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Web browsers collect a lot of data and share it with the sites we visit, so if you're concerned about your privacy, it's worth wondering which browsers are best for keeping our online habits to ourselves. Whether you're an activist concerned about surveillance, someone doing research in a country where your topic can get you in trouble, or simply a person who doesn't want spying eyes on their search history, using a more private browser can be one of the simplest steps you can take towards less worry. I spoke to William Budington, a Senior Staff Technologist on The Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Public Interest Team, and Janet Vertesi, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Princeton University who publishes extensive work on human-computer interaction and online privacy. They had subtly different opinions on which browsers are best for your privacy, but they definitively agreed on one thing: It's not Chrome. "There is no perfect choice here in the array of browsers that protect your privacy, but certainly Chrome is not one of them," Budington says. Vertesi agrees: "If you're on Chrome, you have to get off Chrome." It shouldn't be surprising that the most private browser is not the one made by a company that generates the majority of its revenue by collecting data. But which browsers are more private? Tor is the ultimate private browser, but it comes with trade-offs Credit: Justin Pot Tor is built with privacy in mind. The browser disables all cookies, masks fingerprinting, and routes all traffic through at least three different nodes. That level of privacy is unparalleled, but it comes at a price: a lot of websites simply don't work. "Because it's aimed to be ephemeral, not leaving traces, and turning off cookies by default, it's going to be the gold standard when it comes to privacy and anonymity," Budington says, "but there's a tradeoff in usability." The problem, according to Budington, is that Tor's privacy means it's a common tool for distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, which in turn means many services block it. "Tor is probably the safest in that it's totally untraceable, but it's not usable for everything," Vertesi says. "You can't use Tor exclusively." Both experts recommended using Tor for those moments when you really want to make sure no one is watching. "If you're someone who wants to look up a medical condition, use Tor because it won't leak your browsing," Budington adds. "You might want to use Tor browser in those specific situations, but there are browsers that do a pretty good job at protecting your privacy but will be much more usable." Brave is a good option for private browsing but also comes with caveats Credit: Justin Pot Brave is a Chromium-based browser made for privacy. It offers built-in ad and tracking blocking, fingerprint randomizing, and various other privacy features. Both experts acknowledged the various controversies about the company but still feel it's a solid out-of-the-box option for private browsing. "It's clear that they are taking reasonable and good steps in order to protect users' privacy," according to Budington. He particularly emphasized the length Brave goes in order to randomize your browser's fingerprint, which can protect against canvas fingerprinting in which sites render an unnecessary vector image to detect subtle differences in hardware configuration. The other browsers on this list don't do that, which might be worth keeping in mind. Brave is also built on the Chromium code base, meaning sites that break on Firefox and Tor generally open without problems. "Brave is an option if you need a Chrome compliant thing around," according to Vertesi. Firefox is still great with the right extensions Credit: Justin Pot You already know about Firefox—once among the most popular browsers on the planet—and it's still a solid option for security conscious users if you don't mind a bit of setting up. "With the right add-ons installed, Firefox can be just as private as Brave," Budington says, recommending EFF's own Privacy Badger alongside the ad-blocker uBlock Origin. "There's no reason not to use these in combination," he adds, mentioning there are also add-ons for randomizing fingerprinting. And there's more to discover if you dig around. "The thing I like about Firefox is you can really lock it down in the settings," Vertesi says. She emphasized the fact that Firefox is built by a nonprofit instead of a commercial entity. "Their job is not to satisfy investors," she notes. "That's important, because it means that you're not the product." Both experts acknowledged that, like Brave, Firefox has its share of recent controversies that are worth keeping in mind, but they still recommend the browser. Why you should use different browsers for different usesVertesi emphasized that a core part of her privacy strategy is to use multiple browsers. "Don't just choose one best browser, use many," she said. "It's a way of cordoning off different parts of your life, so your browser doesn't know about other accounts." Vertesi, for example, generally has a single browser for occasionally browsing Facebook products and nothing else—that way Facebook can't track her other browsing. She said there are many good options out there including Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo Browser, and even Apple's Safari, which has a few privacy-specific features. Budington mentioned that because Apple devices are all so close in terms of hardware configuration, Safari has incidental fingerprint protection. Ultimately, privacy isn't something we can get by installing a particular browser—it's more of a mindset, and it includes strategies that come with compromises to our convenience. Tor, Brave, and Firefox all strike a different balance in privacy and usability—along with smaller options like Opera, Vivaldi, and DuckDuckGo Browser. The right one will depend on how you're balancing those factors at any given time. But, again, if you care about your privacy, a good place to start is simply not using Chrome. "If you have an amazing VPN but you're doing everything in Chrome...why bother?" Vertesi says. View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re someone who reads every night before bed and doesn’t mind a few scuffs, this refurbished 2019 Kindle Oasis deal might be worth a look. It’s going for $129.99 on Woot (for the next 30 days or until it sells out), which is a steal for the 32GB model—especially considering a refurbished 8GB model is going for $119.99 on Amazon (and brand-new ones usually push past $250). Just a heads-up, since this is a scratch and dent unit, it's not going to look fresh out of the box (expect light scuffs and small dings). That said, it's been tested and certified to work fine, and Woot throws in a 90-day Amazon warranty just in case. Additionally, this version is ad-supported, meaning you’ll see sponsored content on the lockscreen, but it won’t get in the way while you’re reading. Shipping’s free if you’ve got Prime, otherwise it’s $6, and it only ships within the lower 48 states. Kindle Oasis Waterproof eReader – 10th Generation, 2019 Model $129.99 at Woot $250.00 Save $120.01 Get Deal Get Deal $129.99 at Woot $250.00 Save $120.01 What you’re getting, functionally, is still solid. The 7-inch, 300ppi display is crisp, sharp, and front-lit with 25 LEDs. It has an adjustable warm light setting, which makes late-night reading easier on the eyes. Unlike the cheaper Kindles, the Oasis still has those physical page-turn buttons on the side, which makes it easy to flip pages when you're holding it one-handed. This model is also IPX8 waterproof rated, so you can dunk it in the tub or spill coffee on it without panicking. For what it’s worth, the screen is sharp and evenly lit—PCMag called it “the most luxurious Kindle,” and they weren’t wrong—but this model doesn’t support USB-C, so you’re stuck with micro-USB. That might be a dealbreaker if you’ve fully phased out the old cables in your house. And it doesn’t have wireless charging either, if that’s a priority. View the full article

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A bitcoin investor who bought a SpaceX flight for himself and three polar explorers blasted off Monday night on the first rocket ride to carry people over the North and South poles. Chun Wang, a Chinese-born entrepreneur, hurtled into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket steered southward over the Atlantic, putting the space tourists on a path never flown before in 64 years of human spaceflight. Wang won’t say how much he paid Elon Musk’s SpaceX for the 3 ½-day ultimate polar adventure. The first leg of their flight—from Florida to the South Pole—took barely a half-hour. From the targeted altitude of some 270 miles (440 kilometers), their fully automated capsule will circle the globe in roughly 1 ½ hours including 46 minutes to fly from pole to pole. “Enjoy the views of the poles. Send us some pictures,” SpaceX Launch Control radioed once the capsule reached orbit. Wang has already visited the polar regions in person and wants to view them from space. The trip is also about “pushing boundaries, sharing knowledge,” he said ahead of the flight. Now a citizen of Malta, he took along three guests: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar guide Eric Philips. Mikkelsen, the first Norwegian bound for space, has flown over the poles before, but at a much lower altitude. She was part of the 2019 record-breaking mission that circumnavigated the world via the poles in a Gulfstream jet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s moon landing. The crew plans two dozen experiments—including taking the first human X-rays in space—and brought along more cameras than usual to document their journey called Fram2 after the Norwegian polar research ship from more than a century ago. Until now, no space traveler had ventured beyond 65 degrees north and south latitude, just shy of the Arctic and Antarctic circles. The first woman in space, the Soviet Union’s Valentina Tereshkova, set that mark in 1963. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, and other pioneering cosmonauts came almost as close, as did NASA shuttle astronauts in 1990. A polar orbit is ideal for climate and Earth-mapping satellites as well as spy satellites. That’s because a spacecraft can observe the entire world each day, circling Earth from pole to pole as it rotates below. Geir Klover, director of the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway, where the original polar ship is on display, hopes the trip will draw more attention to climate change and the melting polar caps. He lent the crew a tiny piece of the ship’s wooden deck that bears the signature of Oscar Wisting, who with Roald Amundsen in the early 1900s became the first to reach both poles. Wang pitched the idea of a polar flight to SpaceX in 2023, two years after U.S. tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman made the first of two chartered flights with Musk’s company. Isaacman is now in the running for NASA’s top job. SpaceX’s Kiko Dontchev said late last week that the company is continually refining its training so “normal people” without traditional aerospace backgrounds can “hop in a capsule . . . and be calm about it.” Wang and his crew view the polar flight like camping in the wild and embrace the challenge. “Spaceflight is becoming increasingly routine and, honestly, I’m happy to see that,” Wang said via X last week. Wang said he’s been counting up his flights since his first one in 2002, flying on planes, helicopters, and hot air balloons in his quest to visit every country. So far, he’s visited more than half. He arranged it so that liftoff would mark his 1,000th flight. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Marcia Dunn, AP Aerospace Writer View the full article

