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The best new popular-science books of November 2026
From a “modern bestiary” by Richard Dawkins to a book co-authored by Robert Macfarlane and an Ecuadorian cloud forest, there are plenty of exciting new popular-science books out this month, says Liz Else
Coyote volleyball goes 9-0 in the month of October
VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota volleyball will be sad to say goodbye to the month of October after going 9-0 this month. The win streak is the longest for the Yotes since 2022, when they posted two 13-match winning streaks. The Coyotes’ defense has been particularly dominant, holding opponents to a sub-.200 hitting percentage […]
Azealia Banks Explains If She's 'Afraid' of Living In Israel
After confirming her move to Israel earlier this month, the problematic artist said that her babysitter died in 9/11.
Three New iPads Rumored to Launch in First Half of 2027
After announcing a new iPad mini with an OLED display earlier this month, Apple plans to release new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and entry-level iPad models in the first half of 2027, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the next iPad Air will also feature an OLED display, while he expects the next iPad Pro to be equipped with a vapor chamber system that dissipates heat for improved sustained performance.
Michael Douglas says Catherine Zeta-Jones didn’t have ‘veto power’ over memoir
Michael Douglas’ wife Catherine Zeta-Jones did not weigh in on the content in his ‘One Helluva Ride’ memoir, which was published earlier this month.
Netflix’s New Releases Coming in November 2026
Take a look at the movies and TV shows that are hitting the streaming service this month.
Strong Rural Communities Depend on the Seeds We Plant Today - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
By Mary C. Mayhew This month, we celebrate National Rural Health Day, an annual occasion since 2011 to bring attention to and honor the work of rural healthcare providers, communities, […]
MN Wild Recall Familiar Forward Ahead of Road Trip
The Minnesota Wild made a roster move before heading east, recalling familiar forward Mason Shaw from Iowa for the second time this month.
'Disgusting' hotel passes county health inspection
A Latham hotel that was investigated by NewsChannel 13 earlier this month for having 'disgusting' living conditions passed a health inspection one day after NewsChannel 13's story aired.
Scaring Up Customers for Halloween Streaming
(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.) Way back in 2022, I did a deep dive into each streamer’s horror offerings, looking at the top horror film and TV shows, and which streamers had the best library titles and best Halloween landing pages. If you’d like to check out those articles... Way back in 2022, I ranked all the streamers’ Halloween landing pages. I updated my thoughts in 2023... ...and 2024. After taking last year off, I’m back at it again this year. My theory—then and now—is that Halloween landing pages provide a subtle but surprisingly valuable insight into how the streamers position themselves, and what they do well and what they don’t. They show who relies on libraries, whose libraries across TV and film have the most value, who understands how customers want to access those libraries, and, being blunt, which product teams actually put the time in to make a quality holiday user experience. Plus, three “horror” TV shows had big debuts this month! So today, I’ll answer the questions... What are the all-time biggest horror shows and films on streaming? What streamer has the best library? What streamer has the best landing page? And what does this say about the streaming wars today? But first, let’s look at three big new horror shows on streaming... Subscribe Horror TV Has Dominated October So Far In a fun twist this month, three different streamers released three different horror TV shows. Many scary stories come out every October, but the twist is that all three did well: Two of the shows got over 20 million hours, which is just good. You can see that Below is helping Netflix start October/Q4 off well: And that Carrie is a top seven show for Amazon through two weeks: But here’s the crazier note: even though it doesn’t look huge, Crystal Lake is Peacock’s biggest debut yet: Let’s discuss the streaming elephant in the room: two of these shows are based off classic horror IP: Jason and Carrie. So once again, IP works, in theaters and on streaming. It just does. Oddly enough, horror IP doesn’t draw a tenth of the ire that other IP does, even though, arguably, horror films are the original franchise films, starting in the 1930s and continuing on through the slasher film 80s. So horror TV shows are off to a great start. While I’ve written before that horror films do NOT over-perform on streaming, TV shows are a different story. The Top Horror Films and TV Shows on Streaming All Time To start, here are the top first seasons for all streaming TV shows since 2020 (the start of the Streaming Ratings Era): First take: yep, that’s some power laws at work right there. The biggest TV show hits aren’t just bigger than other hit shows, they’re orders of magnitude bigger. Wednesday dwarfs The Last of Us (a big hit!) and is ten times bigger than the next six most popular horror shows. Wow! So yes, horror or horror-adjacent shows can do as well as the top shows on streaming. Wednesday is proof of this. (Though, even Wednesday is more horror-adjacent than proper horror.) Also, note that Below, Carrie and _Crystal Lake_could/should keep moving up the charts. That said, there is some weakness in these numbers. Only eighteen horror first seasons made the charts, which is low. For context, 541 season ones have made the Nielsen originals charts since 2020. Eighteen out of 541 isn’t great! Plus, again, the IP issue. Wednesday and The Last of Us came from popular IP, and It: Welcome to Derry and Goosebumps are spinoffs. Next up, every horror show from season two on: The bad news here? Besides one iconic example, horror shows don’t last long i.e. generate very many seasons. While many straight-to-streaming horror shows were limited series, many weren’t and only four horror shows got to a second season or beyond. That’s a bad hit rate. And yeah, only one horror show made it to a fifth season! This genre is just not elite (on streaming). Okay, on to the top horror films all time (er, since 2020): 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 streamers have the most horror films... ...And how FASTs have embraced horror films... ...How many elite horror films are on linear TV or aren’t on TV at all… ...How streamers make it very, very hard to find horror films… …And a lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you’d like to read more about why you should subscribe, please read this article about the Streaming Ratings Report, why it matters, why you need it, and why we cover streaming ratings best.
October 30th Injury Report for Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks
On Friday October 30th, the Houston Rockets are set to play their first Emirates NBA Cup Game of this season. This is already their fourth time facing up against the Dallas Mavericks this month, although the first two meetings were only preseason games.
Pokémon GO Max Monday Schedule (November 2026)
November’s Max Mondays give you more chances to battle and catch Dynamax Pokémon at Power Spots. Check the schedule below for each featured Pokémon and date, including changes during this month’s special events. Looking for more coverage? Check out our Current Raid Bosses, Current Season’s Field Research Tasks and Current Egg Chart. Here is the […]
Bird flu detected in two Sacramento County backyard flocks, health officials say
Highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in two different backyard poultry flocks earlier this month, Sacramento County health officials said.
