All Activity

Last week, news broke that Amazon would be laying off 16,000 workers. Here was the headline ​from an article​ about this news published in Quartz: The implication of this framing is clear: AI is taking jobs. Nothing in the body of this article contradicts this idea. It describes the number of people laid off and the benefits they’ll receive. It quotes executives who won’t deny the possibility of future job losses. It mentions how Amazon is known for its “cutthroat” corporate culture. You walk away feeling that the impact of AI on our economy is already getting out of hand. The only problem is that this reporting omits almost all relevant details. For a more realistic take, let’s turn toward the financial press. CNBC published ​an article​ about these same layoffs featuring a more informative headline: The article goes on to correctly attribute the layoffs to Amazon’s desire to trim layers of management bureaucracy that built up during the pandemic-era tech hiring boom: “CEO Andy Jassy has looked to slim down Amazon’s workforce after the company went on a hiring spree during the Covid-19 pandemic.” What role does AI play in all of this? Like many leading companies in the technology sector, Amazon is investing heavily in building its own AI products. Presumably, money is being saved by firing managers, which frees up more revenue to invest in this area. But that’s really it. As the CNBC article elaborates: “In a blog post, the company wrote that the layoffs were part of an ongoing effort to ‘strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.’ That coincides with a push to invest heavily in artificial intelligence.” [emphasis mine] The CNBC article then reports that these massive layoffs actually began for Amazon in 2022 and 2023, following the pandemic, but before ChatGPT was released and the subsequent generative AI revolution began. Both of these articles cover the same announcement, but they produce two very different impressions. The Quartz article strongly implies that Amazon is firing people because it can now offload their work to AI. (I mean: look at the Andy Jassey quote they included in the sub-head, they clearly wanted readers to believe AI caused these job losses.) The CNBC article, by contrast, makes it clear that the connection between AI and these layoffs is more coincident than causal. In recent years, I’ve seen more articles follow the general approach demonstrated by the Quartz example. They identify an alarming,attention-catching fear about AI that seems prevalent in the cultural zeitgeist, and then shape a story to feed the narrative. The key to this vibe reporting strategy is that the articles never make explicit claims. They instead combine cunning omissions and loosely related quotes to make strong implications. The Quartz article, for example, never concretely states that the 16,000 workers are being replaced with AI; rather, it conveniently avoids mentioning any of the publicly available details about the layoffs that would contradict that idea, and then interleaves quotes about AI’s disruptive potential into the reporting in a highly suggestive manner. The goal of this type of article is to create a pre-ordained vibe, not to get to the bottom of what’s really happening. I’m not pointing out this phenomenon to dismiss concerns about AI, but instead because I think this strategy is an obstacle to real action. This type of disingenuous reporting is not going to help us identify the actual problems that require actual solutions. It instead creates a nihilistic sense of inevitable disruption that might drive social media shares, but also numbs people and prevents meaningful responses. Remember: Nothing about these tools is inevitable, and their impact is far from preordained. We don’t need vibes right now. Reality is too important. The post The Dangers of “Vibe Reporting” About AI appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

Last week, news broke that Amazon would be laying off 16,000 workers. Here was the headline ​from an article​ about this news published in Quartz: The implication of this framing is clear: AI is taking jobs. Nothing in the body of this article contradicts this idea. It describes the number of people laid off and the benefits they’ll receive. It quotes executives who won’t deny the possibility of future job losses. It mentions how Amazon is known for its “cutthroat” corporate culture. You walk away feeling that the impact of AI on our economy is already getting out of hand. The only problem is that this reporting omits almost all relevant details. For a more realistic take, let’s turn toward the financial press. CNBC published ​an article​ about these same layoffs featuring a more informative headline: The article goes on to correctly attribute the layoffs to Amazon’s desire to trim layers of management bureaucracy that built up during the pandemic-era tech hiring boom: “CEO Andy Jassy has looked to slim down Amazon’s workforce after the company went on a hiring spree during the Covid-19 pandemic.” What role does AI play in all of this? Like many leading companies in the technology sector, Amazon is investing heavily in building its own AI products. Presumably, money is being saved by firing managers, which frees up more revenue to invest in this area. But that’s really it. As the CNBC article elaborates: “In a blog post, the company wrote that the layoffs were part of an ongoing effort to ‘strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.’ That coincides with a push to invest heavily in artificial intelligence.” [emphasis mine] The CNBC article then reports that these massive layoffs actually began for Amazon in 2022 and 2023, following the pandemic, but before ChatGPT was released and the subsequent generative AI revolution began. Both of these articles cover the same announcement, but they produce two very different impressions. The Quartz article strongly implies that Amazon is firing people because it can now offload their work to AI. (I mean: look at the Andy Jassey quote they included in the sub-head, they clearly wanted readers to believe AI caused these job losses.) The CNBC article, by contrast, makes it clear that the connection between AI and these layoffs is more coincident than causal. In recent years, I’ve seen more articles follow the general approach demonstrated by the Quartz example. They identify an alarming,attention-catching fear about AI that seems prevalent in the cultural zeitgeist, and then shape a story to feed the narrative. The key to this vibe reporting strategy is that the articles never make explicit claims. They instead combine cunning omissions and loosely related quotes to make strong implications. The Quartz article, for example, never concretely states that the 16,000 workers are being replaced with AI; rather, it conveniently avoids mentioning any of the publicly available details about the layoffs that would contradict that idea, and then interleaves quotes about AI’s disruptive potential into the reporting in a highly suggestive manner. The goal of this type of article is to create a pre-ordained vibe, not to get to the bottom of what’s really happening. I’m not pointing out this phenomenon to dismiss concerns about AI, but instead because I think this strategy is an obstacle to real action. This type of disingenuous reporting is not going to help us identify the actual problems that require actual solutions. It instead creates a nihilistic sense of inevitable disruption that might drive social media shares, but also numbs people and prevents meaningful responses. Remember: Nothing about these tools is inevitable, and their impact is far from preordained. We don’t need vibes right now. Reality is too important. The post The Dangers of “Vibe Reporting” About AI appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

IMBs outperform banks, face outsized scrutiny, and confront rising affordability challenges, according to the President of the Community Home Lenders of America. View the full article

How the message from Sierra Pacific Mortgage could have been delivered in a better, more empathetic fashion rather than leaving affected workers embittered. View the full article

A new proposal suggests using semantic HTML to label sections of a page that are AI generated to support EU compliance. The post Controversial Proposal To Label Sections Of AI Generated Content appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

In 2021, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee history professor Thomas Haigh began teaching a course on the history of computers. Haigh, the coauthor of a book on the subject published around that same timenoticed that many classic histories of computing from the 1990s assumed that readers would have firsthand knowledge of technology from around that era—desktop PCs and Macs, early game consoles, and the once-ubiquitous floppy disk. But for many of his students, that equipment was obsolete before they were born. While it might make millennials grimace, Windows 95 and Nintendo 64’s GoldenEye 007 are now firmly in the purview of the history department. “With today’s undergraduates, they’re just as distanced from the days of the Apple II, or the IBM PC, or the first Mac as people [then] were from ENIAC and the very earliest computers,” Haigh says. Haigh can’t practically show his students how to use the ENIAC or the other room-sized machines from the mid-20th century. But he realized he could stock a lab with equipment from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, letting students experience and understand what it was like to load a spreadsheet from floppy disk on an Apple IIe, boot up Windows on a Gateway PC, or play a game on a vintage Atari or Nintendo 64. “The idea isn’t to collect one of everything, and it’s also not really to collect rare and exotic things,” Haigh says. “We’re more interested in recapturing what the typical experience was of using computer systems in different eras.” Haigh believes the Retrocomputing Lab, or simply Retrolab, may be the only such lab run out of a U.S. history department. It’s one of a handful of university labs around the country that provide students and researchers with access to machines and software from before the age of ubiquitous internet and cloud computing. It’s stocked with a mix of eBay purchases, university surplus, and faculty hand-me-downs (meaning students are sometimes greeted with the names of users from decades gone by when they load vintage operating systems or floppy disks). Lab organizers say the labs help students and researchers understand how computing and communication technology has evolved, both for better and for worse—and help them use ideas from the past to understand and shape what the future of tech might be. “What I’ve noticed, especially in the last year, is that young people are just fascinated and utterly compelled by typewriters, by technology that they can see into, that they can understand how it works, that they sometimes can open up,” says Lori Emerson, founder of the Media Archaeology Lab (MAL) at the University of Colorado Boulder. “And especially the pieces of tech that we have in the lab that’s not connected to the internet, that’s not surveilling them, tracking them, collecting data. “ It’s something that emulation, which can make it possible to use vintage software and games on modern equipment, doesn’t fully capture. Emerson founded the lab in 2009 while working as a professor in the English department and teaching students about a digital poetry project called First Screening, released on floppy disk in the 1980s by the celebrated Canadian poet bpNichol. Emerson wanted to show students how the poems would have been seen on the computers of their day. The lab she set up for that purpose continued to expand, ultimately growing into a sprawling collection that’s now available for use by students, visiting researchers, and curious members of the public. “I think that was pretty much the beginning of the end for me as an English professor,” says Emerson, now a professor in the media studies department. “And then I just couldn’t stop collecting old pieces of technology, and I couldn’t stop convincing people to give me their things.” Even with commercial software, the tactile experience of using particular keyboards, mice, and disks, and the entire concept of unpacking disks and manuals from a store-bought box, just can’t be simulated. “One of the things that surprises students is that software used to come in a box full of manuals and stuff,” Haigh says. “They just think of software as this purely immaterial thing that downloads.” Emma Culver, a Ph.D. student in UW-Milwaukee’s media, cinema, and digital studies program, says she discovered installing and playing The 7th Guest—a 1993 DOS horror adventure that helped pioneer the use of the CD-ROM for full-motion video and inspired a generation of game designers—was far from smooth, experiencing firsthand the trial-and-error frustrations of PC gaming in that era. “And it’s much more satisfying once you actually sit down to play it after you’ve been through all that effort to set it up,” she says. But though today’s students will likely play a role in the next steps in technology’s evolution, it’s not clear whether they’ll be able to show future generations the technology they currently use. That’s because over the past decade or so, software has become dependent on connections to cloud servers, AI models, or online gaming infrastructure can’t easily be archived in fully operational form. “In the future, once systems aren’t there to activate copies and download patches and so on, none of this stuff is still going to be accessible unless enthusiasts do a huge amount of work to replicate parts of that system,” Haigh says. But for now, universities are working to share and preserve what they can of the digital past. At Georgia Tech, a similar retroTECH program run out of the university library similarly helps archive and share with students vintage technology from the slide rule to millennial favorites like The Oregon Trail and early Mario Kart offerings. Games for historic consoles are a big focus, especially since they were released as static products rather than updated and patched over time like PC games, says digital accessioning archivist Dillon Henry. Students are sometimes “intrigued by” how quickly cartridge-based games could load compared to today’s releases, and the games are often accompanied by print gaming media of the day, so students can see how they were advertised and promoted in outlets like Nintendo Power. The library has hosted informal gaming nights, but it’s also seen plenty of use by students in classes looking at everything from interactive narrative storytelling to game design. Engineering students also learn to fix the vintage machines. “It’s a win-win, because you can’t go to an Apple Store today and ask them to fix your Apple II,” Henry says. They’re also inspiring students to make their own creations. One student brought classmates from a game design class to the lab to study elements of Final Fantasy IX9 (released for the original PlayStation in 2000), Henry recalls, and visitors are also often intrigued by the evolution of video game interfaces and forgotten elements of the industry’s history. The collection includes technology like the Virtual Boy, a famously odd Nintendo VR system from the mid-1990s, and the Fairchild Channel F, which introduced the concept of removable cartridges and featured a unique, joystick-like controller. “Now controllers are getting more or less standardized,” Henry says. “It was kind of a Wild West there at the beginning of the gaming world, when people were just trying stuff that hadn’t been done.” The retroTECH program’s vintage material isn’t all computer-based. The library has an Edison wax cylinder phonograph from 1902 and a set of blank cylinders, and Henry hopes in the future to work on recording projects based around the medium, perhaps in conjunction with the university’s celebrated music technology program. Historic technology is also a creative medium at CU Boulder. The Media Archaeology Lab has hosted a residency series that’s attracted artists creating work with the equipment, and seen musicians perform using vintage music software and computerized keyboards on site. The lab has also recently begun acquiring typewriters and other historic printing and copying equipment, and Emerson and lab managing director Libi Rose Striegl plan to offer zine-making workshops in the near future. Students weary of AI and cloud computing have generally been showing an interest in technology from before the age of the always-on internet, Emerson says. “A theme that’s been coming up recently is that they say, ‘I feel like my mental health would be a lot better if I used these machines,’” she says. “And we laugh, but we’re also like, ‘yeah, it probably would be.’” View the full article

