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Clavicular pleads not guilty to raping a 17-year-old
'Looksmaxxing' influencer Braden Peters, a.k.a. Clavicular, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he raped a teenager at his family home.
'Looksmaxxing' influencer Clavicular pleads not guilty to rape charge
"Manosphere" streamer Clavicular has pleaded not guilty in his Massachusetts rape case.
Supreme Court’s conservatives have let down democracy, Justice Kagan says
Two weeks before the midterm elections, liberal Justice Elena Kagan bluntly sized up the Supreme Court handling of election and voting-related cases, saying, “The court has kind of blinded itself to the very deleterious effects of their rulings on how the political system works.”
'We’re here for a business trip' | The Bills practice on the West Coast ahead of Week 6
The perks of staying out on the West Coast, what challenges Maxx Crosby brings, and Wednesday's injury report
Maxx Crosby reveals what stands out when tackling Patrick Mahomes
Image Press Agency/Depositphotos Crosby shares a surprising detail about Mahomes’ reaction Maxx Crosby and Patrick Mahomes may be fierce rivals on the field, but their latest encounter has revealed a funny detail about their battles. The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end shared what he notices when he gets close enough to hit the Kansas City…
Raiders Receive Maxx Crosby Message Amid Two-Game Losing Streak
The Las Vegas Raiders have dropped two straight games, and the team is still 3-2. However, the Silver and Black could be 3-4 in the next two weeks, as they have the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams next on their schedule.Nonetheless, both games are at home, so the Raiders will have a puncher’s chance […] The post Raiders Receive Maxx Crosby Message Amid Two-Game Losing Streak appeared first on HEAVY.
Fibermaxxing is trending. Here’s what the science says
Fiber is the new protein. Here's what dietitians say about fiber, health and the "fibermaxxing" social media trend.
Retail sales rose nationwide just over 4% in September
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports total retail sales in September of $560.8 billion, up 0.28% month over month and up 4.05% year over year. The monthly report offers a...
Patrick Mahomes’ Response Awaited After Maxx Crosby’s Eyebrow-Raising Revelation
Maxx Crosby and Patrick Mahomes faced each other once more as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders clashed in one of the most exciting games this season. The AFC rivals were both 3-0 up and have been amazing this season, though it was the Chiefs that emerged victorious. The score itself was very […] The post Patrick Mahomes’ Response Awaited After Maxx Crosby’s Eyebrow-Raising Revelation appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
Should you be ‘poop maxxing,’ or ‘fiber maxxing’? Experts explain what’s healthy
Your feces can tell you a lot about your health
Men are hiding potentially deadly disorder amid pressure to build the 'perfect' body
Sylvester Stallone's bulimia revelation spotlights a crisis experts say is surging among men and boys driven by looksmaxxing and musculature ideals.
Patrick Mahomes Reveals Private Message from Raiders Star Maxx Crosby
Patrick Mahomes revealed the message Raiders star Maxx Crosby sent him after the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was cleared to return from his serious knee injury.
Raleigh’s Falls Village shopping center will get a new business next year
The new business will join retailers like T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods in the shopping center by January.
Fiber vs. Protein for Perimenopause: Which One Is Better?
Should you protein-maxx or fiber-maxx once you reach this life stage?
What's new to streaming this week? (Sept. 25, 2026)
What’s new on Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, and more? We've got you covered.
Raiders' pass rush helping to drive 2-0 start
The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2-0 start has been powered by an offense finding the end zone and a defense making quarterbacks increasingly uncomfortable. Through two weeks, the Raiders are tied for the NFL lead with eight sacks, including five in their season-opening victory over Miami and three more during Sunday’s 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The production extends beyond perennial Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
Looksmaxxing celebrity Clavicular charged with rape in Massachusetts
(CNN) — Clavicular, the controversial “looksmaxxing” livestreamer, has been charged with rape in Massachusetts.
Clavicular charged with rape, drugging in Massachusetts
Clavicular, the social media influencer known for his looksmaxxing content, faces two felony charges for drugging and rape.
‘Pheromonemaxxing’: Gen Z men thumb their noses at showers and deodorant
They want to enhance their natural scent to attract a partner
Scientists want these 5 'maxxing' trends dead
The “-maxxing” trend promises that extreme optimization of your sleep, appearances, fitness, diet, or wellness routine will somehow unlock a better version of you. But when health advice becomes a competition to optimize every single thing, real science often gets lost. Our scientists break down the -maxxing trends they really want you to stop—and what the evidence actually says.
Merriam-Webster welcomes ‘looksmaxxing,’ ‘vibe coding’ and ‘cuffing season’ to new word list
Merriam-Webster added 1,400 new words including vibe coding, looksmaxxing, parasocial, rickroll and meme coin in a sweeping internet-age update.
