Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

For many people, pets provide unconditional love, companionship, and a sense of security. But not all human-pet relationships are beneficial, and some may contribute to stress and anxiety rather than relief.Psychologists have been studying attachment theory for decades. This framework explains how people form emotional bonds, seek closeness, and manage separation. People with secure attachment tend to feel safe in relationships, while those with attachment anxiety may crave closeness but frequently worry about rejection or loss.Just like with human relationships, people form attachment bonds with pets. Some form secure attachments, finding comfort in their pet and viewing them as a reliable source of companionship. Others experience anxious attachment, feeling excessive worry, distress, and a heightened need for reassurance when separated from their pet.In our recently published research, my research team and I found that attachment anxiety is strongly linked to depression symptoms among owners. This suggests that well-being isnt just about having a pet, but about the quality of your bond.Strong bonds arent always healthy bondsMy team and I set out to explore whether the way people bond with their pets has a measurable effect on their mental well-being.We surveyed more than 1,000 pet owners in the U.S. about their closeness to their pets; how often they engaged in activities like playing, cuddling, or spending time together; and whether they felt secure or anxious in the relationship. We also measured symptoms of depression to examine how different characteristics of pet bonds might influence mental well-being.Our results revealed a clear pattern: Higher pet attachment anxiety was the strongest predictor of depression symptoms. In other words, people who felt overly dependent on their pets, constantly worrying about being apart from them, or whether their pet loved them back, were more likely to experience depression symptoms.Surprisingly, simply feeling emotionally close to a pet was not enough to predict better mental health. While some may assume that a stronger bond with a pet automatically leads to greater well-being, our findings suggest that the quality of the attachment matters more than its intensity. People with secure pet relationships reported better well-being, while those with higher attachment anxiety experienced greater distress.We also found that while frequent pet interactions were linked to stronger and more secure human-pet bonds, interaction frequency did not significantly predict mental health outcomes. This reinforces the idea that emotional security in the relationship, rather than just the frequency of interaction, is what truly matters for mental health.Interestingly, people who owned both a cat and a dog reported more depression symptoms than those with only one type of pet. While our study did not determine the cause, one possibility is that managing multiple pets can add stress or increase the burden of caregiving.How pet relationships shape your mental healthOur findings highlight that pet ownership is not a one-size-fits-all solution for mental health. The way people bond with their petswhether they feel emotionally secure or experience anxiety in the relationshipmay be just as important as pet ownership itself in shaping well-being.This research also raises important questions about the role of emotional support animals and animal-assisted interventions. If pet ownership is going to be integrated into mental health care, it may not be enough to simply encourage pet companionship. Instead, the quality of the human-animal bond could be a key factor in whether pets provide comfort or contribute to emotional distress.This study does not suggest that people should stop seeking emotional support from pets. Instead, it highlights how the way people bond with their pets can influence well-being in ways they may not always realize.For those who rely on their pets for emotional support, recognizing these patterns may help foster a bond that feels reassuring rather than stressful. Pets can provide deep comfort, but caregiving comes with challenges, too. Reflecting on both the joys and responsibilities of pet ownership can help strengthen the human-animal bond, supporting the well-being of both pets and owners.Brian N. Chin is an assistant professor of psychology at Trinity College.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Most of us are used to using internet chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek in one of two ways: via a web browser or via their dedicated smartphone apps. There are two drawbacks to this. First, their use requires an internet connection. Second, everything you type into the chatbot is sent to the companies servers, where it is analyzed and retained. In other words: the more you use the chatbot the more the company knows about you. This is a particular worry surrounding DeepSeek that American lawmakers have expressed.But thanks to a few innovative and easy-to-use desktop apps, LM Studio and GPT4All, you can bypass both these drawbacks. With the apps, you can run various LLM models on your computer directly. Ive spent the last week playing around with these apps and thanks to each, I can now use DeepSeek without the privacy concerns. Heres how you can, too.Run DeepSeek locally on your computer without an internet connectionTo get started, simply download LM Studio or GPT4All on your Mac, Windows PC, or Linux machine. Once the app is installed, youll download the LLM of your choice into it from an in-app menu. I chose to run DeepSeeks R1 model, but the apps support myriad open-source LLMs.LM Studio can run DeepSeeks reasoning model privately on your computer.Once youve done the above youve essentially turned your personal computer into an AI server capable of running numerous open-source LLMs, including ones from DeepSeek and Meta. Next, simply open a new chat window and type away just as you would when using an AI chatbot on the web.The best thing about both these apps is that they are free for general consumer use, you can run several open-source LLMs in them (you get to choose which and can swap between LLMs at will), and, if you already know how to use an AI chatbot in a web browser, youll know how to use the chatbot in these apps.But there are additional benefits to running LLMs locally on your computer, too.The benefits of using an LLM locallyIve been running DeepSeeks reasoning model on my MacBook for the past week without so much as a hiccup in both LM Studio or GPT4All. One of the coolest things about interacting with DeepSeek in this way is that no internet is required. Since the LLM is hosted directly on your computer, you dont need any kind of data connection to the outside world to use it.Running LLMs like DeepSeek in apps like GPT4All can help keep your data secure.Or as GPT4Alls lead