- Help
- Google+
Academy Award–winning director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War) turns his eye toward cult leader Charles Manson in the upcoming true crime Netflix documentary CHAOS: The Manson Murders.
SEE ALSO: The 30 best true crime documentaries on Max right nowBased on the nonfiction book by journalist Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring, CHAOS reexamines the Manson family's 1969 killing spree with input from O'Neill himself. O'Neill began researching the case in 1999 for an assignment, uncovering over the ensuing decades a sprawling conspiracy that includes CIA mind control experiments like MK-Ultra, LSD, and even Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. With these findings in mind, CHAOS looks to answer whether the official story of the Manson murders is actually the whole truth.
"It was managed and manipulated," O'Neill says of the Manson story. "I know that what we were told isn't what happened."
Later in the trailer, O'Neill claims, "Manson became exactly what the CIA was trying to create."
To dive deeper into the story, watch the full trailer above.
SAVE 15%: As of Feb. 21, you can snag the Logitech POP ICON keyboard and mouse combo for just $59.49 at Amazon.
Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech POP ICON Keyboard and Mouse $59.49 at AmazonBuying new accessories is the quickest (and easiest) way to transform your gaming setup. I had a friend in college who did this so often that she ended up going viral on social media. She now designs her own controllers and works as a Senior Internal Communications and Experience Specialist at Electronic Arts.
If your aesthetic is more on the cute and playful side, the Logitech POP ICON keyboard and mouse combo makes for the perfect addition to your gaming battle station. And right now, you can get it for 15% off.
SEE ALSO: The best keyboard for upgrading your PC gaming experienceThis Bluetooth-compatible keyboard and mouse come with customizable action keys and buttons and are made with recycled plastic materials. With a quiet mechanical feel, you can type comfortably without disturbing your housemates or streaming audience. Plus, the shortcuts and hotkeys built into the POP ICON make managing system volume, play/pause media, and open applications easy.
You can connect up to three devices and switch between them with the push of a button. And, with a two-year battery life for the mouse and a three-year battery life for the keyboard, you won't have to worry about constantly swapping out batteries.
In recent days, the anglerfish has become a symbol of hope and light for the extremely online — which is very nice but not exactly based on truth.
Last week, scientists spotted an anglerfish near the surface of the water off the coast of Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands, far from the depths of its usual home. Anglerfish typically live in the deep sea and are famous for using a bright little orb at the end of its lure to attract prey and eat them with razor-like teeth. You might remember this guy from Finding Nemo.
The fish aren't as big as you might think, and the specific fish that was spotted off the Islands was only about six inches long. A little baby, one might say. The internet saw this little baby leaving the depths of its home and floating toward the sun and gave it a bit of its own story — albeit one that's likely pretty far from the truth. One post on X said, "She finally saw a light she didn’t create." (Anglerfish don't really create their own light, another user pointed out; it's produced by tiny glowing bacteria called photobacterium on its lure).
People created fan art, poems, and TikTok videos and even got tattoos depicting the anglerfish's "search for the sun." One of the most-liked images shows a painting of an anglerfish rising to the surface with the words, "And for my last day, I will go see the sun."
Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedIt's all a very sweet message. But, as many scientists and anglerfish aficionados online have pointed out, the likely reasons this little fish went to the surface are far less romantic than a final, life-long dream to see the sun.
"It’s possible that the anglerfish ate a fish with a swim bladder or gas gland, and as that gas kept expanding, it drew the predator upward in the water column," Bruce Robison, a senior scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, told National Geographic. "It’s the sort of thing that, once you get started, it’s hard to control it."
Ben Frable, the senior collection manager of marine vertebrates at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Southern California, told the New York Times that the anglerfish in the video seemed to be sick, stressed, or injured.
"A lot of things could be going on," Frable told the Times. "The animal could have been in distress, or worked its way into shallow water accidentally, or was being pursued by a predator."
There's no reason to believe this animal was moving toward the surface because it wanted to see the sun or because it spent its life with some unbelievable drive for warmth. But, hey, the art is good.
A new Avatar series is in production, and I've already got several items on my wish list for the show.
SEE ALSO: An 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' sequel series is on the way, and we've already got theoriesTitled Avatar: Seven Havens, the new entry into the Avatar universe introduces us to the Earth Avatar who comes after Korra. But the world she lives in will look nothing like the world we last saw in The Legend of Korra. Instead, according to the show's official logline, Seven Havens takes place in a world rocked by a major calamity, where the Avatar is viewed as humanity's destroyer.
