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Tag: money

  • Berkshire Cash Sets Record as Profit Rises, Signaling Caution Ahead of Buffett Exit

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    Berkshire Hathaway signaled on Saturday that it remained cautious about markets, letting cash swell to a record $381.7 billion even as profit rose, in its last financial report before Warren Buffett bows out as chief executive.

    For a 12th straight quarter, Buffett’s conglomerate sold more stocks than it bought for its $283.2 billion equity portfolio, whose holdings include Apple and American Express.

    Berkshire also did not repurchase any of its own stock, the fifth straight quarter without buybacks, though its stock price has significantly lagged the broader market.

    Lower insurance losses helped boost third-quarter operating profit 34 percent to $13.49 billion, topping analyst forecasts, while net income grew 17 percent to $30.8 billion.

    But revenue grew just 2 percent, slower than the overall U.S. economy’s growth rate.

    Economic uncertainty and waning consumer confidence have been drags, Berkshire said, stalling sales growth at the Clayton Homes homebuilder and reducing revenue from Duracell batteries, Fruit of the Loom apparel and Squishmallows toymaker Jazwares.

    “Berkshire, which is often considered a microcosm of the U.S. economy, isn’t even keeping up,” said Cathy Seifert, a CFRA Research analyst with a “hold” rating on Berkshire. “Investors will struggle to find a catalyst for this stock.”

    Buffett preparing to bow out, Abel to take over

    Buffett, 95, is letting cash build up as he prepares to end his six-decade tenure as chief executive at the end of the year.

    Vice Chairman Greg Abel, 63, will succeed the legendary investor, though Buffett will remain chairman.

    Abel is known as a more hands-on manager than Buffett.

    It is unclear what he will do with Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire’s cash, with options potentially including paying the $1.03 trillion conglomerate’s first dividend since 1967.

    Berkshire is planning to use $9.7 billion of cash to buy Occidental Petroleum’s OxyChem chemicals business, a transaction announced on October 2.

    James Shanahan, an Edward Jones analyst who upgraded his Berkshire rating to “buy” in September, said the company’s resistance to spending more cash during this year’s market rally has been disappointing.

    “If you feel like stocks are expensive, including your own shares, you’re eventually going to be right, but you can be wrong for a long time, and that’s what happened here,” he said.

    Net income rises, helped by gains on stocks

    The $13.49 billion quarterly operating profit, or about $9,376 per Class A share, grew from $10.09 billion a year earlier. Currency fluctuations accounted for more than two-fifths of the increase.

    Results benefited in part from an absence of major catastrophes such as hurricanes.

    But the Geico car insurer reported lower gains as it spent more, possibly on advertising, to acquire new policies.

    Insurance will likely face headwinds as falling interest rates reduce income from Berkshire’s cash holdings, which also occurred in the third quarter.

    The BNSF railroad boosted profit 6 percent, citing lower fuel costs and “improved employee productivity.”

    Meanwhile, a 9 percent drop in profit at Berkshire Hathaway Energy reflected legal bills from wildfires, and higher costs from natural gas pipelines and Northern Powergrid in Britain.

    Berkshire is still evaluating how U.S. President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in July might affect the viability of its renewable energy projects.

    The $30.8 billion of net income, or $21,413 per Class A share, rose from $26.25 billion a year earlier.

    Net results include gains and losses on stocks Berkshire is not selling. This adds volatility, and Buffett believes such results are useless in understanding his company.

    Stock price lags broader market

    Investors have voted their apprehension about Berkshire’s outlook and pending management change by selling its stock.

    Since Buffett announced on May 3 he would step down, Berkshire’s stock price has fallen 12 percent, and trailed the Standard & Poor’s 500 by 32 percentage points.

    For all of 2025, Berkshire is 11 percentage points behind the index.

    “Impatient investors feel an urgent need for Berkshire to deploy its cash, and have been casting their nets elsewhere,” said Tom Russo, a partner at Gardner Russo & Quinn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which invests $10 billion.

    Russo has owned Berkshire stock since 1982 and said Berkshire remains “extremely well-positioned” for the long term.

    “Berkshire isn’t going to deploy capital that won’t increase intrinsic value on a per share basis,” he said. “Knowing that guides Berkshire means investors won’t have to second-guess it.”

    The conglomerate owns close to 200 businesses that also include chemical and industrial companies, and familiar consumer brands such as Dairy Queen and See’s Candies.

    It has not made a huge acquisition since paying $32.1 billion for aerospace parts maker Precision Castparts in 2016.

    “Abel has a tremendous opportunity,” Shanahan said. “He has a lot of available cash and by all accounts he is an excellent operator, so he may want to deploy capital in Berkshire’s operating businesses to improve their performance.”

    Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Alden Bentley, Joe Bavier and Franklin Paul

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    Reuters

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  • In U.S. First, New Mexico Launches Free Child Care for All

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    New Mexico became on Saturday the first U.S. state to offer free child care to all residents in a bid to boost its economy and lift education and child welfare levels ranked the worst in the country.

    Under the program, families, regardless of income, can receive state vouchers to cover public and private child care fees. It culminates efforts New Mexico has made to expand access to free child care since the governor and state legislature created the Early Childhood Education and Care Department in 2019.

    The launch comes as other Democratic-run states, cities and counties eye a step popular among working families. Connecticut recently passed a bill making child care free for those families earning under $100,000 per year and no more than 7 percent of income for those earning more. New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has proposed no-cost universal child care.

    Big savings for families

    Taos special education teacher Allyson O’Brien expects to save around $12,000 a year in child care bills for her son Otis, who is nearly 2-1/2. She and her husband Shawn O’Kelly, a truck driver, earn a fraction above New Mexico’s previous income cap for free child care, which was about $129,000 per year for their family of four.

    “We’ll be able to go on vacation, we won’t have to decide what bills we’re going to pay, like, are we going to do propane or the mortgage?” O’Brien said.

    To achieve a fully universal system, New Mexico must create nearly 14,000 more child care slots and recruit 5,000 educators, according to its Democratic-run government. The state is establishing a $12.7 million low-interest loan fund to construct and expand child care facilities. It is also increasing reimbursement rates to providers that pay entry-level staff a minimum of $18 per hour, above the state’s $12 hourly minimum wage, and offer full-time care.

    Alison McPartlon, director of the University of New Mexico-Taos Kids’ Campus child care center, said her waiting list is so long some children do not get in before they start kindergarten. She said higher reimbursement rates will help her retain and recruit educators.

    “There will be more centers coming up,” said McPartlon, describing the shift to universal child care as “incredible.”

    Addressing poverty

    New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham told reporters child care was “the backbone of creating a system of support for families that allows them to work, to go to college, to do all the things they need to do to continue to lift New Mexico out of poverty.”

    Nearly 18 percent of New Mexicans live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census, making it one of the poorest states. Slightly larger in area than the United Kingdom, with only 2.1 million people,

    The state will fund universal child care, estimated to cost $600 million annually, largely with interest from its Early Childhood Education and Care Fund. The fund has grown to around $10 billion primarily from oil and gas taxes since it was set up in 2020.

    The sector generates about half of total state revenue.

    It will also draw from another large trust fund and seek appropriations from the Democratic-controlled state legislature.

    Research shows quality child care lifts education outcomes, especially among low-income families, according to Philip Fisher, a professor of early childhood learning at Stanford University.

    Reading levels of New Mexican students fall far below the national average when children are first tested around age 8 or 9, according to studies by Neal Halfon, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles.

    The Annie E. Casey Foundation has, for years, ranked New Mexico last among states in both education and child well-being.

    New Mexico joins countries such as Norway and Belgium that offer free universal child care for children under 3, and Bulgaria, where early childhood education is free for all children until elementary school. New Mexico is going further by offering no-cost child care for children up to age 13.

    Critics such as New Mexico State Representative Rebecca Dow, a Republican, say families should be given a choice between a monthly $1,200 state tax credit for a parent to stay home with a child – the equivalent cost of state-funded child care – or free child care. She said research showed the best place for a young child was at home in a healthy, safe household. Dow, the founder of a daycare center, supports targeted state-funded care where that is not the case.

    “Why not try a conservative approach of an equal tax credit for mom to be home?” said Dow, who sees a shortage of daycare slots hampering the universal program. “There is no capacity. People are going to be disappointed.”

    Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; editing by Donna Bryson and Rod Nickel

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    Reuters

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  • Commentary: Payback? Power grab? Proposition 50 is California’s political ink-blot test

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    When it comes to Proposition 50, Marcia Owens is a bit fuzzy on the details.

    She knows, vaguely, it has something to do with how California draws the boundaries for its 52 congressional districts, a convoluted and arcane process that’s not exactly top of the mind for your average person. But Owens is abundantly clear when it comes to her intent in Tuesday’s special election.

    “I’m voting to take power out of Trump’s hands and put it back in the hands of the people,” said Owens, 48, a vocational nurse in Riverside. “He’s making a lot of illogical decisions that are really wreaking havoc on our country. He’s not putting our interests first, making sure that an individual has food on the table, they can pay their rent, pay electric bills, pay for healthcare.”

    Peter Arensburger, a fellow Democrat who also lives in Riverside, was blunter still.

    President Trump, said the 55-year-old college professor, “is trying to rule as a dictator” and Republicans are doing absolutely nothing to stop him.

    So, Arensburger said, California voters will do it for them.

    Or at least try.

    “It’s a false equivalency,” he said, “to say that we need to do everything on an even keel in California, but Texas” — which redrew its political map to boost Republicans — “can do whatever they want.”

    Proposition 50, which aims to deliver Democrats at least five more House seats in the 2026 midterm election, is either righteous payback or a grubby power grab.

    A reasoned attempt to even things out in response to Texas’ attempt to nab five more congressional seats. Or a ruthless gambit to drive the California GOP to near-extinction.

    It all depends on your perspective.

    Above all, Proposition 50 has become a political ink-blot test; what many California voters see depends on, politically, where they stand.

    Mary Ann Rounsavall thinks the measure is “horrible,” because that’s how the Fontana retiree feels about its chief proponent, Gavin Newsom.

    “He’s a jerk,” the 75-year-old Republican fairly spat, as if the act of forming the governor’s name left a bad taste in her mouth. “No one believes anything he says.”

    Timothy, a fellow Republican who withheld his last name to avoid online trolls, echoed the sentiment.

    “It’s just Gavin Newsom playing political games,” said the 39-year-old warehouse manager, who commutes from West Covina to his job at a plumbing supplier in Ontario. “They always talk about Trump. ‘Trump, Trump, Trump.’ Get off of Trump. I’ve been hearing this crap ever since he started running.”

    Riverside and San Bernardino counties form the heart of the Inland Empire. The next-door neighbors are politically purple: more Republican than the state as a whole, but not as conservative as California’s more rural reaches. That means neither party has an upper hand, a parity reflected in dozens of interviews with voters across the sprawling region.

    On a recent smoggy morning, the hulking San Bernardino Mountains veiled by a gray-brown haze, Eric Lawson paused to offer his thoughts.

    The 66-year-old independent has no use for politicians of any stripe. “They’re all crooks,” he said. “All of them.”

    Lawson called Proposition 50 a waste of time and money.

    Gerrymandering — the dark art of drawing political lines to benefit one party over another — is, as he pointed out, hardly new. (In fact, the term is rooted in the name of Elbridge Gerry, one of the nation’s founders.)

    What has Lawson particularly steamed is the cost of “this stupid election,” which is pushing $300 million.

    “We talk and talk and talk and we print money for all this talk,” said Lawson, who lives in Ontario and consults in the auto industry. “But that money doesn’t go where it’s supposed to go.”

