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While San Francisco had the biggest improvement in affordability for prices today versus 2019, Hartford remains in a very deep freeze, First American said. View the full article

As anticipated by recent headlines, Oracle started laying off an undisclosed number of employees early this morning. A report from CNBC put the figure in the thousands, while a post on Blind—the anonymous workplace chat app—suggests that as many as 11,000 employees might have been impacted. According to reports across social media and on Blind, employees were notified about the layoffs through a mass email that was issued at 6 a.m. ET today. (Oracle declined to comment on the layoffs when reached for comment by Fast Company.) “We are sharing some difficult news regarding your position,” the email reportedly read. “After careful consideration of Oracle’s current business needs, we have made the decision to eliminate your role as part of a broader organizational change. As a result, today is your last working day. We are grateful for your dedication, hard work, and the impact you have made during your time with us.” The email also included instructions on termination paperwork and requested that employees share a personal email address for further communications. It’s not exactly unusual for Big Tech companies to inform employees about layoffs through a mass email. Since the pandemic, employers have become increasingly comfortable with making layoff announcements over Zoom and through mass emails. Companies like Tesla and Intuit have conducted layoffs via email and calendar invite, respectively, in the last few years. Like Oracle, many companies immediately shut off access to work email and other internal platforms after notifying workers about layoffs, typically to protect against potential retaliation or legal action. Even compared with other companies, however, Oracle’s approach to these layoffs seems especially impersonal. The email announcement that went out to employees did not come from the company’s co-CEOs and was simply signed “Oracle Leadership.” There was also little transparency in the email about the rationale for the layoffs, aside from a vague mention of “Oracle’s current business needs.” (In fact, Oracle has historically avoided large-scale layoffs of this nature, opting instead to do gradual, rolling job cuts.) Based on social media accounts and the contents of the email, it doesn’t sound like the company asked managers to conduct live conversations with affected employees—something that experts say can help blunt the impact of an email missive. While Oracle did not offer a clear explanation for the layoffs, previous reports suggested that the company is trying to offset its sizable investment in AI. Since closing a $300 billion deal with OpenAI last year, Oracle has taken on a significant amount of debt to finance new AI data centers. According to an earlier Bloomberg report, some of the layoffs were also intended to target roles that were deemed less necessary due to artificial intelligence. Oracle is, of course, not alone in using AI as a justification for layoffs—and like its peers in the tech industry, these job cuts seem to be driven by the company’s bottom line rather than AI replacing jobs outright. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon's Big Spring Sale ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT (that's April 1 at 2:59 a.m. ET), which mens you still have a few hours to snag some great deals on fitness equipment. And not just talking about the obvious stuff like running shoes and yoga mats—I'm talking the gear you've never quite gotten around to buying, the products that seem slightly eccentric, and the upgrades you didn't even know you needed. The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deal on open-ear headphonesI've made the switch to wearing bone conduction headphones (BCH) on my runs, and I've never been happier. If you ask me, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who have nearly been flattened by a cyclist while running with noise-canceling headphones in, and liars. Open-ear headphones sit just outside your ear canal and use directional speakers or bone conduction (they really do send sound through your bones). Right now my number one favorite headphones for running, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, are available on Amazon for $139.95, down from $179.95. SHOKZ New OpenRun Pro 2 $139.95 at Amazon $179.95 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.95 at Amazon $179.95 Save $40.00 If you're looking for an even more affordable pair (without sacrificing quality), the original Shokz OpenRun are also on sale, down to $89.94 from a list price of $129.95. The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deal on underwater headphonesSwimming is one of the best full-body workouts you can do. It's low-impact, high-reward, and deeply meditative. Of course, one person's "meditative" is another's "boring." In this case, a good playlist—and headphones that can actually play music underwater—could be the solution. The H2O Audio TRI 2 Pro headphones are on sale for $149.99, down from $199.99. I had a great time testing their underwater capabilities, which you can read all about here. The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deals on resistance bandsA full set of resistance bands gives you the ability to train glutes, shoulders, arms, and back in ways that dumbbells actually can't replicate, because bands increase resistance throughout the range of motion rather than relying on gravity. A good set will include multiple resistance levels, so you can progress over time without buying new equipment. There are plenty of options on sale right now, like this set for $24.98 (down from $37.99) or the full TRX resistance band set for $148.71 (down from $174.95). The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deal on adjustable dumbbellsIf you aren't on the adjustable dumbbells train, it's time to hop on. Where individual pairs of dumbbells from five to 80 pounds in five-pound increments would cost well over $1,500 and eat up valuable floor space, adjustable dumbbells deliver the same versatility for a fraction of that price. Right now the PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells are $339.51 (down from $449). You'd be hard-pressed to find a "best home dumbbells" list without PowerBlocks near the top. These dumbbells are incredibly compact, which is the whole point of going adjustable over a traditional rack of individual weights. PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair, 5-50lb) $339.15 at Amazon $449.00 Save $109.85 Get Deal Get Deal $339.15 at Amazon $449.00 Save $109.85 The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deals on foam rollersFoam rolling is like flossing your teeth: You know you need to do it, but it's all too easy to neglect. You could go for this 5-in-1 foam roller set set for $32.99 (down from $39.95) or this TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 foam foller for $27.99 (down from $39.99). And just like flossing, once you get in the habit, you won't remember a time before it was part of your routine. The Best Amazon Big Spring Sale deal on a rowing machineThis is a big swing for most people, but I hope it can find the right audience here. A good workout on a rowing machine can engage up to 86% of your muscles, combining cardio and strength training while being gentle on your joints. If no other cardio or strength routine calls your name, maybe rowing is for you. After a few months of testing the new Hydrow Arc Rowing Machine—which I reviewed in depth—I trust Hydrow as a brand name. And right now, the Hydrow Origin Rowing Machine is available for $1,895 (down from $2,195). Hydrow Origin Rowing Machine $1,895.00 at Amazon $2,195.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,895.00 at Amazon $2,195.00 Save $300.00 Sometimes the best fitness gear isn't always the newest or flashiest, but the stuff makes you slightly more likely to actually do the thing. For more fitness deals, check out the best deals on sneakers, fitness wearables and trackers, and all other tech during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $239.95 (List Price $239.95) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 128GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Gray) — $202.00 (List Price $249.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $243.00 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. A well-stocked gym bag is a comfort and a delight. Your gym bag is probably missing a few things that would make your life easier, though,so here are a few items you can currently pick up for $25 or less. Micro platesIn most gyms, 2.5-pound plates are the smallest ones available. That means you have to increase your barbell’s weight by 5 pounds at a time, minimum. Many beginners and smaller people will have an easier time training if they can load the bar in smaller increments, which is why I think it’s a brilliant idea to bring your own micro plates to the gym. This 1.25-pound pair is $12.75, normally $14.99, so you can go up in weight by 2.5 pounds at a time—for example, increasing your 50-pound overhead press to 52.5 pounds. If you’d like to get even more granular, this set includes plates that are smaller still, allowing total increases of 2 pounds, 1.25 pounds, one pound, or even half a pound. (Do I think a half-pound increment is useful for training? No. Would I use those tiny plates if I needed them to eke out a PR? I’d definitely consider it.) EVERYMATE 1.25 lb Fractional Olympic Plate $12.74 at Amazon $14.99 Save $2.25 Get Deal Get Deal $12.74 at Amazon $14.99 Save $2.25 First aid kitIt’s nice to have a few band-aids on hand if you tear a callus on your hand or scrape your shin on a barbell’s knurling. I always carry a few first aid supplies, and this pocket sized kit has bandages and antiseptic wipes plus some handy extras like safety pins, scissors, and tweezers, all for $8. Packing cubesIf you carry a change of clothes to the gym, and your gym bag doesn’t have a special compartment for them, you need a packing cube or two. The same goes for a shoe bag, to keep your gym shoes clean. It’s hard to buy just one packing cube, but I’d like to recommend this set for $19.99 that includes four cubes of different sizes, plus a shoe bag. StrapsStraps are helpful for gripping a bar during deadlifts or other pulling exercises like rows—and no, it’s not “cheating” to use them. Straps allow you to continue working your legs and back when your grip would otherwise be a barrier. (If you’re worried that your grip might get weaker when you start using straps, I have some tips on grip training here.) There are several different types of lifting straps, and I have opinions on all of them, but for now I’ll just note that the cheapest and most basic type is honestly all most of us will ever need. You can get this pair from Harbinger for $8.39 today. Harbinger Padded Cotton Lift Straps, Black $8.39 at Amazon $11.99 Save $3.60 Get Deal Get Deal $8.39 at Amazon $11.99 Save $3.60 Knee sleevesIf your knees get creaky or achy when doing squats, you may enjoy wearing a pair of knee sleeves. The best type for most people is a 7 millimeter neoprene sleeve, which gives cushioning and warmth. I have a beginner’s guide to knee sleeves here, if you want to understand what exactly they do for you. Knee sleeves don’t exactly help you lift more weight—not in any mechanical sense, anyway—but they make you feel better while you’re lifting. Most cheap knee sleeves are too thin to do the job very well; good 7-millimeter sleeves from name brands tend to be pretty expensive. But among today’s sale items I found these 7-millimeter sleeves that look reasonably good, for only $21.59. I wouldn’t hesitate to snag these if you’re wondering whether knee sleeves are for you. If you use them so much they fall apart, go ahead and buy a nicer pair at that point. SourPatch KidsThis is not a joke item. If you hang out long enough with weightlifters or powerlifters, you will learn that candy has immense value as both a performance enhancer (carbs are fuel!) and a social lubricant. Bring a supply of Sour Patch Kids or Nerds Gummy Clusters to a competition, and you’ll instantly make friends. I like buying mini packs in bulk, since they’re easy to share (and won’t make a mess in your gym bag). Here’s two pounds of fun size Sour Patch, Jolly Rancher Gummies, and Swedish Fish—for only $9.99. Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $239.95 (List Price $239.95) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 128GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Gray) — $202.00 (List Price $249.