Seven Havens' post-apocalyptic setting is ripe for exploration, as is the revelation that the new Avatar has a long-lost twin sister. With these facts in mind, here are six things I'd love to see in Avatar: Seven Havens.
1. Korra as a mentor figure.Korra may be gone by the time Seven Havens takes place, but I hope she won't be forgotten.
Given that dark spirit Vaatu broke the Avatar cycle in Season 2 of The Legend of Korra, Seven Havens' Avatar will only have Korra's spirit to guide her through her journey. Seeing Korra in mentor mode would be a great way to understand how she's grown beyond the show and the comics. Plus, it will offer up a passing of the torch from one Avatar show to the next.
There's just one substantial wrinkle here: the matter of the apocalypse. If the calamity of Seven Havens took place while Korra was still the Avatar, that means she was unable to stop it. How would her failure to save the world impact her mentorship? Would her successor even want to listen? (Please, I need Korra to catch a break.)
2. More bending subclasses and more gnarly fights.Avatar: The Last Airbender introduced us to bending subclasses like lightningbending, bloodbending, and metalbending. The Legend of Korra built on those, while also bringing lavabending, spiritbending, and straight-up flight into the fray. What new bending subclasses could we see in Seven Havens?
SEE ALSO: It's a great time to channel your fighting spirit with 'The Legend of Korra'Whatever they are, I'm excited to see how bending adapts to a post-apocalyptic world — especially when it comes to fight scenes. Neither The Last Airbender nor The Legend of Korra shied away from brutality in their combat, with The Legend of Korra raising the bar in Season 3. Remember the suffocation of the Earth Queen? Or P'Li blowing her own head up? Can Seven Havens top that? Its post-apocalyptic setting certainly primes us for darker, more violent fight scenes.
3. Will we get twin Avatars?Seven Havens' earthbending Avatar having a twin opens up an intriguing possibility: that of twin Avatars. Yes, the idea may sound like something straight out of fan fiction, but hear me out!
Korra and the light spirit Raava defeated Vaatu in Season 2, but since Raava was reborn within Vaatu, there's still a bit of him left in the Avatar spirit. What if that bit split off when the Avatar and her twin were born, so one sister inherited the Avatar spirit and the other inherited the Dark Avatar spirit? Twins with diametrically opposed power sets could help Seven Havens further explore the Avatar franchise's broader themes of balance. Plus, think of the delicious potential for sibling conflict and their dynamic during fight scenes! The cool factor is off the charts.
4. Big cultural shifts in the Four Nations.It's highly likely that the Four Nations have dissolved in the wake of calamity, and that the "Seven Havens" refers to new states within the world of Avatar. So, how has culture in these Havens evolved since disaster? Are the Havens divided based on bending? Is there any resemblance to the world we once knew in earlier Avatar series, or are we essentially starting over?
SEE ALSO: The 10 best 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' episodes to binge right now 5. A flashback to the apocalypse.What triggered the calamity that shattered the world of Avatar? A collapse between the spirit and material realms? Some kind of spirit energy nuke? I'm going to need a flashback to find out, even if it hurts.
6. New Avatar critters!Both Avatar series have given us the gift of sweet new critters, from flying bison and badgermoles to fire ferrets and polar bear dogs. What creatures will Seven Havens bring to the table?
Of course, I'm hoping for a cute animal companion for our Earth Avatar, as is tradition. But given the show's post-apocalyptic setting, I'd also love some gnarly new apocalyptic beasts. Let's take full advantage of the apocalypse, people!
SAVE $600: As of Feb. 21, get the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 Gaming Laptop for $1,249.99 at B&H Photo, down from its normal price of $1,849.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: B&H Photo Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 Gaming Laptop $1,249.99 at B&H PhotoWant a quick and easy way to play your favorite PC games at home or while out and about? A gaming laptop is a great compromise, since you can take it with you or set it up like a desktop at home. And if you've been on the hunt for one that won't break the bank, now's your chance to scoop up this deal from B&H Photo.
As of Feb. 21, get the 14-inch Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 Gaming Laptop for $1,249.99 down from its usual price of $1,849.99. That's $600 and a discount of 36% off.
