Tom Brady Breaks Silence, Reveals He Hasn't Made Decision on Retirement

Over the weekend, ESPN claimed that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) would retire from professional American football after a whopping 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles. Sources claimed that Brady, 44, did not want to formalize his plans due to key postseason games, such as the upcoming NFL championship game.

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Body neutrality is one way to reject diet culture. Here's what that means.

As the fitness-obsessed, diet culture beast continues its rampage through our social feeds and consumer products, a debate is once again stirring in comment sections: More or less body talk? Is self-love the route we should take, or should we avoid talking about our appearance altogether?

Amid this conversation, many are turning toward a new philosophy called "body neutrality" that places much less importance on positive body-talk and appearance, focusing instead on accepting your body for what it is.

You'll probably come across the phrase while scrolling through health content online, often paired along with the age-old #bodypositivity tag. On TikTok alone, videos with #bodyneutrality have more than 355 million accumulated views. It's a new, often preferred, phrase among influencers and activists alike.

Chelsea Kronengold, associate director of communications for the National Eating Disorder Association, explains that both of these phrases, and their online movements, are part of a long history of body acceptance. "Body positivity urges people to love their bodies, no matter what they look like. Whereas body neutrality focuses on what your body can do, rather than what it looks like," Kronengold says. "In body positivity, there's this message of 'I love my body, period.' And this often isn't attainable, especially for people who have experience with body image and eating disorder issues … It's possible that they will never get to the point where they love their body. And that doesn't mean that they're not in full recovery."

The phrase "body positivity" emerged from the needs of marginalized people — initially fat-positive advocates and radical fat feminists of the 1960s and 1970s. Using the model of Civil Rights-era leadership, the (primarily white) movement protested for "equal rights for fat people in all areas of life" and an end to diet industries, according to the 1973 Fat Manifesto. It was inherently anti-capitalist, a response to media giants and corporations selling insecurities back to (mainly) women. In true internet fashion, the wellness industry eventually co-opted the phrase, and it became commonplace on the feeds of traditionally thin, mainly white influencers and celebrities. It some corners, it had lost its original intention of subverting normative beauty standards and uplifting the beauty of all kinds of bodies. Instead, it's now a catch-all for anyone who supports messages of self love, and often feeds into the internet's new brand of "toxic positivity" beauty posts.

In body positivity, there's this message of 'I love my body, period.' And this often isn't attainable.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, explains Amanda Cooper, press relations director for nonprofit fat advocacy group National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). "This is how we know we're winning, because some ideas that used to seem extremely radical are getting mainstream. And that's actually progress," she says.

But the phrase is unclear and often misused, especially in the eyes of fat-positive activists. Now, you'll find videos of traditionally thin people sticking out their abdomens or forming stomach rolls with #bodypositive in the caption, to the dismay of many. Even celebrities, like musician (and incidental TikTok star) Lizzo, have started to move away from the term.

Body neutrality has since arisen as an alternative to this phrase, often incorporated into conversations about inclusive, intersectional health — ones that emphasize fitness programs that don't use appearance or diet-related goals, and instead promote fun, positive movement and emotional health. Body neutrality places no emphasis on physical appearances, beauty, or desire. It doesn't assign moral worth to appearance (no "good" or "bad" body parts), or strive for beauty as an end goal, and it urges people to reject the thought that not loving yourself makes you a failure.

SEE ALSO: Watch out diet culture. Inclusive fitness pros are coming for you.

Instead, body neutral thinking encourages people to find respect for their body, to live with, rather than love, their appearance. It's popularity is linked to the work of Anne Poirier, an intuitive eating counselor, eating disorder specialist, and author of The Body Joyful. In Poirier's work, body neutrality is defined as "not supporting the hatred of our vessel (our physical structure) or the love and adoration of our vessel.” To practice this, according to Poirier, start with body neutral phrases that hone in on functions. Things like "My thighs are strong and help me walk" or "Thank you, body, for taking care of me today." Try focusing on unique traits or talents while practicing daily affirmations, or the emotional, non-physical aspects of your identity.

Tigress Osborn, chair of NAAFA, explains that the body neutral framework can be especially helpful for fat activists who are looking for alternative ways to talk about their bodies. "One of the things that fat activists have tried to assert over many decades of history is that we are people just like everybody else. Everybody has bodies. All the bodies are different. There's a wide diversity of them. And we don't have to be focused on that," she says. 

There's a lot of power in downplaying your appearance and devaluing conventional, social beauty norms in favor of neutrality, Obsorn and Kronengold agree. "Part of what body neutrality does in a really positive way, is give permission to not celebrate if you don't feel celebratory, and I think that that's important," Osborn says. Instead of falling into a cycle of shame or guilt when you aren't loving your appearance, body neutrality suggests reframing that into acceptance: "My body just exists. My appearance is the least interesting thing about me. That's all that matters."

The concept of body neutrality might seem impossible to reconcile with typical social media posts, which tend to focus on visually-appealing photos and bodies. But some are finding ways to subvert the culture of toxic positivity.

Many body neutral influencers and authors avoid content that features their physical appearance, frequently sharing non-body-focused affirmations instead. TikTok creators are constantly calling out unhealthy trends that reinforce either toxic positivity or fatphobia.

When you live in a marginalized body, it's like the literal embodiment of the idea that the personal is political.

Still, while body neutrality can be a great alternative for those struggling in the current landscape, it isn't perfect, nor is it always an antidote to misuse of body positivity on social media. As both Kronengold and Osborn note, focusing on the functions of a body leaves room for ableist language — what if your your body isn't capable of keeping you healthy each day, or picking up your children, or walking you from place to place? What kind of affirmations should you use instead? 

"In [body neutrality] practice, what we say is 'think about all the things that your body can do for you' with an assumption that everybody's bodies can do the same thing, and are meant to do the same thing," Osborn says. "But in theory, it should just be neutral. Everybody's body just is what it is. People are not abled or disabled, bodies just work in a variety of ways." Body neutrality has to embrace the diversity of human bodies and eschew the traditional standards of both beauty and health, as body positivity has attempted to do. But it also needs to consider how the concept of "neutral" can have biases, too.

It's also important to remember that body neutrality is an individualized way of thinking that doesn't account for the institutional effects of a culture obsessed with one standard of beauty and hasn't prohibited size-based discrimination. There's privilege in living without considering your appearance — for people of color, those with disabilities, and many fat people, their appearance comes into conversations whether they want it to or not.

