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I moved from Mexico to the UK; I felt like an outsider when I returned
Six years ago, I left my home country, Mexico, and moved to New York, then to the UK. When I returned to Mexico, I realized how much I had changed.
Midtown record shop Sig's Lagoon's YouTube show is a campy must-watch
'Late Night at the Lagoon, inspired by the goofy likes of 'Space Ghost: Coast to Coast,' is a platform for local musicians such as Kam Franklin and Peyton.
'60s Singer Petula Clark Is Nearly A Centenarian: What She Looks Like Now
Singer Petula Clark, who rose to fame in the '50s and was huge in the '60s, is now in her 90s, and her beauty philosophy has impacted how she looks.
This Democrat’s comeback saga began long before his primary upset
David Crowley had a surprising path to becoming his party’s nominee for governor of Wisconsin. His life before that was even more unlikely.
Will the economy motivate voters? This Central Valley swing district could be a test
The 22nd District is one of fewer than two dozen toss-up races nationwide that will likely determine which party controls the U.S. House in the second half of President Trump’s term.
I visited the Capital One lounge at LaGuardia. Here's what it's like.
Business Insider's editor visited the Capital One Landing at LaGuardia Airport. She enjoyed the shrimp and steak, but there's one thing she'd change.
CEO Jensen Huang offers candid advice to departing Nvidia staff
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang gives blunt feedback to departing employees, influencing startups like Flexion Robotics and INT21 with direct insights.
Why Democrats will turn out even if they dislike their party’s leaders
At a rest stop off Interstate 95, Democratic voters said they are starting to set aside their frustrations to coalesce around the party's midterm candidates.
Bodies - The Science Within
See, feel, and understand the human body like never before! BODIES – THE SCIENCE WITHIN invites visitors of all ages on a journey through real human specimens, carefully and respectfully preserved, uncovering the intricate systems that sustain life. This immersive experience reveals how our bodies work, what we are made of, and how we […]
Opinion | Murder cases highlight racial disparity in postpartum care
"Unfortunately the federal government is unlikely to address these issues," writes Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, former state secretary of health and human services.
Mary Bird Perkins puts holistic health and survivorship at the center of cancer care
For many cancer patients, completing treatment can feel like crossing a finish line. But, even when the disease is in remission, the effects of treatment can affect a person’s daily
Benchmarking and bonuses: why Singapore pays its politicians like bankers
The city-state has some of the best-paid ministers in the world
Bone Health Without the Hype
I am at the Australasian Menopause Society meeting and we had a fantastic lecture on Bone Health on Day 2, called, “Everything you need to know about bones - except the boring bits!” Spoiler alert, there were no boring bits. The lecture was given by Dr. Amanda Beech, who is a senior staff specialist in Obstetric Medicine and Endocrinology at the Royal Hospital for Women, where she is director of the Bone Density Unit. I want to summarize my top 10 take-aways for you. Share Osteoporosis is a disease of low bone mass, disruption of bone microarchitecture, and fragility of the skeleton. It is a silent disease…until someone develops a fracture. The diagnosis of osteoporosis is based on either fragility/minimal trauma fractures or a T-score of less than -2.5 on a DXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) or bone scan. It is important to recognize that about 50% of minimal trauma fractures occur when women have low bone mass (often referred to as osteopenia), but not osteoporosis. This tells us that bone strength is more complicated than a number on a DXA report. I am going to add a little here that wasn’t in the talk (one can only include so much in 25 minutes), as many women might read the above paragraph and think, “Shouldn’t we be treating everyone with low bone mass if this is when 50% of the fractures occur?” Many fractures happen for women with low bone mass because there are so many women with low bone mass –it is a statement about the population on a whole, not about the fracture risk of low bone mass. For you as an individual, bone density is only one component of fracture risk and many women with lower bone mass will not have a significantly elevated fracture risk. This is why individualized risk assessment matters. Subscribe We build bone in our teens and twenties, and by the time we are about thirty we have reached peak bone mass. This is why, when we discuss risk factors for osteoporosis, it is important to consider factors that might have affected us in our teens and twenties when we were actively building bone, such as nutritional restriction/energy imbalance. It is important to ask women about a history of eating disorders, and for those with such a history, getting a bone scan in perimenopause or at age 50 is likely warranted. (This image below isn’t from the talk, but is similar to one that was). Bone mass is relatively stable until about two years before the final menstrual period, and perimenopause marks a time of rapid bone loss for women. Using urinary markers of bone loss we know that the time of significantly accelerated bone loss starts about 1 year before the final period and ends about 2 years after the final period. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) shows that over the menopause transition women lose an average of 10.6% of the bone at their lumbar spine and 9.1% at the femoral neck While this wasn’t covered in the lecture, I want to add that the rapid bone loss during perimenopause is clearly related to more than estradiol, because during this time estradiol levels can be erratic and not uniformly low. Bone loss during perimenopause is likely a multi-hormone event. For example, rising FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) tracks with bone loss better than estradiol, and there is evidence that FSH may act directly on bone. While decreased estrogen matters, there is clearly more going on. FSH and bone is an active area of research. Subscribe Screening for osteoporosis was recommended fairly broadly before age 65, and was taken from the “Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause,” from Monash University. Here is a screenshot from the toolkit that was used as a slide: I am going to add a little bit more about body weight here for clarification. Low body mass (typically 152.1 lb): 0 points (risk neutral) 60–69 kg (132.3–152.1 lb): 3 points (adds some risk)
Fans Believe Jeremiah Smith Cemented His Heisman Win Tonight
What was supposed to be a close battle of top top-five teams like last year's Ohio State-Texas game has turned into "The Jeremiah Smith Show."
Shift Prem Cup back
I’M not a fan of having the Prem Cup preceding the proper Prem season. As last week showed, some teams treat it like an extension of pre-season, some give the kids a run and a few actually look like they want to win it. I preferred it when August was for pre-season matches and the […] The post Shift Prem Cup back appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Grading Arizona football’s performance in loss to BYU
In the first big test of the season, Arizona traveled to BYU and kept in touch with the Cougars but ultimately fell 28-17 in a hard fought battle. In the first half, the Wildcats looked like they were up to the task but a second half shutout killed any confidence from the first 30 minutes. […]
Instant Canadiens Analysis: Former Villain Kreider A Smart Addition
The Montreal Canadiens shocked many fans on Saturday, announcing the signature of a relatively unlikely target, forward Chris Kreider. Kreider, […]
Arkansas College Football Scoreboard: Week 2
Week 2 of the Arkansas college football season features various matchups across all levels, including featured games like Arkansas at Utah and several Thursday results such as Harding's victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
“Anytime you get a generational talent like that it …
“Anytime you get a generational talent like that it …
Is Red Sox’ Roman Anthony trying to ‘overcook it?’ (notebook)
Red Sox' Chad Tracy said about Roman Anthony: "He probably got into some spots where he’s starting to like overdo it, overcook it a little bit.”
