❌

Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Today β€” 28 February 2025Main stream

Vintage photos show life before the measles vaccine

28 February 2025 at 08:12
A yellow warning sign telling people to stay out of a house where people had measles.
A medical warning notice from 1923.

Buyenlarge/Getty Images

  • The measles vaccine first became available to the public in 1963.
  • Before the vaccine, measles was an endemic disease. Most children got it before turning 15.
  • By 1981, the number of reported measles cases in the US had dropped 80%.

Before the measles vaccine was developed, over 30 million cases of the disease were reported worldwide each year.

What began as a fever, cough, and rash could develop into complications such as pneumonia or brain swelling, leading to hospitalization or death.

The vaccine became available in 1963, and endemic measles was eliminated in the US by the year 2000. However, outbreaks still occur among unvaccinated populations.

In February, an unvaccinated child in Texas died of measles amid an outbreak of the disease β€” the first reported measles fatality in the US in nearly a decade.

Here's a look back at what life was like before the measles vaccine.

Before a measles vaccine existed, the disease was endemic, meaning it was consistently present in specific regions and populations.
A boy sick with measles in bed.
A boy sick with measles in Georgia.

Circa Images/GHI/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Most children came down with measles by the age of 15, according to the CDC.

A highly contagious disease, measles caused over 2 million deaths globally each year, according to the World Health Organization.
A mother sits with a 2-year-old girl who is recovering from measles.
A girl with measles in Chicago.

Daily Herald Archive/National Science & Media Museum/SSPL via Getty Images

The mortality rate was higher than whooping cough and scarlet fever, and there was no known cure.

Authorities tried to contain outbreaks by instituting quarantines.
A man holds a sign reading "Quarantined: Measles" in the 1940s.
A measles quarantine area in the 1940s.

Camerique/Getty Images

The quarantines often weren't strictly enforced, causing epidemics to worsen.

In the US, medical warnings were posted on the doors of some households where residents were infected with measles to prevent further spread.
A yellow warning sign telling people to stay out of a house where people had measles.
A medical warning notice from 1923.

Buyenlarge/Getty Images

Quarantines were more difficult to enforce in lower-income neighborhoods with tenement buildings and multiple families per household.

Measles was so common that it became part of pop culture with portrayals in Hollywood films.
A scene from "Count Your Blessings" in which characters recover from measles.
A scene from "Count Your Blessings."

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images

Characters contracted measles in movies such as the 1959 film "Count Your Blessings."

All of that changed when John F. Enders developed the first measles vaccine, which became available to the public in 1963.
Measles vaccines.
Hypodermic needles containing new measles vaccines in 1963.

Herb Snitzer/Getty Images

Enders and Thomas C. Peebles isolated the measles virus in the blood of a 13-year-old boy named David Edmonston and developed it into the first measles vaccine, according to the CDC.

In 1968, Maurice Hilleman developed a new measles vaccine that remains in use today.

By 1981, the number of reported measles cases had dropped 80% in the US.

After a resurgence of measles outbreaks in 1989, health officials instituted a second dose of the measles vaccine for children.
A middle school girl holds up her immunization record.
A middle school student showed off her immunization record in 1989.

Denver Post via Getty Images

Children are 93% immune after their first dose of the measles vaccine and 97% immune after the second dose.

The Centers for Disease Control marketed the vaccine with bumper stickers, buttons, and comic strips in their efforts to eradicate the disease.
Marketing materials for the measles vaccine.
Marketing materials promoting the measles vaccine in the US.

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Endemic measles was eliminated in the US in 2000, according to the CDC, but anti-vaccine misinformation has gained momentum in recent years. The disease continues to spread among children and adults who are unvaccinated.

In 2019, there were more measles cases in the US than in any year since 1994.

Robert Redfield, then director of the CDC, attributed the outbreaks to widespread vaccine skepticism.

"Measles is preventable and the way to end this outbreak is to ensure that all children and adults who can get vaccinated, do get vaccinated," he said. "Again, I want to reassure parents that vaccines are safe, they do not cause autism. The greater danger is the disease the vaccination prevents."

In February, an ongoing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico killed one unvaccinated child and sickened over 130 people, marking the first measles fatality in the US since 2015.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine figure who was recently confirmed as health secretary of the US, said in a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that "we have measles outbreaks every year" and the situation was "not unusual."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Yesterday β€” 27 February 2025Main stream

The Oscars gift bags are worth over $216,000. Here's what's inside.

27 February 2025 at 12:36
Aerial view of an overwater bungalow resort in the Maldives.
A row of overwater bungalows in the Maldives.

graphixel/Getty Images

  • Distinctive Assets, a marketing company, offers select Oscar nominees a gift bag each year.
  • This year's luxurious swag bag, worth over $216,000, includes a trip to the Maldives.
  • The Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET.

Entertainment marketing company Distinctive Assets offers luxurious swag bags to Oscar nominees in the acting and directing categories each year.

While Distinctive Assets is not affiliated with the Oscars, the company's "Everyone Wins" gift bags full of vacations, cosmetics, and other prizes from over 60 brands will be available to nominees such as Adrien Brody, Sebastian Stan, Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Kieran Culkin, and Zoe SaldaΓ±a ahead of the 97th Academy Awards.

The gift collection includes several trips, the most expensive of which is a four-night stay in a villa in the Maldives worth over $23,000 courtesy of Joali. There's also a five-night luxury wellness retreat in Sri Lanka from Santani worth $8,500 and a 3d Virtual Wellness Retreat valued at $3,500.

In addition to items like $25,000 body-contouring treatments and Miage's full line of skincare products, this year's swag bags also include resources for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

A collage of items in Distinctive Assets' Oscars gift bags.
Distinctive Assets' "Everyone Wins" gift bags include Miage skincare products and disaster recovery services from Bright Harbor.

Distinctive Assets

The most valuable item in the entire collection is $50,000 worth of home renovation project management from Maison Construction, which Distinctive Assets said is transferrable to those affected by wildfires.

Bright Harbor is also providing nominees with $3,500 in disaster recovery services and awarding them each 10 more vouchers to share with those in need.

"While our gifts may be famous for being fun and fabulous, they also serve as a means to elevate small businesses, minority-owned brands, female entrepreneurs, and companies that give back," Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, said in a statement. "This year, on the heels of the historically tragic LA fires, we have found even more ways that our celebrity swag can do good in our community."

The brands pay for their items to be included in the prize packages, though celebrities rarely redeem every single item since the IRS considers gift bags taxable income.

The 97th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 4, at 7 p.m. ET from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Meet Lauren SΓ‘nchez, Jeff Bezos' fiancΓ©e who's a helicopter pilot and former news anchor

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez laugh while standing on red carpet against black backdrop
Jeff Bezos and Lauren SΓ‘nchez got engaged in 2023.

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

  • Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is engaged to Lauren SΓ‘nchez, a former news anchor.
  • SΓ‘nchez, 55, is a helicopter pilot and entrepreneur as well as a former actor.
  • She's also the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos went to space with his rocket company, Blue Origin, four years ago. Now, it's his fiancΓ©e's turn.

Lauren SΓ‘nchez, a former journalist and licensed pilot herself, will head to space this spring to lead Blue Origin's all-woman crew that also includes "CBS Mornings" cohost Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

Here's a look at SΓ‘nchez's life and career:

Lauren SΓ‘nchez had a long career as a reporter and news anchor.
Lauren Sanchez speaks at the IWMF Courage in Journalism Awards on October 23.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren SΓ‘nchez at the IWMF Courage in Journalism Awards.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for IWMF

SΓ‘nchez grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and studied broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California. She started her journalistic career as an intern on the Los Angeles station Channel 13 during college, according to a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

She began anchoring UPN News 13 on Los Angeles' KCOP in 1999, winning a Los Angeles Area Emmy award for her work on the show in 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported.

SΓ‘nchez went on to work as a host at various news channels before landing at Fox 11's "Good Day LA" in 2003, where she worked for six years. She then became a weekend anchor and special correspondent on "Extra" in 2009.

She's even played a news anchor in several movies and TV shows.
Lauren Sanchez in 2010.
Lauren SΓ‘nchez at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2010.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

In addition to once being an anchor in real life, SΓ‘nchez has starred as a news anchor in movies including "Fight Club," "The Day After Tomorrow," and "The Fantastic Four."

She's a licensed plane and helicopter pilot.
Lauren Sanchez
Lauren SΓ‘nchez is a licensed pilot.

Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

SΓ‘nchez learned how to fly while working as a news anchor and she started flying planes in 2011 before getting her helicopter pilot's license in 2016.

Her interest in aviation seems to have been sparked at an early age, as her father was a flight instructor and mechanic who rebuilt planes.

"I was always in the hangar growing up but knew nothing about flying," she told The Hollywood Reporter.

She founded her own aerial filming company.
Lauren Sanchez wears a cowboy hat
Lauren SΓ‘nchez started Black Ops Aviation.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

SΓ‘nchez founded Black Ops Aviation in 2016, a "female owned and operated" aerial filming company, which has shot footage for Amazon, Netflix, and Fox, among others.

SΓ‘nchez also lent her aerial-filming knowledge to Christopher Nolan as a consultant on "Dunkirk."

She used to host a dancing reality show.
Competitors on "So You Think You Can Dance."
Competitors on "So You Think You Can Dance."

Jason Merritt/FilmMagic/Getty Images

SΓ‘nchez was a host on the first season of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2005, but she left the show after one season.

SΓ‘nchez was married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell for 13 years.
Patrick Whitesell and Lauren Sanchez in 2011.
Patrick Whitesell and Lauren SΓ‘nchez in 2011.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Whitesell is co-CEO of the Hollywood agency WME, and his clients include Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Hugh Jackman. Whitesell and SΓ‘nchez married in 2005 and separated in the fall of 2018.

They finalized their divorce in October 2019 with shared custody of their two children, People magazine reported.

SΓ‘nchez also has a son from her previous relationship with NFL star Tony Gonzalez.

SΓ‘nchez and Bezos got engaged four years after going public with their relationship.
jeff bezos lauren sanchez
Jeff Bezos and Lauren SΓ‘nchez.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Bezos and SΓ‘nchez first connected at a 2016 Amazon Studios party for the film "Manchester by the Sea," according to Brad Stone's book, "Amazon Unbound."

Their relationship "blossomed" during helicopter rides in 2018, when Bezos hired SΓ‘nchez's company to film footage for his rocket company, Blue Origin, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Their relationship came to light in a 2019 tabloid scandal, and the couple went public shortly after Bezos and his now-ex-wife, author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, announced their divorce in 2019 following 25 years of marriage.

In May 2023, CNN reported that SΓ‘nchez and Bezos had gotten engaged, citing a source close to the couple. Sanchez was also photographed with a large diamond ring on her left ring finger while onboard Bezos' $500 million megayacht.

In Vogue's December 2023 issue, SΓ‘nchez revealed that Bezos proposed on his yacht, Koru.

"When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit," she said.

While SΓ‘nchez and Bezos have often been spotted cruising on his yacht or attending high-profile events, including President Trump's inauguration, SΓ‘nchez says they also have more mundane days at home.

"On a typical Saturday, we hang out, we have dinner with the kids, which is always fun because you never know where the conversation is going to go with this many kids," Sanchez told The Wall Street Journal in 2023. "We are the Brady Bunch!"

She's the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.
Senator Chris Coons, Lauren SΓ‘nchez, and Jeff Bezos attend the ICCF U.S. Congressional International Conservation Leadership Awards Dinner
Sen. Chris Coons, Lauren Sanchez, and Jeff Bezos attend the ICCF US Congressional International Conservation Leadership Awards Dinner.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bezos Earth Fund

In 2020, Bezos announced that he would commit $10 billion β€” about 7.7% of his net worth at the time β€” to fighting the climate crisis as part of an initiative called the Bezos Earth Fund. SΓ‘nchez serves as the organization's vice chair.

She's a children's book author.
Lauren Sanchez at the Met Gala.
Lauren SΓ‘nchez at the Met Gala.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

SΓ‘nchez's first picture book, "The Fly Who Flew to Space,"is scheduled for a September release.

She's talked about how her own struggles with dyslexia were part of the inspiration for her writing the book. Celebrities such as Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, and Karlie Kloss have endorsed the book, with Kloss writing that the "story sparks curiosity and imagination while introducing young minds to the magic of STEM!"

Next up for SΓ‘nchez is a trip to space.
6-woman crew flying to space with Blue Origin
The crew includes Katy Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn, Amanda Nguyen, and Lauren Sanchez.

Blue Origin

She's leading a six-person all-woman crew on a Blue Origin spaceflight in 2025.

The 11-minute journey will take them past the KΓ‘rmΓ‘n line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space. Blue Origin says this will be the first all-female flight crew since Valentina Tereshkova's flight to space in 1963.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Before yesterdayMain stream

24 times the Oscars snubbed female directors

24 February 2025 at 08:14
female directors
Directors Greta Gerwig, Ava DuVernay, and Lulu Wang have been snubbed at the Oscars.

Getty Images, Getty Images, Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images

  • Only three women in Oscars history have won best director.
  • "The Woman King" and "Till," both directed by women of color, were not nominated in 2023.
  • Director Greta Gerwig was snubbed in 2020 for "Little Women" and again for "Barbie" in 2024.