    Although sentiments were evenly split in those several dozen conversations, all indications suggest that Proposition 50 is headed toward passage Tuesday, possibly by a wide margin. After raising a tidal wave of cash, Newsom last week told small donors that’s enough, thanks. The opposition has all but given up and resigned itself to defeat.

    It comes down to math. Proposition 50 has become a test of party muscle and a talisman of partisan faith and California has a lot more Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents than Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.

    Andrea Fisher, who opposes the initiative, is well aware of that fact. “I’m a conservative,” she said, “in a state that’s not very conservative.”

    She has come to accept that reality, but fears things will get worse if Democrats have their way and slash California’s already-scanty Republican ranks on Capitol Hill. Among those targeted for ouster is Ken Calvert, a 16-term GOP incumbent who represents a good slice of Riverside County.

    “I feel like it’s going to eliminate my voice,” said Fisher, 48, a food server at her daughter’s school in Riverside. “If I’m 40% of the vote” — roughly the percentage Trump received statewide in 2024 — “then we in that population should have fair representation. We’re still their constituents.” (In Riverside County, Trump edged Kamala Harris 49% to 48%.)

    Amber Pelland says Proposition 50 will hurt voters by putting redistricting back into the hands of politicians.

    (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

    Amber Pelland, 46, who works in the nonprofit field in Corona, feels by “sticking it to Trump” — a tagline in one of the TV ads supporting Proposition 50 — voters will be sticking it to themselves. Passage would erase the political map drawn by an independent commission, which voters empowered in 2010 for the express purpose of wrestling redistricting away from self-dealing lawmakers in Washington and Sacramento.

    “I don’t care if you hate the person or don’t hate the person,” said Pelland, a Republican who backs the president. “It’s just going to hurt voters by taking the power away from the people.”

    Even some backers of Proposition 50 flinched at the notion of sidelining the redistricting commission and undoing its painstaking, nonpartisan work. What helps make it palatable, they said, is the requirement — written into the ballot measure — that congressional redistricting will revert to the commission after the 2030 census, when California’s next set of congressional maps is due to be drafted.

    “I’m glad that it’s temporary because I don’t think redistricting should be done in order to give one political party greater power over another,” said Carole, a Riverside Democrat. “I think it’s something that should be decided over a long period and not in a rush.” (She also withheld her last name so her husband, who serves in the community, wouldn’t be hassled for her opinion.)

    Texas, Carole suggested, has forced California to act because of its extreme action, redistricting at mid-decade at Trump’s command. “It’s important to think about the country as a whole,” said the 51-year-old academic researcher, “and to respond to what’s being done, especially with the pressure coming from the White House.”

    Felise Self-Visnic, a 71-year-old retired schoolteacher, agreed.

    She was shopping at a Trader Joe’s in Riverside in an orange ball cap that read “Human-Kind (Be Both).” Back home, in her garage-door window, is a poster that reads “No Kings.”

    She described Proposition 50 as a stopgap measure that will return power to the commission once the urgency of today’s political upheaval has passed. But even if that wasn’t the case, the Democrat said, she would still vote in favor.

    “Anything,” Self-Visnic said, “to fight fascism, which is where we’re heading.”

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    Mark Z. Barabak

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  • Families sue Adams County jail for prohibiting visits while earning $3 million on jail phone calls

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    A handful of Colorado families sued the Adams County Sheriff’s Office this week for refusing to allow in-person jail visits and instead requiring inmates and family members to pay for phone and video calls through a system that has, in five years, put $3.1 million into the sheriff’s coffers.

    The lawsuit is focused on visits between parents and children, and argues that prohibiting in-person contact between parents and their kids is both a violation of their constitutional rights and likely to cause long-term harm to everyone involved. The proposed class-action case includes both minor children who want to visit their incarcerated fathers, and mothers who want to visit their incarcerated sons.

    “They’ve denied children the right to have contact visits with their parents, to be hugged by them, to look them in the eyes, to have the in-person relationship that is so necessary, especially for a child’s healthy development,” said Dan Meyer, litigation and policy director at Spero Justice Center, one of several organizations involved in the lawsuit.

    The Colorado case is the third lawsuit filed as part of a recent nationwide effort to force jails to allow in-person family visits.

    Adams County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Shea Haney declined to comment on the lawsuit.

    The plaintiffs include 4- and 6-year-old siblings in Adams County who have not been able to visit their father since he was jailed in February, as well as a 9-year-old boy whose stepfather was jailed from June to October.

    “To have to tell my child he wasn’t allowed to go see his dad, it was just really painful,” said Autumn Ray, mother of the 9-year-old boy.

    She spent as much as $400 a month on calls to the jail during her husband’s incarceration, she said. A phone call to the jail currently costs 15 cents a minute, while video calls cost 20 cents a minute, according to the lawsuit.

    Ray’s calls to the jail routinely stretched over an hour, she said, in part because the system for making calls often did not work, so she and her husband, whom she declined to name, would have more to catch up on when they could connect. The parents decided that spending the money on the phone calls was necessary as their son struggled with his dad’s absence, she said.

    “His dad and I talked and decided it was worth using some of our savings for him to still be able to talk to his dad on the phone, because otherwise the full brunt of parenting a neurodivergent, grief-stricken child was fully on me,” she said.

    The lawsuit alleges that the sheriff’s office is denying in-person visits to ramp up profits from the video and phone calls, and notes that the Colorado Supreme Court ordered the Adams County sheriff to allow in-person jail visits in 1978 — an order they say still stands. The jail has rooms dedicated to such visits that are going unused, the lawsuit alleges.

    The jail has not allowed in-person visits for family and friends since at least 2006, and stopped offering free video calls at kiosks in its lobby in 2020, according to the complaint.

    The jail now uses a company called HomeWAV to allow video and phone calls between inmates and their friends and family. The arrangement calls for the sheriff’s office to receive at least 40% of video call money and 80% of phone call money, according to the lawsuit.

    The sheriff’s office has received $3.1 million under the contract since 2020, while HomeWAV has earned about $1.7 million, according to the complaint.

    Colorado sheriffs have in the past cited staffing shortages and concerns about contraband as reasons not to allow in-person family visits. Meyer said those concerns can be overcome, and noted that in-person visits are allowed in one of Denver’s jails.

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  • Scenic Trails and Wellness Benefits for Outdoor Enthusiasts

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    Key Takeaways

    • Scenic trails support cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and whole-body physical wellness, allowing for adaptable routines that suit users of all activity levels.
    • Time spent outdoors can reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression while increasing happiness and mindfulness—key contributors to long-term well-being.
    • Trails bring people together, creating opportunities for socialization, inclusivity, and stronger communities through group hikes and shared outdoor experiences.
    • Conservation is advanced through responsible trail use and maintenance, which safeguards wildlife and natural habitats for future generations to enjoy.
    • Trail-based tourism boosts local economies by attracting visitors, generating jobs, and supporting small businesses that rely on outdoor recreation.

    Exploring scenic trails offers adventure, tranquility, and wellness for outdoor lovers. These paths wind through diverse landscapes like forests, mountains, lakeshores, and parks, encouraging physical activity and mental clarity. They also foster connections with nature and others, sharing curiosity and wonder beyond daily routines. Whether your trek takes place on rugged mountain routes or accessible urban paths, the journey is further enriched by immersing yourself in guided hiking tours in Utah and other unique natural wonders. Embarking on such journeys means embracing both personal growth and community bonds—immersion into the outdoors fosters not only fitness but also a renewed perspective on life itself.

    Trails provide more than exercise—they offer mental refuge, a break from stresses, digital disconnection, and community building. They foster environmental stewardship and, through well-designed trails, improve individual lives while benefiting neighborhoods and communities.

    Physical Health Benefits

    Regular trail activity, from brisk walking to challenging hikes, boosts cardiovascular endurance and fitness. It targets different muscles, increasing flexibility and coordination through movements like climbing and descending slopes. The varied terrains—gentle inclines, shaded forests, rocky climbs, and switchbacks—engage stabilizing muscles, improving balance and agility. Moderate hiking benefits the heart, regulates blood pressure, and strengthens legs, back, and core, supporting lifelong mobility. Hiking is a top full-body exercise, offering aerobic and resistance training. Regular trail walks enhance stamina, posture, and sleep, demonstrating the benefits of outdoor activity.

    Mental Well-Being

    Getting away from city noise and digital distractions benefits mental health. Natural landscapes with fresh air, sunlight, and peaceful sounds reduce stress hormones and alleviate tension and anxiety. Trails boost emotional resilience, creativity, and mindfulness. Green spaces improve mood and lower depression risk, as research shows. Outdoor activities increase clarity and revitalization. Disconnecting from screens and engaging with nature helps manage the pressures of modern life, making outdoor time vital for overall wellness.

    Social Connections

    Trails are vital social spaces that foster connections among hikers, families, and group leaders from all backgrounds. Whether at community hikes, charity walks, or informal sharing, participants benefit from positive interactions that combat isolation. Group activities promote teamwork, communication, and a sense of belonging, bridging generational and cultural gaps—grandparents with grandchildren or newcomers with residents—while engaging in healthy pursuits. The rise of hiking clubs and outdoor meetups shows their power to create lasting friendships and community bonds. Everyone, regardless of experience or ability, can enjoy the supportive, inclusive environment that turns outdoor outings into meaningful connections.

    Environmental Conservation

    Beyond personal wellness, responsible trail use is vital for environmental stewardship. Well-maintained trails protect landscapes, prevent erosion, and support habitat connectivity. They help channel human impact, letting ecosystems regenerate. Educated outdoor enthusiasts who follow “Leave No Trace” principles are more likely to protect native environments. By staying on trails, reducing waste, and respecting guidelines, users aid conservation. Community projects and volunteer efforts deepen commitment to preserving wild places. Thus, outdoor recreation raises awareness about environmental issues and encourages stewardship globally.

    Economic Impact

    Trail activities impact economies beyond recreation, attracting millions to scenic trails in cities and remote areas. They support local businesses like outdoor retailers, restaurants, lodging, and tours. Well-developed trails boost demand for rentals, guides, and retreats, fostering entrepreneurship and jobs. Washington state alone reports over $8.2 billion in annual economic contributions from outdoor recreation, as detailed by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. This dynamic sector not only increases tax revenue and local spending, but also encourages further investment in trail maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, and environmental education programs. The overall improvement in quality of life, through enhanced outdoor amenities, benefits residents and visitors alike, supporting healthier and more vibrant communities.

    Accessibility and Inclusivity

    Progressive trail design makes outdoor experiences accessible for all, reflecting societal commitment to inclusivity. Modern trails feature paved surfaces, accessible restrooms, tactile wayfinding, shaded seating, and safety features. These accommodations help everyone, including those with mobility issues or families with strollers, enjoy outdoor recreation. Prioritizing inclusivity through universal design opens opportunities for underserved communities to benefit from nature. Partnering with disability advocates, translating signage, and community outreach further increase participation, ensuring the health and wellness benefits of trails are available to everyone.

    Safety Considerations

    Preparing for a trail outing boosts safety and enjoyment by preventing injuries and ensuring a positive experience. Hikers should check the weather, wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes, and pack water, snacks, and emergency supplies. Knowing the route’s length, terrain, and difficulty helps set realistic expectations and avoid risks. Sharing plans, carrying a map or GPS, and checking trail advisories are key safety steps. Follow guidelines for wildlife and keep pets leashed and waste managed. Proper preparation and common sense make outdoor adventures safe and memorable.

