Fantastic news for anyone who was missing The Drew Barrymore Show: The union representing Hollywood writers agreed to a tentative deal with major studios, likely ending a strike that has frozen TV and film production for nearly five months.

For the deal to become official, the ~11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) need to ratify it. But that seems like a foregone conclusion after WGA leadership claimed it won major concessions from studios. The union’s negotiating committee called the deal “exceptional” and said it provided “meaningful gains and protections for writers.”

• We don’t know the exact terms of the deal, but the details are expected to emerge early this week, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

How we got here

Writers began their strike in May after accusing the studios of embracing a new business model—streaming—that left them unable to earn a middle-class income. Writers also wanted protection from the growing use of artificial intelligence to generate content, which they consider an existential threat to their profession.

Studios responded that they, too, were feeling pinched by seismic changes in the industry, like the decline of their profitable cable TV channels. Disney CEO Bob Iger called the writers’ demands “not realistic” and said they were “adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing.”

But staring down an estimated loss of $1.6 billion in global ticket sales for movies whose released dates were pushed back due to the strike, the studios agreed to most of what writers wanted, per the NYT.

What happens next?

Late night and daytime talk shows like Barrymore’s could return imminently, but scripted TV won’t restart production because a separate strike by tens of thousands of actors and 100,000+ other Hollywood employees is ongoing. But the good news out of the writers’ camp could spur the actors and studios to return to the negotiating table.

Spontaneity is all the rage these days, but there’s something to be said about good old-fashioned planning. Think of the Airport Dad who’s never missed a flight, or the one person in your friend group who always takes care of the brunch res.

Uber is celebrating the power of planning with an incredible tool: Uber Reserve, an Uber app feature that lets you book your ride up to 90 days in advance.

The best part? You can book from select airports and have the app track your flight so your ride is ready when your flight lands. A total dream for the jet-setter in you.

Start planning ahead.

Jimmy Carter has a busier schedule than we do. The former president and his wife, Rosalynn, visited the Plains Peanut Festival in their Georgia hometown (peanuts hold great significance for Carter, who grew up on a peanut farm). It was a dramatic appearance because the ex-president has been in hospice care since February, when his grandson expected him to live about five days longer. Seven months later, Carter is one week away from his 99th birthday. He is the longest-living American president.

Ophelia drenches the Northeast. Post-tropical cyclone Ophelia dropped heavy rainfall on densely populated areas on the East Coast over the weekend. New York City issued a travel advisory through Sunday, while city residents who live in basement apartments in at-risk areas were told to prepare to move to higher ground and avoid flooded subway stations. The Weather Prediction Center warned that excessive rainfall over parts of the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England from yesterday into this morning could create flash flooding.

A historic sports weekend. The Miami Dolphins hung 70 points on the Denver Broncos, scoring the most points by an NFL team since 1966. In Berlin, Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s world record in the marathon by more than two minutes. Her time: 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Shenandoah University safety Haley Van Voorhis became the first woman to play in an NCAA football game who was not a kicker or a punter. “I made the impossible possible, and I’m excited about that,” Van Voorhis said.

The next time you’re fuming over your delivery guy running 20 minutes late, consider how happy everyone is at NASA to receive a package from space after sending away for it seven years ago.

Yesterday morning, scientists retrieved an estimated 8.8 ounces of rocks and soil from the asteroid Bennu, the first time NASA has ever gathered a sample from an asteroid. When the sample capsule landed in the Utah desert after being dropped off by the Osiris-Rex spacecraft from 63,000 miles away, it marked the denouement of a 4-billion-mile journey that began in 2016.

• Fun fact: NASA uses this area of Utah for sample return missions because it is the largest restricted airspace in the US, per The Verge.

Why is this a big deal?

The hope is that the asteroid sample will contain key information about the beginning of our solar system and tell us more about the origins of life on Earth. According to one popular theory, asteroids crashing into Earth billions of years ago contained ingredients fundamental to creating life.

But that theory hasn’t been put to the test...until now. Scientists will analyze the rocks and soil for the next two years and will release some preliminary details about the sample in October.

