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Find out how to enhance your conversion tracking by integrating phone call data into your digital marketing strategies today. The post [SEO & PPC] How To Unlock Hidden Conversion Sources In Your Sales & Marketing Funnel appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Our board volunteer makes everyone’s jobs harder I was recently made the chair of the board for a local community service group. The board receives money each year to buy supplies for community service events, but being on the board is a volunteer position (no one is getting paid). Basically, anyone who wants to be on the board can be because we really need the extra help. Historically, people have only been asked to step down if there is an ethical concern. The parent organization that provides funds does not provide rules or guidance on staffing, only on how we spend the money. We have one board member who is making everyone else’s jobs harder through no fault of his own. John has been the secretary for a very long time, and he’s in charge of scheduling meetings and taking notes (he doesn’t contribute to event planning or anything else). John is a very kind, elderly gentleman who struggles with technology. He will take a week or more to schedule a meeting when I could schedule it myself in five minutes. This is an issue when an urgent problem or opportunity pops up that requires a board vote. We’ve been trying to use OneNote to track meeting minutes and event information, but John isn’t comfortable using it (he will only work in Word or on paper). He’s hard of hearing, so he can’t hear what anyone says in the meetings. We end up pausing every few minutes to tell him exactly what to write down (costing us ~20% of our meeting time). At this point, everyone is doing more work just so John can keep his position. I’m not sure how to deal with this. On one hand, he is objectively hurting our outcomes and making more work for an already stretched-thin team. On the other hand, our organization frowns upon turning down volunteers and John loves being on the board because he’s “lonely and gets to talk to people at the meetings.” Should I act like this is a paid position (set a performance improvement plan and ask him to step down if he ultimately can’t meet expectations)? I wouldn’t be able to replace him; I’d be eliminating the position entirely. I also worry that excluding him would be akin to discrimination based on age or disability (which is important to me even if this group isn’t bound by employment laws). I also wouldn’t have anyone to replace him with, so we’d just be getting rid of the position entirely. Or should I try to find a different role/task he can reasonably complete without impacting the rest of us? That feels wrong too, like I’d be infantilizing him by keeping him busy but not letting him do anything meaningful. Is there a third option here? A performance improvement plan would be overkill in a volunteer position like this. But you definitely can’t spend a fifth of your meeting time coaching John on what to write in the notes. And if you’re already hurting for volunteers, you really shouldn’t risk making people not want to go to your meetings. Can John stay on the board without being the secretary? Can he just be a board member who provides input into the direction of the organization without having a specific task list that affects other people? If not, then at a minimum, it sounds like you need to just tell him that the board is moving to OneNote and no longer needs him to take notes. If he pushes back, be matter-of-fact about why: “We’re spending a lot of time in every meeting discussing what should be written down, and OneNote will take care of it all without discussion, which we need because people are stretched for time. So it’s going to be OneNote from here on out.” Or, “We’re going to try out OneNote for the next two meetings and see if it works.” You could be pretty blunt about the meeting scheduling: “We’ve been waiting a week or more to get meetings scheduled, and we need that to happen faster. It’s something I can do myself very quickly, the same day it comes up, so my plan is to take over scheduling them unless you are up for getting it done the same day it’s requested?” The other option is to just lay out what needs to change and let him decide if he’s up for it or not: “We need the secretary to do XYZ, which is different in ABC ways from what’s happening now. Do you want to stay in the role knowing the requirements will be changing in that way, or do you want to take a more of a general board member role where you’re not responsible for XYZ anymore?” If he says he wants to remain in the role but you still don’t see the changes you asked for, at that point you’d revert to the steps above. 2. Is it unrealistic to expect a raise while you’re on a PIP? I recently had my annual review with my boss, and I was marked as “below expectations.” I expected it as I had been put on a performance improvement plan (PIP) due to “communication issues.” Quick backstory on the PIP is that I am the kind of person who if you assign me something, I will get it done, then update you, whereas my boss is more of the “update me as you go along” kind of person. Different communication styles, I get it, and I’m more introverted and task-focused, which caused me to often forget about communication updates to the stakeholders, which can definitely be improved upon. While I felt the PIP was unreasonable as I was still producing results, it was not totally out of line. I fully expect to pass this PIP, and my boss also communicated that during our review. Back to the review: my boss told me that I would not be getting a raise, as it is company policy that anyone on PIP will not get a raise. Fair enough, again not a good policy, but sure, I get it. However, I argued that in the past year, my roles and responsibilities had increased drastically, including taking on what is traditionally in my industry a complete other person’s job scope. It is a small-ish company, so I understood it as a logical extension of my work. (The PIP was not a result of me being unable to handle the additional responsibilities.) That was in March of last year. Since then, the company has grown in leaps and bounds and hired much more back end staff. I felt that if I was to continue doing both teapot sets of work, I would need to be paid more. His counter was that anyone on a PIP would not be entitled to a raise. Is it unfair to expect a raise to reflect my new expanded job scope, even though I am on a PIP? I argued with him for about 10 minutes over this, and his counter was still that last statement above. I felt like I was talking in circles. Yeah, you’re not going to get a raise while you’re on a PIP, at least not more than a cost-of-living increase at most. Raises are recognition that you’re now contributing at a higher level than when your salary was last set, and if you’re performing below expectations for the job (and by definition with a PIP, the issues are serious enough that you could be let go), very few employers are going to increase your salary in the middle of that (again, excluding COLAs). The problem is that a year ago your company added significantly to your work without compensating you for it. Maybe that was more reasonable than it sounds on the surface — you can have a job composed of two separate areas of work and still have them be one reasonable full-time job at the original salary. Or maybe it’s unreasonable; your company wouldn’t be the first to pile extra responsibilities on someone without paying them at market rate (or what they would have to pay someone for the same job if they hired for it externally). But you’re not likely to be successful in arguing that while you’re on a PIP. 3. Public-facing employees are upset that other employees do work outside our office I work for a large educational institution. During Covid, we all worked remotely without issue. Even after returning to the office, there was some flexibility; as long as our work was getting done and our supervisors approved, we could work remotely as needed. Recently, with a change in leadership, an email was sent stating that everyone must be present in person unless they have explicit approval from their boss. This has created a toxic work environment. Most of our clerical staff have always been required to work in person because they are public-facing or their roles demand it. However, many of us have jobs that require us to be in the field, visiting other sites and meeting with stakeholders. The issue is that the clerical staff is now monitoring when people come and go, leading to resentment, tattling, and unnecessary tension. HR has been unhelpful in clarifying that different roles have different expectations, and the clerical staff feels it’s unfair that not everyone has to be in the office all day. To make matters worse, some employees are now