Latest news with #simplicity
Geeky Gadgets
28-07-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
Use Apple Notes to Simplify Your Life : Ditch the Overwhelm & Paid Apps
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of apps promising to organize your life, only to find yourself juggling between them? In a world saturated with feature-packed productivity tools, it's easy to overlook the power of simplicity. Enter Apple Notes—a deceptively straightforward app that's quietly transforming the way people manage their tasks, ideas, and projects. With its seamless integration across Apple devices and a suite of intuitive features, Apple Notes proves that you don't need complexity to stay productive. Whether you're brainstorming on your iPad, scanning documents with your iPhone, or linking notes to calendar events on your Mac, this app offers a unified, distraction-free space to bring order to your chaos. KevZ explains how Apple Notes transforms from a basic note-taking app into a versatile productivity powerhouse. From capturing ideas on the go with Quick Note to organizing your digital workspace with smart folders and tags, you'll discover tools that simplify your workflow without overwhelming you. Curious about how handwriting recognition, note linking, or real-time collaboration can elevate your productivity? Or how a minimalist design can actually help you focus better? By the end, you might just find that Apple Notes isn't just a tool—it's a system that adapts to your life. Sometimes, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Apple Notes Productivity Overview Quick and Versatile Note Capture Apple Notes excels in capturing information quickly and in multiple formats, making sure that no idea or detail is ever lost. The Quick Note feature allows you to jot down thoughts instantly, whether you're browsing the web, working in another app, or on the move. This functionality is available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making sure accessibility wherever you are. For iPad users equipped with an Apple Pencil, the app supports handwriting input, which is further enhanced by advanced handwriting recognition. This ensures that handwritten notes are not only searchable but also easy to organize. Additionally, Apple Notes includes tools that cater to diverse input methods: Audio Recording: Capture spoken ideas or meeting discussions directly into your notes, with the option to transcribe them for easier reference. Capture spoken ideas or meeting discussions directly into your notes, with the option to transcribe them for easier reference. Document Scanning: Use the built-in scanner to create high-quality scans of physical documents, which are automatically stored and organized within your notes. These features make Apple Notes a flexible and reliable tool for capturing and organizing information in various formats, whether you're brainstorming ideas, attending meetings, or managing personal tasks. Streamlined Organization with the ITA System Apple Notes simplifies the process of organizing information through its minimalist Inbox-Tag-Archive (ITA) system. This structure allows you to manage notes efficiently and keep your workspace clutter-free: Inbox: A central location for collecting new notes and ideas, making sure they are easily accessible. A central location for collecting new notes and ideas, making sure they are easily accessible. Tags: Categorize notes by topic, project, or priority, allowing quick retrieval and better organization. Categorize notes by topic, project, or priority, allowing quick retrieval and better organization. Archive: Store completed or inactive notes, keeping your active workspace focused and tidy. To further enhance organization, Apple Notes offers smart folders, which automate the sorting process. For example, you can create a smart folder that gathers all notes containing a specific tag or keyword, saving time and effort. Additionally, the app supports note linking, allowing you to connect related notes or create 'home notes' that serve as central hubs for key projects or areas of focus. This interconnected system ensures that your notes remain organized and accessible, no matter how extensive your collection becomes. Apple Note Features that Simplify Your Life Watch this video on YouTube. Unlock more potential in Apple Notes features by reading previous articles we have written. Seamless Integration with the Apple Ecosystem One of the standout features of Notes is its deep integration with the Apple ecosystem, which enhances its functionality and connectivity. This integration allows you to: Link Notes to Other Apps: Drag notes into the Reminders app to create actionable tasks or associate them with Calendar events for context-specific planning. Drag notes into the Reminders app to create actionable tasks or associate them with Calendar events for context-specific planning. Collaborate in Real Time: Share notes with others, tag collaborators, and work together seamlessly on projects, plans, or events. This level of connectivity ensures that your notes are not isolated but instead form a cohesive part of your broader productivity system. Whether you're coordinating a team project, planning a family event, or managing personal goals, Apple Notes keeps your information synchronized and accessible across all your Apple devices. Prioritization and Focus Tools Notes includes features designed to help you prioritize tasks and maintain focus. You can pin important