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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has announced its strong support for the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02). The legislation aims to eliminate barriers preventing independent auto repair shops from accessing critical tools, software, and repair manuals that are currently available only to manufacturers and authorized service centers. In a letter sent to Rep. Dunn from NFIB’s Principal in Foreign Government Relations Andrea McGee writes, “NFIB represents approximately 300,000 small and independent businesses across the country. As the role of technology becomes commonplace in vehicle manufacturing, Americans are essentially driving computers on wheels, leaving many independent vehicle repair shops struggling to gain necessary vehicle data access to perform even the simplest of repairs.” The REPAIR Act seeks to provide independent repair shops with guaranteed access to vehicle repair data, ensuring they can continue serving their communities. NFIB noted that 89% of its members support the right of customers and repair shops to access the necessary information from manufacturers to repair their products. While the current right-to-repair “handshake” agreement between automotive industry groups provides some access to repair data, NFIB emphasized that it lacks accountability. “It provides no recourse or accountability when automakers stall or withhold pertinent vehicle data from independent vehicle repair shops or when third-party automotive repair information websites or software increase the fees required to access the vehicle data,” McGee says in the letter. According to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, independent repair shops handle over 70% of aftermarket vehicle repairs. Without guaranteed access to repair data, NFIB warns that small businesses—particularly those in rural areas—will face significant challenges. “Without access to an independent vehicle repair shop, consumers will be forced to spend more time away from their own businesses and take more money out of their pockets,” McGee says. NFIB underscored the critical role independent repair shops play in local economies, particularly in rural areas where they may be the only option for vehicle maintenance. “Independent vehicle repair shops provide cost- and time-saving services to their communities. NFIB represents countless businesses in rural areas that only have local independent vehicle repair or aftermarket parts shops,” the letter noted. NFIB expressed its commitment to working with lawmakers to advance the REPAIR Act through Congress. “NFIB thanks you for introducing this important legislation and looks forward to working with you this Congress to advance this bill,” McGee writes in the letter to Rep. Dunn. As the bill moves forward, NFIB continues to advocate for policies that support small businesses and independent service providers in the automotive industry. Image: Envato This article, "NFIB Supports Bipartisan REPAIR Act to Aid Independent Auto Shops" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has announced its strong support for the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02). The legislation aims to eliminate barriers preventing independent auto repair shops from accessing critical tools, software, and repair manuals that are currently available only to manufacturers and authorized service centers. In a letter sent to Rep. Dunn from NFIB’s Principal in Foreign Government Relations Andrea McGee writes, “NFIB represents approximately 300,000 small and independent businesses across the country. As the role of technology becomes commonplace in vehicle manufacturing, Americans are essentially driving computers on wheels, leaving many independent vehicle repair shops struggling to gain necessary vehicle data access to perform even the simplest of repairs.” The REPAIR Act seeks to provide independent repair shops with guaranteed access to vehicle repair data, ensuring they can continue serving their communities. NFIB noted that 89% of its members support the right of customers and repair shops to access the necessary information from manufacturers to repair their products. While the current right-to-repair “handshake” agreement between automotive industry groups provides some access to repair data, NFIB emphasized that it lacks accountability. “It provides no recourse or accountability when automakers stall or withhold pertinent vehicle data from independent vehicle repair shops or when third-party automotive repair information websites or software increase the fees required to access the vehicle data,” McGee says in the letter. According to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, independent repair shops handle over 70% of aftermarket vehicle repairs. Without guaranteed access to repair data, NFIB warns that small businesses—particularly those in rural areas—will face significant challenges. “Without access to an independent vehicle repair shop, consumers will be forced to spend more time away from their own businesses and take more money out of their pockets,” McGee says. NFIB underscored the critical role independent repair shops play in local economies, particularly in rural areas where they may be the only option for vehicle maintenance. “Independent vehicle repair shops provide cost- and time-saving services to their communities. NFIB represents countless businesses in rural areas that only have local independent vehicle repair or aftermarket parts shops,” the letter noted. NFIB expressed its commitment to working with lawmakers to advance the REPAIR Act through Congress. “NFIB thanks you for introducing this important legislation and looks forward to working with you this Congress to advance this bill,” McGee writes in the letter to Rep. Dunn. As the bill moves forward, NFIB continues to advocate for policies that support small businesses and independent service providers in the automotive industry. Image: Envato This article, "NFIB Supports Bipartisan REPAIR Act to Aid Independent Auto Shops" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A West Virginia man has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to pay employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and for obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect those taxes, the Department of Justice announced. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Christopher Jason Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC, an ambulance service in Pineville, from 2012 through part of 2017. Prior to founding Stat EMS, Smyth operated another ambulance business that accrued millions of dollars in employment tax liabilities before filing for bankruptcy. He then created Stat EMS under a nominee owner while continuing to run the business in the same manner as before. As the operator of Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and remitting them to the IRS. However, for years, he failed to fully pay those taxes. Instead, he diverted company funds to pay personal expenses and transferred money to businesses controlled by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accumulated approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes. When the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect them, he engaged in deceptive conduct to evade payment. According to the Department of Justice, Smyth misled an IRS revenue officer by falsely claiming he had no personal bank accounts and did not use accounts belonging to others. In reality, he routinely deposited his paychecks into an account held in a relative’s name. He also denied involvement in several businesses, despite having signature authority over their bank accounts. Following his conviction, Smyth was sentenced to three years in federal prison. The sentence underscores the consequences of failing to meet employment tax obligations and attempting to obstruct IRS enforcement actions. This article, "West Virginia Ambulance Business Owner Sentenced to Three Years for Tax Crimes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A West Virginia man has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to pay employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and for obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect those taxes, the Department of Justice announced. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Christopher Jason Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC, an ambulance service in Pineville, from 2012 through part of 2017. Prior to founding Stat EMS, Smyth operated another ambulance business that accrued millions of dollars in employment tax liabilities before filing for bankruptcy. He then created Stat EMS under a nominee owner while continuing to run the business in the same manner as before. As the operator of Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and remitting them to the IRS. However, for years, he failed to fully pay those taxes. Instead, he diverted company funds to pay personal expenses and transferred money to businesses controlled by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accumulated approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes. When the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect them, he engaged in deceptive conduct to evade payment. According to the Department of Justice, Smyth misled an IRS revenue officer by falsely claiming he had no personal bank accounts and did not use accounts belonging to others. In reality, he routinely deposited his paychecks into an account held in a relative’s name. He also denied involvement in several businesses, despite having signature authority over their bank accounts. Following his conviction, Smyth was sentenced to three years in federal prison. The sentence underscores the consequences of failing to meet employment tax obligations and attempting to obstruct IRS enforcement actions. This article, "West Virginia Ambulance Business Owner Sentenced to Three Years for Tax Crimes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. As someone who gets to see “the future” unfold in research and development labs around the world, I’ve grown comfortable with our global food landscape constantly evolving. Part of the fun! Anticipating the trends that shape this evolution isn’t just important—it’s essential. First, there are macro trends that continue each year and can’t be ignored. By 2030, our global population will increase to 8.6 billion. This growing population needs more food, and we need to find new ways to meet this need with less impact to our planet. This requires innovation and building resilient food supply chains to connect people and families around the world to the nutrition they need and the food they love. In addition, new dynamics are reshaping consumer behavior and market demands at a rapid pace. Here is a glimpse of the top food trends and the innovations that are poised to redefine the food landscape in 2025. 1. Health and nutrition: Food gets more personal As health consciousness grows, consumers are aligning eating habits with wellness goals. While high protein diets and mindful eating still top the list, calorie reduction is quickly taking center stage. GLP-1 weight management medications can help reduce overall calorie consumption, but they’ll also push demand for nutrient-dense, protein-rich and gut health-focused foods. This evolving landscape calls for targeted innovations to meet these tailored consumer needs. Functional foods that cater to individual health objectives are also surging. Consumers want personalized nutrition and ingredients with benefits like immunity promotion, mental clarity, and gut health. And let’s not forget the reigning king of macronutrients: protein. From savory snacks to hearty meals, consumers continue to prioritize protein throughout the day. Whether it’s steak, chicken, seafood, plant-based alternatives, mycoproteins, or dairy, companies are adjusting offerings to meet diverse preferences. 2. Value redefined: The rise of at-home premiumization Inflation and rising food costs have consumers balancing premium experiences and taste with perceived value. Consumers are prioritizing affordable indulgences. Our research shows that 77% are reducing their restaurant spending, while 46% are still eating premium treats at home. From private label options to smaller serving sizes and packaging, brands are looking to maintain quality while catering to budget-conscious shoppers’ desire for premium experiences at home. That includes partnerships with foodservice operators and retailers to ensure that premium products, recipes, and more are accessible for dine-in or at-home experiences. One example is the Sam’s Club prime rib sliders, which quickly became a popular shelf staple in the U.S. We also see this expanding to bold, multicultural tastes that resonate with the culinary curious around the world. 3. Indulgence without compromise Consumers are craving treats that satisfy indulgent desires without sacrificing health. While there will always be those moments to fully indulge—usually holidays and celebrations—we’re seeing a trend toward healthier choices for the every day. Globally, more than 20% of people actively seek foods lower in salt, sugar and fat, with the percentage increasing with age. For example, PepsiCo recently reduced saturated fat in Lay’s potato chips in China by 50%. Consumers are also reducing sugar intake, with 66% of Americans trying to limit sugars. Innovative sweeteners that offer a choice for reduced and zero calorie food and beverages are becoming more popular, ranging from sports drinks, soda, and coffee to baked goods and ice cream. 4. Food tech: Revolutionize innovation through generative AI Generative AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s revolutionizing food development and operations. McKinsey estimates GenAI could add $2.6 to $4.4 trillion of global productivity annually, with $40-70 billion to come from agriculture. That’s why we’re investing and adopting new technologies that can safely support our people and deliver results. At Cargill, we’re piloting AI-driven research tools to accelerate knowledge sharing and product development. Our teams use AI to aid in everything from optimizing fermentation enzymes to microbiome assessments and ingredient reformulations, to help bring new solutions to market more quickly, using ingredients that meet fast-changing consumer preferences and supply challenges. Shaping tomorrow’s table The food industry’s transformation in 2025 is brimming with potential. New consumer trends are pushing innovators to deliver solutions that meet these health, nutrition, convenience, and indulgence trends with tastes and flavors that consumers love. And while trends may adjust year to year, I’m a strong believer that it takes an ecosystem approach to make these solutions possible at a global scale. Partnerships are needed across the food supply chain, starting with farmers, and connecting to food favorites that show up in restaurants and on the grocery shelf. This intersection of new food innovations that can meet our growing population’s needs around the world is what excites me most about the future of food. Florian Schattenmann is CTO and vice president of R&D and innovation at Cargill. View the full article

