ResidentialBusiness

Search giant also revved up its spending on data centres as it competes in artificial intelligence raceView the full article

Families of transgender children on Tuesday asked a federal court to block President Donald Trump‘s order to end all federal funding or support for healthcare that aids gender transitions for people younger than 19. In a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration in Maryland federal court, the families, who are represented by Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union, allege that the order discriminates against transgender people and goes beyond Trump’s authority as president. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As a result of the order, the lawsuit said, hospitals across the country have already begun canceling appointments for gender transition treatments. The plaintiffs say their appointments were canceled in recent days by Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., NYU Langone in New York, Boston Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Richmond in Virginia. The hospitals are not defendants in the case. Trump, a Republican, said in the Jan. 28 order that it is “the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.” Details about how far the order will reach and how it will be enforced were not immediately clear. It directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to “take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” That could include imposing conditions on healthcare providers receiving any federal funds, which virtually all hospitals do. The lawsuit called the order “part of a broad and sweeping attack President Trump has launched against ‘gender ideology’ and transgender people.” It followed a previous executive order by Trump banning transgender people from the military, and another stating that the government will not recognize gender identity apart from “an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.” The order on the military has already been challenged by transgender rights groups. The other has been challenged in two separate lawsuits by transgender women incarcerated in federal prisons who face transfer to men’s prisons, one of whom has won a temporary restraining order blocking her transfer. Treatments covered by the order include puberty blockers, hormones and surgery provided to patients under 19 for the purpose of gender transition. Such treatments are often known as gender-affirming care. Republicans in more than half of the 50 states have passed laws or policies that ban gender-affirming care for minors, some of which have been blocked or overturned by the courts. A challenge to Tennessee’s ban has been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to issue a ruling that could determine the legality of such bans nationwide. The administration of former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, supported access to puberty blockers and hormones, though not surgery, for transgender minors. It passed a rule banning discrimination against transgender people in healthcare, which was blocked by a judge last year. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that gender-affirming care is proven to prevent suicide and improve mental health. Health organizations in some other countries have been more guarded, with the European Academy of Paediatrics calling for more research and a government-sponsored review in England concluding that the existing evidence around youth gender care is weak. —Brendan Pierson, Reuters 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. Prior to September 2024, any Apple user interested in active noise-canceling (ANC) AirPods would've had to shell out $250 for the AirPods Pro. With the release of the ANC AirPods 4, the tech is much more affordable—and you can currently grab these $179 earbuds for $148.99. (Apple also has a more budget-friendly version of the AirPods 4 without ANC; that model is currently for $99.99, down from $129. Both of these prices mark record lows, according to price-tracking tools. While the discounts aren't mind-blowing, the fact we're seeing any price reductions on newly released AirPods makes them a good deal, relatively. Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, with Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency Apple AirPods 4 (With ANC) $148.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $30.01 Get Deal Get Deal $148.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $30.01 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Apple AirPods 4 (Without ANC) $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 SEE -1 MORE The AirPods 4 have updated USB-C charging. Both models are powered by Apple's H2 chip, so you'll get Personalized Spatial Audio (so you can hear sounds seemingly coming from different directions as you move your head) and the ability to use head gestures to tell Siri "yes" or "no" (this also works for answering or denying calls). If you spring for the ANC AirPods 4, you'll get a charging case with a built-in speaker, which you can use with Find My to locate it if you lose them. You'll also get features like Conversation Awareness, which lowers your music volume when your AirPods detect that you're having a conversation; Transparency Mode, which lets you better hear your surroundings while your earbuds are in; and Adaptive Audio (combines ANC and Transparency mode to adjust ANC levels based on the noise around you). Keep in mind that since these are open style earbuds, lacking a silicone tip to better block out noise, the ANC will not be as good as what you can get from AirPods Pro. Both versions are rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, offer up to five hours of listening per charge (30 hours with the charging case), and can handle automatic switching with your other Apple devices. You can read more about the non-ANC AirPods on PCMag's "excellent" review, and more about the ANC AirPods on PCMag's "outstanding" review. View the full article

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reject the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), arguing that its reporting requirements impose unconstitutional burdens on small businesses. The brief was filed in Community Associations Institute, et al. v. U.S. Department of Treasury, a case that challenges the CTA’s beneficial ownership reporting mandates. NFIB’s brief questions whether Congress has the authority to impose the CTA’s reporting requirements under the Commerce Clause, arguing that the law regulates neither activity nor economic conduct. “The Corporate Transparency Act does not regulate activity, let alone economic activity, while also imposing burdensome reporting requirements on small businesses and raising numerous privacy concerns,” said Beth Milito, Vice President and Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “NFIB will continue to advocate for the small business community by contesting this harmful law.” Legal Arguments Against the CTA NFIB’s brief presents three core arguments: The CTA does not regulate activity, making it incompatible with Congress’s Commerce Clause authority. To satisfy the substantial effects test, Congress must be regulating economic activity, defined as the introduction, production, or exchange of goods or services. Because the CTA regulates noneconomic activity, it does not meet the Commerce Clause’s legal standard. In addition to this case, NFIB’s own lawsuit challenging the CTA remains active. Meanwhile, NFIB is advocating for legislative relief through the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, a bill that would repeal the CTA and eliminate its beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small businesses. The case remains pending before the Fourth Circuit as NFIB continues its efforts to challenge federal mandates that it views as overreach. Image: Canva This article, "Small Businesses Challenge Corporate Transparency Act in Federal Court" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reject the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), arguing that its reporting requirements impose unconstitutional burdens on small businesses. The brief was filed in Community Associations Institute, et al. v. U.S. Department of Treasury, a case that challenges the CTA’s beneficial ownership reporting mandates. NFIB’s brief questions whether Congress has the authority to impose the CTA’s reporting requirements under the Commerce Clause, arguing that the law regulates neither activity nor economic conduct. “The Corporate Transparency Act does not regulate activity, let alone economic activity, while also imposing burdensome reporting requirements on small businesses and raising numerous privacy concerns,” said Beth Milito, Vice President and Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “NFIB will continue to advocate for the small business community by contesting this harmful law.” Legal Arguments Against the CTA NFIB’s brief presents three core arguments: The CTA does not regulate activity, making it incompatible with Congress’s Commerce Clause authority. To satisfy the substantial effects test, Congress must be regulating economic activity, defined as the introduction, production, or exchange of goods or services. Because the CTA regulates noneconomic activity, it does not meet the Commerce Clause’s legal standard. In addition to this case, NFIB’s own lawsuit challenging the CTA remains active. Meanwhile, NFIB is advocating for legislative relief through the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, a bill that would repeal the CTA and eliminate its beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small businesses. The case remains pending before the Fourth Circuit as NFIB continues its efforts to challenge federal mandates that it views as overreach. Image: Canva This article, "Small Businesses Challenge Corporate Transparency Act in Federal Court" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Heads up: TikTok is technically still banned. While President Trump has promised to hold off on enforcing the TikTok ban until April, it’s still not being distributed on either Apple or Google’s app stores, and in the long term, Bytedance is still expected to sell the app to an owner in the United States. In the past, Meta, Microsoft, and other big tech companies have been floated as potential new owners, but now, Trump is suggesting a surprise candidate: the United States government. In an executive order signed Monday night, the President directed the government to put forth a plan for a "sovereign wealth fund,” which would allow the government to directly invest into private companies and use the returns how it sees fit. The Treasury and Commerce Departments have 90 days to submit a plan, with Trump saying “We’re going to create a lot of wealth for the fund.” Said wealth could then be used to fund infrastructure such as highways or airports, but in a more unexpected direction, Trump also suggested the government could use the fund to buy TikTok. “We’re going to do something, perhaps with TikTok, and perhaps not. If we make the right deal, we’ll do it.” Specifically, Trump suggested the government could acquire a 50% stake in the company, which while not technically hitting the magic 51% number needed for total control, would be enough to grant it veto power. As has been the case with Trump’s executive orders so far, details will probably still need to be worked out. Such a purchase would drastically change the nature of TikTok, running the risk of effectively making it state media, although it would technically meet the terms of the ban, which states Bytedance cannot hold more than a 20% stake in the company and can’t be involved in its operation. Additionally, the U.S. can own a private corporation, as is the case with Amtrak, but a state-sponsored, user-driven social media site would be uncharted territory. Following a mass exodus from X following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the site, there would be nothing stopping users disgruntled with a U.S.-owned TikTok from fleeing to alternatives. The biggest thorn in the side of a potential government-backed TikTok purchase might be the timing of the buyout itself, as the ban is set to come back into effect again prior to the fund’s establishment. However, the law does give Trump the authority to further extend the timeline for Bytedance to sell if he feels significant progress is being made towards a deal. As for the sovereign wealth fund itself, while it’s a first for the federal government, it’s not a new idea. States such as Texas as well as countries including Singapore, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates all currently run their own sovereign wealth funds, with all sovereign wealth funds across the globe totalling to about $8 trillion. View the full article