developer, Adam Treat, puts it, You can use it on an airplane or at the top of Mount Everest. This is a major boon to business travelers stuck on long flights and those working in remote, rural areas.But if Treat had to sum up the biggest benefit of running DeepSeek locally on your computer, he would do it in one word: Privacy.Every online LLM is hosted by a company that has access to whatever you input into the LLM. For personal, legal, and regulatory reasons this can be less than optimal or simply not possible, Treat explains.While for individuals, this can present privacy risks, those who upload business or legal documents into an LLM to summarize could be putting their company and its data in jeopardy.Uploading that [kind of data] to an online server risks your data in a way that using it with an offline LLM will not, Treat notes. The reason an offline LLM running locally on your own computer doesnt put your data at risk is because Your data simply never leaves your machine, says Treat.This means, for example, if you want to use DeepSeek to help you summarize that report you wrote, you can upload it into the DeepSeek model stored locally on your computer via GPT4All or LM Studio and rest assured the information in that report isnt being sent to the LLM makers servers.The drawbacks of using an LLM locallyHowever, there are drawbacks to running an LLM locally. The first is that youre limited to using only the open-source models that are available, which may be less recent than the model that is available through the chatbots official website. And because only open-source models can be installed, that means you cant use apps like GPT4All or LM Studio to run OpenAIs ChatGPT locally on your computer.Another disadvantage is speed.Because you are using your own hardware (your laptop or desktop) to power the AI, the speed of responses will be generally slower than an online server, Treat says. And since AI models rely heavily on RAM to perform their computations, the amount of RAM you have in your computer can limit which models you can install in apps like GPT4All and LM Studio.As online servers are usually powered by very high-end hardware they are generally going to be faster and have more memory allowing for very fast responses by very large models, explains Treat.Still, in my testing of both LM Studio and GPT4All over the past week, I dont think the reduced speediness of DeepSeeks replies is a dealbreaker. When using DeepSeeks R1 reasoning model on the web, the DeepSeek hosted on servers in China took 32 seconds to return an answer to the prompt Can you teach me how to make a birthday cake? When asking the local DeepSeek R1 model stored in LM Studio and GPT4All, the response time was 84 seconds and 82 seconds, respectively.Ive found that the benefits of running DeepSeek locally on my device using LM Studio and GPT4All far outweigh the extra waiting time required to get a response. Without a doubt, being able to access a powerful AI model like DeepSeeks R1 locally on my computer anywhere at any time without an internet connectionand knowing the data I enter into it remains privateis a trade-off worth making.

Bookcases are versatile storage solutions that enhance room decor with a wide range of colors, sizes and styles. Crafted from materials like wood, glass, metal and plastic, they offer flexibility in design and function. Whether built-in, freestanding or foldable, bookcases can transform a rooms ambiance while providing practical storage. They serve as platforms to showcase personal treasures, decorative items and, of course, books. By choosing the right design, a bookcase becomes more than just storageit becomes a statement piece that reflects individual style and creativity.The adaptability of bookcases allows them to meet the needs of different spaces, from small apartments to large homes. They can be used to partition open-plan areas, create cozy reading nooks or add character to empty walls. Modern designs often incorporate clever features such as adjustable shelves, integrated lighting or modular components that can be configured as needed. This versatility ensures that bookcases remain relevant in contemporary interiors, providing both aesthetic and functional benefits to complement any decor style.1. Geometric BookshelfBookcases are versatile storage solutions that enhance room decor with a wide range of colors, sizes and styles. Crafted from materials like wood, glass, metal and plastic, they offer flexibility in design and function. Whether built-in, freestanding or foldable, bookcases can transform a rooms ambiance while providing practical storage. They serve as platforms to showcase personal treasures, decorative items and, of course, books. By choosing the right design, a bookcase becomes more than just storageit becomes a statement piece that reflects individual style and creativity.The adaptability of bookcases allows them to meet the needs of different spaces, from small apartments to large homes. They can be used to partition open-plan areas, create cozy reading nooks or add character to empty walls. Modern designs often incorporate clever features such as adjustable shelves, integrated lighting or modular components that can be configured as needed. This versatility ensures that bookcases remain relevant in contemporary interiors, providing both aesthetic and functional benefits to complement any decor style.The Tetris Bookcase, is a unique fusion of fun and functionality! This innovative fun-iture features brick-inspired modules that stack into a larger cabinet, echoing the iconic game. Arrange the modules in any orientation within the cabinet or use them as standalone shelves, making decorating a playful activity. The Tetris Bookcase turns DIY into an enjoyable experience, allowing you to build it like a life-sized game of Tetris. Made from lightweight yet strong aluminum alloy, each module is powder-coated for vibrant color and durability.The Cheft Bookshelf by Maryam Pousti of Studio Pousti is a geometric bookshelf crafted from interlocking wood sheets, assembled without nails, screws, or glue. Beyond its role as a practical bookshelf, it doubles as a room divider or shelving unit for various home items. Inspired by traditional Persian architecture, the Cheft Bookshelf, along with its accompanying table and bar stool, blends seamlessly with the warm wooden aesthetics of modern contemporary interiors.2. Book GrooveA book groove is a narrow, elongated channel designed to hold books upright and organized. This innovative design can be seamlessly integrated into multifunctional furniture or shelving units, such as tables and beds, enhancing both functionality and stability. The sleek lines and smart use of space make book grooves an excellent choice for minimalist interiors where space optimization is key. With their ability to blend into existing furniture, book grooves provide a subtle yet