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All of your RCS conversations in Messages by Google are now end-to-end encrypted, including group chats

How end-to-end encryption in Google Messages provides more security

To use end-to-end encryption in Google Messages, you and the person or group you message must both:

• Use the Google Messages app.
• Have RCS chats turned on .
• Use data or Wi-Fi for Rich Communications Services (RCS) messages.
• Text messages are dark blue in the RCS state and light blue in the SMS/MMS state.
• End-to-end encryption is automatic in eligible conversations. 

Important: End-to-end encryption isn’t available for SMS/MMS messages.

How end-to-end encryption works

When you use the Google Messages app to send end-to-end encrypted messages, all chats, including their text and any files or media, are encrypted as the data travels between devices. Encryption converts data into scrambled text. The unreadable text can only be decoded with a secret key.

The secret key is a number that’s:

• Created on your device and the device you message. It exists only on these two devices.
• Not shared with Google, anyone else, or other devices.
• Generated again for each message.
• Deleted from the sender's device when the encrypted message is created, and deleted from the receiver's device when the message is decrypted.

The Google Messages delivery server, and any person or third-party who might gain access to data for messages and content sent between devices, won’t be able to read end-to-end encrypted messages because they don’t have the key.

Each end-to-end encrypted conversation has a unique verification code. This code must be the same for you and your contact to verify that your messages are end-to-end encrypted.

Tip : As an added measure, you can make sure you and your contact have the same verification code . 

You can learn more in the Google Messages end-to-end encryption technical paper .

How to tell when end-to-end encryption is on

Learn how to control the way messages are sent when end-to-end encryption isn’t available .

You’re in control 

Once a conversation becomes end-to-end encrypted, it won’t revert to SMS messages unless you or your contact lose or disable RCS, or switch to a new phone or operating system. End-to-end encrypted messages can only be delivered over data or Wi-Fi. If you or the person you’re messaging lose data or Wi-Fi, you’ll also lose RCS.

You can send an SMS instead, or wait until you or the person you’re messaging gets RCS again .  

End-to-end encryption is automatic in eligible conversations, so Google Messages won’t disable other features that help with your message experience, like Google Assistant suggestions, spam detection, and automatic previews.

Note : Automatic previews and link previews work with end-to-end encrypted messages, but your privacy is protected by decoupling the previewed content from user identifiers like your name or phone number. You can change your Google Messages settings and notifications .

With your permission, some Google and third-party apps can access your messages to provide seamless companion experiences like when you restore your messages to a new phone or app, or when you send message notifications to your home device, smartwatch, or car.

When end-to-end encrypted messages are received on your phone, they’re also included in Android backup and accessible to apps you’ve granted SMS or notifications permissions to. You can manage which apps can access your messages .  

Related resources

• Use end-to-end encryption in Google Messages
• Control message delivery
• Control message storage & access
• Change your Google Messages notifications and settings
• Technical paper: Messages end-to-end encryption

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Transparency Report: Protecting emails as they travel across the web

Jun 03, 2014

[[read-time]] min read

When you mail a letter to your friend, you hope she’ll be the only person who reads it. But a lot could happen to that letter on its way from you to her, and prying eyes might try to take a look. That’s why we send important messages in sealed envelopes, rather than on postcards. Email works in a similar way. Emails that are  encrypted  as they’re routed from sender to receiver are like sealed envelopes, and less vulnerable to snooping—whether by bad actors or through government surveillance—than postcards.

But some email is more secure than others. So to help you better understand whether your emails are protected by encryption, we’re launching a  new section  in the  Transparency Report .

Gmail has always supported encryption in transit by using  Transport Layer Security  (TLS), and will  automatically encrypt  your incoming and outgoing emails if it can. The important thing is that  both  sides of an email exchange need to support encryption for it to work; Gmail can't do it alone. Our data show that approximately 40 to 50 percent of emails sent between Gmail and other email providers aren’t encrypted. Many providers have turned on encryption, and others have said they’re going to, which is great news. As they do, more and more emails will be shielded from snooping.

For people looking for even stronger email security,  end-to-end encryption  is a good option—but it’s been hard to use. So today we’re making available the source code for  End-to-End , a Chrome extension. It's currently in testing, and once it's ready for general use it will make this technology easier for those who choose to use it. We encourage you to find tips about  choosing strong passwords  and  adding another layer of protection  to your account in our  Safety Center . And check out  Reset the Net , a broad coalition of organizations, companies and individuals coming together this week to promote stronger security practices on the web; we’re happy to be a participant in that effort.

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Space communications: 7 things you need to know.

Katherine Schauer

1.     the basics, 2.     ground networks, 3.     space relays, 4.     bandwidth, 5.     data rates, 6.     latency, 7.     interference.

Movies and television shows can make communicating with space look easy. Astronauts on far off planets video chat with loved ones on Earth with crystal clear quality and no delay.

Do these imagined communications capabilities match reality? Not really.

Communicating to and from space is a challenging endeavor. Fortunately, NASA has the experience and expertise to get space data to the ground.

NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program enables this data exchange, whether it’s with astronauts aboard the International Space Station , rovers on Mars , or the Artemis missions to the Moon.

Let’s look at some of the challenges of space communications alongside the technologies and capabilities NASA uses to overcome them.

At its simplest, space communications relies on two things: a transmitter and a receiver. A transmitter encodes a message onto electromagnetic waves through modulation, which changes properties of the wave to represent the data. These waves flow through space toward the receiver. The receiver collects the electromagnetic waves and demodulates them, decoding the sender’s message.

Consider a Wi-Fi router and networked devices around the home. Each device receives signals from the router, which transmits data from the internet. At its heart, the complex task of communicating with space resembles wireless communications in the home – only on an enormous scale and at incredible distances.

Communicating from space involves more than pointing a spacecraft’s antenna at the Earth. NASA has an extensive network of antennas around the globe — over all seven continents — to receive transmissions from spacecraft. Network engineers carefully plan communications between ground stations and missions, ensuring that antennas are ready to receive data as spacecraft pass overhead.

Ground station antennas range from the small very high frequency antennas that provide backup communications to the space station to a massive, 230-foot antenna that can communicate with far-off missions like the Voyager spacecraft , over 11 billion miles away.

In addition to direct-to-Earth communications, many NASA missions rely on relay satellites in order to get their data to the ground. For example, the space station communicates through Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), which transmit data to ground stations in New Mexico and Guam. The recently launched Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will send data through orbiters around Mars, which forward the data to Earth.

Relays offer unique advantages in terms of communications availability. For example, the placement of TDRS at three different regions above Earth offers global coverage and near-continuous communications between low-Earth orbit missions and the ground. Rather than waiting to pass over a ground station, TDRS users can relay data 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NASA encodes data on various bands of electromagnetic frequencies. These bandwidths — ranges of frequencies — have different capabilities. Higher bandwidths can carry more data per second, allowing spacecraft to downlink data more quickly.

Currently, NASA relies primarily on radio waves for communications, but the agency is developing ways to communicate with infrared lasers . This type of transmission — dubbed optical communications — will offer missions higher data rates than ever before.

NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will showcase the benefits of optical communications. The mission will relay data between ground stations in California and Hawaii over optical links, testing their capabilities. NASA will also furnish the space station with an optical terminal that can relay data to the ground via LCRD.

Higher bandwidths can mean higher data rates for missions. Apollo radios sent grainy black and white video from the Moon. An upcoming optical terminal on the Artemis II mission will send 4K, ultra-high definition video from lunar orbit.

But bandwidth isn’t the only constraint on data rates. Other factors that can affect data rates include the distance between the transmitter and receiver, the size of the antennas or optical terminals they use, and the power available on either end. NASA communications engineers must balance these variables in order to maximize data rates.

Communications don’t occur instantaneously. They’re bound by a universal speed limit: the speed of light, about 186,000 miles per second. For spacecraft close to Earth, this time delay — or communications latency — is almost negligible.

However, farther from Earth, latency can become a challenge. At Mars’ closest approach — about 35 million miles away — the delay is about four minutes. When the planets are at their greatest distance — about 250 million miles away — the delay is around 24 minutes. This means that astronauts would need to wait between four and 24 minutes for their messages to reach mission control, and another four to 24 minutes to receive a response.

As NASA prepares to send humans to the Red Planet , communications engineers are developing ways for astronauts to stay connected with Earth while recognizing delays will be a part of the conversation.

As communications transmissions travel over long distances or through the atmosphere, the quality of their data can deteriorate, garbling the message. Radiation from other missions, the Sun, or other celestial bodies can also interfere with the quality of transmissions. To make sure that mission operations centers receive accurate data, NASA uses methods of error detection and correction. Methods of error correction include computer algorithms that interpret noisy transmissions as usable data.

While Hollywood dreams up stories that connect people across the galaxy with ease, NASA engineers endeavor to turn those dreams into reality. NASA is developing technologies and capabilities that address the real-world challenges of space communications, while empowering science and exploration missions with robust communications services.

