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Governor Candidate Jocelyn Benson (D-MI) Visits Small Business and Meets with Voters
Governor Candidate Jocelyn Benson (D-MI) visits small business and meets with voters in Jackson, Michigan.
eMudhra to Exit Global SSL/TLS Business After 8 Intermediate CA Keys Found Easily Guessable
eMudhra plans to exit global SSL/TLS certificates after eight weak CA keys were recovered, as Chrome and Firefox withdraw trust in its ECC root.
U.S. Figure Skating Announces Partnership with Feld Entertainment to Support the Future of Professional Skating Careers
U.S. Figure Skating is proud to announce its partnership with Feld Entertainment, the producer of Disney On Ice and the largest employer of professional ice skaters in the world.
Health department issues tips for return home after chemical leak evacuation
The Toledo - Lucas County Health Department has issued recommendations as evacuees from the North Toledo chemical leak return home.
Radiologist FDA leader believes generative AI should be evaluated like human docs
Rick Abramson, MD, director of the FDA’s Digital Health Center of Excellence, recently spoke during a panel held in Boston by industry lobbying group AdvaMed.
Montgomery leaders still weighing new health care authority to protect hospitals, taxpayers
Montgomery city and county leaders are laying the groundwork for a new health care authority they say is intended to keep hospital doors open without putting taxpayers on the hook for hospital debt.
Critical GitLab Flaw (CVSS 10.0) Could Allow Unauthenticated RCE Across 12 Years of Releases
GitLab fixes CVE-2026-110264, a critical flaw that could allow unauthenticated code execution on self-managed versions dating back to 7.0.
Mixing Politics and Perceptions of AI and Data Centers: Results from the Gardner Food & Agricultural Policy Survey
With an eye towards the rapidly approaching 2026 midterm elections, this article further reviews survey results from the Gardner Food and Agricultural Policy Survey, but through the lens of political…
Xbox follows in PlayStation's footsteps, introducing AMD FSR 4.1, targeting better graphics and performance on Series X/S
Xbox Series X and Series S are getting a new AI upscaling technology comparable to PlayStation's QSSR.
Shader Compilation Stutter Begone: Nvidia's Latest GPU Drivers Finally Add Advanced Shader Delivery
Now AMD, Qualcomm and Nvidia all support the tech - with Intel coming soon.
Daniel Edney, MD, State Health Officer for Mississippi, Announced as Next ASTHO President
/PRNewswire/ -- The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) named Daniel Edney, MD, as the organization's 84th president. Dr. Edney,...
Midway Physics Day brings science to life for nearly 2,000 students at the State Fair
WACH WACHFox provides coverage of news, sports, weather and local events in the Columbia, South Carolina area, including Lexington, Elgin, Cayce, Chapin, Peak, Blythewood, Newberry, Camden, Mulberry, Sumter, Eastover, Aiken, and Orangeburg, SC.
Toy Story 5, Backrooms and The Breadwinner Vie to Become the Second Biggest Film This Year...
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Often, people blame “data” for ruining Hollywood, when I’d argue that hype (which can often be debunked by data) is often worse, as you can see in these two headlines. To use a common meme, here’s how it started: and how it’s going: Earlier this year, I read countless (and I mean countless) articles (in almost every mainstream media outlet) about how Heated Rivalry was a huge hit and that it “heated” interest in hockey. But Heated Rivalry wasn’t a huge viewership hit compared to the hype: [ ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/you-cant-eat-buzzdid-heated-rivalrys) [ You Can’t Eat Buzz…Did Heated Rivalry’s Buzz Translate into Actual Viewership? ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/you-cant-eat-buzzdid-heated-rivalrys) Entertainment Strategy Guy · Jan 22 [ Read full story ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/you-cant-eat-buzzdid-heated-rivalrys) In this case, the hype (Heated Rivalry is really popular) belied the data (It didn’t make the top ten charts, meaning it wasn’t a huge hit.1) Even worse, every time I write about this, I get a lot of negative feedback, hence why I only sparingly mention the show these days or add lots of caveats when I write about it, but this just further cements the hype. But companies, and the executives leading them, have to determine strategy based on reality, not media coverage. The NHL committed real marketing dollars to a campaign that didn’t work. Sure enough, the latest NHL season opened to under a million viewers. At some point, you have to focus on what the data says, because real dollars are at stake. And that’s why we have the Streaming Ratings Report! To provide and analyze cold, hard data. Luckily, this