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If you're an avid e-book reader or someone who has an extensive library of Kindle content, now is the time to back up your books. Starting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, readers will no longer be able to download Kindle e-books to a computer, where you can convert the file from Amazon's proprietary, Kindle-specific .AZW3 to a different format for a non-Kindle e-reader. Once this feature has been eliminated, Kindle e-books can only be transferred to a Kindle device via a wifi or cellular connection or accessed via the Kindle app or Kindle for web. While users who read primarily in the Kindle app or on a Kindle device may not miss this feature, its loss does make it impossible to convert Kindle books to be compatible with other e-readers or to share them. Plus, if Amazon removes a title you've purchased or loses the license to it in the future, you won't have access to it. How to download and save your Kindle booksTo download your Kindle books to your computer now, sign into your Amazon account and go to Accounts & Lists > Content Library > Book. Find the book you want to download from the list, open the More actions menu to the right, and select Download & transfer via USB. The pop-up window will alert you to the impending doom of the USB download with the following message: "Starting February 26, 2025, the 'Download & Transfer via USB' option will no longer be available. You can still send Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled devices by selecting the 'Deliver or Remove from Device' option." Until then, you can select your device and hit Download, which will save the file to your computer as a .AZW3 file. Unfortunately, there's no bulk download option, so you'll have to go one by one. You can then transfer books to your Kindle by connecting it using your USB cord and copying the file to the Kindle drive that appears on your desktop. Alternatively, you can convert it to other formats (like PDF) for reading on other devices via a tool like CloudConvert. View the full article

Asana is popular project management software, but does it have all the features project managers and their teams need? Let’s narrow the focus and spotlight one feature, the Asana dashboard. Does the tool have this feature and, if it does, how robust is it? A dashboard is essential for monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as time tracking, work management and more. Is an Asana dashboard up to the task? Let’s find out! We’ll review Asana, see if it has a dashboard and explore alternatives that might better serve project teams. What Is Asana? Asana is project management software designed to help teams and individuals organize work, collaborate and stay on top of deadlines. It allows users to create tasks, assign them to team members, set deadlines, track progress and communicate about projects in real time. The software has different views, such as the list view, board view and calendar view, which help users manage their workflows in a way that works best for them. That makes the tool widely used for managing everything from simple to complex projects in various industries. While used for project management, Asana is more of a comprehensive work management platform that helps teams coordinate and manage their tasks, projects and workflows in one place. It’s designed to increase productivity, improve communication and ensure that work progresses efficiently. Features found on the software include collaboration tools that allow team members to comment directly on tasks, share files, tag others and mention them in comments to ensure everyone stays updated. There are also customizable workflows, a timeline that is similar to, but not as robust as a Gantt chart and workload management to prevent overloading team members. Does Asana Have a Dashboard? That’s a fair amount of project management features, but the reason we’re here is to see if there is an Asana dashboard. Any project management software worth its price will have a dashboard to provide a high-level overview of the project’s progress and performance. Short Answer: Yes, Asana Has a Dashboard There is an Asana dashboard. It provides the basics one would expect, such as an overview of the team’s projects and tasks. While the tool helps track progress and spot potential bottlenecks, these are the bare minimum users should expect from the dashboard, which leaves many users looking for an Asana alternative. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Asana-dashboard.jpeg Long Answer: Asana Dashboards Lack Key Features for Project Management An Asana dashboard doesn’t measure up to other dashboard tools found in other, more powerful project management software. Let’s look at just a few of the features missing from this dashboard. No Cost or Budget Data: Asana dashboards don’t natively track financial metrics like project costs, budgets, or expenses, which are critical for teams managing resources and budgets. External tools or integrations are needed to fill this gap. Not Suitable for Project Portfolio Management: Asana dashboards are primarily project-specific and lack robust tools to manage portfolios. They don’t provide an overarching view of all projects, resource allocation, or prioritization across a portfolio without additional customization or integrations. No Planned vs. Actual Data: Asana does not offer a native feature to automatically compare planned timelines, effort or costs with actual outcomes. Users must rely on manual inputs or external tools for this functionality, which can be time-consuming and prone to error. For those looking for an alternative to the lightweight Asana dashboard, other project management software products on the market are designed with project managers and their teams in mind. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has real-time project and portfolio management dashboards. Our dashboards provide cost and budget data, can monitor one project, a program or a portfolio of projects and compare the planned effort against the actual effort so project managers get the insights they need to adjust resources as necessary to keep projects on track. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Light-mode-portfolio-dashboard-CTA.pngProjectManager’s dashboard is more powerful and useful than an Asana dashboard. Learn more Cons of Making an Asana Dashboard We’ve noted a few of the issues with an Asana dashboard, but there are more disadvantages. That’s because their dashboard is only part of the larger software product they offer, which has many problems that any project team should be aware of. While Asana is a popular tool, there are cons to consider. This is especially true when using features like the Asana dashboard. Let’s break down the cons of using a dashboard in Asana and some general drawbacks of the platform itself. Limited Timeline Functionality Some refer to this feature as a Gantt chart. It is not. At best, this is a lightweight version of a Gantt chart. It can be used to create task dependencies and visualize project timelines but lacks some of the more advanced features that full-fledged Gantt chart tools like ProjectManager offer. Related: Asana Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives For example, there is no baseline tracking, which means that an Asana dashboard can’t provide vital information on the current status compared to where the project was planned to be at that time. There’s also no advanced critical path analysis and more intricate dependency handling is limited or absent. Asana Dashboard Customization Limitations Customization options can be restrictive. Users can’t always tailor the dashboard to exactly match their team’s needs, such as adding complex metrics of different types of widgets. The level of insight is therefore limited compared to specialized reporting tools or business intelligence platforms. Data Overload If teams have multiple projects, the Asana dashboard can quickly become overwhelming, with too many metrics and updates. It can be a challenge to prioritize what’s most important, and users might find themselves sifting through unnecessary information. The visual clutter might make it harder to find key insights. Not Ideal for Complex Reporting An Asana dashboard gives an overview of the status of tasks, but it’s not designed for deep data analysis or complex reporting. For those looking for more advanced analytics, like custom metrics or the ability to track performance across different teams and departments, this dashboard falls short. How to Make an Asana Dashboard Better With ProjectManager If one wants to make an Asana dashboard better or enhance the reporting and project management experience, make the dashboard better by getting it into a real project management software, like ProjectManager with robust Gantt charts, reporting features and task dependency management. See for yourself by following these steps. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/asana-pm-dashboard-import.png 1. Export Your Asana Project Open the project in Asana and, in the project menu, look for the export/import option. Select export to CSV and download that file, which will contain the project data. 2. Select the Excel File and Import Into ProjectManager Now, start a free trial with ProjectManager, no credit card is required. Log into the account and go to the projects tab. Then, select import and choose the CSV file that was exported from Asana. Upload that file into ProjectManager. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Gantt-import-light-mode.png 3. Add the Data to a New or Existing Project When prompted, decide if you want to create a new project or add the data to an existing project in ProjectManager. If you choose to add the data to an existing project, make sure the project in ProjectManager aligns with the Asana project structure or manually match the task categories and columns. 4. Choose What Data to Import & Toggle to the Dashboard View Once the file is uploaded, ProjectManager asks which data to import. The user can add all the data or choose the specific task details to import, such as task name, assignee, due dates, priority level and progress status. The software will map these fields from the Asana project to the corresponding fields in ProjectManager. You’ll also want to set a baseline on the Gantt chart to compare planned vs. actual data on the dashboard. Then, toggle to the dashboard to access the live project data. 5. Success! View Asana Dashboard Data in ProjectManager After these steps, your import has been completed successfully. Now users can view the project in more advanced ways, such as on Gantt charts, which link all four types of task dependencies. There’s also time tracking and robust reporting. ProjectManager Has a Better Dashboard Than Asana After taking a project for a spin through our software it will quickly become apparent that ProjectManager’s dashboard makes an Asana dashboard feel old and tired. Our software has more advanced and feature-rich dashboards that give users comprehensive project tracking and reporting capabilities. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages of using our dashboard. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Dashboard: ProjectManager has PPM features, including a dashboard that consolidates data from multiple projects and allows project, program and portfolio managers to make informed decisions with real-time information, whereas an Asana dashboard is focused solely on individual project tracking. Planned vs. Actual Project Management Data: ProjectManager shows planned vs. actual data for timelines, tasks and milestones across all projects through visual charts on the dashboard and its Gantt charts. Asana does not have as sophisticated, integrated tools for comparing planned vs. actual in real time across all projects. Progress Tracking: ProjectManager has a variety of ways to track project milestones, task completion percentages and the overall health of a project, while Asana is more simplistic, primarily tracking task completion and the project timeline. Cost Tracking: With ProjectManager, users can track budget vs. actual expenses in real time, as it integrates cost management directly into project timelines. In contrast, Asana does not offer integrated cost tracking. It lacks in-depth cost management and reporting features. Workload Management Data: ProjectManager’s dashboard provides a workload management dashboard that gives a view of team capacity, which helps managers distribute work evenly across resources and enables resource leveling and identification of bottlenecks in workload distribution. An Asana dashboard has a workload view but doesn’t offer the same depth of resource management and reporting, especially for cross-project resource balancing. Slippage Reporting: ProjectManager automatically tracks task delays, project milestone slippage and overall project timeline drift, generating reports that help project managers address issues early on. Asana requires manual tracking and doesn’t have a specialized reporting feature that tracks slippage across tasks and projects in the same detailed way. Asana Dashboard Example We’ve only shared a screenshot of an Asana dashboard. But to give the tool its due, let’s look at one in action to drill down a bit on what it is and what it is doing. Below is another screenshot of the dashboard in action. It’s made up of a couple of graphs and some summary data. As we’ll see, the data is helpful but not as robust as project managers need to deliver projects successfully. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Asana-dashboard-example.png The top row summarizes the amount of complete, incomplete and overdue tasks. It also lists all the project tasks, which helps project managers figure out how close they are to delivering the project. There’s a pie chart underneath that with a regional request breakdown. A bar chart shows the work progress status. How to Make a Dashboard In Asana We’ve not discussed how many project management software products are hard to make and don’t automatically generate dashboards as with ProjectManager. These tools require excessive manual work, confusing user interfaces and limited reporting flexibility. However, for those who want to go through the trouble of making an Asana dashboard, first choose the right view for the dashboard. Asana offers several ways to visualize project data, such as with lists, boards, timelines and dashboards. The latter is its native reporting tool, where users can create custom dashboards to show charts, graphs and other widgets based on project data. To create a dashboard report, click on “create a new report.” Choose the type of report (e.g., task completion, overdue tasks, etc.). Users can filter data by projects, teams, assignees or task status. Then customize the widgets (such as bar charts or pie charts) to show the specific information. Why ProjectManager Is Better Project Tracking Software Than Asana If that sounds like a lot of work, it is. Who has the time to manually configure an Asana dashboard when managing projects? There are better alternatives to Asana. Project management professionals want a tool that is efficient and effective at more than task and work management. They don’t want something like Asana that requires them to step away from managing their project to manage their project management software. That’s why project managers and their teams prefer ProjectManager, award-winning project and portfolio management software with real-time project and portfolio dashboards that are ready when they need them. Plan, Schedule and Track With Multiple Project Management Views Just like Asana, ProjectManager has multiple project views. There are list views that prioritize tasks, track progress and have task-level data. Kanban boards visualize workload and calendar views offer a monthly overview of projects. Then there are our powerful Gantt charts, which are not a glorified timeline, as with Asana’s, but a tool that schedules tasks, resources and costs, adds milestones and assigns teams. But they go beyond that to link all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays and cost overruns, filter for the critical path without complex and time-consuming calculations and then set a baseline to track progress in real time. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-1.png Track Costs with Online Timesheets, Workload Charts and Reports Our software has other features that keep track of progress, performance and cost. For example, our online timesheets are secure and streamline payroll. However, they also provide a window into labor costs, which are essential to managing to keep projects on budget. When onboarding teams, availability and hourly rates can be set. Workload charts are color-coded to provide an overview of resource allocation. This allows project managers to see who is overallocated or underutilized. They can then balance the workload from that page and keep teams working at capacity without risking burnout. Customizable reports can be generated in a keystroke to provide more data, and they can be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.png Related Asana Content Still not convinced that an Asana dashboard isn’t the right project management tool? Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. More information might be helpful. Check out these recent posts on Asana Gantt charts, how Asana rates against alternatives such as Trello, Monday.com and Microsoft Project. Asana Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives Best Asana Alternatives of 2025 (Free + Paid) Asana vs. Microsoft Project: In-Depth Comparison Trello vs Asana: Side-by-Side Comparison Asana vs. Monday: In-Depth Software Comparison ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Asana Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Information on the internet might seem like it’s there forever, but it’s only as permanent as people choose to make it. That’s apparent as the second Trump administration “floods the zone” with efforts to dismantle science agencies and the data and websites they use to communicate with the public. The targets range from public health and demographics to climate science. We are a research librarian and policy scholar who belong to a network called the Public Environmental Data Partners, a coalition of nonprofits, archivists and researchers who rely on federal data in our analysis, advocacy and litigation and are working to ensure that data remains available to the public. In just the first three weeks of Trump’s term, we saw agencies remove access to at least a dozen climate and environmental justice analysis tools. The new administration also scrubbed the phrase “climate change” from government websites, as well as terms like “resilience.” Here’s why and how Public Environmental Data Partners and others are making sure that the climate science the public depends on is available forever. Why government websites and data matter The internet and the availability of data are necessary for innovation, research and daily life. Climate scientists analyze NASA satellite observations and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather records to understand changes underway in the Earth system, what’s causing them and how to protect the climates that economies were built on. Other researchers use these sources alongside Census Bureau data to understand who is most affected by climate change. And every day, people around the world log onto the Environmental Protection Agency’s website to learn how to protect themselves from hazards — and to find out what the government is or isn’t doing to help. If the data and tools used to understand complex data are abruptly taken off the internet, the work of scientists, civil society organizations and government officials themselves can grind to a halt. The generation of scientific data and analysis by government scientists is also crucial. Many state governments run environmental protection and public health programs that depend on science and data collected by federal agencies. Removing information from government websites also makes it harder for the public to effectively participate in key processes of democracy, including changes to regulations. When an agency proposes to repeal a rule, for example, it is required to solicit comments from the public, who often depend on government websites to find information relevant to the rule. And when web resources are altered or taken offline, it breeds mistrust in both government and science. Government agencies have collected climate data, conducted complex analyses, provided funding and hosted data in a publicly accessible manner for years. People around the word understand climate change in large part because of U.S. federal data. Removing it deprives everyone of important information about their world. Bye-bye data? The first Trump administration removed discussions of climate change and climate policies widely across government websites. However, in our research with the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative over those first four years, we didn’t find evidence that datasets had been permanently deleted. The second Trump administration seems different, with more rapid and pervasive removal of information. In response, groups involved in Public Environmental Data Partners have been archiving climate datasets our community has prioritized, uploading copies to public repositories and cataloging where and how to find them if they go missing from government websites. As of Feb. 13, 2025, we hadn’t seen the destruction of climate science records. Many of these data collection programs, such as those at NOAA or EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, are required by Congress. However, the administration had limited or eliminated access to a lot of data. Maintaining tools for understanding climate change We’ve seen a targeted effort to systematically remove tools like dashboards that summarize and visualize the social dimensions of climate change. For instance, the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool mapped low-income and other marginalized communities that are expected to experience severe climate changes, such as crop losses and wildfires. The mapping tool was taken offline shortly after Trump’s first set of executive orders. Most of the original data behind the mapping tool, like the wildfire risk predictions, is still available, but is now harder to find and access. But because the mapping tool was developed as an open-source project, we were able to recreate it. Preserving websites for the future In some cases, entire webpages are offline. For instance, the page for the 25-year-old Climate Change Center at the Department of Transportation doesn’t exist anymore. The link just sends visitors back to the department’s homepage. Other pages have limited access. For instance, EPA hasn’t yet removed its climate change pages, but it has removed “climate change” from its navigation menu, making it harder to find those pages. Fortunately, our partners at the End of Term Web Archive have captured snapshots of millions of government webpages and made them accessible through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. The group has done this after each administration since 2008. If you’re looking at a webpage and you think it should include a discussion of climate change, use the “changes” tool“ in the Wayback Machine to check if the language has been altered over time, or navigate to the site’s snapshots of the page before Trump’s inauguration. What you can do You can also find archived climate and environmental justice datasets and tools on the Public Environmental Data Partners website. Other groups are archiving datasets linked in the Data.gov data portal and making them findable in other locations. Individual researchers are also uploading datasets in searchable repositories like OSF, run by the Center for Open Science. If you are worried that certain data currently still available might disappear, consult this checklist from MIT Libraries. It provides steps for how you can help safeguard federal data. Narrowing the knowledge sphere What’s unclear is how far the administration will push its attempts to remove, block or hide climate data and science, and how successful it will be. Already, a federal district court judge has ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s removal of access to public health resources that doctors rely on was harmful and arbitrary. These were put back online thanks to that ruling. We worry that more data and information removals will narrow public understanding of climate change, leaving people, communities and economies unprepared and at greater risk. While data archiving efforts can stem the tide of removals to some extent, there is no replacement for the government research infrastructures that produce and share climate data. Eric Nost is an associate professor of geography at the University of Guelph. Alejandro Paz is an energy and environment librarian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

