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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. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Neronha urges state regulators to reject proposed health insurance premium hikes
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is urging state regulators to deny proposed 2027 health insurance premium increases from Neighborhood Health Plan and Blue Cross Blue Shield, arguing the hikes are untenable for Rhode Islanders.
Lions coach Campbell pleased with versatility of the secondary
With training camp wrapping up on Thursday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he loves the versatility of the secondary. There are some candidates there,’’ Campbell said on Thursday. Injuries to safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who remain on the physically unable to perform list, opened up the competition.
Bill Edwards, leading St. Petersburg business figure, dies at 81
Edwards had owned the Sundial shopping center and Tampa Bay Rowdies, and ran the Mahaffey Theater.
Bill Edwards, leading St. Petersburg business figure, dies at 81
Prominent St. Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards, whose reach spanned real estate, sports and the arts, died Thursday morning.
The iconic voice actor behind Optimus Prime and Eeyore dies at 85
Peter Cullen, the iconic voice actor behind characters like Optimus Prime in the ‘Transformers’ films and Eeyore in ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ has died at 85.
Optimus Prime and Eeyore voice actor Peter Cullen dies
Cullen voiced the heroic Optimus Prime in the Transformers TV series and then the Hollywood films.
Sony finally has a cheaper OLED to compete with midrange Samsung and LG TVs
The Bravia 6 is Sony’s first OLED TV with four HDMI 2.1 ports.
Phillies news: Philadelphia may get big pitching boost before playoffs
The Philadelphia Phillies are competing for a National League Wild Card spot. Left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Banks is currently out with a left forearm strain , however. Banks has not pitched since early July because of the injury but is expected to return in “mid-to-late September” according to MLB.com. Banks began his rehab assignment on […] The post Phillies news: Philadelphia may get big pitching boost before playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Peter Cullen, known for voicing Optimus Prime in 'Transformers,' dead at 85
Cullen died Wednesday at his LA home
Peter Cullen, known for voicing Optimus Prime in 'Transformers,' dead at 85
Cullen died Wednesday at his LA home
First Look: The New Purple IWC Pilot Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Gearing up for this year's Singapore Grand Prix, IWC drops the vibrant Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.
Jamie Carragher: HMRC files bankruptcy petition against Sky Sports, CBS pundit
The petition against the former Liverpool and England defender was filed over an unpaid tax bill.
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.
U.S. Sen. Peters says Ferris State Cybersecurity and Data Science programs are ‘at the forefront’ during motorcycle tour stop
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters toured Ferris State University’s nationally recognized cybersecurity programs on Thursday, visiting campus as part of his 10th and final motorcycle tour across the state.
Greenland research institutions halt new US collaborations citing mistrust
Although US President Donald Trump still harbours ambitions to take over Greenland, for US researchers his actions seem to have had the opposite effect. Over the summer, Greenland’s two largest research institutions, the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and the University of Greenland, both announced policies of not starting new research projects with US researchers.Both institutions cite a mistrust of the US as a motivation for the decision. At the University of Greenland, the change of policy has already led to the rejection of specific proposals for new collaborations, rector Mari Kleist told Science|Business. “The reason is the changed political situation between the US and Kalaallit Nunaat [Greenland], and the uncertainty that the American interest in Kalaallit Nunaat has created,” she said.For the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, a partially state-funded environmental research institution, the decision was also prompted by a lack of trust in US intentions. In a July interview with local broadcaster KNR, director Josephine Nymand cited concerns about data ownership, US “influence operatives” and social media monitoring of researchers entering the US.The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources has long collaborated with the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The policy change will not affect these existing partnerships but will apply to collaborations with new, “unknown” partners, Nymand said. At the University of Greenland, the policy is the same.The changes come amid proposals of severe cuts to the NSF, which would likely also see the US research presence in Greenland reduced. In spite of this, when asked about the Greenlandic policy change, the NSF remained optimistic of its continued presence in Greenland.“We are grateful to our partners in Greenland for their collaboration in advancing scientific knowledge and training the next generation of researchers. NSF remains committed to the long-term collaborations with Greenland that enable scientific research near communities and on Greenland’s ice sheet,” an NSF spokesperson told Science|Business.Fewer US researchers in GreenlandMost research published on Greenland is on natural science topics such as the cryosphere, ice dynamics, permafrost and climate change. In recent years, US researchers have been the most prolific publishers on Greenland.The US research presence in Greenland goes far beyond the capital of Nuuk, where the two research institutions are located. It includes the Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland, various projects in settlements and research stations along the coast, as well as research stations on the Greenland ice sheet itself.The largest of these sites, Summit Station, is located at the highest point of the Greenland ice sheet, about 3,200 metres above sea level, and since the 1980s it has been used for drilling cores out of the ice sheet. These ice cores provide valuable information on the global climate going back at least 100,000 years. About 30 kilometres from Summit Station, the Danish-led Greenland Ice-core Project (Grip), funded by the European Research Council, is also drilling ice cores. Although they initially competed, the relationship between the two research teams has “long been amiable,” Jørgen Peder Steffensen, a Danish researcher who has been part of Grip for more than 40 years, told Science|Business.However, since Trump took office in early 2025, Steffensen has noticed a reduction in US research in the country. “Several of our American partners did not make it into the field this year. Their field seasons were cancelled because they lacked the budget,” he said.He ascribed part of the reduction in US researchers to a renovation of Summit Station. “A very large share of NSF funding has gone into renewing the station. Money has been taken from research and allocated to rebuilding it,” he said.A report published in August by Arctic Hub confirms Steffensen's observations of fewer US researchers. It shows that US research publications on Greenland took a dip towards the end of the period spanning 2015 to 2024. In 2024, before Trump took office, the number of publications had fallen from an average of about 250 articles a year, to just 164, second behind Canada at 169.Data from the NSF logistics provider Battelle also shows a reduction in US research presence in Greenland in recent