The Desk — Edition 73
Welcome to the 73rd issue of the Desk. The Desk is my weekly newsletter covering newly published content and project updates.
Welcome to the 73rd issue of The Desk — my weekly roundup of newly published content, project updates, and recommendations. Whether you’re following along for tutorials, blog posts, GitHub projects, or curated reads, there’s something for everyone building or exploring in tech, content, and open-source spaces.
New Blog Posts
This week’s posts content focused on solo travelers and digital marketing:
Microsoft on AI Search Visibility: Structure, Clarity, and the New Rules of Discovery
Microsoft has outlined how to make your content stand out in AI-driven search results. Learn how structure, clarity, and schema—not tricks—are shaping the future of visibility in Bing and Copilot’s AI-powered world.
Brandon Himpfen
Google AdSense Streamlines Demand Sources by Replacing Ad Networks with Authorized Buyers
Google AdSense is replacing its Ad Networks blocking control with a new Authorized Buyers system on November 6, giving publishers improved visibility but default-enabling new buyers — a move that may simplify management but reduce manual control.
Brandon Himpfen
WP Engine vs Automattic: The Battle Over WordPress Control Heats Up Again
WP Engine refiles its lawsuit against Automattic and Matt Mullenweg, strengthening antitrust claims with clearer market definitions and detailed monopoly allegations. The battle for control of the WordPress ecosystem is far from over.
Brandon Himpfen
The Evolution of ChatGPT: From GPT-1 to GPT-5 — And Where AI Is Headed Next
From GPT-1 to GPT-5, OpenAI’s ChatGPT models have reshaped how we interact with AI. Explore their evolution, technological milestones, and what the next generation of large language models could mean for the future of intelligent systems.
Brandon Himpfen
Microsoft Revamps Bing Places for Business With New Tools and Easier Management
Microsoft has relaunched Bing Places for Business with a new design, smarter Google import tools, and recommendations to boost local SEO. Learn how it helps businesses manage listings across Bing Search and Maps.
Brandon Himpfen
How to Choose a Tour for Solo Travelers: What You Need to Know
Discover how to choose the right tour as a solo traveler—compare types, ask key questions, and find the perfect escorted or group trip for your style.
Brandon Himpfen
Stay tuned as I continue publishing more posts each week across Bold Outlook, Solo Traveler and Travel Bloggers Network.
New Newsletter Issues
Published several new newsletter issues as part of This Week In:
Python Weekly Issue 143
Welcome to the 143rd issue of Python Weekly, a weekly newsletter about the Python programming language.
This Week In I/O
React Weekly Issue 148
Welcome to the 148th issue of React Weekly, weekly roundup of the latest React and React Native links and tutorials.
This Week In I/O
Digital Marketing Weekly Issue 62
The 62nd issue of Digital Marketing Weekly, which curates the latest SEO, Social Media and Advertising industry news.
This Week In I/O
Ruby Weekly Issue 151
Welcome to the 151st issue of Ruby Weekly, a free weekly e-mail round-up of Ruby news and articles.
This Week In I/O
Golang Weekly Issue 156
Welcome to the 156th issue of Golang Weekly, a weekly newsletter about the Go programming language.
This Week In I/O
JavaScript Weekly Issue 149
Welcome to the 149th issue of JavaScript Weekly, a weekly newsletter of JavaScript articles, news and cool projects.
This Week In I/O
AI Weekly Issue 41
Welcome to the 41st issue of AI Weekly, which curates the latest AI industry news and events.
This Week In I/O
Web Development Weekly Issue 80
The 80th issue of Web Development Weekly, which curates the latest web development industry news.
This Week In I/O
Node Weekly Issue 146
Node Weekly Issue 146th issue of Node Weekly, a free weekly e-mail round-up of Node.js news and articles.
This Week In I/O
Cryptocurrency Weekly Issue 49
Welcome to the 49th issue of Cryptocurrency Weekly, which curates the latest cryptocurrency industry news and events.
This Week In I/O
New GitHub Orgs
I launched eight new GitHub organizations focused on Bold Outlook:
Bold Outlook Blogging
Creator tools: themes, editorial workflows, SEO/content ops, analytics, and monetization helpers. - Bold Outlook Blogging
Bold Outlook Drones
Open UAV tooling: flight-log parsers, battery/energy models, control, simulation, and safety ops. - Bold Outlook Drones
Bold Outlook Web Development
Web dev starters & components: modern HTML/CSS/JS, performance, accessibility, and DX utilities. - Bold Outlook Web Development
Bold Outlook Growth
Performance & lifecycle marketing: experiments, journeys, landing pages, and tooling from acquisition to retention. - Bold Outlook Growth
Bold Outlook Marketing
Central marketing hub: shared design system, datasets, docs, and reusable CI for growth, search, and social. - Bold Outlook Marketing
Bold Outlook Search
SEO & content engineering: keywords, technical audits, schema, and content ops for sustainable organic reach. - Bold Outlook Search
Bold Outlook Social
Social & community toolkit: content calendars, automation, analytics, and playbooks to grow engaged audiences. - Bold Outlook Social
Bold Outlook Digital Nomads
Bold Outlook Digital Nomads has one repository available. Follow their code on GitHub.