Eintracht Frankfurt restructure sporting department after Krösche's exit
Following Markus Krösche’s departure as board member for sport earlier this month, Eintracht Frankfurt have reshuffled responsibilities within their sporting department.With the club yet to appoint...
The 6 Best Shows of October, Hands-Down
There are so many good TV shows streaming this month, so this entertainment editor narrowed it down to the 6 best shows of September October. From 'Carrie' and 'YAGA' to 'The Diplomat' season four, here's what to watch this month.
Editorial: State police powers don’t eclipse the Bill of Rights
The midterm elections have largely overshadowed the U.S. Supreme Court’s most recent term, which began this month. Last week, the justices missed a prime opportunity to invigorate the Fifth Amendment’s
Business Brief: Columbus Realtors recognized at state convention
Two Columbus Realtors were recognized during the Mississippi Realtors Annual Convention and Expo this month.
BioWare Co-Founder Says EA's Acquisition Was 'Final Nail In The Coffin' For The Mass Effect Studio
Greg Zeschuk left the studio after Mass Effect 3, but still weighed in on the company's closure earlier this month following EA's acquisition by private equity
Windows 11 KB5127936 update is now available with overhauled context menus that are faster and more customizable
An overhauled context menu system headlines Microsoft's latest non-security feature update for Windows 11 this month.
Pope Francis’ memoir, a dark romantasy and more new November paperbacks
Before the holiday shopping season, publishers are releasing a broad range of new paperbacks and exciting paperback reissues for every reader this month.
Zocdoc CEO: will AI agents make your business more valuable or more vulnerable?
Earlier this month, I sent my leadership team a memo titled “The AI Agents are Coming (Faster Than You Think).”
UCLA expands campus vending machines to offer 24/7 access to health essentials
UCLA announced this month that it will expand the number and operating hours of essential health vending machines on campus. The Be Well Bruin Express – launched by UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center and UCLA’s Health Education and Resource Team in partnership with UCLA Vending Services – is stocked with a variety of health-related products and operates 24 hours a day outside the Ashe Center.
Who Owns What: The Watermania Waterpark Richmond May Expropriate
[There is often a lack of transparency around land ownership in BC. Who Owns What is an ongoing series by The Realist focused on interesting land ownership stories. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email: howardchai@substack.com.] Earlier this month, CBC and Richmond News reported that the City of Richmond is planning to expropriate Watermania, the waterpark located at 14300 Entertainment Boulevard near the Richmond Ice Centre. The City of Richmond currently leases the property from a private owner — 14300 Entertainment Blvd. Investments Ltd. — and the lease is set to expire in March 2027. According to the reports, the two sides have been unable to agree on terms of the lease renewal and the City has since served a Notice of Expropriation, saying it wants to secure “essential community services,” according to CBC, with outgoing Mayor Malcolm Brodie telling CBC that “Watermania is an important recreation facility for our community, and the city’s goal is to secure its long-term future.” Richmond News added that because the expropriation is not for a linear easement like a sewage line or rapid transit, an inquiry can be requested, and one has been scheduled for November 30 to December 4, according to CBC. What was left out of both stories, however, is who the City would be expropriating Watermania from. According to the Land Owner Transparency Registry, 14300 Entertainment Boulevard is legally owned by 14300 Entertainment Blvd. Investments Ltd. and that numbered company is controlled by a Chinese individual named Hai Feng Zhu, who primarily resides in the Jilin province. The registered address of 14300 Entertainment Blvd. Investments Ltd. is 3899 Cartier Street in Vancouver, a mansion in Shaughnessy that BC Assessment values at $10,423,000. The home at 3899 Cartier Street has previously been tied to Kevin Sun of Sun Commercial by reporter Sam Cooper when he was with the Vancouver Sun in a report noting that Sun had an associate named Hai Feng Zhu who is a director of SunOil Ltd., as confirmed by the company’s filings. Another person mentioned in both the report and filing is Denise She. A search of Hai Feng Zhu in the Land Owner Transparency Registry reveals that Zhu also owns four other properties in British Columbia. The Realist then used the PIDs1 to identify the addresses, finding that the two parcels with PIDs beginning 014 are two parcels that form 1155 Bidwell Street in Vancouver and that the two parcels with PIDs beginning 015 are two parcels that form 1755 Davie Street. 1755 Davie Street is the Best Western Plus Sands, 1155 Bidwell Street is a surface parking lot, and both are held under 0993956 B.C. LTD., which is controlled by Hai Feng Zhu alongside the aforementioned Kevin Sun and Denise She, among others. The Best Western Plus Sands is listed under Sun Commercial’s portfolio and Sun Commercial also previously sold the Richmond Ice Centre to the City of Richmond for $32 million in 2019. Denise She, Peter Cheng De She, and Julia MiMi Yang also control 1078635 B.C. Ltd., which owns 1707 Davie Street, the small retail building that sits between 1755 Davie Street and 1155 Bidwell Street. Governments in British Columbia have a tendency to overpay for real estate, so it’ll be interesting to see how much the City of Richmond pays for Watermania if they do end up expropriating the property. BC Assessment values 14300 Entertainment Boulevard at $49,397,000. The assessed value is dated to July 1, 2025 and is a small decline from the previous assessment of $52,584,000. The rest of this story dives into Sun Commercial and $159 million in sales it made last year to KingSett Capital. Become a paid subscriber for all the details. Subscribe Sun Commercial Sun Commercial is based out of the City Square Shopping Centre at 555 W 12th Avenue in Vancouver, which it acquired in 2019 for $225 million, and also has an office located at 415 Yonge Street in Toronto.