The Big Holes in Wearable Heart Rate Variability And Readiness Scores
On September 9th, Apple announced it was revamping its Apple Watch Health Sensing System, rolling out a Readiness score (0 to 10), and increasing the frequency of heart rate variability (HRV) outputs 24-fold. This can be viewed as upping its competition with various other consumer wearable sensors. These “readiness scores” as a composite of multiple metrics, with heart rate variability (HRV) being front and center for most. The majority of Americans are now using wearable sensors, which equates to well over 100 million adults. HRV and Readiness scores are increasingly being marketed as a measurement of autonomic nervous system health, a digital marker for future disease, a clock for biological age, and a holistic metric to promote healthspan and even longevity. (Apple also introduced a new longevity tab and “Health Age”.) None of this has been proven. In this edition of Ground Truths I am going to review what we know about heart rate variability and readiness scores. Heart Rate Variability HRV is the variation in normal heart cycle timing. The variability of the heart rate, the barely perceptible millisecond changes in time between consecutive heart beats (see R-R intervals in the Figure below, left panel), is due to interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal nerve) inputs. Distinct from heart rate, individuals with the same heart rate can have very different HRVs. It is a rough reflection of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, inadequate to say whether a person’s ANS function is abnormal. For more than three decades, heart rate variability (HRV) has been measured and several studies have found an association of low HRV and clinical outcomes, particularly a link with higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There have also been less well established links of low HRV to risk of early cognitive impairment, dementia, mental illness, Type 2 diabetes and substance abuse. An important reminder is that HRV is a surrogate marker without any established cause-and-effect relationship. If you increase your HRV, that doesn’t mean it will improve health outcomes. In fact, there is no hard evidence for that. All that work linking to health outcomes was done with electrocardiogram (ECG) derived HRV. Now, in the era of consumer wearables, this is getting assessed differently, by optical pulse (yes, the lights you see) plethysmography (PPG) or what is called pulse rate variability (PRV). They are not the same, as shown below (right panel) and only concordant when the delay between the ECG and pulse is kept constant, which basically means at rest. I should mention there’s also what I will call MPV, a mattress mechanical movement sensor, a derived heart rate variability, that companies like Eight Sleep use, even further away from directly measuring HRV. HRV has not one uniform measurement but many different types of quantification, such as RMSSD, the magnitude of difference between successive R-R intervals of normal sinus beats (N-N) or SDNN, the standard deviation of NN intervals, both in milliseconds. SDNN is one of the so-called frequency domain HRVs (others are LF, HF, LF/HF). Different wearable sensors use different metics; Apple has relied on SDNN and nearly all of the others use RMSSD, which is generally considered the more accurate metric. There’s also the different length of time measured, such as for a matter of minutes, all day, or an overnight’s sleep. Short measurements are especially problematic since they don’t capture enough of respiratory modulation and other factors that influence HRV. Share Ground Truths How well does HRV correlate with PRV? There are very limited studies, especially independently done. One that is commonly cited was conducted by Air Force researchers in only 13 healthy adults assessing Oura ring 3 and 4, Whoop 4.0, and Garmin Fenix 6 and showed a correlation coefficient of 0.88 to 0.97 and a mean absolute percentage error from 6 to 10%. The correlation is not a perfect 1.0, but there’s at least a fairly high level of correlation. HRV is supposed to increase during the night due to takeover of the parasympathetic nervous system, and higher during deep sleep. A recent example of my 1 week, all day “HRV,” and one during sleep is shown below. As you can see, the N of 1 data are inconsistent for the same days from different sensors (Oura, AppleWatch, Fitbit Air, and Eight Sleep) by patterns, absolute numbers, and comparison with prior days and weeks. The largest study in over 8 million Fitbit users (the old version, not Google Fitbit Air, introduced in May 2026) gives you a sense of the effect of age, sex, and the 2 different main HRV (here PRV) metrics, with RMSSD on the left and SDRR (=SDNN) on the right below. That study, from data collected in 2018, is a major outlier, since all the more recent ones are tiny with respect to sample size. Many of the companies have not had independent evaluation of their HRV, such as Eight Sleep, but have published a low standard error on their website. There are some other published studies on the correlation between HRV and PRV, but they are all small and only in healthy adults. A scoping review emphasized the lack of study in underrepresented individuals, including the aged, people of color (which affects the PPG signal), and individuals who are underweight or obese. Add the typical adult age 60 plus with one or more chronic diseases. For example, one study in over 900 adults found poor correlation of HRV and PRV, non-uniformly underestimated across many chronic diseases (cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological, respiratory, and others), concluding PRV is “an invalid surrogate for HRV.” A recent systematic review of 43 studies comparing HRV and PRV found reasonable pooled absolute standardized error (HRV as gold standard) but only 10 of the studies provided quantitative synthesis in ideal conditions. Their main conclusion was similarly cautious: “PPG-derived HRV [PRV] should not be regarded as universally interchangeable with ECG-derived HRV across all devices, populations, and recording contexts.” Factors Affecting HRV and PRV That gets me to the long list of factors that affect HRV (and PRV) besides the device, the type of measurement (RMSSD, SDNN or others), the person’s signal, the sensor site, the duration of data capture, if weighting by sleep stage is used, how artifact is processed and corrected. And this list