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Mobile sports betting may soon be legal across Wisconsin
Online sports betting could soon be legal in Wisconsin through a new bill passed by the state legislature, which awaits signature by Gov. Tony Evers. The bill passed with bipartisan support in the state Senate Wednesday, with 12 Democrats and nine Republicans voting in favor, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The bill revises the...
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.
At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.
Who experts predict 49ers will select with first-round pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Here's who writers and experts around the country believe the San Francisco 49ers will select in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Corona Santiago hands Corona its first baseball defeat behind Troy Randall
Corona Santiago baseball takes the first game of three-game series over Corona with a 6-2 victory.
The Politics of Forbearance
A broad range of views on democracy to help break the stalemate caused by partisan conflict.
Entertainment and more in the Mid-Ohio Valley
PARKERSBURG – The Artsbridge calendar for this week: TODAY * Geppetto Woodcarver’s Wood Quilt display, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., WesBanco, Market Street, Parkersburg * Art is Life/Life is Art, ages 55-plus,10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Parkersburg Art Center * Butterfly Photo Holder, ages 13-plus,11 a.m. to noon, Marietta Public Library * Hygge Club, adults, […]
Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley tie for 3rd in New Hampshire GOP 2028 poll, far behind Marco Rubio, JD Vance
New polling shows another run for the Governor may be challenging.
Oura Ring 5 leak reveals design tweaks and Deep Rose finish
The Oura Ring 5 has surfaced in a leak showing design tweaks and colour options. An FCC registration hints the device may launch in 2026.
Bill introduced seeks to ban sports bets on prediction markets
A bipartisan Senate bill introduced Monday seeks to ban prediction markets from allowing transactions that mimic sports betting.
The Supreme Court seems alarmingly willing to trash thousands of ballots
At least four justices appear to be on board with a frivolous lawsuit attacking voting by mail.
Bipartisan Senate bill would ban sports betting on online prediction markets
Bill was introduced in the Senate on Monday as prediction market companies face greater scrutiny on state level
Thousands in taxpayer funds spent on horse, hair and makeup expenses for Kristi Noem’s Mount Rushmore ad
Tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent on expenses for hair and makeup artists and a horse for the advertisement showcasing outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in front of Mount Rushmore, according to invoices seen by CNN.
Health Care Roundup: Market Talk
Find insight on Novartis, Sandoz Group and more in the latest Market Talks covering Health Care.
What Giants manager Tony Vitello learned from Steve Kerr, Kyle Shanahan meetings
New San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello shared what we took away from his interactions with fellow Bay Area coaches Steve Kerr, Kyle Shanahan.
Kyle Shanahan shares his expectations for 49ers' Trent Williams contract impasse
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area that he's staying out of the team's contract negotiations with Trent Williams.
2nd Car Show Scheduled at Sangertown Square
Racing fans and families can check out high-performance cars and meet local drivers at the Mall Car Show at Sangertown Square.
Kyle Shanahan ‘very excited' for 49ers to reunite with linebacker Dre Greenlaw
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is happy the team was able to re-sign linebacker Dre Greenlaw in NFL free agency.
Marquette Law School adds Aaron Hernandez to National Sports Law Institute leadership
Aaron Hernandez, currently at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, will be joining the faculty at Marquette University Law School as associate professor of practice and director of the National Sports Law Institute. Marquette is led in the area of sports law by Matt Mitten, professor of law, and Paul Anderson, associate…
Free sports physicals return for public school students in Flagler and Volusia counties
Thousands of middle and high school students in public schools across Volusia and Flagler counties can receive free sports physicals this spring as AdventHealth helps young athletes prepare safely for the upcoming season.
Spurs vs. Heat odds, prediction, time: 2026 NBA picks for Monday, March 23 from proven model
SportsLine's proven model has revealed its San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat predictions and NBA picks today
Exclusive | Lawmakers to Introduce Bipartisan Bill Banning Sports Bets on Prediction Markets
A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators are introducing legislation to prohibit CFTC-regulated entities from listing contracts related to sporting events.
As mayoral election looms, D.C.’s business class worries about what’s next
A potential leftward shift in the wake of the pandemic and the Trump administration’s cutting of thousands of federal jobs has sparked unease in the city’s business community.
Kathy Ireland Accuses Business Managers of Looting Her Fortune
The model-turned-entrepreneur and lifelong Santa Barbara resident claims decades-long deception left her virtually broke.
Those who cannot live without wild things
Aldo Leopold wrote in his Sand County Almanac, “There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” The collection of essays first published in 1949 was accepted by a publishing house after a steady stream of rejections. His work long outlived him as Leopold died of a heart attack while fighting […]
2026 Best Business Schools | How Alumni Rate Their Undergraduate Business Degrees
Alumni rate their undergraduate business programs in Poets&Quants’ 2026 ranking, evaluating academic experience, career preparation, advising, and how well their degrees support long-term career goals.
