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'The Entertainment Capital Of Iowa' Is A Bustling City With Shopping, A Casino, And Amusement Park Fun
Altoona, Iowa, packs in Adventureland, Prairie Meadows Casino, outlet shopping, and family attractions just minutes from Des Moines.
Samsung's new smartwatch is packed with new modes; there are 3 I'm dying to test
Keep track on the tracker
Packers Get Intriguing Diego Pavia Message After Ravens Release
One analyst believes Matt LaFleur could be the right coach to revive another young quarterback. The post Packers Get Intriguing Diego Pavia Message After Ravens Release appeared first on HEAVY.
Andy Burnham and the rise of ‘aura farming’ in politics
Is “aura farming” the new political superpower? There are some days in TV news when you find yourself standing in the middle of a farm, surrounded by baby goats, trying to explain internet slang. Subscribe This was one of those days. There I was, in wellies, trying to unpack aura farming - a Gen Z term for carefully cultivating your image online so that you look effortlessly cool, authentic and charismatic. The trick, apparently, is that it can’t look like you’re trying too hard. Which, I’ll admit, felt slightly ironic as we filmed an entire report on a farm purely because the word farming is in the title. ‘Shaped by algorithms’ Whether you like it or not, politics increasingly feels like it’s being shaped by algorithms as much as manifestos. Take Andy Burnham. Since arriving at Number 10, he’s been impossible to miss online. One minute he’s out for a casual jog with Mo Farah. Next he’s announcing policy alongside TikTok high priestess Bus Aunty. His social media paints a very deliberate picture: less polished Westminster operator, more bloke from the North who just happens to be running the country. It’s not accidental. Burnham’s “King of the North”, New Order-loving persona has become part of a carefully constructed political brand. Authenticity is now something politicians work incredibly hard to make look effortless. But Burnham isn’t inventing this playbook. Like so many of us doomscrolling on an evening, he’s been influenced online. The digital strategy of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, pictured above right, has become a case study in viral political communication, and some of the people behind that campaign have recently been advising the Labour Party in Britain. Their message is simple: if you want to reach younger voters, you need to show up where they already spend their time. Embracing content creators And increasingly, that doesn’t mean traditional news interviews (awkward). It means speaking to content creators like Max from The Career Ladder, whose channels reach around 20 million followers worldwide. His interview with Burnham, pictured below, was posted almost immediately after he became Prime Minister. What struck me wasn’t just the audience size, but something Max told me afterwards: many people in the comments said they’d discovered Britain had a new Prime Minister through his interview. Think about that for a moment. Not through rolling news. Not through newspapers. Through a creator they were already following while scrolling. Share That’s a profound shift in how political information reaches people, one that’s been gathering momentum for some time. It also explains why politicians are embracing content creators and spending millions on digital marketing. Of course, this isn’t unique to one party. ‘Personality before policy’ In many ways, the right were quicker off the mark in building their aura online. Donald Trump built much of his political identity on social media. Nigel Farage remains one of Britain’s strongest political performers on TikTok. Politicians across the spectrum now understand that personality often reaches people before policy does. During a six-week UK general election campaign alone, overall digital ad spending routinely tops £11m. Share Channel 4 News Former Number 10 social media adviser Andrew Wong put it well when he told me that “vibes” can help someone get noticed, but they only work if they’re rooted in a genuine personality. Force it, and audiences spot it instantly. The bigger question is whether internet charisma can backfire on you - especially when you’re Prime Minister. Because behind Burnham’s carefully curated videos is a veteran politician with decades of Westminster experience. The spontaneity is produced. While the authenticity may be genuine, it’s managed. That’s not necessarily a criticism. It’s simply the reality of modern political communication. Aura farming alone is not enough to harvest change. But in the age of algorithms, winning attention may be the first battle. Subscribe Share Channel 4 News Leave a comment
The Green Bay Packers announce an operating loss in 2025
The Micah Parsons trade was expensive for the Green Bay Packers in 2026
Packers Made Whopping $753 Million in Revenue Last Season
The Packers, and the NFL overall, remain a financial behemoth.
Papers: Argumentation and Surprise Are Best Ways to Do Good Science
I’m sure the authors of these papers didn’t mean to pay ID any compliments, but everything we’ve seen here closely tracks with intelligent design literature.
