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What causes sleep paralysis; health indicators of Alzheimer's diagnosis; sober October; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
(iStock) Food and Wine interviewed Peter Martin, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for a story about sober October. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted in CNN International’s Connect the World with Becky Anderson and NewsNation Morning in America for stories about the reported plague situation in Russia, after a laboratory worker at an institute in Siberia dedicated to studying the plague and other infectious diseases died of a mysterious illness. Prevention interviewed James McGuirk, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Sleep Medicine, for a story about what causes sleep paralysis. Modern Healthcare interviewed Daniel Fabbri, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Computer Science, for a story about how health systems are managing AI token costs. WNKY interviewed Ziv Beckerman, MD, Associate Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Surgical Director of Pediatric Heart Transplantation in the Golisano Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt about rapid recovery with extended ultra oxygenated preservation (REUP) that is a new form of preservation for heart organs. Ray Romano, PhD, MPH, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer’s Center, was quoted Prevention about research that found other health issues may be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s.
Your eyes dilate depending on your thoughts
Brain activity and verbalization can both affect our pupils.
Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.
The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share
"Not Our Business"
Four years after the “chained woman” case, another incident from the same region shows how little has changed for vulnerable women.
Joe Romano brings the magic of science to West Hazleton Elementary
On Oct. 6, fourth- and fifth-grade students and their families at West Hazleton Elementary/Middle School enjoyed an engaging and educational presentation by Joe Romano, who combined science and magic to create an unforgettable learning…
Kiggans, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Discuss Healthcare Workforce Challenges, Tour Regional Health Professions Center at TCC
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) welcomed U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F....
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. visits Virginia Beach to address healthcare shortages
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. joined Republican Congresswoman Jennifer Kiggans (VA-02) for a closed roundtable…
How Berkeley shaped NASA’s newest space telescope
The Roman Space Telescope realizes an idea conceived at UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab. A Berkeley astronomer now leads a large group of scientists who hope to reap the benefits.
How Berkeley shaped NASA’s newest space telescope
The Roman Space Telescope realizes an idea conceived at UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab. A Berkeley astronomer now leads a large group of scientists who hope to reap the benefits.
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
Federal maternal, infant health data collection system remains weak, puts health outcomes in jeopardy | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Medicaid funding cuts are jeopardizing the health of U.S. mothers and infants—and with a weak federal database to monitor maternal health outcomes, the consequences may be invisible, according to Harvard Chan School experts.
Pa. health officials continue to investigate Franklin County measles-related death
A measles-related death reported by the Franklin County coroner Monday has still not been recorded in Pennsylvania data as state health officials say they continue to investigate the fatality. The Franklin County coroner’s office announced that a 39-year-old woman with “several underlying conditions” died Saturday after a “past diagnosis of
Woman charged with throwing, pushing toddler at Auburn business
Larri Alexis Webb is charged with willful abuse of a child, according to Auburn police.
International Day Of Rural Women: Geography Should Not Decide A Woman’s Health
On this International Day of Rural Women (15 October), countries need to commit to addressing the disparity between health services in urban and rural areas
Romance and business: Wildfire Bookshop sparks joy
For nearly a year, Stacey Fish has operated Wildfire Bookshop, a romance bookstore located on the east end of College Road. She said she went into business for herself because,
Rashida Tlaib calls raid on Ilhan Omar a political attack
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib calls the federal raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's home politically motivated: \
TIME Best Inventions of 2026
NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was among the year’s top innovations recognized Thursday on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list.
CVS Health collaborates with The Midlife Collective to redefine a woman's midlife health journey
/PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health®(NYSE: CVS) today announced a new collaboration with The Midlife Collective, a media company and community platform dedicated to...
Romania's nominated prime minister secures support ahead of confidence vote
BUCHAREST, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Romania's leftist Social Democrats said they will join the government of Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu while other parties pledged their votes, edging the
Mourinho impressed by Wesley: “I knew he was strong.”
There’s no shortage of talent at Real Madrid. From Mbappé to Diomandé, there’s plenty of quality players. Mourinho’s squad is sensational, including the bench. It was evident against Roma: a t...
8 Best Science Fantasy Books of the 21st Century
Break genre barriers with spacefaring necromancers and aliens employing goblins
Best foods for reducing dangerous belly fat and protecting heart health
Belly fat and visceral fat are linked to serious health issues. A doctor shares how lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats can help reduce stomach fat.
Ilhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her Citizenship
Authorities have subpoenaed members of the Democratic congresswoman’s family as part of a broader look at their immigration paperwork.
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
Exclusive: Judge limited Justice Department access to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s records in sprawling immigration fraud probe
The Trump administration pushed for an unusually aggressive search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s house in recent days in an immigration fraud probe that targets the congresswoman, possible false statements made on government documents, and a potential conspiracy, according to multiple people familiar with the investigation.
NASA Roman Team Checks Out Main Instrument, Sharpens Telescope’s Focus
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team completed a marathon of activities to fine-tune the observatory’s vision and prepare the primary instrument for
10 health conditions may be linked to Alzheimer's years before diagnosis
Depression, vertigo, headaches and stroke were among conditions linked to early-onset Alzheimer's disease years before diagnosis, a Finnish study suggests.
Hazle Township Early Learning Center enjoy science program
On Oct. 5, second-grade students at the Hazle Township Early Learning Center participated in a Title I federally funded parent engagement program, Joe Romano’s Is it Magic or Science? This event was organized to promote literacy within s…
Health workers tackle taboos over drinking with new AI tool
A new AI-powered hub for health professionals aims to help identify alcohol-related risks and launch discussions with patients, including the link between drinking and cancer, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday.
New woman-owned aesthetics business opens in Reno
VVW Aesthetics offers technology not available elsewhere in northern Nevada.
Characteristics of Leadership: Micromanaging
Knowledgeable Alaskans share methods of effective leadership. This month: when micromanagers carry too much of the load.
Margaret Qualley's 'Love of Your Life' is about letting go. But she's standing by those barefoot sandals.
Qualley and costar Aaron Pierre break down the dynamics of their new romantic drama.
Archaeologists Found a Lost Roman Oracle—and Decoded the 56 Baffling Messages Inside
The Roman-era “Magic 8 Ball” answered everyday questions with a single throw of knucklebone dice.
Chuck Lorre claims CBS ‘hated’ Melissa McCarthy for lead role on “Mike & Molly”
The “King of Sitcoms” says network executives wanted “a hot young woman” in the titular role.
Is healthcare on Florida's ballot? Many voters say it's a top priority
An Orlando woman survived after a brain tumor that grew unchecked for seven years because she couldn't get the insurance necessary to see a doctor. She now supports candidates who favor Medicare for all.
Former councilwoman challenges Mentzer in 97th House District
Republican Steve Mentzer faces off against an East Lampeter Township woman with government experience in a bid to win his seventh reelection campaign in the 97th House District.
‘A bad idea’: Ex-health aide admits taking $8,000-plus from older Van Buren woman who has Alzheimer’s
VAN BUREN -- A former home health aide who admitted she took more than $8,000 from a Van Buren woman who has Alzheimer's disease must pay it back and also serve jail time and a decade of supervised probation.
Terry Bradshaw realizes TV career is ‘coming to an end’
Terry Bradshaw has occupied the public consciousness for more than 50 years. He won four Super Bowls as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers before his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 1989, and since 1994, he has starred on Fox NFL Sunday. Did Bradshaw also deliver an incredible performance in the 2006 romantic…
T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach marry 4 years after their shocking ‘GMA3’ office romance went public
Former ‘Good Morning America’ anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach got married in Arkansas on TK date, nearly four years after their scandalous office romance was revealed.
Man United Set To 'Attack' The January Transfer Window
Michael Carrick’s struggling squad eyes vital reinforcements as Fabrizio Romano reveals the Red Devils possess the remaining funds necessary to fix glaring roster gaps this winter.
Murray, Kaptur: As Families Pay More & More for Energy, Reports Show Trump Energy Department Withholding Billions and Playing Politics
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, released the following statement on the Trump administration holding back or cutting […]
Specialized airway surgery helps South Texas woman breathe freely again
After nearly two years of struggling to breathe, a South Texas woman found relief through specialized airway surgery at UT Health San Antonio, where advanced technology and coordinated care helped her reclaim her quality of life.
Trump rally crowd chants 'deport' as president rips Ilhan Omar after federal raid
President Donald Trump blasted Rep. Ilhan Omar at an Ohio rally as crowds chanted "deport" hours after federal agents searched the congresswoman's home.