A medical advocacy group on Tuesday sued the main U.S. health agencies over the sudden removal of websites containing public health information in response to an executive order by President Donald Trump targeting what his administration deemed to be “gender ideology extremism.” Doctors for America said in the lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. federal court, that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed “numerous” longstanding websites since the order. Those include a page on behavioral health risks among youth, which the lawsuit says is important for understanding health challenges faced by young people, including bullying and vaping; pages with data on the prevalence of HIV and associated risky behaviors; and a page on getting tested for HIV, which the lawsuit called “an important communication tool for physicians.” The liberal-leaning group also said in its lawsuit that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has removed pages recommending the inclusion of more women and underrepresented groups in clinical trials. “The removal of this information deprives researchers of access to information that is necessary for treating patients, for developing clinical studies that produce results that accurately reflect the effects treatments will have in clinical practice, and for developing practices and policies that protect the health of vulnerable populations and the country as a whole,” the lawsuit said. Trump, a Republican, signed an executive order on his first day back in office that the United States will recognize two sexes, male and female. On Jan. 29, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management issued a memorandum instructing agencies to take down any public-facing materials that promote what they deem to be “gender ideology.” Tuesday’s lawsuit names the CDC, FDA, and their parent agency the Department of Health and Human Services as defendants. It asks the court to rule that OPM’s memorandum exceeded the agency’s authority and to order the websites to be put back online. HHS and the CDC declined to comment. The FDA and OPM did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doctors for America was founded in 2008 by Vivek Murthy, who served as U.S. Surgeon General under Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden; Mandy Cohen, who served as CDC director under Biden; and Alice Chen, now a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles’ medical school. —Brendan Pierson, Reuters View the full article

Windows 11's minimum system requirements have been controversial from the day Microsoft unveiled the new version of its desktop operating system. The controversy boils down to one single line item: TPM 2.0 support. TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module, which is a chip that protects against malware and ransomware attacks. If your PC doesn't have TPM version 2.0, then you can't officially upgrade to Windows 11, unless you used a bypass that Microsoft had published. It appears that Microsoft doesn't want you to use the bypass any longer. Neowin spotted an update to a Microsoft support page with wording about the bypass removed. You can even check the page on The Wayback Machine to see what it looked like until a few days ago. The previous version mentioned that you could add a new registry key called AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU to bypass the TPM check and install Windows 11 on 'unsupported' PCs. In the updated version of the support article, that section is no longer there. This means that Microsoft no longer recommends any official method to install Windows 11 on 'unsupported' PCs. This move comes ahead of a planned end of updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, after which you'll have to pay annually to receive security updates. That could be an expensive proposition for each successive year that you choose to remain on Windows 10. Several methods to bypass the Windows 11 TPM check still exist, but it remains to be seen if they'll continue to work in the future. Microsoft has advised against upgrading 'unsupported' PCs, going so far as to say that doing so will void your warranty and that your PC may no longer be entitled to receive updates. But if you're like my editor and can't yet upgrade, at least you can make your Windows 10 PC look and feel like Windows 11. View the full article