As Osborn explains, body neutrality isn't a solution to general fatphobia, and it doesn't reflect the lived realities of people who face systemic oppression because of their appearance. "When you live in a marginalized body, it's like the literal embodiment of the idea that the personal is political," Osborn adds. "[Neutrality] has the effect of silencing people in marginalized bodies from talking about what their bodies mean, in a political way." Bringing body neutrality into a fat activist space, Osborn explains, isn't helpful to the cause, even if it's essential for your personal recovery.

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It might be helpful to imagine it, instead, as one step in a larger body acceptance spectrum, as Kronengold explains. "We wanted to use this body acceptance term as an umbrella, and then highlight a spectrum of types of body acceptance," she says of the work of professionals in these spaces.

On one side (a starting point, Osborn makes clear) is body positivity — "I am beautiful even with stretch marks" or "I love the hair on my body." Then there's body or fat liberation, which is a modern iteration of the radical, queer-aligned fat acceptance movement of the 1960's. Fat liberation directly addresses the systemic oppression of fat bodies, and their intersectional identities, and activists' work toward dismantling policies that affect these communities. Body neutrality also exists on this spectrum, advocating for a society that has neutralized the importance of beauty and appearance in everyday life. Outside of a personal philosophy, this can only succeed as a movement once we've acknowledged the aforementioned effects of our beauty-obsessed culture.

In day-to-day practice, the spectrum can blur together, and personal body acceptance fluctuates, as well, with people using different philosophies in different settings. There are plenty of terms, like fat acceptance, fat activism, Health At Every Size, and NAAFA's preferred term, "equality at every size." These are used in different ways by different people, activists included, from explaining personal ideologies to political goals ("this organization supports equality at every size").

It's important to find what works for you, Kronengold says, but be mindful of how you can contribute to the broader body acceptance and fat liberation movements outside of your own personal experiences.

"If you want to appreciate the people who've made your body neutrality possible, in a lot of ways, you need to actively make the world better for them. And that can be done in both political and practical ways," Obsorn urges. Stand up against size discrimination laws in the workplace, push to include size as a protected category in civil rights legislation, and show up for fat creators online.

Osborn suggests those practicing body neutrality follow fat activists. People like Da'Shaun L. Harrison, author of Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness and Anti-Blackness, or Aubrey Gordon, co-host of the podcast Maintenance Phase. Gordon has published her own suggested reading list on the history of body acceptance. And read up on the work of OG fat activists who paved the way for both body positive and body neutral thinking, Osborn says. Visit the works of therapist and activist Charlotte Cooper and political advocacy groups like The Flare Project.

If you're personally not vibing with the flowery language of body positive mantras and self love, try exploring body neutrality. Just make sure you pay your respects to the fat activists who have made it all possible.

If you feel like you’d like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, call the National Eating Disorder Association’s helpline at 800-931-2237. You can also text “NEDA” to 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line or visit the nonprofit’s website for more information.

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Photos: US Navy’s F-35 Stealth Fighters Seem to be Rusting on South China Sea Voyage

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is notorious for its myriad failings despite being a technically advanced and expensive aircraft. Having already been barred from flying during thunderstorms or soaring above the speed of sound for long periods, its newest nemesis may be sea spray.

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Netflix's 'Disenchantment' Part 4 trailer sees now-Queen Bean fighting to protect Dreamland

Netflix has revealed the trailer for Disenchantment Part 4, giving us a glimpse of the newly crowned Queen Bean's attempts to rule the citizens of Dreamland. However it seems not even this newfound responsibility can keep Bean from drinking.

Matt Groening's take on medieval fantasy follows the alcohol-loving former princess Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) and her companions: the imaginatively named half-elf Elfo (voiced by Nat Faxon) and the equally imaginatively named demon Luci (voiced by Eric André). Unfortunately, it looks as though being a queen is no easier than being a princess, with Queen Bean facing power-hungry enemies from all sides.

Disenchantment Part 4 lands on Netflix Feb. 9.

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Only ‘Handful of Weeks Left’ Before JCPOA Return Deemed Impossible, Senior US Official Claims

Even though negotiations on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal seem to be nearing success, American officials have repeatedly claimed that time is running out. However, Tehran has rejected the characterization, saying the US should focus on success in the talks instead of what will happen if they fail.

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NATO Chief Calls For Europe to Diversify its Energy Supplies

On Sunday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg suggested that Europe diversify its energy supply.

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Archewell Productions Urges Spotify to Address 'Serious Harms' of COVID-19 Misinformation

Last week, iconic musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removed their respective catalogs from Spotify in protest against the streaming platform's hosting of content that spreads COVID-19 misinformation. Their actions follow the issuance of an open letter from 270 doctors demanding Spotify cease hosting Joe Rogan's controversial podcast.

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Kiev Trying to Hide Movement of Heavy Weaponry, Equipment to Donbas - LPR Head

LUHANSK, January 31 (Sputnik) - Kiev is moving heavy weaponry and equipment to the southeast of Ukraine (Donbas), trying to hide this from the observers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), Leonid Pasechnik said.

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Freedom Convoy Trucker Protest Continues in Ottawa

MOSCOW, January 31 (Sputnik) - The major trucker protest against coronavirus restrictions continues in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, for the second day in a row.

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Manchester United Star Mason Greenwood Reportedly Arrested Over Rape Charges

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been arrested over allegations of abuse and sexual assault following the release of images and audio to social media.

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Spotify's new COVID-19 policy doesn't fix its Joe Rogan problem

Spotify would like everyone to think its policy issues have been solved.

The company is currently facing a double-edged exodus as, on the one hand, celebrated artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell are pulling their work off the platform while, on the other hand, so many users are canceling their paid Premium subscriptions that the unsubscribe feature is reportedly struggling to keep up. It's certainly possible that the twin happenings aren't directly linked, but Young laid his decision (which Mitchell supported in solidarity) at the feet of Joe Rogan, the controversial Spotify-exclusive podcaster who speaks to a millions-strong audience.

In the midst of all this upheaval, Spotify responded on Sunday with a publicly available version of its platform rules and a clarification on how it will treat podcast discussions of COVID-19 moving forward.

The reason for the move is articulated best in an open letter that circulated recently in which more than 250 "scientists, medical professionals, professors, and science communicators" signed off on a call for the company to clarify its policies and "take action against the mass-misinformation events which continue to occur on its platform." The letter specifically cites the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and its host, who has perpetuated inaccurate or false information about the ongoing global pandemic.

