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Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part

The Metropolitan Opera in New York requires auditions for everyone on stage | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM

Sep 5 • 12:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part

The Metropolitan Opera in New York requires auditions for everyone on stage | 830 WCCO

Sep 5 • 12:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part

The Metropolitan Opera in New York requires auditions for everyone on stage | 104.1 FM KMOX

Sep 5 • 12:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part

The Metropolitan Opera in New York requires auditions for everyone on stage | WWL

Sep 5 • 12:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Key moments in the Lindsay Clancy case: the 911 call, mental health care, mistrial

The judge has declared a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. After seven days of deliberating, the jurors failed to reach a verdict on whether she was criminally responsible

Sep 4 • 7:02 PM EDT • Health • 2news.com

15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches

In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.

Sep 4 • 6:23 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

Judge refuses to block Pentagon from firing Stars and Stripes staffers over CBS interview

A federal judge has refused block the Pentagon from firing three Stars and Stripes staff members who claim they were illegally disciplined for speaking out about the military news outlet’s need to maintain its editorial independence | 830 WCCO

Sep 4 • 6:14 PM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Judge refuses to block Pentagon from firing Stars and Stripes staffers over CBS interview

A federal judge has refused block the Pentagon from firing three Stars and Stripes staff members who claim they were illegally disciplined for speaking out about the military news outlet’s need to maintain its editorial independence | KNX News 1070 AM

Sep 4 • 6:14 PM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Should the Miami Heat Have Aggressively Pursued Ben Simmons?

As Sacramento gambles on the former All-Star, the Miami Heat's championship-caliber roster avoids the risk, prioritizing established veterans over a reclamation project with declining production and immense pressure.

Sep 4 • 6:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Argentine court clears return of Nazi-looted portrait to Jewish dealer’s heir

A long-lost Italian portrait looted by the Nazis has been cleared for return to the heir of a prominent Jewish art dealer | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM

Sep 4 • 4:36 PM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

You Can Get 5 Excellent 90+ Rated Steam Games For Under $25 Right Now

Tomb Raider and Guardians of the Galaxy belong in any big Steam library

Sep 4 • 3:35 PM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com

Mohammed El-Kurd on the Politics of the “Perfect Victim”

The author discusses the limits of liberal solidarity, and why human rights cannot depend on being likable.

Sep 4 • 3:24 PM EDT • Politics • currentaffairs.org

What You Call a Character Arc Is Actually Something Older

Adam Argot on how the three-act structure descends from ritual anthropology.

Sep 4 • 3:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • nofilmschool.com

Here's how the summer box office blew up and Hollywood got its mojo back

Hollywood has just wrapped up its best summer in a decade and its biggest vibe shift since the pandemic | 830 WCCO

Sep 4 • 12:38 PM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

How Fan Headcanon Turned Fern Mayo Trans in the ‘Jawbreaker’ Musical

​A chance DM from a trans actress ended up transforming the character in the stage adaptation of the beloved 1999 comedy.

Sep 4 • 12:25 PM EDT • Entertainment • them.us

Northwell Health names new internal medicine chief

Northwell names new chief of internal medicine for the health system

Sep 4 • 11:52 AM EDT • Health • libn.com

What Gina Hinojosa’s Deeply Personal New Campaign Ad Doesn’t Say

The Democratic candidate for Texas governor highlights her reproductive choice—without noting that choice no longer exists in the state.

Sep 4 • 11:47 AM EDT • Politics • texasmonthly.com

Reform UK polling sting: why even small donations matter in politics these days

It’s the latest financial controversy to rock the party.

