Although we were early in our relationship, taking an international trip together made our connection even stronger. Chelsea Tobin My partner and I booked an international vacation together after dating for only four months. I was worried it was too soon to travel as a couple, and the trip could hurt our new relationship. By planning together and being mindful, it turned out to be a fun experience that made us closer. I try to take at least one overseas trip every year, and I've always wanted a partner who loves travel as much as I do to share them with. So when I met my partner Noriel — who loves adventures as much as I do — I knew I had found a kindred spirit. We had just become "official" in our relationship when we started toying with the idea of going on vacation together. At first, we thought we'd keep our first trip as a couple simple and not too extravagant — maybe a weeklong trip to a place close to our home in New Zealand. However, we soon tossed this plan aside and set our sights on Bali. Noriel had been there before, and he spoke so highly about it. It was further away, but we could make our money go much further there. Plus, Bali looked absolutely stunning. I was sold, and we began booking our trip. I'd be lying, though, if I said I wasn't a little bit worried. By the time we left, we would've been together for only four months, which is still so early in a relationship. Thoughts crept into my mind, "What if we break up before we go?" and "What if we don't travel well together?" We'd be with each other day and night for eight days, longer than we'd ever spent together before. Plus, if we had to cancel, I would lose thousands of dollars. It turns out I didn't need to be worried. Our trip to Bali was an incredibly positive experience that only brought us closer together, and I believe a few key things made it work. From the start, we collaborated on the itinerary We planned our trip to Bali together every step of the way. Chelsea Tobin Neither of us took the lead on this trip. It was a team collaboration from the start. We made sure to plan an equal spread of activities — some I was more keen to do and some he was more excited to do. For example, I wanted to rent a gown and do a famous Bali swing photo shoot, while he wanted to see a traditional Balinese fire dance. So we did both. When it came to accommodations, we both did research until we found places that we were equally excited about. Somehow, we found a fair balance in everything we did. It was also important for us to stay mindful of each other's travel preferences and needs Some couples struggle to find a balance when one loves to arrive at the airport several hours early, while the other prefers to get there with minutes to spare. Thankfully, our travel preferences weren't that different or extreme, but we still took into account how we personally like to travel. Noriel will try to go to the gym every day, while I'm more relaxed about fitness on vacation. For me, sleeping in is more important. So our itinerary always held space for the other to do their morning rituals before we came together for a shared breakfast. That way, neither of our preferences was more important than the other's. We also made plans with our individual needs in mind. For example, we're both extroverts, but we still need time to recharge. So, we respected our needs for downtime by giving each other space after a packed day of activities. He'd go for a swim while I read my book, or I'd have a quick nap while he watched TV. We packed a lot into our itinerary, so we had to make the most of the little time we had to rest. Ultimately, I'm so glad we went on this trip Although my partner and I are similar in that we are extroverts, we both needed time to recharge. Chelsea Tobin In the end, our eight-day adventure in Bali was a success. Traveling together so early on in the relationship could've been a make-or-break situation — but with careful, mindful planning, it just became a perfect way to get to know each other better in a beautiful place. It's been a year since the trip, and we're still going strong. This shared experience remains one of our favorite memories together, and we're looking forward to more overseas trips in the future. Read the original article on Business Insider

F1 Grands Prix have emerged as a new place to see and be seen if you are a founder or investor.

"Should we process our data in batches or in real-time?" It's not batch vs. stream: it's "when does the answer matter?" The post Batch or Stream? The Eternal Data Processing Dilemma appeared first on Towards Data Science.

<blockquote cite="https://til.andrew-quinn.me/posts/replacing-a-3-gb-sqlite-database-with-a-7-mb-fst-finite-state-trandsucer-binary/#fn:5"><p>One could say in the first quarter-century of my life, that while I was always fascinated by programming, I could never overcome the guilt of not really knowing whether the tool I am building right now isn’t already superceded by some much better implementation someone else has already written 30 or 40 years ago; I could write a TSV-aware search and replace, or I could find out about <code>awk</code> and solve that entire class of problems in one fell swoop, for example. My central conceit is that <em>this is a trap</em>. You <em>need</em> to reinvent a couple of wheels to get to the edge of what we know about wheel-making, not a thousand wheels, and not zero; probably four or five is sufficient in most domains, maybe closer to twenty or thirty in the most epistemically rigorous and developed fields like mathematics or computer science. Each wheel you reinvent, and every directed question you ask along the way, will propel you faster to the true frontier than that same amount of time spend in idle study, or even five times that amount.</p></blockquote> <p class="cite">&mdash; <a href="https://til.andrew-quinn.me/posts/replacing-a-3-gb-sqlite-database-with-a-7-mb-fst-finite-state-trandsucer-binary/#fn:5">Andrew Quinn</a>, footnote on Replacing a 3 GB SQLite database with a 10 MB FST (finite state transducer) binary</p> <p>Tags: <a href="https://simonwillison.net/tags/careers">careers</a>, <a href="https://simonwillison.net/tags/sqlite">sqlite</a></p>

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg: Sources: Apple is working on a “slight redesign” for macOS 27 to address Liquid Glass issues, plans a feature to automatically group Safari tabs in “27” OSes  —  Also: The latest on iOS 27 and the truth about the Vision Pro.  —  Apple is planning design changes …

