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Ambassadors in Arvada to make Olde Town safer, cleaner for businesses and the community
Column: Dolly Parton transcended politics by putting humanity first
Americans don’t agree on much these days. Dolly Parton was the rare exception. Country bumpkins and city drag queens. God-fearing Christians and queer people. Conservatives and progressives. Younger fans who discovered her decades after her rise to fame and generations who grew up alongside her. Parton’s reach was seemingly boundless, her audience a study in...
Dodgers notes: Blake Snell, Dalton Rushing, Will Klein
LOS ANGELES — It’s the final week of the regular season and the Dodgers are sorting things out as they prepare for the postseason, which they hope will start on October 3 in the National League Division Series rather than September 29 in the wild card round. Before Tuesday’s game, Blake Snell pitched a bullpen […]
Athena Award winners honored at Women in Business Conference
A longtime Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce leader and the CEO of a hospice and palliative care organization were named Athena Award winners at the Sept. 22 Women in Business luncheon.
NYC health officials expand outreach efforts in Bronx Legionnaires' cluster
Devin Booker's Possible Regression Isn’t Concern for Phoenix Suns
Skeptics question Devin Booker’s superstar trajectory as Phoenix faces looming roster uncertainties, testing whether the franchise cornerstone can overcome a lackluster national ranking to silence his doubters.
Command (Hockey) Performance
The Kraken’s newly created sports performance group has added a third strength and conditioning coach plus a full-time dietitian for wider, deeper scope aimed at more wins on the ice
California’s Business Climate: A closer look at the cost of doing business
California is home to one of the biggest economies in the world. But for businesses here, the experience of doing business in the state can be a little more com
Rain transforms Florida Everglades after drought, benefiting wildlife and businesses
Tips to help families spot reliable medical sources online
Children and adults can take steps to identify reliable medical information online as they navigate the growing amount of health content available on the internet.
Journey Mental Health talks about student’s mental health screenings
Thousands of kids carry more than backpacks.
Study finds health warnings may discourage young people from using social media
South Chicago business hopes new quantum computing campus brings growth to neighborhood
Kamala Harris campaigns for Abdul El-Sayed at Detroit maternal health roundtable
Knitted emotional support chickens bring national attention to an L.A. small business
The Knitting Tree, L.A., has been recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its 2026 "Top 100 Small to Midsize Businesses in America" awards.
Pistons Announce New Streaming Home, and It Isn’t Free
Pistons fans have a new way to watch, and a new monthly cost to go with it #Pistons
Business hopes South Chicago sees growth with new quantum computing campus
ESPN Offers Silver Lining for Pirates, Praises Offensive Improvements
ESPN highlighted Pittsburgh's offensive turnaround as a bright spot from a season that fell short of postseason expectations.
Rockets' Fred VanVleet ready for training camp; Kevin Durant doesn't want minutes reduced in 20th season
The mental health of high school students continues to improve from the lows of the COVID-19 pandemic
But teen girls continue to struggle more with persistent sadness, hopelessness and suicidality than young men, new CDC data shows.
Trusted supplements in the hot seat: could they harm the aging brain?
New research has raised questions about vitamin D and brain health, but Northeastern experts say the evidence isn’t conclusive.
Wasteful Arsenal need late penalty to beat Koge
Mariona Caldentey scores from the spot in stoppage time to snatch victory for Arsenal against HB Koge in the Women's Champions League.
Astroparticle physicist Matthew Szydagis on UAP science
Ross Coulthart and astroparticle physicist Matthew Szydagis talk about the UAP Science Advisory Council, declassification requests, testing of Art’s Parts samples and who has been harassing S…
Ambassadors in Arvada, Colorado to make Olde Town safer, cleaner for businesses and community
A new program is designed to help visitors, businesses and unhoused community members in Arvada's Olde Town.
What’s next for Atrium-WakeMed deal? Inside the next steps and the last-minute fight for concessions
A proposed merger between Atrium Health and WakeMed cleared one hurdle after the hospitals made promises to win support from Gov. Josh Stein and others. But critics remain, and the deal isn’t done yet.
Rabbit’s new AI agent doesn’t need an R1 to run
Rabbit still isn’t giving up on AI hardware, though.
