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St. Patrick’s Day usually conjures images of partying, Catholicism, Irish nationalism and, perhaps most famously, the color green: green clothes, green shamrocks, green beer and green rivers. So my students are often surprised when I tell them that St. Patrick’s Day was once a solemn feast day when you’d be far more likely to see the color blue. In fact, there’s even a color known as St. Patrick’s blue. ‘True blue’ Historians don’t know much about St. Patrick. But they believe he was born in the fifth century as Maewyn Succat. He wasn’t Irish; rather he was born in Wales, the son of a Roman-British official. He was, however, captured by Irish pirates and enslaved in Ireland. After six years he went back to Britain but returned to Ireland as one of the missionaries to convert Irish pagans to Christianity. At some point he adopted the Latin name Patricius. In the 10th century, the first evidence of St. Patrick being a beloved figure in Ireland emerged. In the early 17th century, Luke Wadding, an Irish priest, persuaded the Catholic Church to make March 17 a feast day for St. Patrick. St. Patrick wasn’t born in Ireland, but he did missionary work there. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY] Back then, feast days were far from raucous affairs: Catholics typically went to Mass and then had a quiet dinner at home to celebrate. Other denominations, including Anglicans and Lutherans, recognized the day as well. But any commemorations would include the color blue. The Dublin Evening Post reported that in a 1785 St. Patrick’s Day ceremony in Dublin, a group of men identifying themselves as patriots “marched in a grand procession round the garden, dressed in true blue, and carrying along with them a number of curious pageants.” Constance Markievicz, who fought in the 1916 Easter Rebellion for independence and was the first minister of labour in the Irish Free State, maintained that blue was “the old colour of Ireland.” To connect the past to the nationalist movement, she used blue as the background for the Irish Citizen Army’s flag. In 1934, Irish politician W.T. Cosgrave asserted that blue is “in perfect, traditional, national accord with our history and in close association with the most revered and venerated memory of our patron Saint.” Out with the old, in with the new Since the 12th century, Ireland had been a colony of Great Britain. Like the American Colonists who rebelled against the British crown, a group of rebels called the United Irish launched an insurrection in 1798 in a quest for independence. Led mostly by middle-class Protestants and in coordination with some Catholics, the United Irish adopted the “wearing of the green” to represent Irish nationalism and their fight against British imperialism. The rebellion failed, and the British government made Ireland part of the United Kingdom in 1801 to prevent future revolutions. The government also bestowed greater rights to Protestants over Catholics. Ireland became more sectarian over the course of the 19th century, and nationalism became more associated with Catholicism. In some ways, the two became interchangeable. With nationalism ascendant and Catholics outnumbering Protestants, green was widely embraced, particularly since it had been worn by the United Irish. Green crosses the pond Before the 1840s, most Irish immigrants to America had been Protestants, many of whom had been the descendants of Scottish settlers in Ulster and would later become known as the Scots Irish. Like those that would succeed them, they celebrated St. Patrick’s Day to commemorate their connection to Ireland. In the earliest recorded American celebration of the day, banquets toasting Ireland and St. Patrick took place in Boston in 1737. By the 1760s, annual parades were being held in New York and on the island of Montserrat to celebrate Irish culture and identity. Irish immigration to the new world increased dramatically after the Great Hunger of the 1840s, when the potato crops failed and over 1 million indigent Catholics arrived in the U.S. Facing discrimination from American Protestants who claimed they were more loyal to the pope than to the U.S., they viewed St. Patrick’s Day as a link to the history and culture of Ireland. Celebrations were a badge of pride and dignity, and they called for Irish independence to demonstrate they, too, believed in republican principles. Irish immigrants to the U.S. were eager to profess their embrace of the nation’s republican ideals. [Art: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images] Irish nationalist groups active in the U.S. – the Fenians, Clan na Gael and, later, Irish Northern Aid – participated in these American St. Patrick’s Day parades, proudly wearing green to demonstrate their nationalism and the connection to past nationalist groups such as the United Irish. In Ireland, however, St. Patrick’s Day remained a solemn day of observance with little revelry. The Irish government didn’t recognize St. Patrick’s Day as a public holiday until 1903, and the first parade in Dublin wasn’t held until 1931. Even pubs remained closed on March 17 until 1961. Since 1922, when 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland became semi-independent, the tricolor flag of Ireland has been the official flag. Green represents the Catholics, orange represents the Protestants, and the white in the middle symbolizes peace. Yet green remains the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland throughout the world, largely due to the Catholic diaspora and its association with nationalism. However, blue still plays a symbolic role in Ireland: Since 1945, the flag representing the president of Ireland has a gold harp with a dark blue background – the color known as St. Patrick’s blue. The Irish presidential flag flies from the car of Ireland’s president. [Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images] Bryan McGovern is a professor of history at Kennesaw State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Throughout history, when pioneers set out across uncharted territory to settle in distant lands, they carried with them only the essentials: tools, seeds and clothing. Anything else would have to come from their new environment. So they built shelter from local timber, rocks and sod; foraged for food and cultivated the soil beneath their feet; and fabricated tools from whatever they could scrounge up. It was difficult, but ultimately the successful ones made everything they needed to survive. Something similar will take place when humanity leaves Earth for destinations such as the Moon and Mars – although astronauts will face even greater challenges than, for example, the Vikings did when they reached Greenland and Newfoundland. Not only will the astronauts have limited supplies and the need to live off the land; they won’t even be able to breathe the air. Instead of axes and plows, however, today’s space pioneers will bring 3D printers. As an engineer and professor who is developing technologies to extend the human presence beyond Earth, I focus my work and research on these remarkable machines. 