SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY

Search headlines

Find the stories shaping the conversation.

Search mode
Refine results
Active filters Keyword All time

Results for " mix " 1,226 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Owner seeks second extension for 683-unit Brookland project amid tough market conditions

Jack Sarf seeks another extension on his Franklin & Reed mixed-use development in D.C. as Hanover R.S. LP pulls out due to market conditions.

bizjournals.com logo
Sep 8 • 2:43 PM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com
Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch to retire following clash with Trump admin

Bunch said in a news release Tuesday that he was departing the position he had held since 2019 "with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude"

spectrumlocalnews.com logo
Sep 8 • 1:24 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch to retire following clash with Trump admin

Bunch said in a news release Tuesday that he was departing the position he had held since 2019 "with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude"

spectrumlocalnews.com logo
Sep 8 • 1:24 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch to retire following clash with Trump admin

Bunch said in a news release Tuesday that he was departing the position he had held since 2019 "with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude"

spectrumlocalnews.com logo
Sep 8 • 1:24 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch is leaving amid fights with Trump

Bunch, the first African American and first historian to lead the institution, said he has ‘mixed emotions’ about departing.

nbcnews.com logo
Sep 8 • 12:45 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
The Row brings new retail, dining and entertainment to Heartwood

The Row, a new in-line retail center located in Poplar Place within Heartwood’s Town District, will bring a growing mix of dining, entertainment, services and specialty retail to one of the community’s most visible commercial areas at Exit 82.

bryancountynews.com logo
Sep 8 • 11:01 AM EDT • Entertainment • bryancountynews.com
Mac Allister's candid comments a surprise so early in season

It's fair to say Alexis Mac Allister had quite a lot to get off his chest - and he has done that and more here. Instead, the talk is all about Mac Allister. It wasn't quite Mohamed Salah in a mixed zone saying he was "more out than in", but it was certainly a shock to hear Mac Allister speak so candidly in such a public setting so early in the season.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 8 • 10:31 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (35%)
ahah
100%
Scientists discover a powerful new antivenom hidden in rattlesnake blood

Researchers discovered that combinations of toxin-blocking proteins naturally found in rattlesnake blood can powerfully neutralize venom from several dangerous snake species. In lab tests, the mixtures were about 10 times more potent than a current commercial antivenom, pointing toward a new generation of nature-inspired snakebite treatments.

sciencedaily.com logo
Sep 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Asian shares and US futures are mixed, while oil prices creep higher

Asian shares and U.S. futures are mixed after U.S. markets were closed for the Labor Day holiday.

seattletimes.com logo
Sep 8 • 1:53 AM EDT • Business • seattletimes.com
Asian shares and US futures are mixed, while oil prices creep higher

Asian shares and U.S. futures are mixed after U.S. markets were closed for the Labor Day holiday.

wsls.com logo
Sep 8 • 1:49 AM EDT • Business • wsls.com
Bills Add Defensive Star in New 2027 NFL Mock Draft

The Buffalo Bills load up on defense in a new 2027 NFL mock draft, adding a star to the mix.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 7 • 7:01 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Jack Perkins Trusting His Own Stuff Down the Stretch

Jack Perkins has received a lengthy audition in the A's rotation this season. These final few starts could determine if he remains in that mix next season.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 7 • 4:57 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Dave Portnoy names his 2 most overrated NFL players

Portnoy's choices are a mix of bold & stupid.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 7 • 4:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (50%)
Arizona Land Play Bets on Data Centers and Entertainment to Draw Capital West

Arizona Land Consulting plans a $6 billion to $10 billion Tonopah development mixing data centers, film studios, and an amusement park west of Phoenix.

propmodo.com logo
Sep 7 • 12:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • propmodo.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
38%
ahah
37%
love
25%
Plans presented for new White Sox ballpark

Justin Ishbia, the prospective owner of Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox, has revealed renderings for a proposed mixed-use district that would include a new ballpark for the team. The development, dubbed The Railyards, would be located in the South Loop neighbourhood of the city. It emerged earlier this year that Ishbia was in the

thestadiumbusiness.com logo
Sep 7 • 11:46 AM EDT • Business • thestadiumbusiness.com
Mixed zone: Lille-Betis, with the roof closed 🏟️

Real Betis will play their next European fixture at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium under a closed roof, according to Zona Mixta. The adverse weather conditions forecast in Lille have forced a last-minute d...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 7 • 4:24 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Serena Williams says she eats her first meal later than people expect

Even with her training-focused diet, Serena Williams said one unexpected staple is part of the mix: tacos.

businessinsider.com logo
Sep 7 • 12:55 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
NBA Trade Talks: Analyzing Michael Porter Jr’s Detroit Pistons Fit

Michael Porter Jr. stayed put at the last NBA Trade Deadline, but the Detroit Pistons could be in the mix for a deal when it arrives this season

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 6 • 10:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The core anti-Pangram constituency is phony writers