This laptop boasts a 3072 x 1920 display with a 165 Hz refresh rate and 400 nits of brightness. It's powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 16-core processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD to hold all your games and files. It's a bit hefty at 4.19 lbs, but it's well worth the extra weight with the type of power it has under the hood, especially at this price.
It has an RGB keyboard that you can customize to your liking and a sturdy chassis, so you can take it with you and get your game on without having to worry about dropping it or scratching it up. And it'll be able to run the latest games for the foreseeable future, so you don't have to be concerned with it becoming immediately obsolete.
The laptop is available at this discount until Feb. 24, so you've only got a few days left to capitalize on it.
SAVE 50%: The iPhone 16e may not have MagSafe support, but these phone cases from Speck provide a nifty workaround for Apple's latest smartphone. Also, they're 50% off at Best Buy, just $24.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Speck Speck Presidio ClickLock Case with MagSafe for iPhone 16e $24.99 at Best BuyThe good news: The budget-friendly iPhone 16e is almost here (you can even pre-order today starting at $599). The bad news: The iPhone16e bafflingly does not support MagSafe charging. That is, unless you have a third-party MagSafe-compatible phone case that would allow you to do so.
These cases from Speck are designed to fix the 16e's MagSafe issue, and they're currently sitting at a 50% discount — just $24.99 rather than the usual $49.99. They're going fast at Best Buy, so you'll want to be quick to snag this deal if you plan on picking up Apple's latest smartphone.
SEE ALSO: iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: What are the differences?The aesthetically pleasing clear phone case from Speck isn't just style over substance. It's super protective while still maintaining a slim profile, being able to withstand drops up to 13 feet, and it's made from 50% recycled plastics. The case is also antimicrobial and employs a ClickLock system on the back to keep any MagSafe accessory of your choosing in place.
While we haven't tested this phone case ourselves, it should work with your new iPhone 16e. Mashable Senior Editor and Apple expert Stan Schroeder reports, "I cannot be completely certain that a third-party case with MagSafe will always work exactly the same as having MagSafe on the phone. But given that MagSafe is essentially a Qi wireless charger paired with magnets to automatically align with MagSafe chargers, and the iPhone 16e does support Qi wireless charging, it should work fine with MagSafe-compatible chargers. Some features, such as Find My for MagSafe Wallets, probably won't work (I will put this to the test once I get an iPhone 16e review unit). Still, if you're keen on getting the iPhone 16e, and you want to use MagSafe accessories, a third-party case is probably your best bet."
SAVE $69.99 + FREE WATCH BAND: As of Feb. 21, get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for $329.99, down from its usual price of $399.98. That's a discount of 22%, plus choose a free select watch band with purchase.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $329.99 at SamsungLooking for a good way to manage your activity and organize your life? A smartwatch is a great option. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 in particular is a good pick, as it has plenty of options, from health and fitness to communication features, to fuel your day. And right now, you can get one at a great price with an extra you won't want to miss out on.
As of Feb. 21, get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for $329.99 at Samsung, down from its usual price of $399.98. That's $69.99 off and a discount of 22%. You also get a free select watch band when purchasing a Galaxy Watch 7. Just scroll down to the "Make your Galaxy epic with an exclusive" section on the product page and choose that option.
This smartwatch boasts a wide variety of different fitness options so you can track your workouts, sleep, heart rate, and even detect sleep apnea. It offers a daily Energy Score rating to help you decide what you're going to do for the day (and what you're ready for) as well as the ability to compare and contrast your regular readiness. We rated it as one of our best fitness trackers to buy in 2025.
Beyond that, it has your normal suite of communications options, so you can call, text, pay, and use other apps straight from your wrist. If you want to save big and also get another way to customize your new watch, this deal is a no-brainer, especially since it comes straight from the source.
Before you scurry off to your weekend shenanigans, we've rounded up a few great deals you won't want to miss at Amazon. Some of our favorite brands, including Apple, Samsung, and Bose are offering impressive discounts on popular gadgets, despite it being just a random Friday in February.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Feb. 21. If none of these are your cup of tea, be sure to check out our picks from Feb. 19 and Feb. 20. Many of those are still live, including the best price ever on the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop and Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4.
