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Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Tom Ricketts Join 'Sportico Sports Business'
Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon and Chicago Cubs owner and chairman Tom Ricketts discuss the importance of fans to their teams.
Palmeiras reject multi-million Manchester City bid for Heittor Vinicius
Manchester City have seen an initial €20 million offer for Palmeiras’ Heittor Vinicius turned down.A strategic Etihad recruitment model substantiates the pursuit of emerging Brazilian talent.Playe...
Containing Cubs' offense next quest for Padres' Randy Vasquez
After conquering Coors Field in his last outing, Randy Vasquez now looks to tame the Chicago Cubs' potent attack.
Here are 6 ways that climate change is affecting sports around the world
From running marathons at night to moving annual events to different seasons, sporting events are racing to stay ahead of climate change.
Netflix Weighs Profit Discipline Against Growth In Sports Gaming Experiences
Netflix (NasdaqGS:NFLX) is sharpening its capital allocation approach, emphasizing profitability and margin discipline. The company is widening its focus beyond on demand streaming to advertising, live sports, gaming and experiential venues. Management recently chose not to pursue a potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, signaling a preference for self funded growth. Netflix shifted from a pure subscription streaming pioneer into a broader entertainment platform that includes ad...
Sun Pharma signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Organon
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (Reuters: SUN.BO, Bloomberg: SUNP IN, NSE: SUNPHARMA, BSE: 524715) (together with its subsidiaries and/or associated co...
Is Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (FUN) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
Is FUN a good stock to buy? We came across a bullish thesis on Six Flags Entertainment Corporation on High Yield Landlord’s Substack by Jussi Askola, CFA. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on FUN. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation’s share was trading at $19.27 as of April 20th. FUN’s trailing and forward P/E were 17.57 and 1.00k respectively […]
Sasaki, Rushing Take Positives From Start in Win Over Cubs
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki and catcher Dalton Rushing both saw improvement from the pitcher in his start Saturday.
2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 27
All things eventually meet their end. The Cubs lose 12-4.
10x Science: $4.8 Million Raised To Build AI Platform For Molecular Protein Characterization
10x Science, an artificial intelligence company focused on molecular-level protein characterization, announced that it has raised $4.8 million in seed funding led by Initialized Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Civilization Ventures, Founder Factor, and a group of strategic angel investors. The round was oversubscribed and will support the company’s efforts to scale its platform and expand partnerships across the life sciences ecosystem.
Vermont sees drop in health insurance enrollment after subsidy cuts
Learn about the impact of the federal budget bill HR.1 on Vermont's healthcare system, including loss of subsidies and changes to Medicaid eligibility.
AI goldrush collides with voter backlash in Georgia
Multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence hubs are beginning to scramble politics in the crucial swing state as voters worry about costs and local control.
Congress must deliver substantive health care reform in 2026
Lawmakers are attempting to address the rising health care costs by redirecting funds from insurance companies and hospital systems to patients, as supported by the organization Fund The Patient an…
Behavioral health urgent care set to open in Robeson County
The facility will be open 24 hours a day to help patients who are experiencing a mental health or substance misuse crisis.
Roki Sasaki earns first win as Dodgers rout Cubs
The Sporting Tribune's Fredo Cervantes writes about the reemergence of Roki Sasaki's splitter.
Roki Sasaki’s Mixed Bag Start vs. Cubs Continues Rollercoaster
Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki pitched five innings on Saturday, April 25, against the Chicago Cubs in what continued to be an eventful outing.
Algeria eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports validating Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This makes Algeria the 29th country globally to achieve this significant milestone. "Algeria’s elimination of trachoma is a historic triumph that connects the past, present, and future of public health, and is rooted in a century-long commitment," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "This milestone proves that with sustained political will and on-the-ground leadership from committed health professionals, we can eliminate neglected tropical diseases and build a healthier, more resilient future for all." For decades, Algeria implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma. These activities included provision of surgery to treat the late blinding stage of the disease (“trachomatous trichiasis”, TT), conducting mass administration of antibiotic treatment, carrying out public awareness campaigns to promote facial cleanliness and personal hygiene as well as improvement in access to water supply and sanitation. Trachoma is the first neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Algeria. Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a public health problem in 30 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Blindness from trachoma is difficult to reverse. Based on November 2025 data, 97 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness. Infection spreads through personal contact (via hands, clothes, bedding or hard surfaces) and by flies that have been in contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface of the eye. This causes pain and may permanently damage the cornea. In 2024, 87,349 people received surgical treatment for advanced stage of the disease, and 44.4 million people were treated with antibiotics. Global antibiotic coverage in 2024 was 39%. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
'Best day of my life' | 3 things to know about Bills NFL Draft pick CB Toriano Pride Jr.
