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Nations Lending claims two former branch managers diverted business to CMG Financial before leaving to their new place of employment. View the full article

Former Barclays boss shared information on deals and clients with late sex offender, regulator claimsView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Have you ever switched gyms and tried to do your usual workout, only to find that the machines are a lot harder—or maybe a lot easier? Before you start questioning your strength or your training, you need to know something: you can’t trust the numbers on the weight stack, and you shouldn’t expect them to match from gym to gym or even machine to machine. What do the numbers on the weight stacks mean? When you’re looking at a cable machine, or any type of strength training machine with a stack of rectangular weights, there is probably a little sticker on each plate with a number. Sometimes those numbers are in pounds, and they represent the weight of the plate itself. If you were to take the 10 pound plate off the machine and weigh it, it would weigh 10 pounds. (Probably.) Sometimes they are in kilograms. If it doesn’t say which, there’s no easy way to know for sure. It also doesn’t really matter, for reasons I’ll explain below. And sometimes, plate stacks aren’t labeled with weights at all. You just know that if you’re strong enough to work with the plate labeled “5”, you’re stronger than if you could only use the machine at the “4” setting. How many pounds are you lifting? It’s not telling, and to be honest it doesn’t matter. Pulleys and levers change how heavy the weight feels Even when the numbers on the machine are accurate, they’re not really helpful. Let’s say there’s a cable stack where each plate is 10 pounds, and you can use 5 plates for a certain exercise. You are moving 50 pounds of iron. But are you really applying 50 pounds of force to move that iron? Not necessarily. As you may or may not remember from your school days, pulleys and levers can make it easier or harder to move a weight. If you’re doing a cable crossover on a LifeFitness Signature Series Dual Adjustable Pulley machine, the one below, you’re getting a 4:1 mechanical advantage. When you put the pin in the stack where it says 52.5 pounds, you may be lifting 52.5 pounds but you only need about 13 pounds of force to do that. Cable machines are simple enough that a company can publish their ratio, like LifeFitness did. (For some more examples: Rep’s Athena pulley system has a 2:1 ratio, so that 20 pounds feels like 10 pounds, whereas their lat pulldown has a 1:1 ratio, so 10 pounds feels like 10 pounds.) But when it comes to other types of machines, there may not be a simple answer. A given gym contraption may have a combination of pulleys, levers, and other devices, and they may provide different amounts of assistance depending on how you adjust the machine or what exercises you are doing. Machines have different designs (and maintenance schedules)With all of that in mind, you now know that the weight you feel like you’re moving is different from the weight labeled on the stack. But what does that tell us about comparing one machine to another? Machines can have different designs, especially if they are different models or come from different manufacturers. One gym might have a 4:1 cable machine, while another might have a similar machine with a 2:1 ratio. One gym’s leg press might be a horizontal style with a weight stack, while another is an angled leg press that you load with plates from the free weight section. You shouldn’t expect 200 pounds on one to feel like 200 pounds on the other. Even when two gyms have the exact same make and model of machine, one may be harder to move than the other. Maybe Gym A has an older machine that’s built up some rust, while Gym B has a newer model that was just oiled yesterday. How to track your progress when you train on different machinesNow that we know that every machine is different, and the labels don’t necessarily mean what they say, how are you supposed to handle that? Unfortunately, there’s no simple solution. If you alternate between two gyms, your best bet is to keep notes separately for each one. In your notebook or your strength training app, just track “leg press Planet Fitness” as separate from “leg press Crunch.” (Most apps will let you duplicate and edit the exercise entries.) If you drop into a variety of mystery gyms—maybe you travel a lot—try programming your workouts by RPE. Instead of doing four sets of 12 reps of 70 pounds, think of it as four sets of 12 reps at an 8-out-of-10 difficulty. That might be 70 pounds on the stack at one gym, 65 at another, and 72.5 at a third, but it doesn’t matter. You’ll still be getting a good workout at all three. View the full article

This week's highlights featuring some great market news from Dell'Oro. Enjoy. The post Roundup: Wi-Fi 7 drives return to market growth this year, ACT Fibernet deploys Aprecomm, Matter update appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