Sir Mix-A-Lot performs in California. Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images A version of this story originally appeared in the BI Tech Memo newsletter. Sign up for the weekly BI Tech Memo newsletter here. I spent a recent Friday afternoon doing something incredibly important for humanity: making an AI-generated rap about data centers. I'd logged into Google's Gemini for actual work, but got sidetracked by a shiny new music feature and, well, priorities shifted. The workflow was peak 2026: I needed to check who rapped "Baby Got Back" for a story. ChatGPT told me (Sir Mix-a-Lot), and I was gripped by a creative urge. "Recreate this famous rap, but make it about big data centers (and AI bubble concerns), rather than big butts," I wrote. Chat delivered lyrics in a few seconds. Then, remembering the Gemini music feature, I jumped across to that chatbot and piped in the lines. I asked for a nasty '80s rap vibe. What I got was Broadway-adjacent hip-hop with strong theater kid energy. Not quite Run-DMC. More Rent meets rack density. Lows: The AI rapper stubbornly sang "jigawatt" instead of "gigawatt," and refused to pronounce "SaaS-y" correctly, no matter how many times I had Gemini redo the tune. Highs: It delivered choice lines about PUE and capex with unsettling enthusiasm. (PUE = power usage effectiveness, or how efficiently data centers use electricity). Of course, I shared the rap. One colleague called it "an abomination." Another said, "you burned so many trees doing this but I love it," which feels directionally correct. We're not at AGI yet. But we are, apparently, at AI-generated infra rap. If you want a listen, lmk and I'll send the song over. Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider

Van life was a dream, but there were also some downsides. Jayme Serbell My partner and I lived in a van full-time before leaving for an off-grid property. Both experiences came with benefits and downsides, and we eventually moved to a walkable city. Van life was affordable but sometimes stressful; our off-grid home was gorgeous but very remote. Exhausted from the 9-to-5 hustle, my partner and I sold most of our belongings and built an old 1996 Chevy Express conversion van into a tiny home. We'd previously been living in the suburbs of St. Louis, and we were ready for a little more adventure and excitement. We wanted something different than anything we were used to. When we found out we were pregnant around two years later, we knew it was time for some roots, and we found an off-grid home on 40 acres in northern New Mexico. Both experiences were amazing and exciting, yet stressful and exhausting in their own ways. Van life gave us freedom and flexibility Living in a van allowed me to explore parts of the country I never would've seen otherwise. Jayme Serbell Traveling around and living in a van full-time was as epic as it sounds. Our monthly bills were significantly lower than we were used to: We mainly paid for gas, insurance, and the occasional campground. We could go anywhere we wanted to, whenever we wanted to. We were able to work from our computer next to a babbling river or while watching the sunrise over Grand Teton. We went on epic hikes with our dogs, and explored parts of the country we never would have visited otherwise — the pockets of this country that are hours from the nearest airport. We worked when we decided it was work time, played when we wanted to play, visited friends and family when we were in their general area, and met other quirky travelers who were soaking up this type of freedom. Van life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though We learned early on that this lifestyle came with some high costs (and I'm not talking financial ones). We thrived on routine, but it was hard to establish much of one when we were picking up our lives and relocating to another city or state every week or so. It felt like as soon as we'd get into a rhythm, we'd end up packing the van to head to relocate and start over again. Most of the time, we had only a general idea of where we'd park the van next. We usually opted not to stay at established campgrounds. This helped us save money, but it did add a layer of stress. We rarely knew exactly where we would sleep, or what a spot would be like once we got there. We also needed a sliver of cell service to work, which wasn't always guaranteed. Another issue we discovered about van life? You're the same person in the van as you are in the house, only the walls are smaller. This amplifies any more challenging traits. If you're messy, your van will start to feel very overwhelming, very quickly. If you have big emotions, they will be amplified by that fiberglass shell. We decided to trade the road for an off-grid home We fell in love with a remote, gorgeous property in New Mexico. Jayme Serbell An unexpected pregnancy made us realize we were ready for a more permanent home base and wanted to start our journey to parenthood. We weren't specifically looking for off-grid property, but knew we wanted space in a remote area. We hit the jackpot when we found a fully off-grid home in New Mexico on 40 acres with a detached workshop. We were mostly ecstatic, but there was a part of me grieving the nomadic identity I'd wrapped myself in the previous years. Our off-grid home gave us space and independence Our New Mexico home had a gorgeous view and other cool lifestyle perks. Jayme Serbell We quickly fell in love with our new home. We enjoyed the view of the mountains and the ability to do or build whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted to. We also adored the unexpected perks of off-grid living, like how a wood-fired stove "warms you three different times" — when you stack the wood, when you chop the wood, and finally, when you burn the wood. There was also the time we made food and watched TV, completely clueless about the fact that all our neighbors were in the midst of a power outage. Just like living in a van, though, off-grid life came with trade-offs. Our well pump was electric. During one snowstorm, our solar panels weren't getting enough power. We had to run a generator, but it wasn't enough, so we scooped up buckets of snow, melted them over the stove, and used the melted liquid to dump into our toilets so we could flush them. Little joys of off-grid living! After 2 years, we pivoted again It wasn't until our son was born that we had another epiphany. We were so far from a hospital and our family. It was time for something new. We're grateful for both our adventures in the van and our solitude on the off-grid property. They challenged us and nourished us in their own ways, delivering lessons we needed for both those chapters in our lives. Plus, they gave us some epic stories to share around the campfire. We now live in a beautiful part of St. Louis near an enormous park with friendly neighbors, loads of kids, and endless nearby shops and restaurants we can reach on foot. This isn't what we expected for ourselves, but just like the van and the off-grid property, this perfectly serves us for where we are right now. Read the original article on Business Insider

