“How do you make money on broke people?”

Plus, tornadoes, Diet Coke, and how Hollywood's tag-team strike will impact your viewing habits [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Now I am become Barbenheimer, destroyer of lumbar support; here’s everything you need to know about [next weekend’s improbable 294-minute double-feature at the movies](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Toronto Star photo illustration debt wish [Helping hands or pitiless predators? Inside the dubious world of Cactus Debt Relief]( In the shady domain of for-profit debt consultancies, the dwindling financial safety net for many Canadians is no crisis — it’s an opportunity. Critics say these advisors prey on desperate people, using high-pressure sales tactics to lock in crushing fees before often punting the client to a nationally licensed insolvency trustee, reports Richard Warnica. [Here’s why even some Cactus Debt Relief employees worry about its cutthroat tactics](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star housing [After a decade-plus of transformation, the revitalization of Regent Park shines brightly]( In 2006, the Toronto Community Housing Corp. partnered with Daniels Corp. for a dramatic urban overhaul in Regent Park. Today, there’s much more to the flourishing community than its once-violent reputation, Tracy Hanes writes. You can see it in the Regent Park Film Festival’s free public screenings, at the Daniels Spectrum cultural hub, and around the CRAFT preapprenticeship program. [This is how opportunity and hope came to the neighbourhood](. Emma McIntyre/The Canadian Press entertainment [Why actors have joined the writers on Hollywood’s picket lines]( For the first time since the 1960s, the actors’ and writers’ guilds are striking against the studios at the same time. Negotiations with both unions have turned hostile in recent weeks, thanks to a major divide on issues including the role of artificial intelligence and the death of the residual cheque in the age of streaming. [Here’s how it’s playing out and what could come next](. Steve Russell/Toronto Star food & drink [Aspartame might cause cancer but don’t dump your Diet Coke quite yet]( Despite a recent review from the International Agency for Research on Cancer that determined aspartame could be “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” the World Health Organization has reaffirmed its guidance on the powerful artificial sweetener. Namely, moderation remains the name of the game, reports Kevin Jiang. [Here’s how much aspartame a diet soda addict can safely consume](. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press EXTREME WEATHER [Researchers pick up the pieces after a tornado tore through the Ottawa area]( Investigators are busy assessing the fallout from the calamitous twister that ripped through the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven on Thursday. This time, only about 125 homes were damaged, Irem Koca reports. “Imagine taking your house and flipping it upside down, while hanging weights off of the roof and then shaking it,” said one researcher. [Here’s more on the aftermath and why it’s not the worst we’ve ever seen](. support THIS Clarrie Feinstein/Toronto Star Four matches for four meals on an overnight camping trip in Bon Echo. It’s not how a survival expert would draw it up, but business reporter Clarrie Feinstein has only recently discovered the joy of camping. [That’s why she’s proud to contribute to the Star’s Fresh Air Fund](. Thanks for reading. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_191472), and Ben Cohen will see you back here tomorrow. TORONTO STAR SUMMER SALE Get unlimited access for: $3.33/month for 12 months [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](