Author Archives: Carol Edwards

In a story originally reported by The Times of Israel, a software engineer in New York has created and developed an AI that scans through hundreds of thousands of photos to help identify victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

From Number to Names (N2N), is an artificially intelligent facial recognition platform that can scan through photos from prewar Europe and the Holocaust (e.g. 1914–1945), linking them to people living today. Daniel Patt, a 40-year-old software engineer now working for Google, works on the project in his own free time with his own resources according to the article but is being joined by a growing team of engineers, researchers, and data scientists.

According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) website, there is no single list identifying the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and that research to find individuals’ stories is a long process following leads on minimal information. The museum does, however, offer various ways onsite for the families of survivors and victims seeking information and documentation.

Patt’s inspiration for creating the AI came in 2016 while visiting Warsaw’s POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, said The Times of Israel. Haunted by the possibility of unknowingly walking past the faces of relatives, Patt developed N2N so he could help his family and others find photos of murdered loved ones.

The way N2N works is by scanning through hundreds of thousands of photos made available by the USHMM, as well as photos from individual survivors and their descendants, according to The Times of Israel. The software isn’t perfect, however, and only returns the 10 best potential matches that it can find in the database available to it.

For individuals looking to use the site, all they have to do is upload a photo from roughly the same time period. Patt says that his team makes no software-based assertions about the accuracy of the identification, leaving that judgment to the people using the site. “We simply show results, with similarity scores, and let individuals decide whether the results contain a positive identification,” Patt says in an interview with The Times of Israel.

Along with the photos and videos currently available on the site, Patt told The Times of Israel that he is working on getting an additional 700,000 photos from the pre-Holocaust and Holocaust eras.

“Looking ahead, we’d like for N2N to become a vehicle for Holocaust education, giving students an opportunity to directly contribute to the historical record,” Patt said in the interview. “Students can use the software to help identify faces and artifacts in photo and video archives and potentially discover new connections between living Holocaust descendants and their ancestors.”

Patt has said that the nonprofit has been in contact informally with the USHMM but he hopes in the future to partner with “museums, schools, research institutions, and other organizations which share common goals around Holocaust education, awareness, and so on.”

“We have been developing the project over the course of evenings and weekends over many months,” Patt said to The Times of Israel. “There’s an urgency to this effort as the last remaining survivors pass, and there are many connections that could still be made. We hope that N2N can help build those connections while the survivors are still with us.”

UPDATE: Jun. 26, 2022, 12:11 p.m. EDT This article was updated for clarity and context

In the post-decision furor of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, period tracking apps have become a new area of digital concern, as many question whether the apps’ stored personal health data could be used to target people seeking abortion care.

But period tracking app Stardust, which combines traditional menstruation tracking with the movements of our moon and the planets, has come out ahead of many others by announcing itself as the first recognized app to offer end-to-end encryption for all users. In a statement via the app’s TikTok page posted on June 24, Stardust’s founder Rachel Moranis explained the new privacy update was already set to be announced prior to the overturning after initial concerns about data protection were raised last month. The app has previously posted about its pledge to never sell user data and protect user privacy.

“What [encryption] means is that if we get subpoenaed by the government, we will not be able to hand over any of your period tracking data,” she says in the video. “It is completely anonymized from your login data. We can’t view it. You are the only person that can see this.”

End-to-end encryption (or “e2ee”) ensures that the data from a sender or user’s system or device is protected during transmission, even from host servers, and can’t be decrypted by anyone other than the intended recipient. It’s not a complete fix to security concerns — Messaging apps offering e2ee services, like Signal,  WhatsApp, and Telegram, have been called out in the past for failing to disclose their full policies, offering much more limited encryption services than advertised, and relinquishing the protection of data once it’s reached its “endpoints.”

While there’s no current precedent for a period tracking app to turn over its user data to authorities for a criminal investigation, other apps have been known to hand off user data in sensitive cases, and, last year, popular period tracking app Flo received an FTC complaint about misleading users and sharing personal health data. Both activists and privacy experts agree that the recent decision, and Roe v. Wade’s presence as a legal bulwark against invasive abortion regulation, could have echoing effects on personal privacy.

Credit: Stardust

Credit: Stardust

The app joins a short list of “safer” period tracking options, including European app Clue, Drip for Android, and Euki. You can view Stardust’s entire privacy policy on its website.