Pride Jr. is excited to bring speed and an aggressive nature to Buffalo's defense.
Photos | TJ Parker & Davison Igbinosun Arrive at One Bills Drive
Scroll to see photos as Buffalo Bills 2026 second-round picks TJ Parker and Davison Igbinosun arrive for their first day at the Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Pete Crow-Armstrong Continues Taking Shots at Dodger Fans
Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong cannot stop talking about Los Angeles Dodgers fans, continuing to take aim at the fanbase as a whole.
Dodgers on Deck: Sunday, April 26 vs. Cubs
Battle of left-handers Sunday at Dodger Stadium
Can American Politics Ever Be ‘Normal’ Again, AFTER Trump?
As far as Donald Trump has fallen, says former Republican focus group maestro Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, he needs to fall further before the country can decisively move forward. Can Democrats make it happen, or even Trump himself? Longwell joins Zeteo’s John Harwood for a live conversation on Substack to break it all down. Subscribe Watch the full video above …
2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 26
Dansby Swanson leads an amazing comeback in the Cubs’ 10th straight win.
Surging Cubs count on bullpen ahead of rematch vs. Dodgers
Surging Cubs count on bullpen ahead of rematch vs. Dodgers
Dansby Swanson delivers in clutch again as Cubs rally to beat Dodgers, record 10th straight win
Where to watch Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Live stream, TV channel, odds for Saturday, April 25
The Cubs take a 10-game winning streak into their game against the Dodgers.
Why He Fits: From business trip to breakout, Zachariah Branch brings juice to Atlanta
After elevating his game at Georgia, Branch arrives as the kind of dynamic playmaker the Falcons covet.
Denver plans streamlining of nightclub, entertainment licenses, with some spots allowed to stay open later
The city’s nightlife offerings — including everything from concert venues and nightclubs to some wine bars and restaurants — are set to see a major overhaul this year.
Gravitational waves may have created dark matter in the early universe
In the chaotic first moments after the Big Bang, ripples in spacetime may have done more than just echo through the cosmos—they could have helped create dark matter itself. New research suggests that faint, ancient gravitational waves might have transformed into particles that eventually became the invisible substance shaping galaxies today.
Saturday Sports: The NFL Draft; the Chicago Cubs
NPR's Scott Simon and sports reporter Michele Steele discuss the NFL Draft.
Colorado Politics Calendar Apr. 27-May 3
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Craig Counsell criticizes "Ohtani Rule" as Cubs rally past Dodgers
The Sporting Tribune's Fredo Cervantes writes about the Cubs win and Craig Counsell's recent comments on the "Ohtani rule".
Cubs Leg Out Comeback Against Dodgers
The fiery Chicago Cubs mount comeback against the Los Angeles Dodgers to take series opener. Emmet Sheehan struck out 10.
Final Fantasy XIV Is Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in August With a Separate Subscription
Square Enix has announced plans to bring Final Fantasy XIV to Nintendo Switch 2 this August – but there is a catch.
It's Happening: Final Fantasy XIV Is Coming To Switch 2 This August
Players will require a separate subscription from other platforms
Final Fantasy 14 coming to Nintendo Switch 2
Square Enix is bringing Final Fantasy 14 to Nintendo Switch 2, Square Enix just announced. The game will be available this August. A short early access period of about a month is planned. The cost during this time will be entirely free. The Switch 2 version will require a separate subscription from other versions, following discussions with Nintendo. However, a...
Cubs stay hot for Dodgers duel, Braves return to World Series contender form and Yankees ready for new uniforms
Interview transcript: Game File x Xbox's Asha Sharma and Matt Booty
I’m trying something different today: offering all Game File readers a free write-up of a big interview, while also offering the interview transcript to paying readers. If you want to get the essence of my conversation with new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty, with context around their comments, check out the free piece. If you want more depth, this transcript is for you. I’ve lightly edited the conversation for clarity and flow, but you’ll still get plenty of Sharma and Booty’s thoughts, my questions, and a good sense of how our conversation progressed—complete with follow-ups, some conversational detours, and the best quotes that made it into the free piece.