These are all part of my broader GitHub ecosystem (e.g., BrandonTravel, Bold Outlook, AwesomeListsIO). Contributions welcome!
New GitHub Repos
Here are a collection of brand new GitHub repos:
GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-vtol-drones: A curated list of awesome resources, research, and companies related to Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drones.
A curated list of awesome resources, research, and companies related to Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drones. - awesomelistsio/awesome-vtol-drones
awesomelistsio
GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-hugging-face: A curated list of awesome libraries, models, datasets, tutorials, and tools from and for the Hugging Face ecosystem.
A curated list of awesome libraries, models, datasets, tutorials, and tools from and for the Hugging Face ecosystem. - awesomelistsio/awesome-hugging-face
awesomelistsio
I regularly publish new GitHub repos, so please ensure to follow my GitHub and or my GitHub orgs for the latest.
Updated GitHub Repos
Here are notable updates to existing GitHub repositories:
GitHub - brandonhimpfen/brandonhimpfen
Contribute to brandonhimpfen/brandonhimpfen development by creating an account on GitHub.
brandonhimpfen
GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-crypto-wallets: A curated list of awesome resources, tools, and wallets for securely storing, managing, and transferring cryptocurrencies. This list covers software wallets, hardware wallets, multi-currency wallets, and privacy-focused options.
A curated list of awesome resources, tools, and wallets for securely storing, managing, and transferring cryptocurrencies. This list covers software wallets, hardware wallets, multi-currency wallet…
awesomelistsio
I’m constantly improving my GitHub repositories to make them more useful for both contributors and end users.
New Web Pages
New pages went live this week across my network of websites with majority of the new web pages being topics of Bold Outlook’s social media hub page:
Instagram
Discover how to grow your brand with Instagram in 2025. Learn strategies for Reels, Stories, Shopping, and Ads to drive traffic, build engagement, and boost your blog or business with this complete Instagram marketing guide.
Brandon Himpfen
Facebook
Learn how to use Facebook Pages, Groups, Messenger, Shops, and Ads Manager to grow your blog or business. This guide covers best practices, integration tips, and tools digital marketers need to succeed on Facebook in 2025.
Brandon Himpfen
X
Unlock the power of X (formerly Twitter) for marketing in 2025. Learn how to use posts, Communities, Spaces, video, and ads to build authority, grow your audience, and drive traffic to your blog or website.
Brandon Himpfen
LinkedIn
Master LinkedIn marketing in 2025 with strategies for profiles, Pages, Groups, Newsletters, and Ads. Learn how digital marketers and blog owners can grow authority, build connections, and drive traffic using LinkedIn’s powerful tools.
Brandon Himpfen
YouTube
Learn how to grow with YouTube in 2025. This guide covers YouTube Channels, Shorts, Live, Community, and Ads, with strategies for digital marketers, bloggers, and website owners to build authority, boost traffic, and engage audiences.
Brandon Himpfen
Pinterest
Boost your blog or business with Pinterest in 2025. Learn how to use Pins, Boards, Ads, and SEO strategies to drive long-term traffic, build brand visibility, and grow your audience with this complete Pinterest marketing guide.
Brandon Himpfen
TikTok
Grow with TikTok in 2025. Learn how to use short-form videos, TikTok LIVE, Stories, and Ads to build your brand, drive traffic, and connect with audiences. A complete TikTok marketing guide for digital marketers, bloggers, and website owners.
Brandon Himpfen
Reddit
Master Reddit marketing in 2025 with strategies for subreddits, posts, comments, and ads. Learn how digital marketers and bloggers can build authority, engage communities, and drive quality traffic with authentic, value-driven participation.
Brandon Himpfen
Snapchat
Learn how to use Snapchat in 2025 for digital marketing. Explore Stories, Spotlight, AR Lenses, and Ads to connect with Gen Z audiences, grow your brand, and drive blog or website traffic with authentic, creative content.
Brandon Himpfen
WhatsApp
WhatsApp has over 2.8 billion monthly active users, making it the most widely used messaging app in the world. While it started as a simple peer-to-peer chat tool, WhatsApp has grown into a business and marketing platform with tools for customer engagement, community building, and commerce. For digital marketers,
Brandon Himpfen
Threads
Grow your brand with Threads in 2025. Learn how to use Threads posts, replies, Instagram integration, and emerging ads to build authority, engage communities, and drive traffic. A complete Threads marketing guide for digital marketers and bloggers.