According to the company’s TikTok announcement, the app’s encryption will go live on Tuesday, June 28 alongside the release of the Android version and new iOS update.

I finally downloaded Hinge on March 1, 2020, when I was ready to give dating another try after a messy relationship had ended. We all know what happened about two weeks later: COVID hit, and dating had to take a pause. But as we learned to adjust our lives to an ongoing pandemic, dating changed to fit with the times. 

It’s easy to feel like the pandemic stole away valuable time to find a potential partner, especially if you had certain milestones in mind, like getting married or having kids in the near future. My dating life during the early days of the pandemic was mostly virtual and involved multiple instances of ghosting. But once I was vaccinated, I was ready for something more serious and purposeful.

Turns out, so are a lot of other people. Two of the biggest dating trends of 2022 so far are choosing priorities — deciding what you want and being honest and upfront with potential partners from the jump — and increased vulnerability and mindfulness — actually being open and letting people in, rather than jumping from situationship to situationship. In other words, people are choosing to date more efficiently. 

Dr. John De Oca, a relationship expert and nurse practitioner, says the first step in efficient dating is defining your goal, whether it’s that you want a casual relationship, you want to date to learn more about yourself and what you want for your romantic life, or you’re ready for commitment. “So, going down one of those avenues and being very clear about it, both in how you interact with people and in your own mindset as well,” De Oca said.

As for any supposed milestones, De Oca discourages his clients from chasing them and instead promotes dating in terms of what feels right.

“We want to make sure that we’re dating people that meet our relationship goals vs. just dating people that are going to get us to our goals because we want to be in longterm relationships,” De Oca said.

To execute an efficient dating life, De Oca suggests taking advantage of the time before you go on a first date — especially if you’re online dating. He says to talk on the phone, have a FaceTime conversation, and be deliberate with the types of questions you’re asking. For instance, says De Oca, if you know your love language is physical touch, ask the person how affectionate they are. Use this time to pre-screen the person and actually get to know them vs. mindlessly talking to people and just saying, “Good morning” and “What’s up?”

Once you do get to that first date, you have the opportunity to get tons of insight as to whether or not the person is a good fit for what you’re looking for. You don’t want to go on just any first date, though, if you’re trying to date efficiently — some dates are much better than others when it comes to getting to know people quickly. 

You won’t be able to get the absolute complete picture of a person just from one date, but if you know what you’re looking for, what personality traits you want in a partner, and what gives you the ick, these first dates can help you dig that up faster. Just remember to set your dating goals and keep them in mind as you go out on dates.

Dinner and/or drinks

Dinner and drinks is a classic date for a reason. De Oca says “anything that stimulates conversation, any kind of environment where you could lean into one another and get to know each other” makes for a great first date if you’re trying to date efficiently. Informationally, it’s a treasure trove: You’re seated across from each other, and all you really have to do is talk (and eat). If you want to find out how the person carries on a conversation, get the chance to ask about their childhood, see how they eat (hopefully with their mouth shut), and learn how they treat a waitstaff, dinner and drinks is a stellar choice.

People-watching at the park

Credit: Bob Al-Greene / Mashable

People-watching is fun, but it can also be a great test. You’ll see how your date speaks about other people, what they’re judgmental about, and if they have funny commentary or are a straight-up bully. (Look for a person who has something quippy to say about how someone’s interacting with their dog vs. something that’s simply mean about someone’s appearance.) Plus, observing other people automatically gives you a jumping-off point for conversation, whereas sitting across from each other at a dinner table can lead you to feel like you have to pull conversation topics out of your ass. You still get the close-up talking, but without the awkward silences when you’re trying to slurp spaghetti without looking feral.

A game like mini-golf or bowling

Doing an activity helps prevent awkward pauses. And you get to see the other person’s competitive side and if they’re a real-life version of the Hinge prompt red flag, “I’m overly competitive about: everything.” De Oca says, “I think an activity is always good because it kinda gets the adrenaline pumping.” But you also want some down time where you can actually have a conversation, he adds, so don’t focus too hard on winning, and remember to actually vet your date’s personality along with their sportsmanship. 

