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As House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 6 made clear, Harrenhal healer/witch Alys Rivers (Gayle Ranking) is not a character you want to cross.

She's already been exerting her power over Daemon (Matt Smith) with some impressive mind games, shortly before lending him her help by (probably) killing off Lord Tully — but did episode 6 reveal another character she may already have exerted her influence over?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 6: Who is Daeron, Alicent's other son? Who else might Alys Rivers have influenced?

It's clear that poisoning Lord Tully, and messing with Daemon, isn't Alys Rivers' first rodeo. We don't know exactly how long she's been hanging around Harrenhal, but her actions make it clear that she's no novice. So, which other key characters do we know that have likely crossed paths with her before?

Well, the family that resides in Harrenhal – and has done since the start of House of the Dragon – is the Strong family. Aside from the ever-amusing Castellan Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), the only other key surviving Strong is Master of Whispers at the Red Keep, Larys (Matthew Needham).

Although Larys has never spoken of Alys Rivers, he does briefly touch on his childhood at Harrenhal for the first time in episode 6 — and he says something that could be more than a simple coincidence.

What did Larys Strong say to Aegon?

Larys Strong visits Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) at his bedside in episode 6, and shares a rare, vulnerable moment.

"I came screaming into the world in the bowels of one of Harrenhal's great towers," Strong tells Aegon, who is awake but very badly (probably permanently) injured. "My lungs were strong, but my foot was so twisted that my father named it sorcery. Accusing a member of our household of casting maligned spells."

Larys opens up to Aegon. Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO

Larys has club foot, a real condition that the NHS says currently affects one baby in every thousand born in the UK. Per the NHS, "in most cases the cause of club foot is not known. There may be a genetic link, as it can run in families." In real life, there is, of course, no connection whatsoever between the condition and sorcery.

In the context of House of the Dragon, though, Strong's talk of sorcery and maligned spells is difficult to ignore when juxtaposed with the actions of Alys Rivers — the same Alys Rivers who would likely have been at Harrenhal when he was a child.

We know Alys is a powerful character capable of changing history — she's already shown us that. Is it possible that she also influenced a young Larys? Even if she didn't directly use magic, maybe she got in his head in the same way she's currently getting into Daemon's, planting the seeds that eventually lead to him murdering his own brother and father in an arson attack on the castle.

It's difficult to know what her motivation for this might have been, but it's impossible to ignore that Larys' actions have directly led to the current state of Harrenhal, and Alys' meetings there with Daemon.

Is it possible she's already had a larger impact on this story than any of us have realised?

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

The search engine giant noticed that Google Play users have been "downloading and dashing." In other words, once users get their desired apps, they don't stick around — and Google wants to change that.

On Wednesday, Google announced the new Collections experience for Google Play, which is designed to help users see the Android store as more than just a destination for installing new apps.

SEE ALSO: Google has changed its mind about 'killing' third-party tracking cookies What is Collections on Google Play?

Google acknowledges that having numerous apps on your Android device can create a fragmented experience. In other words, you probably find yourself frequently darting from one app to another just to gather the information you need.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The new Collections experience highlights contents from your favorite apps on the Google Play home screen, delivering an all-in-one hub for users who who want a seamless way to access and manage information from apps without the hassle of switching between multiple platforms.

On the new Collections page, you'll find categories such as Shop, Watch, and Listen. These sections will allow you to easily pick up where you left off. For example, under Watch, you can continue diving into House of Dragons on Max, but thanks to Shop, you can scroll through some tech products you were eyeing on Walmart, like the best noise cancelling headphones.

To put it succinctly, Google wants you to gravitate toward Collections as your one-stop shop for information on your favorite or frequently visited apps.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As a cherry on top, you can tap and hold the Google Play app icon, which will allow you to download the Collections widget to your home screen. This will allow you to jump right into a specific collection of your choice.

Personalize your Collections

If you have a passion or interest that doesn't fit into Google's preexisting categories like Shop and Watch, you can create your own.

Google says that it's "exploring" a customizable version of Collections based on user-specified topics. For example, if you're running a marathon, with the power of AI, you can type in the word "marathon," which will prompt Collections to intelligently populate the installed apps that will benefit you (e.g., MyFitnessPal and Strava).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Your customized collection will also recommend new apps related to your personalized topic.

Google says that if you don't want your Play experience to be shaped by your data, you can navigate to "Personalization in Play" in the main menu to manage your preferences.

The new Collections experience is now available on Google Play.

If you can't get enough of manga and other graphic novels, you may be thrilled to hear that Google has unveiled a new dedicated comics section in the Play Store. The search engine giant has launched a curated comics corner, placed as a category at the top, allowing you to scroll through its collection of comics-related content.

The new comics space debuted on Wednesday — but there's a catch. Only users in Japan have access to the new comics collection.

