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How you can donate business clothes for UVM students
The drive will be held Dec. 8, 9, 11 and 12.
West Midlands people urged to 'shop local' and back small firms
Small Business Saturday celebrates local, independent traders amid hopes of a "lasting impact".
Arts and entertainment through the region
A listing of local arts and entertainment events.
Salinas residents oppose mental health rehab center near county jail
A proposed mental health rehabilitation center in Salinas is facing opposition from local residents, with key meetings scheduled to discuss the project's future.
From wholesale to community impact; food bank and local business thrive together
Thinking outside the box to strengthen both a business and a food bank is happening in Cleveland, where a local wholesaler has become part of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s mission and community.
Local business warns about AI scam
These days, everyone is an online shopper, but a website can be riskier than a real storefront.
Data center battles: local protests, state incentives, and political fallout
Wondering why data centers are suddenly everywhere in the news? We’ll break it down. Plus, why the backlash isn’t falling along the usual party lines and what Michigan can learn from how voters in other states have responded.
Shop Local: Black Mountain welcomes local business traffic this holiday season
The holidays have never been more important to Black Mountain than perhaps this year.
'Maddie Moo Designs': Maine girl builds profitable sticker business
We love to highlight local makers and businesses here on ARC Maine, and one young entrepreneur is using her father as inspiration.
As Denver's professional teams keep winning, business booming at local sports gear stores
As the Denver Nuggets, Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche fans celebrate winning seasons so far, local sports stores are ready with all the gear.
As Denver's professional teams keep winning, business booming at local sports gear stores
As the Denver Nuggets, Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche fans celebrate winning seasons so far, local sports stores are ready with all the gear.
Christmas on the River brings holiday magic and business boost to Parkville
The 32nd annual Christmas on the River celebration, and local business owners are hoping the holiday crowd will provide Parkville their biggest sales night of the year.
New businesses rise in Fountain Inn and Asheville
A Fountain Inn coffee house, a Greenville outdoor-gear shop and an Asheville fitness studio open new locations, boosting local businesses and community spirit.
City of Statesboro accepting applications for Business Commission
The City of Statesboro is calling on local business leaders. Applications are now being accepted for appointments to the Statesboro Business Commission, with a deadline of December 12, 2025.
Q&A: Can the federal Rural Health Transformation Fund save Ohio's rural hospitals?
Ohio's proposal for a share of the $50 billion federal fund looks promising, local health experts say, but the money may not be enough to make up for rural hospitals' financial struggles.
CVS Health generates over $474 Billion in 2024 U.S. economic impact, supporting communities throughout the United States
New report highlights the company’s role as a top U.S. employer, investing in improving health and supporting local communities
Shops empty in a Hispanic neighborhood as immigration crackdown comes to Louisiana
Federal border agents have descended on a Hispanic enclave just outside New Orleans and local business owners are suffering
'It puts us on an island' | Covington gets $750k for business advocacy during major bridge projects
Covington Mayor Ron Washington announced on Thursday the city will receive $750,000 to use over the next five years for bolstering local businesses during two major bridge construction projects.
Hear From the Latest Local Business Disaster Relief Fund Recipients
Local businesses recovering from recent natural disasters share how support from the fund will help them move forward
Hear From the Latest Local Business Disaster Relief Fund Recipients
Local businesses recovering from recent natural disasters share how support from the fund will help them move forward
Kentucky provides $750,000 to support Covington businesses during bridge projects
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced a $750,000 funding initiative to support Covington, Kentucky, businesses affected by two major bridge construction projects, aiming to alleviate disruptions for local commuters and enterprises.
CT small business owners turn to TikTok
At CBIA event, business owners joined local and state officials to talk about how TikTok is transforming business activity.
