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NO matter how good the beer tasted on my lips or how glorious the fire-breathing spring sunset was through the windows of Newport Yacht Club’s second-floor bar, I couldn’t muster an iota of joy. If I could’ve reached my backside in this very moment, it would have been covered with shoe prints from kicking myself for doing what I can unequivocally say is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my 40 years of sailboat racing. Allow me to set the scene. It’s late March and my Turnabout Frostbite season is winding down. I’m knocking on the top of the overall season scoreboard, with third or even second place mere points out of my reach. To shuffle the deck and get me there, all I have to do is pull off…

Does your cat or dog suddenly get a burst of energy and perform athletic feats around the house? Welcome to the world of zoomies – intense periods of high-energy activity including running, spinning, jumping and rolling. All at top speed. A proposed scientific name is frenetic random activity periods (FRAPs). In rabbits these high activity periods are called ‘binkies’. But many cat and dog owners simply call them ‘zoomies’. You might see post-bath zoomies, dog park-zoomies, midnight-zoomies and good ol’ out-of-nowhere zoomies. The trigger may be excitement or a sudden increase in stimulation. PART OF PLAY ROUTINE Zoomies can be characterised as play as the two behaviours share many of the same characteristics. This would make zoomies intrinsically pleasurable – in other words, a whole load of fun. If the zoomies are occurring as…

The saga of verified accounts on Twitter has reached its end. (Finally.) After months of beleaguered changes, the program that once identified notable accounts—like those held by journalists, major corporations, and public figures—has faded permanently into the past. However, the blue check marks originally signifying verified status aren’t disappearing. Instead their meaning is now different. Check marks of other colors have now joined the line-up, too. You can boil the whole system down to a set of subscriber badges, with distinctions between each one. We’ve explained them for you below, but be warned: Twitter has continually shifted its approach to check marks and how they’re applied to accounts. What’s current now might not be so in even just a couple of weeks. As for being sure a Twitter account is official, you’ll now…

30 MINS Focal length is something you might be familiar with, but be honest: do you actually know what it is and how it’s measured? Focal length is used to determine a lens’s angle of view, which is what you see when you look through your camera’s viewfinder. It’s measured from the point where rays of light converge within a lens (the point of convergence) to the camera’s sensor (or film), and is calculated while the focus is set to infinity. Lenses with fixed focal lengths are known as prime lenses, and lenses with variable focal lengths are zoom lenses. Understanding the angle of view is crucial when identifying which lens to use, and it’s something that seasoned photographers do on instinct. The smaller the focal length, the wider the field of…

The groom could barely contain his joy as he caught sight of his bride In the lush gardens of Zahran Palace, guests took their seats inside an elegant white gazebo specially designed for the occasion. With its Islamic-style arched openings and carved stone columns mimicking the palace’s interiors, it was the perfect setting for an intimate traditional Islamic wedding ceremony, known as katb ktab, that was both modern and steeped in tradition. With a nod to family history, Rajwa was driven to the palace in the same 1968 Rolls-Royce Phantom V that had been custom-made for the King’s grandmother Queen Zein Al Sharaf and was used during the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s official visit to Jordan in 2021. Accompanied by the groom’s younger brother Prince Hashem and sisters Princess…

#1 / No-Bake Summer Veggie Lasagna ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Vegetarian ✓ Family Friendly 6 7-by-3-in. lasagna noodlesCooking spray1 Tbsp. olive oil2 pints cherry tomatoes2 medium zucchini, chopped into ¼-in. pieces1 small yellow onion, finely chopped1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped, plus more for topping1 16-oz. container whole-milk ricotta cheese2 Tbsp. milkGrated pecorino Romano cheese, for serving COOK noodles in salted water according to package directions until just past al dente; drain. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. MEANWHILE, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add tomatoes, zucchini, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst, 8 to…

It has been three years since a 17-year-old from Illinois shot dead two protesters during an anti-police riot in the Wisconsin town of Kenosha, said Jamelle Bouie in The New York Times. A court eventually decided that the gunman, Kyle Rittenhouse, had been acting in self-defence. But what troubled me at the time was the “jubilant reaction of conservative media” to the news that someone had taken the law into their own hands, and meted out “lethal violence against a perceived antagonist”. Now, we’re seeing that “bloodlust” all over again, in the case of Daniel Penny. A 24-year-old former US marine, Penny was on the New York subway earlier this month when a homeless man, Jordan Neely, began acting erratically. At some point, Penny placed Neely in a chokehold, which…

