SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " spend " 2,515 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Louisiana could use more of Sweden’s centuries-old and beloved fika tradition
A Swede on a boat off Portugal. A Mississippi mother who always had cake. And a word that might change how you spend your afternoons. Jan Risher's Sunday column.
From unfilled gas tanks to fewer frills, retailers see US consumers rethink their spending
U.S. consumers haven’t stopped spending since the Iran war drove up fuel prices.
TV tower goes down during storm at the Memorial Tournament
An intense storm rolled through the Columbus area and led to third-round play being suspended at the Memorial Tournament on Saturday at Muirfield Village Golf Club (Dublin, OH). Roughly 30 minutes after play at the PGA Tour event was suspended, the storm caused a TV tower to go down near the 10th green. Thankfully, nobody…
Storms suspend third round of 2026 Memorial Tournament
Storms suspended third-round play of the 2026 Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
Exclusive | The U.S. Needs Mechanics and Electricians. Big Business Is Spending to Create Some.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is launching a new $90 million program that includes a partnership with Ford, which is contending with a shortage of mechanics at its dealerships.
Foreign Businesses Are Fleeing Cuba as Its Economy Collapses
Mastercard and Visa are suspending transactions, hotel operators are pulling out and a major Canadian miner is rethinking its presence on the island.
Close to Home: Safeguarding science to safeguard our communities
With cuts in federal spending on science research, California must fill the gap.
In roundtable, Eugene and Springfield business leaders raise concern about federal policies economic impact
Several business owners at the roundtable, convened by Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, said customers are spending less. Merkley said higher prices are linked to tariffs, inflation and the Iran war.
Ohio Medicaid Program Suspends 49 Home Health Providers Amid National Fraud Crackdown
As federal officials intensify scrutiny of Medicaid-funded home-based care, Ohio has become the latest state to take aggressive enforcement action against
Chicago businesses 'hurt' and concerned over Bears plan to move ahead with Hammond stadium
Community group Near South Planning Board said the team's move out of Soldier Field will result in potential economic losses for Chicago, from less tourism and visitor spending to fewer jobs.
Morning Preview: A Jobs Report Surprise, Immigration Showdown and Rising Heat Risks
Today, economists and consumers are reacting to a better-than-expected job report and regulators are rethinking how schools spend billions on internet access and classroom technology. At the same time, the first major heat waves of the season are putting pressure on public health systems as summer ...
Get Moving: Family Health & Fitness Day Offers Outdoor Fun Across Sacramento County
Looking for a fun way to get active, spend time outdoors and make memories with your family? Sacramento County residents will have plenty of opportunities to do just that during Family Health & Fitness Day on Saturday, June 13.
The surprising science-backed reason being in nature makes you feel good
A new study suggests spending time in nature may boost body appreciation, self-compassion and overall life satisfaction.
The surprising science-backed reason being in nature makes you feel good
A new study suggests spending time in nature may boost body appreciation, self-compassion and overall life satisfaction.
Madden 27's Tush Push tease highlights everything wrong with annually released sports games
Madden 27 tease reveals the Tush Push as a new feature, but is that really enough to justify spending $60 or $70 on this year's edition of the game?
Stop the music: Ahead of stadium shows this month, Rick Scott says Tampa is no place for 'raging antisemite' Kanye West
'What we spend public money on reflects our values.'
The Supply Side: Grocery business responds to GLP-1 use
The rising use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is reshaping consumer spending, which impacts food retailers and suppliers. About 1 in 8 U.S. consumers use drugs that reduce appetites and curb...
Video consumption and entertainment spending increased in 2025
TiVo has released its Q4 2025 “Video Trends Report,” finding that consumer video engagement reached ... Read More
Kaua‘i Ups Funding For Homeless Services, Mental Health, Substance Abuse
The funding is part of the county’s nearly $499 million spending plan for fiscal year 2027.
Wellness tracking apps are making people stressed out, hurting health
Americans are spending $100 billion on wellness apps and health trackers — but the rise in self-data may end up just stressing people out.
Most and least expensive states for out-of-pocket healthcare spending
Utah, Virginia and California vs. Alaska, Oregon and Maine: Guess which trio’s residents spend the most on healthcare and which spend the least.
JROTC cadets train in medical science at leadership camp
Hundreds of junior ROTC cadets are spending this week facing challenges meant to make them better leaders.
Former primary rival resurfaces to challenge scandal-plagued Graham Platner in Maine Senate race
Maine Gov. Janet Mills reminds voters she remains on the ballot after suspending her Senate campaign, as rival Graham Platner faces mounting scandals.
