The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 376 - 400 of 2014
Founders are rethinking startup funding, and VC isn’t the default Venture capital may still dominate Silicon Valley headlines, but most early-stage founders aren’t relying on it to fund their businesses. A May 2025 Mercury survey of 1,500 U.S. entrepreneurs running companies less than six years old found that VC investment ranked only fifth among top funding sources, behind self-funding, business loans, revenue-based financing, and support from friends and family. In fact, Mercury reports tha...
The state of AI in sales in 2025 The strange thing about revolutions is that you often don't notice when you're in the middle of them. Consider the iPhone. When it first came out, many consumers thought it wasn't that big of a deal. (Investors felt the same — one even called it "dead on arrival.") But within weeks, that sleek little gadget stopped being a novelty and became a default. Most users now think in "iOS" — calendars, maps, messages, ideas — all neatly organized in their pockets. Apoll...
Oysters are breathing life into the Chesapeake Bay It would be a quiet and peaceful morning at the edge of the Choptank River in Cambridge, Maryland, if not for the forklifts racing around the pier, scraping 5-foot-tall metal cages along the ground as they go. It’s early May and the sun is just beginning to burn off the mid-morning haze, but the crew has been at it since dawn. Everyone is energized despite the early start, and rightfully so, because the cages are brimming with oysters bound f...
6 early crypto giveaways and what they're worth now With no real markets or user base, the first wave of cryptocurrencies needed a way to spread. The answer was simple: give the coins away. Faucets, airdrops and oddball promotions put tokens into people’s hands for free. Now, many of those giveaways rank among some of the most valuable windfalls in financial history. 6 incredible crypto giveaways From gaming tournaments to email signups, early crypto projects found creative ways to distribute t...
What is shadow AI? And how to move to strategic AI Shadow AI is the use of any AI tools without official approval, oversight, or governance. If your workplace culture (or even just some of your employees) operates under an "ask for forgiveness, not permission" model, that could mean people are trying things leadership doesn't know about. That instinct—to just go for it and deal with the fallout later—is fine when the stakes are relatively low. But when the stakes are high, that same ins...
How AI is transforming accounting Once synonymous with spreadsheets and manual ledger entries, the accounting profession is undergoing a radical shift. Artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping industries like healthcare, logistics and financial management. Initial fears that AI would eliminate accounting jobs overlooked its true potential. By automating repetitive tasks, AI allows accountants to focus on strategic, analytical, and advisory roles, making their work more engaging and...
Mind the Gap: Women spend over 50% more than men on mental health prescriptions Women face steeper out-of-pocket costs for mental health care than men. New data from GoodRx, a platform for medication savings, shows that women consistently spend over 50% more out of pocket on medications to treat their mental health. This spending gap is driven by higher healthcare utilization and higher rates of chronic stress among women due to a multitude of factors. Women disproportionately shoulder...
What happens if you stop paying your bills? Life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs. Financial hardship can strain your budget. You want to pay all your bills, and there's only so much money to go around. So you might have to make some choices about what gets paid now and what can wait until later. You have more control over your financial situation than you think. There are multiple pathways to a better financial future. The key is finding out what tools are available to you (and how...
Protect your business: How to avoid a lawsuit or getting sued The dream of owning and operating a small business can become a nightmare if you're hit with a lawsuit. Of all the tasks you take on to protect your business investment, NEXT says knowing how to avoid a lawsuit and what to do if you get sued are essential business skills for stability and growth. Businesses spend an average of $1.2 million annually fighting litigation, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Education and...
Back to school, back to the bus. Why that yellow ride still defines childhood You didn’t need an alarm clock. You had the school bus. And its arrival was unmistakable — the low diesel growl echoing down the block, the squeal of brakes, the faint smell of exhaust mixing with morning dew. Step inside and you were hit with the same sensory cocktail every kid knows: cracked Naugahyde seats sticky in summer, rattling windows that never quite shut, and the odd mystery gum fused under the bench sin...
Trump administration declares timber emergency after decades of employment decline in the industry Earlier this year, the Trump administration issued an executive order to increase timber production by at least 25%, citing wildfire risk reduction and economic development as the primary drivers behind the order. Whether President Donald Trump’s forest management policies will improve rural economies in communities formerly dependent on logging is a point of contention, however. The Daily Y...
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock Movies and TV shows casting in Huntsville The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which...
