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Mississippi health officials urge flu vaccinations as season approaches
With flu cases being diagnosed earlier than usual in some parts of the country, the Mississippi State Department of Health is urging families to prepare before flu season picks up.
Aspen Science Center works to bring more science education to the region for all ages
Carbondale-based nonprofit the Aspen Science Center has expanded programming throughout local valleys, for residents of all ages, over the past 20 years. This story is part of our “On the Ground” radio series that highlights solutions to local and global issues from Roaring Fork and Colorado River valley organizations.
Chelsea Handler says Reese Witherspoon and son Deacon Phillippe ‘look like a couple’ in birthday photo
“I love you so much, so lucky to be your mom,” Witherspoon wrote in her caption.
Sonoma County health center leaders say Prop. 44 would cripple their operation and lead to service cuts
The state initiative would require at least 90% of a health center’s total revenue be spent on healthcare services, leaving only 10% of revenues for other costs, including administrative operations — and that strict threshold is where…
The latest in space science: We look back at the Big Bang
In this edition of Spacing Out, the team from Short Wave shares the latest developments in space science, including the theory on why the universe is made of matter
Seeking to help Collins in Maine, Trump exempts some Canadian imports from his 50% tariffs
Collins, locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, issued a statement saying she'd spoken with Trump's top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "about the toll tariffs are taking on Maine families, businesses, farmers, and growers.''
At a Texas high school football game, fans offer a glimpse into evolving politics
We talk with voters at a Texas high school football game at the tailgate, in line at the concession booth and in the stands to hear about the issues that matter to Texans this cycle.
Argentine-born Trump supporter credits president for Latin America's rightward political shift
Marcelo Sandrin, who has lived in the US for three decades, points to Argentina's Javier Milei and changing politics across South America as signs of Trump's growing influence.
Knicks’ fatal flaw that will doom 2027 NBA championship chances
Winning back-to-back titles is one of the hardest things to do in any sport, and the New York Knicks face an intense challenge as they look to repeat. It has been almost a decade since the last time an NBA franchise won two championships in a row. While New York’s 106-100 opening night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers featured some moments that […] The post Knicks’ fatal flaw that will doom 2027 NBA championship chances appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Is the Kings’ Role for Murray Causing His Decline?
After a record-breaking rookie year, Keegan Murray’s plummeting efficiency and Sacramento’s roster instability spark trade rumors. Can the former top pick reclaim his shot amidst a chaotic rebuild?
Atlanta Braves Facing Offseason Decision on Hitting Coach
The Atlanta Braves have a decision to make on the club's hitting coach.
NASA’s Swift Mission Ends Ahead of Re-Entry
NASA’s Swift has concluded operations, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and a treasure trove of science observations.
Does Proposal 2 really get money out of politics? One researcher says ‘not really’
Mid-Michigan's source for breaking news, weather and sports
Littler through as Van Gerwen suffers early Euros exit
World champion Luke Littler makes it through to the second round of the European Championship with a win over William O'Connor but Michael van Gerwen is knocked out of the tournament at the first-round stage.
ACLU of Indiana pauses new director’s start date, launches external review
After expressing his worry that incoming Executive Director Nikkita Oliver would fundamentally change how the ACLU of Indiana chooses cases, the organization's former director of philanthropy says he was fired
Terre Haute Children’s Museum hosts Frankenstein Science event
The Terre Haute Children’s Museum is inviting families to bring science to life with a Halloween-themed event this weekend.
The Violent Cost of Being a Woman in Politics Spans Continents
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world ... with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment. This week: —There is not (yet) the political will in the U.S. to talk about gender quotas ... but 35 nations in Europe have either been mandated or volunteered to implement them. —Weeks after the brutal rape of Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia, Australian independent member of Parliament Helen Haines is in hospital in a critical condition after she was struck by a car outside her office in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said appears to have been "a deliberate act." —"Politicians are no longer treated like we’re human,” says Arizona state legislator Alma Hernandez, who is facing rising harassment and threats. —Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a frequent critic of Republican President Donald Trump. —If elected governor of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms would become the first Black woman governor in U.S. history. ... and more.
