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    The department has issued a statement ordering every executive branch agency and department to identify within the next 30 days any Kaspersky products being used, make a plan to discontinue their use within 60 days, and cease using the Kaspersky products by the 90-day mark, reports TechCrunch. The reason? Homeland Security is worried about Kaspersky officials and their ties to Russian intelligence agencies. From the Homeland Security statement:

    This action is based on the information security risks presented by the use of Kaspersky products on federal information systems. Kaspersky anti-virus products and solutions provide broad access to files and elevated privileges on the computers on which the software is installed, which can be exploited by malicious cyber actors to compromise those information systems. The Department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security.


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    The hottest new tech of the iPhone X, Face ID, was also the laughing stock of the event’s keynote when it apparently failed to work the first time Apple demoed it on stage. The company was mocked relentlessly for this “failure” on social media and in the press–but it turns out Face ID worked exactly how it should have, as Yahoo’s David Pogue reports.

    Apple reached out to him to confirm that the reason Face ID did not unlock the iPhone X for Apple software head Craig Federighi’s live demo was because the phone had already scanned other people’s faces as they were setting up the demo, didn’t recognize those faces because they weren’t set up for Face ID authentication, and thus disabled Face ID after too many false attempts at unlocking the phone with the unrecognized faces. As Pogue writes:

    Tonight, I was able to contact Apple. After examining the logs of the demo iPhone X, they now know exactly what went down. Turns out my first theory in this story was wrong–but my first UPDATE theory above was correct: “People were handling the device for stage demo ahead of time,” says a rep, “and didn’t realize Face ID was trying to authenticate their face. After failing a number of times, because they weren’t Craig, the iPhone did what it was designed to do, which was to require his passcode.” In other words, “Face ID worked as it was designed to.”


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    Despite reports that Democratic leaders had reached a deal with President Trump over DACA, the president tweeted today that no deal has been reached yet. The reason? Any deal would have to include “massive border security” improvements to be made, according to Trump.

    Oh, and in a follow-up tweet Trump also claims the infamous wall is now under construction, but in reality existing structures are just being repaired.


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    As flooded roads have reopened in Houston after Harvey, it’s still hard to get around: The storm, which killed more than 70 people and damaged or destroyed at least 100,000 homes, also totaled hundreds of thousands of cars in a sprawling city where almost everyone drives. A new program will replace some of those cars with bikes.

    “It’s a way for us to put a dent in some of the issues that are going to be facing Houston in the aftermath of the storm,” says Carter Stern, executive director of Houston Bike Share, which is helping coordinate bike donations through a program called Keep Houston Rolling.

    After dealing with the most immediate needs–rescuing and sheltering people and providing food and healthcare–transportation is one of the next major challenges for the city.

    An estimated half a million cars, and perhaps as many as a million, were destroyed in the flooding.  [Photo: Karl Spencer/iStock]
    “I think after the initial shock wears off, there are going to be a lot of people who have been relocated, who lost a vehicle and can’t afford a new one, who work by the hour or need to get around and aren’t going to be able to,” says Stern. “While many of us might be back in our homes or got a new car, there’s going to be a significant portion of the population for whom transportation is going to be a serious problem for a long time.”

    An estimated half a million cars, and perhaps as many as a million, were destroyed in the flooding. Car owners have filed more than 160,000 insurance claims so far, which are still being processed. But around 15% of vehicle owners in Texas don’t have insurance (even though it is required by law), and many others lack coverage that includes flood damage. For low-wage workers who were forced to miss work because of the hurricane, and who may also now be homeless, buying a new car may not be an option. In the short term, even for those who have the money to rent a car, rental agencies are struggling to keep up with demand.

    During the storm, though several of the bike share stations were out of service, 1,000 bikes were checked out. Others used bikes to deliver food to shelters or to volunteer in places that were inaccessible by car. As Stern watched this happening, he realized that bikes could also help in the aftermath, and began to reach out for support.

    “Once you start using it to go to the store or go to work, you realize it’s healthy, it’s easy, it’s good, it’s relaxing.” [Photo: Citysqwirl/iStock]
    Trek and Giant agreed to donate 400 bikes. BikeHouston, a local bike advocacy organization, joined the effort to solicit donations for bikes and bike repair. Rice Bikes, an organization that fixes abandoned bikes for students to use at Rice University, also had a bike drive and donated staff time to repair bikes for the effort. Freewheels, an organization that provides bikes to newly arrived refugees in Houston, did the same.

    The project aims to help solve an immediate need. But as it exposes more people to biking–in a city with relatively limited public transportation and other options–it may also have some impact on local car culture and attitudes toward bikes. “When I go to city meetings or talk with the community, there’s a lot of skepticism around using a bike for utilitarian purposes, not just for fun,” Stern says. “But once you start using it to go to the store or go to work, you realize it’s healthy, it’s easy, it’s good, it’s relaxing.”

    He doesn’t expect that people will necessarily choose not to buy a car when they have the means to do so again. But they may drive less. “I drive a big black SUV,” he says. “I love driving my car, I’m never going to get rid of it. But I ride my bike to work three to four days a week, and that’s great. I think viewing the mobility in a city less as a binary decision and more as giving people a healthy ecosystem of options–whether they want to ride their bike to work, ride their bike to the transit stop, drive their car and then ride their bike to lunch–whatever it is, giving people options.”


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    The skit poked fun at many of the concerns people have about circumventing the iPhone X’s new facial ID recognition system.


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    He’s a busy guy, but Cooper doesn’t worry too much about his work encroaching on his life. With a job that inspires and motivates him, the rest just sorts itself out.


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    Snapchat’s Lenses feature is one of those rare things that brings about pure joy. Over the years, Snap has made Lenses–which let users place animated elements atop camera phone images–more robust. Today it’s announcing a new feature, which will let users integrate animated Bitmoji into their snaps.