ChatGPT (fave.co/3AV5yUm) is all the tech world can talk about lately, and with good reason. The AI-powered tool is impressive, but there are plenty of worries too – copyright infringement, plagiarism, use in classrooms, even lost jobs, so it’s no wonder people who write for a living are stressing about AI that can seemingly write well. But there are also starry-eyed tech companies who see the future– the ability for computers to converse naturally and create content that businesses can actually use, at a scale, speed, and cost humans can’t possibly match. But ChatGPT, Google Bard (fave.co/3LEzVDC), and Microsoft’s Bing Chat (see page 34) are just one small part of the generative AI revolution. The art world has been buzzing about new generative AI art tools for the past year…

YOUNG AND RESTLESS Nate And Audra Conspire Nate arrives at Audra’s GCAC suite for another clandestine meeting, where he admits that he had a chat with Victor about Nate’s future at Newman Enterprises. “Audra assumes that a conversation like that with Victor couldn’t have gone well,” says Zuleyka Silver (Audra). “She hopes this doesn’t mean that Nate is on shaky ground now at Newman. She asks how bad was it.” On the contrary, Nate happily reports that the discussion was very positive. “Audra is surprised to hear that,” Silver admits. “Nate does say that Victor still grilled him about Victoria, but Nate feels he was able to come across as trustworthy and put some of Victor’s concerns at ease. Nate believes that it went well because he was very up front about his…

Index funds: Index funds are a popular option for long-term investors seeking exposure to a broad range of stocks or bonds. These funds track a market index, such as the S&P 500, and are typically low-cost and tax-efficient. An index fund in the USA is a type of investment fund that aims to replicate the performance of a specific stock market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. An index fund typically holds a portfolio of stocks that closely mirror the holdings and weighting of the index it is tracking. Index funds are passive investments, which means that they do not rely on active management by a portfolio manager or analyst. Instead, they are designed to provide broad market exposure and low-cost investing for individual investors. Index funds…

Whether you like it scrambled, fried, crispy, baked or sautéed, you can find a tofu recipe that is right for everyone - that is, if you know how to cook it. Often misunderstood for being bland, tofu is incredibly versatile in cooking since it has a mild, neutral taste which tends to take on the flavours of the food you cook it with. Cooking with tofu may be daunting for beginners, but the results can be exceptionally rewarding to your health and your taste buds. Tofu tales Tofu has been around for thousands of years. Originating in China, it is believed to date back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). It’s rumoured that more than 2000 years ago, the Chinese discovered it after accidentally combining soy milk with nigari. Nigari is…

“New photographers can get overwhelmed by all the new settings they have to employ to get a good exposure and get a little flustered and in some extreme cases, decide not to pick up a camera again.” Are you a new photographer? Have you just upgraded to a DSLR from your cameraphone and looking to take more inspired photos? We all have to start somewhere and chances are you’re not going to be creating sensational photographic works of art the moment you turn your new camera on. Despite professional photographers wanting us to believe it, they are not all born perfect master of their art. Mistakes happen, lessons have to be learned and experience has to be gained. It is also probably worth noting that you don’t have to be…

Many people say they value authenticity at work. They want to be themselves and express their real emotions. And they want all others to do likewise, particularly their boss and colleagues. The word “authentic” implies that one always gives a faithful, honest, and accurate account of personal beliefs, preferences, and desires. It means genuine, bona fide, and honest, while the antonym implies dodgy, dishonest, and insincere. We are told by the gurus that “authentic” leaders have all sorts of virtues: they tend to be more self-aware, more disciplined and inspiring, and more liked and trusted by all stakeholders. Thoroughly good egg; very desirable type. Being authentic with others always and everywhere seems like a good idea, even a fundamental right. But is this possible in business, particularly the service industry? What if you…

Earlier this month, Serbia experienced two separate mass shootings that killed more than a dozen people, including children. Serbia, a nation tied for the third highest rate of gun ownership in the world, was shaken by this violence: mass shootings are not a daily occurrence. It did not take long for the president, Aleksandar Vučić, to take action, announcing several measures to prevent further tragedy. These include a ban on new gun permits, tougher penalties for illegal weapons possession, psychological checks of gun owners and an amnesty for the surrender of illegal weapons. It only took two days for Serbia to act. Why, after more than 200 mass shootings in 2023 alone, has the United States failed to take similar sweeping action? Day after day, the US experiences senseless gun violence and yet…

