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New York Red Bulls open training facility that's so impressive, it made Jurgen Klopp consider coaching again
The facility, a decade in the making, will jointly house the Red Bulls' first team, MLS Next Pro team and academy for the first time
Fallout: New Vegas dev says Bethesda slammed the game in a PowerPoint
Former Obsidian dev Chris Avellone dishes on contentious conversations with Bethesda after Dead Money
How are leaders Hearts handling title pressure?
With five games to go Hearts are still top of the Scottish Premiership. So how are the unlikely league leaders handling the heat with five games to go?
Trump political director on midterm outlook: ‘It’s way too soon to declare defeat’
President Trump’s political director James Blair expressed his confidence on Wednesday for GOP midterm election victories, despite falling economic approval ratings and a recent loss on a redistric…
'Coyote vs. Acme' Official Trailer Debuts from Ketchup Entertainment
Prepare for cartoon chaos to meet the courtroom in 'Coyote vs. Acme,' the live-action/animated movie making its long awaited debut in August.
Journalists urge protest of Trump at correspondents' dinner
A coalition of 200-plus journalists and press freedom groups urged the White House Correspondents' dinner organizers to call out Trump at the event.
Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Wednesday, April 22
Vermont high school sports scores and results as reported to the Burlington Free Press sports department.
Lainey Wilson’s Health Issues: Her Anxiety, Depression & More
The 'Yellowstone' star opens up about her anxiety and depression in a new Netflix doc.
Suit against trans sports referendum dealt serious blow by Maine officials
The Maine attorney general's office, representing the secretary of state, has largely rejected arguments that signatures were wrongly validated, according to new court filings.
Researchers express 'grave concern' over attacks on Iranian institutions and science
Almost 1400 people have signed an open letter calling on the international community to “defend academic life”
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
Advancing Earth Observation at NASA since Release of Earthrise Photo
From cameras pressed against spacecraft windows to the most powerful radar ever flown, imaging technology has taken giant leaps since 1968, but the drive to understand our home in the cosmos has remained.
Focusing in on human health research at annual space meeting
Long-duration spaceflight can chip away at an astronaut’s health, prompting scientists to find new ways to make living in space easier on the body. The journey to outer space is incredibly dangerous, but crews must also face day-to-day hazards, such as exposure to cancer-causing radiation, microgravity and extreme isolation. Understanding and ...
2026 has a worthy Blue Prince contender that also plays like Candy Crush
All the world’s a stage and Titanium Court is its proud jester
Destigmatizing mental health for medical students
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated high rates of depression and anxiety in medical students. Medical schools are expanding mental health services to help.
Bringing Business Data Insights to Every User with Gemini Enterprise and Oracle AI Database
At Google Cloud Next 2026, Oracle and Google Cloud showcase new AI integrations and ongoing expansion of Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud.
Scouting Future Saints: Oklahoma Sooners edge rusher R Mason Thomas
Oklahoma Sooners pass rusher R Mason Thomas could be a great fit in certain NFL schemes. Pressuring quarterbacks must be a priority for the Saints.
D.C.’s No Good, Very Bad Week Keeps Getting Worse | WSJ Politics Newsletter for April 22
Plus, Warsh pressed on financial disclosures during confirmation hearing and a probe into intelligence officers who investigated President Trump heats up
Bullying, Politics Harm Mental Health Of Gender-Diverse Teens
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, April 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Gender-diverse teenagers who are bullied are more likely to suffer escalating psychological distress than other teens, particularly if they live in a state with repressive gender identity laws, a new study says. These ...
Local businesses feel the pressure of rising diesel prices as the war on Iran continues
Australian Gas Exporter Santos Streamlines Business to Cut Costs
Santos Ltd. is restructuring the company’s oil and gas business in order to cut costs, according to an internal notice seen by Bloomberg, after a string of stymied takeover bids in recent years that have raised pressure to increase shareholder returns.
