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Many people fantasize about what life would be like if they could travel wherever they please and do whatever they wanted – financially secure, with a life set up logistically to make such adventurous wanderings not just possible, but enjoyable and commonplace. In almost the same moment, most people dismiss this “forever travel dream” as ... Read moreView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Gaming monitors with 4K ultra HD and high refresh rates have historically been quite expensive, but the Asus ROG Strix XG27UCS challenged that notion, bringing competitive specs at a more budget-friendly price. Right now, the Asus ROG Strix XG27UCS is $339 (originally launched at $499) after a 23% discount. Asus ROG Strix XG27UCS Gaming Monitor UHD (3840 x 2160), 160Hz, 1ms, Fast IPS,130% sRGB,Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync, G-Sync Compatible... $339.00 at Amazon $449.00 Save $110.00 Get Deal Get Deal $339.00 at Amazon $449.00 Save $110.00 The ROG Strix XG27UCS is a 27-inch gaming monitor that was launched in March of 2024. To get it down to its lower price (when compared to other gaming monitors) ASUS made cuts to RGB technology and a USB hub, which more premium gaming monitors will usually have. It still has the 160Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and 4K resolution you'd expect, though. Because this is an IPS panel monitor, you won't get the true black that OLEDs offer. The contrast ratio for this monitor is close to 922:1, according to IGN's review, so black hues might look closer to dark gray. You can calibrate the settings to match specific games or genres—and a nice touch is that it allows you to save profiles with customized settings so you can easily switch between them if you jump from one game to another. The stand's height, tilt, swivel, and pivot are all adjustable. You can also change the view from landscape to portrait, making it useful to people who also want to use it for work. One other feature that makes it work-friendly is a USB-C port that supports Display Port, meaning it's the only cable you'll need to hook up your laptop for video, audio, and charging (most modern laptops have this feature now). It also has a tray for a small device on the stand where you can prop your phone and a headphone jack for wired headphones or external speakers. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $229.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — $279.99 (List Price $349.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

On Saturday, hours after U.S. forces in Caracas killed at least 80 people and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Donald The President sounded less like a wartime commander than a developer surveying a newly acquired property. The country’s future, he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort, belonged to “very large United States oil companies,” which would soon be pumping “a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground.” The land in question includes the largest proven oil reserves on Earth — at some 300 billion barrels, roughly 17 percent of global totals. But after years of political turmoil and U.S. sanctions, Venezuela accounts for barely 1 percent of global crude production. “It’s true that they know the oil is there,” said Samantha Gross, the director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the Brookings Institution. “But the aboveground risks are huge.” Chevron is the only major U.S. firm still operating in Venezuela, after other oil giants pulled out in 2007 when former president Hugo Chávez nationalized the industry. By continuing to operate as a minority partner under the state oil company’s terms, Chevron preserved its infrastructure, personnel, and legal foothold — giving it geopolitical leverage in the ongoing tug-of-war between the United States, China, and the Maduro government. “We play a long game,” CEO Mike Wirth explained in November at a U.S.-Saudi investment summit in Washington. Today, Chevron is uniquely positioned in the aftermath of the invasion: Its leadership and board have long orbited Republican circles, with deep ties to the The President administration and a history of big GOP donations. “Chevron’s in [Venezuela],” The President said on Saturday, but “they’re only there because I wanted them to be there.” The company did not respond to requests for comment. When The President returned to office, his administration revoked Biden-era licenses that had allowed the oil major to operate in Venezuela despite the sanctions. Though told to stop producing by April, the company made no attempt to wrap up contracts, pull out personnel, or wind down supply chains. Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin American energy program at Rice University, said in March that it appeared “Chevron is very confident it can obtain an extension.” Donald The PresidentGrist Behind the scenes, executives were busy meeting with The President and top officials, spending almost $4 million on lobbying in the first half of the year to keep their Venezuelan foothold alive. In March, Wirth joined The President in the Oval Office, hashing out how to tweak or extend Chevron’s license. The president finds Wirth’s TV appearances entertaining, regularly calling him after cable news appearances. The CEO followed that blitz up with private sit-downs with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and staffers from the National Security Council, making the case for his company’s continued presence in the country. By July, the gamble had paid off. The administration issued a new license, letting Chevron resume operations in Venezuela. As it did so this fall, the company saw record-breaking production and earned $3.6 billion in its last reported quarter. Though Venezuela accounts for just 100,000 to 150,000 barrels daily — a sliver of Chevron’s production — that oil is heavy, the kind the company’s Gulf Coast refineries are designed to process. Having access to Venezuelan crude can help those facilities run more efficiently, increasing supplies and reducing costs. Just before Chevron celebrated its renewed lifeline, it scored another victory: After years of wrangling with the Federal Trade Commission, it finally acquired Hess Corporation, one of the biggest independent oil producers in the United States. Last year, the agency had banned CEO John Hess from joining Chevron’s board as part of its anti-trust review, alleging that he had colluded with OPEC representatives to fix oil prices. That victory, however, did not occur in a vacuum. The Hess family is a major donor to the Republican party and contributed more than $1 million to The President’s first inauguration. (Chevron, for its part, donated $2 million to the president’s 2025 ceremony.) Hess — whom The President has called “a friend of mine for a long time” — petitioned the FTC to revisit its decision. The agency later reversed course, unlocking the deal. On July 18, Chevron officially closed its $53 billion merger, and Hess took his seat on the board. Donald The PresidentJohn HessGrist This bought Chevron’s entry into what many analysts call the decade’s most consequential oilfield, in Guyana, Venezuela’s neighbor. In 2015, Exxon Mobil announced a huge reserve off the tiny country’s shoreline. That discovery catapulted Guyana — a nation of fewer than 1 million people — into the petroleum spotlight. Hess’ 30 percent stake in the project was a key part of Chevron’s recent acquisition. Thanks to The President, one of the largest remaining political obstacles to the Guyana project was just removed. Maduro had challenged Guyana’s control over the offshore area. Venezuela has periodically claimed the territory since the 1960s under a long-running border dispute. As production in the region ramped up in 2019 and as Venezuela’s own industry faltered, Maduro escalated his attacks, sending naval ships into Guyanese waters and vowing Venezuela would take “all necessary actions” to stop its development — rhetoric remarkably similar to what The President used to justify his own actions against Maduro this week. But though The President claims he spoke with oil companies before and after the invasion, taking over the Venezuelan government may have been more than the industry bargained for. “There aren’t oil companies just running to get rid of tens of billions of dollars right now to rebuild the Venezuelan industry,” David Mares, the former Institute of the Americas Endowed ​Chair for Inter-American Affairs at the University of California, San Diego, told Grist. “It’s not even clear there’s a legitimate government in place to make the contracts they sign for legal.” Then there’s the question of Venezuela’s tangled debt. Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the state oil company, has racked up more than $150 billion in liabilities over decades of defaults and expropriations. Creditors — from energy companies like ConocoPhillips to so-called “vulture funds” that bought defaulted contracts at deep discounts — have pursued arbitration against the country, and won court rulings for damages that remain unpaid. China has been the country’s largest foreign lender, loaning it more than $60 billion over the years. Only some of that has been repaid, mostly in the form of oil exports. As Mares notes, “As soon as Venezuelan oil starts to flow, some of those claimants can attach the proceeds, and they’re going to demand their money back.” Experts warn that returning to even modest levels of production would require upgrading Venezuela’s aging infrastructure, a process that would require massive investment and political stability — conditions that have eluded Caracas for years and seem unlikely to materialize anytime soon. “There is no realistic prospect of immediately increasing Venezuela’s crude output,” Gus Vasquez, the head of oil pricing in the Americas for commodity markets analyst Argus Media, wrote in an emailed statement. “Venezuelan oil infrastructure would take years and possibly hundreds of billions to bring up to something close to its former capacity. Repairing refineries would be even harder.” Chevron’s existing assets give the company a very different calculus than newcomers would face. But the timing could not be worse: Global crude oil prices have steadily declined over the last several years, recently dropping below $60 a barrel — approaching the break-even point for many American operators. That’s been driven by global supply surpluses and by weakening demand, as renewable energy prices drop. “I think what we’re seeing is that the days of the oil and gas industry being the growth engine of economies is well behind us,” said Trey Cowan, an oil and gas energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Despite these structural shifts, Gross notes, “The President has a very old-school way of thinking about resource economics,” as a blunt lever of power. As companies like Chevron have found, aligning with his priorities can bring financial and regulatory advantages, even if they are not supported by broader market conditions. This week, the company’s stock jumped 6 percent. On TruthSocial on Tuesday, The President announced that Caracas would be “turning over” between 30 and 50 million barrels of “sanctioned oil” that will then be sold. “[T]hat money will be controlled by me,” he wrote. The President hopes to lower oil prices to $50 a barrel, which would squeeze shale producers and destabilize the U.S. oil industry. On Wednesday, the Department of Energy issued a brief announcement elaborating, as Chevron entered talks with the administration to increase its operations and resell oil to other refiners. The statement declares the U.S. will sell the sovereign nation’s crude on the global marketplace and describes the proceeds as going to “U.S.-controlled accounts at globally recognized banks,” an unusual setup that bypasses the U.S. Treasury. The money is vaguely promised to serve both Americans and Venezuelans, and the arrangement will be indefinite. “You’re going to see, probably, a growth in Chevron activities there quickly,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said on Thursday. Senate Democrats have launched an investigation into the The President administration’s communications with oil companies, which they claim occurred 10 days before the invasion, while Congress was not briefed. “The suggestion that taxpayers could pay the cost of rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure raise serious concerns about how the The President administration engaged with the oil companies prior to his decision to use military force,” they wrote. Gross says to the extent The President can be described as a populist, it is largely a performance — one “he might play on TV” — but she added that typically, “When you see populist governments take over oil industries, it doesn’t usually turn out well.” In all the turmoil, what no one appears to be asking is what is good for Venezuela. “The saddest part of this is that unwinding the Maduro regime does not seem to be a part of what The President policy is aiming for,” said Cynthia Arson, former director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center’s Latin American Program. In its statements after the strike, the White House has largely overlooked questions about a democratic transition, sidelining concerns about human rights abuses and the treatment of political prisoners. Even when oil starts flowing, a new Venezuelan government will likely struggle to meet public expectations while attracting foreign investment. Before Chávez, the country’s oil contracts typically gave the government around 50 percent of revenue, helping fund social programs and the middle class. U.S. oil majors, by contrast, often offer royalties around 12 percent. The contrast highlights just how fragile and uncertain the path ahead is: Years of economic collapse, which have driven millions abroad, have left those remaining struggling with profound political and social upheaval that can’t be solved by oil alone. “If good things happen, they’re going to take time,” Gross said. “Bad things could actually happen pretty quickly.” This article originally appeared in Grist. Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org View the full article

Comprehending key standards of employment is crucial for both employees and employers. These regulations, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and equal employment opportunity laws, guarantee fair treatment in the workplace. They cover minimum wage, overtime pay, anti-discrimination measures, and family leave rights. Knowing these laws helps you navigate your rights and responsibilities effectively. But there’s more to reflect on, especially regarding compliance and safety regulations that impact your work environment. Key Takeaways Employment laws ensure fair labor practices, including wage allowances and protections against discrimination and harassment. The Fair Labor Standards Act mandates a federal minimum wage and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a week. Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, and require fair hiring practices. The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons. Compliance with OSHA regulations is essential for maintaining a safe workplace and protecting workers from recognized hazards. Understanding Employment Laws and Their Importance Grasping employment laws is crucial for both employees and employers, as these regulations provide fundamental protections and guidelines within the workplace. Key laws, such as the Employment Standards Act, set forth critical standards for fair labor practices, ensuring employees receive a fair wage allowance for their work. These laws not only guard against wage exploitation but also promote equality and inclusivity through regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In addition, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows eligible employees to take necessary time off without fear of losing their jobs. Employers must likewise comply with safety laws enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to create a safe environment. By comprehending and adhering to these laws, businesses can avoid legal penalties, protect their reputation, and cultivate a positive workplace culture that benefits everyone involved. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) plays a crucial role in regulating wage and hour standards for employees across the United States. This federal law establishes a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, ensuring that employers provide fair wage payment for non-exempt employees. Furthermore, it mandates overtime pay at one-and-a-half times the regular hourly wage for any hours worked beyond 40 in a week. The FLSA also includes critical standards of employment concerning child labor, imposing restrictions on the age and hours minors can work to protect their well-being. Starting January 16, 2025, violations will incur increased civil penalties, with fines reaching up to $2,515 for repeated infractions. Employers must maintain accurate records of employee hours worked and wages paid, which is crucial for compliance and can help prevent legal disputes over employment payment. Comprehending these standards is fundamental for both employees and employers alike. Wage and Hour Regulations In relation to wage and hour regulations, grasping your rights and responsibilities is vital. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, but some states offer higher rates, which you should be aware of. Furthermore, if you work more than 40 hours in a week, your employer must pay you overtime at one and a half times your regular rate, making accurate recordkeeping fundamental for protecting your earnings. Minimum Wage Standards Comprehending minimum wage standards is vital for both employers and employees, as these regulations govern the minimum compensation workers can expect for their labor. In the United States, the federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour, but many states have established higher rates. Employers must stay compliant, as repeating violations can result in civil penalties up to $2,515 per occurrence starting January 16, 2025. Some states even index their minimum wage to inflation, ensuring it keeps pace with living costs. Furthermore, it’s important for employers to maintain accurate records of hours worked and wages earned. If you’re unsure about your rights, visit the workers owed wages website for detailed information and guidance on minimum wage standards. Overtime Pay Requirements Comprehending overtime pay requirements is vital for ensuring fair compensation for your work. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that non-exempt employees earn at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. If you work over 40 hours in a single workweek, your employer must pay you overtime at one and a half times your regular hourly rate. Nevertheless, certain roles, such as executive or administrative positions, may be classified as exempt from overtime pay, provided they meet specific criteria. It’s important for employers to keep accurate records of hours worked and wages paid, as failing to do so can lead to significant penalties. Starting January 16, 2025, fines for overtime violations may reach up to $2,515. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws play a vital role in promoting fairness in the workplace, as they prohibit discrimination based on various protected characteristics, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces these federal laws, ensuring that employers with 15 or more employees comply with regulations. Protected Characteristics Key EEO Provisions Race, Color No discrimination in hiring practices Age, Disability Reasonable accommodations required Sex, National Origin Prohibition of workplace harassment These laws mandate that employers maintain fair hiring practices, avoiding discriminatory questions during interviews. In addition, they require prompt action against harassment, including sexual harassment, creating a safe environment for all employees. Comprehending EEO laws is fundamental for promoting equity and compliance in the workplace. Anti-Discrimination Laws Anti-discrimination laws play a vital role in ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. These laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, protect individuals based on characteristics like race, gender, and age, as well as addressing issues like wage equality and disability accommodations. Comprehending these laws is fundamental for creating a respectful work environment and implementing effective harassment prevention strategies. Protected Characteristics Overview Comprehending your rights in the workplace is essential, especially regarding protections against discrimination based on certain characteristics. Anti-discrimination laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), guarantee fair treatment. Here are some key characteristics protected under these laws: Race, color, and national origin Age (40 and older) and disability Sex and religion Employers must likewise adhere to the Equal Pay Act, which mandates equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. If you believe you’ve faced discrimination, you can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces these laws. Title VII Compliance Essentials Grasping your rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is crucial for ensuring a fair workplace. This law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin for employers with 15 or more employees. You’re protected from workplace harassment, including sexual harassment and hostile environments. If you face discrimination or harassment, your employer must take immediate and appropriate action to address your complaints. Remember, you can file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory act. Furthermore, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for your religious practices except it creates an undue hardship on the business. Comprehending these fundamentals helps you advocate for your rights effectively. Harassment Prevention Strategies To create a safe and respectful workplace, employers must implement effective harassment prevention strategies that comply with anti-discrimination laws. Here are three key components: Training Programs: Provide thorough training for all employees to recognize, report, and prevent harassment. This guarantees everyone understands their responsibilities and rights. Clear Anti-Harassment Policy: Develop a robust anti-harassment policy that outlines reporting procedures. This cultivates an environment where employees feel safe to voice concerns without fear of retaliation. Regular Surveys: Conduct employee surveys to assess the effectiveness of your harassment prevention strategies. This feedback can highlight areas for improvement and reinforce a commitment to a respectful workplace. Workplace Safety and Health Regulations Comprehending workplace safety and health regulations is vital for both employers and employees, as these guidelines are designed to protect workers from potential hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces regulations that require employers to maintain a safe working environment, free from known dangers. It’s imperative for employers to conduct regular safety training so employees understand the risks related to their tasks and how to minimize them. Employers must additionally report any workplace accidents and injuries to OSHA, as neglecting to do so can lead to significant penalties. OSHA’s guidelines cover various industries, addressing issues like chemical exposure, machine safety, and ergonomics. To guarantee compliance, employers are encouraged to implement effective safety programs and provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring safe and healthful working conditions across various industries. Established in 1970, OSHA enforces standards and provides crucial training, outreach, and education. Here are three key aspects of OSHA’s mission: Employers must maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious harm. OSHA requires employers to report any workplace fatalities or severe injuries within specific timeframes. Compliance is enforced through workplace inspections, where OSHA inspectors assess safety practices and can issue citations for violations. These regulations cover various areas, including exposure to hazardous chemicals, ergonomic standards, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Employee Benefits Laws In relation to employee benefits laws, comprehending your rights is vital. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees you can take time off for significant family or medical issues without losing your job, as well as health care protections under laws like COBRA allow you to maintain your coverage after employment ends. Furthermore, workers’ compensation regulations provide important financial support if you face injuries or illnesses related to your job, assisting you navigate challenging situations. Family Medical Leave Act Comprehending the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is crucial for both employees and employers, as it provides significant protections for those needing time away from work for family or medical reasons. Here are three key points to understand: Eligibility: You must have worked for a covered employer for at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months and be at a location with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius. Leave Duration: FMLA entitles you to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specific reasons like the birth of a child or caring for a serious health condition. Job Protection: Upon returning, you’re entitled to your original job or an equivalent one with the same pay and benefits. Health Care Protections Comprehending health care protections under employee benefits laws is vital for safeguarding your access to medical care and insurance coverage. Key regulations like COBRA, ACA, FMLA, and ERISA establish your rights and guarantee you receive fundamental health benefits. Here’s a summary of these protections: Law Key Features Duration/Requirements COBRA Allows continuation of health insurance Up to 18 months after job loss ACA Requires health insurance for large employers Minimum fundamental coverage standards FMLA Provides unpaid, job-protected leave Up to 12 weeks for family/medical reasons ERISA Mandates transparency in health benefit plans Fiduciary responsibilities for managers Protections Prevents discrimination in health coverage Access to necessary medical care Understanding these laws helps you navigate your health care rights effectively. Workers’ Compensation Regulations Workers’ compensation regulations play an important role in ensuring that employees receive the necessary support and compensation following job-related injuries or illnesses. Comprehending these regulations is critical for both employees and employers. Here are three key points to reflect on: Each state has specific workers’ compensation laws that define benefits, eligibility, and claims processes. Employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover potential claims; failing to do so may result in severe penalties. Employees are obligated to report injuries without delay and cooperate with the claims process to receive the benefits they deserve. These regulations provide significant financial support, covering medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and wage replacement during recovery, and helping employees navigate challenging times effectively. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides essential protections for eligible employees who need to take time off for specific family and medical reasons. Under FMLA, you’re entitled to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 12-month period. Qualifying reasons include childbirth, adoption, or serious health conditions affecting you or your family members. To qualify, you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months, logged 1,250 hours of service in the past year, and be at a location with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius. During your leave, you can maintain your group health insurance coverage under the same terms. Significantly, your employer can’t retaliate against you for exercising your FMLA rights, and violations can lead to substantial penalties. Comprehending these provisions helps you navigate your rights effectively. Labor Relations Laws During the process of maneuvering through the workplace, grasping Labor Relations Laws is vital for employees seeking to protect their rights. These laws, primarily governed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRA), guarantee that you can organize, join unions, and engage in collective bargaining without fear of retaliation. Comprehending these key points can help you navigate your rights: Right to Organize: You can form or join a union to negotiate better employment terms. Protected Activities: Engaging in discussions about wages and working conditions is your right, and employers can’t interfere. Union Elections: The NLRA establishes fair procedures for choosing union representatives, free from employer influence. Violations of these laws can lead to penalties for employers, including reinstating employees wrongfully terminated for union activities and compensating them for lost wages. Staying Compliant With Employment Standards Comprehending and adhering to employment standards is vital for both employers and employees, as it guarantees a fair and safe work environment. Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guarantees workers receive at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and overtime pay for hours exceeding 40 in a week. Employers must likewise follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, which require a safe workplace free from recognized hazards and mandate necessary safety training. Furthermore, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) obligates employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals. Regularly updating employee handbooks on anti-discrimination laws, like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, is vital to prevent unfair treatment. Finally, organizations must comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), allowing eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 Core Labor Standards? The four core labor standards are essential for fair employment practices. First, there’s the elimination of forced labor, ensuring no one works against their will. Second, abolishing child labor protects children’s rights to education and a proper childhood. Third, it’s important to eliminate discrimination in employment, promoting equal opportunities for all workers. Finally, the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining allows workers to organize and negotiate for better working conditions. What Is the 80% Rule in Hiring? The 80% Rule in hiring, as well known as the four-fifths rule, helps you assess whether your hiring practices are discriminatory. It states that the hiring rate for a protected group should be at least 80% of the rate for the majority group. For instance, if you hire 100 candidates from the majority group, you should aim to hire at least 80 from a protected group. Falling below this threshold may indicate adverse impact and require further investigation. What Is an Employment Standard? An employment standard is a set of legal requirements that govern the relationship between employers and employees. These standards cover various aspects, including wages, working hours, safety regulations, and anti-discrimination laws. Compliance with these standards is vital for protecting your rights as an employee and ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. Violations can lead to serious legal consequences for employers, making it critical for them to stay informed and compliant. What Are the Main Employment Laws? The main employment laws include the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets minimum wage and overtime standards, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires reasonable accommodations for disabled employees, whereas the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides job-protected leave for family and medical reasons. Furthermore, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects older workers from discrimination. Conclusion In conclusion, grasping key employment standards is essential for both employees and employers. Familiarizing yourself with laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Employment Opportunity regulations, and the Family and Medical Leave Act can help guarantee compliance and promote a fair workplace. Staying informed about these standards not merely protects your rights but additionally cultivates a positive work environment. By prioritizing these regulations, everyone can contribute to a more equitable and safe workplace for all. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Key Standards of Employment to Know" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Comprehending key standards of employment is crucial for both employees and employers. These regulations, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and equal employment opportunity laws, guarantee fair treatment in the workplace. They cover minimum wage, overtime pay, anti-discrimination measures, and family leave rights. Knowing these laws helps you navigate your rights and responsibilities effectively. But there’s more to reflect on, especially regarding compliance and safety regulations that impact your work environment. Key Takeaways Employment laws ensure fair labor practices, including wage allowances and protections against discrimination and harassment. The Fair Labor Standards Act mandates a federal minimum wage and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a week. Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, and require fair hiring practices. The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons. Compliance with OSHA regulations is essential for maintaining a safe workplace and protecting workers from recognized hazards. Understanding Employment Laws and Their Importance Grasping employment laws is crucial for both employees and employers, as these regulations provide fundamental protections and guidelines within the workplace. Key laws, such as the Employment Standards Act, set forth critical standards for fair labor practices, ensuring employees receive a fair wage allowance for their work. These laws not only guard against wage exploitation but also promote equality and inclusivity through regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In addition, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows eligible employees to take necessary time off without fear of losing their jobs. Employers must likewise comply with safety laws enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to create a safe environment. By comprehending and adhering to these laws, businesses can avoid legal penalties, protect their reputation, and cultivate a positive workplace culture that benefits everyone involved. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) plays a crucial role in regulating wage and hour standards for employees across the United States. This federal law establishes a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, ensuring that employers provide fair wage payment for non-exempt employees. Furthermore, it mandates overtime pay at one-and-a-half times the regular hourly wage for any hours worked beyond 40 in a week. The FLSA also includes critical standards of employment concerning child labor, imposing restrictions on the age and hours minors can work to protect their well-being. Starting January 16, 2025, violations will incur increased civil penalties, with fines reaching up to $2,515 for repeated infractions. Employers must maintain accurate records of employee hours worked and wages paid, which is crucial for compliance and can help prevent legal disputes over employment payment. Comprehending these standards is fundamental for both employees and employers alike. Wage and Hour Regulations In relation to wage and hour regulations, grasping your rights and responsibilities is vital. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, but some states offer higher rates, which you should be aware of. Furthermore, if you work more than 40 hours in a week, your employer must pay you overtime at one and a half times your regular rate, making accurate recordkeeping fundamental for protecting your earnings. Minimum Wage Standards Comprehending minimum wage standards is vital for both employers and employees, as these regulations govern the minimum compensation workers can expect for their labor. In the United States, the federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour, but many states have established higher rates. Employers must stay compliant, as repeating violations can result in civil penalties up to $2,515 per occurrence starting January 16, 2025. Some states even index their minimum wage to inflation, ensuring it keeps pace with living costs. Furthermore, it’s important for employers to maintain accurate records of hours worked and wages earned. If you’re unsure about your rights, visit the workers owed wages website for detailed information and guidance on minimum wage standards. Overtime Pay Requirements Comprehending overtime pay requirements is vital for ensuring fair compensation for your work. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that non-exempt employees earn at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. If you work over 40 hours in a single workweek, your employer must pay you overtime at one and a half times your regular hourly rate. Nevertheless, certain roles, such as executive or administrative positions, may be classified as exempt from overtime pay, provided they meet specific criteria. It’s important for employers to keep accurate records of hours worked and wages paid, as failing to do so can lead to significant penalties. Starting January 16, 2025, fines for overtime violations may reach up to $2,515. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws play a vital role in promoting fairness in the workplace, as they prohibit discrimination based on various protected characteristics, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces these federal laws, ensuring that employers with 15 or more employees comply with regulations. Protected Characteristics Key EEO Provisions Race, Color No discrimination in hiring practices Age, Disability Reasonable accommodations required Sex, National Origin Prohibition of workplace harassment These laws mandate that employers maintain fair hiring practices, avoiding discriminatory questions during interviews. In addition, they require prompt action against harassment, including sexual harassment, creating a safe environment for all employees. Comprehending EEO laws is fundamental for promoting equity and compliance in the workplace. Anti-Discrimination Laws Anti-discrimination laws play a vital role in ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. These laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, protect individuals based on characteristics like race, gender, and age, as well as addressing issues like wage equality and disability accommodations. Comprehending these laws is fundamental for creating a respectful work environment and implementing effective harassment prevention strategies. Protected Characteristics Overview Comprehending your rights in the workplace is essential, especially regarding protections against discrimination based on certain characteristics. Anti-discrimination laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), guarantee fair treatment. Here are some key characteristics protected under these laws: Race, color, and national origin Age (40 and older) and disability Sex and religion Employers must likewise adhere to the Equal Pay Act, which mandates equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. If you believe you’ve faced discrimination, you can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces these laws. Title VII Compliance Essentials Grasping your rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is crucial for ensuring a fair workplace. This law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin for employers with 15 or more employees. You’re protected from workplace harassment, including sexual harassment and hostile environments. If you face discrimination or harassment, your employer must take immediate and appropriate action to address your complaints. Remember, you can file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory act. Furthermore, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for your religious practices except it creates an undue hardship on the business. Comprehending these fundamentals helps you advocate for your rights effectively. Harassment Prevention Strategies To create a safe and respectful workplace, employers must implement effective harassment prevention strategies that comply with anti-discrimination laws. Here are three key components: Training Programs: Provide thorough training for all employees to recognize, report, and prevent harassment. This guarantees everyone understands their responsibilities and rights. Clear Anti-Harassment Policy: Develop a robust anti-harassment policy that outlines reporting procedures. This cultivates an environment where employees feel safe to voice concerns without fear of retaliation. Regular Surveys: Conduct employee surveys to assess the effectiveness of your harassment prevention strategies. This feedback can highlight areas for improvement and reinforce a commitment to a respectful workplace. Workplace Safety and Health Regulations Comprehending workplace safety and health regulations is vital for both employers and employees, as these guidelines are designed to protect workers from potential hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces regulations that require employers to maintain a safe working environment, free from known dangers. It’s imperative for employers to conduct regular safety training so employees understand the risks related to their tasks and how to minimize them. Employers must additionally report any workplace accidents and injuries to OSHA, as neglecting to do so can lead to significant penalties. OSHA’s guidelines cover various industries, addressing issues like chemical exposure, machine safety, and ergonomics. To guarantee compliance, employers are encouraged to implement effective safety programs and provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring safe and healthful working conditions across various industries. Established in 1970, OSHA enforces standards and provides crucial training, outreach, and education. Here are three key aspects of OSHA’s mission: Employers must maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious harm. OSHA requires employers to report any workplace fatalities or severe injuries within specific timeframes. Compliance is enforced through workplace inspections, where OSHA inspectors assess safety practices and can issue citations for violations. These regulations cover various areas, including exposure to hazardous chemicals, ergonomic standards, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Employee Benefits Laws In relation to employee benefits laws, comprehending your rights is vital. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees you can take time off for significant family or medical issues without losing your job, as well as health care protections under laws like COBRA allow you to maintain your coverage after employment ends. Furthermore, workers’ compensation regulations provide important financial support if you face injuries or illnesses related to your job, assisting you navigate challenging situations. Family Medical Leave Act Comprehending the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is crucial for both employees and employers, as it provides significant protections for those needing time away from work for family or medical reasons. Here are three key points to understand: Eligibility: You must have worked for a covered employer for at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months and be at a location with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius. Leave Duration: FMLA entitles you to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specific reasons like the birth of a child or caring for a serious health condition. Job Protection: Upon returning, you’re entitled to your original job or an equivalent one with the same pay and benefits. Health Care Protections Comprehending health care protections under employee benefits laws is vital for safeguarding your access to medical care and insurance coverage. Key regulations like COBRA, ACA, FMLA, and ERISA establish your rights and guarantee you receive fundamental health benefits. Here’s a summary of these protections: Law Key Features Duration/Requirements COBRA Allows continuation of health insurance Up to 18 months after job loss ACA Requires health insurance for large employers Minimum fundamental coverage standards FMLA Provides unpaid, job-protected leave Up to 12 weeks for family/medical reasons ERISA Mandates transparency in health benefit plans Fiduciary responsibilities for managers Protections Prevents discrimination in health coverage Access to necessary medical care Understanding these laws helps you navigate your health care rights effectively. Workers’ Compensation Regulations Workers’ compensation regulations play an important role in ensuring that employees receive the necessary support and compensation following job-related injuries or illnesses. Comprehending these regulations is critical for both employees and employers. Here are three key points to reflect on: Each state has specific workers’ compensation laws that define benefits, eligibility, and claims processes. Employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover potential claims; failing to do so may result in severe penalties. Employees are obligated to report injuries without delay and cooperate with the claims process to receive the benefits they deserve. These regulations provide significant financial support, covering medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and wage replacement during recovery, and helping employees navigate challenging times effectively. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides essential protections for eligible employees who need to take time off for specific family and medical reasons. Under FMLA, you’re entitled to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 12-month period. Qualifying reasons include childbirth, adoption, or serious health conditions affecting you or your family members. To qualify, you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months, logged 1,250 hours of service in the past year, and be at a location with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius. During your leave, you can maintain your group health insurance coverage under the same terms. Significantly, your employer can’t retaliate against you for exercising your FMLA rights, and violations can lead to substantial penalties. Comprehending these provisions helps you navigate your rights effectively. Labor Relations Laws During the process of maneuvering through the workplace, grasping Labor Relations Laws is vital for employees seeking to protect their rights. These laws, primarily governed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRA), guarantee that you can organize, join unions, and engage in collective bargaining without fear of retaliation. Comprehending these key points can help you navigate your rights: Right to Organize: You can form or join a union to negotiate better employment terms. Protected Activities: Engaging in discussions about wages and working conditions is your right, and employers can’t interfere. Union Elections: The NLRA establishes fair procedures for choosing union representatives, free from employer influence. Violations of these laws can lead to penalties for employers, including reinstating employees wrongfully terminated for union activities and compensating them for lost wages. Staying Compliant With Employment Standards Comprehending and adhering to employment standards is vital for both employers and employees, as it guarantees a fair and safe work environment. Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guarantees workers receive at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and overtime pay for hours exceeding 40 in a week. Employers must likewise follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, which require a safe workplace free from recognized hazards and mandate necessary safety training. Furthermore, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) obligates employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals. Regularly updating employee handbooks on anti-discrimination laws, like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, is vital to prevent unfair treatment. Finally, organizations must comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), allowing eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 Core Labor Standards? The four core labor standards are essential for fair employment practices. First, there’s the elimination of forced labor, ensuring no one works against their will. Second, abolishing child labor protects children’s rights to education and a proper childhood. Third, it’s important to eliminate discrimination in employment, promoting equal opportunities for all workers. Finally, the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining allows workers to organize and negotiate for better working conditions. What Is the 80% Rule in Hiring? The 80% Rule in hiring, as well known as the four-fifths rule, helps you assess whether your hiring practices are discriminatory. It states that the hiring rate for a protected group should be at least 80% of the rate for the majority group. For instance, if you hire 100 candidates from the majority group, you should aim to hire at least 80 from a protected group. Falling below this threshold may indicate adverse impact and require further investigation. What Is an Employment Standard? An employment standard is a set of legal requirements that govern the relationship between employers and employees. These standards cover various aspects, including wages, working hours, safety regulations, and anti-discrimination laws. Compliance with these standards is vital for protecting your rights as an employee and ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. Violations can lead to serious legal consequences for employers, making it critical for them to stay informed and compliant. What Are the Main Employment Laws? The main employment laws include the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets minimum wage and overtime standards, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires reasonable accommodations for disabled employees, whereas the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides job-protected leave for family and medical reasons. Furthermore, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects older workers from discrimination. Conclusion In conclusion, grasping key employment standards is essential for both employees and employers. Familiarizing yourself with laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Employment Opportunity regulations, and the Family and Medical Leave Act can help guarantee compliance and promote a fair workplace. Staying informed about these standards not merely protects your rights but additionally cultivates a positive work environment. By prioritizing these regulations, everyone can contribute to a more equitable and safe workplace for all. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Key Standards of Employment to Know" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

It's been nearly two years since Apple announced a more intelligent Siri, and yet, we're still waiting to get our hands on it. Aside from being able to answer a few questions about Apple products or shunt your questions off to ChatGPT for you, the voice assistant is essentially still the same it was before Apple Intelligence launched for other Apple features in iOS 18.1. Now, the iPhone maker seems to be throwing in the towel on developing an AI-enabled Siri entirely on its own, and is asking Google for help. I can't imagine Tim Cook is too happy about that, but on the flip side, that does mean an AI Siri might finally come out, and soon. In a statement to CNBC's Jim Cramer, Apple admitted that it is now planning to use Google Gemini to power its AI-infused Siri, rather than purely in-house models. The company said that, "After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we're excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users." Previously, Apple had promised that its AI Siri would be able to do tasks on your behalf, like send a drafted email, or would be able to answer questions using context pulled from your phone, like surfacing a friend's address using information pulled from a text thread. Reportedly, however, implementing these features during testing kept breaking more traditional Siri features, like setting alarms and reminders, which has kept sending Apple back to the drawing board. The new, Gemini-powered voice assistant for Android faced similar issues at first, but based on my hands-on time with the company's latest phones, those growing pains seem to have subsided, so it makes sense that Google would be the first company Apple would turn to while looking for outside help. Apple hasn't said too much more about the deal for now, but Google itself did step in to offer Apple users a bit more clarity, plus some reassurance about their data. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. In a statement on X, the company assured Apple users that "Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards." That's the same deal Apple has with OpenAI right now, which allows its users to ask ChatGPT questions without the AI being able to train on them or keep a log of their requests. It essentially means Google won't get any data from your AI-powered Siri. Google's statement also confirmed a detail from CNBC's initial article, stating that its agreement with Apple will be a multi-year deal. Perhaps most exciting is that Google said the AI-powered Siri will come out "this year," mirroring a statement an Apple spokesperson gave to Daring Fireball last March, admitting that an AI-enabled Siri was taking longer than anticipated and saying the company hoped to launch it in 2026. That's welcome relief to anyone who thought Apple had given up on the project. A more concrete timeline is still unknown, although Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a reputable reporter with inside sources at Apple, has previously said to expect the AI Siri upgrade to launch in the spring. Personally, I could also see the company holding the launch until its annual WWDC event, which tends to happen in June. Despite Apple and Google's public feud as the makers of iOS and Android, respectively, this wouldn't mark the two companies' first time working together, especially in the mobile space. Previously, it was uncovered that Google and Apple have a lucrative deal to make Google the default search engine in Safari, which caused a lengthy legal battle that ultimately allowed the companies to maintain their deal, but barred exclusivity contracts. Part of the reasoning behind the AI Siri delay might be that the companies wanted to work together on AI before, but were holding off on it out of an abundance of caution. However, according to the courts, Google will also be able to make deals with outside distributors for "preloading and placement" of its GenAI products going forward, which seemingly puts both companies in the clear. View the full article