years. In 2023, Battelle counted 48 projects across 78 locations, but in 2025 that number had fallen to 40 projects across 38 locations. And while relations with US personnel in Greenland have remained strong, some tensions have arisen since Trump took office. “On a personal level, there is nothing. But it’s hanging in the air. It hangs unspoken,” Steffensen said.Cutting ties with US researchers entirely would come at a higher cost for the ice core researchers than the Nuuk-based institutions. To get cargo to and from their bases, both Grip and Summit Station rely on unique, ski-equipped Hercules LC-130 aircraft operated by the New York Air National Guard. Without these, maintaining a research base on the Greenland ice sheet would not be viable on current budgets, Steffensen said. “[If the Hercules planes were not available], we would have to think outside of the box. We would have to use smaller planes, and we would have to build a base closer to the coast. But staying in our current location would be too expensive and it would create a huge carbon footprint,” he said.Suspicious people in NuukIn her explanation of the severed US ties, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources director Josephine Nymand compared the decision to past situations when the institute had to cut ties with China and Russia, the latter due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And although the current situation is less severe, the comparison reflects the seriousness with which Nuuk sees the US threats. “From Greenland’s perspective, the US may not look so different from Russia right now: a much larger neighbouring power threatening to invade,” Lin Alexandra Mortensgaard, a researcher of international politics in the Arctic at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told Science|Business. “From a European perspective, it is not a comparable situation, because we are entangled with the US on all possible fronts and do not want to destroy more than is absolutely necessary. But from Greenland’s side, there may well be a need to send a clear signal to the US,” she went on. Suspicions have been fuelled by instances of Trump-affiliated people in Greenland trying to persuade Greenlandic citizens to support a US takeover. The most prolific among them is Tom Dans, a former venture capitalist and pecan farmer who was appointed by Trump as the chair of the United States Arctic Research Commission. Observers fear that he is now using research to achieve a US takeover.“Greenland is a small society with a small population, so when Americans with unclear affiliations wander around, trying to be good friends with people, and you don't know what they want, that creates mistrust. This probably played into the research institutions taking these drastic steps,” Mortensgaard said.Related articles:The US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to knowEU polar research melts into the backgroundAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateAnd although Greenland’s population is small at just 57,000, for Mortensgaard, it serves as a microcosm for the geopolitical situation as a whole: global powers fighting for their interests to the detriment of the common interest. Arctic research already suffered when collaborations with Russia broke down in 2022, she said, so a split with the US would be a serious hit to climate science.“The Arctic climate system does not respect borders or geopolitical divides. When collaboration across those lines suddenly becomes impossible, it is a huge problem for knowledge production,” she said. European alternatives?The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources is funded partly by research grants from external sources like the NSF. To replace the US funding, the institute will have to look for alternative revenue sources, and Nymand said that she is looking to Europe for those. Aside from Denmark, of which Greenland is formally a part, she also noted increased interest in research collaborations from the UK, France and Switzerland. Kleist of the University of Greenland told Science|Business that it was too early to say if the severed US ties would lead to more collaborations with Europe. Meanwhile, Mortensgaard believed that the tensions in Arctic research could well leave room for closer European partnerships, or stronger links with Canada. “I spoke to Canadian researchers who had long-standing relationships with American colleagues and who collaborated with the US Navy, but who had gotten worried that their data on sea ice could be used if Trump suddenly decided to follow through on his threats of invading,” she said. “Like Canada, I think Greenland is considering creating closer ties to Europe and I think European capitals will be open to this,” she said.
Flock Cameras, the ‘Surveillance State,’ and a Political Reckoning | WSJ Politics Newsletter for Aug. 27
Plus, Hakeem Jeffries scrambles to find balance among the Democratic Party’s competing factions, and states face confusion over new mail-in ballot rules.
Mother-daughter team open new dog grooming business in Ephrata
EPHRATA — A shared love of animals and a desire to serve local pet owners led a mother-daughter team to open Groomer Has It, a new dog grooming business in downtown Ephrata. The business, owned by Paige Moore and her mother, Millie Roduner, officially opened Aug. 7 at 217 W. Division St.
Esquire First Look: Peter Berg’s World War II Drama The Mosquito Bowl
Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Ray Nicholson, and Tom Francis describe playing long-ago football stars who risked everything to serve.
Photos show Yayoi Kusama and artwork featuring her signature polka dots
Renowned contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama has died at age 97 in a Tokyo hospital. Kusama's work was shown in museums around the world. Repetitive motifs in various shapes were her
The Dog Stars & Coyote vs. Acme’s Box Office Predictions Reveal Which Movie Wins
The Dog Stars and Coyote vs. Acme are heading for a surprising box office showdown this weekend. Early tracking and presale numbers reveal which film comes out on top as both compete for audiences in ...
Shenandoah County Fair offers nine days of entertainment, competition and community
The Shenandoah County Fair returns Friday for nine days of music, midway rides, livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, food, family activities and grandstand entertainment.
Entertainment unions intensify campaign for corporate tax handouts as film subsidy race to the bottom accelerates
As public funds bankroll corporate relocation, entertainment unions enforce the competitive framework and suppress a unified struggle against job destruction.
Big Ten extends commissioner Tony Petitti through 2033
The Big Ten commissioner is sticking around for seven more years
Packers’ Tucker Kraft Fires Definitive Message on Injury Return
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft told reporters he is done being on a repetitions count because of his return from injury. The post Packers’ Tucker Kraft Fires Definitive Message on Injury Return appeared first on HEAVY.
Relive: BVB youngsters win at Fulham
After winning the title last season, Borussia Dortmund are also competing in the Premier League International Cup this campaign. In their opening match, they traveled to west London to face Fulham FC....
Sources: Big 12 ADs agree to ban professionals from returning
The Big 12 athletic directors have unanimously agreed to ban professionals from returning to Big 12 schools in all sports, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Wednesday.
Raquel Lee Bolleau reportedly reached settlement in 2015 with Mark Curry, who played her dad in Disney Channel movie
Raquel Lee Bolleau reportedly settled with former movie dad Mark Curry years before suing Disney on negligence in relation to alleged on-set sexual abuse.
