump, were seeing the right set itself up to learn the same lesson. Trump, I saw people crow during the hours before the tariffs are reversed, is willing to put us through short-term pain for long-term gain! (Although, it turns out he was not not yet.) Most people are not willing to pay dramatically more to buy American-made goods; we know that because they have that option already, and overwhelmingly dont take it. Most people are not willing to deal with a falling stock market in order to stick it to the Canadians. And I think it is vanishingly unlikely that most people even most people who want much tougher immigration enforcement will be supportive of mass deportations once they produce dramatically higher prices in grocery stores.The problem is that political decisions are made by people who care a ton about politics, people who have dedicated their lives to their vision for the country and the world. Left or right, they tend to dramatically overestimate how much the people they serve are willing to suffer for ideology any ideology.Low prices are goodBut I want to say more than that a degrowth agenda is unpopular; I also think that it is bad. In particular, its unpopular because it is bad people are mostly accurately assessing what makes for a good life for them and their loved ones, and economic prosperity is a big part of a good life. I talk to a lot of people who think that the flow of ultra-cheap, low-quality goods is bad for us. I dont buy it. When my parents were growing up, you could tell the poor kids at school because they didnt have nice clothes; households used to spend a huge fraction of their income on clothes. Now, we buy lots more clothes but spend much less and thats a good thing, not a bad one. Clothes being extremely cheap means far more people can dress in a way they feel good about. Just like Americans spend much less than we used to on clothes, we spend much less than we used to on food, and thats a good thing: It means that even the poorest Americans can afford dietary variety. Under the guise of sustainability on the left and patriotism on the right, were encouraged to accept that everywhere will be a food desert. (Do we need to eat avocados? Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, asked, defending the tariffs.) I dont want Congress deciding which foods were worthy of eating; I would like to be able to buy the ones I want to eat. And Id like to have that option even when Im on a fixed income, feeding a large family, between jobs, or otherwise in a situation where money is tight.In a way, declarations that itd be fine if food, clothes, and other essentials were more expensive are themselves a product of Americas breathtaking wealth. In a society more in touch with the realities of material poverty, no one could say with a straight face that maybe higher prices would be good for us. But even in America, lower prices are good: They give people more and better options, they make it possible for people with low incomes to live like people with high incomes, and they improve our quality of life. The right, like the left, will need to come up with a vision for the country that embraces prosperity rather than trying to justify wrecking it.A version of this story originally appeared in the Future Perfect 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:

A few weeks ago, I was wandering down a grocery store aisle when I encountered the most expensive eggs Id ever seen. The price for a dozen eggs was very nearly in the double-digits. Sure, I was in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the country. But still! Did that mean I would never be able to afford an omelet ever again? Im not the only one experiencing sticker shock. Across the country, food prices have skyrocketed. The US Department of Agriculture reports that between 2019 and 2023, food prices increased a whopping 25 percent and rose faster than all other major expenses including transportation, medical costs, and even housing. Even as overall inflation has cooled, grocery prices have remained stubbornly high, rising another 1.8 percent year over year as of December 2024, with President Donald Trumps proposed tariffs threatening to spike them even further. Some staple food items, like a carton of eggs, have fluctuated wildly due to the ongoing avian flu outbreak. Meanwhile, thanks to the corporate practice referred to as shrinkflation, many consumers have noticed that their packaged foods are getting tinier, even if the price tag stays the same. There were a few key factors that contributed to more expensive groceries in recent years, ranging from supply chain issues brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic to higher labor and production costs to the war in Ukraine. Climate change, too, is pushing food prices up along with the temperature. Taken together, these challenges can be a recipe for disaster, forcing some Americans to go into debt for their groceries. But unlike cutting out your morning coffee runs (which, for the record, is bad financial advice anyway), most people cant stop going to the grocery store. And