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| Hello, N2K’ers! | The theme of Cheddar’s world-famous News Haiku™ competition this week is that only 54% of Americans now drink alcohol — a record low reflected in N2K readership — the majority of whom are “rethinking” their drinking, according to last week’s poll. Send me a haiku on the subject by Thursday at noon ET right here. Winner gets glory — lots of glory, and a GIF! | Now let’s talk about the news you Need2Know? | —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor | News You Need2Know | | If you like this newsletter, why not forward it to a friend so they can subscribe here? If you don’t, why not forward to an enemy? Thank you! |
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| | What’s the stock market up to, eh? | $SPX ( ▼ 0.01% ) $DJI ( ▼ 0.08% ) $NDX ( ▲ 0.03% ) | | Companies mentioned in today’s newsletter | OpenAI, AIR CANADA, Gemini, $CIRCLE.P ( 0.0% ) , $BLSH ( ▼ 8.87% ) , $T ( ▲ 0.17% ) | | ChatGPT-5 will be 'warmer and friendlier' | OpenAI has announced updates to GPT-5, aiming to make its chatbot “warmer and friendlier” in response to user feedback that deemed previous versions too formal. | The company explained in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “We’re making GPT-5 warmer and friendlier based on feedback that it felt too formal before. Changes are subtle, but ChatGPT should feel more approachable now.” Adjustments include minor touches like responses beginning with “Good question” or “Great start” while ensuring no rise in sycophantic behavior compared to earlier versions, according to internal tests. | Reception to the changes has been, let’s say… mixed. While some appreciate the effort to refine the model’s tone, many users voiced concerns about prioritizing personality over functionality: |  | Mark Valorian @markvalorian |  |
| | Replying to@OpenAI | This is not at all what people want. I do not want it to pretend to be human, I want it to dispense information parsimoniously. Please do not force the silent majority to suffer due to the predilections of the vocal minority. | | | 9:04 PM • Aug 15, 2025 | | | | | | 3.38K Likes 52 Retweets | 127 Replies |
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| Personally I like a rude chatbot. But that’s probably just me. And my editor. | | | Song of the day: Marissa Nadler, ‘Hatchet Man’ |  | Marissa Nadler - Hatchet Man (Official Video) |
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| “Hatchet Man" is the second single from her album “New Radiations,” telling a dark story of a sinister character bringing a woman home to murder her, with the narrator witnessing the event. Nadler describes the song as a "cosmic murder ballad." | It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea this, is it? But I hope you enjoy. | | Free yourself from advertising forever! | Now you can sign up for an optional ad-free version of Need2Know! Subscribe for just $5 a month, or $50 a year, and you can continue to enjoy this reasonably high-quality newsletter uninterrupted. Bonus: The immense satisfaction that comes from supporting journalism*! | | From Italy to a Nasdaq Reservation | | How do you follow record-setting success? Get stronger. Take Pacaso. Their real estate co-ownership tech set records in Paris and London in 2024. No surprise. Coldwell Banker says 40% of wealthy Americans plan to buy abroad within a year. So adding 10+ new international destinations, including three in Italy, is big. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. | Invest for $2.90/Share | Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. | *This counts as journalism, right? |
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| | More flights canceled during Air Canada strike, eh? | Travel disruptions deepened Monday as Air Canada’s flight attendants continued striking despite a federal back-to-work order, with picket lines forming at major airports across Canada. | The Canadian Union of Public Employees, remains steadfast in their demands while apologizing to stranded travelers. “We are here today because we are standing up for the rights of our members,” said CUPE national president Mark Hancock. Hancock noted the union’s willingness to accept any consequences of defying the back to work order, even imprisonment, stating, “If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it.” | Them’s fightin’ words! | Barry Eidlin, a sociology professor at McGill University, told Canadian television, “If governments keep showing such flagrant disregard for workers’ charter-protected rights, we shouldn’t be surprised if workers start showing more disregard for government back-to-work orders.” | | | Today on the ‘gram: Roboslam! |  | cheddar778K followers | |
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