• Many of the world's secrets, from individual finances to national security, rely on encryption.
• Major developments in quantum computing call for new security procedures, researchers told BI.
• Quantum computers could end encryption as we know it and risk geopolitical instability.

As Donald Trump prepares to take office, he's leaning into his self-proclaimed title of "crypto president," launching his own official meme coin and working on a potential federal reserve of bitcoin.

Crypto holdings are widely regarded as ultra-secure due to the blockchain they are traded on. The high value of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, worth over $100,000 each at the time of publication, could serve as a hedge against inflation or pay down the national debt.

Recent advancements in quantum computing could undermine that security — and a whole lot more — two researchers on the advanced technology explained to Business Insider.

"What we're talking about is the possibility of a hack, not just into individual cryptocurrencies, but our larger financial markets," Arthur Herman, director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative at Hudson Institute, said.

Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving technology that combines the disciplines of computer science, mathematics, and quantum mechanics to solve more complex problems more quickly than is possible through classical computing.

Where classical computing uses binary digits — 0s and 1s, called bits — to represent information, quantum computing relies on the quantum equivalent of bits, called qubits, which are represented by a superposition of multiple states, such as 0, 1, or a combination of both.

Qubits themselves are unstable, and it's difficult to predict their behavior. They behave differently when observed, making measuring their state challenging, and require specific conditions such as low light or extremely cold environments to replicate results reliably and without errors. The errors become especially pronounced, and the qubits behavior less reliable, when scaling the computing power up using additional qubits — making advancement in the field slowgoing.

A qubit's capacity to exist in multiple states at once, like a spinning coin appearing to show both heads and tails simultaneously, allows quantum computers to quickly calculate equations with multiple solutions and perform advanced computations that would be impossible for classical computers.

Researchers in the field agree that the previously unsolvable computations could help discover new drugs, develop new chemical compounds, break our current encryption methods, and reverse the pseudonymity of the blockchain.

Supercomputers: 10 septillion years behind

Last month, Google unveiled Willow, its new quantum chip, which represents a major advancement in commercial quantum computing. The company says Willow can perform a standard benchmark computation, an industry-accepted calculation used to measure the performance of quantum computers, in under five minutes — a task that would take the current fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete. That's 10 followed by 24 zeroes, a timeframe that exceeds the age of the universe.

Willow also solves a challenge related to correcting errors in the qubits' behavior while scaling the computing power up, which has plagued the industry for 30 years. Other private companies, like IBM and Microsoft, allies like France, and adversaries including Russia and China, are also working to develop the tech.

Karl Holmqvist has served as a quantum security advisor to major government bodies, including the Department of Defense and NATO. He is the CEO of Lastwall, which provides cybersecurity solutions designed to protect users from quantum computing threats. Holmqvist said that while the timeframe for creating a large, fully functional quantum computer — compared to the midsize versions with still unreliable qubit behavior we have now — remains unclear, the things such a device will be able to do when the technology becomes more stable are starting to come into focus.

"A really concerning thing is that, right now, when we store personal information, we encrypt that data, and we often encrypt it with systems that use public key cryptography — and that's what quantum computers may come to actually break," Holmqvist said. "So we have to think of all the databases and all the systems that have records of what we do, and there is a problem for privacy."

It's not just basic data privacy or the risk of personal financial details becoming public. Encrypted data, from national security secrets to the blockchain and beyond, will be readily accessible and, more worryingly, manipulatable by anyone with a quantum-capable system.

"When you start peeling back the layers, it's like anything that's internet-connected will likely have problems," Holmqvist said. "A lot of the time, we trust that the links between systems are secure and the data that's gone between them is secure, and there's no way to get into those that they're encrypted. If you take away that default assumption, it allows so many new entry points into systems that it becomes quite concerning."

Herman, the director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative, told BI that a hack from a quantum computer would be "totally stealth" due to a quantum machine's potential ability to lay bare encryption and operate inside computer systems without leaving a trace, meaning a bad actor could cause "catastrophic" damage without being detected.

"It's not a situation like with a conventional hacker, where he breaks into one system, into one bank or one cryptocurrency exchange, and then when he's finished with one, has to move on to the next," Herman said. "Once you've cracked one system, you've cracked them all, and you can help yourself, almost instantaneously, to whatever assets or moneys you want."

Herman said the race to achieve reliable quantum computing mirrors the nuclear arms race, but officials aren't taking the risk nearly as seriously as he thinks they should.

