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Money isn’t everything in politics — just ask Thomas Massie and John Cornyn
Money is simply the megaphone, and amplifying an unpersuasive message doesn’t produce victory.
Michigan Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to curb campaign spending power of corporations
State Rep. Betsy Coffia, a Democrat from Traverse City, and state Sen. Sean McCann, a Kalamazoo Democrat, introduced legislation in their respective chambers last week to limit the powers of business corporations, nonprofit corporations and limited liability companies to participate in campaign spending.
Nintendo announces 2026 San Diego Comic-Con lineup, including first hands on with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and chance to compete against The Rizzler
Nintendo today revealed its lineup for the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con, which is lead by Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Those attending the expo will be among the first in the U.S. to try out the game. Also, fans will have the opportunity to go on stage to compete against social media creator The Rizzler. Nintendo has more in store for...
Jayson Tatum speaks about 'abrupt ending' after Celtics traded away Jaylen Brown: 'It's tough'
Trump demands end to trade with key US ally, calls it a 'wasted cause'
Trump called Spain a "wasted cause" at the NATO summit and demanded an end to all trade after the ally rejected the 5% defense spending target.
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
She blamed flu shots for her twins’ deaths. Now she’s charged with murder.
Andrea Shaw, a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the American Academy of Pediatrics for recommending childhood vaccines, is accused of suffocating her daughter and son.
Nintendo announces that Mario Kart Tour is shutting down
Mario Kart Tour is ending service with a full shutdown - here's what's happening with the Gold Pass subscription and more.
Another Planet Entertainment Contract Extension Before Board of Supes
A resolution to extend APE’s contract with the Recreation & Parks Department for three more years, with an option of extending it out further to 2035, was approved by the Budget and Appropriat…
NBA insider reveals meeting between Draymond Green and LeBron James
NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that LeBron James and Draymond Green were spending time with one another this week amid NBA free agency.
AI is changing mortgage lending. Business intelligence is making it possible.
ICE's Chris McEntee discusses how AI is changing mortgage business intelligence, why data governance matters and how lenders can build AI-ready operations.
A Boeing 737 plane has disappeared off the coast of Pakistan
The K2 Airways cargo plane from Pakistan, carrying five crew members, was recorded rapidly descending before losing contact.
The NATO summit was supposed to focus on defense spending. Trump’s strikes on Iran changed that
President Donald Trump has thrown a major twist into a NATO summit in Turkey by launching a series of strikes on Iran and revoking a license that allowed Tehran to sell its oil on the world market.
Williamson Health leaders say $950M Ascension St. Thomas sale will fuel hospital growth in the county
Williamson Health's board recommends a $950M sale to Ascension St. Thomas, pending Williamson County commission approval.
Which Prospects Could the Phillies Trade at the Deadline?
The MLB Trade Deadline sits just a month away, and rumors are already beginning to swirl. From players who could be traded to what contending teams will be looking for, there’s lots of excitement this time of year. The Phillies are currently sitting three games behind the Braves for the NL East lead and half […] The post Which Prospects Could the Phillies Trade at the Deadline? appeared first on The Lead.
Report: Microsoft will make even more of its games exclusive to Xbox — as multiplatform strategy totally fails. What's going on?
Xbox's loathed "Project Latitude" strategy which saw Microsoft support its biggest rival with content is ending, with CEO Asha Sharma doubling down on exclusives.
