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For obvious reasons, most of the attention that’s been paid to President Donald Trump’s various tariff schemes has focused on the across-the-board tariffs he’s imposed on our biggest trading partners, Canada, Mexico, and China. But Trump has another, even more elaborate, and more costly, tariff scheme that he plans to roll out next month—one he alluded to a few days ago in a Truth Social post he wrote to “the Great Farmers of the United States.” Trump told the farmers to “get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States” because “tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd.” Trump was referring to his plan to put “reciprocal tariffs” in place on all U.S. imports, meaning that he will impose tariffs on other countries’ imports that are equal to the tariffs they impose on us. So, if a country has a 30% tariff on coffee, Trump will put a 30% tariff on all coffee imports from that country. Reciprocal tariffs may seem intuitively appealing, simply because they’re a tit-for-tat policy—we’ll do to other countries what they’re doing to us. But the reality is, they’re a disastrously bad idea, especially when it comes to agriculture. To begin with, reciprocal tariffs require us to inflict harm on American consumers and American businesses that rely on imported goods just because other countries are willing to inflict harms on their consumers and businesses in order to protect local industries. That’s a little like jumping off a bridge just because other kids are doing it. A reciprocal-tariff plan also effectively allows other countries to dictate our trade policy, which is not something the U.S. should let our trading partners do. Higher prices, zero payoff Reciprocal tariffs are particularly bad when it comes to the very thing Trump focused on in his post: farming. That’s because Trump’s plan will result in raising tariffs—and therefore consumer prices—not just on food products that we could, theoretically, produce more of in the U.S., but also on food products that we don’t—and, in some cases, realistically can’t—make at high volumes. As Trump’s post suggests, he wants his tariffs to lead to American farmers growing more. But in many cases, all these reciprocal tariffs will do is make consumers pay more for food, without having any real impact on domestic production. Take, for instance, coffee and tea. At the moment, the U.S. has no tariffs on so-called green-bean coffee imports, while countries that we import coffee from—like Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia—often have meaningful tariffs on coffee imports into their own countries. But since we export very little coffee, that doesn’t hurt the U.S. (The only coffee grown here is in Hawaii, and it’s a tiny amount relative to how much coffee we consume.) In other words, the tariffs those countries impose on coffee have no real impact on the U.S. economy. The same is true of tea. We import almost a half-billion dollars of tea a year because the U.S. has never been a tea-producing nation. (Almost all the tea we do produce is grown on small farms.) So the fact that tea-producing countries have tariffs on tea imports, again, has no meaningful impact on the U.S. economy. Their tariffs don’t limit U.S. tea production or the number of tea-producing jobs. From our perspective, they’re more notional than real. The problem, though, is that Trump doesn’t care. Even though these countries’ coffee and tea tariffs don’t really matter to us, Trump is going to put equivalent tariffs on our imports of their coffee and tea. And that will matter quite a lot to U.S. coffee and tea drinkers, and to the businesses that sell coffee and tea, all of whom are now going to be paying much higher prices—for no good economic reason. The same is true of many of our fruit and vegetable imports. The U.S., for instance, has a very small banana industry, in large part because our climate is not ideally suited to banana growing. (Most of the bananas we do produce are grown in Hawaii.) So we, of course, import almost all our bananas. Trump’s plan will, again, make us pay more for bananas, without resulting in a big boom in U.S. banana production. We also import billions in fruits and vegetables year-round from places such as Mexico, not just because of cost, but because we’ve gotten used to being able to eat whatever produce we want whenever we want (rather than having to eat only the fruits and vegetables grown when they’re in season). Raising tariffs on strawberries is not going to lead to a huge boom in U.S. strawberry-harvesting in December. But it will lead to our having to pay higher prices on strawberries. Yes, we have no bananas At its core, what Trump’s reciprocal-tariff plan ignores is the reality of what economists call comparative advantage; namely, that it’s economically beneficial for everyone if countries focus on what they do best, relatively speaking, rather than trying to do everything. Comparative advantage is especially important in agriculture, simply because of the realities of climate and soil. The U.S. is great at growing grains, raising livestock, and growing certain fruits and vegetables. But it makes more sense for Brazil and Colombia to grow coffee or Honduras to grow bananas, and for us to import them—than for the U.S. to try (futilely) to become a coffee- and banana-growing powerhouse. On top of all this, while the reciprocal-tariff plan is not going to do much to help American farmers, the myriad trade wars Trump has already started are very likely going to hurt American farmers, who, in 2023, exported $174 billion of agricultural products (including most notably, grain and feed, soybeans, nuts, livestock, and some fruits and vegetables). That’s because when we impose new tariffs, our trading partners don’t sit by quietly: They retaliate. China’s finance ministry, for instance, announced that it will be imposing new 10% to 15% tariffs on imports of U.S. soybeans, chicken, pork, and beef. And Canada just imposed 25% tariffs on billions in U.S. goods, including orange juice, peanut butter, and wine, and will impose tariffs on beef, pork, dairy, and fruits and vegetables in three weeks if Trump hasn’t lifted his tariffs by then. Retaliation is not a trivial problem. People have somehow forgotten this, but Trump’s trade war with China in his first term resulted in U.S. farm exports dropping by nearly $26 billion. Trump covered for it by redirecting Department of Agriculture funds to recompense the farmers, but all that meant was that U.S. taxpayers effectively paid the price for his love of tariffs. “Trade wars are good and easy to win,” Trump has famously said. But the reality, especially when it comes to agriculture, is that they are pointless conflicts in which just about everyone loses. 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. Bone conduction headphones are ideal for activities where it is vital to your safety to hear your surroundings. That's because they use a technology that sends audio vibrations through to the inner ear while leaving your ear canals open. Shokz is one of, if not the best, brand making bone conduction headphones right now; at the high end of Shokz's offerings is the OpenRun Pro 2, which I got to review and put to the test. But the OpenRun Pro are also quality headphones and are currently discounted on Best Buy for $99.99 (originally $179.95), the lowest price they've been, according to price-tracking tools. SHOKZ OpenRun Pro Sound: Stereo, Connection Type: Wireless, Connectivity: Bluetooth, Maximum Wireless Range: 33 feet. $99.99 at Amazon $179.95 Save $79.96 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon $179.95 Save $79.96 If you've never used bone conduction headphones, they're worth a try, and the Shokz OpenPro are a great introduction. The technology has come a long way since their early days. The major downside of the way they work has been that the bass doesn't sound as good as their in-ear counterparts. The OpenRun Pro is designed to compensate for some of that—you won't get the same thumpy bass you'd get from regular headphones, but it'll be the best you can get from any other bone conduction headphones. As the name implies, these are meant to be used on runs outdoors. They have an IP55 rating for dust- and water-resistance, are lightweight and comfortable, and, because of their design, can be worn with bicycle helmets and sunglasses. You can use these as everyday headphones around the house as well since they can take calls; just be mindful that they don't block any sound. If you plan to use these in a location with a loud music or has a lot of ambient noise, you'll hear everything, so you might prefer taking regular headphones—but that will defeat the purpose of the "open ear" headphones. View the full article

Former UK prime minister takes up part-time, paid advisory role at ex-Florida governor’s Finback Investment Partners View the full article