Green Bay Packers Predicted to Have Strong 2026 Season
The Green Bay Packers should be good once again in 2026.
Rhode Island energy costs are soaring. So are political tensions.
Governor Dan McKee directs $28M to offset winter electric rate hikes while taking aim at lawmakers, environmentalists who opposed his broader relief package.
Rep. Smucker again supports passage of SAVE America voter ID requirements
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker on Wednesday joined House Republicans to push forward a package of GOP priorities including a nationwide mandate for voter identification at the polls backed by President
Plum business owners to host backpack drive, free back-to-school haircuts
A new back-to-school backpack drive is coming to Plum this summer, but with a twist. On Aug. 17, school-age kids (K-12) can stop by the Unity Volunteer Fire Station on Old Leechburg Road for school supplies and a custom haircut from local barbers and stylists. Patyn McCune, owner of Lelulo’s
Borderlands 4 DLC ‘Story Pack 2: FL4K and the Last Resort’ launches September 10
Borderlands 4 downloadable content “Story Pack 2: FL4K and the Last Resort” will launch on September 10 alongside the game’s fifth “Bounty Pack,” publisher 2K and deve…
My Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ongoing Review As I Live With the Samsung's Passport Foldable
Samsung's new book-style foldable phone is making a strong first impression, but I'm still testing how it holds up in everyday use.
When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter
Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
House Republicans adopt $95 billion package for the Iran war and Trump's priorities
Democrats argued the money should be spent at home, particularly on efforts to lower costs for Americans.
House Republicans push $95 billion package to help pay for Iran war
Democrats argued the money should be spent at home
House Republicans push $95 billion package to help pay for Iran war
Democrats argued the money should be spent at home
Weekend Departure Preps Continue as Crew Works Science, Spacesuits
Three Expedition 74 crew members are nearing the end of their stay aboard the International Space Station handing over mission responsibilities and packing up cargo for return to Earth. Science hardware, lab maintenance, and spacesuits kept the rest of the crew busy aboard the orbital outpost.
Dozens of House Democrats reject bill fusing congressional stock ban with federal voter ID
The House voted on a legislative package that includes a partial ban on lawmakers trading stocks and a federal voter ID requirement.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 Live: Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, Watch 9 News
We're in London to bring you all the latest on Samsung's newest foldables and wearables.
Samsung's new Galaxy devices double down on Snapdragon-powered AI
Qualcomm's Snapdragon is now powering almost everything Samsung announced at Unpacked.
Samsung Galaxy Glasses revealed at Unpacked
The highly anticipated glasses are expected to arrive later this year.
Gemini task automation expands to 40+ apps, Samsung shows off two more Android XR glasses
At Galaxy Unpacked, Google announced a handful of Gemini updates for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Fold 8, and Flip 8.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Is for Those of Us Who Can't Stop Scrolling
With a new 4:3 aspect ratio optimized for both horizontal and vertical content, Samsung's wide book-style foldable could be better suited to the way we actually browse, watch and consume content.
Everything Announced At Samsung Unpacked 2026: Check Out The Company's Latest Galaxy Foldables And Watches
Thinner watches, wider foldables, higher prices.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9: Your Health Companion on the Wrist
Deeper insights, more accurate tracking and lasting comfort help users turn daily data into actionable guidance
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: The 6 biggest announcements
A redesigned wide Z Fold 8 and a new ‘Ultra’ Fold.
[Galaxy Unpacked July 2026] A First Look at Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8
At Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 in London, Samsung Electronics unveiled the eighth-generation
Jumbo Package: Alabama next up at SEC Media Days
Your latest Crimson Tide news and notes.
From Paper to Action: How Systematic Monitoring Can Help Health Benefits Packages Deliver on Their Promise
Health Benefits Packages (HBPs) can be a strategic tool to advance Universal Health Coverage. But their impact depends not only on the services included, but also on whether people effectively receive those services with adequate quality and financial protection. It also depends on the factors behind implementation gaps. While there is no shortage of guidance for using evidence-informed priority-setting approaches, less attention has been paid to monitoring whether, how, and why HBPs deliver (or not) in the real world. This gap matters, particularly in the context of stagnating progress towards Universal Health Coverage, because it leaves policymakers in the dark: Are HBPs delivering on the promise made to the population? If not, why, and what corrective action can be taken?