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Spotify's Sunday announcement, which co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek shared on Twitter, makes no mention of Rogan or his podcast nor does it address the specifics of any recent events that led to the move.

"You've had a lot of questions over the last few days about our platform policies and the lines we have drawn between what is acceptable and what is not," the post reads. "We have had rules in place for many years but admittedly, we haven't been transparent around the policies that guide our content more broadly. This, in turn, led to questions around their application to serious issues including COVID-19."

The post goes on to acknowledge that Spotify has "an obligation to do more to provide balance and access to widely-accepted information from the medical and scientific communities guiding us through this unprecedented time." In that spirit, the company landed on one concrete step aimed at COVID specifically.

"We are working to add a content advisory to any podcast episode that includes any discussion about COVID-19. This advisory will direct listeners to our dedicated COVID-19 Hub, a resource that provides easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics, and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources." The post goes on to note that the advisories mark a "new effort to combat misinformation" on the platform.

The COVID-19 Hub, which is already live, is something akin to a Spotify playlist. Rather than linking to outside sources, the hub gathers together podcast series from BBC World Service, Politico, CNN en Español, ABC News, and Bloomberg that all focus on public health matters generally and the pandemic specifically. Rogan's podcast is not included, obviously.

There's nothing inherently wrong with directing users toward educational content that has the potential to clear up misunderstandings about the facts of the pandemic. But Spotify's approach is eyebrow-raising nonetheless, since this would-be "new effort to combat misinformation" doesn't... really... do that?

By flagging every single COVID-related podcast discussion with an advisory, Spotify is implicitly putting Rogan's proclivity for junk science on the same footing as any deeply researched, science-first podcast tackling the same topic. It's a dodge: By lumping all COVID discussions together under one umbrella, Spotify gets to say, essentially, "Some of this is right and some of this isn't, and we're giving you the tools to decide for yourself."

Spotify is implicitly putting Rogan's proclivity for junk science on the same footing as any deeply researched, science-first podcast tackling the same topic.

A noble idea, perhaps, but one that doesn't quite live up to its ideal in reality. This might not be true of every listener in Rogan's audience, but plenty of people are willing to simply take what's said by him and his guests at face value. Many of those same people have spent years, whether they realize it or not, as soldiers in a war on truth and reality. And since they've already bought into Rogan's ignorance-fueled worldview, sticking a bunch of fact-filled audio hours in front of them ain't exactly it.

Spotify's newly published platform rules don't exactly promise a safer and more truth-centric environment, either. The "dangerous content" section of the rules that govern COVID-19 is filled with vague, easily subverted language that reads like a bunch of loopholes that people like Rogan can leap through.

Content creators are barred from calling COVID-19 or certain other diseases "a hoax or not real." They're not permitted to encourage "the consumption of bleach products to cure various illnesses and diseases." They also can't suggest that approved vaccines "are designed to cause death" nor can they encourage people to get themselves infected on purpose, to build immunity.

It all sounds great until you look closer. Content creators may not be able to call COVID a hoax, but that doesn't prevent them from, say, drawing an equivalency between the illness at the heart of our global pandemic and the seasonal flu. (Only one of those has killed more than 5.6 million people since 2019, and it ain't the flu.) Similarly, disallowing any suggestion that the vaccines are "designed to cause death" won't actually disrupt efforts to make people doubt vaccine effectiveness or safety. And the bleach thing... that was one dumb news moment of many for Donald Trump, but it's also something that was quickly denounced pretty much everywhere.

SEE ALSO: Ditching Spotify? Playlist transfer tools can help save your favorite music

The calls for Spotify to take action may be framed around the company's sorely lacking public-facing platform rules and policies, but the intent behind those calls when it comes to purveyors of bullshit like Rogan is much simpler and more straightforward: de-platforming. Young made it clear when he called for his own music to be taken down: "They can have Rogan or Young. Not both."

That's a step Spotify is apparently unwilling to take, and it's left the company dealing with a mess of its own making. Content advisories do little to clean that up. Rogan could easily bounce back from a de-platforming; his podcast was massively popular before the Spotify deal, and it's not like he's the only podcaster who preys on people's ignorance. Steve Bannon's show, for example, can still be found on Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and elsewhere — ironically, Spotify kicked out Bannon in 2020.

Rogan's commitment to spreading harmful ideas and false understandings is a public menace. Even if a de-platforming fails to shut him down completely, the controversial host who commands a loyal audience that brings in millions of weekly listeners will continue to be treated like a serious person for as long as platforms like Spotify continue to give him oxygen.

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How to use low power mode on a Mac

In all likelihood, you've used low power mode if you have an iPhone. Heck, my phone is a few years old, so I practically live in low power mode.

But while you're likely familiar with the iPhone's low power mode, it also exists for Macs. That's right, you just might be able to put your laptop in low power mode if it's running low on juice.

The only catch? Your machine has to be running macOS 12 Monterey or newer, because that's when the low power mode update was introduced.

The good news is, it's super easy to do. Apple has a good run-down on conserving battery life on its website, including how to use low power mode. But here's how to do it in three easy steps.

1. Open system preferences

Start by clicking on the gear icon, or by clicking the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen. Then click System Preferences.

Click away. Credit: Mashable

2. Click Battery

This will open battery preferences, where you'll find low power mode.

3. Select low power mode

The button for low power mode should be pretty easy to spot on the battery preferences page. Here's what the page should look like, via Apple's website.

Easy peasy. Credit: Apple / Mashable

This should help your computer last a bit longer — hopefully long enough to find your missing cord and start charging again.

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UAE Air Defense Intercepts Ballistic Missile Launched by Houthis - Defense Ministry

DOHA, January 31 (Sputnik) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) air defense systems have intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement from Yemen, the UAE Defense Ministry informs.

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Scientists Call for Legal Protection of Antarctica's Weddell Sea From Human Exploitation

Because much of the southern section of the sea is covered by a permanent, huge ice shelf field, the Weddell Sea is nearly impassable to human exploration. However, thanks to global warming and active fishing in the regions bordering Antarctica, the ecosystems of one of the most mysterious seas on the planet are rapidly changing.

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Biden Should Defend US Border Instead of ‘Obsessing’ Over Ukraine, Trump Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Former US President Donald Trump says the administration of US President Joe Biden should stop worrying about the situation around Ukraine and should focus on the issue of home border security instead.