The connection between diabetes, cardio-kidney-metabolic health
University Health specialists will discuss how heart, kidney and metabolic conditions are connected and how coordinated care can help at the next KSAT Community Town Hall
Water rate hike request, Medicaid changes: CT politics news
Plus: The Trump administration focuses on women's health and a Connecticut senator raises concerns about Russia-U.S. relations.
ABC7 Sports Overtime with Dionne Miller: Oct. 23, 2026
On the latest ABC7 Sports Overtime, Dionne Miller discussed the Chicago Bears' big win over the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, and more Chicago sports headlines, including a visit from Mr. T.
Watch “The Simpsons”’ spooky stop-motion “Nightmare Before Christmas” parody from ‘Treehouse of Horror’ (exclusive)
The new opening comes from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the stop-motion team behind “Robot Chicken.”
What is Florida Men's Basketball's NIL Budget in 2026-27?
With a staggering valuation, Todd Golden’s roster secures elite talent through record-breaking investments.
Disappointed primary voters weigh their choices: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Ramaswamy’s ad underscores how governor’s races could affect downballot contests.
iPhone Duo displays are reportedly cracking along the hinge on launch day
Some unlucky new Phone Duo owners are having a very bad day.
Improving breast cancer treatment; improving prostate cancer diagnosis; listen to your knee pain; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
WTVF News Channel 5’s “Morningline” program interviewed Denise Garcia, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, about new technology that helps surgeons identify cancer during surgery and improve breast cancer treatment. A Men’s Health story about PSA screening for prostate cancer quoted Kelvin Moses, MD, PhD, Professor of Urology. Men’s Health posted a story, “What Your Knee Pain is Trying to Tell You,” that quotes Charles Cox, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted by several news outlets about public health issues, including: WSMV Channel 4 News (importance of flu shots); MedPage Today (mRNA flu shots); WTVF News Channel 5 (19 people sent to hospital after a sickness outbreak at Walmart facility in Lebanon); Prevention (West Nile virus); HuffPost (prevention pill for COVID); and Newsweek (measles cases continue to increase in the U.S.). Becker’s Hospital Review and Nashville Post covered the Vanderbilt Health News story from Rebecca Warren that Chief Communications Officer John Howser is retiring in March 2027, closing out a nearly 40-year career at Vanderbilt. A Healio story on research about OCT-A biomarkers and diabetic retinopathy quotes Vanderbilt University School of Medicine student Rachel Liu. WPLN Nashville Public Radio quoted Amanda Mixon, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, in a story about adverse drug interactions.
The impact of 'AI' on political ads
Host and the Panel discuss a myriad of topics leading up to the midterms. Topics included Pennsylvania as the quintessential 'purple state'; how the races in the collar counties are leaning, fostering voter engagement and how 'AI' is changing the game in the political advertising.
Speed networking pairs alumni, students - Notre Dame Business Mendoza College of Business
Executive Connections, a speed networking event, brought 24 alumni executives to campus to meet MBA and Specialized Master’s students.
Google Health Update to 5.11 Brings Several Huge Upgrades
A new version of Google Health is rolling out as version 5.11 on both Android and iOS. This fresh build brings numerous changes, like Health Guardian features for the Fitbit Air. It also greatly improves automatic activity tracking, gives more options for glucose tracking, and has improved sleep tracking. Even though we are only jumping...
California seeks to set boundaries around deepfake political ads
From California to Maine, deepfake political ads are influencing midterm elections across the country
In one of the West's few swing races, a Democrat tries to keep a Trump district
Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is home to a tight race that will help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Susanville tribal businesses sue SBA, alleging suspensions cost nearly $130M in contracts
Businesses owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria sued the Small Business Administration on Oct. 22, accusing the agency of a “brazen abuse of government power” that cost them nearly $130 million in federal contracts and cut off revenue supporting the Northern California tribe. The tribe’s ATI Government Solutions LLC federal contracting business, along with six […]
Sony Retires Its Last 4K Blu-ray Player in Japan, PS5 Is All That's Left
Sony has stopped shipping the UBP-X700/K in Japan, its last standalone 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player in the country. Shipments ended on October 22, and according to Sony retailer Kunkoku, the remaining stock on Sony's Japanese store sold out almost immediately. There's no word on a successor. That...
