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Judge blocks the Trump administration from moving FBI headquarters out of Maryland to DC office building
The ruling is the latest development in a yearslong battle over where to house the main office for the nation's premier law enforcement agency.
Green Mountain Care Board set modest rate increases for 2027 Vermont health insurance marketplace plans
This year’s rates represent efforts towards keeping premiums lower, while still aiming to account for insurers’ ability to pay out the costs of healthcare in Vermont.
Business groups again endorse Republicans for Ohio Supreme Court, but say it's not partisan
Leaders of Ohio's main business organizations insist their endorsements of the Republican candidates for Ohio Supreme Court is not just a political decision.
The latest Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra reveals that Samsung doesn’t want to change anything at all
Playing it safe would be an understatement for Samsung’s approach to its upcoming premium tablet.
West Ham United interested in former Premier League winner
It looks like a return to England could be on the cards for Jamie Vardy, as West Ham United have shown in the 39-year-old.
Delaware North names Seth Rose president of its Patina Group business
Veteran hospitality leader to oversee Delaware North’s premium restaurant and hospitality business BUFFALO, N.Y. (Aug. 18, 2026) – Delaware North, a global hospitality and entertainment company, announced today that Seth Rose has been promoted to president of its Patina Group business. In this role, he will lead a nationwide portfolio of premium restaurants and catering […]
American to add seatback entertainment screens to narrowbody fleet
US carrier reverses a bet on personal devices as it races to close the cabin gap with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows
ACA enrollments in Florida dropped in 2026, but the decrease was smaller than anticipated.
American Airlines announces fleetwide upgrade with installation of seatback screens at every seat and increased premium seats across the narrowbody fleet
From 4K screens to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi and more premium seats than ever, American ups the ante at 35,000 feet.
‘Remember the Titans’ star recalls smoking heroin on night of premiere: ‘Went to bed believing I wouldn’t wake up’
During a tribute to his late ‘Remember the Titans’ costar Hayden Panettiere, Ethan Suplee confessed to repeatedly smoking heroin at the film’s premiere.
Lamborghini's most extreme car just sold out its future
Scarcity is the oldest pricing trick in luxury, and it only works when the scarcity is real. Anyone can print “limited edition” on a box. Very few companies can cap production at a hard number, refuse to move it, and still watch buyers pay a premium for the privilege of waiting a year to take ...
Supreme Court asked to review law requiring Ten Commandments in public schools
The case could set a new national standard for the limits of state-sponsored religious expression in classrooms
Supreme Court asked to review law requiring Ten Commandments in public schools
The case could set a new national standard for the limits of state-sponsored religious expression in classrooms
Supreme Court asked to review law requiring Ten Commandments in public schools
The case could set a new national standard for the limits of state-sponsored religious expression in classrooms
Do Arsenal have the mentality to retain Premier League title?
Arsenal ended their long wait to win the Premier League again by securing the title last season. It means they begin this campaign as defending champions - something they have not done since the 2004-05 season. The Gunners are favourites to lift the trophy once more - but what does history tell us about how defending champions perform, and just how likely is it that Mikel Arteta's men can claim back-to-back Premier League titles?
Supreme Court rebuffs Trump’s bid to overturn $5 million verdict in Carroll case
The president was found liable of sexually assaulting and defaming E. Jean Carroll in the high-profile civil case.
Webtoon Entertainment
Webtoon Entertainment is embracing the microdrama format with the premiere today of six romantic stories presented as "short dramas."
Supreme Court again denies Trump's push to toss out $5 million verdict in E. Jean Carroll case
Trump and the Justice Department are also asking the high court to toss out a second Carroll verdict totaling $83 million.
Supreme Court again rebuffs Trump on E. Jean Carroll case
Carroll, 82, first talked about the attack publicly in 2019 in a memoir while Trump was president.
3 Arsenal matches moved for TV
New kick-off times have been announced for three autumn fixtures as the latest round of live TV selections is confirmed.Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesThree of Arsenal‘s Premier League fixtures ha...