    For the old (er, or uninitiated), Bitmoji are the insanely popular cartoon-like avatars the young’ins have been using for a few years. Ever since Snap acquired Bitmoji in 2016, users have been able to use the avatars in various ways throughout the app. Today Snap introduces both animation and augmented reality with “3D Bitmoji World Lenses.” What does that mean? Well it simply means that users can place animated Bitmoji scenes of themselves onto the image they are snapping. They can move the avatar around the screen to look like it’s in different places in the real world.

    It’s interesting to note the timing of this announcement; earlier this week Apple showed off an upcoming iPhone X feature called “Animoji,” which uses Face ID’s scanning to graft cute animated emojis atop users’ face.

    These are ways both Snap and Apple try to show their senses of humor and keep people entertained. Here’s a video showing what the new Botmoji Lenses feature is like:


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    I grossed a whopping $23,244 my first year out of college–a starting salary that might be manageable in some cities but proved pretty tight in New York. Needless to say, side hustling quickly became a necessary way of life for me in order to supplement my meager income. But while I found I could make decent money babysitting and slinging lattes, it soon became important to find side gigs that benefited my career, too, instead of just my bank account. Here are six ways you can do the same.

    1. Build A Side Hustle On The Back Of Your Work Skills

    The easiest, and most natural, option for padding a crappy salary is to leverage the skills you’re already developing in the office.

    David Carlson, a 29-year-old Minneapolis-based finance manager, supplemented his early job as a staff accountant with a side gig as a spreadsheet consultant, improving financing and operation spreadsheets for small businesses. “My spreadsheet side hustle perfectly complemented my full-time job as an accountant,” says Carlson. “Having advanced technical skills is one of the ways you can differentiate yourself in finance and accounting.”

    That’s true in various fields, though; anytime you pick up a specialized skill in your day job–from copywriting to proofreading to web design–you can usually deploy it on a freelance basis, too.

    Related:How I Managed To Save Money On A $25,000 Salary In New York City

    2. Ask Your Employer About Non-Competes

    You might not be able to base a freelance operation around exactly the same work you do at your 9-to-5, though. Developing a side gig that complements your day job may be a dream scenario for you, but not necessarily for your employer. That’s why many organizations add “non-compete clauses” to their work contracts, which restrict employees from taking their talents outside the office. Even “at-will” employees, who work without formal contracts, may face company-wide policies that impose the same limits. So if you know you’ll likely be facing a less-than-generous salary, ask about any non-competes before accepting an offer.

    I created my site, Broke Millennial, in 2013 while working in public relations. Fortunately, my agency at the time confirmed that it had no issues with my site or with freelance writing in general, since those created no conflicts of interest. Then I interviewed for a job at a different agency. My freelance financial writing is what drew them to me in the first place, but it proved to be a deal breaker as a prospective employee. When the offer came in, the hiring manager told me that not only would I have to cease all freelance writing, but I’d have to shutter my blog as well. I turned down the job.

    Eventually, my side hustle did lead me to a new job, as the brand manager for a fintech startup. The new employer allowed me to keep freelancing, which helped develop my network, and in turn helped the company grow and gain exposure.

    3. Pitch An Overtime Project That Lets You Prove What You Can Do

    You may not even need to leave your office in order to pad that aggravatingly low salary of yours. Sometimes it just comes down to knowing which opportunities exist inside your own organization. Ask your boss about the ins and outs of your company’s protocol on overtime, and then pitch yourself for additional projects.

    Don’t worry if they’re outside your department, either–in fact, looking for “stretch” assignments that take you outside your job description can help you move ahead in the company. Not only will you pick up some much-needed extra money this way, but you’ll also be able to demonstrate your ability to level up in your career and get promoted.

    Related:How To Create Your Own Opportunities At Work

    4. Pick Up A Customer Service Job (But Not Just Any)

    Never discount the value of working in customer service–focused jobs while you’re working on developing your skill set in another field. Seasonal work (think Santa’s elves at the mall) and part-time jobs can not only help with your monthly budget fluctuations, but they also sharpen your emotional intelligence, customer interaction skills, and even managerial duties. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to work a gig that requires less mental exertion than your day job. (Just be wary of commission-based gigs like selling knives door-to-door.)

    Cato Johnson, a 31-year-old Arizona-based consumer finance attorney, works as a bartender on the weekends. “Most people assume attorneys are making a six-figure salary straight out of law school,” says Johnson. “Sometimes that’s the case, but it hasn’t been for me.”

    Johnson, who has knocked $86,000 in student loans down to $5,000 in four years, puts nearly $2,000 a month toward his loans and maxes out his 401(k) contributions, which, after living expenses, leaves minimal discretionary income. Enter his part-time bartending gig.

    “I wanted my side hustle to be something that I enjoyed, rather than merely being a second job,” says Johnson. “Being a bartender and dealing with people face-to-face has definitely forced me to brush up on my people skills, which can come in handy when dealing with clients, coworkers, executives, and other attorneys,” explains Johnson. And since recruiters and hiring managers say that emotional intelligence and other people-based skills are becoming ever more valuable, finding a side job that lets you brush them up isn’t a bad idea.

    5. Volunteer In Exchange For Free Classes

    Like many a 20-something New Yorker, I’ve paid for improv classes. But I met one woman in one of those class who told me about a loophole she’d discovered. She offered to handle social media and basic administrative work for the founders of the troupe in exchange for free classes. Improv training isn’t just for the comedic or theatrically inclined; MBA programs and major companies now offer improv-based workshops to help people improve their public speaking and listening skills, which always come in handy in the workplace.

    Offering to volunteer in exchange for classes can work well in a variety of places, including in the fitness world. Sometimes there are even formal programs based around this type of trade-off. Modo Yoga, in Brooklyn, offers free yoga to “financially challenged” members of its community who are willing to work in its Energy Exchange program.