Minimum wage set to increase starting in new year: Local business owner's weigh impact
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Minimum wage is set to increase at the start of the new year, raising questions for local employers. RELATED: Minimum wage set to increase across NY State starting in New YearWorkers will see a 50-cent increase in their paychecks after the new year, translating to just over an extra $1,000 annually. For […]
Elections officials prep for possible federal interference in the midterms : The NPR Politics Podcast
State and local elections officials across the country are preparing for a variety of ways the Trump administration could interfere with the 2026 midterm elections. We discuss the risks and what tactics the president and his allies have suggested.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior political correspondent and editor Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Cincinnati business teams up with YANI Collective for annual toy drive to help local families
This holiday season, Saturday Morning Vibes Cereal Bar is stepping up to help those in need by offering the restaurant as a toy drive drop-off spot.
In Laurel, details thin about proposed state-run mental health facility
Details about the state’s proposed psychiatric facility in Laurel have been thin on the ground for local elected officials. The list of unknowns includes where exactly the state wants to build the 32-bed facility, the next steps for the project and what role, if any, local government officials will play in approving the plan.
Weekend Entertainment | ‘Brier Hill’ Film Hits the Mark
It has been a long time since a locally made movie attracted audiences as powerfully as “Brier Hill,” directed by Jimmy Taaffe of Struthers.
Local Brooklyn Artist Eddie Quan Photo Exhibition Debuts at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health - NYC Health + Hospitals
Brooklyn, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health is hosting a photo exhibition of local Brooklyn artist, photographer, and printmaker Eddie
Weapons, drug compounds seized from Palm Bay business during raid
'Breaking Bad' on steroids is how Sheriff Wayne Ivey describing what was found in a raid carried out by federal and local law enforcement agents.
Supervisor Alan Wong rose in politics through unions. Now, he’s on thin ice.
Wong is now on shaky ground with organized labor in San Francisco after a schism earlier this year over his pick for City College chancellor.
'We're adding possibilities' MUSC Health Opens Phase 3 of West Ashley Medical Pavilion
WCIV ABC News 4, Charleston, South Carolina provides coverage of local and national news, sports, weather and community events in the region, including North Charleston, Mt Pleasant, Summerville, Hanahan, Goose Creek, Rantowles, Cottageville, St George, Moncks Corner, Jacksonboro, Ravenel, Cottageville, Walterboro, Sullivans Island, Dewees Island and Folly Beach.
This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition - Jax Hub drives fintech innovation, global partnerships
L Marks CEO Daniel Saunders joins Kent Justice to discuss the launch of Jax Hub, a new corporate innovation initiative based in Jacksonville. Learn how this global program aims to accelerate fintech growth, foster collaboration among local businesses, universities, and international partners, and position Northeast Florida as a leading innovation hub.
Not all local arts entertainment has to be Christmas-y this month
Looking for a few arts options in December that aren't holiday-themed? Check out these choices at MSU, LCC and in REO Town.
Small Business Saturday Redo
Small, locally owned shops can be found throughout the Kenosha Area. Some have been here for generations, while new ones continue to open. Since Mother Nature snowed all over our special day (on November 29) to support small businesses, let's try again! See the Facebook link of what businesses to visit in person on Saturday, December 6 during normal business hours for great deals and more!
New marathon course showcases San Antonio’s unique communities, driving business to local storefronts
San Antonio’s inaugural marathon is now just days away. Across the weekend are three races: a 5K, a half-marathon and a full marathon. In total, 18,000 people are expected to run.
Wake County Public Health awarded reaccreditation with honors status
The Wake County Public Health Department has been recognized as accredited with honors by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board, achieving a perfect score by meeting 147 of 147 accreditation standards. This distinction highlights the department's unwavering commitment to excellence in public health service and community well-being.
Has your business got the best Christmas decor? Enter Deck the County competition
Montgomery County Parks and Recreation invites local businesses to showcase their holiday spirit in the 2nd annual Deck the County: Holiday Business Showdown.
Mandela Barnes signals support for redrawing Wisconsin congressional maps
Democratic candidate for governor Mandela Barnes is signaling support for redrawing congressional boundaries in Wisconsin.
Prime Video introduces a dedicated news destination for customers
Customers can now conveniently access local, national, and world news from major networks directly from the Prime Video homepage.
‘Small Business Saturday’ Hopes Dashed By 18% Spending Decline In 2025
Small Business Saturday spending dropped sharply this year, with consumers prioritizing bargains over supporting local shops due to high inflation and low confidence.