Trivia

Intelligence is up there on the list of qualities people look for in a partner, and while trivia is not the most accurate test of intelligence — I mean, who actually knows what cynophobia is? — it’s a good test of common sense and problem-solving. (Cynophobia is the fear of dogs, btw.) You can learn how the person handles stress, if they get frustrated when they’re wrong or don’t know an answer, how well they listen to you, and how the two of you work together as a team. Go for a drink afterward to digest the questions and talk about something other than random facts you’ll forget by the end of the night.

Bottomless brunch

If you want to see how someone holds their liquor, pump them full of mimosas at 11 a.m. Brunch holds less pressure than a dinner date, but still promotes conversation and lets you see how they act toward service industry workers (and if they offer to pick up the tab, or how well they tip). De Oca is not a big fan of coffee dates because they tend to be very quick, but brunch fits the daytime bill, is more fun, and gives you time to get to know your date. Just don’t get so boozy you forget to ask the right questions to suss out whether this person fits into your goals.

Comedy show

One of my personal favorites, a comedy show is great for weeding people out if a compatible sense of humor is important to you. If you aren’t laughing at the same jokes, a second date probably isn’t even worth it. And if they’re laughing at some questionable jokes, you get a sense of their morals pretty easily. You won’t have much opportunity to chat during the show, so plan to do something else afterward to talk about the acts and about yourselves.

Bookstore

If you like romance novels, a bookstore date will have you feeling like the main character of one. Browsing the aisles can spark conversation about your interests and topics you might not think to bring up on your own. Plus, you can see if they’re pretentious about what they read and if they dog on a genre you love. If you feel a connection on the date and want a second, you can buy each other a book to read so you already have something to discuss when you meet up next.

Cooking together

Credit: Vicky Leta / Mashable

Cooking can really show people’s true colors. Like trivia or an activity, making a meal together shows how you work as a team. And, in the kitchen, you have the added bonus of seeing how well they follow instructions, how they communicate (extra points if you’re working in a small space), and how they clean up (which may be useful information for the future). There’s also plenty of room for personal conversation as things cook and as you sit down to eat the meal together. Of course, this will require one of you to go to the other’s home, so only do it if you feel safe and comfortable.

Skating (ice or roller)

One of my favorite first dates involved rollerblading around a park in Brooklyn; it showed me that the guy was down for anything, and we were both comfortable with the potential to make fools out of ourselves. If you’re skating at a rink, going around in circles gets pretty repetitive, which can inspire you to fill the silence with talking. Skating is also an excuse to hold hands if you’re wanting to test the waters on the whole getting physical front. Like some of the other activity dates mentioned, you might want to plan a second half to this date for when your legs start getting tired. My date ended with takeaway drinks and food in the park. (While we did have a few more dates after that, unfortunately, he was one of the ghosters mentioned earlier.)

Meet up with your friends

You still want one-on-one time with the person, so don’t make this the whole date, but have a friend crash the date or intentionally plan to meet up with your friends after the main date activity. You’ll be able to see how they interact with the people in your day-to-day life and if they’d be a good fit in your other relationships. This also gives your friends a chance to weigh in and see how you act around your date and if they bring out good sides to you. If you want the chance to fully be one-on-one the first date, this is also a good idea for a second or third date. By then, you’ll know better how you feel about the person and might have specific things you want your friends to look out for.

Protest or rally

If you’re super into activism, you probably want a partner who is, too. And inviting someone to a protest for a first date shows them you’re serious about your beliefs and reveals whether they’re into the same causes as you. It’s almost impossible to not talk about deeper issues on a date like this, so you’ll really get to the core of who they are as a person. We suggest continuing the date with something a little less intense, so you can both show off your lighter sides as well. 

Regardless of what type of first date you go on, De Oca says to pay attention to the kinds of behaviors you’re seeing in the other person. Are they consistent in how they talk to you over text and in person? Are they giving off red flags that are only going to get worse as time goes on? Or are they showing total go signs that warrant a follow-up date?

When it comes to dating, one of my friends once told me, “If it’s not a ‘fuck yes,’ it’s a no.” But De Oca has some different advice: “If we’re not overwhelmed with the amount of dates we’re getting, let’s have more second dates than not second dates,” he said. “If it was not a hard no, let’s have a second date.”

De Oca encourages giving people the opportunity to reveal themselves slowly; after all, some people take more time to come out of their shells, and you might miss out on someone great if you’re in too much of a rush.