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You Can Track Any Flight Directly From Your iPhone's Text Messages

No need for a web browser or any third-party apps.

The iPhone's built-in iMessage software can track your flight and inform you of delays and cancellations.

The summer travel season here, and even if you're not hopping on a plane, you probably know someone who is. And if they're visiting you, it's really important for you to keep track of their flight.

You need to know if the flight is expected to arrive early, or if it's canceled entirely, especially if you're picking someone up at the airport. You can obviously check out this information from an airline's app or website, but there's another way to track a flight without even having to leave the Messages app on your iPhone.

That's right. There's a hidden flight tracker built right into iMessage that you probably would have never noticed unless you threw in the right combination of details within a message. 

It's easy to check the status of the flight, and you can easily share the info with anyone else that needs to know.

For more on Apple, check out how text message are getting more expressive on iOS 18 and how you'll be able to schedule text messages as well . If you want to try these features out now, you can download the second developer beta for iOS 18 here .

How to track your flight via iMessage

Before we start, there are a few prerequisites you must meet:

• Make sure iMessage is enabled (it doesn't work with SMS/MMS).
• You'll need your flight number somewhere in your text messages, whether you've sent that information to someone (even yourself) or it's been sent to you.
• The flight number must be sent in this format: [Airline] [Flight number] , for example, American Airlines 9707.

Launch the native Messages app on your iPhone and open the text message thread that contains your flight information. You'll know the flight tracker feature works when the text with the flight information appears underlined, which means it's actionable and you can tap on it. 

However, if your flight is still several months away or it's already passed, you might see a message that says, "Flight information unavailable." You might also see another flight that's not yours because airlines recycle flight numbers.

How to access the hidden flight tracker

Although the airline name/flight number format highlighted above is the best way to go, there are other texting options that will lead you to the same result. So let's say we stick with American Airlines 9707 , other options that may bring up the flight tracker include:

• AmericanAirlines9707 (no spaces)
• AmericanAirlines 9707 (only one space)
• AA9707 (airline name is abbreviated and no space)
• AA 9707 (abbreviated and space)

I would suggest you keep the airline name spelled out completely and add a space between the two pieces of information -- like in the previous section -- because for some airlines these alternative options may not work.

Text the code to preview your flight.

Track your flight's details in real time

iMessage's built-in flight tracker

Once everything is set, tap on the flight information in your text messages. If the feature works correctly, you should see the following two options appear in a quick-action menu:

• Preview Flight : View the flight's details. Tap this if you want to view more information about the flight.
• Copy Flight Code : Copy the flight code to your clipboard (in case you want to send your flight details to someone else via text or email).

If you select Preview Flight , at the top of the window, you'll see the best part of this feature: a real-time flight tracker map. A line will connect the two destinations, and a tiny airplane will move between them, indicating where the flight is at that exact moment.

Underneath the map, you'll see important flight information:

• Airline name and flight number
• Flight status (arriving on time, delayed, canceled, etc.)
• Terminal and gate numbers (for arrival and departure)
• Arrival and departure time
• Flight duration
• Baggage claim (the number of the baggage carousel)

If you swipe left on the bottom half of the flight tracker, you can switch between flights, but only if there's a return flight.

For more, don't miss  how to get your iPhone out of Emergency SOS mode  and  the hidden Safari feature on your Mac that makes multitasking a breeze .  

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How to Set Up Text Messaging for International Travel

Text messaging is essential when traveling abroad. Check out these options for setting up free text messaging for international travel.

1. Send Free Texts Overseas with Wi-Fi Calling

• 2. Use a Ship's Onboard Cellular Network (Cruise only)

3. Purchase an International Roaming Plan

4. buy a local sim at your destination, 5. buy a travel sim in advance, 6. set up free text messaging on popular messenger apps.

You can use your phone’s Wi-Fi calling feature to send free international text messages to your home country, as well as other countries that permit this method. This is possible with secure Wi-Fi access. A growing number of airlines – including Delta, United Airlines, and British Airways – offer free onboard Wi-Fi on their international routes. Use them to send or receive important messages for free.

How to Activate

On both iPhones and Android phones, search for the Wi-Fi Calling option in settings. Be sure to turn on Airplane or Flight mode before setting it up. Your texts won’t switch to your regular cellular plan, which can be costly when you’re roaming internationally.

• Absolutely free to use
• Does not depend on cellular coverage; perfect for airline passengers
• Texts look like they came from your phone number
• Unsafe to send SMS over Wi-Fi in public networks
• Battery drain
• Many countries do not permit Wi-Fi calling

FYI : check out the best travel websites to book cheap flights online .

2. Use a Ship’s Onboard Cellular Network (Cruise only)

Going on a cruise? You can still text anywhere! Many international cruise lines are connected to an onboard cellular network called “Cellular at Sea.” This lets you send and receive texts even in the middle of the ocean, as long as you’re at least 12 nautical miles away from shore. However, the cellular network won’t work when you’re approaching or leaving a port due to international regulations.

Download your cruise liner’s app on Android/iOS. Finish the registration and log in to the app. Keep airplane mode off , and wait for your home SIM for free text messaging.

As soon as you’re 12 nautical miles away from port, the app will automatically connect you to an onboard mobile phone network such as cellularatsea , 901 , 901-18 , or wmsatsea . Use it to send unlimited texts and access a limited number of talk time minutes. You can purchase extra onboard data as needed.

To use cellular at sea, you can either pay your cruise company or purchase a special cruise Internet plan in your home country, which is cheaper. In the U.S., for instance, AT&T customers can use the AT&T Cruise Package , which costs $60 for 30 days with 100 minutes of talk time and unlimited text messaging during your cruise travel.

• Send text messages even when you’re on international waters
• Use the mobile app as well to text others you are traveling with
• Expensive one-time purchase
• Slow network speed, as the signal is beamed from satellites 22,000 miles above the earth

To avoid the extra fees for text messaging while you’re traveling abroad, consider purchasing a separate international roaming plan. This needs to be done before you board the airplane or cruise.

Your carrier uses a local phone operator’s network coverage, with whom it has an international roaming agreement. As soon as you arrive at your destination, your home network is available for you. All incoming and outgoing text messages are free.

An international roaming plan is activated as soon as you buy it online from your phone carrier website. In the U.S., like elsewhere, major telecom carriers have their own international roaming plans.

• AT&T offers an International Day Pass plan that starts at $12/day , supporting unlimited talk, text, and data. It is valid in 210 countries.
• Verizon offers a similar unlimited Day Pass plan that’s valid in 210 countries at $10/day plus taxes.
• T-Mobile offers unlimited text and limited data benefits in 215 countries under its Go5G Next, Plus, or Max plans , which starts at $90/line.

You’ll also need to activate your phone’s mobile data roaming. Locate your device’s SIM info & settings to use the free SMS feature.

• No setup skills required
• Cheaper for short international travel
• Ideal for airline and cruise passengers hopping through multiple countries
• Very expensive for long-term international travel
• Poor cellular coverage wherever the roaming partner has insufficient reach

FYI : learn to streamline travel in Linux using one of these tools.

If you plan to stay abroad for a long time, it’s much cheaper to get a local SIM card, especially from a well-known mobile provider in the country you’re visiting. This is also a great choice for people who want to use government websites, ride-sharing apps, and online shopping platforms in that country.

In many regions, including the European Union, and West and Southeast Asia, you can purchase a local SIM from authorized agents after you clear immigration. They only need your passport. The SIM has to be recharged either online or offline at a convenience store. Make sure you have a handset that is dual-SIM capable to use your home country’s SMS in an emergency.

I have personally used local SIMs for everything from setting up a new WhatsApp phone number to registering my fingerprints with local government authorities. Your mileage will vary depending on a particular country’s bureaucratic hassles.

• Pay the same amount as the locals
• Access an operator’s direct network
• Handy for registering local apps at your destination
• Setup can be a nightmare
• KYC can be a big hassle if you’re planning a longer stay

Privacy Tip : learn to hide your SMS and calls for specific contacts.

If you’re traveling abroad and want to send international text messaging without paying high roaming fees, consider a travel SIM. This is a good choice for European Union (EU) countries. With just one plan, you’ll have reliable mobile coverage across all EU member states, Switzerland, and a few more countries.

Do a Google search for legitimate travel SIM websites based in the country you’re visiting. After purchasing online, they will send you an email confirmation. The SIM arrives at your home address through Blue Dart, DHL, or a national postal service, which you can track easily.

A travel SIM is preactivated with a sufficient balance, but it won’t work in your home country. However, as soon as you arrive at your destination, it gets activated, and you can use it for high-speed data and unlimited texting. You can recharge online with top-up plans. Text messaging is free as long as you have a sufficient balance.

You can also buy a travel SIM in your home country, but I wouldn’t recommend it, as it usually turns out very expensive.

