SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " former " 7,361 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Blue Owl Hires Ex-Barclays Banker as Co-Head of Japan Business
Blue Owl Capital hired former Barclays Plc executive Takeo Ikemori to jointly lead its Japan business, as the alternative asset manager seeks to deepen ties with institutional investors in the country.
Former Husky, 2024 second round pick abruptly retires
The Saints had hoped Ja’Lynn Polk would be another weapon for Tyler Shough, but Polk apparently had other plans.
Domestic-Abuse Allegations Shake Ohio Congressman’s Re-Election Bid
Rep. Max Miller draws a sharp rebuke from Sen. Bernie Moreno, who says his former son-in-law shouldn’t serve in Congress.
Larry Hogan: The Constitution is not a tool for partisan politics
Guest commentary: Former Gov. Larry Hogan criticizes Maryland’s special session focused on redistricting — “You do not protect voting rights by weakening constitutional limits on partisan mapmaking.”
Sen Bernie Moreno calls for ex-son-in-law to resign from House, get 'serious psychological help'
Sen. Bernie Moreno called for Rep. Max Miller's resignation and said his former son-in-law needs psychological help amid domestic abuse allegations.
Sen. Bernie Moreno says former son-in-law Max Miller should not serve in the House
Miller said Sunday that he will remain in his race for re-election before a Wednesday deadline to replace him.
Bernie Moreno says Max Miller ‘should not serve’ in Congress over abuse allegations
Sen. Bernie Moreno on Sunday said his former son-in-law, Republican Rep. Max Miller, “should not serve” in Congress because of abuse allegations levied by Moreno’s daughter against Miller.
Former 49ers DB finds new NFL home with Titans
The San Francisco 49ers moved on from a young defensive back last week, and now he's found a new home with the Tennessee Titans.
Kelvin Sheppard Sends Blunt Message About Terrion Arnold
Kelvin Sheppard delivered a pointed assessment of former Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold. Detroit’s former first-round pick is now facing a serious legal battle after his release from the organization.
Former veterinarian technician’s boarding business a true passion project
Sue Williams began her journey to open Cozy Care Kennels, a pet boarding business located south of Columbia Falls, not far from Deer Park School, where she spends her time playing and caring for pets who stay there.
Former TV6 Sports Directors reflect on Roger Craig’s Hall of Fame enshrinement
Former sports directors Tom Korun and Thom Cornelis both covered Roger Craig during his time at Davenport Central and recalled recognizing his talent early.
Trump criticizes Pirro after she refutes his claim about Reflecting Pool
Pirro's office has moved to drop criminal charges against a former Olympian, David Hearn, who had been accused of deliberately damaging the pool
Jay Feely: Politics should be sacrificial
Former NFL placekicker Jay Feely, who won the GOP primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, breaks down what he'd do if elected on 'My View with Lara Trump.'
Ex-Cardinals standout receiver joins Power 4 college coaching staff
Former Arizona Cardinals' All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has his first coaching job, an assistant position with Georgia Tech.
Senior performers in the Valley say they feel young on stage. Science backs that up
CLOVIS, Calif. — Mac McIntosh started singing when he was 8 years old. He’s 77 now, but his glory days are far from over.
Former Seahawks running back tries out for Klint Kubiak’s Raiders
The former Seahawks running back also visited the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the week.
A Courthouse Employee Got $41,250 for a Business That Didn’t Exist, She Won’t Go to Prison
A former Illinois courthouse employee admitted obtaining $41,250 in Paycheck Protection Program loans for a remodeling company that investigators said did not exist. Erica L. ... Read More
Source: Former MLB executive Tim Brosnan to head Big East
The Big East is expected to hire former MLB executive Tim Brosnan as the league's next commissioner, sources told ESPN.
Democrats see a chance to flip a seat as focus on abuse claims mounts against Ohio Rep. Max Miller
Allegations against Rep. Max Miller have been public for years but have recently drawn increased media scrutiny amid an escalating legal back-and-forth with his former spouse, who is the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno.
GOP senators express confidence in McConnell’s return as health scrutiny grows
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) on Friday offered Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a public vote of confidence, as questions swirl about the former GOP leader’s health and prolonged absence from Congres…
Broncos will explore bringing in TE Taysom Hill
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund that they will explore bringing in former New Orleans Saints veteran tight end/quarterback/running back Taysom Hill. Hill flourished under Sean Payton with the Saints and had teams scrambling to find the next Taysom Hill every year since. Now, the soon-to-be 36-year-old tight end who […]
Trump blasts Pirro after she refutes his claim that Reflecting Pool was damaged by vandals
Pirro’s office, in a court filing on Friday, moved to drop criminal charges against a former Olympian, David Hearn, who had been accused of deliberately damaging the pool after it went through a renovation.
