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'90210' star AnnaLynne McCord sparks backlash with wedding fundraiser

There's no price tag on true love, but AnnaLynne McCord's walk down the aisle is a whole other story.

Aug 3 • 1:10 PM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com

If Not AOC, Then Who?

What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵

Aug 3 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com

Xbox reveals slew of free gifts to users as 25 years celebration continues

It's been a turbulent anniversary year to say the least, but fresh new freebies have arrived.

Aug 3 • 11:00 AM EDT • Technology • gamingbible.com

AI identifies health risks from routine sleep study data

News and information for journalists

Aug 3 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • newsroom.uw.edu

Google Earth Pulls AI Image Generator After Users Created Misleading Images

Google Earth is supposed to be a reliable source of data.

Aug 3 • 9:52 AM EDT • Technology • petapixel.com

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Missouri’s state primary

St. Louis-area congressman Wesley Bell faces a Democratic primary rematch Tuesday with former congresswoman Cori Bush, who lost the seat to Bell in 2024.

Aug 3 • 8:24 AM EDT • Politics • wsls.com

These bizarre new beetles look so stretchy scientists named them Luffy

Scientists have named a newly discovered beetle genus Luffy, inspired by the stretchy hero of the manga and anime One Piece. The insects have unusually long, slender mandibles, antennae, and mouthparts that resemble Luffy’s rubber-like ability to extend his body.

Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Did Trump Finally Find an Offramp for the Iran War? | WSJ Politics Newsletter for Aug. 3

Plus, Blanche rescinds ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, which could aid his confirmation, and comparing new Air Force One to older models

Aug 3 • 7:07 AM EDT • Politics • wsj.com

The MLB trade deadline is here, plus Rodgers talks reconciliation

The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! It’s great to be back with you. Coming up: ⚾ MLB trade deadline latest ⚽ Soccer mess deepens 🗣️ Rodgers speaks out Just 12 hours separate the time this email landed in your inbox and MLB’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. ET today. It’s easy to wonder if there will be any intrigue at all, with the market’s biggest name already settling into his new Dodger home. Let’s catch up on yesterday’s deals before we get to today:...

Aug 3 • 6:12 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com

‘The Democratic Party is asleep at the wheel’: Democratic socialists are strategizing for their biggest moment yet

DSA has taken a strategic approach to grow its power within the Democratic Party, picking off two House incumbents already this year and potentially a third on Tuesday in Michigan. As the group’s summit in Chicago made clear, its members see this as only the beginning of a fight against both Republicans and Democrats alike.

Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

AI Identifies Previously Unrecognized Health Insights in Routine Sleep Studies

Interdisciplinary research team develops foundation model that identifies patient groups with markedly different long-term health risks

Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • newsroom.clevelandclinic.org

Criticism of Reform UK’s pledge to use Navy to stop small boats

Labour say plan is a ‘desperate attempt to distract from sleaze’ while a retired commander says it ‘lacks substance’

Aug 3 • 4:25 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

‘Stench of sleaze’: Farage struck deal over political return months before 2024 election, reports say

Labour chair accuses Reform of making ‘grubby pacts’ after contradictory reports emerge on timeline of events

Aug 2 • 10:42 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Report: Apple's smart glasses will become a major health companion, but not initially

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Aug 2 • 10:30 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com

I almost returned my Google Fitbit Air for broken sleep tracking until I changed one setting

A single tweak in Google Health revived the sleep points I'd been missing

Aug 2 • 8:30 AM EDT • Technology • androidpolice.com

I tracked sleep with Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Fitbit Air, and Oura Ring 5. This is the one I'd buy

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Aug 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • androidpolice.com

5 Easy Claude Automations That Grow Your Business On Autopilot

Claude can draft your outreach to podcast hosts, buyers and referral partners while you sleep. Set up these five automations today and grow your business on autopilot.

Aug 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • forbes.com

US officials focus on identification and rapid action as measles cases rise

Authorities in Delaware tackle cluster with vaccination and contract tracing – but field has been weakened by cuts

Aug 2 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com

Melatonin vs. magnesium: Which is better for your sleep?

