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Google's John Mueller discussed SEO for AI Overviews and emphasized the continued importance of search marketing The post Google Shares Insight On SEO For AI Overviews appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My partner is angry about how I handled harassment at work Content warning for domestic violence. I’m a woman in finance. Six months ago, I was put into a team with an older male colleague who from day one decided to call me “Legs.” When someone challenged him, he said, “Well, look, she’s got legs up to here!” He gets too close, stares at my boobs, and one time walked past me while I was at my desk and, rather than squeezing my shoulder in passing, he put his hand effectively on the side of my boob and as he walked off his hand brushed off me. Word got back to the directors, he was told off for his behavior, he tried to apologize to me on a work night out, and I told him, “It’s not just what you do, but after you leave the room I become the butt of the joke for the next hour and it’s all totally humiliating.” It all then stopped. Whilst all the harassment stopped after that, he has been difficult to work with because he’s lazy and non-compliant and I have to tidy up all his messes. I’m leaving this job because I have a promotion with a new firm. Since my exit interview, this collegue and I have butted heads on a project and I’ve gone home and vented to my partner. Somehow, all the past sexual harrassment stuff came up and my partner got really, really furious with me for not previously reporting this colleague or doing anything to get this “predator” out of work. He shouted at me and gave me ultimatums of “you’ve got until your last day, otherwise I’ll be contacting the director.” He was so cross he shoved me at one point and said, “You’re a POS, not an advocate for women at all. It’s embarrassing a man has to stick up for women’s rights.” He berated me for making excuses for enabling this colleague. He is a domestic abuse survivor, but I plainly told him this is my situation and my work, and he’s being controlling and overstepping. My partner strongly believes he has a right to advocate for the next woman who’s going to step into my role. How do I handle this? I’m very close to ending my relationship. I’m so sorry — this awful and unfair in a number of different ways. Would you consider calling a domestic violence hotline? I’m so sorry to say it, but I don’t think you can safely stay in this relationship. The verbal abuse and belittling on their own are a reason to leave; the shoving takes it far, far past that line. None of the rest of my answer matters as much as that, but to address the other issues: your partner isn’t “sticking up for women’s rights.” Trying to overrule a woman’s autonomy in deciding how to handle a professional situation that affects her is not being an ally to women at all. If he wants to advocate for women, he needs to start by respecting their autonomy and their judgment. If he simply can’t live with how you’ve decided to handle your own work situation, his options are to try to change your perspective respectfully or to leave — not to try to bully you into doing what he wants. 2. Should a top executive be venting to employees about managers above them? My coworker Michael was lateral to me and on my team when I joined about seven years ago. However, in the years since, our CEO has taken a strong liking to him and he has risen through the ranks, to the point where he is now essentially the CEO’s second-in-command in charge of daily operations. Michael does not manage our team, but he is still quite close with many of us and often hangs out with us socially at team lunches and happy hours. Sometimes during these gatherings, he will “vent” to us, often about people or teams far above us — complaining, for example, that VP Jane never shows up to meetings or that X Product Team takes forever to get anything done. He once ranted about how our team’s manager never checks her messages and how various processes she’s implemented make no sense. These are all things that I agree with. They impact my daily workflow, in a way I don’t think they impact his, and hugely frustrate me as well. But I’m finding myself getting annoyed when Michael complains about them, because I don’t have the power to change any of these things as a rank-and-file employee — but he does! He has hiring, firing, and disciplinary power, he’s in high-level meetings, and he could actually do something about these problems! I know that some of these may well be battles that Michael has reasonably decided aren’t worth fighting. Still, is it reasonable to think that Michael is a bit insensitive for making these complaints to us? Not only insensitive, but oddly oblivious to his own position of power and influence, as well as to how “here’s a problem I could try to fix but rather than dealing with it competently, I’m just going to complain” reflects on him. He’s basically advertising his own ineffectiveness. And if he has correctly judged that these aren’t battles worth fighting, then he’s just demonstrating bad judgment in picking you as his audience to vent to. Besides being indiscreet, venting from higher-ups about other higher-ups is bad for people’s morale. What would happen if you started replying, “Don’t you have the authority now to do something about that?” 3. Should I tell my boss about my PMDD? I am four months into a new position in my company. I am past the training stage and am now handling my own accounts and assisting others. I have struggled with ADHD in the past, but have been able to manage it for the past few years with medication. Here’s where the problem comes in: I was diagnosed with PMDD years ago and stopped taking the hormonal birth control that made me stop my period completely. This has caused the hormonal surges and drops that lead to PMDD and it’s beginning to cause issues at work. One super fun side effect of my PMDD is that it makes my ADHD medication essentially useless. A lot of people have been out of work this last week, and trying to handle the extra work while dealing with unmitigated ADHD and terrible mood swings has been a nightmare and I’ve admittedly been ineffective. My boss has scheduled calls to check in and while I’ve been open about feeling overwhelmed, I’m beginning to wonder if I should explain why. During a non-PMDD week, I feel I would’ve been able to handle the higher work load. I’m worried that this is going to leave a lasting impression. I’m beginning to wonder if it would be easier to just explain to my boss that my PMDD wreaked havoc on my ability to focus last week but that I am working with my doctor to find a solution. Is this too much to share? Would it be viewed as making excuses? You don’t need to share that level of detail, and doing so risks opening you up to misunderstandings and biases about PMDD (and ADHD, for that matter). But as with any health issue, it’s enough to just stick to the parts that are pertinent to your boss. So for example: “I want to let you know that I’m having a medication issue that’s affecting my ability to concentrate. I’m working with my doctor to find a solution and I don’t expect it to continue long-term, but I wanted to let you know in case I don’t seem at 100% right now.” Related: should you tell your boss if you’re struggling with mental health issues? 4. How do I move back to a more junior job after covering while a coworker was on leave? For over a year now, I have been covering the job of a colleague while she is on maternity leave. Her maternity leave is due to end soon and in my country she is entitled to her previous job back. I will either need to return to my previous (more junior) role in the organization or to look for a new job elsewhere. How do I prepare to give her her job back without getting possessive or anxious that she will do a better job than I did? How do I navigate taking on a more junior role within the same team? I totally support the rights of working parents but am not sure how to navigate this transition emotionally and practically. It’s hard when you feel like you’re moving backwards. But a better way to look at it is that your coworker’s leave can be something that helps you move forward: it gave you something really great to put on your resume, which you can now parlay into a similar position somewhere else. (Or potentially at your current organization if something opens up.) The time you spent covering her job built your skills and gives you evidence of those skills and capabilities, and that should make getting the next job easier. Doing higher-level work can also help you do more junior roles at a higher level than you were doing them previously; you probably have a more nuanced understanding of the priorities, constraints, and politics of management above you and that broadened perspective can influence the way you approach your job now. You also might think about what you did and didn’t like about the work you were covering and use that to refine what you want next (as well as where your biggest challenges were, if those are areas you want to develop in). Last, are there opportunities to bring the skills you’ve built in the last year back to your current team in a new way? If so, consider talking to your boss about places where those could be helpful. View the full article

Reddit leads in search visibility growth, according to a SISTRIX report, raising questions about Google's preferences for user-generated content (UGC). The post Does Google Favor UGC? Reddit Leads In Search Growth [STUDY] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Paramount+'s February slate includes the return of several highly anticipated series, starting with the season three premiere of thriller Yellowjackets (Feb. 14). The show, which received a handful of Primetime Emmy nominations, follows a group of teenage girls who survived a plane crash in the wilderness into their adult lives. The third installment picks up in the aftermath of a character's present-day death in season two. Fans of the Taylor Sheridan Yellowstone universe are getting the second (and final) season of prequel series and origin story 1923 (Feb. 23), starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as the Dutton family patriarch and matriarch in harsh conditions of the pre-Depression era. There are also new seasons of Paramount+ originals NCIS: Sydney (Feb. 7), The Equalizer (Feb. 16), and Tracker (Feb. 16). Paramount+ will stream the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2. The show—hosted by Trevor Noah—is airing on CBS at 8 p.m. ET and will be available live for Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers. Finally, there's On TV: A Black History Month Special (Feb. 17), an hour-long news show hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner celebrating Black excellence in TV and entertainment. Here’s everything else coming to the service in February. Note that titles with an asterisk are exclusive to Paramount+ With Showtime; everything else is also available to subscribers on the ad-supported plan. Those with two asterisks are available to Paramount+ With Showtime users streaming live on CBS and to all subscribers the following day. Paramount+ Originals and premieres coming in February 2025Available February 1Ride* Available February 267th Annual Grammy Awards** Available February 4Burden of Guilt, premiere Available February 6Death Without Mercy, premiere* Available February 12Eric Clapton Unplugged…Over 30 Years Later, special premiere Available February 14Yellowjackets, season 3 premiere* Available February 17On TV: A Black History Month Special** Available February 231923, season 2 premiere TV shows coming to Paramount+ in February 2025Available February 5Bar Rescue (season 9) The Patrick Star Show (season 2) Super Bowl Greatest Commercials: F.O.A.T special** Available February 7NCIS: Sydney (season 2 premiere)** Available February 12PAW Patrol: Big Truck Pups CMT Crossroads (seasons 1-3,5,10-16,18-20) How Did They Fix That? (season 3) MTV Unplugged (seasons 1-8, 10-13) VH1 Storytellers (seasons 1-9, 11-13,15,16) Available February 16The Equalizer (season 5 winter premiere)** Tracker (season 2 winter premiere)** Available February 17On TV: A Black History Month Special** Available February 24Beyond the Gates (season 1) Available February 26Survivor (season 48)** The Loud House (season 7) Movies coming to Paramount+ in February 2025Available February 1A Mighty Heart A Walk on the Moon Adore Along Came A Spider American Gigolo Attack the Block Babel Bebe's Kids Birthday Girl Boys And Girls Brokeback Mountain Chocolate City Cinema Paradiso Come Away Critical Condition Dangerous Beauty Doubt Ferris Bueller's Day Off Geostorm Hooking Up I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell* In & Out Into The Wild Jersey Girl Juice Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Like Water for Chocolate Losing Isaiah Mansfield Park Marvin's Room Men, Women & Children Menace II Society Muriel's Wedding My Best Friend's Wedding My Boss's Daughter O (Othello) Old School Pretty In Pink Road to Perdition Roman Holiday Saturday Night Fever Serendipity Shakespeare in Love Shall We Dance? Shooter Suffragette Terms of Endearment The Babysitter The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Color Purple The Evening Star The Firm The Hunt for Red October The Love Guru The Love Letter The Mask The Pursuit of Happyness The Smurfs The Smurfs 2 The Stepford Wives The To Do List The Wood Transformers Vampire in Brooklyn What Lies Beneath What Women Want When Harry Met Sally Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! World War Z Wuthering Heights (2003) Available February 3Bull* The Nanny Diaries* Available February 12Fanboys* Available February 17Halloween* Deadlock Available February 24Southpaw* Available February 27The Aviary* Available February 28Crossing Over* View the full article