3D printers will make the tools, structures and habitats space pioneers need to survive in a hostile alien environment. They will enable long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore holds a 3D-printed wrench made aboard the International Space Station. [Photo: NASA] From hammers to habitats On Earth, 3D printing can fabricate, layer by layer, thousands of things, from replacement hips to hammers to homes. These devices take raw materials, such as plastic, concrete or metal, and deposit it on a computerized programmed path to build a part. It’s often called “additive manufacturing,” because you keep adding material to make the part, rather than removing material, as is done in conventional machining. Already, 3D printing in space is underway. On the International Space Station, astronauts use 3D printers to make tools and spare parts, such as ratchet wrenches, clamps and brackets. Depending on the part, printing time can take from around 30 minutes to several hours. For now, the print materials are mostly hauled up from Earth. But NASA has also begun recycling some of those materials, such as waste plastic, to make new parts with the Refabricator, an advanced 3D printer installed in 2019. Manufacturing in space You may be wondering why space explorers can’t simply bring everything they need with them. After all, that’s how the International Space Station was built decades ago – by hauling tons of prefabricated components from Earth. But that’s impractical for building habitats on other worlds. Launching materials into space is incredibly expensive. Right now, every pound launched aboard a rocket just to get to low Earth orbit costs thousands of dollars. To get materials to the Moon, NASA estimates the initial cost at around US$500,000 per pound. Still, manufacturing things in space is a challenge. In the microgravity of space, or the reduced gravity of the Moon or Mars, materials behave differently than they do on Earth. Decrease or remove gravity, and materials cool and recrystallize differently. The Moon has one-sixth the gravity of Earth; Mars, about two-fifths. Engineers and scientists are working now to adapt 3D printers to function in these conditions. Using otherworldly soil On alien worlds, rather than plastic or metal, 3D printers will use the natural resources found in these environments. But finding the right raw materials is not easy. Habitats on the Moon and Mars must protect astronauts from the lack of air, extreme temperatures, micrometeorite impacts and radiation. Regolith, the fine, dusty, sandlike particles that cover both the lunar and Martian surfaces, could be a primary ingredient to make these dwellings. Think of the regolith on both worlds as alien dirt – unlike Earth soil, it contains few nutrients, and as far as we know, no living organisms. But it might be a good raw material for 3D printing. My colleagues began researching this possibility by first examining how regular cement behaves in space. I am now joining them to develop techniques for turning regolith into a printable material and to eventually test these on the Moon. But obtaining otherworldly regolith is a problem. The regolith samples returned from the Moon during the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s are precious, difficult if not impossible to access for research purposes. So scientists are using regolith simulants to test ideas. Actual regolith may react quite differently than our simulants. We just don’t know. What’s more, the regolith on the Moon is very different from what’s found on Mars. Martian regolith contains iron oxide –that’s what gives it a reddish color – but Moon regolith is mostly silicates; it’s much finer and more angular. Researchers will need to learn how to use both types in a 3D printer. Applications on Earth NASA’s Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology program, also known as MMPACT, is advancing the technology needed to print these habitats on alien worlds. Among the approaches scientists are now exploring: a regolith-based concrete made in part from surface ice; melting the regolith at high temperatures, and then using molds to form it while it’s a liquid; and sintering, which means heating the regolith with concentrated sunlight, lasers or microwaves to fuse particles together without the need for binders. Along those lines, my colleagues and I developed a Martian concrete we call MarsCrete, a material we used to 3D-print a small test structure for NASA in 2017. Then, in May 2019, using another type of special concrete, we 3D-printed a one-third scale prototype Mars habitat that could support everything astronauts would need for long-term survival, including living, sleeping, research and food-production modules. That prototype showcased the potential, and the challenges, of building housing on the red planet. But many of these technologies will benefit people on Earth too. In the same way astronauts will make sustainable products from natural resources, homebuilders could make concretes from binders and aggregates found locally, and maybe even from recycled construction debris. Engineers are already adapting the techniques that could print Martian habitats to address housing shortages here at home. Indeed, 3D-printed homes are already on the market. Meanwhile, the move continues toward establishing a human presence outside the Earth. Artemis III, now scheduled for liftoff in 2027, will be the first human Moon landing since 1972. A NASA trip to Mars could happen as early as 2035. But wherever people go, and whenever they get there, I’m certain that 3D printers will be one of the primary tools to let human beings live off alien land. Sven Bilén, Professor of Engineering Design, Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, Penn State This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

If you look at a map of lightning near the Port of Singapore, you’ll notice an odd streak of intense lightning activity right over the busiest shipping lane in the world. As it turns out, the lightning really is responding to the ships, or rather the tiny particles they emit. Using data from a global lightning detection network, my colleagues and I have been studying how exhaust plumes from ships are associated with an increase in the frequency of lightning. For decades, ship emissions steadily rose as increasing global trade drove higher ship traffic. Then, in 2020, new international regulations cut ships’ sulfur emissions by 77%. Our newly published research shows how lightning over shipping lanes dropped by half almost overnight after the regulations went into effect. Shipping lanes (top image) and lightning strikes (bottom) near the Port of Singapore. [Image: Chris Wright] That unplanned experiment demonstrates how thunderstorms, which can be 10 miles tall, are sensitive to the emission of particles that are smaller than a grain of sand. The responsiveness of lightning to human pollution helps us get closer to understanding a long-standing mystery: To what extent, if any, have human emissions influenced thunderstorms? Aerosol particles can affect clouds? Aerosol particles, also known as particulate matter, are everywhere. Some are kicked up by wind or produced from biological sources, such as tropical and boreal forests. Others are generated by human industrial activity, such as transportation, agricultural burning and manufacturing. It’s hard to imagine, but in a single liter of air – about the size of a water bottle – there are tens of thousands of tiny suspended clusters of liquid or solid. In a polluted city, there can be millions of particles per liter, mostly invisible to the naked eye. These particles are a key ingredient in cloud formation. They serve as seeds, or nuclei, for water vapor to condense into cloud droplets. The more aerosol particles, the more cloud droplets. Water molecules condense around nuclei to form clouds. [Photo: David Babb/Penn State, CC BY-NC] In shallow clouds, such as the puffy-looking cumulus clouds you might see on a sunny day, having more seeds has the effect of making the cloud brighter, because the increase in droplet surface area scatters more light. In storm clouds, however, those additional droplets freeze into ice crystals, making the effects of aerosol particles on storms tricky to pin down. The freezing of cloud droplets releases latent heat and causes ice to splinter. That freezing, combined with the powerful thermodynamic instabilities that