SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " better " 3,035 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
WV Superintendent of Schools Launches First AI and Digital Science Framework in the Nation
Charleston, W.Va. - West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt will share the state’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Science Framework with educators during professional development sessions at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Monday through Wednesday, July 27-29, 2026. The Framework, the first of its kind in the country, outlines an approach for digital science and AI literacy education that equips students with the knowledge, skills and credentials to succeed in this rapidly evolving workforce. It also offers educators a way to increase efficiencies in their work and better personalize learning for students.Earlier this year, Superintendent Blatt appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee to share the state’s strategy on addressing the use of AI while also protecting students, their data and educational integrity. The Framework is the result of years of planning, collaboration and development. Digital science encompasses the evolving fields of computer science, AI literacy, data reasoning, cybersecurity awareness, media literacy and the practical application of digital technologies. The framework equips educators to prepare students with the AI and digital science knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the workforce of the future.The West Virginia AI and Digital Science Framework establishes a statewide structure for sustained success. From policy to educator development and student learning, it defines how the state will implement digital science and AI readiness at scale. It serves two priority goals:Respond to the rapidly changing technology landscapeEstablish best practices as a leader for rural models of AI readiness, workforce development and digital science educationWith three statewide commitments, educators will be equipped with understanding and the tools to support implementation. These commitments are:Student Access - Every student will have access to AI literacy learning experiences and digital science instruction before graduationEducator Capacity - All counties will sustain local AI training capacity through a train-the-trainer modelWorkforce Alignment - Every approved pathway will connect to employer demand, postsecondary alignment, and portable or verified credentialsNext week, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will launch the framework during three educator and staff development sessions. These sessions include unique opportunities for new county central office hires, the Support, Appreciate, Invest, and Learn (SAIL) Conference, and the West Virginia Middle Schools: Bridging the Future Initiative launch. Each session is designed to meet the needs of K-12 educators, professionals, paraprofessionals, service personnel and others who serve in the education community.West Virginia is a national leader in developing a framework for AI and digital science education. We are determined to elevate our model because it prepares students and educators for the future. Our partners at Prodigy Learning and Microsoft understand this commitment and believe, as do we, that our work has national implications for accessibility and scalability because we are building systems that address learning at all levels that lead to post-graduation success.Michele L. Blatt, State Superintendent of SchoolsAs part of the partnership, Prodigy Learning is providing West Virginia educators, at no additional cost, their in-person and virtual training on all products and the materials required for license renewal.
Samsung’s New Foldables Have Better Batteries That Are Also Worse
Samsung's using a new material for its batteries, but there's a trade off.
Android Auto is still the best in-car entertainment experience despite its foibles
Android Automotive has made me realize just how much better Android Auto is for most people despite its problems.
Broncos Linebacker Talks Improvement Again Before Camp
Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto is always talking about getting better, and his numbers reflect it.
Why It’s Best to Keep Politics Out of Your Investment Strategy
Despite the blurring of lines between big business and the Trump administration, investing in broad index funds instead of stocks with political ties looks like a better bet.
Small Wars Journal–El Centro Senior Fellow Designs Software with Computer Science Student to Fight Terrorism and Crime Networks
Small Wars Journal–El Centro Senior Fellow co-authored a software plugin with Sam Houston State University computer science student Braell Dotson that will help law enforcement fight criminal networks. The software is a program for the well-known social network analysis (SNA) software Gephi. Gephi is a free open-source software that law enforcement analysts are trained on to better target criminal … Read more
Pennsylvania ACA health insurers propose double-digit premium increases for 2027
The total average premium rate increase request in the individual market is 17%. Some insurers like Ambetter are requesting an average increase of 40%.
Intel's AI business helps fuel strongest revenue growth in 15 years
Intel beat expectations with its strongest revenue growth in more than 15 years as CEO Lip-Bu Tan credited better execution.
Geekbench 7 Launches With Redesigned Multi-Core and GPU Benchmarks
Primate Labs today announced the launch of Geekbench 7, the newest version of the popular benchmarking suite for CPU and GPU performance. There's a redesigned multi-core benchmark in Geekbench 7 that's meant to better represent how applications work in the real world. A workload only runs in multi-threaded mode if the task it models runs multi-threaded in real applications.