3 things to know about new 49ers punter Corliss Waitman
The San Francisco 49ers are replacing Thomas Morstead with Corliss Waitman. Let's get to know the team's new punter before he boots his first ball.
Man who bought $75 worth of Apple products from a stranger in a car park realizes he might be sitting on a small fortune
A tech enthusiast who bought a bunch of used Apple products off a stranger in a car park was left pleasantly surprised by the haul
This Couple Turned A Facebook Marketplace Side Hustle Into A Seven-Figure Business
When Harrison Gordon and Paige Sandher couldn't find a modular custom sofa that was also affordable, they designed their own. They built a fast-growing business around their idea.
Jason Momoa forced to evacuate as devastating storm hits Hawaii
Thousands have been ordered to flee as the archipelago faces its most intense surge of storms in two decades.
Michael McCarthy Considering Three Races As Options For Journalism's Return
After Journalism worked five furlongs in company Sunday at Santa Anita, trainer Michael McCarthy said he is looking at three potential races to kick off the colt’s 4-year-old campaign. Journalism could return in either the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) or Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland, both on April 18, or ...
Apple Store Prices for SanDisk SSDs Are Suddenly Astronomical
A 200% price hike is extraordinary.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Far-left activists stay in 5-star Cuban hotel as island suffers total blackout
CodePink sponsored flights to Cuba to protest President Donald Trump's sanctions, but the group faced backlash for staying in luxury hotels.
Phillies extend Cristopher Sánchez through 2032: NL East contenders lock up top pitcher on six-year contract
The extension runs from 2027-31
Apple Has Released More Than 10 Products and Accessories This Month
It has been a busy March for Apple, which has unveiled more than 10 products and accessories this month. However, aside from the all-new MacBook Neo and Studio Display XDR, the devices received faster chips or new colors and little else.
In Maine’s marquee Senate primary, Janet Mills reaches out to women by raising Graham Platner’s online past
Janet Mills and her allies are counting on a gender gap to narrow Platner’s wide lead ahead of the June 9 primary to decide who will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. They are betting that the unfiltered style that has brought Platner widespread attention as someone who could help Democrats reach young men will backfire with women.
A tribute to Scott Ostler, columnist, colleague, friend and sports wit
In Bruce Jenkins’ experience, there was never a teammate quite like fellow San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler, who retired last week.
Ron DeSantis says politics should be more than 'sugar high' entertainment
'If it's not leaving something that is durable, then it doesn't matter.'
Ron DeSantis says politics should be more than 'sugar high' entertainment
'If it's not leaving something that is durable, then it doesn't matter.'
Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida politics
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The Supreme Court Could Make it Harder to Vote by Mail in the Midterms
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49ers News: 25 more Sundays until NFL football is back
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Europe’s trade with Iran: Which countries do the most business with Tehran?
EU–Iran trade fell to its lowest level in two decades in 2025 due to sanctions. Trade continues on a limited scale, with Germany accounting for the largest share.View on euronews
France Is Voting for Thousands of New Mayors. Here’s Why It Matters.
The far-right party had first-round successes in several cities, but so did the far left. Sunday’s second round may clarify who has real momentum.
Coaches in elite company clash when Kansas faces St. John's
SAN DIEGO -- Only three active head coaches in Division I college basketball have won multiple national championships. Two of them meet for a berth in the Sweet 16 when Bill Self's No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks face Rick Pitino's No. 5 St. John's Red Storm on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region.
Sanford Sports launches in Black Hills region
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Sony PlayStation Network down: PS5 users report widespread server issues; 'please fix it'
Sony PlayStation Network appeared to be down for thousands on Saturday as many flocked to social media to voice their complaints. | World News
Jaebri'an Autry ends Detroit Renaissance career with heartbreak
Muskegon beat Detroit Renaissance 34-29 in the MHSAA girls basketball Division 1 state championship game on Saturday, March 21 in East Lansing.
County seeks public input on behavioral health services plan
San Diego County health officials were seeking public input Saturday on how best to provide behavioral health services to county residents.
City of Santa Barbara Seeks Nominations for 2026 Business in Art Award
Nominations are now open for the 2026 City of Santa Barbara Business in Art Award, for local businesses that support artists
Politics Report: San Diego Water Kings
San Diego, in its corner of the continent, is at the end of the line of a lot of resources. Gas, railroad and water lines all end here. So it […]
Hundreds of Thousands of Czechs Rally in Anti-Government Protest
Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in the Czech capital of Prague in a demonstration against the cabinet led by billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
Thousands race around sports complex for Phillies Charities 5K ahead of Opening Day
Not all business owners: How Business for Good is building a new voice in San Diego
Business for Good, a network of San Diego business leaders, advocates for progressive causes in the region.
