• Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the movie "Weapons."
• The movie's ending is disturbing and ultra-violent.
• "Weapons" is now playing in theaters.

In Zach Cregger's latest horror movie "Weapons," the writer-director delivers another twisted tale that's as jaw-droppingly bloody as his 2022 sleeper hit "Barbarian."

The film takes place in a sleepy Pennsylvania town where, one night, 17 children all suddenly rise from their beds at 2:17 am, go out their front doors, and run away into the night. No one has seen them since.

With the town on edge, elementary school teacher Justine (Julia Garner) realizes something all the kids who vanished have in common: they were all in her class. Only one child, Alex (Cary Christopher), didn't disappear.

Archer (Josh Brolin), one parent whose child has vanished, demands answers and believes Justine has them. When he's not following her around town and painting "Witch" on her car, he's studying Ring doorbell camera footage from the houses of the kids who ran off in an attempt to triangulate a path they might have taken.

In one scene, as Archer confronts Justine at a gas station, Andrew (Benedict Wong), the principal at Justine's school, appears out of nowhere covered in blood and sprints toward her, attacking her. Archer is able to fight him off of Justine, and she runs away. Andrew later gets hit by a car while chasing Justine. Archer realizes the way Andrew ran was exactly like the way the children ran when he saw them in the doorbell footage.

Archer tells Justine his theory that all the kids were running to the same area of town, and shows her their path on a map. Justine realizes that their route leads to Alex's house.

Now things get really bizarre

"Weapons" is told in small vignettes focused on the main characters: Justine, Archer, Alex, Andrew, and Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), a cop who has a fling with Justine.

Through these, we learn of Alex's aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan), an elderly woman who wears a red wig, colorful clothes, and too much red lipstick. She comes to Alex's house with a small tree that looks like it has dead branches. It's revealed near the end of the movie that it's some kind of voodoo tree: when Gladys puts some of her blood on a branch and wraps somebody's belongings or hair around it, that person goes under her spell once she breaks the branch and rings a small bell.

After putting Alex's parents under her spell, she tells Alex to send her the belongings of all 17 of his classmates. She is the one responsible for the kids' disappearance. Gladys, who tells Alex she's ill, believes the children will make her better. They have all been in Alex's basement ever since.

Justine and Archer come to Alex's house hoping to find answers. They are welcomed by Paul, who also stumbled upon what Gladys was doing from a tip from a drug addict. Both Paul and the addict are now under her spell.

The bloody ending all goes down at Alex's house

Once Justine and Archer are in the house, Paul and the addict attack them. Upstairs, Alex's parents chase after him. Justine kills Paul with his own gun and then shoots the addict. Archer discovers the children in the basement, but then is put under Gladys' spell. She makes him go after Justine.

During all the chaos, Alex takes Gladys' voodoo tree, locks himself in the bathroom, and uses a branch to make up his own spell. He has the 17 kids in the basement go after Gladys.

Gladys realizes what's happening and runs out of the house; the 17 kids burst through the front door and windows after her. Gladys runs through neighboring houses and yards, and the kids ram through doors and windows chasing her. They finally catch up to her in a front yard and tear her apart, limb from limb. Gladys screams in anguish until her jaw is ripped from her face.

With Gladys dead, the spell Archer was under is broken. He goes to find his son among the kids surrounding Gladys' remains.

Justine goes upstairs to find Alex hugging his parents. Though they are no longer under Gladys' spell, they are not themselves. Archer's son is also in a glazed-over state.

The movie ends with a child's voiceover explaining that though the 17 kids are back with their families, most of them haven't returned to their normal selves.

• My 14-year-old fostered a puppy after failing to find a summer job or secure volunteer work.
• The experience taught him responsibility, patience, and the value of non-monetary rewards.
• The experience was so good that the dog ended up staying with us longer than we expected.

When my 14-year-old son couldn't land a summer job — or even a volunteering gig — I worried the season would pass him by with no sense of purpose, no high school volunteer hours, and nothing to anchor his days other than endlessly watching Minecraft videos.

I wasn't fixated on him earning a paycheck. What mattered more was finding something meaningful to do, something that would build confidence and help him grow. He tried. He applied to several jobs online — the public library, a local physiotherapy clinic, a few summer camps — but never heard back. And he wasn't confident enough to walk into stores and ask for jobs in person.

We eventually had a crazy idea, and signed up to foster a rescue puppy.

A foster puppy offered a unique experience

I reached out to Niagara Dog Rescue, a local nonprofit that places dogs in temporary homes. I asked if we could foster a puppy, just for a short time, enough for him to earn his community service hours and feel like he was doing something worthwhile. They agreed.

We already had a family dog, a rescue named Cookie who joined us 18 months ago. At the time, my son was still figuring out how to be around dogs. He didn't really know how to care for Cookie, and in many ways, she trained him: teaching him patience, boundaries, and how to communicate without words.

This time, he'd be the one in charge.

Mirage offered a challenge

The puppy they placed with us was named Mirage. She was a sloppy, black-furred bundle of nervous energy that clung to my son on the first day, partly out of fear, partly out of curiosity. He didn't mind. He scooped her up, showed her around the backyard, and promised her she'd be safe.

That first week was no walk in the park — even though we took plenty of them together. Mirage wasn't house trained and although crate-trained, she didn't sleep through the night.

She howled in the dark, chewed anything she could find, and had more energy than the rest of us combined. But my son never once suggested we return her early. Forget apps, Mirage was his new alarm system, going off every morning at 5:30 a.m. with a bark that couldn't be ignored.

He played with her for hours, helped her learn leash manners, and taught her basic commands using treats and encouragement. He also cleaned up her pee and poop without complaint, sometimes before the rest of us were even awake. It wasn't glamorous, but he handled it like someone who understood that care isn't always cute.

When it was time to say goodbye — it wasn't

After 10 days, I assumed our time with Mirage was over. We'd kept up our end of the deal: my son had logged his required school hours, and Mirage had become calmer, more confident, and undeniably attached to him.

But just before we were scheduled to return her, the rescue organization contacted us again. They asked if we'd be willing to keep her a little longer, until the end of the summer.

When I told my son, he jumped up and shouted, "Yes!" He didn't even ask if it meant more credit. That had stopped mattering.

With Mirage's stay extended, he came up with a new arrangement: he and his 12-year-old brother would take turns sleeping with the dogs. That way, they could alternate early morning duties — one waking up with Mirage at 5:30 a.m., while the other got to sleep in.

His brother had never been especially great at taking responsibility — he was more the comic relief than the caregiver in our household. But with Mirage, something shifted. He rose to the occasion, taking initiative and learning what it meant to be part of a team. It wasn't just about chores, it became shared rhythm between the brothers who were both learning what it means to show up for someone else.

He didn't earn a paycheck, but he got something better

Watching my son care for Mirage taught me a lot, not just about him, but about how we think about work, especially for young people.

He didn't earn a paycheck this summer. He didn't learn to use a cash register or stock shelves. But he did learn how to wake up before he wanted to. He learned to be calm when someone else was freaking out. He learned that sometimes, someone else's needs come before your own, even if that someone is a teething puppy.

Most importantly, he gained a quiet kind of pride. Not the résumé-building kind. The kind that comes from being trusted and showing you're worthy of it.

Mirage is still with us for now, but she has been adopted. She'll be picked up later this month to go to her forever home. When I told my son, he sat quietly for a moment, then smiled and said, "I hope they have a big backyard," and added, "I am going to miss her terribly."

For all the talk about Gen Z and Gen Alpha being screen-addicted or unmotivated, I saw something completely different this summer: a teenager who showed up — every day — for something that couldn't thank him with money, only love.

• The Trade Desk's shares plummeted nearly 40% and analysts blamed a growing rivalry with Amazon.
• Amazon has expanded its ad business with a Roku deal and live sports on Prime Video.
• Analysts expressed concern over The Trade Desk's prospects amid a competitive TV ad landscape.

The Trade Desk's shares cratered nearly 40% on Friday, its worst decline on record, and analysts say competition from Amazon may be to blame.

The Trade Desk, which helps companies target people across the web with ads, beat expectations in its earnings — but that wasn't enough to quell Wall Street's concerns. In commentary, analysts also cited the departure of the adtech company's CFO, but largely focused on the Amazon factor in explaining the stock drop.

The Trade Desk CEO Jeff Green responded to analysts' questions, saying his company would continue to serve an important role because it's a neutral seller of advertising, unlike Amazon, which also sells its own ads on Prime Video. He also argued The Trade Desk only competes with a small part of Amazon and suggested Amazon might one day allow companies like his own to sell ads on Prime Video.

"Amazon is not a competitor, and Google really isn't much of a competitor anymore either," Green said on the company's earnings call. "We're trying to buy the open internet, leveraging technology that values media objectively. We don't have any media. And we don't grade our own homework."

Analysts were skeptical of Green's optimistic stance, pointing to an increasingly competitive connected TV ad landscape. Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+ have all entered the market in recent years. Amazon's ad business, in particular, is on pace to grow fast with an upcoming deal to let advertisers buy ads on Roku devices through Amazon, and the NBA adding to Amazon's live sports programming on Prime Video.

Meanwhile, The Trade Desk is limited in its growth potential because it depends on its ability to access the ad inventory of other players like Netflix.

LightShed analysts had the harshest words, writing that "Green is either in a serious state of denial, or he is living in an alternate reality."

"The Amazon shadow over this stock is now front and center ... and harder to deny," MoffettNathanson's Michael Nathanson said, cutting his rating to sell from neutral.

Others were more sanguine. Evercore maintained an outperform rating, citing The Trade Desk's growing partnerships to sell Netflix, Roku, and Spotify advertising, and its expansion in retail media and international markets.

Amazon has become an ad titan

The bull case for Amazon's ad business has been gaining steam since the company barrelled into the TV ad market a year ago by making ads the default on Prime Video.

Gripes about the ad rates notwithstanding, advertisers like Amazon's massive scale, ability to target people based on their shopping preferences, and growing live sports offering on Prime Video.

Ad industry insiders recently told Business Insider that Amazon's entrance into TV advertising had made it harder for all but the top TV players, like Disney and Comcast's NBCUniversal, to compete.

A Morgan Stanley report in July said Amazon's Prime Video was on pace to dominate the advertising market on US-based smart TVs, knocking YouTube off its perch as the market leader in 2027. Later that month, Amazon reported its second-quarter earnings, showing its overall ads business growing 22% to $15.7 billion. That beat analyst expectations.

Amazon has also been striking deals with rival streamers like HBO Max and Apple TV+ to make itself the default destination for TV watching.

All this could be OK for rivals if the pie were ever-increasing. But the bigger worry is that CTV advertising won't be the growth engine it once was — leading media companies to fight for pieces of a smaller pie.

