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On 988 Day, Vibrant Emotional Health Reminds Everyone: With 988 Reasons to Reach Out, Your Reason is Reason Enough
Today, September 8 (9/8), Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant), the nonprofit administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, joins the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and communities across the country in recognizing 988 Day, a national day of awareness led by SAMHSA to highlight the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the importance of making mental health support accessible to everyone.
U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports could send hockey gear prices higher
For a sport that is increasingly expensive, the latest round of 50% tariffs levied the Trump administration against Canada is unwelcome news.
Trove of new 9/11 docs suggest NYC officials knew of air quality health risks
The Mamdani administration is releasing nearly 200,000 pages of post-9/11 air quality reports Tuesday. What did NYC officials know of the potential health consequences, and when?
Dodgers Owner’s MAGA Stance Leaves Los Angeles Advocate ‘Very’ Disappointed
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ owner is under local scrutiny for “sending money to Trump’s administration” following ICE crackdowns.
‘Kick In The Face’: Hawaiʻi’s $2M Business Registration System Slammed
The Commerce Department has brought on additional staff and is working to find and fix bugs in the system.
List of DVD release dates for Sept. 8 and beyond
Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change: SEPTEMBER 8: Minions & Monsters 8: Supergirl 8: Passenger 8: Leviticus 8: Batman: Knightfall
Trump Has Brutalized Blue States in His Second Term. There’s a Way for Democrats to Fight Back.
The Trump administration has actively discriminated against “blue” states by systemically withholding money. That's not the worst part.
New German health, transport ministers sworn in six weeks late
Germany's new health and transport ministers were sworn in on Tuesday before the Bundestag, the country's lower house of parliament, six weeks after their appointment. Carsten Linnemann and Steffen Bi...
Korea freezes 2027 health insurance premium at 7.19%
The government has decided to freeze the national health insurance premium rate at 7.19 percent in 2027, citing stable finances and expected support from the government and premium revenue.The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee approved the 20
Chinese scientists propose turning abandoned coal mines into underground farms
Insulated from surface weather and natural disasters, mining tunnels could offer agricultural advantages amid climate change, scientists say.
Military and intelligence officials discuss smaller presence in the Middle East as US looks for another post-9/11 strategy
In offices across the military and in the intelligence community, there have been recent quiet discussions about cutting the number of people and facilities typically stationed in the Middle East if the Trump administration succeeds in ending the Iran conflict, six sources say.
New indoor family entertainment center in Mt. Juliet opens for Labor Day weekend
Good Clean Fun! Family Entertainment Center features arcade games, a pirate themed blacklight mini-golf course, a 7D ride and more. It held its grand opening Saturday.
WHO South-East Asia Region recognizes major public health achievements across Member States
The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region today celebrated major public health achievements by Member States, highlighting important milestones in disease elimination, maternal, newborn and child health, immunization, and the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases. The awards were presented by the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to Ministers of Health or Heads of Delegation during the Seventy-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia. Three major disease elimination milestones were celebrated. Timor-Leste was felicitated for achieving WHO validation for the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. With Timor-Leste’s achievement, the South-East Asia Region has achieved the global target of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.
Health Ministers of WHO South-East Asia Region adopt Dili Declaration to advance equity in specialized care
Health Ministers of the WHO South-East Asia Region today adopted the Dili Declaration on Human Resources for Health: Equity in Specialized Care, committing to strengthen the health workforce and ensure that all people, including those living in rural, remote and underserved areas, have access to quality specialized health care. The Declaration, adopted at the Seventy-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, recognizes that while access to quality specialized care is critical to achieving universal health coverage, it is far too often limited for those most in need. While the Region has made major gains in expanding its health workforce, significant challenges remain in ensuring equitable access to specialists. Shortages persist across many specialties. Moreover, specialists are often concentrated in urban centers, tertiary and private-sector facilities, leaving rural, remote, poor and underserved populations with limited access to essential specialized services.
Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez Talks “Not Close” Per ESPN Insider
ESPN insider Adam Schefter had an update on Christian Gonzalez’s contract talks. It is not one that New England Patriots fans will want to hear. The insider reported that talks had not progressed between the two sides.Earlier Monday, a report came out that Executive Vice President of Football Administration Matt Groh was a central figure […] The post Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez Talks “Not Close” Per ESPN Insider appeared first on HEAVY.
UK PM denounces 'politics of poison' after anti-migrant protests
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged his Labour Party lawmakers to stop the "politics of poison seeping into our streets" after demonstrators tried to block the arrival of migrants, a media repor...
Netanyahu's main rival accuses him of putting politics over security
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, accused him Monday of prioritizing his political survival over Israel’s...