misusing their access to our management system to check who has recorded an absence or who they believe is simply not in the office. They fail to recognize that this is an invasion of privacy — people’s absences and their reasons should not be office gossip. How can we address this growing hostility and get leadership to acknowledge the differences in job responsibilities while also ensuring privacy is respected? Wait, the clerical staff is upset not that other people at working from home but that other people are out of the office to visit other sites and meet with stakeholders? That is … a weird new twist on this. That said, there’s not a lot that you as non-management can do about it. You can point out the tensions to your boss (and maybe HR if they’re competent). You can make a point of being more specific than just saying you or someone else will be out of the office and instead say “I’m meeting with a client” or “Jane is doing a site visit” or so forth. You can counter the comments when you hear them (“part of her job is going to clients’ sites”). You can also just ignore it; internally roll your eyes and figure it’s not your problem to handle as long as it’s not directly interfering with your ability to get your job done. The last one is likely your best option; you might get the most relief from realizing you can’t fix it and don’t need to fix it. But behind that, what you’re describing is a significant culture problem, and one that requires intervention from management to resolve it. If they don’t care to do that for whatever reason, that’s on them. That said, if there are specific violations of privacy that you can cite (like someone’s medical information being accessed/shared), you should definitely escalate that. If I’ve misunderstood and the resentment is actually about people who have their managers’ permission to work from home — not just working from non-home locations — the advice above still applies. Related: should I get rid of remote work because our in-office staff thinks it’s unfair? 4. My coworkers tune out so much background noise that it worries me We have a hybrid office. Some people work with headphones on, others don’t, but many lose all awareness of everything else while working. I know that it’s common in offices for us to be completely focused on our work, but surely we should remain aware of where we are? We’ve had people be surprised at things happening right next to them. We’ve even had them unaware that we’re talking about them while saying their name out loud. The worst example came when I went out of the room to move things upstairs, always a 10-20 minute process each week. A manager then asked me if I could move things upstairs, having not noticed that I had left the room, done the task, and come back as usual. This manager’s desk was right next to the door! I’m worried that this lack of situational awareness will lead to more trouble than mild surprise. What if there was an emergency? We haven’t had a fire drill for a long time, I don’t know how quickly they’d react. What about verbal warnings; would they hear the security guards warning them to evacuate? What can I do? What should I do? You don’t need to do anything! It’s very normal for people to adjust to office noise by learning to block it out so they can concentrate; that’s how they’re still able to do work that requires focus. In all but the most extreme cases, their brains will still recognize and respond to fire alarms, shouts to evacuate, and other noises outside the drone of more routine background noise. 5. I got my years of employment wrong in an interview I just had an interview that I thought went fairly well. However, immediately upon leaving, I realized I said I held a position eight years when it was really six; it was an honest mistake, my bad-at-math brain just visualized “2014-2020” in my head and did the math wrong. But I’m worried that they will think I intentionally lied. Should I include a clarification in my thank-you email? Sure. It’s unlikely to be a big deal, but on the off chance they did notice it and wondered about it, it would be fine to include a very brief mention in your thank-you note — something like, “Also, right after I left our meeting I realized I said I was at Oatmeal Village for eight years; in fact, it was six, and I didn’t want to leave that uncorrected.” View the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the national program and specialty award winners for the 2025 National Small Business Week, which will take place from May 4-10. The awards recognize businesses and resource partners for their contributions in government contracting, disaster recovery, and key areas such as exporting, small business investment, and surety bonding. “SBA is proud to recognize excellence across our small businesses and key resource partners,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “As we prepare to highlight just a few of the many success stories during National Small Business Week, we are laser-focused on our mission to empower American job creators and drive economic growth.” Government Contracting Awards The SBA honored several small businesses for their achievements in federal contracting: 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Gina Hill, Owner/President of G.M. Hill Engineering Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Karen Renee Paschal, President and CEO of Conco Inc., Louisville, Ky. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Antonio Martinez, President and CEO of Renaissance Global Services LLC, Holmdel, N.J. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence, which recognize prime contractors excelling in small business utilization, were awarded to: Construction: Glenn Sweatt, Vice President, Contracts and Compliance, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, Calif. Manufacturing: Rondu Vincent, Executive Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence Township, N.J. Services: Lisa Tanner, Small Business Liaison Officer and Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, S.C. Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery The SBA recognized resilience in disaster recovery efforts with the Phoenix Awards: Small Business Award: Luis and Amy Fuentes Ruiz, Island Catering LLC, Lahaina, Hawaii Outstanding Contributions, Public Official: Mayor Jennifer Linam Hobbs, Wynne, Ark. Outstanding Contributions, Volunteer: Senior Pastor John Grayson, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Selma, Ala. SBA Resource Partner Awards The SBA highlighted its resource partners that provide training and support to small businesses: SCORE Chapter of the Year: SCORE Greater Seattle, Seattle, Wash., led by Chapter Chair Suvendoo Ray Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, San Angelo, Texas, led by Director Dezaray Kathlaine Johnson Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award: Women’s Business Center of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, led by Director Anne Marie Wallace Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year: Veterans Business Outreach Center at University of Texas Arlington College of Business, Arlington, Texas, led by Director Patrick Alcorn Specialty Awards Exporter of the Year: Louis Auletta, President and CEO, and Michael Auletta, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bauer Inc., Bristol, Conn. Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager: GMB Capital Partners, Minneapolis, Minn. Surety Bond Agent of the Year: Alicia Marasco, Vice President of Bond Operations, Capstone Risk Management Services, Las Vegas, Nev. Upcoming Events The SBA will host a National Small Business Week virtual summit, with details on registrations and speakers available on the event’s official page. Local events can be identified by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek. As the week approaches, additional updates on programming and activities will be shared on the SBA’s official channels. This article, "SBA Announces 2025 National Small Business Week Award Winners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the national program and specialty award winners for the 2025 National Small Business Week, which will take place from May 4-10. The awards recognize businesses and resource partners for their contributions in government contracting, disaster recovery, and key areas such as exporting, small business investment, and surety bonding. “SBA is proud to recognize excellence across our small businesses and key resource partners,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “As we prepare to highlight just a few of the many success stories during National Small Business Week, we are laser-focused on our mission to empower American job creators and drive economic growth.” Government Contracting Awards The SBA honored several small businesses for their achievements in federal contracting: 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Gina Hill, Owner/President of G.M. Hill Engineering Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Karen Renee Paschal, President and CEO of Conco Inc., Louisville, Ky. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Antonio Martinez, President and CEO of Renaissance Global Services LLC, Holmdel, N.J. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence, which recognize prime contractors excelling in small business utilization, were awarded to: Construction: Glenn Sweatt, Vice President, Contracts and Compliance, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, Calif. Manufacturing: Rondu Vincent, Executive Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence Township, N.J. Services: Lisa Tanner, Small Business Liaison Officer and Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, S.C. Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery The SBA recognized resilience in disaster recovery efforts with the Phoenix Awards: Small Business Award: Luis and Amy Fuentes Ruiz, Island Catering LLC, Lahaina, Hawaii Outstanding Contributions, Public Official: Mayor Jennifer Linam Hobbs, Wynne, Ark. Outstanding Contributions, Volunteer: Senior Pastor John Grayson, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Selma, Ala. SBA Resource Partner Awards The SBA highlighted its resource partners that provide training and support to small businesses: SCORE Chapter of the Year: SCORE Greater Seattle, Seattle, Wash., led by Chapter Chair Suvendoo Ray Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, San Angelo, Texas, led by Director Dezaray Kathlaine Johnson Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award: Women’s Business Center of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, led by Director Anne Marie Wallace Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year: Veterans Business Outreach Center at University of Texas Arlington College of Business, Arlington, Texas, led by Director Patrick Alcorn Specialty Awards Exporter of the Year: Louis Auletta, President and CEO, and Michael Auletta, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bauer Inc., Bristol, Conn. Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager: GMB Capital Partners, Minneapolis, Minn. Surety Bond Agent of the Year: Alicia Marasco, Vice President of Bond Operations, Capstone Risk Management Services, Las Vegas, Nev. Upcoming Events The SBA will host a National Small Business Week virtual summit, with details on registrations and speakers available on the event’s official page. Local events can be identified by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek. As the week approaches, additional updates on programming and activities will be shared on the SBA’s official channels. This article, "SBA Announces 2025 National Small Business Week Award Winners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ferrero North America has launched the 2025 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Now in its fifth year, the program provides financial support and resources to early-stage Black business owners. This year, IFS will award a total of $150,000 in grants, with three recipients each receiving $50,000, along with mentorship and access to networking and educational tools. The IFS initiative was created to honor the legacy of Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos, and to celebrate the qualities that make business owners unique. “Wally Amos was boldly original, and his vision and impact are still part of Famous Amos to this day,” said Rachna Patel, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. “Ingredients for Success pays tribute to the brand’s roots by helping early-stage Black business owners work toward their dreams – ultimately helping fuel a community where individuality and innovation can thrive long-term.” Shawn Amos, entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos, will serve as a judge for this year’s IFS awards. “Fifty years ago, my father put his dream into action and founded Famous Amos,” Amos said. “Since then, it has grown to become a globally recognized brand, and I’m honored to be a part of its evolution. I’m also grateful to serve as a judge for the Ingredients for Success program during this monumental year. So many entrepreneurs deserve a chance to grow their business to reach its fullest potential. IFS builds upon the lessons from my father and provides resources to help others’ business dreams become a reality.” To qualify for the IFS program, businesses must be at least 90% Black-owned, in operation for five years or less, based in the United States, and owned by individuals 21 years or older. Applications are open now and can be submitted at FamousAmosIngredientsForSuccess.com through April 23, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes: Shawn Amos – Entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos Steve Canal – Founder of ONE Venture Group, best-selling author, and branding expert Brittany Rhodes – Founder of Math Equals Me and a previous IFS winner Since its launch in 2020, IFS has awarded $600,000 to 12 business owners, fostering economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs. The program has supported businesses ranging from educational tools and nostalgic card games to healthy food initiatives in underserved communities. This article, "Famous Amos Launches 2025 Ingredients for Success Initiative and ‘Famously You’ Campaign" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ferrero North America has launched the 2025 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Now in its fifth year, the program provides financial support and resources to early-stage Black business owners. This year, IFS will award a total of $150,000 in grants, with three recipients each receiving $50,000, along with mentorship and access to networking and educational tools. The IFS initiative was created to honor the legacy of Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos, and to celebrate the qualities that make business owners unique. “Wally Amos was boldly original, and his vision and impact are still part of Famous Amos to this day,” said Rachna Patel, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. “Ingredients for Success pays tribute to the brand’s roots by helping early-stage Black business owners work toward their dreams – ultimately helping fuel a community where individuality and innovation can thrive long-term.” Shawn Amos, entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos, will serve as a judge for this year’s IFS awards. “Fifty years ago, my father put his dream into action and founded Famous Amos,” Amos said. “Since then, it has grown to become a globally recognized brand, and I’m honored to be a part of its evolution. I’m also grateful to serve as a judge for the Ingredients for Success program during this monumental year. So many entrepreneurs deserve a chance to grow their business to reach its fullest potential. IFS builds upon the lessons from my father and provides resources to help others’ business dreams become a reality.” To qualify for the IFS program, businesses must be at least 90% Black-owned, in operation for five years or less, based in the United States, and owned by individuals 21 years or older. Applications are open now and can be submitted at FamousAmosIngredientsForSuccess.com through April 23, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes: Shawn Amos – Entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos Steve Canal – Founder of ONE Venture Group, best-selling author, and branding expert Brittany Rhodes – Founder of Math Equals Me and a previous IFS winner Since its launch in 2020, IFS has awarded $600,000 to 12 business owners, fostering economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs. The program has supported businesses ranging from educational tools and nostalgic card games to healthy food initiatives in underserved communities. This article, "Famous Amos Launches 2025 Ingredients for Success Initiative and ‘Famously You’ Campaign" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Attack appear to be most intense assault on enclave since ceasefire took effectView the full article