Our top pick: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra $329.00 at AmazonWhile we've tested a ton of headphones at Mashable, only a select few make it to our lists of favorites. The Bose QuietComfort Ultras are our top pick for both noise-cancelling and comfort. They also deliver all-day battery life and well-rounded, immersive sound, ticking all the most important boxes for a good pair of headphones. They're usually a bit steep at $429, but as of Feb. 21, you can slash 23% off the Diamond 60th Anniversary Edition headphones and pick up a pair for just $329 at Amazon. That's $20 cheaper than they were earlier this month.
Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
Apple AirTags (4-pack) Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags (4-pack) $69.99 at AmazonGot spring travel plans? You might want to snag yourself a set of AirTags while they're back on sale for 29% off. At only $69.99 for a four-pack, you're essentially getting one-and-a-half AirTags for free. Great for iPhone users, these Bluetooth trackers let you keep track of whatever you attach them to — suitcase, purse, guitar case, backpack, etc. — as long as there's an Apple device nearby with FindMy turned on. You'll be able to see precisely where you are in proximity to your stuff with an accuracy of only a few feet. In other words, no more fretting about your luggage's whereabouts.
Samsung 32-inch M8 4K smart monitor Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch M8 4K smart monitor $399.99 at AmazonSamsung's M series of smart monitors work double duty as brilliant mini TVs with built-in streaming features. So long as you have an internet connection, you can watch Netflix or YouTube, browse the internet, and work on documents without hooking up to a computer. The M8 model is a step up from the M7 that we tested and loved last year, boasting a brighter screen, optimized text clarity, and a removable webcam. We aren't thrilled with its retail price of $699.99, so the 43% discount as of Feb. 21 is more than welcome. Snag the 32-inch smart monitor for only $399.99 at Amazon — just $20 shy of its best price ever.
Garmin vívoactive 5 Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $228.96 at AmazonGarmin makes some of the best smartwatches on the market. We haven't tested the latest vívoactive 5 smartwatch, but we did spend some time with its predecessor and were big fans. As per our reviewer: "The vívoactive 4 is an excellent smartwatch for active people wanting to be more in tune with their bodies, and for less active individuals who have the desire but need a little nudging to stick to their goals." The latest vívoactive model steps up the features even further, with an upgraded AMOLED display, improved heart rate sensor, enhanced sleep and stress coaching, and more than 30 sports apps. It's regularly $299.99, but if you like the color navy, you can grab it at Amazon for only $228.96 as of Feb. 21. That's 24% in savings.
Logitech POP Mouse Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech POP Mouse $19.99 at AmazonIf you need a new mouse and want something that reflects your aesthetic, the Logitech POP Mouse is a great choice. It comes in several color varieties like mist, daydream mint, and lavender and is currently on sale for half price at Amazon. That knocks the usual $39.99 price tag down to just $19.99. The POP is quiet, compact, and comfortable to use with a customizable emoji button, multi-device pairing, and two-year battery life. As our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) wrote in their review, "The Logitech POP Mouse ($40) is a trendy wireless mouse that should impress casual PC and Mac users who want their gear to be an extension of their personality."
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
SAVE $103: As of Feb. 21, you can get the LG StanbyMe portable touchscreen monitor for $896.99, down from $999.99, at Amazon. That's a $103 discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 27-inch StanbyMe portable touchscreen monitor $896.99 at AmazonIf you’ve been on Instagram at all within the past year or so, you’ve probably encountered one or two of those lavish bathtime setups, complete with candles, flower petals, and, of course, a portable touchscreen monitor.
That monitor is likely the LG StanbyMe, a sleek and versatile device that has become a staple among influencers and self-care gurus who live for that picture-perfect ambiance.
As of Feb. 21, you can get your hands on the LG StanbyMe for just $896.99, down from $999.99, at Amazon. That’s a $103 price cut or a 10% discount.
SEE ALSO: I bent LG's new 5K2K bendable gaming monitor at CES 2025This 27-inch monitor is basically a large tablet that you can take with you from room to room. It has a built-in battery, so you’re not tethered to cords or cables, and five wheels at the base for easy maneuverability. You can put the screen in portrait or landscape mode and wirelessly mirror content from your mobile devices via Airplay2. It also comes with a remote so you can control it from afar.
Whether you’re following a recipe (or a workout), catching up on your fave Netflix shows, or need an extra monitor for work, the LG StanbyMe is super versatile and portable.