ideally, the experience shouldnt revolve around deprivation. Finding the right balance for both your wallet and your plate takes organization, patience, and a little math but it can be done.How to come up with a grocery budgetThe average person does not savor budgeting and this is mostly because accounting for ones expenses isnt just a cool, factual look at the money coming in and out of our bank accounts. Money lives at the intersection of the exhaustingly practical and the deeply personal. Food is doubly so: Its not only how we nourish ourselves, but how we take care of our loved ones, share culture, and create memories. How can you put a price tag on that? Before you even begin tackling a grocery budget, its important to acknowledge that both food and money are emotional, and at times, you may feel sensitive, uncomfortable, or even ashamed about what you spend. Thats okay. From there, consider reframing what a grocery budget means to you. Rather than seeing it in terms of restriction, what might you be able to do with your grocery savings? Contribute to your childs college fund? Pay your car insurance? Take care of credit card debt?A budget is a snapshot of just one point in your life for how much is coming in and what you intend to come out, says Kristen Brillantes, restaurant owner and co-founder of New Dimes, a financial literacy network for first-generation breadwinners. If youre not budgeting, its like buying a house with never doing an inspection. You just want to know whats happening.Its important to acknowledge that both food and money are emotional, and at times, you may feel sensitive, uncomfortable, or even ashamed about what you spend.One strategy to calculate your baseline grocery costs is to look at your bank and credit card statements over the last three months to get your monthly average. But if youre like me, you are not realistically going to sift through your accounts with a calculator. Instead, Brillantes recommends doing a simple journaling exercise. Shop normally for two weeks, without judgment, and write down your food expenses, including eating out, food delivery, and grocery costs. From there, you can start playing with the numbers to figure out a reasonable budget. Your spending goals will vary depending on your geographic location, income, and family size if youre having trouble getting started, the USDA has food planning resources available on its website that break down reasonable costs at a few different spending levels. Shop your kitchen, then the grocery storeBefore you even pack your tote bags to make a trip to the grocery store, consider shopping your kitchen first. This tweak in mindset can help you plan your meals much more effectively, according to cook and author Jessica Fisher, who started her budget-focused website Good Cheap Eats during the 2008 recession. Most people already have something neglected in the freezer or stashed in a cupboard. By looking there at the outset, you can build your meals based on what youve already invested your money in, Fisher says. If it turns out to be something you dont like, it teaches you how to shop better and reforms your shopping habits going forward. RelatedHow to organize your fridge, with tips from chefsI tried this exercise in my own kitchen and unearthed a 3-pound container of steel-cut oatmeal I bought on impulse months ago and had barely touched. After consulting with my wife (the cook in our relationship), she suggested I make a quick savory oatmeal dish two or three times for lunch this week. Then for our weekend breakfasts, shed make sweet oatmeal pancakes and finish up the container. Thats seven meals and zero money spent.Doing a proper inventory before going to the store will also help you avoid redundancies like buying another bottle of syrup when you already had enough at home. Meal planning with savings in mindOnce you know what you have at home, the next step is deciding what you actually need. It can be tempting to focus on specific ingredients that are cheap. But it can be more helpful to think of the big picture or your full plate. Fisher recommends writing out a list of five to 10 meals that you really enjoy eating. I think 35 years ago the idea was eat ramen, eat these beans and rice and cheap hot dogs, and I was like, no, because if you dont love those things inherently, then you will burn out. (If youre having trouble getting started, Fisher does have a flexible grocery list here.)From there, you can begin to make your grocery list and identify where some of the more obvious savings are. One thing thats consistent is that eating less meat and trying Meatless Monday is going to stretch your dollar, says Toni Okamoto, founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, a food blog she started while living below the poverty line. If you really love meat, you can also consider ways to stretch it further. So say you really do want your beef tacos you can make half beef and half lentils so thats the best of both worlds. Its more economical, has a variety of nutrients and you get the texture that you prefer.Thirty-five years ago, the