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Duo to bring sounds of Québec to House Party
Roy-James, a dynamic Montreal duo that weaves together the musical traditions of Québec, Balfolk and New England, will perform an intimate evening of song and strings at Bagaduce Music’s 2nd
Liza Minnelli pays tribute to friend Dolly Parton
Liza Minnelli mourned the loss of her longtime friend Dolly Parton on Friday. Parton died at the age of 80 on Aug. 25.
2,600 silver coins found in outskirts of Moscow may have been buried by a medieval plague victim
A hoard of silver coins has been unearthed near Moscow, revealing new information about money minting in the 15th century.
AI-generated videos are already displacing actors and livestreamers across China's entertainment industry
In China, 95 percent of the 128,000 short dramas released in Q1 2026 were AI-generated. Some actors are being forced to hand over their voice and likeness to AI tools before getting fired, the Financial Times reports. AI-related labor disputes are rising fast.
49ers beef up crucial position in new 2027 mock draft
The 49ers might need to take an offensive lineman in the first round for the first time since 2018.
Opinion | Democrats Have an Identity Politics Problem. Just Not the One You Think.
Instead of rallying around their candidates, Democrats are falling out among themselves.
Hampton Bays Movie Theater Shopping Center Sold
The shopping center that for decades was home to the Hampton Bays UA movie theater has been sold, it’s longtime owner confirmed.
Letters: Golden anniversary suits Eric Sondheimer well
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on Times prep columnist Eric Sondheimer, the Dodgers, Rams and USC.
This Iowa Democrat is stirring hopes of a red state comeback by charting his own path
Iowa has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006, but Rob Sand’s candidacy and his congenial approach to politics has stirred a sense of optimism for the party.
Why it can take time and effort to find the right meds to help mental health
At the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, mental health professionals who treated her testified that she repeatedly sought changes to dozens of medications prescribed for depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Therapy Has a Relationship Problem
When therapy mistakes relational distress for dysfunction, it leaves people with fewer meaningful connections and worse mental health, writes David H. Rosmarin.
In Georgia, Jon Ossoff Courts Broad Appeal With an Anti-Trump Script for Senate Race
Senator Jon Ossoff, the youngest sitting senator and the only Democrat seeking re-election this year in a state President Trump won in 2024, hasn’t moderated his message in his critical race.
Susan Collins and Democrats are fighting a TV ad war over her votes on Trump’s Medicaid cuts
As Democrats spend money to highlight her vote to procedurally advance the “big, beautiful bill,” Collins is running her own ads noting that she ultimately voted against the measure.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Agent Defends Reason For Taking Shorter and Cheaper Deal With Timberwolves
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Jonathan Kuminga had agreed to join the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-year, $12. 4 million deal.
DELF 2026: Hong Kong Advances AI Integration Across Arts and Entertainment
DELF 2026: Hong Kong Advances AI Integration Across Arts and Entertainment
Judge rules Trump unlawfully targeted foreign students who criticized Israel
The ruling was a win for Stanford’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, and it followed another court victory for students targeted by the Trump administration last year.
Brand-New Pokemon Pokopia Code Takes You to Special Cloud Island
The Pokemon Company gives away a brand-new Pokemon Pokopia Cloud Island code inspired by the franchise's biggest event of the year.
Lindsay Clancy trial: Psychiatrist resigns after testimony
Dr. Avram Mack, a psychiatrist who worked in the behavioral health department with Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware, resigned Monday,
Gladys Knight 'easing into fewer' concerts after health concerns
Amid growing health concerns from family and fans after recent concerts, legendary singer Gladys Knight has announced she is reducing her tour schedule.
Gladys Knight 'easing into fewer' concerts after health concerns
Amid growing health concerns from family and fans after recent concerts, legendary singer Gladys Knight has announced she is reducing her tour schedule.
Final beam marks construction milestone for Western State Hospital
As Gov. Bob Ferguson and other state leaders spoke about the new building, workers gathered outside, chanting for a fair contract and better working conditions.
Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark fight among politicians and health officials
NEW YORK — The recent announcement of Pennsylvania’s first measles-related deaths in decades has ignited a public feud among politicians and health officials who disagree over the role of the contagious disease in the fatalities.
Federal judge blocks Trump mail-in voting rule challenged by WA
The coalition of 25 states now seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the rule from taking effect while the lawsuit proceeds and until a final court decision is made.
Sports Overtime: Week 1 (Friday, Aug. 28, 2026)
Watch highlights and view scores from Week 1 of the 2026 NSAA football season.
NASA is preparing to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Here's what to know
NASA plans to soon launch a new space telescope that will survey a billion galaxies to trace how the universe evolved over time, all courtesy of America’s spy program and decades of research into detector technology. Once in position, it will take data that astronomers hope will help answer some of the field’s most puzzling questions.
Abdul El-Sayed must take stand against political violence
Lon Johnson says it's time for Abdul El-Sayed to stop equivocating on political hate and violence
Tickets on sale for Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment induction ceremony
KINGSTON — Tickets are on sale for the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts on the campus of Wyoming Seminary.
Chinese bots on X posting about data centers had no reach: researcher
A Clemson researcher found that at least 59 of the bots had no followers or engagement and only posted a few times before they were suspended.
ABC7 Sports Overtime with Dionne Miller: Aug. 28, 2026
On the latest ABC7 Sports Overtime, Dionne Miller covered the latest with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox with the playoffs approaching, and previewed the Chicago Bears' final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
I've Built Companies in 6 Industries. The Same 5 Patterns Determine Success Every Time.
Industries change, but the problems that determine success repeat — here are the five patterns every entrepreneur should learn to recognize.
As VR Gaming Looks for New Footing, the Out-of-Home XR Entertainment Space is Still Building
The investment and development community are constantly striving to find the next profitable sector in XR, turning to new business opportunities following a turbulent time in the consumer VR gaming space. One area of interest is in out-of-home XR attractions, known widely in the industry as Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) XR. The sector deploys XR as […]
The Trouble With Trump’s Attempt to Rename Lake Ontario
Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario is symbolic political theater aimed at diverting our attention away from the fallout of his trade war with Canada, write Reuben Rose-Redwood and Derek Alderman.
Remembering former WCAX sports anchor Shawna Lidsky
Shawna Lidsky, a longtime sports anchor who later founded the Vermont Brownie Company, died Friday morning after battling cancer for more than five years.
For The First Time In 25+ Years, GTA 6 Will Make Stealing Cars Hard
Committing grand theft auto in Grand Theft Auto 6 will be much more challenging and rewarding
It’s the World’s Most Popular Sports League. Nothing Else Comes Close. Why Has It Been So Hard for Me to Enjoy It?
This isn’t the first time I’ve tried, but this time will be different.
Adult congenital heart programs growing more important as time goes on
More than 95% of congenital heart patients now survive into adulthood, leaving clinicians with much more ground to cover than ever before. Providing high-quality care for these patients requires specialty care as well as collaborations with general cardiologists.
Colorado leaders cheer court decision to block Trump’s mail ballot order in a ruling that’s likely to be swiftly appealed
A federal judge on Thursday halted — at least for now — attempts to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks to restrict the mailing of ballots to American citizens on an eligible voters list. The move stalled the directive for a second time only about a week before the first mail ballots are […]
Trump loses again in bid to erase his hush money conviction
It is the third time Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has blocked Trump from having the U.S. District Court in Manhattan seize control of the case from the New York court where he was tried and convicted.
Trump election fraud crackdown lands first arrest, putting longtime critics in White House crosshairs
A Honduran national in Los Angeles faces felony charges and deportation after allegedly registering to vote, as officials promise more arrests to come.
Historic Big Sur businesses close again as 2 wildfires expand, force new evacuations
"A punch in the gut because this is our busiest month of the year," said one of the owners of a Big Sur landmark restaurant, forced to close again just a week after reopening as the Timber Fire and now the Plaskett Fire continue to rage.
Annapolis parking changes planned; business owners push reform
Parking reform is coming to Annapolis. A group of downtown businesses and residents united to push for the improvements.
