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The move was necessary for Dark Matter in order for it to align the size of its workforce with current mortgage market realities, CEO Sean Dugan said. View the full article

Noodles & Company, the fast-casual chain known for serving an array of noodle-based dishes, will shutter up to 21 restaurants. The brand, founded in Denver, Colorado in 1995, has already closed at least nine locations over the past year. In a conference call last week, chief financial officer Michael Hynes said, “We expect to close 13 to 17 company-owned and four franchise restaurants in 2025.” The most recent count is up from a previous estimate of 12 to 15 company-owned closures. Noodles & Company currently has 380 company-owned restaurants and 89 franchised locations in 31 states. According to the brand’s website, the impending closures are due to higher food costs and increased marketing expenses. Recently, Noodles & Company revamped its menu, and according to QSR, saw revenue tick upward, rising 2% in Q1, with same-store sales increasing 4.4% and a 4.7% gain at company-owned locations. And despite the looming closures, Noodles & Company maintains a positive outlook. In a May 7 press release announcing first-quarter financial results, chief executive officer Drew Madsen explained that the company has actually been growing. “We are very pleased with the strong comparable restaurant sales and traffic performance we achieved during the first quarter despite a challenging macroeconomic environment,” Madsen said. “Our momentum is being driven by our fully reimagined new menu that launched on March 12, supported by increased marketing investment and a new brand strategy. Since the new menu introduction, comparable sales have increased by approximately 5% through April.” Nation’s Restaurant News also reported that according to documents filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Noodles & Company is opening at least two new restaurants this year. Fast-casual restaurants have been struggling amid higher food costs and slower foot traffic. In 2024, TGI Fridays, Bloomin’ Brands, Hooters, and Denny’s all closed underperforming locations, while other chains BurgerFi, Red Lobster, and Sticky Fingers filed for bankruptcy. Most recently, fast-casual and fast-food chains Chipotle and McDonalds have seen weaker sales. Noodles & Company has not released a list of the closing restaurant locations and did not immediately respond to a Fast Company inquiry. View the full article

You know how, on old TV shows, important people will have a wall of televisions so they can keep track of everything going on in the world? It's a ridiculous concept and totally impractical. It's also something you can do. TV Wall is a free website that shows nine random TV news stations from around the world. This could be useful during an election or other unfolding international event, allowing you to see how news organizations in different countries are covering things. But I'm not going to pretend this is a practical tool. It's mostly just kind of fun to play around with. Head to the site and you'll be presented with nine channels arranged in a three-by-three grid. A panel on the left side lets you customize the size of the grid, if you want, and you can also turn off the weird Matrix-style framing around all the TVs. A shuffle button allows you to see all new channels or you can scroll down in the left side panel to filter the channels by language or country. Credit: Justin Pot Scroll further down and you'll find the point to unmute feature, which will unmute whatever channel is currently under your mouse cursor—this makes it easy to quickly keep track of what's being said on all channels. Or, if you want to be more passive, you can have the audio randomly jump from channel to channel. You can also manually change the channels—just hover over a video to see a top bar. You can use the drop down to choose a specific channel. You can also unmute the audio or make the current channel full screen. Credit: Justin Pot The actual channels offered are all ones you could stream legally on the web if you wanted. This includes the BBC, Bloomberg, Australia's ABC, and a number of U.S. network TV channels. What this site offers is the ability to monitor a bunch of these channels at the same time. I find it fascinating how easy it has become to watch TV on the web, for free. If you're looking for similar sites, I recommend checking out our list of TV channels you can stream for free or our roundup of retro TV sites. You'll never be bored again. View the full article

The title insurance industry, highly dependent on mortgage origination volume, recovered after watching volume fall 31% in 2023 and 16% in 2022. View the full article

Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych will appear in court on Friday over attacks on properties linked to UK prime ministerView the full article