Matt Mullenweg shares three reasons why WordPress will grow stronger in the near future and his thoughts on succession planning The post WordPress’s Next Phase: Mullenweg Shares What’s Ahead appeared first on Search Engine Journal. 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. Testing the Ikarao Shell S1 karaoke speaker during my review has been one of the highlights of my job as tech reviewer. Now that it's $100 off, reaching the price of $249.99 (originally $349.99) after the on-page coupon, it's at its lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. While you might've never heard of the brand before, I can attest that this speaker is quality, and now, it's a bargain for its price. Ikarao Shell S1 Smart Karaoke Speaker Battery Life: 9 hours, Connectivity: USB, AUX In/Out, HDMI, Wifi, OTG, and Bluetooth V5.4. $349.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon It bewilders me why no company before thought of doing what Ikarao has done with the Shell S1: Combine a touchscreen tablet, two Bluetooth microphones, and powerful sound to a small portable speaker. None of those things are new technologies, yet it took until Ikarao thought of it to make it happen. The Shell S1 is their newest and most affordable karaoke speaker. And it's loud enough to host a house party with its 104dB stereo speaker (it fills my whole 1,300 square foot home with sound loud enough to have a party). The two wireless microphones have a 20-hour rechargeable battery life while the speaker itself lasts about nine hours if you're using the screen. The screen is a 10.1-inch touchscreen tablet that lets you control the music. It comes with an integrated Spotify app but unfortunately no YouTube app (it does have a direct link to it using a web browser). You can hook up the speaker to a TV to have more people sing along with you, but you'll need to hook up an HDMI cable. There is a casting option but it's done through a third-party app that you need to download. It's not as easy as AirPlay or connecting an HDMI cable. If you're looking for a reliable and compact karaoke machine that you can hook up to your TV and play for hours, the Shell S1 at $250 is the best you can get right now. View the full article

President Donald Trump’s claim that there is “shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud” in the Social Security system during his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday is just the latest in a series of attacks from the Republican administration, sparking concern over the program’s future. Meanwhile, Trump adviser Elon Musk has falsely called it a “Ponzi scheme,” and he’s even claimed on X that some 20 million dead Americans over the age of 100 were receiving payments which, of course, has been debunked. (Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said those claims are “an outrageous lie . . . intended to lay the groundwork” to cut benefits.) At the same time Musk’s Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been caught trying to access private, personal taxpayer data at the Social Security Administration (SSA), leading the acting head of the SSA to reportedly resign. It comes on the heels of the SSA’s cuts to some 7,000 jobs as part of DOGE’s slashing of the federal workforce, which threaten to interrupt Social Security payments within the next “30 to 90 days,” according to former SSA commissioner Martin O’Malley. “Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits,” O’Malley told CNBC. That threat has a lot of people “wondering what they’re gonna do when their social security checks start failing,” one Bluesky user noted. It also angered another user, who goes by Sandi Bachom, who posted, “I’m 80 years old. I decided to call #SocialSecurity . . . ‘If you are calling about a disability application due to staffing reductions, our average processing time for disability applications is 200 to 230 days. The estimated hold time is greater than 120 minutes.'” About 72.5 million people, including retirees, disabled people, and their families receive Social Security benefits; and many elderly Americans rely on the checks just to make ends meet. Several Democrats also took to social media to set the record straight, including Democratic Washington Senator Patty Murray, who explained on X, “Trump is LYING about Social Security right now . . . [He and Musk] are cutting staff drastically at Social Security to make it harder for seniors to get their benefits. These corrupt billionaires need to keep their HANDS OFF Social Security!” Senator Sanders added on X, “What is the goal of this disinformation campaign? To privatize the most successful government program in history and give it over to Wall Street.” According to the Brookings Institution, that would be difficult and has a “major financial hurdle,” because Social Security has accumulated “trillions of dollars in liabilities to workers who are already retired or who will retire soon.” To make room for a new private system, “policymakers would have to find funds to pay for these liabilities while still leaving young workers enough money to deposit in new private accounts,” which would lead to cutting benefits or increasing contributions from current workers. View the full article

Google updates robots meta tag document with details on managing how content appears in new AI Mode. The post Google Updates Robots Meta Tag Document To Include AI Mode appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Izzy Englander still owns 100% of one of the world’s top hedge fundsView the full article

Digg, the dominant link aggregator of the mid-2000s, is attempting yet another comeback. Kevin Rose, one of Digg's original founders, has acquired the brand name for an undisclosed sum and is teaming up with Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian to build a new-ish social network. The plan was announced this morning in articles on Techcrunch and in the New York Times. There aren't many concrete details in these articles about what the site will look like, though they do note it will use AI as a key moderation tool. "Online communities thrive when there’s a balance between technology and human judgment,” Ohanian told Techcrunch, adding that, "AI should handle the grunt work in the background while humans focus on what they do best: building real connections." Rose surveyed current Reddit moderators in an attempt to learn what improved moderation tools could look like. That's about it in terms of specifics—both pieces focus less on the tech and more on the founders themselves. But we do know the new Digg won't look like an "old school forum" according to Rose. He said that, in a few years, it "will be an interface that is unlike any other that you've seen." Whatever that means. Digg was founded in 2004—more than two decades ago, an eternity in internet terms—by Rose and other collaborators. Reddit arrived on the scene around a year later, in 2005, founded by current CEO Steve Huffman, the late hacktivist Aaron Swartz, and Ohanian. The two websites fought to be the dominate link aggregator for a half-decade, a competition Reddit eventually won. One way of looking at this history is that Reddit ultimately won over users, though you could also argue that Digg destroyed itself: An extremely buggy and widely unpopular 2010 redesign, launched under Rose's leadership, prioritized the posts of certain contributors and ultimately led to a mass exodus of users. The site never recovered and was soon more or less sold off piecemeal in 2012. How to sign up for early access to the new DiggInvitations to the new version of the site will be sent in the next few weeks—you can sign up here to try it if you're curious. With any luck it won't just be yet another place to yell about screenshots taken from other social networks; the internet sure could use something that's actually new. Only time will tell, though. View the full article

Discussions with militant group come as efforts to extend ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalledView the full article

France’s president proposes discussions with European allies amid fears about US pullback and Russia’s threatView the full article