When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter
Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Samsung & Google’s Android XR glasses privacy light works like Meta Ray-Bans, core features detailed [Gallery]
With more details now out, we've got a better idea of what to expect from the features and privacy light on Samsung's Android XR glasses.
MacBook Neo 2: Here's everything we know so far
Apple's next MacBook Neo is reportedly coming in 2027 with the better performance, new colors, and more. Here's everything we know.
Seedy K’s Ville Report: La Familia III
For reasons soon to be explained, this can’t be called a GameCap. I had every intention of covering it normally. Running box score on the MacBook. Notepad in hand. Then, at 4:52, I got a call from my ex-, with whom I’m better friends than ever. Even when we were together. It was granddaughter — […]
Simple Steps for Better Brain Health with Dr. Alexander - South Texas Brain & Spine Center
Failure to rescue after TAVR: New study tracks outcomes at high- and low-volume hospitals
High-volume hospitals are often associated with better TAVR outcomes. The team behind this new study wanted to see if a similar trend was seen with FTR rates as well.
A Better Starting Point for Science and Society: Relationship vs. Transaction
A knowledge-deficit model underpins much of scientists’ communication to the public. The solution? Scientists need to more generous and less needy.
Press Release: Rowan County Public Health Shares Results from Community Substance Use Survey
Rowan County Public Health Shares Results from Community Substance Use SurveyFor Immediate ReleaseSalisbury, NC--Rowan County Public Health recently conducted a countywide survey to better understand
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Is for Those of Us Who Can't Stop Scrolling
With a new 4:3 aspect ratio optimized for both horizontal and vertical content, Samsung's wide book-style foldable could be better suited to the way we actually browse, watch and consume content.
Upgraded to premium economy on long flight; better value than business
Upgrading to premium economy on my long Qantas flight between the US and Australia felt like a great value, especially compared to business class.
More Women Own Businesses Than Ever. But Are Female Entrepreneurs Better Off?
More women own businesses than ever, but most earn less than the jobs they left. Why the women-owned business boom isn't the win it appears to be.
A 30-year follow-up: Yale researchers reconnect with child participants in metabolic health study
For more than three decades, Yale researchers have partnered with young people across the state to better understand the biological factors underlying metabolic health.
A Massive Flow of Rock and Mud Tumbled Down Mount Rainier Centuries Ago. Scientists Pinpointed Its Date to Better Understand the Volcano's Complex Threats
In a recent study, researchers dated a historic lahar called the Electron Mudflow to the summer of 1507, establishing a way to determine when past geologic events around the Puget Sound occurred
KERRIGAN IN BIZ TECH: Here’s How Small Businesses Can Get More Value from Their Data - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
In a Biz Tech Magazine interview, SBE Council President & CEO Karen Kerrigan is interviewed along with several business experts on ways that entrepreneurs and business owners can get more value from their data and how to manage it better. The article covers the current state-of-play and the challenges and opportunities for small businesses, including […]
The Xteink X4 Pro could be the tiny e-reader of your dreams
Xteink makes its pocket-sized e-reader even better with a touchscreen and front light.
Behind the Science: Can IL-6 Improve Cardiovascular Risk Assessment? Findings From the CCC Study
Discover the socio-demographic impacts on cardiovascular mortality in our JACC webinar. Join experts as they share insights and strategies for better heart health.
Marketplace Insurance Enrollment Dashboard
Explore Kansas marketplace health insurance enrollment by county, district and region to better understand access statewide.
Briar Cliff University Expands Business Programs, Introduces New Degrees and Curriculum Enhancements
Briar Cliff University is introducing new undergraduate and graduate academic programs, expanding interdisciplinary learning opportunities, restructuring its business department, and pursuing specialized business accreditation to better prepare students for evolving workforce needs.
A Historic Data-Sharing Agreement Affirms Tribal Authority and Aims to Improve Public Health
Diseases do not recognize borders, but the laws, regulations, and systems governing critical public health data often do. Improving how data is shared across different jurisdictions—including state and Tribal governments—better prepares public health departments to understand and respond to disease outbreaks and other public health issues while advancing the unique issue of Tribal data sovereignty, the right of a Tribal nation to collect and manage its own data.