Birthing parents at Amazon are offered up to 20 weeks of maternity leave. bluestork/Shutterstock Parental leave policy, and specifically maternity leave policy, varies heavily across US companies. UCLA researcher Hillary Cookler tracks the parental leave policies of the 500 largest US companies. Eighteen companies stand above the rest in terms of transparency and length of leave. A host of factors go into deciding whether to have a child, from finances and medical expenses to one's lifestyle and living situation. But in the US, another sometimes crucial detail is the companies where parents work. The US is the only developed, high-income nation that doesn't guarantee national paid parental leave, according to the BBC, although 14 states and Washington, DC, have enacted their own mandatory paid leave programs. Employers' policies can therefore make all the difference in how family planning and postpartum care look. For eligible workers, the Family and Medical Leave Act provides unpaid leave and job-protection guarantees, but it's up to employers to set their own paid policies. Amid economic uncertainty, some companies, such as Deloitte and Zoom, are scaling back leave benefits for some employees. Still, parental leave policies as a whole are trending in the other direction, according to Hillary Cookler, a researcher and doctoral candidate at UCLA Anderson who annually tracks the parental leave policies of the 500 largest US public companies by revenue. "The trend that I've broadly observed is that [paid parental leave] is expanding over time," Cookler told Business Insider. "More firms are offering it, and they're also offering longer leave." In her most recent data from October 2025, she scored each company based on the transparency of its policy and the length of the primary parent's paid leave. Using this data, she compiled a list of companies that publicly disclose their paid parental leave policy and offer paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents. This data was then sorted by the length of paid leave for mothers and birthing parents. The specifics of companies' policies vary, with some stipulations depending on the caregiver, the parent's role, or the method of birth. The policies apply to full-time, eligible US employees. All listed companies offer 20 weeks or more of paid leave in total for birthing parents. See 18 of the best large companies for maternity leave, based on Cookler's data, listed in alphabetical order. Adobe Adobe offers up to 182 days of paid leave for birthing mothers. Charles-McClintock Wilson/Shutterstock Adobe offers up to 182 days (26 weeks) of paid leave for birthing mothers and will pay 100% of the employee's salary during that time, according to its publicly shared policy. The company also lets mothers begin their leave up to 30 days before their child is born. Mothers who adopt a child are eligible for 182 days of paid leave if the child is under 6 years old. For new fathers, Adobe offers up to 112 days (16 weeks) of paid leave. Amazon Expecting mothers at Amazon can begin their paid leave four weeks before their baby is born. Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock For full-time employees at Amazon, birthing parents are offered up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave, while "supporting and adoptive parents" are offered up to six weeks, according to the company's policy. Mothers can begin their leave four weeks before the baby is born. Amazon also offers a leave share program, in which employees can give six weeks of paid parental leave to a spouse or partner who doesn't have paid leave through their employer. Capital One Financial Corporation Capital One provides 20 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents. Eric Glenn/Shutterstock Capital One offers "20 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 12 weeks for all other new parents," per its publicly shared policy. Citigroup All new parents at Citigroup receive 16 weeks of paid leave for bonding. OleksSH/Shutterstock Citigroup offers a standard 16 weeks of "paid parental bonding leave" to all new parents at 100% base pay, according to its policy. Birthing mothers receive an additional six or eight weeks of fully paid leave — depending on whether they have a traditional birth or C-section — giving birthing mothers 22 to 24 weeks of paid leave in total. eBay eBay JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock eBay offers 20 weeks of fully paid leave to birthing parents and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents. The company also offers other benefits to parents for family building, including adoption reimbursement of up to $10,000 and surrogacy reimbursement of up to $25,000. Eli Lilly and Company Birthing mothers can receive a total of 20 weeks of paid leave at Eli Lilly. Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock At Eli Lilly, all new parents receive 12 weeks of paid leave in addition to 8 weeks of unpaid leave, according to its publicly shared policy. Birthing mothers are provided an additional eight weeks of paid maternity leave, for a total of 20 weeks. Like other companies on this list, it also offers family-building support, including $25,000 for adoption or surrogacy. GlobalFoundries Inc. Global Foundries offers 20 weeks of paid leave to all parents. Sundry Photography/Shutterstock The technology manufacturer offers a baseline of 12 weeks of paid parental leave, while birthing mothers and surrogate/adoptive parents are eligible for a total of 20 weeks of paid leave, according to the company's careers page. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Hewlett Packard offers six months of paid leave to all new parents. Ken Wolter/Shutterstock HP Enterprise Company offers six months of paid parental leave to all new parents. Fortune reported in 2025 that the company allows new parents flexibility with their leave, with some parents staggering it or returning on a part-time schedule. Lam Research Corporation Birthing mothers get an average of 26 weeks of paid leave at Lam Research Corporation. JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock At Lam Research Corporation, all new parents get 16 weeks of fully paid leave, while mothers receive an average of 26 weeks, with the ability to get more if certified by a doctor, per its policy. The company also offers $10,000 towards adoption expenses and subsidized backup daycare. Morgan Stanley All new parents at Morgan Stanley receive 16 weeks of paid leave. Bastian Kienitz/Shutterstock Morgan Stanley offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents and six to eight additional weeks for birthing mothers, per its publicly shared policy. The company also offers other benefits, including subsidized backup care and perks like "a silver baby spoon engraved with your child's name." NVIDIA Corporation Birthing mothers get 22 weeks of paid leave at NVIDIA. Gina Hsu/Shutterstock NVIDIA provides birthing mothers with 22 weeks of fully paid leave, as well as benefits like "unlimited reimbursement for surrogacy and adoption expenses," according to its website. Fortune reported in 2025 that non-birthing parents at the company receive 12 weeks of paid leave. Oracle Corporation Oracle provides new parents with 14 weeks of paid leave. JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock At Oracle, new parents are eligible for up to 14 weeks of paid leave, while birthing mothers can receive further leave for childbirth. S&P Global Inc. S&P Global offers 26 weeks of paid leave to all new parents. valerii eidlin/Shutterstock S&P Global offers 26 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents. Salesforce Primary caregivers are given 26 weeks of paid leave at Salesforce. Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock Salesforce provides 26 weeks of fully paid parental leave to parents who are the child's primary caregiver. Secondary caregivers, which the company describes as "the parent who takes on a supporting role," are offered 12 weeks of fully paid leave. Synchrony Financial Synchrony Financial offers 22 weeks of paid leave for birthing mothers. J. Michael Jones/Shutterstock Synchrony Financial offers 22 weeks of paid maternity leave for birthing mothers, while non-birthing parents are offered 12 weeks of paid leave, according to its policy. The company also offers benefits in family planning and up to 60 days of backup childcare. The Hershey Company The Hershey Company offers 20 weeks of salaried leave to all new parents. George Sheldon/Shutterstock The Hershey Company offers 20 weeks of salaried parental leave to all new parents. Truist Financial Corporation Birthing mothers at Truist can combine their paid leaves for 20 total weeks. Brett Hondow/Shutterstock Truist provides all new parents with 10 weeks of paid leave, and mothers can combine this with maternity leave for a total of 20 weeks of paid leave. Workday, Inc. Workday provides 12 paid weeks of both bonding and maternity leave. Tada Images/Shutterstock At Workday, new mothers can combine their 12-week paid pregnancy leave with the 12 weeks of paid bonding time given to all new parents, for a total of 24 weeks, per its policy. Read the original article on Business Insider

