Today is Tuesday, Aug. 12, the 224th day of 2025. There are 141 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Aug. 12, 2017, a driver sped into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally in the Virginia college town of Charlottesville, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring more than a dozen others. (The attacker, James Alex Fields, was sentenced to life in prison on 29 federal hate crime charges, and life plus 419 years on state charges.)

Also on this date:

In 1867, President Andrew Johnson sparked a move to impeach him as he defied Congress by suspending Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, with whom he had clashed over Reconstruction policies. (Johnson was acquitted by the Senate.)

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In 1898, fighting in the Spanish-American War came to an end.

In 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the Indianapolis 500, first opened.

In 1944, during World War II, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., eldest son of Joseph and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was killed with his co-pilot when their explosives-laden Navy plane blew up over England.

In 1953, the Soviet Union conducted a secret test of its first hydrogen bomb.

In 1960, the first balloon communications satellite — the Echo 1 — was launched by the United States from Cape Canaveral.

In 1981, IBM introduced its first personal computer, the model 5150, at a press conference in New York.

In 1985, the world’s worst single-aircraft disaster occurred as a crippled Japan Airlines Boeing 747 on a domestic flight crashed into a mountain, killing 520 people. Four passengers survived.

In 1990, fossil collector Sue Hendrickson found one of the largest and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons ever discovered; nicknamed “Sue” after Hendrickson, the skeleton is now on display at Chicago’s Field Museum.

In 1994, in baseball’s eighth work stoppage since 1972, players went on strike rather than allow team owners to limit their salaries.

In 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk and its 118-man crew were lost during naval exercises in the Barents Sea.

In 2013, James “Whitey” Bulger, the feared Boston mob boss who became one of the nation’s most-wanted fugitives, was convicted in a string of 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes, many of them committed while he was said to be an FBI informant. (Bulger was sentenced to life; he was fatally beaten at a West Virginia prison in 2018, hours after being transferred from a facility in Florida.)

In 2022, Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and stabbed in the neck by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.

Today’s Birthdays:

Investor and philanthropist George Soros is 95.
Actor George Hamilton is 86.
Singer-musician Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) is 76.
Singer Kid Creole (Kid Creole and the Coconuts) is 75.
Film director Chen Kaige is 73.
Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny is 71.
Actor Bruce Greenwood is 69.
Basketball Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard is 66.
Rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot is 62.
Actor Peter Krause (KROW’-zuh) is 60.
Tennis Hall of Famer Pete Sampras is 54.
Actor-comedian Michael Ian Black is 54.
Actor Yvette Nicole Brown is 54.
Actor Casey Affleck is 50.
Boxer Tyson Fury is 37.
Actor Lakeith Stanfield is 34.
NBA All-Star Khris Middleton is 34.
Actor Cara Delevingne (DEHL’-eh-veen) is 33.
Tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas is 27.

Which curved monitor is best?

There seems to be an almost endless choice of computer monitors that you can use, whether it’s for video games or doing office work. Depending on the size of your desk, you might also decide to have multiple monitors.

No matter your setup or what you use the monitors for, most people can easily be distracted by their environment. A great step toward minimizing a dwindling attention span is to get a curved monitor.

What to know before you buy a curved monitor

Curved vs. flat-screen monitor

Curved screens have one advantage over flat-screen monitors, especially when it comes to video games. Due to the curve, the monitor will appear to be larger, as all sides are an equal distance away from your eyes. On a flat-screen monitor, the edges are the farthest away, which your eyes can interpret as slight distortion. There’s also less glare on a curved monitor while filling more of your peripheral vision.

The curve is different depending on the model

There is no “standard” curve when it comes to curved monitors. For one manufacturer, you may find several models with different curve dimensions. What is standard is how the curvature is measured and presented. You might find a monitor with a 1500R or 1800R curve — this means the radius of the curve is 1,500 or 1,800 millimeters.

The best curve radius is closer to the human eye

While it can differ between users, the best radius for a curved monitor is one that’s closer to the radius of the human eye. An 1800R monitor has less of a curve than a 1500R monitor, while the human eye has a curve of around 1000R. The closer the radius of the monitor is to 1,000 millimeters, the better visuals it will provide.