What does the new 'comics' section look like?

Despite being based in the U.S., I got the opportunity to scroll through the new comics section. There's a "Manga for you" feature that populates personalized recommendations. Google said that this section will "learn" to adjust to your taste, depending on what you consume.

Discover new webtoons via the Google Play Store Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

My favorite part, however, is the "Sample a Chapter" section, which gives you free previews of select comics. I was able to flip through some striking, beautiful manga, but unfortunately, I can't read Japanese, so I couldn't grasp the full depth of the content and themes.

It's not just comics that are featured in the new hub. I also spotted a "Check trending anime" section with a carousel of YouTube videos playing clips from popular anime such as One Piece. If one piques your interest, Google Play will helpfully direct you to where you can watch episodes in full.

A free preview of comics via the Google Play Store Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Tapping into some users' itch to discover fresh content, there are also Google-curated sections to help users explore and find new webtoons (i.e., scrollable digital comics designed to be read on smartphones) and comic-based apps that may satisfy enthusiasts.

Will Google Play's new 'comics' section become available in the U.S.?

Google partnered with several well-known Japan-based comic publishers to debut the new comics corner in the Play Store, but as mentioned, not everyone is invited to the party. Curious about Google's expansion plans for the new section, we asked the big tech company whether it will roll out the new feature for U.S. users, too.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The short answer is maybe.

Google said it's currently testing the comics space in Japan because the fanbase for comics — manga, specifically — is immensely passionate in that particular region of the world.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If all goes well with the Japanese market, there's a chance that U.S. users will have the opportunity to enjoy the new comics section, too. But to be clear, the U.S. market isn't on its radar just yet. Interestingly, one report claims that India, Thailand, and China are the top three countries with the greatest number of comic book readers, with Japan notably missing from the list.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

While there are many comic book readers in the U.S., comic book sales plummeted in 2023. According to a 2021 report from Morning Consult Pro, 38% of U.S. adults read comic books. Per a 2019 survey from the Nippon Research Center (again, the most recent I could find), 33% of Japanese participants said they read manga or watch anime.

It's difficult to compare these two figures because they come from different sources with varying data collection methods and may not use consistent definitions nor criteria. It also doesn't help that the reports are outdated. However, based on the information we do have, even through sales are slowing down, there's still a sizable chunk of Americans who love to read comic books.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Who knows? Perhaps the comic book market may see a jump if Google adds a comic book section to the Play Store, making graphics novels more accessible to Android users than ever.

After Blake Benthall was arrested for running Silk Road 2.0, the infamous illegal drug bazaar, things didn’t go the way you might expect.

If you're wondering if the recent global IT outage – caused by a bad update to cybersecurity company CrowdStrike's software which brought down millions of Windows PCs – is an isolated case, we can assure you that it is not.

In fact, something similar already happened earlier this year. A government investigation into a nationwide AT&T outage in February has shown that the cause was a bad network update, Ars Technica reported on Tuesday.

According to an FCC report, the outage "affected users in all 50 states," and "all voice and 5G data services for AT&T wireless customers were unavailable, affecting more than 125 million devices, blocking more than 92 million voice calls, and preventing more than 25,000 calls to 911 call centers." The FCC also noted that it took AT&T "at least 12 hours to fully restore service."

We've covered the outage as it happened, noting that it caused disruptions for users on other, unaffected networks, as they were unable to call AT&T customers. AT&T offered its customers a $5 dollar credit as apology.

SEE ALSO: How did one CrowdStrike mistake stop the world? We asked 3 experts.

The incident, according to the report, began "after AT&T implemented a network change with an equipment configuration error." But it wasn't just this one, isolated issue that made this outage so serious.

The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau analyzed the incident and found that the outage "was the result of several factors, all attributable to AT&T Mobility, including a configuration error, a lack of adherence to AT&T Mobility's internal procedures, a lack of peer review, a failure to adequately test after installation, inadequate laboratory testing, insufficient safeguards and controls to ensure approval of changes affecting the core network, a lack of controls to mitigate the effects of the outage once it began, and a variety of system issues that prolonged the outage once the configuration error had been remedied" (per Ars Technica).

SEE ALSO: It’s 4 days later and Delta is still affected by the CrowdStrike outage. Here’s why.

The story might not end there for AT&T, which is potentially facing a large fine. But it's another reminder that the global IT networks which we rely on are often more fragile than we think, and the safety procedures for critical systems need, in many case, some serious looking into.

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While you're out on the golf course, especially if you're on a course you're not familiar with, knowing how far you are from the hole with each shot could change the game for you. Through July 28, you can get the Golfbuddy Aim W10 GPS Golf Watch on sale for $144.97 (reg. $209.99).

