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Judges May Remain in Text Message Chains With Friends in Politics If They Refrain From Political Discussion: Judicial Ethics Opinion 26-06

A judge may remain in a text message chain with personal friends, even when some of those friends are also local political leaders. The judge must exercise caution to avoid political activity and otherwise comply with the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct.

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Aug 4 • 11:00 PM EDT • Politics • law.com
Michigan Science Center Offers FREE Admission on August 15 for Axalta Community Free Day

Whether you have a curious preschooler or a future engineer, the Michigan Science Center offers something for every age. Families can spend hours exploring interactive exhibits that make learning…

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Aug 4 • 10:46 PM EDT • Science • littleguidedetroit.com
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Trade grades: Diamondbacks dubbed losers at deadline

When every other team in contention for an NL Wild Card spot does something and the D-backs do not, there are alarm bells fairly ringing.

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Aug 4 • 10:28 PM EDT • Sports • arizonasports.com
Burt Reynolds was gifted a brand new Pontiac Trans Am every year for the rest of his life until an awkward call with General Motors president

Following the huge success of the film Smokey and the Bandit, Burt Reynolds struck a deal with GM for a free Pontiac Trans Am a year, but something went wrong

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Aug 4 • 9:39 PM EDT • Technology • supercarblondie.com
This year’s US News ‘best hospitals’ list has some standouts among the standouts

The latest lineup of America’s “best of the best” hospitals from US News & World Report is something of an embarrassment of riches for a few cities and health systems.

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Aug 4 • 8:41 PM EDT • Health • healthexec.com
The Business of Helping the Ultra-Wealthy Vanish From the Internet

A growing industry now sells executives and high-net-worth clients something increasingly difficult to secure on their own: a smaller digital footprint.

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Aug 4 • 6:37 PM EDT • Business • observer.com
Orange County weighs restrictions on exotic wildlife entertainment after Sloth World controversy

Nearly a year after the Sloth World controversy sparked outrage across Central Florida, Orange County leaders are exploring whether they can prevent a similar situation from happening again.

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Aug 4 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • clickorlando.com
Tigard healthcare provider announces 100+ layoffs as it moves away from skilled nursing

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Tigard-based healthcare provider is planning multiple rounds of layoffs. In a notice filed Tuesday, Avamere Health Services announced a restructuring of the company expect…

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Aug 4 • 6:05 PM EDT • Health • koin.com
GOP Leadership pushing Edwards to drop re-election bid over ethics report

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee on Monday released a 20-page report on the investigation, recommending that the chamber censure Edwards.

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Aug 4 • 6:00 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Aaron Donald looks to establish a media and entertainment footprint

As defensive tackle Aaron Donald focuses for now on whether he'll end a two-year playing hiatus in pursuit of a second Super Bowl ring, he's activating a longer-term vision for his post-football future.

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Aug 4 • 5:54 PM EDT • Entertainment • nbcsports.com
We must work together to find health care affordability solutions

There isn’t one single entity to blame for our nation’s health care crisis ― it is a systems problem requiring shared responsibility and real solutions.

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Aug 4 • 5:46 PM EDT • Health • detroitnews.com
National Guard deployment to Washington through 2029 will cost roughly $1.4 billion, estimate shows

The cost estimate is for fiscal years 2027-2029 and came in response to questions from Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

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Aug 4 • 5:42 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
The Beauty Of Settled Science