    6. Barter Your Skills, Then Convert Leads Into Freelance Clients

    Bartering is the pinnacle of hustle moves, especially for people who are just starting out and might not feel comfortable selling their services on the side right away. Just think: What do you need, and what can you provide in exchange for what others need?

    For example, I work with a personal trainer who knows I work in personal finance. My trainer is struggling to get her financial life together, so she’s interested in bartering her services (training) with me, in exchange for help developing and implementing a financial plan. I realize that deciding to work with her may not convert into a long-term paid relationship for me, but she can recommend me to people in her network.

    And in addition to leading directly toward paying clients, bartering gives you another great opportunity that can benefit your career: the chance to develop the skill of negotiating–which couldn’t be more critical for improving your crappy salary in the long-term.

    Erin Lowry is a personal finance expert, speaker, and the author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together, an essential roadmap for going from flat-broke to financial badass.


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    Once you know what you’re listening for, it’s easy to identify Rostam Batmanglij’s fingerprints on a song. The former keyboardist for the alt-rock band Vampire Weekend is now a producer who has worked with artists including Solange, Frank Ocean, and Kid Cudi. Batmanglij infuses his penchant for uncommon chord progressions and classical music into every album he touches.

    The result is fully realized, often startling pop, from Carly Rae Jepsen’s heady single “Warm Blood” to the eerie instrumental theme song for Netflix’s sci-fi show The OA. On September 15, Batmanglij is releasing his first solo album, Half-Light. Here’s how he uses collaboration as a tool to unleash creativity, in himself and in others.

    Performers such as Frank Ocean and Danielle Haim have sought out Batmanglij for his unique perspective. [Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images]

    Make Downtime Productive

    When he’s producing an album, Batmanglij often invites the artist to meet at his Los Angeles home. The cozy surroundings keep things relaxed, but Batmanglij is ready to work at a moment’s notice: The microphones in his home studio are always turned on and ready to record an instrument within 30 seconds.

    Blurring the lines between brainstorming and recording, says Batmanglij, is an effective way to ward off writer’s block and self-consciousness. “I like to be able to work quickly, to capture the spark of an idea before it goes out,” he says.

    That sometimes means acting on creative impulses even if there’s no studio nearby. Batmanglij recalls one afternoon sitting in his living room with Haim lead guitarist Danielle Haim when they got an idea for an early version of what would become the bluesy “Kept Me Crying,” which appears on the group’s latest album, Something to Tell You. Not wanting to interrupt the moment, they recorded the riffs and lyrics on their iPhones. Two days later, in the more formal studio setting, they were able to tap into their original flow.

    Be Ready To Shift Roles

    In addition to playing lead guitar and producing all three Vampire Weekend albums, Batmanglij also played the keyboard, banjo, and drums, among other instruments. Once he left the band, he temporarily set those instruments aside.

    But last year, Batmanglij ran into Solange and one of her producers, Raphael Saadiq, at a café in Los Angeles. Saadiq said something to Batmanglij that stuck with him: To produce your best work, “you have to be able to shoot from any place on the court.”

    When Solange later asked Batmanglij to collaborate, he recognized it as an opportunity to revisit the instrumental fluencies he’d picked up during his Vampire Weekend days and expand his repertoire beyond pop and alt-rock. Batmanglij played the piano, organ, and shaker on Solange’s 2016 track “F.U.B.U.,” which is part of her critically acclaimed album A Seat at the Table.

    Frank Ocean [Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images]

    Don’t Make People Too Comfortable

    When Frank Ocean brought Batmanglij a rough, early version of “Ivy,” an R&B track from his 2016 album Blonde, Batmanglij had an idea for the instrumentation that was more guitar-driven than Ocean was accustomed to. He isolated the vocal track, plugged in a guitar, and played a new, more atypical chord progression for Ocean, who was convinced.

    The distorted, dreamy electric guitar helped turn “Ivy” into a standout ballad. “Artistically I want us to go somewhere that neither of us has been before,” says Batmanglij. “You’ve got to feel a little uncomfortable to push to that place.”

    Music producer Rostam Batmanglij uses collaboration as a tool to unleash creativity. [Photo: Dan Monick]

    Keep Something For Yourself

    Despite Batmanglij’s success working with other musicians, he recognizes that some creative efforts require solitude. Half-Light represents years of personal material that Batmanglij wrote between Vampire Weekend gigs.

    The project also allowed him to experience an artist-producer collaboration from the other side; Wet’s Kelly Zutrau and Dirty Projectors’ Angel Deradoorian both provided vocals and co-wrote songs. In the past year, Batmanglij has started performing shows under the name Rostam and incorporating a string quartet and dancers in some numbers.

    “It’s about building off of one another’s energy,” he says. “There’s a joy I get from collaborating with other artists, and there’s a joy I get from making songs on my own.”


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    The New York Jets have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL over the last decade, but help is on the way from the college ranks. No, not a stud quarterback or defensive lineman, but a crop of undergraduate and graduate students who have been studying the Jets and training to help the team solve some of its most pressing business and marketing problems.

    This is thanks to a brand-new partnership between the Jets and the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) through which a hand-selected group of the university’s students will take a Jets-themed course every semester taught by NYU faculty working alongside team executives. Students will also have access to a Jets-oriented innovation lab geared toward generating new sports, media, or entertainment ideas through an accelerator, hackathons, and/or demo days, that could be implemented by the NFL team.

    [Photo: courtesy of the New York Jets]
    “For us, it’s always about trying to be innovative,” Jets president Neil Glat told Fast Company. “Having access and [building] relationship with students doing innovative things, whether in the sports space or media [is] helpful in staying current.”