The author and her family spend Mother's Day at her son William's grave. Courtesy of Susie Shaw My early Mother's Days were joyful, then became a rare break from parenting. After my son died, I had to learn how to mother both a living child and a dead one. Now I spend Mother's Day at the cemetery, the only place I feel like my whole family is together. I don't specifically remember my first Mother's Day as a mother, over 16 years ago. But I know it must have been so sweet. My husband probably served me breakfast in bed. My five-month-old son William likely had his breakfast there with me too, nursing himself back to sleep. We probably took a walk in the neighborhood, or maybe we drove over the Bay Bridge from Oakland into San Francisco and walked the Embarcadero, enjoying the spring sunshine of the Bay Area. Being a new mom had so much promise and hope, and I'm sure I relished the fact that my husband Nick and I had finally become a family, not just a couple. As my family grew, Mother's Day became a chance for 'me time' My son Kai was born in 2012, expanding our family and making us parents for the second time. With that came more responsibility, more mothering. Mother's Day soon became a day to escape. A day to leave my husband in charge of all the parenting, all the decisions, all the care our tiny children needed. As the default stay-at-home parent, all I wanted on Mother's Day in that season was time alone, away from my beautiful but always needy kids. It was a day where I could get my nails done, exercise without kids at my feet. A day to pretend, just for a few hours, like I didn't have any kids at all. After my son died, everything I understood about motherhood changed And then William died in a tragic ski accident in 2019, and everything I understood about motherhood changed. All the care, all the love, all the time I had poured into my child wasn't enough to keep him alive. I spent so much time feeling ashamed and embarrassed that my child had died on my watch. I felt like I had failed as a mother. So that first year, the first Mother's Day after William died, I pretended it didn't exist. I was not capable of celebrating, of acknowledging this hallmark day that felt like a slap in the face to a newly bereaved mother. The author found a way to parent her son William again after he died. Courtesy of Susie Shaw I found a way to keep parenting my son after he died And then about six months into my grief, we decided to try again. To have another child, to parent again. Once that happened, I started to learn how to parent William again, too. That I had to, and wanted to, still actively parent him, just in a different way. He was no longer there to tuck in at night or help with his homework. But I could talk about him to others, share his story, create a legacy for him by doing service in his name. And teach his new little brother all about him. I found a pathway through the darkness to bring William's light back into our world by choosing to become a mother again, and to continue to mother him. She says her family feels most complete when she's visiting her son's grave. Courtesy of Susie Shaw Now I spend Mother's Day at the cemetery These days, I choose to spend Mother's Day at the cemetery. It's the place where I feel most complete as a family. My husband and I bring our living children there, and we sit and visit with our dead son. This was never part of the plan, that dream of having a beautiful family all wrapped up in a perfect bow. But it's my life, and I've developed ways to cope with the realities of being a bereaved mom, especially on Mother's Day. It's important to me to be at the cemetery on that day, to hold all the joy and the pain together at once. To show my living kids that we can show up, even when it's hard and not what most people do. We've turned the cemetery into a place of joy and connection I don't want our pilgrimage to the cemetery to feel like a burden for my living children. So we make an event out of it. We pack a picnic brunch — coffee, croissants, fruit. We bring a blanket. We bring frisbees, balls, anything to keep the kids active and moving. My teenager climbs the old maple tree directly in front of William's gravesite and swings down from its thick branches. The little one, Bodhi, watches from below. He'll do that someday, too. We have two dogs now, too, so they also come along for the outing. We always walk around the whole cemetery, commenting on all the new graves, all the old graves, wondering who they are and what stories lay beneath. The young ones, babies not even a year old. The graves simply marked 'Father,' or 'Mother.' There are so many stories just like ours. And we connect with the dead, our dead son, William, the one who made me a mother. And we love the living family that we are today. I have learned that we can, and must, do both. Read the original article on Business Insider

A practitioner's argument that meeting summarizers fail in the same way regressions fail when you skip the part where you ask what the data can support. The post LLM Summarizers Skip the Identification Step appeared first on Towards Data Science.