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Hooters of America, LLC, owner of the Hooters restaurant chain, has announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The bankruptcy filing is aimed at helping the company restructure itself so it can transition from a company-owned restaurant chain to a franchisee-owned chain. Here’s what you need to know about Hooter’s bankruptcy and whether any locations will close. Hooters to transition to franchisee-owned model Most people think of Hooters as just one company, but the restaurant chain currently operates under a hybrid model. Hooters of America, LLC, owns the restaurant’s brand intellectual property and currently operates numerous Hooters locations in the United States and across the world. The company says it franchises and operates 410 Hooters restaurants in 38 states and 24 countries. However, Hooters of America, LLC, also licenses out its restaurants to franchisees, allowing individuals and companies to operate Hooters stores. One of the largest Hooters franchisees is Hooters Inc., the company owned by the original Hooters cofounders. Hooters Inc. owns and operates over 20 restaurants in America. Like many restaurant chains, Hooters has been struggling financially in recent years, and now the company’s owner, Hooters of America, LLC, has decided that the best way forward for the brand is to restructure its business model. That restructuring will see Hooters move from a primarily company-owned model to an entirely franchisee-owned model. Hooters of America, LLC, says that the restructuring will see a group of current franchisees acquire and operate the current company-owned locations. Among those franchisees is Hooters Inc. It should be noted that the bankruptcy filing and the restructuring of the company only affect Hooters locations in America. Its worldwide locations are unaffected by the changes. Are any Hooters locations closing? If you’re a fan of Hooters, then there is some good news. The company says that it currently has no definite plans to close any Hooters locations. In a press release announcing the bankruptcy filing, Hooters of America CEO Sal Melilli said, “Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay.” However, the announcement went on to leave open the possibility that some locations could close. “As part of the Company’s broader business transformation and planning, Hooters is evaluating the Company’s operational footprint as part of its financial restructuring process to position itself to invest its resources in its strongest assets moving forward,” the statement read. What this means is that it’s possible Hooters could decide to close some locations as the bankruptcy process continues. So, is Hooters going out of business? The company has no plans to. Indeed, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, so it can keep its business going and locations open, albeit under a new franchisee-owned model. In a dedicated website for customers who have questions about Hooter’s bankruptcy, the company says, “Hooters is here to stay, and with a stronger financial foundation and streamlined operations on the other side of this process, we will be well-positioned to continue delivering the guest-obsessed hospitality experience and delicious food our valued customers and communities have come to expect well into the future.” How long will Hooters’ restructuring take? Hooters of America, LLC, says it expects to move through the bankruptcy process “swiftly.” The company defines this as having the goal of emerging from Chapter 11 in about 90 to 120 days. Restaurant chains have had a rough year Hooters of America, LLC isn’t the only restaurant company that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy lately. In the past year, numerous other popular restaurant chains have as well, including Red Lobster, Tijuana Flats, Buca di Beppo, and Roti. While the specifics of each bankruptcy will vary, many restaurants have faced the same problems in recent years. This includes diminishing foot traffic, higher costs, and diners who are cutting back on discretionary spending due to price rises fueled by inflation. View the full article

You know the feeling—your calendar is packed, your inbox is overflowing, and every decision, big or small, lands on your desk. Leadership today isn’t just about managing teams and making strategic calls; it’s about navigating an endless stream of meetings, emails, and expectations. While burnout is widely recognized, most solutions focus on time management rather than cognitive bandwidth management. The real issue isn’t just being overworked—it’s being oversaturated. Leaders are drowning in information, decisions, and interruptions, leaving little room for the deep thinking required for creativity, strategic foresight, and high-quality decision-making. A study from the University of California found that it takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus after an interruption. Multiply that by dozens of daily distractions, and it’s clear why many leaders struggle to see the bigger picture. The ability to make sound, high-impact decisions isn’t about working harder; it’s about creating space for deep thought. The Hidden Costs of Constant Busyness Many leaders equate productivity with busyness, believing that the more they do, the more they accomplish. However, excessive cognitive load leads to decision fatigue, diminishing the quality of choices over time. The constant need to process information can also limit strategic foresight, causing leaders to operate reactively rather than proactively. Without time to reflect, innovation suffers, and leaders struggle to connect disparate ideas or generate fresh insights. Perhaps most importantly, the mental strain of constant cognitive overload erodes the ability to inspire, connect, and energize teams, leading to emotional exhaustion. Through my work advising leaders, I have seen the biggest shift happen when they gain clarity on what is most important for them to focus on. When they create space to think, they move from reactive firefighting to intentional, high-impact leadership. To support this shift, I developed a structured approach that helps leaders pause, reflect, and see things differently before diving into the next wave of demands. By making reflection a habit, they regain control over their time and amplify their ability to lead with purpose. White space isn’t a luxury—it’s a strategic imperative. But how can leaders reclaim time for deep thinking when everyone wants a piece of them? Scheduling Uninterrupted Blocks for Reflection If you don’t protect your time, no one else will. Blocking thinking time on your calendar isn’t just about setting aside hours—it’s about creating the right conditions for meaningful reflection. Some CEOs, like Bill Gates, take “Think Weeks” to immerse themselves in strategic visioning. While a whole week might not be feasible, micro-retreats—such as two-hour deep-thinking sessions once a week—can significantly improve clarity and decision-making. To implement this, designate a specific time each week when you are completely unreachable. Use this time to tackle complex problems, review long-term strategies, or explore innovative ideas. Changing your environment can also enhance deep thinking; a walk, a quiet room, or a retreat space can be instrumental in shifting your mindset from reactionary to strategic. Reducing Decision Fatigue by Delegating and Automating Not every decision requires your input. Barack Obama and Steve Jobs famously simplified their daily choices—wearing the same outfit daily—to preserve mental energy for high-stakes decisions. Leaders should similarly identify which decisions they must own and which ones can be delegated or automated. Start by categorizing your decisions: strategic ones require deep thinking, operational ones can often be delegated, and administrative ones are best automated. Empowering your team to take ownership of decisions within their expertise frees up cognitive space for you to focus on higher-impact areas. Batching smaller decisions into designated review sessions can also prevent constant context switching. Automation tools can also help eliminate repetitive tasks, allowing leaders to focus their energy on what truly matters. Creating “No-Meeting Zones” for Deep Work While necessary, meetings often disrupt the ability to engage in strategic work. Some companies, like Shopify, have introduced “Meeting-Free Wednesdays” to give employees uninterrupted time for deep work. Leaders can implement a similar approach by establishing specific time blocks where meetings are off-limits, enabling more focused thinking. Redesigning meeting culture is another way to protect deep work. Encouraging asynchronous collaboration—through well-documented memos, video updates, and shared decision logs—can reduce the need for real-time discussions. Adopting a “50-minute meeting rule” also helps ensure that meetings don’t consume an entire hour and allows for short breaks to reflect before diving into the next task. Another interesting approach I have implemented with my clients to enhance strategic discussions is to hold a silent meeting to allow leaders to read and reflect on strategic plans before engaging in a dialogue. Being Selective About Information Intake In an era of constant connectivity, leaders must be intentional about the information they consume. Too much input can be just as damaging as too little. Instead of passively absorbing every report, email, or industry update, curate your information sources carefully. Limiting the number of newsletters, reports, and updates you follow can help reduce cognitive clutter. Setting specific times during the day to check emails and news—rather than reacting to every notification—prevents constant distractions. Another helpful practice is maintaining a “Reverse To-Do List.” Instead of listing tasks to complete on the list, you instead identify habits, commitments, or information sources you can eliminate to free up mental space. Structured reflection rituals, such as weekly reviews of key learnings rather than endless content consumption, can further sharpen decision-making. Great leadership isn’t about being the busiest person in the room—it’s about making the best decisions. The leaders who thrive in complexity aren’t those who power through every request but those who create the mental space necessary for clarity and innovation. If you’re constantly overwhelmed, it may not be a workload problem but a thinking-time problem. Designing intentional white space isn’t about stepping back; it’s about stepping into your most strategic, creative, and high-impact leadership self. View the full article