On Thursday, United Parcel Service (UPS) predicted downbeat 2025 revenue as it cut back service with its largest customer, Amazon, in order to focus on more profitable businesses. The decision will cut Amazon’s transported volumes by more than 50% by the second half of 2026. The unexpected announcement came with disappointing revenue results, with UPS failing to meet expectations for 2024. UPS’s Q4 revenue was $25.3 billion, slightly below the predicted $25.42 billion. This decision came at a time when UPS is struggling due to a decline in parcel demand following the e-commerce boom of the pandemic and an increase in shipments from discount online retailers such as Shein and Temu. UPS stock was down more than 14% as of Thursday afternoon, after falling during premarket trading. The decline was on track to break the current record for the stock’s worst day, which occurred in July 2024, as MarketWatch reports. Shares have lost half their value since 2022, though the company said that carrying less freight for Amazon will eventually boost its revenue per piece. “Amazon is our largest customer, but it’s not our most profitable customer,” CEO Carol Tomé told investors on a conference call Thursday. “Foundational changes” Amazon and its affiliates represented about 12% of UPS revenue in 2023, which is nearly all of its United States package business. The package carrier is hoping to gain volume from more profitable segments, such as healthcare-product shippers, small- and-medium-size businesses, and international markets. UPS expects revenue of about $89 billion for 2025, down from $91.1 billion in 2024. The parcel service has brought all of its UPS SurePost products in-house and will launch multiyear “efficiency reimagine” initiatives to drive about $1 billion in savings by rethinking its business design. The company aims to cut costs by closing buildings, reducing the size of its vehicle and aircraft fleets, and decreasing the size of its workforce. “We are making business and operational changes that, along with the foundational changes we’ve already made, will put us further down the path to becoming a more profitable, agile, and differentiated UPS that is growing in the best parts of the market,” said Tomé in the annual earnings report. In 2025, UPS expects average daily U.S volume to drop about 8.5% year-over-year while revenue per package is projected to increase by 6%. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I just saw the below post on LinkedIn, and I thought I’d send it along and get your thoughts on this strategy. After years of reading your blog, it makes me cringe so much. (Why would you write someone a reference if you weren’t their manager? Why would you pester every person at every interview stage with this letter? What if it’s not helpful information for them? Etc.) But everyone in the comments was praising this, saying how it’s so actionable and helpful and “gold,” which I found perplexing. Curious to hear your take on these kinds of strategies, especially as these sort of “advice posts” become more common. This is the post: Just went through a RIF but weren’t impacted? Are you saying, “let me know what I can do” to the people impacted? Stop. Here’s your play — the Reference in Advance play — or RIA, as the kids call it: 1. Write an email reference template for the person — helps if you were the direct manager or person that hired them — but doesn’t have to be. 2. Tell the person to send you the email addresses of the people of every interview they have. 3. Ask the person when the interview is and when they need it sent. 4. Then copy and paste your letter and send it to those people IN ADVANCE of the interview (makes people stand out immediately, nobody really does this before an interview). 5. You can send it more than once to a specific company as they move through the process by forwarding it to the new people, referencing that you sent it to the previous and wanted to share with them as well. The results can be pretty astounding. And in total, it should take 15 minutes to write the letter and 30 seconds for each send. Put your action where your (maybe empty but maybe you really mean it but don’t know what to do) words are. And we were just saying that there are fewer gimmicks these days! This is indeed a bad idea. First, written references aren’t a thing in most fields (although there are some exceptions, like teaching and some parts of law). When most hiring managers are ready to talk to references, they want to ask about the things that matter most to them, and most will want to talk — so we can hear tone and hesitations and ask follow-up questions. Plus, no one puts critical info in reference letters, so they’re not terribly useful. (I also don’t see anything in this advice about making sure the letters are nuanced or speak to what the job the person is applying for requires, so they really won’t carry any weight.) Second and more importantly, this behavior is way too salesy and annoying. It’s going to look like the candidate is the one organizing it, and it’s going to make them look pushy and out of touch with how hiring works. It will not make them stand out — or at least, it won’t make them stand out in a good way; it is likely to make them stand out in an annoying way. And then sending the letter over and over as the process moves on? It’ll just keep annoying people, and at some point when they realize they’re all getting the same letter, it’s going to feel really spammy. Third, the hiring manager won’t know anything about who these letters are coming from. Are they all your friends? Family members? Is the candidate herself emailing the letters from a bunch of fake email accounts? Someone actually did this to me years ago and it was concerning, not impressive. To be clear, it’s different if the person contacting your interviewer knows them personally. If you hear that I’m interviewing Valentina Warbleworth who used to work for you and you email me to rave about how great she is, that’s something that will carry weight — because I know you, I know your judgment, and it’ll be clear that it was our existing relationship that moved you to do me the favor of giving me intel on a candidate. None of that is in effect with a bunch of unsolicited letters from strangers that will appear to be coordinated by the candidate herself. View the full article

Google is launching a limited test using AI to automatically generate background images for Shopping Ad product listings. How it works. The AI system will: Generate contextual background scenes for existing product images. Maintain the original product appearance without alterations. Require human review and approval before ads go live. Why we care. This update represents a significant shift in how product photography can be handled in ecommerce advertising. Moreover, since product presentation directly influences consumer purchasing decisions, this automated enhancement could potentially improve conversion rates without requiring additional investment in creative assets. On the other hand, do you want Google automating the image that shows on the background of shopping ads, when we have hears advertisers lack of confidence in AI being able to reflect brand guidelines in AI generated creatives accurately? Worth noting. Advertisers can opt out of the test if they prefer to maintain complete control over their product imagery. The big picture. This move aligns with Google’s broader strategy of integrating AI across its advertising products, potentially democratizing access to high-quality product presentation for smaller retailers who can’t afford professional studio photography. First seen. This update was first brought to our attention by Samantha Noble, founder of Biddable Moments, who shared an email from Google on LinkedIn: What we’re watching. How consumers respond to AI-generated backgrounds and whether this leads to measurable improvements in shopping ad performance. Bottom line. Google is betting that AI-enhanced product imagery will drive better ad performance, though advertisers maintain the final say in whether their products participate in this experimental feature. View the full article

President cites ‘moment of anguish’ after 67 people die after helicopter collides with commercial jetView the full article

