Answers for today's NYT Mini Crossword are just ahead.New York TimesIn case you missed Thursdays NYT Mini, you can find the answers here:Wondering what the evil corporation on Apple TV+ show Severance is? Not sure what a head of our time might mean? Dont worry, because I'm here to help you with the answers for today's NYT Mini crossword.The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-running crossword. Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.Unlike its larger sibling, the NYT Mini crossword is free to play on the NYT Games app. However, youll need an NYT Games subscription to access previous puzzles in the archives.To help you avoid getting stuck and having to reveal missing letters, here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers for Friday, February 21 (spoilers lie ahead, of course):NYT Mini Crossword Clues And AnswersNYT Mini Across Answers1 Across: Elevator alternative STEPS6 Across: Evil corporation on Apple TV+s Severance LUMON7 Across: Ring-shaped coral reef ATOLL8 Across: Aura of confidence MOJO9 Across: ___ Lanka SRINYT Mini Down Answers1 Down: Severely criticizes SLAMS2 Down: One-on-one academic coach TUTOR3 Down: A head of our time? EMOJI4 Down: Preppy shirt POLO5 Down: Show with a recently aired 50th anniversary special S.N.L.Completed NYT Mini crossword for Friday, February 21.New York TimesIt took me 0:54 to complete today's NYT Mini.Not a great time, but Im happy with anything below a minute for a weekday puzzle.STEPS eluded me at first because I initially thought it was stair and I came back to that one later. It took me a moment to remember LUMON even though Im really enjoying Severance. ATOLL and SRI were the others I got on my first pass of the Across clues, then I got TUTOR, POLO and SNL on the Down side.STEPS then finally made sense. But it took me several seconds of bouncing between the remaining words before I figured them out.Make sure to follow my blog for more coverage of the NYT Mini and other word games, as well as video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky! Its fun there.

Jack Ma, co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, speaks in Paris in 2019.PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images)Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba highlighted its AI ambitions as it reported strong results for its third quarter. This fueled hopes that it will become a leader in AI, and shares of the dual-listed company were up 12.7% in Hong Kong as of 11:30 a.m. Friday, while surging 8.1% in New York overnight.On Thursday, the company announced that net income jumped 333% to 49 billion yuan in the final three months of 2024 thanks to income from operations and changes in the value of its equity investments. Revenue rose a better-than-expected 8% to 280 billion yuan ($38.4 billion) from a year earlier.Cofounder Jack Ma, who stepped down as Alibaba chairman in 2019 but still partially derives his wealth from a stake in the company, added almost $1 billion to his net worth, making him one of the worlds five biggest wealth gainers on Thursday, according to the Forbess Real-Time Billionaires List.With yesterdays rally in New York, Alibaba shares have surged over 60% so far this year, adding $120 billion to its market capitalization in the U.S. Although the $323 billion company is still down over 50% from a peak achieved in 2020, Thursdays call with analysts gave investors plenty of reason for hope.On the call, CEO Eddie Wu outlined a future in which Alibaba Cloud, which provides the computing power needed for AI, will benefit from the proliferation of related applications, especially after Chinas DeepSeek released in January a highly affordable model. Wu, one of Mas most trusted lieutenants along with Chairman Joe Tsai, said the companys primary objective is pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI), which refers to AI that matches or surpasses human intelligence.We aim to continue to develop models that extend the boundaries of intelligence, Wu said. He added that he foresees a future in which AI will take over more human jobs.Alibabas investment in AI and related infrastructure over the next three years will exceed what it has spent over the past decade, according to Wu, who didnt specify amounts. Wang Xiaoyan, a Shanghai-based analyst at research firm 86 Research, says the resolute investment will help Alibaba maintain a lead over rivals and give investors confidence in growth over the next five to ten years.Alibaba will soon release another AI model, after launching in late January its Qwen 2.5-Max model, which the company says outperforms DeepSeek and some other OpenAI models.The investment in AI is necessary for long-term growth, wrote Thomas Chong, an analyst at investment bank Jefferies, in a Thursday research note. Alibaba is now an AI investment, analysts at Hong Kong-based research firm Blue Lotus Capital Advisors wrote in a Friday research note.The Blue Lotus analysts agree that Alibaba Cloud, which has a 30 to 40% share of Chinas public cloud market, will host more AI applications down the road, according to the research note.Western companies looking to introduce AI products in China are likely to work with Alibaba, especially since Apple plans to use the companys models to power AI services for iPhone users in the country, Chelsey Tam, a Hong Kong-based senior equity analyst at Morningstar, wrote in a Friday research note.We believe investors are anticipating stronger growth from its cloud unit, Tam wrote.For Alibaba, this could be a comeback after years of intense government pressure, which began after Ma criticized Chinas financial regulatory system in 2020. He was among the private sector entrepreneurs who met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday. This was widely regarded as a sign of support and government encouragement to private enterprises to grow faster amid economic problems at home and rising tensions with the U.S.