Senate Republicans drop plans for $1bn to fund security at Trump’s ballroom
Fears that push for ballroom spending could jeopardize $70bn funding for immigration enforcement
Why ocean science is still one of the worst-funded scientific fields worldwide
For a planet that is 71% ocean, humanity spends a surprisingly small amount of time (and money) trying to understand it. Ocean science sits in a strange place in the research ecosystem. It underpin…
Resilient Saudi economy proves a draw for wartime Gulf business
By Timour Azhari, Federico Maccioni and Yousef Saba RIYADH, June 3 (Reuters) - When food-tech entrepreneur Sara Amini wanted to see where Gulf businesses were still spending despite the Iran war, she
May's top PlayStation games by copies sold
Yesterday’s State of Play gave us an idea of where PlayStation’s heading next. But we’ve had our May estimates for a couple of days now (we always update our data daily for clients), so it’s time to look at what performed best on PlayStation last month. We’ve got a new IP at the top, two evergreens doing their evergreen thing, FC26 smashing it ahead of the World Cup Plus pivot, and a quiet but promising result for Lego Batman. Let’s have a look at the state of Play…Station’s top games for May. 007 takes #001 007 First Light sold 1M copies on PS5 in May, easily making it the month’s top PS5 game by copies sold. Over 80% of those May copies were digital, which is broadly in line with where PlayStation’s digital share has settled for new releases this year. To date, 007 First Light has sold through 2.2M copies across platforms (so no unsold retail copies in that figure). The platform split is 55.1% PS5, 33.1% Steam, and 11.8% Xbox (console, Windows, and cloud combined). In gross revenue terms, 007 First Light has generated $150M. Owing to regional pricing and audience composition differences, the consoles make up a higher share of revenue than they do copies. Of the $150M, 60.5% came via PlayStation, 27.6% via Steam, and 12.9% via Xbox. Part of this is because over two-thirds of 007 First Light‘s PlayStation audience is in North America (43.4%) or Western Europe (23.2%), where local currency means the game generates more revenue per player. On Steam, under half of First Light‘s audience is from those same regions (31.8% North America, 15.1% Western Europe). As we covered in last week’s 007 Steam piece, the Steam version is pulling in higher-than-expected numbers in China, which now accounts for 17.3% of First Light‘s Steam audience. 007 is the equivalent of $44 USD in China, which is roughly 37% cheaper than the US price and about 44% cheaper than Western Europe. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe The crossover data backs up what we’ve seen all year about launch-window cohorts. 11% of PS5 players who played 007 First Light in May also played Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which launched just a few days before. Last month was a great month for Denmark! IO Interactive is Copenhagen-based, and Lego Group is headquartered in Billund (TT Games is UK-based but produces work under Lego Group licence and direction). Speaking of which… A very blocky #2 and #3 Minecraft sold another 788K copies on PlayStation consoles last month. Business as usual, since Minecraft hasn’t sold fewer than 760K copies in a single month all year. With over 350M copies sold across all platforms, Minecraft is the best-selling game in history and one of the strongest brands in the world. Every month, a new cohort of children reaches Minecraft age, which guarantees a constant volume of new sales regardless of what the broader market is up to. The demographic refresh rate is truly impressive, with the audience renewing itself faster than it’s churning. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight shifted 757K copies on PS5 last month, bringing its lifetime total on the platform to over 800K. Across all platforms, Legacy of the Dark Knight has now passed 1.5M sold through, so PlayStation accounts for over half of the game’s players. The May crossover data for Legacy of the Dark Knight on PS5 is also useful. 27% of those players also played Fortnite, 16% Roblox, 16% FC 26, and 14% NBA 2K. That’s the household-and-family cohort showing up, plus the launch-window cohort of core gamers who buy practically everything. FC 26 gets players through the door ahead of the World Cup FC 26 sold 411K copies on PlayStation last month (90% via PS5), the fewest copies FC 26 has sold all year and down heavily from April’s 700K. Part of this dropoff is because FC 26 has been available as a PlayStation Plus monthly game since 6 May, cannibalising premium sales. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe The strategic logic is straightforward for EA, which is sacrificing premium unit sales in May to build up the player base ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on 11 June. Obviously, a bigger player pool going into the tournament means a bigger pool of potential Ultimate Team spenders during the period when football attention is at its peak. The early returns are around what you’d expect, with 4.4M new players accessing FC 26 via PS Plus last month – a substantial new spender pool. Anecdotally, a few of my mates who were ‘’skipping FIFA and Ultimate Team this year’’, were drawn back in via PS Plus. Lo and behold, one of them is buying packs like it’s going out of fashion. Whether this is all a smart trade for EA depends entirely on the Ultimate Team conversion rate over the next six weeks. Either way, the short-term engagement impact on the game as a whole is evident. FC 26‘s MAUs hit a record 24M on PlayStation in May, up 30% from the previous record set in April. GTA V does what GTA V always does Rounding out the top five is another evergreen title. Grand Theft Auto V shifted another 387K copies on PlayStation last month. No matter what else is happening in the industry, GTA V keeps pulling players in. It’s sold another 1.8M copies on PS5 in the first half of this year alone, helping the franchise pass the 230M-sold milestone across all platforms. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe I have a theory that Minecraft and GTA V are doing the same thing at different demographic levels. Both are functioning as generational gateway games that the audience ages into faster than it ages out of. Minecraft captures kids around age 6-10, GTA V captures much of the same audience around age 12-15 (unofficially, of course). The crossover data suggests this: 40% of GTA V‘s monthly PlayStation players typically play Fortnite in any given month, while 30% play Roblox. Household accounts aside, that’s not the original GTA V audience from 2013. Of course, the under-12 audience would love to get their hands on GTA, too. It’s always been the way of things, and some parents are happy to oblige. Mine did too back in the day, and I turned out just fine. Right? Right!? Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply to this email, and we’ll set you up. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Mark Zuckerberg Wants Meta’s New AI Agents to Run Your Whole Business
The new agent is part of the company’s effort to broaden beyond its core consumer business as it spends aggressively on artificial intelligence.