Goal comes despite slowdown in domestic economy and mounting trade tensions with USView the full article

Speech comes as president has unleashed aggressive agenda to reshape US trade and foreign policyView the full article

Proposed sale of more than 80mn sq feet of ‘non-core assets’ comes amid aggressive cost-cutting agendaView the full article

All batteries age, and the lithium ion battery in your iPhone is no exception. Overtime, the battery degrades, meaning it can no longer hold as much of a charge as it could when it was new. After a few years of using the phone, you may notice your phone needs more frequent juice-ups throughout the day. When the inevitable happens to you, you don't need to buy a new iPhone. Instead, you can simply replace the battery at a relatively inexpensive cost. Depending on your iPhone, you may not only notice an increase in time away from the charger, but also a boost in performance, since iOS slows down the processing power of your iPhone when its battery is too degraded. Though replacing your battery is possible, it could certainly be easier. Apple secures the battery to the inside of most iPhones with strong adhesive. To remove it, you need to pull on a few tabs that are easy to break, making the removal process more precarious than it should be. The battery itself is also fragile, and you'll need to remove and reattach some very delicate cables. Despite all of this, it's possible to replace your battery yourself, but it's simpler to opt to take it to a repair shop. (Apple would prefer you use one of its own.) All that said, the process is notably easier with three of the iPhone 16 devices—including the newly released iPhone 16e. Some iPhone 16s use a different adhesiveThe iPhone 16, 16 Plus, and 16e all ship with a new type of battery adhesive that makes repairs much easier. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much has changed: When you pry open the back case of your iPhone, you'll still find a tab on its battery. However, that tab isn't meant to be pulled yet. Instead, you need to apply an electric current through the adhesive holding the battery to the device for 60 seconds. The current is enough to shake the battery loose, at which point, you use the tab to gently pull the battery away from the iPhone. You don't need to worry about damaging the battery, since the battery will be so loose, gravity could remove it. As iFixit explains, the tech works by oxidizing the adhesive with the electric current. That breaks the bonds that actually makes the glue adhesive, so it no longer sticks to the surface it was connected to. It's quite technical, and I am no expert, but it's really cool tech—and something that makes replacing the battery in your iPhone 16, 16 Plus, or 16e safer and easier. Apple probably didn't make these changes out of its concern for customers. Instead, it's likely in response to an EU law that requires smartphones to have "replaceable batteries" by 2027. Europe has had quite an influence over Apple's decisions in recent years, requiring the company to open up many of its closed platforms, including allowing independent app stores and browsers on iOS. That said, if you own an iPhone 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max, you won't find your batteries any easier to repair. These devices still come with Apple's traditional battery adhesive, so their batteries are just as difficult to replace as ever. It's not clear why Apple opted to skip this new adhesive on the Pro phones, but it is possible that it's simply trialing the fresh tech on some of their devices, not all—especially while there's still time before that EU law takes effect. Perhaps the entire iPhone 17 line, Pro iPhones and all, will sport easy-to-remove batteries. For now, it seems it's just the less expensive models that benefit. The iPhone 16e has some added repairabilityIn addition to this new adhesive, Apple added some additional repairability perks to the 16e. The biggest is that Apple now has a guide for repairing the USB-C charging port on this particular iPhone, the first time the company has issued a manual for such a repair. However, as iFixit reports, this repair is not easy. It involves removing a number of iPhone components in the way of the port, including the back glass, front camera, top speaker, battery, among others; lift up the logic board, then access the USB-C port to repair it. This was apparently the procedure before, but now Apple has a step-by-step guide confirming the difficulty of the repair. Finally, you don't need to be as careful when opening the back cover on the 16e: One of the metal clips that holds the back cover in place now guards an important flex cable. With other iPhones, you can easily slice this cable while sliding pick tools into the back case when opening it, but the clip here ensures you won't damage the cable in the process. View the full article

Change comes after thousands of workers were fired, causing chaos across the USView the full article

The banking sector has stabilized significantly since the spring of 2023, but elevated interest rates have created lingering issues on bank balance sheets. View the full article

President’s protectionist moves spark concerns about retaliation and damage from escalating trade warView the full article

Manufacturing, retail and food sectors highlight coming shocks after duties on Canada, Mexico and China are imposed View the full article