The era of the empowered worker is behind us, at least for now. The last year has seen a stark reversal of the dynamics that were at play in the aftermath of the pandemic, when employers were scrambling to hold onto their workers. Companies couldn’t seem to cut jobs fast enough in 2025, as over a million layoffs swept across tech giants and other major employers. Hiring came to a standstill as the corporate world grappled with political headwinds and economic anxieties. Employers have gone all in on artificial intelligence, in the hopes that it will make their workers infinitely more productive. “We are entering a new phase that is much more employer-centric in terms of who holds the keys,” says Lars Schmidt, the founder of HR consultancy Amplify and the vice president of talent acquisition and innovation at superfruit startup Fruitist. “With all the volatility of the job market, the displacement of jobs from AI and automation, and the economic uncertainty causing some companies to dial back—I think that the power is very much in the employer’s hands again, and kind of at the detriment of employees.” In this climate, the role of human resources has grown ever more complicated—and crucial, as they seek to keep employees motivated and manage burnout alongside mounting demands from their employers. Here’s what HR leaders are focused on and expect to see in the year to come. AI: ‘We’re making it up as we go’ As workplaces invest in generative AI, many HR leaders are being tasked with not only using those tools to streamline their own operations, but also to help companies figure out how to deploy the technology effectively across their organization. Schmidt argues it’s an opportunity for people in HR to step up and help shape how their company approaches AI. “Like any emerging technology with the promise of automation and less headcount and more profit, there’s going to be pressure to use that,” he says. “It’s just as important to have a clear point of view of where not to use AI than where to use AI, and you can’t be a strategic adviser to your C suite peers if you are not informed yourself.” Melanie Naranjo, the head of people at HR compliance training startup Ethena, believes companies are now reevaluating their AI investments, after throwing money at expensive AI tools or unsuccessfully attempting to automate jobs. Many HR teams are also thinking about how to encourage employees to get adequately trained on AI without making it an onerous burden: “How do you keep a workforce trained on the latest and greatest in AI adoption, when AI is constantly changing?” she says. “How do you structure that? What does that fall under? How do you hold people accountable? Is there space to do it in a strategic way that doesn’t burn everyone out?” Another challenge for some HR leaders is how to determine compensation and pay packages for valuable AI talent, or potential hires who are well versed in AI—something that many of them are figuring out in real time, amid economic uncertainty. “It’s really worth as much as you’re willing to pay for it at this point,” Naranjo says. “I imagine over time this will even out, because the long-term expectation will likely be that everyone has some level of AI expertise within their field. But right now we’re all just asking each other and making it up as we go, candidly.” Focus on retention over hiring Amid a hiring slowdown and a tricky job market that favors employers, many workers are staying put—otherwise known as job hugging, in recent parlance—rather than looking for new opportunities. For companies, this presents its own challenge. “A lot of employees are hesitant to make a move right now, given all the volatility and uncertainty,” Schmidt says. “So they are kind of growing roots, which creates some tension. The natural attrition of an organization—through both voluntary and involuntary turnover—creates a bit of a steady flow of talent in and out of the organization.” Workers also face new pressures as their employers expect them to both embrace AI and use it to boost their productivity. Companies, in turn, may see a dip in morale and find that employees are checked out—which means HR leaders need to figure out how to incentivize them. “Even in the midst of this being an employer market, I think smart employers are going to start thinking a little bit more about retention,” says Naranjo. “The reality is your top performers are always going to be able to find work, regardless of the market. And then everyone else? Even though they’re not leaving in droves because of the market, productivity and morale is going to start to shift.” In the past, the answer might have been to give employees a generous raise. Now, Naranjo says, many HR leaders are trying to figure out how to reward them in a “low-cost, low-lift way.” Beyond looking at compensation, one way companies could address this is by expanding benefits. While benefits are not nearly as much of a focus as they were during the Great Resignation—when companies were clamoring to retain employees—they remain a competitive advantage for many organizations, particularly around fertility and caregiving. Mita Mallick, a workplace strategist and former DEI executive, argues that companies have an opportunity to differentiate themselves—and retain top performers—by investing in unique benefits. Mallick points to platforms like Multiply Mortgage, which helps employees get a mortgage and discounted rate. “With some of these benefits, you might be like, well, it’s niche utilization,” Mallick says. “Cost utilization is low, but then those individuals become your company advocates.” Housing-related benefits are also an example of employers essentially providing social services that would not otherwise be covered. Mallick cites paid leave, which has repeatedly faced pushback as a federal policy. “When government fails, and there [are] gaps in the infrastructure, companies are stepping up,” she adds. Investing in DEI . . . quietly Back in 2020, the racial reckoning in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder led many companies to make bold promises about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some of them pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to bolster these commitments—but in the years since, the appetite for DEI has radically changed. After the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in 2023, corporate America slowly backed away from DEI work, particularly as right wing agitators like Robby Starbuck ramped up public pressure on companies. And over the last year in particular, the The President administration has set its sights on DEI programs across both the federal government and private sector, even threatening to investigate corporate employers who engage in “illegal” DEI work. All this has seemingly set the stage for a public retreat from DEI, as many employers fear legal action and being targeted by the The President administration. Across the federal workforce, DEI offices were shut down, and many DEI professionals in the corporate world lost their jobs as the work fell out of fashion. Companies eliminated representation goals and pulled out of external rankings that measure workplace inclusion. But while employers have, in fact, slashed DEI programs, a number of them are merely rebranding it as “belonging”—or doing the work behind closed doors. For certain companies, this shift is more about revising the language of DEI, which has been weaponized by conservatives: “When you look at the fundamentals of why DEI is important, that didn’t change,” Schmidt says. “What [has] changed is how people are twisting the definition for political purposes.” As DEI teams have shrunk—or have been dismantled altogether—some of this work has fallen to employee resource groups or is now within the purview of HR. But on the whole, many of the companies that have publicly pulled back on their investments in DEI were never particularly committed. “There are people quietly doing the work,” Mallick says. “And there are people who never wanted to do the work. It was performative. It checked the box—and now they have permission to say they don’t need to do it.” Navigating a new political climate A few years ago, many HR leaders felt compelled to speak out about politics and current events. But the tides have turned, as many CEOs and other executives have largely avoided weighing in on political issues since The President assumed office again. “There was a lot of pressure on HR leaders to take a stance on every event that took place,” Schmidt says. “Now we’re obviously in a very different environment… You’re seeing very few companies speaking out in this current environment for fear of retribution.” For some folks in HR, this has been a bit of a welcome correction; for others, it’s an adjustment after years of being more vocal. At the moment, against the backdrop of an immigration crackdown that has claimed the lives of two civilians in Minnesota, some HR leaders have felt like they need to acknowledge what’s happening around them. “What I’m sensing in one-off conversations with HR professionals is: ‘I kind of want to say something, but I don’t know how it will be received, and I don’t know if it’s the right time,’” Naranjo says. While a handful of tech workers and leaders have finally commented on the violence in Minnesota, most of them have remained relatively silent. An open letter from the CEOs of Minnesota-based companies like Target and Best Buy called for “an immediate deescalation of tensions” but stopped short of any pointed condemnations. “You’re seeing very few business leaders stepping into the moment and making a statement,” Schmidt says. “CEOs understandably don’t want to put a target on their company.” This reticence leaves HR leaders in a tough spot, if they feel a responsibility to speak out or their employees are demanding it. But Naranjo says companies should recognize there can be a cost to not acknowledging the political moment. “From an HR perspective, that’s not actually a distraction,” she says. “Your employees are already distracted. So if you’re being really strategic about this, and your employees are struggling, you can actually help them focus and be more productive by addressing it correctly.” View the full article

