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Ironically enough, a divisive moment in the Oval Office last weekend seems to have brought the entire internet together. When Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky visited the White House on February 28, ostensibly to hammer out plans for a peace agreement between his country and Russia, he probably didn’t expect to get berated by both Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The ensuing, historically fiery exchange appeared to catch him off guard. Similarly, most people who watched the spectacle play out on live TV may not have expected Vance’s role in it to explode into a meteor shower of memes among people of all political stripes. But that’s exactly what has happened. “Have you said thank you once” https://t.co/kCNfr59RAn pic.twitter.com/01mm34xg1u — New Liberals 🌐🇺🇦 (@CNLiberalism) March 1, 2025 Anyone wandering around X at just about any moment this week is bound to come across images of Vance’s boyish face enhanced to look cartoonishly cherubic. (The surrounding beard adds a perverse dissonance.) The meme pokes fun at how petulant some say Vance came across by getting angry at Zelensky’s insufficient gratitude over U.S. aid that Vance himself had nothing to do with. The archetypal version features an altered Vance sitting smugly in the Oval Office, with a caption that reads: “You have to say pwease and tank you, Mistow Zensky.” As a result, the word ‘pwease’ is now so associated with both the Zelensky meeting and the meme that followed, some X users now refer to Vance as ‘the pwease guy.’ The origins of the JD Vance meme actually predate the doomed Zelensky meeting by many months. It began last October, when Republican congressman Mike Collins tweeted a photo of Vance that had been digitally altered in a flattering way. X users noticed the “yassified” portrait and responded by going in another, decidedly less flattering direction. With ever-weirder alterations of Vance’s face last fall, the kindling for the “pwease” meme spread around the firepit of the internet. All it took was Vance going aggro in the Oval Office to light a match underneath it. For every 100 likes I will turn JD Vance into a progressively apple cheeked baby pic.twitter.com/WgGS9IhAfY — 7/11 Truther (@DaveMcNamee3000) October 2, 2024 Throughout this past week, the JD Vance meme continued to evolve, branching out into stranger spaces. It now includes pop culture figures like Pennywise the clown from It, the Teletubbies, and the oafish village boy holding a lollipop in Shrek Forever After, other political leaders including Kim Jong Un, but also increasingly esoteric and abstract variations. (Vance as Las Vegas’s The Sphere, anyone?) However, what may be most strange about the meme—which has gotten so ubiquitous many now claim to have forgotten what Vance’s face actually looks like—is its bipartisan appeal. Obviously, left-leaning social media users are into infantilizing the Vice President. Not only is it a chance to mock the opposition, but an indirect way to show support for Ukraine in their war with Russia. It’s no wonder popular accounts like anti-Trump media group Meidas Touch and even The Daily Show have gotten in on the action. Less obvious is why Vance’s supporters are also into the meme. Polymarket, a MAGA-friendly, Peter Thiel-backed betting platform has put Vance memes in multiple tweets throughout the week, for instance, and many of the Vice President’s fans suspect the hyper-online Vance is enjoying his own memedom. (At least one reporter’s account backs that up.) “actually i think it’s good that people are making me look insane” is a very funny way to play this https://t.co/IYHs4Q4hql pic.twitter.com/CJ0eC3NKZW — rat king 🐀 (@MikeIsaac) March 6, 2025 It’s unclear exactly why the online right has embraced a meme targeting one of their own. The most generous explanation is that they’re still ebullient from last November’s victory, and secure enough in their party’s current dominance to admit these images are funny. Another possibility is that the 4Chan-bred, meme-savvy faction of Trump’s base never much cared for Vance—either because of his former resistance to Trump or for more disgusting reasons—and are happy to throw him under the bus for the sake of some lulz. Some X users, however, claim their embrace of the JD Vance meme is a way to neutralize the left’s use of it. If Vance’s supporters are also in on the joke, the logic suggests, they can’t also be stung by it. (As when liberals repurposed the Biden-bashing “Let’s Go, Brandon” into the Dark Brandon meme.) While some X denizens seem pleased that the meme is bringing both sides together, others seem to see it as a zero-sum meme war. When the Never Trump conservative PAC The Lincoln Project tweeted Weird Vance after Tuesday night’s congressional address, one user responded, “It’s only funny when we do it,” and added a slur for good measure. View the full article

At the height of the summer of 2020’s “racial reckoning,” bright yellow paint filled the streets just north of the White House. Overnight, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had ordered a giant street mural to say “Black Lives Matter” in 35-foot capital lettering. That street art became the center of Black Lives Matter Plaza, and a few months later, D.C.’s City Council voted that the name and mural would become a permanent fixture of the city. Five years, two elections, and a large cultural shift later, Mayor Bowser has announced that BLM Plaza will be painted over. “The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser said in a statement published Tuesday. The move is one small piece of the Trump administration’s continued attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Volunteers painting “Black Lives Matter” on the street near the White House on June 05, 2020. [Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images] At a Wednesday press conference, Bowser told reporters that there were “bigger fish to fry” within the nation’s capital. She also confirmed to NBC that her decision came after talks with the White House, but she did not specify anything further. Bowser’s office did not respond to Fast Company’s request for comment. Republican Rep. Andy Clyde introduced legislation Monday that would withhold apportionment funds from D.C. until Mayor Bowser renamed BLM Plaza to Liberty Plaza. However, Bowser said at the press conference that her decision had been made before Clyde introduced the bill. She added that a replacement mural will focus on America’s 250th birthday, and a new name would be decided after “citywide discussion.” Scholars at University of Illinois once argued that BLM Plaza is an important landmark that is a “powerful symbolic reinsertion of widespread social and civic support for Black struggle.” They wrote that it can be dignifying for people of color to see such affirmative support “in an area of the U.S.’ most politically prominent real estate.” View the full article