Resilient Saudi economy proves a draw for wartime Gulf business
When food-tech entrepreneur Sara Amini wanted to see where Gulf businesses were still spending despite the Iran war, she flew to Riyadh.
NBA Finals: Would you pay $4,000 – for a nosebleed seat?
Tickets to the NBA Finals in New York are so hot that fans are spending thousands of dollars – even for nosebleed seats.
A science powerhouse bets on genetic therapy to beat brain disorders
After spending two decades studying how the brain works, a huge team of scientists in Seattle is preparing to focus on treating brain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, using gene therapy.
Rogers? Kroupi? Alvarez? Gunners weigh up incomings and sales
Mikel Arteta has been central to the club's planning for next season, with the Gunners targeting a central midfielder, forward and full-back in the transfer market. Given last season's £250m spend on new players, a number of player renewals and lucrative bonuses paid to players in lieu of their Premier League success, the club are mindful of ensuring finances are balanced during the close season. For the forward position, three players are known to be on the shortlist - Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi and Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez.
New Tilt entertainment center opens at Frontier Mall in Cheyenne
There’s a new place inside Frontier Mall where you can play, compete, and spend some time indoors, and it’s opening just in time for summer. Your Wyoming Link’s Tanisha Bucad
Business dining is booming, a new study shows
Spending is outpacing the broader industry as in-office work and business travel bounce back, according to Dinova.
Coupa and MIT Data Science Lab Collaborate to Launch the Business Spend Index (BSI) Report, Providing AI-Driven, Predictive Insights on the Future of Business Spend
/PRNewswire/ -- Coupa, the leading platform for autonomous spend management, today announced the launch of the Coupa + MIT Data Science Lab Business Spend...
Coupa and MIT Data Science Lab Collaborate to Launch the Business Spend Index (BSI) Report, Providing AI-Driven, Predictive Insights on the Future of Business Spend
/PRNewswire/ -- Coupa, the leading platform for autonomous spend management, today announced the launch of the Coupa + MIT Data Science Lab Business Spend...
Alphabet to raise $80bn from share sales to fund AI spending splurge
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Rising gas prices may push more household spending toward Amazon
Higher gas prices have changed how people shop. Consumers are pulling back on discretionary spending and foot traffic is in decline.
Some Janet Mills backers want her to resume her Maine Senate campaign against Graham Platner
Some prominent supporters of Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ now-suspended run for US Senate suggested Monday she should revive her campaign in a last-ditch effort to stop Graham Platner as his bid becomes engulfed by another controversy.
OPM to crack down on ineligible health insurance enrollees
In an effort to cut spending on ineligible participants, OPM outlined an expanded verification process for family members of health insurance enrollees.
Roundup: US retail industry / Anthropic / Business opportunity
Facing challenges: The retail industry emerged from a choppy first quarter relatively unscathed, but higher-than-usual tax refunds likely helped to buoy spending. The second quarter could offer a clearer view on consumer health and just how much gas price increases and persistent inflation have disrupted the economy and put more pressure on household budgets. The […]
Carolina’s Cap Comparison: Linebackers
How much money are the Panthers spending on their linebackers compared to the rest of the NFL?
Standoff between Republicans and White House over the 'anti-weaponization' fund remains unresolved
Senate Republicans say they won't have the votes for the immigration spending bill until the White House works with them to put some parameters on a new $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate Trump's allies — or scrap it altogether.