The best recruiter I know is going to spend the next three months hiring without posting to a single job board website, like Indeed or LinkedIn. “LinkedIn?” She laughed. “You mean Facebook for thought leaders? No, I won’t be using any of those sites.” “Rosa” is head of HR for a large tech startup, and someone I trust to tell me what’s really going on in the world of professional recruiting and jobs — the unflinching truth. The last time we talked, she had finally taken back control of her company’s recruiting process, rescuing it from over-automation, misguided AI, and what she called “results-last” hiring. I’ve hired hundreds of people to work with me over my long career. And I’ve partnered with some great recruiters and some not-so-great recruiters along the way. I can tell you she has a point about LinkedIn, but it’s not just LinkedIn. Rosa wants to sidestep “the whole damn hiring system,” even down to how her company views hiring and talent. “We were treating people like fuel when they’re actually critical machine parts,” she said. “Once you understand that, you realize the whole damn hiring system is broken, and the path becomes clear. Not easy, but at least clear.” Her latest experiment, over the next three months, with her executive team behind her: Hire without LinkedIn and the rest of the job boards. The Digital Job Funnel Is Not Going to Be Fixed Anytime Soon On the other side of the country, a CTO friend of mine spent his holiday break clearing a backlog of support tickets. Why? Because a bunch of folks quit, and when he tried to replace them, the modern automated hiring systems his company was using kept throwing up roadblocks. “Wasn’t that what all of this automation was supposed to do?” he asked me. “Find me people quickly?” He lost three support people the week before Christmas and figured he could get by with two. After getting “vague answers” from his HR team, the last day before everything shut down for the holidays, he went full White Goodman and took the bull by the horns. “I got into the system myself, thought I’d be a hero, and I spent hours going through stacks of applications just trying to filter out the bots, or the résumés that weren’t even close to what I needed. I wondered if I should just write some code to filter [the applications] myself, but I was running out of time and [support] tickets were piling up. I gave up and said I’d just handle the tickets on my own over the holidays.” After a holly jolly Jira holiday, he had an epiphany. “This never should have happened,” he said. “We’re going to take a hard look at why we have all this hiring technology.” It’s Always the Quiet Ones In my last column, I speculated that we’re reaching a bottom in the job market, especially in tech, where a sense of capitulation has leaders in the recruiting industry advising tech employees to become “baristas, bartenders, and builders.” Yeah, that’s the right amount of capitulation. I mentioned in that column that, out of the dozen or so SMB tech startup leaders I’ve talked to while going down this particular hiring rabbit hole, not one of them is using a major hiring channel to fill their talent needs. In their view, the LinkedIns, the Indeeds, basically all the job boards, have devolved into an automated slippery slope that, in their eyes, produces no signal, just noise. A lot of noise. “We’re Hiring,” Just Without the Purple Sash So these companies are opting out. They’re posting jobs on their own websites, or sometimes not, and using their current employees’ and investors’ networks of networks to find channels. They’re going through traditional but smaller recruiters, trade associations, user groups, colleges for entry-level positions, even niche online communities like Reddit and Hacker News. They’re going through me, not to hire me, but asking if I know anyone who knows anyone who would be perfect for the role, like they used to before LinkedIn ate all of hiring — which is right before LinkedIn decided there was more money in letting ambitious professionals post AI-written opinions on everything. Oh, sorry, before you ask me who these companies are, I’d love to tell you, and I am telling people whom I think they might find a perfect fit, but if I splash their names here it defeats the purpose of what they’re trying to do. They’re “tightening the aperture,” as one put it, which sounds uncomfortable, but is really just a way of saying they want 100 targeted résumés for an open position and not 10,000 résumés that are mostly people who didn’t read the job requirements plus bots. Crazy, right? But oddly enough, with the sheer volume of talent already on the sidelines, they’re filling these roles much more quickly than they did using LinkedIn, Indeed, and such. So, no, I can’t out them, but I can tell you this. Based on how Rosa and her low-tech colleagues are hiring, here’s my best advice for joining this worldwide loose hiring network. Turn Your Friends Into Recruiters Good old-fashioned networking is back in vogue. And this isn’t just about blasting an email asking everyone you know if they know anyone who knows anyone who is hiring. You want to build an army, a group of folks who will work for you. “Be specific about what you can do and what you want,” Rosa told me. “A personal, concise message is best. Your friends are already willing to help you, they just need to know how they — specifically — can do that. It’ll be different for everyone.” Take Time to Do Deeper Company Research Smart companies are, like Rosa said, looking for “critical machine parts,” not fuel. They need talent, not labor. They want results, not butts in seats. Your best shot is going to be finding a company that can use you, right away, to get the results they need. Use AI to find these companies that are sidestepping these channels, instead of using AI to turn your résumé into one more needle in an ever growing haystack. Then, instead of sending an application to 50 companies if you might be a fit for five, find 50 companies where you would be valuable and hope that five of them are hiring, whether they have a job posted for you or not. Look for Positive Proof That the Job They Have Is for You When you do find a job that looks right, dig a little. Is it real? Is it what it says it is? Are you going to be dumped into an applicant pool with thousands of other candidates? Then dig a little deeper. Read the job description with some skepticism. Is it generic? Is it a carbon copy of all the others you’ve seen? Are they hiring just because they have fresh money? Is it more about joining a club than getting results? On that last one: “Companies will do that when they have a lot of problems but they don’t know what they need,” said Rosa. “Instead of a finely tuned job description, they’ll spend a lot of time on values and goals and what they believe. They’re hiring fans, not talent.” And finally, focus on companies that move quickly. The truth is there is still a huge supply of available talent out there, thus there’s no need for a hiring company to wait for the right fit. If there’s no urgency, the company might be just testing the waters or, again, not really sure of what they need. Neither of those aspects works in your favor. Don’t Fall For False Progress These are desperate times in the job market. I know there will be counterarguments to these strategies, probably led by “Well, that’s nice advice, but I need a job now.” Here’s the thing. “Job now” is more about luck than reach. Scanning or spamming job board websites might feel like progress, but we’ve gone so far down the digital black hole of hiring that a lot of the companies that are hiring now, quickly, and for the right reasons, are bypassing those job boards entirely. I’m not talking about “Easy Apply” and I’m not suggesting these strategies will speed the process. I’m talking about adding a growing channel that isn’t getting attention because it doesn’t want the attention. They’re not going to find you. You’ll need to find them. I can also speculate that these companies won’t stay in the shadows for long. The success of this loose network will get noticed, and it will get centralized, maybe not with AI, but it won’t be long before Rosa and all the recruiters like her are up to their eyeballs in tens of thousands of applications again. So now is a good time to go job “hunting” instead of job “scrolling.” Now is also a good time to join my email list, a growing rebel alliance of professionals who want a different perspective on tech and business. —Joe Procopio This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

A variety show that’s still revered for its absurdist, slapstick humor debuted 50 years ago. It starred an irreverent band of characters made of foam and fleece. Long after “The Muppet Show”‘s original 120-episode run ended in 1981, the legend and legacy of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and other creations concocted by puppeteer and TV producer Jim Henson have kept on growing. Thanks to the Muppets’ film franchise and the wonders of YouTube, the wacky gang is still delighting, and expanding, its fan base. As a scholar of popular culture, I believe that the Muppets’ reign, which began in the 1950s, has helped shape global culture, including educational television. Along the way, the puppets and the people who bring them to life have earned billions in revenue. Johnny Carson interviews Muppet creator Jim Henson, Kermit and other Muppets on the ‘Tonight Show’ in 1975, ahead of one of an early ‘The Muppet Show’ pilot. Kermit’s origin story Muppets, a portmanteau of marionette and puppet, first appeared on TV in the Washington, D.C., region in 1955, when Henson created a short sketch show called “Sam and Friends” with his future wife, Jane Nebel. Their motley cast of puppets, including a lizardlike character named Kermit, sang parody songs and performed comedy sketches. Henson’s creations were soon popping up in segments on other TV shows, including “Today” and late-night programs. Rowlf the Dog appeared in Canadian dog food commercials before joining “The Jimmy Dean Show” as the host’s sidekick. After that show ended, Rowlf and Dean performed on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” where Kermit had occasionally appeared since 1961. Rowlf the Dog and Jimmy Dean reprise their schtick on the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ in 1967. From ‘Sesame Street’ to ‘SNL’ As Rowlf and Kermit made the rounds on variety shows, journalist Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett were creating a new educational program. They invited Henson to provide a Muppet ensemble for the show. Henson waived his performance fee to maintain rights over the characters who became the most famous residents of “Sesame Street.” The likes of Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster and Big Bird were joined by Kermit who, by the time the show premiered in 1969, was identified as a frog. When “Sesame Street” became a hit, Henson worried that his Muppets would be typecast as children’s entertainment. Another groundbreaking show, aimed at young adults, offered him a chance to avoid that. “Saturday Night Live’s” debut on NBC in 1975 – when the show was called “Saturday Night” – included a segment called “The Land of Gorch,” in which Henson’s grotesque creatures drank, smoked and cracked crass jokes. “The Land of Gorch” segments ended after “Saturday Night Live’s” first season. ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ first season included ‘Land of Gorch’ sketches that starred creatures Jim Henson made to entertain grown-ups. Miss Piggy gets her closeup “The Muppet Show” was years in the making. ABC eventually aired two TV specials in 1974 and 1975 that were meant to be pilots for a U.S.-produced “Muppet Show.” After no American network picked up his quirky series, Henson partnered with British entertainment entrepreneur Lew Grade to produce a series for ATV, a British network, that featured Kermit and other Muppets. The new ensemble included Fozzie Bear, Animal and Miss Piggy – Muppets originally performed by frequent Henson collaborator Frank Oz. “The Muppet Show” parodied variety shows on which Henson had appeared. Connections he’d made along the way paid off: Many celebrities he met on those shows’ sets would guest star on “The Muppet Show,” including everyone from Rita Moreno and Lena Horne to Joan Baez and Johnny Cash. “The Muppet Show,” which was staged and shot at a studio near London, debuted on Sept. 5, 1976, in the U.K, before airing in syndication in the United States on stations like New York’s WCBS. As the show’s opening and closing theme songs changed over time, they retained a Vaudeville vibe despite the house band’s preference for rock and jazz. The Muppets hit the big screen “The Muppet Show” was a hit, amassing a global audience of over 200 million. It won many awards, including a Primetime Emmy for outstanding comedy-variety or music series – for which it beat “Saturday Night Live” – in 1978. While his TV show was on the air, Henson worked on the franchise’s first film, “The Muppet Movie.” The road film, released in 1979, was another hit: It earned more than US$76 million at the box office. “The Muppet Movie” garnered two Academy Award nominations for its music, including best song for “Rainbow Connection.” It won a Grammy for best album for children. The next two films, “The Great Muppet Caper,” which premiered in 1981, and “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” released in 1984, also garnered Oscar nominations for their music. As ‘The Muppet Movie’ opens, Statler and Waldorf tell a security guard of their heckling plans. ‘Fraggle Rock’ and the Disney deal The cast of “The Muppet Show” and the three films took a break from Hollywood while Henson focused on “Fraggle Rock,” a TV show for kids that aired from 1983-1987 on HBO. Like Henson’s other productions, “Fraggle Rock” featured absurdist humor – but its puppets aren’t considered part of the standard Muppets gang. This co-production between Henson, Canadian Broadcast Corporation and British producers was aimed at international markets. The quickly conglomerating media industry led Henson to consider corporate partnerships to assist with his goal of further expanding the Muppet media universe. In August 1989, he negotiated a deal with Michael Eisner of Disney who announced at Disney-MGM Studios an agreement in principle to acquire The Muppets, with Henson maintaining ownership of the “Sesame Street” characters. The announcement also included plans to open Muppet-themed attractions at Disney parks. But less than a year later, on May 16, 1990, Henson died from a rare and serious bacterial infection. He was 53. At the end of ‘Fraggle Rock’s’ run, its characters look for new gigs. Of Muppets and mergers Henson’s death led to the Disney deal’s collapse. But the company did license The Muppets to Disney, which co-produced “The Muppet Christmas Carol” in 1992 and “Muppet Treasure Island” in 1996 with Jim Henson Productions, which was then run by Jim’s son, Brian Henson. In 2000, the Henson family sold the Muppet properties to German media company EM.TV & Merchandising AG for $680 million. That company ran into financial trouble soon after, then sold the Sesame Street characters to Sesame Workshop for $180 million in late 2000. The Jim Henson Company bought back the remaining Muppet properties for $84 million in 2003. In 2004, Disney finally acquired The Muppets and most of the media library associated with the characters. Disney continued to produce Muppet content, including “The Muppet’s Wizard of Oz” in 2005. Its biggest success came with the 2011 film “The Muppets,” which earned over $165 million at the box office and won the Oscar for best original song “Man or Muppet.” “Muppets Most Wanted,” released in 2014, earned another $80 million worldwide, bringing total global box office receipts to over $458 million across eight theatrical Muppets movies. The ‘Muppet Show’ goes on The Muppets continue to expand their fandom across generations and genres by performing at live concerts and appearing in several series and films. Through these many hits and occasional bombs, and the Jim Henson Company’s personnel changes, the Muppets have adapted to changes in technology and tastes, making it possible for them to remain relevant to new generations. That cast of characters made of felt and foam continue to entertain fans of all ages. Although many people remain nostalgic over “The Muppet Show,” two prior efforts to reboot the show proved short-lived. But when Disney airs its “The Muppet Show” anniversary special on Feb. 4, 2026, maybe more people will get hooked as Disney looks to reboot the series ‘The Muppet Show’ will be back – for at least one episode – on Feb. 4, 2026. Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Google's new documentation shows how to get traffic from their Top Stories search feature. The post Google Shows How To Get More Traffic From Top Stories Feature appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Some high-profile acquisitions take out a rising competitor, such as Facebook’s acquisition of FriendFeed in 2009, some immediately expand a business’s suite of offerings, such as Salesforce’s 2020 purchase of Slack, and some may morph into an unrecognizable asset, like Amazon’s 1999 purchase of Alexa Internet, then a web traffic-tracking website. (The first Amazon Echo marking Alexa’s debut would launch in 2014.) But many lower-profile tech company acquisitions are made at least in part to gain access to specialized engineering talent. So-called “acquihires” haven’t traditionally raised many eyebrows. But the term’s definition has been expanding as the AI arms race has accelerated a new form of tacit takeover, the “reverse-acquihire.” In this move, which isn’t technically an acquisition, a company either takes a minority interest in a company or makes no financial investment in it at all. However, it hires one or more founders or key members of the executive team. This can leave the “reverse-acquihired” company rudderless or can cut off less senior staff from employment opportunities or liquidity. It can also allow the company conducting the reverse-acquihire to avoid the kind of process and oversight that comes with an acquisition. The Federal Trade Commission has said that it’s starting to scrutinize both reverse and traditional acquihires more closely given their potential for abuse. “The canonical answer is that one avoids regulatory scrutiny, right?” says Kyle Jensen, professor in the practice of entrepreneurship at Yale School of Management. “Particularly antitrust scrutiny.” A formal acquisition can trigger merger reviews and give regulators a clear set of documents, valuations and control rights to interrogate to decide whether or not healthy competition has been diminished. Reverse-acquihires don’t do any of that. So the FTC is now starting to ask whether hiring the team is basically the same as buying out a company (which would retro-correct the term’s definition drift), but avoiding regulatory scrutiny. “My understanding is that [the FTC] really want to make it more of a level position between standard acquisitions and the so-called [reverse-]acquihires,” says Igor Letina, associate professor at the University of Bern, Switzerland, speaking in an academic capacity. (Letina is also a vice president of the Swiss Competition Commission.) “What they’re signalling is that they will examine both types of deals in the same way according to the same standard, and make sure that they are compliant with antitrust laws.” Letina is wary of any attempts to call it a crackdown by the FTC. But what the Commission decides could have huge ramifications for the industry. Reverse-acquihires are expedient exits for the executive team. If the fastest exits become harder, what happens to hiring, to equity promises—and the idea that a ‘soft landing’ is always an option when setting up a company? Mergers and acquisitions have long been key to the world of business, argues S. Somasegar, managing director at Madrona Venture Group, a Seattle-based venture capital firm. It’s how companies can acquire talent, customers and technology. But particularly with the urgent imperative to tap leading AI talent, big firms’ strategic framework has shifted in recent years from ‘build, buy or partner’ to ‘build, buy, and partner’—an ideal scenario for reverse-acquihires. “It’s somewhat of a new construct,” he says. Indeed, that construct is now becoming familiar: a big tech firm hires a founder and a chunk of the team while signing a licensing deal or service agreement with what’s left of the startup. Google brought on board Character.AI co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas in August 2024 and then licensed its tech, all while avoiding an investment. Meta acquired 49% of Scale AI in June 2025 for $14.8 billion and made co-founder Alexandr Wang Meta’s Chief AI Officer. Given how closely the impact matches that of an acquisition, Letina’s view is that competition authorities should treat it that way. “We really shouldn’t focus on the form,” he says. “We should focus on the economic essence. Is it an acquisition of assets or not?” Not everyone thinks reverse-acquihires are inherently suspect. For Jensen, there are plenty of legitimate reasons a buyer might prefer people over the corporate entity. “There is a company that has really talented people,” he says. “Things haven’t really worked out. Maybe the company has a bunch of debts and weird assets and things like that. You don’t even want those.” The danger, he suggests, is when a deal stops being “just a hire” and starts operating as a “shadow acquisition”. The problem is what to do about it. If such deals are made so risky in regulation that big firms stop doing them, entrepreneurs’ decision making could start to shift. Every founder wants their company to succeed, but a good backup plan is to exit by selling the top team. If that’s closed off, it could impact the rate of new startups being founded. The individuals in the startups also potentially lose their free will to work for a potential acquirer, argues Jensen. “Am I forbidden from working for Google?” he asks. “That’s a weird outcome, right? I ought to be able to work for whomever I wish to work for.” Even if a clampdown is politically popular, it’s not obvious it would protect the people startups employ. Letina points out that the recent move to cherry pick staff and leave the remainder of the team can be especially ugly for what it leaves afterwards. “All those people who were left behind got, in essence, a rather bad deal,” he says. The recent trend of management leaving rank-and-file staff left holding the bag after they leave may also harm the ability for startups to hire staff. A stricter regime from the FTC could push big firms back towards full acquisitions that scoop up or provide liquidity for more staff. But Somasegar worries any regulatory change could impact on the speed of innovation. “Things are moving fast,” he says. “Industries are changing fast. You can’t put arbitrary speed breakers along the way,” he says. “I don’t want to be in a situation where a company wants to buy another company and it takes two years before you know whether the acquisition can happen or not.” View the full article