Google appears to be testing channel reporting functionality for Performance Max campaigns, potentially addressing a major advertiser criticism of the automated campaign type. Driving the news: Documentation about Channel reporting coming to Performance Max was reported by Kirk Williams, Founder of Zato, with Google Search Lead Tetsuo Konno tagged in the reference on X. A screenshot from the Google Think event in Amsterdam was shared by Arjan Schoorl showing apparent channel breakdowns on LinkedIn: Christopher Bell, Head of PPC at Kelkoo, claims a large advertiser account has already received access to the feature. Why we care. Since launching in 2021, Performance Max has faced sustained criticism for its “black box” approach that consolidates multiple Google channels without providing advertisers visibility into channel-specific performance. If Google provides insight into how budgets are distributed across its various channels this could enable better optimization and accountability. Between the lines. Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin has been asked about the feature but has not yet responded, suggesting the company may not be ready to announce the functionality broadly. What they’re saying. “I think Google is just testing the water to reassure customers when concerns are raised regarding high none-Shopping Traffic,” Bell said, indicating the feature may be designed to address advertiser transparency concerns. What we’re watching. If implemented widely, channel reporting would mark a significant shift in Google’s approach to Performance Max, potentially giving advertisers greater insight into how their budgets are being allocated across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and other Google properties. View the full article

As the spring gets closer and closer, I was excited to see a new trend on TikTok that claims you can easily clean fans—a pretty tedious chore—just by spritzing the machine and covering it with a plastic bag. I tried it out on two different fans today and the results weren't great. Here's what happened and what you can (and should) do instead. My attempt at the TikTok fan-cleaning hackFirst of all, here's how it's supposed to look and work when you use a cleaning solution and garbage or plastic bag to "clean" your fan: There are tons of videos like this on TikTok and they all look pretty effective, so I gave it a real try. Different creators recommend different cleaning solutions, like rubbing alcohol or dish soap, but I decided to fill my spray bottle with diluted Fabuloso, the same thing I'd clean the fan with if I were doing it manually. First, I saturated my tower fan with some heavy-handed spray, then put the bag over it. Nothing happened. No dust or dirt came out into the bag whatsoever. I decided to take this as a personal win, honestly, and chalk it up to my fan simply not being disgusting and dirty enough. The goal here is ostensibly to dampen the dust within the fan to the point that it becomes heavy and dense enough to actually be blown out of the vents. I simply didn't have enough dirt! Useless. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson My small table fan, however, definitely did; it was gross to even look at. I sprayed that one down, put the bag over it for a full 10 minutes, and... nothing. All the dirt was still visible when I removed the bag. None—and I mean none—came off. But worse, my fan got too wet and malfunctioned. It wouldn't turn off. That, I think is the primary problem with this supposed hack: You can't unplug the device like you normally would when cleaning something with electrical components, since you need it to be able to blow air in order to complete the trick. Unfortunately for me, my fan charges while it's plugged in, so even unplugging it did nothing. It had to run for an hour with water inside before it regained the ability to be turned off. I unquestionably damaged and/or broke it by doing this. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson In short, not only does this hack not clean the fan vents or blades, but it has the potential to damage your fan. I don't care how many videos you see of people appearing to pull this off successfully. It's not worth attempting. How to clean a fan insteadIn this case, it's best to do things the old-school way. Unplug your fan. On larger box fans, you should be able to unscrew and detach the front plate, giving you access to the interior parts while you plop the front plate into soapy water (your tub works great for this). From there, wipe down the blades with soapy water. If you can't do that or don't want to, just use a vacuum with a brush attachment to suck dirt and grime out through the vents and slats. Use soapy water to wipe down the exterior, including the cord, but don't get any moisture near where the cord connects or any of the buttons. They can be wiped with a plain microfiber cloth. Here's a more comprehensive breakdown. While I am sad that the nifty trick didn't work, I'm glad for two reasons: I can dissuade you from trying it, first of all, and my apartment smells great now that two of my fans have dispersed Fabuloso water through the air. It's the little things. View the full article