Nathanson pointed to slowing growth in recent quarters and intensifying competition from Amazon and Google.

He said he saw "a broader deceleration" in the US CTV ad market that should concern Trade Desk bulls.

• Luigi Mangione last month accused NY prosecutors of fraudulently acquiring his Aetna health history.
• On Friday, prosecutors blamed Aetna, saying they over-responded to a lawful, limited DA subpoena.
• "Mistakes do occur," including on the part of the defense, the prosecutor wrote.

Luigi Mangione's confidential, 120-page medical history was accidentally emailed to his New York prosecutors not once, but twice — first by Aetna and then by his own defense lawyers, according to a new court filing.

Prosecutors took "appropriate measures" both times, forwarding the confidential health records to the judge and deleting their own copy, the lead assistant district attorney, Joel Seidemann, wrote in revealing what he described as a double-snafu on Friday.

"Mistakes do occur," Seidemann wrote in his three-page filing — meaning on the part of defense lawyers and Aetna, but not himself.

"Aetna erroneously sent us materials," he wrote. "Like Aetna, the defense then erred, compounding Aetna's mistake," he wrote. "Defense counsel sent the People an email attaching the entire Aetna file she now complains about."

"Once again, we complied with our ethical obligations by asking counsel if she intended to send us the file," Seidemann wrote.

"When she indicated that she did not and asked that we delete it, we complied with her request and did not take advantage of her error."

Aetna, meanwhile, defended its own role in the records relay, saying through a spokesman that they got a subpoena, and they answered it.

"Our response is the same as before," wrote Phil Blando, executive director for communications for Aetna's parent company, CVS Health. "Aetna received a subpoena for certain medical records, and we provided them appropriately."

It's the latest round of finger-pointing in a month-long battle between state-level prosecutors and defense attorneys over the confidential medical records of Mangione, the 27-year-old Maryland native accused in the December shooting murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

The records included "different diagnoses as well as specific medical complaints made by Mr. Mangione," his lawyers complained in their own filing last month.

Both prosecutors and the defense agree that Seidemann's May 14 subpoena asked Aetna for very limited data, just Mangione's health insurance account number and the period of time he was covered.

Beyond that small patch of common ground, the sides diverge widely.

The defense, led by attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo, wrote last month that Seidemann should never have asked directly for Mangione's health insurance account number, arguing that it is protected under HIPAA, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

"The requested information does not appear to be protected by HIPAA, since it did not relate to a condition, treatment, or payment for health care," Seidemann countered in Friday's filing.

The sides also differ on what happened once Aetna attached Mangione's entire healthcare history, in four files, to its June 12, supboeana-response email to Seidemann.

Seidemann wrote in Friday's filing that his subpoena "was lawful and properly drafted," and that, as required, it directed Aetna to return the requested materials to the judge.

The defense accuses Seidemann of sitting on the sensitive records for 12 days before forwarding them to the judge. They additionally want to know how Aetna wound up sending the records directly to the prosecutor.

They've asked the judge, New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro, to order "a full evidentiary hearing" to determine possible penalties, including kicking Seidemann off the case. They've asked that the hearing include sworn testimony and the surrender of correspondence between prosecutors and Aetna.

By late Friday afternoon, the judge had not issued a decision on calling such a hearing. A defense spokesperson declined to comment on Friday's filing.

In addition to the state case, Mangione is charged with murder in a federal indictment that seeks the death penalty. In another, more behind-the-scenes battle, prosecutors in both venues, state and federal, have said they intend to bring Mangione to trial first.

The order of trials has yet to be worked out.

State court has an advantage, in that Mangione's case is proceeding more quickly there, given the lack of complicated capital-punishment issues.

The feds, too, have an advantage, in that Mangione is in federal custody, and they have physical control of where he goes. Judges in both venues have said they hope to bring him to trial in 2026.

• OpenAI charted the wrong course with their graphs on Thursday.
• Several charts featured in its GPT-5 livestream included mistakes.
• Sam Altman called it a "mega chart screwup," and OpenAI apologized for "unintentional chart crime."

While most people were glued to OpenAI's newest AI model, GPT-5, during a demo Thursday, some couldn't help notice something had gone awry in the background.

Several charts included in OpenAI's GPT-5 livestream on Thursday had some clear mistakes.

One chart compared the models GPT-5 with thinking and OpenAI o3 on a metric called "coding deception." The former model has a deception rate of 50%, but this bar was less than half the size of the bar for o3, which has a smaller deception rate of 47.4%.

Another chart comparing models on a different metric depicted 69.1% and 30.8% with the same size bar. A bar for 52.8% was also larger than both of these, though that's smaller than 69.1%.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted, "wow a mega chart screwup from us earlier."

In a Reddit AMA on Friday, he said, "The numbers here were accurate but we screwed up the bar charts in the livestream overnight; on another slide we screwed up numbers."

He added, "People were working late and were very tired, and human error got in the way. A lot comes together for a livestream in the last hours."

A marketing employee for OpenAI tweeted that the issue had been fixed in the blog post of the announcement, apologizing for the "unintentional chart crime."

Tech demos aren't immune to the occasional flub.

When Microsoft unveiled Bing's AI chatbot in 2023, it made several mistakes during its demo. When asked for pros and cons of a particular vacuum, it listed noisiness and a short cord as cons, but the vacuum is cordless. In an ad that same month, Google's AI chatbot Bard, which has since been renamed Gemini, gave an incorrect answer to a question about the James Webb Space Telescope.

It's unclear if AI was used to make the charts, and OpenAI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Camping didn't always involve luxury RVs, watching movies on iPads, or state-of-the-art campgrounds.
• Camping has evolved from sleeping under the stars to camping out at music festivals and events.
• These vintage photos show there's nothing more nostalgic than sleeping in a tent in nature.

While technology has made recreational camping more comfortable, there's something nostalgic about how basic it used to be.

Today, decked-out RVs can cost $20,000 to $100,000, but the price of luxury RVs can reach as high as $2 million, according to HomeGuide. 

In the 1930s and following decades, however, recreational campers primarily set up simple tents or basic caravans to spend time with their friends and family outdoors. And today, simpler camping can be a great option for families wanting to spend time together — without spending a fortune — as the cost of living climbs.

These photos show what recreational camping used to be like. They might even inspire you to try it for yourself before the summer is over.

Recreational camping looked different a century ago.

In 1940, the Regional Review called camping "an American tradition," according to a copy of the article shared by the National Park Service.

Starting in the mid-to-late 1800s, people camped for fun in North America, according to Britannica. As people increasingly sought to escape cities, organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club began to crop up. At the turn of the 20th century, books such as "The Camper's Handbook" continued to ignite interest, and throughout the century, organized camping grew in popularity.

In 1930, before the Great Depression really took hold, there were more than 3 million campers across the US, The Dyrt reported, citing Terence Young, the author of "Heading Out: A History of American Camping."

While the basic idea of camping was the same as we now know it — sleeping outdoors — the gear was markedly different.

Camping originally just involved the campers, the outdoors, and some simple cooking ware. The shelter was simple, too: People would often sleep beneath a sheet held up by sticks and string.

If you went camping like this group in France in 1930, you were unreservedly experiencing nature. 

These simple tents were used regardless of weather conditions.

There was usually no electricity for miles, and campers had to make do with whatever heat sources they had — whether that be fires, blankets, or huddling together for warmth. 

Depression-era camping trips focused on minimalist campsites and limited gear.

By the Great Depression, with nearly one in four Americans unemployed in 1932, camping was considered a cost-efficient, resourceful vacation compared to train fares and costly accommodations.

The lack of technology made the experience much more authentic, but also more work-intensive.

There was a lot more manual labor involved with getting set up and making food than in campsites of the future, which might have access to full kitchens or electricity. 

Regular morning routines had to be done without a bathroom or mirror.

Basic grooming was still expected.

Even just making tea could be a chore.

Campers had to gather everything from the outdoors if they didn't bring water or other supplies with them.

Hammers had to be schlepped to the campsite.

Tent pegs were often wooden, not plastic, and had to be hammered into the ground.

But the work was part of the fun.

Part of the allure of going camping was the authenticity of living outdoors, even if just for the night.

People still found ways to make their camping trips a little more comfortable.

Campers would bring furniture, books, and other items from home to make their time in the great outdoors more comfortable.

Forget the paper plates — some campers brought actual porcelain dinnerware.

While this may seem impractical today, it certainly made for a more sophisticated camping excursion.

Early on, camping was often done out of necessity during long travels. But over time, it became a more common recreational activity for people.

The appeal of having no distractions while enjoying quality time with friends endures.

Boy Scouts went on camping trips every year after their establishment in 1910.

Campgrounds, as we know them today, weren't really established until the 1930s when the National Park Service developed "Recreation Demonstration Areas," according to the National Park Service.

The Girl Scouts were established in 1912, and wilderness survival was also at their core.

Apparently, the first official mention of s'mores appeared in a Girl Scouts manual in 1927, according to Reserve America.

As the years passed, camping became more involved.

People started bringing more with them on camping trips.

Rather than just setting up tents, people began bringing RVs.

RVs have also evolved. Starting as small cabins built onto the back of regular cars in the 1910s, they eventually evolved into homes, and even mansions, on wheels.

The famous Volkswagen Westfalia Camper was an instant classic for campers and road trippers alike.

While the VW bus, as it is better known, came out in the '50s, it reached peak popularity in the '70s. It is one of the most iconic road trip vehicles in history, and synonymous with wanderlust.

Having camper vans meant being able to bring more of the luxuries of home, from barware ...

Camping, as a result, became easier.

... to decorative lanterns.

Who says camping needs to mean roughing it?

Camper vans also allowed campers to be more comfortable.

Instead of sleeping outside, you could have some protection by staying inside your car, or even kick back on a seat that converted into a bed.

One could now avoid truly living in the elements.

Everyone wants to be close to nature ... but not too close.

Once campers were able to have more cover from nature, they did that instead.

Camping became more comfortable, meaning campers could now spend days or even weeks at a time in the wilderness.

Camping also became a way to get good seats at events.

People sometimes spent days camping outside ahead of an event.

People would camp to stake out good spots at festivals.

Camping is still used as accommodation at modern festivals like Bonnaroo.

By the 1960s, camping was no longer just a necessity — it was a popular recreational activity.

However, many campsites were still segregated, meaning only white visitors had access to certain parks and campgrounds. 

Writers of the Beat Generation popularized camping the old-fashioned way in the '60s.

The Beat Generation was a literary movement made up of a group of writers who wrote about American culture using a stream-of-consciousness writing method.

Jack Kerouac, a popular writer of the time, wrote about the times he slept outside on the beach in Big Sur, which he later published in his 1962 novel "Big Sur."

The Beat Generation romanticized the idea of living on the road.

