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Threads, the popular social media platform, is rolling out an innovative feature called ghost posts, designed to empower users—including small business owners—to share thoughts that don’t weigh heavily on the permanence of online content. This new capability allows posts to vanish after 24 hours, fostering a space for more spontaneous and unfiltered communication. Ghost posts encourage users to share fresh ideas or engage in dialogue without the anxiety of long-term visibility. As Threads introduces this feature, small businesses stand to benefit from a platform that prioritizes connection and creativity over curation. “Here today and gone tomorrow, you can feel confident trying new things and posting spontaneous thoughts,” a Threads spokesperson noted. This sentiment may resonate particularly with entrepreneurs, as small business owners often juggle multiple roles and may seek versatility in their engagement strategies. The mechanics are straightforward: by toggling on the ghost icon when creating a post, entrepreneurs can dive into social interactions that can be spontaneous and reflective of real-time thinking. Replies to these ghost posts are routed to a private messaging inbox, ensuring that user interactions remain semi-private, allowing business owners a unique avenue for feedback from their audience without exposing everything to the digital world forever. This feature aligns with a growing trend in social media where temporary content reigns supreme. The rise of disappearing posts, popularized by platforms like Snapchat and Instagram Stories, caters to an audience that increasingly values authenticity over agricultural content. Small business owners can harness this feature to experiment with promotional messages, solicit real-time feedback on products, or simply engage their audience on a more personal level. Additionally, Threads has recently expanded its toolkit for users, which includes text attachments allowing up to 10,000 characters for longer messages and the option to conceal spoilers in posts. These enhancements reflect a shift towards more nuanced communications on social media, enabling businesses to articulate their value propositions more clearly and interactively. However, while the benefits are promising, small business owners must also consider potential challenges. The transient nature of ghost posts could create a less structured environment for marketing strategies. Content that disappears may not contribute to long-term brand storytelling, making it essential for business owners to find a balance between ephemeral and enduring communication. With that in mind, entrepreneurs should strategize on how best to incorporate ghost posts into their overall branding framework. Moreover, the semi-private response mechanism might limit public engagement metrics. Unlike traditional posts that encourage public likes and shares, ghost posts focus more on private replies. This could make performance tracking more challenging, necessitating new methods of measuring audience engagement and sentiment. As Threads continues to evolve, small business owners should keep an eye on how these features can drive innovation in their marketing initiatives. “We’ll keep updating Threads to make it easier and more fun to share your thoughts and connect with others,” the spokesperson affirmed. As platforms adapt, entrepreneurs can leverage new tools to revitalize their communication styles and foster community engagement. In a rapidly changing digital landscape, features like ghost posts represent an opportunity for small businesses to embrace a culture of experimentation. These time-sensitive messages can help spark meaningful dialogues, allowing entrepreneurs to stay ahead of industry trends and foster connections that add value both online and offline. As small businesses explore the potential of Threads, they should be proactive about finding the ideal blend of transient and enduring content. This approach will help in cultivating an engaged community while navigating the evolving social media landscape. For more details about ghost posts and other new features, visit the official announcement at Meta. This article, "Threads Unveils Ghost Posts: Share Freely Without the Pressure of Permanence" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Pinterest, a platform Futurism described as “being strangled by AI slop,” is not having a great day. The image-based social media company yesterday released its third-quarter earnings and, despite a 17% increase in revenue year-over-year (YOY), its shares took a tremendous tumble. Pinterest stock (NYSE: PINS) dropped about 20% through after-hours trading and into premarket on Wednesday, sitting at 18.6% down at the time of publishing. We’ll get into the “AI slop” factor, but first it’s worth noting that Pinterest’s revenue might have improved YOY, but it only just met Wall Street’s expectations of $1.05 billion, according to consensus estimates cited by CNBC. Pinterest also missed earnings per share estimates of 42 cents, reaching an adjusted 38 cents instead. Meanwhile, the company predicted its fourth-quarter revenue to reach between $1.31 billion and $1.34 billion, not exactly comforting to investors when Wall Street had projected the highest end of that range. Pinterest also missed estimated figures for third-quarter sales in the U.S. and Canada ($786 million versus $799 million) and global average revenue per user ($1.78 versus $1.79), according to separate consensus estimates cited by CNBC. How does AI factor into Pinterest’s report? Pinterest released its third-quarter earnings only a couple weeks after rolling out new generative AI controls. Following a sea of user complaints, the new tools allow users to dial down or—if they really want—up the level of AI-generated content on their feeds. Users had openly criticized the “AI slop,” with one person stating on X, “I hate how Pinterest is just AI and ads now. It’s just unusable.” The post received 21,000 likes. Despite the pushback, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready doubled down on AI in an earnings call, referring to it as “the heart of the Pinterest experience.” He even went so far as to call Pinterest an “AI-powered shopping assistant,” further centering AI at the company. The good news for Pinterest Pinterest saw a 12% increase YOY in global monthly active users, reaching 600 million. In July, the company shared that men were joining the platform at record rates, making up over one-third of users. As for the advertisements they see, Ready states that Pinterest has “built a performance ads platform that is harnessing our users’ commercial intent and AI-driven automation to improve performance and simplify campaign creation for advertisers.” He goes on to claim that advertiser “outbound clicks” have improved by 40% YOY. In response to a question from an analyst about Pinterest’s new AI controls, Ready further addressed the complex issue of identifying AI-generated content, claiming that no platform could “catch 100%” of uses. “That’s why we say ‘see less,’ not ‘see none of,’ because the ability to precisely spot that is not perfect for any platform,” he said on the call. He then made the case that AI will eventually follow in the footsteps of Photoshop and play at least a small part in editing most, if not all, content. View the full article

Key changes to Sections 168 and 179 offer fresh opportunities for strategic deductions. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

Key changes to Sections 168 and 179 offer fresh opportunities for strategic deductions. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google AI Overviews continue to shift click-through rates down...View the full article