Physician advocacy is a duty, not a political choice
Physician advocacy is collapsing just as public health needs it most. See why administrators clamping down on physician speech turns silence into consent.
How Hope Florida scrutiny rattled the final years of the DeSantis administration
Here are the biggest impacts.
ASUS details ProArt GR1X mini PC with NVIDIA RTX Spark, 128GB unified memory and 10GbE
ASUS has finalized more specifications for its RTX Spark ProArt hardware. The GR1X mini PC measures 150 × 150 × 51 mm and supports up to 128GB of unified memory.
Burnham’s UK‑first politics meet a more protectionist EU and its ‘Made in Europe’ plan
The new UK prime minister has focused on domestic policy so far, but wants a close relationship with EU. How can that be reconciled with the EU's new protectionist 'Made in Europe' agenda?
Federal Rural Health Transformation Program invests $120 million in Indiana
The Trump Administration is investing $120 million to expand healthcare services across rural Indiana.
‘Mistrust’ of Palantir may affect NHS research, says health minister
James Frith warns patients may be less willing to share data as new figures show a rise in opt-outs
Luminis Health Working to Restore Systems After Cyberattack
Luminis Health in Maryland is investigating a cyberattack that has taken certain systems offline. Data breaches have been announced by Texas Orthopedic Luminis Health in Maryland is investigating a cyberattack that has taken certain systems offline. Data breaches have been announced by Texas Orthopedic surgeon Jeffrey David Reuben, M.D, Well Child in Tennessee, and Horizon Eye Care Laser & Eye Surgery Center in New Jersey.
Serbia heads for snap election after government dissolution call
President Vučić could lead the ruling SNS into the snap election as its candidate for prime minister
Czech fire services find safety violation at entertainment venues
Czech fire service officials have found more than 2,300 fire safety violations during inspections of entertainment venues prompted by the inferno at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, Interior Ministe...
Trump supporters celebrate far-right victory in German state vote
Spain's Socialist Prime Minister warned an 'extremist threat' was advancing throughout the world
Security Forces Dismantle Terrorist Cells Southeast of Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced the dismantling of three operational cells affiliated with terrorist Takfiri groups in southeastern Iran, with nine terrorists arrested and three others killed in clashes with security forces.
New 'Halloween' video game slashes creepy mini-game where character can have sex with high schoolers
Kenya minister warns foreigners against 'misusing' visas to trade
Kenya is due to start enforcing measures to restrict foreign nationals from operating small-scale businesses.
Iran Dismisses Push to Refer Nuclear File to UNSC
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman condemned US and Israeli attempts to pressure the UN nuclear chief and pave the way for referring Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council, warning that Tehran will take necessary measures in response to any such move.
Mamdani says new NYC office will be a tool of union organizers
The Mamdani administration announced a new Office of Worker Power Monday — and is still facing skepticism from business leaders.
Will the Trump administration send federal officers or troops to the polls? Here’s what we know
With less than two months to go until this year’s midterm elections, Democrats are becoming increasingly unnerved about the possibility of President Donald Trump deploying federal immigration officers or troops to polling places.
Govt crossing line in RCA politics: Ashok Gehlot
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called out the BJP government for its actions, particularly criticising political meddling in the Rajasthan Cricket Association. He pointed out the hal...
Oxford loss 'solely down to the players'
Leicester players failed to produce the "bare minimum" and "have got to take responsibility" for Saturday's heavy defeat by Oxford, says captain Harry Souttar.
Serbia's ruling party names Vucic as PM candidate
Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) said it has decided to nominate the country's president Aleksandar Vucic as its candidate for prime minister at the upcoming early parliamentary elections.
How a Colorado School District Is Fighting Trump’s Anti-Transgender Push
Jefferson County, Colo., is one of the few public school systems to sue the Trump administration over demands that it revoke transgender protections or face funding cuts.
Farm state Republicans confront a difficult political bind
For Republicans representing agricultural states, the administration’s policies have created a difficult balancing act: They have to defend a president whose policies they broadly support while answering to constituents suffering from his decisions.
Bordonaro: CT’s minimum-wage law deserves a closer look
Connecticut’s minimum wage will rise to $17.48 in 2027, while new research questions whether automatic increases improve jobs, earnings and poverty.
UK business group urges smaller state pension increases ahead of budget
The British Chambers of Commerce has urged finance minister John Healey to replace Britain's pension so-called "triple lock" with inflation-linked increases ahead of his first budget, saying the savings could help boost youth employment and growth.
Reaching knockout phase is bare minimum: Liverpool’s Champions League prospects
1xBet.ie highlights the key storylines of the European season for Liverpool fans. Watching LFC matches in the Champions League league phase will be even more exciting with the Welcome Bonus. All new u...