notes to the top of your homepage, making sure they remain visible and easily accessible. This is particularly useful for managing high-priority tasks, ongoing projects, or frequently referenced information. The app's minimalist design further supports focus by eliminating unnecessary distractions. Its clean interface and intuitive navigation allow you to concentrate on your work without being overwhelmed by excessive features or clutter. By combining simplicity with functionality, Apple Notes creates an environment conducive to productivity and clarity. Key Benefits of Apple Notes Notes offers a range of advantages that make it a valuable tool for both personal and professional use. These benefits include: A minimalist yet adaptable organization system that accommodates various needs and preferences. that accommodates various needs and preferences. Seamless synchronization across all Apple devices, making sure your notes are always up to date and accessible. across all Apple devices, making sure your notes are always up to date and accessible. Intuitive tagging, linking, and smart folder features for efficient navigation and retrieval of information. for efficient navigation and retrieval of information. Support for multiple input methods , including handwriting, audio recording, and document scanning, catering to diverse workflows. , including handwriting, audio recording, and document scanning, catering to diverse workflows. Deep integration with the Apple ecosystem, allowing enhanced productivity and collaboration through connections with other apps. By using these features, Apple Notes becomes more than just a note-taking app—it transforms into a comprehensive productivity tool that adapts to your unique needs and goals. Maximizing Productivity with Apple Notes Apple Notes demonstrates that simplicity and functionality can coexist to create a powerful productivity tool. By using its quick capture tools, streamlined organization system, and seamless integration with other Apple apps, you can build a productivity system tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you're managing daily tasks, planning long-term projects, or collaborating with others, Apple Notes provides the tools necessary to stay organized, focused, and efficient. Media Credit: KevZ Filed Under: Apple, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Zawya
18-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Whatever happened to tax simplification? Fridson
(The views expressed here are those of the author, the publisher of Income Securities Advisor) NEW YORK - Once upon a time, the idea of simplifying the federal tax code enjoyed widespread bipartisan political support. Times have changed in this regard, and not for the better. That's bad news, and not just because of the headaches it causes taxpayers each April. Conservatives and liberals in the U.S. argue about many aspects of the tax code, but reducing complexity usually is not one of them. According to the Brookings Institution, 'The notion that taxes should be simpler is one of the very few propositions in tax policy that generates universal agreement.' The center-left think tank lists several benefits of simpler taxes, including reducing the expense, time, and mental anguish involved in complying with the U.S. tax system. To help quantify that, the Tax Foundation estimates that U.S. taxpayers in 2024 will spend more than 7.9 billion hours filing their taxes at an estimated annual cost of $413 billion, based on average hourly compensation, using projections by the Internal Revenue Service and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. For context, total U.S. consumer expenditures on medicine, including prescription drugs, were roughly $450 billion in 2023, according to the National Health Expenditure Accounts of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. All those hours and dollars represent significant deadweight loss, or reduced economic efficiency resulting from a suboptimal use of resources, a drag on America's potential growth. A SIMPLE HISTORY Former Republican President Ronald Reagan made tax simplification the central focus of his second presidential term's domestic policy agenda. At the time, discussions of tax reform were influenced by the concept of a flat tax, i.e., a single rate that would replace the existing system involving several income-based brackets. The legislation that eventually emerged from Reagan's efforts, the Tax Reform Act of 1986, did not go that far, but it did reduce the number of brackets. The law, which was passed with the vital support of Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, also eliminated several itemized deductions while increasing the standard deduction. Based on economic theory, this should have reduced deadweight loss, as taxpayers who elect the standard deduction spend much less time filing their returns, or, in the case of those hiring professionals, much less money, compared to those who itemize. Another positive effect of this tax reform was curtailing the use of abusive tax shelters that steered capital away from its most productive uses within the economy. The law reduced the abusive tax shelters' appeal by limiting several deductions, credits, and exclusions. Tax simplification remained part of the political discussion in the following decades. Flat tax proposals were put forth by presidential contenders Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in 1992, and Steve Forbes, a Republican, in 