The new version of Fitbit’s app (currently in “public preview” mode) has some improvements and some shortcomings. On the first day it was available, the built-in AI confused and frustrated me, but I figured I needed to give it a little time. Maybe it would learn more about me and give better responses. Maybe I would learn my way around its features. Maybe the team at Google would correct the worst of the problems. That last prediction came partly true. When I woke up the next morning, the AI finally admitted that the watch I was wearing, Google’s Pixel Watch 4, does actually exist. (The initial version of the app had claimed that the Pixel Watch 2, released in 2023, was the latest.) I also noticed a few small fixes that rolled in throughout the week. First screenshot is from Oct. 28; the other two are from Oct. 29. Credit: Beth Skwarecki I used the app for a week, wearing the Pixel Watch 4 to sleep and for most of my workouts, and I chatted with the AI coach almost daily. A few times I asked it to readjust my goals and give me new workouts, so I could see how it fared at different types of exercise programming. I happen to hold several coaching certifications myself, including as a personal trainer and a USAW weightlifting coach. I’ve self-coached myself through a variety of fitness goals over the years. And I’m familiar with the training programs that are available on the internet as well as in specific tech products and apps. So let’s see how well the Fitbit AI does its job as a coach. What improved over the weekThe Fitbit team seems to be hard at work. Besides receiving the good news that there is a Pixel Watch 4, I noticed several things that seem to be fixes or improvements. At first, when I was talking to the bot, I wasn’t able to edit the text I was typing, only backspace from the end of the message. But in the last few days, I’ve been able to navigate within my line of text more or less like usual. (I am using a Pixel 9 phone with the default keyboard.) The interface for strength workouts is either improved, or I found features that were there all along. Either way, it’s a lot more usable than what I first reported. When you tap on an exercise, you get a screen where you can adjust the reps and weight. The bot even took notice of the weights I entered, referring to them in conversation later on. Plenty of shortcomings remain, though. For example, the exercise library is enormous and contains obscure and strangely phrased exercises, yet is also missing some obvious and common ones. I would not be surprised if AI was used to compile the list. Some of the things that crashed the app earlier or led to blank screens have been fixed. For example, tapping the card about my sleep now leads me to graphs and data about my sleep, instead of opening a conversation with the bot. (That said, there is also a button that opens a conversation with the bot, and often it tells me it doesn’t have the data for a conversation.) Credit: Beth Skwarecki It’s now possible to follow running (but not strength) workouts from the watch, although not easily. You have to go to the app, tap the workout, tap “track live metrics” (not what that phrase usually means, but OK) and then the workout loads on your watch. I wanted to run with just the watch, not the phone, so I had to do this at home and leave the watch on that workout screen until I was ready to start. There’s no way to access the workout from the watch directly. Setting a goal for a faster 5KLast week, I had asked the bot for some simple, short workouts that balanced strength and running. At the beginning of this week I started a new chat about my goals, so that it could give me a full week of workouts. (It will only program up to a given Saturday.) I decided to ask it for a 5K improvement plan—an easy goal any training app should be able to do well. A 5K—meaning you want to run five kilometers, or 3.1 miles, as fast as possible— is a common goal for runners. There are plenty of 5K improvement plans on the internet that it would have been trained on, and forums are full of people discussing their 5K times and how to improve. This may even be a goal the bot is specifically programmed to handle. So let’s see. I started by asking the bot: If I can run a 28-minute 5K, how much of an improvement could I expect to see in a month? It declined to give a number, but offered some vague encouragement. So I asked it if I could take that number down to 24 minutes? I was hoping it might flag that as a bit unrealistic, but it didn’t. It offered to write me a 5K training program, though. To the bot’s credit, it recommended including strength workouts to support my running. But later, when I asked it for help with a strength goal, it didn’t include any cardio. Cardio and strength are both important, so that was another disappointing blind spot. I can’t say I’m impressed by the way the bot talks about goals. It wasn’t able to give me any advice about choosing an appropriate goal, which is one of the reasons people pay an experienced coach. It also didn’t discuss structures or process goals that would keep me on track, and as I’ve mentioned before, it isn’t capable of planning for the long term—all things that any human trainer would view as fundamental. Following workoutsThe running workouts did not make a particularly good training week for a 5K program. There was no extended tempo run, no long run—just a few different configurations of intervals scattered throughout the week. Those interval workouts didn’t even have a warmup until I told the bot to add one. There is a button on every workout that allows you to converse with the bot to adjust it, but it never really worked correctly. Even that simple attempt to add a warmup was a comedy of errors, especially when I asked it to keep the workouts to 30 minutes. It can’t do math, and kept adding up the segment times wrong. Even when I decided I’d accept a 25-minute workout, the workout was saved with a text description that included a note about it being a 30-minute workout. Later workouts kept that 30-minute number in the description even when they were nearly 40 minutes. This is not how math works. Credit: Beth Skwarecki The running workouts were nearly impossible to follow from my watch, although that may be more of a Pixel Watch issue than a Fitbit app issue. The description on the watch sometimes included a warmup and cooldown that never materialized during the run. Some segments had a heart rate target, but the watch didn’t tell me the target while I was running it—it just gave alerts that my heart rate was too high or too low. It didn’t even tell me which segments were supposed to be work and which were recovery. I was just told to “Run, 2 minutes” and “Run, 3 minutes.” I had to guess, and ended up quitting that workout early. I did not use the Fitbit app for any more running workouts that week—it wasn’t worth the frustration. The bot (almost) never forgetsThe bot has a memory problem. Sometimes it forgets, but sometimes it’s too good at remembering. When I told it I wanted to forget my 5K goal and just work on strength, it seemed to agree—at first. When I exited that conversation, I saw that my new plan was also geared toward improving my 5K time. I had at least four separate conversations with the bot clarifying that I do not care about my 5K time anymore, and it would say it understood, and then it would write me a running program and tell me that it understands my goal to be improving my 5K time. It did eventually get the message, but remember that every back-and-forth with the bot takes time (and water and electricity) as it thinks about the answer. From the timestamps on my screenshots I can see that I began our conversation at 6:59 as I was preparing for a 7 p.m. workout, and I didn’t have a strength-focused plan on the books until 7:42. These were from three different conversations in the same evening. Credit: Beth Skwarecki It’s not only this goal that stuck with the chatbot. A few offhand comments ended up taking on the gravity of a religious commandment in its tiny digital mind. Every time it makes a new program, it asks if you have any injuries or anything else it should know about. One time I said “nope, I’m healthy and ready for hard training!” Days later, workouts later, whole programs later, it would tell me that it designed things around my preference for “hard training.” Or take a brief note I gave it when I was adjusting my first-ever strength workout last week: I didn’t like the rep scheme it gave me (three sets of six) so I asked if we could work up to a heavy single and then do two sets of three with lighter weight as a backoff. As I wrote last week, I was pleasantly surprised that it understood what I meant. But now it thinks I want that for every workout! Many of the strength workouts follow a protocol of five reps, then three reps, then one rep (hmm, wonder where it got those numbers) and then, inexplicably, follow that up with two sets of three. When I ask it why it chose that rep scheme, it tells me that it knows I like doing heavy singles followed by 2x3 backoffs. Maybe it’s just trying to make me happy, but a fitness coach—AI or otherwise—should understand that not all stated preferences are equal. Some apply to a person, some to a workout, some to a training block, and some are just a fleeting whim. A real fitness professional would recognize that a program centered on heavy singles is something to be used occasionally or for specific purposes, not day-in and day-out. Worse than 2023? For all the talk about any given moment’s AI being “the worst it’ll ever be,” the Fitbit AI, powered by Gemini, vaunted by Google, set into the core of the new Fitbit app like some kind of crown jewel, seems to have the exact same flaws and limitations I encountered when I asked ChatGPT to write workouts for me back in 2023. If anything, it feels worse. It’s only the vibe that’s different now. Back in 2023, I could laugh about the bad advice the bot gave me and remind readers that of course this can’t replace a real coach. Now, two and a half years later, tech companies are trying to convince us that AI is our new coach. But as my colleague Meredith Dietz has pointed out, AI coaches may do more harm than good. A coach that can’t plan for the future, can’t reality-check the goals a client discusses, and can’t even correctly write down its own workouts isn’t much of a coach. View the full article

Southern states' government-sponsored enterprise share lags outside of a small number of metros, the Center for Mortgage Access' analysis of HMDA data shows. View the full article

President Donald The President is heading to Miami on Wednesday — the anniversary of his reelection to a second term — to speak to a forum of business leaders and global athletes about what he sees as his economic achievements. The Republican president’s speech to the America Business Forum will be a broad look at his economic agenda and how investments he has secured abroad help U.S. communities, according to a senior White House official. It’s a significant effort from The President to put a positive spin on the economy at a time when Americans remain uneasy about the state of their finances and the cost of living — and when major campaigns in Tuesday’s election were centered on affordability and the economy. The AP Voter Poll survey, which included more than 17,000 voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California and New York City, suggested the public was troubled by higher prices and fewer job opportunities despite The President’s promises to tame inflation and unleash growth. In his speech, The President will touch on deregulation, energy independence and oil prices, and affordability, said the White House official, who insisted on anonymity to preview the president’s address. The President spent five days in Asia last week with stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. He worked to ease trade tensions with Beijing in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In Tokyo, he promoted several major energy and tech projects for the U.S. that will be funded by Japan. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said he thinks The President’s recent travels “have been transformational in his presidency” and said his speech will be a highlight of the forum, which organizers have described as a more accessible version of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, or the Milken Institute Global Conference, which gathers the world’s elite for discussions on the economy. “This conference not only is creating this incredible collection of people, but it’s also creating them in a particular moment in time,” said Suarez, a Republican. The President’s visit also highlights how the Miami area is playing a key role during his second term. The President is set to host leaders of the world’s leading rich and developing economies at next year’s Group of 20 summit at his golf club at the nearby city of Doral, despite what critics say is the appearance of impropriety. The President’s sons have taken over running the The President Organization while their father is in the White House, and the president has insisted that his family’s business will not make any money by holding the summit at the golf club. The city is where The President wants to locate his future presidential library, which is now facing a legal challenge over whether the plot of land in downtown Miami is being properly transferred. Miami is also one of the U.S. host cities for next year’s World Cup, which The President has eagerly promoted as the kickoff to several major global sporting events for which the U.S. is playing host. Ensuring the success of the World Cup has been a top priority for the The President administration. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with whom The President has developed a close friendship, is scheduled to speak at the Miami forum later Wednesday. This story has been corrected to show the name of the event is the America Business Forum, not the American Business Forum. —Seung Min Kim, Associated Press View the full article

Losing something you spent time working on, or photos that you can't replace, is devastating. You might think this is a problem of the past because of cloud storage services like Apple's own iCloud, but that's not completely true. For one thing, users sometimes get locked out of their cloud accounts, which makes it impossible to retrieve their files. For another, not everything on your Mac is stored in iCloud. Things like settings, applications, and customizations aren't easy to recover should something happen to your Mac. It's also a lot faster to retrieve files from a local backup than a cloud one, which is important if you're backing up things like videos or photo libraries. Finally, there's a certain peace of mind that comes from being in control of your backup, as opposed to it being in the hands of a company. For these reasons I recommend you make a full local backup of your Mac. There are many ways to do this, including using third-party software. For most people, though, I recommend something that might sound old-fashioned: an external hard drive and Apple's own Time Machine. Why Time Machine?Time Machine is the simplest way for Mac users to have a local backup. There are other solutions out there, granted, and every Mac power user has their favorite. For the average user, though, it's hard to beat Time Machine. It's simply bundled with the operating system. Just plug in an empty external hard drive—one larger than the drive inside your Mac—and head to System Settings > General > Time Machine. From here you can start backing up in a couple of clicks. This backup includes everything on your drive. That means your documents, photos, and videos, yes, but also everything else. The applications you installed, including large games. Your settings, both for macOS and for every application you have installed. If it's saved on your Mac it's backed up to Time Machine (unless you specifically tell the software not to include it). There are all kinds of ways to retrieve your files from a Time Machine backup. If you are setting up a new Mac there's an option to use your backup to restore your files and settings. Or, if you'd rather not, you can simply drag files from the backup drive to your new Mac. By default, Time Machine makes a new backup every hour. Only new files are copied, and versions of deleted files stay on the drive until the drive is full. Time Machine also makes it possible to browse past versions of the same file, if you want. You can customize the frequency of backups—hourly, daily, or weekly are all options. I, personally, find all of these to be overkill, and use a fourth option—manual—instead. And a free application I found makes it seamless. The tool that makes Time Machine work for me Credit: Justin Pot My Mac is a laptop—one that I use away from my desk quite a bit—so I can't leave an external drive plugged into it. I try to plug in my drive when I'm at my desk, but that means I end up accidentally unplugging my Time Machine drive without dismounting it. Do that enough times and you'll end up with a corrupted drive (believe me, I've had this happen multiple times). This is why I was happy to find Easy backup and eject, a free Mac application that runs in the background and does one thing: start a Time Machine backup when you plug in your drive and dismount the drive when the backup is done. With this software installed I can plug in my drive anytime I want to make a backup and stop thinking about it. Backups typically don't take more than a few minutes for me, so by the time I'm ready to leave my desk I can just unplug everything and go about my day. It's perfect. Try it out if you like the idea of Time Machine but can't leave a hard drive constantly plugged in. View the full article