Welcome to The Closing Argument, our verdict on the news, plus everything The Argument published and appeared in this week. The Verdict, by Kelsey Piper A lot of people hate AI for drowning the internet in slop and displacing human creatives. You might think that these people would be thrilled by a program that can identify and flag AI-generated work. But many people who hate AI also hate Pangram, an impressively accurate AI detector that produces very few false positives, according to high-quality independent research. This loathing found its most recent expression in a bizarre Wired article that amplifies a wide range of false arguments from Pangram skeptics: that AI detectors are racist (they’re not) or ableist (they’re not)1 or don’t work (this one does)2. Rather than starting from the premise that it would be really valuable to have a working AI detector and scrutinizing Pangram to make sure it lives up to that promise, the article starts from the premise that Pangram obviously has bad vibes and sets out to discover why. (One answer: The CEO microwaved lunch during an interview!) Why aren’t writers who resent Pangram more eager to distinguish themselves from posters who are having ChatGPT ghostwrite all their work? There are a few different things at play, but I think one key dynamic is this: These are often the same people. A core constituency for arguments like Wired’s is “writers” who are using AI to write their posts but resent this fact being made public. They stand to lose from AI detectors because AI detectors call them out. Share When Substack announced a partnership with Pangram, a sizable fraction of the platform’s authors rose up in outrage. Some people had experience with other AI detectors that didn’t work, and some felt that AI writing ought to be encouraged — both of which are fair enough. But the fury was fueled by authors passionately insisting that Pangram kept wrongly accusing them on almost every post they published. Pangram can be wrong, especially on short passages. But in the overwhelming majority of cases where Pangram looked at a whole blog post rather than a single paragraph, the program correctly detected work as AI. Even if we can’t be 100% sure in any individual case, we can notice the trend in the aggregate. Wired quotes Sam Illingworth, a professor of critical AI literacy at Edinburgh Napier University, who said, “I don’t think [AI detectors] work. … I think that detectors are prejudiced against certain people.” This spring, he said that he used AI for research and editing; this summer he acknowledged that in addition to research and editing, he also uses it “now and then for a turn of phrase I keep.” Pangram informs us that most of his posts are 100% AI-written (some are mixed AI-and-human) and that 100% AI-written posts started appearing last year. The favorable interpretation is that, as someone whose recent work Pangram consistently mistakes for AI, Illingworth sees Pangram’s flaws firsthand. The unfavorable interpretation is that the tool’s credibility trades off against his own, because its account of who writes his posts is not consistent with his. Illingworth is not alone in insisting the detector does not work. “It’s a Monday night in late July, and I’m pasting my own Substack draft into an AI detector for the first time. Not because I’m worried. Because I’m curious. I wrote every word of it myself, the way I write everything, out loud in my head first, in a rhythm that still carries the accent of a language I learned to think in before I learned to write in this one,” begins one Substack post by an author indignant that Pangram flags her writing as AI. “That’s the part I had to sit with before I could write this.” If you, like me, have worked with AIs a lot, you won’t even need Pangram there. The author of that piece is AI. It is obviously AI! I checked 10 other posts on the blog, and they were also obviously AI! “I have spent 22 years as an award-winning author and essayist. And now this bullshit tool that learned from MY writing is going to accuse me of plagiarism,” popular Substack writer Carlyn Beccia wrote in an anti-Pangram post. “For the last and final time, AI DETECTORS DO NOT WORK.” Here’s what her writing sounded like in 2020: “Most success stories revolve around one person who believed enough in you to say — give it a try. We call these people muses, but they are so much more than that. They are the strong man giants whose shoulders we stand on so we can see the horizon. Throughout the editing process, I am sure my editor felt less like a giant of greatness and more like Atlas with the world on her shoulders.” Pangram says it was 100% human-written. (So were other articles of hers in 2020.) And here’s what it sounds like now: “And then there is the reshuffling, which sounds like paperwork until you remember that empires have always loved paperwork. The Trump regime recently moved special education oversight from the Education Department to HHS. That is not a minor bureaucratic transfer. It changes the frame.”3 Pangram says this is mostly AI. I am not convinced that Pangram is wrong. In my own experience, Pangram is very effective on long texts — if it marks a long essay as AI, the essay was either written by AI or deliberately written to sound like AI. On tweet-length or paragraph-length texts, it’s not perfectly reliable. It seems to work just as well for non-native English speakers as for native speakers. While I have seen dozens of claims of pre-2022 text returning a positive result on Pangram, I have tried repeatedly to corroborate those and have never once succeeded. To be clear, I’m absolutely not saying that complaining about Pangram suggests a writer is a cheat. There are plenty of other concerns. Most are mistakenly premised, such as the false claim that Pangram trains on work you put into it, but others are reasonable: It’s unreliable on sufficiently short text segments; it creates an internet witch-hunt mentality when there are defensible uses of AI; people who are open about their AI use are sometimes blamed, when the only people really doing something wrong are the ones who hide it; and it isn’t perfect, so a single positive result shouldn’t be taken as decisive proof of misconduct. I’m happy to concede that Pangram is imperfect and possible to over-rely on. If an author’s posts are mostly non-AI and one scans as partially AI, this could be a mistake. It’s also possible to defeat Pangram with intentional effort. If you think we need something more robust and more reliable, fine! But if you don’t like AI and don’t like Pangram, your attitude really ought to be that it’s a shame that our existing tools for AI detection are imperfect, and it’s important to invent better ones. If your stance is instead that AI is evil and so is looking for AI, then ultimately you’re contributing to the sloppification of the internet. You’re making it harder for people who write their own text to distinguish themselves, and providing cover for authors who are definitely not writing their own text. Subscribe Top stories this week, by Kobe Yank-Jacobs Commentators often worry that the decline of reading could mean the decline of liberal democracy — but deliberative governance actually predated widespread literacy. This week, Maibritt Henkel pointed out that many liberal cultures thrive on a culture of raucous, interactive debate, which can happen in-person as easily, if not more so, than in text. Read on, dear reader, to learn more. It may actually cheer you up: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) [ Reading won’t save liberalism ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) Maibritt Henkel · Sep 1 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/reading-wont-save-liberalism) It used to be bad to downplay climate change (if we mean denying its reality). Today, it’s actually good to downplay climate change (if we mean keeping the issue out of political fights so we can make real progress). This counterintuitive view is called “climate hushing,” and contributor Alex Trembath argued that it’s the key to enacting good policy going forward. Get up to speed on the latest in climate politics: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) [ We won’t stop climate change by talking about it ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) Alex Trembath · Sep 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/we-wont-stop-climate-change-by-talking) Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is