The state's insurance commissioner made the change following analysis of title industry profits and expenses in Texas provided by its stakeholders. View the full article

These home lenders with under 100 employees are considered among their staffs the best mortgage company to work for in 2025. View the full article

Parent company Remax is reporting growing momentum in Wemlo, its technology unit that offers processing automation for loan brokers, which hiked prices last year. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. I’ve reached a state of eating that I shall call “Deep Winter.” I know there are much colder environments in the world, but my weak New York City constitution makes it impossible to have fun out in the 20-degree weather. I prefer to stay indoors, comment on the snow like a Progressive commercial, and cook hot comfort food. If you share any of these inclinations, I’ve got a great cookbook for you: Fix Me a Plate. A bit about the bookFix Me a Plate is a collection of soul food recipes, both traditionally prepared and dishes with a twist. This cookbook comes to us from chef Scotty Scott, and was published in 2022. It reads as much like a cookbook as it does a personal account of how Scott came to be a chef and his family history with some dishes. I know personal stories are meant to “hook” us, but dammit, it just works. I’m hooked. Probably because we all have some special history with different meals, and many of us can relate to the feeling of choosing one career path and realizing later that maybe we should be feeding our creative side. This book has 60 recipes, from side dishes to sweets, and each one is written with a refreshing dose of Scott’s personality. Many cookbooks take on the air of something official, or the wisened scientific approach. I love that, and there’s a place for that. But cooking is also a joyous activity that you can mess with. Fix Me a Plate is fun to read, and it feels like a friend is teaching you their recipes. There’s space for substitutions and wiggle room with spices. It’s like when the boss is out of work for the day: You get your work done, but you can talk to your buddy for a little longer too. Fix Me a Plate: Traditional and New School Soul Food Recipes from Scotty Scott of Cook Drank Eat $9.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $9.99 at Amazon A great cookbook for hearty eatsEvery recipe in this book looks like I could just nestle in its arms and fall asleep—from the Chicken and Brown Butter Sweet Potato Waffles to Slow and Low Red Beans and Rice. This is not a “diet” cookbook. There isn’t a leafy green salad in sight. There’s nothing dainty in here, and I like it. The last thing I want right now is a light meal that leaves me searching for a snack 20 minutes later. This is the cookbook you grab when your family is grumpy or your weekend getaway plans get ruined. It's the one you reach for when you have something or someone to celebrate or, heck, when you just want to feel full. It works for me in my current state of Deep Winter because all I seem to be craving are soups, stews, powerfully savory meats, beans, and saucy vegetables. Oh, and I almost forgot—carbs. Few things are as delicious to me as pasta, bread, grits, potatoes, or rice with some sort of gravy situation. Fix Me a Plate has it all. As an added benefit (and surely unexpected when it published in 2022), Scott doesn’t eat stand-alone eggs. You won’t be missing out on any breakfast scrambles, omelets, or quiche recipes in here because of skyrocketing egg prices. Of course, there are recipes where eggs are mixed in, but he keeps them to a minimum. (If you need other eggless breakfast ideas, read here.) The dish I made this week Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann I have a bag of shrimp in my freezer this week, (it’s part of my cheap eats shopping list) so I settled on the Blackened Shrimp and Fried Polenta recipe from The Soul Remix chapter. It wasn’t the simplest of recipes I could have chosen—there are multiple components with the polenta, chopped veggies, and shrimp—but it was completely worth the effort. I appreciate how Scott organizes the ingredient list in separate sections if the recipe includes multiple parts, which they often do. Some cookbooks just have a long running list, but seeing what I need for the polenta separated from the shrimp component is less overwhelming. Many of the recipes, including this one, encourage you to take advantage of spices and small amounts of fresh and dried ingredients. The shrimp sauce uses a mixture of dried spices, dried herbs, aromatics, and shrimp stock—shrimp stock that Scott includes a recipe for in the Sauce and Spice section. I made my shrimp stock a little differently, but I did make it myself after shelling my shrimp, and what an incredible difference it made. Each ingredient intentionally layers flavors and aromas, so when you finally chow down, each bite boasts a robust depth of flavor. I had to stop myself from making the Southern Raised Biscuits with Spicy Sausage Cream Gravy (I had just made a loaf of Irish soda bread so I needed to focus), but it’s next on my list. How to buy itFix Me a Plate is available in softcover online, or as an ebook for a great price. But you know me: I’d rather you go to a big, old, gloriously dusty bookstore. Support your local one when you can, even if it’s not dusty; let’s keep them in business. Check their shelves for this cookbook or see if they can order it to their location. View the full article

