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Wild Three Team Trade Proposal Has Tigers Dealing Tarik Skubal
A new three team trade proposal would send Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers while Detroit lands an Angels starter. Should the Tigers consider it?
Canadian wildfire smoke devastates Madison businesses during Maxwell Street Days
MADISON, Wis. — What should have been one of the busiest weekends of the summer for downtown Madison businesses turned into a major disappointment as Canadian wildfire smoke created hazardous
Johnson's strategy to bypass Democrats' SAVE Act blockade survives key vote, handing GOP big win
Speaker Johnson's plan to put key SAVE America Act provisions into a budget reconciliation bill cleared the House Rules Committee on Monday.
ESPN names two Texans players to 2026 All-Backup Team
The Houston Texans seem to have one of the more complete rosters entering 2026 among AFC contenders, so with a total staff, who would make the all-backup team this season?
White House rushes to further secure Trump’s new Air Force One — but he plans to keep flying it domestically
The White House is working to quickly upgrade the Qatari-donated jet that has newly started serving as Air Force One, a development that comes after administration officials internally discussed the need for President Donald Trump to avoid flying it in high-threat areas, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Why Brewers Should Reunite With Former Star
The Milwaukee Brewers need pitching help, and there is a familiar face out there who can provide it.
White House: Trump to fly old Air Force One for about a month
Trump’s use of the new red, white and navy blue aircraft has faced much scrutiny
SEC Power Rankings Heading Into 2026 Season
The SEC enters the 2026 season looking as loaded as ever. National title contenders are scattered throughout the conference, and even the middle tier features programs capable of pulling major upsets. Here’s how the league stacks up heading into Week 1. 1. Georgia Bulldogs Kirby Smart once again has the SEC’s most complete roster. Gunner…
The health risks of wildfire smoke across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
Learn about the dangerous wildfire smoke blanketing wide regions of the U.S.
House Momentum, Senate Headwinds, and the Return of Shutdown Politics
With the House finally beginning to break its floor paralysis, appropriations may be back in motion. However, the path to funding the government for FY27, and keeping the lights on past September 30, remains complex. Last week, the House passed the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) appropriations bill, which included a closely watched vote on Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment targeting aid to Israel.
Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Taylor’s Maid-Rite
Read the release on Sen. Ernst's website HERE. Throughout this Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Taylor's Maid-Rite of Marshall County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. "Taylor's Maid-Rite has truly maid their mark as a cornerstone of Marshalltown's business community," said Chair Ernst. "For nearly a century, this shop has served generations of Iowans with a signature burger made fresh every day. This 'Maid in Iowa' success story has proven that consistency, quality, and genuine customer care are the recipe for lasting success." Founded in the heart of Marshalltown, Taylor's Maid-Rite has remained a family-owned business for nearly a century and is now entering its fourth generation of Taylor family ownership. Best known for its signature Maid-Rite sandwich, the restaurant also serves classic American diner favorites, including malts, pies, fries, and sodas. Throughout its history, Taylor's Maid-Rite has remained committed to fresh ingredients, personalized service, and strong community involvement. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###
Top Trump AI safety director departs after 3 months
Chris Fall, who has left after just three months on the job, played a key role in the White House's voluntary review of cutting-edge models.
Health response brings lifesaving care closer to thousands in Yemen
Thousands of people in some of Yemen's most conflict-affected communities are receiving lifesaving health care closer to home, thanks to funding from the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund.
The New Maybach GLS Shows Its Face For The First Time
The Maybach version of Mercedes' flagship SUV should debut sometime this year.
Trump intervenes as House GOP revolt puts SAVE America Act at center of spending showdown
Trump urges House Republicans to unify behind the budget reconciliation bill, but some fiscal hawks balk at $95 billion in new spending with no payfors.
Why The Widening Gender Pay Gap Is Becoming A Business Risk
The gender pay gap widened two years in a row for the first time ever. Here's why it's a business risk and what HR leaders should do about it now.
WA's Suzan DeBene helps lead House midterm election strategy
Washington's Rep. Suzan DelBene is leading Democrats' efforts to reclaim the U.S. House, crisscrossing the country to raise money and guide strategy.
This Is Where A Year Of Health Care Costs Less Than A Month In The US
This American moved to Spain and now saves thousands in health care, enjoys a lower cost of living, made new friends, bought property, and lives a fulfilling life abroad
Riser House Entertainment Adds Paul Grosser As Director Of Regional Promotion
Riser House Entertainment has added Paul Grosser as Director of Regional Promotion. A graduate [...]