Today is April 1, April Fools’ Day, the annual holiday that celebrates pranking, hoaxes, and all manner of horseplay and tomfoolery. But why? Where did this faux holiday come from? Why do we do this to each other, and when will we finally just stop? These are surprisingly tricky questions, and April Fools' Day has been around for a surprisingly long time. As far back as 1708, the British newspaper Apollo asked, “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?” and provided unconvincing answers. So we know the April Fools' tradition goes back centuries, but the exact origins of the holiday are still a mystery. There are theories, but they all reek faintly of bullshit. April Fools’ Day origin story #1: The great French calendar switch of 1582The most popular (but still probably bullshit) April Fools' origin story blames France. It goes like this: Back in 1563, The Council of Trent declared that Christ is entirely present in both the consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist. But more importantly, it decreed Catholic nations should use the Gregorian calendar instead of the Julian calendar. France’s King Charles IX ordered his nation to get on board with the switch by 1582, but when the actual day rolled around, some citizens were non-compliant. (French people can be stubborn.) April 1 is beginning of the new year according to the Julian calendar, and some people either didn’t know about the new calendar or didn’t like it, because they went on celebrating the new year on April 1. To get everyone back in line, people started mocking calendar-truthers by playing tricks on them. Because the first day of April used to coincide with the end of Lent, and fish was a popular Lenten gift, giving a fool a fake fish was seen as a hilarious joke (or so the story goes). This evolved into the French April 1 prank of affixing a paper fish to someone’s back, which is still practiced to this day, mainly by school kids; it’s why French people call April 1 poisson d’avril, or "April fish." I like the alternative “April fish” origin story better, though: The real prank was secretly sliding a fish in someone’s pocket and hoping they didn’t notice until it started to stink. That’s timeless comedy and requires no explanation. So case closed, right? “April Fools’ Day began in France when the calendar changed.” Nah. Probably not (April Fools!), because the first written reference to the day dates back some two decades earlier, to 1561. Flemish writer Eduard De Dene’s Refereyn vp verzendekens dach / Twelck den eersten April te zyne plach is a comical poem about a nobleman sending his gullible servant on a series of ridiculous fake errands on April 1. Along with a message that remains timely today (“You’re a fool to believe what someone says on April 1”), the poem makes it clear that the seasonal pranks were already a widespread, well-known phenomenon decades before the calendar changed in France. Unlike many holidays with changing customs and rites, April Fools’ seems to be celebrated in much the same way now as it was in the 1500s. April Fools’ Day origin #2: The ancient Romans did itSome historians have dug all the way back to Ancient Rome to uncover evidence of the first April fool. Back then, they called days of rejoicing “hilaria.” People had private hilaria, like their wedding days, or public ones, like the Hilaria Matris Deûm, celebrated on March 25 as part of a 10-day festival to honor Cybele, the mother of the gods. After several festival days devoted to fasting, castration, mourning, and scourging, the hilaria gave everyone the chance to enjoy some much-needed fun, playing games and having orgies (I assume). The biggest highlight of Hilaria Matris Deûm was masquerading. You could get away with imitating anyone you wanted on this day, including government officials. So maybe this was the original April Fools’ Day? The evidence seems a little shaky to me. The time of year is roughly correct, but the connection to pranks and hoaxes seems tenuous—dressing up as someone to mock them is not the same as tricking them into eating a donut filled with mayonnaise. Since no one knows where or when April Fools’ Day originated, so I’m going to say it came from—oh, Denmark. From there, it spread to the rest of Europe, probably. No matter the origin, by the late 1600s, April Fools' Day was so firmly established that newsletters saw no reason to explain it to readers. For example, the April 2, 1698 edition of Dawks’s News-Letter contains an item that reads: “Yesterday being the first of April, several persons were sent to the Tower Ditch to see the Lions washed.” (Sending fools to see lions washed is hilarious.) April Fools’ Day goes from personal to publicWhether it’s sticking a paper fish on someone’s back or sending tourists to the lion washings, the first few 100 years of April Fools’ Day pranks were personal. It wasn’t an official holiday; it was just a bunch of folks joshing their friends or strangers on the street. But as society shifted from individual experiences to more mediated ones, the nature of April pranks shifted too. Beginning in the early 1900s, newspapers started publishing fake stories on April 1. Then radio started doing it, telling listeners that wasps were about to attack them, or the world was going to end. In the 1950s, television got in the act; even the staid BBC pranked viewers with a fake story about the Swiss spaghetti harvest. The April Fools’ prank’s current most popular form—fake announcements on the internet—is fitting for the state of our culture. Traditionally pranks were at least enjoyable for the one doing the pranking, but modern April Fools’ isn’t fun for anyone. The audience knows it’s going to happen, so no one is really tricked, and the technology and media companies that are “pranking” people are doing it because they want clicks and engagement to further solidify their brand image. That's the opposite of fun. The only thing that was ever good about April Fools' Day is that it was a home-grown, unofficial folk holiday of the people. The jerky people, but still. Now April Fools' Day is entirely corporation-approved. Why April Fools' Day needs to dieThere aren’t really any studies on this, but strictly from a personal “I’ve been on the Internet for a long time” perspective, the popularity of online April Fools’ jokes have been declining for several years and hopefully it drops off to nothing soon. No one needs a holiday that has victims. In the disinformation age, every day is April 1 anyway; we’re constantly being taken for fools. We’re bombarded by people using technology to try to trick us, whether it’s criminal robots sending texts to steal the money in our bank accounts, influencers monetizing our envy through filters and careful camera angles, AI-generated deep-fakes of the pope in a puffer jacket, or the more subtle but all-encompassing hoaxes of modern politics and commerce as a whole. Hearing some jerkass saying "Ha ha, tricked you," just isn't funny anymore—if it ever was. View the full article

Countless hours, days—perhaps even weeks—of my life have been spent creating Sims characters, building them houses, marrying them off, and making babies. Now, there’s a new life-simulation game on the block hoping to expand beyond the American market. inZOI debuted on March 28 at $40 and quickly climbed to the top of Steam’s most wishlisted and bestseller charts. The game’s appeal lies in its hyper-detailed character customization, free expansions, and immersive, realism-focused world. Unlike The Sims, which embraces cartoonish characters and lightheartedness, inZOI opts for lifelike graphics and a slower-paced gameplay experience centered on everyday interactions. Designed with a broader audience in mind, inZOI stands out through subtle cultural details. For example, players’ digital humans are prompted to remove their shoes upon entering a home, and the game’s cities draw inspiration from Seoul and Santa Monica. The fridge is stocked with tteokbokki, a beloved Korean rice cake snack, and characters often wear trendy Korean streetwear. “I felt a lot of cultural barriers” playing The Sims, Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim, chief executive officer of game publisher Krafton’s inZOI Studio, told Bloomberg in a recent interview. Kim spent years developing online role-playing games, only to come home and play The Sims with his son. One day, his son asked why there aren’t other games like The Sims. That question stuck with Kim and eventually led to the creation of inZOI. Once the prototype was ready, Krafton sought input from The Sims’ large and dedicated fanbase. They sent PCs to Sims YouTubers, encouraging them to livestream the game, while fans joined a Discord channel to request features they felt The Sims was lacking—such as more inclusive hairstyles. The Sims franchise has been a cash cow for Electronic Arts, generating over $5 billion in revenue and attracting more than 15 million new players in 2024, despite being more than a decade old. But with no Sims 5 in sight, EA has relied on expansion packs to keep players engaged, opening up a gap in the market that inZOI is eager to fill. Still, if inZOI was banking on its competitor fading into obscurity, it may be disappointed. The Sims 4 recently hit its highest-ever average player count on Steam in February 2025, according to The Gamer. The anticipation surrounding inZOI perhaps sparked a wave of players to revisit their old favorite. Either way, The Sims franchise has shown it still has plenty of life in it. View the full article