It’s fair to say that 2025 continues to fly out the blocks on a wild mission to bring even higher levels of change, unpredictability, and flux shaping our world. But, as I started writing this on Blue Monday in January, apparently the saddest day of the year, this is not intended as an article lamenting the cultural whiplash we are experiencing within our daily feeds. Instead, it is a more positive perspective on how as businesses and brands, we can not just survive but supercharge in this era of incredible unpredictability. The only constant in a changing world is change itself According to an article by GlobeScan, at the end of 2023, nearly 8 out of 10 people believed that “the world is changing too quickly for me.” But, quoting the immortal lyrics of the Chalamet-rekindled Bob Dylan, it’s clear that “the times they are-a-changin’,” and they will continue to change, with the only constant in this forever-changing world being change itself. So in an unpredictable world with a market and consumers that believe the world is changing too quickly for them, what is the role and impact that brands can have to bring belief, partnership, and confidence to the communities they serve as they also reel and react to daily change? The answer in a less sporadic and challenged world would be for a company’s chief marketing officer to have a clear brand plan that could be adjusted and evolved upon against fluctuating market conditions. But in this new world order of no real order, having a plan is only as useful as the famous Mike Tyson quote, “until you get punched in the face.” And in a world where we are all ducking and diving daily, that’s not enough, and a new posture and mindset is needed for the chief marketing officer, or change management officer as their 2025 moniker might become, to supercharge brand impact on a daily changing basis. Optimism is the 2025 driver of confidence Optimism is the core value of our company 72andSunny, and has been since we launched 20 years ago. And in 2025 this is the mindset and driver of confidence that we are seeing emerge amongst some of the global brands that we partner with, and more broadly within those pioneering thinkers shaping the marketing industry at large. The optimism we see is a multi-dimensional energizing mindset that stretches way beyond the dictionary definition of optimism as, “the hopefulness and confidence about the future or success of something.” Optimism challenges the status quo We see an optimistic mindset that is more ready to challenge the status quo and define new ways of thinking within categories. Whether that is Zurich Insurance creating a global platform “What Could Go Right?” in an insurance category obsessed with things going wrong, Indeed, championing the need to call out that the world of work isn’t working, by creating a global mission to make the world work better and calling out job injustices along the way, or the NFL leading the way to make girl’s flag football officially a varsity sport in all 50 states. We are seeing the brands that consumers gravitate towards being those that are optimistically challenging convention and bringing new math to the categories and culture they inhibit. Optimism creates unexpected partnerships We see an optimistic mindset that is more open and driven by collaboration across sectors and brands to create unexpected partnerships and noise. From the wonderfully bizarre partnership for the Super Bowl of Wrexham FC and Channing Tatum bringing Magic Mike-inspired comedy to their big game ad for Stok Cold Brew Coffee, to Nike opening its doors to Kim Kardashian and the SKIMS crew as the attempt to bring relevancy back to their product in the world. Curating the collaborations that provoke intrigue and innovation is a masterskill of modern marketeers. Optimism provokes play We see an optimistic mindset that is driving more brands to provoke play and bring a positive energy into the categories they inhibit. On, the running shoe brand’s latest commercial in a category that is driven by competitiveness and performance flipped the script and brought joy and wonder with the Elmo/Federer campaign created by the equally whimsically named NYC agency The Flower Shop, to e.l.f. curating an “e.l.f.time show” second screen experience for the Super Bowl to bring a shoppable dose of playfulness to its community during the big game. Optimism drives results And we get excited by this, because in a world where Ipsos believes that only 31% of people are optimistic about what the future might bring, the world of brand and marketing feels like it’s finding its own way to reverse that trend with a mindset that creates momentum and real business change. We see this type of marketing optimism being the unlock for boardroom success from Nike’s share point having risen by 6.2% post the SKIMS news, to momentum busting e.l.f. posting well over 20 consecutive quarters of growth. And at 72andSunny, a company whose name is imbued with an optimistic disposition, we are excited to see how our industry can flex and drive this cultural and commercial change in the most unpredictable of years. Chris Kay is president international of 72andSunny. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

Britain’s digital services tax set to remain point of dispute at Washington meetingView the full article

What a time to be alive. Looking at the sci-fi movie canon and the years in which these films take place, we’re 10 years past Robocop (set in 2015) and 7 years away from Demolition Man (set in 2032). As often as sci-fi serves as inspiration for the tech world, from the AI girlfriend of Her (2013) to an Iron Man-inspired tactical battle suit, so rarely does the tech world regard the thematic warnings underpinning their favorite depictions of the future. I believe in the power and opportunity of tech, and I’ve made a career of building applications with integrity. Many emerging advancements—AI-assisted breast cancer screenings, for example—will change our world for the better. But a few new technologies give me that “Danger, Will Robinson!” feeling. Here are three of them. 1. Humanoid housekeeping robots Companies like Norway’s 1X, the U.S.’s Figure, and Canada’s Sanctuary AI are creating humanoid housekeeping robots, combining robotic hardware with AI-powered software. These robots can receive vocal instruction and translate that instruction to physical action. Astounding! I get the use of these robots in warehouse and manufacturing settings, which are designed to accommodate the human form. Humanoid robots could take on the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that are too risky for humans. In the home is a different matter. Aside from a general uncanny valley creepiness, I can’t see how these robots would be safe. Current large language models (LLMs) used by AI platforms like ChatGPT aren’t too difficult to jailbreak—i.e., bypassing built-in security guardrails. A jailbroken LLM can be tricked into revealing sensitive credentials and secrets or giving harmful instructions like, say, how to build a bomb or 3D print a gun. Now imagine a jailbroken robot in your home. No thanks. 2. AI social media personas A few weeks ago while scrolling Instagram, I was prompted to try chatting with Instagram’s new AI characters. Meta’s been rolling them out in a stop-and-start fashion since last year, and while they’ve been repealed (for the moment) from Facebook, there are still a few on Instagram you can chat with. I think often how technology’s principle of eliminating friction has gone too far. Friction and discomfort are necessary in the human experience. To be a person in community is to be vulnerable, to risk showing yourself to others. I worry technology has lulled us into such comfort that the most normal, natural aspects of being social animals have come to feel like a chore, if not a danger. We shouldn’t equivocate simulated interactions with human ones, especially for kids, even in the most benign contexts. The less benign contexts are even more grim. Anyone can create an AI agent and say you should use it as your therapist or your girlfriend or financial advisor. Even with whimsical accounts—like a Spongebob Squarepants chat agent—you (or your child) is still essentially talking to a stranger. A troubling formula: The humanness of the AI agent makes it feel trustworthy, and the machine-ness of the AI makes it feel unbiased and without agenda. On a broader scale, I worry about these accounts’ potential for spreading misinformation, not by shouting from the streets of X with a bullhorn, but by whispering directly into our ears. 3. Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip Quantum computing—another deeply sci-fi topic— is coming into reality. The science behind quantum mechanics is quite dense, but here’s a primer. In computing, a classical “bit” is either a 1 or 0. A quantum bit (or qubit) can be both 0 and 1 simultaneously. The capability of a quantum computer is dependent on how many qubits are powering it. Quantum computers can make many attempts at a problem at once, compared to traditional computers that make one attempt at a time, albeit very quickly. For many, the standard of a “quantum relevant” computer is its ability to break RSA encryption (aka, the algorithmic formula commonly used to encrypt data) reliably at scale. Many nations are racing to develop quantum capabilities across several verticals and use cases—China, Germany, Canada, the U.S., India, and Japan are leading the way. There’s no way of knowing when quantum will reach a point of commercial or personal viability. That said, Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 chip represents a significant step toward that reality. The architecture used to develop the Majorana 1 appears capable of supporting a million qubits. For reference, when IBM released the first quantum processor in 2023, it had over 1,000 qubits, and that was a big deal. In 2021, the University of Science and Technology of China debuted a 66-qubit processor that solved a calculation in just 1.2 hours that would have taken a traditional super computer 8 years to solve. My concern isn’t for the chip itself. The Majorana 1 is marvelous. My concern is that the world will not be ready for the quantum paradigm shift that Majorana 1 portends. Stepping into a quantum world will require organizations and infrastructure providers of all types to adopt quantum-resistant algorithms to protect our data and themselves against disruption. However, such cryptographic shifts have been historically painful. Many verticals still struggle with migrating to decade-old standards like AES or SHA-2. Our modern world and way of life relies deeply on encryption, and almost certainly nation-state enemies would use quantum capabilities against us if they beat us to the punch. We’ll see what sticks It’s fun to look back in time to failed inventions from the early 20th century. Today, they seem so kooky and cumbersome. So many unique ideas that once appeared to be the next game changer fell flat, then fell into obscurity. I get the same sense about our current era. AI, quantum, and other breakthroughs are forging so many new possibilities, especially as they collide and combine with one another. The technologist in me feels like a kid in a candy store. I only hope the technology that survives serves our interests and individuals and as a species. Lindsey Witmer Collins is the founder of WLCM App Studio. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. 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. Travel deals can be hit or miss as prices jump around and deals disappear before you can check your schedule. The OneAir Elite Lifetime Subscription is designed to do the heavy lifting for you. A members-only deal-alert service, it tracks flight prices using AI, scans for mistake fares, and alerts you when there’s a significant drop—and currently, it's on StackSocial for $99.99 (originally $790), but apply the promo code FLY30 and you can get it for just $70. The sale runs until March 30. OneAir’s coverage is broad, spanning 60+ countries and multiple fare classes, including premium economy and business. That’s useful if you’re flexible with your routes and don’t mind hopping on an unexpected deal. It even includes hidden city fares, which can sometimes cut costs significantly. The biggest advantage here is that OneAir does the searching for you, so that you’re not spending hours checking flights manually. However, travelers with strict schedules or those who only fly specific airlines may not always get the most value. Some of the best deals require booking fast, so it works best for those ready to jump on an opportunity. At $70 for lifetime access, it’s cheaper than most annual flight deal subscriptions, and if you book even one discounted flight using its alerts, it could pay for itself in one trip. That said, it won’t magically make every flight cheaper—deals depend on availability and timing. If you like tracking flights yourself or only travel occasionally, free services like Google Flights or Skyscanner alerts might be enough. But if you want to save money without the hassle, this could be a solid tool to have. View the full article

Embarking on a personal transformation, often termed a “glow up,” encompasses more than just external changes; it’s about building confidence and holistic wellbeing. While the multi-billion-dollar beauty industry offers numerous products to aid in this journey, an accessible and potent tool is often overlooked: music. Scientific research underscores the profound impact of music on essential aspects of well-being, including sleep quality, stress management, and exercise performance. By integrating music into these areas, one can enhance overall health and, consequently, personal appearance. Music and sleep: Your secret weapon for restorative rest Good sleep hygiene means creating a consistent routine and an environment that promotes deep, uninterrupted sleep—and music can be a game-changer when it comes to catching enough z’s. Here’s what music can do for sleep: Facilitate faster sleep onset: A study involving women with insomnia found that participants who listened to self-selected music at bedtime for 10 nights reduced their time to fall asleep from 27 to 69 minutes to just 6 to 13 minutes. Lower cortisol levels: Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, can keep you wired when you need to wind down. Music has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and deeper sleep. Trigger dopamine release: Listening to music before bed can stimulate dopamine, the same “feel-good” hormone released during pleasurable activities like eating, exercising, and intimacy. That means music doesn’t just help you sleep—it helps you feel happier, too. How does sleep impact wellbeing and confidence? It promotes skin repair and regeneration, reduces inflammation, and it improves cognitive function and memory, along with emotional and mental health. Music and exercise: Amplifies performance Music isn’t just about setting the vibe for your workout—it has measurable physiological and psychological benefits that can push you to perform at your best. Increases endurance and reduces perceived effort: A study by Professor Costas Karageorghis and colleagues found that syncing music with a runner’s pace increased muscle endurance by 15% while reducing perceived effort by 12%. In other words, you can work harder while feeling like you’re doing less. Boosts performance across different workout types: Research shows that music provides ergogenic (performance-enhancing) benefits in endurance, sprint, and resistance-based activities. It improves physiological responses like heart rate and muscle activation, leading to better results. Elevates mood and motivation: The right playlist can shift your mindset, making workouts feel less like a chore and more like an energizing experience. How does exercise impact wellbeing and confidence? It boosts your mood and reduces anxiety, enhances brain function, while building self-esteem and body image. Music and stress management: A scientifically-proven relaxation tool We all know stress wreaks havoc on our health, skin, and overall wellbeing. The good news? Music is a powerful tool for relaxation, and science is backing it up in the emerging field of biomusicology—an area that fuses auditory neuroscience, psychology, and music cognition. Biomusicology shows that music: Reduces anxiety: A 2021 meta-analysis concluded that music therapy significantly improves anxiety during treatment, providing tangible mental health benefits. Promotes deep relaxation: The most effective relaxation music is slow in tempo, low in frequency, and free from sudden changes or jarring sounds. It helps slow the heart rate and create a calming effect. Supports individual needs: Whether you prefer instrumental melodies or soft vocals, music can be tailored to your specific relaxation goals—whether you’re meditating, journaling, or simply unwinding after a long day. How does stress management impact wellbeing and confidence? It reduces premature aging, prevents breakouts, improves sleep, and it reduces anxiety and depression. The takeaway: Music is your free, science-backed glow up tool A glow up isn’t just about what you put on your skin or how you style your hair—it’s about how you feel, inside and out. Music is an accessible, research-backed way to improve sleep, maximize workouts, and manage stress, all of which contribute to a healthier, more radiant you. So next time you’re curating your self-care routine, don’t underestimate the power of a great playlist. By harnessing the therapeutic benefits of music, individuals can support their holistic well-being, contributing to a more radiant and confident self. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

Search giant’s previous round of negotiations to purchase the group fell through last yearView the full article

Officials will have to reapply for procurement cards as part of war on waste in WhitehallView the full article