What to look for in a quality curved monitor

A native curve is better than a non-native one

It might seem strange, but there are two different kinds of curves, also related to the radius. A monitor with a native curve is the best, as the model was originally designed at the specific 1500R curvature. A monitor with a non-native curve is when an 1800R monitor is adapted to have a 1500R radius. Essentially forced into the tighter radius, non-native curved monitors can suffer from backlight bleed and a shorter life span.

The resolution should be relative to the display’s size

As with any monitor, the resolution is important for graphical quality. If you have a curved monitor of more than 27 inches, the best resolution would be 2K (2560 x 1440). If it’s less than that, you could notice graphical elements that give the impression of lower quality. For monitors below 27 inches, a resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080) would be perfect, while 4K (4096 x 2160) is best suited for monitors 32 inches or more.

Multiple connections and settings

A monitor connects to a computer or laptop through a cable, and having a choice of which cable you want to use is excellent. The most common method is through an HDMI connection, while some monitors also support DisplayPort technology. A good-quality curved monitor should have additional connections like USB-C, USB 3.0 and a headphone jack.

How much you can expect to spend on a curved monitor

The average price of a curved monitor depends on the size of the display, the maximum resolution and additional functions. An entry-level curved monitor can retail for $100-$200, while larger widescreen monitors can retail for $1,000-$1,500.

Curved monitor FAQ

Can you mount a curved monitor on a wall?

A. In theory, it’s possible, but you need a special mounting bracket. Since curved monitors don’t have a flat back, the industry-standard VESA mounting system might not work.

Is a curved monitor good for gaming?

A. Yes, as is any monitor that you connect to a computer or console. The important aspects to take into consideration are the refresh rate and the resolution — both of which can affect the visual quality of gaming consoles.

What’s the best curved monitor to buy?

Top curved monitor

LG 38WP85C-W 38-Inch Curved UltraWide Monitor

What you need to know: This ultrawide monitor is perfect for anybody who has limited space on their desk and is looking for a multiple-monitor solution.

What you’ll love: With a resolution of 3840 x 1600 pixels, this 38-inch display has extra-thin bezels on three sides. It has two 7-watt speakers built in, features two USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C connection, DisplayPort and a headphone jack.

What you should consider: While it has a USB-C port on the back panel, it automatically stops supplying power to any connected device when the monitor is turned off or goes into power-saving mode.

Top curved monitor for the money

Samsung 27″ Essential S3 (S36GD) Series FHD 1800R Curved Computer Monitor

What you need to know: This affordable option has both a high-quality refresh rate and stunning visuals.

What you’ll love: The 100Hz refresh rate makes it suitable for most video games. It has an anti-eye-fatigue technology that gives your eyes a break from blue light and flickering. It has an 1800R curve.

What you should consider: Making settings adjustments on the monitor itself can be frustrating.

Worth checking out

Samsung S65UA Series 34-Inch Ultrawide Curved Monitor

What you need to know: With its mammoth display of 34 inches, this monitor is the ideal accessory for power users or creative workers who need to have a lot of windows open at the same time.

What you’ll love: With a maximum resolution of 3440 x 1440, it has a 1000R curve, which is the closest to the human eye you’ll get from a monitor. It features a USB-C port, HDMI connection, two USB 3.0 ports and an Ethernet connection. The monitor has a refresh rate of 100 hertz and is compatible with AMD’s FreeSync technology.

What you should consider: While the display can be split into two windows, users have indicated that the control panel is difficult to use.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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An Iron Range City Council member who cut down a Minnesota Power support wire on his property in May, knocking out electricity to three cities, entered into a plea agreement Monday.

Joseph Christopher Vaida, 64, of McKinley, was immediately sentenced by St. Louis County District Judge Robert Friday to five years of unsupervised probation after pleading guilty to a count of damaging an electric line.

Vaida received a stay of imposition, under which the court does not impose a felony-level sentence. Rather, the conviction will be deemed a misdemeanor if he remains law-abiding until August 2030.

Joseph Christopher Vaida, 63, of McKinley (Forum News Service)

Authorities said Vaida had a “long and contentious history” and engaged in “many instances of intimidating and disorderly conduct toward Minnesota Power employees” before the May 19 incident in which he disrupted service to McKinley, Gilbert and Biwabik.

According to court documents, a company employee spoke with the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office days earlier to report that Vaida was threatening to cut down a guy wire anchored on his property. A guy wire is a tensioned cable that runs diagonally from a freestanding pole to add stability.