Green policies just good politics, says UK minister
Transitioning to a low-carbon economy isn't just vital for the planet's future -- it's also good politics, according to Britain's climate minister, who argues the country's record-hot summer has galvanized public opinion like never before. Katie White, a member of the ruling Labour government, said the UK's right-wing parties had…
Piedmont to spend nearly $600 million to relocate, modernize Newton County hospital
The relocation effort would be the second-largest capital project in the Georgia health system's history, Piedmont said.
Kudos to Motorola for This Actually Refreshing Phone Design
The Motorola Signature 27 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Exteme Gen 6, and that pretty much guarantees it won’t be cheap.
Qualcomm launches two new smartphone chips with emphasis on AI
Qualcomm said that its new top chip can run 30B mixture-of-expert model locally
Motorola's New Signature 27 Is Among The First Smartphone To Use The Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 Processor
Not bad for a quick refresh.
Washburn University Forensic Science Programs team up with the KBI for National Forensic Science Week
TOPEKA (KSNT) – It’s National Forensic Science Week, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is teaming up with Washburn’s forensic science programs to kick off the festivities. Students at Washb...
Yankees Offer Update on Injured Starter Ahead of Rays Series
The New York Yankees are dealing with several injury issues to key players, with Aaron Judge being the most notable ailing star heading into a series against the Tampa Bay Rays.Judge isn’t expected to be available for the first round of the playoffs, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Tuesday, September 22, including Chris Kirschner […] The post Yankees Offer Update on Injured Starter Ahead of Rays Series appeared first on HEAVY.
What Will Be Inside Trump’s D.C. Arch?
President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery has undergone a significant change in purpose since the project was first presented as a monument commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary. The 250-foot structure was designed to include public spaces, exhibits ...
Disney’s Cathleen Taff Expands To Entertainment Studios & Consumer Products President
Disney has set Cathleen Taff as president of its newly combined Disney Entertainment – Studios and Consumer Products team.
'Toy Story 5' is coming to Disney+. See streaming release date
The toys are coming home with the streaming release of "Toy Story 5."
Jessica Shepard's breakout season with the Dallas Wings doesn't surprise her
Shepard is a first-time All-Star and sudden triple-double machine, tied with career WNBA leader Alyssa Thomas of Phoenix for the most this season with five while helping the Wings reach the playoffs.
Disney Promotes Cathleen Taff and Lisa Baldzicki in Consumer Products Shakeup
Disney restructured its Disney Consumer Products team, looping the division into the Disney Entertainment umbrella.
Disney: Cathleen Taff Set as Studios, Consumer Products President
Disney has set Cathleen Taff as president of its newly combined Disney Entertainment - Studios and Consumer Products team.
Disney Promotes Cathleen Taff and Lisa Baldzicki in Consumer Products Shakeup
Disney restructured its Disney Consumer Products team, looping the division into the Disney Entertainment umbrella.
UT Haslam Ranked Top 25 in Undergraduate Business by U.S. News & World Report
/PRNewswire/ -- The Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, held the No. 25 spot for a second year in a row among public colleges...
Philadelphia Eagles Add Pro Bowl Cornerback at Bargain Rate
Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles had one of the NFL’s best passing defenses, ranking eighth in yards allowed, first in […]
Beyond the Brave Full Set Spoilers [BETB-EN]
A true duelist doesn’t back off from nobody cuz only cowards don’t stand up to a challenge!
Michigan Chamber endorses John James for governor
The endorsement of James over Democrat Jocelyn Benson was not unexpected given the group’s history of supporting Republican gubernatorial candidates. But it came considerably earlier than four years ago.
Detroit students learn about environmental science with lessons at Belle Isle Park
Free Speech Groups Say the FCC's Disney/ABC Investigation 'Reeks of Political Pretext'
FIRE, Cato, PEN America, and others take on the broadcasting police.
The ICE Officer in Austin Wasn’t Wearing a Body Cam
The officer who shot a Venezuelan man was hired last year from another federal law-enforcement agency.
Rayman Legends Retold Doesn’t Feel Like a Necessary Remake, But It’s Still a Good Time
Rayman Legends Retold isn't breaking any new ground – not visually and not gameplay-wise, not that it should be expected to since it's a remake, after all – but it is a clean remake chock-full of content both new and old at a pretty nice value. It might be of particular interest to the Switch 2 crowd that isn’t getting the GTA 6 meteor landing in their lives this Fall (particularly in light of a new 3D Mario platformer’s continued absence and Super Mario Bros. Wonder being a couple years old now), and/or to the younger crowd that hasn’t played the series before. Here’s hoping it leads to a brand-new Rayman adventure sooner rather than later.