is not complete!: Oura puts out data from their community of users (who input data) on what affects their overnight HRV. The factors currently provided are: no alcohol (increase 8%), melatonin (increase 2%, float tank (increase 2%), wine (decrease 4%), and party (decrease 14%) in overnight HRV. Must be some big parties! Subscribe What is a PRV measurement good for? It has been falsely characterized as an index of “autonomic balance” and a specific indicator of stress. A 2018 review of the studies available for HRV and its relationship to stress, not using any of the current wearables, found that stress can lower HRV. But so can many other factors. The non-specificity of the signal, indexed to the table above, is striking. Evidence from a UK Biobank study of over 46,000 participants with actual HRV looked at genetically predicted HRV, a genetic risk score, that failed to show the expected HRV-mortality link, indicating that _HRV is likely not causa_l, but rather a reflection of person’s physiologic state. A review of consumer wearable HRV data from 5 longitudinal studies showed that nighttime PRV was not associated with perceived stress, and surprisingly higher HRV, in the largest cohort (N=717 participants), was correlated with higher stress. An Oura ring cohort of 525 first-year college students found a link between overnight PRV and perceived stress, but that was also seen with resting heart rate, sleep, and respiratory rate. Several very small studies have examined the relationship of HRV and athletic injuries or guiding training with mixed, and predominantly negative results. HRV biofeedback training with paced breathing had no significant effect on reducing stress or raising HRV, as demonstrated with sham controlled trials. When HRV for multiple days showed a decline in conjunction with body temperature, the Oura ring published data for prediction of Covid. The WHOOP company sponsored an observational study, published in 2026, of 30,000 users for 72 weeks, without a control group, that reported reduced alcohol intake (5.8 % points) by self-report. That doesn’t tell us much, and particularly about the merits of HRV for behavioral change. If you use the same device and conditions as longitudinal trends for multiple (at least 2-3) weeks that may be the one way to get something useful from the measurements. Data for overnight sleep with minimal motion and using RMSSD is the best proxy for real HRV. The reason to look at trends rather than any given night is that it more likely represents something, even though you won’t know with certainty what the “it” is. Keep in mind there are no data, no peer-reviewed evidence, to show that HRV fluctuation in-person has any correlation with health outcomes. Share Readiness Scores These are proprietary scores that integrate different metrics for each of the wearables: no algorithms have been disclosed. They are unvalidated against health outcomes. In a review of 14 composite health scores of readiness and recovery, HRV contributed 86% to the scores, followed by reading heart rate (79%), physical activity and sleep duration (both at 71%). That review noted the substantial variability in measurement protools and lack of standardization. Sleep staging is notoriously inconsistent and inaccurate by these sensors, which adds further to the HRV uncertainties for what the scores, which use sleep stage data, mean. Only resting heart rate has been shown consistently across devices to be extremely accurate. I’ve made a Table to summarize what we know about which metrics are included, the scores, any peer-reviewed studies that compared the readiness score with health outcomes, and the corresponding (if any, NA-not available) citation. You will note that some companies do not use the term “readiness," such as WHOOP for recovery, and Garmin, which has 2 different scores, one of which is Body Battery. Eight Sleep uses the term “Fitness Score.” They all include HRV; Apple includes a new metric they call “Recovery HRV” which among other components uses 7-days of sleep, but it is unclear what this means or how it is differentiated from other scores (there are clearly no data for outcomes). We have no knowledge of how the different components are weighted or whether any of these scores are better than resting heart rate, HRV alone, physical activity, or any other single metric. Since none of these are standardized, they are not interchangeable, so if you get a 90 for Oura that has no relationship to a 90 on a Google Fitbit Air. Notably, the company can update its algorithm for readiness score at any point without notification to device users. Without any useful evidence of actionability for these scores or established relationship with health outcomes, it is hard to make a case for their value. At the Apple recent announcement they showed their Readiness score (0-10) on the watch (Figure below) but there are no published data on this score, not even on their website. It’s available only on their new Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 [of course, ;-)]. That exemplifies the problems with these scores, lack of data and evidence for being meaningful to promote health. Perhaps the best study (which isn’t saying much) is the WHOOP Recovery for golfer performance, because it did correlate with an objective outcome, even though there was no control group and the authors were all from the company. Among the 389 pro golfers, an absolute 10-per cent point increase in Recovery score was associated with about 0.5 fewer strokes per round. But that’s hardly a health outcome! WHOOP is also conducting a study in over 2,700 runners to see if their recovery score will be linked to less injuries and improved performance, but that is not yet published and has no control group or randomization. Putting This in Context For two decades I’ve been enthusiastic about the potential for digital health and particularly wearable biosensors. Over the years, we’ve seen some great progress for their ability to promote physical activity and accurately detect atrial fibrillation (the first FDA cleared deep learning AI for consumers). That work was the subject of rigorous research. But there are holes in the data and evidence for other metrics. One notable one is the “VO2 max” story that I wrote about earlier this year. At that time many subscribers asked me to cover heart rate variability, which I finally got to here. When I dived into the research and publication for HRV and readiness scores, I expected to find