American Women Suck

By Chris Balter for StayModern Most companies are making the same expensive mistake with AI. They buy the tools, set them up, and expect immediate results.But results don’t come from the technology alone. What matters is how well employees learn to use it. Studies show that generative AI could increase productivity by up to 40%, which makes effective training programs absolutely necessary if you want to see those gains. StayModern explores how AI training is changing the way businesses operate and why every team needs to become AI-literate for companies to save money and accelerate innovation. Why AI Training Is Now a Business Imperative A recent McKinsey survey shows that 78% of organizations report using AI in at least one business function, up from 72% in early 2024 and just 55% in 2023. While AI adoption is high, only 38% of companies currently offer formal AI training programs to their workforce, even though 82% of leaders say AI skills are essential for future growth. Companies that treat AI as a plug-and-play solution often miss its full potential. Without structured guidance, employees are left to figure out AI on their own through trial and error. This slows down adoption, increases the risk of mistakes, and limits the overall return on investment. The biggest impact happens when employees understand how to apply AI to their daily tasks and feel confident relying on it. Survey data from nearly 1,000 HR and business leaders backs this up. Companies already using AI say better training could boost productivity by more than 30%. Those still experimenting with AI anticipate more modest gains, estimating a 10 to 30% improvement with better training. The numbers make it clear: Comprehensive AI training for employees is a core part of making AI pay off. What AI Training Actually Looks Like Modern AI training programs do much more than explain how ChatGPT or similar tools work. Leading organizations are now using programs that educate employees on how to use AI in their specific jobs. Here are some of the most common approaches: Role-specific microlearning modules that focus on real use cases in HR, sales, operations, finance, and other departments. These are short lessons designed to fit into the flow of daily work. Live AI simulations that allow employees to see real-world examples of AI in action, including tasks such as handling customer requests, analyzing spreadsheets, or generating content using AI tools. Ethics and compliance training that explains how to use AI responsibly. These sessions cover ethical standards and topics like data privacy, transparency, and avoiding bias. Certification programs and training initiatives for advanced users. The goal is to build their technical skills by diving deep into the fundamentals of data science and AI, like natural language processing and large language models. Use Cases: What Changes When Teams Are AI-Literate The ROI from AI training becomes clear when employees start using these tools to improve how they work. Here’s what AI literacy looks like across different business functions: 51% of marketing teams use AI to analyze campaigns and fine-tune content with data-driven insights, while 45% use genAI tools to brainstorm content ideas. 51% of human resources teams use AI tools in their hiring process to screen talent more equitably. This includes reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and onboarding new hires, all while keeping human judgment in the process. To stay ahead of evolving threats, 90% of financial institutions rely on AI to accelerate fraud detection and investigation. Paralegals now use generative AI tools to draft contracts and conduct detailed document reviews, helping reduce attorneys’ billable prep time. In fact, 78% of law firms reported using some form of AI in their operations by 2024, up from just 48% in 2022. Even small investments in AI training lead to real productivity gains. According to Upwork, employees skilled in using AI tools experience up to a 40% boost in productivity. Workers using generative AI report being 33% more productive during each hour of use. On average, AI tools save employees one hour per day, sometimes up to two hours, mainly by automating repetitive tasks like writing, analysis, and planning. Teams trained to use AI technologies have a competitive advantage. They are more productive and better equipped to innovate, adapt to change, and contribute to long-term business growth. Where Training Is Most Needed Artificial intelligence impacts every role differently. Executives and analysts remain the most active direct users of AI, with managers using it frequently at nearly 33%, compared to just 16% among individual contributors. Operational and support roles face a different challenge. While their direct use of AI tools is moderate, many encounter AI indirectly through automated systems or AI-influenced workflows without formal training. This kind of exposure often goes unnoticed but still influences daily work and decision-making. These trends point to a clear need. Whether someone is a direct or indirect user of AI, every role requires solid training to understand how AI influences decisions and workflows. Some roles may need more in-depth instruction than others due to the sensitive nature of their work, but training is necessary regardless. When Will AI Fluency Become Mandatory? Industry leaders agree that AI fluency is quickly becoming a must-have skill. Companies like Duolingo and Shopify already treat AI proficiency as a requirement for hiring, performance reviews, and routine tasks. A KPMG survey found that 82% of executives believe their industries will look very different in two years, signaling a growing need for AI-ready teams. Yet, only about 1% of companies today consider themselves fully mature in AI adoption. This gap highlights the urgency for organizations to invest in training now. What Happens Without Training? When AI is introduced without proper training, it often leads to low employee engagement and poor results. In many cases, new AI systems go unused for months until structured onboarding and peer coaching are introduced. Misusing or ignoring these tools altogether leads to data security risks, underutilization, lower productivity, mistakes from inaccurate outputs, and an overall failure to scale the AI initiative. Without training, regulatory risks also increase. The cases of shadow AI use rise, as employees turn to unapproved tools to get work done. This is where organizations lose visibility and control, increasing the chances of confidential data leaks and compliance violations. AI Training Is Also About Compliance AI training is now critical to meeting regulatory requirements and handling ethical considerations. Laws like the EU AI Act and proposed U.S. regulations call for transparency, explainability, and human oversight when using AI systems. Teams need to understand what AI models can and cannot do, how outputs are generated and logged, and when to bring in human judgment. What Business Leaders Should Do Now If you’re building AI capabilities within your workforce, start with these essential steps: Map your roles by AI exposure. Assess how different roles interact with AI to focus training where it’s needed most. Pilot training tracks. Test different approaches with small groups representing various departments and skill levels. This will help you discover what works best for your entire workforce. Create Incentives for AI Adoption. Offer recognition programs, performance bonuses, and career advancement opportunities to employees who successfully integrate AI tools to optimize workflows. Integrate training into onboarding. Make AI literacy part of your employee onboarding to build a culture where everyone’s fluent from day one. Update annually. AI models and technologies evolve rapidly, so employee training programs must keep pace. Schedule regular updates and partner with universities and vendors to stay on track. Final Thoughts AI training has evolved from a nice-to-have to a business necessity. Companies that wait another year or two to build AI literacy across their teams will find themselves competing against those where using AI is second nature to everyone. This story was produced by StayModern and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. — Previously Published on hub.stacker Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: iStock The post How AI Training for Employees Will Change How Businesses Operate appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

The likely sticker price for Slate’s “Blank Slate” pickup. The first trucks from the Bezos-backed company are expected to hit the road late 2026 or early 2027, just ahead of Ford’s $30K EV competitor. Already, 100,000+ people have put down a reservation (it costs $50) for this no-frills entrant into the EV truck game. The post $27,500 appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

⚡ ChatGPT gets babysat: OpenAI’s finally adding parental controls to ChatGPT three years after launch. Parents can link accounts, set “age-appropriate” rules and get alerts if the AI thinks their kids are in crisis. The bot will also tap into a global physician network for mental health referrals. Basically, Mom just joined a group chat that was long overdue. The post ChatGPT gets babysat appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

— Gatlinburg is a top destination in the Smoky Mountains, but many visitors think their options with pets start and end on hiking trails. That belief often means they miss out on a variety of pet-friendly activities right in town. The truth is that Gatlinburg has much more to offer than nature walks. From local attractions to charming streets and outdoor dining spots, you can enjoy a full vacation without leaving your furry companion behind. This guide focuses on places and experiences in Gatlinburg where pets are welcome, so you can plan a trip that’s comfortable, fun, and stress-free for both you and your pet. A Leisurely Walk Along the Gatlinburg Strip The Gatlinburg Strip is more than just a busy main road—it’s the heart of the town. Lined with shops, candy stores, and restaurants, it’s a lively place to explore with your pet on a leash. While not every store allows animals inside, many have open doors or outdoor areas where you can browse together. Street vendors, outdoor seating areas, and wide sidewalks make it easy to navigate, even on busy days. It’s also a great way to soak in the town’s atmosphere without needing to commit to a full day’s hike. Comfortable Stays in Pet-Friendly Cabins Finding the right accommodation is key to a stress-free trip. Fortunately, there are many pet friendly cabins in Gatlinburg that combine convenience with comfort, including those offered by Hearthside Cabin Rentals. They provide options ranging from one-bedroom cabins to large cabins that can host groups of 16 or more. Many of their pet-friendly cabins include fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, hot tubs, and even home theater rooms. Staying in a pet-friendly cabin means you can stick to your own schedule. Discovering the Charm of The Village Shops Just off the main strip, The Village Shops offer a quieter and more scenic shopping experience. Styled to look like a European village, the area features cobblestone paths, fountains, and decorative storefronts. Many shops allow pets in their outdoor sections, and the walkways are perfect for a slow, relaxing stroll. Because the area is more enclosed and less crowded than the main strip, it’s easier to move at your own pace and keep your pet comfortable. Stopping for a coffee or snack at an outdoor café here can turn a short visit into a memorable break in your day. Playtime and Picnics at Mills Park If your pet needs a place to run or you want a peaceful spot for a picnic, Mills Park is worth visiting. Located just outside the busiest part of town, the park has large open fields, shaded areas, and picnic tables. It’s an ideal location for casual playtime or a relaxed afternoon. You’ll find walking paths, restrooms, and even sports facilities nearby, so there’s something for everyone in your group. The open layout means you can keep an eye on your pet while enjoying the fresh mountain air. Scenic Views from the Gatlinburg SkyPark For a completely different perspective of the Smoky Mountains, the Gatlinburg SkyPark is a must-see. Leashed pets are welcome on the SkyLift, which takes you from the center of town to an observation deck with panoramic views. At the top, you’ll find seating areas and walkways where you can take in the scenery together. It’s one of the few ways to enjoy a high-altitude view without hiking, making it a good choice for travelers who want something accessible yet memorable. Scenic Drive on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail For pet owners who want to take in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains without hiking, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is an excellent choice. This one-way, six-mile loop road starts just minutes from downtown Gatlinburg. It passes through old-growth forest, historic buildings, and multiple scenic overlooks. Pets are welcome in your vehicle and at roadside stops, but not on the hiking trails along the route. The drive is especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves change color, but it offers striking views year-round. Make a Stop at The Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum Looking for something a bit offbeat to do with your pet in Gatlinburg? The Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum is a fascinating and unexpected choice—and the best part is it welcomes well-behaved dogs! This small museum houses over 20,000 pairs of salt and pepper shakers from around the world. You and your pet can explore quirky exhibits categorized by themes like “Animals,” “Glass,” or “Vegetables.” It’s a calm, indoor activity that adds a fun twist to your itinerary—especially when you need a change of pace from outdoor adventures. Exploring the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is an eight-mile loop featuring more than 100 artists and craftspeople. Many studios and galleries allow leashed pets in their outdoor areas, and some even welcome them indoors. This is a chance to see handmade pottery, wood carvings, paintings, and jewelry while supporting local artisans. Because the area is spread out, it’s best to drive between clusters of shops, giving your pet a chance to explore new sights and smells at each stop. Outdoor Dining at Local Favorites Several Gatlinburg restaurants have patios where pets can join you for a meal. The Park Grill, located near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is one example. They offer a spacious outdoor dining area and a menu that features both local specialties and familiar favorites. Other spots in town also welcome pets in their outdoor sections, often providing water bowls. Dining at these places means you can enjoy a leisurely meal without having to return to your accommodation in the middle of the day. Gatlinburg offers much more for pet owners than hiking trails alone. From peaceful parks and scenic drives to unique shopping areas and welcoming restaurants, there’s a variety of ways to explore the town with your pet by your side. Planning your trip around these activities ensures that both you and your pet can enjoy a comfortable, engaging experience. The next time you visit Gatlinburg, consider adding some of these stops to your itinerary and see just how many options this mountain town has for travelers with pets. — This content is brought to you by Hassan Javed iStockPhoto The post Beyond the Trails: Gatlinburg Experiences Your Pet Will Love Too appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

India hopes to spur domestic spending in order to offset the impact of Trump’s import duties India has cut consumption taxes on most household items in an effort to cushion the economy from US President Donald Trump’s newly-introduced 50% cumulative American tariffs and spur spending ahead of its annual holiday season. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the structure of the goods and services tax (GST) had been cut to two rates, 5% and 18%, down from the earlier four. This included sharp reductions in taxes on food and daily essential items as well as consumer durables like TVs and refrigerators. Certain items like high-end vehicles, carbonated beverages and cigarettes will, however, attract a special 40% rate. ”These reforms have been carried out with a focus on the common man,” Sitharaman said. “Labor intensive industries have been given good support. Farmers and the agriculture sector, as well as the health sector, will benefit.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in August that the GST would be reformed and taxes lowered in time for Diwali, the festival of lights, which coincides with the South Asian nation’s largest shopping period. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi announced the Next-Generation GST Reforms in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort. Working on the same principle, the GST Council has approved significant reforms today. These reforms have a multi-sectoral and… pic.twitter.com/NzvvVScKCF — Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) September 3, 2025 The 50% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration threatens to shave 0.8% off the South Asian nation’s GDP growth rate, according to estimates. India's GST was introduced in 2017 with four tax rates: 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%, and was considered too complicated; for example, pre-packaged salted popcorn and caramel popcorn were taxed differently. To rectify this, taxes were reduced to 0 on goods such as cottage cheese and Indian breads. A 18% GST on health insurance premiums has been scrapped. The new rates will be effective from September 22. ”India’s recent rationalization of GST rates, driven by uncertainty over US tariffs, offers limited domestic relief but signals the need for long-term trade realignment with partners like China, as negotiations with the US are expected to be prolonged,” Mohan Lavi, a partner at K.P. Rao & Co told RT. India's economy grew at 7.8% in the quarter ending June 2025. View the full article