With the knowledge from this watch, you'll have an easier time picking out what clubs to use since you'll know how much distance is between your ball and the pin. It's preloaded with over 40,000 golf courses across 170 countries and automatically recognizes which hole you're on and how far you are from the front, center, and back of the green. You can also keep score on the watch, so you don't have to worry about losing that tiny pencil.

The watch features a 1.3-inch full-color TFT-LCD display and has a rechargeable battery that's built to last up to 13 hours in golf mode. You can connect it to the Golfbuddy smart app via Bluetooth and see all your data from your phone, and obsess over your scores whenever you want.

Until July 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT, take your golf game to a new level with help from the Golfbuddy Aim W10 GPS Golf Watch on sale for $144.97 (reg. $209.99).

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When it comes to creating a cozy and restful sanctuary at home, nothing beats the feeling of luxurious bedding. This bamboo-blend luxury sheet set is specially crafted to bring an elevated level of comfort and elegance to your bedroom. Priced at just $29.97 (reg. $129), this set is a terrific value, offering high quality without breaking the bank. Other sheet sizes and colors are also on sale.

This set is designed with a blend of 60%, high-quality 90gsm microfiber and 40% bamboo fiber. This unique combination gives you the best of both worlds. The microfiber provides a soft, smooth, and wrinkle-resistant surface, while the bamboo fiber adds a touch of natural breathability and moisture-wicking properties. 

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This reduced price on a soft sheet set is an excellent opportunity to refresh your bedroom or stock up on some comfortable, nice-looking sheets for when you have guests or to put away as a gift for the holidays.

Upgrade your sleep experience with a bamboo-blend comfort luxury sheet set. With its perfect balance of softness, breathability, and durability, it’s the ideal choice for anyone looking to revamp their bedroom's look and feel.

You can get a king-size six-piece bamboo-blend comfort luxury sheet set on sale for just $29.97 (reg. $129) for a limited time.

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Neon has shared its second trailer for "Cuckoo", Tilman Singer's horror about a teenager being chased by a creepy woman in the German Alps.

TL;DR: Live stream Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Hot off their recent Euros win, Spain will be hoping to impress as they take to the pitch in the Paris 2024 matches with Uzbekistan. The second of many exciting games, football fans will be in for a real treat as the two weeks of games get underway.

If you want to watch Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024?

Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 takes place at 9:00 a.m. ET on July 24. The event will be held at Parc des Princes, Paris.

How to watch Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 for free

Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but if you want to catch Uzbekistan vs. Spain from elsewhere in the world, you can do so with the use of a VPN. VPNs are tools that hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream Uzbekistan vs. Spain at Paris 2024 (plus all the events that follow) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

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The presumptive Democratic nominee has won concessions from Big Tech leaders on A.I., but she hasn’t successfully pushed Congress to regulate.

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August is out, October is in.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has set a new date for the company's big Robotaxi reveal: October 10. During an earnings call Tuesday, Musk said that moving the event back a few months allowed the company to "improve the Robotaxi, as well as add in a couple other things for the product unveil."

The original launch date (after years of teasing) was August 8, as announced by Musk in April. A recent Bloomberg report, however, broke the news that the event was postponed for October, allegedly to give the teams working on Robotaxis more time to build additional prototypes.

Tweet may have been deleted

Earlier this month, Musk revealed that the event was delayed as he requested an "important design change to the front."

Musk has been hailing Robotaxis as an extremely important next step for Tesla. The idea, according to Musk, is to build a fleet of fully autonomous cars which will ferry passengers around without the need for a driver.

SEE ALSO: Cybertruck owner discovers new way the Tesla EV can rip your finger off

During yesterday's earnings call, Musk once again reiterated his belief that autonomous driving is key for Tesla's future. "The value of Tesla overwhelmingly is autonomy. These other things are in the noise relative to autonomy," he said.

The company's earnings report for the second quarter of 2024 were a mixed bag, with the company beating revenue estimates, but missing on earnings expectations from Wall Street analysts.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for July 24 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for July 24

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, July 24, 2024:

AcrossBook character who wears a red-and-white-striped shirt

• The answer is Waldo.

With 7-Across, fried appetizer that's appropriate for the Olympics?

• The answer is onion.

See 6-Across

• The answer is rings.

Academic acronym

• The answer is STEM.

"And there you have it!"

• The answer is tada.

DownLeast favorable

• The answer is worst.

She's like an older sister to Maria in "West Side Story"

• The answer is Anita.

Like index cards, typically

• The answer is lined.

Belief that's not to be questioned

• The answer is dogma.

Carry-___ (some luggage)

• The answer is ons.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

Stephen Colbert examined memes surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris, from her "fell out of a coconut tree" speech to "brat."

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Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for July 24's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Something one excels at.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle...