Animals Starves while the Kardashians Miss the Charts Again
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get going, I’d like to offer congratulations to Jonathan Funke, whose suggestion “midflicks” won the poll for what I should call straight-to-streaming films which aren’t big or cinematic enough to go to theaters but seem too expensive for a TV movie. It’s so useful a term, I just used it last week! Now I just need to add this term to my data dictionary! Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re starting out looking at Netflix/Ben Affleck’s latest crime thriller, Animals. I’ll also look at Disclosure Day heading to Peacock (it did better than you’d remember in theaters...) and a new movie based on toys. Plus, a long-time streaming flop returns for its eighth season...will it finally chart? (No.) Will anyone at Disney care? Probably not. All that, plus another look at new shows landing on streaming on 1-Oct from Reelgood, what streamer hasn’t had a film make the Luminate charts since August, Reacher’s long run on the charts, M_onster: The Lizzie Borden Story’s_ short run, the top shows in 2026 according to Samba TV, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. And I mean that last part: putting this week’s issue together, I assembled OVER 25 images, most of which are bespoke looks I made just for this report. Really, publishing articles like this takes the work of writing two articles: one is the narrative and the other is making charts/graphs. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the week of October 5th to October 11th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - Netflix’s Latest Star-Studded Thriller Goes For Glory The tempting angle for anyone writing about streaming film this month, like yours truly, is to ask, “Is this why Dan Lin lost his job at Netflix?” Take Animals, the Ben Affleck-starring-and-directing, Artists Equity-produced crime thriller that opened on 9-Oct. (Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson are also in it.) If it did really well, then one could argue that Lin has another success on his resume. If it underperformed, then it’s another example of a Netflix underperformance this year. So where did Animals fall? Kinda in the middle, but that means it’s more “not a hit” than “big hit”. On Nielsen, it opened to 12.0 million hours, and here’s how that stacks up for 2026 films so far this year: Obviously, that’s not great. It’s both under my 15 million opening bar for “fine” for a Netflix film and 20 million bar for “great” opening. It did a bit better on Samba TV, getting to first place. That’s very, very good, though again, looking at the Nielsen data, it probably means that it was a light week overall. Luminate’s data is a bit closer to Samba TV’s, tied for 17th all time for single weeks since May of 2024: To top it off, no one seemed to like it. It has a 33 on Metacritic and only a 5.7 on IMDb. Both of these numbers could have been impacted by the stories about Affleck’s comments about using AI to make the film. Given the controversy, the film might not have been as bad as the ratings suggest, but it’s also not a bullish sign. All to say…yeah, on net this film isn’t a point in Dan Lin’s favor. At this point, Netflix’s slide has been long enough—going on since February—that I’m almost tempted to lower the bar for what a “hit” is on streaming. Post-February of 2026 or so, it seems like straight-to-streaming films just haven’t hit the same heights as they did from 2022 to 2025. Before we head onto the “Quick Hits” for film, I want to shout out a fellow newsletter whose articles I’ve been loving this year, LA Material, a new LA-based news outlet. For just a highlight of my favorite articles since July... I loved this article on Ghost Town, a group on Venice that clears homeless encampments. As a Los Angeleno, obviously I adore their articles on LA parking issues. Their article on illegal parking tickets got the City Council to address the issue! Also check out their article on people parking in medians. Check out their deep dive on what went wrong with the LA Jazz Festival and how it fell apart, or what’s wrong with USC’s finances. Finally, they wrote up a voter guide on voter guides for the LA General Election. So meta! In search of a city? L.A. Material is an independent news outlet covering the people, politics, culture and glorious chaos shaping Los Angeles. L.A. Material brings you intel on the city you can’t get anywhere else. From exploring how Reddit short stories became Hollywood’s hottest commodity to reporting on the survival jobs keeping entertainment workers afloat. And answering, once and for all, why the AMC Burbank escalator is always broken. Through their newsletters, podcast, videos, events, and member community, L.A. Material is designed to help Angelenos connect to Los Angeles and each other. Sign up now for the free weekday newsletter. Quick Notes on Film Steven Spielberg’s latest film, Disclosure Day, came to Peacock on 9-Oct, and I’ll admit that, after pulling its stats, I did a pinch of a double take. As I wrote throughout my deep, deep, deep dive on summer box office/Obsession/Backrooms/IP/superheroes, oftentimes the film media discusses films as “flops” or “misses” or “hits” without clarifying what they specifically mean. Since Disclosure Day didn’t make $250 million in the US or $500 million globally, it was definitely a disappointment by Spielbergian standards, who is the highest-grossing director of all time, and arguably even more ahead in adjusted grosses. But it did make $245 million globally on a $115 million budget, so it isn’t as big of a miss as I remember. That’s still probably not enough to break even in the theatrical window, when you factor in marketing costs…but it’s close. And it grossed a lot more even in the US than some titles with about ten times more coverage. Anyways, lots of preamble to say this one only did 4.5 million hours according to Nielsen, so it did make the charts, but on the low end. Here’s how it stacks up to other Peacock titles: Apple TV (née +) followed up their “success for them” Mayday with Matchbox The Movie. This one doesn’t look like a success even for them, but at least it’s not a miss. Apple/Skydance clearly tried to take advantage of the success of Barbie at the box office—let’s greenlight all the toy properties!!!—but of course, this didn’t make it to theaters. And it stars John Cena, who, as I argued earlier this summer, NEEDS to get his movies back in theaters. Anyways, this one has mixed-to-bad numbers. It missed the Samba TV and Nielsen charts in its first week, but did make Luminate with 7.1 million hours. That’s just enough to not be an outright miss, and about half what Mayday did earlier this summer. Speaking of Apple Studio’s Mayday, it ended up lasting five weeks on Luminate, which isn’t bad for Apple TV. On Nielsen, it had a three-week run, racking up 13.5 million hours total. Again, like Matchbox, the issue is the budget; I doubt that this viewership earned enough to justify that budget. Also, to be clear, neither of these films are “midflicks”; both should have gone to theaters. Toy Story 5 is not hanging around on the streaming charts on Disney+, so it’s not as leggy as either Zootopia 2 or Moana 2, and definitely not in the same class as Encanto. (It did make all the money at the box office, so Disney is going to be fine…) The Breadwinner on Netflix (from Sony) is down to 3.9 million hours in its third week. It only lasted for one week on the Samba TV charts. Netflix’s Doing Life had a smaller-than-normal binge release curve bounce, only going to 7.1 million hours from 6.0 to start, but it made Samba TV at fifth place in its second week. The Netflix documentary, The Widower: Til’ Death Do Us Part, also had a small binge release curve bounce to 6.5 million hours, but did make a second week on Samba TV. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Unabomber fell off after two weeks on Nielsen—which is not great at all—and Demon Slayer fell off after just one week. Over on Luminate, the two smaller titles The Swan: Behind the Mirror and Kill. Bury. Print both fell out of the Luminate top ten charts. The story of library film at the first of the month is the arrival of the Ice Age films on Netflix. Now, here’s a small example of optimizing your library that even Netflix could do better. Say you want to rent/license a new film series from Disney**.** A streamer could pay a big paycheck and then drop each Ice Age film on the exact same day of the month, the fourth of October. That’s one choice. In contrast, the streamer could have released each film one week apart, and make each one a mini-event for folks watching Ice Age films. Or even roll them out monthly. Netflix opted for the former strategy, and as a result, only three of the films made the Nielsen charts this week. The “Miss of the Week” goes to Tubi’s YA-ish horror film_, R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2_, which didn’t even make the Luminate charts like Tubi films usually do, or, should I say, “used to”? Tubi films, most of which are straight-to-streaming, used to reliably make the Luminate film charts (which only covers straight-to-streaming films), but a Tubi film hasn’t made it since August. The first Pumpkinhead got 1.4 million hours last year according to Luminate. As I wrote about this film before, it seems to be a bit muddled in terms of age: too scary for young kids but probably not scary enough for older kids. Speaking of Luminate, Netflix’s latest doc about a comic (expect more docs about comedians all month), Who Is Martin Mull?, flopped, getting just 200K and 700K hours according to Luminate. Three other film/special misses belonged to Hulu, including a standup special, Jamie Foxx: Take Care of Yourself, Neon’s latest horror film, Hokum, which made $17 million in the US, and a Family Guy Halloween special. (That last one was only 22 minutes, so it’s not a surprise it missed.) Finally, another Netflix standup special missed the charts, Mojo Brookzz: I Know You Lying missed too. I can confirm last week’s misses, most notably Paramount+’s Jackass: Best and Last, MUBI’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and HBO Max’s Evil Dead Burn. Television - I Can’t Visualize Nothing: The Kardashians Story Normally, in the mini-dive essays that open the Streaming Ratings Report, I focus on shows that do well or, at the very least, make the charts. Why? Because as I’ve said time and again, I can’t visualize nothing like, say, the Kardashians’ TV shows. Here’s the TV debuts chart for this week with a missing spot for The Kardashians, whose eighth season just landed on Hulu:
Federal Reserve to announce decision on interest rates ahead of midterms
During an appearance earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh was coy about which way the decision might go.