idea was eat ramen, eat these beans and rice and cheap hot dogs, and I was like, no, because if you dont love those things inherently, then you will burn out.Frozen fruits and veggies can also be an easy swap. As long as youre getting the produce somewhere and the nutrients somewhere, [frozen] is a great option that doesnt expire quickly, Okamoto says. People have the best intentions to eat the bag of salad that they got, but sometimes dont get to it quickly. There are also affordable fresh veggies like potatoes, carrots, and onions that can act as the base for a number of meals and whose prices havent risen as rapidly as other items, Okamoto adds.Of course, even with meticulous meal planning, you can go over your allotted budget if your meals are laden with costly cheeses and out-of-season fruits. (Though no matter what your pantry looks like, eating at home will likely be much, much cheaper than eating out.) The trick is finding the balance between what you reliably love to eat and thinking carefully about how to make your taste align with your budget, Fisher says. How to combat shrinkflationIn an analysis of nearly 100 commonly bought items, a third have shrunk in size since the pandemic, according to the financial firm LendingTree, with breakfast items, sweet and packaged snacks, and household paper products as the worst offenders. On Reddit, r/Shrinkflation is home to more than 160,000 people tracking overinflated bags of chips, ever-smaller chocolate bars, and withering containers of laundry detergent. To get a sense of an items cost-effectiveness, take a look at the price per unit or how much you pay by weight. Its typically listed on the shelf label. You may find that your favorite brands are much pricier than the store brand, Okamoto says. And make sure to check shelves that arent just at eye level, which are typically home to more expensive, premium brands.You may assume that opting for a big-box store membership is the obvious workaround to shrinkflation, but make sure to do your homework before committing to a subscription-based service. Okamoto said shes found that when checking the price per unit, Costco can be more expensive than stores like Walmart or Winco. However, for some people, a membership may still be worth it, especially if you have a larger household or are splitting costs with roommates, for example.Just like shopping your kitchen, its important to shop your store, too. Many stores sell the same exact products, but for vastly different prices, Fisher says. Be sure to compare prices at stores across your community too. For years I had shopped at Trader Joes thinking that was the best place, and then I did what I call a grocery store showdown, Fisher says. For her area in California, Fisher found that other stores offered better deals for the staples her family regularly ate. You dont even have to leave your chair to do this now because they all have their prices online. Within an hour, you could have a really clear idea what store is going to get you the biggest bang for your buck, Fisher adds. RelatedWhats really happening to grocery prices right nowThink about the foods that really matter to your household and build those into your budget. I do include splurge items in my meal planning, Okamoto says. I also include a salty and a sweet treat that I love because I would rather have that in my intentional planning than end up impulse-buying a treat thats more expensive in the long run. Of course, no one can budget their way entirely out of high prices or their particular economic circumstances. But by focusing on what you can control, and taking the time to plan accordingly, theres no reason you cant have your eggs and eat them too. See More:

WWE 2K25's roster is huge, and as we see more of the game's character models, one WWE superstar feels she's been done dirty in one aspect here's what Natalya has to sayTech14:02, 07 Feb 2025Natalya is impressed by her digital version, but something is off(Image: BACKGRID)WWE 2K25 is closing in as we continue on the Road to WrestleMania, and as we covered in our extensive hands-on preview, it could become the new Head of the Table and possibly rank among our best wrestling games.We specifically pointed out the realism on display with the character models, but one superstar feels theirs could be improved in a surprising way.When a fan posted a clip of Natalya's WWE 2K25 entrance, the star (real name Natalya Neidhart) pointed out that there's something she'd change to make it more realistic.Content cannot be displayed without consentWhile Natalya (the niece of the legendary Bret and Owen Hart and daughter of Jim Neidhart) was flattered by the character model's new ring gear, she felt she needed a little bit of a revamp."Love this love the new gear! Love it all!!!!! But Im way bustier in real life.." she admitted, even going so far to follow up with a steamy snap of her in a bikini. Cue the weird comments from fans.Natalya has one nitpick with her WWE 2K entranceStill, it's interesting to see a WWE superstar mention that they'd like their model changed a little. Whether it's