There are a whole host of decluttering methods you can try, but no matter which one you choose, at some point, you'll you'll be faced with the difficult task of picking up and considering every single item in your space to determine whether it should stay or go. Ideally, you'll do this with a particular criteria in mind, and for a lot of people, that means following the KonMari principle of pondering whether the thing you're looking at "sparks joy." But that doesn't work for everybody, or every object. Maybe you're less sentimental, and more practical. Maybe you already did a round of decluttering and found that too many things "sparked joy," so you're still overladen with stuff. Maybe you just want to shake up your approach and find another way to weed through your belongings. Here are eight other questions you can ask yourself when gauging your feelings of joy isn't cutting it. "When was the last time I used this?"This is my favorite decluttering question. It doesn't come from any well-established method or a cleaning guru's book. It's just a sensible, straightforward inquiry that can reveal a lot about the utility of the items you own. I find it most useful in the kitchen, because I'm not much of a chef or baker, but I have a habit of buying things like cake molds "just in case" I ever suddenly get the urge to whip up a confection in the shape of a large bear . When you use this question, you have two options: First, you can consider it a general survey, to determine how often you really use certain items so you get a better sense of your own habits; you can use that to tailor a more structured decluttering plan after that. Or, you can be a little more strict, and set a definitive timeline to determines what stays and goes. For instance, you could set out to declutter a cupboard with the goal of donating or tossing anything you haven't used in three months. "Do I want the job of managing this item?"This question comes from Tessa Hughes, a decluttering pro who posts helpful tips on Instagram Reels. I like it because it functions similarly to Marie Kondo's infamous question about joy, but is a little more realistic. You're still considering the feeling you'll get from interacting with the item in the future, but instead of ruminating over whether it might bring you some happiness, you'll also consider whether it might bring you some dread or a feeling of being overwhelmed. It's easy to hold onto things with the optimistic hope they'll make you happy, but considering whether they'll be drain on your resources, space, or time—another "job" you have to oversee—can help you figure out if you really need to hold onto them. Owning and using things does take up mental energy, after all: You have to clean your stuff, you have to store it, you have to relocate it when you move. All of those involve responsibility and effort, and, frankly, some of your stuff just isn't worth it. "Is this item working or functioning as it should?"It seems obvious that you should get rid of things that are broken or damaged, but as someone who is constantly making vague promises to myself to get things fixed, I know it's not. Similarly to asking yourself whether you want the "job" of managing the item, be realistic about what fixing a broken item will actually entail. I finally accepted the reality that I will not, in fact, ever take my 15-year-old shoes to the cobbler to replace the broken sole on the right one, nor am I likely to seek out a replacement part for the busted SodaStream I inherited from a friend who was decluttering their own apartment. Recently, I put both in the trash. It felt good. "Does this contribute to the life I want?"This question is based on Peter Walsh's decluttering method, which is similar to—but not the same as—Kondo's. Instead of thinking about the "joy" an item gives you, you should think about whether it has a role in the vision you see for yourself and your space. To utilize Walsh's method, you first create a vision for a space in your home and set an intention for it. For instance, you might want to declutter and overhaul your home office, so you imagine how it would look and operate if it were at its most functional, and you were at your most functional working within it. Having a clear goal for the space and keeping that vision in mind will help you declutter, because every item you go over will either fit into that vision, or it won't. "Would I know I had this if I needed it?"The inspiration for this question is Dana K. White's "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" approach, which calls on you to ask yourself two questions: “If I needed this item, where would I look for it?” and, “If I needed this item, would it occur to me that I already had one?” Even if you're not following White's five-step method, simply asking yourself if you would even know if you had a particular thing if you needed it can be really illuminating when you're decluttering. It happens to me all the time: I'll find, say, a bottle opener or hex key stuffed in a junk drawer or other mysterious location, think to myself, "Wow, I didn't even know I had this," and then justify holding onto it even though I probably have more stashed somewhere. But if I take a minute to ask myself if I would even remember I had it a hex key in a junk drawer when I actually needed a hex key, the answer will usually be usually no, which makes it a lot easier to get rid of the thing without making excuses for keeping it. "Could I replace this if I needed to?"This question is a distilled version of the Minimalists' famous "20/20 rule." Those decluttering masters suggest asking yourself if you could replace a particular item for under $20 and in under 20 minutes if you discovered had to have it. This works best for smaller items and things you use infrequently. As the argument goes, there is no need to hold onto something you rarely, if ever, actually use on the off chance you need it again, especially if you can't even imagine a scenario in the near future that will call for it. It's much likelier you're just making excuses to not get rid of something, so tricking yourself with reassurance that you could easily obtain a replacement can help you break those bonds. "Do I have something that could replace this?"Another great question to ask when decluttering is whether you have another item that can serve the same purpose. I had a lot of success with this when clearing out my kitchen over the summer. As it turns out, I owned way too many pairs of scissors. They were all shapes and varieties, so I justified keeping them because they "did different things," but that wasn't really true. Simply put, they all cut things. I can only cut one thing at a time, so I can only use one at a time, which means I only need one. Another example I came across in my own decluttering journey: bottle openers. First, I can't remember the last time I drank a from bottle without a twist-off cap (see also: "When was the last time I used this?"), and second, my wine opener has a bottle opener attachment in the handle, so there's no need to hold onto the keychain and tchotchke versions littering my bar table. "Would someone else benefit more from owning this than I do?"This is the question I ask myself when I am considering donating or listing clothes or accessories for sale, but it works for all manner of items. When I'm feeling cautious about getting rid of, say, a nice bag, I think about how much I enjoyed using it, question whether I'll reach for it again soon, and, most importantly, imagine how happy another person might be to have it instead. Applying this line of thinking to possible donations is really important: It's easy to selfishly hold onto something "just in case" you need it or because you have a sentimental attachment to it, but imagining someone else benefitting from it can shake you out of that pretty fast. Clothes that no longer fit you or your kids, school supplies, old kitchen appliances, furniture, and things you have duplicates of could all serve someone else better. View the full article