In the 97-year history of the Academy Awards, only nine women have ever been nominated for best director, and only three have won.

In 2024, director Justine Triet was nominated for "Anatomy of a Fall," but many were angered that Greta Gerwig was not nominated for "Barbie," which got a best picture nod.

This year, French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat became the ninth woman ever nominated in the best director category for "The Substance."

Here are 24 times the Oscars snubbed female directors.

In 1977 β€” 48 years after the Oscars began β€” Lina Wertmuller became the first woman nominated for best director, but she did not win.
Lina Wertmuller.
Lina Wertmuller.

Santi Visalli/Getty Images

Wertmuller directed "Seven Beauties." The film was also nominated for best foreign language film, best screenplay, and best actor for Giancarlo Giannini, although it did not win in any category.

It would be almost 20 years before another woman was nominated for best director: Jane Campion for "The Piano" at the 1994 awards.

Randa Haines directed "Children of a Lesser God" in 1986. It was nominated for five Oscars, including best picture, but not best director.
Randa Haines in 1987.
Randa Haines in 1987.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

"Children of a Lesser God" was nominated for best adapted screenplay, best supporting actress, best actor, best actress, and best picture. Marlee Matlin won the best supporting actress award at age 21, making her the youngest and first deaf person to win an Academy Award. Haines' role as director, however, was ignored.

Barbra Streisand told Variety that sexism had prevented her films from winning Oscars, saying, "They don't want to see a woman director."
Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte on the set of "Prince of Tides."
Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte on the set of "Prince of Tides."

The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

Streisand made her directorial debut with "Yentl" in 1983. It was nominated for five Oscars and won two, but she was snubbed for best director. She did, however, become the first woman to win a Golden Globe for best director. She remained the only female winner until ChloΓ© Zhao won in 2021 and Jane Campion in 2022.

Streisand told Variety it took her years to want to direct again after the snub. In 1991, she directed "The Prince of Tides," which garnered seven Oscar nominations including best picture. Yet again, Streisand's work as a director was not nominated for an award.

"Awakenings" received three Oscar nominations in 1991, but director Penny Marshall was not one of them.
Penny Marshall.
Penny Marshall.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The film was released in December 1990 to critical acclaim β€”Β Roger Ebert wroteΒ that Marshall directed the movie "with intelligence and heart."

It was nominated for best adapted screenplay and best picture, and Robert De Niro was nominated for best actor. Marshall's work as director was not recognized by the Academy.

Jane Campion directed "The Piano" in 1993 and was nominated for best director, but she didn't win.
Jane Campion
Jane Campion.

GERARD JULIEN/AFP via Getty Images

"The Piano" was nominated for eight Oscars and won three:Β best screenplay, best supporting actress for Anna Paquin, and best actress for Holly Hunter.

Sofia Coppola won the Oscar for best screenplay for "Lost in Translation," but she lost best director to Peter Jackson.
Sofia Coppola.
Sofia Coppola.

VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images

In addition to best screenplay and best director, "Lost in Translation" was nominated for best picture, and Bill Murray for best actor.

Valerie Faris and her husband, Jonathan Dayton, directed the critically acclaimed "Little Miss Sunshine" in 2006, but they weren't nominated for best director.
Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton
Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, co-directors of Little Miss Sunshine.

Jim Spellman/WireImage/Getty Images

"Little Miss Sunshine" won two Oscars: best original screenplay and Alan Arkin for best supporting actor. Abigail Breslin also made history with her nomination for best supporting actress at 10 years old, making her one of the youngest actors ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. However, directors Faris and Dayton weren't nominated.

"The Kids Are All Right" was nominated for four Oscars in 2011, but they didn't include a best director nod for Lisa Cholodenko.
Lisa Cholodenko
Lisa Cholodenko.

Eric CATARINA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

"The Kids Are All Right" was nominated for best original screenplay, best picture, best actress for Annette Bening, and best supporting actor for Mark Ruffalo. The film's other star Julianne Moore was also snubbed.

"Yeah, there were no women in the directing category," producer Celine Rattray told "Today" at the time. "It's interesting because I think the Academy often rewards flashy directing styles like Danny Boyle in '127 Hours.'"

That same year, Debra Granik's directing work on "Winter's Bone" was overlooked by the Academy.
debra granik
Debra Granik.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for National Board of Review

"Winter's Bone" starred Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes, both of whom received nominations. It was also nominated for best adapted screenplay and best picture.Β 

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to ever win best director, but she was snubbed in 2013 after she directed "Zero Dark Thirty."
kathryn bigelow
Kathryn Bigelow.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Just three years after her historic best director win for "The Hurt Locker" in 2010, Bigelow wasn't nominated for "Zero Dark Thirty," even though the film received five Oscar nominations including best picture.

Ava DuVernay could have been the first Black woman nominated for best director for "Selma" in 2015, but the Academy didn't include her.
Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay.

Getty Images

"Selma" was nominated for best picture and won the Oscar for best original song, but DuVernay told Entertainment Weekly in 2015 that she wasn't surprised by the directing snub.

"It would be lovely," she said. "When it happens to whomever it happens to, it will certainly have meaning. This is not me being humble, either. It's math."

Years later, "Selma" actor David Oyelowo also spoke about the Academy's response to the film.

"I remember at the premiere of 'Selma' us wearing 'I Can't Breathe' T-shirts in protest," he said at a 2020 Screen Talks live Q&A. "Members of the Academy called in to the studio and our producers saying, 'How dare they do that?' ... and 'We are not going to vote for that film because we do not think it is their place to be doing that.' It's part of why that film didn't get everything that people think it should've got and it birthed #OscarsSoWhite. They used their privilege to deny a film on the basis of what they valued in the world."

The Academy responded on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Ava & David, we hear you. Unacceptable. We're committed to progress."

The critically acclaimed "Wonder Woman," directed by Patty Jenkins, was not nominated for a single Oscar.
patty jenkins
Patty Jenkins.

Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Superhero movies don't usually win Oscars, but there have been exceptions such as "Black Panther" (three Oscars) and "The Dark Knight" (two Oscars). "Wonder Woman" was considered a critically acclaimed contender in 2017, but it was not recognized by the Academy.

The following year, Jenkins spoke to Vulture after other female directors were snubbed.

"The Academy is working on this, but the real issue to me is that at the end of the day, no matter what movie you make and no matter how much money it makes, and no matter how diverse the audience is, the voting academy is still very, very limited. Still," she said.

"Harriet" was nominated for two Oscars in 2020, but director Kasi Lemmons didn't receive one.
kasi lemmons
Kasi Lemmons.

J. Countess/Getty Images

Cynthia Erivo was nominated for best actress for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman, and the song "Stand Up" was nominated for best original song.

That year, Natalie Portman wore a black Dior cape embroidered with the names of female directors whose work had been snubbed by the Academy, with Lemmons' name among them.

"I wanted to recognize the women who were not recognized for their incredible work this year, in my subtle way," Portman told the Los Angeles Times.

"Queen and Slim," directed by Melina Matsoukas, was not nominated for any Academy Awards in 2020.
melina matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas.

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI

The Director's Guild of America nominated Matsoukas for outstanding directorial achievement in first-time feature film. But at the 2020 Oscars, the best director category was all male, prompting Issa Rae to introduce the nominees by saying, "Congratulations to those men."

In 2020, Greta Gerwig was nominated for best adapted screenplay for "Little Women," but not for best director.
Greta Gerwig
Greta Gerwig.

Getty Images

"Little Women" received seven Oscar nominations, including best picture, best actress, and best supporting actress, and won for best costume design. Many believed that Gerwig was robbed.

"To nominate Greta for best picture and best screenplay and best actresses but not best director just truly speaks to the way we don't view women as auteurs no matter how much they clearly ARE," Decider's senior film reporter, Anna Menta, wrote on X.

Marielle Heller wasn't nominated for best director for "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" or "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
Marielle Heller
Marielle Heller.

Jeff Swensen/Getty Images for "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" Pittsburgh Special Screening

Tom Hanks received an Oscar nod for best actor for his portrayal of Mr. Rogers (he lost to Joaquin Phoenix) in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" in 2020, but Heller's directing work did not receive a nomination.

It was the second snub in a row for Heller. The year prior, her movie, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" earned Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, but Heller was not nominated.

"This was an incredible year for women filmmakers," Heller said in 2019, W magazine reported. "A lot of us made really worthy movies."

She added, "But that was our undoing. There were too many of us, and the world doesn't know how to handle more than one good female director at a time."

"The Farewell," directed by Lulu Wang, was not nominated for any Oscars, despite rave reviews.
lulu wang
Lulu Wang.

Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images

While the 2019 film was snubbed at the Oscars, "The Farewell" was nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture, and Awkafina won the award for best actress.

Alma Har'el won the first-time feature film award from the Directors Guild Of America for "Honey Boy" in 2020, but she wasn't nominated for any Oscars.
Alma Har'el
Alma Har'el.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

"Honey Boy" garnered Oscar buzz and critical acclaim, but ultimately was not nominated for any Academy Awards.

"The Woman King," directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, did not receive any nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards.
gina prince-bythewood
Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Getty Images/Mike Coppola

Despite rave reviews and box-office success, "The Woman King" starring Viola Davis was not nominated for any Oscars.

In an as-told-to piece for The Hollywood Reporter, Prince-Bythewood wrote that "the Academy made a very loud statement, and for me to stay quiet is to accept that statement."

"'The Woman King' wasn't snubbed," she wrote. "A snub is if it missed out on a category or two. The film was not nominated for one single craft. Not one single extraordinary performance was recognized. And when has that happened for a successful film that hit all the so-called markers? It's not a snub. It's a reflection of where the Academy stands and the consistent chasm between Black excellence and recognition. And, sadly, this is not just an issue in Hollywood but in every industry."

The 2022 film "Till," directed by Chinonye Chukwu, also did not receive any Oscar nominations.
Chinonye Chukwu
Chinonye Chukwu.

Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty Images

"Till" tells the story of Mamie Till-Bradley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was tortured and murdered after a white woman falsely claimed he groped her in 1955.

Chukwu appeared to allude to being shut out of the Oscars in an Instagram post on the day that the nominations were announced.

"We live in a world and work in industries that are so aggressively committed to upholding whiteness and perpetuating an unabashed misogyny towards Black women," she wrote. "And yet. I am forever in gratitude for the greatest lesson of my life β€” regardless of any challenges or obstacles, I will always have the power to cultivate my own joy, and it is this joy that will continue to be one of my greatest forms of resistance."

She also shared Prince-Bythewood's article in The Hollywood Reporter in a since-deleted Instagram post, writing, "Every single word of this brilliant piece should be required reading for everyone."

"Women Talking" was nominated for best picture and best adapted screenplay, but director Sarah Polley was not nominated for best director.
Screenwriter/producer Sarah Polley speaks at an event
Sarah Polley.

Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

Polley told Vogue that while she was happy that "Women Talking" received two nominations, the "lack of acknowledgement" of Black female directors wasΒ "a hard thing to swallow."

"I'm thrilled for our team and so proud, but that has to live alongside the fact that some of the best films of the year were made by Black female filmmakers and they weren't honored," she said.

Polley also mentioned the lack of representation for female directors on the red carpet of the Golden Globes in an interview with IndieWire.

"On my mind tonight, specifically, are the incredible female filmmakers who weren't represented here tonight," she said. "So the filmmakers of 'Till' and 'The Woman King' and 'Aftersun,' the list goes on and on. So for me, I think that's top of mind for me tonight, just the incredible work done by female filmmakers this year."

Paul Mescal was nominated for best actor for "Aftersun," but the film's director, Charlotte Wells, was not nominated.
Charlotte Wells
Charlotte Wells.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

"Aftersun" marked Wells' first time directing and writing a feature film. Paul Mescal plays Calum, a father navigating parenthood and depression as he takes his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio) on vacation to Turkey.

"It's very much fiction, but rooted in experience and memory," Wells told AnOther magazine. "It's personal in that the feeling is mine and I allowed my own memories and anecdotes through all of childhood to form the kind of skeleton outline that I worked from to write the first draft. But after that point it did become very much about the story I was trying to tell, and that frequently required pushing it away from my own experience."

Maria Schrader's 2022 film adaptation of "She Said" chronicling The New York Times' investigation into Harvey Weinstein did not receive any Oscar nominations.
Maria Schrader
Maria Schrader.

STEFANIE LOOS/AFP via Getty Images

"I hope the movie inspires people and fuels the conversation that has been going on for quite some time now," Schrader told Shondaland. "Something started after this article went public. This is probably not going to stop."Β 

Gerwig was snubbed again in 2024 when she was not nominated for best director for "Barbie."
greta gerwig at barbie
Greta Gerwig at the press junket for "Barbie."

Matt Winkelmeyer/Staff via Getty Images

Despite the film receiving eight Academy Award nominations, Gerwig's work as director was not nominated. Neither was Margot Robbie's leading performance.

In an interview for Time's 2024 Women of the Year, Gerwig said that she still considered herself nominated because "Barbie" was up for best picture.