I started drinking at 12. It took multiple DUIs, serious health issues, and homelessness for me to quit at 44.
Minneapolis' mobile medical unit is on the move
In its first year of operation, Minneapolis Mobile Medical Unit staff engaged with over 4,000 community members. Established in response to the opioid crisis, the unit prioritizes outreach to communities with high levels of drug use, including individuals experiencing homelessness and those who are uninsured or underinsured.
NEA Business Notes: Deel named as Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians president of the board
The Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians (ARAFP) has installed Dr. Amanda Deel as its newest president of the board. Deel, who serves as the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education...
Fort Worth barber accused of sexually assaulting child at business, police say
Police say there may be more victims, particularly among Spanish-speaking youth.
Sponsored Content: HMG Health Matters: Fear of falling increases risk of falling
Dr. Natalie Street of HMG Primary Care at Medical Plaza explains why having a fear of falling actually increases a person’s risk of falling. She also shares some tips on how to address that f…
Princess Kate's best red carpet looks follow a familiar formula
The Princess of Wales doesn't walk a red carpet often so when she does, she makes it count.
What CDC's new teen health survey shows, and what it skips
Teen suicide risk hit a 10-year low in 2025. Guns, sexual violence, and self-harm. Where are the 2025 data on transgender teens? Missing data changes public health policy. Teen suicide risk hit a 10-year low in 2025. CDC asked more than 10,000 high school students over 100 questions in spring 2025. Yesterday, it published a report covering a fraction of them. The report focsed on five areas: diet, physical activity, sleep, digital behaviors, and mental health, reflecting the priorities of the Make America Healthy Again movement. There was good news. Fewer teens seriously considered suicide in 2025 than in any survey year since 2015: 14%, down from 20% in 2023. Sadness fell. Underlying Conditions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Sports participation, which dipped to 49% in 2021, is back to its 2015 level of 58%. Daily PE fell from 27% to 20% in two years, while fewer students eat breakfast daily than a decade ago. Guns, sexual violence, and self-harm. The questionnaire is public, and it goes well beyond those five areas. Students answered questions about sexual violence, self-harm, and whether they got help when they felt sad or anxious. They said how quickly they could get a loaded gun. They reported whether food ran out at home and whether they felt close to people at school. There were questions about sexual identity, including whether they were transgender. The report did not publish any of the answers students gave to those questions. CDC posts the raw survey data online, so anyone can see what the report left out. The report doesn’t cover the health of sexual minority students. Among students who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, or another non-straight identity, persistent sadness fell from 66% to 57% between 2023 and 2025. Serious thoughts of suicide fell from 41% to 30%. Those drops were bigger than the ones among straight students, although the gap remains wide: 28% of straight students reported persistent sadness, about half the rate of LGBQ+ students. About 1 in 7 girls reported sexual violence in the past year. One in 6 students hurt themselves on purpose. Among students who needed help for sadness or anxiety, half rarely or never got it. And among students who had seriously considered suicide, 43% said they could get a loaded gun without an adult’s permission. One protective factor rose sharply. In 2023, 55% of students said they felt close to people at their school; in 2025, 63% did. CDC’s earlier research ties that kind of connection to better mental health. Where are the 2025 data on transgender teens? In 2023, CDC's national survey asked high school students, for the first time, whether they were transgender. Their answers are the only nationally representative data on transgender teens, and their mental health is by far the worst of any demographic. That year, 71% of transgender students reported persistent sadness, 54% seriously considered suicide, and 26% attempted it, compared with 38%, 18%, and 8% of cisgender students. But we don’t have 2025 data. The timing matters because students took the survey in spring 2025, as federal policy toward transgender youth shifted. On January 28th, an executive order directed agencies to end federal support for gender-affirming care for people under 19, and several hospitals paused that care within days. In February, the CDC said it would no longer process transgender identity data. Later in 2025, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and HHS ended the 988 Lifeline’s dedicated line for LGBTQ+ youth. Researchers disagree about how much state policy shapes trans teens’ mental health. A 2024 Trevor Project study estimated that anti-trans laws increased suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary youth. Critics dispute its methods and its estimates. The 2025 survey could have added national evidence to that fight. CDC collected the data but hasn’t publicly released it. Missing data changes public health policy. Surveillance works as a feedback loop. It can show officials whether their policies help or hurt. The CDC didn’t provide data on the students most exposed to transgender policy shifts. The report kept measures that frame health as personal choice, like fruit, breakfast, and sports. It left out measures that track policy, like gun access, mental healthcare, food at home, and school climate, all of which respond to what legislators and agencies decide. HHS did not respond to questions that I sent on September 21st.