It's official, Liverpool signed a future best in the world
Liverpool have pulled off a masterstroke. Well, it's not quite the start the Reds were hoping for under Andoni Iraola. Liverpool are not losing games, unlike they were under Arne Slot.However, they ar...
BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony: Starcraft Returns, Diablo V Announced, Warcraft news and more
I’ve been at Blizzard a long time, and I’ve got a bunch of BlizzCons under my belt. Do you know how hard all these announcements were to hold in as we prepared for BlizzCon 2026? I can’t even believe this is real, man, like…okay, sorry, I’m locked in. Whether you’re watching it all unfold live […]
Level-5 Boss Addresses AI Backlash After Fans Hit Out at Game Reveal Showcase
Developer Level-5 has apologized for and explained its use of generative AI after fans spotted 'AI slop' in footage of games like Professor Layton and the Curious Village, DecaPolice, and more.
What's Eduard Bazardo's Future with Seattle Mariners?
After another struggle on Friday night, it's time to wonder what Bazardo's role in 2027 looks like, if he has one.
Video Health officials declare the cyclosporiasis outbreak over
The parasite that sickened nearly 13,000 people in the U.S. was associated with contaminated lettuce and caused symptoms like diarrhea and nausea.
Inside Iowa Politics: Why Sen. Grassley isn’t sure Americans would react today like they did on September 11, 2001
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said that he doesn't know that Americans would react the same way today like they did after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Inside Iowa Politics: Why Sen. Grassley isn’t sure Americans would react today like they did on September 11, 2001
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said that he doesn't know that Americans would react the same way today like they did after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Inside Iowa Politics: Why Sen. Grassley isn’t sure Americans would react today like they did on September 11, 2001
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said that he doesn't know that Americans would react the same way today like they did after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Inside Iowa Politics: Why Sen. Grassley isn’t sure Americans would react today like they did on September 11, 2001
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said that he doesn't know that Americans would react the same way today like they did after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In 1996, NOAA scientists pumped 2 dyes beneath Key Largo to learn where groundwater went; 18 days later, 2 bay-side wells showed it flowed toward the Atlantic
By the mid-1990s, seagrass die-offs and deteriorating water quality had caused coral reefs throughout the Florida Keys to show signs of decline for years, leading scientists to search for explanations other than the apparent ones like boat traffic and coastal development. One notion that kept coming up among academics investigating the region was that contaminants and nutrients could be carried directly into the reef tract by groundwater seeping silently beneath the islands, where no one could witness it.
Ashley Moody already has 50% support in new poll of Senate race
Nixon has a narrow path to close the gap, given most voters know who they like already.
Researchers find a Wordle strategy that wins 99% of the time
Researchers at Binghamton University have developed a mathematical strategy that can solve Wordle with a 99% success rate. Instead of simply guessing words packed with common letters or choosing the most likely answer, the method uses Shannon entropy, a measure from information theory, to identify guesses that reveal the most useful information. Each guess is designed to rapidly shrink the pool of possible answers, even when the guessed word itself seems unlikely to be correct.
AI trained to 'think' like human pathologists may be better at spotting cancer
Researchers trained AI on how expert pathologists look for signs of cancer in patient samples, improving the algorithm's effectiveness.
Germany’s Political Tailspin: Your Weekly SPIEGEL Recap
It might be tempting to dismiss the results of last Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party raked in 43.8 percent of the vote, as a rather unimportant extremist blip in a state that hardly anyone can find on the map. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to do so. The state’s population – around 2.1 million – is a mere 2.5 percent of the German total. And while the state capital of Magdeburg was once the political heart of the Holy Roman Empire back when Otto the Great used to hang out there (more than a millenium … no … milennium … nope … millennium ago), it is today something of a backwater, albeit one with a ginormous cathedral in its center. We wanted to briefly interrupt this week’s newsletter to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our subscribers, both new and old. And to remind you all that a free subscription gets you access to this newsletter every Saturday. A paid subscription, by contrast, gets you one DER SPIEGEL article every weekday, delivered to your inbox. We strive to select pieces that both demonstrate what Europe’s leading newsmagazine has to offer and provide an international audience – namely, you – with an insight into how Germany and Europe view the world. If you haven’t already signed up for a paid subscription, please consider doing so if you can. Our Substack channel relies entirely on reader support and we are excited to continue offering you the best of DER SPIEGEL. Subscribe But even beyond the fact that a huge percentage of the voters in the state decided to place an X next to a party with an ideological lineage that runs rather directly back to the right-wing extremist soup out of which the Nazi Party was born, the results are a perfect example of a phenomenon that has been plaguing German elections in recent years: the lack of an obvious path to a majority. Call it the Balkanization of German politics. There are a number of developments driving the phenomenon, but for the purposes of this newsletter, here are two of the most salient: Persistent voter frustration with the country’s two (former) big-tent parties – the Christian Democrats (CDU) on the center-right (17.2 percent in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday) and the Social Democrats (SPD) on the center-left (9.3 percent). The presence of parties on the far left (Left Party), the populist left (the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – BSW) and the far right (AfD) with which mainstream parties are reluctant to form coalitions. So what happens now? Stories of the Week A Lack of Leadership The answer for many people in the country, and particularly within the CDU, is clear: pin (some of) the blame on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to a survey taken directly after the election in Saxony-Anhalt, 88 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that if the federal government in Berlin were doing a better job, the AfD wouldn’t be as strong. And it is true that the predominant impression of the federal government ever since Merz was sworn in on May 6, 2025, is one of ineffectiveness and bickering. His rather unique combination of bumbling-plus-bravado has also not exactly endeared him to the German public. Indeed, his standing in the country is so shaky that his popularity – according to recent polls – has now dropped even below the historic lows associated with his predecessor Olaf Scholz. The situation is such that the CDU even opted to keep him largely out of the campaign ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt vote. And since then, dissatisfied rumblings within the CDU have grown louder. DER SPIEGEL’s Swantje Karich notes that the problems with the CDU go much deeper than Merz. “The center-right has a trust problem. At a press appearance following the devastating election result in Saxony-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz said that the party wanted to ‘reach people more effectively’ through ‘emotional engagement.’ It sounded as though he were announcing a political program. On the basis of that statement, it is difficult to take his empathy seriously.” “The Chancellor’s chastened appearance did, at least, reveal where he stands: with his back to the wall. Elections will be held in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania next week, and the CDU could fare even worse there. The party is polling at between 8 and 10 percent in the state.” “What is at stake is the political tradition that has lent stability to the Federal Republic since 1945: a democratic conservatism that understands what must be preserved, but also how to embrace progress and openness to the world. If the Union continues along its current path, it risks becoming politically irrelevant after the 2029 federal election – and Germany could soon find itself with a government of the far right.” The Trumpification of Political Debate? It is often said in Germany that to understand the political and social trends that will soon be dominant in Europe, one need only look across the Atlantic to the United States. When it comes to political debate, that has certainly proven true. Donald Trump understood early on that triggering mouth-foaming outrage among Democrats is an ideal way to both generate headlines and to secure loyalty among supporters. And he realized that far more quickly than the left side of the political spectrum understood that simply ignoring the old man might be the best recipe. To be sure, there have been signs recently that the US president may be over-relying on the strategy. Earlier this week, in an apparent grandpa-discovers-AI moment, Trump sent out 60 posts in the space of 10 hours, many of them AI-assisted images portraying him as a hero – or showing Iceland as part of the US (outrageous!!!). It was also during that slew of schlock that he explicitly backed the AfD with an “MGGA” post. In Germany, though, the outrage cycle remains in full swing, with much of the focus on those who would dare to vote for the AfD. They are alternately portrayed as being dim-witted, ungrateful, backward, racist or all of the above. That, argues DER SPIEGEL columnist Sabine Rennefanz, is not particularly helpful. “Everywhere on election night, people spoke of a watershed moment, a rupture, a turning point. But what is that supposed to mean in concrete terms? A watershed would imply an interruption, a moment of pause – perhaps even a willingness to rethink and learn. At first, there was little sign of that in the main television panels. Instead, the familiar rituals that had already shaped the election campaign continued: outrage, lecturing and abuse.” “That’s just the tone, one might object. They’re only talk shows. Given that the party’s state branch has been classified by domestic intelligence officials as confirmed right-wing extremist, there are more important problems than hurt feelings on television. Yet although the condescending tone is not the cause of the AfD’s success, it is an expression of the broader mood within the so-called political center – a kind of institutional blindness that too often treats material concerns as a communications problem.” “People have a pretty good sense of whether you like them – whether you approach them with curiosity or merely study, lecture and manage them as a problem group. They notice whether you genuinely want to understand their fears and pain, or whether you are simply waiting for the chance to correct them. They can also tell whether someone still has the energy to change things, or whether they have barricaded themselves behind platitudes and empty phrases.” “Anyone who wants an egalitarian democratic society cannot promise equality only to those whose language, tastes and moral convictions they share. They must also acknowledge the wounds, resentments and fears of those whose political conclusions they consider wrong. Acknowledging them does not mean agreeing with them. But a democracy that communicates with almost half its citizens only through warnings and labels gives up on political debate before it has even begun. An atmosphere must be created in which people can express their opinions without fearing that they will be canceled. We are currently a long way from that.” East-West? One of the clear undercurrents in the election last Sunday was, of course, Germany’s ongoing east-west divide, particularly as it pertains to the success of the AfD. Historically, the party has been far stronger in the former East German states than in former West German states. The fact that this generalization no longer reliably holds is certainly one of the primary concerns that many have about the party’s growth. And yet, there is still a distinct flavor of “stupid easterners, they don’t understand democracy” to the coverage. In the weeks before the vote, there was even a rather interesting back-and-forth in Germany’s culture pages about how ungrateful eastern Germans allegedly are for being pulled out of their pre-reunification backwardness and into the light of the West. DER SPIEGEL’s Jochen-Martin Gutsch has had enough. “Ten years ago, in 2016, elections were also held in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD won more than 20 percent, which at the time rightly provoked outrage and incomprehension in western Germany. Today, in 2026, the AfD is also polling at around 20 percent in western German states, but this no longer provokes outrage and incomprehension. Instead, it is now regarded as proof of democratic conviction and civilizational resistance. After all, in the east, it’s 40 percent!” “This allows people to continue feeling morally superior to the East, but the wiser course would be to admit: if something doesn’t happen soon, the West will turn AfD-blue too. Or bluish.” “But will anything happen? The truly depressing thing about election night was not so much the AfD leaders intoxicated by their own success. It was the representatives of the other parties, who once again said that they were utterly shocked, needed some time to digest the result and would, of course, not simply return to business as usual. The SPD, a former big-tent party, celebrated its ‘stable’ result of 9.3 percent. Congratulations!” “For 10 years, the AfD has gone from one electoral success to the next. And still, the established parties remain ‘shocked’ and scratch their heads in astonishment. How long can they keep being shocked? Friedrich Merz says he may need to communicate his reform ideas in a more ‘emotional’ way. So the CDU’s political professionals sit down together after the election, mull over a strategy, and in the end come up with this: Fritz, try to be a little more relaxed, charismatic and emotional – or something. Beyond that: no political plan, no defiance, no promise of a future. That is frightening.” What was good, what was bad for democracy? Good: Voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt was 77.8 percent, the highest ever recorded in the state. Whatever one thinks of the result, that figure is encouraging. Democracy needs citizens to take an interest. Bad: Although a strong AfD result had been expected in Saxony-Anhalt, many politicians from the mainstream parties – including in Berlin – appeared confused, helpless and overwhelmed in their initial reactions. That is not how they will win back voters’ trust. Last Week’s Highlights: 🗳️ Meet the Germans Who Voted for the AfD: Why would voters in a country like Germany, with its Nazi past, vote for a right-wing party? It’s a question only an editor in Berlin could come up with. On the ground, the view is different. 🟦 How the AfD Wants to Expand Its Power Across Germany: The far-right AfD is planning to decimate public broadcasting in Saxony-Anhalt, revamp education and install extremists in positions of power. And it is eyeing victory on the national stage as well. 🕯️ The Continuing Reverberations of September 11: It was a generational shock, and the consequences can still be felt today - from massive surveillance and significant increases in presidential power to violent excesses at ICE. 🤝 “For Europe, Canada Is the Preferred Partner in Trans-Atlantic Relations”: In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne discusses his country’s failed trade deal with the US and why Canada is looking to Europe. 🏛️ The True Historical Roots of the AfD: During the Weimar Republic in the 1920s, there were numerous parties on the extreme right espousing “Germany first” nationalism. The Nazis may not be the best comparison for today’s AfD. 🌊 AfD in a Landslide: Merz Is the Wrong Leader for Germany: The right-wing Alternative for Germany won in a landslide in Saxony-Anhalt state elections on Sunday. What does that mean for the country at large? Thank you for your continued support and have a wonderful week! Subscribe Share Leave a comment Your SPIEGEL Substack Team Compiled and edited by Charles Hawley
Your Brain Cleans Itself While You Sleep – Scientists Just Discovered How Fast
AI reveals a striking two-speed cleanup system that helps the sleeping brain clear away harmful waste. During deep sleep, a waterlike fluid moves through and around the brain, helping remove metabolic waste associated with disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. This cleanup process is known as the glymphatic system. It was first described in 2012 by Maiken
Jim Cramer Explains Why He Added Hinge Health (HNGE) to His Fantasy Lineup
Expanding his fantasy stock lineup on Mad Money’s episode aired on September 8, Jim Cramer turned his focus to digital healthcare provider Hinge Health, Inc. (NYSE:HNGE) to fill an important roster spot. He said: You need a tight end. This is a hybrid offensive position. On some plays, the tight end acts like an offensive […]
Democrats mock midterm convention, but did Trump accomplish his goals?