Netflix didn’t used to have the best reputation when it came to anime. The service would buy up the rights to distribute shows, only to air them on a significant delay from when they came out in Japan. That's to say nothing of its selection, which was hit or miss. Well, this anime fan is pleased to say that’s no longer the case. In the last few years, Netflix has gone all-in on distributing anime in a timely fashion, sometimes even funding shows itself. A good number of modern hits are now Netflix exclusives. Even outside of what’s exclusive to the platform, you can currently find a number of all-time classics on the service. I used to recommend subscribing to other platforms if anime was your thing, but now, whether you prefer shōnen (think Naruto), shōjo (think Sailor Moon), mysteries, comedies, dramas, or romances, Netflix can be your one-stop shop—look no further than these 18 series for an example of the breadth of material on offer. Delicious in Dungeon Credit: Netflix If I could only recommend one anime on this list, it would be Delicious in Dungeon. Distributed exclusively by Netflix in the U.S., this adaptation of Ryoko Kui’s hit manga lovingly brings the author’s clear adoration for old-school RPGs and tantalizing feasts to life. Following broke monster fanatic Laios and his party as they venture deeper and deeper into the eponymous dungeon, it starts out seeming like your typical D&D fare before quickly veering into Food Network or even National Geographic territory: Because they can’t afford supplies, Laios and his crew must instead turn to cooking up the dungeon’s monsters to keep their journey going, giving the audience a fascinating look at the ecosystems that prop up the Moria-like locale around them. The result is hilarious and heartfelt, while still giving viewers enough action and drama to keep coming back for more adventures. And the animation, provided by the deft hands at Studio Trigger (famous for shows like Little Witch Academia and Kill La Kill), is a great match: equally warm and ferocious, depending on the scene. Devilman Crybaby Credit: Netflix One of Netflix’s earlier successes with distributing anime, Devilman Crybaby is still just as impressive today. An adaptation of Go Nagai’s classic manga, this streamlined ten-episode epic is a great introduction to the characters and themes that inspired much of the modern shōnen and tokusatsu (think Power Rangers) landscape. That said, don’t go in expecting something kid-friendly. Under the direction of industry legend Masaaki Yuasa, studio Science Saru lovingly dedicates itself to depicting gritty sex and violence in almost every other scene, and yet it all feels tasteful within the tight runtime—more HBO prestige than exploitation. A hellish treatise on human nature, love, and cycles of pain, this story ends in some truly biblical places, and the ride there is well worth it. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Credit: Netflix Netflix picked up the distribution rights for new JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure episodes ahead of the anime’s most recent part, Stone Ocean, and with the next part, Steel Ball Run, now officially announced, it’s a great time to get caught up. Originally starting in the late ‘80s as a supernatural spin on the tropes set by classic manga and anime Fist of the North Star, the series has since morphed into its own beast, drawing inspiration from high fashion, classic rock, the author’s own travels, and more. It’s known for its exaggerated physical proportions and audacious high concepts (one episode sees our protagonist pick a fight with a sentient plate of spaghetti). To be honest, I’d recommend it to both battle anime and Drag Race fans alike. And yet as bizarre as it gets, it’s always got a sense of earnestness that truly helps you stay attached to the Joestar family amid its generations-long conflicts with vampires, serial killers, and mob bosses alike. Neon Genesis Evangelion Credit: Netflix When Netflix financed a new dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion in 2019, there was a good deal of uproar online. It makes sense: The metatextual mecha anime, originally released in 1995, was a formative text for many American fans. And yet regardless of how you watch it (personally, I really like the new cast), Neon Genesis Evangelion remains well worth your time. Set after the apocalyptic “Second Impact,” the series follows teenager Shinji Ikari as he gets swept into the machinations of shadowy government organization NERV, led by his aloof and distant father Gendo Ikari. Because of his rare aptitude piloting one of NERV’s few Evangelion (think giant robot, but not quite) units, Shinji must do battle with kaiju-like “angels” as they attack NERV and the city its HQ is located in one-by-one, each trying to trigger the apocalyptic Third Impact. If that setup sounds familiar, that’s intentional. Series creator Hideaki Anno grew up watching plenty of mecha shows about young boys bonding with or piloting robots for secret societies dedicated to protecting the Earth, and Evangelion feels both like a loving tribute to and harsh deconstruction of that premise. Sort of like Watchmen did for superheroes, the show asks “how would children really react in this situation?” Guided by Anno’s knowledgeable hand, the result is a complex and avant garde breakdown of pop culture obsession, real world mythology, and perhaps most importantly, teenage anxiety. A bunch of Gundam Credit: Netflix A personal favorite of mine, and often held up as the prototypical mecha anime, Mobile Suit Gundam is at its heart just as transgressive as Neon Genesis Evangelion. The series has been around in some form since 1976, and while Netflix doesn’t have every Gundam under the sun, it does have enough to get you started. You can start with the movie trilogy, which expertly condenses and recaps the first Gundam show into a few afternoons’ worth of content, telling the story of a military ship staffed by war orphans as it navigates a devastating conflict between Earth and its economically distressed space colonies. If you like Evangelion, you’ll see a lot of the same themes on display here, as supernaturally talented teenage pilot Amuro Ray is forced into battle after battle for a distant government that only sees him as a tool for war. If that sounds depressing, don’t worry. The angst is balanced out by a disco-tastic score and the devilishly charming machinations of Amuro’s rival, a magnificent bastard by the name of Char Aznable. When you’re done with that, you can see how that relationship pays off in the movie Char’s Counterattack, which itself has its own follow-up on Netflix called Hathaway’s Flash. Ah, generational trauma. (Unfortunately, you’ll have to turn to other services to see what comes in between these entries). If all of that sounds more intense than you expected, I don’t blame you. While often compared to Transformers overseas, Gundam is credited in Japan for kicking off the “real robot” genre, which reimagined the already thriving but frequently more toyetic mecha genre into a more grounded, Game of Thrones style political drama. It’s been around long enough that it’s now got a little something for everyone, and the selections on Netflix are a perfect entry point into the long-running series. Dorohedoro Credit: Netflix Another series exclusively distributed by Netflix, this is the entry on this list most likely to get you to say “hell yeah.” Like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Dorohedoro is an unapologetically weird show, following the exploits of a man with the head of a lizard as he and his favorite restauranteur navigate the seedy, magical underworld of the Hole, the slum where they live. As it turns out, the Hole is used as a testing ground for a society of sorcerers, who teleport into it from their much more affluent but distinctly mafia-flavored world to conduct their experiments. The resulting adventure gets a lot more dramatic than you might expect, as you quickly get attached to both sides of the situation, meeting lovable Hole residents like Nikaido and equally likeable sorcerers like Noi and Shin. It’s heartbreaking to see these two sides clash, but even so, Dorohedoro never forgets its outlandish premise and still packs in plenty of comedy. Class conflict is all over this show, regardless of which side you’re watching, but a good plate of gyoza is never too far out of reach. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Credit: Netflix A remake of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime from 2004, which was produced before the manga by Hiromu Arakawa had finished its run, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood has replaced its predecessor in the eyes of many fans. Personally, I think both are worth watching, but with more characters and a more fleshed out finale, there’s certainly a lot that gives this more faithful adaptation the edge. Following two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, in an industrial era world where alchemists are able to use special sigils called transmutation circles to instantly reform compatible ingredients into whatever shape or form they wish, the show is a darkly comic treatise on war, the value of a human life, and what we’re willing to trade for our desires. It also has a guy who can summon explosions with a snap and a ghost-kid who’s stuck possessing a suit of armor. It holds up for all ages, but it also stands out as one of the more thoughtful shounen out there, and is a great choice for teenagers who feel like they want a bit more to chew on alongside their over-the-top anime battles. Hunter X Hunter Credit: Netflix Another shōnen classic, Hunter x Hunter adapts the still running manga from Yoshihiro Togashi, author of my personal favorite series in the genre, Yu Yu Hakusho (the live action adaptation of that is on Netflix, but the anime recently left the service). Generally, though, I’m a bit of an outlier there: YYH is beloved in its own right, but HxH is generally seen as Togashi’s magnum opus. The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Gon Freecs as he seeks to follow in the footsteps of his absentee father Ging to become what his world calls a “hunter.” Rather than focusing on big game, though, a hunter in this world is better described as anyone who is at the top of their field. You could be a treasure hunter, sure, but if you’re an expert chef, you could also be a “gourmet hunter.” And given the world Gon lives in, being at the top of your field is an especially impressive feat. Hunters require a license to be officially recognized, and getting one is a perilous task that unlocks a bunch of new possibilities for the license holder. It’s a fascinating bit of worldbuilding, and as you’ll quickly