‘The GOP should’ve done more’: Virginia Republicans point fingers after gerrymandering loss
They are frustrated the party didn’t spend extensively and are putting pressure on Florida to give them back an edge.
Cougar science sidelined as pressure takes over
Editor’s Note: This is the final part of a three-part series. By the time Washington’s cougar debate reached its peak intensity, the conflict was no longer limited to public meetings or policy discussions. It had infiltrated the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife itself. What had started as pressure from outside — from parents, hunters,
Hawaii elevates Mitchell to succeed Beeman as women's basketball coach
UH to introduce 9th head coach in program history in press conference Wednesday morning
Virginia votes yes on proposed congressional redistricting, AP projects
Virginia voted to approve a plan to temporarily redraw the Commonwealth's 11 congressional districts ahead of November's midterm elections, the Associated Press projects.
Google Wallet just got a big upgrade ahead of the busy travel season
It makes flying less of a hassle
Computer Science Student Deemed 'Wizard' For Tech Acumen
Seeing Sierra Brandt’s technological magic in action led Erica Cullwell to dub Brandt “The Departmental Wizard” of the Career Center.Not only was Brandt able to resolve a longstanding problem for the Career Center, her solution will support Cal State San Marcos students for years to come.Brandt is a transfer student from MiraCosta Communit...
Approval of Trump on economy falls in new AP-NORC poll, as Iran war drives up prices
The findings from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.
Trump’s Cabinet Gets a Shuffle as Political Pressures Build
The departures of three officials followed a spate of controversies.
Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics
STORY: :: Fed chief nominee Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics:: Washington, D.C. / April 21, 2026:: Kevin Warsh, Federal Reserve chief nominee“Monetary policy independence is essential. Monetary policymakers must act in the nation's interest. Their decision is the product of rigor, deliberation and unclouded decision-making. And as Senator Warren said, I do not believe that independence of monetary policy is threatened when elected officials state their views on rates. Fed independence is up to the Fed." // :: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Democrat on Senate Banking Committee“So, independence takes courage. Let's check out your independence and your courage. We'll start easy. Mr. Warsh, did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”WARSH: “Um, we try to keep politics, if I’m confirmed, out of the Federal Reserve.”WARREN: “I’m just asking you a factual question. I need to know. I need to measure your independence and your courage.”WARSH: “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”WARREN: “That’s not the question I’m asking. I’m asking did Donald Trump lose in 2020?”WARSH: “And I’m suggesting to you in 2020…”WARREN: “I’m suggesting you can’t answer that.”WARSH: “… the Fed had a huge inflation problem, and you certified the election…[crosstalk]… let’s keep the politics out of monetary policy.” //WARREN: "Just one little place where you disagree with Donald Trump.”WARSH: “Well, I do have a disagreement actually, Senator, with the president. I think even this morning, he said that he thought I was out of central casting. I think central casting, I'd look older, grayer, maybe show up here with a cigar of sorts.”WARREN: “Quite adorable. But, you know, we need a Fed chair who is independent. That's the only way we preserve the independence of the Federal Reserve. If you can't answer these questions, you don't have the courage and you don't have the independence.”In a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee that quickly hinted at major changes to come at a Warsh-led Fed, the 56-year-old lawyer and financier blamed the central bank for an inflation surge in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to hurt U.S. households.Warsh's hearing quickly turned contentious. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Warsh on his independence and "courage", saying President Donald Trump had made clear Warsh would be his "sock puppet".
Registered Nurses, Customer Service Representatives and Retail Salespersons are the Top Jobs in February - Alabama Department of Labor
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 21, 2026 Registered Nurses, Customer Service Representatives and Retail Salespersons are the Top Jobs in February MONTGOMERY - Data collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Workforce’s Labor Market Information (LMI) Division shows that in February 2026, there were 104,060 job ads posted in Alabama, representing a monthly increase of […]
Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Tuesday, April 21
Vermont high school sports scores and results as reported to the Burlington Free Press sports department.