To this day, their raw stories about traveling constantly and taking odd jobs to survive encourage readers to live more in tune with nature.

Many state and national parks upheld segregation until the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, limiting access to these outdoor spaces for Black citizens.

However, Black people and families still made use of desegregated parks and campsites or used parks and campgrounds that were designated only for Black citizens. These parks, like Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, became places of community for Black families and received thousands of visitors each year, Atlas Obscura reported.

After state and national parks were mandated to be desegregated, many of the Black-only parks closed or were absorbed by surrounding parks, according to the National Park Service.

Traditional camping will likely remain a popular activity for years to come, regardless of technological advancements.

In fact, the more dependent we become on technology, the more people might like to retreat into nature for a few days.

Camping may keep changing, but it will never go out of style.

There's been a statistical rise in camping over the past decade. According to Kampgrounds of America's 2024 Camping and Outdoor Hospitality report, active campers have increased by 67% in the last 10 years, and one in four leisure trips are for camping.

As families try to find affordable summer activities, we may see even more campers seeking the great outdoors this summer.

• I've visited 30 tropical islands around the world, but five stand out from the rest.
• Bora Bora and Curaçao's beautiful beaches make them the perfect places for a relaxing vacation.
• Barbados has many activities, like touring a rum distillery and visiting Rihanna's childhood home.

As a travel writer specializing in tropical destinations, I've been lucky enough to have visited 30 islands around the world. Because of my extensive travels, people often ask me which islands I'd return to.

Each island I've been to has been idyllic and unique, but a few lingered in my salt-spray-tinged memories long after my tan faded.

Here are the five islands I always recommend to other travelers.

I couldn't get enough of Bora Bora's beauty and great cuisine.

This South Pacific haven screams "paradise." Although getting there was a long journey — I had to take a 16-hour flight from New York to Tahiti, followed by an hourlong flight to Bora Bora — the island was absolutely otherworldly.

Formed by an extinct volcano, Bora Bora is surrounded by a calm turquoise lagoon that's basically a huge wading pool. I remember marveling at rows of romantic bungalows with thatched roofs and glass floors overlooking the water.

The local cuisine combines French and Polynesian cultures. I enjoyed meals like poisson cru, a ceviche-like dish made with coconut milk, tomatoes, and cucumber. It was truly heaven on earth.

I loved the luxurious vibes in St. Barts.

St. Barts is full of fancy spots, with a yacht-filled harbor, designer shops along the pristine streets of Gustavia (the island's capital), and luxurious hotels.

I found a lively day-drinking scene at Nikki Beach, a destination that's attracted celebrity guests like Mariah Carey, and restaurants with menus and wine lists to rival any Parisian hot spot.

However, you don't have to be a multimillionaire to soak in the island's beguiling swankiness. During my visit, I spent an afternoon on a catamaran ride and did some window shopping.

Visitors can also find elevated cuisine at various price points — I had tuna poke and chilled rosé from Ti' Corail on a laid-back beach, and it was one of my favorite meals.

I was blown away by the many local beaches, such as the sandy Gouverneur Beach and the secluded Colombier Beach, a spot accessible only after a steep (but worth it) hike.

If you're a Francophile who adores fabulous food and an upscale feel, I highly recommend St. Barts.

St. Martin is the perfect destination for shopping and plane enthusiasts.

St. Martin is split into two distinct French and Dutch sides. During my visit, I thought the French side had a quiet, relaxed vibe.

I enjoyed lying on the beach at Orient Bay (referred to as the Saint-Tropez of the Caribbean) and shopping at the luxury boutiques in Marigot, the capital of the French collectivity on St. Martin.

I found the Dutch side much livelier as I clubbed at the Soggy Dollar Bar in Simpson Bay and sipped rum cocktails while watching the sunset at The Rusty Parrot.

The island is also the ultimate destination for aviation geeks, as the Princess Juliana International Airport is steps away from Maho Beach. I spent hours watching planes fly directly above me.

Visitors can also island hop to nearby St. Barts and Anguilla, which are easily accessible by ferry or plane.

I was blown away by Curaçao's beautiful beaches and scenery.

Curaçao is known for having more than 35 beaches, so every sun-worshipper can find their perfect spot.

During my visit, it seemed that some beaches, like Playa Piskadó, were mainly frequented by locals, so they were uncrowded and relaxed. Others, such as Grote Knip and Playa Kalki, in quiet coves, were also very tranquil.

During my stay, I sipped my way through the gin and tonic menu at Zest Restaurant & Beach Cafe on the lively Jan Thiel Beach and, of course, tried the island's namesake bright blue liqueur in a cocktail.

Handelskade, a row of brightly colored Dutch colonial buildings lining the water in Willemstad (the island's capital), was the perfect photo op.

As an added bonus, Curaçao is part of the ABC islands (the other two being Aruba and Bonaire), which are unlikely to be severely affected by hurricanes.

I enjoyed Barbados' lively events and rum distillery.

The Caribbean is synonymous with rum, but in my opinion, no island offers as authentic an experience as this destination.

Based in Barbados, the iconic rum producer Mount Gay has been selling the spirit since 1703. Touring and tasting at the company's distillery is a must-do for any fan of the sugarcane-based spirit.

Visitors can also make their way through Barbados' flavorful cocktails (and cuisine) at lively bars and restaurants. I loved the potent rum punch and local fish cakes at Oasis Beach Bar, as well as the seared jerk tuna and butter beans at Calma Beach Club.

The island was perpetually vibrant — it seemed like a party, festival, or concert was always happening. The snorkeling in Carlisle Bay was also amazing, as I saw parrotfish, hawksbill turtles, and seahorses.

Plus, Rihanna fans can snap a selfie in front of the Barbadian native's colorful childhood home, where her name adorns the doormat.

This story was originally published on August 9, 2024, and most recently updated on August 8, 2025.

• Another dating surveillance app is climbing Apple's App Store.
• TeaOnHer is essentially a gender flip of the original Tea app.
• The app lets men post anonymously about women.

The viral Tea app, which lets women post anonymously about men, has a new rival: TeaOnHer. In a gender flip, the new app is for men.

TeaOnHer is largely a copy of the original, but for men instead of women. Its description in Apple's App Store is nearly identical to that of the other Tea app, which is officially called Tea Dating Advice.

TeaOnHer has climbed up Apple's App Store chart for free apps this week. As of Friday, it's the No. 3 spot. That's right behind Tea, which is at No. 2. (ChatGPT is at the top.)

The app describes itself as an "essential safety companion" and touts features like "verified reports about dating experiences to help you identify red flags." According to its app store listing, TeaOnHer users are also allowed to post anonymously or with pseudonyms.

Sensor Tower, a marketing intelligence firm, estimated that the TeaOnHer app had been downloaded over 165,000 times as of Thursday since the app launched earlier this month.

TeaOnHer has not gotten as positive a reception from app users as the original so far. The new one has an average rating of 2.0 in the App Store, while the old one has 4.6.

The new app has already been facing security concerns, much like the Tea app it's replicating.

Business Insider spoke with security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi, who spotted a flaw in the TeaOnHer app's security that revealed content from users' posts, including reviews men had posted and images of women posted to the feed. Rahjerdi was able to view this information via TeaOnHer's publicly accessible API, he said.

TechCrunch reporters also found a "security flaw that allows anyone access to data belonging to TeaOnHer app users," the outlet reported on Wednesday. The data included users' verification selfies and driver's licenses, usernames, and email addresses, according to TechCrunch. Business Insider was unable to independently verify this flaw.

TeaOnHer did not respond to requests for comments. Business Insider also contacted Xavier Lampkin, whose name appears in TeaOnHer's API and is listed on LinkedIn as the CEO of TeaOnHer's developer, Newville Media Corporation. Lampkin did not respond.

Last week, the Tea app (officially called Tea Dating Advice) experienced a data breach that exposed about 72,000 images, which similarly exposed users' selfies and driver's licenses. Tea confirmed the breach and later confirmed that private messages were also exposed.

Lawsuits filed by users of the Tea app quickly followed.

"We are working to identify any users whose personal information was involved and will be offering free identity protection services to those individuals," a Tea spokesperson previously told Business Insider.

"Every single one of these apps promise privacy, promise anonymity, promise secrecy, and so forth, but they're ultimately still applications — they still have to authenticate users," Tom Tovar, CEO of app security company Appdome. "Anonymity does not equal security."

• Precision Neuroscience is developing a brain implant that sits on the surface of the brain's cortex.
• Founded by Neuralink alums in 2021, the company aims to bring a "minimally invasive" BCI to market.
• Its first goal is to "restore independence" to the millions with paralysis.

Even in a city where high-stakes deals are made daily, few would expect that behind an unassuming Manhattan facade lies a team of neuroscientists developing a device that could change the relationship between machines and humans.

But change often hides in plain sight, undetectable until it isn't.

Precision Neuroscience is developing a brain-computer interface, a system that creates a direct link between the brain's electrical activity and a computer. This type of technology has been in development for decades, but thanks to AI, the latest generation promises to reveal a wealth of new information about the brain.

I met Precision's president and chief product officer, Craig Mermel, in March at an AI conference. The company stood out as one of a few hardware companies among a sea of startups building productivity tools and coding platforms.

The AI boom, Mermel told me, had turbocharged modern medicine's capacity to collect data about the brain. At a moment when many of the conference attendees talked about the technology's implications in broad terms, Mermel made them seem real — and imminent.

Precision was founded in 2021 by a group that included some Neuralink alums, including Ben Rapoport, a practicing neurosurgeon and electrical engineer who now serves as its chief science officer.

The company's initial goal is to "restore independence" to severely paralyzed people in a less invasive way than its competitors, like Neuralink. That means helping those with paralysis communicate with others, use computers, or even hold a desk job by channeling their neural activity into commands for external technologies.

"The set of conditions that we're treating all have in common is paralysis. So it's people who basically have the ability to think like we do, but not the ability to move, especially move their hands," Rapoport told me during a visit to the company's office.

How it works

Rapoport handed me a slip of yellow film, which the company calls the "Layer 7 Cortical Interface." The name reflects its ambitious goal: to create a seventh layer that sits atop the six cellular layers of the human cortex, the brain's outermost region.

The Layer 7 Cortical Interface is about one-fifth the thickness of a human eyelash. One end is embedded with an array of 1,024 electrodes that can record and stimulate brain activity. These electrodes have wires that run lengthwise, linking the film to custom electronics that process neural data and convert those signals into computer commands so patients can interact with the real world using thoughts alone.

The device is designed to rest on the brain's motor cortex — a small region located behind the frontal lobe that translates thoughts into actions — and conform to its surface, never directly damaging the tissue.

Once in place, it generates a detailed view of the brain's activity. Or, as Precision puts it on its website, "the world's highest resolution picture of human thought."