at least some that were of high quality and demonstrated their utility by linkage to health outcomes. To my surprise, I found none. The wearable sensor measurements for HRV (PRV) are, for the most part, accurate, but that validation work has only been done in small studies of healthy adults and does not take into account the long list of factors, from the device, software side, and the user side, that affect HRV measurements. Moreover, this metric chiefly relies on optical sensing and, as we have learned for heart rate PPG sensing, may be less accurate in people of color. Keep in mind that all of the health outcome association evidence comes from ECG-derived HRV; none are from wearable sensor data. I will repeat the key point: there's no peer-reviewed evidence to show that in-person HRV fluctuation—or efforts to raise your HRV— has any correlation with health outcomes. For those of you who look at your HRV on awakening, or even 2+ week trends of it being low, I hope this context helps to relieve any anxiety. Yes, low HRV (not PRV) has been shown to increase risk of some diseases as summarized above. But efforts to raise your HRV—a surrogate metric— has not been established for improving any health outcomes. HRV does not have any evidence of causality (the genetic evidence actually goes against this possibility). In this summary, I have not included data for other wearable sensors such as Polar, Samsung, Withings, Suunto, Amazfit, Coros, Ultrahuman, or additional mattress sensors. These are beyond my first-hand experience, and as far as I know from my in-depth review none have any peer-reviewed published data that differ from the 6 sensors I’ve reviewed here. From the points I’ve gone over above, we’re not ready for readiness scores. Besides being proprietary, they are predominantly based on metrics that have their own issues. It’s compounding the problem, like building a house without a solid foundation that has never undergone a rigorous inspection, and then selling it. Like I mentioned for PRV, you can look at trends over weeks rather than any single day, to get a handle, but even that may not be helpful. There’s simply no evidence that these scores meaningfully relate to health outcomes. I’d emphasize they might, but that requires doing prospective or randomized studies to prove it. None exist. There’s great promise for HRV/PRV utility_. For example**,**_ Prof Maiken Nedergaard, who discovered the brain glymphatics that are essential in eliminating metabolic waste products from the brain during sleep, has posited that HRV could be a non-invasive marker for neuromodulator oscillations, brain-body regulatory circuits, and brain clearance. That would be extremely useful, but like everything else on HRV and readiness scores it requires solid research and validation. The lay media isn’t helping much to get the story straight. Earlier this year The Economist published a piece entitled “The most useful indicator of your overall health” which ordained HRV as an “accumulated stress score.” That’s akin to the false assertion about VO2max: “V02 max is the singular most powerful marker for longevity.” As I’ve summarized here, that is not established. The fact is that so many things can lower HRV, including physical exercise (especially an intense workout), reduced sleep quality, stress, the list above, no less the device, signal, and software. Whatever fluctuations observed have not been correlated with any health outcome. Sadly, “datamaxxers” are widely using HRV and readiness scores that have never been validated to mean anything. We already know that for some people using the sensors for sleep metrics, it can induce “orthosomnia,” an obsession to get high sleep quality, with associated high levels of anxiety. In an experiment done by a company to promote sleep quality for its employees, “For those employees who did use the trackers, many reported feeling perfectly rested until their tracker told them they had had a terrible night. Others were told that they had slept like a baby when they had actually been lying awake worrying about the quality of their sleep. “ The same problem can result from preoccupation with HRV or readiness scores, with anxiety that would lead to further reduction in both. It you are using a wearable like >100 million American adults, it’s OK to look at these data, but contextualized with the major caveats reviewed here. If you are one to require evidence that HRV or readiness scores are linked to health outcomes, you may not even want to look. The companies make it hard to turn them off! Let me end with the companies that make and sell wearables. Apple’s doubling down on HRV (24-fold more reporting and heart rate very 5 seconds) and introduction of a Readiness score tells us that consumers have bought into these metrics and they are joining the club. However, all of this is occurring with a backdrop of tens millions of users, claims about the data that are not backed up by adequate evidence, marketing way out in front of whatever limited data exists, and not being transparent about their readiness score algorithms. The companies can well afford to do the research that is needed to connect these metrics with health outcomes show, once and for all, that increasing HRV or using readiness scores promotes our health. If they believed and invested in the products they are selling, we’d not be in this position of not knowing. That’s essentially where we are with HRV and readiness scores. Perhaps someday this will change and we’ll have good reason to embrace them. NB: I wrote this post. No AI. I have no conflicts of interest with any of its content. Loading... Ground Truths has 215,000 subscribers from every US state and 214 countries. There are over 300,000 followers of Ground Truths so more than 90,000 folks who can easily convert to be free subscribers. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. If you’re not a subscriber, please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths The proceeds from all voluntary paid subscriptions go to support our summer internship program. It enabled us to accept and support a record number of 62 summer interns that joined us in 2026! These are high school, college and medical students selected from thousands of applicants. We couldn’t do this expanded program without the funds coming in through Ground Truths. Thank you!
Patriots Should Still Pursue Maxx Crosby After Failed Ravens Trade
Crosby would be a difference-maker in this Patriots' defense.