Mark your calendars: It’s almost time to set your clocks ahead one hour as we “spring forward” into Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, March 9 at 2 a.m. Tired of changing your clocks? You’re not alone. Both President Donald Trump and senior adviser Elon Musk have said they want to end the annoying seasonal time changes, by making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent (meaning that after setting our clocks forward, we would not set them backward anymore). That’s in line with a 2023 YouGov poll that found nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans want to end the practice, though only half prefer to keep DST permanent, versus keeping Standard Time permanent instead (meaning we would not set our clocks forward anymore). As president, Trump previously indicated support for such a change, tweeting in 2019, “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!” He seemed to reiterate his stance in December, posting to Truth Social that once he was in office, “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate” the time changes, which he called “inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.” (Note: It’s not clear exactly what Trump’s stance was, as he wrote about eliminating “Daylight Saving Time,” not the time changes specifically. However, given his previous stance, many have interpreted it to mean eliminating the time changes.) On X, Musk posted a similar rallying cry, saying people want to “abolish the annoying time changes!” So far, the Trump administration hasn’t moved forward on the issue. However, health experts say Trump and Musk, as well as lawmakers that support making DST permanent, have it backward. Instead, they argue, Standard Time should be made permanent. Here, we break down some arguments for sticking with Daylight Saving Time versus Standard Time permanently. Health experts say stick with Standard Time The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) also wants to do away with the time change, but supports replacing Daylight Saving Time with permanent Standard Time, because it best aligns better with the sun and our natural circadian rhythms. “By causing the human body clock to be misaligned with the natural environment, Daylight Saving Time increases risks to our physical health, mental well-being, and public safety,” said the AASM’s Dr. M. Adeel Rishi, lead author of the academy’s position statement. “Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety.” Research backs that up, saying the one-hour change disrupts the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, which regulates body temperature, hormone release, and alertness. That could explain why Daylight Saving transitions lead to a spike in traffic accidents. Keeping Daylight Saving Time permanently may make people happier In the 2023 YouGov poll, those in favor of making DST permanent said they preferred later sunrises and sunsets, giving them more daylight at the end of the day. The most compelling reason to make Daylight Saving Time permanent is that it seems to make people happier, with research showing seasonal increases in sun time were associated with decreased mental health distress. Where does Congress stand on the issue? Daylight Saving Time was originally adopted as a wartime measure in 1942 intended to maximize daylight hours in the summer, and has long been unpopular with lawmakers who tried to make the time change permanent with the now-stalled 2023 Sunshine Protection Act. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by then-Florida Senator Marco Rubio, now Secretary of State, passed unanimously in the Senate but failed to pass in the U.S. House of Representatives because lawmakers could not agree on whether to keep Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time. Do all states observe Daylight Saving Time? While Americans in most U.S. states change their clocks, Hawaii and Arizona are two exceptions, with both keeping to Standard Time. When is the Daylight Saving time change in 2025? Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. begins this Sunday, March 9 at 2 a.m. local time, meaning people will lose an hour of sleep but gain an hour of sunlight. It always starts on the second Sunday in March, and ends on the first Sunday in November. This contrasts with the U.K. and European Union, where it begins on the last Sunday in March (Sunday, March 30 at 1 a.m.) and ends on the last Sunday in October (Sunday, October 26 at 1 a.m). View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I work in an office with two full-time employees, a manager, and 80+ contract employees. Jane, the other full-time employee, and I both support the contract employees in vital, yet different ways. Let’s say that she schedules appointments, and I process payments. Each office in our company has a scheduler and a payment processor, and while both are technically hourly, each cohort has different duties and perhaps a different culture. Payment processors have many more responsibilities than schedulers, and both are occasionally asked to pick up an outside task or six. Here’s where things get tricky. Both Jane and I have had salaried positions, and Jane is from outside the industry in a larger, more corporate environment. We treat our jobs quite differently. There’s no time clock, but the payment processors tends to prioritize customer service to the contract employees/getting things done efficiently over keeping within eight hours. We frequently stay a little late and often put in a couple hours over a weekend (at home) so as not to return to an anxiety-producing avalanche of work. Depending on the time of year, I probably work 42-50-hour weeks, the latter during super busy times/events. My impression of the schedulers is that many (but not all) of them are the same. We don’t get overtime, but we get flex time, which admittedly I can forget to track/use. Jane, by contrast, leaves exactly on time (or early, according to some), sticks only to her assigned duties, and demands flex time as compensation for even 15 minutes spent outside her work hours. To be fair, she legally has the right to do this, but it feels quite different from our corporate culture. Jane gets a lot done within her daily hours but is unavailable outside that time, even for sudden crises. This is difficult for the contract employees, whose jobs are not locked into a neat 9-5, Monday through Friday routine. While they respect my personal time and space, the contract workers know that if difficulty arises, I will be there. Meanwhile, there was incident in which a contract employee came to Jane 40 minutes before the end of an early-release day with a task that would take at least an hour and she firmly said no. She was working from home that day and had no plans but felt it unfair to be asked at such late notice. The contact employee complained all the way up the chain of leadership and another of Jane’s cohort had to step in and do the project. This has led to some dissatisfaction and (unfortunately) comparison between us. Personally, I get where Jane is coming from – especially legally – but I also see that it fits neither company culture nor my personal work ethic. The company was incredibly good to me when I needed to take a long family leave, and the contract employees and management have been generous about sharing some of their bonuses. I know that Jane resents me for working beyond my eight hours and once reported me to HR for it. (They did nothing.) But am I setting a bad precedent? Am I being unfair to Jane? I am not intentionally trying to look better in the eyes of the contact workers or corporate leaders; I am just trying to do a good job and help the company along. Yeah, you’re probably setting a bad precedent, and also being a bit unfair to Jane! If you’re working for free as a non-exempt worker, you’re putting pressure on colleagues to do the same. You’re also exposing your company to legal liability, since they can be subject to fines and penalties for allowing you to do that. For what it’s worth, the whole set-up might be illegal. You said you get comp time instead of overtime, so I want to make sure you know that in the U.S. it’s illegal to pay overtime in comp time instead of in money. The exception is if the comp time is taken in the same work week that it was earned in. For example, if you work nine hours on Monday and take an hour of comp time on Tuesday to balance it out, and as a result your total hours for the week don’t go over 40, your company wouldn’t owe you overtime. But if you work nine hours on Monday and don’t take the comp time until a few weeks later, your company owes you overtime pay for all hours over 40 you worked in that original week. (Also, some states calculate overtime by the day instead of the week, meaning in those states you can’t even do the take-it-that-week plan.) It’s your prerogative if you prefer the comp time set-up and don’t plan to require your employer to follow the law … but in doing that, you’re making it harder for people like Jane who do rightly expect the company to meet its legal obligations to pay them. If it’s a problem that Jane refuses to be available outside of her scheduled hours, that’s something her manager should address with her. If the job requires occasional work outside of normal hours, they need to clearly explain that. (But then they also need to pay for that time. Any chance Jane is so rigid about never working outside of 9-5 because she knows she won’t be paid for it?) If you’re ending up with more than your fair share of the work because Jane refuses to stretch her hours and so people come to you instead, that’s something you should talk to your manager about as well. Maybe that means they talk to Jane about adjusting her availability (and paying her for it). Maybe it means that you get compensated at a higher rate in recognition of your greater contributions. I don’t know — but if it’s causing problems, that’s squarely in “talk to your boss” territory. Right now you’re framing this all as “Jane is out of sync with our corporate culture, and that culture works fine for the rest of us” … but when part of your culture is “we break the law,” that’s not really a good way to look at it. View the full article

The nomination of Jonathan McKernan to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau moves to the full Senate, where he's likely to be confirmed along party lines. View the full article

This webinar explores a structured approach to managing marketing campaigns from start to finish, focusing on practical tools and techniques that drive efficiency and impact. Ideal for marketing campaign managers and project leads, the session covers best practices for planning, executing, and measuring campaigns, with an emphasis on collaboration. Join us on Thursday, March 13th for From Strategy to Execution: Managing Complex Marketing Campaigns, and learn how to integrate key tools and methodologies, while ensuring your campaigns run smoothly and deliver measurable results. Our speakers will cover: Strategic Planning & Goal Setting Building a Collaborative Campaign Framework Data-Driven Decision-Making & Campaign Optimization Save your spot here! View the full article