Reindeer and rare-earth minerals: Swedish politicians take aim at Indigenous Sami in mining dispute
Gabna community fear their traditional herding routes will be sacrificed as far-right rhetoric ramps up against them
Sasha Vujacic on Luka Doncic's minicamp: 'He's finally a Laker'
Former Lakers guard and Slovenian native Sasha Vujacic likes how Luka Doncic took the current Lakers roster to Slovenia for a minicamp.
ODU Football set to retire Taylor Heinicke’s #14 jersey
NORFOLK, Va. (COURTESY OF ODU ATHLETICS) – Former Old Dominion quarterback and the 2012 Walter Payton Award winner Taylor Heinicke will have his jersey retired by Old Dominion University during halftime of the Thursday night game on October 15 against Georgia Southern, Old Dominion Athletics Director Dr. Wood Selig announced on Saturday. “I can think of no other […]
The science behind the beauty business
Some of Europe’s industrial champions may be in retreat, but its cosmetics sector remains a global leader, buoyed by healthy demand, recognised brands and a reputation for innovation."The fact is, the science in cosmetics is better here in Europe than anywhere else in the world,” says Pierre Morvan, CEO of Technature, a private label cosmetics manufacturer located near Brest in France’s northwestern Brittany region. “You have to have good science in order to make the difference, and that is why we invest so much in research and innovation.”Across Europe, the beauty and skincare products sector supports an estimated 3.6 million jobs, including 265,000 employed directly in the industry, according to the Cosmetics Europe trade group.. Cosmetics production contributes an estimated €11 billion to the EU economy, and generated €30 billion in export revenue last year, a €400 million rise from 2024.Technature itself has a global footprint, supplying products for 1,500 brands in 65 countries. Its range of skin gels, facial masks, nail treatments and other products include natural ingredients and extracts derived from plants, such as seaweed, that are developed and refined through science-based analysis and testing.While industry projections point to sustained growth for the foreseeable future, driven by emerging economies and wider availability of exclusive brands that were once chiefly sold by high street retailers, the sector is not immune to the impact of geopolitics and trade wars. The Trump Administration’s tariff threats have dented cosmetics exports to the EU industry's largest overseas market. After the European Parliament approved the EU-US Turnberry Agreement in June, setting a 15% levy on many EU goods, the French Federation of Beauty Companies warned that “exports are falling sharply” and urged the EU to negotiate an opt-out for cosmetics.Technature’s CEO flags South Korea as an emerging competitor, partly due to its assertive marketing efforts. “I would have to say I am a little bit scared,” Morvan says, regarding the growth potential of the South Korean cosmetics industry. “This is why science and innovation are so important if Europe is to remain the leader.”With a workforce of 200, including biologists, chemists and other scientists, around 15% of Technature’s staff work in three research and development (R&D) labs. A similar number work in four quality control and assurance facilities, where science plays a crucial in ensuring product safety in a sector that is subject to the European Cosmetics Regulation.Educational exchange between industry and academiaIn recognition of Technature’s research and innovation, Morvan was selected as one of Brest’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European initiative to strengthen communications and understanding between science and society. Brest is one of three coastal cities in the EU-funded programme, alongside Split (in Croatia) and Kiel (in Germany). From 7-11 September, Brest will host the EU TalentOn contest featuring 100 early-career researchers from across Europe.Morvan appreciates the value of engagement with educational and scientific institutions as well as the home community. For instance, Technature collaborates closely with university partners to enhance its in-house R&D. In addition, it invites students to its labs and sends its own researchers to local institutions. "We absolutely want the students to know what the industry is all about,” Morvan says, noting that seeing science in action can help young people “understand that they can do something real with science, to create something with what they are learning.” He says another important benefit: encouraging new generations of young people to consider a career in cosmetics.Community involvement also raises awareness about Technature and the skincare industry as a whole. “The public gains recognition of the innovative company that we are, and this is important for getting new customers,” Morvan says. One of its recent innovations — tiny, colourful cosmetic pearls that release skin moisturisers on application — was showcased at this year’s VivaTech event in Paris.Morvan holds a master's degree from the Brest Business School and studied animal production and biology in Brest at the University of Western Brittany (UBO), an SCTT partner, and at the University of Tours. He got his start in business in 2002, initially working on using seaweed as a raw material in the food industry before transitioning to cosmetics. Morvan has always been interested in connecting science and business, reflecting one the goals of SCTT to enhance public-private collaboration.The invitation to participate in SCTT was unexpected. “It was a surprise to get a call from the city of Brest saying that they wanted me on this programme,” Morvan recalls, adding that officials were drawn by his company’s R&D. “It's not only theory and science fundamentals. Our science is something that is applicable to the global market — and important for the community.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