Just because you’re dating efficiently doesn’t mean you have to speed through people. Take your time and have fun figuring out what works for you.

From tarot card readings on Youtube and Twitter to daily predictions on TikTok, astrology has become almost inevitable on social media. 

Why is astrology so alluring? The answer lies in its accessibility: Astrology can be practiced by anyone and everyone. While astrology has been studied for centuries, the recent growth of astrology communities online has made it even more accessible for novices and skeptics alike. It’s human nature to try to make sense out of uncertainty, and astrology helps people better understand their place in the world. 

For those who are new to astrology, the plethora of terms can be overwhelming. So we asked astrologers Maryaam Lewis-Herbert (ShawtyAstrology on Twitter) and Aylah Cadwell (SeeingAstrology TikTok) to break down the most common astrology terms on our FYPs and tell us what they really mean. 

Lewis-Herbert first fell in love with astrology in 2017 after being recommended tarot videos on YouTube. She began teaching astrology online in 2020, and since then, she has amassed over 264,000 followers on Twitter and TikTok combined. 

Credit: TikTok / shawtyherbs

“You can track certain planetary cycles or look at transits to be able to understand certain patterns that could happen in your life, based on a certain time of the year, or whatnot,” says Herbert-Lewis. “So it’s definitely like a really good way and a really good tool to make your life a little bit easier.”

Cadwell is the creator of SeeingAstrology.com, an online platform that teaches astrology in ASL. Cadwell, who is deaf, was frustrated at the lack of accessible astrology resources for the Deaf community. Armed with the knowledge she gained from astrology books and interpreting birth charts for others, she decided to launch her own platform to provide accessible astrology for everyone.

“The goal of astrology is to find a way to tell your own story, to put the pieces together to help you see yourself as if you were reading a book with you as a main character,” says Cadwell. “You can learn how to understand yourself better or perhaps find validation and understanding for the experiences you have been through.”

Credit: TikTok / seeingastrology

Ready to get started? This is astrology for beginners:

1. Birth Chart

A birth chart is a map of the planets and constellations in our solar system at the time of your birth. A birth chart tells you which planetary houses your zodiac placements are in, and this information is used to illuminate aspects of your personality. For example, a person’s sun sign is regarded as the core of their being, whereas their moon sign is associated with one’s emotions and how they process them.

Herbert-Lewis recommends that beginners should start by studying their birth charts. 

“Always start with you first because what that does is that it helps you to pinpoint certain aspects in your birth chart with certain things that you’ve experienced,” says Herbert-Lewis. “And then from there, you can apply that to other people’s birth charts or like other birth charts, just in general.”

2. Houses and degrees

A birth chart is divided into 12 houses, each of which align with different aspects of life. Since the birth chart is a 360-degree circle, a person’s planetary placements and houses in a birth chart are organized by specific degrees. These degrees can be used to go into further detail about a person’s placements.

“Degree theory adds a flavoring to your birth chart,” says Herbert-Lewis. “And I always say this to my clients, because, for example, you can have two people that both have Virgo moons, right? But they’re both going to process their feelings and their emotions differently.”

3. Retrograde

According to social media, we’re always in retrograde. But what does it really mean? A retrograde refers to the seemingly “backwards” movement of a planet in the sky. While a retrograding planet may seem to be orbiting backwards, it’s an illusion related to Earth’s orbit speed. Every planet in our solar system retrogrades, and in the astrology world, retrogrades are associated with confusion in communication and technological mishaps.

“I know some people who would strictly avoid travel during retrogrades, or some would refuse to date someone who seemingly has bad compatibility with their signs,” says Cadwell. “It is a tool for reflection; however, it is not a rule book. Astrology can help you learn how to live authentically and true to yourself, but it is not something to fuel your fear.”

4. New Moons

A new moon is a part of the lunar cycle during which the moon isn’t yet visible to viewers on Earth. Regarded as the first lunar phase, the new moon “waxes,” or grows in visibility, up until the full moon. In astrology, new moons are associated with self-growth, kickstarting new goals and projects, and overall rejuvenation of one’s energy.

5. Full Moons

A full moon is a part of the lunar cycle during which the moon is the most visible. Following a full moon, the moon “wanes,” or decreases in visibility, up until the next new moon. Full moons are associated with cleansing, self-reflection, and letting go of negative or old energy.