MAGA candidates keep losing in Arizona. Andy Biggs is out to break the trend
The fronrunner for the GOP nomination for governor hopes he fares better than MAGA-aligned Blake Masters and Kari Lake did in their recent statewide contests.
The New Mercedes-Maybach GLS Debuts With More Power, Better Style
The 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 now makes 603 horsepower. It goes on sale later this year.
Businesses worry about perception of Tucson mass shooting
The yellow police tape cordoning off East Congress Street Sunday didn’t come down until the better part of the day had passed.
The surprising benefits of red light
Better skin, faster wound healing and reduced vision loss are on the cards
Columbus Bars to Visit for Live Music, Duckpin Bowling and More
These nine bars offer great drinks and better entertainment, from music to arcade games and more.
Where science meets the shoreline, Iowa Lakeside Laboratory builds for the future
Construction is underway on a new Innovation and Discovery Lab at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory that will expand hands-on learning for students of all ages. The new space will also support research to better understand and protect the water quality of the Iowa Great Lakes.
Bored Kids? Try These Easy At-Home Science Experiments
Science expert Kate Biberdorf, better known as Kate the Chemist, joins TODAY to share fun experiments to keep your kids entertained during the dog days of summer.
Better Business Bureau: Be on the lookout for communications from the U.S. Census Bureau
Jo Ann Deal with the Better Business Bureau of Monroe joined Good Morning ArkLaMiss to talk about the American Community Survey (ACS).
A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching
Astronomers have a plan to observe an errant piece of a SpaceX rocket as it hits the moon to better understand impact events
Andy Burnham says politicians 'need to be better' in first speech as UK's new prime minister
Burnham spoke for several minutes outside 10 Downing St., where he promised to end street sleeping by homeless people and deliver a “circuit breaker” for a system he says has taken wrong turns since the 1980s.
Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult
Cancer survivors often experience cognitive, visual or physical challenges that hinder software use. Better designs can help.
Ardmore’s downtown business district has a new name and launching new programs
Now, the organization formerly known as the Ardmore Initiative has changed its name to the Downtown Ardmore District to better reflect who it is.
Science can serve dark as well as light
I’m not sure how many of you are watching “Star City,” Apple TV’s spin-off of its “For All Mankind” program (2019-present), but it’s one of the better sci-fi series I’ve seen in a while, with an impressively dark political message. (Some light spoilers below.) For the uninitiated, “For All Mankind” presented a slightly tweaked history of the U.S. space program in which it was the USSR that landed on the Moon first in 1969, and shortly thereafter put a woman cosmonaut on the lunar surface. This sparks an ongoing space race that, in the original series, yields a lot of benefits for humanity. President Nixon’s insistence on a female astronaut corps to compete with the Soviets boosts the feminist movement of the 1970s and the ERA passes. New fuels generated for the space program create clean and cheap energy around Earth. There are also some darker changes — the USSR is thriving well into the 2000s, there are terrorist counter-technology movements around the globe, laborers on Mars work in nightmarish conditions and organize strikes and riots, etc. the @smotus report is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, please become a paid subscriber. Subscribe That show offers glimpses into the subtle ways this Earth is different. Teddy Kennedy never went to Chappaquidick because he was racing back to Washington to deal with the space program crisis; he gets elected President in 1972. John Lennon survives his early 1980s shooting but Pope John Paul II does not. The Apple Newton succeeded. Pretty much the whole of season 4 is a setup for an Al Gore joke. Again, mostly, the vision that “For All Mankind” presents is a positive one, with technology advancing many human interests. “Star City” goes in a very different direction. This spin-off show is about the same set of events but from the Soviet perspective. As we meet them, the team of scientists and cosmonauts responsible for the lunar landing are still basking in their hero status, but their program is embedded deep in the Soviet security state of the late 1960s. Everyone’s apartment is bugged. Whole teams of clerical staff spend their days transcribing recordings of people’s lives. People in the program, including respected cosmonauts, are regularly arrested. An incredibly menacing Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) forces confessions and tortures and kills, expressing little more than annoyance in the process. Meanwhile, the space program’s highly respected Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans) has a vision for the program that he knows the government will not approve. He insists that they need to think past the Moon to focus on colonizing the solar system, starting with Venus. (This is a rough parallel