Around 70% of large-scale corporate transformation efforts fail. That figure has remained consistent for 25 years—and it comes from an era of relatively manageable change. Artificial intelligence will demand far more of companies: faster adaptation, more comprehensive reinvention, and continuous evolution rather than periodic adjustment. Yet more than three years after the launch of ChatGPT, only 5% of businesses report extracting significant value from their AI initiatives. If companies struggled with transformation before, the coming years will be harder still. Managing rapid change is becoming the central competency for business leadership. Every serious observer agrees that executives need to develop new skills and mindsets to navigate what is coming. Yet there is a paradox at the heart of corporate America’s response. In a recent survey of leaders at large organizations, the Center for Creative Leadership found that 82% believed leadership development offers a competitive advantage amid economic uncertainty, and 72% said that cutting development budgets would create significant challenges. Yet 71% expected those budgets to be reduced in the event of any downturn. How can leaders simultaneously believe that executive development is essential while treating it as expendable? The answer isn’t confusion or hypocrisy. It is that businesses have lost faith in the solutions on offer. The Problems With Traditional Approaches And rightly so. Traditionally, companies have turned to executive education programs to help guide them through change. But most of these programs tend to focus on information transfer—sharing research findings without showing how to apply them to the specific realities of an individual business. The work of translation falls entirely on the leadership team. At the same time, much of the research informing these programs is backward-looking. Foundational studies may have been conducted two, three, or even more years ago. That cadence just can’t keep pace with the speed at which AI is reshaping competitive landscapes. The classic consulting model does not fare any better. Whether providing leadership coaching or conducting transformation work directly, these engagements are expensive and the results they deliver are unreliable. More fundamentally, the pace of change ahead makes it simply unfeasible to bring in external teams to reshape the organization every time an advance in AI tech delivers paradigm-shifting capabilities. This approach is not sustainable financially, operationally, or culturally. The Resources Are Already There At present, most companies see organizational change as something rare that needs to be handled episodically. As a result, they lack the embedded processes that enable continuous innovation and transformation. They invest in a leadership program here and an external engagement there without ever establishing the permanent mechanisms that can capture value from new developments on an ongoing basis. This means that every disruption must be addressed from scratch, as if the organization had learned nothing from the last one. Instead of looking outward, corporations should be making the most of the resources they already have. Most companies employ extremely capable leaders who understand how their organizations actually work far better than any outside advisor could hope to. I have seen this repeatedly in the more than thirty years I have spent leading transformation initiatives at major corporations and government agencies. The talent and the institutional knowledge are already there—they just need to be unlocked. What is missing is not capability. It is a repeatable management system—and a spark. Repeatable Management Systems If the internal resources are already there, why aren’t companies already building these management systems on their own? The answer is that potential is not the same as momentum. Most organizations need something to break through the inertia—a catalyst that disrupts established patterns and creates the conditions for change to take hold. This is where outside expertise remains essential. But the nature of that expertise must change. The goal is not to perform the transformation work on the organization’s behalf. It is to provide the spark that sets internal capabilities in motion: diagnosing the current state, establishing the right frameworks, and building the confidence that allows leadership teams to take ownership of what comes next. Think of it as the difference between hiring someone to drive your car and hiring an instructor who teaches you to drive yourself. Both involve external help. But only one leaves you with a capability you can use forever. The key is establishing repeatable management systems that can be applied consistently across different challenges. When transformation processes are repeatable, each new disruption becomes an occasion to deploy proven methods rather than an emergency that demands improvisation from scratch. Building repeatable management systems is not a matter of snapping one’s fingers. But all the core ingredients exist within most large organizations. Outside partners can help establish the frameworks and get things moving in the right direction. But once an organization has built the engine to manage its ongoing evolution, it should not have to keep returning to the well again and again. The Compounding Advantage Businesses cannot afford to keep approaching change in the same way they have for decades. It has not worked well historically, and it will work even less well in the years ahead. The companies that thrive will be those that stop waiting for external partners to perform transformation on their behalf and start building the internal systems that make continuous adaptation part of how they operate. The organizations that get this right first will build a compounding advantage. Once the spark has been provided and the engine is running, each successive change becomes easier. The organization learns from one transformation and applies those lessons to the next. Meanwhile, competitors who remain locked in cycles of episodic external intervention will struggle to keep pace with technological shifts that arrive faster than any outside partner can respond to. Five Steps to Unlock Your Internal Transformation Capability Recognize that the capability already exists. Stop assuming that transformation requires importing talent or expertise your organization lacks. Audit the skills, institutional knowledge, and leadership capacity you already have. The gap is rarely capability—it is the management systems and confidence needed to channel that capability toward change. Seek sparks, not ongoing support. When you bring in outside help, structure engagements around ignition, not dependency. The right external partner diagnoses your current state, establishes frameworks, and builds internal confidence—then steps back. The measure of their success is whether your organization can manage the next transformation on its own. Establish permanent change infrastructure. Create the internal systems, frameworks, and repeatable processes that will allow your organization to manage continuous evolution. This includes clear decision-rights for transformational initiatives, standardized methodologies for workflow redesign, and protocols for evaluating and deploying new capabilities. The goal is to make transformation a core organizational competence rather than an occasional intervention. Move transformation ownership to the CEO. Stop treating leadership development and organizational change as HR functions or IT projects. When the chief executive owns the transformation strategy, it becomes integrated with business objectives rather than running parallel to them. Development initiatives should be evaluated against strategic outcomes, not training completion rates. Build learning loops into every change. The compounding advantage comes from treating each transformation as an opportunity to strengthen your capacity for the next one. After every significant change initiative, capture what worked, what failed, and what you would do differently. Feed those lessons back into your frameworks and processes so the organization genuinely learns rather than simply moves on. The age of AI demands a new approach to how organizations change. The old models—whether executive education or traditional consulting—served a slower world. That world is gone. The companies that will lead in the years ahead will not be those that find the best external partners to perform transformation for them. They will be those that find the right spark to unlock the transformation capability they already possess. View the full article

Rise comes after slight fall at end of last year amid uncertainty around potential Budget changes to property taxesView the full article