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Statistics Show More Than 50 People Are Killed by Trains Every Year - Report

The tragic death of Michelle Go, who was pushed to her death in New York, has raised concern over the safety of subway passengers in stations that don’t have gates preventing riders from entering or being pushed onto the tracks.

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Soros Bets on a Lame Horse

The reputation of Soros and his colossal investments in progressive and liberal causes around the world remains ambiguous, and in the US, where he has made his home, the billionaire, despite claiming to donate money to candidates without regard to their party, is mostly known for his support of the Democrats.

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North Korea Launches Unidentified Projectile Towards Sea of Japan - Reports

SEOUL (Sputnik) - North Korea launched an unidentified projectile in the direction of the Sea of Japan on Sunday, the South Korean Yonhap news agency reports.

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Lawmakers & Taxpayers Worried About New IRS Facial Recognition, Outsourced to Private Firm

Recent reports said that the Internal Revenue Service may require facial recognition from Americans if they want to get access to their tax records on the IRS website. To introduce the measure en masse, IRS has cooperated with private contractor ID.me to collect biometrical data.

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Arizona Mulls Making Bitcoin a Legal Tender

A bill has been introduced by Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers, a Republican representing the Grand Canyon State’s 6th District, to make the digital currency of Bitcoin a legal tender in the state of Arizona.

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China Lays Out Plan for Moon Landings, Asteroid Defense System in New Space Program White Paper

The China National Space Administration has published a new document outlining its plans for the next five years, including ambitious advances in the country’s space program that include developing “new forms of space economy.”

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Progressive Democrats Say They Are Not Responsible For Biden’s Low Ratings, Report Says

Polls have shown that voter discontent with the policies of President Joe Biden has been growing from month to month. His approval ratings have dropped from 55.5 percent shortly after he took the office to 41 percent, according to the latest poll from Pew Research Center.

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Wordplay: What Is This Wordle Game That Is All the Rage?

Word puzzles have long been widely popular as a type of brain teaser to pass the time. But in the era of remote work and the pandemic, Wordle has become a simple and easy way to not only distract from daily stress and engage in an enjoyable hobby but also discuss the word of the day with millions on social media.

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The 10 best shows to stream on Showtime

As far as premium TV networks go, Showtime is highly underrated. It doesn't quite have the prestige of HBO or the niche interest of smaller networks, but it does produce some of television's shiniest hidden gems.

Yellowjackets is a buzzy (pun intended) puzzle box drama that had everyone speculating about teenage cannibalism. Kidding is a dramedy masterpiece with a "legends only" level cast, and Dexter is a massive '00s phenomenon with a fandom so loyal that the show was revived for a chance to shed New Blood.

You can only watch so many excellent shows within Showtime's convenient 30-day free trial. So, here are 10 great shows that make a continuing Showtime subscription more than worth it. 

1.Yellowjackets

The Wisayak High School varsity girls soccer team decides how to help their injured coach after a plane crash. Credit: Kailey Schwerman/showtime

Yellowjackets creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson deliver drama as good as gold in their darkly comedic survival thriller. Told across two timelines, this harrowing story of an elite girls' soccer team fighting to get home after a plane crash, and then struggling to cope with what that took 25 years later, is the sort of TV you don't want to sleep on.

Week to week, Yellowjackets fans were yanked down a rabbit hole of maybe supernatural...maybe human...maybe both(!) terror that's so satisfying you'll be on constant alert to avoid spoilers. Spectacularly written characters offer a magnetic anchor to this bonkers story, which is brought to life by a stellar cast that includes Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, and Ella Purnell. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

Where to watch: Yellowjackets is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

2. Kidding

We totally love Showtime's pitch-black comedy about children's TV host Jeff Pickles (Jim Carrey), who is trying to course-correct after the death of his young son. With Jeff as a protagonist, his unbridled imagination seeps into every part of his life, infusing the most painfully real moments with phantasmagoria and humor. There is no reason at all that a musical number about donating a kidney to your ex's new lover should work. But on Kidding it is pure art — complete with puppets. —Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter

Where to watch: Kidding is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

3. Dexter / Dexter: New Blood

Parenting is hard, even for Dexter! Especially for Dexter... Credit: Dana Starbard/showtime

Michael C. Hall was popular enough as funeral director David Fisher on HBO's Six Feet Under (2001 to 2005). But the captivating actor ascended to a venerable TV titan status when he took the lead for Showtime's Dexter in 2006.

Love or hate him, forensic scientist-turned-serial killer vigilante Dexter Morgan is an icon of small-screen storytelling, not to mention the role Hall was born to play. Dexter's tortured double-life as a Miami P.D. blood spatter expert and "The Bay Harbor Butcher" played out over eight hair-raising seasons before ending on a whimper. Thankfully, Dexter got the finale it deserved when Hall reprised the role in 2021 for Dexter: New Blood. It's a bumpy (and lengthy) binge to undertake, but worth every second to get to the revival, which features some of the best episodes in the show's history. — A.F.

Where to watch: Dexter is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu. Dexter: New Blood is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

4. Shameless

William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher in "Shameless." Credit: Paul Sarkis / SHOWTIME.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to recapture the magic of watching Shameless unfold over the course of its ten-year run. Seeing the Gallagher family grow up season to season was a particularly special experience that binge-watching just can’t recreate. But as with an old family scrapbook, it’s never too late to reminisce on the sum of life’s experiences. Set in Chicago’s South Side, this family dramedy delivers the full array of emotions that growing up and growing old can provide. Side-splittingly funny and unapologetically painful, Shameless offers a family you’ll always be welcome to join. — A.F.

Where to watch: Shameless is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

5. The L Word / The L Word: Generation Q

(L-R): Katherine Moennig as Shane, Jamie Clayton as Tess, Leisha Hailey as Alice and Leo Sheng as Micah in "The L Word: Generation Q." Credit: Paul Sarkis / SHOWTIME.

From 2004 to 2009, The L Word dazzled fans with its captivating — and, for the times, groundbreaking — drama series about a lesbian friend group living in Los Angeles. In 2019, Showtime brought the beloved title back with The L Word: Generation Q, which features a more modern set of characters but shares the same caliber of juicy plotlines as the original. Stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leisha Hailey return, alongside newcomers Arienne Mandi, Sepideh Moafi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, and Rosanny Zayas. It's a ridiculously fun watch that continues the series' legacy of increasing LGBTQ visibility through a metropolitan lens. — A.F.

