‘Bugs That Rule the World' Review: A Crawling Kingdom on PBS
Swallowtail butterfly
Photo: PBS
If 'Bugs That Rule the World' were a typical documentary, its makers would have a found a couple of honeybees, interviewed them about their life's work, hobbies, romances, political points of view and life in the hive. Is the queen as mean to her employees as they say? Questions would have been raised about their plans for the future; whether there will be one; how well they get along with the other 10 quintillion insects around the world; and whether they all hate mosquitoes, too.
As it happens, the directors failed to get any direct comment for this four-part series, so all sources are secondary. And apt to be pro-bug. But the case is made that life is unsustainable without insects and their relatives (spiders, for instance); that their populations are imperiled; and that there may be as many as 10 million species that human researchers aren't even aware of. 'We don't know what we're losing,' says one expert, 'because we don't know what we have.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
9 minutes ago
- CNN
Former local news anchor sues rival station for defamation over report he says portrayed him as a ‘child predator'
A former local news anchor in Shreveport, Louisiana, has sued a rival station for defamation, accusing it of engaging in 'character assassination' after it ran a report he says portrayed him as a 'child predator.' Emmy Award-winning journalist Bill Lunn, a former anchor for ABC affiliate KTBS, filed the lawsuit late last month against rival local outlet KTAL, its married co-anchors Daniel and Jacquelyn Jovic, and its owner, Nexstar. The complaint was filed almost one year after Lunn resigned from KTBS in advance of a KTAL report claiming Lunn had been busted by 'vigilantes targeting men seeking to prey on underage girls.' Lunn had been cleared by a police investigation, and no charges were filed — a fact KTAL included in its report. Nevertheless, the former anchor said in his lawsuit that KTAL and Nexstar failed to 'vet, edit or confirm allegations that labeled him a child predator.' Lunn resigned to spare his employer any embarrassment, he said in the lawsuit, 'with the intention and hope to return to work once the facts cleared his name.' However, the lawsuit alleges the KTAL report ultimately 'ended his career in broadcast journalism.' The former anchor alleged that KTAL targeted him because of their two stations' rivalry in the Shreveport market. 'Jovic and his co-Defendants seized on the opportunity to bend the facts to their will in an attempt (to) take out or otherwise substantially interfere with the market leader and their direct competitor, Lunn,' the lawsuit alleges. Lunn downloaded the popular dating app Tinder on May 27, 2024, and was sent a message of 'interest' from a person he thought was a 19-year-old woman the same day, according to the lawsuit. Shortly thereafter, Lunn was asked to text the woman on her cellphone, after which she 'initiated a sexually explicit exchange.' Two days after the initial message, the supposed 19-year-old invited Lunn to her home, where he was ushered in by a woman. Upon entry, Lunn was 'beaten and robbed of his belongings' by a trio of men. After escaping the house, Lunn returned home and, with the help of another person, called the Shreveport Police Department, according to the lawsuit. Once police arrived, Lunn recounted the night's events and provided his cellphone to aid in law enforcement's investigation, at which point he noticed that the woman had edited her age in a text message from 19 to 16, the lawsuit says. Her Tinder profile, however, still showed her as being 19 years old. In the days that followed, Daniel Jovic, the rival reporter, contacted a police source to inquire whether Lunn had been found with a 14-year-old girl and whether he had fled from the police, according to the lawsuit. Jovic was told Lunn did not run, that no arrests were made and that the investigation was ongoing, the lawsuit says. Jovic interviewed the trio of men for a newscast he led with his co-anchor and wife, Jacquelyn, which was broadcast on June 3, 2024. According to the lawsuit, that newscast allegedly 'lied, misrepresented, and ignored the evidence in their possession,' relying on 'an interview conducted with a wholesale lack of diligence.' 'After meeting them, Jovic engaged in leading and calculated questioning eventually eliciting some 'facts' that, despite the source and Jovic's own training and knowledge as to their questionable truth or veracity, culminated in the false broadcast that derailed Lunn's career,' the lawsuit read. The next day, Daniel Jovic published a story on KTAL's website, revealing the group of local so-called predator hunters 'pretending to be an underage girl in an effort to 'catfish' local men who are allegedly trying to meet up for sex.' Despite publishing two subsequent stories — one reporting Lunn's denials and another reporting that police cleared Lunn — KTAL and the Jovic couple have 'never acknowledged, corrected, or retracted their numerous defamatory broadcasts in which they named Petitioner a child predator,' the lawsuit says. A Nexstar lawyer told Lunn's attorney that the company 'stands by the journalist and the stories as presented,' according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit does not list a specific dollar amount in damages sought by Lunn. However, he 'demands a trial by jury' in order to 'hold these Defendants accountable for their actions.' Nexstar, KTAL, Daniel Jovic and Jacquelyn Jovic did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment.