The internet posts and side projects of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) worker Jordan Wick could give some clues for how Musk’s efficiency group might attempt to use AI to downsize and retool the government. During the last half of February, Wick, who has a DOGE email account associated with the Executive Office of the President and now is embedded in the General Services Administration (GSA), posted to his GitHub page the code for several tools that appeared to be related to DOGE’s work. The page was discovered by political reporter Roger Sollenberger at the end of last month. Wick posted the code for a tool that automatically downloads DMs from Twitter accounts. The code specifies Twitter accounts, which existed only until the social platform rebranded to “X” in October 2023, suggesting the possibility that the tool could be used to search through the digital past of government employees looking for disagreeable opinions or references. Another tool appeared to be designed for collecting sensitive data from government agency org charts. The tool contained fields for capturing the employee’s office, a 1-5 satisfaction rating, union status, and whether or not their position is statutorily mandated. Both the Twitter DM and org chart tools could be used to capture and structure data for use in an AI model. One source within the GSA believes the sensitive data collected by the tools could be used in a “potential AI federal employee evaluation/firing-bot.” Wick has now set his GitHub account to private. (DOGE didn’t immediately respond to Fast Company’s request for comment on Wick’s GitHub posts.) Wick’s tools appear to be designed for evaluating and firing more federal employees, but his professional background suggests a deep interest in modernizing government IT systems using AI. After graduating from MIT in 2020 and working at the self-driving car company Waymo, Wick cofounded (with ex-Palantir employee Anthony Jancso) Accelerate SF, which put on hackathons looking for ways to use large language models to improve local government services in San Francisco. In 2024, Accelerate SF renamed itself AccelerateX and began courting federal agency contracts with its own “modern OS for government.” A recruiting post on X said the company hopes to use AI to reduce expenditures, automate tedious work, and help interpret government policy language. AccelerateX claimed last May that it already had contracts with “two of the largest transportation agencies in America,” but a search for the company’s name in the federal procurement database came up empty. Those contracts could be with local or state governments. (AccelerateX did not respond to Fast Company’s request for comment.) One key challenge of using AI tools to streamline the government is that they must be deftly integrated into existing mission-critical systems—some of them old and brittle like the COBOL-coded mainframe systems used to process Social Security payments. Any interruption to those legacy systems could deprive millions of people of benefits they depend on to live. And there are many such systems active in the government. View the full article

Chancellor-to-be moves to relax debt brake in ‘sea change’ from country’s conservative approach to borrowingView the full article

There's a lot of talk online these days about hiding Copilot in Windows and tools that can remove it entirely. There's a reason for that: Some people are annoyed with AI and would prefer not to deal with it. Despite this trend, Microsoft recently launched Copilot for Mac, for some reason. While Windows users are looking to remove Microsoft's AI tool from their machines, Mac users are invited to actively install it on theirs. So, in the interest of fairness, I am going to take the exact opposite approach to hiding Copilot in Windows: setting up Copilot on your Mac. The thing is, unless you really love Copilot, you probably shouldn't use this app. Copilot for Mac is about what you'd expectCopilot for Mac is basically the web version of Copilot in a dedicated Mac window. You can sign into your Microsoft account and start talking with the virtual assistant right away. There are a few Mac-specific features here: The first is a system-wide keyboard shortcut, Option-Space, for quickly sending a message to Copilot in a little pop-up overlay. (You can change the keyboard shortcut if you want.) This is not unlike how ChatGPT's launcher works on its desktop app. Credit: Justin Pot There's also a menu bar icon you can click to bring up this same pop-up. The application respects your Mac's Appearance setting, meaning if you switch to Dark Mode so will Copilot. And that's honestly most of the Mac integration features offered. Unlike ChatGPT's Mac app, there's no screenshot button, which is a bit of a disappointment—that feature lets you ask ChatGPT about things currently on your screen. With Copilot, you'll have to take the screenshot and upload it yourself. If you don't care about this keyboard shortcut you could just as easily use the web version of Copilot and not notice the difference. You can use Copilot to do pretty much all of the usual stuff you associate with other large language model chatbots, like ChatGPT or Claude—everything from coding, to research, to cheating on homework. The free version of Copilot, notably, has access to current information from the web, meaning you can ask it about current events and sports. But there aren't a lot of Mac-specific reasons to install the app. For the sake of comparison, here is the Mac version (spouting widely-reported misinformation about the NHL trade deadline): Credit: Justin Pot And here's the Windows version (which seems to have decent taste in Game Boy Advance games): Credit: Justin Pot Yeah, they're the same. If you like Copilot on Windows, you'll like it on Mac. If you haven't tried Copilot, and are curious, maybe try the web version first. It's essentially the same, and won't take up any space on your hard drive. View the full article