The Strange New Politics of AI. Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, September 17. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Douglas Murray asks, why do we allow terrorists to die of old age? The American nonprofits backing Hamas. A conversation with Dara Horn and Coleman Hughes. And much more. But first: inside the unlikely coalition warning that AI may kill us all. Last week, an AI researcher named Jacob Coxon made headlines around the world after saying that he had resigned from Anthropic because he believes AI might cause human extinction—and his co-workers do, too. Unlike the rest of us, potentially, the story just won’t die. The Pro-Human Assembly, a conference held Tuesday in Washington, D.C., about the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, couldn’t have come at a better time—or with a more eclectic coalition. The Archbishop of San Francisco was there. So was Steve Bannon, screaming about the Chinese. Bernie Sanders did a quasi-dramatic reading of messages posted to an online forum by rogue AI agents. Ashley Judd paraphrased a graphic Andrea Dworkin quote for reasons that remain a mystery to me still. It was odd. People in the AI industry have talked openly about the possibility of this technology causing human extinction for years, but it hits differently in the wake of the Hugging Face incident. If you don’t know what that is, all the more reason to read my dispatch today. As the doomers see it, the best-case scenario is a future in which humans are basically kept as pets: well cared for, but with zero autonomy. The worst-case scenario, obviously, is the everyone dies thing. What should be done? I heard lots of ideas but no easy answers. There are currently zero federal regulations on AI, which is sort of strange even to think about. After all, we regulate microwaves, and the people running the microwave industry have never once refused to rule out the possibility that their products will end all human life on Earth. What I saw in D.C. left me even more convinced that you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes nothing should be done. You know, except for President Trump. — River Page River Page • Tech and Business [ The AI Doomers Have a Plan to Save Us. I Went to Find Out What It Is. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-ai-doomers-have-plan-save-bernie-sanders-bannon) Read story How Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr—and How to Better Fight Antisemitism On Monday, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a group of other NFL owners banned Macklemore from performing at their stadiums after the rapper delivered a “Free Palestine” speech while opening for Ed Sheeran. Kraft cited the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Once multiple venues refused to host shows with Macklemore on the lineup, the tour’s promoter officially dropped him. Today, Josh Kaplan says that the move was counterproductive, arguing that though well-intentioned, Kraft’s decision turned an irrelevant footnote into a martyr. “You cannot cancel people into liking you,” Josh writes. Read his column on what a better response to Macklemore would have looked like. Read [ Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr ](https://www.thefp.com/p/robert-kraft-made-macklemore-martyr-antisemitism-palestine) This raises the question: What actually works against antisemitism? On the latest episode of Conversations with Coleman, recorded in front of a live audience in New York, Dara Horn joins Coleman Hughes to talk about her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question. She argues that antisemitism is a script that has repeated itself across countries and ideologies, and that most people don’t understand that well enough to fight it. Don’t miss their conversation. Watch [ The Lie at the Center of Antisemitism, with Dara Horn ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-lie-at-the-center-of-antisemitism-coleman-hughes-dana-horn) Listen now Douglas Murray • U.S. Politics [ Douglas Murray: The 9/11 Failure That Still Haunts America ](https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-911-failure-justice-terrorist-guantanamo-bay) Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the men who planned them have still not faced trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and most of the accused have been locked up in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Judges have retired, and plea deals have collapsed. Today, Douglas Murray examines how this happened and argues that a justice system that allows terrorists to die of old age in an interminable pretrial process is one that has failed. Read his latest column on what that failure says about our unpreparedness for the era we are now living in. Read story The Editors • U.S. Politics [ When Nonprofits Support Terrorists ](https://www.thefp.com/p/when-nonprofits-support-terrorists) A newly declassified CIA brief from 1998 found that Osama bin Laden used nonprofit shell organizations—including U.S.-based Islamic groups—to fund his terror plots. Today, a similar story is unfolding as multiple organizations on American soil present themselves as nonprofits, taking advantage of tax-exempt status while seeking to advance the ideological mission of terrorist groups like Hamas. Read our editorial on the latest evidence of this dangerous trend—and why there’s no excuse for making the same mistake the CIA revealed 28 years ago. Read story Simon Sebag Montefiore and Bari Weiss Live in New York For decades, the Middle East has shaped American foreign policy and loomed large in the public consciousness. Few understand its influence on our politics better than Simon Sebag Montefiore, who argues that America’s quagmires in the Middle East stem from a deep misunderstanding of the region—on both the left and the right. Join him October 1 as he sits down with Bari Weiss live in New York City to kick off his U.S. book tour for The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Get Tickets Now MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Sydney Sweeney’s Naked Truth ](https://www.thefp.com/p/sydney-sweeneys-naked-truth-caitlin-flanagan) Caitlin Flanagan Read story [ I Thought Ukraine Was Losing. Then I Was Almost Hit by a Russian Drone. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/elliot-ackerman-ukraine-drone-gas-station-train) Elliot Ackerman Read story [ The Dangerous Ideology Behind the AI Warnings ](https://www.thefp.com/p/dangerous-ideology-effective-altruism-artificial-intelligence) Shyam Sankar Read story [ Amanda Knox: Patrick Clancy Can’t Win ](https://www.thefp.com/p/amanda-knox-patrick-clancy-grief-internet-crime) Amanda Knox Read story THE NEWS The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point, its first hike since 2023, signaling that another increase could follow as the central bank tries to bring inflation under control. President Donald Trump fired back by demanding that rates be cut sharply, though he stopped short of criticizing Fed Chair Kevin Warsh by name. The Houthis fired drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, including a major oil port on the Red Sea, and Saudi jets struck back with air strikes across Yemen in an escalating front of the Middle East war. (For more on the Houthis, read Zineb Riboua’s column from earlier this week.) A sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill passed the House in a 262–159 vote and is now heading to Trump for his signature. Named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation would hit countries that purchase large volumes of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100 percent, and is aimed at cutting off revenue that funds Russia’s war in Ukraine. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member,” drawing a standing ovation from European lawmakers. The proposal, framed as a response to a world grown more hostile, faces an uncertain path as EU member states would have to approve it, and one diplomat said that “nobody really knows what it means.” The House voted unanimously to send billionaire Leon Black a criminal contempt referral after he defied a congressional subpoena to testify and hand over documents related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Black chose to fight the subpoena in court rather than comply. Charlie Kirk’s family filed a wrongful death notice Wednesday against Utah Valley University, alleging that a series of security failures left him exposed to a rooftop sniper. The notice is a required legal step before the family can sue. Merriam-Webster added 1,400 words and definitions to its dictionary, including looksmaxxing, vibe coding, and cuffing season. The publisher said the new entries offer “a window into the world today.” The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article.