Ken Kollman to succeed David Campbell as Democracy Initiative director in January
As the University of Notre Dame’s Democracy Initiative approaches its fourth year, Inaugural Director David Campbell, the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy, is preparing to transition leadership of the initiative to renowned political scientist Ken Kollman, the Dr. William M. Scholl Professor of Politics in the Department of Political Science and the Keough School of Global Affairs. Kollman began a six-month term as director-designate on July 1 and will formally take over as Democracy Initiative director on Jan. 1.
Seattle Seahawks Work Out Former Packers, Ole Miss Receiver
The Seattle Seahawks are exploring another option for an already crowded wide receiver competition.Seattle hosted Malik Heath and three defensive backs for tryouts, according to the NFL transaction wire.Heath, 26, brings more regular-season experience than most players searching for an opportunity this close to training camp.The 6-foot-2, 213-pound receiver spent his first three NFL seasons […] The post Seattle Seahawks Work Out Former Packers, Ole Miss Receiver appeared first on HEAVY.
2 large hospital systems just announced a new partnership in Colorado
Under the proposed affiliation, AdventHealth will take over operations of three Intermountain Health hospitals.
NVIDIA’s first GeForce driver for Windows on Arm confirms RTX Spark N1X with 6,144 or 5,120 CUDA cores
GeForce 616.00 is NVIDIA’s first native Arm64 graphics driver for Windows 11. The developer package currently supports Microsoft’s Surface RTX Spark Dev Box.
Darkest Dungeon is getting its first dollop of DLC in several years, as the gloomy old RPG celebrates its 10th birthday
Red Hook Studios has surprised fans of the first Darkest Dungeon with a new DLC pack that will add two heroes from the sequel and more.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Live: Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8 Expected
Samsung's summer Unpacked event kicks off Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT, 2 p.m. BST). We're counting down the final rumors as we wait for Samsung's next foldable phones and watches.
Samsung Debuts AI-Powered Health Assistant, Joining Packed Market
Samsung Electronics Co. is rolling out a new AI-powered assistant that acts as a virtual health companion, joining a growing number of tech companies using chatbots to deliver personalized wellness insights to its users.Samsung Health Assistant pulls in data from the user’s Galaxy smartphone, smartwatch or smart ring, the company said Tuesday. The firm also announced a series of other features coming to its health platform, particularly around heart metrics.
Jumbo Package: Alabama Basketball adds a 7-footer for 2026
You wanted big men? Nate Oats got a BIG man
American Franchise Act Would Protect Small Businesses, Boost Economy
To: Members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce From: National Taxpayers Union Date: July 21, 2026 Subject: NTU’s views on the July 21 Markup I. Introduction On behalf of National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, we write to express our views on legislation slated for consideration before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on July 21, 2026. While NTU recognizes that the Committee is considering a broader package of legislative propo, Author(s): Alexander Ciccone
Popular travel tech find hits its lowest price of the year
Travelers rely on Apple AirTags to keep tabs on bags and valuables — and this four-pack is now the cheapest it's been all year.
AMC Entertainment posted record revenue and a surprise profit as blockbusters packed theaters
The theater chain beat Wall Street estimates on both revenue and earnings as attendance climbed in the U.S. and Europe
Newly leaked Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 renders confirm its upgraded specs
It will become official in 48 hours. Samsung is holding its next Unpacked launch event on July 22, which is this Wednesday. On that occasion, the company...
The 'other' Madison athletic director oversees unprecedented success
In his three years leading Madison College sports, Jason Verhelst has seen WolfPack teams set school records.
Keeping On the Move
Karen Lord set her eyes on the horizon from day one as the founder of her eponymous Pilates studio. Having started out in New York’s Meatpacking District
SleeperGem Uses Three Malicious RubyGems Packages to Target Developer Machines
Three malicious RubyGems packages in the SleeperGem attack skip CI runners, target developer machines, and install persistent native malware.