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $243.00 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Small business owners looking to infuse high-quality music into their projects now have an innovative tool at their fingertips thanks to Google’s latest announcement regarding Lyria 3 Pro. This advanced music generation software promises to elevate creative output and could be the key to enhancing everything from marketing materials to video content production. Lyria 3 Pro is part of Google’s diverse offerings and is now available on Vertex AI, a platform tailored for businesses that require scalable audio solutions. With Lyria 3 Pro, organizations can generate bespoke soundtracks quickly, making it particularly valuable for industries like gaming and marketing. The public preview of this tool allows businesses to tap into on-demand music production that meets the dynamic needs of their projects. In a statement, a Google representative noted, “High-quality music generation should be accessible wherever creativity happens. Whether you are an app developer, a business or music professional, or a creator, these integrations allow you to use Lyria’s advanced musical awareness to scale your production.” This points to the objective of making professional-grade music generation more readily available, regardless of the business’s size or specific area of focus. The integration of Lyria 3 Pro extends across Google platforms, including Google AI Studio and the Gemini API, facilitating the development of next-generation creative tools. Developers can leverage Lyria’s improved musical awareness and structural coherence, which provide creative flexibility. Small business owners eager to stay ahead in the digital content space will find this particularly advantageous. They can provide enhanced audio experiences in their applications, websites, or marketing campaigns, ultimately boosting engagement and customer satisfaction. For those in the video production landscape, Google Vids makes it easy to add custom music tracks that resonate with their brand identity. As this feature rolls out to Google Workspace customers and Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers, small businesses can use Lyria 3 Pro for creative projects and promotional videos, ensuring that their content remains fresh and impactful. This music generation capability supports the broad range of content needs small businesses face daily. The Gemini app takes this a step further by enabling longer music generations. For paid subscribers, the recent enhancements allow for more detailed and personalized tracks suitable for vlogs, podcasts, and tutorial videos. As the demand for high-quality audio content continues to rise, the ability to customize music to meet specific project requirements can position small businesses as competitors in their respective fields. Another exciting development is ProducerAI, a collaborative music creation tool recently introduced by Google. With the integration of Lyria 3 Pro, ProducerAI offers musicians, producers, and songwriters an agentic experience designed to amplify their creative process. This tool may serve as a game-changer for independent artists within the small business sector, helping them collaborate and iterate on comprehensive songs without the need for expensive studio time or advanced technical skills. However, while the potential benefits are significant, small business owners should weigh a few challenges. Firstly, the learning curve associated with new technology may require time and resources for integration into existing workflows. Additionally, businesses must ensure they can effectively utilize the music generated by Lyria 3 Pro in compliance with copyright laws and licensing agreements to avoid any legal issues. As small businesses begin to explore the capabilities of Lyria 3 Pro, they will need to assess how this tool aligns with their specific goals and client needs. Investing in such advanced technology can offer a substantial return if leveraged properly, but it is essential to align it with well-defined strategies to harness its full potential. The introduction of Lyria 3 Pro by Google marks a significant shift towards democratizing high-quality music generation, making it accessible for small businesses across various creative sectors. As more entrepreneurs adopt advanced tools like these, the landscape of content creation is poised to evolve rapidly. For more detailed information about Lyria 3 Pro and its applications, you can read the full announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Launches Lyria 3 Pro, Revolutionizing Music Creation Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small business owners looking to infuse high-quality music into their projects now have an innovative tool at their fingertips thanks to Google’s latest announcement regarding Lyria 3 Pro. This advanced music generation software promises to elevate creative output and could be the key to enhancing everything from marketing materials to video content production. Lyria 3 Pro is part of Google’s diverse offerings and is now available on Vertex AI, a platform tailored for businesses that require scalable audio solutions. With Lyria 3 Pro, organizations can generate bespoke soundtracks quickly, making it particularly valuable for industries like gaming and marketing. The public preview of this tool allows businesses to tap into on-demand music production that meets the dynamic needs of their projects. In a statement, a Google representative noted, “High-quality music generation should be accessible wherever creativity happens. Whether you are an app developer, a business or music professional, or a creator, these integrations allow you to use Lyria’s advanced musical awareness to scale your production.” This points to the objective of making professional-grade music generation more readily available, regardless of the business’s size or specific area of focus. The integration of Lyria 3 Pro extends across Google platforms, including Google AI Studio and the Gemini API, facilitating the development of next-generation creative tools. Developers can leverage Lyria’s improved musical awareness and structural coherence, which provide creative flexibility. Small business owners eager to stay ahead in the digital content space will find this particularly advantageous. They can provide enhanced audio experiences in their applications, websites, or marketing campaigns, ultimately boosting engagement and customer satisfaction. For those in the video production landscape, Google Vids makes it easy to add custom music tracks that resonate with their brand identity. As this feature rolls out to Google Workspace customers and Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers, small businesses can use Lyria 3 Pro for creative projects and promotional videos, ensuring that their content remains fresh and impactful. This music generation capability supports the broad range of content needs small businesses face daily. The Gemini app takes this a step further by enabling longer music generations. For paid subscribers, the recent enhancements allow for more detailed and personalized tracks suitable for vlogs, podcasts, and tutorial videos. As the demand for high-quality audio content continues to rise, the ability to customize music to meet specific project requirements can position small businesses as competitors in their respective fields. Another exciting development is ProducerAI, a collaborative music creation tool recently introduced by Google. With the integration of Lyria 3 Pro, ProducerAI offers musicians, producers, and songwriters an agentic experience designed to amplify their creative process. This tool may serve as a game-changer for independent artists within the small business sector, helping them collaborate and iterate on comprehensive songs without the need for expensive studio time or advanced technical skills. However, while the potential benefits are significant, small business owners should weigh a few challenges. Firstly, the learning curve associated with new technology may require time and resources for integration into existing workflows. Additionally, businesses must ensure they can effectively utilize the music generated by Lyria 3 Pro in compliance with copyright laws and licensing agreements to avoid any legal issues. As small businesses begin to explore the capabilities of Lyria 3 Pro, they will need to assess how this tool aligns with their specific goals and client needs. Investing in such advanced technology can offer a substantial return if leveraged properly, but it is essential to align it with well-defined strategies to harness its full potential. The introduction of Lyria 3 Pro by Google marks a significant shift towards democratizing high-quality music generation, making it accessible for small businesses across various creative sectors. As more entrepreneurs adopt advanced tools like these, the landscape of content creation is poised to evolve rapidly. For more detailed information about Lyria 3 Pro and its applications, you can read the full announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Launches Lyria 3 Pro, Revolutionizing Music Creation Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The most destructive project management habits aren't about missing skills or knowledge gaps — they're behavioral patterns that even the most certified PMs struggle to recognize in themselves. Experts and coaches reveal the top habits holding project managers back, from passive order-taking to over-reliance on tools, and what it really takes to lead effectively. The post The Destructive Habits Coaches and Leaders Coach out of Project Managers appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

The real estate fintech touted Doma's role in Fannie Mae's title-acceptance pilot as key to the deal, which follows Opendoor's recent mortgage product rollout. View the full article

YouTube used its NewFront presentation to unveil a significant upgrade to its Creator Partnerships platform, adding Gemini-powered creator matching, stronger measurement tools, and new ways to run creator content as paid ads. Why we care. Influencer marketing has become a core part of many brands’ strategies, but finding the right creators at scale and proving ROI is a pain point. tackles influencer marketing’s two biggest friction points — finding the right creator and proving ROI. Gemini-powered matching cuts through the noise of three million creators, while the ability to run creator content as paid Shorts and in-stream ads makes performance measurable like any standard campaign, backed by a reported 30% conversion lift. How it works. The updated platform uses Gemini to recommend creators from a pool of more than three million YouTube Partner Program members, filtered by campaign goals. Advertisers get more control over who they work with and better visibility into how those partnerships perform. The big new feature. A revamped Creator Partnerships boost lets brands run creator-made content directly as Shorts and in-stream ads — formats YouTube says deliver an average 30% lift in conversions. The big picture. The announcement builds on BrandConnect, YouTube’s existing creator monetization infrastructure, showing that the platform is doubling down on the creator economy as a growth lever for advertisers — not just a content strategy. What’s next. Brands interested in the updated tools can watch the full NewFront presentation on YouTube for more details. View the full article

