The most satisfying workplace experiences include factors that go beyond pay, Monster found. Bloomberg/Getty Images Healthcare and math jobs topped Monster's workplace experience rankings. Construction support workers also made the job site's list of the 15 best roles. The rankings weighed factors such as pay, culture, job security, and work-life balance. If you want a job you'll love, you might consider working in healthcare — or crunching a whole lot of numbers. A recent Monster review of jobs across eight categories found that healthcare workers, math and data science professionals, and science technicians earned the highest workplace experience scores. Monster based the rankings on pay, workplace culture, job security, quality of management, work-life balance, career outlook, and factors such as CEO approval ratings and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The highest-ranked jobs came from a range of industries, Monster found. Among the top tier: education, entertainment, law, and finance. Construction support workers made the list, which Monster said shows that skilled, hands-on jobs can also be highly satisfying. The job site said that the gap between the top-ranked occupations and those further down the list was relatively narrow. That's an indication that "strong workplace experiences are achievable across a diverse range of professions," Monster said. Here are Monster's top 15 jobs for workplace experience, along with their scores on a five-point scale: Healthcare practitioners (3.86) Mathematics and data science professionals (3.85) Science technicians (3.81) Education and library professionals (3.78) Life science professionals (3.78) Teachers and instructors (3.78) Legal professionals (3.70) Financial professionals (3.69) Engineers (3.68) Entertainment and sports professionals (3.67) Architects and surveying professionals (3.64) Operations managers (3.60) Business operations professionals (3.59) Construction support workers (3.59) Administrative assistants (3.54) Monster analyzed employee reviews and workplace ratings from major job and employer review sites to identify which roles had the strongest workplace experiences. The company gathered the data from the start of 2026 through April. While compensation matters, Monster said the findings suggest job seekers should also consider the bigger picture. A range of factors "play a significant role" in fostering a successful and satisfying career, the report said. "It's worth looking beyond salary to factors like workplace culture, leadership quality, growth opportunities, and work-life balance," Monster wrote. Do you have a story to share about your career? Contact this reporter at tparadis@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider

The 42 statues of presidents' heads in Croaker, Virginia, have been decaying since 2010. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images In Croaker, Virginia, decaying statues of presidential heads regularly attract tourists. Since Presidents Park in Williamsburg closed in 2010, the statues have sat on private property. Tours of the statues are offered periodically, and their home may get a makeover in the future. Every year, over 2 million visitors flock to Mount Rushmore to see the heads of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln, according to the National Park Service. But more than 1,500 miles away, another set of presidents' heads has unexpectedly become a tourist destination in its own right. In Croaker, Virginia, about 10 miles north of Williamsburg, 42 presidential statues have been sitting on private land for over a decade, crumbling and decaying from the elements. The 15- to 20-foot-tall busts were initially an attraction at a park in Williamsburg that closed in 2010. They would've been destroyed, had a man named Howard Hankins not saved them. Now, in partnership with photographer John Plashal, Hankins periodically offers tours of the heads on his property, as he hopes to do his part to preserve history. And while the heads still sit in disarray, their fate could soon change with a potential rezoning project. See the story behind the crumbling heads and how they've gained a second life as a tourist destination. The concrete and steel heads were created by Houston-based sculptor David Adickes. The busts were made by David Adickes, pictured here. Greg Smith/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Adickes created three sets of statues inspired by his 1994 visit to Mount Rushmore. Some busts from the other sets have since been acquired, according to Adickes' website. For instance, Greater Houston's Aldine Management District acquired a bust of John F. Kennedy in 2023, which now sits outside an entrance to the George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Adickes died last year at the age of 98. Initially, the busts resided in Presidents Park in Williamsburg. President's Park in 2004. The Washington Post via Getty Images Created by local entrepreneur Everette Newman and Adickes, the attraction in historic Williamsburg operated from 2004 to 2010. The busts, each measuring between 15 and 20 feet tall, were well maintained in the 10-acre park, which Hankins helped build. "The unusual part of visiting Presidents Park would be standing close to these enormous heads," Hankins told National Geographic in 2017. "You almost feel they're looking at you from the way the sculptor did the work on them." The park closed because of financial troubles in 2010. The land was auctioned off in 2012 and eventually won by a car-rental business. Hankins was then hired to destroy the heads. Some of the statues can look eerie at night. Courtesy John Plashal A commercial recycler by profession, Hankins was contracted to oversee the destruction of the heads in his industrial stone crusher. He ultimately didn't have the heart to crush them. "Rather than doing that, he spent tens of thousands of dollars out of his own money to move the heads, which weigh over 20,000 pounds each, to his property to save them," photographer John Plashal told Business Insider in 2020. The property, a 400-acre farm and industrial recycling space, is located just over 10 miles north of Williamsburg in rural Croaker, Virginia. By Hankins' estimate, the process of transporting the heads cost him about $50,000, Smithsonian Magazine reported. Some of the statues were damaged in the move. Many of the statues are badly damaged. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Among the statues that were damaged, Lincoln's head fell over, leaving a giant hole on the back side, per Smithsonian Magazine. During the move, which involved lifting the statues with a crane and transporting them on a flatbed truck, other presidents got scarred and lost appendages like noses. Hankins' big hopes for the heads remained unrealized for years. Presidential busts on Howard Hankins's property in Virginia. Patrick Smith/Getty Images "He hoped that he would either open his own park or some exotic and wealthy art collector would come in [with] a huge check," Plashal said. Hankins told National Geographic that he'd "love to find the means to build an educational park for our kids to come to from all over the country," adding that simply sitting in a field could not be the statues' fate. Tourists began to take an interest in visiting the austere abandoned heads. Tourists look minuscule next to the giant statues. Brendan Smialowski /AFP/Getty Images The heads started to gain attention when tourists documented them on social media. Plashal said that once people took to Instagram and Snapchat, the heads "spread like wildfire." He realized that the statues were unlike any other abandoned place he'd been to, as their representation of powerful men was in sharp contrast to their state of decay. They also caught the attention of Plashal, whose work as a photographer aligned with the statues. Abraham Lincoln at night. John Plashal Plashal has a passion for capturing abandoned places, especially in Virginia, where his work is based. One of the photographer's goals is to "photograph and document places that offer beauty in decay and unique histories," according to his website. The heads were a perfect match. Plashal especially enjoyed capturing images of the heads at night, when he could photograph them against the stars, giving them back some of the majesty they may have lost as they decay. He soon realized the heads were more special than they let on. Plashal enjoys taking photos of the heads at night. John Plashal Plashal, who had already gained some success as a photographer and storyteller, was approached by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to be an adjunct speaker. "They sent me around the state to storytell about all the history of the abandoned places that I find and document and photograph," Plashal said. He realized he could apply this storytelling ability to the abandoned heads. Plashal decided to help Hankins give the heads a new life. TK Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images As Hankins had already spent a small fortune saving the statues from destruction, Plashal agreed they could serve a greater purpose than sitting in a field. From the social media attention and in-person visitors, he also knew the demand was there. But because they were on Hankins' private property, Plashal said, all the visitors were trespassing when they came to see the heads up close, perhaps not realizing the property was private. "A lot of people think the statues reside in a wheat field or something," Plashal said. He came up with a plan to conduct tours of the heads on Hankins' property. John Plashal gives a tour of the busts in 2019. Brendan Smialowski /AFP/Getty Images The first tour, held in 2019, was met with enthusiasm. "I approached Hankins about doing it because the presidents' heads are the ultimate abandoned place in Virginia — if not the world — and it blew up," said Plashal, pictured above giving a tour in 2019. The heads in their current state are much more popular than Presidents Park ever was. John Plashal speaks with a tour group. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images "There's a lot of people who want to see these things," Plashal told Hankins. Because Hankins had legal concerns about the potentially dangerous nature of the heads, Plashal has guests sign waiver forms before entering the property. Tours are still offered periodically. Both daytime and nighttime tours are offered periodically. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Plashal offers paid tours of the attraction on a limited basis, both during the day as well as a nighttime tour, "Night of the Presidents Heads." Stories and facts about the heads are shared, and guests can win prizes in a presidential trivia game. A recent vote could've given the heads' home a proper makeover. An aerial view shows that many of the heads have caved in. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images In June, the county's Board of Supervisors voted on a rezoning project which, in addition to partially restoring the sculptures and turning the heads into a proper attraction, would've added a museum, housing units, and commercial space in the land around the statues. However, the board "voted 3-2 to take no action on the project," WTKR News reported. The board plans to reevaluate the proposal again in the fall, but Hankins said he's in no rush. "I believe when it's right, it will happen — so I can't worry about it," Hankins told WTKR News. Plashal believes the heads will attract interested visitors for years to come, turning the site into an Easter Island of North America. The statues's reflection in a muddy pool. Patrick Smith/Getty Images "It meant a lot to me to preserve history," Hankins told National Geographic in 2017. Read the original article on Business Insider