The airport, the bar, the library—all places where your hard-working smartphone might need a little pick-me-up, and all places where free, public phone charging stations have been cropping up over the last few years. But according to a warning from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, you might be better off letting your constant companion run down to zero. A tweet from the FBI’s Denver field office (via CNBC) warns that “bad actors” have been infiltrating public recharging stations in order to load up spyware and malware on smartphones through the USB port. For hackers, getting instant physical, wired access to a device is basically the Holy Grail of information security…and the defeat thereof. It’s a technique informally known as “juice jacking,” something the FBI’s central website and various field offices…

Flanked by his two leading ladies, Michael Douglas cuts a dashing figure on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival. The veteran of screen and stage was accompanied by his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and their 20-year-old daughter Carys, who was making her debut at the French movie extravaganza. In a pink Elie Saab gown, the aspiring musician posed with her parents at the opening night gala as she and her equally glamorous mum Catherine – also in a dramatic gown by Elie Saab – planted a kiss on Michael’s cheek before the Fatal Attraction star, 77, received a special award honouring his lifetime in film. “Thank you Cannes!” he later wrote on Instagram. “I am so honoured to receive the honorary Palme d’Or for my career achievements. Catherine, Carys and…

The estates at Canary Wharf in London form the largest urban redevelopment project in Europe, with the revitalisation of millions of square feet of office, retail and living space. The creation of a 24/7 lifestyle led location is further boosted by the recent opening of the Elizabeth Line, so visitors are sure to flock there to experience the very best London has to offer. When Gillespies required a range of street furniture solutions over a strict schedule of lead times, Woodscapes considerable experience and dominant presence around many London developments, were evidence that we were well positioned to deliver on this project. The selection of street furniture is varied and impressive, from Parklets to Planters, Tables to Seat Toppers, the many combinations of powder-coated metalwork with the naturally very durable…

EVOLUTION A tiny marine creature less than 1.5cm long could rewrite the story ofhow brains developed, and help to settle a long-term disagreement. So claim the scientists who examined 525-million-year-old fossils found in China and discovered what they think is the world’s oldest sample of brain tissue. The fossils include the remains of a worm-like arthropod, Cardiodictyon catenulum, embedded in rock from Yunnan province in South-Eastern China. With a length of 1.5cm, the fossil was too small to examine with X-rays, so the scientists instead used a special imaging technique that filters light of different wavelengths, mapping the structure of the fossil. The surprise was to find that the brain of the tiny ancient creature that roamed the ocean floor so long ago had been conserved, and that it was comprised of…

SHOW REPORT ■ THIS YEAR’S AXPONA, held in Schaumburg just outside Chicago in early April, was as vibrant and upbeat as any I’ve attended. It had all the makings of a great show: fabulous venue, lots of exhibit rooms (more than 200), the presence of many European company founders and executives who don’t normally attend U.S. regional shows, excellent sound, lots of affordable products (some of them making terrific music), and superb organization by JD Events. But what really made this AXPONA special was the sheer number of attendees (9000+, up 20% from 2022), their demographic, and their enthusiasm. I saw more young people, couples, and women than at any other North American show. Moreover, my impression was that they were enthusiastically looking for new and better ways to enjoy…

Take amazing holiday photos on iPhone – we show you how With summer holiday season fast approaching, we’ll all hopefully have a bit more leisure time to take some photos. Holiday destinations provide fantastic photo opportunities that should inspire you to swipe to your iPhone’s Camera app and capture pictures of your family and friends enjoying amazing architecture, beautiful beaches and exotic food. In this in-depth photography feature, we’ll show you how to set up and use your iPhone camera to make the most of both a little jaunt to somewhere local or a more far-flung destination, so that you can populate your WhatsApp groups (or social media feeds) with stunning vacation shots. We’ll also give you tips and techniques on making your holiday snaps look their best in relation…

BEFORE AFTER In February this year, people living in the UK were treated to an unexpected and rare event in the night skies as the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, were visible across much of the nation. Many spectacular images were captured with unusual red pillars on the northern horizon. They could be seen from much further south than usual, the result of strong solar activity that pushed the auroral sphere further down to lower latitudes. Indeed, the light show was observed from as far south as Cornwall and even northern France. Despite the UK’s relatively northern location in Europe, the Northern Lights are rarely seen in most parts of this country. Avid aurora hunters usually have to travel to northernmost dark-sky places, such as the highlands…