Tesla has shared footage of a Cybertruck crashing head-on into a concrete wall. The impact was recorded from several angles, and shows the very front of the electric pickup crumpling as it slams into the obstacle at 35 mph. The rest of the vehicle appears to hold up well.Fortunately, there was no one behind the wheel, as this was part of routine testing carried out by the automaker to check the safety of the vehicle.The footage, which also includes a series of rollover tests, was actually taken in 2023, ahead of the Cybertrucks official launch in November of the same year. Tesla has just posted the crash-test video on its YouTube channel after the National Highway Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week awarded the Cybertruck an overall 5/5 safety rating.Please enable Javascript to view this contentGiven the unusual design of the Cybertruck, there had been much interest in how it would fare in NHTSA testing. While the rating will of course delight Cybertruck engineers, the NHTSAs testing doesnt offer any insight into how a pedestrian would fare in a collision with the angular and weighty pickup, focusing instead on occupant safety.Notably, the Cybertruck has yet to be tested by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), a U.S. organization that conducts its own set of crash tests that can be more rigorous than those carried out by NHTSA. For example, unlike NHTSA, IIHS performs a small overlap protection test, which simulates an impact where the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle, or an object like a tree or a utility pole.The Cybertruck isnt the first electric pickup to score a perfect rating from the NHTSA, as Fords F-150 Lightning also achieved the same accolade.NHTSA conducts its vehicle safety tests independently through its in-house laboratory, the Vehicle Research and Test Center. The facility is operated by NHTSA personnel who carry out research and vehicle testing to support the agencys mission of improving road safety.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsYes Man (2008)The Disaster Artist (2017)Jason Bourne (2016)HBO is about to dominate Sunday nights again with the return ofThe White Lotus. Season 3 heads to Thailand for another weeklong vacation. As always, murder isnt too far away. Meanwhile,The Pittwas recently reviewed for a second season on Max. Television remains Maxs strong suit.Dont forget about movies. The Warner Bros. library is one of the deepest of the major studios. Maxs vault provides viewers with countless hours of programming classics, Oscar winners, blockbusters, and franchises. If youre looking for something off the beaten path, try watching some underrated movies, including a hysterical rom-com, a charming dramedy, and an action blockbuster.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedWarner Bros. PicturesThe world misses Jim Carrey. The Canadian comedy was as A-list as it gets for over 20 years. Now, Carrey only acts in Sonic movies. The only way to experience Carreys liveliness is to revisit his old movies like the underrated Yes Man. Bank loan officer Carl Allen (Carrey) is in a downward spiral. Carl has failed to recover from his divorce, and his pessimism leads to the dissolution of his friendships.Desperate for a change, Carl attends a self-help seminar, where he agrees to say yes to anything asked of him. Carl takes this advice quite literally, refusing to say no to any task. Carls say yes attitude leads to a job promotion, a new girlfriend, and a happier outlook on life. Are these happy coincidences, or does Carl truly believe he can never say no? Either way, enjoy Carreys charisma.Stream Yes Man on Max.The Disaster Artist | Official Trailer HD | A24Hi, Mark. Who knew that a comedy about the making of a terrible movie could have so much heart? The Disaster Artistis based on the unlikely friendship between Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, two aspiring actors who starred in 2003sThe Room.Beginning in the late 1990s, Tommy (James Franco) befriends Greg (Dave Franco) at an acting class in San Francisco.To say Tommy is eccentric would be an understatement. Tommy speaks with an unconventional accent, is secretly wealthy, and is a terrible actor. However, his confidence wins Greg over. Instead of waiting for jobs, the duo makes their own movie, The Room, a love triangle between a banker, his fiance, and his best friend. The final cut is terrible, but the journey there is hysterical. The Disaster Artist is funny and sweet, with a surprisingly touching message about friendship.Stream The Disaster Artist on Max.Universal PicturesMatt Damon is Jason Bourne, the Black Ops agent who originally forgot his identity after working for the CIA. InThe Bourne Ultimatum, Jason exposes Operation Blackbriar, jumps into the East River, and escapes capture. Jason BourneUltimatum. A tortured Jason still has flashbacks that remind him he once was a killing machine.Jason lives a secluded life in Greece as a street fighter.Former CIA agent Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) travels to meet with Jason to show him information about his fathers involvement in Treadstone. CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) learns about the meeting and sends Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) to find Bourne. Forced back into action, Jason uncovers an international conspiracy that could disrupt the global balance of power. Time for Jason to kick some butt for the fourth time.Stream Jason Bourne on Max.Editors Recommendations

Produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Bess Wohls digressive drama toggles between the 1970s and today in tracking the womens liberation movement.