Unfriendly skies: Ron DeSantis floats privatizing TSA after Elon Musk pay promise
'Why not let the airlines and airports handle it?'
‘We don’t need anybody to take Cuba:’ President of Movimiento Democracia reacts to President Trump’s comments on taking Cuba
Big Money Flows Into State Attorney General Races as Legal Battles Shape American Politics
With control of Congress on the ballot in November, state attorney general races can get lost in the shuffle. But just outside the election spotlight, there are partisan groups, corporate interests and advocacy networks revving up campaigns for offices that are playing a growing role in American ...
Billionaires, trial lawyers and unions gear up for 2026 California ballot brawls
It costs millions to qualify for the ballot and most measures fail, but that’s not stopping lots of special interest groups from trying
Today’s Papers – Italy’s World Cup mission, Napoli’s comeback
La Gazzetta dello SportBeware Inter, Conte returnsNapoli go -6. Cagliari beaten 1-0. Chivu to the attack tomorrow in FlorenceMilan-Toro, Leao is outSan Siro. Allegri for the comeback with Fullkrug and...
Thousands of runners gear up for half marathon
Road closures will be in place for town's half marathon, with thousands expected to line the route.
Spurs look to extend winning streak while hosting hapless Pacers
The San Antonio Spurs carry a four-game winning streak as they continue their hunt for the top spot in the Western Conference while hosting the hapless Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
Trump’s UN Ambassador on the US easing sanctions on Iranian oil: “It’s very temporary”
Why the Trump administration is easing sanctions on certain Iranian oil stockpiles
Trump administration officials are making a desperate push to secure every available barrel of oil amid a worsening energy crisis — even if it means lifting sanctions on the very country that they’re fighting against.
Seattle business out $10K after burglary, owner blames SPD alarm policy
A Ballard business owner is out thousands of dollars after someone forced their way inside, and she says she feels little support from the city or police.
Walz unveils tech tax in budget; bipartisan support emerges at Capitol
MPR News host Clay Masters and the politics team recap a week in state politics.
Chandra LaPlume Exits Sandbox Entertainment
Chandra LaPlume has departed Sandbox Entertainment after five years with the company. During [...]
Giants Ace Logan Webb on Negative Team USA Narrative: 'It's B---S---'
San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb made his opinion on the negative narrative surrounding Team USA clear: "It's b---s---."
March Madness live bracket updates, scores: Kentucky survives Santa Clara in OT with 35 points from Otega Oweh; No. 3 Virginia in danger of upset, trail Wright State at half
Hegseth Invokes Divine Purpose to Justify Military Might
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has imbued U.S. military actions with a Christian moral underpinning that suggests they are divinely sanctioned.
Logan Webb disliked Giants teammates' ragging after Venezuela's WBC win vs. USA
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb shared that he disliked the ragging from Luis Arráez and Jose Butto after the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
What Giants learned from spring training using MLB's ‘interesting' ABS system
The San Francisco Giants learned plenty from a full spring training using MLB's "interesting" ABS system.
Politics Friday: Consumer safeguards gain bipartisan support at the Capitol
Friday at noon, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks about proposals to protect consumers from scams and other ways Minnesotan’s might be swindled. Plus, a check-in with the state’s economic development commissioner.
Four Key Moments: Hearing on Improving Kidney Health Through Better Prevention and Innovative Treatment
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Medicare’s coverage and reimbursement policies for chronic kidney disease (CKD), and its most severe form, end-stage renal disease...
I made a Michelin-starred chef's version of a McDonald's McMuffin
The Michelin-starred chef's bacon and egg muffin was crunchy, cheesy, and moist. It tasted way better than a McDonald's McMuffin breakfast sandwich.
Younger Chinese Americans are fighting to save traditions
Younger business owners are adapting to challenges their parents didn’t face: historic tariffs, dwindling adherence to tradition and lower foot traffic in a post-pandemic San Francisco.
San Francisco businesses ready as Bay Bridge lights set to return Friday night
The organization behind the installation and civic leaders will be there for the countdown. Many restaurants, bars, and hotels in San Francisco are elated for the comeback.
Photos: Casan Evans 15 K’s lifts LSU over Oklahoma
LSU’s Casan Evans pitched 7.2 innings with a career high 15 strikeouts to help lead the Tigers past Oklahoma 7-1 in the first game of the series on Thursday, March
Santa Fe small businesses awarded microgrants to pursue new opportunities
A total of 40 Santa Fe business owners received the microgrants, which were valued at between $3,000 and $5,000.
US Health Department official signals progress on selecting new CDC head
The top CDC job has been filled by acting directors since Trump fired then-director Susan Monarez last August, after she objected to Kennedy's proposed vaccine policy changes.