DOT&E's workforce was cut last year after a memo from Hegseth. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Allison White The Pentagon's independent weapons testing office was cut after a memo last year. It now has fewer workers doing more work, including in areas where they're not experts, according to a new report. DOT&E's oversight helps ensure weapons are thoroughly tested and results are documented. The US Department of Defense's independent office for testing weapons has been gutted, leaving its remaining staff with more work, according to a new Congressional watchdog report. Last year's workforce cuts to the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, or DOT&E, led to several organizational changes, including the number of programs the office oversees. Experts and officials have raised concerns that the cuts will lead to weapons getting to troops without proper supervision, increasing the risk of dangerous malfunctions. According to a report from the US Government Accountability Office, a Congressional watchdog, DOT&E's civilian staff decreased from 126 positions to just 30 in May 2025, when US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a memo gutting the office. Hegseth said at the time that the cuts would save a projected $300 million annually and "improve the lethality, readiness, and efficiency of our Armed Forces." DOT&E's staff of action officers, who are responsible for assessing programs, told the GAO that the cuts had resulted in them being assigned more programs to oversee, as well as programs in warfare areas they're not experts in. There are also gaps in specific areas like electronic warfare. DOT&E's oversight list of weapons programs included 15 of around 110 active middle-tier acquisition pathway programs as of February 2026. MTA programs are streamlined for fielding new technologies faster, essentially bypassing some traditional steps. Per the GAO report, DOT&E workers said they're concerned military departments could rely on the MTA pathway to avoid certain testing requirements. DOT&E has been reporting critical information on the successes and failures of costly weapons programs like the F-35. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicole Stuart More broadly, DOT&E previously went from overseeing 265 programs in 2024 to 173 in 2025. Per the GAO, removals occur for a variety of reasons, including a weapons program being completed, cancelled, or merged. But DOT&E can also stop oversight by determining a program no longer needs it. With fewer staff and programs, DOT&E action officers are now worried about impacts on troops. "Action officers also said that the losses in oversight depth and breadth caused by the workforce reductions, and subsequent loss of subject matter expertise, increase the risk of weapon systems being delivered to the warfighters with undocumented shortfalls related to effectiveness, suitability, survivability, or lethality," the GAO said. Established by Congress in 1983, DOT&E oversees a vast portfolio of weapons systems across services and approves the different stages of testing for them. The office ensures tests have been conducted, reviews the results, and provides information on successes and failures to the Pentagon and Congress to make decisions on next steps. DOT&E can also conduct its own tests. While the defense secretary and lawmakers can still move forward with a program despite DOT&E's review, the office is a critical independent office that informs everyone, taxpayers included, on the details behind weapons testing, like the F-35 stealth fighter. It can help reveal issues with new weapons before troops carry those systems into combat. Under the second Trump administration, Hegseth and other officials have prioritized quickening the fielding of new weapons, such as drones, to get them to troops quicker. Leadership has described the process as a "failing fast" mentality drawn from Silicon Valley, but this shift has raised concerns about troop safety. Read the original article on Business Insider

Financial Times: An interview with Sriram Krishnan, who says “there will not be an FDA for AI” under Trump, blames the AI backlash on the industry's “doomer” messaging, and more  —  Sriram Krishnan tells the FT the president is against a centralised regulator as AI backlash grows