Apple retains clear smartwatch market lead, but a new contender is rising in a key wearable segment
No one can threaten Apple's smartwatch market supremacy right now, although Google and Garmin are making very interesting progress with a relatively new type of wearable.
'Electric up top and suspect at the back'
Hearts fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's 6-2 win over Inverness CT in the Premier Sports Cup. The entertainment value is 10 out of 10 but our defensive errors will cost us against good teams. Can't quite believe that we have such good wingers in Josh McPake, Calvin Miller (both of whom really should be getting Scotland call-ups from Pocognoli) and Sabah Kerjota.
Insurance premiums, copays top Americans’ list of healthcare gripes
A new survey from the nonprofit research group the Commonwealth Fund found that the cost to access healthcare was the top concern across political divides. Americans do disagree, however, on how to solve the problem.
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB Gen4 SSD Is Nearly 40% Off on Amazon, a Rare Break for a Premium Storage Upgrade
Samsung's SSD 990 PRO 2TB still retails for $640, but you can steal one for just $390.
James Justin: Everyone kept passing it back to me
Leeds United defender James Justin believes the team have had a fantastic pre-season ahead of the Premier League’s curtain raiser next weekend.Daniel Farke’s side were again impressive in their fi...
Lankshear outlines Premier League dream with Boro
Middlesbrough's new goalscoring hero Will Lankshear says his dream is "to play in the Premier League" and that his team-mates share that ambition.
How can I watch City v Bournemouth on TV?
Find out how you can watch City’s first Premier League clash with Bournemouth, wherever you are in the world.Last term saw City finish second while the Cherries came in sixth as both teams look to g...
Hayden Panettiere dead: Star of 'Heroes,' 'Nashville' was 36
Actor Hayden Panettiere, who starred in TV dramas and movies, died Sunday, her representative said. She was 36.
‘Lanterns’ shocking premiere cliffhanger explained by cast and crew
Behind that shocking ‘Lanterns’ premiere cliffhanger: Kyle Chandler and the creative team explain what it means moving forward.
Why Are Bose Headphones So Expensive?
Bose headphones command premium prices for more than the logo. Here's what you're actually paying for, from ANC and comfort to audio features.
Rangers to face Celtic in Premier Sports Cup quarterfinals after Derek McInnes gets off the mark
Rangers were handed a home tie against Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarterfinal draw after getting their first win under new boss Derek McInnes at the fifth time of asking when they beat St Mirren 5-1 at Ibrox.
Box Office: ‘Spider-Man’ stays on top while two dino movies battle for third
Two dinosaur movies made a modest impact at the North American box office this weekend.
Arsenal rout Man City in Community Shield masterclass
Arsenal powered to a 3-0 win against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, delivering a swaggering statement of intent ahead of their Premier League title defence.Only City, in 2019, have gone onto become Premier League champions among the previous 15 winners of the Community Shield.
Hollywood duo underline Premier League ambition for Wrexham
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood owners of English second-tier side Wrexham, have restated their ambition for the club to win the Championship title and so complete a remarkable journey from National League to the Premier League.Deadpool star Reynolds said he felt "obscene pride" at Wrexham's league finish and co-owner McElhenney has underlined their determination to reach the top flight after playing in the fifth tier of English football as recently as 2023.
Dolby Vision is on Netflix but you'll need these things first
It's only available with the top-tier Premium subscription plan, for one.
Arsenal vs. Manchester City Community Shield match thread
We’ve made it, folks! Arsenal start their 2026-27 season in earnest today with the Community Shield against Manchester City. For those of you unaware, the Community Shield is the annual match played the week before the season between the Premier League Champions and the FA Cup winner. The Gunners have won the Shield the second-most […]
Angry at the Supreme Court, liberals push a slew of plans for overhauling it
As the midterms near, Democrats are proposing adding more justices, limiting their terms and more.