How Serious Is Jannik Sinner’s Knee Injury?
Jannik Sinner has not played a competitive tennis match since winning Wimbledon in July, and there is now a very real possibility that his recovery could prove more complicated than initially anticipated. The Italian announced earlier this month that he would miss the remainder of the 2026 season because of persistent inflammation in his right …
Dante Moore not expected back this season for Oregon — leaving NFL Draft status uncertain
Moore has not played since getting concussed on a late hit at Southern California in late September. He resumed practicing earlier this month but remained in the concussion protocol.
Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are expected to fly in for pivotal vote
Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are expected to fly in for this month’s election. That's according to AID Coalition, a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on strengthening Israel’s democracy.
Dozens of Los Angeles County restaurants temporarily closed due to vermin, other health violations
Dozens of restaurants and markets across Los Angeles County were forced to temporarily close their doors this month after inspectors discovered health code violations. The violations ranged from in…
Gemini Live redesign makes it easier to add context to chats
Following the other big interface updates this month, Google is rolling out a small 'plus' redesign to Gemini Live on Android...
Top salaries at Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
The nine-hospital system announced plans this month to merge with Rush University System for Health.
Top salaries at Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
The nine-hospital system announced plans this month to merge with Rush University System for Health.
IN GOOD HEALTH: Preparing for respiratory illness season
By Leanna Coy, FNP-BC As temperatures begin to cool and the holiday season gets underway with Halloween this month, it’s time to prepare for fall and winter respiratory illnesses. As we…
New York state woman charged with voting illegally says she recently learned she wasn’t a citizen
Marva Cook was adopted as a toddler and had always assumed she was a U.S. citizen, she told Homeland Security investigators earlier this month, according to the criminal complaint.
Atlantic Health hosts inaugural symposium on advances in neurological emergency and critical care
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (Morris County) — Neuroscience experts from across the region gathered in Morristown earlier this month for Atlantic Health’s inaugural Neurological and Neurosurgical Emergency and Critical Care Symposium, highlighting …
Florida members pressure healthcare employer to return to the bargaining table
AFSCME Florida healthcare workers held a rally this month to demand their employer, UF Health Jacksonville, come back to the bargaining table.
Netflix reportedly offered Microsoft $500 million to license Xbox games for adaptations.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and team countered by asking for $800 million, and Netflix has pulled its offer, Puck reports in an article discussing the new leadership at Netflix. Xbox launched an “XP” division this month that will work on adaptations of its games, and Xbox is already working with Netflix on a Diablo animated series. [Link: The Peter Rice Playbook & Elon's Skydance Motive | https://puck.news/newsletter_content/what-im-hearing-the-peter-rice-playbook-elons-skydance-motive/ | Puck]
The Ringer’s Kirk Goldsberry leading Texas athletics’ new AI initiative
Earlier this month, Washington State Athletics received widespread backlash after announcing its partnership with FanWord, an AI-powered storytelling platform. That did not deter the University of Texas. On Friday, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte announced the launch of Bevo Lab, an AI data analytics platform. “I’m fired up. I’m excited. This is earth-shattering,” Del…
Home health aide accused of stealing Geauga County patient’s prescription
Geauga County prosecutors said a home health aide was indicted earlier this month for stealing his patient’s prescription.
Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
In this month’s picks, alien encounters, sinister deepfakes, fantastical time loops and postapocalyptic woe.
Far-right politician's historic election raises questions about Germany's future
Earlier this month, a far-right politician was elected speaker of a German regional parliament for the first time since the period of Nazi Germany.
PHP2Shell signals a “new reality of vulnerabilities” for businesses
"This won't be the last bad vulnerability we will see this month or this year," says Beazley Security head
Astoria-based FisherPoets bringing its unique brand of seafaring entertainment to Lincoln County
The FisherPoets Gathering, a rollicking, three-day celebration of poetry, song and commercial fishing that draws around 2,300 people to Astoria each winter, is coming to Newport, Lincoln City and four other Oregon coast towns this month.
The Fitbit Edge doesn't have NFC, and Google just revealed why
The Fitbit Edge launched earlier this month, but does this new wearable have NFC? Here's what Google told us.
NMSU research centers celebrate fall with outreach events
PHOTO CAPTION: New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Center at Clovis hosted about 720 fifth-grade students from Curry County during the center’s Pumpkin Patch Day earlier this month....