I have found out that it is important not to fly blindly in relationships. I now understand many people only discuss the honeymoon phase when speaking of love, but after years of observing the surrounding couples thrive or struggle, I realize love takes work in a number of ways no one tells you about during the honeymoon. It is directed to those who have passed beyond the initial stages of nervousness and would like the long value of a relationship. Whatever your stage, whether you feel that things are not the same as before, you are a new couple who are eager to know why you are getting a different experience, you are a couple who are coming out of your first major dispute, or you are a couple who have been together for years, and you wish to solidify your relationship further. I want to take you through why maintaining love requires that one continually put investment into it and why that is a good thing. We will discuss the communication in relationships that keeps you united even in hard moments. I will also give actionable advice on how to develop emotional intimacy with simple gestures done consistently that build over time. The reality is, to sustain marriage or any serious relationship, you must show up in a different form than you did when you both fell in love. However, when you realize that it is relationship effort that shifts early interest into longer-term commitment, then the work will make sense. … Understanding Why Love Requires Continuous Investment Recognizing That Initial Passion Naturally Evolves Over Time I have found out that the butterflies and giddiness of being in early romance cannot be permanent. Such burning desire becomes something more profound — a mature love that needs other forms of nourishment. My relationship became less adventure and more of a routine, and I came to realize each evolution is normal. Accepting That Relationships Face Inevitable Challenges And Changes Life has curveballs that, even when there is the strongest bond, are put to the test. I have witnessed my relationship endure retrenchment, family disasters, and personal growth phases that tore us apart.Perceived as elements of the same adventure in which we find ourselves rather than as obstacles to our effort to love, these challenges have played the greatest role in our bid to live in the face of our troubles. … Essential Communication Skills That Strengthen Relationships Practicing Active Listening Without Judgment Or Defensiveness What I have learned now is that active listening is not necessarily using my phone or staring into the eyes of the other person and listening calmly instead of taking my turn and talking. When I am in a defensive situation, I breathe and remind myself that I am not facing attack by my partner, but I am facing his or her experience. Such a shift in thinking has helped us shift the paradigm from debating to developing our understanding of each other with these dialogues. Expressing Needs And Concerns Clearly And Respectfully I would always expect my partner to read my mind and this gave rise to endless frustrations and misunderstandings. I now use the “I” statements rather than accusations to help me train myself to speak the truth that I need. By saying, “I am overwhelmed when the dishes stack up” instead of, “You never do any housework,” the partner will be able to take the reaction without feeling on the defense. The one lesson that I have discovered that helps me in staying there is actual good communication in real-life relationships. Based On Healthy Dialogue And Compromise To Resolve Conflict Not every conflict has to be a battle wherein one of the parties is the winner and the other a loser. I have learned it is best when we both take a step back and learn to find the creative middle ground. There are times I go in, times my partner will go in and oftentimes we wind up landing on a whole new method that is more acceptable to both of us. The question is not to be correct but to be nearby in our rapport. Maintaining Open Conversations About Future Goals And Expectations I talk to my partner a lot to understand how we both feel we are progressing in our relationships with one another. It was a little bit intimidating in these interviews, as I was scared that we would find that we need something different. The kind of learning I have had is that by sharing our hopes, fears, and desires with one another, we are made closer to each other. When we both know what it is that we are aspiring to, what we are doing each day of our practice begins to feel more connected and significant. … Building Emotional Intimacy Through Consistent Actions Creating Regular Opportunities For Meaningful Connection I have learned that emotional intimacy can not just be a casual accident, but it needs moments spent together. I ensure that we do device-free chats at the end of every day at least and it may not be a lengthy time but fifteen minutes talking over a cup of coffee is less terrible than none at all. Such minor rituals give us room to share more fully and keep us feeling in touch even when our lives are busy. Showing Appreciation And Gratitude For Your Partner Daily Gratitude is something that is very important on a daily basis, and it does change long-term relationships in unexpected manners. I also articulate gratitude toward bigger acts and small favors — I will say I appreciate my partner making breakfast or how they dealt with a stressful moment. Such consistent awareness serves as a bonding agent in our feelings and reminds us both of the reasons we chose one another. Supporting Each Other Through Difficult Times And Celebrations I have learned that it is important to be there consistently when you are struggling as well as celebrating the wins that build unwavering trust. Once my loved one goes through a difficult time, I do not immediately solve all his problems but listen to him in order to help him through the situation. When I celebrate with them, I get as excited as they do and I make them feel that their wins are my wins too. This assistance that is given to one another therefore forms the root of the nurturing of love even in the various periods of life. Maintaining Physical Affection And Romantic Gestures Physical intimacy is essential even in the later years of a union. I focus on little gestures during the day — holding hands when we watch TV, a quick embrace in the kitchen or a back massage when there is tension. I also will have surprises off and on by leaving sweet notes or planning surprise date nights. Active communication on the subject of money, which in this case becomes tentative, removes the accumulation of grievance that can be observed and gives us the power to tackle the complexities as a friend and not as an enemy. … Overcoming Common Obstacles That Threaten Long-Term Relationships Stress Management, Working, Financial And Other Stressors When timelines at work start building up and money woes become heavy, I have found that my relationship is the one that often catches my frustration. I have made it a priority to decompress for five to ten minutes before I walk through the door to make a transition out of the work mode into partner mode. I would confront her and challenge her directly and would not have escalated the tension and damaged my relationship with my husband and my family members when my mother criticized me when I was praising the career of my husband. Getting Through The Big Life Change And Personal Development Life shifts, relocation, and changing of careers can mess with the stability based on long-term relationships. I have learned that accommodation of my partner bringing changes to their development, albeit changes that effectively challenge our framework, helps to cement our relationship. By returning to school at the age of thirty-five, my husband and I had to revise our mutual duties and redistribute our roles, which actually pulled us together. Dealing With Family Conflicts And Social Relationship Challenges Social pressures and in-law drama may cause rifts in a relationship when not dealt with properly. It has helped me to learn how to have a united front with my spouse with healthy boundaries with the extended family. I would be firm and confront my mother when she was complaining of my husband’s profession and avoiding building the pressure and saving my marriage and family relationships. Addressing Issues Before They Become Relationship-ending Problems When small frustrations are not managed effectively, they cause massive resentment to build up. I work on raising issues within one day, with “I” statements so as not to provoke defensive behavior. Routine discussions about the status of our relationship, even positive times, can enable us to note things that may be taking place that are not healthy before they reach the point of damaging our bond. Through such initiative, numerous crisis in relationships have been averted over the years … Effective Ways To Keep Love Alive Into A Long Life Scheduling Regular Date Nights And Quality Time Together I have learned that marriage is two-way traffic and to have it, we have to work at it, particularly when life is hectic. My spouse and I guard our weekly date nights similarly to a sacred appointment, resisting any temptation to compromise it by making most appointments with it and prioritizing it as an essential commitment that helps foster the durability of our relationship. It can be when we are trying a new restaurant or just when we are walking together; such moments bring us closer beyond the day-to-day activities. Continuously Learning About Your Partner’s Changing Needs Humans are dynamic, and I will take efforts to ensure that I stay curious about the individual I am in a relationship with. I ask about what their hopes, dreams, and fears are and what their current interests are, as I realize it is the individual that I married who is still evolving. This discovery continues to refresh our intimate relationship, making us not take each other for granted in our long-standing relationship. Developing Shared Interests While Maintaining Individual Identities I have discovered that maintaining love is all about being together and being independent. My companion and I have developed activities with mutual interest, with deep regard to individual interests. This goes a long way to provide good tales we get to tell, and it avoids the suffocation that can come when couples feel that they are entirely subsumed in the relationship. … Conclusion And I learned that long-lasting love does not happen to us; it is something we create day after day. My communication abilities, relationship-building emotions, and daily decisions with my mate are the factors that either strengthen or weaken our relationship. All couples go through turmoil, but it is the couples who stick through it, even when it hurts, that emerge together as a couple. The thing is that there is no special recipe or special time that ensures eternity. The only thing I can change is my attitude towards listening more, being more vulnerable and making the choice of my partner numerous times. Love that stays for decades begins now, with little and regular efforts. Respect/acknowledge your partner in a kind of way: it does not have to be a huge deal, as you may ask your partner how they are doing, not be on the phone during meals or simply state that you are grateful to them. They are minor things yet they build something wonderful. … Thank you for reading! If you liked this story, hit the , leave your thoughts, and follow me on Medium for more honest, engaging content every day. Thanks for reading! — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Zen Bear Yoga On Unsplash The post Why Long-Term Love Takes Effort appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Rising demand for Russian universities reflects Moscow’s pivot toward deeper ties with the Global South, experts say Russia has climbed to seventh place worldwide by number of international students, Vedomosti reported on Wednesday, citing the latest research data. The number of students from China, India, Egypt, and Iran more than doubled between 2019 and 2024, while enrollment from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries rose by 15-20%, the Russian International Affairs Council said in a report seen by the outlet. In total, citizens from 170 countries are studying in Russia. UNESCO data showed that about 6.4 million students studied abroad in 2023. Russia ranked seventh globally in 2024, hosting 376,000 foreign students, or 8.5% of total enrollment, Vedomosti said, citing the Education Ministry. That figure put Russia closer to the US (957,000 in 2023), Britain (675,000 in 2022), Australia (467,000 in 2023), and Germany (423,000 in 2023). It trailed Canada with 842,000 and France with 505,000, the outlet said, citing data from New York-based Institute of International Education. Rising interest in Russian universities among applicants from outside the former Soviet Union reflects Moscow’s foreign policy shift and its drive to deepen ties with the Global South, experts said. “For example, representatives of the higher castes of Indian society, who are not entitled to free higher education at home, are now enrolling more often in Russian institutions,” Evgeny Varshaver, senior researcher at RANEPA, was cited as saying. “Given that Russian diplomas are valued in India, studying in Russia turns out to be much more advantageous for them.” Foreign students in Russia most often choose economics, medicine, pharmacy, linguistics, and education, while popular technical fields include information technology and construction, data showed. The appeal of Russian universities lies in a mix of affordability and quality, flexible study programs, state migration policies, job prospects for graduates, and opportunities for tuition-free education, according to the report. About 45,000 foreign students studied on government scholarships last year, up from just 18,000 in 2021, with only around 8% coming from CIS countries. The Education Ministry estimates that up to 10% of foreign graduates remain in Russia to live and work. View the full article

Pyotr Poroshenko has demanded online censorship after the killing of a far-right member of his party Ukraine must ban the Telegram social media platform as “a matter of honor,” former President Pyotr Poroshenko has claimed, following the killing of far-right lawmaker Andrey Parubiy. Parubiy, a member of Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party, was gunned down in Lviv on Saturday. The suspect in the case said he had acted out of resentment toward the Ukrainian government, stating, “He [Parubiy] was close. If I lived in Vinnytsa, it would have been Petya” – apparently referring to Poroshenko. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Poroshenko claimed Parubiy was targeted by “the Kremlin, Russians, and the fifth column” who struck at “our ideals, army, language [and] faith,” paraphrasing the slogan from his failed 2019 reelection campaign. “Today, they are creating terrorist networks via Telegram,” he alleged. “Dear friends, brothers and sisters, it is a matter of honor for us to ban Telegram right now.” Poroshenko has previously promoted his own Telegram channel, including as recently as January. Several Ukrainian officials have also floated restrictions on Telegram, including military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov and members of the parliamentary Freedom of Speech Committee. Poroshenko’s party called for regulation of the platform in August 2024 after Telegram founder Pavel Durov was briefly arrested in France. Questions remain about Kiev’s ability to enforce the proposed ban. Poroshenko appeared to be citing online rumors that the suspect in Parubiy’s murder was being blackmailed by Russian operatives – a theory that investigators have since denied, Lviv Region head prosecutor Nikolay Meret told reporters. Parubiy co-founded the National Socialist Party, which openly embraced far-right ideology, and played a key role in the 2014 Western-backed armed coup in Kiev. View the full article