week, I can be positive and take a look at a huge opening on streaming, along with a very buzzy horror film that customers kind of like, but don’t really love. And a comedy that tried to rebound on streaming. Today, I’m covering two weeks—21-Sep and 28-Sep—so we have a lot to discuss (nearly 5,000 words worth), including a series of film misses for Netflix, another argument for weekly-released TV shows on streaming, another sitcom tries to avoid the comedy curse, Netflix has two new game shows (one powered by AI), Reacher falling off the charts after a huge run, Prime Video tries its hands at the romcom game**,** a look at the WNBA’s big season, a big night for the VMAs on CBS and MTV, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to October 4th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - Two Hits and a Miss Come to Streaming… Three very interesting films came to streaming in one week, and I like comparing them since they show the range of theatrical films. One was a huge blockbuster, one was popular, and one was neither. One is a horror film, a buzzy genre; one is a comedy, a struggling genre; and one is an animated family film, the king of the box office. One went to a tiny streamer (HBO Max), one went to a second-tier streamer (Disney+), and one went to the biggest (Netflix). So… If you just went by box office, you’d expect Backrooms—the $197 million grosser, and partner of Obsession for “YouTube Horror Summer”—to dominate on streaming. If you read this report, though, you know that horror films don’t do great on streaming, and that’s the case again. Backrooms opened at 3.8 million hours according to Nielsen, and had 3.9 million hours in its second week. Here’s how that stacks up to other HBO Max films: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… ...why I don’t buy Backrooms budget… …two new games shows arrive on streaming… …another sitcom struggles… ...another argument for putting out shows weekly on Netflix... ...and a whole lot more, nearly 5,000 words more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, I’ll be taking a look at the eighth season of Hulu’s The Kardashians, answering the question: will this show ever make the charts? If Mormon wives can make it, surely one of social media’s most popular families can as well. Also, Prime Video has a new horror show based on popular IP, Carrie, Netflix has a horror show starring Josh Hartnett, Below, and Apple TV has a UK import, Small Prophets. Plus a bunch of movies like Disclosure Day heading to Peacock, The Housemaid coming to HBO Max, Ben Affleck’s latest on Apple TV, Animals, and Matchbox the Movie on Apple TV, a John Cena action comedy inspired by Hasbro’s toy cars. The week after is even busier! I’ll look at another IP-based horror show, Crystal Lake, a new MCU show on Disney+, VisionQuest, season two of The Lowdown on FX/Hulu, the fourth seasons of The Diplomat on Netflix and Tulsa King on Paramount+, another season of Love is Blind, and four straight-to-streaming films: Netflix’s Sacrifice (starring Chris Evens, Anya-Taylor-Joy, Vincent Cassel, John Malkovich, Salma Hayek. Charlie XCX), Apple TV’s Tenzing (starring Tom Hiddleston and Willem Defoe), Prime Video’s Love of Your Life (Margaret Qualley) and Masterplan (Stanley Tucci) and a whole lot more, somehow. Long term, here’s some huge IP news: a Game of Thrones movie is coming to theaters, Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest in 2029, while Jon Watts (who helmed three of the most recent Spider-Man movies) is directing the next Star Wars trilogy, to be written by Simon Kinberg. I’m cautiously optimistic for both. It feels obvious to say that making good movies matters, but for bets this big (Star Wars is on a swoon, Game of Thrones hasn’t been to theaters yet), the quality has to be there.
Hamden business owner says his shop has been broken into twice in a week
HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A Hamden business owner says his smoke shop was broken into twice in the last week, shorting him thousands of dollars. The owner of the Smoke Gallery says surveillance video …
How ‘You Can See Everything’ can get an Oscar acting nomination for [SPOILER]
‘You Can See Everything’ is aiming for historic Oscar nominations, including in Best Picture and acting.
Nearly $1 million worth of rare Pokémon and sports cards stolen from FedEx truck in California
Nearly $1 million in rare trading cards were stolen from a FedEx truck parked near a Santa Ana, California, business, according to police.
Nearly $1 million worth of rare Pokémon and sports cards stolen from FedEx truck in Santa Ana
Nearly $1 million in rare trading cards were stolen from a FedEx truck parked near a Santa Ana business, according to police.
AMD Announces FSR 4.1 for Xbox Series X/S, Z2 Extreme and Z2A Handhelds, RX 6000 GPUs and More
Plus: FSR 4 will soon support Vulkan games.
