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Complete Health to pay $14M to settle Medicare Advantage fraud allegations
The value-based primary care provider submitted false diagnosis codes to the CMS for three years, inflating its reimbursement by millions of dollars, according to the DOJ.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Volunteer Center names new director as longtime exec retires; new life ahead for Casalegno’s market
Shawn Peterson takes over for Karen Delaney at a powerhouse local nonprofit, a revival for a Soquel institution and names, numbers and dates to know – Jessica M. Pasko runs it all down in her weekly survey of Santa Cruz County business.
Procter & Gamble acquires Thorne for $3.8bn in bet on science-backed supplement growth
The deal, expected to close in Q4 2026, brings Thorne's clinically validated, practitioner-trusted supplement portfolio into P&G's consumer health stable — signalling mainstream consumer goods giants' accelerating move into premium VMS
NFL Scout Rips Bucs' QB Mayfield
An anonymous evaluator slams the quarterback’s contract disappointment as a "crock," but fails miserably in his reasoning.
Asian shares jump on AI trade revival despite SpaceX, AMD setbacks, as oil prices dip
Technology stocks booming again while Brent crude trades below $80 a barrel amid hopes for a Middle East interim deal
OpenAI reported 2 more incidents of rogue AI agents
External parties reported that OpenAI's AI agents had gone rogue during their evaluations.
India's Manipal Health jumps 10.5% in market debut, valued at $9 billion
India's Manipal Health Enterprises made its market debut at a 10.5% premium on Wednesday, valuing the hospital chain at 857.63 billion rupees ($9.03 billion).
Thornton leads starry 2026 class entering San Jose Sports Hall of Fame
A league MVP, a national champion, a four-time Olympic medalist and a leader of the Bay Area’s two major rivals will be inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in November.
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.
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.
McDonald's says US sales slowed after value deal push fell short
CEO Chris Kempczinski says weak promotion of value deals and a pullback in digital deals led to a drop in visits from McDonald's loyal customers.
Inside the Oval Office Showdown Between Trump and Jeanine Pirro
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told President Trump that his interior secretary, Doug Burgum, had misled him with a self-serving cover story for his own mistakes.
Telegram CEO Says Extortionist Manipulated Apple Into App Store Removal
Telegram was subject to a "takedown extortionist" who planted AI-modified child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to get Apple to remove the app from the App Store, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov said today. Apple removed Telegram from the App Store for about 40 minutes on Monday night after discovering CSAM, but reinstated the app after Telegram removed the content.
Steam meme game made in days almost turns teen into a millionaire
Even after refunds, a surprising number of people kept the expensive game on Valve's platform
SpaceX quarterly revenue surges in debut results on strong growth in its Starlink business
SpaceX reported on Tuesday a 92% rise in revenue for the April-June quarter, in its first earnings since going public, buoyed by strong growth in its Starlink satellite-internet and AI businesses. The company's stock has declined 8% since its record-breaking initial public offering in June that valued the company at about $1.75 trillion. The stock could face additional pressure from the expiry of SpaceX's post-IPO lock-up period starting on Thursday, which may unleash a wave of insider and early-investor shares on the market.
Beyond 'Pawn Stars': How One Entrepreneur Turned Hidden Wealth Into a Business Opportunity
Years of valuing luxury assets taught Michael Manashirov that true entrepreneurship isn't just about recognizing value—it's about finding better ways to unlock it.
Englewood Festival entertainment announced
ENGLEWOOD — Entertainment at the 52nd Englewood Art Festival promises to be another major attraction for this weekend event scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9 at Centennial Park, 321 Union Boulevard.
Steps announced to improve public safety in Chippewa Entertainment District
In a Tuesday press conference at Buffalo City Hall, Mayor Sean Ryan was joined by fellow city and business leaders to announce the next phase of his administration’s efforts to improve public safety in the Chippewa Entertainment District after several weeks of enhanced enforcement and evaluation. Read more from WBEN: | WBEN
47th West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival announces 2026 entertainment lineup, schedule
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The 47th annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival will return to downtown Clarksburg over Labor Day weekend, bringing three days of Italian culture, food, competitions and free
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.
‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Is Filming, and the Show Has a Message for Overexcited Fans
As season 2 of 'Heated Rivalry' begins production, the official account for the show has posted a statement asking fans to give the cast and crew the space they need.
'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Revival Sets Online Release Schedule
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments" has officially set release dates for the four new episodes of the beloved cult series.
URI business professor explains ‘financial unicorns’ and SpaceX, Anthropic IPOs
KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 04, 2026 – In mythology, unicorns are fictional. In finance, however, unicorns are very real. Just over a month ago, millions of people witnessed one financial unicorn, and another is quickly approaching. For the first time, privately held company SpaceX was listed on the NASDAQ. Valued at more than $1 trillion, […]
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.
Paramount's David Ellison downplays politics after courting Trump
David Ellison courted Trump when seeking approval for his WBD deal. He argues in a new op-ed that his politics are "just like most Americans."
Today’s horoscope: Aries - don’t mix business with pleasure (Aug. 4, 2026)
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Cole Sprouse, 34; Dylan Sprouse, 34; Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, 45; Barack Obama, 65.
David Ellison says court fight over Warner Bros. is about his politics, CNN
The Paramount Skydance CEO defended his deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery and said he’s voted for Democrats and Republicans and held liberal and conservative values.
Scientists propose nuking solution to Doomsday asteroid — as thousands of city-killers swarm Earth
Scientists have devised an unorthodox solution to stop a potential Doomsday asteroid from destroying Earth — by nuking the space-rock with a force equivalent to multiple Hiroshima bombs.
Buffalo: Ryan announces steps to improve public safety in Chippewa entertainment district
Mayor Sean Ryan announced the next phase of his administration's efforts to improve public safety in Buffalo's Chippewa entertainment district following several weeks of enhanced enforcement and evaluation.
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.
Evaluating Bucks' Best and Worst Moves of 2026 NBA Offseason
Milwaukee traded away its franchise cornerstone this summer, and the return package leaves plenty of room to argue about what comes next.
AI-driven Ring Cycle sparks boos at 150th anniversary Wagner Festival
Artificial intelligence sparked boos at the 150th anniversary performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. The audience was frustrated that the software could integrate images but not drama. The staging was subtitled
Over 50 musicians to headline inaugural Myrtle Beach Songwriters Festival this fall
Fifty songwriters, including one who has written for Willie Nelson and Kenney Chesney and another multi-award winner who has showcased his original music at the Grand Ole Opry, will perform at the inaugural Myrtle Beach Songwriters Festival Nov. 13-14.
Does Tennessee business growth matter if no one enjoys living here?
Tennessee ranks low for most quality of life measures according to a recent report by CNBC and more people leave the state each year.
Trump lashes out as political losses pile up
President Donald Trump lashed out at oil companies and his own US attorney in the gilded Oval Office on Monday as his spin ran into the real world.
Virginia CBD businesses file injunction to stop restrictions on hemp products
“If the state took your property for a new ball yard or a new highway, they’d have to write you a check for the fair market value. And if the state’s not going to play along with us in terms of letting us recoup our investment, then at a minimum they have to write a check for the property they’re taking,” said Chap Petersen, the former state senator representing the plaintiffs
Director Vincent Ward denies thinking Samantha Morton was Emily Watson on movie shoot: ‘Impossible’
Vincent Ward, the Kiwi director of 2005’s ‘River Queen,’ tells EW that it’s ‘impossible’ he could have confused his star, Samantha Morton, for Emily Watson on set, as Morton recently claimed.
Pediatric measles case reported at St. Luke's hospital in Lehigh Valley
Saint Luke's Hospital in the Lehigh Valley is treating a pediatric patient for measles.
Telegram appears to have been pulled from the App Store worldwide
Telegram appears to have been removed from the App Store in multiple countries, although the reason for its apparent removal remains unclear.
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.
What Oregon Can't do Before the College Football Playoff
Boasting a top-three roster, the Ducks must survive a brutal Big Ten gauntlet and avoid road stumbles against powerhouse rivals to secure a coveted first-round bye.
Grading the trade deadline: What did the Red Sox get?