Commenters convinced me I made a subtle mis-step in my framing of Psychology Research Is Mostly Fine. My framing emphasized that social priming studies had failed to replicate, but that many other subfields of psychology hadn’t. This naturally led commenters to point to failed replications in other subfields. Although none of these were as bad as social priming, few or none were entirely problem-free. Instead of emphasizing the difference between social priming and other subfields, I should have emphasized the difference between settled science and novel research. Here are some of my favorite psychology findings: The brain is sculpted by reinforcement learning, and a key driver of this learning is a prediction-error-based algorithm located in the nucleus accumbens and implemented through dopamine. Psychedelic drugs exert their effects through 5-HT2A receptors, pointing to a role for these receptors in some sort of construct like the balance between priors and new evidence. Certain cognitive functions are localized to certain brain areas (for example, impulse control to the frontal lobes; linguistic structure to Broca’s area, linguistic meaning to Wernicke’s area. But injure one of these areas, or render a certain function useless (eg a blind person having no more use for their visual cortex), and these mappings can gradually shift - suggesting that neurons are general-purpose compute whose specialization is a contingent fact about convenience and efficiency rather than a necessity. Most personality traits and general capabilities are about 50% genetic and 50% random, with little role for family environment or childhood history, with a few notable exceptions like partisan preference. Recent research complicates this story, but the further you go from this basic picture, the gnarlier the chains of indirect causation you require. Neurons fire together in “brain waves”, whose exact frequency corresponds with the character of consciousness; These divide neurons into natural subpopulations and linked graphs. The gamma rhythm corresponds surprisingly well to items in conscious awareness. GABA receptors seem to be involved in something like relaxation. By hitting different GABA receptors in different ways, you can modulate the exact type of relaxation you produce. Hitting GABA-A directly is too powerful and can cause dangerous levels of sedation, but allosteric modulation of GABA is an incredibly fruitful strategy that underlies drugs from benzos to barbituates to alcohol. If you know your GABA-A subunits, you can target specific subtypes of relaxation; for example, Ambien hits GABA-A1 and induces sleep. Memory divides somewhat fuzzily into bins of immediate-sensory, short-term, and long-term, with separate retrieval and storage functions, and separate systems for declarative vs. procedural learning. These can be harmed selectively, usually by hippocampal injury, so that some patients can remember their life stories but not form new long-term memories, or learn new skills like bike-riding but not new facts. The exact substrate of memory is unclear but seems to involve new synaptic connections between neurons in at least some way. The ability of modern psychology and psychiatry to treat mental illness is real but limited. SSRIs work for half or slightly fewer than half of patients; antipsychotics work with extreme side effects; benzodiazpines work but produce addiction and tolerance in many (not all) people. Most supplements are stuck in Poor Quality Study Replication Crisis Hell, but melatonin and l-theanine stand out as especially promising. Psychotherapy works with moderate effect size, but (with a few exceptions) seems to be more about the relationship with the provider than the details of the therapy itself. Mental hospitalization can sometimes defuse immediate crises but work less well than mental hospitals would like, with some studies showing overall negative effects. Schizophrenia is mostly genetic, but risk also increases with prenatal infection (especially rubella) and obstetric complications; there is suggestive evidence for roles of social stress and drug use (with psychedelics and marijuana making things worse, and nicotine if anything making things better). Bipolar and schizophrenia are so closely linked on a pathophysiological level that it seems like they might be the same disease; on the clinical level, they do seem to follow two separate courses/prognoses but can sometimes surprise clinicians by eg someone who seemed condemned to permanent schizophrenia unexpectedly recovering. The brain’s native reinforcement learning algorithms cash out in the phenomena of classical and operant conditioning; different reinforcement schedules reinforce at different levels, which can be exploited by bad actors to make especially compelling products (eg slot machines). None of these are immune to doubt. A few are speculative; one or two are genuinely unorthodox. But they’re all a step above one p = 0.049 paper that might not replicate. If they get overturned, they’ll be overturned by the same sort of genuine scientific shift that replaced Ptolemy with Copernicus or Lamarck with Darwin, not some sort of sordid discovery about someone entering random numbers into a spreadsheet. In 2008, Eliezer Yudkowsky wrote about The Beauty Of Settled Science: If you only care about scientific issues that are controversial, you will end up with a head stuffed full of garbage. The media thinks that only the cutting edge of science is worth reporting on. How often do you see headlines like “General Relativity still governing planetary orbits” or “Phlogiston theory remains false”? So, by the time anything is solid science, it is no longer a breaking headline. “Newsworthy” science is often based on the thinnest of evidence and wrong half the time—if it were not on the uttermost fringes of the scientific frontier, it would not be breaking news. Scientific controversies are problems so difficult that even people who’ve spent years mastering the field can still fool themselves. That’s what makes for the heated arguments that attract all the media attention. Worse, if you aren’t in the field and part of the game, controversies aren’t even fun. Don’t be embarrassed to read elementary science textbooks, either. If you want to pretend to be sophisticated, go find a play to sneer at. If you just want to have fun, remember that simplicity is at the core of scientific beauty [...] A steady diet of science news is bad for you: You are what you eat, and if you eat only science reporting on fluid situations, without a solid textbook now and then, your brain will turn to liquid. Psychology isn’t centrally the new paper in Annals Of Recently-Breaking News saying that an n=5 study showing that large portion sizes increase support for terrorism. Psychology is centrally ideas like brain waves, GABA receptors, reinforcement learning, twin studies, and connectionism. People who think differently are worrying too much about BREAKING NEWS!!!, and should stop. The key distinction isn’t “recent research in social psychology” vs. “recent research in cognitive/bio/behavioral psychology”, as my essay last week unfortunately implied. It’s recent research in general vs. the deposit of settled science, battle-tested hypotheses, and carefully-earmarked speculation. And part of the reason social priming in particular was such a disaster was that it defied that heuristic, building itself up over hundreds of studies until it approached or even entered the pantheon of settled science - before collapsing (5-HTTLPR was also sort of like this). This isn’t a claim that settled science is always right - Freud was “settled science” for a long time - just that there’s an intuitive distinction between the level of credence you should have in the existence of power posing vs. the existence of Broca’s Area. (I compounded this error by calling the last post “Psychology Research Is Mostly Fine”, which suggested I was talking about the new research rather than the settled science. I actually meant to distinguish between research-psychology-the-field vs. clinical-psychology-aka-therapy, but this framing unintentionally pushed against the point I wanted to make) Some commenters on the previous article understood this point, but challenged its weight. It’s very cool, they said, to know how many neurons are in which brain lobe, but the main way that Psychology affected their lives was through bad clickbait studies used to buttress dumb policies; some p = 0.049 study says that exposure to microaggressions makes minorities’ brains shrivel into raisins, and now their company has to implement punitive DEI or be sued for hazardous work conditions. I won’t dispute this as an accurate description of how the sausage gets made, but it’s worth examining the trains of thought that connect this observation to a campaign against psychology in general: The dumb woke psychology was wrong and bad, and I don’t have good heuristics for distinguishing dumb woke psychology from other psychology, so I’m going to assume it’s all wrong and bad. The dumb woke psychology was wrong and bad; it seems useful to punish/discredit psychology as a whole to assist my campaign against it, so for propaganda purposes I will try to discredit psychology as a whole. To people in the first camp, my response is: come on, your heuristics aren’t that bad. “Microaggressions makes minorities’ brains shrivel up like raisins” is in the woke category; “the hippocampal theta rhythm seems to be associated with both memory and pathfinding, suggesting an unexpected yet surprisingly compelling relationship between the two” is in the not-woke category, don’t play dumb here. To people in the second camp, my response is: deliberately exaggerated propaganda campaigns are bad and this is a confession, not an excuse. Inability to view science through anything but a political lens was what got us into this problem; doubling down on it is a temporary solution but a recipe for permanent disaster. If you pronounce entire fields of science to be acceptable collateral damage in your campaign against bad political actors, you will alienate not just scientists but patients, clinicians, and general lovers of truth. Instead, you can say the thing you mean - that woke partisans shouldn’t try to occupy and exploit the otherwise-noble science of psychology for their own political gain - and wage the same campaign with a halo rather than a comic-book-villain goatee. From the font of oracular wisdom that is Weird Sun Twitter: [ Vessel Of Spirit@VesselOfSpirit i love you all conditionally but i love the good part of you unconditionally. even if it becomes a very small part 2:11 AM · Jan 22, 2015 1 Reply · 5 Reposts · 29 Likes ](https://x.com/VesselOfSpirit/status/558084551772471298) This is how I feel about psychology1, too, but with a touch more optimism. The good part of psychology is enormous, a hoard of endless treasures. You just have to look past the headlines! 1 To play devil’s advocate - should one always be so magnamious? Astrology? Phrenology? These seem different in that their entire orientation was flawed from the start; they didn’t simply fail to find the correct constellation-personality connections, the whole project of searching for connections between constellations and personality was doomed from the start. More difficult might be asking the same question about education research, which is notoriously bad. I don’t know enough about education research to know if there’s some settled science of correct and enlightening results lurking in the background beyond the day-to-day froth of poorly-conducted and politically-motivated studies. I think if it’s 90% bad, 10% good, it’s correct to call it bad as a compact way of communicating a useful truth; I think psychology is better than that, but admit it’s a tough judgment call.

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Aug 4 • 5:33 PM EDT • Science • astralcodexten.com
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Two more House Democrats face primary danger: From the Politics Desk

Plus, the House Ethics Committee is investigating Ohio GOP Rep. Max Miller.

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Aug 4 • 5:29 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
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Motion filed Tuesday seeks mental health evaluation in Ohio child endangering case

Attorneys for Elizabeth Siders have filed a motion asking a judge to order a mental health evaluation to determine whether she is competent to stand trial.

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Aug 4 • 5:23 PM EDT • Health • komonews.com
Exclusive | Pete Hegseth Army Chief Pick in Jeopardy Over Republican Objections

Some lawmakers and experts say Gen. Christopher LaNeve lacks experience at the four-star level.