The 50-Hour Livestream That Aims to #SaveAmericasForecasts
This week, a parade of scientists will spend 50 hours straight speaking about the importance of weather and climate research in the United States.
More candidates are using their personal wealth to campaign than ever before. Should voters care?
All eyes are on one billionaire’s spending for governor. A CalMatters analysis shows the story may lie in the millions spent by down-ballot candidates.
Japan’s Q1 capex stalls as Iran war concerns weigh on business confidence
(Corrects to restore dropped word 'flat' in lead paragraph) By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO, June 1 (Reuters) - Japanese companies' annual spending on plant and equipment remained almost flat in the first quarter, data showed on Monday, pausing after a year ...
Japan's Q1 capex stalls as Iran war concerns weigh on business confidence
(Corrects to restore dropped word 'flat' in lead paragraph) By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO, June 1 (Reuters) - Japanese companies' annual spending on plant and equipment remained almost flat in the first
Japan's Q1 capex stalls as Iran war concerns weigh on business confidence
Japanese companies' annual spending on plant and equipment remained almost flat in the first quarter, data showed on Monday, pausing after a year of strong growth as concerns mount over the impact of the Middle East conflict.
Beaten Kentucky Derby Favorite Further Ado Returns In Matt Winn
Spendthrift Farm’s Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Further Ado headlines a talented field of eight 3-year-olds entered in next Sunday’s 29th running of the $500,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Contested at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds, the Matt Winn shares the Sunday ...
Small business owners cite economy, rising costs as they close doors in Northwest Jacksonville
Two Northwest Jacksonville business owners closed their doors, saying a challenging economy, changing consumer spending habits, and financial pressures have made it difficult to continue operating.
California Democratic Party chair won't say if he's glad Becerra stayed in the governor's race
After spending months encouraging lower-polling candidates in the California governor's race to drop out, the leader of the state's Democratic Party would not say if he's glad an initially lower-polling Democrat now leading the polls, Xavier Becerra, stayed in the race.
‘Purely politics’: Row over Zohran Mamdani’s new communications office costing $5 million
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new communications office is facing backlash after budget documents revealed it could cost taxpayers more than $5.2 million in salaries. Critics are calling the spending “morally incomprehensible”.
Liverpool believe the team must evolve again
It was just over two weeks ago when Arne Slot told reporters at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre that he had "every reason to believe" he would be the Reds manager next season. Slot was a major part of planning for next season and, at various times over the past few months, spoke about the importance of the summer ahead for Liverpool as they continue their transition, following a record spend of £415m in the same period last season. As recently as Friday, Slot's representatives believed there was no change in the support shown by Liverpool over the course of what the 47-year-old described to BBC Sport in February as the "toughest season" he has had.
Google's Agentic AI Tool Gemini Spark Is Now Available
Gemini Spark is currently only available to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the US, meaning you’ll need to spend at least $100 per month to access it.
Could the unlikely savior of US college sports be … Donald Trump?
As universities prepare to spend millions paying athletes directly, fears mount that Olympic and women’s sports will pay the price. An improbable figure could well stop it
Hegseth: European allies that don’t hike defense spending will see a change in ‘how we do business’
* * *
Amazon shuts down AI leaderboard after employee 'tokenmaxxing'
Amazon nixed an employee-created AI leaderboard called "KiroRank" after concerns it encouraged excessive AI spending.
Plain Talk: 'We have different views on politics and that's OK'
🔊 On this Plain Talk, recorded at the Blue Rider Bar in Minot, Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad talks data centers and utility rates, and Mayor Mark Jantzer discusses living with a 3% cap on spending.
Jamie Dimon shares blunt message for Zohran Mamdani as New York business concerns grow
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon joins 'Mornings with Maria' to discuss inflation risks, consumer spending, Federal Reserve policy and why he believes fixing government policy could boost economic growth.
What smart people are saying about AI ROI crunch
Uber COO Andrew Macdonald gave voice to the growing concerns that, despite spending big on AI, companies aren't seeing meaningful returns.
How AI, crypto and AIPAC are ending political careers
Eight of the 12 biggest outside spenders in House primaries fall into one of those three groups.
Opinion | What would seizing the science center’s Main Street property actually accomplish?
Why are local taxpayers being asked to spend public money to destroy a 30-year-old educational institution that has already served more than 375,000 children and families? Letter to the editor.
Former employee at children’s mental health center pleads guilty to child sex crimes
Faniel Gerensea, 21, will spend time in prison after pleading guilty to taking indecent liberties with a child.
Mamdani launched his own version of DOGE
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is launching his own government efficiency effort to cut red tape and reduce unnecessary spending in NYC.