This Week: Muni 1 Bus Improvements, Car Free Happy Hour, SF Politics 101
Here is a list of events this week. Tuesday Park Presidio and California Evening Pop-Up. This SFMTA project aims to improve the Muni 1 California bus route from 33rd Avenue to Steiner Street. Come learn about it. Tuesday, July 21, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Corner of Park Presidio and California, S.F. Tuesday East Bay Car Free Happy Hour. Whether you’re car free, car light, car free curious, or just want to hang out with fun people and have nerdy urbanist conversations, everyone is welcome. Tuesday, July 21, 5:30-7 p.m., Drake’s Dealership, 2325 Broadway, Oakland. Wednesday SF Politics 101 with Joel Engardio. SF Politics 101 is an entertaining look at how local politics work and the history that shaped San Francisco — brought to life with visuals and narrative storytelling. Wednesday, July 22, 6-7:15 p.m., SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F. Friday Woman and Non-Binary Morning Ride. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a socially distanced bike ride for women and nonbinary cyclists. Friday, July 24, 7:15-8:45 a.m., McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan Street, S.F. Saturday Smart City Cycling 3 — Road Practice. In this class, you’ll go on a guided group ride to practice street-riding skills on increasingly high-volume streets. This class is the third in the Smart City Cycling sequence, and Smart City Cycling 2: Maneuvering is a prerequisite. Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Arguello Extension, Arguello Blvd and Lincoln Way, S.F. Sunday Adult & Teen Learn-to-Ride Workshop. This three-hour workshop is for adults and teens who have not yet learned to ride a bike or would like a refresher on the basics of balancing, pedaling, and steering. Sunday, July 26, Alameda Waterfront Park, 2151 Ferry Point, Alameda. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.
Federal Funding Should Support Communities, Not Political Agendas
Congressional investments should reach the communities they were intended to serve.
Fewer Canadian shoppers leave border businesses struggling
Border businesses in Minnesota and North Dakota say fewer Canadian visitors are cutting into sales, forcing some to reduce hours, staff and spending.
I Tried 2 Budget Smart Telescopes: How They Make the Stars Your New Hobby
Getting an affordable smart telescope, like the Dwarf Mini or Seestar S30, is easier and more rewarding than I thought.
Modern Warfare 4 gameplay debut reignites community debate about how fast Call of Duty movement should be
Though many would argue it wasn't the best format, Infinity Ward finally showed off Modern Warfare 4 gameplay, and it's clear not everyone is on board.
Here’s an Official Pixel 11 Pro From Google
Should you have had any doubt about last week's accidental Pixel 11 series reveal, we can confirm that at least one of those devices was indeed the real deal. Google has confirmed the design of...
Small Town Event. Big Time Entertainment.
If you are looking for a small town to visit, look no further than Houston and Whalan, Minnesota. Both communities are hosting signature events this coming weekend: Music in the Bluffs and Houston Hoedown Days. Small Town Vibes in Whalan Whalan, population 67, hosts three outdoor concerts throughout the summer, one each month. The community’s
The Science of Moonshots: Using Evidence to Design Transformative Initiatives
We’ve identified the key ingredients of successful moonshots that meet the moment, and developed recommendations about what future efforts can and should look like.
Shaky political "science": breakdown of the peer review process
[This article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in December 2025, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting (RCV). Many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first four articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report; the second one analyzed a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report; a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research; and a fourth article that analyzed seven studies sponsored by New America’s political reform program that deployed flawed methodology based on “simulated” elections instead of real-world elections, which when combined with some basic misunderstandings of RCV, produced odd and misleading results]. In this fifth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we examine two flawed studies on the impact of RCV on voter turnout authored by San Francisco State University professor Jason McDaniel. McDaniel’s research in these two papers stands out for its puzzling methodology, inadequate and cherry-picked data, and faulty analyses that not only misunderstands ranked choice voting but reflects a basic misunderstanding of politics in general. The first of the McDaniel studies actually passed through a peer review process and then was subsequently published by the Journal of Urban Affairs, despite its obvious errors. It is perplexing that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the errors and send it back to McDaniel for a rewrite or outright rejection. This calls into question the credibility of the peer review process itself. The peer review process is supposed to represent the intellectual pinnacle of the profession – a way for academics to certify the quality of each other’s work, and to act as a check against sloppy research. In the case of the McDaniel study, the peer review process failed. Yet his flawed study has been cited dozens of times by other political scientists in their own flawed works — an unvirtuous circle of academic research. Here is the first Jason McDaniel study that we analyzed: “Writing the Rules to Rank the Candidates: Examining the Impact of Instant-Runoff Voting on Racial Group Turnout in San Francisco Mayoral Elections,” by Jason McDaniel, 2016, Journal of Urban Affairs. This study covered San Francisco’s use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in mayoral elections, purporting to show that RCV reduces voter turnout overall, increases voter errors, and has a negative impact on “marginal populations,” i.e. racial minorities, mainly as the result of the alleged complexity of RCV asking voters to rank candidates and having to be familiar with multiple candidates and related dynamics. McDaniel reached these conclusions by examining five San Francisco mayoral elections taking place