"From the point of view of where we stand in our competition with Russia and particularly China, the race to a quantum computer should be one of the major factors and threats that we want to be able to deter," Herman said. "But it's also a challenge that we want to come out on top of and be the first ones with a quantum computer because, ultimately, that'll be the real deterrence to this kind of threat: If you try to do it to us, then we can do it with even more devastating effect on you."

• On March 4, 1925, nearly 100 years ago, President Calvin Coolidge was inaugurated for a second time.
• He served a partial term beginning in 1923 after the death of President Warren G. Harding.
• Coolidge's inauguration was the first to be broadcast live on the radio, with 22.8 million listeners.

On January 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated for his second non-consecutive term as president in a tradition as old as the United States itself.

Nearly 100 years ago, President Calvin Coolidge took the same oath of office outside the Capitol. His inauguration was the first to be broadcast live on the radio, and he did not host any inaugural balls as part of his efforts to curb excessive government spending.

In honor of the coming inauguration, here's a look back at what the celebrations looked like a century ago.

President Calvin Coolidge, first lady Grace Coolidge, Vice President Charles Dawes, and second lady Caro Dawes posed together at the White House before leaving for the inauguration.

Calvin Coolidge served a partial term beginning in 1923 after the death of President Warren G. Harding and was reelected in 1924.

Charles Dawes was chosen as Coolidge's vice presidential nominee at the 1924 Republican National Convention.

Onlookers lined the streets of Washington, DC, to catch a glimpse of the president.

Calvin Coolidge and Grace Coolidge rode to the inauguration in a convertible automobile accompanied by a mounted honor guard and cavalry escort.

At a press conference ahead of the inauguration, Calvin Coolidge said he intended for the event to be "moderate in its proportions and moderate in its expenditures." He saved the joint Congressional Inaugural Committee $16,000 by reducing the size of the parade and the amount of security, stands, and decorations, according to the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Vendors sold souvenir buttons to commemorate the event.

The buttons featured the faces of Calvin Coolidge and Charles Dawes. Today, the mementos are rare collectibles.

Crowds gathered outside the Capitol to watch the inauguration.

Around 30,000 people attended the 1925 inauguration, UPI reported.

Chief Justice and former President William Howard Taft administered the oath of office — the first time a former president swore in another president.

Grace Coolidge did not hold the Bible for her husband's swearing-in ceremony. In 1964, Lady Bird Johnson became the first incoming first lady to hold the Bible for her husband, Lyndon B. Johnson.

In his inaugural address, Calvin Coolidge spoke about the need to cut taxes and reduce wasteful government spending.

"The men and women of this country who toil are the ones who bear the cost of the government," he said. "Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Every dollar that we prudently save means that their life will be so much the more abundant."

Coolidge's inauguration was the first to be broadcast live on the radio. Around 22.8 million listeners tuned in.

The ceremony was broadcast across the country over AT&T telephone wires. Photos of the event were also sent to newsrooms via wire photography transmissions. From Washington, DC, it took seven minutes for photos to reach New York City and an hour to reach Los Angeles, according to the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Calvin Coolidge did not throw or attend any inaugural balls, though some private charity balls were held in his honor.

The United States Navy Band Orchestra performed at a charity inaugural ball held in honor of Calvin Coolidge at the Mayflower Hotel, even though the president himself wasn't in attendance.

• I went to Culver's, Freddy's, and Sonic to see which chain has the best fries in the Midwest.
• All three serve different styles, so there's something for everyone on this list.
• Freddy's fries were beautifully thin and crispy, which is just how I like them.

^ Pick one of those chains to link! (Or we can link a chain later and link "best fries in the Midwest" instead if we have something relevant)

I love french fries, but there are so many different varieties out there that I think it's hard to name an objective winner.

Despite this challenge, I ordered fries at three popular Midwest chains — Culver's, Freddy's, and Sonic — to see which one served my favorite fast-food side.

Here's how the fries stacked up.

First, I drove through Sonic.

Sonic started as a single restaurant in Oklahoma in the 1950s and has since grown to over 3,500 locations across 47 states.

I ran out to get my fries at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, and I was able to drive right up to the speaker without waiting.

My medium fry cost $3.25. Despite being the most expensive of the bunch, the container appeared to have the least amount of food.

Sonic's fries have been upgraded since the last time I got them.

If you haven't been to Sonic in a while, it might be time to swing through and get yourself some fries. Last year, the chain released its Groovy Fries — crinkle-cut potatoes with a crispy surface akin to the chain's famous tots.

They're quite different from the Sonic fries I remember.