Macy’s announced in its fourth-quarter and fiscal-year 2024 earnings report on Thursday that it expects another year of declining sales as the department store chain continues reshaping its footprint to focus on better-performing locations. The retailer projected fiscal 2025 sales between $21 billion and $21.4 billion, down from $22.3 billion last year—closely aligning with analyst expectations of $21.34 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. Macy’s net sales in the latest quarter fell 4.3% to $7.8 billion. Across the company’s brands—Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury—comparable sales in the fourth quarter declined 1.1%. However, in owned and licensed businesses as well as its online marketplace, comparable sales inched up 0.2%, the highest increase since early 2022. For the full year, comparable sales were expected to decline between 0.5% and 2% year-over-year, with adjusted earnings projected between $2.05 and $2.25 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet had anticipated slight comparable sales growth and earnings of $2.29 per share, the Wall Street Journal reported. Closing stores, selling assets Despite the mixed results, Macy’s said it saw progress with its “Bold New Chapter” strategy. The company previously announced plans to shutter 150 stores by the end of fiscal 2026 (January 31, 2027), leaving it with 350 locations. These remaining stores are Macy’s “go-forward” locations, in which the retailer said it would be prioritizing investment. As part of this plan, Macy’s said it closed 64 stores in fiscal 2024, which it described as “non-go-forward” locations. The closures helped Macy’s bring in more money from real estate. For fiscal 2024, Macy’s made $144 million in “asset sale gains,” more than double the figure from last year, when asset sale gains were $61 million. The company noted in the earnings report that removing non-go-forward Macy’s locations contributed to current year asset sale gains. Additionally, Macy’s delivered an update on its “First 50 locations” strategy. As outlined in a company earnings presentation, the strategy involved selecting the top 50 performing stores across its network to implement new retail initiatives. Its goal was to improve staffing, product displays, and customer experience enhancements. So far, these stores have performed better than the bulk of the chain. Macy’s First 50 locations delivered a fourth consecutive quarter of comparable sales growth, up 0.8% on an owned basis and up 1.2% on an owned-plus-licensed basis, the company said. “As we enter the second year of our strategy, we plan to scale initiatives that are resonating with our customers to drive long-term profitable growth and further unlock shareholder value,” said Tony Spring in Thursday’s earnings report. Macy’s stock (NYSE: M) was flat at about $13.28 in midday trading. View the full article

QuantalRF's CPL antennas deliver 30 dB isolation in the UNII 3 to UNII 5 transition gap, which means 5-10 dB better isolation than the competition, the company says. The post QuantalRF says ‘Compound Planar Loop’ Wi-Fi AP antennas deliver better isolation, reduce costs appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When my wife and I bought our house two decades ago, one of the most exciting things about the process was finally having in-house laundry after spending our whole lives (almost literally) sitting in laundromats. The laundry center in the house wasn’t fancy—and it was small—but it represented freedom and we were excited. Of course, upon moving in, the laundry machine was instantly non-functional, so we had to scrape out the bottom of our bank account and buy a new one. And that machine has been humming along for 20 years, and might still be running when the sun swells into a red giant and destroys the planet. Considering that most washers and dryers last 10-14 years on average, that’s pretty good. This wasn’t pure luck, however—I’ve been single-handedly keeping our laundry center going with a combination of regular maintenance and some light repairs. What I’ve learned is that you can keep your washer and dryer operational much longer if you do some pretty basic stuff. Make sure the machines are levelYour washer and dryer are pretty active appliances—they generate a lot of motion and momentum while spinning heavy, wet clothes around. It’s essential that they be properly balanced and level, otherwise the drums will be off-kilter, causing increased wear and tear on the whole machine. When the machines are installed, their feet should be adjusted to ensure they’re sitting level and don’t rock from side to side. But you should also be checking your machines on a regular basis with a level—if the appliances aren’t level, it’s time to adjust them until they are. This only takes a few minutes and can really add to the lifespan of the machines. Read the maintenance instructionsYour washer and dryer came with a user’s manual, and your clothes generally come with basic cleaning instructions. You should read through both to know stuff like Detergent amounts. Using too much detergent can damage your washer over time as residue builds up inside the machine, leading to mold and other damage. Your user manual will give you a guide on how much detergent to use. Detergent type. Check if your washer is a high-efficiency model. If so, you’ll want to use a high-efficiency detergent. Otherwise your washer will struggle to clear out all those suds and the extra wear and tear will shorten its lifespan. The location of all the filters, drains, and dispensers—the stuff you’re going to need to clean and inspect going forward. Error codes and other maintenance and troubleshooting information that can go a long way to keeping your appliance functioning longer, because you’ll have some clue as to how to resolve basic problems. Clean the insidesA disturbing number of people I’ve spoken to believe your washer and dryer are self-cleaning because they are appliances used to clean things. While it might seem reasonable that a machine like your washer—which regularly soaks itself in soapy water—doesn’t need to be cleaned, this isn’t true. Cleaning your washer and dryer regularly will greatly increase both their effectiveness and their lifespan: For your washer, you can simply use some vinegar and baking soda in an empty load to clean it. You can also purchase cleaning products if the DIY approach doesn’t seem to be working. You should also clean out the filter and agitator and give the whole machine a good scrub, inside and out. For your dryer, you should clean the lint screen, the exterior vent and duct (you can buy drill-powered duct cleaners for this), and wipe down the interior drum. Clear the drain hosesThe hoses that drain out of your washer can become clogged with what scientists call gunk over the years. Believe me, the first time I took a look inside my washer’s drain hose my life changed, and not for the better. You can usually remove the drain hose without needing to open up the machine—it’s probably just clamped in place. Take it off and use your garden hose to blast clogs out of it with some water pressure, and your washer will have an easier time draining—resulting in dryer clothes and less wear and tear on the machine. Check your pocketsEveryone occasionally washes something they forgot in their pockets, and it might seem harmless (unless it’s your phone or something else allergic to water). But metal objects like coins, keys, or screws left over from your last DIY project can scratch drums, break stuff, and clog up your filters and drains. As a result, one of the easiest ways to keep your old washer and dryer humming is to always, always check your pockets before dumping stuff in the wash. And while we’re discussing metal objects, you should also probably not wash clothing with metal in it, like underwires—or even zippers. If you have to wash something with a zipper, you can minimize the danger by making sure it’s fully zipped-up. Don't over- or under-do itWashers and dryers are designed for specific amounts of laundry, and overloading or under-loading can cause damage to the machine: Washers should be run with full loads, but not overloaded. You can weigh your laundry and compare it to your washer’s capacity, which would be very accurate—but you’re probably OK just eye-balling things. Generally speaking, if you fill the washer up three-fourths of the way, you’re not overloading it. Anything less than half full is under-loading it, and both scenarios can cause damage and wear-and-tear to the machine. Dryers, on the other hand, are usually best run lighter. Keeping your dryer loads to about half the capacity of the dryer is a good practice—it’ll ensure your clothes dry more evenly and more quickly, and won’t stress the dryer as much (overloading a modern dryer can also mess with the sensors it uses to tell when clothes are dry). View the full article

