David Lidsky's Blog, page 298

Portland filled its new airport terminal with mom-and-pop stores—every airport should do the same

The new PDX terminal—filled with entirely local brands—has become a boon for some of Portland’s most beloved businesses.

When travelers step into the stunning wing of the Portland International Airport (PDX), which opened to the public in August, they’re greeted with a massive tree-lined hall and a showstopping timber roof, made with wood sourced from regeneratively-managed Northwest forests. But the terminal includes another unique element: All of its shops and concessions—from bustling Loyal Legion beer hall to the irreverent greeting-card maker Paper Epiphanies —are local.

Notre Dame reopens in Paris 5 years after a fire. Here’s what to know

The famed Notre Dame Cathedral officially reopens Saturday, December 7, with a liturgical ceremony.

Parisians navigating the narrow streets of the 4th arrondissement in recent days may have heard a familiar, yet nearly forgotten, sound. The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral have been ringing again after nearly five years, in preparation for the famed building’s long-awaited reopening.

A psychologist reveals 5 essential mindset shifts for anxious high achievers

A practical guide of science-backed strategies for cutting loose the cognitive distortions holding high achievers back.

Mary Anderson is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, and speaker with over a decade of experience helping people become happier, healthier, and sustainable high achievers.

Genmoji, ChatGPT, and other AI features are coming to iPhones this week. Here’s how to use them

Apple Intelligence will offer Genmoji and other cool AI art-making tools when iOS 18.2 comes to iPhones. There will also be a ChatGPT integration.

At the end of October, with iOS 18.1., Apple released the first iteration of its Apple Intelligence platform to users.

How 2025’s digital products will evolve

As platforms converge on AI and social features, the next wave of innovation will come from unexpected places.

When most people hear “TikTok features,” there’s usually some eye-rolling involved. But after 17 years of helping companies navigate digital transformation, I’ve noticed something more profound happening. When working with leaders in financial services, real estate, and healthcare, we’ve consistently discovered that consumers don’t want different experiences for different parts of their lives—whether ordering groceries, planning trips, or buying homes. What looks like feature copying actually signals a fundamental shift in how digital products evolve.

How California’s new ADU law transforms multifamily real estate

With SB 1211, California sets an example for the nation by empowering owners to expand affordable housing options.

California is leading the way in housing innovation with the recent passage of SB 1211, a landmark bill that updates and enhances current accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations. Authored by Senator Nancy Skinner and backed by housing advocates such as California YIMBY and the Casita Coalition, this new legislation promises to reshape the way multifamily properties can increase their ADU potential, creating a blueprint that other states and countries should consider adopting as well.

TikTok’s latest viral food fad is sparking debate: Would you try freezing popcorn?

Despite a possible ban, the social media app is still churning out new trends.

Free will is a strange thing, because what’s to stop you from taking a freshly popped bag of popcorn and, say, tossing it in the freezer?

Tiff Massey’s ‘7 Mile + Livernois’ exhibition is a tribute to Black Detroit

Massey’s exhibition is named for her childhood neighborhood, which is also a vitally important historic, cultural, and economic center of Black Detroit.

7 Mile + Livernois at the Detroit Institute of Arts celebrates Detroit as a place for Black women to live and create by elevating both the work of the featured artist, Tiff Massey, and the community from which she comes.

CVS, Anthem, other big corporations remove executive photos from their websites after UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting

Days after Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York, the leadership webpages for a number of insurance companies have been edited to hide personal information.

For a third day, police searched for the suspect in what they are calling a “brazen, targeted,” and “premeditated” attack on UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was gunned down early Wednesday morning outside his midtown Manhattan hotel.

Sick Americans say they’re turning to TikTok’s creator rewards program to crowdfund medical bills

As public outrage grows over the U.S. healthcare system, some social media creators say they’re using TikTok payouts of $1 per 1,000 views to raise money for treatment costs.

“POV: you watched 3 times so my mom can pay for her medical bills,” reads one post on TikTok with more than 44 million views.