Maybe the idea of having to choose between tots and fries was too much for people. Whatever the case, the fries had a great crunch, even if they were a bit nontraditional.

The ridges are also supposedly ideal for picking up dipping sauces, which I could see as a plus.

Next, I ran down the street to Culver's.

Since opening in the 1980s, Culver's has become an old-reliable in the Midwest. The Wisconsin-based chain, which now operates out of 26 states, is known for its Butterburgers, cheese curds, and frozen custard.

Even on a Sunday morning, it was hopping. The parking lot and drive-thru were both packed.

My medium fry from Culver's cost $2.74 and was the only one served in a paper bag instead of a cardboard container. However, I seemed to have gotten a few more fries than I received at Sonic, so I was content.

Culver's is great if you like a thick-cut fry.

If you like potato wedges, these may be your top choice. Culver's crinkle-cut fries have a similar soft, creamy interior with a thin outer layer.

Some of my fries had nice crispy edges, but unfortunately, they were few and far between.

However, I let the inconsistency in texture slide a little since the fries are so thick — noticeably larger than the other two — which I bet makes the cooking process more difficult.

I swung through Freddy's last before heading home.

Freddy's hasn't been around as long as the other chains — it was founded in 2002 — but it's expanded far beyond its humble beginnings in Wichita, Kansas. It now serves cheese curds, onion rings, and frozen custard in 500 locations across 36 states.

There were a few other Sunday morning customers and diners, but I easily placed my order and patiently waited for my food.

Freddy's medium fries come in an upright container — the biggest of the three — and it seemed absolutely overloaded. For $3.09, I was pleased with the generous portion.

Freddy's stood out from its competitors.

Visually, Freddy's thin fries are very different from the crinkle-cut ones I got at the other chains.

They tasted ever-so-lightly seasoned and almost had a shoestring texture. I'd say they're slightly thinner than a McDonald's fry.

Best of all, each one was delightfully crunchy, just how I like it.

All of these options were solid, but Freddy's fries were my favorite.

There is truly a french fry for everyone on this list. Although it's difficult to crown one singular winner, I think their distinctions are interesting to note.

Freddy's was my favorite, and if you're also a fan of consistently crispy, shoestring fries, it'll likely be yours as well.

However, if you prefer a thicker wedge-like fry, Culver's is probably your best bet.

Sonic kind of fell into its own unique category, but I guess if you can't decide between a tot and a fry, you now know where to go.

Ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon said he sees the presence of billionaire CEOs and tech moguls at President-elect Trump's inaugural events as a white flag of surrender from "the oligarchs."

Why it matters: The conservative media firebrand, a leading MAGA voice, has already noted his dissent against Trump's alignment with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk — but the president-elect has seemingly sided with the world's richest man.

• "I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day," Bannon said in a recent interview with Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, characterizing Musk as a "truly evil guy."

Driving the news: "They're there as supplicants," Bannon said on ABC's "This Week" of Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos attending Trump's inauguration. "They're not there as the oligarchs."

• He continued, "I look at this and I think most people in our movement look at this as President Trump broke the oligarchs, he broke them and they surrendered."
• Bannon, who was released from prison in October after serving a four-month sentence on contempt of Congress charges, characterized Zuckerberg as "a criminal."
• Zuckerberg, who once banned Trump from his platforms following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, is set to cohost a reception Monday with other billionaire GOP donors for Trump's inauguration, the AP reported.
• "That guy will flip on President Trump and he'll flip on us in the second," he contended about Zuckerberg. "When it's convenient for him. He will flip."

Zoom out: Zuckerberg is just one of several big-name tech leaders who will attend Trump's inaugural events — and who made large donations for the inauguration.

• After a stream of CEOs stopped by Mar-a-Lago following Trump's election victory, the president-elect declared "everybody wants to be my friend."
• But Bannon sees it differently: "[T]hey're trying to get a landing slot to get in there and be a supplicant."

Go deeper: Scoop: Apple CEO Tim Cook donates $1 million to Trump inauguration

• We like exploring off the beaten track places as a family.
• Arctic Norway offers nature experiences you can't find anywhere else.
• The best thing about it was the chance it gave us to appreciate small things and connect with each other.

I think a lot about what makes a great family holiday. The travel industry can give you the impression that travel with kids should involve bright colors, ice creams and sandy beaches, but one size does not fit all.

I'm a travel writer and a mom of two, and I've refined what I need on holiday to a fine art: time away from work, nature, a chance to do things I love, including swimming and reading, and some new things to do and new people to meet as well. Location — and sunshine — aren't always as important for me as the opportunity to do these things.