The San Francisco bank announced Monday that it has shed its fifth regulatory order this year — this one related to loss mitigation practices in its home lending business. 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. Sonos takes their user-friendliness seriously. When people complained about an update on their companion app that got rid of many cool features, Sonos listened and put them back. That's the kind of commitment to their customers you can expect from Sonos, and why they've been so popular in the audio market. So when there's a Sonos sale with actual good discounts, take advantage of it. Right now you can get the Roam 2 for $139 (originally $179), the Sonos Era 100 for $199 (originally $249), Sonos Sub Mini for $343 (originally $429), and the Sonos Arc for $629 (originally $899). All of these speakers are at their lowest price, according to price-tracking tools. Maximum Output: 4E+1 Watts, Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Mono, Mounting:Tabletop Sonos Roam 2 $139.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $40.00 Maximum Output: 10 Watts, Connectivity: Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/USB, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Shelf Sonos Era 100 $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.00 Save $50.00 Maximum Output: 250 Watts, Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Floor Sonos Sub Mini $343.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $429.00 Save $86.00 Get Deal Get Deal $343.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $429.00 Save $86.00 Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Wall Sonos Arc Soundbar $629.00 at Amazon $899.00 Save $270.00 Get Deal Get Deal $629.00 at Amazon $899.00 Save $270.00 SEE 1 MORE The Roam 2 is their version of a portable, and like most Sonos speakers, they integrate seamlessly into the ecosystem to play multi-room media. It has a speakerphone feature, in-app EQ, wireless charging, is water resistant, and has Alexa and Sonos voice assistant, according to PCMag's review. At $139 (originally $179), the Roam 2 is the cheapest way to try a Sonos speaker. The Sonos Era 100 is a smart speaker that can work as stereo with a pair or as rear speakers in a Sonos surround sound system. It is an updated version of the Sonos One smart speaker, offering better bass and other improvements. It has an "excellent" review from PCMag for its ability to play stereo with a single device (it has a dual tweeter setup), its balanced audio, and the well-developed companion app that allows you to adjust the EQ. The Sonos Sub Mini is a smaller and more affordable version of the Sonos Sub, perfect for a small apartment or room where you want a soundbar and subwoofer combo. You can read the CNET review here. And if you're looking for a top-notch soundbar, consider the Sonos Arc. This smart soundbar came out in 2020 and received an "excellent" review from PCMag for its Dolby Atmos compatibility, ease of expansion, support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and its wide sound field and powerful bass (even without a subwoofer). Its current $629 price is the cheapest it has ever been (although it's shipped and sold by a third-party Amazon store). View the full article

The financial services industry is facing an era of unparalleled fragmentation. Consumers are no longer limited to a single bank or financial provider in an increasingly nomadic digital environment. Instead, consumers can move seamlessly between services and products across multiple platforms. This creates a highly competitive marketplace while still maintaining some degree of segmentation. As fintech disruptors and traditional financial institutions compete for consumers, creating brand differentiation and customer loyalty has become one of the hardest and most critical aspects of growing a business. Adding to this challenge, banks and financial service providers face an environment of unprecedented consumer choice. In the 2024 banking outlook, Deloitte cautions the industry that “retail customers are spoiled for choice, and it has become easier for them to switch accounts and diversify deposits across multiple platforms.” However, solutions are emerging that can break down the barriers between financial institutions and allow consumers to access a bundle of value-added features and capabilities alongside traditional financial products—all in one place. Lessons from travel and e-commerce industries The financial system is undergoing a seismic shift akin to the transformation that occurred over the past several decades in the travel industry, where consumers now prefer one-stop marketplaces like Kayak or Expedia for their travel needs. Closed loop ecosystems (e.g. I get my banking, personal loan, insurance, mortgage and brokerage all from one bank) are now being challenged by a la carte open systems where products are becoming provider agnostic and more goals oriented. Consumers are often asking, “what is the optimal basket of financial products for me today?” E-commerce giants like Amazon continue to illustrate changing consumer behavior by providing a range of add-on services, from groceries to online medical consultations. Like the travel sites, customers can do all this on Amazon itself, not separately going to the individual companies and services. Because of today’s e-commerce and travel platform experiences, customers are accustomed to one-stop shopping—it’s become an expectation, not just a want. However, shopping for financial services has always lagged behind the other vertical industries. This has produced a drive to create financial ecosystems with a seamless, holistic shopping and checkout experience. A broad spectrum of companies can come together to offer financial services and products personalized for each consumer, offered in one centralized marketplace. For consumers, this means greater convenience and tailored products and financial solutions without needing to navigate multiple platforms. For financial institutions and service providers, this offers a chance to showcase their products and services to a wider audience, creating loyalty and trust while reducing the cost of customer acquisition. Data and AI can further fuel personalization Data analytics can be a powerful tool in revealing consumer behaviors and demands. Right now, consumers are demanding executable and tailored options, but in a simplified way (as in, a “ready to checkout” way). The emergence of low-latency deployable AI models in digital interfaces now allows the industry to customize offer deliveries right from the source of truth (e.g. a bank or financial institution’s offer catalog) quickly and seamlessly. Again, insights and observed consumer behaviors from the travel industry are instructive in setting the next stage of financial services. An Expedia survey found that 50% of respondents were interested in using generative AI to plan their next trip in 2024. In addition, nearly 40% of travelers said they would use AI to find the perfect stay. Consumers are beginning to trust AI to make informed decisions at a time when the traditional, fragmented financial system is losing trust and loyalty. By using AI tools to provide additional financial options faster and more seamlessly, the industry can rebuild trust and loyalty with customers. Consumers tend to trust when they are given options, rather than being told what to do, and offered little choice. That consumer demand is as equally true when shopping for a hotel as it is when shopping for a savings account. They want to see the full picture rather than one product or service. To achieve this, a more unified ecosystem of financial service providers is needed, built with the help of AI tools, so consumers do not have to dig to find the right options in a fragmented landscape. A critical juncture The financial services industry faces a critical juncture where customer loyalty is being heavily tested by competitive offers and a fragmented digital environment. However, by leveraging AI and data, this challenge will be turned into an opportunity. Just as the travel industry has evolved to meet consumer demands through comprehensive platforms, the financial sector must embrace technology innovation and collaboration to offer one holistic, user-friendly experience. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. 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Hint at future summit comes amid escalating trade conflict between Washington and BeijingView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re tired of subscription fees stacking up, this Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac deal at StackSocial might be worth a look. It’s a one-time purchase (of $79.95, 63% off its usual $220) that works with macOS Ventura (version 13) or later, and once activated, you’re set for the long haul with access to the full suite—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote (covering all the essentials for work or personal use)—without worrying about monthly or annual renewals. The deal is set for a limited time and ends March 30. You can download it to one Mac, but the license is tied to your Microsoft account, not your device, so you can reinstall it if needed, provided your Mac runs one of the three latest MacOS versions (currently, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia). You’ll need at least 4GB of RAM and 10GB of free storage, but once set up, it runs smoothly without requiring an internet connection. Just a heads up: you’ll need to redeem your code within seven days of purchase, so don’t sit on it too long. The functionality is solid if you don’t need the cloud-based extras of Microsoft 365. Word is great for handling documents, Excel supports advanced formulas, and PowerPoint is reliable for presentations. There’s also the basic version of Microsoft Teams for collaboration and the free version of OneNote for note-taking. Outlook is included, but since Apple Mail or third-party email apps cover most needs, it may not be a must-have. While these apps get the job done, keep in mind that this version lacks AI-powered features like Copilot and doesn't include OneDrive cloud storage. If you’re someone who relies heavily on cloud syncing and AI-assisted work, this might not be the best fit. There are also no feature updates beyond security fixes, but if you prefer stability over new bells and whistles, this version will do the trick while saving you money. View the full article