    Conclusion

    Scenic trails are vital for promoting wellness, fostering community, and preserving the environment. Choosing to walk, bike, run, or hike on trails invests in health, connects people, and supports ecosystems. They improve the quality of life and help preserve natural and social resources for future generations. Trails are accessible to all, enabling us to explore new landscapes, achieve personal goals, and maintain outdoor spaces that benefit both people and the planet.

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    Robert

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  • Why Quality Writing Still Needs a Human Touch

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    AI tools have made writing faster than ever. You can rewrite, shorten, and polish text in seconds. It feels like magic sometimes. But here’s the truth – good writing still needs a human touch. Machines can help shape words but they cannot think or connect the way people do.

    Let us talk about how AI tools can help and where human writers still matter the most.

    AI Tools Are Helpful – But Limited

    A paraphrasing tool can make your sentences smoother. A summarizer can turn long paragraphs into short notes. A grammar checker fixes errors you might miss. Even a word counter helps you stay within limits for essays or blogs.

    These tools are helpful for editing and structure. They save time. But they don’t understand the purpose behind your message. They don’t feel emotion. They can’t decide what tone fits your readers best. This is something only a human can do.

    When you read a heartfelt story, it is not the grammar that moves you. It’s the voice. It’s the emotion between the lines – something no machine can copy perfectly.

    Why the Human Voice Still Matters

    Now think about the last article that really caught your attention. Maybe it made you smile or rethink something. That spark comes from human connection.

    An AI system can imitate tone but does not truly understand your emotion or intent. It does not know the pressure of meeting deadlines or the frustration of rewriting the same line ten times. Writers do know that. Readers can feel it too.

    A human writer decides what to keep and what to cut. They choose words with care. They know when silence speaks louder than paragraphs. That’s what gives writing life.

    How to Use AI Tools the Smart Way

    AI isn’t the enemy of good writing. It’s a partner – if used wisely.

    Here’s how to make it work for you:

    1. Start with your own draft. Get your thoughts out first. Don’t rely on tools to do the thinking.
    2. Use a paraphrasing tool to reword sentences that sound repetitive. But always read the result and fix awkward phrasing manually.
    3. You can run a grammar checker to clean up spelling and punctuation. Keep your tone natural even if the tool suggests changes.
    4. Use a summarizer when editing long sections. It helps you see what’s essential and what can go.
    5. Check the length with a word counter. It helps you stay concise and focused.
    6. Finally, use an AI detector if you’ve used AI tools heavily. It shows how human your text sounds. You can edit based on that result to bring your own tone back.

    The key is to guide the tools – not let them guide you.

    The Real Secret to Good Writing

    Good writing is not about perfect grammar. It is about clarity and honesty. Readers care more about meaning than structure. That’s why a real person’s voice always wins.

    AI tools can check structure. Humans give it soul. Together, they make writing faster and sharper – but the spark always comes from you.

    So use your tools, but keep your instincts strong. The best writers in 2025 won’t be the ones with the fanciest tech. They’ll be the ones who use it wisely – and still sound human.

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    Robert

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  • Maximizing Business Efficiency through Offshore Staffing

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    In today’s fast-changing business world, efficiency is the key to staying ahead. Many companies struggle with high labor costs, skill shortages, and growing competition. Offshore staffing offers a smart solution by connecting businesses with skilled global talent at a lower cost.

    This approach not only boosts productivity but also helps companies focus on growth and innovation. By building teams overseas, businesses gain access to a wider pool of experts ready to deliver results. Discover how offshore staffing can transform your operations and drive long-term success-read on to learn more.

    What Is Offshore Staffing?

    Offshore staffing lets companies hire full-time employees from another country. These workers focus only on your business while an offshore provider manages hiring, HR, payroll, and compliance. You stay in control of daily work while saving time and effort.

    Unlike outsourcing, offshore staffing builds long-term teams, rather than managing short-term projects. Your offshore team becomes part of your company, sharing the same goals and values. This helps create better teamwork and smoother operations.

    With an offshore team, your business can grow faster and spend less. You can scale up easily without big investments in offices or local hiring. It’s a smart, cost-efficient way to stay competitive and focused on growth.

    Key Benefits of Offshore Staffing

    Offshore staffing helps businesses grow faster while reducing costs. It gives access to skilled global talent and supports flexible scaling. This strategy boosts efficiency and keeps companies competitive in a global market.

    Cost Savings

    Businesses save money by hiring skilled workers from countries with lower living costs. This helps reduce expenses on salaries, benefits, and operations. The savings can then be reinvested to grow the business.

    Access to Skilled Professionals

    Offshore staffing connects companies to a wide pool of qualified experts. These professionals specialize in IT, finance, customer service, and other key fields. It allows businesses to fill skill gaps quickly and effectively.

    Scalability

    Companies can easily adjust team sizes based on workload or project needs. This flexibility helps manage costs while maintaining efficiency. It’s a simple way to scale operations without long-term commitments.

    Time Zone Advantage

    Offshore teams keep your business running even after your local office closes. This creates a 24/7 work cycle that boosts productivity. Projects move faster, and clients receive support around the clock.

    Reduced Administrative Burden

    The offshore provider handles hiring, onboarding, and payroll for your team. This reduces stress and paperwork for your internal staff. It lets your company focus more on strategy and core goals.

    Why Offshore Staffing Boosts Business Efficiency

    Efficiency is about achieving maximum results with minimal effort and resources. Offshore staffing enhances efficiency in three major ways: cost optimization, workforce flexibility, and operational continuity.

    1. Cost Optimization without Compromise

    Hiring locally can be expensive, especially for specialized roles. Offshore staffing allows companies to save significantly while maintaining quality. These savings can fund innovation, marketing, or business growth.

    2. Workforce Flexibility and Scalability

    Offshore staffing makes it easy to adjust your team based on demand. You can scale up during busy seasons and reduce staff when operations slow. This flexibility keeps your business efficient and focused on growth.

    3. Operational Continuity and 24/7 Productivity

    Time zone differences become an advantage with offshore teams. Work continues around the clock, boosting productivity and ensuring quick responses. This nonstop workflow strengthens efficiency and customer satisfaction.

    Choosing the Right Offshore Staffing Partner

    Choosing the right partner is the key to successful offshore staffing. A good provider offers more than cost savings-they bring skill, reliability, and smooth communication. The best partners understand your industry, have strong systems, and keep communication open and clear.

    Focus on experience, secure systems, and regular updates. Reliable partners also train and support their teams, improving performance and morale. This ensures your offshore team works at the same high level as your local staff.

    A great example is Oworkers-visit https://oworkers.com/offshore-staffing-co-sourcing-services/. Oworkers builds skilled offshore teams for data management, customer support, and content moderation. Their co-sourcing model connects offshore and local teams, creating an efficient, aligned, and scalable workforce.

    The Offshore Staffing Process: How It Works

    Building an offshore team follows a clear and organized process. It is designed to ensure efficiency, transparency, and control. Here’s how it usually works.

    1. Consultation and Planning

    You begin by outlining your staffing goals and required roles. The offshore provider helps design job descriptions and team structures. Together, you set a clear plan that matches your business needs.

    2. Recruitment and Selection

    The provider finds and screens qualified candidates based on your standards. You can interview and choose the best people for your team. This process ensures that each hire aligns with your company’s values and goals.

    3. Onboarding and Integration

    New hires receive training to match your tools, systems, and culture. They start working with your team using shared platforms. This creates a smooth and connected workflow from day one.

    4. Operations and Management

    The provider manages HR, IT, payroll, and compliance tasks. You focus on guiding your team’s projects and goals. This setup keeps work efficient and distraction-free.

    5. Continuous Improvement

    Regular reviews help track performance and spot areas to improve. The provider ensures quality and consistency across all operations. This process keeps your offshore team aligned and growing with your business.

    Offshore Staffing vs. Traditional Outsourcing

    Offshore staffing and outsourcing may look alike, but they work differently. In offshore staffing, you manage your team’s daily work and performance. In outsourcing, the provider handles the whole process and gives you the finished results.

    With offshore staffing, you build a dedicated team that works like part of your company. They follow your culture, values, and work standards. This setup helps build trust, consistency, and better teamwork.

    Offshore staffing is also more flexible and easier to scale than outsourcing. You can grow or adjust your team anytime to match your business needs. It gives you more control, transparency, and lasting quality.

    Industries Benefiting from Offshore Staffing

    Offshore staffing isn’t just for tech companies-it helps many industries grow. In IT, skilled professionals from countries like India and the Philippines manage software, security, and support. This gives companies access to top talent while keeping costs low.

    Other fields like finance, healthcare, and e-commerce also benefit. Offshore teams manage records, billing, listings, and logistics efficiently. These teams help businesses run smoothly and stay efficient.

    With offshore staffing, companies save money and work faster. It lets them focus on strategy, innovation, and customers instead of routine tasks. This approach gives businesses the flexibility and reach to grow in today’s global market.

    Overcoming Common Offshore Staffing Challenges

    Offshore staffing brings many benefits but also needs good management to handle challenges. Time zones and cultural differences can cause issues, but clear rules and shared work hours help teams stay connected. Regular communication keeps both local and offshore teams working smoothly.

    Maintaining quality is just as important. Setting clear goals and checking performance often helps keep work on track. A trusted partner ensures smooth processes and high standards.

    Data security is also key to offshore success. Working with providers that follow strong cybersecurity and global standards like GDPR or ISO keeps data safe. Recognizing and supporting offshore employees keeps them motivated and loyal.

    The Future of Offshore Staffing

    The global workforce is changing fast. With remote work and new technology, offshore staffing is now more important than ever. As more companies move to hybrid and global teams, offshore staffing helps them grow faster and stay efficient.

    New trends are shaping how offshore staffing works today. AI tools now help speed up hiring and find the right people faster. Cloud-based tools also make it easier for global teams to communicate and stay organized.

    Co-sourcing models give companies more control while still gaining offshore support. At the same time, there’s a stronger focus on ethical and eco-friendly work practices. Companies that follow these trends can work smarter, stay flexible, and stay ahead of the competition.

    How Offshore Staffing Drives Long-Term Growth

    Offshore staffing goes beyond saving money-it’s a smart strategy for long-term business growth. It gives companies access to global talent, helping them expand their skills, reach new markets, and stay innovative. This approach allows businesses to scale faster while keeping operations efficient and competitive.

    When managed well, offshore staffing becomes more than just outsourcing-it becomes a key part of your business success. Working with the right partner turns offshore teams into reliable assets that deliver real results. Strong systems, clear communication, and shared goals keep teams aligned across borders.

    Integration and culture play a major role in making offshore staffing effective. When offshore employees feel part of the company’s vision, they become more engaged and productive. With the right approach, offshore staffing helps your business grow, innovate, and stay strong long-term.

    Unlock Global Efficiency with Offshore Staffing

    Efficiency isn’t about working harder-it’s about working smarter. Offshore staffing helps businesses access global talent and lower costs. It keeps operations running smoothly across different locations. Skilled offshore teams handle daily tasks, giving companies more time to focus on growth.

    Take the next step toward smarter business growth with offshore staffing. It can streamline your workflow, boost productivity, and support long-term success. Read more insights and expert tips on our blog to keep your business ahead.

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    Robert

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  • Designing Trust: How Frictionless Onboarding Builds Long-Term Customer Confidence

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    Summary

    First impressions matter—especially in fintech. When users sign up for a financial service, they’re not just creating an account; they’re deciding whether to trust you with their money, data, and peace of mind. Poor onboarding experiences create anxiety, spark doubt, and drive users straight to competitors. But when done right, frictionless onboarding does more than convert users—it builds the foundation for lasting customer confidence and loyalty. This article explores how smart onboarding design reduces user anxiety, increases retention, and demonstrates your commitment to both convenience and security.