I also accommodate the family's needs and wants for family holidays. My husband likes to cook; the kids like to play and meet new people too. Some kind of physical activity seems to work well: in previous years, we've swum our way around Iceland and hiked the coastal paths of Italy. This year, we took off to an Arctic island in Norway for a week of screen-free solitude — and loved it.

We went to Arctic Norway

We stayed in a nine-room hotel on a tiny, rocky, car-free island west of Bodø in Arctic Norway. It's the ultimate in-nature getaway, a place where you can hear yourself think, watch sea eagles soar, and enjoy solitude. Hosted by the owner, a musician, and his manager, a poet, nothing is planned and the simplicity is the treat. You can walk to the end of the island and back in the morning and still have time for a coffee before lunch; it's safe, and you don't need to constantly apply sunscreen or insect repellent. Of course, it's not somewhere to pick up a tan either.

Reaching the hotel took us a while, but that's all part of the adventure. It's a flight from Copenhagen to Oslo, then Oslo to Bodø, and then a two-hour ferry from Bodø to the island. As a metropolitan family, like many these days, the chance to immerse ourselves completely in nature is special. The quiet is intense, and the most activity we saw was one Saturday when waffles were served at the local community house, something that the kids loved. We also had communal dinners with the other delightful guests, and one night included musicians from the Arctic Philharmonic.

My kids brought things to keep them entertained

My daughters, ages 10 and 14, brought books, games, and toys to play with and spent time having fun together, running up and down the one hill and looking for globe-shaped sea urchin shells in the clear water. It was a welcome break from being stuck on screens for all of us: here, the biggest screen is the picture window in the lounge, from which you can gaze out at waves, hope to see orca, and spot sea otters floating on their backs.

We spent our days not doing much — getting up late, walking up the hill, swimming in the sea, and fishing. The kids made art with the artist who lives next to the hotel, making beautiful black and white prints that now hang on our walls, and I read books while my husband cooked. The hotel is laid across several cabins, so everyone has privacy and a space to eat together in the kitchen.

We connected with nature

Summer in the Arctic is a time for viewing the midnight sun: it's a time when the sun barely sinks below the horizon before it is up again. From my bedroom, I watched the sun sink behind a neighboring island one night and paint a neon pink stripe in the sky. The phenomenon means that days seem to last forever. They blur into one and make the tempo drop, something we were really craving.

One day, I sat on the dock with my youngest daughter and we watched as hundreds of comb jellies swam by, tiny iridescent jellyfish rippling with bioluminescence, said to be a relic of the last ice age. Beside them, blowsy orange jellyfish trailed their long fronds, and an Arctic Tern dove into the water with a sharp splash, reappearing with a small silver fish. We noticed the little things and were amazed.

It was also a bittersweet holiday: I know it might be one of our last perfect family holidays. It's hard to keep everybody happy, and parents of older teens tell me that teenage holidays can be particularly tough.

Meeting people your own age and being able to be in constant contact with your friends becomes more important than tiny moments watching wildlife as a family, and I understand that. I remember what it was like to be dragged on family holidays myself, and am already thinking about what a good holiday for teenagers could look like.

Laura Hall is a travel journalist specializing in Scandinavia and the Arctic. Follow her stories in Modern Scandinavian on Substack.

• Josh Nichols commutes from Michigan to Chicago weekly for his analyst job at United Airlines.
• Nichols benefits from United's flight privileges, allowing standby travel for his commute.
• Supercommuting enhances Nichols' work-life balance, enabling him to live in Michigan.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Josh Nichols, a 25-year-old from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who regularly commutes to Chicago for his job as a senior analyst at United Airlines. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I live in Michigan and my office is in Chicago. I work on customer strategy and innovation as a senior analyst for United Airlines, and our department is hybrid. For the most part, we are in office Tuesday and Wednesday, and sometimes on Thursday, every single week. It's really nice to have that bit of flexibility.

When I first started the job I lived in Chicago for two years. But I hate Chicago with a passion. There's so much traffic, it was expensive, it was noisy.

I had heard several colleagues were doing supercommuting. Just thinking about the quality of life that I have back home in Michigan versus the quality of life that I had in Chicago, the decision was pretty clear.

After talking with my management and coming to a mutual understanding that they would give me the green light to leave the city but that I would still need to come into the office, it was a no-brainer.

I'm very thankful that our team is flexible in that regard. My leadership team is very understanding and very accommodating. But I also think that it might be a different story if I weren't a hard worker or if they had to keep close track of what I'm doing.