10/23/26 – HAWAIʻI CLIMATE COMMISSION LAUNCHING WORKSHOPS TO BOOST SOIL HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCE
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (CCMAC), housed within the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), announces CASH4ʻĀina! (Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health for ʻĀina) workshops coming soon to an island near you.
Nature center hosts art show, rangeland science talk
Feather River Land Trust announces two events during October at its Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center. "The Full Chase of Beauty," an art show with
Grammy Award-winning duo perform at UCD Pitzer Center
Collaborators and star performers of their instruments — Grammy Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann and Mexican Japanese American flutist Ráyo Furuta — will give an unforgettable performance at the Ann E.
Recalling the Luke Fickell rumors from USC’s 2021 coaching search
As we all know, the Trojans ultimately hired Lincoln Riley back in 2021, but Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell—then at Cincinnati—was a big name in the search
First 2 flu-related deaths of season confirmed in LA County
Los Angeles County health officials Thursday announced the first two flu-related deaths of the season.
Effingham Health Department hosting ‘Boo to the Flu’ vaccination event
Get a walk-in flu shot at the Effingham County Health Department on Oct. 29. No appointment is needed, and Halloween costumes are encouraged.
Pulaski County deputies seek suspect after business's stolen trailer found destroyed
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is looking for a suspect or suspects in connection with the theft and destruction of an Insulation Solutions trailer.
Lively music on the way locally
As October fades into November, there are several appealing events coming up at the Mondavi Center, plus concerts sponsored by the UC Davis Music Department at the Pitzer Center.
“Yaga”, “Clayface”, and stop-motion fantasy film “Wildwood ”top this week’s Must List
A “Baby-Sitters Club” podcast and a new stage production of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” round out our picks for the weekend of Oct. 23.
Raskin named Goizueta Foundation Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Lutgarde Raskin, a scientist who is globally recognized for introducing tools of molecular biology to the field of environmental engineering, joined the Yale faculty in 2026.
Duke Predicted to Drop Another Game This Week vs Virginia
The last two weeks have been tough on the Duke Blue Devils.
Money is everywhere in politics. Here’s how to see who’s funding your candidates.
Follow our illustrated guide to learn how to find corporate contributions, see obscure multi-million dollar donations and link that money to big donors.
To fix Michigan schools, experts urge better reading skills, less politics
A group of education experts urged audience members at the Bridge Michigan Issues Summit to volunteer in schools, vote for candidates who value education and set aside individual differences to work toward a common plan to improve schools.
Google Messages is working to finally clean up its messy settings menu
Between organizing options into groups and adding some useful illustrations, Google Messages is working on major changes to settings.
Rick Jackson will join Trump at Georgia rally amid slumping GOP turnout
The Republican nominee for governor had initially said he would skip the president's visit to Perry on Saturday, opting to campaign with Gov. Brian Kemp instead.
Xbox Reportedly Asked Netflix for $800 Million for 7-Year Movie and TV Exclusivity Deal
Xbox reportedly asked Netflix for $800 million for a seven-year deal that would have given the streamer exclusive adaptations based on its games.
Colorado Football Receives Near Failing Midseason Grade from CBS Sports
Recruiting failures, and locker room dysfunction threaten the "Prime Effect" as Deion Sanders struggles to steer the Buffaloes away from the Big 12 basement.
If you haven’t seen everything, a guide to Nathan Fielder’s genre-defying work
He’s suddenly everywhere for his Elizabeth Holmes documentary, “You Can See Everything.” His past work, including YouTube clips and prestige horror, examines how we communicate.