Candidates for Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District make their case to Lexington business leaders
Ralph Alvarado and Zach Dembo squared off Tuesday on topics including tariffs, immigration and federal spending
Marshall hosts HSTA Fun with Science Institute for students
Around 75 students from across West Virginia are spending the week at Marshall University exploring careers in science, technology and health care through the
Explaining The Comcast and NBCUniversal Divorce
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July in America, celebrating the country’s 250th birthday. Frankly, I am bummed the 250th wasn’t a bigger celebration, but that’s a different topic for a different Substack. While it was generally a quiet week on the entertainment/streaming/media business fronts, we still had some interesting news stories. Actually, that kinda undersells one of the stories, a huge, huge, huge divestment that could upend the entertainment landscape... So let’s get right to it. In today’s column, I’ll cover Comcast spinning off the rest of NBCUniversal, an entertainment company investing in an LLM company and an LLM-owner investing in a movie studio, the latest round of threats of digital tariffs, and more. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Most: Comcast/NBCU Breakup!!!! If I had to describe my reaction to Comcast spinning out NBCUniversal, it feels like a relationship ending, either breaking up or divorcing. Comcast’s decision to spin off the rest of NBCUniversal, after spinning off some of its cable assets into Versant last year, really does feel like a family breaking up under “irreconcilable differences”. Of my stereotypes of the entertainment moguls, my go-to for Comcast CEO Brian Roberts—heir to the Comcast fortune, but a man who’s been at the helm for 24 years now, and president for twelve years before that—is that he likes building empires. He cut his teeth acquiring cable rivals in the 1990s and tried to buy Disney repeatedly, then settled for NBCUniversal after a long court battle. (Contrast this with Rupert Murdoch, a man who also loved to buy, but would also sell when the price is right. Murdoch made Fox out of nothing, but then sold 20th Century Fox to Disney, arguably at the top of the market. So I understood why he sold.) But I don’t understand Roberts’ motivation to sell now. I have some explanations but no single, super-satisfying explanation. Strategically, it would just make more sense to have kept NBCUniversal in-house, especially for a one-time empire builder like Comcast. Yet one powerful force—arguably the decider in modern capitalism—likely overwhelmed all other considerations. At first, I thought I’d arrange my thoughts as a “Five Why” analysis, digging through each layer of the puzzle. But instead, I found myself asking, “But…why?” (And I only ended up with four sections.) So let’s look at Comcast from that angle. Then, at the end, I’ll give my biggest strategic recommendation for every company in Hollywood. It’s obvious, but sometimes, the obvious strategy is the most ignored. But…Why? The Stock Market, Conglomerations, and Sum of the Parts Analysis 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… Why Comcast could never get a “tech company” valuation The not-so-secret motivation for Comcast What Versant has to do with all of this The key strategic advice I think every entertainment exec should follow (though it’s really obvious) Some big AI investment news… Whether we’ll see digital tariffs… And more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
Wisconsin Supreme Court refuses to release voter records sought by conservative activist
The case has been wending its way through the courts for years and stems from attempts by conservatives to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in Wisconsin over President Donald Trump in 2020.
Hungary Suspends State Media, Apologizing for Orban-Era ‘Lies’
Hungary’s state media went dark after its new leadership said it was ending years of propaganda that had propped up former leader Viktor Orban until his downfall in watershed elections earlier this year.
Science Fans Are Sharing Their Most Mind-Bending Facts, And These Are The Weirdest
We all need a little wonder right now.
Pippa Middleton dons breezy dress at Wimbledon, Kate visits hospital
Pippa Middleton embraced a breezy summer look while attending Wimbledon in London.
From The Sports Desk: Belgium demolishes the U.S. 4-1, and then trolls it afterward
“Overturn this,” Belgium posted on social media, a reference to FIFA suspending a one-game suspension for Folarin Balogun, the American striker, and allowing him to play in the match.
It's possible to end corporate influence in politics
More than 15 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court removed limits on corporate political spending in its notorious Citizens United decision, ushering in an era of unprecedented influence by moneyed interests. As a result, a small group of ultrawealthy donors have skewed the political system to their advantage — and today, social scientists link the […]
Hate taking pills? Meet the newest 'healthy aging' gummy supplement
The trending longevity supplement Fatty15 now comes in gummies, offering an easier, more consistent way to support cellular health.
Trump demands Republicans use budgetary gambit to pass voting reforms
Donald Trump's latest demand: that congressional Republicans combine voting reforms with defense spending and bring both to his desk before recess.
Illinois prison healthcare still poor as state goes 1 year without long-term medical provider
The state has been extending a short-term emergency contract with Centurion Health since July 2025 after backing out of a 10-year, $4 billion contract with Wexford Health Sources. Since then, the transition from Wexford to Centurion has complicated people's health care and left at least one subcontractor for Wexford unpaid.