Singer who dated Prince in the ‘90s says she couldn’t handle the musician dating around: ‘I wasn’t the only one’
Elisa Fiorillo, who dated Prince in the ‘90s and reunited with him to play in his band in the 2010s, recalled her experience being romantically involved with the ‘Purple Rain’ musician.
Trump targets Ilhan Omar at rally following raid on her home
President says Somalia, birthplace of the Minnesota Democratic congresswoman, is ‘one of the worst countries on the planet’
Life Science Tools Market Forecast to 2035: Growth Accelerates on Genomics and Biomanufacturing Demand
The global life science tools market is forecast to expand through 2035, supported by rising genomics research, biomanufacturing scale-up, and lab automation adoption.
Pennsylvania reports sixth death of year in disease outbreak
Pennsylvania reported its sixth measles-associated death this year after a 39-year-old woman with a recent measles diagnosis died in Franklin County.
Parkersburg Woman’s Club raises $263 for Breast Health Initiative
The Parkersburg Woman’s Club raised $263 for the West Virginia Breast Health Initiative in a fundraiser where members voted on pumpkins decorated by members. The rule was pink had to be somewhere on the pumpkin. Members voted for their favorites with cash donations, raising the $263 for the Breast Health Initiative. The initiative promotes breast […]
39-year-old unvaccinated woman becomes 6th measles death in Pennsylvania
As of Friday, state health officials reported 1,136 cases across 41 counties.
Steelers will be without Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek vs. Buccaneers
Steelers will be without another pair of wide receivers vs. Buccaneers.
Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Pretty Woman’ Complaint Put a Small Business on Blast. Then the Story Changed
The singer's negative experience at a small business went viral. Now, experts are criticizing how it all unfolded on social media.
'I was blessed to be her mom:' Cheyenne woman starts youth sports league in honor of daughter
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of harming themselves, please call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts,
Dementia risk more than quadruples among adults with common disorder
Adults with ADHD had more than four times the risk of dementia or mild cognitive impairment, a University of Pittsburgh study of 187,000 people found.
‘Leni’s Last Lament’ at Intiman Theatre confronts filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl
This one-woman show, centered on controversial German director Leni Riefenstahl, doesn’t set out to provoke sympathy for the devil.
‘Play On!’ hits all the right notes
The English Renaissance meets the Harlem Renaissance in “Play On!,” a sparkling show that marries a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night” with the music of Duke Ellington. Conceived by Sheldon Epps, who also directed the original 1996-97 production (first in San Diego, then on Broadway), the show is getting a marvelous revival under his direction to open Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 40th anniversary season.While the title “Play On!” refers to the famous quote about music being the food of love and thus to the dozens of Ellington songs—among them “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good),” “Solitude” and “I’m Beginning to See the Light”—incorporated into the plot, one of the highlights for me is the clever way Cheryl L. West's book reworks the story. Apparently, it's also been updated for this outing, among other things to give the women more agency. In the big opening number (there's a six-piece, horn-heavy onstage band), aspiring songwriter Vy (Hailee Kaleem Wright) is the one to “Take the 'A' Train” to “Drop Me Off in Harlem.” She wants to meet the famous Duke (Edred Utomi) — Ellington, not Orsino, that is — and she seeks the help of Jester (an engaging James Harkness) to find out how. When Jester tells her in no uncertain terms that the music industry is a man's world, she disguises herself as Vy-Man and persuades the Duke to listen to one of her songs. He's suffering from a creative block because he's pining for Lady Liv (Krystal Joy Brown), queen of the Cotton Club, and convinces Vy-Man to bring the Lady the song as if the Duke had written it, promising to reward her with employment. Vy reluctantly complies, and the predictable complications ensue. Lady Liv is attracted to Vy-Man, while Vy is attracted to the Duke and he to Vy, though it disturbs him because he thinks she's a man. The fallout when the deception comes to light bodes ill—at least for a while.Here's where West's book cannily diverges from Shakespeare. Vy's twin brother Sebastian really is dead, so West devises another love interest for Lady Liv basically by rehabilitating the Malvolio character, here named Rev (Alan H. Green), the Lady's uptight, self-important manager. His unrequited love for her is magically transformed after he gets his comeuppance (minus the torture) from Miss Mary (Alanna Lovely), her honey Sweets (James Earl Jones II) and Jester, the stand-in for Sir Toby, who has romantic problems of his own with a woman named CC (Kaylah Janssen). In other words, Rev gets the girl — and also a show-stopping yellow zoot suit from costume designer An-Lin Dauber. All the costumes are dandy, though those for the men have more pizzazz than the women's day dresses. The bilevel, slanted scenic design by Beowulf Boritt brings 1930s Harlem to life in a slightly expressionistic way with the help of Adam Honoré's lighting and Ray Nardelli's sound design. Edgar Godineaux's choreography adds to the period feel, though there could be even more of it.Most of all, the leads have splendid voices, and the performances are terrific. Green's Rev and Harkness's Jester get my vote for comedy chops, and Brown's Lady Liv probably will stay with me the longest for her complexity and big blues number, “I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues.”