Brandon Himpfen
Telegram
Boost your brand with Telegram in 2025. Learn how to use Channels, Groups, Bots, and Ads to build communities, automate updates, and drive traffic. A complete Telegram marketing guide for digital marketers, bloggers, and website owners.
Brandon Himpfen
Quora
Grow your authority and traffic with Quora in 2025. Learn how to use Quora Profiles, Answers, Spaces, and Ads to build credibility, engage communities, and drive blog or website visitors. A complete Quora marketing guide for digital marketers and bloggers.
Brandon Himpfen
Slack
Build communities and loyalty with Slack in 2025. Learn how to use Slack Channels, Communities, and Integrations to engage audiences, share updates, and connect directly. A complete Slack marketing guide for digital marketers and bloggers.
Brandon Himpfen
Medium
Boost your reach with Medium in 2025. Learn how to use Profiles, Stories, Publications, SEO, and the Partner Program to grow your audience, build authority, and drive traffic. A complete Medium marketing guide for digital marketers and bloggers.
Brandon Himpfen
and added two glossaries to Bold Outlook’s AI hub page:
AI Glossary
A clear, accessible glossary of artificial intelligence terms. Learn key concepts like deep learning, transformers, and reinforcement learning — your quick reference to understanding today’s AI revolution.
Brandon Himpfen
AI Model Glossary
A detailed glossary explaining the architecture, training, and benchmarks behind AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Learn how large language models work — from parameters to transformer design.
Brandon Himpfen
I aim to keep evergreen content accurate and relevant. If something feels out of date, let me know — I welcome feedback!
Recommended Reading
Here are a few standout articles and blog posts I recommend checking out this week:
Gemini Enterprise: The new front door for Google AI in your workplace
True business transformation in the era of AI must go beyond simple chatbots. That’s what Gemini Enterprise does.
Sundar Pichai
Hackers exploit auth bypass in Service Finder WordPress theme
Threat actors are actively exploiting a critical vulnerability in the Service Finder WordPress theme that allows them to bypass authentication and log in as administrators.
Bill Toulas
Oracle E-Business Suite Zero-Day Exploited in Widespread Extortion Campaign | Google Cloud Blog
A financially motivated actor conducting a large-scale extortion campaign under the CL0P brand by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite to steal customer data.
Figma partners with Google to add Gemini AI to its design platform | TechCrunch
Figma is adding Gemini to its AI toolset.
Sarah Perez
Brazil’s Nubank applies for US banking charter
The move underscores the lengthy and sometimes unsuccessful paths challengers such as Bunq, Revolut and Monzo have faced in obtaining licenses.
Dan Ennis
DraftKings warns of account breaches in credential stuffing attacks
Sports betting giant DraftKings has notified an undisclosed number of customers that their accounts had been hacked in a recent wave of credential stuffing attacks.
Sergiu Gatlan
New York Stock Exchange parent company invests $2 billion in Polymarket at $9 billion valuation | Fortune Crypto
The investment follows a previous venture round that reportedly valued the prediction market at more than $1 billion.
Ben Weiss
Bitcoin (BTC) Price News: Dips Below $122K as XRP, Solana, ADA Plunge 5%
The pullback was a broad one, with altcoins like SOL, ADA, and XRP suffering even steeper declines.
Krisztian Sandor
Ransomware attack on Ohio county impacts over 45,000 residents, employees
The hackers stole documents that had names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account information, fingerprint data, medical information, passport numbers and more.
Jonathan Greig
OpenAI acquires AI-powered finance app Roi and hires its founder - The Tech Portal
OpenAI has acquired Roi, a two-year-old personal finance app powered by artificial intelligence (AI), as part of its growing focus on
Ashutosh Singh
Discord discloses data breach after hackers steal support tickets
Hackers stole partial payment information and personally identifiable data, including names and government-issued IDs, from some Discord users after compromising a third-party customer service provider.
Ionut Ilascu
Hacking group claims theft of 1 billion records from Salesforce customer databases | TechCrunch
The hacking group claims to have stolen about a billion records from companies, including FedEx, Qantas, and TransUnion, who store their customer and company data in Salesforce.
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Zack Whittaker
OpenAI now worth $500 billion, possibly making it the world’s most valuable startup
OpenAI could now be the world’s most valuable startup, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and TikTok parent company ByteDance, after a secondary stock sale designed to retain employees at the ChatGPT maker.
MATT O’BRIEN
Stripe powers Instant Checkout in ChatGPT and releases Agentic Commerce Protocol co-developed with OpenAI
Stripe releases Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open standard co-developed with OpenAI, to help businesses grow in the era of agentic commerce.
Authorization Boost
These are curated for developers, creators, travelers, and digital professionals — with an eye on quality and depth.
Thanks for reading The Desk — Edition 73! If you found something valuable, feel free to share it or subscribe to keep up with future updates.