Behind the rhinestones, Dolly Parton built a business empire
Dolly Parton, the larger-than-life country singer and songwriter who died on Tuesday at age 80, rose from a self-described "dirt poor" upbringing to build a business empire that extended from song royalties to hit movies, a cosmetic line, pet products, a theme park, a truck stop and more.
The Science Behind Why Cats Come Running to "Pspsps"
Okay, so maybe it's not phonetically correct but that whispery "pspsps" we all make to call our feline companions over is actually considered to be a universal language among cats. And guess what? Tha...
Most ‘Disruptive’ Business Ideas Aren’t Disruptive. This 1-Minute Test Reveals Which Ones Are
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Meet the cast of ‘Survivor 51’
The cast of ‘Survivor 51’ has been revealed. Meet the 21 castaways competing in the first season of the competition show’s ‘Open Era,’ including a chef, pro wrestler, game designer, voice actress, and three farmers.
SBA seeks to redefine small business, with some revenue caps reaching $1 billion
Critics warn that dramatically higher thresholds could leave the smallest firms competing against far larger rivals for federal contracts and loans
MFU Foundation report finds that small businesses are squeezed by anticompetitive conduct
PAUL, Minn. - Growing monopoly power and anticompetitive conduct across the economy are key reasons rural Minn...
Manhattan-sized ice island breaks off Greenland’s Petermann Glacier
A Manhattan-sized ice island has broken away from Greenland’s Petermann Glacier after years of growing fractures weakened its floating ice tongue. Scientists expect two more huge sections could soon detach, potentially removing about 22 percent of the remaining ice tongue.
Meet the Nurse Behind UC San Diego Health's Most Requested Makeover
Daisy Santos, a registered nurse on the Senior Behavioral Health unit at UC San Diego Health, was honored at Petco Park through the Health Care Home Runs program.
Cinq à Sept Built a $200 Million Business. Now It Wants Your Attention.
The 10-year-old label has built a thriving womenswear business that outsells buzzier competitors. Its next goal is to grab some of that buzz for itself.
White Sox outlast Rangers in South Side slugfest, 11-7
Tristan Peters mashed his fourth homer in as many games as Chicago rebounded to defeat Texas
49ers' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season
The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most consistent teams in the NFL. They have registered double-digit victories in four of the last five years, but that’s simply not good enough when at team competes in the NFC West. The 49ers have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks twice a year and they also have to do the same with […] The post 49ers' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
SEC and Big Ten Ban Pro Players From Returning to College
The SEC and Big Ten have taken major steps to prevent former professional athletes from returning to college sports after gaining additional eligibility through recent legal rulings. The Big Ten passed a new rule Tuesday preventing football players who have moved into professional football from returning to compete for one of its schools. Under the…
Red Wings GM Search Gets Several Concrete Names
Elliotte Friedman revealed several names connected to the Red Wings GM search, including Brett Peterson, Jeff Kealty and Jeff Greenberg.
Scheffler, McIlroy Headline Tour Championship Field At East Lake
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy headline the 2026 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club as the PGA Tour’s top 30 FedEx Cup players compete for a $10 million winner’s prize.
‘Michiganders for Money Out of Politics’ petition taken up in the House
The Michigan House took up a ballot measure Tuesday to curb political donations from some of Michigan’s public utilities and government contractors. Lawmakers passed the initiative by a large margin.
Free Entertainment, Cold Drinks, and Friendly Competition: The Empire Room is The Place to be at The Great New York State Fair
Featuring Daily Entertainment and Pour-Your-Own-Beer Wall by Harvey’s Garden Country line dancing, a Buffalo Bills pep rally, and a Silent Disco walk into a bar…or the Empire Room at The Great…
Rep. Neyer votes to get money out of politics
State Rep. Jerry Neyer today voted to get money out of politics by blocking public-backed utilities and other large corporations from donating to political campaigns and candidates. The state House overwhelmingly approved the Michiganders for Money out of Politics (MMOP) citizen-initiated law proposal, which was initiated after hundreds of thousands of Michiganders signed a petition […]
AB 1776 would make things even harder for California small businesses
California small businesses need smart laws that help us make the most of today’s integrated digital tools and allow us to grow and compete — not radical policies that jeopardize our future.
PGA Tour adds match-play format to season-ending playoffs
Elite golfers will compete in a two-week match play competition to cap the PGA Tour Championship Series starting in 2028, officials announced Tuesday.
47-year-old pastor makes college football team as DE
Justin Buzzard returns to a competitive football field for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Simplifying Science: How Brianna Davis Nailed the Three-Minute Thesis
After winning the College of Life Sciences' 3MT competition and placing third at the university level, Brianna Davis shares her experience.
Beyond the Uniform: Career Venture Prepares Wolverines for Life After Sport
Michigan student-athletes took another step toward preparing for life beyond competition through the Graham Family Athletic Career Center's Career Venture Pr...
An NFL player’s viral speech was just 59 words. It captured the power of sports
Shiyazh Pete is an undrafted rookie offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys who may not make the team.
LCMC Health expands cancer services with bone marrow transplant clinic, clinical trials
LCMC recently completed an expansion that is growing its cancer services offerings for patients in New Orleans, poising the health system to better compete against Ochsner Health for cancer patients in the area.
‘A Facade, a Charade’ — Emmanuel Acho Accuses Browns of Faking Deshaun Watson-Shedeur Sanders QB Competition to Avoid Backlash
Deshaun Watson will open the 2026 season as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback. He ultimately beat Shedeur Sanders in a battle that began during the team’s offseason workout program.
Jets' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season
The New York Jets actually look like they have some genuine momentum. After dropping their preseason opener to Tampa Bay, Aaron Glenn’s team responded with a statement performance in Pittsburgh. Suddenly, the competition for roster spots feels considerably more consequential. Geno Smith has already demonstrated that the offense can operate […] The post Jets' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Newsom's attack dog taunts Buttigieg over South Carolina visit as 2028 fight heats up
A Gavin Newsom aide mocked former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's South Carolina NAACP visit as the Democratic Party faces a growing fight over Black voter outreach in 2028.