Tuesday’s electoral sweep was a rebuke to Donald The President, but now the governing beginsView the full article

California voters approved new congressional district boundaries Tuesday, delivering a victory for Democrats in the state-by-state redistricting battle that will help determine which party wins control of the U.S. House in 2026 and, with it, the power to thwart or advance President Donald The President’s agenda. The approval of Proposition 50 gives Democrats a shot at winning as many as five additional seats, just enough to blunt Texas Republicans’ move to redraw their own maps to pick up five GOP seats at The President’s urging. Texas’ move and California’s response have kicked off a flurry of redistricting efforts around the country, with Republican states appearing to have an edge. Deeply blue California is Democrats’ best opportunity to make up seats. Midterm elections typically punish the party in the White House, and The President is fighting to maintain his party’s slim House majority. Republicans hold 219 seats to Democrats’ 213. Tuesday’s results mark a political victory for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cast the measure as an essential tool to fight back against The President and protect American democracy. Speaking to reporters in Sacramento, Newsom cast the California vote as part of a broader national rejection of The President’s policies that saw Democratic governors elevated in New Jersey and Virginia. But he warned the more consequential battle would come next year. If Democrats win the House majority, they can “end Donald The President’s presidency as we know it,” Newsom said. “It is all on the line, a bright line, in 2026.” Measure supported by Newsom and Obama California’s Proposition 50 asked voters to suspend House maps drawn by an independent commission and replace them with rejiggered districts adopted by the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Those new districts would be in place for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. The recast districts aim to dilute Republican voters’ power, in one case by uniting rural, conservative-leaning parts of far northern California with Marin County, a famously liberal coastal stronghold across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The measure was spearheaded by Newsom, who threw the weight of his political operation behind it in a major test of his mettle ahead of a potential 2028 presidential campaign. Former President Barack Obama urged voters to pass it as well. “Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years,” Obama said in one ad. “You can stop Republicans in their tracks.” Critics said two wrongs don’t make a right. They urged Californians to reject the measure, even if they have misgivings about The President’s moves elsewhere. Among the most prominent critics was Arnold Schwarzenegger, the movie star and former Republican governor who pushed for the creation of the independent commission, which voters approved in 2008 and 2010. It makes no sense to fight The President by becoming him, Schwarzenegger said in September, arguing that the proposal would “take the power away from the people.” “I don’t want Newsom to have control,” said Rebecca Fleshman, a 63-year-old retired medical assistant from Southern California, who voted against the measure. “I don’t want the state to be blue. I want it to be red.” A lopsided campaign foreshadowed the vote After an early burst of TV advertising, opponents of the plan struggled to raise cash in a state with some of the nation’s most expensive media markets. The campaign followed an unusual trajectory. A handful of Republican congressmen who will see their districts dramatically reshaped – and their jobs endangered — mostly stayed away from the campaign spotlight. With opponents short on cash, Newsom and his supporters dominated TV screens in the critical closing weeks. Total spending on broadcast and cable ads topped $100 million, with more than two-thirds of it coming from supporters. Newsom told people to stop donating in the race’s final weeks. The GOP congressmen — Reps. Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao and Doug LaMalfa — will see right-leaning voters reduced and left-leaning voters boosted in their respective districts in a shift that would make it likely a Democratic candidate would prevail in each race. Issa issued a defiant statement, saying: “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll continue to represent the people of California regardless of their party or where they live.” Calvert said Newsom engineered a “power grab” while housing costs, gas prices and taxes continue to strain family budgets. “I am determined to keep fighting for the families I represent,” he said in an email. AP poll finds voters motivated by political reasons Proposition 50 won a swift and decisive victory, as the AP declared a winner when polls closed statewide. Early returns were strongly in favor of the measure, as were preliminary results from the AP Voter Poll, an expansive survey of more than 4,000 voters in California. Roughly 7 in 10 California voters said party control of Congress was “very important” to them, and those voters overwhelmingly supported the measure, according to the AP Voter Poll. About 8 in 10 California voters who supported the ballot measure said it was necessary to counter the changes made by Republicans in other states, while only about 2 in 10 said they supported it because it was the best way to draw maps, AP Voter Poll found. The President, who overwhelmingly lost California in his three presidential campaigns, largely stayed out of the fray. A week before the election, he urged voters in a social media post not to vote early or by mail — messaging that conflicted with that of top Republicans in the state who urged people to get their ballots in as soon as possible. In a post Tuesday on his social media platform, the president called the state’s voting process “RIGGED” and warned that it was “under very serious legal and criminal review. STAY TUNED!” Secretary of State Shirley Weber called that “another baseless claim.” The national House map is in flux Congressional district boundaries are typically redrawn every 10 years to reflect population shifts documented in the census. Mid-decade redistricting is unusual, absent a court order finding fault with the maps in place. Beyond Texas, Republicans expect to gain one seat each from new maps in Missouri and North Carolina, and potentially two more in Ohio. Five other GOP-led states are also considering new maps: Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana and Nebraska. On the Democratic side, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York and Virginia have proposals to redraw maps, but major hurdles remain. A court has ordered new boundaries be drawn in Utah, where all four House districts are represented by Republicans, but it remains to be seen if the state will approve a map that makes any of them winnable for Democrats. Siddhartha Deb, 52, has lived in the U.S. since he was 7 years old but he just became a citizen Tuesday. Immediately afterward he registered to vote at San Francisco City Hall and cast his ballot in favor of Newsom’s measure. “I don’t like the way the Republican Party is basically trying to rig elections by gerrymandering,” Deb said. “And this is the only way, to fight fire with fire.” Associated Press writers Amy Taxin and Terry Chea contributed. —Jonathan J. Cooper, Michael R. Blood and Trân Nguyễn, Associated Press View the full article