It finally happened: Following the Supreme Court’s ruling against it, TikTok was legally banned in the United States on Jan. 19. In response, TikTok pulled all of its offerings from U.S. app stores, including popular apps like CapCut and Lemon8, before going dark. If you are one of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok every day, you might've be a bit upset by the situation. You might have even flocked to another Chinese-based app, like RedNote. Just hours after access was blocked for U.S. users, however, TikTok returned, displaying a message thanking "President Trump" for his "efforts"—despite Trump originally floating a plan to ban the app during his first term. Trump posted on Truth Social earlier that day pledging to sign an executive order to extend TikTok's deadline and work towards a situation where an American company has a 50% share in TikTok. Once sworn into office, he did just that. (Read the latest on the status of the TikTok ban.) None of this means the app is permanently out of danger. As the law stands, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, still must divest its ownership or face a legal ban in the U.S. It's not even clear whether Trump has the power to delay enforcing the law, but, at this time, TikTok and other companies are operating as if he does. If the app is eventually banned in this country, however, that won't totally stop you from being able to access it. Sure, it might make it much more difficult, but you can potentially keep scrolling just as you did before—at least, for a while. Why did the U.S. ban TikTok?We've broken the situation down in our explainer, but here's a brief summary. The U.S. has long had concerns about TikTok, going back to the first Trump administration. The issue is largely based around national security: TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese-based company, and must comply with Chinese law. As such, there are concerns that ByteDance could hand the Chinese government data on the platform's millions of American users, as well as manipulate the infamously addictively algorithm to control what content Americans specifically see. It's not necessarily the app itself that Congress and the President are focused on: It's the Chinese government. That's why the "ban" is only part of the law President Biden signed back in April. The language gave ByteDance nine months to find an American-based buyer for TikTok in the U.S. If it had, ByteDance could have divested its stake in TikTok, and the app could have continued to without interruption. The company decided not to do that, however, insisting TikTok (and its proprietary algorithm) was not for sale. So, here we are. This situation has been wild, and there's no telling exactly where we go from here. Should the app go dark again, however, you will have some control over your ability to access TikTok in a post-ban American. Here's how: Make sure you have TikTok on your phone (assuming it ever returns to app stores)As of this article, TikTok is still not present on app stores in the U.S. As such, the app is no longer available to download through official channels: If you try to search for TikTok on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, you'll find a bunch of similar social media apps, or apps built for TikTok—not TikTok itself. In fact, on iOS, you'll see a message stating that TikTok and ByteDance apps are not available in your region. That's not surprising: It wouldn't be much of a ban if the government couldn't force companies to remove apps from their marketplaces. However, while the forces at be can ensure apps like TikTok are barred from app stores, they can't actually remove apps from your device itself. If you already have TikTok on your iPhone or Android device, it's staying there—until you delete it yourself. (However, based on the experience of one Lifehacker editor, if you restore your phone from an old iCloud backup, there's a chance any ByteDance apps will be disabled even if you already have them installed.) Generally, then, you already have TikTok on your phone, great. If not, you're in a bit of a rough spot. If TikTok does ever return to app stores, you'll want to download it right away. Sideload TikTok (Android only) if you canThere was previously an option for Android users who forgot to download the app before the ban: sideloading. Unlike iOS (in the United States, anyway), Android allows you to sideload apps, or, in other words, install apps from unofficial sources. This has long been a perk of Android over iOS, and although Apple has opened up sideloading for users in the E.U., it remains Android-only for most of the world. As such, if you had wanted to, you could have downloaded the latest version of TikTok to your Android device even though it was no longer available on the Play Store. Unfortunately, this option appears to be gutted, as well. APKMirror, the go-to option for safe sideloading on Android, is now blocking TikTok and Lemon8 downloads on its platform, citing the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. It's possible APKMirror will lift this block at some point in the future, perhaps depending on how the TikTok situation seems to be panning out, but, at the moment, this is no longer an option. As a general note, you want to be careful with sideloading: The practice offers few protections that the app you're installing is legit. That's why it's always better to go through official channels when possible. Google doesn't always catch the malicious apps, but it does find a lot of them. Going rogue, you run certain risks, especially since the world will know that Android users in the U.S. are looking for unofficial TikTok downloads. If you do go down this path, you really should use APKMirror rather than a cursory Google search. The site is trusted, and is a popular destination for sideloading. Get a VPNIf you have TikTok on your phone, no one can take it from you. However, they can break it. Late Saturday night, TikTok blocked network access to the app for users in the U.S. You could still open TikTok, but instead of a login screen or your FYP, you were greeted by a message informing you why TikTok is banned in your country. If it happens again, many (if not most), will likely continue on to American-based short form videos apps, but not you: Instead, you will be able to keep using TikTok, because you will have a VPN on your device. A VPN (virtual private network) lets you access parts of the internet your country or government wouldn't otherwise permit. It works by encrypting your connection and routing it through servers outside your country. If the U.S. doesn't allow connections to TikTok, for example, a VPN could make it look like you're accessing the internet from, say, Romania. You can watch TikTok in Romania without issue, so if TikTok's servers think you're in the westernmost country in Europe, it'll connect you. Ban avoided. There are a ton of VPNs out there to choose from, but you don't need to get fancy (or even spend any money) to access TikTok post-ban. All you need is a VPN that actively routes your traffic to a country that hasn't banned the platform, as well as a service that will route traffic within apps—not just within your web browser. Here’s the tricky bit: Based on the first time the app went dark, it seems TikTok blocks access to any American account, regardless of whether you use a VPN or not. So even if the app thinks you are in Romania, if you are logging in with an account you made in the U.S., no TikTok for you. You have a couple of options here: First, after setting up a VPN in another country, you could try creating a new account: TikTok will think this account is based in the country you’re VPN is set to, and should let you in without issue. However, if TikTok recognizes your app is American, that could pose further issues. If all else fails, what I was able to get to work was using TikTok in my browser with a VPN set to a specific country. For some reason, Japan didn’t work, and I received an error message when trying to load TikTok. But when I switched my location to Romania, I was in—of course, with Romanian content pushed to the front page. I was using Proton VPN to get this to work, which has a great free tier, and should work within the TikTok app on both iOS and Android. The only catch is you can’t choose your country; it picks for you. So you might need to refresh your country a few times before you find one that works. In theory, though, any VPN should work, so long as your connection is routed through a country TikTok supports. Don't use the app foreverEven if you get the app to work, you really shouldn't use it forever. Here's the deal: TikTok is staying on your iPhone or Android if you installed it already. But if the developers are no longer supporting the app in the U.S., that means there will be no new features added for your app, nor any fixes for bugs that may appear. So, you might encounter some weird glitches or crashes the longer you use the app following the ban, and you won't see any of the changes that TikTok makes to the app in supported parts of the world. But that's not my concern here. If the only issue was an unstable TikTok experience, well, whatever. But, eventually, the app becomes a security liability. Just as TikTok developers won't be able to push new features or bug fixes for the app, they also won't be able to patch any security vulnerabilities they discover down the line. And there will be security vulnerabilities down the line: That's just an inevitability of software. Eventually, flaws will appear that TikTok will patch for the app in countries it supports, but because it'll be cut off from the U.S., you won't see those updates. Instead, you'll use an app with a growing list of security flaws that bad actors will exploit for their own gain. It probably won't happen overnight, but after some time, the app becomes a real risk to keep on your device—especially when malicious users know that a country as large as the United States has people using an app without security patches. Ironically, in banning the app for national security reasons, the U.S. government will have turned it into a security risk of a different making. But will you want to keep using TikTok anyway?At the moment, TikTok is back. But what if a sale doesn't happen, and TikTok eventually goes dark for good? Will you actually want to keep using the app? Sure, at first, everything will likely seem the same, but as the app gets buggier and less secure, the experience will undoubtedly lose its luster. But it goes beyond that, too. American creators are likely not going to bother posting to an app that is banned in their country, and will switch full-time to other established platforms like Instagram and YouTube. As more and more creators leave, you'll see less of the content you're used to engaging with—content you could find on apps that aren't banned. Much of the rest of the world will still be posting to TikTok, of course, but it will be interesting to see if any ripple effects come out of this potential ban. Will the loss of hundreds of millions of users inspire creators outside the U.S. to focus on platforms Americans can use? If so, will TikTok start to lose even more content? The entire situation is unprecedented, so we really will just have to see. In any case, to make sure you can always access your favorite TikTok content, even if the app is no longer accessible or safe to use, download your videos right now. This article was updated Thursday, Jan. 23 with new updates about the TikTok ban, as well as news about APK Mirror. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In the same way that cranking up blues music can serve as a balm to a troubled soul, sinking into a deeply sad movie can be just the thing to give you a sense of catharsis. After all, everyone loves a good wallow once in a while—and in an era of highly calculated blockbusters designed not to offend anyone, it’s oddly refreshing to watch a movie that’s unafraid to make you feel bad. It takes more than a mere unhappy ending to join the ranks of the all-time most depressing movies, however. These flicks favor a pervasive sense of existential gloom, whether they are drawing attention to the plight of people facing unimaginable true-life circumstances, or simply inviting us to explore a breadth of emotions The Avengers can’t quite channel. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)The toll that war takes on children (a sadly evergreen topic) is made beautifully and heartbreakingly clear in Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies, the director's first film after co-founding Studio Ghibli. A pair of Japanese siblings narrowly escape the American firebombing of Kobe in the final months of World War II, but their struggles continue as they travel a war-torn countryside. The animators used a soft brown as a base, rather than the more traditional black ink, which gives the film a unique and dreamlike visual quality. Japanese animation has nothing to prove at this point, nor even back in 1988 when this was released, but Grave of the Fireflies makes very clear that anime is a medium, not a genre, and the stories filmmakers tell can be as deeply meaningful and moving as any in cinema. You can stream Grave of the Fireflies on Netflix. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix House of Sand and Fog (2003)A battle of wills between two indefatigable adversaries that ends well for neither of them—nor for their families. Recovering drug addict Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) is mistakenly evicted from her home, which is then bought for a pittance by a former Iranian Army colonel (Ben Kingsley) whose fortunes have fallen since coming to America. The two almost come to terms, with flashes of humanity in their interactions, but outside pressures force them into corners and ultimately to tragedy. You can stream House of Sand and Fog on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. House of Sand and Fog (2003) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ When the Wind Blows (1986) Veteran British actors John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft voice Jim and Hilda Bloggs, an aging English couple who barely survive a nuclear missile strike only to find that their efforts to carry on, and to achieve some sense of normalcy, come to little. There's the tiniest hint of optimism near the end, but before that it's a very sweet, poignant reminder that even (or especially) the innocent can't escape the consequences of war. You can stream When the Wind Blows on Tubi, Freevee, and Prime Video. When the Wind Blows (1986) at Freevee Learn More Learn More at Freevee Dancer in the Dark (2000) A Czech immigrant and factory worker in the 1960s is losing her eyesight and desperate to pull together the money to secure an operation for her son that will spare him the same fate. In spite of the fantasy musical numbers that sustain Selma (Björk), and her own best intentions, fate and the greed of those she trusts conspire to bring her to a tragic end. The musical interludes are spectacular, but the contrast between Selma’s dream worlds and her real life circumstances only serves to heighten the sense of tragedy and injustice. On the bright side: this is a period piece, and we know that the American healthcare system could never force anyone into such dire straights today. Phew. You can rent Dancer in the Dark from Prime Video. Dancer in the Dark (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Melancholia (2011) Sticking with the problematic master of mirth, Lars von Trier, it’s hard to argue that you’re not getting exactly what it says on the tin when you sit down to watch a movie called Melancholia. (No refunds.) Here, von Trier adds a science fiction-ish twist to a story of modern malaise. The titular rogue planet is on a collision course with Earth, and two sisters handle that destiny in very different ways. The result is a string of depressive episodes, infidelity, and death by suicide that all eschew the hope that we might make some sort of wary peace with death. You can stream Melancholia on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi, and Prime Video. Melancholia (2011) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Requiem for a Dream (2000) A symphonic ode to the misery of addiction, Darren Aronofsky’s second feature plays like an X-rated version of the anti-drug films you watched in high school. Over the course of two punishing, stylishly filmed, and artfully edited hours, we watch as four characters’ lives fall apart as they try to use drugs—from heroin to diet pills—to fill the empty places inside. It doesn’t work out: Jared Leto gets gangrene from an infected injection site, Jennifer Connelly turns to prostitution to get the money for her next score, and Marlon Wayans winds up in prison, abused by the guards. And then there’s Ellen Burstyn, who starts the film a lively, red-headed retiree and ends it a vacant-eyed, ashen amphetamine junkie in a squalid nursing home. Drugs are bad, mmmk? You can stream Requiem for a Dream on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Requiem for a Dream (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Speak No Evil (2022) I get that horror films are supposed to be scary, but then there are those than are less scary than they are unrelentingly bleak, which is distressing in a different way? Regardless, this 2022 Danish film is as grim as they come. It follows a young family that meets a nice couple and their son while traveling and accepts an invitation to stay at their home. To tell you what happens next would be a big spoiler, but I'd almost like to save you the angst of experiencing it. Needless to say, only bad things happen, and in the cruelest manner imaginable—including to young children. Bad feelings all around, and one of the most hopeless endings ever. For some reason it got a Hollywood remake with James McAvoy? You can stream Speak No Evil on Shudder and AMC+ or rent it from Prime Video. Speak No Evil (2022) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Sophie’s Choice (1982) In flashbacks from just after the war, we learn the story of titular Holocaust survivor Sophie (Meryl Streep), who during those years, had been forced to decide which of her children would live and which would die. As with the William Styron novel on which the film is based, it’s a powerful, fact-based narrative that, unfortunately, has become a sort of shorthand for any difficult decision. You can stream Sophie's Choice on Tubi and Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Sophie’s Choice (1982) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Come