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Aug 2 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

Diverse Backgrounds Produce Partners Carving A Business Out Of Stone

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Aug 2 • 5:02 AM EDT • Business • greenvilleonline.com

An ex-U.S. Labor Secretary and a Gen Z historian talk politics, protest and capitalism

To recognize the country’s 250th year, CNBC Make It got notable voices in politics, finance and relationships across age ranges to sit down and spark conversation about what it means to achieve happiness and success in this country today. Robert Reich, 80, a former Secretary of Labor during Bill Clinton's administration, spoke with Kahlil Greene, 26, a history newsletter writer and content creator.

Aug 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnbc.com

How Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles responded to Baker Mayfield’s contract extension comments

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Aug 1 • 2:24 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Political science professor identifies misleading information in campaign ads ahead of August 4 election

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) — It’s election season, which means right now, various political ads are saturating your TV, sharing information about different candidates and their motivations, but that doesn’t always

Jul 31 • 10:03 PM EDT • Science • kake.com

Officials warn of possible measles exposure after infected person visits Maryland

Health officials are warning Maryland residents about potential exposure to measles after an individual from another state visited Maryland while infected.Anyon

Jul 31 • 6:56 PM EDT • Health • foxbaltimore.com

What Worries Democrats as the Midterms Heat Up

There’s a lot going right for the Democrats. Here’s what could go wrong.

Jul 31 • 6:02 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

'The End of Oak Street: Could JJ Abrams' new 'Twilight Zone meets Jurassic Park' movie be the sleeper hit of the summer?

"I think our house, our neighborhood, our whole street, has moved."

Jul 31 • 5:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • space.com

Federal 'Science of Reading' Bill Advances

A Senate committee also passed a proposal to classify dyslexia separately under federal disability law.

Jul 31 • 4:44 PM EDT • Science • edweek.org

The Streaming Bubble Keeps Popping

(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) One of my rules is “never bet against PE [private equity]”. This isn’t to say that I agree with their methods or tactics or strategies or financial innovations (aka shenanigans). Just that in the long arc of financial history, they’ve tended to return very good returns to their shareholders. That said, their forays into entertainment have left me...skeptical. I’ve written before about PE’s production company/celebrity production company roll ups, and those haven’t really worked out. Some PE groups tried to “roll up” an industry that isn’t “roll-up-able” for lack of a better term—since the barrier to entry for starting a production company is very low—often paying top dollar for celebrity production companies at the height of streaming valuations. So yeah maybe we can bet against PE when they venture into filmed entertainment. I’ve also noted that studio lots seemed to be a bubble back in 2022. Sure enough… Yikes! That sure sounds like some private equity guys lost some money. The only caveat being that holding a lot of land in Los Angeles is always valuable. But that wasn’t the pitch and likely real estate investment companies overpaid for said land. I mean, Goldman Sachs had to repossess it after all. (Technically, I’m not sure these buyers were traditional private equity, but PE was buying LA studio lots earlier this decade.) All to say: I call out bubbles when I see them, and they often pop. Anywho, my most famous bubble call was the “streaming bubble”, specifically that the major streamers were making too many shows and films. And that it could all come crashing down. Notably, I made this call before the strikes of 2023, but those strikes potentially accelerated the popping. And now it has indeed popped. One of my most popular articles of last year made that exact case. A year later, it’s time to update that analysis. The bottom line is that the streaming contraction continues. Credit where credit is due, Luminate—an analytics company whose data I use weekly in my streaming ratings report—called this out in a recent report I saw highlighted in both Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter. But I’m adding my data to their look, including streaming films and kids TV shows. I’ll also provide some other data that all tells the same picture. Let’s dive in! Subscribe The Number of Streaming TV Shows, Films and Specials Is Declining AGAIN in 2026 Let’s get right to the data, starting with my dataset. Specifically, each week I track every “notable” title to come out on streaming. I try to grab every title on every major streamer, meaning if it’s a first run or original or exclusive, I track it. This helps me call out the “dogs not barking” and the misses/flops each week. So that will be our first series of charts, my weekly collection data. Let’s start with the raw TV show, film and special data, by week. Note: As the years have gone by, I have actually added more sources (going from just one source to five sources) to find new titles, meaning that this data collection is, likely, more accurate now than in the past. Which means my team and I are more likely to have undercounted titles in the past rather than today. I like to cut the data several different ways. Here’s that same look, by quarter, to more sharply show the trends: And here’s the data just looking at the first half of each year. That’s the same data, just cut three different ways with three different time periods. Note that films, TV shows, and specials are all down by 25%, 42% and 17%, respectively, from 2022. The good news is that the number of films and specials actually increased year-over-year from 2025 to 2026, but not enough to offset the 25% decline in TV shows. Now, I also look at kids shows, and here they are pulled out on their own: And here’s that by quarter: This really seems to be a notable area of pullback by the streamers. Kids shows are down 80% from 2022. This reflects some formerly Disney+ shows going to cable TV first, but also pullbacks from HBO Max, Prime Video and Netflix. I also categorize the TV shows by English language and non-English language, and that also reveals a lot of where the drop comes from: And here is by the half-year: In this look, the good news is the drop for English language shows seems to have stabilized in the last year. But the bad news is the long term decline from the 2022 peak. Other Data So I wasn’t the only person to notice this decline in the number of shows. I have a few other data sources for this, though most only go through the end of 2025. As I said, Luminate beat me to the punch, so let’s look at their data. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… What TV loss streaming didn’t make up for... How Netflix has changed their programming slate over time… Ten more images charting the decline of production... What type of films aren’t being made anymore... The good news (for movie theaters)… And more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.

