The author and her family have traveled all over the world, but she said a recent trip to Antarctica was one of their best vacations yet. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Growing up, I took lovely vacations to the Jersey Shore each summer. My kids love a beach trip, but I'm determined to take them on more adventurous getaways. We recently sailed to Antarctica, and it was one of the best trips we've ever taken. Growing up, I loved family vacations. Every summer, we went to the Jersey Shore, where I spent hours building sandcastles and swimming in the ocean. Now, my family enjoys the beach, but we also venture far beyond the golden sands of my childhood, taking trips I couldn't have dreamed of as a child. Recently, my family literally traveled to the end of the earth, to a surprisingly lively world covered in ice, when we sailed to Antarctica. There are so many reasons not to take children to Antarctica. The rough seas of Drake Passage, the cost, and the cold all gave me pause. However, taking an expedition cruise to Antarctica was an epic journey, our best family vacation to date. I am glad I didn't let anything keep us from experiencing the remote continent together. The stunning views of the Lemaire Channel, walking through the caldera off the black sand beach of Deception Island, and watching my kids jump into the freezing waters surrounding our ship for the ultimate polar plunge are memories that will never leave me. The author said her family experienced several once-in-a-lifetime moments, including a whale swimming nearby while they were kayaking. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Every day was a new adventure Antarctica is notoriously unpredictable. Clear skies and calm seas can turn stormy in an instant. Once, I watched from my cabin as the current swiftly carried in huge pieces of flat ice, almost completely covering the calm waters where we were hoping to kayak that afternoon. Another day, the clouds parted, and we had a rare, glorious Antarctic day, watching penguins waddle in the sunshine as seals soaked up the rays on nearby icebergs, perhaps just as pleased with the weather as I was. Because of the unpredictable weather and wildlife in Antarctica, the crew of our ship decided where to stop during the trip rather than beforehand. With no set itinerary, every day was a new adventure, with a surprise in store. Each evening, I anxiously awaited hearing the plan for the following morning, knowing that wherever the crew decided to take us would be a safe but awe-inspiring choice — and that the plan could change at any moment. My kids shared in my excitement. My family got to experience Antarctica fully, but comfortably Not long ago, Antarctica was nearly inaccessible to all but the most intrepid explorers. Now, travelers can choose to head there on large cruise ships with casinos that simply sail by or spend a few nights in a polar base camp for a fully immersive experience. The author, who has traveled with her family all over the world, said this trip was unlike any other they have been on. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Our trip was somewhere in between, which was the perfect choice for my family. Every day of our week-long journey, we got off the ship twice. Once a day, we hiked on the continent in rubber boots or snowshoes, and once a day, we took to the water in a zodiac or kayak. Seeing multiple species of penguins waddle past us on "penguin highways" as they made their way to the sea is a sight that still makes me smile, even months after my trip. Walking into a basic wooden hut used by early Antarctic scientists gave my children a new appreciation for the sacrifices others made to help us understand our world and its climate. While off the boat, we were fully immersed in Antarctica, but on the ship, we ate and slept well. Although I often drifted off to sleep thinking of early Antarctic explorers and scientists who wintered over on the ice in basic wood cabins, I was glad to spend the night eating at a gourmet restaurant and sleeping in a comfortable bed. The author said her kids enjoyed hearing about their itinerary for the next day each evening. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. My kids weren't always fans of the restaurant's meals, so they sometimes headed to the buffet. Additionally, the onboard chef was always happy to make them buttered noodles, although they could have stayed full on the french fries, burgers, and milkshakes that were available throughout the afternoon. That was the right balance for my family. We got a look at Antarctica in unique, family-friendly ways When sailing long distances and spending every day exploring ice, life can start to feel repetitive, and I worried my children would become bored. After all, setting foot on Antarctica was my dream, not theirs. However, the company we went with, HX, offers several activities, on board and off, to keep things interesting for all ages. In addition to hikes and zodiac rides, we also spent a morning reaching higher elevations in snowshoes and sea kayaking in the sea. While nearly flat with the water, we got almost uncomfortably close to humpback whales, paddled alongside penguins, and saw seals from a new vantage point. The author said she and her family enjoyed hiking and snowshoeing in Antarctica. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. My husband and son had the rare opportunity to camp on the ice under the midnight sun, very close to a penguin colony. Although my family tried to keep a respectful distance from the adorable, flightless birds, the penguins visited their camp at night — much to their delight. My children also decorated their water bottles with penguin stencils and painted postcards with watercolors to help pass the time. My family learned a lot more than I expected and had fun doing it I knew that my family and I would learn a lot about Antarctica during our visit, but I didn't realize how much. Although my kids sometimes grumbled, we were active participants in the ship's robust science program. We listened to lectures about the ice, the waters, and the wildlife in the air and sea. The on-board historian told riveting tales of the hardship, survival, and triumph of the first adventurers to set foot on Antarctica, which ultimately made our trip possible. He managed to keep my children's attention as he spun tales to their conclusion, which is no easy task. In the ship's onboard science center, we examined whale bones up close. We saw marine life, abundant in the waters we sailed through, in astonishing detail through the ship's powerful microscopes. My kids got to ride in a "science boat" and help Antarctic scientists collect marine life and water samples, and use sonar equipment to listen to sounds emitted from beneath the ocean. They even attended a kids-only meet-and-greet with onboard specialists. It's going to be hard to top the trip to Antarctica, but that won't stop me from trying now that I know just about any trip can be kid-friendly. Read the original article on Business Insider

