SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " DED " 21,555 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Google Health 5.11 rolling out expanded 100+ activity detection to Fitbit Air, Pixel Watch
Google Health previewed improved automatic activity tracking, and it’s now beginning to roll out with version 5.11 of the app.
Friedman Floats a Theory on Larkin’s New Jersey Choice
Elliotte Friedman thinks there may be a reason New Jersey landed on Dylan Larkin's trade list. #LGRW
Australia’s wish for a kinder, gentler politics seems doomed to disappointment
The attack on independent MP Helen Haines united Australia in grief, but on solutions it remains divided
Kindle Unlimited Vs. Kindle+: What's New With Amazon's Rebranded E-Book Subscription?
The newly-renamed Kindle+ remains the same price and scope as it was as Kindle Unlimited, but Amazon has added AI-powered audiobook narration options.
'La Bola Negra': A dedication to love and life
“La Bola Negra” is now playing in theaters and will stream on Netflix Dec. 2.
'La Bola Negra': A dedication to love and life
“La Bola Negra” is now playing in theaters and will stream on Netflix Dec. 2.
Could Yuki Matsui Leave Padres in Free Agency?
After signing a five-year, $28 million deal with the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2024 season, Yuki Matsui has finally matured into the elite left-handed reliever that the Friars envisioned he'd be. Matsui was incredible for San Diego out of the bullpen, leading to questions surrounding his free agency status for the offseason. The …
Alaska Native Communities Get $375K for Health and Wellness
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is investing $375,000 in funding to each of its 15 tribal partners to support public health in their respective communities. The funding will be distributed through SEARHC’s Healthy is Here program. Launched in 2017, the program has dedicated more than $3 million to locally driven wellness initiatives, including […]
O.A.K. Prime’s Chef Jerrett King scores a second Michelin Recommendation
O.A.K. Prime Kitchen and Bar has not only retained its Recommended distinction in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide American South, but the establishment has also received that designation for 2026
Connor Hellebuyck traded to Devils, ending dramatic Jets saga
The Devils acquired Connor Hellebuyck in a blockbuster trade with the Jets. Here are the full details of the deal.
'I deliberately shrank my business for better work-life balance'
Emma Hine swapped her corporate job for running her own company to get a better work-life balance.
Orlando Science Center receives prestigious AZA zoo accreditation
The Orlando Science Center was awarded the “gold standard” of animal care for its management of its facilities and exhibits.
Brewers get encouraging 80% World Series predictions from ESPN and CBS Sports
These predictions bode well for the Brewers in this World Series matchup.
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) Benefits on Broad-Based Recovery Across Life-Science Markets
Broyhill Asset Management, a Charlotte-based firm, issued its third-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The Broyhill Equity Composite decreased by 0.3% in Q3, underperforming the MSCI All Country World Index, which gained 1.7%. For the first nine months of the year, the Composite returned 1.9%, compared to 13.4% for the Index. The […]
Connor Hellebuyck Traded By Winnipeg Jets in Blockbuster Deal
Connor Hellebuyck has reportedly been traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the New Jersey Devils, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the superstar goalie.
Political ads on Facebook, after the Meta ban
Since 6 October 2025, Meta has no longer allowed paid advertising on political, electoral or social matters in the European Union. The company decided in response to Regulation (EU) 2024 / 900 on transparency and targeting political advertising (TTPA), applicable from 10 October 2025, the requirements of which it considers "impossible to apply '[1, 2].
Nvidia, TCV Invest in Generative AI Startup Higgsfield
Higgsfield, the AI video and image generation startup, extended its Series B funding round with new investments from Nvidia and TCV.
Nvidia, TCV Invest in Generative AI Startup Higgsfield
Higgsfield, the AI video and image generation startup, extended its Series B funding round with new investments from Nvidia and TCV.
Essential Health highlights personalized direct primary care in Davenport
Essential Health Direct Primary Care offers pediatric and adult patients personalized, evidence‑based care through a flat‑rate membership model that includes extended visits, in‑house pharmacy services and on‑site lab testing.
Business activity expands, prices surge by most since 2022
Supplier delivery times lengthened the most since 2022, with S&P Global citing material and labor shortages as well as overloaded suppliers and shipping delays.
I built 'stable' life and career, then quit; moved to Hungary
I spent years building a stable life in Scotland, then decided to quit my job and move to a new country. I'm struggling to find work, but I'm happier.
