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The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
Clock is ticking on Colorado’s new AI rules
By Aashis Luitel On Jan. 1, organizations using covered automated systems must begin complying with Senate Bill 26-189, Colorado’s new Automated Decision-Making Technology Act. They can identify those systems and start building the processes the statute clearly requires. What they cannot do is confidently finalize two key pieces: the disclosures consumers must receive after an […]
‘Slap in the face': San Diego labor, business leaders want answers on DACA delays
Leaders from San Diego’s labor unions and business community came together Tuesday to sound the alarm on months-long delays in processing for DACA renewals that have caused some recipients to lose their jobs as their status expires while they wait.
Everything But Water closes at Market Street in The Woodlands
The store sells swimwear, including bikinis and one-piece suits, as well as cover-ups and resort wear.
'Love, Simon' author Becky Albertalli announces new YA love story
Get ready for “Something Unpredictable” from the author of “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.”
New microwave frying method could make french fries much healthier
A new cooking method could make French fries crispier in less time while significantly limiting how much oil they absorb. Researchers propose combining microwave heating, which keeps oil out, with conventional frying, which provides the crunch consumers expect.
Some city homeowners blast pied-à-terre tax rollout
The city did not answer a question about how many owners got letters from the Department of Finance asking them to prove their residency status.
How Trump’s political director came to Congress
Brian Jack wanted to snag Newt Gingrich’s old House office during the 119th Congress’ freshman room lottery. But as the 28th pick, he lost his first choice and pivoted to another historic room: President Lyndon B. Johnson’s office in Longworth, which the Democrat occupied from 1939 to 1942. A Republican from Georgia, Jack served as […]
Secretary of state warns about scam email impersonating state business registry
Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas is warning businesses across the state about a phishing email impersonating the Connecticut Business Registry, designed to steal sensitive information. Thomas said the “malicious email” appears to come from the Connecticut Business Registry and includes a DottedSign link prompting recipients to view and sign a digital document. The link can trick users into revealing…
The curious case of Christian Encarnacion-Strand
The Blaze Alexander replacement has given a jolt to the Orioles’ lineup, but can he be a long term piece for Baltimore?
Huck Institutes announces recipients of nine interdisciplinary seed grants
Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has awarded nine research teams seed funding for 2026-27. These grants support high-impact, innovative research projects that align with the Huck’s strategic research priorities and have the potential to drive scientific breakthroughs and generate significant return on investment.
'Make North London Brazilian'
Just when I was starting to get disillusioned with Andrea Berta's transfer barbecue, he reveals a Wagyu steak was sizzling away all along, hidden from view. Spurs have just spent £100m apiece on two midfielders who are half as good as Declan Rice. Which begs the question, is the Premier League now rich enough as to be immune from consequences?
Xbox Owners Get Free PC Copies Of Select Ubisoft Games
Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and more!
Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem bolster a strong quarter for Capcom, as Monster Hunter and Street Fighter sales hit record highs
According to the latest quarterly report from Capcom, Pragmata has sold over 2.5m copies, while Resident Evil Requiem has sold over 8m.
Amazon rethinks its AI strategy and winds down many in-house models
Amazon reshapes its AI strategy by deprecating most Nova AI models and shifting resources to Pieter Abbeel's Frontier Model Research initiative.
Brandon Aiyuk says he's the 'final piece' for the Commanders
Brandon Aiyuk is at it again.
Freaks & Sideshows: New American Sign Museum exhibit features vintage circus banners
A new exhibit at the American Sign Museum shines a spotlight on a unique piece of American entertainment history.
Deena Centofanti is back after husband's health emergency
On a busy Monday with plenty of ongoing news, Good Day Detroit is getting one of the happiest headlines of all – with Deena Centofanti's return.
500,000-year-old elephant bone hammer shows ancient humans were master toolmakers
Early humans in England crafted a rare piece of elephant bone into a reusable hammer for sharpening stone tools nearly 500,000 years ago. The extraordinary find reveals that ancient toolmakers were resourceful, skilled, and capable of surprisingly advanced planning.
BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program Marks 10 Years, Reaching $1 Million in Support for Canadian Women-Owned Businesses
BMO, in collaboration with Deloitte, today announced the 2026 recipients of its BMO Celebrating Women grant program, an annual initiative dedicated to supporting real financial progress for women-owned businesses.
FDA takes up peptide therapies as hype outpaces science
A slate of popular peptide therapies has won the backing of a key advisory panel to the federal government – a step that could eventually open up broader
Residents, businesses picking up in Sioux Falls area following severe storms
Following Saturday’s severe storms in eastern South Dakota, especially in the Sioux Falls area, residents and businesses are picking up the pieces.
Trump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics
The Trump administration has again acknowledged in court documents that it terminated $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects 'based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state.'
How ‘Lanterns’ stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre found their Abbott and Costello vibe (exclusive)
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Jack Perry just copied CM Punk’s line in AEW, and I have no idea why
Opportunities are now falling out of the sky in both WWE and AEW, based on Jack Perry stealing CM Punk’s promo line.
Trump administration admits it canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy projects ‘based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state’
In this case, that includes 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
I’m using my phone way less, and it’s making me happier
After some soul searching I realised my phone use is absolutely out of control and some changes were needed.
Trump administration admits to canceling clean energy grants based on politics
The Trump administration acknowledged that it canceled grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state."
Patriots putting new pieces together
LINCOLN CITY, Ind. (WEHT) — The Heritage Hills Patriots have been the most successful football team in southern Indiana over the past three seasons. “These guys, all the way back to their freshman year, have seen nothing but success,” Heritage Hills football head coach Kevin Tempel said. Three regional titles, two state championship appearances, and […]
Trump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has acknowledged in court documents that it canceled $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state” — in this case, 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential
Trump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics
The Trump administration has again acknowledged in court documents that it terminated $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” in this case, 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election
Trump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics
The Trump administration has acknowledged in court documents that it canceled $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipien...
Trump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics
The Trump administration has again acknowledged in court documents that it terminated $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” in this case, 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump administration admits canceling grants based on politics
The Trump administration has again acknowledged in court documents that it terminated $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” in this case, 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presid
NYC sends letters to property owners who could be subject to pied-à-terre tax
The second home tax would apply to properties assessed at $5 million or more owned by non-primary city residents.
Mamdani warning to wealthy New Yorkers about 'fair share' sparks online firestorm: 'Full blown communist'
Zohran Mamdani's viral post celebrating New York City's new pied-à-terre tax on $5M+ second homes drew sharp backlash from conservative critics.
Shapiro Administration Highlights $1 Million Housing Investment to Improve Health, Lower Health Care Spending for PA Medicaid Recipients
Shapiro Administration Highlights $1 Million Housing Investment to Improve Health, Lower Health Care Spending for PA Medicaid Recipients
Zohran Mamdani shakes politics far away from New York City
These days, everyone wants a piece of Zohran Mamdani. Progressives hang on to his every word and say more Democratic politicians should be like him. Moderates fear him and worry he has too mu…
Video: Scientists watch orcas ram a sunfish so hard it explodes
Marine biologists off of Baja California recorded one orca teeing up another to smash a sunfish into pieces. Scientists say there could be a reason for this behavior — or it could be just for entertainment.
Yankees news: Reds’ catcher ‘could become’ an option via trade
Tyler Stephenson could be an option for Yankees; Can Warren be a bullpen factor?; Bombers have the pieces to seek Miller
SGMC Health Honors Infinger with DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing
SGMC Health honored Elizabeth Infinger, RN on 5 West, as the latest recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
S.F.’s Pier 70 lands its first music festival
The festival, headlined by DJ and producer BLOND:ISH, will take place in September.