possible for 2K to update the in-game version of Natalya is hard to say, but with the game launching in just a few weeks it's perhaps not likely.Natalya holds the world records for most Wrestlemania appearances, most matches in WWE for a female, most Smackdown matches for a female, and most wins for a female.In our WWE 2K preview, we said "Based on the current trajectory of the WWE 2K games, it'll be tricky for 2K25 to eclipse last year's game, but early signs suggest that's exactly what could happen.""We'll need to spend time with The Island and MyFaction nearer to launch, but for now, it's a very exciting time to be a fan of the series."Article continues belowGiven 2K's latest entry has a staggering 300 or so wrestlers to choose from, it'll be interesting to see if anyone else is unhappy about their character reveal in the coming weeks. Who knows, The Rock might complain he's not muscular enough.Elsewhere in the worlds of wrestling and video games colliding, Joe Hendry has given Rockstar a surprising blessing for GTA 6. You'll never guess what it is.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

TNA wrestling star Joe Hendry has told Rockstar Games that they can use his music in GTA 6 if they're keen but we're still waiting on that elusive second trailerTech13:46, 07 Feb 2025Updated 13:47, 07 Feb 2025Will Joe Hendry make it to GTA 6?(Image: IMPACT WRESTLING )Last night saw Take-Two Interactive hold its first earnings call, and to the dismay of fans (and other publishers), we learned that while GTA 6 is on track for this Fall (Autumn to you or I), there's still no concrete release date.Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said "there's always a risk of slippage" and doesn't want to "jinx" the title, but says the company feels "really good about it", but there's one man in the limelight that's seemingly waiting just as patiently as we are.Joe Hendry, the guitar-playing Scotsman that's captured the TNA World title and also made his way to the Royal Rumble last week, has given Rockstar Games a surprising blessing.Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), Hendry gave permission to the iconic developer, tagging them and saying "Dear @RockstarGames you can use my song. Send me the paperwork."As for which song it is, it's likely to be his UK chart hit 'I believe in Joe Hendry' that almost beat Taylor Swift to number one last year.We'll keep an eye on Rockstar Games to see if they respond, but fans love the idea.Kinda Funny's Greg Miller posted "SAY HIS NAME AND HE APPEARS", while another user suggested using it in Red Dead Redemption 2 instead when a player enters a saloon.One even said "only way I'll buy GTA 6 day 1 is if it has your song when you driving". Here's hoping Rockstar listens, because we at Daily Star believe in Joe Hendry.We now know GTA 6 will come out this yearAs for Rockstar, the studio continues to work on GTA in anticipation of its Fall 2025 launch.One former Rockstar developer has suggestged that the game is in a playable state and the studio is working on bug fixes, but the rumoured September launch window would tie in with that 'Fall' prediction."Looking ahead, this calendar year is shaping up to be one of the strongest ever for Take-Two, as we plan to launch Sid Meiers Civilization VII on February 11th, Mafia: The Old Country in the Summer, Grand Theft Auto VI in the Fall, and Borderlands 4," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said in yesterday's earnings call.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

PS5 sales more than twice Xbox Series X/S reveals Take-Two by accidentAdam StarkeyPublished February 7, 2025 2:31pmUpdated February 7, 2025 2:32pm Sony and Nintendo have soared ahead (Sony/Nintendo/Microsoft/Metro)Sales figures from Take-Two have unintentionally revealed the divide between the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it isnt looking good for Microsoft.While its clear Sonys PlayStation 5 has far surpassed sales of the Xbox Series X/S, the lack of concrete numbers from Microsoft makes it impossible to know exactly how much its sold.Microsoft stopped publicly reporting Xbox sales in 2015, not-so coincidentally around the same time when Xbox One sales began to trail behind the PlayStation 4. Since then, the company has instead touted figures around Xbox Game Pass subscribers although less regularly than it once did, as those numbers have failed to move as fast as they hoped.Weve had indications of the low sales of the Xbox Series X/S many times before, but thanks to Rockstar Games owner Take-Two we now have a more exact figure.According to Take-Twos Q3 2025 earnings report, over 94 million consoles from the current generation (which doesnt include the Nintendo Switch) are estimated to have been sold, as of November 2024.While theres no definitive console split in the report, Sony previously announced it had shipped 65.