There are many different types of construction. Most think of dwellings, but when driving past road crews tearing up the streets, that’s also an example of a construction project. In fact, there are many different types of construction projects. Let’s review different types of construction, defining and illustrating them so they are clear and understandable. We’ll also look at international building codes and how construction project management software helps deliver all types of construction more efficiently. 1. Residential Construction Likely the most familiar type of construction is residential. It refers to the process of building, renovating or remodeling homes and other living spaces. Residential construction involves the creation of structures intended for individuals or families to live in. This type of construction can range from small single-family homes to large multi-unit buildings, from new builds to extensive renovations or additions with varying complexities based on design, location and building materials. Here are some examples. Single-family homes Custom home construction Apartment complexes Townhouses Regardless of whether a general contractor builds residential or any other types of construction that we’ll list below, they’ll work more effectively with construction project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple construction planning and scheduling tools. Construction managers can use robust Gantt charts to schedule tasks and resources, linking all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays or cost overruns and keep their profit margin. They can also filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track progress in real time. Meanwhile, subcontractors and site crews can execute tasks with task lists with unlimited file storage, comments, tags, priority and more. There are also kanban boards to visualize workflow and calendars to provide a monthly overview to keep stakeholders updated on progress. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-CTA.pngProjectManager has powerful Gantt charts to schedule and track construction projects. Learn more 2. Commercial Construction Another one of the types of construction is commercial, which refers to the building, renovation or expansion of structures intended for business purposes rather than residential living. These projects are typically larger in scale and can include a variety of buildings and facilities that serve the needs of businesses, organizations and the general public. These construction projects often involve complex design and considerations, adherence to safety and zoning regulations and using specialized materials and construction planning techniques. These buildings are typically intended to generate revenue or provide services to the public. They include the following. Office buildings Shopping malls Hotels 3. Industrial Construction Another one of the types of construction is industrial, which is the building, renovation or expansion of facilities used for industrial purposes, such as manufacturing, processing, storage or the production of goods. These projects are typically large-scale and require specialized designs, materials and construction techniques to accommodate the specific needs of the industries, such as factories, power plants or chemical processing plants. Industrial construction projects are often highly specialized and must comply with stringent safety, environmental and operations standards. These facilities typically require robust infrastructure to support heavy machinery, storage systems and production processes. Examples include the following. Factories Power plants Oil refineries 4. Infrastructure Construction Types of construction can also include infrastructure construction. It involves the building, engineering, upgrading and maintenance of essential systems and facilities that support the functioning of a society and economy. These projects typically focus on large-scale public works and utilities, aimed at providing transportation, water, energy and communication services to communities. Infrastructure construction is critical for the development and functioning of cities, regions and nations. Government agencies often fund these construction projects. They are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of cities, industries and transportation networks. These projects require long-term planning, substantial investment and adherence to safety, environmental and regulatory standards. Different types of construction can include the following. Highways Railways Airport construction 5. Civil Engineering Projects Civil engineering projects are types of construction that involve the design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure systems that are essential for society’s functioning. These projects are typically large in scale and focus on public works, including transportation, water management, energy and other critical facilities. Civil engineering projects aim to improve and maintain the built environment, ensuring safety, efficiency and sustainability. These construction projects require advanced knowledge of construction techniques, material science, environmental considerations and regulatory compliance. They play a key role in improving quality of life, boosting economic activity and ensuring the safety and sustainability of urban and rural environments. These projects tend to be one of the following. Bridge construction Tunnel excavation Dam building 6. Mixed-Use Development Types of construction like this refer to real-estate development that combines multiple types of users or functions within a single site plan or area. The goal is to create a more integrated, sustainable and vibrant environment by bringing together different spaces that support one another. The benefits of mixed-use development include reducing traffic congestion, improving the efficiency of infrastructure, fostering community interaction and promoting sustainable land use. These uses typically include the following. Residential and retail complexes Live-work spaces Urban redevelopment projects /wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Construction-Estimate-Template-Excel-image.png Get your free Construction Estimate Template Use this free Construction Estimate Template for Excel to manage your projects better. Download Excel File 7. Institutional Construction Construction projects that build or renovate structures designed for public, educational, healthcare, government or similar uses are called institutional construction. These projects typically involve the construction of facilities that serve the community or specific organizations rather than private or commercial interests. These types of construction project often require careful planning to meet specific regulatory, accessibility and safety standards, and they may be funded by government or nonprofit organizations. These buildings typically have large groups of people and are designed with long-term use, functionality and public safety in mind. These are some examples. Schools, universities and educational facilities Hospitals and healthcare facilities Government buildings 8. Modular Construction When referring to these types of construction, one is talking about a method of building where a structure is created off-site in separate, prefabricated sections or modules that are then transported to the construction site and assembled. Each module is built to the same standards as traditional construction, but the modular method allows for faster assembly because much of the work is done in a controlled environment. Besides prefabrication, other key features of modular construction include efficiency, flexibility, quality control and sustainability. Examples of this construction project include the following. Portable classrooms Modular healthcare clinics Prefabricated office spaces 9. Prefabricated Construction Modular construction is a type of prefabricated construction, which is a broader term that refers to any building or construction components manufactured off-site in a controlled factory environment before being transported to the construction site for assembly. These components can include walls, floors, roofs and other structural elements. The key idea is that parts of the building are pre-made, which can speed up the on-site construction process and facilitate construction quality control. Types of construction that are prefabricated include panelized construction, precast concrete and volumetric construction. These are typical examples of this type of construction project. Prefab homes Prefabricated warehouses Prefabricated bridge components 10. Land Reclamation Construction These types of construction refer to creating new land by altering bodies of water or by improving existing land areas unsuitable for development. This is typically done to expand usable land for urban development, infrastructure projects, agriculture or other human activities. The goal of land reclamation is to make previously unusable or underutilized land viable for construction and other purposes. Overall, these construction projects are a significant engineering and construction challenge that often requires careful planning, environmental management and long-term sustainability considerations. They include the following. Coastal landfills for urban development Artificial islands (e.g., Palm Jumeirah in Dubai) Wetland restoration projects /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg Building Construction Types According to the International Building Code The International Building Code (IBC) classifies buildings into five primary construction types based on the materials used in the structure and their fire-resistance ratings. These classifications help determine the safety standards for the design and construction of buildings, including fire protection, structural integrity and building durability. Below are short definitions of each. Type I: Fire Resistive Construction The key characteristic of Type I construction is that it provides the highest level of fire resistance, with walls, floors and structural elements designed to withstand fire for a significant period (usually two to four hours, depending on the specific element). These buildings are made of non-combustible materials like concrete, steel or masonry. This is used for high-rise buildings, hospitals and large commercial or institutional structures. Type II: Non-Combustible Construction These buildings have fire-resistant features, but they don’t offer the same level of protection as Type I buildings. Fire-resistant ratings are typically between one and two hours. These construction products include steel or concrete for structural elements, but the fireproofing is less stringent than Type I. This code is used for mid-rise commercial buildings and warehouses. Type III: Ordinary Construction These buildings are less fire resistant than Type I and II buildings but still provide some protection due to the masonry on non-combustible exterior walls. Interior elements may be made of wood or other combustible materials. It’s commonly seen in older buildings, low-to-mid-rise commercial structures and apartment buildings. Type IV: Heavy Timber Construction The heavy timber construction can improve fire resistance due to the charring effect of large wooden beams, which creates a protective layer that resists further combustion. These construction projects are made with large, heavy wood beams, columns and floors, with limited use of steel and masonry. They’re used in buildings where aesthetics or design flexibility with exposed wood are important, such as barns, warehouses and certain commercial or industrial buildings. Type V: Wood-Framed Construction Type V buildings are made entirely of combustible materials, such as wood or other lightweight materials. This is the most common construction type for residential buildings. Because it’s made from wood, these types of construction have the least fire resistance compared to the other types. Fire ratings for structural elements are typically limited to one hour or less. ProjectManager Helps Manage All Types of Construction Projects There are a lot of types of construction, but regardless of the construction project, it is best served with project management software. Of course, not all construction project management software is the same. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that’s preferred by construction firms both large and small. Our multiple project views help plan and execute work, both in the office and on the job site. But that’s only the beginning of the advantages using our software provides to construction professionals. Robust Resource Management and Cost Tracking Features When scheduling tasks on Gantt charts, general managers can also schedule resources, both human and nonhuman, including their costs. This helps estimate the cost of the project to protect your profit margin and deliver more accurate estimates when bidding. Once the job has been awarded, construction managers can set the availability of their team, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, as well as skill sets. This makes it easier to assign tasks. There’s also a color-coded workload chart to get an overview of resource allocation and balance the workload to keep teams working at capacity without risking burnout. A team page gives a daily and weekly view of the team’s activities, which can be filtered to show priority, progress and more. Secure timesheets streamline payroll and provide a window into labor costs to help keep to the budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.png Real-time Online Project Dashboards and Reports Once the construction project is executed, monitoring progress and performance is crucial to delivering on time and within budget. After setting the baseline on the Gantt chart, our software automatically collects live data and displays it on easy-to-read graphs and charts for a high-level overview. Managers can quickly discern cost, time, workload and more. For more detail, toggle to the customizable reports, such as status, portfolio, timesheet, variance, workload and more. All reports can be filtered to get into the weeds or provide a more general summary to share with stakeholders and keep them informed. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Construction Project Management Content Construction project management is a big field. We’ve hardly scratched the surface in this article. For those who want to read more about Gantt charts, construction contracts, download free templates and more, click on any of the recently published blogs below. Why Use a Gantt Chart in Construction Project Management Types of Construction Contracts: Pros, Cons & Best Practices 32 Construction Documents (Templates Included) Construction Phases: Documentation, Templates & Steps Best Construction Scheduling Software ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, on the job site or anywhere else. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 10 Types of Construction Projects with Examples appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