While astrology can be daunting for beginners, both Herbert-Lewis and Cadwell advise people to take their time learning. 

“Just be patient with yourself. Take it one step at a time and have fun,” says Herbert-Lewis.

“My advice for those who are just getting started in studying astrology is to take your time with the basics: elements, modalities, signs, planets and houses.” says Cadwell. “Once you have a very strong understanding of them, learning the complicated bits of astrology becomes easier to understand.”

TL;DR: As of June 26, The New Draft Top 3.0 Easy Can Opener is on sale for half off, so you can get it for $14.99 instead of $29.99.

If you’re craving a freshly poured pint, a can of beer likely isn’t going to cut it. You may not be able to procure a glass every time you want a foamy head on your ale, but you can turn a can into a cup with one exciting tool. The New Draft Top® 3.0: Easy Can Opener lets you safely cut the top off most eight to 16-ounce aluminum cans, transforming them into modified cups with no sharp edges. Usually, The New Draft Top® 3.0: Easy Can Opener is $29, but for a limited time it’s going for only $14.99. 

More than 60% of beer in the United States is sold in cans. If you prefer a glass and aren’t at a bar, you’re generally out of luck. Whether you just prefer an open top or want to add something fun to your drink, being able to take the top off a can is a game-changer. The New Draft Top® uses four rotational blades to split and fold a can’s lid as you turn it. What you’re left with is a smooth ring and a seamlessly sliced can top. All that’s left is to put your feet up and enjoy.

This can opener doesn’t just mean it’s easier to drink your beer. Now, you can grab a can of tomato juice, open it, and have a bloody mary without any new dirty dishes or wasted plastic cups. If you like to experience the aromatics of your beverages, you don’t have to have your nose pressed against a hole in a can. If you’re making a cocktail and using a canned soda, the open rim can give you a smooth pour, or at least it will let you get the last drop. 

This latest model of The New Draft Top® introduced a pressure-regulated handle, an embedded magnet, a lanyard hole, and 50% stronger construction. If you’ve used one before, this latest model promises an easier removal, and when you’re done you can smack it on your fridge until next time.

Turn your canned beer into a pint with a twist. Normally going for $29, The New Draft Top® 3.0: Easy Can Opener is on sale for a limited time for only $14.99. 

Prices subject to change.

With the rising costs of, well, everything, traveling in 2022 may seem unfeasible. But with the right money-saving tips and tricks, you might be able to pencil in the vacation you so desperately need — whether that’s a family beach getaway, a camping weekend, a foreign trip, or a luxury all-inclusive. 

While you might be used to being spontaneous about your adventures, it can really help your bank account if you do a little bit of planning before booking your next trip. You don’t want to spend your entire vacation worrying about your budget — and whether or not you’ve already blown it all. Here are five tips to help you save some of your hard-earned cash on your next vacation, from the moment you think about traveling to the moment you return home after your trip.

1. Be flexible

As much as you may have your heart set on a specific time frame, a particular hotel, and a clear-cut itinerary, it definitely pays to open yourself up to other options. Being flexible with your travel dates opens you up to better offers for flights and hotels. Rather than your typical Saturday to Saturday routine, try leaving on a Tuesday. Rather than staying six days, stay seven and get a discounted rate. That flexibility is a recipe for savings. Flexibility goes a long way, not only with the dates of travel, but with everything from location, transportation, housing options, and everything in between.

2. Sign up for an airfare deal alert service

Before booking your flight on a whim, sign up for a travel deal alert service like Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (on sale for $99, which is 94% off). Dollar Flight Club alerts you to the best deals from your home airports, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars on your next vacation.

With a Premium Plus membership, you can enjoy lifetime access to all of the best domestic deals, weekend getaways, and mistake fares from your home airports, plus perks and discounts (up to 50%) from its partners (like Babbel, Scribd, Lonely Planet, and more), access to a wide variety of other travel tips, and instant alerts. It covers Business, Premium Economy, and Economy Class. Plus, for a limited time, a lifetime subscription is on sale for only $99 — a major discount from its usual cost of $1,690.

3. Pack light

We know it’s tempting to bring your entire closet on vacation. After all, you never know what you might want to wear on your trip. But it’ll benefit you more to pack light. That way you can avoid checked bag fees, which can be pretty steep sometimes (up to $73 for your first checked bag). It’ll also save you time waiting around at baggage claim, squeezing into an elevator with a ton of luggage, and just by helping you get around easier. With less luggage, you’ll be more inclined to walk or navigate public transportation rather than paying for an Uber.