Michael Nuñez / VentureBeat: Salesforce announces Headless 360, an initiative that will give AI agents access to Salesforce's platform capabilities through APIs, MCP tools or CLI commands  —  Salesforce on Wednesday unveiled the most ambitious architectural transformation in its 27-year history, introducing “Headless 360” …

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Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images I became close friends with a woman 40 years older than me. She taught me about aging, resilience, and finding humor in life. Our unlikely friendship became one of the most meaningful in my life. I met Marlee in a writing group. At the time, I was in my 30s with two young kids living in a starter house. She had responded to an ad that another writer friend and I had posted. We were looking to expand our critique group. Marlee's response was something along the lines of, "If you don't mind an old lady showing up, I'd love to join you." I wasn't sure what to expect. When Marlee walked in, she sat down and, in her blunt way, which I would come to grow to love over the next decade plus, said, "I told you I was old." She completed our small group, which also consisted of two men and my original writer friend. We met a few times a month at local coffee shops and restaurants. We sent pages from whatever we were working on. I wrote absurd, sometimes scary, short stories. Marlee wanted to write a memoir about her life. We could not have been more different, at least in terms of our lives. Her kids were grown and had kids of their own. I was raising a young family. She was a retiree living in an in-law apartment within her son's family home. She had been married for decades. I had two kids and a husband and was still trying to figure out who (and what) I wanted to be when I grew up. We had a 40-year age difference Despite a 40-year age difference, our friendship thrived. We met for our group and for fun. Marlee invited another writing group member and me to her home for wine and appetizers. The two male members of our writing group dropped out. The three of us, Marlee, E.J., and I, remained. We met the orange cat with the big personality, whom Marlee often spoke of in the group. Peaches welcomed us, purring and head bumping us as we talked. The author's friend left her notes on her writing. Courtesy of the author I invited Marlee to visit when we purchased our forever home. We ate cheese and crackers while we laughed about raising kids and marriage. She sent a present to the baby shower I had for my third child. It was a funny children's book that matched her own sense of humor. When Marlee's husband died, I attended the funeral. We became part of each other's lives, even beyond our writing group. We were friends, no matter our age difference. She taught me important life lessons Marlee taught me some important lessons, including the importance of finding humor even in the most difficult times, as she had. She wrote about it often in the pages she shared with our writing group. I also learned another invaluable lesson from Marlee, that life goes on no matter what. She was a shining example of that. After the death of her husband, Marlee not only adjusted to life without him but thrived in so many ways. I think she even surprised herself and her kids. Marlee also taught me that age is literally just a number. Her wit and playful outlook were those of someone young, full of life and promise. She also shared the dark parts of aging, the invisibility she felt. We also became each other's biggest cheerleaders when it came to our writing. She would jot notes on the pages I sent to her for each group. I still have them even now. I look at them for inspiration and encouragement. She enjoyed my wit and imagination, and I marveled at her gift for writing with honesty and humor, and for making her life story truly come alive. I miss the bond we had I think what really created a unique bond between us was the life details we shared in both our writing and our many conversations. I had seen snippets of her past from her childhood to her life as a mother and grandmother. She traveled, married a military man, and landed where I hoped I would one day end up — retired and having the privilege of watching her children parent their own children. I envied the life she'd made and the journey it took her to get there. Over the past several years, we have maintained contact. It's been hard. We are still friends on Facebook and have occasionally connected. I miss her and the bond we had. No matter where we end up, though, I will always be grateful for the things she's taught me and for our unique friendship. Read the original article on Business Insider