In the run-up to this weekend’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, fans couldn’t be more excited to see the Philadelphia Eagles face off against the Kansas City Chiefs, as the latter attempts to make Super Bowl history as the first team to win the championship three times in a row. With advertising prices hitting all-time highs, and an exciting halftime show featuring recent Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar scheduled, why are ticket sales plummeting? That’s right: Ticket prices for Super Bowl LIX are down 30% over this past week, or around 50% cheaper than last year. Currently, the cheapest seats are selling for somewhere between $3,057 to $4,300 before taxes on the secondary market, compared to a year ago, when they were selling for $9,365 on the secondary market. Here are the current ticket prices as of Monday night, according to USA Today: StubHub: $3,057 ($4,130 with fees) TickPick: $4,300 all-in SeatGeek: $3,414 ($4,620 with fees) Gametime: $3,374 ($4,527 with fees) Ticketmaster: $3,330 ($4,001 with fees) TicketSmarter: $3,613 ($4,697 with fees) Vivid Seats: $3,228 ($4,454 with fees) There are a few possible reasons for the low ticket sales. For one, New Orleans may not have the same pull for fans who wanted to party in Las Vegas last year when the Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers. Another reason is that New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome stadium has a lot more seats (74,000) than Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium (65,000), making last year’s seats harder to come by, and a result, more pricey (call it simple supply and demand). Finally, New Orleans is still reeling from last month’s terrorist attack that killed 14 people and injured at least 35, when a man plowed his pickup truck into a crowd and opened fire. In response, local officials have created “an enhanced security zone” along Bourbon Street, and are shutting down and limiting traffic on roads near the stadium and cordoning off the area surrounding the Superdome. And according to NFL chief security officer Cathy Lanier, thousands of state, federal, and local law enforcement officers will be on the ground during the Super Bowl, the Associated Press reported. View the full article

Spring cleaning time is around the corner and while you’re prepping your regular to-do list, there are a few things you might be overlooking—we all have blind spots, after all. Let’s go over a few of the places you are likely to forget about so you can add them into your routine. Once you familiarize yourself with these suggestions and tips, you can use this checklist I created in Google Sheets to help remind you about what you might have missed. You can make your own copy out of this doc and open it up every couple of months to check off each of the tasks as you work through them. Most overlooked spots in your bathroomYou already know to clean your toilet (and how not to do it) and your tub. You have no water stains and your tile is pristine. Forgetting anything? It might be these: Clean and unclog the overflow holes in your sink, if you have them. Clean and disinfect high-touch but rarely-noticed surfaces like your shower head handle, toilet flusher, and drawer pulls. (Familiarize yourself with the difference between disinfecting, sanitizing, and cleaning while you're at it.) Dust and wipe down any vents. Wash your shower curtain. Clean your shower head thoroughly, as well as the sink faucet's aerator, which can get gunky over time. Wipe down the inside your medicine cabinet (and maybe take some time to declutter it). Wipe down the outside of your toilet, including the sides. Do the same for the exterior of your garbage can. Clean any dusty light fixtures. Finish up with the baseboards, then mop. What you're forgetting to clean in your kitchenThe kitchen experiences a fresh mess every day (multiple times a day, even), so while you're spending all that time wiping down the counters and loading the dishwasher, it's easy to miss the grime that is building up over time in less-noticed spots. Periodically, you should: Clean under and behind your major appliances (which you can actually do without moving them). Dust and wipe down the top of your refrigerator, not just inside and under it. ...but empty out and clean your fridge, including the shelves, too. (When you're putting everything back inside is a great time to reorganize the contents.) When you’re tackling the oven, don’t forget the warming drawer, plus the vent, hood, and knobs. Scrub down your backsplash. Clean out your toaster's crumb tray. Wipe down the outer surface of your garbage can. Clean and disinfect your drawer pulls and the handles on your cabinets, fridge, and microwave. Disinfect the light-switches (and any other switches in the room). Spruce up your light fixtures. Wipe down the tops and undersides of your cabinets, especially the ones up top that have exposed space under the ceiling. Thoroughly dust and clean all the baseboards before you sweep and mop the floor. What to clean in your living roomYou pay attention to cleaning your kitchen and bathroom for sanitary reasons, which makes sense, but the living room? That’s all about aesthetics, baby. You want to impress your guests, after all. Impress them even more by remembering to: Dust your plants (even your fake ones). Dust your candles. Clean and disinfect high-touch items like remotes and coasters (plus those light switches). Dust picture frames and any other knick-knacks. Remove couch and chair cushions and vacuum underneath them for a horrifying surprise. Clean window blinds and curtains. (Blinds are easy: There's a hack.) Dust and wipe down your windowsills, too. Clean the undersides of coffee tables, side tables, and ottomans. Clean your light fixtures. End with the baseboards again before sweeping, vacuuming, and/or mopping. What needs to be cleaned in the bedroomsYour bedroom is the one area that is all about you—so treat yourself to an extra clean one. Try cleaning these for some bonus points: Wipe your curtain rods and windowsills when you toss your curtains in the wash. (If you have blinds, clean those instead.) Clean and disinfect high-touch items like alarm clocks, drawer pulls, door knobs, and light switches. Clean your ceiling fan (but make sure to do that before you vacuum). Dust the top of your headboard. Dust plants, candles, picture frames, and knick-knacks. As usual, finish up with those baseboards before cleaning the floor. View the full article

The Federal Reserve Board lifted two enforcement actions against the megabank dating back to 2011. But the Fed's seven-year-old asset cap remains in effect. View the full article