Mark Zuckerberg’s $145 Billion AI Gamble Could Spawn Meta’s Next Monster Business
The artificial intelligence arms race has turned Silicon Valley into a spending contest. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into chips, servers, networking gear, and data centers in a scramble to dominate AI infrastructure. The question investors are wrestling with is simple: how much ... Mark Zuckerberg’s $145 Billion AI Gamble Could Spawn Meta’s Next Monster Business
The Science Of The Beauty Box Boom
Best of The Summer Beauty Edits & the psychology of why we buy them. Beauty boxes from Sephora, Cult Beauty and Boots are booming as shoppers chase luxury beauty bargains, curated discovery and the psychology of smart spending.
Follow the money: Who's backing California's next governor
Spending on the California governor’s race is breaking records, and it’s not just Tom Steyer’s $213 million in contributions
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for 3% funding target
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for better conditions
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Ad spending starts in crowded Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor
Outside groups are spending money in the Democratic primary for governor, as candidates struggle to stand out in a crowded field.
Australia business investment jumps 6.5% in Q1 on data rush
Australian business investment boomed in the March quarter as firms ploughed yet more money into data centers, figures showed on Thursday, while companies also upgraded spending plans for coming months.
Mark Zuckerberg says a Meta cloud computing business 'definitely on the table'
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company could enter the cloud computing market if it overspends on data centers and has excess capacity.
Billionaire Tom Steyer's ad spending breaks records in California governor's race
Win or lose, billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer will leave a mark in the history books in his bid to become California's next governor — he’s running the most expensive political advertising campaign in the country this year.
Dig a Little Deeper: The politics of amnesia
Government is a core pillar of local, state, national and global society. We trust it to make and enforce rules and responsibly spend tax dollars. We rely
Capgemini says AI widens client spending pool
Capgemini on Thursday said artificial intelligence was opening access to client spending beyond traditional information technology budgets, as the French technology services group sought to ease investor concerns that the technology could disrupt its business model.
Carolina’s Cap Comparison: Offensive Line
How much money are the Panthers spending on their offensive line compared to the rest of the NFL?
Billions in super PAC spending prompts Summer Lee, Bernie Sanders to call for strict limits
WASHINGTON — In a fierce political race two years ago to keep his U.S. Senate seat, Bob Casey was winning the battle to raise more money than his...
How Real-World Gaming Became A Business Built On Escapism
Escape rooms and immersive gaming are booming as consumers spend more on shared experiences, emotional escapism and real-world connection.
Georgia's Smart fears massive football budgets will imperil other sports
Georgia's Kirby Smart joined other coaches at the SEC's annual spring meetings in bemoaning a massive uptick in spending from revenue sharing and NIL, and he suggested if trends continue, ballooning football budgets will put all Olympic sports in peril.
Tallahassee business owner sentenced to federal prison on multiple child sex crimes
A Tallahassee business owner will spend 30 years in prison for numerous child sex crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Budget conference: Lawmakers want to spend millions on affordable housing
The Legislature wants to fully fund the state's affordable housing trust funds.
‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ revives yearslong fight over Democrat-backed settlements
President Donald Trump’s nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is triggering bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill while simultaneously reigniting a years-old conservative argument against administrations from both parties using the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund to finance politically sensitive settlements with little congressional oversight. The fund stems from Trump’s settlement with the Internal Revenue Service over the […]
Bari Weiss: Think For Yourself, Not By Yourself
When we launched The Free Press, the plan was simple: Tell the truth plainly, and let readers come to their own conclusions. I thought there would be a sizable enough group of people who would pay the cost of one coffee a month to read high-quality news and opinion journalism. But what happened next surprised even me. Yes, you came for the stories—for the investigations, essays, debates, interviews, podcasts, and arguments. But over the past few years, you also found one another. I’ve watched strangers become friends in the lobby before our debates. I’ve seen people trade numbers after live recordings of Honestly, launch businesses after Free Press dinners, fall in love after our meetups—even get married (!?), and say some version of the same sentence over and over again: I thought I was the only one. We live in the most connected age