Where to watch: The L Word is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu. The L Word: Generation Q is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

6. The Good Lord Bird

Ethan Hawke received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his role as historical abolitionist John Brown in this stirring series. Far from being a direct retelling of history, The Good Lord Bird is an adaptation of a novel of the same name by James McBride, which transforms the real John Brown's story into a compelling and sensationalized work of historical fiction. The Good Lord Bird follows the story of a recent escapee from slavery (Joshua Caleb Johnson), who falls in with Brown's crew of radical abolitionist soldiers as they conspire with Harriet Tubman (Zainab Jah) to lead the fateful 1859 raid of Harpers Ferry — one of the most significant inciting incidents that led to the Civil War. —A.N.

Where to watch: The Good Lord Bird is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

7. Billions

Do not get between Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and his mission. Credit: Jeff Neumann/showtime

Created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions can be summed up as a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse between U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and unscrupulous hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). House of Cards walked so Billions could run and Succession could medal in the 100-meter dash. Speaking of House of Cards, Corey Stoll takes over as reigning baddie in Season 6, which premiered in 2022. Neither colleagues, allies, family. nor Rhoades' wife Wendy (Maggie Siff) is spared in this twisted, tactical drama. —P.K.

Where to watch: Billions is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

8. Penny Dreadful

John Logan's gothic drama premiered in 2014, on the heels of the True Blood era, when audiences and producers were itching for supernatural adult stories. After losing his daughter, Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) is on a mission to restore his family, with the help of Vanessa (Eva Green) and Ethan (Josh Hartnett). Together, they face monsters and spirits from beyond our world — starting with one created by a certain Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway). The magnetic cast includes Reeve Carney as Dorian Gray (that Dorian Gray), plus Billie Piper, Helen McCrory, Patti LuPone, and more. —P.K.

Where to watch: Penny Dreadful is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

9. On Becoming a God in Central Florida

On Becoming A God in Central Florida is a searing, darkly funny satire that tears down the American prosperity myths that multi-level marketing companies rely on to trap new victims. Kirsten Dunst stars as Krystal Stubbs, a minimum wage worker at a Florida water park whose husband (Alexander Skarsgård) is obsessed with a get-rich-quick pyramid scheme called FAM. When his plans fall apart, Krystal inherits a stockpile of unsold merchandise and uses it to fuel a single-minded journey to the top of the FAM hierarchy, where she can either get rich or get revenge. —A.N.

Where to watch: On Becoming a God in Central Florida is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

10. The Chi

A chance encounter connects young people from the South Side of Chicago in Showtime's "The Chi." Credit: Matt Dinerstein/showtime

Lena Waithe's drama about intersecting lives on the South Side of Chicago will pull you in and keep you hooked. Its debut has been compared to The Wire, characterized by tangled stories and specificity of location. A rotating cast of actors includes Alex R. Hibbert, Jason Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Tiffany Boone, and more, many of whom grew up with their characters during pivotal years. The pilot brings these disparate threads together, but they will remain forever linked. —P.K.

Where to watch: The Chi is now streaming on Showtime and via Amazon or Hulu.

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Apple Music Takes a Dig At Spotify By Claiming To Be ‘The Home Of Neil Young’

A day after Spotify agreed to Neil Young’s request to have his music removed from the service, Apple Music took a dig at Spotify by calling their own platform “the home of Neil Young” while promoting the artist front and center in the browse section of their streaming service.

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US Systematically Removed Trust, Transparency Safeguards Preventing Nuclear War, Ignores Remainder

During and after the Cold War, when NATO and the Warsaw Pact armies faced each other down, backed by nuclear arsenals, the two sides reached agreements to make war much less likely. However, the US has systematically pulled them apart in its quest to maintain global dominance, making the present situation significantly more dangerous.

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Hidden Letters Delivered After Hiding For 50 Years

Genovefa Klonovska got a chance to step back in time when she was given a letter meant for her 50 years ago, when she was just a 12 year-old girl.

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Beijing Reportedly Gives UN Human Rights Chief Bachelet Clearance to Visit Xinjiang After Olympics

After years of negotiating, the United Nations human rights chief could soon pay a visit to Xinjiang Autonomous Region, where the US and right-wing non-governmental organizations have accused China of human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur population.

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Taiwan's Top Science Lab Fined for Worker Infected with COVID-19, First Domestic Case Ever - Report

The lab staff member, who was in her 20s and fully vaccinated, reportedly began exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms on November 26, 2021, and tested positive with COVID-19 later that day. At the time, Taiwan had no documented locally transmitted cases, while the lab is responsible for COVID-19 vaccine and medicine development.

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5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Tarapaca, Chile - EMSC

Chile has recently seen two moderate earthquakes on 7 and 13 January, with smaller tremors lower than 4.9 magnitude occurring nearly every day this month, mostly affecting the country’s coastline. Strong earthquakes also occurred here in September and November.

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Spotify Sides With Joe Rogan, Drops Neil Young After He Backs Medical Experts And Scientists

Stockholm-based company Spotify confirmed Wednesday that they removed the folk-rock star Neil Young after he wrote an open letter to his manager and label asking for permission to have his music removed from the streaming service, which he deems responsible for spreading misinformation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

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'The Afterparty' is a must-watch whodunit for movie nerds

Watching The Afterparty is like a game of "spot the reference" built around an ensemble of the greatest young comedic minds of this moment.

Apple TV+'s murder-mystery series forms a veritable Voltron of comedy stars made up of Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer, John Early, Ike Barinholtz, Tiya Sircar, Jamie Demetriou, and Dave Franco. Beyond being hilarious, The Afterparty offers a novel structure that mixes Hollywood blockbuster sensibilities with the "Rashomon effect."

Following a high school reunion, the afterparty at a palatial cliffside mansion becomes a crime scene when nerdy ska kid-turned-movie star Xavier (Dave Franco) dies under mysterious circumstances. Now, his former classmates are all suspects. Detectives Danner (Haddish) and Culp (Early) are on the scene, and their investigation hinges on hearing each suspect's version of what happened.

Every episode focuses on a different recounting, but they're all defined by an artful twist conceived by Chris Miller of "Lord and Miller" fame (aka The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, etc.). Every murder suspect's story is presented as their own, personal "mind movie." The extended flashbacks that dominate The Afterparty's individual chapters are fashioned after whatever Hollywood genre best fits the character's point of view.