Clemson 2026 NFL Draft Player Preview: Adam Randall
Position: RB Height: 6’3” Weight: 232 40 yd Dash: 4.5 Shuttle Time: Unavailable Vertical Jump: 37” Broad Jump: 10’4” Bench Press: 26 reps College Performance: One of Clemson’s more intriguing players in the draft, Adam Randall started life at Clemson as a WR before converting to RB late in his career. His time as a […]
Just Two Years After Opening, Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital - Miller Family Campus in Lehi is Expanding to Meet Growing Demand for Pediatric Care
Just two years after opening, Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital - Miller Family Campus in Lehi has become a critical access point for pediatric trauma care and specialty services for children closer to home for residents in fast-growing communities in Utah County and Southern Salt Lake County.Since opening in 2024, Intermountain...
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
PGA TOUR and Front Office Sports Announce Content Agreement
The multi-year deal will bring fans closer to the business stories that dominate conversations through content from key PGA TOUR moments.
Alzheimer’s drugs offer little benefit, major review finds – and the reasons go deeper than the science
Alzheimer’s research shows what happens when funding pressures and vested interests corrupt the pursuit of scientific truth.
How American Express became an MVP in professional sports
How American Express became an MVP in professional sports
A bizarre new state of matter may be hiding inside Uranus and Neptune
Deep inside planets like Uranus and Neptune, scientists may have uncovered a bizarre new state of matter where atoms behave in unexpected ways. Advanced simulations suggest that carbon and hydrogen, under crushing pressures and scorching temperatures, can form a strange hybrid phase—part solid, part fluid—where hydrogen atoms spiral through a rigid carbon framework. This unusual “superionic” structure could reshape how heat and electricity flow inside these distant worlds, potentially helping explain their mysterious magnetic fields.
Salmon contract signing another great step for young defender
Arsenal have announced that 16-year-old centre back Marli Salmon has signed a pre-contract agreement which will mean he signs a first professional contract when he turns 17 in August. Salmon was taken on the tour of Hong Kong and Singapore and impressed the coaching staff, featuring in games against Newcastle and AC Milan. The centre-back made his debut in the Champions League in the 3-0 win over Club Brugge and has also made three appearances in the FA Cup, starting the win over Mansfield.
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Fired former official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as U.S. ambassador
The testimony by former Foreign Office head Olly Robbins turns up the heat on Starmer, who is facing calls to resign over the appointment of a scandal-tainted former politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein to one of the U.K.’s most important diplomatic posts.
Fired former UK official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as US ambassador
LONDON (AP) — The ex-civil servant behind the decision to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to Washington says he felt political pressure to rush through the appointment despite security concerns.
Rockland businesses enlist NY regulator in CHPE roadwork fight
Businesses in Rockland's Route 9W corridor say they've been stung by months of traffic delays from Champlain Hudson Power Express construction.
California says Amazon coerced companies into illegally raising prices
Attorney General Rob Bonta said Amazon asked vendors like Levi's to pressure Walmart into raising prices.
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 2 preview
The Houston Rockets will look to bounce back tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 1, Houston was definitely off their game without Kevin Durant. The injury clearly happened late in the week and threw the Rockets off their game. It added immediate pressure to a series in which Houston is favored thanks to […]
How will inflation impact business this Mother’s Day?
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – With Mother’s Day is just around the corner, some have expressed concern about whether inflation will impact the way business owners approach the holidays. Many noted spikes in co...
WhatsApp's paid subscription starts rolling out to some
But your free experience isn't at risk
High-level US delegation visits Cuba as Trump ups pressure
A senior US delegation met with Cuban government officials in Cuba as the Trump administration ramps up its efforts to pressure Havana into a deal as it continues to exert its economic chokehold on the island.