    The Hidden Cost of Friction in Onboarding

    Imagine downloading a promising investment app, excited to start building your portfolio. But then you hit a wall: unclear instructions, multiple document uploads that fail, a verification process that takes three days, and zero communication about what’s happening. Frustrated and anxious, you abandon the app and never return.

    This scenario plays out thousands of times daily across fintech platforms. Research shows that 40-60% of users who start a signup process never complete it. The culprit? Friction—the unnecessary steps, confusing interfaces, and opaque processes that make users work harder than they should.

    In financial services, friction carries an extra burden. Unlike e-commerce or social media, fintech onboarding involves sensitive data, regulatory requirements, and significant trust decisions. Every additional form field, every unclear instruction, and every unexplained delay chips away at user confidence.

    The stakes are high: lose users during onboarding, and you’ve wasted your entire acquisition cost while potentially creating negative word-of-mouth.

    Why Onboarding Is Actually About Reducing Anxiety

    Here’s what most fintech founders miss: onboarding isn’t just a technical hurdle—it’s an emotional journey.

    When users share their financial information, they’re experiencing real anxiety:

    • Security concerns: “Will my data be safe?”
    • Competence doubts: “Am I doing this correctly?”
    • Time worries: “How long will this take?”
    • Outcome uncertainty: “When can I actually start using this?”

    Traditional approaches address these anxieties poorly. Long forms feel invasive. Silent verification processes feel suspicious. Unclear timelines feel disrespectful of users’ time.

    The most successful fintech companies understand that reducing friction means reducing anxiety. They design onboarding experiences that constantly reassure users through clarity, speed, and transparency.

    The Trust-Building Principles of Frictionless Onboarding

    1. Progressive Disclosure: Give Users Value First, Verification Later

    Instead of demanding everything upfront, smart onboarding follows a “get started now, verify as needed” approach.

    The traditional way: Force users to complete full KYC verification before they can explore your platform or perform any action.

    The trust-building way: Let users sign up with minimal information, explore your interface, and understand the value you offer. Then request verification only when they’re ready to perform regulated activities like transactions.

    This staged approach works because users make verification decisions differently once they’ve experienced your product’s value. They’ve already invested time learning your platform and seeing its benefits—making them far more willing to complete thorough verification.

    2. Instant Feedback: Replace Waiting with Confidence

    Nothing erodes trust faster than silence. When users submit documents or information, they need immediate acknowledgment and clear expectations.

    Modern KYC and verification APIs enable instant or near-instant checks that can:

    • Verify government IDs in seconds using AI-powered document recognition
    • Cross-reference user data against official databases in real-time
    • Perform liveness checks to prevent fraud without creating user friction
    • Provide immediate approval for low-risk users

    Decentro’s approach to identity verification illustrates this perfectly. Their APIs can validate user identities instantly while running sophisticated compliance checks in the background, giving users immediate access while maintaining security standards.

    3. Transparent Communication: Turn Processes into Progress

    Users tolerate necessary steps—they just hate uncertainty.

    Every stage of onboarding should clearly communicate:

    • What you need: “We need to verify your identity to comply with financial regulations”
    • Why you need it: “This protects your account and prevents fraud”
    • How long it takes: “This usually takes 30 seconds”
    • What happens next: “Once verified, you can make instant transfers”

    This transparency transforms compliance requirements from obstacles into trust signals. Users appreciate understanding the “why” behind each step, especially when you explain how it protects them.

    4. Smart Verification: Maximum Security, Minimum Effort

    The best security is invisible to legitimate users but impenetrable to fraudsters.

    Modern onboarding leverages technology to make verification both thorough and effortless:

    • Auto-fill technology: Extract data from documents automatically rather than making users type
    • Biometric authentication: Face recognition or fingerprint scans feel more natural than passwords
    • Pre-filled data: Use information users have already provided to reduce repetitive entries
    • Intelligent risk assessment: Apply stricter checks only when behavior patterns suggest risk

    These approaches maintain compliance and security while respecting users’ time and mental energy.

    The Decentro Approach: Building Trust Through Better Technology

    Let’s examine how these principles translate into actual implementation using KYC and onboarding solutions as an example.

    A Sample Frictionless Onboarding Flow

    Step 1: Lightweight Signup (30 seconds)

    • User provides mobile number and email
    • One-time password verification
    • User creates simple account

    At this stage, users can explore your platform, view features, and understand your value proposition—all without heavy verification.

    Step 2: Smart Document Verification (45 seconds) When users decide to transact, automated KYC kicks in:

    • Single photograph of government ID
    • API instantly extracts and validates all data fields
    • Face recognition confirms the user matches the ID
    • Background compliance checks run automatically

    Step 3: Account Activation (Immediate)

    • User receives instant approval notification
    • Full platform access unlocked
    • Clear guidance on available features

    This entire flow takes under two minutes but delivers comprehensive verification that satisfies regulatory requirements.

    The Compliance Guardrails That Enable Speed

    Here’s the crucial insight: frictionless onboarding isn’t about skipping security—it’s about implementing better security that users never have to see.

    Behind smooth onboarding experiences are robust compliance frameworks:

    Regulatory Compliance

    • Automated adherence to KYC/AML requirements across jurisdictions
    • Real-time updates when regulations change
    • Audit trails for every verification step
    • Risk-based authentication matching regulatory standards

    Fraud Prevention

    • AI-powered document forgery detection
    • Liveness detection preventing photo spoofing
    • Behavioral analytics identifying suspicious patterns
    • Database cross-checking against known fraud indicators

    Data Protection

    • Encrypted data transmission and storage
    • Secure API architecture preventing breaches
    • Compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, local laws)
    • User consent management and data deletion capabilities

    These guardrails work invisibly, protecting users without creating friction. The technology handles complexity while users experience simplicity.

    Designing Onboarding for Long-Term Retention

    The real measure of successful onboarding isn’t just completion rates—it’s long-term retention and user confidence.

    First Impressions Set Expectations

    Your onboarding experience signals your entire approach to customer service. A frustrating, opaque process suggests users should expect poor experiences throughout. A smooth, transparent process builds confidence that you respect their time and prioritize their experience.

    Trust Compounds Over Time

    Users who had positive onboarding experiences exhibit:

    • Higher engagement rates: They’re more likely to explore features and use your platform regularly
    • Better retention: They stick around longer and are less likely to churn
    • Increased spending: They’re more comfortable upgrading to premium features or increasing transaction volumes
    • Positive advocacy: They recommend your platform to others, reducing acquisition costs

    Recovery Opportunities

    Frictionless onboarding also creates goodwill that helps during inevitable issues. When users trust you based on their first experience, they’re more forgiving when problems arise and more willing to work with your support team toward resolution.

    Practical Implementation Tips for Founders

    Ready to improve your onboarding experience? Here’s where to start:

    Audit Your Current Funnel

    • Measure completion rates at each step
    • Identify where users drop off most frequently
    • Survey users who abandoned onboarding to understand why
    • Time how long your onboarding actually takes

    Eliminate Unnecessary Steps

    • Question every required field: “Do we need this now, or can it wait?”
    • Remove redundant data entry—if you can extract or verify it automatically, do so
    • Delay optional information collection until users see value

    Invest in Better Verification Technology

    • Modern APIs can handle what previously required manual review
    • Automated document verification is now remarkably accurate and affordable
    • Staged verification lets you balance speed with thoroughness

    Communicate Constantly

    • Add progress indicators showing users where they are in the process
    • Explain why you’re asking for each piece of information
    • Set clear expectations for timing and next steps
    • Provide immediate confirmations when users complete actions

    Test Real-World Scenarios

    • Have team members and friends complete your onboarding from different devices
    • Monitor mobile completion rates specifically—mobile friction is often worse
    • Watch session recordings to see where users struggle or hesitate

    Conclusion

    In fintech, trust isn’t just earned—it’s designed. Every element of your onboarding experience either builds or erodes customer confidence. The companies winning in today’s competitive landscape understand that frictionless onboarding isn’t about cutting corners on security; it’s about implementing sophisticated technology that protects users while respecting their time and intelligence.

    By embracing progressive disclosure, instant feedback, transparent communication, and smart verification, you transform onboarding from a necessary evil into a competitive advantage. You reduce anxiety, demonstrate competence, and establish the foundation for lasting customer relationships.

    The technology to achieve this already exists. Modern KYC and onboarding solutions like those from Decentro make it possible for even early-stage startups to implement enterprise-grade verification without enterprise-level complexity or cost.

    The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in better onboarding—it’s whether you can afford not to. Every frustrated user who abandons your signup process represents wasted acquisition spend and a potential customer for your competition.

    Start designing trust into your onboarding today, and watch as improved first impressions translate into long-term customer confidence, higher retention rates, and sustainable growth for your fintech business.

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    Robert

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  • What is Gov. Gavin Newsom’s role in the California Capitol Annex project?

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    Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to push state lawmakers leading the California Capitol Annex project to be more transparent about how they’re using taxpayer dollars, but documents show Newsom’s office plays a larger role in the project than the governor suggested earlier this week. It has been at least three years since project leaders in the California Legislature provided an update on the estimated cost of the taxpayer funded office building that will be used by the governor and state lawmakers. At last check, it was expected to cost more than $1.1 billion. | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Gov. Newsom says California Legislature’s secrecy around Capitol Annex is ‘inappropriate’ Project leaders, also known as the Joint Rules Committee, have also not been forthcoming with information about how they’re spending the funds; only confirming information that is leaked to KCRA 3, including millions spent on Italian stonework, and the decision to add a hallway system that only lawmakers can use to avoid the public and media. The legislature also continues to withhold documents that KCRA 3 has requested, which could shed light on how much the project is costing. “As a taxpayer, I’d like to know as well,” Newsom told KCRA 3 at a news conference Tuesday when pressed about the legislature’s handling of the project and lack of information.But documents provided to KCRA 3 show Gov. Newsom’s Director of Operations has been part of a three-member Executive Committee that is expected to meet regularly and vote on final decisions about the project behind closed doors. The committee includes Newsom’s current Director of Operations Miroslava de la O, Democratic Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco and Democratic State Sen. John Laird. A 2018 memorandum of understanding between the legislature and governor’s office established the committee to ensure the legislature keeps the governor’s office in the loop on the project. The legislature’s Joint Rules Committee does the bulk of the decision making. The memo lays out the expectations for the committee, stating it should meet as needed, with a monthly standing meeting that can be “more frequent or cancelled as necessary.” The memo also states changes to project scope, schedules, budgets and delivery methods made by the committee shall be subject to a majority vote. The memo has allowed everything the committee does to be kept confidential. The agreement was established before Gov. Newsom took office.All three members of the committee have signed non-disclosure agreements that the legislature has required since 2018 from people involved in the project in order to keep broad information about it confidential, which KCRA 3 first reported last fall. With the NDAs in place, the project price tag swelled from $558.2 million to more than $1 billion. Documents provided to KCRA 3 through a Legislative Open Records Act request this year show de la O recently signed the non-disclosure agreement. Prior to de la O, Erin Suhr served in the Executive Committee role representing the governor. Suhr also signed the NDA. It’s not clear when the committee last met, a spokesperson for the legislature’s Joint Rules Committee could not say immediately when asked on Wednesday. KCRA 3 has filed a public records act request for meeting information between 2018 and now. “The Executive Committee was designed to ensure collaboration and transparency despite your claims of secrecy,” a spokesperson for the Joint Rules Committee said in part in a statement to KCRA 3 on Wednesday. “Consistent with the MOU, the Governor’s office staff is not involved in day-to-day operations or management of the project,” said Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Gov. Newsom. KCRA 3 asked the governor’s office if the NDA kept de la O from sharing information with the governor. “Our office’s role on the committee is limited to reviewing significant scope changes as defined in the MOU, which have not been presented to the committee at this time, as well as reviewing security concerns. We are not privy to detailed financial information beyond what is addressed by the committee. The NDA does not prevent the Governor’s staff from briefing him on actions taken by the committee and limited information received in this function,” Gallegos said. “Those three people make key decisions on the capitol. More importantly, they made those decisions privately and not have to disclose those to the public,” said Luree Stetson, a member of the Public Accountability For Our Capitol Political Action Committee. When asked if she’s convinced the governor does not know how much the building costs Stetson said, “I don’t know if the governor would or not, his staff might, whether his staff informed him of that, we’ve tried to get in touch with the governor over the last five years also and never heard back from him.”Newsom will likely never use the 525,000 square-foot building as governor, which is expected to be complete in 2027 after he’s termed out of office. Newsom has approved legislation appropriating funds for the project. He also signed a bill in 2024 that exempted the new building from California’s Environmental Quality Act to cease the litigation that had been stalling it.The last public update on the project was in a hearing in April of 2021. The California Legislature’s Joint Rules Committee said it planned to provide an update this year, but that never happened before state lawmakers left Sacramento for the rest of the year in September. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to push state lawmakers leading the California Capitol Annex project to be more transparent about how they’re using taxpayer dollars, but documents show Newsom’s office plays a larger role in the project than the governor suggested earlier this week.