Crackgate? iPhone Duo Owners Report Screens Breaking Along the Hinge
Some iPhone Duos are already experiencing hinge issues that cause display cracks, based on photos shared on Reddit and the MacRumors forums. Almost all of the display faults are right along the hinge, and most result in a line of bright pixels across one side of the screen. An iPhone Duo owner in Australia said his device cracked after being opened fewer than 20 times, and there was no visible damage beforehand. Had my iPhone Duo for about six hours and had probably opened it fewer than 20 times.
Microsoft is testing a cleaner, faster File Explorer context menu for Windows 11
The updated context menu aims to reduce clutter while keeping common actions easy to access.
Why did humans' brains surpass chimps'? A tiny foe might help explain it
A viral infection from millions of years ago may have influenced chimp brain evolution through DNA leftovers in the genome.
Australia’s wish for a kinder, gentler politics seems doomed to disappointment
The attack on independent MP Helen Haines united Australia in grief, but on solutions it remains divided
Science Note: Air Pollution and Human Reproduction
Fine particulate air pollution, or PM2.5, has been linked to many health consequences such as cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular damage. Now researchers are finding connections between exposure to this air pollution and longer menstrual cycles. Ashanti McLean reports in this note on emerging science how period tracker app data helped make the link.
Alaska Native Communities Get $375K for Health and Wellness
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is investing $375,000 in funding to each of its 15 tribal partners to support public health in their respective communities. The funding will be distributed through SEARHC’s Healthy is Here program. Launched in 2017, the program has dedicated more than $3 million to locally driven wellness initiatives, including […]
Danville business owner linked to federal cannabis corruption case involving Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas
A racketeering and money-laundering conspiracy involving Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas has been linked to a Danville business owner, according to court documents.
Public Health Alum Enjoys Making Impact in the Realm of Health Administration
Daniel McFarland embraces the opportunity to help the masses through his role as chief operating officer for Baptist Memorial Hospital.
In the 2026 midterms, here’s how NC politicians do — or don’t
Hurricane Helene and the economic troubles it left behind influence what politicians say on the campaign trail.
Creative Assembly Finally Addresses The Shogun 2 Remaster Disaster By Pointing Fingers
While claiming the buck stops with CA, VP Roger Collum repeatedly levels the blame elsewhere
Hillsong Worship's Jad Gillies reflects on church's fall, God's grace as band releases new music
After years of scandal, leadership upheaval and public scrutiny that rocked one of the world s most influential megachurches, Hillsong Worship s Jad Gillies says the ministry is embracing a
'Carrie' Season 2: Everything we know about Mike Flanagan's Stephen King-inspired miniseries
Plus, what other King novels could come into play?
Megan Lawless & Lili Taylor Among Eight New Additions To STX/Aggregate’s ‘PRƎPPY’
EXCLUSIVE: Obsession‘s Megan Lawless and three-time Emmy nominee Lili Taylor (Outer Range) are among new additions to PRƎPPY, the true-crime flick from STX Entertainment and Aggregate Films that we an...
Membership Benefits: Austin Clubhouse’s mental health support goes beyond clinical care
The community helps people with mental health conditions to rediscover their self worth.
Rural Health Care: A Look at Priorities and the Pharmacy Professional's Role
Understanding local health care priorities is essential to developing meaningful solutions.
Today in Blue Jays History: Jays Win Second World Series
33 Years Ago Today I vividly remember that moment. Whether the Blue Jays won or lost, I felt confident we’d be okay. With Pat Hentgen lined up to start game 7 after his impressive outing in game 3, there was reassurance. Still, I’m grateful for how it all turned out. Even after countless viewings, Joe […]
AMD FSR 4.1 beta drivers for Xbox Ally, Xbox Ally X, and Xbox Ally X20 have rolled out and are ready for download
AMD's FSR 4.1 upscaling technology for boosting Xbox games' resolution and performance has come to Xbox Ally handhelds, albeit in beta form
This Chicago Mansion Is Hiding A World Of Magic Behind Its Historic Doors
Located near the Magnificent Mile, The Hand & The Eye offers three floors of immersive illusions, fine dining and secret passages.