AMD is bringing FSR 4.1 to Xbox consoles and handhelds
AMD’s latest upscaling tech is also coming to laptops, 6000-series GPUs, and handhelds.
AMD and Microsoft Bring FSR 4.1 to Xbox Series X|S, FSR Diamond Teased for Project Helix
AMD and Microsoft have confirmed that FSR Upscaling 4.1 is coming to the Xbox Series X and Series S. The news came in an AMD video presentation led by Jack Huynh, joined by Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet and ASUS. The ROG Xbox Ally handhelds are getting it too, and it looks like they will be first in...
Chesapeake Bay Health Reaches 20-Year High, but Work Remains
The Chesapeake Bay earns its highest health grade in 20 years, restoration efforts progress but ongoing challenges remain. The Chesapeake Bay earned its
AMD and Microsoft announce FSR 4.1 support for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally, bringing huge performance gains
In a video address, AMD revealed FSR 4.1 support is coming "soon" to Xbox consoles, and this week to Xbox Ally.
Nvidia Is Coming for Intel and AMD's CPU Business
Modal will deploy Nvidia's new Vera central processor.
HOMETOWN HEALTH: Researchers identify new clues for treating type 2 diabetes
The study's authors say this could be developed into new treatments that could help people regulate their blood sugar.
T-shirts and silver balls: Politics get mixed in with the profane at a Trump store
By Elle Reeve, Samantha Guff, Frank Fenimore, CNN Boones Mill, Virginia (CNN) — Walk into Trump Town USA in Boones Mill, Virginia, and you may marvel at the breadth of human creativity, as long as you’re not distracted by how the merchandise tackles some of the most controversial political issues in the most vulgar way
Spanish Science Fiction Horror Film MEMORIA to Get Release from Mondo Macabro
Memoria 1 Blu-ray disc Label: Mondo Macabro Preorder: 11/10/26 Release: 12/8/26 MSRP: $29.99 UPC: 843276036195 Catalogue #: MDO361 Genre: Horror Color 87 minutes in Spanish with English subtitles MPAA Rating: NR High Definition 1080p 1.66:1 Dolby Digital
Woman Indicted In Alleged $612,000 Theft Scheme From Great Mills Business
GREAT MILLS, Md. — An Odenton woman has been indicted on six theft charges after prosecutors alleged she stole approximately $612,758.92 from a Great Mills business through unauthorized payments and credit card transactions spanning several years. Heather Lynne Payton, 50, was indicted by a St. Mary’s County grand jury on September 28, 2026, in connection […]
A note to readers: Science, accountability and elections
Dear readers, As early voting begins, I wanted to share some news — and why it connects to the decisions we make at the ballot box. I’ve been selected for the inaugural cohort of the South Atlantic Climate Journalism Hub mentorship program, hosted by Covering Climate Now. I’m excited to join this group, learn from scientists and fellow journalists, and expand my science reporting. Science directly ties to governance. Local officials make decisions about where development goes, how infrastructure is maintained, what emergency preparations receive funding, and how communities rebuild after disasters. Understanding the evidence behind those decisions helps us evaluate whether our government is serving us well. Here in western North Carolina, those connections are all around us, in Lake Lure and beyond. Flood maps inform decisions about property and development. Engineering assessments help identify risks at dams and bridges. Rainfall forecasts guide emergency preparations. Geological information helps explain landslide hazards. Water testing gives communities information they need to assess conditions. Meteorologists’ knowledge and public perception of weather events shape public safety. Each involves scientific or technical knowledge. Each also raises questions about public responsibility: What did officials know? How did they use that information? What did they tell the public? What did taxpayers receive for their money? A study can identify a problem. Elected officials still have to decide what to do about it, how to pay for it, and how to explain their choices. Reporting should examine both the evidence and the response. That is where I want to strengthen my work. My reporting on Helene recovery, infrastructure, flooding, public safety, and public spending has repeatedly brought me to questions that require scientific expertise alongside public records. This mentorship may help me better understand the research, ask more precise questions, and explain the answers clearly. I also bring the perspective of someone living with these concerns. I live downstream of Lake Lure Dam, and landslides affected my property during Helene. Those experiences bring urgency to my questions. Careful reporting helps establish the answers. Readers deserve to know what the evidence shows, where uncertainty remains, and whether officials accurately describe the information guiding their decisions. You also deserve scrutiny of proposed solutions: what they cost, what they are expected to accomplish, and what risks remain. Access to that information matters. As a mostly deaf journalist who relies on written communication, I will continue pressing for written public warnings, records, and explanations that