Over the last year, Gap has been popping up in an unexpected place for a heritage casual wear brand: the red carpet. Last July, Anne Hathaway wore a white shirt dress with matching bralette and Bulgari jewelry. In December, Demi Moore appeared in a black knit jersey dress and moto jacket. And just this past February, Timothée Chalamet showed up in a black satin workwear set. Zac Posen, Gap Inc.’s executive vice president and creative director, had designed all of them under the new label, GapStudio. And now, Gap is bringing GapStudio to the masses as it officially launches the new, higher-end Gap sub-brand, designed to elevate Gap’s perception, extend its reach to younger consumers, and help regain its cultural caché. GapStudio will launch four seasonal collections a year, along with select standalone drops starting with this Spring capsule, called GapStudioCollection 01. The collection includes a range of elevated basics that play into classic styles Gap is known for, but with contemporary and trend-driven silhouettes, and elevated fabrications and construction. Prices range from $78-$248, and will be available online and in select stores starting this Thursday. Posen’s role is far-reaching across Gap Inc, but GapStudio seems to be the most direct expression of his crossover from the red carpet gowns of his former high-end designer label to Gap Inc’s accessible everyday denim. Posen led the collection’s design processes, creative directed its launch campaign with zeitgeisty photographers, models, and stylists from his network, and onboarded a team he’s worked with for decades to bring it to life. The move to revive a brand’s Americana cool factor GapStudio is launching close to a year after Posen joined Gap Inc, where he oversees the creative direction of its brands, including Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, and Old Navy, for which he is also chief creative officer. He and his team work out of the GapStudio atelier (that’s fashion for workshop), a new space in Gap Inc’s New York City headquarters that’s the epicenter of a new design vision for Gap. After shuttering his namesake brand in 2019 and spending seven years at Brooks Brothers, Gap Inc hired Posen to revive the defunct heritage brand known more for its deep sales than for its fit. According to the company’s fourth quarter earnings report, net sales were down 3% in its last quarter compared to the previous year. But the full 2024 fiscal year shows that online sales were up 4% and net sales were up 1%. In-store sales remained flat. Posen’s first collection for GapStudio offers up a tangible sense of where he wants to take the brand. The collection includes a mix of polished but contemporary everyday pieces, including denim sailor pants, cropped white button downs, and dresses (the Anne Hathaway will be available in a new color), ribbed tanks and dresses, slinky slip dresses, a denim moto and a trench coat with a pleated back. “You have to have that range within a very tight collection to be able to do that,” says Posen of the mix between casual and elevated styles. He notes that the slip dress could be worn with shoes or heels. “Daystomper, night stalker.” Brand elevation through construction, silhouette, and association Posen applied a studied eye to the construction of the pieces. He showed me the collection in the Gap Inc showroom in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood. I noted the curved seaming of the knit dress worn by Demi Moore, which gave the dress a slight bell shape. Those were Posen’s “construction lines,” he said, so the piece didn’t have side seams. The seams themselves were made to have more dimension than a typical needle stitch, he pointed out. As he made his way through the collection racks, he pointed out more details: the $148 knit day dress, which is a fully fashioned knit, the dry hand of the rib tank, the sit of the shoulder and pick stitch of the khaki blazer. Posen pulls out a white denim corset cincher. “Like, why not?” he asks. He paired it with a white tank dress, but it appears in a few different looks throughout the campaign, making the case for its versatility. The collection also has sweatshirts for when you’re not in the mood to be so cinched. He thumbs to the slip dress, which has seaming he originally designed for a slip dress featured in a ballet his husband choreographed. “Pajama glamour,” he declared. “Everyday street glamour. Red carpet to the street.” That sentiment covers the range of the collection pretty well. “That’s so cute as a look, and really young,” Posen says referring to the sweatshirt look. There’s an explicit play for Gen Z with GapStudio. “It’s been really fun to be building a collection with that in mind, in terms of expanding our customer base.” One way he did that, in addition to leaning into nascent Gen Z trends like bloomers, is through the GapStudio campaign itself. He tapped fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti, stylist Alastair McKimm, and supermodels Alex Consani, Imaan Hammam, and Anok Yai. He described the process of building the images as “elevating the iconic.” He hopes to tap into contemporary equivalents of the brand’s past partnerships with renowned photographers like Annie Leibowitz and Steven Miesel. GapStudio’s “elevated essentials” Ultimately, Posen wants GapStudio to communicate a sense of “elevated essentials,” he says. “Great items that become staples in a wardrobe. Beloved pieces you always look for. Things that have style and trends without being disposable.” To do that, he aims to balance Gap’s metrics-driven approach with his own taste. “Experimentation at any level is essential,” he says. And it does appear that he is deeply involved with the GapStudio design team, including concepting, fitting, and fabrication. As we walked to the atelier down the hall from the showroom, he introduced me to team members he’d worked with for 10, 15, and 20 years, who now work in the GapStudio label. As we talked and made our way through the atelier, he was distracted by the work of a designer who was draping and pinning a work-in-progress garment on a figure. “I keep thinking about lowering the back on it,” Posen said to the designer. “You have to do a body suit—that’s what I said at like midnight last night—but then we can go lower in the back and lower on the side.” He’s comfortably in his element. I asked him what the piece was for. “That’s a special project,” he told me as we moved to the next station, without disclosing particulars. Posen plans to invite other guest designers, a strategy that has worked well for bridge and mass market brands like Uniqlo and H&M. He sees the coalescence of longstanding relationships and skillsets into GapStudio as “a starting point for innovation”; a new chapter with old collaborators. The play is “desirability, absolutely elevation,” Posen says of GapStudio. The first collection, he says, is “just the beginning.” View the full article

On many fronts, and with deliberate haste, America is vaporising its soft powerView the full article

Biggest inflow since onset of pandemic pushes bullion to fresh highs as traders hunt for haven assetsView the full article

Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. During the pandemic housing boom, home flipping surged as soaring home prices and ultralow-interest rates attracted more flippers, especially newcomers, to the market. However, as the market shifted due to the rate shock of 2022, home-flipping activity has seen the biggest pullback since 2007, and many of those newcomers pulled back. In the last quarter of 2018, there were 71,358 home flips. In the last quarter of 2021, that shot up to 120,531 flips, before falling to 87,851 flips in the last quarter of 2022. In the last quarter of 2024, there were just 69,929 flips. While some experienced flippers remain active, caution now prevails in the market. Regional challenges (including tight inventory in Connecticut and rising inventory in Florida) along with escalating costs have caused flippers to move forward with greater care. To better understand what’s going on in the home-flipping market, we’ve created the first-ever LendingOne-ResiClub Fix-and-Flip Survey. The flipper survey was fielded from February 1 to February 19, 2025. In total, 244 U.S. home flippers took the survey. To conduct the survey, ResiClub partnered with LendingOne, a private real estate lender. Our findings reveal that the home-flipping market in much of the Northeast remains competitive, as price appreciation, tight inventory, and aging housing stock create investment potential for fix-and-flip projects. However, home flippers in the region face intense competition for properties and elevated purchase prices. Here are some of the highlights: 1. Home flipper sentiment and plans Fix-and-flip activity: 89% of home flippers plan to conduct at least one fix-and-flip in 2025. 64% plan to convert at least one fix-and-flip project into a rental using the fix-to-rent method. Market outlook: 32% of home flippers say demand for fix-and-flip properties in spring 2025 is “very strong.” In the Northeast, 59% of home flippers described demand as “very strong.” 2. Financial considerations Renovation costs: 56% of U.S. home flippers say kitchen upgrades provide the best return on investment. 3. Flippers’ biggest concerns across the country Northeast: Housing inventory is the biggest challenge (34%). Midwest and Southwest: Competition for properties is reported as the top concern among flippers (31% and 34%). Southeast: Borrowing costs are the biggest concern, with several home flippers specifically noting trouble accessing enough financing for projects. West: Labor and material costs are the top challenge (24%). Below you will find the full results to the LendingOne-ResiClub Fix-and-Flip Survey. (Due to rounding, some total responses might not equal 100%.) View the full article

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says Brussels could hit Big Tech services exportsView the full article

Government-backed investigation will examine efficacy and capability at the ONS amid concerns over reliability of official figuresView the full article

Cargill Kitchen Solutions is recalling more than 212,000 pounds of Egg Beaters and Bob Evans liquid egg products because they may contain a cleaning solution with bleach, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This recall comes at a time when egg prices have hit record highs as the country faces decreasing supplies due to an ongoing bird flu outbreak. Here’s what to know. What’s included in the liquid egg recall? The recall covers 212,268 pounds of liquid egg products, which were produced on March 12 and March 13 and distributed in eight states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Texas, and possibly nationwide, according to the USDA statement. The problem was discovered when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service received a tip about the potentially contaminated products. Upon investigation, FSIS scientists concluded that use of this product should not cause adverse health consequences and the risk is negligible, resulting in a Class III recall. Cargill confirmed to CBS News there have been no reported illnesses or injuries associated with the products. How can I tell if I have one of the recalled liquid egg products? Here’s a list of the recalled items from the USDA: 32-oz. (2-lb.) carton of “Egg Beaters ORIGINAL LIQUID EGG SUBSTITUTE” with use by date August 10, 2025 32-oz. (2-lb.) carton of “Egg Beaters CAGE-FREE ORIGINAL LIQUID EGG SUBSTITUTE” with use by date August 09, 2025 32-oz. (2-lb.) carton of “Egg Beaters CAGE-FREE ORIGINAL FROZEN EGG SUBSTITUTE” and “Egg Beaters NO ENJAULADAS ORIGINAL SUSTITUTO DE HUEVO CONGELADO” with use by date March 07, 2026 32-oz. (2-lb.) carton of “Bob Evans Better’n Eggs Made with Real Egg Whites” with use by date August 10, 2025 The recalled products also have establishment number “G1804” printed on the carton. What should I do if I bought one of the recalled liquid egg products? Anyone who has these products in their fridge or freezer is urged to throw them away or return them. Although FSIS does not expect consumers to experience adverse health effects, and no illnesses have been reported, anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider. Consumers with questions can contact Cargill Kitchen Solutions at 1-844-419-1574; or the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or via email at MPHotline@usda.gov. View the full article