    While it would tempting to think of the partnership as a purely academic exercise–albeit one that could help NYU students land internships or even staff jobs with the Jets–Glat is quick to reject that notion. “We’re interested in real-life applications, business executions, new fan engagement opportunities, and new offerings for our fans,” he said. “This is not meant to be theoretical. This is meant to be something that is actualized.”

    That’s why, Glat continued, the first course will task NYUSPS students with optimizing the Jets’ mobile app, coming up with potential improvements to the fan-facing tool within a year. “It’s not just something that’s talked about,” he said. “It’s going to be done.”

    Teaming with the Jets is the latest in a string of NYUSPS’s partnerships with industry. Previously, it has offered courses that give students direct access to execs from Fox Sports, ROC Nation, the New York Mets, and espnW.

    [Photo: courtesy of the New York Jets]
    But NYUSPS dean Dennis DiLorenzo says the Jets partnership is on a different level–the first time students have had the opportunity to take a course, as well as participate in efforts to directly impact and innovate the partner’s business, while also helping to boost its sense of social responsibility. “All of those things are tenets of this relationship,” DiLorenzo said. “We’re hoping to take it to the next level.”

    The dean said NYUSPS wanted to work with the Jets because the partnership blends well with the school’s mission of offering students an “experiential learning model.” And that mission, in fact, helped the team and the school design the partnership’s elements.

    Part of that was helping the Jets develop better business practices, DiLorenzo said, that are meant to open doors to more diverse perspectives–something that is a key part of the school’s brand of education. “The Jets have always been about grit and welcoming fans from all walks of life,” he said, a similar element of the NYUSPS mission. “So the partnership was born.”

    [Photo: courtesy of the New York Jets]
    More specifically, he said, the Jets have a very blue-collar fanbase, while NYUSPS strives to attract people beyond those who might normally attend a professional school. That similar focus helped both sides see that they were on the same page. “We’re in the business of making leaders, and building leaders from all walks of life,” DiLorenzo argued, “not just supporting people who’ve already achieved leadership status.”

    That philosophy no doubt appealed to the Jets, a team that while having been in the NFL for decades, has struggled to keep up with more star-studded and successful teams like the New York Giants, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and others.

    And are students interested in taking part? Definitely, said DiLorenzo.

    “We sent this out to our student population with very specific criteria of experience and academic success,” he said, “and we had students compete to see who could get into that class based on their portfolios and interviews.”

    The school put out the call for applicants in July, and got more than 100 students vying for just 18 seats in the class that began last week.

    “We didn’t have a lot of time to promote this,” DiLorenzo said, “but they came forward the minute that they saw this.


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    You may associate fall clothes shopping with going back to school, but research shows that August and September are also the months when adults tend to think about refreshing their professional wardrobes.

    To help you update (or build) your professional closet, we’ve scoured the market to find workwear staples. We then tested them to make sure that they are well-made and will keep you looking polished from your first meeting to cocktail hour. And good news for those just starting out: Each item on this list is under $100, so you can afford to look professional on an entry-level salary.

    I tested all the womenswear, and my colleague, staff writer Cale Weissman, tested all the menswear, then provided detailed notes. Here’s our list.

    Menswear

    Bonobos: Long, Wrinkle-Free Days

    Daily Grind Shirt ($98) and Stretched Washed Chino ($98)

    After testing many outfits, Cale liked Bonobos best. Part of the reason for this is that the clothes fit well, which made him look stylish and feel great. Both trousers and shirts are made from wrinkle-free material, which means that at the end of long days running in and out of the office, Cale says he still looked and felt sharp.

    The clothes come in a wide range of sizes, plus different fits: “slim,” “tailored,” or “standard.” (Trousers come in the additional “relaxed” fit.) To top it all off, each item comes in a wide range of patterns and colors. The end result is an outfit that looks like it was customized to your body type and style.

    However, given that there are so many sizing options, Cale suggests getting fitted by Bonobos beforehand, if you can. The brand has stores, known as Guideshops, in dozens of locations across the country, where you can get fitted for free. “This will save having to return many pairs, which I had to do,” Cale says.

    Everlane: Classic Shirts At Unbeatable Prices

    Air Oxford ($58) and Slim Fit Poplin ($55)

    Everlane stands out for its simplicity. Rather than offering a wide range of options, the brand’s designers curate a classic look, using high quality materials and manufacturing. The style is low-key and muted; they are designed to fit in rather than stand out. “Everlane has a quietness about its style that I’ve always appreciated,” Cale says.

    The shirts come in far fewer sizes than Bonobos, but Cale found that both shirts fit him well, once he was able to nail down the right size. The Air Oxford is a classic tailored shirt, but it is made from a breathable and temperature-regulating material. The Slim Fit Poplin is a more relaxed shirt that looked just as good at work as it did on the weekend. “You could wear those clothes anywhere and they would seem appropriate,” Cale says. “People seemed to like those shirts most and gave me many compliments. Which is nice–I love to receive compliments!”

    Ministry of Supply: Workwear Of The Future

    Future Forward Longsleeve Polo ($90) and Daystarter Band Collar Shirt ($95)

    Ministry of Supply is known for experimenting with high-tech materials, many first invented by NASA. We picked two shirts from their collection that we felt could get you through any occasion that pops up in your week.

    The Future Forward Longsleeve Polo, for instance, is made of a fabric called Phase Change Materials, which is temperature regulating. It’s a carefully designed to work in many contexts. It comes with buttoned sleeves and a starched collar, so it looks structured enough to be worn in a casual office, but it also easily goes into weekend activities. The Daystarter Band Collar Shirt is a slightly more formal alternative. It comes with a Nehru collar, which adds a stylish flair. While it has a crisp look, it is made from high-tech fabric that is moisture wicking and wrinkle resistant. Both shirts are machine washable.