standing up for the forces of liberalism against Donald Trump’s assault on our closest ally. So, why is one prominent left-wing commenter attacking Carney? Columnist Matthew Yglesias explains: [ ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) [ When "economic liberty" means central planning ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) Matthew Yglesias · Aug 31 [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-economic-liberty-means-central) 🌟Abundance Wins of the Week🌟 Shout out to my home state of California, whose legislature passed two housing bills this week. One requires a housing density minimum in transit-oriented areas of the state’s most transit-rich cities (Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego, and Long Beach). Another bill closes two common loopholes used by third parties to delay housing projects, including an opportunity to challenge maps of a given lot created by the developer after a project has been approved. Shout out to our big-state rival, Texas, where pro-housing SB 785 took effect this week. The new state law requires municipalities to have at least one district permitted for manufactured housing without a special permit. This will promote zoning changes in 44% of municipalities. The company Fervo Energy signed a deal with Google for what is set to be the world’s largest enhanced geothermal facility, proving a technology can work at a scale that could be crucial to a decarbonized, energy-abundant economy. Share Worth watching… This week, forecasting legend Nate Silver joined Jerusalem, Matt, and Jeremiah on a crowded episode of the pod. It was a party. And speaking of parties, our round table debated the factional lines within the Democratic Party: Is it possible to be center-left and also anti-establishment? Watch or listen to find out: The Rio Grande Valley in Texas is one of the areas that swung hardest toward Trump in 2024, but musician Bobby Pulido is running to flip it back. Right now, The Argument/Split Ticket’s model has him running 1.1 points behind his Republican opponent in a district Trump won by 18 points. Tune in to find out how he differs from national Democrats and what he thinks he can to do win this seat. On Thursday, Bernie Sanders was among the first politicians to call for a ban on superintelligence. My guest this week, Andrea Miotti, has been lobbying to ban superintelligence for several years, most recently in the U.K., U.S., and Canada. I asked him how he gets legislators to take speculative risks seriously, and we dug into what plans might look like to actually pass a ban. Listen to learn more: What’s News with The Argument The Argument recommends, by Kobe Yank-Jacobs If we ever lose track of Justin Zuckerman, I’ll have the team split up and check all the movie theaters in the city. I’m shocked (and a little jealous) at how often he gets out to see good cinema. This week, he brings us It Ends, a “horror-ish movie,” which he described as a “Gen Z Waiting for Godot.” I was intrigued before he added that it was “funny, dark and existential” — at which point I was fully locked in. I guess I also had existential themes on the mind this week. One morning, a single line from a poem I read long ago just came to me: “Is death a stretch of time in which a life is just a flash?” The poem is called “From 20,000 Feet” by Heather McHugh. I suggest the version in The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, which, by tradition, my best friend and I always bring backpacking, extra weight be damned. We’ll stay thematically dark for just one more rec from senior editor John Robert Thomason, whose upcoming trip to Baltimore reminded him to suggest Michael Clune’s memoir White Out (about being addicted to heroin in Baltimore in the 1990s). Ben Lerner’s blurb called it _“_Disturbing, brilliant, hilarious—it’s as if Proust had written Jesus’ Son.” John told me this “seems accurate, with the caveat that I’ve never read Proust.” I, personally, have also shelved Proust until retirement. At this point, I was a little concerned for the team since all of us tossed out such psychologically grim material — maybe we’re all down about the end of summer — but thankfully, at least a few of us were into more upbeat selections. Milan Singh recommended Made In’s 5-quart stainless clad saucier, suggesting he had some fun in the kitchen. Jeremiah Johnson asked if he could recommend yet more Carly Rae Jepsen. Once denied, he offered up Game Changer instead_,_ calling it “the most wildly creative game show, maybe in the entire history of the genre.” Eli Richman mentioned _Lucky, “_a B-tier show with an A-tier cast and an S-tier theme song.” I suppose he was recommending the song, Horns of a Bull. Still, despite these cheerier recs, I couldn’t help but be concerned that we were subconsciously worried about racing toward summer’s end — the end of swim trunks and splashing around. Then a message landed reminding me of the three-day weekend to come. A whole extra day for sunshine. One more swim in the lake. I was grateful this called to mind yet another line from a poem, one by Mary Oliver, the patron saint of every gorgeous summer day (and about whom a documentary is now out). Speaking to God in the poem “Thirst,” she wrote: grant me, in your mercy,a little more time. Love for the earthand love for you are having such a longconversation in my heart. We have merch! We have quarter-zips, keychains, hats, and stickers. Each one is a great conversation starter in its own way. Buy them here. Subscribe More to read: [ The Opening Argument ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite)[ Seeing like an elite ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite) Kobe Yank-Jacobs · Sep 4 What do Americans hear when they watch Sen. Bernie Sanders or Vice President JD Vance rail against the elite? Are they thinking of right-wing tech billionaires? Imperious college professors? Liberal magazine writers? [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/seeing-like-an-elite) [ The Weekly Scroll ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline)[ God is back on the timeline ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline) Jeremiah Johnson · Sep 5 This week, we’re talking about Substack’s new religious debates, the continuing MAGA influencer scandal, how to retire from YouTube, and aura battles. [ Read full story ](https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/god-is-back-on-the-timeline) 1 This was a legitimate thing to worry about, but doesn’t seem to be a problem given the actual technology: Marijke Van Vlasselaer, Filip Van Droogenbroeck, and Bram Spruyt’s 2026 paper looks at whether Pangram is less accurate when evaluating the work of non-native speakers of English. It isn’t. That’s because Pangram isn’t really looking at how “unusual” a piece of writing is but whether it has the characteristic patterns of LLMs. The Wired article makes an odd gesture at a different Pangram-is-racist argument. There were several controversies this summer during which upcoming books were canceled after being discovered to be AI-written: “The three novels mentioned earlier — Shy Girl, Daggermouth, and Call Me, easily publishing’s biggest AI-detection scandals — were all written by writers of color.” But come on! As Zvi Mowshowitz put it: “They were not primarily written by people of color. They were primarily written by AIs.” That’s the whole problem! And as my colleague Jeremiah Johnson recently observed with respect to Cambridge’s Arday scandal, a community being unwilling to call out fraud if it’s perpetuated by people of color is not an anti-racist tendency; it is ultimately quite racist. 2 Many non-Pangram detectors don’t work, but many possible airplane designs also don’t work, and no one considers this a general argument against aviation; the thing that matters is whether any detection works. 3 The phrase “empires have always loved” mysteriously became all the rage in the last few years. See here, here, here, here and here. Before 2025, the only use of that phrase I have been able to find is a single Tweet. The logic of the sentence, too, is incoherent in an AI-characteristic way. “...sounds like paperwork, until you remember that empires have always loved paperwork”? Does remembering that make it sound less like paperwork? It’s a craft-ful sentence, but what is it actually saying??