Jul 31 • 2:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com

Conrad Ambursley settling in to role in the Desert

Standing on the touchline at just 19 years of age, Conrad Ambursley was getting set to make his senior debut. “We were 2-1 down, so I just wanted to get...

Jul 31 • 12:34 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

A Roadmap for Building Resilient Immunization Programs

Explore priorities, strategies, and coordinated actions by health agencies and partners to strengthen immunization programs nationwide.

Jul 31 • 12:00 PM EDT • Health • astho.org

Coros Update Brings Key Garmin Feature And More To Coros Watches

A significant Coros update sees a big upgrade to live tracking and how sleep scores are calculated, among other upgrades. It's for all current Coros watch users.

Jul 31 • 11:46 AM EDT • Technology • forbes.com

Y! Sports Biz: We've got a golden ticket

Step aside, Willy Wonka. It's Shohei's turn.

Jul 31 • 11:24 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

SLED: Horry County business owner charged with insurance fraud

State agents have announced the arrest of a business owner in Horry County.

Jul 31 • 10:47 AM EDT • Business • wmbfnews.com

'Gatsby' sparkles, a statue rises, and Bri bakes in Sun Prairie

In this week's Madison food and culture newsletter, how art can meet a moment, Jenny Jackson's "The Shampoo Effect," and mango-coconut cruffins.

Jul 31 • 10:45 AM EDT • Entertainment • captimes.com

ESPN’s 2026-27 college football anthem is here

It’s the most dependable tradition in sports media, more reliable than any preseason poll: ESPN picks a song, plays it about 4,000 times between kickoff and the College Football Playoff, and by Halloween you’ll be able to hum it in your sleep, whether you wanted to learn it or not. ESPN announced Friday that “High…

Jul 31 • 10:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

‘Measles is here’: Michigan health officials warn as vaccination rates fall dangerously low

Michigan health officials are warning of a significant measles resurgence as vaccination rates drop below herd immunity thresholds.

Jul 31 • 10:26 AM EDT • Health • clickondetroit.com

Measles case confirmed in Barbour County, W.Va., health officials say

The West Virginia Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles in a Barbour County resident who recently traveled out-of-state.State and local health of

Jul 31 • 10:19 AM EDT • Health • wchstv.com

A bitter pill: are you wasting your money on supplements?

Will collagen make you look younger? Could magnesium help you sleep better? Or are the benefits overstated? A dietitian reveals which are worth taking

Jul 31 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com

⚾️ Y! Sports AM: A kid's dream

0-2 count. Two outs. Team down by three. A great time for a grand slam!