Travelers can be a fickle group of people to buy gifts for. We’re constantly coming and going, we usually don’t carry a lot of stuff with us, and no two travelers are alike. Finding the perfect gift for the traveler in your life can be tricky. While a plane ticket is never a bad idea (I’m a window seat in case anyone is thinking of getting me one), I’ve put together this ultimate gift guide for travelers as there’s a lot of great travel gear out there these days that helps people travel cheaper and better. Even me, the gear-adverse traveler, likes a lot of this stuff! This is stuff I actually think is super useful. No nonsense. No fluff. Just the best gifts for intrepid travelers and globetrotting nomads. Table of Contents Gifts Under $50 Gifts Under $100 Gifts Over $100 Gifts Under $25 1. A Travel Lock This simple item is one of the most important for the budget traveler. Since many hostels have lockers, backpackers need to have their own travel lock when they’re on the road. While you can usually rent them at hostels, those prices add up after a while. I never leave home without a lock because I know it will come in handy. Buy now on Amazon! 2. Loop Earplugs Anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel knows that a quality pair of earplugs is a necessity. From chronic snorers to late-night drinkers to copulating couples in creaking bunks, hostels are known for their less-than-quiet accommodation. I suggest investing in good earplugs and not just the cheap foam ones. Not only will they help you sleep, but they’re great for bus trips and flights as well as wearing as you explore louder, more hectic cities. Buy now on Amazon! 3. Travel Adapter Nothing is more tedious than arriving at a new destination only to realize you can’t charge your devices because the electrical outlets are different. That’s why you’ll need a travel adapter. They’re a simple accessory. There’s a million out there but this is one I use as it covers every region of the world and comes with USB ports too. It’s cheap, easy to use, and lightweight. Everything you need in an adapter. Buy now on Amazon! 4. Zbiotics Pre-Alcohol Zbiotics Pre-Alcohol is a pre-drink probiotic that helps you really avoid those rough mornings after drinking. A friend of mine introduced it into our friend group over a year ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. It really does work. I take it with me whenever I travel and have gotten other friends, fellow travel writers, and even a tour guide in Peru onto it. It will make your next mornings bright and it helps me ensure that I’m not feeling too bad to do stuff the next day. I love this product. It works. If you or a traveler on your gift list drinks, take it. You can save 10% off with the code NOMADICMATT. Buy now on Zbiotics! 5. Scratch Travel Maps from Landmass Scratch maps are a fun way to keep track of your past travels while helping you stay inspired as you plan your future trips. You simply scratch off the parts of the world you’ve been. Simple. Easy. Landmass is my favorite company that makes these, though there are plenty of other companies that make them now so you can find them in all sorts of sizes and colors. Buy now on Amazon! 6. Passport Holder A passport holder is a must-have for any avid traveler. Not only does it protect your passport from wear and tear, it makes your travels much more convenient. Most passport holders have slots for your travel credit cards as well as any cash you have, making it a safe and convenient way to keep your valuables secure while you travel. While there are tons of expensive and fancy passport holders out there, a simple one will get the job done and save you money in the process (money you can spend on more travels!). Buy now on Amazon! 7. Hand-drawn Food Maps These are unique, hand-drawn typographic maps of food from Legal Nomads and artist Ella Frances Sanders. They make a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves to eat and travel (and who doesn’t!). They come in a variety of sizes too! Jodi’s maps are the best! (Use code NOMADICMATT to save 10%) Buy now at Legal Nomads! 8. How to Travel the World on $75 A Day (and Other Travel Books!) Want to travel more for less? Pick up a copy of my New York Times bestselling guide to budget travel and never overpay for travel again! With this book, you’ll get an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to planning a trip on a budget. And, with super detailed sections to regions around the globe, you’ll be able to navigate every region around the world like a pro! This book takes all the knowledge from this website and puts it all into one place with even more details and resources! And it’s not just for long-term travelers either. The tactics and strategies you’ll learn apply to a trip of any length of time! Buy now on Amazon! Buy now on Bookshop! For more travel book suggestions, you can check out my list of recommend reading on Amazon and Bookshop (I have hundreds of book suggestions there!). 9. Celiac Travel Cards My friend Jodi from Legal Nomads created these helpful travel cards for anyone traveling with Celiac disease. They are in-depth resources that communicate your concerns to restaurant staff in a way that allows anyone traveling with the disease to have a worry-free meal. If you or someone you love has Celiac disease, these travel cards are a useful resource! (Use code NOMADICMATT for 10% off!) Buy now at Legal Nomads! 10. Dry Shampoo Dry shampoo is a convenient liquid-free alternative to regular shampoo. It’s a useful minimalist solution for budget travelers who travel carry-on only and an eco-friendly choice as well. Natural dry shampoos absorb the grease and oil in your hair, keeping it clean while you’re on the road — and with minimal effort too. It works for all types of hair and hair lengths as well so you don’t need to shave your head or do anything drastic either. Buy now at Lush! 11. Packing Cubes Packing cubes are an awesome tool to help you stay organized while you travel. Whether you’re a budget backpacker or traveling with half a dozen suitcases, packing cubes will keep you organized as you travel the world. They come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to store items big and small. If you know a traveler who needs a hand staying organized, this is the gift for them! Buy now on Amazon! 12. HostelPass For the traveler heading to Europe, consider gifting a HostelPass. This discount card offers over 130 discounts to hostels in 40 cities throughout 15 countries in Europe. With HostelPass, travelers can save up to 40% on accommodation. It’s the discount card I wish existed when I first started backpacking around Europe and is perfect for budget traveler planning a trip around the continent. Buy now at HostelPass! 13. Trip Chaser In this fun travel game (created by my friends Dalene and Pete) you have to prove who’s the most travel-savvy by buying, bartering, and gambling your way to various destinations. Just like actual travel, expect both stumbling blocks and enriching experiences along the way. You’ll rely on the luck of drawing a good event card, or proactively buying travel insurance to save you from the unexpected! It’s a family-friendly game for 2-6 players and perfect for everyone who loves to travel! Buy now on Amazon! 14. DryFox Quick Dry Travel Towel Unless you’re only staying at hotels or using Airbnb, you’re going to need to bring a towel when you travel. Having a lightweight, quick-drying towel makes a huge difference when you’re on the road since regular towels are too bulky and heavy (and they take a long time to dry). Get a travel towel for your next trip so you can travel light. They’re a compact, quick-drying solution that every backpacker needs. (Use code “nomadicmatt” for 15% off your purchase!) Buy now at DryFoxCo! 15. Menstrual Cup Menstrual cups are reusable, eco-friendly feminine hygiene products. While I can’t speak to their effectiveness personally, tons of female travelers I know are huge fans. It can be a hassle trying to find the products you need while abroad, making this a simple, effective, and affordable addition to your toiletry kit. Buy now on Amazon! Gifts Under $100 16. Trtl Travel Pillow Travel pillows are perfect for those long-haul flights, delayed buses, and airport naps. Every traveler needs to have a travel pillow on hand to maximize that downtime and time in transit, and Trtl pillows are the best on the market. They help prevent jet lag and make even the longest, most uncomfortable trip a little more bearable. Buy now on Amazon! 17. Travel Headlamp This is a handy tool for both backpackers and anyone looking to do any hiking or camping. In a hostel, a headlamp is helpful if you need to check in or out but don’t want to disturb your fellow travelers. For outdoorsy folks, they’re useful for hiking, setting up camp in the dark, and for emergencies. Buy now on Amazon! 18. External Battery These days, we all travel with numerous electronic devices like phones and tablets. It can be hard to keep them all charged. An external battery solves that problem. Two high-output USB ports make this external battery incredibly convenient, and it can charge most phones up to 6 times in one go! Buy now on Amazon! 19. LifeStraw Environmentally, pollution from single-use plastics is something every traveler has witnessed. And, monetarily, when you’re traveling, continuously buying water gets expensive. Do your part to help the planet by traveling with a reusable filter. LifeStraw is an awesome brand with a built-in water filter. The filters last 5 years so you save money on changing them too. Buy now on Lifestraw! Gifts Over $100 20. Suavs shoes Suavs shoes are super versatile and durable, making them perfect for traveling. Whether you’re just exploring the city or in need of something that looks a bit fancier, these shoes can do it all so you don’t have to pack multiple shoes. They are flexible, light, washable, and breathable. I love them! (They look great too!) Buy now at Suavs! 21. Travel Backpack If you’ve got a budget traveler on your holiday list, a travel backpack is the gift that keeps on giving. A well-made bag will last for years and through dozens of adventures. Having a reliable travel backpack is one of the most important items for a traveler. My favorite bag is the Flash 55 from REI but other companies that make high-quality bags include Osprey, Nomatic, and MEC (for Canadians). Some bags worth checking out are: Men’s Osprey Farpoint 40 Women’s Osprey Fairview 40 Pacsafe Venturesafe EXP45 Anti-Theft Travel Backpack (For a different backpack, check out my guide finding the right backpack for more options!) 22. Travel Clothing from Unbound Merino These travel clothes are some of the most versatile on the market. Made from merino wool, Unbound offers clothing that can be worn daily for weeks (and months!) without getting smelly. They are perfect for the traveler who wants to pack lighter. I really love the material, they’re comfortable, they hardly ever need a wash, and they last forever! Buy now at Unbound! 23. MacBook Air This is my favorite travel computer. It’s light, it’s powerful enough for regular use, and the battery life lasts a long time. While an iPad might be another potential travel choice, I find the Air much more versatile — especially with their new M4 chip. You can just do a lot more with it. When I’m on the road, this is the laptop I travel with. Buy now on Amazon! For a non-Apple phone with an equally awesome camera, check out the Google Pixel. It has an excellent camera! 24. Noise-Canceling Headphones These are ideal for those long flights or bus trips as they block out background noise so you can read, work, or sleep without being disturbed. The wireless Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones are fan favorites and my go-to brand. They are comfortable, rechargeable, and do an amazing job at removing background noise. If you’re on a budget, consider the QuietComfort 25 instead. Buy now on Amazon! 25. Kindle While I personally prefer to read physical books, I can’t argue against the convenience and simplicity of the Kindle. Hauling around physical books is a pain if you’re traveling often. With a Kindle, you can pack over 1,000 books into a single device and many versions can also use apps and access the internet. It’s a wonderful gift for the avid reader. Buy now on Amazon! 26. GoPro Hero 12 Every traveler needs a camera, and few are as versatile and durable as the GoPro. They’re incredible for photos and video no matter the climate. They’re waterproof and are perfect for both everyday city exploring as well as more extreme and adventurous activities. They’re just awesome. If the Hero 12 is too pricey, grab the 10 or 11. They’re almost as good and a bit cheaper! Buy now on Amazon!***Whether you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift for a traveler in your life or just looking for some inspiration for yourself, this list will help you find an awesome gift. No matter your budget, there is something here for you to help you level up your travels or the travels of a loved one. Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are: SafetyWing (best for budget travelers) World Nomads (best for mid-range travelers) InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over) Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage) Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals. Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip! Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more. Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip. The post My Top Gifts for Travelers for the Holidays appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. View the full article