Former Bears defensive back suffers non-contact injury with Bills
Former Bears defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered an apparent non-contact injury during Bills practice on Saturday.
An ex-U.S. Labor Secretary and a Gen Z historian talk politics, protest and capitalism
To recognize the country’s 250th year, CNBC Make It got notable voices in politics, finance and relationships across age ranges to sit down and spark conversation about what it means to achieve happiness and success in this country today. Robert Reich, 80, a former Secretary of Labor during Bill Clinton's administration, spoke with Kahlil Greene, 26, a history newsletter writer and content creator.
Former gym to be renovated into wellness focused business center
Rochester Realtor and developer Jay Christenson plans to soon give the former J.E.T.S. Gymnastics building a $3 million upgrade to transform it into a sporty business center combining office spaces with pickleball and basketball courts.
UFC Belgrade Start Time, Full Fight Card Details
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is headed to Belgrade, Serbia, for the first time ever TODAY (Sat., Aug. 1, 2026), staging UFC Belgrade from inside Belgrade Arena, streaming live on Paramount+. Headlining the event will be a Welterweight fight between Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez. In the Light Heavyweight co-main event, former division champion, Jan Błachowicz, […]
Kamala Harris backs major changes to the Supreme Court, Electoral College ahead of possible 2028 campaign
Former Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Supreme Court expansion and abolishing the Electoral College at the National Urban League Conference while weighing a 2028 run.
Cardinals sign ex-Lions third round pick
The Arizona Cardinals made a defensive line addition by signing former Lions third-round pick Brodric Martin.
£35m midfielder desperately wanted for deal
Liverpool could be facing a midfielder summer transfer shakeup. There has been no shortage of top performers linked with an inward move to Anfield. Alex Scott and Kaishu Sano are the two latest names ...
Israel Adesanya Predicts Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling
UFC legend Israel Adesanya shared his prediction for the UFC Belgrade co-main event between Jan Blachowicz and Navajo Stirling.Adesanya fought Blachowicz for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 259 in March 2021, losing by unanimous decision. He was also a former longtime training partner of Stirling at City Kickboxing, the gym he trained at […] The post Israel Adesanya Predicts Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling appeared first on HEAVY.
Ex-sitcom actress reveals why she left entertainment, says agency head pressured her into nightlife venues
Former actress Kim Se-in has revealed the painful circumstances that led her to leave Korea's entertainment industry, saying financial hardship for...
Southlake man gets 9 years in prison for $8M business loan scheme
A former Southlake attorney was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for defrauding small-business owners seeking multimillion-dollar loans.
Texans Get Eyes on Former Patriots Teammates After Losing Defender
This could be a significant sign. The post Texans Get Eyes on Former Patriots Teammates After Losing Defender appeared first on HEAVY.
Former Bills HC Sean McDermott Resurfaces Amid Recent News
Former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott isn’t just sitting on the sidelines this year, he’s studying them.According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, he’s visiting the Los Angeles Rams to see how they ‘operate.’“Former Bills head coach Sean McDermott is visiting today with the Los Angeles Rams. McDermott is using his off time to see […] The post Former Bills HC Sean McDermott Resurfaces Amid Recent News appeared first on HEAVY.
Small business owners reunite for a second chance as The Collective Boutiques opens on Barnes Road
Vendors are moving back into the former Painted Tree boutique’s location on Barned Road this week, as a new company named The Collective Boutiques prepares to open its doors.
Long-closed former West LA mall has nearby business dying
What was once a thriving West Los Angeles mall featured in hit movies and music videos has been closed since 2019, crushing numerous nearby businesses, and leaving neighbors frustrated. “The...
49ers Defense Gets Big Reinforcement as Former 2nd-Rounder Returns
The San Francisco 49ers got some much-needed positive news on the injury front to close out the week. After opening training camp with early setbacks to key offensive weapons Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk, San Francisco bolstered its defensive front on Friday.The 49ers announced that they activated defensive lineman Alfred Collins from the Active/Physically Unable […] The post 49ers Defense Gets Big Reinforcement as Former 2nd-Rounder Returns appeared first on HEAVY.
Prosecutors drop Reflecting Pool damage charge against former Olympian
Trump has claimed vandals deliberated damaged the pool, but prosecutors say internal documents show it was likely contractor error.
Steelers host former Browns safety for workout
The Steelers host a former Browns safety during training camp
Giuseppe Costanzo, onetime phantom candidate, says he's finished with politics
Former phantom State Senate candidate Giuseppe Costanzo said today that he has no plans to seek public office again and declined to identify who recruited
Rams Set to Host Former Bills HC Sean McDermott
The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to bringing in former head coaches, and they are now set to host former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
Former Texans legend DeAndre Hopkins joins Georgia Tech's coaching staff
Former Houston Texans All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has found himself a new home before the start of the 2026 NFL season, but not with an NFL team.
