I often think about how one of my first stories for ZDNet back in 2016 was about a ransomware attack against a County Council with a ransom demand of £500. Almost a decade later and the financial - and real world - impact of ransomware has just got much worse.

I'm sure playing at 1pm and 12:30pm in the middle of an LA summer won't have any negative impacts what-so-ever on player safety or the game itself.

The Washington Spirit has sold out its home semifinal match in record time, the club announced today. Less than three days after announcing the date and time for its upcoming semifinal against Portland Thorns FC, all seats at Audi Field have been sold.

4TH STRAIGHT PLAYOFF SELLOUT 😤 Thank you Spirit fam 💛 we can’t wait to see you this Saturday!

I support Sandy’s proposal!

The career penalty save% leaderboard since 2011 (professional competitive matches, club + country, min. 15 saveable pens faced)

UPDATE: A CHANCE to see NORTHERN LIGHTS in DC area TONIGHT (Tues into Wed). A strong geomagnetic storm is hitting Earth NOW (8p Tuesday) w/ aurora erupting to our north. It could get stronger & reach severe levels into Wed. Clouds are an impediment though. Read more: www.facebook.com/capitalweath...

#NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman spoke to media at Audi Field during the halftime break. Asked about the league's change from its prior policy on trans players & future plans for a new policy, and got this reply:

“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.” It costs a lot less to house people.

At Spirit training, where Coach Adrián González was fairly coy regarding the status of Tara McKeown (ankle) and Gabrielle Carle (hamstring). "We need to see how the week goes," he said. Both players were held out of full training. And Trinity Rodman? "I think she's on track," González said.

Y'all amaze me. Top 4 now. Way above expectations, and truly generous. Maybe we can break 20K before kickoff on Saturday give.capitalareafoodbank.org/team/782134

Different indeed.

That’s a lot. 67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.” Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...

Winning their playoff penalty shootouts in 2024 AND 2025? The @washingtonspirit.com live for the pressure 🤌

That’s how you bring #NWSLPlayoff energy 😤

ALL THE PKS FROM THE SPIRIT VS. RACING QF PENALTY SHOUTOUT 🔥 #NWSLPlayoffs

For those that haven’t seen it, from Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy’s Instagram: Part 1

Rosalind Franklin was a chemist & X-ray crystallographer whose work on X-ray diffraction images of DNA helped lead to the discovery of its structure, but her efforts were only recognised posthumously. #AdaLovelaceDay bit.ly/2Hl8bkA

Just need everyone to Google the name "Rosalind Franklin" at this moment.

#WASvLOU NWSL Playoff Availability Racing Lou SEI/ML: Sekany, K Wright OUT: Jordan Baggett (excused), Savannah DeMelo (illness), Uchenna Kanu (knee), Makenna Morris (lower leg) Washington Spirit SEI/ML: Hatch, Jessee, Krueger, Sarr, Sullivan OUT: Deborah Abiodun (ankle) ???: Trinity Rodman (knee)

Another reminder of how strong a soccer market Washington is. Those big audiences came even with Trinity Rodman not playing.

This vending machine has the best tourist warning ever. Also love that there was a vending machine for this randomly on the street.

Can confirm. Have been a subscriber side last December and it’s worth it!

New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.

I was one of the four people who got canned. In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having representatives from each team who are good at schmoozing sponsors and media partners, for the purpose of securing more sponsorship and exposure. That's something NWSL needs. But framing it as "shaping the game and the culture" is absurd.

“It is giving new meaning to 'brute force' attacks.”

This is an important read.

Thank you for shouting out our donation drive! Here’s the link in case anyone is interested in donating or sharing: give.capitalareafoodbank.org/team/782134

We have joined with @roseroomco.bsky.social for our first annual supporters food drive! 1 in 3 people in our region struggled with hunger last year. Now, many of our neighbors have lost their jobs, have been furloughed, or will lose access to vital benefits.

FIFA statutes.

The Roosevelt Institute was honored to present @teenvogue.com with the 2025 Freedom of Speech Medal because their team understood that freedom is about both speaking truth to power and the capacity to build power. Read our full statement: rooseveltinstitute.org/press-releas...

Fairly certain this violates certain rules around separation of church and state.

Brace for another wave of x refuges

🤨

Normal thing to post on Halloween for sure

So well said 👏🏾 I really hope other team captains speak out - lookin at you, @washingtonspirit.com 👀. The players and community at large need to know they’re amongst those who value them and won’t stand for this kind of shit.

was messaging with Rachael about this and took a swing at putting this statement by Sarah Gorden and Angelina into text form for the wider public

from sarah gorden:

This is leadership, as many people have already said; but also another moment where people will wonder why anyone else in a position of power hasn't spoken up. It should not have to be just Sarah Gorden's job.

This is pretty amazing.

for those not on x, here is Sarah Gordon and Angelina Anderson’s statement, they do speak for the team, and the team says trans folks belong

The final weekend of the NWSL season looms large, in today's newsletter I dove into the narratives and asked Chat GPT how to stop Temwa Chawinga. Lastly, leave Barbra Banda alone. Leave trans kids alone. Focus on the actual problems permeating women's sports. www.talkinsoccer.com/leave-barbra...

Congratulations to @evandavissports.bsky.social for coining at least the second nickname to emerge from Bluesky, after @maggiemack.bsky.social's "Tara the Explorer."

Perfect backheel from Lily Perfect assist from Coop Perfect finish from Emma USWNT x Volkswagen

RRC and our friends at @spiritsquadron.bsky.social have put together an effort to raise funds this week to go to Capital Area Food Bank Too many people are struggling w/ SNAP funds drying up so if you have any spare change, toss some coins to the link here give.capitalareafoodbank.org/team/782134

It’s “Let’s circle back in January” Season

We’re conditioned to believe our smallest contributions wont make a difference. That our $5 wont help. That a couple cans of veggies wont help. That one coat & a pair of shoes aren’t worth donating. It all counts. This is a reminder to myself as well.

Mary Earps being in this