How much does it cost to install kitchen cabinets in 2025? A kitchen needs storage as much as appliances, so it’s reasonable to expect that when the time comes to add, update, or outright replace the cabinetry in the heart of your home, there’ll be a literal price to pay. As with any question of home improvement pricing, there’s a spectrum of costs to consider when installing kitchen cabinets. How much you’re willing to spend is just one of many factors that influence the final total. Rather...
Aerial view of Madison city downtown in summertime. marchello74 // Shutterstock Best-run cities in America Cities and towns throughout the United States vary drastically in terms of how well they are managed and operated on a daily and yearly basis. Those that work efficiently and effectively usually have stronger economies, lower crime rates, and higher median annual incomes. However, it's important to note that tried-and-true strategies for city management could soon change. A 2025 report...
Grusho Anna // Shutterstock Movies and TV shows casting in Birmingham The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which...
What is Agentic AI? And how you can start using it Agentic AI is a system made up of multiple, connected AI agents working together to autonomously carry out complex, multi-step goals with minimal human involvement. Agentic AI is the latest attempt to create a framework for what AI tools would look like and how they could safely operate. Here, Zapier explores what agentic AI is, how it works, and some real-world examples of agentic AI workflows you can start experimenting with today. What is...
Can family caregivers get paid through Medicaid? When a relative can no longer shower safely or forgets to take their medications, you may step in to provide care. As a family caregiver, you may assist with bathing, dressing, and eating. These tasks are known as activities of daily living (ADLs). Caregivers may also help with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping. About 1 in 4 Americans serves as a family caregiver. That’s about 63 million p...
Texas passed a Bible-themed curriculum. But many districts aren’t using it This coming school year, the Fairfield, Texas, school district, about halfway between Dallas and Houston, will roll out a new K-5 reading program that includes multiple biblical references, The 74 reports. But the staff, hoping to avoid debates over families’ religious beliefs, has chopped roughly 30 sections out of the curriculum, including a kindergarten lesson on the Golden Rule featuring Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and...
How is severance pay taxed: 2025 guide Hearing the words, "you're being laid off," can bring on one of the worst feelings in the world. After all, if you're like most people, you probably count on your job to provide you with a paycheck, not to mention health insurance and other valuable benefits. Without work, you may fear you'll end up borrowing and needing debt relief down the line. When you find yourself in this tough situation, you have a lot of practical things to think about, including fi...
What a Fed rate cut could mean for your wallet Eight times a year, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve meets to assess the economy and determine whether it should adjust the federal funds rate. That may not sound like something that would affect you, but it certainly does. The Fed’s benchmark rate is used by banks when they borrow and lend money to one another overnight, and the domino effect impacts everything from how much it costs to finance a car to how much i...
Costs of extreme weather: How to stay powered and protected year-round Extreme weather events can come with a hefty price tag. From power outages and frozen pipes to spoiled food and damaged electronics, the costs of being unprepared can add up quickly. Whether it’s a summer heatwave, a winter blizzard, or a powerful hurricane, these events can disrupt daily life and create unexpected expenses. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 28.3% or 1 in 4 households will experience a power outage in a year. T...
How to start a rental property business: A complete step-by-step guide Starting a rental property business sounds exciting. It can lead to steady monthly income and a chance to build financial freedom for generations. But let’s be real; most people who talk about buying real estate get stuck before even acquiring their first property. It isn’t easy, and the process can be intimidating. From establishing the right legal structures to securing financing and ensuring tenant occupancy, the pro...
Smart home facial recognition: How it works and what to know Your front door’s new digital bouncer Imagine this: You’re juggling groceries, your toddler’s backpack, and your phone is somewhere in the abyss of your bag. As you walk up to your front door, it scans your face and clicks open. No keys, no codes, no hands. Just a glance. This isn’t science fiction. Thanks to advances in facial recognition technology and edge computing, your smart home now has a new kind of welcome mat. Facial recogni...
It's back-to-school time: Home maintenance for busy families The back-to-school season is a busy time for families, from having to gather school supplies to figuring out a new schedule for picking up and dropping off kids. As summer comes to a close, it’s also an important time for home maintenance tasks due to seasonal weather. Certain tasks are crucial to ensuring that your home and its systems continue working as expected to help avoid costly repairs. This home maintenance checklist from H...
America’s nostalgia economy lifts sales of music, games and more From classic rock vinyl to anime-inspired video games, collectibles are enjoying a resurgence. Fueled by fandom, nostalgia, and even social media buzz, buyers are seeking out physical media and memorabilia — and increasingly finding them on digital marketplaces. Analysts estimate the global collectibles market has topped $496 billion in 2025, driven by cross-generational appeal, scarcity, and the thrill of the hunt. The U.S. col...