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Aug 4 • 5:17 PM EDT • Politics • wsj.com
Dolphins Encouraged by Malik Willis' Training Camp Turnaround

Despite signing a three-year, $67.5 million contract in the spring, there are still questions surrounding Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis. One week into training camp, coaches have been pleased with Willis' play. “Just his work ethic every day,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said of Willis.

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Aug 4 • 5:04 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Source: Details of Deebo Samuel's 49ers contract tied to usage, playoffs

Deebo Samuel's 49ers contract details is linked to his usage and whether San Francisco makes the NFL postseason, a source told Matt Maiocco.

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Aug 4 • 4:07 PM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsbayarea.com
Medtech company wants to help hospitals open radiation-free interventional MR labs

Minneapolis-based Imricor Medical Systems is asking hospital leaders to rethink the way they do business.

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Aug 4 • 3:59 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com
Daphne child exposed to meth residue on dollar bill found inside business, police say

After the child handled it, adults noticed a white powder on the child’s hands, police said.

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Aug 4 • 3:48 PM EDT • Business • fox10tv.com
House Ethics Committee announces investigation into GOP Rep. Max Miller
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Aug 4 • 3:28 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
7 Conversations Defining the Future of Women’s Sports at Sportico RISE

From ownership and investment to collective bargaining and executive leadership, this year’s RISE Women’s Sports agenda brings together the people shaping the business of women’s sports. Hear from Michele Kang, Terri Carmichael Jackson, Janet Evans and more to be announced. RISE will take place Sept. 10 at Second NYC in New York City. Register now! …

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Aug 4 • 2:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Rep. Max Miller to seek ethics probe into himself over abuse claims

Rep. Max Miller is the former son-in-law of U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno.

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Aug 4 • 1:53 PM EDT • Politics • crainscleveland.com
Galaxy S26 FE Price Leak Follows Samsung’s Mobile Profit Slide

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE could cost more than its predecessor, raising questions about whether the Fan Edition still offers strong value.

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Aug 4 • 1:49 PM EDT • Technology • techrepublic.com
Rady Children’s Health Named Official Pediatric Healthcare Partner of San Diego FC and San Diego FC’s Right to Dream Academy

San Diego FC announced today a deeply integrated, multi-year partnership with Rady Children’s Health. Rooted in a shared commitment to youth wellness, the partnership brings together two trusted and local organizations focused on supporting the health, mental well-being, and joy of children across the San Diego region. “A club is

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Aug 4 • 1:03 PM EDT • Health • sandiegofc.com
MrBeast Sales Slow, Angel Stock Falls, MUBI and Neon Look for Hits, and Will an NBA Franchise Set a Sales Record?