to the Americans’ pivot to Mars in the original show.) He essentially builds a secret space program within the space program, calculating that the government will embrace the mission after it has succeeded. (As an aside, I’m not sure why the Venus obsession, as a successful mission can’t produce the biggest public relations payoff: a cosmonaut standing on the surface holding the Soviet flag. Anyone standing on Venus would be immediately crushed by the 92-bar atmosphere and then cremated in the 900°F temperatures. But in a country with no free press perhaps the visual payoff was less valued.) But the overall vision is that the technological advances have only amplified the most fearsome aspects of the Soviet system. The state is paranoid (but not incorrect) about American spies and does monstrous things to protect its secrets. People are terrified to trust each other. Classic banality-of-evil figures order people to harm those they care about; those people comply rather than get shot. Others are forced into criminal behavior to protect loved ones. We’re reminded all the time these days of what happens when a government despises science. It manifests in the defunding of schools, the elevation of fossil fuels as the rest of the world pivots to solar, outbreaks of measles and diarrhea, etc. But “Star City” offers a vision of a bad government that likes science. It’s not encouraging. It’s not yet clear if there will be a season two of this show. But I strongly recommend season one. It’s both thoughtful and gripping. Share
Some dinosaurs could rise like giants until they grew too big
Two elephant-sized South American sauropods were unusually well built for standing on their hind legs. Digital tests showed that their robust femurs handled the enormous forces better than those of larger species, especially while the dinosaurs were young. The upright pose may have helped them reach treetops, frighten predators, or impress potential mates.
MLB News: Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Trade Deadline, Ken Griffey Jr, Red Sox streak
Plus, is Paul Skenes better than ever?
Weight around the belly is a better predictor of heart health than BMI, research indicates
Individuals with overweight or obesity can have a higher risk of heart disease despite appearing to be healthy, new research presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Mexico City (15–17 July) ...
Forgotten ‘90s Sci-Fi Classic Is Begging For A Reboot
A brilliant multiverse premise deserved better. This cult sci-fi favorite is the rare series that could truly benefit from a fresh reboot.
Water First, Coffee in Moderation: What to Drink for Better Cognitive Health
The single best beverage for cognitive health is surprisingly simple: water. While coffee has attracted growing scientific interest for its potential brain benefits, hydration remains the foundation of healthy brain function.
Michael Harris II's Breakout Is Confirmed Two Ways, Not One
Fresh off the All-Star break, Michael Harris II went full highlight reel this weekend. If you're a Harris owner, you might expect another hot half, but you might be better off treating this weekend as a stepping-off point to trade for a more reliable asset. Statcast, always a downer, is a lot less impressed than conventional wisdom.
3 ways science can help you feel happier
From avoiding talking to strangers to buying things to make ourselves feel better, we do all kinds of things to feel happier that don’t work. Here are some interesting scientific findings from the wo...
Mariners wait out Giants, win 4-3 in extras
“There is nothing I can do to make it better. Just wait.” That’s Julio Rodríguez explaining why his concussion was more difficult for him than prior injuries. Julio’s a player that thrives on being at the center of things, always hustling, always giving the game everything he has. So when Nolan Schanuel’s errant throw hit […]
Giants' Cam Skattebo keeps doing reckless things in injury recovery
Skattebo needs to figure this out a bit better.
Food Bank's Health Partnership Model Draws National Praise
A new national report shows how FARSB's FoodRx program is helping Inland Empire neighbors eat better and stay healthier close to home.
Every Day In Every Way, Attribution Science Is Getting Better & Better
Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription, on Patreon, or on Stripe. Help us produce all of the high-quality, original content we publish week after week despite the challenges of content-scraping AI, antisocial media, inflation, and other hurdles. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions ... [continued]
The five most important Illini for the 2026-27 season
When these guys are at their best, opponents better watch out.
Takeaways from the AP-NORC poll of more than 1,000 Jewish Americans
The Associated Press has surveyed more than 1,000 Jewish adults in the U.S. to better understand their views on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, their opinions of the political parties and their experiences with prejudice
Takeaways from the AP-NORC poll of more than 1,000 Jewish Americans
The Associated Press has surveyed more than 1,000 Jewish adults in the U.S. to better understand their views on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, their opinions of the political parties and their experiences with prejudice.
