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Health Brief: More drugmakers cut pricing deals
Plus: Nonprofits break down foreign aid cuts amid Trump administration shift to global health strategy
C.D.C. Director Challenges Pennsylvania’s Report of Two Measles Deaths
Questioning a state’s investigation is highly unusual for the public health agency, but reflects tensions between the Trump administration and many states over health issues.
Lionel Richie admitted to ICU after St. Louis concert
Lionel Richie has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a St. Louis-area hospital after performing a show on his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire over the weekend.
Defense Dept., SBA aim to revamp US defense industrial pipeline
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler discusses how small businesses are working with the US government to replenish defense supplies amid the Iran conflict on 'The Claman Countdown.'
Trump admin revives ‘Apprentice’-era energy with $1M business battle in DC
Nicki Minaj, Grant Cardone, and Joe Gebbia will judge the SBA's Patriot Pitch as five entrepreneur finalists compete for $1 million in cash.
Florida grand jury finds DeSantis administration misused $10 million, but no charges have been filed
Despite the lack of charges, the report ignited a new round of criticism aimed at Gov. Ron DeSantis and other top state Republicans over the charity receiving $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help poor children get health insurance.
Republicans ask Supreme Court to let them air TV ads for less
Republican campaign groups – supported by the Trump administration – asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let them purchase television advertising at discounted rates
Jennifer Garner was in ‘mourning’ after losing ‘West Wing’ role — and then she got ‘Alias’
Jennifer Garner admitted to being distraught after being passed over for ‘The West Wing,’ only to soon land her star-making vehicle.
Trump admin shuts down 270 driving schools in fraud crackdown
President Donald Trump's administration continued its nationwide campaign against fraud with new announcements targeting trucking fraud in Detroit.
CT’s Community Health Centers Earn National Recognition
The federal Health Resources and Services Administration recently awarded Community Health Quality Recognition badges to community health centers across the country, including Connecticut’s 17 health centers.
Business as Mission: Loving the World Well
At Taylor, we’re in the business of developing servant-leaders who will be ambassadors for Christ. Business is Taylor’s largest academic area, with over 400 students in the department.
Treasury Department blocks certain journalists from covering G20 meeting
The New York Times said in a statement that denying American journalists access to an event in the U.S. is “not just another disturbing effort by the administration to undermine independent journalism, but a blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny.”
Live updates: U.S. and Iran trade strikes after monthlong lull
Live updates and the latest news as the U.S. and Iran trade strikes after monthlong lull and Trump voters express frustrations with the administration in interviews with NBC News.
RFK Jr. packs health agencies with political appointees
Eighteen months into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure leading the Health Department, he’s stacked his agencies with more political appointees than any other recent administration, while reducing staffing to a 20-year low.
RFK Jr. packs health agencies with political appointees
Eighteen months into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure leading the Health Department, he’s stacked his agencies with more political appointees than any other recent administration, while reducing staffing to a 20-year low.
Trump’s deals in Africa could cut U.S. health aid by more than half, analysis shows
The planned reductions — targeting programs that combat the spread of deadly diseases — coincide with an administration push to make developing nations spend more.
How Guthrie plans to help PA Medicaid patients
The health system is expanding its volunteer program to keep patients insured when the Trump administration’s stricter Medicaid rules go into effect.
South Korea court finds Unification Church leader Han guilty
A South Korean court on Monday found Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja guilty in a case concerning political funds law violations and bribery tied to alleged efforts to cultivate influence with former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration.
Recruiter places ‘phoenix’ firm into liquidation just months after repurchase erased millions in debt
New company reportedly quickly fell behind with promised repayments to administrator
Ultra-thin aramid protection: Pitaka cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z8 Series review
In-depth hands-on review of the Pitaka Classic aramid fiber cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 & Flip: fit, build quality, 3D-Grip, and MagEZ in detail.
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices
Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.
Microsoft Admits Windows 11 KB5120998 Update Breaks Mouse Cursors, With Wallpapers Turning Black Until You Uninstall It
Microsoft is investigating issues with Windows 11 KB5120998 update causing mouse cursor and wallpaper bugs, prompting users to uninstall the update.