(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) You probably remember egg prices spiking a few years ago. This led to a lot of debate between the pro-market/pro-competition/antitrust/Neo-Brandesian crowd and the center/center-right/center-left/abundance/libertarian crowd over the cause, whether it was the avian flu outbreak or whether industry consolidation led to price fixing, using avian flu as a convenient cover. Basel Musharbash wrote a whole investigation at BIG looking at it. Well, two years later, we have our answer: it was price fixing. The Justice Department found proof, via emails, of price fixing. Indeed, just the threat of an investigation brought prices down two years ago: I bring this up because at least half a dozen of my favorite political writers and pundits, who were skeptical about price fixing at the time, haven’t written any mea culpas on this issue. It’s really dispiriting and makes it much, much harder to trust their work on other issues. If you take a hard stand on an issue, then you get it wrong, you need to explain how and why you got it wrong. Or update your priors. This is how epistemological bubbles are formed! All of which is to say, it’s time for another installment of “What I Got Right, What I Got Wrong”. Last issue, I mostly focused on the “wrong” side of the equation, so today’s is a bit more balanced, but with one big mea culpa (though I still stand by my original concerns). Let’s dive right in! Subscribe CORRECTION: UFC Didn’t Release Subscriber Data (But Seems to Have Bragged About It Internally) In my analysis of the viewership of UFC Freedom 250, I wrote... “Paramount has also released datecdotes bragging about their subscriber numbers. Earlier this year, they claimed that the first UFC fight on Paramount+ brought in 1 million subscribers.” Well, that datecdote did not come from a PR rep, but from great reporting from James Faris at Business Insider. The actual quote was this: “Paramount’s flagship streaming service generated about a million new subscribers on the day of its first-ever UFC event, Paramount product chief Dane Glasgow told employees in a town hall on Tuesday morning, three staffers who attended the meeting told Business Insider.“ This wasn’t the biggest goof in the world; even Faris emphasized to me that this is more a “clarification” than a correction. Still, it sounds like, internally, the folks at Paramount were very happy about this result—and I’m guessing they were happy with this news getting out—even though the gains didn’t last through the quarter, dropping to 700K adds. RIGHT: MrBeast’s Struggles Continue... I’m very skeptical about MrBeast’s burgeoning media “empire” and, in particular, its $5 billion valuation, as I wrote earlier this year and last year. Sure enough, according to Business Insider, regarding its “booming” consumer products division_:_ “US sales volume grew 13% year-over-year in 2025, following a 33% leap the previous year, according to a presentation deck dated May 2026....A February 2025 investor deck viewed by Business Insider showed Feastables’ net revenue more than doubled in 2024 from 2023, to $215 million, and was forecast to grow 74% in 2025, to $375 million.” [Emphasis mine.] If you told investors that you projected 74% growth but delivered 13%,1 that’s not ideal. But it’s not just MrBeast. Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime had sales drop in half for their energy drinks. It’s one thing to build a successful entertainment company and an entirely different thing to succeed in the heavily-consolidated-but-also-very-competitive consumer packaged goods space! CPGs are dominated by a few firms with very wide moats compared to YouTube, which has few barriers to entry. These businesses require different skill sets and have completely different business environments. WRONG: Does the NBA Have an $8 Billion Bidder? Almost as soon as I published my article about the NBA’s finances, casting skepticism on NBA expansion, I saw this Front Office Sports headline: One group “claims to have already raised $8 billion” for the Vegas expansion team. I mean, wow. That’s just $2 billion less than what the Los Angeles Lakers were valued at when they were sold just last year. And they’re arguably the most popular team in the NBA. (Side note: the new owner is now under an investigation for fraud in how he went about financing the Lakers and the Dodgers purchases.) So much for the “dried up” language I used in that article. (This is why I usually stick to my “Entertainment Nuance Guy” tone in articles...) I went off old information—from April, when I read/heard about the NBA downplaying expansion efforts—instead of doing a quick double-check for new news. That said...if you read the article, the market for Seattle is “slow”, with just one reported bidder. So I wasn’t entirely off. This goof has annoyed me since I first published it, mainly because it undercut that article’s real point, which I stand by: NBA franchises are really overvalued right now. Now, I get why NBA teams are overvalued. When it comes to owning sports teams, it’s basically never wrong to assume that some rich person somewhere will care more about owning a team (or just being part of a group since they’re so expensive) than the actual financials. There are only so many teams to own, and opportunities to buy in preferred markets don’t come along very often. This explains why the teams sell for such high multiples (usually above a 10 to 12.5 revenue multiple, which is very high). You only need one person to overpay! Beyond the ultra-wealthy luxury good explanation, I worry NBA teams are becoming speculative assets. More and more private equity investors are buying into NBA teams. But the value, in owning a team, comes from selling it later, not any meaningful relationship to revenue or profit growth. In other words, the newer NBA owners are increasingly expecting someone later to buy their inflated asset. That’s not sound economics; that’s the “greater fool” theory at work.2 At some point, actually making money has to matter. Especially since revenue growth is now below the growth of the stock market. (And this matters because the NBA doesn’t have easy levers to pull to drastically lower their costs—half of their revenue has to go to players and then you actually have to run a team, including coaching, training, travel, media expenses, and more—or raise revenues aside from one-off expansions in America and overseas.) I just don’t see how investors make their money back buying NBA teams, except for selling at a higher price later on down the line. But if revenue/profit growth continues to slow, at some point, someone will be left holding the bag. RIGHT: Baseball and Basketball are about equally popular. Related to the above, I wanted to cite two quick pieces of evidence for one of my other theories: that the NBA and MLB are about as popular as each other, but the NBA gets much, much better media coverage. One YouGov survey has that fans prefer basketball to baseball by 52% to 48%, which I’m guessing is within the margin of error for that poll. That’s virtually even, meaning they’re about the same popularity. Over on NBC, a recent Red Sox-Yankees game averaged 4 million viewers, higher than Sunday Night Basketball’s average of 3.4 million on the same network. A Yankees-Dodgers game averaged 3.9 million two weeks ago. Not every game averages this much, but it shows you that baseball isn’t far off from basketball, depending on the matchup. Altogether, the NBA is just slightly more popular than baseball, but NBC is paying MLB a fraction of what they pay the NBA, a point I’ve made before. RIGHT: Angel, MUBI and Neon Updates... I’ve long been skeptical about many of Hollywood’s buzziest startups/smaller indie studios. It’s not that they don’t make great movies—films like Anora and Everything Everywhere All at Once are amazing—or that they’re not (rightfully) pushing the majors to make better films, but...they get a ton of hype, and that hype often doesn’t live up to the reality or difficulty in scaling up. Starting with MUBI, well, The Wall Street Journal wrote a feature on MUBI’s struggles last April, best summarized by the subheader “After Sequoia valued Mubi at $1 billion, a left-wing revolt sent the indie film company into a tailspin”. MUBI lost $7.3 million on $200 million in revenue in Q4 2025, but reportedly hit a record 1.7 million subscribers at the end of Q1. As for Neon, Department M purchased a “significant stake” in the company earlier this year. How much is that “stake” worth? According to Deadline, “No financial figures for the Neon-Department M deal were disclosed.” So...that’s not great! If it was a big valuation, we’d hear about. Also, I found this curious: “Both Neon and Department M already have separate partnerships with Qatar. The Qatar Film Committee has a slate deal in place with the former, and a biopic production pact with the latter.” Color me skeptical about much Middle Eastern investment dollars. See: LIV Golf. Finally, as for Angel (formerly Angel Studios), their stock very, very slightly popped last month after Young Washington ($20 million budget) which made $45 million in the US, but their stock is still way down from its opening. Smaller Updates RIGHT: The WGA should focus on antitrust concerns! I’ve been on this for years. Post-WGA/AMTPT deal in 2023, I wrote an article for the Ankler calling on the WGA to focus and organize against industry consolidation. Sure enough, the WGA filed a lawsuit against the Paramount-WBD merger, and people are organizing around this issue now. I wish this energy had coalesced earlier (specifically to lobby Washington much earlier), but better late than never! WRONG: Actually, the chip shortage might be due to market manipulation. In my last “Long Reads for the Long Summer” article, I shared an article about how LLMs are causing memory chip prices to spike, which will make all electronics more expensive. Well, turns out, three RAM manufacturers control 90% of the market, and now a private lawsuit accuses them of price-fixing. So yeah. WRONG/UPDATE: The Odyssey will hold! Two weeks ago, I wrote, “As of this moment, we haven’t had a super-blockbuster, though The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday could all cross the $500 million mark. (At this point, The Odyssey would need a very strong hold to get there.)” Well, it’s safe to say it’s going to have that hold! It only dropped 30% in weekend two and IMAX screenings are sold out all month. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also off to a great start. RIGHT: People are rushing to get shows out yearly. I’ve long been bullish on yearly, weekly-released shows, and Leslie Goldberg at The Ankler wrote about how many people in town are now listening. WRONG: Mark Carney reverses Canada’s stance on homegrown production. After writing about Canada installing domestic production quotas, Canada has backed off. WRONG: I don’t trust Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s online “views”. When I originally wrote about the latest Spider-Man film’s record-breaking trailer, I thought this was just YouTube views, but after watching this Corridor Crew video and doing more research, well, it’s all social views of the trailer globally. Really? That stat includes TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts views. Basically, I don’t trust it anymore. (This film will probably set record, but I trust the pre-sales data more.) RIGHT: Celebrity Production companies are still struggling. I’ve written about this for years, but the company that I didn’t track was Kevin Hart’s HartBeat, which was valued at $650 million but is struggling now and might just end soon, especially after Kevin Hart pulled his endorsement deals. And Bad Robot is moving to NYC. CORRECTION: SpongeBob is a “second run” title. In my 2025 recap article, I had _SpongeBob SquarePants_labelled as a “library” title, when it is still a “second run” show, with new episodes still coming out on Nickelodeon. CORRECTION: In my last “What I Got Right, What I Got Wrong” update, I offered a correction from Doug Creutz and misspelled TD Cowen. Thanks, Grammarly! 1 Though he could have increased prices to make up for the gap, he couldn’t have increased them that much. 2 There’s a theory, which I think that Daryl Morey created and Bill Simmons popularized, that, to be successful building your team, you only need a handful of bad GMs in the league to take advantage of. To be clear, Daryl Morey’s theory was also for signing bad contracts, that you could always get out of bad contracts. Basically, there’s always someone who will make a bad trade. It’s not the same exact thing, but similar enough to the Greater Fool Theory that I really like it.

MySpace Is Coming Back. I Owe It My First Business

The old network is growing again as people flee the algorithm. It's a reminder of something every business gave up.