1996. In fact, simplification was a prominent part of the agenda as recently as 2017, when Congress enacted, and President Donald Trump signed, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Tax Foundation reports that this legislation's near doubling of the standard deduction caused the percentage of tax returns claiming itemized deductions to plummet from 30.6% in 2017 to 11.4% in 2018. OFF THE AGENDA This brings us to the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation's ungainly name should be a signal that it was not designed with simplification in mind. Consider, for example, the new law's elimination of tax on tips and overtime. A worker deriving income from either of those sources will now pay less tax than someone earning the equivalent amount solely in the form of salary. In effect, OBBBA has created new tax brackets. To be fair, OBBBA did further increase the standard deduction. It also made permanent the termination of most miscellaneous itemized deductions and established a new limit on all itemized deductions. At the same time, however, the legislation created many new wrinkles in the tax code. For instance, it granted one particular exemption to fishers from villages in western Alaska. The act also increased the previous $10,000 deduction for certain Alaskan whaling captains to $50,000. Those features, likely included in the bill to win the support of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, were by no means OBBBA's only special-interest provisions. Farmers, who notoriously enjoy overrepresentation in Congress thanks to the Constitution's allocation of two senators to both the most populous and least populous states, won the unique right to pay capital gains taxes on the sale of farmland on an installment plan. That's not all. Interest on loans secured by agricultural real estate will now be partly excluded from taxation. OBBBA also increased the existing rebate on rum produced in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. STREAMLINING If tax simplification can reduce economic inefficiency and potentially garner bipartisan support, then why is it no longer a prominent objective of tax reform? This may partly be because certain tax preferences aimed at achieving social objectives – such as those associated with Social Security – enjoy voter support across a broad ideological spectrum. The rise of economic populism on both sides of the aisle has also likely made anything as extreme as a flat tax a nonstarter. However, tax complexity could be reduced substantially without something as dramatic as eliminating progressive taxation or doing away with the most popular exemptions. For starters, this could include consolidating related tax incentives and eliminating sunset provisions, or expiration dates, for some OBBBA innovations. While we cannot know when or if politicians will resume the fight for tax simplification, what we can assume with some certainty is that groups from all political persuasions will keep pushing for special preferences, making the economy less efficient along the way. (The views expressed here are those of Marty Fridson, the publisher of Income Securities Advisor. He is a past governor of the CFA Institute, consultant to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and Special Assistant to the Director for Deferred Compensation, Office of Management and the Budget, The City of New York). Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, and X. (Writing by Marty Fridson; Editing by Anna Szymanski and Rod Nickel)
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Whatever happened to tax simplification?
NEW YORK, July 17 (Reuters) - Once upon a time, the idea of simplifying the federal tax code enjoyed widespread bipartisan political support. Times have changed in this regard, and not for the better. That's bad news, and not just because of the headaches it causes taxpayers each April. Conservatives and liberals in the U.S. argue about many aspects of the tax code, but reducing complexity usually is not one of them. According to the Brookings Institution, 'The notion that taxes should be simpler is one of the very few propositions in tax policy that generates universal agreement.' The center-left think tank lists several benefits of simpler taxes, including reducing the expense, time, and mental anguish involved in complying with the U.S. tax system. To help quantify that, the Tax Foundation estimates that U.S. taxpayers in 2024 will spend more than 7.9 billion hours filing their taxes at an estimated annual cost of $413 billion, based on average hourly compensation, using projections by the Internal Revenue Service and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. For context, total U.S. consumer expenditures on medicine, including prescription drugs, were roughly $450 billion in 2023, according to the National Health Expenditure Accounts of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. All those hours and dollars represent significant deadweight loss, or reduced economic efficiency resulting from a suboptimal use of resources, a drag on America's potential growth. Former Republican President Ronald Reagan made tax simplification the central focus of his second presidential term's domestic policy agenda. At the time, discussions of tax reform were influenced by the concept of a flat tax, i.e., a single rate that would replace the existing system involving several income-based brackets. The legislation that eventually emerged