Flying from Detroit to Chicago

I normally take a 6 a.m. flight from Detroit that lands at Chicago O'Hare also around 6 a.m. due to the time difference. After boarding, I usually fall right to sleep and wake up in Chicago.

I have a United Club card, so on arrival, I will go there and have some breakfast, and then take the subway into downtown to our office at Willis Tower.

I'll work in the office all day Tuesday, spend the night in Chicago, and work all day in the office on Wednesday. Then I usually take the 7 p.m. flight from Chicago back to Michigan. Sometimes I'll stay another day and catch the same evening flight on Thursday.

As for where I stay, it's a good balance between friends and just getting hotel rooms. I have some very, very generous friends that I am very thankful for who allow me to be their local couch potato. Often I'll buy them dinner or we'll just hang out. If I stay in a hotel I usually get one by the airport because it's cheaper and then I'll commute back and forth on the train.

I use my flight privileges as a United employee

Because I am choosing to live outside of Chicago, I can't use our company-provided flights to commute in, and the company does not pay for my hotel stays or transportation to and from the airport.

Instead I fly standby with our flight privileges, which is where employees can fly for free if there's a seat available and you're senior enough to get it. On Monday night I have a general idea of how the flights look for the next morning.

If they don't look great, I might decide to take the train in or do the four-hour drive, and potentially leave Monday evening. Thankfully, my track record for getting on the Tuesday morning flight is pretty good.

When I show up in the morning, I have to wait to see if I get cleared and receive a seat assignment. If I don't make the 6 a.m. flight, there's a 7:30 a.m. flight as well.

I can also buy a ticket as a normal passenger. I try to avoid buying tickets as much as possible, but I certainly have purchased a ticket to get to the office, especially around the holidays. That's just what I have to do to be responsible and hold up my end of the bargain.

I don't think I would be willing to do this commute if I had to self-fund my flights or drive or take the train every single week.

Better work-life balance

I've been doing this for almost two years now. Sometimes it's a challenge because it's not a guarantee I'll be able to catch my flight or which return flight I'll be able to get on. But I would rather deal with those small challenges than live in Chicago.

Getting to live in Michigan, where I'm originally from, is so worth it.

I get to see my parents and my grandparents on a regular basis. I'm able to see so many more of my friends. It's really helped me maintain a healthy social life.

Supercommuting allows me to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I still maintain very strong relationships at work. I maintain the quality of work that I put out and I'm not missing my in-office days.

For others interested in supercommuting, I think taking stock of what you want out of your life is really important and knowing if you're willing to make certain sacrifices for the quality of life that makes you happiest.

I think the most important thing is, you cannot slack. You can't take virtual work as an opportunity to be mediocre. And if you know yourself, if you're someone that likes to not work as hard when you're not being managed, maybe it's best not to do it.

• I watched my first NFL game from a field-level suite at AT&T Stadium and felt like a VIP.
• I got tasty game-day snacks, and the field-level view put me right next to the action.
• A field-level suite here can cost $5,000+ to rent per game but comes with up to 21 tickets.

There's nothing like watching a football game, but some seats are far better than others.

Recently, I was lucky enough to experience my first NFL game from a field-level suite at the iconic AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Here's what it was like.

I felt like a VIP as soon as I got to the stadium.

I was invited to watch the game at field-level from a corporate suite, though the stadium's field-level suites usually cost $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the event. Each field-level suite comes with 21 stadium tickets and five parking passes.

Although it's certainly expensive, it's not as inaccessible as I'd expect for such a bucket-list experience, especially if you can split the price with a group.

I entered the stadium through a special VIP entrance and was escorted to our ground-level suite — an experience that made me feel like a celebrity right from the start.

The food spread was more game-day casual than corporate fancy, which made the experience better.

Food and drinks aren't included in the price of a field-level suite, but they can be purchased separately.

In this suite, I was pleasantly surprised to find classic game-day fare like tacos, jalapeńo poppers, pizza, and plenty of snacks and candy.

Although I'd expected to find fancier dishes, the casual menu perfectly matched the football-watching atmosphere.

Our suite also had a fully stocked fridge with everything from sodas to liquor, and I got a souvenir Cowboys cup I could refill throughout the day.

Being at field level gave me an incredible view that even celebrities would envy.

The suite had comfortable indoor seating and a screen playing the game, but the outdoor area was where the real magic happened.

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders performed just yards away, making me feel like I was part of their famous routines. I was so close to the action that stray balls during warm-up could've landed in my drink.

