The author said her partner's mother (not pictured) takes special care to show her love though the food she prepares for her. Westend61/Getty Images When I first met my partner's mom, we couldn't communicate because we didn't share a language. I realized she was learning about me through my food preferences and remembering every detail. Even when words fail us, food has become our shared language. When my boyfriend's mother and I met a few years ago, I was nervous. Not because I didn't think we'd like each other, but because we couldn't communicate. I'm American, and she's Italian. I didn't know how we'd be able to make a good impression on each other without speaking. While I've been learning Italian (and she's picked up some English), she has another language she communicates in: food. While many people cook for the ones they love, she also pays attention to my preferences, which makes me feel seen and cared for. She's not just saying "I'm taking care of you," to me, she's also saying "I'm interested in who you are." The author said she was nervous about how she and her partner's mom would connect in a meaningful way since they don't share a language. Food became the solution. Courtesy of Catherine Work. My relationship with food was different growing up Growing up, I hated onions. Every time my mom made pasta, she'd add lots of onions to the jarred tomato sauce. I recall asking her if, just once, she could add the onions in after I had served myself, but there on my dinner plate, was always onions. This continued when I was older. I always felt like she didn't know the types of food I liked or ate. For example, I only started liking mushrooms a few years ago, but when I'd visit her, she told me I loved mushrooms. One year, on my birthday, she brought out a chocolate cake and told everyone it was my favorite. It's not, I like carrot cake. My boyfriend's mom started paying attention My boyfriend's mom started asking if I liked the dishes she cooked. She wanted to know which ones I enjoyed, what was too spicy, and what flavors I liked best. Looking back, I can tell that she was gathering data and taking notes in her head. The author said her partner's mother doesn't care for dill or cilantro, but she still planted some in her garden for when they visit. Courtesy of Catherine Work. Now, when her son and I come to visit, she has the fridge stocked with foods we both like. She has planted dill and cilantro in her garden (even though she doesn't eat them). She knows I like my food saltier. She keeps a bottle of balsamic vinegar under the sink even though nobody else uses it, and she keeps my preferred spices and teas in her cupboard for when I visit. If my boyfriend and I miss a holiday with her, she puts some of our favorite foods in the freezer for when we return. She noticed we had become vegetarians before we told anyone It all clicked last year when she told my partner and me that she had noticed we had stopped eating meat, and so for an upcoming event, she had requested vegetarian options for us. We hadn't told anyone about our lifestyle change, but she knew. She had been paying attention. By contrast, when I became a vegetarian for the first time in my early 20s, I faced a lot of pushback from my parents. My mom stocked the fridge with lots of beef and offered to cook me chicken. When I became a vegetarian a year ago at 31, it was easier because I had more support this time around. Of course, my boyfriend's mom has tried her hand at making vegetarian versions of classic Italian dishes, and she keeps the freezer stocked full of beans for when she cooks meat for others at the table. The author said that her partner's mom pays close attention to food preferences and even noticed that she and her boyfriend had become vegetarians before they told her. Courtesy of Catherine Work. Food became our shared language I'd like to think I'm special, but I know my partner's mother has a mental notebook of what everyone in the family likes to eat (and the rest of my boyfriend's family shares the same talent). She saves cookies for people, she knows who likes lemon on their food and who doesn't, and what each of us will want on our pizza. In the four years I've known my boyfriend's mom, I've learned enough Italian to communicate: to thank her, to tell her I'm happy around her, to learn how to bake with her, and to ask her what food she likes. When words aren't enough (and when my attempt at Italian sounds very broken), we can eat together. Read the original article on Business Insider

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The author used Claude to plan a multigenerational trip with her family and dad. Courtesy of the author I use AI regularly for work, parenting, and everyday problem-solving. My children are learning to question AI's answers rather than accept them blindly. I believe AI can encourage curiosity and resilience when used intentionally. It is the bottom of the third inning, and I am on my phone. My boys play travel baseball, and I have spent about 4,000 hours on the bleachers watching nothing happen for long stretches. I have also, during those hours, written code for my AI startup, rehearsed answers for an investor interview, pressure-tested a crisis comms plan, and argued with Claude about the infield fly rule. My kids see me do this. The author uses AI while watching her kids play baseball. Courtesy of the author I could easily be the cautionary tale about modeled behavior. Mom on her phone, missing the game, checked out behind a screen, later surprised by her kids' device addiction. But AI is a welcome guest in my household, and here's what I think my three young boys are learning from it. AI is not social media My husband Pete is a product leader. Whip smart and chronically online in the way that tech people are. Before AI, he scrolled incessantly — X, Instagram, Slack, group chats — struggling to quiet his overactive mind with passive digital consumption. Since he started using AI, he's given up social media entirely. Pete now spends his free time talking with Claude, interrogating ideas, using them to build things, and working through business problems that used to just rattle around in his head. Our kids don't see us doomscrolling anymore; they see us thinking out loud. The tool reflects the person using it My eldest son, Dash (13), has a Claude subscription and has started building complex games on Roblox. AI acts as his math tutor when 7th-grade geometry gets too much for his parents. He says Claude is really good at helping him with school work, but he is also aware that kids can use it to cheat on assignments and tests. He already understands something many adults don't: AI reflects the judgment of the person using it. Dash is also skeptical in ways adults often aren't. He complains that AI search results are frequently wrong, having once tried to look up the specs for an e-bike model and being confidently lied to. He rolls his eyes at what he calls "obviously fake" AI-generated videos because the spelling in the captions is wrong, people appear to be levitating, or poorly lip-syncing. "I haven't been fooled yet," he told me proudly. We only fear what we don't understand I work in tech PR, so I'm familiar with how quickly world-ending narratives form around new technology, and how rarely they capture what something feels like in practice. Don't get me wrong, I'm still fearful of what will happen to my kids' future jobs, and their ability to think critically or problem-solve as adults. But in our house, we engage intentionally with AI to better understand it (and, as a consequence, fear it less), and replace lower-quality attention with higher-quality attention. It also just makes life run better, which is its own kind of demystification. Before a family trip, we used to spend hours down TripAdvisor rabbit holes, half-reading travel blogs written by people trying to sell us luggage. Now we listen to a history podcast in the rental car and ask Claude for the top five things to know about wherever we're going. Driving into Alberobello last summer (my 72-year-old dad in the back seat alongside the boys), we already knew we were walking into a UNESCO village of 1,500-year-old trulli — stone huts built without mortar so peasants could dismantle them fast when tax collectors came. Sure, we could have Googled that, but pulling up Claude and asking questions on the fly turned sightseeing into a conversation. Even my dad, who'd never touched AI before the trip, became a power user. I don't know if any of this makes us an atypical family. As with most parenting decisions, it's probably too early to say whether I've miscalculated and will end up as the aforementioned cautionary tale. I do know when the top of the fourth inning is, and that my son is stepping into the batter's box, and that's when I put down the phone. Read the original article on Business Insider

Michael Truell, CEO of Cursor Carlos Barria/REUTERS A version of this story originally appeared in the BI Tech Memo newsletter. Sign up for the weekly BI Tech Memo newsletter here. AI coding agents are increasingly being trusted to work without human oversight. New data from Cursor shows the share of AI-generated code changes reaching production without a separate manual review step has jumped in the past six months. This suggests developers are becoming more comfortable letting AI handle larger chunks of the software-development process on its own. While Cursor doesn't directly measure the quality of fully autonomous code, it says AI-generated code is surviving at higher rates than before, a sign that developers are finding the output increasingly reliable. 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