The private sector added 77,000 jobs in February while annual pay increased by 4.7% year-over-year, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report released in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The report, based on payroll data from over 25 million U.S. employees, offers a high-frequency measure of employment trends in the private sector. The February report indicates a slowdown in hiring, marking the smallest job gain since July. “Policy uncertainty and a slowdown in consumer spending might have led to layoffs or a slowdown in hiring last month,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. “Our data, combined with other recent indicators, suggests a hiring hesitancy among employers as they assess the economic climate ahead.” The job gains in February were led by the goods-producing sector, which added 42,000 positions. Within this category, the construction industry saw the highest increase, adding 26,000 jobs, followed by manufacturing with 18,000 jobs. The natural resources and mining sector, however, reported a loss of 2,000 jobs. Service-providing industries added 36,000 jobs, with strong gains in leisure and hospitality (+41,000), financial activities (+26,000), and professional and business services (+27,000). However, declines were recorded in trade, transportation, and utilities (-33,000), information (-14,000), and education and health services (-28,000). Regionally, employment gains were concentrated in the Northeast (+55,000) and Midwest (+56,000). The South (-12,000) and West (-27,000) saw declines, with the South Atlantic (-26,000) and Pacific (-25,000) regions reporting significant job losses. Small businesses saw a net decline of 12,000 jobs, with firms employing 1-19 workers shedding 17,000 jobs. Medium-sized businesses (50-499 employees) added 46,000 jobs, and large businesses (500+ employees) contributed 37,000 jobs to the overall increase. Annual pay growth remained stable in February, with job-stayers seeing a median pay increase of 4.7%. For job-changers, year-over-year pay gains slightly decreased from 6.8% in January to 6.7% in February. By industry, the highest pay gains for job-stayers were in financial activities (5.1%), manufacturing (4.8%), and construction (4.9%). Small firms with fewer than 20 employees reported the lowest median pay growth at 2.8%, while large firms with 500 or more employees saw a 5.0% increase. The January total for job additions was revised upward from 183,000 to 186,000, reflecting slight adjustments to previously reported data. This article, "ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Adds 77,000 Jobs in February" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The private sector added 77,000 jobs in February while annual pay increased by 4.7% year-over-year, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report released in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The report, based on payroll data from over 25 million U.S. employees, offers a high-frequency measure of employment trends in the private sector. The February report indicates a slowdown in hiring, marking the smallest job gain since July. “Policy uncertainty and a slowdown in consumer spending might have led to layoffs or a slowdown in hiring last month,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. “Our data, combined with other recent indicators, suggests a hiring hesitancy among employers as they assess the economic climate ahead.” The job gains in February were led by the goods-producing sector, which added 42,000 positions. Within this category, the construction industry saw the highest increase, adding 26,000 jobs, followed by manufacturing with 18,000 jobs. The natural resources and mining sector, however, reported a loss of 2,000 jobs. Service-providing industries added 36,000 jobs, with strong gains in leisure and hospitality (+41,000), financial activities (+26,000), and professional and business services (+27,000). However, declines were recorded in trade, transportation, and utilities (-33,000), information (-14,000), and education and health services (-28,000). Regionally, employment gains were concentrated in the Northeast (+55,000) and Midwest (+56,000). The South (-12,000) and West (-27,000) saw declines, with the South Atlantic (-26,000) and Pacific (-25,000) regions reporting significant job losses. Small businesses saw a net decline of 12,000 jobs, with firms employing 1-19 workers shedding 17,000 jobs. Medium-sized businesses (50-499 employees) added 46,000 jobs, and large businesses (500+ employees) contributed 37,000 jobs to the overall increase. Annual pay growth remained stable in February, with job-stayers seeing a median pay increase of 4.7%. For job-changers, year-over-year pay gains slightly decreased from 6.8% in January to 6.7% in February. By industry, the highest pay gains for job-stayers were in financial activities (5.1%), manufacturing (4.8%), and construction (4.9%). Small firms with fewer than 20 employees reported the lowest median pay growth at 2.8%, while large firms with 500 or more employees saw a 5.0% increase. The January total for job additions was revised upward from 183,000 to 186,000, reflecting slight adjustments to previously reported data. This article, "ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Adds 77,000 Jobs in February" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Tax season is the perfect time to review your Roth IRA contribution strategy. While Roth IRAs offer incredible tax advantages, they come with specific rules that can trip up even savvy investors. After all, the humble Roth IRA is one of your most powerful retirement savings tools—when used correctly. You have until the April tax return deadline to set up and fund an IRA for the prior tax year. This means you have until April 15, 2025 to open and contribute to a Roth for 2024. We're also in the window where you can fund your 2025 IRA at the same time. Additional contributions for 2025 can be made until April 15, 2026, and so on. Keep in mind, filing for an extension to submit your return does not extend the deadline for IRA contributions. Here key contribution guidelines to know about Roth IRAs right now, so you can maximize your retirement savings and avoid potential penalties. Rule 1: Earned incomeThe most fundamental rule for Roth IRA contributions is simple: You can only contribute money you've actually earned. This means your contributions must come from: Wages from a job Salary Tips Commissions Self-employment income Bonuses Alimony Important nuances to remember: Investment income, Social Security benefits, and pension payments do not count as earned income If you're a stay-at-home spouse, you can still contribute based on your working spouse's earned income For students or part-time workers, your contribution is limited to your actual earned income for the year Rule 2: Annual contribution limits The IRS sets specific limits on how much you can contribute to a Roth IRA each year. For 2024, these limits are: Under 50 years old: $7,000 maximum annual contribution 50 and older: $8,000 (includes a $1,000 catch-up contribution) These limits are aggregate across all your IRAs. So if you have multiple Roth or traditional IRA accounts, the total contributions cannot exceed the annual limit. Attempting to contribute more than the annual limit will result in a 6% penalty tax on the excess amount unless promptly removed. If you exceed the Roth IRA contribution limits, you have until the tax filing deadline, plus extensions, to withdraw the excess contributions and any income they earned. Rule 3: You can't contribute more than you earnThis rule is a direct extension of the earned income requirement. Your Roth IRA contribution cannot exceed your total earned income for the year. For example: If you earned $5,000 in part-time work, your maximum Roth IRA contribution is $5,000 If you only earned $3,000, you can only contribute up to $3,000 If you earned $0, you cannot make any Roth IRA contributions Pro tips for Roth IRA contributionsAs a rule of thumb, keep detailed records of your earned income. I know I rely on automated contributions to stay within limits, as well as make sure I'm maxing out my fund. Remember that contribution limits can change annually, so stay informed. Tax season is an excellent time to review your Roth IRA strategy. For me, this means making contributions as early in the calendar year as I can. I highly recommend getting ahead by maxing out 2025 as soon as you can, and then contributing larger lump sum right at the start of 2026. At the end of the day, compound interest is the name of the game, and early investing means more time for compounding to work. View the full article