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles as of September 30, 2024. Based on this figure, that means the Xbox Series X/S must have sold around 28.5 million worldwide, which lines up with prior estimates.Both figures will have increased by this point, although Microsoft itself has made it clear that Xbox console sales over Christmas were not good.Based on the figures above, that means Sonys PlayStation 5 has roughly 70% of the overall current generation sales, compared to 30% for the Xbox Series X/S.For Microsoft, this ratio is even worse than the previous generation. The Xbox One sold 58 million units against 117 million units for Sonys PlayStation 4, so it had roughly 50% of sales, if you exclude the Nintendo Switch.More TrendingIts also a sharp decline from Microsofts presence in the console market during the Xbox 360 generation, when it sold 84 million units worldwide, compared to the PlayStation 3s 87.4 million.The Xbox Series X/S isnt the worst-selling Xbox console though, with the original Xbox selling only 24 million units. The first console was quickly abandoned in order to launch the Xbox 360 early and theres some suggestion that Microsoft may be planning a similar approach for the Xbox Series X/Ss successor.Despite Microsofts failure with the Xbox Series X/S, the company is developing a next generation console and possibly a separate handheld system. It remains to be seen though what Microsoft can offer, beyond hyperbolic promises of the largest technical leap ever, to entice people away from Sonys stable.The role of Microsofts next console is even murkier considering the company has shifted its priorities into becoming a multiplatform publisher, with many Xbox games now coming out on PlayStation 5 and eventually Nintendo Switch 2. What can Xbox do to turn the tide? (Microsoft/Metro)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Got February brain fog? These puzzles are like a New Year detox for your mindTamar Hela for ArkadiumTamar Hela for ArkadiumPublished February 7, 2025 2:09pmUpdated February 7, 2025 2:09pm Keep your New Year New Year mentality strong with these games (Picture: Getty Images)How is 2025 treating you so far? For many, the start of the new year brings a time of reflection and renewal. Its a time to embrace fresh goals, shed old habits, and cultivate a healthier mindset. Hopefully, the New Year spirit hasnt left you yet.If it has, keep the momentum of the classic New Year, New You mentality alive. Life may get busy, and your motivation may start to dwindle, making those ambitious resolutions at the beginning feel more like distant dreams.You can keep the spirit burning by using an unexpected yet fun and effective way to re-energise your mind: playing online puzzle games and challenges.Never underestimate these puzzles ability to serve you as a mental detox.They help you clear away mental clutter, reduce stress, and create space for clarity and creativity. Done all the puzzles from the paper? Turn your attention to these games (Picture: Getty Images/moodboard RF)These online puzzle games are more than just a way to pass the time. By playing these puzzles, you can:Improve your focus: Some games demand high concentration. This focused attention trains your brain to stay in the moment and tune out distractions.Boost your problem-solving skills: They encourage you to think critically and spot patterns to solve problems skills you can use daily.Keep your mind agile: Certain games enhance your linguistic or mathematical abilities, keeping your mind sharp as you explore the solutions.Lower your stress: Fun and mentally stimulating activities lower cortisol levels and give you a sense of relaxation.Now, Metros got you with our Free Games page (powered by Arkadium) has many challenging puzzles for your brain to work on as you take quick mental breaks from daily life. These games are accessible anytime and anywhere, saving you from getting brain rot on social media.Word WipeWere struggling to find a time when word searches were this fun. In this timed challenge, youre supposed to connect tiles of letters to form words and clear lines. You can create any combination from nearby letters. If the word is accurate, it disappears, leaving you to clear every line in the game. Use bombs to clear space. This sounds easy, but the timer adds to the urgency and challenge.Daily SudokuA classic sudoku game, Daily Sudoku has varying difficulty levels every day. Its not so hard that you want to tear your hair out, but its also not as easy as a beginners game. Fill out nine boxes of nine tiles to find the correct number sequence. Take as much time as you need to beat your score from the day before.Daily CrosswordPut your brain to the test with this classic crossword game. It can be easier (only slightly, though) than the newspapers version of the game after all, it has automatic reveal features but the games suitable for your brains daily exercise. Its never dull and keeps you on your toes with the sometimes vague descriptions, so its easy to lose yourself.SmartleYou can quickly get hooked on this game due to its similarity to a certain other popular game, as well as Metros Hurdle. More TrendingYou must arrange five letters in a line to form a word. Swap all tiles until all the words are formed. There are five lines in total to complete. The initial word may be a challenge at first, but after a while, it gets easier.Daily American CrosswordYouve conquered the British, now try the American version. This crossword puzzle has a great twist words associated with Uncle Sams country. Its more stimulating than youd think, as it includes both words popular in America and trivia and slang. The average Brit might have to think hard on some answers, but its worth playing.For more games, visitFreegames at Metro. GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