At CES 2026, PayPal has rolled out exciting new solutions aimed at reshaping how small businesses approach advertising and customer engagement. The launch of its Transaction Graph Insights and Measurement Partnership Program offers a fresh perspective on commerce dynamics, and small business owners looking to enhance their marketing strategies should pay attention. For many small businesses, understanding customer behavior and effectively measuring the performance of advertising campaigns are often daunting challenges. The new tools introduced by PayPal aim to bridge that gap. Key components include the Transaction Graph Insights, a visualization tool designed to illuminate cross-merchant shopper journeys, and the Transaction Graph Measurement Suite, which promises robust campaign performance reporting. “Marketers today need to understand shifting commerce dynamics to engage customers in new ways, uncover insights, grow market share, and measure performance with confidence,” a PayPal representative stated. This approach could prove beneficial for small businesses looking to leverage data for actionable insights. Key Benefits The Transaction Graph Insights offers an interactive analytics experience where advertisers can view the breadth, depth, and uniqueness of PayPal’s Transaction Graph. This resource provides brand-specific recommendations that directly cater to consumer behavior trends, making it easier for small businesses to tailor their marketing strategies. Simultaneously, the Transaction Graph Measurement Suite focuses on effectiveness. Built from the ground up, it utilizes first-party data for campaign reporting and attribution. This means that small business owners can gain a clearer understanding of how their marketing initiatives are performing without getting bogged down by complicated metrics. Moreover, the Measurement Partnership Program allows businesses to validate their advertising efforts through independent assessments across three critical areas: Reach, Resonance, and Reaction. These metrics help assess who was reached, measure changes in brand sentiment, and validate sales outcomes through trusted third-party methodologies. The certified partners associated with this initiative include industry leaders such as Adjust, AppsFlyer, and Kantar, among others. This breadth of partnerships will enable small businesses to interpret data through their preferred channels, ensuring that they receive tailored insights relevant to their specific markets. Real-World Implications For busy small business owners, these new tools provide a streamlined approach to measuring advertising efficacy. Given that small businesses often work with limited resources, the ability to derive meaningful insights from data can be a game-changer. By leveraging this new technology, owners can optimize their marketing efforts and better allocate their budgets, potentially leading to enhanced customer engagement and increased sales. For example, a local boutique could utilize Transaction Graph Insights to track buying behaviors both in-store and online. By analyzing this data, the boutique can better understand what products resonate with shoppers, leading to more informed inventory choices and targeted marketing campaigns. Potential Challenges However, while the benefits are compelling, small business owners should consider potential challenges as they integrate these new tools into their operations. The transition to data-driven decision-making can be demanding, particularly for those who lack experience in interpreting analytics. Initially, there may be a learning curve as businesses adapt to utilizing sophisticated tools and methodologies that come with this new program. Furthermore, the success of these tools does depend on the quality of the data collected. Businesses need to ensure they’re utilizing PayPal’s platform effectively and that their data sources are reliable. This might require additional training or investment in skilled personnel capable of navigating this new landscape. PayPal’s Transaction Graph is currently available in the U.S., with plans to expand into the U.K. and Germany. Those interested in getting started can reach out directly to PayPal for more information. As small businesses continue to navigate a rapidly evolving marketing landscape, tools like these from PayPal could offer vital support in driving growth. By embracing data and insights, small business owners have the opportunity to refine their marketing strategies and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction. For further details, you can visit the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "PayPal Launches New Insights Program to Transform Ad Measurement at CES" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

At CES 2026, PayPal has rolled out exciting new solutions aimed at reshaping how small businesses approach advertising and customer engagement. The launch of its Transaction Graph Insights and Measurement Partnership Program offers a fresh perspective on commerce dynamics, and small business owners looking to enhance their marketing strategies should pay attention. For many small businesses, understanding customer behavior and effectively measuring the performance of advertising campaigns are often daunting challenges. The new tools introduced by PayPal aim to bridge that gap. Key components include the Transaction Graph Insights, a visualization tool designed to illuminate cross-merchant shopper journeys, and the Transaction Graph Measurement Suite, which promises robust campaign performance reporting. “Marketers today need to understand shifting commerce dynamics to engage customers in new ways, uncover insights, grow market share, and measure performance with confidence,” a PayPal representative stated. This approach could prove beneficial for small businesses looking to leverage data for actionable insights. Key Benefits The Transaction Graph Insights offers an interactive analytics experience where advertisers can view the breadth, depth, and uniqueness of PayPal’s Transaction Graph. This resource provides brand-specific recommendations that directly cater to consumer behavior trends, making it easier for small businesses to tailor their marketing strategies. Simultaneously, the Transaction Graph Measurement Suite focuses on effectiveness. Built from the ground up, it utilizes first-party data for campaign reporting and attribution. This means that small business owners can gain a clearer understanding of how their marketing initiatives are performing without getting bogged down by complicated metrics. Moreover, the Measurement Partnership Program allows businesses to validate their advertising efforts through independent assessments across three critical areas: Reach, Resonance, and Reaction. These metrics help assess who was reached, measure changes in brand sentiment, and validate sales outcomes through trusted third-party methodologies. The certified partners associated with this initiative include industry leaders such as Adjust, AppsFlyer, and Kantar, among others. This breadth of partnerships will enable small businesses to interpret data through their preferred channels, ensuring that they receive tailored insights relevant to their specific markets. Real-World Implications For busy small business owners, these new tools provide a streamlined approach to measuring advertising efficacy. Given that small businesses often work with limited resources, the ability to derive meaningful insights from data can be a game-changer. By leveraging this new technology, owners can optimize their marketing efforts and better allocate their budgets, potentially leading to enhanced customer engagement and increased sales. For example, a local boutique could utilize Transaction Graph Insights to track buying behaviors both in-store and online. By analyzing this data, the boutique can better understand what products resonate with shoppers, leading to more informed inventory choices and targeted marketing campaigns. Potential Challenges However, while the benefits are compelling, small business owners should consider potential challenges as they integrate these new tools into their operations. The transition to data-driven decision-making can be demanding, particularly for those who lack experience in interpreting analytics. Initially, there may be a learning curve as businesses adapt to utilizing sophisticated tools and methodologies that come with this new program. Furthermore, the success of these tools does depend on the quality of the data collected. Businesses need to ensure they’re utilizing PayPal’s platform effectively and that their data sources are reliable. This might require additional training or investment in skilled personnel capable of navigating this new landscape. PayPal’s Transaction Graph is currently available in the U.S., with plans to expand into the U.K. and Germany. Those interested in getting started can reach out directly to PayPal for more information. As small businesses continue to navigate a rapidly evolving marketing landscape, tools like these from PayPal could offer vital support in driving growth. By embracing data and insights, small business owners have the opportunity to refine their marketing strategies and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction. For further details, you can visit the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "PayPal Launches New Insights Program to Transform Ad Measurement at CES" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Despite all of the technological advances that have made our lives so comfortable and convenient, from on-demand movies to smart devices that can be controlled from a handheld computer in our pockets, there are still some primitive situations we have to endure. For example, that seemingly endless time spent shivering in the shower while you wait for the water to heat up. Or that painful moment when you go to wash your hands and water that feels like it’s being pumped directly from the Arctic splashes you. Waiting for the water to heat up is an age-old problem caused by simple laws of physics: Your water heater is far away from the tap or shower head, and it takes time to flush out the cold water in the pipes. But there are ways to speed up your hot water delivery. The easiest is to install a tankless water heater, but those can cost thousands of dollars to install, and require a lot of space your house may not have. If you want to speed up your hot water without taking on that much of an expense, you have a few more affordable choices. Install a recirculating pumpOne reason it takes a while for hot water to arrive is time: When you turn off the faucet, the hot water sitting in the pipes starts to cool off. The next time you turn on the tap, that cooled water has to be pushed out of the hot water pipes before the hot water can arrive. To solve this, you can have a recirculating pump installed at a cost typically under $1,000. These pumps are installed on your existing water heater, and work by continuously circulating the water in the pipes so it never sits there, cooling off. Because it’s installed at the water heater, it speeds up hot water to your appliances, as well, including washing machines and dishwashers, which can help them operate more efficiently. Point-of-use tankless heatersWhile a whole-house tankless water heater can be a big and expensive project, what’s known as a “point-of-use” tankless water heater can be a more manageable and affordable solution. These are small enough to install under a sink, and are designed to provide hot water on demand just at that point of use. The heaters themselves typically run a few hundred bucks, with installation typically running less than $1,000. Because of their small size, it’s feasible to install one of these yourself if you’re comfortable with plumbing and electrical work, but they can require careful calibration, so hiring a professional plumber is probably your best move. InsulateSince part of the problem with slow hot water is heat loss as the water sits in the pipes, you can sometimes improve the situation just by insulating your hot water pipes thoroughly. This is definitely a DIY job if you can identify and access your hot water pipes, and it’s not a terribly expensive job to hire out, costing as little as $350 on average. It’s just a matter of wrapping the pipes with insulating cuffs, then taping everything off so it’s sealed up nicely. This can help keep water hot while it sits, so the next time you turn on the faucet, you get the hot water you expect. Adjust restrictorsCold water has to drain out of your pipes for the hot water to hit your faucet or showerhead, so one possible way to speed things up is to remove any flow regulators/restrictors that have been installed. These simple devices do exactly what it sounds like: They restrict the flow of water, conserving energy and water and keeping your utility bills lower. But since they restrict flow, they also mean it can take longer for cold water to drain off and hot water to arrive, so removing or adjusting them can reduce the time it takes for that hot water to get to you. View the full article

We recently discussed very big office battles over very small things, and here are 15 of the funniest stories you shared. 1. The new broker A couple of years ago, we changed benefit brokers. Not benefits, just the brokers. We sent out a quick announcement and had them come in so everyone could meet them. This did not affect people’s coverage. They actually got a dedicated phone number they could use for issues. People went bananas. Like we killed their brother. They liked the old broker. How could we be so disloyal? Why do they need a special phone number, they used to be able to just email the broker? This is going to be a disaster. Readers, it wasn’t a disaster. Our rates actually went down that year because our new brokers were much better than out old brokers. Still to this day, there are employees who refuse to call the resource line and email me their questions. Even though it would be faster for them if they just called. And I still have one employee who tells me, every chance they get, that Old Broker was so nice and they don’t even know New Broker. 2. The thermostat wars We endured months of full-blown thermostat wars. No one could agree on the “right” temperature. Employees signaled their discomfort through clothing – some bundled up in hats and blankets, while others stripped down to borderline HR violations. Signs appeared over the thermostat, then responses to the signs, then sarcastic haikus about the signs. Eventually, the truth came out – the thermostats weren’t connected to anything! The temperature was controlled from a central system in the basement. The entire office had been arguing over a legacy plastic box that wasn’t even connected anymore. 3. The trash cans A couple years ago, our office went from single trash and recycling cans at each cubicle to a few central garbage / recycling / compost stations. (About three big stations for ~100 people, and the furthest you would be away from one would be 50 steps. They’re all closer than our restrooms.) In service of the new stations, the individual containers were taken away. My coworkers lost their minds. “I can’t believe they would do this to us!” “What are we supposed to do now?” “What if I’m on a call and I need to throw something away?!” People were going into the storage closet and taking back the individual bins, bringing in bins from home, and just non-stop complaining for about three weeks. 4. The timekeeping policy The government agency I worked for switched from 6- to 15-minute timekeeping, and staff responded as though they were being told to take a 50% pay cut. People filed union grievances, shouted about it in agency town halls, and posted anti-15-minute-timekeeping manifestos on our internal website. It was truly bizarre how heated the reaction was, especially considering that the new timekeeping policy was significantly more generous to staff in terms of rounding up or down on sign in/sign out times. The furor didn’t die down until management told everyone that we were the last agency in the federal government using 6-minute increments and the specialized software was costing our already massively underfunded agency an extra million dollars per year. 5. The etiquette classes At one point I worked in, let’s say, the Teapot Regulations department, which worked closely with the Teapot Contracts department. The two department heads loathed each other and it came out in various small, silly ways. But the most ridiculous one was when the departments decided to host a joint holiday open house for our constituencies in other parts of the workplace, and Contracts Head tried to put her foot down and tell Compliance Head that she needed to make our entire department go to ETIQUETTE CLASSES before we could show our faces at the department holiday party. There was absolutely no reason anyone needed to go to etiquette classes. First of all because everyone was a damn grown-up and capable of behaving as such for the length of a work party, and second of all because this was very much a “people standing around with little plates of cheese cubes” party, it wasn’t some sort of sit-down eight-course thing where someone was going to shock the guests by not knowing which fork to use for escargots. They had SUCH a fight over it. It was incredible. (We did not end up having to go to etiquette classes, obviously, because what the actual hell.) 6. The bookshelf of meaning When I worked in a publishing job, there was a bookcase in the hallway that had gone unused for many years. It became a trinket shelf. Story goes it started with a departing employee placing a couple small desk toys on the shelf that they didn’t want to take with them. Others followed suit, and then current staff started putting things they didn’t want on the shelf too, and it became a tradition … or really just a shelf full of junk no one wanted. It was an eyesore, and I always hoped visitors wouldn’t notice. Eventually we needed to use the bookshelf. My boss told me I could toss the stuff and use the bookshelf for, you know, books. Well, some staff saw me placing the stuff in a garbage can and asked who gave me the authority to remove the stuff. I asked if they wanted any of it, they said no. They complained to HR, who was fine with me moving the stuff. But in order to avoid further outrage, I sent out an email giving people about two weeks to take items they wanted and remaining items would be tossed because we needed the space. Some staff complained that two weeks wasn’t long enough because some staff might be on vacation for two weeks (no one was?) and wouldn’t have a chance to claim trinkets. Other staff did take some items. I got a lot of complaints and they went like this: “Why can’t you just leave it there, it’s not hurting anything.” “Do you want any of it?” “No, but (more complaining).” Most of it was still left at the end of the two weeks. On the aforementioned day, I again placed the items in a garbage can at my desk. One colleague saw them in my garbage can and proceeded to dig items out that he wanted while muttering complaints about how I should have asked him directly about it because I should have known he wanted it (he