Ryan Smith Doesn’t Want Betting to Take Over Sports
“I think we need a little more moderation in all of it.”
Hayden Panettiere cause of death revealed: Report
The actress’ death was ruled an accident caused by the toxic effect of several drugs, including fentanyl.
State Of Decay 3 Lives On, And Is Still Coming To Game Pass
Undead Labs has found a new publisher for its survival game but hasn't yet said who it is.
Duke employee health insurance premiums to rise by 10% to 50% under new salary-based system
Duke Human Resources announced Tuesday morning that changes would be coming to employee health insurance next year. Mainly, a new five-tier, salary-based health insurance premium structure, which could cost some employees 50% more in monthly premiums.
UT Health Sciences' BSN Program Ranked No. 1 in Tennessee
For the second year in a row, the Bachelor of Science of Nursing (BSN) program at UT Health Sciences is the most highly ranked program in Tennessee.
GOP senator asks Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden
Corbion launches second cultured preservation solution
The portfolio now includes Verdad Essence WH150.
Sonos Beam Ultra review: A huge Atmos upgrade for $699
The Sonos Beam Ultra isn't quite mid-range at $699, but it sounds almost as good as the huge Sonos Arc.
Denver health officials confirm first case of West Nile Virus in the city this year
Coffee doesn’t have to keep you awake to disrupt your sleep
Caffeine may make sleep less restorative even when you fall asleep normally and stay in bed for eight hours, with EEG recordings revealing fewer of the slow brain waves associated with deep sleep. Individual sensitivity varies dramatically, meaning even caffeine consumed earlier in the day could affect nighttime recovery for some people.
Rice rises to No. 16 in US News rankings as engineering, business programs climb
Rice has climbed one spot to No. 16 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, with the university also earning top 10 recognition for value, undergraduate teaching and student experience.
Ten years of access to scientists: Astronomy on Tap returns to PYGMALION
When I think about space, the universe, and its vastness, I feel deep existential dread. We are but tiny blips. I have a lot of questions, and there isn’t an ask-an-astronomer hotline I can call, ...
The missing fans of college football
Why doesn’t that sold out stadium look….full? First, a quick look at attendance in the Big Ten for week 3. With a few exceptions, everyone is still in the non-conference portion of the schedule. I’m tempted to contact the fire marshals in Bloomington, Ann Arbor, Madison, and especially Eugene. Each of those stadiums were over […]
Fresh food, healthy minds: Atlanta seniors receive produce during World Alzheimer's Month
The Atlanta Community Food Bank and its partners are promoting brain health by providing fresh produce boxes to underserved seniors across Atlanta.
Atlanta food bank distributes 1,350 produce boxes to support brain health
TV and streaming viewing picks for September 22, 2026: How to watch WNBA on ESPN
All Times Eastern College Basketball ACC Network Basketball Podcast — ACC Network, 5 p.m. College Football Florida Atlantic Weekly Press Conference — ESPN+, 11:45 a.m. Cincinnati Football Press Conference — ESPN+, noon Oklahoma Football Press Conference — SEC Network, noon Iowa State Football Press Conference — EPSN+, 12:55 p.m. B1G Live: Football Coaches Press Conferences…
Love Letters to San Francisco: How snakes and science build students’ confidence
For 27 years, Chris Giorni has been taking The City’s kids out of the classroom and into the dirt, where a little courage can change how they see themselves.
The Cardinals Season is Over, But the Future is Bright
The 2026 schedule hasn’t yet concluded, but the Cardinals’ playoff hopes are officially extinguished. From JJ’s debut and Burley’s monstrous blast that set the tone for the season on opening day, to a group of SFA baseball players taking their shirts off and swinging them over their heads. Jordan Walker reintroducing himself to the baseball […]
Health officials holding virtual town hall on Legionnaires' disease cluster in South Bronx
Latest injury news from France camp affects two PSG stars
PSG have lost a key player to injury – but it doesn’t sound serious, and it gives one of their other stars a chance to take his place.If you enjoy PSG Talk coverage and want to see more of it, add...