By Will Venn > BREAKOUT STORY: Making scents of our memory When the radio plays hits from your teenage years, it’s easy for your mind to wander back to that period of your lives with vivid recall. Music is a powerful trigger for memories, but in particular, the age of 17 has been pinpointed as the peak era for listening to new songs that, in later life, will reap the most nostalgic rewards. This is the outcome of research from the University of South Australia’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, whose experts in evidence-based marketing understand the high value role that nostalgia-triggering tunes play in advertising and brand awareness. Researchers initially examined several studies, dating back decades, that showed how influential age can be as a key predictor of music preferences and what the critical period of time is when those preferences take hold. They then undertook their own research (with added relevancy in the era of music streaming, where on-demand access to music has massively expanded the song choices available to listeners) and made some interesting discoveries. Edge of seventeen It was found that individuals prefer popular music from their mid-to-late teens most of all, with music released earlier or later in their lives commanding less love. Age 17 was determined to be the prime time for making musical memories, with the flip side being 35 – the age at which we start to tune out of listening to much new music. Dr Bill Page, Senior Marketing Scientist at UniSA’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, explains the research methods that he and co-authors Carl Driesener, Callum Davies, and Zac Anesbury undertook: “We had 1000 people share their responses upon hearing snippets of 34 songs selected from the Billboard Top 10 charts from 1950 to 2016, with preferences assessed on a 10-point scale,” Dr Page says. “The songs selected were intended to be representative of the year that they were hits, so within the top four to 10, but not the top three songs of the year. To avoid the influence of outliers, we excluded songs that were so popular that they ‘transcended’ their year of origin – think Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. “Then, after taking into account the song-specific-age (a measure of the respondent’s age when each of the 34 songs featured in the top 100) calculations were made, which indicated preferences for popular music peak at around a period of mid to late adolescence, specifically 16.7-16.8 years of age.” Associate Professor Carl Driesener, also of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, says the findings are consistent with previous research. “The kind of research that we do at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is really about that sort of replication and extension. So what has previously been done before? And if we tinker around the edges to try different circumstances and contexts, do we find the same thing?” “If we look 20 or 40 years later from the time of audio cassette tapes to music streaming, are we still finding the same effect? When we do find the same thing over and over again, it’s a generalisable pattern and therefore we can have a lot more faith in these results.” Twenty-four had the floor However, it appears nostalgia isn’t quite what it used to be. The findings do contrast slightly with earlier research from the 1980s, which showed a preference peak of 24 years. That was the decade in which compact discs started to gain ubiquity, but their initial cost made them more a source of entertainment for cashed-up yuppies rather than cash-strapped teenagers, with the advent of music streaming still more than a couple of decades away. “Given the quantum shifts in music consumption and the increased accessibility of music offered by digitalisation and streaming, a lowering of the peak age is conceivable,” Dr Page says. “An increased exposure to music at a younger age and greater availability to music of all ages could be contributing factors to this shift of preference, but additional research would be required to determine this. “Anecdotally, I think most people would say their favourite music is from their late teens or early 20s, and then later in life people will often say, this new music that’s coming out now is just awful. But is it really? Or are you predisposed to thinking that from a certain age?” Whose good old days? The research was highlighted in a Washington Post article, which defined “the good old days”, or nostalgia for a particular period of time, as being related less to that specific era itself and more to the age a person was at that point in time. So, for those born in the 1980s, the best time for music was in the late 1990s. For those born in 2007, Charli XCX’s Brat album may one day be a source for misty-eyed nostalgia. “We do know that memories are formed more easily when there are more emotions going on, or when there are new experiences to be had. In young adulthood, that’s when there are many of these new experiences, of getting to go out into the world and doing things for the first time,” Dr Page says. “It may not be the first time someone listens to music, but it could be the first time they choose to listen to music as opposed to hearing it in the car with mum or dad and the radio on,” he says. Assoc Prof Driesener points out that while 17 may be the golden age for forming music memories, that doesn’t necessarily extend to other areas; one example being a recent article in New Scientist stating that the best retro games console is the one you played at the age of 10. “Some of the research done by others in different categories indicate an earlier age, like political preferences get set earlier, and with other categories it’s a bit later, so it’s not like everything happens at 17, it’s just that music happens to be around 17,” Assoc Prof Driesener says. From radio stations dedicated to playing the hits of specific decades, to almost any form of advertising, the deep connections and associations music creates, serves as an emotional prompt linking long-held memories to places and products. To maximise audience potential through music, Assoc Prof Driesener says that it is generally the hits from the past, rather than those from the present, that can increase engagement in adults. “For example, if you were targeting 35-year-olds, you want to be playing something from when they were 17 rather than the present day. “More generally, though, you want to be playing older music that spans several years rather than from one particular year because, if you’re only targeting 35-year-olds, you’re missing a larger audience either side of that age bracket.” Where once muzak sounded out in public spaces, elevators and shops across the world, today supermarket-branded radio stations tapping into the hits of yesteryear are triggering nostalgia in the shopping aisles, digging new grooves to purchasing power. Clearly the music you heard at the age of 17 isn’t just shaping those personal playlists of today, but will also shape consumer behaviour for years to come. Making scents of our memory MOD.’s current exhibition: Forever, is about experiencing time in new ways and its street gallery prompts visitors to retrieve memories not through music, but through the power of scent. Artists Elizabeth Willing and Dirk Yates explored the idea of scent memory, creating a “Scent Memory Database” inviting visitors to the gallery to smell labelled scents stored on shelves, each layer holding different aromas that also mix to create new combinations. The labels are intriguingly named and serve as scent prompts, examples including; hot cross buns, equinox moon, deck resealing, footy changerooms, and bonfire barbecue. UniSA PhD candidate Hayley Caldwell, who is based at the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory at UniSA, works with ‘retrieval cues’ to investigate how we stabilise and enhance memory during sleep and they explain the science behind scent and memory. “Smells are the most effective retrieval cues as they are the only sense to completely bypass the brain’s sensory gating mechanism – the thalamus – to then be processed more closely than any other sense to the hippocampus, our brain’s memory hub,” Caldwell says. “Above the nasal cavity at the base of the brain sits the olfactory bulb. This bulb is a group of cells which help us interpret smells. It has a direct connection to the hippocampus and amygdala, key regions of the brain involved in memory and emotion. This makes smell a strong sense for memory recall. “So, if these smells made you think of a specific time in your life that means they acted as retrieval cue, which help us to access our memories in a process called memory reactivation.” In this way, although curated by artists, the scents prompt visitors to recall their own scent memories, creating a personal journey through time, says Exhibitions Lead, Claudia von der Borch. “We know that music is a great retrieval cue for memories, but at MOD. for this exhibition we chose to focus on scent, trying to capture something that is almost transient,” von der Borch says. “Memory and nostalgia are important for our sense of time and our perception of ourselves and our identity. The playfulness of nostalgia in the street gallery section has been evident in the reactions of people who have visited, and the stories that they tell each other of what these different scents remind them of. “It’s a popular part of the exhibition and a lot of young people have come in and connected with friends and family over the memories it evokes”. — Previously Published on unisa.edu.au with Creative Commons License *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: unsplash The post The Age That Strikes a Chord for the Musical Memories of a Lifetime appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

If you want something in life, you’re either going to find a way to get the result or you’re going to come up with a reason you don’t have it. Reasons sound fancy. They sound valid. Sometimes they even look like noble sacrifices. But let’s be honest here, reasons are just excuses dressed up in fancier clothes. And excuses don’t paint walls, rip up floors, or fix broken-down cars. Craig and I know this firsthand. For almost a month now, our evenings and weekends have been swallowed whole by our new house. Not just the fun, HGTV version of “new house” either. I’m talking about the gritty, sweaty, paint-in-your-hair, knees-swollen, back-screaming, what-the-hell-were-we-thinking kind of renovation. Just the two of us. No TV crews, no experts swooping in with a miracle fix. Just us, a pile of tools, and a vision + Youtube. We ripped up floors, carpets, tile. We painted every damn wall in that house. We sweated it out through broken air conditioning, cursed our way through the “floor from hell,” and said a prayer or two when the asbestos scare came back clear. Every single one of these things could have been a reason. And let’s be real, they would have been good reasons. And we did all that while still maintaining our day jobs. But reasons don’t get the work done. Results do. And that’s what we committed to. Because in the middle of that chaos, Rowan ending up in the ER with pneumonia and a nasty kidney infection, our kids’ cars deciding to unionize and break down all at once, and our Hummer blowing a radiator for good measure. We could have stopped. We could have thrown our hands in the air and said, “Well, we’ll never hit our deadline.” But we didn’t. We got our asses back to work, sore knees and all. That’s commitment. Not to the process, not even to the endless list of tasks, but to the result. Les Brown once said something at a seminar over 20 years ago that I’ve never let go of. He said, “Mama always said: reasons or results.” That’s it. Black and white. Either you deliver results or you deliver reasons. There’s no in-between. And in today’s world, I see too many people handing over reasons like candy at Halloween. We live in a culture that celebrates excuses more than effort. Participation trophies, “no child left behind,” and a thousand other ideas that sounded good at the start but ended up robbing us of something vital: grit. Resilience. That deep knowing that if you want something, you’re going to have to sweat for it. What we have instead is entitlement. A belief that things should just show up for us. That the universe, or our parents, or society, or whoever the hell we’re pointing the finger at today, owes us something. And when it doesn’t show up, what do we get? Depression. Anxiety. Loneliness. Anger. Because purpose has been stripped from our bones. Purpose comes from doing. From creating. From getting your hands dirty, tearing up the carpet, scraping paint off your elbows, and looking back at a room you just transformed with your own sweat and cuss words. Purpose doesn’t come from being handed something. It doesn’t come from reasons. It comes from results. Complacency is the breeding ground of destruction. You want to open the door for trouble in your life? Stay complacent. Stay comfortable. Keep choosing reasons over results. That’s when the enemy sneaks in. That’s when you’ll find yourself reaching for the bottle, numbing with drugs, caught in drama, cycling through trauma, wondering why the hell you can’t feel peace. It’s because you’ve traded your birthright of purpose for the counterfeit comfort of reasons. Now, don’t get me wrong, results aren’t clean. They’re messy. They demand more from you than you thought you had to give. They make you cry, sweat, limp, swear, and sometimes crawl. Results require you to look at the floor from hell and say, “Fine, I’ll see your challenge and I’ll raise you a solution.” Results require you to see past the immediate discomfort to the vision of what you’re building. James and the Giant Peach taught this better than most personal development books. James’s parents tell him while they’re watching clouds: “Try looking at it a different way.” That’s perspective. That’s resilience. That’s what it means to get a result. Because the truth is, every problem has a solution. Always. The only question is whether you’re willing to dig for it. To demand it. To get uncomfortable enough to see it. Those who succeed in life don’t succeed because they had fewer problems. They succeed because they refused to take reasons from themselves or anyone else. They decided the result mattered more. They decided that their vision was worth the scraped knuckles, the ER visits, the broken radiators, the fatigue, and the sore backs. They stayed committed to the outcome, not just the dream. You want to know why you don’t have what you say you want? The money, the house, the marriage, the body, the peace, the connection? It’s not because life is unfair. It’s because you’ve gotten more comfortable with your reasons than you are committed to your result. And let me tell you, nothing tastes worse than the bitterness of knowing you let a reason keep you from a result you could have had. So, here’s the deal, we all get to choose. Reasons or results. Excuses or progress. Comfort or purpose. If you want the life you keep saying you want, then stop selling yourself on the lie of reasons. Step up. Get messy. Push through. Commit to the vision, commit to the outcome, and commit to the result. Because at the end of the day, reasons don’t build houses. Results do. Happy Sunday ya’ll! I want to hear from you…what’s the vision, the process, or the outcome you’re committed to no matter what? Drop it in the comments and let’s declare it together. As always loving you from here, Rene Schooler — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Farhad Khodayari On Unsplash The post The Floor From Hell. A Blown Radiator, and Why Reasons Still Don’t Matter appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Tim Henderson More cities and states have responded to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s threat to prosecute them over so-called sanctuary policies limiting law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — some by thumbing their noses, at least one by acquiescing. Written responses defending sanctuary policies have been sent to Bondi from cities including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Boston; Hoboken, New Jersey; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, along with the states of California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington. Many noted that courts so far have upheld their right to limit cooperation with deportations. “Pam Bondi seeks to have Washington state bend the knee to a Trump administration that, day by day, drags us closer to authoritarianism. That’s not going to happen,” Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, said in an Aug. 19 news conference. The New Hampshire legislature passed two anti-sanctuary bills earlier this year that, with Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s signature, became law and go into effect in January. Republican lawmakers have tried repeatedly since 2006 to pass legislature that would prohibit “sanctuary city” policies. This year they were finally able to get enough Democratic votes in the House, with Democratic lawmakers saying the amended version lessened its impact and was preferable to a stricter alternative. Gov. Ayotte signs two anti-sanctuary city bills into law Louisville, Kentucky, is one city that agreed to more cooperation after a confrontation over the issue — before Bondi threatened prosecution in August, but after the attorney general said she had issued a “strong written warning” to the city. The city had stopped complying in 2017 with so-called detainer requests to hold jailed residents for immigration authorities, but leaders resumed cooperation to avoid being targeted for more raids. “Cities on the sanctuary city list right now are experiencing a terrifying increase in raids by ICE, including mass raids,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, a Democrat, said in a July 22 statement. “I’ve talked with leaders within our immigrant community before I made this decision. I heard their fears loud and clear about current federal policies and ICE actions. I also heard that they want Louisville off the federal sanctuary city list.” Bondi issued a revised list of sanctuary cities, counties and states in August. Rochester, New York, meanwhile, in August amended its municipal code to strengthen its policies against cooperation by adding disciplinary measures for personnel who violate the policy. State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, had earlier supported the city’s existing policies in court, saying in a statement that they “keep communities safe and allow local law enforcement to use resources to address local public safety priorities.” In Boston, Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu’s response letter accused the Trump administration of “false and continuous attacks” as part of a campaign to “divide, isolate, and intimidate our cities, and make Americans fearful of one another.” U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick issued a new order Aug. 22 extending a preliminary injunction to more cities, counties and states that had asked for protection against President Donald Trump’s executive orders and agency directives. Trump sought to withhold unrelated federal funding based on similar sanctuary policies. Orrick’s ruling found the orders and directives are likely to be unconstitutional violations of local rights to set limits on immigration enforcement cooperation. The injunction covers 50 areas in 14 states: California, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. Trump administration lawyers asked Aug. 26 to dismiss the case, arguing that the administration’s actions so far “merely instruct agencies to assess federal grant programs to determine where they can lawfully add immigration related conditions.” A hearing is scheduled Oct.22. Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at thenderson@stateline.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Hampshire Bulletin maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Dana Wormald for questions: info@newhampshirebulletin.com. — New Hampshire Bulletin is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in New Hampshire. Visit NHB at newhampshirebulletin.com with Creative Commons License *** Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: unsplash The post Cities Respond to Trump’s Sanctuary Threats as Judge Extends Protection from Threatened Cuts appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Special to El Paso Matters Sign up for essential news about El Paso. Delivered to your inbox — completely free. By David Stout El Paso is a community comprised and shaped by immigrants, rooted in solidarity, and defined by our binational spirit. Every day, people come here to build better lives, and in doing so, they make our community, and our country, stronger. What happens in El Paso often becomes the blueprint for the nation. That is why we must speak strongly against Trump’s mass incarceration of immigrants and the weaponization of our city for profit and fear. The federal government is building the largest migrant detention facility in U.S. history, a 5,000-bed facility, right here in El Paso County, on Fort Bliss property. It will be run by private contractors with no experience in immigration or humanitarian care, and it was planned without meaningful consultation with local leaders or the community it will directly impact. This is not safety. This is cruelty. Under the Trump administration, apprehensions have become indiscriminate and due process – basic fairness – is often skirted. As of August 2025, over 332,000 individuals have been deported, with projections indicating that the total could exceed 400,000 by year’s end. To fund this, Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires bill throws an unprecedented $76 billion into the rapid expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and lockups. Behind these numbers lies a deliberate policy that treats people as a political spectacle rather than as human beings deserving fairness and care. Locking up immigrants in a military facility violates our moral responsibility, undermining the principles of justice, compassion and due process that define our nation. Immigrant detention is about control. It turns human beings into profit margins for private contractors. No corporation should be making billions of dollars by imprisoning people for seeking a better life. Not only do they do so, but they often actively lobby for harsher laws simply to line their own pockets. White Christian nationalist leaders, including Trump and his racist billionaire allies, have turned religion into a tool to justify harsh treatment of migrants instead of offering compassion. The same people who preach “love thy neighbor” are turning away those who cross our border seeking safety, replacing the Bible’s call for welcome with a politicized gospel of fear and exclusion. True faith calls for feeding the hungry, sheltering the stranger and protecting the vulnerable. Twisting religion to do the opposite, taking the beautiful word “sanctuary” and packing it full of lies, turns it into a tool of oppression. Leaders who claim to defend freedom and faith while spending billions to cage human beings betray both. The expansion of mass detention is part of a broader authoritarian playbook, where fear of the “other” is used to consolidate power. History shows that mass incarceration of marginalized communities is a hallmark of fascist movements. When governments normalize locking people up based on identity or place of birth, they pave the way for even greater abuses. Militarizing immigration policy and turning military infrastructure inward to control civilians, and we already are seeing that play out in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., is a dangerous step toward authoritarianism. We, the people, deserve full transparency, oversight, and accountability. If members of Congress cannot see conditions, that is not national security. It is a cover-up. The federal government has already awarded $1.26 billion to a private contractor with no experience in detention or humanitarian care. That is a recipe for disaster, abuse and corruption. The administration that claims to be a fiscal watchdog is on a spending binge, with outrageous bonuses to recruit for ICE – which, as reported by the New York Times, has radically increased detainment of immigrants with no criminal record. The criminalization of migration is a political choice, not a necessity. Led by servant leaders doing the work on the ground, we have supported compassion, community and justice over fear and profit. We can and must build an effective and compassionate immigration system that centers humanity, due process and opportunity — not cages, contracts and cruelty. If El Paso accepts this facility without resistance, authoritarian leaders will replicate it across the country. Fascism thrives when fear is weaponized, faith is politicized and dissent is silenced. This fight is not just about immigrants. It is about defending democracy itself from leaders who erode our freedoms under the guise of law, order and religion. Immigrants are not a threat to our community. They are our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, and our family. We will not let fear, racism, white supremacy or the politicization of religion dictate how America treats human beings. Not here. Not now. Not ever. David Stout is the El Paso County commissioner for Precinct 2. This article first appeared on El Paso Matters and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. — Previously Published on elpasomatters.org with Creative Commons License *** Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating? Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching. Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing! *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. — Photo credit: unsplash The post Opinion: El Paso Must Resist Trump’s Plan for the Largest Migrant Detention Center in U.S. History appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— I once had a moment that truly moved me. That was my first time attending Opening Day. The streets that day were filled with familiar colors. I walked into the bar, where people were waving their arms and high-fiving each other. I walked into the crowd, watching them wearing jerseys the same color as mine. We didn’t exchange a single word, yet we both broke into knowing smiles at the same time. In fact, there are many unknown details behind a jersey. From design, printing, to fabric selection, every step determines its final texture. If you are interested in making jerseys, you will find that professional fabric suppliers play an indispensable role in it. The fabric determines the comfort of the jersey and even affects your mood when wearing it. In That Moment, You Knew You Belonged Here Why do we wear team apparel on game day? Is it because it looks good, or because it makes us feel like we’re part of a larger group? In this article, I’m not analyzing the clothes themselves, but rather the sense of belonging that lies behind a team’s uniform style. At the same time, you will also learn how to express your personal style to others while maintaining this sense of identity. Why Is Team Style More Than Just Uniforms? Symbol of Identity and Conviction Once you wear a team jersey, it stops being clothing and starts being part of who you are. It is a silent language. When others see the badge on your chest, they know which side you’re on. They will know which team you support and what values you hold dear. I still remember the feeling of putting on the team jersey for the first time. That year, I went to watch the game with some friends. They all had a favorite team jersey, and I was just casually wearing a regular T-shirt. Sitting in the audience, I felt a bit out of place. Later, I borrowed a jersey from a friend. The moment I put on the jersey, I felt like I had become a member of the “team”. That feeling is wonderful–It’s not just about wearing clothes, it’s about finding an identity. The Bond That Connects People Clothing is a bridge connecting hearts. When you walk into a bar packed with sports fans. If you wear your team’s colors, even strangers will connect with you because of that shirt. Some will nod to you, others will raise their glasses in greeting. Some men even shouted: “Brother, we must win today!” These ways of interaction actually satisfy a deep emotional need in our hearts. A sense of belonging-Humans have an innate desire to be accepted. All it takes is one jersey to make things simple. Sense of Belonging and Security In our high-pressure lives, we always need an “identity anchor.”When you put on your team gear, you’re not just expressing yourself–you’re telling the world: “I have my own side; I am not alone.” Why Are We So Passionate About Jerseys? The Source of Confidence Psychological research indicates that the clothes we wear daily can influence our mood. Wearing team apparel, especially on game day, makes me feel energized. It makes me feel like we’re fighting together for the team we love. This sense of confidence not only shines through on game day but also brings positive energy to my everyday life. Why Am I So Passionate About Jerseys? Ever since I borrowed my friend’s jersey at the game last time, I’ve grown to love the feeling of wearing a jersey and cheering alongside friends. On opening day this year, I wanted to give them something special–jerseys I made myself. I absolutely love making jerseys by hand. I poured all my love for the team into these jerseys. To make the perfect gift for my friends this year, I sourced the finest fabrics from garment fabric suppliers. I’m already looking forward to seeing my friends wearing the jerseys I made with my own hands, cheering together for every goal scored. It Can Truly Express a Man’s Emotions Many people believe that a lot of men aren’t very good at expressing their emotions verbally. But we will express our feelings through actions and symbols. Our team colors speak for us the moment we wear them–they say:” I bleed these colors, and I’m ride-or-die for this team.”This is a silent yet powerful expression of emotion. How to Rock the “Team Style” While Still Expressing Your Individuality? They say I’m super chill, ’cause I don’t really put much thought into what I wear every day. I believe most of my friends feel the same way as I do. But game day is a moment that truly matters to us. We need our own “team style” wardrobe. But the question is: How can you create an atmosphere without appearing overly casual? Basic Essentials Styling Classic Combo: Team jersey + Jeans + Sneakers. This combination is the one we know best; it never fails. Low-Key Style: No one says all men have to be warm and generous. Men who prefer a low-key, quiet style can also opt for neutral-colored jackets paired with jerseys. This outfit incorporates team elements without appearing overly flashy. From Clothing Colors to Clothing Layers The team’s primary color is key, but don’t wear the same color from head to toe. For example, if the jersey is dark, you can balance it with light-colored pants and shoes. Pursuing Passion: We Can Certainly Wear Jerseys in Different Places Comfort comes first when we go to watch a game or attend a party. We can choose to pair loose sweatshirts or hoodies with baseball caps. If you want to wear your jersey out on a regular day, simply layer it as a base layer under a stylish jacket to instantly create a street-style look. Personalized Details DIY pins? fan scarves? special edition sneakers? Love retro styles? You can style your jersey however you like. Why Does This Outfit Make Us Feel “Better”? Wearing team apparel actually taps into the sense of security that comes from “social identification.”Psychologists have found that when people feel they are part of a group, their anxiety levels decrease significantly. Why a Jersey Feels Like Home In modern society, many people feel lonely. But a jersey can be the first step toward breaking down barriers. When you walk into an unfamiliar environment and see someone wearing a jersey the same color as yours. You immediately realize: “I am not alone.” It’s Not Just About Fashion–it’s Our Unwavering Commitment to What We Love This is not merely a fashion statement, but an expression of emotion. It tells others: “I have passion, I have perseverance, and I belong to a community.” This feeling is more real than any trend. Wear Your Colors, Share Your Pride When I pull on that team jersey, it’s not about fashion–it’s about finding a sense of belonging. Belonging is more than just words–it’s something you feel. It can be hidden in a jersey or in a stranger’s smile. — This content is brought to you by Rana Adnan iStockPhoto The post More Than Just Clothes: How NFL Team Styles Help Us Find Belonging appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

That’s me, virtually trying on Meta’s glasses on their website, doing my best Tom Cruise Risky Business impersonation. Spoiler, I didn’t buy them. These remind me of Google Glass. Those awkward $1,500 face computers from 2013 that made you look like a cyborg at brunch. They launched with a ton of hype and died just as fast. Between the terrible battery life and the privacy panic, “Glasshole” became a real word. Here we are over a decade later, and smart glasses are back big-time. 🕶 Meta’s bet on your face Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses start at $299 and have already sold over 2 million pairs. They look like regular sunglasses but take hands-free photos, livestream video, play music and even answer questions through Meta AI whispered in your ear. Battery life is four to six hours, and they charge inside a little sunglasses case. Everything syncs to the Meta View app, where your content is stored in the cloud. Here’s the thing: The glasses are always listening, and they can start recording with just a tap. Meta added a tiny LED that lights up when filming, but really, who notices that at a Starbucks or party? Privacy aside, Meta’s serious about this space. They own a $3.5 billion stake in EssilorLuxottica, the massive eyewear company behind Ray-Ban, Oakley and pretty much every brand you’ve ever tried on at the mall. 👓 Halo X is coming soon Halo X is the chilling nerdy challenger, made by startup Brilliant Labs. It projects AI-generated responses right onto the lens. You can ask it to translate a sign, identify a flower or even help remember the name of someone you met at a bar two Friday nights ago. Seriously, it records everything. Video, audio, all of it gets uploaded to the cloud. No local storage. No off switch. That’s helpful … or horrifying, depending on how you feel about privacy. Battery life is short, two or three hours. When it ships in a few months, the glasses will cost $350 to $400. 📜 Is this even legal? In most U.S. states, as long as you’re part of the conversation, you can legally record it. This is called one-party consent law. But in about 11 states, including California, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania, all parties must consent before recording anything, even a one-second video or audio clip. Want to check your state? Here’s a handy breakdown of which states require everyone’s consent and which don’t. Knowing your state laws before you record someone is just sound advice. (I saw that smirk!) Now, would you wear them? I’m curious. Let me know what you think at the end when you rate this newsletter. I’ll pick the person with the best reasons to win $25 and be a special guest on my show. Yes, your 15 minutes of fame and money! We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective. The post Smart glasses are spyware appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