theargumentmag.com logo
Sep 6 • 6:05 PM EDT • Technology • theargumentmag.com
Keep the run going against Villarreal

This start to the season leaves you wanting more! And now, next Tuesday, Europe’s premier competition is finally back on the schedule at the most beautiful stadium in the world. A mix of sun and clo...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 6 • 12:32 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
CVS Health (CVS) Stock Looks Below Fair Value But Mixed After 65% Return

CVS Health stock has delivered a strong 64.8% return over the past three years, and the current valuation picture is not a clear bargain or a clear stretch. Recent gains sit alongside a mixed value score and fresh headlines around its health insurance and compliance record, which give investors a few moving parts to weigh. The 64.8% three year return highlights how much value the market has already credited to CVS Health, so fresh buyers now have to judge whether that past performance still...

finance.yahoo.com logo
Sep 6 • 8:08 AM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com
Chip Kelly, Aidan Chiles Tandem Mostly Strong in Northwestern Debut

The Wildcats started well and ended well against South Dakota State. What came in between was a mixed bag.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 6 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Turning Point lays groundwork to shape GOP presidential race in 2028

Turning Point Action mixed online-ready confrontations with on-the-ground organizing at the Iowa State Fair as it registers voters and recruits activists to influence Iowa’s 2028 Republican presidential contest.

latimes.com logo
Sep 6 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Change Before Orioles Game

After taking the first two games of their series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox will send their top pitcher, Sonny Gray, out to the mound on Saturday night to win the series.As for the lineup and defense behind him, interim manager Chad Tracy is mixing things up both defensively and with his […] The post Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Change Before Orioles Game appeared first on HEAVY.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 5 • 7:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Science Central To Host Reimagined Mixology Fundraiser Nov. 6

Science Central is reimagining its fundraising events with Mixology 2026, an immersive evening combining cocktails, whiskey, science, entertainment and hands-on experiences.

inkfreenews.com logo
Sep 5 • 2:30 PM EDT • Science • inkfreenews.com
😐 Neutral (18%)
love
50%
wow
28%
ahah
22%
Postgame Quotes: "Feels Great to Have Won Here!”

Manging Director for Sport Lars Ricken (in the mixed zone): “Wherever Dortmund plays, things never get boring! It was the same thing against Hamburg. After we went down two-nil, it was tough to imag...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 5 • 1:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Reactions: “Where Dortmund play, there’s always drama!”

