Life Style

Photo: vaivirga (Shutterstock)As part of your fall gardening checklist, you’ll likely get your tools and equipment ready winter storage. It’s a good idea to wash everything before putting it away, but some tools—like those used for pruning—could also benefit from being disinfected. Here’s what to know.Disease-causing pathogens like bacteria, fungi, and viruses can spread between plants, trees, and shrubs during pruning. Even if your pruning shears look clean, that doesn’t necessarily mean that these microorganisms aren’t still clinging to the blades, able to be transferred via your next cut.While cleaning and disinfecting your pruning tools after each use would be ideal, it’s not necessarily realistic. But at the very least, be sure to disinfect the blades after working with any diseased p...

Image: Smart Training LabYou can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro on sale for $29.97 right now (reg. $199). The latest update includes features like custom widgets, biometric logins, and a brand-new interface. Windows 11 Pro features a user-friendly design that makes it easier to use, including the Wake and Lock feature, which automatically wakes your computer when you approach it and locks when you leave. Windows 11 Pro also includes productivity-focused widgets and enhanced screen space, along with the ability to snap multiple windows together and create custom layouts.If you’re looking to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, you can get it on sale for $29.97 right now, though prices can change at any time. Source link

Each year, as the temperatures drop in the fall, mice are on the hunt for an all-inclusive winter resort where they can find food, warmth, and shelter until the spring. Though you can’t really blame them, you also probably aren’t about to roll out the welcome mat and invite them into your home.But mice are resourceful, compact critters, and don’t wait for an invitation. In other words, if you don’t want them moving in this winter, now’s the time to take steps towards preventing that. Here’s what to know.Not only are mice small to begin with, but they’re also able to squeeze through holes the width of a pencil—that’s about 1/4 inch in diameter—so stopping them from gaining access to your home may be more of a challenge than you thought. Here’s what to do in order to prevent them from moving...

If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Saturday, October 14, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. I’ll also explain the tricky words, with some fun facts along the way. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 14, NYT Connections #125! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game.If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s Connections answers. And further down the page, I’ll reveal the themes and the answers. Scroll slowly and take just the hints you need!There’s a grou...

If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Friday, October 13, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 13, NYT Connections #124! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game. If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s Connections answers. And further down the page, I’ll reveal the themes and the answers. Scroll slowly and take just the hints you need!There are some musical artists in here, and some place names. There’s also a cat...

There was a time, not long ago, when I thought the concept of a smart diffuser was like giving a fish a bicycle. Why does a diffuser need to be smart? Well, after trying out the Pura 4 Smart Diffuser, now I know. (But if you read this review and still prefer your scents “dumb,” go ahead, get a candle.)The Pura 4 turns out to be pretty useful gadget, and a lot of fun. The basic functions are what you’d expect from any plug-in diffuser—you start with a scent cartridge and the wall plug, which is larger than a drugstore plug-in, but still pretty compact. The difference is that while it’s plugged in, it only releases scent when you activate it via the app. As with other smart apps, you can turn it on indefinitely, or set a schedule: an hour each morning, or for four hours at sunset. The unit a...

If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Thursday, October 12, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 12, NYT Connections #123! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game.If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s Connections answers. And further down the page, I’ll reveal the themes and the answers. Scroll slowly and take just the hints you need!There’s a very well-known comic book character, and an extremely common (if now...

Smartphones and their excellent video cameras make it second-nature to press record any time we want to share a moment with others. But it’s a bummer when you play back your recording, only to hear nothing but the sounds of traffic instead of the street performer, or to find that a windy day completely covers up your monologue to the camera.That’s the problem Google’s trying to solve with “Audio Magic Eraser,” a new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro exclusive that takes the best parts of Magic Eraser and applies it to the sound in your videos.Audio Magic Eraser uses AI to sort the various sounds in a video into distinct layers, which you can then lower to your liking. You can quickly reduce the sounds of wind muffling your excellent points, or lower the traffic so you can focus better on the street ...

The competition continued to heat up during week three of “Dancing With the Stars.” Many of the pairs took on their most challenging routines yet for “Motown Night.” For some, it was all about improvements — and it was a bit easier to get a higher score, thanks to a fourth judge without dance experience, Michael Strahan! Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater, who struggled last week, came back ready to fight. He explained that last week, he panicked on the floor because the new trailer for “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” had just come out, highlighting the problems in his marriage to Kyle Richards. His children were in the audience and since he hadn’t addressed it with them, he clammed up. “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a failure like that where I blacked out,” he ...