from Reagan's efforts, the Tax Reform Act of 1986, did not go that far, but it did reduce the number of brackets. The law, which was passed with the vital support of Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, also eliminated several itemized deductions while increasing the standard deduction. Based on economic theory, this should have reduced deadweight loss, as taxpayers who elect the standard deduction spend much less time filing their returns, or, in the case of those hiring professionals, much less money, compared to those who itemize. Another positive effect of this tax reform was curtailing the use of abusive tax shelters that steered capital away from its most productive uses within the economy. The law reduced the abusive tax shelters' appeal by limiting several deductions, credits, and exclusions. Tax simplification remained part of the political discussion in the following decades. Flat tax proposals were put forth by presidential contenders Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in 1992, and Steve Forbes, a Republican, in 1996. In fact, simplification was a prominent part of the agenda as recently as 2017, when Congress enacted, and President Donald Trump signed, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Tax Foundation reports that this legislation's near doubling of the standard deduction caused the percentage of tax returns claiming itemized deductions to plummet from 30.6% in 2017 to 11.4% in 2018. This brings us to the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation's ungainly name should be a signal that it was not designed with simplification in mind. Consider, for example, the new law's elimination of tax on tips and overtime. A worker deriving income from either of those sources will now pay less tax than someone earning the equivalent amount solely in the form of salary. In effect, OBBBA has created new tax brackets. To be fair, OBBBA did further increase the standard deduction. It also made permanent the termination of most miscellaneous itemized deductions and established a new limit on all itemized deductions. At the same time, however, the legislation created many new wrinkles in the tax code. For instance, it granted one particular exemption to fishers from villages in western Alaska. The act also increased the previous $10,000 deduction for certain Alaskan whaling captains to $50,000. Those features, likely included in the bill to win the support of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, were by no means OBBBA's only special-interest provisions. Farmers, who notoriously enjoy overrepresentation in Congress thanks to the Constitution's allocation of two senators to both the most populous and least populous states, won the unique right to pay capital gains taxes on the sale of farmland on an installment plan. That's not all. Interest on loans secured by agricultural real estate will now be partly excluded from taxation. OBBBA also increased the existing rebate on rum produced in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If tax simplification can reduce economic inefficiency and potentially garner bipartisan support, then why is it no longer a prominent objective of tax reform? This may partly be because certain tax preferences aimed at achieving social objectives – such as those associated with Social Security – enjoy voter support across a broad ideological spectrum. The rise of economic populism on both sides of the aisle has also likely made anything as extreme as a flat tax a nonstarter. However, tax complexity could be reduced substantially without something as dramatic as eliminating progressive taxation or doing away with the most popular exemptions. For starters, this could include consolidating related tax incentives and eliminating sunset provisions, or expiration dates, for some OBBBA innovations. While we cannot know when or if politicians will resume the fight for tax simplification, what we can assume with some certainty is that groups from all political persuasions will keep pushing for special preferences, making the economy less efficient along the way. (The views expressed here are those of Marty Fridson, the publisher of Income Securities Advisor., opens new tab He is a past governor of the CFA Institute, consultant to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and Special Assistant to the Director for Deferred Compensation, Office of Management and the Budget, The City of New York). Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI),, opens new tab your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI,, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn,, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
Arab News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Art in Madinah through the eyes of a local artist