A college degree is usually thought of as a ticket to a great job and a secure future. Yet, the job market over the past few years has not been kind to graduates. Rapid changes in technology and uncertainty about the influence of AI on the economy have made it harder for companies to know what their new employees need to know to be successful. I have argued in the past that this uncertainty actually makes college degrees more useful than ever, but higher education is doing a poor job of helping students navigate this uncertainty. Sadly, universities aren’t going to fix this problem by hiring more career counselors. Instead, they’re going to have to do the hard work of restructuring their teaching mission for the 21st century. As it turns out, there is a straightforward (if labor-intensive) way for higher ed to make graduates (and continuing education students) more future-proof: focusing on teaching students “durable skills,” that will see them through the future; tying assessments to outcomes; and tracking competencies rather than courses. I believe so deeply that this change must be made, that I have left my role as a university professor and administrator after 27 years to work for Minerva Project, a company that built Minerva University, a private university, from the ground up using this approach and now brings it to schools around the world interested in reform. Here’s what this looks like: 1. Focus on durable skills Most college graduates credit their degree programs with helping them to become better learners, communicators, and thinkers regardless of their major. Indeed, liberal arts degree holders may struggle to get jobs initially, but they are quite successful in the long run. These degree programs provide value, because they ultimately teach durable skills. A skill is durable when it can be applied usefully in many different settings. Someone who learns to use a particular computer programming language has a potentially valuable skill. But, if the industry changes the standard for the language being used, or if AI can do a lot of the coding that companies need, then this skill loses value. Someone who learns the more durable skill of characterizing a problem and framing the path to a solution can continue to play a role even if much of the work to implement that solution can be automated. Universities are in the business of teaching these durable skills. Students learn key competencies like characterizing a problem, engaging in systems thinking, and communicating that problem and solution to others. Unfortunately, this teaching is done unsystematically in a way that can make it hard for some students to truly achieve competence in these deep skills and makes it difficult for graduates to articulate what they have learned. The solution is for institutions to align on a framework to characterize the core set of skills they deliver. This framework benefits employers, faculty, and students. Employers get a clear statement of what graduates have learned. Faculty get a common language for talking about these skills so that they can call them out explicitly to students in classes. Students then have a better understanding of the skills they are learning. That enables them to be strategic about selecting classes that will help them to solidify key abilities and provides them with a vocabulary for talking to employers about what they will bring to their work. In order for this approach to be successful, though, faculty need to provide students with authentic assessments and students need some kind of record to track their expertise. 2. Authentic assessment Just talking about the skills that are (somehow) being taught in higher education is not enough. Students need evidence of their progress toward gaining competence in these durable skills. Unfortunately, when students take an exam or do an assignment, the most visible result of that work is a grade. A professor (or teaching assistant) may write comments on the work, but the student tends to focus on whether they got an A. Authentic assessment happens when each assignment is related directly to outcomes that the course is designed to develop. Students should be aware of the relationship between these assignments and the outcomes. More importantly, assignments need to be evaluated by using a measure (a rubric) that relates the student’s work to the skill being practiced. In this way, the feedback students get on their work is focused on what the exam or assignment says about their current proficiency rather than on the number or letter at the top of the page. While this won’t get rid of grades altogether, it does provide prospective employers with a way to emphasize the skills they believe signal success, which is a recipe for changing the focus of students from grades to competency. While it might seem obvious that authentic assessment is crucial to good education, most college faculty are not trained as educators, and so their assignments (and bases for grading) are often disconnected from the desired learning outcomes for students. Universities need to provide more support for faculty to improve the quality of their assignments and grading rubrics. Authentic assessments change the focus of a student’s work from achieving a grade to developing competence. That focus can motivate students to put in the effort to improve. As a result, students are not trying to game the system to get a good grade. Instead, they are looking for opportunities to expand their skills. This approach also provides a guard against academic misconduct. After all, what is the point of cheating on an assignment if the sole purpose of the work is to help you get better and understand your skills? 3. A competency tracker, not a transcript Part of what obscures the value of a degree for students and employers is that the primary record a student gets of their time in college is a transcript. Transcripts are just lists of courses (whose names don’t provide much information about their content) and grades (that provide a blunt assessment of how students performed). Indeed, few people ever look at a graduate’s transcript, because the entries on it don’t say much about what that person can do. The alternative is to build a record of student performance around the institution’s framework for durable skills that accumulates the evidence from the many assignments students have done that teach and assess these skills. This tracker provides students with a current snapshot of what they do (and do not) do well. The record itself links back to past assignments. This tracker enables students to look back at past work to see the growing complexity of their thinking. Anyone who has looked back with some horror at a paper they wrote in their first year of college can recognize the improvements in their communication ability and complexity of thought. This record systematizes that experience. It also enables students to clearly articulate their skills to employers. In addition, over the course of a career, maintaining a competence tracker can signal to someone that it is time to get some more education to stay a step ahead of economic and technological changes. Higher education must make these changes . . . now in order to equip students for the future. It is up to all of us who care about colleges and universities to push them to do so. View the full article

Discover the best AI project management tools like ClickUp, Wrike, and Taskade and find out how they simplify workflows and automate task creation. The post Best AI Project Management Tools in 2026: Expert Picks appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

What comes after data dependence?View the full article

February is here. The “New Year, New Me” energy has officially worn off, replaced by a much more realistic “New Year, Same Me, But Freezing” thanks to a very disrespectful wind chill a heating bill that’s starting to look like a phone number. But we live in the future! We have technology! Here are six actually useful gadgets that’ll keep you toasty without burning up a ton of cash. Rechargeable Hand Warmers (~$20) Disposable hand warmers are fine, but they’re wasteful and, frankly, kind of gross after a while. These rechargeable ones, on the other hand (pun intended), are basically big batteries that get hot. They charge via USB-C, include one cord that charges both at the same time, and offer three heat settings. They can be snapped together magnetically to form one mega-warmer or split apart to keep both pockets toasty. Coffee Mug Warmer (~$18) You made coffee. You got distracted by a Slack notification. Now you have sad, cold coffee. This coffee mug warmer isn’t new tech: in fact, it’s barely tech at all. It’s a tiny hot plate for your desk that keeps your drink at a steady, drinkable temperature for hours. Is it fancy? No. Does it have an app? Thankfully, no. It just does one thing—fight the laws of cooling—and it does it well. No need to microwave your coffee like a savage. Bluetooth Beanie (~$16) You want to listen to a podcast while walking the dog, but your earbuds hurt your cold ears and your headphones won’t fit over your hat. The fix? A hat that sings to you. It solves the “earbuds vs. frostbite” dilemma nicely since the speakers are sewn right into the fabric, connecting to your phone via Bluetooth so you can listen to your favorite playlist while shoveling the driveway. The audio quality won’t win any Grammys, but for 20 bucks, it keeps your noggin warm and your audio playing. It’s washable, too, provided you take the electronic bits out first. Smart Plug (~$9) The floor is freezing, and you have to get out of bed to turn on the space heater. That’s a problem. The solution is a smart plug that lets you control your “dumb” heater from your phone or smart speaker. “Alexa, turn on the Heater.” That’s it. You can also set a schedule so your drafty home office warms up 15 minutes before you sit down. Just make sure your heater has a mechanical switch (the clicky kind) so it really does turn on when the power cuts in. Heated Insoles (~$30) When you’re standing outside, the ground is actively sucking the life force out of your feet. These insoles are literally tiny electric blankets for your shoes. There’s an app you can use to finesse the temperature, and full disclosure: each insole has its own battery pack that you wear around your ankle like a house-arrest monitor. But, hey: It’s winter. Long pants season. And they’re “cut-to-fit,” meaning you just trim them with scissors to match your shoe size. Simple. Effective. Warm. Electric Plasma Lighter (~$10) Lighting a roaring fire for warmth and ambiance is annoying when the matches break or the lighter runs out of fluid. Enter the rechargeable lighter, which uses electricity to create a plasma arc. It’s windproof, splash-proof, and makes a cool, crackle-y sci-fi noise. You plug it in to charge it, then press a button to create a tiny lightning bolt that sets things on fire. It’s quite a conversation starter, and hopefully the last lighter you’ll ever need to buy. View the full article