For many new mothers, one of the most mysterious and elusive parts of breastfeeding is the latch. While some babies’ mouths manage to automatically make an airtight seal around their mother’s nipple, others can have difficulties, or physical impediments, that make achieving good suction and proper nursing almost impossible. One solution care providers have offered is the nipple shield, a cuplike perforated silicone device that fits on top of a mother’s nipple and areola and improves the way babies make their latch. It’s typically a short-term method for addressing issues ranging from tongue-ties to flat nipples to engorgement. The problem with nipple shields—and even for those nursing mothers and babies with a textbook latch—is that it can be hard for moms to know when milk is actually flowing. [Photo: Munchkin] Baby brand Munchkin is trying to eliminate some of that mystery with the Flow Nipple Shield +, a new baby nutrition device that works like a conventional nipple shield but which also has an innovative extended channel for the milk to flow through, offering mothers a visual confirmation that babies are successfully latched and effectively nursing. Steven B. Dunn, founder and CEO of WHY Brands, Munchkin’s parent company, says the device addresses some of the literal pain points of breastfeeding while aiming at a bigger target. “We describe our product as a nipple shield because it helps explain to mom what it is. We’re not selling a product to reduce pain, though it does reduce pain just like another nipple shield. We’re creating and designing a new category,” Dunn says. “This is a breastfeeding insight tool.” [Photo: Munchkin] The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding newborns for the first six months of life, and supports continued breastfeeding for the first two years of life. But according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, only about 60% of babies in the U.S. are still breastfeeding at six months, and only about a quarter of babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Part of the shortage is that many mothers think they aren’t able to breastfeed effectively. A 2013 study from Pediatrics found that a perception of insufficient milk supply was the leading reason mothers stopped breastfeeding, despite only 5% of mothers actually having those symptoms. That perception led to 60% of mothers stopping breastfeeding earlier than they wanted to. In the face of these numbers, Munchkin saw an opportunity to give mothers more information about what was actually happening during the breastfeeding process. The innovation of the Flow Nipple Shield + is a unique milk channel that brings milk on a looping path from the nipple to the baby’s mouth, jutting out from the latch zone so that a mother (or other observer) can easily see milk moving through. “This channel, the width, and dimensions of it, went through a lot of test and learn, test, and learn,” says Dunn. “It was probably the most difficult product to manufacture in Munchkin’s 30-year history.” The nipple shield’s design has been in development for almost a decade. Munchkin’s design and product teams worked with lactation consultants and engineers to fine-tune the form of the device, and to ensure the milk channel was long enough to provide visual confirmation without making it too hard for babies to get the milk all the way through. They also worked to reduce its overall size. “We purposely made the product as thin as possible with food grade silicone to maximize the skin-to-skin contact between mom and baby,” Dunn says. [Photo: Munchkin] During product development, Munchkin launched a 12-month clinical trial of the device, to gauge its effectiveness in encouraging more breastfeeding. Among the 301 participants in the trial, more than 93% were still breastfeeding at the six-month mark. “Our research shows that if moms get confident, especially in the first month of breastfeeding, they’re much more likely to continue,” Dunn says. Available in four sizes, the Flow Nipple Shield + retails for $40 and includes a special syringe for cleaning the surface and the milk channel. The device will be available in the U.S., Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. “It’s probably the largest global campaign we’ll ever do,” says Diana Barnes, chief brand officer at WHY. But the nature of the product has also posed a problem for its marketing. The best way to explain the product, Barnes says, is to show it being used during breastfeeding, which requires at least partial exposure of a breast. “Some vendors have chosen not to show our assets,” says Barnes. “I was actually quite disappointed.” That hasn’t stopped the company from pursuing ad placements around the world, including in Times Square. “Our goal is to normalize what is the most natural thing to women since the beginning of time,” Barnes says. The Flow Nipple Shield + is an attempt to make that natural process less mysterious and frustrating. “We do not want to be preachy. We don’t want to push. If mom’s goal is a day, if mom’s goal is a month, or six months, or a year, we want to do whatever we can do to provide insights,” Dunn says. “This just shows your milk is flowing, your milk is not flowing. It’s a green light or red light. And we think that information is so key for mom making her choices, whatever it’s going to be.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's a good time to shop for portable projectors, with the Nebula Capsule 3 GTV projector down to its lowest price and now the more powerful Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air going for $419.99 (originally $599.99), also its lowest price, according to price-tracking tools. Both of these projectors are portable, but the Nebula Mars 3 Air is more suitable for outdoor use. Nebula Mars 3 Air GTV Projector Brightness: 400 lumens, Native Resolution: 1080p, Max Resolution: 3840 by 2160. $419.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $180.00 Get Deal Get Deal $419.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $180.00 The Nebula Mars 3 Air came out last August to an "average" review from PCMag due to its auto-focus feature (keystone) being finicky and the image being darker when watching 1080p SDR input content. However, it's still a great portable projector for the right person. This projector has 1080p resolution and supports 4K HDR input, and like the Nebula Capsule 3, it has a built-in Google TV with the Netflix app, which not a lot of other portable projectors offer. Google TV is also my favorite smart TV OS for projectors since you can cast your smartphone using the Chromecast feature. Since you'll likely be using it outdoors, brightness is important because you can only control the light outdoors to a certain degree. The 400 ANSI lumens doubles the brightness of what the Nebula Capsule 3 offers. The screen size ranges from 30 inches up to 150 inches. If you plug it in with the AC power, you get a boost in brightness, which is always appreciated. Otherwise, you can expect a battery life of 2.5 hours in Eco mode and 1 hour at full power. This projector also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and lasts 8 hours when just playing music. If you're looking for a portable projector that you can easily carry around the home or want to use it outdoors, consider the Nebula Mars 3 Air. At its current price, it's a good bang for your buck and better than the Nebula Capsule 3 if you plan to use it outdoors. View the full article