    It has been at least three years since project leaders in the California Legislature provided an update on the estimated cost of the taxpayer funded office building that will be used by the governor and state lawmakers. At last check, it was expected to cost more than $1.1 billion.

    | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Gov. Newsom says California Legislature’s secrecy around Capitol Annex is ‘inappropriate’

    Project leaders, also known as the Joint Rules Committee, have also not been forthcoming with information about how they’re spending the funds; only confirming information that is leaked to KCRA 3, including millions spent on Italian stonework, and the decision to add a hallway system that only lawmakers can use to avoid the public and media. The legislature also continues to withhold documents that KCRA 3 has requested, which could shed light on how much the project is costing.

    “As a taxpayer, I’d like to know as well,” Newsom told KCRA 3 at a news conference Tuesday when pressed about the legislature’s handling of the project and lack of information.

    But documents provided to KCRA 3 show Gov. Newsom’s Director of Operations has been part of a three-member Executive Committee that is expected to meet regularly and vote on final decisions about the project behind closed doors. The committee includes Newsom’s current Director of Operations Miroslava de la O, Democratic Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco and Democratic State Sen. John Laird.

    A 2018 memorandum of understanding between the legislature and governor’s office established the committee to ensure the legislature keeps the governor’s office in the loop on the project. The legislature’s Joint Rules Committee does the bulk of the decision making. The memo lays out the expectations for the committee, stating it should meet as needed, with a monthly standing meeting that can be “more frequent or cancelled as necessary.”

    The memo also states changes to project scope, schedules, budgets and delivery methods made by the committee shall be subject to a majority vote. The memo has allowed everything the committee does to be kept confidential. The agreement was established before Gov. Newsom took office.

    All three members of the committee have signed non-disclosure agreements that the legislature has required since 2018 from people involved in the project in order to keep broad information about it confidential, which KCRA 3 first reported last fall. With the NDAs in place, the project price tag swelled from $558.2 million to more than $1 billion.

    Documents provided to KCRA 3 through a Legislative Open Records Act request this year show de la O recently signed the non-disclosure agreement. Prior to de la O, Erin Suhr served in the Executive Committee role representing the governor. Suhr also signed the NDA.

    It’s not clear when the committee last met, a spokesperson for the legislature’s Joint Rules Committee could not say immediately when asked on Wednesday. KCRA 3 has filed a public records act request for meeting information between 2018 and now.

    “The Executive Committee was designed to ensure collaboration and transparency despite your claims of secrecy,” a spokesperson for the Joint Rules Committee said in part in a statement to KCRA 3 on Wednesday.

    “Consistent with the MOU, the Governor’s office staff is not involved in day-to-day operations or management of the project,” said Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Gov. Newsom.

    KCRA 3 asked the governor’s office if the NDA kept de la O from sharing information with the governor.

    “Our office’s role on the committee is limited to reviewing significant scope changes as defined in the MOU, which have not been presented to the committee at this time, as well as reviewing security concerns. We are not privy to detailed financial information beyond what is addressed by the committee. The NDA does not prevent the Governor’s staff from briefing him on actions taken by the committee and limited information received in this function,” Gallegos said.

    “Those three people make key decisions on the capitol. More importantly, they made those decisions privately and not have to disclose those to the public,” said Luree Stetson, a member of the Public Accountability For Our Capitol Political Action Committee.

    When asked if she’s convinced the governor does not know how much the building costs Stetson said, “I don’t know if the governor would or not, his staff might, whether his staff informed him of that, we’ve tried to get in touch with the governor over the last five years also and never heard back from him.”

    Newsom will likely never use the 525,000 square-foot building as governor, which is expected to be complete in 2027 after he’s termed out of office.

    Newsom has approved legislation appropriating funds for the project. He also signed a bill in 2024 that exempted the new building from California’s Environmental Quality Act to cease the litigation that had been stalling it.

    The last public update on the project was in a hearing in April of 2021. The California Legislature’s Joint Rules Committee said it planned to provide an update this year, but that never happened before state lawmakers left Sacramento for the rest of the year in September.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Nearly Half of Congress Urges Supreme Court To Strike Trump Tariffs

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    Lawmakers are rallying against President Donald Trump’s tariffs a week before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments over the legality of the newly imposed duties.

    A bipartisan group of 207 lawmakers last week submitted an amicus brief arguing that Trump does not have the authority to implement such sweeping tariffs under the the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law Trump has used to justify his policies.

    “The Administration’s interpretation of IEEPA would effectively nullify the guardrails set forth in every statute in which Congress expressly granted the President limited tariff authority — a result Congress did not intend,” the lawmakers argue in their brief. 

    They further argue that it is the Constitution that gives Congress the power to implement tariffs, not the president. Thirty-six senators appeared on the brief, along with 171 House Democrats. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) was the only Republican to sign off on the brief. 

    The brief is the latest in a lawsuit initially filed by Rick Woldenberg, the CEO of Learning Resources, a Vernon Hills, Illinois-based educational toy company that expected 2025 would be its best year on record. Then Trump’s tariffs hit. Woldenberg, who expects sales to dip by 25 percent this year after the new, skyrocketing duties took effect, wants to recoup the tariffs he, along with thousands of other companies, have paid so far this year. 

    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has previously acknowledged that collective tariff refunds could be as much as $1 trillion.

    A lower court ruled in August that Trump’s tariffs are illegal, setting off a high-stakes showdown before the Supreme Court, which will settle the matter at the highest judicial level. An early October survey from JPMorgan shows that trade experts believe the odds could be as high as 80 percent that the Supreme Court will rule against Trump’s tariff policies.

    “While the sitting three liberal justices are expected to oppose IEEPA tariffs, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Barrett–both with pro-business leanings — may also side against,” the survey said. 

    The Senate is deliberating three different bills that seek to eliminate Trump’s tariffs in some capacity, though passage is unlikely on any front.

    Meanwhile, Trump continued escalating his tariff rhetoric, most recently slapping Canada with an additional 10 percent tariff after a Canadian-backed television advertisement ran during a World Series game. The ad, paid for by Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, critiqued Trump’s tariff policies, using then-President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 remarks to extoll the benefits of free trade, decrying what happens when protectionist tariffs are imposed: “Then the worst happens: Markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs,” he said.

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    Melissa Angell

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  • Democratic-led states sue Trump administration to keep SNAP food assistance funds flowing

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    A coalition of 25 Democratic-run states sued the Trump administration Tuesday to prevent billions of dollars of cuts to federal food assistance that are set to kick in this weekend.Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states and Washington, D.C., claimed in the lawsuit that the Trump administration was threatening “illegal” cuts to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program for 42 million Americans, “cannot simply suspend all benefits indefinitely, while refusing to spend funds from available appropriations for SNAP benefits for eligible households,” the lawsuit claims.The Trump administration has argued it does not have the power to use that pot of existing money — known as its contingency fund — to cover the SNAP program beyond Saturday, because of the federal government shutdown.”The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists,” officials in the Department of Agriculture wrote in a memo last week.The risk of tens of millions of Americans losing food aid has triggered intense anxiety across Washington, as the government shutdown nears the one-month mark.Top lawmakers from both parties acknowledge it would be the most significant impact of the shutdown to date, with House Speaker Mike Johnson privately warning his GOP members on a call Tuesday that the pain was about to spike for everyday Americans.Senate Democrats have now voted 13 times to block a GOP funding bill because it does not include their separate demands on extending health care subsidies. But GOP leaders have refused to negotiate on the subsidies until the government reopens, leaving both parties in a bitter stalemate with no clear way out.Democrats have been unflinching in their stance, despite the looming Saturday deadline for the food aid. They argue that President Donald Trump has sought to “weaponize” the food assistance program, intentionally choosing not to fund the aid to pressure Democrats to yield.Fight over food aidShortly after the lawsuit was filed Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNN that there isn’t enough contingency funding to cover SNAP benefits for November, which she said would cost about $9.2 billion.”As of today, that $9.2 billion, we don’t even have close to that in contingency funding,” Rollins said. “We’ve got to get this government open.”She added that “all it takes is a yes on a continuing resolution to keep the government going, and to send that (SNAP) money out to the states.”A so-called clean continuing resolution would extend government funding at current levels. But congressional Democrats have opposed that because Republicans haven’t agreed to negotiate on the expiring health care subsidies.The White House referred CNN to the Office of Management and Budget for comment on the lawsuit. An OMB spokesperson said in a statement that “Democrats chose to shut down the government knowing full well that SNAP would soon run out of funds. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it’s sad they are using the families who rely on it as pawns.”Democratic attorney general: ‘This is wrong’The Democratic-run states filed the lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court. Court records indicate the case was randomly assigned to District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee who was confirmed in a bipartisan and unanimous Senate vote in 2014.Congress approved $6 billion for a “SNAP-specific contingency fund” in the spending bill that averted a shutdown in March, the lawsuit notes. The lawsuit also points out that, as recently as September, the USDA website identified these funds as part of its plan to keep the food stamp payments flowing in case of a government shutdown.North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, accused the Trump administration of using SNAP benefits “to play shutdown politics” at a news conference Tuesday announcing his support for the lawsuit.”The truth is the department has the money,” Jackson said, adding, “They are looking to ratchet up the pain in an already painful moment. This is wrong, and it’s against the law.”

    A coalition of 25 Democratic-run states sued the Trump administration Tuesday to prevent billions of dollars of cuts to federal food assistance that are set to kick in this weekend.

    Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states and Washington, D.C., claimed in the lawsuit that the Trump administration was threatening “illegal” cuts to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program for 42 million Americans, “cannot simply suspend all benefits indefinitely, while refusing to spend funds from available appropriations for SNAP benefits for eligible households,” the lawsuit claims.

    The Trump administration has argued it does not have the power to use that pot of existing money — known as its contingency fund — to cover the SNAP program beyond Saturday, because of the federal government shutdown.

    “The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists,” officials in the Department of Agriculture wrote in a memo last week.

    The risk of tens of millions of Americans losing food aid has triggered intense anxiety across Washington, as the government shutdown nears the one-month mark.