Since Donald Trump regained the presidency, he has coveted Greenland. Trump has insisted that the U.S. will control the island, currently an autonomous territory of Denmark, and if his overtures are rejected, perhaps seize Greenland by force. During a recent congressional hearing, senators and expert witnesses focused on Greenland’s strategic value and its natural resources: critical minerals, fossil fuels and hydropower. No one mentioned the hazards, many of them exacerbated by human-induced climate change, that those longing to possess and develop the island will inevitably encounter. That’s imprudent, because the Arctic’s climate is changing more rapidly than anywhere on Earth. Such rapid warming further increases the already substantial economic and personal risk for those living, working and extracting resources on Greenland, and for the rest of the planet. I am a geoscientist who studies the environmental history of Greenland and its ice sheet, including natural hazards and climate change. That knowledge is essential for understanding the risks that military and extractive efforts face on Greenland today and in the future. Greenland: Land of extremes Greenland is unlike where most people live. The climate is frigid. For much of the year, sea ice clings to the coast, making it inaccessible. An ice sheet, up to 2 miles thick, covers more than 80% of the island. The population, about 56,000 people, lives along the island’s steep, rocky coastline. While researching my book “When the Ice is Gone,” I discovered how Greenland’s harsh climate and vast wilderness stymied past colonial endeavors. During World War II, dozens of U.S. military pilots, disoriented by thick fog and running out of fuel, crashed onto the ice sheet. An iceberg from Greenland sunk the Titanic in 1912, and 46 years later, another sunk a Danish vessel specifically designed to fend off ice, killing all 95 aboard. Now amplified by climate change, natural hazards make resource extraction and military endeavors in Greenland uncertain, expensive and potentially deadly. Rock on the move Greenland’s coastal landscape is prone to rockslides. The hazard arises because the coast is where people live and where rock isn’t hidden under the ice sheet. In some places, that rock contains critical minerals, such as gold, as well as other rare metals used for technology, including for circuit boards and electrical vehicle batteries. The unstable slopes reflect how the ice sheet eroded the deep fjords when it was larger. Now that the ice has melted, nothing buttresses the near-vertical valley walls, and so, they collapse. A massive rockslide, triggered by permafrost melt, tumbled down the fjord wall and into the water at Assapaat, West Greenland. [Photo: Kristian Svennevig/GEUS] In 2017, a northwestern Greenland mountainside fell 3,000 feet into the deep waters of the fjord below. Moments later, the wave that rockfall generated (a tsunami) washed over the nearby villages of Nuugaatsiaq and Illorsuit. The water, laden with icebergs and sea ice, ripped homes from their foundations as people and sled dogs ran for their lives. By the time it was over, four people were dead and both villages lay in ruin. Steep fjord walls around the island are littered with the scars of past rockslides. The evidence shows that at one point in the last 10,000 years, one of those slides dropped rock sufficient to fill 3.2 million Olympic swimming pools into the water below. In 2023, another rockslide triggered a tsunami that sloshed back and forth for nine days in a Greenland fjord. There’s no network of paved roads across Greenland. The only feasible way to move heavy equipment, minerals and fossil fuels would be by sea. Docks, mines and buildings within tens of feet of sea level would be vulnerable to rockslide-induced tsunamis. Melting ice will be deadly and expensive Human-induced global warming, driven by fossil fuel combustion, speeds the melting of Greenland’s ice. That melting is threatening the island’s infrastructure and the lifestyles of native people, who over millennia have adapted their transportation and food systems to the presence of snow and ice. Record floods, fed by warmth-induced melting of the ice sheet, have recently swept away bridges that stood for half a century. As the climate warms, permafrost – frozen rock and soil – which underlies the island, thaws. This destabilizes the landscape, weakening steep slopes and damaging critical infrastructure. Permafrost melt is already threatening the U.S. military base on Greenland. As the ice melts and the ground settles under runways, cracks and craters form – a hazard for airplanes. Buildings tilt as their foundations settle into the softening soil, including critical radar installations that have scanned the skies for missiles and bombers since the 1950s. Greenland’s icebergs can threaten oil rigs. As the warming climate speeds the flow of Greenland’s glaciers, they calve more icebergs in the ocean. The problem is worse close to Greenland, but some icebergs drift toward Canada, endangering oil rigs there. Ships stand guard, ready to tow threatening icebergs away. Greenland’s government banned drilling for fossil fuels in 2021 out of concern for the environment. Yet, Trump and his allies remain eager to see exploration resume off the island, despite exceptionally high costs, less than stellar results from initial drilling, and the ever-present risk of icebergs. As Greenland’s ice melts and water flows into the ocean, sea level changes, but in ways that might not be intuitive. Away from the island, sea level is rising about an inch each six years. But close to the ice sheet, it’s the land that’s rising. Gradually freed of the weight of its ice, the rock beneath Greenland, long depressed by the massive ice sheet, rebounds. That rise is rapid – more than 6 feet per century. Soon, many harbors in Greenland may become too shallow for ship traffic. Greenland’s challenging past and future History clearly shows that many past military and colonial endeavors failed in Greenland because they showed little consideration of the island’s harsh climate and dynamic ice sheet. Changing climate drove Norse settlers out of Greenland 700 years ago. Explorers trying to cross the ice sheet lost their lives to the cold. American bases built inside the ice sheet, such as Camp Century, were quickly crushed as the encasing snow deformed. In the past, the American focus in Greenland was on short-term gains with little regard for the future. Abandoned U.S. military bases from World War II, scattered around the island and in need of cleanup, are one example. Forced relocation of Greenlandic Inuit communities during the Cold War is another. I believe that Trump’s demands today for American control of the island to exploit its resources are similarly shortsighted. However, when it comes to the planet’s livability, I’ve argued that the greatest strategic and economic value of Greenland to the world is not its location or its natural resources, but its ice. That white snow and ice reflect sunlight, keeping Earth cool. And the ice sheet, perched on land, keeps water out of the ocean. As it melts, Greenland’s ice sheet will raise global sea level, up to about 23 feet when all the ice is gone. Climate-driven sea level rise is already flooding coastal regions around the world, including major economic centers. As that continues, estimates suggest that the damage will total trillions of dollars. Unless Greenland’s ice remains frozen, coastal inundation will force the largest migration that humanity has ever witnessed. Such changes are predicted to destabilize the global economic and strategic world order. These examples show that disregarding the risks of natural hazards and climate change in Greenland courts disaster, both locally and globally. Paul Bierman is a fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment and a professor of natural resources and environmental science at the University of Vermont. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

The official White House social media account is under fire for posts that resemble something typically found on the internet forum 4chan. A post shared on February 14, styled like a Valentine’s card, read, “Roses are red, violets are blue, come here illegally and we’ll deport you.” It has since been viewed 36.6 million times. While many of President Donald Trump’s supporters praised the message, others condemned it as callous. “I thought this was a parody account at first. Absolutely disgusting!” one X user commented. “Classless,” another simply put. Happy Valentine's Day ♥️ pic.twitter.com/6d7qmo7gtz — The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 14, 2025 On February 18, another post tapped into the ASMR trend—short for “autonomous sensory meridian response,” a term for the tingling sensation some people experience in response to certain sounds or visuals. The video featured audio of a plane, chains clinking against the ground, handcuffs being fastened, and footsteps ascending a metal staircase. It was titled, “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.” ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight 🔊 pic.twitter.com/O6L1iYt9b4 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 18, 2025 X owner and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk reposted the video writing, “Haha, wow,” accompanied by Frankenstein and gold medal emojis. Many commenters, however, were alarmed by the apparent trivialization of a serious humanitarian issue. “And you’re telling me this isn’t a fascist dictatorship? Making ‘ASMR’ about a human being being deported is beyond cruel. That’s some cartoon type evil,” one wrote. Another commented: “As a European watching this reality show called ‘American Politics’ unfold, I didn’t think they could go any lower at this point.” The White House posts signal a shift in tone and strategy from the norm for official accounts of those governing the country. Rather than maintaining a neutral, bureaucratic voice, the White House’s official X account now resembles that of a social media troll. In response to the backlash, White House spokesman Harrison Fields told The New York Times, “President Trump is committed to using every direct line of communication to the American people.” While the 2024 election—and the interminable discourse surrounding Kamala HQ and Brat summer—proved there is room within politics for internet lingo, the question remains: Where should the line be drawn for an official government account? View the full article

The European Commission is preparing to charge Google with violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) after the tech giant’s proposed changes to search results failed to satisfy regulators and rivals, according to sources familiar with the matter. The big picture. The EU has been investigating Google since March 2023 over concerns that it favors its own services — like Google Shopping, Flights, and Hotels — over competitors in search results. Google’s recent tweaks to search results were meant to address regulator and industry concerns, but critics argue the changes don’t go far enough. The company has warned that further modifications could remove useful features for users. Between the lines. EU regulators are particularly frustrated by Google’s threat to revert search results to basic blue links if stricter demands are imposed. The DMA prohibits self-preferencing by tech giants and carries penalties of up to 10% of global annual revenue. Why we care. The charges mark a major escalation in the EU’s effort to curb Google’s dominance and could result in hefty fines. It also could significantly impact how products and services appear in Google Search results. If the EU forces Google to change its ranking algorithms or display formats, it may create new opportunities for competitors and disrupt existing ad placements Additionally, stricter enforcement of the Digital Markets Act could lead to a more level playing field, potentially reducing Google’s dominance in ad distribution. With heavy reliance on Google’s ecosystem, you should monitor these developments closely to adapt strategies accordingly. What’s next. Google’s charges are expected in the coming months, following decisions on separate DMA investigations into Apple and Meta, which are at more advanced stages. Another probe into Google focuses on whether it restricts app developers from informing users about external offers outside of the Google Play Store. Bottom line. Google is facing mounting regulatory pressure in the EU, and the looming charges could set a major precedent for how the DMA is enforced against Big Tech. View the full article