learn, getting a hunter’s license is just the first step in a true hunter’s journey. The resulting adventure is one of the most emotionally gripping you’ll find in the genre, as Gon quickly realizes there’s a lot more he cares about in life than copying his dad. A standout is his relationship with fellow hunter Killua, who has his own family issues to work through. It’s one of the best bromances of all time, folks. Technically, the story is unfinished, as the manga it’s based on still hasn’t wrapped up, but the anime picks a strong spot to end, and the manga releases infrequently enough that it’s unclear how much more of it we’ll actually get. That shouldn’t deter you from checking out what we have—as Gon learns, sometimes it’s more about the journey than the destination. The Apothecary Diaries Credit: Netflix Anime isn’t all about fighting. Sometimes, you’re looking for a good mystery. Set in a fictional country heavily inspired by Imperial China, The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a young girl who grew up in the royal capital’s red-light district after she gets kidnapped and sold into the Imperial court. Starting off as an ordinary servant girl, her skills with medicine—honed under her adoptive father, a former court physician—quickly get her noticed by the court’s higher-ups, and she eventually becomes a go-to problem solver for a mysterious court official named Jinshi. With a sometimes distant but always just attitude and an unwavering dedication to her special interest, Maomao becomes indispensable in solving poisonings, urban legends, and other courtly political drama, all while growing reluctantly closer to the more jovial Jinshi. The romance is spicy and the episodic mysteries have shades of Columbo to them, but as it turns out, there’s also bigger secrets at play—both Maomao and Jinshi have more to their pasts than you might think at first blush, and the slow burn reveals about who they really are are a fascinating reason to come back week after week. Ranma ½ Credit: Netflix Half martial arts punch-em-up, half romcom, Ranma ½ has a little something for everybody. Inspired by Rumiko Takahashi’s classic manga, the version on Netflix is actually a remake, and not the well-remembered original anime from the late ‘80s. Don’t let that stop you, though. While the original was deeply influential in its day, the remake features gorgeously redone animation courtesy of Attack on Titan’s Studio MAPPA, plus tightened up pacing that’s more faithful to the original manga. The show follows a boy who turns into a girl whenever he gets splashed with cold water—a premise that's still as great a set up for gags as it ever was—but there’s also a good bit of drama to be pulled from Ranma’s double-life. The remake also has the potential to do something the original never did—actually finish the story. Dan Da Dan Credit: Netflix A critical darling from last year, right up there with Delicious in Dungeon, Dan Da Dan is another Science Saru joint, and like Devilman Crybaby, is similarly unafraid of breaking taboos. Following a young, nerdy UFO conspiracy theorist as he gets involved with a delinquent girl who has a history in the occult, the show asks the question: what if they’re both right? What follows is an off-the-wall odyssey that is, on the surface, about fighting aliens, cryptids, and ghosts, but is mostly really about puberty. Sex and violence are on full display here, but like in Devilman, it all feels more tasteful than shock jock-y. The characters are deeply lovable, and underneath all the high concept flash, the story is one of the most relatable and vulnerable depictions of teenage awkwardness I’ve seen in a while. Frieren Credit: Netflix In an unusual premise for a fantasy anime, Frieren, subtitled “Beyond Journey’s End,” asks the question “what happens after you save the world?” Where other shows would roll credits, Frieren begins its journey, following a nigh-immortal elf years after her adventuring party has defeated the Demon King. While she’s still relatively young, her human companions have all either hit old age or even passed away, and the show follows her as she learns the true value of what she took for granted all those years ago. It’s a melancholic look at legacy, regret, living in the moment, and being there for younger generations, and while those of us in the real world may not live for thousands of years, it’s sure to be relatable to anyone who sometimes looks back at their past and thinks “if only.” Vinland Saga Credit: Netflix Set in the 11th century and following a fictionalized version of real-life historical figure Thorfinn Karlsefni, Vinland Saga is a brutal historical epic that follows our protagonist as he grows from a violent, vengeful teenager into an explorer in search of peace in the faraway land of Vinland (an island off the coast of Canada). His story is contrasted against that of Danish prince Canute, whose ambitions encroach on Thorfinn’s homeland. Based on historical accounts including the Flateyjarbók and the Saga of Erik the Red, the story is nonetheless also influenced by modern conflicts, and provides a nuanced depiction of the trauma of war and the limits of revenge. Mob Psycho 100 Credit: Netflix Written by the same author behind One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 explores a lot of similar themes, following a young psychic who has, but is not particularly interested in having, immense power. Instead of training to be the strongest around, like many of his shōnen contemporaries, Mob instead is more interested in living a normal life, spending his time working for conman Arataka Reigen and working out with his school’s Body Improvement Club. Nonetheless, trouble comes looking for him, and forces Mob to reluctantly use his power to stop it. With fluid and often psychedelic animation by Studio Bones, Mob Psycho 100 will scratch your battle anime itch, while also making you laugh, cry, and never forget about the little guy. One Piece Credit: Netflix You could watch every other anime on this list and still have seen fewer overall episodes than are in One Piece. At over 1,100 episodes and counting, this long-running pirate epic has been airing since 1999. Ostensibly about a young boy named Luffy as he navigates an unusually dangerous ocean called the Grand Line in search of a treasure called the One Piece, it’s also been around long enough that it’s covered everything from class conflict to shadowy world governments. I’m told the beauty of the show is seeing elements get set up early on only to get unexpectedly paid off years later, really making use of the long-form story telling and rewarding viewers for their dedication. In truth, I’m still only in the Arabasta Saga, so I’ve barely scratched the surface. Please forgive me; I only have so much free time. Still, even early on, there’s plenty of standout moments, from Buggy the Clown’s ridiculous powerset to Nami’s heartfelt cry for help during the Arlong Park arc. This is the top-selling manga in Japan for a reason, and if you’ve got the dedication, now is as good a time to jump onboard as ever (or you could wait for the eventual remake by Studio Wit, The One Piece, which promises to tighten up the pacing). Aggretsuko Credit: Netflix An office comedy that my husband stopped watching because it was “too real,” Aggretsuko is a shockingly relatable show, considering it’s about anthropomorphic animals living in Sanrio’s Hello Kitty world. Following an adorable red panda named Retsuko, the gimmick is that while she’s mild-mannered and put-upon during the day, she heads to the karaoke booth at night to let out her frustrations by belting out death metal. Slowly, over the course of the show, these two parts of her life start to collide, as her coworkers get to know, and much to her surprise, like the real her. While Retsuko definitely faces a lot of stressors in her life, this show is also just as much a fantasy about the power of sticking up for yourself. If you’ve ever felt the urge to yell at your boss, this is the anime for you. Oh, there are also boys. So. Many. Boys. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Credit: Netflix Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A young boy with immense psychic power whose only goal is to live a normal life keeps getting pulled into supernatural shenanigans against his will. Yes, on the surface, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. seems a lot like Mob Psycho 100, but while Mob isn’t unfunny, it really isn’t fair to Saiki to compare the two. The former is a serialized mix of action, comedy, and coming-of-age, while the latter is a pure gag show. And it’s hilarious. Have you ever seen that viral meme pitching an anime about a character who notices they have colored hair and are destined to be the protagonist, but all they want to do is stay home and play video games? Saiki is that. The character is essentially omnipotent, and will do everything in his power to keep typical anime plots from popping up around him, from battle to romance. His utter dedication to being boring is surprisingly fascinating to watch, as are his begrudging friendships with his colorful cast of sidekicks, who can’t help but get drawn in by his pure main character energy. There’s also a short sequel series, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Reawakened, that picks up where the original leaves off. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Credit: Netflix From Castlavana to Arcane, Netflix is kind of known for video game adaptations that are way better than they have any right to be, and Cyberpunk is an especially interesting example of that. Coming out two years after the game’s initial, disastrous launch, Edgerunners was one of the earlier wins in CD Projekt Red’s efforts to rehabilitate its game’s reputation, well before the critically acclaimed Phantom Liberty DLC would change most minds in 2023. It’s also one of the few “Netflix Original” anime actually funded by the platform, as opposed to simply distributed on it. The story, animated by the same studio behind Delicious in Dungeon, follows broke but talented kid David Martinez as sudden tragedy brings him into contact with a group of edgerunners, which you can think of as sci-fi mercenaries, fixers, dealers, etc. His new ties quickly bring him far more agency and power than he’s ever had before, but also put him on the wrong side of the law and frequently push him to the edge of death. He’s forced to augment himself more and more just to survive, and the series does a great job examining how the edgerunner lifestyle affects him, both positively and negatively, over the course of his life. Themes of addiction, longing, and class inequality are strong here, definitely putting the “punk” in Cyberpunk. View the full article

