A Ghost Ship’s Doomed Journey Through the Gate of Tears

Millions lost internet service after three cables in the Red Sea were damaged. Houthi rebels deny targeting the cables, but their missile attack on a cargo ship, left adrift for months, is likely to blame.

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The Brain Region That Controls Movement Also Guides Feelings

The cerebellum is responsible for far more than coordinating movement. New techniques reveal that it is, in fact, a hub of sensory and emotional processing in the brain.

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Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Saturday, March 31, 2024

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for March 31, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is harder; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for March 31, Wordle #1,016! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

---

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

They're almost all common letters today! Four are from our mnemonic today, and the other is fairly common.

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

Something prohibited (also the name of a word game).

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

There is one repeated letter today. 

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There are two vowels today (one repeated). 

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with T. 

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with O. 

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is TABOO.

How I solved today’s Wordle

After ARISE and TOUCH, I tried TALON to eliminate common letters. I'm often hesitant to guess a word with repeated letters unless it's the only remaining solution, like TABOO.

Wordle 1,016 4/6

🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟩⬛🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

---

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle was easier. The hint was “can be a noun or a verb involving physical strength” and the answer contained three common letters plus two fairly common letters.

The answer to yesterday’s Wordle was FORCE.

A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: 

• Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

• Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

• Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

• CRANE

• TRACE

• SLANT

• CRATE

• CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

• SALET

• REAST

• TRACE

• CRATE

• SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

• Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after another

• Dordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.

• Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.

• Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.

• Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.

• Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the day’s solution. You’re required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

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You Should Update Apple iOS and Google Chrome ASAP

Plus: Microsoft patches over 60 vulnerabilities, Mozilla fixes two Firefox zero-day bugs, Google patches 40 issues in Android, and more.

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OpenAI Can Re-Create Human Voices—but Won’t Release the Tech Yet

Voice Engine is a new text-to-speech AI model for creating synthetic voices. OpenAI has said a wide release would be too risky.

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Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Friday, March 29, 2024

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for March 29, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is easier; I got it in three. Beware, there are spoilers below for March 29, Wordle #1,014! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

---

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

They're almost all common letters today! Four are from our mnemonic today, and the fifth is fairly common.

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

A kingdom or domain.

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

There are no repeated letters today. 

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There are two vowels today. 

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with R. 

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with M. 

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is REALM.

How I solved today’s Wordle

After ARISE, I tried EARTH to eliminate other common letters. Based on the letter placement, I guessed REALM, which was correct.

Wordle 1,014 3/6

🟨🟨⬛⬛🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

---

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle was easier. The hint was “one way we communicate” and the answer contained three common letters plus two fairly common letters.

The answer to yesterday’s Wordle was SPEAK.

A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: 

• Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

• Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

• Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

• CRANE

• TRACE

• SLANT

• CRATE

• CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

• SALET

• REAST

• TRACE

• CRATE

• SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

• Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after another

• Dordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.

• Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.

• Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.

• Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.

• Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the day’s solution. You’re required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

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26 Best Travel Accessories (2024): Neck Pillows, Plug Adapters, and Headphones

Pack smarter with gear that makes any airplane seat or hotel room feel a little more like home.

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Microsoft Office Pro Is on Sale for $56 Right Now

You can get Microsoft Office Pro 2021 on sale right now: $55.99 for Windows with promo code ENJOY20 or $79.99 for Mac with no promo code needed (reg. $219.99). Office 2021 is Microsoft’s most recent single-payment software suite before the cloud-based 365 subscription, and both licenses include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams, while the Windows version also includes Publisher and Access. Unlike Microsoft 365, you only have to pay once with no monthly subscription needed. PCs need Windows 10 or 11, 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of hard disk space, and Macs need macOS Sonoma, Ventura, or Monterey, 4GB of RAM, and 10GB of hard drive space.

You can get Microsoft Office Pro 2021 on sale right now through April 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time:

• Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License, $55.99 with code ENJOY20 at checkout (reg. $219.99)

• Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac: Lifetime License, $79.99 (reg. $219.99)

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FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

A US judge has sentenced Sam Bankman-Fried, one-time crypto wunderkind, to 25 years behind bars.

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How to Make Sure Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Will Actually Block the Sun

Despite what Bruce Springsteen says in his hit song "Blinded By the Light," it's no fun looking into the "eyes of the sun." According to Prevent Blindness, exposing your peepers to the sun's rays during a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can cause "eclipse blindness" or retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy, and the damage to your sight can be permanent.

With the next occurrence of the Moon passing between the Earth and the sun not expected for another 20 years after the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, you might be tempted to gaze at the heavens without proper eye protection. However, even a brief glimpse of the sun during a solar eclipse can cause irreversible damage to your eyes. I'm not your parent, but I strongly advise you to take charge of your eye safety by investing in a pair of solar eclipse glasses. 

However, some unscrupulous third-party sellers sell fake pairs of glasses through Amazon and other online vendors, which can put your vision at risk. (Just ask the man in California who suffered significant vision loss thanks to a pair of counterfeit glasses, according to the Indianapolis Star.) To help keep your eyes safe to see another day, here are some tips to help you know that the pair you picked up will do their one job. 

Check the ISO number

To determine whether your solar eclipse glasses will block ultraviolet and infrared radiation, check the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) number on the frames. According to the American Astronomical Society (AAS), compliant glasses will bear the label ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) to show they reduce sunlight to safe levels.

Wait, counterfeiters put that number on there too, right?

They sure can! To ensure you are buying solar eclipse glasses from a reputable source, the AAS has created a list of manufacturers, vendors, dealers, and importers they have vetted to help you with your purchase. 

While the AAS points out they are unable to investigate all sellers, they do offer this sage piece of advice:

We do not recommend searching for eclipse glasses on Amazon, eBay, Temu, or any other online marketplace and buying from whichever vendor offers the lowest price. Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page.

Can I just test them myself?

According to the AAS, you can use sunlight reflected off a mirror or a metal object to test if your solar eclipse glasses work. If the light reflected seems very dim through the lenses, you should be safe. However, if you can see any light through a lamp, light bulb, or other household light fixture, you may have a pair of counterfeit glasses.

Additionally, check your glasses to see if the lenses are torn, scratched, punctured, or coming loose from their frames. If so, discard them.