The US president has shocked allies by opening talks with Moscow and criticising Ukraine. Will this dramatic shift in US foreign policy hold? 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. There are many options these days for smart products to keep our lives organized, like the Skylight Calendar and the Hearth Display, but they often come at a high price and with subscription fees. If you're looking for a cheaper smart display option that is subscription-free, consider the 2021 Amazon Echo Show 15, which is $179.99 (originally $279.99) on Woot, its lowest price yet, according to price-tracking tools. The device itself is new but it comes without a remote—but it's not completely necessary, since it's a touchscreen. (Remember, Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship.) Echo Show 15 Full HD 15.6" smart display with Alexa and Fire TV built in (Remote not included) $179.99 at Woot $279.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $179.99 at Woot $279.99 Save $100.00 The Echo Show 15 is a smart display that can mount to your wall, and like the name implies, it's a 15-inch display. It works like an Alexa smart speaker but with a 1,920 by 1,080-pixel touchscreen. If you're not looking to mount it, there is a stand you can buy separately. The display uses Visual ID to scan your face with the front-facing 5MP camera to show you personalized calendars, reminders, to-do lists, and recommendations to everyone in your household who makes an account. The camera and audio on the Show 15 are underwhelming, according to PCMag's "good" review. You can use it to show photos when not in use, or more practical uses like showing the weather, calendars, or whatever widget you think you'd be using the most. There are better non-mounted smart displays from Amazon, but they come at a higher price. Also, be aware that Amazon will be hosting a major event on February 26 where it's expected to announce new Amazon devices and an improved Alexa. But if you want a smart display to mount on your wall at a low price, this is still a good deal. View the full article

A glance at the day’s headlines reveals a universal truth: Leadership matters. Whether uplifting and ethical or toxic and abusive, leaders profoundly shape our lives. And this is especially true on the job. Research consistently shows that leadership influences employees’ attitudes, behaviors and emotions, driving key organizational outcomes such as creativity, employee engagement, well-being and financial performance. Unfortunately, research also shows that supervisors abuse their employees far too often and then try to manage impressions to compensate for their bad behavior. But what happens when a leader tries to “make up” for past abuse by suddenly acting ethically? And do employees have to experience the abuse firsthand for it to hurt them? As professors who study management – and who’ve heard horror stories of employees working under mercurial bosses – we wanted to find answers. So we conducted a study, which was recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Our research includes multiple samples of full-time employees in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. To begin, we surveyed 222 employees and 66 supervisors to gather insights into workplace leadership and work experiences. We focused on two contrasting leadership behaviors: ethical leadership and abusive supervision. We also conducted experiments with 400 people, presenting them with stories about managers who alternately display both ethical leadership and abusive supervision and asking them how they would respond. Across these studies, we found that employees who experience such oscillating leadership often end up worse off – in terms of their emotional well-being and job performance – than if they were consistently being abused. By going back and forth between abusive and ethical behaviors, leaders create greater confusion, leaving their employees emotionally exhausted. Instead of providing relief, acts of ethical leadership ironically serve to amplify the damage done by prior abusive behavior. Jekyll and Hyde leadership in practice As an example, consider Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple for more than a decade until his death in 2011. While Jobs was an icon to many people, he reportedly swung between toxic and positive leadership behavior while dealing with subordinates. For example, when Jobs’ exacting standards weren’t met, he would reportedly storm into meetings and profanely berate the team responsible for not living up to his lofty expectations. Yet, despite these outbursts, he was also described as a leader who believed in his employees’ potential, expressing unwavering confidence in their abilities and empowering them to exceed their own expectations. This kind of unpredictable leadership can leave workers emotionally exhausted, wondering: “Which version of my boss will show up today? Will this kindness last, or is it just a setup for another blow?” Unsurprisingly, this isn’t good for productivity. Employees value stability and predictability in their leaders. A supervisor who bounces between harsh criticism and warm praise creates an emotional roller coaster for the team. When employees see a supervisor as unpredictable, they experience more stress and emotional exhaustion, which hurts their job performance and willingness to share ideas. Interestingly, we found that workers don’t even need to be directly targeted by an abusive supervisor to be affected; employees whose immediate supervisors get the Jekyll-and-Hyde treatment from their higher-ups suffer similar consequences. These negative reactions occur, in part, because employees begin to doubt that their immediate supervisors are able to effectively influence higher-level leaders. In other words, the psychological toll of Jekyll-and-Hyde leaders isn’t limited to direct encounters but can also be experienced vicariously. How companies can banish Mr. Hyde The good news is that organizations can break this cycle – and workers are likely to be less stressed and more productive when they do. Here are three steps every organization can take: • Train leaders to manage stress without lashing out. High-pressure environments are prevalent these days, but abusive leader behavior doesn’t have to be. Providing leaders with tools like emotional intelligence training and conflict resolution skills can help leaders navigate both personal and professional challenges more constructively. • Address the abusive behavior directly. When abusive actions occur, ignoring them or asking the leader to “be nicer next time” isn’t enough. Structured interventions – like one-on-one coaching, counseling or formal sanctions – are essential for generating real change. Employees need to see that the organization is living up to its stated values and ideals. • Foster a culture of trust and accountability. Tools like 360-degree feedback reports – which involve feedback from supervisors, peers and subordinates – can help leaders gain deeper insight into their behaviors. These can be used not just for development, but also for heightened accountability. Creating a climate of psychological safety – in which employees can report concerns without fear of retaliation – is key to rebuilding trust. So is ensuring clear, consistent responses to reports of abusive supervision. Great leaders understand the power of trust and setting an example. Employees want leaders they can rely on, not ones who keep them guessing. So leaders should be wary about employing ethical leadership as a quick fix for past mistakes. Rather, it’s about showing up consistently, authentically, and with integrity every single day. For leaders at all levels, the takeaway is simple: Consistency fosters success. Organizations that prioritize stable, ethical leadership create workplaces where employees feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work. John Sumanth is a James Farr Fellow & associate professor of management at Wake Forest University. Haoying Xu is an assistant professor of business at Stevens Institute of Technology. Sean Hannah is chair of business ethics and a professor of management at Wake Forest University School of Business at Wake Forest University. Sherry Moss is associate dean of MBA Programs at Wake Forest University School of Business at Wake Forest University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Paint is among the cheapest of home renovations—it freshens things, covers old chips and scratches, and it can make your whole house feel brand new in just a few days. Even if you hire someone to paint a room, the cost isn’t entirely prohibitive—between $350 and $850, on average, per room. That’s pretty cheap compared to other renovation projects, but it’s still a chunk of change. Since painting is generally within most people’s DIY skill set, a lot of folks decide to set aside a weekend, buy some painter’s tape, and tackle the job themselves. If that’s you, here are some tips to make the job a little easier. Liquid masking tapeIf you’re painting a room with windows or any other glass features, you know the pure tedium of applying traditional painter's tape around the edges of the glass (plus the tedium of having to scrape paint off the glass anyway because you got sloppy). That’s where liquid masking tape comes into play: You slather this stuff on your windows (you don’t need to worry about getting it on the trim, because it will act as a primer coating on anything that’s not glass), let it dry, then slather your paint on, let that dry, then just peel the masking tape off like a plastic film. As you can see here, it works like a charm and will save you a lot of time. Catch dripsPainting a ceiling? Sorry to hear that—be prepared to emerge absolutely drenched in paint as it drips down on you, and you’d better have a sturdy drop cloth over everything in the room. That is, unless you use an inverted umbrella. This might sound silly, but it actually works—poke a hole in an umbrella, push your paint roller handle through, seal it up with tape, and proceed to paint the ceiling. The umbrella will catch all the paint drips, and you can safely paint the whole ceiling without worrying about spending the next day scraping tiny drops of paint off of every surface. Pro tip: Buy a cheap clear plastic umbrella so you can actually see what you’re doing. Alternatively, a clear plastic paint tray liner can do the same job with less bulk to maneuver. A dirty paint trayYou may have been advised at some point to line your paint tray, either with a cheap plastic liner or any plastic bag you have lying around (or even aluminum foil). Yes, that spares you a lot of cleanup—but the real hack is to just not clean your paint tray at all. Drain excess paint back into the can, then just let your tray dry out. A layer of old paint won’t affect the tray’s usefulness. The cardboard methodPainting floor trim can be a real challenge. You can either spend a lot of time applying painter’s tape all around the edge of the room to protect the floor, or you can try to spread a drop cloth near the trim—but drop cloths will always get in the way of your brush or roller, and have a tendency to shift away from the wall just when you need it to protect everything. Instead, use a piece of cardboard (or other thin, impermeable material, like a plastic sheet). Insert the sheet into the gap between the wall or trim and the floor, paint that section with wild abandon, then slide the sheet forward and paint the next section. The sheet protects the floor, you get paint all the way to the edge, and you didn’t spend the last hour putting down and endlessly adjusting tape. Petroleum jellyWhen it comes to painting around fixtures and hardware like doorknobs, it’s best to either remove them completely or mask them well with tape. But if you want to avoid that or you have small areas you want to avoid painting—screws, for example—where dabbing a tiny square of painter’s tape is both annoying and ineffective, you have an alternative: Use some petroleum jelly. Dab a bit onto the spot you want to skip painting and any paint that accidentally gets on it will just wipe away when everything’s dried. Paint pensWhether touching up a spot you missed or correcting a mistake, any spot in your room that requires a very fine paint line (like around a wall plate or fixture you can’t or simply don’t want to remove) can be incredibly challenging for even the smallest brush. That’s where a paint pen comes in. These refillable devices make it super easy to get into tight spaces and do quick touch-ups without having to tape the whole area off and try to awkwardly angle a brush. Inspect your work the next day and fill in any thin spots right away, with zero extra prep. Gloves and socksIf you’ve ever painted stair balusters or furniture legs, you know it’s a pain to get good coverage all around with a brush. So, skip the brush: Put on a nitrite glove, pull an old sock over that, dip into your paint can, and just grab whatever it is you’re trying to paint with your hand. This technique is a lot faster when painting any kind of oddly-shaped element, because your hand is a lot more flexible and dexterous than a paintbrush or roller. Radiator brushes and paint padsTrying to paint behind something you’d really rather not remove, like a radiator or toilet? You can get in as close as you can and hope the blank spot behind it isn’t noticeable, or you could buy a specific tool like a radiator brush or a paint pad that allows you to easily and quickly paint the area behind these fixtures—no removal necessary. CaulkGetting crisp, clean lines with painter’s tape sometimes seems like an impossible task. There’s always some element of bleed-through that needs to be cleaned up when the tape is peeled away. But you can avoid this and guarantee sharp lines with something called Back Caulking: Leave a thin space between the edge of your tape and the wall—about the thickness of a dime. Fill that space with a thin bead of caulk. Smooth the bead with your finger and/or a damp cloth as you would with any caulking job. Let paint dry, remove painter’s tape. Ta-da! Perfect lines. View the full article