in odd years (i.e. where there are no federal or state races on the ballot) from 1995 to 2011, comparing three earlier non-RCV races (in 1995, 1999 and 2003) with the later two RCV races (in 2007 and 2011). Only two RCV races were studied, and as McDaniel acknowledged, only the contest in 2011 was “competitive” (that contest in 2007 was the first mayoral election using RCV, and incumbent mayor Gavin Newsom won easily in the first round of counting, earning 74% of first choices and far ahead of the second place candidate who had just 6.3% of first choices). Yet even the allegedly competitive contest in 2011was won by an incumbent with a landslide margin of nearly 20 points. No other elections were studied by McDaniel, even though San Francisco elects 17 other offices besides mayor with RCV, including the 11 seats on the Board of Supervisors (the name for the city council) in even years, and six other citywide offices in odd years. Previous academic research has found that competitive elections can stimulate greater voter involvement and higher turnout. For unexplained reasons, this study ignored at least 34 other RCV races between the years 2004 to 2011, many of which were very competitive and had high voter turnout. Instead, McDaniel’s analysis based its conclusions on data from only a single, marginally-competitive mayor’s race using RCV. These 2007 and 2011 mayoral elections were the only two RCV elections that McDaniel used as the sole basis for his small data set to determine the impact of RCV on voter turnout. Despite having no meaningful data to inform his study, McDaniel nonetheless concluded that RCV lowered turnout when compared to the previous three mayoral non-RCV elections using two-round runoffs. Then, using the same inadequate database of San Francisco elections, McDaniel also found that “Instant-runoff voting is associated with a significant decline in Black voter turnout and White voter turnout…On average, Black voter turnout decreases by 18 points and White voter turnout decreases by 16 points …” But how could he credibly arrive at that conclusion when his study was based on voter turnout in two RCV contests that were not even remotely competitive? Beyond that, McDaniel tacitly admits that the key determining factor driving Black voter turnout was not RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable Black candidate. McDaniel wrote, “Black voter turnout was about 17 percentage points higher for the two elections that featured an African American candidate compared to the three elections that did not” — but one of those three elections did not use RCV. The same dynamic was present for White voter turnout, in which higher turnout was not correlated with RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable White candidate. Beyond that, McDaniel’s voter turnout results, whether correlated with the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections, showed no clear patterns. In his Figure 1, he shows low Asian voter turnout in the non-RCV elections in 1999 and 2003 when there was no viable Asian candidate running, but in the 2007 mayoral election using RCV, there is still no viable Asian candidate, yet Asian turnout increases dramatically. For Latinos, voter turnout is virtually the same in 1999 (no viable Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2003 (leading Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2007 (no viable Latino candidate, RCV elections) and 2011 (leading Latino candidate, RCV elections). Meanwhile White voter turnout increased dramatically from a low in the 2007 mayoral election, in which the leading candidate was a white incumbent, to the 2011 election in which there were no leading white candidates that finished any higher than sixth place with 5.6% of the vote. Clearly other factors were determining voter turnout than either the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections. Despite these inconsistent findings, McDaniel boldly marches forth to render conclusions about the impact of RCV on different groups of racial voters, even though his conclusions are not remotely supported by his data. This looks like the worst kind of “data cherry picking” to cover up a puzzling conclusion based on a poor data set involving only two RCV elections, neither of which were remotely competitive. McDaniel’s cherry picking didn’t stop there. In calculating voter turnout for the three non-RCV mayoral elections in 1995, 1999 and 2003, he failed to mention that in each of these years there was a two-round runoff election, with a first round election in November in which no candidate garnered a winning majority of the vote, followed by the decisive runoff in December. So there were two non-RCV elections in each election year. But McDaniel only decided to include one of the two elections in his data set, apparently the December runoff in each year (which had higher turnout in two out of the three mayor’s races, and lower turnout in the third). So he ignored the November 1995 election, the November 1999 election when turnout was only 45 percent, and the November 2003 election when turnout was only 45.7 percent. This is flawed methodology based on blatant cherry picking, since McDaniel simply omitted three elections worth of data that did not fit within his frame. His study should never have made it through a peer review process, and it is an embarrassment to political science that not only was it approved for publication, but it has been uncritically cited by dozens of other political scientists. Share A “study” without wider context or credible data Lacking a data set that included even a single competitive RCV mayoral race, McDaniel declared that RCV lowered voter turnout in 2011, when turnout was 42.5 percent. But he also ignored -- or did not realize -- that voter turnout in mayoral elections during 2011 had sharply declined in all big cities, including far more steeply in nearby Los Angeles and other cities. In fact, San Francisco’s election in 2011 had the second highest turnout of any mayoral election in the nation’s 22 largest cities from 2008-2011. Was 2011 just a particularly low turnout year all across the country, perhaps because the country was still reeling from the aftermath of the housing market collapse in 2008-2010? McDaniel ignored this factor and did not search for alternative explanations beyond his flawed thesis. Furthermore, while McDaniel suggested that RCV leads to more “overvotes” – which is an