Illinois prison healthcare still poor as state goes 1 year without long-term medical provider
The state has been extending a short-term emergency contract with Centurion Health since July 2025 after backing out of a 10-year, $4 billion contract with Wexford Health Sources. Since then, the transition from Wexford to Centurion has complicated people's health care and left at least one subcontractor for Wexford unpaid.
Why hyperscalers, Mag 7 are falling behind in the stock market's AI trade
Microsoft and Meta in particular are struggling to keep up with the broader tech sector as investors rebel against spending.
Türkiye Urges NATO to Turn Defense Spending into Military Capabilities
Looking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Guler described the gathering as a critical opportunity to reinforce unity and address key issues.
USA Coach Mauricio Pochettino Gives Update On Christian Pulisic Injury
United States forward Christian Pulisic could only watch from the bench as Belgium extinguished his team’s World Cup bid, ending a tournament in which the American star was hobbled by injuries and largely ineffective.
Vikings' Eye Opening Free Agent Prediction Trending in July
With Jonathan Greenard gone, Minnesota could target veteran Leonard Floyd to bolster their pass-rushing depth and provide critical support for rising star Dallas Turner’s sophomore campaign.
12 Gadgets Under $25 That Deserve A Spot In Your Home Office
Working from home can mean spending hours on end in a makeshift space thrown together on the fly. These gadgets could ease some of the pain.
New criminal justice laws crack down on gangs and where mental health evaluations are conducted
Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signed four Republican-led bills Monday updating mental health laws, increasing penalties for gang-related crime, amending local parking requirements and making technical changes to state agency operations.
How Investors Are Reacting To Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Expanding Tribal-Linked Online Casinos And Digital Wallets In Maine
In June 2026, Caesars Entertainment announced it had expanded its partnership with three Wabanaki Nations to pursue a 2026 launch of three branded online casino platforms in Maine, pending regulatory approvals, integrated with Caesars Sportsbook, Caesars Rewards, and its Universal Digital Wallet. The agreement not only broadens Caesars’ digital footprint but also ties online gaming growth directly to tribal workforce development and long-term community funding commitments across the Wabanaki...
Nielsen eyes further methodology changes ahead of football season
It appears as if Nielsen is preparing to find yet another way to keep sports viewership trending upward ahead of the upcoming football season. The audience-measurement firm, whose data is treated as the gold standard within the television business and is the currency by which networks sell advertising to media buyers, plans to formally roll…
An Urgent Threat to the Foundation of Federal Science Funding
New proposed regulations on the use of federal funding could cripple American science by replacing merit-based peer review of research projects with the whims of political appointees and ending support for the publication of research results. An entomologist and former federal government leader urges anyone who supports science to contact policymakers to oppose the proposed rules.
David Coulthard calls for FIA entertainment focus after British GP ending
David Coulthard has urged the FIA to prioritise entertainment after the British Grand Prix ended anticlimactically behind the safety car
Starmer faces likely row at Nato summit after US rebuke on defence spending
US ambassador to Nato has called for all allies who are ‘lagging behind’ to step up immediately
AI transforms small businesses, but challenges persist
AI has been a boon for many small businesses. It's also led to accidental spending and awkward encounters.
Meta Platforms' New Cloud Business Could Be a Game Changer for Its Stock
Meta getting into the cloud business should help allay investors' fears of overspending on AI infrastructure.
Beetroot juice is trending – its benefits go beyond the hype
Some marathon runners and other athletes swear by beetroot juice shots, but is there evidence they really do anything for our bodies? Columnist Alice Klein investigates
Mubadala Opens $25 Billion Credit Business to Outside Investors
Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Co. is opening up one of its largest investment businesses to outside investors for the first time, betting on its ability to attract institutional capital as demand for alternative lending rises.
CMS seeks to cut $260M in imaging spending through ‘site-neutral’ reforms
The agency said it hopes to control “unnecessary” increases in the volume of clinic visit services furnished at certain off-campus hospital departments.
California Politics 360 full episode | Major leadership shift for CA Education Dept.
As lawmakers and the governor passed the state’s spending plan for the year, they also approved a major change in who oversees the California Department of Education.