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Nine Foods (and Drinks) Made Better by Pickles

It’s time to celebrate the pickle. No, it’s not quite National Pickle Day (and yet, every day is), but here at Lifehacker, the pickle is indeed precious. It’s a cucumber’s victory dance. It brings bright acidity, crunchy contrast, and a saline slap wherever it goes. It can save a sandwich or switch up a cocktail, and it’s even a pretty fun time on its own. Pickles come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and flavors. No matter which kind you have at the moment, here are some of the best things you can do with your tangy cukes. 

Pickle dip 

Credit: Claire Lower

Kicking off the list in the best way possible is a dip composed of pulverized, caramelized pickles. This caramelized pickle dip is creamy, tangy, salty, and irresistible. It’s so good, legend has it that it’s impossible to have leftovers. Browning the pickles properly takes a bit of time in a frying pan, but after that the dip comes together quickly in a food processor.

Pickle pizza 

It’s expected to bedazzle your slice with some salty meats or a few veggies, but why stop there? A cheesy, salty pizza could use a few briny bites to balance things out, if you ask me. Throw some sour dills onto your pie. The pickle’s acidity mellows out slightly in the oven as the excess water evaporates, and you’re rewarded with slightly crunchy, briefly tangy morsels to look forward to. 

Pickles in blankets 

Sorry, pigs, but pickles need to stay warm too. While mini weenies have ruled crescent dough for quite some time, small, spritely gherkins work wonders as a replacement. In fact, switching out the cured meat for the brined veg makes pickles in blankets a vegan iteration of the party classic. (Always check the ingredient list to make sure.) For the ultimate party snack, I suggest pairing both pickles and cocktail weenies in one cozy pastry blanket. 

Pickle in cheese

It’s still not feasible to wrap myself in frico, but I can absolutely do this to a pickle with nearly as much satisfaction. There’s nothing difficult or time consuming about cooking a pile of cheese in a pan and then folding it over a pickle. Which is great because that means you can do it right now if you have those two ingredients. Read here for more details on making the “chickle.”

Pickle salad

Credit: Claire Lower

Pickles are just cucumbers that spent a little extra time in a vinaigrette, sort of. So there’s no reason to get weird about eating a pickle salad, right? Glad you agree. This pickle salad is simple to make and easy to gobble up. It’s crunchy, tart, creamy, and freshened up with a dash of chopped herbs. It makes a fantastic companion for any rich, smoky meats you might be serving up at a summer barbecue, or piled high on top of your mid-winter turkey burger. 

Pickle spaghetti 

With just four ingredients, you can make the pickle pasta of your dreams. (You dream about pickles too, right?) Already imbued with garlic, salt, and vinegar, pickles pack plenty of flavor. Which means you can get busy chopping them up and sautéing them with butter instead of rummaging around in your spice cabinet. Get the full pickle spaghetti recipe here.

Pickle sandwich 

If you think a good sandwich needs meat, you’re mistaken. Like any meal, what keeps you coming back again is flavor—and pickles have no shortage of that. Take this pickle sandwich for example. The complimentary flavor profile of a salty, crunchy pickle and sharp, fatty cheese is certain to win a place in your sandwich rotation. With its ease of assembly and budget friendly ingredient list, I recommend keeping pickles and cheese around as a permanent fixture for whenever the mood strikes.

Iced pickles

Credit: Claire Lower

It may not be summer yet, but in anticipation of the event you should definitely have a plan for your pickles. Serving them chilled out of the fridge is good, but there’s a way to make them even better. Battle sweltering summer days with crisp iced pickles. They can serve as a welcome break from hot grilled foods, or as a luxurious briny treat on their own. Furthermore, if you’re dunking pickles in your beer anyway, you might as well keep the brew cold. 

The Pickletini

True pickle lovers don’t just eat them, they drink pickles too. Truly, the cucumber is only half the story. The brine makes the pickle. It’s what imbues the vegetable and it’s worth saving for other uses, like picklebacks or making a dirty, briny martini. With just three ingredients, you can make your own pickletini to sip on. Garnish it with a wee cornichon (maybe an iced one?) and serve. It’s the perfect companion to sit with while you ponder which pickle-centric meal off of this list you’ll make next. 

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How to Oust Your Condo Board or HOA

Close to 30% of Americans live in a property governed by a condo board, homeowners association (HOA), or other community association—more than 70 million people. These associations are generally responsible for property upkeep, enforcement of community rules, and acting as a go-between for residents when disputes arise. Most people have a good or at least neutral experience with their condo board or HOA, but not everyone does.

If you find yourself in serious conflict with a condo board or HOA and get to the point where the normal channels (discussion, showing up at meetings, or even running for a position yourself) can’t solve the problem, you might contemplate a lawsuit. If common areas aren’t being maintained, or repairs aren’t being done, that might seem like your only option—but suing your condo board or HOA is often not your most effective option, and there might be better avenues to explore.

Why you should probably skip the suit

Thanks to pop culture depictions of attorneys and a constant stream of headlines, there’s a tendency to think you can (and should) solve every problem with a lawsuit. Lawsuits can certainly be an effective way to get relief of various kinds—but they're also an expensive, slow, and totally not guaranteed way to seek change or redress.

This is especially true when it comes to suing your HOA or condo board, because of something called the business judgment rule. This rule requires judges hearing a suit to favor the condo board or HOA as long as they believe they are acting in good faith and with a reasonable belief that their actions are for the good of the community—and proving otherwise can be tough. The specific laws governing your community association will vary, but in general this guideline makes winning a lawsuit against your community association very challenging.

Vote them out instead

Instead of spending a lot of time and money on a lawsuit you may very well lose, the better way to deal with a condo board or HOA that is either derelict in their duties or actively harming your property is to remove problematic board members—or replace the entire board altogether. This is usually a less challenging option because there will be language in the governing documents of the association (the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions or CC&Rs) that outline exactly how to do this. Most states require that these governing documents include mechanisms for calling a special meeting (usually via petition signed by a majority of property owners). This can be done even if your condo board is dodging accountability by claiming to lack a quorum every time a regular meeting is called, a tactic bad condo boards sometimes use to maintain their control.