The author just landed his first job post-college. Maskot/Getty Images After college, I was unemployed for two years, working in the food industry and freelancing. As a first-generation American, I felt survivor's guilt when I landed my first full-time job. I also feel guilty for landing in my dream career when other Gen Zers struggle to find jobs. Before I graduated from college, I feared I'd have no breathing room and would have to jump right into the workforce. Instead, I had to face something even worse: the prospects of no entry-level jobs on the market. After graduating in 2024 and having no set work prospects, I resorted to cold emailing and freelancing for multiple publications. I also worked in restaurants as my side gig until something more permanent came through. Though at times my part-time job in the food industry felt like my only job, and my desired career in journalism felt like a silly little hobby. Two years later, after graduating from college, I've taken the first steps in my career and successfully landed a job. I'm finally receiving a livable salary in a healthy workplace. The new job is bringing relief to my life, but it also brings a cloud of survivor's guilt. I don't understand why I get this opportunity when my family still struggles Though I've finally broken into my industry, shouldn't I feel relief rather than unease? My body isn't a stranger to imposter syndrome or the feelings of survivor's guilt. I experienced a smaller version of this once before at my first real internship. It was my first time in an office and a newsroom. Things were fine until I saw a delivery driver drop off lunch to my boss. The "why me?" of it all started to set in: "Why do I get to do this, and that delivery driver doesn't?" The author (right) is a recent college graduate. Courtesy of Moses Jeanfrancois As a first-generation American, I was taught early on to hustle for the American dream. The majority of my family still belongs to a blue-collar life. At times, it feels as if I'm put on a pedestal meant to be the only one to make it out. And if I don't, I would be a disappointment. Now in my new role, my family and community are ecstatic, yet I wish I could take them along with me. I wish that they could've been awarded these opportunities as well, after years of them working hard and sacrificing for me and others. I also feel guilty for landing a job when other Gen Zers are struggling During a time of massive layoffs, I feel beyond grateful, though confused at the ongoing hardship my generation is up against. Though my fellow Gen Zers and I are being invited to join the workforce like any other generation, due to economic instability, there are few entry-level jobs. Some of us are forced into internships. I know many people I graduated with who are still chasing invoice after invoice, waiting to see if their internship or freelance gig will turn into a full-time job with benefits — before the looming AI bubble attacks jobs. Though my friends and I celebrated my debut into the workforce, most of my cohort is still without jobs. If not, like me, they are just starting to get their foot in the door as well. I attribute my success to the values that were instilled in my family and the motivation I continue to get from my peers. I help where I can by lifting others up and helping them find job opportunities. But a real main source of my stuck survivor's guilt comes in the fact that the current job landscape is in desperate need of repair, and there's nothing a beginner like me can do to fix it. Read the original article on Business Insider

OpenSeeker-v2: Pushing the Limits of Search Agents with Informative and High-Difficulty Trajectories

In the most expensive cities in the country, you need to make over $250,000 to live comfortably. yhelfman/Getty Images A study shows that the amount of money needed to own a home is increasing. A handful of cities require more than a quarter-million in salary to afford a home comfortably. In other cities, you can afford a home with less than the US median salary. Americans searching for homes today are facing some of the harshest conditions yet. Some people are opting for extreme measures, like living in tiny homes in expensive neighborhoods, moving in with family members, or, sometimes, a combination of both. A number of prospective homeowners have uprooted their lives and moved to different parts of the country — or even the world — in search of a more affordable lifestyle. The South, in particular, saw a large influx of Northerners seeking lower home prices and a lower overall cost of living. The Midwest, too, has become a hot destination due to its growing affordability. How much money you make plays a major role in where you can afford to live. A report from Consumer Affairs shows that the amount you need to make in order to buy a home doesn't generally align with how much people are making. The median household income in the US was $83,730 in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. The Consumer Affairs report found that an annual income of $120,796 is needed for homeownership, assuming a 10% down payment. That number varies depending on where you live. The report found that California is home to the most cities that require a handsome salary, with nine out of the 10 cities in the top 10 being in the Golden State. Meanwhile, the cities that support salaries on the lower end are scattered throughout the South and Midwest. See what cities require the highest and lowest salaries to afford a home. The 10 cities that require the least income to afford a home Youngstown, Ohio. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 10. Macon, Georgia Macon, Georgia. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Income: $67,832 Median home-sale price: $197,500 Population: 157,056 (Macon-Bibb County) 9. Fort Smith, Arkansas Sebastian County, Arkansas, home to Fort Smith. Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images Income: $67,064 Median home-sale price: $196,000 Population: 90,507 8. Columbus, Georgia Columbus, Georgia. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Income: $66,245 Median home-sale price: $210,000 Population: 201,830 7. Mobile, Alabama Mobile, Alabama. Cavan Images / George Dodd/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF Income: $66,241 Median home-sale price: $232,250 Population: 201,367 6. Binghamton, New York Binghamton, New York ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto Income: $65,989 Median home-sale price: $175,000 Population: 46,773 5. Peoria, Illinois Peoria, Illinois. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Income: $65,486 Median home-sale price: $145,900 Population: 111,696 4. Flint, Michigan Flint, Michigan. Brand Diverse Solutions Steven Barber/Getty Images/iStockphoto Income: $63,535 Median home-sale price: $50,000 Population: 79,735 3. Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport, Louisiana. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Income: $63,030 Median home-sale price: $185,000 Population: 176,578 2. Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown, Ohio InfiniteImpactStudios/Getty Images/iStockphoto Income: $59,433 Median home-sale price: $90,000 Population: 59,123 1. Huntington, West Virginia Huntington, West Virginia. Posnov/Getty Images Income: $53,650 Median home-sale price: $144,450 Population: $44,942 The 10 cities that require the most income to afford a home San Jose, California. Steve Proehl/Getty Images 10. Honolulu, HI Honolulu, Hawaii. SCStock/Getty Images Income needed: $255,280 Median sales price: $605,000 Population: 344,967 9. Salinas, CA Salinas, California. 4kodiak/Getty Images Income needed: $262,403 Median sales price: $699,000 Population: 160,783 8. Oxnard, CA Oxnard, California. benedek/Getty Images Income needed: $276,805 Median sales price: $797,500 Population: 200,616 7. San Luis Obispo, CA San Luis Obispo, California. MattGush/Getty Images Income needed: $280,591 Median sales price: $1,102,500 Population: 49,729 6. San Diego, CA San Diego, California. Brandon Colbert Photography/Getty Images Income needed: $293,618 Median sales price: $950,000 Population: 1,404,452 5. Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles. frankpeters/Getty Images Income needed: $301,221 Median sales price: $1,025,000 Population: 3,878,704 4. Santa Maria, CA Santa Maria, California. MattGush/Getty Images Income needed: $305,535 Median sales price: $617,500 Population: 111,346 3. Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz, California. Pgiam/Getty Images Income needed: $354,973 Median sales price: $1,352,000 Population: 62,581 2. San Francisco, CA San Francisco. frankpeters/Getty Images Income needed: $358,090 Median sales price: $1,687,500 Population: 827,526 1. San Jose, CA San Jose, California. Steve Proehl/Getty Images Income needed: $501,012 Median sales price: $1,489,000 Population: 997,368 Read the original article on Business Insider

