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With Wilmington thrift store, Delaware business owner gives things — and people
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book gets first gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2
Check out the first actual gameplay of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on Nintendo Switch 2.
Constitutional Challenges to the False Claims Act: an Opportunity to Reconsider DOJ’s “Money Over Everything” Approach to Health Care Enforcement - Petrie-Flom Center
The False Claims Act — the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) efforts to combat health care fraud — is under constitutional attack.
Miyamoto wants to adhere to Peach's backstory in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in future games
Without diving into spoilers, The Super Mario Galaxy delves more into Princess Peach as a character and her backstory. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, this is something Nintendo will look to adhere to moving forward. Nintendo Dream recently mentioned to Miyamoto that Peach has been expanded upon in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. He was asked if what’s shown can be...
Smoke from wildfires raises health concerns across Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia
While no fires are burning in Duval County, step outside and you can smell the smoke, which can be a problem for people who have asthma or other breathing conditions. Dr. Shilpa Amin, medical director of the Emergency Department at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, joined us on The Morning Show to share some important information for those with health concerns from the smoke.
Regulating the Mississippi River: Where art and science meet
When Dan Fasching started painting again after a decade, he said it was because it was something near and dear to his heart. His muse? The Mississippi River that he works on every day.
The Universe Is Expanding Too Fast and Scientists Can’t Explain Why
The most precise measurement yet shows the Universe is expanding faster than expected, deepening the Hubble tension. The result hints that something may be missing from our current understanding of the cosmos.
Who has the most World Snooker Championship wins?
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks at which players have the most titles at the World Snooker Championship.
Why the Best Athletes Are Also the Biggest Quitters
Knowing when to try something new versus stick with what you’re doing is tricky. Decision scientists have advice.
'We didn't run out of time... We wasted it'
Right now, Tottenham fans would do almost anything for a sliver more. As 2025 turned into 2026, the boardroom at Spurs refused to panic. Finally, the double act of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, perhaps the biggest wasters of time in our recent history, acted.
Colorado’s creative economy needs a business structure that actually fits
By Marc Catlin Across Colorado, people are building something from the ground up.I’ve seen it my whole life. I grew up on a farm in Montrose County, and I’ve spent my career working in agriculture, water, banking, and small business. No matter the industry, the basics are the same. If you want something to last, […]
Something is wrong with Dodgers' Kyle Tucker
It's still a little early, but not that early.
Top 10 things to do this weekend, festival season kickoff edition
Find the best places to be this weekend in Cincinnati, from Asian Food Fest to Jane Austen Festival to belated Earth Day celebrations.
Scientists Finally Crack Decades-Old Mystery of “Breathing” Lasers
A new model reveals that two very different laser pulse behaviors are fundamentally connected.
5 takeaways from the Virginia redistricting vote
Tuesday’s vote makes the tit-for-tat redistricting war that’s played out over the past several months something close to a draw. Republicans could still come out with a slight advantage if Florida passes a new map in the coming weeks. But what’s clear is that it seems the fight launched by President Donald Trump hasn’t landed Republicans near the advantage they might have imagined it would last year.
Massive Motorola Razr 2026 leak leaves nothing to the imagination
All the specs of the standard Moto Razr 2026 have leaked ahead of its April 29 launch.
Women’s sports win. Why aren’t fan incentives better?
This year has been nothing short of historic for Rice women’s sports. Soccer was ranked No. 25 in the nation, volleyball had a 17-game win streak, basketball had a 22-game win streak and swim and dive won the American Conference Championships, as did the tennis team on Sunday.
Rumor: Street Fighter 6 Year 4 DLC characters leak, includes big crossover
A leaker with a reliable track record has allegedly leaked DLC characters for Street Fighter 6 Year 4, which includes a big crossover.
This “quantum” material fooled scientists and revealed something new
A mysterious magnetic material once thought to host an exotic “quantum spin liquid” has turned out to be something entirely different—and possibly just as intriguing. Scientists studying cerium magnesium hexalluminate found it showed the hallmark signs of this elusive quantum state, like a lack of magnetic order and a spread of energy states. But after closer inspection using neutron experiments, they discovered the behavior came from a delicate tug-of-war between two opposing magnetic forces.
Adios to Another Member of Trump’s Esteemed Cabinet
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces multiple misconduct allegations, further disproving that the president has hired “nothing but the best people.”