— Art is more than just something to look at. Sometimes it stirs something within us. One painting could make you stop, breathe, and experience things you cannot understand. That is the emotional force of any of the world’s greatest paintings. These works are renowned for their beauty and their ability to evoke feelings. They speak without noise. They tell stories that are intimate, moving, and enduring. The emotions that they contain transcend time, language, or geography. And now, people of any age can bring life to these paintings of emotion with their hands through painting by numbers. By recreating them, you become a little closer to the feelings that each brushstroke has been made with. This article will explore what makes these famous works of art emotionally charged and why they endure in the hearts of so many. 1. Paintings That Carry Deep Feelings Certain pieces of art are more than pictures—these are heartfelt expressions. The emotion behind many of the famous paintings gives them their power. They’re not just using colors, forms, and brushstrokes as decorations. They carry stories, memories, and emotions that resonate with everyone. You can sense the world within the artist in each contact. Whirling clouds express longings. Soft flowers express serenity. Gold and color express love and closeness. Each one speaks something words are wont to fail in doing. That’s why they’ve endured over the ages. They resonate with us on a human level. You don’t need to know everything to sense the meaning. Now, you can experience these emotional works of art through painting with numbers. It’s not simply coloring in marks—it’s accessing the emotion behind each painting. Whether calm or bold, serene or bright, each one pulls you in. And with every brush stroke, you’re closer to the heart of the art. 2. Portraits That Show What Words Cannot Say Some paintings are more than a face portrait—they portray a soul. These paintings carry emotions that can’t always be put into words. It all speaks in silence, a look in the eyes, a lift of the smile, and silent peace. You don’t have to know them to feel something. A glance is a whole story. That feeling is conveyed through the details—the tilt of a head, the lines of the face, the hues surrounding it all. Also, some paintings show elegance. Others are bursting with honesty and naked emotion. They capture not only the subject in the painting but also the artist’s heart. You feel the not-said-in-spades when you rebuild these portraits through painting numbers. Every brushstroke leaves you wanting more. Every line reads like a sentence the painter once wished she could speak. And when you paint, you don’t only see the face—you feel the story behind it. 3. Nature That Feels Alive Nature in painting is never anything at all about scenery. It’s always about feeling. A field, a wave, and a tree aren’t so many landscapes. They’re what we feel inside. There are tranquil scenes. The sight of light in a garden or the movement of flowers in the wind can calm the mind. There are paintings with wild skies or rolling seas, full of vitality and strength. They make you feel insignificant but a part of something larger. In masterful works of art, nature mirrors emotion—soft happiness, muted awe, or deep yearning. Artists use light, shadow, and motion to express such instances. Paint by numbers lets you step into those places yourself. As you color each section, you sense what the artist felt. The wind, the heat, the quiet—it’s all there, hidden in the colors. 4. Color That Speaks to the Heart Color is emotion in visual form. It is a form of language that cannot be spoken in words. Color serves a purpose in every great painting. Calming colors speak of peace. Bright colors bring energy. Dark color speaks of mystery or fire. Other artists use calming blues, greens, and pinks to quiet the senses. Their painting is as subtle as a morning breeze or as silent as silence. Others understand gold, red, or jarring yellow to intensify feelings. Happiness, love, and even agony can be described in color only. Even if you don’t even know the story of the painting, the color knows how to make you feel. It sets the tone and mood. When you are painting by numbers, you start to do it yourself. You begin to feel the emotions behind every colour stroke you put in. It’s not a matter of filling up space—it’s a matter of building emotion, stroke by stroke. 5. Feelings That Last Through Time What makes a masterwork in existence isn’t the way it looks and feels. Great art says something that happens beyond time. Emotions from long ago still linger in every piece. Love, grief, peace, reverence—those feelings are universal. That is why a painting hundreds of years old can still make someone cry today. You don’t have to learn about history to know what it means. It’s already there for you. That is what makes great paintings last. They draw us into the painters, the period they painted, and parts of ourselves. A still room, a glowing sky, and an exchanged gaze contain something human and true. Final Thoughts Art connects people in ways that words often can’t. The world’s most celebrated art pieces continue to reach us because they impart real feeling, love, wonder, grief, and joy, over time and space. Painting by numbers lets you step into these works and feel their heart for yourself. With each brush stroke, you’re not just creating something beautiful but building a personal connection with lasting art. It’s a peaceful, meditative way to bring meaning, fantasy, and emotion into your life. — This content is brought to you by Hassan Javed iStockPhoto The post The Emotional Power Behind The World’s Most Famous Artworks appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Ok so I never thought I’d believe in forever. I thought love was messy, temporary, kinda stupid even. But then… someone came along. Not with fireworks or grand stuff. Just small things. Tiny things that made me pause and go hmm. Maybe this is different. But then you meet someone. And it’s not dramatic. No fireworks. No music in the background. Just small, almost boring things that feel different in a way you can’t shake. … 1 — You Don’t Have To Edit Yourself You say the dumb joke. You ramble about something that makes sense only in your head. Usually, people nod politely. But this person? They actually laugh. Or they add to it. And suddenly you’re like, oh… I don’t have to hold back anymore. … 2 — Quiet Isn’t Weird You’re sitting together, both on your phones, or just… there. No words. And it’s not awkward. It feels fine. Safe, even. You don’t feel pressure to fill the silence. It’s just easy. … 3 — They See You When You’re Messy Not the polished “I’m fine” version. Not the one you use at work or online. The tired, cranky, anxious side. The mornings you look awful. The nights you overthink. They see that. And they don’t leave. … 4 — Wins and Losses Are Shared When you win, they cheer like it’s theirs. When you lose, they remind you that you still matter. And you do the same for them. Not because you planned to, but because it’s natural. You lift each other without even thinking about it. … 5 — They Feel Like Home It’s strange. Home stops being a place. It becomes a person. After a rough day, just being near them. And It feels like dropping a weight from your shoulder. You breathe. You relax. That’s it. That’s home. … 6 — Fights Don’t Freak You Out You argue. You snap sometimes. But deep down, you know it won’t break. You’re still on the same side. The fight isn’t the end — it’s just part of learning each other. … Final Bit Forever isn’t big speeches. It isn’t perfect lines. It’s the quiet stuff. The laughter at dumb jokes. The silence that feels safe. The feeling of being seen. If you have someone like this, hold on. Don’t overthink. If you don’t… be patient. It’s worth it. It usually shows up quietly, when you least expect it. … So yeah… Have you ever had that moment when someone just felt like home? Thanks for reading. I hope to see you on next one): — — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Michael DeMoya On Unsplash The post 6 Signs You Might’ve Found Your Forever Person appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— What if your old photo could suddenly start talking? Or you could swap faces in videos without spending hours in editing software? Welcome to the future—where AI turns imagination into reality with just a few clicks. In this fast-evolving digital age, tools like Remaker.ai’s AI Talking Photo and Beart.ai’s Free Video Face Swap are pushing creative boundaries like never before. These two free, browser-based tools allow you to animate still images and swap faces in videos, making content creation fun, fast, and shockingly easy. Let’s explore what these tools can do, who they’re for, and how you can start creating instantly—no technical skills required. Turn Any Photo into a Talking Video with AI (for Free) Imagine a photo—of your friend, your pet, a historical figure, or even a fictional character—suddenly coming to life and speaking. Sounds like a sci-fi movie, right? Not anymore. The AI Talking Photo tool from Remaker.ai lets you upload any image and sync it with speech. The result? A hyper-realistic video of that face talking—complete with mouth movements, head tilts, and natural expressions. Key Features: Photo to Video: Upload any clear facial image and instantly generate a talking video. Custom Voice Input: Add your own script or voice clip, and the AI will animate the face accordingly. Natural Animations: Includes blinking, head motion, lip-sync, and subtle facial expressions. No Sign-Up Required: Fully usable without logging in or installing software. Free to Use: Create AI talking videos at no cost. This tool is a game-changer for creators, educators, and casual users alike. It brings a whole new dimension to storytelling and visual communication. Swap Faces in Video Like a Pro (No Software Needed) Face swapping in images is already popular—but doing it in videos? That’s next-level. The Free Video Face Swap tool by Beart.ai lets you upload a video and another face, and seamlessly merges the two. The result looks realistic, funny, or just wildly creative—depending on your imagination. And the best part? It all happens online, with no video editing experience required. Key Features: Video Upload: Supports short videos in various formats (MP4, MOV, etc.). Real-Time Face Mapping: AI detects faces and aligns expressions frame-by-frame. Ultra-Realistic Results: Maintains lighting, skin tone, and motion consistency. Free Access: No credit card, no subscription, no watermark. Easy to Use: Simple drag-and-drop interface with automatic processing. Whether you’re making a parody, experimenting with visual identity, or simply having fun, Beart.ai’s tool makes pro-level video effects accessible to everyone. How to Use Both Tools Together Want to get even more creative? Here’s a content idea using both tools: Start with a photo– Use Remaker.ai’s Talking Photo to animate a funny or fictional character with a message. Add your face to a video– Use Beart.ai’s Video Face Swap to place yourself in a viral video or scene. Edit, combine, and post– Stitch them together for a hilarious social media reel, short film, or brand promo. The possibilities are endless—and the tools are totally free. Final Thoughts: AI Tools That Let Your Creativity Speak (and Swap) AI is no longer just about automation—it’s about amplifying creativity. With tools like Remaker.ai’s Talking Photo and Beart.ai’s Video Face Swap, anyone can create eye-catching, memorable, and downright fun content in minutes. — This content is brought to you by Hussain Ali Photos provided by the author. The post Bring Photos to Life and Faces to Film: Two Free AI Tools That Redefine Digital Creativity appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By JOHN BOYLE, Asheville Watchdog Man, I would like to get Nathan Pennington’s voice out of my head. Last year, before Tropical Storm Helene hit, I interviewed Pennington, Buncombe County’s planning director and floodplain manager, for a story about how our area’s flood risk will only grow, a result of climate change, more impermeable surfaces — and our penchant for building in risky places. Ten days before Helene pummeled us, Asheville Watchdog published the story, which memorably featured Pennington saying, “We are the United States of Amnesia when it comes to flooding.” We also talked about the 100-year and 500-year flood plains, and how those really are just statistical estimates of the likelihood of a flood — a 1 percent chance in the 100-year area, .2 percent in the 500-year zone. Pennington noted that 500-year zones are unregulated as far as building restrictions. “However, what we’re advising people nowadays is, ‘Please get flood insurance if you’re in the 500-year [zone],” he said. “Please get flood insurance if you’re outside it.” On Sept. 27, when Helene dumped a biblical amount of rain on our area, just two days after a previous deluge, our region flooded. Badly. In my Fletcher neighborhood, about two dozen homes took on water from the normally placid Cane Creek, which expanded from about its normal 25-foot width to a swift-moving monster about a half-mile wide. My house is not in the flood plain, but the water came up our street to my next door neighbor’s driveway before receding. It certainly made me think about flood insurance, as just about every neighbor I talked to didn’t have any, and most had tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Helping a couple of neighbors rip out soaked drywall, insulation and flooring only amplified Pennington’s voice in my head. But then we had about two months of crisp, clear weather, followed by a mild, hurricane-free winter. So I put off checking on insurance. Yes, I embraced the amnesia, at least until Hurricane Erin took a good run at the Carolina coast last week. And there was Pennington again, whispering about flood insurance. So I checked with two companies, including our current home insurance carrier, Travelers. As both front for federally backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies, both came back with the same numbers: Right at $2,400 annually for $250,000 in coverage on the structure and $100,000 on the contents. Ouch! This made my cheapskate DNA rearrange itself deep in the core of my brain’s money vault. Hey, we already pay close to three grand a year in home insurance, and another couple thousand in taxes, so our house that is technically paid off continues to cost us more than $5,000 every year. And every time I go to the grocery store my eyes involuntarily bug out of my head when the grand total appears on the screen. My wife Grace and I are both 61, and we’re trying to slam away as much money for retirement as we can, so the prospect of dropping $200 a month on more insurance isn’t appealing. And did I mention that our house is not in the floodplain? Floodplain designation doesn’t mean what it used to The problem, of course, is the flood plain designation doesn’t mean what it used to. Thanks to climate change, lots of folks outside that designation keep getting flooded. As climate scientists will tell you, we’re seeing more and more heavy rainstorms, and when tropical storms come up from the Gulf of Mexico, they pass over those warmed waters, which makes the storms pick up even more moisture. So we’re likely to see more floods. As my neighbor who did his own restoration work told me, a FEMA inspector told him they’ve been going to a lot of allegedly 500-year floods over the past couple of years. Don Hornstein, a law professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and director of the school’s Center on Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics, explained why I got sticker shock on my flood insurance quote. In a nutshell, as my colleague Dan DeWitt explained in his excellent July 30 story about hopelessly outdated FEMA flood maps, government-backed flood insurance premiums had been kept artificially low, which in turn encouraged building in riskier areas. Now, Hornstein told me in a phone interview, the federal government has made adjustments. “You have to pay a relative high amount, even though you’re not in a floodplain, in part because they’re using this new approach called ‘Risk Rating 2.0,’” Hornstein said. “That doesn’t make whether you’re in or out of one of these 100-year floodplains the be all and end all, because they realize these maps are hopelessly out of date.” He noted that more than 40 percent of all flooding takes place “out of the