invalidated ballot in which a voter, in either a non-RCV or RCV race, makes a mistake and selects two candidates for a single choice – he failed to address that in the June 2012 US Senate primary contest, which used the typical “one-choice” plurality method and did not use RCV, there was more than five times as many overvotes in San Francisco and Oakland than in the RCV mayoral elections in those cities. Additionally, turnout had been significantly higher and more representative in RCV elections for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors races -- that McDaniel didn’t even bother to study -- as compared to previous “delayed two-round runoffs” for those offices, often higher by as much as 40% in the RCV races. Perhaps the most surprising irony was that an earlier study co-authored by McDaniel (Overvoting and the Equality of Voice under Instant-Runoff Voting in San Francisco by Francis Neely and Jason McDaniel, 2015, California Journal of Politics and Policy) found that overvotes are often more common in lower-income precincts, but that the pattern of overvoting is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. Wrote Neely and McDaniel: “[Overvote] errors appear to be a function of complexity in general and not IRV per se…. the pattern of overvoting is similar in both IRV and non-IRV contests…Even among votes cast in a top-of-the-ticket race like U.S. Senate, overvoting occurs in an uneven fashion” (IRV, or ‘instant runoff voting,’ is another name for ranked choice voting in single-winner contests). So McDaniel not only contradicted his own conclusion in his earlier study with Neely, but the earlier study had been an important corrective for one of the most frequently made mistakes made by anti-RCV political scientists – a continual failure to provide crucial context by pairing a comparative analysis of real world RCV elections with an analysis of real world plurality or other electoral methods. Unfortunately McDaniel’s earlier study does not get cited much by other researchers, and McDaniel did not even cite it in his own flawed study analyzed above. Incredibly, McDaniel cherrypicked McDaniel, even as his flawed study has been cited dozens of times. Despite being a textbook example of poor political “science,” featuring both inadequate as well as cherrypicked data, the shelf life of McDaniel’s study has been extended endlessly by other political scientists and media outlets who have cited it uncritically. Equally troubling, the Journal of Urban Affairs put this paper through its peer review process and published it despite its numerous flaws. McDaniel gets it wrong, Part II Not content with producing one shoddy, confused paper, McDaniel produced another one a few years later, here is the link: Electoral Rules and Voter Turnout in Mayoral Elections: An Analysis of Ranked-Choice Voting by Jason McDaniel. San Francisco State Univ. (McDaniel, 2019). In this paper, McDaniel extended his previous flawed research focused on San Francisco, about voter turnout and voter impact, to multiple RCV cities through the 2018 elections. In his data set he included San Francisco, Minneapolis, St Paul, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and Santa Fe. He then compared their turnout in mayoral elections to non-RCV cities, and to mayoral elections in those cities held before first RCV usage, and concluded “a significant decrease in voter turnout of approximately 3–5 percentage points in RCV cities after the implementation of RCV.” But he replicated many of the same mistakes as his first study presented above. While in this study McDaniel attempted to distinguish between various factors, such as odd year vs. even year elections, competitive races vs. noncompetitive, contests with open seats and other factors, the analysis is superficial and inadequate. He attempts to incorporate so many often-conflicting variables that his conclusions are once again unsupported by the actual data, and ultimately unconvincing (this second study never underwent a peer review process). For example, McDaniel declared that for RCV cities “in elections that are more competitive than average (margin of victory less than 20%), there is no significant RCV effect on voter turnout.” Yet McDaniel is a professor in a city, San Francisco, in which the 2018 special election using RCV to fill a mayoral vacancy was exceedingly close, decided by a margin of only one percentage point, and resulted in the second highest turnout in San Francisco history for a mayoral election. Illustrating the complexity involved in assessing the critical factors in turnout, that special election was held on the same election day as federal and state offices, which tends to boost turnout. Yet more voters participated in that RCV mayoral election than voted on the same day in the non-RCV primary for governor in which former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom was running. Even more puzzling, in this study McDaniel inaccurately cited his own previous study from 2015 with Neely. McDaniel wrote, “Neely and McDaniel (2015) examine individual ballot image files within a natural experiment, and find higher rates of ballot errors in RCV elections compared to non-RCV elections” (emphasis added). However, we quoted from that 2015 study several paragraphs above, and in actual fact Neely and McDaniel actually concluded the opposite -- that the pattern of overvoting – which is the most common form of ballot error – is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. McDaniel also ignored the fact that in Bay Area RCV elections held in even years – at the same time as federal and state elections, when turnout is highest -- the “undervote” (that is, the dropoff in ballots cast for governor or mayor) has declined, which contradicts his thesis that the act of ranking ballots in RCV elections is too complex and presents a barrier for certain demographics of voters. To his credit, McDaniel actually acknowledged another contradiction in his own paper, which found a negative RCV turnout effect in some odd-year elections but not others, admitting that “may present a challenge to the theory that increased complexity [from RCV] will have a marginal negative effect on voter turnout.” But he tried to wallpaper over that contradiction by blaming it on an unlikely source -- bad election administration. McDaniels wrote, “This would suggest that the negative impact of RCV on voter participation may be alleviated by high quality