SEC: Pro athletes should not 'return to college competition'
As LSU hopes to sign NFL tight end Dae'Quan Wright, if he clears waivers, the SEC on Monday issued a statement emphasizing its belief that athletes who choose to leave to sign pro contracts "should not then be permitted to return to college competition."
Minnesota's kicking competition muddied by NCAA eligibility court ruling
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The eligibility chaos across college football has seeped into depth charts for several programs with the regular season fast approaching.
Pete Buttigieg returns to South Carolina as he weighs another White House run
Returning to South Carolina this weekend as he mulls a second run for the White House, Buttigieg set out to reintroduce himself to the state and the Black voters he struggled to win in 2020.
Shell is attracting bids for its U.S. chemicals plants that could fetch $8 billion
ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, Apollo Global Management, and Kuwait Petroleum have submitted non-binding offers for Shell's U.S. assets
Browns news: Mina Kimes rips Cleveland's Deshaun Watson decision
The Cleveland Browns had the most intense quarterback competition in the NFL, and Todd Monken’s decision on who he named as QB1 was certainly a divisive one. Cleveland opted to name Deshaun Watson , not Shedeur Sanders, as the team’s Week 1 starter. The Watson decision comes despite the fact that the quarterback just called out the Browns’ fanbase […] The post Browns news: Mina Kimes rips Cleveland's Deshaun Watson decision appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Bronzeville development site pitched for Pete’s Fresh Market
The proposal for the former public housing site Stateway Gardens would bring a long-awaited grocery store to the neighborhood, with about 500 residential units planned for a later phase.
Immigrant grocers file lawsuit against NYC-owned grocery store plan
Immigrant grocers in Harlem, New York, file a lawsuit against the city's plan to open government-run grocery stores. Store manager Elvis Aria warns the untaxed competition could put family businesses like his out of business.
This Week: SF Politics, Bike East Bay Volunteer Night, SFMTA Photo Archive
Here is a list of events this week. Tuesday SF Politics 101 with Joel Engardio. SF Politics 101 is a look at how local politics work and the history that shaped San Francisco—brought to life with visuals and narrative storytelling. Tuesday, August 25, 6-7:15 p.m. SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F. Register to attend. Tuesday Bike East Bay Volunteer Night. Tackle projects while socializing with fellow advocates. Snacks provided. Tuesday, August 25, 6-8 p.m. Bike East Bay Office, 466 Water Street, Oakland. Wednesday SFMTA Photo Archive and Peter Hartlaub. Go back in time for an evening of photos, stories and conversation with the Chronicle, Mayor Art Agnos, and S.F. Muni. Wednesday, August 26, 5:30 p.m. Gray Area Foundation / Grand Theatre, 2667 Mission Street, S.F. Get tickets. Wednesday Smart City Cycling. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a presentation for people interested in biking but intimidated by urban traffic plus anyone already riding who wants to hone their skills. Wednesday, August 26, 6-7:30 p.m. Anza Branch Public Library, 550 37th Avenue, S.F. Thursday Member Repair Party. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and learn how to repair your bike. Thursday, August 27, 5-7 p.m. San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, 1720 Market Street, S.F. RSVP required. Saturday The Bay Ride. Circumnavigate the San Francisco Bay while raising funds for cycling infrastructure that makes streets safer for everyone. Saturday, August 29, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts at Sports Basement Presidio, 610 Old Mason Street, S.F. Saturday Flat Fix Clinic for Students and Families. Join the Safe Routes to School team at the Marina Branch Branch Library for a hands-on flat fix clinic. Saturday, August 29, 2-3:30 p.m. Marina Branch Public Library, 1890 Chestnut Street, S.F. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.
Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania
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Venice Film Festival adds Gaza doc ‘NAZA' to competition lineup
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Always tired and not sure why? You may need to close your ‘loops’
Procrastinating on some tasks may feel harmless, but the perpetual mental hum of unfinished business may cause more stress than you realize.
Always tired and not sure why? You may need to close your ‘loops’
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Local Business Group Sues Over NYC Mayor Mamdani’s Plan to Open Government-Owned Grocery Stores
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Longtime Business Librarian Pete Pietraszewski Takes a New Role - Notre Dame Business Mendoza College of Business
Under Pete Pietraszewski's leadership the business library became a place where expertise and collaboration helped people do their best work.
Sudan’s conflict worsening, UN political and peacebuilding chief warns
On 24 August, the Security Council held a briefing on Sudan at the request by Denmark to discuss the protection of civilians and the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict. “The consequences of this conflict will be long-lasting and should shock us all,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.Civilians face one of the worst humanitarian crises, she said, as they deal with frequent drone attacks against markets, schools, fuel stations and water infrastructure, and the rainy season. Some 13 million people have fled their homes, but access challenges have made it impossible to confirm the true death toll, "it is likely to be in the hundreds of thousands", she said. “Brutal mass killings and atrocities, abductions of women and girls and mass rapes are recurring patterns,” she warned.In North Kordofan, drone attacks continue as both parties compete for control of strategically important towns, she said, reiterating deep concern at the imminent risk of large-scale atrocities by the Rapid Support Forces in and around El abdede. Drone strikes near Tina, on Sudan’s border with Chad, where the refugee influx has intensified pressure on already scarce land, have led to violent disputes over resources. Plus numerous armed movements are pursuing their own territorial and political interests. The UN continues to support efforts of the QUAD - United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates – for a humanitarian truce. And it is working with the Quintet partners, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States, and the European Union to help advance a viable political path. “Our goal is to build confidence in the political path and pave the way for an inclusive Sudanese-led dialogue for a shared vision for the country’s future,” she said. Sudanese authorities have also bolstered efforts to support civilian dialogue. “Their desire for an inclusive and durable peace is clear,” she said. Both parties must now make concrete commitments on releasing of prisioners, particularly vulnerable groups such as women and children. “The Personal Envoy will travel to Sudan shortly to advance these conversations," she said.