Looking ahead…Hot Strike Summer is making way for Asteroid Autumn. Along with the sample collected Sunday, NASA has a couple of other asteroid missions reaching milestones this year. Next month, NASA will launch the spacecraft Psyche to track down an asteroid with the same name in what can only be considered an incredible coincidence.

Netflix ends DVD service: Looking out your window and waiting for that red envelope to arrive—also known as the mail gaze—will become a thing of the past on Friday, when Netflix will ship its final DVDs. While it’s a tough day for people who believe the only way to watch The Wrong Missy is on DVD, it also shows how Netflix’s catalog has dwindled over the years. At its height, Netflix had 100,000 DVD titles from which to choose; as of July, it’s now streaming an estimated 6,600.

Biden will picket with striking auto workers: In a nearly unprecedented move by a sitting president, President Biden will head to Michigan on Tuesday to support the UAW strike. Biden has billed himself as the most pro-union president in history, but he hasn’t yet secured the endorsement of the powerful UAW, and his path to reelection in 2024 could wind through Michigan. University of Texas at Austin historian Jeremi Suri told Reuters that Biden is likely the first president to publicly support striking workers since Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.

Ryder’s block: In the latest example of everyone visiting Italy in 2023, America is sending its top golfers to Rome to defend its Ryder Cup title against Europe’s top golfers. The three-day team tournament starts Friday with the US squad listed as slight betting favorites. The American side is led by Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Brooks Koepka’s haircut. The European squad has its share of past major champions, but they all hail from countries that did not invent deep-fried butter—so, what chance do they really have?

Everything else…

• Yom Kippur began last night. G’mar chatima tova to all those observing.
• Google turns 25 on Wednesday. If you’re looking for a gift, probably best to keep it a surprise and do your search on Bing.
• Sphere at The Venetian Resort opens Friday with U2 beginning their residency.

Stat: Tinder is attempting to swipe $499 per month from its most active users with a pricey new subscription service called Tinder Select. The dating app plans to offer the service to less than 1% of its members, who will have access to “VIP” search, matching, and conversation features that aren’t provided with its current paid plans. “We know that there is a subset of highly engaged and active users who prioritize more effective and efficient ways to find connections,” Tinder Chief Product Officer Mark Van Ryswyk said. Or in other words: “Some people are desperate enough to spend $6,000 a year for our app.”

Quote: “Senator Menendez should resign.”

Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, became the first senator to call on fellow Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez to step down from his seat while facing federal bribery and corruption charges. Menendez, who left his powerful position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says he has no plans to leave the Senate. Also calling on Menendez’s ouster is Rep. Andy Kim, who announced he will run against him in 2024.

Read: Nuclear engineering student and reigning Miss America Grace Stanke is campaigning for the use of more nuclear energy to combat climate change. (Wall Street Journal)

Watch: Ever wonder what’s inside Big Ben (real name: Elizabeth Tower)? No spoilers, but there are bells.

And learn: Explore a curated collection of documentaries.

Ponder mortality: A morbid but in-depth answer to the question, “Are more celebrities dying than usual?”

Watch: How a phone call took down the MGM Grand Casino.

Level up: Today’s the day! The live session of our best-selling course, Difficult Conversations at Work, starts at 12pm ET. Snag your seat now.

Cost calculator: Got questions about term life insurance? Start with Ramsey Solutions’ article, How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?. It even includes a handy, helpful calculator.*

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Turntable: Turntable is our game that asks you to make words from a collection of seven letters. Play it here, then challenge your friends.

Find the link

Below are pictures of 16 structures. Your task is to divide them into four groups of four that share a common link.

Good luck!

Tallest building in its country: Shanghai Tower, the Burj Khalifa, the Lakhta Centre, The Shard

Bell towers: Big Ben, St Mark’s Campanile, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Giotto’s Campanile

Lower Manhattan landmarks: the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York Stock Exchange, One World Trade Center, Federal Hall

Places visited in National Treasure: National Archives, Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute, Trinity Church

Word of the Day

Today’s Word of the Day is: denouement, meaning “the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear.” Thanks to Rich in Oklahoma City for the suggestion. Submit another Word of the Day here.