I moved to Santiago to learn Spanish, but my time abroad helped me find the US city I actually wanted to live in once I returned. Jenna DeLaurentis I'd dreamed of moving to a big city like NYC, but changed my mind after living in Santiago, Chile. Living abroad taught me what I liked (proximity to nature) & didn't like (big-city vibes) in a home. When I returned to the US, big cities no longer appealed to me. I moved to Nevada instead Growing up in a small Midwestern city, I always dreamed of moving to a place like New York or Chicago after graduating from college. I wanted to be at the center of everything that made these places so appealing, from the endless entertainment options to the seemingly abundant career opportunities. Yet after studying abroad in Santiago, Chile, during college, cities like New York no longer appealed to me. I chose to study in Chile's capital to learn Spanish and explore South America. I had no idea it would change my entire life trajectory. I loved certain aspects of living there, such as the climate and easy access to the outdoors. The city's size, though, was too big for my tastes. Ultimately, the five months I spent there reshaped my idea of an ideal place to live. I looked for mountains over skyscrapers, sunshine over clouds, and small cities over metropolises. A year after returning from Chile, I settled in Reno, Nevada, where I've been ever since. Moving to Nevada never crossed my mind before I went to Chile, but living there gave me entirely new perspectives. Proximity to nature became important to me Chile has beautiful nature from north to south. Jenna DeLaurentis I've been to over 40 countries, but Chile is, without a doubt, among the most beautiful. I traveled up and down the narrow country during my time there. In northern Chile, the Atacama Desert amazed me with its Mars-like landscapes. Further south, regions like Araucanía and Patagonia offered lush rainforests, snowcapped volcanoes, enchanting mountain towns, and immense glaciers. The Andes Mountains tower over Santiago to the east, offering outstanding outdoor adventures just a stone's throw from the city center. After living so close to the Andes, I could no longer imagine living in a flat city like Chicago. When I returned home, I wanted to be within minutes of the mountains. Reno, Nevada, checked that box. The Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe are just a short drive from my house, offering easy access to spectacular outdoor opportunities like hiking, backpacking, and cycling. Santiago changed my mind about living in a big city Santiago made me realize I prefer living in smaller cities. Jenna DeLaurentis Santiago is the capital of Chile and home to over 7 million people — about 40% of the country's entire population. Living in a large metropolis came with perks. There was never a shortage of things to do, and the city's public transportation network was extensive and easy to navigate. Despite the perks, there were also some drawbacks. The sheer size of the city meant I spent hours on transit to get around. Santiago is also prone to low air quality due to its geography, as most of the city sits in a "bowl" surrounded by mountains. I preferred the atmosphere of smaller cities I visited in Chile, such as Viña del Mar and Punta Arenas. So, once I returned home, I searched for small to midsize cities in the US that offered plenty of convenience, but on a more down-to-earth scale. Around half a million or so people live in the Reno metropolitan area, making it the perfect size for me. I loved Santiago's sunny climate The sunny climate was ideal for taking day trips to nearby mountain areas. Jenna DeLaurentis For my preferences, a climate like Santiago's is ideal. The city has a temperate Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and somewhat mild winters. Temperatures rarely rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, and winter days reach highs around 55 to 60 degrees. Living in Santiago was the first time I lived in this type of climate, and it blew my mind. Having grown up in the cloudy Midwest, I couldn't believe how much more lively I felt with the constant sunshine. I soon realized I could never live anywhere with regular cloudy, rainy, and gray weather. Reno averages over 250 days of sunshine a year, but still experiences all four seasons. I love the consistently great weather here. Living in Chile helped me find a new home in the US Living in Chile helped me find a new home in the US. Jenna DeLaurentis When I told my friends and family that I was moving to Reno after graduating, I got some peculiar looks. It was a drastic departure from my previous plans of moving to a city like New York. Living in Santiago, however, helped me find what I really wanted in a city: sunshine, mountains, and a small-town feel. Sure, Reno might not be as exciting as a city like New York or Chicago. It's far from a global hub of entertainment, dining, and business. For me, though, the smaller city is home, and living abroad helped me find it Read the original article on Business Insider

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about this, and more importantly, living it while building agentic systems at 2Q AI. What follows are real incidents, real architectural breakdowns, and a practical framework for keeping your AI agents from going off the rails...

Balancing context capability against cost, speed, and data The post Long Context vs. Short Context Model: When Does a Long Context Model Win? appeared first on Towards Data Science.