admitted he ignored the company-wide email because he didn’t think I’d really follow through). I was sitting right there working as he kept saying, “Ugh, gross” as he picked out all my used tissues out of the trash can (I had a cold! it was indeed gross!) to get to the items. He left the tissues all over the floor. I cleaned it up. But at least we never had to talk about the stupid junk shelf again. Just kidding, I still had to listen to nostalgic sighs of “I can’t believe it’s really gone…” when people walked by. 7. The yoga parkers The office at a previous job had a very small private parking lot, with ample signage saying that only people working in that building could park there and all others would be towed. However, there were a number of people who attended yoga classes in another building nearby who would always park in our lot. Even stranger, a few people were notorious for parking their cars in front of other cars, blocking other cars from moving until that person drove away. Keeping an eye out for “yoga parkers” was a company pastime. One coworker had a desk near the window and the moment a yoga parker settled in, the coworker would send a message about it and people would rush to be the one to call the tow truck on them. Window Coworker then switched to only telling the office manager about it when it happened, and people complained heavily. It was unfair, they said! The yoga parkers are a menace, everyone should be allowed to help stop them! A few people switched to working in the conference room, which had windows overlooking the parking lot so they could be the first one to call the towing company. You could tell when it happened because suddenly the conference room would get unusually loud and aggressive. When the execs told people to stop hogging the conference room, coworkers started wasting time by regularly taking long breaks to walk through the parking lot like unpaid security staff. The yoga parkers eventually caught on to this, but instead of switching to finding parking elsewhere, they figured out how long it usually took for the towing company to arrive and would run out to move their cars before that, drive around the block a few times until the truck left, then go back and park in their previous location. It was astonishing to see people carrying yoga mats run as if they were competing at the Olympics. Once, a coworker parked in front of a yoga parker’s car so they couldn’t leave. The yoga parker in question hid in a bush nearby, waited until the tow truck arrived and the coworker moved, then sprung out and bolted over. The tow truck person did nothing as the yoga parker drove away. Eventually there was talk about sending a mole to spy on the employees of the yoga studio. People regularly spent time talking about it at lunches, plotting who to send and what would be a convincing cover and whether the mole should aspire to work their way up the studio ranks (yes, really). Planning this spying mission even came up in an all-staff meeting, although the CEO was smart enough to tell people to stop. I don’t know if a mole was ever actually sent to the yoga studio, but I doubt it. The owner of the studio did eventually come by to try to make things right … by offering to trade use of the entire parking lot in exchange for free yoga classes for the executive teams of every business that worked in the building. This happened a few times before someone figured out that the owner was using it as an excuse to see if the most aggressive members of the Volunteer Parking Patrol were in, because they could use the lot for longer on days the VPP were out. It took a year and a half for the yoga parkers to stop using the lot. 8. The copier paper We had a marketing exec QUIT because we switched to Staples brand paper for the copier and it was “the wrong color white.” This wasn’t the production print machine, we let her keep her preferred paper in that machine. This was the copier that was used 99% of the time for internal stuff. She took her complaint all the way to the CEO, who told her no, so she quit on the spot. It was a wild day. 9. The GIF debate At my previous organization, our weekly web and social media campaign pitch meeting had to ban discussion of whether GIF is pronounced with a hard or soft g because it would invariably derail the entire meeting. We were instructed to call them “gif-jifs”. 10. The indignity of the font For decades, a high ranking administrator insisted that Times New Roman was the “official font” for all communications within our unit. Long after she retired, a new director expressed a preference for a clean, modern, ubiquitous sans serif font. That preference was endorsed by the comms team, who noted that it was more legible and compliant with good practice for accessibility, translated well across common online communication platforms, etc. etc. Few people noticed. However, one person wrote a fiery memo (in Times New Roman) complaining about the “indignity” of the new font and threatened to take the issue up with higher-level authorities who were perceived to have a strong interest in the respectable representation of the organization. (They did not care.) This person brought it up repeatedly (always in Times New Roman). I was tasked to respond to these complaints. Each time, I used the new font, increasing the pt. size in each response. I think I got to 17pt. before our correspondence ceased. 11. The cutlery thief I work in a legal office (in-house counsel) of a large organization. We are about 10 people, and we have our own building, and within that building is a very small and shoddily stocked kitchenette. Within this kitchenette is a set of mismatched dishes — some random plates and bowls, and one butter knife, two dull steak knives, about six spoons, and one fork. They’re all mismatched and likely yard sale finds — I have no idea how they wound up in our office or who initially supplied them. I often bring my lunch and I often forget utensils, so one day I used the fork (I always wash and return when done). As I was finishing up my lunch, the big boss — the head attorney — starting raising a ruckus because said fork was missing and he needed it. He sounded absolutely irate and began badgering the legal secretary about it. I’m hearing this all from around the corner, and while I’m not proud of it, I silently slid the fork into my desk drawer and listened to him rage for a good five minutes about people in the office stealing forks. It was not his fork, to be clear, but he sure thought it was, and I wasn’t in the mood to be berated over my use of the communal office fork, so I just kept my mouth shut until he finally stormed away. He then sent out an email saying that if people are going to “steal” forks, we all needed to be responsible for making sure the kitchen is fully stocked and start pitching in, either to buy a set of utensils or to keep the kitchenette stocked with plastic cutlery. Our office manager said she’d just add plastic cutlery to the office supply order, but oh no, big boss was not having — we needed to pay for it ourselves. (He made some excuse about how the organization wouldn’t allow such a purchase, even though the office manager pointed out that it would definitely fall under the “supplies” category and the cost was low enough to be justifiable.) Now, this demand that we start pitching in for utensils was coming from a man who easily earned 2.5 times what the other attorneys made, and 5 times my (and the other support staff’s) salary and could have just ordered a cheap set of cutlery off Amazon Prime each month and hardly noticed the bill. This pissed everyone off, particularly the support staff, but no one wanted to call it out so instead, cutlery just started to vanish. I had returned the fork on the sly a few hours after the meltdown, but the next day, it was gone again … along with half the spoons. The knives disappeared soon after, which was a real blow come bagel day, when we all shared the one lone remaining spoon to spread cream cheese on our bagels. Finally, there was no more cutlery, everyone in the office was complaining, but no one was willing to shell out their own money for cutlery and the big boss admitted defeat … and allowed the office manager to buy plastic cutlery. Months later, the big boss’s executive assistant found our old stash of cutlery in the boss’s private bathroom. Unclear as to whether he took it himself to try to force our hands, or if it was planted by some unidentified cutlery thief. I have never fessed up (at work) to my part in instigating this whole mess, but now we have enough forks to go around! 12. The ice machine My company has exact specifications when it comes to developing a new office space – the color of the carpet, the types of forks you buy, the whole nine yards. We’re located in many states, so before they put these specifications in place, offices just ran wild with their preferences. In my office, that wild thing was an ice machine. We love our ice machine, we are obsessed with our ice machine. It is a core part of our breakroom and when it breaks people will buy bags of ice to put in the freezer until it’s fixed. A few years ago we outgrew our original office space and needed to move into a new location. During the retrofitting process of the new space, our office manager let slip that corporate wasn’t going to let us have an ice machine and the office flipped its collective lid. Someone made a petition and got every single person in our office to sign and sent it to the corporate facilities person in charge. Multiple senior team leads emailed the CEO of the company and complained. Someone (possibly me, don’t tell), made Save Our Ice Machine Now! protest posters and put them up in the break room on the fridge, ice maker, and doors. After two weeks, corporate relented and let us have an ice machine on the grounds of “maintaining office culture,” and updated their policy for the entire firm to include allowance for elements that are unique to individual offices that don’t infringe on like, the look of the brand, etc. 13. The tracking board My healthcare organization has many hospitals and surgery centers. Over the years, each area got to make their own decisions on how they wanted the surgery tracking board to behave. Most of the customization was around the colors – one area wanted the color to be a light green when the patient entered the operating room, while another wanted it to flash. The high level of customization slowed down the entire system, so our software vendor pushed us to standardize the colors and rules. There was OVER A YEAR of meetings related to the tracking boards, with input meticulously gathered from each location. When we finally took the changes live, end users melted down. They slammed our helpdesk with tickets. They insisted that standardization of colors could cause clinical harm because they could no longer trust the colors (even though there is also a text column with the status and the changes were circulated well beforehand). I remember two specific tickets: one user said he could no longer use the tracking board because the red color was giving him a migraine (he absolutely did not need to constantly stare at it all day), and another said the color we chose for a specific post-surgery phase looked too much like poop and thought it was a joke in poor taste. The colors did not change back, but we got tickets about it for at least six months. 14. The seafood tower Our holiday party moved to the same location for a several years, a nice event space with cocktail hour then a buffet dinner. The cocktail hour included a seafood tower with an ice sculpture full of shrimp and other seafood offered over a table of ice. Well, this must have been included as an add-on in the initial deal for the space, so one year we showed up and there was no seafood tower. There were passed apps, crudite and charcuterie, an open bar. Plenty to go around, plus a full dinner after. Well, the uproar from the staff was unbelievable. The CEO was aghast and was searching out the planners AT the party as if it was some kind of obvious mistake. The following year, the seafood tower was back. We’ve since changed locations and ditched the seafood tower, but people still talk about it. 15. The grief training We’re having a mild reorg. No one is losing their jobs, no one is being demoted, no one is really seeing their day-to-day change slightly – just teams are getting shuffled slightly. In response, our management led us through a training on the stages of grief. The post cutlery thief, the indignity of the font, and other very big work battles over very small things appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes. “Nurses on strike! … Fair contract now!” they shouted on a picket line outside NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s campus in Upper Manhattan. Others picketed at multiple hospitals in the Mount Sinai and Montefiore systems. About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to their union, the New York State Nurses Association. The hospitals remained open, hiring droves of temporary nurses to try to fill the labor gap. The strike involves private, nonprofit hospitals, not city-run ones. But the strike, which the union casts as lifesaving essential workers fighting hospital executives who make millions of dollars a year, could be a significant early test of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new administration. The democratic socialist campaigned on a pro-worker platform and struck a similar note while visiting nurses on the NewYork-Presbyterian picket line Monday. “These executives are not having difficulty making ends meet,” said Mamdani, who extolled nurses’ work and said they were seeking “dignity, respect and the fair pay and treatment that they deserve. They should settle for nothing less.” Some other Democratic city and state politicians also visited striking nurses, while Gov. Kathy Hochul sent state health officials to the hospitals to keep watch over patient care. She called in a statement for the sides to negotiate a deal that “recognizes the essential work nurses do.” The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures, or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike. The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads. Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents such as an episode last week when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police. The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence. The hospitals say that they’ve been working to improve staffing levels but say that the union’s demands overall are too costly. After the nurses gave notice Jan. 2 of the looming strike, the hospitals hired temporary nurses and vowed to “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept. “NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands,” Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday, adding that those demands included exorbitant raises and job protections even if a nurse was intoxicated on the job. “We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last,” Solmonese said. New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need. “We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the hospital said. Each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike. Both Hochul and Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals. It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees. —By Ted Shaffrey, Jennifer Peltz, and David R. Martin, Associated Press View the full article

In today’s digital environment, AI video generators have become crucial tools for content creation. These platforms offer various features, from high-resolution outputs to quick production times, making video creation more accessible than ever. Each generator has its strengths and unique capabilities. Comprehending these differences can help you choose the right one for your needs. Let’s explore the top AI video generators and see how they can enhance your content strategy. Key Takeaways Kling AI: Affordable at $10/month, generates dynamic 1080p videos with strong motion dynamics and user-friendly interface for creative focus. Runway Gen 4: Offers visually striking 1080p videos; however, it struggles with consistency in later frames and has slower generation times. Google Veo 2: Produces high-quality 4K videos, requires waitlist signup, and offers free credits for new users, though prompt adherence can be inconsistent. OpenAI Sora: Priced at $20 for quick scene generation with a unique storyboard feature, it’s ideal for storytelling and user-friendly navigation. Adobe Firefly: Generates 1080p videos in minutes at $9.99/month, suitable for business use with licensed content and fast turnaround times. What Makes a Great AI Video Generator? When you’re considering what makes a great AI video generator, several key features stand out that can greatly improve your content creation process. First, high-resolution outputs are fundamental; an ai video generator should support 1080p or even 4K to guarantee professional-quality videos. Speed is another important factor; platforms like Runway allow for quick video production, enhancing your efficiency. Customization features, such as templates, help tailor your videos to your branding needs during keeping the interface user-friendly. Strong prompt adherence and realism in generated content are crucial for storytelling, with tools like Hailuo AI excelling in this area. Finally, competitive pricing and flexible subscription models, including options for a free ai video generator, make these tools accessible for everyone. Top AI Video Generators As you explore the terrain of AI video generators, you’ll find a variety of tools customized to different needs and budgets. For instance, Kling AI offers a filmmaker-friendly option at $10 monthly, ideal for short, dynamic content. If you’re looking for high-quality visuals, Google Veo 2 delivers stunning 4K resolution at $30 per minute but operates on a waitlist. Runway (Gen 4) is another contender, generating 1080p videos for $12 monthly, though it may struggle with complex scenes. OpenAI Sora, priced at $20, is great for quick prompts, whereas Pika 2.2 caters to social media with preset actions for $35. You can even find an InVideo video generator from text free no sign up options to create ai video from script effortlessly. Kling AI: Features and Performance Kling AI stands out in the domain of AI video generators with its filmmaker-friendly features and competitive pricing. Priced at just $10 a month, it allows you to generate videos in 1080p resolution, with each shot lasting 10 seconds. You’ll appreciate its lip-sync capabilities and meme-worthy preset effects, making it easy to create engaging content. As an Vidnoz script to video generator, it offers strong motion dynamics, ensuring your videos capture attention. Plus, the user-friendly interface improves your