In terms of selecting footwear, comprehending the various sole types is essential for performance and comfort. Each type of sole, like rubber or leather, serves a specific purpose based on the activity and environment. For instance, rubber soles offer traction for athletic activities, whereas leather soles add sophistication to formal shoes. By evaluating your needs and foot type, you can make informed choices. But what happens in the event that you combine different sole materials? Key Takeaways Different sole materials, like rubber, leather, and EVA, offer unique characteristics suited for various activities and environments. Rubber soles provide excellent traction and durability, making them ideal for athletic and work footwear. Leather soles are elegant and breathable but lack grip, making them suitable for formal settings. EVA and polyurethane soles excel in shock absorption, with EVA being lightweight for running and polyurethane offering support for hiking. Proper maintenance varies by material; leather requires care, while rubber and EVA are generally low maintenance. Rubber Soles Rubber soles play a vital role in footwear design, offering a combination of durability, traction, and comfort. As you explore what’s a sole, you’ll find that rubber soles excel in providing excellent grip on various surfaces, even in wet conditions. They’re highly durable, making them a preferred choice for athletic shoes and work boots. This durability is significant for a Nike proprietor who understands that quality footwear impacts performance and safety. What does proprietor mean in this scenario? It’s the owner or manager who values reliable products. Rubber soles additionally absorb shocks, enhancing comfort during prolonged wear, whereas their flexibility allows for natural foot movement, improving mobility. Plus, they’re often waterproof, ideal for hazardous environments like construction sites. Leather Soles Leather soles are often associated with elegance and sophistication, making them a favored choice for dress shoes and formal occasions. They’re breathable, allowing air circulation that helps prevent moisture buildup, promoting foot health. Nevertheless, although leather soles can last several years with proper care, they’re typically less durable than rubber soles and may need more frequent replacement. As leather adapts to your foot over time, it improves comfort, though it can become rigid and less supportive in the long run. It’s crucial to acknowledge that leather soles offer poor grip on slippery surfaces, making them less practical for certain environments. Feature Leather Soles Breathability Yes Durability Moderate Grip on Slippery Surfaces Poor EVA Soles EVA soles, made from ethylene vinyl acetate, have gained popularity for their lightweight and flexible characteristics, making them a top choice for athletic shoes and casual footwear. These soles excel in shock absorption, providing comfort during prolonged wear by reducing foot impact. This feature is crucial for runners and those on their feet all day. Furthermore, EVA is water-resistant and offers good insulation properties, making it suitable for various weather conditions. Whereas EVA soles are typically durable, they may compress over time, potentially diminishing their cushioning effectiveness. Commonly found in running shoes and sandals, EVA soles cater to those seeking comfort without adding extra weight, striking a balance between functionality and ease of wear in everyday activities. Polyurethane Soles Polyurethane (PU) soles stand out in the footwear industry owing to their remarkable durability and resistance to wear, making them a favored choice for heavy-duty work boots and safety shoes. These soles excel in shock absorption, which considerably reduces foot fatigue during long hours on your feet, enhancing your overall comfort. Their resistance to oil, chemicals, and abrasion makes PU soles suitable for harsh environments like factories and construction sites. Even though they may be heavier than alternatives like EVA, they provide superior stability and support for demanding tasks. The flexibility of PU allows the soles to adapt to your foot’s movements as they maintain structural integrity over time, ensuring a reliable and comfortable fit. Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) Soles Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) soles are an excellent blend of rubber’s flexibility and plastic’s resilience, making them perfect for various footwear types, especially children’s and casual shoes. You’ll find that TPR soles are lightweight, provide good traction, and resist low temperatures, which improves comfort and performance in outdoor conditions. Their durability and aesthetic versatility allow for stylish designs without sacrificing functionality, making them a smart choice for everyday wear. Key Characteristics of TPR With regard to footwear performance, grasping the key characteristics of TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) soles can greatly improve your choices. TPR soles blend the durability of rubber with the flexibility of plastic, creating a lightweight option that provides excellent traction. This makes them particularly effective on slippery surfaces, perfect for children’s shoes, casual footwear, and winter boots. Furthermore, TPR soles resist low temperatures, ensuring reliable performance in cold weather. Their insulation properties keep your feet warm and comfortable during colder months, enhancing overall wearability. The combination of durability and flexibility makes TPR soles a popular choice for everyday use, striking a balance between functionality and comfort. Recognizing these attributes can help you select the right footwear for your needs. Ideal Footwear Applications When selecting footwear, comprehension of the ideal applications for Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) soles can greatly improve your choices. TPR soles are lightweight and flexible, making them perfect for children’s shoes and casual footwear that prioritize comfort and ease of movement. Their excellent traction guarantees safety on slippery surfaces, which is particularly beneficial for winter boots and outdoor footwear. Moreover, TPR soles resist low temperatures, maintaining performance in colder climates, and are suitable for various seasonal applications. They likewise provide good insulation properties, keeping feet warm in chilly conditions while offering a cushioned feel for all-day wear. This combination of durability and flexibility makes TPR soles a versatile choice for both everyday casual shoes and functional footwear across diverse environments. Advantages Over Other Soles Though many sole materials have their unique benefits, TPR soles stand out for several compelling reasons. They blend the durability of rubber with the lightweight properties of plastic, making them especially suitable for children’s shoes and casual footwear. TPR soles furthermore provide excellent traction on slippery surfaces, enhancing your safety during winter or in wet conditions. Their flexibility adapts comfortably to your foot movements, ensuring a cushioned feel for daily wear. In addition, TPR is resistant to low temperatures, preventing hardening and maintaining performance in cold weather. Compared to other sole materials, TPR soles are easier to clean and maintain, promoting longevity and improved hygiene for your footwear. Cork Soles Cork soles offer a unique combination of comfort and support, making them an increasingly popular choice in footwear. These soles are crafted from compacted tree material, providing a soft yet firm base that conforms to your foot’s shape. Here are some key benefits of cork soles: They maintain proper foot alignment, reducing strain on your feet. Excellent impact resistance makes them ideal for prolonged standing and walking. Cork is naturally waterproof and moisture-wicking, keeping your feet dry. Compared to rubber, cork soles are firmer but still promote a natural walking movement. Lightweight and eco-friendly, cork is derived from renewable resources. Choosing cork soles means opting for both comfort and sustainability in your footwear choices. Crepe Soles Crepe soles are crafted from a unique natural rubber that features a distinctive yellow-brown color and crinkled texture, making them visually appealing for casual footwear. Moreover, they offer lightweight comfort and flexibility. You should be aware of their limitations, such as reduced slip resistance in wet conditions and a tendency to attract dirt. Furthermore, the inflexibility of crepe soles may impact how well they adapt to different foot shapes, which can affect your overall comfort. Unique Material Characteristics Soles made from crepe rubber are recognized for their unique characteristics that blend style with functionality. You’ll appreciate their distinct yellow-brown color and crinkled appearance, which adds a fashionable touch to your footwear. Here are some key features of crepe soles: Lightweight and flexible, offering superior comfort for casual wear. Naturally made from rubber, contributing to a stylish yet practical design. Prone to dirt accumulation, especially in wet or muddy conditions, necessitating regular cleaning. Less slip-resistant compared to other rubber types, which might limit usage in slippery environments. The aesthetic and practical drawbacks require you to evaluate personal preferences before choosing crepe soles for your needs. With these insights, you can make an informed decision about your footwear options. Aesthetic Appeal and Usage When considering footwear for casual settings, the aesthetic appeal of crepe soles stands out due to their distinctive yellow-brown color and crinkled texture, which lend a vintage vibe to various styles. These soles are lightweight and flexible, providing a comfortable wear experience that’s perfect for relaxed environments. You might notice that their unique look can be compromised when exposed to dirt or mud, as the light color tends to show stains easily. Moreover, during the time that crepe soles improve many casual shoes, they don’t offer the same traction as other rubber types, making them less suitable for slippery surfaces. If you require arch support for prolonged wear, keep in mind that crepe soles may not meet those needs effectively. Practicality and Limitations Though crepe soles provide a comfortable and cushioned experience, they come with several practical limitations that potential users should consider. Here are some key points to keep in mind: They’re less resistant to slips compared to other rubber types, posing safety risks in slippery environments. The light color of crepe soles can stain quickly, especially in wet or muddy conditions, affecting their longevity. They offer minimal arch support, which might be a drawback for those needing extra foot support during prolonged wear. Their inflexibility can limit adaptability to varying foot shapes, leading to discomfort for some users. As valued for comfort, these limitations could affect your overall experience, so weigh your needs carefully before choosing crepe soles. PVC Soles PVC soles are a popular choice in the footwear industry, particularly for budget-conscious consumers. Known for their durability and resistance to wear, these soles are lightweight and water-resistant, making them comfortable in wet conditions. Nevertheless, they lack breathability compared to other materials. Although PVC soles provide decent traction, they don’t perform as effectively as rubber soles on slippery surfaces. You’ll find PVC soles in casual shoes, sandals, and various work footwear because of their cost-effectiveness and easy maintenance. Keep in mind, though, that PVC is less environmentally friendly because of its non-biodegradable nature. Feature Advantages Disadvantages Durability Long-lasting Less eco-friendly Weight Lightweight Lacks breathability Traction Decent for casual use Poor on slippery surfaces Wood Soles Wood soles have a long history in footwear, dating back to the 1600s when they gained popularity for high-heeled shoes. Their durability and sweat-absorbing qualities helped keep feet dry. Traditional wooden shoes, like Japanese geta and Dutch klompen, feature a rigid structure that doesn’t adapt to foot shapes. Nonetheless, wood soles excel in certain environments because of their grip on slick surfaces. Here are some key points about wood soles: Provide excellent moisture control Offer unique aesthetic appeal Deliver strong traction on slippery surfaces Promote foot health by preventing odor May be uncomfortable for long-term wear Despite their benefits, the rigidity of wood soles limits their use in modern footwear. Foam Soles As the footwear industry evolved, foam soles emerged as a popular alternative to traditional materials like wood. These soles are created by filling rubber compounds with plastic and air, yielding a lightweight and flexible material ideal for walking and athletic shoes. They provide excellent shock absorption, perfect for prolonged wear during activities like running. Memory foam, a notable type, molds to your foot shape, enhancing arch support and comfort. Additionally, foam soles are easier to clean compared to other materials. On the other hand, keep in mind that they may wear out faster than more durable options, requiring more frequent replacements. Feature Benefits Drawbacks Lightweight Comfortable for everyday wear May require frequent replacement Shock Absorption Ideal for running and walking Can wear out faster Easy to Clean Practical for daily use Less durable than rubber Combination Soles Combination soles represent an innovative fusion of materials designed to optimize both comfort and performance in footwear. By merging different materials, such as rubber and foam, these soles provide a well-rounded experience suitable for various activities. Durability: Rubber outsoles improve grip and longevity. Cushioning: A cushioned midsole offers shock absorption and support. Flexibility: The design promotes increased mobility for casual and athletic use. Aesthetic Appeal: Combination soles cater to diverse styles without sacrificing functionality. Urban Advantage: They’re particularly effective in urban environments, balancing comfort and traction for daily activities. Importance of Sole Types in Footwear Selection Choosing the right sole type for your footwear is essential for the activities you engage in, as each type thrives in specific performance areas. For instance, if you’re running, you’ll want a shoe with EVA soles for shock absorption, whereas hiking demands durable rubber soles for better traction. Furthermore, considering your foot type and the environments you’ll encounter guarantees that you select footwear that not just fits well but supports your overall foot health. Activity-Specific Performance Selecting the right footwear for specific activities is vital for optimizing performance and ensuring comfort. Different sole types play an important role in how well your shoes perform during various tasks. Here are some key considerations: Running: EVA soles offer excellent shock absorption for better comfort and efficiency. Hiking: Rubber or polyurethane soles provide durability and traction on rugged terrains. Athletics: Rubber soles deliver exceptional grip and flexibility, suitable for sports like basketball and soccer. Industrial Work: Polyurethane soles resist chemicals and oils, ensuring safety in hazardous environments. Casual Use: TPR or foam soles are lightweight and cushioned, perfect for everyday wear. Foot Type Considerations Footwear plays a significant role in addressing individual foot types, which can greatly influence overall comfort and performance. Different foot types, like flat feet or high arches, need specific sole types for proper support. Rubber soles are perfect for flat feet, offering shock absorption, whereas EVA soles cater to high arches with their lightweight cushioning. If you have pronation issues, consider soles made from polyurethane for added arch support. Leather soles, though elegant, adapt to your foot shape over time. Customization options, such as removable insoles, can further improve comfort. Foot Type Recommended Sole Type Key Benefit Flat Feet Rubber Shock absorption and stability High Arches EVA Lightweight and flexible cushioning Pronation Issues Polyurethane Improved stability Environmental Suitability Factors When considering the appropriate sole type for your footwear, environmental suitability plays an essential role in guaranteeing safety and comfort during various activities. Choosing the right sole can improve your experience and protect you in different conditions. Here are some considerations: Rubber soles: Great traction and durability for wet or slippery surfaces. EVA soles: Lightweight, water-resistant, and cushioned, ideal for running and casual wear. Polyurethane soles: Chemical and oil-resistant, perfect for industrial environments needing safety. Leather soles: Elegant but poor grip in wet conditions, best for formal indoor settings. Thermoplastic rubber (TPR) soles: Insulated and flexible, suitable for children’s shoes and winter boots. Selecting the right sole type helps guarantee you’re prepared for your environment. Choosing the Right Sole for Different Activities How do you choose the right sole for your specific activities? For running, opt for shoes with EVA soles, as they’re lightweight and absorb shock, protecting your joints. If you’re hiking, look for boots with polyurethane soles, which offer durability and support on rough terrain. For casual or children’s shoes, thermoplastic rubber (TPR) soles are ideal thanks to their flexibility and good traction. When attending formal events, leather soles provide an elegant look and breathability, but remember they need proper maintenance. In industrial settings, prioritize rubber soles for their slip resistance and durability, essential for safety on hazardous surfaces. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Different Types of Soles for Shoes? There are several types of soles for shoes, each serving different purposes. Rubber soles are durable and provide excellent traction, making them great for athletic shoes. Leather soles offer elegance but require more maintenance. EVA soles are lightweight and flexible, suitable for running shoes. Polyurethane soles are durable and ideal for heavy-duty use, whereas thermoplastic rubber soles combine rubber and plastic benefits, making them suitable for children’s and winter footwear. Each type has unique advantages. What Does Showing the Soles of Your Feet Mean? Showing the soles of your feet can carry various meanings depending on the cultural context. In many societies, it signifies disrespect or insult, as feet are viewed as unclean. For example, in Islamic culture, exposing the soles is particularly offensive. Nonetheless, in more casual settings like yoga, it may simply denote comfort or relaxation. Comprehending these nuances is essential, as the interpretation can markedly differ across different cultures and social contexts. What Is the Difference Between Hard and Soft Soles? The difference between hard and soft soles lies primarily in their materials and intended use. Hard soles, made from leather or wood, provide durability and stability, making them ideal for formal settings. Conversely, soft soles, often made from rubber or foam, offer flexibility and shock absorption, suitable for casual or athletic activities. Hard soles tend to last longer but can be uncomfortable over time, whereas soft soles conform to your foot, enhancing comfort. Which Is Better EVA Sole or Rubber Sole? When choosing between EVA and rubber soles, consider your needs. EVA soles are lightweight, provide excellent shock absorption, and conform well to your foot for comfort, making them ideal for casual wear and running. Conversely, rubber soles offer superior durability, traction, and stability, especially for heavy-duty activities or slippery surfaces. In the end, if you prioritize flexibility and comfort, go with EVA; for longevity and support, choose rubber. Conclusion In conclusion, grasping the various types of soles can greatly improve your footwear choices. Each sole material, from rubber to leather to EVA, serves specific purposes and environments, impacting comfort and performance. Whether you’re engaging in sports, attending formal events, or working in industrial settings, selecting the right sole is essential. By considering your activities and foot type, you can guarantee ideal support and durability, finally enhancing your overall experience with footwear. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Understanding Soles in Different Contexts" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In terms of selecting footwear, comprehending the various sole types is essential for performance and comfort. Each type of sole, like rubber or leather, serves a specific purpose based on the activity and environment. For instance, rubber soles offer traction for athletic activities, whereas leather soles add sophistication to formal shoes. By evaluating your needs and foot type, you can make informed choices. But what happens in the event that you combine different sole materials? Key Takeaways Different sole materials, like rubber, leather, and EVA, offer unique characteristics suited for various activities and environments. Rubber soles provide excellent traction and durability, making them ideal for athletic and work footwear. Leather soles are elegant and breathable but lack grip, making them suitable for formal settings. EVA and polyurethane soles excel in shock absorption, with EVA being lightweight for running and polyurethane offering support for hiking. Proper maintenance varies by material; leather requires care, while rubber and EVA are generally low maintenance. Rubber Soles Rubber soles play a vital role in footwear design, offering a combination of durability, traction, and comfort. As you explore what’s a sole, you’ll find that rubber soles excel in providing excellent grip on various surfaces, even in wet conditions. They’re highly durable, making them a preferred choice for athletic shoes and work boots. This durability is significant for a Nike proprietor who understands that quality footwear impacts performance and safety. What does proprietor mean in this scenario? It’s the owner or manager who values reliable products. Rubber soles additionally absorb shocks, enhancing comfort during prolonged wear, whereas their flexibility allows for natural foot movement, improving mobility. Plus, they’re often waterproof, ideal for hazardous environments like construction sites. Leather Soles Leather soles are often associated with elegance and sophistication, making them a favored choice for dress shoes and formal occasions. They’re breathable, allowing air circulation that helps prevent moisture buildup, promoting foot health. Nevertheless, although leather soles can last several years with proper care, they’re typically less durable than rubber soles and may need more frequent replacement. As leather adapts to your foot over time, it improves comfort, though it can become rigid and less supportive in the long run. It’s crucial to acknowledge that leather soles offer poor grip on slippery surfaces, making them less practical for certain environments. Feature Leather Soles Breathability Yes Durability Moderate Grip on Slippery Surfaces Poor EVA Soles EVA soles, made from ethylene vinyl acetate, have gained popularity for their lightweight and flexible characteristics, making them a top choice for athletic shoes and casual footwear. These soles excel in shock absorption, providing comfort during prolonged wear by reducing foot impact. This feature is crucial for runners and those on their feet all day. Furthermore, EVA is water-resistant and offers good insulation properties, making it suitable for various weather conditions. Whereas EVA soles are typically durable, they may compress over time, potentially diminishing their cushioning effectiveness. Commonly found in running shoes and sandals, EVA soles cater to those seeking comfort without adding extra weight, striking a balance between functionality and ease of wear in everyday activities. Polyurethane Soles Polyurethane (PU) soles stand out in the footwear industry owing to their remarkable durability and resistance to wear, making them a favored choice for heavy-duty work boots and safety shoes. These soles excel in shock absorption, which considerably reduces foot fatigue during long hours on your feet, enhancing your overall comfort. Their resistance to oil, chemicals, and abrasion makes PU soles suitable for harsh environments like factories and construction sites. Even though they may be heavier than alternatives like EVA, they provide superior stability and support for demanding tasks. The flexibility of PU allows the soles to adapt to your foot’s movements as they maintain structural integrity over time, ensuring a reliable and comfortable fit. Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) Soles Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) soles are an excellent blend of rubber’s flexibility and plastic’s resilience, making them perfect for various footwear types, especially children’s and casual shoes. You’ll find that TPR soles are lightweight, provide good traction, and resist low temperatures, which improves comfort and performance in outdoor conditions. Their durability and aesthetic versatility allow for stylish designs without sacrificing functionality, making them a smart choice for everyday wear. Key Characteristics of TPR With regard to footwear performance, grasping the key characteristics of TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) soles can greatly improve your choices. TPR soles blend the durability of rubber with the flexibility of plastic, creating a lightweight option that provides excellent traction. This makes them particularly effective on slippery surfaces, perfect for children’s shoes, casual footwear, and winter boots. Furthermore, TPR soles resist low temperatures, ensuring reliable performance in cold weather. Their insulation properties keep your feet warm and comfortable during colder months, enhancing overall wearability. The combination of durability and flexibility makes TPR soles a popular choice for everyday use, striking a balance between functionality and comfort. Recognizing these attributes can help you select the right footwear for your needs. Ideal Footwear Applications When selecting footwear, comprehension of the ideal applications for Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) soles can greatly improve your choices. TPR soles are lightweight and flexible, making them perfect for children’s shoes and casual footwear that prioritize comfort and ease of movement. Their excellent traction guarantees safety on slippery surfaces, which is particularly beneficial for winter boots and outdoor footwear. Moreover, TPR soles resist low temperatures, maintaining performance in colder climates, and are suitable for various seasonal applications. They likewise provide good insulation properties, keeping feet warm in chilly conditions while offering a cushioned feel for all-day wear. This combination of durability and flexibility makes TPR soles a versatile choice for both everyday casual shoes and functional footwear across diverse environments. Advantages Over Other Soles Though many sole materials have their unique benefits, TPR soles stand out for several compelling reasons. They blend the durability of rubber with the lightweight properties of plastic, making them especially suitable for children’s shoes and casual footwear. TPR soles furthermore provide excellent traction on slippery surfaces, enhancing your safety during winter or in wet conditions. Their flexibility adapts comfortably to your foot movements, ensuring a cushioned feel for daily wear. In addition, TPR is resistant to low temperatures, preventing hardening and maintaining performance in cold weather. Compared to other sole materials, TPR soles are easier to clean and maintain, promoting longevity and improved hygiene for your footwear. Cork Soles Cork soles offer a unique combination of comfort and support, making them an increasingly popular choice in footwear. These soles are crafted from compacted tree material, providing a soft yet firm base that conforms to your foot’s shape. Here are some key benefits of cork soles: They maintain proper foot alignment, reducing strain on your feet. Excellent impact resistance makes them ideal for prolonged standing and walking. Cork is naturally waterproof and moisture-wicking, keeping your feet dry. Compared to rubber, cork soles are firmer but still promote a natural walking movement. Lightweight and eco-friendly, cork is derived from renewable resources. Choosing cork soles means opting for both comfort and sustainability in your footwear choices. Crepe Soles Crepe soles are crafted from a unique natural rubber that features a distinctive yellow-brown color and crinkled texture, making them visually appealing for casual footwear. Moreover, they offer lightweight comfort and flexibility. You should be aware of their limitations, such as reduced slip resistance in wet conditions and a tendency to attract dirt. Furthermore, the inflexibility of crepe soles may impact how well they adapt to different foot shapes, which can affect your overall comfort. Unique Material Characteristics Soles made from crepe rubber are recognized for their unique characteristics that blend style with functionality. You’ll appreciate their distinct yellow-brown color and crinkled appearance, which adds a fashionable touch to your footwear. Here are some key features of crepe soles: Lightweight and flexible, offering superior comfort for casual wear. Naturally made from rubber, contributing to a stylish yet practical design. Prone to dirt accumulation, especially in wet or muddy conditions, necessitating regular cleaning. Less slip-resistant compared to other rubber types, which might limit usage in slippery environments. The aesthetic and practical drawbacks require you to evaluate personal preferences before choosing crepe soles for your needs. With these insights, you can make an informed decision about your footwear options. Aesthetic Appeal and Usage When considering footwear for casual settings, the aesthetic appeal of crepe soles stands out due to their distinctive yellow-brown color and crinkled texture, which lend a vintage vibe to various styles. These soles are lightweight and flexible, providing a comfortable wear experience that’s perfect for relaxed environments. You might notice that their unique look can be compromised when exposed to dirt or mud, as the light color tends to show stains easily. Moreover, during the time that crepe soles improve many casual shoes, they don’t offer the same traction as other rubber types, making them less suitable for slippery surfaces. If you require arch support for prolonged wear, keep in mind that crepe soles may not meet those needs effectively. Practicality and Limitations Though crepe soles provide a comfortable and cushioned experience, they come with several practical limitations that potential users should consider. Here are some key points to keep in mind: They’re less resistant to slips compared to other rubber types, posing safety risks in slippery environments. The light color of crepe soles can stain quickly, especially in wet or muddy conditions, affecting their longevity. They offer minimal arch support, which might be a drawback for those needing extra foot support during prolonged wear. Their inflexibility can limit adaptability to varying foot shapes, leading to discomfort for some users. As valued for comfort, these limitations could affect your overall experience, so weigh your needs carefully before choosing crepe soles. PVC Soles PVC soles are a popular choice in the footwear industry, particularly for budget-conscious consumers. Known for their durability and resistance to wear, these soles are lightweight and water-resistant, making them comfortable in wet conditions. Nevertheless, they lack breathability compared to other materials. Although PVC soles provide decent traction, they don’t perform as effectively as rubber soles on slippery surfaces. You’ll find PVC soles in casual shoes, sandals, and various work footwear because of their cost-effectiveness and easy maintenance. Keep in mind, though, that PVC is less environmentally friendly because of its non-biodegradable nature. Feature Advantages Disadvantages Durability Long-lasting Less eco-friendly Weight Lightweight Lacks breathability Traction Decent for casual use Poor on slippery surfaces Wood Soles Wood soles have a long history in footwear, dating back to the 1600s when they gained popularity for high-heeled shoes. Their durability and sweat-absorbing qualities helped keep feet dry. Traditional wooden shoes, like Japanese geta and Dutch klompen, feature a rigid structure that doesn’t adapt to foot shapes. Nonetheless, wood soles excel in certain environments because of their grip on slick surfaces. Here are some key points about wood soles: Provide excellent moisture control Offer unique aesthetic appeal Deliver strong traction on slippery surfaces Promote foot health by preventing odor May be uncomfortable for long-term wear Despite their benefits, the rigidity of wood soles limits their use in modern footwear. Foam Soles As the footwear industry evolved, foam soles emerged as a popular alternative to traditional materials like wood. These soles are created by filling rubber compounds with plastic and air, yielding a lightweight and flexible material ideal for walking and athletic shoes. They provide excellent shock absorption, perfect for prolonged wear during activities like running. Memory foam, a notable type, molds to your foot shape, enhancing arch support and comfort. Additionally, foam soles are easier to clean compared to other materials. On the other hand, keep in mind that they may wear out faster than more durable options, requiring more frequent replacements. Feature Benefits Drawbacks Lightweight Comfortable for everyday wear May require frequent replacement Shock Absorption Ideal for running and walking Can wear out faster Easy to Clean Practical for daily use Less durable than rubber Combination Soles Combination soles represent an innovative fusion of materials designed to optimize both comfort and performance in footwear. By merging different materials, such as rubber and foam, these soles provide a well-rounded experience suitable for various activities. Durability: Rubber outsoles improve grip and longevity. Cushioning: A cushioned midsole offers shock absorption and support. Flexibility: The design promotes increased mobility for casual and athletic use. Aesthetic Appeal: Combination soles cater to diverse styles without sacrificing functionality. Urban Advantage: They’re particularly effective in urban environments, balancing comfort and traction for daily activities. Importance of Sole Types in Footwear Selection Choosing the right sole type for your footwear is essential for the activities you engage in, as each type thrives in specific performance areas. For instance, if you’re running, you’ll want a shoe with EVA soles for shock absorption, whereas hiking demands durable rubber soles for better traction. Furthermore, considering your foot type and the environments you’ll encounter guarantees that you select footwear that not just fits well but supports your overall foot health. Activity-Specific Performance Selecting the right footwear for specific activities is vital for optimizing performance and ensuring comfort. Different sole types play an important role in how well your shoes perform during various tasks. Here are some key considerations: Running: EVA soles offer excellent shock absorption for better comfort and efficiency. Hiking: Rubber or polyurethane