Jul 31 • 9:06 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Fantasy Football Sleepers, Busts & Predictions: 2026 San Francisco 49ers

(Every roster is different, but there are traits on each one. All summer, Daniel Kelley will go roster-by-roster to identify the top fantasy football sleeper and bust on each roster and make a bold prediction for each team. This is…

Jul 31 • 8:54 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Lancaster County Partnership for Public Health to take a more active role in public health education

As Lancaster County faces its largest measles outbreak in recent history and other public health challenges, a nonpartisan, volunteer group of health experts and community leaders plans to take a

Jul 31 • 8:49 AM EDT • Health • lancasteronline.com

Could Switch 2's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake be squaring up for a GTA 6 head-to-head? Newly sighted amiibo suggest a potential November release

Despite being announced back in June, Nintendo's Ocarina of Time remake still doesn't have an official launch date.

Jul 31 • 8:42 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net

Scientists discover why poor sleep may harm some brains more

A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits.

Jul 31 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

The perfect length of time to sleep

Researchers say they’ve nailed a specific ‘sweet spot’ for shut-eye

Jul 31 • 7:08 AM EDT • Health • theweek.com

Trump’s Immigration Push Keeps Expanding With New $100,000 Fee Idea | WSJ Politics Newsletter for July 31

Plus, inside Trump’s unprecedented fundraising operation and the rise and fall of Anthony Fauci

Jul 31 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • wsj.com

Politics Chat, July 30, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Jul 30 • 9:51 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Nintendo Expands Switch 2's GameCube Library With Another Game In August

Return to Isle Defino in Super Mario Sunshine

Jul 30 • 9:05 PM EDT • Technology • nintendolife.com

In Missouri, Cori Bush and Wesley Bell's primary rematch sets up key test for Democrats

A progressive firebrand who started her political career as a Black Lives Matter organizer in Ferguson, Bush served two terms before losing a primary challenge to Wesley Bell, a moderate local prosecutor.

Jul 30 • 7:37 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

Casio's Tiny Ring Watch Is Now a Full-Blown Oura Alternative

The CRW-H001 can track heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep and vibrate when you receive a notification.

Jul 30 • 3:30 PM EDT • Technology • gizmodo.com

Senate Panel Advances Science of Reading, Dyslexia Bills with Bipartisan Support

Two bills passed out of the Senate HELP Committee Thursday, advancing the federal government’s oversight of literacy instruction and intervention.

Jul 30 • 2:42 PM EDT • Science • the74million.org

Senate Panel Advances Science of Reading, Dyslexia Bills with Bipartisan Support

A bill that would require states to only use the science of reading in classrooms in order to qualify for a multi-million dollar funding grant passed with bipartisan support from a committee of federa...

Jul 30 • 2:42 PM EDT • Science • yahoo.com

Health coach compared 4 fitness wearables: 1 was best for performance

A health coach wore an Apple Watch, Whoop, Oura Ring, and Fitbit at once to see which is best. He found a clear winner for fitness, health, and sleep.

Jul 30 • 12:05 PM EDT • Health • businessinsider.com

🎓 Y! Sports AM: Buying a college team

No, college basketball teams are not for sale. But is the idea really that far-fetched?

Jul 30 • 8:47 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Opinion | Gen Z Thinks Religion Got Too Political

I wonder why that could be.

Jul 30 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Health officials warn of another measles exposure at Gresham urgent care

Oregon health officials warn of possible measles exposure at Legacy GoHealth Urgent Care in Gresham on July 26, 3:05 to 7:09 p.m. Anyone there should contact a provider and check MMR status.

Jul 29 • 8:04 PM EDT • Health • katu.com

‘Not out of the woods’: Delaware doctor predicts more measles cases as the state’s outbreak rises to 5

The CDC and Delaware public health officials urge unvaccinated residents exposed to the measles virus to get the shots within three days.

Jul 29 • 4:11 PM EDT • Health • whyy.org

Philadelphia’s ‘LeBron economy’ is going to create a ton of value for only $3.8m

This week's sports business newsletter from The Athletic includes FIFA's investment ploys, lucrative college jersey patches and more.

Jul 29 • 3:04 PM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com

Hims misled consumers and violated their privacy, FTC alleges in a lawsuit

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued telehealth company Hims & Hers alleging business practices that agency says mislead consumers.

Jul 29 • 2:45 PM EDT • Business • statnews.com

Westgate Las Vegas Celebrates Elvis

Westgate Las Vegas is honoring Elvis Presley with a weekend of free entertainment, live performances, special events, and a celebration of the King's legendary Las Vegas legacy.