Walk & Roll Brings Springdale Community Together to Promote Health, Safety
October is officially Walk & Roll Month, and Tristan Hill from the City of Springdale read the proclamation to get things rolling on Oct. 8. “In Springdale, Arkansas, we urge you to observe this month by being watchful for biking and walking students, encouraging the children with walking and rolling…
Here's our second wave of Xbox Game Pass games for October 2026
The second batch of Xbox Game Pass games this month includes the console debuts of two genuine corkers.
Xbox reportedly planning three more rounds of layoffs, with the first wave coming as early as this month
Xbox is said to be laying off some employees this month, with two more waves planned for the near future.
Sphere Entertainment jumps as investors appear to bet on a short-covering rebound
Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) is up 9.4% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.Analysis: There does not appear to be a single fresh company announcement driving Tuesday’s move, so the rally looks most likely tied to short covering and bargain hunting after a steep pullback earlier this month. Investors may also be revisiting Sphere’s underlying growth story, including strong performance from its Las Vegas ve
Nigeria confirms an Ebola case in Abuja as a woman arriving from Uganda tests positive
Nigeria is the latest country to report an Ebola case as the outbreak spreads across the region. Kenya confirmed its first case earlier this month and has since recorded nine infections.
Jacobe Smith Accepts Short Notice Fight for UFC Vegas 123
After a quick win earlier this month against Bruce Whitehead, Jacobe Smith already has his next fight booked. The undefeated welterweight takes on Randy Brown at UFC Vegas 123 in Las Vegas on October 31st. Brown was without an opponent after Carlos Leal pulled out due to an injury. Multiple sources have confirmed the fight […] The post Jacobe Smith Accepts Short Notice Fight for UFC Vegas 123 appeared first on HEAVY.
Five Cybersecurity Areas for Review This Month » CBIA
Cybersecurity conversations often stay with IT until a disruption affects operations, reporting, customer relationships, or decision-making.
Joseph H. Neal Health Collaborative's Awards Brunch this month!
JHN Health Collaborative's Heart of the People Awards Brunch Fundraiser starts Saturday, October 31 at 11 a.m. at Segra Park.
Novak Djokovic Set for Basel Return After 15 Years
24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic is all set to make a surprise addition to his season this year. The Serbian, who won his 102nd ATP Tour title in Beijing a couple of weeks ago, has announced that he will be taking part in the ATP 500 in Basel later this month, marking his return to …
Commentary: Opportunity Zones can help bring investment, development to Idaho areas that need it most
Idaho’s newly approved Opportunity Zones could help bring more housing, businesses and jobs to communities across the state. The attraction for investors is the potential tax savings. This month, Idaho Commerce announced that the U.S. Treasury approved 25 zones, including areas in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls. The new Opportunity Zone designations take effect […]
Democrats lead across polls as Trump’s approval rating dips
An RNC official says the president’s rallies this month are aimed at getting Republican voters to the polls, even as his approval sits near record lows.
Streaming’s Biggest Show Returns…and a Buzzy Genre Struggles
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Obviously, the big news of the week (if not month) is Netflix letting go of executive Bela Bajaria, their chief content officer. I’m going to cover this in my next “Most Important Story of the Week”, but I also have a data angle that I might publish before then. (Too much news this month, am I right?) But first, I have a bonus Streaming Ratings Report issue for you. Today’s article is a bit of a grab bag of topics I’ve wanted to write about, but couldn’t squeeze into the (already very long) Streaming Ratings Report issues. The NFL drives huge viewership numbers, so I’ve got a look at that. A whole bunch of TV shows returned to the traditional broadcast channels, and I have thoughts. And I have a quick look at adult animated shows, since a couple flopped earlier this month. Plus, the Emmys aired earlier this month, and we got some fun data bout how popular those nominated shows are and why I’m not optimistic about the show’s future. That’s a lot, so let’s dive right in. Subscribe Sports - Football Remains the King of Streaming Over the last two Streaming Ratings Reports, I sorta ignored the biggest “show” each week. (I was tempted to say “piece of content” but I know that word bugs folks.) In my database, I call these “specials”, and they sure are special. I speak of the king of American TV: football!!! Streaming football is back and, unlike some other sports, it routinely dominates all viewership. Probably the best way to show this is to update one of my favorite graphics, the “40 Million Hour Club”1 since football games have joined that club each week they’ve premiered: (Yep, that’s the data through 28-Sep, the first four weeks of the season. As a reminder, I take the average minute audience provided by Nielsen, factor out a percentage of linear TV viewers in home markets, and multiply the run time by the three-hour runtime.) Again, the numbers are huge. Let’s start with Netflix. They grabbed the rights to the bonus opening week NFL Kickoff game (which was on YouTube last year) and it put up 18.5 million viewers on average. That nets out to 47.4 million hours of estimated streaming hours. That’s good! Though, notably, it’s well below Christmas Day games from previous years. Compared to other streamers/broadcasters, that’s a bit of a mixed result. On one hand, Netflix’s 18.5 million average is about what YouTube claimed last year, though Nielsen used a bespoke methodology at that time, so I trust this viewership figure more. So that’s good. (The game also shifted from a Friday to a Thursday and that could have helped the viewership as well.) And Netflix continues to best Prime Video in total viewership—as you’ll see next—though Netflix has had much higher-profile (opening week and Christmas Day) games. NBC/Peacock’s opening game the night before averaged 25.1 million average viewers, which is just much bigger than Netflix (or Prime Video). That’s the big caveat to all streaming viewership records: even in success, they can’t compete with traditional linear TV. Previously, I called this my “hierarchy of viewership”, and the data keeps supporting that thesis. The downside for NBC is that this game’s viewership was down compared to previous years, though it may be a counting issue. Here’s a great chart from Sports Media Watch: Indeed, looking at all the opening week games across all windows, Netflix still lags the other primetime windows, but does well compared to the afternoon games: I saw a few folks make the case that streamers still lag traditional broadcasters in reach, and I’d add they really lag compared to “broadcast plus streaming” options like NBC/Peacock, ESPN/Disney+ and CBS/Paramount+. The best data I saw for this came from Samba TV, who charted reach through the 2025 season, and, wow. (Samba TV’s numbers are historically lower than Nielsen’s, so don’t compare their household figures to Nielsen’s hours, but use them as a proxy for the relative reach of the streamers.) The good news is Prime Video is NOT having a down year. Their opening Thursday Night Football game reached 18.6 million viewers (about what Netflix got), but that’s a high for Prime Video on Thursdays and the biggest Thursday night game since 2015. The TNF games the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep continued this streak, getting 43.1 (16.8 million average viewers) and 42.5 total hours (16.6 million average viewers), which were both up from last