Cyberpunk 2077 Official Prequel Coming June 2026
This June, Night City 2045 will reveal the official hidden history of Cyberpunk 2077.
Kevin Warsh to say Fed independence not threatened by political pressure
Donald Trump’s pick for chair will tell powerful Senate committee that central bank must ‘stay in its lane’
Injury updates on Colts' Daniel Jones, DeForest Buckner and others
During his pre-draft press conference, Colts' GM Chris Ballard provided injury updates on Daniel Jones, DeForest Buckner, and others
Massachusetts Governor Signs Cannabis Bill, Changing Purchase Limits, Regulatory Scheme
Gov. Maura Healey approved the plan to overhaul the Cannabis Control Commission, encourage business growth and broaden consumer access.
America’s health care crisis continues to add insult to injury
We need to demand that our leaders in Augusta and Washington commit, beyond just expression of “concerns,” to voting to improve, not dismantle, our health care system.
The Conversation: As Renaissance Fairs Become Big Business, Can They Retain Their Counterculture Roots?
Renaissance festivals now sit at an uneasy crossroads between countercultural expression and commercial spectacle.
OpenAI Takes Aim at Google with New Image Model
If you’ve been on X or Reddit in recent weeks, you’ve likely seen images created by an upcoming model from OpenAI floating around. Sharp-eyed people have pointed out that the new model is potentially being tested with some ChatGPT users and on leaderboards under code names.The images generated ...
Footballs could be designed to reduce impact of heading
Scientists believe footballs could be designed to reduce the impact of heading after new research discovered the action caused a previously unreported pressure wave energy transfer to the brain.
Consider Beijing’s 10-point plan, Taiwan business leaders urge ruling DPP
The island’s government has sparked a row by accusing industry groups of bowing to pressure from mainland China.
Cyberpunk 2077: Night City 2045 Officially Announced
Dive into the hidden history of Night City with this explosive new sourcebook.
Motorola is doing what Samsung won't, and it's starting to pay off
Keep bringing back what Samsung doesn't
Biggest party in Romanian coalition set to demand PM's resignation, political crisis looms
Romania's Social Democrats are widely expected to withdraw their support for Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Monday, likely ushering in months of political instability that will pressure debt, credit ratings and the receipt of EU funds.
Progressive Bulgaria Heads for Decisive Victory in Latest Snap Election
Bulgaria continues to grapple with economic disparities, corruption concerns and geopolitical pressures as a member of the EU and NATO.
Gasperini lays out 4 conditions to stay at Roma
Gian Piero Gasperini’s future at Roma is uncertain. The Giallorossi coach isn’t sure he’ll stay in the capital, and the possibility of a departure is currently looming in his mind unless the Fri...
Child Caregivers Face Mental Health Crisis Amidst Medicaid Cuts
Over 5.4 million child caregivers in the U.S. face rising rates of anxiety and depression as proposed Medicaid cuts threaten in-home support.
There's a new Republican congressman running in Butler County
Rep. Mike Turner is running for reelection in Ohio's 10th Congressional District, which will soon include parts of Butler County.
Psychoactive Drug Patterns Before, During and Just After Pregnancy
Fewer than one-fourth of women who had prescriptions for anti-depressives before becoming pregnant kept them throughout pregnancy, recent Cleveland Clinic research shows.
Detroit Pistons home playoff losing streak now at 18 years
The Detroit Pistons extended their NBA-record home playoff losing streak to 11 games with a Game 1 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday, April 19.
Ausar Thompson, J.B. Bickerstaff lead Detroit Pistons award finalists
Pistons forward Ausar Thompson, center Jalen Duren and guard Duncan Robinson were all named finalists for NBA end-of-season awards on Sunday.
Seton Hall basketball adds Del Jones, high-scoring transfer guard
3 things to know about Del Jones, who starred for Radford this past season.
Penn State secure summer visit with four-star California CB
Penn State is making a strong push for four-star safety Malaki Taufoou, who scheduled a June visit after an impressive spring.
