David Lidsky's Blog, page 182

Trump wants to destroy unions. A general strike is the only way to fight back

Now is not the time for organized labor to sit in conference rooms with their lawyers.

The worst thing that the federal government has done to labor unions in my lifetime happened this week. Donald Trump signed an executive order saying that the government will no longer recognize and bargain with a huge portion of the unions that represent federal workers. Among the agencies where he says he is tossing out the union contracts are the VA, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Department of Energy, the EPA, the Treasury Department, the Department of Justice, and others.

‘I like things to be optimized’: Ford’s head of design on how to be creative under constraints

Todd Willing on his love of industrial design, the importance of building creative teams, and how racing cars is the ultimate form of therapy.

When Todd Willing was 15, he entered a high school work experience program at Ford’s Australian Design Studio. His father owned a garage, and he’d always been around cars. “I had a loose understanding of what went into them because of that exposure, and I always had a creative bent I guess,” says Willing. “I would be drawing cars most of the time, to the frustration of my teachers.” The experience is still so vivid in Willing’s mind: the plane ride to Melbourne, the energy and feel of a space devoted to creativity, the culture and environment of a creative team. “That was it for me,” he says. “I wasn’t going to be doing anything else.”

Now, 22 years later and still at Ford (though this time in Michigan), Willing is Head of Design, leading the design practice for Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles worldwide. Having been the chief exterior designer on the 2017 Ford GT and leading teams responsible for the F-150, Ranger, Bronco, Explorer, Expedition, and more, Willing has been a key part of shaping Ford vehicles around the world. And while his role is fairly big-picture, Willing says he feels a deep responsibility that ties back to his industrial design education: to create something new or improve on something, making people’s lives and experiences better. Willing says so much of that work is creative and connected with various disciplines across the design studio. 

Here’s what happens to your student loan if the Department of Education disappears

Moving federal student loans to another agency is the latest proposal in the ongoing effort to dismantle the Department of Education. But where does that leave borrowers?

Continuing its adherence to the tech industry’s motto of “move fast and break things,” the current administration has recently put the U.S. Department of Education (DoE) on the chopping block. This 46-year-old institution (yes, it really is younger than the original Star Wars) oversees federal education policy, ensures equal access to education, and administers the federal student loan program.

Vietnam’s beloved fish sauce faces an uncertain future amid climate change and overfishing

The country’s heritage is under threat, and not only from giant conglomerates that mass-produce fish sauce in factories.

Bui Van Phong faced a choice when the Vietnam War ended 50 years ago: stay in his small village, helping his parents carry on the family’s centuries-old tradition of making fish sauce, or join the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing his country for a better life.

This PTO expert wants you to think more creatively about your vacation time

‘There’s so much more creativity to be had than the standard, you know, take one week off in the summer,’ says Jackie Swayze, founder of Maximizing My PTO.

The benefits of taking time off from work are well-documented. In previous coverage, Fast Company has detailed how vacations stave off burnout, promote engagement, and may even help you be healthier.

iMessage still lags behind its peers. 4 ways Apple should update it for iOS 19

Apple’s messaging app could be so much better. Here’s how.

Few apps are as inextricably linked to the iPhone as Apple’s Messages. Introduced with the original iPhone almost 18 years ago, the app (then called “Text”) has become the primary messenger for most iPhone users worldwide. It allows users to receive Apple’s proprietary iMessages, as well as RCS messages and old-school SMS messages. 

Zootonic diseases to wildlife trade: Here’s how ecological disruptions threaten national security

Overfishing, public health crises, and environmental crime such as illegal poaching of wildlife and forest products can impact social and political stability around the world and here in the U.S.

When the natural environment is stretched beyond its ability to meet basic human needs for food, clean air, drinkable water, and shelter, it is not just a humanitarian concern for the world community. Research shows that these crises are a matter of national security for the U.S. and other countries.

Elon Musk’s xAI startup just bought X for $45 billion

The deal values his social media company X at $33 billion.

Elon Musk said on Friday that his xAI has acquired X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock transaction for $45 billion, including $12 billion in debt.

Betty White honored on new USPS stamp

White wears a blue polka-dot blouse, and peeking out of her blond curls is an earring shaped like a paw print.

Betty White is making her mark on the nation’s snail mail.

U.S. Naval Academy to stop considering race in admissions

The USNA superintendent issued guidance barring the consideration of race, ethnicity, or sex as a factor in its admissions process in light of Trump administration directives.

The U.S. Naval Academy has changed its policy and will no longer consider race as a factor when evaluating candidates to attend the elite military school, a practice it maintained even after the U.S. Supreme Court barred civilian colleges from employing similar affirmative action policies.