Pep Chavarria Injury Status for Chelsea vs Tottenham Confirmed
Xabi Alonso has been nursing some injuries since his arrival at Chelsea. The international break provided a good break in play to get a number of his key men back fit including Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro. The good times only lasted so long as Reece James ended up getting surgery over a …
Car crashes into business in Visalia
A car crashed into a buissiness on VisaliaAt approximately 5:58 p.m., Visalia Police officers and Visalia firefighters responded to the 3300 block of South Fair
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
There’s a Reason That Netflix’s Ad Business Has Underwhelmed
Somewhat lost in the company’s slew of firings and engagement warnings over the past few weeks was the fact that Netflix is scaling back its ad forecast for 2026 from $3 billion to $2.7 billion. That’s despite the fact that: CTV is growing by 14-15% this year This year saw a monster upfront Netflix is the biggest streamer out there this side of YouTube, and was the platform that for years brands were supposedly dying to be a part of In other words, that’s an alarming pull-back from Netflix. A Wall Street analyst I spoke with last week was blunt, calling Netflix’s ad business “disappointing.” To me, a red flag on the ad front is that Netflix has never revealed how many ad-supported subscribers it has. Because if I know anything about how big companies work, if they have a positive number that makes them look really good - they tend to share it. (How many subs does go90 have right now? We’re not saying just yet. How are ads going on ChatGPT? Oh, a billion run rate - I see). Yes, to date Netflix has shared some fuzzy ad numbers, such as the idea that the company’s ad tier ‘reaches’ 250 million users globally.’ Here’s why that figure gives me pause: a)they lead with global, and b) they don’t explain how they are calculated. (Are they based on average people in each room? Surveys of some kind?). Regardless, some insiders say that Netflix’s ad tier is scaling nicely - others not so much. Either way, one of Netflix’s biggest challenge on the ad front appears to have been its starting point. Remember, when Netflix launched ads in 2022, it had 73 million subs in the US and Canada. That’s 73 million people who were used to Netflix with zero ads. And when the ad product rolled out, the company clearly was going after new users - a limited pool of potential subscribers by default. That focus seems to have changed over time, as Netflix has tried to convert longtime subscribers to the ad tier. Historically Netflix subscribers are very sticky. But is the company’s low churn a problem? Not necessarily, according to Antenna data. Rather, Netflix’s consumer loyalty is a bit of a double-edged sword. “Netflix is the one streamer which actually has seen substantial “trade downs” but has much lower ‘win backs,’ said Antenna founder Jonathan Carson (win-backs being people who were on the ad-free plan, cancelled, then rejoined on the ad plan). “Netflix has lower churn and so has less opportunity to win back old subs with a lower cost plan option.” This all might explain why Netflix has been so slow to roll out all of these table stakes targeting options until just this week. It likely didn’t have enough users to carve up into various targets. etc. However, what really hit Netflix’s ad business was Amazon’s move a few years ago to turn on advertising for Prime Video by default. Suddenly the market was awash in premium inventory, and Netflix was playing catch-up on multiple fronts. Thus, the streaming giant appears to still be figuring out if if wants lead in ‘programmatic TV,’ or premium ‘upfront’ TV sales. “The CTV market now sorts into three businesses, and Netflix is not the leader of any of them,” wrote analyst Jack Myers. Ouch. So how does Netflix ratchet up its ads business? Get the next NFL package You’re gonna have to wait until 2030 unless one of the bigger media companies like Skydance opts out, but the easiest (not cheapest) way for Netflix to become a huge TV ads contender is to get one of the regular NFL packages, ideally Sunday afternoons. That way it can sell ads to its whole U.S. subs base overnight. Go FAST This one is risky, because to program a compelling FAST channel, you’d likely have to take some older Netflix exclusive shows and make them available for free to non-subscribers. But FASTs, for better or worse, are ad-inventory machines. Go full UGC I’m not sure I see this happening. There is something already off about Netflix carrying podcasts and shows for creators. The experience sticks out in what is such a produced, and generally non-communal environment. But Netflix could open up its platform by allowing creators to upload videos without having to be approved by the service. But that opens a whole other can of worms (policing brand safety, copyright infringement, overall quality). Make a huge RMN Deal I was going to suggest something crazy, such as ‘instead of buying Warner Brothers, Netflix should buy Target. But the company doesn’t want to be in the brick and mortar business. Yet for Netflix’s ad business to compete in an Amazon world, it needs to be able to connect ad exposures to shopping. What if, instead of letting Amazon target Netflix viewers with its DSP, Netflix inked a deal with Target, or even took control of Roundel, and created its version of the Amazon full-funnel for brands? Price us out. I hope they don’t do this, but Netflix’s price increases - while significant - haven’t been enough to push long-term customers out of the ad-free tier. But if they made those prices so prohibitive, it could push large swaths of consumers to trade down. Then again, that could also dent engagement - as binging becomes much less appealing once you bring ads into the equation. Or, they could just launch a bunch of hit shows and maybe everyone will quickly forget all this angst. More from Amazon unBoxed A few weeks ago, I recorded two podcasts live at Amazon’s unBoxed event in San Francisco. I was able to go really deep with several brand partners about how Amazon’s various data and ad products work - particularly the under appreciated Amazon Marketing Cloud. First, I talked with Laura Abadias Velilla, of the Amazon specialty agency Amerge, along with Amazon’s own Charlotte Maines, Vice President, Devices Content & Advertising, about how the two partners helped a very specific printer company Epson launch into a brand new category - high end projectors. It’s a great example of how brands connect audience data across platforms to make budget deployment decisions. Next, I chatted with Monks VP Head of Digital Investment for North America Tom Burchill about how the agency actually brought in data from Linkedin to help target B2B customers across various Amazon properties for the brand Quicken. Check it out: Check these out, or just listen:
Authorities investigating whether first Kenyan and Nigerian Ebola cases crossed paths
Nigeria this week recorded its first case of Ebola in the current outbreak, which has spread from the epicenter in Congo to several other African countries.
