The week in picks

Match cartridge to tonearm, not to ego - an expensive cart on a budget table is wasted money.

As we're in the midst of a major game release season, with titles like "Eternal Realms" and "Quantum Rift" pushing graphics performance to new heights, gamers are eyeing up mid-range options that can handle 1440p high-refresh rates without breaking the bank. If you're building or upgrading a gaming PC for this wave of releases, and don't want to compromise on features like DLSS or CUDA support, the RTX 5070 Ti is worth considering.

With its blend of performance and affordability, it's no wonder the RTX 5070 Ti is one of the most talked-about cards in the enthusiast community right now.

If you're a fan of indie-pop with an edge, don't miss Julia Wolf at the iconic House of Blues in Boston on October 5th. This intimate venue is perfect for experiencing the raw energy and emotional lyrics that have made Wolf's music a staple in local circles. Grab your tickets for under $20 and get ready to be swept up in her catchy melodies and haunting vocals.

If you're looking to spend an afternoon with friends, I recommend breaking out Qwirkle this week. Its straightforward rules and tile-laying gameplay make it easy to teach to new players, allowing everyone to jump in and start competing within 30-45 minutes.

For a group of three or four, Qwirkle offers the perfect blend of competition and camaraderie, as players draw tiles bearing one of six colors and six shapes and try to create lines on the shared grid. This is especially true when someone places a tile that disrupts an opponent's carefully laid plans, it's not uncommon for the table to erupt in a burst of strategic thinking and debate about which line to prioritize.

Whoever plays Qwirkle first will likely be the one planning their next move after dinner.

The Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier is a surprisingly thoughtful gift for your foodie sweetheart on Valentine's Day. Unlike the usual default of gourmet spices or cooking classes, this air purifier actually improves their living space, allowing them to focus on what they love, cooking and sharing meals.

One reason it stands out from the crowd is that it doesn't just clean the air, but does so quietly, ensuring your foodie can cook and sleep peacefully without distraction. While some may find its compact size a limitation in larger kitchens or shared spaces, this product excels for solo cooks or small couples. For $84.99, you're getting a year's worth of hospital-grade HEPA filtration.

A breath of fresh air is the best Valentine's gift of all.

The need to handle long conversations and vast knowledge bases has grown significantly this year, especially in areas like customer service chatbots and virtual assistants. However, not all models are suited to these complex scenarios.

In use cases where context length is crucial and models need to maintain quality under 1000000 token limitations, Qwen: Qwen3.7 Flash stands out due to its high context length of 1 million tokens. While it may be more expensive than smaller models with similar capabilities, the trade-off lies in latency, Qwen's high performance often comes at a cost of increased latency compared to lighter alternatives.

When building ultra-long context AI assistants or chatbots, pick Qwen: Qwen3.7 Flash for its sheer capacity; just beware of the potential latency impact on your application.

The market's current obsession with the 2028 US Presidential Election is striking, with four out of the top five most traded markets focusing on Democratic primaries. The high volume and low prices (all under $1) indicate that the market is essentially betting against these candidates, treating them as longshots. A notable exception is the "Will Bernie Sanders win the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination?" market at 1¢, with a substantial volume of $52,864,201.

The dominance of these low-priced markets highlights the market's skepticism about the viability of certain candidates. In contrast, the top market by volume is the "Will the U.S. invade Iran before 2027?" market on Polymarket, at 15¢ and with a massive $71,651,682 in volume. This stark difference in price and volume suggests that the market is much more uncertain about international relations than domestic politics.

The fact that four out of five of these markets are longshots raises questions about what factors contribute to their popularity. Is it genuine interest in the candidates' prospects or simply speculation driven by low prices? The data doesn't provide clear answers, but it does suggest a fascinating dynamic at play in these prediction markets.

One to watch tomorrow: how the "Will Oprah Winfrey win the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination?" market reacts to the impending anniversary of her last public endorsement.

The recent decline in home values across several major metros has been a dominant trend this year. Among them, Austin and Cape Coral have seen significant year-over-year drops of 4.7% and 4.4%, respectively. However, looking beyond the top performers, other markets are offering more nuanced insights.

Colorado Springs stands out as one of the cities with the highest percentage of price cuts (37.9%), but its YoY decline is relatively modest at -1.4%. This suggests that while prices may be decreasing, they're not plummeting. In contrast, Asheville has seen a more substantial YoY drop (-3.3%) and still boasts a considerable 26.3% in price cuts.

These variations in price performance across the country hint at shifting market dynamics. The data suggests that next month we should keep an eye on how these regional differences continue to play out, particularly as Colorado Springs' relatively stable prices may be indicative of a more resilient market.

As always, October's data will paint a clearer picture of the market's trajectory.

As October's crisp air settles over the Spanish countryside, our taste buds crave warm, comforting dishes that evoke the rich flavors of autumn. The ham croquetas recipe from our archives perfectly captures this seasonal essence.

The use of jamón ibérico in these croquetas adds a depth of flavor and texture that is quintessentially Spanish. This cured ham dominates the dish with its bold, savory taste, which is expertly balanced by the subtle sweetness of the leek. The technique of coating the croquettes with breadcrumbs provides a satisfying crunch that complements the tender interior.

This recipe is a masterclass in the art of Spanish tapas-making, and as we approach the holidays, it's an ideal dish to serve at gatherings and parties. Pair the ham croquetas with a side of tangy alioli or a simple green salad for a truly authentic taste of Spain.

For a delightful accompaniment, try serving the ham croquetas with a drizzle of smoked paprika-infused aioli.