and See (1985) Director Elem Klimov fought Soviet censors for nearly a decade to release his film, a truly harrowing look at the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a Belarusian teenager who joins the anti-Nazi resistance following the invasion of his village. As the occupation continues, even survival for Flyora comes to feel like a curse; the accumulated horrors (including the deliberate burning of a church with dozens of people inside, an event that really took place) make Come and See one of the best war films ever made—because all the greatest war films are really anti-war. You can stream Come and See on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Come and See (1985) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Leaving Las Vegas (1995) Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for portraying a suicidal alcoholic who drives to Vegas with a trunk full of booze and an intent to drink himself into oblivion in this critically acclaimed and horrifically bleak film from writer/director Mike Figgis, adapting the semi-autobiographical novel by John O’Brien (who died by suicide shortly after selling the movie rights). I saw it once more than a decade ago, and to the best of my recollection, it involves nearly two hours of watching Cage guzzle hard liquor in a dingy hotel room while scream-crying, intercut with scenes of a sex worker (Elisabeth Shue, also Oscar-nominated) being subjected to a horrific sexual assault. I might have some details wrong, but it'll be a while yet before I can watch it again to verify. You can stream Leaving Las Vegas on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Mist (2007) The titular mist (not to be confused with The Fog) settles over a town in this nihilistic Stephen King adaptation, putting a bunch of locals at each other’s throats after they become trapped in a grocery store at the end of the world. Frank Darabont’s film makes clear that there’s no outside evil that can remotely compete with the ignorance, fear, and religious extremism that we’re faced with on a daily basis. Once that’s clear, the movie pushes things 10 steps further, ending on a note that’s either a perfect summation of its message or unbearably cruel. Probably it’s both. You can stream The Mist on Prime Video and Freevee. The Mist (2007) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cure (1997) Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s serial killer drama feels a bit like Seven early on, but grows increasingly more philosophical and esoteric as it goes, despite maintaining a chilly detachment from all of the murders it depicts. Police detective Kenichi Takabe is on the hunt for a killer, even as his own home life is imploding. The killer, we eventually learn, is no killer at all, instead someone adept at manipulating others into doing his work for him. The movie toys with the idea that there might be something otherworldly at play, but that’s less horrifying than the case it makes that we are, each of us, capable of incredibly dark acts, provided we’re given just enough of a push. You can stream Cure on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Cure (1997) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Road (2009) An unnamed man and his son wander through a bleak, desolate, post-apocalyptic America in search of a rumored safe haven to be found near the coast. Where other stories of this type invite us to have some fun with the idea that we might be clever enough to survive (and often throw in some zombies for good measure), The Road (as with the Cormac McCarthy on which it’s based) makes clear there’s unlikely to be much to appreciate about the collapse of civilization. You can stream The Road on Peacock, Tubi, and Starz or rent it from Prime Video. The Road (2009) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Children of Men (2006) Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men suggests that we’re not much more than five years away from civilization’s collapse after a period of war, natural disaster, and economic depression. So the idea that we still have five years on all of that is pretty hopeful, but otherwise, the world depicted here—in which infertility has become an epidemic—is one of deep desperation and a total absence of hope. As much as any film here, and thanks to Cuarón’s careful eye as a director, the sense of a world over the brink is in every shot. You can stream Children of Men on Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Children of Men (2006) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Alien 3 (1992) While the first two Alien films were hardly laugh riots, David Fincher’s (troubled) sequel is almost certainly the most boldly disturbing franchise entry in the history of Hollywood sequels. The movie begins with the deaths of almost all the survivors from the previous film (and the gruesome autopsy of a beloved character) before dropping Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) into a prison colony in which the most likable character (Charles S. Dutton) is a serial murderer and convicted rapist. In an era of franchises increasingly calculated to be as inoffensive as possible, I’m a big fan of its risk-taking, but hoo boy is it dark. You can rent Alien 3 from Prime Video. Alien 3 (1992) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Triangle (2009) A twisty-turny film that at first plays like a slasher-movie at sea, but then quickly turns into something far more disturbing. Jess is off on a boat trip with some friends, offering a slightly sketchy explanation for the absence of her autistic son, who was meant to join them. A sudden storm finds the group seeking shelter about a strangely empty ocean liner—empty except for the person who keeps killing everyone. The film soon evolves into a time-loop science-fiction thriller, before revealing itself to be a punishment of mythological proportions. You can stream Triangle on Prime Video, Peacock, Tubi, and AMC+. Triangle (2009) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Timecrimes (2007) Another sci-fi mind-bender involving messing about with time, this Spanish thriller follows the tragic temporal fate of Héctor (Karra Elejalde) and his wife Clara (Candela Fernández). Héctor spots a woman in the woods, naked and unconscious. Going to investigate, he's attacked by a mysterious man covered in bloody bandages. Fleeing, he winds up in the middle of a bizarre time travel experiment, one which sends him back in time and into a past that he only makes worse. And then makes worse again. And again. The fiendishly clever film from Nacho Vigalondo suggests that neither our best intentions nor all the time in the world can erase our most selfish mistakes. You can rent Timecrimes from Prime Video. Timecrimes (2007) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Man Bites Dog (1992) Plenty of films tweak audiences for our willingness to wallow in onscreen horrors (see Rear Window for a cheerier example). Belgian mockumentary Man Bites Dog puts us through the wringer by putting us in the place of a film crew following a vicious serial killer. There’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek style here, which does nothing to lessen the impact of the film crew’s increasing sympathy with the killer, who ultimately become accomplices to his actions. Man Bites Dog asks deeply uncomfortable questions about not just our tolerance for on-screen violence, but about the extent to which we’ll stand aside in the face of real-world horrors, or even join in given the right incentives. You can stream Man Bites Dog on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Man Bites Dog (1992) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) Heather Matarazzo made a brilliant debut in Todd Solondz’ Welcome to the Dollhouse as Dawn Weiner, an extremely unpopular middle schooler whose life becomes a series of rejections, assaults, bullying, and disappointments. While the character is charming, this isn’t a movie about a plucky nonconformist who beats the odds—it’s about the psychological trauma faced by those who don’t fit in, and the terrible choice between staying true to yourself and accepting the resulting abuse, or hiding your light with in a bushel in the hope you’ll find a little peace. You can stream Welcome to the Dollhouse on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Precious (2009) Gabourey Sidibe’s 16-year-old Precious can neither read nor write and, as the movie opens, is pregnant for the second time as a result of a series of rapes by her father, even as her uncaring mother subjects her to physical and verbal abuse on a regular basis. Unlike many characters in these movies, there’s a hint of hope for Precious—a transfer to a new school; the attention of a well-meaning teacher—but the road to (maybe) get to a better place is a dark and rocky one. You can stream Precious on Tubi and Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. Precious (2009) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Revolutionary Road (2008) The horror in Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road is in the white-picket-fence conformity of the 1950s. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite post-Titanic in a story that sees the walls closing in on a young couple trying to make a go of it in a stifling world, before their efforts to escape into something more spiritually fulfilling threaten their relationship and eventually, their lives. The bright, clean streets of the title’s Revolutionary Road come to feel as dystopian as those in another movie’s apocalypse. You can stream Revolutionary Road on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Revolutionary Road (2008) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ La Strada (1954) Federico Fellini was known for films filled with color and fantastical imagery, and there’s a bit of that in his story of simple-minded Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), purchased by widower and street performer Zampanò (Anthony Quinn), previously married to Gelsomina’s late sister. Gelsomina's bright spirit and kind heart are gradually ground down by the cruel treatment of her new husband; when she finds a companion in another street performer (a clown, in this case), Zampanò’s jealousy leads to tragedy, even though the strongman can’t be bothered to show his wife any affection. It’s a beautiful film, and a shattering one. You can stream La Strada on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. La Strada (1954) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Plague Dogs (1982) Snitter (John Hurt) and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin) escape from a cruel animal testing laboratory in this adult animated feature adapting the novel by Richard Adams (Watership Down). I'll skip over details of the experiments to which the two were subjected, except to say that they're both thoroughly cruel and also entirely reflective of real-life animal testing practices. The world at large is, unfortunately, not much kinder to the two escaped dogs than their former prison was. It's rather lovely, in its way, and beautifully animated—but animal lovers, especially, will find it rough going. Which is certainly the point. You can stream The Plague Dogs on Tubi. The Plague Dogs (1982) at Tubi Learn More Learn More at Tubi The Father (2020) Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Anthony, the titular father, at the end of his life and living with severe dementia. It's a brilliant performance in a movie that tells its story entirely from Anthony's perspective, his disorientation playing out as frequently horrifyingly disjointed moments in a life losing all connective tissue. In privileging the point of view of the patient, rather than the family or caregivers, the movie is intensely humane, but it doesn't soft-pedal the experience, and there's little comfort to be found. You can stream The Father on Starz or rent it from Prime Video. The Father (2020) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video All of Us Strangers (2023) A romantic ghost story on the surface, All of Us Strangers follows lonely screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) as he starts a relationship with his very mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), the two of them the only residents of an imposing new apartment building. It's a relationship that draws Adam to return to his family home, where he finds his parents seemingly alive and well, despite them having died decades earlier. Without offering too many spoilers beyond that, the movie goes to very dark places from there, providing a strong reminder that loss is an inevitable part of life, yes, but also that the only real comfort is in forgetting and moving on. You can stream All of Us Strangers on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. All of Us Strangers (2023) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Threads (1984) A particularly effective take on the nuclear-war-is-bad-actually genre of the early and mid 1980s (see also: Testament and The Day After), this British film takes a chilling, faux documentary approach to the end of days. A young couple in Sheffield is getting ready to build a life and a family together when war breaks out between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, with a nuclear attack occurring on a NATO base about 20 miles from the city. The two are separated, and that is only the beginning of the horrors faced by Karen Meagher's Ruth Beckett. The emphasis is on the resulting breakdown in law and social order, with an ending shot that's a genuine punch to the gut. You can stream Threads on Tubi and Shudder or rent it from Prime Video. Threads (1984) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Manchester by the Sea (2016) There are moments of light in Manchester by the Sea, and it doesn't build to an ending that'e entirely crushing, but there's an awful lot of pain and anger along the way. Casey Affleck plays Lee, who is surprised to find out that he's been assigned custody of his deceased brother's son. The situation forces him to confront his past in the title town and, as we come to understand why sullen, alcoholic Lee can barely get through a day, it becomes clear why his past is holding him back—and will continue to do so. (It's that bad.) You can stream Manchester by the Sea on Prime Video. Manchester by the Sea (2016) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Aftersun (2022) Initially, and on a surface level, Aftersun is a bright and charming look at a vacation at a cheap resort in Turkey involving a divorced dad (Paul Mescal, whom we've already discussed) and the daughter (Frankie Corio) he doesn't really see enough of. But there are unsettling elements from the very beginning, and a growing unease creeps into our perspective as an audience. We soon understand that what we're seeing is a memory, a grown woman's attempts to understand her father's life and death with only a child's memories to work from. That fun trip soon becomes something melancholy and deeply poignant. You can stream Aftersun on Netflix and Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Aftersun (2022) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) Robert Bresson’s film opens with the gift of a donkey named Balthazar to a sensitive farm girl, Marie. The two are separated following a family tragedy, with the once-beloved beast of burden winding up as nothing more than a pack animal for a family that doesn’t care for him beyond his ability to perform labor. Marie, meanwhile, ends up in a deeply abusive relationship, and, though fate reconnects woman and donkey at intervals over the years, neither is having a particularly good life and neither winds up with a particularly happy ending. It’s a lovely movie, in many ways, but it’s definitely a banger in the depressing animal-story genre (and just maybe, the donkey is supposed to be a metaphor, but let’s try not to think too much about that). You can stream Au Hazard Balthazar on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cries and Whispers (1972) While I’d never describe Ingmar Bergman as maudlin, it’s certainly the case that his best films, while masterpieces of acting, directing, and screenwriting, are