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Aug 4 • 11:34 AM EDT • Business • inc.com
Bomb-thrower Dem makes shocking promise to kick Schumer to curb during Senate debate

Seth Moulton vowed not to support Chuck Schumer as Senate leader, intensifying a Democratic Party clash between younger candidates and establishment.

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Aug 4 • 10:51 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
When does advanced science create entrepreneurs — and does it matter?

A new NSF Engine in Cleveland revives an old question — whether a startup or an incumbent should turn research into products — and brings up a better one: whether that distinction serves the people it’s meant to.

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Aug 4 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • siliconprairienews.com
The best new popular science books of August 2026

From which diets work best to the ethics of octopus farming, here’s Liz Else’s round-up of the most interesting popular science books published this month

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Aug 4 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • newscientist.com
Elizabeth Siders files request for mental health evaluation

The attorney for Elizabeth Siders has asked for her mental health to be evaluated, citing concerns she may not be able to assist in her own defense.

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Aug 4 • 9:26 AM EDT • Health • dispatch.com
Watch college football Coaches Poll reveal. See who made preseason Top 25

The US LBM college football preseason Coaches poll has landed You can watch the Top 25 reveal live at noon ET on USA TODAY Sports' YouTube page.

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Aug 4 • 8:49 AM EDT • Sports • usatoday.com
Scott Eastwood explains what dad Clint Eastwood’s infamous clash with Kevin Costner on set taught him

Scott Eastwood learned something from the way dad Clint handled Kevin Costner not being on set on time while making their 1993 movie ‘A Perfect World.’

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Aug 4 • 8:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Rice researcher honored for advancing science behind AI and human assessment

Rice psychological scientist recognized with early career award for distinguished contributions to research methods research, practice, education and service.

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Aug 4 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • news.rice.edu
How Accurately Did The Martian Depict Its Science And NASA?

"The Martian" was a hit at the box office, but fans have wondered whether the scientific claims shown in the film are accurate rather than just entertaining.

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Aug 4 • 7:17 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
Opinion | David Ellison: In Defense of the Paramount-Warner Deal

The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of CNN

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Aug 4 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
What to watch in Michigan’s Democratic Senate showdown and other key races in Tuesday’s primaries

Michigan Democrats on Tuesday will settle a Senate primary that has emerged as the most significant test of the party’s direction this year — one that will gauge whether the progressive insurgency that has toppled establishment figures and incumbents on deep blue turf all spring and summer extends into one of the nation’s biggest political battlegrounds.

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Aug 4 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
New horse barn and grandstand entertainment highlight upcoming Champaign County Fair

The countdown is on for one of Champaign County’s biggest traditions. The 2026 Champaign County Fair is set to celebrate its 185th year, bringing together […]

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Aug 4 • 3:55 AM EDT • Entertainment • peakofohio.com
New horse barn and grandstand entertainment highlight upcoming Champaign County Fair

The countdown is on for one of Champaign County’s biggest traditions. The 2026 Champaign County Fair is set to celebrate its 185th year, bringing together […]

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Aug 4 • 3:55 AM EDT • Entertainment • peakofohio.com
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Capricor’s Duchenne AdCom Didn’t Fail on Science. It Failed on Statistics.

FDA's CTGTAC voted 9-3 against Capricor's deramiocel on July 30, 2026. The science wasn't the problem. The statistical methodology was — and the FDA let it get…

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Aug 4 • 3:38 AM EDT • Science • clinicaltrialvanguard.com
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‘Economic suicide’: Broadway business owner opposes closing the street to vehicle traffic

After a deadly pedestrian crash on Broadway, calls to close the street to traffic altogether are bubbling up again.

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Aug 3 • 10:49 PM EDT • Business • wsmv.com
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Ex-Dolphins Starter Cut by 49ers During Training Camp

Over the past few seasons, the Miami Dolphins have relied on veteran talent to build out their roster. Whether they acquired those veterans via free agency or blockbuster trade varied, but what ended up happening with Miami is that their roster aged quickly and the team began to struggle as they missed the postseason in […] The post Ex-Dolphins Starter Cut by 49ers During Training Camp appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 3 • 9:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Glendale is open for business: New restaurants, entertainment, and grocery giants are choosing the West Valley

Walk through downtown Glendale or drive along the West Valley's major corridors, and something is hard to miss: new businesses are arriving, and they are not slowing down.

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Aug 3 • 9:45 PM EDT • Business • abc15.com
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You're Not Imagining It – Some People Really Are More Attractive to Mosquitoes, Study Shows

There’s something about you.

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Aug 3 • 9:45 PM EDT • Science • sciencealert.com
6 Mini Gadgets To Add To Your Wishlist In 2026

Whether you're into cameras, wearables, or clever accessories, these mini gadgets from 2026 show how much technology can fit into a surprisingly small package.

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Aug 3 • 8:30 PM EDT • Technology • slashgear.com
Dodgers trade for 2 former catchers immediately before MLB deadline

The Dodgers got the band back together

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Aug 3 • 6:52 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Rep. Chuck Edwards faces censure after ethics finding
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Aug 3 • 6:18 PM EDT • Politics • newsobserver.com
House Ethics Panel Finds Rep. Chuck Edwards Likely Violated Sexual Harassment Rules

The Ethics Committee called for the censure of Representative Chuck Edwards, Republican of North Carolina, who showered two female staffers with lavish gifts and affection.

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Aug 3 • 4:58 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Why the Trump pool story matters even after Pirro dropped her case

We are very used to Donald Trump saying things that aren't true. This is something different.

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Aug 3 • 4:17 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Ethics panel finds GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards violated House sexual harassment rules and recommends censure

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee said Monday it has found “substantial evidence” that GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two of his female staffers and is recommending that the full House vote to punish him on the floor.

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Aug 3 • 4:13 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Rep. Edwards’ behavior with staffers violated House code of conduct, panel finds

The House Ethics Committee released a report Monday in its investigation into the western North Carolina lawmaker's treatment of two female staffers.