A. That’s the answer. I’m not going to do the online recipe thing and tell you about that time I did this and that and the other before I get there with 4 sections and 3 false endings so you accidentally click on a Carnival Cruise Line ad instead of knowing how many onions to […]
Open-Weight Models Aren’t Enough. We Need Truly Open Source AI Models for Science and Society.
As Chinese AI closes the capability gap, Washington and Silicon Valley debate open-weight models. Stanford HAI's James Landay says it's the right conversation framed the wrong way.
Central Valley health officials monitoring farmworkers exposed to measles outbreak in Arizona
Health officials are monitoring a group of about 140 farmworkers who traveled from Arizona to the Central Valley after being exposed to measles during an ongoing outbreak in that state.
Apple Plans iPhone-to-Windows Copy and Paste in EU After Microsoft Request
Apple is working on a new feature that will support cross-device copy and paste between iOS devices and Windows PCs. Microsoft asked for the feature using Apple's EU interoperability request system for developers, which Apple implemented to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple began evaluating the request in March, and on June 26, proposed a project plan.
Trade Deadline: What Seattle Mariners' AL West rivals did
A look at how the 2026 MLB trade deadline shook out for the Seattle Mariners' AL West rivals, including the first-place Houston Astros.
August 6 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts-Entertainment Source: Activities
The Benicia Peddlers Fair is all day Saturday in downtown Benicia.
Jackie the eagle faces health complications as anemia worsens despite transfusion
KMPH Fox 26 is the Central Valley's news leader, covering Fresno, California and the surrounding area, including Clovis, Madera, Hanford, Visalia, Biola, Kerman, Tranquillity, San Joaquin, Reedley, Coalinga, Avenal, Lemoore, Tulare, Selma, Caruthers, Tollhouse, Three Rivers, Porterville, and Merced.
Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Present Company
Read the release on Sen. Ernst's website here. Throughout this Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Present Company of Audubon County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. "Present Company has been the gift that keeps on giving to Audubon for more than three decades," said Chair Ernst. "From helping revitalize Main Street to supporting countless local events and charities, Telia Carter and her team continue to present the very best of Iowa's entrepreneurial spirit. Their commitment to exceptional service, unique products, and hometown values proves that investing in your community always comes back around." Founded in 1990 by Nancy Oleson, Present Company opened its doors in downtown Audubon as a home décor boutique. After more than three decades of serving southwest Iowa, ownership transitioned in 2022 to Telia Carter. Under her leadership, Present Company has continued its tradition of personalized customer service while adapting its inventory to meet the needs of customers from Audubon and the surrounding communities. Today, Present Company remains a downtown Audubon staple, offering a carefully curated selection of gifts, home décor, apparel, jewelry, and specialty items. The boutique has earned a reputation for unique merchandise, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere that reflects the character of small-town Iowa. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###
Valkryies coach addresses Sophie Cunningham's trans athletes comments
Valkryies coach Natalie Nakase on Sunday addressed Sophie Cunningham's stance about trans athletes in women's sports with reporters. Caitlin Clark mostly avoided doing so.
The Steam Frame Might End Up More Expensive Than the Steam Machine
In a now-deleted stream, Valve leaker Tyler McVicker suggests the Steam Frame could be more expensive than the Steam Machine.
USC, Notre Dame renew rivalry series with a key adjustment
USC coach Lincoln Riley said the Trojans could not compromise on scheduling all future games against Notre Dame to early in the season.
She graduated college with no student loans by flipping used clothes
Hannah Valentine, 25, sources most of her vintage inventory from Goodwill outlet bins. Some of the things she's found in the bins shouldn't be there.