Prince Harry got the shock of his life to discover his number one enemy, brother Prince William, has a picture of him sitting atop his piano! The stunning revelation emerged in a behind-the-scenes clip from the Prince and Princess of Waleses’ coronation video. As Princess Charlotte runs past a grand piano, a happy snap of Harry, William and their late mother, Princess Diana, can be seen on display in a row of framed family photos. While sources say William “wasn’t aware” of the photo’s inclusion until eagle-eyed fans spotted it, there’s no doubt his wife Catherine did. “Kate will never give up on Harry,” says an insider. “She could have easily removed that photo for the video – it’s there right in front and hard to miss – but this is her way…

Work with former President Barack Obama, and one thing is assured: “He is always the most prepared person in the room,” says Caroline Suh, the director of the new Netflix docuseries Working: What We Do All Day, executive-produced by Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama. In the four-part series the former President visits three American workplaces and meets with 12 people occupying various rungs of the ladder, from service jobs to “the middle” to “dream jobs” and “the boss.” Obama, 61, who is now an empty nester alongside Michelle, 59—daughter Sasha, 21, graduated from the University of Southern California on May 12, and Malia, 24, worked as a writer on the Amazon Prime series Swarm—chats with People about his latest role. ‘I am a believer in paying your…

The evening of May 16 had started so well. Meghan, 41, Duchess of Sussex, accompanied by her husband, Prince Harry, 38, and her mom, Doria Ragland, 66, took the podium at the Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision Awards, where the duchess was honored for her advocacy to empower women and girls. “I can now connect the dots in a much better way to understand how I became a young feminist and evolved into a grown activist,” Meghan told the audience to applause. Afterward, at around 10 p.m., the couple and Ragland left the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan, hopped into their waiting black SUV and headed for a friend’s private residence, where they were staying. Then things changed. Photographers followed the trio on a circuitous route through the streets of Manhattan,…

Research has shown that experiencing rudeness can affect people’s performance on subsequent tasks. A new study finds that it also heightens susceptibility to cognitive biases, or systematic flaws in judgment. Across four experiments, participants who experienced or overheard a rude conversation were highly likely to fall prey to the so-called anchoring bias, whereby people rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive about a topic, even when it’s irrelevant or wrong. In the first experiment, the researchers ran a simulation in which anesthesiology residents had to care for a surgical patient who became unstable. They had been given an intentionally misleading suggestion about what the problem might be. Half the group first heard a senior physician berate a colleague. Throughout the simulation all the residents had access to…

Apple TV+ has quietly but steadily emerged as a formidable competitor in the streaming race With a sharp focus on producing top-notch content and assembling a talented lineup of actors, directors, and creators, Apple TV+ is now the home of premium entertainment, setting itself apart from Disney+ and Netflix to set a new standard for at-home entertainment. REDEFINING QUALITY Apple TV+ has been relentless in its pursuit of excellence, emphasizing quality in content creation. From exceptional scripts to outstanding production values, the platform’s commitment to delivering topnotch entertainment experiences is evident. The roster of acclaimed shows and movies exemplifies Apple TV+’s dedication to offering high-quality storytelling and compelling narratives. Apple TV+’s original programming has garnered critical acclaim and enthusiastic viewer reception. The hit series “Ted Lasso” has captured hearts worldwide with its…

NOMADIX TOWELS Towels are essential on boats of any kind, but often they’re bulky and take up too much storage—and once those bulky ones are wet, good luck using them a second time. Nomadix towels are absorbent, quick-drying, odor-resistant, ultralight and easy to pack. A variety of sizes makes it easy to use some for drying off, others for cleanup, and hooded, poncho versions for changing clothes in privacy. $25 to $70; nomadix.co ACR BIVY STICK Extra safety is never a bad thing, especially when boating offshore and out of cellphone range. Combined with the Bivy app on your cellphone, the Bivy Stick allows connecting with a global satellite network so you communicate via two-way text messaging, SOS, location sharing, one-touch check-in, and detailed weather reports. $299.95 (not including data plan); acrartex.com WAKE FOAMIES MINI-MAL 5’4” WAKESURF…

Photoshop has many types of layers and adjustment layers available, but there are six that you’ll find you need to use again and again. Learning how they should be used may seem a little daunting for beginners, but once you’ve got to grips with them, you’ll find they play a part in the creative process of almost every image you make. 01 LEVELS This should be the first layer you add to an image, because it fundamentally alters the tonal range of the entire image. Create a Levels Adjustment Layer, drag the Black point slider inwards until it touches the left-hand edge of the histogram, and drag the White point slider inwards to the right-hand edge. This remaps the tones of the image to make more of the available tonal range. 02 CURVES Curves…