While the midterms may still go poorly, the unusual convention may help boost his legacy, JD Vance and candidates like Ken Paxton.
CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety
Squabbles like the one between HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro spark confusion and breed mistrust.
Dating apps are ditching ‘the swipe’ for meet-ups IRL
Rob Perez only has one dealbreaker when it comes to dating – his partner needs to be a gym rat like him.
El Niño Raises Risk of Wetter, Stormier Autumn across Globe
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A strengthening El Niño is increasing the likelihood of wetter, stormier conditions in some parts of the world while raising drought and heat risks elsewhere.
Scientists grow iron-rich meat protein in lettuce, a step toward animal-free burgers
Scientists may eventually be able to introduce meat-like characteristics into crops people can eat directly.
The politics and possibilities of ‘AI could kill us all’
I found myself fielding a lot of questions from folks who don’t usually talk much about AI this week. They were mostly along the lines of “do you think AI is going to kill us all?” or “how worried should I be about this human extinction stuff?” Motivating this wave of existential anxiety was the highly dramatic resignation of now-former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who quit his job while publicly sharing his concerns about safety practices at the leading AI companies. More specifically, he declared that almost everyone at OpenAI and Anthropic, the leading AI labs, believes that there’s a decent chance the AI systems they’re producing could “kill us all” by the end of the decade, and the companies aren’t “acting responsibly.” Other AI safety researchers, including those still employed at Anthropic and OpenAI, all confirmed that yes, Coxon is correct, they’re all worried that their company’s products might prove fatal for the entire human race as well. Two more AI employees quit and joined the chorus. Now, the warning shot has been covered everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to WIRED to the Guardian. I understand why all this sounds scary, but my response to those who have asked, has generally been: No, you don’t need to worry that AI will kill go rogue and kill us all. But that does not mean we shouldn’t worry, period. Far from it. The companies building AI products are now among the wealthiest and most powerful entities in the world. And they very much are building enormous engines of mass surveillance, extraction, and automation. They can and have allowed their AI systems to carry out felony hacks of other companies, provided the government with autonomously generated kill lists, and sold enterprise technology to firms around the world that is explicitly intended to replace jobs. But “AI” has done these things not because they have all-powerful minds of their own but, ultimately, because people have programmed, calibrated, and directed them to. In other words, it’s not AI we need to worry the most about. It’s the people and corporations working to profit from and gain power by deploying it. The technology is sophisticated, sure, and, especially in cybersecurity contexts, potentially disruptive to plenty of existing systems. But if we want to stop this predatory, profiteering, and extractive form of AI—and it’s worth noting that at this point, most people do—we absolutely can. A quick note/plea: I can only do all of this with the support of readers like you, so if you find value in independent, critical tech journalism and analysis, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I want to keep as much of this un-paywalled as absolutely possible, and I need your support to do so. Many thanks to all who continue to chip in, it’s very much appreciated. Onward. Subscribe First, some context: AI industry folks like Coxon have been discussing the prospect that AI will destroy humanity for years. Even before the beginning of the AI boom, many working in the industry, from the executive staff to the rank and file researchers, have obsessed over ‘x-risk’, or the possibility that AI will become sentient or semi-sentient and move one way or another to exterminate humanity. This is ostensibly why Elon Musk bankrolled OpenAI in the first place, and is the grounds for his lawsuit alleging OpenAI betrayed its charter by abandoning its nonprofit status to become a commercial enterprise. Many AI engineers and startup founders have calculated their own personal p(doom), or the probability that the tech product they are working on will initiate an actual humanity-extinguishing apocalypse. 10-25% p(doom)s are pretty common. (I wrote about a long weekend I spent among these folks at one of their top conferences here, to give you an idea of their ideas and belief systems.) Sam Altman himself drove the narrative of the imminent rise of a super-powerful AI, or artificial general intelligence, to prominence by declaring that the technology he was building posed an existential risk to humanity. This idea is in other words baked into the DNA of modern AI companies and into the products they engineer. It’s also why the industry is routinely accused, by myself and others, of “doom marketing,” ie, using such proclamations and framings to impart the sheer power of the technology behind your product onto investors, partners, consumers, and the state. Some ambient understanding of this tendency may have helped prevent the press from repeating the claim every time one of the x-risk folks made it over the years, including when they quit their jobs at AI companies while doing so. Yet Coxon’s AI x-risk alarm has broken containment, as they say, and has exposed the idea to the mainstream media once again. This has happened, I think, for a number of reasons. First, when AI CEOs were going around saying AI might kill everyone in 2023, their companies were well-capitalized, but not nearly to the extent they are today. They were more easily dismissed as eccentric geeks of the sort that Silicon Valley is supposed to produce. Now, not only do their products have much greater market saturation, but people are more aware of a) the often unethical ways the executives and companies comport themselves b) the other adverse impacts of AI that have already arrived, and c) the physical cost of building these systems, particularly when it comes to data centers. Finally, toss in the constant stream of headlines in 2026 about AI models going rogue or potentially upending the world’s infrastructure. [ ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) [ With the backlash to data centers, Flock and AI glasses, a mass opposition to big tech is underway. Silicon Valley is in denial. ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) Brian Merchant · Aug 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) As a result, general sentiment was already overwhelmingly skeptical of AI and its overlords, so the table was pretty well set for someone to come along and say ‘just a reminder, the companies that are building the product that promises to take your job and leave a data center in your neighborhood also think that it might exterminate the human race’ and get a strong reaction from the media and the public. The question is: Should we understand this stuff as hype, strategically fanned to feed already swelling valuations? Is it doom marketing? Genuine cause for alarm that the infrastructure that undergirds modern life is facing a novel threat vector? Or reason to be sincerely worried that AI companies are amassing too much power, and that their products are genuinely dangerous? The answer, I’m afraid, is “yes.” Let me try to untangle all of this a bit, because arguments over how to navigate this moment are extremely heated right now, as they are essentially arguments over how to approach the politics of AI at a moment where there may be a unique opening for action. Those sympathetic to AI alignment concerns and x risk arguments—which increasingly includes a faction on the left who want to shut down AI over safety concerns—argue that people who dismiss AI as all hype have their heads in the sand. Meanwhile, critics of the x-risk narrative—which I might note includes a cadre of investors and tech folks on the right, too—argue that it is hype and can be used to further inflate valuations or for pursuing regulatory capture. The challenge is that many feel that dismissing AI as just hype or purely marketing also diminishes the urgency of taking on the AI industry as the novel and threat to labor, civil society, and the public sphere it is; others that by accepting the industry’s own terms, we imbue it with undue power and enable it. But let’s be clear: Declarations that AI is so powerful it might end the world are a kind of marketing, and anyone who says otherwise is just as off base as those who say that’s all that it is. If you don’t think that these sub-trillion dollar companies have higher-ups who noticed that when their founders talked about super-powerful dangerous AI they got spikes in media interest and phone calls from investors, or that those founders didn’t notice that themselves, and lean into certain narratives to advantage their products, then I don’t know what to tell you. Not all marketing is a Pepsi ad campaign with a celebrity spokesperson. Yet confronting the AI industry should certainly be considered an urgent project. Do I share the x-riskers’ fear that out-of-control, super-intelligent AI agents might end the world? I do not. I’ve read a good deal of AI extinction literature over the last couple of years and I have not come across a credible, step-by-step documentation of how exactly AI might move from self-recursively improving AI to killing every single human on the planet. Most of what I’ve read seems predicated on a sort of reverse Ian Malcolmian logic: Eventually, it becomes smart enough and AI, uh, finds a way (to exterminate humanity). Are the AI companies also overstating and dramatizing what their products can do? Yes, pretty much all the time. They’re in a knife fight for market share and are trying to win customers and government contracts before their investors come knocking. And yet. They have concentrated enormous amounts of compute, have extensive data collection and surveillance capacities, have inserted themselves into the state in numerous capacities, including military kill chains, and they are being run by egomaniacal billionaires who are rushing to monopolize an entire new market. The way I think about their most recent frightening-seeming exploits is not as a “swarm of rogue AI agents building a new civilization” or whatever, but as corporations with a hitherto-unimaginable amount of compute at their disposal recklessly experimenting with automation programs, completely unafraid of any repercussions because we have been unwilling or unable to impose any on them. So I think we should welcome any newfound imperative to hold them accountable. I also think that ultimately, the AI critics, Pause AI folks, leftists, doomers, effective altruists, and, honestly, most of the public, want a lot of the same things: legitimate checks and limits on AI companies’ power, actual transparency into what the companies are doing, and for more of AI to be under public control. (Ultimately, a lot of what animates the x-risk fears are rooted in just that: a fear of losing control.) How we move towards all this, exactly, is the question of the day, and while there’s much to be argued over in terms of building a viable political platform to challenge the AI industry’s power, I do want to cast a vote against one particular approach. Not to pick on Chris here, as there are a lot of folks out there proposing stuff like this, and the policy ideas actually stem from AI safety groups. But not only would this be challenging to land politically (I can already hear the ‘China will beat us to AGI’ calls) and all but unworkable in practice, this approach is a) far too limiting, b) fails to address the current harms caused by AI and c) would likely only wind up serving Anthropic and OpenAI; it’s what regulatory capture looks like in action. Full model transparency is the floor for what should be on offer here. If these companies believe their products will kill us, the very least we deserve is to know how. It’s in the public interest. I would also argue we might get a lot of the way to stopping any currently envisioned robot apocalypse simply by forcing AI companies to assume liability, and to submit to the full brunt of the law. If Sam Altman were liable to be charged with a felony for approving the hack on Hugging Face1, if Google was forced to pay defamation fines each time it published a false and injurious AI Overviews, these companies might suddenly find cause to restrain their models’ output, and we might hear less about rogue AI. We would need to introduce new frameworks and available tools for tracking automated lawbreaking, to be sure, but I’d wager that little would frighten the AI companies more than actually being held accountable for what their products enable. To that end, Illinois has passed an AI liability law, which the industry fought tooth and nail, and Florida is considering one. The next steps would be towards moving AI under public control; again, it’s only reasonable, since everyone, not just AI insiders, should get a say over how a technology whose developers say might kill us is developed and deployed. Dismantling the whole industrial project as currently structured should be on the table, too, pending democratic input. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice to say that while I won’t be losing any sleep about an AI-enabled extinction event, Mr. Coxon and co. have given us an opportunity to underscore the urgency of the clear and present damage AI companies are doing, the extreme power they wield and the extent to which they hold themselves unaccountable, and the abundance of political capital there is out there for taking them on. Subscribe 1 Purely speculative! I do not know if he did or not.
Spanish midfielder confirms he's ready to join Liverpool
A Spanish midfielder could be the next midfielder walking through the doors at Liverpool. Andoni Iraola hasn't ignited a Spanish revolution at Anfield just yet. It's not been quite like Rafa Benitez, ...
Belvidere North outruns East for a 41-20 win
In a matchup of two football programs that like to run the football, Belvidere North prevailed against Rockford East 41-20 Friday night.
Highlights: Louisville 59, Villanova 13
Dominated like they were supposed to. Got starters some rest. Got the young guys some action. Didn’t suffer any major injuries (as long as KeyJuan is ok). Pretty much all the major boxes checked in this one. Massive, massive opportunity for this team in eight days. Think the fans will recognize the gravity of the […]
A.J. Hinch Gives Unfortunate Wenceel Pérez Injury Update
A.J. Hinch says Wenceel Pérez is most likely finished for the 2026 season as lingering vision problems continue following his orbital fracture.
Alvin Kamara likely limited
New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara will likely have a reduced workload if he plays in the opener
Ex-Eagles Player Gives Concerning Makai Lemon Analysis
The pressure is high for the Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon to perform well out of the gate. That comes with being a first-round pick, especially in a town like Philly. Former Eagles player Jon Ritchie recently expressed his concern with Lemon, as the Eagles prepare for Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. […] The post Ex-Eagles Player Gives Concerning Makai Lemon Analysis appeared first on HEAVY.