Nick Lichtenberg / Fortune: An analysis of US payroll data across 730+ occupations: employment among workers ages 22 to 25 in highly AI-exposed jobs is now shrinking by 3.8% per year  —  Last August, a team led by Stanford economist Erik Brynjolfsson published a deep look at the impact of AI on jobs, boosted by a …

For some people, the ice in a beverage is almost as important as the drink itself. That’s the audience Govee had in mind when designing its latest ice maker, the GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro. This $500 premium smart home gadget is aimed at those who crave what’s called “the good ice,” the soft, chewable […]

The Washington State Capitol in Olympia. VW Pics/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Every US state has a capitol that houses its state legislature. Many state capitols are domed buildings similar to the US Capitol, but others are more unique. Maryland's State House is the oldest capitol in continuous legislative use in the US. A state's capitol can tell you a lot about its history. State capitols house each state's legislative branch of government, executive offices, and other administrative and ceremonial spaces. While their function may be the same across all 50 states, their architectural designs vary. Many state capitols feature references to their locations, like the Kansas State Capitol, which is topped by Ad Astra, a statue representing a Kansa (Kaw) warrior, while the New Hampshire State House, built largely from locally quarried granite, nods to the state's "Granite State" identity. Some buildings date back to the founding of the United States. Maryland's State House in Annapolis, completed in 1779, is the oldest one in continuous use as a legislative center. That makes it just three years younger than the country as a whole. Every capitol has a unique look and distinct origin. Here's what the capitol looks like in every state and Washington, DC. Montgomery, Alabama UNITED STATES - MARCH 15: Capitol building, Montgomery, Alabama Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images Alabama's capitol served as the first capital of the Confederacy, and there's a brass star on one of the porticos marking the spot where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as its president, according to the Alabama Historical Commission. The building that stands today was constructed in 1851, after a fire burned down the original building in 1849, according to the Alabama Historical Commission. One of the more famous parts of the capitol grounds is the Avenue of Flags. It has the flag of every state, plus a native rock from each state at the base of its flag. It was dedicated in 1968, according to Exploring Montgomery. Juneau, Alaska Alaska's capitol in Juneau. Leamus/iStock/Getty Images Plus The Alaska State Capitol, completed in 1931, doesn't look much different from any other office building in Juneau, save for the marble columns. According to Alaska's official website, it is one of the few state capitols that do not feature a dome. As The New York Times reported in 1981, neither the building nor the location was popular with locals — both were chosen because of cost concerns shaping both construction and relocations. Voters approved a measure in the 1970s to move the capitol, but the effort ultimately failed. As recently as 2022, Alaskan senators sponsored a bill to move the capital, this time to Willow, reported Alaska Public Media, but for now, Juneau remains the Last Frontier's capital city. Phoenix, Arizona PHOENIX ARIZONA, Replica of Liberty Bell in front of Arizona State Capitol Building at sunrise. Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Arizona's capitol was dedicated in 1901. It stopped being the home of the legislative branches of government in 1960, and by 1978, all government officials had been moved to other buildings nearby in an area called the Capitol Complex. The original building was then officially converted into a museum open to the public. Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas State Capitol building front entrance in Little Rock. Don & Melinda Crawford/Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Arkansas' capitol took 16 years to complete. Construction lasted from 1899 to 1915, and the building was originally designed by architect George R. Mann, with later revisions by Cass Gilbert, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. This building replaced the State House, which is now the Old State House Museum, according to Arkansas Heritage. Sacramento, California SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 9: The California state Capitol building is shown October 9, 2003 in downtown Sacramento, California. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger won in his bid to replace California Gov. Gray Davis, who was recalled in a special election October 7. David Paul Morris/Getty Images The building was constructed between 1860 and 1874, and designed by Reuben S. Clark. It has been listed as a California Historical Landmark since 1974, according to the Historic State Capitol Commission. Its design was based on the US Capitol in Washington, DC, among other well-known American buildings, according to the State of California Capitol Museum. The California State Capitol is located inside the 40-acre Capitol Park, which contains trees from around the world, a World Peace Rose Garden, and the Civil War Memorial Grove. Denver, Colorado Colorado's capitol in Denver. 4nadia/Getty Images/iStock The Colorado Capitol, which was completed in 1901, was also designed to look like the US Capitol, but with a Colorado twist: The dome is covered in real gold leaf donated by gold miners to reference the Colorado Gold Rush from 1858 to 1861, according to the Colorado General Assembly. Hartford, Connecticut Connecticut State Capitol. The building houses the Connecticut General Assembly; the upper house, the State Senate, and lower house, the House of Representatives, as well as the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Rolf Schulten/ullstein bild/Getty Images The current Connecticut State Capitol is actually the third capitol the state has had since the American Revolution. This one, designed by Richard M. Upjohn, opened in 1879, according to Connecticut's official state website. The golden dome is surrounded by six pairs of statues representing agriculture, commerce, education and law, force and war, science and justice, and music, according to the State Capitol Preservation & Restoration Commission. Dover, Delaware The Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware, USA, circa 1960. Harvey Meston/Archive Photos/Getty Images The Delaware Legislative Hall was dedicated in 1933 and replaced the Old State House, which is opposite the Hall on the Capitol Mall. It was designed in the Colonial Revival style by E. William Martin, according to Delaware's official state website. Washington, DC WASHINGTON - JUNE 5: The U.S. Capitol is shown June 5, 2003 in Washington, DC. Both houses of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives meet in the Capitol. Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images The United States Capitol is located on Capitol Hill in DC. It was under construction for decades, partially destroyed in 1814, and then finally finished in 1829, according to the Architect of the Capitol. The famous, gigantic dome was later added during an expansive addition in 1855, designed by Thomas U. Walter. Atop the dome sits the "Statue of Freedom," a 19-foot statue of a woman wearing a battle helmet, holding a sheathed sword in one hand, and a laurel wreath and shield in the other. She's been there since 1863, according to the Architect of the Capitol. Tallahassee, Florida TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 10: A view of the Florida State Capitol building on November 10, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. Three close midtern election races for governor, senator, and agriculture commissioner are expected to be recounted in Florida. Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images The current capitol, also called the New Capitol, is located directly in front of the original — together, they form the Capitol Complex. The New Capitol was built in 1977 by architect Edward Durell Stone and the firm of Reynolds, Smith, and Hills, according to the Florida Capitol website. The website reports the building was designed in an "international style to reflect a modern Florida," and includes a 22-story central tower. The Old Capitol still stands, and it was restored to its original 1902 glory in the '80s. Currently, the building is the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. Atlanta, Georgia Sunlight gleams on the golden dome of the Georgia State Capitol building in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin Fleming/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images Georgia's capitol was finished in 1889 and designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke and Franklin P. Burnham, according to the city of Atlanta's website. It sits on the site of the former Atlanta City Hall/Fulton County Courthouse, which was there from 1854 to 1884. According to the city, it's one of 43 National Historic Landmarks in the state. Honolulu, Hawaii Hawaii State Capitol. The Capitol building houses the Hawaii State Legislature (Senate and House of Representatives) and the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governo Rolf Schulten/ullstein bild/Getty Images At the dedication of the Hawaiian capitol in 1969, then-Governor John A. Burns explained the design of the building, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported. "In this great State Capitol there are no doors at the grand entrances which open toward the mountains and toward the sea," he said. "There is no roof or dome to separate its vast inner court from the heavens and from the same eternal stars which guided the first voyagers to the primeval beauty of these shores." The building is also surrounded by a reflecting pool meant to symbolize the Pacific Ocean, which surrounds the chain of 137 recognized islands that make up Hawaii, according to the State of Hawaii. Boise, Idaho The Idaho State Capitol building in Boise home of the government of the state of Idaho Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Idaho's capitol was designed by architects J.E. Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel, and was constructed between 1905 and 1920. According to Idaho's Capitol Commission, it's the only capitol in the US that is heated by geothermal water. It comes from a spring 3,000 feet underground. Springfield, Illinois SPRINGFIELD, IL - APRIL 9: The Illinois State Capitol building stands among empty streets in Springfield, Illinois on April 9, 2020 Daniel Acker for The Washington Post/Getty Images According to a pamphlet by the Illinois Secretary of State's office, the current capitol (the state's sixth) was completed in 1888, 20 years after crews broke ground. At the time of its construction, the limestone dome was illuminated by 144 gas jets. However, the carbon emitted by those jets eventually turned the dome black. It took 100 years, but it was finally cleaned in 1986. Indianapolis, Indiana State capitol building in downtown Indianapolis Indiana on a sunny spring morning, Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana and is located in the center of the state with the capitol building located downtown. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images According to the Indiana Department of Administration, Indiana's capitol was completed in 1888, and is home to all executive offices, the Indiana State Senate, the Indiana House of Representatives, and the Indiana State Supreme Court, among others. It was constructed with Indiana limestone. Des Moines, Iowa UNITED STATES - AUGUST 28: Capitol building, Des Moines, Iowa Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images The large golden dome is 23 carats, and the entire building is 275 feet tall, according to a visitor's guide. It's been re-gilded four times since its construction in 1886. Overall, Iowa's capitol has a total of five domes, making it the only capitol in the US with five. Topeka, Kansas The Kansas Statehouse in Topeka. UCG/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Kansas' capitol dome is topped with a statue called "Ad astra" (Latin for "to the stars"), which is part of the state's motto, "ad astra per aspera" ("to the stars through difficulties"), according to the Kansas Historical Society. The statue itself is a bronze depiction of a warrior from the Kansa tribe (also known as the Kaw Nation or Kanza), who call Kansas home and gave the state its name. The entire building took 37 years to construct, also according to the Kansas Historical Society, from 1866 to 1903.  Frankfort, Kentucky FRANKFORT, KY - APRIL 2: Thousands of public school teachers and their supporters protest against a pension reform bill at the Kentucky State Capitol April 2, 2018 in Frankfort, Kentucky. The teachers are calling for higher wages and are demanding that Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin veto a bill that overhauls their pension plan. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Kentucky's capitol was designed by Frank Mills Andrews, according to Kentucky's official state website. There are also statues lining the front portico that represent Kentucky, the central figure, with Progress, History, Plenty, Law, Art, and Labor as her "attendants," according to the state website. The current building is the fourth capitol in the state, and it was completed in 1910. Baton Rouge, Louisiana The capitol of Louisiana, seat of government, is a building of 34 floors and 135 meters high, which makes it the highest capitol of the United States. It is also the highest building of Louisiana. Its style is connected with that of the old New York skyscrapers. This new capitol was built between 1930 and 1932. David LEFRANC/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images The Louisiana Capitol is just one of nine capitols in the US that doesn't feature a dome — and at 450 feet tall (or 34 floors), it's also the tallest capitol in the country, according to Louisiana's House of Representatives. It was dedicated in 1932, without the person who had spearheaded the effort to build it, Senator Huey P. Long, a controversial figure in Louisiana's history, as reported by Encyclopedia Britannica. Augusta, Maine Staff photo by Joe Phelan -- For slide show about the Statehouse in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Portland Press Herald/Getty Images The capital of Maine was originally Portland when the state broke away from Massachusetts in 1820. But when Mainers asked for a more centrally located capital city, Augusta was chosen in 1827, according to the Maine State Legislature. The building was completed by 1832. The State House's dome is topped with a female figure of Wisdom, which was designed by sculptor W. Clark Noble of Gardiner, a town 6 miles from Augusta. Annapolis, Maryland Maryland State House, state capitol building, Annapolis, Maryland, exterior view. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Maryland's State House is the oldest capitol in continuous legislative use in the US, built in 1779, according to its official website. It's also the only state capitol to have once served as the US capitol when the Continental Congress met there from 1783 to 1784, according to the website. Boston, Massachusetts The Old State House for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State Capitol Building, Boston, Mass. Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The Massachusetts State House, built in 1798, originally had a wooden dome, but Paul Revere's own company was responsible for covering it in copper in 1802, CBS News reported. And the land it was built on? It used to be owned by none other than John Hancock, who was Massachusetts' first elected governor. Lansing, Michigan A man crosses the street in front of the state capital building in downtown Lansing on April 01, 2024 in Lansing, Michigan. Spencer Platt/Getty Images The floors of Michigan's capitol, which was dedicated in 1879, are made of limestone and have visible fossils in them, as you can see on the capitol's official website. St. Paul, Minnesota ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 15: Minnesota State Capitol Building in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 15, 2018. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images According to Explore Minnesota, the state's capitol is the second-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world, only behind St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Architect Cass Gilbert insisted on using Georgia marble for the dome, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. Some were critical of using out-of-state materials, so as a compromise, the contractor leased the quarry in Georgia and imported the rough marble so Minnesotans could do the work in-state. It took nine years, but was completed in 1905. Jackson, Mississippi Protesters (L) gather outside the Mississippi State Capitol building during the state legislature's historic vote to change the Mississippi flag in Jackson, Mississippi on June 28, 2020. - Lawmakers in Mississippi voted on June 28 to remove the Confederate battle standard from the state flag, after nationwide protests drew renewed attention to symbols of the United States' racist past. RORY DOYLE/AFP/Getty Images Designed by architect Theodore Link and constructed between 1901 and 1903, Mississippi's state capitol was built on the site of an old state penitentiary, according to the state capitol's official website. The building spans 171,000 square feet and features 4,750 original electric light fixtures, as well as an 8-foot statue of an eagle on the top of its dome. Jefferson City, Missouri 8/31/1970- Jefferson City, MO- ORIGINAL CAPTION READS: Exterior views of the Missouri State Capitol building, include the surrounding trees and lawn. Bettman/Getty Images Missouri's state capitol was completed in 1917, according to its official website. Ceres, the goddess of grain, sits at the top of its dome. In addition to Missouri's state legislature, the 500,000-square-foot building houses the Missouri State Museum with exhibits about the state's history and natural resources. Helena, Montana Montana State Capitol building Helena Montana Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The main building of Montana's state capitol was completed in 1902, and its two wings were added in 1911 and 1912, according to the Montana Historical Society. Inside, the building features works of art such as the mural "Lewis and Clark Meeting Indians at Ross' Hole," painted by Charles M. Russell in 1912. Lincoln, Nebraska tate capitol building in Lincoln Nebraska on a sunny spring day and emphasizing the building’s tall central tower and dome, Lincoln, the capital city of Nebraska, is located in the southeastern part of the state along Interstate-80. The state legislature in Nebraska is the only unicameral legislature among all of the states. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Nebraska's state capitol was designed by architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and completed in 1932, according to its official website. The 400-foot tower is topped with a 19-foot bronze statue called "The Sower." It is the only state legislature to be unicameral, meaning it only has one chamber. Carson City, Nevada State Capitol of Nevada, Carson City Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Nevada's state capitol was built from 1870 to 1871 out of sandstone sourced from a quarry belonging to Abe Curry, the founder of Carson City, according to Travel Nevada. It features a silver-colored dome, a nod to Nevada's nickname as "the silver state." Concord, New Hampshire State Capitol of New Hampshire, Concord Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The New Hampshire State House was constructed between 1816 and 1819 with locally sourced granite from Rattlesnake Hill in Concord, according to the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. In 1818, a wooden sculpture of an eagle painted with gold was installed on top of the capitol dome. It was replaced with a copper replica in 1957, but the original sculpture can be viewed on display inside the capitol, according to EverGreene, the architecture firm that restored the State House's gold-plated dome. Trenton, New Jersey TRENTON, NJ - JUNE 24: New Jersey State Capitol Building, New Jersey Flags Fly at Half Staff in Honor of Actor James Gandolfini on June 24, 2013 in Trenton, New Jersey.Gandolfini passed away on June 19, 2013 at the age of 51 while on vacation in Rome, Italy. Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images After Maryland's, the New Jersey State House is the second-oldest capitol still in use, completed in 1792, according to the state of New Jersey's official website. Much of the original building, designed by architect Jonathan Doane, was destroyed in a fire in 1885. Architect Lewis Broome restored the capitol and added a cast-iron dome plated with copper and gold and featuring the Latin phrase "Fiat Justitia Ruat Coelum," meaning  "There must be justice even though the heavens fall." Santa Fe, New Mexico SANTA FE, NM - FEBRUARY 10, 2012: The New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe, known as the Roundhouse, is the only round capitol building in the U.S. Robert Alexander/Archive Photos/Getty Images New Mexico's capitol, known as the Roundhouse, is the only round capitol in the US, according to Santa Fe's official tourist website. Architect Willard C. Kruger modeled the design after the Zia sun symbol, which he also incorporated into the capitol rotunda skylight. The symbol is also part of New Mexico's state flag. Albany, New York ALBANY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2018/10/09: New York State Capitol Building. John Greim/LightRocket/Getty Images When New York's state capitol in Albany was finally finished after 32 years in 1899, it was at a cost of $25 million, making it one of the most expensive government projects in the US. In 2013, The New York Times reported the figure was equivalent to more than half a billion dollars today. Inside the granite building, visitors can find 25 murals by William deLeftwich Dodge in the Governor's Reception Room. Raleigh, North Carolina Law enforcement stand guard outside of the state capitol building in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 17, 2021, during a nationwide protest called by anti-government and far-right groups supporting US President Donald Trump and his claim of electoral fraud in the November 3 presidential election. - The FBI warned authorities in all 50 states to prepare for armed protests at state capitals in the days leading up to the January 20 presidential inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images Completed in 1840, North Carolina's 3-story capitol includes a copper dome, according to the National Park Service. Bismarck, North Dakota Photo taken August 18, 2013 shows the state Capitol building of North Dakota at Bismarck KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images North Dakota's state capitol is the tallest building in the state at 241 feet and 8 inches tall, according to the official government website. The Art-Deco structure is nicknamed the "Skyscraper on the Prairie," according to the Society of Architecture Historians. Columbus, Ohio Aerial of Capitol Building, Downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Construction of the Ohio Statehouse took over 20 years, from 1839 to 1861, according to its official website. Much of the work was done by prisoners at Ohio Penitentiary, some of whom left graffiti on the walls that was uncovered during restoration work, the website says. Built in the Greek-Revival architecture style out of Columbus limestone, the Statehouse is a designated National Historic Landmark. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma The Oklahoma State Capitol building was built in 1917. The beautiful dome was added in recent years. When the state erected the building it lacked the funding to build the planned dome, and therefore it went without for decades. Oklahoma City has been the state capital since 1910; Guthrie was the capital of Oklahoma from 1890 to 1910. Jordan McAlister/Getty Images Built in 1917, the dome on Oklahoma's capitol was added more recently, in 2002, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society — it was left out of the original construction due to costs. The grounds of Oklahoma's capitol also had active oil rigs until 1986. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Salem, Oregon Oregon's state capitol building in Salem. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Oregon's Art Deco capitol is made of white Vermont marble with a gold statue of an "Oregon Pioneer" atop the dome, according to the capitol's official website. In-person guided tours are paused due to construction. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES - 2015/10/06: Pennsylvania State capitol building John Greim/LightRocket/Getty Images Pennsylvania's capitol, designed by architect Joseph Huston, cost $13 million to build when it was completed in 1906, which would be over $403 million today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The building's 272-foot dome is decorated with green glazed terra cotta tile, according to the capitol's official website. Providence, Rhode Island Rhode Island, Providence, State House, State Capitol. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The Rhode Island State House, built between 1895 and 1904, features the fourth-largest freestanding marble dome in the world, according to the Rhode Island Restoration Committee's official website. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. Columbia, South Carolina An exterior view of the South Carolina State House, Columbia - construction work first began in 1851 and was completed in 1907, it was designated a national historic landmark in 1976 for its significance in the post-civil war reconstruction era. Epics/Getty Images The construction of the South Carolina State House began in 1854, but halted due to the Civil War. The building still features cannonball marks from when the Union army captured Columbia in 1865, according to Discover South Carolina. The State House was finally completed in 1903, and it was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976, according to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. A portrait of state senator Clementa Pinckney, who was killed in the 2015 shooting at Charleston's Mother Emanuel AME Church, hangs in the Senate Gallery. Pierre, South Dakota State capitol building in downtown Pierre in central South Dakota, The state capital city of South Dakota is Pierre in the center of the state on the shores of the Missouri River with the capitol building located downtown in this small city of about 14,000 people. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images South Dakota's state capitol was constructed between 1905 and 1910, not long after South Dakota became a US state in 1889, according to the South Dakota Bureau of Administration. An annex was added in 1932. The Neoclassical building features scagliola plaster columns, war memorials, and stained-glass windows, according to Travel South Dakota. Nashville, Tennessee NASHVILLE - MAY 25: Tennessee State Capitol Building, as photographed from The Rivers Of Tennessee Fountain grounds at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville, Tennessee on May 25, 2016. ( Raymond Boyd/Getty Images The Tennessee State Capitol opened in 1859. The architect, William Strickland, died during its construction in 1854 and was buried on the capitol grounds along with President James K. Polk and first lady Sarah Childress Polk, according to the Tennessee State Museum. Austin, Texas The Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas James Leynse/Corbis/Getty Images Completed in 1888, the Texas State Capitol dome is topped with a statue of Libertas, the goddess of liberty, according to the official website for the Texas House of Representatives. It stands 14 feet taller than the US Capitol. Salt Lake City, Utah The Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City. Universal Images Group/Getty Images Utah's State Capitol was designed by architect Richard K.A. Kletting and was completed in 1916, according to its official website. The rotunda features bronze and marble statues of Native American leaders, LDS pioneers, and US presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, according to its website. Montpelier, Vermont Vermont capitol building in Montpelier. MyLoupe/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The Vermont State House, designed in the Greek Revival architecture style, dates back to 1857, according to the National Park Service. A statue of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, adorns the top of the dome. Richmond, Virginia RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 20: Thousands of gun rights advocates attend a rally organized by The Virginia Citizens Defense League on Capitol Square at the State Capitol building January 20, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. During elections last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam promised to enact sweeping gun control laws in 2020, including limiting handgun purchase to one per month, banning military-style weapons and silencers, allowing localities to ban guns in public spaces and enacting a 'red flag' law so authorities can temporarily seize weapons from someone deemed a threat. While event organizers have asked supporters to show up un-armed, militias and other extremist groups from across the country plan to attend the rally and show their support for gun rights. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Thomas Jefferson designed Virginia's state capitol to look like the ancient Roman temple of Maison Carée, according to the Virginia General Assembly's official website. The building also features a bronze statue of Jefferson, who is depicted holding the capitol's architectural blueprints. Olympia, Washington Washington State Capitol Legislative Building and blooming cherry trees in Olympia, Washington. Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Washington State Legislative Building features the tallest freestanding masonry dome in North America at 287 feet, according to the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. Designed by Walter Wilder and Harry White, it was completed in 1928. Charleston, West Virginia CHARLESTON, WV -JUNE 26: The State Capitol building in Charleston is actually taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. -Charleston is the destination for the traveler who enjoys food, music, nature and rural culture in a mid-size city. Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty Images West Virginia's capitol, designed by Cass Gilbert, took eight years and almost $10 million to construct before its completion in 1932, according to its official website. The dome stands at 293 feet tall — 5 feet higher than the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Madison, Wisconsin MADISON, WI - MARCH 12: Thousands of demonstrators protest outside the Wisconsin State Capitol March 12, 2011 in Madison, Wisconsin. Organizers were expecting 200 thousand participants to attend the rally to voice their opposition to Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill which essentially eliminated collective bargaining rights for state workers. Scott Olson/Getty Images Wisconsin's state capitol features the only granite dome in the US, according to Travel Wisconsin. On top of the dome, a gilded bronze statue by Daniel Chester French is aptly named "Wisconsin." Cheyenne, Wyoming Exterior view of the Wyoming State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1974. Bettmann/Getty Images Wyoming's state capitol, constructed between 1886 and 1890, was built in the Renaissance Revival architecture style, according to the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information. It is one of 20 state capitols designated as a National Historic Landmark, according to the National Park Service. Read the original article on Business Insider