FORTE.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for July 24 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for July 24

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Screen time

These words pair great with a blockbuster.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The hint describes what you would find at the movies.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is MovieTheater.

NYT Strands word list for July 24

• Projector

• Popcorn

• MovieTheater

• Candy

• Feature

• Trailers

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you're already playing – on Mashable's Games page.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. 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 July 24's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Mess around with (jokingly)

• Green: Butcher shop order

• Blue: Animals but baby-sized

• Purple: Get around a group of people

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Joke Around With

• Green: Poultry Cuts

• Blue: Baby Animals

• Purple: Push Through a Crowd

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 #409 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Joke Around With: KID, RAZZ, RIB, TEASE

• Poultry Cuts: BREAST, TENDER, THIGH, WING

• Baby Animals: CALF, CUB, FAWN, KIT

• Push Through a Crowd: BARGE, JOSTLE, MUSCLE, SHOULDER

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

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

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

It's 2024, and CNN still appears incapable of accurately reporting on the pop culture trends that resonate with Americans under the age of 35. Yesterday on his show The Lead with Jake Tapper, the 55-year-old anchor bungled an explanation of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris's adoption of memes popularized by young adults online.

He began by steering the conversation towards what he called the Kamala Harris campaign's "appeal to Gen Z." He began, "Singer Charli XCX tweeted last night 'Kamala IS brat.' This is in reference to her album, it's called 'Brat.'" So far, so good.

Then the first signs of trouble appear. "Kamala has branded her Kamala HQ twitter page with the same aesthetic of the album," he says, adding "It's another Gen Z word, aesthetic." Unfortunately, "aesthetic" is not a Gen Z word but, simply, a word.

Then, for more information on this "Gen Z" phenomenon, Tapper turns to 69-year-old special correspondent Jamie Gangel. By her own admission, Gangel is not the right person for the job. And yet she stumbles on, noting "First of all — just for my producer, Elizabeth Stuart, who will spit out her coffee as I say this — I am supposed to say 'That's brat.'" She adds with knowing sarcasm "And, for those who are not in the know the way I am, [brat] is a cool thing."

SEE ALSO: YouTube lets you create AI music that sounds like Charli XCX (with permission)

As Gangel continues, she holds up a physical print out of the Kamala HQ Twitter page. "It has a color — chartreuse is the color — and Kamala Harris has adopted that for whatever social media page that is." She says the last bit while looking at the piece of paper and shaking her head.

Then Gangel puts on her reading glasses to recite a quote off her phone that is written in a font so large and bold that it is legible on camera during an over-the-shoulder shot. It's Charli XCX's definition of a brat: "You're just that girl who is a little messy, and likes to party, and maybe says some dumb things some times."

Tapper, as expected, is confused. "Is the idea that we're all kind of brat?" he asks the table. "And Vice President Harris is brat?"

It is at this moment that 32-year-old Kaitlan Collins, the youngest person in the room, is finally able to chime in with the facts. "I don't now if you're brat," she tells Tapper (and she is right). "You aspire to be brat, you don't just become brat. You have to try."

Collins articulates the essence of brat-core: it's just something you are, an enviable intangible. As a compliment, it invokes the same je ne sais quoi as the it-girl, though a brat may have an even more unapologetic or provocative approach to life.

Despite this, Tapper dismisses Collins. "The point is that [Harris], or some very clever people that work for her, is going right for [Gen Z] in a language of their own that apparently no one at this table speaks." When Kaitlin throws up a hand in protest, Tapper says flippantly "Except for you because you think you're 23. You're a millennial, take it easy."

The irony is that, while much of Charli XCX's "brat" culture is popular amongst Gen Z, it is crafted in large part by millennial women and gay men. Charli XCX, at 31-years-old, is a millennial herself, and has been making music for her peers since 2013.

It's really easy to brush off CNN's brief, clownish coverage of America's political youth culture as a silly bit. But the reality is that Gen Z could be kingmakers in this election. NBC exit polls from the 2020 election suggested that 65 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 24 — an age group almost entirely made of Gen Zers — voted for President Joe Biden. That was 11 percent more than any other age group. Since then, the support of Gen Z and millennial voters had become consistently elusive to the President.

Now, with millennial Republican Vice President nominee J.D. Vance in the mix, that constituency may be more in play than ever before. And Kamala Harris may be able to win these voters back by speaking to them — as Tapper put it — in their language. Engaging with a hugely popular and relatively harmless meme is an easy first step to revitalizing a youth voter base that has been underwhelmed by Biden.

CNN could take a page from her book by bringing on journalists who understand and respect the constituents they're reporting on. Because while gray-haired pundits on CNN may not understand how to connect with millennial and Gen Z voters, the Harris campaign certainly does. And it may be what wins them the election.