Good morning.
Every few years, I dust off our big suitcases and we head to Greece to visit family. It’s a place that’s always had my heart — thanks to my loving relatives and, let’s be honest, the food, the beaches, the everything. We’re flying United, and according to this airline personality assessment, that tracks. Though these days, I’m probably more Southwest. Will I be attempting the “Nicki Minaj challenge” in front of the Parthenon? Unlikely. What I will be doing: “the claw grip,” perfected in early motherhood and still going strong. Equal parts necessity and pride — how else will everyone know I can carry more than my husband? Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but even for an optimist like me, “stress-free travel” feels like a myth. These six travel hacks might get you closer. (Tip #2 is my holy grail.) Now, let’s get to the news…
— Marina Carver / Senior Editor / Brooklyn, NY
What's Happening
Economy
GDP, Jobs, and Tariffs, Oh My
What's going on: If the economy had an Olympics, this week would be it, with a busy roster of events that will impact inflation, tariffs, livelihoods, and more. First, we’ll get the receipts: GDP, jobs, inflation, consumer confidence, and corporate earnings reports all land this week. They’ll signal if the economy will hold strong or stall under the pressure of President Donald Trump's trade wars. One economist told Axios the employment reports may be the most telling, essentially a pulse check on whether the labor market is starting to crack. Also this week, the Federal Reserve will decide whether to cut interest rates or hold off until September (a move likely to frustrate Trump and at least one Fed governor).
Tell me more: Trump’s tariffs are also on trial — literally. A major court case this week could decide whether his levies pass legal muster. Speaking of, Friday marks the (debatably flexible) deadline for the US’s major trade partners to make a deal. Trump notched a tariff win over the weekend with the European Union, setting a base 15% levy on most EU goods. Now, eyes turn to Sweden, where US and Chinese officials will hold a third round of trade talks. Economists say this could be the most revealing snapshot yet of Trump's economy. The data is expected to show a mixed picture: a resilient but slowing economy, shaped by trade tensions, a shrinking labor force due to deportations, and federal budget cuts.
Related: Stocks Are At All-Time Highs, Despite Tariffs. What Gives? (NPR)
Education
The Homeschool Movement Is Having a Moment
What's going on: Earlier this month, some families who homeschool their kids gathered in Round Rock, Texas, for a regional conference hosted by Great Homeschool Conventions. The event, held at a water-park resort, doubled as an unsanctioned field trip — kids hit the Lazy River while parents attended seminars on Bible-based curricula or homeopathic alternatives to “Dr. Pharma.” The adults also discussed whether college was worth exposing their kids to "left-wing values," according to The New York Times. For many, the conference felt like a turning point for a movement now also driven by a “perfect storm” of politics, policy, and culture that’s fueled homeschooling’s rapid rise.
What it means: The Texas conference is one snapshot in a broader shift: parents eager to control what, how, and where their kids learn. Homeschooling has more than doubled since 2019. Before the pandemic, just 2.8% of US school-aged kids were homeschooled; now that number is nearly 6%. That includes families in blue states and districts with strong public schools, drawn by the freedom and individual attention homeschooling offers. Recent policy changes have normalized the shift, including a Supreme Court ruling that lets parents opt kids out of reading books with LGBTQIA+ characters and a school voucher program folded into a major domestic policy bill. But some experts warn that unregulated home education could isolate students and deepen national divides.
Related: This School Teaches for Two Hours, Then AI (Kinda) Takes It From There (NYT Gift Link)
Technology
AI Told Her to Ask for Less — Because of Course It Did
What's going on: You’ve prepped for the interview, polished your resume, and even asked ChatGPT what salary to request. But if you’re a woman, that chatbot pep talk may have nudged you to confidently lowball yourself. Researchers in Germany tested five popular AI tools (including ChatGPT and Claude) by creating fictional job applicants with different genders, races, and experience levels. When asked what salary to request, women were consistently told to aim low. In nearly every scenario, the chatbots showed “pronounced bias” — importing real-world inequality into algorithmic advice. Naturally, AI is great at pattern recognition…even when the pattern is sexism.