It’s been an outrageously long wait, but Google will finally allow Gmail users to change their email addresses. Late last year, a support page in Hindi hinted that changes to Google’s account name policy were on the way, but now it’s official. The company posted the news to X, but noted that only U.S. users will be offered the new flexibility for now. To make the change, head to your email settings options and click “change Google Account email.” Your email history and saved data will remain tied to the account, so don’t worry about losing anything. Users can change their Google account names across products like Gmail, Photos, and Drive, but really, email is the front-facing account people have been begging to change for ages. When you update your Google account name, your old handle will become an alias, so you can still use it to communicate over email. If you really wanted, you could revert back – but after this long of a wait, you’re probably ready to move on anyway. You asked, we delivered. If you’re a U.S. Google user, you can now change your account username for tools like Gmail, Photos, Drive and more — while keeping your emails, data and account history. Here’s what to know: 1️⃣ You can choose any available @gmail.com username. 2️⃣… pic.twitter.com/eF2lgbJaFg — Google (@Google) March 31, 2026 Gmail users eligible for a name change can pick a new username once per year up to three times total over their account’s lifetime. While limited, that policy is much more generous than being stuck with KrazyKat10@gmail.com over the course of your decades-long professional career. Google spends plenty of time and energy infusing its software with AI, but the company is notorious for letting its core products languish without basic quality of life updates. Gmail now offers hit or miss AI summaries at the top of the inbox, meanwhile essential products like Google Calendar lack common sense features like letting you add events using natural language. Given the company’s uneven track record of updates for some of its most important consumer-facing products, the Gmail news is a breath of fresh air — even if it’s one we really had to wait for. Google’s policy of only allowing users a small handful of Gmail accounts for each phone number makes sense from a security perspective, but it pairs terribly with its policy of locking people into the username they choose from the jump. Whether you’ve remarried, changed your business name, or just outright hated what you picked to begin with, there are myriad reasons you might want to ditch an old Gmail address. Now, you finally can. View the full article

Reddit ranks as the most-cited domain in AI-generated answers, followed by YouTube and LinkedIn, based on a new analysis of 30 million sources by Peec AI, an AI search analytics tool. The findings. Reddit was the most-cited source across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. YouTube, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, and Forbes also ranked in the top five. Review platforms like Yelp and G2 appeared often in recommendation queries. The research showed which domains models rely on: ChatGPT favored Wikipedia, Reddit, and editorial sites like Forbes. Google leaned toward platforms like Facebook and Yelp. Perplexity emphasized Reddit, LinkedIn, and G2 for B2B queries. Why we care. To win in AI search, you need authority beyond your site. Brands that appear consistently across trusted third-party platforms are more likely to be cited. Why these sources? AI systems prioritize perceived authority plus authentic user input: Reddit leads because it captures real user discussions. YouTube dominates video citations via transcripts and descriptions. Wikipedia serves as both a live source and a training dataset. About the data. The analysis covered 30 million sources across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews, measuring domains directly cited in answers to isolate what shapes responses. The study. Top domains cited by AI search: Analysis based on 30M sources Dig deeper. More citation research: AI citations favor listicles, articles, product pages (March 2026) Only 15% of pages retrieved by ChatGPT appear in final answers (March 2026) ChatGPT citations favor a small group of domains (March 2026) Google’s AI Mode is citing Google more than any other site (March 2026) 44% of ChatGPT citations come from the first third of content (February 2026) AI Overview fan-out rankings boost citation odds by 161% (December 2025) Tracking AI search citations: Who’s winning across 11 industries (October 2025) YouTube dominates AI search with 200x citation advantage (October 2025) AI search relies on brand-controlled sources, not Reddit (October 2025) How to get cited by AI: SEO insights from 8,000 AI citations (May 2025) 82% of Google AI Overviews citations come from deep pages (March 2025) View the full article

When creating a successful social media campaign, it’s vital to follow a structured approach. Start by defining clear campaign goals, comprehending your target audience, and conducting a competitive analysis. These initial steps set a solid foundation for developing engaging content and selecting the right social media channels. Moreover, establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring campaign performance is fundamental for ongoing improvement. Each step builds upon the last, leading to more effective strategies. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Define clear campaign goals using SMART criteria to guide team efforts and ensure alignment with business objectives. Understand your target audience by creating detailed buyer personas based on demographics and behavioral patterns. Conduct a competitive analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, and effective content strategies of competitors. Develop engaging content with a mix of informative and promotional material, utilizing multimedia elements for better engagement. Regularly track performance metrics and adjust strategies based on data insights to maximize campaign effectiveness. Define Clear Campaign Goals Defining clear campaign goals is vital for the success of any social media strategy, as it sets the foundation for your efforts. Using the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—can boost your success rate by 376%. Clearly defined goals guide your team, guaranteeing everyone understands the desired outcomes and works cohesively. Aligning your goals with broader business objectives, like increasing brand awareness or driving website traffic, assures your social media campaign strategy contributes positively to overall success. Writing down your objectives cultivates accountability and clarity, making it easier to monitor progress. Regularly revisiting and refining these goals based on performance data helps maintain relevance and effectiveness, vital for creating effective paid social media campaigns that adapt to market changes. Understand Your Target Audience To effectively reach your audience, you need to analyze their demographics and behavioral patterns. By creating detailed buyer personas that include age, gender, and interests, you can tailor your messaging to resonate more deeply. Furthermore, using social media analytics tools will help you monitor audience behavior, ensuring your content is relevant and engaging. Demographic Insights Analysis Grasping your target audience is essential for crafting effective social media campaigns, as it allows you to create customized messaging that resonates with potential customers. Comprehending core demographics like age, gender, location, and income level helps you develop accurate buyer personas, guiding your social media targeting efforts. Research indicates that 71% of consumers prefer personalized experiences, making it imperative to align your content with their specific interests and pain points. By utilizing tools like Facebook Audience Insights, you can improve persona development and identify which social media channels are most popular among your target demographics. This strategic approach to social media campaign management can lead to a significant 20% increase in engagement rates, emphasizing the importance of demographic insights. Behavioral Patterns Exploration Grasping your target audience requires more than just demographic insights; it furthermore involves examining their behavioral patterns. By delving into these patterns, you can improve the effectiveness of your social media marketing ads and social media advertising campaigns. Consider these key aspects: Create detailed buyer personas that include demographics and behaviors. Utilize social listening tools to gauge audience sentiment and trends. Analyze past interactions to identify successful content types and formats. Recognize platform-specific behaviors, as preferences vary by age group. Regularly update your comprehension through surveys and feedback. Conduct Competitive Analysis To effectively position your campaigns, it’s essential to identify your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. By analyzing their content strategies, you can gain insights into what resonates with your target audience and how you can differentiate your brand. This competitive analysis not just helps you understand the environment but additionally guides your content creation and strategic decisions moving forward. Identify Competitors’ Strengths Comprehending your competitors’ strengths is essential for crafting an effective social media campaign strategy, especially since their successes can offer valuable insights for your own efforts. Conducting a competitive analysis helps you pinpoint key players and evaluate their strengths. Here are some aspects to focus on: Engagement rates and follower growth using tools like Sprout Social. Types of content that resonate with their audiences—think videos or infographics. Successful campaigns and promotions that set trends. Tactics that drive the highest engagement for potential adaptation. Regular reassessment of competitors’ strategies to stay responsive. Analyze Content Strategies Comprehending your competitors’ content strategies can greatly improve your own social media campaign effectiveness. Start by identifying key competitors in your industry and evaluating their social media presence. Use tools like Sprout Social or RivalIQ to analyze engagement rates, post frequency, and content types that resonate with their audiences. This competitive analysis helps you uncover opportunities for improvement. Look at strengths and weaknesses in their messaging, visual aesthetics, and trending topics. Benchmark your performance against theirs by comparing metrics like follower growth and engagement rates. Regularly review their top-performing posts to draw inspiration for your own social media marketing strategy example. Adapting successful tactics can lead to good social media campaigns that differentiate your brand in a crowded environment. Develop Engaging Content Creating engaging content is essential for capturing and retaining your audience’s attention, especially when you consider that a balanced mix of educational, entertaining, and promotional posts can greatly improve your social media presence. To effectively develop content for your social media campaign, follow these guidelines: Adhere to the 80-20 rule: 80% informative, 20% promotional. Use multimedia elements like videos and carousels for higher engagement. Create a content calendar to plan and schedule posts consistently. Encourage interaction with strong captions, hashtags, and polls. Leverage user-generated content to build trust and authenticity. Utilize the Right Social Media Channels Selecting the right social media channels is essential to reaching your target audience effectively. Different platforms attract distinct demographics; for example, TikTok appeals to younger users, whereas LinkedIn serves professionals. Comprehending specific user behavior helps customize your social media ad campaigns. Instagram and Snapchat excel with visual content, whereas Twitter is ideal for real-time updates. By producing customized content for each platform, you can greatly boost engagement. Utilize analytics tools to identify which channels yield the highest engagement and conversion rates, guiding your paid social media marketing efforts. A multi-platform strategy additionally maximizes reach, allowing your brand to cater to diverse audience preferences and behaviors. This approach improves overall campaign effectiveness and guarantees you’re connecting with the right audience. Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) How can you effectively measure the success of your social media campaigns? By setting key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your campaign goals. These KPIs help quantify how effective is social media marketing for your brand. Focus on metrics like: Impressions and reach Engagement rates Clicks and shares Conversion rates Historical benchmarks Establishing SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound—ensures you have a clear framework for assessment. Moreover, tracking engagement metrics provides valuable insights into content effectiveness and audience interest. By continuously monitoring your KPIs and making real-time adjustments based on feedback, you can optimize campaign performance and improve overall outcomes. This strategic approach will lead to better results in achieving your marketing objectives. Monitor, Analyze, and Adjust Campaign Performance Monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting your social media campaign performance is crucial for maximizing effectiveness and achieving your marketing objectives. To do this, continuously track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics. Utilize analytics tools, such as Google Analytics and platform insights, to analyze which content types resonate with your audience. Regularly assess audience feedback through social listening tools to identify improvement areas and adapt your content strategy. Adjust your campaign strategies based on these data insights, pausing underperforming ads and reallocating budgets to higher-performing content. Set up regular performance reviews, ideally weekly or bi-weekly, to monitor your campaign’s progress and make timely adjustments, ensuring alignment with your overall marketing goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5 5 5 Rule on social media suggests you share five pieces of content, engage with your audience for five minutes, and spend another five minutes promoting your content. This balance helps you create a stronger online community. Engaging with followers can cultivate loyalty, as many consumers prefer brands that prioritize interaction. What Are the 5 Steps to Creating a Social Media Strategy? To create a social media strategy, start by setting SMART goals to define what you want to achieve. Next, understand your audience by developing detailed buyer personas that highlight their interests and pain points. Then, conduct a competitive analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses. After that, develop a content strategy that balances engaging and promotional content. Finally, measure performance continuously and optimize your approach based on the insights you gather. What Are the 7 Steps in Social Media Marketing Strategic Planning? To effectively plan your social media marketing, start by setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Next, analyze your target audience to understand their demographics and needs. Conduct a competitive analysis to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Create engaging content that resonates with your audience, then boost your presence. Finally, regularly review performance metrics and adapt your strategies based on audience feedback to guarantee continuous improvement. What Is the 50 30 20 Rule for Social Media? The 50 30 20 rule for social media content distribution suggests that you should allocate 50% of your posts to value-driven and educational content, 30% to engaging and entertaining material, and 20% to promotional content. This balanced approach helps you build stronger relationships with your audience by providing useful information during promoting your products. Conclusion In summary, by following these seven fundamental steps, you can create a robust social media campaign strategy that aligns with your business objectives. Defining clear goals, comprehending your audience, and conducting a competitive analysis are vital first steps. Developing engaging content and utilizing the right channels guarantees your message reaches the intended audience. Finally, setting KPIs and continuously monitoring performance allows for informed adjustments, eventually enhancing your campaign’s effectiveness and maximizing your return on investment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "7 Essential Steps for a Winning Social Media Campaign Strategy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When creating a successful social media campaign, it’s vital to follow a structured approach. Start by defining clear campaign goals, comprehending your target audience, and conducting a competitive analysis. These initial steps set a solid foundation for developing engaging content and selecting the right social media channels. Moreover, establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring campaign performance is fundamental for ongoing improvement. Each step builds upon the last, leading to more effective strategies. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Define clear campaign goals using SMART criteria to guide team efforts and ensure alignment with business objectives. Understand your target audience by creating detailed buyer personas based on demographics and behavioral patterns. Conduct a competitive analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, and effective content strategies of competitors. Develop engaging content with a mix of informative and promotional material, utilizing multimedia elements for better engagement. Regularly track performance metrics and adjust strategies based on data insights to maximize campaign effectiveness. Define Clear Campaign Goals Defining clear campaign goals is vital for the success of any social media strategy, as it sets the foundation for your efforts. Using the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—can boost your success rate by 376%. Clearly defined goals guide your team, guaranteeing everyone understands the desired outcomes and works cohesively. Aligning your goals with broader business objectives, like increasing brand awareness or driving website traffic, assures your social media campaign strategy contributes positively to overall success. Writing down your objectives cultivates accountability and clarity, making it easier to monitor progress. Regularly revisiting and refining these goals based on performance data helps maintain relevance and effectiveness, vital for creating effective paid social media campaigns that adapt to market changes. Understand Your Target Audience To effectively reach your audience, you need to analyze their demographics and behavioral patterns. By creating detailed buyer personas that include age, gender, and interests, you can tailor your messaging to resonate more deeply. Furthermore, using social media analytics tools will help you monitor audience behavior, ensuring your content is relevant and engaging. Demographic Insights Analysis Grasping your target audience is essential for crafting effective social media campaigns, as it allows you to create customized messaging that resonates with potential customers. Comprehending core demographics like age, gender, location, and income level helps you develop accurate buyer personas, guiding your social media targeting efforts. Research indicates that 71% of consumers prefer personalized experiences, making it imperative to align your content with their specific interests and pain points. By utilizing tools like Facebook Audience Insights, you can improve persona development and identify which social media channels are most popular among your target demographics. This strategic approach to social media campaign management can lead to a significant 20% increase in engagement rates, emphasizing the importance of demographic insights. Behavioral Patterns Exploration Grasping your target audience requires more than just demographic insights; it furthermore involves examining their behavioral patterns. By delving into these patterns, you can improve the effectiveness of your social media marketing ads and social media advertising campaigns. Consider these key aspects: Create detailed buyer personas that include demographics and behaviors. Utilize social listening tools to gauge audience sentiment and trends. Analyze past interactions to identify successful content types and formats. Recognize platform-specific behaviors, as preferences vary by age group. Regularly update your comprehension through surveys and feedback. Conduct Competitive Analysis To effectively position your campaigns, it’s essential to identify your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. By analyzing their content strategies, you can gain insights into what resonates with your target audience and how you can differentiate your brand. This competitive analysis not just helps you understand the environment but additionally guides your content creation and strategic decisions moving forward. Identify Competitors’ Strengths Comprehending your competitors’ strengths is essential for crafting an effective social media campaign strategy, especially since their successes can offer valuable insights for your own efforts. Conducting a competitive analysis helps you pinpoint key players and evaluate their strengths. Here are some aspects to focus on: Engagement rates and follower growth using tools like Sprout Social. Types of content that resonate with their audiences—think videos or infographics. Successful campaigns and promotions that set trends. Tactics that drive the highest engagement for potential adaptation. Regular reassessment of competitors’ strategies to stay responsive. Analyze Content Strategies Comprehending your competitors’ content strategies can greatly improve your own social media campaign effectiveness. Start by identifying key competitors in your industry and evaluating their social media presence. Use tools like Sprout Social or RivalIQ to analyze engagement rates, post frequency, and content types that resonate with their audiences. This competitive analysis helps you uncover opportunities for improvement. Look at strengths and weaknesses in their messaging, visual aesthetics, and trending topics. Benchmark your performance against theirs by comparing metrics like follower growth and engagement rates. Regularly review their top-performing posts to draw inspiration for your own social media marketing strategy example. Adapting successful tactics can lead to good social media campaigns that differentiate your brand in a crowded environment. Develop Engaging Content Creating engaging content is essential for capturing and retaining your audience’s attention, especially when you consider that a balanced mix of educational, entertaining, and promotional posts can greatly improve your social media presence. To effectively develop content for your social media campaign, follow these guidelines: Adhere to the 80-20 rule: 80% informative, 20% promotional. Use multimedia elements like videos and carousels for higher engagement. Create a content calendar to plan and schedule posts consistently. Encourage interaction with strong captions, hashtags, and polls. Leverage user-generated content to build trust and authenticity. Utilize the Right Social Media Channels Selecting the right social media channels is essential to reaching your target audience effectively. Different platforms attract distinct demographics; for example, TikTok appeals to younger users, whereas LinkedIn serves professionals. Comprehending specific user behavior helps customize your social media ad campaigns. Instagram and Snapchat excel with visual content, whereas Twitter is ideal for real-time updates. By producing customized content for each platform, you can greatly boost engagement. Utilize analytics tools to identify which channels yield the highest engagement and conversion rates, guiding your paid social media marketing efforts. A multi-platform strategy additionally maximizes reach, allowing your brand to cater to diverse audience preferences and behaviors. This approach improves overall campaign effectiveness and guarantees you’re connecting with the right audience. Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) How can you effectively measure the success of your social media campaigns? By setting key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your campaign goals. These KPIs help quantify how effective is social media marketing for your brand. Focus on metrics like: Impressions and reach Engagement rates Clicks and shares Conversion rates Historical benchmarks Establishing SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound—ensures you have a clear framework for assessment. Moreover, tracking engagement metrics provides valuable insights into content effectiveness and audience interest. By continuously monitoring your KPIs and making real-time adjustments based on feedback, you can optimize campaign performance and improve overall outcomes. This strategic approach will lead to better results in achieving your marketing objectives. Monitor, Analyze, and Adjust Campaign Performance Monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting your social media campaign performance is crucial for maximizing effectiveness and achieving your marketing objectives. To do this, continuously track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics. Utilize analytics tools, such as Google Analytics and platform insights, to analyze which content types resonate with your audience. Regularly assess audience feedback through social listening tools to identify improvement areas and adapt your content strategy. Adjust your campaign strategies based on these data insights, pausing underperforming ads and reallocating budgets to higher-performing content. Set up regular performance reviews, ideally weekly or bi-weekly, to monitor your campaign’s progress and make timely adjustments, ensuring alignment with your overall marketing goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5 5 5 Rule on social media suggests you share five pieces of content, engage with your audience for five minutes, and spend another five minutes promoting your content. This balance helps you create a stronger online community. Engaging with followers can cultivate loyalty, as many consumers prefer brands that prioritize interaction. What Are the 5 Steps to Creating a Social Media Strategy? To create a social media strategy, start by setting SMART goals to define what you want to achieve. Next, understand your audience by developing detailed buyer personas that highlight their interests and pain points. Then, conduct a competitive analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses. After that, develop a content strategy that balances engaging and promotional content. Finally, measure performance continuously and optimize your approach based on the insights you gather. What Are the 7 Steps in Social Media Marketing Strategic Planning? To effectively plan your social media marketing, start by setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Next, analyze your target audience to understand their demographics and needs. Conduct a competitive analysis to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Create engaging content that resonates with your audience, then boost your presence. Finally, regularly review performance metrics and adapt your strategies based on audience feedback to guarantee continuous improvement. What Is the 50 30 20 Rule for Social Media? The 50 30 20 rule for social media content distribution suggests that you should allocate 50% of your posts to value-driven and educational content, 30% to engaging and entertaining material, and 20% to promotional content. This balanced approach helps you build stronger relationships with your audience by providing useful information during promoting your products. Conclusion In summary, by following these seven fundamental steps, you can create a robust social media campaign strategy that aligns with your business objectives. Defining clear goals, comprehending your audience, and conducting a competitive analysis are vital first steps. Developing engaging content and utilizing the right channels guarantees your message reaches the intended audience. Finally, setting KPIs and continuously monitoring performance allows for informed adjustments, eventually enhancing your campaign’s effectiveness and maximizing your return on investment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "7 Essential Steps for a Winning Social Media Campaign Strategy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Home prices increased 0.9% year-over-year and 0.1% month-over-month in January, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller national home price index. View the full article

School is out for Rec Room: The social gaming platform announced on Monday it is shutting down this June, despite “reaching over 150 million players and creators along the way” since its founding in 2016. “Despite this popularity, we never quite figured out how to make Rec Room a sustainably profitable business,” the company said in a statement. “Our costs always ended up overwhelming the revenue we brought in. “We spent a long time trying to find a way to make the numbers work.” “But with the recent shift in the VR market, along with broader headwinds in gaming, the path to profitability has gotten tough enough that we’ve made the difficult decision to shut things down,” it explained. Once valued at $3.5 billion, Rec Room is a popular, cross-platform social video game that allows players to hang out, create, and share user-generated games and virtual goods. “Over the last decade, players made over half a billion friends on the platform, spending a cumulative 68 thousand years in Rec Room; with millions still showing up each month,” according to the announcement. The Seattle-based company said it is pulling the plug now, while it still has the ability to wind things down “thoughtfully and do right by the people who built this with us.” What does this mean for players? As of Monday, users can no longer create new accounts, add a friend, or sign up for a Rec Room Plus (RR+) membership. However, active memberships are good until June 1. On that day, players will no longer be able to log into and play Rec Room, and at noon Pacific time, the website rec.net will go offline. How did we get here? The news comes after two sets of layoffs last year. In August, Rec Room cut 141 jobs, bringing the staff down to just over 100 people. That’s after March layoffs cut 16% of its workforce, according to Geek Wire. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If there’s one thing Prime Video’s The Boys proves, it’s that it’s good to be suspicious of the powerful. While the near-invincible Homelander is the most terrifying sociopath currently on our screens, none of the Compound-V-augmented characters in this show are good people. Heck, even the characters without superpowers are pretty gross. But that’s part of the charm, and the reason why The Boys is such subversive fun. If you’ve binged the final episodes and are looking for more laser-eyed, 'Herogasm'-style entertainment—and you’ve already burned through all the other TV shows in the same vein—don’t fret: There are also a bunch of movies, novels, podcasts, and video games that will scratch that itch. The best books like The BoysSuperheroes behaving badly has been a literary theme for a very long time, and there are some excellent books about folks with superpowers (and super problems) waiting to be discovered. The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1 $9.99 at Amazon $17.99 Save $8.00 Shop Now Shop Now $9.99 at Amazon $17.99 Save $8.00 Steelheart (The Reckoners) $7.68 at Amazon $14.99 Save $7.31 Shop Now Shop Now $7.68 at Amazon $14.99 Save $7.31 Vicious (Villains, 1) $9.10 at Amazon $19.99 Save $10.89 Shop Now Shop Now $9.10 at Amazon $19.99 Save $10.89 We Could Be Heroes: a novel – A Gripping Sci-Fi Fantasy Adventure of Superheroes and Lost Memories $14.49 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $14.49 at Amazon Soon I Will Be Invincible (07) by Grossman, Austin [Paperback (2008)] at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now at Amazon SEE 2 MORE The Umbrella Academy, by Gerard WayIf you’re looking for superhero messiness, this comic book series (also adapted into a terrific Netflix show) is perfect. When dozens of super-powered children are mysteriously born around the world, an alien in disguise adopts seven of them, forms them into the Umbrella Academy, and trains them to save the world from a future apocalypse. Familial dysfunction, heel turns, and messy personal lives afflict the kids, and when they reform as adults, their lingering resentments (and mental health issues) make saving the world as messy as you’d hope. Steelheart, by Brandon SandersonIt’s tuned to a younger audience than The Boys (no Herogasms here), but the story will appeal to the show’s fans. When a mysterious alien artifact begins orbiting Earth, some people become “Epics” gifted with uncanny superpowers. The Epics naturally let their absolute power corrupt them absolutely almost immediately, and the world swirls into chaos. Just like The Boys, in Steelheart, a group of scrappy, angry regular folks band together, determined to kill Epics—and things get pretty epic indeed. Vicious, by V.E. SchwabSchwab’s take on less-than-heroic superheroes is a bit more personal than The Boys, but no less entertaining. Victor Vale and Eli Cardale meet as college roommates and discover a way to gain superpowers, turning people into what they call Extraordinaries. A disastrous experiment lands Victor in jail and prompts Eli to dedicate himself to hunting down Extraordinaries and eliminating them. When Victor escapes his cell, the two former friends are suddenly on a terrifying collision course. We Could Be Heroes, by Mike ChenFlawed people misusing their special abilities? Look no further than We Could Be Heroes. Jamie and Zoe have both lost much of their memories, their pasts a total mystery. Both also have extraordinary abilities they use in selfish, stupid ways: Jamie can read minds and erase memories, and uses his power to scam his way through life. Zoe is incredibly fast and strong, and uses those advantages to scratch out a living and occasionally beat down some bullies. When they meet and partner to seek out their missing memories, they find themselves forced to grow up and step up—if they can. Soon I Will be Invincible, by Austin GrossmanGrossman’s 2007 novel follows two super-powered characters: Dr. Impossible, possessing super strength and intellect, and Fatale, a cyborg recently recruited into a group of superheroes called the New Champions. As Fatale helps the team investigate the disappearance of a super called CoreFire, she becomes disillusioned—superheroes, it turns out, are as petty and selfish as anyone else. And when Dr. Impossible breaks out of prison to launch his thirteenth attempt to take over the world, he’s haunted by his constant failures. Witnessing the mess these two make is perfect entertainment for fans of The Boys. The best movies like The BoysThere is no shortage of feature-length interrogations of the superhero myth. If you want more flawed, all-too-normal heroes failing upward, these movies are among the best. Watchmen (2009) Adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s all-time classic graphic novel, the film shows us an alternate timeline where costumed vigilantes proliferated from the late 1930s until a public backlash led to legislation banning masked crimefighters. It’s really an examination of the whole superhero mythos awash in Cold War-era paranoia, and it’s a gloriously unapologetic story filled with flawed, unlikeable folks who happen to be capable of incredible violence. Stream Watchmen on HBO Max or rent it from Prime Video. Watchmen (2009) $3.79 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.79 at Prime Video Chronicle (2012) Chronicle is a subversion of wish fulfillment most of us will recognize—the desire to suddenly have the power to do whatever we want. When three teenagers encounter a strange artifact, they gain telekinetic powers, including the ability to fly. Initially, they use their powers to play pranks and to gain popularity, but one kid’s difficult home life and emotional instability lead to tragedy and increasing levels of mayhem. It’s a sadder, more human take on the subject than The Boys, but offers the same pleasures. Stream Chronicle on HBO Max or rent it from Prime Video. Chronicle (2012) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime Video Super (2010) No one in Super has special powers, unless emotional instability and violent rage are considered “powers.” Rainn Wilson plays Frank, a devoutly religious man who believes God wants him to become a masked superhero called The Crimson Bolt. As The Bolt, Frank uses a pipe wrench to savagely beat criminals, but his personal issues soon drag him into a bloody, violent mess that spirals out of control, answering the question of why society doesn’t encourage masked vigilantes. Stream Super on PlutoTV or rent it from Prime Video. Super (2010) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime Video Kick-Ass (2010) A hilarious look at the dark side of turning to violence to solve your problems, Kick-Ass has gained a cult following since its release, in no small part because of the deranged performance of Chloë Grace Moretz, who was 12 years old at the time. After gaining a high tolerance for pain and some metal bone reinforcement, teenager Dave transforms himself into Kick-Ass, a masked superhero who fights crime, eventually joining forces with Big Daddy, a former cop pursuing revenge against a mobster, and his daughter Hit-Girl (Moretz). Stream Kick-Ass on Fubo or rent it from Prime Video. Kick-Ass (2010) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime Video The Suicide Squad (2021) If you just love the idea of imperfect, incompetent, and all-too-human superheroes, this second attempt to adapt the DC comic characters to film (the less said about the first attempt, the better) is a great choice. The rag-tag group of antiheroes and mild villains who offered shorter prison sentences in exchange for dangerous service doing black ops for the government has the perfect balance of humor, violence, and heart. The weirdo super-antiheroes in the Squad are just as awful as the supes in The Boys in many ways, but there’s a definite thread of hope here that’s usually missing from Prime Video’s show. Stream The Suicide Squad on HBO Max or rent it from Prime Video. The Suicide Squad (2021) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime Video The best video games like 'The Boys'Since superheroes were first put on screens, people have wanted to play games where they get to experience what it’s like to have such power. If you’re a fan of the dark, funny take The Boys has on that superhero life, these games are for you. Infamous If you wonder how you’d react to waking up with superpowers, play Infamous. You play as Cole, a dude who gets superpowers after an explosion in Empire City. While the main thrust of the game has you using those powers to restore order in the aftermath, there’s a Karma system baked in that lets you use your powers for less-than-good, which shapes how the rest of the game plays out. Platforms: PlayStation Infamous Collection [Sony Playstation 3, PS3] $59.