    Top lawmakers from both parties acknowledge it would be the most significant impact of the shutdown to date, with House Speaker Mike Johnson privately warning his GOP members on a call Tuesday that the pain was about to spike for everyday Americans.

    Senate Democrats have now voted 13 times to block a GOP funding bill because it does not include their separate demands on extending health care subsidies. But GOP leaders have refused to negotiate on the subsidies until the government reopens, leaving both parties in a bitter stalemate with no clear way out.

    Democrats have been unflinching in their stance, despite the looming Saturday deadline for the food aid. They argue that President Donald Trump has sought to “weaponize” the food assistance program, intentionally choosing not to fund the aid to pressure Democrats to yield.

    Fight over food aid

    Shortly after the lawsuit was filed Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNN that there isn’t enough contingency funding to cover SNAP benefits for November, which she said would cost about $9.2 billion.

    “As of today, that $9.2 billion, we don’t even have close to that in contingency funding,” Rollins said. “We’ve got to get this government open.”

    She added that “all it takes is a yes on a continuing resolution to keep the government going, and to send that (SNAP) money out to the states.”

    A so-called clean continuing resolution would extend government funding at current levels. But congressional Democrats have opposed that because Republicans haven’t agreed to negotiate on the expiring health care subsidies.

    The White House referred CNN to the Office of Management and Budget for comment on the lawsuit. An OMB spokesperson said in a statement that “Democrats chose to shut down the government knowing full well that SNAP would soon run out of funds. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it’s sad they are using the families who rely on it as pawns.”

    Democratic attorney general: ‘This is wrong’

    The Democratic-run states filed the lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court. Court records indicate the case was randomly assigned to District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee who was confirmed in a bipartisan and unanimous Senate vote in 2014.

    Congress approved $6 billion for a “SNAP-specific contingency fund” in the spending bill that averted a shutdown in March, the lawsuit notes. The lawsuit also points out that, as recently as September, the USDA website identified these funds as part of its plan to keep the food stamp payments flowing in case of a government shutdown.

    North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, accused the Trump administration of using SNAP benefits “to play shutdown politics” at a news conference Tuesday announcing his support for the lawsuit.

    “The truth is the department has the money,” Jackson said, adding, “They are looking to ratchet up the pain in an already painful moment. This is wrong, and it’s against the law.”

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  • Business Travel Made Effortless: Corporate Concierge in Dubai

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    In the world of high-stakes business travel, every minute counts. Imagine landing in a city like Dubai — vibrant, global, ultra-luxurious — and rather than scrambling for transport, struggling with hotel bookings or meeting logistics, you glide seamlessly from arrival to your next meeting. This is precisely the kind of efficiency that a true corporate concierge service offers. In particular, when you engage with a top-tier provider such as Concierge Dubai, the entire travel experience becomes smooth, tailored and stress-free.

    Why Dubai demands a different kind of corporate concierge

    Dubai isn’t just any business hub. With its international-grade airports, sprawling free zones, rapid urban growth and a mix of cultures and systems to navigate, corporate travellers face unique challenges. From visa formalities and transport logistics to securing premium meeting space amid heavy demand, the stakes are high. Having a local concierge specialising in corporate travel means you have someone anticipating and solving these layers of complexity.

    The city’s pace is unmatched — conferences, exhibitions, investment forums and board meetings run year-round. A concierge service helps executives manage this intensity, providing reliable, discreet and flexible support for every part of the journey.

    Core benefits of corporate concierge in Dubai

    When your company or executive engages a dedicated concierge service in Dubai, the benefits go beyond convenience — they translate into real business value:

    • Time-savings: You avoid delays caused by local unfamiliarity, manual coordination and administrative burdens. A concierge takes care of check-ins, transfers, hotel preferences and more.
    • Enhanced productivity: Rather than wrestling with logistics, your team stays focused on their core tasks — meeting clients, closing deals, giving presentations.
    • Seamless travel & meeting coordination: From arranging a car with a driver at the airport to booking a conference-friendly hotel close to the business district, everything is aligned.
    • Local expertise and access: Trusted providers know the market, industry norms and premium venues, and can negotiate access or priority that an individual traveller might struggle to secure.
    • Branding and impression management: For companies hosting clients in Dubai, showing up organised, efficient and polished reflects well on your brand. A concierge is a strategic asset.

    What a corporate concierge service handles in practical terms

    To make this concrete, here are typical tasks that a corporate concierge in Dubai might manage for you:

    • Airport arrival and VIP transfer: The moment you land, the car and driver are waiting; your accommodation is confirmed; your schedule for the day is ready.
    • Accommodation and meeting-venue booking: Whether you need a five-star hotel near the financial district, or a board-room ready for a major client meeting, the concierge arranges it.
    • Travel logistics & itineraries: Internal transfers, inter-zone movement, securing fast-track lines or VIP access where required.
    • Administrative assistance: From visa support and local registration issues to document translation — the concierge helps cut through red tape.
    • On-call support 24/7: In a global business hub like Dubai, issues may arise outside standard business hours — your concierge is ready.
    • Client entertainment & off-meeting events: Beyond formal meetings, these services can arrange luxury hospitality, fine dining, yacht charters or exclusive site visits — useful for client engagement or reward programs.

    Selecting the right corporate concierge partner in Dubai

    Not all concierge services are built the same. As you evaluate a provider for your business travel needs in Dubai, consider the following:

    • Corporate-focused experience: Does the provider specialise in or have a dedicated track for business travel and corporate clients (not just personal luxury concierge)?
    • Local knowledge and network: A service with deep Dubai presence, multilingual staff and strong local contacts will perform better.
    • Service scope and flexibility: Make sure the offering covers the full range of your needs – from travel to meetings, from client hospitality to crisis management.
    • Availability & responsiveness: A strong indicator is how fast they respond and turn around urgent requests.
    • Discretion and brand alignment: For corporate use, confidentiality, professionalism and brand consistency matter.
    • Cost-effectiveness and clarity: A concierge service should offer clear pricing, measurable service levels and demonstrate ROI in terms of time saved, smoother travel experiences and stronger business outcomes.

    How to build a concierge-enhanced corporate travel strategy

    To maximize impact, integrate your concierge partner into your business travel strategy rather than using it ad-hoc. Here’s how:

    1. Define goals upfront: Are you focused on cost savings, productivity improvement, client impression or all of the above?
    2. Align schedules and critical trips: Identify which travel-intensive executives or teams will benefit most, and involve the concierge early in planning.
    3. Use the concierge for both business and hospitality: Mix meeting logistics with client hosting activities to get full value.
    4. Feedback loop: After each trip, review what worked, what could be improved and refine your concierge playbook.
    5. Measure the impact: Track metrics like time spent on logistics, number of trip disruptions, client feedback, meeting success rate and assign a cost value to the savings.

    Conclusion

    In a city as dynamic and demanding as Dubai, the difference between a smooth business trip and a fragmented, tiring experience can hinge on logistics, local savvy and execution. Engaging a reliable corporate concierge service turns travel from a disruption into a competitive asset. You free up your people to focus on core business, impress clients with flawless execution, and gain an operational edge where details matter. When you choose a service such as Concierge Dubai early, your trip isn’t just easier — it becomes an extension of your business strategy.

    Whether you’re sending a one-time executive abroad, building a repeat travel program or hosting high-value clients, making business travel effortless isn’t a luxury — it’s a smart strategic move.

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  • WA worker hours reduced, cost of groceries could rise as SNAP benefits end

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    SEATTLE, Wash. – Families across Washington are facing a tough reality this week as SNAP benefits are set to end this Friday. Experts warn the pause won’t just hurt those who rely on food stamps—it could ripple through the economy as a whole.

    The clock is ticking for families who rely on food assistance. According to federal data, 930,000 Washingtonians were enrolled in the program as of September.

    With the government shutdown and USDA funding cuts, food banks say they’re bracing for a wave of need.

    What they’re saying:

    Aaron Cyzyewski, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Food Lifeline, said, “We’re in a really tough situation and I don’t want to sugarcoat it.”

    Food Lifeline works with more than 300 agencies across western Washington and served 2.4 million people last year.

    File: Grocery store (Credit: Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

    Pastor Jan Bolerjack of Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila, who has a food pantry available for families to stop by, says she’s already seeing the strain.

    “Prior to a year ago, we were probably giving 50 pounds of food to every family that came through and families could come 2 to 3 times a week to the food pantry,” Bolerjack said. “Now families can only come once a week, and they can only get 15 pounds of food.”

    During a meeting discussing HR-1, known as the Big Beautiful Bill, she said she looked inside a bag provided to families which came with canned chili, an onion and coffee creamer. “What kind of meal do you make with that,” Bolerjack said.

    The toll is already evident as one community member wrote on Nextdoor: “I’m scared, ashamed and desperate. With the shutdown my SNAP is frozen, and the food banks rations are getting smaller – I haven’t had a meal in a few days.”

    Even those who don’t receive benefits could feel the impacts. According to the Food Research and Action Center, every dollar spent on SNAP adds about $1.50 to $1.80 to the economy. USDA data shows SNAP not only helps people buy food but supported 13,500 jobs in 2016.

    Local perspective:

    The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, representing more than a million grocery, meatpacking, and food processing workers, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging emergency funding to maintain SNAP benefits.

    UFCW International President Milton Jones wrote, “Any lapse in funding in SNAP will have devastating impacts for program beneficiaries and reduce hours and wages for food workers in every state and congressional district in the country.”

    Videos on social media include one by TikToker @win_the_job who said “But you don’t receive SNAP benefits, you don’t work for a grocery store, you don’t drive a truck, you don’t give a [expletive]. But when all of those things happen, the only way to combat that is to drastically increase the price of groceries.”

    Experts tell FOX 13, this is a reality. “Without SNAP benefits, we lose that economic stability.”

    “It’s very frustrating because the government cannot work fast enough in situations like this,” Cyzyewski said. “The difference now is that we don’t have the federal government there to help – Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration passed HR1, which effectuated the cuts to SNAP. The point is the federal government is not coming to help — in fact they’re going away and taking billions if not trillions of dollars out of the social safety net.”

    For now, food banks are urging people to donate or volunteer, saying it’s the fastest way to help families facing hunger as November approaches.

    “I would consider it to be a state of emergency,” Cyzyewski said.

    MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

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    Here’s how much a Walmart Thanksgiving meal will cost this year

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    No SNAP benefits to be issued in November, USDA confirms

    WashingtonNewsMoneyFood and Drink

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    Alejandra.Guzman@fox.com (Alejandra Guzman)

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  • Doug Emhoff Says Trump’s ‘Authoritarian Slant’ is Bad For Founders, IP Protection

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    Former second gentleman Doug Emhoff says American competitiveness is facing great strain from the Trump administration’s repeated power grabs and its tariff policies.

    At the Inc. 5000 Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Emhoff, a partner at the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, warned that it will become increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to protect their intellectual property if the Trump administration continues to push the limits of the law.

    Emhoff spoke on a panel examining the future of U.S. competitiveness with Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman and former U.S. Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ).

    “One of the problems with the erosion of the rule of law is all the pressure being put on it by the administration, and what’s happening with the DOJ is going to make our efforts to protect IP less predictable,” Emhoff said at the conference. “One of the great things about our system prior was our strong courts and the enforcement–both to protect your IP and to prevent people from stealing your IP–and the more that erodes here, the less protected you’re going to be.”

    President Trump has sought retribution against his enemies, law firms, and universities as some examples, in addition to rolling out executive orders that have been ruled by the courts as unconstitutional.