Although I had access to additional regular seats on the first level, just rows from the sideline, I couldn't bring myself to leave the suite even for a quarter. The experience was simply too good to miss for even a moment.

Plus, the suite had a private bathroom — a small luxury that made the day even better by sparing me the hassle of waiting in long halftime lines.

The atmosphere at ground level felt unreal.

Watching the game from mere feet away heightened the intensity of every play.

With about 80,000 fans in attendance, the noise was incredible from my field-level vantage point. I could feel the crowd's energy in a way I'd never imagined.

During the game, I was also able to capture terrific photos, including some of a Detroit Lions touchdown, from the quarterback's setup to the celebration in the end zone.

Even a Cowboys loss couldn't dampen the VIP experience.

Although some nearby suites got rowdy as the day passed, my group stayed focused on the game. The Cowboys didn't perform well that day, but the entire experience was unforgettable.

After the game, one of the Lions players even came right up to our suite to celebrate and handed his game-worn jersey to a fan.

Overall, this upgrade was absolutely incredible.

The VIP treatment, incredible views, and proximity to the action have spoiled me for life.

In many ways, having seats yards away from the NFL action made watching the game feel like experiencing a private show.

While on the outdoor terrace, I even met a couple from Tennessee who had traveled for the game. They didn't support either team but treated themselves to one NFL game in a suite each year, paying up to $1,000 per ticket.

Maybe they're onto something. Having experienced a football game from this perspective, I worry that regular seats will never quite measure up.

And hey, if I choose a match with suites on the cheaper end ($5,000) and split the cost with 20 others, I may be able to watch the game at field level again someday for under $250.

Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts champ known as Notorious, was spotted making the scene at STK Steakhouse in Washington this weekend.

• Other Ultimate Fighting Championship stars are expected at a black-tie reception Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg — a UFC fan and Brazilian jiu-jitsu medalist — will co-host Monday night before the inaugural balls.

Why it matters: The fighters are part of a celebrity influx since President-elect Trump's last inauguration. Giddy MAGA insiders crow that Trump is culturally cool — or at least socially acceptable — after a stretch of toxicity.

Alex Bruesewitz — CEO of X Strategies LLC, based in Palm Beach, who advises Trump's inner circle on alternative media — told Axios between parties this weekend: "President Trump is cool again."

• "He's reclaimed that image he had his entire adult life before he ran for president — sitting courtside at New York Knicks games and lighting Kate Moss's cigarette," Bruesewitz said. "That Donald Trump is back, and now he's going to the White House. It's now socially acceptable to support it."

Behind the scenes: Bruesewitz helped lead the charge on VIP outreach for the inauguration. As the celebrity liaison, he drew on his personal relationships and input from other Trump friends to help build a glittery roster for this weekend's festivities.

• Bruesewitz told me part of the reason is that as celebrities met Trump personally, and as people hear him on long-form podcast interviews, they found him at odds with the portrayal in much of the media: "He was charming and hilarious, not crazy and angry."

Trump's inaugural weekend roster is expected to include:

• Iconic athletes: Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield.
• Current athletes: NHL player Evander Kane, free agent MLB pitcher Noah "Thor" Syndergaard.
• Retired athletes: Brian Urlacher, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown.
• Internet celebrities: Jake and Logan Paul, the Nelk boys.
• Rappers: Rod Wave, Kodak Black.
• Comedian: Rob Schneider.
• Carrie Underwood sings "America the Beautiful" at the swearing-in.

As part of the Nashville-friendly festivities, country singer, guitarist and songwriter Parker McCollum will perform at the Commander-in-Chief Ball, one of three where the newly inaugurated president will speak Monday night.

• Performers at the unofficial Crypto Ball at the 90-year-old Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Friday night: Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Soulja Boy.

The $TRUMP memecoin — a financial asset that didn't exist on Friday afternoon — now accounts for about 89% of Donald Trump's net worth.

Why it matters: The coin (technically a token that's issued on the Solana blockchain) has massively enriched Trump personally, enabled a mechanism for the crypto industry to funnel cash to him, and created a volatile financial asset that allows anyone in the world to financially speculate on Trump's political fortunes.

• After another massive overnight rally, as of Sunday morning Trump's crypto holdings were worth as much as $58 billion on paper, enough -- with his other assets -- to make him one of the world's 25 richest people.

Where it stands: While the Biden administration broadly took the view that memecoins like $TRUMP are securities subject to SEC regulation, the incoming Trump administration has pledged to be much more crypto-friendly and to regulate such coins with a light or nonexistent touch.