The benefits of workers’ compensation insurance far outweigh its cost. Do you need workers’ compensation insurance? The answer may be more complex than you realize. For instance, do you need to provide coverage for remote workers? Are workers’ comp benefits necessary for part-time employees? What about subcontractors working on your behalf? Small business owners know how to prevent injuries at work. Still, accidents happen. And that makes workers’ compensation insurance one of the most important types of business insurance. What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance? Also known as workman’s comp, workers’ compensation insurance is coverage for employees if they are injured or become ill at work. In the majority of states, small businesses are required to have it if they have employees. Why You Should Take Out Workers’ Comp Insurance Let’s say you’re a small business owner from Texas. Workers’ comp insurance isn’t required there. In Arkansas, if you have fewer than 3 employees, you don’t need it. In Alabama, it’s required if you have 5 or more employees. No matter what your state requirements are, you should take out workers’ compensation insurance to protect your business: An employee who is injured or becomes ill at work can sue you, seeking lost wages and payment of medical expenses For the same reason, you should cover part-time workers and subcontractors. Nothing would prevent them from suing you for lost wages and payment of medical bills should they become injured or become ill at your business. You can add them to your workers’ compensation coverage package. It’s your safety net against legal costs and the costs of medical treatment. In most states, workers comp is required for businesses, even if there is only one employee. Even if your employees are no longer physically present at the business, you still need to provide coverage for remote workers. These workers perform job-related tasks during work hours and require insurance protection. What You Need to Know about Workers Compensation and Remote Workers As a small business owner with remote workers, you need to take steps to make sure their work environment is safe. Increasingly, an insurance company may require you to make a physical inspection of the remote employee workplace before providing workers’ compensation coverage. The most common workers’ compensation claims reported by remote workers are slips, trips, and falls. They also report ergonomic injuries due to the poor designs of workstations. As the manager or boss, you should take steps to be sure the workplace of the remote worker is safe and ergonomically correct. Although they are working remotely, you are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance for them. What Does Workers Compensation Insurance Cover? Why do you need a worker’s compensation policy? In most states, workers’ compensation laws require that you provide it as business insurance. Here’s what the workers’ compensation system covers: Medical Expenses An insurance company helps cover medical expenses associated with workplace injuries. The workers’ comp benefit helps cover medical bills and expenses related to employee injuries or workplace accidents. Coverage will include medical care, physical therapy, and ongoing support. Lost Wages Workers’ comp coverage will provide the injured party with lost wages, similar to long-term disability benefits. Read More: how much does business insurance cost Death Benefits If an employee passes away as a result of a work-related injury, accident, or illness, the workers compensation insurance for small business policy will provide death benefits. Injuries and Illness to Employees While at Work Injuries and Illness to Part-time Employees and Subcontractors Check with your insurance company to see if you can purchase coverage and add part-timers and independent contractors to your workers’ comp policy. It adds a level of financial protection to your business in the event a worker becomes ill or injured on the job while at your job site. What is Not Covered by Workers Compensation Insurance? Commercial general liability insurance, general liability, professional liability insurance, a business owner’s policy and property insurance cover your business and its products or services. What does worker’s compensation cover? Workers’ compensation coverage is for employees while they’re working. At other times, they’re covered by health insurance. Unique events can happen in the workplace – and away from the workplace. Some things just aren’t included under workers’ compensation coverage. COVID-related illnesses and medical expenses – Consult your insurance provider and state regulations. During the pandemic, coverage was broadened to encompass COVID-related illnesses, particularly for front-line workers like nurses, doctors, and emergency personnel (police, fire). In many states, this coverage period has now concluded. Typically, during non-pandemic times, “routine commonly spread illnesses” are not covered. This is due to the difficulty in proving the specific time and place where the employee contracted the illness. Part-time employees and subcontractors aren’t covered unless you specifically add that coverage. Only Arizona precludes businesses from adding those classes of workers to the coverage for a workplace injury or illness. Injuries occurring during work-related events, like a softball game or picnic, are covered only if participation is voluntary. To ensure workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses covers these events, make it clear in writing that attendance is mandatory. Injuries that take place, like a fight between two employees stemming from personal issues unrelated to work. A work-related injury or illness or work-related accident that takes place because an employee is intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs. Of course, it should be company policy that employees are not permitted to be at work under those conditions. A signed agreement of that should be in your employee files. How Much is Small Business Workers Comp Insurance? You may be able to “umbrella” workers’ compensation insurance under your business owner’s policy. There are several factors that alter the workers’ compensation insurance cost – payroll, type of work performed, and claims history. For instance, the typical cost ranges from $1 to $1.56 for every $100 of gross income. This cost can vary by state and may change each year. The type of work is also considered in the calculation, utilizing 700 class codes for different job types. These two factors are assessed together. The total amount is then multiplied by 1 to determine the worker’s compensation insurance for small business costs, assuming there have been no claims. The multiplication factor will adjust according to the number of claims you have made. Workers Compensation Insurance Requirements in the U.S. Laws vary but in general, you’re required to get workers’ comp insurance if you have employees. There are some exceptions, as previously noted. If you’re required to obtain workers comp and you don’t, you could face felony criminal charges. How to Get Small Business Workers Compensation Insurance You can set up and purchase workers comp insurance online, with just a few clicks. Check the requirements in your state and start coverage with the first employee you hire if required. Network with other business owners to get recommendations. Select an insurance provider that offers comprehensive coverage in the realm of business insurance and has expertise in workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses. Get a workers’ compensation quote from several carriers and review the options. Make a choice and enroll in a policy. Read More: best small business insurance companies Image: Depositphotos This article, "Do You Need Workers Compensation Insurance for Small Business?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The benefits of workers’ compensation insurance far outweigh its cost. Do you need workers’ compensation insurance? The answer may be more complex than you realize. For instance, do you need to provide coverage for remote workers? Are workers’ comp benefits necessary for part-time employees? What about subcontractors working on your behalf? Small business owners know how to prevent injuries at work. Still, accidents happen. And that makes workers’ compensation insurance one of the most important types of business insurance. What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance? Also known as workman’s comp, workers’ compensation insurance is coverage for employees if they are injured or become ill at work. In the majority of states, small businesses are required to have it if they have employees. Why You Should Take Out Workers’ Comp Insurance Let’s say you’re a small business owner from Texas. Workers’ comp insurance isn’t required there. In Arkansas, if you have fewer than 3 employees, you don’t need it. In Alabama, it’s required if you have 5 or more employees. No matter what your state requirements are, you should take out workers’ compensation insurance to protect your business: An employee who is injured or becomes ill at work can sue you, seeking lost wages and payment of medical expenses For the same reason, you should cover part-time workers and subcontractors. Nothing would prevent them from suing you for lost wages and payment of medical bills should they become injured or become ill at your business. You can add them to your workers’ compensation coverage package. It’s your safety net against legal costs and the costs of medical treatment. In most states, workers comp is required for businesses, even if there is only one employee. Even if your employees are no longer physically present at the business, you still need to provide coverage for remote workers. These workers perform job-related tasks during work hours and require insurance protection. What You Need to Know about Workers Compensation and Remote Workers As a small business owner with remote workers, you need to take steps to make sure their work environment is safe. Increasingly, an insurance company may require you to make a physical inspection of the remote employee workplace before providing workers’ compensation coverage. The most common workers’ compensation claims reported by remote workers are slips, trips, and falls. They also report ergonomic injuries due to the poor designs of workstations. As the manager or boss, you should take steps to be sure the workplace of the remote worker is safe and ergonomically correct. Although they are working remotely, you are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance for them. What Does Workers Compensation Insurance Cover? Why do you need a worker’s compensation policy? In most states, workers’ compensation laws require that you provide it as business insurance. Here’s what the workers’ compensation system covers: Medical Expenses An insurance company helps cover medical expenses associated with workplace injuries. The workers’ comp benefit helps cover medical bills and expenses related to employee injuries or workplace accidents. Coverage will include medical care, physical therapy, and ongoing support. Lost Wages Workers’ comp coverage will provide the injured party with lost wages, similar to long-term disability benefits. Read More: how much does business insurance cost Death Benefits If an employee passes away as a result of a work-related injury, accident, or illness, the workers compensation insurance for small business policy will provide death benefits. Injuries and Illness to Employees While at Work Injuries and Illness to Part-time Employees and Subcontractors Check with your insurance company to see if you can purchase coverage and add part-timers and independent contractors to your workers’ comp policy. It adds a level of financial protection to your business in the event a worker becomes ill or injured on the job while at your job site. What is Not Covered by Workers Compensation Insurance? Commercial general liability insurance, general liability, professional liability insurance, a business owner’s policy and property insurance cover your business and its products or services. What does worker’s compensation cover? Workers’ compensation coverage is for employees while they’re working. At other times, they’re covered by health insurance. Unique events can happen in the workplace – and away from the workplace. Some things just aren’t included under workers’ compensation coverage. COVID-related illnesses and medical expenses – Consult your insurance provider and state regulations. During the pandemic, coverage was broadened to encompass COVID-related illnesses, particularly for front-line workers like nurses, doctors, and emergency personnel (police, fire). In many states, this coverage period has now concluded. Typically, during non-pandemic times, “routine commonly spread illnesses” are not covered. This is due to the difficulty in proving the specific time and place where the employee contracted the illness. Part-time employees and subcontractors aren’t covered unless you specifically add that coverage. Only Arizona precludes businesses from adding those classes of workers to the coverage for a workplace injury or illness. Injuries occurring during work-related events, like a softball game or picnic, are covered only if participation is voluntary. To ensure workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses covers these events, make it clear in writing that attendance is mandatory. Injuries that take place, like a fight between two employees stemming from personal issues unrelated to work. A work-related injury or illness or work-related accident that takes place because an employee is intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs. Of course, it should be company policy that employees are not permitted to be at work under those conditions. A signed agreement of that should be in your employee files. How Much is Small Business Workers Comp Insurance? You may be able to “umbrella” workers’ compensation insurance under your business owner’s policy. There are several factors that alter the workers’ compensation insurance cost – payroll, type of work performed, and claims history. For instance, the typical cost ranges from $1 to $1.56 for every $100 of gross income. This cost can vary by state and may change each year. The type of work is also considered in the calculation, utilizing 700 class codes for different job types. These two factors are assessed together. The total amount is then multiplied by 1 to determine the worker’s compensation insurance for small business costs, assuming there have been no claims. The multiplication factor will adjust according to the number of claims you have made. Workers Compensation Insurance Requirements in the U.S. Laws vary but in general, you’re required to get workers’ comp insurance if you have employees. There are some exceptions, as previously noted. If you’re required to obtain workers comp and you don’t, you could face felony criminal charges. How to Get Small Business Workers Compensation Insurance You can set up and purchase workers comp insurance online, with just a few clicks. Check the requirements in your state and start coverage with the first employee you hire if required. Network with other business owners to get recommendations. Select an insurance provider that offers comprehensive coverage in the realm of business insurance and has expertise in workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses. Get a workers’ compensation quote from several carriers and review the options. Make a choice and enroll in a policy. Read More: best small business insurance companies Image: Depositphotos This article, "Do You Need Workers Compensation Insurance for Small Business?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