Who is Kathryn Ruemmler? Former Obama White House attorney interviewed about Epstein emails
Ruemmler called Epstein, whom she first met in 2014, a “masterful liar” in her opening remarks to the panel, adding that she didn’t see evidence of criminal conduct by Epstein.
The Streaming Bubble Keeps Popping
(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.) One of my rules is “never bet against PE [private equity]”. This isn’t to say that I agree with their methods or tactics or strategies or financial innovations (aka shenanigans). Just that in the long arc of financial history, they’ve tended to return very good returns to their shareholders. That said, their forays into entertainment have left me...skeptical. I’ve written before about PE’s production company/celebrity production company roll ups, and those haven’t really worked out. Some PE groups tried to “roll up” an industry that isn’t “roll-up-able” for lack of a better term—since the barrier to entry for starting a production company is very low—often paying top dollar for celebrity production companies at the height of streaming valuations. So yeah maybe we can bet against PE when they venture into filmed entertainment. I’ve also noted that studio lots seemed to be a bubble back in 2022. Sure enough… Yikes! That sure sounds like some private equity guys lost some money. The only caveat being that holding a lot of land in Los Angeles is always valuable. But that wasn’t the pitch and likely real estate investment companies overpaid for said land. I mean, Goldman Sachs had to repossess it after all. (Technically, I’m not sure these buyers were traditional private equity, but PE was buying LA studio lots earlier this decade.) All to say: I call out bubbles when I see them, and they often pop. Anywho, my most famous bubble call was the “streaming bubble”, specifically that the major streamers were making too many shows and films. And that it could all come crashing down. Notably, I made this call before the strikes of 2023, but those strikes potentially accelerated the popping. And now it has indeed popped. One of my most popular articles of last year made that exact case. A year later, it’s time to update that analysis. The bottom line is that the streaming contraction continues. Credit where credit is due, Luminate—an analytics company whose data I use weekly in my streaming ratings report—called this out in a recent report I saw highlighted in both Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter. But I’m adding my data to their look, including streaming films and kids TV shows. I’ll also provide some other data that all tells the same picture. Let’s dive in! Subscribe The Number of Streaming TV Shows, Films and Specials Is Declining AGAIN in 2026 Let’s get right to the data, starting with my dataset. Specifically, each week I track every “notable” title to come out on streaming. I try to grab every title on every major streamer, meaning if it’s a first run or original or exclusive, I track it. This helps me call out the “dogs not barking” and the misses/flops each week. So that will be our first series of charts, my weekly collection data. Let’s start with the raw TV show, film and special data, by week. Note: As the years have gone by, I have actually added more sources (going from just one source to five sources) to find new titles, meaning that this data collection is, likely, more accurate now than in the past. Which means my team and I are more likely to have undercounted titles in the past rather than today. I like to cut the data several different ways. Here’s that same look, by quarter, to more sharply show the trends: And here’s the data just looking at the first half of each year. That’s the same data, just cut three different ways with three different time periods. Note that films, TV shows, and specials are all down by 25%, 42% and 17%, respectively, from 2022. The good news is that the number of films and specials actually increased year-over-year from 2025 to 2026, but not enough to offset the 25% decline in TV shows. Now, I also look at kids shows, and here they are pulled out on their own: And here’s that by quarter: This really seems to be a notable area of pullback by the streamers. Kids shows are down 80% from 2022. This reflects some formerly Disney+ shows going to cable TV first, but also pullbacks from HBO Max, Prime Video and Netflix. I also categorize the TV shows by English language and non-English language, and that also reveals a lot of where the drop comes from: And here is by the half-year: In this look, the good news is the drop for English language shows seems to have stabilized in the last year. But the bad news is the long term decline from the 2022 peak. Other Data So I wasn’t the only person to notice this decline in the number of shows. I have a few other data sources for this, though most only go through the end of 2025. As I said, Luminate beat me to the punch, so let’s look at their data. 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… What TV loss streaming didn’t make up for... How Netflix has changed their programming slate over time… Ten more images charting the decline of production... What type of films aren’t being made anymore... The good news (for movie theaters)… And more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
Innovation Politics at the FDA - Petrie-Flom Center
The relationship between innovation and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has become a central topic of concern for a whole host of parties: academics, members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and several former FDA commissioners.
49ers activate Alfred Collins from the Active/PUP List
The 49ers need their former top-50 pick to take a Year 2 leap
Tony Romo on leave from CBS Sports after arrest on suspicion of operating vehicle under the influence
CBS Sports announced Friday that former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was on leave “until further notice.”
Former detainee inside GEO ICE facility in Colorado speaks out about health concerns
Go-kart racing venue coming to former Wonderverse space in Oak Brook this fall
A new multilevel go-kart racing and entertainment venue is set to open this fall in the former Wonderverse space at Oakbrook Center mall in Oak Brook. RPM Raceway, which has four locations on the...