Maxx Crosby Sends Strong Message After Turbulent Raiders Offseason
Las Vegas Raiders superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby opens up about the craziest NFL offseason of his career. The post Maxx Crosby Sends Strong Message After Turbulent Raiders Offseason appeared first on HEAVY.
Skipping showers is the latest trend. But is there any science to 'pheromone' maxxing?
Across parts of the internet where young men trade tips on self-improvement, the latest project is scent. Deodorant is out, and washing less is in.
Skipping showers is the latest trend. But is there any science to ‘pheromone’ maxxing?
Animals use pheromones as chemical messengers to attract a mate or mark territory. But human sweat is very different.
Raiders Week 1 performance 'extra special' for Maxx Crosby
Sunday's win was 'extra special' for Raiders DE Maxx Crosby after an emotional rollercoaster offseason.
NFL Insider Puts Detroit on an Maxx Crosby Watch List
The Detroit Lions created more than $35 million in cap space, immediately sparking fresh speculation about a possible Maxx Crosby trade.
Crosby Shut Down Rams Trade Before Garrett Deal, Per Report
The Las Vegas Raiders have been dealing with Maxx Crosby reports for a while, and now there's a new one.
You might be eating too much protein
Proteinmaxxing isn't always healthier, especially as we age.
Can Patrick Paul, Dolphins, needle Raiders' 'hothead' Maxx Crosby?
Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Patrick Paul has seen Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby lose control. Can Paul take advantage in the opener?
NFL insider reveals Rams’ interest in Maxx Crosby
A well known NFL analyst just linked the Rams to Maxx Crosby, and the timing raises real questions.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Handed Potential Trade Idea Involving Cowboys
Las Vegas Raiders‘ Maxx Crosby will have a chip on his shoulder when he takes the field in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. This offseason, the Baltimore Ravens traded for the veteran pass rusher, but the deal fell through after he failed his physical.Crosby underwent surgery in Jan. 2026 to repair a torn meniscus […] The post Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Handed Potential Trade Idea Involving Cowboys appeared first on HEAVY.
Drew Brees replaces Maxx Crosby on SiriusXM’s ‘Let’s Go!’
The media renaissance of Drew Brees continues unabated. Not only will the former New Orleans Saints quarterback embark on his first full season in the booth alongside Adam Amin for the NFL on Fox, but the 47-year-old will also co-host SiriusXM’s Let’s Go! alongside Matthew Stafford, Jim Gray and Peter King, effectively replacing Las Vegas…
Maxx Crosby trade deadline chatter already starting
B/R includes pass rusher in “bold trade predictions” before season even starts
Cowboys News Sparks ‘Bold’ Maxx Crosby Trade Prediction
The Dallas Cowboys made news with contract moves on Thursday. On Friday, new predictions about a Maxx Crosby trade made the rounds. The post Cowboys News Sparks ‘Bold’ Maxx Crosby Trade Prediction appeared first on HEAVY.
Cowboys linked to Maxx Crosby again following contract restructuring
Cowboys' cap moves have reignited trade speculation.
Raiders Land Maxx Crosby's Replacement in Mock Draft
With another selection in the top 10 of the draft, the Raiders go with Dylan Stewart out of South Carolina.
Maxx Crosby Receives Strong Words After Raiders Lose to 49ers
The Las Vegas Raiders‘ preseason is now over after falling 18-12 to the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 27 at Allegiant Stadium. Moreover, it was the final reps that Fernando Mendoza received, as the No. 1 pick is likely to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins to start the 2026 NFL season. Against the Niners’ defense, […] The post Maxx Crosby Receives Strong Words After Raiders Lose to 49ers appeared first on HEAVY.
Fishy business: who really profits when sardines go viral?
Once a cheap store-cupboard staple, sardines are fast becoming a luxury food item. Last year, #SardineGirlSummer saw influencers promoting the health benefits of sardinemaxxing, while sardinecore became the must-have fashion trend. Now, demand is accelerating just as Morocco’s sardine stock has collapsed, causing shortages on supermarket shelves. The Guardian travels to Matosinhos in Portugal, the cultural home of the sardine industry, to investigate who is profiting from the boom, how it has affected local fishermen, and what sustainability looks like in an era of global heating
Clavicular visits Syracuse to flex and smile
Clavicular is internet famous for looksmaxxing and his “bone-smashing” technique. There is no bone-smashing for personality, unfortunately.
Tiktok 'fibermaxxing' trend takes over as internet turns to gut health
Gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the viral 'fibermaxxing' TikTok trend, explaining why 95% of Americans suffer from a fiber deficiency and how to safely improve gut health.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Received Major Praise From Several Notable Texans
Several notable Texans, including DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud, and Will Anderson Jr. had some major praise for Raiders star Maxx Crosby. The post Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Received Major Praise From Several Notable Texans appeared first on HEAVY.
Poop-maxxing: Bowel movement tracking on the rise as young people chase gut health
The Bristol Stool Chart is praised by gastroenterologists, who also caution that the visual guide for healthy bowel movements has limitations.