6 Bold Moves Every Business Should Consider This Year
Cornerstone Advisors' 6 bold moves show why piecemeal fixes fail, and how banks and businesses build roadmaps that outpace hesitant, cautious rivals
NASA’s MAVEN Illuminates New Understanding of Auroras at Mars
NASA MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission scientists have uncovered a key puzzle piece in understanding certain types of auroras on Mars,
Atlanta Braves Prospect Named Biggest Trade Piece Before Deadline
The Atlanta Braves' biggest trade chip is one of the organization's top prospects.
Free summer celebration Saturday at Manatee Lagoon to feature science, stories, activities
WPEC CBS 12 provides local news, weather, sports, traffic and entertainment for West Palm Beach and nearby towns and communities in South Florida including the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, serving Stuart, Royal Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Greenacres, Belle Glade, Palm Beach, and Riviera Beach.
Rebuilt O-Line Critical Piece for Seminoles Football Success
After a disappointing season, Mike Norvell retools with veteran transfers to form a massive "Great Wall of Humanity" tasked with protecting the pocket and revitalizing the run.
Democrats slam Social Security boss over 'politicized' email praising Trump
Senate Democrats condemn Social Security Administration commissioner for “politicized” email to benefits recipients
Politics of Dignity: How Status Inequality shaped Redistributive Politics in India - WID
Politics of Dignity: How Status Inequality shaped Redistributive Politics in India Why do some marginalized groups prioritize representation over redistribution? Poulomi Chakrabarti explores how status inequality has shaped redistributive politics in India.
US science funding barred for Chinese partnerships
The US National Science Foundation (NSF) will prohibit funding for US institutions collaborating with Chinese universities and other entities on the government’s restricted parties list.
Xbox Console Sales Rose In June, Despite Price Increases
Meccha Chameleon was the second-best-selling game in the U.S. last month, with an estimated 4 million copies sold
Penn College receives $1.5M state grant for Schneebeli Earth Science Center
Pennsylvania College of Technology is the recipient of a $1.5 million state grant earmarked to enhance facilities at the institution’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center in Clinton Township.
Dolphins, Jordyn Brooks agree to extension
The Dolphins locked up another core piece as they continue their roster rebuild.
When a SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, scientists will be watching
On Aug. 5, 2026, an abandoned piece of space junk is predicted to crash into the moon near a spot called Einstein Crater. Astronomers will be watching because the collision and aftermath may be visible ...
Can the Church Help the Left Win? -
In the APSA Public Scholarship Program, graduate students in political science produce summaries of new research in the American Political Science Review. This piece, written by Ximena Caló, covers the new article by Guadalupe Tuñón, [...]
Treasury intercepts nearly $99M in federal payments to deceased individuals under Trump fraud order
A new Treasury fraud verification system screened 885 million transactions worth $2.77 trillion, catching over 4,900 improper payments to deceased recipients.
Aboriginal people harvested channel millet for thousands of years, and scientists have now found the native grass carries 12 copies of each chromosome
Seen from the air, Channel Country in outback Australia looks like a vast, living tapestry. A web of rivers and creeks fans out across more than 280,000 square kilometres of desert, creating one of the world’s last truly free‑flowing arid river systems.
Here are the 30,000 songs Sony is suing Udio’s AI music generator over
Sony claims Udio “copied and ingested” its music.
Sales Data Paints a Very Grim Picture for Physical PS5 Games in the USA, UK
Just 7 PS5 games sell over 100k boxed copies
Sales Data Paints a Very Grim Picture for Physical PS5 Games in the USA
Just 7 PS5 games sell over 100K boxed copies
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. ###
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Rockets 25.8% on Record Revenue in 106-Year History
AMC Entertainment saw its share price climb by as much as 25.77 percent during intra-day trading on Monday at $2.44 apiece, after the theater giant posted its highest quarterly revenue in its 106-year history, prompting investors to look past a wider net loss and focus on signs that recovery is gaining momentum. In an updated […]
A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching
Astronomers have a plan to observe an errant piece of a SpaceX rocket as it hits the moon to better understand impact events
I retired after 53 years in business. Now I raise guide dogs.
Jerry Burns says raising puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind has given him structure, purpose, and a new community in retirement.