Kind of a gray area, really Small study suggests dark mode doesnt save much power for very human reasons LCD screens, dominant in laptops and tablets, tend to get turned way up. Kevin Purdy Feb 20, 2025 2:34 pm | 47 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIf you know how OLED displays work, you know about one of their greatest strengths: Individual pixels can be shut off, offering deeper blacks and power savings. Dark modes, now available on most operating systems, aim to save power by making most backgrounds very dark or black, while also gratifying those who just prefer the look.But what about on the older but still dominant screen technology, LCDs? The BBC is out with a small, interesting study comparing the light and dark modes of one of its website pages on an older laptop. Faced with a dark mode version, most people turned up the brightness a notable amount, sometimes drawing more power than on light mode.It's not a surprise that dark modes don't do anything to reduce LCD power draw. However, the studynot peer-reviewed but published as part of the International Workshop on Low Carbon Computingsuggests that claims about dark mode's efficiency may be overstated in real-world scenarios, with non-cutting-edge hardware and humans at the controls.A 2017 MacBook Pro, a power monitor, and the brightness keys The BBC R&D team's small-scale brightness testing setup: a power monitor, a testing laptop (with LCD screen), and a monitoring laptop. Credit: BBC The BBC R&D team's small-scale brightness testing setup: a power monitor, a testing laptop (with LCD screen), and a monitoring laptop. Credit: BBC The R&D arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation got to wondering just how useful a dark mode was in lowering broader power consumption. So the team "sat participants in front of the BBC Sounds homepage and asked them to turn up the device brightness until they were comfortable with it," using both the light and dark mode versions of the BBC Sounds website. The BBC Sounds website responds to user preferences for light or dark mode. Light mode is shown here on the left, dark on the right. Credit: Kevin Purdy/BBC The BBC Sounds website responds to user preferences for light or dark mode. Light mode is shown here on the left, dark on the right. Credit: Kevin Purdy/BBC Faced with the dark mode version of the site, 80 percent of participants turned the brightness up "significantly higher" than in light mode, the BBC writes in its blog post. In the study, the Beeb posits something broader:Our findings suggest that the energy efficiency benefits of dark mode are not as straightforward as commonly believed for display energy, and the interplay between content colourscheme and user behaviour must be carefully considered in sustainability guidelines and interventions.The study used a physical power monitor (a Tektronix PA1000) and two laptops, one for testinga 2017 MacBook Pro with a 13.3-inch LCD displayand another for monitoring. The LCD laptop seems like a curious choice, given that dark mode's savings are largely tied to OLED pixel technology. The BBC study suggests that, "given that most devices still use LCDs, where power consumption may not be reduced by displaying darker colours" (British spelling theirs), broad claims about energy savings may not be appropriately scaled.It's a decent point. The BBC study points to a write-up on the blog of consultancy firm Valtech of a Purdue study for evidence of those broad claims. The Purdue study puts the savings of dark mode, when using OLED displays with auto-brightness enabled, at between 39 percent, and the savings at 100 percent brightness at up to 47 percent.But how many devices will see that benefit? Research firm Omdia suggested in mid-2024 that OLEDs held 53 percent of the smartphone display market. In 2023, the same firm saw OLEDs as being 14 percent of the combined tablet and laptop market by 2028. So while smaller screens are ready to save some power with black pixels, our larger, more energy-hungry LCD displays are, by and large, not saving much from dark mode and may be just the opposite.Dark MacBook, dark room, light savings Power draw of the BBC's test laptop, a 2017 MacBook Pro with LCD screen, across brightness levels. Power draw of the BBC's test laptop, a 2017 MacBook Pro with LCD screen, across brightness levels. Distributions of brightness choices across all four screen mode and room illumination levels. Distributions of brightness choices across all four screen mode and room illumination levels.Power draw of the BBC's test laptop, a 2017 MacBook Pro with LCD screen, across brightness levels.Distributions of brightness choices across all four screen mode and room illumination levels. Brightness settings chosen by BBC study participants in different combinations of dark or light modes, and dark or light rooms. The room illumination had almost negligible effect, while dark mode significantly upped the brightness choiceson an LCD screen, at least. Brightness settings chosen by BBC study participants in different combinations of dark or light modes, and dark or light rooms. The room illumination had almost negligible effect, while dark mode significantly upped the brightness choiceson an LCD screen, at least. Dark mode and light mode tests, distributed across brightness levels chosen by participants. Dark mode and light mode tests, distributed across brightness levels chosen by participants.Brightness settings chosen by BBC study participants in