When marketing and technology clash, SEO and site performance suffer. Bill Hunt outlines how to unify both for long-term digital resilience. The post The CMO-CTO Power Struggle: Solving The Web Effectiveness Stalemate appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

No one knows how the agentic AI race will end, but its impact is already clear. Online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Booking.com, and Trip.com are entering a new era of disruption – one that rivals the rise of Google search. AI assistants are now planning, comparing, and completing bookings for users – reducing direct interaction with OTA sites. This article examines how this change could impact their visibility, loyalty programs, and role in search. Booking in the age of AI I recently tested ChatGPT’s new Agent Mode to book a hotel in Paris. It managed the entire process within its own interface – searching Expedia, comparing results, recommending an option, and completing the booking – all without me having to visit Expedia’s website. The confirmation came from Expedia, but the experience was entirely generated by ChatGPT. That moment captures the future of travel booking. The control point has shifted: instead of users navigating across sites, AI agents now act on their behalf. OTAs may still facilitate the transaction, but they lose visibility into the user’s journey, behavioral signals, and the ability to influence decisions through upsells or personalization. The OTA dilemma OTAs built their businesses on owning the customer experience. They encouraged users to: Compare hotels. Join loyalty programs. Read reviews. Add extras such as car rentals or experiences. Every interaction fed their recommendation engines and strengthened visibility in search results. Agentic AI strips away much of that engagement. When ChatGPT or Gemini handles the process, users no longer browse multiple listings or interact with OTA features. They see a few options selected by the AI and complete the booking. That drop in engagement isn’t just a UX issue. It also carries algorithmic consequences. The ranking ripple effect If AI-driven bookings lead to lower engagement metrics on OTA platforms, their search performance could take a hit. Google’s ranking systems – especially those informed by user signals – may interpret shorter dwell times, fewer clicks, and reduced repeat visits as signs of declining relevance. The effect could extend to features like NavBoost, which rely heavily on interaction data to refine rankings. As fewer users click through to OTAs because their AI assistants complete the bookings, OTAs risk losing visibility over time. In short, the rise of agentic AI could erode the engagement signals that once helped them dominate search results. Loyalty in an AI-first world Loyalty has long been one of OTAs’ strongest defenses. Expedia Rewards, Booking Genius, and Trip.com’s loyalty tiers all aim to drive repeat bookings and direct traffic. But loyalty depends on habit, familiarity, and perceived value. When agentic AI intermediates the journey, loyalty may shift from brand-based to assistant-based. Travelers may no longer feel loyal to Booking.com or Expedia, but to the AI system that understands their preferences and books efficiently on their behalf. That creates a deeper challenge: how do OTAs retain loyalty when the AI becomes the trusted travel companion? The answer lies in data. OTAs that integrate their loyalty systems with AI ecosystems – allowing access to user preferences, points, and personalized offers – stand a better chance of staying relevant. Those that remain walled off risk being sidelined, with their loyalty programs rendered invisible to the AI layer managing the transaction. This makes interoperability essential. Loyalty must evolve from a closed system of member-only rewards into one that connects with AI-led journeys. If an assistant can view and apply loyalty points directly during a booking, the OTA retains some influence. If not, loyalty will default to whichever AI makes the process easiest. Dig deeper: How Google and Meta could disrupt travel discovery with AI Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. AI as the new search layer The travel sector has always been driven by discovery and convenience. From guidebooks to search engines, each new layer has reshaped who controls visibility and conversion. Agentic AI now represents the next phase in that evolution. Where search engines like Google and Bing once surfaced results, generative and agentic systems now interpret intent, predict needs, and complete actions. This marks a fundamental shift in how people search. Instead of typing “hotels in Paris” or “best time to visit Greece,” users express goals and preferences in natural language. For instance, “plan me a long weekend in Paris with a boutique hotel near the river.” The AI then manages everything from flights to restaurant reservations. Here, agentic search becomes multi-modal. It combines text, voice, images, maps, and structured data into a single decision process that feels conversational and personalized. Users no longer compare blue links or scan multiple tabs. The AI synthesizes information across formats, makes trade-offs based on factors such as budget or travel time, and delivers an outcome rather than a list. For OTAs, this shift changes the search journey entirely. Where they once competed for clicks on results pages, they now must compete for inclusion in AI agents’ recommendation sets. Visibility is no longer defined by position on a page but by presence in the conversation. The new marketing battlefield Expedia and Booking aren’t ignoring the trend. Expedia has already built AI integrations with ChatGPT and continues to expand its personalized tools. Booking’s Kayak.ai is testing conversational search and deeper personalization. These moves aim to keep both brands in the conversation as users shift from screen-based browsing to dialogue-driven discovery. But the competition is evolving quickly. OpenAI’s Atlas browser, Perplexity’s Pro Search, and Google’s Gemini ecosystem are all developing travel-specific capabilities. They don’t need to become travel agencies to disrupt OTAs – only to own the interface where users make choices. That control point determines what data is shown, which options are ranked, and which partners receive traffic. Adapting AI and search strategies For OTAs to adapt, they must treat agentic AI not as a threat but as a new distribution channel. That requires three key shifts in strategy. AI-ready data OTAs must structure and expose their inventory data so it can be easily read and interpreted by AI systems. Schema markup, robust APIs, and transparent metadata are essential. AI models rely on clean, consistent data to make accurate recommendations. Those who provide it will appear more often in agentic results. Agentic tracking and attribution Traditional analytics will no longer be enough. OTAs will need to track journeys that begin and end within AI interfaces, where standard cookies or UTM tags may not apply. New forms of agentic tracking will be needed to understand which interactions drive conversions and how AI-driven bookings contribute to overall performance. Personalization through partnership Loyalty and recommendation engines should not compete with AI systems but feed them. By partnering with major AI platforms, OTAs can ensure their user data and offers are factored into recommendations. A connected loyalty graph that works across ecosystems could become a key competitive advantage. What happens next The next two years will likely determine the extent of this transformation. If users adopt agentic interfaces at scale, OTAs may find themselves repositioned as infrastructure rather than destinations. Their brand visibility could fade, advertising revenue could shrink, and search performance could erode as engagement metrics decline. Still, there’s opportunity ahead. OTAs hold vast datasets on traveler behavior, pricing trends, and conversion signals. If they can leverage that data to train their own AI models or power collaborative ecosystems, they can regain relevance in the evolving landscape. The future of travel may not belong to those with the most hotels, but to those who best understand intent. A new definition of ‘direct’ For two decades, “book direct” has meant bypassing intermediaries such as OTAs to reserve directly with the airline or hotel. In the age of agentic AI, that meaning is shifting once again. The new question is: direct to whom? When an AI assistant books on your behalf, it’s not the OTA or the supplier that owns the relationship – it’s the system that understands you best. OTAs must now compete not only on price and inventory but also on intelligence, data quality, and integration. Those who adapt quickly will stay visible in the AI era. The rest risk being reduced to fulfillment pipelines – quietly efficient, yet strategically invisible. Dig deeper: Google’s AI-powered SERPs: Strategies for recipe, travel, and lifestyle bloggers View the full article

Scammers never miss an opportunity to prey on people's fear and confusion—and now they're capitalizing on the ongoing federal government shutdown to steal money and information from vulnerable targets. As Axios notes, reports of imposter scams—in which fraudsters impersonate government officials or agency representatives—rose in October as Americans experienced the loss of federal services and benefits. The Better Business Bureau's (BBB) Scam Tracker received 211 such complaints last month. Scammers are also taking advantage of shutdown stress to pull people into investment schemes and other malicious (and AI-driven) activity. Common government shutdown scams One common variety of shutdown scam is government impersonation. Bad actors may call, text, or email you pretending to represent a federal agency—like the IRS or Social Security Administration—that has programs or benefits you use. They'll ask you to verify personal information or pay a fee to avoid losing your benefits or interrupting your service. In some cases, they may even threaten you with fines or legal action if you don't comply. This is a common scam tactic that relies on people acting quickly out of fear. Other scammers may pose as service providers trying to help you access certain government programs (like passport renewal) or offering grants or financial assistance. Axios highlights one such instance in which the individual received a call about a $5,000 "relief check." There are multiple reports of scammers targeting SNAP recipients with offers of emergency food or grocery relief. People in areas with federal offices or military bases may be targeted specifically. In these cases, bad actors may try to collect sensitive information, which they can use to steal your identity. Scam emails and texts to "redeem" or "claim" offers are also vectors for phishing links, which may lead to spoofed government websites designed to harvest your login credentials or other data. AI is facilitating many of these schemes: Nevada's deputy secretary of state for securities issued a warning this week about scammers using AI to impersonate government officials, law enforcement, and financial professionals as well as to create deepfakes of trusted individuals known to potential victims—making it more likely that targets will send money or provide access to their information. Protect yourself from shutdown scamsYou should always be on guard against common scam tactics, such as any unsolicited communication that either sounds too good to be true or sparks a strong emotion (like fear). Know that scammers will often ramp up activity when people are vulnerable in hopes that you will act before thinking. If you get a call, text, or email from someone who pressures you, it's probably a scam. Never click on links in from unverified sources, and always confirm that the person on the other end is who they claim to be by contacting the organization through their official website or social media channels. You should also verify urgent communication from family or friends—no matter how personal it sounds—especially if you're being asked to send money. Government employees will not call and demand that you hand over money or personal information—and right now, many are furloughed as most federal agencies are closed. (Unfortunately, that includes the Federal Trade Commission, so consumers currently cannot log fraud reports or opt into the Do Not Call registry.) View the full article