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency came under bipartisan criticism Wednesday over his agency’s actions to cancel billions of dollars in congressionally approved spending to address chronic pollution in minority communities and jump-start clean energy programs across the country. Nearly 800 grants were awarded by former President Joe Biden’s administration under the 2022 climate law, which directed the EPA to spend $3 billion on grants to help low-income and minority communities improve their air and water and protect against climate change. The law allocated another $20 billion under a so-called green bank program to finance clean energy and climate-friendly projects nationwide. Funding for both programs was abruptly terminated by the The President administration in actions that Democrats have denounced as illegal and unconstitutional. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has illegally withheld, or impounded, climate-law funding despite a decades-old law that explicitly prohibits such actions by the executive branch. Repeated court rulings, including by the Supreme Court, support the power of Congress to set federal spending levels. Zeldin’s budget maneuvers “endanger communities by making it harder to address pollution and climate chaos,” Merkley said at a hearing Wednesday. Varied approaches to questioning the EPA chief Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, chair of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the environment, also criticized Zeldin, saying funding freezes approved by his agency — including to grants intended for rural communities in Alaska — were “somewhat indiscriminate.″ Murkowski questioned whether severe budget cuts proposed by President Donald The President were “serious.” Many of the proposals, such as an 88% cut to a state revolving fund for clean water, are likely to be reversed by Congress, she said. The EPA’s approach under Zeldin is “problematic,” Murkowski added. “EPA has not adhered to our guidelines and has been largely unresponsive to questions,” she said. Zeldin told Murkowski she has a special phone number for his office and can call him any time. His exchanges with Democrats were less friendly. “So you understand that when you impound funds, you’re violating the law?” Merkley asked Zeldin, a former New York congressman who took over at EPA in January. “No, Senator, we are going to follow all statutory obligations,” Zeldin replied. “We absolutely disagree with you very strongly.” Asked under what authority the money was being withheld, Zeldin cited “policy priorities” under The President that differ from Biden-era views. “But it wasn’t the Biden administration that passed this law. It was Congress,” Merkley shot back. ”And so, this is in the law as written, and it’s signed by the president, and yet you’re defying it.” Zeldin said he rejected Merkley’s premise, adding, “We couldn’t possibly disagree more strongly with what you’re saying.” If he can’t follow his oath of office, Zeldin should resign, Merkley said, a suggestion Zeldin immediately rejected. Accused of trying to ‘burn it down’ Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state said Zeldin and The President shared an approach when it comes to EPA: “Burn it down.” Money being withheld by EPA would pay for things like heat pumps to reduce energy costs and pollution, wildfire preparedness and infrastructure upgrades to protect drinking water from floods and earthquakes, Murray said. “Blocking this funding is hurting communities everywhere,” she said. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff asked Zeldin why he had canceled a $19.8 million grant to Thomasville, Georgia, to replace a wastewater collection system and build a community health clinic. “Is a new health clinic for Thomasville woke?” Ossoff asked, noting that the grant was approved under an environmental justice program the EPA has terminated. Zeldin again cited policy priorities before Ossoff, a Democrat, cut him off. “You hurt my constituents,” he said. Zeldin later said grants to Thomasville and towns in Alaska and Washington state may be restored if language about environmental justice and diversity is removed, in accordance with an executive order by The President. Zeldin declined to provide specific goals for EPA staffing under his tenure, but appeared to acknowledge claims by Merkley and Murray that staff totals could return to a level last seen under former President Ronald Reagan. The EPA had fewer than 11,000 employees in 1983, compared to more than 15,100 in 2024. The agency has laid off hundreds of employees and offered voluntary retirement or deferred resignations to thousands more as part of a broader effort by The President and adviser Elon Musk to downsize the federal workforce. —Matthew Daly, Associated Press View the full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), under acting director Russell Vought, canceled proposed new rules this week that would have protected Americans’ sensitive private data—including financial data, credit history, and Social Security numbers—from being collected by data brokers without consent and sold to advertisers and other third parties. The proposed rules, which were crafted in December by the Biden administration’s CFPB director, Rohit Chopra, were aimed at protecting consumers from commercial surveillance practices that “threaten our personal safety and undermine America’s national security.” (Wired, for example, reported in February that U.S. data brokers were using Google’s ad-tech tools to sell access to information about devices linked to military service members and national security decision-makers.) Proposed rules clarified that many data brokers are in fact “consumer reporting agencies,” like the credit bureaus, which already must comply with the privacy and accuracy rules in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). For example, under those requirements, data brokers would have to get explicit consent from consumers before collecting and selling their data. But on Tuesday, the Vought-led CFPB quietly announced in the Federal Register that it was withdrawing the proposed rules, stating that they are “not necessary or appropriate at this time.” The CFPB’s argument against the proposed rules revolved around a single comment left during the public comment period about the proposed rules’ “propriety under the plain text of the FCRA.” Data privacy advocates have been fighting for years to make data brokers subject to the FCRA’s privacy rules. The withdrawal of the proposal is a victory for large data brokers such as Acxiom and Epsilon, for the consumer websites that sell data brokers, and for the vast digital advertising ecosystem that uses the data to target ads. While many consumers are unaware of the vast personal data marketplace centered around data brokers, privacy advocates immediately saw the death of the proposed rules as a major setback. “The data broker industry is out of control—data brokers threaten our privacy, national security, physical safety, and economic security every day,” said Electronic Privacy Information Center law fellow Caroline Kraczon in a statement Tuesday. “The CFPB’s withdrawal of the proposed rules is another attack in the administration’s war against consumers on behalf of corporate interests.” At the state level, California, New Jersey, and Vermont have passed legislation giving consumers the right to demand that data brokers delete sensitive personal information about them. View the full article