so-called ‘100-year floodplains.’” That’s because of the changing climate and more rain-laden storms, and because of, well, human nature. “Once they looked at the 100-year flood plain, people started building like one inch outside of the 100-year flood plain,” Hornstein said. “So all of a sudden you get a lot of construction that’s just over the theoretical line, and because the line between us is theoretical, a huge amount of flooding is taking place outside of the flood plains.” Hornstein pointed out that if you’re in a 100-year floodplain and you have a federally backed mortgage, you’ll likely be required to get flood insurance to keep your lender happy. But now the feds are also looking at your proximity to water and the elevation of your home. This is all smart, because the NFIP program has taken a beating over the past decade or so, and Congress has had to bail it out at least once to the tune of $16 billion. They needed to bump those flood insurance rates up, even those for folks like me who aren’t in the floodplain but are close to it. (Regular homeowners insurance does not cover flooding from exterior sources, by the way.) In talking last week with a couple of my neighbors who got flooded, I was not surprised to learn they still haven’t bought flood insurance. Both said it’s just too expensive, and one said she’d heard about people having difficulty getting a payout. Most neighbors, including these two, got emergency funds from FEMA for their flooding, with amounts ranging from $16,000 to more than $30,000. One neighbor told me he got about $32,000, and his damages cost about $40,000 to fix, so he had to pony up $8,000 out of pocket. (He did a lot of the work himself, though.) So this also fired up my cheapskate mitochondria. I mean, why not just roll the dice, use the $48,000 over 20 years I’d have to pay the NFIP in flood insurance toward a brand new Toyota Tacoma that I’ve always dreamed of, and just wait for FEMA to pony up cash if my house floods, hoping it’ll mostly cover the rebuild cost? Hornstein offered some wisdom on that scenario, too. It seems I could end up living in that Tacoma. “Helene came at a particularly potent political time — (FEMA) was absolutely at its most generous,” Hornstein said. The presidential campaign was in full swing last September when Helene hit, and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, wanted to look like their administration was ultra-responsive to North Carolina, a key swing state. After President Donald Trump won the election, he came to Asheville four days after his inauguration, vowing to rebuild North Carolina like it’s never been rebuilt before. Later, of course, he talked about getting rid of FEMA like it’s never been gotten rid of, but in the interim, money was flowing to many flooded homeowners. The money flowed quicker than usual, and in the form of grants, too, not loans, Hornstein noted. Trump has also pushed for shifting more of the financial burden of emergency response to the states. That is yet to be worked out. FEMA might not be so generous in the future, Hornstein said. Or it might not even be there. But on the other hand, Hornstein pointed out that NFIP flood insurance is very limited, expensive and it typically doesn’t cover substitute housing if your home is flooded. Also, our home is paid for, so we’re not going to have a bank foreclose on us and give us the boot from our house. I’ll note too that for good or bad, I apparently have a lot of company in not being wild about shelling out for flood insurance. As we reported last October, “Fewer than one percent of Buncombe structures, including homes and businesses, are covered by flood insurance.” DeWitt noted in his story that the number of NFIP policies in Buncombe has risen by nearly 500 since Helene, to 1,424. So a few more folks are heeding nature’s warnings. Good angel, bad angel The upshot of all this is I’m still kind of on the fence, and that makes me a little nervous. I feel like I have the good angel, which looks a lot like the dastardly, probably correct Nathan Pennington, sitting on one shoulder, whispering into my ear, “You know you need the flood coverage, John. It’s the responsible thing to do.” On the other shoulder, the bad angel, which looks surprisingly like me after a couple (or four) weekend IPAs, is waving his hand and saying, “Get the Tacoma! Live a little, man! What are the chances of another thousand-year storm hitting right here again? I like the red metallic color and king cab, by the way.” Then the Pennington angel shouts out, “Enjoy living in your truck, doofus! Hope you can afford a camper top!” Man, that guy gets annoying in my imagination. After hearing me whine about my potential flooding plight and my miserly ways for 20 minutes, Hornstein tossed out another idea: a less expensive insurance option offered in North Carolina by a company called Munich Re (for “Reinsurance”). The company doesn’t sell direct to consumers but rather through insurance carriers, and it provides lower coverage amounts to lower-risk homeowners that also have lower payouts. In a news release, a Munich Re senior vice president said, “Average homeowners in a lower flood hazard area seek basic protection for their home and personal property at a competitive price. Our new Inland Flood Coverage Endorsement is designed to solve that need; it can be offered at lower limits and tailored to the underlying homeowners policy, thus eliminating the cost and administrative burden of a separate, stand-alone flood policy.” That sounds like it might be right up my skinflint alley. I’ll have to check it out. Or maybe just skip it altogether. My penuriousness knows no bounds, you know. In my efforts to have someone tell me what I wanted to hear, I reached out to David Easterling, chief scientist at Future Climate LLC, in Hendersonville. Easterling spent three decades working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, retiring earlier this year as director of the National Climate Assessment Technical Support Unit, part of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville. In full disclosure, he’s also a friend of mine who knows I can be stingy. So I asked him if I should shell out the $2,400 a year or gamble on another whopper storm missing us in the future. “Hmm…assuming I am not going to get sued, my opinion is that if you didn’t get flooded with Helene you are OK without it,” Easterling told me. Yes! But just as I was heading out to the Toyota dealership, I read the rest of Easterling’s message. “But always remember that that kind of flooding or worse can happen,” he said. “The French Broad valley is flat for a reason.” Damn it, man! Can’t a man just be cheap, buy a nice pickup truck and not worry about the consequences, which may include setting up camp in said pickup truck? I’ll also note that going back to the pre-Helene news story last year, I quoted Easterling saying he expects that we will see more heavy rainfall events in the future, as warmer air holds more moisture. Global temperatures have gone up about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1901, he said then. “As it warms up, we’re seeing more moisture in the air,” Easterling said. “We already see that in the observations. There’s more moisture in the air than 60 years ago, and that’s just going to continue.” The surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, where most tropical storms or their remnants arrive from, ”have gone up considerably,” Easterling said. That doesn’t bode well for us in general, or me in particular. Pennington’s angel just got real loud on my shoulder again. “Get the insurance, dipwad,” he said. Kind of a sassy angel. But, damn it again, he’s probably right. I’ll sleep on it. And pray for a light hurricane season. Asheville Watchdog welcomes thoughtful reader comments about this story, which has been republished on our Facebook page. Please submit your comments there. Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. John Boyle has been covering Asheville and surrounding communities since the 20th century. You can reach him at (828) 337-0941, or via email at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/. — Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. Email skestin@avlwatchdog.org. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/donate. *** Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating? Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching. Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing! *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community. A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities. A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: unsplash The post Opinion: Yes, I Should Probably Get Flood Insurance, but I’m Really Struggling With the Price appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— The digital landscape is evolving fast, and AI is at the heart of this transformation. From content creation to keyword optimization, AI SEO tools are reshaping how businesses drive organic growth. With the right tools, marketers can streamline strategies, save time, and gain a competitive edge. In this article, we’ll explore the 9 best AI SEO tools that every marketer should consider in 2025, starting with the innovative Addlly AI. 1. Addlly AI Addlly AI is an advanced AI-powered platform designed to handle marketing tasks like SEO, GEO targeting, social media, and content creation. It uses data-driven insights to automatically generate optimized content, analyze performance, and refine strategies. By streamlining workflows, Addlly AI helps businesses save time while boosting results. Its AI agents are especially valuable for brands looking to simplify SEO without compromising quality. Whether you need optimized blog posts, SEO updates, or engagement-driven social media strategies, Addlly AI delivers automation and accuracy, making it a standout tool in today’s competitive digital marketing environment. 2. Surfer SEO Surfer SEO is a favorite among marketers for its ability to create content that aligns with Google’s ranking factors. Its Content Editor tool provides keyword suggestions, content structure, and optimization guidelines in real time. Surfer also includes a SERP Analyzer, allowing users to compare their content with top-ranking pages. This data-driven approach helps refine strategies and achieve better rankings faster. By combining AI with SEO insights, Surfer empowers marketers to create optimized, user-friendly content that performs well in search engines. Its balance of automation and control makes it a must-have for SEO professionals. 3. SEMrush SEMrush is a comprehensive AI-driven SEO suite offering everything from keyword research to competitor analysis. Its SEO Writing Assistant uses AI to check readability, tone, and keyword optimization, ensuring content is both user-friendly and search-engine ready. Beyond content, SEMrush provides insights into backlinks, technical SEO, and paid search campaigns. With its AI-powered reporting, users can make smarter, data-backed decisions. It’s especially valuable for businesses that want an all-in-one solution to cover every aspect of digital marketing. SEMrush continues to be one of the most trusted platforms in the SEO industry. 4. Jasper AI Jasper AI is a powerful content creation tool that leverages AI to generate SEO-optimized blog posts, product descriptions, and web copy. It’s known for producing high-quality content at scale, saving time for busy marketers. Jasper includes SEO templates, tone customization, and integration with Surfer SEO for deeper optimization. Its ability to generate creative, keyword-rich content makes it an excellent choice for businesses looking to scale their publishing efforts. With Jasper, you can quickly produce engaging articles that not only appeal to readers but also meet SEO standards effectively. 5. Frase Frase focuses on answering user questions and aligning content with search intent. Its AI-powered tools help marketers discover the questions their audience is asking and generate SEO-friendly answers. The Content Brief feature streamlines content creation by providing outlines, keyword suggestions, and competitor analysis. Frase’s AI Writer then assists in producing drafts optimized for both readers and search engines. By centering on search intent, Frase ensures content resonates with audiences while improving rankings. It’s particularly useful for businesses aiming to build authority in niche markets. 6. Clearscope Clearscope is highly regarded for its advanced content optimization features. It provides keyword recommendations, readability insights, and competitor comparisons, ensuring every article is crafted for maximum visibility. With its AI-driven analysis, Clearscope makes it easy to identify gaps in content and improve ranking potential. The platform is also user-friendly, making it suitable for teams of all sizes. For businesses that prioritize content quality and relevance, Clearscope delivers a strong balance of simplicity and advanced SEO insights. Its results-focused approach helps brands achieve sustainable traffic growth. 7. MarketMuse MarketMuse leverages AI to evaluate your existing content and suggest improvements. It analyzes topics, authority, and gaps to recommend strategies for better coverage and higher rankings. The platform also generates detailed content briefs, helping writers stay aligned with SEO goals. MarketMuse excels at optimizing large content libraries, making it especially useful for enterprises and publishers. By focusing on content depth and authority, it ensures your site becomes a go-to resource for readers and search engines. This makes MarketMuse a valuable investment for long-term SEO success. 8. RankIQ RankIQ is built for bloggers and content creators who want to rank quickly. Its AI-driven keyword research identifies low-competition, high-traffic opportunities. The built-in content optimizer provides step-by-step suggestions for improving drafts. RankIQ also offers topic libraries tailored to different niches, making it easy for creators to find relevant ideas. By simplifying keyword strategy and optimization, RankIQ enables smaller teams and solo entrepreneurs to compete with larger websites. For content creators aiming to maximize impact with minimal effort, RankIQ is a practical and effective tool. 9. WriterZen WriterZen is an AI-powered tool designed to simplify keyword research and content creation. Its Topic Discovery feature identifies trending topics, while its Keyword Explorer helps uncover long-tail opportunities. The platform also includes a plagiarism checker to ensure originality. WriterZen’s AI writing assistant aids in drafting SEO-friendly content that aligns with search intent. By combining research, planning, and creation in one platform, it saves time and effort. WriterZen is especially suitable for teams looking for a user-friendly solution that covers multiple aspects of SEO and content marketing. Final Words AI SEO tools are no longer optional—they’re essential for staying competitive in today’s digital world. From automating tasks to improving keyword strategies, these tools deliver real value. Addlly AI leads the pack with its automation-first approach, but each tool on this list offers unique strengths. Choosing the right mix can help businesses save time, improve rankings, and maximize growth opportunities. FAQs What are AI SEO tools? AI SEO tools are platforms that use artificial intelligence to optimize content, analyze rankings, and automate SEO tasks, helping businesses improve visibility and save time. Is Addlly AI suitable for small businesses? Yes, Addlly AI is designed for businesses of all sizes. Its automation simplifies SEO and content creation, making it especially useful for small businesses with limited resources. Can AI SEO tools replace human marketers? AI SEO tools enhance efficiency but don’t fully replace human marketers. They provide data insights and automation, while human creativity ensures content resonates with audiences authentically. Which AI SEO tool is best for bloggers? RankIQ and Jasper AI are excellent for bloggers. RankIQ helps find low-competition keywords, while Jasper AI assists in creating engaging, optimized content quickly and effectively. — This content is brought to you by IQNewswire Photo provided by the author. The post 9 Best AI SEO Tools to Boost Rankings in 2025 appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Kate Denning, Carolina public press Teacher pay has been a long and storied battle in North Carolina, with the state consistently ranking among the lowest teacher salaries in the country. But while educators are often pinching pennies and stretching dollars to make ends meet, a new report from CouponBirds shows North Carolina teachers are spending an average of $1,632 out of their own pockets to supply their classrooms. That’s the second-highest in the country according to the study, just $5 less than Pennsylvania teachers. It’s a 22% increase from the average amount NC teachers spent in 2024 and is well above the report’s national average of $1,021. President of the North Carolina Association of Educators Tamika Walker Kelly told Carolina Public Press that teachers tend to spend the most money on consumable products like notebook paper, pencils, tissues and cleaning wipes. While many teachers will ask parents to purchase