Discover the team sports to watch at the Dakar 2026 YOG
As the first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa, the Dakar 2026 YOG will bring together the world’s best young athletes in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November 2026. Discover four team sports in the official competition programme: Baseball5, futsal, rugby sevens and 3x3 basketball.
Dan Osborn staffers infiltrated rival political party, tried to dissolve it
Two paid staffers of Dan Osborn’s 2024 campaign joined an effort to dissolve a rival political party last year, according to records obtained by the Flatwater Free Press. The records reveal the lengths Osborn’s allies have gone to clear the field for the nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate as he attempts to unseat Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts.
Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Awards Winners
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-The Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Awards are presented by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Points are awarded to a school based on its finish in FHSAA State Series competition in each sport in the classification in which it has been assigned to compete. The results are in, and the points have been totaled for the 2025-26 school year. Congratulations to Winter Park (7A), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) (6A), Ponte Vedra (5A), Bishop Moore (Orlando) (4A), Bolles (Jacksonville) (3A), Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) (2A), Victory Christian (Lakeland) (1A), and Williston (1R) for being overall classifications winners!
The Petitti Paradox: Big Ten commissioner has built a career pushing convention
Tony Petitti has overseen unprecedented on-field success at the Big Ten, but the commissioner remains a somewhat mysterious figure to those outside the league.
Councilor Ed Flynn decries ‘petty Boston City Hall politics’ amid veterans leadership snafu
A Facebook post, later taken down by Councilor Henry Santana, got tongues wagging in Boston by suggesting Councilor Ed Flynn, a U.S. Navy veteran and critic of the mayor, was stripped of his veterans committee vice chairmanship.
Jena Griswold’s record: corruption, incompetence
There is no statewide elected official going back decades who is as breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent as Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who is now running for attorney general of all things. And compliant ruling Democrats know it. Their silence is nothing short of complicity with Griswold’s shameful political grift. CBS Colorado’s political reporter Shaun […]
Browns' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season
The Cleveland Browns’ 53-man roster is beginning to take shape. The quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders remains the headline story. However, Cleveland’s roster decisions extend far beyond who’s under center. New head coach Todd Monken has spent the summer evaluating a young, revamped roster built around competition […] The post Browns' 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Dan Sullivan endorses Dan Sullivan to beat Dan Sullivan in perplexing Alaska Senate race
A third Dan Sullivan — a former Anchorage mayor — has weighed in on the competitive Senate race, endorsing Sen. Dan S. Sullivan over former teacher Dan J. Sullivan.
What Is Chuwi, The Laptop Brand Challenging Apple?
The Chuwi brand views itself as a challenger to Apple in low-end laptops, but concerns about its processors and new competitors could affect its market.
iPhone 18 Pro Release Date Has Already Crushed The Competition
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta Struggles To Impress
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4 Reliable Laptop Brands That Can Compete With Lenovo
Lenovo is one of the more popular laptop brands on the market among users looking for reliable machines, but these four brands are also highly rated.
Eastlake science students make district history
Three Eastlake High School students made Sweetwater Union High School District history this year when they became the first students from the district to qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair, an international competition that brings together some of the top high school researchers from around the world. Ronald Wyatt, Giles Del Priore and Ihan Sung advanced to the competition after successful runs at regional and state science fairs. Sung went a step further, placing fourth in the chemistry category at ISEF. The students were recognized on Aug. 10 during a Sweetwater Union High School District board meeting at the district office in Chula Vista.For Wyatt and Del Priore, recent Eastlake graduates, the journey began with a shared concern about dementia and the challenges faced by families caring for loved ones with memory impairment. Their engineering project, “Design and Evaluation of a Behaviorally Grounded Caregiver-Governed AI Companion for Individuals with Memory Impairment,” earned the Sweepstakes Award at the Sweetwater District STEM Fair and first place in its division at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. The project explored whether Artificial Intelligence could provide companionship and support while helping reduce stress for people with dementia and their caregivers. “Our inspiration came from personal experience. Both of us have seen family members and loved ones affected by dementia, and we’ve witnessed how overwhelming the caregiving process can be,” Wyatt said. Del Priore said the students also wanted to address the high cost of third-party health care services while creating something that could potentially help their own families as well as people elsewhere. The students developed an AI system designed with safeguards intended to prevent misinformation reinforcement, emotional escalation and unsafe responses. In 240 controlled trials involving memory, identity, agitation and neutral scenarios, they said the system consistently prevented harmful incorrect reinforcement while using context-aware silence, de-escalation and caregiver verification. The project required the students to combine Artificial Intelligence, psychology, neuroscience and human-computer interaction. For Del Priore, one of the biggest technical challenges was getting the AI companion to communicate verbally with a patient. Hardware limitations required the students to collaborate with multiple Python libraries for speech-to-text and text-to-speech functions while keeping the cost of the companion low. “For us, the biggest challenge was translating complex behavioral and cognitive care principles into a functioning AI system,” Wyatt said.Qualifying for ISEF was a milestone that student expected. The international competition proved to be another milestone. “Competing at ISEF was an incredible experience and unlike anything we’ve ever done before,” Del Priore said. “Being surrounded by some of the most talented young researchers from around the world was both inspiring and motivating.” He said the experience stood out because of the emphasis on collaboration, innovation and scientific discovery. “The most memorable part was seeing how people from completely different backgrounds and disciplines approached solving real-world problems with creativity and passion,” he said. The students also credited teachers and mentors who supported their work. Del Priore said his sophomore-year AP Physics teacher, Dr. Price, was particularly influential. “Through all of my personal and academic struggles, Dr. Price always believed in me,” Del Priore said. “All of his faith in me really molded me into the person I am today and helped create my love for science even through tough times.” Wyatt is continuing his education at UC Santa Cruz, where he plans to study biomolecular engineering and bioinformatics, with an interest in research involving Artificial Intelligence, biology and health care. Del Priore plans to double major in chemistry and accounting. Sung, a rising Eastlake senior, qualified for ISEF after winning first place in the Engineering: Energy, Materials & Transport category at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair and first place in chemistry at the California Science and Engineering Fair. His project, “Renewable Ammonia Electrochemical Synthesis by Glow Discharge with an Iron-Based Catalyst,” involved a device he designed and engineered to produce renewable ammonia, with potential applications in fertilizer production and energy storage. Sung became interested in the project after considering the relationship between food insecurity and fertilizer costs. His system uses plasma to break apart nitrogen molecules so they can interact with hydrogen and form ammonia. At ISEF, Sung competed against more than 1,700 students from 65 countries and earned fourth place in chemistry. “I am proud to become one of te first students in the district to qualify for ISEF because this milestone can inspire others in the district to attain similar goals,” Sung said.