Here’s the basic steps you’ll need to take:

• Read bylaws. Review those governing documents so you know how your association is set up. Pay particular attention to two things: Automatic removal criteria and how to force a vote. Most bylaws include certain requirements for board members, including a minimum number of meetings they have to attend and their ownership status at the property. These can potentially provide a straightforward way to remove board members without the need for a lengthy process—but first you have to know what those criteria are.

• Contact your neighbors. If you can’t see any easy way to push bad board members out the door, you’ll need to bone up on the removal procedures outlined in your bylaws. These will vary from state to state and association to association, but in general, removing a board member (or an entire board) requires a vote involving all the property owners. That means your first step is to meet with everyone and make sure you have the necessary support.

  Next, you’ll need to call a special meeting of the condo board or HOA to hold a vote. If your board is being cagey about calling meetings because they know the residents are up in arms, you can usually force a meeting by getting a majority of owners to sign a petition.

• Be ready. If you’re planning to remove the entire board, it’s a very good idea to have candidates lined up to replace them. This will minimize the chaos and delays, as well as the chance that the board members you just worked hard to remove don’t simply resume their seat when no one runs against them.

Keep in mind that if your association overtly works to prevent organizing your fellow owners like this (by imposing fines on distributing flyers, for example, to try to stop owners from organizing), it’s pretty clear evidence of bad faith, which would probably negate the business judgment rule protections and make a lawsuit a slightly better risk.

Working to remove a community association takes a lot of time and effort no matter what route you take—but if your property is being adversely affected by mismanagement or malfeasance, you really don’t have a choice. If that’s where you are, break out those bylaws before you call an attorney.

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Our Favorite Garmin Smartwatches Are on Sale

Spring has sprung! Whether you want to run, surf, or sleep in, we've gathered the best discounts on a few of our favorite fitness trackers.

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Five Tax Deductions You Shouldn’t Miss Out On

With the April 15 tax filing deadline right around the corner, you want to ensure you're taking advantage of all the deductions you can. Andy Phillips, Director of H&R Block’s Tax Institute, says that with the deadline fast approaching, his tax experts are getting plenty of questions from filers looking to maximize every deduction available to them. From gig worker perks (like the home office deduction), to retirement contributions, here are a few tax deduction that filers might be missing. 

Don't miss out on these tax deductions

Retirement contributions and traditional IRA deductions 

Phillips says that if you contribute to a tax-advantaged traditional retirement account (IRA, 401(k), etc.), you may owe less tax than if you didn’t contribute. With a 401(k), you might not even realize you’re receiving an exclusion if you have your contribution automatically made in conjunction with your paycheck. The money comes out before the taxes do, resulting in a reduction of your taxable income. 

With a traditional IRA, you can still get a tax deduction without requiring access to an employer plan. However, your tax break may be limited if you also participate in an employer plan. For self-employed taxpayers, SEP IRA and SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRA contributions are “above the line” tax deductions. See the other self-employed deductions below.  

Self-employment expenses 

As side hustles become more popular, it’s no surprise that self-employment expenses are more common. For example, if you pay for your own qualified health insurance, that may count as an “above the line” deduction. Also, you can deduct half of your self-employment tax above-the-line. 

On top of that, Phillips reminds filers you can deduct business expenses like internet costs, office supplies, advertising, and business travel from your business income. And, for qualifying individuals, you can take the home office deduction.

Student loan interest

Phillips reminds filers with student loan debt that you can deduct some or all of the interest you paid that year for a qualified student loan. In fact, federal student loan borrowers could qualify to deduct up to $2,500 of student loan interest per tax return per tax year. You can claim the student loan interest tax deduction as an adjustment to income. You don’t need to itemize deductions to claim it. 

Charitable contributions

You will need to itemize your deductions if you want to deduct your charitable donations. "Many people find it worth itemizing these deductions," says Phillips, "particularly if you give regularly to a church or other charity."

It’s also possible to deduct the current fair market value of goods you donate to charity. Make sure you get a receipt for your donations, whether they are cash or goods. And don’t forget to keep track of your mileage if you drive on behalf of a charity; that’s tax-deductible, too. 

Your kids—even newborns?

You can claim all qualifying children that were born or adopted within the tax year you are filing. Even if your child was born on December 31, your child may be able to be claimed as a dependent on your taxes. However, Phillips clarifies that if your child is born after December 31, even though your pregnancy lasted most of the tax year, you’ll have to wait until you file the next year’s return to claim them.

To be your qualifying child, the child must:

• Be related to you as your child, foster child, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, or descendant of any of them;

• Be under age 19, a full-time student under age 24, or permanently and totally disabled;

• Not provide more than half of the child’s own total support; and

• Live with you for more than half of the year they were alive.

• Not be filing a joint return with a spouse unless it’s to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated payments

If you are a dependent who’s earning income, good news—your parents can still claim you as a dependent so long as other dependent rules still apply. Your earned income doesn’t go on their return. Filing tax returns for children is easy in that respect. However, you may need to report it on your own tax return. 

What can't you deduct from your taxes?

While you're searching for all the possible deductions out there, you're going to hit a few roadblocks.

Commuting costs

Unfortunately, commuting costs are not tax deductible. Commuting expenses incurred between your home and your main place of work, no matter how far, are not an allowable deduction. 

Costs of driving a car from home to work and back again are personal commuting expenses. This is also true for fares you pay to ride any sort of public transportation to and from work.                           

Phillips points out that if you are a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces and travel more than 100 miles away from home in connection with the performance of services as a member of the reserves, you can deduct your qualified travel expenses. 

Your cat's vet bills

Unfortunately, deducting medical expenses for pets is not allowed as a medical expense on your tax return. Phillips says the only exception would be when an animal is a certified service animal, like a guide dog, to assist you. Service animals generally aren’t considered pets though. 

If you have a physical disability or are hearing or visually impaired, you can deduct medical expenses for your pets if they are certified service animals. Expenses that may be covered include purchasing, training, and maintenance of the animal which includes food, grooming, and medical care. 

Remember to keep accurate records and consult with a tax professional if you have any questions or concerns. By taking advantage of these deductions, you can potentially lower your tax liability and keep more of your hard-earned money.