Sep 4 • 11:42 AM EDT • Politics • theconversation.com

16th Annual Men’s Health Event

The Michigan Men’s Health Foundation is hosting the 16th annual Men’s Health Event on Saturday, September 26, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit.Men 18 years and older, with or without health insurance, are encouraged to take advantage of this free event focused on preventative healthcare. | WWJ Newsradio 950

Sep 4 • 11:32 AM EDT • Health • audacy.com

Google's Gemini Spark can now manage your Google Photos library

Gemini Spark can edit and curate photo albums, create shared collections, turn photos into calendar events, and handle other Google Photos tasks for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Sep 4 • 10:47 AM EDT • Technology • techcrunch.com

Protolabs Named to Business Insider’s America’s Most Innovative Businesses 2027 List

MINNEAPOLIS, September 04, 2026--Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB), the world’s leading provider of digital manufacturing services, today announced it has been recognized as one of America’s Most Innovative Businesses by Business Insider. The digital manufacturer was recognized for its extensive library of patents for manufacturing technology, ongoing investment in research and development, and strong peer sentiment as a cutting-edge leader within the industry.

Sep 4 • 10:07 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

Science uncovers how the brain interprets artistic beauty

An MRI study zeroes in on the brain networks that underline collective appreciation of art.

Sep 4 • 9:59 AM EDT • Science • theconversation.com

Only 19% Make It: The Hidden Barriers Women Face in Science Today - Futura-Sciences

From Lecture Hall Storms to Today’s Invisible Barriers Let’s rewind to 1867, when women first arrived at university lecture halls. Instead of applause, they were greeted by a storm—literally. Baked apples thrown, misogynistic heckling echoing in the corridors, and courses deliberately sabotaged by peers. Every dirty trick was used to...