generate storms, produces a system that is very chaotic, making it difficult to isolate how any one factor is influencing them. A view from the International Space Station shows the anvils of tropical thunderstorms as warm ocean air collides with the mountains of Sumatra. [Photo: NASA Visible Earth] We can’t generate a thunderstorm in the lab. However, we can study the accidental experiment taking place in the busiest shipping corridor in the world. Ship emissions and lightning With engines that are often three stories tall and burn viscous fuel oil, ships traveling into and out of ports emit copious quantities of soot and sulfur particles. The shipping lanes near the Port of Singapore are the most highly trafficked in the world – roughly 20% of the world’s bunkering oil, used by ships, is purchased there. In order to limit toxicity to people near ports, the International Maritime Organization – a United Nations agency that oversees shipping rules and security – began regulating sulfur emissions in 2020. At the Port of Singapore, the sales of high-sulfur fuel plummeted, from nearly 100% of ship fuel before the regulation to 25% after, replaced by low-sulfur fuels. But what do shipping emissions have to do with lightning? Scientists have proposed a number of hypotheses to explain the correlation between lightning and pollution, all of which revolve around the crux of electrifying a cloud: collisions between snowflake-like ice crystals and denser chunks of ice. When the charged, lightweight ice crystals are lofted as the denser ice falls, the cloud becomes a giant capacitor, building electrical energy as the ice crystals bump past each other. Eventually, that capacitor discharges, and out shoots a lightning bolt, five times hotter than the surface of the Sun. We think that, somehow, the aerosol particles from the ships’ smokestacks are generating more ice crystals or more frequent collisions in the clouds. In our latest study, my colleagues and I describe how lightning over the shipping lane fell by about 50% after 2020. There were no other factors, such as El Niño influences or changes in thunderstorm frequency, that could explain the sudden drop in lightning activity. We concluded that the lightning activity had fallen because of the regulation. The reduction of sulfur in ship fuels meant fewer seeds for water droplet condensation and, as a result, fewer charging collisions between ice crystals. Ultimately, there have been fewer storms that are sufficiently electrified to produce a lightning stroke. What’s next? Less lightning doesn’t necessarily mean less rain or fewer storms. There is still much to learn about how humans have changed storms and how we might change them in the future, intentionally or not. Do aerosol particles actually invigorate storms in general, creating more extensive, violent vertical motion? Or are the effects of aerosols specific to the idiosyncrasies of lightning generation? Have humans altered lightning frequency globally? My colleagues and I are working to answer these questions. We hope that by understanding the effects of aerosol particles on lightning, thunderstorm precipitation and cloud development, we can better predict how the Earth’s climate will respond as human emissions continue to fluctuate. Chris Wright is a fellow in atmospheric science at the Program on Climate Change at the University of Washington. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

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Adobe has released its 2025 Work-Life Balance Report, providing insights into how solopreneurs and small business owners manage their professional and personal lives. The report, based on a survey of 1,018 entrepreneurs, examines the challenges and benefits of entrepreneurship, work habits, and the increasing role of AI in business operations. The report highlights that nearly three in five entrepreneurs experience a better work-life balance than they did in traditional employment. However, many still struggle to fully disconnect from work, averaging only 11 days off per year, excluding national holidays. Among surveyed Gen Z entrepreneurs, the average number of days off is slightly higher at 13. Additionally, 82 percent of entrepreneurs reported losing sleep due to work-related concerns, with financial worries being the most common cause. More than one in ten Baby Boomers cited technological changes as a source of sleeplessness, while nearly one in four Millennials said family-related concerns kept them awake at night. A growing number of entrepreneurs are turning to AI tools to streamline their workflows and improve efficiency. According to the report, nearly two in five surveyed entrepreneurs aim to save time in 2025 by adopting new AI-powered solutions. On average, entrepreneurs report saving six hours per week—equating to 310 hours per year—by using AI tools. Among the key priorities for AI adoption in 2025, respondents cited lead generation and sales identification (53 percent), automation of accounting tasks (53 percent), and streamlining data entry and processing (51 percent). Solopreneurs were found to use AI 17 percent more frequently than small business owners. The report finds that over one in five small business owners work more than 50 hours a week, compared to 28 percent of solopreneurs. Late-night work is common, with solopreneurs working past 10 p.m. an average of nine times per month, while small business owners do so seven times a month. Despite these extended hours, many entrepreneurs say that flexible work schedules enable them to spend more daytime hours with their families. However, the persistent demands of business ownership still impact overall work-life balance. Nearly half of surveyed entrepreneurs stated that financial independence was a primary reason for starting their businesses, and 79 percent reported achieving this goal. Additionally, 33 percent of solopreneurs started their businesses to enable more travel opportunities, with 67 percent successfully fulfilling that ambition. Millennial respondents were particularly focused on spending more time with family, with 79 percent reporting success in that endeavor. When asked how they would use an additional 10 hours per week, Gen Z and Gen X entrepreneurs said they would dedicate more time to loved ones, while Millennials expressed interest in hobbies. Baby Boomers indicated they would invest extra time in their health and wellness. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Report Highlights Work-Life Balance and AI Adoption Among Entrepreneurs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe has released its 2025 Work-Life Balance Report, providing insights into how solopreneurs and small business owners manage their professional and personal lives. The report, based on a survey of 1,018 entrepreneurs, examines the challenges and benefits of entrepreneurship, work habits, and the increasing role of AI in business operations. The report highlights that nearly three in five entrepreneurs experience a better work-life balance than they did in traditional employment. However, many still struggle to fully disconnect from work, averaging only 11 days off per year, excluding national holidays. Among surveyed Gen Z entrepreneurs, the average number of days off is slightly higher at 13. Additionally, 82 percent of entrepreneurs reported losing sleep due to work-related concerns, with financial worries being the most common cause. More than one in ten Baby Boomers cited technological changes as a source of sleeplessness, while nearly one in four Millennials said family-related concerns kept them awake at night. A growing number of entrepreneurs are turning to AI tools to streamline their workflows and improve efficiency. According to the report, nearly two in five surveyed entrepreneurs