The president’s chaotic policies are squandering a decent inheritanceView the full article

The trade association representing America’s largest gig companies is backing President Trump’s nominees to lead the Department of Labor—an endorsement that could shape the future of worker classification in the gig economy. Flex, the lobbying group founded in 2022 by names including Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, said Wednesday it’s in favor of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the department and for Keith Sonderling to serve as deputy secretary. “The Department of Labor has a key role in helping build a future-forward, modern economy,” Flex CEO Kristin Sharp said in a press release. “That includes supporting app-based independent work, which benefits millions of earners, consumers, and communities . . . Once confirmed, we look forward to working with these leaders to advance policies that continue the innovation and economic opportunities of the app-based platform industry.” Spokespeople for Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash did not respond to Fast Company‘s requests for comment on the nominations and Flex’s support. Instacart pointed to the Flex statement. Gig companies, at their core, rely on models that classify the workers who ferry people and goods at the click of a button as independent contractors rather than traditional employees. This allows them to keep costs low and aids them in their missions to turn profits, ultimately pleasing shareholders. If gig companies were forced to classify their workers as employees, labor costs would dramatically rise. A Trump-led Labor Department could also roll back workplace protections on wages, overtime, and collective bargaining rights. Policies around independent contractors often intersect with broader labor issues, such as whether gig workers qualify for benefits like health insurance or minimum wage protections—key points of contention between businesses and labor advocates. Still, certain lawmakers and advocacy groups are arguing that this new way of work deserves to have the same protections and classifications as full-time employees. Most of the efforts so far have fallen to cities and local governments. But the Trump administration’s picks could take a federal stance to update what it means to classify independent contractors. A more business-friendly stance at the federal level could embolden gig companies in ongoing legal battles and policy debates across states. “It’s almost highly likely that the Trump DoL will make it easier for companies to classify (many would say, ‘misclassify’) gig workers as independent contractors, and far harder for gig workers to get employee status,” John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, says in an email to Fast Company. “Of course, the Labor Department is only one player here, albeit an important one: the ‘pro-business’ position of the Labor Department will also be used by platform companies in ongoing litigation at the state level and unions and companies will continue to fight this out in the courts and through state politics.” Chavez-DeRemer, who served one term as congresswoman in Ohio, was widely seen as a pro-worker pick. During her time in office, she seemed to support the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act, which was extremely important to labor unions and could alter independent contractor classifications, and was endorsed by the Teamsters Union. However, Chavez-DeRemer appeared to have reassured Republicans during a Republican-led Senate committee confirmation hearing last month. She told members she was in full support of Trump’s agenda and walked back support of the PRO Act. “If confirmed, my job will be to implement President Trump’s policy division, and my guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle,” she said. Sonderling’s position as deputy secretary, meantime, “is intended to reassure members of the business community, and groups that are hostile to organized labor,” Logan says. Sonderling served under Trump in the Department of Labor in the past and as a Republican commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 2019, Sonderling issued an opinion letter that essentially said an unidentified company, whose workers appeared to clean residences, were contractors, not employees. Many argued that the move signaled the Trump administration’s broader approach to gig companies. “On the issue of gig workers, unions have consistently argued that workers should be classify as employees and not independent contractors; that they should be covered by the NLRA and other federal labor and employment laws and have the right to unionize and bargain collectively,” Logan says. “I do not expect they will have much joy on this issue under the Trump administration, even with Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary.” View the full article

Elon Musk ally Michael Grimes has overseen shake-up of office doling out billions of dollars in semiconductor subsidiesView the full article

Scott Turner, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, extended borrowers more leeway after he toured the region with a local official. View the full article

By effectively managing costs against your project budget, you can avoid cost overruns and deliver your project successfully. Here's how to manage project costs and which software tools can make this process easier. The post Project Cost Management: Definition, Best Practices, & Tools appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