Forbes
11 minutes ago
- Forbes
WBD Split Will Affect AEW, But Nobody Knows How
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) announced its long-anticipated split as the conglomerate will now be divided into two companies: WBD Global Networks and WBD Streaming & Studios. Shares jumped 9% shortly after news of the split broke on Monday, but dipped 3% by afternoon trading. '[The WBD split] is probably happening a little quicker than people thought was going to be the case. But now it's out there, and I think indicative of continuing change, continuing transformation that's going on in our business,' said WBD CEO David Zaslav on an investor call. Zaslav will be running the Streaming & Studios arm. WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will run Global Networks, which is shouldering the majority of WBD's $37 billion debt. These two pillars of power (Zaslav and Wiedenfels) and their assessment of AEW will be the most important dynamic headed into an uncertain AEW negotiation period in 2026. AEW, along with countless WBD properties, will be greatly affected by the WBD split. There's no way it won't be. But with plans still influx, it's too early to tell how this will affect AEW. 'You don't know what's good or bad,' said Dave Meltzer on 'Wrestling Observer Radio,' in a vague—if not obvious—outlook. Meltzer, who has had his own issues with AEW numbers, was inclined to believe AEW adds an additional 500,000 viewers on Max. These estimates came from a now dubious report from BJ Bethel of SEScoops, and were addressed by Tony Khan himself. 'I thought that was a really exciting report for AEW and very consistent with everything we've been told,' Khan said. 'While the numbers are being kept close to the vest, we're one of the top sports streaming shows and that report was consistent with what I've heard.' While nobody knows what the actual numbers are, Zaslav's comments on Monday's investor call seemed to throw cold water on AEW's viewership on Max being significant. 'Inside the U.S., sports has been less critical,' said Zaslav. 'It's viewed, but it hasn't been a real driver for us.' Alex Sherman of CNBC interpreted Zaslav's comments about sports being 'less critical' to be a possible strategy shift for the WBD when it comes to airing live sports. Zaslav went on to note that HBO Max viewership accounts for for 25% of programming spun off from the WBD networks. This means AEW, which is not part of TNT Sports though is currently listed on Max's sports page, would fall well below the 500,000 additional viewers on Max. AEW Dynamite's highest viewership of 2025 was 682,000 average viewers on May 14. There will be a lot of intangibles that will determine how AEW will navigate through yet another volatile period for WBD. But, outside of garden-variety speculation, nobody knows anything. 'If AEW is doing really good in late 2026, I think they're pretty safe. If [AEW] is doing bad, it wouldn't be good,' said Meltzer, once again stating the obvious. 'It could be great, depending on different factors. It could be terrible, depending on different factors,' said an increasingly vague Meltzer. Gunnar Wiedenfels, currently the CFO of WBD, is set to become the the President and CEO of WBD Global Networks. David Zaslav is considered an ally of AEW after overseeing negotiations for AEW's massive new TV deal with WBD last year. AEW is expected to work with both companies in negotiating a new deal come 2026. Wiedenfels will now have influence on AEW's future as the head of Global Networks since AEW airs on TNT and TBS where it is consumed significantly more than it is on streaming. Of note, Wiedenfels is known for 'finding new ways to cut old costs.' There's know way of knowing which company is the 'good' company and which is the 'bad' company, but in reading the tea leaves, the fact that Global Networks will carry most of the $37 billion debt is a red flag for AEW. Pro wrestling is an acquired taste, so will Wiedenfels share the same warm and fuzzy feelings that David Zaslav seemed to have for AEW or will Wiedenfels be closer to alleged WCW-killer Jamie Kellner during the AOL/Time Warner merger? David Zaslav has had a tumultuous tenure as CEO of a struggling WBD brand. Zaslav oversaw the disaster that was CNN+, the abomination that was Joker 2, the departure of the NBA and a litany of lingering movie and network cancellations. WBD shareholders recently voted against Zaslav's $52 million pay package in what Variety called a 'symbolic rebuke.' To say David Zaslav is a polarizing executive would be an understatement. Further complicating matters for AEW, Zaslav is one of AEW's biggest allies. Tony Khan lovingly referred to the WBD CEO as 'Mr. Zaslav' when discussing their negotiations last year. There have been a lot of casualties and changes in recent years for WBD. If Mr. Zaslav's position as