How Al Gore Politicized Climate Science
An Inconvenient Truth turns 20 next month. In the 2006 documentary, former vice president Al Gore argued that human-driven climate change was an urgent, civilization-threatening crisis. The film became a cultural phenomenon, winning two Academy Awards and making climate change one of the defining political issues of our time. I am sure that there will be many retrospectives seeking to relitigate the scientific claims in the film. But the far more important anniversary story is not about the accuracy of any of Gore’s individual claims but rather about what the film helped to unleash in the scientific community: bringing partisan politics into the institutions of science. Gore did not simply make a film about climate change: He implored the scientific community to join him in overt climate advocacy. The fuel that Gore added to the fire of pathological politicization of the climate science community is the most important legacy of An Inconvenient Truth. Almost three years after the film’s release, Gore took the stage at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—the country’s largest and most prominent scientific organization—and delivered something much closer to a revival sermon than a scientific lecture. Gore told the assembled scientists that they could no longer “in good conscience accept this division between the work you do and the civilization in which you live.” His directive was clear:
Behind the scenes of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2': Anne Hathaway's push for body diversity, Sydney Sweeney's cut scene and more
The film's couture-clad cast and crew have been dishing on all things Runway magazine and reuniting nearly two decades later.
Five Things Learned at Fed Nominee Warsh's Senate Hearing
April 21 (Reuters) - In testimony Tuesday at the Senate Banking Committee, Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh never said if he agrees with President Donald Trump's view that the Fed's policy rate is too high and should be cut. No lawmaker asked him that directly. But Warsh's two and a half ...
Speakers reflect luncheon’s ‘Timeless’ theme in words, actions
MILE HIGH UNITED WAY Denver News: The theme for the Mile High United Way’s 47th Women United Luncheon was “Timeless,” and Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen, president/CEO Christine Benero and honoree Arlene Hirschfeld thoughtfully and purposefully shared how the actions of today create ripples of change that can last forever. “One of the best ways to be outside your comfort zone is to volunteer,” Steenburgen said. “Saying yes to something is […]
Vampire Crawlers: 12 Things I Wish I Knew Before Playing
How to manage your chicken, what stats to upgrade first, and some other general tips to help you survive the dungeons in this rogue-like card game
4 things to know about SF’s most dangerous mental health facility
A Standard investigation found that chaos and violence inside the Crestwood Healing Center are traumatizing and abusing patients, with nowhere else to go.
I was happy with my Pixel camera until I tried the Oppo Find X9 Ultra [Gallery]
While there are a ton of different things I care about on my smartphone, the camera is a huge deciding...
Guess What This Creepy Underwater Thing Is That Was Photographed by US Navy Divers for NASA
An intriguing photo shows the charred heat shield of NASA's Artemis 2 Orion capsule right after splashdown in the Pacific on April 10.
Samsung brings SmartThings integration to IKEA's Matter devices
Samsung just expanded its SmartThings connectivity platform to support a number of IKEA products. These devices, like smart lights, operate via the smart home connectivity standard Matter.
At ‘Thrift Lab,’ Museum Of Science And Industry Explores Sustainable Fashion — And Invites You To Shop
The April 30 event will feature speakers on sustainability and clothing, stitch-themed cocktails, a hub to learn sewing and embellishment skills and a vintage market with “tchotchkes galore.”
Top sportscaster Joe Buck finalizing deal to host ‘ESPN Jeopardy!’
“Monday Night Football” play-by-play man Joe Buck has done everything there is to do in sports, or so it seems. The almost 57-year-old — his birthday is Saturday, April 25 — has provided coverage of six Super Bowls, 24 World…
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
The Closer: Computer Science Grad Takes Every Project to the Finish Line
Computer science student Ashley Baird is the kind of person who thrives on completing what she starts. Baird's drive to see things through resulted in a successful machine learning project for the U.S. Department of Defense and an internship at Nissan working on the team that developed an industry-first personalized sound app.
Nintendo announces Splatoon Raiders Switch 2 release date with new trailer
The release date for Splatoon Raiders has just come through. As revealed through the Nintendo Today app, the game launches on July 23, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2. It’s been close to a year since Splatoon Raiders was first revealed. Nintendo pulled back the curtain on the project last June, but we hadn’t heard anything since. Now it’s known that...
This new camera captures what happens in a trillionth of a second
Scientists have unveiled a breakthrough imaging method that can capture the hidden details of events unfolding in trillionths of a second. This new technique doesn’t just track how bright something is—it also reveals subtle structural changes that were previously invisible, all in a single shot. By effectively turning ultrafast phenomena into detailed “movies,” researchers can now watch plasma form, electrons move, and materials transform in real time.