Gerwig said, "A friend's mom said to me, 'I can't believe you didn't get nominated. I said, 'But I did. I got an Oscar nomination.' She was like, 'Oh, that's wonderful for you!' I was like, 'I know!'"

Read the original article on Business Insider

Award-winning underwater photos show haunting wrecks of warships and sunken planes

21 February 2025 at 05:02
A diver next to an underwater plane.
An underwater plane in Germany.

Β© Jantina Scheltema/UPY2025

  • The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest highlights compelling underwater images.
  • The wrecks category features photos of wrecked warships and sunken planes.
  • The winning wreck photo shows a ship that sank when it hit a reef in Egypt in 1985.

The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition announced the winners of its 2025 contest, highlighting the most compelling images from beneath bodies of water around the world.

Photographers from 28 countries submitted 6,750 entries. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges in 13 categories, including the wrecks category, which reveals the haunting remains of sunken vessels around the world.

The commended, highly commended, and winning photos in the wrecks category show sunken ships from World War I and World War II as well as submerged aircraft.

Here are the top 10 photos of wrecks from this year's contest.

Jean-Baptiste Cazajous photographed the wreck of the Togo, a coal transport ship sunk by a mine explosion at the end of World War I in 1918.
A shipwreck surrounded by fish.
The wreck of the Togo in Cavalaire-sur-Mer, France.

Β© Jean Baptiste Cazajous/UPY2025

Cazajous encountered a school of fish swirling around the hull of the wrecked ship in Cavalaire-sur-Mer, France. The photo was highly commended in the wrecks category.

Jantina Scheltema photographed a sunken twin-motor Piper PA-60 Aerostar plane floating underwater in Germany.
A diver next to an underwater plane.
An underwater plane in Germany.

Β© Jantina Scheltema/UPY2025

The photo, which was commended in the wrecks category, was taken in Kreidesee Hemmoor, where the plane's owner purposefully sank it to serve as a diving site.

"I love how surreal this scene feels β€” the airplane flying through the water column, paired with a diver," Scheltema wrote. "It invites you to question: which one doesn't belong, the plane or the person? This is the paradox that I hoped to capture."

Renee Capozzola titled this photo "Sunburst Shipwreck."
A photo taken half under and half above water. There are fish swimming beneath a shipwreck covered in barnacles, and the sun is setting in the background.
A shipwreck in Brisbane, Australia.

Β© Renee Capozzola/UPY2025

Taken off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, Capozzola's split-level image shows a school of fish swimming beneath a shipwreck at sunset. It was commended in the 2025 photography competition.

"This image transports me straight to this wreck with the distinctive bow bathed in evening light, with an attractive school of monos beneath the surface, adding additional interest to the scene," a judge wrote of her photo.

In this commended image, Martin Broen dove into the control room of the Rio de Janeiro wreck in Micronesia's Truk Lagoon.
Inside the control room of a sunken ship.
Inside the Rio De Janeiro wreck in Truk Lagoon in Micronesia.

Β© Martin Broen/UPY2025

The Rio de Janeiro was a passenger and cargo liner that sank during Operation Hailstone in 1944, when the US Navy attacked Japanese forces at Truk Lagoon and sank 200,000 tons of shipping, according to the US Naval Institute.

"In the control room of the Rio De Janeiro wreck, I photographed this flooded maze filled with machinery and gauges," Broen wrote.

The Nagano Maru, a Japanese ship, sank with a truck on board during Operation Hailstone.
A sunken truck in Truk Lagoon in Micronesia.
A sunken truck in Truk Lagoon in Micronesia.

Β© Rick Ayrton/UPY2025

The Nagano Maru, a passenger and cargo vessel, still has a Nissan flatbed truck in its cargo hold No. 3.

Rick Ayrton worked with another diver to photograph the wreck. The image was highly commended in the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest.

Alex Dawson's image of the SS Carthage from World War I was highly commended in the 2025 contest's wrecks category.
A shipwreck with a diver shining a torch on it and fish swimming around it.
The shipwreck of the SS Carthage.

Β© Alex Dawson/UPY2025

The SS Carthage was sunk by the submarine U-21 on July 4, 1915. It sits off the coast of Turkey at a depth of 84 meters, or 276 feet.

"SS Carthage is one of the most well-preserved wrecks in the Mediterranean, characterized by its tall superstructure and all its detail," Dawson wrote.

The Jura collided with another ship and sank in Lake Constance off the coast of Switzerland in 1864.
A diver shining a light on a small shipwreck in green water.
The wreck of the Jura at the bottom of Lake Constance in Switzerland.

Β© Frank Aron/UPY2025

The position of the rudder indicates that the crew tried to steer hard to the starboard, or right, side before the wreck, the photographer Frank Aron wrote.

"Even 150 years later this wooden wreck is nearly completely preserved, giving divers a clear idea of what happened during the collision," Aron wrote of the highly commended photo.

Dawson's photo of a former coast guard boat won third place in the wrecks category.
A shipwreck in Kas, Turkey.
A shipwreck in Kas, Turkey.

Β© Alex Dawson/UPY2025

The Sahil Guvenlik SG115 was sunk at a depth of 35 meters, or about 115 feet, for recreational diving in Kas, Turkey.

Wojciech Dopierala was the runner-up with a photo of a sunken Lockheed Martin L1011 Tristar plane off the coast of Jordan.
A Lockheed Martin L1011 Tristar plane in the Red Sea.
A Lockheed Martin L1011 Tristar plane in the Red Sea.

Β© Wojciech Dopierala/UPY2025

Dopierala took the photo while freediving in the Red Sea.

"I love the fresh images that freediving photography is bringing to underwater photography as a whole," one judge wrote. "Creating such a perfect composition and moment takes particularly high skills when both photographer and model are on breath-hold dives."

Dawson's image of Gulf Fleet No. 31 beneath the Red Sea in Egypt took first place in the contest's wrecks category.
A shipwreck wedged between reefs, with coral in the foreground and fish swimming above it. Two divers swim near it, holding torches.
The wreck of Gulf Fleet No. 31 in Egypt.

Β© Alex Dawson/UPY2025

Gulf Fleet No. 31 sank in 1985 when it hit a reef in Shaabruhr Umm Qammar.

"When she sank, she got wedged between the reef wall and a small reef, so there is a swim-through under the wreck," Dawson wrote of the ship.

At a depth of about 104 meters, or about 341 feet, it's one of the deepest wrecks featured in the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.

"This image is packed with the feeling of adventure, in a finely crafted composition that draws you in with layer upon layer of interest, from foreground corals to the clouds of fish above the wreck," one judge wrote of Dawson's winning photo.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I toured the USS Becuna, a WWII warship and the only submarine of its kind left in the world. Take a look inside.

20 February 2025 at 05:46
The USS Becuna at the Independence Seaport Museum.
The USS Becuna submarine.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

  • The USS Becuna submarine sank 3,888 tons of shipping and earned four battle stars in World War II.
  • Becuna underwent a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power (GUPPY) 1-A modernization in 1951.
  • Now a museum exhibit in Philadelphia, it is the only GUPPY 1-A submarine left in the world.

Built in 1943, the USS Becuna is a Balao-class submarine with a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power, or GUPPY, 1-A modernization β€” today, it's the only remaining GUPPY 1-A submarine in the world.

After serving as a warship in World War II and a training ship after the war, the Becuna was enhanced with a GUPPY 1-A conversion in 1951. The submarine carried out various peacetime missions, such as visiting the Arctic Circle to conduct ice research, and continued to serve as a training ship until it was decommissioned in 1969.

I visited Philadelphia's Independence Seaport Museum in February to tour the singular submarine with Greg Williams, the museum's manager of historic ships. Take a look inside.

The USS Becuna completed five patrols, sank 3,888 tons of shipping, and earned four combat stars in World War II.
The USS Becuna docked at a naval port.
The USS Becuna docked at a naval port.

Arkivi/Getty Images

After the war, the Becuna served as a training ship for students at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut, while occasionally carrying out surveillance missions against the Soviet Union and visiting foreign ports.

In 1951, the Becuna underwent a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power (GUPPY) 1-A conversion. The submarine was outfitted with additional batteries, a snorkel, and other modernizations to improve its submerged speed and endurance.

The Becuna is now the only GUPPY 1-A submarine left in the world.

I visited the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, where the Becuna is docked alongside the Olympia, the oldest steel warship still afloat in the world.
The USS Becuna at the Independence Seaport Museum.
The USS Becuna at the Independence Seaport Museum.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Olympia's service began in 1895. The warship was decommissioned in 1922 and became a museum in 1957.

The Becuna opened to the public as a museum exhibit in 1976.

The Delaware River's fresh water is less corrosive than salty seawater, which helps preserve the historic ships.

After I descended a steep set of steps, the first stop in the Becuna was the forward torpedo room.
The forward torpedo room on the USS Becuna.
The forward torpedo room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Torpedomen slept in pull-out bunks, ready to load and fire the torpedoes at a moment's notice.

The forward torpedo room had six torpedo tubes, while the aft torpedo room in the back of the boat had four tubes.

The forward torpedo room also featured the escape trunk, an emergency exit for crew members.
The escape trunk on the USS Becuna.
The escape trunk.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The escape trunk only worked if the submarine was submerged in 100 feet of water or less.

"The average depth of the world's oceans is 2.3 miles, so the odds of you actually being in 100 feet of water are not great," Williams said. "This was more of a morale booster."

The officers' area of the submarine featured a ward room, a pantry, a shower, and their quarters.
The forward battery on the USS Becuna.
The forward battery.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Becuna had a total crew of 80 men: eight officers, five chief petty officers, and 67 regular crew members.

In the hallway, Williams opened a hatch in the floor to show me one of the batteries that was enhanced during the GUPPY 1-A modernization.
One of the Becuna's batteries.
One of the Becuna's batteries.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

After its GUPPY 1-A makeover, the Becuna's max speed increased from 9 knots to 15 knots.

Officers ate their meals and talked strategy in the ward room.
The ward room on the USS Becuna.
The ward room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The ward room functioned as an operating theater in medical emergencies and was also upgraded to serve as a backup navigation center with the necessary equipment built into the table.

The fake lobster on an officer's plate is part of the museum's strategy to keep younger visitors engaged on the tour. Those who spot all of the lobsters hidden throughout the submarine win a prize.

The officers' meals were reheated and plated in the officers' pantry.
The officers' pantry on the USS Becuna.
The officers' pantry.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The officers ate the same meals as the rest of the crew, but enjoyed a more elevated dining experience in the ward room.

The officers had their own shower, but no one on the USS Becuna bathed very often.
The officers' shower on the USS Becuna.
The officers' shower.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Showers were infrequent aboard submarines to preserve fresh water. The space was often used to store items like potatoes, onions, and cans of food, Williams said.

The junior officers' quarters featured four bunks with curtains for privacy.
Junior officers' quarters on the USS Becuna.
Junior officers' quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Junior and senior officers served in administrative roles.

The three bunks in the senior officers' quarters also included curtains.
Senior officers' quarters on the USS Becuna.
Senior officers' quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The executive officer, who was second-in-command under the commanding officer, slept here.

The commanding officer was the only person on the submarine who got his own room.
The commanding officer's stateroom on the USS Becuna.
The commanding officer's stateroom.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

People often colloquially refer to the person in charge of the ship as the captain, but his official title was commanding officer.

"In the US Navy, 'captain' is a rank, not a position," Williams said. "What most people would think of as a captain is the commanding officer, but his rank is probably going to be commander or lieutenant commander."

Five chief petty officers, who interfaced with the crew to carry out officers' orders, had their own quarters.
The chief petty officers' quarters.
The chief petty officers' quarters.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

"There's a saying in the Navy that officers command but chiefs make the boat go," Williams said.

All of the Becuna's paperwork was processed in the yeoman's shack.
The yeoman's shack on the USS Becuna.
The yeoman's shack.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Anything involving paper β€” reports, commendations, personnel records, order forms for supplies β€” went through the yeoman.

In the control room, Williams allowed me to climb the ladder up into the conning tower, which is usually off-limits to public tours.
Periscopes in the conning tower on the USS Becuna.
Periscopes on the USS Becuna.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The conning tower is where the commanding officer usually issued orders from.

Once I successfully hoisted myself through the narrow hatch into the small space, I looked into one of the periscopes and saw the Olympia warship docked next door.

The conning tower contained the Becuna's main helm with the steering wheel and navigation equipment.
The main helm inside the conning tower of the USS Becuna.
The main helm.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Becuna used red lights for night operations and combat because it's easier for one's eyesight to adjust to total darkness from red light than from bright white light. This allowed crew members with lookout duties to see in the dark more quickly. It also would save precious time if the ship lost power and the control room went completely black.

Back down the ladder in the control room, an auxiliary helm served as a backup just in case the conning tower flooded or became inoperable.
The auxiliary helm in the control room on the USS Becuna.
The auxiliary helm in the control room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The conning tower could be sealed off in an emergency.

An inclinometer showed the angle of the submarine with a floating bubble, similar to a carpenter's level.
The angle indicator in the control room of the USS Becuna.
The inclinometer in the control room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In a nod to the inclinometer, submarine crew members were nicknamed "bubbleheads."