Essential Health highlights personalized direct primary care in Davenport
Essential Health Direct Primary Care offers pediatric and adult patients personalized, evidence‑based care through a flat‑rate membership model that includes extended visits, in‑house pharmacy services and on‑site lab testing.
‘Yaga’ review: Witchy adaptation on AMC+ lacks any real magic
Whittock feels like somewhere where dark mysteries would live, buried in its dense forests and obscured by ash-gray fog. The fictional British Columbia setting of the new Crave series “Yaga,”
Check out a batch of sexy new “Rocky Horror Show” cast photos giving absolute pleasure
Don’t get strung out by the way they look.
Why ultra-Orthodox parties hold so much sway in Israeli politics
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, often called Haredim, make up a small but growing percentage of Israel’s population. Still, their political parties wield significant influence.
61 Switch 1 & 2 Games You Should Check Out In Nintendo's 'Halloween Sale' (Europe)
Every game we scored 9/10 or higher, plus a personal pick
Giants Must Attempt to Sign Morejón
Adrian Morejón’s dominant track record at Oracle Park makes him the ideal solution for the San Francisco Giants' crumbling bullpen.
iOS 27.1 is exclusive to iPhone Duo, here’s why
iOS 27.1 has officially launched, but you wouldn’t know it by checking your iPhone’s Settings app because it’s iPhone Duo-exclusive.
New Orleans Saints aim to end business trip on high note
"I want to win"
This Zac Efron Tearjerker Just Cracked Netflix’s Top 10
A familiar romantic drama is climbing Netflix’s Top 10 more than a decade after its theatrical release. Here’s why viewers are revisiting the tearjerker, and what they’re saying about it.
Analysis-Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election nears
By Jarrett Renshaw and Leah Douglas Oct 23 (Reuters) - With the November midterm elections fast approaching, President Donald Trump is throwing an array of costly and politically fraught solutions
NYC business leader blasts Mamdani over alleged ‘army of influencers'
Partnership for the City of New York CEO Steve Fulop criticizes Mayor Zohran Mamdani's legislative record, allegations that his staff prioritizes social media content and claims of coordinated online attacks against business leaders
OnePlus starts rolling out stable Android 17 updates early, marking the end of OxygenOS
OnePlus is now rolling out stable Android 17 updates to OnePlus 15 and OnePlus Pad 4, marking the end of...
Tejano star Michael Salgado announces return to stage following stroke
The “Cruz de Madera” singer, who fell ill onstage on Oct. 9, will play three shows in the coming week, including one in San Antonio.
Skuld names new underwriting chief and CFO
Norway-based Assuranceforeningen Skuld (Gjensidig) has promoted Chief Financial Officer Kristian Løberg to chief underwriting officer, Coverager reported. Skuld expects the reorganization to establish…
Poll: Low-information voters have turned hardest against Trump and the GOP
In 2024, the voters who knew the least about politics were some of Donald Trump’s strongest supporters. A Data for Progress poll released just before the election found Americans who didn’t consume any news at all said they’d vote for Trump over Kamala Harris by a 20-point margin, 60%1 to 40%. In February, we reported that many of these voters had soured on Trump. Voters who couldn’t name the party in control of Congress moved away from Trump at about twice the rate as high-information voters. But approval isn’t vote choice. With the midterms less than two weeks away, it is worth asking if these voters are turning against the president’s party in federal elections, too. In our October Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll, conducted Oct. 13–19 among 2,028 U.S. adults, we asked respondents two factual questions about politics: which party has the most members in the House, and which has the most members in the Senate. I classified anyone who got at least one of these questions wrong as “low-knowledge.” About 30% of adults miss at least one question, including 25% of 2024 Trump voters, 22% of Harris voters, and more than half of people who didn’t vote in 2024. In this article, I do two things with this data. First, I repeat my February analysis and compare how these two groups feel about Trump’s job as president; then I look at each group’s voting behavior in the upcoming House midterms. Register for free to read the rest of this piece.