effective way to organize reading materials without sacrificing style.Book grooves are particularly beneficial for small living spaces, where maximizing every inch of storage is crucial. They offer a creative way to incorporate book storage into unexpected places, making them ideal for modern homes that prioritize both form and function. By selecting furniture with built-in book grooves, homeowners can maintain a clean, uncluttered look while ensuring that their favorite books are always within reach. This integration of design and practicality makes book grooves a valuable addition to any room.The Bookgroove blends unique design with practicality and space-saving features, exemplifying versatility by combining a bookrack with a table. Its circular form incorporates a distinctive J-shaped carving for book storage, while also serving as a flat surface for items like drinks. Visually striking, it offers potential as a stylish addition to any living space, with considerations about long-term book storage and ease of access depending on individual needs.Deniz Aktays Plot Twist Bookshelf incorporates twisted wooden elements, creating a stable and accessible design thathighlights his signature curves and functional approach. Made primarily of wood, it provides storage for books and other items with open frames on all sides, showcasing Aktays talent for innovative and practical design, as seen in his Nick Wooden Desk Organizer and GRAB Side Table.3. Open BookshelfAn open bookshelf features shelves without doors or panels, offering a clear view of displayed books and other items. This design invites a sense of openness and accessibility, making it a popular choice for those who appreciate easy access to their belongings. Open bookshelves are particularly useful in spaces where visibility and accessibility are priorities, such as living rooms, home offices and libraries. They provide a platform for creativity, allowing for the arrangement of books, plants and decorative objects in an aesthetically pleasing way.The versatility of open bookshelves extends to their ability to adapt to various interior styles. From industrial chic to cozy rustic, these shelves can be styled to suit any taste and purpose. By carefully curating the items displayed, homeowners can change the mood of a room with ease. Additionally, open bookshelves encourage regular interaction with ones book collection, promoting a culture of reading and exploration. For those who love to showcase their personal style, open bookshelves offer a blank canvas to express creativity.For avid book collectors prioritizing storage over display, the Wave bookshelf offers a unique blend of functionality and style. Featuring a traditional rectangular frame with geometric interspaces and a sturdy metal wireframe construction, it allows for angled book placement and utilizes small gaps for magazines or slim volumes. With wooden spacers ensuring stability and adding aesthetic contrast, this versatile shelf caters to both decorative needs and practical storage solutions, ideal for any room.4. Closed BookshelfA closed bookshelf includes doors or panels that can be opened to access books and other items stored inside. This design offers a distinct advantage in rooms where a tidy appearance is desired, as it allows for the concealment of contents when not in use. Closed bookshelves are ideal for maintaining a sleek, uncluttered look, making them a favorite in formal settings or areas where storage privacy is important. The doors or panels can also serve as additional decorative elements, featuring designs or materials that complement the surrounding decor.Closed bookshelves are often chosen for their ability to protect books and items from dust and light damage. This makes them particularly suitable for storing valuable or delicate collections. By selecting a closed bookshelf with adjustable shelving, users can customize the interior to accommodate books of various sizes or other items. With their combination of practicality and design flexibility, closed bookshelves offer a sophisticated storage solution that enhances any rooms elegance and functionality.IKEAs iconic BILLY bookshelf received a Boho-inspired makeover by Dubai-based designer Kathryn Hawkes. Adding cane-webbed cabinet doors and a beige paint job transformed the once-standard piece into a stylish storage unit for linens and tableware, showcasing the trend of #ikeahacking popularized by Fronteriors, the design business co-founded by Hawkes and Linda Dekkers. This creative reinterpretation highlights the versatility of IKEA furniture in personalizing home decor.5. Sculptural BookshelfA sculptural bookshelf serves dual purposes as it functions as a practical storage solution for books while also serving as a decorative piece with a unique and eye-catching shape, akin to an artistic installation. These bookshelves are often designed with bold shapes, curves and unexpected angles, transforming them into captivating focal points. The artistic nature of sculptural bookshelves makes them suitable for contemporary interiors that prioritize statement pieces and creative expression.In addition to their visual appeal, sculptural bookshelves offer functional storage for books and decorative items. They can be strategically placed in rooms to draw attention and create interest, acting as conversation starters for guests. The combination of form and function in sculptural bookshelves challenges traditional notions of furniture design, inviting homeowners to explore new possibilities in their interior spaces. These pieces exemplify how furniture can transcend utility, becoming an integral part of the artistic landscape of a home.Deniz Aktays Hullabaloo redefines the traditional bookshelf with a stunning avant-garde design. Composed of four twisted cuboidal quadrants forming a circular shape, resembling a double bent Mbius strip, it combines artistic flair with functional storage. The translucent back adds intrigue, encouraging viewers to admire its form from multiple angles. Ideal for spacious settings as a striking centerpiece, Hullabaloo blends form and function into a sculptural statement, although its size may restrict its suitability for smaller living spaces.6. Modular BookshelfA modular bookshelf consists of standardized units or modules that can be combined in diverse configurations. This flexibility allows for customization in size, shape and design to accommodate different storage needs and spatial layouts. Modular bookshelves are particularly appealing for those who seek adaptable furniture solutions that can evolve with their changing requirements. Whether used as a standalone unit or combined into larger structures, modular bookshelves offer a personalized approach to organization and design.The ability to reconfigure modular bookshelves makes them ideal for dynamic living environments. As families grow or living arrangements