Remembering 9/11: What it was like with President Bush on Air Force One
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Travis County confirms second measles case of 2026 in unvaccinated infant
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Who has the edge in Texas hosting Ohio State?
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Orioles @ Blue Jays Game Thread
We are starting a series with the Blue Jays tonight. The team says Dylan Cease won’t be starting tomorrow, they will hold him back until Sunday. It will be some sort of bullpen day with Arrighetti being the bulk guy or starter. The recap is likely to be late tonight, we are going out for […]
Everyone Wants to Be Around LSU Football
LSU football suddenly feels like the biggest show in college football. And Brooks Nader is the latest name to join the party. The model and social-media personality was around LSU’s massive season opener against Clemson, joining Livvy Dunne and Theo Von as part of the celebrity presence surrounding Lane Kiffin’s debut. Then LSU went out…
Iowa public universities see enrollment bump, but challenges loom
Undergraduate enrollment at Iowa’s three state universities increased slightly this fall, a trend that is unlikely to continue because of the anticipated decline in the traditional pool of college-age students. The slight bump in enrollment is partially due to improved retention rates, targeted tuition incentives for out-of-state students and curriculum aligned to workforce needs, university…
‘Call My Agent! The Movie’ feels like the series. That’s a good thing
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The Power of Shared Pregnancy: Parents Build Bonds Before Babies' Arrival
Soft squeals of joy interrupted the quiet at the Birth Center of Denver each time a new stroller pushed its way through the door.“You guys, look at us!” said new mom Courtney Allison, with her 6-week-old snuggled into her baby carrier.“Yeah, we’re like parents and stuff,” fellow new mom Riley Russell responded.Moms were beaming. After ...
NEWS CENTER Maine
Through in-depth storytelling, through direct contact on digital on social platforms, through long-standing community service programs like Coats & Toys for Kids, Project Heat and Buddy to Buddy, NEWS CENTER Maine is dedicated to keeping Mainers connected. We can't do it alone, though. Only by listening and interacting with YOU can we continue to connect ALL Mainers.
Patrick Mahomes Just Revealed His Plans for Monday Night
Patrick Mahomes looks ready to go. Nine months after tearing the ACL and LCL in his left knee , Mahomes is expected to start Monday night when the Chiefs open their season against the Denver Broncos. Andy Reid said Mahomes will “most likely” start barring an unexpected setback. And the latest injury report makes that…
Scientists discover a strange new form of ice that could help explain the interiors of Neptune and Uranus
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Hugging Face CEO dismisses ex-Anthropic researcher's AI warnings
"Sorry, but asking Jacob about AI extinction risk is like asking your AC guy about climate change," Hugging Face CEO Clement Delangue wrote on X.
Senate Dems pass reintroduced legislation to reform ‘hard cap’ on educators’ health benefits
Michigan Senate Democrats passed legislation on Thursday to rein in skyrocketing health insurance costs for educators and other public employees. While the GOP-controlled House is unlikely to take up the bill, the Senate’s action makes it clear that educators’ fight for more affordable healthcare is not over — but it does hinge on the result […]
Scientists Tested a 'Credit' Score for Gut Health. 3 Things Can Improve It
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New Study Examines Americans’ Relationship With Science
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Daniel Haake: Small business needs a lifeline amid road repairs
The city’s current approach to the 16th Street Bridge is to manage what it can control, making sure the bridge is completed on time. But for businesses like Long’s Bakery, managing the schedule isn’t the whole answer.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” ends at BBC after 8 seasons and ‘very difficult choices’
“Drag Race UK” began on the British network in 2019, and included iconic winners like Lawrence Chaney and the late returning “All Stars 7” queen The Vivienne.
Luminis cybersecurity incident highlights ‘concerning’ rise in attacks on healthcare
Cyberattacks on the healthcare industry, like the one that hit an Anne Arundel County hospital, are becoming increasingly common, an expert said.
Wilmington health tech founder launches new venture
Several years after launching his health tech startup Artemis Immersive, founder Adam Isley is setting his sights on new horizons. Co-founded in 2023 by husband-and-wife Adam Isley and Kaylan Barbrey, along with Matthew Raffa and Bill Blakesley, Artemis Immersive began as a spatial medtech company that created digital renderings of medical scans for viewing in augmented reality (AR). Isley said the firm, which won an NC Tech award in the Biotech + HealthTech Innovation category last year, has raised $1.2 million in total in seed funding since launching. Isley has since created a new venture, Research and Me, building on the Artemis platform. Like Artemis Immersive’s core software, VoxScan, Research and Me combines health data with artificial intelligence in a 3D interactive environment to help patients better understand health outcomes and provide integrative wellness support. While the Artemis product is no longer Isley’s primary focus, he said the company’s technology and ambitions have evolved into different ventures, like Research and Me. "It's a different venture building on the Artemis platform, and there'll probably be more,” Isley said. He added, "I was very disappointed in the quality of the information available to general patients about their healthcare... I wanted to give patients more and a better plate of choices." Research and Me is still in its beta phase, Isley said, with usability testing ongoing in partnership with the firm’s partner, Medicap Pharmacy and Wellness Center, owned by Barbrey. "As someone who's kind of dedicated their life to working in healthcare, I've tried to bring this spirit and passion to it,” he said, “and a lot of the resources that we'll be providing are free — like a base level of free care for any patients, or medical education if they've got specific conditions." Isley describes Research and Me as a “patient-first” platform designed to securely store and pseudonymize health data and use AI and medical literature to generate insights. The insights are presented in an interactive 3D environment for patients and providers to explore conditions, treatments and wellness plans together. "It's almost like a democratization of understanding medical information," Isley said. "We take a whole bunch of clinical data, we take a whole bunch of peer‑reviewed, published studies on PubMed, and we try to turn them into chunks of information that normal humans can understand." Like VoxScan, the Research and Me platform lets users interact with 3D anatomical models for visualization. The platform provides a space for tracking, notes and insights. The platform also supports video conferencing, Isley said, allowing providers or coaches to examine models and data together. "We wanted to create a safe environment where you can start to learn and experiment with new features about your health, using agents to do that,” Isley said. While Research and Me is in beta-phase testing with Medicap Pharmacy, Isley said he envisions the platform serving a wellness-oriented community, working with sports performance clinics and hormone optimization. Isley, who is working towards a wellness-coach board certification, also plans to offer functional wellness consults through the platform. Long‑term, Isley says he wants the platform to embody an “integrative health practitioner” approach, “connecting experts of different fields and specializations in a way that they can make a greater impact in people's lives.” “For people in the state of North Carolina, it's already a win,” Isley said of the Medicap rollout, noting that partner clinics get “immediate resources for learning about their health and wellness conditions… out of the box.” Isley plans to launch Research and Me’s provider portal in 2028 and begin pursuing integrations with larger systems, he said.