in history, and yet, millions of people feel isolated, alienated, politically homeless, and starved for real conversation. We have followers and no neighbors. Algorithms instead of interlocutors. Our social media feeds are like troughs, but what we really need is a table to gather around. The Free Press is a publication, yes, but it is also a gathering place for independent minds. So today, I’m thrilled to share our new investment in you. We are launching a new world of community experiences for our paid subscribers, designed to bring _Free Press_ers together online and in real life. Introducing Our Community Launch The Free Press Forum Our new digital home for paid subscribers, the Forum, is now live. This is where _Free Press_ers can meet, debate, recommend, organize, joke, argue, and converse like civilized people. Imagine that. This is not social media as you know it. No bots. No algorithmic rage bait. No performative nonsense. Just smart people talking to one another. Inside the Forum, you’ll find conversations on the things our readers already care about most: the issues of the day, recommendations (books, music, travel), work and networking, parenting, dating, and where to find your people—online and in real life. Jump in! Introduce yourself and join the first conversations in the Free Press Forum here. You’ll also find announcements from us (paid subscribers are first to hear!) and our writers, hosting regular Ask Me Anythings (AMAs)—live conversations where subscribers can ask questions, push back, and continue the discussion beyond the page. This Thursday, subscribers can chat with our brilliant reporter, culture vulture, and co-founder Suzy Weiss. Friday, I’ll be lending you Nellie Bowles, queen of TGIF, to answer subscriber questions live. Read more about The Forum directly from Nellie here. The Free Press Supper Club The best part of being a _Free Press_er is meeting other _Free Press_ers. So we’re inviting you all to dinner to do just that. It’s part salon, part blind date, part old-fashioned dinner party. Here’s how it works: You answer a short questionnaire. We match you with a small group of _Free Press_ers in your city. We send you to a great restaurant. You show up for supper. The rest is up to you. Your next best friend, co-founder, or future spouse may already be waiting at the table. Learn more and sign up here for our first Supper Club in 12 cities in three countries taking place on June 18. Don’t see your city? Raise your hand if you’d like a Free Press Supper Club near you. Yes, St. Louis—we hear you. The Free Press Retreats and Excursions We’re also building something new for 2027: immersive experiences for Free Press readers who want to continue the conversation trailside, poolside, or around a fire long after dessert. The Free Press Retreat will be an intimate long weekend built around big ideas, outdoor adventure, great meals, and the kinds of discussions that happen when curious people spend meaningful time together. Bring your spouse, your parents, your children—or come on your own. Free Press Excursions will take us farther afield: curated trips with Free Press writers and contributors exploring places that help explain the world we live in, from the battlefields of Gettysburg and Normandy to the Vatican in Rome. We’ll share more details this summer. If you’d like an early look when these experiences open for registration, show your interest here.**A Note to Our Subscribers** These new offerings exist because of our paying subscribers. If you’re already one: Thank you. You built this. And you keep us going. If you’ve been reading us for free and wondering whether to join, this is a very good time. For a short while only, we’re offering a rare 20 percent discount for you to join our community as a paid subscriber. You’ll unlock everything we publish, plus exclusive access to our members-only Forum, Supper Clubs, and more insider perks. Thinking for yourself shouldn’t mean thinking by yourself. See you there. —Bari
Ousted Senate Republican digs in against Trump, takes jab at leadership style
Sen. Bill Cassidy breaks with Trump on Iran war powers and DOJ spending after the president backed his opponent in Louisiana's Senate primary race.
Tick sightings near Orem park raise health concerns over holiday weekend
Reports of ticks near Orem City Center Park and surrounding neighborhoods are raising concerns among Utah County residents as families spend more time outdoors
Feds greenlight Wyoming’s plan to spend $205M on healthcare initiatives
CMS approved Wyoming’s Year 1 plan to spend $205 million from the Rural Health Transformation Program to support rural hospitals, build workforce and bolster preventive health.
Why Arsenal can go to the next level
Mikel Arteta has already said he wants "to have the parade with two big trophies" as he sets out to win the Champions League for the first time in Arsenal's history. Arsenal backed Arteta with about £250m of spending last summer as they looked to increase the quality and depth of their squad, and they brought in players like Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, who were categorised as 'win now' signings. Arteta wants to build a legacy of sustained success at Emirates Stadium and once the Champions League final is over, focus will move to tying him down to a new contract.
Semiconductor decoupling. Powell's politics. Industrializing Ogaden. Free trade and the Magna Carta.