The core anti-Pangram constituency is phony writers
Welcome to The Closing Argument, our verdict on the news, plus everything The Argument published and appeared in this week. The Verdict, by Kelsey Piper A lot of people hate AI for drowning the internet in slop and displacing human creatives. You might think that these people would be thrilled by a program that can identify and flag AI-generated work. But many people who hate AI also hate Pangram, an impressively accurate AI detector that produces very few false positives, according to high-quality independent research. This loathing found its most recent expression in a bizarre Wired article that amplifies a wide range of false arguments from Pangram skeptics: that AI detectors are racist (they’re not) or ableist (they’re not)1 or don’t work (this one does)2. Rather than starting from the premise that it would be really valuable to have a working AI detector and scrutinizing Pangram to make sure it lives up to that promise, the article starts from the premise that Pangram obviously has bad vibes and sets out to discover why. (One answer: The CEO microwaved lunch during an interview!) Why aren’t writers who resent Pangram more eager to distinguish themselves from posters who are having ChatGPT ghostwrite all their work? There are a few different things at play, but I think one key dynamic is this: These are often the same people. A core constituency for arguments like Wired’s is “writers” who are using AI to write their posts but resent this fact being made public. They stand to lose from AI detectors because AI detectors call them out. Share When Substack announced a partnership with Pangram, a sizable fraction of the platform’s authors rose up in outrage. Some people had experience with other AI detectors that didn’t work, and some felt that AI writing ought to be encouraged — both of which are fair enough. But the fury was fueled by authors passionately insisting that Pangram kept wrongly accusing them on almost every post they published. Pangram can be wrong, especially on short passages. But in the overwhelming majority of cases where Pangram looked at a whole blog post rather than a single paragraph, the program correctly detected work as AI. Even if we can’t be 100% sure in any individual case, we can notice the trend in the aggregate. Wired quotes Sam Illingworth, a professor of critical AI literacy at Edinburgh Napier University, who said, “I don’t think [AI detectors] work. … I think that detectors are prejudiced against certain people.” This spring, he said that he used AI for research and editing; this summer he acknowledged that in addition to research and editing, he also uses it “now and then for a turn of phrase I keep.” Pangram informs us that most of his posts are 100% AI-written (some are mixed AI-and-human) and that 100% AI-written posts started appearing last year. The favorable interpretation is that, as someone whose recent work Pangram consistently mistakes for AI, Illingworth sees Pangram’s flaws firsthand. The unfavorable interpretation is that the tool’s credibility trades off against his own, because its account of who writes his posts is not consistent with his. Illingworth is not alone in insisting the detector does not work. “It’s a Monday night in late July, and I’m pasting my own Substack draft into an AI detector for the first time. Not because I’m worried. Because I’m curious. I wrote every word of it myself, the way I write everything, out loud in my head first, in a rhythm that still carries the accent of a language I learned to think in before I learned to write in this one,” begins one Substack post by an author indignant that Pangram flags her writing as AI. “That’s the part I had to sit with before I could write this.” If you, like me, have worked with AIs a lot, you won’t even need Pangram there. The author of that piece is AI. It is obviously AI! I checked 10 other posts on the blog, and they were also obviously AI! “I have spent 22 years as an award-winning author and essayist. And now this bullshit tool that learned from MY writing is going to accuse me of plagiarism,” popular Substack writer Carlyn Beccia wrote in an anti-Pangram post. “For the last and final time, AI DETECTORS DO NOT WORK.” Here’s what her writing sounded like in 2020: “Most success stories revolve around one person who believed enough in you to say — give it a try. We call these people muses, but they are so much more than that. They are the strong man giants whose shoulders we stand on so we can see the horizon. Throughout the editing process, I am sure my editor felt less like a giant of greatness and more like Atlas with the world on her shoulders.” Pangram says it was 100% human-written. (So were other articles of hers in 2020.) And here’s what it sounds like now: “And then there is the reshuffling, which sounds like paperwork until you remember that empires have always loved paperwork. The Trump regime recently moved special education oversight from the Education Department to HHS. That is not a minor bureaucratic transfer. It changes the frame.”3 Pangram says this is mostly AI. I am not convinced that Pangram is wrong. In my own experience, Pangram is very effective on long texts — if it marks a long essay as AI, the essay was either written by AI or deliberately written to sound like AI. On tweet-length or paragraph-length texts, it’s not perfectly reliable. It seems to work just as well for non-native English speakers as for native speakers. While I have seen dozens of claims of pre-2022 text returning a positive result on Pangram, I have tried repeatedly to corroborate those and have never once succeeded. To be clear, I’m absolutely not saying that complaining about Pangram suggests a writer is a cheat. There are plenty of other concerns. Most are mistakenly