Former detainee inside GEO ICE facility in Aurora speaks out about health concerns
Former Tennis Pro on Influencers Swarming Grand Slams: ‘Done a Lot for the Sport’
John Isner says there’s upside to content creators’ presence at Grand Slams.
Republican Victor Marx taps George Markert as his lieutenant governor pick in Colorado’s gubernatorial race
Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee Victor Marx named George Markert, a retired Marine colonel, as his running mate for lieutenant governor Friday morning, saying the former U.S. Senate candidate will bring “exceptional character, proven leadership and a lifetime of serving others” to the ticket. Marx is facing Democratic nominee Phil Weiser, the state’s attorney general, and […]
KY Gov. Andy Beshear & Pete Buttigieg Discuss Politics at Nat'l Urban League Conference
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (Biden administration), Rev. Al Sharpton, and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin are among the speakers at the National Urban League Conference in Nashville.
Super Mario Sunshine Is The Switch 2's Next GameCube Addition
The sunny 2002 platformer was the direct follow-up to Super Mario 64.
Former Tennessee senator shares lessons from decades in public service
Through his decades of public service, one might expect former U.S. Senator of Tennessee Lamar Alexander to offer complicated guidance on what makes a successful and long-lived career. But his insights are surprisingly simple: “Lose your sense of purpose, and there's really not much reason to be in public life.” At a virtual event held by the McCain Institute on July 23, Alexander discussed his latest book, “The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump.” The memoir was published in May of this year.
New business sought for Red Arrow Park. It might not be a coffee shop
Milwaukee County Parks has issued a request for proposals for a business to operate year-round in the former cafe location at Red Arrow Park.
Island Packet’s former building in Bluffton to be redeveloped into entertainment venue. Here’s how
The former home of the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette will become The Press Room, an entertainment venue.
They Worked To Protect Public Health. Now They Want the Public’s Votes.
They’re known for touting pandemic precautions, Affordable Care Act plans, and testing for lead in schools. This year, some former public health officials are touting themselves — for governor or senator.
Big changes coming as demolition begins on former Libbey Glass site in Shreveport
A 100-year-old Shreveport plant is being demoed. Here's what will happen next at the former Libbey Glass site.
Rhett Lowder Takes Step Forward in Reds' Win Over Pirates
The former first-round pick tossed six gritty innings to stabilize a shaky season, sparking a narrow victory as Cincinnati weighs major rotation changes ahead of the deadline.
Packers Reveal New Role for Former Titans Draft Pick
The Green Bay Packers tight end room is already very thin with the injury status of both Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave. The team has already signed a tight end since training camp started, and they have tried out multiple tight ends as well. So, it is fair to question what the plan is at […] The post Packers Reveal New Role for Former Titans Draft Pick appeared first on HEAVY.
Political Turmoil Will Not Derail Killer Robot Program, Former Minister Says
The recently ousted Ukrainian defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, an advocate for drone and robot warfare, says Ukraine’s tech-heavy strategy will persist.
Steelers host former Jaguars QB for tryout
The Steelers host a former Jaguars QB for a tryout.
Cerberus, former Steward Health Care private equity owner, settles with creditors
The resolution provides a measure of restitution for the financial backers of Steward, who took substantial dividend payments even as the hospitals struggled.
Why Are Former UConn Football Players Suing the NCAA?
The group of Huskies are working to get another year of eligibility.
Packers to sign a former starting long snapper Cal Adomitis
Cal Adomitis has previous starting experience with the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles
Failed 49ers 2nd-round pick finds new home
Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver has found a new home, signing with the Buffalo Bills early in training camp.
ICE detains Hopkins public health researcher as agency expands airport arrests
A Johns Hopkins public health researcher and former Fulbright scholar was detained by immigration agents while boarding a domestic flight this week, the university confirmed, as the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement efforts at airports.
They Worked To Protect Public Health. Now They Want the Public’s Votes.
By Phil Galewitz, Christine Mai-Duc, and Amanda Seitz | KFF Health News A handful of former public health officials are campaigning for top statewide offices across the country, testing whether their experience with covid and other hot-button health issues will appeal to voters in November. The ...
‘There was no other option’: Inside Fauci’s intensely planned hearing strategy
Dr. Anthony Fauci arrived at a high-stakes Senate hearing on Wednesday with a single, modest goal: Survive. The former top government scientist felt he accomplished that mission, people close to Fauci told CNN.
Visalia's Rawhide Music Festival Bringing Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Live Entertainment
Join the Rawhide Music Festival on October 24 and 25 for two days of live music and community fun at Valley Strong Ballpark.