As building codes evolve to respond to conservation, a new way to build has gained popularity. Sustainable construction is a new paradigm changing an industry that has been around since antiquity. Construction project management is responding to climate change and the need for renewable energy and natural resources. Understanding this trend toward environmental benefits requires understanding what sustainable construction is, what are sustainable construction materials and how this impacts the construction process and construction projects. We explain the push for green building and the need to be cost-effective below. What Is Sustainable Construction? Sustainable construction is an approach to building that focuses on minimizing the environmental impact of construction activities while maximizing efficiency and sustainability. It involves using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems and resource-efficient practices to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and conserve natural resources. This approach also emphasizes the well-being of occupants and the surrounding community by promoting healthy indoor environments, enhancing energy efficiency and supporting social responsibility. It includes practices like recycling construction waste, using renewable energy sources and designing buildings that adapt to changing environmental conditions. By implementing sustainable construction practices, the industry contributes to environmental preservation, long-term cost savings and improved quality of life, supporting the transition to a more sustainable future. While the goals might be slightly different, the work is the same. Construction firms looking for corporate social responsibility also need to make a buck. Project management software ensures both goals are met. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has multiple project views to plan, manage and track work in real time to stay on schedule and budget. General contractors can schedule tasks, resources and costs on Gantt charts that also link dependencies to avoid delays or cost overruns. Filter for the critical path to know slack time and essential tasks. Then, set a baseline and track the planned effort against the actual effort in real time to ensure everything is going as expected. Meanwhile, those plans are shared across the software allowing crews and subcontractors to use the right tools, whether that’s kanban boards to visualize workflow of task lists to create a punch list and more. Even stakeholders can stay updated on progress by using the calendar view for a monthly project overview. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-CTA.pngProjectManager’s Gantt charts plan, manage and track sustainable construction projects. Learn more What Is the Purpose of Sustainable Construction? Sustainable construction aims to minimize the environmental impact of building activities while enhancing efficiency, cost savings and social responsibility. It aims to create structures that are both environmentally friendly and economically viable and beneficial to the community. Here are some examples. Energy Efficiency: Sustainable construction focuses on reducing energy consumption by using energy-efficient systems, insulation and renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. This decreases operational costs and reduces reliance on non-renewable energy. Water Conservation: It promotes efficient water usage through rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and low-flow fixtures to conserve water resources and reduce utility costs. Waste Reduction: By using recycled and sustainable materials and optimizing construction methods, sustainable construction minimizes waste generation and promotes recycling to reduce landfill impact. Site Sustainability: This involves selecting building sites that minimize environmental disruption, preserving natural habitats and integrating green spaces to enhance biodiversity and community well-being. Carbon Footprint Reduction: Sustainable construction seeks to lower carbon emissions by using low-carbon materials, efficient transportation logistics and energy-efficient designs, contributing to climate change mitigation. 10 Sustainable Construction Materials In the construction industry, the choice of building materials plays a critical role in promoting sustainability and reducing environmental impact. Sustainable construction materials are eco-friendly and energy-efficient and contribute to a building’s durability and overall lifecycle benefits. By incorporating these materials into construction projects, architects, builders and developers can significantly reduce waste, conserve natural resources and lower carbon emissions. Bamboo: A fast-growing, renewable alternative to wood with high strength and durability. Recycled Steel: Reduces the need for virgin steel production and lowers carbon emissions. Rammed Earth: A natural material with excellent thermal mass for energy efficiency. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT): A strong, lightweight and sustainable alternative to concrete and steel. Recycled Plastic Bricks: Made from repurposed plastic waste, it reduces landfill waste and environmental impact. Hempcrete: A lightweight, breathable and carbon-negative construction material made from hemp fibers and lime. Mycelium (Fungal-Based Materials): Biodegradable and renewable material used for insulation and paneling. Aerated Concrete: Lightweight and energy-efficient concrete with improved insulation properties. Reclaimed Wood: Salvaged wood from old buildings to reduce deforestation and waste. Low-VOC Paints & Finishes: Improves indoor air quality by reducing harmful chemical emissions. 10 Sustainable Construction Practices As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, the construction industry is embracing change by incorporating environmentally-friendly practices into their construction process. These practices focus on minimizing environmental impact, enhancing energy efficiency and conserving natural resources while maintaining economic viability and social responsibility. By building smarter and greener, the industry can reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future. Here are some of those practices. Passive Design: Maximizing natural ventilation, daylighting and insulation to reduce energy consumption. Prefabrication & Modular Construction: Reduces waste, speeds up construction and improves material efficiency. Low-Impact Site Development: Minimizing land disturbance, preserving vegetation and reducing soil erosion. Green Roofs & Living Walls: Enhances insulation, improves air quality and manages stormwater. Waste Management & Recycling: Sorting and repurposing construction waste to reduce landfill impact. Energy-Efficient Building Envelope: Using high-performance insulation, triple-glazed windows and airtight sealing to reduce energy loss. Solar & Renewable Energy Integration: Installing solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal heating to power buildings sustainably. Permeable Pavement: Reduces stormwater runoff and improves groundwater recharge. Adaptive Reuse & Retrofitting: Renovating existing structures instead of demolishing them to reduce resource consumption. Smart Water Management: Implementing greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting and water-efficient landscaping. Benefits of Sustainable Construction Sustainable construction significantly reduces environmental impact by conserving natural resources and minimizing waste. By using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems and renewable resources, sustainable buildings lower carbon emissions and reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources. Practices like recycling construction waste and using sustainable sourcing materials help preserve ecosystems and reduce landfill pollution, contributing to a cleaner and healthier planet. Although sustainable construction may have higher upfront costs, it offers long-term economic benefits. Energy-efficient systems and water-saving technologies lower utility expenses, while durable and sustainable materials reduce maintenance and replacement costs. Additionally, sustainable buildings often qualify for tax incentives, green certifications and higher property values, making them a smart investment for developers and homeowners alike. Sustainable construction not only benefits the environment and economy but also enhances the well-being of building occupants. By prioritizing indoor air quality, natural lighting and energy efficiency, sustainable buildings create healthier and more comfortable living and working environments. Furthermore, they support social responsibility by contributing to community well-being and reducing the overall environmental footprint to ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come. Sustainable Construction Examples Sustainable construction is transforming the built environment by integrating eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems and innovative design to reduce environmental impact. These buildings showcase how sustainable architecture not only conserves resources but also enhances comfort and productivity for occupants. Here are some remarkable examples of sustainable construction from around the world. The Edge Located in Amsterdam, The Edge is known as the world’s most sustainable office building. It uses solar panels, smart energy management systems and rainwater harvesting to achieve a near-zero energy footprint. Its intelligent design optimizes natural lighting and ventilation to create an efficient and comfortable workspace. Bosco Verticale Situated in Milan, Bosco Verticale consists of two residential towers covered with over 20,000 trees and plants, enhancing urban biodiversity and air quality. This vertical forest moderates temperatures, reduces noise pollution and promotes sustainable urban living by integrating nature into high-rise architecture. One Central Park One Central Park in Sydney features a unique vertical garden and heliostat mirrors that redirect sunlight to shaded areas, enhancing natural lighting. Its rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems promote water conservation, making it a model of urban sustainability. Bullitt Center Dubbed the world’s greenest commercial building, the Bullitt Center in Seattle is a net-zero energy structure powered entirely by solar energy. It incorporates composting toilets, rainwater recycling and non-toxic building materials, demonstrating the feasibility of zero-waste construction. The Crystal Located in London, The Crystal is one of the most energy-efficient buildings globally, achieving Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certifications. It utilizes solar power, rainwater harvesting and automated building management systems, showcasing cutting-edge sustainable technology. These buildings are paving the way for a greener, more resilient future, proving that sustainable construction is not only achievable but also aesthetically and functionally superior. Free Construction Project Management Templates To meet the high standards of sustainable construction requires project management software. Firms not ready to upgrade can still reap these benefits by using our free project management templates for Excel and Word. There are over 100 free templates that help with every aspect of managing a project across multiple industries. Here are just a few to help with construction. Bill of Quantities Template Whether they’re sustainable or not, construction firms need to list all the materials and labor needed to execute the project. This free bill of quantities template for Excel does that and helps to determine the pricing for the project. Construction Schedule Template Sustainable construction like any project needs to lay out the how and why of the project. This free construction schedule template opens in ProjectManager to show how easy it is to use the Gantt chart to schedule tasks, resources and costs, plus have access to other robust tools. Construction Budget Template Because sustainable construction can have higher upfront costs, it’s even more important to accurately forecast the budget for the project. Use this free construction budget template for Excel to list all labor, materials and more for an accurate estimate of the budget. How to Manage Sustainable Construction Projects With ProjectManager Sustainable construction is all about efficiency. The truth is that Excel spreadsheets are not that efficient. Data has to be manually inputted and static templates are poor collaborative tools. The most sustainable construction projects are planned, managed and tracked with project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning construction project and portfolio management software with multiple project views that allow everyone on the crew to work with the right tools. More than that, there are powerful resource management and tracking features to keep projects on schedule and on budget. Robust Resource Management Keep Teams Productive Sustainable construction still has to meet deadlines and properly allocate resources. This begins with the Gantt chart, which schedules human and nonhuman resources. Then, when onboarding teams, project managers can set their availability and skill sets, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, plus pay rate. This makes it easier to assign the right person for the right job at the right time. To get an overview of resource allocation, use the color-coded workload chart, which shows who’s overallocated or underutilized. Then balance the team’s workload to keep them working at capacity without threatening burnout. There’s even a team page that shows a daily or weekly summary of the team’s activities. It can be filtered by progress, priority and more. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress, Costs and More With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports For a sustainable project to be cost effective it has to be delivered when planned. That requires monitoring and controlling its execution. Our software has many ways to track progress, costs and more. For a high-level view of the project, toggle over to the real-time project or portfolio dashboards. They’re already set up and ready to go, with easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. To get deeper into that data, use our customizable reports, such as project or portfolio status, variance, timesheets, workload and more. All reports can be filtered to focus on specific data points or summarize progress and share with stakeholders. Even our secure online timesheets help track labor costs to keep projects delivered on budget /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Construction Content As we’ve said, sustainable construction relies on the same construction project management that firms have been using to deliver successful projects. For those who want to learn more about the types of construction projects, processes and phases, below are some links to recent posts we’ve published on those topics in our blog. 10 Types of Construction Projects with Examples The Construction Process Explained Step-by-Step Construction Phases: Documentation, Templates & Steps ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or on the job site. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Sustainable Construction: Practices, Materials and Benefits appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