    Cale was impressed by how effectively these shirts managed perspiration. He wore them in the heat of the summer and even on the hottest days, there were never any sweat stains. “A minor miracle for me!” he says.

    Related: These 6 Women’s “Work Uniforms” Will Make Your Mornings Easier

    Womenswear

    Modcloth: Feminine But Professional Work Frocks

    So Sixties A-Line Dress ($79.99), Archival Arrival ($89.99), and Outline of Work Midi Dress ($64.99)

    If your work closet consists largely of dresses, you can’t go wrong with Modcloth, which is known for its wide selection of frocks. The brand has hundreds of work-appropriate dresses to choose from. In the past, the brand was known for its slightly vintage flair. While some dresses have ’60s or mod flair, many look timeless. The best part is that the vast majority come in at under $100 and they come in a wide range of sizes, from XS to 3X.

    We picked out three that would be a fun new seasonal addition to your wardrobe, but also would work in a range of contexts and take you between seasons. In the summer, I wore the Outline of Work dress with platform heels, but on a cooler day, I wore them with knee-high boots and a cardigan. I found that depending on how I styled it, it worked well both in a formal meeting as well as in a more casual setting, like going out for brunch on the weekend.

    The Archival Arrival Dress has a secretary bow that gives it a formal edge, but it is made from a stretchy jersey material that makes it very comfortable to wear throughout the day. If you’re in the market for something a little more structured and formal, the So Sixties dress is a perfect fit. It comes in several bright colors, which will add some vibrancy to what might otherwise be a monochromatic fall closet, but thanks to the button at the waist and the pleated skirt, it manages to look formal enough for even the starchiest office.

    Aritzia: Elegant Blouses Galore

    Tadema ($75), Granados ($98), and Niccolo ($85)

    One of my favorite transitional looks is a pair of tight fitting black trousers or jeans, plus an interesting blouse. Artizia is a great one-stop shop for beautiful blouses at reasonable prices. These long-sleeve shirts are great for fall days when it might be too warm for a sweater or blazer, but too chilly for a sundress.

    I picked three blouses in muted colors that have interesting architectural flair. The Tadema, for instance, is made from a fluid fabric that comes with a bow that you can tie at the waist. The Granados has a high collar, plus puffed sleeves that give the shirt a nice drape. And the Niccolo has a nice secretary bow on the front that I like to wear long, rather than tied. They all come in beautiful fall colors like dark green and aubergine.

    The great thing about all of these shirts is that even though they feel like silk, they are machine washable. They are also generally wrinkle-resistant. I wore them while driving around from interview to interview and the seatbelt didn’t crease them.

    J.Crew: Staples With A Twist

    No. 2 Pencil Skirt ($79.50), Stretch Perfect Bodysuit ($68), and Martie Slim Crop Pants ($79.50)

    If you’re looking to load up on classic year-round items for your work uniform, J.Crew has several great options that are very well designed. The most interesting piece I discovered was the Stretch Perfect Bodysuit. On the surface, it’s the classic white tailored shirt that every woman needs in her closet. But button-down shirts often bunch up when you try to tuck them into your pants. J.Crew solved this problem by making the shirt part of a bodysuit. It looks perfect and unwrinkled when you wear it with jeans or trousers.

    If it’s time to stock up on skirts and pants, J.Crew has a couple of key choices. The Martie trousers are carefully designed to look flattering, by flattening the stomach and defining the bottom. And the No.2 Pencil Skirt is made of cotton, but comes with two-way stretch, so it adapts to your body’s movements, rather than wrinkling when you sit down. Both of these come in a wide range of colors, including reds, blues, and hot pinks. These are great everyday clothes that will make getting ready in the morning easier.


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    If you unexpectedly get an automatic “out of office” email from me next month, blame the robots. I’ve been known to peruse the color-coded flight deal calendar in Hopper’s travel app from time to time, but now I fear I’m screwed: Hopper just launched a new feature called Flex Time, which suggests hard-to-resist deals on flights based on broad criteria, like a general time or destination.

    Say you want to go to Europe for six days in the spring, but haven’t made up your mind about the details. Hopper will attempt to remove the guesswork and suggest some of the best flights it finds as it analyzes billions of flights every day. Until now, you had to know exactly where you wanted to go and when to get the most savings out of Hopper. The app helpfully sends notifications when it finds good deals on flights you’re watching, but again, it’s just for the destination and time frame that you define. Now it can offer much more open-ended suggestions.

    Using a Pandora-style thumbs up/down system, Hopper will try its best to learn from your preferences and habits over time.


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    Who would’ve thought President Trump would do something inconsistent? That’s how Democratic Reps. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are characterizing his tweet this morning that “No deal was made last night on DACA.” Yesterday, the reps indicated a deal had been reached after a dinner at the White House, saying they and Trump “agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, as CNN reported.

    Such a deal would protect hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who came here as children from being deported. However, Trump tweeted this morning that “massive border security” remains a sticking point.

    Read Schumer and Pelosi’s full statement below:

    President Trump’s Tweets are not inconsistent with the agreement reached last night. As we said last night, there was no final deal, but there was agreement on the following:

    We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act.

    What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible. While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it.

    Both sides agreed that the White House and the Democratic leaders would work out a border security package. Possible proposals were discussed including new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, rebuilding roads along the border and the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson bill.


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    The interview process went well, and you were excited to bring on the new employee, but the person who showed up the first week doesn’t seem like the person you thought you hired. It’s possible that a candidate passes your screening process with flying colors and then lands with a thud when they take their desk, but how do you tell the difference between new-job jitters and red flags that you’ve made a mistake?

    Start by discerning red flags from overt problems like dishonesty or illegal or immoral actions, says Shani Magosky, author of The Better Boss Blueprint. “Those aren’t red flags; they are more like baseball bats hitting you over the head, and thus require swift action or termination,” she says.