SAVE $60: As of Feb. 21, PlayStation owners can snag a 12-month PS Plus Premium membership for $60 off the usual price. That's just $99.99 for a whole year of the Game Pass-esque subscription service, rather than $159.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation PlayStation Plus Premium membership (12 months) $99.99 at PlayStationIf you're into gaming at all, it's kind of becoming a necessity to have some sort of subscription service to supplement your hobby. Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Switch Online — basically, it's the streaming service boom all over again. And like streaming services, membership rates aren't exactly cheap.
So when one is on sale, it's probably a good idea to jump on the opportunity. Case in point: PlayStation Plus Premium annual memberships are $60 off the usual price until Feb. 25. Only $99.99 for a year rather than $159.99? We'll take it.
SEE ALSO: Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamerWhat makes PlayStation Plus Premium so great (and worth $100)? It's the perks. With your membership, you'll not only be able to play online with your gaming pals, get free monthly games, and have the opportunity to take advantage of special deals and discounts. You'll also gain access to the PS Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog — two massive, Game Pass-esque game libraries that you can download from and play at your leisure. Better yet, you'll be able to use the Cloud Storage and Share Play features, download game trials, stream certain games, and be able to watch movies from the Sony Pictures Catalog. That's a whole lot, we know.
So, if any of that sounds good to you, act fast — annual PlayStation Plus Premium memberships are $60 off (just $99.99) until Feb. 25.
SAVE $30: As of Feb. 21, you can score the Anker Prime Power Bank for $149.99, down from $179.99, at Amazon. That's a $30 price cut.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Prime Power Bank $149.99 at AmazonWe've all been there: a dying phone battery when you need it most. Whether you're a traveler, a heavy phone user, or just have an older device, a portable power bank is the smartest way to stay connected on the go.
As of Feb. 21, you can get the Anker Prime Power Bank for $149.99, down from $179.99, at Amazon. That’s a 17% discount and a $30 price cut on a top-notch charger that’ll keep your devices powered up no matter where you are.
SEE ALSO: Get an adapter that works in 190+ countries with USB-C charging for just $50The Anker Prime Power Bank is compatible with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iPhones 16, 15, 14, and 13. It’s also compatible with Samsung and Dell devices. It has a 27,650mAh capacity, which Anker says can charge a 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) 1.28 times or an iPhone 14 4.67 times.
There are dual USB-C ports for fast charging, plus it comes with a two-foot charging cable and travel pouch. The power bank itself charges via USB-C and can fully recharge in about 37 minutes.
Twitch is imposing a storage restriction on certain types of content.
The Amazon-owned streaming platform, which is largely dedicated to video games but also sometimes eating food, announced on its support website that anything under the "Highlights" and "Uploads" banner now counts towards a 100-hour storage limit, per profile. It should be noted that this does not apply to the temporarily saved VODs of livestreams or shorter, streamer-uploaded Clips.
Highlights and Uploads are generally longer than Clips, so only they count towards this new limit, which goes into place on April 19.
SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Feb. 21, 2025)Yes, it's a little confusing that there are like five different types of videos that can appear on a Twitch user's profile, and only two of them count towards this limit.
According to Twitch, less than half a percent of all users currently exceed the 100-hour limit for Highlights and Uploads. Those people will be notified directly, and if they don't correct their ways before April 19, their Highlights and Uploads could get automatically deleted. After that, it won't even be possible to exceed the limit in the first place, so automatic deletion isn't something people will have to worry about moving forward.
If you're part of that half-percent of users, you better fix your situation now.
In Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight's Hulu/Disney+ show, A Thousand Blows, there are more than a few characters based on historical figures. Set in the grime and crime of 1880s East London, the most overt action takes place in the boxing ring, with real-life Jamaican immigrant Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) taking on the best fighter on the Thames, Henry "Sugar" Goodson (Stephen Graham).
But beyond these matches, a band of stealthy, organised thieves are seizing their own piece of the action — and they're all women. They're the Forty Elephants, a real gang led by the charismatic Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), who pilfer the prized possessions of the upper classes by the pocketful.
Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah Moscow and Erin Doherty as Mary Carr in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky Photography / Disney"I wanted for a long time to do the story of the Forty Elephants, which is a true story of a gang of female-only criminals who were led by someone called Mary Carr," Knight said onstage at A Thousand Blows' premiere at the London Film Festival (LFF) in October, fittingly shown at the BFI around the corner from the Embankment pub named for the gang. He referred to the story as "working class history...that is just remarkable, astonishing, and needed to be told."