soles provide durability and traction on rugged terrains. Athletics: Rubber soles deliver exceptional grip and flexibility, suitable for sports like basketball and soccer. Industrial Work: Polyurethane soles resist chemicals and oils, ensuring safety in hazardous environments. Casual Use: TPR or foam soles are lightweight and cushioned, perfect for everyday wear. Foot Type Considerations Footwear plays a significant role in addressing individual foot types, which can greatly influence overall comfort and performance. Different foot types, like flat feet or high arches, need specific sole types for proper support. Rubber soles are perfect for flat feet, offering shock absorption, whereas EVA soles cater to high arches with their lightweight cushioning. If you have pronation issues, consider soles made from polyurethane for added arch support. Leather soles, though elegant, adapt to your foot shape over time. Customization options, such as removable insoles, can further improve comfort. Foot Type Recommended Sole Type Key Benefit Flat Feet Rubber Shock absorption and stability High Arches EVA Lightweight and flexible cushioning Pronation Issues Polyurethane Improved stability Environmental Suitability Factors When considering the appropriate sole type for your footwear, environmental suitability plays an essential role in guaranteeing safety and comfort during various activities. Choosing the right sole can improve your experience and protect you in different conditions. Here are some considerations: Rubber soles: Great traction and durability for wet or slippery surfaces. EVA soles: Lightweight, water-resistant, and cushioned, ideal for running and casual wear. Polyurethane soles: Chemical and oil-resistant, perfect for industrial environments needing safety. Leather soles: Elegant but poor grip in wet conditions, best for formal indoor settings. Thermoplastic rubber (TPR) soles: Insulated and flexible, suitable for children’s shoes and winter boots. Selecting the right sole type helps guarantee you’re prepared for your environment. Choosing the Right Sole for Different Activities How do you choose the right sole for your specific activities? For running, opt for shoes with EVA soles, as they’re lightweight and absorb shock, protecting your joints. If you’re hiking, look for boots with polyurethane soles, which offer durability and support on rough terrain. For casual or children’s shoes, thermoplastic rubber (TPR) soles are ideal thanks to their flexibility and good traction. When attending formal events, leather soles provide an elegant look and breathability, but remember they need proper maintenance. In industrial settings, prioritize rubber soles for their slip resistance and durability, essential for safety on hazardous surfaces. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Different Types of Soles for Shoes? There are several types of soles for shoes, each serving different purposes. Rubber soles are durable and provide excellent traction, making them great for athletic shoes. Leather soles offer elegance but require more maintenance. EVA soles are lightweight and flexible, suitable for running shoes. Polyurethane soles are durable and ideal for heavy-duty use, whereas thermoplastic rubber soles combine rubber and plastic benefits, making them suitable for children’s and winter footwear. Each type has unique advantages. What Does Showing the Soles of Your Feet Mean? Showing the soles of your feet can carry various meanings depending on the cultural context. In many societies, it signifies disrespect or insult, as feet are viewed as unclean. For example, in Islamic culture, exposing the soles is particularly offensive. Nonetheless, in more casual settings like yoga, it may simply denote comfort or relaxation. Comprehending these nuances is essential, as the interpretation can markedly differ across different cultures and social contexts. What Is the Difference Between Hard and Soft Soles? The difference between hard and soft soles lies primarily in their materials and intended use. Hard soles, made from leather or wood, provide durability and stability, making them ideal for formal settings. Conversely, soft soles, often made from rubber or foam, offer flexibility and shock absorption, suitable for casual or athletic activities. Hard soles tend to last longer but can be uncomfortable over time, whereas soft soles conform to your foot, enhancing comfort. Which Is Better EVA Sole or Rubber Sole? When choosing between EVA and rubber soles, consider your needs. EVA soles are lightweight, provide excellent shock absorption, and conform well to your foot for comfort, making them ideal for casual wear and running. Conversely, rubber soles offer superior durability, traction, and stability, especially for heavy-duty activities or slippery surfaces. In the end, if you prioritize flexibility and comfort, go with EVA; for longevity and support, choose rubber. Conclusion In conclusion, grasping the various types of soles can greatly improve your footwear choices. Each sole material, from rubber to leather to EVA, serves specific purposes and environments, impacting comfort and performance. Whether you’re engaging in sports, attending formal events, or working in industrial settings, selecting the right sole is essential. By considering your activities and foot type, you can guarantee ideal support and durability, finally enhancing your overall experience with footwear. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Understanding Soles in Different Contexts" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. The wife of my husband’s employee called me to complain about a work trip The wife of one of my husband’s employees called me to complain about a one-night trip he’s taking for a meeting with a client. This employee doesn’t work overtime and has only been out of town three times since working for us in the last nine years. We started my husband’s architecture company 20 years ago and have built it from the ground up to nine employees. The employee has been with the company for nine years and in that time has only been away from his family due to work three times. We live in a very small town, and they attend our church. The employee graduated from high school locally and interned with my husband’s company before he was hired. The church connection is awkward for me. The phone call has made it even more awkward. My husband hasn’t addressed her phone call to me with his employee. Please advise. I don’t know what you said when the employee’s wife called you, but ideally it was something like, “This isn’t something I’m involved with — it’s something Employee would need to discuss with Boss directly.” If the spouse of an employee ever calls you again, that’s the language you should use: explain it would be inappropriate for you to discuss employment issues with someone other than the employee themselves. Your husband doesn’t have to raise it with the employee now, but it would probably be smart for him to say, “Clarissa told me Tangerina called her with concerns about our upcoming client trip. Is there anything we should discuss?” … and then depending on how that conversation goes, he might also say, “If you ever have a concern about something like this, please come to me directly. It put Clarissa in an awkward position since we can’t discuss employment issues with anyone other than the employee.” Related: why can’t you contact your spouse’s employer to advocate for them? 2. Two employees with different work styles can’t get along I work as a manager in a health care setting where my team fields referrals from various sources for a specific service. We get 50-60 referrals a day and have a few admin staff who do data entry and info gathering, then it goes to professional staff who determine the clinical needs and complete it. Two of those professional staff, Sue and Carol, have been here for many years. Carol works very quickly and will often complete upwards of 25 referrals in a day. Sue is slower, doing more like 10-15 per day. However, when we complete our monthly audits, Carol always has about three times the errors we need to go back to fix (but never a concern that negatively impacted patient care). They both complain about the other. Carol thinks Sue is way too slow and intentionally leaving work undone and that Carol has to pick up her slack. Sue feels that Carol is too careless and is frustrated when she has to correct her errors. For my part, I don’t think there is a problem with how either of them work and they balance each other out nicely. If everyone worked as slowly as Sue we would need more staff to keep up, but she is continually complimented by patients and the teams we refer to for her attention to detail and the quality of her notes. Carol can churn through referrals quickly and while they may lack the detail, they are adequate and I am not concerned about the errors she makes. I have told them both this, and I have tried strategies like having everyone correct their own errors, but logistically that doesn’t work, and it is only these two that have an issue. They are professional enough in their interactions with each other, though you can feel the tension at times, and the admin staff have made comments about feeling like they are hanging out with divorced parents. How can I help them see that different people have different styles and I need them to stop complaining to me about the other? You may or may not be able to get them to accept that people have different styles, but you do have control over the complaining. You can tell them each (separately!) that you’ve heard them out and taken a close look at the work of everyone on the team, and you are happy with the other person’s work and cannot continue to hear complaints about it. You can say that if something changes and an entirely new issue arises, you want to hear about that once (since you don’t want to shut down, for example, a bona fide future harassment complaint) but other than that, they need to accept that they’re working with someone with a different style, and the continuous complaining has become disruptive and needs to stop. If that doesn’t do it, the framing to use may be, “I understand that you’re unhappy with this, but working productively with Carol/Sue is a condition of the job. If you decide you can’t do that, I understand, but while you’re here I need you to find a way to make peace with this.” I don’t know how significant the tension is that other colleagues are picking up on, but if it’s creating an unpleasant work environment for other people, that needs to stop too (and this letter about a similar situation has some advice you could use for that). 3. How to be honest about the job market to grad students My full-time job is in the cultural heritage sector, and I also adjunct in the graduate program I got my degree from. It’s really rewarding and has made my own practice better. One of my favorite parts of adjuncting is the students — it’s a growing program with lots of enthusiasm from the people who take my course specifically and the program as a whole. I get a lot of requests from students to talk one-on-one about the state of the field we’re in or how to get a job. Most of these students have taken my class before, so I know them and their work caliber. Almost always, it’s a person who is extremely smart, capable, and passionate about the field. Unfortunately, our sector has always been competitive, and within our specialization it has traditionally been very difficult to secure full-time, permanent work even in the best of times. Now, with the state of funding, grants, the government, etc., it’s just bleak. I’m wondering about these conversations I’m having or will have with current students. I feel like it’s my duty to be realistic about expectations after graduation, but I also feel like the world’s biggest jerk saying, “This professional graduate degree that you’ve enrolled in to get a better and more fulfilling career? This class that is preparing you and getting you excited for this specific work? Yeah, it’s a real long shot even with all the qualifications you’ve earned!” I have full-time permanent work (knock wood) mostly due to timing and luck. When I explain this to people, including students, I generally get a knee-jerk response about how I’m a hard and good worker, skilled, and I earned it. But I know all that; I’m not saying I’m not skilled or talented. I’m trying to convey that almost everyone else is, too. It makes for a fun, challenging, and rewarding field once you’re in, but getting in is a heartbreaker and I don’t have a ton of fail-safe advice beyond managing expectations and resume/cover letter advice. Is this okay? Am I being too sunny, or too harsh? I’m finding it harder to say yes to these kinds of conversations because I leave them feeling awful, and the students do, too. I don’t think the overall program does a great job of communicating that the field is really hard to break into, but I also understand that to lead with that would be to undercut the existence of the program. And the program has many, many graduates employed and doing excellent and cool work! So it’s a balance that’s really tricky to me at the moment, especially. You should err on the side of honesty. They’re going to figure it out at some point, after all. It’s better for them to get a realistic view of the field earlier rather than later. That doesn’t mean that you should dump all over their dreams, of course. But you should be realistic with them. You don’t need to say, “Getting a job in this field is like winning the lottery” (assuming the probability is not in fact that low) … but the right framing is probably something like, “The field is extremely competitive, to the point that a lot of very qualified, skilled people struggle to find full-time work in it, so it’s also good to think about adjacent career paths like X and Y.” That last part is important — you’re not just telling them it’s rough out there, but you’re offering advice about what they can do with that information. 4. Should I be negotiating salary before it’s in writing? I know that typically it is advisable to negotiate salary after a written offer is provided. However, I’ve had multiple situations where I am expected to “accept” a verbal offer before a written one is provided, and then the employer seems surprised and put out when I try to negotiate salary from there because I “already accepted” a verbal offer. Is this normal? Should I be countering verbally before we even get to the written offer stage? Yes, you should be negotiating salary as soon as they make you an offer, even if it’s not in writing yet. You don’t need to wait for a formal written offer once they’ve told you what they’re offering. In fact, a lot of places will want to do the negotiation before sending over a written offer, so that the written offer summarizes what has been agreed to. (And if they’re getting the impression you agreed and then are backtracking, that’s definitely going to come off strangely.) 5. Does my resume need to say when a job was remote or part-time? I joined the workforce after graduating undergrad during Covid and struggled with finding entry-level work while the world was shutting down. It doesn’t help that I have an ivory tower philosophy degree! After taking a few years to focus on my mental health and help support my family through illness, I found my way to LA and struggled to break into the entertainment industry as a writer during the WGA strike. I ended up taking on various unpaid internships and contract script reader work to beef up my resume while attending writing classes and working on my screenwriting portfolio. My internships and script reading gigs were technically designated as part-time on the job descriptions (i.e., three days a week in-office or remote) but I did throw myself into them and, in my opinion, was very dedicated given that I was either not paid or paid below minimum wage. I have severe OCD, so I tend to overthink fears related to being morally good/honest. My OCD tells me that it is unethical to omit when listing these roles on a resume that I was officially part-time or working remotely or both. However, I’ve seen people say that these labels don’t matter, especially if I’m not listing “full-time, in-person” for other traditional office jobs on my resume. I don’t want to misrepresent myself, but at the same time, I have really struggled on the job market (despite a great GPA) and am well aware that putting the labels wouldn’t help my prospects; I also feel that I gained valuable skills at these jobs and don’t want to completely undersell myself. I am currently seeking employment and am sending out a resume that simply states all job titles and dates worked (month, year). Am I being misleading by leaving out “part-time, remote”? No. It’s not expected in any way that you will specify that a job was remote, or that it was part-time. Most people don’t list that, and hiring managers don’t assume that you will. If something was very part-time, like five hours a month, there would be more of an argument for making that clear — but even then, if the work is listed as a bunch of different freelance roles (as it sounds like some of these are), you don’t even need to do that. Lots of freelance work is far from full-time. The post husband’s employee’s wife called me to complain, 2 employees don’t get along, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Bank balances weakening jobs market against firmer growthView the full article

Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants to slash about 300 staff by 2030View the full article

The killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis is a moment for leaders to challenge America’s direction View the full article

New priorities are needed to succeed amid unreliable and competing great powers View the full article

New Start treaty, which expires this week, capped the number of missiles and warheads in US and Russian arsenalsView the full article