Ukraine’s war with Russia—sparked by Russia’s invasion in the spring of 2022—is now entering its fourth year. So too is Sine.Engineering, a company born amid the conflict. CEO Andriy Chulyk founded the company in April 2022, pivoting from running a standing-desk business in the Lviv region to supporting his country’s defense efforts through various drone technologies and components. The 150-person-company has scaled rapidly over the past three years; its parts are now used in drones made by more than 50 manufacturers worldwide. “Everyone thought something might change, that [war] would stop,” Chulyk says. “But we see clearly now that the situation is only getting harder. We need to be more effective on the front line.” The scale of drone deployment is staggering: Drones are responsible for about 70% of all Russian and Ukrainian casualties, according to Ukrainian officials. In 2024 alone, Ukraine produced more than 2 million small drones for its war effort, with plans to manufacture 4.5 million this year. But such scale comes with a challenge—there simply aren’t enough operators to control them all. That shortfall is precisely why the company is focusing on autonomous systems, developing drones capable of operating semi-independently. The deployment of swarms of autonomous or group-controlled drones comes as a far cry from the early days of the conflict, when larger individual drones, such as the Turkey-produced Bayraktar UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), were put onto the battlefield. “They’re big targets,” Chulyk says of the Bayraktars. “The shift now is toward smaller, disposable systems. You fly a drone, it completes its mission, and if you lose it, it’s fine.” But ensuring drones reach their targets is no simple task. “Environments are very contested, and it’s hard to operate,” says Andriy Zvirko, Sine.Engineering’s chief strategy officer. In response to the growing drone threat, Russia has ramped up GPS jamming—disrupting the traditional navigation systems UAVs rely on. In response, Sine.Engineering has developed a solution that enables drones to navigate accurately without GPS. More pressingly, Ukraine must contend with a shortage of qualified drone operators—and here, again, Sine.Engineering’s innovations could prove a crucial boon to the country’s wartime efforts. The company is developing technology that will enable one operator, sitting hundreds of miles from the front line, to control dozens of drones simultaneously through a real-time electronic map. Eventually, the hope is that those drones can number in the hundreds. “It’s like StarCraft,” says Zvirko, referencing the iconic strategy game. “He will see everything, what is happening on the battlefield, and he can operate dozens of drones by himself.” That shift would be a significant scale up in capabilities for the Ukrainian armed forces. Sine.Engineering’s technology is already capable of controlling 10 to 15 drones simultaneously, with systems currently being deployed to the front line in recent weeks. That rapid pace of development is something Ukraine has achieved out of necessity—wartime demands quick iteration and adoption. But Chulyk warns that allied nations must speed up the implementation of new technologies like Sine.Engineering’s as the threat from Russia to the global West continues to grow. “Western countries need to move faster,” he warns. “They need to wake up—not just to help Ukraine, but to help themselves.” View the full article

When meeting clients, I make one promise—to see the world as it could be. That’s not a bad message right now. It’s a pretty weird world out there. The volatile political and socio-economic landscape can make us all feel like things are going to hell. And in the slightly less real world of marketing and advertising, that’s even more the case. The challenges of any agency or client team continue to escalate. Instability abounds. Then there’s the issue of client loyalty, reduced scopes, tighter timelines, and the not-so-secret plan of AI to take everyone’s jobs. And then the cynicism comes. As we know, misery loves company, so soon—if you want to find it—it can turn up everywhere. You’ll see it in status meetings, LinkedIn posts, industry events, and coffee machine catch-ups. Quickly it becomes less funny. In the end, it’s just a deluge of boring negative energy. That’s why optimism is a way out. We need radiators, not drains, in our teams and our businesses. But let’s be clear here, it’s not about smiling and hand clapping and whooping. Toxic positivity can be a nightmare, and will inevitably create a feeling of mistrust or emptiness from employees. It’s about harnessing a belief and way of working that will refuse to allow the status quo to take hold or accept that things are inevitably going to be terrible. Active optimism Let’s turn to the concept that I call active optimism. I see this as being willing to see what others don’t, to learn, and to try new things. It’s about fostering the growth mindset, which in turn allows people to be who they are and do things they never thought possible. Critically, as opposed to the cynics who are simply tiring to be around, active optimism creates a flywheel of energy that gathers people up and becomes a magnet for others. Now, don’t get me wrong, a little bit of skepticism is sometimes useful. But in the world we face today, active optimism can be a powerful tool. And you can embed it into an organization. Practically, I define active optimism as follows: Taking responsibility Some days it’s hard to be positive. We have to deal with the truth and honesty. Sometimes, the truth isn’t great. But we also know that our team needs us on our feet and to find a way forward. We need to take more responsibility for the environment, aspirations, and world as it could be. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan recently made a plea to the writing community – to take more responsibility by Writing More Good Guys. In a world that’s turning dark, taking responsibility is what a leader does. Adopting the ‘we can if’ mentality Adam Morgan and Mark Barden in their brilliant book, A Beautiful Constraint talk about the power of using ‘we can if…’ as a starting point for finding a solution when faced with obstacles. I’m obsessed with this approach. We spend so much of our time with challenges it’s so easy to default to ‘it’s not going to happen.’ In many cases, that seems a perfectly reasonable point of view (back to that point about healthy skepticism). But the moment we use ‘we can if…’ we’ve started to create an answer. From there we can build a way forward. Try it, I promise it works. Implementing a reality distortion bubble My good friend, the brilliant Rob Schwartz, introduced me to this. Like some kind of Rebellion Base in Star Wars, you need something to keep the dark side out. When the chatter or negativity can start to rise, having you and your management team able to take time to live in this reality distortion bubble means you can help each other believe and keep moving. Far too many of us spend time with people coming up saying things aren’t going well. Even if they are. So it can sometimes feel like there’s no good news, or that it’s only ever a problem. Sadly that’s the job, which is why protecting yourself and your leadership team from it can be so useful. Now, as I’ve mentioned before, this doesn’t mean not dealing with the truth or putting your head in the sand. It does mean don’t get taken down by these hits and occasionally give you and your team the opportunity to go into that bubble and think about the positivity in your journey to the world as it could be. Never wasting momentum A small win here, a positive meeting there. Grab them, socialize them, and understand why they went well. Learn and repeat. Negativity is toxic and can get into the corridors and crevices of a team very easily. But so can momentum. Surrounding yourself with the right people You want to spend most of your time with radiators, not drains. We’re the sum of the people we surround ourselves with. Get the energy in the room and, where necessary, change the people, or change the people! It can be hard to be optimistic when fortune doesn’t smile on you, and it’s even harder when you are surrounded by cynicism or negativity. Right now, many of us see a world and industry full of volatility and pessimism. But I believe for businesses, teams, and leaders, active optimism in seeing the world as it could be is the only practical course of action. View the full article