One Of 2026's Best Games Is Adding Chaotic 8-Player Co-Op
Next month, Big Hops on PC becomes a multiplayer platformer
49ers work out 3 RBs, including former Bears starter
The 49ers are looking to add at running back after Jordan James’s injury.
Packers Former Third-Round Pick Signs With NFC Rival
The San Francisco 49ers are signing former Green Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara. Deguara was a third-round pick by the Packers in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he spent his first four seasons with the team. #49ers plan to sign TE Josiah Deguara, per source. He's familiar with the offense having spent his first […] The post Packers Former Third-Round Pick Signs With NFC Rival appeared first on HEAVY.
Mandela Barnes drops out of Democratic primary race for Wisconsin governor
The former lieutenant governor made the announcement in a video posted on his Facebook page as democratic socialist Francesca Hong has garnered strong support from the liberal wing of the party.
Mandela Barnes drops out of Wisconsin governor’s race
Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped his bid for governor on Thursday, scrambling the race to replace Gov. Tony Evers less than two weeks from the Democratic primary.
Democrat Mandela Barnes drops out of the Wisconsin governor’s race
Barnes, the former lieutenant governor and 2022 Senate nominee, had struggled to gain traction ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
Science of Speed, featuring all-electric kart racetrack, opens this weekend at Kamin Science Center
The 21,000-square-foot destination is located in the former SportsWorks building.
Djokovic to make return at Cincinnati Masters
Former world number one Novak Djokovic said Thursday he would make his return to competition at the Cincinnati Masters next month, almost a month after he crashed out of the Wimbledon semi-finals at the hands of Jannik Sinner.The Serb, currently ranked fifth in the world, joins a dream line-up ahead of the US Open including Wimbledon winner Sinner, world number two Alexander Zverev and no.3 Carlos Alcaraz, who has been nursing a wrist injury since April.
Late for Work: Sports Physical Therapist Doctor Offers Encouraging Outlook for Nnamdi Madubuike
Ravens players who have a lot at stake entering training camp. Vega Ioane and Ryan Eckley make a preseason All-Rookie Team. The Browns are ‘strongly considering’ signing former Raven Jadeveon Clowney.
Former Steelers linebacker signs with 49ers
A former Steelers linebacker lands in the NFC West.
The US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know
The US has unveiled what officials claim is the most radical overhaul of the public R&D system in a generation, which if implemented could have significant implications for transatlantic research collaboration. Science: A New Golden Age derides universities as “legacy institutions” and instead wants to prioritise funding on technological challenges, new research labs and funding that follows individual scientists, rather than being linked to their institutions. “Too much of our research enterprise has come to serve itself rather than the scientists within it,” writes Michael Kratsios, director of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the only named author of the report. “Federal funding agencies should support a broader range of performers.” But some critics argue that the strategy is a smokescreen, using genuine problems in academia as an excuse to further weaken US universities, which US vice-president JD Vance has labelled “the enemy..”Even as it talks of a “golden age” for science, the White House has proposed halving the 2027 budget of the US National Science Foundation (NSF), and has put forward double-digit cuts for other funding bodies, such as the National Institutes for Health. It asked for similarly steep savings in 2026, but Congress stopped them going through. Science: A New Golden Age says success will be measured by the extent to which scientists are “free” to pursue the most “vital questions,,” painting academia as currently hidebound by bureaucracy, sluggishness and consensual conservatism. And yet the Trump administration is simultaneously planning new rules that will hand political appointees unprecedented powers to screen and cancel grants. The report has pretentions to be the successor to Science: The Endless Frontier, the seminal 1945 document in which presidential science advisor Vannevar Bush set out the case for post-war government funding of basic research, helping to spur the creation of funders such as the NSF. Even the title page font is the same. But it remains unclear if the latest report will leave anything like as lasting a legacy.Here, Science|Business explains some of the biggest proposed changes in Science: A New Golden Age, and how Europeans think it might change the landscape of their biggest science partner.Universities under fireA key target of the report are US universities, which it repeatedly suggests are outmoded as research institutions. It criticises the NSF for channelling resources “overwhelmingly to a single type of performer, the university-based, principal investigator-led research group..” Universities “extract” money from researchers’ grants to support “growing administrative bloat,” alongside legitimate uses. The Trump administration has been trying to cut the overhead costs in federal research grants that flow to universities. Instead, new institutions are being built. In May, the NSF announced it would spend $1.5 billion on two new so-called X-Labs, focused on scientific instrumentation and quantum systems. The idea is that they fill a niche in the landscape, tackling problems that are too big for a university lab, but too early stage for private start-up funding. Parallel with Europe?This shift to new research organisations parallels moves in Europe to set up new innovation agencies, such as Germany’s Sprind, the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency, and the EU’s European Innovation Council. The Dutch and French governments are looking to set up their own entities too. There’s now an emerging consensus, evident in a number of new strategies, that public R&D needs to be shaken up, Charles McIvor, an economist at the OECD, has written in response to Kratsios’s plans. “What stands out for me across these strategies [in the US, Germany, South Korea and Japan] is that governments are realising that