Are You Really ‘Maxxing’ Your Health? What to Know About 4 Viral Health Hacks
“Maxxing” trends are growing in popularity on social media, but experts say these health hacks, which promote optimizing nutrition, sleep, and fertility, may be ineffective or even pose health risks.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade update considered ideal for Cowboys
Good news for Dallas?
Raiders’ Latest Maxx Crosby Update Hints at Blockbuster Trade
The Las Vegas Raiders have gone through a rollercoaster offseason with superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Even now, the final conclusion to the situation doesn’t seem to be in place.Crosby entered the NFL offseason as a clear-cut trade candidate. It didn’t take long for the Raiders to agree to a deal that sent him to […] The post Raiders’ Latest Maxx Crosby Update Hints at Blockbuster Trade appeared first on HEAVY.
NFL training camp 2026: Kirk Cousins, Maxx Crosby have altercation during Raiders' practice
Cousins took issue with Crosby hitting him multiple times.
Maxx Crosby Praises Klint Kubiak's Approach as Raiders' New Coach
Klint Kubiak is already setting the tone as the Las Vegas Raiders begin adjusting to a new era.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Has Blunt Message for Fernando Mendoza
The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to be competitive this upcoming 2026 NFL season after a disastrous 2025 campaign under former head coach Pete Carroll. One of the new faces on the team is No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, and Maxx Crosby is already taking him under his wing.Despite both players being on opposite sides […] The post Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Has Blunt Message for Fernando Mendoza appeared first on HEAVY.
Small Business Tech News: Tokenmaxxing Wanes, Fixing Your “Spotty” Wi-Fi, Yelp Adds An AI Phone Assistant
“Tokenmaxxing” wanes in popularity, some non-profits are using AI in smart ways and Yelp adds an AI phone assistant
Bears, Cowboys Get Blunt Message About Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
While no trade is on the horizon, the future of Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby is a major talking point heading into the 2026 NFL season. If Crosby is his dominant self after his torn meniscus injury, then teams will be calling the Silver and Black leading up to the trade deadline.Moreover, if the Raiders […] The post Bears, Cowboys Get Blunt Message About Raiders’ Maxx Crosby appeared first on HEAVY.
Ravens created even scarier monster in Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
Maxx Crosby looked fast, fit, electric — and downright terrifying — on the first day of Raiders training camp Wednesday.
Raiders Issued Major Maxx Crosby Update Amid Training Camp
One of the storylines heading into training camp for the Las Vegas Raiders was how Maxx Crosby would look after his rollercoaster offseason. Toward the end of the 2025 campaign, the Silver and Black shut Crosby down after his torn meniscus in his left knee.Crosby would have offseason surgery, but that was the start of […] The post Raiders Issued Major Maxx Crosby Update Amid Training Camp appeared first on HEAVY.
Cowboys Receive Clear Message Involving Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
The future of Las Vegas Raiders‘ Maxx Crosby will be a talking point from now until the trade deadline in a couple of months. If Crosby shows that he’s his usual game-wrecking self, teams will call the Silver and Black.Moreover, if Las Vegas gets off to a challenging start, the question will be whether they’ll […] The post Cowboys Receive Clear Message Involving Raiders’ Maxx Crosby appeared first on HEAVY.
'Don't Make Me Think' author Steve Krug says social media is terrible
Steve Krug invented the frictionless internet with his book "Don't Make Me Think." Now he's in the frictionmaxxers' corner.
India’s 'looksmaxxing' economy: More science, more spending, fewer taboos
What’s in your latest beauty haul?
NFL analyst says exactly what needs to be said about Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby before training camp
Jillian Michaels warns against social media health advice as ‘healthmaxxing’ trend goes viral
‘Keeping It Real’ podcast host Jillian Michaels discusses the viral ‘healthmaxxing’ trend and GLP-1 drugs on ‘Fox & Friends.’
Chamath Palihapitiya: Some CFOs are in for a tokenmaxxing shock
AI spending ballooned as companies pushed workers to use more tokens. Chamath Palihapitiya says CFOs may soon feel the hangover.
Raiders' Maxx Crosby fires shots at Chargers fans
Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby threw massive shade at Charger fans.
Maxx Crosby Reveals True Feelings About Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby doled out some pretty incredible praise for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson at the Sack Summit. The post Maxx Crosby Reveals True Feelings About Ravens QB Lamar Jackson appeared first on HEAVY.
Seahawks Issued Compelling Take on Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
The Seattle Seahawks have one of the NFL’s most dominant pass rushes, which helped fuel their run to winning a Super Bowl last season. Nonetheless, the Seahawks were able to get to the quarterback without having a premier pass rusher. Seattle made the opposing signal-caller uncomfortable with a constant pass rush, thanks to their depth. […] The post Seahawks Issued Compelling Take on Raiders’ Maxx Crosby appeared first on HEAVY.
From booksmaxxing to looksmaxxing: Why the viral trends concern some mental health experts
People are self-optimizing everything — protein, skincare, fitness — to such a degree that "maxxing" is one of social media's most popular suffixes.
People have been fermenting food for millennia. Here's why more people are focused on gut health now
More people are focusing on their gut health, as fibermaxxing goes mainstream, colorectal cancer rises among young adults and personalized gut microbiome treatments become increasingly popular.
The dangers behind health 'maxxing'
"Maxxing" is a way of promoting extreme ways to optimize physical and mental health.
'Tanmaxxing' trend could come at a dangerous cost, skin cancer experts warn
A dermatologist warns that "tanmaxxing" is causing DNA damage, calling the Gen Z tanning trend a "visible distress signal" rather than a wellness upgrade.