Searchers can now find out who paid for the ads they see, as Google is beginning to roll out its Ads Transparency policy. This update makes ad funding more visible to users. This new label could impact how consumers perceive and trust advertisements. Advertisers now have less ability to obscure financial relationships. What it looks like. Google’s My Ad Center now features a new transparency section labeled Ads funded by. Anthony Higman, CEO of ADSQUIRE, spotted the implementation and shared screenshots on LinkedIn. Why we care. Google’s new Ads funded by labels expose previously hidden agency-client relationships and parent company connections. Advertisers must now carefully align their payment profile names with their branding strategy, as consumers will see exactly who’s funding each ad. This could significantly impact consumer trust and perception, especially for advertisers who operate through complex corporate structures or prefer to keep certain financial relationships less visible. Between the lines. Google’s policy update stated: “In May 2025, Google will display the payment profile name as the payer name for verified advertisers, if that name differs from their verified advertiser name.” Initial observations suggest Google may be showing the section even when the payer and advertiser names match. This could indicate a broader transparency push beyond what was initially communicated. View the full article

Wix has announced the release of Wixel, a standalone AI-powered visual design platform intended to make high-quality design tools accessible to everyone. The platform, now available in English, integrates advanced artificial intelligence with an intuitive interface to deliver a seamless and user-friendly design experience. According to Wix, Wixel aims to democratize visual design by empowering users—regardless of their creative expertise—to bring their ideas to life quickly and professionally. Wixel offers end-to-end design capabilities, enabling tasks such as background removal, image editing, layout customization, and brand-aligned image generation. The platform selects the most effective AI models for each design task behind the scenes, ensuring optimal results. A jewelry designer, for example, can upload a product photo, place it in a new setting, adjust contrast and saturation, and insert it into a professional template in minutes—all within the Wixel interface. Users can then add text, customize layout elements, and download their completed visuals for use on social media or e-commerce platforms. “AI is the foundation of Wixel,” said Avishai Abrahami, Co-Founder and CEO of Wix. “Design is in our DNA, and simplifying complex experiences is what we do best. We’re now determined to revolutionize design by democratizing access to powerful and creative tools for everyone, regardless of their design expertise. This version is just the beginning, and I am excited to explore the limitless creative possibilities that Wixel will unlock as we continue to innovate and refine our platform.” Colin Jarvis, Head of Forward Deployed Engineering at OpenAI, also highlighted the integration of OpenAI’s image generation technology into the platform. “We’re always excited to see how our API can create new user experiences and Wix is making it easier than ever for people to create professional-looking visuals, fast. By integrating our image generation technology into Wixel, they’ve built a simple, powerful tool that helps anyone—from small business owners to creators—to bring their ideas to life with just a few clicks.” Wixel includes free access with an option to upgrade to a Pro Plan, which offers enhanced usage and additional premium design elements and templates. Wix indicates that additional features, such as video and story creation, are currently in development. This article, "Wix Launches Wixel, an AI-Powered Visual Design Platform" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Wix has announced the release of Wixel, a standalone AI-powered visual design platform intended to make high-quality design tools accessible to everyone. The platform, now available in English, integrates advanced artificial intelligence with an intuitive interface to deliver a seamless and user-friendly design experience. According to Wix, Wixel aims to democratize visual design by empowering users—regardless of their creative expertise—to bring their ideas to life quickly and professionally. Wixel offers end-to-end design capabilities, enabling tasks such as background removal, image editing, layout customization, and brand-aligned image generation. The platform selects the most effective AI models for each design task behind the scenes, ensuring optimal results. A jewelry designer, for example, can upload a product photo, place it in a new setting, adjust contrast and saturation, and insert it into a professional template in minutes—all within the Wixel interface. Users can then add text, customize layout elements, and download their completed visuals for use on social media or e-commerce platforms. “AI is the foundation of Wixel,” said Avishai Abrahami, Co-Founder and CEO of Wix. “Design is in our DNA, and simplifying complex experiences is what we do best. We’re now determined to revolutionize design by democratizing access to powerful and creative tools for everyone, regardless of their design expertise. This version is just the beginning, and I am excited to explore the limitless creative possibilities that Wixel will unlock as we continue to innovate and refine our platform.” Colin Jarvis, Head of Forward Deployed Engineering at OpenAI, also highlighted the integration of OpenAI’s image generation technology into the platform. “We’re always excited to see how our API can create new user experiences and Wix is making it easier than ever for people to create professional-looking visuals, fast. By integrating our image generation technology into Wixel, they’ve built a simple, powerful tool that helps anyone—from small business owners to creators—to bring their ideas to life with just a few clicks.” Wixel includes free access with an option to upgrade to a Pro Plan, which offers enhanced usage and additional premium design elements and templates. Wix indicates that additional features, such as video and story creation, are currently in development. This article, "Wix Launches Wixel, an AI-Powered Visual Design Platform" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google search impressions are up 49% year-over-year, but click-through rates (CTR) are down 30%, according to new data from BrightEdge. For that, all credit goes to AI Overviews, Google’s AI-generated summaries that launched one year ago. Why we care. Google’s AI Overviews have impacted SEO in a big way. For so long, the focus has been on rankings, which generally tended to drive traffic that could then be monetized. Today, we’re forced to focus on reach – visibility in AI Overviews – even though there is no guarantee you’ll get a click or that your content will be properly credited if you get cited by AI. By the numbers. Here are some additional findings about how AI Overviews have evolved in the past year, per BrightEdge: 7x increase queries of 8+ words. 48% rise in technical terminology in search queries. 400% increase in citations from results in positions 21–30. 200% increase in citations from results positions 31-100 89% of citations come from beyond the top 100 organic listings. AI Overviews impact by industry. Healthcare and education are approaching 90% query coverage. Meanwhile, ecommerce queries still rarely show AI Overviews, and actually declined from 29% to 4%. Other industries that saw big increases in AI Overviews in the last year: B2B tech grew from 36% to 70%. Insurance grew from 17% to 63%. Entertainment queries grew 2% to 37%. What they’re saying. According to BrightEdge: “SEO is no longer just about ranking – it’s about being recommended and cited. … The new rules of search are not about abandoning what worked before—they’re about evolving it.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. We're living in the best time in history for bringing karaoke to your home. I've had the pleasure of using the new Soundcore Rave 3S karaoke speaker, which turns any song into a karaoke track with the push of a button, and Ikarao's ultra-portable Shell S1 karaoke speaker to host many house parties. But if you're looking for a great deal on a more powerful speaker that is still compact and portable, consider the Break X2, also from Ikarao, currently $349.98 (originally $469.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools. You can read about it in more detail in Lifehacker staff writer Stephen Johnson's review. Break X2 Smart Karaoke Machine 64GB Karaoke Tablet, 2 Wireless Mics, Professional Karaoke System, 300W Peak Power. $349.98 at Amazon $469.99 Save $120.01 Get Deal Get Deal $349.98 at Amazon $469.99 Save $120.01 The Break X2 is the most powerful out of the three karaoke speakers I've mentioned in terms of watts, which means it'll sound the best at max volumes with the least distortion. It's perfect for those looking to have a stand-alone karaoke machine in their living room. It comes with two wireless Bluetooth microphones that store inside and automatically charge. The microphones are of good quality and sound much better than Soundcore's Rave 3S's. The screen is a 10-inch Android touchscreen display that has some apps pre-installed, although you'd likely mainly use the YouTube widget. (You can find virtually any song in karaoke for free on YouTube.) But if you're looking for a more premium experience, the speaker comes with six months of Karafun, a karaoke app that is incredibly fun (read more about it in my Shell S1 review). The battery will give you about eight hours of juice, but you can always plug it in. You can also hook up an HDMI cable so you can see the lyrics on your TV to really make it a party. View the full article