the old ways of delivering STI [science, technology and innovation] programming no longer works,” he said in a LinkedIn post. Metascience wins?The document is, at least on the face of it, also a big win for some policy thinkers in the US who want far more experimentation with new forms of research grant and institution.It name-checks a litany of new public R&D ideas, from focused research organisations and advance market commitments to “golden tickets,” which allow grant reviewers the power to hand applicants money without requiring the consensus of other review panellists.Related articlesEuropean researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationFocused research organisations: what are they, and how do you set them up? NIH turmoil risks reciprocal EU-US access to health research funding In addition, every federal research funding agency should set up a metascience unit, the strategy says, “with authority to run controlled experiments on review and funding mechanisms.” The UK has already set one up, the strategy points out. This mirrors recommendations to the European Commission. In 2024, a report led by former Portuguese science minister Manuel Heitor also advised the EU to set up an “experimental unit” to test out new methods of funding research. So far, however, Brussels hasn’t put forward any plans to do so. Bypass universitiesBut there’s a worry that the Trump administration is using the metascience movement to justify an overhaul of public R&D that punishes universities, which it sees as centres of political resistance. Last year, it threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless it hired and admitted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create “viewpoint diversity” across campus. It’s also attempted to strip academics of funding for working on politically forbidden areas, like LGBTIQ people’s health.The new strategy appears to be a “move to bypass the power of universities full stop and allow funders and political bureaucracies to handpick the projects and people who will execute them,” said Jean-Claude Burgelman, a former senior official in the Commission’s research directorate, on LinkedIn.The EU’s science counsellor in Washington, Florent Bernard, wrote that the plans risk diverting public research funding so that it “solely serves private interests.” “Who, if not independent universities, will do research that demonstrates the impact of tobacco on lung cancer or the role of human activities in our current climate crisis?” he wrote.Should we take it seriously?“I would view the overall document as a bad faith argument,” said Cole Donovan, director of science policy at the campaigning group Stand Up for Science, and a former OSTP official. “I don’t see the project itself as something that can be isolated from the broader attack on the system.” He thinks the argument that academia has become dysfunctional and in need of radical reform is being deployed as part of a “PR argument” to legitimate moves against US scientists. The strategy presents ideas like metascience units as new, whereas there were moves to set them up at the NSF during the previous administration of Joe Biden, Donovan said. The other caveat here is that the OSTP has limited power to carry out any of these recommendations. While Kratsios has issued a memo to research agencies telling them to implement the recommendations in the report, he doesn’t have direct budgetary control. “As a former OSTPer myself, this does not seem like a document that is realistic,” said Donovan.
After Hobbes vs Rousseau: Politics must move beyond human nature
Since the great debate between Hobbes and Rousseau, our political theory has been organised around a single question: is human nature essentially good or essentially corrupt? Graham Harman, the philosopher behind object-oriented ontology, argues that this is simply the wrong question to be asking. The real forces governing our collective fate - climate change, artificial intelligence, geography, and pandemics - are non-human; therefore, questions about human nature are not the central ones. Instead, Harman proposes a politics reorganised around our relationship to non-human objects and environments, in which quasi-government institutions incentivise and deter actions with the aim of extending the survival of the human race. “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” This has become one of the most popular phrases among twenty-first-century intellectuals. Often misattributed to Fredric Jameson, it has been warmly embraced by such influential authors as Slavoj Žižek and the tragically departed Mark Fisher, and has fueled the notion that the major problem with the political Left is that it simply needs to become more speculative and creative. Naturally, this is never a bad idea in any human pursuit. But what if the political distinction between Left, Right, and Center itself results from a failure of imagination? SUGGESTED READING Hobbes vs Rousseau: are we inherently evil? By Robin Douglass This particular division has been with us only since the summer of 1789. During the simmering prelude to the French Revolution, it referred originally to the physical position in the National Assembly of radical figures on one side and loyal monarchists on the other. These positions are linked with two entirely different camps of modern political theory. On the Left we find a series of authors ranging from the moderate (Locke) to the supercharged (Rousseau) to the truly radical (Marx), all of them contending that exploitation of the many by the few justifies revolutionary overthrow of the existing order. On the Right they are countered by the likes of Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Schmitt, a group of thinkers convinced that corrupt human nature can be tamed only by force. In the words of the Nazi supporter Schmitt: “One could test all theories of nature and state and political ideas according to their anthropology and classify these as to whether they consciously or unconsciously presuppose [humans] to be by nature evil or by nature good.” This is the division we continue to face today, even in the daily retail politics of Western democracies.___Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims.___The most refreshing feature of David Graeber and David Wengrow’s 2021 book The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity was their awareness that the forced choice between Rousseau and Hobbes (as they put it) is no longer sufficient. Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims. Far from being stationed “beyond good and evil,” we seem to be fully entangled with both. We are not naturally good or evil, Graeber and Wengrow contend, but naturally experimental and imaginative. They rest their case on the archaeological record, which seems to bear witness to numerous episodes of seasonally shifting governments and festivals, which vacillate in the same society (even in the same year) between the egalitarian and the dictatorial. Such praise of political experiment makes a good fit with the generally anarchist position defended by these authors. Yet it is also what I find most disappointing in their position. Although they are right that the forced choice between Hobbes and Rousseau falls short of what our new situation requires, the authors simply replace it with praise for the human being as a political tinkerer and performer. In other words, they give us just another theory of human nature, one that would not have been out of place in the sixteenth or seventeenth century. What other options might we have?___The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature… We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them___One fresh approach would be to treat politics within a broader framework than human nature, given that the polis does not exist in a vacuum filled exclusively with people. When Bruno Latour went to observe the baboons of Kenya with the San Diego anthropologist Shirley Strum, they jointly concluded that these primates were more socially interdependent than our own species. Each baboon is so reliant on the dynamics of the group that they find themselves locked into constant surveillance of their potentially dangerous peers. The group structure turns out to be inherently volatile. Humans, by contrast, are able to stabilize their societies to a large degree through the mediation of inanimate objects. Although one’s position in society may seem to fluctuate over time, considerable stability is produced through such items as apartment keys, wedding rings, and identification cards, all of them serving to secure us a place distinct from that of our fellows. The Italian philosopher Maurizio Ferraris has written at length about the crucial role of documents in establishing social relations, making him a hero among notaries in his country. Proper names and license plates cement our position amidst other humans, as do symbolic achievements such as graduation from a top university or distinguished wartime service with its various medals and ribbons. None of this is found among baboons, despite their closeness to us on the evolutionary tree: after all, we did share a common ancestor just 25 to 30 million years ago. SUGGESTED VIEWING The goodness paradox With Richard Wrangham The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature, whether understood in the manner of the Left or of the Right. We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them. But initially, it is true, we face non-human things primarily in the form of constraints. It would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to form a human civilization underwater, deep underground, atop Mount Everest, or in outer space. Human dependence on the non-social background takes on subtler form in discussions of political geography, especially unloved on the more idealistic Left. Consider the luckless position of Poland during World War II, sandwiched between Hitler on one side and Stalin on the other. By contrast, note the good fortune of the United States in not having a military peer positioned on any land border. Anglo-American geopolitics, since the writings of the American naval commander Alfred Thayer Mahan and the British geographer Sir Halford Mackinder, has been wedded to the notion that one or more liberal offshore naval powers should prevent any authoritarian “heartland” regime from gaining effective control of Eurasia. That remains the case whether the opponent is the impatient Napoleon, the swashbuckling German Kaiser, the villainous Hitler, the murderous Stalin, or the industrial juggernaut Chinese. In their current Foreign Affairs article “Heartland vs. Rimland,” Michael Beckley and Hal Brands analyze the current and coming state of the world on the basis of these same rather durable principles. In recent years a similar outlook has been embraced, in inverted form, by the Putin-loving Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, an icon of the Rightist intellectual underworld. For Dugin, the Anglo-Saxons are an evil force bent on destroying the spiritually superior people of the land: much like Athens in its failed war with Sparta, or Carthage in its eventual collapse against Rome. But the shared notion on both sides is that any strategy that fails to take geography into account is likely to end up as a defeated form of excessive optimism.___When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole.___More striking for us today than geography is the non-human object called climate, which threatens rimland and heartland equally. Even if we contend that humans are one hundred percent responsible for triggering the climate crisis, it remains non-human in the sense of being an independent force beyond our effective control. In a major work published just before his death in 2002, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, the American paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould noted the tendency of evolutionary theorists to focus too closely on the fate of individuals in view of their successful or failed adaptation to circumstances. With climate change, however, we confront a force that goes well beyond the scope of any individual life. Whereas Richard Dawkins extended evolutionary questions downward from individuals to the sub-individual gene, Gould pushed it upward, speaking of entire species or clades as impacted by environmental change. The asteroid that struck the Yucatán 66 million years ago is only the most famous example of this sort. In the wake of that catastrophe, large animals needing abundant supplies of food were at a fatal disadvantage by contrast with the smaller birds and mammals of the planet. When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole. The effect is to shift our attention away from individual beings towards the survival of the group.In the