My multigenerational group of family members, ranging from preschoolers to septuagenarians, had a good time on our trip to Wisconsin Dells, but I wouldn't go back. Blythe Chadim Wisconsin Dells had many family-friendly activities, but its water parks weren't a draw for us. Our big group had fun exploring the area's natural beauty with canyon tours and boat rides. We didn't love a lot of the area's tourist-trap vibes, but our kid-friendly rental was great. In December, my parents gifted my siblings and me a family vacation. We all live in different places, and getting together can be challenging, especially now that there are 14 of us, including kids. With everyone's schedules, it took over a year to get a trip on the books. We all suggested ideas for various family-friendly destinations in the US, but when my stepsister mentioned she and her husband were heading to Wisconsin for a work trip, a new idea began to take shape: Wisconsin Dells. The city is a popular Midwest vacation spot for families because of its stunning natural beauty and many kid-friendly attractions. Famously, it's also considered the "Water Park Capital of the World" because of its high concentration of both indoor and outdoor water parks, from Great Wolf Lodge to Land of Natura. We found a vacation rental that catered to families, and our kids didn't want to leave As a tourist destination, Wisconsin Dells offers all kinds of accommodations, and finding one that fit our family proved easier than expected. With so many hotels and resorts, we were happy to stay away from the water-park traffic in a VRBO vacation rental in a quiet neighborhood within walking distance of town. We rented a two-story duplex, connected by the garage. The main floors featured expansive living rooms, with large wall-mounted TVs, perfect for watching the NBA finals as a family. The best part was the kids' play areas in each garage. I'm talking foosball tables, swing sets, play houses, and climbing structures — our kids didn't want to leave. Our rental was a highlight of our stay and the most kid-friendly place I've ever stayed. A lot of Wisconsin Dells felt like a tourist trap, which we didn't love The prices of activities could quickly add up for a family. Blythe Chadim Walk down Broadway, and you'll find a plethora of arcades, like Wild Fun Zone, and interactive activities like Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Wizard Quest, and the aptly named Cheese Ball Croquet mini-golf course. Each destination is designed to appeal to families, but all that manufactured fun comes at a price. Many tickets for in-town attractions cost around $20 per kid and $30 or more per adult. Before you know it, you're dropping hundreds of dollars for a couple of hours of entertainment, not to mention the additional expenses for snacks and other add-ons each place offers. We mostly chose not to partake, instead saving our money for other activities. On top of all of that, there seemed to be souvenir and T-shirt shops on every corner. Walking through town with our kids felt like navigating a minefield. They were constantly asking to pop into another shop, buy an ice-cream cone, or play yet another claw machine. For us, it was overwhelming, and by the end, we were tired of constantly saying no. After our initial walk through town, we decided to avoid it. Our kids loved the over-the-top restaurants Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty had a large statue of its namesake. Blythe Chadim On a similar note, every restaurant we visited had a theme, often paired with over-the-top decor and simple menus. Breakfast at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty was exactly what you'd expect from the name: a large wooden cabin, featuring a towering statue of Paul Bunyan and all-you-can-eat family-style platters of pancakes, sausages, eggs, and doughnuts. There was plenty of food, but the choices felt minimal. For dinner, we went to two well-known restaurants: Moosejaw Pizza & Dells Brewing Co. the first night, and Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grille the next. The latter featured Lego, Star Wars, and Taylor Swift decor. Model trains delivered all the food and beverages to the table. It was also connected to a massive arcade, something our kids reminded us of throughout dinner. We saw some cool decor at Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grille. Blythe Chadim Although our children loved the fun decor and kid-friendly food, as an adult, I found the menus repetitive — a lot of pizzas and burgers. We skipped the water parks to enjoy the area's natural beauty It was nice traveling around the Dells River. Blythe Chadim I've never been much of a water-park person. It doesn't help that I burn super easily, making an entire day baking under the sun feel like a punishment rather than a vacation. Although there were indoor options, water parks just didn't feel ideal for our mixed-age travel group, which ranged from preschoolers to septuagenarians. Having kids ages 4 and 6 made that kind of water play even less appealing. They'd require a lot of extra-close supervision around all the water, and we worried they'd be limited to mostly shallow splash areas and small slides. Luckily, there were plenty of other fun activities in the area. Aside from being home to one of the largest water parks in the US, Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells is also known for its natural beauty, including towering sandstone cliffs and pine-tree forests. We loved our carriage ride through the canyons. Blythe Chadim We enjoyed some of this beauty up close on a horse-drawn carriage ride with Lost Canyon Tours on Lake Delton — perfect for the entire family. The mile-long ride through deep-cut sandstone gorges felt like a trip back in time. During the carriage ride, we saw some incredible sights. Blythe Chadim After our carriage ride, we took in the area's scenery from the water on a duckboat tour with Original Wisconsin Ducks. Tickets felt a bit pricey, costing our family of four $120, but it was by far the best activity we did. The World War II-era amphibious boat took us through fern-covered forests and into several waterways, including the Wisconsin River, Dell Creek, and Lake Delton. The kids loved driving through trails and in and out of the water. Wisconsin Dells had something for everyone in our group, but I wouldn't go back The Dells has a lot to offer families, from massive water parks and outdoor tours to kid-friendly restaurants that feel like an attraction themselves. Everyone in our group of 14, ranging in age from 4 to 74, found something to enjoy. I think our experience might have felt more complete if we were a water-park family, since they are the main attraction. Still, we found plenty to do. As beautiful as the area was, I feel we checked off a lot of what interests us, and I am not eager to navigate the more touristy parts with kids again. I wouldn't go back at this point, but I'm glad we got to experience the uniqueness of The Dells. Read the original article on Business Insider