UK authorities say man was mistakenly released from Wandsworth prison on October 29View the full article

Productivity is an essential skill for getting things done in your life and career, but it’s also important because it can gives you a sense of accomplishment and it enhances your sense of wellbeing. When you don’t get all your tasks done, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disappointed in yourself, which doesn’t help you push through to finish those tasks, let alone feel like you’re thriving. You should be happy. You need to be productive. Reaching a state of zen can help you accomplish both—or so goes the theory behind the “Zen to Done” method, which aims to help you get more good and feel good about it. Unlike some other productivity approaches, this one has less to do with strict deadlines and weedy details than it does with pushing through and feeling good about a job well done. This makes it well suited to those who don't exactly blossom under pressure. What is Zen to Done?Zen to Done is a productivity system conceptualized by Zen Habits’ Leo Babauta. It’s structured around building simple habits that enable you to get your work done and feel good at the same time. Other methods, like the once ubiquitous “Getting Things Done” system, get a bad rap for expecting you to build all your new habits at once, jumping immediately into a whole new lifestyle. That sort of all-or-nothing change can work for some people, but it might not be for you. But ZTD is focused on building them incrementally and more peacefully. There's room to adjust and grow, which can be soothing—especially if you have a lot of habits to change or you're particularly stuck in your ways. The habit changes come in a series, but one at a time, allowing you to focus on the actual work you need to get done. In the original version of ZTD, there are 10 habits, but you should only try to incorporate two to three of them at one time before moving on to others. Collect by always taking notes about what you need to do, ideas you have, or changes to a task or project. Process by making quick decisions on tasks that are in front of you right now, like emails that could soon pile up. Plan by setting goals for your week every Monday, and tackling larger tasks earlier in the week. Do by selecting a task and focusing on it without thinking about or doing anything else. Create a simple trusted system that works for you, like doing certain tasks at the same time every day or tapping into an email system like the 4Ds with consistenc. Organize by giving everything a place—and putting it there every time. This goes for emails, tools on your desk, and anything else that’s cluttering your mind or space. Review your weekly goals at the end of the week, but also keep tabs on your longer-term quarterly or annual goals to keep them fresh in your mind and see how your daily work plays into them. Simplify by using your review time to slash your goals and tasks into only what’s most essential at any given time. Make a routine that works for you, whether it’s a calmer morning routine, or more structured evenings—and absolutely stick to it. Find your passion and make sure it’s guiding your work. This is where ZTD differs from other productivity methods: You should always strive to keep the things you care about at the center of what you’re doing, as a reminder of why you’re working so hard or a check on whether a project is really worth it all. Over the past year, I've adopted a few of these changes: collect (and, by extension, plan), plus process and organize. I've been dedicated to growing financially and becoming more organized, but I knew neither of those things would happen overnight, so I started writing down "to-dos" whenever they popped into my head. I stick them in a note in my phone, reorganize the note every Monday, and check it every morning to see what I can do—then jump straight into the things that are attainable in that moment. The other day, I noticed my fan was dirty but I didn't have time to clean it write then, so I wrote a note—clean the fan—in my phone, and was able to follow up on it the next day without stressing. Making changes and getting things done bit by bit in this way has resulted in major financial wins and a significantly cleaner, more organized home. It's a far cry from how things went in the past, when I put too much pressure on myself to change instantly. Get started with “Minimalist ZTD”All of that sounds like a lot—and it is, even though you’re only supposed to start rolling in the habits one at a time. So pull back a bit: Babauta considers the first four (collect, process, plan, and do) the core of a “Minimalist ZTD” program, and advises picking one of them and focusing on it for 30 days. After a month, you’ll be in the habit of using that approach to your work and can move on to one of the other three. And once the four big are securely ingrained in your habits, you can move on to the full list. View the full article

The government shutdown has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the longest ever and disrupting the lives of millions of Americans with federal program cuts, flight delays and federal workers nationwide left without paychecks. President Donald The President has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring health insurance subsidies until they agree to reopen the government. But skeptical Democrats question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after the administration restricted SNAP food aid, despite court orders to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger. The President, whose first term at the White House set the previous government shutdown record, is set to meet early Wednesday for breakfast with GOP senators. But no talks have been scheduled with the Democrats. “Why is this happening? We’re in a shutdown because our colleagues are unwilling to come to the table to talk about one simple thing: health care premiums,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in a late evening speech. “Stop this mess, come to the table, negotiate it,” she said. With The President largely on the sidelines, talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the stalemate. Expectations are high that the logjam would break once election results were fully tallied in Tuesday’s off-year races that were widely watched as a gauge of voter sentiment over The President’s second term in the White House. Democrats swept key contests for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, and New York City mayor, certain to shake up the political assessments. But earlier in the afternoon, Senate Democrats left an hours-long private meeting stone-faced, with no certain path forward. “We’re exploring all the options,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said afterward. The President sets another shutdown record The President’s approach to this shutdown stands in marked contrast to his first term, when the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for funds to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall. At that time, he met publicly and negotiated with congressional leaders, but unable to secure the funds, he relented in 2019. This time, it’s not just The President declining to engage in talks. The congressional leaders are at a standoff and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations. In the meantime, food aid, child care funds and countless other government services are being seriously interrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or expected to come to work without pay. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted there could be chaos in the skies next week if air traffic controllers miss another paycheck. Labor unions put pressure on lawmakers to reopen the government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said this has been not only the longest shutdown but also “the most severe shutdown on record.” The Republican leader has urged the Democrats to accept his overtures to vote on the health care issue and keep negotiating a solution once the government reopens, arguing that no one wins politically from the standoff. “Shutdowns are stupid,” Thune said. Senators search for potential deal Central to any endgame will be a series of agreements that would need to be upheld not only by the Senate, but also the House, and the White House, which is not at all certain in Washington. First of all, senators from both parties, particularly the powerful members of the Appropriations Committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process in Congress can be put back on track. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., along with several Democrats, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Chris Coons of Delaware, are among those working behind the scenes. “The pace of talks have increased,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who has been involved in conversations. Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills where there is already widespread bipartisan agreement to fund various aspects of government, like agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases. “I certainly think that three-bill package is primed to do a lot of good things for the American people,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who has also been in talks. Health care costs skyrocket for millions More difficult, a substantial number of senators also want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end. With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of Americans are experiencing sticker shock on skyrocketing prices. The loss of enhanced federal subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and come in the form of tax credits, are expected to leave many people unable to buy health insurance. Republicans are reluctant to fund the health care program, also known as Obamacare, without reforms, but negotiating a compromise with Democrats is expected to take time, if a deal can be reached at all. Thune has promised Democrats at least a vote on their preferred health care proposal, on a date certain, as part of any deal to reopen government. But that’s not enough for some senators, who see the health care deadlock as part of their broader concerns with The President’s direction for the country. The White House says its position remains unchanged and that Democrats must vote to fund the government before talks over health care can begin. White House officials are in close contact with GOP senators who have been quietly speaking with key Senate Democrats, according to a senior White House official. The official was granted anonymity to discuss administration strategy. The President’s demands to end the filibuster fall flat The president has been pushing the senators to nuke the filibuster — the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation — as a way to reopen the government. The GOP senators have panned The President’s demands to end the filibuster, in a rare public break with the president. Thune and others argue the Senate rule, while infuriating at times, ensures the minority party can be a check on the administration, which is important when power shifts in Washington. But in the current Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority, 53-47, Democrats have been able to block the House-passed bill that would fund the government, having voted more than a dozen times against. The President has said that doing away with the filibuster would be one way the Republicans could bypass the Democrats and end the shutdown on their own. Republican senators are trying to avoid that outcome. Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Seung Min Kim and Matt Brown contributed to this report. —Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press View the full article