these supplies for their children — or even for communal use — at the beginning of the school year, Kelly noted that families are often experiencing economic hardships themselves. [Subscribe for FREE to Carolina Public Press’ alerts and weekend roundup newsletters] “Educators stand in the gap most of the time to provide resources for students and families who cannot afford them,” she said. “And we have to turn over those resources throughout the year — not just at the beginning of the year, but throughout the duration of the academic season.” It’s a national trend for teachers to post their “classroom wishlists” online in hopes good Samaritans will purchase some of the items. Kelly said crowdfunding for supplies is nothing new to NC teachers, but it has become more routine as resources have shrunk. “Unfortunately, that has become more commonplace, but it shouldn’t be because we need our North Carolina legislators to invest in the basic resources that our students need in order to thrive,” she said. “We should not be dependent on crowdfunding our classrooms when we have a constitutional obligation to make sure that every student has the resources that they need here in our state.” In the wake of slimmed budgets and decreased resources, teachers often have to get creative to make ends meet in the classroom. Kelly told an anecdote of a teacher who cut composition books in half to double the amount of notebooks she was able to distribute to her students. A more common hack is to wrap a rubber band around hand sanitizer dispensers. This limits the amount that comes out of the bottle, prolonging the bottle’s life span, Kelly said. Many educators already work second jobs to pay for their supplies each year or simply to sustain their lifestyle, Kelly said. Additionally, teachers can also be parents who have to purchase supplies for their own children on top of stocking their classroom. “For our educators to be spending as much money as they do to supply their own classrooms, in contrast to the data that shows that we are one of the lowest-paid states in the nation for educator pay really highlights the dissonance and the really deep investments in care that our educators take into putting into their classroom versus the lack of care that our lawmakers are putting in to making sure that we continue to retain these educators,” she said. Finding solutions for classroom spending Madeline Blobe is the executive director of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation, a nonprofit that raises additional funding for schools in the area. The organization funds scholarships, innovative projects and teacher awards, as well as offering a Teacher Supply Store for educators to “shop” for classroom supplies. They work closely with the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club, which does 85% of the fundraising for PSF each year. The supply store is meant to defray some of the financial burdens teachers face when it comes to stocking their classrooms by spending out of their own pockets, Blobe said. This year, more than 1,100 teachers in the district will be able to “purchase” $50 worth of supplies from the store for free of charge. Available items range from two composition books for $1 to an electric pencil sharpener for $30. “If you’re at the store, you feel it — what this means to teachers, how happy it makes them all. It seems like a little thing, but it really is a big thing to them,” Blobe said. “They’re obviously devoted to their jobs or they wouldn’t come to work. They have very hard jobs. They’re not paid well. It’s obviously a passion for them, but it is definitely the generosity of our community that means a lot.” Although PSF is a nonprofit organization and cannot lobby for legislation or political causes, Blobe said she does feel it is her responsibility to keep her donors and community informed about the state of education resources. While generosity from the community is something teachers undoubtedly appreciate and sometimes even depend on, it is ultimately the state’s responsibility to fund public schools and ensure access to a quality education, Kelly said. That starts with investing in students and increasing the access educators have to resources, as well as raising teacher pay for both new and veteran teachers, she said. “We believe that dual investment, both in the overall funding of our public schools but also investing in comprehensive educator pay increases, will help us address this issue so that we don’t continue to face it in the future,” Kelly said. National trends Executive Director of AdoptAClassroom.org Ann Ruhr Pifer said the organization was designed to relieve the burden of teachers spending out of their own pockets. In North Carolina, 766 teachers are currently seeking support from the organization, which supplied 680 classrooms during the 2024-2025 school year. Teachers create a page on the website detailing their classroom needs and what they hope to spend any donated funds on. Donors can decide to donate to individual teachers, a school or directly to AdoptAClassroom. Any donations that a teacher receives goes into an account managed by the organization and can only be spent on an e-commerce marketplace containing educational and office supplies vendors. No money changes hands, and items are shipped directly to the teacher’s school. Similarly to PSF, AdoptAClassroom sees its role as meeting the immediate needs of teachers across the country. But it’s not about simply choosing to focus on charity or legislation, Pifer said. “Today, those funds can get right into the classrooms. Changing public education funding is a bigger issue,” she said. “And when I’m talking to potential donors or speaking to groups, I always say it’s not an ‘either, or’ — it’s a ‘yes, and.’” Since the COVID-19 pandemic, AdoptAClassroom saw increased awareness from donors and teachers alike. Pifer said she thinks the pandemic drew attention to how much teachers do, so people felt more inclined to offer help. But teachers also struggled more and sought additional support. AdoptAClassroom has conducted its own studies on teacher spending, and it found that teacher spending has increased 50% in the last 10 years. It’s clear that the burden has increased for teachers, and many are concerned that inflation is playing a role, Pifer said. Not only does inflation impact the price of items directly, but it creates a domino effect across school districts. “In talking to school principals, I realized that it also has a significant indirect effect. So inflation, and cost increases driven by many things, is increasing the cost of janitorial supplies, services that the school depends on, supplies and services just to run the school,” Pifer said. “So now the principal’s budget is strained too, and maybe they used to be able to give teachers $200 for classroom supplies. Maybe now they can only give them $100 or maybe nothing. It may be gone, because the inflation pressure on the school budget is significant.” A viral video recently sparked controversy when a parent voiced concerns online about her experience at her child’s teacher’s classroom at an open house. She was underwhelmed by the classroom, specifically the empty bins and lack of a rug. Teachers responded in droves, explaining how they are largely expected to supply and decorate their rooms by spending their own time and money. So while many teachers are focused on essential supplies, there is often still an expectation for a decked-out classroom. Blobe said decorative items, like soft lighting fixtures and posters, tend to fly off the shelves quickly at the Teacher Supply Store when they are lucky enough to have them available. Teachers also like to purchase items like rugs or comfortable seating options through AdoptAClassroom, Pifer said. Kelly said she is concerned about the increasing financial burden on teachers contributing to teacher burnout. Some teachers are getting to a point where they have to make tough decisions and opt not to stock their classrooms by spending as heftily as they typically would, she said. In the worst cases, teachers are leaving the classroom entirely. Sometimes they’ll leave to work for education-related companies where they can still utilize the same skills. Other times, they’ll step away from education altogether. Kelly cited the “educator to real estate pipeline” as one example. “Many educators are choosing to leave the profession or are being pushed out of the profession because it is no longer sustainable for them and their families, and that is why we are continuing to deal with the educator shortage here in North Carolina,” she said. “And until it is adequately and properly addressed through the North Carolina General Assembly, we’ll continue to see educators be pushed out of a career that they love to do, into the private sector, or into other states that compensate their educators more.” This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. — Carolina Public Press is an independent, in-depth and investigative nonprofit news service for North Carolina, republished here with Creative Commons License Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock The post NC Teachers Among Biggest Spenders on Classrooms, Despite Low Pay appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— There’s a kind of stress most families don’t talk about. It’s the flicker of lights during a summer storm, the spike on a utility bill that wasn’t in the budget, the worry when the news says rolling blackouts might be coming. For millions of households, that’s not just an inconvenience. It becomes a life disrupted. The Department of Energy reports that nearly 70 percent of America’s grid infrastructure is more than 25 years old, and outages have more than doubled in the last two decades. And as demand rises, so do costs. Sandra Namukaya has spent her career trying to change that challenge that so many Americans experience. An Infrastructure and Sustainability Economist with more than a decade of experience at the World Bank, Oregon’s Public Utility Commission, and the Ministry of Finance in Uganda, she’s worked at the intersection of policy and investment long enough to know that science alone isn’t enough. “Moving electrocatalysts or any emerging technology from the lab to large-scale deployment is rarely a straight path,” she told me. “It is under such circumstances that having strong public private partnerships is critical.” The U.S. is never short on scientific breakthroughs. Labs across the country are producing new ways to create and store energy every year. Electrocatalysts, for example, could transform how we produce clean fuels that balance the grid when renewables dip. But too often, those ideas stay stuck in pilot mode. Namukaya sees the missing piece clearly. Without government-backed risk sharing, private investors hesitate to move. Building shared testing labs, funding demonstration projects, and creating regulatory certainty can flip the switch. When public and private players align, investors step in faster, timelines shrink, and technologies scale before they go obsolete. Americans are paying more than ever for electricity. In just two years, residential prices climbed almost 15 percent. For families already stretched, that’s no small thing. So how do you ask utilities to adopt expensive new tech without pushing those bills even higher? Namukaya says you stop judging projects only on upfront costs. “Many of these technologies generate significant benefits over time through improved reliability and avoided costs,” she explained. Those avoided costs include fewer grid failures, less money wasted on fossil fuel volatility, lower maintenance, and they matter more than the sticker price on day one. “If the technology performs, it will be rewarded.” That’s the kind of signal she believes regulators need to send, one that encourages innovation but still protects ratepayers. Reliability is the part you only notice when it fails. Texas learned that in 2021 when a winter storm knocked out power for millions. Namukaya believes electrocatalysts and other advanced technologies are part of the solution. By producing clean fuels that can be stored and dispatched during peak demand, they act as a buffer for renewables that come and go with the weather. “On the reliability side, they enable the efficient production of clean fuels and chemicals, that can be stored and dispatched during peak demand periods or times of low renewable output,” she said. That means families can trust the lights will stay on even when the wind dies down or the sun sets. Energy isn’t just a monthly bill. It’s tied to everything such as economic competitiveness, job creation, even national security. Clean energy that’s reliable and affordable can help the U.S. cut dependence on imported fuels, stabilize household budgets, and give businesses a cost edge globally. But without frameworks that let innovation scale, we risk being left behind. Namukaya’s focus on policy and economics may not make headlines like a shiny new solar panel, but it’s just as critical. She’s helping build the market structures that determine whether these technologies ever reach the people who need them. America’s grid is fragile, families are paying more, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Namukaya’s work points to a path forward that includes partnerships that share risk and investments that prioritize both innovation and affordability. Because reliable energy isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about keeping the country strong, competitive, and ready for the future. — This content is brought to you by Melissa Moraes. Photo provided by the author. The post The Cost of America’s Aging Grid and One Economist Determined to Fix It appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Shannon Roberts, UMass Amherst and Anuj Kumar Pradhan, UMass Amherst The last few weeks of summer, heading into Labor Day weekend, can sometimes mean vacations and driving more miles on the road for all people, including teens. Traffic crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, and the crash rate for teen drivers is disproportionately higher than the share of licensed teen drivers. In addition to this grim statistic, summer is the riskiest time for teen drivers. The 100 deadliest days represent the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day when the number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers dramatically increases. A third of each year’s teen driver crashes occur during the summer. We are scholars who research transportation safety and teen driver behavior. Our expertise helps us understand that these 100 days are not just a statistical fluke – they reflect a dangerous intersection of factors such as inexperience and a propensity to take risks. What makes summer different? Regardless of the season, some teen drivers engage in risky behaviors that increase their likelihood of a fatal crash, such as getting distracted, driving with friends in the vehicle, driving under the influence, not wearing seat belts and a lack of hazard awareness. Teens also have more free time in the summer, since most aren’t in school. Combined with the longer days and better weather, teens drive more over the summer. More time on the road means more risk, especially for inexperienced drivers. Teens may also be more likely to drive after dark during the summer, in comparison to more experienced drivers. But nighttime driving is also when visibility is reduced and crash risks are higher, particularly for teens who haven’t fully developed the skills necessary for night driving. This increased exposure, in addition to teens’ general risky driving tendencies, contributes to the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. The increased crash risk for teens over the summer isn’t equally distributed either. Crashes with teen drivers that lead to serious injuries are more likely to occur with male drivers, in rural areas, for those of lower socioeconomic status and for those with disorders, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Teaching young drivers Driver’s education programs are the formal method to teach teen drivers the rules of the road. In driver’s education programs, teens receive information about driver and road safety though classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction in preparation for the licensing exam. Some states require teens to complete a driver’s education course if they want to receive a license under the age of 18. Of teens who have a license, nearly 80% of them have gone through some form of driver’s education. Though driver’s education programs can be helpful, their effects are not equally felt. In some states, teens and their guardians must pay out of pocket for driver’s education courses to obtain a license. This makes driver’s education and, as a consequence, obtaining a driver’s license inequitable. There are also driving school deserts – areas where the poverty rate is 20% or above and there are no behind-the-wheel driver education courses within a 10- to 15-minute drive. This makes driver education courses inaccessible. Many of these driving school deserts happen to be in areas with high populations of minorities. Over 20 years ago, graduated driver licensing was introduced to reduce teen crash rates. This is a phased licensing system wherein teen drivers