aim to save time in 2025 by adopting new AI-powered solutions. On average, entrepreneurs report saving six hours per week—equating to 310 hours per year—by using AI tools. Among the key priorities for AI adoption in 2025, respondents cited lead generation and sales identification (53 percent), automation of accounting tasks (53 percent), and streamlining data entry and processing (51 percent). Solopreneurs were found to use AI 17 percent more frequently than small business owners. The report finds that over one in five small business owners work more than 50 hours a week, compared to 28 percent of solopreneurs. Late-night work is common, with solopreneurs working past 10 p.m. an average of nine times per month, while small business owners do so seven times a month. Despite these extended hours, many entrepreneurs say that flexible work schedules enable them to spend more daytime hours with their families. However, the persistent demands of business ownership still impact overall work-life balance. Nearly half of surveyed entrepreneurs stated that financial independence was a primary reason for starting their businesses, and 79 percent reported achieving this goal. Additionally, 33 percent of solopreneurs started their businesses to enable more travel opportunities, with 67 percent successfully fulfilling that ambition. Millennial respondents were particularly focused on spending more time with family, with 79 percent reporting success in that endeavor. When asked how they would use an additional 10 hours per week, Gen Z and Gen X entrepreneurs said they would dedicate more time to loved ones, while Millennials expressed interest in hobbies. Baby Boomers indicated they would invest extra time in their health and wellness. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Report Highlights Work-Life Balance and AI Adoption Among Entrepreneurs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

With genetically modified organisms (GMOs), there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. Since their commercial introduction in 1996, bioengineered crops have become a commercial juggernaut, utterly dominating the marketplace in the U.S. and around the world. Even the European Union—long a hotbed of anti-GMO sentiment and regulatory activity—is warming to biotech, and significantly expanding the number of GMO crops accepted for import. Now, as the technology is maturing and costs have decreased significantly, a new wave of biotech innovation—call it GMO 2.0—is in the offing. Emerging startups and established companies alike are using breakthrough technologies to drive GMOs in exciting new directions. A diverse range of new technologies promise to make agriculture more efficient and sustainable, and our food tastier and more nutritious. It also promises to help address the pressing but unanswered question of how to produce the 56% additional calories needed to feed the 10 billion people expected to populate the world in 2050, with little land left to expand cultivation and a changing climate making agriculture more challenging. Not everyone is thrilled about the new wave of bioengineered crops. Like it or not, though, GMO 2.0 is going to see an adoption curve that will rival that of first-gen biotech seeds. The potential benefits—nutritional, environmental, and above all, agronomical—will simply be too great to ignore. Avoid missteps Before we get to that point, however, we have a window of opportunity to shape the course of GMO 2.0—and avoid some of the missteps that marked the rollout of first-gen biotech crops. The core technologies behind GMO 1.0 were safe, effective, and heavily regulated—but too many breakthrough products were controlled by a few large corporations that were eager to muscle rivals aside, shout down skeptics, and amass huge profits while ignoring any potential harm caused by their products. The rise of GMO 2.0 offers us a chance to hit the reset button and ensure that the next wave of biotechnologies is developed and commercialized more transparently, more responsibly, and more equitably. If we get this right, we can make a powerful positive case for the biotech revolution—reducing the potential for a backlash, and ensuring that consumers, regulators, and other stakeholders around the world benefit from the enormous potential of GMO 2.0 crops. The 5 principles of GMO 2.0 To achieve that goal, we need to start by recognizing that GMO 2.0 isn’t fundamentally a technological breakthrough. Yes, new technologies—and the maturation of existing technologies—are making bioengineering far more accessible, and dramatically expanding and accelerating our ability to innovate. But GMO 2.0 is defined, at its core, by a shift in the values and priorities that guide us as we bring bioengineered products to market. That breaks down to five key principles: Safety: I don’t want to overstate this. The reality, after all, is that the science around whether GMOs are safe for humans is conclusively settled with broad scientific consensus. Still, next-gen innovators need to do a much better job of communicating around biotech safety, forthrightly engaging with consumers and regulators, and finding ways to win over skeptics instead of ignoring or silencing them. That means making a positive case for our technologies, frankly acknowledging any shortcomings, and clearly explaining how we’ll mitigate or manage potential risks. Transparency: GMO 2.0 advocates must seek transparency in three key areas. First, we need to explain our technology and make sure everyone understands what we’re doing and how it works. Second, we need to explain our purpose and show how bioengineering can unlock desirable traits that deliver results across the value chain. And third, we need to explain our potential impact and show how GMO 2.0 will drive resilience, growth, and improve food quality for everyone. Efficiency: To ensure that GMO 2.0 technologies meet the actual needs and wants of customers, we need efficient markets. In agriculture, that means empowering farmers and consumers to choose the traits they want in their crops and their food. First-gen biotech was largely a top-down process dictated by Big Ag, but GMO 2.0 will be powered by end users, with a host of startups, academics, and innovators using agile technologies to respond to changing demand and rapidly bring new crops and new traits to market. Deconsolidation/choice: Most GMO 1.0 products offered one-size-fits-all solutions, consolidating multiple traits into a single seed. In the GMO 2.0 era, farmers will be able to pick and choose from many different seeds, each with different traits and capabilities—or opt-out altogether—to optimize for their own unique needs. This matters at the ecosystem level all the way to the consumer. Instead of trying to dominate the marketplace, GMO 2.0 leaders will embrace transparency, build partnerships, and create solutions that dovetail with and support one another in additive ways. Optimism: To usher in a new era of GMO 2.0 technologies, we need to stop being apologetic or mealy-mouthed about what we’re trying to achieve. Climate change is real, and hunger never went away—instead of waiting for disaster to strike, we’re building technologies that will safeguard the future. It’s time to embrace the scale of our ambition and explain how important biotech will be in the years to come. Some next-wave biotech products—like purple tomatoes that contain extra antioxidants and taste great in a salad—are designed to appeal to consumers. Others are important on a global scale: drought-tolerant wheat could help secure food supplies in an era of global heating, while non-browning avocados have the potential to reduce food waste by extending shelf life and enhancing flavor and texture for consumers. By hitting the reset button now, and clearly explaining how GMO 2.0 differs from earlier iterations of biotech crops, we have a chance to redefine how farmers, regulators, and consumers think about biotechnology. Now it’s time to communicate that effectively and build a vibrant and equitable biotech marketplace where GMO 2.0 technologies can showcase their value—and deliver the benefits we need for farmers, consumers, and society as a whole. Shely Aronov is cofounder and CEO of InnerPlant. 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