The national average for a gallon of gasoline has declined slightly, dropping one cent from last week to $3.11, according to AAA. The decrease is attributed in part to lower crude oil prices, though market fluctuations and the seasonal transition to summer-grade gasoline may impact prices at the pump in the coming weeks. AAA also noted that the national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at public EV charging stations remained unchanged at 34 cents. Fuel Supply and Demand Trends According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand rose from 8.45 million barrels per day (b/d) last week to 8.87 million b/d. Total domestic gasoline supply declined from 248.3 million barrels to 246.8 million barrels. Meanwhile, gasoline production increased, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day. As of today, the national average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.11, reflecting a decrease of two cents from a month ago and a decline of 27 cents compared to this time last year. Oil Market Update At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil dropped $1.95, settling at $66.31 per barrel. The EIA reported a 3.6 million-barrel increase in crude oil inventories from the previous week, bringing total U.S. crude oil inventories to 433.8 million barrels—approximately 4% below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline and Electricity Price Rankings Most Expensive Gas Markets: California: $4.74 Hawaii: $4.54 Washington: $4.11 Nevada: $3.79 Oregon: $3.73 Alaska: $3.43 Arizona: $3.38 Pennsylvania: $3.28 Illinois: $3.21 Washington, DC: $3.21 Least Expensive Gas Markets: Mississippi: $2.64 Kentucky: $2.69 South Carolina: $2.70 Tennessee: $2.71 Louisiana: $2.71 Texas: $2.73 Alabama: $2.74 Oklahoma: $2.76 North Carolina: $2.76 Arkansas: $2.77 Electricity Costs at Public Charging Stations Most Expensive States for Public EV Charging (per kWh): Hawaii: 56 cents West Virginia: 47 cents Montana: 45 cents Idaho: 42 cents Tennessee: 42 cents Arkansas: 42 cents New Hampshire: 42 cents South Carolina: 42 cents Kentucky: 41 cents Alaska: 41 cents Least Expensive States for Public EV Charging (per kWh): Kansas: 22 cents Maryland: 25 cents Missouri: 25 cents Nebraska: 26 cents Delaware: 29 cents Iowa: 29 cents Michigan: 29 cents Utah: 29 cents Texas: 30 cents North Dakota: 31 cents With fluctuations in oil prices and the seasonal transition to summer-grade gasoline, fuel costs may vary in the coming weeks. This article, "Gas Prices Hold Steady as Oil Costs Decline" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The national average for a gallon of gasoline has declined slightly, dropping one cent from last week to $3.11, according to AAA. The decrease is attributed in part to lower crude oil prices, though market fluctuations and the seasonal transition to summer-grade gasoline may impact prices at the pump in the coming weeks. AAA also noted that the national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at public EV charging stations remained unchanged at 34 cents. Fuel Supply and Demand Trends According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand rose from 8.45 million barrels per day (b/d) last week to 8.87 million b/d. Total domestic gasoline supply declined from 248.3 million barrels to 246.8 million barrels. Meanwhile, gasoline production increased, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day. As of today, the national average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.11, reflecting a decrease of two cents from a month ago and a decline of 27 cents compared to this time last year. Oil Market Update At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil dropped $1.95, settling at $66.31 per barrel. The EIA reported a 3.6 million-barrel increase in crude oil inventories from the previous week, bringing total U.S. crude oil inventories to 433.8 million barrels—approximately 4% below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline and Electricity Price Rankings Most Expensive Gas Markets: California: $4.74 Hawaii: $4.54 Washington: $4.11 Nevada: $3.79 Oregon: $3.73 Alaska: $3.43 Arizona: $3.38 Pennsylvania: $3.28 Illinois: $3.21 Washington, DC: $3.21 Least Expensive Gas Markets: Mississippi: $2.64 Kentucky: $2.69 South Carolina: $2.70 Tennessee: $2.71 Louisiana: $2.71 Texas: $2.73 Alabama: $2.74 Oklahoma: $2.76 North Carolina: $2.76 Arkansas: $2.77 Electricity Costs at Public Charging Stations Most Expensive States for Public EV Charging (per kWh): Hawaii: 56 cents West Virginia: 47 cents Montana: 45 cents Idaho: 42 cents Tennessee: 42 cents Arkansas: 42 cents New Hampshire: 42 cents South Carolina: 42 cents Kentucky: 41 cents Alaska: 41 cents Least Expensive States for Public EV Charging (per kWh): Kansas: 22 cents Maryland: 25 cents Missouri: 25 cents Nebraska: 26 cents Delaware: 29 cents Iowa: 29 cents Michigan: 29 cents Utah: 29 cents Texas: 30 cents North Dakota: 31 cents With fluctuations in oil prices and the seasonal transition to summer-grade gasoline, fuel costs may vary in the coming weeks. This article, "Gas Prices Hold Steady as Oil Costs Decline" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

What if extreme heat not only leaves you feeling exhausted but actually makes you age faster? Scientists already know that extreme heat increases the risk of heat stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction and even death. I see these effects often in my work as a researcher studying how environmental stressors influence the aging process. But until now, little research has explored how heat affects biological aging: the gradual deterioration of cells and tissues that increases the risk of age-related diseases. New research my team and I published in the journal Science Advances suggests that long-term exposure to extreme heat may speed up biological aging at the molecular level, raising concerns about the long-term health risks posed by a warming climate. Extreme heat’s hidden toll on the body My colleagues and I examined blood samples from over 3,600 older adults across the United States. We measured their biological age using epigenetic clocks, which capture DNA modification patterns – methylation – that change with age. DNA methylation refers to chemical modifications to DNA that act like switches to turn genes on and off. Environmental factors can influence these switches and change how genes function, affecting aging and disease risk over time. Measuring these changes through epigenetic clocks can strongly predict age-related disease risk and lifespan. Research in animal models has shown that extreme heat can trigger what’s known as a maladaptive epigenetic memory, or lasting changes in DNA methylation patterns. Studies indicate that a single episode of extreme heat stress can cause long-term shifts in DNA methylation across different tissue types in mice. To test the effects of heat stress on people, we linked epigenetic clock data to climate records to assess whether people living in hotter environments exhibited faster biological aging. We found that older adults residing in areas with frequent very hot days showed significantly faster epigenetic aging compared with those living in cooler regions. For example, participants living in locations with at least 140 extreme heat days per year – classified as days when the heat index exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.33 degrees Celcius) – experienced up to 14 months of additional biological aging compared with those in areas with fewer than 10 such days annually. This link between biological age and extreme heat remained even after accounting for a wide range of individual and community factors such as physical activity levels and socioeconomic status. This means that even among people with similar lifestyles, those living in hotter environments may still be aging faster at the biological level. Even more surprising was the magnitude of the effect – extreme heat has a comparable impact on speeding up aging as smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. This suggests that heat exposure may be silently accelerating aging, at a level on par with other major known environmental and lifestyle stressors. Long-term public health consequences While our study sheds light on the connection between heat and biological aging, many unanswered questions remain. It’s important to clarify that our findings don’t mean every additional year in extreme heat translates directly to 14 extra months of biological aging. Instead, our research reflects population-level differences between groups based on their local heat exposure. In other words, we took a snapshot of whole populations at a moment in time; it wasn’t designed to look at effects on individual people. Our study also doesn’t fully capture all the ways people might protect themselves from extreme heat. Factors such as access to air conditioning, time spent outdoors and occupational exposure all play a role in shaping personal heat exposure and its effects. Some individuals may be more resilient, while others may face greater risks due to preexisting health conditions or socioeconomic barriers. This is an area where more research is needed. What is clear, however, is that extreme heat is more than just an immediate health hazard – it may be silently accelerating the aging process, with long-term consequences for public health. Large swaths of the U.S. population are experiencing long stretches of extreme heat, as this map of cumulative heat days from 2010 to 2016 shows. [Image: Eunyoung Choi, CC BY-ND] Older adults are especially vulnerable because aging reduces the body’s ability to regulate temperature effectively. Many older individuals also take medications such as beta-blockers and diuretics that can impair their heat tolerance, making it even harder for their bodies to cope with high temperatures. So even moderately hot days, such as those reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 degrees Celcius), can pose health risks for older adults. As the U.S. population rapidly ages and climate change intensifies heat waves worldwide, I believe simply telling people to move to cooler regions isn’t realistic. Developing age-appropriate solutions that allow older adults to safely remain in their communities and protect the most vulnerable populations could help address the hidden yet significant effects of extreme heat. Eunyoung Choi is a postdoctoral associate in gerontology at the University of Southern California. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Other trackers like Zillow and Lender Price on Thursday morning have the 30-year fixed moving higher, following a jump in the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield. View the full article