Venus’ landscape is littered with volcanoes that were clearly active in the past. But less clear is whether any are still erupting in the present. Many researchers have suspected this is the case, citing evidence of lava flows that appear relatively recent. But direct before-and-after evidence of an eruption had not emerged — until researchers found it while combing through archival data from NASA’s Magellan mission, which orbited the planet from Aug. 10, 1990, to Oct. 13, 1994. Robert Herrick, a planetary scientist at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks (UAF), reexamined the over 30-year-old data and presented the findings March 15 at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held in The Woodlands, Texas, and virtually. The results were published the same day in Science. Herrick compared February 1991 radar imagery…

CHITOSE ABE, SACAI Karl used to say, “Fashion isn't art – it's business.” I've always thought about that as I've run Sacai. These days a designer's job isn't just about designing clothes, and that's something Karl saw way back when – he was like a fashion cyborg. He was a great designer from the start, but he was also good at fashioning his own image. When you think about Karl, it's the white shirt, a tie sometimes, and some hard-edged jewellery. I've tried to capture that – not to reproduce it, but to hybridise it in the Sacai style and turn it into an elegant dress. Worn by Amber Valletta. Junya Watanabe boots. GUCCI “My first Chanel show was the women's march show,” says Gigi Hadid, seen here in Gucci's tweed jacket embroidered with…

1 'THE MORE YOU TRAIN, THE BETTER THE RESULTS' Yes, you need to train hard and regularly, but doing too much too often is going to be counterproductive. If you’re new to working out, start with three sessions a week, to give your muscles time to recover - and grow - before training them again. Too little rest between sessions can result in overtraining, when you feel tired, fatigued and demotivated. You’re also more likely to suffer from injury. 2 'YOU CAN TURN FAT INTO MUSCLE' Fat and muscle are two totally different types of tissue, so it’s impossible for one to turn into the other. Muscle is active tissue that burns calories, while fat tissues store excess energy. When you train hard, it’s possible to burn fat and build muscle at the…

Session two... Since our first session together, I had thought a lot about Hazel. Her partner, Sarah*, had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease, their life together had changed, and they were both grieving the life they used to have. Hazel had left the last session fired up about doing some coaching exercises with her partner; I just hoped that Sarah had responded to this idea with enthusiasm. As soon as Hazel arrived, I suspected that things had not gone well. She looked tired and deflated. I asked her gently, ‘How are you arriving today?’ Hazel looked up at me briefly and then put her head in her hands and sobbed. I sat quietly, only moving to hand her a box of tissues. “Coaching whilst walking offers a lovely alternative to sitting in a…

ChatGPT, a powerful language model chatbot developed by OpenAI, has revolutionized the way we interact with artificial intelligence. With its advanced natural language processing capabilities, ChatGPT can help you with a wide range of tasks, from answering trivia questions to composing poetry. Here are 10 wonderfully fun, awesomely practical ways to put ChatGPT to work. 1. CREATE FUN RECIPES One interesting thing ChatGPT can do is generate recipes based on user preferences, ingredients, or specific dietary requirements. Give it a starting point by providing certain information about the desired dish, such as the type of cuisine, the main ingredients you want to use, or any dietary restrictions you may have. ChatGPT will then provide a recipe with step-by-step instructions, ingredient quantities, and cooking tips. I asked ChatGPT to create a whiskey-based cocktail using a…

VW Campers are compact, that’s part of their beauty. They fit under barriers, sneak into ‘normal’ car parking spaces and unlike motorhome owners, you won’t get dirty looks from locals if you park up in a quiet wooded spot somewhere. The thing is, with limited space inside, you’ll have to make a few sacrifices when it comes to what you take otherwise you’ll run the risk of cluttering up your interior and tripping over yourself. Taking the kitchen sink just isn’t an option with a VW Transporter. So what are the essentials – and what can you happily leave at home? Here’s a few pointers to ensure you’ve got all you need without having to tow a trailer for all the stuff you couldn’t find space for. COOKING Even if your Van’s got a…