Credit: Apple TV+

For instance, Aniq's (Richardson) lovelorn hope for reconnecting with his old crush Zoe (Zoe Chao) turns him into the leading man of a rom-com. There's a meet-cute and a cast of supporting players, all pulled from the ensemble, who fall into archetypical rom-com roles. Aniq's old pal Yasper (Schwartz) is the "obnoxious but well-meaning bestie." Meanwhile, Brett (Barinholtz) and Xavier play rom-com antagonists. The former is an ex trying to win back Zoe; and the latter is a swaggering celebrity, who oozes sex appeal.

That's just one story, though. In the second episode, when we hear about Brett's night, the former high school tough guy transforms from rom-com antagonist into the macho hero of a Fast and Furious-style flick. Then, when the focus shifts to Yasper (Schwartz), his dreams of making it big in the music industry come to life as a musical.

This is no mere stylistic flourish. It's The Afterparty's flashy and thoroughly engaging way of reinforcing that old adage: We're all the heroes of our own story. The genre-centric flashbacks peel back surface impressions to reveal the inner workings of each protagonist. And because every character has a role to play in their classmates' stories, we develop an increasingly complex understanding of The Afterparty's spread of personalities as the eight-episode season unfolds.

Even the kindest person you know is someone's enemy, and that dichotomy is what makes this mystery tick.

Building character development through different firsthand perspectives is a genius approach. It makes sweet, lovable, and kinda corny Aniq just as likely a murder suspect as Brett, or Yasper, or anyone else. Even the kindest person you know is someone's enemy, and that dichotomy is what makes this mystery tick.

This play on form builds the mystery. Because jokes aside: The Afterparty is a bonafide whodunit, delivering a growing pile of clues that challenge viewers to develop their own theories. Apple's weekly release strategy is an asset here, creating space for viewers to spend time thinking, rewatching, and theorizing.

Like the best murder mysteries of recent years — Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building immediately spring to mind — The Afterparty is awash with addictive intrigue. It's the kind of show you'll want to scream about with friends, chiefly because every episode gives new information to sift through and square against what's transpired so far. It's also just a delight to pore over with its piles and piles of consciously referential story patterns, plot contrivances, and performances.

SEE ALSO: Tiffany Haddish and 'The Afterparty' cast hilariously remix the show's plot — Mash Libs

The gauntlet of mind movies also gives each suspect a chance to shine as their best and funniest self. From Broad City, Glazer brings her grounded stoner quirkiness and ability to make any moment a slapstick riot. Barinholtz is clearly channeling jerk-bros similar to his turn as Frank "The Body" Gibiatti on FX's The League. But his own episode's fixation on family goes beyond the Fast/Furious reference to highlight an innately wholesome and loving person, which fans of his turn on The Mindy Project will recognize instantly.

Haddish has her star power moment in an episode that riffs on Training Day, exploring her character's past and relationship with police work. The Girls Trip breakout, who has since gone on to showcase her talents in a varied lineup of roles and genres, slides easily into this colorful cast of characters as she melds her innately big personality with Danner's disillusioned yet committed homicide detective.

Credit: Apple TV+

With this dizzying lineup of talents cycling into lead roles, it's nothing less than shocking that Richardson's lovably hilarious performance as Aniq stands out so vividly. That isn't a knock on the Veep and I Think You Should Leave fave at all. To be clear; Richardson is a talent with simmering star power, which he demonstrated in 2021's excellent horror-comedy, Werewolves Within. But did you see who else is in that cast??

Part of it is the place he occupies in the ongoing story of an unraveling mystery. While Danner is the detective doing the questioning, Aniq is the star of The Afterparty's central plot thread. He's the first character we're introduced to in the opening scene and, as Danner's principal suspect, his perspective is also the only one we follow outside of the flashbacks — as he tries to solve the mystery and clear his name. But Richardson rises to the occasion as well, and he confidently leads the way as the story twists and turns in wild directions.

Apple hasn't revealed the finale to critics yet, but this seems like a murder you can solve yourself if you take the time to put the pieces together and reason things out. Lucky us. It hasn't even been a month since Yellowjackets ended.

SEE ALSO: 10 'Yellowjackets' theories keeping us up at night

But this puts Aniq in an awkward spot for the finale's eventual killer reveal. So much of this story is built around unraveling the ways an unreliable narrator can re-shape our understanding of true events. What if Miller's final joke is the one he plays on us when it's revealed that Aniq's adorkable sweetie has been lying the entire time?

We instinctively bond and identify with relatable protagonists like him, and Richardson's innate talents serve him well in that role. So turning him into a falsehood-peddling murderer as a last-minute twist would be an appropriately hilarious and loving "fuck you" to the audience that's been rooting for him all along. Would we riot? Yes. But would such a turn make sense? Also, begrudgingly, yes.

The Afterparty is a successful murder mystery because it keeps us guessing until the very end. Its forays into the mind of each suspect effectively muddy every fact we pick up along the way. For all the formal flights of fancy into genre play, the central whodunit is what will keep you coming back. Even in a riot-worthy scenario where Aniq is our killer, this is a very special show from one of the most inventive filmmakers working today, and another big reason to keep tuning in on Apple TV+.

The Afterparty's three-episode premiere comes to Apple TV+ on Jan. 28, with new episodes each Friday.

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US-UK Antagonism of Russia Threatens to Pull NATO Apart at the Seams

The NATO alliance was formed by Western capitalist powers in 1949 as a deterrence to potential invasion by the Soviet Union. Dependent on the US for support, Western Europe had little other choice; however, in the 21st century, that they will have convergent interests can no longer be taken for granted.

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You can peek inside Tesla's Texas Gigafactory using the Snap Map

Want to get a front row view of Tesla's new Gigafactory in Austin, Texas? Look no further than the Snap Map.

The Gigafactory is currently under construction, and should be ready to start rolling out Teslas very soon. Elon Musk has been tooling around the factory's 4.2 million square feet in a Cybertruck, which I'm sure everyone there has found helpful and productive.

Musk has given interviews from the factory floor, and Tesla shared new photos from inside the Gigafactory in its 2021 earnings report, released Wednesday. However, the gates have not been exactly thrown open, which is why some sneak peeks that have come from unexpected places are low-key exciting.

Brand spankin' new Model Ys! Credit: Tesla earnings report.

The source of these inside views is Snapchat, or more specifically, geographically-linked stories on the Snap Map. 

The Snap Map is a map view of events and locations around the globe: Zoom in and you can see user-submitted pictures and videos from concerts, tourist attractions, downtown centers, and more. 