California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images A court has put a temporary block on the merger of Nexstar and Tegna. The local TV rivals are barred from combining operations until an antitrust lawsuit is settled. California AG Rob Bonta is among politicians opposing the merger, which he called "illegal." A federal judge in California has blocked the merger of local TV giant Nexstar and its rival, Tegna, until an antitrust lawsuit is settled. US District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley on Friday issued a preliminary injunction that forbids Nexstar and Tegna from combining operations during the legal dispute with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and seven other state attorneys general. The companies had previously received approval for the merger, reportedly worth $6.2 billion, from the Federal Communications Commission and the US Department of Justice last month. Nexstar and Tegna closed the deal on March 19, immediately after the DOJ announced early termination of its antitrust review. Friday's preliminary injunction follows a temporary restraining order granted last month in a challenge brought by satellite TV company DirecTV. Describing the injunction as "a critical win in our case," Bonta said: "This merger is illegal, plain and simple. The federal government may have thrown in the towel, but we'll keep fighting for consumers, for workers, for affordability, and for our local news." Nexstar, the largest owner of local broadcast television stations in the country, said it would appeal the decision. "This pro-competitive transaction will make local stations stronger and support continued investment in local journalism and fact-based news. We will appeal today's decision and look forward to presenting our case on its merits before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals," it said in a statement. Read the original article on Business Insider

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A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz Stringer/Reuters Iran's military says it has resumed control of the Strait of Hormuz. It says the action is in response to the US blockade of Iran's ports. Opening the strait was a central demand for a two-week ceasefire that took effect on April 8. Iran's military on Saturday accused the United States of acts of "piracy" and "sea robbery" in its blockade of its ports — and that in response it is resuming control of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. "Control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces," a spokesman said. In a statement to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, the spokesman insisted that until the US ended restrictions on the free movement of vessels to and from Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz "will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status." Iran announced on Friday morning that the strait was open for maritime traffic, and mid-afternoon data showed that commercial vessels were passing through the strategic waterway, though only a small number. President Donald Trump greeted the news in a Truth Social post, writing that "Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for passage." The market reaction to the announcement saw stocks climb higher and oil fall. Hours later, a large group of vessels sailed toward the strait but inexplicably turned away, ship-tracking data shows, raising questions about the status of this critical chokepoint. On Saturday, US Central Command shared an image on its X account of USS Canberra patrolling the Arabian Sea during the blockade. It said: "Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around. American forces are enforcing a maritime blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas." Opening the strait has been a central demand since the start of a fragile ceasefire earlier this month and amid the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The strategic Strait of Hormuz is a narrow chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and a major artery for global shipments of oil and natural gas. Read the original article on Business Insider

Brent Crane / Bloomberg: A profile of OpenTable CEO Debby Soo, who shifted its focus from diners to restaurants; it now seats ~2B diners a year across 65K restaurants, an all-time high  —  The pioneering reservation app was losing marquee restaurant groups before its chief executive made some big changes.

Your RAG system is retrieving the right documents with perfect scores — yet it still confidently returns the wrong answer. The post Your RAG System Retrieves the Right Data — But Still Produces Wrong Answers. Here’s Why (and How to Fix It). appeared first on Towards Data Science.

Despite recently being designated a supply-chain risk by the Pentagon, Anthropic is still talking to high-level members of the Trump administration.

AleksandarNakic/Getty Images I started having sleepovers with my kids after one of theirs was canceled. We plan fun activities and relaxed rules to make the nights special. These sleepovers have strengthened our bond and become a favorite tradition. Growing up, I loved having sleepovers with friends. As my children grew, I was excited for them to start having sleepovers of their own. I love helping them plan activities that fill the entire night, from what type of pizza to order to arts-and-crafts projects to whether they should sleep in beds or in a fort on the living room floor. On these nights, I love hearing my children laugh with their friends long past their bedtime as I drift off to sleep. However, I am also a little bit jealous of my children's sleepovers. Why should the kids get to have all the fun while I do all the work? A canceled sleepover sparked an idea When a sleepover my daughter had planned with a friend fell through at the last minute, she was upset. At first, I tried to console her by telling her we could reschedule for the following week. She seemed unconvinced this plan would materialize. I then realized I could step in and have a sleepover with her instead, finally joining in the fun myself rather than watching from afar. Fortunately, she was receptive to the idea. We both had a great time, and the canceled sleepover launched a new tradition. Now, I have a few sleepovers with my kids each year. These late nights have become some of my most treasured memories. We cram in as much fun as possible Between school, packed sports schedules, scouts, my kids' busy social lives, and other events, it can be difficult to find time for family sleepovers. When we do make family sleepovers work, I try to make them as fun as possible. Often, my kids and I start talking about what we will do during a sleepover days before the sleepover. That helps build excitement and extends the fun we have together. During family sleepovers, we always play a board game or two. Family favorites include Uno, Clue, Pandemic, and Settlers of Catan. We also usually watch a movie. I am partial to classics from the 1980s and 90s, but my kids usually convince me to watch a newer movie they find on Netflix or Disney+. We might also light the backyard fire pit or play a few rounds of laser tag in the basement with a basic set my children got for the holidays a few years ago. Sometimes, we bake cake or cookies. I suspend many rules for sleepover nights only I usually insist on some basic but important rules for my family. We limit the amount of candy we eat and the amount of screen time they have each day. I insist upon at least one fruit or vegetable with dinner and getting to bed at a reasonable time. However, on sleepover nights, things are different. I share in my children's giddy excitement as we choose movie theater-sized boxes of candy to eat throughout the night and pop popcorn loaded with butter. We order pizza loaded with cheese and toppings. Sometimes, I also surprise them with a two-liter bottle of soda. If my children want to watch an episode or two of a TV show before putting on an hourslong movie, I indulge them. Bedtime becomes flexible. I often want these nights to go on forever. Our sleepovers often end with my children asking if they can sleep or nodding off on the sofa, rather than my imploring them to head to their rooms. Having sleepovers with kids has strengthened our relationship I know that I am not a substitute for my children's friends. As much as I enjoy having sleepovers with my kids, I am not naive. I know they would prefer to have a sleepover with someone their own age. Still, our sleepover tradition has become a cherished time for all of us. It is one of the few opportunities we have to simply have fun and enjoy each other's company as a family, without the pressure of sticking to a rigid schedule or following and enforcing rules. The freedom to have fun without the usual constraints of time and structure has strengthened our relationship. I am still my children's parent, but these sleepovers allow me to get to know them in a different way and give me a small glimpse of what they are like with their friends when I am not around. Read the original article on Business Insider