The competition

Rapoport was part of the founding team at Neuralink, Elon Musk's high-profile neurotechnology venture. It launched in 2016 and has raised about $1.3 billion, according to PitchBook.

He told the newsletter Neurotech Futures last year that he left Neuralink in 2018 because brain-computer interface technology needed to be extremely safe and scalable for it to become a "clinical reality."

"Some changes were needed in the way the technology was being implemented," he said.

Neuralink's N1 implant is a coin-sized, battery-powered device that sits on the skull and connects to ultra-thin threads — embedded with electrodes — that are woven into the brain's cortex.

In an April 2024 update on its website about the status of its clinical trials, Neuralink detailed how the implant is inserted into the brain.

"At a high level, the surgery involved a neurosurgeon exposing the target region of the cortex (e.g., scalp incision, craniectomy, durectomy), the R1 Robot performing the insertions of threads of the N1 Implant, and the neurosurgeon mounting the body of the N1 Implant in the craniectomy and closing the scalp."

In a follow-up email to Business Insider, Mermel said Neuralink's system is based on "penetrating micro-electrodes, which cause damage when they're inserted into the brain."

Precision, he said, has shown that it is "possible to extract information-rich data from the brain" without damaging it.

Neuralink did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In July, Neuralink announced it had successfully completed implant surgeries on its eighth and ninth human patients. The company is expecting to implant 20,000 chips a year by 2031 to generate at least $1 billion in revenue, Bloomberg reported.

Invasive forms of brain-computer interfaces typically involve implanting electrodes directly into the brain by way of a craniotomy, which involves removing a section of the skull to temporarily expose the brain, or a craniectomy, in which the removed bone is not replaced.

Blackrock's Neurotech, which launched in 2008, makes a modified version of the Utah Array — a micro-electrode array that penetrates up to 1.5 millimeters into the brain. It's been used for "studying neural circuits, investigating the mechanisms of brain function, and developing neural prosthetic devices," according to Neurotech's website.

Synchron, another company in the BCI race, makes a "Stentrode," a thin, flexible electrode array that doesn't require open-skull surgery. Instead, it's inserted into the brain through the jugular vein. Its aim is to "restore control of a touchscreen in people with limited hand mobility using only their thoughts," according to its website.

What's different about Precision

Rapoport's thesis is that placing the device on the brain's surface itself is less invasive than its competitors and enough to gather valuable intel about how the brain operates.

"When we think about the ways that we want the brain to interface with the digital world, most of what we think about is the conscious thought that takes place in the brain," he said. "Essentially all of that takes place at the surface" in the "outermost few millimeters."

The company's Layer 7 Cortical Interface is designed to be easily replaced or moved. It's also modular, so multiple arrays can be combined to cover more regions of the brain.

The device is just one component, however. The method of insertion is another.

Precision is also developing a minimally invasive "cranial microslit" implant procedure to bypass the need for a full craniotomy, Mermel said by email. This involves making a small incision, less than 1 millimeter into the skull, through which the Layer 7 Cortical Interface is inserted and placed on the brain's surface, he said.

Clinical studies

In 2021, the FDA gave Synchron a green light to start clinical trials. In 2023, Neuralink received approval to start trials. Precision, at an earlier stage in its road to commercialization, announced its first clinical studies in 2023.

Since then, the company has conducted clinical studies on 47 volunteer patients — all of whom were already undergoing brain surgery for other reasons. The devices were placed on their brains during surgery to read, record, and map activity on the brain's surface.

In these clinical studies — limited to 15 to 30 minutes — one or two electrode arrays were typically placed on a patient's brain while they engaged in activities such as speaking, playing rock-paper-scissors, or operating a joystick, so AI algorithms could learn the typical neural patterns associated with that activity.

In April, Precision said it received FDA clearance to use its electrode array in the "recording, monitoring, and stimulation of electrical activity on the surface of the brain." The clearance authorizes the array for commercial use for up to 30 days. Studies are already underway, but the company declined to share the number of patients who are participating in these longer clinical studies.

The value of the data

Brain-computer interfaces serve as translators of sorts, converting the brain's electrical language into the vernacular of machines — and eventually, into real-world action.

Precision says its system captures about 1 to 2 billion data points per minute from each patient. It analyzes the data in real time and leverages AI algorithms to translate the raw data and electrical signals into computer code.

The goal is to collect data from a diverse sample of patients, Rapoport said.

"In the entire field of neuroscience, we have never had such a diverse set of high-quality, high-resolution, long-term recordings from dozens of patients' brains until we started doing this, and this includes Neuralink," he said.

Between all of its studies, it has gathered enough data to begin building what he described as a "neural foundation model."

The main focus of this machine learning model will be to decode speech and motor intention from the brain to ultimately help patients control computers and smartphones, Mermel said. However, he added, the company is exploring future use cases for its technology, including assisting surgeons during neurosurgery, treating conditions such as depression, and aiding in stroke recovery.

"When you have something that is safe and effective for a niche group of people, it begs the question: Are there ways to scale it beyond that original use case?" Rapoport said.

• I spent two weeks backpacking through Europe in 2022 and was surprised by my experiences.
• I slept on overnight trains and in budget Airbnbs across four countries.
• My trip was more exhausting than I expected, but I learned more about myself than I thought I would.

Four shirts, three pairs of pants, and one pair of sneakers for a two-week train trip through four European countries — I didn't think I could manage it, until I did.

In October 2022, I flew to Berlin and traveled by train to Austria, Italy, and Switzerland with nothing but a backpack. It was my first time visiting each country and backpacking in Europe.

Why? I was looking for an exciting adventure. But a lot of surprises along the way made me realize backpacking is about more than that.

From hardships to hidden gems, my trip was full of wonders and realizations.

For one thing, I was surprised that I could pack lighter than I ever had for the longest trip I'd ever taken.

To accomplish this, I picked the largest bag I own — a 32-liter backpack — for my two weeks in Europe.

Then I practiced packing as lightly as possible — twice — before I left to ensure I could fit everything.

I started with my work gear, which included a laptop, cameras, lenses, and a notebook. Then I packed other essentials like chargers, toiletries, and snacks.

Next, I stuffed a packing cube with two polos, one T-shirt, one long-sleeve T-shirt, three pairs of pants, a sweater, a blazer, a dress, and two light jackets.

While I longed for more outfit variety on my trip, I was surprised I had everything I needed despite packing lighter than ever.

I didn't consider how exhausting traveling to my destinations would be, especially on overnight train and plane rides.

When visiting multiple locations in one trip, I found the travel exhausting.

I started my journey with a red-eye flight to Berlin from my home in NYC. Then, I took overnight trains to Vienna and Venice, Italy, in shared sleeper cabins.

I began my trip with a red-eye flight to Berlin and arrived too exhausted to get the most out of my first day in Europe.

I initially thought overnight transportation would be the best way to travel through Europe to maximize my time exploring during the day.

But for me, sleeping on board flights and trains among strangers was challenging. I didn't consider how little I'd be able to sleep during these overnight rides, and I arrived at my destinations feeling more exhausted than I had hoped.

One sleepless night on a train even left me frantically searching for a last-minute hotel booking in Vienna at 7 a.m.

When I arrived in Vienna on an overnight train from Berlin, I planned to spend my morning seeing the sights until I could check in to my hotel at 3 p.m.

But as I stepped off the train, it was apparent that my body needed rest, so I had to figure out where to get it.

I didn't expect to problem-solve as much as I did on my trip, but it improved my split-second decision-making skills.

Before going to Europe, I planned everything, from booking accommodations and train rides to mapping out the locations I wanted to visit to avoid problems.

But plans don't always work out, and I had to make quick decisions, like when I arrived in Vienna. When I got off the train, I started going to random hotels to book a room. By the third hotel, I got one, and I felt relieved.

My trip was full of problems like this, and solving them made me feel more confident in my travel abilities.

I also thought I'd be out exploring all day and night, but I realized that downtime was just as important.

When visiting a new country for just a couple of days, it's easy to pack exploration into every hour without planning for rest. But without downtime, I found travel wasn't as enjoyable.

During the parts of my trip when I felt well-rested, I could appreciate where I was and take in the unique architecture and bustling atmosphere.

Getting sleep also made me feel more in touch with what my body needed, from staying hydrated to eating enough food.

On travel days, I was surprised to find myself questioning whether a backpack is really more convenient than a carry-on suitcase.

Wearing my backpack while walking for extended periods made my muscles feel sore. I wasn't used to its weight and size. In crowded spaces, I kept forgetting that the backpack made me about a third larger than I typically am.

In these moments, I wondered if a carry-on suitcase would have been a better choice. Sure, the luggage is larger, but after lugging around my backpack all day, I felt like it could be easier to roll a suitcase.

I also didn't expect to use my iPad every day, but it surprisingly brought me a lot of comfort.

While on my way to each destination, I read about the sights that awaited me in guidebooks I downloaded onto my iPad. These books helped me decide how to spend time in each location and built up my excitement for my coming adventures.

I also downloaded a few episodes of my favorite TV shows to comfort me, which I usually watched around bedtime.

I thought traveling in October — the end of shoulder season — would help me avoid crowds, but I was wrong.

In the summer of 2022, it felt like everyone I followed on Instagram was in Europe. So, I booked my trip for October to avoid peak tourism season.

But throughout my trip, I stood on my tippy toes to see popular historic sites above rows of heads obscuring my view.

From Rome to Zurich, I trudged through places I didn't expect to be overrun with tourists.

Europe is less crowded with tourists in September and October than in summer. But in the fall of 2022, traveling during shoulder season seemed to be trending.

Luckily, and surprisingly, some of the highlights of my trip came from quiet towns outside cities where I booked Airbnbs to save money.

During my visits to Berlin and Zurich, I stayed in small towns about an hour outside the city center by train.

I expected nothing more than a place to sleep in these towns, so I was pleasantly surprised that they felt like hidden gems.

My tiny home hotel in Germany was in a peaceful town with charming cobblestone streets.

When I visited Berlin, I stayed in a tiny home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany.

My hotel was a 20-minute walk from the train station, and I enjoyed starting and ending each day with a relaxing walk through town, where I spotted the occasional backpacker among mostly locals.

At the end of my trip, I spent two nights in a village among the rolling hills of Switzerland, where I saw a gorgeous sunset during an unplanned hike. This small village was the best part of my trip.

I liked Roggwil, a small village near Zurich, more than almost any other part of Europe I saw.

I couldn't help but think I would have never seen it if I hadn't booked this specific Airbnb, which was a two-minute walk from the town's train station.

With so many crowds in the cities, I enjoyed experiencing the quiet, slower pace of suburban life while photographing landscapes in less-visited areas of Europe.

I also thought seeing so many new places in a short time would make them blend together in my mind, but each city left me with distinct memories.

I visited six cities and two small towns in just 14 days, so I thought my memories of my European adventure would start to meld together after my trip concluded.