The megalender revealed it employed 14,200 team members at the year's end. View the full article

There used to be a clear progression in home ownership: You bought a “starter” home when you were young, built equity, then cashed in when prices rose and leveled up to something bigger, newer, or with the features you really want. And if you bought a house that didn’t live up to expectations, or if your situation changed without warning (hello, unexpected third child!), you would list the place and move to a better option. But increasingly, that seems like an artifact of a bygone age. It’s easy these days to feel “stuck” in your current home—because of that amazing mortgage rate you locked in years ago, the eye-watering cost of a house these days, or some other issue. If that’s you, don’t despair: Maybe you can’t sell and move right now, and an expensive whole-house renovation or addition might not be in the cards, but there’s a lot you can do with your current home to make it work for your family and lifestyle without needing to launch a Kickstarter. Work with itIf you’re stuck in your current house, your first step is to assess what you have and look for ways to make it work for you. This doesn’t have to involve an expensive major renovation or addition project—there are probably a lot of resources already in your current home that you’re not using to their full potential, such as: Closets are potentially versatile spaces that can become home offices, pantries, or even small spare bedrooms. Home offices don’t have to be their own room—aside from that tiny closet, you can fit an office under a lofted bed, in the corner of your bedroom, or under a flight of stairs. Hallways are often overlooked as usable space, but if yours are wide enough, you can cram seating or library space and even a sleeping area into your hallways. Second (or third) bathrooms might not be in the cards if your house (and budget) are small, but if you just need a practical solution, you can actually create a usable bathroom just about anywhere in your home without any plumbing whatsoever. Storage is one of the biggest reasons people feel like they’ve outgrown their homes, but you might be surprised at how much extra storage you can carve out of your house if you put your mind to it. Laundry facilities in the house are one of the greatest gifts of the modern age. If your current home lacks a washer, a portable washing machine might make things more tolerable for you until you can find a place with laundry hookups. By using every inch of your home’s potential you can find ways to make it meet your needs—at least for a while. Start overSometimes all you need to make a house work for you is a reset. A cluttered, crowded house can have a negative impact on your mental health in general, which will obviously affect your feelings toward your home. Rooms filled with boxes can’t be used for their intended purpose, and the constant sense of disruption and unfinished business can make a home feel less than comfortable. Decluttering and organizing your home can make it feel almost new. And this doesn’t have to be a monumental project requiring time off from work and an extra therapy session—start with one room. Clear it out completely, clean and freshen it up (a coat of paint can make a room feel brand-new), then re-imagine it. Even if it remains a storage room, making it neat and tidy will make it usable, which will make you more positive toward it and thus toward the house. Repeat for each room at your own pace, and you’ll slowly gain back that sense of pride, control, and ownership you had when you first bought the place. Look outwardMaybe you’ve explored the spare square footage and decluttered like a champ, and there are just things your current home can’t give you. Space is finite, after all, and there may be no super creative solutions to give you that space or functionality you need. If you’re stuck in your home for the time being, you might find contentment by looking elsewhere for what’s missing in your house. No space for a workout? A gym membership’s got you covered. No spot for even a tiny office? A co-working space nearby might work. If your closets are bursting, hauling seasonal stuff to a local storage unit can give you your house back. While the ideal might be to have all these things conveniently in your house, stashing them away temporarily will at least meet your needs until you can make some real estate moves. PersonalizeIt’s funny: You go through all the trouble and expense of buying a house, and then you work very hard to keep the place “neutral” for potential resale. You never use the bathtub, but you keep it because it’s “good for resale value.” You choose paint colors and design elements that are broadly in line with what “most people” want in a house. This can result in a house that never feels like yours—it’s like living in someone else’s house. If you’re going to be in this house for the time being, one way to feel better about it and make it work for you is to go in the opposite direction: Lean into personalizing the space. Choose colors and furniture pieces that make you happy, display your collections and art pieces, DIY whatever you want or need to in order to use the space the way you want to. If part of what’s driving your desire to move is a sense of not being comfortable in your current home, working to make it as comfortable as possible—resale value be damned—might solve the problem. View the full article

There are few stages in politics like a joint session of Congress for the president to get their message out to a wide audience, but members of Congress have increasingly attempted to wrest that stage back for themselves. Tuesday’s speech was the latest in a growing trend. The House sergeant at arms removed Rep. Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, from President Donald Trump’s speech after he repeatedly shouted that Trump had “no mandate” to cut Medicaid. Republican lawmakers have shouted in the past during addresses from former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, but those incidents did not lead to lawmakers’ removal. Rep. Al Green (D-TX) is removed from the chamber as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025. [Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images] It’s nonverbal communications, though, that most members of Congress have turned to in recent years in an attempt to co-opt presidents’ speeches. Democrats this year did something unique this year: they brought props. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouts as U.S. President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress at the U.S. Capitol September 9, 2009. [Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images] Some held simple, circular black signs with slogans written in white letters like, “False,” “Save Medicaid,” and “Musk Steals.” Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico held a handwritten sign that read “This Is Not Normal” that a Republican colleague ripped from her hands. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan brought a whiteboard that she used to write messages like “Stop lying to the American people!” and “That’s a lie!” Rep. Melanie Stansbury, (D-NM), holds a sign reading “This is not normal” as US President Donald Trump arrives to address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol on March 4, 2025. [Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images] Trump’s speech was indeed filled with false statements. He overinflated how much the U.S. has spent to defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and underestimated how much his tariffs could cost American families. Throughout his speech, Trump used Democrats as a foil and criticized them for not clapping. Lawmakers have turned to clothing to make a statement at the State of the Union, like the all-white outfits women wore to symbolize suffrage during Trump’s first term. Trump’s Tuesday speech was no different, with some wearing pink and others blue and yellow as a show of support for Ukraine. Last year, though, a pair of Republicans were less subtle with the message of their dress. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) shouts during Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Thursday, March 7, 2024. [Photo: Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images] Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia wore a “Make America Great Again” hat and t-shirt with the phrase “Say Her Name” in reference to Laken Riley, a 22-year old nursing student who was killed by a man who was in the country illegally, to Biden’s State of the Union address last year. Rep. Troy Nehls wore a shirt with Trump’s mugshot and paired it with a bowtie wrapped around his collarless neck. Green’s and Nehls’s t-shirt messaging in 2024 portended the signs Democrats held in 2025, and suggest lawmakers no longer see the State of the Union as something to merely watch. It’s political theater, but the president is no longer the only actor on the stage. View the full article