Sep 4 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • futura-sciences.com

Sony's PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90

Sony’s PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90 Sony won’t license disc pressing to anyone else, Microsoft does, and a former PlayStation boss thinks that’s the whole problem. When Sony DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer spoke with an Austrian broadcaster in July about PlayStation disc production at the Thalgau plant, a number of press outlets misunderstood the report, writing that production would fall to a tenth of current levels. It won’t. Sony DADC confirmed to Game this week that the figure is a 10 percent decline, not a decline to 10 percent. “To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” a spokesperson with Sony DADC told Game. That figure covers 2028. Tanzer didn’t put a number on the years after, and the spokesperson declined to comment further. What we do know is that on July 1, PlayStation announced that physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028 and that the transition has no impact on games that have already released in disc format or will be releasing in disc format prior to that month. “So, there will be reorders going to the market after January 2028,” the Sony DADC spokesperson said. “For details around that I would ask you to liaise with the PR team from PlayStation, as we can’t speak or comment on their behalf.” PlayStation officials did not respond to questions about reorders or other disc-related matters. But I did recently speak with Shawn Layden, Game Industry Strategic Advisor and former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, who called a future without physical PlayStation discs “depressing, but solvable.” then added, “I think.” The chief hurdle to third-party manufacturing of collector’s editions or any other version of a PlayStation game disc is that Sony owns the proprietary process to press those discs, Layden said. “And unless they decide or determine a way to license that to some of these bespoke disc manufacturers, there’s no way to make it happen,” he said. Layden was careful to add that he understands the concept but doesn’t have “line of sight on the particulars.” “Depressing but solvable, I think.” — Shawn Layden Microsoft already licenses replication to outside plants. Xbox discs are pressed by manufacturers Microsoft certifies as Authorized Replicators, a term defined in its publisher agreements, with the approved list set at the company’s sole discretion and Microsoft retaining the right to halt manufacture. The structure is still in place today: publishers select an Authorized Replicator in Partner Center and submit a bill of materials created with a Microsoft representative. Sony, by contrast, presses PlayStation discs through Sony DADC, its own manufacturing subsidiary. No one I spoke with said they were in discussions with Sony about doing that, and PlayStation hasn’t responded to questions about whether it would be open to a licensing deal. There is an obvious reason Sony might not want to. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed it out on the day of the announcement: it’s a platform-led decision, he wrote, designed to cut costs, eliminate the resale market, and drive all revenue through the PlayStation Store. The math is not subtle. On a $70 third-party game sold through the PlayStation Store, Sony keeps $21. Sold at retail, Ahmad says, it earns about half that. Licensing disc replication to an outside manufacturer might not be worth it. And even if it were, it seems unlikely that such a deal would come from boutique companies like iam8bit, which sells collector’s editions of video games. “We would absolutely love to find a way forward to continue making physical PlayStation games,” said Jon Gibson, co-owner and co-creative director of the company. “We are big believers in giving humans the option to truly own media. If we can play a role in helping make that a reality for the future of PlayStation games, count iam8bit in!” If it were to happen, it would most likely be with a company like Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions, a Memphis-based manufacturer of optical discs and vinyl records that also runs third-party logistics, fulfillment and distribution for packaged media. The company, which was formed in 2025 when Los Angeles private equity firm Variant Equity Advisors purchased Vantiva’s Supply Chain Solutions division, traces its lineage back to Technicolor. When it sold the division, Vantiva described the business as having served video game creators for more than 25 years. Conectiv is also buying, not shrinking. Last month it acquired SDS, the distributor for Universal and Warner Bros. home entertainment, consolidating those studios’ packaged-media pipeline from pressing plant to retail shelf. I reached out to Conectiv and its CEO, but haven’t heard back. Layden pointed to music and books in our discussion about the ongoing value of physical media. “No one ever saw the comeback of cassette tape,” he said. “And vinyl didn’t so much come back. The flame went down, the fire’s dying, but the ember was always there, and it just kind of came back. Much like the book business. We thought we’d all be on Kindles right now. “I believe that physical media is crucial and important. One of the things that makes us gamers, one of the core game mechanics, going back to the beginning of time, is collecting stuff. “Did you get all the diamonds in Crash Bandicoot? Did you get all the stars in Mario? And we like to collect our games. And we have a game shelf. And we put all our boxes up there. And if you’re super hardcore, when you buy a game, you buy two copies, right? One stays in the shrink wrap, and you play the other one. What happens to that important cultural part of the gaming world? You know, we buy the steelbook and the three-disc Final Fantasy set and the figurine and, you know, you can’t download any of that. “What happens to that?” And Layden believes it shouldn’t have been a revenue question for PlayStation. “This was a core thing to the experience of our most devoted fans,” he said. “Yeah, it’s fan service. Why would we take that away? Well, we can’t afford to. It’s already 120 bucks, you know, limited edition special purchase onyx box version of whatever, and those sell at a higher rate than the box selling at $69.99 does. So yeah, the market has said they will continue to buy them. You’re just saying you just don’t want to make them anymore.” Layden said he was recently talking with someone about these sorts of business decisions and how they’re made. Too often, he said, it’s all about the financials and nothing else. “OK, we can do this and save this much money, or we can invest this to look at that outcome, or we can do this and have this happen over there, or move this team to Sri Lanka,” he said. “But each one of those, someone also has to have a ledger there saying, ‘OK, what is the brand impact from that move?’ “Iif you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” — Shawn Layden “If we do that, dollars and cents work out. I get it. That’s just math. But what’s the brand impact? Are people going to say, ‘Good move, you guys?’ Or are they going to say, ‘We hate you guys. Quit doing that.’ And sometimes they say, ‘We hate you.’ Then you take a note and say, OK, how much of that can we live with? How much ‘we hate you’ is OK. And when does it go over the line? “I see a lot of companies making decisions which, objectively speaking, I don’t know what the dollar end of that was for you, Mr. Company, but your brand value just dropped 30 percent. So I hope it was worth it.” Of course, shifting to a digital-only model for games raises other issues beyond simply wanting to collect. The biggest is ownership. Layden pointed out that once you go to a streaming-only or download-only model, it’s just a digital footprint on a hard drive. “What does ownership mean anymore?” he said. “It’s a genuine question. Well, in fact, it’s not even a question anymore. It’s like you are shifting the model from ownership to accessibility. “And what’s always been true, which people forget, is you’ve never been able to sell your iTunes library. And you can’t sell your PlayStation download library. So if you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” The touching tribute found in the credits for Star Wars Zero Company. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Interview and Hands-On with a Minoan Masterpiece Star Wars Zero Company hands-on: Attack Astromechs, permadeath, and delightfully fatal Rube Goldberg tactics Control Resonant opens up as you get stronger — and as characters start trusting you

Sep 4 • 7:57 AM EDT • Technology • game.substack.com

Shoppers buying online while drunk is big business

If online retailers can tell when someone is drunk, perhaps they shouldn’t simply take the cash.