Could your beer have health benefits? Here’s what new research says
A casual beer might come with an unexpected perk. Drinking the occasional pint could provide “substantial levels” of vitamin B6, an essential nutrient that supports brain function, blood health and…
Travelers unit launches business insurance app in ChatGPT
Simply Business, a subsidiary of The Travelers Cos., Thursday launched its business insurance application in ChatGPT in the U.S.
Breaking Point: Why the Affordable Housing Business Model Is Unraveling
With rising insurance, debt, and operating costs outpacing rents and subsidies, affordable housing is becoming harder to finance.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's price cut has gone live at the perfect time
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's latest price cut couldn't have arrived at a better time, as the subscription service is about to add a lot of brand-new games.
2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 25
The Cubs ride a strong offense to their ninth straight win.
20th Anniversary iPhone to Feature Custom 'Micro-Curved' OLED Panel
For its 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is tapping Samsung to produce a custom micro-curved OLED display that is brighter and thinner than existing panels, according to new supply chain information out of China. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the 20th-anniversary iPhone that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device.
SLB Seen Acquiring S&P Global’s Subsurface Oil Software Business
SLB, the world’s largest oilfield service provider, is expected to announce Friday plans to acquire S&P Global Energy Inc.’s geoscience and petroleum-engineering software business, according to people familiar with the matter.
Massive month on Celtic TV!
The split is upon us and the Hoops are also in the Scottish Cup Final! The only place to watch all the games live is on Celtic TV.*By signing up between now and kick-off on Saturday, a month’s subsc...
"We care deeply about this game, and we play it right alongside you": World of Warcraft team apologizes for the state of the game — as patch 12.0.5 frustration boils over
World of Warcraft is the most popular subscription based MMORPG in history owing to the absolute mountain of content it receieves in exchange for the monthly fee. Lately, though, it feels increasingly like Blizzard has spread itself thin.
“A Picayune Detail:” Nazi Science Heads West
As Allied forces crossed the English Channel during the D-Day invasion of June 1944, some 10,000 intelligence officers known as T-Forces were right behind the advance battalions. Their mission: seize munitions experts, technicians, German scientists and their research materials, along with French scientists who had collaborated with the Nazis. Soon, a substantial number of such scientists had been picked up and placed in an internment camp known as the Dustbin. In the original planning for the mission, a prime factor was the view that German military equipment – tanks, jets, rocketry and so forth – was technically superior and that captured scientists, technicians and engineers could be swiftly debriefed in an effort by the Allies to catch up.
Cubs win ninth straight, walk off Phillies, who have lost nine in a row and are tied for MLB's worst record
Leak reveals new Xbox Game Pass ‘Starter Edition’ that’s part of Discord Nitro
Nitro subscribers will get a limited Xbox Game Pass subscription
Close, but still not good enough: Cubs 8, Phillies 7
The Phillies finally showed some signs of life, but nevertheless they still couldn’t manage to finally break their losing streak, which has now extended to nine games. They erased a 6-2 deficit and tied it at 7-7 in the ninth, but ultimately, they couldn’t find a way to win in extras while Dansby Swanson walked it off for the Cubs to win 8-7. Brandon Marsh went 4-5 with two home runs and three RBIs in a losing effort.
Here’s what we know after Lake County sub experienced ‘mental health episode’ in class
Days after a Lake County substitute teacher was allegedly caught acting erratically in a high school classroom, News 6 is digging deeper into what exactly spurred the incident.
NFIB Supports Legislation to Increase the Small Business Deduction to 23%
The Small Business Tax Cut Act would build on the success of Congress making the Small Business Deduction permanent
Critical Access Toolkit for Substance Use Disorder
The toolkit produced by PHI's Bridge program was developed by experts in addiction medicine. It provides educational videos and downloadable resources on need-to-know information about critical access to medications for opioid use disorder and overdose prevention tactics.
The surprising health benefit that could be in your pint
Drinking the odd pint of beer can provide "substantial levels" of an essential brain-boosting vitamin in your diet, according to new research in a respected journal.