year. Still, that continues the (typical) season slide: (For those new-to-streaming-football-numbers folks, the viewership declines for Thursday Night Football as the year goes along.) Overall, it appears as if Prime Video is now part of the “football habit”, be it for customers at home or out at places like bars and restaurants. And its viewership is slowly catching up to broadcast. One last chart shows this. Last season, Nielsen started adding out-of-home viewership to the charts, so I try not to do season-to-season comparisons as I did for the first few years. And while Nielsen added Big Data viewing this year, I’m going to compare the last two seasons. Here’s that chart, which shows the season-over-season gains: When it comes to streaming football, we have to keep a few seemingly contradictory thoughts in our head… First, streaming doesn’t come close to matching broadcast’s reach and, thus, viewership. Second, even with that gap, football is still the biggest “thing” on streaming. It’s very, very popular. Third, while some methodology changes have likely helped Prime Video’s numbers, their viewership does appear to be growing. Lastly, yeah, the NFL started the season off poorly, with week one dragging down the numbers in year-over-year comparisons. However—and again, methodology changes may have helped this—the viewership grew compared to previous seasons over the next couple of weeks. So football is still king. On streaming and off. Television - Adult Animation Continues to NOT Make the Streaming Charts In the last two reports, two adult-animated shows whiffed: Netflix’s animated comedy, Dang! Paramount+’s Sega-video-game-inspired fantasy/comedy, Golden Axe. Neither made the charts, but that’s usually the case for animated shows. I mean, here’s literally every animated show that’s made the Nielsen Original charts since the start of 2025: And one of those shows is G_abby’s Dollhouse_! A kids show! The problem with charts like this is that they don’t give you a sense of how many shows miss the charts. Netflix had at least eleven animated flops, including comedies like Big Mouth (a show everyone assumed was popular in the pre-Streaming Ratings Era), Long Story Short, Haunted Hotel, Mating Season, Strip Law, and Alley Cats, and action shows like Blood of Zeus, Castlevania: Nocturne, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Prime Video had at least six animated misses, two in the same universe (Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss), three more comedies (#1 Happy Family USA, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy and Kevin) and an action show (The Mighty Nein). Disney+ had MCU and Star Wars animated misses (Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld) but I can’t tell how many of those shows were geared towards adults. HBO Max had Harley Quinn and Hulu had Solar Opposites. None of these shows made the charts! That’s a lot of misses! If I remade the chart with all those misses, here’s how it would look: Listen, I know the counter arguments. First, it’s cheaper to produce animated shows than live action. Fair enough, but with viewership this low, even that cheaper price point starts to not matter. Second, just look at the acquired charts. Hit animated comedies can generate viewership for years! Shows like The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers do really, really well. Fair enough, but streaming has failed to recreate the dynamic that Fox has mastered so well. That’s a problem for streaming still. Television - Emmys! The annual Emmys broadcast was a few weeks ago, and I’ve got data on how the nominees performed on streaming, plus hot takes on this year’s viewership (and the big news about the broadcast’s, er, streamcast’s future). 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… The top Emmy-nominated shows… ...why I’m worried about the future of the Emmys telecast... ...the pros of broadcast television ...and the cons... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue (since the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep were so light), but then I’ll be all caught up after a deluge of streaming ratings data from Nielsen in September. In the meantime, I’m going to try to take a look at Netflix’s stats to explain why Bela Bajaria is out. But even light weeks give me plenty to talk about. The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix and Apple TV has a buzzy new star-studded comedy. And Netflix has a controversial-but-appears-to-be-popular new game show. Plus big films like Toy Story 5, Backrooms and The Breadwinner head to streaming. And is East of Eden a hit? After that, The Kardashians return to Hulu, Prime Video has a reboot of Carrie, and Netflix has a horror show, Below. Disclosure Day heads to Peacock, The Housemaid heads to HBO Max_,_ a new Ben Affleck film, Animals, lands on Netflix, and Apple TV has a new John Cena action film based on, checks notes, Hasbro’s Matchbox toys. Okay. Longterm, some interesting TV production news. HBO Max ordered How to Survive Without Me, starring Kaley Cuoco, Joshua Jackson, Ray Romano and Rita Wilson, for fifteen episodes! I love that some streamers (or, at least, HBO Max) are finally ordering TV shows with more than eight episodes. In less wise production news, Landman does not appear to be coming back this year, since it just started production. Frankly, I don’t love this (get your shows out on time) but Landman is so popular, I doubt it matters.
2028 Presidential ‘Shadow Primary’ Descends on the Midterm Elections
The schedule is especially packed in New Hampshire, an early presidential nominating state where there is a competitive Senate race Democrats are flocking to this month.
Why someone paid $2.8 million for a bottle of Macallan whiskey
A staggering sum paid for a bottle of whiskey this month begs the question: what goes into the price of such high-flying booze?
‘These are really tough times’: House Republicans confront voter fury over Trump’s Washington in final midterm stretch
GOP operatives conducting a focus group in a traditionally red Midwestern state this month were shocked by what they heard from Republican voters.
73+ brands dropped new products this month — these are the ones our editors already love from Away, Kindle and more
Amazon’s most itty-bitty e-reader is officially here, along with an automatic pour-over machine from Breville and a Nutrofol hair serum to get rid of split ends.
A Time For Science to host STEM Expo
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A local science museum will host a STEM Expo this month. A Time For Science invites the community to interact, ask questions, and dive into the world of STEM with ed…
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Penn State Altoona political science professor publishes new book
A new book by Daniel DiLeo, associate professor of political science at Penn State Altoona, was released by Bloomsbury Press earlier this month.
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Comedian Brad Williams bringing his “Tall Tales Tour” to Roanoke
Brad Williams brings Tall Tales Tour to Roanoke this month.
Apple lists unreleased iPad mini accessory ahead of rumored launch
While Apple is rumored to be gearing up to introduce an OLED iPad mini later this month, an oversight on the company’s French site might have just confirmed the product’s existence.
Kyle Kuzma is taking his business interests to the microphone with new podcast
The Milwaukee Bucks forward will host weekly conversations with founders, investors, athletes and other leaders on “Read the Room with Kyle Kuzma,” premiering later this month.
Trump says Fort Hood shooter execution won't be livestreamed after bipartisan backlash
The announcement earlier this month from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan's execution would be public prompted significant blowback from both Republicans and Democrats, with many pointing out that the images could be used to fuel radicalization.