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Aug 3 • 3:52 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Tommy Sullivan and John Ziegler to Perform at LI Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame on Aug 16th

As part of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Soundtrack to Summer Series, Musician Tommy Sullivan (a member of the Brooklyn Bridge) will perform LIVE music and Comedian John Ziegler will open with comedy set at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook Village (97 Main Street, Stony Brook, NY) on Aug. 16th from 3-4pm. The event is free for members or with general admission ticket purchase or $10 at the door concert ticket purchase. For details on this and upcoming events please visit https://www.limusichalloffame.... About Tommy Sullivan A life-long Long Islander and proud U.S. Army veteran, Tommy Sullivan enlisted in 1965 and was accepted to the United States Military Academy Band, where he created the first official rock group at West Point. Reentering civilian life in 1968, he helped create the Rhythm Method, a 7-piece Long Island band which was discovered by Johnny Maestro, then singing lead with the Del-Satins. The combined groups became the Brooklyn Bridge. As band leader and musical director, Tommy penned the group’s horn arrangements on every Bridge hit, including their gold record, Worst that could happen. Upon leaving the Bridge, Tommy co-founded Atlantic Records’ supergroup Ramatam, which was Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell’s first group following Hendrix’ death. For the second Ramatam LP Tommy wrote and orchestrated original material which featured select members of the NY Philharmonic Orchestra. Together with Johnny Maestro, Tommy co-produced Johnny’s final CD, Peace on earth. The critically acclaimed album features Tommy’s arrangements & orchestrations, plus several of his original songs. A Charter Inductee to the LI Music Hall of Fame, Tommy Sullivan continues to write, record, arrange and produce records, serve as musical director/ arranger/conductor for projects across many musical genres plus donates dozens of performances annually for numerous charity events. Tommy Sullivan’s dynamic and unique one-man show, A thousand memories, featuring his vocals and performances on four instruments, has been packing concert auditoriums, nightclubs, private parties–even vineyards-for the past several years. John Zeigler Born and raised in New York, John has performed stand-up comedy for close to 20 years and was the winner of the 2016 "Funniest Comic on the East Coast" Contest at Mohegan Sun. John's opened for such comics as Sebastian Maniscalco, Gilbert Gottfried, Jim Breuer and Robert Klein. He currently headlines clubs across the country and regularly tours with legendary comedian Bobby Collins. John recently released his Dry Bar Comedy Special and Getting My Affairs in Order.

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Aug 3 • 3:39 PM EDT • Entertainment • iloveny.com
Wisconsin governor’s race tests limits of Democrats’ leftward shift

After years of Republican rule, Wisconsin Democrats are testing whether a democratic socialist is a viable candidate for governor in a swing state.

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Aug 3 • 2:48 PM EDT • Politics • csmonitor.com
GOP lawmaker's gifts, 'effusive affection' toward young staffers detailed in explosive ethics report

The House Ethics Committee recommends censure after an ethics probe found Chuck Edwards violated the code of conduct with two young female staffers.

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Aug 3 • 2:32 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Methodist Healthcare acquires 18 Texas MedClinic locations in San Antonio

Methodist Healthcare announced the acquisition of 18 Texas MedClinic urgent care facilities in San Antonio on Monday.

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Aug 3 • 1:41 PM EDT • Health • ksat.com
If Not AOC, Then Who?

What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵

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Aug 3 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com
‘The Odyssey’ star Samantha Morton was sad to be replaced by Scarlett Johansson in ‘Her’

Samantha Morton is reflecting on being replaced by Scarlett Johansson as the voice of Samantha in ‘Her’: ‘It does hurt when you’re fired from something or before it.’

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Aug 3 • 12:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
FIRST ON FOX: Trump to open direct line with military families in ground-up readiness push

Trump's executive order creates a Military Spouse Commission chaired by Jennifer Hegseth to address childcare, housing, employment and health care.

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Aug 3 • 12:01 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
East meets Appalachia at Bagaduce Music House Party

Indian-roots fusion duo Aditi Sethi and Jay Brown will perform at the Second Wednesday House Party at Bagaduce Music on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

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Aug 3 • 12:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • ellsworthamerican.com
Yael Grushka-Cockayne Isn’t Reinventing UVA Darden. She’s Betting the World Needs What It Does Best.

As UVA Darden’s 10th dean, Yael Grushka-Cockayne discusses AI, human judgment, the case method and why the School’s next chapter should build confidently on what Darden does best.

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Aug 3 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • news.darden.virginia.edu
Is Baseball Really Broken?

Is baseball really broken or do the numbers say something else?

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Aug 3 • 8:43 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Scientists went looking for giant trees in Taiwan and found a lost world

Taiwan’s steep, remote mountains have sheltered extraordinary forests containing hundreds of giant Taiwania firs. After years of difficult expeditions, LiDAR mapping, and citizen-science detective work, researchers discovered an 84.1-meter (276-foot) tree, the tallest known in East Asia. They also found dense “temples of giants” where dozens of enormous trees grow together. These ancient forests rank among the world’s most carbon-rich ecosystems.

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Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Good Communication Is Good Business by Geoffrey Losee

The following column was contributed by J.D. Fisher. Mixed-use communities are increasingly common. Restaurants, breweries, retail stores, entertainment venues, and professional offices often operate within walking distance of established neighborhoods. That proximity creates tremendous opportunity, but it also means that a business's decisions may affect more than just its customers. Many business owners understandably focus on obtaining the permits necessary to open their doors. However, municipal approval is rarely the end of the conversation. As a business evolves, whether by adding outdoor seating, live entertainment, extended operating hours, or other new amenities, the applicable zoning ordinance may require additional approvals or impose operational standards designed to balance commercial activity with nearby residential uses. From a business perspective, the question should not simply be, "Can we do this?" It should also be, "Have we communicated with everyone who may be affected?" Recent local news coverage highlighted how differing interpretations of a municipal ordinance can quickly become the subject of public hearings, legal arguments, and significant uncertainty for a business. While every situation turns on its own facts, one common theme emerged: practical solutions are more difficult to achieve if communication breaks down. Businesses can often reduce that risk by engaging early with the relevant stakeholders. That begins with municipal staff. Planning departments are oftentimes willing to discuss how an ordinance applies before substantial investments are made. Seeking clarification in advance may identify permitting requirements or operational limitations that can be addressed proactively rather than after enforcement action. Communication should not stop with local government. Nearby property owners and neighborhood representatives frequently appreciate being informed about proposed changes before they occur. A brief meeting, an informational email, or an invitation to discuss concerns can foster goodwill and reveal potential issues while there is still flexibility to adjust operations. That’s why such meetings often required for substantial projects and may be a good idea even if not required. Perhaps most importantly, businesses should view compliance as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Operational changes that seem minor from a business standpoint may have regulatory implications under local development ordinances. Periodically reviewing proposed changes with experienced land-use counsel or planning professionals can help identify issues before they become disputes. No ordinance can eliminate every conflict between commercial activity and residential expectations. Nor should every disagreement become a legal controversy. But businesses that invest in transparent, proactive communication place themselves in the strongest position to protect both their operations and their relationships within the community. In today's regulatory environment, good communication is more than good public relations, it is good risk management. If your business is planning to expand its operations, introduce a new use, or simply wants to better understand how local land development regulations apply, the attorneys at Rountree Losee LLP are available to help. Our land use and local government practice works with businesses throughout southeastern North Carolina to navigate municipal approval processes, identify potential issues before they become disputes, and keep projects moving forward with confidence. Read more at rountreelosee.com.