Pete Buttigieg returns to first-in-the-nation South Carolina with a fresh appeal to Black voters
Pete Buttigieg has been to this small but historic city in South Carolina’s Midlands at least twice before, as an underdog presidential candidate in 2020 and then as the better-known transportation secretary under President Joe Biden in 2023.
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WHO RUNS MARYLAND POLITICS NOW?
ByThe Maryland Wire The Machine Didn’t Die — It Broke Apart Mike Miller is gone. Steny Hoyer is retiring. The two men who helped define Maryland political power for generations are disappearing from the map. Nobody has inherited all of what they controlled. Instead, Maryland power has fractured among Wes Moore, legislative leaders, county organizations, federal figures and a new generation fighting to connect the pieces. By The Maryland Wire For decades, there were two names in Maryland politics that required almost no explanation. Mike Miller. Steny Hoyer. You didn’t necessarily have to agree with them. You didn’t even have to like them. But everyone understood something: Not social-media power. Not cable-news power. Not the temporary power that comes from one big election. They possessed political infrastructure. Relationships. Institutional memory. Donors. Staff. Allies. County leaders. Lobbyists. Legislators. Operatives. And the ability to connect people who needed something with people capable of delivering it. Today one is gone. The other is preparing to leave Congress after more than four decades. And Maryland faces a question it hasn’t had to answer in generations: The answer may be: Nobody. At least not the way Miller once did. Maryland’s old machine wasn’t inherited by one person. It fragmented. And now several ambitious political networks are competing to assemble the pieces. Miller presided over the Maryland Senate for 33 years, becoming one of the longest-serving legislative leaders in American history. He stepped down as Senate president in 2019 and died in January 2021. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) But Miller’s real power wasn’t the title printed on his door. It was the accumulation of relationships behind it. Miller came from Maryland’s old Democratic organization and developed into an extraordinarily adaptable political operator, retaining authority even as the Senate around him became younger and more liberal. (The Washington Post) He understood something fundamental: politics is information. Who wants what? Who owes whom? Which senator needs help? Which county executive wants something in the budget? Which committee chairman can move a bill? Which lobbyist represents which client? Which candidate should receive support today because that candidate could be a senator ten years from now? Miller knew the answers because he’d spent decades collecting them. Miller’s influence wasn’t confined to elected officials. Former Miller aides became prominent Annapolis lobbyists. Maryland Matters noted figures such as Joseph Bryce and Timothy Perry among the high-profile lobbyists who had once served as top Miller aides. (Maryland Matters) That was one of Miller’s greatest political achievements. He didn’t merely accumulate power around himself. He produced alumni. Staffers became lobbyists. Legislators became committee chairs. Allies became power brokers. And decades of relationships reinforced one another. By the end, Mike Miller wasn’t simply a person. He was an ecosystem. Hoyer’s network was different. Miller’s power was rooted in Annapolis. Hoyer connected Maryland to Washington. He served in the Maryland Senate before winning election to Congress in 1981 and ultimately became one of the longest-serving members of the U.S. House and a longtime No. 2 in House Democratic leadership. In January 2026, Hoyer announced that he would retire rather than seek another term. (The Washington Post) His influence stretched through: Prince George’s County, Southern Maryland, Congress, federal agencies, donors, campaign organizations, and generations of Democratic candidates. And Hoyer had something machine builders value enormously: a succession network. That became obvious almost immediately. When Hoyer announced his retirement, Maryland’s 5th Congressional District exploded with candidates. Twenty-four Democrats entered the race. But when the votes were counted, the winner was Adrian Boafo, Hoyer’s former campaign manager. Boafo wasn’t running without establishment help. He was endorsed by Hoyer. He was endorsed by Governor Wes Moore. And he ultimately won the Democratic nomination. (AP News) In his victory speech, Boafo described the result as voters deciding it was time to “pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.” (AP News) That phrase captures the transition perfectly. Hoyer’s seat isn’t simply being vacated. Parts of his network are being transferred. But they aren’t being transferred to another Steny Hoyer. They’re being absorbed into a newer political constellation. And standing prominently inside that constellation is Wes Moore. If someone forces you to name the single person sitting nearest the center of Maryland Democratic politics today, the answer is Governor Wes Moore. The 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary underscored the scale of his position. Moore won renomination overwhelmingly, receiving roughly 88% of the Democratic primary vote. (WBAL-TV) But raw votes tell only part of the story. Look at the party infrastructure. The Maryland Democratic Party says Steuart Pittman ran for state party chairman in 2025 “at the suggestion of Governor Wes Moore.” Pittman took office that July. (The Maryland Democratic Party) That’s important. Governors traditionally influence their state parties. But party leadership plus fundraising, endorsements, executive appointments and national relationships creates the beginning of something bigger: a political network that could survive the governor’s term. Moore also played a role in the Hoyer succession by backing Boafo. That’s how political organizations reproduce themselves. You support tomorrow’s politician today. And that’s the distinction that matters. Moore has enormous statewide visibility. Miller had decades of accumulated legislative control. Moore can endorse candidates. Miller could influence the environment in which legislators lived every day. Committee assignments. Leadership positions. Legislative priorities. Relationships that had been accumulating since before many current lawmakers entered politics. Moore may have a larger national profile than Miller ever possessed. But he doesn’t possess Miller’s half-century of Annapolis memory. Nobody does. Which is why the modern Maryland political structure looks less like a pyramid and more like several power centers connected by overlapping relationships. One of those centers belongs to Senate President Bill Ferguson. Ferguson controls an institution no governor can simply command. The Senate. Maryland’s official 2026 legislative records identify Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That means influence over: committee structure, Senate leadership, legislative priorities, confirmations, and negotiations with the House and governor. But Ferguson is not Mike Miller 2.0. Miller’s