change, these shelves can be adjusted to suit new circumstances. This versatility is further enhanced by the option to add expansion accessories, allowing for continued customization over time. With their blend of adaptability and style, modular bookshelves provide a practical and aesthetically pleasing storage solution that meets the demands of modern living.The rotating picture book rack for 1200 books is a multifunctional piece of furniture designed to foster creativity and organization in childrens spaces. With adjustable height options for safe access, it transforms into imaginative structures like skyscrapers or doll castles, promoting exploration and cognitive development. Made from sustainable FSC-certified beech wood and colorful acrylic panels, it enhances color perception and environmental awareness. Its modular design supports expansion accessories, allowing personalization and encouraging children to engage in hands-on learning and play.7. Minimalist BookshelfA sleek and minimalist bookshelf features smooth lines and a glossy surface that seamlessly integrates into contemporary spaces. This design emphasizes simplicity and elegance, offering functional storage for books while contributing to a clean, uncluttered look. Minimalist bookshelves are perfect for modern home decor, where the focus is on pared-down aesthetics and efficient use of space. These shelves provide a subtle backdrop that allows books and decorative items to take center stage.The appeal of minimalist bookshelves lies in their ability to complement a variety of interior styles. Whether in a stark white room or a colorful setting, these shelves adapt effortlessly, enhancing the overall ambiance without overwhelming it. By choosing minimal design elements, homeowners can create a serene environment that promotes relaxation and focus. Minimalist bookshelves exemplify the mantra of less is more, offering a sophisticated solution that balances beauty and functionality.The Ptolomeo Bookshelf, designed by Bruno Rainaldi, is a sleek and minimalist storage solution crafted from stainless steel, available in black or white lacquer finishes. Its narrow shelves create a floating illusion when filled with books, offering both stability and aesthetic appeal. Named after Ptolemy I Soter, it pays homage to bibliophiles by transforming traditional book storage into a stylish display piece ideal for showcasing prized book collections.Slice is a minimalist, elegant bookshelf resembling an open book, designed by Portuguese designer Joao Teixeira to subtly encourage reading without digital prompts. Its sleek, modular design allows for easy access from both sides, perfect for compact spaces and customizable home libraries.8. Multifunctional BookshelfA multifunctional bookshelf integrates additional features to enhance its utility beyond storing books. This design maximizes space efficiency and functionality to meet diverse needs in modern living spaces. Multifunctional bookshelves often include elements such as built-in desks, lighting or seating, making them ideal for compact environments where every inch of space counts. By incorporating multiple uses into a single piece of furniture, these bookshelves offer innovative solutions for todays dynamic lifestyles.The benefits of multifunctional bookshelves extend to their ability to streamline living spaces. By reducing the need for separate pieces of furniture, they help create a more open and organized environment. These bookshelves are particularly valuable in small apartments or studios, where space is at a premium. By combining storage with other functions, multifunctional bookshelves provide a versatile and efficient approach to modern living, enhancing both form and function in any room.The Conch chair blends compact design with comfort, featuring a molded-plywood inner body and dual-density foam outer body for structure and softness. Its ergonomic form hugs the body and includes a convenient storage space underneath, making it both functional and visually appealing.9. Experimental DesignExperimental furniture design explores innovative approaches to creating bookshelves that transcend traditional norms. By pushing boundaries in form, function and aesthetics, these designs produce unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that challenge conventional ideas. Experimental bookshelves often feature unconventional materials, shapes and construction techniques, offering a fresh perspective on what a bookshelf can be. These pieces are perfect for those who value creativity and originality in their home decor.The allure of experimental bookshelves lies in their ability to transform spaces with unexpected and thought-provoking designs. They invite users to engage with their environment in new ways, encouraging exploration and interaction. By embracing unconventional forms, these bookshelves can inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity, redefining the role of furniture in interior design. For those seeking to make a bold statement, experimental bookshelves offer an opportunity to express individuality and innovation.The Zipper Bookshelf is inspired by the concept of unzipping a book, where the structure gradually opens up from simple shelves at the bottom to branch-like displays at the top. This innovative design not only enhances visual appeal with its minimalistic metal aesthetic and vibrant orange finish. The design ensures stability and makes ample space for books across its unique branching shelves.10. Organic ShapesOrganic-shaped bookshelves integrate fluid, nature-inspired designs like curves, enhancing interiors with creativity, natural aesthetics and an artistic, sculptural vibe. These designs draw inspiration from the natural world, incorporating elements like flowing lines and asymmetrical forms. Organic bookshelves offer a refreshing departure from traditional geometric shapes, bringing a sense of harmony and balance to any setting. They are ideal for those who seek to connect with nature through their interior decor.The use of organic shapes in bookshelf design adds a dynamic and soothing element to a room. By mimicking the forms found in nature, these shelves create a sense of continuity and flow, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the space. Organic bookshelves are particularly well-suited for creating focal points or accentuating specific areas within a room. Their unique shapes and styles invite viewers to appreciate the beauty of natural design, making them a captivating addition to any home.This distinctive chair doubles as a functional shelf or table when not in use, combining practicality with artistic design in a seamless, single-piece form that enhances both decor and efficiency without the complexities of moving parts.Happy Reading!The post Top 10 Bookshelf Styles to Transform Your Home and Elevate Your Rooms Look first appeared on Yanko Design.