    Less serious behaviors should be noted and handled immediately because they could be signs of something worse to come. Here are five red flags that may indicate you’ve made a hiring mistake:

    1. They’re Looking For A Promotion—Now

    While asking about career pathing during an interview is a fair question, it could be a red flag when a brand new employee inquires about the next growth opportunity, says Ian Caullay, director of employer relations at Oakland University’s School of Business Administration.

    “Employers appreciate enthusiasm and a gung-ho attitude, but promotions are earned over time,” he says. “Employees need to take the time to get to know the culture, the work, and the people before plotting their next move.”

    Asking about the career path could be a sign of naïveté, or it could be a red flag. “The person might have seen your job as an opportunity to get into the company and a stepping stone to something bigger,” says Caullay. “That could lead to turnover if they don’t have patience to wait.”

    2. They Continually Ask For Help

    It’s normal to allow for a learning curve about the specific work at hand, but an employee who doesn’t grasp their tasks within a reasonable amount of time could be raising a red flag.

    In her role as a leadership consultant, Magosky has heard of senior managers who ask interns for help and hire outside consultants to do aspects of their job. “The behavior and performance are inconsistent with the experience presented in the hiring process and the expectation of the respective role,” she says. “It pretty quickly becomes obvious that this was a hiring mistake.”

    3. They Talk About What They Will Do Rather Than Do It

    Some new hires spend time talking about all of the things they’re going to do rather than rolling up their sleeves and getting to work, and that’s not a good sign, says Karson Humiston, founder and CEO of Vangst Talent, a recruiting firm that specializes in the cannabis industry. “The interview is over,” she says. “You’ve hired someone to do a job, not talk about doing it.”

    This hesitation to get started could be a sign of being afraid to ask for help, especially when expectations are defined but aren’t being met. “This is certainly a red flag, however, the bigger red flag is if the new hire hasn’t reached out for support,” says Humiston. “A new hire who doesn’t meet expectations and doesn’t acknowledge they aren’t meeting expectations is an immediate red flag and a sign for future missed expectations.”

    4. They’re Immediately Asking For Time Off

    A new hire that starts work and then tells you about a preplanned vacation for the next month is a bad sign. “It shows dishonesty, since they already knew about the trip before accepting your offer,” says Humiston.

    If someone is forthright in the interview process, it’s not usually a problem, adds Caullay. “Barring a true emergency, when people unload information at the time when they should be showing their worth and value and commitment, this could be a red flag,” he says.

    5. They Spend Work Time On Their Phones Or Social Media

    If your new hire is texting or checking social media within a week or two of being hired, consider it a red flag, says Caullay. “Even a seasoned pro takes the time to learn the new culture as well as their place on a team,” he says.

    “If somebody is comfortable enough texting away on their phone or having Facebook up on their computer during the first week, this person is way too comfortable, spending time on the clock on activities outside of their work,” says Caullay. “This brings fear in my mind, heart, and head; what am I in store for six months down the road?” he asks.

    What To Do About Red Flags

    With any red flag, the behavior should be addressed immediately. “Stay on point about the specific issue so it’s not coming off as a personal attack,” says Caullay. “Start by asking, ‘What is your initial impression of the job thus far?’ Then share your initial observations. For example, ‘You expressed energy and excitement about this job; however, I’ve noticed you have Facebook up. Is there a problem?'”

    Some red flags can be used as coaching moments. For example, if you have an overzealous employee who wants to move up the corporate ladder, take them aside and talk about the timeline around your company’s career path process. Spell out the milestones that an employee needs to reach to be eligible and considered for promotion, says Caullay.

    And make sure you’ve set up your new hire for success. “We can’t expect new hires to be perfect,” says Magosky. “But we can expect them to be self-aware, open to feedback, and to put forth the good-faith efforts necessary to be successful in their role and within their organizations.”


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    Google is likely to announce its second-generation Pixel phones on October 4. A new page at Google’s hardware website tells people to “stay tuned for more” on that date, while a YouTube video linking to that page calls out several common pain points with other smartphones. (It shows questions like “What’s wrong with my phone’s battery?” being typed into a Google search bar.)

    Google has also sent out invites for a press conference in San Francisco, with a 9 a.m. local start time.

    Rumors have hinted at two new Android phones from Google. The lower-priced Pixel 2 will reportedly have a similar design to its predecessor, while the larger Pixel XL 2 will sport slim bezels that are increasingly common on other high-end phones such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note8. More importantly than hardware, Google’s phones are always first in line to receive the latest Android software updates.

    Aside from new smartphones, Google may also announce a new Pixel-branded Chromebook and a smaller connected speaker to compete with Amazon’s Echo Dot, but the company isn’t teasing anything about those additions yet.


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    There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who have no problem delegating tasks and those who know it would be easier if they just did it themselves. The latter type may give off control freak vibes, but that’s exactly what’s needed at times–as Pamela Adlon can attest to with her critically acclaimed FX series Better Things.

    Adlon’s own life provides the framework for Better Things: a single mother of three daughters who’s balancing parenting, her acting career, and taking care of her increasingly dependent mother. The semi-autobiographical nature of the series helps explain why she’s so protective of it. Only her longtime collaborator Louis C.K. in on the creative process as the show’s co-creator, co-writer, and co-producer. For the second season, though, Adlon decided to direct everything herself.

    “I knew that I was going to direct one or two episodes last season, and then this year it was a no-brainer for me to do it [all],” says Adlon, whose performance in the first season of Better Things earned her an Emmy nomination. “This season was easier because everything flowed through me. There was no committee. We didn’t have to wait. I made the decisions. I chose my frames. I was able to work with my actors. Like I said a million times, being the single mom of three girls is the best kind of boot camp for anything like this.”