On Monday, a Twitter user who says he is a Tesla investor in his bio spotted a submission to the Austin story that appeared to be in front of the Gigafactory. He posted the story on Twitter, and noted that you can see the body of a Model Y in the video. This tracks with what's in Tesla's own earnings report, which said that it started production on Model Y cars in late 2021. Tesla still needs "final certification" of the Austin-made cars before it can start delivering the Model Ys to customers, but did not clarify what the heck that actually means.

Tweet may have been deleted

The Austin story only shows Snaps for the 24 hours they are live. There is actually a designated "Place," or official location on the Snap Map similar to a Google Maps listing, for the Tesla Gigafactory. Places have stories that show user submitted Snaps tagged to that location, and it appears that those snaps stay up longer than 24 hours. So if you find the Tesla Austin Gigafactory on the Snap Map, you can view a collection of pictures and videos taken in and around the factory. 

There are posts from late 2021 as well as more recent submissions. Many show the outside view, demonstrating just how massive it is. Others take you inside and show the winding staircases and the construction effort underway. 

Credit: Screenshot: Snapchat

Credit: Screenshot: Snapchat

To get to the Place story, navigate to the Snap Map within Snapchat by clicking on the map geo-location icon in the lower left corner. Then, click the search bar in the upper left, and type in "Tesla Giga Texas," and the place will pop up as an option you can click into. Then, the map will zoom you there, and you'll see its location on the map as well as the business listing. Click the circle icon with a yellow border by the place name, and you'll be able to watch Snaps tagged at that place. Unfortunately, this Place story only shows up in the Snapchat app, not on the desktop version of the Snap Map.

It's just still bits and pieces of Tesla's new home base. But as long as Musk's Twitter continues to be Tesla's main form of communicating with the public, another view is always appreciated.

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TPLF Announces New Offensive in Ethiopia’s Afar State, Forcing WFP Aid Convoy to Turn Back

A month after withdrawing to Ethiopia’s northern Tigray state, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has launched a new offensive into neighboring Afar state, saying they are chasing down special forces units that blocked humanitarian shipments. However, their offensive blocked a UN aid shipment, too.

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Amongst Record Cases Of COVID-19, More Than 1.1 Million Children In A Week Have Been Diagnosed

Reports have come in that more than 1.1 million children were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the week ending January 20. In addition to these climbing diagnoses amongst children, average COVID-19 death rates have also reached their highest levels since last year.

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GOP Rep. Budd Asks Blinken to Clarify Plan on US Citizens Evacuation From Ukraine in Case of War

Over the past weekend, amid heightened tensions over Ukraine, the State Department issued a "do not travel" warning to Americans and urged individuals in Ukraine to leave immediately. It also ordered US Embassy workers to leave the country on January 23.

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In January, avoiding body talk can feel impossible. Here's how to cope.

When you sign on to Instagram in January, you're signing up for a scroll sesh of thinking about your body. 

The topic is everywhere. For me, a typical view of Instagram stories early in the year goes like this. 

We start with a post from a friend on vacation, then swipe to an ad from exercise studio Tracy Anderson Method featuring a thin, ripped woman in a bikini. Next up is an ad from diet company Noom offering to teach me behavioral tricks to change my relationship with food. Then, a fitness trainer friend I follow talks to the camera and reminds me to be kind to my body, followed by a post from Jameela Jamil with some screenshotted text about the toxicity of the diet industry. Hey, have you heard of Colon Broom? Its Instagram ad is offering a deal on detoxes.

On and on it goes. These messages aren't limited to Instagram, either. Noom ads follow me to YouTube, cleanse programs show up in my inbox, fitness tracker or home gym product roundups get pride of place on my favorite websites, and screenshots of it all, paired with outraged captions, collect likes and retweets on Twitter. 

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram / Tracy Anderson Method

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram / Tracy Anderson Method

Cue the whiplash. Should I embrace my physique, or try to change it? And while offers to "lose weight" are cleverly disguised these days with language like "get healthy," being a woman on the internet in January means you're thinking about ways to change your body or your relationship with your body, whether you want to or not.

While I see a lot of body-related posts because I engage with them — part of my job is to investigate and think about the internet's effect on our physical and mental health — I am most certainly not alone.

"The diet industry is a $70+ billion industry," Chelsea Kronengold, the National Eating Disorders Association's director of communications, said over email. "Particularly throughout the month of January, diets, detoxes, weight-loss and exercise programs capitalize on the all-too-common New Year’s resolution to lose weight. These ads are intended to make us feel bad about ourselves so we buy their diet products and exercise services."

And is it just me, or have some of the claims, strategies, and products of these companies gotten more high tech and extreme? There are promises of pills and powders backed by "scientific formulas" meant to "fire up" my metabolism. Some companies, like Zoe, want me to send in a stool sample to analyze my gut microbiome, while others like Everlywell require some simple DNA to give me "personalized insight" into the way my body digests food. Check your thyroid! Freeze your fat! Melt away those saddlebags with this vibrating gun!

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram / Vibroscuplt

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram / Noom

Even if you haven't shown an interest in exercise or weight loss specifically by following, liking, or sharing that content, your demographics or other interests might put you in a diet ad's sights. Dr. Ysabel Gerrard, a social media researcher at the University of Sheffield, gives the example that if you follow cosmetics brands, that could be a clue to recommendation algorithms that you're interested in your appearance. 

It's enough to make me want to log off entirely. Alas, in January, we're back to work, so for Online people like me, that's not an option. The effect has been a vague unease in the back of my mind all month about whether I should be dieting or exercising more. It feels like I've spent more time in front of the mirror this month, moving around my flesh with my hands or in my mind.

At the same time, the potentially well-meaning posts encouraging general health and body acceptance sometimes make me feel bad about myself for not always loving my body. Is the disappointment I feel when a dress from a decade ago no longer fits so well Bad because it means I'm not loving myself enough? 

"On the surface level, it’s a good thing that our society is embracing the body positive movement and messaging," Kronengold said. "However, influencers, as well as diet and fitness companies, often use buzzwords like 'body positivity' and related messaging to trick consumers into thinking they’re promoting 'wellness,' despite the premise of their business model revolving around dieting and weight loss."

All together, it's exhausting and it's constant. And this deluge could have effects beyond making a person's online experience slightly stressful. These ads can be triggering for people who have eating disorders, according to Gerard.