Bismarck, North Dakota, is the most affordable US city in 2026, per a WalletHub report. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock While some markets are seeing cooling prices, rent in some areas continues to rise. WalletHub ranked 182 cities across the US by how affordable rents are relative to median income. Bismarck, North Dakota, ranked first, with 15% of the median income going toward rent. Not every city is built the same, and that's also true of rental markets. While some cities are seeing cooling rents and more affordable housing efforts, rent prices in others continue to rise. A recent WalletHub study ranked 182 US cities, including the 150 most populous cities in the country and at least two of the most populous in each state, by how much renters spend on rent, on average. To calculate the share of income spent on rent, WalletHub used US Census Bureau data on median annual gross rent and median household income for each surveyed city. "A general rule of thumb is that rent should not exceed 30% of the median income," Maggie Rong Hu, an assistant professor of real estate at Baruch College in New York, said in the study. "This ensures that renters can comfortably afford their housing without sacrificing other essential living expenses." On average, people living in the 31 cities listed below spend about 18.5% of their income on rent, lower than the 23.46% across all measured cities. In the most expensive cities in the study, including Miami, Detroit, and Newark, renters can spend up to 33.8% of their income on rent. See the most affordable cities for renters across the US in 2026. 30. (Tie) Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 20.10% 30. (Tie) South Burlington, Vermont South Burlington, Vermont. vermontalm/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 20.10% 29. Chesapeake, Virginia trekandshoot/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.96% 28. Amarillo, Texas Dani California Dreamin/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.88% 27. Des Moines, Iowa Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.84% 26. Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.75% 25. Plano, Texas Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.68% 24. Seattle Seattle. SCStock/Getty Images Income spent on rent: 19.67% 23. West Valley City, Utah Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.57% 22. Fort Wayne, Indiana Nicholas J Klein/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.52% 21. Omaha, Nebraska Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.46% 20. Fremont, California NorCalStockMedia/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.39% 19. Fort Smith, Arkansas Jonathan C Wear/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.35% 18. Laredo, Texas Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 19.34% 17. Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville, Alabama, roughly 15 miles northeast of Triana. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.81% 16. Rapid City, South Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.78% 15. Columbia, Maryland Gyro Captain Drone Photos/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.64% 14. Billings, Montana trekandshoot/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.53% 13. Warwick, Rhode Island Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.44% 12. Lincoln, Nebraska Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.13% 11. Wichita, Kansas Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 18.11% 10. Overland Park, Kansas Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 17.34% 9. Anchorage, Alaska TripWalkers/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 17.30% 8. Casper, Wyoming Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 17.24% 7. Juneau, Alaska Alexandre.ROSA/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 17.04% 6. Cheyenne, Wyoming Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 17.02% 5. Fargo, North Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 16.94% 4. Charleston, West Virginia Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 16.56% 3. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 16.48% 2. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 16.35% 1. Bismarck, North Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Income spent on rent: 15.29% Read the original article on Business Insider