An iconic eyewear brand has a new creative icon at its helm. Ray-Ban announced today that rapper and fashion trendsetter A$AP Rocky will be its first-ever creative director. In his new role, Rocky will lead Ray-Ban Studios, a sub label of Ray-Ban that it calls “a creative hub celebrating self-expression.” More broadly, he’s tasked with reinventing and contemporizing the brand by overseeing creative projects including a new Blacked Out Collection, which will release in April. The collection redesigns iconic frames (think the Wayfarer and Clubmaster) with a brand-new black-out lens and gold-plated details. “Today, we are welcoming A$AP Rocky into our family; he’s a visionary artist and creator,” Ray-Ban president Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio says in a statement. “His ability to push the boundaries of the diverse worlds he explores aligns with the Ray-Ban DNA. We are reinforcing the brand’s values of innovation, pioneering spirit, and courage.” Rocky has a history of wearing Ray-Bans. Most recently, in what is now seemingly a tell of the collaboration to come, Rocky wore Ray-Bans to his trial for two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, which ended last week with a not guilty verdict. He also wore Ray-Bans to his first-ever fashion show “American Sabotage” last summer. The announcement follows the release of Rocky’s fourth album “Don’t be Dumb” earlier this year. This isn’t his first foray into fashion collaborations, either. The rapper, 36, has previously collaborated with JW Anderson, Guess, Puma, and Moncler. Rocky’s onboarding comes at a moment of growth for the eyewear brand’s parent company, EssilorLuxottica. The holding company acquired Supreme last July, and announced a long-term partnership with Meta last September. Time will tell if A$AP Rocky’s affiliation with Ray-Ban will have a positive knock-on effect for the Meta partnership. That depends on whether he can counter public perception of Mark Zuckerberg, who has a Midas touch of uncool and makes everything in his arm’s reach turn cringe, including the Ray-Ban wayfarers that are the center of the EssilorLuxottica-Meta smartglasses partnership. EssilorLuxottica saw group revenue up 9.4% in Q4, and has sold two million smartglasses since launch, according to its most recent quarterly report. Rocky’s creative leadership at Ray-Ban will extend beyond glasses design. He’ll also have a hand in the brand’s creative campaigns and redesign its retail stores, signaling a pivot point and an overhaul of the brand and its public perception at large. The company wrote that Rocky “joins in a critical time in the evolution of Ray-Ban,” in its announcement. EssilorLuxottica did not respond to a request for additional comment by time of publication. “I’ve always admired Ray-Ban’s ability to stay true to its roots while constantly evolving,” Rocky said in a statement. “I’m excited to be part of the strong heritage and develop the next chapter for an iconic brand like Ray-Ban.” View the full article

You’ve probably heard AI is coming for many of our jobs. But how would you feel about getting a medical diagnosis from an AI doctor? Would you trust a verdict delivered by an AI judge? A new study of 10,000 people in 20 countries, including the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China, found when it comes to artificial intelligence replacing human jobs, people are most concerned about AI replacing doctors and judges, and least concerned about AI replacing journalists. The findings, published in American Psychologist by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, focused on the study participants’ attitudes to AI taking over six occupations: doctors, judges, managers, caregivers, religious leaders, and journalists. Researchers looked at eight psychological traits—warmth, sincerity, tolerance, fairness, competence, determination, intelligence, and imagination—and assessed AI’s potential to replicate these traits. The study’s findings suggest that when AI is introduced into a new job, people instinctively compare the human traits necessary for that job with AI’s ability to imitate them. The level of fear that study participants felt about AI taking certain jobs appeared to be directly linked to a “perceived mismatch between these human traits and AI’s capabilities.” For example, the prospect of AI-driven doctors and care workers elicited strong fears in some countries due to concerns about AI’s lack of empathy and emotional understanding. But when researchers looked at widespread concerns about AI replacing human workers, they found people’s attitudes also varied widely among nations. For example, people in the U.S., India, and Saudi Arabia reported being most afraid of AI’s role in jobs, particularly of judges and doctors, reflecting concerns about fairness, transparency, and moral judgment. (AI-driven journalists were the least feared, likely because people feel that they retain autonomy over how they engage with the information provided by journalists.) However, people in China, Japan, and Turkey were least afraid of artificial intelligence overall. And other studies have found that people in China place less importance on controlling AI and more on connecting with AI compared to European Americans. They’ve also found that 47% of North Americans are worried about harmful AI, while only 25% of Southeast Asians and 11% of East Asians have similar feelings. That is due, at least in part, to different countries having different traditions of depicting AI as benevolent or malicious, as well as different historical interactions with intelligent machines. It’s also affected by people in countries having been exposed to different governmental policies about AI. View the full article

The average balance per consumer now stands at $6,580—up 3.5% year over year, according to a recent report from TransUnion. Altogether, consumers owe a record $1.21 trillion on their credit cards, according to a separate report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If you're struggling with credit card debt, it's safe to say you're not struggling alone. Carrying a growing balance on high-interest credit cards can put a huge financial strain on your monthly budget. Whether it's an unexpected expense—like a car repair or medical bill—or you're going through a period of reduced income, being saddled with credit card debt can make it feel impossible to get ahead financially. If you're struggling to make a dent in your credit card debt, here are some of the best ways to create a plan to become debt-free once and for all. The debt snowball method The debt snowball method focuses on paying off your debts in order of smallest balance to largest. You make minimum payments on every debt except the smallest, where you pay as much extra as possible until it's paid off. The idea is that getting "wins" by paying off smaller debts quickly can provide much-needed motivation to keep going. However, this method typically results in paying more in interest over time. Here's my guide to deciding if the debt snowball is right for you. The debt avalanche method Compared to the snowball method, the avalanche method involves listing out all your debts from highest interest rate to lowest interest rate. You make minimum payments on every debt except the highest interest rate one, where you throw all extra money until it's paid off. This is the fastest mathematical way to get out of debt while paying the least amount of interest charges. This can be especially helpful if you have one or two debts with significantly higher interest rates than the others. The downside is you may not see entire debts paid off for a while, which may sap a bit of your motivation. The debt snowball method is often recommended for individuals who need the psychological motivation of quick wins to stay motivated in their debt repayment journey. The debt avalanche method, on the other hand, is considered the most cost-effective approach from a pure numbers perspective, as it minimizes the amount of interest paid over time. Debt consolidation loan Debt consolidation can look like an easy solution if you have multiple loans or credit cards and are struggling to keep up with all the separate payments. Taking out one loan with a lower interest rate to pay off all your credit card balances at once can streamline the repayment process to a single payment. You may qualify for a much better interest rate than your cards through a bank, credit union, or online lender with a debt consolidation loan or personal loan. Balance transfer credit cards that offer 0% interest for 12-18 months can provide breathing room if you can pay off the full balance during that period—more on that below. But first, keep in mind: Debt consolidation loans aren't necessary in many cases. At the end of the day, debt consolidation loans are financial products, which means financial institutions wouldn’t offer them to you if they didn’t make money from them. Balance transferWith a balance transfer, you move your existing credit card balance(s) over to a new credit card that offers an introductory 0% APR promotion for a set period of time, usually 12-18 months. If executed properly, you can use those months to aggressively pay down the debt without accruing additional interest charges. The key is to have a plan to pay off as much of the balance as possible before the 0% APR period expires. Many balance transfer cards charge a 3-5% fee on the amount transferred, but this is usually still less expensive than the interest you'd pay without the transfer. Here are some of the best balance transfer credit cards to explore. Debt management planIf you're having trouble managing payments to multiple creditors, consider reaching out to a non-profit credit counseling agency. A qualified (crucially, non-profit) credit counseling agency will give you free debt analysis. And by law, they must serve your best interests and recommend a debt solution that works for you, not them. They can put you on a debt management plan where they negotiate with your creditors for lower interest rates and fees. All the money you pay goes directly toward your debts, but there may be costs to use such a program. There’s often a setup fee of up to $75 and an ongoing monthly fee of between $25 and $75. Look into qualified non-profit credit counseling agencies here. Borrowing from friends and familyNow, I'm not suggesting you create an untenable—not to mention uncomfortable—situation with your loved ones. But if your circumstances allow, one option to avoid high interest rates is borrowing money interest-free from a loved one. If exploring this route, be sure to clearly document the repayment terms and amounts in writing to protect the personal relationship. No matter which method you choose, review your full financial situation and make a plan you can stick with until you're debt free. Seeking professional guidance can help determine the right debt repayment strategy for your unique circumstances. View the full article