extraordinary longevity allowed him to become almost inseparable from the institution. Ferguson possesses the office. Miller possessed the office plus decades of political mythology and accumulated relationships. Those aren’t the same thing. The House now has its own new center of gravity. Official 2026 legislative records identify Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker of the House of Delegates, alongside Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That makes the current Maryland governing triangle: Executive power. Senate power. House power. None fully controls the others. And that fact alone demonstrates how different modern Maryland is from the Miller era. The governor proposes. The legislature disposes. Committee leaders negotiate. County interests intervene. And political coalitions shift issue by issue. That’s not one machine. That’s a networked power structure. Then there’s U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks. Her significance isn’t that she is the new Hoyer. She isn’t. Hoyer spent decades constructing his network. Alsobrooks brings something different: Prince George’s County roots, a statewide electoral organization, a United States Senate platform, and relationships with national Democratic leaders. That makes her a critical bridge between Maryland and Washington at precisely the moment Hoyer leaves. Hoyer’s retirement therefore doesn’t necessarily weaken Prince George’s influence. It changes who carries it. Prince George’s itself is undergoing a dramatic generational transition. Official 2026 results show Aisha Braveboy winning the Democratic County Executive primary with 87,944 votes and 73.31% of the vote. (Maryland State Board of Elections) That’s political infrastructure. Prince George’s is one of Maryland’s central Democratic vote engines. A county executive with that level of primary support gains: appointments, budget influence, organizational relationships, donor access, and a platform for cultivating the next generation of political leadership. Braveboy therefore isn’t merely another person on the Maryland power map. She controls a place from which a political organization can be built. Boafo is particularly interesting because he sits almost perfectly at the intersection between the old and new worlds. He worked for Hoyer. Hoyer endorsed him. Moore endorsed him. Then Boafo beat an enormous Democratic field for Hoyer’s seat. (AP News) That doesn’t make him powerful on Hoyer’s scale. He’s just beginning. But it illustrates how power actually transfers: not through a ceremonial handoff, but through endorsements, donors, staff, relationships, and voter confidence. Boafo may become Hoyer’s congressional successor. He will not automatically inherit Hoyer’s 40-plus years of political capital. That part has to be rebuilt. This is the part that often gets overlooked. When a machine breaks apart, power doesn’t only move upward. Some people’s relationships become less valuable. Former Miller aides still know Annapolis. Former Miller allies still possess institutional memory. Veteran lobbyists don’t forget how legislation works. But something fundamental disappeared when Miller did: the common center. The person capable of connecting all of them instantly was gone. That changes the value of a political network. Imagine knowing everybody in Annapolis. Useful. Now imagine the person who introduced many of those people, appointed committee chairs, influenced Senate priorities and understood decades of relationships is simultaneously Senate President. Much more useful. Remove that person and the individual relationships remain. But the system becomes decentralized. First: Bill Ferguson. The Senate’s institutional relationships now run through his leadership rather than Miller’s. Second: the House leadership. With the Miller-Busch generation gone, today’s House leaders are building their own committee chairs, alliances and relationships. Third: Wes Moore. Moore became governor after Miller was gone. That distinction matters. Earlier governors had to operate with Miller sitting across State Circle. Moore entered office during a generational reset. Instead of negotiating with the old machine, he has the opportunity to help build the next network. Fourth: Angela Alsobrooks and the emerging Prince George’s generation. Hoyer is leaving. Miller is gone. The county’s political leadership now belongs to another generation. Fifth: politicians who were outside the old Miller organization. When someone dominates an institution for 33 years, inevitably some politicians develop within that organization and others outside it. Miller’s departure created room for people who may never have risen as quickly under the old structure. That’s the biggest point. If Mike Miller’s power had simply transferred to Bill Ferguson, Maryland would still have a machine. If Hoyer’s influence simply transferred to Boafo, Maryland would still have a machine. If every county leader simply took orders from Moore, Maryland would have a machine. None of those things happened. Instead: Moore controls the statewide executive platform. Ferguson controls the Senate. Peña-Melnyk controls the House. Alsobrooks has statewide and federal reach. Braveboy has Prince George’s executive power. Pittman leads the state Democratic Party after Moore encouraged him to seek the role. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Boafo represents the beginning of the post-Hoyer congressional generation. And Baltimore, Montgomery County, organized labor, donors and other county organizations maintain their own centers of influence. That’s not one machine. If you want to understand where Maryland power is moving, don’t simply watch office titles. Watch endorsements. Who does Moore support? Who does Alsobrooks support? Who gets Ferguson’s allies? Who gets House leadership? Who gets Hoyer’s blessing? Who gets labor? Who gets major donors? And most importantly: That is where the new Maryland network becomes visible. The Boafo race was a textbook example. Hoyer’s successor didn’t emerge randomly from 24 candidates. He had ties to the outgoing incumbent and support from the governor. The old network and the emerging one overlapped. And voters chose him. (AP News) Moore may ultimately become the most important person in determining whether Maryland develops another durable statewide political organization. But the test isn’t whether Moore himself remains popular. The test is what happens to the people he supports. Which delegates become senators? Which senators become committee chairs? Which county officials become executives? Which staffers become candidates? Which appointees become statewide leaders? Who gets his donor network? Who gets his political advisers? Who eventually gets his endorsement when Maryland faces a post-Moore gubernatorial succession fight? That’s how we’ll know whether Moore was merely a successful governor— or the founder of another generation of Maryland power. There’s another category worth watching: politicians who came from Miller’s Maryland but remain active in the new one. Dereck Davis is one. Anthony Brown is another. Veteran legislators and former officials throughout the state still possess old relationships that newer politicians don’t. These people can function