CEO becomes another casualty during these uncertain times, the future of AEW on WBD will be equally as uncertain. AEW is not part of the TNT Sports umbrella (it's part of WBD Entertainment), but it is listed under WBD's sports page. As WBD continues to categorize content under Global Networks and Streaming & Studios, which branch is AEW most likely to fall under? AEW airs on both television and streaming, but both will be negotiated as part of its new deal. This is one of the many complexities that will go a long way in deciding just how valuable AEW is to WBD as a whole. AEW's partnership with WBD has been a literal lifesaver. If it wasn't for WBD signing the promotion to a multimillion-dollar contract shortly before the pandemic, AEW may have closed its doors when the world shut down. AEW's latest deal with WBD gave it the longevity and finances it needs to compete with WWE as a national promotion. But WBD has become a chameleon of a conglomerate. One day it's Warner Bros., the next it merges with Discovery. One day it's WBD, the next day it splits into two different companies. The constant changes and restructurings from within WBD could be its own HBO documentary. Such instability only hurts an upstart promotion like AEW. Similarly, is AEW a good fit for WBD? WBD figures to make a lot of cost cuts as part of its looming split. Will Gunnar Wiedenfels decide that AEW's 2028 option (which will be north of $185 million) is worth paying? Will this be re-negotiated? Will it be dropped altogether? One of AEW's biggest drivers for revenue is pay-per-view. AEW has ran into a myriad of issues in finding a stable PPV provider. AEW PPVs were discontinued on B/R Network last year. AEW is not expected to move forward with Triller, which is on the verge of delisting on NASDAQ. AEW recently partnered with Amazon Prime as it continues to play the waiting game with HBO Max, which is expected to eventually become the main distributor of AEW PPVs in the United States. "Max is still going to be a great home to AEW pay-per-view," Khan said on an AEW Revolution media call in March. 'It's not a technology that's been a part of the Max service previously before AEW landed on this great platform, Max. We're very excited to have AEW TV streaming on Max every week. I can't wait to have the upcoming AEW pay-per-views there in the future.' More than five months into AEW's new deal, however, there has been no indication that HBO Max has made any progress on this model. Given all the changes that have been made, and will continue to be made with WBD's executive musical chairs, AEW shouldn't hold my breath for an HBO Max PPV model.
Vogue
15 minutes ago
- Vogue
Tanya Taylor Resort 2026 Collection
Brooklyn-based painter Grace Weaver has a secret admirer in Tanya Taylor, who created a resort collection loosely inspired by the artist. 'The way she presents herself is very preppy, a little bit more reserved, utilitarian. I kept being interested in watching what she wore while she painted,' the designer said. 'It got me excited to think about if she was alone in her studio for a week, how might she layer herself and start telling a story through clothes as she was creating?' An a-line denim dress accessorized with a tool belt, canvas jackets with a leather pocket the same color as the leather pants they were styled with, and a khaki dress hand-painted by Taylor (which will be turned into a print) captured the romantic idea of a working artist well. Permanent rolled-up sleeves or buttons to hold actually rolled-up sleeves were also suggestive of hard work, while wide-legged jeans, roomy khakis, and cashmere sweaters in delicious colors captured a sort of mid-century Lee Krasner vibe. Where the collection seemed to veer from its frame (i.e. the story) was with the dressier pieces. Taylor, who wants to encourage her customers to locate their inner artist, said she was thinking about creating an 'organic dialogue between what you're making and what you're wearing.' There is no question that building and styling a wardrobe is a creative act, but it's not the equivalent of making something from nothing. This created a sense of dissonance between the narrative and what was on the racks, especially as Taylor is a designer that is so attentive of her clients' needs. While it was difficult to make the leap from overalls to marabou-trimmed separates, subtracted from the story that Taylor proposed, the pieces worked. There was a lot of variety here, as well as newness. The cashmere bra and panty sets were as welcome as they were unexpected; similarly a one-button shirt showed just a little bit more skin than usual. According to the designer, a slightly curvy black leather jacket with a bit of puff at the sleeves was attracting a lot of attention from buyers. As with the collection as a whole, romance, not rebellion, was its cause.