In Central Texas, a bitter fight over a $1 billion water project offers a preview of the future for much of the state as decades of rapid growth push past the local limits of its most vital natural resource. On one side: Georgetown, the fastest growing city in America for three years straight, which in 2023 signed a contract with an investor-funded enterprise to quickly begin importing vast volumes of water from the Simsboro Formation of the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer, 80 miles to the east. On the other side: the cities atop the Simsboro that rely on its water. Bryan, College Station, and the Texas A&M University System, a metro area with almost 300,000 people, have sued the developer to stop the project. A trial is set for the first week of May. “We’re going to fight this thing until the end,” said Bobby Gutierrez, the mayor of Bryan. “It effectively drains the water source of the cities.” The pump and pipeline project to Georgetown, developed by California-based Upwell Water, is the largest of at least a half dozen similar projects recently completed, under construction or proposed to bring rural Carrizo Wilcox aquifer water into the booming urban corridor that follows Interstate 35 through Central Texas. It would eventually pump up to 89 million gallons per day, three times the usage of the city of Bryan, to Georgetown and its neighboring cities. “That basically stops all the economic development we have,” Gutierrez said. “We’re talking about our survival.” The fight over the Upwell project could well be a prelude for the broader battles to come as cities across Texas outgrow their water supplies. Lawmakers in the state Capitol are pushing to avert a broad scarcity crisis with funding to desalinate seawater, purify salty groundwater, and treat oilfield wastewater to add to the supply. But all of these solutions remain years from realization. In the near term, only import projects from freshwater aquifers will continue to meet the growing water demands of thirsty Texas cities. Regulation of such projects falls to a patchwork of small, rural agencies called groundwater conservation districts, which might not be fully equipped or empowered to manage plans for competing regional water needs that can affect entire cities for generations to come. Texas law offers limited clarity, generally preferring a landowner’s right to pump their own groundwater over regulations on private property. Despite fierce denunciations of the Upwell project from nearby city leaders, no one has alleged that its developers have broken any laws. “We’re following the rules. Why are we being vilified?” said David Lynch, a managing partner at Core Capital investment firm in Houston and a partner in the Upwell project. “I think they feel uncomfortable about what’s coming and their reaction is to make us go away.” After all, he’s not the only one doing this. Five years ago, San Antonio started pumping up to 49 million gallons per day through a 140-mile pipeline from the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer. Another pipeline was completed last year and will soon begin pumping to the city of Taylor and the new Samsung microchip manufacturing complex there. Another, scheduled for completion this year, will take water into the cities of Buda and Kyle. After the lawsuit delayed the Upwell project’s tight timeline, Georgetown commissioned two other pipeline projects from the same aquifer. “People are starting to pay enough for water to make these sorts of projects work,” Lynch said, driving his black Ford Super Duty Platinum truck down the dirt roads of Upwell’s 9,000-acre farm property and well field in Robertson County. “There’s no cheap water left in Texas.” In the middle of all this is the little Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District, based in the small town of Hearne and also a defendant, alongside Upwell, in the lawsuit. District manager Alan Day feels for the cities of Bryan and College Station. To an extent, he said, they’re right. The more pumping from the aquifer, the sooner everyone will reach conditions of scarcity, though he doesn’t think it will happen as quickly as city leaders say. At the same time, he said, “Bryan can’t claim the water.” Groundwater is a private property right in Texas as sacred as any other. Everyone is allowed to pump whatever their land produces. “Water is the new oil,” said Day, a former ranch manager of 27 years. “They have a commodity that can be sold and they have every right to sell it.” At this time, he said, he has no authority to stop landowners from pumping as long as they fulfill the requirements of the permitting process, which Upwell did. Even if he could do it, Day chuckled at the notion that state leaders would let his tiny office put the brakes on development along the I-35 corridor, home to manufacturing campuses of Tesla, Samsung, and Apple, and offices of Amazon, Meta, and Google, as well as one of the nation’s largest clusters of data centers and its fastest growing cities. However, Day said, there will come a day when that changes. The laws for his district, like all others in Texas, specify a threshold at which new rules kick in. It’s called the “desired future condition,” or DFC, a level below which the district is not willing to go. When they get there, everyone will face restrictions on pumping and the days of groundwater abundance will be over for the Simsboro portion of the aquifer. To date, no district in Texas has hit its DFC. Day said he’s only following the rules. He’ll honor the property rights of landowners who want to pump, and when they hit the DFC, he’ll implement restrictions district-wide. “What does that do to the growth of Bryan and College Station and Texas A&M and anyone else who is depending on Simsboro?” Day asked. “It stops it.” The Texas Miracle This situation follows a generation of steep growth and development that state leaders have dubbed the “Texas Miracle.” The population of Williamson County, seated in Georgetown, 28 miles north of Austin, doubled in 17 to 700,000 people while its median household income increased by more than 90%. Neighboring counties share similar stories, where sprawling subdivisions and shimmering tech campuses now cover former ranchlands. Georgetown needs to add millions of gallons per day to its water supply within the next several years. When it signed the pipeline contract in 2023 that stipulated deliveries beginning in 2030, it was acting on a much tighter timeline than decades that are typically considered for large scale water planning. “Based on hyper growth that we’ve seen in our water territory, we’ve seen the need for higher levels of contracted water sooner than we originally anticipated,” said city manager David Morgan. Most of the new water will serve new residential areas, he said, and will be used primarily to irrigate lawns and other neighborhood landscaping. Williamson County is also courting a cluster of five large data centers that it expects would bring another 100,000 people to the county. But what if Bryan, and the cities of the Brazos Valley, want data centers, too? The region is currently pursuing ambitious opportunities in semiconductors, nuclear energy, aerospace, defense, and life sciences, said Susan Davenport, president of the Greater Brazos Partnership, an economic development group. “These sectors, along with the growing workforce and families who support them, are directly dependent on access to our local water resources,” she said. Gold Rush on Water Although many major projects importing groundwater into Central Texas are just now being realized, the plans have been in the works for decades, according to Michelle Gangnes, a retired finance lawyer and co-founder of the Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund. In 1998, Gangnes moved from Austin to rural Lee County. That same year, San Antonio, 140 miles away, announced plans to import 49 million gallons per day from wells in Lee County on the site of an old Alcoa aluminum smelter. A prolonged fight ensued and the project was never realized, but many others would follow. “That’s what started the whole gold rush on water,” Gangnes said. “It resulted in all these groundwater districts being formed, trying to resist the water rush on the Simsboro.” The groundwater districts were formed by an act of the Texas legislature in 2001. But, when the time came to make groundwater rules, powerful interests kept them loose, according to Ken Kramer, who previously directed the Texas office of the Sierra Club for 24 years. Chief among them was T. Boone Pickens, the iconic Texas oilman who also wanted to export groundwater from his land holdings in the Panhandle. “There was heavy lobbying by groundwater exporters to make sure that groundwater districts could not stop exports,” Kramer said. “Groundwater then became more of the target for moving water to growing areas and populations.” Under a principle in Texas called the “right of capture,” landowners are allowed to pump from their land whatever they are able to. Changes made to the Texas Water Code in 2001 stipulated that withdrawals are allowed so long as they don’t affect other permit holders “unreasonably,” which lacks a firm legal definition. That leaves lots up to interpretation for the groundwater districts of Texas. “They live in a difficult world where it’s unclear exactly what their power is to tell somebody no,” said Robert Mace, executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. “If you tell somebody no you’re almost guaranteed to get sued.” In recent years, several major pipeline projects into Central Texas came online. San Antonio eventually got its Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer water through a 6-foot-wide, 140-mile-long Vista Ridge pipeline which began drawing water from Burleson County in 2020, causing levels in neighboring landowners’ wells to plummet. The old Alcoa wells in Burleson County were also put to use. A developer called Xebec Holdings bought the 50-square-mile property in 2022 and signed deals to pipe almost 18 million gallons per day to the City of Tyler. “There’s constantly people out there trying to lease water rights to see if they could do a project to sell water,” said Gary Westbrook, general manager of the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District. “We’re going to have to find a way to regulate. You can’t just say no.” The Gatehouse Pipeline is currently under construction to Georgetown, with another one called Recharge in development. Morgan, the Georgetown city manager, said those two projects were identified and accelerated after the lawsuit challenged the Upwell project. “We believe the lawsuit is going to likely delay getting that fully resolved,” he said. The Upwell Project Upwell Water, a San Francisco-based financing firm, announced in 2020 that it had raised $1 billion from investors “to monetize water assets.” Upwell partnered with CoreCapital investors in Houston, which bought its 9,000-acre Robertson County farm property in 2021. Lynch, the managing partner at CoreCapital, said he expected to sit on the property for 10 years until the economics of water made it attractive to develop a major export project. But as soon as he entered the market, he found eager buyers willing to pay well. “We bought it and all of a sudden we had everybody calling saying we need water,” Lynch said. “Then we said, we have more demand than we can supply, let’s talk to the neighbors.” Upwell recruited seven neighboring landowners to put company wells on their property and contribute to the export project. These aren’t regular irrigation wells, which in this area can tap water 40 feet down. These are 1,400 feet deep, cased in 2-foot-wide steel pipe, able to produce large volumes. Mark Hoelscher “It’s a million-dollar hole,” said Mark Hoelscher, one of the neighboring landowners involved in the project, as he looked up at one of the diesel-powered well installations. “It’s big time.” In October 2022, Upwell received permits for 16 wells to pump nearly 45 million gallons per day without any challenges in the hearing process. Four months later it received its permit to export the water out-of-district. Then in September 2023, the district issued permits for another 32 wells belonging to the seven adjoining landowners to produce an additional 45 million gallons per day. Until that point, authorities in the Bryan-College Station metro area, some 30 miles south, apparently remained unaware of the project transpiring in Robertson County. Not until September 2024, when the district considered applications for updated permits to export the combined 89 million-gallon-per-day production of all 48 wells, did Texas A&M University enter into the proceedings, filing a request for review by the State Office of Administrative Hearings. Texas A&M University declined to comment for this story. “No one has questioned the fact that we own the land and we have rights to the water underneath it,” said Hoelscher, a third generation landowner in the Brazos River Valley. “The fact of the matter is the water is ours.” The Lawsuit One week later, A&M filed a lawsuit in state district court seeking a temporary injunction stopping the groundwater district from recognizing any of the permits associated with the Upwell project until a hearing is held. A&M argued that the previously issued permits should be open for re-examination because some board members of the groundwater district were ineligible for service at the time the permits were originally approved. In November, Bryan and College Station filed papers to join the lawsuit. It said their “ability to produce groundwater from their Simsboro wells and the economic vitality of the region will be adversely affected if the Contested Applications are granted.” College Station Mayor John Nichols, a former professor of agricultural sciences at Texas A&M, said in a statement: “The transfer of groundwater from our district to users in other areas is one of the most significant issues facing the College Station/Bryan area. I’m a staunch proponent of private property rights, but we are deeply concerned about the long-term impact of excessive extraction on our community.” He called on lawmakers to adopt statewide groundwater regulations ensuring the rights of current permit holders over new water users. None of that, however, matters to the trial that will take place in early May. All the judge will decide is whether or not A&M and the cities have rights to challenge the previously issued permits. In court filings, Upwell argued A&M’s petition “demands that the Court turn back time and recognize a nonexistent ‘right’ to administratively contest final groundwater permits that the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District properly noticed and issued to Intervenors months and years prior—all without any complaint or contest by any party, including Plaintiff.” If the judge denies A&M’s request, the permits will be issued and work will begin on the Upwell project pipeline. If the judge grants A&M’s request, the permits will head into a potentially yearslong process of state administrative hearings that could threaten the viability of the project and its promised returns to investors. Desired Future Condition Whether or not the pipeline gets built, other similar projects are likely to follow. The situation is headed in one direction: towards the DFC, the threshold at which restrictions begin. In the Brazos Valley and surrounding districts, that threshold is a 262-foot drop in water wells from levels measured in 2000. In the 25 years since then, pumping has led the wells’ water to drop by one quarter of that allotted reduction, according to district manager Day, suggesting ample water supplies remain. But, that remains to be seen. In total, Day said his district has issued permits for up to 291 million gallons per day of pumping from the Simsboro Formation, averaged yearly, of which 89 million gallons per day are associated with the Upwell project. However, only a fraction of that permitted volume is actually pumped. If all permitted pumping were to suddenly come online, Day said, computer models showed they would hit the DFC in six years. In reality it won’t happen quite that fast. The Upwell project plans to scale up its pumping gradually over years. And many farmers hold irrigation permits to pump much more water than they ever actually will, unless they also encounter the opportunity to join an export project. When the aquifer hits the DFC, the rules say it mustn’t fall further. That means all users would face mandatory curtailment. It’s unclear how such unprecedented measures would be enforced in Texas. For Gutierrez, the mayor of Bryan, this management method creates a contest for investors to tap the water-wealthy Simsboro Formation and sell off its bounty before time runs out. “They want to exploit everything we have for their personal benefit,” he said. “It’s a race of who can take the most amount of water in the least amount of time to deplete a resource for their pocketbooks.” — Dylan Baddour, Inside Climate News This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here. View the full article