My family relocated from the US to Spain in 2025. Rebecca Cretella I moved from the US to Spain with my children when they were 10 and 6 years old. I worried they would struggle to find friends and feel isolated due to their lack of Spanish skills. Although there have been challenging moments, my sons have adapted to life in Spain incredibly well. Everyone said the same thing when my husband and I shared our plans to move from Connecticut to a suburb outside of Madrid: "But what about the kids?" If I'm honest, I was asking myself the same question. I worried that my two sons, now 10 and 7, would struggle to make friends, feel left out due to the language barrier, and shut down in a new environment. It's now been about seven months since our move to Spain, and none of the worst-case scenarios I imagined have come to fruition. The boys did more than adjust; they grew. Although I find that kids tend to be resilient, I believe much of their success came down to what my husband and I did before boarding our one-way flight. Our family talked openly about the move for months before we did it My husband and I tried to make our move abroad as easy as possible for our children. Rebecca Cretella Long before we actually arrived in Spain, my husband and I wanted our children to feel like participants in the move rather than passengers. We involved them in ways that felt appropriate for their ages, asking them what they hoped life would feel like in Spain and letting them choose what to pack and sell (they kept their earnings as pocket money). Although they didn't speak Spanish and had never visited Spain, I wanted to make the unknown feel as familiar as possible. So, we watched Spanish videos, learned basic vocabulary, and read books about Spain. The move went from being an abstract concept to something they could visualize. A few weeks before we left the US, they each had a Zoom call with the principal of their new school. She listened as my eldest said he felt excited, nervous, and sad to leave his friends behind. She gave him space to feel it all, never glossing over his emotions. After the calls, their relief was visible as their new school went from an unknown place to one that felt safe. Perhaps most importantly, we fostered an environment where our kids could share their fears. My husband and I reminded them that they're part of a team that would figure things out together, one step at a time. I wanted to make sure they knew they weren't in it alone. Of course, there would still be hard moments no matter what we did or said ahead of time. The most we could do was soften the landing. Once they started school in Spain, they hit the ground running When we arrived in Spain, my kids were understandably homesick. My youngest, who was 6 at the time, really missed our old home. It symbolized safety to him, so losing it so suddenly felt disorienting. Our oldest, just shy of 10 when we landed, dreamed about his friends and grandparents at night. These moments were hard to witness, but they also didn't last as long as I feared they would. Starting school made all the difference. Their small international school has traditions that feel familiar to the boys, like trick-or-treating on Halloween and St. Patrick's Day festivities. Half of the students are international, so they have plenty of classmates who know what it's like to start over. The other half are local Spanish children. The combination has been such a gift. My boys have found peers who have empathized with them and others who have welcomed them, shared their culture, and made them feel like they belong. They love school so much that it's often hard to convince them to leave at the end of the day. Outside of school, I rely on a combination of old and new routines to give their days structure. We have Taco Tuesday, a family movie night, a dinner-table game we call "sad, mad, glad," and special treats on Friday. These small rituals give them comfort, familiarity, and stability amid so much change. Seven months into the move, I'm constantly amazed by their bravery No one in my family spoke fluent Spanish when we moved overseas. Rebecca Cretella My boys' boldness has surprised me over and over. Shortly after we arrived in Spain, my youngest would lean out our apartment window and greet passersby below in Spanish. Seven months in, he joins pickup soccer games at the park with kids of all ages. Because he has the courage to show up, it doesn't matter that he isn't yet fluent in Spanish. As for my eldest, he's already talking about moving to France one day to learn French, telling me that the best way to learn a language is through immersion. This winter, he chose to go on a five-day ski trip with his school despite never having skied before. More recently, he stood up in front of a room full of peers, parents, and judges and delivered a 10-minute presentation on inequality as part of an end-of-year project. He was nervous leading up to it, especially since he hadn't prepared for it the year before like many of his classmates. But when he stood up, he was composed and articulate. In a new country, he carried himself like he belonged. My sons have adapted better than I ever hoped Before we left the US, I worried my sons would struggle to find a community. Now, my eldest has close friends in various grades, and my youngest views everyone in his class as a companion. Although they arrived in Spain without speaking Spanish fluently, the language barrier hasn't isolated them. There have been plenty of bumps along the way — and there are surely more hard moments to come — but my kids are more open to change and adaptable than I ever imagined possible. I spent so much time worrying about what moving from the US to Spain might do to them that I didn't let myself consider what it would do for them. Read the original article on Business Insider

SV Angel co-founder Ron Conway Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch Venture capitalist Ron Conway has revealed he has a "rare" form of cancer. He broke the "difficult news" on Friday to his followers on X. He said he is stepping back from work and is "optimistic" about his prognosis. Legendary venture capitalist Ron Conway has revealed he has a "rare" form of cancer. The tech investor known as "The Godfather of Silicon Valley" said he is stepping back from the company he co-founded, SV Angel, to begin treatment but will remain involved. In a post on X, he told followers: "I want to share some difficult news. I was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and I want you to hear it directly from me. "Treatment is starting immediately and will include multiple strategies over the course of about a year. While I will be stepping back from some of my usual activities, I will continue to support SV Angel founders, who I love with a passion." Conway said he's chosen not to share the specific type of cancer "since I don't want speculation about my prognosis. I appreciate your understanding and respect for this. I am optimistic about my prognosis." The 75-year-old has been an angel investor since the '90s and was an early investor in Google, Facebook, and other big companies. OpenAI's Sam Altman has said Conway was instrumental in keeping the company together after he was briefly ousted in 2023. Read the original article on Business Insider

Reproductive technologies have enabled children to be posthumously conceived from the frozen eggs and sperm of deceased parents, raising legal, ethical, and practical questions.