A concrete bias–variance lesson: why the smallest model had the best cross-validated fit, and how to know when to reach for the big hammer. The post I Pitted XGBoost Against Logistic Regression on 358 Matches. The Boring Model Won. appeared first on Towards Data Science.

The author's son suggested taking a more scenic route to school. Courtesy of Ashley Archambault My husband and I are sharing a car while we save up for another. Recently, my 12-year-old son suggested we take a more scenic route to school. Surprisingly, it didn't take much longer, and it's gotten us all talking more in the car. My husband and I have been sharing one car this summer while we save up for a second, and we've been opting to take the scenic route for trips around town. We can actually credit our 12-year-old son for the change, who requested we start taking a different way to school in the morning — one through town, on side roads, instead of the highway. We were OK with the change as long as the drive didn't take too much longer. My husband compared the two routes on Google Maps, and we were all surprised to discover that the scenic route only took one minute longer. No one minded leaving the house a minute early in the morning to avoid the highway, so we tried it. After testing out the scenic route just once, we were hooked The highway speeds are enough to make me grip the wheel tighter, and I know our son can feel that kind of energy shift in the car. As a driver, I need to focus solely on the road, and even when I'm in the passenger seat, I keep my eyes straight ahead. When I shared this with my husband, he said he felt similar in that it is far more draining to take the highway. We started experimenting with other routes to our most frequent destinations and found that the time difference was about the same for nearly all of them. If we're just going somewhere nearby, it often takes the same amount of time to get there via the more scenic — and much more relaxing — route. The author finds that conversations with her husband and son in the car have improved. Courtesy of Ashley Archambault Taking the more beautiful way has helped me feel more grateful for where we live I like pointing out how lucky we are to be driving along the coast in our Florida town, because I don't want any of us to start taking our own backyard for granted. After sharing this with another local, I learned that one of our favorite routes is actually designated as the Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Byway, which is meant to be an alternative to taking the highway to admire our natural Florida landscape. It starts just north of where we live in Titusville, Florida, and runs almost 250 miles down along the coast. We live in a small town with a lot of nature sanctuaries, so it's not uncommon for us to see all kinds of wildlife. My husband also loves driving through the main streets in town, admiring the architecture, and getting home and gardening ideas. We even learn about upcoming events around town from the signs we see when we're out. All of these things boost our mood and give us a lot to start talking about. The scenery helps us get the conversation going I started noticing that we were all talking more during drives. And then I realized that our preteen son was opening up more with us in the car; it's one of the few times our son really starts talking these days. Adding one more minute to our drives sometimes feels like a bonus just to hear him talk a little more and learn about what's going on with him. By eliminating the stress we'd otherwise be under on the highway and with so much more to see along the way, the family conversations we've been having in the car have become much more meaningful. Even when it's just me and my husband — or me and my son — the effect is the same. We just talk more overall when we take the scenic route. Taking the more relaxing way together has been the unexpected life hack that got our whole family talking again this summer. Read the original article on Business Insider

Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory Brian Russino is a 35-year restaurant vet and kitchen operations manager for The Cheesecake Factory. A personal rule of thumb he follows is to avoid the "Monday bun." He says The Cheesecake Factory prevents the "Monday bun" with strict systems. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brian "Rusty" Russino, Area Kitchen Operations Manager for The Cheesecake Factory. He oversees nine busy Southern California restaurants across Orange County and San Diego. It has been edited for length and clarity. I've spent more than 35 years in the restaurant industry and more than 22 years with The Cheesecake Factory. Over the years, I've learned a lot about food quality, inventory management, and how restaurants handle fresh ingredients. That's why there's one habit I've developed when dining out that still influences what I order at the start of the week. I call it the "Monday bun." Monday buns may not be as fresh as they can be. Thai Liang Lim/Getty Images It's something I used to joke about with my wife when we went out to eat on Mondays and Tuesdays, which were often my days off. To be clear, the Monday bun isn't about food safety. It's about freshness. It's a personal rule of thumb I've developed over the years when eating at restaurants in general—not something I associate with The Cheesecake Factory. Why I avoid buns on Mondays In my profession, I've noticed that many restaurants receive deliveries on Fridays or Saturdays. Brian Russino oversees nine Southern California Cheesecake Factory restaurants across Orange County and San Diego. Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory If they don't use all of that product over the weekend, some of it may still be in inventory on Monday. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with it. It simply means that it's not as fresh as it could be. Bread is a prime example. A bun that's been around for a few days can be very different from one that arrived more recently. It may not be as soft and pillowy as I'd want. That's where the phrase "Monday bun" came from. Another example is seafood. Again, I'm not saying it's unsafe. I'm saying it may not be as fresh as it was a few days earlier. The systems I rely on in restaurants Russino says that he and his colleagues take pride at The Cheesecake Factory in ensuring guests don't experience the "Monday Bun." Courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory One reason I have confidence when dining out is that good restaurants have systems in place to manage freshness and food safety. At The Cheesecake Factory, for example, we date products upon arrival, follow rotation systems, and track shelf lives. We have people responsible for validating products as they come through the back door, and we pay close attention to how ingredients are stored and cared for. We also use forecasting and ordering systems designed to help us avoid carrying excess inventory. We're busy restaurants, and that's one reason we don't have a lot of product sitting around after the weekend. Still, after 35 years in restaurants, the "Monday bun" has stuck with me as a personal habit when I'm dining out. It's simply one of those industry quirks that makes me think about freshness at the start of the week. But thanks to the inventory and quality systems we use at The Cheesecake Factory, it's not something I worry about in our own restaurants. Read the original article on Business Insider