For the record: The coin's official website, GetTrumpMemes.com, urges visitors to buy coins with either dollars or crypto in order to "Celebrate Our Win & Have Fun!"

• The coin is "not intended to be... an investment opportunity," per the site, which says that it "has nothing to do with any political campaign or any political office."
• That hasn't stopped investors from making millions by speculating on the price of the coin, which was launched while Trump was reportedly hosting a "Crypto Ball" in Washington.

By the numbers: Some 200 million of the 1 billion total coins have already been released and are being actively traded. The rest, which are owned by Trump-controlled entities, will be able to be sold at various points over the next three years, starting in April.

• On average, Trump's companies will be able to sell some 24 million coins per month into the market, which at current prices would amount to an income of $675 million per month, or $8.1 billion per year. (Although no one has a clue what the value of the coin will even be this afternoon, let alone three years from now.)

Flashback: During the first Trump administration, there were worries that individuals were able to enrich the president by staying at his hotel in Washington.

• Since then, Trump has listed a meme stock where he controls more than 50% of the shares — and, now, has a meme coin that's even less tethered to reality.
• Both of them represent a much more direct way of funneling money to Trump than staying at his hotel did.

Between the lines: The emoluments clause of the Constitution, written in 1787, hardly envisaged a world where a president could conjure billions of dollars of wealth out of nowhere just by endorsing a meme.

• In the present day, it's impossible to track who's going to be buying this coin over the next three years and thereby directing their money directly at Trump.
• Given the Supreme Court's expansive view of presidential immunity, there's a good chance that any such action will be deemed lawful.

The bottom line: Trump has just delivered a masterclass in the ability of a president to turn power into wealth.

• Tatiana Smith spent five years teaching English as a second language in China.
• She lived in Beijing mostly, which was much bigger and busier than her hometown in Illinois.
• Smith said the cost of living is more affordable, but she experienced racism as a Black expat.

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations and emails with Tatiana Smith, 36, who spent five years teaching English as a second language (ESL) in China. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

For the vast majority of my life, I've lived in Illinois.

I grew up in a very impoverished environment, so I didn't believe that I would ever see the world. When I was 29, I joined the Peace Corps. I traveled to Liberia, an African country full of people who look just like me, which is cool but also impacted how I related to the country.

I could blend in, but I was very curious to know what it would be like to go someplace where they did not think I was native.

In 2018, I visited China and explored Zhengzhou, in the Henan Province on a tourist visa. In 2019, I officially moved to Beijing on the Z-visa, or the worker's visa. To get it, you need a job that will write you a letter, a physical, and a clean background check.

I came back to America in August 2024 to spend time with my family. By that time, many of my friends, other expats, had also left.

I've noticed big misconceptions between the US and China since I've returned.

China is surprisingly capitalistic

The unspoken rule of talking about politics when you are in China is that you do not talk about Chinese politics. That was made very clear to me.

I've heard a lot about how China's communist regime, but in terms of what I experienced it felt just as, if not more, capitalist than America.

Luxury is big in China. There is a whole section of Beijing where all the luxury stores and expensive places are.

In China, they promote entrepreneurship. There's a lot of opportunity to open a business and the threshold to do so is very low if you're Chinese.

There's also a lot of business turnover. If a business left an area, something else entered very quickly. In Beijing, if I'd walk by a closed shopfront that used to be a grocery store, a month later, it was like a hair salon.

As a teacher, life is more affordable

When I came back to the US and explained my lifestyle to people, there was a real cognitive dissonance around life in China.

For example, a teacher in America does not make a whole lot. As an expat teacher in China, my starting salary was 28,000 RMB, roughly a bit over $4,000 a month now.

In China, they have their version of Uber called DiDi. I could take a DiDi to and from work for less than $10 a day. Taking a US Uber for 15 minutes now costs me $20.

I made enough that I was able to eat out almost every day. Cooking was something that I did so rarely that it was an event, and I would invite my friends over.

I could finally pay off all my bills back home and have money to travel. It was much harder to escape a scarcity mindset in the US.

Chinese food in America is nothing like Chinese food in China

When I had Chinese food in China, it was dramatically different. At an American Chinese food restaurant, it's basically American cuisine coated in sugar.

But I'd say the bigger differences were in the style of eating.

As an American, we eat from our own plates, but in a lot of Asian countries, particularly China, you have a shared eating situation.

It wasn't like Thanksgiving, where you're served your portion on your plate. You order multiple plates and actively eat out of the same plate that everybody else was eating out of.