Brazil investigates Amazon wildfires that disrupt daily life and have fueled political attacks
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian authorities are investigating whether a recent surge in wildfires in the Amazon rainforest have been set on purpose for political motives ahead of the second round of presidential elections later this month.
Business For Good brings on CEO, plans to expand advocacy, provide training for entrepreneurs
Business For Good San Diego announced it is hiring a full-time CEO. Melinda Casey will join the progressive association this month.
Google Fitbit Edge hands-on: Pixel Watch Lite, take two
Google’s new Fitbit Edge tracker launches later this month and, as we get our review together, here’s a quick hands-on...
How a Damien Jurado song inspired Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Lost Weekend’
The indie rock star behind one of 2026's most anticipated new albums plays a sold-out Climate Pledge Arena this month.
Characteristics of Leadership: Micromanaging
Knowledgeable Alaskans share methods of effective leadership. This month: when micromanagers carry too much of the load.
How the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake changes the classic game’s script
At the start of the iconic 1998 Nintendo 64 game The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, our playable hero Link wakes up in his tree cabin, heads outside and is greeted by his friend Saria. “Yahoo! Hi, Stotil!" she says. In other people’s copies of the games, she might say “Hi, Link!” or “Hi, Brick!” or use whatever other name the player was allowed to input when first launching the game. The more important point is that she starts with a “Yahoo!” In Nintendo’s 2011 remake of Ocarina of Time for the 3DS handheld, Saria greets Link with that same word. But for the 2026 Switch 2 re-remake of Ocarina of Time, out November 5, Saria’s salutation has changed: “Hello, Link!” she exclaims. There’s no “Yahoo” to be heard. Last month, in an official Nintendo video preview, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma described the remake as a “faithful interpretation using modern technologies.” Faithful means the gameplay hasn’t changed much. Dungeons, quests, and just generally what you do in the game doesn’t seem to have changed, not based on what Nintendo has shown nor the hour of the game I played in New York City a couple of weeks ago. The graphics have been overhauled. The controls have been tweaked. Players can now manually control the camera and make Link jump with the press of a button, both notable differences from the original 1998 design. But Link’s journey appears to take the same path, with the same obstacles in its way. The remake’s biggest alteration to Ocarina of Time that I’ve spotted so far just might be the script. About the game’s story, Aonuma said in September, “We’ve added quite a lot of new dialogue for the characters, so that their personalities shine even more.” Earlier this month, I played a chunk of the Ocarina of Time remake at a Nintendo showcase. In the game’s earliest moments, I made a point of talking to characters and recording what they said. I found the script to be more colorful, more natural in its phrasing, more careful to establish its characters, and certainly more wordy even with the removal of that one “Yahoo!”. I’ve got some very early-game examples, so you can judge the new writing for yourself.
Windows update patches a whopping 1,400 security bugs - including 2 zero days
This month’s update also marks the first official one for Windows 11 26H2 and the end of support for Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley was headed for retirement. President Trump’s actions changed his mind
Sen. Jeff Merkley, who turns 70 this month, is seeking re-election to a Congress fraught by turmoil and political gridlock.
Counties try to help after 2,000 Iowa refugees lose healthcare access
Some county health departments across Iowa are trying to fill the gaps after thousands of refugees lost Medicaid coverage this month. The change could restrict refugees’ access to most kinds of healthcare. In eastern Iowa, the Linn County Health Department has a list of more affordable healthcare options on its website. Cindy Fiester, with Linn […]
Columbia Bank says WA taxes factored into Arizona expansion plan
Columbia Bank says Washington's business tax increases are behind a new corporate office it's opening this month in Arizona.
Adirondack Railbike to hold Halloween fundraisers in Old Forge
Adirondack Railbike Adventures has teamed up with Adirondack Central School to hold a series of Haunted Railbike Rides this month to benefit the classes of 2028 and 2029, according to organizers.
*POSTPONED* Behind the Science with Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria Dr. Matthew Carrano
***Due to speaker illness, this event has been postponed. A new date will be announced in two weeks. If you registered for this program, please check your email for more information. We apologize for the inconvenience.*** Is the 21st Century the real Age of Dinosaurs? Today, more paleontologists are discovering more dinosaur fossils from more places in the world than ever before. Our understanding of these amazing creatures has leapt forward while their popularity has surged. Museums sit at the junction of these phenomena. The Smithsonian has been a center for dinosaur research for more than a century, and its collections include many iconic and scientifically important specimens. Today, Smithsonian researchers continue to discover new dinosaurs, but they are also uncovering more information about the ones we already know and love. New techniques and approaches allow them to investigate aspects of dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution in ways that would have been inconceivable to early paleontologists. The result is an ever-improving understanding of dinosaurs as living, breathing, and thriving animals. This month, go behind the science with paleontologist Dr. Matthew Carrano, Curator of Dinosauria at the National Museum of Natural History as he discusses new discoveries at home and abroad, in the field and in the museum. Registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come first served basis. ---------------- About the Series: Behind the Science A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now!
SEC announces decisions on revamped NIL policy, transfer portal
The Protect College Sports Act has passed in the Senate, but the legislation, which is aimed at eliminating some of the “chaos” that has affected college sports, and in particular, football, faces an uphill battle in the House of Representatives. Earlier this month, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise detailed some of the issues the PCSA…
Kingsport Chamber hosts Veteran-Ready Business Recognition
The Kingsport Chamber and others came together to host Commissioner Tommy H. Baker earlier this month.
HealthSource, UC Health partner on $60M Clermont County medical office
Construction officially begins later this month at the site in Southwest Ohio.
3 feel-good movies new on Prime Video to chase away the Sunday scaries
As we stare down the week ahead, end your weekend on a high note with these three feel-good movies new on Prime Video this month.
Major EDM act sets massive Bay Area show
Dom Dolla is set to perform at Cow Palace in Daly City this month.
Economic development’s broken math of buying jobs
First in a three-part series: As the profession turns 100 this month, its traditional business attraction strategy must transform.
Pols & Politics: Fox News’ Martha MacCallum to host speaker series in Boston
Fox News’ Martha MacCallum will headline a speaker series featuring two U.S. Senators in Boston this month, as this weekend marked ten years since Trump-Clinton debate attendee Ken Bone went viral.