The ‘Off Campus’ fandom is under fire for invasive shipping. This behavior isn’t new.
Some viewers are treating the show’s fictional romance like reality — fueling feud rumors and dragging the cast’s real-life partners into the drama.
Nintendo's Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Gets More Pre-order Bonuses
There's a version of the Switch 2 game that looks like the original Nintendo 64 Zelda box cover, and it's a region exclusive pre-order
Meta may have leaked the first look at its slim ‘Project Phoenix’ headset
Project Phoenix looks like a blend between the Meta Ray-Ban and Quest 3.
iPhone Duo is Missing These 10 iPhone 18 Pro Features
While the iPhone Duo is the first foldable iPhone ever and has some unique features like Duo FaceTime and forthcoming Apple Pencil support, the device lacks some other features available on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Below, we have listed 10 features that are missing on the iPhone Duo: A dedicated Telephoto camera with up to 8× optical zoom. Instead, the iPhone Duo's main 48-megapixel Fusion camera has "optical-quality" 2× zoom.
“Harry Potter” star reveals ‘most extraordinary’ act of kindness Alan Rickman did on set before his death
“He was such a darling like that,” said Sirius Black actor Gary Oldman at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Elton John have worn his designs. Now he's opened on Magazine Street.
This British-born designer is bringing his trademark sparkly, sequined pieces to New Orleans. “In New Orleans, anything goes," said the British-born designer. "I feel like there’s a lot more freedom for people to dress up, it’s almost expected.”
Apple on wide Android foldables beating iPhone Duo; ‘they got the aspect ratio’
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Yankees’ Roster Move Unlikely to Actually Mean Giancarlo Stanton
When the New York Yankees sent down Jasson Dominguez on Thursday night, there were fans on social media who began to hope for Giancarlo Stanton.After all, sending down one outfielder-type who can also DH could clear the runway for a veteran who fits that description, right?While not impossible, it seems highly unlikely that that’s the […] The post Yankees’ Roster Move Unlikely to Actually Mean Giancarlo Stanton appeared first on HEAVY.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs Ultra 3: Here’s everything new
Apple Watch Ultra 4 might look just like Ultra 3, but it packs big internal upgrades. Here’s everything new in Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs 3.
Planes on a snake? Scientists discover various crab species hitching rides on sea snakes
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🏈 Y! Sports AM: Niners cruise in Melbourne
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India's NSE CEO says other business growth could curb weekly options' revenue share
National Stock Exchange of India's chief said on Friday that growth in its other businesses is likely to reduce the share of revenue generated by weekly options trading, as the country's largest bourse seeks a valuation of up to 4.42 trillion rupees ($46.26 billion) through its long-awaited IPO.
9 Foods With More Fiber Than a Pear
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How Jeremy Gosch is refocusing Hy-Vee
Jeremy Gosch, in his fourth year as Hy-Vee’s CEO, is steering the large, Midwest regional grocery chain through a competitive landscape unlike any faced by his predecessors. The four Hy-Vee CEOs who preceded Gosch helped transform a small Iowa grocery chain into a regional retailer with more than $14 billion in annual sales. Along the…
Hot werewolves, billionaire baby daddies and absurd cliffhangers. Entertainment's trashiest new obsession fits in the palm of your hand.
Vertical dramas are filmed to fit on your phone screen that indulge in cliches and spicy moments like R-rated Hallmark films.
Opinion: Why every college student should learn to think like an entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship teaches students to take risks, solve problems and turn ideas into reality — skills that matter well beyond the startup world.
Scientists discover mysterious new X-ray objects 'unlike any they have seen before'
Faint in X-rays but bright in ultraviolet light, new objects found by NASA's Chandra space telescope could help solve two great astrophysical mysteries.
Rhett Marques pledges business support in AL-02 race
Marques said he will pass laws like exempting credit card transactions from sales taxes to help businesses succeed.
Stop networking like a robot: Use the FORD method to build better business relationships
Commentary: The FORD Method helps professionals build genuine business relationships by focusing on family, occupation, recreation, and dreams during networking.
Scientists just witnessed the birth of a double-star system in real time. It's like watching a Star Wars world forming right in front of us | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Astronomers have captured one of the most detailed 3D views ever recorded of a massive binary star system in the middle of its dynamic birth.
See what it looks like inside Launch Entertainment complex
Launch Family Entertainment contractors took us inside the gaming complex. See what it looks like so far.