Musikfest attendees don't miss a beat, despite heat and rain
69 News Reporter Sydney Kay stopped by FestPlatz as festival goers made the most of the weather.
At colleges, the AI boom means everyone wants to dabble in computer science
WCHS ABC 8 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Charleston and nearby towns and communities in the Tri-State area, including Huntington, Dunbar, Marmet, Montgomery, Nitro, South Charleston, St. Albans, Cedar Grove, Chesapeake, Clendenin, East Bank, Glasgow, Pratt, Cross Lanes, Elkview, Pinch, Sissonville, Big Chimney, Cabin Creek, Chelyan, Davis Creek, Institute, Jefferson, Loudendale, Mink Shoals, Pocatalico, Quick, Quincy, Rand, Buffalo, Eleanor, Hurricane, Nitro, Poca, Winfield, Culloden, Fraziers Bottom, Hometown, Red House, Scott Depot, Teays Valley, Danville, Madison, Hamlin, Logan, Chapmanville, Man, Delbarton, Kermit, Gilbert, Matewan, Williamson, Summersville, Richwood, Flatwoods, Gassaway, Sutton, Spencer, Ravenswood, Ripley, Mason, Point Pleasant, Ashland, Pikeville, Ironton, Portsmouth, Gallipolis, and Athens.
Risky Business: Patent Term Adjustment in the Post- Forest Era
What value is a patent that expires before it issues? Until recently, that question seemed wholly academic. In In re Forest, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit answered it directly.
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase defends trans athletes in women's sports as culture war engulfs WNBA
Four WNBA coaches addressed trans athletes in women's sports within days as protests grow outside games supporting Sophie Cunningham's stance.
Is PENN Entertainment (PENN) Undervalued Ahead Of June Quarter Earnings?
Why PENN Entertainment’s Upcoming Earnings Matter For Investors PENN Entertainment (PENN) is back on watch as investors prepare for its June quarter earnings report on August 6, with expectations centered on higher revenue and improved year over year earnings. This focus comes after a recent slide in the stock price and ongoing net losses, even as some investors argue current levels around $20.53 suggest potential undervaluation relative to perceived fair value. See our latest analysis for...
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.
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.
Islanders a possible trade match with the Penguins?
Came across this little note, and since it is August, why not sink into it a little bit? We all know the Penguins are really weak on the left side of their defense, enter a division rival over on Long Island who happen to be stacked at the position to at least make a fun […]
U.S. Small Business Sales Hold Steady in July, Extending 2026's Modest Growth
Fiserv Small Business Index finds sales increased 1.6% year over year, driven by higher average transaction values as consumers remained selective in retail and dining spending MILWAUKEE, Aug. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and
Why Tesla selling its China business could be a negative for shareholders
Tesla China spin-off rumors: analysts warn a sale could erase humanoid/robotaxi upside and cut TSLA value.
How the World Cup became great 'dry run' for 2028 Olympics
The success of the FIFA World Cup in Southern California provided valuable lessons for LA28 as it continues its preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.
The US might lose the AI race to China. Should Americans care?
Everyone in Silicon Valley and the Beltway is freaked out about Chinese AI, but there’s less consensus on what to do about it.
Black Mtn introducing new food and beverage entertainment zone at 49th annual Sourwood Festival
News, weather, sports for Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, and Pickens, SC and Asheville, Hendersonville, NC on channel 7
New study torpedoes mental health treatment mandate
The first-of-its-kind evaluation of Kendra’s Law was commissioned at the direction of the state Legislature.
5 physician leaders on what comes next in healthcare
Healthcare leaders say AI alone will not transform medicine. Success depends on technology that improves outcomes, access, value and trust.
Why Priyanka Gandhi’s ‘gaumutra expert’ remark should concern anyone who values science
Throughout history, many medicines originated from traditional knowledge. Aspirin traces its origins to willow bark. Artemisinin emerged from traditional Chinese medicine.
Latino film festival to launch in London
The London Latino Film Festival runs from 2 to 6 October and will open with a night at the Barbican.
UW-Eau Claire Reveals Name Of New Academic Building: Riverside Science Center
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s newest academic building has officially been named the Riverside Science Center, after approval by the UW System Board of Regents this July. The five-story structure along the Chippewa River will become the largest facility among the Universities of
Bruins Could Lose Forward Who Hit Career Highs Last Season
The Boston Bruins managed to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this spring, marking a return to the annual tournament for the first time since 2024 after having failed to qualify last spring.However, their stay in the postseason was short, as they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal by the divisional rival Buffalo […] The post Bruins Could Lose Forward Who Hit Career Highs Last Season appeared first on HEAVY.