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: The Rachel Incident, by Caroline O’Donoghue. A best friendship is upended when one of the friends begins an affair with a married professor. (Amazon, Bookshop) * I earn a commission if you use those links. View the full article

Futureproofing your business requires an ability to embrace change, not just to react to it. Change is a constant, so companies that thrive in today’s landscape must be continuously adapting and innovating—changing as consumers change. Brands that truly stand the test of time understand that the core ingredients for long-term success are relevance, ease, and distinctiveness. Relevance No business, regardless of its size or sector, can consistently thrive without remaining in sync with consumers’ wants and needs, and keeping a pulse on the cultural nuances across their markets. At KFC, we have driven brand recognition and global growth by prioritizing relevance since 1952, and that starts with knowing and living our brand purpose. For instance, KFC exists to banish the bland and dial up the fingerlickin’, which to us means being bold in everything we do—adapting our menus, restaurant design, and guest experiences to deliver what consumers are craving. We use consumer insights about food formats and flavors to ensure we’re bringing bold innovation to our menus and leading food trends. KFC also builds relevance in culture wherever it’s happening—within the gaming community through PUBG or The Legend of Zelda, in partnership with celebrities like Trevor Noah and Chrissy Teigen, or through an NBA courtside appearance by Colonel Sanders. Beyond menu and culture, KFC leverages restaurant design to drive relevance, prioritizing things like sustainable furniture and seamless technology that resonate with guests. Relevancy also reaches beyond the restaurant through local initiatives including food donations, youth programs, and employability training. Ease In addition to staying relevant, brands must ensure that consumers can access and engage with the brand on their own terms—when, where, and how they want. Sephora, a premier beauty destination and global retailer, highlights the importance of validating customers and meeting them where they are. Before Sephora opened more than 3,000 locations, beauty products were primarily sold through brand-specific retailers or local drugstores, making high-end options both hard to find and out of reach for most consumers. Sephora offers retail locations in 34 countries around the world, a robust online retail store, and endless content available across social channels. But “ease” doesn’t just apply to accessing their products. Sephora promotes inclusion and aims to make it easy for every person to feel beautiful. It disrupts the prestige of beauty retail by striving to authentically celebrate consumer beauty and invites everyone in, no matter the person’s background, skills, or expertise. Their commitment to access and education makes involvement uncomplicated and effortless, especially as consumers explore new beauty products and routines. Distinctiveness As the world changes, a distinctive brand perpetuates a clear identity, allowing consumers to build familiarity and remain connected. Nike embodies this as one of the most distinctive brands of the past, present, and foreseeable future. If you close your eyes, you can instantly imagine its famed swoosh, distinguishable tagline and portrait-style imagery of iconic athletes—the brand doesn’t even need to be named for you to recognize it. This undeniable identity is one of Nike’s greatest assets, as it builds and retains loyalty, spreads favorable word-of-mouth, and fuels excitement from employees and consumers alike. And it’s so much more than its brand assets. Nike shows up for athletes in a distinct way that inspires an emotional connection to the very heart of its fan base. The brand focuses on grit, competition, resilience, and celebration, distinctively leaning into every facet of what it means to be an athlete while saying that any consumer can “just do it.” Personal evolution Just like brands that stand the test of time, I have embraced a personal growth journey that has been both transforming and evolving. I prioritize growth and learning to ensure that I’m always pushing for the consumer. I welcome change with open arms and am excited about what the future holds. Nivera Wallani is the global chief development officer of KFC. 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

Vladimir Motin accused of gross negligence manslaughter after his ship struck Stena Immaculate tanker on Monday View the full article

Memorable experiences guide us to value the present moment before it becomes only a memory. As the context around us continuously evolves at a rapid pace, the formation of memories comes to life through spatial awareness of the physical environment. The importance of human interaction and shared engagement in the design of immersive entertainment and sports venues, workplaces, and even homes is fundamental to making memories of a lifetime. Georges Duhamel’s 1919 French philosophical essay, The Heart’s Domain, touches on the essence of human experience and the pursuit of meaning in a rapidly changing world. He emphasizes the importance of human connection. Duhamel was a surgeon, poet, and philosopher, and his words translated into English noted, “We do not know the true value of our moments until they have undergone the test of memory. Like the images the photographer plunges into a golden bath, our sentiments take on color; and only then, after that recoil and that transfiguration, do we understand their real meaning and enjoy them in all their tranquil splendor.” Photography has evolved and we now have the ability to memorialize images physically printed or digitally, and saved to a cloud server that can be virtually accessed anytime and anywhere. Shared experiences When faced with the immediate decision to evacuate the Sunset Fire on January 8, the practical and emotional task of deciding what to take tested how we “physically save” memories. Besides our cats, computers, important documents, and overnight bags, the indecision between which physical (pre-digital) photo albums to grab became daunting. That evening it was the small details and stories of our shared experiences at home and in the community that we wanted to imprint in our minds not knowing what, if anything, would survive. We were fortunate that the fires did not ultimately reach our canyon neighborhood, but the unimaginable loss of lives, homes, schools, and businesses as a result of the Palisades and Eaton Fires has been devastating. So as communities rebuild for a resilient future, we honor the memories of the past, and value what we have in the present. Builder of dreams The physical manifestation of bringing stories to life is transformational to healing and moving forward. Walt Disney said, “Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.” My first memory of being at Disneyland was captured in a photograph of my family and me posing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The stone details, colored banners and scents of cotton candy illuminated the storybook backdrop. My mom, sister, and cousin were posing with great attention to my dad and his camera. My head was turned away as I could not take my eyes off the remarkable castle structure that we had just walked through. This magical place that I had only read about or seen in a movie had come to life to immerse me in the story. I had no recollection of the moment until I found this image and wondered if it was my first inspiration to become an architect—a builder of dreams. Memorable experiences transcend the past, present, and curiosity of the future. Design of memorable experiences enables shared human connections that meet people where they are, and how they are inspired to engage. Barbara Bouza is former president of Walt Disney Imagineering. 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