But I'll never forget how alive Berlin felt, with its lush pockets of greenery, dramatic murals, and street performers, or how Vienna's garden mazes and fairy-tale architecture made me feel like royalty.

The canals in Venice made me feel like I was in a storybook, while Zurich had charming streets with jaw-dropping mountain backdrops.

Ultimately, I was surprised by how much I grew during this journey as an individual and travel companion.

I spent my first week traveling solo, and when a friend joined me for the second week in Italy and Switzerland, I found I had a new appreciation for traveling with someone else.

While on my own, I endured more uncomfortable situations than on any previous trip. I also learned more about myself during my solo travels than I anticipated.

So when my travel companion arrived, having someone to share new experiences with helped me explore and problem-solve in a new way — as a team.

While it wasn't a picture-perfect adventure, backpacking through Europe made me realize that you can't plan out every second, and maybe that's a good thing.

Next time, I'll let go of my expectations and plan to be surprised.

• Mall boutique Claire's filed for its second bankruptcy, with plans to shut 700 US locations as it faces a possible liquidation.
• The brand, which started as a wig shop in the 1960s, became a rite of passage for many tweens looking to pierce their ears.
• After a 2018 bankruptcy filing, Claire's briefly surged in 2022 with IPO plans and a profitable year before things went south.

It's the end of an ear-a. Again.

Claire's, the jewelry and accessory store that dots malls across America, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in seven years on August 6, citing the "continued trend away from brick and mortar" and higher interest rates.

The '90s mall icon was something of a rite of passage for many tweens, some of whom got their first ear piercing at one of Claire's purple, hairbow-filled locations.

Now, hammered by tariff costs and fighting for its life, Claire's plans to close around 700 US locations and is warning that it could liquidate the rest of its North American operations if a buyer isn't found.

Here's the brief history of the rise and fall — and second rise and second fall — of Claire's, from its origins as a wig store to its failed revival attempt.

Claire's origins trace back to 1961 and a wig store.

Rowland Schafer founded wig retailer Fashion Tress Industries in 1961. According to a 1965 advertisement listed on eBay, FTI wigs were made for "busy women who have to look their best at a moment's notice."

In 1973, as the wig industry waned, Schafer purchased a small Midwest chain called Claire's Boutiques. Schafer eventually sold off the wig industry and renamed his company Claire's Stores.

The store was a mall staple for decades.

By the mid-1990s, Claire's had more than 1,000 retail outlets. The chain became a mall staple, notable for its focus on the pre-teen and teen audience. Stores featured bright colors and prices that kids could afford.

Schafer purchased the Afterthoughts mall chain in 1999 for $250 million, folding it into the Icing by Claire's brand. The second brand aimed for a slightly older demographic.

Many teens flocked to Claire's for ear piercings.

Claire's was a beloved ear-piercing spot among tweens. The store was known for its cheap, colorful jewelry. It offered both lobe and cartilage piercings — according to the website, the retailer has pierced more than 110 million ears.

Claire's went private in 2007.

Schafer ran the business until 2002, when he suffered a stroke. His daughters Bonnie and Marla then took over the business.

In 2007, the family accepted a take-private offer from Apollo Global Management for $3.1 billion. At the time, the company had more than 3,000 stores.

"The decision to sell the company that our father founded was reached after an enormous amount of soul-searching over time, and brings our strategic review to a successful conclusion," the Schaefer sisters said in a statement at the time.

Claire's first filed for bankruptcy in 2018.

In March of 2018, Claire's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time, saddled with $2 billion in debt. The retailer announced it would close 92 stores across America at the time, and said it had been hit by declining traffic in malls.

"A Claire's store is located in approximately 99% of major shopping malls throughout the United States," Claire's said in a bankruptcy filing at the time.

Claire's exited bankruptcy later that year.

Claire's emerged from bankruptcy in December 2018 after having eliminated roughly $1.9 billion in debt.

By 2021, Claire's finances were looking up. The company was profitable, generated $1.4 billion in revenue. It also filed to raise $100 million in a planned IPO.

Ryan Vero, who had come on as CEO in 2019, touted the brand's turnaround to Fast Company and said that the mall brand wasn't dead.

"If a mall has died in a particular town, we're moving to wherever the thriving shopping center is," he said.

In 2023, Claire's postponed its IPO. One year later, Vero stepped down.

Claire's filed for bankruptcy a second time on August 6, 2025.

The store announced that it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 6, 2025.

"This decision is difficult, but a necessary one," CEO Chris Cramer said in the release. "Increased competition, consumer spending trends and the ongoing shift away from brick-and-mortar retail, in combination with our current debt obligations and macroeconomic factors, necessitate this course of action for Claire's and its stakeholders."

The bankruptcy filing also highlighted tariffs as a contributing factor.

"Claire's was not immune from the continued trend away from brick and mortar and more recent macroeconomic challenges, including higher interest rates, labor costs and, most recently, tariffs," the filing said. "While Claire's took many steps over the last few years to address these and other challenges, it was not enough to overcome the obstacles."

Claire's is set to close 700 locations, including Icing stores. If it fails to find a buyer, the brand could liquidate its remaining thousand-plus store footprint in North America.

• In a bid to avoid prison time, Sean "Diddy" Combs plans to propose his hopes to counsel abusers.
• Combs was convicted of two prostitution-related counts and faces up to 20 years in prison.
• The hip-hop mogul hopes to be an anti-domestic violence advocate, his lawyer told Business Insider.

Sean "Diddy" Combs' redemption plan includes his aspirations to become an anti-domestic violence advocate, one of his defense lawyers told Business Insider.

Combs, who was found guilty last month of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, plans to cite his hopes to counsel other domestic abusers in a bid to avoid prison.

"That's something that he actively wants to pursue in the future," defense lawyer Alexandra Shapiro said in an interview.

Combs wants to work with domestic violence programs "to help in whatever ways he can to kind of encourage other people not to do this and really to help in positive ways in the future," said Shapiro.

"The idea is that he would work with programs and be able to go in and talk to people, talk to youth, talk to others about the issue in a proactive way and be an advocate for this," Shapiro said. "And sometimes, people like him can be the best spokesperson to try to help."

Shapiro said that Combs' legal team plans to include these arguments in sentencing-related court filings to the Manhattan judge overseeing his criminal case. She said Combs will request a sentence of time-served — meaning that the time he has spent in jail awaiting trial and since would be all of the time he spends behind bars.

Combs has been locked up at a notorious Brooklyn jail since his arrest and indictment nearly one year ago. The Bad Boy Records founder has been denied bail five times, with the latest time being this week.

Though Combs skirted a possible life sentence in prison when the Manhattan federal jury cleared him of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking at his trial, he still faces up to 20 years behind bars.

The two prostitution-related counts Combs was convicted of are Mann Act charges, and each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Shapiro and other legal experts who are not involved in the case expect any sentence to be much lower than that.

"We're hopeful that the judge is going to consider these arguments that we're going to make about Sean's future, his redemption," Shapiro said. While Combs "has had struggles in the past with the domestic violence problem," he's accomplished a "tremendous amount," she said.

"He's a self-made person who's done so much," Shapiro said of the 55-year-old businessman and rapper who was once worth close to a billion dollars. "And we're hopeful that the judge will look at the whole person and consider the impact he could have in the future, the positive impact, and give him the benefit of the doubt."

At Combs' two-month trial, his defense attorneys painted him as a "complicated" and "flawed" man with a violent side, arguing that domestic violence is not sex trafficking.

The music tycoon's violent side was on full display at the trial where several women, including Combs' ex-girlfriend R&B singer Cassie Ventura, accused Combs of physical or sexual violence in, at times, emotionally-charged testimony.

Combs' jury was also shown the infamous hotel surveillance video where he was seen kicking and dragging Ventura in a Los Angeles hallway. Graphic footage of "freak off" sex encounters were played for the jury, but withheld from the public and media.

Combs' prosecution was 'overcharged and unfair,' lawyer says

Shapiro told Business Insider she believes the entire prosecution of Combs was "overcharged and unfair," adding that the Mann Act is historically never used in a situation like this.

"The history of the statute is that for basically like 75 years, the government has focused on prosecuting people with a commercial interest in a prostitution business, people who are engaged in exploiting vulnerable women and making money off them," said Shapiro. "This is night and day from that."

"We're talking about someone who's, at worst, a customer," Shapiro said of Combs, adding that the male escorts who prosecutors alleged Combs arranged to cross state lines for sex were "people who voluntarily chose to be commercial sex workers."

"They're not vulnerable, they're not exploited, they're American citizens. They could do whatever they want with their career," the defense attorney said.

These points, Shapiro said, will be part of the arguments that Combs' defense team plans to make to US District Judge Arun Subramanian, who will decide Combs' sentence at a hearing scheduled for October 3.

A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in Manhattan declined to comment.

"We're also going to be talking about some of the things that Sean has already started to do to get himself on a path to redemption, in terms of overcoming his drug addiction, working on counseling with regard to the domestic violence problem that he had in the past, and a lot of the things that he would like to do in the future," Shapiro said.

If all else fails, Combs is apparently hoping for a pardon from President Donald Trump.

Shapiro confirmed to Business Insider that members of Combs' inner circle have reached out to the Trump administration about a possible pardon.

Trump, however, recently signaled that a pardon for Combs was unlikely.

• Maxwell Lee is leaving Jain Global after less than a year as portfolio manager.
• Lee was a rising star at Bank of America, promoted to director at age 27.
• Commodities strategies have struggled in 2025, per PivotalPath data.

A rising star commodities hire at Jain Global is out after less than a year.

Former Bank of America commodities trader Maxwell Lee joined Bobby Jain's monster hedge fund launch last November as a portfolio manager, but he recently left the firm, according to people familiar with the matter.

Lee was a rising star at Bank of America, where he was promoted to director at age 27, the youngest director in the bank's commodities unit according to his Forbes 30 Under 30 bio from 2023. He held the title head of commodity and FX systematic strategy trading and was later promoted to managing director before leaving for Jain Global.

Lee did not respond to requests for comment. A Jain Global spokesperson declined to comment.

Jain Global launched to great fanfare in 2024 and had an up-and-down first year.

Commodities, run by former Macquarie exec David Hochberg, is one of Jain's seven primary business units, accounting for about 13% of its capital allocation in July, Business Insider previously reported.

The hedge fund is up 2.4% in 2025 after gaining 0.2% in July. It's not clear how Jain's commodities unit has performed.

According to industry data provider PivotalPath, commodities has been among the worst-performing hedge fund strategies globally in 2025 and over the last 12 months.

• This post originally appeared in Business Insider's Tech Memo newsletter.
• Sign up for the weekly BI Tech Memo newsletter here.