Not to mention, if you pack light, you won’t be tempted to buy tons of souvenirs. Where would you fit them on the way home?

4. Live like a local.

Sometimes tourist destinations are fun and worth the money. Other times, they’re simply a trap that’ll cost you. Instead of hitting every bar or restaurant the concierge suggests, ask some locals where they like to eat. Get immersed in the culture! Check out the places they like to spend time, travel how they travel, shop for food where they shop for food, etc. They’ll likely point you to places that aren’t full of other tourists, places that don’t have inflated prices for out-of-towners, and offer a more authentic and memorable experience in the area. 

5. Utilize a travel credit card.

Travel credit cards are well worth it for frequent travelers. The best hotel credit cards, airline credit cards, or just general travel credit cards can help you enjoy free night stays at hotels, free flights, free dinners, and more. These cards reward you with points, miles, or even cash back for booking a flight, staying at specific hotels, or just spending money on everyday things. In other words, you’ll basically earn money by spending money and can redeem those rewards for your next trip. Just be sure if you’re traveling internationally that you always use a card that has no foreign transaction fees and be cognizant of currency conversions.

Prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of June 26, you can get this 4-in-1 Fast Wireless Charger Station for $39.99 instead of its regular price of $44.99 — that’s an 11% savings.

Whether you’re the organized type who wants everything in their home to have a designated space or the disorganized type who can’t seem to find anything, investing in a charging station might be a good idea. You can house and juice up four different devices, which keeps cable clutter at a minimum and makes it harder to lose your stuff.

If you’re in the market for one, the 4-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Station from mBeat is on sale for $39.99 (reg. $44) for a limited time. It’s a solid way for organized folks to maintain their tidiness and for disorganized folks to keep a better eye on gadgets they typically lose.

The four spots on this fast wireless charging station are designated for an Apple Watch, AirPods, and two Qi-enabled devices (iPhones, Androids, etc.). So, at any given moment, you could power up your watch, earbuds, and two phones without the risk of overcharging or overheating. In fact, the charger is equipped with all the necessary safeguards: overcharge, overcurrent, and overvoltage protection, temperature control, and foreign object detection.

The Qi-compatible wireless charging spots have outputs of up to 15W, so they can quick-charge your devices and bring them back to 100 percent in no time. They’re even case-friendly, so you don’t have to strip your phone to juice it up. The Apple Watch spot has a 2W output, while the AirPods spot has a 3W output. Just be sure you use an 18W adapter (included) in order to deliver the correct power to each device.

Being able to drop your gadgets on your nightstand on a single power station at the end of the day can help you keep track of them. Plus, you’ll wake up to fully charged gadgets every morning. Win-win.

Prices subject to change.

Some people get used to not having as much free time as they did when they were kids. I am not one of those people.

As a working adult with an admittedly compromised social life (thanks, COVID!) and numerous other time-sucking obligations, finding time for both video games and podcasts has become a challenge. I truly, deeply adore both things; gaming is a lifelong passion and podcasts have been making me laugh on a daily basis for 15 years. I had to hear a lot of talk radio as a kid, so podcasts changed everything once I found out that the format could be funny and lively instead of dusty and decrepit.

And since there’s never enough time for both, I have to combine the two. A lot.

Yes, I constantly game while listening to podcasts. I had to get through 65 hours of Elden Ring somehow. What might cause sensory overload for some is a default state of living for me and other individuals of sophistication and taste. While this habit of mine may have started as a time-saving measure, it’s actually become the only way I can enjoy both these leisurely pursuits.

Wait, don’t games have audio you need to hear?

‘Final Fantasy XIV’ is so cool, y’all.
Credit: Square Enix

An obvious problem with this double-dipping lifestyle comes from the gaming side of the equation, as it’s a complex art form that combines visual, aural, and interactive elements into one work. You see the word “aural” there? Yes, sometimes you do need to hear games to progress or otherwise fully enjoy them. But if any video game sound designers are reading this, you may want to stop before you get to the next part of this sentence because the truth is: You can play a lot of games with the sound off. 