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Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • wilmingtonbiz.com
MSU SURVIVAL GUIDE: MSU sports offer opportunities for students to participate

Whether you’re a die-hard fan, just looking for the college experience or couldn’t care less, sports impacts every student at MSU. Here’s a breakdown of everything in Spartan athletics – from tickets, lines, traditions and how to get the most out of the fan experience as a student. And if you’re not interested in being a fan, here’s a couple tips for navigating a campus dominated by Big Ten sports culture.

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Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • statenews.com
Scientists reveal the hidden force driving the universe’s hottest fluid

When atomic nuclei smash together at nearly the speed of light, they create the hottest fluid in the universe, but scientists may have overlooked one of its most important forces. New simulations reveal that extreme acceleration builds up along the edges of quark-gluon plasma, helping drive its explosive expansion. This acceleration may do far more than move the fluid, potentially changing its temperature-like behavior, influencing particle spins, and even reshaping how matter transitions between fundamental states.

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Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Rosie O’Donnell returning to “The View” for season 30: ‘I will go’ with ‘all’ past cohosts

O’Donnell also recalled a “tense time” with Whoopi Goldberg the last time she was at the Hot Topics table, while she publicly sparred with Elisabeth Hasselbeck in 2025.

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Aug 3 • 7:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Black voters, divided on progressives, are pivotal in Michigan Senate primary

A disruptor or a pragmatist? In Tuesday's contest between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, Democrats weigh whether to remake the political system or work within it.

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Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Palworld Online is a new MMORPG coming to iOS and Android later this year

Developed by Garena, Palworld Online is a shared world MMO where players can collect and level their Pals together.

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Aug 3 • 4:58 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net
How J. Robert Oppenheimer brought together thousands of scientists to build the world's first atomic bomb

Prior to 1945, nuclear weapons were just an idea that could be discussed in theoretical physics literature. This changed when J.

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Aug 3 • 3:55 AM EDT • Science • timesofindia.indiatimes.com
New York Yankees Announced Cody Bellinger Update Before Cardinals Series

On Sunday, the New York Yankees finished their series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.The Yankees won by a score of 2-1.They took two out of three games in the series.New York Yankees Announced Cody Bellinger UpdateThe Yankees continue to play without key players such as Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.Bellinger has […] The post New York Yankees Announced Cody Bellinger Update Before Cardinals Series appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 3 • 2:10 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Opponent Preview: Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, going 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the SEC while being in the playoff conversation the whole year. Head coach Clark Lea has built up the Vandy program into something extremely respectful, if not borderline borderline playoff contending – will need a couple […]

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Aug 2 • 9:13 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
What 9 Years in Business Taught Me: Movement Is the Most Underrated Productivity Tool

After nine years of building a wellness company, I've realized the biggest driver of my team's output isn't a tool, a policy or a hire — it's something most leaders walk past every day.

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Aug 2 • 9:00 PM EDT • Business • entrepreneur.com
Jay Collins pollster pushes back on Florida Politics' latest Salt Shaker Test

Collins pollster defends methodology after Florida Politics' Salt Shaker Test critique

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Aug 2 • 6:30 PM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com
Mystery Booster Commander Edition Spoilers Debut New Rulebreakers and Alchemy Cards

Thanks to an early Draft at Gen Con 2026, a ton of cards from Mystery Booster Commander Edition have just been revealed!

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Aug 2 • 4:12 PM EDT • Technology • mtgrocks.com
Let’s do science: Share your wild turkey sightings

MAINE—All good wildlife management starts with science, and all good science starts with data. That’s where you come in. Maine’s Wild Turkey August Production Survey invites community scientists to play a direct role in monitoring our state’s wild turkey population. Whether you enjoy watching wildlife from your window, spend time hiking, hunting, or exploring the outdoors, or just need an excuse to get outside, you can help. Each summer, Maine’s wild turkey hens are busy raising the next generation of birds. By reporting your sightings and observations, you’ll help our biologists monitor annual reproduction rates, track population trends, and make informed management decisions that support healthy, sustainable turkey populations for generations to come. The information collected helps ensure there are abundant opportunities for both wildlife watchers and hunters to enjoy Maine’s wild turkeys. It’s easy to participate! Whenever you see wild turkeys anywhere in Maine during August, simply report: Date and location of your observation Number of adult females (hens) Number of adult males (gobblers) Number of poults (young turkeys) Estimated poult size relative to the adult hens Every observation counts, even if you don’t see poults. Together, these reports provide a clearer picture of turkey productivity across the state and are an important part of Maine’s wildlife management. Ready to help? Report your turkey sightings online using the Wild Turkey August Production Survey. Submit an Observation Subscribe Share Leave a comment

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Aug 2 • 4:11 PM EDT • Science • barharborstory.substack.com
GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics, 4:05 p.m.

Detroit Tigers vs. Athletics Time/Place: 4:05 p.m., Sutter Health ParkSB Nation Site: Athletics NationMedia: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

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Aug 2 • 4:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Musikfest Photos: Sunday, August 2nd, 2026

Did we see you or your friends at Musikfest 2026 in Bethlehem, Pa.? Check out our daily photo galleries from the largest free music festival in the nation!

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Aug 2 • 3:53 PM EDT • Entertainment • wfmz.com
Democratic socialists face a prove-it moment in battleground Wisconsin

Francesca Hong, the democratic socialist leading Wisconsin’s Democratic field for governor, could soon test whether the progressive insurgency that notched primary victories in deep-blue districts this summer can prevail statewide in a perennial presidential battleground.

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Aug 2 • 12:00 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
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Scientists with something to sell have lost Americans' trust in science. This new philosophy can restore that trust
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Aug 2 • 12:00 PM EDT • Science • nypost.com
California voters could make it harder to increase taxes with Prop 43

California voters will decide in November whether to approve Proposition 43, a measure that would make it more difficult to pass new special taxes in cities and counties.

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Aug 2 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
Chinese rocket scientists find ‘most effective’ way to nuke a doomsday asteroid

China’s two-pronged method could blast apart an Earth-threatening space rock using a 3-megaton explosion equivalent to 200 Hiroshima bombs.

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Aug 2 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • scmp.com
Uber turns its best AI engineers loose on the rest of the business

Uber's new AI strategy sends top engineers into every department to rethink workflows and uncover productivity gains.

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Aug 2 • 9:30 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
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Watch Why Think Tanks are a Billion Dollar Business

Think tanks bring together experts and shape debates in Washington, but how do you measure the value of an idea? From the Aspen Institute to the Heritage Foundation, this episode explores the business of ideas, the billions of dollars behind America's leading think tanks, and how they measure success.