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‘Trump 2024 To the Moon’: MAGA Fans Go All In on Truth Social Stock

Trump’s fans have posted on Reddit, X, and Truth Social about how much they love the Truth Social stock—and plan to hold onto it in support of the former president.

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Enjoy Your Favorite Wine Before Climate Change Destroys It

Extreme heat and droughts are making it harder to grow grapes in many traditional regions. Here’s how scientists are helping the industry adapt.

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What's New on Max in April 2024

Max's April highlights are largely in the documentary genre. First up is the limited series The Synanon Fix (April 1, weekly episodes), which dives deep into the rehab-program-turned-cult; followed by Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion (April 9), an HBO Original film that explores the cult-like following of fast fashion brand Brandy Melville.

Later in the month is An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th (April 16) about the context around the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and The Jinx—Part Two (April 21), a six-episode continuation of the Emmy-winning series exploring the life of Robert Durst.

On the drama side, The Sympathizer—an HBO Original limited series co-produced with A24—debuts on April 14 with new episodes dropping weekly. The show, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, is an espionage thriller story of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy at the end of the Vietnam war.

There's also a new comedy special from Alex Edelman (Just For Us, April 6); season four of unscripted series We're Here (new episodes weekly starting April 26), which follows drag queens Sasha Velour, Priyanka, Jaida Essence Hall, and Latrice Royale as they visit small-town communities across America; and the debut of the four-episode unscripted series Conan O'Brien Must Go (April 18).

Finally, Max has a packed schedule of live and on-demand sports this month, including the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four (April 6–8) as well as NBA, NHL, MLB, US Soccer, MotoGP, and professional cycling.

Here’s everything else coming to Max in April.

What’s coming to Max in April 2024

Arriving April 1

• American Renegades (2018)

• Basquiat (1996)

• Black Swan (2010)

• Body of Lies (2008)

• Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

• Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

• Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)

• Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend (1973)

• Cane Toads: The Conquest (2010)

• Ceddo (1977)

• Conviction (2010)

• Deepwater Horizon (2016)

• Demonlover (2002)

• Don't Let Go (2019)

• Elizabethtown (2005)

• Emitaï (1971)

• Eo (2022)

• The Fluffy Movie (2014)

• Frozen in Design (Special) (HGTV)

• Gulliver's Travels (2010)

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Magical Movie Mode (2001)

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

• The Heroic Trio (1993)

• Hotel Artemis (2018)

• Infernal Affairs (2002)

• Infernal Affairs II (2003)

• Infernal Affairs III (2003)

• Inland Empire (2006)

• Internal Affairs (1990)

• Joy (2015)

• Juliet, Naked (2018)

• Kingpin (1996)

• Leap of Faith (1992)

• Lonesome Luke, Messenger (1917)

• Lost In Translation (2003)

• Love Affair (1939)

• Lucky (2017)

• McQueen (2018)

• Miracles (1989)

• National Security (2003)

• The New World (2006)

• Next Aisle Over (1919)

• Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

• Once Upon a Time in China (1992)

• Once Upon a Time in China III (1993)

• The Pink Panther (2006)

• The Pink Panther 2 (2009)

• The Power of Film (2024)

• Pride and Glory (2008)

• Ronin (1998)

• Safe Haven (2013)

• A Sammy in Siberia (1919)

• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

• The Sea of Trees (2016)

• A Serious Man (2009)

• The Social Network (2010)

• Source Code (2011)

• The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004)

• Spring Fever (1919)

• The Square (2017)

• The Strangers (2008)

• The Synanon Fix (HBO Original)

• A Tale of Springtime (1990)

• A Tale of Winter (1992)

• A Tale of Summer (1996)

• A Tale of Autumn (1998)

• Terminator Salvation (2009)

• This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (2019)

• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

• The Trial (1962)

• The Unknown (1927)

• Victor Frankenstein (2015)

• The Watermelon Woman (1996)

• Wes Craven Presents: They (2002)

• Whiteout (2009)

• Winter's Tale (2014)

• Wipeout, Season 2A

• Youth (2015)

• Zero Days (2016)

• Zola (2021)

Arriving April 2

• Moonshiners, Season 13 (Discovery Channel)

Arriving April 3

• Ghost Adventures: House Calls, Season 2 (Discovery Channel)

• Take My Tumor (TLC)

Arriving April 4

• Divided Youth (Da Ponte Pra La) (Max Original International)

• HOP, Season 1A (Max Original)

Arriving April 5

• The Zone of Interest (A24)

Arriving April 6

• Alex Edelman: Just For Us (HBO Original)

• Homegrown, Season 4 (Magnolia)

• Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar (2023)

Arriving April 7

• Best Bite in Town, Season 1 (Food Network)

Arriving April 9

• Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Original)

• Mud Madness (Discovery Channel)

• Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018) (Cartoon Network)

Arriving April 10

• Bail Jumpers (ID)

Arriving April 11

• Massacre of the Mormons (Max Original International)

Arriving April 13

• Jessica's Big Little World, Season 1C (Cartoon Network)

• Ready To Love, Season 9 (OWN)

Arriving April 14

• 24 In 24: Last Chef Standing (Food Network)

• The Sympathizer (HBO Original)

Arriving April 16

• 90 Day Pillow Talk: The Single Life, Season 4 (TLC)

• An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th (HBO Original)

Arriving April 18

• Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max Original)

• Homefront (2013)

• Men (2022)

Arriving April 19

• HGTV Smart Home 2024 (HGTV)

Arriving April 21

• Be My Guest with Ina Garten, Season 4 (Food Network)

• The Jinx – Part Two (HBO Original)

Arriving April 22

• 90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradise, Season 4 (TLC)

• The Green Planet (BBC)

• Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part One (2024)

• Restoration Road with Clint Harp, Season 5 (Magnolia)

• Ugliest House in America, Season 5 (HGTV)

Arriving April 23

• Farmhouse Fixer, Season 3 (HGTV)

• The Losers (2010)

• Roadkill Garage, Season 9 (MotorTrend)

Arriving April 24

• Vegas: The Story of Sin City (CNN)

Arriving April 26

• Caught! (Discovery Channel)

• United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper (CNN)

• We're Here, Season 4 (HBO Original)

Arriving April 28

• Love & Marriage: D.C. (OWN)

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Chinese Hackers Charged in Decade-Long Global Spying Rampage

US and UK officials hit Chinese hacking group APT31 with sanctions and criminal charges after they targeted thousands of businesses, politicians, and critics of China.