deeply depressing, if not entirely pessimistic. Here, Agnes (Harriet Andersson) slowly dies of cancer while her sisters struggle with their own problems and insecurities, finding themselves unable to provide the needed support. The good work and genuine care of the maid, Anna, further exacerbates the feelings of inadequacy that keep the family from connecting when it’s most truly needed. You can stream Cries and Whispers on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Cries and Whispers (1972) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Million Dollar Baby (2004) The Clint Eastwood sports drama cleaned up at the major categories at the Oscars in its year, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Hilary Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (for Morgan Freeman). All the more impressive given how dour the film is. It's wonderfully acted and a beautiful bit of filmmaking, but takes inspirational sports-movie tropes and turns them on their sides, building to a tragic ending that offers little in the way of Rocky-style inspiration. You can rent Million Dollar Baby from Prime Video. Million Dollar Baby (2004) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Passing (2021) Reenie Redfield (Tessa Thompson), a middle-class Black woman, runs into her old friend Clare (Ruth Negga)—now bleach-blonde and passing for white, a dangerous thing to do in New York City of the 1920s. She's even married, with a husband who has no idea. The two offer up incredible performances as two women who see in each other roads not taken, but their unsettling encounter leads each of them along a road to tragedy. The film has a lyrical, dreamlike quality that only serves to augment and enhance the sense that walls are closing in for the two old friends. You can stream Passing on Netflix. Passing (2021) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix The Rapture (1991) A young swinger (this is 1991, when such terms were still in the parlance) played by Mimi Rogers becomes a born-again Christian after a sect convinces her that the Rapture is imminent. Her new piousness is challenged when her husband is murdered, and her despair leads her to contemplate taking her own daughter’s life (to get her to heaven faster, naturally). And that’s not even the depressing part. Fearlessly depicting her character’s transition from hedonism to zealotry to unimaginable despair, Rogers gives the best performance of her career; too bad it’s in a film you’ll almost definitely only want to watch once. You can rent The Rapture from Prime Video. The Rapture (1991) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Pianist (2002) In assembling this list, I struggled with how many Holocaust films to include; there are many, enough to populate an even longer list than this all by themselves. For better or worse, I will let Roman Polanski’s The Pianist stay, and certainly it is one of the most unsparing in its depictions of that particular historical horror. Based on the memoir by the Polish-Jewish musician Władysław Szpilman (played by Adrien Brody, who won the Oscar), the movie takes us through the entire span of the war; as things get worse and worse and worse for the Polish Jews, Szpilman loses everything, including the love for music that is his only lifeline. Though its legacy is tarnished for being directed by Polanski (no small reason to leave it on the shelf), The Pianist remains a stunning accomplishment in the artful depiction of the worst of humanity. You can stream The Pianist on Peacock, Tubi, Prime Video, and Freevee. The Pianist (2002) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Umberto D. (1952) Any movie can be sad, but it takes a special flavor of cinematic hopelessness to get a film banned by the government for being too depressing. Yet that’s exactly what happened to this story of an elderly Italian man (Carlo Battisti) struggling to keep a roof over his head after he is evicted; when that proves too tall an order, he elects for finding a home for his beloved dog before he ends his own life. Performed by a cast of mostly non-actors, Umberto D.’s grim realism proved a bit too much for the Italian government, which felt it painted too bleak a picture of the state of the nation in the wake of World War II, and subsequently “banned the export of films deemed unflattering to Italian society,” according to Peter Becker, film historian and president of the Criterion Channel. You can stream Umberto D. on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Umberto D. (1952) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max View the full article

Looking to take the next step in your project management career and join (or head up) a PMO? A PMO certification will help you master the essential skills, refine your decision-making, and get ahead in your career. Here are my picks for the best certifications available. The post 14 Best PMO Certifications to Take in 2025 appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

On Saturday night, TikTok went dark, and pulled its products from app stores in the United States. The following day, citing assurances from incoming-President Trump, TikTok returned service to American users, but its apps are still missing from App Stores—even after Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcing the law that bans TikTok. As we got closer to the ban, I advised our Android readers of a way to download TikTok post-ban: sideloading. While you need to be careful doing it, sideloading lets you install apps that aren't present on official app stores, like Google's Play Store, meaning if you missed your window to download TikTok before last Saturday night, it was still available through other online sources. Again, sideloading apps can be risky. Google might not catch every bad app, but they do have stringent filters that protect users from many malicious programs. Depending on where you're downloading your apps from, you may be far less protected while sideloading, and putting yourself at greater risk of encountering malware. There are reliable sideloading platforms out there, however. One of them is APKMirror, which verifies the identity of all developers whose apps are hosted on the site. As such, I recommended APKMirror for any Android users looking to sideload TikTok following the ban. As it happens, that's no longer possible. If you try to search for TikTok on APKMirror right now, you'll immediately be blocked, and see the following message: Credit: Jake Peterson It's clear this isn't a glitch, nor is it a subtle block. APKMirror specifically says TikTok downloads are blocked because of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act—the law that bans TikTok in the U.S. It's a similar situation for Lemon8, a popular lifestyle app from TikTok. While you can current search for Lemon8, clicking on any of the apps in the results delivers the same message as above. Interestingly, APKMirror hasn't blocked downloads of other popular TikTok apps, like CapCut or Marvel Snap. Those apps are also barred from official app stores while the law is in effect, but APKMirror still allows you to search for and download them. As of this writing, you can download a version of CapCut last updated Jan. 22, and a version of Marvel Snap last updated Jan. 14. The law isn't being enforced, but is that legal?The block speaks to the precarious nature of the TikTok ban. As written, the law has been in effect since Sunday, Jan. 19. The law was passed by Congress, signed by President Biden, and even affirmed by the Supreme Court as constitutional. It gives the president the power to delay the ban by 90 days if it appears that ByteDance is actively working to sell the app, but the law's deadline has already come and passed. It's not clear what power Trump really has to delay enforcing the law in this case. Some entities, like TikTok and the companies that host its traffic (including Oracle), clearly think Trump has the authority to delay this enforcement, and are continuing operations in the U.S. while the law is in effect. Others, like APKMirror, appear to be taking a more cautious approach—allowing downloads for certain TikTok apps, but not TikTok itself. Whatever the case, at the moment, there appear to be few safe ways to download TikTok onto your smartphone if you didn't grab it before the ban. My advice, if you want to use the service, is to simply use the web app. It's far from ideal, especially on mobile, but it's far better than downloading a virus-riddled "TikTok" from a shady source online. View the full article

Discover actionable insights for crafting authentic impactful campaigns and enhancing your SEO efforts, while elevating your brand. The post Brand Performance Unlocked: Advanced Strategies for SEO and Marketing Synergy appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

X (formerly known as Twitter) has been through it over the last few years: Elon Musk took over, fired a ton of people, destroyed the validity and integrity of profile verification, considered selling your location data and phone number, publicized everyone’s private Circles, allowed hate speech and misinformation to grow and fester, and got so political that he got an appointment to lead a federal department under President Donald Trump's second term. If all these changes have put you through it or you're simply looking to lessen your time on social media, you can deactivate or delete your account. First, download your tweets before you do anything. Unlike other social media sites, deleting your X account is relatively straightforward. However, there is one caveat to deleting it once and for all. Consider not fully deleting your accountFirst, this is important: It might be better not to delete your account. If you fully nuke the account, someone else can snatch up your username, which is concerning for anyone with a public persona and a username that has been tied to them for years. If your account has been linked to your work or name in any way, the safer option is to pay a few dollars to a deleter service like the appropriately named Tweet Deleter or Delete Tweet to get rid of all your posts and likes, then privatize all your settings. This way, you maintain ownership of the account that is tied to you, but there's nothing on it. Sure, it's possible no bad actor will steal your username and post a bunch of inappropriate stuff, but if you're even a little worried about that, don't delete. Still, if you insist, here's how. Download your X dataWhether you dislike X because of Musk or because of all the time it sucked out of your life over the years, you have to admit those years were kind of fun. You probably got some bangers off, did numbers a few times, or shared work or ideas that were meaningful to you. Before getting rid of your account, be sure to download your data, which will produce a .zip file of not only your posts, but your likes, DMs, and more. Log in on a browser and press "More" on the sidebar, then "Setting and Privacy." You'll be prompted to enter your password, then see a list of further options and at the top will be "Your Account." Clicking that, you'll find "Download an Archive of your Data." After clicking it, you'll get an in-app notification letting you know the file is ready for download. Be advised it can take up to 24 hours, so don't delete or deactivate anything until it's done. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/X How X treats "deactivation"X doesn’t let you delete your account outright. Rather than risk users throwing their whole profiles away when they finally snap, the site wants to employ a cool-down period through account “deactivation.” When you choose to deactivate your account, it will feel like the account is gone for good, since your name, username, and profile won’t be accessible on X. However, the account still exists, and you can retrieve it if you want to reverse course. Keep in mind that isn’t the case forever. X will erase your account 30 days after you hit the “Deactivate” button. Don’t treat this option like you’re putting your account on the back burner: While it’s nice X doesn’t delete your profile immediately, 30 days will come and go fast, and there will be no way to go back after that month is up. How to deactivate your X account on desktop and mobileTo deactivate X in a web browser, do what you did to get the archive: Click “More” in the left-side menu, then choose “Settings and privacy.” To start on iOS or Android, tap your profile icon and tap “Settings and privacy.” On all platforms, choose “Account” or “Your account,” then scroll all the way down and choose “Deactivate your account.” Here, X gives you the full breakdown I already covered, including alternative routes to take rather than deactivation, like changing your @username. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/X Unlike some other platforms, the process here is the same on the mobile app. You just start by tapping your profile picture in the top left of your screen, then going through the same series from Settings and Privacy > Your Account > Deactivate. Entering your password after hitting the button will make it permanent (for 30 days, anyway, and then eventually forever). Keep in mind that search engines may still store some of your X data and posts, even after the deletion, and your archive request needs to be carried out before you deactivate, even though the company's systems will retain data after you get rid of the account. View the full article

Rest days are a standard part of exercise programs, but they’re not the only way to avoid overworking yourself. Contrary to what a lot of beginner advice says, you don't always need a rest day after each day of exercise, and you can even work out seven days a week if you like. But once you start bending the rules, you'll need to take some extra effort to make sure you allow yourself enough recovery, even if it doesn't come in the form of rest. Recovery is important (whether it comes in the form of "rest days" or not)Most strength training programs either work your whole body and then have you rest the next day, or else they have you split up your workouts so that each muscle group gets a day of rest—for example, your arms get a rest on leg day. The idea is to let each muscle recover from a workout before you ask it to do the same thing again, and rest days are a valid way of making sure you're getting some time to recover. But not every activity works this way. Runners, for example, often run every day, and may only take one or two true rest days a week (or, for some, zero). But within that pattern, they will alternate days of hard running (like speedwork, hill running, or long runs) with easy runs that feel less challenging to the body. The easy run days may not be "rest," but they do count as recovery time for an experienced runner. Other sports may fall somewhere in between, but nobody expects to work every body part to exhaustion every day. Even when elite athletes do workouts every day that look killer to us, it’s because our “hard” is their “easy”. You can bet their coaches schedule in enough of the easier workouts to keep the athlete’s progress on track with minimal risk of injury. Whatever your schedule looks like, those rest days or easy days are there to help us pace ourselves. Too much hard running, if you’re not used to it, sets you up for tendonitis and other overuse injuries. And too much exercise of any kind can lead to a syndrome called overtraining where your body may develop flu-like symptoms and disturbed sleep because it just can’t keep up with the demands you’re putting on it. There’s Nothing Magic About Resting for One DayTaking a single rest day after a hard workout isn’t the only way to keep yourself from overtraining. There are a few reasons it’s a good rule of thumb, though: Resting every other day means only half of your days will be hard workouts. The other half will be rest days or easier days, so the schedule keeps your total workout intensity manageable. An alternating schedule is easy to follow. You don't have to ask yourself whether your recovery work is easy enough, or memorize which exercises work which muscles. You just stay home if it's not a workout day, and you know you're on track. Mentally, it’s easier to stick to a workout when you enjoy it. Hard workouts