Rep. Perry fact-checked on impact of lifting oil sanctions on Iran
Beyond Water: Why WASH Matters for Dignity, Health and Survival
Discover how Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are vital to supporting and empowering refugees this World Water Day.
Mid-Ohio Valley Entertainment Commission hosts training session on film production
MARIETTA – The Mid-Ohio Valley Entertainment Commission brought together film enthusiasts for a film crew training event at Marietta College on Sunday. The event sought to promote creativity and inspire filmmakers in the region. The event was originally scheduled for the entirety of the weekend but due to weather, the session was condensed to Sunday […]
Kyle Juszczyk recalls 49ers memory that gave him ‘soft spot' for Dre Greenlaw
Kyle Juszczyk has a special place in his heart for Dre Greenlaw, who is returning to the San Francisco 49ers for the 2026 NFL season.
Tyson Fury's dad, 'Big' John Fury, says their relationship 'is destroyed' and that his son is 'past his best'
John says he advised his son not to fight Oleksandr Usyk after the damage he suffered against Deontay Wilder
What Zohran Mamdani's favorite rappers shows about his politics
Mamdani chooses uber-capitalists Biggie, Nas and Jay-Z among his five favorite rappers. Is it a pivot to center?
City of Santa Barbara Seeks Nominations for 2026 Business in Art Award
Credit: CourtesyCredit: Courtesy (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Nominations are now open for the 2026 City of Santa Barbara Business in Art Award, which
Ypsilanti fire destroyed ‘sanctuary’ for many grieving business owners
The building will need demolished, officials said.
A new study questions when people first reached South America
Data suggest people lived at Chile’s Monte Verde site thousands of years later than thought, challenging key “pre-Clovis” evidence. Not all agree.
Babson Taps Multigenerational Business Leaders for 2026 Commencement Addresses
CEO and Executive Chairman of Metropoulos & Co. C. Dean Metropoulos '67, MBA'68, will give the undergraduate Commencement address, with Cisneros CEO Adriana Cisneros speaking at the graduate Commencement ceremony.Wellesley, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2026) - Babson College will honor the achievements of more than 740 undergraduate and 540 graduate members of the Class of 2026 before thousands of family members, faculty, friends, colleagues, and peers in separate on-campus...
True Bill Talk: Prosecution & Politics
The March 14 episode of True Bill Talk shifts the podcast’s focus from its typically local level to a national one. Nelson Bunn is the Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), an organization that influences the policies of thousands of prosecutors across the country. In a conversation with host Alissa Marque Heydari, […]
Sarah Sanders flipped off, kicked out of restaurant that claims employees were 'uncomfortable'
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says she was asked to leave Little Rock restaurant after staff claimed her presence made employees feel threatened.
Ballot measure to curtail dark money in San Diego politics gets initial vote
His District 9 office will now work with the city attorney's office to draft language for the ballot proposal, which must then be approved again by the Rules Committee and then the full City Council before being placed on the November 2026 ballot.
Inspectors say aging and understaffed military kennels are endangering working dogs' health
The Department of Defense Inspector General blames four canine deaths on outdated and unsanitary military kennels at ten bases.
Uber strikes deal with Rivian to buy thousands of robotaxis
The two companies announced a deal that will see Uber buy 10,000 fully autonomous Rivian robotaxis and invest up to $1.25 billion in the Tesla rival.
Sangamon County voters approve new tax increase for mental health board
Murphy explained that the mental health board would act as a centralized organization that helps coordinate groups and providers in the Sangamon County area.
Nextdoor Promotes Tony Castellanos to Executive Vice President, People as AI-Driven People Strategy Becomes Core to Business Growth
SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2026--Nextdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NXDR), the essential neighborhood network, today announced the promotion of Tony Castellanos to Executive Vice President, People. Castellanos will lead Nextdoor's People organization — including talent acquisition, compensation, HR business partnering, and benefits — as the company deepens its investment in AI-enabled People operations and continues to scale its workforce strategy.
California’s proposed billionaire tax gains majority support in new poll, with a partisan split on voter ID
A new poll shows California voters are sharply divided over two brewing ballot measures: a one-time tax on billionaires and new rules and procedures to verify voter citizenship.
Let's keep Kentucky judges judging and leave politics to politicians
A proposal in the legislature would undermine the nonpartisan judiciary that Kentuckians believe is necessary to maintain the fairness of their courts.
How Japan’s Leader Sanae Takaichi Found Her Voice in D.C. Decades Ago
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi got her start in politics as an intern for a trailblazing Colorado lawmaker. She returns to Washington this week to meet with President Trump.
Under Trump, the government’s watchdogs are losing their independence
Inspectors general are subject to growing partisan pressures as the White House and political figures seek greater influence over them than ever before.