Baseball fans are testing stadiums’ spaghetti policies

  Baseball fans are testing stadiums’ spaghetti policies

Nick Iluzada

The online world can be a beautiful yet confusing series of tubes. On Thursdays, the Brew’s Molly Liebergall untangles them for you. In the latest reminder that free will exists, a group of Milwaukee Brewers fans recently went viral for enjoying a full pasta dinner they brought from home, complete with garlic bread, while watching their team demolish the Arizona Diamondbacks. No sneaking necessary: The Brewers’ home stadium allows attendees to carry gallon-sized clear bags, so the spaghetti crew trusted that security would have no problem with their Ziploc-ed feast. Taking inspiration from this stunt, sports aficionados from a college football fan community called the Sickos Committee have taken it upon themselves to figure out every MLB team’s spaghetti policy (hat tip to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). They found that most stadiums will probably let you get away with it and bypass sky-high concession prices, as long as the food is in a clear bag. All that to say, don’t take me out to the ballgame unless you’re bringing meatballs.

What happened in Vegas?

 What happened in Vegas?

Unsplash

It’s not just David Copperfield—everyone seems to be vanishing from Vegas. Last year, annual trips to Las Vegas dropped 7.5%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Outside the Covid-19 pandemic, that marks the biggest decline since the group started tracking visits to Sin City in the 1970s. Everyone has thoughts on why Vegas is sputtering out Some observers chalk it up to a decline in international tourism due to geopolitical tensions. (Mayor Shelley Berkley even publicly begged Canadians to come back to the Strip last September.) Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, meanwhile, pitched a theory that GLP-1s have curbed not only appetites, but also urges to gamble and drink, which are…kinda Vegas’s whole shtick. And it doesn’t help that Gen Z and millennials are drinking less than generations before them. But the strongest argument for fewer visits is likely declining value. Most casinos have tweaked their odds against gamblers in roulette and raised minimum bets at blackjack tables in the last few years. Like other recent changes in the travel industry, these moves were meant to attract higher-income customers, which seems to be working: Despite declining visits, Vegas casinos posted record revenue last year, at roughly $8.8 billion. An LVCA survey found that 44% of visitors had a household income of $150,000 or more. Big picture: Combined with a flood of resort fees, inflated food and drink prices, and even hotels abandoning free parking, budget-conscious travelers are getting priced out of Sin City. Maybe try Atlantic City?

The biggest midterm donor (so far) is not a person

 The biggest midterm donor (so far) is not a person

Morning Brew Inc., Photos: Getty Images

It’s a venture capital firm. Andreessen Horowitz, one of the largest VCs in the world, and its billionaire founders have dumped $115.5 million into this year’s midterm election cycle, surpassing the contributions of individual billionaire donors including Elon Musk and George Soros, the New York Times reported yesterday. According to the NYT’s analysis, since Election Day 2024: Andreessen Horowitz has given $47.5 million to Fairshake, a super PAC network that supports crypto-friendly candidates on both sides of the aisle. The firm has also donated $50 million to Leading the Future, another super PAC that similarly backs AI-friendly Democrats or Republicans. Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and their eponymous firm have collectively given $12 million to President Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc. That includes $6 million in March—around the time that Andreessen was appointed to a White House tech council. Why this matters: Individual venture capitalists have pretty much always whipped out their checkbooks during election cycles, but firms themselves typically stayed out of political fundraising. The tides changed in late 2023, when Andreessen and Horowitz said their firm would start backing politicians who were committed to “advancing technology.” Elsewhere in Silicon Valley…AI lobbying is also heating up. Meta, Nvidia, and Alphabet collectively spent nearly $50 million to sway federal lawmakers last year, up 22% from 2024.

Ten Commandments of Beercan Racing

 Ten Commandments of Beercan Racing

Rob Moore was only 58 years old when he succumbed to lung cancer on January 6, 2012. He was among the 20% of lung cancer victims with no history of smoking. During Rob's short tenure on the planet, he covered a lot of ground, and was both active in the sport and a popular contributor at the Latitude 38 publication.

Rob believed strongly that sailboat racing should be competitive and fun, and to encourage participation at all levels. To facilitate this desire, he penned the “Ten Commandments of Beercan Racing" which we annually share in his honor:

I) Thou shalt not take anything other than safety too seriously. If you can only remember one commandment, this is the one. Relax, have fun, and keep it light. Late to the start? So what. Over early? Big deal. No instructions? Improvise. Too windy? Quit. Not enough wind? Break out the beer. The point is to have fun, but stay safe. Like the ad says, "Safe boating is no accident." - Full report

States that have legalized marijuana

 

Twenty-four states and Washington, DC, have legalized recreational marijuana. Ohio is the latest state to do so, with voters approving a ballot measure in November 2023. Forty states and Washington, DC, have legalized some form of medical marijuana.