MORNING BUSINESS REPORT: Seniors use weight loss drugs, Apple settlement, Disney trip deals
More seniors are using drugs like Ozempic, customers can claim part of an Apple settlement, and Disney offers promotional deals. Here's the Morning Business Report for Sept. 22.
Health experts warn of seasonal illness increase as fall begins
Local health experts are warning residents to prepare for an increase in seasonal illnesses as the first day of fall brings a drastic shift from humid heat to cool, wet conditions.
Local clinics brace for federal benefit cuts for refugees
Thousands of refugees who legally came to America face hunger due to changes in federal law approved as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
COVID vaccines for uninsured Tennessee kids in limbo amid federal delays
The federal government hasn't said if it will continue to provide COVID-19 vaccines to low-income kids through a free immunization program,
Trump to address U.N. General Assembly and meet with world leaders as he navigates Iran, Gaza, Ukraine conflicts
Letters: Disney isn’t only corporate offender | Donalds’ hollow tax claim | Data centers will harm society
Disney is making donations to political candidates who support Disney interests. Why is that surprising? This is what all corporations do.
Watchdog says Messmer's taxpayer-funded TV ad part of larger problem
U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer insists his recent taxpayer-funded, campaign-like commercial wasn't political. A watchdog says it shows reforms are needed.
How lip-syncing to AI let Forced Entertainment ‘play the game of theatre’
Today we have a fascinating piece by long-time Forced Entertainment fan Ben Kulvichit, speaking to Tim Etchells about their latest show Cold Sweat, how they are integrating lip-sync and AI voices into their work, the question of ‘authenticity’ on stage, and how lip-sync has even opened the door for them to make “something a little bit like drama”. This piece is a paid partnership with the Southbank Centre, where you can see Cold Sweat next month – we’re very grateful to the Southbank Centre for their ongoing support for Exeunt. Holly Williams ‘It was immediately interesting and uncanny’ **By Ben Kulvichit** “Is the microphone on?” So goes one of the opening lines of Signal to Noise, delivered by a human performer lip-syncing to an AI-generated voice. The voice is American, cheery but sluggish, slowed down into a gelatinous drawl. It repeats ad infinitum in a farce of stuckness; an answer never materialises. I find myself asking the same question as I hop on a Google Meet call with Tim Etchells, the artistic director of Forced Entertainment. We spend five or ten minutes frowning at each other, muting and unmuting, me gesticulating in semaphore into my webcam, checking if I am coming through now, restarting the laptop. To Etchells, I appear exaggeratedly mouthing words, my voice missing. In this gloopy purgatory of broken communication, life imitates art imitates life imitates art. We try a Zoom instead. Forced Entertainment, the pioneering British theatre company who have been at the avant-garde of performance since the 1980s, turned an interesting artistic corner with Signal to Noise, created on the occasion of their 40th anniversary. The whole performance employed this lip-sync technique to AI voices; on the face of it a left-field move from a company whose identity has long been grounded in the earthy, immediate presences of its performers and its unassuming, low-tech approach to theatricality. The technique, however, turned out to provide the company with a “rich new seam” of artistic enquiry, and has now spawned a trilogy of works. The second instalment, Cold Sweat, plays at Sheffield Theatres, Southbank Centre, and Lancaster Arts in October, while the third part, Everything Must Go, has been touring in Europe and is slated to come to the UK in 2027. As is often the case with Forced Entertainment shows, the main conceit for this work didn’t arrive until quite late. They were “four or five weeks into rehearsals for Signal to Noise,” Etchells recalls, and getting nowhere. Away from rehearsals, he had been playing around with feeding “weird texts” to AI voices to see how they would cope with them – “basically for my own amusement” – and was compelled by the uniformly “serviceable, benign, good-natured” tone they would read in, no matter how poetic, fractured or experimental the writing. On a hunch, he brought some examples into rehearsals and the performers gave lip-syncing a go. “It was immediately interesting and uncanny,” he recalls, with the performers having to deal in the moment with the problem of mapping themselves onto another artificial ‘performer,’ which itself was dealing with the problem of a very human text. “Almost all the writing for these projects would be useless to us unless it was done in this way,” says Etchells. “We wouldn’t know what to do with it. It’s too poetic. It’s too fictional. It’s too tangled.” But exploring lip-syncing along to the text has opened “an enormous reservoir of ways of thinking about writing and performing.” Subscribe to Exeunt, and get two in-depth pieces on theatre a week, direct to your inbox Subscribe Forced Entertainment have long been sifting through the detritus of popular