DLSS 5 Patched to Work on RTX 4000 "Ada Lovelace" GPUs Despite No Official Support
The modding community has been hard at work ever since the untimely release of DLSS-NR, a precursor to DLSS 5. Now, modders have gotten NVIDIA's leaked DLSS 5 tool working on RTX 4000 series cards, even though the tool was only built for RTX 5000 Blackwell hardware. The DLL leaked earlier this...
A million Americans dropped health coverage. Now everyone else is paying for it
Health insurance costs keep rising as healthier customers exit the marketplace. A decades-old collapse pattern is repeating in real time
New Official Nintendo 64 Game Launches to Strong 4.9/5 Reviews
A new game officially releases on original Nintendo 64 hardware and also receives strong reviews from players.
Judge Excludes Key Confession in Sept. 11 Case
Prosecutors argued the statements by the defendant, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, were crucial evidence for the eventual death-penalty trial.
The World’s Most Intelligent Octopuses Have A Molecular Quirk That Could Help Explain How Their Brains Increase 100-Fold In Their Lifetimes
Yours, on the other hand, will only quadruple.
It's not clear when iPhone 18 Pro and folding iPhone preorders will start
Apple will reportedly sidestep a September 11 preorder date by moving sales to Saturday, only to burden buyers with a significantly less convenient start time.
iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders May Start at an Unusual Time
Pre-orders of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro may not open until Saturday, September 12, a day later than the company's usual schedule, according to a new report. Apple is set to hold its annual iPhone event on Wednesday, September 9, where the iPhone 18 Pro models, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are all expected to be announced.
Open Line ON DEMAND – Carmi Kiwanis Corn Day Entertainment 2026 - WRUL-FM
The time has come…with Corn Day just about 40 days away, it’s time to unveil this year’s 2026 headline entertainment. Carmi Kiwanis President Luke Sailer drops by Open Line to spend 15 minutes with Jc on what to expect at this year’s festival along with […]
Beautiful Night for Friday Night Football!
The “Battle of the Bluefields” will go off without a hitch! Skies continue to clear this afternoon and evening, so skies will be mostly clear by kickoff. There will still be some sunshine time to start, but the sun sets just before 8:00 tonight. Temperatures at our 7:30 PM kickoff will be nice and comfortable […]
Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
This month’s options include an adaptation of an early Stephen King novel, jungle dinosaur battles and atmospheric thrillers.
Opinion | Democrats Want Fighters. A Former Republican Has Ideas.
On deep frustration with the Democratic establishment and potential souring among Trump supporters.
Tim Curry in ‘Clue’ Was My Queer Icon Before I Even Knew What That Was
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ wasn’t available in my house — but ‘Clue’ was on repeat.
An Experimental Single-Time Treatment Slashed Cholesterol for a Year
A small gene-editing study significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels, and the results have stuck a year later.
Payton Takes On Talking Head Who Criticizes Bo Nix
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton found time to pick a media fight yesterday as he went after Geoff Schwartz.
U.S. added 79,000 fewer jobs in 12 months through March, BLS says
The U.S. economy likely created 79,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months through March than previously estimated, the government said on Friday.
Minnesota AG gives green light to Sanford Health merger with North Memorial
The attorney general’s blessing is seen as the last regulatory hurdle to a deal in which the South Dakota-based system agrees to maintain Robbinsdale hospital for at least a decade.
‘Housewives’ Star Jen Shah Finishes Federal Prison Sentence: “I Feel Blessed. I Feel Free” (Exclusive)
The former 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star shares a statement with THR about her release: "For a very long time, I wasn’t in a position to speak for myself while my story continued to be told...
Why Whitworth expexts Donald back with the Rams
Everyone wants to know whether Aaron Donald will be coming back to the Los Angeles Rams or not, and Andrew Whitworth feels that it’s only a matter of time. Whitworth explained to Ryan Fitzpatrick on their podcast that Donald has been putting on a football helmet and doing drills, and as far as Whitworth is […]
Is Intelligent Design the Root of All Science Skepticism?