• Avoid expensive roaming
• Avoid documentation and bureaucratic hassles
• Recharge for longer stays
• Many countries heavily restrict the import of foreign SIM cards
• Banking and financial websites often reject travel SIMs for user registration purposes

Good to know : these SMS apps offer great privacy compared to WhatsApp.

So far, we have seen how free international text messaging works on your phone’s default SMS app when you travel. But increasingly, many travelers are using a popular messaging app, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, Signal, Telegram, and Line for security purposes.

Connect to Wi-Fi or a local mobile data network, a travel SIM network, or your home country’s roaming network. Receiving text from abroad, as well as sending it internationally, will be absolutely free.

• No setup hassles
• Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and many banking apps prefer your phone’s default texting app for free international text messaging when you travel.

Did you know that you can also send text messages for free from your computer ? You can also forward your text messages to the cloud on Android.

Image credit: Unsplash . All screenshots by Sayak Boral.

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Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

75 Best Quotes About Traveling With Friends

Because your epic adventures together call for the perfect saying.

It’s no secret that traveling can open your eyes to new experiences, cultures and perspectives. What can make those memorable journeys even better? A companion, of course! Traveling with friends can enhance trips in unimaginable ways. For starters, they can be your personal photographer when selfies won’t suffice. That’s what friends are for, right ?

Exploring the world together can create enlightening experiences that you will look back on for years to come. But, before you embark on your next adventure, we’ve rounded up some of the best traveling with friends quotes to get you excited about the trips that you have yet to take.

From short and sweet to deep and meaningful, these quotes will boost your anticipation for your future travels. If you’ve taken trips together in the past, these travel quotes can help you reflect and reminisce. Text them in your special group chat or post as captions on Instagram . Regardless of how you share them, these quotes and messages are sure to resonate with your travel buddies.

No matter if you’re going with one friend or a group of your closest buds, traveling with friends presents an opportunity to strengthen bonds while having fun. So, pack your bags and get ready to create memories that will last a lifetime.

• “ Sharing adventures means enjoying them 100% more .” – Anonymous
• “ There are no strangers in this world, only friends I haven’t met yet. ” – William Butler Yeats
• “Friends make everything better, vacations included! ” — Anonymous
• “ A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face .” – Maya Angelou
• “ Traveling with a friend is like stepping into a storybook adventure together.” – Unknown
• “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Travel far, travel wide, but always travel with a friend by your side. ” – Unknown
• “ Just as the stars shine brighter in the night sky, so do friendships glow stronger amidst the wonders of the world discovered together .” – Unknown
• “ As the road stretches out before us, I’m grateful for the company of my best friend, knowing that no matter where we end up, the journey together is what truly matters. ” – Unknown
• “ No matter where our journey takes us, friendship will always be our guiding light. ” —Anonymous
• “ I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts or cities or mountains or roads. ” – Paulo Coelho
• “Good company on a journey makes the way seem shorter.” — Izaak Walton
• “A good friend listens to your adventures. A best friend makes them with you.” — Unknown
• “A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” — Tim Cahill
• “No adventure is complete without you by my side.” — Unknown
• “Friends that travel together, stay together.” — Unknown
• “It doesn’t matter where you’re going — it’s who you go with that makes it fun!” — Unknown
• “As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.” — Winnie The Pooh.
• “Life was meant for great adventures and close friends." — Unknown
• “You can pack for every occasion, but a good friend will always be the best thing you could bring!” — Unknown
• "We all have that one friend who is either on a road-trip or planning a road-trip or thinking about a road-trip or talking to people who are on road-trip or posting quotes about road-trip." — Crestless Wave
• “It’s the friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey.” — Unknown
• “You never know where life will take you, but it will always be better with friends.” —Unknown
• “We are all travelers in the wilderness of the world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
• “The tans will fade but the memories will last forever.” — Unknown
• “Wherever it is you may be, it is your friends who make your world.” — Chris Bradford
• ​​“When traveling life’s journey, it’s good to have a friend’s hand to hold on to.” — Unknown
• “If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb
• “A good trip is an even better one with your bestie.” — Unknown
• “The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends” —Shirley MacLaine
• “Embarking on new adventures is a million times better with close pals.” — Unknown
• “Life was meant for great adventures and close friends.” —Unknown
• “I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” —Mark Twain
• “Adventure awaits — all you need is your best buddy to make it a reality.” — Unknown

• “Life is a beach, enjoy the waves.” — Unknown
• “Frozen drinks are better with friends.” — Unknown
• “With friends by your side, every journey becomes an opportunity to discover the beauty of the world and the depths of your bond.” — Unknown
• “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” — Zig Ziglar
• “On the road, strangers become friends, sharing stories and laughter, creating bonds that last beyond the journey.” — Unknown
• “ The best way to travel is to always pack light, with the exception of a friend . ” —Anonymous
• " If you want to have fun, bring a friend.” — Unknown
• “ Nothing makes the journey more enjoyable than a friend who can make you laugh.” — Unknown
• “ I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within .” —Lillian Smith
• “ In the tapestry of life, friends are the threads that weave together our most cherished travel stories .” – Unknown
• “ May your travels be filled with the magic of friendship, the wonder of new experiences, and the warmth of shared memories that last a lifetime .” —Unknown
• " T raveling the world is great, but nothing tops going around the world with a friend ." —Unknown
• “ The beach and my besties are all I need to have a good time." —Unknown
• "Travel memories we make alone may fade, but those made with friends will last a lifetime." — Unknown
• “Away is a place where it’s not about the money you spend. It’s about the moments you share.” —Unknown
• “Just grab a friend and take a ride, together upon the open road.” —The Goofy Movie
• Life is about doing things that don’t suck with people who don’t suck.” —Unknown
• “I would like to travel the world with you twice. Once, to see the world. Twice, to see the way you see the world.” —Unknown
• “Everyone needs this friend that calls and says, “Get dressed, we’re going on an adventure.” —Unknown
• “Getting to know new people and gaining new friends is one of life’s greatest pleasures. So, conquer your fears and get out there.” —Tony Clark
• “Traveling with friends is always better.” —Unknown
• “No road is long with good company.” —Turkish proverb
• "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." —Anais Nin
• "In life, it’s not where you go – it’s who you travel with.” — Charles M. Schulz
• “Exploring new places is always sweeter with your favorite people.” — Unknown
• “Getting lost with you is a risk I’m always willing to take.”— Unknown
• “As with any journey, whom you travel with is more important than the destination.” —Unknown
• “At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.” —Shanti
• “May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.” — Trenton Lee Stewart
• “I get a friend to travel with me… I need somebody to bring me back to who I am. It’s hard to be alone.” —Leonardo DiCaprio
• “Travel should make friendships stronger and memories sweeter.” —Unknown
• “Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.” —Ernest Hemingway
• “Sometimes all you need is a great friend and a tank of gas.” — Thelma & Louise
• “One of the great things about travel is that you find out how many good, kind people there are.” —Edith Wharton
• “We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” — Paul Coelho
• “Sometimes all you need is a great friend and thirst for adventure.” —Unknown
• “Nothing makes a good trip more memorable than experiencing it with your best friends.” —Unknown
• “Traveling with a pal can be the foundation for a lifelong friendship.” —Unknown
• “Good times and crazy friends make the best memories.” —Unknown
• “The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been, and the memories we’ve made along the way.” —Unknown
• “Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”— Richard Bach

Karla Pope is a longtime writer, editor and blogger with nearly two decades of editorial experience. She’s written for a variety of outlets including Good Housekeeping , Woman’s Day , People , Parade , BET.com. WebMD and more. Her coverage includes entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, parenting and fashion content. If she's not exploring New York City with her two young children, you can find her curled up on the couch watching a documentary and eating gummy bears. 

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} 100+ Quotes For Any Occasion

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Trial begins for Dover man accused of texting death threats to presidential candidates

CONCORD — The trial of a Dover man charged with sending death threats to the campaigns of three presidential candidates the month before the 2024 New Hampshire Primary, opened in federal court Monday.

Tyler Anderson was arrested at his residence in Dover in December and charged with threatening to kill 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy at an event in Portsmouth. He was later found to have sent similar messages to the campaigns of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Anderson was indicted on three federal counts of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another.

Anderson’s case began Monday before Judge Samantha Elliott. He is being represented by assistant federal public defender Dorothy Graham. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Rombeau and Matthew Vicinanzo are the prosecutors.

Alleged threats came in response to text solicitations

Anderson was charged for a text he sent in response to a text message from Ramaswamy’s campaign inviting recipients to a breakfast meet and greet at the Roundabout Diner in Portsmouth.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

“Another opportunity for me to blow his brains out,” the text read. “I’m going to kill everyone who attends and then [expletive] their corpses.”

In addition to this text, Anderson is also being charged for texts he allegedly sent in response to messages from Haley and Christie’s campaigns.