aren’t always fun, and you may need to psych yourself up to try something really challenging. It’s okay if you don’t feel up to that every day. Having some easier, more relaxing days can help you stick to your schedule. Routines with rest days are easier to schedule around your life. People who work out six days a week have to fit those workouts around everything that's going on in their lives. Having multiple rest days every week means you have more time for work, school, family, hobbies, and anything else that competes for those time slots. If you can accomplish those goals with another schedule, though, feel free to do so. If you enjoy all your workouts, even the hard ones, slowly include more hard days in your schedule. If you feel okay with that, keep doing it! But if you end up sore or fatigued, listen to your body and put those rest days back in. Recovery Doesn’t Have to Mean Total RestSome people prefer the term “recovery” to “rest” days, because total rest isn’t necessarily your goal. After all, lifting a fork to your mouth is a similar action to a bicep curl, so if you just did a heavy arm day, would you be unable to eat? Clearly, some amount of activity is fine on a rest or recovery day. This is where you have to calibrate your own sense of effort. If you’re new to exercising and you just did a day of heavy squats, a five mile bike ride is probably not a great choice for the following day. But if you bike five miles to work every day, you should be able to keep doing that even on your “rest” days. When I did push-ups every day for 30 days, a few people suggested that I was setting myself up for injury by not taking rest days. But as I wrote in that article, I ramped up my fitness very carefully. A few sets of pushups every day became my new normal, and it was no more taxing to me than a bike ride is to a bike commuter. Some days I would try a more challenging type of pushup or I might do more reps than usual; but I balanced out those harder days with, you guessed it, easier days that are closer to my baseline effort level. As you learn your own strengths and limitations, you too can alter your workout schedule according to what works for you. That might mean you only take one or two rest days per week, or it might mean you do mega-hard workouts and then lay low for a few days. If you’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise in total, and if you aren’t getting sore or injured, you’re probably doing okay. Now, let me ask some of the specific questions that I know tend to come up in these discussions? Can I walk or do cardio on rest days? Yes, if that's your baseline level of activity. If you always go for a walk after dinner, there's no need to skip that just because it's a rest day. If you want to start adding cardio on your rest days, make sure you're recovering well from whatever you're already doing. Feel free to add in that extra cardio, or other easy movement, a little bit at a time. I also have this guide to figuring out what to do on your rest days. How do I know when I need a rest day? If you can't tell the difference between feeling lazy and needing a rest day, ask yourself: Do I want to skip my workout or do I need to skip my workout? If you feel like you need a rest day, you probably do. It's OK to take a rest day if you feel sick, or if you're unusually tired or busy. A workout is just a workout. It can wait. If you ask yourself this question and decide you just don't want to work out, consider moving the workout to another day or time. Or, if there's really no reason to skip, go do the workout anyway. Any time I feel this way, I always feel better afterward, and I'm glad I got the workout done. But if you're asking yourself this question pretty often, you should probably revisit your workout routine and make sure it's actually working for you. Rest (or recovery) days should be preventative. They keep you from getting too run-down. Do I need rest days if I'm not sore? Soreness doesn't have much to do with recovery, believe it or not. You can be well-recovered but feeling a little sore, or vice versa. On a new exercise program, I'd advise sticking to your scheduled recovery days. After two weeks, that's when you can add in some extra work on those recovery days as long as you're still feeling good. What happens if I don't take my rest day? You might feel a little more fatigued for your next workout. Over time, if you don't take any rest days, you may find you're lifting less weight or performing poorly in workouts. You may notice other effects on your health, like poor sleep. But then again, maybe you'll be fine. As we discussed above, rest days aren't magic, they're just a tool in the toolbox. If you work out every day, but your total amount of work is within your body's limits, you might recover just fine and this becomes your new normal. Pay attention to how you're feeling, though, and add those rest days back in if you feel you need them. 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. During Samsung's Galaxy S25 Unpacked Stream earlier this week, the new Galaxy S25 Series lineup was announced. They include the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. This new lineup arrives on Feb. 7, but preorders are up already. Amazon and Samsung are currently offering the best preorder deals, with an Amazon gift card of up to $200 or a free storage upgrade. The new Samsung S25 phones have a focus on AI features and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with 12GB of RAM, a significant improvement over the last version. 128GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 50MP AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 with $100 Amazon Gift Card $799.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.99 Save $100.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $799.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.99 Save $100.00 256GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 50MP AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25+ with $100 Amazon Gift Card $999.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,099.99 Save $100.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $999.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,099.99 Save $100.00 256GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 200MP AI Camera, S Pen, Fast Processor, Long Battery Life. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Ultra with $200 Amazon Gift Card $1,299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.99 Save $200.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.99 Save $200.00 SEE 0 MORE 128GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25 with $50 Samsung Credit $799.99 at Samsung Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $799.99 at Samsung 256GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25+ with $100 Samsung Credit $999.99 at Samsung Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $999.99 at Samsung 512GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra Free Storage Upgrade and $80 Samsung Credit $1,299.99 at Samsung $1,419.99 Save $120.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,299.99 at Samsung $1,419.99 Save $120.00 SEE 0 MORE The S25 preorder dealAmazon is offering gift cards of $100 for the S25 and S25+ and $200 for the S25 Ultra. If you don't mind the 128GB storage, Amazon offers the best deal for the most basic S25. But if you want more storage, Samsung's offer is technically cheaper if you don't take Amazon's $100 gift card into consideration. But who doesn't like Amazon gift cards? The S25+ preorder dealThe S25+ preorder deal is the same if you shop at Amazon or Samsung, but an Amazon gift card offers much better purchase options than a Samsung one. If you're looking to update the storage, you might as well buy it from Samsung for $100 less (even with the $100 Amazon gift card). The S25 Ultra preorder dealIf you want the best phone, the S25 Ultra, with the lowest storage of 256GB (which for most people should be enough), get it from Amazon, since it offers a $200 gift card. But if you know you'll be needing more space, both Amazon and Samsung are offering good deals to double the storage. Samsung's deal doubles it for free at the same $1,299.99 price and offers an $80 Samsung credit. With Amazon, you'd be paying more upfront, $1,419.99, but you'll likely find it easier to use a $200 Amazon gift card than an $80 Samsung one. Either way, when both gift cards are used, you end up with the same value proposition. The one reason you should go with Samsung over Amazon is if you have products to trade in, since it offers up to $900 instant trade-in credit. View the full article

Most pros will hit the ground running. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Most pros will hit the ground running. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Construction is a field with a lot of disciplines. After all, it takes a lot of different craftsmen, engineers and more to assemble a building, bridge or any safe and integral structure. Every process is important to construction project management, especially construction engineering. But what is construction engineering and is it the same as civil engineering? Spoiler alert: it’s not. We’ll explain what a construction engineer is and how it differs from a civil engineer. We’ll then explore the different roles related to construction engineering management. What Is Construction Engineering? Construction engineering is the process of overseeing and managing a large-scale and complex infrastructure construction projects. These types of construction projects tend to be large buildings and the infrastructure that supports them. As construction project management is almost always a complex and collaborative effort, you’ll find construction engineers working with other types of engineering professionals. But construction engineers are often responsible for the design and safety of temporary structures that are used during construction, such as scaffolding. Construction engineers can work on electrical systems, mechanical systems and even building a new highway or tunnel, making sure they’re connected to new buildings correctly. Construction engineering relates to the construction project as the construction engineer manages it and keeps the project on schedule. They have to make sure that the construction is proceeding according to the construction plan. Such responsibilities require powerful project management tools to ensure schedules and safety standards are being met. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps maintain construction schedules with robust Gantt charts. With our tool construction engineers can link all four task dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline that allows them to track the planned schedule against the actual schedule in real time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/construction-gantt-resources-costs-150-CTA-BUTTON-1.jpgProjectManager’s Gantt charts help construction engineers stay on schedule. Learn more Key Areas of Construction Engineering There is a wide range of specializations under construction engineering. Here are some of the key areas. Structural Engineering This ensures that the overall design of the structure meets safety and code requirements. Structural engineering can also include designing and overseeing the construction of structures such as formwork, shoring and scaffolding. Surveying and Site Analysis From a technical standpoint, surveying helps determine the terrestrial or celestial positions of points and the distances and angles between them. This can include topographic mapping or monitoring the construction process. Site analysis takes a comprehensive look at the site to outline its characteristics and constraints. This may include vegetation, environmental factors, zoning, etc. Geotechnical Engineering In construction engineering, geotechnical engineering is a specialized branch of civil engineering that focuses on soil and rock behavior. It helps assess subsurface conditions and how they impact construction projects. Construction Materials Engineering This type of engineering focuses on the selection, testing and utilization of materials used in construction. It looks at the material’s properties, performance, sustainability and cost effectiveness. It also includes areas such as material testing, material production and processing and construction applications. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Mechanical and electrical engineering factors into various aspects of construction projects such as the design of mechanical or electrical systems. Generally speaking, M&E engineering helps engineers create safe, comfortable, efficient and sustainable structures. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg Construction Engineering Applications Construction engineering has several applications across sectors. We’ve outlined only some of the applications to consider. Large-Scale Civil Projects As the name suggests, large-scale civil projects are a significant undertaking and they require significant expertise, innovation and collaboration to be successful. They are long in duration, highly complex and have a large environmental and social impact. Examples of large-scale civil projects include large-scale tunnels, dams, canals, nuclear power plants or other large-scale renewable energy projects. Urban Development Projects The goal of an urban development project is to improve the quality of life within cities. It may include initiatives such as infrastructure development, housing development, economic development, environmental sustainability and more. These projects include anything from building new roads to renovating new parks to creating affordable housing for low-income families. Infrastructure Projects Infrastructure projects are a mainstay in construction engineering as they include a range of essential systems that support daily lives. They include transportation such as railways, roads, airports, mass transit, etc. These projects may also include water resources like dams or irrigation systems. Other essential infrastructure include telecommunications, energy infrastructure, pipelines, tunnels or bridges. Specialized Construction Projects Specialized construction projects require unique techniques, skills and equipment beyond what is used in a standard construction project. They are typically industrial projects highly technical in complexity as they involve advanced construction engineering practices and intricate construction methods. Examples of these types of projects include deep-sea tunnels, dams, nuclear power plants or oil and gas platforms. Construction Engineering Technology There are many different types of technology that help support construction engineering, such as: Building Information Modeling (BIM): This process involves creating and managing data-rich 3D models of a building or infrastructure project. It greatly helps during the architectural design process as it’s cost-effective and sustainable, especially as it continues to evolve. Drones: Drones help with site surveying and mapping, making the construction process more efficient and accurate. They can also help track progress, identify potential issues, help with safety inspections and ensure efficient material transportation. 