When does ‘Tulsa King’ season 4 premiere? All about Dwight’s next big score
Dwight Manfredi’s empire is growing — and so are his enemies. Here’s everything we know about Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Tulsa King’ season 4, premiering this month on Paramount+.
A personal view: Edie Lambert on early detection of breast cancer (and how to get free screenings)
Marissa Bashore, Health Education Supervisor for the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, joined California Tonight to talk about free mammograms available this month.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Launch Rollout Adds DMZ Early Access
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has added DMZ to its list of early access experiences available for pre-order players ahead of its launch later this month.
Gears of War: E-Day sells 230K copies
Gears of War: E-Day has sold 230K copies since its advance-access launch on October 1 and full release on October 6. Steam accounts for 168K of those, with Xbox (console and PC) selling 62K. But there’s more to this story, as Xbox makes up the bulk of revenue. E-Day is the best-reviewed Gears game in nearly two decades (and the best one ever made, in my opinion). The Coalition has made a banger here (it’s currently in my top 10 of the year). Despite E-Day’s undeniable quality, this is a soft result. And it’s down to the business model, really. E-Day has made $37M so far, thanks to the Premium upgrade On Xbox, Game Pass is cannibalising much of the premium revenue. Our estimates show that 1.7M folks accessed E-Day via their subscription rather than a copy. But Xbox is having it both ways – or having it halfway, at least – via its Premium Edition Game Pass upgrade. Game Pass subscribers could pay $30 (or their local equivalent) for up to five days of early access starting October 1. Our estimates show that of the 1.7M who accessed E-Day through Game Pass, 722K paid for the upgrade. Between the review embargo lifting on October 1 and the full release, E-Day managed to shift another 250K early-access upgrades – no doubt helped by the campaign’s rave reviews. So despite selling far fewer copies on Steam, Xbox accounts for almost three-quarters of the revenue (roughly $26M of the $37M, versus about $11M on Steam). So “230K copies” undersells the paying audience. Including the 722K upgrades, nearly 950K people actually paid something for E-Day. The $30 upgrade is a halfstep from cannibalisation, but will Xbox go all the way? While E-Day is a sublime game, these are soft numbers for a flagship when Xbox badly needs revenue wins. E-Day sold 62K copies on Xbox against 722K Premium upgrades, so for every one copy sold on Xbox, nearly 12 Game Pass upgrades were sold. The $70 premium SKU is – functionally – dead on Xbox. Normally you can’t see what a Game Pass player would have paid, because the game’s just there in the subscription. But the $30 early-access upgrade estimate shows that 722K people demonstrated they’ll spend real money on this game. In a world without day-one Game Pass, many of these folks would have bought E-Day at $70. They paid $30 for five days early access to something they don’t own. Xbox is, in effect, charging its most valuable customers the least, based on a hangover from a tried-and-exhausted strategy from a previous administration. Those 722K willing-to-pay players generated about $21.7M via the upgrade. If three quarters of this group – mostly US and European audiences – bought E-Day outright, that’s nearly $40M. Of course, Game Pass does bring in meaningful recurring revenue, and E-Day is adding value for hundreds of thousands of subscribers. However, Game Pass is no longer growing, so Xbox is at a crossroads. Xbox is reportedly looking to do a Netflix and bolt on an ad-supported tier to pad it further. But that will just set a new floor, and leadership keeps telling us the priority now is revenue growth, which is subscriber-speak for ARPU. Xbox has already pulled Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass after day-one inclusion hammered its sales, with new CoD titles now arriving on the service around a year late. We know that some Microsoft executives believe the service devalues games outright, and rumours (which Microsoft has dismissed so far, to be fair) suggest that day-one releases could be taken off Game Pass. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe When a game this well-reviewed does this softly on its home platform, the model – not the game – gets brought into question. What else E-Day’s early adopters have played (including this month so far) Looking at E-Day‘s players on Xbox, most have played the franchise before (86% have played Gears 5, 76% Gears 4), and every game on the crossover list is either a shooter or a title from an Xbox-owned studio (though Game Pass is inflating those numbers, of course, more on that later): As for what else Xbox’s E-Day players have played this month, the top three are Fortnite (16%), Roblox (7%), and Call of Duty (6%). Another 5% played Minecraft Dungeons II, which is also on Game Pass and launched a couple of days before Gears‘ advance-access date. Many Game Pass players are happy to check out most big new additions. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Over on Steam, the top crossover games are also mostly shooters (slightly more PC-coded ones), including Space Marine 2, which was itself heavily inspired by Gears: Looking at what E-Day‘s Steam players are into this month shows who they are – as subscriptions don’t skew the data. The top three are Wardogs (13%), Deadlock (12%), and CS2 (10%), so you’ve got the restless shooter crowd checking out the new hotness. A little further down are Helldivers 2 and Space Marine 2, your co-op PVE shooter players who’ll feel right at home in Horde mode. Game Pass is skewing the playtime distribution on Xbox Looking at the playtime distribution in our platform, E-Day players on Steam are – relatively speaking – playing for longer: 54% of E-Day players on Xbox have played for five hours or less (versus 32% on Steam) 19% of Xbox players played for over 15 hours (versus 33% on Steam) 14% of Xbox players played for over 20 hours (22% on Steam) The absolute number of people playing for over 15, 20, and 50 hours is, of course, bigger on Xbox, thanks to the sheer volume of folks who came in through Game Pass (upgraders included). None of that is cause for alarm. Game Pass is the reason Xbox playtime skews lower, as when a game is free to try, people try it and bounce without putting in even an hour (17% under an hour on Xbox versus 6% on Steam). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe The subscription brings in tourists alongside the committed, dragging down the average even when the game is excellent (but also perhaps winning over the uninitiated). It’s standard across every subscription-included title, on PS Plus too. Forza Horizon 6, for instance, had 11% of its Xbox players bounce under an hour, versus just 2% on Steam. So, Xbox’s crossroads So there we have it. Gears of War: E-Day is an incredible game whose revenues have been stifled by subscription inclusion and exclusivity. It’s the best-reviewed entry in the series in fifteen-odd years, but it still turned into one of the year’s softer flagship launches, not because players didn’t want it, but because Xbox’s own storefront gave its most willing buyers a reason not to pay. Which leaves Xbox at a crossroads. Will it keep making Gears games when the financial returns are this thin and the margins this low? And if it does, does the next one arrive off Game Pass at day one – the way CoD now does, or even on PlayStation? I think it should. Alright, back to E-Day for me! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
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