This story was originally published by ProPublica. The icebreaker Aiviq is a gas guzzler with a troubled history. The ship was built to operate in the Arctic, but it has a type of propulsion system susceptible to failure in ice. Its waste and discharge systems weren’t designed to meet polar code, its helicopter pad is in the wrong place to launch rescue operations and its rear deck is easily swamped by big waves. On its maiden voyage to Alaska in 2012, the 360-foot vessel lost control of the Shell Oil drill rig it was towing, and Coast Guard helicopter crews braved a storm to pluck 18 men off the wildly lurching deck of the rig before it crashed into a rocky beach. An eventual Coast Guard investigation faulted bad decision-making by people in charge but also flagged problems with the Aiviq’s design. But for all this, the same Coast Guard bought the Aiviq for $125 million late last year. The United States urgently needs new icebreakers in an era when climate change is bringing increased traffic to the Arctic, including military patrols near U.S. waters by Russia and China. That the first of the revamped U.S. fleet is a secondhand vessel a top Coast Guard admiral once said “may, at best, marginally meet our requirements” is a sign of how long the country has tried and failed to build new ones. It’s also a sign of how much sway political donors can have over Congress. Edison Chouest, the Louisiana company that built the icebreaker, has contributed more than $7 million to state and national parties, to political action committees and super PACS, and to members of key House and Senate committees since 2012. Chouest spent most of that period looking to unload the vessel after Shell, its intended user, walked away. Members who received money from Chouest pressured the Coast Guard to rent or buy the Aiviq from the company. One U.S. representative from Alaska, where the ship will be stationed, told an admiral in a 2016 hearing that his service’s objections were “bullshit.” And there would be even tougher pressures to come. It’s now been a dozen years since the Aiviq set out on its first mission to Alaska, long enough for its troubles to fade from public memory. The ship, though owned and operated by Chouest, was part of Shell’s Arctic fleet, designed for a specific role: as a tugboat that could tow Shell’s 250-foot-tall polar drill rig, the Kulluk, around the coast of Alaska and help anchor it in the waters of the Far North. At its christening ceremony in Louisiana, attended by Shell executives, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, it was named after the Iñupiaq word for walrus. As a journalist, I’d been following the oil company’s multibillion-dollar play in the warming Arctic with interest. One June morning in 2012, I got word that Shell was on the move near my Seattle home, so I sped to a narrow point in Puget Sound with a good view of passing traffic. It was sunny, the water calm. The Aiviq bobbed past with Kulluk in tow. The icebreaker’s paint — blue at the time — was fresh, its hull shiny. It looked capable. The problems began once the Aiviq was out of view. A Coast Guard report said that while the ship towed the Kulluk northward through an Arctic storm, waves crashed over its rear deck and poured into interior spaces, which investigators determined may have caused it to list up to 20 degrees to one side. The water damaged cranes, heaters and firefighting equipment, and the vents to the fuel system were submerged. On its way back from Alaska’s Beaufort Sea two months later, the Aiviq suffered an electrical blackout, and one of its engines failed, necessitating a repair in Dutch Harbor in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Then the Aiviq and Kulluk set out on a wintertime voyage back to Seattle. The National Weather Service issued a gale warning predicting 15-foot seas and 40-knot winds. The sailors aboard the Aiviq and Kulluk exchanged worried messages. The cable with which the Aiviq was towing the Kulluk came free two days later when a shackle broke. The icebreaker’s captain made a U-turn in heavy swells to hook up an emergency tow line, and water again poured over its deck and into the fuel vents. The Aiviq’s four diesel engines soon began to fail, one after another. Although a Chouest engineer later testified that an unknown fuel additive must have caused the failures, Coast Guard investigators believe the likely cause was “fuel contamination by seawater.” They said the fuel system’s design, which they described as substandard, made contamination more likely. The Aiviq and Kulluk were reattached — but now, and for the next two days, adrift. Storms pushed them ever closer toward land. By the time the engines were repaired, it was too late. The Kulluk ran aground at an uninhabited island off Kodiak, Alaska, on New Year’s Eve. Shell’s Arctic dreams began to unravel. The oil company sold its drill rig off for scrap. (It did not respond to a request for comment.) And the Aiviq? A month after the accident, I visited Kodiak to report on what went wrong. I saw it anchored in the safety of a protected bay, an expensive, purpose-built ship now stripped of its purpose. Shell formally abandoned its Arctic efforts in 2015, after failing to find oil. The Aiviq eventually steamed back south. Chouest began looking around for someone to take the troubled icebreaker off its hands. The Coast Guard, which had criticized the ship’s role in the Kulluk accident, now became a potential customer. Traffic in the warming Arctic has surged as countries eye the region’s natural resources, and it will grow all the more if the storied Northwest Passage melts enough to become a viable route for freight in the decades ahead. The number of ships in the High North increased by 37% from 2013 to 2023. It’s the U.S. Coast Guard’s job to patrol these waters as part of an agreement with the Navy, projecting military strength while monitoring maritime traffic, enforcing fishing laws and rescuing vessels in distress. Although surface ice in the Arctic Ocean is shrinking on average, it can still form and move about the ocean unpredictably. A Coast Guard vessel needs to be able to cut through it to be a reliable presence. But the U.S. icebreaker fleet is deteriorating. The Coast Guard began raising alarms about the problem decades ago, starting with a study published in 1984. Russia, with its extensive northern coastline, now has over 40 large icebreakers, and more under construction. The United States has barely been able to keep two or three in service. An urgent Coast Guard report to Congress in 2010 highlighted what has become known as the “icebreaker gap”: If we didn’t quickly start building new ships, our existing icebreakers could go out of commission before replacements were ready. The study called for at least six new icebreakers. Subsequent Coast Guard analysis has called for eight or nine. To date, the United States has built zero. Congress dragged its feet for years on funding icebreaker construction. But the Coast Guard also slowed progress with overly optimistic timelines, fuzzy cost estimates and a tendency to keep fiddling with new designs, according to a 2023 Government Accountability Office report. More than a decade in, construction on the first of the new ships has finally just begun. The Coast Guard’s latest cost estimate is $1 billion per icebreaker, while the Congressional Budget Office last year put it at $1.6 billion to $1.9 billion. Icebreakers have “been the penultimate studied-to-death subject for 40 years,” said Lawson Brigham, a former Coast Guard heavy icebreaker commander who has a doctorate from Cambridge University and has researched polar shipping since the 1980s. The longer the Coast Guard failed to build the ships it did want, the more pressure it faced to settle for one it didn’t. Chouest seized the opportunity. The company invited Coast Guard officers to tour the Aiviq as early as 2016 and soon sent over a lease proposal. Canada rejected similar overtures that year. A middleman for Chouest promised Canadian lawmakers a “fast-track polar icebreaker” — the Aiviq — “at less than one-third of the price of the permanent replacement.” Also on offer were three smaller, Norwegian-built icebreakers. Canada bought those instead. The U.S. Coast Guard’s problem with the Aiviq, retired officers told ProPublica, was the ship’s design. Originally built for oil operations, it had a low, wet deck and a helipad near its bow, where it would be ill suited for launching rescue operations. Its direct-drive propulsion system was both less efficient and more likely to get jammed up in ice than the diesel-electric systems the Coast Guard used. “I mean, on paper it’s an icebreaker,” Adm. Paul Zukunft, the then-commandant of the Coast Guard, told Congress in 2017. “But it hasn’t demonstrated an ability to break ice.” (Years later, in 2022 and 2023, the Aiviq would make two successful icebreaking trips to Antarctica under contract with the Australian government.) The service estimated it would take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade the Aiviq’s features to near-standard for a Coast Guard icebreaker. Even then, it wouldn’t be able to move forward through ice thicker than about 4.5 feet. The Coast Guard’s most immediate need was for heavy icebreakers, burlier ships that can handle missions in the Arctic as well as supply runs to the U.S. research station at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. So how would the U.S. Coast Guard use the Aiviq beyond flag-waving and general presence in the near Arctic? According to Brigham, the former icebreaker captain and polar-shipping expert, “No one that I know, no study that I’ve seen, no one I’ve talked to really knows.” But it wasn’t for the Coast Guard alone to turn down Chouest’s bargain offer. Members of Congress had their own ideas. The late U.S. Rep. Don Young represented Alaska, a state thousands of miles from Chouest’s home base in Louisiana. But as of 2016, when Chouest was looking to sell the Aiviq, Young had taken in hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions from the company — so many donations in one year that he had once faced a congressional ethics investigation concerning Chouest money. (He was cleared.) Young became the most vocal of many congressional critics to publicly dress down the Coast Guard for resisting Chouest’s offering of the Aiviq. At a House hearing that July, he began grilling the Coast Guard’s second-in-command, Adm. Charles Michel, about a “privately owned ship” with a “tremendous capability of icebreaking power.” “I know you have the proposal on your desk,” he scolded Michel. “It is an automatic ‘no.’ Why?” “Sir,” the admiral said, “that vessel is not suitable for military service without substantial refit.” Michel’s response sparked derision from Young. “That is what I call,” Young muttered, “a bullshit answer.” Michel, now retired, declined to comment on his exchange with Young. According to the representative’s former chief of staff Alex Ortiz, Young’s frustration stemmed from the fact that the Coast Guard lacked the money to build an icebreaker from scratch but showed “an unwillingness to accept the realities of that.” Young and many other lawmakers also supported getting new icebreakers, but perfect had become the enemy of the good the Aiviq had to offer right away. “I genuinely don’t think that he was advocating for leasing the vessel just because of Chouest’s support,” Ortiz said. Chouest, Young’s benefactor, is based in Cut Off, Louisiana. It’s led by its founder’s billionaire son and has long provided ships for the oil and gas industry. At the time of the 2016 hearing, Chouest was relatively new to Coast Guard contracts. One of the company’s affiliates would later take over the contract to build new heavy icebreakers, in 2022, making Chouest the supplier of both a ship the Coast Guard desired and the one it resisted. Chouest did not respond to questions for this article. More than 95% of Chouest’s $7 million in political contributions since 2012 has gone to Republicans, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks money from family members, employees and corporate affiliates. But when it comes to lawmakers who oversee the Coast Guard, Democrats also have been major recipients. The late Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, head of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for five years, received $94,700 in the decade before his 2019 death. Rep. John Garamendi of California, a longtime committee member, started taking Chouest donations in 2021 and has since received a total of $40,500. (Garamendi’s office acknowledged the recent donations but issued a statement saying he has for many years “pushed the Coast Guard to build icebreakers expeditiously, particularly given the aging fleet and the national security imperative.”) Alaska politicians are particular beneficiaries of Chouest’s largesse, second only to those from Louisiana. Chouest’s interests in the 49th state, beyond icebreakers, have included a 10-year contract to escort oil tankers through Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Federal Elections Commission records show that Young, before his death in 2022, collected a career total of almost $300,000 from the company. Sen. Dan Sullivan has taken in at least $31,500, Sen. Lisa Murkowski $84,400. The year after Young swore at the Coast Guard admiral in public, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter of California brought up the issue once more at a different House hearing featuring a different admiral, Zukunft. Hunter’s total from Chouest would be $58,800 before he pleaded guilty to stealing campaign funds and stepped down in 2020. “Icebreakers,” Hunter said. “Let’s talk icebreakers.” Hunter was backed up by Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana, whose Chouest contributions now total $240,500. “Admiral, I think every time you’ve come before this committee, this issue has come up,” Graves said. “We need to see some substantial progress.” Weeks later at yet another hearing, Rep. John Carter of Texas, whose single biggest donor the previous election cycle was Edison Chouest at $33,700, pressed Zukunft again. “There’s this commercial ship that has been offered …” Carter began. In the end, the advocates for Chouest’s ship prevailed. The Alaskans played a particular role. In 2022, after Young’s death, Sullivan helped author the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act, which included an approval for the service to buy a “United States built available icebreaker.” Sullivan, who would later be praised for leading a revolt against his Senate colleague Tommy Tuberville’s blockade on promotions of military officers, also engaged in some quiet hardball. Until the country can complete a long-delayed near-Arctic port, icebreakers have been based in Seattle, where there are working shipyards and experienced contractors to do maintenance. But as a recent press release describes it, Sullivan “put a hold on certain USCG promotions until the Coast Guard produced a long promised study on the homeporting of an icebreaker in Alaska.” Last year, Sullivan, Murkowski and former Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska announced that Congress had finally appropriated $125 million for the Aiviq. The Coast Guard took possession of the ship last month. (Murkowski and Peltola, along with Hunter, Graves and Carter, did not respond to requests for comment.) In a statement to ProPublica, a Sullivan spokesperson wrote that the senator “has long advocated for the purchase of a commercially available icebreaker of the Coast Guard’s choosing but has never advocated for the purchase of the Aiviq specifically.” The way Congress wrote the specifications for a “United States built” icebreaker, however, ensured there was only one the Coast Guard could choose: the Aiviq. The icebreaker’s new home — based on the findings of the Coast Guard’s urgently completed port study — will be Alaska’s capital, Juneau. The city is facing what the Juneau Empire has called “a crisis-level housing shortage,” and it remains unclear how it will manage an influx of hundreds of sailors and family members. Juneau also lacks a shipyard. For repairs and upgrades, the Aiviq will have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles out of state. Former Coast Guard icebreaker captains were reluctant to criticize the purchase of the Aiviq when contacted by ProPublica, in part because it has taken impossibly long for the service to build the new heavy icebreakers it says it needs. “Is the Coast Guard getting the Aiviq a bad thing? No,” said Rear Adm. Jeff Garrett, a former captain of the Healy icebreaker. But “is it the ideal resource? No.” To reach the Arctic from Juneau, Garrett noted, the Aiviq will have to regularly cross the same storm-swept stretch of the Gulf of Alaska where it once lost the Kulluk. Lawson Brigham said he had questions about the Aiviq “since it’s our tax dollars at work,” but he granted that “it’s bringing some capability into the Coast Guard at a time when we’re awaiting whenever the shipbuilder can get the first ship out, which is still unknown.” Zukunft, who retired in 2018, stands by his past opposition to the Aiviq. “I remain unconvinced,” he wrote in response to questions from ProPublica, that it “meets the operational requirements and design of a polar icebreaker that have been thoroughly documented by the Coast Guard.” By acquiring the Aiviq, “the Coast Guard runs the risk that those requirements can be compromised.” In a statement, the Coast Guard described the purchase of the Aiviq as a “bridging strategy” and said the ship “will be capable of projecting U.S. sovereignty in the Arctic and conducting select Coast Guard missions.” The fuel vents that flooded during the Kulluk accident have since been raised, a Chouest engineer has testified. The Coast Guard did not respond to questions about the Aiviq’s fuel consumption or whether its waste systems will comply with polar code. It did not say whether its helicopter deck will be moved aft for safer search-and-rescue operations. It confirmed that there will be no changes to the propulsion system. “Initial modifications to the vessel will be minimal,” the statement reads. The Aiviq will be put into service more or less as is. Last month, an amateur photographer spotted the Aiviq at a Chouest-owned shipyard in Tampa, Florida, and posted images online. It had been repainted, its hull now a gleaming Coast Guard icebreaker red. New lettering revealed that the ship has been renamed the Storis, after a celebrated World War II vessel that patrolled for 60 years in the Bering Sea and beyond. From a distance, the icebreaker looked ready to serve. “The question is,” said Brigham, “What is this ship going to be used for? That’s been the question from Day 1. What the hell are we going to use it for?” —McKenzie Funk, ProPublica View the full article