culture, from daytime TV to end-of-the-pier vaudeville, magic acts and clown shows, to find frameworks for their own unusual entertainments. Lip-syncing, then, makes sense for them to experiment with. As a mode of performance, it’s wired into popular consciousness through pop stars trying to convince stadium audiences of their liveness, or those same voices as channeled through the made-up lips of contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race, or movie dialogue spreading virally through the host bodies of TikTok users. For Etchells, lip-syncing is often about “approaching real voices and trying to take on their aura,” subsuming that original human presence into yours. “There’s a very basic, elemental sort of theatre magic to it, produced in this very easy way.” This broad approach resonates with instances of lip-syncing within contemporary performance, too. In works like Re-Member Me and Showmanism, performance artist Dickie Beau acts as a kind of spirit medium for archival recordings (this process of re-membering – as in, giving corporeal form to voices – relies on his masterfully precise actor’s technique), while Frankie Thompson is similarly possessed by a host of characters ranging from a nine-year-old Jacob Rees-Mogg to Cliff Richards, all of whom she finds compellingly nauseating, in the exorcism ritual that is her latest show, Horrible Things. What’s different about Forced Entertainment’s use of lip-syncing is that here, there is no original presence to be channeled. The performers are instead taking on what Etchells describes as “the voices of nobody,” or rather the “phantasmic, aggregated echoes” of the many many voices on whose data the AI has been trained, and which are now conjuring into existence words they never actually said. There is a sort of mournful, empty quality to these voices, having “washed up” far away from the people they originally belonged to, to find themselves in stranger’s mouths listing objects, wondering if anyone can hear them and glitching in interminable loops. There is a cold, sad anonymity to it all. Etchells remarks that occasionally the software company he used has notified him that particular people are withdrawing their voices from the platform, instructing him to cease use of those voices. Using these technologies in performance certainly brings up ethical questions around digital rights, consent, identity and ownership, although in the grand scheme of things, Etchells is fairly blasé about it: of all the purposes someone’s voice might be put to without their knowledge, “an avant-garde performance is probably the least of their worries.” [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) [ Frankie Thompson: How I manage my own ‘horrible things’ at the Edinburgh Fringe ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) Exeunt · Aug 25 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) For the performers, though, lip-syncing to these strange, artificial voices is an odd task, requiring them to bend their live, human presence into the shapes produced by machines. Politically, it mirrors processes that are already at play in the continued computational automation of human life. Etchells brings up James Bridle’s writings on new technologies as a reference point: one example Bridle gives is of “chaotic storage”, a logistics technique employed by Amazon fulfilment centres whereby items are stored not according to traditional methods of categorisation or alphabetisation, but in a way that an algorithm determines to produce the most efficient routes for ‘picking’ based on customer purchase patterns. This appears completely random and incomprehensible to humans, with paddling pools sitting next to USB sticks sitting next to blowtorches, and so for the warehouse workers, the process of picking items becomes completely reliant on technology which tells them where to go. Our world is increasingly being designed not with humans in mind, but rather machines. As Etchells puts it, “technology malforms the space, and then you end up having to live in it.” Initially, Forced Entertainment tried their best to live in the world of machines: “I was in the it’s-got-to-be-perfect school of lip-sync,” says Etchells. But with their aesthetic being so tied to the failing act, the slipping mask, the shoddy costume, “it’s no surprise really that that didn’t last.” Instead, the performers got to enjoy being late for a line, or playing games with each other, “stealing” each other’s voices. Etchells compares it to the principles of ventriloquism, in which a free-floating voice unattached to a body is fundamentally discomforting and “sort of traumatic”. That discomfort is equally as alluring to Forced Entertainment as the satisfaction of precision, the pretence of authenticity only interesting if shown to be a pretence. Lip-sync has also opened up new avenues for the company. Having been allergic all their lives to Plays-with-a-capital-P, with Cold Sweat Forced Entertainment find themselves approaching something a little bit like drama. Rather than the presentational arena of Signal to Noise’s open white stage, Cold Sweat places us more decisively in a “fictional locale”: what appears to be “the aftermath of some disastrous party or backyard drinking binge” where three figures – family