Republicans in Congress have been making behind-the-scenes efforts to pass major domestic legislation via the federal budget process. They include potential cuts to Medicaid and extending the 2017 The President tax cuts. But even though it’s Congress’ job to pass a budget and set tax policy, most media outlets have been content to frame key elements of the legislation as being driven not by Congress, but by the president. So the news media say that the purpose of the bill is to “deliver The President’s agenda” or to pass the “The President tax cuts.” Many have even adopted President Donald The President’s trademark name for the legislation: his “big, beautiful bill.” Along with Casey Burgat and SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, I am co-author of a textbook titled Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch. In that book, it was important to us to highlight Congress’ clear role as the preeminent lawmaking body in the federal government. But since The President’s inauguration, Congress has ceded huge swaths of its policymaking responsibility to the president. That makes the media’s focus on The President unsurprising. And there’s no denying that The President has had enormous impact during his first 100 days in office. During that time, Congress has been unwilling to assert itself as an equal branch of government. Beyond policymaking, Congress has been content to hand over many of its core constitutional powers to the executive branch. As a Congress expert who loves the institution and profoundly respects its constitutionally mandated role, this renunciation of responsibility has been difficult to watch. And yet, Congress’ path to irrelevance as a body of government did not begin in January 2025. It is the result of decades of erosion that created a political culture in which Congress, the first branch of government listed in the Constitution, is relegated to second-class status. The Constitution puts Congress first The 18th-century framers of the Constitution viewed Congress as the foundation of republican governance, deliberately placing it first in Article 1 to underscore its primacy. Congress was assigned the pivotal tasks of lawmaking and budgeting because controlling government finances was seen as essential to limiting executive power and preventing abuses that the framers associated with monarchy. Alternatively, a weak legislature and an imperial executive were precisely what many of the founders feared. With legislative authority in the hands of Congress, power would at least be decentralized among a wide variety of elected leaders from different parts of the country, each of whom would jealously guard their own local interests. But The President’s first 100 days turned the founders’ original vision on its head, leaving the “first branch” to play second fiddle. Like most recent presidents, The President came in with his party in control of the presidency, the House, and the Senate. Yet despite the lawmaking power that this governing trifecta can bring, the Republican majorities in Congress have mostly been irrelevant to The President’s agenda. Instead, Congress has relied on The President and the executive branch to make changes to federal policy and in many cases to reshape the federal government completely. The President has signed more than 140 executive orders, a pace faster than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Republican Congress has shown little interest in pushing back on any of them. The President has also aggressively reorganized, defunded, or simply deleted entire agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These actions have been carried out even though Congress has a clear constitutional authority over the executive branch’s budget. Again, Congress has shown little to no interest in reasserting its power, even during recent budget talks. Many causes, no easy solutions Even so, Congress’ weakening did not begin with The President. There’s no one culprit but instead a collection of factors that have provided the ineffectual Congress of today. One overriding factor is a process that has unfolded over the past 50 or more years called political nationalization. American politics have become increasingly centered on national issues, parties, and figures rather than more local concerns or individuals. This shift has elevated the importance of the president as the symbolic and practical leader of a national party agenda. Simultaneously, it weakens the role of individual members of Congress, who are now more likely to toe the party line than represent local interests. As a result, voters focus more on presidential elections and less on congressional ones, granting the president greater influence and diminishing Congress’ independent authority. The more Congress polarizes among its members on a party-line basis, the less the public is likely to trust the legitimacy of their opposition to a president. Instead, congressional pushback—sometimes as extreme as impeachment—can thus be written off not as principled or substantive but as partisan or politically motivated to a greater extent than ever before. Congress has also been complicit in giving away its own power. Especially when dealing with a polarized Congress, presidents increasingly steer the ship in budget negotiations, which can lead to more local priorities—the ones Congress is supposed to represent—being ignored. But rather than Congress staking out positions for itself, as it often did through the turn of the 21st century, political science research has shown that presidential positions on domestic policy increasingly dictate—and polarize—Congress’ own positions on policy that haven’t traditionally been divisive, such as funding support for NASA. Congress’ positions on procedural issues, such as raising the debt ceiling or eliminating the filibuster, also increasingly depend not on bedrock principles but on who occupies the White House. In the realm of foreign policy, Congress has all but abandoned its constitutional power to declare war, settling instead for “authorizations” of military force that the president wants to assert. These give the commander-in-chief wide latitude over war powers, and both Democratic and Republican presidents have been happy to retain that power. They have used these congressional approvals to engage in extended conflicts such as the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan a decade later. What’s lost with a weak Congress Americans lose a lot when Congress hands over such drastic power to the executive branch. When individual members of Congress from across the country take a back seat, their districts’ distinctly local problems are less likely to be addressed with the power and resources that Congress can bring to an issue. Important local perspectives on national issues fail to be represented in Congress. Even members of the same political party represent districts with vastly different economies, demographics, and geography. Members are supposed to keep this in mind when legislating on these issues, but presidential control over the process makes that difficult or even impossible. Maybe more importantly, a weak Congress paired with what historian Arthur Schlesinger called the Imperial Presidency is a recipe for an unaccountable president, running wild without the constitutionally provided oversight and checks on power that the founders provided to the people through their representation by the first branch of government. Charlie Hunt is an assistant professor of political science at Boise State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Remember the letter-writer wondering how long should it take for HR to tell her if her accommodation request would be granted? Here’s the update. I wrote you a couple of weeks ago wanting to know how long it should take my employer to get back to me about an accommodation request. I have an update: My request was granted! I decided to talk to my boss (even though HR said not to – don’t know why) after a commenter suggested asking my boss if we could do 2-days-in-office as a test while I was waiting to hear back from HR. He didn’t agree to the test idea, but after I told him what was going on, he said he would tell HR that they should give me whatever I need. He’s very supportive, and I really appreciate that. The day after you ran my letter, I emailed HR using your suggested wording. I heard from them the next day, and they set up a meeting. They apologized for the delay and said that it was because people who needed to weigh in on the letter they gave me outlining the accommodation (which is a common accommodation for people with ADHD and also exactly what I asked for) were out of the office. They seemed very concerned about confirming that in case there was some sort of emergency, I would come to the office more than 2 days in a given week. I had already offered that, so I confirmed it. I’m very relieved that I can go back to the schedule that worked for me for 2+ years, but at the same time, it’s difficult to get excited about it. I’m resentful about how long I had to wait for an answer or at least a discussion about my request, while I struggled and worked really hard for longer hours to keep up my work quality. I just realized that I’m also offended by their worry that I might not ever come in >2 days/week, even if there was an urgent need. The people involved know me and my work well enough to know that I would never do that. I’ll eventually get over my sour feelings about this (just writing this out actually helps a bit). I really like my job, and I’m very glad that I can go back to doing it without added stress. The post update: how long should it take for HR to tell me if my accommodation request will be granted? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Nick Bare on intentionality: “Lack of intentionality leads to a repetition of what is easiest.” Source: Go One More: Find the Clarity to Make Intentional, Life-Changing Choices II. Will Guidara on a point of view: “If you try to be all things to all people, it’s proof that you don’t have a point of view—and if you want to make an impact, you need to have a point of view.” Source: Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect * * * Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index. * * * Follow us on Instagram and X for additional leadership and personal development ideas. View the full article