Sep 4 • 6:46 AM EDT • Business • theconversation.com

We Simulated the 2026-27 Season 100 Times on NBA 2K27. Here Are the Results.

What happens if you simulate the upcoming NBA season on ‘NBA 2K’ 100 times? We decided to find out for ourselves and record all the results.

Sep 4 • 6:30 AM EDT • Technology • si.com

The workout recovery techniques backed by science – and the ones that are just hype

While many products promise faster recovery, reduced soreness and improved performance, the science is often more nuanced.

Sep 4 • 6:13 AM EDT • Science • theconversation.com

Is Six Flags (FUN) Recalibrating Its Investment Story With an Arlington Move and 2027 Ride Push?

Six Flags Entertainment recently announced that it will continue investing in Carowinds and Carolina Harbor, with new attractions such as Rip Roarin' Falls set to open in 2027, alongside an ambitious slate of rides including Bakunawa and Werewolf Gorge across several flagship parks. The company also plans to move its corporate headquarters in 2027 from Charlotte to Arlington, Texas, consolidating leadership closer to its five Texas properties while maintaining a regional presence and ongoing...

Sep 4 • 4:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st

Qalibaf Mocks US over Oil, Treasury Yield Pressures

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Parliament speaker warned that the US is facing growing pressure from rising oil futures prices, elevated Treasury yields and the depletion of the country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), saying the consequences of US’ policies are increasingly difficult to conceal.

Sep 4 • 1:34 AM EDT • Politics • tasnimnews.ir

DC librarian offers paid internship to boost interest in library science

A D.C. school librarian is paying students out of his own pocket to work in the library, hoping to boost students' interest in library science.

Sep 3 • 8:05 PM EDT • Science • wtop.com

New Swan Theatre houses first-ever New Swan Science Faire

The UCI New Swan Shakespeare Center collaborated with AirUCI and UCI Office of Research to host the inaugural New Swan Science Faire on Aug. 27. The event was free and open for everyone to attend. Students, families, scientists and performers gathered at the library gateway plaza outside of the New Swan Theatre to spread AirUCI’s […]

Sep 3 • 4:41 PM EDT • Science • newuniversity.org

Has Jürgen Klopp found the solution to Germany’s striker problem?

Younes Ebnoutalib already has 4 goals and an assist in just 2 games this season. Is he Germany’s next star striker?

Sep 3 • 4:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

I’m Your Friend Who Just Doesn’t “Do Politics”

“I just have other interests, I guess, apart from politics. Did I tell you I’m working with the PTA in the school library to remove any books with objectiona...

Sep 3 • 1:01 PM EDT • Politics • mcsweeneys.net

Black River Entertainment To Host Imagination Library Benefit Event

Black River Entertainment is opening its Sound Stage Studios on Sept. 19 for the inaugural Studios [...]

Sep 3 • 11:10 AM EDT • Entertainment • musicrow.com

Library card opens door to learning, entertainment and connection

A small card can unlock a world of information, entertainment and opportunity — and Emporia Public Library leaders are encouraging residents to make sure they have one.

Sep 3 • 9:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • emporiagazette.com

My unsung hero of science: Harriet Taylor Mill, the radical feminist philosopher who lived in the shadow of her husband

Taylor Mill cut to the heart of issues in political thought such as patriarchy, socio-economic justice and freedom.

Sep 3 • 8:58 AM EDT • Science • theconversation.com

Entertainment platform aTwist launches with microseries as Hollywood chases mobile viewers

Sept 3 (Reuters) - Microseries platform and studio aTwist launched on Thursday with 10 original series and curated library ​content, as shifting entertainment preferences ‌drive a wave of demand for mobile-first short-form storytelling. Microdramas are...