'Billionaires’ Vagina Club' sees Silicon Valley's richest wives spend $30K to 'healthmaxxx' their sex lives
Palantir Just Issued a Warning to Business Leaders About AI: Guard This 1 Thing Like 'Treasure'
Palantir also warned about tokenmaxxing and a sense of 'false progress.'
Could 'humanmaxxing' actually help you live longer? Here's what experts say
Humanmaxxing is the latest wellness trend focused on maximizing human potential through biohacking, longevity science and advanced medical treatments.
Could 'humanmaxxing' actually help you live longer? Here's what experts say
Humanmaxxing is the latest wellness trend focused on maximizing human potential through biohacking, longevity science and advanced medical treatments.
Cottage Cheese Shortages Are Driven by TikTok and ‘Protein-Maxxing’
TikTok and “protein-maxxing” are driving a cottage cheese squeeze that’s left some consumers desperate.
NFL Trade Rumors: Eagles “nuclear hot” for Maxx Crosby?
Never say never but this doesn’t seem realistic.
The Sperm-Maxxing Bros Are Actually Onto Something
Wellness influencers have stumbled onto a huge issue when it comes male fertility, though not every solution they're pitching is good advice.
ESPN unveils star-studded summer lineup for Women's Sports Sundays presented by TJ Maxx
ESPN today announced the full schedule for Women's Sports Sundays presented by TJ Maxx, a first-of-its-kind weekly primetime franchise that will place women's sports at the center of the summer sports calendar. Debuting Sunday, June 21, the new franchise will deliver nine consecutive weeks of marquee women's sports programming across ESPN, ESPN2, the ESPN App, Disney+ and ESPN Deportes, featuring the WNBA and NWSL's biggest stars in premium national windows.
What is looksmaxxing?
A Q&A with Dr. Bravender discussing what looksmaxxing is. Along with the true dangers of it, what parents should know, and when to intervene.
Disney wants tech staffers to move fast with AI without 'tokenmaxxing'
Disney is leans into AI under CEO Josh D'Amaro but wants tech staffers to avoid "tokenmaxxing," or wasting tokens.
Synthesia HR chief: Tokenmaxxing isn't the goal. Getting results is.
Companies are pushing workers to use AI. Synthesia's Laura Gonzalez says measuring token usage can reward activity over outcomes.
Satya Nadella has a message for Microsoft's tokenmaxxers
Microsoft's CEO said workers should use the right AI model for the job as companies look for ways to control rising AI costs.
Tokenomics will lead to opportunities in 'edge AI,' Citrini says
Citrini Research predicts that the economics of tokenmaxxing will prompt a shift to "edge AI" that will have implications for investors.
Amazon shuts down AI leaderboard after employee 'tokenmaxxing'
Amazon nixed an employee-created AI leaderboard called "KiroRank" after concerns it encouraged excessive AI spending.
Looksmaxxing may point to deeper body image issues in young men, mental health expert says
A mental health professional explains how sensationalizing the extreme behaviors associated with “looksmaxxing,” rather than treating them as symptoms of mental health issues, can prevent boys and young men from receiving the care they need.
Is "fibermaxxing" good for your health?
The 'fibermaxxing' trend has health benefits worth the hype
There are a lot of wellness trends that make health experts roll their eyes in skepticism. But there is one big trend that many experts can get behind – with a few caveats: fibermaxxing.
AI can take the friction out of life, but some effort can be good
Technologies, including chatbots, promise to make life easier. But removing the friction, or effort involved in thinking, has costs.
You should probably eat more fiber. Here's why — and how to do it
The average person eats 10-15 grams of fiber per day, according to the USDA. The problem? That’s WAY under the recommended daily amount. Fiber – a type of carb that our bodies are unable to digest – is prevalent in foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and beans. And it’s key for everything from feelings of fullness, to gut health, to good poop. That’s why a lot of people online are “fibermaxxing”: trying to meet or exceed the daily recommendation of fiber, in hopes it’ll improve their health. But how should YOU add fiber to your diet… and are the fibermaxxers overdoing it? Gastroenterologist Berkeley Limketkai is here to help parse the science on how little fiber is too little, how much fiber is too much – and, like Goldilocks, how we can figure out the amount that’s just right.Interested in more food and dietary science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Are Tokens The New Currency? A Primer For Business
How CEOs can effectively harness token use for business success, while managing practices such as tokenmaxxing.
Eric DeCosta details Ravens' response to Maxx Crosby setback
Jesse Minter reveals how the Baltimore Ravens navigate adversity and tough decisions, emphasizing adaptation and moving forward.
Disney employees have an AI dashboard to track who's 'tokenmaxxing'
Disney staffers have an "AI Adoption Dashboard." One Claude user invoked the chatbot 460,000 times in nine days.
Experts reveal why 'nonnamaxxing' trend may improve mental, physical health
'Nonnamaxxing' is a growing trend inspired by Italian grandmothers that promotes cooking from scratch, taking daily walks and reducing screen time. Experts say it can boost mental health.
The Screen Time Maximalists Who Spend an Ungodly Amount of Time on Their Phones
As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.
AMPLIFIED: New era for ‘Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World’?
The Raiders will keep star edge rusher Maxx Crosby after a trade to Baltimore fell through.