Metrics the influential government-related mortgage investor is adding appear to be in line with a broader move to examine the impact of serial loss mitigation. View the full article

This week, I'm taking a look at a brain-rot creator Cookie King, whose constant output of brain-rot videos is shaping the internal lives of millions of kids under 15. I'm also taking a look at what people think ChatGPT would be like if it were a person, introducing the clueless to Beabadoobee, and dunking on "millennial burger joints." Meet Cookie King, the brain behind the brain rotI think of brain-rot internet memes as springing fully formed from the collective unconscious of the internet like Athena sprang from the head of Zeus, but the culture vultures at KnowYourMeme tracked down the actual person who is probably most responsible for brain-rot. Demir Basceri, known as Cookie King to his millions of followers, has probably done more to create and define the brain-rot aesthetic than anyone else. Cookie pioneered ironically applying garish transitions, effects, and filters from video editing software Capcut on all-but-meaningless footage. He started off making "fan edits" of The Walking Dead like this one— —then matured into making videos like this: Then he started making videos that combine unrelated memes in ways that defy meaning. Check out this video: Here's Cookie King's explanation of it: "On Instagram, there was a new meme. It was about Chopped Chin and Property in Egypt, and people were doing battles between them. I was like, 'Wait, what if I just combined them together with the Johnnie Walker thing and the Friggin' Packet Yo?' I just thought, 'I'm gonna combine them all." Cookie King says he's been posting videos since he was seven, first on YouTube and then everywhere else, and the key to his brain-rot supremacy is his work ethic: Dude says he spent his senior year of high school spamming "20, 30, 40, 50 videos a day." Eventually, some of them caught on, like the currently popular memes Eye of Rah and making "99% accurate" copies of existing videos. He seems to not think at all about what he puts out—brain-rot is a pure expression of his internal life, and it resonates with his audience of millions of "raised in the digital world" followers. So what's going on with all this shit? In the 1920s, partly in response to the mechanized mass slaughter of World War I, avant-garde artists created Dadaism, a movement that aimed to replace meaning in Art with chaos and nonsense. The Dadaist movement didn't really catch on—it was elitist, self-conscious, and bogged down by a central contradiction: The Dadaist said they didn't care about meaning in art, but they sure liked publishing manifestos explaining what their work meant. Maybe brain-rot is actual Dadaism—chaos blotting out reason entirely. Unlike Dada art, there really is no discernible ideas or thoughts behind brain-rot: It's actually nonsense. Brain-rotters are just spamming 50 videos a day without trying to comment on the horrifying alienation of modernity or whatever, even if that's the message I'm taking from it. I don't think this is a good thing, but it's the thing that's happening. "How I imagine ChatGPT:" Young women personifying AISpeaking of the unspeakable horror of the modern world, young people, especially young women, have been asking and answering a fascinating question this week: If large language model artificial intelligence program ChatGPT was a person, what would they look like? The initial post came from TikToker @mymetaldiary. According to them, ChatGPT is a brown-haired, handsome young white dude wearing glasses, as you can see in this video: While many commenters replied with a variation of "nailed it," others reported their own head-canon visions of ChatGPT-as-a-person. These responses run the gamut from "an old lady like mother nature," to "a mafia boss," or "a golden retriever." I don't picture anything physical when I think of ChatGPT, but the AI's unfailing politeness and literally endless patience suggest a human personality. I think of ChatGPT as someone I regret having started a conversation with at a party. They seem like someone I don't know who is trying to get me to like them, and I can't figure out why. ChatGPT is a combination of boring and desperate, like someone searching for the most non-offensive thing to say at all time. It's someone I don't trust, even though I have no reason not to trust them. Famous people you've never heard of: Who is Beabadoobee?If you've been hearing people talking about (or reading people posting about) "Beabadoobee" lately, here's a look at the person behind the unique name: Beabadoobee is a 24-year-old singer/songwriter who was born in the Philippines. Her parents named her "Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus." At three, her family moved to London. When she was 17, she taught herself to play guitar, started writing songs, and began calling herself Beabadoobee. It was a joke at first, but it stuck. Her music might have been called "twee" a generation ago; it's wistful and soft and influenced by artists like Elliott Smith and Mazzy Star. It sounds like this: She released her first single in 2017, and has been growing in popularity since, helped along by many, many uses of her songs on TikTok videos. As of 2025, there are three full-length Beabadoobee albums and six EPs, all released on indie labels. In a nutshell: Beabadoobee is a cult-popular singer favored by young women who make their own clothing. What does SYBAU stand for?The acronym SYBAU isn't exactly new—it was first defined on urban dictionary in 2008—but it's growing in popularity in the comment section of TikTok and Instagram lately. It means "shut your bitch ass up." (Rude.) What does "snatched" mean?According to young-people slang, "snatched" means very attractive and/or flawlessly styled. Example: "That new dress has you looking snatched." (For more definitions of slang words, check out "'Mewing,' 'Sigma,' and Other Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang You Might Need Help Decoding.") Viral video of the week: dunking on millennial burger jointsTim Marcin over at our sister site Mashable noticed a hilarious new trend on TikTok: Generations Z and A are mocking millennial burger joints, pointing out the cliches and tropes of a kind of restaurant you've probably eaten at dozens of times, especially if you've spent any time in a "medium-sized city just outside of a major metropolitan area," but never thought about. This week's viral video from Tiktoker @user2521208780374 lays it out: Here are some of the hallmarks of a millennial burger joint: Founded by "two friends with a dream" Burgers cost $19 Metal barstools Reclaimed wood table Truffle fries Menu written on a chalkboard Garlic aioli Brioche bun Special sauce described with mild swear like "kick ass" or "bitchin'" Local "craft" beers, always IPAs. Some millennial burger joints really strive to be different by serving food on something other than plates, usually slabs of wood, a phenomenon covered in detail on Reddit's "We Want Plates" board. View the full article