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<p>The June edition of my <a href="https://github.com/sponsors/simonw/">sponsors-only monthly newsletter</a> is out. If you are a sponsor (or if you start a sponsorship now) you can <a href="https://github.com/simonw-private/monthly/blob/main/2026-06-june.md">access it here</a>.</p> <p>This month:</p> <ul> <li>Claude Fable 5, GPT-5.6, and US export restrictions</li> <li>GLM-5.2 is the new best open weights model</li> <li>Tokenmaxxing is so over</li> <li>Datasette Apps</li> <li>sqlite-utils and shot-scraper and Datasette</li> <li>Miscellaneous WASM projects</li> <li>Other model releases</li> <li>What I'm using</li> </ul> <p>Here's <a href="https://github.com/simonw/monthly-newsletter-archive/blob/main/2026-05-may.md">a copy of the May newsletter</a> as a preview of what you'll get. Pay $10/month to stay a month ahead of the free copy!</p> <p>Tags: <a href="https://simonwillison.net/tags/newsletter">newsletter</a></p>

These set-it-and-forget-it dishes make summer cookouts and Fourth of July celebrations a whole lot easier. iStock / Getty Images Plus If you're entertaining this July 4 weekend, set-it-and-forget-it dishes can be a lifesaver. From ribs to pulled pork, these slow-cooker recipes are perfect for summer gatherings. You can also make sides like potato salad and dips in a slow cooker. Sizzling burgers and blistered corn on the cob — this is how many celebrate America's birthday. WalletHub reported that 62% of Americans plan to attend a July 4 picnic, and while grilling may be synonymous with the holiday, slow cookers can take a lot of the stress out of hosting. "You can free up so much of your time by using a slow cooker and hang out with your guests instead of laboring in the kitchen," Chungah Rhee, the author of the blog Damn Delicious, told Business Insider. "Especially for side dishes or dips. You put it all together, set the time, and it comes out ready to go." From mouthwatering barbecue ribs to savory pulled-pork sandwiches, these slow-cooker recipes are perfect for any Fourth of July cookout. For your July 4 cookout this year, try making the potato salad using your slow cooker. Potato salad. ziashusha/Shutterstock You can parboil potatoes in a slow cooker by chopping them, covering them with water, seasoning with salt, pepper, and butter, and cooking on low for about 6 hours, or until fork-tender. Then mix the dressing for your potato salad as you normally would, using mayonnaise, dill, whole-grain mustard, and a splash of red wine vinegar.  You can also make a German-style potato salad with bacon, light dressing, and baby potatoes. Dips, such as this spinach-and-artichoke dip, can also be made easily in a slow cooker. Spinach and artichoke dip. Damn Delicious "I love to make spinach-and-artichoke dip in my slow cooker," Rhee, who shares a recipe on Damn Delicious, told Business Insider.  This set-it-and-forget-it corn-and-jalapeño dip is creamy and easy to make. Corn and jalapeño dip. Damn Delicious "Another favorite of mine is this corn-and-jalapeño dip," Rhee said. The recipe combines many of summer's best ingredients, from fresh, vibrant jalapeños to sweet corn. Buffalo-chicken dip is another quick and easy favorite you can make in a slow cooker. Erin McDowell/Insider One of the benefits of making a slow-cooker Buffalo-chicken dip, like this recipe on Rhee's blog — or any other side dish in a slow cooker — is that it can be prepared well ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to eat. Rhee said first-time slow-cooker hosts may want to start with a simple dip or side dish before tackling a main course. "If for some reason it doesn't turn out, because we all know that can happen using an appliance for the first time, it's not detrimental to your dinner party being a success," she said. Queso can serve a whole party when made in a slow cooker. Erin McDowell/Insider This creamy queso dip from Martha Stewart uses ingredients like American cheese and pepper jack cheese, a can of evaporated milk, diced tomatoes with chilies, sliced jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro.  