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Every piece of code running inside your Linux computer needs RAM and CPU cycles. A process taking more than its fair share slows down other processes. Here’s how to find the culprits.

Are you looking for the best way to open your self-hosted services up to the internet? Whether you’re wanting to host your own website at home or play Minecraft with friends, Cloudflare Tunnels is what you should use—not Nginx Proxy Manager.

When it comes to political thrillers, one location stands above the rest: Washington, D.C. As the capital of the United States, it's the center of the nation's politics. Nearly every major decision that affects Americans happens within the District of Columbia.

I have a lot of Windows machines in rotation, most running Windows 10 or Windows 11, and it feels like I'm always fixing something. One PC is low on storage, another is dragging at startup, and somewhere in the house a network connection has decided today is the day it stops cooperating. After years of bouncing between Settings panels, Control Panel relics, and half-buried system menus, I got tired of troubleshooting the slow way.

The ability to accommodate up to seven passengers, a comfortable interior with plenty of storage, and a higher ride height when compared to a sedan. Owning a three-row luxury SUV offers a number of benefits, and the Infiniti QX60 is a strong contender in this category.

Following the revocation of President Donald Trump's sweeping foreign tariff plan, the violent deployment of ICE agents around the country, and amid the shocking release of the Epstein Files, the Trump administration is reportedly also waging a war on what it sees as international content censorship.

"Information is power. Reclaim your human right to free expression. Get ready," the current homepage of freedom.gov reads, adorned with a small animated Paul Revere animation. A venture of the U.S. State Department, exclusively reported by Reuters, the new government site is rumored to be the landing page for any content that is currently blocked by foreign powers, a way to bypass strict content laws across Europe, Brazil, and even Russia.

SEE ALSO: Government shutdown won't affect your 2026 tax return

Notably, the European Union has a much more severe stance on extremist propaganda, including white supremacist and neo-Nazi content. Many countries have cracked down harder on such topics as they face a rise in right-wing political parties. The EU also tightly regulates terrorist propaganda and "harmful disinformation" on social media platforms — X owner Elon Musk has previously aligned himself with far-right parties across the region.

The project is run by Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, who has repeatedly met with right-wing movement leaders abroad, and the domain has been linked to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the Department of Homeland Security, the Guardian reported.

Previously, the State Department funded the Internet Freedom project, which supported anti-censorship initiatives around the globe. The Trump Administration has shrunk the project's funding and recently pulled the country from the global Freedom Online Coalition.

"It feels mostly performative," a former U.S. official told the Guardian under anonymity. "It reads more like a combative policy declaration. [U.S. government] disagreements with the EU on free speech are nothing new as a matter of policy. But a portal of this kind takes it a step further, declaring publicly that the USG is concerned with freedom of expression even among our allies in Europe."

Insiders say the website was supposed to debut at the Munich Security Conference, but was allegedly delayed due to legal and foreign policy concerns, Reuters reported. A source told the publication that the department also discussed adding a VPN function that would route all user traffic through the U.S., presumably to get around location-specific bans in certain countries. That same source said that the webpage would not track user activity.

A State Department spokesperson denied the claims by insiders, adding that the U.S. government "does not have a censorship-circumvention program specific to Europe." The source clarified: "Digital freedom is a priority for the State Department, however, and that includes the proliferation of privacy and censorship-circumvention technologies like VPNs."

Despite alleged concerns, the site remains active. And, as its homepage promises, "freedom is coming."

Are you a cord cutter who has freed yourself from the shackles of monthly fees for channels you've never before watched in your life? It's a great feeling, but do yourself a favor if you haven't already: get yourself a digital antenna.

It's been more than a decade since I last had cable. Streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, and others have filled my TV screen and filled any void that cable left behind. Many people have felt the same.

SEE ALSO: You need to watch this very good dog interrupt the women's Olympic ski race

According to a Nielsen report earlier this year, streaming platforms broke records just months ago, with streaming making up a new high of 47.5 percent of TV viewing in December. That's more than cable and broadcast TV combined.

However, networks still have a secret weapon that streaming platforms are only beginning to discover: live TV, namely sports.

That same Nielsen report found that Christmas Day was the "most-streamed ever," with more than 55 billion viewing minutes, led by NFL games on Netflix and Prime. However, some live sports are still mainly a network or even cable TV thing. Other sports are simulcast on network TV and a streaming channel, meaning cord-cutters could skip paying for a streaming platform altogether if they're only interested in one sport.

Here's a great example: The Winter Olympics on NBC. The NBC-owned Peacock streaming service is showing all the games as well as the same highlight shows that are broadcast on NBC. But if you're only interested in those primetime highlight shows, NBC has been airing them on its network every single night. All you need is a digital antenna to view it. No Peacock streaming subscription necessary.

The same thing was true for Super Bowl LX earlier this month, too. The same live game was being aired on NBC, free with a digital antenna, or on Peacock, which requires a subscription.

Furthermore, some network channels paywall streaming content with cable providers. For example, when trying to watch the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) championship game last year, many found that while it was airing on CBS for free, a paid subscription beyond the regular Paramount+ plan was required. Having a digital antenna would have allowed access to that free CBS network feed.

I went years without a digital antenna. Streaming provided access to all the shows and movies I was interested in. Until, as I mentioned, TV realized it had the upper hand with live sports. Streaming companies are realizing that with Netflix having picked up the weekly WWE Raw show and numerous special live combat sports events. Streaming platforms like Apple TV+ carry some MLB games, too, for example. However, there are still many live sports that can be accessed for free with a digital antenna.

So, what should you get?