More than a decade after Casey Anthony was accused of murdering her daughter in one of the country’s most notorious murder cases, this weekend she emerged on TikTok to reintroduce herself. “This is my first of probably many recordings on a series that I’m starting,” Anthony says in the three-minute-long video recorded from her car. “I am a legal advocate. I am a researcher. I’ve been in the legal field since 2011 and in this capacity, I feel that it’s necessary, if I’m going to continue to operate appropriately as a legal advocate, that I start to advocate for myself and also advocate for my daughter.” Anthony became a national figure when her 2-year-old daughter went missing in the summer of 2008. The child’s body was found in December of that same year in a wooded area behind the Orlando home of Anthony’s parents. Anthony was ultimately found not guilty of her daughter’s murder in 2011, despite significant pushback from the public. She was, however, convicted of lying to law enforcement. In the TikTok video Anthony introduces viewers to her daughter Caylee Anthony and her parents, George and Cindy Anthony. “This is not about them,” she says. “The whole point of this is for me to begin to reintroduce myself.” Comments have been switched off but the video currently has over 3.3 million views at the time of writing. Anthony also used the video to announce she’s launching a Substack newsletter, where she will “give a voice to people” and “give people tools and resources that they can utilize.” Anthony added that there will be an email address available for people to reach out to her on a limited basis regarding “legal matters.” “As a proponent for the LGBTQ community, for legal community, women’s rights, I feel that it’s important that I use this platform that was thrust upon me and now look at as a blessing, as opposed to the curse that it has been since 2008,” she says. In her first post on the blogging platform, Anthony wrote that “the presumption of innocence is a sacred right” adding, “that is not an opinion, it is a fact. We are plagued by a rush to judgment before someone even steps foot into a courtroom. Once a verdict is read, however long the process takes, the public must trust that the system worked the way it was intended.” Comments remain open on her Substack posts, and Anthony has proven willing to respond. Hitting back at one of the comments, she wrote, “Sadly, if you were to ever be put in a position where you would need a legal defense, you would want someone like me helping to represent you. Someone who knows what it’s like to be accused.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I'm Lifehacker's resident marathon runner and senior finance writer. And now, I'm merging my two worlds. Running is often touted as one of the most accessible sports—just lace up and go, right? But as many runners discover, what starts as a "free" activity can quickly transform into a significant investment. Last week I broke down what it looks like to invest in proper running gear. And now, I'm turning my eye to the world of races. You might think you'll never get into races. I was like you, once: a casual runner who scoffed at the idea of paying money to run. Then you get coerced into running a 5k for charity or something. Then you feel the high of crossing the finish line. You realize how intoxicating it to push yourself to longer distances, to have strangers cheering your name, to simply set your sights on a goal and work toward it. Now, six marathons later (and so many smaller distances along the way), I understand how people budget races into both their finances and fitness. Of course, once you enter the world of racing, costs can add up quickly and vary dramatically depending on your approach to the sport. So let's take a look at the financial commitment involved in running organized races. The casual runnerFor those who participate in a handful of local races each year, running remains relatively affordable. As a minimalist runner who does sign up for a marathon a year (and some shorter races leading up to the main event), I fall in this category. Typical annual expenses: 3-5 local 5K/10K races: $25-50 each ($75-250 total) One half-marathon: $75-120 Basic running shoes: $80-120 (replaced annually) No-frills running clothes (see more here): $100-200 Optional race photos: $20-40 per event Total annual cost: $330-730 Casual runners can keep costs down by focusing on community races organized by local running clubs, which often have lower entry fees than commercial events. Early bird registration can also save 15-30% off standard entry fees. Many casual runners also use free training plans available online rather than paying for coaching. The dedicated road racerRunners who focus on performance and participate in multiple races throughout the year face a more substantial financial commitment. Keep in mind, a lot of these are upfront costs for investing in gear that will last years. For instance, you probably won't be buying a new smartwatch annually. Typical annual expenses: Races of varying distances: $100-1,000 One or two major marathons: $150-350 each Premium running shoes: $130-180 (two to three pairs annually) Technical running apparel: $300-500 GPS watch: $200-500 (amortized over two to three years) Race photos/videos: $100-200 Training plan or app subscription: $100-300 Total annual cost: $580-1,630 These runners often join running clubs ($40-150 annually) for the social aspects and training benefits. They might also invest in regular sports massages ($70-120 per session) or recovery tools like foam rollers, massage guns, and compression gear ($150-300). Brooks Women's Ghost 16 GTX $165.17 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $165.17 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg The destination racerThose who combine their love of running with travel face the highest costs. Typical annual expenses: Two to three local races: $100-200 Two to three major destination races: $150-350 each Travel costs (flights, accommodations, food): $1,000-3,000+ per destination race Premium running gear (technical clothing, shoes, watches): $300-500 Race insurance: $50-100 per major race Total annual cost: $1,600-4,100+ The World Marathon Majors (Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo) are particularly expensive, with entry fees up to $350—not to mention extremely competitive qualification standards or lottery systems to sign up in the first place. International races may also require additional expenses like travel insurance and vaccinations. Garmin Forerunner 55 $163.26 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $199.99 Save $36.73 Shop Now Shop Now $163.26 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $199.99 Save $36.73 The trail/ultra runnerNow I'm speaking outside of personal experience, but I am manifesting a future in ultra distances for myself. Fun fact: "Ultra marathon" refers to any distance longer than a marathon. A 30-miler and an 100-miler would both be called ultras. Neat! Naturally, ultra runners and trail enthusiasts face unique cost considerations for specialized gear requirements and remote race locations. Typical annual expenses: Three to five trail races: $50-100 each One to two ultra marathons: $150-500 each Trail-specific shoes: $130-180 (2-3 pairs annually) Specialized gear (hydration vest, headlamp, trekking poles): $300-600 Weather-appropriate apparel: $400-800 Navigation tools: $100-300 Required safety equipment: $200-500 Total annual cost: $1,630-3,980 Ultra events often have higher entry fees due to their length and the support required from the organizers. Many require specific safety equipment like emergency blankets, whistles, and first aid supplies. Remote race locations can also increase travel costs significantly. CamelBak Hydrobak Hydration Pack $50.55 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $60.00 Save $9.45 Shop Now Shop Now $50.55 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $60.00 Save $9.45 Look out for hidden costsRegardless of runner type, several hidden costs can impact your budget: Race day parking: $10-30 per event Post-race celebration meals: $20-50 per event Physiotherapy or sports medicine appointments: $80-150 per session Cross-training (gym membership, yoga classes): $300-1,000 annually Nutritional supplements and race-day fuel: $100-500 annually Race cancellation or postponement fees Cost-saving strategiesLike I mentioned above, I'm a marathon runner who refuses to spend more than $1,000 a year on my hobby. Here's how I save on costs I can't avoid altogether: Volunteer at races: Many events offer free future entries to volunteers. Register early: Take advantage of early bird pricing. Seek out package deals: Some race series offer discounted entries when you sign up for multiple events. Shop end-of-season sales: Stock up on gear when prices drop. Consider virtual races: These typically have lower entry fees and no travel costs. While racing costs can add up, I still find the most valuable aspects of running—the endorphin rush, sense of achievement, and community connection—are more than worth it. When you consider the costs associated with your preferred style of running, you can make informed decisions about which races and experiences are worth the investment for you. View the full article