Nearly half of Americans in poll say Supreme Court bases rulings on politics
A majority of Americans disapprove of the job the court is doing, a Washington Post-Ipsos survey finds. Still, it fares better than the president or Congress.
Here’s where MS ranks among worst states for business in 2026. Did it get better from last year?
See how Mississippi’s ranking compares to previous year and other states across the country.
Broncos Could Be Better While Winning Fewer Games
The Denver Broncos have a brutal early schedule and QB health issues, and this over/under number reflects that.
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) Is Up 8.9% After Debt Refinancing And Note Conversion - Has The Bull Case Changed?
AMC Entertainment Holdings has advanced its balance-sheet overhaul by refinancing US$400 million of high-interest debt on better terms and converting about US$155.8 million of senior secured exchangeable notes into equity, while also preparing to report its second-quarter 2026 results on July 20. These moves reduce long-term obligations and loosen restrictive covenants, potentially giving AMC more room to support core theater operations and future refinancing efforts ahead of its upcoming...
Win In Business By Showing Customers Why Your Product Is Better
A well-designed product gets you into the game. But winning in business means getting others to see your product's merit.
Permanent daylight savings is bad for Americans’ health—here’s what science says could be better
More sunlight in the evenings doesn’t always equate to better health
Permanent daylight savings is bad for Americans’ health—here’s what science says could be better
More sunlight in the evenings doesn’t always equate to better health
Rare Pair of Improbably Light ‘Super-Puff’ Planets Is Discovered
They’re less dense than cotton candy, and they will help astrophysicists better understand the most unusual ways giant planets can form.
Virginie Bridoux - A life shaped by sports volunteering: "There's simply nothing else like it"
French volunteer Virginie Bridoux began her journey as a sports event volunteer 20 years ago, saying it made her "a better person". Discover her story and sign up to follow in her footsteps and become a volunteer for LA28.
Strategists weigh the issues shaping N.Y. governor's race
Both Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman are trying to persuade voters they have the better answer to what appears to be the big issue of 2026: New York’s high cost of living.
Classic PS1 Shooter’s PS5 Remake Out Today on PlayStation Store
A cult classic from the PlayStation 1 days has gotten a new HD remaster, and it's out now. Better yet, the game is also discounted.
Google is better at playing the EU regulations game
Google scored a grace period to bring Android in line with EU rules, while Apple must make Siri AI compliant before launch.
iPhone 18 Pro leaks point to a bigger, better and heavier smartphone from Apple
From camera breakthroughs to a new design, here's everything we know.
Why standard time is better for your health than daylight saving time
Proposed legislation would make daylight saving time permanent. But standard time is actually better for your body, according to science.
New Research Explores Scientists’ Role in Public Policy Conversations, from Neutrality to Advocate
Scientists at U.S. land-grant universities take different approaches to engaging with the public, from remaining strictly neutral to openly advocating for the public good, but most agree better training is
Rui Hachimura Reveals What Clippers Do Better Than Lakers
Formerly popular Los Angeles Lakers star Rui Hachimura made a bold move picking the rival Los Angeles Clippers over them in free agency. The Lakers opted to prioritize other free agents, and it became apparent that Hachimura would not be on the team for next season. However, no one expected him to pick the rival […] The post Rui Hachimura Reveals What Clippers Do Better Than Lakers appeared first on HEAVY.
Rockies Need to Get Starting Pitchers at MLB Trade Deadline
When the Colorado Rockies head into the MLB Trade Deadline, the team needs to focus on getting better pitching.
Duke Basketball Star Recruit Throws Insane Shot at UNC
I don't know how people feel about Duke and North Carolina when it comes to which program is better. I think both are pretty comparable in the college basketball landscape, at least historically.