premised, such as the false claim that Pangram trains on work you put into it, but others are reasonable: It’s unreliable on sufficiently short text segments; it creates an internet witch-hunt mentality when there are defensible uses of AI; people who are open about their AI use are sometimes blamed, when the only people really doing something wrong are the ones who hide it; and it isn’t perfect, so a single positive result shouldn’t be taken as decisive proof of misconduct. I’m happy to concede that Pangram is imperfect and possible to over-rely on. If an author’s posts are mostly non-AI and one scans as partially AI, this could be a mistake. It’s also possible to defeat Pangram with intentional effort. If you think we need something more robust and more reliable, fine! But if you don’t like AI and don’t like Pangram, your attitude really ought to be that it’s a shame that our existing tools for AI detection are imperfect, and it’s important to invent better ones. If your stance is instead that AI is evil and so is looking for AI, then ultimately you’re contributing to the sloppification of the internet. You’re making it harder for people who write their own text to distinguish themselves, and providing cover for authors who are definitely not writing their own text. Subscribe Top stories this week, by Kobe Yank-Jacobs Commentators often worry that the decline of reading could mean the decline of liberal democracy — but deliberative governance actually predated widespread literacy. This week, Maibritt Henkel pointed out that many liberal cultures thrive on a culture of raucous, interactive debate, which can happen in-person as easily, if not more so, than in text. Read on, dear reader, to learn more. It may actually cheer you up: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) [ Reading won’t save liberalism ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) Maibritt Henkel · Sep 1 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) It used to be bad to downplay climate change (if we mean denying its reality). Today, it’s actually good to downplay climate change (if we mean keeping the issue out of political fights so we can make real progress). This counterintuitive view is called “climate hushing,” and contributor Alex Trembath argued that it’s the key to enacting good policy going forward. Get up to speed on the latest in climate politics: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) [ We won’t stop climate change by talking about it ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) Alex Trembath · Sep 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is standing up for the forces of liberalism against Donald Trump’s assault on our closest ally. So, why is one prominent left-wing commenter attacking Carney? Columnist Matthew Yglesias explains: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) [ When "economic liberty" means central planning ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) Matthew Yglesias · Aug 31 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) 🌟Abundance Wins of the Week🌟 Shout out to my home state of California, whose legislature passed two housing bills this week. One requires a housing density minimum in transit-oriented areas of the state’s most transit-rich cities (Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego, and Long Beach). Another bill closes two common loopholes used by third parties to delay housing projects, including an opportunity to challenge maps of a given lot created by the developer after a project has been approved. Shout out to our big-state rival, Texas, where pro-housing SB 785 took effect this week. The new state law requires municipalities to have at least one district permitted for manufactured housing without a special permit. This will promote zoning changes in 44% of municipalities. The company Fervo Energy signed a deal with Google for what is set to be the world’s largest enhanced geothermal facility, proving a technology can work at a scale that could be crucial to a decarbonized, energy-abundant economy. Share Worth watching… This week, forecasting legend Nate Silver joined Jerusalem, Matt, and Jeremiah on a crowded episode of the pod. It was a party. And speaking of parties, our round table debated the factional lines within the Democratic Party: Is it possible to be center-left and also anti-establishment? Watch or listen to find out: The Rio Grande Valley in Texas is one of the areas that swung hardest toward Trump in 2024, but musician Bobby Pulido is running to flip it back. Right now, The Argument/Split Ticket’s model has him running 1.1 points behind his Republican opponent in a district Trump won by 18 points. Tune in to find out how he differs from national Democrats and what he thinks he can to do win this seat. On Thursday, Bernie Sanders was among the first politicians to call for a ban on superintelligence. My guest this week, Andrea Miotti, has been lobbying to ban superintelligence for several years, most recently in the U.K., U.S., and Canada. I asked him how he gets legislators to take speculative risks seriously, and we dug into what plans might look like to actually pass a ban. Listen to learn more: What’s News with The Argument The Argument recommends, by Kobe Yank-Jacobs If we ever lose track of Justin Zuckerman, I’ll have the team split up and check all the movie theaters in the city. I’m shocked (and a little jealous) at how often he gets out to see good cinema. This week, he brings us It Ends, a “horror-ish movie,” which he described as a “Gen Z Waiting for Godot.” I was intrigued before he added that it was “funny, dark and existential” — at which point I was fully locked in. I guess I also had existential themes on the mind this week. One morning, a single line from a poem I read long ago just came to me: “Is death a stretch of time in which a life is