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Aug 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com
Mathematicians prove perfectly fair elections are impossible

Mathematicians have shown that no electoral system can perfectly balance local representation, proportional national results, and a fixed-size parliament once enough parties compete. A newly proposed voting method could soften these unavoidable trade-offs and produce outcomes that are much closer to fair.

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Aug 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
A democratic socialist in the White House? Activists are thinking big.

The Democratic Socialists of America summit was abuzz about whether to endorse a presidential candidate, potentially Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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Aug 2 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
METR, led by Beth Barnes, confront AI safety research talent shortage

METR, a Berkeley lab started by an ex-OpenAI researcher, has become a prominent AI umpire. CEO Beth Barnes says AI safety research needs more people.

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Aug 2 • 5:00 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Pols & Politics: Gov’s race shifts focus towards growing GOP stronghold on south coast

The south coast is proving crucial in the governor’s race as all three candidates attended the Portuguese Feast in New Bedford. This as Ed Markey and Seth Moulton are set to debate again on Monday.

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Aug 2 • 4:28 AM EDT • Politics • bostonherald.com
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Linux's market share in North America has breached 10% for the first time, says StatCounter

The start of something big, or is something else affecting the numbers?

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Aug 2 • 3:18 AM EDT • Technology • xda-developers.com
Photo story: Science Saturday Connects Families with Nature Through Hands-On Learning

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) at the University of Georgia welcomed families, students, and nature enthusiasts to a successful Science Saturday on August 1st, 2026 at the Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta. Held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the free community event brought together visitors of all ages for an fun […]

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Aug 2 • 1:29 AM EDT • Science • theaugustapress.com
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What Browns’ Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson said about working together during offseason

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson explain how offseason workouts strengthened chemistry as the Browns' quarterback battle intensifies.

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Aug 2 • 12:33 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Free dental screenings, backpacks offered at local health clinics in Allentown, Bethlehem

Saturday's clinics were for children - hosted at both their downtown Allentown and north side Bethlehem locations.

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Aug 1 • 10:04 PM EDT • Health • wfmz.com
Black Business Expo returns to East Lansing for third year

The annual Black Business Expo returned to East Lansing Saturday, bringing together local vendors and entrepreneurs for its third year.

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Aug 1 • 8:59 PM EDT • Business • wilx.com
Inside the disunited United States that shadows the WNBA

Sophie Cunningham said what she said about transgender women in sports. Now others want their say, whether the WNBA wants to hear them or not.

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Aug 1 • 7:00 PM EDT • Sports • espn.com
‘Jaws on the Water’ brings families and community together at Sara J’s

Approximately 300 people gathered at Sara J's on July 31 for the 2026 "Jaws on the Water" event, floating in the water on kayaks and inflatable tubes or watching from the lawn as the classic shark thriller played.

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Aug 1 • 5:03 PM EDT • Entertainment • myhorrynews.com
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Musikfest Photos: Saturday, August 1st, 2026

Did we see you or your friends at Musikfest 2026 in Bethlehem, Pa.? Check out our daily photo galleries from the largest free music festival in the nation!

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Aug 1 • 4:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • wfmz.com
UAMS names Nembhard as dean of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences named Wendy N. Nembhard, Ph.D., MPH, as the next dean of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, effective Sept. 1. Nembhard succeeds...

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Aug 1 • 11:07 AM EDT • Health • talkbusiness.net
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Camp Greentree offers Montgomery Co. students mental health support alongside summer fun

Camp Greentree has offered plenty of activities this summer in Montgomery County, Maryland, but campers also have access to something that may be more valuable.

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Aug 1 • 10:55 AM EDT • Health • wtop.com
Is There A “Cannabis Culture”? And What Does It Mean For The Business?

Five cannabis leaders, from a legacy grower to Jim Belushi, debate whether "cannabis culture" is real and what it means for brands and investors.

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Aug 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • forbes.com
The Manchester mayoral result holds the key to the future of progressive politics

Voters on the left may be fragmented – but they will pull together behind a convincing cross-party message, says Neal Lawson, director of cross-party campaign organisation Compass

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Aug 1 • 8:50 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Science Inquiry Comes Alive for Jacket Middle Schoolers

Snails, sidewalks and Double Stuff Oreos... At Partnership Middle School, instructors are finding innovative ways to help students connect the classroom to what they see in the real world every day. By integrating hands-on experiences and scientific investigations into weekly lessons, 6th and 7th grade science teachers push their classes to explore the curriculum standards through the lens of critical thinking, communication with their peers, experimentation, and scientific inquiry. Last week, two different approaches for two different grade levels saw Jacket teachers ignite the same spark for learning. On Tuesday, 6th graders in Lydia Jones' science class took their lessons outside as they explored the school grounds to identify living and non-living things. Despite the warm temperatures, they engaged in discovering unexpected objects on the campus and connecting that to what they learned in class about the criteria for what qualifies a thing as "living". Ms. Jones tasked students with walking the grounds and listing as many living and non-living things they could find in just a few minutes. Students spotted a fire hydrant, construction vehicles, grass, trees, soccer equipment, rocks, sidewalks, and even a snail hidden in the plants. After they finished the exploration, students returned to the regular classroom to discuss their results and whether their objects were classified correctly. On Thursday, 7th graders in Omini Parks' science class participated in their first lab of the semester as they explored and identified the physical properties of a favorite snack -- Oreos. Ms. Parks identified the class objective before the lab activity began by writing the academic standard on the dry erase board in a declarative statement: "I can collect and evaluate qualitative data to describe substances using physical properties." Students watched a video about how Oreo sandwich cookies are made, and then engaged in a question and answer discussion to give observations on the manufacturing process, review various types of physical properties and their scientific terminology, and talk generally about how the lab inquiry would work. The Q&A ended with a predictable question from students... "Will we be able to eat the Oreos?" The hands-on lab exercise required the 7th grade scientists to observe and record the differences between regular Oreos and the Double Stuff variety based on their physical properties. They followed the instructions in their lab brief to chart a comparison between the two types of cookies by observing properties with their magnifying lenses, measuring the height and diameter of both, and weighing the cookies with and without their filling. The activity let students put their lessons about physical properties into practice with real objects while also practicing vocabulary and writing skills to record their observations and using math skills from the last school year like taking measurements and calculating averages. Of course, they ended the lab by charting the taste of the cookies as well! These types of activities allow students to see the science standards they are learning come to life in the real world and engage with the content in new ways. Beyond that, they serve as a foundation for encouraging and growing scientific inquiry. Later in the school year, students will use the scientific method they are learning to complete science projects that require real research and the ability to explain and answer questions about their process and results. At the school-level competitive Science Fair last year, 41 Partnership students earned a place in the 2026 regional Science Fair held at MSU. From there, 14 advanced to the State Science Fair conducted at Northeast Mississippi Community College in April.

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Aug 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • starkvillesd.com