members, or neighbours, perhaps – are the last ones standing. “It’s all quite acrimonious and accusatory, everyone’s talking over each other.” For Etchells, this more fictional mode is “a door that we’ve never been able to open. We’ve just never really gone there.” Perhaps it is the technique of lip-syncing, an extra buffer of mediation, that allows them to venture away from the here-and-now without feeling that they have to commit to the “psychological claptrap” that comes along with acting; to be able to “play the game of theatre, without getting one’s hands too dirty.” As I wonder how else the impulses behind Forced Entertainment’s work have changed over time, it occurs to me that over the last ten years of new creations, with the exception of If All Else Fails, the company’s performers haven’t ever spoken on stage: there were two shows without any language at all, Out of Order and Under Bright Light, and then this trilogy of lip-sync works. Etchells agrees it’s a shift away from earlier productions, that were so often about “the actual voices of the performers and their actual presences. We had a lot of money, in some ways, on an authentic approach to what it might mean to speak on the stage.” But this sense of authentic presence itself had a fakeness to it; these days, Etchells can’t stand that mode of being onstage where performers “are here to be cheeky and witty versions of themselves. I don’t want to be charmed.” Pulling back into a more anonymous space has resulted in works that feel slightly sharper-edged, more brutal in a way. “All of these shows are post-Brexit, post-Trump, post-truth, post-everything,” Etchells notes. Speech, charisma, authenticity – these things feel politically loaded, and perhaps warmth and openness just don’t feel like the right tools to reflect the world we’re living in. “It feels like the space is closing down, and we’re trying to deal with the fact that the system, the structure that you’re in, is more oppressive and more powerful. It probably always was, but I think we’re just more tuned to it now.” Yet even without their voices, the performers’ distinctive presences – ones that many audiences have followed around for years, if not decades – still, inevitably, shine through as they physically navigate whatever unending task the system of the piece has set for them. They’re still trying to keep up with the onslaught of text, still running about, changing costumes, moving stuff around. The human is always stuck in the teeth of the machine, jamming the smooth, frictionless cheeriness of the not-real, gesticulating silently, trying desperately to communicate. Cold Sweat is at Sheffield Theatres, 2 to 3 October; Southbank Centre, London, 9 to 10 October; Lancaster Arts, 14 October [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) [ Exeunt recommends... the best autumn theatre ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) Exeunt · Sep 16 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) This piece was paid for by the Southbank Centre. Such support helps Exeunt to keep publishing the most interesting writing, about the most exciting theatre. Interested in partnering with Exeunt? Visit our Advertise with Exeunt page, where you can get more information, download an advertising pack, and find our contact details.
'One of the great unsolved mysteries of science': What general anaesthetic reveals about our brains
How general anaesthetics work is still not fully understood, but they are revealing clues about the nature of consciousness.
Sunda Energy, Meridian Mining, Quantum Helium, Light Science Technologies, Foresight Solar, hVIVO
Sunda Energy PLC (AIM:SNDA, FRA:GHA0) has raised £5.25 million to fund completion of its New Zealand acquisition. It's also launching a retail offer for a further £525,000. Meridian Mining Plc (LSE:MNO, TSX:MNO, OTCQX:MRRDF) has delivered a net present value of $2.09 billion for its Cabaçal project in Brazil. The CEO says the economics could make it the next major near-term gold-copper mine. Quantum Helium Ltd (AIM:QHE) is targeting Q4 2026 for a larger fracture stimulation programme at Sagebrush-1 in Colorado. It's also taking a 9% stake in Herencia Resources. Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC (AIM:LST, FRA:9FD) has secured a repeat order from a healthcare devices customer, pushing that contract past £500,000. It's building out higher-margin work in defence and medical sectors. Foresight Solar Fund Ltd (LSE:FSFL, FRA:1F5) says it's considering all strategic options to lift a share price stuck below the value of its assets. The board says it needs to "act decisively" to close that gap. hVIVO PLC (AIM:HVO) has appointed Caroline Shaw as an independent non-executive director. She brings more than 30 years of senior healthcare leadership to the board. Follow us and subscribe on YouTube, our social channels, and on proactiveinvestors.co.uk.
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A 14-year-old in a Colorado farm town built a robotic hand from LEGO bricks, fishing line and surgical tubing, then met a 7-year-old at a science fair wearing an $80,000 prosthetic arm she had already outgrown — his next version, 3D-printed, came in under $400, and NASA took him on as an intern at 17
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