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
George Deek’s Story Offers a Rebuttal to Politics of Blame and Hatred
In a sharply argued opinion piece, Felice Friedson […]
Atlanta Falcons Could Solve WR Depth by Signing Deebo Samuel
Could Deebo Samuel be the missing piece for the Atlanta Falcons? With questions behind Drake London at wide receiver, the veteran playmaker could give Kevin Stefanski's offense proven production, versatility, and another weapon as Atlanta pushes to end its playoff drought.
3 ways science can help you feel happier
From avoiding talking to strangers to buying things to make ourselves feel better, we do all kinds of things to feel happier that don’t work. Here are some interesting scientific findings from the wo...
Hyde Park residents, business owners recovering after floodwaters take over neighborhood
Residents, business owners left to pick up the pieces after extreme flooding impacts Hyde Park.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced sells over 3 million copies, New Game+ is coming
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced seems to be a much-needed Ubisoft hit as it sails past 3 million copies sold in its first week.
Safety fears limit Ebola response in Congo, with more than 12 attacks on health facilities and workers recorded
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Disco Elysium Dev ZA/UM Announces Layoffs Affecting Up to 32 Staff
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How a childhood baking habit and in-home dessert business became a pie institution
Laurie’s Pie Bar on Pine Avenue is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Your Period Tracker Is (Probably) Spying on You
Plus: Russian cyberspies turn to infrastructure hacking, DHS repeatedly fails to realize it’d been hacked, a breach exposes an AI music generator’s scraping ways, and more.
Disco Elysium Studio Says Game About People Forced Into Impossible Situations Didn't Sell Well Enough To Prevent Layoffs
In a post on social media, ZA/UM wrote that it would lay off 32 developers two months after releasing Zero Parades: For Dead Spies
Senator says key piece of college sports legislation 'probably' has 60 votes to clear upper chamber
A lawmaker sponsoring a key piece of federal college sports legislation says he believes the bill likely has the support it needs to make it through the upper chamber
UF Health lung transplant program earns top marks for patient outcomes
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Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM announces layoffs after Zero Parades flounders
ZA/UM says that Zero Parades: For Dead Spies failed to perform commercially
Whole Hog Politics: Trump’s election obsession is a midterm loser
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Summer is winding down: Health tips for parents ahead of the school year
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A new piece of Democrats' midterm strategy: Being 'practical'
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Neuro Is Building a Nine-Figure Business One Piece of Gum at a Time
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Texans Urged to Add $99 Million Former Cowboys Starter
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SGMC Health Honors Ellis with BEE Award
SGMC Health recognized Tradessa Ellis, patient care technician on 5T, as the July recipient of the Being Extraordinary Everyday (BEE) Award, which honors non-nursing staff who demonstrate exceptional compassion, dedication, and service to patients and fellow team members.
Diamondbacks to call up Tyler Locklear, per report
Nick Piecoro added that Tyler Locklear will be taking the roster spot previously occupied by Tommy Troy.
Why is OpenAI selling a ChatGPT basketball?
You may have heard that OpenAI released its first piece of hardware this week. You may not have heard about the ChatGPT basketball.