Managing Director for Sport Lars Ricken (in the mixed zone): “Wherever Dortmund play, things happen! It was the same against Hamburg. After it went to 2:0, you couldn’t necessarily expect that any...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 5 • 1:10 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
10 easy, healthy snacks that kids will love

These recipes for muffins, snack mix, energy balls and more are proof that eating better doesn’t have to be boring, regardless of age.

washingtonpost.com logo
Sep 5 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
Proto Labs (PRLB) Could Be 15% Undervalued On Leadership Change And Business Insider Nod

Proto Labs (PRLB) is back in focus after Business Insider recognized the company as one of America's Most Innovative Businesses, and with the upcoming arrival of seasoned operations leader Sam Ramahi as Chief Operations Officer. Against this backdrop, Proto Labs’ share price has shown mixed momentum, with a 1 day share price return of 2.40% and a 7 day share price return of 2.13%, in contrast with a 30 day share price decline of 9.82%. Yet a much stronger 58.60% share price return year to...

finance.yahoo.com logo
Sep 5 • 8:12 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches

In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.

gamefile.news logo
Sep 4 • 6:23 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news
‘Fauda’ Creator Calls Mark Ruffalo ‘Ignorant’ Over 'Genocide' Remarks

'Fauda' creator Avi Issacharoff has called Mark Ruffalo as 'ignorant' on Israel-Hamas conflict.

variety.com logo
Sep 4 • 11:44 AM EDT • Politics • variety.com
Yankees Birthday of the Day: Doyle Alexander

Sometimes a long career brings a mixed bag of results.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 4 • 11:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Three Louisiana brands, three paths to growth

Before Slap Ya Mama seasoning landed on grocery shelves in all 50 states, and eventually reached markets as far away as Dubai, the Walker family mixed its seasoning in a glass pickle jar at its Ville Platte convenience store. As Business Report writes in its latest issue, what started as a homemade blend sold in […]

businessreport.com logo
Sep 4 • 10:14 AM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
PCHC announces layoffs, Bangor office closure amid financial struggles

Penobscot Community Health Care is in the middle of what officials describe as "ongoing financial challenges."

wgme.com logo
Sep 4 • 6:58 AM EDT • Health • wgme.com
Florida TODAY: Political dating, hurricane season, AI surveillance

Florida TODAY statewide newsletter delivers a mix of news, culture and classic \

floridatoday.com logo
Sep 4 • 6:04 AM EDT • Politics • floridatoday.com
Stats Show How Badly Pirates Need Konnor Griffin Back

It's almost impossible to get a feel for whether the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to make the playoffs, but they're certainly in the mix. Right now, the Pirates have been one of the more interesting teams in Major League Baseball, struggling at times and also showing in others that they can be very good.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 3 • 11:12 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The science behind giant bubbles at Discovery Lab

Discovery Lab explains the science behind giant bubbles and shares what makes its special bubble mixture stronger and more flexible.

newson6.com logo
Sep 3 • 10:50 AM EDT • Science • newson6.com
Have your say: What do you make of mixed start?

BBC Sport asks for Millwall fan views on their start to the Championship season.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 3 • 6:08 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Why Warriors star Draymond Green has mixed feelings on wild Daejon Love scandal

Warriors star forward Draymond Green explained on "The Draymond Green Show" why he had 'all the emotions' when it came to the Daejon Love scandal.

nbcsportsbayarea.com logo
Sep 2 • 7:04 PM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsbayarea.com
Theo Rossi teases the new ‘Sons of Anarchy’ show: ‘Just so crazy it might work’

The upcoming ‘Sons of Anarchy’ meta reunion show ‘Legends’ is ‘smart’ and ‘insane,’ according to star Theo Rossi, who calls it a mixture of ‘Galaxy Quest’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’

ew.com logo
Sep 2 • 2:19 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Meet the 2026 \'Dancing With the Stars\' cast

The new cast of "Dancing With the Stars" has been announced, featuring a mix of entertainers, reality stars and athletes. This season includes actor Julia Stiles, Olympian Amber Glenn and

lancasteronline.com logo
Sep 2 • 1:23 PM EDT • Entertainment • lancasteronline.com
Entertainment News: September 2, 2026

Get caught up on the latest in Hollywood, technology, and more with FOX 17 Morning Mix's Entertainment News.

fox17online.com logo
Sep 2 • 12:02 PM EDT • Entertainment • fox17online.com
Santikos Far West expansion clears major hurdle

Santikos Entertainment closes on 22-acre acquisition in Far West San Antonio to build mixed-use development with entertainment center and retail.

bizjournals.com logo
Sep 2 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • bizjournals.com
Browns Sign 1,000-Yard Veteran Before Week 1

The Browns have added a veteran back to the mix. The post Browns Sign 1,000-Yard Veteran Before Week 1 appeared first on HEAVY.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Sep 1 • 7:51 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Nestle to divest mainstream supplements business for $1 billion

Nestle said ​on Tuesday ‌it has agreed ​to divest ​its mainstream vitamins, ⁠minerals ​and supplements ​business to U.S.-based Yellow ​Wood ​Partners for $1 billion.

reuters.com logo
Sep 1 • 1:01 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Venice Film Festival to Kick Off With Steady Stream of Stars, Politics

The Venice Film Festival is set to kick off on Wednesday with a steady stream of stars on the red carpet and politics looming in the backdrop.

variety.com logo
Sep 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • variety.com
Keenova Marks the 2nd Annual National Hand Health Month with New Dupuytren's Contracture Mixed Reality Experience and Awareness Initiatives

/PRNewswire/ -- Keenova Therapeutics plc today announced plans for the 2nd Annual National Hand Health Month (HHM), a nationwide U.S. observance held each...

prnewswire.com logo
Sep 1 • 7:30 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com
Chiefs, Hunt Midwest to create entertainment districts for new stadium, headquarters