just a flash?” The poem is called “From 20,000 Feet” by Heather McHugh. I suggest the version in The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, which, by tradition, my best friend and I always bring backpacking, extra weight be damned. We’ll stay thematically dark for just one more rec from senior editor John Robert Thomason, whose upcoming trip to Baltimore reminded him to suggest Michael Clune’s memoir White Out (about being addicted to heroin in Baltimore in the 1990s). Ben Lerner’s blurb called it _“_Disturbing, brilliant, hilarious—it’s as if Proust had written Jesus’ Son.” John told me this “seems accurate, with the caveat that I’ve never read Proust.” I, personally, have also shelved Proust until retirement. At this point, I was a little concerned for the team since all of us tossed out such psychologically grim material — maybe we’re all down about the end of summer — but thankfully, at least a few of us were into more upbeat selections. Milan Singh recommended Made In’s 5-quart stainless clad saucier, suggesting he had some fun in the kitchen. Jeremiah Johnson asked if he could recommend yet more Carly Rae Jepsen. Once denied, he offered up Game Changer instead_,_ calling it “the most wildly creative game show, maybe in the entire history of the genre.” Eli Richman mentioned _Lucky, “_a B-tier show with an A-tier cast and an S-tier theme song.” I suppose he was recommending the song, Horns of a Bull. Still, despite these cheerier recs, I couldn’t help but be concerned that we were subconsciously worried about racing toward summer’s end — the end of swim trunks and splashing around. Then a message landed reminding me of the three-day weekend to come. A whole extra day for sunshine. One more swim in the lake. I was grateful this called to mind yet another line from a poem, one by Mary Oliver, the patron saint of every gorgeous summer day (and about whom a documentary is now out). Speaking to God in the poem “Thirst,” she wrote: grant me, in your mercy,a little more time. Love for the earthand love for you are having such a longconversation in my heart. We have merch! We have quarter-zips, keychains, hats, and stickers. Each one is a great conversation starter in its own way. Buy them here. Subscribe More to read: [ The Opening Argument ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite)[ Seeing like an elite ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite) Kobe Yank-Jacobs · Sep 4 What do Americans hear when they watch Sen. Bernie Sanders or Vice President JD Vance rail against the elite? Are they thinking of right-wing tech billionaires? Imperious college professors? Liberal magazine writers? [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite) [ The Weekly Scroll ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline)[ God is back on the timeline ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline) Jeremiah Johnson · Sep 5 This week, we’re talking about Substack’s new religious debates, the continuing MAGA influencer scandal, how to retire from YouTube, and aura battles. [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline) 1 This was a legitimate thing to worry about, but doesn’t seem to be a problem given the actual technology: Marijke Van Vlasselaer, Filip Van Droogenbroeck, and Bram Spruyt’s 2026 paper looks at whether Pangram is less accurate when evaluating the work of non-native speakers of English. It isn’t. That’s because Pangram isn’t really looking at how “unusual” a piece of writing is but whether it has the characteristic patterns of LLMs. The Wired article makes an odd gesture at a different Pangram-is-racist argument. There were several controversies this summer during which upcoming books were canceled after being discovered to be AI-written: “The three novels mentioned earlier — Shy Girl, Daggermouth, and Call Me, easily publishing’s biggest AI-detection scandals — were all written by writers of color.” But come on! As Zvi Mowshowitz put it: “They were not primarily written by people of color. They were primarily written by AIs.” That’s the whole problem! And as my colleague Jeremiah Johnson recently observed with respect to Cambridge’s Arday scandal, a community being unwilling to call out fraud if it’s perpetuated by people of color is not an anti-racist tendency; it is ultimately quite racist. 2 Many non-Pangram detectors don’t work, but many possible airplane designs also don’t work, and no one considers this a general argument against aviation; the thing that matters is whether any detection works. 3 The phrase “empires have always loved” mysteriously became all the rage in the last few years. See here, here, here, here and here. Before 2025, the only use of that phrase I have been able to find is a single Tweet. The logic of the sentence, too, is incoherent in an AI-characteristic way. “...sounds like paperwork, until you remember that empires have always loved paperwork”? Does remembering that make it sound less like paperwork? It’s a craft-ful sentence, but what is it actually saying??
Halloween: The Game Appears to Patch Out a Sex Minigame — and Players Think They Know Why
Halloween: The Game developer IllFonic appears to have patched out a sex mini-game after a gameplay clip went viral.
AMD’s Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 495 Powers GMKtec’s EVO-X5 PRO To Run 300B+ Models Locally On 192 GB of Unified Memory
GMKtec has launched its flagship Mini Workstation, the EVO-X5 PRO, which rocks AMD's fastest Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 495 chip.
Trump admin. makes another appeal to SCOTUS to allow mail ballot restrictions
The appeal marks the third time the administration has asked the high court to intervene.
Trump admin. makes another appeal to SCOTUS to allow mail ballot restrictions
The appeal marks the third time the administration has asked the high court to intervene.