as bridges. That’s important because political systems rarely reset completely. The new machine usually grows partly from pieces of the old one. Donors don’t disappear. Lobbyists don’t disappear. Operatives don’t disappear. Institutional memory doesn’t disappear. They find new centers of gravity. If you want one name: His overwhelming 2026 Democratic renomination, executive authority, national profile and influence within the Maryland Democratic Party make that difficult to dispute. (WBAL-TV) But saying Moore “runs Maryland” the way Miller once ran the Senate would oversimplify the reality. Maryland power today looks more like this: WES MOORE Statewide organization.Appointments.Fundraising.Executive government.National Democratic relationships. BILL FERGUSON The Senate.Committees.Confirmations.Legislative leverage. JOSELINE PEÑA-MELNYK The House.Committee leadership.Budget and legislative leverage. ANGELA ALSOBROOKS Statewide electoral organization.Federal platform.Prince George’s relationships.National Democratic connections. AISHA BRAVEBOY Prince George’s executive organization.County government.A major Democratic vote base. THE POST-HOYER GENERATION Boafo and the emerging political class that will have to rebuild Hoyer’s Washington-Maryland network rather than simply inherit it. It did something more interesting. Mike Miller’s influence was too personal, too old and too deeply rooted in his own relationships to be inherited whole. Hoyer’s network is too extensive and too intertwined with decades of congressional politics to fit neatly inside one successor. So the pieces are moving. Toward Moore. Toward Ferguson. Toward Peña-Melnyk. Toward Alsobrooks. Toward Braveboy. Toward younger candidates and new county organizations. And toward veteran political survivors who understand both eras. That’s the next chapter of Maryland politics. The person who eventually connects: Annapolis, Prince George’s, Montgomery County, Baltimore, labor, business, donors, the Maryland Democratic Party, and the congressional delegation will possess something Maryland hasn’t truly seen since Miller’s heyday. Not merely another elected official. And maybe that’s why searching for “the next Mike Miller” is the wrong exercise. There may never be another one. The more important question is: Miller spent half a century becoming that person. Hoyer spent decades becoming another version of it. Maryland’s current political leaders are still competing for the privilege. And until somebody actually connects all those pieces, the most accurate answer to the question “Who runs Maryland?” may be the most fascinating one of all: No one does. Not anymore. But there are plenty of people trying. Sources University of Maryland and Maryland Matters — Miller’s 33-year Senate presidency and political legacy. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) Washington Post historical reporting — Miller’s rise from Maryland machine politics and ability to retain power as the Senate evolved. (The Washington Post) Maryland Matters — former top Miller aides who moved into Annapolis lobbying and the changing Senate power structure. (Maryland Matters) Washington Post and Reuters — Hoyer’s January 2026 retirement announcement after more than four decades in Congress and his long Democratic leadership career. (The Washington Post) Associated Press — Adrian Boafo’s 2026 victory in the Democratic primary to succeed Hoyer, including Hoyer and Moore’s support and Boafo’s “pass the torch” remarks. (AP News) Maryland Democratic Party — Steuart Pittman’s official biography stating that he sought the state chairmanship at Moore’s suggestion. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Maryland General Assembly — official 2026 records identifying Bill Ferguson as Senate President and Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker. (Maryland General Assembly) Maryland State Board of Elections — official 2026 Prince George’s County results showing Aisha Braveboy’s dominant County Executive primary victory. (Maryland State Board of Elections) 2026 election reporting — Moore’s overwhelming Democratic gubernatorial primary victory. (WBAL-TV)
Experimental compound helps burn fat without muscle loss
A decades-old compound may point to a new way of treating obesity by making the body burn more energy rather than simply reducing appetite. In mice, TOFA increased energy use by as much as 18%, reduced body fat without significant muscle loss, and improved blood sugar, triglycerides, and fatty liver disease. It also produced stronger results when combined with GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.
Orioles Announce Pete Alonso Decision During Crucial Rays Series
The Baltimore Orioles have been battling all season long, trying to get themselves back into playoff position.That goal got a little clearer when slugger Pete Alonso launched a go-ahead home run into the outfield in the opening game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The dinger was the 30th of the year for the Orioles star, […] The post Orioles Announce Pete Alonso Decision During Crucial Rays Series appeared first on HEAVY.
Political parties see high stakes in NC Supreme Court election
Anita Earls and Sarah Stevens compete for voters’ attention and make case for why people should back them in race for NC Supreme Court seat.
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With kick off at the City Ground just around the corner in today’s Premier League opener, defender Jaka Bijol is thrilled at the prospect of competitive football returning.Ahead of starting in a bac...
This Utah ice cream looks too much like a popular New York competitor, a court says. You can still buy it while it fights a $23 million judgment.
The Utah-based Rebel Creamery, which specialized in keto diet-friendly pints, recently lost a court battle against another brand that said it copied its packaging. Now, Rebel has filed for bankruptcy as its fights the ruling.
5 Ways To Use AI Social Media Tools And Where To Draw The Line
Discover the AI social media tools helping small businesses create content, save time, and compete with larger brands across today's biggest platforms.
5 Small Business Ideas for Extroverts That Turn Conversation Skills Into a Competitive Advantage
If talking to people is your strength, these small business ideas can help you turn it into revenue and growth.
After prison release, Tina Peters takes her election conspiracy roadshow to Washington
Two months into her post-prison life, notorious election denier Tina Peters traveled to Washington for high-level meetings this week with Trump administration officials, pitching them on her sweeping plan to declare a national emergency and assert unprecedented federal control over elections before the November midterms.
Fancy new business class suites cause headache for aviation industry
Airlines are competing for the fanciest business class following the boom in premium travel, but new suites require rigorous certification testing.
St. Petersburg resident gives back through junk removal business
“My goal is to partner with local churches, charities and community organizations to help find new homes for items such as furniture, household goods and appliances whenever possible,” Omar Malic said.