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $59.99 at Amazon Dispatch Dispatch has The Boys vibes for days, especially if you’ve ever wondered how the normal executives at Vought sleep at night. You play as a former superhero reduced to working as a dispatcher for a group of supervillains-turned-heroes. It’s your job to allocate resources and superpowers appropriately as crises pop up—which is a lot more stressful than you might imagine. Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Dispatch by Adhoc Studio $29.99 at Steam Shop Now Shop Now $29.99 at Steam Injustice: Gods Among Us As fun as it is to play a fighting game where you can be various superheroes and villains from the DC universe, the chaos and carnage of supes destroying one another is just one reason this game is perfect for fans of The Boys. The other is the fact that the game is set in a universe where Superman has broken bad and become Zach Snyder’s worst nightmare: A global tyrant not above using his omnipotence to get whatever he wants. Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Wii U, Steam Injustice Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (PS4) $24.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $24.99 at Amazon The Boys: Trigger Warning Okay, it’s only available for the Meta Quest platform, but a PS5 version is in the wings. And you can’t get closer to The Boys in a video game unless you’re playing as the Boys in a video game. You take on the role of a man whose life is saved after being given Compound V by the Boys, which also give you temporary superpowers. The Boys promptly put you to work on their behalf, and the mayhem begins. The tone, spirit, and atmosphere are exactly like the show, making this the perfect gaming experience. Platforms: Meta Quest The Boys: Trigger Warning $29.99 at Meta Shop Now Shop Now $29.99 at Meta Saints Row IV The Saints Row games were never known for their restraint, and this entry is absurd enough for fans of The Boys. After being trapped in a simulation and forced to fight their way out, the President of the United States (don’t ask—the lore is deep, and silly) and their former gang (again, don’t ask) gain superpowers when allies hack the simulation, sort of like in The Matrix. The result is a delirious experience that has held up surprisingly well over the years. Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Saints Row IV: Re-Elected + Gat out of Hell $30.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $30.00 at Amazon The best podcasts like The BoysWhether you want to dig into the themes, backstories, and theories about the show and its characters or fall asleep listening to stories with similar vibes, these podcasts are great for fans of The Boys. Let’s Hear It for The Boys Credit: Podcast logo Recaps, discussions, theories: Let's hear It for The Boys is a great place for fans of the show to get their regular dose of thinking way too hard about this ridiculous universe and its awful, no-good residents. Compound B – A Show About The Boys Credit: Podcast logo Another podcast that’s like hanging out with people who do nothing but watch The Boys and Gen V and then talk about each episode in such granular detail you start to worry about their mental health. But if that’s your vibe, Compound B is the podcast for you. Behind the Bastards Credit: Podcast logo If you love the way The Boys explores how people who could be superheroes turn into, well, Homelander, Behind the Bastards will fascinate you. It’s about real-life historical figures, but you will recognize Homelander’s brand of arrogant sociopathy in many of the people examined here. Vigil Credit: Podcast logo A narrative podcast about a “support” superhero named Vigil—who works in the background, usually unrecognized, to ensure the success of the top-line talent—this podcast is presented in a “mockumentary” format that matches up well with the tone of the show. Superhuman Public Radio (SPR) Credit: Podcast logo What’s great about this podcast is the potential for immersion: Superhuman Public Radio is presented as an NPR-style radio program that presents news segments from an alternate reality where superheroes routinely battle, try to save the planet, or misbehave in spectacular ways. It’s like living in a universe like The Boys for a little while. View the full article

Novo Nordisk just launched a new subscription program for Wegovy customers. In an announcement Tuesday, the Danish GLP-1 maker said the new program will help “reduce cost uncertainty” so that people can maintain access to their obesity drugs. Wegovy contains semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management. Novo Nordisk also promised savings of up to $600 per year for the pill form of the drug and up to $1,200 per year for the injections with a 12-month subscription. Eligible patients can choose the self-pay options that work best for them. A three-month plan will cost users $329 per month. A six-month plan is $299 per month. And a 12-month subscription comes with a monthly fee of just $249. “The new Wegovy subscription program removes barriers, providing people who enroll with a simple, affordable, and consistent way to start and stay on genuine, FDA-approved treatment,” said Ed Cinca, senior vice president of marketing and patient solutions at Novo Nordisk, in the announcement. Cinca continued: “By providing predictable monthly pricing, multi-month options, and access through trusted telehealth providers, this program aims to support a more manageable way for people to stay on treatment and focus on achieving meaningful, sustainable weight loss outcomes.” The subscription options are now available through Ro, WeightWatchers, LifeMD, Hims & Hers, and Sesame. The announcement noted that it will be made available through even more services soon. Novo Nordisk’s announcement comes as the company and Hims & Hers recently entered a partnership, ending a legal battle over copycat versions of Novo’s medications being sold on the telehealth platform for a third of the price. The announcement of the deal seemed to confirm, as does Tuesday’s announcement, that Novo Nordisk hopes to continue its expansion. The expansion makes sense, given the company’s sales slowed in 2025, mostly due to increased competition from Eli Lilly, along with other competitors. Earlier this year, Lilly’s stocks surged after it introduced its KwikPen treatment, made for more convenient injections, as the company seemed to be pulling ahead in the weight-loss medication market. According to a recent Yahoo Finance report, Lilly is still dominating the market. Its Q4 revenue increased 43%, to $19.3 billion, while Novo Nordisk said it expected sales to decline between 5% and 13% this year. View the full article

A reader writes: The company I currently work for was perfect for me when I started in the corporate world — low-key, the owner is very hands-off, and my bosses let me work without micromanaging. But recently we’ve become a lot bigger while still keeping that “small business” mindset. Our profit has more than quadrupled in the past seven years, but the number of employees in headquarters has not increased in response (we’re still fewer than 20 people). A daily catch phrase is, “It’ll slow down eventually … right?” It’s wearing me down to a point where I need to find another job, and I have started to activity job search. My concern is, I honestly do the job of three people (with three different managers) and I know they won’t be able to hire and train someone between me putting in my notice and leaving. No one else at the company is currently able to do the majority of my work. How can I start prepping and training my coworkers to do my jobs without making it obvious I’m planning to leave? Or potentially putting my job in jeopardy before I can get a new job? Or this a situation where I just need to let it go and say, “Not my responsibility”? The latter. If your employer were as concerned about this as you are, they would be creating time and structures for you to cross-train your colleagues. They’re not, so you don’t need to. There are some limits to that: the more senior your job gets, the more it’s your responsibility to ensure things like that are taken care of. If you’re a department director saying “no one will be able to cover even the basics if I’m buried in an avalanche tomorrow, oh well, too bad,” that’s a problem. That kind of planning is part of that job. And even if you’re not that senior, at a certain responsibility level in some cases it would be part of doing the job well to identify the must-do areas that other people need to be trained in and ensure that happens, or point it out to someone who can — or to say to your own boss, “Here’s a major point of weakness in our coverage, here’s what the consequences could be if I were suddenly not here, and here’s what I think we could do about it — but I don’t currently have any time to do it.” So if you haven’t done that last part, you should. You don’t need to make it obvious that it’s because you’re thinking about leaving; frame it as thinking about what would happen if you were suddenly hospitalized, won the lottery, got eaten by a wild boar, etc. But if they don’t make it a priority — which means carving out actual time for you to do it by moving back other priorities and doing the same for the people you want to train in your areas — then you don’t need to either. You’ll have flagged it for them, and the next steps are up to them. All that said, if you have time to work on some transition documentation that you can leave behind, that’s a good thing to do … but it doesn’t sound like you have a ton of spare time for that, and it’s not something you should work extra hours to get done (since again, if it were that important to your employer, they’d ensure you had time to prioritize it). Moreover, when people leave behind detailed and beautifully organized documentation for their work, it often never gets looked at by anyone — so it’s definitely not something you should contort yourself to achieve if it’s not easily doable. (For that same reason, if you do it, aim for a couple of pages of bulleted info, max. The idea isn’t to write a detailed manual to how to do your job — again, unless you’re asked to and given enough time for it — it’s to leave the most key info for whoever needs it when you’re gone.) But it’s very normal in office-type jobs not to be able to hire and train someone before a person leaves. Most people give two weeks of notice, which isn’t enough time to advertise the job, interview candidates, make an offer, and then wait for that person to give their own notice. So it’s not unusual that they won’t be able to do that; that’s how it normally goes and companies muddle through. “Muddling through” can mean that they back-burner projects you were working on out of necessity, or half-ass them in ways you wouldn’t have, or kill certain projects altogether, or bring in outside help. Or sure, occasionally a team will crash and burn because someone leaves, but it’s surprisingly rare for that to be the result. More often, their solutions just might not look like how you’re doing everything now, but they’ll figure it out. Regardless, it’s not yours to solve because this is not your company! Flag the concern, and then leave it to them to decide what to do about it. The post how do I train my team to do my job without making it obvious I’m planning to leave? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Furniture is one of the biggest hurdles during a move, because good dressers and couches are bulky and expensive. During a stressful time, it makes sense to crave something cheap delivered straight to your door. That’s where fast furniture comes in. These are simple pieces made with a mishmash of plastics, fiberboard and chipboard that aren’t built to last. They can typically be ordered online, are mass-produced and ship unassembled in a flat-packed box. They get the job done, but once thrown out, their ingredients generally can’t be recycled and don’t break down well. “It’s of little emotional value, it’s fleeting, and it is not going to accompany you through your life’s journey,” said furniture and design expert Deana McDonagh with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Americans dumped over 12 million tons (10.8 million metric tons) of furniture in 2018, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and 80% of it ended up in landfills. Moving is chaotic, and fast furniture is a sensible solution. But there are ways to decorate your home that are just as cheap and may furnish other parts of your life. Community groups can help save money When Heather Strong moved to her own place in the Los Angeles area, newly single, she felt like she was starting over. Many of her well-loved furniture pieces, like her favorite pan rack, stayed with her ex in the home she’d left. That’s when she discovered the Buy Nothing Project: an app and network of local Facebook groups where people gave and got things for free. A year and a half later, Strong has furnished her home with dining room chairs, wood furniture and bedding from her neighbors. “I’ve had the chance to explore different areas of my own community and venture out a little. And I’ve made some friends,” said Strong, a business owner. Buy Nothing’s co-founder Liesl Clark recommends asking your neighbors before ordering that unassembled coffee table. Comb through neighborhood Facebook and Nextdoor groups, check gifting sites like Freecycle and see if a friend of a friend knows anyone getting rid of their furniture. Or, look on curbs and front stoops for nice pieces that others have left behind. “You will get so much more satisfaction. You’ll save funds that you can then perhaps spend more locally,” Clark said. Maddie Fischer has furnished most of her Brooklyn apartment with pre-loved pieces. She found one of her living room chairs in a trash bag on the street and nabbed her kitchen table for free in a move-out giveaway, recruiting her sister and friends to carry it down four flights of stairs. “I don’t mind when things look like they’ve had a little bit of wear and tear,” said Fischer, a social media manager. “I think it gives them more character.” If you can’t find the item you want on the curb, shop secondhand. Try neighborhood thrift stores or sift through sites like eBay, Vinted and Gumtree. There are also furniture rental websites to source quality items for a short time, but can be pricey. Build a quality furniture collection over time If finances permit, it’s never too early to start thinking about buying high-quality furniture. Dressers and tables made of wood and other natural materials are more unique and give the home a personal touch. Plus, they last longer and don’t need to be replaced as often. Decorating an empty home all at once can rack up a hefty price tag. So McDonagh, the furniture expert, recommended buying one nice piece of furniture every year. “If you’re doing it for your future self, take your time,” McDonagh said. Buy modular pieces like shelves and storage that stack onto each other and are adjustable based on space constraints. Over time, your home will fill with durable items that also feel homey. In the meantime, make do with what you have. A stack of books or boxes can function as a makeshift chair while a sturdier piece is on the way, McDonagh said. Outdoor furniture can work surprisingly well indoors too, since the fabrics protect well against scratches and stains. Fast furniture doesn’t have to be fast Despite the name, fast furniture can last many years if we take care of it. With creativity and a bit of TLC, it doesn’t have to be replaced as frequently. “I don’t believe that any furniture is inherently fast. It’s our decision as consumers whether it’s fast or not,” said Katryn Furmston, a fast furniture expert with Nottingham Trent University in England. Maybe you don’t want to carry a desk up five flights of stairs. Or the thought of sitting on a used couch icks you out. If you have to purchase fiberboard furniture, avoid buying from too-good-to-be-true websites that’ll leave you with missing parts or a slanted desk. When the piece arrives, treat it well. Cover scratches with a tablecloth or rotate it to face another direction. When it’s time to move away, keep a photo of the product handy to show to friends or co-workers. Give it a second life by selling in a community group or gifting to a neighbor. Do your part to keep the piece in use for as long as possible. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage also receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Adithi Ramakrishnan, AP science writer Associated Press journalist Kiki Sideris contributed to this report. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You don't need a sprawling home gym to stay in shape. What you need is smart gear—equipment that stores under a bed, hangs on a door, or folds flat against a wall. And right now, Amazon's Big Spring Sale is offering some of the best prices of the year on exactly this kind of compact, apartment-friendly fitness gear. Foldable under-desk walking padThe biggest obstacle to owning a treadmill in a small apartment is floor space. That's what makes a foldable under-desk walking pad such a great deal. This budget option is available on Amazon for $99.98, down from $129.99. You can walk at a steady pace while watching TV or taking a call, then fold the handle bar down and store it either upright against the wall or under your bed or couch. If you're willing to splurge, I personally recommend opting for this Merach walking pad, available on Amazon for $338.98. Walking Pad Treadmill $99.98 at Amazon $129.99 Save $30.01 Get Deal Get Deal $99.98 at Amazon $129.99 Save $30.01 Resistance bands setIf there is one piece of fitness equipment that every small-space dweller should own, it's a resistance band set. They weigh next to nothing, coil into a drawer, and can replicate nearly every gym machine movement: rows, chest presses, bicep curls, glute kickbacks, lateral walks. A good set will include multiple resistance levels, so you can progress over time without buying new equipment. There are plenty of options on sale right now, like this set for $24.98 (down from $37.99) or the full TRX resistance band set for $148.71 (down from $174.95). Travel-sized massage gunI always say, recovery is half the workout—and a massage gun is the fastest way to flush out soreness without booking a massage appointment. The Bob and Brad Q2 Ultra Mini Massage Gun is available for $78.82, down from $99.99. Its compact size makes it perfect for travel or bringing to the gym. Most importantly, it does still pack a punch, as I share in my more in-depth review here. Some more deals for your muscle recovery: 5 in 1 Foam Roller Set, $32.99, down from $39.95 1-Inch Thick Yoga Mat, $29.99, down from $36.99 TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 Foam Roller, $27.99, was $39.99 Adjustable dumbbellsAdjustable dumbbells are the ultimate space-saver for strength training. Buying individual pairs of dumbbells from five to 80 pounds in five-pound increments would cost well over $1,500 and eat up valuable floor space. Adjustable dumbbells deliver the same versatility for a fraction of that price, whichever brand you choose. The PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells are $339.51 (down from $449). You'd be hard-pressed to find a "best home dumbbells" list without PowerBlocks near the top. These dumbbells are incredibly compact, which is the whole point of going adjustable over a traditional rack of individual weights. PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair, 5-50lb) $339.15 at Amazon $449.00 Save $109.85 Get Deal Get Deal $339.15 at Amazon $449.00 Save $109.85 Fitness trackersNo home gym is complete without a way to track your workouts. For all the best deals on Garmin, Fitbit, Apple, Samsung, Suunto, and more, check out my colleague Beth Skwarecki's round-up here. Here are some highlights from the most popular brands: Apple Watch Series 11, GPS starting at $299 (down from $399). Series 11 is the current version, released in 2025. Garmin Forerunner 965, $499.99, originally $599.99 when it first launched in 2023. (It has since been replaced by the Forerunner 970.) Fitbit Versa 4, $149.95, down from $199.95. Suunto Run: $179, down from $199. Amazon's Big Spring Sale ends tonight, March 31, at 11:59 p.m. PT (April 1, 2:59 a.m. ET). Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $239.95 (List Price $239.95) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 128GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Gray) — $202.00 (List Price $249.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $243.00 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A newly published, unverified report claims Google’s Gemini AI is instructed to mirror user tone and validate emotions in its responses. Why we care. If accurate, AI-generated search responses may vary based on how a query is phrased — not just the information available. What’s new. The report centers on a previously undisclosed internal structure referred to as upcast_info, which appears to contain system-level instructions guiding how Gemini responds. The report, published by Elie Berreby, head of SEO and AI search at Adorama, suggested that Gemini is instructed to: Match the user’s tone, energy, and intent. Validate emotions before responding. Deliver answers aligned with the user’s perspective. What it means. Instead of acting as a neutral aggregator, AI answers may: Reinforce negative framing (“Why is X bad?”). Reinforce positive framing (“Why is X great?”). If public perception is negative, AI may amplify it. As the report suggests: AI reflects existing sentiment signals. It doesn’t “balance” them the way blue links often do. Query framing. The emotional framing of a query affects: Which sources get cited. How summaries are written. The overall tone of the answer. Google’s AI Overviews already show tone shifts, often aligning with query intent beyond keywords. This report offers a possible explanation. Unverified. Google hasn’t confirmed the leak. As Berreby noted in his report: “I’ve decided to share only a fraction of the leaked internal system information with the general public. I’m not sharing any sensitive data. This isn’t a zero-day exploit. This is a tiny leak.” The report. This Gemini Leak Means You Can’t Outrank a Feeling View the full article

Google is giving retailers more firepower to promote loyalty program benefits directly within product listings — expanding the program internationally and into its newest AI-powered shopping experiences. What’s new. Merchants can now highlight member pricing and exclusive shipping options directly on listings. Loyalty annotations have also expanded to local inventory ads and regional Shopping ads — making it easier to promote in-store or geography-specific perks. Why we care. The more you can personalize an offer for a shopper, the better. Embedding member perks into the moment of purchase discovery — rather than requiring a separate loyalty app or webpage — makes programs more visible and more likely to drive sign-ups. By the numbers. According to Google, some retailers have reported up to a 20% lift in click-through rates when showing tailored offers to existing loyalty members. The big picture. Loyalty benefits will now appear on Google’s AI-first surfaces, including AI Mode and Gemini, putting member offers in front of shoppers at an entirely new layer of the search experience. Where it’s available. The expansion covers 14 countries — Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the US. How to get started. Merchants activate the loyalty add-on in Merchant Center, configure member tiers, and set up pricing and shipping attributes. Connecting Customer Match lists in Google Ads is required to display strikethrough pricing and shipping perks to known members. Don’t miss. US merchants can apply to join a pilot that uses Customer Match as a relationship data source for free listings — potentially expanding loyalty reach without additional ad spend. View the full article