Max just got a new logo. Again. Two years after rebranding from HBO Max to just Max with new a bright blue-and-white logo, the Warner Bros Discovery-owned streaming service is making an update to its logo. This time, it’s swapping blue for a metallic black and white logo. According to Max, the color change is part of a larger refresh. Max says the standalone logo will be in the black-and-white color scheme, but an updated color palette, chosen to allow for flexibility of the logo in app and in marketing materials, will be unveiled in the coming months. Why Max updated its logo Max includes content from HBO and other Warner Bros Discovery brands, like Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, CNN Films Discovery, and TNT, but the new logo appears to put HBO—which is responsible for top shows for the streamer like The White Lotus, The Sopranos, and Succession—back at the center. The new logo reflects the black-and-white color palette of HBO’s branding and retains the circle inside the counter of the A in “Max,” a callback to the circle inside the “O” in the HBO logo. Throughout the streaming wars, individual brands have updated their visual identities to stand out in a sea of blue logos. Disney+ updated its logo last year from blue to teal, and when Max first rolled out its blue logo, its former global chief marketing officer Patrizio Spagnoletto said the specific shade was chosen because it stood apart from Paramount blue and Prime blue. Together with the logo mark, the color communicated something about how the streamer wanted to be perceived, he said. “With our blue and the way that the logo is designed, what we were going for is a combination of premium but accessible,” Spagnoletto said in 2023. In black and white, the new Max logo seems to be amping up the premium aspect of its brand and downplaying the accessible. A Nielsen survey of the top 10 most-streamed shows in the U.S. may suggest why, with HBO shows like True Detective and The White Lotus among the few Max shows with enough viewers to make it onto the list dominated by Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu shows. It’s a strategy that just might work. View the full article

Figure comes as ECB rate-setters consider whether to slow the pace of interest rate cutsView the full article