Games can help entrepreneurs hone various skills. For example, some games give you access to resources that you must use wisely — similar to how you must manage resources in business. If you’re looking for a resource management game to sharpen your skills in this area, read on for a guide. What is a Resource Management Game? A resource management game is one where the player is given a finite amount of necessary items that they must allocate wisely. For example, How Resource Management Games Could Help You in Business Resource management games aren’t just for fun. Here are some ways they may support your business: Sharpen management skills: Business owners need to get creative when managing limited resources. Games help you think differently and turn this into a fun process. Help with budgeting: All business owners must stay on budget. This involves many of the same skills used in resource management games. Foster collaboration: Multi-player games can serve as a team-building exercise. Exercise your brain: Business owners often experience burnout from continuous decision-making. Resource management games challenge your intellect while offering a refreshing break from the demands of managing your business. Best Resource Management Games Resource games can sharpen your management skills, support your team, and provide a fun hobby. Here are some of the best management games for business owners. Prison Architect Prison Architect requires building and maintaining a maximum-security prison. In addition to containing inmates, this management game requires managing federal money and applying for grants to maximize resources and profit. Various challenges may arise throughout each level. So you need to constantly adapt. Prison Architect is available on Steam, Gog, Epic Games, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. Surviving Mars In Surviving Mars, you’re responsible for building a colony and surviving on Mars with limited resources. This not only requires managing what you do have but also requires resource gathering in an unfamiliar environment. This game may be especially appealing to space enthusiasts. But the concepts used to play are applicable to several areas of business and life. Play on Steam, Epic Games, Gog, Xbox, and PlayStation. Megapolis Megapolis is a city-building simulator that allows you to create your own urban environment. You will need to devise strategies for various aspects, including constructing buildings, establishing iconic landmarks, and supplying power to your community. Given the complexity of city building, multiple areas may demand your attention simultaneously, much like managing a business. This city building game is accessible on iOS, Android, and Steam. Read More: business strategy games Jurassic World Evolution Jurrasic World Evolution is a video game that allows you to oversee every facet of a Jurassic World theme park. You are responsible for planning attractions and addressing challenges as they come up. Being part of a well-known brand, the graphics and overall presentation of this game are more refined compared to many other strategic management games. Jurassic World Evolution is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam. Two Point Hospital Two Point Hospital is a strategy game that allows players to create and oversee their own hospital. You will design the layout, work to cure various illnesses, and handle your staff and resources. The game is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. Stardew Valley Stardew Valley is a game where you manage your own farm and learn to live off the land. You can customize nearly all aspects of your surroundings and even interact with other farmers to share resources or tips. It’s available on Steam, Gog, Humble Games, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Train Valley Train Valley is a puzzle strategy game that involves managing the construction of railways and various locomotive resources. With a range of locations and different types of trains, this game is likely to attract both train enthusiasts and history buffs. It is available on Steam, Humble Games, and iOS. Read More: business simulation games Foundation Foundation is a medieval city-building game. You create your own monuments and can even interact and share resources with other players. It’s an entirely open world, so there’s a lot of room for creativity and personalization. But you must still manage finite resources when creating your world. Foundation is available to play on Steam. Planet Coaster Planet Coaster allows you to design and manage your own roller coaster theme park. As you progress, you can expand your park and cater to customers as they explore. The PC version can be found on Steam and Frontier, while the console version is available on Xbox and PlayStation. This provides a range of options to suit your preferred gaming style. Dungeon Keeper Dungeon Keeper is a strategy game that involves raiding underworld dungeons to acquire additional resources for defending your own fortress. The strategic elements of this game can inspire entrepreneurs to think creatively about sourcing resources they currently lack. It is available on iOS, Android, Amazon, and PC. Read More: best business board games Hay Day Hay Day is a mobile game where you build and manage your own farm. As one of the top farming games available, you grow crops, manage animals, and take trips into town to purchase supplies and speak with townsfolk. The purpose is to build a sustainable operation and keep your farm thriving through various challenges. You can even connect with other players on iOS and Android devices. Escape Simulator Escape Simulator is a virtual escape room team-building game that you can play solo or with others. In this game, you must use only the resources available in the room to discover a way to escape. With various levels designed to offer continuous challenges, you can adapt to different environments. This game is particularly beneficial for developing resource management and problem-solving skills within your team. You can currently find Escape Simulator on Steam. Business Board Game Business Board Game is a mobile strategy game that stands out as one of the best business board games available for your phone. It’s particularly enjoyable if you’re looking to engage with others in a competitive virtual setting. The goal is to amass as much money and property as you can from your fellow players. This mobile game is accessible on both iOS and Android devices. No Man’s Sky No Man’s Sky is a stunning game that allows you to explore an alien planet and different locations in outer space. Your objective is to collaborate with your team to construct bases throughout the universe. With hours of narrative content to enjoy at your own pace, it stands out as one of the most relaxing games available. You can play it on Steam, Microsoft, Xbox, and PlayStation. Transport Tycoon Transport Tycoon is a video game series where you set up transportation infrastructure around your own town. These tycoon games teach you how to think creatively and solve problems surrounding transportation management. But many of the concepts may also be relevant to managing businesses or other organizations. There are various levels with different problems to solve. So it’s ideal if you want to be constantly challenged. Read More: farming games Fiz – Brewery Management Game If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a brewery, Fiz – Brewery Management Game should be at the top of your list. Like other business simulation games, you’re responsible for creating a brand and product and managing your budget. But it all has a beer-related spin. This resource management game is available for Android devices. What is the best resource management game? The best resource management games may vary based on your preferences and the level of challenge you’re looking for. However, some top options include Megapolis, Stardew Valley, and Jurrasic World Evolution. To find the best management games for your preferences, browse the entire list above and try the ones that appeal to you, or watch game plays and review videos on YouTube for a closer look. Read More: relaxing games Image: Depositphotos This article, "Resource Management Games for Small Business Owners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Games can help entrepreneurs hone various skills. For example, some games give you access to resources that you must use wisely — similar to how you must manage resources in business. If you’re looking for a resource management game to sharpen your skills in this area, read on for a guide. What is a Resource Management Game? A resource management game is one where the player is given a finite amount of necessary items that they must allocate wisely. For example, How Resource Management Games Could Help You in Business Resource management games aren’t just for fun. Here are some ways they may support your business: Sharpen management skills: Business owners need to get creative when managing limited resources. Games help you think differently and turn this into a fun process. Help with budgeting: All business owners must stay on budget. This involves many of the same skills used in resource management games. Foster collaboration: Multi-player games can serve as a team-building exercise. Exercise your brain: Business owners often experience burnout from continuous decision-making. Resource management games challenge your intellect while offering a refreshing break from the demands of managing your business. Best Resource Management Games Resource games can sharpen your management skills, support your team, and