Americans are living through interesting times, economically. The tariffs imposed, delayed, and frequently adjusted by the government have thrown household budgets into confusion. One thing that’s pretty certain is that the baseline tariffs applied to just about every country are likely to raise prices at the grocery store no matter what happens from here (prices could go up by about 3% overall). For families that are already struggling to make their grocery budgets work, this is unwelcome news, but there is one thing you can do right now—while prices are still largely unaffected by tariff chaos—to help mitigate the impact and protect you from future grocery inflation: start putting together a “tariff pantry.” This involves laying in a supply of nonperishable groceries to lock in today’s prices, and focusing on recipes and meals that will keep your grocery costs down in the coming months. Here's what to consider. How to plan out your tariff pantrySetting up a “tariff pantry” requires a little planning. “Take inventory first,” advises food blogger and bestselling cookbook author Kyndra Holley. “Know what you already have and make a list of essentials—stick to long-lasting pantry staples you actually use. Stock up gradually. Monitor prices and buy when it makes sense, not out of fear. Then set a budget and stick to it: Decide how much you can spend and avoid impulse buys or panic stockpiling. Buy what you already use when it’s discounted—don’t get lured by deals on items you wouldn’t otherwise use or need.” Holley also warns against relying too much on bulk-buying. “Bulk can save money—but only if you’ll use it,” she says. “Always check unit prices and shelf life, and don’t buy more than you can store safely. Use airtight containers and freeze what you can’t use quickly.” Changing your whole diet and meal-planning approach can help deal with tariff cost increases. “Go more plant-based,” Holley suggests. “Reduce meat and opt for beans, lentils, eggs, and grains. They’re cheaper, filling, and shelf-stable. One-pot, sheet-pan, and slow cooker meals use fewer ingredients and repurpose leftovers easily. And simplify recipes—use fewer, local ingredients. Stick to basic seasonings like garlic, onions, vinegar, and herbs.” Careful meal prepping can also reduce waste and make the most of items bought in bulk. “When you cook in bulk, you maximize every ingredient, stretching your dollars further,” says Laurie Hise, founder of the budgeting blog Passionate Penny Pincher. “Think buying meat in family packs, prepping meals in batches, and locking in today’s prices before more inflation sneaks in!” Hise also suggests broadening your grocery store choices. “Don’t put loyalty above savings! Make sure Aldi is in your store rotation, and scan weekly ads to get your must-haves for the cheapest. Eggs are almost always the cheapest there, they have a great Keto and Gluten Free selection, and you can buy meat for cheap on Wednesdays.” What to stock in a tariff pantryAlthough the blanket tariffs imposed will likely raise prices in general, the grocery items most likely to be affected by tariffs include fresh fruits and vegetables (the bulk of which are imported), coffee, cheese, olive oil, seafood, nuts, and candy. Aside from dodging future price hikes, you want to focus on items in those categories that have lengthy shelf lives and flexible uses. “Stock up on items that are both cost-effective, long-lasting, and versatile,” Holley advises, including: Grains and legumes, like rice, pasta, lentils, dried beans, and oats. Canned and frozen goods. “A variety of canned tomatoes (whole, diced, crushed) are perfect for sauces, soups, and stews,” Holley notes. “Canned vegetables and fruits can be stored for long periods, and frozen vegetables are often cheaper than fresh, and retain nutrients. And canned tuna or salmon are protein-rich and shelf-stable.” Baking ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch. “Basic ingredients for a wide range of uses,” notes Holley. Shelf-stable dairy and dairy alternatives like powdered or evaporated milk can be rehydrated and used for baking, cooking, or even drinking, protecting you from price spikes on the fresh stuff. Oils and vinegars are likely to go up in price and are useful in cooking, dressing, and preserving food. Seasonings and spices—the U.S. imports a lot of spices from countries like India, China, and Peru, so they’re vulnerable to tariff price spikes. Laying in a supply of herbs and spices like salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, paprika, chili powder, ginger, basil, parsley oregano, thyme, as well as soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard, and bouillon cubes will help ride out any disruptions or price hikes in the seasonings aisle. Nuts and seeds—Holley recommends adding a supply of peanut butter or almond butter. “They’re high in protein, and last a long time.” Coffee and tea. “Tea is a low-cost way to diversify your drink options,” notes Holley. Canned meats and proteins. “Canned chicken or Spam can be used in a variety of meals, especially in emergencies,” Holley notes. “And canned ham or sausage can add protein and are good for quick meals.” Building up a tariff pantry will pay off even if the impact of those tariffs is overestimated—as we all know too well, prices never go down. View the full article

Decision comes as Big Four group grapples with ‘uncertain’ market conditions View the full article

YouTube pitched advertisers on a new suite of ad formats aimed at tapping into its massive connected TV audience. Among the highlights from yesterday: interactive shopping ads that let viewers browse and buy products directly from their television screens. YouTube is capitalizing on its dominance in streaming to blur the line between passive viewing and active shopping, positioning itself as a key player in the convergence of TV and ecommerce. The big picture. YouTube is targeting the “second screen” with interactive shopping features designed for how people actually watch TV today: A new shoppable CTV offering displays products on the side of TV screens during ads. Interactive product feeds let viewers browse multiple items with their remotes. QR code integration connects TV viewing directly to mobile purchasing. How it works. Viewers see products displayed alongside video ads on their TV screen. They can browse multiple products using their remote control. When selecting an item, viewers scan a QR code with their phone. Alternatively, they can press and hold a button to send all product links to their phone at once. Why we care. This update creates a bridge between high-engagement TV viewing and direct purchasing, potentially solving the “attribution gap” that has long plagued traditional TV advertising while capturing impulse buying moments that typically vanish when viewers need to search for products later. By the numbers YouTube has been the #1 platform for streaming watch time in the U.S. for over two years, according to Nielsen. TVs were the primary device for YouTube viewing in the U.S. during Q1. YouTube CTV campaigns generated over 50 million monthly average conversions in Q4, according to YouTube’s data. Between the lines. YouTube is positioning itself as both an entertainment destination and a shopping discovery platform, with Kantar survey data showing U.S. participants ranked YouTube as the top platform for brand information. Bottom line. For advertisers frustrated by the disconnection between TV ad spending and measurable results, YouTube’s new shoppable formats represent a potential game-changer, combining the emotional impact of big-screen viewing with the immediacy of mobile commerce – all while viewers are in a receptive, lean-back state. View the full article