Scientists just captured trees glowing with electricity during storms
Scientists chasing thunderstorms in a retrofitted minivan finally captured something never seen before in nature: faint electrical glows shimmering from treetops during a storm. These “corona discharges,” long suspected but never observed outside a lab, appeared as tiny UV flashes at the tips of leaves. The discovery could reshape how we understand forests, since these bursts may help clean the air by breaking down pollutants.
Scientists sculpt Einstein onto a crystal using only light
A light-sensitive crystal is opening the door to a new era of “light-written” technology. Arsenic trisulfide can be reshaped and permanently altered using simple light, creating ultra-fine optical patterns without expensive manufacturing tools. Scientists even etched a nanoscale portrait of Einstein and high-density patterns that could act as secure optical signatures. This breakthrough could power everything from advanced sensors to next-generation AR devices.
4 things athletes know that business often ignores
Sustained, long-term performance requires recovery to come back stronger.
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Ex-Trump ally MTG slams both sides of the political aisle: 'Nothing ever changes'
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene criticizes both political parties, asserting that regardless of which party holds the power, things do not change.
I was a triathlete in peak health — but my 'wavy' vision problem turned out to be something devastating
Cheap? ‘Bad business’? New Blazers owner Tom Dundon on course for ‘a wild ride’
When it comes to everything outside the locker room, the Blazers will be cheap. And they won't follow the widely accepted norms of the NBA.
Ikea and Samsung promise glitch-free SmartThings integration
Maybe now we can have a cheap and reliable smart home?
Trump, Pope Leo And A New Chapter in America’s Religious Politics
(ANALYSIS) American religion has rarely, if ever, seen anything quite like these past weeks. Start with President Donald Trump’s profane Easter Sunday message to Iran: “Open the [unprintable F-bomb] Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah." The l
More track records fall, plus chatting all things spring sports in L-L Sports Podcast
Lancaster-Lebanon League spring sports continue to motor right along.
#MeToo-era NDA bans and pay transparency laws may be backfiring
The #MeToo movement ushered in a wave of workplace reforms like NDA bans and pay transparency mandates. They may have made things worse for women.
NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for April 21: Tips to solve Connections #575
Everything you need to solve Connections Sports Edition #574.
Samsung SmartThings Expands Seamless Integration With IKEA Matter Devices
SmartThings, Samsung Electronics’ global smart home platform, has built enhanced integrati
At AACR, a provocative use of CAR-T, Merck’s new thing and cancer’s geography problem
At AACR, a bold use of CAR-T raises hopes and provocative questions about its use in smoldering multiple myeloma.
Graham Platner nets another endorsement in high-interest Maine Senate race
Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner "a real fighter" who's ready shake things up and make changes in DC.
Motorola confirms Razr (2026) launch date, new colors in ‘something new’ teaser
Motorola has teased its next-gen Razr phones enough already, but that won’t stop them from releasing a new teaser that...
Bonucci ‘dreaming’ of Guardiola as Italy coach
Leonardo Bonucci admits it’s ‘very hard’ to see Pep Guardiola as the Italy national team coach, but ‘dreaming doesn’t cost anything.’Former Italy defender Bonucci dreams of Guardiola’s a...
‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’: Everything We Know About Tatiana Maslany’s New Show
Tatiana Maslany, Jake Johnson, and Murray Bartlett star in an unpredictable, darkly comedic thriller.
[TUY8S1.1] Cherry Blossom Event, Creator Collaboration & Updates
Cherry blossoms are falling across D.C., and something new has come with them. A Creator Collaboration with Otsuichi, Rezina, and Mobilmobil adds its own activities and rewards to the update.
2CV Progress Update: Holy Crap, It's All Together (Ish)
I love it when a plan comes together. Or a car. Or, for that matter, even a sandwich. I guess I like when anything comes together. But, I’m particularly fond of when my Citroën 2CV comes together, and it looks like that finally is happening. As you may recall, this is the 2CV that our […]
‘Outlander’: 3 Reasons ‘Evidence of Things Not Seen’ Parallels ‘Faith’
How Fergus's death makes narrative sense in the TV world of 'Outlander.'
How chronic stress affects brain health over time
Chronic stress triggers brain changes linked to cognition and long‑term health. See what science reveals and changes that make a difference.
The one thing Formula 1 can learn from American sports
Stefano Domenicali believes Formula 1 can learn from the business side of American sports such as the NFL
ID@Xbox Presented by IGN April 2026 Showcase Announced: Here's How to Watch and What to Expect
IGN is proud to partner once again with ID@Xbox for another exciting showcase on April 23, 2026, that will feature such indie games headed to Xbox and PC as Mistfall Hunter, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, Aphelion, and Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive. Here's everything you need to know and how you can watch this showcase with us.
Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Kiln, Aphelion, Final Fantasy V, and More
What do Chocobos, space, vampires, and sentient pottery have in common? If it’s anything more than “themes of games you can play soon” we’d really like to know what kind of weird list that is.
Boston Marathon 2026 live updates: TV, time, results and route map
The Boston Marathon continues its traditional race through the city. Here is everything you need to know including TV, time and live updates.
Third party mayor finds no honeymoon from partisan politics
Jay Doyle was 100 days into his first term as Mayor of Georgetown. He hadn’t been counting up, he said. He had been counting down. “I was retired, living a nice, peaceful life, and this just throws your life into chaos,” Doyle said. “I think it’s intended to be a part time job. It’s anything […]
Scoggins: Transferring runs against what we love about high school sports
A student transferring can be a good thing. Often, though, it’s a jab at the story lines we love.
'I Didn't Listen to Him': Ex PlayStation Boss Shu Yoshida on Why Jim Ryan 'Fired' Him
"He asked to do some ridiculous things"
Discover, explore and analyse business statistics
Have you ever wished you could see how a certain economic activity is performing without drowning in datasets or spreadsheets? Meet the Business sector profiles: your one-stop gateway for fast insights, easy to grasp comparisons and deep dives into the EU’s business economy. This tool puts everything in one place offering...
Pinwheels and the ‘lobster district’: How Virginia Democrats drew up a US House map to all but lock out Republicans
Virginia Democrats hope the new congressional map they’re asking voters to approve Tuesday will flip four Republican House districts, delivering 10 of 11 seats in a state Vice President Kamala Harris won with just 52% of the vote in 2024. To do it, they want to dramatically rework entire sections of the state, slicing up deep blue districts in the Washington, DC, suburbs and around Richmond, and creating a new district running along the Blue Ridge Mountains that connects liberal cities. That’s required something called the “lobster district,” stretching from northern Virginia into two “pincers” grabbing up rural territory.
🗞 Back pages: La Fábrica dreams, Haaland has Arsenal shaking...
After a weekend packed with football and news, Monday arrives with everything that happened and a preview of a week that will be key on the domestic front in Europe. Here are today’s newspaper front...
LeBron James: Sharing court with son Bronny was 'craziest thing'
LeBron James called sharing the court with his son Bronny during an NBA playoff game the "craziest thing" that has ever happened to him.
Scientists stunned as bacteria rewire DNA machinery to shape cells
Cyanobacteria—ancient microbes that oxygenated Earth and made complex life possible—are still revealing surprises billions of years later. Scientists have now discovered that a molecular system once used to separate DNA has been repurposed into something entirely different: a structure that shapes the cell itself.
STEM SHOWCASE AT YSU: Science concepts spawn real-world creations
YOUNGSTOWN — During her childhood, Meghan Crump enjoyed certain fast movements, though years later, her interest shifted to things that move quickly but are far smaller than her. “I was a very creative person in high school. I was a student who loved school,” Crump, a Youngstown State University senior and 2022 Austintown Fitch High […]
Seton Hall basketball adds Del Jones, high-scoring transfer guard
3 things to know about Del Jones, who starred for Radford this past season.
A permit should mean something. CERTAIN Act guards projects from political meddling.
The CERTAIN Act is a bipartisan bill that aims to protect lawfully issued permits from political interference, increase accountability during review, and ensure projects can move forward on time, w…
Nintendo maintenance schedule - April 19, 2026 - DLC and virtual game cards impacted for Switch 2, Switch
Nintendo has released its maintenance schedule for the week of April 26, 2026: Technically two new sessions are on the docket, though both are happening at the same time. Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch will be impacted with DLC and virtual game cards, but the downtime will be short. Below is the full Nintendo maintenance schedule for the week of...
Loneliness may contribute to memory issues, but not dementia — they are 'not the same thing'
A researcher explains what we know — and what we don't — about the link between loneliness and memory problems.
Naked mole rats wage bloody wars of succession to choose a new queen — but one colony did something scientists have never seen before
When their queen dies, naked mole rat females usually wage bloody battles of succession. But peace may be possible, a new study suggests
PS5's NTE Blows Up Gacha Norms with 470 Free Pulls and No 50/50
Here's everything you need to know
MRN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Pointe D'Vine
On this Business Spotlight, brought to you by the Bank of Springfield, Rita and Jessica Speckhart join Crissie Caccamo to share everything Point D’Vine has to offer. Set on 35 scenic acres, Point D’Vine is known for its stunning wedding venue, a vineyard established in 2011, and a beautifully restored barn that was featured during...