The hydraulic manifold was nicknamed the "Christmas tree" because of its red and green lights indicating open and closed hatches.
The "Christmas tree" in the control room of the USS Becuna.
The "Christmas tree" in the control room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Crew members opened and closed the hatches with levers that used hydraulic pressure.

"Each set of these lights corresponds to a hatch or a hull opening somewhere on the boat," Williams said. "If the light is green, that hatch is closed. If it is red, that hatch is open. When you are diving, you want what's called a green board."

The compressed air manifold distributed compressed air throughout the submarine.
The compressed air manifold on the USS Becuna.
The compressed air manifold.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Compressed air had many crucial jobs on a submarine. It started the engines, fired torpedoes, flushed toilets, and blew water out of the ballast tanks to allow the ship to surface.

The radio room was used for external communications and covert listening.
The radio room on the USS Becuna.
The radio room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

"This is one of those spots that still needs some research and trying to figure out what was where because, obviously, a lot of that listening stuff was taken out because it is sensitive material," Williams said.

Chefs on board the Becuna prepared the crew's meals in the main galley.
The main galley on the USS Becuna.
The main galley.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Crew members ate four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight rations also known as "mid-rats," which were usually dinner leftovers or a simple meal like cold-cut sandwiches.

The crew ate meals, watched movies, and played games in the crew's mess.
The crew's mess on the USS Becuna.
The crew's mess.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The game boards on the tables are original to the submarine.

A hatch in the floor of the crew's mess led down into the refrigerator where fresh food was stored.
The refrigerator compartment below the crew's mess.
The refrigerator compartment below the crew's mess.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Perishables usually lasted through the first two or three weeks of a two-month-long patrol. After that, the crew subsisted on canned goods.

I climbed down through another hatch in the floor to see the sonar equipment β€” a bonus that's not usually included in the public tour.
Sonar equipment on the USS Becuna.
Sonar equipment.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Sonar stands for "sound navigation and ranging."

The Becuna used both active and passive sonar to detect other underwater vessels. Active sonar sends out pings of sound that bounce off other objects, revealing their location and distance. Passive sonar simply listens for activity.

The Becuna mostly used passive sonar to remain undetected.

The sonar room below the crew's mess was soundproofed to block out the noise of movie screenings and chatter from above.

The crew's berthing contained 35 bunks.
The crew's berthing on the USS Becuna.
The crew's berthing.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The forward and aft torpedo rooms each contained 15 bunks. Together with the 35 beds in the crew's berthing, there were 65 bunks for the 67 non-officer crew members on board.

"Hot racking," or the rotating use of bunks by crew members with different shifts, didn't need to happen very often.

The Becuna featured two engine rooms, each containing two General Motors V16 diesel engines.
The forward engine room on the USS Becuna.
The forward engine room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The engines, which ran at 1,600 horsepower each, may have been nicknamed "Huff," "Puff," "Grunt," and "Groan." These names are painted on the engines, but the museum isn't sure if they're historically accurate.

In the forward engine room, evaporator distillers filtered ocean water to maintain the submarine's crucial supply of fresh water.
Evaporator distillers in the forward engine room on the USS Becuna.
Evaporator distillers in the forward engine room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The distillers could produce up to 1,000 gallons of fresh water per day, but actually produced around 600 gallons in practice because they often burned out and required maintenance, Williams said.

Tanks on either side of the submarine could hold 4,000 gallons of fresh water. The Becuna burned through the supply quickly at a pace of about 5,000 gallons a week.

Most of the distilled water went toward keeping the submarine's batteries hydrated as they burned off their electrolyte fluid. The rest was used for cooking, drinking, and cleaning machinery. Hygiene was last on the list, with enough water left over for each crew member to take a two-minute shower once a week.

Crew members oversaw the submarine's propulsion and electricity use from the maneuvering room.
The maneuvering room on the USS Becuna.
The maneuvering room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The bus switches directed electricity to its generators, which powered its motors.

The aft torpedo room featured real demilitarized torpedoes on display.
The aft torpedo room on the USS Becuna.
The aft torpedo room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Each Mark 14 torpedo weighed 3,000 pounds.

The aft torpedo room also featured amusing recreations of original comics poking fun at crew dynamics on board.
Recreated posters in the aft torpedo room on the USS Becuna.
Recreated posters in the aft torpedo room.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

"The takeaway here is everything old is new again," Williams said. "This is one of your first memes, essentially."

My Becuna tour provided a fascinating look into a rare, little-known aspect of submarine history.
The USS Becuna.
The USS Becuna.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

By helping to preserve the story of the only remaining submarine with GUPPY 1-A modernization, Williams hopes to show visitors that submarine history encompasses more than just World War II and nuclear vessels.

"Very few people understand or know that there is a period of about 30 years between the end of the war and when the nuclear fleet really came online that these diesel boats are doing the things that we tend to associate with the nuclear," he said. "That is the story we're trying to tell."

Read the original article on Business Insider

I lined up outside Costco to buy eggs right when it opened. They were gone in 8 minutes.

19 February 2025 at 01:46
Shoppers lined up outside Costco.
Shoppers lined up outside Costco.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

  • Egg prices have reached record highs due to egg supply issues amid a bird flu outbreak in the US.
  • Some stores are imposing limits on how many eggs shoppers can buy.
  • I lined up at Costco to buy eggs right when the store opened, and they sold out in minutes.

Egg supply issues in the US amid a bird flu outbreak have pushed prices to record highs and made it difficult for stores to keep cartons stocked on shelves.

In a survey conducted by Numerator, a market research firm, over half of shoppers said they'd seen shortages of eggs or found them out-of-stock at stores, including BJ's, Costco, Target, Trader Joe's, and Publix.

I visited a Costco store in New York City to see firsthand how consumers navigate egg supply issues and price hikes. Here's a play-by-play of how I managed to get one of the last cartons in the store.

9:29 a.m. β€” I arrived at Costco about 30 minutes before the store opened.
Costco in New York City.
Costco in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Manhattan's only Costco store is located at East River Plaza, a shopping complex in East Harlem.

I often have to circle the parking lot and wait for a spot when I make my usual Costco runs on Sunday afternoons, but I had no trouble finding a place to park that early.

9:34 a.m. β€” I spoke to a few shoppers who said they'd had trouble finding eggs in grocery stores.
Shoppers wait outside Costco for it to open.
Shoppers waited for the store to open.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Some people I spoke with said they hadn't arrived early to buy eggs but instead preferred to shop when the store was less crowded. They also said morning grocery trips worked best with their busy schedules.

When asked why they were at the store so early, two people said they'd had trouble finding eggs at other stores and had come to Costco in search of an affordable supply.

"People don't want to overpay for eggs," one shopper, who declined to give his name, told Business Insider. "That's why I stock up on them."

"It's a shame. It's a shame how much eggs cost," another shopper who asked not to be identified said.

9:55 a.m. β€” A Costco employee came around to scan membership cards.
A Costco employee scans membership cards of people waiting outside the store.
A Costco employee scanned membership cards.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I noticed scanning membership cards beforehand allowed for better traffic flow once the doors opened.

9:58 a.m. β€” The crowd grew as more people arrived and lined up to enter the store.
Shoppers lined up outside Costco.
Shoppers lined up outside Costco.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Crowds gathered outside the store by the parking lot and in the indoor vestibule leading to the warehouse entrance. I estimated that there were around 30 to 40 people between them.

10:01 a.m. β€” The doors opened.
Entering Costco.
Entering Costco at 10:01 a.m.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

It took some maneuvering for all the people and carts to fit through the doors, but overall, I found the process orderly and efficient.

Some people stopped at the entrance to scan their cards again, but employees waved them through and said that wasn't necessary if they'd been processed outside.

10:02 a.m. β€” I marveled at the mostly empty aisles in what's normally a crowded store.
Costco aisles in New York City.
Costco at its opening time.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I've shopped at Costco stores in the Midwest and Iceland. The busiest location is Costco in New York City. I'd never seen the aisles look so spacious.

10:03 a.m. β€” It seemed like everyone had the same destination in mind β€” the dairy, milk, and eggs refrigerated section.
The dairy, milk, and eggs section at Costco.
The dairy, milk, and eggs section at Costco.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I figured it was best to head straight there just in case the eggs went quickly.

10:04 a.m. β€” Success! There were still about 20 cartons left, each with two dozen Kirkland Signature large cage-free eggs.
Eggs at Costco at 10:04 a.m.
Eggs at Costco at 10:04 a.m.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I was surprised to find that there weren't any sets of five dozen cage-free eggs for sale, only smaller cartons with two dozen eggs.

A Costco employee told me that egg deliveries have been inconsistent and that the store's stock varies daily.

Since the Manhattan location hadn't received any eggs that morning, the cartons in stock were likely leftover from closing the day before, the employee said.

10:05 a.m. β€” I grabbed two cartons of eggs, one for myself and one for my neighbors, who asked me to get one for them.
Costco eggs in a shopping cart.
Costco eggs in my shopping cart.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

My neighbors and I occasionally pick up items from Costco for each other. They bought me some cheese on their latest shopping trip, so I owed them a favor.

10:07 a.m. β€” The egg supply dwindled.
A few cartons of eggs left at Costco.
The supply of eggs at 10:07 a.m.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I stayed in the refrigerated section to see how long it would take for the eggs to sell out.

10:08 a.m. β€” Just eight minutes after Costco opened, all of the eggs were gone.
An empty box of eggs at Costco
No more eggs.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I watched several shoppers, who had also arrived early, walk into the refrigerated section. They seemed to express disappointment after seeing the eggs were sold out.

10:12 a.m. β€” I looked around to see if Costco had posted any signs limiting egg purchases, but the Manhattan location didn't appear to have any.
The price of eggs at Costco in February 2025.
The price of eggs at Costco in February 2025.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I saw one person with six packages of eggs in their cart, but for the most part, shoppers took one or two cartons each when I was in the store.

Some Costco locations have limited customers to three egg cartons per person, but policies appear to vary by store. Costco representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

10:31 a.m. β€” I paid $8.49 per carton, which was around $4.25 per dozen.
Self-checkout at Costco.
Self-checkout at Costco.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The average price of a dozen large eggs in US cities was $4.95 as of January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Costco's price during my visit was 70 cents lower than the national average.

In my experience, Manhattan's Costco usually has a small line of people waiting outside before it opens, but this shopping trip felt different. The strategic planning required to buy a carton of eggs reminded me of the frantic rush of securing Taylor Swift's Eras Tour tickets.

In this economy, eggs no longer feel like a basic grocery staple. They're a hot luxury item that flies off the shelves, available to the most devoted fans.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Take a look inside 'The Beast,' the $1.5 million bulletproof presidential limousine used by Trump and Biden

17 February 2025 at 08:53
The Beast presidential limo
Members of the Secret Service outside the presidential limousine.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

  • US presidents are driven in a heavily armored limousine nicknamedΒ "The Beast."Β 
  • It features a secure communications system and fridge stocked with the president's blood type.
  • Military cargo aircraft transport the presidential limousine for use abroad.

When US presidents aren't flying on Air Force One or taking helicopter trips in Marine One, they're driven around in a presidential limousine nicknamed "The Beast."

Weighing in at 20,000 pounds and outfitted with advanced security and communications systems, the newest model of "The Beast" debuted during the first Trump administration in 2018. It reportedly cost around $1.5 million to build.

Take a look inside the famous vehicle.

US presidents travel in a secure limousine nicknamed "The Beast."
The Presidential limousine "The Beast"
"The Beast" waited on the tarmac as President Joe Biden disembarked Air Force One in Helsinki.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

US presidents rode Lincoln limousines for most of the 20th century until the 1980s, when the Reagan administration switched to Cadillacs.

The latest model of the presidential limousine was commissioned by the US Secret Service in 2014 and used for the first time in 2018 by President Donald Trump.

Designed to look like a longer version of a Cadillac XT6, the chassis of the car is actually that of a Chevrolet Kodiak truck produced by General Motors, NBC News reported. The vehicle weighs around 20,000 pounds and cost around $1.5 million to build.

The heavily armored vehicle is bulletproof, blast-resistant, and sealed to withstand biochemical attacks.
The Beast presidential limo
Members of the Secret Service outside the presidential limousine.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

While details about the limousine's security measures remain classified, NBC News reported that the vehicle features a night-vision system, tear gas firing capabilities, and door handles that can be electrified to prevent intruders.

The windows are believed to be 3 inches thick and the vehicle's armor around 8 inches thick.

"The Beast" is also equipped with medical supplies, including a refrigerator stocked with the president's blood type.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris ride in The Beast
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris posed for a photo as they rode in the presidential limousine.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

The limousine's secure communications system is able to dispatch the launch codes for nuclear weapons.

The presidential seal appears throughout the design of the car.
The presidential seal is seen inside the door of US President Joe Biden's limousine
The presidential seal inside the door of "The Beast."

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

The seal, featuring an eagle holding an olive branch and 13 arrows in its talons below a banner reading "E Pluribus Unum" ("Out of many, one"), appears on both the interior and exterior of the passenger door.

The limousine can seat up to seven people.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in The Beast
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden waved as they rode in the presidential limousine.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

The interior features water bottle holders and plush leather seats. Previous presidential limousines have also included a fold-out desk, according to the US Secret Service.