Ready to Roman: Caltech Teams Celebrate Telescope Launch, Look Ahead to Future
After over a decade of development with mission partners, Caltech, IPAC, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are excited to support and pursue new areas of research and discovery following Sunday's launch of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Trump administration cuts health care coverage for some transgender youth in California
Newsom’s 2026-27 budget already includes $10 million for “capacity grants to gender-affirming care services providers,” plus $8 million each in the next two budget years.
Trump administration deports relative of Afghans who helped US military to Central African Republic
His family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban because of the work performed by his brothers in support of the U.S. military.
Space News: NASA Johnson pilots chase Moon’s shadow for eclipse science
During the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse over Europe, scientists aimed to study a long-standing mystery: why the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, is far hotter than its visible surface. Capturing the data they needed meant being in exactly the right place at the right time.
Xbox CEO says next-gen Project Helix will be a “family of devices,” hinting at another Xbox Series S|X-style lineup
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma says the next-generation Project Helix will launch as a “family of devices,” suggesting a tiered lineup similar to the Xbox Series S and X. Microsoft has confirmed AMD-powered hardware supporting Xbox and PC games but has yet to disclose pricing, release timing, or disc-drive options.
Trump administration faces pushback after looking to privatize land on Yosemite National Park
A plan being considered by the Trump administration to allow a developer to use a portion of Yosemite National Park land is facing strong opposition from elected officials and conservationists, reflecting broader concerns about privatizing some of the country’s most cherished landmarks.
Oil deal with US is denounced by both sides of Venezuelan politics
Opposition said agreement with Trump administration was potentially illegal while government hardliners cast it as a betrayal
Draymond Green Admits Klay Thompson Nearly Left Warriors in 2019
Draymond Green said that Klay Thompson was planning on leaving the Warriors for a long time.
De Zerbi insists he remains confident in Spurs ‘project’ but admits ‘mentality’ challenge
Roberto De Zerbi admits Tottenham’s biggest challenge is finding the “right mentality” after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.Spurs were beaten at St James’ Park as goals from Anthony E...
Yankees news: Cody Bellinger's 'tennis' admission will catch fans' attention
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger is a World Series champion, National League Championship Series MVP, regular season MVP, three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner. One does not collect all that hardware without becoming a master of preparation. Yes, his career took a nosedive for a couple of years due to prolonged injury problems and […] The post Yankees news: Cody Bellinger's 'tennis' admission will catch fans' attention appeared first on ClutchPoints.
"We're aware," Microsoft on Windows 11 KB5120998 breaking the mouse cursor
Windows 11's biggest update KB 5120998 is breaking mouse cursors, Microsoft admits the issue, and confirms it's investigating.
Pixel 11's Tensor G6 and Pixel 10's Tensor G5 still fall behind in performance per watt, testing shows
Geekerwan's first efficiency test of the Tensor G6 and G5 shows that both trail the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Apple's A-series chips in CPU and GPU performance per watt, while the Kirin 9030 Pro matches the Tensor chips despite being manufactured on a much older process node.
EA breaks its silence after Iron Man gameplay leak, admitting "well, that didn't go as planned"
EA has responded to leaked Iron Man gameplay footage, promising more news once the game is ready to properly reveal it.
Williamson College of Business Administration to Honor 4 Alumni
YSU's Williamson College of Business Administration will celebrate its 30th annual Outstanding Alumni Awards on Oct. 16.
Judge rules Trump unlawfully targeted foreign students who criticized Israel
The ruling was a win for Stanford’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, and it followed another court victory for students targeted by the Trump administration last year.
Trump says U.S. has entered deal with Venezuela to take control of 65 billion barrels of oil reserves
President Trump says his administration has entered a sweeping agreement with Venezuela that could give the U.S. access to vast amounts of the South American country's untapped oil reserves, at cost.