Facebook has just introduced a significant update for group admins, providing small business owners an avenue to expand their networks and reach new audiences through community engagement. This change allows private group admins to convert their groups to public ones while safeguarding member privacy and past content. Facebook Groups have long served as an essential tool for connection, whether users are seeking advice, sharing experiences, or networking with others from similar backgrounds or interests. For small businesses, these groups present unique opportunities to cultivate brand loyalty, attract new customers, and foster community support. With this update, small business owners now have the flexibility to transform their private groups into public platforms. The process is straightforward, accessible via the group’s settings page on Facebook. Once the conversion is made, all content posted post-conversion will be available to anyone, which can significantly increase group visibility and engagement. “Group admins want more tools to grow and manage their communities, and we’re listening to your feedback,” Facebook noted in its press release. This direct acknowledgment of admin needs indicates that Facebook is committed to helping small business owners maximize their group potential. Small business owners can take several practical steps to enhance their community engagement: Convert with Caution: Before changing the privacy setting from private to public, it’s crucial for group admins to consider the implications for their current members. Feedback from fellow admins and members can help inform this decision. Notify Group Members: Once the conversion is made, keeping members informed about changes boosts transparency. Sharing a post detailing the shift can help mitigate misunderstandings and foster ongoing communication. Emphasize Privacy Protections: Facebook assures that past group content will remain accessible only to previous members as well as admins and moderators. Member lists will be protected, and new members will see reminders when engaging in public discussions. Public Engagement: For those who are comfortable, new posts will be public, allowing members to interact beyond the group’s established audience. This can pave the way for wider brand recognition and community-building opportunities. Adapt to Member Preferences: The update also introduces features for anonymous participation, offering members the choice to engage using their real names, anonymously, or with nicknames. This flexibility empowers users to participate comfortably, a trait that can boost group activity. Despite the benefits, converting a group to a public setting does entail some challenges: Potential Loss of Exclusivity: While public status can draw in new members, it might deter individuals seeking a more intimate or private community environment. Increased Scrutiny: Public groups open the door for non-members to view content, which could attract negative attention or unwanted discussions. Ongoing Communication: Regularly updating the community about rules and expectations will be necessary to adapt to the public group dynamic. Risk of Miscommunication: Any misunderstanding regarding the new privacy settings can lead to confusion or dissatisfaction among existing members. As small business owners navigate these changes, they should weigh the opportunities against the challenges. The potential for growth and enhanced community interaction is substantial, yet they must prioritize member comfort and consent in their decision-making processes. “Today’s update helps admins to grow their groups, foster deeper connections, and spark more conversations across shared interests,” said Facebook, echoing the sentiment that business growth is intrinsically tied to genuine community engagement. Overall, these new options enable small business owners to expand their footprint on Facebook, engage with consumers authentically, and curate a thriving community that can lead to increased brand loyalty and potential revenue streams. For more details about converting groups, visit Facebook’s help center here and learn more about public versus private groups here. To read the original announcement, visit the Facebook News release here. Image via Envanto This article, "Facebook Empowers Group Admins to Convert Private Groups to Public" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Facebook has just introduced a significant update for group admins, providing small business owners an avenue to expand their networks and reach new audiences through community engagement. This change allows private group admins to convert their groups to public ones while safeguarding member privacy and past content. Facebook Groups have long served as an essential tool for connection, whether users are seeking advice, sharing experiences, or networking with others from similar backgrounds or interests. For small businesses, these groups present unique opportunities to cultivate brand loyalty, attract new customers, and foster community support. With this update, small business owners now have the flexibility to transform their private groups into public platforms. The process is straightforward, accessible via the group’s settings page on Facebook. Once the conversion is made, all content posted post-conversion will be available to anyone, which can significantly increase group visibility and engagement. “Group admins want more tools to grow and manage their communities, and we’re listening to your feedback,” Facebook noted in its press release. This direct acknowledgment of admin needs indicates that Facebook is committed to helping small business owners maximize their group potential. Small business owners can take several practical steps to enhance their community engagement: Convert with Caution: Before changing the privacy setting from private to public, it’s crucial for group admins to consider the implications for their current members. Feedback from fellow admins and members can help inform this decision. Notify Group Members: Once the conversion is made, keeping members informed about changes boosts transparency. Sharing a post detailing the shift can help mitigate misunderstandings and foster ongoing communication. Emphasize Privacy Protections: Facebook assures that past group content will remain accessible only to previous members as well as admins and moderators. Member lists will be protected, and new members will see reminders when engaging in public discussions. Public Engagement: For those who are comfortable, new posts will be public, allowing members to interact beyond the group’s established audience. This can pave the way for wider brand recognition and community-building opportunities. Adapt to Member Preferences: The update also introduces features for anonymous participation, offering members the choice to engage using their real names, anonymously, or with nicknames. This flexibility empowers users to participate comfortably, a trait that can boost group activity. Despite the benefits, converting a group to a public setting does entail some challenges: Potential Loss of Exclusivity: While public status can draw in new members, it might deter individuals seeking a more intimate or private community environment. Increased Scrutiny: Public groups open the door for non-members to view content, which could attract negative attention or unwanted discussions. Ongoing Communication: Regularly updating the community about rules and expectations will be necessary to adapt to the public group dynamic. Risk of Miscommunication: Any misunderstanding regarding the new privacy settings can lead to confusion or dissatisfaction among existing members. As small business owners navigate these changes, they should weigh the opportunities against the challenges. The potential for growth and enhanced community interaction is substantial, yet they must prioritize member comfort and consent in their decision-making processes. “Today’s update helps admins to grow their groups, foster deeper connections, and spark more conversations across shared interests,” said Facebook, echoing the sentiment that business growth is intrinsically tied to genuine community engagement. Overall, these new options enable small business owners to expand their footprint on Facebook, engage with consumers authentically, and curate a thriving community that can lead to increased brand loyalty and potential revenue streams. For more details about converting groups, visit Facebook’s help center here and learn more about public versus private groups here. To read the original announcement, visit the Facebook News release here. Image via Envanto This article, "Facebook Empowers Group Admins to Convert Private Groups to Public" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google Ads and Meta Ads make campaign management look easy. Their interfaces simplify daily work – adjusting budgets, reviewing performance, launching new creatives – but that simplicity also hides much of the data and automation potential that drives real impact. That’s where APIs come in. Just as BigQuery revolutionized how data is stored and analyzed, APIs extend what can be measured, connected, and optimized within ad platforms. They bridge systems, surface insights dashboards can’t show, and enable automations that elevate PPC performance and creative strategy. With AI lowering the technical barrier, APIs are no longer just for developers. They’ve become one of digital marketing’s most underused competitive advantages – ready to explore, one use case at a time. APIs unlock data platform interfaces can’t show Interfaces are built for ease of use and accessibility, though recent UI changes, like those in Google Ads, sometimes make them less intuitive. But in terms of data and what you can actually do with it, the interface is usually just the tip of the iceberg. APIs let you connect that data to other sources and perform deeper, more flexible analysis. For example, the Search Console API can link SEO data to specific SERP results through the SERP API, giving you richer insight into what’s really happening for your keywords. With a custom script, you can uncover patterns or shifts in intent that never appear in the Search Console UI. Meta offers the same kind of depth. Its APIs provide far more data for custom reporting than the Meta Ads interface. Among them, the Meta Marketing API stands out for its potential. For ecommerce setups using product ads, the interface typically groups all product data together – impressions, clicks, revenue – without showing results for each product. Without that detail, opportunities stay out of reach. The Meta Marketing API fills that gap, giving you SKU-level performance data so you can adjust campaigns with precision. Finding hidden product insights through the Meta Marketing API The Meta Marketing API gives you access to performance metrics at the SKU level – a feature not provided by the interface. With that data, you can analyze results by category, brand, or individual product to uncover new opportunities or refine product groupings. Let’s look at a practical example. The SKU-level data retrieved through the API might look like this: You can export this information to a spreadsheet and even automate the process with a Google Apps Script. Once the columns are mapped as custom numbers or labels and uploaded to Meta, you can use them as filters when building product sets. This makes it possible to create dynamic custom labels such as: Top performers. Newly launched products. Sleeping products. Items with high add-to-cart activity but low sales. The ability to use custom labels in product feeds isn’t new – that’s been available in the interface for years. What’s new is generating and updating those labels automatically, based on real-time Product Ads data. That level of control is only possible through the API (or through paid external tools). Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Getting started with the Meta Marketing API To start using the Meta Marketing API, it is helpful to understand the differences between the Marketing API and the Insights API. The Insights API is used to retrieve data – for automated reporting, comparisons, or analysis. The Marketing API goes further, allowing you to create or edit campaigns, retrieve detailed product-level data, and even run A/B tests. For the type of use case described earlier, you’ll need access to a Business Manager with an ad account and a product catalog. Through the developer portal, you can create a developer app that generates an access token with the required permissions: ads_read, ads_management, and catalog_management. That might sound complex, but it’s more straightforward than it seems. You don’t need a developer for this – it can be done independently, with or without help from AI. Using the app information and your ad account ID, you can then go to the Graph API Explorer tool to create your access token. Expanding automation and insights with the Google Ads API The Google Ads API has come a long way since the early days of tools like Adios on GitHub, which required a developer token just to test. Much has changed since then – the rise of AI, LLMs, and tools like Cursor have made direct interaction with the API easier and far more powerful. I use Cursor to automate tasks and communicate directly with the Google Ads API, which opens new possibilities for automation, reporting, and optimization. Many of the popular scripts in use today – from experts such as Mike Rhodes, Frederick Vallaeys, and Nils Rooijmans – rely on the Google Ads API to function. The API can automatically adjust bids, shift budgets, add negatives, update ad copy, and more. Setting up the Google Ads API To get started, you’ll need an MCC account to request a developer token. You’ll also need a Google Cloud Project, since the API runs on Google Cloud. Once the project is set up, enable the Google Ads API to receive the credentials you’ll use in your scripts to make API calls. I won’t go into scripts in depth here, but AI has made creating automated workflows much easier. With the right prompts or logic, you can generate scripts that use the API to perform nearly any routine action in your account. And for those ready to explore further, Google recently launched the Google Ads MCP Server – an advanced framework that opens even more possibilities. Seeing marketing as a system, not a dashboard APIs aren’t just for developers anymore – especially now that AI tools make them more accessible than ever. They remain one of the most underused competitive advantages in digital marketing, and it’s time to start taking advantage of them. The first step is to define what you want an API to accomplish – the problems you want to solve or the automations you want to build. Talk with peers or experiment with LLMs to explore possibilities. You don’t need development experience to begin; curiosity and a systems mindset matter more than technical skill. Once you have an idea, start small. Don’t aim for complex calls or full-scale automations right away. Break the process into manageable steps – it’s easier to test, refine, and build momentum that way. View the full article