"The Beast" travels with the president.
The President's limousines are loaded aboard a US Air Force C-17 in preparation for a trip.
The president's limousines are shown being loaded aboard a US Air Force C-17.

US Secret Service

Presidential limousines are transported by military cargo aircraft, such as US Air Force C-17s, for use during the president's travels, according to the US Secret Service.

When abroad, the presidential limousine flies the American flag and the flag of the host country.
The Beast presidential car in 2021
The US presidential state car, nicknamed "The Beast," at Windsor Castle in the UK.

Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images

When Biden visited the UK in June 2021, the presidential limousine flew both the American flag and the Union Jack.

On Inauguration Day, Secret Service agents change the car's license plates as a new president takes power.
Secret Service agents change license plates on the presidential limousine
Secret Service agents change license plates on Inauguration Day.

Alex Brandon/AP

Some presidents have used the Washington, DC, "End Taxation Without Representation" license plates, while others have removed the slogan, Axios reported.

On President Donald Trump's second Inauguration Day, Secret Service agents gave "The Beast" a good shine.
A Secret Service agent shines the presidential limousine.
A Secret Service agent shined the presidential limousine.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Biden and Trump rode to the 2025 inauguration ceremony together in the presidential limousine.

Accompanied by the presidential motorcade, "The Beast" remains an instantly recognizable symbol of the power of the presidency.
President Joe Biden looks out the window of the Presidential limousin
President Joe Biden looked out the window of the presidential limousine on Inauguration Day.

Official White House Photo by Ana Isabel Martinez Chamorro

"It is safe to say that this car's security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world," the assistant director for the US Secret Service's Office of Protective Operations said of "The Beast, " according to the US Secret Service's official website.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Photos show how Air Force One has changed through the years

16 February 2025 at 08:49
Joe Biden on Air Force One.
President Joe Biden met with staff aboard Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

  • Any Air Force plane carrying a US president is called Air Force One.
  • John F. Kennedy was the first to use a jet designed specifically for a US president.
  • President Donald Trump proposed new paint colors for the exterior of Air Force One in 2019.

Since the mid-20th century, US presidents have flown on special planes designated as "Air Force One" while carrying out their official duties.

Nicknamed the "flying Oval Office," today's Air Force One is equipped with everything the president might need, including office spaces, two kitchens, sleeping quarters, and a fully functional operating room.

Here's how the design of Air Force One has changed through the years.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to travel on a jet aircraft in 1959.
Air Force One taking off in 1959.
Air Force One taking off.

Terry Fincher/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

Eisenhower's Boeing 707 Stratoliner, nicknamed "Queenie," featured a section for telecommunications, room for 40 passengers, a conference area, and a stateroom, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

John F. Kennedy was the first to use a jet specifically designed for the US president. It had the tail number 26000.
Pilots in the cockpit of Air Force One during John F Kennedy's presidency
President John F. Kennedy's pilot and copilot in Air Force One's cockpit.

John Rous

The Boeing 707 included a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.

Raymond Loewy designed theΒ plane's blue-and-white exterior.
Jackie Kennedy lands in Texas in 1963.
President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in San Antonio.

Kennedy Library Archives/Newsmakers/Getty Images

The plane's design featured an American flag on the tail and presidential seals on the nose.

After Kennedy's assassination in 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in on Air Force One.
Lyndon Johnson takes the oath of office aboard Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
President Lyndon Baines Johnson took the oath of office on Air Force One.

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

It marked the first and only time a presidential swearing-in ceremony took place on an airplane.

Johnson met with Cabinet members on the presidential aircraft in 1966 in a small seating area.
Lyndon Johnson meets with members of his Cabinet on Air Force One.
President Lyndon Johnson met with Cabinet members on Air Force One.

Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

The small alcove was decorated with a globe decal on the wall and curtains lining the windows.

In 1972, Richard Nixon was the first president to use the Boeing 707 plane with tail number 27000 as Air Force One.
President Nixon in a meeting on Air Force One.
President Richard Nixon aboard Air Force One.

Wally McNamee/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Nixon stood behind the plane's bar while meeting with military and civilian leaders en route to Vietnam.

When President Gerald Ford took office after Nixon resigned, seats in the rear cabin were upholstered with striped fabric.
President Gerald Ford speaks to reporters on Air Force One.
President Gerald Ford held a mini news conference aboard Air Force One.

Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

Presidents would occasionally make their way back to the rear cabin to chat with reporters.

Ford's office, just off the stateroom, also featured striped furniture.
Gerald Ford with a photographer on Air Force One.
President Gerald Ford with Candice Bergen on Air Force One.

David Hume Kennerly/ Getty Images

Ford is pictured with Candice Bergen, the first female photographer to shoot a behind-the-scenes story on an American president.

President Jimmy Carter outfitted the press area with blue carpeting.
Jimmy Carter is interviewed on Air Force One.
President Jimmy Carter spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One.

Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

Carter talked to reporters on his way back from a trip to Europe in 1978.

President Ronald Reagan used 27000 as his primary presidential aircraft.
Ronald Reagan with staff aboard Air Force One.
President Ronal Reagan met with advisors aboard Air Force One.

Bill Fitz-Patrick - White House via CNP/Getty Images

In 1983, Reagan met with Secretary of State George P. Shultz and the national-security advisor designate Robert McFarlane in a meeting space that featured a magazine rack, teal chair, wood-grain table, and photos of him and the first lady, Nancy Reagan.

Reagan also hung pictures of himself in Air Force One's rear cabin.
Ronald Reagan aboard Air Force One.
President Ronald Reagan with reporters aboard Air Force One.

Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

The photos showed Reagan toasting with a champagne glass and waving while boarding Air Force One.

New blue-striped curtains matched the blue carpeting and furniture in another meeting area.
Ronald Reagan on Air Force One.
President Ronald Reagan with staff aboard Air Force One.

CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

The meeting room also included a television set.

In 1990, George H. W. Bush began using new Boeing 747 planes with tail numbers 28000 and 29000 as Air Force One.
The presidential office of Air Force One in 1990.
The presidential office of Air Force One.

Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images

The presidential office was updated with a stately desk, gray carpeting, and leather chairs.

The staff and secretarial area was decorated with neutral whites and grays.
The staff area of Air Force One in 1990.
The staff and secretarial area of Air Force One.

Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images

The staff area featured plenty of phones for official business. Air Force One is also known as the "flying Oval Office."

The new plane's annex could also be configured for medical use.
Chairs facing each other in the Annex of Air Force One
The annex of Air Force One.

Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images

The annex is pictured in executive configuration, with seating for meetings.

The new planes featured over 4,000 square feet of space, which President Bill Clinton often used to hold meetings.
Bill Clinton meets with staff on Air Force One.
President Bill Clinton in a meeting aboard Air Force One.

LUKE FRAZZA/AFP via Getty Images

Clinton met with a delegation from North and South Dakota in 1997 to address flooding in the area.

In the guest area, Clinton's Air Force One featured tan chairs and blue carpeting.
Bill Clinton meets with staff on Air Force One.
President Bill Clinton on Air Force One.

DAVID SCULL/AFP via Getty Images

Clinton met with members of Congress to discuss nuclear-waste management in 1999.

President George W. Bush flew 27000 one last time in August 2001 before it was retired to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
George W. Bush and Laura Bush on Air Force One.
President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush aboard Air Force One on the plane's last mission.

Rick Wilking/Getty Images

The plane flew 444 missions and logged over 1 million miles, according to the Bush White House.

When the World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, the Secret Service kept Bush in the air aboard the new Air Force One.
George W. Bush talks on the phone and staffers huddle aboard Air Force One.
President George W. Bush on the telephone on September 11, 2001, as senior staff huddled in his office aboard Air Force One.

Eric Draper, Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library/Getty Images

Bush insisted on returning to Washington, but the Secret Service refused since they were unsure if more attacks were coming.

In a 2016 interview with Politico, Bush's assistant White House press secretary Gordon Johndroe described Air Force One that day as "the safest and most dangerous place in the world at the exact same time."

Bush conferred with his chief of staff, Andy Card, in the stateroom, designed by Nancy Reagan.
President George W. Bush talks with his chief of staff aboard Air Force One.
President George W. Bush and Andy Card on September 11, 2001.

Eric Draper, Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library/Getty Images

The president's suite included a small bed, light-pink couch and carpeting, and a desk with a brown leather chair.

Bush walked down a hallway arm-in-arm with Harriet Miers, the assistant to the president and staff secretary.
George W. Bush on Air Force One.
President George W. Bush and Harriet Miers on September 11, 2001.

Eric Draper, Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library/Getty Images

The hallway was lined with a beige couch with side tables and lamps on either side.

When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, Air Force One's conference room had been updated with a TV screen and leather chairs.
Barack Obama sits around a table with staff on Air Force One
President Barack Obama talks with his staff aboard Air Force One.

Pete Souza/White House via Getty Images

The plane has 85 phone lines as well as encryption and scrambling devices to ensure secure communication, CNBC reported.

On the other side of the conference room, a decal that read "Air Force One" was displayed on wood paneling.
Barack Obama speaks on the phone in a conference room on Air Force One.
President Barack Obama on the phone aboard Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Food and drinks are provided by the plane's galley kitchen.

The plane's senior staff room featured more phones, a coat closet, and leather chairs.
President Barack Obama meets with staff on Air Force One.
President Barack Obama with senior staff and President Bill Clinton on Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Obama met with his chief of staff, Jack Lew, his senior advisors David Axelrod and David Plouffe, and former President Bill Clinton in the senior staff room in 2012.

The presidential office furniture was also updated, with mahogany chairs and sofas replacing the gray.
Barack Obama aboard Air Force One.
President Barack Obama with staff on Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

The carpeting was updated to a subtle star pattern, which also appeared in the conference room.

The plane's guest section was reserved for special visitors like members of Congress.
Barack Obama on Air Force One.
President Barack Obama with a congressional delegation aboard Air Force One.

Official White House photo by Pete Souza

The chairs featured a subtle polka-dot pattern, and the tables folded down to make more space.

The rear cabin for press looked like a standard commercial airliner.
Barack Obama briefing reporters on Air Force One
President Barack Obama briefed journalists on Air Force One.

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Journalists can wander the rear cabin freely, but they aren't allowed to walk forward to speak to the president β€” the president has to come back to them.

President Donald Trump proposed new paint colors for the exterior of Air Force One in 2019.
President Donald Trump's proposed paint scheme for Air Force One.
A model of the proposed paint scheme of the next generation of Air Force One.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

As part of the Air Force's Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program to update Air Force One planes, Trump proposed a red, white, and navy-blue color scheme for the new models.

The Air Force ultimately rejected Trump's proposed color scheme because it would have been more costly and caused engineering issues.
Air Force One
Air Force One in February.

Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images

The darker paint color would have caused overheating issues and been too costly. Instead, President Joe Biden selected a baby-blue color scheme similar to the current model.

The new VC-25B Air Force One planes are expected to be ready by 2027, according to the Air Force. The project has already cost Boeing over $2 million due to various manufacturing and supply-chain issues.

In President Joe Biden's Air Force One, the conference room had the same star carpeting as the plane's presidential office.
Joe Biden on Air Force One.
President Joe Biden met with staff aboard Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

Plain beige carpeting continued down the hallway.

The placard in the conference room was updated to read "Aboard Air Force One" with an image of the iconic aircraft.
Joe Biden sits at a table on Air Force One
President Joe Biden on the phone on Air Force One.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

Biden took his first overseas trip as president in June 2021, visiting Europe for the G7 summit.

In his second non-consecutive term, President Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America while flying above it on Air Force One.
Donald Trump renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America aboard Air Force One.
Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America aboard Air Force One.

ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

Trump signed a proclamation establishing the name change in his Air Force One office in February.

Read the original article on Business Insider

10 of the tallest abandoned skyscrapers around the world

16 February 2025 at 05:46
A very tall building without cladding on the top and a crane on its rough surrounded by smaller buildings
The empty, rusting Goldin Finance tower in Tianjin, China, was meant to hold a hotel, condos, and offices.

Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • Iconic skylines are one way to immediately identify some cities.
  • Some looming skyscrapers haven't stood the test of time, becoming abandoned or remaining incomplete.
  • Cities must figure out what to do with the structures, and the cost of revitalization can be huge.

Towering skyscrapers often create a city's iconic skyline, yet sometimes its tallest buildings can fall into disrepair or remain unfinished.

While abandoned structures can become symbolic of a location's financial or social struggles, cities still have to decide what to do with them. Some are left to rust, others are demolished, and a few become revitalized.

In the mid-20th century, many older buildings in the US went under the wrecking ball. That's not the best option from a sustainability standpoint, Shawn Ursini, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's (CTBUH) senior building database manager, told Business Insider.

"A lot of these buildings can still have a lot of life left in them," he said. "We just maybe need to get a bit more creative as to what their purpose is going forward."

He added that the CTBUH doesn't have a designation for abandoned buildings since it doesn't track buildings' occupancy once they're completed. However, the organization does keep tabs on the many buildings worldwide that are on hold.

"Generally speaking, when a project goes on hold, there is still an attempt to finish it," Ursini said, although these attempts aren't always successful.