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Lilly to acquire AtaiBeckley to advance therapies for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions
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The States Try to Topple WarnerMount…Thus Begins the Local Antitrust Era
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, it looks like it’s time for another strategy column. Can I finally avoid writing about M&A? No, it seems I cannot. Admittedly, I’m a week early with this column, since I usually put it out every other week. But this news couldn’t wait. This will make three “Most Important Stories” in a row with a merger or acquisition as its centerpiece. First, Roku-Fox (an acquisition), then Comcast-NBCUniversal (a divestment!), and now the State AGs and the WGA’s lawsuits against Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery (antitrust). M&A is usually the “most important” topic any given week, simply because a giant company merging or breaking up (or preventing those outcomes) can have the biggest impact on the streaming board. If you think about these companies as players in a game, changing the number of players is one of the biggest changes you can make. I shouldn’t really complain, either, since this lawsuit is very good news for customers and suppliers (econ speak for talent, workers and indie studios in Hollywood). So let me answer some questions about this potential trial, along with (shudder) making some heavily caveated predictions. I’ll also look at whether Hollywood must consolidate, whether or not the states can win, trouble at X-Box, Netflix’s YouTube binge, and more. Plus, I have five images that visualize this merger and the harm, including three brand new data looks you’ve never seen before. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Can The States and the WGA Stop Hollywood’s Consolidation (Crisis)? If every other newsletter and news outlet is writing about the same story, I try to avoid writing about it as well, but I can’t ignore a story this consequential. The story of the last year was the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery, and this development potentially extends that saga into 2027. As I tried to figure out my angle, I realized, like my last column, I’m again faced with a series of questions. These questions, though, are much more forward-looking. Will the states win? Will the WGA win? If so, what happens to Warner Bros. Discovery? Either way, will this chill the market for future mergers? So you know what that means: predictions. About the future, no less, the hardest thing to predict.1 Just remember: nothing here comes with a guarantee. And the more confident someone is in their predictions, the less you should trust them. This situation is incredibly fluid, nuanced, uncertain and tenuous. So let’s try to explain what may happen. Question: Why File this Lawsuit? I’ll admit, a few months back, I was fairly pessimistic about the fate of this lawsuit. Rumors had started bubbling up that the state Attorneys General (in particular California) wanted to settle with either some minor divestments (usually CNN) or behavioral remedies. And that tracked for me: the states usually settle lawsuits, like the recent John Deere right-to-repair suit. Yet, they plan to fight this. (As they did the LiveNation-Ticketmaster monopolization trial and the Nexstar-Tegna merger.) Honestly, that also makes a ton of sense. Frankly, this move is just good politics for these State AGs. Most are still running for higher and higher office in blue states—some folks have emphasized that only Democratic AGs joined this suit, but given the Ellison/Trump ties, and fears of retribution, that tracks—and a high profile case like this will help them move up the electoral ladder, especially since Paramount and its leadership (the Ellisons, father and heir) have sided with the other side of the political aisle. That makes them unsympathetic to Democratic voters and Hollywood workers in particular. Why did this lawsuit happen? In addition to the very real concerns about industry consolidation, this is why. That said, I don’t think we would have seen this lawsuit for Netflix and Warner Bros., simply because they’re more sympathetic and aligned with Democrats. But those consolidation concerns are real. The “town”—meaning Hollywood and such—really is seeing the damage of mergers on this industry. That’s why the WGA also filed its own lawsuit in defense of workers as well. (Wildcard: What about Europe? Will they try to stop the deal, too? There have been some rumors out of the UK they may try to fight the deal, and UK enforcers just stopped a Getty Images-Shutterstock tie up, so there is precedence. This argument could go either way, though. On one hand, the EU doesn’t need to step in, cause they states are handling it. On the other hand, this could make the EU’s case easier. Just imagine if both sides coordinated. I’ll simply say, “We’ll see!”) Question: Will The State AGs or the WGA Win? Can the state AGs play David to Paramount-Skydance’s Goliath here? That’s really the whole thing, isn’t it? If you know this result, you could make a lot of money. When things are uncertain, it’s tempting to shrug and say, “Eh” meaning it’s a 50/50 proposition. I wouldn’t, though. When in doubt, you should expect that the merging parties succeed. AT&T did successfully buy Warner Bros., after all, and Disney bought Fox without any challenges. Many judges are extremely sympathetic to mergers, and I’d bet the state AGs get a judge who will allow the merger. (Even Obama-appointed judges often allow mergers.) As I understand