3D Printing: This solution is innovative and impactful as it helps build structures and components bny adding material such as concrete in a controlled manner. Augmented Reality (AR): AR enhances visualization and improves communication. It can help with design, construction planning, training, skill development and maintenance. Prefabricated Construction: This construction engineering technology involves building components of a structure in a controlled factory environment. Then, it is transported to the site for assembly. Modular Construction: In this building process, sections of a structure are prefabricated in a controlled factory environment before they’re taken to the site for assembly. Construction Engineering Roles Construction engineering is made for big jobs. That means there’s often more than one person responsible for the work that falls under the umbrella of construction engineering. Let’s take a look at a handful of them. Construction Engineer We’ve already talked about construction engineers and we’ve drawn the line between them and civil engineers. The truth is that line is porous. Because so many of their duties overlap, you can find a construction engineer or a civil engineer in this position. It depends on the project, construction project manager and other factors. But, as noted, there’s a thin line separating the two professionals and often on a construction site, that line is crossed. Construction Estimator Before any work can be done, the construction estimator is needed. Without them, a construction project will cost too much. The construction estimator estimates the materials to determine how much the construction project will cost. That might sound straightforward, but it’s a time-consuming task that requires a great amount of skill. They need to understand construction design, such as in engineering or architecture, and require degrees in mathematics, preferably with a history in construction or manufacturing because they have to check the scope of work to ensure it’s accurate before they begin. Site Engineer Another aspect of construction engineering is being a site engineer. These engineering professionals work on-site in construction but also in other fields, such as factories. They have varied responsibilities including inspecting and installing equipment and new technologies, directing crews on the construction site, researching the site and reporting on the status. If there are equipment malfunctions, they’re responsible for resolving them. They’re tasked with the management of the technical functions and infrastructure on site. Site engineers tend to focus on one technical aspect, whether that’s software, hardware or other types of systems maintenance. Structural Engineer A structural engineer is found in both construction engineering and civil engineering. Structural engineering revolves around the making of drawings and specifications, performing calculations, reviewing the work of other construction engineers, writing reports and observing the site. They have licensed professionals to do the numerical quantities of the physical forces and force-resisting elements you’d find on a construction site. The main difference between a civil engineer and a structural engineer is that the former designs and maintains structures while the latter analyzes, designs builds and maintains the structures and materials that reinforce loads. Environmental Engineer The environmental engineer is a construction engineer who seeks solutions to the environmental challenges that impact the construction project. They use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology and chemistry to determine how to solve environmental problems on the construction site or created by it. They design technologies and processes that control pollution and clean up contamination. They need a background in one or more of the following disciplines: civil engineering, environmental engineering, marine engine, mechanical engineering, chemical, engineering and process engineering. Construction Engineering vs. Civil Engineering As we alluded to, there’s a lot that construction engineers and civil engineers have in common. That makes the distinction between construction engineering and civil engineering subtle. But there’s a difference and the line between the two must be clear. The main difference is that civil engineers are more involved in the design, planning and implementation of a construction project. For example, they’ll analyze the survey reports and maps to prepare the project documentation around the construction plan. Civil engineering is also responsible for pulling the necessary permits that must be obtained to begin construction. They’re the ones on the construction site who collect and test soil samples to discern if the foundation is suitable. Civil engineers also manage the construction project’s budget, providing cost forecasts for all resources associated with the construction project, including labor and equipment. They meet with the public to discuss new proposals and their impact on the community. As you can see, civil engineering is a varied profession. You’ll often find civil engineers specializing in one of the many responsibilities listed above. That might be structural, environmental or transportation engineering. Construction engineering is more concerned with day-to-day construction site management. While construction engineers might participate in the processes that civil engineers lead, they focus on project execution. As with civil engineers, some construction engineers are also involved in creating the construction budget. They assemble the equipment and materials needed for the execution of the construction plan. Because they’re involved in coordinating, organizing and managing day-to-day operations, ensuring compliance with the design and plans, they also build and manage the construction team and engineering professionals involved in the build. Another aspect of construction engineering is overseeing the construction processes. They’ll report back to the stakeholders, use machinery on site and other tools such as computer software that help ensure they’re conforming to design specifications. If the construction differs from the design, construction engineers work to modify the design. Construction engineers are essentially responsible for everything that occurs on the construction site. In a sense, they do what a construction project manager would do on a smaller, less complex project. Project Manager Helps With Construction Engineering Management With such a vast array of responsibilities, construction engineering professionals need project management software that can help them work more effectively. ProjectManager is online project management software used by the construction industry to plan, manage and track work in real time. Our collaborative platform means whether you’re on-site or in the office, you’re always connected and can share files, comment on tasks and much more. Manage Teams With Resource Management Tools Planning, scheduling and costs related to a construction project are all just estimates until you execute the job. Our resource management features help construction engineers keep track of their teams and ensure productivity. When onboarding the team you add their availability to make it easier to know who can work and who is off or on holiday. Get visibility into what your team is working on with our color-coded workload chart. If you see someone is over-allocated, you can reallocate their tasks right from the chart to balance workload and keep team morale high and productivity up. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/assign-people-resource-allocation-light-mode-gantt-chart-workload-assignments-1600x786.png Track Work With Real-Time Dashboards Being able to track resources is only part of managing a construction project’s day-to-day operations. The ability to toggle from your Gantt chart or whatever project view you prefer to our real-time dashboard gives you an instant high-level view of the progress and performance of the project. There’s even a portfolio dashboard if you’re managing more than one construction project. Both automatically capture project metrics such as time, cost, workload and more and display them in easy-to-read graphs and charts. Unlike lightweight alternatives, there’s no time-consuming configuration needed. It’s ready when you are. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Dashboard-IT-Light-2554x1372-1-1600x860.png Of course, those are only a few of the features of our software. There are task management tools, such as kanban boards and task lists, and risk management ones to help you identify, track and resolve issues that arise in the project. You can automate recurring tasks, search globally and so much more. It’s not easy being a construction engineer, but our software helps make your work more efficient. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that empowers teams to plan, manage and track their work in real time. Construction professionals use our tool to schedule work, manage teams and keep everyone working at capacity. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Construction Engineering: A Quick Guide appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

With TikTok being saved (temporarily) from a nationwide ban, it's worth checking out all the ways it can be a helpful resource, not just a time-sucker. TikTok is especially beneficial when it comes to getting cleaning ideas, since you can follow CleanTok influencers and see reviews of cleaning products that actually work. The app is also full of cleaning techniques, although a lot of those are questionable at best. Here are a few that are actually useful. Clean in circlesI found this approach last fall during some routine scrolling and was immediately impressed with the straightforward, simple steps it laid out to effectively clean any space in a home. It originated with a video from Cindell Kimbrough, a former professional cleaner who prioritizes efficiency. Essentially, after a round of decluttering in a given location (like a messy kid's room), you pick a corner and start cleaning in a circle, moving around the room and taking care of big-ticket tasks like making the bed. Repeat the circle with smaller steps, like dusting. Finish up with your floors, mopping and vacuuming. By moving in a circle, you stay on task and focused, plus ensure you hit every part of the room. Angry cleaningAnother quality cleaning method that took over the app a few months ago is "angry cleaning," which involves harnessing negative emotions into major cleaning power, usually with tasks that require some elbow grease, like scrubbing or vacuuming. Not only can this distract you from whatever is annoying you, but it can fuel your tidying efforts to be extra powerful. The positive result at the end—a cleaner space—can further elevate your mood after you work through your negativity. Overall, it's a great hack that has a lot of benefits and produces solid before-and-afters, which are the bread and butter of TikTok videos. Laundry strippingLaundry stripping is popular on TikTok because it creates visual proof that your clothes are being cleaned. It's not always necessary, of course, to "strip" your dirty clothes of soil before washing them, but if you're not washing them correctly or they are super messed up, it can be a great first step to getting them extra clean. You pre-soak your laundry for a few hours in the tub, using borax and baking soda. You'll see the water get grosser and grosser over time, especially if you periodically agitate them with your hands. Sweep smarterThis is my favorite TikTok cleaning hack ever and I have used it faithfully since discovering it a few years ago: Next time you sweep, dampen the edges of a paper towel and set it on the ground. Sweep your debris over the paper towel, which will catch dirt, dust, hair, and whatever else so much easier than a dustpan. Then, just toss out the towel. Dustpans have ridges where they meet the floor that can make it frustrating to corral all your dirt, but the paper towel hack works perfectly. The 5x5 methodI'm also a fan of this viral technique that prioritizes quick cleaning to feel less overwhelmed. I've seen it promoted on TikTok a lot, where users say it helps them keep a tidy home without getting overburdened. You'll need a timer, which you'll set in five-minute increments, and a list of five zones in your home that need some attention. You'll work on each zone for five minutes before moving to the next one, so it's best to choose small areas that can be handled in that short amount of time. After 25 minutes, you'll have five cleaner spots. Try doing it to, say, a desk: devote five minutes to one drawer, five minutes to another, five minutes to the surface, and so on. The Core 4 method Finally, learning the Core 4 approach through TikTok was really helpful for me in terms of not only cleaning, but maintaining my home. Organizer Kayleen Kelly came up with this decluttering method, which not only teaches you how to get rid of things, but how to organize what you decide to keep. You move through the rooms of your home with four stages in mind: Clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. Remove everything in one room (or, even better, one section of one room, like a closet), put it in a pile, categorize it, cut out what you don't need, and contain the rest. This approach has gone massively viral on the video-sharing platform because it works and is easy to get the hang of. Watch the video that started it all: 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. Like Apple, Samsung prefers its customers stay within their ecosystem, and offers them a better user experience in return. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro are a good example: They provide higher resolution audio and a better listening experience if used with a Samsung phone. If that sounds good to you, right now you can get the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro for $99.99 (originally $229.99), thanks to an automatic $80 discount at checkout (look for the green font under the listing price). This is the lowest price they have reached since their release, according to price tracking tools. SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds2 Pro Features: Hi-Fi Sound, 360 Audio, Active Noise Cancelling, HD Voice, IPX7 Water Resistant. $99.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $130.00 Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 came out in the summer of 2022, earning good reviews. PCMag's "excellent" review noted they offer good active noise cancellation (ANC), a wireless charging case, and an IPX7 waterproof rating. If you lose them, you can locate your lost earbuds using the SmartThings app. But where these earbuds excel is in their audio quality: Dual drivers on each earbud mean a better frequency range, leading to noticeably strong depth. As I mentioned, those with recent Galaxy phones running at least Android 8.0, One UI 4.0, and 1.5GB RAM will be able to listen to 24-bit audio, giving you more dynamic range and less digital noise than 16-bit audio. If you have other Galaxy products, like a smartwatch or a TV, they support an auto-switching feature, provided those products can run a firmware update from at least July 2022.Even Apple users will actually get better audio than non-Samsung Android owners, since the Galaxy Buds support Apple's AAC codec. View the full article