Google streamlined the process for importing cost data into Analytics, reducing mandatory fields and offering more flexible reporting options. The big picture. Marketers can now import cost data with just three core requirements: source, medium, and date, eliminating previous constraints around campaign names and IDs. Key updates. Including the following fields allows for more detailed reporting. Without them, Google Analytics will report cost data in aggregate when dimensions like campaign name or ID are queried. Simplified required fields. You now only need three fields to import cost data: Source: Where the traffic originated. Medium: The type of traffic (e.g., CPC, organic). Date: The date for data mapping. Optional campaign fields: Campaign name and campaign ID are no longer required but can be included as optional key fields. Why we care. This change simplifies the cost data import process, reducing the barrier for you to track and optimize ad spend within Google Analytics. However, excluding campaign-level details could limit reporting insights. Bottom line. For more accurate and granular cost reporting, import campaign name and campaign ID when possible. But for those just looking to get basic cost tracking set up quickly, the new requirements streamline the process. View the full article

Just like everything else, cars keep getting more expensive—new car prices have risen steadily in recent months, and will probably just keep getting pricier (the average new car now costs an eye-watering $49,740). That’s one reason why about half of all car buyers finance their purchase, and why we collectively owe an astounding $1.644 trillion in auto loan debt. But that’s also why about 38% of car buyers bought their vehicles with cash. Cash offers some advantages, especially if you’re looking to avoid interest and monthly payments that can mess with your budget. But if you decide to buy your next car without financing it in any way, there’s one thing you should absolutely never do: Tell the dealership. The benefits of buying a car with cashBuying a car with cash doesn’t mean you dump an oil drum of pennies on someone’s desk, it just means you’re not financing the purchase with a loan. There’s absolutely no reason you can’t do this as long as you have the funds, and buying with cash has some serious benefits: No monthly loan payments. If you’ve ever financed a car, you know that paying several hundred bucks a month can put a crimp in your finances for years to come. No interest. Paying cash means you don’t have to pay extra on top of the price of the car. Avoid overspending. When you’re financing a car, salespeople usually keep you focused on whether you can afford the monthly payment, which can obscure how much you’re actually paying for the car. Paying cash means you don’t go over your budget without realizing it. True ownership. If you pay cash, no one can repossess the car—if you decide to sell it, it will be solely your decision. Plus, you start off with 100% equity in the vehicle. On the other hand, dealers make a lot of money by getting you to finance the purchase through them. The majority of dealer loans have a markup of up to 2.5% that goes directly to the dealer, which can translate to a fair bit of money over the course of a car loan. That gives them an incentive to offer you a better price or to throw in extras—as long as they think that extra money is on the table. The best way to buy a car in cashPeople think buying a car in cash will get them the best price, but it’s actually the opposite—once a dealer knows they won’t get the extra money through arranging financing, they’ll have less interest in crafting an appealing price and throwing in extras. If you’re going to pay for the car in cash, there are a few basic bits of strategy you should follow: Deflect. Salespeople will often ask you directly how you plan to pay for the car. If you’re going the cash route, deflect—tell them you’re considering options, or tell them you want to hear your financing options. Don’t lie, necessarily, but don’t admit you’re paying cash until you have to. Negotiate the final price. Get the best deal you can on the vehicle, including anything you can get thrown in (like coatings or free upgrades). Get it in writing, if you can. Arrange payment. Once you have the total cost of the car nailed down and you inform them that you’re not interested in financing and will be paying cash instead, be ready with a payment method. A personal check can cause delays and might not even be accepted, so having a cashier’s check from your bank is probably the easiest and safest way to handle this. It’s not impossible that the dealership’s finance department will be unwilling to close the deal if they assumed they’d be making a profit from a loan. But if they won’t honor the price you negotiated when you want to pay cash, ask yourself if you can trust this dealer at all. If a dealer wants to blow up a sale when you want to pay cash, it’s best to walk away. Paying cash for your next car won’t magically make it a bargain, but it can save you a lot of money over time—as long as you don’t tip your hand too early. View the full article

Google revised its policy for dating and companionship advertisers, pushing back enforcement and clarifying certification rules for aggregators. Extension. The deadline for certification has been extended from March 4 to April 9. After this date, uncertified advertisers will no longer be permitted to run ads. Aggregator update. Aggregatoars promoting dating or companionship services will be eligible to serve restricted ads with proper certification, starting April 9. These ads will appear on Search with age and country restrictions. Certification for aggregators opens Feb. 25, while other advertisers can continue applying for certification. Why we care. The certification process aims to ensure transparency and safety in dating-related advertising on Google. The timeline extension and aggregator guidelines provide you with additional clarity and time for compliance. What’s next: Advertisers should prepare for the April 9 enforcement deadline and secure the required certification to avoid disruptions in campaign eligibility. View the full article

Mike Waltz and Jonathan Powell will hold talks about the Indian Ocean territory View the full article

The new year isn’t getting off to a great start when it comes to employment in the tech industry. Tech giant Salesforce is reportedly getting ready to cut 1,000 roles at the company. The expected job cuts are just the latest in a line of layoffs already initiated by well-known companies in the technology sector, including Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. Here’s what you need to know. Salesforce to reportedly lay off over 1,000 employees Today, Bloomberg reported that Salesforce, the world’s top customer relationship management software company, will be cutting more than 1,000 positions at the company. The news came from an unnamed source and was not an official announcement from Salesforce. Nothing is known about which departments will be hit hardest by the cuts. However, a Bloomberg source said that any displaced workers will be allowed to apply for other positions at the company. We’ve reached out to Salesforce for comment. It’s also worth noting that these cuts aren’t a net job reduction at Salesforce, as the company is also currently actively hiring salespeople to promote its AI offerings to customers. Salesforce reported having 73,000 employees as of January 2024, which means that a reduction of 1,000 personnel equates to fewer than 1% of its workforce. Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and more cut jobs Despite being fewer than seven weeks into the new year, many major tech companies have already announced plans to reduce their workforce or cut staff in 2025. In mid-January, Facebook parent company Meta Platforms announced it would cut about 5% of its workforce. A 5% reduction in staff equates to layoffs totaling about 3,600 people, noted Bloomberg. As of last September, Meta employed about 72,000 workers. Announcing the cuts in an internal memo, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster.” And Meta isn’t alone. In January, Microsoft also laid off some workers it deemed low performers, Business Insider reported. It is unknown how many employees at the Redmond company would lose their roles. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment. Amazon in January also announced it would eliminate staff, Bloomberg reported, with dozens in its communications department being targeted. And it’s not just the big tech giants. Smaller tech companies have also announced layoffs since the new year began. Those companies include payments platform Stripe, which is eliminating 300 positions, and Placer.ai, the Israeli location analytics firm, which is laying off 150 workers. A repeat of 2022-2024? The large number of high-profile tech companies that have announced layoffs in the early days of 2025 has understandably given rise to anxieties of those in the industry who lived through the massive job cuts implemented by the industry between 2022 and 2024, when hundreds of thousands of tech workers lost their jobs. What workers now want to know is if 2025 will be a repeat of those years. At this point, that’s impossible to answer. However, the 2022-2024 period of mass tech industry layoffs was generally spurred by overhiring during the pandemic years when many tech companies saw a rapid uptick in users and customers. In 2025, the greatest threats of job layoffs don’t come from pandemic-induced overhiring as much as they do from the rising specter of AI and its ability to replace human workers. It remains to be seen whether AI will pose a serious risk to tech industry jobs this year. As for layoffs in the tech industry, layoffs tracking site Layoffs.fyi says that so far in 2025, 31 tech companies have laid off just over 7,000 employees. That compares to the 152,000 employees laid off across various companies in 2024 and the 264,000 and 165,000 laid off in 2023 and 2022, respectively. View the full article