different combinations of dark or light modes, and dark or light rooms. The room illumination had almost negligible effect, while dark mode significantly upped the brightness choiceson an LCD screen, at least.Dark mode and light mode tests, distributed across brightness levels chosen by participants.The BBC's experiment put 10 people 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) from the BBC Sounds homepage and asked them to alter the brightness until they were comfortable looking at it. Every participant did this adjusting in four variations: dark mode and light mode, and in a dimly lit and brightly lit room. Measuring across 16 brightness levels, the BBC found little difference in power draw between dark and light modesbut, again, this is an LCD screen, so that was expected. The lighting in the room also had very little impact on the brightness level and power draw.Using dark mode, however, caused the mean brightness level set by the participants to increase from a range of 9.610.7 in light mode to 12.512.7 in dark mode, with standard deviations around 2.1 for dark mode and 3.2 for light mode. The highest and lowest brightness settings chosen by participants also crept up in dark modes.The BBC study is just 10 participants, and, as the broadcaster itself notes, calls out for the same study to be done with OLED displays, which have higher contrast ratios and may be easier to read in dark mode at lesser brightness. There are also accessibility and page design considerations not brought into this exercise.But one website, on one MacBook, hooked up to a power monitor can at least suggest that organic eyes and real computers complicate the conversations around dark mode power savings.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 47 Comments

Right to repair Apple, Lenovo lead losers in laptop repairability analysis Lenovo fails for not providing shoppers sufficient laptop repairability information. Scharon Harding Feb 20, 2025 2:20 pm | 35 Repairing an M1 MacBook. Credit: Apple Repairing an M1 MacBook. Credit: Apple Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreApple and Lenovo had the lowest laptop repairability scores in an analysis of recently released devices from consumer advocacy group US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund. While Apple's low marks are partially due the difficulty involved in disassembling MacBooks, Lenovo appears to be withholding information from shoppers deemed critical to right-to-repair legislation and accessibility.The report, US PIRG's fourth annual Failing the Fix [PDF], calculated repairabilityscores for PCs and smartphones from popular brands in the US. The report examines "the top 10 most recent devices from each brand that were available for sale directly from manufacturers in January 2025." If a brand's website didn't allow people to sort by newest release, US PIRG picked devices by sorting "by 'Bestselling' or something similar," per the report's methodology section.US PIRG's analysis included finding each device's French Repairability Index scores on PC makers' French websites and on third-party retailer sites. US PIRG calculated PC makers' grades by averaging "the total French score and the isolated disassembly score from each device." It weighed disassembly scores more heavily because it believes "this better reflects what consumers think a repairability score indicates." Next, the group subtracted half a point each for membership in TechNet or the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), industry groups that oppose right-to-repair legislation, and added a quarter point "for each piece of Right to Repair legislation supported by the testimony of the manufacturer in the last year."Ultimately, US PIRG found higher repairability scores for cell phones this year than it did last year but emphasized that laptops are not becoming significantly more repairable."HP laptops, which decreased in repairability from 2023 to 2024, hardly improved at all this year. Repairability improvements in Lenovo and Asus laptops have been slow and inconsistent over the past few years, the report says. Credit: US PIRG Lucas Gutterman, one of the report's authors and director of US PIRG's Designed to Last campaign, told Ars Technica that while US PIRG isn't completely sure why laptop scores are lagging behind those of phones, the group thinks it relates to customer demand and domestic and global right-to-repair legislation pushing vendors to make more repairable phones. He also cited IDC data finding that Americans hold onto their phones for four years on average, saying this is about nine months longer than just a few years ago. He said this trend makes phone repairability an important concern.Lenovo fails to provide repairability information US PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2025. TPIN via US PIRGUS PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2025.TPIN via US PIRG US PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2024. Alec Meltzer | TPIN via US PIRGUS PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2024. Alec Meltzer | TPIN via US PIRGUS PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2025.TPIN via US PIRGUS PIRG's laptop repairability scores for 2024. Alec Meltzer | TPIN via US PIRGLenovo earned a failing score because, per the report, it "failed to provide the full French repairability index for 12 of the 13 models... available in both the US and France." Because the US PIRG was only able to score