The Legal Paths to Hoarding Political and Economic Power
At the same time that the Supreme Court is making the political landscape less competitive, a series of corporate law developments are concentrating power within the commanding heights of the data economy.
How important is Community Shield to a team's season?
Premier League champions Arsenal take on FA Cup winners Manchester City in Sunday's Community Shield - but would winning suggest a successful season ahead?
Panthers' Premier Free Agent Additions Shine in Preseason Loss
The Carolina Panthers took the field on Saturday for the second time this preseason. The Panthers had a nice showing in the Hall of Fame Game, taking down the Arizona Cardinals. Saturday's matchup against the Bills, however, was not as positive for the Panthers.
Intermountain Health Named Nonprofit of the Year in Nevada by Urban Chamber of Commerce
The Urban Chamber of Commerce has named Intermountain Health Nonprofit of the Year in Nevada, an honor recognizing the health system's deep investment in the health, economic vitality, and long-term success of Southern Nevada.The award was presented during the Chamber's annual Green Tie Awards, its premier celebration honoring businesses, nonpro...
Selena Gomez blasts fraud lawsuit against her and her mother: ‘Completely meritless’
Selena Gomez broke her silence on the lawsuit accusing her and her mother of multiple counts of fraud, calling the suit ‘completely meritless’ in a statement from her lawyer.
What happened to the cast of 'L.A. Law'? Where the stars of Steven Bochco’s legal drama are now
'L.A. Law' gave equal time to the courtroom, the boardroom, and the bedroom as it followed the attorneys and staff of a high-powered Los Angeles firm. See what the stars have been up to 40 years after its premiere.
California lawmakers must reject bills that would raise healthcare premiums
“Healthcare needs to be more affordable. But the message isn’t resonating among legislators in Sacramento.”
Premier League: Why clubs are targeting EFL academy players
Premier League clubs are continuing to recruit young players from EFL and Scottish academies for their U21 and B-team squads.
Maine ACA health insurance premiums to rise nearly 15% in 2027
Mainers who buy their own health insurance will see premiums rise sharply next year, with state regulators approving an average increase of 14.8% for the individual market.
SJC delays ruling on Boston’s White Stadium lawsuit, putting $325M plan at risk: ‘Political disaster’
Boston’s $325 million rebuild of White Stadium for a pro soccer team was dealt another blow this week, when the Supreme Judicial Court opted to take more time to consider an appeal from a community group seeking to kill the project.
The New 2026 Hisense U6 Pro TV Delivers Premium Tech and the Latest Gaming Features at a Budget-Friendly Price Point, Perfect for Students Heading Back to School
Improvements over the U6 include an even brighter picture, an anti-glare screen, and a built-in subwoofer.
Outrage at UnitedHealth and Other Insurers Persists After Brian Thompson Killing
Higher premiums and rising medical bills have intensified Americans’ dissatisfaction with their medical coverage.
Amazon Founder Bezos to Become Part-Owner of Team With Liverpool Deal
The billionaire is set to become a part-owner of the storied Premier League soccer team, valued at more than $7 billion.
Trump asks Supreme Court to let White House resume ballroom construction during appeal
President Donald Trump's administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the White House to resume construction on its $400 million ballroom project while it appeals a lower court's order to halt the work.
Trump asks Supreme Court to let White House resume ballroom construction
An appeals court ruled last week Trump must stop the White House ballroom's construction because Congress has not approved the project
Trump administration asks US supreme court to allow construction of White House ballroom
Administration asks justices to keep appeals court decision to halt work on hold while it prepares a full appeal
Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in fight over White House ballroom
President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to step into a dispute over the legality of a massive new ballroom he’s building at the White House.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ villain Tramell Tillman reveals what was ‘frustrating’ about his role
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ villain Tramell Tillman says this one thing about the Marvel movie was ‘frustrating.’