What, in your view, are the aims of History Reclaimed? My take is that it’s a project exploring the ‘culture wars’ that are going on, and how history fits within them. It seems to me that history is currently being used for political purposes that have very little to do with the past. One of the aims of History Reclaimed is to reclaim history from that abuse. Do you see History Reclaimed as being part of a wider movement? I think it’s part of a reaction to the way in which academia, particularly, has seen a trend towards - in simple terms - a ‘woke’ approach to history. This approach encourages academics and students to conform to a stereotypical view of the west as exploitative and culturally dominating, and I think it is…

Malted grains are a key ingredient in whisky making. Whether used as the primary grain or as a supplemental ingredient to aid in fermentation, malted (or sprouted) grains provide a wellspring of fermentable sugars. The history of malting stretches back to ancient Egyptian brewing culture. In Scotland, the use of malted grains in distilling dates back to at least 1494, when the first mention of barley malt appears in tax records. Malting Their Own While in-house malting floors were the norm before the rise of independent maltsters, some distilleries—including Laphroaig and Bowmore on Islay, and Balvenie in Speyside—have their own malting floors. Malt Shops Globally, Boortmalt is the largest provider of malted grains, with two plants in Scotland. Diageo’s Port Ellen on Islay and Glen Ord in Muir of Ord, among other malting plants,…

Cyclists need no introduction to the benefits of caffeine. However, in a recent article on Australian academic news site The Conversation, University of Newcastle lecturer Dr Emma Beckett points out that much of the boost we get from a morning coffee or tea is more of a loan. It all comes down to how the brain interacts with a compound called adenosine, which is released as a by-product of activity during the day, binding to receptors in our brain and telling our cells to slow down, which we feel as tiredness. Adenosine levels lower when we sleep and, provided we have slept long enough, we wake up feeling refreshed. Caffeine is a similar shape to adenosine, and so also binds to the receptors but doesn’t trigger the same slow-down signal to the…

‘We don’t want that image of sex and drugs any more’Els Iping De Wallen resident Thick fumes of cannabis smoke were noticeably absent from the air of Amsterdam’s red light district, the familiar smell replaced by dank canal water and rats on the first day of a ban on smoking marijuana in public. After years of complaints from residents about wild behaviour from visitors, who number 18 million a year, a crackdown on nuisance tourism is in full swing. Last month, the municipality introduced a “stay away” campaign – aimed first at misbehaving Britons – that banned alcohol sales in shops at the weekend and imposed earlier closing times for window brothels and pubs. Now, tourists and residents alike face a €100 ($105) fine for public cannabis smoking in and around the red…

Amazon agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations it violated a child privacy law and deceived parents by keeping for years kids’ voice and location data recorded by its popular Alexa voice assistant. Separately, the company agreed to pay $5.8 million in customer refunds for alleged privacy violations involving its doorbell camera Ring. The Alexa-related action orders Amazon to overhaul its data deletion practices and impose stricter, more transparent privacy measures. It also obliges the tech giant to delete certain data collected by its internet-connected digital assistant, which people use for everything from checking the weather to playing games and queueing up music. “Amazon’s history of misleading parents, keeping children’s recordings indefinitely, and flouting parents’ deletion requests violated COPPA (the Child Online Privacy Protection Act) and sacrificed…

Café au anti-inflammation Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds found in fruit, vegetables and drinks such as tea and coffee. In a new study researchers investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of polyphenols when they were combined with proteins such as you get from milk or meat. They created artificial inflammation in immune cells and then applied either just polyphenols or polyphenols reacted with proteins to the cells. The immune cells with the polyphenol/protein combination applied were twice as effective at fighting inflammation as were the cells with polyphenols alone. In another study the researchers showed that the proteins from milk quickly bind to the polyphenols in coffee. The next step is to see whether the anti-inflammatory boost happens when humans ingest the protein–polyphenol combo. According to the researchers, though, it is easy to project…

THOUGHTS My goodness, youth month is upon us. Ah, the folly of youth! Truly, the time to make mistakes, push your body to its limits and be invincible is when you are young. Not young at heart but young-young. Like numbers young, the real young not soccer-age young… you know, literal youth. You need to make those mistakes as early as possible so you have all the time in the world to laugh about how lucky you were to have escaped them. But maybe you were not fortunate enough to escape unscathed, and now you can share the cautionary tale for many years. If you make dumb mistakes in your 30s, we judge you and ask: 'What is wrong with you?' In your 20s, we shrug and say: ‘You were…