Is it just me, or does this summer feel super busy? New AI models are launching all the time. M&A dealmaking is unusually active. Funding rounds are getting done. How's your summer going? Let me know (if you have time!).

Agenda

• Apple is also getting busy, trying to catch up in AI. Which startups could it buy?

• This is one of the fastest ways to get a job offer from Meta.

• How to use a fascinating new version of ChatGPT.

Central story unit

Who's on Apple's AI shopping list?

If you're a Big Tech CEO, what's the worst way to spend a summer day? Attending a White House event as President Donald Trump rants about Jeffrey Epstein coverage while you stand there, waiting. That's gotta be up there.

I'm guessing Tim Cook had better things to do than go through this ordeal on Wednesday. He was there to stop Trump from crushing the iPhone with bigly tariffs. Much higher on his to-do list: getting Apple back in the AI game. An AI update to Siri is delayed, and the company has lost AI talent to rivals.

What happens when a huge, cash-rich company has its back against the wall? One common outcome is a flashy, strategic acquisition. These deals make a statement, and (if they work) they can catapult a company into new sectors or technologies by quickly amassing talent and intellectual property, along with new users and customers.

On a recent call with analysts, Cook dropped a major hint that this is what Apple might do in AI. "We're very open to M&A that accelerates our road map. We are not stuck on a certain size company," he said.

Apple's biggest acquisition was $3 billion, so I took Cook's "size" comment as a particularly strong hint that the company could go large here.

So, which AI startups could be on Apple's shopping list? Ben Bergman, Rebecca Torrence, and I spent this week asking bankers, venture capitalists, and analysts which M&A targets might make sense. Check out the full list below, but one that came up several times was Thinking Machines Lab, a startup run by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.

"It would be game-changing for Apple to partner with an independent, leading AI lab like Thinking Machines," said Sarah Guo, a leading venture capitalist who's backed many startups in the field, including Murati's company. "They have massive threats and opportunities across the Apple experience."

Radically improving Siri experiences with Apple's mobile data, using memory and personalization, is a huge opportunity, even if Siri has failed to keep up with the breakneck pace of AI capabilities to date, Guo noted, while stressing that Apple should partner with Thinking Machines, rather than buy the startup.

You know what they say in Silicon Valley, though. Partnerships can be a prelude to a deal.

READ MORE

News++

Other BI tech stories that caught my eye:

• Exclusive: Sorry, Microsoft employees: Your WFH days are numbered.
• The only CEO who seems to care about the internet's future.
• Exclusive: xAI has hired 14 Meta employees this year as the AI talent war rages on
• OpenAI launched GPT-5 on Thursday. Here's what it can do.
• How to get a job at Meta: Post about getting an offer from OpenAI.
• Why Silicon Valley went nuts after Lina Khan's victory lap over Figma's IPO.

Eval time

My take on who's up and down, including updates on tech jobs and compensation.

UP: You know who really knows how to take a victory lap? Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Shares of the defense tech company surged this week after it smashed through Wall Street expectations. The stock is up almost 600% in the past year.

DOWN: Airbnb slumped this week after issuing guidance that disappointed Wall Street. This stock has lost at least 15% since Brian Chesky took the company public in late 2020. So much for "Founder Mode."

TECH JOB UPDATE:

In BCG's 2025 "AI at Work" survey, employees and managers showed a significant divide in how generative AI is integrated into their work. While 85% of leaders and 78% of managers use GenAI regularly, only 51% of frontline employees reported similar use.

Concerns about job displacement due to AI remain high. However, this also differs depending on seniority. Forty-three percent of managers and leaders in BCG's survey expect their jobs will certainly or probably disappear in the next decade. For frontline workers, that number was notably lower at 36%, BCG found.

From the group chat

Other Big Tech stories I found on the interwebs:

• OpenAI just gave out juicy bonuses to fend off recruiters (The Information)
• OpenAI can probably afford it. The startup could be worth $500 billion in the secondary market (Bloomberg)
• AI labs use everyone else's data without permission, but they get grumpy when it happens to them (Wired)
• Uber under-reported sexual assault and misconduct complaints (The New York Times)
• Elon's big, new pay day (NYT)

AI playground

This is the space where I try an AI tool, or sometimes feature reader experiences. What should I do, or use, next week? Let me know.

This week, I chatted to BI reporter Katherine Li, who's been trying out Study Mode, a new version of ChatGPT for education.

Q: What were the main differences between Study Mode and the main ChatGPT tool?

Study Mode felt more proactive and conversational. When I asked if I should buy a car and briefly described my life, it introduced the concept of "being car poor" without me asking. Regular ChatGPT doesn't do that. Study Mode also gave concise bullet points instead of big paragraphs, which made things clearer and left less room for error. It also asked how I felt about the topic, not just practical things like budget or commute. For example, it asked if I'd feel anxious without a car or if I'd miss my family. When I mentioned my Uber and grocery spending, it offered a "budgeting exercise," like a thought experiment. Traditional ChatGPT would just crunch numbers if you gave it a figure.

Q: What tasks is Study Mode good for, versus the main ChatGPT?

Regular ChatGPT is fine for tasks like summarizing transcripts or proofreading a cover letter. But Study Mode shines when you want a complicated subject explained clearly, with relevant new concepts, pros and cons, and exploratory thinking. It doesn't give you a final product; it helps you create your own.

Q: Is Study Mode better for student learning?

Definitely. It explains concepts deeply and visually. Some charts reminded me of my old IB economics textbook. It balances ideal advice (like saving 20% of income) with realistic data (most Americans save 8% or less). It also has features like quizzes I haven't tried yet, which could be great for learning Spanish or exam prep. But it's no substitute for a human teacher's emotional connection.

Q: Any tips for Tech Memo readers using Study Mode?

Be open-ended. Don't just ask for facts — ask why something works, what alternatives exist, or how designs function. Like a good classroom, it's about curiosity.

User feedback

I love hearing from readers. What do you want to see more of, or less of?

Specifically, though: This week, I want to hear back about how work has interrupted your summer chillin' plans. The most gruesome stories = the best. Let me know: [email protected]

Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at [email protected].

When Charity Kreher's husband was offered a job in Puerto Rico, the couple mulled over the opportunity before coming to the same conclusion: "Why not?"

Kreher had never stepped foot on the island before she left Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her husband and two young children to start their new life in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2024. But she was excited to take the leap.

"It was like, if we don't do it, would we be kicking ourselves for not getting out of our comfort zone?" Kreher, 34, told Business Insider.

So far, life on the island has been wonderful. The Krehers have become more active as a family thanks to Puerto Rico's temperate climate and scores of scenic beaches and trails, and they've quickly built a support system in their kind and welcoming community. Maybe their kids will even end up being bilingual.

"Some things are different, but you're not left wanting, like maybe some folks would imagine," Kreher said.

With its white sand beaches, lively culture, and relatively fast flight time from the East Coast, Americans often see Puerto Rico as an easy tropical getaway that doesn't require digging up a passport. Travelers are increasingly flocking to the island: Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, in the capital municipality of San Juan, received 6.6 million passenger arrivals in 2024 — an 8% increase from the previous year, according to Discover Puerto Rico, which called the stat "record growth."

But Puerto Rico isn't satisfied with quick trips anymore. They want you to stay longer — like, forever — and are introducing favorable tax incentives and new infrastructure to make your everyday life feel like a vacation.

Room for a rebrand

Compared to the mainland states, Puerto Rico is fairly small. Its entire area — all 3,515 square miles — could fit inside Connecticut. Its estimated population, about 3.1 million people according to the 2023 US Census, is roughly comparable to the population of Iowa.

In 2022 and 2023 combined, 50,577 Americans moved to Puerto Rico. While that's not a particularly impressive statistic — the island only captured more American movers than one state, Wyoming, in 2023 — Puerto Rico has plans to better accommodate more long-term residents in the future.

An influx of Americans will require updated infrastructure to make them happy. Though cities on the northern part of the island, like Condado, Old San Juan, and Dorado, have a healthy number of Americans living in them and are generally better equipped with things like generators and cisterns, other parts of Puerto Rico are still lacking. In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave Puerto Rico a "D-" grade in infrastructure, citing issues like poor roadway conditions and inadequate energy infrastructure.

For Kreher, who lives with her family in a three-bedroom apartment in Condado, it's not a major problem. She chose their building not just for its location directly on the ocean, but because it has a backup generator, a non-negotiable for her setup as a remote worker who requires a reliable connection.

Still, the Krehers haven't been entirely immune to Puerto Rico's infrastructure issues.

"The last time we were at church, the power went out halfway through the sermon, and they didn't have a generator," Kreher said. But when these things happen, everyone takes it in stride: "You wouldn't believe how frequently the stoplights go out and how we all just know how to handle it," she added.

In 2019, Puerto Rico passed the Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act, which set a goal to reach 100% of the island's electricity needs with renewable energy by 2050. In December 2022, Congress approved $1 billion to upgrade the resilience of Puerto Rico's electric grid.

It's enough of an issue that Puerto Rico is trying to change the narrative and expand comfortable living to other parts of the island. Moncayo, a resort-style luxury development, is scheduled to open in 2027 on Puerto Rico's eastern shoreline.

Carter Redd, the developer and president of Moncayo, told Business Insider that the development was designed intentionally with a primary residential community — not vacationers — in mind. The amenities you'd expect to see at a tropical residence like golf, pickleball, and a wellness facility are all still there, but Moncayo is also enticing full-time residents with a farm, a PPK-12 international school, and a medical center.

"There are more and more people who are looking to Puerto Rico not as a weekend getaway or as a second or third home, but as a primary home community and destination," Redd said.

Moncayo isn't the only luxury development coming to the island. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Puerto Rico is set to open in late 2025 just thirty minutes from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, and the Mandarin Oriental Esencia, a residential project on 2,000 acres of the island's southwestern coast, is scheduled to open in 2028.

Taxes that aren't taxing

For some, the cost of living is an important factor in leaving the US. Though Puerto Rico isn't necessarily any cheaper than the mainland, there are some incentives that can sweeten the deal for foreigners.

Michael McCready, a 56-year-old lawyer, moved from Chicago to San Juan in January. He pays more for rent in San Juan than he did in Chicago, but his take-home pay is a lot larger thanks to Act 60, a tax incentive put in place in 2020 to lure Americans and foreigners to Puerto Rico in hopes of boosting the economy.

Act 60 gives residents a 4% income tax rate, a 75% discount on property tax, and a 100% exemption from capital gains accrued while in Puerto Rico.

Carlos Fontan, the former director at the Office of Incentives for Businesses in Puerto Rico, said Act 60 is not dissimilar to the ways different states play with tax provisions to attract residents.

"We want people in Puerto Rico who can invest in different sectors of the island, create jobs, and create opportunities," Fontan said. "It's a win-win situation for our socioeconomic framework on the island."