Sep 3 • 6:06 AM EDT • Entertainment • wtvbam.com

Entertainment platform aTwist launches with microseries as Hollywood chases mobile viewers

Microseries platform and studio aTwist launched on Thursday with 10 original series and ​curated library content, as shifting entertainment preferences ‌drive a wave of demand for mobile-first short-form storytelling.

Sep 3 • 6:04 AM EDT • Entertainment • reuters.com

Entertainment platform aTwist launches with microseries as Hollywood chases mobile viewers

Microseries platform and studio aTwist launched on Thursday with 10 original series and curated library content, as shifting entertainment preferences drive a wave of demand for mobile-first short-form storytelling.Microdramas are gaining popularity as Hollywood production shrinks and streaming com…

Sep 3 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • tradingview.com

Swiping MAGA right or liberal left dealbreakers in today's dating world

Smoking? Kids? Finances? Political alignment is now at the forefront for those looking for romance in today's world of dating and finding a partner.

Sep 3 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • floridatoday.com

With his eye on reelection, Israel's Netanyahu turns his focus to his divided base

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks reelection, his main concern these days isn’t his political rivals | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM

Sep 3 • 12:01 AM EDT • Politics • audacy.com

Canal Science Symposium Addresses Water Quality Worries

The Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Initiative (C-HAWQ) held its long awaited symposium on canal science at the Collier County Public Library Marco Island Branch on Thursday afternoon, August 28.

Sep 3 • 12:00 AM EDT • Science • coastalbreezenews.com

Imagination Library sees enrollment boost after Parton's death

In the week since country music artist Dolly Parton's death, her namesake children's literacy program has seen an influx of support in her memory.

Sep 2 • 8:54 PM EDT • Entertainment • thesouthern.com

Repression of political opposition surges in post-election Zambia

Following Zambia’s contested presidential and parliamentary elections almost three weeks ago, the crackdown on political opposition has intensified, raising concerns about the future of democracy in the country, according to a UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert.

Sep 2 • 4:31 PM EDT • Politics • news.un.org

CD Projekt Red sees profit climb 37% in H1 2026

CD Projekt Red generated $116.5 million (435 million PLN) in revenue during the first half of 2026, up 23% year-over-ye…

Sep 2 • 3:44 PM EDT • Technology • gamesindustry.biz

Expert analyzes impact of Clancy trial on mental health care

Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno discusses the latest on the Lindsay Clancy trial during 'Outnumbered' as the jury continues deliberations for a fifth day.

Sep 2 • 1:13 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com

Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton Ceramic Alpine Limited Edition

The two brands extend their partnership with a new take on the Streamliner.

Sep 2 • 12:07 PM EDT • Technology • hodinkee.com

New Jersey asks US Supreme Court to assess power to regulate sports bets on Kalshi

New Jersey authorities on Wednesday asked ​the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve whether ‌states have the power to police sports betting that occurs on prediction markets operated by Kalshi and competing ​platforms.

Sep 2 • 12:01 PM EDT • Sports • reuters.com

Decoding Trump’s chaos: What science tells us about how Canada — and the world

As uncertain as Donald Trump’s new world order is, science can explain the effects of his aggression and how to respond.

Sep 2 • 10:26 AM EDT • Science • theconversation.com

Should a small town try a solar-powered garden?

Master of Public Health student Libby Meier tested how practical that alternative would be for Enfield, North Carolina.

Sep 2 • 9:36 AM EDT • Health • unc.edu

Birding takes flight: Four-part library series explores Florida’s feathered friends

From the tiny Chipping Sparrow with its rust-red cap to the loud but beautiful Blue Jay foraging for a snack of unshelled peanuts — and many other feathered species —

Sep 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • chronicleonline.com

'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' review: Acting of the highest caliber

Gregg T. Daniel directs "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at A Noise Within, part of the theater's continuing exploration of the August Wilson Century Cycle.