On Tuesday, conservative pundit Ben Shapiro launched a campaign for President Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison in the death of George Floyd. Shortly after, Elon Musk, who has been one of Trump’s closest advisors during his first six weeks in office, reshared the campaign on X (formerly Twitter) to his 219 million followers along with his own commentary: “Something to think about.” Shapiro posted a call for Chauvin’s pardon along with a petition for supporters to sign on the conservative media site he founded, The Daily Wire. “We write to urge you to immediately issue a pardon for Officer Derek Chauvin, who was unjustly convicted and is currently serving a 22-and-a-half-year sentence for the murder of George Floyd and associated federal charges,” Shapiro wrote in the online petition called Pardon Derek. He continued, “As you know, this was the inciting event for the BLM riots that caused $2 billion in property damage in cities across the United States and set America’s race relations on their worst footing in recent memory. Yet, the evidence demonstrates that Derek Chauvin did not murder George Floyd.” Shapiro claims that immense “pressure” from the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, rather than just the facts of the case, caused the jury to find the former officer guilty. He also says that Floyd was high on fentanyl and had a preexisting heart condition. Though a flurry of false information about Floyd’s death has gone viral since Chavin’s conviction, the victim’s death was ruled a homicide. Expert witnesses concluded that Floyd did not die of an overdose due to drug use, but as a result of “cardiopulmonary arrest.” The jury took only 10 hours to deliberate on the matter and return to the courtroom with a guilty verdict. Trump himself hasn’t publicly weighed in on a pardon for Chauvin, but it wouldn’t be the first time he pardoned a violent criminal since taking office. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 January 6 defendants, including some who violently attacked police officers defending the Capitol. “It would be very, very cumbersome to go and look—you know how many people we’re talking about? 1,500 people,” Trump told Fox News while defending the pardons. “These people have served, horribly, a long time,” he said. In fact, an NPR report found that dozens of the pardoned January 6 defendants had prior convictions or pending charges for violent crimes ranging from domestic violence and sexual abuse of a minor to rape and manslaughter. Just days after Trump’s order, one of the pardoned rioters, Matthew Huttle, who prosecutors said had an “extensive criminal history” including abuse of his child, was shot and killed by police in an altercation during a traffic stop. View the full article

Many layoffs so far have been in the Small Business/Self-Employed Division, but the Large Business & International Division has also been affected. View the full article

How can a razor brand market their products online when the word “razor” is shadowbanned. Start an OnlyFans, of course. London-based razor brand Nimbi, which launched at Erewhon in January 2024, began posting on TikTok last summer but noticed their views were disappointingly low. Turns out, it’s because they were using the word razor, which is on TikTok’s list of shadow-banned (meaning TikTok was limiting who could see their content). So, Nimbi got creative. Co-founder Anna Reid first suggested the idea of making an OnlyFans account as a joke. But it made a lot of sense. Most brands would steer well clear of posting on a platform infamous for sexually explicit content. But OnlyFans is not just a site for adult creators, and brands might just be missing out on its marketing potential. Rather than posting sexualized content for a male audience, Nimbi’s OnlyFans content is instructional and made to answer questions consumers might never have the courage to ask. One of their posts, for example, is an in-depth shaving tutorial. “It’s much more like, ‘How do we show that we all share a lot of the same needs?’” Reid told Inc. in a recent interview. “Let’s share better educational techniques that aren’t [for] our skin on our face, but other body parts that we just can’t show on social media.” While OnlyFans isn’t the brand’s major marketing channel, still with under 100 subscribers, Reid tells Inc. they’re “having a lot of fun with it”. Their bold approach appears to be paying off. Nimbi is now Erewhon’s number one seller in the personal care category, and is expanding into more than 900 Target stores March 1. Unlike traditional razors, Nimbi’s plastic-free disposable razors are made from a first-to-market material made of waste wood pulp, pine oil and clay. OnlyFans might not work for the Estée Lauders of the world. But for a razor brand, it simply makes sense. View the full article

Target is facing a 40-day consumer boycott beginning Wednesday after rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The boycott, led by Dr. Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, is framed as a “fast” from the retailer during Lent to show the economic power of Black consumers. “We’re asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community,” Rev. Bryant told CNN. However, some Black business owners worry that the boycott could have unintended consequences. Many rely on Target’s nearly 2,000 stores and online platform for exposure and sales, reported the New York Post. “If you don’t buy our products in Target, they will cancel us from their shelves and make us buy back the products they already purchased from us,” Black-owned doll brand Beautiful Curly Me said in an Instagram post. Time of struggle The boycott comes at a challenging time for the retailer, which announced Tuesday that it expects flat sales in 2025. On Tuesday, President Trump’s long-threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect, putting markets in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. on edge and sparking retaliatory measures from trade partners, including China. At the same time, U.S. consumers have been cutting back on discretionary spending as grocery prices remain high. Target, which relies heavily on sales of nonessential items like clothing and electronics, is particularly vulnerable to these shifts. Drawing back DEI Target’s decision to end its DEI programs in late January drew backlash from social justice advocates, in addition to Rev. Bryant. The move came just days after the White House called for a federal DEI ban, prompting several companies to reassess their own initiatives.The retailer concluded its Racial Equity Action and Charge initiatives, stopped all external diversity-focused surveys, and changed its “Supplier Diversity” team to “Supplier Engagement.” However, Target has faced particularly intense scrutiny, in part due to its previous high-profile commitments. Months after the murder of George Floyd, Target pledged to increase its Black workforce by 20% throughout the company over three years and take other steps to “advance racial equity,” including establishing an executive Racial Equity Action and Change committee, according to CNN. The following year, Target pledged to spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. Target also gained attention in recent years for its Pride Month promotions and inclusive marketing, signaling a progressive brand stance. “I know that focus on diversity and inclusion and equity has fueled much of our growth over the last nine years,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said in 2023. “I’m really proud of the work we’ve done in the DEI space. Fast Company reached out to Target for a comment. View the full article