experience, allowing you to focus on creativity. Whether you want to create music video with AI or use the platform to ai generate free content, Kling AI delivers high marks for accuracy, realism, consistency, and creativity, making it a solid choice for filmmakers. Runway Gen 4: Strengths and Limitations Runway Gen 4 offers impressive initial frame quality, producing visually striking videos at a resolution of 1080p. Nonetheless, as the video progresses, you might notice a decline in realism, particularly with specific elements like cyan algae and crowd density. As it thrives in creating high-quality first frames and features like text-to-video capabilities, the decreasing output quality in later frames can be a drawback for users seeking consistency. Impressive Initial Frame Quality Although you might expect video generators to struggle with initial frame quality, Runway Gen 4 stands out by delivering impressive visuals right from the start. This ai video maker from text produces high-resolution 1080p videos, showcasing sophisticated lighting and careful detail that can improve your content. You’ll appreciate how the quality of the initial frames can captivate viewers, making it suitable for various platforms. Whether you’re using it as an ai deepfake video maker or exploring its features as an ai avatar video generator free, the clarity is notable. Nonetheless, keep in mind that during the initial frames impress, the realism may decline in subsequent frames, particularly with complex elements, which could affect overall scene consistency. Realism Decline Over Time As the initial frame quality of Runway Gen 4 impresses, its ability to maintain that level of realism over time raises concerns. Although this AI video creator generates videos at 1080p, the realism decline over time becomes apparent, especially in elements like cyan algae and the absence of crowds. Users often notice that the video quality diminishes after the first 16 seconds, which can detract from viewer engagement and storytelling effectiveness in longer pieces. Furthermore, the generation process, taking between 10 to 20 minutes, can feel slow compared to other AI video generators. In spite of these limitations, Runway Gen 4 still stands out for its high-quality first frames, making it a notable choice among AI deepfake generators in the industry. Google Veo 2: Capabilities and Pricing Google Veo 2 stands out in the domain of AI video generators, offering users the ability to create high-quality 4K videos with a maximum duration of 120 seconds. This tool excels in AI video creation, effectively animating static images and converting text to video with fluid motion. Priced at $30 per minute of video, it requires users to sign up for a waitlist to access its features. New users benefit from free credits, enabling them to explore its capabilities without upfront costs. Whereas it functions as an AI avatar video generator, some users may find that prompt adherence can occasionally be inconsistent, potentially missing specified elements. Overall, Google Veo 2 is a promising option for video content creators. OpenAI Sora: A Closer Look OpenAI Sora offers a unique storyboard feature that lets you create scene-by-scene prompts, streamlining your video planning process. With simple prompt generation, you can quickly craft ideas without needing extensive technical skills, making it accessible for various users. Furthermore, Sora enables remixing of existing creations, allowing you to build on previous work and improve your projects creatively. Unique Storyboard Feature The unique storyboard feature of Sora greatly boosts the video creation process by allowing users to craft their projects scene-by-scene. This structured approach helps you visualize and arrange scenes effectively, making your workflow more organized. Remix existing content easily Customize scenes by uploading images Use text and image prompts for versatility Improve narrative coherence in your videos Whether you’re engaging in ai adult content video creation or using Sora as an ai movie scene generator, this tool simplifies the shift from script to video generator. You can seamlessly turn text into video, ensuring that each scene aligns with your creative vision. Sora’s storyboard functionality is particularly beneficial for filmmakers and content creators aiming for a cinematic touch in their work. Simple Prompt Generation Creating videos doesn’t have to be complicated, especially with Sora’s simple prompt generation feature. This tool allows you to create text video content effortlessly, whether you’re immersing yourself in ai adult video creation or using a random video generator for inspiration. You can input straightforward prompts, and Sora will turn these into structured videos, thanks to its unique storyboard functionality. This feature helps you organize your ideas scene by scene, making the creation process more manageable. Furthermore, Sora’s ability to transform your script to video ai means you can easily visualize your narratives. As the output quality resembles early 2000s CGI, it still provides a solid foundation for your creative projects, broadening your options for animated content. Remixing Existing Creations Though many video creation platforms focus solely on original content, Sora stands out by allowing you to remix existing video creations, making it a versatile tool for content creators. With its unique storyboard feature, you can improve storytelling through scene-by-scene prompts. Here’s what makes Sora an excellent choice: Integrate user-uploaded images for animated content Generate cinematic visuals from simple prompts Affordable monthly subscription at $20 for 50 video generations Easy to use, even without traditional camera controls If you’re wondering what’s the best AI video creator, consider Sora. When exploring options like Vidon AI or a deepfake video maker free tool, you’ll find that Sora is a top contender among the best AI deepfake generators. Adobe Firefly: Unique Offerings and User Experience As you explore Adobe Firefly, you’ll find it offers a blend of unique features and a user-friendly experience that can improve your content creation process. This AI tool generates 1080p videos in just a couple of minutes, with 4K resolution on the horizon. Priced at $9.99 per month, it provides quick turnaround for your projects. Although it’s visually striking, resembling a concept artist’s work, complex scenes may compromise output quality. Adobe Firefly supports features for video editing, including commercially safe training on licensed content, making it a great choice for businesses. Feature Description Benefit Video Resolution 1080p, 4K coming soon High-quality production Generation Time A couple of minutes Fast turnaround User Experience User-friendly Easy to navigate Commercial Use Safe training on licensed content Business-friendly Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Best AI Video Generator for Content Creation? Choosing the best AI video generator really depends on your specific needs. If you want high-quality visuals, look at Runway. For filmmaker-friendly features, consider Kling AI, which offers customizable templates. If you need quick results for marketing, Hailuo AI is effective. For corporate videos, Synthesia provides lifelike avatars and multilingual support. Finally, Adobe Firefly combines user-friendliness with commercial safety for professionals. Assess these options based on your project goals for the best results. Which AI Model Is Best for Content Creation? When considering which AI model is best for content creation, it depends on your specific needs. For quick 1080p videos, Kling AI and Adobe Firefly offer affordable options with unique features. If you require longer shots, Runway’s Gen 4 is worth a look. For high-quality visuals, Google Veo 2 provides 4K resolution but has a waiting list. Evaluate your budget and desired video length to find the most suitable model for your projects. What Is the Best Video AI Enhancer? When considering the best video AI improver, look for features that suit your needs. Tools like Google Veo 2 and Runway offer advanced capabilities, such as image-to-video generation and multi-motion control, improving the realism of your projects. If you’re a filmmaker, Kling AI’s lip-sync and customizable templates might be ideal. Many platforms provide free trials, allowing you to evaluate their features before committing to varying subscription plans customized to different budgets. Can You Enhance Video Quality With AI? Yes, you can improve video quality with AI. Advanced algorithms analyze visuals, boosting clarity and vibrancy. Features like motion tracking and editing tools correct inconsistencies as well as adding dynamic elements. AI-driven enhancements stabilize shaky footage and optimize lighting, raising the professional look of your videos. Tools often provide templates for applying professional-grade effects without needing extensive editing skills. By utilizing these technologies, you can greatly enhance the overall production value of your content. Conclusion In summary, selecting the right AI video generator can greatly improve your content creation process. Each tool, from Kling AI’s dynamic features to Adobe Firefly’s rapid output, provides unique advantages customized to various needs. By evaluating their capabilities and limitations, you can find the best fit for your projects. As the demand for high-quality video content continues to grow, leveraging these advanced tools will help you stay competitive and produce engaging, professional videos efficiently. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Best AI Video Generators for Enhancing Content Creation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Technological advancements in various fields of science are shattering what some scientists once deemed impossible. In recent years, researchers have mitigated the existential threat of asteroids, unlocked the power of immunotherapy to treat cancer tumors, and achieved unprecedented control over the human vestibular system. These scientific innovations have been fostered by new types of cross-disciplinary collaboration and the use of artificial intelligence tools. And though they’re approaching it from vastly different perspectives, planetary science, pathology, and neuroscience researchers shared at the World Changing Ideas Summit in November how they’re really working toward a common goal: to improve the human experience in some way. The DART mission of 2022 saw a team led by NASA intentionally crash a spacecraft into an asteroid and successfully change the asteroid’s path through space, marking “a waterline for humanity,” said Terik Daly, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, at the summit cohosted by Fast Company and Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. Researchers are better prepared, he added, for the “real threat” of asteroids—which is a medium-size asteroid, roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool or half a football field, that could easily destroy an area like the D.C. metro area or even larger. “Currently, we cannot stop earthquakes, we cannot stop volcanoes, we cannot stop hurricanes,” Daly said. “But with appropriate investments, we can be ready to stop an asteroid if we find one coming our way.” New mapping tools for cancer research And finding new ways to treat cancer is getting an assist from a perhaps unlikely discipline: astronomy. That’s the idea behind AstroPath, which uses decades-old learnings about organizing spatial data to help researchers figure out how the immune system interfaces with cancer, said Janis Taube, a pathologist and a professor of dermatology and pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Cancer researchers are making advancements about how to treat tumors, including identifying which patients are a good candidate for immunotherapy, none of which would be possible were it not for learning how to map the breadth of tumors using tools from astronomy, Taube said. “We never would’ve been able to separate the signal from noise.” New uses for neurotechnology Finally, the founders of the neurotechnology startup Orbit set out to find a solution to a supposedly anatomically unsolvable problem—generating a motion hallucination. They not only did that, but they are now looking for ways to use the technology to optimize and heal humans, said Steven Pang, cofounder and CEO. “If you get really fine, great control over the vestibular system, you can use it to build a generation of general bodily or mental regulators that no one’s ever been able to build before,” Pang said. Orbit is now in clinical trials for its first few devices focused on enhancing human cognition and optimizing both the onset of and effectiveness of sleep, Pang said. There are projections of “some incredibly powerful neurotechnology” coming in the next 30 to 40 years that could help people be smarter, faster, sleep a lot better, and solve various health conditions that have eluded pharmaceutical interventions for decades, but Pang is optimistic that such innovations could happen even sooner. “Our take is just, if you’re clever about it, you start solving some of these problems with some distinct ways of thinking, that it might just be two or three years away,” he said. “So hopefully we’ll prove that out.” View the full article

In today’s digital environment, AI video generators have become crucial tools for content creation. These platforms offer various features, from high-resolution outputs to quick production times, making video creation more accessible than ever. Each generator has its strengths and unique capabilities. Comprehending these differences can help you choose the right one for your needs. Let’s explore the top AI video generators and see how they can enhance your content strategy. Key Takeaways Kling AI: Affordable at $10/month, generates dynamic 1080p videos with strong motion dynamics and user-friendly interface for creative focus. Runway Gen 4: Offers visually striking 1080p videos; however, it struggles with consistency in later frames and has slower generation times. Google Veo 2: Produces high-quality 4K videos, requires waitlist signup, and offers free credits for new users, though prompt adherence can be inconsistent. OpenAI Sora: Priced at $20 for quick scene generation with a unique storyboard feature, it’s ideal for storytelling and user-friendly navigation. Adobe Firefly: Generates 1080p videos in minutes at $9.99/month, suitable for business use with licensed content and fast turnaround times. What Makes a Great AI Video Generator? When you’re considering what makes a great AI video generator, several key features stand out that can greatly improve your content creation process. First, high-resolution outputs are fundamental; an ai video generator should support 1080p or even 4K to guarantee professional-quality videos. Speed is another important factor; platforms like Runway allow for quick video production, enhancing your efficiency. Customization features, such as templates, help tailor your videos to your branding needs during keeping the interface user-friendly. Strong prompt adherence and realism in generated content are crucial for storytelling, with tools like Hailuo AI excelling in this area. Finally, competitive pricing and flexible subscription models, including options for a free ai video generator, make these tools accessible for everyone. Top AI Video Generators As you explore the terrain of AI video generators, you’ll find a variety of tools customized to different needs and budgets. For instance, Kling AI offers a filmmaker-friendly option at $10 monthly, ideal for short, dynamic content. If you’re looking for high-quality visuals, Google Veo 2 delivers stunning 4K resolution at $30 per minute but operates on a waitlist. Runway (Gen 4) is another contender, generating 1080p videos for $12 monthly, though it may struggle with complex scenes. OpenAI Sora, priced at $20, is great for quick prompts, whereas Pika 2.2 caters to social media with preset actions for $35. You can even find an InVideo video generator from text free no sign up options to create ai video from script effortlessly. Kling AI: Features and Performance Kling AI stands out in the domain of AI video generators with its filmmaker-friendly features and competitive pricing. Priced at just $10 a month, it allows you to generate videos in 1080p resolution, with each shot lasting 10 seconds. You’ll appreciate its lip-sync capabilities and meme-worthy preset effects, making it easy to create engaging content. As an Vidnoz script to video generator, it offers strong motion dynamics, ensuring your videos capture attention. Plus, the user-friendly interface improves your experience, allowing you to focus on creativity. Whether you want to create music video with AI or use the platform to ai generate free content, Kling AI delivers high marks for accuracy, realism, consistency, and creativity, making it a solid choice for filmmakers. Runway Gen 4: Strengths and Limitations Runway Gen 4 offers impressive initial frame quality, producing visually striking videos at a resolution of 1080p. Nonetheless, as the video progresses, you might notice a decline in realism, particularly with specific elements like cyan algae and crowd density. As it thrives in creating high-quality first frames and features like text-to-video capabilities, the decreasing output quality in later frames can be a drawback for users seeking consistency. Impressive Initial Frame Quality Although you might expect video generators to struggle with initial frame quality, Runway Gen 4 stands out by delivering impressive visuals right from the start. This ai video maker from text produces high-resolution 1080p videos, showcasing sophisticated lighting and careful detail that can improve your content. You’ll appreciate how the quality of the initial frames can captivate viewers, making it suitable for various platforms. Whether you’re using it as an ai deepfake video maker or exploring its features as an ai avatar video generator free, the clarity is notable. Nonetheless, keep in mind that during the initial frames impress, the realism may decline in subsequent frames, particularly with complex elements, which could affect overall scene consistency. Realism Decline Over Time As the initial frame quality of Runway Gen 4 impresses, its ability to maintain that level of realism over time raises concerns. Although this AI video creator generates videos at 1080p, the realism decline over time becomes apparent, especially in elements like cyan algae and the absence of crowds. Users often notice that the video quality diminishes after the first 16 seconds, which can detract from viewer engagement and storytelling effectiveness in longer pieces. Furthermore, the generation process, taking between 10 to 20 minutes, can feel slow compared to