    Pamela Adlon in “Better Things.” [Photo: Beth Dubber, courtesy of FX]
    In fact, Adlon’s jam-packed life is precisely what led her to create Better Things. “I’m fully engaged in everything that I’m doing and I’m living my life very hard with my kids. I cook and I take care of my mom,” Adlon says. “But I see the beauty in everything around me. I always see things like I’m in a movie, but it’s my real life. So it’s probably the natural way that I would end up making a show.”

    Related:Inside FX’s “Fearless” Rise To TV Domination

    Adlon’s slice-of-life approach to creating Better Things is what makes the show so endearing. It doesn’t try to blow everyday situations into something bigger than what they actually are–it allows the natural humor, heartbreak, and absurdity of life to exist as is.

    “I used to say that the log line for my show, if there was one, is ‘Life is what happens to you when you’re too busy to make any other plans,'” she says. “It’s like you think you can make plans, but then some insane, earth-shattering things happen. And then the next day you wake up and it’s just normal life again.”

    Adlon and her on-screen kids (Olivia Edward, Mikey Madison, and Hannah Alligood). [Photo: Pamela Littky, courtesy of FX]
    As close to her material as Adlon is, she doesn’t downplay Louis C.K.’s influential role as a collaborator. The two have worked together and starred in Louis C.K.’s previous television projects: the short-lived HBO sitcom Lucky Louie and the acclaimed FX series Louie. So when it came time to launch Better Things, she knew who to call. “We speak the same language,” Adlon says.

    As for what she thinks of the recent allegations of sexual misconduct on Louis C.K.’s part and whether they have affected her relationship with him, Adlon says, “All I can tell you is that he is the best, most generous, collaborative, brilliant writer in the world,” she says. “And you can ask anybody who works with him that he’s just the best guy. That’s all I have to say.”

    Adlon with her “Better Things” daughters. [Photo: Pamela Littky, courtesy of FX]
    Running a show that rides parallel to her life has given Adlon some creative catharsis–a process she honed with her father Don Segall, a screenwriter who worked primarily in television, penning scripts for such series as Diff’rent Strokes and The Love Boat.

    “From [ages] 11 to 18, it was rocky goings. And then I got out of the house, and my dad and I started working together and we would sit down and record our conversations very similar to the way Louis and I do now,” she says. “We were able to laugh and work through horrible family issues in our writing. It’s an amazingly cathartic thing to be able to make art out of something that feels shitty. It’s one of the greatest gifts of my life right now–that I can tell these stories for my daughters and their friends and my friends.”

    Season two of Better Things premieres Thursday, September 14, on FX.


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    Even the most eco-minded fashion companies have had a hard time figuring out how to recycle mixed-fiber textiles (you know, like poly-cotton blends). Now, fast fashion giant H&M may have cracked the code.

    H&M Foundation, the Swedish company’s independent charitable foundation and investment arm, tasked Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles to help them find an open-source solution for textile blend recycling that could be commercially viable by 2020. They’ve already struck on something that could make recycling fabric a reality. According to H&M, the new process uses a combination of heat, water, and 5% of a biodegradable agent to separate the cotton from the polyester into high-quality, reusable materials. H&M Foundation says the resulting polyester and cotton fibers are good enough to be used in new textile production. Now, they are building an industrial-scale plant to pilot the project. The H&M Foundation plans to license the technology out to help the entire fashion industry become more eco-friendly by 2020.

    [Via Business Insider]


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    In our fast-paced world, trends are constantly coming and going, whether you’re talking about the latest music, fashion, or toys (I’m lookin’ at you, fidget spinners). And this doesn’t just occur in the realm of pop culture–it also occurs in the job seeking and recruiting space. The things that recruiters and hiring managers look for, and the way that candidates try to get their attention, are ever-evolving. So if you don’t keep up, you might be left behind.

    This is especially true when it comes to the single most important document in the job search: your resume. You only get one shot for your resume to make an impression, so you want to make sure that you’re taking advantage of the hottest trends, and staying away from the ones that are better off ignored. But what exactly does that look like today? Here’s what career experts have to say.

    Three Trends To Embrace

    1. Short And Sweet

    If you got into a routine of sprinkling in filler words and flowery language to help you reach a minimum word count in school, now’s the time to kick the habit. Studies show that recruiters only spend between six and seven seconds on your resume–so don’t waste time writing content they won’t read. But keep in mind that if you’re going to cut down the length of your resume, you need to make every word count.

    “Shorter resumes are easier to read but they need to get to the point immediately and with powerful, precise language. Unlike the trend a few years ago to tell a story through countless examples of accomplishments, the goal now is to show what you are qualified to do, why, and how the company will benefit,” says Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide.

    The exact information you should include, as well as the format, may vary depending on your role, so “get feedback from industry and company insiders who can explain what to include on your resume and how to format the content,” Cohen suggests. “When your resume is shorter AND it gets the message across loud and clear, you are essentially punching above your weight. That is always a desirable theme in a job search: The candidate who offers better value.”

    2. Hyperlinks

    One easy way to make sure that your resume stays concise but still packs a punch? Providing hyperlinks to relevant information and resources.

    “A hyperlink is the equivalent of CliffsNotes for your resume. You have the freedom to reference a much larger and more significant item and to expand on a key point,” Cohen says. “Brevity is the goal for most resumes. An abbreviated message that can be backed up addresses the needs of both the short attention span reader and the reader who wants to dig deeper into your background and qualifications.”

    Related:This Is The Part Of Your Resume That Recruiters Look At First 

    A couple best practices when including hyperlinks: “Use links appropriately and only to showcase illustrations that support you as a candidate. Make sure that you highlight these links clearly so that the reader of your resume neither ignores or overlooks this valuable information,” Cohen advises.

    3. Digital Add-Ons

    You might be wondering: Which resources should you be hyperlinking to within your resume?