Heating up for health: Researcher weighs in on the science behind saunas and hot tubs
Heat therapy is hot right now. Saunas are popping up in more backyards and fitness centers. And heat is part of the constant conversation around optimizing health and wellness. But the idea of leveraging ...
Heating up for health: Researcher weighs in on the science behind saunas and hot tubs
Heat therapy is hot right now. Saunas are popping up in more backyards and fitness centers. And heat is part of the constant conversation around optimizing health and wellness. But the idea of leveraging ...
IKS Health Announces Agreement to Acquire TruBridge to Strengthen Access to Rural and Community-Based Healthcare
Inventurus Knowledge Solutions, Inc. (“IKS”), the U.S. subsidiary of Inventurus Knowledge Solutions Limited (NSE: IKS) (“IKS Health”), a global leader in car...
IKS Health Announces Agreement to Acquire TruBridge to Strengthen Access to Rural and Community-Based Healthcare
DALLAS & MOBILE, Ala., April 23, 2026--Inventurus Knowledge Solutions, Inc. ("IKS"), the U.S. subsidiary of Inventurus Knowledge Solutions Limited (NSE: IKS) ("IKS Health"), a global leader in care enablement solutions, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TruBridge, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBRG) ("TruBridge"), a prominent provider of healthcare technology solutions for rural and community hospitals. This proposed strategic acquisition underscores a commitment to broaden a
BillingPlatform Honored as Gold Stevie® Award Winner in 2026 American Business Awards®
/PRNewswire/ -- BillingPlatform, the leader in enterprise monetization, today announced it was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the Subscription...
After health insurance subsidies end, 30,000 Idahoans will be uninsured, government report says
After Congress refused to extend deeper subsidies for health insurance, 30,000 more Idahoans who had insurance are likely to be uninsured.
Where to watch Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs: TV channel, start time, streaming for Apr. 23
Here's how to watch Thursday's Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies game, including start times, TV channels, scores and how to stream.
For Love of the Game: Nashville’s Booming Community Sports Leagues
A four-part look at recreational leagues and high-level clubs
Ingrid's movelist and mechanics details revealed for Street Fighter 6 with her unique Sun Crest abilities and tons of attacks
After waiting 10 months since her initial reveal, Ingrid just received her gameplay trailer for Street Fighter 6, but that's not all we got to dig into.Capcom also just released a bunch of additional details on Ingrid's ...
Substantiation, Entity Indebtedness, and Business Expense Deductibility: An Analysis of the Simmons Case — Current Federal Tax Developments
Cathryn A. Simmons v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2026-34 (April 22, 2026) In a recent memorandum decision, the United States Tax Court addressed recurring substantiation issues surrounding closely held entities, commingled funds, and rental real estate deductions. The taxpayer, Cathryn A. Simmons, p
San Francisco 49ers Choose Sutter Health as Official Healthcare Partner, Connecting Millions to Prevention and Wellness
Building on a shared Northern California footprint, the 49ers and Sutter Health will collaborate to bring year-round health programming to fans and communities
Our unsung hero of science: Friedrich Miescher, the man who discovered DNA
Working on human pus in a medieval castle, Miescher discovered a substance that would eventually unlock our understanding of how life works.
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
Ribbon cutting ceremony held for U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green
U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green will serve the local community for a variety of sporting events
Capcom provides a first look at Ingrid's in-game render before the debut of her gameplay trailer tonight for Street Fighter 6
Ingrid is the next character coming to Street Fighter 6 as DLC. She's set to be the final challenger of Season 3.Needless to say, fans are already discussing the rumors surrounding the Season 4 lineup. While that rumor ...
UGREEN Enters Sports Arena with New England Patriots Partnership
UGREEN, a global leader in consumer technology, today announced a partnership with the New England Patriots, becoming the Official Technology Accessory Partner for the team’s 2026 season.
The Comeback of the Physical Store—and What It Means for Your Business
Brick-and-mortar retail is not declining but evolving, as stores take on new roles as logistics hubs, experiential destinations, and powerful drivers of demand and brand equity. Rising digital acquisition costs and operational challenges are pushing companies to integrate physical and online channels, using stores to improve fulfillment, customer engagement, and marketing effectiveness. The broader lesson for leaders: assets once viewed as liabilities can become competitive advantages when their role is reimagined and aligned with changing economics and customer behavior.