SEE ALSO: How the world got hooked on the sneaky allure of 'Peaky Blinders'But who were the Forty Elephants and Mary Carr, and how are they portrayed in Knight's TV series? Let's dig into the history books.
Who were the Forty Elephants? The Forty Elephants in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky Photography / DisneyAs the first organised, all-female shoplifting gang in London, operational from the 1870s to the 1950s, the Forty Elephants (also called the Forty Thieves) might instantly enliven modern feminist imaginations. They're simply made for the screen. A city-wide, highly organised syndicate of women without the right to vote but seizing the right to everyone's coin and luxury goods? It's the stuff of legend, and it makes them deeply compelling characters in A Thousand Blows, cutting the pockets of the aristocracy in both covert, theatrical, and sometimes literal ways.
"The Forty Thieves is the most successful shoplifting gang that Britain's ever seen," says historian, author, and BBC journalist Lucy Worsley in a riveting Lady Swindlers podcast episode on the Forty Elephants. "It has a mirror image of itself in the form of the male Elephant and Castle gang, which includes relative, lovers, and husbands. But the Forty Thieves are proud of their financial independence from the men, and they certainly don't share their proceeds with them."
Organised gangs need a formidable leader; the Forty Elephants had a queen.The Forty Elephants deployed creative means of stealing money, clothes, jewels, and anything else of value, as detailed in author and journalist Brian McDonald's book Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants — he dug through police detective reports, court transcripts, and newspaper coverage from the time. From blackmail to breaking and entering and assault, their targets reportedly ranged from gentlemen on the street to London's newly opened department stores and high-end jewellery shops — we see the Elephants' brazen raid of Harrods in A Thousand Blows' second episode.
The gang's emergence came from a place of "combatting unfairness," McDonald writes — they were women in the lower echelons of society fighting to survive, not just to vote: "The suffragist movement sought equality with men; shoplifters, jewel thieves and fences sought escape from ritual drudgery." In fact, according to the Museum of London, shoplifters and suffragettes would have served sentences at Islington's notorious Holloway Prison around the same time in the early 1900s.
Historian Rosalind Crone explained on Lady Swindlers that professional shoplifting "provided an option for women who were failing or struggling to benefit from the new opportunities opening up in the early 20th century to have some of the luxury, to have a career and to have economic independence from men. So in other words, this was an alternative route to become a modern woman."
Most important of all, organised gangs need a formidable leader; the Forty Elephants had a queen.
Who was Mary Carr of the Forty Elephants? Erin Doherty as Mary Carr and Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky Photography / Disney"One of the most dangerous women in the metropolis," according to a 1900 police report described in McDonald's book, Mary Carr was the 'queen' of the Forty Elephants gang in Victorian London, recruiting girls and women to her shoplifting syndicate.
According to historian, journalist and author Caitlin Davies in her book Queens of the Underworld (Davies also trawled through police transcripts, court reports, and more from the National Archives), Carr was born in 1862 in the central London district of Holborn, and quickly ran afoul of the law by her teens, landing in a Church of England-run penitentiary for "fallen women." By the 1890s, the author says, Carr was not only an artist's model but was suspected of crimes ranging from pickpocketing to fencing stolen goods to child kidnapping (really). But she'd be most famous for running the Forty Elephants, teaching young women how to take what they didn't have.
"As Queen of the Elephants, I travel 'round this city offering poor, lost souls opportunities," says Carr in A Thousand Blows, played by The Crown's Erin Doherty.
Erin Doherty as Mary Carr in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky Photography / DisneyFinding her own version of the fearless and strategic leader in the show, Doherty views her brazen character with utter respect. "I just wanted to be just a morsel of the reason why people get to find out about these women. I was genuinely just really inspired by what they did, and I just wanted to be a part of Mary. Embracing her and embodying her, really, has been a gift for me," said the actor onstage at LFF.
"I just really respected that they took these missions with complete seriousness, and they took it with pride," Doherty added. "This was the only opportunity that they were given, so they were going to do it to the best of their ability."