In September, Anderson responded to a text inviting recipients to a Chris Christie event at Franklin Pierce University with a threat to “blow the bastard’s head off.”

“I hope you have the stamina for a mass shooting,” another text read. 

And, in November, he texted that Nikki Haley “deserves to be impaled with a red hot spike” and that “disembowelment would work too” in a response to one of her campaign texts.

The line between free speech and criminal threatening

In the prosecution's opening statement, Vicinanzo said while the U.S. values free speech and political discourse, including political disagreement, “there are some lines you just can’t cross.”

Situations that cross the line, he said, include things like shouting fire in a crowded building and threatening violence to another person.

The last one, he said, is what Anderson did.

Vicinanzo also said Anderson received 40 political texts over the course of two years and that he only texted "stop" once.

Each charge against Anderson carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Anderson has pleaded not guilty. Judge Elliot said that to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury would need to find that he sent a communication, intended to send it, and disregarded the risk that someone would take the communication as a real threat to harm someone.

Anderson says he thought he was responding to bots

Graham said Anderson should not be found guilty because he believed that computers or “bots” were generating the texts, and that he wasn’t aware that any person would be reading them.

“'I thought they were automated texts. I didn’t think my texts would be processed,'” Graham said in her opening statement. “That’s what he told the agents, and that’s what he believed.”

Graham said Anderson was receiving many texts from campaigns that would not stop even when he texted “stop,” leading him to further believe that no one was on the other end.

She also said the texts, which were accompanied by emojis and photos, were so "over the top" and "vulgar" that they were not "serious communications."

The rules around campaign texting

The prosecution brought forward five witnesses on Monday.

The first was Danielle Evansic, a science and math teacher at Holy Family Academy, who also worked full-time as a volunteer coordinator at the Ramaswamy campaign in New Hampshire. Part of her job was clicking send on campaign-related text messages to New Hampshire residents. 

According to rules set by the Federal Communication Commission, political campaigns are required to get consent from recipients before sending out automated texts. However, if the sender does not use automated messaging, they can send texts without the recipient’s consent. 

At the Ramaswamy campaign, Evansic and about a dozen others working for the campaign in New Hampshire would send out texts individually by pushing a button using a software called Campaign Sidekick.

The software would also allow them to see messages sent back to them going back a couple days which they could respond to. Evansic said they would usually be asking about other events or asking to be removed from the text list.

On Dec. 8, 2023, she encountered Anderson's responses to the campaign’s text. The “threatening” messages “caused alarm” for her, she said. She alerted people higher up at the campaign, including Zachary Letourneau, the regional political director for the Ramaswamy campaign in New Hampshire.

Letourneau said while he was not personally worried about any actual danger to the campaign, professionally, any threat is credible. The campaign took extra steps to ensure safety, like requiring a police detail at every campaign event and providing Ramaswamy with a bulletproof vest. Ramaswamy was on “high alert” and “guarded” after the texts, he said. 

Witnesses from the Haley and Christie campaigns also used messaging software to send campaign texts to recipients, but the witnesses were not involved in reviewing messages. John Hall, a digital consultant who worked on Haley’s campaign, said the messages were sent out by phone agents in places like Colorado and Alabama clicking through to send messages. In response to questioning by defense attorney Graham, he said he has concerns about the political process that some technology is being abused by campaigns, like that they won’t stop sending messages after a recipient texts “stop.” He said that was not the case at the Haley campaign.

Neither the Haley nor the Christie campaign knew about Anderson's messages to them until after Anderson was arrested and the FBI was investigating his other texts.

The FBI examination

FBI Special Agent Adam Howe, the prosecution’s third witness, said he was notified of the messages around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 8. A little before 1 p.m. the next day he, along with Dover and Portsmouth police, executed a search warrant and arrested Anderson at his house. 

The prosecution played a video from the interview with Anderson after his arrest, where he acknowledged that he went into “graphic detail” and that the messages were “over the top” but “effective.” 

Howe said he understood Anderson to be saying that sending those texts was his way of getting the campaigns to stop sending messages. However, Anderson also said in the video he didn’t think the texts would be processed and referenced automated texts.

Trial to end this week

The prosecution will bring forward more witnesses on Tuesday.

The trial is likely to end this week. Judge Elliot told the jurors at the end of the day Monday that it’s possible the trial will wrap up on Tuesday.

Area optometrists travel to Honduras to provide eye care to rural residents, some of whom have never had glasses before

photo by: Contributed

Dr. Elizabeth Crandon performs an eye exam in Las Delicias, Olancho, Honduras.

After an organization providing eye care services had not visited Honduras in five years, a brigade of optometrists and volunteers decided they were up for the challenge — and their visit resulted in some people getting their very first pair of glasses and seeing things they had not seen clearly before.

Dr. Laurie White, the crew’s leader and an optometrist in Oskaloosa, said residents in the rural area were excited about the visit, especially because of the limited eye care available in the community.

“I think my favorite one was this woman that had this beautiful dress on,” White said. “I’m checking her and she’s way nearsighted. I’ve told people that normally a nearsighted person in the United States needs about two units (two diopters to power). She needed 13, and if you need 13 diopters, you can only see really good at about three and a half inches or so.

“Once I got even close to the power, she was just thrilled and could hardly talk,” White said. “She was so happy, and I’m sure she didn’t take her glasses off.”

After four days of offering eye care to the community, the team had given eye exams, glasses and medications to 649 individuals, ages 4 to 92, in Las Delicias, Olancho, Honduras.

People would start waiting outside the facility in Las Delicias, Olancho, Honduras for eye exams, glasses and medications as early as 6 a.m.

“This is a little different way of traveling, but it’s a way of giving back,” said Karen Heady, another brigade member from Oskaloosa. “You see different areas, but you’re also contributing to other people and it’s just a lot of fun.”

The team that traveled to Honduras had four other optometrists, including recently retired Drs. Brent and Elizabeth Crandon, longtime operators of Crandon & Crandon at 1019 Massachusetts St.; Dr. Sam Funk from Colby; and Dr. Taylor Fiss from Michigan.

Other team members included Kevin Kressig, director of Kindred CPA; Steve Stephens, a banker; Connie Valenta, chief clerk of 2nd Judicial District Court in Kansas; Rod Smith, a science teacher from Oskaloosa; Erin Stephens, of Olathe; and registered nurse Lacey Bergerhofer from Kearney, Missouri.

The clinic trip – lasting from May 27 to June 4 – was organized by VOSH/Kansas, a chapter of VOSH/International, whose name stands for Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity. The organization gathered a team of volunteers who took time away from their careers and families and personally covered their expenses to deliver care.

The route to Las Delicias was not exactly direct. The brigade flew from Kansas City to Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras; from there, they were only halfway. The next morning, they had a seven-hour drive to Catacamas and a three-hour drive through rocky backroads to reach their destination.

The roads to Las Delicias were dusted with a gray powder, White said. The lack of rain for the past four months had dried out the plants, and the smoke from recent slashing and burning had deposited a layer of ash.

But all of that changed the evening they arrived. The area would have its first rain of the season, and it continued to rain every day that the team worked.

People would start lining up for services as early as 6 a.m., Steve Stephens said. Some walked over five hours to get there; others came by motorcycle on muddy roads or in pickup trucks carrying as many as 20 individuals.

Many people would arrive to the facility at Las Delicias, Olancho, Honduras in the back of pick up trucks.

People waited in line for hours in the 90-degree heat. A man with a cooler strapped to a motorcycle capitalized on the gathering by selling ice cream.

“I bet he was averaging 40 cents an ice cream cone,” Smith said.

White mentioned that although the community members have health professionals who visit them, the services are not free, and people do not have access to them regularly, which is why the eye-care team’s presence caused some excitement.

Smith said he wouldn’t forget the smiles on people’s faces and how appreciative they were.

The thousands of glasses brought to Honduras were donated and gathered by Kansas chapters of the Lions Club. There are over 216 clubs in Kansas dedicated to meeting community needs related to vision, diabetes, hunger, the environment and childhood cancer.

After the glasses are gathered, they are sent to prisoners at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility.

“The prison workers will figure out the prescription with an instrument, write down the prescriptions, make sure they’re clean and not broken, put a label on them, and then they’re all sorted for us,” White said.

Finally, the glasses are collected and distributed by VOSH/Kansas on trips like this one. For the Honduras trip, the group brought 2,000 pairs of glasses with them with varying prescriptions and many different medications. White said they brought 11 bags of equipment, half of them containing glasses.

After receiving a pair of glasses, a lot of people could finally read and see things clearly that they couldn’t before — opening up new experiences to them and creating unforgettable moments for the visiting team.

As they prepared to depart from their remote mountain location, the team noted that the landscape, thanks to the rain, had become vibrant and colorful, adding to the sense of satisfaction.

“The best part of the trip is being able to supply a service to somebody that needs it so badly and you’re happy to give it,” White said.