Xbox Game Pass price cut but day-one Call of Duty access ended
New Call of Duty games will be added to the subscription service "about a year" after release, Microsoft said.
Where to watch Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs: TV channel, start time, streaming for Apr. 22
Here's how to watch Wednesday's Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies game, including start times, TV channels, scores and how to stream.
"Not surprising at all" - analysts see Xbox Game Pass price cut as inevitable shift that will drive subscription growth in 2026
Price drop expected to aid growth in platform users, while opinion is divided on the impact on Call of Duty revenues
Health department to lead all street outreach teams
The City’s outreach teams work with people struggling with housing and substance use issues.
How Al Gore Politicized Climate Science
An Inconvenient Truth turns 20 next month. In the 2006 documentary, former vice president Al Gore argued that human-driven climate change was an urgent, civilization-threatening crisis. The film became a cultural phenomenon, winning two Academy Awards and making climate change one of the defining political issues of our time. I am sure that there will be many retrospectives seeking to relitigate the scientific claims in the film. But the far more important anniversary story is not about the accuracy of any of Gore’s individual claims but rather about what the film helped to unleash in the scientific community: bringing partisan politics into the institutions of science. Gore did not simply make a film about climate change: He implored the scientific community to join him in overt climate advocacy. The fuel that Gore added to the fire of pathological politicization of the climate science community is the most important legacy of An Inconvenient Truth. Almost three years after the film’s release, Gore took the stage at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—the country’s largest and most prominent scientific organization—and delivered something much closer to a revival sermon than a scientific lecture. Gore told the assembled scientists that they could no longer “in good conscience accept this division between the work you do and the civilization in which you live.” His directive was clear:
Rumor: Street Fighter 6 Season 4 DLC character roster potentially leaks online including big Final Fantasy crossover
Street Fighter 6 is getting ready to close out its third season of DLC content with Ingrid on the way in the near future, but we may now already know who is coming after her.A potential leak of Street ...
Partnership offers one-stop site for mental health, recovery services in Manchester
Manchester officials on Tuesday announced a partnership with the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (MHCGM) to enhance the city's response to homelessness, substance use disorder and mental health issues.
Microsoft's Game Pass gets cheaper, loses launch day Call of Duty access
New Xbox CEO says subscription "has become too expensive for too many players."
Tim Cook's Legacy Is Turning Apple Into a Subscription
The soon-to-exit Apple CEO went all in on services. Now, the incoming CEO, John Ternus, will need to embrace the AI era.
Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Thinks the Ohtani Rule is 'Bizarre'
Cubs manager Craig Counsell thinks a Major League Baseball rule that allows the Los Angeles Dodgers to carry 14 pitchers because of Shohei Ohtani is “bizarre."
Microsoft cuts Xbox Game Pass price, to remove 'Call of Duty' day one inclusions
Microsoft has dropped the price of its video game subscription service and the platform will not include future "Call of Duty" game releases on launch day, the company said on Tuesday, in the first major strategy shift under new gaming boss Asha Sharma.
Behavioral health data exchange challenges impede interoperability, says ONC
Technical barriers, workforce limitation, privacy concerns and cost may all contribute to lower rates of electronic exchange of health information by mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities, a new analysis shows.
Stop Paying for a VPN: Firefox Just Built One Right Into Your Browser
Mozilla's built-in VPN offers an extra layer of privacy for your browser traffic without requiring a separate subscription.
Reps. Smucker and Davids Introduce Bipartisan ‘Accountable Produce is Medicine Act’
WASHINGTON — Representatives Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced the bipartisan Accountable Produce is Medicine Act (H.R. 8355), legislation aimed at modernizing the U.S. health care system by incorporating proven nutrition-based interventions to prevent and manage chronic disease.
Shohei Ohtani's roster spot an unfair advantage, claims Craig Counsell ahead of weekend Dodgers-Cubs series
As a two-way player, Ohtani is listed as a position player, which allows the Dodgers to roster 13 other pitchers
The Pitt and Medicaid - National Health Law Program
“Hopefully we’ll be back on Medicaid by then.” “How’d you lose it?” “They sent a redetermination letter to our old apartment. It didn’t get forwarded.” “And you haven’t been able to get it back since?” “I’ve been trying for months. To get re-enrolled, you need tax returns, pay stubs… I cut hair. My income fluctuates.” – The Pitt, Season 2, […]
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
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