So you bought a Samsung Galaxy S25. Now what? Youve got Samsungs latest flagship in your hand, whether its the tiny but powerful Galaxy S25 or the all-you-can-eat-buffet, also called the Galaxy S25 Ultra. After you get your accounts and apps set up on that new device of yourshoping you found a deal on it because new smartphones arent cheapthere are a couple of things youll want to tweak first for an almost pain-free experience. Well start with that first, and then well talk about a few features you should learn to use to make you feel like upgrading to the latest Samsung model was worthwhile. Im here to validate you! Turn off the news in the Now Brief Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo Ill be honest: Im not using the Now Brief several weeks into having the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though you should have a trial run with it before figuring out whether it fits into your phone usage. The Now Brief got a lot of stage time at the last Galaxy Unpacked. It uses Samsungs Personal Data Engine to learn how you use your device and then surfaces apps, information, and whatever else it thinks is relevant when you check-in. I had to immediately turn off the news feature as part of the Now Brief, which I complained already was pushing through the more abhorrent, dysregulating headlines whenever I checked in. Most of the information that the Now Brief presents you is helpful. It offers weather forecasts for now and later, plus links to your calendar and other apps. But when the content pushed through is irrelevant, you cant edit it to make it so. You are better off eliminating the feature from the Now Brief altogether. Tap in the Now Brief settings panel, tap Content to Include, then scroll down to News. Toggle it off and continue living headline-free. Your blood pressure will thank me. Learn to use the Smooth Zoom Slider Florence Ion / Gizmodo Samsungs interface tweaks arent all gimmicks. The smooth zoom slider is one of the best new additions to the camera app on the Galaxy S25 series. Hopefully, well see the ability pop up on older Samsung phones in a software update. The slider pops up when you tap on a zoom amount while in video mode. Slide it to the left to zoom out into wide-angle mode or to the right to zoom in and focus. I love making a panning zoom-in shot as I record the landscape from a train or a virtual pet from afar. Use it to add a dramatic flair to your videos.Scrub bad noise using Audio Eraser Florence Ion / Gizmodo If there is an annoying sound or voice in the background of your otherwise perfectly shot video, you could use the AI-powered Audio Eraser on the Galaxy S25 to scrub that person from the background. It works like a charm, sort of. The only thing to remember is that youll have to record with the Galaxy S25 to use the effect. Audio Eraser is not the perfect way to eliminate a voice from a video filled with cackling and commotion, but it can help people and sounds you dont like with a quick finger scrub. I used it to kill the screeching sound of transit in my videos. Make GIFs with AI Select Florence Ion / Gizmodo You will need a lot of reinforcements to help you get through the horror of reading the headlines daily. Thats where AI Select will come in handy the most. Samsung tried to pass off AI Select as a brand-new feature with the Galaxy S25. Its a longtime Samsung feature called Smart Select, which has been rebranded for todays AI-focused marketing. AI Select will freeze your screen and let you select a portion of the content to interact with. Youll see options to crop an image and mess around with it in AI. But the part you can have the most fun with is what used to be the best part of Smart Select: the ability to quickly make a GIF from a YouTube video. Thats all you need to make memes of the worst people.Add stuff to your calendar Florence Ion / Gizmodo Im sharing this because its probably the best use of the S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though it also works with the other Galaxy S25 phones. Use AI select to freeze the screen and then highlight dates to add to your calendar. You can also invoke Googles Gemini by long-pressing the power button and asking it to save the details on the screen, like the screenshot shown here. The Galaxy S25 will add the dates to your calendar. This is a small example of what Samsung is working on with the cross-app compatibility of its AI infusion. Hopefully, future iterations of this will be a little more robust. For now, at least theres a way to add dates to a calendar without too much tapping.