Holiday market pops up in Financial District
Over 50 local vendors are taking over Two Embarcadero Center through Dec. 21.
Flu shot protects against new variant, Michigan health officials warn
Michigan's chief medical executive says the vaccine 'reduces severe complications' of the flu, including hospitalization.
Small Business Saturday sheds light on local storefronts, sees lower turnout due to winter storm
During a winter storm, members of the Evanston community battled howling winds and freezing temperatures to shop at Evanston’s third annual Small Business Saturday. Having begun in 2010 as a nationwide movement to support smaller, family-owned stores, this year’s Small Business Saturday featured special deals from 28 participating local businesses in Evanston. Downtown Evanston also...
East Charlotte businesses report thousands in losses during Border Patrol operation
Some local businesses lost thousands of dollars after federal Border Patrol agents came to the city, they said.
Improving Community Health Through Project Health
While visiting her local CVS Pharmacy, a woman walked by a Project Health event happening in-store. Interested, she decided to take advantage of the free health screening offered there. What began as a simple shopping trip quickly turned into a moment of motivation.
Egypt Business Gauge Hits Five-Year High After Pound Strengthens
A key gauge of business activity in Egypt expanded for the first time since February, as greater demand and a stronger local currency helped boost the import-reliant economy.
Pittsburgh’s People of Year 2025
Whatever may be happening at the national level, progressives in Pittsburgh are undeterred. The local Democratic Party has shored up and built on its base. Prominent left-leaning candidates now hold office everywhere from the county to Congress. Following November’s blue wave election, high off-year turnout propelled even more local progressives into office. Among their number […]
Science N Girls inspires young women to pursue science careers
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Science N Girls is a program that is hosted by both the Sibley Nature Center and Coterra, where local scientists share their experiences in their respective field…
Days from death? Speculation surrounds health of 'Green River Killer' Gary Ridgway
Local and national speculation continues to swirl around the possibly delcining health status of Gary Ridgway, the notorious WA serial killer.
‘It was disheartening;’ local businesses see a decrease on Small Business Saturday
One store closed early because they didn't have many customers.
Developers sue Sunland Park officials, alleging corruption in entertainment hub rejection
The developers behind a proposed entertainment hub in Sunland Park-- near the state line-- are suing city officials and local business owners for rejecting the
New entertainment district allows locals to browse and booze in fast-growing Alabama city
Patrons will be able to drink from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Replay Sports Cards Awards First-Ever Franchise to Business Partners Josh Stigdon and Jason Buckel
Replay Sports Cards ("Replay") – America's first national franchise dedicated exclusively to the hobby – has signed its first-ever franchise agreement with business partners Josh Stigdon and Jason Buckel, marking a pivotal moment in the company's growth and franchise expansion. The duo will open a new Replay shop in Seymour, Indiana, bringing the brand's modern, community-first take on the local card shop to collectors and families in the region.
After Snowy Small Business Saturday, Chicago Shop Owners Urge Neighbors To Buy Local
With this weekend's snowstorm keeping some customers home on Small Business Saturday, local businesses saw 40-60 percent drops in sales. They hope the rest of the season can make up for it.
Science history: Computer scientist lays out 'Moore's law,' guiding chip design for a half century
At a small local chapter meeting of a professional society, Gordon Moore's talk laid out the rudiments of what would become "Moore's law, which would govern the electronics industry for a half century.
Winter storm impacts Small Business Saturday, owner calls for community support
Local business owner encourages intentional spending at small businesses after weather forces closures
‘Heartbreaking:’ Snow shutters some stores on Small Business Saturday
Local retailers see mixed results as the weather forces closures and reduces foot traffic.
Big snow falls on Small Business Saturday
NEW ULM — Snow fell on New Ulm on Saturday as shoppers visited local retailers for Small Business Saturday, a nationwide promotion designed to encourage community shopping after Black Friday. New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Warmka said even with the snow many businesses reported steady traffic and strong sales. At A to […]
Small Business Saturday rescheduled after snow disrupts shopping event
MADISON, Wis. -- Small Business Saturday faced significant disruption due to snow, but local businesses and advocates remain optimistic about a rescheduled event planned for this upcoming weekend.