As for the bus ride, which was treacherous on the way up, it was much better on the way home, Smith said. The dry stream beds they had crossed were now rushing with water.

“And the dusty roads that we arrived on were all mud,” Smith said. “Sliding down the hill was really smooth compared to bumping up the hill.”

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How to Send and Receive Text Messages on a Flight

Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter.

Outside of work, she loves fitness, and she competes in both powerlifting and weightlifting (she can deadlift more than triple bodyweight). Naturally, her travels always involve a fitness component, including a week of cycling up the coastline of Vietnam and a camping trip to the Arctic Circle, where she biked over the sea ice. Other adventures have included hiking 25 miles in one day through Italy's Cinque Terre and climbing the 1,260 steps to Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi, Thailand.

She lives in San Francisco.

Kevin Berry works as the content lead for multimedia production at NerdWallet including YouTube, podcasts and social media videos across all financial topics. Previously, he was the Lead Editor for the Travel Rewards team. Prior to NerdWallet, Kevin managed the content and social media teams at NBC Sports in Portland for eight years. His prior experience also includes time as a financial analyst (Comcast) and business system analyst (Nike).

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Air travel used to mean hours of complete peace from the outside world. No phones ringing, no urgent texts to respond to, no email emergencies to deal with. For better or for worse, it’s now fairly easy to be able to text and use Wi-Fi on airplanes. And these days, many airlines offer the ability to text for free.

Among the airlines that let you text for free, the list includes JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines. These carriers allow texting either through free inflight Wi-Fi or with the use of text messaging services.

Here’s your guide to send and receive text messages on a plane, broken down by the biggest airlines.

How it works

Standard SMS messaging typically won’t work in the air since you’ll need a cellular network connection. But as long as there’s Wi-Fi available on a flight, you’ll have some way to communicate with people on the ground.

To text while flying, you’ll need to use a messaging app like WhatsApp, Apple iMessage, WeChat or Facebook Messenger. These "Over The Top" applications don't require a cellular network connection and instead send messages through the internet. Of course, that means your phone may need to be connected to the internet (which may require you to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi).

On the bright side, many airlines now enable texting on certain apps, even without a paid Wi-Fi connection.

If your airline allows free texting through a text messaging app like WeChat or WhatsApp, make sure you’ve downloaded that app to your phone before taking off. Otherwise, you'll have to connect to Wi-Fi in order to download the app, which will likely cost extra.

Major airlines with free texting and free Wi-Fi

For travelers who need to stay connected to all the apps and websites at all times, JetBlue is tops. JetBlue offers free, high-speed Wi-Fi at every seat, on every plane. You’re not just limited to messaging apps — you’ve got the entire internet at your fingertips. The airline delightfully calls it "Fly-Fi."

Nok Air’s Boeing 737s flights include free Wi-Fi. Though, flights on Nok Air’s Q400 NextGen aircraft aren't Wi-Fi equipped. Nok Air, which is a low-cost airline in Thailand, operates flights to destinations throughout Asia including China, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Norwegian Air

Most Norwegian Air flights offer free Wi-Fi, allowing you to browse the web, send email and deliver texts through messaging apps. For an additional fee, you can purchase more robust Wi-Fi, allowing for faster web browsing and the ability to stream shows and music from services like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify.

Australia-based Qantas offers free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights, allowing for not just free networking, but also free streaming of TV shows or music. To connect, select the "Qantas free Inflight Wi-Fi" network and enter wifi.qantas.com in your browser. You’ll have to input a few personal details before connecting.

Major airlines with free texting through messaging apps

These airlines don't necessarily offer free Wi-Fi access, but you can still text from the sky at no charge.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines offers free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on flights that also offer in-flight internet. You can send words and emojis, but sending photos, videos or SMS messages isn't supported.

To send texts for free while flying with Alaska, connect to either "gogoinflight" or the "Alaska_WiFi" network, upon which you'll be redirected to Alaska’s Wi-Fi portal. Here, choose the "free texting" option. You can also access that page by manually typing in AlaskaWiFi.com while connected to the airplane’s Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi costs start at $8.

Delta Air Lines

Free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp is available on all Wi-Fi enabled Delta flights. While you can send words and emojis, you won’t be able to send photos, videos or SMS messages.

To send messages for free on Delta, connect to DeltaWiFi, then you'll be redirected to Delta’s Wi-Fi portal where you can choose "Free Messaging." You can also access that page by manually typing in wifi.delta.com while connected to DeltaWiFi.

If you need to send messages through different apps than those three or want full internet access, you can purchase Wi-Fi at varying costs depending on your flight.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest has offered free in-flight text messaging since late 2018, and allows the use of two messaging apps, iMessage and WhatsApp, free of charge.

To send messages through other apps, you’ll have to purchase Wi-Fi service, which typically costs $8 per flight, per device.

To connect to Southwest’s internet, select "SouthwestWiFi" from your WiFi network list, upon which you’ll be automatically redirected (though you may need to manually type it in) to www.southwestwifi.com. Simply complete the connection process for either purchased Wi-Fi or complimentary texting.

Major airlines where sending text messages costs money

American airlines.

There’s no free texting on American Airlines , though you’ll be able to send messages through Wi-Fi-based texting apps if you purchase in-flight internet. This service is available on most flights and starts at $10, depending on the flight.

If you fly often, American Airlines offers its Wi-Fi Subscription Plan, which costs $49.95 a month for one device or $59.95 for two.

United Airlines

There’s no free texting on United Airlines , though you’ll be able to send messages through Wi-Fi-based texting apps if you purchase in-flight internet, which is available on most aircraft starting at $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for non-members on domestic and short-haul international routes.

If you fly frequently, consider purchasing a Wi-Fi subscription, which starts at $49 monthly or $539 annually.

Major airlines where you won’t be able to text or use the internet

Frontier airlines.

There’s no way for passengers to send messages while in the air on Frontier Airlines . Hopefully, you brought a book, as there’s no Wi-Fi, TV, movies or other in-flight entertainment while flying with this budget airline. Frontier says that by not offering those types of services, it can "pass the cost-savings on to our customers and offer the lowest fares possible."

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines flights don't offer Wi-Fi onboard. Unlike Frontier, however, there is at least free, in-flight entertainment on most flights to pass the time.

How to get free Wi-Fi while flying

So you want to send text messages over Wi-Fi, but your airline doesn’t enable free texting. Or, perhaps you are able to text through a messaging app, but you still have to pay for Wi-Fi.

These midflight frustrations have led some to find other ways to access free Wi-Fi while flying, like with their credit cards. Many credit cards offer free in-flight Wi-Fi as a benefit to cardholders as does T-Mobile.

U.S. Bank FlexPerks Reserve Visa Signature, U.S. Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite and Crystal® Visa Infinite® Credit Card

Being a cardholder for any of the above credit cards gives you 12 complimentary Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes per year. Just know that you’ll have to register your account ahead of time to use this perk.

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Use your Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card to pay for Wi-Fi on your next Southwest flight and you’ll receive a statement credit. You can claim 365 $8 credits (that’s how much Southwest Wi-Fi costs) per year.

Internet access is also free on Southwest for A-List Preferred members, which is the highest level of Southwest elite status .

T-Mobile customers: Free in-flight text messaging and Wi-Fi on Gogo-enabled flights

If you have a cell phone plan through T-Mobile and you’re flying on an airline that uses Gogo as its internet provider, you’ll have free in-flight texting — and potentially free Wi-Fi, too.

Here’s what you can expect, depending on your T-Mobile plan:

T-Mobile Magenta plan:

One hour of in-flight Wi-Fi.

Unlimited texting.

T-Mobile Magenta Plus plan:

Unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi.

The service is available on flights to, from and within the U.S. Among the airlines that use Gogo internet (which means free texting for T-Mobile customers) are Alaska, Delta and American.

The bottom line

Texting availability can be hit or miss depending on your airline, and you may have to pay a fee for internet access to get it. Know your options before you take off and make sure you have the right app downloaded on your phone to text while flying.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

How Fast Do Messages Travel on the Internet?

The speed at which messages travel on the internet is a topic that’s often overlooked in the modern digital age. However, understanding the mechanics behind this phenomenon is crucial in comprehending the intricacies of our interconnected world. Messages on the internet rely on the transmission of electronic signals, which travel at the ultimate cosmic speed limit – the speed of light. With a staggering velocity of 3⋅10^9 m/s, these electromagnetic waves set the foundation for the expeditious exchange of information across vast distances. Consider the fascinating fact that an electronic signal can circle the entire circumference of our planet in just approximately 13 milliseconds. While this may appear stunningly rapid, it’s important to acknowledge certain factors that can slightly impede this velocity. Signals transmitted through optical fiber, for instance, can experience a slowdown compared to those propagated through air. Additionally, the intricacies of signal routing result in paths that deviate from a straight line, causing further delays in the overall transmission time. By unraveling the complexities that govern the speed of message dissemination, we gain insight into the technological feats that enable seamless connectivity on the internet.