Kentucky and Tennessee have flooded repeatedly in recent years, but with little ability to develop land on higher ground, many residents are forced to continue living in high-risk areas.

Plus: The FDA clears Googles Loss of Pulse feature on the Pixel Watch 3, Oura launches a pregnancy study, and Photoshop gets its first proper app.

Creepz is officially emerging from stealth to capitalize on the $419 million valuation for its NFTs and become an entertainment brand.Read More

Since its founding in 2007, the Mumbai-based collaborative studio CAMP has used surveillance, TV networks, and digital archives to examine how we move through and record the world. In addition to their film and video projects, the wildly prolific studio runs a rooftop cinema in Mumbai and maintains several online video archives, including the largest digital archive of Indian film.CAMPs first major US museum exhibition is on view now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York through July 20th and includes three video projects spanning two decades of work. The exhibits three films repurposed private television sets into interactive neighborhood portrayals, collected cellphone footage recorded by sailors navigating the Indian Ocean, and reimagined how a CCTV camera could be utilized for exploration rather than control. In one film, CAMP collected cellphone videos that sailors shared at ports via bluetooth; in another, passersby on street level control a surveillance camera 35 stories above.I chatted with two of CAMPs founders, Shaina Anand and Ashok Sukumaran, about the importance of maintaining an open digital archive, the slippery definition of piracy, and how footage that never makes it into a finished film is often the most illuminating.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.Shaina Anand and Ashok Sukumaran at the opening for the exhibit Video After Video: The Critical Media of CAMP, at The Museum of Modern Art in New York on February 20th, 2025. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeYour film, From Gulf to Gulf to Gulf, offers a portrait of sailors navigating the Indian Ocean, using cellphone videos to document their journeys and daily lives. Can you talk about how that project came to be and how this partnership with the sailors began?Ashok Sukumaran: Around the global financial crisis, in 2009, we were walking around the city of Sharjah in the UAE. Sharjah is a creek city, like Dubai. Before oil was discovered, the creeks were the main city center focus. And these boats were these kind of weird, out-of-time wooden ships, and many of them were going to Somali ports. So, we asked them, How come there were no issues with pirates? Because everything we were hearing about Somalia at that time was about piracy. They said, No, no, theres a difference between going to the Somali town carrying everything they need and driving past it with a ton of oil.Shaina Anand: Almost all of these giant wooden boats were built in these twin towns in the Gulf of Kutch, in Gujarat, and they were massive. They were 8002,000-ton giant wooden crafts. AS: Theres a kind of language of the port. The Iranians, the UAE folks, the Somali, and of course, Indians and Pakistanis speak a kind of common language, which is close to a Hindustani mix of Farsi and Urdu. So, we were able to talk to everyone, to some extent, and we discovered a kind of music video genre that was really inspiring. This was the 2000s, with early Nokia phones, and sailors would shoot video and add music to it. Then their memory cards would run out [and theyd get deleted]. Some of the videos were 100 by 200 pixels.SA: It was really important to us to try to trace the genealogy of the cellphone video, and it obviously was changing so fast. [The videos were] 10 frames a second, or 13 frames a second, in odd, square formats. It was rapidly changing. For us, what was striking was that this image emerged in the middle of nowhere, out at sea, when a brethren boat or a comrade boat was filming on a phone. When our film had its festival run at the National Theatre in London, one of the film programmers came and told me, It gives us such joy to see those images on the best screen in London. And it gave us the same joy, too. That there is an equality, then.Many people misread this low-res image and [call it] a poor image, and were like, that is not what it is at all. How were the videos originally transferred and shared among sailors?SA: It was a very physical process because these were not found on the internet. We were physically sitting down with people and saying, Whats on your phone? Can I have a look at it? What did you film? These [videos] were exchanged over Bluetooth, so they were not uploaded to YouTube, but they were literally transferred by putting the phones together.AS: [When the boats] anchor for a bit at these smaller islands along the Gulf of Aden or Gulf of Persia, theyre still always in pairs or threes. They travel together for safety. Thats also the time for leisure and piping in those songs.From Gulf to Gulf to Gulf presented in the first room of the Video After Video: The Critical Media of CAMP exhibition. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeTheres something sweet about this moment of being bored at sea and using that space to create something. SA: In a lot of our work, you see this idea that the subject of the film is usually behind the camera. Theyre usually running the thing, and they are looking out at whatever interests them. At sea, you have a lot of time, even though its busy when its loading and unloading. But at sea, a lot of people are basically hanging out and taking pictures of the things that they can see. Then the music adds the emotional tenor. All the music in the film was found with the video; we didnt add any music ourselves. AS: And then if your phone has 2GB memory, thats the ephemera bit. The video gets deleted, but its found on another boat on someone elses phone.SA: And within these communities, the videos are quite traceable because the boats are known. There are a thousand boats, but people would instantly recognize, Thats so and so. Even by looking at the shape of the boat in a 100-pixel video, they would know which boat it was. You talked a little bit about how these videos were really ephemeral; they got erased very quickly. So much of your work seems to be about a commitment to maintaining an archive. AS: We set up CAMP in 2007, with our collaborators who were lawyers and coders and cinephiles, and then, all of us together, good friends. We set up Pad.ma, our first online archive, and the lawyers were working around copyright law and trying to challenge them legally, pushing fair use. We didnt want to valorize piracy, but we realized how, for countries in Asia, piracy was vital.You didnt even think of [buying software from] Microsoft. You bought the parts of a computer with help from the person selling them, saying, Okay, so much RAM, this motherboard, and so on, and then loaded what you wanted. Shaina Anand, Ashok Sukumaran, Rohan Chavan, and Jan Gerber from left. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeSA: The whole Indian tech sector was built on piracy, or whats called piracy. People were not able to pay the fees. With Pad.ma, we basically initiated this idea of a footage archive or a collection of material that was not films, but things that were shot by people during film projects that never made it into the cut. For political reasons, for economic reasons, for the reasons that the films were only 30 or 60 minutes long and they had filmed for years, all those kinds of things. The idea was that Pad.ma was a footage archive that allowed you to deeply access that material. So its an archive of scraps the things around the edges that maybe werent shown elsewhere.SA: Yeah, but here, the scraps are 20 times the size of the finished thing.AS: I think thats the important thing. You had 100 hours of footage for a 60-minute film. That was really the reason for building a non-state archive, and were the custodians and collaborators who think the 99 hours may be more important. Its not those old remnant scraps.Its the other way around.AS: Its the other way around. I mean, you have a one-hour interview, and two minutes might make it into a film.SA: You had all these examples of European avant-garde filmmakers coming to India making films and then doing these edits of what they thought they were seeing. But the footage is saying much more than their particular edit at the time. It can be very revealing of what was actually going on and how they filmed.So the archives contain a huge amount of data.SA: I mean, we have committed to that. We raised money from various sources for the projects. Indiancine.ma, which is a sister project, thats like the whole of Indian cinema as a metadata archive. AS: There were magical things in 2008 on the platform. One was that the timeline had cut detection. So, you can actually go to a cut just by using your left and right arrow keys. And you dont have that even in [Adobe] Premiere. You could also densely annotate. So you have researchers working, you have activists, you have film scholars, and they may take from the archive. But in that process, theyve given back their expertise or their views of the archive.Can you talk more about your work with participatory filmmaking?AS: On one level, what had been occupying my head space was this critique of how documentary images are taken, or why this relationship between subject, author, and technology is so dumb.I would keep saying, look at the image, and we can say a white guy filmed it, or we can know this really important Indian filmmaker filmed it, or you can say a top feminist filmmaker filmed it, or a queer person filmed it or a person from that community. But somethings a bit off in that form as well. Not just [in terms of] whos speaking for who and all of that. Another of your projects in the exhibit, Khirkeeyaan, which created video portals between neighbors and community centers using CCTV, seems like a place where the subject has a lot of authority over their image.AS: Between 2005 and 2006, CCTV cameras started to proliferate all over. And they were cheap. So, the electronic market where wed go to buy computer stuff now had become a CCTV market.It was $10 for those static cameras. You could get that quad box, like a four-channel mixer. They were everywhere really fast: the grocery store, the dive bar, the beauty salon, the abortion clinic. Wherever I went, I was seeing these tiny things.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergePhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergePhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergePhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeSA: When you put the camera on top of the TV and you allow the two systems to meet, you can just look into the television, and then thats part of the cable television network. By default, these systems are kind of oppositional. One is a broadcast system, or one is a sucking and one is a closed thing, and if you join them together, they start to talk to each other orDownload and upload simultaneously.AS: Exactly, which was the key property of video. That there was feedback. It was immediate.SA: It was live, and unlike film, you dont have to process it. They were ambient. They would go on for 24 hours. You were able to say that your household TV is now a portal.AS: The key thing was that this wasnt the internet. The cables were all 100 meters each. For a long time, until it got replaced by dish antennas, coaxial cable just used to snake across our cities. The cable would come to your house from the window sill, where the coax would be wrapped around, and thered be a