In brief: Fleetwood Mac documentary coming to Apple TV and more
The landslide is bringing them to Apple TV. Fleetwood Mac is telling their story in their own words in the Apple Original Films documentary Fleetwood Mac: The Chain. Apple announced the “unprecedented look” is the first fully authorized documentary about the award-winning, culture-defining band. It brings together the voices and memories of Fleetwood members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and the late Christine McVie. Fleetwood Mac: The Chain will debut Jan. 29 ...Ramy Youssef’s feature directorial debut has added some more star power to the cast. Amanda Seyfried will join Youssef and Sharon Stone in Martha & Muhammad, a new comedy for A24, according to Deadline. Youssef will direct from his own script, in addition to starring. Plot and character details are being kept under wraps, though The Hollywood Reporter previously described the project as telling the story of “a white widowed socialite in New York who develops a relationship with a young Muslim man” ... TNCMS.AdManager.render({region: 'fixed-big-ad-top-asset', slot: 1, fold: "above"}); Another book adaptation is coming to Prime Video. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed Thursday it has picked up Butcher & Blackbird, the bestselling thriller novel by Brynne Weaver. Emma Laird and Thomas Doherty are signed on to star in the new film, which follows vigilante serial killers who fall in love as they compete to take out the most targets ... Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Thank you for reading kmaland.comAt KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.
National Maternal Mental Health Accelerator Hosts Inaugural Member Convening - Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health
This week marked a watershed moment for maternal mental health as the National Maternal Mental Health (MMH) Accelerator held its inaugural member convening. Led by Founder Joy Burkhard, CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, the Accelerator has united over 140 organizations to drive systemic change and expanded access to appropriate care by 2030.
Counseling helps many students thrive. Is Conn. meeting the need on community college campuses?
Mental health resources differ across state-funded schools in Connecticut. The University of Connecticut — the state's flagship school — employs nearly three dozen mental health professionals. Meanwhile, Connecticut State Community College started the semester with zero wellness counselors.
More Than a Charcuterie Board: A Mother and Daughter Build a Business Around Gathering.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Birch Bay Retirement Village. NORTHEAST HARBOR—Food’s ability to be a social cornerstone is one of the founding premises of one of Mount Desert Island’s newest, and perhaps most unique, endeavors in cuisine based catering. From intimate gatherings to large functions, Olive & Pearl creates charcuterie boards that can not only astound the tongue but also the eye. Many would agree that food can bring people together. In fact, culinary delights, and sometimes adventures, have been utilized as the centerpiece for social and business occasions of all kinds for centuries. Often times it even has the ability to start conversation, temper differences, and build new relationships. Settings can vary, from a multi-course sit down meal, a backyard barbecue, or a couple of bowls of chips and dip in front of a television, but the result can be the same. Humans come together, they share food, and the whole process is a catalyst for thought, communication, and a shared experience. Imagined and created by the mother and daughter team of Dr. Susan Scanlan (formerly MacCready) and Kayla Musetti, Olive & Pearl was started in June of this year and has been creating, delighting, and growing since. We gave the two an opportunity to answer some questions about themselves and their new venture. The love, passion, and pride for what they are doing and the fact that they are doing it as a mother and daughter team came through so strongly in their answers that we decided to present the question and answer session in its entirety. The Interview What did you do prior to Olive & Pearl? We’re a mother-daughter team, and food, family, and hospitality have always been a big part of our lives. Susan grew up in a large family in Pennsylvania, where the table was always at the center of everything. There were multiple dishes, little bites, stories, and plenty of conversation. Food was never simply about eating. It was about gathering, celebrating, and spending time together. After living in several Southern states, Susan relocated to Maine more than 20 years ago, and Maine has truly become home. She loves its sense of community, natural beauty, and connection to local food and makers. Professionally, Susan is a registered nurse and holds a doctorate in health administration. She has worked in a variety of clinical, nonclinical, and leadership roles and currently works as a faculty academic director. Building Olive & Pearl has been an exciting creative venture alongside her career. Kayla is also a registered nurse and works in the ambulatory surgery unit at Mount Desert Island Hospital. While healthcare is an important part of both of our professional lives, Olive & Pearl has given us an entirely different way to connect, collaborate, and create something together. Tell us about the business. Olive & Pearl is a mother-daughter charcuterie business centered around beautiful food, thoughtful presentation, and bringing people together. We create curated charcuterie boards designed for everything from intimate gatherings and dinner parties to weddings, showers, corporate events, boat days, and celebrations of all kinds. We think of our boards as more than food. They’re an experience and an invitation to gather, slow down, and enjoy time with the people around you. We’re intentional about quality ingredients, artful presentation, and personalization. Whenever possible, we also incorporate Maine-made and locally sourced products, including cheeses, jams, honey, seasonal produce, and baked goods. What inspired you to start Olive & Pearl? In many ways, Olive & Pearl grew out of something we had been doing our entire lives —bringing people together around food. We’ve always loved creating beautiful spreads for family and friends. There was something special about watching people gather around a table, graze, talk, laugh, and simply enjoy being together. Friends and family began telling us, “You should do this as a business,” and one day, we stopped laughing it off and started mapping it out. We realized we had an opportunity to combine our different strengths and create something that reflected what we both value: hospitality, creativity, quality, and connection. Charcuterie felt like the perfect expression of that. It’s beautiful and creative, but it’s also communal and approachable. At its heart, it brings us right back to where the idea began, a table filled with food and people gathered around it. Do you have a business partner(s)? Our business partner is each other! Olive & Pearl is truly a mother-daughter partnership, and building it together has been incredibly meaningful and sometimes hilarious! We know each other extremely well, which can be both a strength and, occasionally, a challenge. We have different personalities and strengths, but we’ve learned to lean into those differences and use them to our advantage. There’s a lot of trust between us, and we’ve learned how to communicate, collaborate, and occasionally laugh at ourselves along the way. We’re also building Olive & Pearl while continuing our careers in healthcare and education, so we’re taking things thoughtfully and growing the business one step at a time. We all have to start somewhere. One of the most rewarding parts has been having something that belongs to both of us. We get to learn from one another, celebrate the small wins together, and create something that we hope will become part of our family’s story for years to come. When exactly did you launch the business? Recently, in June 2026, we launched Olive & Pearl, turning an idea we had talked about for years into real business. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch something that started around our own family table and begin to find a place within the community. How is it going so far? How do you feel it has been received? It has been going very well, and we’ve been incredibly encouraged by how warmly Olive & Pearl has been received. As more people hear about us, our orders have continued to increase, and we’re seeing growing interest in boards for events and celebrations. It’s exciting to watch something that began as an idea between the two of us start to grow within the community. One of the most rewarding parts is hearing from customers after their events or seeing photos of our boards being enjoyed. Knowing that something we created became part of someone’s celebration is incredibly meaningful to us. Is there a brick-and-mortar location or is it all online? Olive & Pearl is currently an online business. We’re intentionally starting this way so we can build relationships with our customers, learn what they love, and grow thoughtfully. Our long-term dream, if the business continues to grow, is to eventually have a sit-down space where people can experience Olive & Pearl in person. Do you have any future plans if things go well/keep going well? Absolutely. For now, our focus is on continuing to grow Olive & Pearl, getting to know our customers, and becoming part of more celebrations and gatherings throughout the area. Long term, we would love to have our own physical space where people can come together and experience Olive & Pearl beyond the boards themselves. We can imagine a place that combines food, hospitality, creativity, and community. Ultimately, we want to build something that continues to grow while still feeling personal and connected to the people and community around us. Is there an aspect of the business that you really love? There are so many things we love about it, but the people and the connection are probably at the top of the list. We love creating something beautiful, but what really matters to us is what happens after we hand it over to the customer. We picture our boards on kitchen islands, at backyard gatherings, on boats, at weddings, or around a long dinner table—with people laughing, talking, and lingering a little longer. We also love the creative side. Every board is an opportunity to play with color, texture, shape, seasonality, and flavor. We don’t just want to fill a board, we want to curate an experience. And supporting local makers is especially meaningful to us. Whenever possible, we love incorporating Maine-made cheeses, local jams and honey, seasonal produce, and products from nearby bakeries and businesses. It allows us to showcase some of what makes Maine so special. Perhaps most importantly, we love doing this together. Building something as a mother and daughter has given us another way to spend time together, learn from one another, celebrate small wins, and create memories. Is there anything regarding any aspect of Olive & Pearl that you may think is important that is not reflected on the website? One thing that may not always come through online is just how personal this business is to us. Olive & Pearl isn’t something we created simply because charcuterie was popular. It grew very naturally from our family, our traditions, and the way we’ve always enjoyed gathering with people we love. There is a lot of heart behind every board. We think about the people who will be enjoying it, the occasion they’re celebrating, and how we can make the experience feel special. We also want people to know that we care deeply about supporting locals whenever possible. Using Maine products isn’t just about sourcing ingredients, it’s about telling a little story about where we live and the talented people who make and grow wonderful things here. Is there anything that we have not asked that you think is important/relevant that would like readers to know? We hope people see Olive & Pearl as more than just a charcuterie business. At its heart, it’s about gathering. Our goal is to make it easier for people to create those moments when everyone gathers around the table, conversations last a little longer, and people simply enjoy being together. We also hope people see the mother-daughter story behind the business. We’re building Olive & Pearl alongside our careers, one step at a time, and there is something incredibly special about creating a shared family legacy in the process. For us, success isn’t just about how many boards we make. It’s about becoming part of people’s special moments - birthdays, weddings, weekends with friends, quiet evenings at home, or a beautiful day on the Maine coast. If one of our boards helps people put down their phones, linger a little longer, laugh a little more, and enjoy the people around them, then we feel like we’ve done exactly what we set out to do. All photos courtesy of Olive & Pearl. LINKS TO LEARN MORE Olive & Pearl website Olive & Pearl Facebook Olive & Pearl Instagram RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website. [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ Pemetic Students Share Thoughts on Declaration of Independence Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ Fall Festival at the Nor’Easter for Mount Desert Nursery School, October 24. Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Explore career opportunities where you make a difference for Maine’s natural resources—and the people who enjoy them. Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Cranberry Isles Comprehensive Plan Committee Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cranberry-isles-comprehensive-plan) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cranberry-isles-comprehensive-plan) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) [ Community School Hosts a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser October 25! Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment
NFL Analyst Shares Minnesota Vikings Clear Advantages over Indianapolis Colts
Minnesota’s top-ranked scoring defense and a surging ground game look to exploit Indianapolis’s red-zone struggles and league-worst rush EPA in this lopsided interconference showdown.