Trump admin renews Supreme Court ask to let mail ballot rule to take effect ahead of midterms
President Donald Trump’s administration on Sunday again asked the Supreme Court to allow the US Postal Service plan for mail ballots to take effect immediately.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow mail-in ballot restrictions to move forward for a third time
The Trump administration’s latest request to restrict mail-in ballots comes as North Carolina began sending mail ballots statewide last week.
Five Swing Factors That Will Define the Ravens’ Season
Lamar Jackson and Nnamdi Madubuike’s health, among other things, will be paramount in determining whether the Ravens can meet Super Bowl expectations in 2026.
‘Halloween: The Game’ Removes Controversial Mini Game Allowing Characters to Have Sex
Headlines were made back in March when it was announced that you'd be able to smoke weed in Halloween: The Game, but that's hardly the most controversial
Halloween: The Game Devs Quickly Patch Out Sex Mini-Game
Halloween: The Game's sex minigame has been swiftly removed in under 24 hours, after players realised that a character with the likeness of deceased actor Donald Pleasence could sleep with 17-year-old teens
Trump administration makes another appeal to the Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
The Trump administration is renewing its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the midterms.
Trump administration makes another appeal to Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
The filing came after U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order against the Postal Service enforcing President Donald Trump’s executive order for the November elections.
Trump administration makes another appeal to the Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Sunday renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahea
Trump administration makes another appeal to the Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
The Trump administration is renewing its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the midterms.
Trump administration makes another appeal to the Supreme Court to allow mail ballot restrictions
The Trump administration is renewing its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the midterms.
Israeli airstrikes completely destroyed hospital in southern Lebanon: Health Ministry
17 hospitals damaged by Israeli strikes since March 2, ministry says | Anadolu
Nine-year-old boy hospitalized with brain-eating amoeba, health ministry says
The boy is sedated and on a ventilator at a Haifa hospital. The rare infection has a 97 percent fatality rate, according to the Health Ministry
No bailouts for Jaguar Land Rover amid reports of thousands of job cuts, says minister
Carmaker, which is battling Trump tariffs and Chinese competitors, faces talks with union leaders and government
UK business minister to meet Jaguar Land Rover CEO over job cuts
Britain's business minister Jonathan Reynolds said he will meet Jaguar Land Rover's CEO this week to discuss job cuts at the country's biggest carmaker, amid reports it is looking to shed 4,000 roles.
Controversy swirls around Trump’s Venezuela business partner
The Trump administration’s Venezuela oil deal puts the federal government in business with a controversial figure from the South American nation. Recent reporting links North American Blue Ene…
Brandon McGinley: How the measles got political
In 1982, C. Everett Koop became Surgeon General of the United States. His unusual appearance — bright bowties and a mustache-less face framed by...
For Fired DeSantis Campaign Staff Member, a Second Chance at State Dept.
The hiring of Nate Hochman, who lost his job amid an uproar over a video containing a Nazi symbol, underscores the administration’s willingness to overlook past transgressions.
Student-loan forgiveness is now pushed back for these PSLF borrowers
The Trump administration removed some student-loan borrowers' payments toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. It's throwing their futures into limbo.
MCC receives funding to support life sciences education, workforce development
In July, the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center announced $12.3 million in funding through four tracks of the MLSC’s Education and Workforce Development Grant Program. Middlesex Community College r…
Ceuta: Sánchez stands alone in defence of Morocco
The prime minister urges ‘prudence’ to avoid a diplomatic conflict with Rabat
Collin Sexton had fun at Luka Doncic's minicamp
New Lakers guard Collin Sexton thoroughly enjoyed Luka Doncic's minicamp and came away impressed with Doncic's leadership.
Stephens County Hospital Administrators discuss joining Wellstar Health System
Wellstar Health System and Stephens County Hospital have reached an agreement for Stephens County Hospital to become part of Wellstar Health System. Stephens County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Van Loskoski says this opens up a depth of resources and services. “It opens up a depth of resources and services that is going to be really meaningful for the patients that [...]
Guthrie, Oz promote rural health funding in Glasgow visit
GLASGOW, Ky. — U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz visited T.J. Health Pavilion in Glasgow on Friday to meet with
Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Nevada voter data, state’s elections chief says
The move marks another effort by the Trump administration to insert the federal government more directly into the administration of elections.
Power & Politics: Immigration arrests; Trump administration targets CT for 'criminal voter fraud surge'
Susan Cockfield, of Stamford-Norwalk United With Immigrants, Juliana Soares, of Danbury Unites for Immigrants, and Dr. Mohammaad Elahee, of Quinnipiac University, join the show this week.