Science-based testing powers better health at Plus10 - Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound
Flower Mound resident Yves Lafortune has competed in his fair share of Ironman events, 100-mile runs, and national-level triathlons over the years. And if you ask him if he plans to do more, he wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. Clearly, the challenge isn’t finding the passion or commitment to keep going. As a lifelong athlete, […]
How Clean, Accessible Data Powers Agentic AI Workflows and Better Business Decisions
Over the past few months, conversations with customers, partners, and peers — including at the recent Databricks Data + AI Summit — have surfaced a consistent set of shifts happening across the analytics and data landscape.
4 Devices You Should Always Connect To 5GHz Wi-Fi (And 4 That Can Stay On 2.4GHz)
Not every device needs 5GHz Wi-Fi. Some gadgets benefit from faster speeds, while others perform better on reliable 2.4GHz connections.
Small business optimism picks up in June, survey says
Owners reported stronger sales expectations and better conditions ahead, even as inflation and hard-to-fill jobs continued to weigh on growth.
Elevance raises annual profit forecast on better medical cost management
Elevance Health raised its annual profit forecast after beating second-quarter earnings estimates on Wednesday, as it looks to keep medical costs in check.
Starmer says his political journey is over at his last question session as UK leader
LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was leaving the United Kingdom “in better shape than I found it” as he fielded questions, criticism and even a bit of praise from lawmakers in…
Eagles Biggest Question Has to Do With Jalen Carter Again
If things are similar to how they've been in years past, the Philadelphia Eagles will have one of the better defenses in the NFL. The only question that remains for this defense at the moment is what it will do with Jalen Carter.
Vikings' offense earns praise for improvements from Bleacher Report
The Vikings' offense needs to be better in 2026 and Bleacher Report believes they can be.
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger
Going to the cinema, visiting museums, or attending concerts may do more than entertain. Researchers found that older adults who regularly participated in cultural activities tended to have bodies that functioned like those of people about three years younger. They believe stronger social ties, better mental health, and healthier habits could help explain the link, although more research is needed to determine whether cultural activities directly slow aging.
Small Business Optimism Picks Up in June
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.1 points in June to 97.4, nearing its 52-year average of 98.0. Expectations for better business conditions and real sales expectations improved substantially and primarily drove the rise in the Index. The Uncertainty Index fell 2 points from May to 89, remaining well above its historical average of
Small Business Optimism Rises as Oil Prices Moderate
Small business optimism increased in June, driven by owners’ expectations for better business conditions and sales, the National Federation of Independent
Global misinformation takes center stage at Emory conference
Emory College brought together leading scholars to study propaganda and information manipulation, emphasizing feedback and collaboration over traditional presentations to better address the growing global impact of disinformation.
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
Ohio cut red tape. Now its business sector is thriving.
Permitting reform and deregulation aren't sexy policy ideas, but they are effective in driving job creation and making people better off.
Who's the Best QB from the 2024 NFL Draft Class?
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye headlined a rare quarterback class in the 2024 NFL Draft, but which one is the better player after two seasons?
Random Ramsdom: 49ers with the better offense?
Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 7/14/26
Opinion: The AI question colleges need to address now
The future will not be determined by who adopts AI first but by who uses it to build systems that better serve the people they exist to support, the dean of U of I's Gies College of Business writes
Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem
Tech titans claim the genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future
Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem
Tech titans claim the genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future
Building better therapeutic antibodies: the science, progress and ...
As therapeutic antibodies become more complex, where is the field making real progress and which problems are proving hardest to solve? Hear leading experts share their perspectives.
Someone Trapped Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Ganondorf Inside A Hamster Wheel
When we work together it's much better
Better Louisiana launches health-focused leadership program
Better Louisiana launches health-focused leadership program Leaders for a Better Louisiana is expanding its longtime leadership development model into the healthcare arena with the launch of Leader… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Waze adds new AI-powered features and customization updates
Some of the new features are powered by Google's Gemini AI assistant, which reflects the the tech giant's broader push to integrate Gemini across its products while also better positioning Waze to compete with rival services such as Apple Maps.
New course examines engineering challenges, opportunities in women’s health
A new Duffield Engineering biomedical engineering course will challenge students to investigate real-world failures in women’s health technologies and identify opportunities for better design.
Better Business Bureau: How to protect your credit
Jo Ann Deal with the Better Business Bureau of Monroe joined Good Morning ArkLaMiss to talk about how credit freezes and identity theft protection can work together to keep you safe.