SoFi (SOFI) Launches AI Investing And Small Business Loans In Product Push
SoFi Technologies (NasdaqGS:SOFI) has launched Composer by SoFi, an AI-powered investing platform designed to help members build and automate customized investment strategies. The company has also introduced SoFi Small Business Loans, a digital-first lending product aimed at giving entrepreneurs faster access to capital with no fees. These product rollouts expand SoFi's presence in AI-driven investing tools and small business lending within its broader financial services platform. SoFi...
Americans of all ages are spending less time socializing
It's a fundamental shift in the way we live our lives that has implications for everything from what we believe to how long we live.
Mark Zuckerberg takes business calls on a jet ski wearing his $800 Meta glasses—and insists ‘the other person could not tell’
Zuckerberg is convinced smart glasses will replace the smartphone—and he's spending billions to prove it, even as Reality Labs posts a $19.2 billion loss.
Why every job description suddenly feels like a CVS receipt
AI has made job descriptions expand into never-ending, confusing lists of required and nice-to-have skills and qualifications.
NASA's Hubble captures a crimson stellar nursery sparkling with blue and white stars
Hubble has captured a spectacular view of LH 95, where about 2,500 young stars are still on their journey to becoming full-fledged stars. Scientists discovered these growing stars can keep pulling in gas and dust for millions of years, extending an important stage of stellar development. The region also contains multiple generations of stars living side by side, offering fresh clues about how star formation unfolds over time.
Months after Mayo Clinic left, some rural towns adjust to a ‘completely different health continuum’
With impending federal changes to Medicaid, workforce issues and the increasing cost of American healthcare, many rural healthcare providers are in a period of uncertainty.
Digital pizzas? Corporations ridicule PlayStation over ending game disc production
Companies like Domino's Pizza and KFC have published tongue-in-cheek statements parodying the controversial announcement.
Defending champion Swiatek & Rybakina out in Wimbledon shocks
Elena Rybakina becomes the highest seed to fall at Wimbledon so far in a straight-set third-round defeat by Elise Mertens.
Wimbledon: Elise Mertens beats No. 2 Elena Rybakina, Alex Eala knocks out defending champion Iga Świątek
Mertens ends a six-match losing streak to the 2022 Wimbledon women's champion.
Where is AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC) Spending $200 Million It Raised
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) is one of Peconic Partners’ stock picks. The stock is up around 18% year-to-date. Some 20 hedge funds have confidence in AMC stock. On June 25, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) said that it raised roughly $200 million from a registered direct offering of some 95.3 million shares of its […]
Canada vs. Morocco 2026 livestream: How to watch World Cup for free
Live stream all the action from the 2026 FIFA World Cup without spending anything.
Argentina vs. Scotland 2026 livestream: How to watch Nations Championship for free
Live stream all the action from the first edition of this competition without spending anything.
Local fireworks stand sees business surge amid firework crackdown in parts of the region
As we get closer to the Fourth of July, officials are sending a message about firework laws across the region. But for local fireworks stands, they're still seeing more customers getting ready to celebrate.
Dangers of youth using AI for mental health care
A nationwide study finds more and more teens are using A-I to replace mental health professionals. It’s led to some scary outcomes, even tragic endings. NBC 7’s Shandel Menezes sat down with some teens to hear what type of support they need.
Report: Drummond to join defending champion Knicks
Andre Drummond will reportedly sign with the Knicks in free agency.
Google Wallet finally shows all your spending in one place
Purchases made on phones and watches appear together
Who's attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding: A guide to the guest list
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding at Madison Square Garden is shaping up to be a star-studded extravaganza. Here's your guide to the celebrities on the guest list.
Long Reads for the Long Weekend
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards
Google Maps may soon expand beyond restaurant suggestions to actually placing your order
Ask Maps is getting ready to expand from just recommending restaurants to actually placing orders for you.
Trump calls out NATO ahead of summit, calling it 'ridiculous' for US to persist on 'one sided path'
U.S. President Donald Trump blasted NATO on Truth Social over defense spending disparities ahead of the alliance's upcoming summit in Ankara, Turkey
Buffalo Bills 2026 scouting report DT DeWayne Carter
How will this third-year player respond after suffering a season-ending injury in 2025?