Brisket is a crowd-pleasing option for feeding a larger group. Beef brisket. iStock / Getty Images Plus "Brisket is a natural partner for the slow cooker, as a gentle braise renders it meltingly tender," Kim Laidlaw writes in her cookbook, "Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals." Laidlaw's recipe for slow-cooked braised brisket includes garlic, onion, dry red wine, carrot, and chicken or beef stock, with a chimichurri sauce. Pulled-pork sliders are another great way to use your slow cooker for a cookout. Pulled pork sandwiches with barbecue sauce and coleslaw. Joshua Resnick/Shutterstock Braised pork shoulder shines in dishes that let its tender, fall-apart texture take center stage, like this Damn Delicious recipe. Turn the meat into pulled-pork sliders by serving it on soft brioche buns or potato rolls with barbecue sauce and crunchy coleslaw. If you're craving something different, the same slow-cooked pork also makes an excellent taco filling. You can also make barbecue ribs in a slow cooker. Barbecue ribs. David P. Smith/Shutterstock Nothing screams an end-of-summer cookout like sauce-covered ribs, like Laidlaw's recipe as shared on Cooking by the Book. After cooking them in the slow cooker, transfer them to a baking sheet and broil until slightly crispy. To save space on your grill, you can make slow-cooked sausages and beer brats in the slow cooker. Bratwurst with sauerkraut and dijon mustard on a bun. Charles Brutlag/Getty Images Brats with onions, peppers, and garlic, simmered in the slow cooker with beer — like this recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker — are one way to use your slow cooker over the Fourth of July weekend. Pile the brats onto buns, add a generous spoonful of sauerkraut, and you've got an easy summer meal. Mac and cheese can also be made in a slow cooker. Mac and cheese. Grace Cary/Getty Images If you're looking for a comforting side dish to round out your menu, slow-cooker mac and cheese is a major crowd-pleaser. Martha Stewart's recipe combines evaporated milk with three kinds of cheese for an extra-creamy texture, then finishes the dish with homemade breadcrumbs for a crispy, golden topping. Garlic-and-herb mushrooms are a delicious side dish but can also be used as a burger topping. Garlic and herb mushrooms. Damn Delicious "The recipe for slow-cooker garlic-herb mushrooms is divine and so easy," Rhee said. "Mushrooms made in a slow cooker are truly the best." Shredded Buffalo chicken pairs well with salads. Shredded buffalo chicken. from my point of view/Shutterstock One of the best — and easiest — ways to use your Crock-Pot or slow cooker is to make shredded Buffalo chicken, such as this recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker. Add seasoned chicken breasts to the slow cooker and cover with your preferred Buffalo sauce. Then add a splash of ranch dressing and a cube of butter, toss your chicken breasts in the mixture to coat fully, and cook until the chicken is shreddable. You can use it for Buffalo-chicken sliders, salads, or tacos. You can even make Buffalo or barbecue chicken wings using a slow cooker. Erin McDowell/Insider You can make any style of wings in a slow cooker, from Asian-style to barbecue and Buffalo wings. Add your wings to the slow cooker, add your sauce of choice, toss to combine, and cook for a couple of hours on high. To make them crisp up, add a cornstarch and water mixture to your slow cooker. After they're cooked through, broil them for a few minutes in the oven. Meatballs make a great appetizer for guests and don't require cooking over a hot stove. Meatballs. anewlifephotostudio/Getty Images Meatballs make the perfect appetizer for parties big and small and are easy to make in a slow cooker.  Place your seasoned, raw meatballs in the slow cooker, top with sauce, and let it finish them off, says one recipe from Spend With Pennies. Serve them on their own with toothpicks or stuff them inside toasted sub rolls for a meatball sandwich. Read the original article on Business Insider