other AI video generators. In spite of these limitations, Runway Gen 4 still stands out for its high-quality first frames, making it a notable choice among AI deepfake generators in the industry. Google Veo 2: Capabilities and Pricing Google Veo 2 stands out in the domain of AI video generators, offering users the ability to create high-quality 4K videos with a maximum duration of 120 seconds. This tool excels in AI video creation, effectively animating static images and converting text to video with fluid motion. Priced at $30 per minute of video, it requires users to sign up for a waitlist to access its features. New users benefit from free credits, enabling them to explore its capabilities without upfront costs. Whereas it functions as an AI avatar video generator, some users may find that prompt adherence can occasionally be inconsistent, potentially missing specified elements. Overall, Google Veo 2 is a promising option for video content creators. OpenAI Sora: A Closer Look OpenAI Sora offers a unique storyboard feature that lets you create scene-by-scene prompts, streamlining your video planning process. With simple prompt generation, you can quickly craft ideas without needing extensive technical skills, making it accessible for various users. Furthermore, Sora enables remixing of existing creations, allowing you to build on previous work and improve your projects creatively. Unique Storyboard Feature The unique storyboard feature of Sora greatly boosts the video creation process by allowing users to craft their projects scene-by-scene. This structured approach helps you visualize and arrange scenes effectively, making your workflow more organized. Remix existing content easily Customize scenes by uploading images Use text and image prompts for versatility Improve narrative coherence in your videos Whether you’re engaging in ai adult content video creation or using Sora as an ai movie scene generator, this tool simplifies the shift from script to video generator. You can seamlessly turn text into video, ensuring that each scene aligns with your creative vision. Sora’s storyboard functionality is particularly beneficial for filmmakers and content creators aiming for a cinematic touch in their work. Simple Prompt Generation Creating videos doesn’t have to be complicated, especially with Sora’s simple prompt generation feature. This tool allows you to create text video content effortlessly, whether you’re immersing yourself in ai adult video creation or using a random video generator for inspiration. You can input straightforward prompts, and Sora will turn these into structured videos, thanks to its unique storyboard functionality. This feature helps you organize your ideas scene by scene, making the creation process more manageable. Furthermore, Sora’s ability to transform your script to video ai means you can easily visualize your narratives. As the output quality resembles early 2000s CGI, it still provides a solid foundation for your creative projects, broadening your options for animated content. Remixing Existing Creations Though many video creation platforms focus solely on original content, Sora stands out by allowing you to remix existing video creations, making it a versatile tool for content creators. With its unique storyboard feature, you can improve storytelling through scene-by-scene prompts. Here’s what makes Sora an excellent choice: Integrate user-uploaded images for animated content Generate cinematic visuals from simple prompts Affordable monthly subscription at $20 for 50 video generations Easy to use, even without traditional camera controls If you’re wondering what’s the best AI video creator, consider Sora. When exploring options like Vidon AI or a deepfake video maker free tool, you’ll find that Sora is a top contender among the best AI deepfake generators. Adobe Firefly: Unique Offerings and User Experience As you explore Adobe Firefly, you’ll find it offers a blend of unique features and a user-friendly experience that can improve your content creation process. This AI tool generates 1080p videos in just a couple of minutes, with 4K resolution on the horizon. Priced at $9.99 per month, it provides quick turnaround for your projects. Although it’s visually striking, resembling a concept artist’s work, complex scenes may compromise output quality. Adobe Firefly supports features for video editing, including commercially safe training on licensed content, making it a great choice for businesses. Feature Description Benefit Video Resolution 1080p, 4K coming soon High-quality production Generation Time A couple of minutes Fast turnaround User Experience User-friendly Easy to navigate Commercial Use Safe training on licensed content Business-friendly Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Best AI Video Generator for Content Creation? Choosing the best AI video generator really depends on your specific needs. If you want high-quality visuals, look at Runway. For filmmaker-friendly features, consider Kling AI, which offers customizable templates. If you need quick results for marketing, Hailuo AI is effective. For corporate videos, Synthesia provides lifelike avatars and multilingual support. Finally, Adobe Firefly combines user-friendliness with commercial safety for professionals. Assess these options based on your project goals for the best results. Which AI Model Is Best for Content Creation? When considering which AI model is best for content creation, it depends on your specific needs. For quick 1080p videos, Kling AI and Adobe Firefly offer affordable options with unique features. If you require longer shots, Runway’s Gen 4 is worth a look. For high-quality visuals, Google Veo 2 provides 4K resolution but has a waiting list. Evaluate your budget and desired video length to find the most suitable model for your projects. What Is the Best Video AI Enhancer? When considering the best video AI improver, look for features that suit your needs. Tools like Google Veo 2 and Runway offer advanced capabilities, such as image-to-video generation and multi-motion control, improving the realism of your projects. If you’re a filmmaker, Kling AI’s lip-sync and customizable templates might be ideal. Many platforms provide free trials, allowing you to evaluate their features before committing to varying subscription plans customized to different budgets. Can You Enhance Video Quality With AI? Yes, you can improve video quality with AI. Advanced algorithms analyze visuals, boosting clarity and vibrancy. Features like motion tracking and editing tools correct inconsistencies as well as adding dynamic elements. AI-driven enhancements stabilize shaky footage and optimize lighting, raising the professional look of your videos. Tools often provide templates for applying professional-grade effects without needing extensive editing skills. By utilizing these technologies, you can greatly enhance the overall production value of your content. Conclusion In summary, selecting the right AI video generator can greatly improve your content creation process. Each tool, from Kling AI’s dynamic features to Adobe Firefly’s rapid output, provides unique advantages customized to various needs. By evaluating their capabilities and limitations, you can find the best fit for your projects. As the demand for high-quality video content continues to grow, leveraging these advanced tools will help you stay competitive and produce engaging, professional videos efficiently. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Best AI Video Generators for Enhancing Content Creation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Apple's latest crop of updates was met with a bit of a mixed reaction. While some users love the new Liquid Glass design across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, others decidedly do not—which is likely what led Apple to introduce a dedicated setting to control the intensity of the effect. I'm partial to it, but I understand for some users, it's a tad too much, especially if it makes certain UI elements more difficult to see. But Liquid Glass isn't the only thing Apple users have complained about, especially with regards to macOS Tahoe. Mac users reported various problems with performance and stability across macOS 26.0 and macOS 26.1, and have criticized design choices like overly rounded corners. Myself, I held out on updating my M3 Pro Mac until macOS 26.2, where many of these issues appeared to be fixed, but my M1 iMac is still on macOS Sequoia for the time being. All that to say, macOS 26 hasn't had the smoothest start compared to some of Apple's previous Mac updates. If you've been noticing, for example, that your Mac's window management isn't as cooperative as it's been in the past, you're not alone. In fact, there seems to be a clear explanation for what's behind the issues. The issue with windows on macOS TahoeAs with other versions of macOS, you can resize and adjust your Mac apps' windows by clicking and dragging from the bottom corners. The issue, however, is that as of Apple's newest update, it can be fairly difficult to grab the corner of the window. You might, instead, find you click on the bottom corner of the app or website instead, leading to unintended actions. Clicking the top right corner of Chrome, for example, will drag the whole app window, rather than resize it. Clicking the bottom left corner and dragging will start to highlight everything in the app window instead, perhaps sending you all around the screen as well. If you slowly hover your cursor over the corner of the window, eventually you'll find a spot that turns your cursor into a resize icon, and you'll know you're good to click and drag to resize. But why is this so much more difficult to do quickly than it was in macOS Sequoia or beyond? Norbert Heger, a software developer, seemingly has an answer. In a blog post on Sunday, Heger explains that those rounded corners Apple designed for Tahoe are having a negative impact on the clickable area of the window. With a square corner, most of the clickable area—Heger says 62% of it—lies within the corner of the window itself. That gives users a relatively large area to click within the corner in order to grab onto the window, and a little bit of room outside the window to click, as well. But these new rounded corners don't seem to take that into consideration. Instead, they're relying on the same click area as before, but because there's less corner to work with now, the actual clickable area of the window is far less. Heger says about 75% of the clickable area now exists outside the window itself, giving users just 25% to work with in the actual corner of the window. If you're running macOS Tahoe, you can try this out for yourself right now: Move your cursor to the corner of the window, and wait for it to change into the resize icon. If you're hovering within the window itself, it won't change until you're just about to move outside the window. You can keep going a bit, and see you can get pretty darn far outside the window before the cursor changes back. Why am I able to resize the window from outside the window, Apple? Credit: Lifehacker This seems like a relatively easy fix on Apple's part, assuming they're aware of the issue. Maybe a patch will even make it into macOS 26.3. That said, the company has not publicly acknowledged the quirk, so it's anyone's guess. Until a potential fix, those of us on macOS Tahoe will just need to retrain our muscle memories around window resizing. For anyone who hasn't upgraded yet, you can simply carry on as usual. View the full article

The survey, taken before Pres. The President's $200 billion MBS buy demand, finds panelists worried over inflation, but also see employment as the larger downside risk. View the full article

Apple and Google announce a multi-year AI partnership. Gemini models and cloud tech will underpin Apple Foundation Models and a more personalized Siri. The post Apple Selects Google’s Gemini For New AI-Powered Siri appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Imagine you are searching for a new mattress online and find something surprising. The retailer displays an ad featuring a “Mattress Comfort Scale” running from 1 (soft) to 10 (firm), followed by the message that if your firmness preference is at either end, this mattress is not for you. Wait . . . what? A retailer telling someone not to buy its product? No way! Why would a company tell potential buyers that the product might not suit them? Our team of professors—Karen Anne Wallach, Jaclyn L. Tanenbaum, and Sean Blair—examines this question in a recently published article in the Journal of Consumer Research. Marketers spend billions trying to persuade consumers that a product is right for them. But our research shows that sometimes the most effective way to market something is to say that it isn’t for them. In other words, effective marketing can mean discouraging the wrong customers rather than convincing everyone to buy. We call this “dissuasive framing.” Instead of saying a product is perfect for everyone, a company is up front about who it might not be for. Surprisingly, that simple shift can make a big difference. We ran experiments comparing ads with dissuasive versus persuasive framing. For example, one coffee ad said, “If you like dark roast, this is the coffee for you.” Another said, “If you don’t like dark roast, this isn’t the coffee for you.” Most marketers assume the first version would work better. But for people who prefer dark roast, the second message outperformed it. Across different products, from salsa to mattresses, and in a real Facebook campaign for a toothbrush brand, we consistently saw the same results. The dissuasive ad drove more engagement and clicks, making the brand feel more specialized and its product more appealing for the right customers. Why? You might think it’s about fear of missing out, or reverse psychology, but we ruled out those explanations. Instead, we found that what really drives the effect is the perception of a stronger match between personal preference and product attributes. When a message signals that a product may not suit everyone, consumers see it as more focused on a specific set of preferences. This sense of focus, which we call “target specificity,” makes the product feel like a better match for customers whose preferences align with it. For others, it feels less relevant, which helps companies reach their goal of attracting those who are most likely to buy. Our results show a clear trend: When companies set boundaries in their messages, products appear more focused. This messaging strategy makes the intended customer feel like the product is a better match for them. People assume that if a product isn’t meant for everyone, it must be more specialized. That sense of specificity makes those in the target audience feel the product was designed just for them. Why it matters These findings challenge one of marketing’s most enduring assumptions: that effective marketing comes from directly persuading customers that a product matches their needs. In today’s crowded marketplace, where nearly every brand claims to be “for you,” dissuasive messaging offers an alternative. By clearly signaling that a product may not be right for customers with different preferences, brands can communicate focus and specialization. Consumers see this as a sign that the company understands its own product and who it will best serve. Our work also helps explain how people make what psychologists call compensatory inferences. This means consumers often believe that when a product tries to do too many things, it ends up doing each of them less well. Think of an all-in-one tool that can cut, twist, open and file—but few would say it performs any of those tasks better than the dedicated tool. From a practical standpoint, dissuasive framing helps marketers communicate more effectively by defining the boundaries of their product’s appeal. In doing so, brands can build trust, strengthen connections with the right customers, and avoid spending their marketing dollars on those unlikely to purchase. What still isn’t known Our research focused on products with clear attributes, such as taste or comfort, and on consumers who already knew their preferences. Future work could test how this approach works when people are less certain about what they like or when choices reflect self-expression rather than product fit. Even with these open questions, one conclusion stands out. Defining whom a product is not for can help the right customers see that it truly fits them. By focusing on preference matching rather than universal appeal, brands can make their messages more targeted, more efficient and ultimately more effective. In other words, telling the wrong customers “This isn’t for you” can actually help the right ones feel that it is. Jaclyn L. Tanenbaum is an associate teaching professor at Florida International University. Karen Anne Wallach is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

If you received an unsolicited password reset email from Instagram in recent days, you don't need to panic. These messages don't appear to be the result of a new data breach or account compromise, but rather a bug that Meta claims it has now fixed. Following a wave of suspicious account recovery requests, antivirus software provider Malwarebytes posted a warning on Jan. 9 that threat actors had stolen personal information from 17.5 million Instagram accounts. As BleepingComputer reports, there have been various claims that hackers have obtained Instagram account data from multiple API scraping incidents in the last several years but notes that there haven't been any confirmed incidents nor definitive proof of a new breach. Meta has said the issue was the result of a bug that allowed threat actors to request password reset emails, which it has since patched, and denies that user data has actually been compromised. Of course, data breaches aren't uncommon, and Meta platforms have been targeted in the past. So you should still practice good digital hygiene and stay vigilant to phishing attempts that could indicate account compromise. How to keep your Instagram account secureIf you do receive an Instagram password reset email that you didn't request, you don't need to do anything with it. You can just ignore and delete the message. In general, you should avoid clicking links in security-related messages that seem urgent or sound scary (again, if you didn't initiate account recovery) as these can be phishing attempts designed to steal your credentials or other sensitive information. If you do want to change a password or update other security details for any account, you should go directly to the website or app and do so there. If you haven't already, you can (and should) enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for Instagram. On the mobile app, open the Menu from your profile page and go to Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication. You can choose to receive login codes via authentication app (like Google Authenticator or Duo), SMS, or WhatsApp. As I've written, not all 2FA methods are created equal: SMS codes are especially easily phished, so an authentication app is probably your best option here. Finally, you can check for suspicious devices logged into your Instagram account under Accounts Center > Password and security > Where you're logged in. If you see any devices you don't recognize, select it and tap Log out. View the full article