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Sci-Fi Author Vernor Vinge, Who First Wrote of the AI Singularity, Dead at 79

Vernor Vinge's writings heavily influenced futurists like Ray Kurzweil, who in turn influenced those at companies like OpenAI.

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A Deepfake Nude Generator Reveals a Chilling Look at Its Victims

WIRED reporting uncovered a site that “nudifies” photos for a fee—and posts a feed appearing to show user uploads. They included photos of young girls and images seemingly taken of strangers.

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My Boyfriend Won’t Stop Meditating!

WIRED’s advice columnist on fake Buddhists, photo-happy mothers, and unsolicited TikToks.

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How to Find Film for Your Old Polaroid Camera (2024)

Instant cameras are on the rise once again, but what about the camera you found in your dad's garage?

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Are You Noise Sensitive? Here's How to Tell

Every person has a different idea of what makes noise “loud,” but there are some things we all can do to turn the volume down a little.

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How to View April’s Total Solar Eclipse, Online and In Person

Here’s some advice for safely experiencing the total solar eclipse on April 8 as the moon casts a slender shadow across Mexico, the United States, and eastern Canada.

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The Case Against Apple Weaponizes the Cult of Cupertino

The US government's antitrust suit argues that Apple's sticky ecosystem keeps hold of customers by penalizing those who leave.

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8 Best Breast Pumps (2024): Wearable, Portable, Easy to Clean

Got milk? From wearables to popular portables, these are the breast pumps we recommend for your nursing era.

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Apple Chip Flaw Leaks Secret Encryption Keys

Plus: The Biden administration warns of nationwide attacks on US water systems, a new Russian wiper malware emerges, and China-linked hackers wage a global attack spree.

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Best Cheap Electric Bikes Under $2,000 (2024): Commuter, Folding, Cargo

Zip zap zoom! After months of testing, these are our favorite electric bikes that won’t break the bank.

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‘Dune: Part Two’ Is a Religious Experience

Denis Villeneuve's new Dune film has won over longtime fans of Frank Herbert's novel. Still, some purists might need to adjust their expectations.

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Our Favorite Laptop Tote Bags and Purses (2024): Sustainable, Weather-Proof, Durable

We filled these bags to the brim with our tech, wallets, and water bottles. They held up to the test.

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12 Best Headphones for Working Out (2024)

Rock your inner jock with a pair of sturdy, sweatproof, and tangle-proof headphones. Here are our favorites.

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Use the 'Days Since' App to Quit Your Bad Habits

There are habit trackers that help you build good habits. Let’s say you want to journal every day, or meditate; you manually check in every day, and over time you’ve built a new habit. But a well-rounded life requires letting go of bad habits, as well. And here, too, an app can help you stay on track, helping you quit smoking, binge eating, sugar, social media, or any addiction. Whatever you want to quit, it can all be tracked, and left behind, using the Days Since app on the iPhone. 

Why you should track bad habits

Accountability and commitment are critical when you’re trying finally to quit a bad habit. And if it’s something addictive like nicotine or alcohol, you’re going to need all the help that you can get. 

Here, a simple counter can motivate: It’s been 15 days since you’ve had alcohol, wouldn’t it be great if you keep going? A streak like this will help you when you’re out at a party, and you’re committed to staying sober. Or perhaps everyone’s ordering desserts at the end of the dinner, but you don’t mind abstaining. 

My personal crutch is sugar—and using Days Since has helped me stay off of desserts and ice creams for more than six months now. 

How to track bad habits using Days Since

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Using the app is simple: You add a new habit, give it a name, a color, add a start date, and you’re done. Now, you can literally do nothing, and go on with your life. 

But that’s not going to be helpful. Coming back to the Days Since app where it shows all the counters is a good start. But the best thing that you can do is to add the Days Since widget to the home screen. This simple step will serve as a reminder and will help you stick to your streak.

For some people, this might not be enough—you might want notifications and daily reminders for the quest that you’re on. You can get these features by paying for the Count Up Club membership in the Days Since app. A yearly membership costs $17.99.

You can always begin again

There will be times when you will break a streak; you'll eat a bag of Doritos or have a drink. You're only human, after all. This is where you can reset the counter and begin again. What I like is that the app will let you make a note when you’re resetting a counter, so you can look back at the history of all your resets and your streaks and you can gain valuable insights into your behavior. 

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The NSA Warns That US Adversaries Free to Mine Private Data May Have an AI Edge

Gilbert Herrera, who leads research at the National Security Agency, says large language models are incredibly useful—and a bit of a headache—for America’s intelligence machine.

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The Flash Pro Plus 6-in-1 Power Bank Is on Sale for $200 Right Now

You can get the Flash Pro Plus 6-in-1 power bank on sale for $199.97 right now (reg. $319) through March 24. It can charge up to six devices at once and has 20W, 60W, and 100W USB-C ports, a 50W USB-A port, and wireless charging spots for MagSafe-compatible phone and Apple Watch. It has a 25,000mAh battery capacity, make the bank suitable for charging phones, laptops, tablets, and other compatible devices, and the power bank’s OLED screen displays output from each port, battery percentages of each device, and overall remaining battery life, and it can charge from 0% to 100% in as little as 70 minutes. It also comes with a carrying case and boasts a five-year battery life, weights 1.28 lbs., and is TSA- and EASA-approved for safe airline travel.

You can get this Flash Pro Plus power bank on sale for $199.97 right now (reg. $319) through March 24 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

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The Filmmaker Who Says AI Is Reparations

Before he used AI tools to make his movies, Willonius Hatcher couldn’t get noticed. Now his AI-generated shorts are going viral and Hollywood is calling.

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Here's Proof You Can Train an AI Model Without Slurping Copyrighted Content

OpenAI claimed it's "impossible" to build good AI models without using copyrighted data. An “ethically created” large language model and a giant AI dataset of public domain text suggest otherwise.