Leaders’ summit also aimed at endorsing increased defence spending View the full article

As the April 15 tax filing deadline approaches, it's important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to preparing your returns. "Tax laws are often summarized for [the] sake of quickly explaining a potential benefit—or conflict," says Andy Phillips, Vice President of H&R Block’s Tax Institute. "When details are omitted, it’s easy to misinterpret law or consider the advice of a trusted friend versus taking time to do firsthand research." Blindly following someone else’s bad tax advice could cost you precious time and money. "I can file my tax return with the details from my last paycheck stub." The figures listed on your last paycheck stub may be close to what will be released on your W-2, but it’s not guaranteed that the numbers are always right. Plus, as Phillips explains, this is technically not allowed. "Your last pay stub is not considered an IRS-recognized document for filing. It’s common for calculations to be slightly off throughout the year and not be accounted for until end of year. Payments such as bonuses and commissions can easily be forgotten, and no one enjoys the process of filing an amended return." Phillips' advice: Wait for your employer-prepared W-2. He adds that you should "be wary of return preparers who advertise paystub filing, which is against the rules." The employer should have issued your W-2 by Jan. 31 at the latest. "Being unemployed means I don’t have to pay taxes." If you receive any form of unemployment benefits either from the city, state, or federal level, then that’s considered income. All income should be reported on your tax return. Unemployment benefits paid are typically reported with a Form 1099-G. This form functions similarly as a W-2, outlining how much you were paid and if taxes were withheld. "Any money that I give counts as a charitable contribution." Of course, giving without the expectation of repayment is an admirable gesture. However, Phillips notes that only charitable gifts and donations made to IRS-qualified tax-exempt institutions are tax-deductible. Typically, a receipt is provided when a tax-deductible gift is received. If you recently made a donation and are unsure if your donation was made to a qualifying organization, use the Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool located on the IRS website. Furthermore, you must itemize to deduct charitable contributions, meaning those claiming the standard deduction are not able to deduct those donations even if made to a qualified organization. “If I work from home I can take a deduction for my home office.” With the rise of remote work in the last few years those that work from home may think they can claim the home office deduction. Unfortunately, as Phillips explains, if you are an employee, you cannot claim the deduction—the deduction for employee business expenses was suspended beginning in 2018. On the other hand, if you are self-employed and have a home office it is likely that you can claim the home office deduction. “This social media post told me that I can claim ...” As I wrote last week, certain tax "loopholes" may go viral, but that doesn't mean they're good for your specific tax situation. All across social media, I see creators telling people they can claim tax benefits that are either nonexistent or that they’re not eligible for. Philips concurs: Taxpayers should exercise caution when relying on claims made on social media and should ensure they only use reliable sources when making tax decisions. "A tax filing extension gives me more time to pay my balance due." Unfortunately, an extension of time to file does not give you more time to pay. Phillips says that "you should try your best to pay your estimated balance due when you request an extension." If you can’t pay, filing a tax return is the first crucial step to determine your eligibility to enroll in an IRS-approved installment payment plan. As Phillips explains, neglecting to file on time subjects you to a failure-to-file penalty, which starts at 5% of your unpaid taxes per month, up to five months. If the return is more than 60 days late, a minimum penalty applies. For this year, the minimum penalty is the lesser of 100% of the unpaid tax or $510. On the other hand, the penalty for just failing to pay is only 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month the tax remains unpaid. "This is why it’s so important to file a return, even if you cannot pay the full amount due," Phillips urges. As long as you file, these penalties combined won’t exceed 25% of your unpaid taxes. Phillips also notes that interest also begins to accrue after the due date on the amount you owe IRS. By steering clear of these common tax myths, you can avoid costly mistakes and headaches this filing season. As always, it's best to consult a qualified tax professional who can look at your specific situation and give you legitimate, tailored advice. View the full article