The author (not pictured) was the oldest intern in the office. LeoPatrizi/Getty Images At 31, I quit my job and became an intern; the other interns were Gen Z and a full decade younger. The Gen Z interns taught me valuable lessons, like the power of asking "why" and work-life balance. Now that I'm in my dream career, I still use those lessons in my work life. I recently quit my full time role to take an unpaid internship that eventually earned me my dream job. I learned so much from the opportunity to start from scratch, yet my most useful lessons came not from management, but from my fellow interns — some of whom were a decade younger than me. Headlines often paint Gen Z as being the most challenging generation to work with. But that wasn't my experience at all. In fact, I found them to be perfectly practical and rather inspirational. Working alongside them as a 31-year-old with nearly a decade of experience made me wonder whether some of what gets criticized as weakness is actually a paradigm shift toward emotional intelligence. Here are two lessons my fellow Gen Z interns taught me that made me question which aspects of professionalism I'd learned were wisdom and which were toxic work-culture conditioning. Ask the big questions From day one, I noticed their willingness to ask The Big Questions. Makes sense, right? Interns are supposed to ask questions. But while all of us asked the usual procedural questions, I noticed that the youngest in our crowd were always ready to skip superficialities and go straight for the jugular. "Why?" they asked often. They genuinely wanted to know and offer their two cents. Why are we doing it like this? Why is this the process? If a particular procedure came off as convoluted or confusing, they asked, "Why do it this way when we could just do it that way?" When a procedure came off as redundant or lacking in value, they asked, "...why bother?" After working in professional settings for years, I was used to upper management being closed to conversations that go beyond doling out instructions. I realized I hadn't asked a "why" question beyond the interview stage in a long time. Gen Z reminded me that questions are tiny signals that convey: while we trust our team to guide us, business as usual may not be the only path to success. Questioning helps keep the core philosophy behind what we do at the forefront of our minds, so we can operate more effectively and be more aligned with our overall mission. Protect time with boundaries As the internship workload increased, I noticed that my fellow Gen Z interns fiercely protected their time. They cared about their work and worked hard, but when the clock ticked 5 p.m., they were gone. They took their work hours literally. I remember when I got my first job, a Xillennial coworker told me to say goodbye to my free time. Several people in the company had the same mantra: working on weekends was the price of a promotion someday. The interns I personally connected with? Well, I learned quickly that when they were out, they were out and gone. They were balancing school, personal obligations, the internship itself, and a social life, too. They knew how to block their time. They set boundaries. They had lunch, clocked out on time, and communicated when they needed a brain break. No, they weren't lazy; they simply embodied work-life balance. Meanwhile, I was juggling nine different freelance roles, building a small business on the side, and still tediously rearranging my bare-minimum sleep schedule so that, if I needed to stay late, I could. Gen Z reminded me that constant availability is not proof of dedication. Answering an email in thirty seconds is nice, but not an indicator of commitment. Taking on extra work that carried beyond hours just to say "yes" was not a strength, especially if it came at the cost of rest. The skills behind the lessons My takeaway isn't that Gen Z has everything figured out. None of us does. My takeaway is that Gen Z taught me an invaluable lesson: curiosity, in the form of big questions, and self-respect, in the form of boundary-setting, are essential skills. Asking questions creates understanding, and boundaries create sustainability. Together, they create a work environment with clarity, respect, and high performance. And I know these skills can be stunted once we begin ascending into large-company roles because by the end of the internship, my fellow interns taught me one last critical lesson: I used to have these same skills once upon a time. But I'd unlearned them over the years, thinking they wouldn't serve me well. I was wrong. Gen Z's emotional intelligence turned our internship into a flourishing ecosystem, and now, I apply these skills wherever I go. Jackie Garcia-Morales is an author, publicist, and literary agent based in New Jersey. Connect on Linkedin. Read the original article on Business Insider

Career coach Emily Worden. Emily Worden Career coach Emily Worden says the job market in 2026 feels worse than it was last year. Worden advises against applying to jobs all day and instead offers a specific, four-hour schedule. She says more is not always better when it comes to applying to jobs. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Emily Worden, a career coach in Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity. I meet with maybe 10 new job seekers a week, and I'd say at least four or five of them cry during our first meeting. Not only are they burned out, but they've been ghosted and rejected to the point that they start thinking, "It's me. I'm not good enough, and I'm never going to find a job again." A year ago, I said we were in the worst job market I'd seen in my 10 years as a career coach. This year feels worse. It's not just more people competing for fewer roles; job seekers are sifting through scams, creating personal brands, getting referrals, and going through six rounds of interviews, only to get ghosted. Did you get hired using a unique hack, strategy, or tactic? If you're comfortable discussing it with a reporter, please fill out this quick form. Business Insider wants to hear from people who've cracked the job market with a bold or unconventional approach: sending personalized slide decks in place of cover letters, treating your job hunt like a sales cycle, using 5 specific tricks or a step-by-step process, etc. If you've snagged a job semi-recently (last few weeks, months, or years), we'd love to hear how you did it! A lot of my clients tell me they wake up in the morning with the whole day ahead of them and want to make sure they're making the most of it. The No. 1 thing they default to is brute-force applying to as many jobs as possible. But if you're in a cycle of applying for eight hours straight with rejection after rejection, you'll be burned out in a week. That's why I recommend a specific four-hour schedule for job seekers to avoid burnout and maximize opportunities. Spend 1 or 2 hours on job applications, and don't check emails first thing in the morning When you first wake up, don't grab your phone right away because you're likely going to see rejection emails, and it's going to set your mentality for the day. Instead, greet the day, stretch, drink water, and move your body. Ideally, you're getting job board alerts in the morning for jobs that match your requirements. I like niche job boards and even Google, which searches across all job boards. Once you start your search, if there are companies you really want to work for, bookmark their personal job boards so you can easily check them each day, too. After checking your alerts, you can apply to jobs. If no jobs interest you that day, even better. That gives you an excuse to take more time off. Sometimes people say they just want to apply for a job to feel like they've done something, but I feel like that's a waste of time. If no jobs are speaking to you, I'd rather have you spend that time on other activities. Dedicate 30 minutes to an hour each day to commenting on LinkedIn I'm finding that recruiters are so overwhelmed with applicants that they're going back to old-school sourcing and finding people on LinkedIn. My advice is to search for topics on LinkedIn that interest you and are in your industry. If you're in consumer goods, type "consumer goods" into the search bar. Find people who are writing about it and leave a thoughtful comment on their posts. Take a leisurely break around lunchtime and then network for 1 to 2 hours After a really productive morning, get some food in, move your body, play with your animals, and do whatever makes you feel happy. If you were an athlete training for a marathon, you'd have rest days and take breaks. Job seekers have to do the same thing. You'll reenergize to get through the rest of your afternoon, which should consist of at least one to two hours of networking. Hands down, networking is my favorite way to find a job. I find that many job seekers don't like it, but it's just as important as applying to jobs. Your afternoon of networking could look like researching people to contact, sending out messages, going for coffee chats, or reaching out to old coworkers. Close the computer and walk away without guilt Your job for the rest of the day is to engage in activities that fill your cup. I've found volunteering to be amazing for my clients because it gives them a sense of community, helps them meet like-minded, generous people, and makes them feel productive. So I say volunteer, exercise, meet friends, work on your hobby, cook your favorite dinner, jam out to your favorite songs, or play guitar for three hours. Each day is going to fluctuate depending on whether you see more jobs you like or if you have some more networking to do, but that shouldn't take eight hours. More is not always better If a job alert comes in the afternoon for something that really excites you, go jump on that, but remember that doing more is not always better. I get why people feel they should push through on applications for jobs they don't even really want. If you're worried about paying bills and everyone's breathing down your neck, you want to be able to say, "Look, I applied to 10 jobs today. I'm doing what I can." However, I really don't like the word should: it implies guilt. If you're doing the same thing over and over and not getting the results that you want, switch up the tactic. Give yourself permission to take a break and refill your cup. Do you have a story to share about navigating the job market? If so, reach out to the reporter at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider

The author graduated from college without any student loan debt. Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez I graduated debt-free by earning scholarships, going to school close to home, and working. My husband had student loans, and we want our kids to avoid taking out student loans. I care more about my kids not going into debt than where they go to college. When I was 14, I overheard my parents say they would not be paying for their kids to attend a four-year university. If any of us wanted the traditional college experience, we'd have to figure out how to pay for it ourselves. Community college was always an option, and they'd let us live at home while going to school. As the oldest kid, I remember feeling stunned at first. For many of my friends, college was treated like an automatic next step that parents somehow financed. But after the disappointment wore off, it lit a fire in me. I threw myself into academics, determined to earn scholarships large enough to make my four-year university dreams possible. I finished high school with a full-ride academic scholarship to any in-state university. But since my scholarship didn't include housing, I chose the least glamorous option by attending the school closest to home. I commuted to class, nannied, overloaded credits every semester, including summers, and gratefully accepted the $2,000 a year my parents offered toward expenses. Mostly living on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and praying my debit card had enough money to fill up my gas tank, I graduated debt-free in three years. My younger siblings each found their own version of the "scrappy" route, too. My sister started community college classes at 15. My brother launched a business as a teenager. Watching other people's choices changed how I viewed college debt Then I married someone with student loans. Compared to many other borrowers, my husband's debt load was actually modest, around $20,000, but in our early years of marriage, even that felt overwhelming. Every time we deferred the loans, the interest just kept on accruing. So we took on side hustles to pay them off faster, working weddings and bar mitzvahs and proctoring ACT tests on weekends. At the same time, I watched several friends without degrees out-earn many college graduates because they had entered the workforce earlier and developed entrepreneurial skills. Fortunately for them, they weren't weighed down by student loans. It dawned on me that the narrative that going to college equals success is a black-and-white view of life that's not always true. Working in admissions further made me rethink the "dream school" mentality My husband and I both worked as university admissions counselors, where we watched families willingly take on staggering amounts of debt in pursuit of their child's university dream. Some shrugged off six-figure loan amounts as though it was simply the unavoidable cost of giving their children the "full experience." But I often walked away from meetings worried that students didn't understand the long-term choices they were making. My husband and I developed a slogan we used to advise our students: graduate college in the least amount of time possible with the least amount of debt. It was the only way we could ethically keep doing the job. Why we won't fully fund our children's college educations As parents, my husband and I are in agreement that we will not pay tens of thousands of dollars for our children to attend a university. We value education, but we also value financial freedom. If one of our children wants to pursue a career with high earning potential that requires extensive schooling, that's one thing. But we don't believe an 18-year-old should casually take on $100,000 in debt for a career path that may never realistically allow them to repay it. I'm more than happy to invest time in helping my kids navigate the scholarship process, educating them on how student loans work, and asking them to review all the options to determine what's best for their needs — this might mean attending community college, going to trade school, or entering the workforce earlier. Whatever path my children choose, I just hope they walk away from our home understanding that sometimes the easier or more glamorous path comes with the hardest long-term consequences. Read the original article on Business Insider

Yousuf Imran left Google in April to start an AI company after earning nearly $1 million last year. Yousuf Imran Yousuf Imran earned nearly $1 million at Google before leaving to start an AI company. He said "AI FOMO" helped convince him to leave Big Tech. Imran shared how he prepared financially before betting on himself. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Yousuf Imran, a 41-year-old former account executive at Google based in the Bay Area. It's been edited for length and clarity. I earned nearly $1 million last year as an account executive at Google, but I felt some "FOMO" around the AI boom. I think most people at Google would tell you the same if they were being candid. Google pays very well, but the equity packages at OpenAI and Anthropic are in a different universe. A three- or four-year stock grant at one of these companies can be life-changing money. That math was part of my own calculus in deciding to start my own business focused on AI sales tools. If the only way to get real upside in this AI moment is equity, at some point, you ask yourself whether the equity should be in your own company. How I built a million-dollar sales career I grew up in Queens and got into sales because it's a profession where talent can outrun credentials. After a roughly 15-year career in sales, I joined Google in 2020, helping customers solve business problems using Google's AI and machine-learning technologies. My base salary last year was roughly $170,000, but commissions made up the majority of my compensation. My W-2 income was about $986,000. I think part of my success came from what I call the immigrant hustle. My family moved to New York when I was five years old from Bangladesh, and I grew up believing that if you don't put in the work, you won't get results. Also, I believe my curiosity differentiated me. I spent a lot of time learning about my customers' businesses, understanding the problems they were trying to solve, and becoming deeply knowledgeable about AI and machine learning so I could help them use the technology effectively. Business Insider is speaking with workers who've found themselves at a corporate crossroads — whether due to a layoff, resignation, job search, or shifting workplace expectations. Share your story by filling out this form. AI became more than my day job Over time, my interest in AI went beyond my work at Google. While I was selling AI products during the day, I was spending nights and weekends experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. At first, I was building small projects for myself. Since I'm not a software developer by trade, I'd talk to multiple AI tools to try to figure things out and, after some trial and error, get a win. Vibe coding felt kind of like a video game. As AI tools improved, those projects became more ambitious. I built several apps and side projects over a roughly year-and-a-half period and began thinking seriously about the opportunity to start my own business. I also thought about my job security at Google, given the company's layoffs in prior years. What struck me about the recent layoff rounds at Google was that they hit genuinely talented people. The uncertainty of a potential layoff was another input into my decision to bet on myself. In April, six years after joining Google, I left Google to found Mangosteen Studio, an AI product lab building go-to-market tooling for account executives. The thesis is simple: I spent 20 years quota-carrying at some of the biggest companies, so I'm building the tools I wish I'd had. I prepared financially before taking the leap Leaving Google wasn't something I did impulsively. Google is a vast organization with incredible resources and teams working on bleeding-edge AI. Losing that "insider" access and being less visible in that world was a major point of hesitation for me. There were also financial considerations, particularly making sure I had enough savings to give the business a real chance without having to make major changes to my lifestyle. I set aside $200,000 to fund the business for two years and another $150,000 to cover my mortgage and personal expenses during that time. My primary goal is to bootstrap the business for as long as possible and not feel pressured to raise money, because investors quickly take your equity. I also wanted to be comfortable enough financially to focus on building the business rather than worrying about paying my bills. AI is changing entrepreneurship Today, I'm running the company as a solo founder with a small team of engineers, marketers, and other contractors. It's still early, but many sales professionals have already used our AI tools free of charge, which has given me confidence that we're building something people find useful. For people who feel stuck in their careers or aren't being challenged, AI is giving people an opportunity to build something of their own. The key is having domain expertise you can lean on. I wasn't a software engineer, but I spent 20 years learning the problems salespeople face. Ultimately, I recognized that leaving Google meant leaving a lot of things behind — both financially and professionally. But my confidence and domain expertise made me feel like this was the right moment to take the risk. Do you have a story to share? Reach out to the reporter via email at jzinkula@businessinsider.com, or via Signal at jzinkula.29. Read the original article on Business Insider

New York Times: Brazil, which has struggled to standardize soccer talent scouting, is embracing AI-powered scouting apps that assess players by analyzing video clips and more  —  Recruitment apps powered by artificial intelligence are gaining ground in Brazil, promising to even the playing field and find more soccer talent.

The Chinese supercomputer LineShine was ranked as the fastest in the world, despite not using any GPUs.

Sebastian Herrera / Fortune: A profile of Jacob Andreou, the 33-year-old former Snap exec leading Microsoft's consolidated Copilot team efforts to catch up with OpenAI and Anthropic  —  Andreou, who once led product at social media firm Snap, is head of Microsoft Copilot.  —  Early this year, Jacob Andreou had a crucial goal.

Tim Higgins / Wall Street Journal: Masayoshi Son questioned Musk's orbital AI data centers, noting electricity is just 7% of costs and the AI race will be won on Earth within a few years  —  SoftBank's Masayoshi Son thinks the math doesn't support space-based data centers  —  Some people have expressed skepticism …

Wired: A look at a thriving underground economy for Claude access in China, including “transfer station” sites that buy API tokens abroad and distribute them to users  —  As Anthropic tightens restrictions on access to Claude in China, users keep finding new workarounds, from proxy services to fake identities sourced on Telegram.