That took some getting used to, but hot pot, for example, became one of my favorite things. You can do individual hot pot, but the group ones were always the most fun.

Racism and discrimination arise differently

For the most part, I felt very welcomed in China. But I don't want to paint China as a glorious, perfect place because it's not.

The Uygurs and other minority groups are being persecuted in China.

As a Black expat, I dealt with some racism. Part of Chinese culture is the idea that being white is a sign of wealth and privilege, so the lighter you are, the more beautiful you are.

One time, one of my co-teachers said to me: "Oh my god, Black is so ugly. I can't get darker." She didn't recognize how I would take it.

It was an intense experience with COVID.

When America started reacting with anti-Chinese sentiment, there was a strong anti-American sentiment in China as a response.

One time, I went to the bank to transfer money, and one of the tellers threw my passport back at me, and they were just like, "We won't serve you."

In the US, people have been killed in racist attacks. Whereas in China, racism is prevalent, but felt less dangerous.

The pandemic wasn't scary, but I will say uncomfortable. The pro side was that the expat community bonded. We were more open and tried to build friendships because it was necessary for our mental health.

• TikTok went dark for 170 million US users on Saturday.
• Users have taken to other corners of the internet to react to the shutdown.
• Internet personality James Charles, who boasted over 40 million followers, called the move "dystopian."

TikTok shut down its app for 170 million US users on Saturday as the deadline for the app to go dark neared.

At around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, a message began popping up on users' screens: "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now."

Many celebrities, influencers, and business leaders have since taken to other corners of the internet to react to the loss of the hit app.

Singer Lizzo, who had more than 25 million followers on TikTok, headed to Instagram to react to the news.

"In Loving Memory, Takesha 'TikTok' Woods," the post reads.

"They really took her… MY SHAYLA," Lizzo added in the caption, referencing a recent trend on the app.

Internet personality James Charles, who boasted over 40 million followers on TikTok, also posted his reaction to the shutdown in a series of videos posted to Instagram.

In the first, Charles said: "I can't believe I'm making an Instagram Reel right now because normally when something happens in the world, I go to TikTok."

"I don't know what to do! Oh my god, I've already opened and closed the app probably six times already just to keep getting the same stupid warning message. This is so dystopian!" Charles added in a follow-up video.

Another Instagram émigré was Alix Earle, an influencer who rose to fame on the app in 2022 and who had more than 7 million followers.

Earle posted a video of herself tearfully clutching a glass of wine in bed. "How I'm going to sleep tonight," she wrote over the video. "Thank god for this wine rn."

Key figures from the business world have also weighed in on the situation.

Elon Musk said that he had long been against a ban on TikTok as it "goes against freedom of speech."

"That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced," he said in a post on X. "Something needs to change."

TikTok's shutdown came after a monthslong legal battle over a ban-or-divest law passed by Congress last year.

TikTok had challenged the law, arguing that it violated the First Amendment rights of TikTok and its creators. But the Supreme Court ruled against the company.

Posting on Bluesky, Mark Cuban said it would be interesting to see how many users moved to the platform from TikTok.

The social media app has seen a surge in users since President-elect Donald Trump was elected in November. In December, the company said it had grown from 3 million users to 25.9 million.

It is currently in the final stages of raising new funding led by Bain Capital Ventures, which would value the company at around $700 million, as Business Insider previously reported.

Prior to the shutdown, Cuban said he hoped TikTok would be "disabled tonight at midnight and all day tomorrow and Monday."

"Which means the biggest story on Monday will be… And the reaction from the newly installed President will be…" he wrote.

Cuban has said he previously tried to invest in TikTok's precursor, Musical.ly, but that the company turned him down.

In an interview with Jules Terpak in December, Cuban said the platform was more enjoyable under its former name and that it had become "more corporate" since it's been known as TikTok.

"I liked it better when it was dances and music," Cuban said. "Now it's a business."

The cast of "Saturday Night Live" also tackled the TikTok shutdown in last night's episode.

During the Weekend Update segment, comedians Michael Longfellow and Michael Che addressed the situation while poking fun at criticism the app has faced in the past.

"I feel it is my responsibility to come out here and defend TikTok's right to remain here in these United States," Longfellow said, posing as a typical app user. "It's the first political opinion I've ever had."

TikTok is banking on Trump

In its message to US users, TikTok indicated that it was now relying on Trump to save the app.

"We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!" it said.

Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he would "most likely" allow TikTok a 90-day extension to find a non-Chinese buyer.

"If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday," he said.