The Federal Reserve terminated two mortgage-related enforcement actions against Wells Fargo & Co. from more than a decade ago, the central bank said Tuesday. View the full article

For the first time in over two decades, Capri Sun is expanding its single serving offerings with a colorful new bottle—but don’t worry, the iconic pouch is here to stay. Capri Sun’s new bottles are hitting shelves nationwide today at Kroger, Circle K, some Walmart locations, and regional convenience stores like Meijer and Hy-vee. They come in the brand’s three most popular flavors: Fruit Punch, Pacific Cooler, and Strawberry Kiwi. According to the company, each bottle contains about double the liquid contents of a traditional pouch, at 12 fluid ounces. However, for those interested in a smaller serving size and that classic form factor, Capri Sun pouches aren’t actually going anywhere (in fact, Capri Sun sells over six million of the mini beverages every day.) Instead of replacing the pouch, the new bottles are actually Capri Sun’s attempt to get pick-up in the convenience store market, an area where its normally delightful packaging has caused the juice to be overlooked amongst a sea of other, more easy-to-drink options. Kristina Hannant, Capri Sun’s director of marketing, says the brand has actually tried to stock pouches at convenience stores, but found that “consumers weren’t reaching for them as often when faced with many other bottled options.” That makes sense, given that Capri Suns weren’t exactly designed to be displayed in a traditional beverage aisle or crammed into a cup holder on a long road trip. The pouch is all about the tactile experience, one that’s particularly enchanting for young kids (stabbing the pouch with the straw; crunching its plastic exterior; perhaps using it as a projectile) but less so for parents in the driver’s seat. “Designed specifically to fit the shelves and coolers of convenience stores, the Capri Sun bottles cater to the busy, on-the-go lifestyle of today’s families with a resealable cap that parents can appreciate—especially given 53% of parents prefer beverages their kids can drink on the go and many find that bottles help with preventing spills,” Hannant says, referring to a statistic from market research firm Numerator. The bottles were also made to cater to a group of Capri Sun’s most dedicated and outspoken followers: According to a press release, “Between 2020 and 2023, a staggering 76% of suggestions received by the Capri Sun call center were about fans wanting a bigger product size.” Presumably to maintain product recognition, the bottles’ design is essentially a copy-pasted version of each flavor’s corresponding pouch, though it’s still a bit disconcerting to see Capri Sun’s branding outside the usual context. Logically, Capri Sun’s new bottles make sense as a supplementary offering. But, until proven otherwise, we’re inclined to argue that half of the Capri Sun’s nostalgic factor really comes down to the fact that anything tastes more magical out of a pouch. View the full article

The price of eggs isn’t just surging at the grocery store. It’s hitting your favorite chains, too: Now, some Waffle House restaurants are adding surcharges on orders that include eggs. According to a statement Waffle House posted at restaurants, and emailed to Fast Company, it will be adding 50 cents per egg to customers’ tabs. “The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices,” Waffle House said in the statement. “Rather than increasing prices across the menu, this is a temporary targeted surcharge tied to the unprecedented rise in egg prices.” The statement continued, “Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions. We are continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow.” While inflation has driven up prices at the grocery store, bird flu is the main reason why egg prices remain high. During his campaign, President Trump vowed to bring down the price of groceries across the board, but egg prices have continued to climb since Inauguration Day. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in the week ending January 18, the price of a dozen eggs was up to $5.29. The previous month, the same item cost $4.15. As farmers contend with lower output, due in part to millions of hens being slaughtered as a result of bird flu, some shoppers are finding empty shelves where the cartons of eggs once were. And some stores are placing limits on how many cartons customers can buy. Now, restaurants are also finding their own ways to cope with the egg shortage—especially breakfast chains, which serve them by the millions. According to Waffle House’s website, eggs are its most popular menu item: It serves 272 million of them each year. A pricier breakfast This week, as Trump imposed tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada (before pausing said tariffs on the latter two countries), there’s been much talk about what might happen to groceries, gas, and more in the U.S. If the hefty tariffs hold, experts warn it could cause prices of certain grocery items that largely come from outside of the U.S. to surge. Kelly Beaton, the chief content officer at The Food Institute, told Fox Business that businesses, like grocery stores, may also pass higher costs onto the customer. One item likely to get a lot pricier, Beaton said, is cereal, “since it’s a common import from all three countries that Trump has targeted with tariffs.” That means it’s possible that breakfast could get even more expensive, even at the most affordable chain restaurants. View the full article

Are you tired of the annoying "AI overview" at the top of your search results? Turns out you can get rid of it by starting your search with the word "fuck." The trick spread thanks to a now-viral thread on Tumblr and it works wonders. I've been trying it out all morning: the AI disappears but the results are otherwise more-or-less the same. Is this the best way to stop seeing AI in search results? No. We've talked about how to disable Google's AI search results by changing the default search engine in your browser to only pull in web results, and that's better. But is this the funnest way to stop seeing AI in search results? Fuck yeah it is. And it's perfect if you sometimes want to see AI results, but need a way to exclude them on a case-by-case basis. Credit: Justin Pot Sometimes, when you search, you want a quick answer. AI results in search are potentially useful for this. Sometimes, though, what you're looking for is a deep dive on a particular issues written and curated by actual experts. AI results, in that context, are mostly just cluttering your search results. Turns out you can blast them out of your search results with a strategically placed f-bomb. I don't know specifically why this works, but I assume it's some filter Google set up to avoid situations where the AI swears at users. It's particularly funny because this is how people use profanity in real life. Comedian James Acaster once explained the reason he started swearing during standup in one of my favorite bits. He realized that by not swearing he "attracted a demographic that I hate." The point: saying "fuck" every now and then can means people who don't like profanity won't engage with you. This trick, apparently, also works with bots: swear liberally and they won't interact with you. Welcome to the fucking future. View the full article