Sep 2 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com

Is Gen Z Really Disengaged From Politics? Data Says Otherwise

Gen Z Isn’t Disengaged - It’s Waiting for a Reason to Engage.

Sep 2 • 12:30 AM EDT • Politics • thefulcrum.us

Nintendo Expands Switch Online's NES Library With Three More Titles

The Nintendo Classics library grows

Sep 1 • 9:30 PM EDT • Technology • nintendolife.com

For Texan Voters, College Football Is as Partisan as Everything Else

In a new poll from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, we learn that members of the electorate butt heads even when it comes to which team’s fans they most despise.

Sep 1 • 6:49 PM EDT • Politics • texasmonthly.com

What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.

Sep 1 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com

The Academy of Natural Sciences is closing its museum after nearly two centuries

The closure does not affect the rest of the institution, which builds and maintains the collections and conducts research through departments such as the Patrick Center for Environmental Research.

Sep 1 • 11:56 AM EDT • Science • inquirer.com

Political Attacks Are Pushing Public Libraries To ‘Breaking Point,’ New Report Shows

Attacks on librarians, forced storytime cancellations and book bans are threatening the stability of public libraries

Sep 1 • 10:48 AM EDT • Politics • forbes.com

‘Adults’ S2 Review: The Coming-of-Age Comedy Gen Z Deserves

​In its second outing, the FX show has become one of the best sitcoms of the 2020s.

Sep 1 • 10:31 AM EDT • Entertainment • them.us

Beyond the Game: Building the Brooklyn Entertainment Ecosystem

Sam Zussman on how Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment is turning Barclays Center into a year-round hospitality, media and community business.

Sep 1 • 9:46 AM EDT • Entertainment • worth.com

A New Adventure With A Familiar Name: The New Tudor Northflag GMT

The new Tudor Northflag M9140G1A0U-0001 with a GMT function. Powered by caliber MT5652-U. Retail price €5,100

Sep 1 • 8:29 AM EDT • Technology • fratellowatches.com

Hands-On: The M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese

The third entry in the MB&F spinoff pays tribute to a legendary watchmaker.

Sep 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • hodinkee.com

Businesses Are Using AI to Transform Work, Not Cut Jobs

A look at the effects of AI adoption on workforces using the New York Fed’s business surveys in the New York and Northern New Jersey region.

Sep 1 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org

Scientists added sulfuric acid weekly to an Ontario lake for 17 years, lowering pH from 6.8 to 5.2; decades later its lake trout population remains below half its former level

A lake in northwestern Ontario became the setting for a landmark experiment on the effects of acid rain. For 17 years, scientists deliberately added sulfuric acid to Lake 223 every week, gradually changing the water's chemistry to mimic the effects of acid rain that was damaging lakes across North America and Europe.

Sep 1 • 5:55 AM EDT • Science • timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Legacy Entertainment | Beijing Haichang Ocean Park launch

The new attraction, designed by Legacy Entertainment and its subsidiary, The Aquarium Design Company, is the first new aquarium project in the city since 2000

Sep 1 • 5:53 AM EDT • Entertainment • blooloop.com

John Roberts often defers to Trump but not for the White House ballroom project

“That construction is likely unlawful,” Roberts wrote in dissent with the court’s liberals as Trump’s ballroom moves ahead

Sep 1 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Trump's 'golden age of science' is not just another war to be won

Let's get off the battlefield and into the laboratory — this should be one arena where great power competition can be kept in its place

Sep 1 • 12:05 AM EDT • Science • responsiblestatecraft.org

Six Films Preserved from the Father of Forensic Science

Thanks to a National Film Preservation Fund Grant (NFPF), the WashU Libraries’ Film & Media Archive has successfully completed the preservation of six short reels of scientific film made by Dr. Rutherford Birchard Hayes Gradwohl (1877-1959). An 1898 graduate of the WashU School of Medicine, R.B.H. Gradwohl went on to found the modern version of […]

Aug 31 • 5:04 PM EDT • Science • library.washu.edu

Lola Petticrew Is Absolutely Spellbinding in ‘Furious’

​The nonbinary actor turns in a stunning performance in the first season of ​‘Furious​.’