Fontan and Humberto Mercader, former deputy secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce, believe Act 60 will help change misconceptions about Puerto Rico as a vacation-only destination. According to the Foundation for Puerto Rico's Economy, tourism only accounted for 2% of Puerto Rico's GDP in 2022, while manufacturing accounted for 43%.

"Puerto Rico has a very strong industrial base and an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is sometimes overlooked because of the tourism," Mercader told Business Insider. "But when you think about attracting long-term residents, you're talking about bringing people who will bring their businesses here."

For movers like McCready, Puerto Rico's lifestyle advantages are what sold him. The tax incentives were the cherry on top.

"I joke to my wife and say I would live at the North Pole for these taxes," he said. "But it just happens to be an absolutely amazing place to live. Even without the tax benefits, I would still be happy here."

• I've taken two vacations on the Disney Wish from Florida to the Bahamas.
• The boat has 15 decks filled with restaurants, shops, theaters, and more.
• There are also adult-only spaces and a Disney theme park ride on board the massive ship.

If I could snap my fingers and be anywhere right now, I'd be on a Disney Wish cruise.

I took my first voyage on the ship in 2022 — my first cruise vacation — and returned the following year for a second trip.

The vessel is one of Disney's largest and most modern ships, with themed bars, an outdoor theme park ride, upscale restaurants, and more.

Here's what it's like on board.

Disney Cruise Line is known for its family-friendly ships that sail around the world.

The Wish began sailing in July 2022. The 1,119-foot ship has 15 decks and can carry 4,000 passengers at a time.

The Wish is one of Disney's largest cruise ships to date.

It's significantly longer and wider than the Disney Magic, which measures 984 feet long and can carry 2,713 passengers.

It will only be topped by the Disney Adventure, which will set sail for the first time in December.

I've taken both a 3-day trip and a 4-day vacation on the Disney Wish.

My first cruise experience was a three-day cruise on the Wish in September 2022. I was immediately blown away by how massive the ship was.

There are 15 decks on board the Disney Wish.

When you first step onto the ship, you're ushered into the Grand Hall on deck three.

This opulent main deck is inspired by Cinderella.

It has gem-encrusted banisters, a winding staircase, a stage for performances, and a balcony where you can find princesses greeting passengers.

It's also home to an intimate, adults-only piano bar called Nightingale's.

The location was inspired by Cinderella's song "Oh, Sing Sweet Nightingale." Visitors can listen to live music and order bubble-themed drinks.

If you prefer "Star Wars" over princesses, you'll want to visit the Hyperspace Lounge.

The space-inspired bar is open to all travelers during the day, but becomes an adult-exclusive spot after 9 p.m.

My favorite bar was called The Bayou.

Inspired by "The Princess and the Frog," the bar is the ultimate place to listen to live music, order beignets, and enjoy special drinks.

In between drinks, you can browse an array of high-end stores.

The various shops sell handbags, diamond jewelry, and other luxury items.

The elevators that bring you between decks are surprisingly luxurious.

You stand on princess-themed carpets outside, and then enter to find gold-flaked mirrors and marble floors.

Twice a day, the Walt Disney Theatre hosts Broadway-level performances.

On the Wish, that includes productions of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." You can't take photos during the shows, but they're both visually stunning and fun to attend.

Outside the Walt Disney Theatre, you can purchase snacks like soda and popcorn.

During my trip, each bucket cost $3. You could also buy a popcorn bucket for a higher price and get cheaper refills.

One of the ship's rotational dining restaurants, 1923, is also found on deck three.

The location is inspired by Disney animation and the start of the Walt Disney Company. Inside, you'll find character sketches, movie props, and more.

When you head up to deck four, you'll find guest services.

There was usually a long line during my trip, but it moved quickly.

While you're waiting, you can enjoy beverages from the Wishing Star Café.

The tiny coffee spot is subtly inspired by "Pinocchio" both in name and decor.

Next door is a salon for young travelers: the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

There, children can get makeovers to look like princesses, princes, or ship captains.

Travelers of all ages can go to Luna for fun activities.

The lounge offers family-friendly activities during the day and games like bingo for adults at night. We also attended an adults-only silent disco there, which was a highlight of our trip.

Or you can visit one of two movie theaters to watch newly-released Disney movies.

One theater is inspired by "Alice in Wonderland," and the other is "Peter Pan"-themed.

One of the ship's main restaurants is also on deck four.

Called Worlds of Marvel, the interactive spot offers food from Marvel movies, an appearance from Ant-Man, and more unique experiences.

On deck five, you can stop by the Enchanted Sword Café for a treat.

It's set up exactly like the Wishing Star Café, but with a "The Sword in the Stone" theme.

Or you can stop by Mickey's Mainsail, a massive gift shop.

During both of my trips on board the Wish, I found clothes, children's toys, collectible pins, toiletries, and holiday merchandise, among other products.

My favorite spot on this deck was Keg & Compass.

The nautical bar was created with so many fun details, like Disney-themed maps on the ceilings and wood-carved portholes.

For dinner on deck five, you'll experience a one-of-a-kind restaurant called Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure.

The space looks exactly like the setting of the beloved movie, and fan-favorite characters like Elsa sing as you dine. Between the food and entertainment, it's my favorite restaurant on board.

Decks six through 10 are where you'll find staterooms.

I stayed in the least expensive room, which cost $2,707.52 and had no window.

Our room measured 169 square feet.

It had a lifted queen bed, pullout couch, closet, vanity, and TV, among other amenities. I loved the small space.

Even our bathroom was nice.

It had a decent-sized tub, brightly lit walls, and a good amount of shelf space.

My favorite part of the stateroom decks was the art that lined the walls.

Each floor had pieces from different movies, like "The Princess and the Frog" and "The Little Mermaid."

During a walking tour of the ship, an employee said more than 4,000 pieces from artists around the world were on board.

Deck 11 is the place to go when you want a dip in the pool.

Fair warning, though, the pools were always crowded when I visited. I never went in, but they did look fun.

The pools face a giant outdoor TV screen, which, when I visited, played movies like "Cruella" and "Halloweentown."

I often found people watching Disney movies while lounging in the nearby pools.

The spot I visited most on deck 11 was the Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods market.

At its various food stands, you could get everything from personal pizzas to barbecue — all included in your trip fare.

For dessert, I'd visit the "Inside Out"-inspired spot Joyful Sweets.

There, you can buy pastries, ice cream, and some candy. I indulged in all of the above and thought they were all delicious.

If you want to switch things up, Marceline Market is another breakfast and lunch option.

There were more food options here, but the hours were more limited, so I only ate at Marceline Market once each trip.

There are smaller pools on deck 12.

Though you can see them from the lower level, they're technically on a different deck. These tiny pools were often crowded during open hours.

This deck is also where you'll find the Hero Zone activity center.

The indoor spot offers an inflatable, "Incredibles"-themed obstacle course multiple times per day. Children and adults can partake.

I can tell you from experience, the course is more intense than it looks.

The Rose is an elegant "Beauty and the Beast"-themed bar.

It offers stunning ocean views during the day and a cozy, romantic vibe at night.

If you're looking for a thrill, head up to deck 13 for the AquaMouse.

The attraction is Disney's first theme park ride on a cruise ship. It's a quick ride, but lots of fun.

Adults can get away at the Cove Café and the adjacent pool.

There was a lot of private seating in this section, so my sister and I enjoyed a drink here away from children and families on board.

The only decks I didn't visit were one, two, and 15.

The lowest level is home to the health clinic, and the second has a nursery and children's club, which you can access by stairs or slide.

The 15th deck, on the other hand, is reserved for those who book the luxury Tower Suite, which can cost upward of $30,000 per trip.

Overall, the Disney Wish is huge, with countless spots to explore.

After spending three days on board, you might just feel like you want three more to experience everything.

• I have three kids, ages 9, 7, and 5, so back-to-school season can sometimes feel like a second job.
• Over the years, I've learned that blocking my calendar and checking it the weekend prior can help.
• This article is part of "The Working Parents Back-to-School Survival Guide," a series of real-life tips for navigating the school season.

When I worked in a fast-paced corporate leadership role, years ago, the transition from summer to school felt like a jolt to the system. It was like adding a full-time job on top of my actual one.

Even now, as a business owner with a more flexible schedule, I still feel the shift. The logistics, decisions, emotions, school emails, and supply runs pile up quickly.

I'm a life, leadership, and career coach for working parents with three daughters of my own, ages 9, 7, and 5.

Over time, I've learned practical strategies that help both me and my clients navigate the back-to-school season with less stress and more intention.

Here are six tips that can help lighten the mental load and set you and your family up for a smoother start to the school year.

1. Start blocking your calendar now

Many school calendars are already out, and fall activity signups are in full swing.

Block out time for key school and activity events like back-to-school night, early dismissals, or weekday games. Identify which dates conflict with key work meetings, deadlines, or travel, and put a plan in place.

If you'll need backup care or carpools, coordinate those early. If a future conflict is likely but not yet solvable, set a calendar reminder four to six weeks out so you can revisit the need. You'll thank yourself later for the proactive reminder.

2. Do a weekly preview

I like to take 15 minutes either at the end of the workweek on a Friday afternoon or on a quiet Sunday morning to preview what's coming up and what actions need to be taken.

This quick reset helps me reduce weekday stress because I can make thoughtful decisions ahead of time before I'm in the thick of it.

I also recommend to clients to loop in your partner, childcare provider, and your kids to prevent all tasks from landing on your shoulders. A short weekly conversation can save you hours of miscommunication, confusion, or last-minute scrambling.

3. Use visual and shared systems

Clear systems help my home run more smoothly and reduce the number of questions and decisions I have to ask and answer on a daily basis.

For example, we use a large chalkboard to display each child's after-school schedule and what they need to pack for the day.

This weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack.

My husband and I also sync our work and home commitments through a shared Google Calendar.

These systems reduce missed appointments, lost or forgotten items, and the need to constantly repeat yourself. Most importantly, they distribute the mental load so it doesn't fall on one person.

Our 3 go-to items for back-to-school

• Daily alarms: I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus.
• Reusable Bento lunchboxes: These make packing healthy, varied lunches easier (and eliminate the hunt for matching lids).
• Family chalkboard: A weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack.

4. Automate and simplify

Let technology support you. Aim to get tasks out of your brain and on to paper or in a calendar.

For example, I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus. It keeps us on track in the mornings without me needing to be the clock-watcher. A bonus is that it builds my kids' independence, too.

I also like to set calendar notifications that ping me on the weekends for things that require action later that week, like buying a birthday gift or sending in school supplies. That way, I get nudged on a weekend, not in the middle of a busy workday.

The fewer things you need to remember in the moment, the lighter you'll feel.

5. Make decisions ahead of time

Apply "decide once" thinking. Batch decisions wherever you can to reduce mental fatigue.