election administration,” without presenting any data or even anecdotes to support such an unfounded theory. While competent election administration of any election, whether RCV or non-RCV, is crucially important, there is no credible research that supports the far-fetched notion that the quality of election administration has much of an impact on voter turnout in US elections, whether using RCV or otherwise. Upgrade to a $5 subscription The unvirtuous circle of academic research It is puzzling how McDaniel’s first study could have survived the peer review process for the Journal of Urban Affairs. The mistakes in McDaniel’s first study above should have been obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of ranked choice voting as well as elections in general, and elections in San Francisco specifically. It undermines faith in the credibility of the peer review process to think that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the egregious errors and reject McDaniel’s sloppy research and paper. And it remains a black mark on political science that this thoroughly discredited study has been cited dozens of times by other researchers. Indeed, in our research paper it became apparent that many political scientists cite each other’s flawed research to pad their list of citations and to legitimize their own flawed research, creating an unvirtuous circle of political science. More broadly, McDaniel’s voter turnout studies, like other studies evaluating RCV’s impact on turnout, lacked a recognition that no credible opinion or research can claim that RCV increases voter turnout merely because so many voters are excited to vote for their favorite candidates instead of “lesser evil” candidates without worrying about spoilers. Instead, with respect to turnout, the advantage of RCV has always been that, in most places where it has been used, it has eliminated a pre-November primary or post-November runoff, which usually saw about half the turnout of the November general election. This is especially true during even years when there are state and federal elections on the ballot which substantially drive turnout more than local contests. Any study that does not adequately account for this non-November primary/runoff vs November general election dynamic, or odd year vs even year election factors, is simply not credible. Both of McDaniel’s studies largely failed on those grounds. Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to a $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS…your digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
Bluehost Expands AI Business Platform with New Simple-to-Use AI & Agentic Solutions Purpose-Built for Small Business
Today, Bluehost, the all-in-one platform trusted by millions of small businesses to build, grow, and run online, today unveiled its next-generation AI business platform for small businesses, introducing intelligent AI agents that can build websites, run online stores, capture leads, answer customer questions, and book appointments, all without requiring technical expertise. The solutions are purpose-built for small business needs, giving entrepreneurs the capabilities of a much larger business w
Why Spain cropped Donald Trump out of World Cup celebration photos
While the U.S. president was initially on stage for Spain's celebrations, the team used a picture without Trump on social media.
A Mathematician Used Claude Fable to Disprove the 87-Year-Old Jacobian Conjecture in a Few Hours
Levent Alpöge, a number theorist at Anthropic, announced on X that he had found a counterexample to one of algebraic geometry's most notorious problems, crediting Fable as his collaborator.
Why Britain is getting a new prime minister without a general election
Veteran Labour Party politician Andy Burnham has become Britain’s new prime minister He takes over from Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation last month.
'Real Housewives of Orange County' star diagnosed with tongue cancer
"The Real Housewives of Orange County" original cast member Jeana Keough has been diagnosed with tongue cancer at 70.
Davenport University launches business degrees that save students time and money
This story is one in a series about Davenport saving students time and money Davenport University is introducing two innovative business degree pathways this fall that give students more affordable and flexible options for earning a college degree in less time without compromising academic quality. The new programs reflect Davenport's ongoing commitment to improving access to higher
Science can serve dark as well as light
I’m not sure how many of you are watching “Star City,” Apple TV’s spin-off of its “For All Mankind” program (2019-present), but it’s one of the better sci-fi series I’ve seen in a while, with an impressively dark political message. (Some light spoilers below.) For the uninitiated, “For All Mankind” presented a slightly tweaked history of the U.S. space program in which it was the USSR that landed on the Moon first in 1969, and shortly thereafter put a woman cosmonaut on the lunar surface. This sparks an ongoing space race that, in the original series, yields a lot of benefits for humanity. President Nixon’s insistence on a female astronaut corps to compete with the Soviets boosts the feminist movement of the 1970s and the ERA passes. New fuels generated for the space program create clean and cheap energy around Earth. There are also some darker changes — the USSR is thriving well into the 2000s, there are terrorist counter-technology movements around the globe, laborers on Mars work in nightmarish conditions and organize strikes and riots, etc. the @smotus report is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, please become a paid subscriber. Subscribe That show offers glimpses into the subtle ways this Earth is different. Teddy Kennedy never went to Chappaquidick because he was racing back to Washington to deal with the space program crisis; he gets elected President in 1972. John Lennon survives his early 1980s shooting but Pope John Paul II does not. The Apple Newton succeeded. Pretty much the whole of season 4 is a setup for an Al Gore joke. Again, mostly, the vision that “For All Mankind” presents is a positive one, with technology advancing many human interests. “Star City” goes in a very different direction. This spin-off show is about the same set of events but from the Soviet perspective. As we meet them, the team of