provide a fun hobby. Here are some of the best management games for business owners. Prison Architect Prison Architect requires building and maintaining a maximum-security prison. In addition to containing inmates, this management game requires managing federal money and applying for grants to maximize resources and profit. Various challenges may arise throughout each level. So you need to constantly adapt. Prison Architect is available on Steam, Gog, Epic Games, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. Surviving Mars In Surviving Mars, you’re responsible for building a colony and surviving on Mars with limited resources. This not only requires managing what you do have but also requires resource gathering in an unfamiliar environment. This game may be especially appealing to space enthusiasts. But the concepts used to play are applicable to several areas of business and life. Play on Steam, Epic Games, Gog, Xbox, and PlayStation. Megapolis Megapolis is a city-building simulator that allows you to create your own urban environment. You will need to devise strategies for various aspects, including constructing buildings, establishing iconic landmarks, and supplying power to your community. Given the complexity of city building, multiple areas may demand your attention simultaneously, much like managing a business. This city building game is accessible on iOS, Android, and Steam. Read More: business strategy games Jurassic World Evolution Jurrasic World Evolution is a video game that allows you to oversee every facet of a Jurassic World theme park. You are responsible for planning attractions and addressing challenges as they come up. Being part of a well-known brand, the graphics and overall presentation of this game are more refined compared to many other strategic management games. Jurassic World Evolution is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam. Two Point Hospital Two Point Hospital is a strategy game that allows players to create and oversee their own hospital. You will design the layout, work to cure various illnesses, and handle your staff and resources. The game is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. Stardew Valley Stardew Valley is a game where you manage your own farm and learn to live off the land. You can customize nearly all aspects of your surroundings and even interact with other farmers to share resources or tips. It’s available on Steam, Gog, Humble Games, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Train Valley Train Valley is a puzzle strategy game that involves managing the construction of railways and various locomotive resources. With a range of locations and different types of trains, this game is likely to attract both train enthusiasts and history buffs. It is available on Steam, Humble Games, and iOS. Read More: business simulation games Foundation Foundation is a medieval city-building game. You create your own monuments and can even interact and share resources with other players. It’s an entirely open world, so there’s a lot of room for creativity and personalization. But you must still manage finite resources when creating your world. Foundation is available to play on Steam. Planet Coaster Planet Coaster allows you to design and manage your own roller coaster theme park. As you progress, you can expand your park and cater to customers as they explore. The PC version can be found on Steam and Frontier, while the console version is available on Xbox and PlayStation. This provides a range of options to suit your preferred gaming style. Dungeon Keeper Dungeon Keeper is a strategy game that involves raiding underworld dungeons to acquire additional resources for defending your own fortress. The strategic elements of this game can inspire entrepreneurs to think creatively about sourcing resources they currently lack. It is available on iOS, Android, Amazon, and PC. Read More: best business board games Hay Day Hay Day is a mobile game where you build and manage your own farm. As one of the top farming games available, you grow crops, manage animals, and take trips into town to purchase supplies and speak with townsfolk. The purpose is to build a sustainable operation and keep your farm thriving through various challenges. You can even connect with other players on iOS and Android devices. Escape Simulator Escape Simulator is a virtual escape room team-building game that you can play solo or with others. In this game, you must use only the resources available in the room to discover a way to escape. With various levels designed to offer continuous challenges, you can adapt to different environments. This game is particularly beneficial for developing resource management and problem-solving skills within your team. You can currently find Escape Simulator on Steam. Business Board Game Business Board Game is a mobile strategy game that stands out as one of the best business board games available for your phone. It’s particularly enjoyable if you’re looking to engage with others in a competitive virtual setting. The goal is to amass as much money and property as you can from your fellow players. This mobile game is accessible on both iOS and Android devices. No Man’s Sky No Man’s Sky is a stunning game that allows you to explore an alien planet and different locations in outer space. Your objective is to collaborate with your team to construct bases throughout the universe. With hours of narrative content to enjoy at your own pace, it stands out as one of the most relaxing games available. You can play it on Steam, Microsoft, Xbox, and PlayStation. Transport Tycoon Transport Tycoon is a video game series where you set up transportation infrastructure around your own town. These tycoon games teach you how to think creatively and solve problems surrounding transportation management. But many of the concepts may also be relevant to managing businesses or other organizations. There are various levels with different problems to solve. So it’s ideal if you want to be constantly challenged. Read More: farming games Fiz – Brewery Management Game If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a brewery, Fiz – Brewery Management Game should be at the top of your list. Like other business simulation games, you’re responsible for creating a brand and product and managing your budget. But it all has a beer-related spin. This resource management game is available for Android devices. What is the best resource management game? The best resource management games may vary based on your preferences and the level of challenge you’re looking for. However, some top options include Megapolis, Stardew Valley, and Jurrasic World Evolution. To find the best management games for your preferences, browse the entire list above and try the ones that appeal to you, or watch game plays and review videos on YouTube for a closer look. Read More: relaxing games Image: Depositphotos This article, "Resource Management Games for Small Business Owners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Bullion surpasses October peak as traders stockpile in New YorkView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Bose is a recognized name in audio tech and has been making capable active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones since 2016, when the company launched the QuietComfort line of devices. Right now, you can pick up the Bose's QuietComfort headphones for $179, $170 off the original price of $349. This is the lowest price they've reached, according to price-tracking tools, making them a good bet if you're looking to get a high-performance pair of ANC headphones without spending a fortune. You can get them "unopened" (which is exactly what it sounds like) from Woot for the lowest price they've ever been. Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship. Bose QuietComfort ANC, Hi-Fi Audio, full EQ, 24-hour battery, multi-point connection, Aware Mode. $179.00 at Woot $349.00 Save $170.00 Get Deal Get Deal $179.00 at Woot $349.00 Save $170.00 Bose headphones are often found at the top of any roundup of the best headphones on the market and have been consistently praised for years. The Bose QuietComfort lineup in particular excels in comfort (hence the name) and ANC. If those are features you're after, these headphones are worth considering, especially at this price point. (If you're looking for earbuds, the ANC Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and open-ear Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are also at their lowest price right now.) Keep in mind that this is the lesser model in the current QuietComfort line; Bose released both the Bose QuietComfort and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra in 2023. The Ultras are more high-end and include extra functionality, but they retail for $250 more and aren't necessarily the best bet for every user—if you don't care about Bluetooth 5.3 versus 5.1, immersion mode (which allows you to hear the audio as if it is coming from different directions), or other extraneous features, you can save yourself some money and go with the basic Bose QuietComfort. These headphones can connect to multiple devices at once, so you can seamlessly transition from one device to the next. They also offer a transparency mode that lets you hear your surroundings while wearing them, a customizable EQ so you can listen to your music how you like it to sound, and an impressive 24 hours of battery life, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. Also worth noting: They have physical buttons rather than touch controls, which will be a plus or a minus, depending on your preferences. View the full article