—Spiritual nature of the city inspires Meshal Al-Hujaili to seek simplicity through his work —Madinah Art Center a 'turning point' for local art scene Riyadh: Madinah's art scene is expanding, featuring a rich blend of traditional and contemporary influences rooted in the Kingdom's Islamic heritage, cultural identity and historical lineage. 'The art scene in Madinah is constantly evolving, leading artists in the city to keep pace with this development and enter the artistic landscape,' artist and Madinah native Meshal Al-Hujaili told Arab News. Al-Hujaili described how the art scene in his home town influences his work: 'Madinah, with its spiritual nature and simplicity, always leads me to pursue simplicity in my work, despite its artistic depth.' Born and raised in Madinah, Al-Hujaili contributes to the growth of the local art scene through his solo art exhibitions and collaborations with the Madinah Art Center. The center 'has been a turning point for the art scene in Madinah,' he said. 'Due to its ongoing art sessions, exhibitions and meetings, it has increased my exposure to artists who preceded me in the field,' Al-Hujaili said. 'The center provides a stimulating environment for dialogue and exchange of experiences among artists, which has opened new horizons for me in my expression and in my understanding of the role of art in society,' he said. Al-Hujaili's artwork, currently on display in the main gallery of the Madinah Art Center, is a result of the Madinah International Symposium 2023. 'The painting, titled 'Flow,' reflects my experience at the symposium, my presence among more than 200 artists from around the world, and the artistic flow that prevailed at the center,' he said. Al-Hujaili's latest exhibition, titled 'Path,' in collaboration with curator Nouf Al-Balawi explored 'reflections, each representing a pivotal stage in the artist's life as he searches for self.' The art exhibition shed light on the Madinah native's life, 'documenting the events around him, about the various paths of life, in an individual experience that begins with the embryo and continues through to the impact he creates,' Al-Hujaili said. When asked where he draws his inspiration from, the artist said his natural curiosity and love for asking questions. Al-Hujaili's latest exhibition is inspired by five themes, the first being 'From Embryo to Embryo,' a series of four works that explore the circle of life, starting from the moment the fetus is formed in the womb and continuing through parenthood, 'where the first fetus never ends, but rather transforms and begins anew as the father of a fetus,' as Al-Hujaili described it. The second theme is titled 'The Child I Was Not.' 'After highlighting the fetal stage, the exhibition moves to the next stage: childhood,' he said. This is a single work in which the artist tries to reflect on children's perspectives on art, because 'art was not part of their experience as a child,' he said. One part of the exhibition, titled 'Morning Exercises,' shifts from childhood to decision-making and commitment. It features 30 artworks documenting the artist's dedication to a daily morning art practice, lasting up to five hours of creating new pieces. Another section titled 'What to Do?' looks at the artist questioning the definition of the artwork and discovering where the value in the artwork lies. In the concluding 'Effort and Impact' section, two works represent the artist's journey in producing art, his commitment to daily work, and his constant questioning and research. Closing the interview, the artist emphasized how the Madinah Art Center supports his work and the work of other artists across the Kingdom: 'The gallery encourages artists to explore new experiences and view the work of other artists,' he said. 'The center also offers numerous training courses and dialogue sessions that help artists become part of the artistic movement taking place in Madinah across various artistic fields,' he said. When asked what he hopes to accomplish in the Madinah art scene, he said: 'I have always dreamed of making a real impact on how people view art and representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.' Al-Hujaili said he hopes his work will be immortalized in history.
Vogue
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
No. 21 Spring 2026 Menswear Collection
'We're living in a moment marked by complexity—at times, even confusion,' said Alessandro Dell'Acqua during a showroom appointment. 'Everywhere we turn, we're bombarded by contradictory messages.' Rather than retreat or shut down in response, his instinct was to seek clarity through simplicity. 'Of course, banality is out of the question,' he added. 'But I feel a growing urge to express a sense of grounded normality, not by embracing eccentricity for its own sake, but by capturing something more honest, more real.' The collection pivoted around the quotidian, 'almost veering toward the basic,' as he put it. Yet Alessandro Dell'Acqua is nothing if not an imaginative designer, and a subtle touch of nonconformity is always woven into his work. For spring, he envisioned a young man who approaches dressing with spontaneity, someone who builds his wardrobe intuitively, free from the weight of imposed narratives or symbolic overthinking. 'He's not burdened by meanings that have nothing to do with the clothes themselves,' Dell'Acqua explained. 'He just wears what feels right.' To this end, pieces felt easy and natural, almost as if they already belonged to the wearer. Lightweight knitwear had a soft, tactile quality reminiscent of terry cloth, offering comfort without compromising on cool. Bouclé, an unconventional choice for menswear, was reimagined in a baby blue zip-up bomber, lending softness to a traditionally rugged silhouette. Anoraks and bombers were cut from the same crisp poplin as the matching shirts and shorts they accompanied, creating three-piece ensembles that blurred the line between casual and considered. Elsewhere, a playful touch appeared in tailored trousers made of fresco di lana, where the illusion of boxer shorts peeked out from the waistband—a nod to irreverence within a classic framework.