people can read and use in real time. As you consider the candidates seeking your vote, consider how they approach evidence, preparedness, and transparency. Do they support local journalism, even when it’s not parroting a press release? Do they explain weather events clearly in plain English and explain their decisions after them? Make supporting records available? Acknowledge uncertainty? Follow through when a report identifies a risk? Those are practical questions about governing. Thank you for supporting Cops & Congress and the work that makes these questions part of the public conversation. I’m grateful to David Dickson and the CC Now team for this opportunity, and I look forward to bringing what I learn back to you. Annie DanceEditor & Publisher, Cops & Congress — Learn more about this newsletter, ethics policy, how you can help shape this work, and support it. Follow on X and Facebook. Send constructive criticism, fan mail, and tips with public documents for future stories: CopsandCongress@gmail.com ICYMI: View the Cops & Congress archive — Annie Dance is the publisher of Cops & Congress, a newsletter that analyzes what happens when crime, courts, disaster, democracy, and small-town policies collide. Views expressed here are covered by the First Amendment. Dance has a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan University in Communication with a focus in Journalism and Government. She has been a journalist for over 20 years. Share Upgrade now or give a gift subscription
Low Testosterone Opens the Door to a Broader Health Conversation
Low testosterone can signal broader health concerns involving weight, metabolic health, sleep and lifestyle. Cleveland Clinic’s Mark Paulos, MD, explains why comprehensive evaluation and a whole-person treatment approach matter.
Columbia University and Max Planck Society team up to advance fusion energy science
Columbia University and Max Planck Society team up to advance fusion energy science. The new Max Planck Columbia Center will have a total budget of $13.3 million over its five-year term.
Supreme Court may strike down school policies that limit Asian students
The court agreed to hear an appeal from parents in Montgomery County, Md., who were upset by a sharp drop in Asian students at its four magnet schools for gifted students.
AMD Ryzen AI Halo Review - Local-AI Powerhouse with 128 GB of Memory
The AMD Ryzen AI Halo is great at running local AI workloads, featuring a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with 128 GB of unified memory in a compact form factor. It excels at handling large models, enabling tasks that most consumer GPUs struggle with. With AMD AI Playbooks, getting started is simple, allowing you to explore the frontier of AI at home.
Facing health challenges, Clay County farmer gets $5,200 gift, harvest help
Multiple organizations rallied behind a Clay County family facing health challenges in October
Free 2-K coming to all of Staten Island and the Bronx as Mamdani, Hochul unveil 10,000-seat expansion
New York City will add 10,000 free 2-K seats next fall, expanding the program to all five boroughs, including the entirety of Staten Island and the Bronx,
Trump will sign an order aimed at boosting women's health research, a plan backed by the first lady
President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order aimed at bolstering federal research on women's health, a move pushed by first lady Melania Trump.
Finding Hope and Peace Amid Political Division
By Dr. Michelle Connor HarrisExecutive DirectorSt. Raphael CounselingLast night I was talking with my 23-year-old son about this article on “hope and peace amid political burnout.” His response was, “If you want to talk about hope and peace, look at Zohran Mamdani.” I sighed internally and tried, probably unsuccessfully, to control my tendency to roll my eyes at the mention of the mayor of New York. Not because of the mayor or his policies, but more because of the way these discussions go with m
Violence in France is a consequence of the last decade's political reconfiguration
NEWS ANALYSIS. The violence on the fringes of protests across France on Saturday is the result of the evolution of the political system during Emmanuel Macron's presidency, marked by the rise of radical parties that promote a conflict-driven vision of society and a confrontational approach.
Does Brian Fitzpatrick’s challenger, Bob Harvie, have ‘FBI files’ to release? Pa. legal experts say it’s unlikely.
Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick's campaign has repeatedly called his Democratic challenger the "subject" of an FBI investigation in attack ads. Here's what to know.
DO, MD, NP, PA: Learn the ABCs of primary care providers
Learn what the credentials mean — and how to choose a provider who’s right for your health needs.
Financial struggles at Camden medical center reflect closure risks for Arkansas’ rural hospitals
It has been a difficult year for Ouachita County Medical Center. In January, the Camden hospital became the latest in the state to close its labor and delivery unit. In March, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In August, the hospital furloughed dozens of employees as it struggled under the budget constraints of bankruptcy.