Aug 31 • 4:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • them.us

Hanover volleyball looks to build defense after losing key seniors

Hanover Coach: Avery Kretschmar (1) League: NHIAA Division II Last Year: 12-5; loss in the quarterfinals Top Returners: Seniors — Sage Fargher (Setter), Bella Poisson (Outside), Casey Wilkinson (Libero), Esther Skogerboe (Middle) Newcomers: Juniors — Nour Tannous (Outside), Laila Sundred (Defensive Specialist), Amelia McGinnis (Right Side) Coach’s Analysis: “With the matriculation of seasoned front row […]

Aug 31 • 11:05 AM EDT • Sports • vnews.com

Minnesota State Fair: Political Hub, Always Center Stage

It's more than food on a stick, long lines and Grandstand shows. The Minnesota State Fair has always been a proving ground, outreach opportunity, and sometimes divisive stage for politicians, from local candidates up to the nation's highest office. Yes, politics is yet another State Fair tradition. | 830 WCCO

Aug 31 • 9:49 AM EDT • Politics • audacy.com

In Texas, ordinary Muslim religious practices are increasingly being treated as political threats

After 9/11, suspicion of Islam hardened into an assumption in Texas that Muslim identity itself signals danger, writes a scholar of constitutional law.

Aug 31 • 8:01 AM EDT • Politics • theconversation.com

Sweden ends aid to Liberia in a hammer blow to women’s rights and healthcare

Sexual and reproductive services face an uncertain future as the country’s second-largest donor halts support worth hundreds of millions of pounds

Aug 31 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com

North Carolina: Rabid baby goats at a mobile petting zoo prompts health warning

On Friday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported confirmed multiple rabies cases in baby goats at a mobile petting zoo located in Iredell County. They were first notified of a potential rabies exposure among four baby goats at Farm Adventures in Harmony, North Carolina on August 27. The goats were most likely exposed to rabies by a skunk that had entered the pen where they were kept in late July. The NC State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies viruses in three of the baby goats on August 28; a fourth goat was not tested but is also assumed to have been infected. Based on information gathered on August 28, it was determined that no other animals on the farm pose a risk of rabies exposure to people. Learn about rabies Anyone who had contact with baby goats from the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo either at their location in Harmony, North Carolina, or at an off-site event, between July 28 and Aug. 27, 2026, may have been exposed while the animals were infectious. Impacted individuals should contact their local health department to determine whether medications are needed to prevent infection. Individuals are encouraged to call before visiting an emergency department or urgent care clinic to determine if treatment is needed and where it can be accessed. Known potential exposure dates and locations include: July 28: Jurney’s Assisted Living, 1942 Van Haven Drive, Statesville in Iredell County July 30: Private event in Mecklenburg County Aug. 1: Community Connections Back-to-School Bash, Breeden Amphitheater, 333 S. Main St., Lexington in Davidson County Aug. 6: Brookdale Peachtree, 2806 Peachtree Road, Statesville in Iredell County Aug. 8: Private event in Watauga County Aug. 9: Private event in Burke County Aug. 15: Masonic Picnic Grounds, 201 Poplar St., Mocksville in Davie County Aug. 16: Private event in Durham County Aug. 22: Private event in Iredell County Aug. 23: Private event in Durham County Rabies is a deadly disease that can spread from wild animals to pets and people, primarily through a bite, scratch or when infected saliva touches broken skin or mucous membranes. Human rabies infections are extremely rare in the United States. No human cases have been reported in North Carolina since 2011. Rabies is almost always fatal in mammals, including people, unless medications to prevent infections are given before symptoms develop. Symptoms can begin weeks to months after someone is exposed. Early symptoms are flu-like illness including weakness, fever or headache as well as a prickling or itching sensation where someone was bitten or exposed. In 2025, over 4,000 animals were submitted to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health for rabies testing, and of these, approximately 6% tested positive. In North Carolina the disease most often occurs in wild animals especially skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