scientists and cosmonauts responsible for the lunar landing are still basking in their hero status, but their program is embedded deep in the Soviet security state of the late 1960s. Everyone’s apartment is bugged. Whole teams of clerical staff spend their days transcribing recordings of people’s lives. People in the program, including respected cosmonauts, are regularly arrested. An incredibly menacing Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) forces confessions and tortures and kills, expressing little more than annoyance in the process. Meanwhile, the space program’s highly respected Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans) has a vision for the program that he knows the government will not approve. He insists that they need to think past the Moon to focus on colonizing the solar system, starting with Venus. (This is a rough parallel to the Americans’ pivot to Mars in the original show.) He essentially builds a secret space program within the space program, calculating that the government will embrace the mission after it has succeeded. (As an aside, I’m not sure why the Venus obsession, as a successful mission can’t produce the biggest public relations payoff: a cosmonaut standing on the surface holding the Soviet flag. Anyone standing on Venus would be immediately crushed by the 92-bar atmosphere and then cremated in the 900°F temperatures. But in a country with no free press perhaps the visual payoff was less valued.) But the overall vision is that the technological advances have only amplified the most fearsome aspects of the Soviet system. The state is paranoid (but not incorrect) about American spies and does monstrous things to protect its secrets. People are terrified to trust each other. Classic banality-of-evil figures order people to harm those they care about; those people comply rather than get shot. Others are forced into criminal behavior to protect loved ones. We’re reminded all the time these days of what happens when a government despises science. It manifests in the defunding of schools, the elevation of fossil fuels as the rest of the world pivots to solar, outbreaks of measles and diarrhea, etc. But “Star City” offers a vision of a bad government that likes science. It’s not encouraging. It’s not yet clear if there will be a season two of this show. But I strongly recommend season one. It’s both thoughtful and gripping. Share
Netflix actress, model plead guilty to $3.4M Medicaid fraud scheme
The unusual defendants were swept up as part of a larger investigation into healthcare fraud in the Minnesota housing services program. An alleged third co-conspirator has pleaded not guilty and will take her chances at a jury trial.
Newly leaked Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 renders confirm its upgraded specs
It will become official in 48 hours. Samsung is holding its next Unpacked launch event on July 22, which is this Wednesday. On that occasion, the company...
The rise of ‘safety fatigue’ among parents
Does social media blame you for all the ways you should protect your kids? Welcome to the rise of parental ““safety fatigue.”
New Poll: 94% of Americans Say Congress Must Act on Health Care Costs, as Families USA Convenes Bipartisan Policy Symposium
Both House and Senate committees are marking up legislation on hospital price transparency, prescription drug and Medicare Advantage reform. WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new national poll shows that 94% of Americans believe it is important for the President and Congress to take action to lower health care costs. The poll was commissioned by Families USA, […]
Singers, ringers at Dolly’s Coffeehouse
The Reach Singers and the Island Bells will be the featured performers at Dolly’s Coffeehouse at the First Congregational Church of Blue Hill on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 7-9 p.m.
NC House shuts down plans for liquor warehouse after construction dispute goes public
A House spokesperson says there’s not enough money to build. Critics say the House is trying to distance itself from the majority leader’s controversial actions on the project.
Six AMC theaters showed THE ODYSSEY for more than 85 hours
THE ODYSSEY's media-reported domestic gross reached approximately $124M; Rotten Tomatoes scores were 95% from critics and 97% from audiences. Ticket information is online.
Should Commanders target Patriots wide receiver before Week 1?
If the Commanders look to make a move, another former Jayden Daniels' teammate could make some sense.
Beacon Hill lawmakers are mostly poised for a relaxing summer — excerpt in parts of Boston
Most House and Senate seats on Beacon Hill won't see competition in the Sept. 1 primary elections. But that's not the case in two Boston-area Senate districts.
At least 930 people have died in Congo's Ebola outbreak
Congo's health ministry said the deaths were recorded out of the 2,344 cases confirmed as of Saturday. Thirty-seven new deaths were recorded in the previous 24 hours in one of the highest totals.
Where Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is now after it was launched into space and caused amateur astronomer to panic
Where is the Tesla Roadster that was launched into space? It caused one amateur astronomer to panic, but should we be worried about its current whereabouts?
Contributor: Keep antivax politics out of foster parent licensing
In 2019, federal guidance required that all children living in the household must 'be up to date on immunizations.' New standards are silent on the topic.
Severely ill prisoners granted early release are left stuck behind bars
Prisoners with severe medical conditions can be granted compassionate release, but without a long-term care facility willing to accept them, many continue to wait in prison as their conditions worsen.
Conversation With: Dr. Nagaraj Kikkeri, Hinkapin Health
The founder and CEO shares why she thinks healthcare pricing remains broken, what employers are demanding these day, and why compassion over cost should shape the industry's future.
Opinion: Atlanta Black businesses are under threat. Here’s how to save them.
Black entrepreneurs should be able to thrive in Atlanta, but the price of commercial rents is driving businesses out. The Staying Power Toolkit will help turn the tide.
A solar-powered home on 52.6 acres showcases Vermont’s natural beauty
The house at 167 Ward Hill Road in Tunbridge, Vermont, was built to be energy-efficient and private.