What’s going on? As MoneyWeek went to press, the US federal government and Republicans in Congress remained locked in a stand-off over America’s self-imposed “debt ceiling” – the government’s borrowing limit (currently $31.4trn). The government actually hit the cap in January. Since then it has been using “extraordinary measures” to get round it (essentially fiscal accounting tools that curb certain government investments so that the bills continue to be paid). But now those measures have been exhausted and the point is close at which the US runs out of cash and can no longer issue new debt and pay its bills. The Biden administration wants the ceiling lifted; the Republicans (who have a majority in the House of Representatives) won’t agree unless they can extract political concessions and leverage over…

TO THE WEST OF OXFORD, NOT VERY FAR from the railway station and in the oddly-named Fridesewide Square, lies a fascinating building. Dating from the Edwardian era, its primary claim to fame is that it is where the peerless Frank Cooper’s Oxford marmalade was first produced. Subsequently, it has served as everything from an antiques market to its most recent incarnation as a bar, restaurant and arts space, bringing a touch of bohemian civilisation to a part of Oxford that often seems to have been neglected by the aesthetic. (Anyone who has shuddered and shivered through the station — a 1970s monstrosity that was revamped into a 1990s monstrosity that is now being rebuilt again — will know exactly what I mean.) The Jam Factory, as it was appropriately known,…

I'LL BE CELEBRATING my 53rd birthday this month, yet, as you saw at the Masters, I can still hang with the younger guys. My T2 at Augusta was helped by some solid short-game play, something I've always taken pride in. I got up-anddown 60 percent of the time during the Masters, even when I found the sand. And on Friday, I needed five fewer putts to complete my round compared to the field average. The things I typically do on short shots and putts are things any golfer can copy. If you're looking to save a few strokes here and there—and who isn't?—try the following four tips on for size. They've helped me since I first picked up a wedge more than four decades ago. I'm sure they'll help you too. Nail…

She was an indomitable force of nature, fierce, fearless and full of an energy that transformed raw talent into intoxicating performances for decades. But last week, after a long period of ill health, Tina Turner died of natural causes at her home in Switzerland, where she had lived with her second husband, Erwin Bach. She was 83. An inspiration to artists across the generations thanks to hits including What’s Love Got to Do With It and The Best, the “queen of rock’n’roll” was the subject of tributes from presidents, rock gods and fellow divas. ‘She paved the way for so many women in rock music, black and white’Gloria Gaynor Sir Elton John called her a “total legend on record and on stage”, while Sir Mick Jagger, who duetted with Tina at Live Aid in…

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have spent a whopping $300 million on a new California home purchase, making it the most expensive house ever sold in the US state. According to reports, the power couple paid for the 2790-square-metre Malibu compound in cold, hard cash! The all-concrete home was previously owned by art collector William Bell, who commissioned the property design to Japanese master architect, Tadao Ando. Beyoncé, 41, and Jay-Z’s close pal Kanye West and his ex-wife Kim Kardashian also enlisted the renowned architect to design their former marital home. Meanwhile, the latest purchase rounds out the music stars’ already impressive property portfolio. The parents of three previously bought a home in Bel Air for $133 million in 2017, and in the same year dropped $39 million on a Hamptons mansion. According to Forbes, Beyoncé has a…

Building a house on the cusp of the Arctic Circle presents numerous challenges. With a harsh climate and limited daylight for much of the year, the remote region proves a tough canvas for construction projects. In Boden, Sweden — located about 50 kilometres below the Land of the Midnight Sun — these factors play a role, but ask architect Mårten Claesson, cofounder of Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects, about the biggest constraints on his firm’s recently completed project there and he’ll admit that they were all imposed by humans. “For this house, two things stood out,” Claesson says. “The local regulations stipulated that, while there was an allowance for two-storey buildings, the maximum building height was only 4.2 metres. The house also required a red roof to match the other structures in…

We’ve all done it – bought a project that, in the pictures at least, looks to be a straightforward and quick build, but then turns into anything but. When chatting to Lee Masters, we both agreed it’s easy to look at pictures of a car advertised, and to build those images into something in our minds that isn’t really there. This pick-up is one of those stories, so let’s start at the beginning. Lee has been into VWs for a long time, but took a break for a few years to concentrate on other things, including his job as a commercial insurance broker. His clients include Andy ‘Spike’ Finch and John Brewster at JB’s Elite Fabrications. He also plays golf with Steve Thirkettle of 13 Stitches, so it was only…