Microsoft is adding new AI features to Notepad and Snipping Tool in Windows 11, but there's a catch: Some of these are locked behind a paywall. The company is rolling out an AI feature for Notepad that can summarize articles for you, while the Snipping Tool will let you draw shapes with ease. All of these updates are available via the Windows Insider program for those who want to try beta software to test new features before they're released to the general public. Notepad's new AI featureFollowing other upgrades in Windows 11, Notepad now lets testers quickly summarize text in the app. You can paste text in Notepad and use the Copilot menu to try the Summarize feature, or press Ctrl-M after selecting text, and the summary will appear in a popover. However, you may not be able to use the summarize feature, as you'll need a Microsoft 365 subscription and Copilot Pro AI credits to access it. Separately, PCWorld reports that Windows will lock all Notepad AI features behind the Microsoft 365 subscription. With this same update, Microsoft said it's also introducing the ability to view recent files to Notepad. This is, in my opinion, a bare minimum feature for an app like Notepad, so it makes sense that Microsoft says it's a much-requested feature. If you're on the right Windows 11 beta, you can go to File > Recent in Notepad to access recently opened files. You can select the Clear list option in the same menu to remove recent files from this menu. You can try all these Notepad features in the app's 11.2501.29.0 version. Snipping Tool gets better shape creation Credit: Microsoft The Snipping Tool is Windows 11's built-in screenshot app, with a built-in tool for annotating these images. With the newest beta, it's now much easier to draw shapes on your screenshots. If you draw something that looks roughly like an arrow, Snipping Tool will automatically turn it into a straight line with a pointer at one end. While the app has always offered users the ability to draw various shapes on a screenshot, this new tool should save some time by eliminating the need to select the right shape. Simply start drawing the shape you need and Snipping Tool should take care of the rest. This update is available with Snipping Tool version 11.2502.18.0. How to access the newest Windows 11 featuresIf you want to try these new features, you'll need to join the Windows Insider program. If you choose to do so, you'll be running unstable builds of Windows 11 on your PC, so be sure to take a full backup of your machine, and be ready for crashes, the occasional system freeze, and compatibility issues while using your computer. Go to the Microsoft website on your Windows 11 PC, and click the Register button to sign up for Windows Insider. Then, go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program on your PC and follow the on-screen prompts to join the program. You need to be on the Dev or Canary channels of the Windows 11 Insider program to receive the updates mentioned in this article. View the full article

I never enjoyed the experience of reading long threads on Twitter (the same goes for X), and I don't think any of its successors have done a particularly great job making them easier to read. Since Bluesky is the preferred home of X-pats, I've been reading a number of lengthy threads there, and after I encountered multiple threads with 10+ posts, I went looking for a tool that would make it easier to follow along. That's when I came across Skywriter, a utility that unrolls long threads and converts them into an article format. Skywriter turns Bluesky threads into articlesThe next time you encounter a long thread on Bluesky, drop the link to the first post on Skywriter's website and it'll convert the entire thread into an article for you. Or, even better, just tag @unroll.skywriter.blue in the replies and use the word "unroll" without quotes in your post. You don't need to create an account with Skywriter, but if you do, you'll be able to keep a list of all the threads you've saved. (That said, you can achieve the same thing by saving the URLs of the pages Skywriter generates too, so there really is no need to create an account at this point.) This tool is quite similar to the excellent Thread Reader bot that would convert Twitter threads into articles. Skywriter is quite fast at doing its job and the webpage it generates is reader-friendly. It'll even match your device's current theme—if you're using dark mode, your Skywriter article will use dark mode, too. On the webpage, you can see the author's profile picture, Bluesky username, and display name. Below that is the number of likes the post has received, a link to the original thread, and a button to save it to your Skywriter account. You can see a sample of a Bluesky post turned Skywriter article here. (If you're curious about the original, check this link.) With some threads on Bluesky, I was unable to see individual posts because they contained keywords that I muted. Skywriter was able to find and save even these posts, which allowed me to read the entire thread. I'd muted those keywords to avoid reactionary takes, but in the context of an insightful, long thread, I actually wanted to see those posts. Skywriter fills that gap and allows me to read the things I'm interested in, even if those posts are hidden from my Bluesky feed. Skywriter isn't perfectMy only complaint is that Skywriter is fairly literal in its task. Quite often, the thread creator is forced to stop a post mid-sentence or add numbers to the end of each post. When you're reading it on Bluesky, it makes sense because of the 300-character limit on each post. On Skywriter's website, these gaps look quite odd. It starts every post in a new paragraph, and, due to its literal conversion, you'll see paragraphs that start in the middle of a sentence, or numbers appearing in between posts. This isn't Skywriter's fault per se, because its job is to make posts easier to read, without changing the original content, but it does make the reading experience less than ideal at times. Otherwise, it does a stellar job at loading text and media content in the right places, and is a useful tool to add to your Bluesky collection. View the full article

As March Madness takes over this week, how many people are filling out NCAA brackets — and why? A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows what share of Americans typically take a shot at bracket predictions and their motivation for joining in the madness. The survey found that about one-quarter of Americans fill out a men’s March Madness bracket “every year” or “some years.” But what about the women’s tournament? High-profile NCAA women’s basketball games have closed the gap with men’s tournaments in terms of viewership and there is more money flowing in and around women’s sports in general; women’s teams will now be paid to play in the tournament, just like men have for years. It all points to higher interest in how women’s teams fare even if the bracket frenzy has not quite caught up. The survey found that 16% of U.S. adults fill out a women’s tournament bracket “every year” or “some years.” And it’s much more common for bracket participants to only fill out a bracket for the men’s tournament than the women’s — about 1 in 10 U.S. adults only fill out a men’s tournament bracket, while only 2% fill out only a women’s bracket. Another 14% fill out a bracket for both tournaments at least “some years.” So, a sizeable chunk of Americans are into NCAA bracketology, but what’s behind the hype? Among those who fill out brackets at least “some years,” about 7 in 10 say a reason for their participation was for the glory of winning, the chance to win money or the fact that other people were doing it. They’re less likely to be motivated by support for a specific school or team — and in particular, to say this was a “major” reason for their participation. There’s certainly a financial motivation for correctly predicting the Final Four, and it’s hard to