China and the European Union said Monday they have agreed on steps toward resolving their dispute over the bloc’s imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles. A “guidance document” released by the EU on Monday gives instructions for Chinese EV manufacturers on making price offers for battery EVs, including minimum import prices and other details. The EU had imposed tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese EV imports in 2024 following an anti-subsidy investigation. The EU said that minimum import prices must be set at a level “appropriate to remove the injurious effects of the subsidization.” Chinese EV manufacturers’ plans for investments within the EU will also be considered, it said. “The European market is open to electric vehicles from all around the world, provided that they have come here according to that level playing field,” said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill. “If those conditions are met, then we can look at price undertakings in a serious way.” The EU said the European Commission would assess each offer in an “objective and fair manner, following the principle of non-discrimination” and in line with World Trade Organization rules. “This is conducive not only to ensuring the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations, but also to safeguarding the rules-based international trade order,” a statement by China’s Commerce Ministry said. The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU welcomed the move, which it said would bring about a “soft landing” in the EV standoff. The EU’s anti-subsidy probe and tariffs on Chinese EVs had strained ties between China and the bloc. In late 2024, the EU imposed countervailing tariffs of 7.8% to 35.3% on Chinese battery EV imports for a five-year period. As low-priced Chinese EVs rapidly entered the European market, EU officials said China’s EV makers — with massive support from the Chinese government — benefited from “unfair” subsidization which threatened economic injury to EU auto manufacturers. Monday’s announcement also came after the EU said last month it had opened a review into whether a price undertaking offer by Germany-based Volkswagen group’s Chinese joint venture could potentially replace the EU’s anti-subsidy tariffs applied on its China-built EVs. “The minimum prices offer Chinese brands probably some comfort to continue their exports long term … while avoiding higher import tariffs,” said Rico Luman, a senior economist at the Dutch bank ING who focuses on transport, logistics and the automotive industry. “I’m convinced the inroads of Chinese brands will continue.” EU manufacturers depend heavily on Chinese made batteries, rare earths materials and computer chips. That requires “a balancing act to avoid frustrating the trade relationship” with China, Luman said. Stephen Chan, an associate director at S&P Global Ratings, said some European demand of China-built vehicles could be constrained if the approved floor price under the new guidelines “significantly narrows the gap between Chinese BEVs (battery EVs) and European rivals.” Chinese car brands are expected to gain more market share in Europe over the next few years, analysts said. China-manufactured cars rose to 6% of sales in the EU in the first half of 2025, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and S&P Global Mobility, up from 5% in the same period of 2024. EU-based manufacturers represented 74% of total EU car sales in the first half of 2025, the ACEA said. Germany still produced about 20% of cars sold in the EU, followed by Spain, Czechia and France. By 2030, Chinese automakers are likely to double their European market share to about 10%, according the consultancy AlixPartners. —Chan Ho-Him, AP business writer Associated Press writer Sam McNeil contributed to this report. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. As is usually the case during CES, older models get big discounts, making it one of the best times to shop for premium tech. If you've been looking for a massive OLED TV with a massive discount, it doesn't get much better than the 77-inch Sony Bravia A95L OLED TV, currently going for $3,498 (originally $4,999.99). This is the lowest price this premium TV has ever reached, according to price-tracking tools. 77-inch Sony Bravia A95L OLED TV $3,498.00 at Amazon $4,999.99 Save $1,501.99 Get Deal Get Deal $3,498.00 at Amazon $4,999.99 Save $1,501.99 The 77-inch Bravia A95L uses the same QD-OLED panel technology that has been successful with Samsung's OLED TVs, and it combines it with their best-in-class Cognitive Processor XR. This makes the color volume, peak brightness in HDR content, and motion handling one of the best in OLED TVs, even in 2026. This makes it a great OLED TV for people who want a premium theater TV that can also look great while gaming. The A95L comes with the Google TV smart interface, which is my personal favorite since it makes casting to the TV from your phone or laptop easy, and has an internal microphone for hands-free voice control. There aren't many options for 77-inch premium OLED TVs, and even fewer that have withstood the test of time. The Bravia A95L is still relevant in 2026 for its quality, size, but most importantly, its price. If you can afford it and have a wall big enough for it, this massive OLED is a bargain. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $229.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — $279.99 (List Price $349.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A reader writes: I could use some advice about some employees, two of whom report to me and one who doesn’t. Bob reports to me. He assigns cases to both Sue and Sally. Sue reports to me and Sally doesn’t. Sue and Sally don’t like Bob. They don’t like his brusque (but still professional) style, they don’t like that he’s not “nice” like his predecessor, and they don’t like it when he seems inconsistent. Bob doesn’t like his decisions questioned. He comes from a legal background and really can be pretty officious. Again, it’s not unprofessional, but it’s certainly not friendly or warm. He could go a long way in being collegial. When I direct Bob to be patient with Sue and Sally, as they frequently do have good questions and suggestions, he thinks that I’m asking him to “coddle” Sue and Sally. When I ask Sue and Sally to accept Bob’s decisions, they think I’m asking them never to question Bob, whose judgment usually is correct but not always. In a functioning team, these folks would all show a little patience and grace. In this group, they take turns complaining to me. I’ve directed them to work it out themselves, as this seems mostly to be personality clashes. But I also would like a functioning team. Any advice? I’d like to lock them all in a room and tell them to come out when they can be civil. I’ve tried team-building, asking them how they would solve the problem, being an ear to cry on, etc. I’d like Sue and Sally to feel like they have agency and are respected for their questions, and I’d like Bob to feel like he can count on them to back him up. I answer this question 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. The post how do I manage a conflict among 3 employees? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

News executives expect search referrals to drop by more than 40% over the next three years, as search engines continue evolving into AI-driven answer engines, according to a new Reuters Institute report. That shift is squeezing publisher traffic and accelerating a move away from classic SEO toward AEO and GEO. Why we care. Google’s AI Overviews and chatbot-style search are changing how people get information, often without clicking through. SEO visibility, attribution, and ROI models built on old playbooks are breaking fast. What’s happening. Publishers expect search traffic to nearly halve. Survey respondents forecast search engine traffic down 43% within three years, with a fifth of respondents expecting losses above 75%. Google referrals are already falling. Chartbeat data cited in the report show organic Google search traffic down 33% globally from November 2024 to November 2025, and down 38% in the U.S. over the same period. AI Overviews are a major factor. Google’s AI Overviews appear at the top of roughly 10% of U.S. search results, with studies showing higher zero-click behavior when they appear, according to the report. The impact is uneven. Lifestyle and utility content (e.g., weather, TV guides, horoscopes) appear to be the most exposed, while hard news queries have been more insulated so far. SEO to AEO and GEO. The Reuters Institute expects rapid growth in answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) as publishers and agencies adapt to AI-led interfaces. AEO and GEO services are set to surge. Agencies are repurposing SEO playbooks for chatbots and overview boxes, with new demands on how content is written, structured, and surfaced. Publishers are dialing back traditional SEO. Many survey respondents plan to reduce investment in classic Google SEO and focus more on distribution through AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Between the lines. This is about more than rankings. It’s about distribution inside platforms that publishers do not control. Chat referrals are growing, but remain small. Traffic from ChatGPT is rising quickly, but the report calls it a rounding error compared with Google. Attribution is getting murkier. If AI agents summarize content and complete tasks for users, it becomes unclear what counts as a visit and how monetization works. Licensing is becoming a parallel strategy. As referral risk grows, publishers are turning to AI licensing, revenue-sharing deals, and negotiated citation or prominence as another path to value. What to watch. A new KPI stack is emerging. Metrics like share of answer, citation visibility, and brand recall may matter as much as clicks. Utility content faces the biggest squeeze. Categories built for fast answers are easiest for AI systems to commoditize. A measurement arms race is coming. Expect new tools to separate human visits from agent consumption and to measure value beyond raw traffic. Bottom line. Publishers are bracing for a world where search still matters, but clicks matter less. The report’s message is clear: when AI answers become the interface, AEO, GEO, and attribution strategy are no longer optional. They are a core modern search strategy. The report. Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2026 View the full article

Google has officially launched Gemini, its new AI-powered assistant tailored for smart TVs, with the potential to transform how small business owners engage with their digital content. As the landscape of remote work and digital advertising evolves, this new tool could serve as a game-changer for businesses looking to leverage advanced technology at home and in the workplace. Gemini for TV is designed to optimize the viewing experience on larger screens, reportedly enhancing the functionality of both entertainment and information access. With key features aimed at seamless interaction, Gemini can elevate how small businesses showcase their products, conduct virtual meetings, or even provide captivating presentations. One of the standout benefits for small business owners is the potential for tailored content delivery. Gemini integrates deeply with a user’s Google account, making it easier to curate content relevant to specific audiences. Small business owners can utilize this feature to tailor advertisements or presentations displayed on smart TVs, ensuring their messaging resonates with those present in the room. As a result, businesses can create more engaging customer experiences in retail spaces or adapt meetings to fit the specific audience needs. “Gemini offers a holistic approach to viewing,” said a Google spokesperson in a recent press release. “By creating a more personalized user interface, we’re enabling businesses to interact with their content more effectively. This is a significant advancement for small businesses looking to use technology to their advantage.” Furthermore, small business owners can leverage Gemini’s capabilities during team meetings. Instead of relying solely on laptops, employees can share presentations and documents on a bigger screen. The AI assistant’s intuitive navigation makes this process smoother, potentially boosting productivity and collaboration among team members. However, the implementation of Gemini does come with its challenges. While the AI intends to enhance the user experience, small business owners may find the setup process requires time and technical know-how. As the device supports Android TV OS 14+, businesses using older devices may not have the capacity to utilize these new features right away. Owners should verify device compatibility and consider possible upgrades. Another challenge is the reliance on a stable internet connection for optimal performance. For small businesses in areas with spotty internet service, the benefits of Gemini could be diminished. Planning for a reliable internet infrastructure should be on the radar for those eager to adopt this technology. Despite these potential hurdles, the opportunities presented by Gemini are substantial. The AI’s ability to learn user preferences over time could mean more efficient marketing strategies, driving engagement with customers both online and offline. Additionally, its design for smart TVs could easily transform how customers interact with promotional content, providing a more visually appealing and responsive experience. As small business owners weigh the costs and advantages of adopting AI technology like Gemini, understanding its practical applications will be vital. Whether it’s enhancing customer interactions in-store or facilitating engaging presentations during team meetings, the tool has laid the groundwork for innovative practices adaptable to various business niches. For those interested in learning more about how Gemini can specifically enhance their business operations, you can visit the original announcement here. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, keeping abreast of technological advancements like Gemini will be essential for small businesses aiming to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Launches Enhanced Experience for Android TV Users" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google has officially launched Gemini, its new AI-powered assistant tailored for smart TVs, with the potential to transform how small business owners engage with their digital content. As the landscape of remote work and digital advertising evolves, this new tool could serve as a game-changer for businesses looking to leverage advanced technology at home and in the workplace. Gemini for TV is designed to optimize the viewing experience on larger screens, reportedly enhancing the functionality of both entertainment and information access. With key features aimed at seamless interaction, Gemini can elevate how small businesses showcase their products, conduct virtual meetings, or even provide captivating presentations. One of the standout benefits for small business owners is the potential for tailored content delivery. Gemini integrates deeply with a user’s Google account, making it easier to curate content relevant to specific audiences. Small business owners can utilize this feature to tailor advertisements or presentations displayed on smart TVs, ensuring their messaging resonates with those present in the room. As a result, businesses can create more engaging customer experiences in retail spaces or adapt meetings to fit the specific audience needs. “Gemini offers a holistic approach to viewing,” said a Google spokesperson in a recent press release. “By creating a more personalized user interface, we’re enabling businesses to interact with their content more effectively. This is a significant advancement for small businesses looking to use technology to their advantage.” Furthermore, small business owners can leverage Gemini’s capabilities during team meetings. Instead of relying solely on laptops, employees can share presentations and documents on a bigger screen. The AI assistant’s intuitive navigation makes this process smoother, potentially boosting productivity and collaboration among team members. However, the implementation of Gemini does come with its challenges. While the AI intends to enhance the user experience, small business owners may find the setup process requires time and technical know-how. As the device supports Android TV OS 14+, businesses using older devices may not have the capacity to utilize these new features right away. Owners should verify device compatibility and consider possible upgrades. Another challenge is the reliance on a stable internet connection for optimal performance. For small businesses in areas with spotty internet service, the benefits of Gemini could be diminished. Planning for a reliable internet infrastructure should be on the radar for those eager to adopt this technology. Despite these potential hurdles, the opportunities presented by Gemini are substantial. The AI’s ability to learn user preferences over time could mean more efficient marketing strategies, driving engagement with customers both online and offline. Additionally, its design for smart TVs could easily transform how customers interact with promotional content, providing a more visually appealing and responsive experience. As small business owners weigh the costs and advantages of adopting AI technology like Gemini, understanding its practical applications will be vital. Whether it’s enhancing customer interactions in-store or facilitating engaging presentations during team meetings, the tool has laid the groundwork for innovative practices adaptable to various business niches. For those interested in learning more about how Gemini can specifically enhance their business operations, you can visit the original announcement here. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, keeping abreast of technological advancements like Gemini will be essential for small businesses aiming to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Launches Enhanced Experience for Android TV Users" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article