Tennessee Titans news: A chance at a win streak
The Tennessee Titans are making a run for another victory in Week 7.
Forget the vinyl revival – I'm getting excited about CD players again
Time spent testing in 2026 has reminded me just how much I’ve missed the humble disc player
Cyberpunk 2077 2.5 Update Secretly Added The Witcher 3 Sword and Cosmetics
Cyberpunk 2077’s surprise 2.5 update added a new dual-wielding playstyle, fresh ways to customize protagonist V’s look, extra quests and plenty more, but players have discovered that developer CD Projekt Red secretly added a range of new The Witcher 3-themed cosmetics, too.
Hispanic voters helped bring Trump to power - in Texas, the tide may be turning
Recent polls suggest the president is facing challenging headwinds in the state ahead of the midterms.
FEATURE | Bayer Leverkusen’s rise from a season of chaos
Bayer Leverkusen did the unthinkable in 2023/24. They not only stopped Bayern Munich from winning the Bundesliga but also went the season unbeaten in the league to secure their maiden Meisterschale. O...
School board candidates support more mental health care, differ on approach
Candidates for school boards around the state generally agreed with a new law that will require the hiring of more mental health counselors, but those responding to a survey said more resources will be needed, while some called for more parental involvement.
The Tricky Convergence of Democratic Socialism and Civil Rights
Some worry that a new generation of progressives threatens the coalitions that opened government to historically excluded communities. But there’s plenty for them to learn from each other.
Beloved Yankees Player Lands Job Managing His Former Japanese Team
Former New York Yankees star Hideki Matsui landed a job managing the Yomiuri Giants, his former team. The post Beloved Yankees Player Lands Job Managing His Former Japanese Team appeared first on HEAVY.
Cardinals’ Jeremiyah Love Faces Uncertainty After Latest Injury Update
The Arizona Cardinals may be shorthanded once again at the running back position, with rookie Jeremiyah Love battling an injury. The post Cardinals’ Jeremiyah Love Faces Uncertainty After Latest Injury Update appeared first on HEAVY.
Chancellor plans to end pointless paperwork to cut £800m business costs
Ministers say the changes in regulations will reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
How citizen science is tracking changes in shorelines around the world
An app and a camera phone are all that’s needed at more than 200 spots to help researchers monitor coastal areas
Immigrant priest struggles with health issues after ICE detention
Rhamondre Stevenson scores improbable touchdown in Week 7
Rhamondre Stevenson led the team with 93 yards receiving, which included a 48-yard TD against the Chicago Bears in Week 7.
Things to know when buying a business
Reverse due diligence isn't a typical business practice. But it should be.
SIA unveils KrisWorld upgrades for better work, wellness and entertainment
From 4K screens and Bluetooth pairing to wellness features, the airline will roll out upgrades on 41 retrofitted Airbus A350s and incoming Boeing 777-9s from 2027.
RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of The Beth Greenhouse and 50,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce in Newark
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Beth Greenhouse, a hydroponic greenhouse that has provided more than 50,000 pounds of fresh produce to Newark residents and patients while promoting nutrition, wellness and food security throughout the community.
'Generational rage': Young Europeans fight to be heard
From blockaded schools in Rome to tent camps in Madrid and street protests in France, young people across Europe are turning their anger on a political class they say is not listening.- 'Inspiring oth...
Minivan driver barrels through red light, plows into South L.A. business
A minivan crashed into a business in South Los Angeles after its driver allegedly ran a red light and collided with another vehicle, authorities said. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Departmen…
Celtics Get Mixed Injury News Ahead of Knicks Showdown
The Celtics receive mixed injury news ahead of their home opener against the Knicks, with one former first-round pick ruled out. The post Celtics Get Mixed Injury News Ahead of Knicks Showdown appeared first on HEAVY.
3 Game Boy games added to Nintendo Classics
Nintendo has added three more classic Game Boy games to Nintendo Switch Online: Revenge of the ‘Gator, Avenging Spirit, and Mole Mania.
Meriden tax business owner accused of filing 4,335 fraudulent returns
Prosecutors said many of the tax returns included fraudulent deductions.
Left alone with nothing to do, AI agents started playing
MIT researchers marooned 13 AIs on a virtual island, and they responded by inventing games, mourning a lost ring and, eventually, getting better at their jobs.