South Texas Health System (@stxhealthsystem)
2 likes, 1 comments - stxhealthsystem on October 18, 2026: "Put Your Skills at the Heart of Innovation: South Texas Health System is seeking skilled and dedicated Cardiac Cath Lab Technologists to join the cardiovascular teams at STHS Heart and STHS Edinburg. In this vital role, you’ll support advanced cardiac procedures, help deliver potentially lifesaving care and make a meaningful difference for patients when it matters most. Join a team committed to clinical excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Ready to take your career to the next level? Explore opportunities with the Rio Grande Valley’s largest integrated healthcare network. STHS offers competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and an increased sign-on bonus for qualified applicants. Ready to make your next career move? View current openings and apply at the link in our bio.".
Breast cancer rates rising among young women, MedStar Health says
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and women of all ages should pay attention. Long considered a disease of older women, breast cancer is now being diagnosed more often in
Nashville rocked by loss of 2 country music legends days apart. Here’s the latest
The two were beloved figures in the city.
How Zohran Mamdani governs NYC, according to his public calendar
From May 1 to August 31, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani had 249 appointments, 170 of them public. Here's what his calendar says about his governing style.
Nvidia vs. AMD: Which AI Business Has More Room for Margins to Fall?
What separates earnings resilience between NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD)? Both sell AI compute, but a dollar of lost margin has a very different effect on their current profits. The stocks rank first and fifth in our 10 Best AI Infrastructure Stocks to Buy for the Long Term, respectively. See which […]
Nvidia vs. AMD: Which Business Is More Exposed to a Data-Center Slowdown?
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) depends far more heavily on data centers than Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD). That makes AMD more diversified by reported sales, although diversification alone cannot establish which stock is safer. The two AI stocks made it to our list of Best AI Infrastructure Stocks to Buy for the Long Term, but their revenue […]
Trust TV on Instagram: "“Pilgrimage is a strategy to win votes ahead of 2027 Elections” – Analyst speaks on clerics in politics & the battle for Influence Watch Full Interview: https://youtu.be/oBu4CqReTV0 #trusttvnews #insidethenorth"
1 likes, 0 comments - trusttv_news on October 17, 2026: "“Pilgrimage is a strategy to win votes ahead of 2027 Elections” – Analyst speaks on clerics in politics & the battle for Influence Watch Full Interview: https://youtu.be/oBu4CqReTV0 #trusttvnews #insidethenorth".
Pro-Palestinian politician threatens Berlin left's election victory over Israel stance
Pro-Palestinian politician Vanessa Emde has plunged Berlin's Die Linke into crisis after rejecting Israel's right to exist, prompting the Social Democrats and Greens to suspend coalition talks and threatening the party's chances of forming a government
Young Entrepreneurs Get Their Earliest Business Experiences in Northeast Ohio Schools
Forget the hypothetical business plan. At schools across Northeast Ohio, students are making products, finding customers and learning what it costs to be wrong.
What causes sleep paralysis; health indicators of Alzheimer's diagnosis; sober October; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
(iStock) Food and Wine interviewed Peter Martin, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for a story about sober October. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted in CNN International’s Connect the World with Becky Anderson and NewsNation Morning in America for stories about the reported plague situation in Russia, after a laboratory worker at an institute in Siberia dedicated to studying the plague and other infectious diseases died of a mysterious illness. Prevention interviewed James McGuirk, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Sleep Medicine, for a story about what causes sleep paralysis. Modern Healthcare interviewed Daniel Fabbri, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Computer Science, for a story about how health systems are managing AI token costs. WNKY interviewed Ziv Beckerman, MD, Associate Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Surgical Director of Pediatric Heart Transplantation in the Golisano Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt about rapid recovery with extended ultra oxygenated preservation (REUP) that is a new form of preservation for heart organs. Ray Romano, PhD, MPH, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer’s Center, was quoted Prevention about research that found other health issues may be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s.
Bernalillo County reviews four potential models for the future of MDC healthcare services
Bernalillo County reviews four potential models for the future of MDC healthcare services
Gov. Hochul calls inquiry into Rich Schaffer and Suffolk Dems 'political hit job'
At three Suffolk Democrats were questioned by the FBI.