it, we’ll see two main attacks. First, theatrical films. The AGs are arguing that, when it comes to share of box office and the number of both “wide releases” and blockbuster (or “tentpole”) films, the merging parties will have over 27% market share. Now, the Supreme Court once ruled from on high that any merger that exceeds 30% is presumptively illegal, but that’s guidance, not an ironclad bar. Still, the states will have to argue that this is close to having too much power, and with that power, this will likely further worsen the theater/studio splits in particular. Indeed, as Matthew Stoller pointed out, “just five studios are responsible for 95% of all blockbusters; if this merger goes through, then Paramount and Disney will control 60% of that.” So yes, movie studios will be very concentrated after this merger. Want me to visualize some of that? Well, here’s the share of films that grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office since 2022. (Note: this isn’t all films released in over 3,000 screens, but it is a good look at market power.) First, here are the 43 films by studio: Notice all the blue (Disney), orange (Universal), and purple (Warner Bros)? Yeah, those studios are powerful, and this combines Paramount with one of them. Here’s the look by studio and share of the films that grossed over $200 million: Now, if you look at that and also think, “Huh, should we break up Disney?” I’m with you. I’ve seen some folks poo-poo this idea that this is a real category, but it is! For an upcoming article, I’ve been pulling data on the share of top 100 films at the box office as a share of total box office, and it’s massive. Here’s the chart: (This analysis looks at The-Number’s top 100 films and total domestic box office each year.) To be clear, tentpoles make up 80.7% of the box office each year, so I do think it’s a genuine market. (To be clear, films grossing over $50 million make up 80% of the domestic box office, and films grossing over $100 million make up 64.1%.) I mean, the top 100 films at the box office make up 95% of each year’s grosses. Worse, the combined studios will likely cut output to flex that market power. Everyone can just look at what happened to Disney and Fox to see the precedent. (With fewer films, the remaining theaters have to give more for those few films that remain.) Here’s an image I’ve used a lot, the share of wide-release films from Disney and Fox over time: The AGs will also argue that this consolidation will also impact the cable industry. In this case, the consolidation is actually worse, but that environment is…complicated. Paramount will argue that the cable industry is shrinking. That said, predictions that cable will “go to zero” also don’t look very well supported by the data, as the declines are shrinking, meaning “cable” or “vMVPDs” will likely stabilize at some point. Can the state Attorneys General win on those two main arguments? I honestly don’t know. Again, I’d bet no, since history in general supports that, but it depends on the judge/jury and how they interpret the arguments. Notably, Paramount won’t face accusations about monopoly power in other areas, like streaming, news, sports rights, or vertical integration. I tend to disagree with leaving out sports rights, but I also see the appeal for a simpler case. The states also aren’t really pushing novel theories about labor harm either, which should help. (By the way, Sean McNulty at The Ankler wrote a great run through of potential options, and Capitol Forum also wrote a great paper on theatrical consolidation. Both these pieces predated the lawsuit. Matthew Stoller is also out with his analysis of the pros and cons of the case too.) In some ways, the WGA’s case is even stronger. Quoting Sean McNulty’s summary: “The WGA is citing WARNAMOUNT as crossing a 30% market share in multiple sectors, a number that the Supreme Court has precedent for deeming “presumptively anticompetitive” in a market. According to the WGA numbers, WARNAMOUNT would have represented: - 35% of film writing jobs between 2021 and 2024 - 36% of TV writing projects between 2022 and 2025 - 38% of overall deals between 2021 and 2024” Notably, antitrust enforcers did win recently in the Penguin-Simon & Schuster merger by focusing on labor impact, so don’t count this thinking out. (Wildcard: Will the states try to get a jury trial? Most likely no, they’ll let a judge handle it. If I’m them, though, I’d try to put this in front of a jury. Juries tend to understand monopoly power in a more realistic way than judges faced with legions of economists.) Question: What if They Win? What if They Lose?
Stephen Curry Wins Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
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ESA Announces 2026 Recipients of the Interactive Entertainment Impact Awards
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AHA comments on health bills considered during House committee markup
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CCIB names Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. as inaugural Indigenous Small Business of the Year Award recipient
TORONTO, ON, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) is proud to announce that Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) is the inaugural recipient of the Indigenous Small Business of the Year Award, in recognition of its work creating economic opportunities through Indigenous-led forestry, wildfire rehabilitation and environmental stewardship. CCR is an Indigenous-owned forestry organization representing the communities of Tŝideldel, Tl’etinqox, and Y