So, you want to buy a MacBook? You have no shortage of options. If you go directly through Apple, you can pick between the Air or the Pro, in two different sizes, across a seemingly endless number of configurations. If you're shopping from a third party retailer, the issue only compounds. There are a lot of MacBooks out there. Which machine you should purchase is entirely up to you and your unique needs. However, unless you have demanding or specialized work to do, there is one model that makes more sense than most. Before today, I recommended the M2 MacBook Air to most people. Its combination of price, portability, and power made it not just the best MacBook for most people, but the best laptop overall. (Sorry, PCs.) There were and are cheaper options out there, but that M2 MacBook Air was simply, in my opinion, the best overall value on the market. I no longer think this, because Apple just dropped a new MacBook Air, and it's my new pick for the best MacBook for most customers. Here's why. The price is rightLet's kick things off with what makes the MacBook Air great: the price. The MacBook Air has been Apple's entry-level machine for a long time, presenting a very clear trade—you spend $999, you get a solid Mac. You could pay more to acquire additional features and a power boost, but you didn't have to. A cool grand was all you needed. Apple changed that deal a bit starting with the launch of the M2 MacBook Air. Rather than offer it as the $999 entry-level model, it kept the previous generation M1 in that spot, and priced the newer model a few hundred dollars higher. Now, the "old" MacBook Air was your entry into the Mac line, and if you wanted the latest MacBook Air, you needed to spend more. Lucky for consumers, the M1 MacBook Air was great. It's still pretty great, in fact. Despite Apple continuing to release new Macs with new chips, I argued the M1 MacBook Air was the best MacBook for most people up until early 2024. It was only when Apple replaced the M1 with the now "old" M2 MacBook Air, pricing it at $999, that I proclaimed that to be the best option. The M4 MacBook Air only continues that tradition, but with a bit of a twist. The M4 is brand new, and yet it's also the entry-level machine in Apple's lineup. That $999 doesn't get you the model from last year, or the year before that: This is the freshest MacBook Air you can buy. It doesn't feel like any kind of compromise, and that makes it easy to recommend to just about anyone looking for a great MacBook for a reasonable price. The M4 chipIf the argument was just about money, it wouldn't hold water. Now that Apple has dropped both the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs from its lineup, those machines are likely going to be on sale from other retailers. If the M2 MacBook Air was the best Mac for most people yesterday for $999, shouldn't it definitely be the best Mac for most people if they can pick it up for? That's part of my argument against buying the latest iPad Air after all—it's a great tablet, but so are the older Airs that are now likely going to be less expensive than ever. Yes, a discounted M2 MacBook Air is a fantastic value, and I wouldn't stop anyone from buying it. But I feel that $999 is an even better value for the M4 MacBook Air. For that price, you get Apple's latest chip—the M4—which represents the highest performing chip in Apple's laptop lineup. The M4 in the MacBook Air has 10 CPU cores, compared to eight in the M2, and its NPU (the chip responsible for running AI tasks) has a 120GB/s memory bandwidth, versus 100GB/s on the M2. The M2 is still a very capable chip, and you won't notice as big of a difference between the two as you would between the M1 and M4 (Apple says the M4 Air is up to twice as fast as an M1 Air) but there will be gains, as evidenced by independent benchmarking of other M4 chips. We won't know exactly how well the M4 Air performs until reviewers put it through its paces, but it will undoubtedly run better than a chip that came out in 2022. Beyond performance, Apple will almost assuredly support the M4 chip longer than the M2. I have no doubts that M2 still has many years of support ahead of it, but when the time does come for Apple to eventually stop issuing updates for these machines, the M4 will likely receive them for at least an extra year or two—if not longer. Apple is also continuing the trend of starting each MacBook off with at least 16GB of RAM. Previously, Apple's base MacBooks included 8GB of RAM, which, while enough for simple tasks, wasn't always enough for more intensive applications—and didn't bode well for their longevity. You needed to spend an extra $200 to upgrade to 16GB, which completely erased the value aspect of the MacBook Air. Last year, Apple made the decision to bump all Macs up to 16GB of RAM to start, without raising the price. Maybe $999 for a laptop with 8GB of RAM is a tough pill to swallow, but for one with 16GB? It's an excellent value. The perks you expect from a MacBook AirApple hasn't broken the mold with the M4 MacBook Air, and that's a good thing. This design is functionally identical to both the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs—which is to say, it's excellent. The base M4 MacBook Air still comes with a 13.6-inch "Liquid Retina" display, with a resolution of 2560x1664, a P3 wide color gamut, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. It weighs the same 2.7 pounds, comes with the same great speakers and microphones, and ships with an excellent backlit keyboard with Touch ID. (The days of the butterfly keyboard are long gone.) Like the M3 MacBook Air, this M4 comes with Wi-Fi 6E support (one generation newer than the M2's Wi-Fi 6 support). You also get MagSafe charging, which is among the best MacBook features. Why Apple ever rid itself of magnetic chargers, I'll never understand, but at least it has corrected itself in recent years. Various smaller advantagesWhat the company did change from previous MacBooks are minor, but notable. First up, the camera. The M4 sports a 12MP camera, which should improve the quality of video calls. However, the bigger perk with this higher megapixel count is the addition of Center Stage. This feature, introduced on iPad and found on the M4 MacBook Pro, follows your face as you move around the frame during calls. That lets you walk and talk in front of your MacBook Air, while still remaining in focus. The M4 MacBook Air still comes with two USB-C ports, but they're different than the two found on previous MacBook Airs. These ports are Thunderbolt 4, not USB-4, which means there are higher minimum speed requirements here. That enables the M4 MacBook Air to extend to up to two 6K external monitors. The colors have shifted a bit this go around, too. Gone is the iconic Space Gray option that many know and love, which isn't necessarily a "small advantage." However, the new Sky Blue color looks great. Ever since Apple revamped the iMac line with fun new colors back in 2021, I've wanted them to adopt the same with their laptops. This is the closest we've come yet, and I hope they keep it up with future models. Older MacBooks are still an excellent value (with a caveat)Apple will let you preorder an M4 MacBook Air today, and the machine will go on sale on Wednesday, March 12. But if you have any interest in an older Mac, I'd recommend waiting to buy it if you can: Once this new MacBook is out, the discounts on older machines should follow. M3 MacBook Air, 16GB RAM (2024) $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.00 Save $200.00 Shop Now Shop Now $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.00 Save $200.00 M2 MacBook Air, 16GB Ram (2022) $799.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $999.00 Save $200.00 Shop Now Shop Now $799.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $999.00 Save $200.00 SEE -1 MORE Apple won't be selling new M2 and M3 MacBook Airs, but outlets like Amazon and Best Buy certainly will. If you're looking to pick up a new MacBook Air for under $999, that's the way to do it. I imagine these companies will take $100 or $200 off these models at least, if not more. If Apple is selling new M4s for $999, these stores can't justify keeping older models at the same price. Apple will likely sell used M2 and M3 models in its refurbished store, too, so keep an eye out there. Like I said above, the M2 and M3 chips are still excellent, and Apple will likely support them for years. No matter which of these three machines you buy, they'll feel functionality the same, since the design hasn't changed, so you'll snag a modern MacBook experience for a great price. Check your RAMMy one caveat is to watch out for the RAM: You will likely find deals on MacBooks with 8GB of RAM, which I can't recommend in 2025. These Macs will generally work well, and may run the tasks you need to run, but you will hit limitations with that amount of memory sooner rather than later. Your Mac won't work as well as machine with 16GB of RAM, and, in all likelihood, Apple will drop support for it sooner than the models with more memory. These machines aren't worthless by any means (Apple currently fully supports all M-series Macs with 8GB of RAM) but if you're looking to buy a new MacBook this year, it's important to prioritize that 16GB of RAM. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. Last week we talked about shared space / hot-desking horror stories and here are 10 of my favorites that you shared. 