    For starters, you may want to try a video cover letter. “A quick video will capture [recruiters’] attention and leave them learning more about you than they would through those six seconds” spent scanning a resume, Sheth shares. “Applicants should record videos with the intention of showcasing their personality, communication style, and why they are the right person for the job.”

    Or, “if you are applying to a role where work product is relevant, like in many creative industries, you can create a digital portfolio of your work and include a link to your portfolio so that recruiters can review it,” Sheth says. “This will show you’re prepared, qualified and will leave a lasting impression.”

    Two Trends To Avoid

    1. Design Over Functionality

    Sure, an eye-popping resume can look good on paper. But if you get too caught up with making a visually appealing resume, you might prevent your resume from ever getting in the hands of a recruiter.

    “One of the newest resume trends is using Etsy-styled templates that have a lot of columns and graphic design,” says resume writer and career transition coach Wendi Weiner.

    But while “this approach shows off your creative ability and eye for design… it likely won’t make it past an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which many companies use as a screening method to weed out resumes that don’t meet specific on-page standards (think keywords, industry buzzwords, and conventional headlines),” shares Zachary Painter, career adviser and hiring manager at ResumeGenius.com.

    Related:Three Ways To Add Personality To Your Resume (And Three Ways Not To) 

    To get around this, “stick to a sophisticated yet professional template that enables your headlines to stand out–a reader’s eyes naturally gaze at the center of the page, so make sure your headlines are centered in the middle of the page for easy reading. Consider also having a line underneath the headline title (professional experience, education, core skills, etc.) so that the sections of your resume are separated,” Weiner suggests.

    On the other hand, if you’re applying for a position in a highly visual field where creative resumes are a boon, take advantage of those hyperlinks again by “providing a link to your portfolio in your online application and on your printed out, physical resume. This will satisfy ATS bots and land safely in the hands of a hiring manager or department head,” Painter says.

    2. Skill-Points Systems

    It’s no secret that recruiters and hiring managers love when you can quantify your success–but it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

    “Over the years, the term ‘quantification’ –as it applies to resumes–has gotten taken out of context. Basically, applicants think it’s smart to rate their additional skills on a resume by ranking each skill with a number ranging from one to ten,” Painter says. (E.g. Photoshop: 7/10, Microsoft Word: 4/10, Excel: 8/10).

    Related:Career Experts Mercilessly Revised My Entry-Level Resume 

    But the problem is that quantifying your skillset is vague and arbitrary — and too many applicants are tempted to give themselves top marks for everything. If you rate every skill as a nine or 10 out of 10, recruiters and hiring managers will probably be skeptical.

    “The best solution is to mention that you have experience or familiarity in the additional skills you provide. Go for something like this:

    • Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite
    • Familiar with WordPress
    • Experienced with Javascript, HTML, and CSS languages

    This communicates better than a vague ‘skills point system’, and hiring managers will appreciate it more,” Painter says.

    This article originally appeared on Glassdoor and is reprinted with permission. 


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    One of the greatest photographers in the solar system is about to hang up its camera. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has taken nearly 400,000 images during its slow sojourn to Saturn, documenting its 53 or so moons and stunning rings, resulting in a collection of humbling, jaw-dropping, and completely spectacular images.

    However, Cassini is calling it quits tomorrow. During its exploration of Saturn and its rings, it will dive into the gas giant’s atmosphere, where it will “break apart, melt, vaporize, and become a part of the very planet it left Earth 20 years ago to explore,” Cassini project manager Earl Maize said in a press conference. NASA’s decision sounds cutthroat, but they are decimating the craft because they don’t want to risk it crashing into one of Saturn’s moons. It’s a dramatic end for the spacecraft that has helped scientists understand the universe, and humans appreciate the immense vastness of space.

    Here, we look back at some of Cassini’s many, many gorgeous photos. Thank you, Cassini.


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    As a famous late night comedian, James Corden can afford to go on vacation just about anywhere in the world. But according to this new Chase Bank campaign, The Late Late Show host is just so busy, he needs some advice on how to spend his precious time off.

    “Seven Continents, One James Corden,” sends a handful of rewards cardmembers for dining, transportation, and accommodation on every continent—even Antarctica. Created by agency Droga5, it’s an impressively elaborate product demo, essentially showing–through the jokey Corden premise–the scope of perks with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

    President of Chase Branded Cards Pam Codispoti says the campaign aims to shine a spotlight on their customers and the travel experiences they can enjoy while using their card across seven continents. “Research told us that millennials are evolving the way they define being ‘rich’– they don’t define success by the things they’ve accumulate but rather by the rich experiences they have collected,” says Codispoti. “More than half of Reserve cardmembers are millennials and with Sapphire Reserve they can travel the way they want and be rewarded for it, no matter where they are in the world.”

    Droga5 partner and executive creative director Duncan Marshall says following last year’s ‘Reserve What’s Next’ campaign, they wanted to continue James Corden’s conversations with interesting people in the world of travel, but this time celebrate the cardmembers themselves as they explore amazing experiences on all seven continents.

    “We recognized that consumers don’t necessarily look to banks for inspiration into how they live their lives, but for the tools and advice to help them live them.” says Marshall. “And so we worked with Chase to focus our creative on the types of experiences Chase Sapphire Reserve members are already after, demonstrated the dining, travel, and accommodation benefits of the card, and then stepped out of the way to allow the genuine experiences of our traveling cardmembers come to life.”

    While it’s a fun idea, made funny with Corden, the campaign’s biggest weakness is not giving the rest of us a longer look at the cardmembers’ travel experiences. It’s a concept–sending people out into the world to report back on wild adventures–perfectly suited for expanded brand content, giving the rest of us a closer look at that gorilla retreat in Uganda, or sand-boarding in the Chilean desert. But here, we get a unique idea, dressed down in a standard advertising format.