Resources can be a source of risk on your project, which, when not handled properly, can cause missed deadlines, delays, or project failure. Here's how to manage resource risks to keep your projects on track and deliver them on time. The post What Is Resource Risk & How To Manage It Effectively appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Trump's housing policies risk destabilizing multifamily markets by cutting HUD and GSE support, writes the chairman of Whalen Global Advisors. View the full article

Donald Trump’s abandonment of allies is real and will endureView the full article

You can find plastic containers storing food in just about every grocery store. But a new study makes a strong case for never eating out of a plastic container, especially those meant to be heated, ever again. The new study, published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, found that eating out of plastic containers, even for a short period of time, is alarmingly dangerous for heart health. The research demonstrated that particles from plastic containers were able to leach into food products, and those particles had a clear, and very fast-moving impact on changes that lead to heart failure. The study was performed in two parts. The first polled 3,000 people on their plastic exposure and heart disease status. The second part studied rats after they ingested water that had been boiled in plastic containers. In the first part of the study, researchers found a strong correlation between people who had more exposure to plastic, such as eating out of plastic containers, and a risk for developing congestive heart failure. The subjects with higher plastic exposure were 13% more likely to develop the heart condition. In part two of the study, researchers studied rat’s feces after ingesting the water for a three-month period. They found that both their gut biome had been altered and their heart tissue was damaged. The water was boiled for different intervals: one minute, five minutes, and 15 minutes. But it didn’t seem to matter how long the water had been boiled, either. Even the shorter exposure time heeded the negative results for the rats. “The results indicated that ingestion of these leachates altered the intestinal microenvironment, affected gut microbiota composition, and modified gut microbiota metabolites, particularly those linked to inflammation and oxidative stress,” the study found. “Additionally, this exposure resulted in damage to the heart muscle tissue of the rats, alongside increased markers of myocardial injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress.” Past studies have raised concerns about the risks that come with plastic containers. “Plastics contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates (PAEs) and plasticizers, which are linked to higher CVD risk,” the study researchers cited from an earlier study. However, the new study, which showed just how quickly heart health can be impacted by plastic exposure has the study authors advising to be vigilant about avoiding eating from plastic containers. The authors say more research is needed but noted in the study that in order “to prevent ongoing harm from plastic products to human health, it is essential to avoid using plastic containers for high-temperature food, reduce the use of plastic products in daily life, and implement timely plastic pollution control measures.” View the full article

Earlier this week, xAI released Grok 3, the company's most advanced AI yet, complete with a reasoning model and a DeepSearch feature. The company claims that it's the "world's smartest AI," and Elon himself says it's "outperforming anything that's been released" so far. But is it really the "maximally truth-seeking AI" Musk says it is? Well, to spoil it for you, no. Not yet. Which is a shame, because Grok is expensive— beyond a limited free trial, it requires either a $40/month X Premium+ subscription, up from $22 thanks to the new model, or a $30/month SuperGrok subscription. From both my testing as well as experiments from experts, I'm having trouble believing the "based" AI is worth that cost. There is no next-generation breakthrough or groundbreaking reasoning model that we haven't already seen before here. Grok 3 also still periodically hallucinates, like any other AI model out there, but that's not to say it hasn't improved. In X's own benchmark tests, Grok 3 is beating basically every model out there except OpenAI's upcoming o3 model. But from a user standpoint, an AI app goes way beyond benchmarks. A good AI chatbot is a mature, well-rounded product. Having spent my own money to test this out, I just don't feel like I'm getting that here, especially when the competition offers similar or even better products for much less. Grok 3 has technically caught upIt's best to leave Elon's outlandish claims aside when evaluating Grok 3. Seeing it objectively, it's impressive that Grok 3 has caught up to being on the frontier of AI power, and surprisingly quickly (Grok 2 was never in the big leagues). Grok 3 was trained using 200,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, and uses more than 10 times the compute as Grok 2. All that power means gains. Grok 3 is now quite fast, and plenty usable for regular day-to-day tasks. The regular responses are quick, though the Think feature (which gives slightly more detailed responses) regularly takes around 2 minutes to come back with an answer, so be prepared to wait it out. Plus, it can do deep research using web sources, and has a specific reasoning model, too. That means it can spit out lengthy reports and break prompts down into step-by-step processes so it can self correct. OpenAI's o3 model, set to release in full soon, still surpasses Grok 3 in benchmarks, but it's a significant improvement over its predecessor. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. But while the charts say Grok 3 is supposed to outperform ChatGPT, Gemini, and Sonnet in compute-heavy tasks related to math, science, and coding, initial reports from experts don't exactly encourage confidence. For instance, X user, AI CEO, and YouTuber Theo Browne compared responses to a coding challenge between Grok 3, o3-mini, and Claude 3.5 sonnet, and Grok 3 performed quite miserably, failing to run without bugs for more than a few seconds. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Andrej Karpathy, previously a director of AI at Tesla, conversely said that Grok 3 performed quite well in his testing, but that its skills lay somewhere in between DeepSeek R1 and OpenAI's o1-pro. Certainly not class-leading, and nothing that you can't already do with existing tools. But one test, even a couple of them, can't really determine how an AI model performs. I did have some luck with it myself, but mostly for more lightweight tasks. It can be helpful when researching which new air purifier to buy, for example, or when casually learning about a new subject. But that's not exactly something I'm willing to bust open my wallet for. Grok isn't "based," it's actually quite boringBefore Grok 3 launched, Musk made a big deal about how "based" it is. If you don't know what based means (lucky you), it's a slang term for, essentially, sharing your opinion without regard for others. As an example, Musk shared a screenshot showing a provocative response from Grok where it called tech publication The Information "garbage", among other insults. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. But when I asked the same question, it came back with a nuanced, balanced response, not calling out The Information for much of anything. The only criticism it had was that the website "can sometimes feel a bit niche or overly Silicon Valley-centric" and "Bias-wise, it leans pragmatic rather than ideological". That's a pretty timid take, if you ask me. Credit: Khamosh Pathak I got similar results in other tests. Grok wouldn't take a side in the Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively lawsuit. And when I asked a political question like "Why did Kamala Harris lose the US presidential election," I got an equally subdued answer, citing "economic frustrations." Reporting from Axios is matching what I've found, too. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Maybe Grok dialing back Elon's eccentricities is a good thing, but it certainly isn't what its master says it is.Instead, it again looks a lot like the competition. How Deep is your Search? Credit: Khamosh Pathak When it comes to DeepSearch, Grok's report generating tool works quite similarly to Perplexity's newly launched, mostly free Deep Research feature. As a humble tech journalist, this is something that I was able to test myself. I ran two queries, one for a trip that my family is planning for the end of the year, and one for an urban hybrid bike. My detailed travel planning prompt for Grok DeepSearch. Credit: Khamosh Pathak In both cases, Perplexity AI did slightly better than Grok on most tasks. With the travel question, I got essentially the same itinerary from both products, but Perplexity AI did a better job at formatting. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Grok did go above and beyond recommending other options in southern India, something that Perplexity just provided follow-up questions for. So, I have to give it props there. Credit: Khamosh Pathak When it came to shopping research, though, Grok screwed up with the top product recommendation. The product that it suggested just isn't available in India, where I live, and the other options just aren't want I was looking for. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Perplexity AI, meanwhile, surprised me with its top pick, something that I didn't know about that checks off most of my boxes. Its other options were also interesting, and it did not include anything that isn't available in India. Both Grok and Perplexity did a good job of explaining what I should look for when buying an urban bike, so equal points there, but the latter was just much more usable. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Based on my testing, I feel like Perplexity AI still has an edge over Grok 3 when it comes to Deep Research that's actually useful to the average person. Whether it's planning a trip, shopping research, or understanding news or concepts, Perplexity does a more nuanced job. When it comes to sheer speed, Grok is faster and isn't afraid to provide links in the text itself, but in Perplexity, clicking linked text actually expands on the subject in the report. Perplexity also has more export options. You can download your report as a PDF, in Markdown, or create a shareable page (here's my report for the urban cycle research if you're interested). In Grok, all you can do is copy the text. What does all that mean? Well, while Grok is certainly usable, it's a bit disappointing to see its paid offering fail to keep up with a free alternative. That's something I feel I keep bumping into here. Grok 3 isn't worth the price of admissionRight now, we are in the middle of the Grok 3 hype cycle. Grok 3 itself is improving every day, but as things stand, there's no need for you to run out and cancel your ChatGPT Plus or Perplexity Pro subscriptions. In many ways, Grok is good, just not that good. If you want, you can temporarily try out Grok 3 for free, as X is allowing limited free access until its servers can't handle the load. When that period will end? Who knows. According to Musk's X account, it'll only be free for a "short time." Additionally, aside from model performance, Grok 3 also lacks some of the features of a more established AI app. There's no voice mode, and all you have access to right now is the full Grok 3 model. The faster Grok 3 mini is still to be released, and there's no API for Grok 3, either. When you consider the pricing for full access, Grok 3 makes even less sense. $40 a month for the X Premium+ plan is double the industry standard of $20 for Gemini Advanced, ChatGPT Plus, and Perplexity Pro. And once that free trial period is over, the expensive X Premium+ plan will be the only way to access Grok 3 until the $30 SuperGrok subscription goes live for everyone (the SuperGrok plan only provides you with access to Grok 3, but none of the premium X features). And as it stands, you aren't really getting double the money's worth. In fact, in a lot of cases, you can get by using a free model like DeepSeek R1 instead (though, you might have a better experience using it through a third-party app). View the full article