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Five Surprising Ways You Can Use Plasti Dip Around the House

Plasti Dip is a rubbery coating made to bond to most surfaces, and is commonly used on handles for tools. It’s meant to stand up to outdoor applications and extreme temperatures, and it can extend the life of metal surfaces by protecting them from moisture. In addition to adding some color, there are lots of other practical uses for Plasti dip. Here are a few of my favorites.

Tool handles

By far the most common application for Plasti Dip is tool handles. For this application, using the traditional dip container of Plasti Dip to coat tool handles is the best approach. In addition to adding color, Plasti Dip is an insulator against electricity and heat, making metal tools safer and more comfortable to use. For a smooth finish, you should set up a way to hold your tools in place while the handles dry. For this step, you can use a clamp or even a clothesline with some clips.

Knobs

Knobs on equipment like adjustable-height tables, tool accessories, and clamps can all be coated with Plasti Dip to make them more comfortable to use. You can also use Plasti Dip on knobs for cabinet hardware, doorknobs, and drawer pulls to give an older knob some new life or to make them easier to grip. For best results, take the handles completely off and dip them without submerging the hardware that attaches them to your furniture or equipment. Steer clear of applying Plasti Dip to any moving parts or to the surfaces of screws and bolts.

Car parts

To use Plasti Dip successfully on car parts, you will need the rattle can, spray-on type to cover the areas you want to target. You can also choose to use a paint sprayer with the type of Plasti Dip meant for sprayers for larger areas, although applying this type of paint does take some practice to get it right. For smaller areas, like splash guards inside your wheel well or rims, you can use a spray can after cleaning the surface thoroughly with soapy water and masking off the surrounding areas that you don’t want to get paint on. Plasti Dip can help to protect the undercarriage of your vehicle from rust, and it can also improve the look of your rims. For a more professional-looking finish, you can choose an automotive kit that comes with a specialized spray nozzle and a glossy finish spray.

Rugs

To give the bottom of your carpet a non-slip coating, you can use super grip Plasti Dip spray. Prep the surface by vacuuming the rug and use a drop cloth outdoors to apply the coating. Make sure to tape off the edges of your rug as well as any tassels to avoid accidentally spraying them. Once the coating is dry, your rug will no longer slide about, preventing tripping and slipping accidents.

Safety glass

For use on almost any type of glass, from jelly jars to windows, clear Plasti Dip can be applied for a safety coating. In addition to providing a little bit of resistance to breakage for glass bottles, a Plasti Dip coating will hold shards of glass together in the event the glass is broken, reducing the danger. Applying Plasti Dip to glass needs proper ventilation and masking, but you should also make sure that the glass can dry in a fairly low wind environment to get the best possible finish. Be aware that using Plasti Dip to coat glass, even if it’s clear, will at least partially obscure the glass—it isn’t a fully transparent layer.

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9 Best Electric Toothbrushes (2024): Cheap, Smart, Kids, and Alternatives

These rechargeable and battery-powered models put better oral hygiene within easy reach.

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This PhiGolf World Tour Edition Golf Simulator Is $149.99 Right Now

You can get PhiGolf World Tour Edition on sale for $149.99 right now (reg. $249); it's an open-box return that's been put in clean packaging and verified to be in new condition. PhiGolf is a Kickstarter-funded golf simulator that connects to your iOS or Android, mirrors your device onto a bigger screen, and includes access to thousands of virtual golf courses. You can use the included Swing Trainer golf club or attach the sensor to a real one. The sensor connects via Bluetooth, and when you swing, the software offers analysis of your shot and its trajectory across the course. Licensing limitations mean PhiGolf isn’t compatible with some other common golf simulator software like WGT and E6 Connect, but the World Tour Edition comes with unlimited access to 38,000 virtual golf courses.

You can get this open-box return of Phigolf World Tour Edition on sale for $149.99 right now (reg. $249), though prices can change at any time.

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Jabra Enhance Select 300 Hearing Aids Review: Some of the Best We've Tested

The Jabra Enhance Select 300 hearing aids are relatively pricey, but their performance, battery life, and technical support make them worth the added cost.

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8 Best TV Streaming Devices for 4K, HD (2024): Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV

We've tested dozens of ways to watch stuff on 4K or HD TVs. These are our favorites.

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Reddit IPO Filings Reveal the Company’s Hopes—and Fears

WIRED reviewed edits made by Reddit to its IPO filings over the years ahead of its stock market debut this week. Here are seven big takeaways.

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How to Live Forever

A Nobel Prize–winning biologist explores the science and charlatans of life-extension.

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EVs With Built-In Camera Drones Have Already Landed in China

Still the stuff of concepts and flights of fancy in the West, automakers on the other side of the world are putting copters in their cars.

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What Is Google One? A Breakdown of Plans, Pricing, and Included Services

If you use Google’s apps, it’s worth looking at this all-inclusive service. We break down what you get and how much it costs.

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Why Apple Fitness Shows You 'Total Calories' and 'Active Calories'

When you track an activity on your Apple Watch, and then go to the Fitness app to see your data, it often gives two different answers to the question “How many calories did I burn?” Those are active calories and total calories, and you may notice that sometimes both fields show the same number, and other times they are two different numbers. 

The difference between “active calories” and “total calories” in the Fitness app

You’re probably familiar with the idea that exercise burns calories. We might say, for example, that a half hour jog burns 300 calories. (The exact number will depend on factors like how big you are and how fast you ran, but let’s use this as an example.) 

So jogging burns calories, but you still would have burned some calories if you had stayed home watching TV—just not as many. Remember, it takes quite a few calories just to keep your body alive and functioning. 

For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you’ll burn around 46 calories in half an hour of watching TV. (Yes, there is data on this.) Meanwhile, half an hour of easy pace running burns 363 calories. That means you burned 363 total calories, but only 317 of those are on top of what you would have burned staying home.

This is what Apple is trying to communicate with the “active” and “total” calorie labels. To give a real-life example, I went for an easy three-mile jog one day, taking about 38 minutes. Apple reports that I burned 351 total calories, of which 294 were active calories. (That means it thinks I would have burned 57 calories if I hadn’t been running during that time.)

How do we burn calories that are not active calories? 

It takes a lot of energy to keep a human body alive! You need to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, and your brain thinking. Each cell of your body has to do lots of microscopic maintenance work to stay alive. 

