Good Morning!

It's Wednesday, August 6, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at: 

• OceanGate Titan submersible implosion was preventable. 

• College students are scheduling hookups on Google calendars.

• Would you spend $5,000 on eye bags?

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SPILL THE NEWS

OceanGate’s Titan Submersible Implosion, That Killed 5, Was ‘Preventable’

The 2023 implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, which killed all five people aboard, was “preventable”, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s final report. The 335-page investigation blamed the disaster on OceanGate’s “critically flawed” safety culture and systemic design, maintenance, and oversight failures. A detailed analysis of the mistakes.

“This marine casualty and the loss of five lives was preventable,” said Jason Neubauer, chair of the Marine Board of Investigation. As per the report, OceanGate continued to operate Titan despite repeated safety issues and had no formal training or documentation for pilots. Founder Stockton Rush, who died in the implosion, was found to have falsified credentials and shown “negligence that contributed to the deaths of four individuals”. The report also cites OceanGate’s use of “intimidation tactics” to avoid scrutiny, and a toxic workplace culture that “actively suppressed” safety concerns. Investigators issued 14 recommendations, including stronger oversight for experimental vessels.

In June 2023, OceanGate’s Titan submersible catastrophically imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck site. The vessel lost contact about 1 hour and 45 minutes into its descent and was later found in pieces on the ocean floor. Constructed with carbon fiber, a material not traditionally used in deep-sea submersibles, the Titan imploded under nearly 5,000 psi of water pressure after descending to a depth of 10,978 feet. OceanGate has since ceased operations. 

American Families Silently Sliding Into Recession

A growing number of working-class families in the U.S. are struggling to stay afloat, even though they technically earn above the poverty line. As pandemic-era aid programs expire, families who once qualified for government support are increasingly being pushed out of safety-net systems.

Inflation has sharply driven up the cost of essentials like housing, food, and childcare. Meanwhile, minor increases in income are disqualifying families from programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance — leaving some worse off than before. Earning even a few extra dollars can result in losing hundreds in benefits. Moreover, child poverty has surged, with nearly 10 million children now living below the poverty line, the highest number since 2018. Many states are seeing a sharp increase in demand for food banks, rental assistance, and utility support. Nonprofits report that more families with two working parents are now relying on emergency aid to cover basic needs.

While pandemic relief temporarily lifted millions of children out of poverty, its rollback has exposed deep cracks in the country’s support systems. Families are being squeezed from both sides: rising living costs and shrinking access to public aid, The Washington Journal reported.

Related Read: US trade deficit drops to nearly two-year low.

Can ChatGPT Still Help If It Won’t Decide for You?

OpenAI has announced new mental health-focused updates to ChatGPT, aimed at reducing user dependency and promoting safer, more thoughtful interactions. The changes include prompting users to take breaks during long sessions and shifting away from giving direct advice on personal issues. Instead, ChatGPT will now guide users through questions or pros-and-cons frameworks to help them reflect on decisions, particularly in high-stakes situations like relationship challenges.

The updates follow concerns that ChatGPT had failed to recognize signs of delusion or emotional distress in some conversations. OpenAI acknowledged that its GPT-4o model had, in rare instances, offered inappropriate responses, including validating delusional beliefs, like a user believing their family was emitting radio signals from the walls and ChatGPT amplified it. 

In response, the company has begun developing tools to detect mental health red flags and is training ChatGPT to direct users to evidence-based resources. To support these changes, OpenAI has collaborated with over 90 doctors and formed an advisory group of experts in mental health, youth development, and human-computer interaction. 

IN GOOD HEALTH

🌡️ If your head pounds more in summer, you're not imagining it. Weather shifts. especially heat and humidity, can spark migraines. But, what’s the key to cure it?

🧠 What you eat might cut your dementia risk by nearly a quarter. A new study shows how this diet beats even genetics.

😴 Struggling with fatigue, hair loss, or brain fog? Iron deficiency affects up to 34% of women under 50. Expert‑recommended supplements deliver iron with minimal side effects.

🧻 It’s not just older adults. Colon cancer is hitting people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Early detection is possible, if you know what to look for.

IN STYLE, IN BEAUTY

🎨 From comfy neutrals to colorful chaos, these are the top interior styles people can’t stop copying and how to try them.

🪴 Think gardening’s too complicated? Think again. This no-fuss guide helps you grow beauty and find bliss one plant at a time.

🏛️ Major presidents reshaped the White House. From Harry Truman’s full structural rehab to Donald Trump’s recent additions: A timeline.

🌿 Designers reveal fresh ways to style your dream outdoor space — think cozy vignettes, layered materials, candles, and unexpected furniture for instant charm. 

THE FAME FRAME

🕷️ Jenna Ortega elevates ‘Wednesday’ Season 2’s otherwise forgettable return.

🧑‍⚖️ Diddy’s lawyer confirms pardon request made to Trump administration.

🏡 Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce really house hunting together!

🧟 ‘The Walking Dead’ actor Kelley Mack dies at 33.

🕺 Tom Holland wore granny’s fishnetson iconic Lip Sync Battle performance.

DON’T MISS

💸 RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for respiratory virus mRNA research.

📅 College kids are scheduling everything on Google calendars, including hookups!

☢️ World marks 80 years since Hiroshima as nuclear tensions simmer globally.

💔 Amid dating apps’ downfall, have you tries this one that’s “crushing it”?

🌈 It’s a wonderful life, especially if you’re a millennial right now.

🏀 Third WNBA match disrupted this week after sex toy lands on court.

🐦 Linda Yaccarino ditched Musk’s X for weight-loss drugs. Makes sense, no?

✈️ “Nothing beats a Jet 2 holiday” — why is the internet so obsessed!

🍅 Is tomato fruit? We just hear Heinz is making a ketchup smoothie.

📉 Gen Z’s career cliff might be worse — for men.

WEIGH IN

"Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.’"

– Christina Grimmie