Chicago fans pack West Loop business to watch Spain take down Argentina to become 2026 World Cup champions
Chicago fans pack West Loop business for 2026 World Cup finals watch party
Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup; Hartford fans pack Trinity Health Stadium watch party
Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring one goal against Argentina in extra time to cap off a final that went scoreless through regulation.
Bangor businesses hope World Cup excitement scores big with local fans
As the world’s biggest soccer tournament comes to a close with its championship match, Bangor businesses are hoping the global excitement translates into packed dining rooms and a busy Sunday afternoo...
The New York Times
Packing light is a science, and if you're the list-making type, the 5-4-3-2-1 method is a great place to start. Here’s what it suggests for a weeklong trip: https://nyti.ms/4ffe1pc
In Maine Senate Race, Jackson Sprints Ahead of Pack, as Bellows Drops Out
Troy Jackson, a progressive, solidified his edge over his rivals in an abbreviated nominating contest to replace Graham Platner. Shenna Bellows, another candidate, bowed out.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 launch live: Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, Galaxy Glasses, and all the news
Samsung is about to launch a whole bunch of devices soon, and we're following it all until it happens!
What We're Expecting at Samsung's July Galaxy Unpacked 2026
The new shorter and wider, book-style foldable is likely to steal the show.
Meet Joe, Buttercup and Gary, San Francisco’s smallest goat-landscaping business
For months, Joe Corcoran had been staring down the overgrown yard in the back of the building that serves as his barbershop, before inspiration struck.
Boy band BTS' J-Hope teases the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 ahead of launch
It's expected to go official on July 22. Samsung is hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22 in London, where it's expected to unveil its new folding...
‘It was a miraculous save’: S.F. drag club Oasis roars back
Saved from closure by a multimillion-dollar gift, the beloved South of Market queer venue reopened with a new look, packed drag lineup and renewed mission to preserve queer culture.
Japanese business culture focus of new study abroad offering at MSU
BOZEMAN — This summer, the inaugural faculty-led trip to Japan was jam-packed with new experiences for Montana State University students, helping instill valuable business and cultural knowledge about a unique
One lucky guy was officially allowed to leak the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
Although an Instagram Story didn’t provide the very first glimpse, it did offer the first official look at the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, which will be unveiled next week during the Galaxy Unpacked launch event. One of the BTS members was allowed to go ahead and "leak" the device in full glory.
Colorado health officials are tracking toxic algae blooms with warnings of health impacts
Not all blooms produce toxins, but with warm temperatures and shallow reservoirs, conditions are primed for algae to grow explosively.
Regional One Health hosting back-to-school community fair
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Regional One Health is hosting a free Back-to-School Community Fair Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Primary Care Specialists, located at 3109 Walnut Grove Road. The ev…
MINNEAPOLIMEDIA PRESENTS | This Weekend in the Twin Cities – Entertainment Guide: July 18 ~ July 19, 2026 Edition
From music festivals and Broadway to Rondo Days, Aquatennial and family attractions, the Twin Cities offer a packed weekend of entertainment across the metro.
Chris Stapleton concert brings thousands of fans, boost for Goose Hollow businesses
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As thousands of fans pack Chris Stapleton’s concert at Providence Park on Friday night, businesses in Goose Hollow are hoping the excitement continues long after the m…
Southern Indiana health department conducting contact tracing of diarrhea-causing parasite
Federal and state health investigators say the most common thread they’re hearing right now is iceberg lettuce, including prepackaged lettuce.
Meet the billionaires behind $336M ‘explosion’ of money in California politics, per new report
San Francisco is no stranger to concentrated wealth shaping City Hall, and big-money spenders did well here during the last primary.
Meet the billionaires behind $336M ‘explosion’ of money in California politics, per new report
San Francisco is no stranger to concentrated wealth shaping City Hall, and big-money spenders did well here during the last primary.
Lightning strike damages Woodland packaging business
A lightning strike damaged a packaging business in Woodland during storms early Thursday morning, according to Clark County Fire & Rescue.
Last-minute Samsung leak spoils all of its next-gen foldable phones
Samsung's three Galaxy Z foldables have leaked in promotional form five days before Galaxy Unpacked.
Marketing images of Galaxy Z Fold 8 photos leak right before Galaxy Unpacked [Gallery]
Whether Samsung wants detailed images of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra out there, they are. The latest...