Jul 29 • 1:24 PM EDT • Entertainment • ktnv.com

Texas health issues alert after 4 Montgomery County residents infected with measles

Texas health officials are warning residents and health care providers to stay alert after four cases of measles were confirmed in an unvaccinated Montgomery County family.

Jul 29 • 1:18 PM EDT • Health • click2houston.com

Y! Sports Biz: World Cup for sale

FIFA pitches soccer sale to private investors.

Jul 29 • 11:16 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Exposure to measles possible at two Portland health care sites

Measles exposure alert in Portland: officials say visitors to Randall’s Children’s Hospital ER and Providence St. Vincent may have been exposed on July 23 to 28.

Jul 28 • 8:55 PM EDT • Health • katu.com

Politics Chat, July 28, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Jul 28 • 8:14 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

The science behind social media's 'Early Bird Dinner': How early dining may impact sleep and weight

The problem with eating later in the evening is often what's on your plate, one doctor says.

Jul 28 • 6:19 PM EDT • Science • abcnews.com

More than 700 cyclosporiasis cases reported in North Carolina: health officials

WLOS News 13 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Asheville, NC and nearby towns and communities in Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina, including the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, Haywood, Polk, Transylvania, McDowell, Mitchell, Madison, Yancey, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Union, Pickens, Oconee, Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville and also Biltmore Forest, Woodfin, Leicester, Black Mountain, Montreat, Arden, Weaverville, Hendersonville, Etowah, Flat Rock, Mills River, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Franklin, Cullowhee, Sylva, Cherokee, Marion, Old Fort, Forest City, Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Spindale, Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Burnsville, Tryon, Columbus, Marshall, Mars Hill, Brevard, Bryson City, Cashiers, Greer, Landrum, Clemson, Gaffney, and Easley.

Jul 28 • 5:46 PM EDT • Health • wlos.com

Ozlo's Sleepbuds 2 build on Bose's sleep earbud legacy

Ozlo’s first major update to its sleep earbuds introduces longer battery life, improved connectivity, enhanced audio, and new sleep features as the startup continues the product line once abandoned by Bose.

Jul 28 • 3:09 PM EDT • Technology • techcrunch.com

Southern Maryland Mom Turns Passion Into Business Inspired By Daughter

CALIFORNIA, Md. — By 4 a.m., while most of Southern Maryland is still asleep, Alexis Truby is already balancing the many roles that fill her day. The 26-year-old is a wife, mother of two, full-time government contractor and the owner of The Evelyn Edit & Co., a digital design business inspired by her newborn daughter, […]

Jul 28 • 2:00 PM EDT • Business • thebaynet.com

🇮🇪 Y! Sports AM: 75-year wait

Mayo finally won the All-Ireland title on Sunday, breaking one of the longest curses in all of sports.

Jul 28 • 7:56 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Should the NWSL hold an All-Star Game? Plus: Hope Solo auctions World Cup gear

Welcome to Full Time, The Athletic's women's soccer newsletter.

Jul 28 • 1:48 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com

Health experts: State's high vaccination rate is keeping spread of measles in check

Just seven months into the year, confirmed measles cases Maryland are already four times higher that they were for all of last year, but health officials say the situation could be much worse if the state did not maintain a relatively high measles vaccination rate.

Jul 28 • 1:42 AM EDT • Health • marylandmatters.org

Mizzou researchers find simple habit to improve physical, mental health

Study highlights how consistent daily habits can lower pain and depression, regardless of sleep quality.

Jul 28 • 1:18 AM EDT • Health • showme.missouri.edu

Lancaster County ranks 9th in US for measles cases as health systems tighten precautions

Lancaster County now ranks ninth in the country for the number of measles cases that have occurred in one county or region in 2026.

Jul 27 • 3:41 PM EDT • Health • lancasteronline.com

Texas investigates major tampon, cosmetics manufacturers for alleged deceptive health claims

The Texas Attorney General's office has launched sweeping, industry-wide investigations into major manufacturers of feminine care and cosmetic products over concerns that companies may be misleading consumers about the presence of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

Jul 27 • 11:56 AM EDT • Health • fox4news.com

Texas investigates major tampon, cosmetics manufacturers for alleged deceptive health claims

The Texas Attorney General's office has launched sweeping, industry-wide investigations into major manufacturers of feminine care and cosmetic products over concerns that companies may be misleading consumers about the presence of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

Jul 27 • 11:56 AM EDT • Health • fox7austin.com

Y! Sports Biz: Cheese squeezed financially

The rare annual look at NFL team finances is here.

