David Lidsky's Blog, page 333

Hollywood is dead, according to Justine Bateman. Here’s what comes next

Bateman argues, ‘The emotional and financial scaffolding necessary to support that film business is gone. In its place, we have something of a conveyor belt, churning out ‘content.”

Hollywood is dead.

Cement could save the planet

What’s holding green cement back are the industry’s standards and subsidies.

I work in one of the world’s dirtiest industries—the cement industry—accounting for 8% of global CO2 emissions, matched only by the steel industry. Companies like mine are reinventing cement production to approach net-zero rapidly, in a way that is resource- and cost-efficient. Still, cement is often overlooked in broader climate discussions, despite the obvious fact that without green cement, there is no green future.

Make this mindset shift to cultivate joy through tough times

The author of ‘The Joy You Make’ explains why joy is much bigger than happiness. Happiness is eating a fudge brownie. Joy is making a pan of brownies to share.

Steven Petrow is known for his columns and essays about aging, health, and civility in The Washington Post and The New York Times. He is an award-winning journalist and a contributor to NPR, among other news outlets. His TED Talk, “Three Ways to Practice Civility,” has nearly 2 million views. He’s the author of six previous books, including the bestselling Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old.

Graduating this year? Expert tips for using LinkedIn to land your first job

From building your profile to adding keywords to building a network—here’s how to set yourself up for success.

At some point during college, you were probably told to “make a LinkedIn” and “start networking” to land your first job. But did anyone actually teach you how? For recent graduates entering a tough job market, LinkedIn is more essential than ever as companies increase the use of AI in hiring and ghost job listings continue to surface. 

Start using Apple Intelligence with these 6 new productivity hacks

Writing and communicating are about to get a whole lot faster and easier.

Apple launched Apple Intelligence this week, the company’s official foray into the artificial intelligence space. The platform is designed around privacy and will roll out in stages, with each stage introducing additional AI tools. The first stage is included with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1.

Law Roach’s School of Style has a fresh take on trendsetting

Since ‘retiring’ from dressing A-listers, Roach is now teaching his techniques to aspiring stylists.

In March 2023, celebrity stylist Law Roach shocked the fashion world with his Instagram retirement announcement, stepping back from his role in celebrity styling. Known for styling stars like Zendaya and Celine Dion, Roach has returned with a fresh focus, launching School of Style, an innovative online platform to empower aspiring stylists. With his new business venture, Roach aims to demystify the exclusive, often opaque fashion industry, providing a clear roadmap for those looking to break into styling and fashion.

Climate change is likely cause of extreme downpours in Spain, scientists say

World Weather Attribution said climate change is the most likely explanation for extreme downpours in southern Spain, as a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier downpours.

Human-caused climate change made Spain’s rainfall about 12% heavier and doubled the likelihood of a storm as intense as this week’s deluge of Valencia, according to a rapid but partial analysis Thursday by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists who study global warming’s role in extreme weather.

Why Coke and Dr Pepper are outselling Starbucks and Big Macs

Amid inflation, consumers are dropping pricier treats but clinging to soda as a low-cost comfort, shaking up the beverage landscape.

Amid rising inflation, Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper are seeing a surge in popularity as go-to choices for consumers seeking more budget-friendly indulgences, outperforming the likes of Starbucks coffee, McDonald’s Big Mac meals, and Heineken beer.

Tech layoffs continue in October 2024 as Dropbox, Tidal, Meta, and other high-profile companies cut jobs ahead of the holidays

Crypto exchange Kraken and online course giant Coursera were also among the firms to cut jobs. The good news is, tech layoffs in general appear to be on the decline.

A number of big-name tech companies continued to make job cuts in the month that just ended. October saw job losses in the thousands at some of the industry’s biggest players, according to job site layoff tracker Layoffs.fyi. 

Amazon turns to everyday essentials to compete with Temu and Shein

Amazon has seen its market share erode in apparel as Shein and Temu quickly expanded in international markets, but offering a variety of everyday essentials like dish detergent and floss is helping.

Amazon‘s push to offer more everyday essentials like toothpaste is hurting its average selling prices, but it is also a guard against rivals such as Temu and Shein that offer rock bottom prices on goods they ship from China.