one device, Lenovo failed.As such, it's possible that Lenovo laptops could be more easily repairable than its F score implies, but Lenovo makes accessing French Repairability Index scores extremely difficult. As the report notes, France has required companies to post repair scores and information about repairability since January 2021. This could be an oversight on Lenovo's part. Ars Technica reached out to the PC maker for comment and will update this story if we hear back. For what it's worth, Lenovo scored a C last year, falling behind Asus, Acer, Dell, Microsoft, and HP.Gutterman said he doesn't know why Lenovo isn't providing repair score breakdowns like its rivals do. He added that Lenovo might not be complying with the requirements of the French Repairability Index.Samsung-commissioned research conducted by market researcher OpinionWay in 2021 highlighted the impact of readily available French repair index scores, with 86 percent of people surveyed saying that the index impacts their purchasing behavior.In general, the US PIRG has identified gaps in tech companies providing repairability materials, like manuals and spare parts, even when required by law.Laptops have changing or confusing model names that can differ across contexts, websites and support sections can change, and customer service can be unhelpful, Gutterman said. All of these make it difficult for consumers to find the manual they need to troubleshoot their problem. Manuals also might be lacking in repair diagrams or other more technical information that's needed to conduct a repair.A lack of repairability transparency can be not only frustrating for DIY repairs but can also negatively impact repair and refurbishing costs. This could make both options less economically viable for individuals and small businesses, like repair shops, Tatevik Nersisyan, Zero Waste Campaign associate for CALPIRG, US PIRGs California state affiliate, told Ars.When consumers can easily access information on how to fix devices, it makes it easier for people who cant afford the latest and greatest technology to still be able to access the tools they need, Nersisyan added.Apple lags but shows some improvementApple's MacBook repairability scores placed it at the lowest grade of the US PIRG's list, save for Lenovo. Credit: US PIRG However, Apple's overall repairability score improved from 4.3 last year to 5.1 this year. It gained a quarter of a point in this year's score because it supported right-to-repair legislation in California within the last year. Apple's support was a divergence from previous repairability stances from Apple, which had fought right-to-repair efforts for a decade before its about-face on California legislation starting in August 2023. Some have suggested that the change was due to Apple wanting input in legislation that, at the time, seemed likely to pass (California's bill did eventually pass). Apple has also made notable self-repairability efforts lately, though, including launching and expanding a Self Service Repair program.Still, Apple has room to grow, with the manufacturer earning the lowest total disassembly score (97)besides Lenovo, whose score (14) only included one device. Apple also had the lowest disassembly average score (4.9 versus an average of 7.4) out of brands examined. Last year, Apple had an average disassembly score of 4.In a deeper breakdown of the scores below, Apple's disassembly scores improved compared to 2024 (9.7 versus 8), as did its parts pricing score (10.9 versus 9.8). However, parts availability declined (13.2 versus 12.8), per US PIRG. Credit: US PIRG Overall, Apple wasn't able to compete with Asus and Acer, last year's and this year's winners. According to the report, "Asus and Acer continue to manufacture the most repairable laptops due largely to their ease of disassembly."Looking ahead, tariffs and other things impacting laptop availability and pricing, like the supply-chain disruptions witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, could drive demand for more easily repairable PCs.When [laptops and electronics] cost more or are harder to get, I'd expect shoppers to want to keep them in use for as long as possible and value their repairability, Gutterman said.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 35 Comments

Burnout from running a fashion consignment business led Michelle Morigeau to ditch the city and start a homestead.In 2021, she and her husband bought a 4-acre plot in British Columbia for about $458,000.They've been growing their own food, and plan to build a rammed earth house where they can live sustainably.At the end of 2019, Michelle Morigeau felt like she had hit rock bottom.As the owner of a Calgary-based fashion consignment business, she often got up at 4 a.m. to start work. Between overseeing the operations of her three physical resale stores and managing some 18 staff members, Morigeau was completely burned out."I just felt trapped and overwhelmed," Morigeau, 47, a YouTuber and homesteader, told Business Insider. "The hustle and bustle, the grind of being in the city, the noise, the traffic, the sirens everything just got too noisy in my head."Even though she lived in a beautiful rental house in the city and drove a new Jeep, her life felt unfulfilling.Fast-forward to 2020, Morigeau like many business owners was forced to temporarily close her stores due to the pandemic. Michelle Morigeau and her husband, James, moved from Calgary to British Columbia. Mark Aldous/Peak Property