Power & Politics: Immigration arrests; Trump administration targets CT for 'criminal voter fraud surge'
Susan Cockfield, of Stamford-Norwalk United With Immigrants, Juliana Soares, of Danbury Unites for Immigrants, and Dr. Mohammaad Elahee, of Quinnipiac University, join the show this week.
Robin Morgan, feminist, poet and editor, dies at 85
Robin Morgan, a wholesome child star of the 1940s and ‘50s who grew up to become an all-American radical as a poet, essayist, editor and leading second-wave feminist, has died.
Italy's far-right Vannacci lashes EU in business summit address
Italy's rising far-right politician Roberto Vannacci told a high profile business forum on Saturday that the European Union should halt political integration and start defending its cultural identity instead, prompting former Prime Minister Mario Monti to warn against his "fascist rhetoric."
The dissonance of an American Jew thinking about Israel
The Jewish High Holidays will soon be upon us. The third anniversary of Oct. 7 will then quickly follow. Three weeks later, Israeli voters will head to the polls to elect all 120 members of its parliament, the Knesset and thereby their next prime minister. It has been a couple of years since I’ve addressed […]
Dominion gas plant, rising healthcare premiums and Lewis Ginter strike
Take a look at this week's top VPM News stories.
Three killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, health ministry says
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon "in response to Hezbollah’s attempted attack yesterday against IDF troops operating in the security zone."
Kevon Looney: Lakers will 'run through a wall for' Luka Doncic
Kevon Looney came away from Luka Doncic's recent Lakers minicamp impressed with the superstar's leadership.
Italy's Meloni just hit a major political milestone. Former leaders say economic reform must follow
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government became the country's longest-serving cabinet since World War II on Friday.
Friday Night Blitz Week Two: Minico handles business against Vallivue 39-0
The Minico Spartans improve to 2-1 on the season after a dominant home win over the 1-1 Vallivue Falcons.
‘There is light at the end of this tunnel. But the tunnel is filled with sewage’: Marina Hyde on finding hope in political chaos
The Guardian columnist reflects on how she stays upbeat in a chaotic age of ejector-seat prime ministers, Mars-bound baddies and at least one celebrity ski-massacre trial …
For feminists, the deaths of Parton and Steinem days apart deliver a double dose of grief
The deaths of Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton just days apart have delivered a double dose of grief for feminists.
For feminists, the deaths of Parton and Steinem days apart deliver a double dose of grief
The deaths of Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton just days apart have delivered a double dose of grief for feminists.
For feminists, the deaths of Parton and Steinem days apart deliver a double dose of grief
The deaths of Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton just days apart have delivered a double dose of grief for feminists.
Notice for 11th Modern Science Workshop for Monks and Nuns
The Department of Religion of the Central Tibetan Administration is scheduled to conduct its 10th “Modern Science Workshop” from 2 to 14 November 2026. The workshop is intended for monks and nuns from monastic institutions that do not provide opportunities to study Science subjects. A total of 30 applicants will be selected on a first-come,…
US embassy issues health alert for Cuba amid oil blockade, sanctions
The U.S. embassy in Havana issued a health alert for Cuba on Friday, warning travelers and residents of a spike in intestinal illnesses and diarrhea caused by failing water and electricity supply, even as the Trump administration continued to hold back fuel shipments necessary for power generation on the island.
Video: The C.D.C. Is Waging a Political Fight Over Measles Deaths
After Pennsylvania reported two measles deaths, the C.D.C. took the highly unusual step of challenging the state. Our reporter Apoorva Mandavilli explains how this tension between the Trump administration and states over health issues is creating confusion for Americans.
Federal judge extends block on Trump order seeking to limit mail voting in the midterms
A federal judge on Friday extended her prohibition against the U.S. Postal Service implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit mail voting during the midterms, putting another major obstacle in the way of the administration as the first states begin sending out mail ballots.
Postal Service Internal Watchdog Opens Inquiry After Whistle-Blower’s Complaint
The Trump administration’s effort to screen mail-in ballots for the midterms is facing numerous challenges.
Trump administration undermines health insurance coverage
What we have seen in this administration is a gutting of prevention and public health programs.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
Judge again blocks Trump’s effort to restrict voting by mail as ballots start going out
The move comes as the Trump administration is appealing a related order to the Supreme Court.
Judge Once Again Blocks Trump Administration’s Plans to Restrict Mail-In Ballots
The ruling arrived before the Supreme Court could decide whether to intervene but appeared certain to set off yet another round of appeals.
Federal judge extends block on mail ballot change for midterms
It's another major obstacle for the administration as the first states begin sending out mail ballots
Federal judge extends block on mail ballot change for midterms
It's another major obstacle for the administration as the first states begin sending out mail ballots