Strolling the street with drink in hand could be legalized in 5 Berkeley nightlife area
In “entertainment zones,” you can order booze from a bar and sip it outside places like Berkeley Rep, La Marcha or Chez Panisse.
GOP Package to Fund Iran War Runs Into Republican Doubts
The package is much smaller than the broader boost President Trump has been seeking, and its passage remains uncertain due to divides in the party.
Secret Lair: A Marvelous Mathom Superdrop
Pack your pocket-handkerchief, polish your buttons, and mind the Dragon—The Hobbit comes to Secret Lair on August 17, 2026!
Packers to recognize Wisconsin mental health advocates for Packers Give Back Game Aug. 28
Preseason game to highlight NAMI Wisconsin’s commitment to mental health advocacy throughout Wisconsin
Medtronic recalls surgical devices due to risk of blood contamination
Trace amounts of blood were identified within the sealed packaging of these devices. No patients were exposed to the foreign material, and no adverse events were reported, but Medtronic is recalling the devices as a precaution.
4 surprise products we could see at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked (including the Galaxy Glasses)
We're expecting some curveballs at Samsung's 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event. Here's everything we know.
Every Team Has an Edge: EA SPORTS™ NHL® 27 Overhauls All 32 Arena Atmospheres and Presentation for Total Immersion
Powered by Real-World NHL EDGE™ Data and Unique Team Playbooks, NHL® 27 Releases September 11 with Generational Talent Macklin Celebrini Gracing the Cover Watch the Reveal Trailer HERE Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today unveiled EA SPORTS™ NHL 27 , launching September 11, 2026 on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. EA SPORTS™ NHL® 27 brings all 32 NHL arenas to life with authentic atmospheres: presentation that reflects each team’s identity, a new commentary team, a new dynamic crowd system, and a new modernized broadcast package. Alongside new social and competitive mode Connected Franchise, this year marks one of the most significant upgrades in franchise history. Generational talent and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini headlines the Standard and Deluxe Edition covers, ushering in a new era of the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise. NHL 27 Deluxe Edition Cover “Seeing the Shark Tank brought to life like that is honestly unreal,” said Macklin Celebrini, NHL 27 cover athlete. “The
San Util Design gears up for move to Washington, announces business model changes
This article ran in the June issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry NewsWINTER PARK, Colo. — San Util Design, a company that handcrafts bags and gear for backcountry travel, bikepacking, and mountain biking, is moving operations from Colorado to Bellingham, Washington. The move, which was planned for the end of June, coincides with changes to San Util’s business model.
LeBron James Could Put Philadelphia 76ers Over the Top
The Philadelphia 76ers have already won the offseason after the trade with the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown, when they sent an aging Paul George and a package of draft picks for one of the NBA's top-15 players. Imagine if they get LeBron James, too? Heading into this coming season, the 76ers ...
Apple's 2026 Back to School Offer Just Went Live in Select Countries
Apple's annual Back to School promotion is now live in select countries in Asia, including China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The offer provides college students and educational staff with a free item with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad model. The exact offer varies by country, with options including a four pack of AirTags, AirPods 4, an Apple Pencil Pro, or an Apple gift card.
House Republicans unveil $95B plan for Iran war, farm aid and elections
The package would be a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut bill President Donald Trump signed into law last year
Chicago Needs A ‘Small Business Bill Of Rights’ To Reduce Red Tape, Local Leaders Say
Ald. Desmon Yancy is set to introduce a resolution outlining policy goals for the city to lessen regulations, fees and bureaucratic delays for small businesses.
Reader asks about health insurance for Packers players and staff
Reporter Richard Ryman explains how the NFL and Packers handle health insurance for players, their families and team employees.
Motorola's brand-new Edge 70 Max flagship is exquisitely affordable and impressively feature-packed
Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and equipped with blazing fast magnetic wireless charging, Motorola's latest Galaxy S26 Ultra rival is fully official... in India.
Samsung's new foldables will debut new Flex Titanium display on July 22
Ahead of Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung is pulling back the curtains on a new foldable phone feature that will debut at the event.
Green Bay Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper Receives Bold Ranking
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has earned a strong ranking ahead of the 2026 season.
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
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