Brooklyn store responds to Kelly Clarkson once again, claims she was in their store for ‘5 minutes’
Clarkson slammed the shop on social media over the weekend, claiming they treated her “like Julia Roberts’ character in ‘Pretty Woman.’”
House Democratic leaders condemn the search of congresswoman's home as an 'abuse of power'
“For years, Donald Trump and far-right extremists have relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Omar with vile personal attacks and baseless accusations,” House Democratic leaders said in a statement.
Woman sues Upstate deputy for shooting husband during 2024 mental health crisis
A lawsuit filed on Thursday alleges that a Greenville County deputy acted negligently by shooting and killing a man experiencing a mental health crisis in 2024.
Man charged with attempted rape for allegedly attacking woman behind business in Lyons
A man is facing multiple charges after allegedly attacking and choking a woman behind a business in Wayne County last month.
Healthy diet during pregnancy associated with reduced risk of infant colic and eczema
Infants born to mothers who ate a healthy, Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy were at lower risk for colic and eczema, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public ...
Trump critic Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home searched by federal agents
US authorities searched the Democratic congresswoman’s home as part of a criminal investigation.
Sebastian Stan Interview on 'Fjord' Politics, 'Batman: Part II'
Sebastian Stan talks about playing a religious Romanian father trying to get his kids back in "Fjord" and his roles in "Batman: Part II" and the MCU.
Federal officers carry out search at Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s DC-area home
Federal officers early on Monday executed a search warrant related to Rep. Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota congresswoman who has been the persistent target of ire from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Immigration officials search Congresswoman Ilhan Omar home
Omar was first elected to Congress in 2018, and is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.
The Law of Conservation of Information
There are a lot of details here, and the result is nontrivial though the conservation of information inequality looks utterly elementary and straightforward.
Fremantle Takes Singapore Dating Format ‘Wingman’ Global in Mediacorp Deal
Fremantle has signed an exclusive deal with Singapore broadcaster Mediacorp to license “Wingman,” a dating show in which singles hand their romantic decisions over to their closest friends. Fremantle ...
Steelers WR Roman Wilson to miss multiple weeks with injury
Steelers will be without WR Roman Wilson for multiple weeks.
John Cusack says Lloyd Dobler would probably be labeled a stalker if “Say Anything” was made today
The 1989 movie, which costarred Ione Skye, featured him making a romantic gesture to his ex-girlfriend.
Kelly Clarkson ‘Pretty Woman’ Drama Explained As She Slams Store’s Response
The singer accused a Brooklyn store of treating her like Julia Roberts in 'Pretty Woman.' Now both sides are disputing what happened.
Dear Abby: My husband put my career at risk by making political endorsements
Dear Abby gives advice to a woman whose husband put up political signs in their front yard without consulting her.
ABS-CBN News
Mikhail Schemm, founder and CEO of a Philippine-based entertainment group, was seen together with actress Sarah Lahbati, further fueling the romance rumors. Full story link in the comments section.
Kelly Clarkson said she received 'Pretty Woman' treatment at NYC shop
Kelly Clarkson said she was treated like Julia Roberts' character in the '90s rom-com "Pretty Woman" when she visited a Brooklyn toy shop.
Kelly Clarkson claims she had a ‘Pretty Woman’ shopping moment, store responds
Kelly Clarkson claimed a sales associate looked at her ‘as if I couldn’t afford’ anything in the store, making her feel like Julia Roberts in ‘Pretty Woman.’ The next day, the store responded.
Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilson unable to return
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson left the Week 5 game early due to injury
Woman arrested after shooting Palm Bay storage business manager
A 40-year-old woman who Brevard sheriff's agents said shot and wounded the manager of a storage facility in Palm Bay was taken into custody Sunday, Oct. 11, the sheriff's office reported.
Republicans want Abdul El-Sayed to be the main character of the midterms. He's happy to oblige
Abdul El-Sayed, holding a handheld mic, slowly shook his head as a woman at his town hall described how she burned through her savings after undergoing emergency brain surgery.
Kelly Clarkson slams New York store for alleged 'Pretty Woman' moment
Kelly Clarkson says a store in Brooklyn just made a big mistake. Big. Huge!
Inside the Financial Troubles of the Woman's Club of Hollywood
The 121-year-old nonprofit Woman’s Club of Hollywood is in financial turmoil due to a debt scandal involving its former executive director.
Kelly Clarkson slams Brooklyn store over ‘Pretty Woman’ treatment
Kelly Clarkson claims a Brooklyn store employee treated her like she couldn't afford the merchandise, comparing the experience to "Pretty Woman."
Kelly Clarkson slams Brooklyn store over ‘Pretty Woman’ treatment
Kelly Clarkson claims a Brooklyn store employee treated her like she couldn't afford the merchandise, comparing the experience to "Pretty Woman."
Substitute teacher fired over OnlyFans account says business is booming
A Missouri woman says her free speech was violated. Her adult content site has attracted more subscribers after news spread of her dismissal.
Texas woman charges up to $2,000 to decorate people’s porches with pumpkins — and her business is thriving
From stay-at-home mom to pumpkin porch makeovers, Brandi Hazelett turned a love of autumn decor into a successful family business.
Galion woman speaks on mental health and aging at United Nations HQ
Duana Patton, CEO of the Area Agency on Aging in Ontario, recently spoke about mental health and older adults at the World Mental Health Week Leadership Forum.
Editorial: The Case for Impeachment — What would the founders do?
When the Founding Fathers gathered in Philadelphia 250 years ago to “form a more perfect Union,” they studied the collapse of the Greek and Roman republics with an eye toward
Vinícius red card overshadows Diomandé’s Real Madrid breakthrough
Yan Diomandé scored his first Real Madrid goal to secure a 1-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday, 10 October, but the result was overshadowed by Vinícius Júnior’s dismissal. The Guardian and the As...
Ndicka and Pellegrini to return to Roma’s line-up
Roma returns to action after the long international break. On Sunday, at 12:30, the Roman team will face Fabregas’ Como at the Sinigaglia stadium. Gasperini will not only be without Cristante, but a...
Rubio pledges US cooperation in Marine-linked murder case
A US Marine stationed on Okinawa has been arrested on suspicion of killing a 39-year-old woman.
Weekend Reading on Women's Representation: Arizona Congress Candidate Speaks Out About Her Rape, 'It’s OK to Talk About It’: Will Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Run for President?
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! —Friday, Oct. 9, marked 115 years since the men of California went to the polls to decide whether the women they lived alongside would be permitted to join them there. —Bernadette Greene-Placentia, the Democratic nominee in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District with a real chance to upset her opponent, was reportedly raped while fixing one of her yard signs. "She chose to share her story because she knows many survivors struggle in silence, and she hopes that by speaking about her experience, others will know they are not alone," said a campaign spokesperson. —Pew Charitable Trust reports that 37 percent of Americans now believe a woman will not be elected president in their lifetime. I urge women like AOC to seriously consider a presidential bid in 2028. —The poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for her genre-defying work. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded 122 times to 104 men and just 18 women. ... and more.
The director of Fjord takes the ‘risky position’ of moderator
With his new film about a Romanian family’s life in Norway, Cristian Mungiu wants you to consider the limits of your tolerance
🚨 Breaking: Ratiu ruled out of Rayo-Athletic
Rayo Vallecano head into their match against Athletic Club with a significant late withdrawal. Full-back Andrei Rațiu will not be available for the game.The Romanian international had been playing th...
No. 3 Spartans Open Season With Dominant Offensive Showing
Anthony Romani netted two goals as East Lansing’s high-octane offense dismantled Northern Michigan, showcasing a lethal power play and top NHL prospects in a statement season-opening victory.
Mass. health officials confirm 13th human case of West nile virus in woman exposed in Middlesex County
Risk levels for the mosquito-born virus remain high in several communities, including Boston.