Minnesota Power indicated an easement had been in place since 1990, and officials were looking into the issue, but they would not have time to resolve it within seven days, as Vaida demanded.

A deputy warned Vaida not to damage the line and encouraged him to resolve the situation in court, according to a criminal complaint. But he began listing various grievances with the utility and declared, “Monday at noon it’s going down, period.”

After Vaida followed through on the promise, crews were able to quickly restore service to the two neighboring cities. However, they would not go near his McKinley property until he was located, and warned authorities that the ground around the pole was hazardous.

Deputies said they went to the area and found Vaida driving nearby. Metal cutters and an ax were located inside his pickup truck as he was arrested.

Authorities said the severed wire was found wrapped in barbed wire “to hinder any attempts to investigate or repair the damage,” and it appeared there had been recent digging in an attempt to remove the anchor.

The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office agreed to drop two other felony counts of damaging utility property and first-degree property damage.

Vaida was elected to the McKinley City Council in 2018 and reelected four years later. The city, which is about an 8-mile drive east of Virginia, had a population of 103 at the 2020 Census.

He remained an active member of the council as of last week, according to the St. Louis County Auditor’s Office.

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NEW YORK — Two days after the trade deadline had passed, Byron Buxton and Christian Vázquez, two of the most veteran players remaining in the Twins’ clubhouse, convened a team dinner.

The group dined at Morton’s steakhouse in downtown Cleveland. Over the course of the previous few days, nearly 40 percent of the active roster had been turned over, making that Saturday night a prime opportunity for group bonding.

“We wanted guys to come in and relax a bit and know it’s good to be here, be happy about yourself for being here. It’s hard to get up here,” Buxton said. “Don’t take what happened that Thursday and carry it over for weeks. Get together, have a good dinner and go out the next day.”

Though Buxton couldn’t join the group on the field, the all-star center fielder was still doing his part as a team leader in the wake of the roster shake-up. Buxton finally returned from the injured list on Monday. And though the Twins fell 6-2 at Yankee Stadium, he rejoined a group that has seemingly been playing loose and having fun since the July 31 trade deadline.

“I’ve been on the bench seeing them take the extra base, stealing bases,” Buxton said before the game. “It’s fun — we’re a young group, now even younger — to just go out and play baseball. That’s a fun thing to do.”

The center fielder picked off where he had left off before he started dealing with ribcage inflammation, hitting a home run in the sixth inning off Yankees starter Will Warren. It was his team-leading 24th of the season.

It was one of just three hits Warren gave up in a game the Twins (56-62) never led after Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger took Zebby Matthews deep in the first inning.

Matthews, who struck out nine batters in his 5 2/3 innings, also surrendered back-to-back home runs in the third inning, all of the damage against him in the start coming with two outs.

The Twins chipped away at that three-run lead with Buxton’s home run in the sixth and one from Trevor Larnach an inning later but never came closer than that as the Yankees pulled away late in the game against the Twins’ new-look bullpen.

Keaschall honored

Luke Keaschall ended last week with his first-career walk-off home run and started this week with American League Player of the Week honors.

Keaschall returned from the injured list last weekend in Detroit. He had been out since late April because of a fractured forearm suffered when he was hit by a pitch. He picked up right where he had left off, continuing the torrid start to his career.

The rookie received the award for a week in which he hit .455 (10 for 22) with a pair of home runs, 10 runs batted in and a .455 slugging percentage. The 10 RBIs were tied for the major league lead for the week. Keaschall finished Monday 0 for 3, marking the first time in his 13-game career that he did not reached base.

“You try and be confident and go into it and try to make the most of it. But at the same time, I didn’t expect to play as well as this,” Keaschall said of his first 12 games in the major leagues. “You always expect you have to go out and compete. That’s all I’m trying to do.”

Briefly

The Twins are expected to have some form of a bullpen game on Tuesday night against the Yankees. … Former Twins great Johan Santana has been named the pitching coach for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. … The Twins are expecting outfielder Matt Wallner (paternity list) to return Tuesday.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach, right, watches as fans reach for a ball hit by New York Yankees’ Cody Bellinger for a home run during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews reacts as New York Yankees’ Ben Rice runs the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)