    It’s something entrepreneurs should pay attention to given that some 765,000 trademarks were registered in the U.S. last year. Intellectual property theft is a significant battle that the U.S. is contending with: Estimates suggest the country is losing up to $600 billion each year due to IP theft from China alone. 

    Each year thousands of disputes come before the World Intellectual Property Organization, which helps resolve IP disputes. In 2024, the group saw 6,1,68 unique cases.

    But the new age of tariffs and reshuffling of global trade is also hampering American innovation. Former Sen. Flake emphasized that if the U.S. is going to take on China, then “you want the rest of the world with you.”

    “We know that if we don’t have our allies with us, then China can go around us, and if we’re not a reliable trade partner, other countries will find China and go to them,” Flake said. “That’s my concern: We desperately need to take on China on these IP issues and some of the other issues, but let’s have our allies join us.”

    Emhoff concurs, adding that the Trump administration’s tariff policies will cause businesses to drift away from the U.S. and they will look to do business with nations abroad. That applies to talent as well.

    This isn’t just a red state or blue state issue, he added, but a bipartisan economic one. 

    Emhoff also took a jab at those who are donating to the Trump administration or those making grand contributions to advance their own business interests, nodding to the gaggle of tech CEOs who have cozied up to Trump in recent months. (There’s a bevy of tech companies including Google, Amazon, and Palantir that donated to Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom project).

    Trump is known to value loyalty and some very well might chalk it up as an added cost of doing business with an administration that doesn’t mind meddling in private business dealings.

    “Authoritarianism and corruption are not good for entrepreneurs who are out there just trying to compete the right way, the fair way,” Emhoff says. “The business community has to step up and come together because you have power,” he adds, “the power to change this.”

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    Melissa Angell

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  • Argentina’s Bonds, Stocks, Currency Rally After Milei Victory

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    Argentina’s stocks, bonds and currency surged Monday after the country’s midterm elections delivered a surprising mandate for President Javier Milei to press ahead with his free-market economic overhauls.

    The Argentine peso rose around 9% against the U.S. dollar in midmorning trading, the most in more than two decades. A U.S. dollar-denominated government bond maturing in 2046 rose by 11 cents to trade at 66 cents on the dollar, according to Tradeweb data. Argentina’s benchmark stock index, the Merval, was up 17% as bank stocks soared.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Chelsey Dulaney

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  • Walmart unveils its Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with three shopping events

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    article

    Shoppers won’t have to wait until Black Friday for deals at Walmart as the retail giant is kicking off its holiday shopping deals on Nov. 14.

    Shoppers won’t have to wait until Black Friday for deals at Walmart as the retail giant is kicking off its holiday shopping deals on Nov. 14.
     

    Walmart says its shopping deals will be offered both in stores and online with Walmart+ members getting early online access. (Gunnar Rathbun/AP Images for Walmart)

    Timeline:

    On Monday, Walmart announced three different shopping events: Black Friday deals Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 25-30 and Cyber Monday deals on Dec. 1.

    The deals will be offered both in stores and online, with Walmart+ members getting early online access.

    Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 1: Nov. 14–16

    • Available online and in stores
    • Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. ET

    Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 2: Nov. 25–30

    • Online only: November 25–27
    • Online and in stores: November 28–30
    • Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET

    Cyber Monday: Dec. 1

    • Online only
    • Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET

    What they’re saying:

    Dig deeper:

    Walmart says it will have thousands of deals for products during each of the events.  The company provided a sneak peek at deals for Event 1, Nov. 14–16. Here are few of the deals  where shoppers will find:

    • 98″ TCL QLED 4K Google TV – Was $1,798.00, Event Price $998.00
    • Barbie Malibu Travel Playset – Was $21.88, Event Price $12.00
    • Calvin Klein Obsession 3 Perfume – Was $97.00, Event Price $31.50
    • Dyson V12 Detect Slim Cordless Vacuum Cleaner – Was $729.00, Event Price $399.99
    • Govee 65″ LED Lights – Was $99.00, Event Price $69.99
    • Keurig Iced Essentials – Was $79.00, Event Price $44.97 

    The Source: Information for this article was provided by Walmart.  This story was reported from Orlando.

    NewsMoneyConsumer

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    Mark.Richardson@fox.com (Mark Richardson)

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  • Innovative Strategies for Enhancing Existing Building Enclosure Performance

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    Key Takeaways

    • Advanced insulation materials, such as aerogels and phase change materials (PCMs), significantly enhance building thermal resistance.
    • Dynamic facade systems can intelligently adjust light and heat transfer, optimizing comfort and energy usage in real-time.
    • Sustainable and recycled materials offer durability while supporting circular economies and environmental stewardship.
    • Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) transform facades into efficient, energy-generating assets.
    • Prefabricated and modular retrofit kits enable rapid, low-disruption upgrades for aging buildings.

    Upgrading the performance of existing building enclosures is crucial for reducing energy costs, enhancing indoor comfort, and promoting sustainability. As existing structures often account for a significant share of urban building stock, retrofits utilizing new technologies and materials represent a substantial opportunity for carbon reduction and long-term asset value. By integrating adaptable solutions and forward-thinking design, owners and facility managers can extend the lifespan and enhance the efficiency of their properties while protecting environmental resources. For guidance on evaluating and transforming older building envelopes, refer to https://www.frwconsult.com/existing-building-enclosure.

    Modern strategies for envelope improvement incorporate advanced insulation, dynamic controls, sustainable components, and renewable energy integration. These approaches are revolutionizing the way buildings retain heat, reduce energy loads, and interact with exterior climates. As interest in resilient and efficient design grows, embracing cutting-edge enclosure strategies helps not only lower operational emissions but also boost comfort for building occupants. Below, we explore the most effective methods for enhancing the performance of existing building enclosures.

    Advanced Insulation Materials

    For many older buildings, traditional insulation methods offer limited gains due to thickness constraints or compatibility issues. New advanced materials change this calculus. Phase change materials (PCMs) stabilize interior temperatures by absorbing and releasing heat during solid-liquid phase transitions, buffering interiors from drastic swings and reducing the burden on HVAC systems. Aerogels—among the lightest and most effective insulators available—offer extremely high R-values, even in slim profiles, making them suitable for retrofitting facades where space is at a premium. The adoption of these insulation technologies can help buildings exceed modern efficiency standards and achieve better long-term comfort and savings.

    Dynamic Facade Systems

    Building facades are no longer static barriers; they can now actively modulate energy flow in response to environmental conditions. Dynamic systems utilize smart materials, such as electrochromic and thermochromic glass, which change tint in response to electrical signals or temperature, respectively. These technologies can minimize unwanted heat gain in summer or maximize solar collection in winter—all with minimal occupant intervention. This flexibility reduces the need for artificial lighting and climate control. Thermochromic metal halide perovskite windows, for example, offer promising efficiency improvements with seamless transitions that enhance indoor experience and cut energy bills.

    Sustainable and Recycled Materials

    Another major trend in envelope retrofits is the use of low-carbon, eco-friendly building materials that support circular economies. Mycelium-based composites use fungal growth to create robust, biodegradable insulation panels. Recycled plastics can be transformed into durable cladding or thermal barriers, while bamboo-reinforced products combine strength with rapid renewability. Besides reducing the need for virgin resources, these innovative products often offer unique properties such as better moisture resistance or a lightweight structure. Building with recycled and sustainable materials is an effective way of improving both environmental performance and indoor air quality.

    Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

    Integrating power generation into the very surfaces of the building is an emerging hallmark of smart, sustainable design. BIPV systems—such as solar glass curtain walls or photovoltaic roof tiles—enable architects and building owners to convert unused surfaces into solar energy producers without altering the building’s form. In the long run, this can significantly reduce a building’s reliance on external power, making net-zero energy goals achievable even in dense urban settings. Notable projects, such as the Copenhagen International School, which features more than 12,000 facade-integrated panels, showcase the viability and impact of such cutting-edge integrations.

    Prefabricated Retrofit Solutions

    Rapidly improving enclosure performance while minimizing tenant disruption is a priority for retrofit projects. Prefabricated solutions, such as the Hydronic Shell retrofit system, integrate insulation, HVAC, and ventilation into modular units that are fitted externally. This approach not only speeds installation and reduces mess but also creates a high-performance envelope without displacing building occupants. Prefabrication ensures quality control and minimizes construction waste, making it ideal for large-scale upgrades in urban multi-family or commercial properties.

    Overcladding Strategies

    Overcladding involves attaching new layers over an existing structure, both modernizing the building’s appearance and drastically improving its energy profile. Metal panel rainscreen systems, in particular, enable the addition of continuous insulation and new weather-resistant surfaces while offering design flexibility. Overcladding addresses common pain points, such as air leakage and thermal bridging, and enables visible architectural renewal, supporting both environmental and market value objectives.

    Climate-Adaptive Building Shells

    Adapting the enclosure’s performance characteristics in real time is the frontier of building envelope science. Climate-adaptive building shells (CABS)—utilizing sensors and active controls—regulate the flow of heat, light, and air at different times of day or year, thereby maximizing energy savings and occupant well-being. These smart shells can automatically modulate the U-value, solar heat gain coefficient, and other parameters, enabling buildings to respond dynamically to weather and occupancy patterns.

    Conclusion

    Enhancing the performance of existing building enclosures is among the most effective investments for future-proofing urban infrastructure. By leveraging advanced insulating materials, intelligent facade systems, sustainable construction methods, renewable energy integration, and prefabricated upgrades, property stakeholders can meet the rising demands for energy efficiency, comfort, and ecological responsibility. Embracing these innovative strategies ensures that existing properties remain valuable, livable, and sustainable for future generations.

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    Robert

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  • Trump Sets 10 Percent Hike in Tariffs on Canada After Ad Airs During World Series

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    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was increasing tariffs on Canada by an additional 10 percent “above what they’re paying now,” as he reacted again to an ad by Canada’s Ontario province, a day after it was aired during the World Series broadcast.

    Trump on Thursday ended trade talks with Ottawa over the tariff-related ad, which Trump said was misleading.

    Trump announced the higher tariffs in a Truth Social post on Saturday referencing the ad, which features a video of former President Ronald Reagan, a Republican icon, saying that tariffs cause trade wars and economic disaster. The ad had already been running for some days before Trump first reacted to it on Thursday night.

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Friday that after discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ontario would pause the U.S. ad campaign on Monday so that trade talks could resume.

    The advertisement aired Friday during the broadcast for Game 1 of Major League Baseball’s World Series, in which the Toronto Blue Jays are facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    “Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,” Trump posted.

    “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10 percent over and above what they are paying now,” he wrote.

    Trump posted the message while he was aboard Air Force One on his way to Malaysia, the first stop on a trip through East Asia that will largely focus on trade issues.

    The U.S. Commerce Department, the White House and the office of the Canadian prime minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Most Canadian exports are exempt from U.S. tariffs

    It was not clear what goods would be affected by Trump’s newly announced tariffs. The majority of Canadian exports to the U.S. are exempt from tariffs because of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that was signed during Trump’s first term.

    The Trump administration in August imposed a 35% tariff on Canadian goods not covered by the USMCA. But Canada’s economy has suffered from sector tariffs of 50 percent imposed this year by Trump on steel and aluminum from all countries.

    Carney said on Friday that Canada stood ready to resume trade talks with the United States. Trump and Carney will both be at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, but he told reporters on Air Force One he has no plans to meet with the Canadian leader.

    The Canadian prime minister had removed most of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports imposed by his predecessor, but White House adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday that Trump was frustrated with Canada and trade talks have not been going well.