With a congressional seat on the line, political groups race to win over undecided Colorado voters
‘Most magical place’: How Dublin Influences This Mother-Daughter Business: Business NH Magazine
Today, Webber and her daughter, Kate Webber, operate The Gratitude Farm, a Dublin-based studio and business that combines Donni’s nature-inspired pottery with Kate’s landscape paintings.
‘It Was a Source of Great Joy’
A short profile of Tufts University faculty member Kristen Wendell
What is a neutrino anyway? A look at the science behind this year's Nobel Prize in Physics
If you wanted a Nobel Prize, you would do well to study neutrinos. To date, the Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded five times to research related to neutrino detection and discovery. This year, Francis ...
I thought I was dying but it was health anxiety - here's how to recognise the signs
Hollie Sharman shares her experience of health anxiety and a doctor advises on how to manage symptoms.
Little Rock Central High science building dedicated to retired principal Nancy Rousseau
Little Rock Central High School's new science building, which opened a year ago, now sports a new name: the Nancy Rousseau Science Building.
Spurs arrive Thursday in Austin for exciting sports weekend
In addition to the defending Western Conference champion's matchup with Houston, Austin is hosting the F1 US Grand Prix and the Longhorns' clash with Ole Miss.
The next-gen Xbox won’t cost you $1,800. It can’t. Can it?
Didn’t Microsoft say the next Xbox needed to be affordable?
Trump says Amy Acton is ‘fair game’
President Donald Trump on Thursday called Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton “fair game” as he defended Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad that features her estranged mother and ignored the abuse allegations against her stepfather.
Tony Lipp & Dara Gordon Join Entertainment 360 As Partners
Tony Lipp and Dara Gordon are joining Entertainment 360 as partners, with Lipp added to the management board and Gordon heading the New York office.
OPD: Package found at business not suspicious
Authorities responded Thursday afternoon to a report of suspicious package at an Omaha business.
Quest Diagnostics confirms patient information accessed in cyberattack, systems temporarily shut down
Quest Diagnostics temporarily suspended access to several systems following a cyberattack involving patient information.
Netflix’s latest cliff-hanger? Where it’s headed as a business.
The streaming giant has shaken up its staffing and is looking to compete in an evolving entertainment landscape.
Netflix’s latest cliff-hanger? Where it’s headed as a business.
The streaming giant has shaken up its staffing and is looking to compete in an evolving entertainment landscape.
Data breach at Chesapeake business
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to Announce Third Quarter 2026 Results and Host Earnings Webcast
LEAWOOD, Kan., October 22, 2026--AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC) ("AMC" or "the Company"), the largest theatrical exhibition company in the world, announced today that it will report its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
Dodgers Provide Positive Update on Klein
Will Klein underwent a procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow, but the Los Angeles Dodgers expect the right-handed reliever to be ready for Spring Training.
SCENE VIDEO: Suspicious package reported at Omaha machine business
Omaha Police and Fire responded Thursday afternoon to the scene at Grede Casting Integrity, on Martha Street, just east of Highway 75.
Trump and crypto firm sued for profiting from foreign government
Donald Trump and World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency venture he co-founded with his sons, were sued by a shareholder in a rival crypto firm over claims the president illegally profited
The One Chart That Explains Why Netflix Cleaned House
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Yeah, I’ll be honest: I went with a clickbait-y headline today. One chart? That explains everything? That’s as clickbait-y as it gets. But let’s be real. I’m analyzing a dataset that I’ve built over six years, and c’mon, I never write articles which feature just one chart! If you think this article—which includes a level of data detail unheard of in journalism twenty years ago—is clickbait, fine by me. Really, what I’m doing is using data to explain Netflix’s recent strategy changes, since the story of the month is the turbulence at Netflix. First, head of content Bela Bajaria was fired. Then head of film Dan Lin followed her to the unemployment ranks. (Along with, sadly, 1,000 other Netflix workers.) And then Netflix delivered a “sub-optimal” earnings report, which continued their year-long stock price slide. Then came a flood of articles explaining why all this is happening. (Mine’s coming shortly, rest assured.) I realized I had the perfect chart to explain Netflix’s woes. Specifically, Nielsen’s weekly top ten charts. Usually I focus on one or two weeks in my Streaming Ratings Reports, but sometimes it’s worth stepping back to look at the larger story. And hoo boy, what a story. This article is my annual (plus three months) follow-up to one of my most popular articles of last year. (And a topic I’ve been visualizing for the last half decade.) Subscribe Netflix’s Share of The Nielsen Charts Continues to Decline
'Heated Rivalry' made hockey hot. But some fans say the sport's culture is leaving them out in the cold.
"Heated Rivalry" has sparked a hockey mania. But as fans rush to rinks, they also see opportunities for more inclusion.
Patriots Playmaker Named Potential Trade Chip by FOX Sports
The NFL trade deadline is approaching, and various writers are listing their top candidates who could be traded for their respective teams. For the New England Patriots, Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna had an interesting name. Running back TreVeyon Henderson was his choice for this article. Henderson has 49 carries for 194 yards and a touchdown […] The post Patriots Playmaker Named Potential Trade Chip by FOX Sports appeared first on HEAVY.