Trump's CDC Nominee Praises Vaccines, Without Vowing Independence From RFK Jr.
By Rachel Spears and KFF Health News HealthDay ReportersMONDAY, July 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Dr. Erica Schwartz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expressed support for vaccines — including mRNA-based COVID shots — in a Senate hearing,
Dissatisfied with Tallahassee politics? Arnie the dog wants your vote
A basset hound named Arnie is running for Tallahassee mayor after his owner decided there isn't a strong choice among the current slate of candidates.
Opinion | Capping the Price of Health Care Is a Mistake
A government bureaucrat doesn’t know how much your medicine or doctor’s visit should cost.
Why Epidemics Breed Rage at Health Workers
Some people have fought Ebola containment measures in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Scholars have seen similar responses across societies and throughout history.
Trump continues overhaul of White House grounds with new Rose Garden statues
A bronze Thomas Jefferson was installed as the fifth new statue last week. Three were provided by Harlan Crow, a conservative collector and political donor.
It’s time to treat pandemics as threats to national security
“Pandemics should be viewed and combated as threats to national security,” write David Blumenthal and James A. Morone.
Health tech firm Craneware says customer and staff data stolen in cyber attack
The Edinburgh-based company provides software to the US healthcare industry, including thousands of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.
Delivering Access
There was once a time when you healthcare without mentioning Honeybee Health Inc. In 2019, CNBC listed it as one of the 100 most promising startups. In
How Jefferson Health eases the wait for cancer care
Jefferson Health’s unique program sees patients within 48 hours, fast tracking care and intervention, and offering emotional and social support.
AMC Entertainment Attracts More Than 4.3 Million Moviegoers Worldwide as THE ODYSSEY Delivers the Biggest Opening Weekend for an R-rated Film Across AMC’s U.S. Circuit Since 2024
Six U.S. AMC locations operated around the clock throughout the weekend, running THE ODYSSEY showtimes for more than 85 consecutive hours to…...
Britain Politics Burnham
The statue of Winston Chruchill is silhouetted against the sky with the backdrop of the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, as Labour Party leader Andy Burnham is set
Spain's world champions head home to million-strong Madrid welcome
Spain's World Cup winners were due home on Monday to a heroes' welcome in Madrid where a million fans are expected to greet them after a night of raucous celebrations across the country.The scenes are expected to echo the celebrations that followed Spain's first World Cup title in 2010, when hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded Madrid's streets to welcome the team home after their victory in South Africa.
What Trump's Election Address Means for Local Officials
MIT’s Charles Stewart, one of the nation’s leading experts on election administration, offers his take on the president’s speech and how local election officials should proceed into midterm season.
Even scientists need a doctor sometimes. Colorado physician makes house call to Greenland.
The CU doctor was there for checkups on researchers working at the cold and icy Summit Station.
Fix coming for low-hanging wires blocking entrance to Gadsden business
A Highway 31 business owner spent eight months trying to get someone to fix dangerous low-hanging utility wires at his driveway entrance. Four companies came out to look. None claimed the problem. One phone call to a local news team changed that within hours.
U.S. health agency now says cyclospora finding at produce company was false positive
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Sunday that laboratory experts re-reviewed sample results in the Taylor Farms Cyclospora investigation and concluded the finding should be considered a false positive.
The Science Behind Why You Prefer Sweet, Salty, Or Spicy Foods
Why do some people crave spicy food while others love sweets? It turns out there's an explanation, and it has more to do with science than you might think.
She retired early to slow travel; participation helped her feel at home
While slow traveling the world, Kelly Benthall thought staying in a country longer would help her feel like part of a community. A party in Bali changed her perspective.
Wall of Entertainment taps Chronicle for YouTube
The collaboration will see Chronicle's AI platform identify and expand organic audiences for Substitute Teacher and House Rules, two series produced by the UK-based digital entertainment studio as it expands its presence in the United States.
An ordinary laptop solved a problem thought to require a quantum computer
A quantum problem once described as impossible for classical computers has now been solved using relatively modest hardware. Researchers used tensor networks to compress the overwhelming wave function created by hundreds of entangled qubits, allowing some calculations to run on a laptop. Their results matched both theoretical predictions and simulations performed with a quantum computer. The method could open new paths for exploring quantum dynamics and materials.
Scientists discover a protein that protects the brain from Alzheimer’s damage
A protein called SORLA may act as a powerful defense against the toxic tau tangles involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Mice with extra SORLA had less tau accumulation, less brain atrophy, and healthier connections between neurons, while mice without it experienced more severe damage. The findings also revealed a possible drug target that could help control harmful activity in supporting brain cells.
Commercializing Canadian Health Research: The Case for Targeting Grants and Increasing Overall Investment
Canada should significantly expand commercialization-focused grant programs through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and increase Canada’s overall health science research investments to a scale commensurate with global competition.
New Haven shop celebrating 150 years in business
Ulysses Grant was president when AD Perkins Company opened. Dennis House visited there five years ago—take a look back.