This may be a gruesome visual, but think about how a dead body is different from one that’s alive. It stops defending itself against germs and fungi, and begins to fall apart. The reason that doesn’t happen while you’re alive is that your body is constantly working hard to repair damage, attack invaders, and more. And all of that takes energy, which we measure in the form of calories. 

I discussed this a bit more in this article on how many calories we burn each day. To give a few examples, a 200-pound, 6’ man would be expected to burn 1,930 calories a day as their basal metabolic rate; a 150-pound, 5’5” woman would burn 1,426. That is before counting any exercise activities or even daily activities like walking around the house and brushing your teeth. 

This number, that represents the bare minimum to stay alive, is called your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Closely related is the resting metabolic rate, or RMR, which includes the energy we use to digest our food. RMR plus the activities we do—such as exercise—equals our total calorie burn for the day. 

If you’re curious about your RMR, the Apple Health app includes a number for Resting Energy, which estimates your RMR. Take that number with a grain of salt, though. It’s calculated from your age, sex, and weight, so it’s just an estimate for what a person your size would be expected to burn. 

Why are the active and total calorie numbers sometimes the same? 

I see different numbers for active and total calories for activities that I logged with the Apple Watch fitness app directly. You know the one—it’s the greenish-yellow icon with the little running person. 

But my active and total calories are the same for workouts logged through other apps. Strength training from Whoop? 58 calories active, 58 total. A five-mile run with Strava? 695 active, 695 total. My morning walk, picked up by Oura? 68 active, 68 total. 

That’s not because my basal metabolism ceased to activate, it’s just because these apps only communicate a single number to Apple as calorie burn. Since the Apple Fitness app doesn’t know the split, it just reports the same number in both spots. 

Which number should I pay attention to, active calories or total calories? 

Trick question! Calorie burn, as measured by wearables (any wearables, not just the Apple Watch) isn’t always reliable. So the most correct answer is: neither. 

But if you find it helpful to track calorie burn from your wearable, maybe to keep an eye on how much more you should eat if it’s been a high-activity day, the active calories are most useful. To return to the example of my three-mile jog, that jog burned 294 calories over what I would have burned if I hadn’t gone on that jog. So if I want to eat enough to make up for the extra burn, I’d eat the active number of 294 calories, not the total number of 351.

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9 Best Meal Kit Delivery Services (2024): Blue Apron, Dinnerly, and More

From Blue Apron to Dinnerly, I've spent a couple of years cooking with boxed ingredients shipped to my door.

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You Can Get This 9-Inch Wireless Car Display Screen on Sale for $120 Right Now

You can get this 9-inch wireless car display screen on sale for $99.97 right now (reg. $180). It's compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it's designed to be easy to install with two different kinds of brackets—one being a suction mount, and the other being a self-adhesive to help the monitor stand on your dashboard or hang from your windshield. It also supports collaboration with a 1080p backup camera, but that's not included. The display supports a 1024x600 image, syncs with GPS navigation, and has built-in speakers, FM wireless transmission, and its own AUX output. You can also mirror your phone screen to play things like YouTube videos. 

You can get this 9" wireless car display on sale for $99.97 right now (reg. $180), though prices can change at any time.

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The Best Movies to Stream This Week

If you're looking for a new (or newish) movie to watch this weekend, but you'll only accept the highest quality entertainment, read on. Your streaming choices include Taylor's version of the Eras Tour concert documentary on Disney+, sweet-natured romantic comedy Irish Wish on Netflix, and, most importantly, Netflix's Chicken Nugget, the most important film in cinema history.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)

Singer Taylor Swift, the most important person in the universe, is bringing her traveling musical roadshow to streaming with "Taylor's version" of the Eras tour. This cut of the concert film features four songs from the main stage that were not shown in the theatrical version of the Eras Tour, and a collection of four post-credit acoustic performance. That's more Taylor Swift than any of us deserve.

Where to stream: Disney+

Irish Wish

Netflix is dropping an old-fashioned romantic comedy, Irish Wish, just in time for Saint Patrick's Day. Lindsay Lohan plays Maddie Kelly, a shy, lonely book editor and perpetual bridesmaid pining for her best friend’s fiancé. At her friend’s destination wedding in Ireland, Maddie makes a wish that magically comes true, and wakes up in an alternative reality where she’s the one set to walk down the aisle. As you might guess, Maddie soon learns the true meaning of the old adage “be careful what you wish for.” 

Where to stream: Netflix

Frida

This documentary explores the life and work of iconic artist Frida Kahlo using her own words taken from journals, letters, interviews, and other primary source material, all illustrated with animations inspired by Kahlo’s art. First-time director Carla Gutiérrez had access to material never presented to the public before, and uses it to create a film that aims to go deeper than an art history lesson or just-the-facts biography. 

Where to stream: Prime

Dream Scenario (2023)

The great Nicolas Cage stars in this surreal comedy that takes a darkly satirical look at fame in the always-connected age. Paul Matthews (Cage, playing against type) is a boring, schlubby college professor who secretly longs for academic notoriety. He gets famous, but instead of people talking about his research, everyone in the world suddenly starts dreaming about Matthews.

Where to stream: Max

American Fiction (2023)

In this biting satire, Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a fed up African-American literary novelist, writes the most offensive, stereotypically "Black" novel he can imagine as a protest. When My Pafology, by Stagg R. Leigh, hits shelves it becomes a runaway best-seller, forcing Monk to adopt the character of Leigh in public. First-time director Cord Jefferson turns in a hilarious and fearless comedy, featuring a standout performance from Jeffrey Wright.

Where to stream: MGM+

Chicken Nugget

In this straight-from-Korea Netflix comedy, a father accidentally transforms his daughter into a chicken nugget. I didn’t make that up; that’s really what happens in Chicken Nugget. I haven’t seen it yet, but I feel confident proclaiming Chicken Nugget the greatest movie ever made.

Where to stream: Netflix

The Lionheart

In 2011, two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon died in a one of the worst accidents in racing history. The Lionheart details his career and death, but also his legacy, both personal and professional. Wheldon left behind a wife and two children, and she's helping the sons walk in their father's footsteps in the racing world, despite his tragic death.