The kind of productivity method you need depends largely on the kind of person you are. Some methods are adaptable, open to interpretation, and fluid, which is nice if you just need a little guidance. Others, though, are detailed and rule-driven, which is great if you need to be told exactly what to do and when to do it. Agile Results, a system devised by J. D. Meier, is in the second category; it's stricter than others, but for some of us, that's what's needed to get things done. With Agile Results, you schedule and plan around all your goals, from the short- to long-term, so everything gets taken care of—even the biggest big-picture tasks. Here’s how it works. What is the Agile Results method?Meier describes Agile Results as “a results-driven system that helps you get meaning, momentum, and mastery in all areas of your life.” That’s an optimistic, lofty tagline, but in essence, it just boils down to getting more serious with your goal-setting and planning. You’ll focus on “three wins” at every level, from daily up to yearly. (“Wins” are really another words for your goals, but when you say "wins," it implies you already expect to meet them, which sets a certain tone.) First, set three “wins” as goals for your entire year. This can be on the first of a new year or any time as long as you’re looking ahead a full 365 days and your goals are designed to be met within that time period. These are obviously your biggest, most overarching goals—the ones that will take a lot of steps and effort between today and this time next year to turn into true "wins." Next, set quarterly goals. These are the big goals that are going to lead into the annual ones and can be set on the first day of the quarter, if you’re starting on January 1, or every three months if you’re starting at another time. If you're having a hard time determining what should be a quarterly goal, try mind-mapping to help you visualize your larger projects and all the elements that go into them. From there, set monthly goals related to those. In general, it’s best to start this method on the first of a month, just to give it a structure that will be easy to follow, but again, you can do this whenever you want—as long as the goals you list here are the kind that are doable within about four weeks and add up toward the completion of the quarterly and annual wins. After that, set weekly goals every Monday and daily goals every morning, minimizing the size of the goals with each until you’ve created a system of daily building blocks that lead up to weekly wins, weekly tasks that lead up to monthly wins, monthly goals that lead up to quarterly wins, etc. This is where it gets hard to follow, so initially, set a reminder in your phone for each morning (and two for Mondays) that will spur you to create the smaller goals. You can add this into to-do apps you already use. My favorite is Finch, where I can set goals that recur on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis, and am rewarded with cute in-app animations when I mark them off, but if you need something else, try some of these. No matter how you go about it, schedule 10 minutes every morning to set your daily goals, allowing 15 to 20 minutes on days that will see you structuring weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual goals. Keep in mind that these are supposed to be structured and organized, so you should rely on a planner or easily accessible document to get it done. I recommend using Google Sheets and setting aside a designated sheet for each set of goals within a single workbook. Using a cloud-based software instead of Excel or similar will make it easy to pull up the goals wherever you are. Take this part seriously. The conscious process of setting the goals isn't something to rush through. Use time blocking and time boxing to designate specific times to do it—and stick to those times. Finally, make sure the wins—from daily to annual—are concrete. I recommend using SMART goals to write detailed, thoughtful assertions about what your goals are, as they help you stick to a schedule and stay realistic. Reviewing is key to Agile ResultsSetting aside time every morning to write down your goals is essential, but so, too, is setting aside time every afternoon to review your progress. Every day, reflect on how you did with your daily goals. Every Friday, expand your reflection time to include your weekly goals and, at the end of each month, make sure you’re reviewing your monthly goals, too. Keep this going all the way to the end of the year, when you should be able to look back and see how far you came in reaching your annual “wins.” Meier suggests that on Fridays, you take time to write down three things that are going well and three things that need improvement. Here's where you can borrow the idea of the after-action review from the Army; you need to identify what went wrong and what went right so you can stay on the right track. This reflection is key in helping you craft the next set of daily and weekly “wins.” Giving yourself time to focus on the successes instead of just identifying problem areas will also keep you motivated, so be sure to write down your reflections somewhere in your planner or document. View the full article

Web inventor warns reliance on AI agents threatens multibillion-dollar revenues for Google and MetaView the full article

A UPS wide-body cargo plane crashed on Tuesday and erupted into a fireball moments after takeoff from the international airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing seven, including all three aboard, and injuring 11 on the ground, officials said. Flames from the crash, shortly before sundown, ignited a string of fires in an industrial corridor adjacent to the airport, forcing authorities to halt flight operations through the night, the officials said. The Louisville airport, which is home to UPS Worldport — a global hub for the shipping company’s air cargo operations and its largest package-handling facility worldwide — was expected to reopen on Wednesday morning. Two runways were strewn with debris from the crash. In a Tuesday night service alert, UPS said delivery schedules for airborne and international packages “may be affected” by the disruption. “Contingency plans are in place to help ensure that shipments arrive at their final destinations as quickly as conditions permit,” it added. The triple-engine plane was fueled for an 8-1/2 hour flight to Honolulu. It had a crew of three, UPS said. None survived, officials said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told reporters at a late-night news briefing that four deaths were confirmed on the ground, with 11 injured people taken to hospitals. Separately, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the death toll was at least seven and expected to rise. Some survivors had suffered “very significant” injuries, he said. It was the first UPS cargo plane to crash since August 2013, when an Airbus aircraft went down on a landing approach to the international airport in Birmingham, Alabama, killing both crew. Television channel WLKY, a CBS affiliate, showed video of Tuesday’s crash, with flames visible as the plane took off, and the fireball erupting as it hit the ground. Several buildings in an industrial area beyond the runway were on fire after the crash, with thick, black smoke seen rising into the evening sky. Beshear said stricken facilities on the ground included a petroleum recycling center and an auto parts business. “UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. One key question for investigators is why one engine appeared to have separated from the plane before the crash, a person briefed on the matter said, pointing to video images of airfield debris. The cause and origin of the fire before the aircraft went down were also unknown. U.S. air safety expert and pilot John Cox said investigators will need to look at why the plane with three engines failed to fly after one apparently caught fire. “It’s too big a fire for a normal, typical-engine fire,” Cox said. “It’s much too big.” “That airplane should have flown on two engines. So now we’ve got to look at what caused it not to fly,” he added. Fires on the ground burned for hours afterwards, with authorities warning the public within a 5-mile (8-km) radius of the scene to stay indoors to guard against air-quality hazards. The shelter-in-place zone was later reduced to a mile across. CRASH INVOLVED 34-YEAR-OLD PLANE FAA records show the crashed plane, an MD-11 freighter, was 34 years old. Boeing, which shut down the MD-11 program after acquiring it in a merger with McDonnell Douglas, said it was concerned for the safety and well-being of those affected, and it would provide technical support to the investigation. Flightradar24 said the plane, which began operations with UPS in 2006, had flown from Louisville to Baltimore earlier on Tuesday before returning to Louisville. It climbed to an altitude of 175 feet and reached a speed of 184 knots before making a sharp descent, Flightradar24 data showed. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the accident investigation and was sending a team to the site, a spokesperson said. The NTSB typically takes 12 to 24 months to complete an investigation, make a finding of probable cause and issue recommendations to help avoid similar incidents. UPS is the largest employer in Louisville, providing 26,000 jobs, the publication Louisville Business First said. “We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville,” the company said in a statement. Louisville’s Worldport is at the center of the hub-and-spoke system for its air cargo network, serving the high-tech, healthcare and retail industries, handling more than 300 flights and processing about 2 million packages a day. More than 150 UPS customers, such as Merck & Co and other major pharmaceutical companies, have inventory there. “My heart goes out to everybody at UPS, because this is a UPS town,” Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe, whose district includes the airport, said at the press conference. “We all know somebody who works at UPS, and they’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe. Sadly, some of those texts are probably going to go unanswered.” Additional writing and reporting by Dan Catchpole, Steve Gorman, Juby Babu, Allison Lampert, Gnaneshwar Rajan and Shivani Tanna —David Shepardson, Chris Thomas and Lisa Baertlein, Reuters View the full article

Earlier this year, we covered that Google's AI Overviews are killing click-through rates from the Google Search results. Well, Seer Interactive updated the numbers and that CTR decline has continued to decline and get even worse.View the full article