Democrats led by Chuck Schumer paved the way for passage of the Republican measureView the full article

Trying to find authentic, consistent joy in the midst of a reality that is relentlessly delivering devastating blows feels akin to finding a needle in an impossibly large haystack. But according to Michelle Obama, it is possible—and the power lies in acknowledging the depth of despair and apathy while still finding reasons for hope. At SXSW this week, the former first lady and her older brother, Craig Robinson, who is executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, took the stage for a live session of their new podcast, IMO. The pair were joined by Laurie Santos, a cognitive scientist, the Yale professor behind the school’s most popular class to date, “The Science of Well-Being,” and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, to discuss how to cultivate a hopeful mindset given the state of the world. On the current climate and drawing from childhood lessons Obama acknowledged the tense political climate, job loss, and growing divisions among Americans. “I worry about folks being out of work, and I worry about how we think about diversity and inclusion. I think about how we treat one another and the voices that we hear, and what that does, what models that’s setting for the next generation,” she said. “Who do we want to be as a country?” she continued. “All of that keeps me up at night, and I know that a lot of people are struggling with some of those things. But I find in those moments that it is better not to try to figure that stuff out alone.” The siblings shared anecdotes from childhood to underscore several themes—the value of in-person interactions, the limiting of social media consumption, and how childhood experiences led them to develop the skills necessary to cope with adversity. They were raised by parents who, Obama pointed out, had many reasons to wallow in despair. Their father was a blue-collar worker raised in desegregation who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as a young man. The two discussed what it was like growing up with a parent with a disability dominating his life, yet rarely missed a day of work and still managed to raise two successful children. “For me and Craig and our families, you know, we always try to step outside of our loneliness and talk as a family and as a community to share those concerns,” Obama shared. “And I hope that our listeners are pushed to do some of the same things too.” On tackling apathy and negative emotions An audience member posed the question to panelists: “How do we plan for a future that looks different from the one that we were promised, without feeling apathetic?” To Santos, a crucial piece of it is acknowledging that these times are not normal, and so feelings of apathy and disconnect are normal. “All too often we can get into this, like, toxic positivity bag, where it’s like, I’m feeling kind of embarrassed that I’m so upset and frustrated and overwhelmed and sad about what’s going on in the world,” she said. “We’re supposed to feel that! Negative emotions are normal in an abnormal world.” All three speakers agreed that social media and technology play an active role in exacerbating unhappiness. To combat this, Santos urged the audience to consider the impact scrolling on a timeline can have on the psyche and be deliberate in how we spend our time. “Social media companies wouldn’t have the algorithms if all our eyeballs weren’t on phones anymore. And we actually have more agency than we often remember in that fight,” she said. On finding hope A recurring theme in the conversation was rooted in finding ways to help others, even in small ways. Impacting the people around us and our loved ones, was a surefire way to find joy. “Our mom used to say, ‘You’re responsible for your own passion.’ And that was some of the most empowering advice she ever gave us,” said Robinson. “How can we help those out there who don’t have a Marian Robinson or a social group? How can we help them work through making themselves happy?” For Santos, hope did not mean toxic positivity or simply remaining optimistic. “Hope says things are not fine, but I can actually see at least a few paths for things to get better,” she said. View the full article

Despite an increase in gasoline demand, the national average price for a gallon of gas has dropped to $3.07, marking a three-cent decline from last week, according to the latest data from AAA. The decline comes as spring break travel picks up, with motorists in 31 states finding gas prices below $3 per gallon. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand rose from 8.87 million barrels per day (b/d) to 9.18 million b/d over the past week. At the same time, total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 246.8 million barrels to 241.1 million barrels, putting supplies slightly below seasonal averages. Gasoline production also dipped, averaging 9.6 million b/d last week. On a broader scale, the national average gas price is down by 8 cents compared to a month ago and 31 cents lower than a year ago. Oil Market Overview Crude oil prices saw an increase this week, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closing at $67.68 per barrel after a $1.43 rise on Wednesday. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels, leaving total stockpiles at 435.2 million barrels—5% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the EIA. Gas Price Trends Across the Country The most expensive gasoline markets in the country remain concentrated on the West Coast, with California leading at $4.66 per gallon, followed by Hawaii ($4.54), Washington ($4.08), and Nevada ($3.74). Other high-cost states include Oregon ($3.71), Alaska ($3.40), Arizona ($3.35), Illinois ($3.25), Pennsylvania ($3.23), and Idaho ($3.19). Conversely, the nation’s least expensive gas markets are found in the South and Midwest. Mississippi reports the lowest prices at $2.64 per gallon, followed by Texas ($2.66), Kentucky ($2.68), Oklahoma ($2.71), Louisiana ($2.72), Tennessee ($2.73), Alabama ($2.75), South Carolina ($2.76), Arkansas ($2.78), and North Carolina ($2.78). Electric Charging Costs Hold Steady The national average cost per kilowatt hour for public electric vehicle (EV) charging remains unchanged at 34 cents. Among the most expensive states for public EV charging, Hawaii leads at 56 cents per kilowatt hour, followed by West Virginia (47 cents), Montana (45 cents), and Idaho (43 cents). Other high-cost states include South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, New Hampshire (all at 42 cents), Kentucky (41 cents), and Alaska (41 cents). The lowest-cost public charging rates are found in Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (25 cents), and Nebraska (26 cents). Other states with lower costs include Delaware, Iowa, and Michigan (all at 29 cents), North Dakota and Utah (30 cents), and Texas (30 cents). Image: AAA This article, "Gas Prices Now 8 Cents Lower Than Last Month" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Despite an increase in gasoline demand, the national average price for a gallon of gas has dropped to $3.07, marking a three-cent decline from last week, according to the latest data from AAA. The decline comes as spring break travel picks up, with motorists in 31 states finding gas prices below $3 per gallon. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand rose from 8.87 million barrels per day (b/d) to 9.18 million b/d over the past week. At the same time, total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 246.8 million barrels to 241.1 million barrels, putting supplies slightly below seasonal averages. Gasoline production also dipped, averaging 9.6 million b/d last week. On a broader scale, the national average gas price is down by 8 cents compared to a month ago and 31 cents lower than a year ago. Oil Market Overview Crude oil prices saw an increase this week, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closing at $67.68 per barrel after a $1.43 rise on Wednesday. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels, leaving total stockpiles at 435.2 million barrels—5% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the EIA. Gas Price Trends Across the Country The most expensive gasoline markets in the country remain concentrated on the West Coast, with California leading at $4.66 per gallon, followed by Hawaii ($4.54), Washington ($4.08), and Nevada ($3.74). Other high-cost states include Oregon ($3.71), Alaska ($3.40), Arizona ($3.35), Illinois ($3.25), Pennsylvania ($3.23), and Idaho ($3.19). Conversely, the nation’s least expensive gas markets are found in the South and Midwest. Mississippi reports the lowest prices at $2.64 per gallon, followed by Texas ($2.66), Kentucky ($2.68), Oklahoma ($2.71), Louisiana ($2.72), Tennessee ($2.73), Alabama ($2.75), South Carolina ($2.76), Arkansas ($2.78), and North Carolina ($2.78). Electric Charging Costs Hold Steady The national average cost per kilowatt hour for public electric vehicle (EV) charging remains unchanged at 34 cents. Among the most expensive states for public EV charging, Hawaii leads at 56 cents per kilowatt hour, followed by West Virginia (47 cents), Montana (45 cents), and Idaho (43 cents). Other high-cost states include South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, New Hampshire (all at 42 cents), Kentucky (41 cents), and Alaska (41 cents). The lowest-cost public charging rates are found in Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (25 cents), and Nebraska (26 cents). Other states with lower costs include Delaware, Iowa, and Michigan (all at 29 cents), North Dakota and Utah (30 cents), and Texas (30 cents). Image: AAA This article, "Gas Prices Now 8 Cents Lower Than Last Month" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As we enter spring, the days may be getting longer, but the average workday seems to be contracting. Corporate employees in the U.S. now seem to be ending their day at 4:39 p.m., according to a new report by the workforce analytics platform ActivTrak. That’s more than 40 minutes earlier than when workers clocked out just two years prior. While employees still start their day on average just before 8 a.m., the average length of the workday has dropped to about eight hours and 44 minutes. The report, which looked at data from nearly 220,000 workers at 777 companies, indicates that productivity has actually increased by 2% despite the slight reduction in time worked. Some employees seem to be embracing tactics like the Pomodoro technique and working in short bursts of time: ActivTrak found that the average “productive session” had jumped by 20%, from 20 to 24 minutes. (A productive session is defined as the time spent working without disruption.) There’s also some seasonal variability in working hours, according to ActivTrak. People tend to work more during the months of August and December, when they might be playing catchup after a vacation or hustling to meet end-of-year deadlines. Given the productivity figures and the prevalence of hybrid work, however, it’s possible that the workday has actually shifted more than shortened. People may be logging off earlier but then finishing up their work later or during weekends. (Since the workday timings are an average, some people could be working longer hours than what the report captures.) The report’s findings seem to support this idea: Employees are logging nearly 12 hours of work during the weekend, up from about 10 hours and 35 minutes. On average, about 5% of employees worked on the weekend in 2024, a 9% increase from the year prior. This was most common at larger companies with between 1,000 and 5,000 employees, where 12% of people worked on weekends. While U.S. employees may appear to be working less, it seems more likely that they’re leaning into the flexibility enabled by hybrid work. Long before the pandemic, many parents and others with caregiving responsibilities said they logged back on after hours to stay on top of their work. With more people now working remotely at least part of the week, it’s possible their days are truncated by doctors’ appointments and bedtime routines, leaving them to play catchup on weekends—or earlier in the morning. The report also found that on average, hybrid employees actually had longer workdays than people who were entirely remote or worked in the office full-time, which could be explained by greater variability in their schedules. The promise of a more flexible workday has driven much of the pushback to return-to-office mandates—and for good reason, if this report is any indicator. Employees seem to want the flexibility to set their own schedule, even if that means working during off-hours, and the variability in the average workday has not caused a dip in productivity. (In other surveys, workers repeatedly list a “flexible schedule” and the “ability to work remotely” as the top perks they seek in a job.) The ActivTrak report suggests that RTO policies don’t necessarily have a clear impact on output: In a case study of five companies, some saw an increase in productivity after implementing strict in-office mandates, while others saw a decline. While CEOs continue to extol the benefits of in-person collaboration, there’s little evidence that employees need to be in the office—or clock longer hours—to be effective in the workplace. 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. If you’re tired of websites bombarding you with intrusive banners, pop-ups, trackers, and ads, this AdGuard family plan is worth a look: It's a lifetime subscription that is currently $39.99 on StackSocial (down from $169.99), but it gets even better—applying the coupon FAMPLAN drops the price further to $15.97. That’s a lifetime of ad-blocking for less than what some services charge per month. That said, this plan is only for new users, and you’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase. You can access and utilize this plan across nine devices, making it a solid pick for families or anyone juggling multiple gadgets. It works on Windows (7 and newer), macOS (10.15 and newer), iOS (12 and newer), and Android (7 and newer), covering most modern setups. AdGuard goes beyond standard ad-blocking by filtering out annoying pop-ups, stopping autoplay videos, and blocking phishing attempts. It also cuts down on trackers that follow you around the internet, which means less targeted advertising and a little more privacy. Unlike browser-based ad blockers, AdGuard works at the network level, meaning it can block ads in apps and games, too. Setup is straightforward—you’ll get your redemption code via email immediately after buying, so you can start using it right away. If you’re already an AdGuard user, this deal won’t apply to you, but for new users looking for a one-time payment solution to dodge ads and boost privacy across multiple devices, this might be one of the best deals out there right now. View the full article