Bolsonaro Adviser Says Fiscal Bill to Be Focus
Daniella Marques, an adviser to Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, said in an interview with SBT News that, if victorious in this year’s elections, his eventual government would propose a constitutional amendment focused on controlling spending and the debt trajectory right from the start. The goal would be to restore confidence and facilitate an adjustment in the benchmark interest rate.
Palm Beach police union offers backup for Belinda Keiser
'In Washington, she will effectively advocate for the needs of law enforcement, defending the rule of law.'
Democrats accuse Freedom 250 fundraisers of fraud over diverted donations
A Democratic report says donors intending to contribute funds to the bipartisan America250 committee were instead given banking info for Freedom 250
Democrats accuse Freedom 250 fundraisers of fraud over diverted donations
A Democratic report says donors intending to contribute funds to the bipartisan America250 committee were instead given banking info for Freedom 250
Democrats accuse Freedom 250 fundraisers of fraud over diverted donations
A Democratic report says donors intending to contribute funds to the bipartisan America250 committee were instead given banking info for Freedom 250
How a freelancer pitched a story about sperm freezing to Popular Science
Freelancer Julia Daye’s commitment to attending in-person media events paid off by inspiring a successful pitch to Popular Science.
iPhone 18 Pro Could Use Qualcomm Modem in the US and C2 Elsewhere
Stolen data from Apple manufacturing partner Tata Electronics appears to reveal that the iPhone 18 Pro will use different modem chips depending on the market it is sold in, with U.S. models retaining Qualcomm hardware while international models will feature Apple's in-house C2 modem. The finding emerged from a wide-ranging cyberattack on Tata, which alongside Foxconn assembles the iPhone.
Stars' 2 signings set up surprise Jason Robertson ending
Dallas seems to have a different plan up their sleeve.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Getting Story Expansion Pass, Store Leak Suggests
Final Fantasy 7 fans are getting excited for a new Story Expansion pass that has been glimpsed as part of a new store leak.
U.S. Healthcare Spending’s Meager Return On Investment
The U.S. spends a lot on healthcare — in terms of total and per capita expenditures and patient out-of-pocket costs — but gets a relatively poor return on its investment.
U.S. filings for jobless aid fall to 215,000 as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for jobless aid inched down last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending…
Croatia criticised for ‘unambitious’ changes to 2022 science law
Croatia’s science ministry has been accused of a lack of ambition, and even incompetence, over proposed changes to the country’s 2022 science law. Critics say an opportunity has been missed to fix wider shortcomings in the research and universities system.“This law, like all the previous ones, will not significantly change the current state of science in Croatia,” Vlatko Silobrčić, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences, told Science Business. “A small shift here and there will not have a significant impact.”The 2022 law introduced multi-year block grant financing of research, based on results, and changes intended to boost employment and career progression for researchers and lecturers. But implementation of the law has been uneven. “It became apparent that certain of its provisions were subject to different interpretations by higher education institutions and scientific institutes,” the science ministry said in its proposal for change. “This caused legal uncertainty in the system, administrative difficulties in implementation and, in certain cases, unequal treatment of teachers, scientists and students.”Most of the proposed amendments deal with technicalities in hiring and promoting staff, such as extending the committee deadlines from 60 to 90 days, or allowing applicants to cite all of their achievements and not only those since their last appointment.Both the ministry and Croatian media highlighted changes that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years and allow part-time students 15 year rather than 10 years to finish their studies.The change to retirement age has been criticised for reinforcing a weakness in the system. According to Matko Marušić, professor emeritus at the University of Split, this will “allow unproductive teachers to advance and work longer, while hindering and discouraging productive ones.”A longtime campaigner for excellence-based meritocracy, he sees little hope in the new legislation. “I am not optimistic that things will improve,” he told Science Business. “As recent changes to the law in Croatia show, the legal framework is becoming increasingly hypocritical and harmful.”For Marušić, who analyses Croatia's university system in a recently published book, the situation is “unfavourable and constantly deteriorating” due to the criteria used for academic advancement.