On a freezing cold Wednesday afternoon in eastern Kentucky, Taysha DeVaughan joined a small gathering at the foot of a reclaimed strip mine to celebrate a homecoming. “It’s a return of an ancestor,” DeVaughan said. “It’s a return of a relative.” That relative was the land they stood on, part of a tract slated for a federal penitentiary that many in the crowd consider another injustice in a region riddled with them. The mine shut down years ago, but the site, near the town of Roxana, still bears the scars of extraction. DeVaughan, an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation, joined some two dozen people on January 22 to celebrate the Appalachian Rekindling Project buying 63 acres within the prison’s footprint. “What we’re here to do is to protect her and to give her a voice,” DeVaughan said. “She’s been through mountaintop removal. She’s been blown up, she’s been scraped up, she’s been hurt.” The Appalachian Rekindling Project, which she helped found last year, wants to rewild the site with bison and native flora and fauna, open it to intertribal gatherings, and, it hopes, stop the prison. The environmental justice organization worked with a coalition of local nonprofits, including Build Community Not Prisons and the Institute to End Mass Incarceration, to raise $160,000 to buy the plot from retired truck driver Wayne Whitaker. He’d only just purchased it as a hunting ground, and it was an easy sell. “There’s nothing positive we’ll get out of this prison,” he said. The penitentiary has been a gleam in the eye of state and local officials and the Bureau of Prisons since 2006. It has always sparked sharp divisions in Roxana and beyond and was killed in 2019 after a series of lawsuits, only to be quietly resurrected in 2022. Last fall, the bureau took the final step in its approval process, clearing the way to begin buying land. Some in Letcher County, which saw 5.2% of its population leave between 2020 and 2023 and grapples with a 24% poverty rate, believe the prison will replace jobs and tax revenue lost with the decline of coal. Federal prison construction has boomed in central Appalachia as mining has faltered, with 8 of the 16 penitentiaries built there, often atop mines, located in Kentucky alone. “Those are all expressions of the economic crisis that has occurred due to the collapse of the coal industry, and for which the prisons and the jails are proposed,” said Judah Schept, a professor of justice studies at Eastern Kentucky University. In his book Coal, Cages, Crisis, Schept noted that mine sites are considered ideal locations for prisons or a dumping ground for waste, rather than places of ecological value, as some biologists have argued. The Roxana site has been reclaimed, meaning re-vegetated with a forest that now shelters a number of rare species, including endangered bats. Opponents argue that a prison will bring more environmental problems than jobs. Letcher County was 1 of 13 counties ravaged by catastrophic flooding in 2022, a situation exacerbated by damage strip mining caused to local watersheds. The prison slated for Roxana will exacerbate the problem. The Bureau of Prisons estimates it will damage 6,290 feet of streams and about 2 acres of wetlands. (The agency has promised to compensate the state.) DeVaughan said the purchase also is a step toward rectifying the dispossession that began with the forced removal and genocide of Indigenous peoples. The Cherokee, Shawnee, and Yuchi made their homes in the area before, during, and after colonization, and their thriving nations raised crops, ran businesses, and hunted bison that once roamed Appalachia. In all the time since, coal, timber, gas, and landholding companies have at times owned almost half of the land in 80 counties stretching from West Virginia to Alabama. Several prisons sprang from deals made with coal companies, something many locals consider the continuation of this status quo. Changing that dynamic is a priority for the Appalachian Rekindling Project, which hoped to buy more land to protect it from extractive industries and return its stewardship to Indigenous and local communities. DeVaughn said Indigenous peoples throughout the region will be welcome to use the land as a gathering place. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Nation, and United Keetoowah Band did not respond to requests for comment. DeVaughan sees its work establishing a new vision of economic transition for coalfields, one that relies less on “dollars and numbers” and more on “healing and restoration” of the land and the Indigenous and other communities that live there. She is working with the Cheyenne and Arapaho nations to acquire a herd of bison and plans to work with local volunteers, scientists, and students to inventory the site’s flora and fauna. The plot sits at the edge of the 500-acre site outlined for the prison, which would hold over 1,300 people in the main facility and adjoining camp. A representative of the Bureau of Prisons told Grist land acquisition will continue. This isn’t the first time the agency has hit such a pothole. Six years ago, Letcher County master falconer Mitch Whitaker refused to sell nearly 12 acres, requiring the agency to revise its plans. The prospect of doing so again led Representative Hal Rogers, who represents the area in Congress and has been the leading champion for the prison, to lambaste ARP and its allies. “This land purchase comes as no surprise from a group led by Kentucky outsiders and liberal extremists,” he said in a statement. But many of those on hand that Wednesday to celebrate the sale were local residents like Artie Ann Bates, who grew up in Letcher County and saw waves of strip mining damage her family’s land. “It’s just really hard seeing a place you love be destroyed,” she said. The purchase is a “sign of progress,” she added, bundled up at the foot of the mine site alongside her neighbors. — Katie Myers, Grist This article originally appeared in Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for its newsletter here. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: My husband is a blue collar worker, and he’s very experienced in his field. A little less than a year ago, he decided to switch jobs. He went from doing residential work in people’s homes to commercial work on big buildings. He had over two decades of experience doing the residential side of things, but very little commercial experience. So, in some ways it was like starting over again and having to train from the ground up. At the time, he had two competing job offers: one with a residential company that was offering a slightly lower base pay, but more potential bonuses and benefits, and the commercial company he ultimately went with. To leverage the other offer, he talked to the commercial company and they decided to hire him at a slightly lower rate than he wanted but with an extra week of PTO, and they said they would look at a raise at his 90-day review to bring him up where he wanted to be, based on his performance. At his 90-day review, his boss told him that he was incredibly impressed with how fast he was learning the job. His exact words were, “You’re kicking ass and taking names!” He told my husband that they were not only going to give him a bigger raise than promised, they were also going to give him a new work van and send him to be trained for bigger, more complex systems and look at another significant pay bump at the one-year mark if his trajectory continued. When my husband showed me his glowing review, I told him to make sure and include that on his resume. He’s not actively looking for a new job at the moment, but he is going back to school and needs an updated resume for that (as well as just keeping his resume fresh). We have a relative who is a hiring manager in a white collar industry (think banking/finance). At a recent family gathering, my husband was talking to this relative and asked for their opinion on his resume. When they saw that he had written that his boss had said he was “kicking ass and taking names” at his 90-day review, they told my husband that that was unbelievably unprofessional and that they would have thrown his resume directly into the garbage the second they saw that. They said having that comment on his resume would make them seriously question his judgment, and they would never, ever hire someone who thought that was acceptable … and in fact, they would consider reaching out to their industry contacts and telling others to avoid that person as well because it was so wildly inappropriate. My husband was very taken aback and upset by this, but I told him that this feels like (1) a bit of an overreaction, and (2) a difference in industry norms. I said that he was just quoting his boss and the feedback was literally written on his evaluation and told to him verbally, and other people in the same industry wouldn’t be thrown by it at all. I said he could take it off of his resume if he wanted and just leave the other details, but personally I thought it was charming and showed how enthusiastic his employer is about his work. I work in healthcare, so I feel like I’m predisposed to lean more towards being conservative, but even I thought that the response my husband got was over the top. If I saw that on a resume, my first thought would be, “Clearly, their last boss was very enthusiastic about their work!” (We do live in a more culturally conservative area, though where my husband and I work has become quite a bit more progressive in recent years.) He seems to be a bit deflated by this, so I wanted to seek other opinions. Is this a “never ever under any circumstances” type of thing, or is this something that can be more industry-dependent? Your relative’s reaction was over the top. I wouldn’t include “kicking ass and taking names!” on a resume, but that’s largely because it’s not specific enough, not because it’s an outrageous offense. I mean, it’s true that you normally shouldn’t include profanity on a resume, and the bar is pretty high for doing it. (There are times when I’d consider it, though! If Barack Obama or, I don’t know, Tom Hanks put in writing that I was “incredible at getting shit done,” I’d seriously consider putting that on a resume. But again, that’s a high bar — and even then some people might raise their eyebrows at it, but that would be outweighed by the number of people who loved it.) My take on the quote your husband used is that it doesn’t convey enough about why his employer felt he was kicking ass and taking names, which is ultimately the part that matters. It would be more effective to write about the work specifics that made them feel that way. For example: “In first 90 days, exceeded team’s previous sales by 20% and brought in two new six-figure contracts, earning kudos from management and an unusual out-of-cycle salary increase.” (That said, I could see using the “kicking ass and taking names” quote in a cover letter if there was a way to work it in organically.) Regardless, though, your relative’s reaction is absurd. They’d reach out to industry contacts to tell them never to hire him? That’s ridiculous, and that tells you that this is someone with no sense of proportion and with bad judgment. It’s absolutely useful for your relative to share that the wording would be considered unprofessional in their industry, but once they went beyond that, they were teaching you something about themselves more than about resume-writing (and that lesson is that you shouldn’t take professional advice from them). View the full article