The 30-year FRM remained under 7% for the 17th consecutive week, Freddie Mac said, but the 10-year Treasury at one point was up over 25 basis points. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The much-anticipated successor to Garmin’s Forerunner 965 was announced today, and it’s a $749.99 watch called the Forerunner 970 with voice calling, triathlon coaching, and an LED flashlight. Alongside it, instead of a simple upgrade to its little sister the 265, we get a watch at an entirely new place in the Forerunner lineup: the Forerunner 570 ($549.99). Read on for the most important new features, and my first impressions on whether it’s worth splurging on either one compared to the older models. Both will be available to order on May 21, 2025. A primer on Garmin’s confusing model namesJust to help you keep your bearings here: The first digit in a Forerunner’s number tells you where it sits in the product line, and the latter two numbers tell you how new it is. Until today, the newest models were the 165, 265, and 965, with the 165 being the budget model and 965 the top of the Forerunner line. So the 970 is a newer version of the 965, the same basic watch with a few updates. But the 570 occupies a new spot in the lineup, priced higher than the 265, and Garmin probably hopes that some 265 users will want to spring for a fancier watch to get the new features. How does the 570 compare to the 265? The new Forerunner 570 is a watch that has everything the Forerunner 265 had, plus some new extra features. (It’s also more expensive and has slightly worse battery life, but we’ll get to that). Here are the biggest things the 570 has that the 265 doesn’t: Voice calls and texts, and voice commands The new evening report, which tells you how much sleep you should get and what weather and workouts to expect in the morning Triathlon coaching, instead of making you choose between run coaching and bike coaching Auto lap for races with timing gates (the watch will adjust your mileage as you pass the gate) Finish line trimming for races (if you’ve uploaded a course, you won’t have to stop your watch when you cross the finish line—the watch will keep recording and then ask later if you’d like to trim your activity to end at the finish line) The 570 is available in both a 47-millimeter size and a 42-millimeter size, similar to the 265 and 265S (46 and 42 millimeters, respectively). Mercifully for me, a person who has to write about both watches, they have dropped the “S” naming system, so instead of calling the smaller watch the “570S,” as if it were a totally different watch, there is just a 570 that comes in two sizes. Here are the less exciting but still new features of the 570 that the 265 doesn’t have: A sharper screen—454x454 resolution instead of 416x416, and Garmin says it’s their brightest AMOLED screen yet (sorry to those who were hoping for an old-school MIP display) A skin temperature sensor More triathlon workout types, including bricks and pool triathlon Heat and altitude acclimation scores The speaker and microphone mean you can play music from your wrist Golfing features There are two major downsides to the new watch, though. One is battery life: The 265 and 265S got 13-15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, while the new 570 gets 10-11 days. Actual use, including activities, shaves off a few days, so expect about a week. The other is cost. The new Forerunner 570 is priced at $549.99, whereas the Forerunner 265 originally cost $449.99 and, as I write this, is on sale for $349.99. Bumping up the first digit in the model name is supposed to make us feel like we’re getting a nicer watch, but is it really worth paying an extra $200? I’m not convinced. How does the 970 compare to the 965? The Forerunner 970 is an improved version of the Forerunner 965, although it, too, has a shorter battery life and a higher price tag. But maybe it’s worth it for you, given these upgrades: An LED flashlight on the front of the watch—yes, an actual light, not just the ability to turn the screen white. Sapphire crystal instead of glass on the watch face ECG readings Running tolerance score, judging how much more mileage your body can handle, so you know when you’re doing “too much” Running economy score, judging how efficiently you run Step speed loss, a running dynamic that describes how much you slow down when your foot hits the ground—but this requires the new HRM 600 heart rate monitor. The 970 also has all the same major features as the 965 (including maps), and only comes in one size, as did the 965. The new 970 also has everything I described in the 570 above, including voice calls and texts, evening reports, triathlon coaching, and the race day lap and trimming features. The 970 is an AMOLED watch, not MIP as some had speculated. Battery life takes a pretty big hit, down to 15 days in smartwatch mode, compared to 23 days for the previous model, the 965. (Again, real-life use with activities will be a bit shorter, so subtract a few days.) The price has also jumped significantly: The 970 is $749.99, where the 965 had been $599.99 at the start, and the 965 is on sale now for $499.99. Personally, I’m not sure if the upgrades are worth that much of a price increase, but it’s certainly a nicer watch. View the full article

Optimism over tech stocks might be premature given the ongoing policy upheavalView the full article

Section 8 cuts threaten to destabilize the multifamily market, writes the former chief of staff to HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. View the full article

The streaming service branding game of musical chairs continued this week when Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced the streaming platform Max would once again be called HBO Max, starting this summer. It’s a complete brand reversal from a switch the company made back in 2023, when it ditched the “HBO” in its name for a head scratching “Max.” It immediately brought to mind this joke from 2024: “It’s on Tubu. It’s literally on Heebee. It’s on Poodee with ads. It’s literally on Dippy. You can probably find it on Weeno. Dude it’s on Gumpy. It’s a Pheebo original. It’s on Poob. You can watch it on Poob. You can go to Poob and watch it. Log onto Poob right now.” https://www.tumblr.com/orcboxer/745857099387584512/have-you-seen-the-new-show-its-on-tubu-its But for all the absurdity, the decision to resurrect the HBO name is the right one. And the company continued its good brand decision-making when it decided to unload a tidal wave of social content making fun of all this branding back and forth. Social strategist Jack Appleby said in his Future Social newsletter that this might actually be his favorite social campaign of the year so far. “This is the kind of big decision agility more companies should aspire to, and create a culture that encourages it,” said Appleby. What she said. pic.twitter.com/nUDClK8i9G — HBO (@HBO) May 14, 2025 Not only is it rare for a giant company to be this quick to make a good reversal on a bad decision, it’s equally rare that it’s self-aware enough to create genuinely funny content acknowledging how silly it all is. The power of sorry Remember when Skittles brought back its lime flavor in 2022? The brand livestreamed a 35-minute press conference in which it began to individually apologize to all 130,880 people who complained about lime’s removal from the classic Skittles bag. As hilarious as that was, it was also grounded in solid research. A study from Forrester that same year found that 41% of consumers would return to a brand that concedes to making a mistake and apologizes for it. For HBO, the moment gave the brand a perfect excuse to utilize some of its iconic IP—from Game of Thrones to The Wire—to celebrate its name reclaimed. A name reclaimed. pic.twitter.com/PG6ycGaFwK — Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) May 14, 2025 The lesson here for other brands and companies ties back to a common refrain among top marketers: know how your brand is being discussed in culture, and act accordingly. While brands do have some power to dictate their own image, ultimately that image is a product of a back-and-forth between that and how fans and culture see them. Put the word out there. pic.twitter.com/fL118nqQIA — HBO (@HBO) May 14, 2025 HBO’s self-awareness, and its ability to articulate that in a fast, funny way is a case study in how brands can say, “We f**ked up” and still win. View the full article

Prime minister will meet Macron and von der Leyen on Friday to iron out details View the full article