Here are 10 of the tallest skyscrapers around the world that now sit empty or uncompleted β€”Β and how they ended up that way.

Beirut Trade Center, Beirut (459 feet)
A tall brown building and another building next to it with a crane
The Burj al-Murr or Beirut Trade Center, left, in 2022.

Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images

During the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), snipers took up residence in a number of Beirut buildings in what became known as the "Battle of the Hotels."

Construction on the 40-story Beirut Trade Center, also known as Burj al-Murr or the "tower of bitterness," began in 1974, just a year before war broke out. At that point, the $15 million building was 70% complete, Executive Magazine reported in 2004.

In addition to office space, the Trade Center was designed to hold a movie theater and restaurant accessible by helicopter.

Architect Camillo Boano and urban planner Dalia Chabarek described it as a scarred artifact of war that's "difficult to topple" or renovate.

Several artists have incorporated the unfinished building into their work. In 2018, Jad El Khoury put up a temporary installation in the structure, adding colorful curtains to the windows to transform it into Burj El Hawa, the Tower of Air, according to Archinect.

Plaza Tower, New Orleans (531 feet)
A billboard reding "Here for a reason" in front of a tall black building with square windows
The Tower Plaza, right, in New Orleans.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters

One of New Orleans' tallest buildings has become a danger in the decades since it was erected in the 1960s.

While the $15.5 million building had a few residential units, it was mainly designed for offices. In 2002, building tenants, including the Orleans Parish district attorney's office, complained that toxic mold was making them sick. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the building was gutted due to both mold and asbestos, The Times-Picayune reported in 2014.

Since then, its problems have continued. A piece of paneling fell and hit a bicyclist in 2021. There was a fire in 2022, and a man died falling from one of the floors in 2023.

Despite attempts to salvage the Plaza Tower, "the city made their case that the buildings become a public safety hazard," Ursini said.

Now the city is preparing to demolish the building, though the current owner hopes to find a buyer instead, The Times-Picayune reported in January.

900 Chestnut, St. Louis, Missouri (588 feet)
A street in St. Louis with buildings lining either side, including one with an AT&T sign
909 Chestnut Street with the AT&T sign visible.

Isabella Pino/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

In 2022, Rosin Preservation wrote a report arguing that 909 Chestnut Street, also known as One AT&T Center, should be added to the National Register of Historic Places list.

Completed in 1985, the St. Louis building is one of the tallest in the state, has a "fortress-like base," and a "façade [that] appears to stretch beyond what is expected, seemingly indefinitely," according to the report.

AT&T didn't renew its lease in 2017, and the building has been empty since, according to Costar, which gathers information on commercial real estate. In 2024, the Goldman Group bought 909 Chestnut for $3.6 million, a fraction of its 2006 price of $205 million.

"At that price, I guess the building itself is a blank slate because you're picking it up for almost nothing," Ursini said.

The real estate firm hopes to put in 600 apartments, a pickleball court, and a movie theater, Fox2 reported in January.

Sathorn Unique, Bangkok (607 feet)
sathorn unique ghost tower
The Sathorn Unique building stands empty in Bangkok.

Sakchai Lalit/AP

Popularly known as Thailand's "Ghost Tower," this looming structure dates back to 1990. The 47-floor building was only 80% finished when the 1997 Asian financial crisis hit.

Its architect was also charged and then acquitted as part of a murder plot that was never carried out, Architectural Digest reported in 2023.

With the unfinished luxury condo in ruins, daredevil travelers risk trespassing and injury to explore the tower. Exposed wires and rusty metals are just a few of the building's hazards.

Centro Financiero Confinanzas, Caracas, Venezuela, (623 feet)
Floors of a building are tilted after an earthquake
Structural damage on the top five floors of "Tower of David" after a 2018 earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela.

Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

For years, this empty 45-story building, known as the Torre de David or Tower of David, was also described as the world's tallest slum.

Banker David Brillembourg hoped to create Venezuela's version of Wall Street with the tower, The New Yorker reported, but the country's financial crisis and Brillembourg's death put an end to construction in 1994, New York Magazine reported.

Some 3,000 people took up residence in the concrete shell of a building, transforming it into a community with electricity, grocery stores, and water, Slate reported in 2014. However, the structure was deemed unsafe and the occupants were evicted in 2014, per The BBC.

In 2018, a powerful earthquake did some damage to the upper levels of the Tower of David, Reuters reported.

1 Seaport, New York City (670 feet)
An tall, thin unfinished skyscraper among other buildings in New York City
The unfinished 1 Seaport in 2020 (center).

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

At between $1.5 million and $20 million a pop, units in 1 Seaport came with the promised luxuries of an infinity pool, dazzling views, and 10-foot ceilings. Buyers snapped them up, putting down hundreds of thousands of dollars as deposits.

In 2017, a carpenter working on the $273 million building fell to his death, The New Yorker recently reported. When it emerged the building was sinking and leaning to the left, its contractors and developers started blaming each other, Curbed reported in 2021.

One lawyer involved in one of 1 Seaport's many lawsuits described the tilted structure as resembling a banana. While the building is unlikely to fall over, construction has been halted since 2020.

Oceanwide Plaza, Los Angeles (677 feet)
Smoke rises in an orange sky behind a tall, unfinished building
Wildfire smoke rising behind the Oceanwide Plaza tower in Los Angeles.

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Consisting of three towers, the unfinished Oceanwide Plaza has become notorious for artists tagging its exterior. Last year, thrill-seekers even BASE jumped from the top.

The ambitious complex, expected to cost $1 billion, was meant to be home to luxury residential units and a five-star hotel, The Los Angeles Times reported. It's about 60% complete after construction halted in 2019. Oceanwide Holdings, the company behind the towers, filed for involuntary bankruptcy, Los Angeles Magazine reported last year.

Finishing the project would take around $800 million, per the Wall Street Journal.

Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea (1,082 feet)
Hotel Doom North Korea
Ryugyong Hotel, also known as Hotel Doom, in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Feng Li/Getty Images

Jutting high above its surrounding buildings, the pyramid-shaped Ryugyong earned the nickname "Hotel of Doom" when it sat empty and incomplete for over a decade in the middle of North Korea's biggest city.

Work on the 105-story building began in 1987 under the rule of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather. In 1992, the economic depression following the Soviet Union's collapse halted construction before windows were installed and the concrete was covered.

Construction has stopped and started several times since, and it's unclear when the structure will open. In 2008, Reuters reported it would take an estimated $2 billion to complete the hotel.

"It was bare," tour operator Simon Cockerell told 9news.com.au of the concrete-filled interior after a visit in 2023.

On the outside, though, a new LED screen broadcasts propaganda.

SkyCity, Mandaluyong, Philippines (1,099 feet)
A highway in Mandaluyong, Philippines with buildings on either side
A large hole in between buildings, right, where SkyCity was meant to rise over 1,000 feet in the air.

TanMan/Getty Images

This is one project that never got off the ground.

Originally, its developers hoped SkyCity would be the Philippines' tallest building. They planned for the 77-story skyscraper to hold a hotel, swanky condos, and a bar, Esquire Philippines reported.

Nearby homeowners complained when developers broke ground in 1997 for several reasons, including that the structure, planned at over 1,000 feet tall, would cast a giant shadow.

A lengthy legal battle ensued, and funding for the estimated $85 million project dried up. The location is just a large, mossy hole now.

Goldin Finance 117, Tianjin, China (1,957 feet)
A very tall unfinished building with a crane on top
The Goldin Finance 117 Tower in Tianjin, China, in 2024.

Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Nothing in the vicinity comes close to the height of the rusting, unfinished Goldin Finance tower in Tianjin, a city in Northern China. It was meant to hold a hotel, condos, and offices.

Construction began on the structure in 2008. A diamond-shaped atrium was supposed to sit atop the building, reminiscent of a glittering gem on top of a walking stick.

From the atrium's observation deck and restaurant, guests would have had dizzying views of the city's downtown. Then, in the mid-2010s, Goldin Group, the skyscraper's developer, started having financial troubles.

At that point, it would have taken $10 billion to complete the project, Forbes reported in 2022.

"There's no cladding on the exterior, and the building is just there awaiting a restart of construction," Ursini said. It still remains empty today.

This story was originally published in August 2018 and most recently updated on February 16, 2025.

Read the original article on Business Insider

See inside Marine One, the soundproof presidential helicopter that can seat 14 people and deploy anti-missile defenses

14 February 2025 at 10:13
Marine One takes off in front of the White House
Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House.

Official White House Photo by Carlos Fyfe

  • Presidents fly in Marine Corps helicopters that are called Marine One when carrying the president.
  • The helicopters feature extensive security measures and spacious, soundproof interiors.
  • Marine One often picks up the president from the South Lawn of the White House for shorter trips.

US presidents travel in style with secure, state-of-the-art vehicles such as Air Force One and the bulletproof presidential limousine known as "The Beast."

Marine One, the presidential helicopter, is another such mode of transportation. With spacious, soundproof interiors, advanced defense systems, and a landing zone on the White House lawn, the white-topped helicopters are often the most convenient way for presidents to get from place to place.

Take a look inside the Marine One models used by modern presidents.

Similar to Air Force One, any Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president of the United States uses the call sign Marine One.
Marine One
Marine One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

President Dwight Eisenhower was the first president to fly in a helicopter in an official capacity in 1957, according to the US Naval Institute.

The helicopter is equipped with extensive security measures.
Joe Biden boards Marine One
President Joe Biden boarded Marine One in Seoul, South Korea.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

Marine One features antimissile countermeasures, ballistic armor, secure communication lines, and radar-jamming technology.

In case of a crash, it also has self-sealing fuel tanks and energy-absorbing landing gear to help prevent fires and extensive damage.

The president always flies with at least one other decoy Marine One as additional protection.
Marine One and a decoy helicopter
Marine One carrying President Joe Biden and a decoy helicopter at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

JULIA NIKHINSON/AFP via Getty Images

There can be up to five Marine One helicopters flying at one time to obscure the president's exact location, according to the George W. Bush Presidential Library. The helicopters also frequently change positions after takeoff to make it harder to determine which one the president is on.

Marine One travels abroad with the president, as well.
Joe Biden greets pilots on Marine One
President Joe Biden with Marine One pilots.

Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

Military cargo aircraft transport Marine One helicopters abroad and remain on standby at local airports in case of emergency during foreign visits, according to the US Naval Institute.

Marine One can fit between 11 and 14 passengers, depending on the model.
Barack Obama and staffers in Marine One
President Barack Obama with staffers aboard Marine One.

Official White House photo by Pete Souza

A Black Hawk model called the VH-60N White Hawk can fit 11 passengers, and the Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King helicopters can fit 14, according to the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Both are used as presidential transports.

Presidents often meet with staffers aboard Marine One.
President Barack Obama talks with Chief of Staff Bill Daley, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon aboard Marine One
President Barack Obama with Chief of Staff Bill Daley, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and national security advisor Tom Donilon aboard Marine One.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

The helicopter is so soundproof that passengers can speak at a normal volume.

Marine One also includes perks like 200 square feet of interior space and a bathroom.

It's also used to transport the president for shorter trips to places like Camp David and Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to board Air Force One.
The cockpit of Marine One as it lands at the White House
A view of the South Portico of the White House from aboard Marine One.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Flying across Washington, DC, in a helicopter is more efficient than snarling traffic in a presidential motorcade.

Marine One picks the president up on the South Lawn of the White House.
Marine One takes off from the South Lawn of the White House
Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House.

Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

New Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot models built by Lockheed Martin debuted in 2021 with the goal of eventually replacing the older Marine One helicopters.

The fleet of 20 aircraft cost $5 billion, but the new Sikorsky helicopters are no longer in regular use because the engines kept burning the White House lawn.

Upon boarding and landing, the president is greeted by Marines wearing the Marine Blue Dress uniform.
Donald Trump salutes soldiers as he boards Marine One
President Donald Trump boarded Marine One.

Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

President Barack Obama sparked controversy in 2013 when he seemingly forgot to return a Marine's salute and doubled back to shake his hand while boarding Marine One.

However, while Army personnel in uniform are required to salute the president, the president doesn't have to return the gesture. The New York Times reported that President Ronald Reagan was the first president to start returning soldiers' salutes in 1981.

The aircraft is stocked with water bottles and snacks including boxes of presidential M&Ms.
President Barack Obama reads a morning newspaper aboard Marine One
President Barack Obama read a morning newspaper aboard Marine One.

Official White House photo by Pete Souza

The president's seat is the only forward-facing captain's chair on the aircraft aside from the seats occupied by the pilot and copilot, The Points Guy reported.

After his first ride in Marine One in 2009, Obama said that the helicopter was "very smooth" and "very impressive."

"You go right over the Washington Monument and then, you know, kind of curve in by the Capitol," he said. "It was spectacular."

Read the original article on Business Insider

I traveled first class on Amtrak for the first time. Here are the most luxurious perks I enjoyed.

13 February 2025 at 07:10
A first-class meal on Amtrak.
A first-class meal on Amtrak.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

  • I traveled first class on Amtrak for the first time from Philadelphia to New York City.
  • The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge came with many perks including free snacks and comfy seating.
  • I also enjoyed a complimentary meal and personalized service from a first-class attendant.