    The ad by the Ontario government has a voiceover of Reagan criticizing tariffs on foreign goods while saying they cause job losses and trade wars. The video uses five complete sentences from the five-minute weekly address, spliced together out of sequence.

    The ad does not mention that Reagan was using the address to explain that tariffs imposed on Japan by his administration should be seen as a sadly unavoidable exception to his basic belief in free trade as the key to prosperity.

    Reporting by Jasper Ward, Valerie Volcovici and Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sergio Non

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  • U.S., China Reach Rare Earths, Tariff Pause for Trump and Xi to Consider

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    Top Chinese and U.S. economic officials on Sunday hashed out the framework of a trade deal for U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize that would pause steeper American tariffs and Chinese rare earths export controls and resume U.S. soybean sales to China, U.S. officials said.

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur had eliminated the threat of Trump’s 100 percent tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1. Bessent said he expects China to delay implementation of its rare earth minerals and magnets licensing regime by a year while the policy is reconsidered.

    Chinese officials were more circumspect about the talks and offered no details about the outcome of the meetings.

    Trump and Xi are due to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea to sign off on the terms. While the White House has officially announced the highly anticipated Trump-Xi talks, China has yet to confirm that the two leaders will meet.

    “I think we have a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss on Thursday,” Bessent told reporters after he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chenggang for a fifth round of in-person discussions since May.

    Bessent said he anticipates that a tariff truce with China will be extended beyond its November 10 expiration date, and that China will revive substantial purchases of U.S. soybeans after buying none in September in favour of soybeans from Brazil and Argentina.

    U.S. soybean farmers “will feel very good about what’s going on both for this season and the coming seasons for several years” once the deal’s terms are announced, Bessent told the ABC program “This Week.”

    Greer told the “Fox News Sunday” program that both sides agreed to pause some punitive actions and found “a path forward where we can have more access to rare earths from China, we can try to balance out our trade deficit with sales from the United States.”

    Chinese caution

    China’s Li Chenggang said the two sides reached a “preliminary consensus” and will next go through their respective internal approval processes.

    “The U.S. position has been tough,” Li said. “We have experienced very intense consultations and engaged in constructive exchanges in exploring solutions and arrangements to address these concerns.”

    Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his first stop in a five-day Asia tour that is expected to culminate in a face-to-face with Xi in South Korea on Thursday.

    After the talks, Trump struck a positive tone, saying: “I think we’re going to have a deal with China.”

    Trump threatened new 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods and other trade curbs starting on November 1, in retaliation for China’s expanded export controls on rare earth magnets and minerals.

    China and the United States rolled back most of their triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods under a trade truce due to expire on November 10.

    The U.S. and Chinese officials said that in addition to rare earths, they discussed trade expansion, the U.S. fentanyl crisis, U.S. port entrance fees and the transfer of TikTok to U.S. ownership control.

    Bessent told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program that the two sides have to iron out details of the TikTok deal, allowing Trump and Xi to “consummate the transaction” in South Korea.

    Talking points

    On the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, Trump hinted at possible meetings with Xi in China and the United States.

    “We’ve agreed to meet. We’re going to meet them later in China, and we’re going to meet in the U.S., in either Washington or at Mar-a-Lago,” Trump said.

    Among Trump’s talking points with Xi are Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans, concerns around democratically governed Taiwan which China views as its own territory, and the release of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

    The detention of the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily has become the most high-profile example of China’s crackdown on rights in Hong Kong.

    Trump also said that he will seek China’s help in U.S. dealings with Moscow, as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on.

    Fragile truce

    Tensions between the world’s two largest economies flared in the past few weeks as a delicate trade truce, reached after a first round of trade talks in Geneva in May and extended in August, failed to prevent the United States and China from hitting each other with more sanctions, export curbs and threats of stronger retaliatory measures.

    China’s expanded controls of rare earths exports have caused a global shortage. That has prompted the United States to consider a block on software-powered exports to China, from laptops to jet engines, according to a Reuters report.

    Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Writing by Mei Mei Chu, Yukun Zhang and John Mair; Editing by Tom Hogue, Will Dunham and Ros Russell

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    Reuters

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  • furtherbusiness.com: Transforming the Future of Business Growth in the Digital Age

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    The business landscape is shifting at breakneck speed—AI automates decisions, remote teams span continents, and market trends flip from stable to volatile overnight. What fueled growth yesterday—a killer pitch deck or loyal local customers—can feel outdated by tomorrow’s dawn, leaving entrepreneurs scrambling to adapt in a world that rewards agility over tradition.

    Today’s ambitious founders and leaders don’t settle for generic advice or outdated playbooks. They demand actionable insights that blend data-driven strategies with real-world wisdom, tools that scale with their vision, and a community that accelerates their edge—all delivered with the seamlessness of a swipe.

    Enter furtherbusiness.com, the ultimate growth accelerator redefining how businesses evolve. This dynamic platform equips you with expert-curated tips, innovative tools, and strategic roadmaps to not just survive, but thrive in tomorrow’s economy. It’s more than a resource hub—it’s your launchpad to a bolder, brighter entrepreneurial future.

    Table of Contents

    • What Is furtherbusiness.com?
    • The Vision Behind furtherbusiness.com
    • How furtherbusiness.com Improved the Business Growth Industry
    • The Hidden System of furtherbusiness.com
    • Why furtherbusiness.com Works So Efficiently?
    • Safety & Trust Measures
    • Community and User Benefits
    • Evolution of furtherbusiness.com
    • Why furtherbusiness.com Matters in 2025
    • Challenges & Opportunities
    • Future Plans of furtherbusiness.com
    • Conclusion: furtherbusiness.com and the Future of Business Growth

    What Is furtherbusiness.com?

    furtherbusiness.com is a comprehensive online resource center dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, startups, and scaling teams with practical strategies for sustainable growth. From marketing hacks to funding blueprints, it distills complex business concepts into digestible, actionable content tailored for the modern hustler.

    It’s for solopreneurs bootstrapping side gigs, mid-level managers eyeing promotions, and C-suite execs navigating digital disruptions—who need reliable guidance without the fluff. Why it’s valuable: In a sea of hype, it delivers proven tools that drive real revenue, saving time and sparking breakthroughs that propel your venture forward.

    Explore its core furtherbusiness.com features:

    Feature Description Benefit
    Strategy Toolkits Downloadable templates for business plans and pitches Jumpstart projects with pro-level structure
    Expert Guides In-depth articles on AI integration and remote scaling Gain insider knowledge without costly consultants
    Growth Calculators Interactive ROI and scaling simulators Forecast outcomes with data-backed precision
    Resource Library Curated podcasts, videos, and e-books on trends Stay ahead with bite-sized, on-demand learning

    The Vision Behind furtherbusiness.com

    furtherbusiness.com confronts the overwhelm of fragmented business advice—scattered across forums, pricey courses, and fleeting LinkedIn posts—that leaves founders spinning their wheels. It solves this by creating a unified hub where timeless principles meet cutting-edge tactics, making growth feel intuitive rather than impossible.

    Life simplifies when you log in: Spot a gap in your sales funnel? A quick guide and toolkit later, you’re testing tweaks by lunch. It’s empowerment in every click, turning ambitious dreams into daily wins.

    How furtherbusiness.com Improved the Business Growth Industry

    furtherbusiness.com has revolutionized resource access, earning acclaim in furtherbusiness.com reviews for its no-nonsense approach. Here’s how it’s elevating the game:

    • Faster processes: Implement strategies in hours, not weeks, with ready-to-use assets.
    • Better user experience: Clean, mobile-first design that feels like a conversation, not a lecture.
    • Real-time benefits: Live trend updates keep your tactics fresh amid market shifts.
    • Accuracy & reliability: Vetted by industry pros for advice that’s battle-tested, not buzzword-heavy.

    These furtherbusiness.com advantages have helped thousands scale smarter, from bootstrapped startups to enterprise pivots.

    The Hidden System of furtherbusiness.com

    At its core, furtherbusiness.com leverages a robust framework of AI curation, user analytics, and expert networks to deliver relevance at scale.

    Component Role User Benefit
    Content Engine Aggregates and refines strategies from global sources Ensures diverse, timely insights
    Personalization AI Tailors recommendations based on your industry and stage Delivers custom growth paths
    Feedback Loop Incorporates user ratings for continuous refinement Evolves with real-world needs
    Integration API Connects with tools like Google Analytics or Slack Fits seamlessly into your workflow

    Why furtherbusiness.com Works So Efficiently?

    furtherbusiness.com shines in seamless performance, a hallmark of every glowing furtherbusiness.com review:

    • Blazing-fast load times, even with rich interactive elements.
    • Cross-device accessibility—desktop, mobile, or tablet—for on-the-go access.
    • 24/7 availability with auto-updates on emerging trends.
    • Intuitive ease of use: Search, filter, apply—no steep learning curve.
    • Scalable backend that handles peak traffic during launch seasons effortlessly.

    These furtherbusiness.com benefits mean more strategy, less setup.

    Safety & Trust Measures

    furtherbusiness.com prioritizes secure, credible experiences with layered protections for your data and decisions.

    Measure Purpose
    SSL Encryption Safeguards all user interactions and downloads
    Expert Verification Every guide peer-reviewed by certified pros
    Privacy Compliance GDPR and CCPA aligned for global trust
    Transparent Sourcing Credits and links all data origins

    This foundation lets you focus on growth, not worries.

    Community and User Benefits

    furtherbusiness.com pulses with a collaborative spirit, where social engagement sparks through forums, live webinars, and peer challenges. It’s a virtual boardroom for brainstorming revenue hacks or celebrating funding rounds.

    Users contribute case studies or tool suggestions, directly shaping the platform. This shared growth yields big wins—members often land partnerships or mentors, crediting the network for their next-level leaps.

    Evolution of furtherbusiness.com

    From its 2022 debut as a niche blog on startup pitfalls, furtherbusiness.com has grown into a full ecosystem. Present upgrades include AI-driven personalization and video toolkits, boosting engagement threefold.

    Looking ahead: Deeper integrations with CRM platforms for automated growth audits.

    Why furtherbusiness.com Matters in 2025

    2025 heralds AI-orchestrated operations, sustainable scaling, and hybrid workforces, intensifying the need for efficient, adaptable strategies. furtherbusiness.com rises to the occasion by curating resources that anticipate these shifts, meeting the rising demand for tools that turn disruption into dominance in our always-evolving economy.

    It’s essential for navigating the year’s complexities with confidence and clarity.

    Challenges & Opportunities

    Tackling info overload? furtherbusiness.com‘s smart filters prioritize what matters. In a crowded advisory space, it leverages user-driven content as a differentiator, converting competition into co-innovation through open APIs and guest expert series.

    Future Plans of furtherbusiness.com

    The roadmap brims with expansions to fuel your ascent. Here’s a preview of upcoming furtherbusiness.com features:

    Upcoming Feature Description
    AI Growth Coach Personalized chat advisor for strategy sessions
    Virtual Incubator Live cohorts with mentorship and funding pitches
    Sustainability Scanner Audits your ops for eco-impact and ROI
    Global Market Expander Localized toolkits for international scaling

    These innovations will amplify furtherbusiness.com advantages for tomorrow’s trailblazers.

    Conclusion: furtherbusiness.com and the Future of Business Growth

    furtherbusiness.com stands as a pillar of trust and ingenuity, consistently delivering furtherbusiness.com benefits that propel ventures to new heights. As the vanguard in digital-age entrepreneurship, it’s charting the course to a more innovative, inclusive economic horizon.

    Dive into furtherbusiness.com today—your breakthrough strategy awaits, and the future of your business starts now.

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    Mark

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