Rival companies in fierce battle for talent in race to build powerful artificial intelligence ‘agents’View the full article

Dozens of senior officials put on leave. Thousands of contractors laid off. A freeze put on billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to other countries. Over the last two weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant changes to the U.S. agency charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas that has left aid organizations agonizing over whether they can continue with programs such as nutritional assistance for malnourished infants and children. Then-President John F. Kennedy established the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, during the Cold War. In the decades since, Republicans and Democrats have fought over the agency and its funding. Here’s a look at USAID, its history and the changes made since Trump took office. What is USAID? Kennedy created USAID at the height of the United States’ Cold War struggle with the Soviet Union. He wanted a more efficient way to counter Soviet influence abroad through foreign assistance and saw the State Department as frustratingly bureaucratic at doing that. Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act and Kennedy set up USAID as an independent agency in 1961. USAID has outlived the Soviet Union, which fell in 1991. Today, supporters of USAID argue that U.S. assistance in countries counters Russian and Chinese influence. China has its own “belt and road” foreign aid program worldwide operating in many countries that the U.S. also wants as partners. Critics say the programs are wasteful and promote a liberal agenda. What’s going on with USAID? On his first day in office Jan. 20, Trump implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance. Four days later, Peter Marocco — a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term — drafted a tougher than expected interpretation of that order, a move that shut down thousands of programs around the world and forced furloughs and layoffs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since moved to keep more kinds of strictly life-saving emergency programs going during the freeze. But confusion over what programs are exempted from the Trump administration’s stop-work orders — and fear of losing U.S. aid permanently — is still freezing aid and development work globally. Dozens of senior officials have been put on leave, thousands of contractors laid off, and employees were told Monday not to enter its Washington headquarters. And USAID’s website and its account on the X platform have been taken down. It’s part of a Trump administration crackdown that’s hitting across the federal government and its programs. But USAID and foreign aid are among those hit the hardest. Rubio said the administration’s aim was a program-by-program review of which projects make “America safer, stronger or more prosperous.” The decision to shut down U.S.-funded programs during the 90-day review meant the U.S. was “getting a lot more cooperation” from recipients of humanitarian, development and security assistance, Rubio said. What do critics of USAID say? Republicans typically push to give the State Department — which provides overall foreign policy guidance to USAID — more control of its policy and funds. Democrats typically promote USAID autonomy and authority. Funding for United Nations agencies, including peacekeeping, human rights and refugee agencies, have been traditional targets for Republican administrations to cut. The first Trump administration moved to reduce foreign aid spending, suspending payments to various U.N. agencies, including the U.N. Population Fund and funding to the Palestinian Authority. In Trump’s first term, the U.S. pulled out of the U.N. Human Rights Council and its financial obligations to that body. The U.S. is also barred from funding the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, under a bill signed by then-President Joe Biden last March. As a Florida senator, Rubio often called for more transparency on foreign assistance spending, but was generally supportive. In a 2017 social media post, Rubio said foreign assistance was “not charity,” that the U.S. “must make sure it is well spent” and called foreign aid “critical to our national security.” In 2023, Rubio sponsored a bill that would have required U.S. foreign assistance agencies to include more information on what organizations were implementing the aid on the ground. Why is Elon Musk going after USAID? Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has launched a sweeping effort empowered by Trump to fire government workers and cut trillions in government spending. USAID is one of his prime targets. Musk alleges USAID funding been used to launch deadly programs and called it a “criminal organization.” What is being affected by the USAID freeze? Sub-Saharan Africa could suffer more than any other region during the aid pause. The U.S. gave the region more than $6.5 billion in humanitarian assistance last year. HIV patients in Africa arriving at clinics funded by an acclaimed U.S. program that helped rein in the global AIDS epidemic of the 1980s found locked doors. There are also already ramifications in Latin America. In Mexico, a busy shelter for migrants in southern Mexico has been left without a doctor. A program to provide mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth fleeing Venezuela was disbanded. In Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala, so-called “Safe Mobility Offices” where migrants can apply to enter the U.S. legally have shuttered. The aid community is struggling to get the full picture—how many thousands of programs have shut down and how many thousands of workers were furloughed and laid off under the freeze? How much does the U.S. spend on foreign aid? In all, the U.S. spent about roughly $40 billion in foreign aid in the 2023 fiscal year, according to a report published last month by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance globally, although some other countries spend a bigger share of their budget on it. Foreign assistance overall amounts to less than 1% of the U.S. budget. What do Americans think of foreign aid? About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was spending “too much” overall on foreign aid, according to a March 2023 AP-NORC poll. Asked about specific costs, roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was putting too much money toward assistance to other countries. About 9 in 10 Republicans and 55% of Democrats agreed that the country was overspending on foreign aid. At the time, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the government was spending “too little” on domestic issues that included education, health care, infrastructure, Social Security and Medicare. Polling has shown that U.S. adults tend to overestimate the share of the federal budget that is spent on foreign aid. Surveys from KFF have found that on average, Americans say spending on foreign aid makes up 31% of the federal budget rather than closer to 1% or less. Could Trump dissolve USAID on his own? Democrats say presidents lack the constitutional authority to eliminate USAID. But it’s not clear what would stop him from trying. A mini-version of that legal battle played out in Trump’s first term, when he tried to cut the budget for foreign operations by a third. When Congress refused, the Trump administration used freezes and other tactics to cut the flow of funds already appropriated by Congress for the foreign programs. The Government Accountability Office later ruled that violated a law known as the Impoundment Control Act. It’s a law we may be hearing more of. “Live by executive order, die by executive order,” Musk said on X Saturday in reference to USAID. —Ellen Knickmeyer and Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this report. View the full article