Picklesburgh brings big business boost to local Pittsburgh shops
Picklesburgh draws thousands of visitors, helps small businesses turn one pickle-filled weekend into major monthly revenue.
North Carolina residents thought they were getting a business park — not a data center campus
"We as citizens feel like we were snookered a bit."
Blues duo to perform at Earlville Opera House
Blues musicians Maximilian Eyle and John Driscoll will perform July 25 as part of the Earlville Opera House Courtyard Series. Tickets are on sale now.
Orioles Announce Reason for Samuel Basallo's Departure During Astros Game
The Baltimore Orioles removed catcher Samuel Basallo from Sunday's game against the Houston Astros.
Trump presence means long queues for World Cup final
Supporters are facing hours of queues to get into New York New Jersey Stadium amid heightened security for the 2026 World Cup final.
Citizen Scientists Helped Decipher How Harvestmen Became Oddly Devoted Dads
Paternal care is vanishingly rare in the animal kingdom, yet one spider relative pulls it off repeatedly across thousands of species. Unlocking why required a surprising shortcut that compressed decad...
Sonja Shaw explains why she should be California’s next Superintendent of Public Instruction
Sonja Shaw shared her journey going from concerned parent during COVID-19 to political advocate in a wide-ranging conversation on California Politics 360.
California Politics 360 full episode | Cheating concerns cause 11K drivers to retake test
This month, the DMV sent out letters to thousands of drivers after the agency said it “identified irregularities” in the results of some tests.
Testing imminent for 2028 IndyCar
The IndyCar Series’ new-for-2028 chassis and engine combination is expected to turn its first laps of validation testing within the next two weeks.
New Haven shop celebrating 150 years in business
Ulysses Grant was president when AD Perkins Company opened in New Haven. Dennis House visited there five years ago—take a look back.
N.Y. state health officials monitoring nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak
As thousands of cases continue to be reported, the NYSDOH shares its medical impacts this infection has on consumers and the best practices to stay safe.
How to keep the air inside your home clean during wildfires
When the air is smoky from burning wildfires, health experts say to stay indoors. But there are steps you should take to keep the air clean inside your home. Buy
Housing costs is the top political issue for young voters, CNBC survey finds
The cost of housing is the top priority for voters ages 18 to 34, besting food and healthcare cost concerns, the CNBC All-America Economic Survey found.
UCLA scientists develop mineral sunscreen without the chalky white cast
Scientists have redesigned zinc oxide particles to create a mineral sunscreen that protects against ultraviolet radiation without leaving such a noticeable white cast. The SPF 30 formula could make sunscreen easier and more appealing to use across a wider range of skin tones.
The mysterious hum heard around the world may finally have an explanation
The mysterious sound known as The Hum has been reported worldwide for decades, yet its source often remains impossible to find. Researchers tested whether people who hear it have exceptional low-frequency hearing or measurable sounds produced inside their ears, but neither explanation fit most participants. The strongest possibility is that many cases involve low-frequency tinnitus, even though the sound seems completely external.
New AI blood test predicts heart disease 15 years early
A new AI-powered blood test could give people a remarkably early warning of serious heart and circulation problems. Developed by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, CardiOmicScore analyzes thousands of proteins and metabolites to estimate the risk of six major cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Unlike genetic risk scores, which remain fixed throughout life, the system captures biological changes linked to a person’s current health, lifestyle, and environment.
World Cup, the highest-scoring finals ⚽️
World Cup finals are often tight, cagey matches, where every mistake can prove very costly. Yet several of them have produced especially spectacular, high-scoring encounters.Just hours before the bloc...
Some Xbox studio leads reportedly "detest" Game Pass — so why did Xbox push ahead with it? "It felt like a race to zero."
In a new podcast, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier shared thoughts from Xbox Game Studios leaders, who reportedly "detest" Game Pass and its impact on perception of value.
Student-loan borrowers struggle to get clear answers on repayment
Student-loan borrowers are trying to navigate Trump's repayment overhaul while facing hourslong hold times and conflicting information from servicers.
I replaced my notebook with an AI pen for a month
No, you may not borrow my AI pen — here's why I think you should get your own
The science of Alaska’s bees: What researchers are learning
Volunteers across Alaska are collecting thousands of bee specimens to document the state's native pollinators as warming threatens their survival.
Bernie blowback: How Sanders’ primary endorsements have sparked a Democratic midterm war
Sen. Bernie Sanders had just announced his intent to unseat a sitting House Democrat — this time, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus from North Carolina — when Rep. Hakeem Jeffries decided it was time to confront Sanders himself.
Dallas psych hospital adds beds, but Texas can’t shoulder burden alone
We need more federal investment for inpatient and outpatient mental healthcare.
I skipped college and now make over $40/hr building data centers
Cody Cole chose to enter the trades after high school rather than going to college. Now, he makes over $40 an hour working on data centers.
Domestic violence groups fear survivor services could disappear without warning
A new rule change would allow agencies to terminate federal grants for political reasons — without a reason or appeal.