Photography. ByBritish Columbia, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Calgary."All of a sudden, my husband James and I were in the truck and out here at his lakefront property, and life just went from a hundred to zero," Morigeau said. "We fell into this mountain and forest life for about six months, and it gave me enough time to realize that this was somewhere that I wanted to be."Slowly, the idea of leaving the city started to grow on her."I told my husband, maybe we could make it work living rurally in the mountains. And luckily, he was on board," Morigeau said.Escaping the city for a slow, rural lifeIn May 2021, after a year of searching, the couple moved into a four-acre property that they bought for 650,000 Canadian dollars, or about $458,000.A four-bedroom house built in the '80s stood on the land, offering views of the nearby mountain range. The plot was situated in a lake community in East Kootenay the same area where her father-in-law lives and offered ample space for the couple's homesteading ambitions."It's the same area that we were in when I fell in love with this place, so we knew we wanted to be around here," Morigeau said.Since her husband was a builder, they also wanted to have enough space on the property to do DIY projects, she added: "We wanted space to be able to build a self-sustainable lifestyle, such as grow our own food and rear chickens." Some of the DIY projects they've completed so far include a wood storage cabin and a rammed earth sauna. Mark Aldous/Peak Property Photography. Morigeau says her friends and family were initially skeptical when they first heard about her move."They said, 'What are you going to do out there? What is there to do?'" Morigeau said, recalling their reactions. "But the funny thing is that we have endless things to do we've got at least 20 years of projects that we have planned."Some of the biggest changes they've done to the property so far include adding a wood storage hut that doubles as a chill spot, expanding their chicken coops, and building an off-grid sauna out of rammed earth."We're also building a 1,300-square-foot geothermal greenhouse," Morigeau added. "That's a big project we're working on right now because we plan to grow food all year round."They're about 70% done with the greenhouse. Once that project's completed, the couple is planning to build a 3,000-square-foot carriage house a shop with a suite above out of rammed earth. Morigeau's plan is to grow all their own food. She also has a farm stand on her property where she sells the extra produce. Mark Aldous/Peak Property Photography. Their eventual plan is to move into that upper suite while they demolish and rebuild the main house where they're living now also using rammed earth.Living sustainablyThe couple first learned about rammed earth construction through Morigeau's brother, who lives in Tasmania."He sort of put the bug in our ear by sending us YouTube videos," Moreigeau said. "We didn't really think too much of it until we moved out here."That's when they learned about the properties of houses built from rammed earth, such as their resistance to fire and their ability to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature all year round."It gets really cold here in the winter, and it's really hot in the summer, so it'll be good if the house could stay a nice temperature," Morigeau said. The plan is to eventually tear down the main family house on the property where they're living now and rebuild it using rammed earth. Pictured is the living room of the main family house. The Tie Life Homestead. Moreover, a house built from earth has a low carbon footprint which aligns with their desire to live sustainably and in harmony with nature."It would be what I would consider a healthy house, as opposed to the stick frame homes and stuff that they build now with materials that are probably carcinogenic for you," she said.Earthen houses are not a new invention; this type of architecture has been around for years like in the mud-brick buildings of Yemen's ancient walled city of Sana'a, and in Djenn, a town in Mali known for its adobe architecture.Prior to building the sauna, the couple had never worked with rammed earth buildings before, Morigeau said. The couple is working on getting permits to start constructing their rammed earth dwellings. Pictured is the kitchen of the main house. The Tie Life Homestead. But a big hurdle they're facing now is obtaining the necessary permits for their construction."Unfortunately, where we live, we need permits. We didn't move quite far enough away that we could not have the government involved," Morigeau said, adding that rammed earth is not part of the building code here in Canada."They're asking us to drop a lot of money in engineering, which we already had done, but now they want us to get architects involved," Morigeau said, adding that their discussions are an ongoing process.Becoming self-sufficientMorigeau has already started cultivating parts of their land. In addition to being self-sustainable, she also started a farm stand on her property in hopes of growing enough food to provide for the community."We have a huge garden," she said. "We grow enough food to feed us all summer as well as have the farm stand. And I preserve everything too."She and her husband aren't the only ones interested in homesteading, the practice of living self-sufficiently off the land. Morigeau has a farm stand on her property where she sells the surplus produce. Mark