Bravo casts controversial ‘Big Brother’ star Aaryn Williams on Texas-based reality show
The new reality show ‘Small Town Trouble: Texas’ is set to follow a group of women living in Boerne, Texas, including controversial ’Big Brother’ alum Aaryn Williams, who was known as Aaryn Gries during season 15 of the CBS show.
Off-Balance: How US Courts Privilege Conservative Policy Outcomes -
Off-Balance: How US Courts Privilege Conservative Policy Outcomes By Brian Highsmith, Maya Sen and Kathleen Thelen A growing literature has challenged some of the more influential accounts regarding the role of courts in the development [...]
Commissioner Lahbib visits Ottawa for discussions on preparedness for health emergencies
Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib will visit Ottawa to meet with Canadian authorities to discuss health emergencies preparedness and response. The trip includes a visit to an aircraft factory where a total of 24 firefighting aircraft are being produced.
Jay Bhattacharya: For a Second Scientific Revolution
Most published research findings are still false, and AI is making things worse. What changes would help? Dr. Bhattacharya dreams big.
AmEx lifts 2026 profit forecast, plans to cut 5% of workforce
By Manya Saini and Arasu Kannagi Basil Oct 23 (Reuters) - American Express raised its 2026 profit forecast above Wall Street expectations on Friday and announced plans to eliminate 5%
Computer scientists build innovative tech tools to find experiments, detect citation 'hallucinations'
New York University computer scientists and students have developed a pair of web-hosted AI systems designed to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the research process—by spotting "hallucinations" ...
E.C. Biz Owners Think 'Every Saturday' Can Be Small Business Saturday
“Every Saturday,” a new social media campaign, aims to promote exactly that: share a photo at a downtown business, use the hashtag #EverySaturdayEC and – an extra bonus – win $150 in Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce eBucks. The new initiative, also supported by Downtown Eau Claire Inc.
Pep Chavarria Injury Status for Chelsea vs Tottenham Confirmed
Xabi Alonso has been nursing some injuries since his arrival at Chelsea. The international break provided a good break in play to get a number of his key men back fit including Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro. The good times only lasted so long as Reece James ended up getting surgery over a …
Dayton defense contractor Mile 2 names new ‘C’-level executives
Mile 2, a growing defense contractor in downtown Dayton, has appointed Matt Phaneuf as COO and Kyle Garza as its first CTO to enhance delivery of mission-focused solutions for the Department of Defense and national security clients, leveraging their combined 30 years of industry experience.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
There’s a Reason That Netflix’s Ad Business Has Underwhelmed
Somewhat lost in the company’s slew of firings and engagement warnings over the past few weeks was the fact that Netflix is scaling back its ad forecast for 2026 from $3 billion to $2.7 billion. That’s despite the fact that: CTV is growing by 14-15% this year This year saw a monster upfront Netflix is the biggest streamer out there this side of YouTube, and was the platform that for years brands were supposedly dying to be a part of In other words, that’s an alarming pull-back from Netflix. A Wall Street analyst I spoke with last week was blunt, calling Netflix’s ad business “disappointing.” To me, a red flag on the ad front is that Netflix has never revealed how many ad-supported subscribers it has. Because if I know anything about how big companies work, if they have a positive number that makes them look really good - they tend to share it. (How many subs does go90 have right now? We’re not saying just yet. How are ads going on ChatGPT? Oh, a billion run rate - I see). Yes, to date Netflix has shared some fuzzy ad numbers, such as the idea that the company’s ad tier ‘reaches’ 250 million users globally.’ Here’s why that figure gives me pause: a)they lead with global, and b) they don’t explain how they are calculated. (Are they based on average people in each room? Surveys of some kind?). Regardless, some insiders say that Netflix’s ad tier is scaling nicely - others not so much. Either way, one of Netflix’s biggest challenge on the ad front appears to have been its starting point. Remember, when Netflix launched ads in 2022, it had 73 million subs in the US and Canada. That’s 73 million people who were used to Netflix with zero ads. And when the ad product rolled out, the company clearly was going after new users - a limited pool of potential subscribers by default. That focus seems to have changed over time, as Netflix has tried to convert longtime subscribers to the ad tier. Historically Netflix subscribers are very sticky. But is the company’s low churn a problem? Not necessarily, according to Antenna data. Rather, Netflix’s consumer loyalty is a bit of a double-edged sword. “Netflix is the one streamer which actually has seen substantial “trade downs” but has much lower ‘win backs,’ said Antenna founder Jonathan Carson (win-backs being people who were on the ad-free plan, cancelled, then rejoined on the ad plan). “Netflix has lower churn and so has less opportunity to win back old subs with a lower cost plan option.” This all might explain why Netflix has been so slow to roll out all of these table stakes targeting options until just this week. It likely didn’t have enough users to carve up into various targets. etc. However, what really hit Netflix’s ad business was Amazon’s move a few years ago to turn on advertising for Prime Video by default. Suddenly the market was awash in premium inventory, and Netflix was playing catch-up on multiple fronts. Thus, the streaming giant appears to still be figuring out if if wants lead in ‘programmatic TV,’ or premium ‘upfront’ TV sales. “The CTV market now sorts into three businesses, and Netflix is not the leader of any of them,” wrote analyst Jack Myers. Ouch. So how does Netflix ratchet up its ads business? Get the next NFL package You’re gonna have to wait until 2030 unless one of the bigger media companies like Skydance opts out, but the easiest (not cheapest) way for Netflix to become a huge TV ads contender is to get one of the regular NFL packages, ideally Sunday afternoons. That way it can sell ads to its whole U.S. subs base overnight. Go FAST This one is risky, because to program a compelling FAST channel, you’d likely have to take some older Netflix exclusive shows and make them available for free to non-subscribers. But FASTs, for better or worse, are ad-inventory machines. Go full UGC I’m not sure I see this happening. There is something already off about Netflix carrying podcasts and shows for creators. The experience sticks out in what is such a produced, and generally non-communal environment. But Netflix could open up its platform by allowing creators to upload videos without having to be approved by the service. But that opens a whole other can of worms (policing brand safety, copyright infringement, overall quality). Make a huge RMN Deal I was going to suggest something crazy, such as ‘instead of buying Warner Brothers, Netflix should buy Target. But the company doesn’t want to be in the brick and mortar business. Yet for Netflix’s ad business to compete in an Amazon world, it needs to be able to connect ad exposures to shopping. What if, instead of letting Amazon target Netflix viewers with its DSP, Netflix inked a deal with Target, or even took control of Roundel, and created its version of the Amazon full-funnel for brands? Price us out. I hope they don’t do this, but Netflix’s price increases - while significant - haven’t been enough to push long-term customers out of the ad-free tier. But if they made those prices so prohibitive, it could push large swaths of consumers to trade down. Then again, that could also dent engagement - as binging becomes much less appealing once you bring ads into the equation. Or, they could just launch a bunch of hit shows and maybe everyone will quickly forget all this angst. More from Amazon unBoxed A few weeks ago, I recorded two podcasts live at Amazon’s unBoxed event in San Francisco. I was able to go really deep with several brand partners about how Amazon’s various data and ad products work - particularly the under appreciated Amazon Marketing Cloud. First, I talked with Laura Abadias Velilla, of the Amazon specialty agency Amerge, along with Amazon’s own Charlotte Maines, Vice President, Devices Content & Advertising, about how the two partners helped a very specific printer company Epson launch into a brand new category - high end projectors. It’s a great example of how brands connect audience data across platforms to make budget deployment decisions. Next, I chatted with Monks VP Head of Digital Investment for North America Tom Burchill about how the agency actually brought in data from Linkedin to help target B2B customers across various Amazon properties for the brand Quicken. Check it out: Check these out, or just listen:
Brick’s new app blocker is designed for bedtime doomscrolling
Brick Night uses Bluetooth to create location-based blocking zones.
Half-Life 3 is back in the news again as Valve developer accidentally sort-of references it in public, reigniting hope once more
After a flurry of Half-Life 3 rumours last year, the codename HLX has resurfaced once more; this time straight from the mouth of a Valve developer.