Apple Skips M6 Pro, Rushes AI-First M7 & Baltra Chip
Apple shipped M6 and M5 Ultra, but reports say it skipped M6 Pro/Max/Ultra to rush an AI-first M7 family and Baltra server chip.
New Mexico advocates push for stronger maternal mental health support amid Lindsay Clancy trial
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A high-profile murder trial in Massachusetts is drawing renewed attention to maternal mental health issues and prompting conversations about support systems available to parents in New Mexico.Lindsay Clancy has admitted to killing her three young children, but her defense team argues she is not criminally responsible because she was experiencing postpartum psychosis. […]
RFK Jr. questions measles deaths in Pennsylvania
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story RFK Jr. seizes on Shapiro’s measles statements Top Trump administration health officials are seiz…
Trump says he will observe the 25th anniversary of 9/11 at the Pentagon
Vice President JD Vance will attend the New York observance and other administration officials will go to the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Trump says he will observe the 25th anniversary of 9/11 at the Pentagon
Vice President JD Vance will attend the New York observance and other administration officials will go to the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Trump says he will observe the 25th anniversary of 9/11 at the Pentagon
Vice President JD Vance will attend the New York observance and other administration officials will go to the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Political feud between Gov. Shapiro and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. erupts into high-stakes battle over vaccine safety
Amid a worsening measles outbreak that has sickened hundreds throughout the state, Gov. Josh Shapiro stepped to the podium during a press conference in...
Kiggans, CMS Administrator Oz Discuss Healthcare Affordability, Access in Coastal Virginia
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) welcomed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz...
Federal Rule Change Denies Immigrant Businesses Access to Guaranteed Loans
Businesses owned by immigrants, including green card holders, have been deemed ineligible for federal Small Business Administration loan support. Commercial corridors across the country are already feeling the effects of this ill-conceived policy change.
US Treasury imposes limits on Egyptian bank for doing business with Iran
Measures targeting UAE branches of Banque Misr are part of Trump administration’s efforts to isolate Tehran
Trump's pick for FDA faces scrutiny after cyclospora outbreak
Heidi Overton has been tapped to lead the Food and Drug Administration. But some worry she will pick loyalty to Trump over science.
Democrats aim to emulate Republicans in building state power
A growing number of progressive groups looking to combat the influence of conservative groups. Experts say the left has years of work ahead if it wants to match the prowess of the organized right. But the second Trump administration has rallied Democrats across the states seeking to oppose federal policies.
White House, hemp lobbyists bet on shutdown politics to delay ‘diet weed’ ban
Lawmakers say the Trump administration is promising to use the one-month punt to work on new regulations.
New Seattle Seahawks owner makes unexpected Pittsburgh Steelers admission
In a surprising turn of events, new Seattle Seahawks owner Vinod Khosla declared himself to be a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the introductory press conference. Vinod and Neeru Khosla became the new majority owners of the Seattle Seahawks after the NFL approved their purchase of the team at a $9.
SanDisk launches 1TB microSD Express card for Switch 2
SanDisk has unveiled a new SD Express card at Gamescom. It allows Switch 2 owners to upgrade to 1TB of storage and is also compatible with several Asus gaming handhelds. However, the card is very expensive.
How AI is quietly reshaping chemical sciences
From reducing administrative workload to navigating ‘alien intelligence,’ this month’s column takes a practical look at integrating LLMs and LWMs in the lab
Here Comes the Not-So-Very-Small Business Administration
I don’t make jokes—I just watch the government and report the facts. - Will Rogers The Small Business Administration (SBA) would like to change the definition of a small business. The summary of its proposal in the Federal Register is matter-of-fact in tone: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or the Agency) is proposing new size standards for […]
FDA approves updated Covid-19 vaccines
The US Food and Drug Administration has signed off on updated Covid-19 vaccines for many Americans.
The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science
“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. 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Trump Administration Will Appeal Harvard Antisemitism Case
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Dolly’s generosity to Vanderbilt Health highlighted; reading test results before your doctor has a chance; staying healthy this fall; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
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Anthony Dotson creates a foundation for students to soar in imaging sciences
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Is Germany benefitting yet from the crisis in US research?