We’re Living in a Golden Age of Hot-Guy Politicians
From Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed to Jon Ossoff and Pete Buttigieg, a new generation of politicians is going hard on policy while being easy on the eyes.
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Opinion: Before you vote for Chicago’s school board, ask candidates these four questions
Voters deserve to know how each candidate for the Board of Education would actually govern, say two Chicago-area professors.
Opinion: Healthcare isn’t just a business expense. It’s a business strategy.
The highest-value healthcare dollar is spent before someone gets ill, writes Henry Ford Health CEO Bob Riney.
Opinion: Healthcare isn’t just a business expense. It’s a business strategy.
The highest-value healthcare dollar is spent before someone gets ill, writes Henry Ford Health CEO Bob Riney.
A Good Gut Feeling Starts with Strong Science
Digestive health is evolving beyond basic gut support as consumers increasingly connect the microbiome to broader wellness goals
'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
Two-goal offensive effort, superb goalkeeping lead Newark Data Science past Science Park
Newark Data Science did just enough to get the better of Science Park and secure a hard-fought win
Recent Suicide Attempts and Prior Mental Health Hospitalization Linked to Further Risk for Attempts in Adolescents
A recent suicide attempt, prior mental health hospitalization, nonsuicidal self-injury, and hopelessness are tied to subsequent suicide attempts among teens who screen positive for suicide risk.
Annual UCLA survey responses cover public health issues, including housing, heat
A growing number of Californians are experiencing extreme heat and other climate-related events, according to UCLA’s annual California Health Interview Survey released Thursday. The percentage of adults who reported that they or a household member personally experienced wildfires in the past two years more than doubled – increasing from 2.9 million to 6.5 million from 2024 to 2025, according to the report.
SF Billionaire Chris Larsen on AI: “This Is an Incredibly Dangerous Moment”
Larsen once called for a "middle path" on the AI arms race but now says we need to "shut down all the data centers."
Mamdani puts out ad supporting Hochul reelection bid
The ad also criticized Blakeman for his opposition to universal childcare.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Public Service & the Midterm Elections
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) discussed the 2026 midterm elections, public service, and the direction of American politics at an event hosted by Georgetown University's Institute of Politics & Public Service. Walz reflected on his unsuccessful 2024 vice presidential campaign, the need for Democrats to deliver policy wins if they hope to win the presidency in 2028, and his contentious relationship with President Trump. He also encourages young people to pursue public service and help shape the country's future.
Gov. Spencer Cox & Martin Luther King III Discuss Bridging Political Divides
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R), South Carolina former Gov. David Beasley (R), and Martin Luther King III discussed how faith leaders and political leaders can bridge political divides. They each shared a call to action, which included breaking bread with someone of a different background, working to make the world a better place, and preaching hope. The Salt Lake Tabernacle hosted the discussion.
UMD business school to offer new master’s degree
The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business announced it will offer a one-year Master of Science in Marketing program starting in fall 2027.
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
'He's a bad apple': Mamdani goes after Blakeman in political ad supporting Hochul
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has posted a political ad going after Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman in support of Gov. Hochul.
Google’s $180 Fitbit Edge makes a bet on smartwatch fatigue
Google draws a sharper line between Fitbit and Pixel Watch.
RWJBARNABAS HEALTH NAMES DR. ERWIN WANG, MD, MHA, SFHM, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PHYSICIAN PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
RWJBarnabas Health has appointed Erwin Wang, MD, MHA, SFHM, as Senior Vice President of Physician Performance Improvement. In this newly created role, Dr. Wang will lead physician-driven initiatives to enhance clinical quality, patient safety, and value-based care across the health system.
Essentia Health-Ada recognized by Vizient as a top performing hospital
Essentia Health-Ada is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a top performing hospital in the 2026 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking by Vizient.
MD Awards $16.4 M To Strengthen Rural Health Care Workforce
Maryland is investing $16.4 million in workforce development initiatives to address health care staffing shortages across the state’s 18 designated rural
Aspirus Health sees trend of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer
“We’re seeing more breast cancer cases in younger women than we did in the past, and there isn’t one simple reason why,” Dr. Huang said.
San Carlos considers entertainment zone
The city of San Carlos is working out the details to consider establishing an entertainment zone, likely focused downtown, as a means to activate the area and support local businesses.
What's new to streaming this week? (Oct. 16, 2026)
What’s new on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more? We've got you covered.