Do Text Messages Travel Faster Than Light?

Do text messages travel faster than light? Since nothing travels faster than the speed of light, the answer to your question is “No”. The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, which is an incredibly fast speed. It’s considered to be the ultimate speed limit in the universe, according to the theory of relativity proposed by Albert Einstein.

When you send a text message or an internet message, it travels through a series of networks and infrastructure until it reaches it’s destination. This process takes time, as the message is transmitted from one point to another using different mediums such as optical fibers, satellite links, and various network devices. Each of these steps introduces some latency, or delay, which means that the message takes time to reach it’s destination.

The speed at which messages travel on the internet depends on various factors such as the distance between the sender and the recipient, the quality and capacity of the network infrastructure, as well as the congestion on the network. In general, messages can travel at speeds close to the speed of light due to the advancements in technology and the use of high-speed data transmission methods.

However, it’s important to note that the speed of light is still the ultimate limit, and no information or data can travel faster than it. Despite the incredible advancements in technology, the speed of light remains a fundamental limitation that can’t be surpassed.

What Are the Different Transmission Methods Used for Sending Text Messages?

There are several transmission methods used for sending text messages over the internet. One common method is known as “store-and-forward,” where the message is sent from the sender’s device to a server or network before being delivered to the recipient’s device. Another method is “real-time,” where the message is transmitted directly between the sender and recipient in real-time. Additionally, there are also methods like “peer-to-peer,” where the message is sent directly from the sender’s device to the recipient’s device without the need for intermediaries. These various transmission methods allow for different speeds and efficiencies in delivering text messages over the internet.

But what if we told you that a team of researchers has recently achieved something even more remarkable? They’ve successfully transmitted text messages faster than the speed of light! In this groundbreaking experiment, text messages were sent instantly across vast distances, revolutionizing our understanding of communication technology. Let’s delve into the fascinating world of superluminal messaging and explore it’s implications for the future.

How Fast Can a Text Message Travel?

When you hit send on your phone, the text message is converted into binary code and then broken down into packets of data. These packets are then transmitted through the internet at incredible speeds. The speed at which these messages travel depends on a few factors, such as the strength of your internet connection and the distance between the sender and recipient.

The backbone of the internet is made up of high-speed fiber optic cables that span the globe. These cables are capable of transmitting data at the speed of light. When a text message is sent, it’s converted into pulses of light that travel through these cables. This allows the message to reach it’s destination in a matter of milliseconds.

However, once the message reaches it’s destination, it still needs to be processed and delivered to the recipients device. This can take a bit longer depending on the workload of the recipients network and the strength of their internet connection. In some cases, messages may be delivered instantly, while in others, there may be a slight delay.

It’s important to note that the speed at which messages travel on the internet isn’t constant. It can vary depending on a number of factors, such as network congestion and the number of devices connected to the network. In general, though, text messages are able to travel at speeds that are imperceptible to the human eye.

The time it takes for a text message to reach it’s destination can vary depending on various factors, but it’s usually within a few seconds to a few minutes. The internets infrastructure, consisting of high-speed cables and efficient data transmission protocols, allows for the fast and reliable delivery of messages across vast distances.

How Does the Processing and Delivery of Text Messages Work Once They Reach Their Destination?

• Text messages are sent through a network of cell towers.
• When a message is sent, it’s converted into a digital signal.
• This signal is transmitted from the sender’s phone to the nearest cell tower.
• The cell tower then relays the signal to the appropriate mobile network.
• The message is then delivered to the recipient’s phone through their nearest cell tower.
• Once the message reaches the recipient’s phone, it’s converted back into text form.
• The recipient can then read the message on their phone.

Source: Does texting someone farther away take longer for the text …

The delivery time of a text message can vary depending on a variety of factors. While messages are typically delivered within a few seconds, it’s important to note that the final delivery time can’t be guaranteed. Network conditions play a significant role in the delivery process, and these conditions are beyond our control.

How Long Can a Text Message Take to Deliver?

The speed at which messages travel on the internet is impressive. In most cases, messages are delivered within seconds, provided the recipients phone has coverage. However, the exact delivery time can’t be guaranteed due to factors beyond our control, such as fluctuating network conditions. While the internet has significantly revolutionized communication, delivering messages at lightning-fast speeds, it’s important to note that unforeseen variables may occasionally cause delays.

When you hit that send button, your message embarks on a journey through multiple networks and servers before reaching it’s destination. These networks can be vast and complex, spanning across different regions, countries, and continents. Each hop along the way introduces potential for slight delays, as the message is handed off from one network router to the next. Additionally, the message may have to traverse multiple data centers, which can also impact delivery time.

Moreover, network congestion can occasionally slow down message delivery. During peak usage hours or in areas with limited connectivity, the sheer volume of data traffic can create bottlenecks that delay the transmission of messages. Network providers constantly work to optimize their infrastructure, but it’s inevitable that unforeseen congestion issues may arise from time to time.

These variables are largely beyond our control, but efforts are constantly made to ensure efficient and timely message transmission.

Factors That Can Affect Text Message Delivery Time

There are several factors that can affect the delivery time of text messages on the internet. The first factor is the network congestion, which refers to the amount of traffic on the network at any given time. When the network is congested, messages may take longer to reach their intended recipients.

Another factor is the distance between the sender and the receiver. Messages that are sent over long distances may experience delays due to the time it takes for the data to travel through the network infrastructure.

The type of network connection can also impact delivery time. Messages sent over a cellular network may experience different delivery times compared to messages sent over a Wi-Fi network.

Additionally, the efficiency of the messaging platform and the capabilities of the devices being used can also influence delivery time. Some messaging apps or platforms may have faster delivery times compared to others.

It’s important to note that while the internet allows for fast communication, there can still be delays depending on these various factors.

However, researchers have been exploring ways to increase internet speed to approach the speed of light. By utilizing advanced technologies and innovating new communication methods, there’s hope that the internet will one day catch up to the incredible speed of light.

Is Internet Speed Faster Than Speed of Light?

The internet, despite it’s vast capabilities and near-instantaneous delivery of information, operates at a considerably slower pace compared to the speed of light. In theory, the internet should be able to function at speeds approaching the speed of light, which reaches an astonishing 670 million miles per hour. Regrettably, this isn’t the case, and the movement of data on the internet occurs at a fraction of this velocity.

One may wonder why this discrepancy exists. The underlying reason is the physical limitations of the technology and infrastructure that the internet relies upon. The data transmission through fiber optic cables, which are extensively used for long-distance communication, encounters several obstacles that hinder it’s speed. Various factors, such as the refractive index of the cables and the way signals propagate, contribute to reducing the actual velocity of information transmission.

Moreover, the routing of data packets across the internet introduces additional delays. These packets have to travel through multiple network devices, such as routers, switches, and servers, before reaching their intended destination. Each of these devices requires a certain amount of time to process and forward the packet, leading to a cumulative delay in data transmission.

Furthermore, the distance between the source and destination of the data also plays a significant role in the overall speed. Signals may need to traverse vast geographical distances, encountering multiple network points and potential congestion along the way, further contributing to the slower internet speed.

Various factors, such as the limitations of physical infrastructure and the routing of data, contribute to this slower pace, making internet data move at a fraction of the speed of light.

The journey of internet messages begins with their division into smaller packets. These packets then embark on their travels through a network of interconnected devices, relying on the power of Internet Protocol (IP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP) to find their way from one source to the next.

How Do Internet Messages Travel?

Data sent over the internet is called a message, but before messages get sent, theyre broken up into tinier parts called packets. These messages and packets travel from one source to the next using Internet Protocol (IP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP).

The routing of these packets is handled by the Internet Protocol (IP). IP is responsible for ensuring that each packet is sent along the most efficient path to it’s destination.

Once the packets arrive at their destination, they’re reassembled into the original message. Once the message is reassembled, it can be read and processed by the recipient.

The Transport Control Protocol (TCP) is responsible for managing the transmission of these packets. TCP ensures that the packets are sent and received in the correct order, and it also handles any errors or lost packets that may occur during transmission.

Overall, the speed at which messages travel on the internet can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as network congestion and the distance between the source and destination. However, with the efficient routing provided by IP and the error handling of TCP, messages can typically be transmitted relatively quickly and reliably across the internet.

The Impact of Geographical Distance on the Speed and Reliability of Internet Message Transmission

The impact of geographical distance on the speed and reliability of internet message transmission is significant. The speed at which a message travels on the internet depends on various factors, including the physical distance between the sender and recipient.

When a message is sent over the internet, it’s divided into small packets of data that travel through a network of routers and servers. These packets are transmitted through a series of interconnected networks, which may span across different regions, countries, or even continents.

The time taken for a message to reach it’s destination can be affected by the distance it needs to travel. Messages sent over shorter distances generally have lower latency, meaning they arrive faster. On the other hand, messages sent over longer distances may experience higher latency and delays.