“The key criterion for advancement should be scientific productivity,” he said. “In Croatia [. . .] scientific criteria are increasingly lowered, and ineffective and absurd criteria such as waiting times for promotion and age limits for remaining in a job are promoted.” He would also like to see better criteria for the quality of teaching at universities. “In practice, teaching is not monitored or evaluated,” he said, estimating that up to a third of teaching simply does not take place. “Under the guise of university autonomy and bad laws, universities and faculties are allowed to earn additional money by increasing enrolment quotas that have nothing to do with the needs of the labour market.” Lack of ambitionDora Kršul, a reporter at Telegram.hr who covers science policy in Croatia, finds the rationale for changes “bizarre.” “The ministry responsible for supervising the uniform application of the law is changing the law because it is being implemented unevenly,” she said. “This primarily speaks to the power relationship in the sphere of science and higher education in Croatia, that is, the question arises as to who actually manages this system.”Rather than raising quality, she continued, the changes appear to be designed to help vocational and applied universities who have not been complying with the law.The Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia said that the changes were “unambitious” and represent a missed opportunity for more important changes. “We think some of the changes are even negative,” it said in its statement on June 25. One of these is introduction of an “assistant” job title that allows people to be hired only for the duration of a project. Related articles: Elections to top science bodies test Croatia’s gender equality in researchSlovakia revises R&D approach to increase focus on competitivenessLatvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluationsThe union’s president, Tvrtko Smital, who was part of the 15-member working group tasked with drafting the changes, told the local media there was a “worrying lack of ambition” in the process, and “lack of competence” in terms of research experience and understanding the problems in the system.“There is no clear will to deal with the problems,” said Smital, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. “It’s a combination of unambitiousness and incompetence,” he went on, expressing his “deep frustration” with the situation. “There is no strategy, no clear thinking, and money is not being spent optimally.”Croatia’s science ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
Drug overdose spike in Madison could be related to extreme heat
First responders in Dane County reported at least seven overdoses involving opioids June 29 and 30. No spike has been seen in Milwaukee County yet.
Medicare's health tech spending test
Emerging technologies can improve people's health if we fundamentally change the way the system pays for care.
TPS decision causing uncertainty for Haitian business owners
While the legal battle over ending protections for Haitians continues, uncertainty is growing at area businesses in Springfield
TPS decision causing uncertainty for Haitian business owners
While the legal battle over ending protections for Haitians continues, uncertainty is growing at area businesses in Springfield
Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to have season-ending knee surgery
Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker will undergo surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and miss the remainder of the season. “This is a big blow,” manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday before the A's played the Los Angeles Dodgers. A two-time All-Star, Rooker hasn’t played since June 8.
Supreme Court ruling lifts limits on political party campaign spending
The decision could play a role in the battle for control of Congress this November.
'Dutton Ranch' is ending. Here's when the season finale comes out
Warning: This article contains spoilers from Episodes 1-8 of "Dutton Ranch," now streaming on Paramount+.
Local businesses sending supplies to Venezuela
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
Both chambers of General Assembly pass budget, another vote Thursday
Both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly passed a state budget Wednesday and are a second vote away from sending it to Gov. Josh Stein's desk.
Red Wings Sign Backup Goaltender
The post Red Wings Sign Backup Goaltender appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now. The Detroit Red Wings have added to their goaltending stable with a contract for Daniil Tarasov. Steve Yzerman and Detroit’s […] The post Red Wings Sign Backup Goaltender appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.
Alleged Cuban influence operative, family in federal custody after Rubio revokes legal status
A Cuban national who authorities say worked for regime-linked influence organization ICAP has been taken into federal custody pending removal from the U.S.
Meta's plan to launch a cloud business eases the biggest overhang on the stock
The stock's struggles in 2026 had been due to concerns about its aggressive AI spending.
Oregon store suspends Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments due to hygiene concerns
An Oregon game store announced it is suspending Yu-Gi-Oh card game tournaments for one week due to complaints about the hygiene of attendees.
Justices Hold Sex, Not Gender Identity, Matters in Girls’ Sports
Alliance Defending Freedom’s Kristen Waggoner says the decisions upholding Idaho’s and West Virginia’s women’s sports laws protect fair competition and the rule of law alike.
Meta pops 8% as company makes cloud push to sell excess AI compute power capacity
The new business is a welcome signal for some investors who have been uneasy about the company's infrastructure spending plans.