New data from Appfigures shows a swell of new app launches in 2026, suggesting AI tools could be fueling a mobile software boom.

Git worktrees, parallel agentic coding sessions, and the setup tax you should be aware of The post AI Agents Need Their Own Desk, and Git Worktrees Give Them One appeared first on Towards Data Science.

Steph Mahon started her business with her inheritance. Courtesy of Jonathan Grassi Steph Mahon used an inheritance to start her real estate firm after getting laid off. The money allowed her to hire and scale more quickly. Like her uncle, she's child-free and plans to leave her estate to her nieces and nephews. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Steph Mahon, founder of Dwell New Jersey, a Compass Real Estate group. It has been edited for length and clarity. When I made it through the initial months of the pandemic working in luxury retail, I thought I was safe. I even spent some money on renovating my deck and outdoor space at home. I was stunned when, in September 2020, my position was eliminated. My career goal had always been to climb the corporate ladder. I'd been doing that over the previous 20 years, and I was proud of the role I held. Having that taken away stung. That weekend, my parents mentioned that they'd always thought I'd be good at real estate. I'd never been interested in starting my own business. I didn't want to be a real estate agent because I thought the market was saturated. Yet, I suspected my parents were right: I would be good at it. My uncle died the same month I was laid off The same month that I was laid off, my uncle Eddie died. We knew he was going to, but it still makes me cry nearly six years later. My uncle, my dad's little brother, was a man of few words. His only indulgence was his Jaguar, which his lady friends loved. For the most part, he lived simply and saved. He didn't have kids of his own, but he cared deeply about leaving something for the next generations — my two siblings and me. When he was in the hospital, we had an unspoken understanding that when he died, I would sell his home and use the money toward my business. A few months later, his house became my first sale. Between the proceeds and other inheritance, he left me about $80,000. I used the inheritance to make my first hire After about a year of selling real estate, I knew I wanted to create my own business. I'd learned enough about the industry to see how I could differentiate myself in a busy market by providing high-touch services that help clients buy back their time. In February 2022, I registered my business. Using Eddie's inheritance, I was able to hire a director of client logistics right away. Having her allowed the brand to start on the right foot. Without Eddie's inheritance, I couldn't have grown so quickly. My emotions about the inheritance didn't change how I utilized the money: I was still very factual about finances. But spiritually and emotionally, I thanked Eddie every day — and I still do. My uncle would be proud of the company I've started Today, Dwell New Jersey is approaching the seven-figure mark in profit. I have six employees and have structured the company so that they all have ownership in it. My first hire is still with me. I've created a culture that's both compassionate and connected, both within Dwell New Jersey and in our broader community. My uncle Eddie was a veteran and very service-minded. He would be so proud that his funds helped establish a company that's having a positive impact. I'll leave my estate to my nieces and nephews Like Eddie, I'm child-free. Eventually — hopefully 50 years from now — I plan to leave my estate to my nieces and nephews, just like Eddie did. I'm excited to be able to give them something. Even the idea of my two nieces remembering me as they go through my extensive scarf collection makes me smile. Because my employees own the company, their families will also see the impact of Eddie's inheritance. Some people impact the world by having children. I hope to make an impact through my work, and I'm grateful that my uncle's inheritance is allowing me to do that. Read the original article on Business Insider

The USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The USS Torsk was the last US submarine to sink a ship in combat until Operation Epic Fury in March. Torsk, now a museum in Baltimore, offers a glimpse into historic and modern submarine warfare. Visitors can walk through the submarine's torpedo rooms, control room, and crew bunks. For 81 years, the USS Torsk held its claim to fame as the last US Navy submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. Then, a US Navy submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship on March 4 as part of Operation Epic Fury, sinking an enemy ship for the first time since Torsk's World War II battle in 1945. Brian Auer, the operations director of Historic Ships in Baltimore, had to update his tour of the submarine, which became a floating museum after it was decommissioned. "Now we say we sank the last two ships during World War II," he told Business Insider. cdn.jwplayer.com While modern submarine capabilities have advanced far beyond what historic ships like Torsk could sustain thanks to innovations like nuclear power, the vessels themselves don't look all that different than they did during World War II. Visiting Torsk's torpedo rooms, control room, and crew berthing areas still provides an unparalleled look into modern submarine warfare. I visited Torsk in April, where Auer showed me around the submarine and even let me climb up into a restricted area that's usually closed to the public. Take a look inside. Commissioned in 1944, the USS Torsk is best known for firing the last torpedoes of World War II, sinking two Japanese frigates in 1945. The USS Torsk photographed at sea in 1945. National Archives On August 14, 1945, Torsk sank the last two enemy ships of World War II in the Sea of Japan. After the war, Torsk was updated and converted to a fleet-snorkel submarine and remained in service for several decades, participating in Operation Springboard training exercises in the 1950s and the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Torsk was decommissioned in 1968, Auer said. It served in training reserves until 1971, and became a museum in 1972. Torsk was the last US Navy submarine to sink an enemy ship until this year, when a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship. Video footage released by the Department of Defense showed a US Navy submarine torpedoing an Iranian warship on March 4. US Department of Defense Nearly 81 years after Torsk sank two Japanese frigates, video footage released by the Department of Defense on March 4 showed a US Navy fast-attack submarine firing a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo at an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, sinking the vessel. Torsk is now a museum ship docked in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider General admission tickets, which cost $21.95 per adult, grant visitors access to Torsk as well as the USS Constellation and US Coast Guard Cutter WHEC-37. All of the vessels are managed by Historic Ships in Baltimore. Our tour began on Torsk's wooden deck. The deck of the USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider When Torsk was in service, the wood was painted black to help camouflage the submarine at sea. "One of the biggest dangers in World War II, and today, for submarines is aerial reconnaissance aircraft," Auer said. An emergency buoy displayed on deck would have been used to help locate the submarine if it sank. An emergency buoy. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The buoy, attached to the submarine with a steel cable, would have floated to the surface and led rescue divers to Torsk's escape hatch. While Torsk never needed to use it, 33 crew members on the USS Squalus were rescued with the help of the emergency buoy when the submarine sank in 1939. The first stop inside the submarine was its after torpedo room, where crew members fired the torpedo that sank the last ship of World War II. The after torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torsk features a total of 10 torpedo tubes, four in the after torpedo room and six in the forward torpedo room. Each torpedo room also included 12 to 18 bunks. Tube No. 7 fired that final Mark 27 acoustic homing torpedo in 1945. Tube No. 7 in the after torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Acoustic torpedoes home in on the sound of enemy ships' engines and propellers to locate their targets. Having torpedo rooms in both the front and back of the submarine was key to making a quick escape during combat. A Mark 27 torpedo in the after torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torsk's top speed was about 9 knots, or about 10 miles per hour. The ability to fire torpedoes from both directions saved precious time by allowing the submarine to target enemy ships while already facing the direction it needed to flee before its location could be traced. "These torpedoes — with one shot, I can knock out an entire ship, but we have no armor at all," Auer said. "We're completely vulnerable to enemy fire, and our speed is terrible. All we have is firepower. So we make up for that with the ability to hide." The submarine's electricity was distributed across the ship through the maneuvering room. The maneuvering room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torsk's diesel engines generated the ship's electricity, which crew members directed to various parts of the submarine via levers known as bus switches or "sticks." Electricity was crucial to Torsk's operation, powering its motors and charging its batteries. Auer pointed out a unique addition to the maneuvering room: an aircraft altimeter added as part of Torsk's snorkel upgrade in the 1950s. An aircraft altimeter in the maneuvering room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The altimeter monitored the barometric pressure inside the submarine as its engines sucked air out of the compartment while snorkeling. Torsk featured two engine rooms, each with two Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines. The after engine room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Temperatures in the engine rooms could reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The forward engine room was largely identical to the after engine room aside from the Kleinschmidt evaporator, which distilled seawater into freshwater. The Kleinschmidt evaporator. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The Kleinschmidt evaporator produced 1,000 gallons of freshwater per day, most of which went to maintaining the submarine's batteries. Crew members could shower once a week if there was any water left over. In the crew's washroom, all of the enlisted crew members shared two toilets, two showers, and two sinks. The crew's washroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Officers had their own separate washroom. There were 36 bunks in crew berthing, where sailors slept in tight spaces between shifts. Crew berthing. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The room was lit with red light to make it easier for sailors' eyes to adjust to the darkness. Coffin bunks featured storage beneath the mattress, while those who slept in pipe bunks kept their personal items in storage lockers. Coffin bunks on the USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider If a sailor's personal item didn't fit in the coffin bunk or in the locker, it couldn't come on board the submarine. The crew berthing also included an ashtray, a relic of a different time. An ashtray in crew berthing. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider "Smoking was allowed pretty much whenever," Auer said. "If you were not a smoker on board Torsk, you were a smoker." The Navy instituted a ban on smoking below deck on submarines in 2010. In the crew's mess, the largest open space on Torsk, sailors ate meals, relaxed, and studied for qualifying exams if they were newer to the service. The crew's mess. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Unlike other Navy ships with cafeteria-style chow lines, food was passed around on platters handed over from the galley and served family-style. Auer said that the back left table was nicknamed "starvation corner" since it was the last one to receive the platters. For entertainment, crew members watched movies on a projector hanging from the ceiling and listened to records. A projector in the crew's mess. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torsk could only carry two movies at a time since each came on multiple 10-inch film reels. Navy ships occasionally swapped films with each other while out at sea. Cooks prepared meals in the submarine's galley. Food was essential to lifting morale during long patrols in cramped, unpleasant conditions. The galley. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The menu included steak, lobster, and traditional holiday spreads on Thanksgiving and Christmas. "The food onboard a submarine is the best in the Navy," Auer said. "Still true today, and that's not opinion. That's documentable fact." Coffee was available 24/7 from the percolator. The percolator. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider On other Navy ships, coffee was only available at mealtimes. Submariners enjoyed the perk of endless coffee at all hours of the day. Torsk also featured a soft-serve ice cream machine. A soft-serve ice cream machine in the crew's mess. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Submarines were equipped with ice cream machines in the 1940s and 1950s, while other Navy ships received them later. The garbage disposal unit functioned similarly to a torpedo tube, jettisoning waste into the ocean. A garbage disposal unit. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Garbage bags were weighted down so that they wouldn't float to the surface and expose the submarine's position. In Torsk's radio room, crew members received and transmitted all communications. The radio room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The radio room also featured cryptographic equipment for top-secret messages. We proceeded into the control room, where crew members could steer the submarine and adjust its depth and angle. The control room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The control room also featured navigational equipment and a hydraulic manifold nicknamed the "Christmas tree" for its green and red lights indicating open or closed hatches. A depth gauge provided a clue as to how deep Torsk could go, but its exact capabilities remain classified. A depth gauge in the control room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Typically, Auer said, Torsk's normal operational depth was around 160 to 165 feet deep. The conning tower, where the commanding officer commanded the submarine during combat, isn't normally open to the public. A screen in the control room showing the conning tower. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider A screen displayed live shots of the conning tower rather than granting visitors access to the small space above the control room. However, Auer made an exception for Business Insider's visit. Up to the conning tower we go! The ladder and hatch leading to the conning tower. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The conning tower is accessed by climbing a ladder and through a narrow hatch, which is usually kept locked. In the conning tower, I got to look through one of Torsk's periscopes. A periscope in the conning tower. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider I saw tourists walking on the sidewalk alongside the submarine and paddling boats in the Baltimore Inner Harbor where we were docked. The conning tower housed torpedo fire control, from which the torpedo tubes were fired. Torpedo fire control in the conning tower. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torpedomen in the forward and after torpedo rooms loaded the torpedoes into the tubes and activated the standby light signaling that they were ready to fire. The buttons to actually launch the torpedoes were located in the conning tower. The main helm, or steering wheel, was also located in the conning tower. The main helm in the conning tower. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The control room below featured an auxiliary helm, or backup steering wheel, in case the conning tower was damaged or flooded. After climbing back down the ladder, we encountered the yeoman's shack. The yeoman's shack. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The yeoman was in charge of all of the ship's paperwork, including personnel files and supply orders. Next came the officers' areas of the submarine, known as officers' country. The chief petty officers' quarters. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The chief petty officers, who slept in this five-bunk room, acted as liaisons between the officers and the enlisted men. Junior officers had their own stateroom with four bunks. The junior officers' stateroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The room featured a folding desk and sink, and each officer received two drawers for their personal items. Two senior officers and the executive officer shared this room. The officers' stateroom used by the executive officer and two senior officers. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The executive officer, known as the "XO," was the submarine's second-in-command. The more senior an officer was, the fewer roommates he had on board. The commanding officer had the submarine's only private stateroom. The commanding officer's stateroom on the USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider In his room, the commanding officer had a phone, call buttons, a gyrocompass repeater, and a depth gauge so he could continue to monitor the ship from there. In the wardroom, officers ate their meals on Navy china. The wardroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The wardroom also served as a lounge and workspace for officers. Officers' meals were plated and reheated in the officers' pantry next to the wardroom. The officers' pantry. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Officers ate the same meals as the rest of the crew, but they were plated and presented in a more elevated way. The last stop on the tour was the forward torpedo room, which featured an oxygen breathing apparatus on display. The forward torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The oxygen breathing apparatus was designed for use in the event of a fire on board the submarine. Even though Torsk is over 80 years old, it remains a prime example of the crucial role submarines play in America's dominance at sea. The USS Torsk. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Torsk may seem like an outdated museum relic, and for the US Navy, it is. For other countries with less advanced naval forces, however, it would still be a powerful asset. Take, for instance, Torsk's sister ship, the USS Cutlass, which was commissioned in 1945. While Torsk became a museum in 1972, Cutlass was sold to Taiwan in 1973 and is still operational in the Republic of China Navy. "This is still a relatively state-of-the-art piece of equipment relative to the world — not compared to our Navy, but compared to, say, the Iranian navy, this is very state-of-the-art," Auer said, standing in Torsk's after torpedo room. "The Iranians don't have anything like this." Read the original article on Business Insider

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