As author C. W. Howell puts it, various ID proponents have sometimes committed the thought crime of “doubting the science consensus outside evolution.”
Inside Alabama Politics
Welcome to a new edition of Inside Alabama Politics! And a special welcome to new subscribers who have found your way here. For those who are new here, longtime Alabama politico David Azbell authored a great post on his Art of Alabama Politics about the history of IAP going back to its founder, Bessie Ford. […]
GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL FRANCHISING, LLC, NAMED A TOP RECESSION-RESISTANT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY BY 2026 FRANCHISE BUSINESS REVIEW
Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC, the nation's premier children's swim school franchise opportunity, was recently named a Top Recession-Resistant Franchise for 2026 by Franchise Business Review, its third time receiving the honor (2023, 2025, 2026).
15 movies that flopped at the box office but became classics
Some of cinema’s most beloved classics started out as box-office duds. We’re looking back at 15 movies you may be surprised to learn flopped upon release.
Towson business shuts down for evening after large crowd gathers nearby
Silks Sports Bar said it decided to “shut down all business functions and cease operations for the evening” as crowds grew near its business.
Apple Isn't Following Its Typical Playbook for the September iPhone Event
Tim Cook is having a wild last week on the job.
Navy Medicine Advances Operational Health IT for Distributed Maritime Operations
CHESAPEAKE, Va. —Navy Medicine leaders, Fleet representatives, and operational health IT experts convened to accelerate the fielding of medical information capabilities designed to support patient movement, medical logistics and force readiness across distributed maritime operations, August 24-28. Hosted by The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) in Chesapeake, Virginia, the five-day Operational Health Information Technology Fielding Summit served to build upon work that began in 2024 and 2025, to refine Joint Operational Medicine Information Systems (JOMIS) software delivery, implementation, and training.
Keith Kaiser and Jude Redfield get entertainment from the Spoon Man
The Kentucky Exposition Center has something for everyone this time of year from the farm animal competitions to the specialty acts.
Rock legend says 2026 is his last year after more than 5 decades performing
Time is running out to see this legendary performer in person.
How did Trump get so rich?
Jonathan Freedland speaks to Dan Alexander of Forbes about how Donald Trump made so much money last year at the same time trade wars, military wars and a rising national debt hurt the US economy
I replaced 13 apps with one Gemini feature; now my Android productivity is 10 times better
Handling chaotic tasks on my Android phone has never felt this good
Weekend series marks reminder of Red Sox-Yankees playoff inevitably
Take this weekend to get ready, because I would be SHOCKED if the American League playoffs don’t open on Sep. 29 with the Red Sox and Yankees matched up in the Wild Card series. Boston and New York square off for the final time this (regular) season this weekend at Yankee Stadium in a pivotal […]
I was planning to skip the Pixel 11. These 5 upgrades changed my mind
I compared the new Google Pixel 11 with the Pixel 9, and these upgrades have convinced me that it's finally time to make the jump.
Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo spreads to 2 new health zones with a total of 60 areas now affected
Congo government figures show that the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has spread to two new health zones in eastern Congo.
Falcons vs. Dolphins: Time, TV channel, preseason schedule
Falcons vs. Dolphins: Time, TV channel, schedule for Friday's preseason finale
The NFL finally put the Pro Bowl out of its misery. It was time
This is a surrender, a rare defeat for a sport that long ago surpassed Major League Baseball as the national pastime.
Another federally qualified health center is coming to Coatesville in 2027 — this time inside of a high school
Union Community Care’s school-based community health center would be the first of its kind in Chester County.
Metal Gear Solid Fan Community Makes Unexpected Appearance In Master Collection Vol. 2 Executable
"The original DLC might only exist today because SaveMGO kept it available"
Minnesota politicians take their campaigns to the ‘ultimate town hall’
Amy Klobuchar, Lisa Demuth and Peggy Flanagan grew up attending the Minnesota State Fair. They returned Thursday as they campaign for statewide office.
Music Legend, 82, Makes Bombshell Career Announcement Amid Health Fears
Fans had been concerned about the seven-time Grammy winner.