A new formed company launched by the Chiefs and Hunt Midwest is helping develop mixed-use districts in Kansas City, Kansas and Olathe

fox4kc.com logo
Aug 31 • 4:53 PM EDT • Entertainment • fox4kc.com
Oregon State Hospital order draws mixed reactions over mental health, jail policy

The state hospital has been turning away low-level offenders who are deemed too mentally ill to stand trial, following a federal judge’s order from June.

kptv.com logo
Aug 31 • 3:56 PM EDT • Health • kptv.com
Insight: Booming weight-loss drug demand in Brazil fuels thriving black market and health fears

When Brazilian customs agents opened jars of dulce de leche aboard a tourist bus arriving from Paraguay in April, they discovered hundreds of vials of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro, mixed inside the sweet spread.

reuters.com logo
Aug 31 • 6:01 AM EDT • Health • reuters.com
Booming Weight-Loss Drug Demand in Brazil Fuels Thriving Black Market and Health Fears

By Luciana Magalhaes SAO PAULO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - When Brazilian customs agents opened jars of dulce de leche aboard a tourist bus arriving from Paraguay in April, they discovered hundreds of vials ⁠of tirzepatide, ⁠the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro, mixed inside the ...

usnews.com logo
Aug 31 • 6:01 AM EDT • Health • usnews.com
Donald Trump threatens to report ‘Meet the Press’ moderator Kristen Welker to FCC for ‘punishment’

Donald Trump is lashing out at NBC News’ Kristen Welker, long one of the primary objects of his ire, for saying his endorsement of recent candidates for elected office have had ‘mixed results.’

ew.com logo
Aug 30 • 7:17 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Trump says he will report NBC host to FCC for ‘rebuke or punishment’

The president’s latest in a string of threats against broadcasters followed a comment by Kristen Welker about “some mixed results” from his midterm endorsements.

washingtonpost.com logo
Aug 30 • 4:15 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Sacramento businesses and customers react to cocktails to-go bill

A bill to extend California's cocktails to-go program through 2029 is awaiting the governor's decision, with businesses supporting the measure and customers expressing mixed opinions.

kcra.com logo
Aug 30 • 1:41 AM EDT • Business • kcra.com
Reactions: “That was a perfect first half”

(in the mixed zone): “The first half was spectacular, the second was a lot of hard work. But over the course of the whole game, you could clearly see the commitment and the determination. In the fir...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 29 • 8:21 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (36%)
Tarik Skubal throws 6 solid innings in 1st start against former team, helping Dodgers top Tigers 2-1

Tarik Skubal threw six solid innings against his former team, Freddie Freeman hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Friday night. In a crowd that had mixed emotions about Skubal’s return, a couple young fans had fitting outfits sporting white Tigers jerseys with 29 and Skubal on the back — and a blue Dodgers hat.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 28 • 9:31 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (17%)
Lawmakers walk out during Wyoming Business Council reform talks

Though two separate legislative committees each found agreement, some objected to mixing committee duties.

wyofile.com logo
Aug 28 • 6:59 PM EDT • Business • wyofile.com
Panasonic Lumix L10 review: A stylish and capable compact camera

The LX100 II successor offers good speed and image quality at a fairly high price.

engadget.com logo
Aug 28 • 12:30 PM EDT • Technology • engadget.com
Entertainment News: August 28, 2026

Get caught up on the latest in Hollywood, technology, and more with FOX 17 Morning Mix's Entertainment News.

fox17online.com logo
Aug 28 • 11:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox17online.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
Inside Jessica Chastain’s dual roles in ‘Other Mommy’

Jessica Chastain mixes ‘saccharine’ with ‘rageful tension’ for her two roles in the horror movie ‘Other Mommy.’ Director Rob Savage previews the Oscar winner’s ‘delicious’ performance.

ew.com logo
Aug 28 • 11:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Things to Do in Asheville This September: Classes, Sports, and Special Events

The final days of summer fun mix with the crisp air of fall as Asheville Parks & Recreation brings a September welcome mat to the community full of activities built to help explore, connect, and discover. Whether your goal is to make a change like leaves on trees throughout the city, meet new people, or [...]

ashevillenc.gov logo
Aug 28 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • ashevillenc.gov
DLSS 5 Gets Modded Into Skyrim With Dramatic Changes to Lighting and Character Faces

NVIDIA announced DLSS 5 back in March to a decidedly mixed reaction, as many gamers did not particularly like the modifications it made to character faces. While it is not officially out yet, an early-access build of NBA 2K27 was found to contain a DLSS Neural Rendering DLL, believed to be a...

techpowerup.com logo
Aug 28 • 6:53 AM EDT • Technology • techpowerup.com
Son works for parents' hospitality business gets upset when he is fired for starting similar business without telling them

Nobody should have to make their livelihood at the expense of their family members.Work and family can prove to be a problematic mix for many reasons, and one of these is that those who work together ...

yahoo.com logo
Aug 27 • 9:00 PM EDT • Business • yahoo.com
Luxshare Precision Reports 40.2% Revenue Growth in First Half 2026; Business Mix Supports Margin Expansion

Luxshare Precision Industry Co., Ltd. ("Luxshare Precision" or the "Company") (SZSE: 002475; HKEX: 02475), a global provider of precision intelligent manufacturing solutions, today announced unaudited results for the six months ended June 30, 2026.