A Thousand Blows also features Carr's arguably more famous successor Alice Diamond (played by The Irregulars' Darci Shaw), who was the gang's notorious queen in the 1920s. In a fictionalised scene in A Thousand Blows, Mary and Alice meet during a Harrods raid, and she's recruited into the gang through a series of trials — it's a real treat to watch these hypothesised conversations between the two queens throughout the series. In A Thousand Blows, the Forty Elephants are Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody, Nadia Albina as Verity Ross, Morgan Hilaire as Esme Long, Jemma Carlton as Belle Downer and Caoilfhionn Dunne as Anne Glover.
Shirley Pitts, who followed Diamond as the gang's last queen, isn't represented in the show, but you should read Dr. Lorraine Gamman's book Gone Shopping about her.
The theatrical gambits of the Forty Elephants The Forty Elephants in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky Photography / DisneyOne of the most compelling elements of the Forty Elephants is how organised the operation was — McDonald writes that the gang adhered to a strict code of conduct and worked with a city-wide network of specialist fences, pawnbrokers, and couriers (you'll see them all in A Thousand Blows). The author quotes the gang's manifesto during Diamond's time as queen: "Discipline is expected, no drinking before a raid, and early hours to bed. Proceeds from a job are equally shared by the group members involved no matter what their role members must not steal from each other. Families must be looked after when a member is in prison."
But as organised as they were, the gang was also creative.
In the opening scene of A Thousand Blows, we first meet Mary Carr pulling a diabolical heist by pretending to go into labour in the middle of the street, while her gang members pickpocket the crowd. It works like a charm, and it's the perfect homage to the real gang's techniques. McDonald writes of the Forty Elephants' "practice of putting their arm in an affectionate embrace around the necks of their victims, in this case sailors, while rifling their pockets with the other hand. In Lady Swindlers, Worsley talks about Diamond using a type of trouser referred to as "grafters bloomers" with extremely deep pockets to rob Selfridges, and she quotes a detective from the Metropolitan Police describing how the gang would rob department stores "with military precision":
"Dressed to kill, these girls would descend on a West End store like a swarm of locusts. They'd roll up in taxis and chauffeur-driven limousines and practically clean the place out inside an hour. In 1914, there were 15 arrests in Selfridges alone in one single day, but most of the time, Alice and the gang got away with it."
"Dressed to kill, these girls would descend on a West End store like a swarm of locusts."The Harrods scene in episode 2 of A Thousand Blows sees Mary Carr and her gang swan into the palatial store, knives out, smashing and grabbing silver hairbrushes, Chinese silk, hats, furs, and feather boas, and strolling back out the door.
There are great anecdotes in McDonald and Davies' books about Carr's gambits, including one in which McDonald says she was sentenced to four months hard labour for stealing a gold watch by pretending to have lost her purse, asking for a bus fare, then snatching the goods. "Mary Carr used her youthful looks to full advantage by dressing in exquisite clothes, her golden locks hanging over her shoulders, and acting the part of a teenage girl who could not find her way to her lodgings," McDonald writes. "This was for the benefit of prosperous-looking gentlemen who offered directions to guide her and when she was too upset to comprehend the instructions consented to walk with her. Carr would then turn from demure damsel to forceful harridan when her gang of girls responded to her cries for help."
This technique the author describes involves the gang members often framing men for assault, then blackmailing them for their valuables "to avoid the embarrassment of a prosecution." Davies says this technique evolved from a ruse by Ann Duck in the 1740s. Other stories McDonald and Davies write of are Carr swooning in the street, being escorted home by a passing man, then having her aunt burst in on their being unaccompanied, and blackmailing him. While fabricating such claims for blackmail purposes is obviously completely terrible, it’s actually quite surprising this female gang felt confident enough in a judicial system’s possibility of believing women that they used it as a weapon. That might be a modern read, but I'm intrigued.
So, what did they do with all that loot? As well as making ends meet and putting food on the table, the Museum of London has a great answer: "The gang were known for their extravagant style, but you wouldn’t catch them wearing most of the items they’d nicked. Instead, they’d flog them to their network of specialist ‘fencers’, people who buy stolen goods to sell at a profit. The Forties would get money on a commission basis. They spent their money on high fashion and fun. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the clan gathered in London entertainment venues like music halls."
Despite the drama, these were genuinely risky plays by the Forty Elephants. A Thousand Blows director Nick Murphy told the LFF audience that the show's events are underpinned by the brutality of everyday life in Victorian London, and the very real risks facing the Forty Elephants. "Like Mary says, 'One slip, London will kill you.' That's it. There's no social security. There's no backup. Everybody knows that one slip and it's done…These women get caught, they'll fucking hang. That's it, and it's serious."