I'm a New Yorker who went to Naples, Florida, for the first time, and 6 things surprised me
My first trip to Naples, Florida, surprised me with waterfront mansions, canals, and a luxurious local airport.
In 19th century Tombstone, the Bird Cage Theater had entertainment for everyone
Tombstone’s Bird Cage opened in 1881 in what was then a young, remote boomtown. Today, the historic variety theater is revered among locals and tourists alike.
GUEST COLUMN: What Washington’s elections say about Oregon politics
Elections in various states in November drew national attention and pundits read them closely for longer-term implications, but not in Oregon, where voters who received ballots (this writer did not) had little more than local ballot issues and other mostly low-key contests.
Seen but not forgotten: How citizen science helps document biodiversity in remote Borneo villages
When I, Erik Meijaard, worked as a wildlife consultant for a timber concession in Borneo, I often chatted with the logging truck drivers—and quickly realized that some of them knew far more about local ...
Newport business works to reduce Oregon’s fish waste
The Newport restaurant has become a local staple known for serving locally-caught seafood to tourists visiting Oregon’s Central Coast.
State Variations in the Role of the Reproductive Health Safety Net for Contraceptive Care Among Medicaid Enrollees
This KFF analysis uses 2023 T-MSIS Research Identifiable Files to look at where reproductive-age female Medicaid enrollees received their last contraceptive visit by state. Overall, more than four in 10 (43%) female Medicaid enrollees received their last contraceptive visit of 2023 at a safety net provider, which includes Planned Parenthood clinics, community health centers, state and local health departments, and Indian health services, but there is wide variation by state.
'Wonderful and kind' TV star stopped by multiple businesses in Peoria
The well-known actor was in town for the 2025 Illinois Comic Con and patronized local businesses.
Indigenous knowledge and science join forces to save the choro mussel in Chile
Huellelhue means “place for swimming” in Mapudungun. It’s also the name of one of the rivers that flow through the Lafken Mapu Lahual Multiple-Use Conservation Area, established in 2005 in southern Chile’s Los Lagos region. The name of this area is more than just a grouping of words, says Eduardo Vargas, president of the Nirehue […]
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
Too much focus on national issues has left TN suffering
Too many Tennesseans get outraged over national controversies while ignoring the local issues that impact their daily lives.
Slidell’s historic district thrives with new restaurants, businesses: ‘Old Towne will never die’
Slidell's oldest neighborhood is an eclectic mix of retail and residential and a popular draw for tourists and locals alike. And it’s growing.
‘It feels so rewarding’: Local business owner creates perfect gifts for loved ones
It’s a mad rush to find Christmas gifts. Many local artists and businesses have set up shop at the D.C. Holiday Market hoping to provide the perfect gift.
Polson small businesses encourage community support during holiday shopping season
Polson small businesses showcased handmade goods during Small Business Saturday, encouraging holiday shoppers to support local families and community entrepreneurs.
Made in Tarrant: Fort Worth duo brings hospitality, personal touch to local sports
Larry Auth and Trevor Armstrong have owned Game On - Fort Worth since 2012. The company has two sports centers in west Fort Worth.
Local retailers encourage continued support after Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday may have come and gone, but local businesses in the Two Virginias are reminding you to still shop small.
Albany business featured on Good Morning America showcases local products
Sunnyland Farms highlighted items including peanut brittle, homemade cheese straws and pecans as potential holiday gifts.