United States in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked considerable backlash among those who asserted a nearly absolute degree of individual freedom. In California I encountered those who demanded that their businesses be allowed to reopen, that it was enough to cover their mouths but not their noses, or that they should have the right to enter any public area despite refusing vaccination. Yet public health is probably the clearest argument against libertarianism, which often merely asserts the autonomy of individuals against any claims of the commons. In normal times the individual is worth defending; under conditions that threaten the survival of part or all of our species, compulsion may be our only resort, as with perfectly reasonable blackouts and rations in wartime. To rebuild human society under the constraints of climate change will be one of the great challenges of the century to come, as will our improvised grappling with artificial intelligence. Such phenomena pose existential risks for humanity, and leave far less room for tolerance of individual brattiness. Cases are mounting of devastating wildfires caused by arson. Recently it was reported that there is even a website where one can bet on the location of coming wildfires, raising the specter of deliberate blazes set to collect on wagers. The death penalty has steadily lost support in a world where many stress the infinite value of human life. But if we focus instead on entire ecosystems, those who purposely burn the forests may begin to look worse than serial murderers.___The politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere.___So far I have spoken of force, authority, and punishment: measures sure to have greater appeal to those who identify with what we know as the Right. But other implications of the post-anthropocentric world are likely to have different backers. If non-human objects are seen as structuring political space, it stands to reason that they can no longer be introduced solely by the pace of technical breakthrough. Fields ranging from cybernetics to energy will demand increased politicization once they are reconceived not just as products of individual human investment, but as renovations of collective political geography. This need not involve world government, with its inherent risk of tyranny, but may involve quasi-governmental enforcers of prestige along the lines of a less corrupt FIFA or International Olympic Committee, punishing deviant states not with violence but with less tangible incentives.Politics will never lose its historic links with conflict and faction. But rather than factions aligned by differing theories of human nature, the politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere. This will prove just as incommensurable with the modern Left/Right spectrum as a globe is with a two-dimensional map.
Vikings Rookie’s Latest Comments Have Fans Watching Closely
The Minnesota Vikings were able to get an important injury update from one of their confirmed that he was healthy and ready to go for the start of the season.Banks was selected with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. The former Florida Gators star measures in at six-foot-six, […] The post Vikings Rookie’s Latest Comments Have Fans Watching Closely appeared first on HEAVY.
Former Murton doctor's farm aiming to boost health and wellbeing
A former County Durham doctor says she is trying to improve health through food, farming and nature.
Longtime Chargers standout Billy Ray Smith Jr. dies at 64
Former NFL linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr., who played his entire pro career with the San Diego Chargers, has died. He was 64.
Obama makes one of his first midterm endorsements with a basketball video
The former president is trying to help Josh Turek net a Senate seat in Iowa, which Democrats see as one of their best pickup opportunities of the midterms.
Patrick Clancy testifies about ex-wife’s attempt to seek mental healthcare after 911 call played in her murder trial
Patrick Clancy testified in the murder trial of his former wife, Lindsay, on Wednesday.
New book breaks down the science behind swimming
Former University of Hawaiʻi head swim coach Jans Prins breaks down the biomechanics of swimming in his new book, “Freestyle Biomechanics.”
Packers GM Quiets Concerns Over Former First-Round Pick
One of the biggest questions on the Green Bay Packers‘ starting lineup is left tackle Jordan Morgan. Morgan is entering his first year as a locked-down starter despite entering his third NFL season with first-round status. However, General Manager Brian Gutekunst offered nothing but optimism for Morgan and an explanation for why he has not […] The post Packers GM Quiets Concerns Over Former First-Round Pick appeared first on HEAVY.
Reps. Jeffries, Morelle lead voter protection hearing in Rochester
Several experts spoke, including former White House counsel, the deputy commissioner of the Monroe County Board of Election, and a policy and litigation expert.
Jacksonville business owners say unsafe Northside building ruined their dreams
Two former Jacksonville business owners say they invested thousands of dollars into their dreams, only to watch them collapse — along with the ceilings above them.
Man who killed family in murder-suicide was a former American Heart Association employee
Authorities believe a 47-year-old Michigan man killed his wife and six children before taking his own life. "This is an unspeakable tragedy that we may never completely understand,” one official said.
BTS say they will not submit music for 2027 Grammys
Wednesday’s announcement came just over a month after the Recording Academy announced five new Grammy categories, which include best Asian pop music performance. Some fans viewed the new category as a racialized barrier for Asian performers.
Democrat Ben Wikler explores a 2028 run for Senate in Wisconsin
Some Democratic insiders are rankled by the former state party chair’s ambitions and national book tour, with one saying it feels like he’s “whistling past the graveyard.”
Former Democratic staffers, DEI leaders shape Smithsonian leadership amid political firestorm
A Fox News Digital review of public biographies and social media profiles identified roughly two dozen individuals employed by the Smithsonian in leadership positions or as curators who worked for Democratic offices or progressive nonprofits before being hired.