To be clear, I don’t listen to the college football podcast Shutdown Fullcast (which is really mostly about jet ski accidents) while I play any narrative-driven, single player games like Yakuza, at least not the first time through. I do care a lot about story and I don’t want to miss that part of a game. Rhythm games like DJ Hero, multiplayer games with an emphasis on communication like Rainbow Six: Siege, and frankly anything with rockin’ music like Mega Man are also exempt. But if any game features an abundance of mundane tasks that don’t require sound to complete, like the farming sim Stardew Valley, hoo baby, my earbuds are on.

I don’t have the heart to look up my playtime in Final Fantasy XIV, but I’ve almost certainly spent dozens of hours doing busywork quests online while listening to the Giant Bombcast, a podcast about — what else? — video games. (It’s all gaming, all the time for me over here.) Without podcasts to keep my brain engaged, I might’ve gotten too bored with the slow, early phases of FFXIV and missed out on the incredible story it offers in the later expansions.

If I just put on a podcast by itself, I go stir crazy and need something else to do. For example, back in 2014, I wanted to listen to the hosts of the aptly named The Worst Idea of All Time podcast document their experience watching Grown Ups 2 (which, I kid you not, is mostly an ad for K-Mart) once a week for a year. To accomplish this admittedly silly goal, I spent several weeks idly racing strangers online in Mario Kart 8 with headphones on and the Apple Podcasts app at the ready. (I dare you to find a better way to grind through 52 episodes of Adam Sandler analysis. You can’t.)

Had I not combined either of those games with those podcasts, there’s a good chance I never would have gotten through any of them.

There are so many games that fit into that dynamic in my life. Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing are big podcast companion games for me. I’ve absent-mindedly wandered around so many Assassin’s Creed worlds while listening to people yammer about football. I’ve planted virtual flowers in Animal Crossing with hardcore NBA Finals analysis in the background. And I’ve farmed for thousands of experience points in Dragon Quest XI to the tune of wildly insular jokes about Sex and the City 2.

It feels like I’m exercising my brain to its fullest potential by pairing games with podcasts. It’s like doing squats while juggling, except it doesn’t take any skill whatsoever.

Only so many hours in the day

‘Stardew Valley’ is in the podcast companion games hall of fame, for sure.
Credit: ConcernedApe / Steam

I am not unique in this regard. The term “podcast game” regularly gets thrown around in my gaming group chat. Combining podcasts and games saves time, it’s relaxing and, besides, you can only hear Skyrim guards quip about taking arrows to the knee so many times before you’re ready to feed your brain something else.

For me, however, a big reason why I keep doubling up on art forms is that it feels productive. It’s not to say that either podcasts or games are wastes of time, but rather that this method of “double fisting” is the only way I can attend to both hobbies in a timely fashion.

I think most people would agree that adult life could be viewed as a series of boring things you hate to do that exist purely to get in the way of doing the things you like to do. Apartment and job hunting, staying on hold for hours with your bank (only to not solve anything), grocery shopping, and waiting at the DMV are just a few examples of the things that take up our precious time. It’s a sick cosmic joke that work, the biggest time-thief of all, is necessary to fund a gaming habit in the first place.

So, in a way, combining gaming with podcasts is more of a necessity than a hobby. It’s a compromise, sure, but it’s one of the only ways I can subvert the demands of the world around me. 

At least, that’s how I justify the fact that I spent 300 hours playing Mario Kart 8 when I could’ve been learning a new language or finding love, or something.

That’s gotta be Kane…getting annihilated in the quote tweets and replies to his Twitter post about abortion.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, ending nearly 50 years of the constitutionally protected right to an abortion. The elimination of these healthcare rights has been a longtime goal of those in the anti-choice movement and was made possible thanks to the Supreme Court justices nominated to the court by former Republican presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush. In short, many among the right were overjoyed with the news.

Among those celebrating was the Mayor of Knoxville County, Tennessee Glenn Jacobs. However, most people more likely know him as WWE superstar Kane.

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“Roe v. Wade has been overturned!” tweeted Jacobs. “This clears the way for states like TN to pass stronger protections for the unborn, and is an answer to a prayer for so many. #RightToLife #Victory”

Pro wrestling has long been stigmatized as being a right-wing “sport.” While that may have been true years ago, that couldn’t be further from the truth today. Pro wrestling’s fan base has become incredibly diverse and has skewed left-of-center over the years. In turn, those fans who get into the business become pro wrestlers who are much more progressive than the stars of yesteryear.