The author (not pictured) says that she has made sure to give the parents of her grandchildren the space they need to make mistakes. FreshSplash/Getty Images My five grandchildren all live close to me, so I'm lucky that I get to see them a lot. Over the years, I've learned to follow certain rules to keep me and their parents happy. I always respect their parents choices, but am not afraid to stand up for myself when I need to. I'm lucky, I have five grandchildren, ages 2 to 7, and they all live within a 30-minute walk from me. Their personalities vary as much as their ages, and I've gotten a front-row seat to watch them all as they grow up. Being their grandmother has been a joyful yet challenging role. A role that I take very seriously and continue to learn from day to day. Over the years, I've learned some important lessons that I believe will allow these special relationships to continue and flourish. 1. I respect their parents' choices and approaches I've always tried to remember that I'm a grandparent — not a parent. I know it's important to resist the urge to tell my children and their partners what they should or shouldn't be doing with their children or how they could be doing it better. My job is to sit back and enjoy the show, only adding guidance or input when it's requested of me. The author said that she pays special attention not to step on anyone's toes while she enjoys being a grandparent, but isn't afraid to stand up for herself, too. Courtesy of Gill Hasson. 2. I cheer my kids on I try to assume that the parents have the best intentions. Sure, they might make mistakes. So did I. And very often, I learned from those mistakes and changed my approach. My advice to other grandparents is to be the parents' cheerleader. Praise them, tell them what a great job they're doing, and let them know you are proud. 3. I prioritize consistency When my grandchildren stay with me, I try to stick to their usual routines. That means nap times and bedtimes are the same, and I always check in about what they're allowed to watch and how much screen time they can have. If there are specific food requests (e.g., only organic food and snacks), I've found it's easiest to ask parents to provide them themselves. Following usual routines helps the kids stay consistent and also shows that they aren't going to get away with something just because they're at grandma's house. I've found this makes going back home to their mom and dad much easier, too. 4. I stay neutral, but understanding If my grandchildren complain to me that their parents won't let them have or do something they want, I try not to pick sides. I simply acknowledge their disappointment and explain why their parents might have those rules. I never side with one parent or the other and never talk badly about the other parent, especially in front of the kids. 5. I've built positive relationships across the family I make a special point of showing interest in my grandchildren's time with their other grandparents and relatives. I don't try to give bigger and better gifts or treats, or go over the top with our outings. Being a grandparent is not a competition. It's about family, and I've learned that everyone has something different to contribute. 6. I think ahead In my enthusiasm with my first grandchild, I might have gone a little overboard with gifts, treats, and my time. As more grandchildren have been welcomed into the family, I've realized I need to be mindful of what I can realistically offer. I always want to be fair with my time and the gifts I give and have worked hard to set expectations that are manageable on my end, too. The author (not pictured) says she tries to be fair with her attention and the gifts she gives. She wants to treat her grandchildren equally. JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images 7. I show genuine interest I ask my grandchildren about their unique interests and the activities they enjoy. This allows me to connect with each grandchild individually and let them know that I truly care about what makes them happy. If their interests are something I don't know much about, like when my granddaughter started talking about dinosaurs, I read and learned about them. We talk about the things that matter to them, events, school, friends, concerns or worries. I've learned that when I'm interested in what they care about, they are usually interested in hearing about parts of my life, too. 8. I make things fun I want my grandchildren to think of my home as a place where they can have fun. We often have a kitchen disco and sing and dance together, play board games, bake, paint, draw, or build a blanket fort. I know I'm lucky to have this time with them, so I try to be game for it all. 9. I spend one-on-one time with each grandchild As my grandchildren have grown, I've learned how valuable it is to spend time with each of them separately. It gives you a chance to build a different kind of bond with each one. Over time, I've created simple traditions with each that have been meaningful to all of us. They are small, repeatable things that become "our thing," like decorating my Christmas tree together or planting seeds each spring. 10. I speak up for myself While I happily provide help and support to my family, I've learned that it's important not to feel unappreciated. Over the years, I've learned that sometimes I need to speak up and ask for what I want, as a grandparent. Whether it's being included in a family outing or being asked over to dinner. When I want something, I just ask, rather than wait for someone to think of me. Read the original article on Business Insider

Giles Turner / Bloomberg: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opens an investigation into StubHub following complaints of last-minute ticket cancellations for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches  —  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into StubHub following reports that some fans who bought World Cup tickets through …

NASA awarded Rocket Lab deals for three dedicated launches using the company's Electron rocket.

Most "LLM wikis" use agents, embeddings, and repeated model calls to organize local notes. I built a deterministic alternative: a pure Python compiler that turns messy markdown into a linked, linted wiki using only the standard library. Along the way, I fixed two real bugs, benchmarked the pipeline on two operating systems, and showed why a compiler is often a better fit than an agent for mechanical text organization. The post LLM Wikis Are Over-Engineered — I Replaced Mine With a Pure Python Compiler appeared first on Towards Data Science.

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Two new models from Chinese firms compete with top US mainstream and frontier models. Should cyber-defenders be worried?

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Wall Street Journal: How Jeff Bezos' changing relationship with President Trump has helped Amazon and Blue Origin, such as more federal contracts awarded during Trump's second term  —  Space company has booked rapid growth under this administration, after founder spent president's first term being ‘hated’

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. The UK’s generational tobacco ban might not work. I’m supporting it anyway. —Jessica Hamzelou As the parent of two little girls, I often think about how their childhood is different from…