In 2019, Instagram prohibited brands from advertising diet and cosmetic surgery to minors. It's also banned ads that make "miraculous claims" about diets, though the ban is not a proactive system and requires users to report ads to get them removed. Though this was a positive step, lots of harmful diet content still gets through. In one case, the Guardian found that Instagram was suggesting search terms like "appetite suppressant" to people with eating disorders. Even amid months of scandal about the effect Instagram has on young girls' mental health, the platform is still rife with diet content — even if it's sometimes masked as promoting wellness or health.

"Not being able to opt out of receiving weight loss ads on Instagram, is, in my view, harmful," Gerrard said. "People need significantly more control over what kinds of advertisements they are and are not able to receive across lots of different social media platforms, not just Instagram."

Gerrard recalls that after Facebook made that change to its diet content policies for minors, a friend messaged her asking "but why do I still have to see them?" The comment has stuck with her.

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram

Credit: Screenshot: Instagram / Colon Broom

There are things you can do to minimize the presence of these ads or even organic posts: You can unfollow hashtags or influencers who get insufferable in January. You can hide a triggering ad, and it will send recommendation algorithms the message that you're not as interested in this topic. For a story or a post, just click the three dots in the upper right hand corner, and you'll see an option to "hide ad."

Gerrard also recommends having multiple accounts that follow different topics, so you can steer clear of more aesthetically-inclined bubbles during difficult times. But at the same time, she notes that these strategies are "absolutely not a foolproof method and the burden of responsibility shouldn’t be entirely placed on social media users." 

At this time of year, it's pretty impossible to avoid diet content if you need to keep up with the news or want to stay in touch with your friends. So the best way you can serve yourself is staying in tune with your feelings, and, as Kronengold put it, "remind[ing] yourself that you are more than your appearance, the number on the scale, the size of your waist, or the amount of views and followers you have on social media."

This is, of course, easier said than done. On one Friday night this month, I felt sluggish, and just sad. I mindlessly opened Instagram where I saw a Reel from my friend, the fitness trainer. She talked straight to the camera dressed in a sports bra with her tummy exposed. She said: "Just a loving reminder that if self love feels really hard right now, if loving your body feels like a really hard thing to do right now, practice self respect. Your body still deserves respect for everything that it does for you. For waking up, for breathing, for pumping your heart, for being the lens in which you see the world, it does so much for you."

It was exactly the reminder I needed in that moment to be grateful rather than critical. And it bolstered me, knowing that that feeling came from inside. Not an app, a powder, or exercise method. Just me.

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Scientists Reconstruct Periods of Boom & Crisis in Medieval Europe Using Old Timber, Study Shows

Old wooden buildings have helped scientists track changes in construction activity as an indicator of macroeconomic development. The findings revealed the two most severe economic crises that hit premodern Europe.

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Forbes: Trump’s Cash Holdings of $93 Million Much Less Than His Earlier Claims

Former US President Donald Trump has long been under investigation on suspicions of tax evasion. The New York Attorney General's Office suspects a company that controls Trump's real estate and assets of fraud and providing false information to obtain tax breaks and secure loans.

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'Shared with You' on iPhone organizes all of your shared content so you don't have to

One of your iMessage groups shared a link to a really interesting article. You vowed to read it, but you got distracted and forgot.

Suddenly it's on your mind again, but you can't remember where it is in your group text. You could scroll through the avalanche of new messages, or you could take the easy route and use Shared with You.

SEE ALSO: SharePlay lets you watch TikToks with your friends at the same time. Here's how.

Along with several other handy features that launched with iOS 15, Shared with You aims to make your life a little more organized. It works by gathering all of the photos, videos, content, and links that have been shared with you through iMessage and compiles them into their own section on each corresponding Apple app. For example, photos shared with you can be found in the Photos app, links in Safari, etc.

There's a Shared with You section each of the corresponding apps. Credit: Apple

Shared with You also supports the Music, Apple TV, News, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari apps. Here's how to find that section within each app.

• Music

  In the music app, tap "Listen Now." Scroll to find the "Shared with You"

• Apple TV

  In the Apple TV app, tap the "Watch Now" tab. "Shared with You" will show any TV show or movies that were shared through iMessage.

• News

  Find "Shared with You" in the "Today" tab and scroll until you find it.

• Photos

  In the "For You" tab, scroll down to find the "Shared with You" section.

• Podcasts

  "Shared with You" is found under the "Listen Now" tab.

• Safari

  In the Safari browser, open a new tab. In the new tab, you'll find "Shared with You" below "Favorites."

How to comment/pin content in Shared with You

The link or media in the "Shared with You" section of the corresponding app is tagged with the person who sent it to you in iMessage. So once you've found it, you can interact with the person directly in the app.

To do this, tap the label ("From Jane Doe") which will open up the iMessage conversation to the moment in the timeline when they shared it.

From here, you can reply to the shared link/media. If you tap and hold down the content, you can pin it within the message thread or add a reaction.

Credit: Apple

Credit: Apple

How to turn off Shared with You

There might be certain conversations that you don't want showing up in Shared with You. To change this setting, go to the message that you want to remove from the feature and tap their name at the top. This will take you to their contact info page. In this section you'll see a "Show in Shared with You" toggle. Turn off that toggle and tap "Done."

Customize from whom shared content shows up. Credit: Apple

To turn off Shared with You for an entire app, go to "Settings" > "Messages" then open "Shared with You." Here you can toggle on/off the feature for specific apps.

Turn on/off from which apps shared content shows up. Credit: Apple

How to remove content from Shared with You

If you want to remove specific links/media, simply tap and hold the thumbnail, then tap "Remove."

Tap and hold to remove content from the "Shared with You" section. Credit: Apple

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Pelosi Trying to Rush Through Ukraine Defense Bill With ‘Crippling’ Anti-Russia Sanctions - Reports

As the US threatens to send even more troops to Eastern Europe, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly trying to rush passage of a massive bill that would give more military aid to Ukraine and introduce punishing sanctions on Russia if it were to invade.

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Thousands Left Stranded at Istanbul Airport After Heavy Snowfall Prompts Flight Cancellations

Turkey’s largest city recently got hit by unusual and heavy snowfall, bringing flight and road transportation to a complete halt that ultimately left thousands of travelers temporarily stranded. The weekend’s weather has also been affecting other parts of the eastern Mediterranean, trapping drivers on Athen’s roads.

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World's Oldest Male Gorilla Dead in Georgia's Atlanta Zoo

The cause of the gorilla's death remains unknown. The statement said that a necropsy, or the non-human equivalent of an autopsy, will be performed through the University of Georgia Zoo and Exotic Animal Pathology Service at the College of Veterinary Medicine soon.

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