Jul 27 • 11:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Washington’s Sensitive Secret: How Many U.S. Missiles Are Left Five Months into Iran War? | WSJ Politics Newsletter for July 27

Plus, Darline Graham gets on-the-job training in the Senate, and more House Democrats sour on aid to Israel

Jul 27 • 6:59 AM EDT • Politics • wsj.com

Can you really trust your smartwatch? A doctor explains

What a doctor wants you to know about sleep scores, heart rate data and wearable health tech.

Jul 27 • 5:23 AM EDT • Health • wjla.com

Opinion | Costco or Whole Foods? Grocery Stores are Symbols of Identity

Our grocery stores mirror the mess of America.

Jul 27 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

E-bikes, e-scooters are a burgeoning pediatric public health emergency

“Emergency departments across America report dramatic increases in serious injuries from e-bikes and e-scooters,” write CHOP’s J. Todd R. Lawrence and Madison A. Kesler.

Jul 27 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Skipping sleep may pack on pounds faster than you think, new study finds

Jul 26 • 9:55 PM EDT • Health • nypost.com

WATCH: Politics Today for the week of July 26, 2026

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — On July 26, the episode of Politics Today on KAMR Local 4 News, Jack Kessler reviews multiple recent political developments and topics of interest in the Amarillo area…

Jul 26 • 6:09 PM EDT • Politics • myhighplains.com

Lions Free Agent Addition Receives Fantasy Sleeper Status

Isaiah Pacheco was a major disappointment for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. However, he is expected to bounce back and have a strong season in 2026 with the Detroit Lions. The loss of David Montgomery should propel Pacheco into flex territory in fantasy football, according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.“Pacheco will get a […] The post Lions Free Agent Addition Receives Fantasy Sleeper Status appeared first on HEAVY.

Jul 26 • 2:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

I took my teen on a group tour abroad. She surprised me.

I worried my teen would feel out of place on our Isle of Skye tour. She found her footing immediately.

Jul 26 • 2:24 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Apple Planning to Unveil Privacy-Focused Smart Glasses at WWDC 2027

Apple currently plans to unveil its first smart glasses at WWDC 2027 next June, and privacy will be a focus, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. For the glasses, Apple is prototyping "a slew of new hardware and software-related privacy features" that are not available on current products, he said.

Jul 26 • 12:26 PM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com

Backers of California voter ID measure to sue Attorney General Rob Bonta for ballot title change

Supporters of California's Prop 39 voter ID measure are preparing to sue Attorney General Rob Bonta, claiming his office altered the ballot title to mislead voters and sway them against the initiative.

Jul 26 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com

'Apple Upgrade' Program Launching on Tuesday

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that a new "Apple Upgrade" program is set to launch in the U.S. on Tuesday, July 28. Apple will stop accepting iPhone Upgrade Program sign-ups on the same day, but he said customers who are already enrolled will be able to remain in the program "for the time being". Apple is partnering with buy-now, pay-later company Klarna on the program, he said.

Jul 26 • 11:20 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com

Outgoing ESPN EVP David Roberts: ‘It’s not reality’ to keep sports and politics separate

Since roughly around the summer of 2016, when Colin Kaepernick’s protests coincided with the election of President Donald Trump, ESPN has faced constant criticism from both sides of the political aisle over its coverage of wider political and social issues around sports. While talent leads that debate on air and therefore receives the bulk of…

Jul 26 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • sports.yahoo.com

Cori Bush and Wesley Bell's rematch sets up key test for Democrats in Missouri

Former Rep. Cori Bush, outside the courthouse where the Dred Scott case was argued, promises to reverse her ouster from Congress.

Jul 26 • 7:37 AM EDT • Politics • ksat.com

Cori Bush and Wesley Bell's rematch sets up key test for Democrats in Missouri

Former Rep. Cori Bush, outside the courthouse where the Dred Scott case was argued, promises to reverse her ouster from Congress.

Jul 26 • 7:37 AM EDT • Politics • wsls.com