Apple Testing Two Small Yet Useful iOS 27 Options
Apple is planning to add "Undo" and "Redo" options to the iPhone's Home Screen customization menu on iOS 27, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. These two options will make it easier to reverse or redo your Home Screen changes. "Right now, when you long-press on the home screen, you get a bubble in the top left corner with four options: Add Widget, Customize, Edit Wallpaper and Edit Pages," he explained, in his latest Power On newsletter.
Savion Hiter names Michigan football's fastest player
Michigan running back Savion Hiter reveals which early enrollee has impressed him most, naming Travis Johnson as the team's fastest player.
The demand for local AI could shape a new business model for Apple
To put it simply: Apple Silicon is impressively optimized for running local AI models. And the data is clear: people...
Greensboro Science Center celebrates birth of 3 Allegheny woodrat pups, supporting species recovery efforts
GREENSBORO, NC — The Greensboro Science Center is aiming to help restore the Allegheny woodrat, a species of conservation concern, by welcoming three new pups born on March 26. According to a press…
Is Six Flags (FUN) Turning Ride Upgrades Into a Test of Its Per-Guest Value Strategy?
Six Flags New England recently held an exclusive press preview for Quantum Accelerator, New England’s first dual-launch straddle coaster, alongside broader upgrades to Crackaxle Canyon and park-wide dining and retail offerings. The combination of a headline coaster and enhanced food, beverage, and pass benefits highlights Six Flags’ focus on deepening guest engagement and extracting more value per visit. We’ll now look at how Quantum Accelerator’s debut and related guest-experience...
Analysis: Silk and steel win the day
Manchester City secured the victory that maintains their growing momentum and applied further pressure on Arsenal through the familiar route of a Erling Haaland winner. Rayan Cherki's goal was the result of a touch of genius and sleight of foot to bamboozle Arsenal's Gabriel and Piero Hincapie before sliding in a perfect finish. After Gianluigi Donnarumma's error swiftly gifted Arsenal a way back into the game, City had to dig deep to show reserves of resilience before Haaland was once more the match-winner.
Trump signs order to expand access to psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions
US president directs funding, FDA fast-track for psychedelic therapies in mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety | Anadolu
I tried Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude for a month on Android, and I have a clear winner for you
The ultimate Android AI showdown
Green Bay area high school sports results for Saturday, April 18
High school softball, baseball and soccer teams were in action.
This is the decades-old Gmail trick I still use every day
This small change completely cleans up your inbox
Mary Rutan Health receives highest level in 2025 independent financial audit
The following is a press release issued by Mary Rutan Health. Mary Rutan Health today announced the successful completion of its 2025 independent financial audit […]
Homelessness update expected to lead discussion at Wausau Public Health and Safety meeting - Wausau Pilot & Review
By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review Homelessness, shelter trends and public safety pressures downtown are expected to draw close attention when
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part I
In 2008, much to their own surprise, leading Democrats unified around a program of major health care reform. Policy wonks had spent years developing the concepts behind what eventually became Obamacare; big Democratic victories in the 2006 midterms and the prospect of controlling both Congress and the presidency made it possible to imagine turning those ideas into reality. During the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advocated similar plans, based on those ideas, for expanding insurance coverage. And it happened! The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010. When it was fully implemented in 2014, millions of Americans got health insurance: Impressive as the raw numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story. Before the ACA, even upper-middle-class Americans often found it impossible to get health insurance if they had pre-existing medical conditions. Many Americans were trapped in jobs they wanted to leave but couldn’t for fear of losing their employment-based coverage. Meanwhile, dire predictions from the usual suspects about runaway costs proved wrong. In fact, overall U.S. medical spending has grown much more slowly since the ACA was enacted than before. But the U.S., alone among advanced nations, still falls far short of providing universal health care. As you can see from the chart above, 8 percent of the population was still uninsured in 2024, a number that is