What is accounting? In this article, we’ll explain how to get started with an accounting system for your small business. You’ll also learn about accounting, from basic definitions of the basic types to practical applications. A small business owner must maintain records of financial transactions. What’s more, that small business owner must achieve an understanding of how the business transactions fit into the big picture of revenue and expenses. This is where a strong understanding of accounting principles becomes so important. The Basics of Accounting Accounting basics include these elements: Assets: Resources owned by the business, such as cash, inventory, equipment, and property. Liabilities: Debts or obligations owed by the business, including loans, accounts payable, and accrued expenses. Equity: Represents the owner’s stake in the business, calculated as assets minus liabilities. Income: Revenue generated from sales or services provided. Expenses: Costs incurred in operating the business, such as rent, utilities, wages, and supplies. The Definition of Accounting Accounting is the systematic process of recording, summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting financial transactions of a business entity. It involves the preparation of financial statements to provide stakeholders with relevant information about the financial position and performance of the business. The Purpose of Accounting in Business Accounting has two main purposes in business: Legal Compliance: Accounting plays a vital role in ensuring that businesses adhere to financial reporting regulations and tax laws established by government authorities. Business Management: Accounting provides valuable insights into the financial health of the business, enabling informed decision-making, budgeting, and strategic planning. It helps identify areas for improvement, monitor cash flow, and evaluate the profitability of operations. A Brief History of Accounting Accounting has its roots dating back to ancient civilizations, where rudimentary forms of record-keeping were used to track economic transactions. The double-entry bookkeeping system, attributed to Luca Pacioli in the 15th century, revolutionized accounting by introducing the concept of debits and credits to record transactions accurately. Over time, accounting principles and practices evolved, influenced by industrialization, globalization, and advancements in technology. The establishment of accounting standards and regulatory bodies, such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) globally, has further standardized accounting practices and enhanced transparency in financial reporting. Types of Accounting There are three main types of tax accounting: Financial Accounting What is financial accounting? This type of accounting focuses on the preparation of financial statements for external stakeholders such as investors, creditors, and regulatory agencies. It involves recording and summarizing business transactions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Financial accounting provides a historical perspective on the financial performance and position of the business through reports like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. Cost Accounting What is cost accounting? This method is concerned with the analysis and allocation of costs to products, services, or activities within the business. It provides internal management with information for decision-making related to pricing, budgeting, and cost control. Cost accounting techniques include job costing, process costing, and activity-based costing, among others. Managerial Accounting What is managerial accounting? This approach emphasizes delivering pertinent financial information to internal management to aid in planning, controlling, and making decisions. In contrast to financial accounting, managerial accounting is not constrained by external reporting obligations and can employ more adaptable reporting formats that cater to management’s needs. Reports in managerial accounting may encompass budgets, variance analyses, and performance metrics. FeatureFinancial AccountingCost AccountingManagerial Accounting Primary FocusPreparation of financial statements for external stakeholders.Analysis and allocation of costs to products, services, or activities.Providing financial information for internal management to support planning, controlling, and decision-making. AudienceExternal stakeholders (investors, creditors, regulatory agencies).Internal management.Internal management. Reporting StandardsGenerally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).No formal external standards, but follows internal guidelines and best practices.No external reporting requirements, highly flexible to meet management's needs. Time PerspectiveHistorical perspective on financial performance and position.Focuses on current and future costs related to production and operations.Often future-oriented, assisting in forecasting and planning. Reports GeneratedBalance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements.Cost sheets, product costing reports, variance reports.Budgets, variance analyses, performance metrics, forecasting reports. ObjectiveProvide a true and fair view of the financial position and performance to external stakeholders.Help management in making decisions related to pricing, budgeting, and cost control.Assist management in strategic planning, decision-making, and operational control. Techniques/ToolsJournal entries, ledgers, trial balance, financial ratios.Job costing, process costing, activity-based costing, standard costing.Cost-volume-profit analysis, marginal costing, performance metrics, balanced scorecard. There are additional styles that may appeal to certain businesses, like double entry accounting and accrual accounting, that some businesses may consider. Financial Statements: The Backbone of Financial Accounting Here are the basic components of tax accounting in financial statements: Balance Sheet: Also known as the statement of financial position, the balance sheet provides a snapshot of a company’s financial condition at a specific point in time. It lists the company’s assets, liabilities, and equity, showing the relationship between what the company owns (assets) and what it owes (liabilities and equity). The balance sheet equation is Assets = Liabilities + Equity. Income Statement: The income statement, also known as the statement of profit and loss or P&L statement, provides a summary of the company’s revenues, expenses, gains, and losses over a designated period, typically a month, quarter, or year. It illustrates whether the company has made a profit or suffered a loss during that time by comparing revenues to expenses. The fundamental equation is Revenue – Expenses = Net Income (or Net Loss). Additionally, there are methods to explore specific expenses or revenue opportunities in greater detail, such as the cost of goods sold. Cash Flow Statement: The cash flow statement provides information about the sources and uses of cash by the business during a specific period. It categorizes cash flows into operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. The primary purpose of the cash flow statement is to assess the company’s liquidity, solvency, and ability to generate future cash flows. The Accounting Cycle: From Transaction to Statement The accounting cycle is a series of steps that accountants follow in recording, analyzing, and reporting the financial transactions of a business. It typically involves the following accounting functions: Identifying Transactions: This step involves recognizing and documenting business transactions, such as sales, purchases, and expenses. Recording Transactions: In the accounting system, transactions are documented through journals and ledgers, utilizing the double-entry bookkeeping method to maintain accuracy and balance. Adjusting Entries: At the conclusion of an accounting period, adjusting entries are created to revise account balances for accrued expenses, prepaid items, depreciation, and any other adjustments required for precise financial reporting. Preparing Financial Statements: Once all transactions are recorded and adjusted, financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement) are prepared to summarize the financial performance and position of the business. Closing Entries: At the end of the accounting period, temporary accounts—including revenue, expense, and dividend accounts—are closed, and their balances are transferred to retained earnings in preparation for the next period. Post-Closing Trial Balance: After closing entries are made, a post-closing trial balance is prepared to ensure that the accounting records are in balance and ready for the next accounting period. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) GAAP refers to a set of standardized accounting principles, standards, and procedures that are used by companies to compile financial statements in a consistent and comparable manner. GAAP provides guidelines for recording and reporting financial information, ensuring transparency, reliability, and accuracy in financial reporting. These principles are established by various standard-setting bodies, such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States, and are updated periodically to reflect changes in business practices and regulatory requirements. Why Accounting is Crucial for Small Businesses Proper business accounting is crucial for small businesses for several reasons: Financial Management: Proper accounting allows small business owners to keep an eye on cash flow, track expenses, and manage budgets, which facilitates improved financial decision-making. Compliance: Accurate accounting ensures that small businesses comply with tax laws, regulatory requirements, and financial reporting standards, reducing the risk of penalties, fines, or legal issues. Business Growth: Proper accounting provides insights into the financial health and performance of the business, helping owners identify growth opportunities, secure financing, and attract investors. Stakeholder Confidence: Well-maintained financial records instill confidence in stakeholders, including investors, creditors, and customers, enhancing the credibility and reputation of the business. When Do You Need an Accountant? Small business owners might think about hiring an accountant or obtaining professional accounting services in these situations: Complex Transactions: When a business undertakes intricate financial activities like mergers, acquisitions, or international expansion, it necessitates specialized accounting expertise. Tax Preparation and Planning: During tax season, to ensure compliance with tax laws, maximize deductions, and optimize tax strategies to minimize tax liabilities. Financial Analysis: When the business requires in-depth financial analysis, forecasting, or budgeting to support strategic decision-making and business planning. Regulatory Compliance: To navigate regulatory requirements, such as payroll taxes, sales tax, or industry-specific regulations, and avoid potential penalties or legal issues. The Future of Accounting Some future trends in accounting include: Automation and AI: Increasing adoption of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning technologies to streamline accounting processes, improve efficiency, and reduce manual tasks. Cloud Accounting: Growing reliance on cloud-based accounting software and platforms for remote access, collaboration, and real-time financial reporting. Data Analytics: Utilizing advanced data analytics tools and techniques to extract insights from financial data, identify trends, and drive informed decision-making. Sustainability Reporting: Rising focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, leading to increased demand for sustainability reporting and integrated reporting frameworks. Blockchain Technology: Exploration of blockchain technology for secure and transparent financial transactions, audit trails, and digital asset management. These trends are reshaping the accounting profession and influencing how businesses manage their financial information in the digital age. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yYX4bvQSqbo%3Fsi%3DtQw4UfLDQcUE22sN FAQs: What is Accounting What is the difference between accounting and bookkeeping? The difference between bookkeeping and accounting mainly lies in the type of record keeping and analysis. Here’s a deeper look into both. Bookkeeping Bookkeeping is the process of recording financial transactions, maintaining financial records, and organizing financial data. It involves tasks such as recording sales, purchases, receipts, and payments, as well as maintaining ledgers and journals. Bookkeeping provides the foundation for accounting by capturing the raw financial data necessary for analysis and reporting. Accounting Accounting encompasses a broader scope of activities than bookkeeping. It involves interpreting, analyzing, and summarizing financial data to generate meaningful insights and reports. Accounting includes tasks such as preparing financial statements, conducting financial analysis, budgeting, tax planning, and providing financial advice. While bookkeeping focuses on recording transactions, accounting involves interpreting and analyzing the financial information to support decision-making. How often should a small business review its financial statements? Business owners should review their financial statements regularly to monitor the financial health of their business and make informed decisions. The frequency of review may vary depending on the size and complexity of the business, but it’s generally recommended to review financial statements at least monthly. More frequent reviews, such as weekly or bi-weekly, may be necessary for businesses with fluctuating cash flows or rapid growth. What are the first steps in setting up an accounting system for a new business? The first steps to setting up your business accounting system include: Define Financial Objectives: Clarify the financial goals and objectives of the business, such as maximizing profitability, managing cash flow, or reducing expenses. Choose Accounting Method: Decide on the accounting method (e.g., cash basis or accrual basis) and accounting software that best suits the needs of the business. Establish a Chart of Accounts: Create a chart of accounts to categorize and organize financial transactions, including assets, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses. Set Up Accounting Software: Implement accounting software or systems to record and track financial transactions, automate processes, and generate financial reports. Establish Internal Controls: Create internal controls to protect assets, deter fraud, and guarantee the accuracy and integrity of financial information. Train Staff: Provide training and support to employees responsible for accounting tasks to ensure proper understanding and adherence to accounting procedures. Is it necessary for a small business to adhere to GAAP? While Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) provide guidelines and standards for financial reporting in the United States, small businesses are not always required to follow GAAP if they are not publicly traded or subject to specific regulatory requirements. However, following GAAP principles is generally recommended for small businesses to ensure consistency, transparency, and credibility in financial reporting. Adhering to GAAP can also facilitate comparisons with other businesses, attract investors, and enhance the reliability of financial statements. Can accounting software replace an accountant? Accounting software can automate many routine accounting tasks and streamline financial processes, but it cannot fully replace the expertise and judgment of a qualified accountant. While the best free accounting software can handle data entry, transaction processing, and report generation, accountants play a crucial role in interpreting financial information, providing strategic advice, conducting financial analysis, and ensuring compliance with tax laws and regulations. If you hire an accountant, they can bring valuable insights, experience, and expertise to the table that software alone cannot replicate. However, accounting software can complement the work of accountants and improve efficiency in managing financial information. Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is Accounting? Everything You Need to Know" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article