Suspicious package reported at Omaha machine business
Authorities responded Thursday afternoon to a report of suspicious package at an Omaha business.
AU report raises red flags on these Ga. health problems
The 2026 “Healthy Georgia: Our State of Public Health” report, produced by the Institute of Public and Preventive Health, compiles the latest available numbers on 31 health topics.
MLB free agency Top 50: Ranking the best players available this winter, starting with Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta
Aetherion Expands Houston Industrial Water Treatment Business
Aetherion expands its Houston water treatment operations. Workforce growth and added services support its strategy to acquire regional providers.
Clavicular pleads not guilty to raping a 17-year-old
'Looksmaxxing' influencer Braden Peters, a.k.a. Clavicular, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he raped a teenager at his family home.
Can a Political Attack Ad Go Too Far?
Ohio Republicans are divided after Ramaswamy's attack ad featuring rival's mother drew condemnation from Gov. DeWine. Read what Vance and Husted said.
Cost of employer-sponsored health insurance plans rises again, nonpartisan survey finds
The price health insurance companies charge for employer-sponsored plans increased again this year, as did the deductible many people must pay before those plans begin covering most healthcare costs, according to a survey released Thursday by the nonpartisan health organization KFF.
RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of The Beth Greenhouse and 50,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce in Newark
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility today celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Beth Greenhouse, RWJBarnabas Health’s first hydroponic greenhouse and a pioneering community health initiative that has provided more than 50,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce to Newark residents and patients while advancing nutrition, wellness and food security throughout the city.
JJ Watt signs a multi-year deal to stay as CBS' lead NFL analyst
JJ Watt joined play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson after Tony Romo went on leave following his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store
Apple has temporarily removed Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the App Store, just after releasing an update that added iPhone Duo support and a new Intelligent Assistant. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug.
Nintendo Switch 2 Gets Its First Software-Only Jailbreak, With Help From OpenAI Codex
Sammy Hajhamid, a security researcher who goes by pepsipu online, has released ns2jb, a software-only jailbreak for the Nintendo Switch 2 that runs on the latest 23.0.1 firmware. To show it off, Hajhamid modded Mario Kart World, a Switch 2 exclusive, and also dropped Peter Griffin, Hatsune Miku,...
Fall Sports Update: Women’s Volleyball Splits In California
Women’s Volleyball (13-5) Women’s volleyball dropped a five-set heartbreaker to UCLA but rebounded with an easy 3-0 sweep of USC. Kennedy Martin had just 10 kills in the win over USC, and as a team Penn State had just 40 kills in three sets, but the defense rolled up nine blocks and held USC to […]
Trump’s shock-jock politics don’t work for everyone. An Ohio attack ad is proof.
Cheered by an online ecosystem, the GOP has rewarded “owning the libs” for a decade. But the blowback to an ad in the governor’s race suggests there are limits.
The Crooks family business is volleyball excellence
Wesleyan Christian Academy's Nejari Crooks is heralded as a 5-star volleyball prospect committed to Penn State. Her coaches at WCA are her own parents, each of which have their own storied history with the game of volleyball.
How well have past GOTY winners sold?
We’re less than two months away from 2026’s The Game Awards, and what a year it’s been for fantastic games, including Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, Slay the Spire II, the Blood of Dawnwalker, and Control Resonant – just to name a few. So as we approach the end of the year, we thought we’d look back on our estimates for the GOTY winners of the past four years. In terms of revenue, Elden Ring (2022 winner), Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023), Astro Bot (2024), and Expedition 33 (2025) have generated a combined $3.8B via 73M copies sold: Let’s have a look, then. Elden Ring has generated $2B in revenue Elden Ring is a phenomenon in every sense. It’s sold a whopping 36.4M copies across Steam (50%), PS5 (35%), and Xbox (15% across console and PC). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring also just passed an astronomical milestone: $2B in revenue. While PlayStation and Xbox account for half of Elden Ring’s copies sold across these three platforms, they account for 57.5% of revenue. This – as ever – is due to regional pricing and the higher relative share of PC gamers in lower-priced markets. For example, around 17.4% of Elden Ring’s Steam copies sold were in China, where the game costs about 26% less than the price in the States. There’s an … interesting narrative going around these days that console gamers are only interested in ball-and-gun games and have the patience for little else. Well, Elden Ring’s impressive sales prove that is simply not true, and across all platforms. What’s more, over 9.8M people have played Elden Ring for over 100 hours, with nearly 3.5M people getting all of the achievements and trophies. For reference, 10.9% of Elden Ring’s PlayStation players have the platinum trophy, while 10.5% of players on Steam and 3.9% of Xbox players unlocked all the achievements. Git gud, Xbox players! Of the 1.5M people who played Elden Ring on PlayStation last month, 4% also played Dark Souls 3 last month, 4% played Bloodborne, and 3% played Sekiro. There’s those Soulsborne diehards for you. By many accounts, including my own, Elden Ring is one of the best games of all time. It’s an evergreen seller that will continue to be a cash cow for Bandai and FromSoftware for years to come. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring has sold another 2M copies across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox this year, generating almost $110M. This means it’s outperforming many of this year’s high-profile releases. Even Elden Ring’s standalone run-based PvE spinoff, 2025’s Nightreign, has sold 7.8M copies and generated $282M in revenue. Baldur’s Gate 3 is another billion-dollar-plus banger Another cross-platform phenomenon is Baldur’s Gate 3, which has sold 23.2M copies and generated over $1.2B in revenue. About 18.7M of these copies (80.6%) are via Steam, 2.9M via PS5 (12.7%), and 1.6M (6.8%) via Xbox. Around 1.3M folks on Steam bought BG3 before it hit 1.0. The PlayStation version launched about a month after the PC 1.0 release, while the Xbox version came four months later due to technical issues around developing local co-op on the Series S. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Across platforms, Baldur’s Gate 3’s monthly active users have never dropped below 2M, including 2.2M MAUs last month (68.5% on Steam, 21.9% on PS5, and 9.6% on Xbox). And it still regularly brings in 280K to 400K players every day: About 1% of BG3’s Steam player base has played for over 500 hours! That’s a little under 200K people. Astro Bot is also an evergreen seller, albeit a more niche, family one Astro Bot, 2024’s winner, has now sold 4.7M copies and generated $291M in revenue. The budget, including marketing, is almost certainly under $100M, given the small Japan-based core team and three-year dev timeline. You can really see why the tides are changing toward less expensive hubs. Astro Bot is the only first-party winner on this list, but follows other first-party winners of The Last of Us Part II (2020’s winner), God of War (2018), and Breath of the Wild (2017). Around 46.6% of Astro Bot’s copies sold have been physical, which is far higher than the typical game. This makes sense for a couple of reasons: There’s a large family audience for this one, and physical boxes are an item to wrap when giving Astro as a gift. Astro has collector value for the PlayStation core (this is nostalgia-fueled platformer celebrating PlayStation’s history) Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Astro is another one of those games that continues selling over time, regularly selling more than 100K a month. It’s sold around 1M more copies this year ($60M in revenue) and is a popular title with families. We can see this using the Alinea platform’s MAU crossover tool: Astro Bot’s top #2, #3, and #4 games by crossover in any given month this year are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox – without fail. The #1 title every month, though, is Astro’s Playroom, a pack-in with all PS5 consoles. For every month this year, between 20% and 30% of Astro Bot players also played Astro’s Playroom that month. So the free pack-in is a noice funnel for converting players to a full paid product. Expedition 33 sells 8.7M despite Game Pass cannibalisation Finally, we have last year’s winner – Expedition 33. The turn-based-RPG banger has generated $366M via 8.7M copies sold, with 58.8% on Steam, 35.7% on PS5, and 5.5% on Xbox. Xbox’s share of copies sold is this low due to Expedition 33 launching on Game Pass, where 4.3M people across console and PC accessed the game. A little under 700K Xbox players used their subscription to play Expedition 33 this year. That said, the game’s 1.5-year Game Pass deal ended last week on October 16, and we’re already beginning to see a positive trend on Expedition 33’s copies sold via Xbox (but the jury’s still out!). There’s understandably a lot of French pride behind this one, as France is the game’s #3 market on both Steam and PlayStation. Vive la France! One thing that stood out to me is that the GOTY winners aren’t $300M Hollywood productions made in the US. They’re mostly mid-budget studios outside the traditional AAA cost centres. Lots to think about there. Also, good games sell well; who’d have thunk it!? And there’s a whole load of them this year, with GTA 6 still to come, too. GTA just made the cutoff point for the VGAs this year. What a coincidence! Loading... Cool links and other stuff Our physical games newsletter from Tuesday was picked up by GameSpot, Eurogamer, TweakTown, and a bunch of others. We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply right here on Substack/email, and we’ll set you up. Next week, we’ve got some exciting news regarding the future of our newsletter, so stay tuned! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. Want to see why these companies (and many others) are subscribed to Alinea? Get a free platform trial! [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Environmental engineers awarded $2.4M to study how abandoned wells impact health
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by an engineer from Penn State, has been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Energy to study the impacts that orphaned natural gas wells might have on the surrounding environment or communities.
Report: Arizona men’s basketball roster spending trails top programs
Arizona men’s basketball’s budget for building a Final Four-caliber team is significant, but the UA is far from one of the top spenders in the sport, according to a new report on roster spending. Arizona will spend approximately $15-17.5 million on its men’s basketball roster, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander and Isaac Trotter reported this week. […]
Priscilla Presley steps out for rare outing with with son Navarone Garibaldi Garcia
The mother-son duo attended an event in Germany on Oct. 20.
'This is despicable': Amy Acton responds to Ohio attack ad
Her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy is airing the ad featuring her estranged mother, whose husband was charged with sexual abuse in her childhood.
HVAC issue ignites fire at business on Marketplace Drive in Hampton
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) – Crews in Hampton responded to a business fire Thursday morning. According to officials, firefighters were called to that fire, in the 100 block of Marketplace Drive, jus…
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.