Splashtop has launched a new autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solution designed to enhance remote support for small and midsize businesses. The solution provides IT teams with real-time asset discovery, vulnerability detection, and automated patch management, allowing them to improve efficiency and security while maintaining cost-effectiveness. According to Splashtop, the AEM solution offers “critical automation features to lean IT teams, including vulnerability scanning and real-time patch updates for combatting zero-day threats.” It serves as a powerful complement to Microsoft Intune while also providing a cost-friendly alternative to traditional remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions. Addressing the Cybersecurity Challenge The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, with increasing threats from AI-powered cybercriminals. “Midmarket organizations are under constant threats from AI-powered cybercriminals, facing challenges in addressing security vulnerabilities at a reasonable cost, while maintaining employee productivity and avoiding downtime,” said Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. “Splashtop addresses this challenge by giving IT asset visibility, known exploited vulnerability insights, and policy-driven real-time patch automation. We are rapidly innovating to bring AI- and automation-powered solutions to support IT and MSPs in reducing the mean time to detect, remediate, and contain cyber risks.” Per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), over 50% of the most exploited vulnerabilities in 2023 were zero-days, and more than 48,000 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) are projected for 2025. Additionally, over 90% of attacks that reach the ransom stage involve unmanaged devices, according to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024. Splashtop AEM aims to mitigate these risks by accelerating patch deployment and providing IT teams with greater control over their security posture. Key Features of Splashtop AEM Splashtop AEM is designed to simplify IT management and enhance security with the following capabilities: Real-time Asset Discovery and Management: Provides full visibility of IT assets to reduce security risks and maintain compliance. Vulnerability Scanning: Detects vulnerabilities using Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs), enabling IT teams to prioritize critical patches. Real-time Patch Automation: Works alongside Microsoft Intune to ensure systems remain secure with automated OS and third-party application updates. Ring-based Policy Management: Allows IT teams to stage updates and customize security policies across different endpoint groups. Configurable Alerts and Automated Remediation: Enables real-time alerts and automated fixes via Smart Actions for continuous uptime and performance optimization. One-to-Many Actions: Facilitates simultaneous execution of tasks such as mass deployments, remote commands, system reboots, and PowerShell scripts across multiple endpoints. Scalability and Customization Splashtop AEM supports scalability up to 200,000 endpoints while maintaining performance efficiency. IT teams can customize their solutions with additional security and remote management capabilities, including Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection (EPP), Splashtop Connector for secure remote connections, and Splashtop AR for augmented reality-assisted troubleshooting. Splashtop’s remote support and endpoint management solutions are available now at www.splashtop.com. Image: Splashtop This article, "Splashtop Introduces Autonomous Endpoint Management Solution for Remote Support" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Splashtop has launched a new autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solution designed to enhance remote support for small and midsize businesses. The solution provides IT teams with real-time asset discovery, vulnerability detection, and automated patch management, allowing them to improve efficiency and security while maintaining cost-effectiveness. According to Splashtop, the AEM solution offers “critical automation features to lean IT teams, including vulnerability scanning and real-time patch updates for combatting zero-day threats.” It serves as a powerful complement to Microsoft Intune while also providing a cost-friendly alternative to traditional remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions. Addressing the Cybersecurity Challenge The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, with increasing threats from AI-powered cybercriminals. “Midmarket organizations are under constant threats from AI-powered cybercriminals, facing challenges in addressing security vulnerabilities at a reasonable cost, while maintaining employee productivity and avoiding downtime,” said Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. “Splashtop addresses this challenge by giving IT asset visibility, known exploited vulnerability insights, and policy-driven real-time patch automation. We are rapidly innovating to bring AI- and automation-powered solutions to support IT and MSPs in reducing the mean time to detect, remediate, and contain cyber risks.” Per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), over 50% of the most exploited vulnerabilities in 2023 were zero-days, and more than 48,000 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) are projected for 2025. Additionally, over 90% of attacks that reach the ransom stage involve unmanaged devices, according to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024. Splashtop AEM aims to mitigate these risks by accelerating patch deployment and providing IT teams with greater control over their security posture. Key Features of Splashtop AEM Splashtop AEM is designed to simplify IT management and enhance security with the following capabilities: Real-time Asset Discovery and Management: Provides full visibility of IT assets to reduce security risks and maintain compliance. Vulnerability Scanning: Detects vulnerabilities using Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs), enabling IT teams to prioritize critical patches. Real-time Patch Automation: Works alongside Microsoft Intune to ensure systems remain secure with automated OS and third-party application updates. Ring-based Policy Management: Allows IT teams to stage updates and customize security policies across different endpoint groups. Configurable Alerts and Automated Remediation: Enables real-time alerts and automated fixes via Smart Actions for continuous uptime and performance optimization. One-to-Many Actions: Facilitates simultaneous execution of tasks such as mass deployments, remote commands, system reboots, and PowerShell scripts across multiple endpoints. Scalability and Customization Splashtop AEM supports scalability up to 200,000 endpoints while maintaining performance efficiency. IT teams can customize their solutions with additional security and remote management capabilities, including Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection (EPP), Splashtop Connector for secure remote connections, and Splashtop AR for augmented reality-assisted troubleshooting. Splashtop’s remote support and endpoint management solutions are available now at www.splashtop.com. Image: Splashtop This article, "Splashtop Introduces Autonomous Endpoint Management Solution for Remote Support" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The provisionally approved rate hike would provide financial relief to State Farm's California subsidiary, which has said it needs to shore up confidence with solvency regulators and ratings agencies. View the full article