In a significant case highlighting the risks of pandemic-related fraud, a Louisiana woman has been charged for her alleged role in a scheme that attempted to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Lisa Lemoine, 38, from Bossier City, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a serious offense that could lead to a lengthy prison sentence and hefty fines. Lemoine’s case is part of a broader crackdown on fraudulent activity linked to the pandemic relief funds that many small businesses relied on during the economic downturn. Small business owners need to be aware of the implications of this case, both in terms of potential risks and the lessons it offers. Key Benefits of Understanding This Case Recognizing the risks inherent in pandemic relief programs like the PPP can help small business owners safeguard their operations. While these initiatives were designed to provide crucial funding, their complexity can occasionally lead to unintentional missteps or, worse, fraudulent activity. Arming yourself with knowledge from situations like Lemoine’s can ensure that your business avoids similar pitfalls. It’s also a reminder that government agencies are actively monitoring PPP fraud. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, along with various federal agents, announced the charge, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. This task force has been created to protect legitimate businesses and prosecute fraudsters. Increased monitoring means legitimate small business owners can feel more secure knowing there are mechanisms in place to combat fraud that can undermine the integrity of relief programs. Real-World Implications for Small Business Owners Lemoine allegedly conspired with others to submit fraudulent PPP applications, recruiting borrowers who were ineligible while claiming they operated qualifying businesses. These actions resulted in significant financial gain for the conspirators, who allegedly collected fees amounting to up to 30 percent of the loan amounts. The implications for small business owners are critical: understanding eligibility requirements and ensuring that applications are completed accurately is vital for compliance and integrity. Moreover, this situation sheds light on the importance of transparency. Small business owners should carefully vet their applications and maintain accurate financial documentation. Engaging with knowledgeable financial advisors or legal counsel could mitigate risks and help navigate the complexities of future programs. Potential Challenges Ahead While PPP provided essential support, it also opened doors for fraud. The Lemoine case serves as a warning. Fraudulent schemes are not limited to those exploiting the system; even legitimate small businesses can inadvertently attract scrutiny if not diligent in their application processes. Additionally, as investigations ramp up, businesses may face increased pressure to verify their claims and ensure compliance with all stipulations set forth by the government. This may also necessitate additional resources and time that smaller operations may not have readily available. “Collaboration between government agencies is vital as we continue to combat and prevent fraudulent activities related to COVID-19 relief,” said Foley. Understanding this collaborative approach can guide small business owners in navigating their own compliance needs, ensuring they adhere to guidelines set forth by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other regulatory bodies. This case underscores the importance of vigilance. Business owners should not only familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations surrounding loan applications but also stay informed on potential fraud. Those with knowledge of fraudulent activities can report their concerns to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline, ensuring accountability and safeguarding their business environment. Lemoine’s path through the legal system reminds us of the critical balance that exists in trying to access available funds while maintaining integrity. For small businesses, the takeaway is clear: In a landscape rife with opportunities and challenges, grounding business practices in transparency and compliance not only fortifies reputations but preserves the trust essential for future funding initiatives. For more information on this case, you can visit the original SBA announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Louisiana Woman Pleads Guilty in Multi-State PPP Fraud Scheme" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In a significant case highlighting the risks of pandemic-related fraud, a Louisiana woman has been charged for her alleged role in a scheme that attempted to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Lisa Lemoine, 38, from Bossier City, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a serious offense that could lead to a lengthy prison sentence and hefty fines. Lemoine’s case is part of a broader crackdown on fraudulent activity linked to the pandemic relief funds that many small businesses relied on during the economic downturn. Small business owners need to be aware of the implications of this case, both in terms of potential risks and the lessons it offers. Key Benefits of Understanding This Case Recognizing the risks inherent in pandemic relief programs like the PPP can help small business owners safeguard their operations. While these initiatives were designed to provide crucial funding, their complexity can occasionally lead to unintentional missteps or, worse, fraudulent activity. Arming yourself with knowledge from situations like Lemoine’s can ensure that your business avoids similar pitfalls. It’s also a reminder that government agencies are actively monitoring PPP fraud. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, along with various federal agents, announced the charge, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. This task force has been created to protect legitimate businesses and prosecute fraudsters. Increased monitoring means legitimate small business owners can feel more secure knowing there are mechanisms in place to combat fraud that can undermine the integrity of relief programs. Real-World Implications for Small Business Owners Lemoine allegedly conspired with others to submit fraudulent PPP applications, recruiting borrowers who were ineligible while claiming they operated qualifying businesses. These actions resulted in significant financial gain for the conspirators, who allegedly collected fees amounting to up to 30 percent of the loan amounts. The implications for small business owners are critical: understanding eligibility requirements and ensuring that applications are completed accurately is vital for compliance and integrity. Moreover, this situation sheds light on the importance of transparency. Small business owners should carefully vet their applications and maintain accurate financial documentation. Engaging with knowledgeable financial advisors or legal counsel could mitigate risks and help navigate the complexities of future programs. Potential Challenges Ahead While PPP provided essential support, it also opened doors for fraud. The Lemoine case serves as a warning. Fraudulent schemes are not limited to those exploiting the system; even legitimate small businesses can inadvertently attract scrutiny if not diligent in their application processes. Additionally, as investigations ramp up, businesses may face increased pressure to verify their claims and ensure compliance with all stipulations set forth by the government. This may also necessitate additional resources and time that smaller operations may not have readily available. “Collaboration between government agencies is vital as we continue to combat and prevent fraudulent activities related to COVID-19 relief,” said Foley. Understanding this collaborative approach can guide small business owners in navigating their own compliance needs, ensuring they adhere to guidelines set forth by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other regulatory bodies. This case underscores the importance of vigilance. Business owners should not only familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations surrounding loan applications but also stay informed on potential fraud. Those with knowledge of fraudulent activities can report their concerns to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline, ensuring accountability and safeguarding their business environment. Lemoine’s path through the legal system reminds us of the critical balance that exists in trying to access available funds while maintaining integrity. For small businesses, the takeaway is clear: In a landscape rife with opportunities and challenges, grounding business practices in transparency and compliance not only fortifies reputations but preserves the trust essential for future funding initiatives. For more information on this case, you can visit the original SBA announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Louisiana Woman Pleads Guilty in Multi-State PPP Fraud Scheme" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A new investigation from Sen. Ed Markey has zeroed in on the human staffers who operate behind-the-scenes at self-driving car companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox. While many of these companies emphasize that they seek to automate most aspects of driving, they still depend on humans to assist these cars when their software encounters confusing situations—or fails. The investigation began at the beginning of February and was led by Markey, who has taken a particular interest in the self-driving car industry. The study involved sending letters to seven companies working on autonomous vehicles—Aurora, May Mobility, Motional, Nuro, Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox—and asking them detailed questions about when and how they deploy human remote operators or assistants. None of the seven companies that Markey’s office reached out to were willing to share how often human staffers need to help their autonomous vehicles reorient themselves, Markey’s investigation found. The office’s research also found that Waymo is the only autonomous vehicle company that relies on staffers based outside the U.S. to help assist its driving system, and that it’s the only company that employs a large share of workers who perform this role without holding a U.S. driver’s license. “My investigation revealed a wide range of concerning practices,” Markey said in a statement, “from employees assisting vehicles from overseas to wide variations in communication lag times between vehicles and human operators.” The use of remote vehicle assistant workers raises several concerns, including questions over latency and the lack of consistent standards across the emergent self-driving industry. Another concern is fatigue on the part of remote operators, and the risk that they might mislead or cause a robotaxi to engage in dangerous behavior. City officials in cities like San Francisco are also worried about unplanned stops, and their impact on local traffic and emergency operations. A recent Fast Company investigation, which analyzed dozens of reports filed by public transit operators in San Francisco, also highlighted concerns with the quality of the call centers used by public officials to reach these companies, including remote teams who are supposed to respond to emergency events, when their technology suffers an issue. The Fast Company investigation also highlighted the issue of unplanned stops, which can require a Waymo remote operator, someone on the company’s event response team, or even a city first responder to intervene. Importantly, these companies frequently emphasize that their software is not designed for remote vehicle operation. Instead, companies maintain that remote assistance teams are simply advising software, and they emphasize it’s possible for vehicles to ignore context or suggestions by remote teams. In their letters to Markey’s office, which formed the basis of the investigation, many defended their approach to remote operations, or pushed back on Markey’s characterization of the risks. Still, Markey wrote on Tuesday to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging the agency to conduct a further investigation. In his letter, Markey acknowledged that remote operators indeed can help AVs operate safely, but lack adequate oversight and safeguards. “These results reveal an industry that is deeply opaque about its reliance on human operators, resistant to meaningful accountability, and in urgent need of federal oversight,” he wrote, referring to his investigation. He soon plans to propose legislation addressing the human operators involved in the self-driving car industry. Markey has previously co-sponsored proposed legislation that would limit where self-driving cars can operate, and criticized these companies at a recent hearing on autonomous vehicles. View the full article