A group of friends from Villanova has met on Zoom every Thursday night since March 19, 2020. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna A group of college friends from Villanova has met on Zoom every Thursday night for over 300 weeks. The tradition began during the pandemic in March 2020, but the friends never plan to stop. The weekly catch-ups have led to more in-person hangs and much deeper adult friendships. It's a Thursday night catch-up like any other for the group of old college friends from Villanova. Their conversation, peppered with inside jokes and nostalgic references, easily floats through elder millennial topics — job transitions, sleep regression, "Gen Z coworkers, what do I do with them?" — before it's briefly interrupted. "Guys, I'm so sorry, I have to jump," Kate Reynolds says from Bourbon Street, her wired headphones swinging on the screen like Mardi Gras beads. "We just got to the karaoke bar, but I love you all." These 10 friends are on Zoom, where they've met every Thursday at 9:30 p.m. since March 19, 2020. Like so many of us, they started their weekly virtual catch-up as a pandemic reprieve. Unlike the rest of us, they never stopped. Across 321 Zoom calls, they've logged on from five countries and 13 states, helped each other through six major career changes, celebrated two weddings and three babies between them, and turned 35 — then 40 — together. Thursday nights have become sacred to the "NovaZoom" crew. It's taught them how to foster long-lasting adult friendships, and they plan to keep the tradition going forever — or at least until they move into a retirement home together. Back to the beginning Members of the NovaZoom on their graduation day at Villanova. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna College life was still somewhat analog when the NovaZoom group met as freshmen in 2003. If you wanted to catch up with a long-distance friend, you'd call them. The only way to share your location was an AIM away message. Texts were rare — each cost 50 cents to send, and 10 to receive. TV was a communal activity, especially when there was a new episode of "Friends" or "Sex and the City." "It was probably the last era where our lives weren't fully dependent on technology," said Nick Sampogna, one of the NovaZoom members. The group formed through typical college experiences — orientation, dorm life, clubs. They bonded over a shared love of the performing arts, joining Villanova's theater and singing groups. The circle expanded as various members fell in love (one at grad school, another in the middle of a game of Flip Cup). In the years after graduation, the friends spread out across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. They still found ways to see each other, usually for weddings or holidays. Yet as time passed, their catch-ups became more about logistics or nostalgia. "The group chat was less frequent," Sampogna said. "It usually centered on planning the next gathering, or an old memory." That changed on March 19, 2020, as COVID-19 lockdowns took effect across the country. Amy Gallo had just finished a virtual happy hour with coworkers when she decided to text her college friends to see if they wanted to log on and chat. "I was feeling pretty giddy and thought, 'Oh, I miss my Nova friends, why don't we try this?'" she recalled. "People hopped on, and we played Kings Cup." The friends gathered on Zoom during Christmas 2020. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna In the weeks that followed, someone would broach the group chat on Thursday afternoon to tentatively see who wanted to keep meeting on Zoom. "How are we feeling about Thirsty Thursday again tonight?" one text said. "It's Thursday again. Anyone want to keep this going?" another read. Eventually, people stopped asking. The answer was always yes. Participation numbers changed weekly in those first months of lockdown. The NovaZoom could get upward of 20 people when it was someone's birthday, often celebrated with a virtual party and some trivia. "Ten of us is the usual number now, but when we started, it always kind of varied," Sampogna added. "There were weeks when we had a full Brady Brunch going on." The virtual happy hours fell away for most as a collective screen fatigue set in during the summer of 2020, but NovaZoom never wavered. The weekly Zooms felt like a return to the rhythm the group had established as undergraduates, when their catch-ups were as easy as walking across the hall. In the midst of unprecedented times, it had become an "anchor of normalcy." Parenting, pranks, and the past The NovaZoom group celebrates a collection of 40th birthdays together. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna The group often gets asked the same two questions when people find out about their weekly Zoom: "You guys are still doing that?" and "How do you still have stuff to talk about?" Their conversation topics have varied widely. During the early COVID days, they'd stay up late and reminisce about college or look for the funniest things you could buy on Temu. "There were a couple of 4 a.m. nights," Sampogna said. The parents of the group have swapped tips and shared milestones as they've transitioned from teething to day care. There's been frequent discussion about one member's ongoing quest to find love. Countless Thursdays have been dedicated to Villanova basketball games, especially during March Madness, although there's been plenty of serious conversations as well. "We've discussed politics, racism, feminism, whatever is happening in the world," Adriane Reilly said. "And I think that's a reflection of the kind of friends we have found, that we're able to do that and still transition into funny jokes." "Yeah, it certainly hasn't been all serious," her husband, Brendan Reilly, added. "The last several weeks we've been trying to determine which Nicolas Cage movie Amy should watch first." The weekly chats have given them new inside jokes and memories that spill into their group texts and in-person hangs — like when they concocted a yearlong prank to send mayonnaise-related gifts to a friend who can't stand the condiment. "Without this Zoom, we wouldn't have half of the jokes we have now," Brendan Reilly said. Friendship beyond the algorithm The weekly Zooms have also led to more in-person hangouts. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna Much has been written about our loneliness epidemic. Teens are talking to AI chatbots, doctors are prescribing book clubs, and there's a host of friendship apps promising to swap swipes for connection. "Instagram offers this incredible idea that we're following our friends," Mike Denny said. "But it's a very filtered view of their world." NovaZoom not only lets the group hear the stories behind their photos, but also gives friends a place to be their unfiltered selves. Sometimes, that's laughing about mayonnaise; other times, it's helping each other grapple with dating or balancing care for their kids and aging parents. "Everyone hears about how my dating life sucks, and it's been really helpful, because otherwise you're in your head," said Jenny Sweeny. "Thursday night gets me out of it. I always know there's this home base to come back to." "We have these personas we have to put out into the world, but I always feel like my truest self is in this space," added Gallo. The group is seeing each other more often in the real world, too, and thanks to the weekly Zooms, there's no need to rehash months of stories in the span of a dinner or crowded party. "We don't have to do that 'How are you? What's been going on?' catch-up," Denny said. "We can just be present in that space." By spending more time together, the group's children have also gotten to know each other — and their parents' friends — better, even seeing them as extended family members. "Because of our Zoom and these in-person moments, I'm 'Uncle Nick' instead of 'mom's friend Nick,'" Sampogna said. A sacred ritual The NovaZoom celebrates their 100th week. Courtesy of Nick Sampogna There's no obligation to join the Zoom every week, and no punishment if you miss a few in a row. Some Thursdays, all 10 friends are logged on; other nights, there could be just two or three. As the years have gone on, though, the group has learned that showing up consistently only leads to deeper connection. "You have to be a good friend to have good friends, and that's putting in the work," Gallo said. "Some of our conversations started pretty awkwardly in the beginning. We had nights where it was small talk, but we showed up." "You have to show up or be the one to put the invitation out there, not knowing what's going to be received," she added. "Nothing's going to happen if you don't take initiative." The NovaZoom has no plans of stopping their weekly Thursday date. Their dream is to live in a retirement home together someday, or hit the Powerball jackpot so they can buy Nova Scotia — which they'd promptly rename Villanova Scotia — and move in. Even in this fantasy, their Thursday nights would remain unchanged. "Thursdays are still virtual," Reynolds said. "That's the town motto." Read the original article on Business Insider