Thank you for opening your Chartbook email. Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 8th Army’s Front, Italy 1944 Semiconductor decoupling Source: FT One thing that Jerome Powell deeply understood is that chairing the Fed under current conditions is a deeply political job. “Powell has successes and mistakes to his name. But he stands out as having thought more carefully about the Fed’s democratic legitimacy than any chair since Paul Volcker,” said Paul Tucker, a former deputy governor at the Bank of England, referring to the Fed chair who successfully fought the great inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. … While Powell was at the Treasury in the early 1990s, he watched Alan Greenspan build relationships within the government. That convinced Powell he needed to follow the former Fed chair’s lead and spend more time in Congress than his predecessors Yellen and Bernanke. “The accountability for the Fed runs through Congress,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed official who is now chief economist at New Century Advisors. “That’s not just about having people on speed dial — it’s answering questions, explaining policy and getting feedback.” Source: FT Ethiopia’s PM Abiy and Nigerian business tycoon, with Chinese engineering, are driving industrialization in Ogaden/Somali region of Ethiopia. - Michael Masri’s reporting for Africa Report if fascinating. Ethiopia has launched a cluster of large industrial schemes in the Somali region, laying foundation stones for a urea plant and an oil refinery in Gode while opening the first two phases of the Ogaden LNG project. Abiy Ahmed framed the push as part of a broader strategy to link energy, agriculture and industry. “These projects embody more than industrial growth,” he said. “They represent our shared responsibility to harness opportunities, strengthen co-operation and promote peace.” The Gode urea plant, backed by Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), is designed for 3m tonnes a year. Dangote owns 60%, while EIH holds 40%. Officials say Dangote’s equity totals about $2.5bn, while the state provides land and implementation oversight. Gas from the Calub fields will be piped 108km to the site. Construction is slated for 40 months, with operations targeted for 2028. Ethiopia imports most of its fertiliser, spending more than $1.2bn a year for 1.5m–2m tonnes. Usage was roughly 1.7m tonnes in 2023, almost half of it urea, and demand for 2024–25 is put above 2.4m tonnes. If delivered on time, the Gode plant could cover domestic needs and allow exports to neighbours. Brook Taye, chief executive of EIH, called the venture “a significant milestone in the journey toward industrial self-sufficiency”. Dangote told the groundbreaking crowd that the complex would be integrated with gas supply and a polypropylene unit to support local inputs. He pointed to Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), with a capacity of more than 5,000MW, and noted his group’s cement operations and expansion plans. The Gode refinery is being developed by Golden Concord Group of China. It is designed to process 3.5m tonnes a year of crude and condensate from the Hilala field, with associated storage. Backers say it will ease foreign-exchange pressure from fuel imports and anchor further industrial activity, including a proposed steel smelting site in Dire Dawa. GCL’s chair, Zhu Gongshan, cast the project as “a key step in Ethiopia’s path to energy sovereignty”, underscoring the Beijing–Addis ties. Financing details are still being finalised, but the refinery is central to the government’s energy-security narrative. Source: The Africa Report Dangote’s Ethiopian vision: Dangote began with cement. His crown jewel, Dangote Cement, dominates Nigeria’s market and has 10 operations in other nations in Africa. The formula has been consistent: identify sectors with chronic shortages – cement, fertiliser, sugar – commit massive local investments, and scale up to serve regional demand. Ethiopia was a natural extension of that model. In 2015, Dangote launched the Mugher Cement Plant outside Addis Ababa at a cost of $600m, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The investment gave him a firm foothold in one of Africa’s fastest-growing construction markets. But success came with risks. In May 2018, violent unrest led to the killing of Dangote’s country manager and temporary shutdowns at Mugher. While other investors might have retreated, Dangote doubled down. Today, he is preparing to spend $400m to expand Mugher’s capacity to 5 million tonnes, alongside a new grinding unit near Addis Ababa. Cement is just one market Dangote is targeting. Ethiopia’s enormous state-controlled sugar industry, long plagued by inefficiency and debt, has struggled for years to reform. Its Omo Kuraz Sugar Development Project, touted as one of the continent’s largest initiatives, continues to face delays and mismanagement. … The most ambitious venture of all is the planned fertiliser production complex in Gode, Somali region. Publicised on 28 August 2025, the Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) deal plans one of the world’s largest single-site urea manufacturing plants. The project costs an estimated $2.5bn and has an estimated capacity of 3 million metric tonnes annually, a rate that would not only render Ethiopia independent, but even a net exporter of fertiliser. EIH, the state wealth fund of Ethiopia, will hold 40%, while 60% is held by Dangote Group. … For Dangote, Ethiopia is a trifecta: Cement demand is projected to grow by 10% annually, its sugar consumption is growing with rapid urbanisation, and fertiliser demand is all but insatiable, given that farming supports the livelihood of 70% of Ethiopians. Source: The Africa Report The stakes for Abiy are high: For Addis Ababa, the $4bn fertiliser project in Ethiopia’s Somali region is no longer simply a manufacturing investment. It is increasingly being framed as a strategic state project tied to food sovereignty, import substitution and the government’s broader attempt to build economic resilience under mounting fiscal pressure. “Becoming self-sufficient in food is our main agenda,” Abiy says during the visit. “Land is needed; we have it. Water is needed; we have it. Human resources are needed; we have it.” The scale is enormous even by African industrial standards. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce three million metric tonnes of urea annually, potentially making it one of the continent’s largest fertiliser complexes. Ethiopian officials say the project now includes a 110km gas pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant. For a government grappling with chronic foreign exchange shortages, ballooning import bills and pressure on agricultural productivity, the numbers matter politically as much as they do economically. The decision to anchor the project in Gode is deliberate. Long viewed as peripheral to Ethiopia’s industrial economy, the Somali region is now being repositioned by the federal government as a future irrigation and agro-industrial corridor. Officials argue that the area’s vast land reserves and access to water could eventually support large-scale commercial farming capable of reshaping Ethiopia’s food economy. The government is simultaneously building housing infrastructure for about 5,000 residents near the plant, while officials project broader industrial expansion along the corridor. Abiy goes further, comparing the long-term revenue potential of the Gode development zone with Ethiopia’s flagship state enterprise. “The investments we are making in this Gode area, combined, will generate high revenue for Ethiopia, at par with Ethiopian Airlines,” he says. Source: The Africa Report Feliks Topolski 1907-1982 Topolski’s Chronicle, ‘Nazi Revival’, Vol. 8, Is. 1-2, 1960 HEY READERS, THANK YOU for opening the Chartbook email. I hope it brightens your day. I enjoy putting out the newsletter, but tbh, what keeps this flow going is the generosity of those readers who clicked the subscription button. Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash If you are persuaded to click, please consider the annual subscription of $50. It is both better value for you and a much better deal for me, as it involves only one credit card charge. Why feed the payments companies if we don’t have to. Subscribe Grim vision of drone warfare by Sylvie Kaufmann For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe The state of the art in Colbert-studies. Jean-Baptiste Colbert was Louis XIV chief minister from 1661 to 1683 and traditionally seen as an architect of absolutism and mercantilism. Alexander Hamilton later cited him as an inspiration in 1782. Now his legacy is disputed. Daniel Dessert, the chief critic, sees Colbert as the orchestrator not so much of an absolutist state as of an elite cabal. Would be great to have a good English-language review of this important debate. Source: lhistoire Didn’t know that the Magna Carta included free trade provisions Fighting for the right to the beach in Oregon in 1967: Source: Research Gate RAF Station – British and Polish Flags, c. 1940-45, The Ingram Collection Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 ink and wash If you’ve scrolled this far, you know you want to click: Subscribe
Sports betting industry backs Georgia legislators as it seeks legal gambling
The sports-betting industry is spending big on Georgia legislative elections as it seeks to legalize its product. And many favored candidates won in last week's primaries.
Summer investment pays off for Black Cats
Sunderland spent £161m on 15 new players after gaining promotion to the Premier League. The season before, the three promoted sides - Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich - spent a combined £276.5m but returned to the Championship with the lowest combined points total of relegated sides in Premier League history. Essentially, spending big is no guarantee of survival.
Hawaii Business Spotlight: Electrician entrepreneur eyes expansion with franchise model
Kalihi native and electrician Johny Le founded Grand Hawaii Electric in 2018 after spending over 15 years working on major construction projects throughout Hawaii.
K-State long jumper Tah Chikomba joins K-Nation
MANHATTAN (KSNT) — The 2026 Big 12 Outdoor long jump champ joins K-Nation. The junior long jumper, Tah Chikomba, jumped 8.27 meters at the Big 12 Championships to clinch first place. That jump broke his personal record, his own school record, a Big 12 record and a Drachman Stadium record. After spending two seasons at […]
Tourism gains spread across California with Sacramento seeing big results
A Visit California study shows the state's tourism economy is thriving, with Sacramento experiencing notable increases in visitor spending and hotel tax revenue.
Is Color Science Really Important if You Shoot RAW?
Spend enough time among photographers, and you’ll inevitably stumble into heated debates about which camera brand has the best colors. I’ve always heard that about...
Camp Mystic health chief, Starbase death topped week's news
A state board suspended the nursing license of Camp Mystic's health chief, and OSHA is investigating a worker's death at SpaceX's Starbase. Here's the top news.
What Families Are Really Spending to Keep Kids in Sports
Family spending on youth sports has surged as year-round leagues, training and travel become increasingly common.
I teach wealth management. Avoid these spending traps to save money.
Eton Solutions CEO Rob Mallernee, who teaches private wealth management, has advice for saving money. It starts with reconsidering that $4 coffee.
Pols & Politics: Massachusetts government workforce at an ‘all-time high in 2025,’ report says
State government costs were 24% of total spending or $23.5B last year, according to the Pioneer Institute. Plus: A budget amendment would add $25k of funding for a local voter education nonprofit.
InRESPONSE, Santa Rosa’s crisis team, faces operational changes amid proposed funding cuts
County funding for Santa Rosa’s InRESPONSE program is slated to be cut by about half as officials wind down spending from the expiring Measure O sales tax. That means big changes ahead for a pioneering, civilian-led team.
5 Takeaways From a Times Investigation on Autism Therapy Clinics
A rapidly growing industry often overprescribes treatment to young children with autism, who spend as many as 40 hours a week at the facilities.