little booster. It would go from neighborhood to neighborhood, building to building, terrace to terrace. [With Khirkeeyaan], the network was neighborly, but these neighbors were meeting each other for the first time. Was there anything that kind of surprised you about the way that this network was used?AS: What always surprises me, and continues to, is that when you set up your own kind of collaboration with the subjects, and then you exit, youre not asking those leading questions of, Tell me about your life, or Which village do you come from? And poetry happens. I think, what was very affirmative for me, was just the confidence with which people sat and looked at their TV sets. You sit and look at your TV set all the time, but the TV set now had a hole in it, and it was looking back at you.Shaina Anand stands in front of the projection of Bombay Tilts Down displayed in the final room of the exhibit, Video After Video: The Critical Media of CAMP. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeAnother of your videos in the show, Bombay Tilts Down, uses a CCTV camera. Can you talk more about your work utilizing surveillance?SA: CCTV, in a way, changes how we behave. It sort of infects, depending on who is watching us and how. In Bombay Tilts Down, it was the simple idea that this gaze of the camera is already there. In the city, there are 5,000 of exactly the same kind of camera, and probably many more.Theyre all at least 4K, and now theyre 8K, but they are robotic controllable cameras that are designed to do facial recognition at a distance. Instead of being a guard, waiting for something to happen, we used it to film the city. And the range is incredible; it goes way beyond the property line of the thing its trying to protect. You can see 15 kilometers away with it, from the 35th floor.So you installed the camera yourself. SA: This one, yes. The people you see in Bombay Tilts Down are looking up at the camera because people could see the stream downstairs, and some of them were moving the camera around, calling the shots.See More:

Federal workers started getting emails on Friday night, asking them to provide a list of accomplishments from the week, reports The New York Times. According to the outlet, the message told workers theyll now be expected to provide such a list every Monday by 11:59PM ET. This time around, the Times writes that employees who worked only on classified or sensitive activities were instructed to write all of my activities are sensitive in response. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reportedly sent the email to agencies that include the FBI, the General Services Administration, and the Departments of Defense, Justice, Labor, and Agriculture. In at least one other case, it was sent by an internal department address, according to The Associated Press.The Times notes that its not clear whether there are any consequences for those who dont respond to the new email or future ones. After a similar email was sent to federal workers last week, Musk wrote on X, Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation a detail that was missing from the original email, something a number of legal experts have said is illegal. On Thursday, a federal judge said the OPM cannot fire employees of another agency and ordered it to rescind directives that resulted in the mass firings of probationary employees, many of whom were senior workers in key roles. In an open letter the same day, Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) urged Musk and the OPM to stop sending emails to employees of legislative branch offices and agencies who are not subject to personnel actions by the Executive branch. Padilla said the messages are wasting time and resources and potentially misleading employees into responding and sharing legislative branch information in an unauthorized manner.Many agencies told employees not to reply to last weeks email, while others said they should. Musk claimed last week, without evidence, that the original round of emails were aimed at finding fraudulent employees. The Times points out he repeated that claim during a Wednesday cabinet meeting, saying there may be a number of people on the government payroll who are dead.

LEGO patented its signature "binding brick" in 1958. But it wasn't until nearly 50 years later, in 2005, that LEGO released its first official chess build. I learned this fact while researching this article. And even as someone who spends most of his idle time building and learning about LEGO, it surprised me. Why had it taken so long? LEGO Chess seemed, at least in my mind, a given an easy, marketable way to make bricks accessible to a wide audience.But in 2005, LEGO's audience was primarily children. The company did not widely cater to its adult audience until 2007. And the idea of LEGO lifestyle branding of integrating brick-built things into a non-brick living space didn't truly take off until around 2020.What we now take for granted in 2025 was unprecedented in 2005. when the first LEGO chess set debuted. And it was unheard of in the prior decades, when the majority of builds were miniature playsets, rather than depictions of real-life things.Here's an ordered history of every LEGO Chess Set. There are 12 in all, including the only one that's currently available to buy in 2025. You can also check out our guide to the best overall chess sets for more options.All LEGO Chess Sets In Order of Release1. Knights Kingdom Chess Set - RetiredSet: #851499Release Date: 2005Piece Count: 80Dimensions: 13.5 inches long, 12.5 inches widePrice: $49.99The first LEGO chess set was part of the Knight's Kingdom, an expansion of the LEGO Castle brand. It featured two Armies: the Shadow Knights, led by evil sorcerer Vladek, and the Kingdom of Morcia, led by King Matthias. The set included 24 minifigures with detailed armor and stylized