Elizabeth Findell / Wall Street Journal: Most of the tech on display at this year's Border Security Expo was autonomous and AI-equipped, driven by the Trump administration's focus on US border security  —  Rapid gains in artificial-intelligence technology bring new competitors into the business of securing the border

The author's son missed taking photos while on his trip most of all. Courtesy of Kristina Wright When my son went on a school trip to England last year, he couldn't use his phone most of the time. It was a huge change for both of us — we text most of the day, usually. The silence felt loud to me, but he found he mostly didn't miss texting. When my son told me the details of his nine-day school trip to England last June, one rule stood out above the rest: they wouldn't be able to use their phones for the majority of the trip. He'd be an ocean away, staying in dorms at a school in England, attending a structured conference during the day, and I wouldn't be able to reach him directly whenever I wanted. Instead, communication would come through the chaperones on WhatsApp. They promised updates, photos, and a way to get messages to the kids if needed. This is a kid who texts me to ask what's for dinner and tells me about a good test grade, a bad day, and weekend plans, all before he walks in the door from school. Like most parents of teenagers, the bulk of our conversations these days is through text messages. And, suddenly, I needed to recalibrate my expectations. It was an adjustment from our usual communication At first, that silence felt loud. I found myself reaching for my phone out of habit, expecting something that wasn't coming. Proof that he was OK in the form of a photo or even a thumbs-up. Instead, I had to rely on the chaperones' updates. I found myself scanning group photos of smiling teenagers from all over the world, searching for my own kid. Was he smiling? Did he look happy? Was he making new friends? The photos and the cheerful chaperone updates that went along with them told me he was not only fine, but fully engaged in his adventure. Without the constant back-and-forth, I wasn't tracking his day in real time. I didn't know what he had for lunch or what made him laugh in the middle of the afternoon. I wasn't part of the small, ordinary moments — and that was the point. He was having an experience that was entirely his. He missed taking photos most of all My son's biggest complaint when the trip was over wasn't the lack of communication with me, it was the lack of a camera. He hated not being able to take photos whenever he wanted. It's such a modern frustration, the instinct to document everything, to hold onto moments by storing them somewhere external. But maybe because of that, he remembered more. One of the chaperones told me that at one point, he asked if he could use his phone to text me. That alone would have been enough to undo me. But then she added that it was because he wanted to send me real estate listings. Apparently, after a few days there, my kid had decided he was ready to move to England. I laughed when I heard that, but it stayed with me. Even in the middle of this independent, phone-free experience, he was still thinking about home — and, in his own way, trying to pull me into what he was discovering. He came home with fewer pictures, but more memories When he came home, the stories came in pieces over a span of a few weeks rather than all at once. We'd be having dinner, and he'd tell me about the jacket potato he had or a funny moment with his friends. We'd be watching a movie set in England, and he'd share a history lesson or point out a landmark and say, "I've been there." I asked him if not having his phone readily available changed anything for him. He shrugged, the way teenagers do. "It was kind of nice not having to think about it," he admitted. That might be the simplest and most revealing answer of all. We spend so much time worrying about how connected our kids are — how much they're on their phones, what they're missing in real life while they scroll. For my son, not having a phone in his hand meant observing and participating without the constant pull to capture or share. For me, it meant letting go of the illusion that I needed to be part of every moment to know he was OK. We both learned something from that trip I can't say it was easy. There were moments, especially in those first couple of days, when I missed that feeling of being tethered electronically 24/7 and the connection it allows. But by the end of the trip, I understood what he'd gained from the experience — and what it had given me. Because as much as I love hearing from him, I also love knowing that, for a little while, he was exactly where he was supposed to be, living fully in the moment. And that feels like something worth holding onto, even if I didn't get a text about it when it happened. Read the original article on Business Insider