Science|Business - Table.Media partnershipScience|Business has partnered with Table.Media, a leading source of news about higher education and research in Germany. Each week, we are publishing one of each other’s stories to give readers an even broader range of insight into R&D policy across Europe.Drawing over 500 participants, the German Academic International Network conference in San Francisco brings together researchers, universities, scientific organisations and policymakers in the US as part of an attempt to recruit international talent for Germany. It also serves as an annual barometer for the uncertainty triggered by the Trump administration’s science policies. As was the case last year, Germany’s political presence was unusually strong: federal lawmakers, nine state ministers of science and research, and federal research state secretary Marcus Pleyer all attended. Joybrato Mukherjee, president of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), has observed a marked shift at US universities a year after the Trump administration began sweeping interventions: the initial state of "shock and paralysis" has given way to a strategic approach to the situation. Universities are seeking new funding sources, mounting legal challenges against interventions and opening themselves up more to international collaborations, including with Germany, he said. Early-career international researchers with expiring visas are considered particularly vulnerable. Germany is benefiting from increased demand among this pool of young talent; the country’s 1,000 Minds Plus programme, designed in part to lure German academics back home, has already filled up around one-third of its capacity. Meanwhile, Markus Blume, Bavaria’s science minister and current chair of the federal Conference of Science Ministers, sees an "enormous outflow of talent from the US." An increasing number of international researchers want to leave. Applications to Canada have risen by 42% January, and those to Europe by 32%. Meanwhile, the number of people drawn to the US is plummeting. "In this context, Germany must position itself as a prime destination offering reliable conditions, institutional stability and academic freedom, including through smart collaborations," Blume told Table.Briefings.“Darkest hour”At the get-together in San Francisco, the former president of the US National Academy of Sciences, Marcia McNutt, highlighted the gravity of the situation on the ground in a keynote address. She described the present moment as the "darkest hour for the US scientific system." At the same time, she said that cooperation should be maintained, especially during a crisis. Established researchers in the US are less likely to leave. Ulrike Malmendier, a former member of the German Council of Economic Experts and an economist at Berkeley, explained why established researchers are not packing their bags and leaving the US in droves: working conditions and the concentration of talent at places like Berkeley and Stanford remain unparalleled. According to Peter-André Alt, managing director of the Wübben Foundation, which helps Germany attract international academics, political restrictions are not the only grievance voiced by US-based researchers. "There are evidently still many areas where, fortunately, unfettered research is possible," Alt told Table.Briefings. Instead, the primary complaint concerns the cost of living, which has "skyrocketed” to absurd levels. "Runaway inflation, like that currently seen in the US, is certainly no draw for young scientific talent,” he said. Return homeA growing number of early-career researchers from Germany appear to be considering a return home. Jörn Benzinger, who is responsible for recruiting early-career researchers from abroad at Ruhr University Bochum, reports numerous conversations with researchers who are taking a closer look at the German academic landscape."Germany has definitely moved more into the spotlight,” he said. States, university alliances and research organisations joined forces to recruit talent. Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia were prominently represented, as were alliances such as the Berlin University Alliance and the University Alliance Ruhr. Benzinger sums up Germany’s approach with a new formula: "collaboration is the new competition." He notes that it is becoming increasingly difficult for individual universities to gain international visibility, while regional research ecosystems and collaborations are growing in importance. Afraid to leaveThe crisis in the US academic sector is also straining transatlantic research relations. Benzinger reports that some US-based researchers had to decline brief invitations to Germany because they could not be certain of being allowed to re-enter the US afterward.He considers the simple poaching of researchers to be the wrong approach; what is needed, he says, are "reliable offers and long-term partnerships."However, Green Party politician Ayşe Asar, who also attended the conference, sees a significant need for improvement, particularly regarding career paths in Germany.While lifetime professorships and academic freedom certainly make Germany attractive, young researchers also require predictable career paths, tenure-track positions and flatter hierarchies.
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