Aug 30 • 2:52 PM EDT • Health • outbreaknewstoday.substack.com

St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Discussion Sunday

The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their homestand before a long west coast swing as they’ll host the Pirates again on Sunday. Matthew Liberatore will give it a go for the Cardinals while the Pirates will start Braxton Ashcraft. First pitch is set for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium and the game broadcast will be available […]

Aug 30 • 2:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Experts clash over mental health issues in Clancy trial

Jury deliberations are expected to resume in the trial of Lindsay Clancy. The defense argues that Clancy suffered from postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated. Fox News' Madison Scarpino reports the latest.

Aug 30 • 11:26 AM EDT • Health • foxnews.com

There’s not one right way to be a leader

“Leaders take action to effect positive change in their communities. Leaders refuse to sit on the sidelines and lament. Sometimes they’re commanding, strategic and deliberative, and sometimes they’re a relationship-building che…

Aug 30 • 10:24 AM EDT • Business • times-standard.com

Omni-liberalism: Why you should hold this framework in politics

Views staff writer Logan Walters examines “omni-liberalism" and argues for approaching policy with flexibility and skepticism.

Aug 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • fsunews.com

Dolly Parton’s life was bigger than politics

Dolly Parton had barely died before America started doing what America apparently does now: checking her political credentials. Was she conservative? Liberal? A Trump supporter? An LGBTQ ally? Which side gets to claim her? Which side should cancel her? Good grief! The woman lived 80 years. She can’t be reduced to that. Not with her […]

Aug 30 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • gazette.com

How many cosmic particles are passing through your body at any moment?

While Earth's atmosphere protects us from harmful cosmic rays, other cosmic particles are passing through us every second.

Aug 30 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com

El-Sayed apologizes for comments he made responding to an attack on a Michigan synagogue

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, has apologized to the state's Jewish Democratic Caucus | WWJ Newsradio 950

Aug 29 • 6:02 PM EDT • Politics • audacy.com

Can international diplomacy find a way forward in Libya?

Aug 29 • 4:01 PM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com

San Antonio businesses close after storm, power outages

Restaurants, libraries, medical clinics and entertainment sites around San Antonio are currently without power after the storm and will remain closed.

Aug 29 • 1:24 PM EDT • Business • expressnews.com

California’s opposition is facing a political ‘machine,’ Christopher Rufo says

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo reviews California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tenure on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’

Aug 28 • 7:49 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

One question about the Constitution puts liberals’ appetite for sweeping change to the test

March on Washington activists called to abolish the Senate and rewrite the Constitution while pushing Zohran Mamdani-style socialist policies.

Aug 28 • 7:00 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

Tim Curry in ‘Clue’ Was My Queer Icon Before I Even Knew What That Was

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ wasn’t available in my house — but ‘Clue’ was on repeat.

Aug 28 • 10:45 AM EDT • Entertainment • them.us

IAFF launches new Resource Library for health and safety

The IAFF has launched a new Resource Library, a single online hub for nearly 300 – and counting – health and safety resources for fire fighters and emergency

Aug 28 • 10:36 AM EDT • Health • iaff.org

Qatar pledges support for efforts to end Libya’s political division

Qatari minister meets army chief amid efforts to bridge longstanding political divisions in Libya.

Aug 28 • 9:18 AM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com

Even a Billionaire Critic Likes Mamdani’s Business Council

What the rich and powerful have to say about Mamdani’s 15-member board that includes the Liberty CEO and a yogurt billionaire.

Aug 28 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • nymag.com

Do You Need 8 Glasses of Water a Day? 6 Health Myths Explained | Hartford HealthCare

Learn more about News Detail at hartfordhealthcare.org

Aug 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • hartfordhealthcare.org

The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science

“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. 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Aug 27 • 6:47 PM EDT • Science • wessiler.substack.com

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