Small Businesses Despise Trump’s Tariffs
Mere hours after the Trump administration's latest tariff scheme launched on July 24, the government was sued again by the same small businesses that had already defeated prior White House tariff shenanigans, most notably at the Supreme Court. As Bloomberg Law reported, these companies are part of an “increasingly vocal cohort of business owners who emerged as the face of mom-and-pop tariff resistance.” What about Walmart Inc., Ford Motor Co. and the other titans of corporate America paying many
Sporting Lisbon Makes Luis Suarez Decision Amid Newcastle Transfer Links
Newcastle United continues to be linked with attacking reinforcements as Matthias Jaissle shapes his squad for the new Premier League season. One of the Magpies’ previously reported targets, Sporting Lisbon striker Luis Suarez, has resurfaced amid uncertainty in Portugal. Following some worrying developments surrounding his situation in the Iberian club, Portuguese outlet A Bola reports […]
U.S. Bank Names Gonzales Healthcare Business Banking Region Executive, West
U.S. Bank named Eric Gonzales healthcare business banking region executive for the West, where he will lead a growing team of 18 bankers serving medical,
Judge orders businesses out of Rochester warehouse over fire safety concerns
A Monroe County Supreme Court judge has ordered businesses inside a massive warehouse on Buffalo Road to temporarily stop operations after the city raised concerns about a serious fire safety risk.
'Fill that gap': Large indoor/outdoor sports pavilion proposed along State St.
A new indoor-outdoor sports venue could come to Highway 44 in Eagle. PSP Holdings has proposed to build the Premier Sports Pavilion on a 6.3-acre site along State St. near Horseshoe Bend Rd., to the east of the St. Luke’s Eagle Medical Plaza. “PSP has identified a market in the rapidly growing communities of Eagle, […]
'Look at me!' Justice fires back at critics who dare question his Blackness
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reveals how Thomas Sowell's work freed him from isolation and gave him confidence to challenge Black political norms.
United Soccer League Announces Expanded Partnership with Premier Sports Medicine
Sports Medicine Leading sports medicine management company named USL’s preferred supplier of athletic trainer staffing
Marcus Rashford transfer news: Tottenham should sign Man Utd forward, says ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O'Hara
Jamie OHara was speaking on Sky Sports Tottenham summer special podcast; the show also features Sky Sports News Michael Bridge and Lyall Thomas, who analyse Spurs summer window so far, discuss the business still needed and answer your questions ahead of the new season
From black boots to pastel suits, Italian premier's wardrobe evolves with her politics
ROME (AP) — As Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's politics have evolved — from combative outsider to pragmatic establishment leader — so, too, has her fashion sensibility.
Andreas Dresen, Doris Dörrie Films to World Premiere at Zurich Film Festival
The world premieres of two major German films, Andreas Dresen’s “Love, After All” and Doris Dörrie’s “How Can I Help?,” are among 10 titles to feature in the Gala Premieres section of Zurich Film Fest...
Top Horror Movies Streaming This Week
August is getting down to business with the top horror movies streaming this week. New films on the list include the streaming premiere of The Last House on Netflix, which came with the spectacle of a...
Russia: Why is the Yabloko party barred from the elections?
Russia's supreme court has banned the anti-war opposition party Yabloko from September's parliamentary elections. What does this mean for the election campaign, opponents of the war and for the political mood in Russia?
Buying Lakers makes Bob Iger's dream of owning a sports team come true
Throughout his storied career as a media executive, Bob Iger has made repeated attempts to own a major sports franchise.
Exclusive: Former Southern Poverty Law Center CFO arrested on fraud charges
A former chief financial officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center has been arrested in California and for her alleged role in overseeing secret payments to informants inside of White supremacist groups, one of whom she was allegedly living with and had a romantic relationship with at the time, according to a person familiar with the arrest.
Pre-Season Team News: Manchester United vs Leeds United
Leeds United ramp up their 2026/27 Premier League preparations this evening as they take on rivals Manchester United in the BOYLE Sports Cup, hosted in Dublin.Ahead of the clash, which is the first cl...