deny NCAA college basketball is in a betting-heavy era. More Americans can legally bet money on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments than in previous years, and many will place a wager on their bracket’s success. Does that mean Americans think the tournaments are all about wagering, or that it’s technically gambling to enter a friends-and-family pool with only a modest payout at stake? Most U.S. adults — 56% — say that if someone enters a March Madness bracket pool for money, they consider that to be gambling. About 2 in 10 say it depends on the amount of money, and another 2 in 10, roughly, say this is not gambling. Who are the March Madness bracket diehards? Men tend to make up the bulk of the regulars who fill out a bracket at least “some years.” Among the March Madness bracket regulars, about 6 in 10 are men, including about one-third who are men under the age of 45. These bracket regulars are less likely to be women; only about 4 in 10 are women, and they’re about evenly split between being older or younger. Those who only fill out a bracket for the men’s tournament are also overwhelmingly men. About 7 in 10 people who fill out a men’s bracket — and not a women’s bracket — “every year” or “some years” are men. About 4 in 10 are men over 45, and about 3 in 10 are younger men. If you can’t beat them, avoid them? Not everyone wants to risk a bracket buster and people avoiding the Madness this month are hardly alone. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they “never” fill out a men’s or women’s bracket. This group leans more female: About 6 in 10 bracket avoiders are women. And roughly one-third in this group are women over 45. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,112 adults was conducted Feb. 6-10, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. —Linley Sanders, Associated Press View the full article

I try to write about emerging trends in this column, but this week I'm flipping the script, as they say, and taking a look at the end of four popular things: Neo-medievalism, Kendrick Lamar, memes, and movies are all in the process of being thrown into the garbage heap by young people. Lady Gaga and the death of neo-medievalism If you watched Lady Gaga's appearance on Saturday Night Live on March 8, you might not have known you were witnessing the end of a youth trend, the moment when neo-medievalism went from cool to commodity. Along with hosting, Gaga played her new single "Abracadabra" for the SNL audience, and she was doing a lot. The song's pure pop hooks mixed with hard dance beats would have been at home on Gaga's 2008 release The Fame, so this is Lady Gaga reheating her own nachos. But there are much older nachos being reheated too: From the Gregorian chants of the background singers to Gaga's dancers rocking corpse paint and plague-doctor outfits, Gaga is dabbling in neo-medievalism, an aesthetic born in cutting-edge art and fashion circles that has been slowly oozing toward the mainstream over the last few years. Maybe in response to the world devolving from globalism to warring regional powers, just like the Middle Ages, fashion designers like Hedi Slimane started dressing models in ren-faire style outfits made of leather to make them look like "moody princes." Meanwhile, outside-of-the-mainstream musicians like Dandelion Wine began adding drum machines and synths to Middle Ages-style melodies. The neo-medieval style is based on people's ideas of history, not the real article (I doubt a 13th century peasant from Hungary would know what to make of "Abracadabra") so it owes a debt to RPG video games, fantasy movies, and Dungeons and Dragons. Over the last few years, neo-medievalism has become a whole thing. But the 1990s swing revival was a whole thing too, and all whole things die the way Big Bad Voodoo Daddy did: Too many people started paying attention, and what was once cool and underground becomes ridiculous and embarrassing. You could see the cracks forming when Chappell Roan showed up at the Grammys looking like this: But Roan is at least in her 20s. Lady Gaga is nearly 40 years old. She's still great, but she's a last-gen artist for moms driving small SUVs now, and her copping the neo-medieval style on a stage big enough for you and I to see it is a death knell for the movement. For a historical pop-culture equivalent, ask yourself who was "voguing" or dressing in a neo-Renaissance style after Madonna appeared on the VMAs in 1990. So look for the mass-market-friendly version of the Middle Ages to hit the back-to-school clothing racks at Target this summer, for "Abracadbra" to be played at weddings, and for the cool kids to ditch the fairy wings and clown makeup for whatever the next thing is. Has Kendrick Lamar jumped the shark?Speaking of things that were once cool... Kendrick Lamar! Drake didn't have many good bars during the famous Drake vs. Kendrick rap war, but he had one punchline that ended up landing hard. On "Family Matters," Drake raps, "Kendrick just opened his mouth; somebody hand him a Grammy right now," a line that plays on the oversized adulation Kendrick had started receiving. Since then, Kendrick performed at the Super Bowl, guested on Playboi Carti's album, and has been handed five Grammys. It wouldn't be weird to hear "Not Like Us" played in the same small SUV that just bumped "Abracadabra." As Drake's line suggests: You can't get this popular without the hardcore saying, "Wait, is this guy actually corny?" Case-in-point: the T-shirts. On Lamar's "TV off," he shouts out the name of producer Mustard in a way that seemed designed to be meme-ified. As you could have predicted, people started making and selling T-shirts of the moment, like this early and popular version featuring Kendrick as a Peanuts character saying "Mustarddddddd!" Or this one from Etsy, that plays on Heinz logo: Credit: Etsy Then other people started noticing how cornball all this gear is and posting responses like this: And this: Whether it's normal or brain-rot, the question is the same: "Who is buying this shit?" The answer: Lame people. It's not Kendrick's fault that Etsy entrepreneurs are making a quick buck off his work, but in the pitiless court of public pop culture opinion, K.Dot seems to be strapping on the water skis and heading for the ramp. What is the great meme drought of 2025?For my third "thing that might be over," I'm looking at memes themselves. TikToker @goofangel started the ball rolling by proclaiming that there were no new, original memes in March of 2025. Others picked up on the trend and started posting picture of the Great Depression to illustrate the supposed lack of memes: Or expressing how the meme depression makes them feel: Others have pointed out that the Great Meme Depression is an original meme that was created in March, identifying an important paradox in the meme-verse: Still others looked to the future with a sense of hope: The "death of memes" is mostly ironic, but maybe memes themselves have reached their logical conclusion and younger people will start doing something else with their time. It's a pipe dream, sure, but you never know. Viral video of the week: I accidentally got way too invested in this TikTok movie My final entry in the list of dead culture things: cinema. That kids don't really care about movies any more isn't a new thing, but in this week's viral video, YouTuber Danny Gonzalez takes a look at what's replacing traditional films for more and more young people: long-form stories designed to be watched like TikToks or Instagram reels. Movies like "True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee," an 85-part(!) series that tells the story of a high school heiress's feud with a popular girl. Gonzalez wonders at one point whether the "movie" was actually written by AI. So, as an experiment, I asked ChatGPT to write a movie with a similar idea, and I think it did at least as good a job as the actual "True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee" script. Here's part of the first scene: Lily walks past a group of students who pause and stare at her. One whispers to another. Student 1: Wait, who is that? Student 2: I think... she’s, like, an heiress or something. Some big family with loads of money. Student 3 (skeptical): An heiress? To what, like... a candy store? Lily (overhearing, with a smile): Actually, it’s a global luxury fashion brand. Just inherited a stake last month. But thank you for noticing. View the full article

Google researchers reduce AI hallucinations in RAG by using a sufficient context signal and model confidence The post Google Researchers Improve RAG With “Sufficient Context” Signal appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

An Ipsos study commissioned by LinkedIn finds AI tools can cut sales cycles by a week, helping close deals faster. The post LinkedIn Study: AI Shortens B2B Sales Cycles By 1 Week appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article