1. The torn-down sign We have a bank of shared desks which aren’t actually general-use hot desks, but hot desks specific to our team. However, as we’re often out and about supporting other colleagues or delivering training out in the field, we’re usually only in one day a week. People realized this and started using our desks as hot desks, and all our equipment gradually failed/vanished, and when we DID come in, there wouldn’t be any desks available. So we put up signs. One of the other people came in when a colleague and I were in a meeting elsewhere on site but set up at our desks, and about half an hour after the signs went up. When we got out of the meeting, he’d torn the sign down that was at the desk where he was sat, put it face down on the desk, then outright denied it when questioned. No one believed his lie, but our manager had a word with him and put up additional signage. He still sits at the desks apart from one day when the signs state are only for our team, but he refuses to speak to any of us. 2. The phone calls I am currently living through a desk sharing situation where we both need to work some of the same hours. This requires us to sit on opposite sides of the same desk with laptops. No one can use the monitors for fear of it being “unfair.” That’s bad enough, but it gets worse. Not my setup luckily, but nearby, multiple times per day a neighboring coworker will make or answer very private personal calls literally sitting at a desk a foot from their desk mate. Topics have been: child support (that wasn’t paid), screaming at people she believes to be stealing from her, and some very NSFW inappropriate comments thrown in (loudly). Meanwhile, her desk mate is attempting to be on work calls. My coworker (her desk mate) has requested a move but is currently stuck there with her two days a week. 3. The tickets I have an assigned desk, but I only work in the office one day a week. The other four days, I work from home. That means my desk is available four days week for use as a hot desk for folks who don’t have an assigned desk. One gentleman (“E”) who knows my schedule uses my desk as a hot desk frequently. And apparently runs into just an unfathomable number of technical issues. I have lost track of the number of help desk tickets E has opened for the equipment at my desk. But since it is my equipment, I am the one who has to field the help desk techs when they attempt to troubleshoot. Help desk techs often drop by on while I’m in the office to troubleshoot the technical issue du jour. We are, strangely, never able to replicate the issues E claims to experience. Often times, when I close the help desk ticket, nothing else ever comes of it. Occasionally, he’ll re-open the ticket. Once, a help desk tech wrote down very detailed instructions on how to resolve the USER-CAUSED issue E was experiencing at my desk. I left them on the keyboard for E to read the next day. E sent me an IM on Friday telling me he’d thrown the instructions in the trash (???). With all the issues he seems to experience using my desk, I’ve often wondered why he doesn’t just hot desk in one of the five other open desks in my cube share. The world may never know. 4. The photos Coworker #1 shared a desk with Coworker #2, who was going through a drawn out break-up with Coworker #3. We were never quite sure if the relationship was officially over. One day Coworker #1 found multiple photos cut up into little pieces in the desk (our building had a photobooth that printed physical photos). Coworker #1 realized they were all photos that included Coworker #3. That wasn’t the official end of their break-up, but it did add to the lore as they continued to go off and on for years. 5. The committed decorator I used to work at a place where there was a morning shift and a night shift, so everyone shared a desk with one other person. I brought in a little 8×10 picture and hung it up on one half of the little area because I needed something to look at (no windows), but didn’t want to overwhelm my desk mate. The night shift guy across from me had no such consideration. The three little walls of his desk area were absolutely COVERED in stuff – photos, a framed Nickelodeon Magazine with Larissa Oleynik on the cover (when she was a child on Alex Mack), the slipcover of an X-Files DVD box set, the sticker they put on the corner of a television set to tell you it’s screen size … just the most bizarre stuff. His deskmate finally complained and he was told he could only decorate one half of the space. So when I came in the next morning, he had meticulously measured the space so he was taking up exactly half. At Christmas, he brought in a family photo album and left it open to a different page every day. Then he brought in one child-size dress-up Cinderella high heel. This plus many, many, MANY other things led to him eventually being fired. 6. The pile When I was hired on at a small social enterprise, my desk was pushed up against my boss’s desk, back-to-back. It meant that we sat directly facing each other all day. I’m a tidy person and never have clutter on my desk, while my boss was a borderline hoarder. She had multiple towers of loose papers, at least 15 tchotchkes, and an extensive nature collection that included feathers, skulls, and a dried bear poop that she liked because it had seeds in it. There was almost no visible desk surface. Within a day, her clutter had crept over the border and onto my desk. I ignored it, but the flow was unstoppable. By day 3, the slow-moving landslide of junk had taken over the back third of my desk. Since she wasn’t in that day to talk to her, I took all her junk off my desk and neatly piled it back on hers. The next morning she profusely apologized and said she would be more mindful, while commenting on how tidy and sterile my desk was. This became a pattern: throughout the workday, a paper stack would be nudged onto my desk, or an animal bone would fall from an overflowing basket onto my printer. I started propping up items to create a fence on the border, à la Dwight Schrute. Several times I politely talked to her about needing my desk to be free of clutter. Nothing worked. Every afternoon after she left, I would remove her items and neatly stack them back on her desk. Every morning she would apologize and continue the pattern. I could see her shame growing. About a year later we moved into a new “office” that she had built which was a log cabin with no indoor plumbing, heating, or cooling. There was an outhouse with no running water. I quit a few months later. 7. The unauthorized plant I was a “rover” at a bank where I was sent to new branches every day to cover for absences — basically a substitute bank teller and banker. One branch had a plant care service where these people would come in and tend to the plants which were, I guess, part of a contracted service. They’d water them, trim leaves, polish leaves, etc. They silently entered offices to avoid bothering the bankers. I was sitting in a lady’s office working when a plant lady stormed in pointing to a plant and demanding to know where it came from and that it wasn’t their plant and they don’t care for unauthorized plants. I shrugged and told her this isn’t my office nor is this my branch. I’m just sitting here for now. She came back at least twice more to actually reprimand me, essentially her company’s client, and demand answers. It was the strangest thing to happen to me up to that point. I left a note for the plant owner that she had better watch her back with these plant ladies. 8. The log-ins Years ago, I worked at an office where most of us were in the field all day, and we shared two desktop computers for data entry, payroll, and other admin tasks. One of my coworkers was zealous about cyber security, so he updated the desktops to set very secure passwords (long strings of letters, numbers, and special characters). Unfortunately that meant that none of us could remember the passwords, so they were written on post-it notes taped to the desks (very secure!). The real trouble began when he transferred to another office and one of the post-its was lost. I don’t know if anyone was ever able to log into the data entry computer again. 9. The desk walk After I finished my masters, I considered moving from SmallState University to Bigwig University for a Ph.D. (my advisor was retiring and there was nobody else in my area to work with) when I visited the campus, the grad student who was showing me around brought me to the grad student office – a room filled with so many desks that he had to walk over one person’s desk to get to his. I changed my research focus and stayed SmallStateU, where I had a three person office and a couch. 10. The Pop Tarts I was an expensive consultant back in the dot.com days, brought into a medium sized company that was creating early internet shopping software. They had the full dot.com culture, including lots of free food. What they did not have was a lot of space. My desk was a laptop sitting on top of a giant case of brown-sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts in the middle of the breakroom. I’m the adaptable sort – at the rate they were paying me, I had to be – so this was fine. The only challenge was that whenever someone wanted a Pop Tart, I had to lift my laptop and let them into the cardboard case so they could grab some. This generally happened about seven times per day. On the other hand, I ended up with a 13% raise from that assignment, and I got all the Pop Tarts I could ever want, so I guess it was worth it. View the full article

Carve-out applies to groups operating through the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact View the full article