are restricted in terms of when, where and with whom they can drive until they turn 18. Such a system allows teens to gradually learn and gain experience with driving over time. Graduated driver licensing has been implemented in all 50 states, and it has been shown to reduce teen driver crash rates. However, its effectiveness is limited to those who participate in the system. A large number of teens are unlicensed and are of low socioeconomic status. Many of these unlicensed teens forgo the entire process and remain unlicensed but still drive, well into their 20s when the graduated driver licensing restrictions are lifted. Making summer safer There are two things people can do to turn the 100 deadliest days into the 100 safest days. First, it is important that communities offer free supplementary training programs for teen drivers, because becoming a safe and responsible teen driver shouldn’t be limited to those with resources. As one example, in collaboration with industry partners, we have developed a program called Risk-ATTEND. It is a free, online, evidence-based program that teaches teen drivers how to anticipate risks while driving. Our research has shown that programs such as these can improve teen driving skills and may be especially effective for teen drivers in high-poverty areas. Second, our research has shown that parents and guardians still play an important role in influencing teen driver behavior. Studies show that teens mirror the behaviors they observe: If they see adults text and drive, they’re more likely to do the same. Once teenagers become old enough to drive, it is also important to establish rules and guidelines about expectations to establish clarity and accountability. Written agreements or checklists can address high-risk conditions such as nighttime driving, driving with other young passengers, phone use and adherence to speed limits. Systems to help monitor and enforce rules have been shown to be effective in improving teen driver behavior. One such program is Checkpoints, which is a Connecticut-based program in which families agree to limit teen driving during high-risk conditions. Teens face consequences for violating these limits, such as a temporary loss of driving privileges. However, the limits are gradually lifted as they gain driving experience. More than rules matter Ultimately, preventing crashes in the summer and beyond extends beyond mere adherence to regulations. Avoiding them fundamentally hinges on cultivating a robust safety culture that emphasizes a collective commitment to risk reduction and continuous improvement in driving practices. For teens, the summer months present unique challenges and opportunities. Drawing on best practices, such as training programs, teens can build essential skills in varied conditions before gaining full, unsupervised privileges. Shannon Roberts, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, UMass Amherst and Anuj Kumar Pradhan, Assistant Professor, UMass Amherst This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. — Previously Published on theconversation.com with Creative Commons License *** Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock The post Teen Drivers Face Unique Challenges During ‘100 Deadliest Days’ of Summer, but Safety Measures Can Make a Difference appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— Introduction In today’s competitive digital landscape, e-commerce businesses are constantly looking for ways to streamline processes, improve customer experiences, and boost overall revenue. Magento, one of the most powerful and flexible e-commerce platforms, provides business owners with countless opportunities to grow by integrating with advanced systems, tools, and extensions. From improving user engagement to optimizing backend operations, Magento 2 enables enterprises to run seamlessly while meeting customer expectations. With scalable solutions, customizable storefronts, and integration capabilities, Magento has become the go-to choice for enterprises that want to remain ahead in the digital marketplace. This article explores key aspects of Magento integrations and highlights practical solutions that every merchant should consider. Enhancing Customer Engagement with Smart Popups One of the most effective ways to interact with online shoppers is by using modal popup Magento 2 extensions. These popups can be customized to display targeted promotions, collect customer feedback, or highlight limited-time offers. Unlike intrusive advertisements, modal popups integrate smoothly into the shopping journey, drawing attention without disrupting the experience. They are also highly adaptable, allowing businesses to personalize content based on customer behavior, demographics, or cart activity. For example, a store may show a discount code popup when a visitor is about to exit the site, increasing the chances of saving an abandoned cart. Similarly, newsletter signup forms presented via modal popups can expand mailing lists and improve long-term engagement. By leveraging this tool, merchants can capture leads, reduce cart abandonment, and increase conversions while ensuring visitors remain engaged with the website. Over time, businesses that use popups strategically can build stronger customer relationships and higher lifetime value. Streamlining Operations with ERP and CRM Integrations As businesses scale, managing data across multiple systems becomes increasingly challenging. Magento’s ability to integrate with ERP and CRM solutions such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or Salesforce helps companies centralize operations, synchronize real-time data, and eliminate duplication errors. These integrations enable automated workflows, improved reporting, and better decision-making. For instance, combining Magento with Microsoft Dynamics 365 ensures a seamless flow of inventory, sales, and customer information, giving managers a complete view of business performance. Similarly, integrating Magento with Salesforce allows companies to track leads, optimize customer journeys, and create personalized campaigns. With synchronized data, businesses not only save time but also improve accuracy and transparency across departments. This not only reduces operational costs but also empowers businesses to adapt quickly to market changes. In today’s fast-paced environment, such automation is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity for sustainable growth. Boosting Sales with Digital Gift Solutions Customers are increasingly looking for flexible gifting options, making digital vouchers and e-cards essential. Implementing a Magento gift card feature allows businesses to expand their product offerings while catering to diverse customer needs. Gift cards provide a convenient solution for buyers who are unsure of what to purchase, and they also encourage repeat visits when recipients redeem them. Offering gift cards benefits both customers and merchants. Buyers enjoy the convenience of purchasing a ready-made gift, while recipients appreciate the freedom of choice. Merchants, on the other hand, enjoy increased brand visibility and secure upfront revenue. Advanced Magento extensions allow for customization, such as personal messages, variable amounts, and scheduling options, which further enrich the customer experience. For special occasions like holidays, birthdays, or corporate events, gift cards can play a significant role in boosting seasonal sales while encouraging customer loyalty. Expanding Reach Through Marketplace Integrations One of the most effective strategies for scaling an online store is integrating Magento with popular marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Google Shopping. This creates opportunities for businesses to reach new audiences while managing orders, products, and customer data from a centralized Magento dashboard. For example, connecting Magento with Amazon ensures real-time synchronization of pricing, stock, and delivery details, which improves accuracy and reduces manual work. A seller can update their product catalog once in Magento and have the changes reflected across all connected channels instantly. This level of efficiency prevents overselling, reduces customer complaints, and saves valuable time. Additionally, this approach allows brands to maintain consistency across multiple channels, creating a unified shopping experience for customers. Marketplace integrations also open the door to international sales, giving businesses a chance to establish themselves on a global scale. Building a Strong Digital Presence with a Magento Website A professional Magento website is more than just an online store—it is the foundation of your brand’s digital identity. With its robust architecture, Magento enables merchants to design fully customizable storefronts optimized for performance, security, and scalability. Responsive themes, advanced SEO capabilities, and seamless CMS integrations with platforms like WordPress or Joomla further enhance visibility and brand awareness. The platform’s flexibility means businesses can create tailored experiences that reflect their unique values. For example, retailers can design product pages that highlight specific features, incorporate multimedia, and provide in-depth product comparisons to help customers make informed decisions. A Magento website also supports advanced SEO features such as metadata customization, URL optimization, and structured data, all of which are crucial for ranking higher in search engines. By leveraging Magento’s flexibility, businesses can create a unique online experience that reflects their brand values while meeting customer expectations. This makes Magento an ideal choice for enterprises seeking to grow sustainably in a competitive environment. Improving Logistics and Customer Satisfaction with Shipping Integrations Efficient order fulfillment is a cornerstone of customer satisfaction. Magento’s integration with shipping carriers such as DHL, FedEx, or UPS simplifies logistics by automating tasks like generating shipping labels, calculating real-time rates, and tracking deliveries. This ensures transparency for customers while reducing errors and operational costs for merchants. For businesses managing a large volume of orders, shipping integrations can eliminate bottlenecks by streamlining workflows. Customers can receive accurate shipping estimates at checkout, which minimizes surprises and improves trust. Merchants also benefit from automated order tracking and the ability to provide real-time updates, which reduces the burden on customer support teams. Furthermore, businesses can expand their shipping capabilities by offering multiple delivery options, including express and international services, which helps improve customer trust and encourage repeat purchases. Conclusion Magento 2 continues to empower businesses by combining advanced features with powerful integration capabilities. From interactive popups to digital gift cards, marketplace expansion, and robust shipping solutions, merchants have countless tools at their disposal to optimize performance and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Building a reliable Magento website serves as the backbone of these efforts, ensuring scalability and adaptability in an ever-changing digital world. By investing in smart integrations and customer-focused enhancements, e-commerce businesses can unlock long-term growth and remain competitive in today’s global market. — This content is brought to you by Sky Link Building iStockPhoto The post Unlocking Growth with Magento 2: Essential Tools and Integrations for Modern E-Commerce appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Ben Jodway, Buckeye Flame Ohio’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws are beginning to shape the state’s economy as one organization decided to not host a conference in Cleveland that could have pulled thousands of attendees. The Plain Dealer first reported that the International Studies Association, a higher education organization of scholars in the field of international studies, sent a letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Aug. 22 to inform him that, unless Ohio’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws are reversed, it will no longer consider Cleveland as an option for a future conference. According to the letter, the annual conference brings 5,000 to 6,500 attendees from around the world. The organization was also concerned about Ohio legislators’ and DeWine’s support of the federal administration’s push to deploy the U.S. military in cities, said ISA Executive Director MJ Bosia in an email to The Buckeye Flame. “These actions have the potential to place our members at risk, and at the same time, for many members, recall their own struggles at home with anti-transgender policies and the militarization of their cities,” Bosia said. “We have seen how xenophobic enforcement policies have swept up foreign nationals, visa holders and U.S. citizens, including some who are LGBTQ+, in draconian expulsion and imprisonment policies.” DeWine’s office did not comment before publication. ISA will keep its 2026 conference in Columbus, a decision made eight years ago. However, ISA’s letter to DeWine noted that the contract for the venue includes a clause to protect their members from discrimination. If the members’ “rights are restricted” by the government or “other disruptions,” the contract could be canceled. “We do hope for a successful and productive convention in Columbus next year, and hope that you will do everything in your power to ensure that our attendees can enjoy Columbus, whatever region of the world they are from and without regard to their sexuality or gender identity,” the letter concludes. The decision to host the conference there was made in 2018, when Republican John Kasich was Ohio’s governor, Bosia said. To keep members safe, the ISA has an “online venue” attached so they can still engage with their colleagues. “As a global society of scholars, our mission is to ensure that our members can engage in research dialogues for the betterment of the world,” the ISA said in a statement. “With that responsibility, we must offer alternatives for our members in difficult times, but in planning for the future, we must do our best to ensure that all members can meet in the venue that provides them with the optimal ability to engage in dialogue and scholarship.” IGNITE ACTION More information on ISA’s 2026 convention in Columbus can be found here. To register to vote or to check your voter eligibility status in the state of Ohio, click here. To find contact information for your Ohio state representative, click here. To find contact information for your Ohio state senator, click here. To access an interactive map of Ohio’s state House and Senate districts, click here. — The Buckeye Flame is an online platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ Ohioans to support community and civic empowerment through the creation of engaging content that chronicles their triumphs, struggles, and lived experiences. *** Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating? Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching. Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing! *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: thebuckeyeflame/illustration by Ben Jodway The post Higher Ed Association Will No Longer Host Conferences in Ohio Due to State’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

The details remain “extremely confidential,” the French president said European countries are prepared to offer security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace deal between Kiev and Moscow is signed, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. He made the comments after months of debate within NATO about possible models for post-conflict Ukraine, which have coincided with US President Donald Trump’s renewed efforts to mediate a deal between Ukraine and Russia. “We Europeans are ready to offer security guarantees to Ukraine and its people on the day a peace deal is signed,” Macron said following a meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Paris on Wednesday. “The contributions prepared, documented, and confirmed this afternoon at the level of defense ministers, in an extremely confidential manner, allow me to state that the preparatory work is complete,” he added, without specifying the details. “We are ready for a robust peace and a lasting peace for Ukraine and for Europeans,” Macron said. Zelensky expressed confidence that “firm security guarantees” would be agreed during the meeting of Ukraine’s backers, known as the Coalition of the Willing, on Thursday. Kiev has been pressing the West to provide guarantees that could serve as a substitute for NATO’s collective defense after the US effectively blocked Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance. Several European nations, including France and the UK, have voiced readiness to deploy peacekeepers, while Germany recently said it has no such plans. Trump has also ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly warned that it would not tolerate NATO soldiers on Ukrainian soil, even under the guise of peacekeepers. President Vladimir Putin has listed an end to Western military aid to Kiev as one of the conditions for a ceasefire. View the full article