Chimp convalescence, ant amputation: the wild world of animal doctors
When people are sick, we seek out medications and treatments to help heal. For a long time, scientists thought that was a uniquely human ability. But it turns out, many other animals do a version of it too! And since the late 1980s, western researchers have been trying to get a peek behind the curtain. And aside from just cataloguing all the cool examples just to know, there’s a real hope that studying animals’ medical cabinets may be the most promising way to expand our own. We get into the weeds with freelance science journalist Mandy Nguyen.Interested in more animal stories? Email us your ideas and questions to explore at shortwave@npr.org. They may become a future episode!Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
Postpartum politics: What it means to run for government as a new mum
Victorian Greens candidates Nina Crawley and Lini Fernando reflect on their experiences running a political campaign just months after giving birth. From the challenges and compromises to the support networks that wrapped around them, and why showing up vulnerably in public space matters. Subscribe In 2024, when my second child was four months old, I decided to run for local government. Fast forward two years, I am again four months postpartum, with my third child, and this time running in the state election. But this time has hit differently. Going through pregnancy, birth and postpartum while being a political candidate has had a more profound and personal impact than I ever expected. I reached out to my fellow Greens candidate for the state election, Lini Fernando, who gave birth 20 days before me, and her experience closely mirrored mine. Postpartum has its own unique challenges that we’ve not seen reflected in stories about women running for office. When people discuss the “juggle”, they’re usually talking about the practical mechanics of looking after small children - childcare arrangements, pumping schedules and logistics. As mums of multiple children, we were both aware of the logistical changes and difficulties that accompany giving birth and the months after. We assumed that combining this with running for election would be hard, but that we could organise our way out of any problems. What neither of us anticipated was the intense vulnerability that comes with putting yourself into the spotlight of a state election campaign at a time when you are physically exhausted and navigating things like breastfeeding and feeling like a stranger in your own body. There have been challenges that neither of us anticipated. Firstly, needing to buy new clothes because the supportive leggings that are a staple of the postpartum wardrobe weren’t going to cut it for community events. Lini held her first fundraiser - a trivia night - just three weeks postpartum. A business-casual wardrobe, several sizes bigger than pre-baby, was needed, and fast. As women, how we look is closely scrutinised, and the internalised fatphobia is loud. We are conditioned from our earliest days to believe that our appearance is tied to our worth, and taught how we are allowed to show up in public. Women who dare to put themselves into the spotlight also receive more abuse than their male counterparts, including criticism of their appearance. To stand in front of members of your community and try to convince them that you’re the best person to represent them in parliament is a challenge in and of itself. To do it with leaking breasts, a pelvic floor that could betray you at the first sign of a sneeze, a body that still feels unfamiliar, and with half your hair falling out (hello postpartum hair loss!) is another thing altogether. It requires courage, allowing yourself the grace to be vulnerable in public, and the belief that showing up, however imperfectly, matters. And the vulnerability isn’t just physical; it also includes factors like having to ask a campaign team to accommodate the realities of having a baby. Asking for help is hard, and it’s a skill that both new parents and hopeful political candidates need to become comfortable with. Parents understand the disappointment that comes when a call for help or connection is rebuffed, like a friend cancelling a much-needed coffee. That rejection is amplified for political candidates calling dozens of people each week. Many people don’t realise running for Parliament, when you aren’t the incumbent, is a volunteer role supported largely by other volunteers who have to squeeze volunteering in around their paid work. Calls need to be made and meetings held after work hours - usually during “witching hour” (5-8 pm), that special time of night when babies cry for no reason. I found that I was struggling to make these commitments, or having to tap out and ask for them to be rearranged. When I spoke to Lini, we realised that she had had a similar experience, this push-pull of being the candidate and wanting to show our faces at meetings and help recruit new volunteers at ‘calling parties’, but also being the only people who could settle our newborns. Sometimes we could merge the two worlds; Lini and I realised that we had both attended 7:30pm meetings online, sitting in a dark room, struggling though breastfeeding and settling our babies. Although we’re both committed to breaking the stigma around breastfeeding, it can be hard to keep your composure while trying to feed a young baby as they try to latch, spew and fuss. Ultimately, Lini and I agreed that showing up vulnerably in public space matters. Leaders should possess empathy and understanding for those who feel raw and in transition; from the dad who just got evicted to the teen who acquired a disability - anyone who feels they aren’t the version of themselves they expected right now. The patriarchy tries to tell us otherwise, but women shouldn’t have to wait until they’re ‘recovered’, no longer vulnerable, before they feel entitled to participate in public life. In fact, we could all benefit from our leaders being a little more vulnerable. *This piece was cowritten, but has been presented in the first person for the sake of style. About the authors Nina Crawley is former teacher and community organiser who now works in human rights and inequality advocacy for a non-profit. She’s a mother of three keen to get back to running as soon as her pelvic floor allows! She’s contesting the seat of Ivanhoe for the Greens in this year’s state election. Lini Fernando is a lawyer working in diverse areas of law including anti corruption and public law. She’s a mother of two and a gardening and good policy enthusiast. She is currently contesting the seat of Croydon for the Greens in this year’s state election. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
The Retroid Pocket Duo Looks Perfect for DS and 3DS Emulation
It’s no secret that handheld gaming is in a bit of a renaissance right now. Ushered in by the Nintendo Switch and carried forward by the Steam Deck. Alongside these mainstream offerings are another class of handhelds aimed more at the past than the future. In particular, Android-powered dual-screen handhelds like the new Retroid Pocket Duo look to offer hardware designed for emulating the Nintendo DS and 3DS.
One person dead in likely Legionnaires' cluster in South Bronx, DOH says
Five people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’, the DOH says.
Analysis identifies sharply different health risks among medicinal, recreational and dual cannabis users
With recreational cannabis now legal in 24 states, including Delaware, the number of users is rising. But not all cannabis users look alike or face the same health concerns. Most published research compares ...
David Petraeus: George W. Bush, Political Courage, and the Surge in Iraq
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush launched what he called the War on Terror. It began with the invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, which quickly toppled the Taliban and expelled al-Qaeda from its most crucial sanctuary. Then, in early 2003, American forces—with the support of foreign allies like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland—attacked Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein’s regime and installing an occupation force in hopes of quickly transforming the country into a free and democratic state. Instead, the post-regime coalition authority made significant missteps, and a devastating insurgency erupted. And despite President Bush’s 2004 reelection, the war quickly lost popular support among the American public. In early 2007, Bush appointed General David Petraeus, who had already served in Iraq as a two- and three-star general, to lead allied forces in Iraq, which heralded a sea change in American strategy known as “the surge.” As part of our coverage looking back on 9/11 and the world it created, General Petraeus tells the inside story of one of the most consequential moments in the War on Terror. The general’s essay today is both a crucial history and a profile in political courage. It demands reflection as we take stock of the last 25 years. —The Editors By the end of 2006, the war in Iraq was failing. There is no useful purpose in softening that judgment with the passage of time. The bombing of the al-Askari mosque in Samarra by terrorists that February had accelerated sectarian violence and pulled Iraq into an increasingly vicious Sunni-Shia civil war. Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Sunni insurgent groups controlled substantial areas, Shi’ite militias operated with growing impunity in other parts of the country, and the Iraqi security forces were no longer capable of arresting the downward spiral. The strategy of transitioning security responsibilities to Iraqi forces, consolidating American troops on large bases, and progressively reducing the U.S. presence had clearly been invalidated by the escalating violence. The numbers conveyed the horror imperfectly but unmistakably. In December 2006, an average of 53 Iraqi civilians were killed by violence every 24 hours in Baghdad alone. Washington, meanwhile, was approaching its own breaking point. Public support for the war had fallen dramatically, President George W. Bush’s Republican Party had just lost control of both houses of Congress, and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group—of which future defense secretary Robert Gates was a member—had recommended a course that anticipated a substantially reduced American combat role. Many senior military leaders were deeply skeptical of sending substantial additional forces, advocating instead for an accelerated transition to Iraqi forces, the deployment of additional trainers and advisers, or other more modest measures with an eye to withdrawing U.S. forces. Virtually every political incentive pointed toward reducing America’s commitment. President Bush chose instead to increase it, a decision that remains, in my view, one of the most courageous presidential decisions of the 21st century.