The credit score simulator only uses the Classic FICO scorecards available at each of the repositories, not the most up-to-date version, FICO 10T. View the full article

America is trying to undo the very system of open trade that it createdView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Bowers & Wilkins is known to make high-end audio products like headphones and speakers. You might see their speakers on luxury cars or expensive monitors. The Pi6 earbuds are their "budget" earbuds, but are still expensive, normally going for $249. However, you can get them right now for $168.08, the lowest price they've ever been according to price-tracking tools. Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 Wireless Earbuds AptX Adaptive, 12mm Drivers, Bespoke Active Noise Cancelling, 3 Built-in Mics, 15-Min Quick Charging $249.00 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $249.00 at Amazon The Pi6 are a step down from the more premium Pi8 wireless earbuds, both of which came out in 2024. Despite this being the product where cuts were made to make it a "budget" option, the audio quality stayed premium. I've had these earbuds for almost a year and consider them one of the best sounding earbuds I own. You'll get support for SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Classic codecs, which explains the great audio. The soundstage is detailed, and it has Bowers & Wilkins' usual crisp sound signature. The fit is comfortable and light. Despite not having hooks, I felt like I could take them on a run without issues. However, the Pi6 aren't perfect. They lack Spatial Audio, a find-my-headphones feature, and the app can be buggy. Although I may sound picky, these are basic features other earbuds at this price point have. But at the discounted price of $168, I'm willing to look past those issues. The drivers are 12mm and provide a decent ANC. You can expect about eight hours of battery life and another 24 hours with the case. You'll get Bluetooth 5.4 and an IP54 rating for water resistance (you shouldn't submerge them underwater). The earbuds also have three microphones so people can hear you clearly. If you're looking for good quality audio with hi-res playback and good ANC and battery life, the Pi6 earbuds offer great value for your money at their current price. View the full article