Aldous/Peak Property Photography. The lifestyle has grown in popularity in the years since the pandemic, per the Homesteaders of America, a grass roots organization that advocates for an agrarian lifestyle.A 2022 poll of 4,000 homesteaders conducted by the organization found that food security and a desire for a simpler lifestyle were among the main reasons respondents started homesteading.Several homesteaders that BI previously spoke to shared that the lifestyle was a way to reject the status quo and have control over their environmental footprint.Morigeau said she learned everything she knows about gardening through trial and error and YouTube. She also picked up some tips from neighbors who lived in the area."I didn't grow anything in the city," she said. "This past summer was the first time I didn't have to look anything up while I was gardening."Breaking free from materialismMorigeau says that her life now is so much more peaceful compared to when she was living in the city. She also feels more connected to nature and to the people around her."We take care of each other, from our neighbors lending us big equipment to build our projects, to me taking care of their kids and making them granola," Morigeau said.In a way, leaving Calgary was a way for her to start over, although it did take her some time to fully settle into life here.She continued running her business remotely for the first year and a half before she was ready to give it up. Now, she says she leads a more peaceful life and is no longer concerned about material things. Mark Aldous/Peak Property Photography. "I thought that I could do it remotely. The money was good and everything, but constantly having that pull back to the city, I needed to break that tie to really dive into my new life here," Morigeau said.She eventually found someone to sell the consignment business to, but preferred not to share how much she sold it for."The first year of even considering it was really hard, since it was a business that had been passed down to me in 2013 by my mom when she passed away," Morigeau said. "Not to mention, James built me all of my stores, he put all of his love and energy into them. Letting that go was really, really hard."Now that she's been out here for some time, Morigeau says she feels less attached to material things. She no longer cares about labels; all her clothes have to be practical since she spends a lot of time outdoors."After about a year of being out here, I had gone back to the store. I remember sitting in there, where people are buying Louis Vuitton and all of the famous brands, and just thinking, 'None of this really matters,'" Morigeau said. "That was when I realized that my passion for that business had died."Her expenses are also lower now, because she feels less of a need to shop. Not only that, they're about a 40-minute drive to the nearest town which doesn't even have a mall, she added."In the city, if I was bored, I would go shopping and buy things that don't really matter. Out here, there's not really anywhere to do that," she said.Looking back on their journey, Morigeau says that their perseverance got them through even the toughest days."My advice to anyone would be, if it's something that you really want and you put your mind to it, it will happen for you," she said. "Because there were so many things that we came up against, and it took time, but we just kept persevering, and then it happened for us."Have you recently relocated to a new country and found or renovated your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.

Fortnite's latest update is here, and that means you're likely stuck waiting for the chance to jump in here's all we know about the new update, including when you can playTech03:00, 21 Feb 2025Here are the Battle Pass skins for Lawless(Image: Epic Games)Looking to play Fortnite Chapter 6 and having some trouble? It's not just you, as Epic Games has taken its popular multiplayer shooter offline to roll out Chapter 6 Season 2.The update, dubbed 'Lawless', introduces a GTA-like world of criminality and heists, a rapper that's an actual pickle, and Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat. Confused? So are we, but hopefully the update will make more sense once it rolls out.Here's all we know about Fortnite's server status for the new season, including the patch notes we have so far, and when servers are expected to be back up so you can get back to your battle pass.Yes! At the time of writing, matchmaking has been suspended and the patch will be rolling out shortly if it hasn't already.You'll need to close the game and check for an update on your platform of choice, but don't expect servers to go back up in a flash.In keeping with other Fortnite updates, we're expecting the servers to return around 12pm GMT, 7am EST or 4am PST. Still, if there's a delay, maintenance could be extended.We'll update this page if that happens, but fingers crossed you'll be jumping in again by lunchtime in the UK.For more on Fortnite, be sure to check out our rundown of the early patch notes, as well as a fun story about a cheater having to release a very awkward apology after getting caught.There's also the small matter of that colossal Disney partnership, which may end up inspiring the team at Rockstar Games working on GTA 6 to build its own 'Metaverse'.Plus, Marvel Rivals is also getting a bit update today, with Human Torch and The Thing joining the fray.