10 Things In Your Bedroom You Should Toss Today
From bookshelves and overly-cluttered dressers to lighting and furniture sets, these are the things Southern designers say it’s time to retire or replace in the bedroom for a place of calm and rest.
Rare Cooler Master GeForce RTX 5080 shows up at repair shop, turns out it wasn't even broken
Limited Cooler Master RTX 5080 sent for repair after PSU swap What do you do when you install new hardware and see a spark inside your PC? The last thing
A new force of nature is reshaping the planet, study finds
Human societies didn’t just adapt to the planet—they learned to reshape it. From early fire use to today’s global supply chains, our cultural and social innovations have unlocked extraordinary power to transform Earth and improve human life. But that progress has come with serious costs, including climate change, pollution, and mass extinction. Instead of framing this era—the Anthropocene—as pure crisis, Erle Ellis argues it’s also proof of something hopeful: when people work together, they can drive massive positive change.
They tried everything, and nothing worked. Now, women are turning to cannabis for help
The latest chapter in Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s “Weed” documentary showed him that cannabis has become a lifeline for countless women who feel unseen by conventional medicine.
Cedar Crest, Octorara come through with breakout victories L-L softball
Things that make you go hmmm: Octorara 10, Annville-Cleona 8.
Father, young daughter build business caring for headstones across northwest Ohio
OAK HARBOR, Ohio — Grave care isn’t something most families think about until they’re searching for a headstone they can barely find. “I was visiting my ...
‘Things could go backwards’: Kezia Dugdale on safety, LGBTQ+ rights and the future of Stonewall
Exclusive: Former Scottish Labour leader says she feels more scared as a lesbian today and calls for a kinder debate on transgender issues
LeBron James calls playoff minutes with son Bronny 'probably the craziest thing that's ever happened' in his career
Things to do in Cincinnati this week, April 20-26
If you're looking for the best events happening in Cincinnati, you're at the right place. Find your next concert, game, festival or family event.
Think AI "knows" what it’s doing? Scientists say think again
Calling AI things like “smart” or saying it “knows” something might sound harmless, but it can quietly mislead people about what AI actually does. A new study shows that news writers are more careful than expected, rarely using strongly human-like language. When they do, it often falls on a spectrum—sometimes describing simple requirements, other times hinting at human traits.
Super Mario-kun manga may finally be ending after more then 30 years
Super Mario-kun has been a long-running manga in Japan having started in 1990, but it could finally be coming to an end soon. We’re hearing that the series has reached its final arc. The story seems to be wrapping up and fans believe that it won’t be long until it’s over. Outside of Japan, Super Mario-kun is a bit more...
Got $5,000? This Boring Waste Business Might Be a Quiet Multimillionaire Maker by 2036.
Republic Services is in the business of trash, but its long-term potential is anything but junk.
Bayonetta creator explains what actually happened in Bayonetta 3's ending
The creator of Bayonetta argues that the inclusion of the multiverse didn't come out of nowhere and clarifies the ending of Bayonetta 3.
Google is quietly building something that could transform the lineup beyond the Pixel 11
Two words: Pixel Glow.
This week in politics: How Schuylkill County’s legislators voted
Between ongoing budget stalemates and severe partisan divides, it can be easy to feel like nothing is getting done in government. But every week is a busy week in politics, and important developments are happening at both the state and…
What’s in a Name? When It Comes to Family Business, Everything
A company’s name is a powerful asset that can build trust or damage reputation, making it essential to protect and manage it proactively.
Charlize Theron is 'not haunted' anymore by her mother fatally shooting her father: 'He was going to kill us'
"I think these things should be talked about because it makes other people not feel alone," the "Mad Max: Fury Road" star said in a new interview.
‘It’s just important to stay healthy’: Dozens of former NFL players attend health screening
Dozens of former professional football players turned out for a health screening on Saturday, encouraging others to get regular doctor checkups and to stay active. Troy Davis is 35 and spent two years in the National Football League playing for the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. “As you age, health things start to pop up.”
14 Cool Gadgets On Amazon That Can Solve Everyday Problems
Sometimes it's the little things in life that cause the most stress, but the right gadgets from Amazon can take those annoying tasks off your to-do list.
Ditch Your TV Remote For This All-In-One Free App
If you're someone who always loses their remote control or just want one less thing to keep track of, this third-party app may be exactly what you need.
Dear Abby | In-laws make themselves at home long before dinner
Dear Abby: How should I handle in-laws who show up three or more hours early for dinner and just sit at the kitchen counter? I have things to do; I