Hyper Valuation Services Hires Evans as Managing Director of Business Development
Hyper Valuation Services (HVS), a division of HYPERAMS, hired Adam Evans as managing director of business development. In his new role, Evans will focus on
Ariana Grande to step back from public life following scrutiny of her health
The singer and actor, who is on tour, will no longer star in the London revival of “Sunday in the Park With George,” which is set to open in summer 2027.
Palworld Online announced for iOS, Android
Garena has announced Palworld Online, a “large-scale” multiplayer survival adventure game currently in development under licensing from Pocketpair. It will be available for iOS and Andr…
Celebrate curiosity at this year’s Science Festival
Celebrate curiosity at this year’s Science Festival
Bannock County Fair returns to Downey with new attractions, live entertainment
DOWNEY — It’s called “the best little fair in Idaho” for a reason, and everyone is invited to join in the fun. A longtime Marsh Valley tradition, the Bannock County Fair returns to Downey on Monday, bringing six days of livestock shows, rodeo action, live entertainment, family activities and several new attractions to the Bannock […]
Business Notes: Newport News sheriff appointed to lottery board; Carnival partners with students on boat project
View which businesses are giving back and which ones are celebrating milestones.
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!
Mid-Hudson Valley business calendar for the week of Aug. 3, 2026
A listing of upcoming business events in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Town and Country Fair returns to Napa Valley Expo starting Thursday
Starting Thursday, Aug. 6 the Town & Country Fair will take over the Napa Valley Expo, with live music, livestock exhibits, carnival thrills and lots more family friendly activities included with admission.
Fantasy Baseball Trade Deadline Tracker: Freddy Peralta, Luis Castillo on the move; Kade Anderson on the way?
Curtis Mead gains Fantasy value after a trade to the Red Sox at the deadline
Maritime Museum Art Exhibit Tests Historic Mettle of Bronze
Bronze has long been part of life at sea. Valued for its strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion, the material has appeared in tools, trade
Great Plains Tribal Health Program hosts free Healthy Families Carnival in Rapid City
The Great Plains Tribal Health Program held its free Healthy Families Carnival.
St Johnstone 4-3 Kilmarnock: What Valakari said
It was a big day for the club, to see the Championship flag and play our first Premiership game in front of our fans. It was important to win today because those three points will stay with us until the end of the season.
Alabama Was Called Cheap; Now Its Strategy Looks Smart
While rivals chase high-priced transfers, the Crimson Tide prioritizes roster continuity. This calculated shift toward internal stability over flashy recruiting hauls marks a new era for sustaining dominance.
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.
Inside California Politics: Hilton challenges Becerra to debate
(Inside California Politics) — Steve Hilton is challenging his Democratic rival to a debate, calling on Xavier Becerra to “man up and show up” to a televised showdown. This week, the Re…
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.
What I learned running with Jon Gray and 100 Blackstone analysts
I spent my Thursday morning jogging with Jon Gray and Blackstone analysts, and felt firsthand the business value of his social media jogging videos.
Valve releases Lepton Android layer on Steam as Steam Frame launch countdown begins
Valve has released Lepton and FEX publicly through Steam ahead of the Steam Frame launch. Lepton runs Android games in Linux containers.
Why I support a National Science Mission on cow urine
Support for a National Science Mission on cow urine aims to validate its medicinal claims through rigorous scientific research.
This once-a-week workout may help cut belly fat, study shows
A surprisingly small dose of exercise may deliver major health benefits for adults carrying excess fat around the waist. In a four-month trial involving 315 adults with central obesity, researchers found that completing 75 minutes of brisk interval walking in a single weekly session reduced body fat, trimmed waistlines, and improved cardiovascular fitness about as effectively as splitting the same exercise across three days.
Senior performers in the Valley say they feel young on stage. Science backs that up
CLOVIS, Calif. — Mac McIntosh started singing when he was 8 years old. He’s 77 now, but his glory days are far from over.
A's Option Luis Morales as Search For Relief Continues
Luis Morales gave up seven earned runs in two innings Friday night, and Ben Bowden's arrival signals the organization is preparing for a prolonged fix.