Before modern social media, a browser extension called StumbleUpon let you click a button and see a random website. I, like many people, find myself missing this site a lot. Partly it was the serendipity of it: You'd click a button and get one of a curated collection of sites. Watch Something Wonderful is a simple website that brings that same experience to YouTube. Using the site is simple: Just click a button and you'll see a random YouTube video pulled from a curated collection. The videos are a blend of comedy and infotainment—notably with nothing outright political. I ended up watching a half-hour vlog-style documentary about the origin of sparkling water—something I'm glad I've seen and know I wouldn't have watched otherwise. There's not a lot of information on the website about who built it and how they choose videos—it just says "A Team 7 Product" without any kind of link. This made the site feel mysterious, so naturally I had to track down the people behind it. I finally got in touch with Akhil, one of the four people behind the site. Team 7, it turns out, isn't a company or anything—it's "a team of four builders who like making fun stuff for people to use." The other three members are Ankit, Vidhatha, and Devesh. The idea for "Watch Something Wonderful," according to Akhil, came from wanting something to watch during lunch. "We always watch YouTube while eating, but finding good videos takes too much time," he told me. "So we made a site that picks random videos for you." The site currently cycles between 300 videos, mostly taken from the creators' favorite playlists and the subreddit MealTimeVideos. The plan, according to Akhil, is to add a form for users to add their own videos. Is this a site I'm going to use every day for the rest of my life? No. But it's worth checking out and seeing what you find. Think of it as a website that feels like the old internet—a chance to get outside your YouTube algorithm for a while and, well, stumble upon something new. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader recently sent me a cover letter that I want to share as a great example of explaining why you’re applying for a job in a different field and how your skills will carry over. First, though, the caveats I’ve learned to give when sharing these: The writer has allowed me to share this as a favor to me and to readers. Please remember she’s a real person when you’re commenting. This writer’s voice is her voice. It will not be your voice, and that’s part of the point. There is no single cover letter in the world that all hiring managers will love or that would be the right fit for every employer and every industry. But I receive letters all the time from people telling me that moving in this sort of direction dramatically increased the number of interviews they were getting. Do not steal this letter or even parts of it. It works because it’s so customized to the writer. It’s intended for inspiration only — to show what the advice here can look like in practice. First, here’s the context this writer sent to me: Like many library workers, I burned out during the early years of the pandemic. I quit my job with nothing else lined up, which was scary. I applied to other library jobs, but also looked at other spaces. I ended up making a full career change into youth work at an LGBTQ+ community center, and while no job is perfect (as you always say) I am the most professionally fulfilled I’ve ever been. The reason I’m writing to you is that I credit years and years of reading your advice with being able to make such a drastic shift. My supervisor has told me that without my cover letter, they never would have considered me, since they didn’t initially think a library background would be relevant to the work. Said cover letter was written from scratch for this specific job, and based largely on your advice about cover letters. And here’s the letter, with identifying details changed for anonymity. • • • • • Dear Hiring Manager, One thing I didn’t realize about working in libraries before I started was how much of the work is centered on programs, event planning, and community partnerships. But after eight years of developing programs for teens, coordinating large-scale events like the kickoff to a Summer Reading Program, partnering with local organizations, and visiting high schools to engage with teenagers in the place they spend the most amount of time, I’ve developed my skills in programs, events, and outreach and I am ready to take on a position focused more exclusively on LGBTQIA+ teenagers and their needs. Some of my most successful work as a librarian has been with teens who are part of historically excluded groups, including LGBTQIA+ teens. On both Caprica and Gemenon, I partnered with after-school clubs created by and for queer teens to connect them with literature that reflected their lives and identities or to educate them on topics they were interested in. I have also worked with queer and trans teen volunteers at the library who vocalized the importance of having a safe community member to talk to and a way to connect and give back to their community. I have also formed ongoing partnerships with special education classes, groups serving teens with disabilities, teen parent support organizations, and other school and community partners that allowed me to bring services to teens who might not have accessed them on their own. While moving to the Galactica would be a shift from my work in libraries, the last eight years have helped me to develop all of the core competencies needed to succeed in the position, especially critical thinking and adaptability – even before the pandemic, I was consistently evaluating and adapting programs and services based on outcomes, community needs, and teen requests, and adapting library services for a pandemic required constant flexibility – as well as collaboration and communication, necessary skills when working with other library departments and outside organizations to serve our community. I have also spent the time learning about adolescent brain development, talking with and getting to know a wide variety of teens, and advocating for the teens in our communities, skills and knowledge that will help me excel as the Youth Program Manager. I am passionate about serving teenagers, especially LGBTQIA+ teenagers. Battlestar Galactica is the kind of organization I wish I had been able to access as a teen, and I would be thrilled to join the organization as the Youth Program Manager, or in another position that is youth-oriented and would be a good fit for my skills. I look forward to talking more about what I can bring to the Galactica and its services for LGBTQIA+ youth. Sincerely, Apolla Thrace 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. The 65” Samsung S85D OLED TV is now $997.99 on Amazon. That’s $900 off its usual $1,897.99 price, and according to price-trackers, this is the lowest it’s ever been. Powered by Samsung’s NQ4 AI Gen 2 processor, it promises improved performance and runs on the 2024 Tizen OS, offering voice control and easy casting from your phone. Its design includes adjustable feet for soundbar placement and cable management clips to keep things organized, though wall-mounting might be tricky due to recessed ports. And, while it comes with 20W 2.0 channel speakers (which are decent for casual viewing), they might not replace a dedicated sound system. The TV also supports voice assistants like Alexa and Bixby. Samsung - 65” Class S85D Series OLED 4K Smart Tizen TV (2024) $997.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,897.99 Save $900.00 Get Deal Get Deal $997.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,897.99 Save $900.00 The S85D uses a WOLED panel, delivering signature OLED perks like perfect blacks, vivid colors, and infinite contrast. It’s a stunner in dark rooms, and thanks to excellent reflection handling and decent SDR brightness, it performs surprisingly well in well-lit spaces too. It also reportedly excels at upscaling low-resolution content to make older steams look better. Pair it with its fast response times (that keep motion looking smooth) and wide viewing angles and you have yourself a great TV for movie nights and gaming marathons. That said, the HDR performance of the S85D isn’t as impactful as you’d hope, especially in Game Mode where the TV's Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL) dims large, bright scenes. For gamers, this TV is PlayStation 5 and Xbox ready, supporting 4K at 120Hz, and offering features like Auto Low Latency Mode, FreeSync Premium Pro, HDMI 2.1, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for tear-free, low-lag gameplay. On the downside, it lacks Dolby Vision, limiting HDR gaming potential. Additionally, the TV's interface includes ads that can’t be fully disabled. If you’re exploring alternatives, the LG OLED B4 Series TV is worth a look, currently priced at $996.99 (down from $1,099.99). View the full article

Listen, there's a lot going on right now, and it may feel indulgent to get excited about something frivolous like the Academy Awards. But watching movies is self-care, and trying to catch up on the nominees before the ceremony on Sunday, March 2 will definitely be a good distraction. (The show, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will air on ABC but also stream on Oscars.com and its associated digital platforms—whichever ones still exist by March). To help you prepare, I've rounded up all the nominees and done the work to figure out where they're available to watch on streaming—though some are still only in theaters as of this writing, I'll keep it updated as more things drop on digital platforms. Biggies that you can't yet watch at home include The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, I’m Still Here, Sing Sing, Nickel Boys, September 5. Then there's the documentary No Other Land, which doesn't even have a formal distribution deal in the U.S. as yet. Still, you already have quite a bit to catch up on (even before you branch out to would-be contenders like Challengers, Queer, and The Last Showgirl). Happy disassociating! Emilia Pérez Despite being, shall we say: not universally loved by queer audiences, Spanish-language musical crime drama Emilia Pérez managed to net a whopping 13 nominations, the most ever for a movie not in English. Among those is Karla Sofía Gascó for Best Actress, Oscar's first nod to an openly trans actress.You can stream Emilia Pérez on Netflix. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actress (Karla Sofía Gascón), Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña), Directing (Jacques Audiard), Adapted Screenplay, International Feature, Cinematography, Original Score, Original Song x 2 (El Mal AND Mi Camino), Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Emilia Pérez at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Wicked Next up in the nomination tally is Wicked, the movie that dominated the end-of-year zeitgeist and the box office—it's tied for noms with The Brutalist, which isn't yet streaming. And it's another musical! No directing nomination for Jon M. Chu, which is always interesting for a film with this many nominations. Being the first of a planned two parter, Academy voters could be holding off until next year to send some witchy love Chu's way. You can rent Wicked from Prime Video. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actress (Cynthia Erivo), Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande), Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, Original Score, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Visual Effects Wicked (2024) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Brutalist You might not have heard of the epic immigrant drama The Brutalist, as it's a limited release that has not done terribly well at the box office. Nonetheless, it includes a big-name cast including Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce, all of whom received nominations. Brody plays László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to America to start a new life. At more than three-and-a-half hours (it plays with an intermission in theaters!) it earns its artsy rep, but it's less intimidating a watch than it might sound. You can watch The Brutalist in theaters right now. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actor (Adrien Brody), Supporting Actor (Guy Pearce), Supporting Actress (Felicity Jones), Directing (Brady Corbet), Original Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Original Score Conclave Juicy, Vatican-based political thriller Conclave scored eight nominations—not bad for the kind of straight-down-the-middle grownup movie that is rarely made these days. The nomination for Rossellini marks a first-ever Oscar nod for the actress, a surprise given her impressive career. You can stream Conclave on Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Actress (Isabella Rossellini), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, Original Score Conclave (2024) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock A Complete Unknown Timothée Chalamet is the latest actor to take on the role of Bob Dylan in an off-center biopic. This one focuses on, and builds to, the moment when Dylan blew people's minds by using electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. It's hard to do a musical biopic after Walk Hard eviscerated the tropes of the genre, but this one does a good job of being massively entertaining. You can watch A Complete Unknown in theaters right now. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actor (Timothée Chalamet), Supporting Actor (Edward Norton), Supporting Actress (Monica Barbaro), Directing (James Mangold), Adapted Screenplay), Costume Design, Sound Anora Director Sean Baker has created a string of critically acclaimed films (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket) that haven't broken through in terms of Oscar love. His latest, a comedy-drama following the troubled marriage between sex worker Ani and the son of a Russian oligarch, has earned six nominations this year, including four nods for Barker (Best Picture, directing, writing, and editing). I haven't seen it yet myself, but I'm a huge fan of his other films. You can rent Anora from Prime Video. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actress (Mikey Madison), Actor (Yura Borisov), Directing (Sean Baker), Original Screenplay, Editing Anora (2024) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Dune: Part Two Five nominations definitely isn't bad, but it feels a little like Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic got lost in the shuffle this year. Still, a Best Picture nomination and a massive box office haul are no small consolation prizes. You can stream Dune: Part Two on Max and Netflix or rent it from Prime Video. Nominations for: Best Picture, Cinematography, Production Design, Sound, Visual Effects Dune: Part Two at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Substance I can't think of many (any?) body horror pictures that have made it to the top-tier of Oscar hierarchy (Best Picture and Best Director nominations!) but the lion's share of attention for this one comes down to Demi Moore. She's received her first ever Oscar nomination here, and it's about time. You can stream The Substance on Mubi or rent to from Prime Video. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actress (Demi Moore), Directing (Coralie Fargeat), Original Screenplay, Makeup and Hairstyling The Substance at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Nosferatu Robert Eggers' lush, chilly vampire remake was polarizing to audiences (I loved it), but it managed good box office and did even better with critics. The movie's four nominations are all down to its striking visuals. You can rent Nosferatu from Prime Video. Nominations for: Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling Nosferatu (2024) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Wild Robot A service robot (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o) is shipwrecked on an island where she learns to make new relationships and adopts an orphaned goose. The poignant animated movie earned three nominations. You can rent The Wild Robot from Prime Video. Nominations for: Animated Feature Film, Original Score, Sound The Wild Robot at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video I'm Still Here Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries, On the Road) directs this adaptation of Marcelo Rubens Paiva's 2015 memoir about a mother and activist dealing with the forced disappearance of her dissident politician husband during the military dictatorship in Brazil. A surprise contender in the Best Picture race, it has drawn particular attention for Fernanda Torres' performance as Marcelo's mother, Eunice. You can watch I'm Still Here in theaters right now. Nominations for: Best Picture, Actress (Fernanda Torres), International Feature Film Sing Sing Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Prison, this drama stars professional actors Colman Domingo and Paul Raci working alongside a number of actual program alumni. You can watch Sing Sing in theaters right now. Nominations for: Actor (Colman Domingo), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song ("Like A Bird”) A Real Pain Jesse Eisenberg writes, directs, and co-stars (with Kieran Culkin) in this sweet, sad road-trip movie about a couple of mismatched Jewish America cousins who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother. Each of the leads picked up nominations: Culkin for acting and Eisenberg for his screenplay. You can stream A Real Pain on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. Nominations for: Supporting Actor (Kieran Culkin), Original Screenplay A Real Pain at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Nickel Boys Director RaMell Ross previously earned an Oscar nomination for his documentary, Hale County This Morning, This Evening. Here, he adapts the Colson Whitehead novel, itself