Utah is not jazzed about a potential AI data center

 Utah is not jazzed about a potential AI data center

Gilbert Flores/Getty Images

Plans to build an AI data center that will span 40,000 acres in northwest Utah were approved by county commissioners last week, despite protests from thousands of local residents who believe the project will wreak havoc on the local environment and increase energy costs. Almost 4,000 people filed complaints against the $100 billion project called Stratos that’s being helmed by Kevin O’Leary, a wealthy vampire and villain in his role in Marty Supreme. O’Leary said Stratos will create 10,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent ones. (Business Insider reports that 4,000 construction jobs over 10 to 15 years and 1,350 permanent roles are more realistic.) Environmentalists warn the facility—requiring 9 gigawatts of power, more than the entire state currently uses—could destroy the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and raise temperatures in the area by five degrees during the day and 28 degrees at night. What’s next? A group called the Box Elder Accountability Referendum is trying to collect 5,422 signatures to trigger a vote in November that would give residents an opportunity to reverse the commissioners’ decision. Zoom out: Big Tech is spending billions on AI infrastructure, but resistance to data centers is growing, with some states considering bans.

Harvard deciding whether to give fewer A’s

 Harvard deciding whether to give fewer A’s

Brooks Kraft LLC/Getty Images

A type of inflation unrelated to the price of a Dunkin’ coffee is on the ballot at that one school “in Boston.” A Harvard faculty committee began a weeklong vote yesterday on whether to cap the number of A’s allowed per course in a bid to combat grade inflation. The measure would limit professors to giving A grades to just a fifth of the class, plus four extra students. A rule that would tie honors to class rank instead of GPA is also on the ballot. Make A’s great again The proposed changes come as some faculty and external critics—including the Trump administration—say that A’s becoming more common than nepo babies on Ivy League campuses eroded the grade’s value as a marker of excellence. A’s accounted for 60% of grades awarded to Harvard undergrads last year, compared with 25% in 2005. Last year, 55 Harvard students tied for the school’s top GPA award, an honor that used to be clinched by one or two students per year. Proponents of A austerity say it’ll motivate students to work harder, while making it easier for employers and grad schools to gauge their performance. But many undergrads and some faculty oppose mandated A scarcity, claiming it’ll pit classmates against each other and hurt Harvard students’ competitiveness. Big picture: Supporters hope a grading overhaul at Harvard will spur other top schools to curb grade inflation.

Can AI help therapists shrink their workloads?

 Can AI help therapists shrink their workloads?

Unsplash

AI has caused a lot of anxiety in recent years, but can it maybe help treat it, too? Some mental health professionals have been holding space for that possibility, cautiously integrating AI into their work routines. Or, as they might put it, taking baby steps toward adoption, while being mindful about safe boundaries. Patient care: Administrative work is an obvious place to start. A lot of paperwork—like updating records, transcription, keeping track of appointments, and billing insurance companies—can be aided or automated by AI, freeing up therapists to spend more time actually talking with patients. Therapy speak Whether they want to or not, therapists have also had to adapt to patients using AI chatbots. According to a recent KFF poll: About 1 in 6 adults has used AI tools for mental health information or advice. The rate is even higher among younger adults, Black and Hispanic adults, and people who are uninsured. After all, since Covid, experts worry that there aren’t enough qualified therapists to keep up with demand, and chatbots are cheaper and available 24/7. But Freud droids can miss a lot, like nonverbal cues and subtle mood shifts, and can also encourage unhealthy—or sometimes even unsafe—thoughts or behaviors. Per the Washington Post, there are at least a dozen lawsuits alleging wrongful death or serious harm against OpenAI, after ChatGPT users were hospitalized or died by suicide. To stay safe, many professionals recommend using AI tools in tandem with human support. An important reminder: “Therapy is not a legally protected term,” Vaile Wright, the senior director of the office of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association, told The Washington Post. Make sure to properly vet the products and people you’re trusting with your mental health.