ACC Network unveils expansive 2026 fall sports live programming slate
The ACC is set for another standout fall season, with ACC Network delivering extensive coverage of the conference’s premier programs across women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball and field hockey.
ICYMI: NJEDA to Auction Up to $25M in Business Tax Credits
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will auction up to $25 million in corporation business tax and insurance premiums tax credits in the
PlayStation Plus confirms 10 more free games for August in bumper drop
Here's what's coming to PS Plus Extra and Premium in August 2026
Update: Tencent Music Entertainment's Second-Quarter Revenue Growth Slows Sequentially; Shares Slump
(Article updated to write out the full company name in the headline.) Tencent Music Entertainment
Out of nowhere, Sony confirms that 2024 breakout hit Helldivers 2 joins PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium today
New enemies, new ranks, new missions - same ol' alien scum.
How Ted Lasso handles Jamie Tartt’s absence
After hinting at an explanation in the season 4 premiere, ‘Ted Lasso’ has revealed why fans won’t see Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt hanging around the Richmond pitch.
Dayton Daily News: Wright State-Premier Health partnership helps keep healthcare workers in the area
As the need for healthcare workers is expected to grow, Wright State University and Premier Health are finding success in building up and retaining the nursing workforce with resources developed through the two organizations’ partnership. Wright State and Premier Health, … Continue reading →
Family Entertainment Group LLC Celebrates 100th Location Milestone with Landmark Partnership Aboard Margaritaville at Sea
/PRNewswire/ -- Family Entertainment Group LLC (FEG), one of the nation's premier operators of family entertainment centers, today announced a landmark...
'Second season syndrome is lazy punditry'
"I don't think Sunderland will be anywhere near the relegation zone," says sports journalist Ian Murtagh, despite Regis le Bris' side "entering the unknown" after securing European football. The Black Cats have gone from the third tier of English football to the Premier League, and now the Europa League, in just four years. "Sunderland are entering the unknown in the sense that they won't just be playing 40 to 42 games this season, they will be playing over 50 games," Murtagh explained.
Peter Chan’s Toronto Selection ‘The Road Not Taken’ Boards Moebius
Moebius Entertainment boards international sales for Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s Toronto premiere ‘The Road Not Taken.’
Northwestern earns CACREP accreditation for clinical mental health counseling
Northwestern College’s master’s program in clinical mental health counseling has received accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the premier nationally recognized accrediting organization for counseling education programs.
Trump officials tout Medicaid financing changes ahead of midterms
Republican-sponsored changes in Medicaid will lower hospital prices and Americans’ health insurance premiums, the White House contends in a new report.
How The Global Business Community Is Responding To Tariffs & The Strait Of Hormuz Impasse: Expert
When the Supreme Court blocked a large swath of his tariffs, Trump said his administration had "very powerful alternatives." Now we know what those alternatives are.
Trump cheers Alito staying for another Supreme Court term: 'One of the greatest of all time'
President Donald Trump praised Associate Justice Samuel Alito's decision to stay on the U.S. Supreme Court in a social media post on Truth Social.
Opinion: Illinois can’t wait until families are in crisis to invest in them
A state that waits for families to collapse will keep paying a premium for preventable crises.
Get your fantasy football edge with USA TODAY Sports Fantasy
Introducing USA TODAY Sports Fantasy, the premium tool for fantasy football managers.
Could Charles be one of Premier League's breakout stars?
It was in 2021 that the Northern Ireland youth coach Gerard Lyttle said he had never seen a youngster as comfortable on the ball as Shea Charles. Five years later, midfielder Charles has become the most expensive Northern Ireland player in history after he completed a £30m transfer from Southampton to Premier League side Fulham. From when he joined Manchester City's academy as a seven-year-old, Charles' potential was clear and he quickly progressed through the ranks.