The reliability of message transmission can also be affected by geographical distance. Longer distances introduce more opportunities for network congestion, physical disruptions, or technical issues to occur, which can result in packet loss or delays.

To mitigate the impact of geographical distance on message transmission, various techniques are employed, such as using content delivery networks (CDNs) that cache and distribute content closer to the intended recipients or using optimized routing protocols to choose the fastest available paths.

Text messages have become an integral part of our communication, enabling us to connect with people across vast distances with ease. Whether it’s a heartfelt message to a loved one or a simple update to a friend, the power of text allows us to transcend geographical boundaries. However, it’s essential to be mindful of potential roaming charges when sending texts outside of your network, given that not all phone plans offer unlimited coverage. So, let’s explore how text messages can traverse the globe and the implications of roaming charges in more detail.

How Far Can a Text Travel?

When it comes to texting, the reach is virtually limitless. A text message can travel anywhere around the world as long as both parties have access to a cellular network or an internet connection. The distance between the sender and the recipient doesn’t play a significant role in the transmission of the text message. Whether you’re in the same city or on different continents, your messages can reach their intended destination without any issues.

However, it’s important to consider the cost implications of sending texts outside of your network. If you don’t have an unlimited phone plan, sending texts to someone outside of your network may result in roaming charges. These charges come into play when your cellular provider considers the message to be outside of your local coverage area. Therefore, it’s essential to be mindful of these charges and consider alternative messaging platforms if you’re concerned about incurring additional costs.

In addition to traditional text messaging, there are also messaging apps and internet-based platforms that allow you to send messages without relying solely on a cellular network. These platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or email, utilize the internet to transmit messages. This means that the distance between you and the recipient becomes even less of a factor, as long as both parties have access to an internet connection.

Overall, the speed at which messages travel on the internet can vary depending on factors such as network congestion, server load, and the efficiency of the messaging platform being used. However, in general, text messages are transmitted almost instantaneously. It’s incredible to think that a simple text can traverse vast distances in a matter of seconds, connecting people from different corners of the world with just a few taps on a screen.

The Impact of Text Messaging on Communication and Social Interaction

• Text messaging has revolutionized communication by enabling quick and convenient conversations.
• It’s made it easier to connect with people across distances and time zones.
• Text messaging allows for asynchronous communication, meaning messages can be sent and read at different times.
• However, some argue that text messaging has negatively impacted interpersonal communication.
• Face-to-face interactions may be reduced as people rely more on text messages.
• Text messaging can lead to misinterpretation of tone and intent, as emotions are difficult to convey through text alone.
• Some studies suggest that excessive texting can lead to feelings of isolation and decreased social interaction.
• On the other hand, text messaging has also facilitated communication in certain situations.
• It can be a useful tool for introverted individuals who may find it easier to express themselves through written words.
• Text messaging allows for quick information sharing and coordination in professional and personal settings.

With a velocity of approximately 3⋅109 m/s, electronic signals can traverse vast distances within mere milliseconds. However, it’s important to account for factors such as the slower speed of signals in optical fiber compared to air, as well as the indirect routing of signals that further increase the time taken. Despite these considerations, the internet's ability to facilitate near-instantaneous global communication remains impressive and continues to shape the modern interconnected world we live in.

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How to Watch the Biden-Trump Presidential Debate

The debate will be hosted by CNN from its Atlanta studios starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday.

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By Neil Vigdor

• Published June 25, 2024 Updated June 27, 2024

The moment has been four years in the making: President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump on a debate stage, another flashpoint in their long-running hostilities.

The debate, hosted by CNN at its Atlanta studios starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, will occur without an in-person audience and before Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden formally accept their parties’ nominations this summer, in a dramatic departure from the past.

Where can I watch it?

The New York Times will stream the debate alongside real-time commentary and analysis from reporters.

CNN will broadcast or stream the debate on all its platforms, including its flagship cable channel, as well as CNN International, CNN en Español and CNN Max. The network also plans to stream the debate on CNN.com.

CNN is also sharing its feed with other broadcast and cable news networks so that they could simulcast the debate. That means you can also watch it on Fox News, ABC News, NBC News and probably elsewhere.

Will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. be onstage?

No. He failed to meet CNN’s requirements, which means Ross Perot remains the last independent candidate to have qualified for a general election presidential debate — and that was in 1992. For this debate, participants had to receive at least 15 percent support in four approved national polls and qualify for the ballot in enough states to have the chance to earn the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

Who is moderating the debate?

The moderators will be Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who are fixtures on the anchor desk at CNN and the hosts of the network’s Sunday political talk show, “ State of the Union .” Mr. Tapper is CNN’s chief Washington correspondent, and Ms. Bash is the network’s chief political correspondent.

Neil Vigdor covers politics for The Times, focusing on voting rights issues and election disinformation. More about Neil Vigdor

Keep Up With the 2024 Election

The presidential election is 125 days away . Here’s our guide to the run-up to Election Day.

Tracking the Polls. The state of the race, according to polling data.

Biden’s Age Concerns. How did Democrats get here? We asked top party leaders.

Trump’s 2025 Plans. Trump is preparing to radically reshape the government if he regains power.

Trump’s V.P. Contenders. The pros and cons of Trump’s top choices.

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70 Thoughtful Messages For A Meaningful Thank You Note

Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note.

• Birthday Thank You Card
• Graduation Thank You Card
• Wedding Thank You Card
• Baby Shower Thank You Card
• Interview Thank You Card
• Teacher Thank You Card
• Host Thank You Card

If we learned anything from our mothers, it's that sending a thank you card is non-negotiable . It's the polite way to recognize a friend, colleague, or family member's thoughtfulness and to show you appreciate their support and warm wishes.

Keep in mind that it's also important to try and send your card in a timely manner, so be sure to prioritize your notes . Here are some thank you card messages to get you started.

What To Write In A Birthday Thank You Card

Southern Living

• Thank you for thinking of me on my special day.
• I can't wait to use my new gift!
• I couldn't have picked out a better gift for myself if I tried.
• You knew exactly what I wanted.
• You know me so well, what a precious gift!
• Your thoughtfulness is a gift.
• You made my day!
• This gift is so thoughtful (and then share your plans for how you will use/celebrate this gift)
• I am touched you remembered me.

What To Write In A Graduation Thank You Card

• Thank you for supporting me in my next adventure.
• I'm thankful to have you in my corner as I take this next step.
• I don't know where I would be without your support.
• You lift me up!
• Thank you for believing in me.
• You've always been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Your support means the world!
• I wouldn't be where I am without your help along the way.
• I'm so thankful to have you as a mentor as I start this new chapter.
• Thank you for being part of this big moment.
• I can believe fully in myself because you believed in me first. I'm forever grateful.

What To Write In A Wedding Thank You Card

• Thank you for being here on our journey.
• Thank you for celebrating this milestone with us.
• We're so happy to have you in our lives to celebrate our Big Day.
• Thank you for being part of our joyous day.
• We're so lucky to have you in our lives as we start this new chapter. Thank you for celebrating with us!
• We're touched beyond words by your generous gift.
• Thank you for helping us start our lives together. We're so appreciative to have friends/family like you!
• We can't wait to use {insert gift} in our lives together.
• Having you there as we take this big step meant the world to us.
• We appreciate the miles traveled to attend our celebration, and can't thank you enough for being here. It means the world to us.
• Thank you for coming to our Big Day!
• How did you know we needed {insert gift}? We thank you for your generosity.

What To Write In A Baby Shower Thank You Card

• Thank you for helping us welcome our little one into the world.
• We're so thankful our child will know such love.
• Thank you for supporting us as we take on our exciting new roles.
• This is just what we needed for the baby!
• Thank you for showing us and our baby so much love.
• Your friendship and support make us certain we can do this.
• I can't believe how precious and small baby outfits can be! Counting the days until I can send you photos of our little one wearing the beautiful outfits you gifted us. Thank you!
• We can't wait for our baby to meet you!
• We will make sure the baby knows you were behind this special gift.
• How cute are the toys you gifted us? I can already picture afternoons spent on the floor playing. Thank you for giving me that daydream to look forward to!
• How did you know this is just what we needed? You must have raised a few little ones of your own ;).
• I can't wait to read these books to our little one. I know it will be such a special time. Thank you!

What To Write In An Interview Thank You Card

• Thank you for considering me for this position
• I appreciate you setting time aside to speak with me.
• It was great to hear more about the company.
• Thank you for our wonderful conversation.
• It was a pleasure to learn more about this company.
• Thank you for giving me the opportunity to show you how I can fit into your team.
• I appreciated your thought-provoking questions.
• Thank you for your time. It sounds like you have built a great team, and it's one that I'd be excited to join.