Pick out outfits for the week on Sunday. Prep backpacks and lunches the night before. Create themed dinner nights, like "Meatless Monday" and "Taco Tuesday," to reduce nightly meal planning.

For lunch prep, I prefer these reusable Bento lunchboxes because they make packing healthy, varied lunches easier and eliminate the hunt for matching lids.

These routines streamline hectic moments and can give you more mental space for what truly matters.

6. Progress over perfection

Above all, I encourage my clients to embrace the power of "progress over perfection."

Give yourself permission to skip the picture-perfect lunchboxes or color-coded calendars. Instead, build rhythms that actually work for your life, not someone else's highlight reel.

With a few simple systems and a little foresight, this season can feel far more manageable, less stressful, and even enjoyable.

• Kevin O'Leary dismissed a comparison between the AI boom and the dot-com bubble.
• The "Shark Tank" investor told Business Insider that AI generates measurable savings.
• He also said that "everybody got it wrong" on the impact of tariffs on the economy.

The AI boom isn't going to collapse like the dot-com bubble, investor Kevin O'Leary told Business Insider.

Many people, including Nobel economist Paul Krugman, fund manager Bill Smead, and entrepreneurship professor Erik Gordon, have compared the fervor around AI to internet buzz in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which ended with a stock-market crash.

But the "Shark Tank" investor and chair of O'Leary Ventures said AI wasn't "the same hype that the internet bubble was, because today, you actually can see the productivity and measure it on a dollar-by-dollar basis."

O'Leary gave the example of Fly Guys, a drone company he's invested in. Other companies can commission it to scan the tops of their buildings and deliver "AI-ready aerial imagery" to identify problems and automatically create work orders for them.

"That saves millions of dollars" for companies like Walmart or Home Depot with large commercial footprints, O'Leary said.

He added that such savings from AI may offset tariff costs and support high valuations for stocks.

Whether that's the case should be revealed in earnings over the next 12 to 18 months, he said.

O'Leary thinks tariffs aren't the threat many thought

Stocks plunged after Trump unveiled his plans for tariffs on "Liberation Day" in early April, but have since rebounded to record highs.

The recovery shows why investors should stay in the market during downturns "even though it's nerve-racking and nail-biting," O'Leary said.

The celebrity investor and self-proclaimed "Mr. Wonderful" said it can be costly to panic and dump stocks, adding he has seen investors miss out by doing this "over and over again."

He added that if an investor cashed out during April's sell-off, they missed the sort of returns they might expect over three years in just 88 trading sessions.

The S&P has gained around 27% from its low on April 8, and is around 12% higher than its level before the slump, far above the market's long-term annual return of about 7%.

The bounceback reflects greater "clarity" over tariffs, O'Leary said, adding some were "very manageable" at 10% to 15% for trade partners such as the EU. The latest rates range from 10% for the UK to 41% for Syria.

The SoftKey founder, who sold The Learning Company to Mattel in 1999, said that he would have expected to see evidence by now if tariffs were going to reignite inflation or cause a recession.

The benchmark consumer price index rose only 0.2% in April, 0.1% in May, and 0.3% in June on a seasonally adjusted basis.

He said the fear that tariffs would lead to "input costs killing gross margin" hasn't been realized yet, and US consumers also look to be in good shape.

He called it a "remarkable situation" as "basically, everybody got it wrong" on the impact of tariffs on the economy.

O'Leary said that he and his business managers were loading up on inventory in preparation for a busy holiday season. "So that gives you some indication, we're net bullish," he said.

• Apple risks a 'BlackBerry Moment' if it doesn't embrace AI, a usually bullish analyst warns.
• BlackBerry's decline was due to its failure to pivot fast when a new tech wave arrived.
• Apple may be facing similarly difficult choices, as generative AI remakes the tech industry.

Do you remember the BlackBerry? If you're younger than 30, you probably think I'm talking about the fruit.

Nope. The BlackBerry was by far the most popular smartphone 20 years ago. Back in the mid-2000s, everyone used and loved its QWERTY keyboard and the ability to get emails instantly. Gasp!

They were actually really cool. I loved mine, and I was late to trade it for a new device called the Apple iPhone. You may have heard of this one!

BlackBerry was among the most valuable companies in the world and the pride of Canada, where it was founded. The stock peaked at more than $140 in May 2008, then plunged as consumers adopted the iPhone en masse over the ensuing years. BlackBerry shares trade at about $3.65 these days. That's epic value destruction of more than 97%.

What went so wrong? BlackBerry had an amazingly profitable existing business. Competing with Apple would have meant throwing away this formula for success and probably cratering revenue and income. It's very hard for a public company to pivot radically like this. Shareholders don't like it — they want steadily growing income, not wild swings and big risky bets.

So, BlackBerry stuck to its guns for a few years, and by the time it had to change, it was too late: Everyone was already addicted to their iPhones, not their "CrackBerries" (as BlackBerries used to be called).

Apple won the mobile revolution, hands down. Its stock has risen more than 3,000% since May 2008, and is now worth $3.33 trillion.

A new tech revolution has begun, though. Generative artificial intelligence is remaking the industry in radical ways, and there's concern among some on Wall Street that Apple could be facing its own "BlackBerry Moment" now.

This catchy phrase was in the title of a new research note on Friday by Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush Securities.

In a striking departure from his typically bullish tone, Ives issued a stark warning to Apple: Move aggressively into AI or risk becoming the next BlackBerry.

While rivals such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon surge ahead in AI innovation, Ives said Apple is "on a park bench drinking lemonade," watching, rather than getting in the race.

With 2.4 billion iOS devices and 1.5 billion iPhones in circulation, the company holds an unparalleled platform, but it risks squandering that lead without a bold AI play, Ives wrote.

The analyst outlined three strategic imperatives for Apple to avoid a BlackBerry moment:

• Acquire Perplexity: The AI-native search engine startup could serve as a cornerstone of a revitalized Siri. Ives called Perplexity's tech "some of the most impressive in the AI world" and argued a +$30 billion acquisition would be a small price relative to Apple's potential AI monetization upside. ("We are unaware of any M&A discussions that involve Perplexity," a spokesperson for the startup said.)
• Bring in AI Talent from the Outside: Apple's innovation pace has stagnated, Ives said, comparing recent product launches to reruns of "Back to the Future." He urged Apple to shake up its executive ranks with outside AI leaders, warning that the current team, including Tim Cook, is running in place.
• Double Down on Google's Gemini: Despite regulatory headwinds, Ives believes Apple must fully embrace Google's Gemini AI chatbot for deep integration into the iPhone ecosystem. OpenAI is not a viable long-term partner, he said, and time is running out for Apple to place its bets.

When Apple fanboys get upset at their beloved company, it's time to pay close attention.

The message is clear: Cupertino must stop watching the AI party from afar and start leading it. (I asked Apple for comment on all this on Friday. It didn't respond.)

Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at [email protected].

• I worked at Trader Joe's for three years and tried many products from premade meals to quick snacks.
• Now, I still return to buy my favorite easy weeknight dinners and pantry staples.
• I always stock up on overnight oats, chicken nuggets, dolmas, and coconut water.

Some Trader Joe's items are impossible to resist. Trust me, I used to work there.

Even after three years acquainting myself with products behind the scenes (and meeting my significant other in the process!), I still keep coming back for some of my favorite groceries, from customer favorites to hidden gems.

As someone who is neurodivergent, I tend to look for quick, frozen staples and easy-to-make meals. I don't often cook fancy dishes unless I'm feeling particularly inspired — for instance, if I just found an enticing recipe on TikTok.

Luckily for me, Trader Joe's has a wealth of products that make for simple (and affordable!) meals. These are the 10 that I can't live without.

I always stock up on cold brew coffee bags.

I drink coffee year-round, but in the summer months, cold brew is essential.

Trader Joe's usually only sells these bags during the summer, so I buy them whenever they're available. They come in packs of four. I just steep two bags in about 7 cups of water overnight in the fridge, and I'm set for days.

Over the summer, I almost always keep a pitcher of cold brew in my fridge — and I find this is much more cost-effective than buying a bottle or jug.

Trader Joe's overnight oats are my go-to for a quick breakfast.

I've tried overnight oats from several brands and found many to be either too mushy or too sweet. These, however, are perfect.

Whenever I go on a Trader Joe's trip, I'll grab a few to keep in my fridge for early mornings. There are several flavors I love, but I always look forward to the pumpkin one that's stocked in the fall.

I always buy this horchata-inspired ice cream, which nails the flavor of the classic Mexican drink.

Trader Joe's horchata-inspired ice cream is creamy, cinnamon-y, and has just the right amount of cookie pieces (my weakness).

This is another product that's only around in the summer months, so whenever I see it in the freezer case, I don't hesitate to add it to my cart.

Trader Joe's dolmas are one of my favorite pantry staples.

A customer once convinced me to try Trader Joe's dolmas, and I've been hooked ever since. You can eat these little grape leaf-wrapped rice rolls right out of the can!

They're packed in soybean oil and make a great snack or side dish with hummus or tzatziki.

I always buy Norwegian sourdough rye chips to pair with tuna salad.

I first tried this combo after a customer recommended it.

The rye chips add the perfect crunch and saltiness to any creamy tuna salad, and they're thick enough that they don't break easily.

Trader Joe's refrigerated chicken nuggets are the ultimate work-from-home lunch hack.

These chicken nuggets crisp up quickly in the air fryer and are easy to eat as a quick meal or snack.

Sometimes, I toss them on a salad for extra protein. They have saved me from ordering takeout more times than I can count — and the spicy ones are great, too.

The frozen hashbrowns are a cult favorite, and I've come to understand why.

When I worked at Trader Joe's, customers would constantly ask if these were back in stock. I didn't understand the hype … until I tried them.

Now, I always keep a box in my freezer. They crisp up perfectly in the air fryer and make a great base for avocado "toast" with a fried egg.

The squiggly knife-cut-style noodles are a delicious alternative to instant ramen.

Compared to other instant noodles I've tried, these have a chewy, bouncy texture that I love. Also, don't get me started on the sauce — it's spicy, garlicky, and nutty in the best way.

I always keep a few packs on hand for lazy lunches or late-night snacks.

Matua sauvignon blanc is my favorite chilled wine from Trader Joe's.

A coworker introduced me to this crisp, not-too-sweet white wine from New Zealand, and it's been a staple ever since. I highly recommend chilling it in the fridge.

Also, a pro tip: Look for the snowflake on the label, which turns blue when perfectly chilled.

I'm terrible at staying hydrated, but these coconut waters help.

As someone who lives off coffee, I'm always looking for ways to stay hydrated.

Trader Joe's organic coconut water is refreshing, not too sweet, and not too pricey. I always make sure my fridge is well-stocked.