Fungi have come out from the gloom and starting to get the credit for the amazing life forms that they are. Part of this is an increased desire to forage and eat them. A noble goal. But imagine you went to someone’s garden in an environment you were unfamiliar with, and didn’t recognize the plants. Every time you saw a new one, you asked: “Is this edible?” It would soon tire the host. Well, there are likely more fungi species in New Zealand than plant species. Just as edible plants are a minority, so are edible fungi. The good news is that in urban or highly-modified environments there are likely more opportunities for foraging for the beginner than in indigenous forests. Identification is very important, but one can start with…

01 Surfing Waikiki HAWAII The beauty of the Hawaiian Islands is beyond comparison; there is such a serene, relaxing energy there. I visit as often as I can to breathe the fresh air, recharge and reconnect. Hawaii really embodies the same spirit I try to evoke in my work—to make every day a getaway. 02 Bixby Bridge BIG SUR, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA The ultimate road trip along California’s Pacific Coast Highway must include a drive through Big Sur National Park. There is a celestial energy along the coastline near Bixby Bridge that is contagious and provides long-lasting memories for all who visit. 03 Charlevoix Channel Ferry MICHIGAN I grew up spending my summers on Lake Michigan and have a lifelong connection to the Midwest. The stunning teal water of the Great Lakes and the sweeping sand dunes are this area’s…

ONE OF THE greatest barriers to moving outside your comfort zone is the fear that you’re a poser, you’re not worthy, and you couldn’t possibly be qualified to do whatever you’re aiming to do. It’s a fear that strikes many of us: impostor syndrome. I know I’ve certainly had those thoughts while publishing pieces of writing, whether they are blogs or books. I’ve had them while teaching my first university classes and giving speeches to corporate audiences. I appear confident on the outside but feel deeply insecure on the inside, wondering who I am to be stepping up to this stage. What could I possibly have to say that anyone would want to hear? And I’m not alone. Actress (and Harvard alum) Natalie Portman described the self-doubt she experienced as a Harvard…

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (often abbreviated to bicarb), has been investigated for its potential to improve exercise performance since 1930. The early pioneering work at Harvard University observed improved exercise tolerance when ingested orally. In the 1980s, research focused on cycling performance, leading to bicarb’s widespread use in road and track racing. Given that the performance benefits have been widely known for decades, why is there renewed research and media interest in this supplement? “It could be useful for long bouts of exercise” This may well be due to the Swedish nutrition company Maurten releasing its new “bicarb system” earlier this year. Elite riders and teams such as Jumbo-Visma, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty and Team SD Worx have been using the product, prompting speculation that bicarb could be the not-sosecret ingredient accounting for Jumbo’s…

Paul Walker’s daughter, Meadow, is honouring her dad in the most beautiful way, some 10 years after the actor tragically died in a car crash, aged 40. In a full-circle moment, Meadow is making a cameo appearance as a flight attendant in Fast X, the latest movie in the Fast & Furious franchise. Paul, of course, played Brian O’Conner in the popular films before his death on November 30, 2013. Taking to Instagram to share the exciting news, Meadow, 24, explained that “the first Fast was released when I was 1 year old”, and added she “grew up on set” watching her dad work alongside the likes of Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez and Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges. “I am so blessed to be able to honour my father’s legacy and share this…

The pandemic prompted major shifts across retail, serving as a crash course in designing for uncertain times. Perhaps one of the most notable changes has been the creation of flexible shop floors that can be rearranged or reinvented with relative ease and speed. While we’ve seen a move towards multifunctionality across a range of store concepts, supermarkets and food retailers are now trialling changeable spaces, too. This is in part because of the staggering growth of digital grocery – a market expected to reach a value of €223 billion by 2025 in the US alone, according to Insider Intelligence. As grocers grapple with the changing landscapes of commerce and consumer behaviour, remaining agile is allowing them to respond with new offerings and points of difference. STORES DESIGNED TO FLEX With their Flexstore model,…

From space, Earth looks like a planet overflowing with water. But only about 0.007 percent is fresh and usable, and even that amount is under threat. Whether for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, or other basic tasks, the average American uses around 80 gallons of water a day—but that’s just a fraction of their total usage. There’s an additional 2,000 gallons “hidden” in what one consumes on a daily basis. It may be strange to think about the water we use yet can’t see. Scientists have made that hidden number visible by calculating what is known as a water footprint. Consider one tomato. Its carbon footprint measures how many pounds of planet-warming gas are added to the atmosphere to grow, wash, pack, and deliver the tomato to you; its water footprint tells…