What To Write In A Thank You Card For A Teacher

• Your wisdom and outlook inspire us each day!
• Thank you for helping our child continue to learn and grow.
• We couldn't thank you enough for looking out for our child.
• You've had such a positive impact on our child.
• Thank you for pushing me to be my best self.
• Where would we be without leaders and teachers like you?
• Thank you for encouraging me to keep striving for the best.
• I appreciate all your support and motivation.
• The amount of time and dedication you've given us this year is tremendous. I can't thank you enough.
• Your mentorship is invaluable.

What To Write In A Thank You Card For A Host

• Thank you for hosting!
• Thank you for welcoming us into your home.
• You put together a wonderful celebration.
• I'm so happy we could get together.
• Your home is beautiful!
• Another event, another success. With you as a host, I'm never surprised by how well things go!
• Thank you for organizing everything.
• I appreciate all the time and effort you put in to make this event possible.
• It's always such a pleasure to attend one of your parties.
• As always, you have made everyone feel so welcome. What a wonderful get-together.
• It is always wonderful to spend time with you – thank you for inviting us into your home.

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Because the horse is a stronger and generally faster animal than the ass, it tended to be the transport of choice for moneyed people and those who needed to travel quickly, perhaps with urgent news. From the eleventh century onwards, successful breeding had made sturdy and reliable horses, some of which were strong battle chargers, others which were more suitable for long journeys. One of the reasons that horses were favored by wealthier people was that a horse was less economical to keep than an ass. A horse could be fed on oats, which during medieval times, formed a significant portion of the human diet and so could be costly to feed to an animal.

The Mule as a Form of Transport

A mule, which is an offspring of a he-ass and a mare, was another sturdy animal which could prove its worth on medieval journeys. The mule was particularly noted for its endurance, and so was an ideal mount for a long or arduous journey, particularly since it was less expensive to feed than a horse. However, for all pack animals, the costs of stabling, hay, and food all had to be taken into consideration.

Other animals used in the Middle Ages for travel included the camel, the elephant, and oxen, which were also used as plough animals on the medieval farm. Goats and sheeps were often taken on crusade, as not only could they be used to carry goods, but could be killed and eaten during the journey.

Hopper, Sarah To be a Pilgrim [Sutton, 2002]

Hopper, Sarah Mothers, Mystics and Merrymakers [History Press, 2006]

Sobol, Donald The First Book of Medieval Man [Franklin, 1959]

Ohler, Norbert The Medieval Traveller [Boydell & Brewer, 2010]

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Psychology of not responding to text messages

Technology has revolutionized how people communicate. We take for granted the fact that we can instantly drop a message to anyone anywhere in the world. And they can reply to it in an instant as well.

People used to travel miles and miles to deliver messages, sometimes dying on the way. Those days are gone.

Despite its boons, technology is a double-edged sword. It has its cons. Calls and text messages may be instant, but they’re not as effective and fulfilling as face-to-face communication.

Non-verbal communication is a big part of communication that gets removed from texting. No amount of emojis can fully compensate for this loss.

The result?

Miscommunication is the breeding ground for conflict in a relationship.

While our messages have become quicker, they’ve become less effective and sometimes downright confusing. Some people debate for hours with friends about what a message from a crush means. Then they spend hours trying to craft the perfect response.

This removes authenticity from communication. While we try to craft a good response in all modes of communication, we’re more likely to say exactly how we feel in in-person interactions. There’s not much time to craft the ‘perfect’ response.

In face-to-face communication, when someone doesn’t respond to you and gives you an angry look , you know exactly why they didn’t respond. In texting, when someone doesn’t respond to you, you research the depths of the internet and conduct a meeting with your friends.

People are addicted to people

Many people say that people are addicted to their devices nowadays. Everywhere you go, people seem to be hooked to their phones. This wasn’t normal twenty or even ten years ago. But now, it’s normal. In fact, a person not hooked to their phone comes across as strange.

The devices are not to blame.

People are addicted to people , not to devices. We’re social animals. We crave validation from other human beings. When you see someone with their face buried in their phone, they’re not using Calculator or Maps. They’re probably watching a video of another human being or texting another human being.

Getting messages from others makes us feel validated and important. It gives us a sense that we belong. Not getting messages has the opposite effect. We feel invalidated, unimportant, and excluded.

This is why you feel so bad when someone doesn’t respond to your texts. Someone who leaves your message on ‘Seen’ and doesn’t respond is especially cruel. It feels like death .

Reasons for not responding to a text

Let’s dive into the possible reasons someone didn’t respond to your text message. I’ve tried to create an exhaustive list of reasons so you can easily pick the ones that apply to your situation the most.

1. Ignoring you

Let’s start with the obvious. The other person isn’t responding to you because they want to ignore you. They don’t want to give you any importance. You may be a total stranger or, if you know them, they may be mad at you.

They’re deliberately trying to hurt you by not responding to you. There is an ‘intent to hurt’ on their part, and you feel exactly that- hurt.

2. Power move

Not responding to your texts can also be a power move. Maybe you’d ignored their texts earlier, and now they’re getting back at you. Now they’re trying to put you down to restore the power balance.

It’s common for high-status and powerful people not to respond to those ‘beneath’ them. Conversation flows more smoothly between equals.

3. They don’t value you

There’s a difference between ignoring someone to hurt them and ignoring them because you don’t think they’re worth your time. The former is a game of power and control. The latter doesn’t have any malicious intent.

For example, when someone gets a message from a telemarketer, they don’t respond because they’re not interested in doing business with the telemarketer. They don’t necessarily hate the telemarketer. They just don’t value him.

4. Forgetting

They may see your text message and reply to you in their head without actually responding to you. They may tell themselves that they’ll reply later but forget to do so. This is not a case of ‘deliberate forgetting’ where one passive aggressively forgets to one-up you.

5. Processing

Texting has programmed us for instant messaging. We expect messages to travel back and forth instantly. We forget that responding sometimes requires thinking. It may be that the other person is still processing your message and trying to decode what you meant.

Or, having understood what you meant, they’re crafting a good response.

The pressure to respond instantly to a text message can sometimes induce anxiety in people. They don’t know how to respond and so delay responding.

7. Anti-texter

Some people are anti-texters. They don’t like texting. They prefer calling and in-person interactions. When they see your text, they’re like:

“I’ll call him later.”

“I’m going to see her on Monday anyway. I’ll catch up with her then.”

8. Too busy

Responding to texts is something one can easily put off. When someone is too busy, and they get a text, they know they can reply later. It’s not going anywhere. However, the urgent task at hand needs to be completed now.

9. Disinterest

This is closely related to the ‘not valuing you’ point above. When someone doesn’t value you, they’re not interested in you. But it’s not polite to tell someone you’re uninterested in them. It’s easier to say you’re not interested in what they have to offer.

So, by not responding, you politely let them know you’re not interested. You hope they’ll take the hint and stop messaging you. This is common in dating contexts.

10. Avoiding conflict

If your text is angry and charged with emotion, the other person may be trying to avoid conflict by not responding to you.

11. Laziness

Sometimes people simply don’t have the energy to text back. They may prefer relaxing after a tiring day to texting you back.

12. Bad moods

When someone is in a bad mood, they’re overwhelmed by their own thoughts and emotions. They’re in reflective mode and don’t feel like engaging with others.

13. Ending the conversation

This can be tricky because there may or may not be malicious intent behind it. Texting can’t go on forever, and someone has to end the conversation at some point. One can do it by not responding to the other person’s last message.

The key here is knowing when to end the conversation this way.

If it doesn’t make sense for the conversation to proceed, that’s a good place to end the conversation by not responding. They ask you a question, and you respond to that question. Conversation over. They don’t need to respond to your response.

If it doesn’t make sense for the conversation to be over, i.e., you feel like they ended the conversation abruptly, it’s likely there was a malicious intent there. Ending the conversation whenever you feel like it with disregard for whether or not the other person is ready to disengage can be a way to feel superior.

What to do when your texts are ignored?

Since we’re emotion-driven creatures, we’re quick to assume that people have malicious intent toward us. Out of all the above reasons, you’re likely to pick emotional ones when someone doesn’t respond to your texts.

“She must hate me.”

“He disrespected me.”

You’re much more likely to make it about yourself than you make it about them.

Knowing this should help you be more careful when you’re quick to blame others. You want first to eliminate all the other possibilities before you decide they’re deliberately ignoring you.

If someone ignores your messages once, but they’ve never done it before, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. You can’t accuse people of ignoring you based on a single data point. You’d probably be wrong.

However, you ought to take the hint when someone ignores you twice or thrice in a row. You’re free to cut them off from your life.

If you’re someone who doesn’t respond to texts, try to communicate the reason you’re not responding. If you care about that person.

Remember that people always expect a response when they reach out to you. Even a simple “I’m busy. Will talk later” is much better than not responding at all.

Hi, I’m Hanan Parvez (MA Psychology). I’ve published over 500 articles and authored one book. My work has been featured in Forbes , Business Insider , Reader’s Digest , and Entrepreneur .