Wyoming Governor Objects to ‘Very Odd’ D.O.J. Election Monitoring
Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, said he was concerned by the behavior of election observers who visited a polling station in Cheyenne.
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Edges Toward Positive Free Cash Flow Is Its Debt Strategy Reframing the Story?
Earlier this week, AMC Entertainment Holdings said it is edging closer to sustained positive free cash flow, estimating it needs an industrywide domestic box office of about US$10.40 billion to reach that goal, helped by record adjusted EBITDA, stronger per-patron profitability, and lower interest costs. An important angle is that AMC’s recent refinancing and debt-repayment efforts are expected to cut annual cash interest expense, meaning the box-office level required to support ongoing...
Imaging wait times rise after hospital system purchases private radiology practice
Intermountain Health in January finalized its acquisition of Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging, a 40-year-old radiology group with a dozen locations around Las Vegas.
Imaging wait times rise after hospital system purchases private radiology practice
Intermountain Health in January finalized its acquisition of Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging, a 40-year-old radiology group with a dozen locations around Las Vegas.
High school football: Thursday's scores
CIF City Section and Southern Section high school football scores for games on Thursday, August 27.
UFC Shanghai Final Face-Offs
The UFC Shanghai: Nurmagomedov vs. Song fighters faced off a final time on Thursday
Why Michigan startups are finding success
Nick Joe Kelley, owner and founder of Elite Paint Home Renovations, at a customer’s home in New Baltimore, Aug. 25, 2026.
Around the World Festival marks 10 years of food and entertainment
The world is coming to Alexandria. On Saturday, the 10th annual Around the World Cultural Food Festival will take place at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria. Visitors can expect to
Towson business shuts down for evening after large crowd gathers nearby
Judge again blocks Trump mail ballot executive order
The move stalled the directive for a second time only about a week before the first mail ballots are due to be sent out.
GTA 6 Officially Confirms First Returning Character
GTA 6 officially confirms the first character returning from a previous game in the series in its Extended Look.
OKTA Q2 Deep Dive: AI Security Drives New Product Momentum, Core Business Expands
Identity management company Okta (NASDAQ:OKTA) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q2 CY2026, with sales up 10.6% year on year to $805 million. Guidance for next quarter’s revenue was better than expected at $815 million at the midpoint, 0.9% above analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.05 per share was 8.9% above analysts’ consensus estimates.
Loudoun County plans more cricket fields as the sport's popularity surges
In 2008, Vinod Motwani and other AOL employees organized a cricket tournament.
Lake Ontario Didn’t Ask for Trump to Rename It
There is a U.S.-led war in the Middle East and the midterm elections on the horizon, but President Trump’s latest priority seems to be “Making The Great Lakes Even Greater.”
How a Former Spy Satellite Could Help Solve the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries
NASA plans to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on August 30 to investigate questions about the composition of the universe and its ultimate end.
Scientists tested 212 plant-based meat alternatives. Every one contained fungal toxins
Every one of 212 plant-based meat alternatives and drinks tested in the UK contained at least one naturally occurring fungal toxin, though concentrations remained below recommended EU guideline levels. Researchers say the bigger question is whether regularly eating large amounts of these foods could lead to potentially concerning cumulative exposure over time.
Scientists tracked 4,500 animals and found a surprising human effect
Scientists tracking thousands of animals found that our physical presence can reshape where wildlife moves and lives, sometimes as strongly as roads, cities, and other human development. Because different species reacted in very different ways, conservation efforts may need to become much more targeted.
Trump Plans to Mark 9/11 at the Pentagon, Not Ground Zero
President Trump originally intended to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 with remarks at ground zero, but the memorial’s organizers do not allow speeches. Mr. Trump changed his plans.
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
UAH Director of CSPAR, Dr. Gary Zank, Receives International COSPAR Space Science Award; Minor Planet Named in His Honor
A lifetime of probing the invisible forces that shape our solar system has earned a University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) researcher one of the highest honors in international space science, as well as an enduring place among the stars. Dr. Gary Zank, director of the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) and a faculty member and former chair of the Department of Space at UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System, has received the 2026 Committee on Space Research (COSPA