As an Egyptian citizen who has lived here for 30 years, one of my favorite things to do is hot-air ballooning in Luxor. Nadine Arab I live in Egypt, and I always remind tourists that there are other gems to see beyond the pyramids. For example, I love hiking Mount Sinai and snorkeling in the Red Sea. I think hot-air ballooning over the temples in Luxor is also a must for first-time visitors. Whenever I travel, telling people I'm Egyptian typically prompts a conversation about the Great Pyramids of Giza. As someone who's stood in front of the pyramids multiple times, I understand the fascination — they're truly a breathtaking sight. However, as a local who's lived here for 30 years, I know that Egypt is home to many equally impressive gems. Here are six things I always tell travelers to do when they visit my homeland. Hiking Mount Sinai at sunrise is a must. Nadine Arab Mount Sinai, known as Jabal Mūsā in Arabic, is one of Egypt's highest mountains, sitting at 7,497 feet above sea level. The mountain is considered a holy site for all Abrahamic religions — there's even an old church and a mosque tucked at the summit. In my opinion, this isn't just a typical hike — it feels like a beautiful spiritual journey. After a hike along the mountain's Camel Trail, 750 steps take you to the summit. If you plan accordingly and reach the top by sunrise, the horizon will turn into warm shades of amber and soft yellows. It's a moment that's absolutely worth hiking for. I love floating in the salt lakes at Siwa Oasis. Doaa Adel/NurPhoto via Getty Images I've seen the Siwa Oasis all over my Instagram feed, and in my opinion, no trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the area's turquoise-blue salt lakes. The first time I visited, I didn't know how to swim, but because of the water's high salinity, I was able to float. In addition to the unmatched beauty, the lakes are also believed to have healing properties, making this a perfect spot for visitors interested in natural wellness. Hot-air ballooning in Luxor is a magical way to see ancient Egyptian temples. Nadine Arab Like the pyramids in Giza, I think seeing the Ancient Egyptian temples in Luxor is a must for first-time visitors to Egypt. One of my favorite ways to view them, however, is from a hot-air balloon ride. I took one at sunrise to celebrate my 29th birthday, and it was absolutely worth it. Once we were launched into the pink sky, we floated for 45 minutes over lush-green fields and various archaeological sites, including the iconic Temple of Hatshepsut. While surrounded by dozens of other colorful hot-air balloons, it's safe to say I felt like I was on cloud nine. One of my favorite memories is camping in the Black and White Deserts. Nadine Arab For the perfect weekend trip in Egypt, I recommend visiting the Black and White Deserts, which are within driving distance of each other. These deserts, known for their otherworldly landscapes and bizarre rock formations, are two of my favorite places to sleep under the stars. For my 27th birthday, I took a group of close friends camping here, and together, we fully embraced the outdoors. In the White Desert, we visited Crystal Mountain, went off-roading in the dunes of the Valley of Agabat, and went for a dip in a natural spring. My favorite activity in the Black Desert, however, was making sand angels. The Djara Cave is a destination worth the drive. Nadine Arab Although its location in the Western Desert is a bit remote, the Djara Cave is a hidden gem you won't regret going the extra mile to see. This prehistoric dripstone cave features gorgeous rock formations and ancient Neolithic engravings. Plus, warm candlelight flickers across the rugged dripstone walls of the cave, creating a dim, more intimate atmosphere. Snorkeling and diving in the Red Sea is a great excursion year-round. Nadine Arab People come from all over the world to dive into the Red Sea, thanks to its marvelous coral reefs, diverse marine life, and year-round great temperatures. Even if diving isn't your cup of tea, snorkeling is also a wonderful experience. Some of the most popular beach towns for diving or snorkeling are Marsa Alam, Dahab, Sharm El Sheikh, and Hurghada. In my opinion, they're home to the best beaches and diving spots in the country. If you're a pro diver and have to choose just one town, I highly recommend Marsa Alam. It's a less-crowded destination, with incredible marine diversity, including dolphins, sea turtles, dugongs, and even sharks. For beginners, I recommend snorkeling in Dahab, as there are plenty of shallow sections, and it's a great place to get your certification from professional instructors. Read the original article on Business Insider

Evidence is growing that sperm carries marks of a father’s life experiences, influencing traits in offspring.

Fortunately, it happened early in the morning, so nobody was around.

Jennah Haque / Bloomberg: Experian says 40% of the 5,000 data breaches it serviced in 2025 were AI-powered, and predicts agentic AI will be the leading cause of data breaches in 2026  —  A few months ago, I received a congratulations letter on my upcoming enrollment at the Ultimate Medical Academy in Tampa, Florida.