Many software developers work with both Jira and GitHub Enterprise, and keeping development tasks moving smoothly can be a major headache. Developers who work in GitHub Enterprise don’t want to jump into Jira, potentially missing context crucial to their work. Team leads and product managers who use Jira try to avoid sifting through pull requests to find the updates they need. That’s where an integration between Jira and GitHub Enterprise comes in. That’s also why both Atlassian — the people behind Jira — and Unito offer an integration for GitHub Enterprise and Jira. Here’s a breakdown of both solutions. Atlassian’s GitHub for Jira app Atlassian’s GitHub for Jira app adds the “Development” panel to each Jira issue, allowing for a glimpse into linked GitHub items. The GitHub for Jira app is a native integration, meaning it’s built right into Jira. In only a few minutes — and with the right admin permissions — you can start integrating GitHub repositories with Jira at no extra cost. But what does that actually look like in practice? Notice the Development dropdown in the bottom-right corner of the Jira issue above? You’ll see it after connecting Jira with your GitHub Enterprise instance. With a single click, you can get more context for a Jira issue right from GitHub, like seeing new commits, pull requests, branches, and more. You can also click through to get more detail out of GitHub, just in case the snapshot in the issue isn’t enough. Think of this integration as an easy way to get a window into the work happening in GitHub without leaving Jira. Smart commits are an essential part of Atlassian’s GitHub for Jira app, allowing developers to do more than just get a glimpse of GitHub items. Smart commits are another key feature, allowing you to automate three actions in Jira based on what happens in GitHub: Comment on issues. Record time-tracking data. Move issues between statuses. These basic automations can eliminate hours of manual work over time, quickly becoming valuable for any software team. Why you should use Jira’s integration for GitHub Enterprise Atlassian’s GitHub for Jira app is easy to use, built right into Jira, and supports basic automations. But is it necessarily the best choice? Simplicity For some teams, this integration will strike the perfect balance between capability and simplicity. Want better visibility into GitHub? This integration offers it. You don’t need significant time or resource investment to get this integration to work. If all goes well, you can be up and running in less than a day. Designed for all teams Integrations built for tools like Jira and GitHub Enterprise are often extremely complicated to set up and deploy. It’s not uncommon to need to write code or click through a number of complicated menus. But with this integration, you won’t have to do that. Home-court advantage Who knows Jira’s platform better than the people at Atlassian? Because the integration is built by the same people who built the tool, you know it will work the way you need it to. When you should use Atlassian’s GitHub for Jira app This integration really shines when it empowers teams that want to be a bit more self-directed. Because Jira users can see what’s going on in Jira without leaving GitHub, they’re free to check in on progress their way, without needing to message someone for an update. Ultimately, this integration benefits workflows that need a window between the two tools, allowing for transparent information sharing. Exporting Jira issues isn’t cutting it Jira has built-in features you can use to export Jira issues to other tools using a CSV file, like Excel, Google Sheets, and even GitHub. But this is a completely manual process, and the file you get becomes outdated as soon as you export it. Unito’s integration for Jira and GitHub Enterprise When you connect your Jira projects with your GitHub Enterprise repos using a Unito workflow, you’re creating a two-way connection between issues in both tools. That means any changes made in one tool will be automatically updated in the other. Here’s every field Unito can sync between these tools: Unito offers one of the deepest two-way integrations for Jira and GitHub Enterprise on the market, supporting more fields and more customization options than the competition. With this integration, you don’t need complicated code or commands. Just go through your work as usual and Unito will take care of the rest. Unito supports GitHub Enterprise Server, GitHub Enterprise Cloud, Jira Server, and Jira Cloud. So no matter how your infrastructure is set up, Unito has an integration for you. Why you should use this integration Unito’s integration for GitHub enterprise and Jira can be set up without any significant technical skills, deployed in days, and creates a true 2-way sync between tools. Transparent communication Keeping teams aligned is challenging for any organization. Add a major tool difference and speed bumps can turn into walls. Without an integration, trying to get collaborators in Jira to communicate with GitHub users is impossible without going through another channel, like someone’s email inbox or meeting calendar. That, or someone has to go into someone else’s tool. With Unito’s integration, crucial information can pass from tool to tool, giving you the full picture without leaving your environment. You don’t just get more context, you get all the context the person in the other tool has. Full interaction With Jira’s GitHub Enterprise integration, your Jira issues get some additional context from GitHub and a few automations, but that’s it. That’s not the case with Unito. When you sync Jira projects with GitHub Enterprise repos using Unito’s integration, you’re building relationships between each work item. That means changes made in one tool, to one issue, will directly affect the issue in the other tool. Change a due date in Jira and it’ll change in GitHub. Leave a comment and you’re communicating directly to people on both sides of the tool divide. Everyone can be an active contributor, no matter which tool they use. Two-way collaboration Jira’s integration is just about giving everyone more information. Unito’s integration is about turning the gap between Jira and GitHub into an opportunity for better collaboration. Imagine if you could get information from both GitHub and Jira ahead of your sprint planning meetings with no extra work. Think about how much more powerful your roadmap would be if it wasn’t locked in Jira. You can capture priorities, updates, and more from both tools and give everyone access to them. With Unito’s two-way workflows, every action and bit of information is transferred from Jira to GitHub and back again. Teams can work together without leaving their tool. Would you work remotely without Zoom or Google Meet? That’s the kind of need Unito is solving. When you should use this integration Because Unito’s Jira GitHub integration creates such a deep relationship between your Jira projects and your GitHub repos, it shines when it powers cross-functional collaboration. Think of a project that could benefit from the contributions of multiple teams, even those scattered throughout Jira and GitHub. How much better could that project be if you could bring those teams together and you didn’t need a meeting to do it? But Unito doesn’t only work for internal processes. You can also use it for agency and client work, or ITSM with ServiceNow. This gives you the same kind of transparency you’d be used to internally, while maintaining informational security. Here’s how The Taproom, which builds custom development solutions for businesses on Shopify, uses Unito to do just that. Which integration is right for you? If you want better visibility into GitHub from Jira with a bit more interaction, then Atlassian’s integration is probably your best bet. But if you’re looking for a deeper integration, one that enables project-level visibility and two-way cross-team collaboration across Jira and GitHub, Unito is the best fit. Want an in-depth breakdown? Check out this full guide to integrating Jira with GitHub Get the guide FAQ: Integrating a GitHub enterprise repository with Jira How do I integrate a GitHub repository with Jira? You can integrate GitHub repositories with Jira in one of four ways: Using fully customizable, quickly deployed 2-way integrations from Unito. Setting up GitHub for Jira, Atlassian’s built-in integration tool. Deploying costly, technical integration tools like Workato or Tray.ai. Buying simple one-way automation tools like Zapier. Is Jira compatible with GitHub? Jira isn’t compatible with GitHub by default; you’ll need extra tools to connect the two. While Atlassian offers a built-in solution for doing this, third-party tools like Unito usually provide deeper integrations. How do you link a GitHub branch to Jira? You can use Atlassian’s built-in GitHub for Jira tool or third-party integration solutions like Unito. What are the benefits of using a Jira integration with GitHub? Using a Jira integration with GitHub comes with several benefits: Increased visibility across software development teams. Better reporting for leaders and project managers. The advantages of both tools without the disadvantages (like copying and pasting data). Using the best tool for the job in all situations without losing important context. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I work for a large company that has several locations all over North America, and every year they have presentations that celebrate International Women’s Day. Sounds great – but in my office I am the only woman, and every year I find it incredibly awkward. We watch a presentation and then have a discussion. At some point, someone looks to me and says, “Jane, would like to comment?” I say something like how sometimes it can be difficult, etc. I am a confident, 51-year-old woman but I’m torn. I feel like I should embrace the presentation but I can’t help feeling like I’m under a giant flashing neon “WOMAN” sign. There’s no getting out of it so I’d love to hear how you would handle this. I answer this question — and three others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. Other questions I’m answering there today include: Is it ever okay to lose it with an annoying coworker? Is liking a competitor’s post on LinkedIn a cardinal sin? Can I ask managers for their references? View the full article

Wall Street extends slide sparked by fears over economic impact of Donald Trump’s on-off trade warView the full article