Sinclair Launches Pittsburgh Sports Tonight Live Weeknight Sports Show Premieres August 31 Across Pittsburgh, Johnstown/Altoona and Wheeling/Steubenville
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — August 11, 2026 — Sinclair today announced the launch of Pittsburgh Sports Tonight, a new live, locally produced sports program premiering Monday, August 31. Airing weeknights from 7:00–7:30 p.m. ET, the 30-minute program will deliver comprehensive regional sports coverage across Sinclair's three-station television network serving Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and Northern West...
Victor Wembanyama's Hall of Fame Hype Isn't Premature
Victor Wembanyama hasn't been in the NBA nearly long enough to warrant serious Hall of Fame discussions, but if he stays anywhere close to the same trajectory he's on, it's only a matter of time.
OpenAI Courts Business Users With Premium ChatGPT
OpenAI says it will begin offering “Premium” seats for ChatGPT business customers. The new service, announced Monday (Aug. 10), is designed to give
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA
Barcelona-linked Premier League defender chooses to join Atletico Madrid
Cristian Romero has made a decision on his future The Argentine centre-back had interest from several clubs, most notably Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Arsenal, but according to reports ...
OpenAI targets heavy users with premium ChatGPT Business seats
Analysts say enterprise AI vendors are redesigning pricing models to better monetise high-intensity and agentic workloads.
Jeff Bezos Could Change Liverpool Without Spending on Players
A bid by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to buy a stake in English Premier League club LIverpool FC could change it without spending on players. The post Jeff Bezos Could Change Liverpool Without Spending on Players appeared first on HEAVY.
Experts warn Oklahomans should expect health insurance costs to spike
As Oklahoma’s state employees face potential double-digit hikes in health insurance premiums, experts are warning that all Oklahomans should brace for a similar shock this year.
Saber's newest game trailer takes a shot at Gearbox's CEO, if you look closely
The first hint that something might be up with the recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s Rideshare Stimulator is an unusual choice of words—aside from that second one in the game’s title. “Don’t take your passengers too seriously,” the trailer’s narrator says, as he describes this upcoming game. It a car game about the gig work of driving eccentric people to their destinations, a riff on Crazy Taxi. And then, he says: “When I think I’ve met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in.” “Randiest”? That suggests “randy,” which usually means having strong sexual desire. Yet none of the oddball backseat occupants featured in the trailer seem particularly lustful. One is an old man who considers his grandson a failure, another shares the theory that birds might control traffic lights, another says he’s banned from an aquarium. A little later, there’s a license plate, shown 63 seconds into the trailer, on the front of an SUV: USB DRV It’s a Texas plate. The symbol between those letters is a cog wheel. If you know, you know. That’s a reference to Texas-based Borderlands game development studio Gearbox Software (their logo features a cog wheel). More specifically, it’s a reference to Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, who in 2018 found himself explaining the nature of video he’d saved on a USB drive that was found at a Medieval Times restaurant before being returned to the studio: “It was ‘barely legal’ porn. This girl’s handle was ‘Only 18.’” The “girl” in the video had committed a solo sex act that Pitchford, an avid practitioner of magic, found remarkable. “I realized, this is not a sex worker…This is a fucking magician.” Back then, the USB drive was central to competing lawsuits against Gearbox by the studio’s former lawyer and by Gearbox against him. A settlement in late 2019 “exonerated” Pitchford, per the Hollywood Reporter. The USB story has resurfaced at times, now in a trailer from a company that not long ago was corporate brethren with Gearbox. Saber vs. Gearbox The head of Saber told Game File that the reference is payback. “The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Saber CEO Matt Karch told me when I asked him about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.” Having interviewed Karch during a cross-country flight in late 2024, I can confirm that Karch was unimpressed with Pitchford during their time both working in the Embracer group. I’d approached him not out of surprise that there was animosity but that it was manifesting publicly now. Gearbox was founded in 1999, worked on a port of Halo early on, and developed hit series such as the loot-based sci-fi shooter Borderlands before it was purchased by The Embracer Group in early 2021 for $363 million (with a possible earn-out of over $1 billion, if certain targets were hit by 2027). Saber was founded in 2001, worked on a remaster of Halo early on, had a big hit with zombie shooter World War Z and was purchased by Embracer in early 2020 for $150 million, with a potential earn-out of up to $375 million. For a few years, the Embracer group was a voracious acquirer of game studios. Then, as investment dried up, it choked. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber to an investment company controlled by Saber CEO Matt Karch, and it sold Gearbox in an all-stock deal to long-time Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive. Other studios were shut down. Hundreds of developers were laid off. Gearbox didn’t say much about their Embracer experience, nothing too direct, at least. In the summer 2024, Pitchford told reporter and occasional Game File contributor Nicole Carpenter that Borderlands 4’s story was in some way thematically connected to Gearbox’s experience at Embracer: “There’s this cultural and emotional shift in me, personally, and at the studio. What does it mean to trade some autonomy for organization?” When Borderlands 4 came out, there was something stranger: the matter of “Embracer’s Bluff,” a location in the game featuring an AI-powered toilet and a large trash dump, according to a detailed Kotaku account of the place. Gearbox never commented on it; Take Two never got back to me about it when I asked them last year. By contrast, since Saber exited Embracer, Karch has been one of Embracer’s biggest defenders, casting their management as well-meaning and supportive despite the layoffs and studio closures that resulted from their excessive expansion. Like others, Saber’s Karch saw Embracer’s as a shot. With Rideshare Stimulator’s trailer, he’s returned fire. “It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch told Game File. A rep for Gearbox did not comment by press time. Game File is a reader-supported publication. Your backing makes my reporting—including any coverage of trailer-based beefs—possible. Good news! I’m currently running Game File’s first big sale of 2026. You can get a one-year subscription for 23% off. Click here to take advantage of the limited-time offer. And thank you for your support! Item 2: In brief… 🚫 Wal-Mart has laid off the staff of Restart, a games media outlet launched in 2024, Aftermath reports. 🟥 A GTA VI preview is on the way, at last, via an “extended look” that will premiere, unusually, on Netflix at 3pm ET on August 27, then officially go live elsewhere six hours later. Last week, Game File noted that Take Two label Rockstar Games is overdue for showing off GTA VI, based on the timing of the initial hands-off previews of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. During a call with investors, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders for GTA VI were “unprecedented and astonishing,” but added the company can’t predict how many of those pre-orders represent bonus sales vs. sales that otherwise would have been made at launch. During the same call, Zelnick was noticeably bullish on the future of playing games over streaming cloud connections (predicting wider adoption in three or so years). He sounded unbothered by Sony’s plans to stop making discs for new games (he said the business is 90% digital already and predicted that there could still be limited edition physical editions of games “in the same way there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business.”) 👀 Take Two wrote off $43 million in their spring quarter after deciding “not to proceed with further development of an unannounced title in its pipeline from a third-party developer.” 🤔 Some rare age-demographics from a big publisher: Capcom recently told investors that “users in their 20s account for approximately half of the users of both Pragamata and Resident Evil Requiem.” Item 3: The week ahead Tuesday, August 11 Game releases: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Switch 2; already out for PC, PS5, Xbox) continues the Bethesda strategy of putting Elder Scrolls games on everything; Royalty Free-For-All is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring public domain characters such as Mother Goose brawling with Oliver Twist in a stage based on the original Little Shop of Horrors movie. Wednesday, August 12 Game release: Pro Jank Footy (PC, console) is an arcade-style Australian Rules Football game with increasingly ridiculous rules, the more you play (I enjoyed the Steam demo) Thursday, August 13 Game release: Super Mario Sunshine (Switch 2, originally released in 2002 on the GameCube) is released for Switch 2’s Nintendo Switch Online service. This game is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It’s the successor to the breakthrough Super Mario 64 and the rare Mario game built around a single (vacation resort) theme. Mario’s got a water-spraying backpack, a Yoshi pal and a lot of blue coins to collect.
Ed Pitula
PREMIER Design + Build Group is pleased to announce that Ed Pitula has joined their team as Executive Vice President.