set to rise over the next two years as a result of Republican policies. True, many of the uninsured in 2024 were undocumented immigrants, who we don’t try to cover. But there are still a lot of uninsured. Moreover, a significant number of Americans who have health insurance are in fact underinsured. As a result, they are at risk of incurring devastating healthcare costs and are sometimes forced to forgo needed care. This number is set to rise sharply in the next two years as a result of Republican policies adopted under Donald Trump. And not only is the U.S. unique among advanced countries in its under-provision of health care coverage, it also incurs by far the world’s highest healthcare costs per capita. So now may well be a good time to get behind a new push for major health reform — an effort, if you like, to finish the job begun under Obama. Today’s primer is devoted to the economics of health reform. During his failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump famously complained, “Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.” Actually, we did know — and it’s not that complicated. Health economists understand the principles very well. And because health policy varies greatly among advanced nations, we know a lot about what works and what doesn’t. This will be the first in a series about health reform. Beyond the paywall I’ll address the following: 1. Why markets can’t be trusted to deliver healthcare 2. Routes to universal healthcare 3. What works? In a follow-up post I’ll discuss the pros and cons of different approaches, and possible paths forward for the United States.
Trump wants a sculpture garden for America’s 250th birthday. Sources say it’s unlikely even one statue will be ready.
It was envisioned as an expansive sculpture garden to honor America’s 250th birthday, with 250 statues of figures like Kobe Bryant, Elvis Pressley and Rosa Parks.
Known in New Orleans, multimedia artist will take the world stage in Venice Biennale
For decades, the 73-year-old conceptual artist has been creating art that explores the universe’s most pressing questions. Now she’s preparing for what is arguably the contemporary art world’s most important show.
If education, business and labor come together, Maine can take advantage of AI
Maine has faced large-scale worker dislocations before. In the absence of effective federal regulation, we must invest and collaborate as we face the biggest yet.
See list of Livingston County entrants in 130th Boston Marathon
Here's the list of 16 Livingston County runners entered in the 130th Boston Marathon Monday, April 20.
Juventus vs Bologna – Predicted lineup and team news
Juventus will aim to strengthen their hold on a top-four spot when they face Bologna at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday in Serie A.The Turin side has an impressive record in this fixture, going unbeaten...
Lawmakers pressed to address Black maternal health disparities
Advocates pushed Michigan lawmakers to address racial differences in maternal healthcare this week. The activism is part of Black Maternal Health Week.
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres odds, picks and predictions
The Boston Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres play Game 1 of their best-of-7, first-round series Sunday in Buffalo, New York. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Gago explains his decisions at the start of the match
Fernando Gago spoke to the press after a hard-fought goalless draw against Everton, which puts Universidad de Chile’s future in the tournament at risk. One of the questions surrounding his starting...
Notre Dame Spring Practice Report: Quarterbacks Shine In Jersey Scrimmage
CJ Carr sparks offense with impressive throws, showcasing advanced command. See how Notre Dame's signal-caller dominated in the spring scrimmage.
Ubisoft’s New Action RPG Is Devil May Cry Meets Cyberpunk
Despite a string of recent controversies, a huge overhaul of its business model, and a restructuring of its most important IP, Ubisoft is seemingly continuing to produce good games. Sure, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was a fairly enjoyable revamp of a very familiar formula, and Star Wars Outlaws, as lambasted as it was at launch, impressed […]
These candidates for governor support single-payer health care in California
Three candidates for California Governor, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, and Xavier Becerra, have publicly expressed their support for single-payer health care, which would provide free, universal healt…
Science Central hosts World Art Day celebration
World Art Day is April 15. The global observation celebrates culture, creativity, and artistic expression worldwide.
Justin Verlander injury update: Travel plans to Fenway Park canceled
Right-hander Justin Verlander (left hip inflammation) was planning to travel with the Detroit Tigers to Fenway Park, but he ended up not joining them.