Ren Barrus was just an intern at Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear and apparel company, when he noticed piles of used backpacks and jackets sitting in boxes at the warehouse. The company was only 3 years old—still a startup—but already, customers were eagerly using its 61-year warranty. One broken zipper and the brand would send a completely new backpack, no questions asked. It wasn’t that consumers were gaming the system; they just expected durability. Two years later, by then a team lead, Barrus launched a guerrilla repair program: When customers sent in their broken gear, he’d drive it to his mom’s house in Utah where she would fix it up on her sewing machine, and ship it back. While no one at the company knew about it, this type of initiative was encouraged in Cotopaxi’s culture. Once he had a few success stories, he pitched it to leadership and they made it official in 2018. That homegrown effort laid the foundation for Cotopaxi’s now fully developed circularity program. Today, the brand starts with sustainably sourced materials and extends the life cycle of products through Mas Vida, its resale platform that sells “pre-loved” gear. Although the brand still offers a lengthy warranty, repairs—not replacements—are now the first line of defense. Lifetime warranties, which have long served as a signal of quality, used to be the gold standard. But in an era of fast fashion, shifting consumer habits, and rising climate urgency, that promise doesn’t carry the same weight. Some companies now use lifetime warranties more as a customer loyalty hack than a commitment to longevity—often because sending out a new product is cheaper than handling repairs or returns. While many customers love the convenience, others are growing tired of the waste. Reddit threads are full of users who’ve replaced an item multiple times, only to run into the same flaw again and again. Brands like Cotopaxi are rethinking what it really means to stand behind a product—and they’re betting that today’s consumers want something more lasting, thoughtful, and adaptable. From Policy to Practice Mattress company Saatva, which has been around for 15 years, is another example of a long-standing repair model. Through its “Friends for Life” warranty, the company replaces any defective mattress within the first two years, free of charge. “After that, we instead encourage our customers to repair if there’s a damage or defect versus disposing of a perfectly fine mattress,” says Rocco DiMilta, senior vice president of business operations. Of course, not every brand has the infrastructure to make this work. DiMilta explains that most bed-in-a-box mattress companies would struggle to manage returns and repairs through third-party services like FedEx or UPS, which can be prohibitively expensive. Saatva, by contrast, operates more than 150 distribution centers across the country, which makes localized logistics far more manageable. Still, even Saatva asks customers to share in the cost. “We ask the customer to understand that moving merchandise around isn’t cheap and that’s why they pay $149 for the transportation,” DiMilta says. While the in-house repair model works for Saatva and other brands, it also requires keeping spare parts in stock and having a team that can refurbish products. For highly technical repairs. Cotopaxi works with third-party partners: “Sometimes, it’s neither desirable nor effective to try to build out your own programs. There are already amazing providers in this space,” says Annie Agle, vice president of sustainability and impact at Cotopaxi. “We have a really amazing technical repair partner called Rugged Thread.” Companies can also outsource the job by having a network of affiliated repair businesses around the country that carry the parts or materials needed to repair the brand’s products, says Anna Sáez de Tejada Cuenca, circularity researcher and assistant professor of operations, information, and technology at IESE Business School in Spain. This also reduces the carbon footprint, because a customer can drop by a local store instead of shipping a product back. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all model. Each company should consider what works best for their materials and product category. When repair isn’t realistic, brands like Levi’s and Arc’teryx have implemented buyback programs—in which brands purchase the used product from a customer and keep the item in circulation through resale or material reuse. Designing for Longevity A repair program is only as good as the product it supports. “Brands and manufacturers have to make things designed to last a long time—designed to be repaired,” says Sáez de Tejada Cuenca. A poorly made item—one with thin fabric or weak seams—might fall apart before the zipper even has a chance to fail. Brands like Cotopaxi are using repair insights to inform future design choices. “If we see the same repair happening over and over again on the same product, then that information goes back to design and development so that on the next iteration of that product we can implement changes,” Agle says. Some companies are exploring modular design—products built with interchangeable or replaceable parts—to extend usable life even further. Running brand Nnormal, for example, created a shoe with replaceable midsoles, offering runners a more sustainable alternative to tossing the whole shoe once the cushioning is worn out. Fairphone takes a similar approach with its smartphones: Users can replace everything from the battery to the camera module with just a screwdriver. It’s a stark contrast to the sealed, short-lifespan design of most mainstream electronics—and a glimpse at what a more circular tech industry could look like. Building Buy-In Circularity programs work only if consumers understand and believe in them. “We try to educate the consumer from the very first moment that they’re introduced to our brand,” says DiMilta. “We make sure that we explain that the high-quality materials can be refreshed rather than discarded, right? Customers’ expectations are not only lived up to, but they’re known ahead of time.” For both Cotopaxi and Saatva, sustainability is baked into the brand ethos. They’re attracting many of their customers because of their earth-friendly policies—so many were already on board with these changes from the start. But some larger brands don’t have that kind of credibility. With less of a sustainability track record, companies may face more friction—and more skepticism. Still, they’re the ones with the reach to drive real change. “Big brands that already have the name should start taking the lead on these kinds of programs because the big impact is on the mainstream and the mass consumption,” says Sáez de Tejada Cuenca. “It’s a culture shift that needs to happen at the consumer and brand level at the same time.” Streamlining the Process For consumers to actually choose the more sustainable option, it has to be easy. “A lot of people want to do better for the planet but don’t have the money, or time, or skills,” says Riani Kenyon, consumer behavior analyst at Canvas8. “If their favorite brand gives them the tools that they need, it’s kind of like handing it on a platter like, I’ll make this easy for you. It allows people to bridge the intention-action gap when it comes to sustainability.” This means eliminating as many logistical barriers as possible: prepaid shipping labels, home pickups—anything to make repair or resale as easy as throwing something away. “If the experience of participating in these business models is as similar as possible to dropping something in your trash bin, more people will participate just naturally,” Sáez de Tejada Cuenca says. Saatva, which offers pickups, has found that when the repair process is simple and affordable, customers are often eager to take that route. “Customers are more likely to opt for the repair rather than the replacement option because they know that they can get the product fixed at no additional cost other than the transportation,” DiMilta says. That kind of frictionless experience also builds trust and brand loyalty. Still, Sáez de Tejada Cuenca notes that getting the average consumer to buy in remains extremely difficult. “Different consumers might need different reasonings to hop on board,” she says. For some, it’s about environmental values and reducing waste. For others, it might resonate more if framed around durability, craftsmanship, or even “Made in America” pride. In today’s polarized climate, brands may need to adapt messaging depending on their audience. A New Mode of Ownership For many consumers, a lifetime warranty no longer feels relevant. “People are going from working in the office to going freelance to moving to a new country,” Kenyon says. “When people don’t even know what the next year is going to look like for them, they want offers that keep up with their changing lifestyles.” Resale or rental opportunities are providing much needed flexibility for consumers who care about waste but don’t necessarily want to commit to owning something forever. Increasingly, brands like Cotopaxi, Zara, and Ganni are bringing these offerings in-house—launching their own resale and rental programs instead of relying on third-party platforms like ThredUp. Giving customers an easy, branded way to return, repair, or recirculate products builds more trust—and keeps them coming back. All of this doesn’t mean warranties should disappear. However, they need to be part of a broader, more thoughtful approach. “We need to rethink how we produce and consume things,” says Sáez de Tejada Cuenca. “Do we want to make a profit out of large volumes and thin margins? Or do we want to sell much less volume and establish long-term engagement with the consumer?” View the full article

Tres Xemeneies (Three Chimneys) is a former coal-fired power plant in Sant Adrià de Besòs. Think of it as Barcelona’s own Battersea Power Station, London’s iconic power station that has been redeveloped into a technological hub (and Apple’s new London digs). Like Battersea, Barcelona’s plant is set to undergo a radical transformation into the new Catalunya Media City—a cutting-edge hub for digital arts, technology, and education. The winning design is called E la nave va, a nod to Federico Fellini’s film of the same name, which translates to “And the Ship Sails On,” a reference to how this long-dead structure that resembles a three-mast ship will keep cruising history in a new era. According to its creators—Barcelona-based Garcés de Seta Bonet Arquitectes and New York-Barcelona firm Marvel—the project promises to honor the site’s industrial legacy while propelling it into a sustainable, community-centric future. The project is slated to break ground in late 2025 and be completed by 2028. Three Chimneys looks exactly how it sounds: a gigantic structure dominated by three 650-foot-tall chimneys. The brutalist plant was built in the 1970s and faced controversy even before its opening. Many of the residents of Badalona and Barcelona hated it both for the aesthetics and the environmental implications. Its problems continued in 1973, when workers building the station went on strike for better working conditions, and one person was killed by police. The company that ran the station was also sued because of the pollution it caused, and the plant eventually shuttered. The structure is imposing. Its giant concrete vaults, labyrinthine floors, and towering chimneys presented a unique challenge to preserving its industrial DNA while adapting it for the 21st century. Guido Hartray, founding partner of Marvel, tells me over email that the building’s “dense structure and distinct spatial qualities” guided the strategy. Rather than force modern elements onto the existing framework, the team used the building’s features to organize its function. For instance, the lower floors—with their enclosed, cavernous spaces—will house vocational training classrooms and research labs, while the airy upper levels with their panoramic coastal views will host incubators and exhibition halls. “We kept the existing structure largely unaltered,” Hartray says, “retaining its experiential qualities and limiting modifications.” This approach ensures that the power plant’s raw, industrial essence remains palpable, even as it accommodates immersive media studios and a modern, 5,600-square-meter exhibition hall likened to London’s Tate Modern Turbine Hall. “The intervention isn’t a sharp contrast between old and new,” Hartray notes. “It’s a dialogue.” The architects leveraged the building’s robust concrete skeleton—a relic of its industrial past—as a sustainability asset. Barcelona’s mild climate allows the thermal mass of the concrete to passively regulate temperatures, reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Spaces requiring precise climate control, such as recording studios and laboratories, are nested in a “building within a building,” insulated from external fluctuations, according to the studios. The rooftop will double as a public terrace and energy hub, with 4,500 square meters of solar panels generating renewable power. This dual function not only offsets the energy demands of lighting and HVAC systems but also creates a communal vantage point connecting Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs, and Badalona. “The rooftop’s role as both infrastructure and gathering space embodies our vision of sustainability as a social and environmental practice,” Hartray says. From turbine hall to coastal balcony The project’s most striking intervention—the “transversal cuts” that slice through the turbine hall—emerged from a meticulous study of the building’s anatomy. Marvel and Garcés de Seta Bonet identified natural breaks in the long, warehouse-like structure, using these to carve openings that link the interior to the outdoors. These cuts create fluid transitions between the industrial hall and the surrounding landscape, stitching together the Barcelona-Badalona urban axis and the natural borders of sea and mountains. The north facade’s new balcony, overlooking the Badalona coastline, epitomizes this connectivity. Jordi Garcés, cofounder of Garcés de Seta Bonet Arquitectes, tells me via email that they have designed a proposal that plays with connections and knots—temporal, landscape, and territorial. “One of the key features will be linking the city with the sea, where users and residents can share a large communal space. For the first time, there will be a balcony facing the city of Badalona, north of Barcelona. The architectural elements at different heights will offer new landscape perspectives, as if it were a land art piece.” In this “shared communal space,” he says, residents and visitors alike can engage with the Mediterranean horizon. The building is the core of Catalunya Media City, which is a project that the regional government says will democratize access to technology and creativity. It claims that it will house educational programs for more than 2,500 students annually, including vocational training; research incubators partnering with universities and corporations; immersive installations and performances in a monumental hall with 56-foot-tall ceilings; and production studios, including an auditorium, soundstages, and UX labs. View the full article