Black-Market Wellness

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Happy Thursday, Future Party. Summerween — the internet’s unofficial mashup of beach season and spooky season — is no longer just a niche obsession. What began as a fictional holiday in Gravity Falls, Disney’s cult-favorite animated series, has become a retail strategy, a social media trend, and the latest reminder that consumer culture always finds a way to make every month feel like peak shopping season. Somewhere, a skeleton in a Hawaiian shirt is smiling.

As fitness fanatics, looksmaxxers, and wellness gurus continue to rise in popularity, a new medical trend is taking hold: injectable peptides. Increasingly, consumers are turning to the black market in search of experimental, non-FDA-approved drugs that “promise” a wide range of wellness benefits.

Why This Hits: Injectable peptides are amino acid-based compounds that bind to receptors throughout the body, influencing a range of physiological processes. Insulin and GLP-1s are among the most widely used peptides, but many consumers are now experimenting with newer injectable options.

Final Shots: As peptides move further into the mainstream, regulators are beginning to take notice. RFK Jr. recently instructed an FDA committee to recommend seven peptides for legal use, a move that could eventually make some of these treatments available through pharmacies.

The Future: As more peptides become legally available, wellness injections could soon become the norm, with people turning to them for nearly any issue they want to address. Trouble sleeping? Try a peptide. Thinning hair? There may be a peptide for that, too.

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As Hollywood jobs become scarcer, many across the entertainment industry are turning to AI training roles.

Behind The Move: With film and television jobs continuing to shrink, many entertainment workers are finding gigs training the very AI models that could eventually compete with them.

Final Gig: While AI training jobs may offer a much-needed paycheck, some workers worry the long-term tradeoffs could outweigh the short-term gains. In a recent survey from the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), 20% of respondents said they have knowingly lost work due to AI.

As Tim Friedlander, a voice actor and president of NAVA, put it, “I don’t really necessarily fault somebody if you’re all of a sudden given potentially $1,200 for four hours’ worth of work […], but that may be the only four hours you’re ever going to work in that job. I think in the long term, it is more damaging to the entire creative sector to be training these systems.”

What’s Next: As long as entertainment jobs remain difficult to land, more creative workers may have little choice but to turn to AI training roles. For many, today’s stopgap could ultimately help build the tech that’s reshaping the industry they hope to keep working in.

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37% of you voted Yes, I currently do in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever colored or highlighted your hair?

“My hair has been almost every color at one point or another. It’s an accessory and represents who and how I am in any given moment.”

“I use a purple color-depositing conditioner, and every now and then I get highlights so it stands out more against my dark brown hair.”

“I voted for ‘Not anymore,’ but what’s more accurate is ‘I haven’t in a while.’ I’m not NEVER going to color it again, but I’m taking a break.”

“I had an orange mohawk many years ago. Uncle Sam insisted I remove it. I no longer color the hair on my head, as it left me decades ago. However, my beard, now almost a foot long, gets the Viking red treatment now and again.”

“Once I started going gray, I started coloring my hair. Then, at about age 60, I decided I didn’t want to put chemicals on my scalp anymore and stopped. Love my silver color now.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎤 Chris Martin’s long-abandoned James Bond theme is finally seeing the light of day — not on a soundtrack, but on the auction block.

💜 Olivia Rodrigo is the first artist to get multiple LEGO sets, complete with hidden references to her music, style, and career.

🎬 Paramount is making last-minute concessions to EU regulators in hopes of clearing one of the final hurdles for its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

📸 Getty Images is walking away from its $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock after UK regulators demanded the sale of key editorial assets.

💬 Meta is giving Threads’ Live Chats a major upgrade with translations, co-hosts, and moderation tools as the platform evolves beyond a traditional social feed.

🎮 Sony will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs in 2028, marking the end of an era as gaming goes fully digital.

🍵 Nestlé is eyeing matcha as its next growth category amid shifting consumer tastes and volatile coffee prices.

🥗 Ranch dressing has become the World Cup’s most unexpected souvenir, prompting US airports to stock bottles for departing fans.

🚙 Vintage SUVs are becoming the latest luxury status symbol, with young women spending six figures on classic Broncos, Defenders, and Jeeps.