Good Morning. If you prefer Fleetwood Mac over Taylor Swift, Spotify Wrapped has something to say about that. See why music fans are feeling insulted.

Forwarded this email? Join 523k readers who get a little better every day.

Amazon may end its 30-year partnership with the United States Postal Service if contract negotiations fail, according to The Washington Post. The current agreement expires October 1st, 2026. Amazon wanted to extend but USPS planned to auction last-mile delivery contracts instead.

Amazon contributed $6 billion (7.5 percent of USPS total revenue) in 2025. The company handled 6.3 billion parcels in 2024, second only to USPS's 6.9 billion. Amazon says it's still discussing ways to extend their partnership.

If negotiations collapse, Amazon's delivery network would directly compete with USPS. Pitney Bowes projects Amazon could overtake USPS by 2028, shipping 8.4 billion packages versus USPS's projected 8.3 billion.

AI capabilities are making the billable hour model untenable for professional services, argues Columbia Business School's Rita Gunther McGrath. When AI reviews thousands of contracts in minutes versus weeks, time becomes meaningless. Firms successfully adopting AI would see revenue collapse under hourly billing despite superior results.

The billable hour became prevalent in the 1960s-70s, spreading from law to accounting and consulting firms. Previously, professionals billed for outcomes achieved, not time spent. Clients now reject paying hundreds daily for junior-level work AI can handle.

Alternative models are emerging: value-based pricing tied to outcomes, subscription/retainer arrangements for ongoing access. This shift could flatten firm structures toward smaller senior expert cores assembling teams as needed, prioritizing human insight over logged hours (Review).

Spotify's 2025 Wrapped introduced a "listening age" feature estimating users' ages based on music preferences. Many millennials discovered they're decades older—38-year-old Amanda Rodriguez received 66, while pop star Grimes (37) got 92 despite featuring contemporary artists.

The calculation analyzes 2025 songs played, determining which five-year release span users favored versus peers. It's based on "reminiscence bump" psychology—people's tendency to prefer music from their younger years as they age.

The feature demonstrates streaming's music democratization. Spotify's creative director notes young listeners no longer build identity through exclusive fandom, mixing Taylor Swift with Fleetwood Mac—accessibility enables exploration of decades-old catalogs alongside current hits.

The Black Friday Deal that Sets You Up for Lifelong Growth.

Progress is built in small, meaningful steps — the kind you barely notice at first, until one day you realize how far you have come. This Black Friday, Rosetta Stone is offering lifetime access to all 25 languages for $149, regularly $399.

It is a rare chance to invest in a skill that grows with you year after year. Each lesson fits naturally into your day, backed by an immersive method and tools like TruAccent that help you speak with clarity and confidence.

Think of it as a lifelong practice that compounds over time: richer experiences, sharper thinking, deeper connections, and the quiet pride of mastering something that once felt out of reach. One choice now can shape years of personal growth ahead.

Get Lifetime Access for $149

The average American throws away $847 every year in spoiled produce, but you can turn almost any kitchen scrap into a plant for your raised bed. Here’s what you need to get started:

*Download the full guide right here, for free.

"Poor people suffer. Rich people suffer. Single people suffer. Married people suffer. Entreprenurs suffer. Employees suffer," says marketing expert, Alex Hormozi. "Suffering is a fixed cost of life. Pick a life, pick a goal worth suffering for. Your business will be painful when it's shrinking, when it's plateauing, when it's growing, so the biggest outcome that we can generate as human beings is picking destinations that we believe are meaningful enough for us to get through the hard times."

Bookmark clip.

▲ Math Legend leaves academia to join $64M AI startup led by 24-year-old founder

▲ DC Bomber suspect unmasked after arrest tied to Jan.5 pipe devices and resurfaced 2024 photo

▲ Buy Now Pay Later boosts Cyber Monday as BNPL spending hits $1B and rises 4.2% year over year

▲ New York Times sues Pentagon to overturn Hegseth’s media rules barring mainstream outlets from access

▲ Metaverse budgets face 30% cuts as Zuckerberg shifts resources toward AI glasses and January layoff plans

GoodReads top books of 2025 [List]

Can Tai Chi improve your sleep? [Blog]

Gordon Ramsey’s perfect burger [Recipe]

Students create flying bike [Blog]

What sugar does to your mouth [Blog]