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Excited to jump into Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2? We've got the release time right here so you can get started on that fresh Battle Pass sooner than your rivalsTech02:00, 21 Feb 2025Lawless brings Sub Zero and another Pickle to the Fortnite Universe(Image: Epic Games)Fortnite Chapter 6 is finally here, and while the servers will no doubt be updating as you're reading this, Chapter 6 Season 2 looks like a blast.With a Pickle rapping, Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat in the latest Battle Pass, a whole host of new store goodies and that all-important map overhaul, Lawless could be another great update after Chapter 6 Season 1 was well-received.Here's all we know about Fortnite's latest update, including the patch notes we have so far, and when servers are expected to be back up so you can get to work on your battle pass.Yes! At the time of writing, matchmaking has been suspended and the patch will be rolling out shortly if it hasn't already.You'll need to close the game and check for an update on your platform of choice, but don't expect servers to go back up in a flash.In keeping with other Fortnite updates, we're expecting the servers to return around 12pm GMT, 7am EST or 4am PST. Still, if there's a delay, maintenance could be extended.Here are the Battle Pass skins for Lawless(Image: Epic Games)Other than a new theming that involves what appears to be a new urban POI and a literal pickle releasing a new single (not Pickle Rick, this time), the new Battle Pass includes the skins above.You may have noticed that the gentleman second from the left is, in fact, Mortal Kombat's Sub Zero. Fortnite Battle Pass skins tend to include one special guest each time, so it looks as though it'll be him. Rumours have suggested we'll get his rival and sometimes friend Scorpion as a skin in the store, too.It's not the first time we've had a heist theming, but this one should bring back The Getaway LTM according to longtime leaker Hypex.Content cannot be displayed without consentAs a reminder, the update will be free but the Battle Pass will set you back around 6.99 for the V-Bucks needed. It's not mandatory, though.Aside from the new content, there's a host of bug fixes planned according to the game's ever-evolving Trello board.Here's everything marked as "Fixed in Next Game Update":Battle Royale / Reload / OGPlayers unable to enter build mode using build tools bound to the F key - Weve identified a keybind overlap issue affecting multiple build keybinds on keyboard. The fix to address these conflicts is in the works and will be coming with the v33.30 game update. As a temporary workaround, go to the "Misc" section under the "Keyboard Controls" tab and remove or remap the "DBNO Carry" and "Object Carry" keybinds.Display issues in split screen when three or more players are signed in If three or more players are signed in to a console and play Fortnite in split screen mode while the third player is not in the game, they may notice a third display pop up instead of the intended two.Structures at BURD drop Stone instead of Metal When harvesting resources at the BURD gas station., some metal structures may drop Stone instead of intended Metal.Lego FortniteQuality Presets always set to the highest available option when loading into LEGO Fortnite - When loading into LEGO Fortnite Odyssey or Brick Life, the Quality Presets setting will always be set to the highest available option.If the Vampire player disconnects during Vampire Experiment and doesn't convert anyone, there will be no Vampires left If the player who was a Vampire disconnects and did not convert anyone, the event will proceed without Vampires. If the Vampire player rejoins, they will be a Survivor instead.Rocket RacingPlayers may be kicked to the Lobby after spending 30+ minutes in a Community Track If the player's session reaches or exceeds 30 minutes while in a Community Track, they may be automatically kicked to the Lobby, even if they are still actively playing. A fix to prevent this from occurring will come in a future game update.Save the WorldHusks may phase through built floor/ceiling sections from ramps - When trying to reach the player, Husks may phase through built floor/ceiling sections after climbing any ramps or stairs.Mantling is louder than intended - When mantling, players may notice the sound effect plays louder than expected.Players not respawning at Banners - Upon respawn, the player (or their teammates) may end up in a different location instead of the Banner Gadget (Level 4 Upgrade and higher).Fortnite MobileThe screen may flicker on certain Android devices - When interacting with the screen, players may be seeing pixelized or flickering glitch patterns - well update this card once we have a confirmed fix.Unable to pick up ammo or items while using a Med Kit/Shield Potion - Players may be unable to pick up any ammo or items while under the Medkit/Shield Potion effect - even if they have available Inventory slots.The 'Edit' button is not visible in Combat Mode - Currently, the Edit button is only visible when in Build Mode - were working on the option to have the button always present both in Standard and Simple Edit modes.Missing Dynamic Quickbar Slot prevents Trap/Launch Pad use in OG Zero Build - If the Dynamic Quickbar Slot is assigned to an individual Trap or Launch Pad Inventory slot (such as Quickbar Slot 4), it fails to display, blocking item accessArticle continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.