And maybe in the olden days of professional wrestling, disagreements like these would be nothing more than fodder for backstage gossip in the “dirt sheets.” However, in modern times, wrestling colleagues and coworkers can call each other out in public on social media.

The 55-year-old Jacobs’ tweet did not go over well amongst his wrestling peers whatsoever.

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“Glenn you were an idol of mine and I sung your praises to anyone I met, But this is the biggest piece of shit take from you ever,” tweeted WWE superstar Paige who has previously shared screentime with Jacobs on WWE programming. “Very disappointing that you think controlling women’s bodies and taking away our rights is a “victory”.”

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“Idiot, absolute idiot. STFU” tweeted Impact Wrestling star Taya Valkyrie, who was also known as Franky Monet in WWE.

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“You literal piece of shit,” another Impact Wrestling star, Rosemary, tweeted in a reply to Jacobs.

Other wrestling talents decided to mock Jacobs’ previous role in WWE when he played a wrestling dentist named Dr. Isaac Yankem in the 1990s.

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“No wonder you couldn’t cut it as a dentist. #idiot” said AEW wrestler and former champion Dr. Britt Baker (who is also actually a real dentist.)

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“Oh fuck off Yankem you toss pot. #prochoice” tweeted AEW wrestler Kip Sabian.

Many wrestling fans were also speaking out against Jacobs’ tweet, often pointing to other tweets from Jacobs where he espoused his libertarian views on bodily autonomy on other issues like COVID vaccines.

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“Your health decisions should be between you and your doctor – not mandated down from a bureaucrat in Washington,” said Jacobs earlier this year.

This is far from the first time Jacobs has been dunked on by his colleagues for his right-wing political views.

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AEW superstar and former AEW world champion “Hangman” Adam Page previously commented on the number of chair shots Jacobs took to the head in a reply to a tweet about Ukraine and Putin.

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Jacobs’ own former tag team partner, Sean Waltman, better known as X-Pac, also called out Kane for a tweet he made playing down gun violence and mass shootings after the Uvalde school shooting.

And if you’re questioning whether this is based on a prior personal issue some talent have with Kane, it’s certainly not. WWE superstar and former Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch put another pro wrestler on blast for his right-wing views on abortion rights as well.

“I chose to be a mother. To a daughter. That I could safely deliver and afford to raise. A daughter who deserves autonomy over her own body,” Lynch posted in a tweet to the currently unsigned Gunner after a comment he made questioning how she could be a mother and pro-choice.

“Banning abortions doesn’t stop them. It stops safe ones,” Lynch continued. “God bless you, your ignorance and lack of uterus”

$100 million. That’s the latest haul from yet another successful crypto heist carried out by hackers finding a weakness to exploit.

Harmony, a blockchain bridge that helps facilitate transfers between different cryptocurrency tokens, recently announced that $100 million in cryptocurrency was stolen from its Horizon bridge on Thursday morning. In a blog post detailing the events, Harmony explained that its Horizon Ethereum Bridge fell victim to a “malicious attack.”

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“Multiple transactions occurred that compromised the bridge with 11 transactions that extracted tokens stored in the bridge,” reads Harmony’s statement.

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic told Techcrunch that a number of different cryptocurrency tokens were stolen as a result of the compromised bridge. According to Elliptic, Ethereum, Binance Coin, Tether, USD Coin and Dai were all part of the hackers’ haul. The stolen tokens have already been converted to Ethereum by the hacker via crypto exchanges.

Harmony says it contacted the FBI as well as cybersecurity and exchange partners. Harmony also says that its Bitcoin bridge wasn’t affected by the exploit.

While Harmony has not yet shared details of the exploit, Twitter user Ape Dev pointed out a weakness in the security of the bridge as early as April. According to Ape Dev, hackers only needed to gain access to two multisig private keys to authorize the transfer of funds.

This is far from the first time a blockchain bridge weakness was exploited by bad actors. In fact, this $100 million lost here is actually on the low-end compared to some other thefts from just this year alone. 

Play-to-earn game Axie Infinity had its Ronin blockchain bridge hacked in March resulting in a whopping $615 million in stolen assets. Just a month earlier, the Wormhole bridge was compromised, leading to $320 million in losses.