What it means: This isn’t just a glitch — it’s a built-in bias with real consequences. In one example, a male doctor in Denver was prompted to ask for $400K. His equally qualified female counterpart? $280K. (Is one of these data farms the Mojo Dojo Casa House?) Researchers warn that memory-enabled AI could deepen the problem, reinforcing bias over time and making it harder to spot — especially as more people rely on these tools for major life decisions. They say developers need to treat wage bias like a software bug and build tools to flag and fix it. Until then, women might want to double-check AI’s advice — or better yet, ignore it and ask for what they’re worth.
Related: Elon Musk May Be Bringing Back an AI Version of Vine. What? (Fast Company)
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Settle This
Sales of this once-overlooked food jumped 20% over the last year, and some stores are having a hard time keeping it in stock due to its viral status. What is it?
†Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA) is a prescription injection for temporary improvement in the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) in adults less than 65 years of age. Please read full Important Safety Information, including Distant Spread of Toxin Effect Boxed Warning, linked here.
‡Users = clinical trial subjects. Subject-reported at 12 months (N=120) after 2 treatments 6 months apart in a phase IV, multicenter, prospective study.
References:
1. Dysport prescribing information. Galderma Laboratories, LP; 2023.
2. Schlessinger J, Cohen JL, Shamban A, et al. A multicenter study to evaluate subject satisfaction with two treatments of AbobotulinumtoxinA a year in the glabellar lines. Dermotol Surg. 2021;47(4):504-509.
Important Safety Information
Indication: Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA) is a prescription injection for temporary improvement in the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) in adults less than 65 years of age.
WARNING: DISTANT SPREAD OF TOXIN EFFECTS
What is the most important information you should know about Dysport? In some cases, the effects of Dysport and all botulinum toxin products may affect areas of the body away from the injection site. Symptoms can happen hours to weeks after injection and may include swallowing and breathing problems, loss of strength and muscle weakness all over the body, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, or loss of bladder control. Swallowing and breathing problems can be life threatening and there have been reports of death. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre‐existing before injection. These effects could make it unsafe for you to drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.
Do not have Dysport treatment if you: are allergic to Dysport or any of its ingredients (see the end of the Medication Guide for a list of ingredients), are allergic to cow’s milk protein, had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product, such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Botox® (onabotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA), have a skin infection at the planned injection site, under 18 years of age, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The dose of Dysport is not the same as the dose of any other botulinum toxin product and cannot be compared to the dose of any other product you may have used.
Tell your doctor about any swallowing or breathing difficulties and all your muscle or nerve conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease], myasthenia gravis, or Lambert‐Eaton syndrome, which may increase the risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing. Serious allergic reactions have occurred with the use of Dysport. Dry eye has also been reported.
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you have surgical changes to your face, very weak muscles in the treatment area, any abnormal facial change, injection site inflammation, droopy eyelids or sagging eyelid folds, deep facial scars, thick oily skin, wrinkles that can’t be smoothed by spreading them apart, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal and other natural products. Using Dysport with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines while taking Dysport without talking to your doctor first.
Especially tell your doctor if you: have received any other botulinum toxin product, such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Botox® (onabotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA), in the last four months or any in the past (be sure your doctor knows exactly which product you received), have recently received an antibiotic by injection, take muscle relaxants, take an allergy or cold medicine, or take a sleep medicine.
Common Side Effects
The most common side effects include nose and throat irritation, injection site pain, upper respiratory infection, blood in urine, headache, injection site reaction, eyelid swelling, eyelid drooping, sinus infection, and nausea.
Ask your doctor if Dysport is right for you.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‐800‐FDA‐1088.
Please see Dysport Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide at DysportUSA.com.
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