The rise of beta blockers as an anti-stress tool

 The rise of beta blockers as an anti-stress tool

Rich Polk/Getty Images

Y’all. As one red carpet interviewer joked at last year’s Academy Awards, “numb is in.” The comment came during a conversation with actress Rachel Sennott, one of many celebrities who have recently sung the praises of beta blockers, an adrenaline-blocking blood pressure medication that’s being prescribed off-label to help make stressful events more manageable. The Kardashians arguably popularized the trend. Discourse around beta blockers, or more specifically, propranolol, went mainstream after a 2022 episode of The Kardashians in which Khloé said she sometimes took beta blockers that were prescribed to her mom for anxiety (disclaimer: they should only be taken as prescribed). Since then: Robert Downey Jr. said he took a beta blocker before presenting at the Golden Globes in 2024, and Dan Levy did the same to host the Emmys. The drug was discussed on an episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang, where influencer Paige DeSorbo pitched Poehler on its benefits. Odds are, you or someone you know is taking them, too—propranolol prescriptions are up nearly 40% over the past decade, according to NHS England data obtained by The Observer. The biggest spikes came from girls and women ages 12 to 23. This isn’t like the Limitless pill. Beta blockers only calm the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, not the racing thoughts, so they aren’t considered a proper substitute for anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications, like SSRIs. And don’t plan on cliff jumping, either. Since the drug slows your heart rate, it can make you feel light-headed or tired, especially if you’re exercising.

Social media’s Big Tobacco moment

 Social media’s Big Tobacco moment

Getty Images

It’s official: brain rot from doomscrolling has replaced tooth decay from candy as the top concern for parents. Worried adults are holding social media companies’ feet to the fire as US teens’ scrolling time exceeds five hours a day, on average, and evidence mounts that apps are behind the deterioration of youth mental health. One recent study found that 18- to 24-year-olds who reduced their social media usage to an average of half an hour a day experienced lower rates of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Many teens don’t need adults to tell them they have a problem: In 2024, 48% of teens ages 13 to 17 said social media has a negative effect on them, up from 32% in 2022, per Pew Research Center. Even many tech CEOs say they restrict their kids’ social media usage. But...some researchers say there’s still not enough evidence to conclude that social media causes mental health issues, noting that young people who already have poor mental wellbeing could be more prone to scrolling excessively. Big Tech faces the music The purveyors of the platforms known to cause the teen glass-eyed stare were dealt some courtroom defeats recently: A California jury ordered Meta and Alphabet to pay $6 million in damages to a woman who suffered depression and anxiety while using their platforms as a teen. The jury found that the platforms were intentionally designed to hook young users. New Mexico recently won a case against Meta, which was fined $375 million for misleading users about the risks of its platform for children and failing to protect kids from child predators on its platforms. Legal experts say the verdicts create precedents that could lead to a cascade of lawsuits that would bite into Big Tech’s profits. No phone, no problem On top of their legal troubles, social media companies are now seeing their products yanked out of young users’ hands in the US. Phones are now banned in schools in 27 states, as well as in several major districts, including New York City. Meanwhile, some countries have decided they want kids to touch grass 24/7. Australia became the first country to ban social media usage for kids under 16 last year, with Austria and Denmark preparing similar measures. Dozens of other countries are considering their own bans. Big picture: Losing their young audience would be as painful for tech companies as the feeling of an iPad kid finding himself locked out of his device. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and X made $11 billion selling ads that targeted kids and teens in 2022, according to an estimate by Harvard School of Public Health researchers.

Wordle is getting a TV show

 Wordle is getting a TV show

Niv Bavarsky

A five-letter word for the puzzle’s next destination: TELLY. A Wordle game show is set to air on NBC next year, the New York Times announced yesterday, marking the gaming company’s publication’s latest bid to expand its business beyond news. Billed as fast-paced and family-friendly: The half-hour-long, cash-prize show will be co-produced by NYT, the notorious giggler Jimmy Fallon, and a division of NBCUniversal. It’ll be hosted by Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, a longtime Wordle fan who did a behind-the-scenes feature on NYT Games last year. Filming on the new show was delayed from March to this summer amid the initial search for Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, who remains missing. A first for NYT: The publication has previously worked with cable and streaming services to make documentaries and a series inspired by its Modern Love column, but it has never before gotten involved with primetime entertainment on a major broadcast network. The financial terms of the NBC deal weren’t disclosed. Game on: After NYT bought Wordle in 2022 for low-seven figures, the popular puzzle almost instantly attracted “tens of millions” of new users to the news publisher. Since then, NYT has expanded its thriving Games unit, which has helped shield it from the pain of broader declines in news consumption.