Where to stream: Max

Justice USA

Justice, USA takes a look at the criminal justice system in Nashville through the eyes of inmates, lawyers, administrators, and legislators. Over its six episodes, this powerful documentary brings viewers from inside men's, women's, and juvenile jails, to the halls of power where the laws are made to examine how justice works in America, circa 2024.

Where to stream: Max

Last week's picks

Ricky Stanicky 

Wrestler-turned-movie-star John Cena is always funnier than you think he’ll be, and Ricky Stanicky gives Cena the chance to sink his teeth into a hammy role as the title character. In this Amazon-produced comedy from director Peter Farrelly, Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler play Dean, JT, and Wes, lifelong pals who and have been pretending to have a friend to use as an alibi or scapegoat since they were kids—if they want a night out with the guys, they just say they’re visiting Ricky Stanicky in the hospital. When their partners become suspicious and demand to meet Stanicky, the trio hire "Rock Hard" Rod (John Cena), a washed-up actor who specializes in x-rated celebrity impersonations, to portray Ricky. Things quickly spiral out of control as Ricky refuses to drop the role and inserts himself into every aspect of their lives. 

Where to stream: Prime

Damsel

Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown plays Elodie in Damsel, a fantasy movie that turns fairytale tropes upside-down. After her betrothal to a prince, Elodie learns that her fate isn't to live happily ever after, but to be sacrificed to a dragon. To survive (and bring down the evil royal family who cast her into the dragon cave) Elodie will have to face the fire-breathing beast herself. No knight in shining armor is coming to save the day.

Where to stream: Netflix

Poor Things (2023)

Director Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things is a dizzying mash-up of horror, romance, science-fiction, and comedy. Emma Stone turns in a fascinating, utterly all-in performance as Bella Baxter, a young woman who has the brain of a baby implanted in her head by a mad doctor (played by Willem Dafoe). Set in a steampunk/fairytale version of Victorian Europe, Poor Things is endlessly visually fascinating, intellectually stimulating, and funny as shit. It's a must-watch (catch it before the March 10 Oscar ceremony, where it is nominated for 11 awards).

Where to stream: Hulu

The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping

This unsettling documentary details the scary world of the "troubled teen" industry, where children are kidnapped and forced to live in horrendous conditions in often abusive institutions, all with the blessing of their parents. Through interviews with traumatized survivors, The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping digs up copious dirt on The Academy at Ivy Ridge in Ogdensburg, NJ, a “disciplinary boarding school” that was rocked with accusations of abuse and torture before being shuttered in 2009. 

Where to stream: Netflix

Dune (2021)

With the sequel in theaters, it's the perfect time to rewatch 2021's Dune. Director Denis Villeneuve hit a home run with this adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction novel. He managed to craft the difficult, complex source material into a film that both audiences and critics loved—even those audience and critics that are like, "I'm not into science fiction." Dune features standout performances from Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson, who manage to be as interesting as the bigger-than-huge visuals.

Where to stream: Hulu

Oppenheimer (2023)

Christopher Nolan's expansive biopic examines the many sides of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the literally earth-shattering destruction he helped unleash on the world, and the ways in which each influences the other. Oppenheimer is nominated for 13 Oscars, more than any other film this year, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Acting nomination for Cillian Murphy, so check it out before the ceremonies if you missed it in theaters.

Where to stream: Peacock

Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda

Award-winning comedian Hannah Gadsby hosts some of Earth’s funniest genderqueer comics at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre in Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. The program includes sets from ALOK, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Ashley Ward, Jes Tom, Mx. Dahlia Belle, and Krishna Istha. Reading all the negative comments on the YouTube trailer made this into a must-see for me; if these jerks are being triggered, Netflix must be doing something right. 

Where to stream: Netflix

A Revolution on Canvas

Part political thriller and part arts documentary, A Revolution on Canvas examines the controversy and upheaval surrounding the painting of Iranian modern artist Nicky Nodjoumi. After moving to Iran to help overthrow the Shah in 1980, Nodjoumi quickly ruffled the feathers of the new regime with his solo exhibition "Report on the Revolution." He was forced to flee, and over 100 of his paintings went missing. A Revolution on Canvas details the artist and his family's attempt to get the paintings back, or at least learn what became of them.

Where to stream: Max

Josie and the Pussycats (2001)

Josie and the Pussycats totally tanked when it came out in 2001, meeting critical and box office indifference, but instead of being forgotten, Josie hung around the edges of cinematic universe until people gradually noticed that it's actually a really good little movie. It's not the dumb, teen-sploitation you'd expect; instead it hides a sharpened satirical knife behind its bubbly facade. It features a soundtrack full of excellent songs, great performances from Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Parker Posey, and Rachael Leigh Cook, and now that so much time has passed, a pleasing sheen of nostalgia.

Where to stream: Peacock

Wonka (2023)

Timothée Chalamet plays the title character in this prequel/re-imagining of Roald Dahl's famous chocolate maker. Pulling off the oh-how-totally-delightful tone without becoming syrupy and mawkish is no easy feat, but Wonka manages to hit the mark thanks to its talented cast, great writing, catchy songs, and lavish production design. In other words, against all odds, Wonka is pretty good.

Where to stream: Max

Birdman Or (The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) (2014)

In Birdman, Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, an actor who had been household-name famous for his portrayal of movie superhero Birdman. But that was years ago, and now, the specter of Birdman literally haunts him as he tries to make a comeback by starring in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver story. Seemingly (but not actually) shot in one take, Birdman is a frantic, fascinating portrait of an artist tortured by irrelevance and descending into madness. It's not like any other movie you've ever seen, I promise. (And it's still a wonder that a movie this weird managed to win the Best Picture Oscar.)

Where to stream: Hulu

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

Tom Hanks stars as the most reassuring man in television history, Mr. Rogers, the kid's TV show host who rose to fame by taking children seriously. Using filmic techniques made famous on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, director Marielle Heller tells Rogers' story through the eyes of Lloyd Vogel, a jaded, emotionally damaged writer assigned to pen a puff piece on Rogers. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is about the conflict between cynicism and sincerity, and in the face of Mr. Rogers' "cardigan sweaters and light piano jazz" worldview, cynicism doesn't stand a chance.

Where to stream: Hulu

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