Mortgage rates declined by one basis point this week, not enough to change the equation to bring consumers back into the housing market, Freddie Mac said. View the full article

We’ve already covered how we planned the event from start to finish and how we promoted the event. This time round, it’s about how our events can be better next time. Like any good event organizer, we sent out post-event…Read more ›View the full article

Supporting digital assets that could marginalise the dollar is ‘dangerous’, investor letter saysView the full article

Without a clear process, AI-generated content can feel generic, miss SEO opportunities, or just not sound like you. The trick? Use AI as a tool, not a shortcut. This AI content creation process helps you: Get AI to generate usable…Read more ›View the full article

It takes more than moolah. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

It takes more than moolah. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

DeepSeek is having a moment: With the release of its impressive R1 model, the AI company overtook ChatGPT (and every other app) to become the number one free app on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. If you gave the app a try this week, however, be warned: Your chats may have been exposed. As reported by The Hacker News, DeepSeek left one of its online databases exposed. While the company has issued a fix, this database is a treasure trove of user information. It contains over one million lines of log streams, which includes chat history, secret keys (used to encrypt and decrypt data), backend information, and other important data. As of this article, DeepSeek says they are continuing to investigate the issue, despite implementing a fix on Jan. 29. It isn't clear if any parties gained access to DeepSeek's database while it was vulnerable, but the vulnerability allowed for "complete database control," as well as privilege escalation within DeepSeek's network without any authentication needed. DeepSeek's privacy and security policies have been a point of concern as so many users flock to its service. The platform collects a lot of user data, like email addresses, IP addresses, and chat histories, but also more concerning data points, like keystroke patterns and rhythms. Why does an AI app need to not only know what I typed, but how I typed it, too? As DeepSeek is a Chinese company, it stores all user data on servers in China. As such, the company is beholden by law to share any data the Chinese government requests. These practices are among the reasons the United States government banned TikTok. There's no evidence this has happened, but the whole situation paints a precarious picture for the popular AI startup. If you do want to try DeepSeek, or if you're already using it, it's important to keep these points in mind. Your user data may not be quite so secure with this particular company. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: Recently in my office, corporate buzzwords have picked up like crazy among my colleagues. Sometimes it feels like senior management’s entirely vocabulary is only buzzwords. In a presentation last week, for example, a director said that a “new piece of work is a runway to manifest our brand value proposition.” What does that mean? Now my peers are using the same buzzwords in presentations, and they’re seeping into meetings and conversations. Another example that makes my eye twitch: Suddenly everyone is using the word “solutioning,” as in, “Thanks, Matt, for solutioning our IT request.” You know. Like a detective solutions a murder. I’m all for language evolving, but morale is poor right now and there’s been a lot of water-cooler griping about senior leaders acting inauthentically. I think buzzwords may be contributing to this. When senior leadership’s talking a lot but not saying anything, it doesn’t make anyone feel that what we do has much real-world value. I’m sick to death of conversations that don’t mean anything and waste everyone’s time. Am I overthinking this, or is it something I should address? If so, what’s the best way to do it? I answer this question — and two others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. Other questions I’m answering there today include: Should I correct clients who call me “Mrs.”? Can I talk to multiple acquaintances about the same job at my old employer? View the full article

GDP figure published before European Central Bank cut its benchmark rate to lowest level since early 2023View the full article

This process helps you: Find quality links quickly Improve your domain’s authority Close gaps against competitors In this guide, you’ll learn how to use our backlink gap analysis template to find relevant, high-quality websites that are worth reaching out to.…Read more ›View the full article

Google notifies users about mandatory migration of all reCAPTCHA services to Cloud platform. Service will remain free with a usage limit. The post Google To Migrate All reCAPTCHA Services To Cloud Platform appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article