finance.yahoo.com logo
Aug 27 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
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

wessiler.substack.com logo
Aug 27 • 6:47 PM EDT • Science • wessiler.substack.com
Business advocates fearful over long-term impacts of trade war with Canada
wgme.com logo
Aug 27 • 8:15 AM EDT • Business • wgme.com
Muchova & Mensik win US Open mixed doubles title

Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik save two match points on their way to the US Open mixed doubles title and $1m in prize money.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 27 • 1:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (25%)
love
67%
wow
33%
Yankees send Fernando Cruz to IL, sign Michael Fulmer

The Yankees see another key arm go down, and add a surprise veteran to the mix.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 26 • 3:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Entertainment News: August 26, 2026

Get caught up on the latest in Hollywood, technology, and more with FOX 17 Morning Mix's Entertainment News.

fox17online.com logo
Aug 26 • 11:37 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox17online.com
Alpharetta Mall May Convert to Mixed-Use Entertainment Center

The North Point Mall may be transformed into a sports-adjacent, mixed-use entertainment center. In a major move for professional sports in Georgia, the Alpharetta City Council voted to approve a vision to transform North Point Mall into a sports-adjacent, mixed-use entertainment district. Its all contingent on the NHL awarding a franchise team to the North Point ...

connectcre.com logo
Aug 26 • 10:06 AM EDT • Entertainment • connectcre.com
Broncos Cut Wide Receiver, Add A Linebacker In Latest Moves

The Denver Broncos cut Hakeem Butler in a surprising move, and they've also added a new linebacker to the mix.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 26 • 9:24 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Miami Dolphins Part Ways With ‘Impressive’ Draft Pick

After the Miami Dolphins moved on from the wide receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, questions arose as to who would replace their production with the team.The team’s current room is a mixture of inexperienced young players, veterans who’ve had disappointing tenures on other teams and some of the players left over from […] The post Miami Dolphins Part Ways With ‘Impressive’ Draft Pick appeared first on HEAVY.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 25 • 10:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Sabrina Carpenter pays tribute to Dolly Parton after cleaning up lyrics for their collab

Sabrina Carpenter shared a tribute to Dolly Parton after the ‘Jolene’ singer’s death at 80. The two musicians collaborated on a remix of Carpenter’s ‘Please Please Please’ after Parton requested a lyric change.

ew.com logo
Aug 25 • 9:02 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Chronic conditions persist in Alaska, but there are bright spots in latest health report

A state status report shows mixed results for well-being using a holistic approach with factors like food and housing security, environmental stress and education.

adn.com logo
Aug 25 • 7:11 PM EDT • Health • adn.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (7%)
wow
67%
love
33%
Berrien County Health Department hosts back-to-school bash in Benton Harbor

As Michigan prepares to go back to school on Monday... the Berrien County Health Department hosted a back to school bash today in Benton Harbor.The event giving

wsbt.com logo
Aug 25 • 5:24 PM EDT • Health • wsbt.com
A Mixed Bag from Jake Dickert at Wake Forest Practice

Getting a mixed bag from Jake Dickert on a Tuesday lends itself to some useful give-and-take with some interesting results. Dickert met with the media after practice early Tuesday. Fall camp was somewhat officially over. And game prep for week one was somewhat officially starting. Fall camp ended with last week’s scrimmage. There was a …

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 25 • 5:21 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
AliveCor device nearly doubles arrhythmia detection compared to traditional ambulatory monitoring

The KardiaMobile 6L device identified dozens of arrhythmias completely missed by conventional systems.

cardiovascularbusiness.com logo
Aug 25 • 1:12 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com
Medical Drama ‘Diplomatic Immunity’ Lands Greenlight At USA Network

The series, from Matt Corman & Chris Ord, marks the first major external live-action scripted sale from Fox Entertainment Studios.

deadline.com logo
Aug 25 • 1:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • deadline.com
Chronic conditions persist in Alaska, but there are bright spots in latest health report

A state status report shows mixed results for well-being using a holistic approach with factors like food and housing security, environmental stress and education.

alaskapublic.org logo
Aug 25 • 12:43 PM EDT • Health • alaskapublic.org
Alpharetta OKs North Point sports and entertainment district

A plan to transform North Point Mall into a massive sports and entertainment district received city council approval Aug. 24, paving the way for a potential National Hockey League franchise in Alpharetta. In a 4-3 vote, council members approved a master plan amendment, rezoning, a conditional use permit and variances for a mixed-use development anchored by a 20,000-seat hockey arena.

appenmedia.com logo
Aug 25 • 12:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • appenmedia.com
Entertainment News: August 25, 2026

Get caught up on the latest in Hollywood, technology, and more with FOX 17 Morning Mix's Entertainment News.

fox17online.com logo
Aug 25 • 11:35 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox17online.com
Drug mix-up at Ascension impacts at least 4 surgeries, leaves 1 patient paralyzed

The details are still unclear, but an anesthetic used during joint replacement surgeries may have been contaminated with potassium. The number of victims and the full extent of the injuries are still being investigated by the hospital and the state.

healthexec.com logo
Aug 25 • 12:55 AM EDT • Health • healthexec.com
Chronic conditions persist in Alaska, but there are bright spots in latest health report

A status report shows mixed results for well-being using a holistic approach that considers socioeconomic and environmental factors.

alaskabeacon.com logo
Aug 24 • 9:48 PM EDT • Health • alaskabeacon.com
Why ‘salt finger mixing’ draws Rutgers scientists to warming ocean

Studying how phytoplanktons are affected when two types of water meet, and what may happen to the marine food chain

njspotlightnews.org logo
Aug 24 • 12:10 AM EDT • Science • njspotlightnews.org
Is Melco Resorts & Entertainment (MLCO) A Bargain Following Mixed Q2 Earnings?