The portrayal of Mary Carr and the Forty Elephants in A Thousand Blows might be the first you hear of this formidable gang — it certainly was for me. For women at the bottom rung of society to climb their way up through theatrical ruses and violence is not a story we've heard a lot, and it's one that deserves its time onscreen.
If you decide to use their shoplifting techniques, we were never here.
SAVE $160.27: As of Feb. 21, get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE for $289.72 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's a discount of 36%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE $289.72 at AmazonTablets are versatile pieces of tech that make just about anything easier when you're out and about. If you don't have the space to work on a laptop, or you just want a bigger screen to enjoy your favorite shows, movies, and games on, they're a no-brainer. And you can get an excellent tablet right now for a great price without having to break a sweat.
As of Feb. 21, get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE for $289.72 at Amazon, down from its normal price of $449.99. That's a discount of 36%.
SEE ALSO: The best tablets in 2025This tablet can be considered mid-level, but it still packs every bit of a punch. Powered by the Samsung Exynos 1390 chip, it features a 10.9-inch screen with dual speakers and Dolby Atmos support, a slim and lightweight frame, and 128GB of storage. It also comes with an S Pen stylus, which means you can use it to jot down notes, doodle, or just navigate the tablet with it.
You get an 18-hour battery life with fast charging that nets you another full charge in just an hour and a half, and it's also rated IP68 for water and dust resistance.
If you need a reliable tablet that'll get the job done without having to shell out for the price of an iPad or even one of Samsung's other heavy-hitters, this is a great choice. Snag one before the price goes up again, or a couple, and stop squinting to see what's on your phone screen.
Clone Robotics just brought the very essence of your worst nightmares to life in gleaming, astonishing, graphic detail.
The Polish startup posted a video on X of Protoclone, a faceless, anatomically accurate synthetic human hanging from strings in the ceiling.
"Protoclone, the world's first bipedal, musculoskeletal android," Clone Robotics introduced in the video that has now been seen by more than 33 million people on the platform. It has over "200 degrees of freedom, over 1,000 Myofibers, and 500 sensors." It has synthetic organ systems. You can "stab it with a fork and it will bleed out."
Tweet may have been deletedThe video shows the robot twitching, and there's ominous music playing in the background. It is like they specifically created the video to look like a scene in a horror film — and that's pretty much the take the internet responded with.
SEE ALSO: Meta is diving into AI-powered humanoid robots Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedNo matter your personal thoughts about the evolution of robotics — be them problematic, life-altering, boring, terrifying, or an exploration of the new frontier — it is clear that this specific video perhaps wasn't intended to lull us into a sense of calm.
Questlove's Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) asks the question "Is there a burden on Black Genius?" The film's producer Joseph Patel gives us a deep look into the film, Sly Stone's legacy, and the burden that comes with success for Black artists.
SAVE $50: As of Feb. 21, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) is on sale at Amazon for $199. That's 20% off its list price of $249.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $199.00 at AmazonSmartwatches aren't just for very active individuals. If you want something a bit more simple that can just keep up with your day-to-day activities, there are plenty of options to choose from. For Apple users, the Apple Watch SE is a great pick that covers all of the basics. It's currently on sale at Amazon as well, so you can add it to your Apple ecosystem at a cheaper price.
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is currently marked down to $199 at Amazon. This is 20% off its list price of $249, allowing you to keep $50, which is a very nice discount. This smartwatch boasts plenty of features that make it well worth that price tag, too.
SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wristAlongside a variety of fitness features that can help you stay on top of your goals and track your activity for the day, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) also includes a heart rate monitor, sleep tracker, Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS. Not to mention, you can also answer calls and send texts from the watch.
In our comparison of Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE 2, Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon notes that, "If you're more fitness-focused, and you don't mind the thicker bezels and lack of always-on display, the Watch SE is a solid choice."
Don't miss out on 20% off the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) at Amazon.
This isn't the only Apple deal worth jumping on right now, though. At Best Buy you can save on the iPad Pro right now as well and the Apple Studio Display has also gotten a very nice discount at Amazon.
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...
Boston's most important responders: Bostonians The people of Boston are to be congratulated for being...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
Digital Privacy: A Catch 22 Mobility, convenience, accessibility and real-...
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...