Italian food brand accused of ‘tomato fraud’

 Italian food brand accused of ‘tomato fraud’

Niv Bavarsky

These tomatoes are catching so much heat, they’re at risk of becoming perfectly blistered. A lawsuit filed in California this week accuses food manufacturer Cento Fine Foods of committing “tomato fraud” by deceiving customers about the legitimacy of its canned San Marzano tomatoes. Like authentic Champagne and Parmesan cheese, official San Marzano tomatoes can only come from one specific region in Italy. The premium fruits are ideal for saucemaking, but horrible for punishing a bombing comedian, because they have a thicker tomato wall, fewer seeds, and lower acidity than your run-of-the-mill produce. Sales of this specific tomato are regulated by Il Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano DOP, but Cento uses a third-party agency called Agri-Cert: Cento said it stopped working with the official Italian group to certify its tomatoes a decade ago over labeling rules. The lawsuit claims that Cento was removed by the group for counterfeit labeling, and that the “certified” label on the company’s cans and website trick customers into thinking the tomatoes have the more rigorous DOP certification. Cento called the allegations meritless. The company released a statement saying that it defeated a similar lawsuit lobbed against it in 2019 and would do so again.

Fighting AI deepfakes (Taylor’s version)

 Fighting AI deepfakes (Taylor’s version)

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Taylor Swift has filed three unique trademark applications to protect her voice and image from use in unauthorized deepfakes. It’s a new legal maneuver designed to give celebrities more protections against AI, though it has yet to be tested in court. How would the trademarks defend against unwanted AI slop? Swift moved to trademark two audio clips where she speaks her name, which falls under a lesser-known category called “sound marks.” That has historically been reserved for things like Netflix’s “tu-dum” sound and the giggle of the Pillsbury Doughboy. The other filing is an image of Swift on stage in a sequined outfit and with a pink guitar. The theory is if someone generates AI content with her voice or a similar image, Swift would have more standing in court if she filed a lawsuit against its creators. The bar for violating a trademark is creating something that’s “confusingly similar,” kind of like The Rock’s action movies or The Bachelor contestants. What about copyright? AI creations can be made without lifting a voice from a copyrighted song recording. These new types of spoken-word trademarks, which have also been filed by actor Matthew McConaughey, attempt to plug the gulf that allows deepfakes to flourish.

Most people lose money on Polymarket

 Most people lose money on Polymarket

Niv Bavarsky

If you’ve wagered your mortgage that MrBeast will be the next president of the United States, perhaps reconsider. According to a Bloomberg analysis, nearly every Polymarket trader either loses money or makes little to no profit: More than 100k accounts lost $1,000 since the start of 2025—twice the number of accounts that made at least $1,000. In aggregate, traders lost $131 million. The tiny number of accounts that make lots of money appear to be mostly bots, Bloomberg noted. A separate study found that since 2022, 69% of traders lost money, while three-quarters of total profits were won by only the top 1% of users.

Social media scams cost Americans over a $2.1 billion

 

Social media scams cost Americans over a $2.1 billion in 2025. The future looks even worse.

 

The US FTC says social media is the most dangerous channel for financial fraud, with Americans losing a record $2.1 billion in 2025. This surge represents a massive eightfold increase in losses, far outpacing the damage caused by traditional email or text-based scams. Roughly 30% of all reported fraud now originates on social networks, with Facebook leading as the primary source of financial loss, followed by WhatsApp and Instagram. At the same time, AI-generated imagery is getting eerily realistic, and it’s utterly easy to fake voices, too. The reports of crimes with deepfakes material is rising, and it seems there is little immediate respite in sight.

Get out jail cards

 US reportedly dropping charges against Indian billionaire Adani. According to the New York Times, the Justice Department is set to drop corruption and fraud charges against Gautam Adani as soon as this week, after the billionaire hired a new legal team led by one of President Trump’s personal lawyers. The attorney, Robert Giuffra, reportedly told prosecutors that Adani, who’s worth $104 billion, would invest $10 billion in the US economy if the charges were dropped. Adani was indicted by the Biden administration in 2024 for allegedly planning to bribe Indian government officials for solar contracts and lying about it when attempting to secure American investments.

Japan tests humanoid robots to handle airport luggage

 

Japan tests humanoid robots to handle airport luggage. Let’s hope it solves the human problem.

 

According to SITA’s Baggage Insights Report, one in five bags is damaged or pilfered at airports. That’s not even accounting for the delayed and lost luggage. And yeah, I’ve seen how badly the luggage is handled by human workers. Can robots solve the problem? Japan Airlines is launching a trial of humanoid robots at Tokyo’s Haneda airport to address labor shortages. Made by Unitree, these 130cm-tall robots will move cargo and luggage on the tarmac. The test, which is supposed to last until 2028, aims to reduce the burden on workers. But I dearly hope these robots learn how to handle fragile luggage and save us from the misery of broken items. I would pay to avail the services of robots if they aren’t reckless with my luggage.