My dear mother-in-law died a year ago, and despite her best-laid plans to get her affairs in order before she passed, she didn’t quite manage it. That means I’m constantly on the phone these days with everyone from the IRS to attorneys to CPAs. And because everything bad happens at once, I’m also on the line with doctors for various family members, including our beloved one-eyed cat.

Due to these endless calls, it seems like every day I’m dealing with one of the deepest circles of hell, the automated phone menu. You know what I mean — you call a number for help and you’re thrown into an endless loop of recorded messages that don’t assist you at all. I can’t even tell you how much time I’ve wasted stuck in this never-never land lately. Generally, the stress is already high for these calls — no one ever looks forward to calling the IRS, or a doctor. Being stuck in a phone menu reminds me of a state fair funhouse where you think you’ve found the way out but just keep slamming into walls, over and over again.

Some phones, like Google’s Pixel series, help you avoid these menus or even wait on hold for you, but there’s clearly room to improve these menus for everyone. Here’s how automated phone lines could make life easier for their callers.

We need a universal way to get to a live human

Maybe the most important thing: There needs to be

Minecraft has been used to build some incredible creations, including a replica of San Francisco’s Chinatownbut one player has upped the ante and re-created what he calls “the entire known universe” in the popular sandbox game.

Christopher Slayton,18, spent more than two months painstakingly replicating the universe in Minecraft. He began by first re-creating Earth, using a globe as reference to “measure the exact location of every continent to perfectly replicate the planet.”

Slayton then set out to re-create “the exact colors of every jungle, desert and ocean on our planet,” a feat that would take three days to accomplish.

After the Earth was finished, Slayton moved on to the rest of the universe, including other planets, stars and even space gas. You can watch Slayton chronicle the entire endeavor in the video above.

Originally released in 2011, Minecraft has since become one of the most popular video games in the world. In 2021, Minecraft content crossed 1 trillion views on YouTube, more than any other game on the platform. Teachers have also used Minecraft to teach students about climate change.

A spin-off game called Minecraft Legends is coming to Xbox and PCs in 2023.

Rod has announced a new division dedicated to audio equipment designed to serve the needs of the gaming and streaming community. The Australian audio company has named this new sub-brand “Rode X,” and the lineup will launch with three products: two new microphones and a virtual mixing solution called Unify designed for streaming and gaming.

The Unify software allows users to route and mix up to four USB microphones and up to six virtual audio sources (including games, chat, music, and browser applications) through a single interface. The software can remove background noise and otherwise improve the quality of your audio with the help of compressors, noise gates, and high-pass filters.

Unify is free if you buy a Rode X microphone (but not with products from the main Rode product line) and is otherwise available to purchase as a subscription, either monthly (AU$ 7.99 / around $5) or yearly (AU$ 69.99 / around $45). All subscriptions will be billed in Australian dollars and may not be available in all territories.

The XDM-100 is a dynamic cardioid microphone with USB-C connectivity, featuring a pop filter, shock mount, and three-meter headphone extension cable. The design includes a headphone output

The Houston Astros pulled off a nine-inning rally Tuesday, thanks to Jordan Alvarez’s walk-off home run to take the first game of their best-of-five series against the rival Seattle Mariners. On Thursday, the American League’s top seed went up 2-0 in the series, once again thanks to Alvarez. Today the Mariners return home looking to avoid elimination, with Game 3 set for 4:07 pm ET (3:07 pm CT, 1:07 pm PT) on TBS.

Here’s how you can watch baseball’s postseason, from the Division Series through the World Series, on live TV streaming services.

What’s the schedule for the Mariners-Astros series?

The Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays in their wild card series to advance to the Division Series against the Astros. The Astros own the best record in the American League, earning home-field advantage in the five-game Division Series. The winner advances to the American League Championship Series to play the victor of the Guardians-Yankees series.

Here’s the schedule for the Mariners-Astros series:

• Games 3: Astros at Mariners, Saturday, Oct. 15 at 4:07 pm ET (1:07 pm PT) on TBS (Astros lead series 2-0)
• Games 4: Astros at Mariners, Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:07 pm ET (12:07 pm PT) on TBS (if necessary)
• Games 5: Mariners at Astros, Monday Oct. 17 at 5:07 pm ET (2:07 pm PT) on TBS (if

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If you’re a hobbyist chef or an aspiring pro, one of the most versatile and useful appliances you can have in your home kitchen is a food processor. Not only are they a fancy blender for your countertop, they’re also capable of shredding cheese, grinding nuts, kneading bread and so much more. They’re the best little sidekick you could ask for, especially if you don’t have a personal sous chef.

That said, not every electric food processor is created equal — as with anything, there are stark differences in cost, motor performance and overall durability. It’s hard to jump in and figure out the best food processor for your chopping, grinding, dicing and food prep kitchen task needs. From motor power to capacity, attachments and overall value, we’re here to help you find the best available options and show you that the best food processors aren’t always the ones with the biggest price tag.

The other factor you might want to consider — beyond power and price tag — is how easy to clean the food processor is. Some or all of its components may be dishwasher-safe. Even if you have to hand-wash the chopping blade or slicing disk, being able to toss the feed chute or main container in the dishwasher may be a boon.

I tested seven food processors, representing major brands and best sellers according to Amazon, Target and Walmart buyer reviews. You