based on a true story, about two African-American boys sent to an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida. Somehow the film wasn't nominated for its cinematography, despite a daring conceit that sees every shot filmed from the direct point of view of one of the characters. You can watch Nickel Boys in theaters right now. Nominations for: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay Flow A gorgeously animated saga about a cat displaced by a flood, this Latvian film has been picking up awards left and right—despite being dialogue-free and having been animated using open-source software. You can rent Flow from Prime Video. Nominations for: International Feature, Animated Feature Flow (2024) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Apprentice The discussion around this Donald Trump biopic had more to do with various legal actions by the Trump campaign, and the movie sunk at the box office following mixed reviews. Nevertheless: two acting nominations ain't bad. You can rent The Apprentice from Prime Video. Nominations for: Actor (Sebastian Stan), Supporting Actor (Jeremy Strong) The Apprentice at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Inside Out 2The rather delightful Inside Out sequel made well over $1.5 billion at the box office, and might also get an Oscar for the trouble. You can stream Inside Out 2 on Disney+ or rent it from Prime Video. Nomination for: Animated Feature Inside Out 2 at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl A new Wallace & Gromit adventure is always a cause for celebration, awards or no. You can stream Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl on Netflix. Nomination for: Animated Feature Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Black Box Diaries This searing documentary, directed and produced by journalist and filmmaker Shiori Itō, follows her investigation and analysis of her own sexual assault case, one that takes her to the highest levels of Japanese media and government. You can stream Black Box Diaries on Paramount+ with Showtime. Black Box Diaries at Paramount+ with Showtime Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ with Showtime September 5 Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch star in this historical thriller set in and around the events of the terror attacks at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The focus here is on the ABC Sports crew on hand to cover the news. You can watch September 5 in theaters right now. Nomination for: Original Screenplay View the full article

Major data breaches and cybersecurity threats are now a fact of life, the consequence of which is our personal information being exposed at some point. One of the latest significant leaks involves data from PowerSchool, a software provider for thousands of K–12 school districts in the United States and Canada. The incident affected millions of users. What happened in the PowerSchool hack According to reports, PowerSchool discovered that personal information had been stolen from its customer support platform on Dec. 28, 2024. Hackers used compromised credentials to log into and export from its "Students" and "Teacher" database. BleepingComputer is reporting that the hack may have compromised the personal data of 62.4 million students and 9.5 million teachers across 6,505 school districts. The stolen data includes contact information (such as names and addresses) as well as birthdates, Social Security numbers, medical information, and grades, though the specifics vary across affected districts. PowerSchool believes that fewer than 25% of individuals had their Social Security numbers stolen. While the incident was not a ransomware attack, PowerSchool has stated that the company paid the hackers to prevent the compromised data from being published. The company began notifying affected customers on Jan. 7, 2025. What you can do if your data was stolen As I've written before, you can't take back information that's been leaked—and since your data has almost inevitably been compromised at some point, the best you can do is to be on the lookout for any signs that said data is being used in a malicious way. This includes keeping tabs on your credit report and sensitive accounts for unfamiliar or fraudulent activity and considering credit monitoring and identity protection services that will notify you of anything suspicious. For those affected by this recent hack, PowerSchool is offering two years of identity protection services to all students and teachers (regardless of whether your Social Security number was compromised) through Experian. The company will also cover two years of credit monitoring for anyone over 18. According to a Jan. 17 update on the incident, PowerSchool and Experian will communicate with customers—including parents and guardians of students under 18—in the coming weeks about setting up these services. Of course, you should also follow other basic security best practices: Don't click strange links or engage with communication asking for your personal information. When in doubt, hang up the phone, delete the text, or flag the email as spam, and contact the company directly to confirm any requests. (Note that PowerSchool will not contact you directly by phone or email to request or confirm your personal information.) View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. How do I manage a “regular” job with a parallel career as a musician? I asked about career advice for musicians a long time ago, and I’ve waited a long time to have an update I felt like sending. Unfortunately, the last few years have just been really, really bad. Things started to go sideways not long after I wrote to you. The program I was in was a really bad fit for me, and I ended up dropping out long before the end of it. There were other bad things too – I won’t go into it all because it would be pretty identifiable. One major theme of the past year has been weird and stressful health problems. Your post on PMDD was very timely – it appeared right around the time I was realizing that my particular premenstrual hell was perhaps not, in fact, normal. I got medicated for that earlier this year, which helped a lot. I also discovered recently that I have CRAZY ADHD, WHO KNEW, and started taking meds for that too – and the difference is like night and day! I am having a lot of feelings about the whole situation. I am overjoyed to finally have something that works for my brain, but also incredibly sad and angry that it took so long to figure this out. So many people left very kind and helpful suggestions on the original post (thank you all so much!) and I went back to read the comments many times. A lot of people suggested some sort of corporate job, and that’s what I’ve ended up doing. After dropping out of school I took a break for a few weeks, then freelanced and job hunted, and back in March I fell into a temporary position in a corporate mailroom. I’ve been there for 8 months now, and so far so good I guess? It is a very boring, low stress job. I do a lot of data entry and scanning and sorting and making UPS labels and I listen to a lot of podcasts. My coworkers are all very kind, and my bosses seem to like me, and we take turns bringing in snacks every week, which has turned out to be more important than I thought it would be. I am very underpaid but asked for a raise a month back when my contract came up for renewal (thanks Alison for the wording suggestions!), and am being persistent in following up :) In the long term, I don’t know that this job or type of job will be the best fit – this is my first corporate job, and it turns out that I’m not so good at situations where I have to sit still for long periods of time (but at least I understand why!!!!). But for the moment, it’s ok. I’m treading water, trying to sock away some money, sorting out the medication situation and finding a new equilibrium, doing music things on the weekends, and generally setting myself up for my next move, whatever that is. Anyhow, if you have any musician friends, please check in on them and maybe give them a hug. The post-pandemic arts situation just really sucks – so many people I know (myself and my ex-partner included) are moving on to other things, because life is just too damn expensive now and we are all broke, exhausted, burnt out, and struggling with various illnesses. I’m feeling more positive about my personal life than I have in a long time (it’s amazing what some consistent income will do for you!) but I’ve never felt more discouraged about the future of the music industry (or, perhaps more accurately, the future of not-independently-wealthy musicians in the music industry…). The economic shifts of the last few years are rapidly choking off the last revenue streams available to the average musician, and it’s honestly really depressing. Thank you so much, Alison, for all the work you put into this site – it is such a great resource. And thanks to all the commenters – I love this warm, kind hearted, and supportive little pocket of the internet :) 2. My boss said it’s unprofessional not to start an email with a greeting (#2 at the link) After my boss emailed me about how I started that single email, I ensured all my emails had a “proper” greeting, even in longer email chains (there may have been a little malicious compliance involved). However, it was the beginning of the end. I started getting negative feedback from my boss on other minor things and then mixed messages, like “You’re asking too many questions; you should know your job by now” and then “I’m not sure why you don’t just ask me that question.” I could see the writing on the wall and started looking for another job. I was eventually put on a PIP, told to write the PIP and come up with goals for my success, which she then approved. (Is it just me, or was that really weird, too?) Despite succeeding in all my goals, I was fired without cause at the end of it, with a small severance. I don’t know why I even bothered. All of this happened within six months of an excellent performance review in which I was told I was meeting or exceeding expectations, accompanied by a decent raise. They advertised for my position at a lower salary and title, traveled to my city to hire someone, didn’t, and then transferred all my duties to others. I was lucky enough to find another job quickly, and while it has its own characters and challenges like every job, at least I haven’t been blindsided. It was truly a bizarre experience, and I still wonder what it is that I did to make her opinion of me change so quickly. 3. Coworker was a jerk after I gave her (solicited) feedback (#3 at the link) I decided in the end to suck it and see. (Note from Alison: this appears to be a Britishism.) I carefully shared my experience with my new work buddy (a much more experienced contractor) and she revealed she’d had the same meeting – and that the woman who’d been rude to me had also been equally rude to her. We discussed speaking to her manager, but the woman in question was about to host a team meeting that very day and we decided to see how that went first. Well, it was awkward as hell, basically. It turns out this woman is just outright obnoxious to everyone, about everything, and nobody says anything! So, being British, I went with the tried and trusted technique of aggressive politeness. Every time she was rude to me over the next few months, I responded with smiling, robust politeness in the face of her coldness and abruptness. Taking this approach with rude people tends to highlight the rudeness, making them feel awkward and inviting comparison from others. Over the six months or so that I was there, her peers must have spoken to her: she slowly became less rude. By the time I left she was extremely nice to me, and even fairly nice to others. View the full article

Is it still January? Barely, but yes. Is it still dry? Well, that all depends on how you look at it. Maybe you’re interested in incorporating a teensy bit of alcohol back into your life, or maybe you’ve never enjoyed an overly potent drink regardless of the month. I think the answer in both of these scenarios is the same: Switch to low ABV (alcohol by volume) cocktails. They’re light, easy-going, and there is a wide world of options to suit your preference. I've got three recommendations to get you started. What is a low ABV cocktail?First of all, let’s get our terminology straight. Again, ABV stands for alcohol by volume. This is usually understood as what percent of a drink is alcohol. Straight vodka can be 30% or 40% alcohol. So a vodka martini, after being stirred with ice and some added vermouth, might be 25%-35% alcohol. That is decidedly not low ABV. Wines can vary greatly but typically they’re around 13% to 18% ABV, and beers can range from 4% to 12%. While there is no precise ABV that defines a low ABV cocktail, I usually prefer them around 5% and below. It’s nothing that will make me feel wobbly, but enough to add a touch of spice to the occasion. If you’re at a bar or restaurant, they might have a different opinion of what fits into low ABV territory, so be sure to ask (or check the menu for the ABV) if you’re wondering. How to make a low ABV cocktail at homeAside from buying a mocktail cookbook and adding a splash of gin to any of those concoctions (which you can totally do—try The Mocktail Club, an excellent recipe book that I recently reviewed) you can pore over your home bar and do some light experimentation. Personally, I like to think of low ABV drinks as giving the “supporting characters” a bit of shine. It’s a chance to highlight aperitifs, vermouths, bitters, juices, shrubs, syrups, tonics, and sodas. That’s where many of the biggest, boldest flavors are anyway. If you’re starting from scratch, start simple and try some juicy spritzes. A loose ratio could be 1:3:3: one part "supporting character" alcohol, three parts juice, and three parts bubbly, non-alcoholic liquid. Choose an aperitif, liqueur, or cordial that you like, and add equal parts of a complementary juice and soda water. Serve in a glass with plenty of ice. If you’re starting from a classic cocktail recipe, try replacing the high-proof alcohol with a heavy pour of seltzer, or even a sparkling wine. The ABV for the latter would be higher than with using seltzer of course, but sometimes you just want to take it down a few notches. For example, prosecco’s 12% is much lower in alcohol content than gin’s 40%. In fact, that’s what the negroni sbagliato does—swaps the gin for prosecco. Both are delicious cocktails, but the classic negroni is about twice as alcoholic. Three of my go-to low ABV cocktailsI’ve always enjoyed the activity of sipping socially, but not the inevitable headache of stiff drinks. Here are three I lean on when I’m in the mood to take it easy. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel here, folks: Simple is often best. Low ABV bellinisBellinis are light, flirty sparkling cocktails that are classically made by mixing a bit of white peach purée with a lot of prosecco. To bring down the ABV, cut the prosecco in half and replace it with a bit of seltzer water. Alternatively, you can use fruit juice instead of seltzer for a bigger dose of fruit flavor. (By the way, you can use any fruit purée you like; it doesn’t have to be peach.) Negroni Sbagliato or AmericanoAs I noted above, the Sbagliato is a lower ABV version of the classic Negroni, and the Americano is the next step down. To make a Sbagliato, mix equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and prosecco (pour this last as a topper). Serve in a glass with plenty of ice. For an Americano, simply replace the prosecco with plenty of soda water. If I'm making it at home, I'll add a splash of simple syrup. Juicy Aperol SpritzThe classic Aperol Spritz uses three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, and one part soda water. To make it less alcoholic, I knock out the prosecco and opt for a splash of juice. To make a Juicy Aperol Spritz, mix two parts Aperol, and one part orange juice in a glass half-filled with ice. Top it with three parts soda water. View the full article

The three stacks you need to consider. By Jody Padar Radical Pricing – By The Radical CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Jody Padar. View the full article