There are many digital antenna options. Prices range from $20 or lower, even cheaper if you find a sale. Personally, I have tried out a few options from digital antenna brands Mohu and ClearStream.

Both the Mohu Lead Amplified digital antenna and the ClearStream Flex Amplified worked perfectly for my needs, and they're priced at under $50 each.

Digital antennas seamlessly integrate with your Smart TV menus after a quick setup and sync process, so your choice of antenna shouldn't be based on the user interface. Pick a digital antenna based on its range and the design of its hardware. Some digital antennas stand vertically, others lie flat. A common digital antenna design lets you mount it high on your wall or window for the best possible reception.

Both options I mentioned above provide around 50 miles of range to pickup channels. There are slightly more expensive options to expand that range, too, like the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro, which extends that range to 65 miles.

Either way, these are big money savers. The cost of a single digital antenna is a one-time fee for purchasing the hardware. And that cost is only around 2-3 months of the monthly subscription of some of the biggest streaming providers.

Plus, you'll never miss a free network TV live event again.

YouTube Premium has many benefits—ad-free access to YouTube and YouTube Music, which, for some people, is worth the price of admission alone. Some of the other perks of YouTube Premium, however, are more basic features that other apps offer for free.

YouTube Premium has many benefits—ad-free access to YouTube and YouTube Music, which, for some people, is worth the price of admission alone. Some of the other perks of YouTube Premium, however, are more basic features that other apps offer for free.

PC parts are very expensive right now. It's a tough time to replace or upgrade almost anything, but some components, like RAM, are even worse. Ideally, you should wait until things are cheaper before buying new parts, but if you have to, some components can still be bought used at a good price.

PC parts are very expensive right now. It's a tough time to replace or upgrade almost anything, but some components, like RAM, are even worse. Ideally, you should wait until things are cheaper before buying new parts, but if you have to, some components can still be bought used at a good price.

Android today is dramatically different from when it launched 17 years ago. However, some things are surprisingly still the same. The app drawer is one of those things, but you don't have to keep using it the old way. We can do better.

Android today is dramatically different from when it launched 17 years ago. However, some things are surprisingly still the same. The app drawer is one of those things, but you don't have to keep using it the old way. We can do better.

Pinterest still has an AI slop problem. And an AI content moderation problem. And an AI labeling problem.

At least, that's what users are reporting amid the company's continued commitment to turning the visual curation platform into an AI-powered social media site. In a report by 404 Media, users told the publication that Pinterest's automatic content moderation system, including a system that labels content as "AI modified," is consistently incorrectly flagging human-made images, particularly those featuring women, while actual AI slop only grows.

SEE ALSO: AI apps on the Google Play store are leaking customer data and photos

In addition, users say the site's tools to curb AI-generated content in feeds are failing to prevent AI images from appearing on user boards, and AI-powered account moderators are still banning accounts with little to no explanation.

"We publish clear guidelines on adult sexual content and nudity and use a combination of AI and human review for enforcement. We have an appeals process where a human reviews the content and reactivates it when we’ve made a mistake," said Pinterest in a statement to 404 Media.

This isn't anything new for many social media platforms leaning into AI, but it's particularly distressing for platform users who have pushed to keep the Pinterest experience the same. For years, the platform has come under fire for failing to curb AI-generated photos, videos, and ads, if not encouraging their existence on the site wholesale.

In March 2025, the company updated its privacy policy to elucidate its policy of feeding users' public pins into its machine learning models, including training efforts for Pinterest's base AI model, Pinterest Canvas. Pinterest faced further criticism in May, when users, already complaining about AI content-filled algorithms that were ruining the app experience, reported platform-wide account bans that many suspected were the result of a faulty AI content moderation system.

In response to the ongoing AI controversy, Pinterest added tools in October to filter out specific types of AI content from recommendations, though the company made it clear at the time that it wouldn't completely eradicate the issue.

Then, just last month, the company announced it would lay off hundreds of employees in yet another push toward AI, writing in an SEC filing that it would reprioritize "AI-powered products and capabilities" following the launch of its AI-powered shopping tool, Pinterest Assistant. The company has been exploring AI integration for nearly a decade.

Meanwhile, AI slop is proliferating across social media platforms, including brainrot YouTube Shorts, bots and Grok-generated images on X, and entirely AI-rendered influencers ripping videos from famous TikTok influencers.

Linux is famous for being customizable, flexible, and resource-friendly. Unfortunately, despite gains in recent years, there are some areas where it still can't beat Windows.

Linux is famous for being customizable, flexible, and resource-friendly. Unfortunately, despite gains in recent years, there are some areas where it still can't beat Windows.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 21, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for February 21, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is -4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-10, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

When it comes to cordless power tools, you have several excellent options to choose from. And while big hardware stores like Home Depot sell multiple brands, two of the most prominent are Ryobi and Milwaukee. Here's which one makes the most sense for homeowners.

When it comes to cordless power tools, you have several excellent options to choose from. And while big hardware stores like Home Depot sell multiple brands, two of the most prominent are Ryobi and Milwaukee. Here's which one makes the most sense for homeowners.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who know the big fella.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Plays in the Old Line State

• Green: The Big Fella

• Blue: Robert Redford movie

• Purple: Driver

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Maryland Teams

• Green: Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames

• Blue: Associated with "The Natural"

• Purple: Sports That Have a Driver

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #516 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Maryland Teams - MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, TERRAPINS

• Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames - BIG ARISTOTLE, DIESEL, SHAQ, SUPERMAN

• Associated with "The Natural" - BASEBALL, HOBBS, KNIGHTS, WONDERBOY

• Sports That Have a Driver - BOBSLED, F1, GOLF, WATER POLO

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.