Jean-Marc Jancovici: 'As long as there is no shared understanding that the impact of a heatwave is lasting, politicians will not act'
The energy engineer and founder of the Shift Project think tank lays out the major climate challenges facing future governments, with six months to go before France's 2027 presidential election.
Pelicans banking on better health and a new coaching staff to improve their unchanged core
The Pelicans are essentially running it back with the same core roster that they've had the past two non-playoff seasons, with Zion Williamson as their centerpiece.
County budget review off to a tense start
ELLSWORTH — As the Hancock County Budget Advisory Committee launched its work on the upcoming annual budget Oct. 7, one member voted in opposition to nearly every vote. Paul Bissonnette
Mamdani accuses Blakeman of 'bigotry and racism' in breakout debate that mayor didn't watch
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted he didn't watch Tuesday's governor debate between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican Bruce Blakeman.
Commissioners, Health Department held Camden County Local Boards of Health Summit
On Wednesday, the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services held the Camden County Local Boards of Health Summit, an event ... More
Longtime Panthers player returns after battling serious health condition
Right tackle Taylor Moton experienced a “multitude” of blood clots in one lung.
Horse Girls and Gays Rejoice! Mamdani Says “Neigh” to Carriage Industry
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Council have reached an agreement to end the use of horse-drawn carriages by June 2028.
IMDB Launches Features From LinkedIn Like Connections
The entertainment industry platform will let pro users add connections and publicly endorse each other's work.
Epic Games To Improve Easy Anti-Cheat On Linux With Anti-Cheat Systemd Service & eBPF
In addition to Epic Games announced a preview of their new Epic Games Launcher, including Linux support, they also announced plans to improve their Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) software on Linux
Amazon’s $550 tablet breaks its oldest hardware rule
The Alexa premium tablet poses one big problem for the company.
‘DWTS’ contestants react to Guillermo Rodriguez’s heartbreaking elimination
The ‘Dancing With the Stars’ season 35 cast react to Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson’s elimination while speaking with ‘Entertainment Weekly.’
Should you turn to AI for mental health advice?
The following expert commentary can be used by journalists and media organizations in their own publications and news coverage. Please attribute all quotes to Lokesh Shahani, MD, PhD, psychiatrist and chief medical officer, UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences. The on-demand availability of artificial intelligence chatbots means that most individuals have quick, easy access to a wealth of information. The ease and accessibility of these tools may make it tempting
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley was headed for retirement. President Trump’s actions changed his mind
Sen. Jeff Merkley, who turns 70 this month, is seeking re-election to a Congress fraught by turmoil and political gridlock.
MDC requests $30 million reserve draw to launch new inmate health care model
Union officials raise questions about costs and staffing as the jail prepares for a potential $63 million transition in 2027.
Chesapeake Bay gets a C+ in overall health, Va. and Md. leaders say work to protect it must continue
The Chesapeake Bay earned a C+ on the annual report card that calculates improvements or losses in key indicators of health and conditions in the estuary and surrounding areas. This is the highest the Bay has ever scored since the record-keeping began in 2006. At the announcement in Woodbridge on Tuesday, Virginia leaders said the […]
Two toolkits to stay in control of your family business
Discover two practical toolkits to keep your multigenerational family business aligned: governance agreements, councils, and clear exits.
Crista Johnson-Agbakwu honored with Worcester Black Excellence Award for Community Leadership
Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, MS, FACOG, received the Worcester Black Excellence Award for Community Leadership, recognizing her work advancing health equity, addressing healthcare disparities and mentoring future medical leaders.
BROWARD HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER INTRODUCES BISPECIFIC T-CELL ENGAGER THERAPY FOR CANCER PATIENTS - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
October 13, 2026 – Broward Health Medical Center has introduced bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) therapy, an innovative immunotherapy that harnesses the body’s immune system to target and destroy cancer cells. […]
Women’s health at work shouldn’t have ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, MD panelists say
The Daily Record hosted a webinar about the healthcare needs of women at every stage of life — and how workplaces and physicians can more comprehensively accommodate them.
What role should the Supreme Court play in American politics?
A wide-ranging new book by Nikolas Bowie and Daphna Renan examines how America’s highest court often gets in the way of democratic politics.
Choptank Health celebrates expanded care in Chestertown
CHESTERTOWN — Choptank Community Health System joined the Kent County Chamber of Commerce, community leaders, and partners on Sept. 22 for an open house and ribbon-cutting at its expanded Chestertown