Cities put science in the spotlight
When three European cities launch an initiative next year to boost scientific excellence and collaboration, much of the action is likely to take place in public spaces rather than in the laboratory.That is welcome news for Ana Marušić. A medical doctor and professor at the University of Split Medical School in Croatia, Marušić champions close connections between “town and gown” to encourage citizen involvement in research, raise public health awareness and ignite young people’s interest in science. “Responsible research and innovation cannot be done in an ivory tower, answering only the questions that are relevant for scientists,” explains Marušić, who chairs the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health and leads the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. “The role of the university is to be a medium for transferring new discoveries in science to society, but also to listen to society about what is important and what is needed.”Three cities united by scienceMarušić’s efforts stand to gain traction through Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a new European project to highlight science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. Balancing teaching, research and editorial work, she is a strong advocate for medical studies, urging high school students to consider medicine “because later on it gives you a really wide perspective about human life and about society” as well as many career opportunities.As SCTT prepares to bring science into daily life in 2026, Marušić hopes that it will build permanent bridges between scientists and citizens across Europe. “We can be a showcase for making collaboration with the community stronger to share knowledge, attract young talent and integrate critical and scientific thinking into everyday life,” she explains, adding that "collaborating with businesses to improve cities and communities is also an important aspect of this project."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Small Business Saturday sends shoppers flocking to stores
WHEELING — Throngs of shoppers spent Saturday making sure at least part of their holiday spending stayed local, as Small Business Saturday brought them out in droves to locally owned stores. Customers lined the sidewalks of Wheeling’s Centre Market, an epicenter of local shops selling everything from clothing to novelties to antiques to artwork. That […]
Shoppers in Wheeling Keep It Local for Small Business Saturday
WHEELING — Throngs of shoppers spent Saturday making sure at least part of their holiday spending stayed local, as Small Business Saturday brought them out in droves to locally owned stores. Customers lined the sidewalks of Wheeling’s Centre Market, an epicenter of local shops selling everything from clothing to novelties to antiques to artwork. That […]
Local shops around Reno celebrate Small Business Saturday
Packed malls here in town, and a record 11.8 billion dollars spent online by americans... A black friday boom has the holiday season in full swing.But to kick o
Campbell shoppers support local for Small Business Saturday
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Editorial - Small Business Saturday 2025
As we reflect on the Thanksgiving weekend, KETV would like to encourage you to support local businesses.
Small Business Saturday brings community together in downtown Kalispell
Downtown Kalispell celebrates Small Business Saturday with community support for local shops like Big Sky Bricks and Modern Pastime
Here's why some LA makers are keeping their manufacturing local
Local companies across Los Angeles are choosing to produce their goods close to home, even as tariffs and global supply issues create new challenges
ALL ABUZZ WITH BEES: Former science teacher and her team host do-it-yourself workshops for beekeeping and other pursuits
For Lauren Anderson, what began as a love for teaching and science has blossomed into a movement of sustainability and connection. The Arkansas native founded Calm+Confidence, a co-op that turns beekeeping into a tool for community growth -- supporting local businesses and inspiring others to see how small bee hives can make a big difference.
Savannah shoppers support local stores on Small Business Saturday
Downtown leaders urge year-round support as shoppers pack local stores for Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday market draws community support after a tough year
Over a hundred local vendors bringing unique holiday finds to the third annual Small Business Saturday Market at the The Common Ground Warehouse in Medina.
Holiday arts and entertainment: Classics get reimagined for the holidays
From Andean folk celebrations to circus-infused classics, local stages are offering a diverse slate of classical and traditional music performances that reimagine and re-enliven familiar tunes and …
Local pop singer Breleigh Curtis signs two-year entertainment contract
Breleigh Curtis, who performs as Breleigh Rael, will begin working on her first project Dec. 9 in Columbus.
Two new businesses set to open in Bay County with events and free food
New local Cumberland Farms and Costa Family McDonalds franchises to host grand openings. Perks? Free happy meals for a year, fried chicken samples.
'Steel Magnolias,' 'Hunchback,' 'Nutcracker' opening on Lancaster County stages in December
Many plays and musicals opening on local stages at this time of year have a holiday theme. But not all of them.
Ring in the new year with music and dancing at Four Winds Casinos
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Four Winds Casinos with live music, dancing, and parties in South Bend and New Buffalo.
Seasons of Science brings free family science to local breweries
San Marcos Record - Sharing news, features and sports with the San Marcos community since 1912.
Seen but not forgotten: How citizen science helps document biodiversity in remote Borneo villages
In Borneo’s remote villages, locals earn money by recording wildlife — reshaping conservation and redefining how communities value their forests.