shields.2. Vikings Chess Set - RetiredSet: #851861Release Date: 2006Piece Count: 60Dimensions: 12.5 inches long, 12.5 inches widePrice: $49.99Very similar to the Knight's Kingdom set from the prior year, the Vikings set also included 24 minifigures, this time wearing archetypal horned viking helmets along with spears and axes for weapons.3. Castle Chess Set - RetiredSet: #852001Release Date: 2007Piece Count: 162Dimensions: 13.5 inches long, 12.5 inches widePrice: $49.99Another Castle-themed set, the Castle set was a bit more generic than its Knight's Kingdom counterpart. It pitted an army of crown knights against an undead army of skeletons. The best part of the set was the Grim Reaper bishops, which had massive scythes for weapons.4. Giant Chess Set - RetiredSet: #852293Release Date: 2008Piece Count: 2292Dimensions: 22.5 inches long, 25 inches widePrice: $199.99Still the largest, most ornate chess set that LEGO ever designed (by a considerable margin), the Giant Chess Set was bigger and better in every way. The board itself was two feet long on all sides, and it came with four miniature builds of the skeleton realm, the troll realm, the dwarf realm, and the castle realm.The board was smooth rather than studded, which gave it a more elegant look. And the individual pieces were the best looking yet. The bishops were wizards. The knights were minifigures on horseback. And the rooks were heavily fortified siege towers.5. Pirates Chess Set - RetiredSet: #852751Release Date: 2009Piece Count: 126Dimensions: 12.5 inches long, 12.5 inches widePrice: $49.99The first pirates-themed set pitted a Royal Navy against a motley crew of pirates. I loved this set's variety; whereas every naval officer pawn looked mostly the same, every pirate pawn had a unique costume and accessory. And best of all, the pirate knight was a curly-tailed monkey, armed with a knife. It doesn't get more chaotic than that.6. Multi Game Pack 9-in-1 - RetiredSet: #852676Release Date: 2009Piece Count: 81Dimensions: 10 inches long, 6.5 inches widePrice: $24.99This was a travel-friendly, tiny set that allowed you to play nine different classic board games: Ludo, Chess, Checkers, Solitaire, Backgammon, Fireman Hoses and Ladders, and three different cards for Travel Bingo.7. Kingdoms Chess Set - RetiredSet: #853373Release Date: 2012Piece Count: 201Dimensions: 13.5 inches long, 13.5 inches widePrice: $49.99This Castle-themed set depicted a Green Dragon army versus a Red Lion army. The individual minifigures had a lot of character and detail. A definite highlight was the Red Lion knight, a Jester with a big, cartoonish smile. The board is mounted on a unique baseplate with a bastion in each corner. This was the first LEGO chess set that didn't come with a carry case, nor did it have a separate storage compartment for its pieces. This set wasn't designed with travel in mind, and it's an early example of LEGO that's designed for display rather than play.8. Pirates Chess Set #2 - RetiredSet: #40158Release Date: 2015Piece Count: 776Dimensions: 21 inches long, 11 inches widePrice: $59.99The second Pirates-themed chess set had an outdoor beach theme, with sand on one side of the set and ocean on the other. This was the first LEGO chess board to have smooth squares with single studs in their centers, which was more aesthetically pleasing and functional than the baseplate boards that came prior.9. Iconic Chess Set - RetiredSet: #40174Release Date: 2017Piece Count: 1450Dimensions: 10 inches long, 10 inches widePrice: $59.99This was the first time that LEGO released a chess set with no gimmicks and no minifigures just a regular chess set with blocky, traditional pieces, and space beneath the board to store them all. This set had longevity; it stayed on shelves for seven years before LEGO retired it at the end of 2022.10. Steampunk Mini Chess - RetiredSet: #BL19013Release Date: 2019Piece Count: 372Dimensions: 4 inches long, 4 inches widePrice: $37.99Designed by user CorvusA, this tiny set was a collaboration between LEGO and LEGO fansite BrickLink. The BrickLink AFOL (Adult Fans of LEGO) Designer Program launched 13 fan-designed sets, including this one, in 2019.11. Hogwarts Wizards Chess Set - RetiredSet: #76392Release Date: 2021Piece Count: 876Dimensions: 10.5 inches long, 10.5 inches widePrice: $59.99This set recreated the iconic scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, when Harry, Hermione, and Ron faced the chess trial, and Ron sacrificed himself to checkmate the King. This LEGO Harry Potter set came with three minifigures to represent the "Trio."LEGO Hogwarts Wizard's Chess SetSee it at Amazon12. Traditional Chess SetSet: #40719Release Date: 2024Piece Count: 743Dimensions: 12 inches long, 12 inches widePrice: $74.99We reviewed LEGO's most recent chess set when it launched in 2024, and it's the only one that's still available in stores. Its dark brown and beige squares give the impression of polished wood, which adds a bit of classic flair. It's simple, appealing, and functional a far cry from the lavish yet impractical builds from years ago.LEGO Traditional Chess SetSee it at LEGOWhere to Buy Retired LEGO Chess SetsOne of the biggest issues of discovering a really cool LEGO set from years ago is that it's probably already retired. That's the case with almost every LEGO chess set on this list, so if you see something you like that is already retired, you'll need to look toward third-party sellers. Amazon will sometimes have retired sets at a premium price, but your best bet is places like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.See our guide to the best places to buy LEGO sets for more details about where to shop.Kevin Wong is a contributing freelancer for IGN, specializing in LEGO. He's also been published in Complex, Engadget, Gamespot, Kotaku, and more. Follow him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.