Melco Resorts & Entertainment (MLCO) has just reported its second quarter and first half 2026 results, with lower revenue than a year ago but higher net income and earnings per share, drawing renewed attention to the stock. See our latest analysis for Melco Resorts & Entertainment. At a share price of US$5.49, Melco Resorts & Entertainment has seen short term share price support, with a 1 day move of 2.62%. However, the year to date share price return is down 26.9% and the 1 year total...

simplywall.st logo
Aug 23 • 4:14 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Unveils Big Halloween Push As Fair Value Debate Heats Up

Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) has put its Halloween plans at center stage, unveiling its largest ever lineup of horror attractions and licensed franchises across North America for the 2026 season. See our latest analysis for Six Flags Entertainment. The Halloween announcement arrives after a mixed stretch for Six Flags Entertainment, with the share price at US$16.73 and an 8.01% year to date share price return, but a 35.78% decline in 1 year total shareholder return. This pattern suggests...

simplywall.st logo
Aug 23 • 2:16 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (23%)
love
38%
wow
32%
ahah
30%
49ers Get Mixed Bag of Injury News On Saturday

The San Francisco 49ers can't go one day without some form of injury news.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 22 • 6:49 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
MLB Predictions and Moneyline Picks for Saturday, Aug. 22

Saturday's MLB moneyline predictions are a mix of huge underdogs and home favorites, including the Padres as -156 home favorites against the Twins.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 22 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Whale Club Mixes Art, Science at The Good Supply

To cap off the summer season, The Good Supply will host Whale Club, an art-based science fair from 1-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

lcnme.com logo
Aug 21 • 9:33 AM EDT • Science • lcnme.com
Are Malaysian Muslims less corrupt? PAS leader skewered over divisive politics

Critics demand evidence from Abdul Hadi Awang as official bribery data shows mixed results.

scmp.com logo
Aug 21 • 12:54 AM EDT • Politics • scmp.com
😐 Neutral (5%)
wow
50%
ahah
25%
angry
25%
Opinion: Lowering CTs electric bills takes more than political promises

CT should increase the percentage of renewables in our energy mix by switching to more stable, alternative power sources.

ctmirror.org logo
Aug 21 • 12:01 AM EDT • Politics • ctmirror.org
Models of Pride mixes LGBTQ+ youth education and entertainment - Beverly Press & Park Labrea News

Models of Pride returns Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m-4 p.m. In its 34th year, Models of Pride...

beverlypress.com logo
Aug 20 • 1:12 PM EDT • Entertainment • beverlypress.com
Proposed Sugar House business district receives pushback from businesses

A proposed special assessment for improvements within the business district has created mixed feelings among business owners.

ksl.com logo
Aug 20 • 9:32 AM EDT • Business • ksl.com
Radiology Partners investing over $5M to build new headquarters in downtown Nashville

The practice and its technology services division have inked a lease to become a key piece of Nashville Yards, a massive mixed-use development in the “heart of the nation’s healthcare capital."

radiologybusiness.com logo
Aug 20 • 2:53 AM EDT • Business • radiologybusiness.com
State health officials investigating medication mix-up at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown

News 2 confirmed the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission was on site at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown Wednesday to investigate the Nashville hospital after it reported four patients we…

wkrn.com logo
Aug 19 • 7:49 PM EDT • Health • wkrn.com
FDA upgrades recall of frozen blueberries sold at Publix to highest health risk level

Recalled frozen blueberries and mixed berries that could be contaminated with E. coli pose the most severe category of health risk, according to the FDA.

cbsnews.com logo
Aug 19 • 6:52 PM EDT • Health • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Mt. Lebanon sees mixed-use future for business district parking garage

A multi-level parking garage next to Mt. Lebanon’s historical municipal building could have a new life as a mixed-use development, according to the community’s municipal planner. Mt. Lebanon is seeking proposals for a public-private partnership to redevelop the structure, which is nearing the end of its functional life, said Ian

triblive.com logo
Aug 19 • 4:40 PM EDT • Business • triblive.com
Introducing the NFC East Mixtape Feed

A new community for Eagles fans, and the fans of their divisional rivals as well, is here at SB Nation.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Aug 19 • 4:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Robinhood Road ER proposal in Winston-Salem draws mixed support and concern at public hearing

Community resistance towards a proposed freestanding emergency room is growing, while proponents of the project say it will eliviate wait time pressure at major hospitals.

wxii12.com logo
Aug 19 • 10:27 AM EDT • Health • wxii12.com
Kevin Harrington Launches Marketing Agency Patrick Patrick

Kevin Harrington, a former NBCU marketing guru that worked across projects such as SNL50 and 'Love Island U.S.', has kicked off his new company.

deadline.com logo
Aug 19 • 8:03 AM EDT • Entertainment • deadline.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (17%)
ahah
36%
love
32%
wow
32%