I've never flown in first class β€”Β the closest I've come was a free upgrade to Delta Comfort Plus because all the basic economy seats were full.

However, I got a taste of luxury with my first first-class Amtrak ride in February.

Amtrak ridership hit record highs in the fiscal year 2024 with 32.8 million trips, a 15% increase from 2023. In a statement, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said that the ridership record "shows that travelers throughout the US want efficient travel options, and we are committed to meeting that demand."

I occasionally take Amtrak for medium-distance trips when I don't have access to a car, but I've always sat in coach.

For my inaugural first-class trip, I paid $241 for a seat on an Acela train from Philadelphia to New York City, a journey that typically takes around 1 Β½ hours.

An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that first-class passengers "enjoy priority boarding, premium amenities, complimentary onboard food and beverage services, and privileged access to station lounges" across the US.

Here are the most luxurious perks I enjoyed.

When booking my first-class trip from Philadelphia to New York City, I was surprised to find that I could select my seat.
Choosing a seat in Amtrak's first-class car.
Choosing a seat in Amtrak's first-class car.

Amtrak

When booking my ticket, a diagram on Amtrak's website showed the direction of travel so that I could choose a forward or backward-facing seat on the train.

I chose to sit in 5F, a single window seat facing forward.

An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that seat selection β€”Β which is not typically available for Amtrak coach seats β€” allows for "seamless boarding while taking the guesswork out of finding your seat."

With my first-class ticket, I gained admission to the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Seven cities in the US have Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, and Washington, DC. Admission is included with a first-class ticket.

In select locations, business-class passengers can buy a day pass for $50.

The lounge featured comfortable seating, which can be difficult to come by in train stations.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Train stations like Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and New York City's Penn Station don't have much seating available in the public waiting areas.

In the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, the armchairs and couches felt reminiscent of a hotel lobby.

I spent nearly three hours there, and the time flew by since I had cushy places to sit and a decent WiFi connection.

There was also a kitchenette stocked with complimentary snacks and drinks.
Snacks in the Amtrak lounge in Philadelphia.
Snacks in the Amtrak lounge.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A coffee machine produced espresso, iced coffee, and hot chocolate. A water dispenser also offered still, sparkling, and hot water.

Insulated from the rest of the station, the lounge maintained a quiet, library-like atmosphere.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia.
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Train announcements were displayed on information screens instead of blasting through loudspeakers, and people kept their conversations and phone calls at a respectful volume.

The exclusivity of the space also meant it wasn't very crowded.

First-class passengers could board their trains directly from the lounge through private elevators.
An elevator in the Amtrak lounge.
An elevator in the Amtrak lounge.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Unfortunately, the elevator to my specific track was broken, so I had to join the regular boarding line outside the lounge.

My first-class seat appeared wider than a coach seat.
An Acela first-class seat on Amtrak.
My Acela first-class seat.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

While the seat had more space to spread out with no seat next to it, I didn't notice a significant improvement in comfort. It felt more or less the same as the coach seat I'd sat in earlier in the day for my trip to Philadelphia, which had been perfectly comfortable.

Almost as soon as I sat down, a first-class attendant came to take my meal order.
Amtrak's seasonal first-class menu.
Amtrak's first-class menu.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Even though the trip was only scheduled to last about one hour and 22 minutes, it included a full meal from the first-class menu. Having someone take my order made me feel like I was at a restaurant and added to the luxurious experience.

I ordered a roasted root vegetable salad, which tasted fresh and well-seasoned.
A first-class meal on Amtrak.
A first-class meal on Amtrak.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The salad was a mix of arugula, spinach, purple potatoes, parsnips, chickpeas, tomatoes, and king mushrooms with a curry dressing.

It came with a warm roll and a small tiramisu in a jar, and I enjoyed the meal with a glass of cranberry juice.

I also got to eat my dinner with real silverware.
Real silverware on Amtrak's first-class car.
Real silverware on Amtrak's first-class car.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The silverware was stamped with the Acela logo.

After the meal, the first-class attendant came around and offered warm towelettes.
A warm towelette on Amtrak's first-class car.
A warm towelette on Amtrak's first-class car.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The lightly scented, moist towelettes were a refreshing end to the meal service.

I enjoyed the whole first-class experience, but the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge was my favorite perk by far.
Talia Lakritz rides first-class on Amtrak.
In first class on Amtrak.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I generally agree with my colleague Joey Hadden's previous assessment of Amtrak's first-class experience: The perks are cool, but not necessarily worth the higher price tag of $241 for a one-way ticket. The first leg of my journey, from New York to Philadelphia, cost just $19 for a coach seat.

If anything, the fact that first class doesn't feel like a significant upgrade is a testament to the comfort of Amtrak's coach cars.

The one exception, in my opinion, is the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge. While I may not book an expensive first-class ticket again for a shorter trip, I'd consider getting a lounge day pass for the luxury of having a quiet, comfortable, well-stocked waiting area.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Barnes & Noble plans to open at least 60 new stores in 2025. I visited the bookseller to see why it's thriving.

11 February 2025 at 08:28
Barnes and Noble store
Barnes & Noble is expanding.

Mike Segar/Reuters

  • Barnes & Noble plans to open at least 60 new stores in 2025.
  • The bookseller credits the virality of TikTok book content, also known as "BookTok," for its growth.
  • Its Starbucks cafΓ©s have also drawn customers as a space for gathering and socializing.

Barnes & Noble is planning to open at least 60 new stores in 2025 β€” a stunning turnaround for a bookseller that just a few years ago closed hundreds of locations and appeared doomed to follow in the footsteps of its shuttered former competitors.

Barnes & Noble opened 57 new locations in 2024 and operates around 600 stores in total, making it the largest bookseller in the US.

The hedge fund Elliott Advisors bought out Barnes & Noble for $638 million in 2019. James Daunt, CEO of the British bookstore chain Waterstones, was named the new CEO.

Despite store closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnes & Noble's sales surged above their pre-pandemic levels as people turned to reading out of boredom and nostalgia.

In recent years, the bookseller has also leaned into the popularity of book content on TikTok and the post-pandemic thirst for "third spaces" to meet and socialize.

I visited a Barnes & Noble store to see the bookseller's strategies in action.

In February, I visited a Barnes & Noble store in Clifton, New Jersey.
Barnes and Noble.
Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The store was located at Clifton Commons, a 335,000-square-foot shopping center that also features a Target, an AMC movie theater, and a Burlington Coat Factory, among other retailers.

Walking into the store, I was struck by its bright lighting, high ceilings, and colorful displays.
Inside Barnes and Noble.
Inside Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

NPR reported in 2023 that new Barnes & Noble stores featured lighter paint and wood colors as part of a branding makeover that occurred when stores were closed during the pandemic.

"Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros, a popular BookTok pick, was prominently displayed up front.
"Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros at Barnes and Noble.
"Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

"Onyx Storm" is the fastest-selling adult novel since BookScan began tracking sales 20 years ago, with 2.7 million copies sold in its first week.

"Romantasy," the romance-fantasy genre that has taken over BookTok, was heavily featured across the store.
A sign advertised "Romantasy" books at Barnes and Noble.
A sign advertised "Romantasy" books.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A sign described the genre and its tropes, such as enemies to lovers, found family, elemental magic, fairytale retellings, and strong heroines," as "all the books you've been hearing about!"

"Many stores have opted to feature BookTok tables and have grown some extensive Graphic Novels and Manga sections, and have truly become a go-to destination for kids and teenagers to gather after school," a Barnes & Noble spokesperson told Business Insider.

In another strong branding move, the bookseller offered exclusive Barnes & Noble editions of major titles.
Barnes and Noble exclusive editions.
Barnes & Noble featured exclusive editions of books.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Barnes & Noble exclusive editions can feature exclusive cover designs or additional content, such as interviews with the authors β€” a draw for loyal fans to shop at Barnes & Noble over other retailers.

Bookshelves featured handwritten recommendations from Barnes & Noble employees.
A handwritten book review from a Barnes and Noble employee.
A handwritten book review from a Barnes & Noble employee.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The handwritten notes made the national retailer feel more like an indie bookstore.

As CEO, Daunt's strategy has been to allow store managers to stock books based on what's selling well in their individual locations instead of dictating orders from a centralized corporate office.

"I get all the glory, but actually what I'm doing is getting out of people's way and letting them run decent bookstores," Daunt told The New York Times in 2022.

In an eye-catching display, Barnes & Noble advertised books that have been banned in schools and libraries.
A section of banned books at Barnes and Noble.
A section of banned books at Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The selection of banned books included "The Diary of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank, "1984" by George Orwell, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood," and "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe.

Barnes & Noble added a "banned books" section to its website and some stores in 2022. Some of the books "were banned on moral, religious, or political grounds," or because they "explore race, sexuality, and new concepts and ideas," per Barnes & Noble's website.

Many of the displays were laid out on smaller tables instead of larger bookshelves, allowing for more space to wander.
Tear-jerking books at Barnes and Noble.
Tear-jerking books at Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A Barnes & Noble spokesperson told BI that the stores encourage browsing with a layout that "guides customers on a smooth journey."

I noticed how reading nooks with seating were designed to allow customers to sit and read as they browsed.
Bookshelves and benches at Barnes and Noble.
Bookshelves and benches at Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

As part of Barnes & Noble's redesign, books are organized by theme instead of alphabetically to help readers make new discoveries.

In the business section, books about Elon Musk and X, previously known as Twitter, were prominently featured.
Business books at Barnes and Noble.
Business books at Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

When I visited in February, Musk and his Department of Governmental Efficiency continued to make headlines in the early days of the Trump administration. Barnes & Noble appeared to capitalize on increased interest in Musk's business practices by displaying books where people could learn more about him.

The toys and games section sold Lego sets, puzzles, and an array of board and card games.
Toys, games, and puzzles at Barnes & Noble.
Toys, games, and puzzles at Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business INsider

The toys and games were strategically located near the section of children's books, charmingly labeled "Barnes & Noble Jr."

I was surprised to find that the upper level of the store had been converted to office space and was off-limits.
A sign in front of an escalator at Barnes and Noble.
The second floor was off-limits.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I'd assumed there would be more bookshelves to peruse upstairs. From the ground floor, I could see employees working in cubicles and holding meetings in glass-walled conference rooms.

The upper floors of Barnes & Noble's flagship store in Union Square have also been converted to office space as a cost-cutting measure instead of leasing an expensive corporate headquarters.

The coffee shop inside the store was full of people working on their laptops and chatting over coffee.
A Starbucks inside Barnes and Noble.
A coffee shop inside Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Barnes & Noble cafΓ©s license Starbucks drinks but sell different food items, so they're not considered stand-alone Starbucks stores and don't accept Starbucks gift cards.

The cafΓ© offered free upgrades to the next-largest beverage size for Barnes & Noble premium members.
Barnes and Noble membership perks at the Starbucks inside the store.
Barnes & Noble offered membership perks at the Starbucks inside the store.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The premium membership, launched in 2023, costs $39.99 per year.

Premium members also get extra discounts on purchases.
A sign advertising Barnes and Noble memberships.
Barnes & Noble members get extra discounts.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In addition to 10% off most purchases, premium members get free shipping and one free ebook a month, among other perks.

With its viral BookTok recommendations, inviting nooks to peruse, and spacious cafΓ©, I could see why Barnes & Noble is thriving.
Barnes and Noble.
Barnes & Noble.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

"Barnes & Noble has always been a social hub, but it became even more so after the pandemic; many readers were looking for a place to spend time and connect with other people in their community," a Barnes & Noble spokesperson told Business Insider. "With this shift to a 'third place' our bookstores and cafΓ©s were seen as the perfect safe and welcoming space to meet up with friends and explore the stacks."

Read the original article on Business Insider

The best photos of the 2025 Super Bowl

10 February 2025 at 08:29
Terry Bradshaw interviewed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after winning Super Bowl LIX. His teammate, Milton Williams, held up a newspaper that read "Champs."
Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP.

Cooper Neill/Contributor/Getty Images

  • The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs faced off in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.
  • Photographers captured the most dramatic and triumphant moments from the game.
  • Photos also showed Taylor Swift rooting for Travis Kelce from the stands.

Super Bowl LIX was full of memorable moments as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday with a final score of 40-22.

Notable attendees included President Donald Trump, former first lady Jill Biden, and Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Kendrick Lamar, fresh off his five Grammy wins for "Not Like Us," performed during the halftime show.

And through it all, professional photographers were at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans to capture the most dramatic and triumphant moments.

Getty Images photographer Chris Graythen told Business Insider ahead of the game that the Super Bowl "really feels like no other event when it's starting," but once the ball kicks off, "everything kind of settles down into the regular rhythm" and "sports photographers just go, OK, it's just time to do what we do, look at the game and just keep focused on being in the game."

Here are some of the best photos from Super Bowl LIX.

Seven-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste played the piano as he sang the national anthem.
Jon Batiste at Super Bowl LIX.
Jon Batiste at Super Bowl LIX.

Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images

President Donald Trump saluted as the national anthem was sung.
President Donald Trump salutes as the national anthem is sung at the Super Bowl.
President Donald Trump at Super Bowl LIX.

Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation

Photographer Chris Graythen told BI that during the second quarter, his focus was on capturing celebrities in attendance, such as Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin.
Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin were spotted at Super Bowl LIX.

Chris Graythen/Staff/Getty Images

He also photographed Taylor Swift as she watched the game alongside Ice Spice, the Haim sisters, and her brother, Austin Swift.
Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters at Super Bowl LIX.
Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters at Super Bowl LIX.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scored the first touchdown of the game during the first quarter.
Jalen Hurts scores a touchdown at Super Bowl LIX.
The first touchdown of Super Bowl LIX.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean pulled off a "pick six" by intercepting Mahomes' pass and scoring the Eagles' second touchdown.
Cooper DeJean scores a touchdown at Super Bowl LIX.
Cooper DeJean at Super Bowl LIX.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Nick Sirianni, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, celebrated DeJean's maneuver on the sidelines.
Nick Sirianni at Super Bowl LIX.
Nick Sirianni at Super Bowl LIX.

Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

AJ Brown scored the Eagles' third touchdown, giving them a commanding lead toward the end of the first half of the game at 24-0.
AJ Brown scores a touchdown at Super Bowl LIX.
AJ Brown at Super Bowl LIX.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins dropped a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the team tried and failed to score points against the Eagles by the end of the first half.
Patrick Mahomes at Super Bowl LIX.
Patrick Mahomes at Super Bowl LIX.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Kendrick Lamar, who has won 22 Grammys through his career, headlined the halftime show with hit songs including "Not Like Us" and "TV Off."
Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LIX.
Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LIX.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Samuel L. Jackson appeared throughout Lamar's performance dressed as Uncle Sam.
Samuel L. Jackson at Super Bowl LIX.
Samuel L. Jackson at Super Bowl LIX.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

SZA also joined Lamar during the halftime show performance for "Luther" and "All the Stars."
SZA and Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LIX.
SZA and Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LIX.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott came up big in the second half, with three successful field goal attempts.
Jake Elliot at Super Bowl LIX.
Jake Elliot at Super Bowl LIX.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

DeVonta Smith's third-quarter touchdown brought the Eagles' lead to 34-0, one of the largest point margins in Super Bowl history.
DeVonta Smith at Super Bowl LIX.
DeVonta Smith at Super Bowl LIX.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy gave the Chiefs their first points of the game late in the third quarter with a 24-yard touchdown from Mahomes.
Xavier Worthy at Super Bowl LIX.
Xavier Worthy scored the Chiefs' first touchdown of the game.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

The Chiefs made a late surge with a diving touchdown by Hopkins in the fourth quarter.
DeAndre Hopkins catches a touchdown at Super Bowl LIX.
DeAndre Hopkins at Super Bowl LIX.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Worthy scored his second touchdown of the game and the Chiefs completed a two-point conversion to bring the score to 22-40.
Xavier Worthy scores a touchdown at Super Bowl LIX.
Xavier Worthy at Super Bowl LIX.

David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Sirianni got a Gatorade shower from Brown and Smith.
Eagles players pour Gatorade on head coach Nick Sirianni.
Eagles players poured Gatorade on head coach Nick Sirianni at Super Bowl LIX.

Chris Graythen/Staff/Getty Images

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley shared a moment with the team's GM Howie Roseman, who signed him to the team in 2024.
General manager Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with Saquon Barkley at Super Bowl LIX.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman with Saquon Barkley at Super Bowl LIX.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The two quarterbacks shook hands as the game ended with a final score of 40-22 β€” a victory for the Eagles.
Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes after Super Bowl LIX.
Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes shook hands after the game.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Confetti fell around the Eagles as they celebrated their big win.
The Eagles trophy ceremony at Super Bowl LIX.
The Philadelphia Eagles' trophy ceremony at Super Bowl LIX.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie held the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie held the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie celebrated the team's win.

Chris Graythen/Staff/Getty Images

Graythen said his photo of Lurie handing the trophy to Hurts captured "a special little moment that sits inside of the larger confetti and the celebration that's all around it."
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie handed the Vince Lombardi Trophy to quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Jalen Hurts received the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Chris Graythen/Staff/Getty Images

Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP.
Terry Bradshaw interviewed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after winning Super Bowl LIX. His teammate, Milton Williams, held up a newspaper that read "Champs."
Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP.

Cooper Neill/Contributor/Getty Images

The Eagles certainly had a night to remember.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni held up the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Sirianni held up the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Read the original article on Business Insider

I tried 'Depression cake,' a recipe from the Great Depression with no eggs or dairy. It's my new favorite dessert.

15 February 2025 at 07:05
Depression cake.
Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

  • I tried a chocolate-cake recipe with no eggs or dairy that dates back to the Great Depression.
  • Known as "Depression cake," the penny-pinching recipe is useful now due to the high price of eggs.
  • I didn't miss the eggs or dairy at all and would definitely make Depression cake again.

During the Great Depression, ingredients like eggs and butter were expensive and scarce.

Amid the shortages and economic turmoil, bakers got creative with a recipe known as "Depression cake" or "wacky cake," a chocolate cake made without eggs or dairy products.

With egg prices soaring due to the ongoing bird flu epidemic, it seemed like the perfect time to try Depression cake.

Similar versions of the recipe have been circulating for decades. I used one posted by food photographer and recipe developer Mark Beahm on Simply Recipes.

Not all vintage recipes hold up, but I'm pleased to report that this one does. I found Depression cake to be delicious, affordable, and simple to make. Take a look.

To make Depression cake, I gathered the necessary ingredients.
Ingredients for Depression cake.
Ingredients for Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The ingredients for Depression cake are as follows:

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup hot coffee or boiling water, or a mix of the two
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry, but I did run out to buy all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a foil pan to bake the cake in. Additionally, I substituted dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar since I already had some on hand.

I spent $17.15 on ingredients. The cake yields nine servings, bringing my total cost to about $1.90 per serving.

The average price of a dozen eggs in the first quarter of 2025 is $4.80, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture, but this recipe didn't require me to use any.

I preheated my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and sprayed a foil pan with cooking spray.
An oven preheats with a foil pan on the stove.
Preheating the oven.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The recipe called for an 8-inch square pan.

Next, I bloomed the cocoa powder with boiling water to enhance its flavor.
A whisk mixes cocoa powder and water.
Blooming the cocoa powder.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I used hot water since I'm not a fan of coffee. The smell of hot chocolate wafted from the bowl.

I added the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl, including a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar pours into cake mix.
Apple cider vinegar was an odd ingredient.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I was skeptical about adding apple cider vinegar to a chocolate cake, but I dutifully followed the recipe and added it along with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.

Once the wet ingredients were combined, I mixed the dry ingredients.
The wet and dry ingredients for chocolate cake.
The wet and dry ingredients.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The flour, salt, and baking soda all went into a separate bowl.

When I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, the batter immediately began to fizz and bubble.
Bubbly chocolate cake batter.
Bubbles in the batter.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar filled the batter with bubbles, which would help the cake become light and fluffy without using eggs.

I poured the batter into the pan and put it into the oven to bake.
A chocolate cake in an oven.
Baking Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The recipe said to bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes.

While the cake was baking, I started working on the accompanying chocolate glaze.
Ingredients for chocolate glaze.
Ingredients for the chocolate glaze.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The glaze called for 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee or water, and a pinch of salt.

I measured out the ingredients and mixed the glaze.
Chocolate glaze ingredients.
The chocolate glaze in progress.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Once again, I used water instead of coffee.

After a few additional tablespoons of water, the chocolate glaze reached the perfect drizzly consistency.
Chocolate glaze.
The chocolate glaze.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I sampled a bit of the glaze and enjoyed the sweet, chocolate flavor.

In my oven, the cake needed a little more time than the prescribed 30 minutes to cook all the way through.
A chocolate cake in an oven.
The cake passed the toothpick test.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

After a few toothpick tests, I pulled the cake out of the oven after around 45 minutes, when the toothpick emerged clean of batter.

From the outside, Depression cake looked just like any other chocolate cake.
Chocolate cake.
The finished cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The only difference I noticed is that the top of the cake had baked into a slightly crispy shell, which I haven't encountered before while baking with eggs and butter.

As I cut into the cake, I noticed its spongey texture.
Talia Lakritz cuts chocolate cake.
Cutting into the cake.

Coren Feldman

The baking soda and vinegar worked their magic.

I drizzled some chocolate glaze on top and marveled at how good it looked.
Depression cake.
Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I couldn't believe that this cake didn't have any eggs or dairy in it.

The flavor of the cake struck the perfect balance of sweetness and richness, and the glaze added even more chocolate goodness.
Chocolate cake on a fork.
Trying the Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

As an experiment, I offered a slice of cake to my partner but didn't reveal that it was dairy-free and egg-free. My partner said they appreciated how it "wasn't sickly sweet" and went back for seconds.

After I shared the "wacky" nature of the recipe, they said they'd never have guessed it didn't have dairy or eggs.

I found Depression cake to be anything but depressing.
Chocolate cake crumbs on a plate.
The remnants of a slice of Depression cake.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

As the price of eggs continues to skyrocket β€” a dozen eggs cost $10 at my local Manhattan grocery store last time I checked β€” I'm grateful for timeless recipes like Depression cake that have allowed generations of penny-pinchers to have their cake and eat it too.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Bill Gates' preschool teachers described him as a 'rebellious child' with a 'complete lack of concern for any phase of school life'

4 February 2025 at 11:37
Bill Gates, wearing a microphone earpiece at an event, smiles and rests his face on his hand.
Bill Gates.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

  • Bill Gates chronicled his childhood and schooling in a new memoir, "Source Code."
  • Gates, who dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft, wasn't a fan of school from an early age.
  • He wrote that his preschool teachers described him as a "rebellious child."

From an early age, Bill Gates was not a fan of school.

Gates famously dropped out of Harvard to cofound Microsoft in 1975, a move he's said he doesn't regret.

His new memoir, "Source Code: My Beginnings," reveals how his aversion to academic settings dates back to his earliest years.

In the book, Gates chronicles his upbringing and schooling as a self-described "hyperkinetic, brainy, often contrarian, tempestuous" son and student.

Gates writes that even his preschool teachers noticed that he was not interested in being there.

"My mother worried about me and warned my preschool teachers at Acorn Academy what to expect," Gates wrote.

"At the end of my first year, the director of the school wrote: 'His mother had prepared us for him for she seemed to feel that he was a great contrast to his sister. We heartily concurred with her in this conclusion, for he seemed determined to impress us with his complete lack of concern for any phase of school life. He did not know or care to know how to cut, put on his own coat, and was completely happy thus.'"

A young Bill Gates.
A young Bill Gates.

Doug Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images

Gates wrote that in his second year of preschool, the director described him as a "newly aggressive, rebellious child" who was "frustrated and unhappy much of the time."

"What educators and my parents noted at an early age were hints of what would come. I channeled the same intensity that drew me into solving the puzzle of Gami's card skill into anything that interested me β€” and nothing that didn't," Gates wrote, referring to his grandmother's card-game prowess.

Gates' misbehavior continued into elementary and high school, where he wrote that he became the "class clown."

"My teacher, my parents, and the school principal were at a loss as to what to do with me," he wrote. "My grades were mixed; my attitude depended on the day and the subject."

When Gates' high school acquired an early computer, it finally provided him with an outlet where he was challenged and engaged β€” so much so that he even went dumpster diving for source code and hacked into a corporation's operating system in his thirst for more knowledge.

Gates, of course, went on to start Microsoft and become a billionaire and philanthropist β€” one of many successful people, including Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Steve Jobs β€” who have spoken about their struggles to conform to the structure of traditional schooling.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Photos from Walmart's boom in the 1990s show how the retail chain took over the world

4 February 2025 at 09:11
The exterior of a Walmart store in Virginia.
A Walmart store in Virginia.

James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

  • The first Walmart store opened in 1962 and it was the No. 1 retailer in the US by 1990.
  • Photos show customers shopping at Walmart during the chain's boom in the '90s.
  • Walmart also expanded into China, Canada, and the UK in the 1990s.

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962. By 1980, the retail chain operated 276 locations and achieved $1 billion in sales each year. By 1990, Walmart became the No. 1 retailer in the US.

The big-box brand has continued to dominate, marking its 60th anniversary in 2022 and earning $648 billion in revenue in the fiscal year 2024, according to its latest earnings report.

Photos from Walmart's booming business in the 1990s show the retail chain's rapid growth.

A representative for Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.

Walmart used to have a dash in its name and logo.
A Walmart parking lot in the 1990s.
A Walmart store in Naperville, Illinois.

Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis via Getty Images

Walmart previously used a Western-inspired logo font called "Font Frontier Logo," then switched to bold block letters in 1981.

In 1992, Walmart replaced the dash with a star.
The exterior of a Walmart store in Virginia.
A Walmart store in Virginia.

James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

Walmart eventually got rid of the hyphen altogether in 2008.

In the 1990s, Walmart customers were welcomed to stores by "people greeters."
A Walmart employee in the 1990s wearing a vest that reads "Our people make the difference."
A Walmart employee in the 1990s.

Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

In 2019, Walmart eliminated "people greeter" positions in about 1,000 stores and replaced them with "customer hosts," an expanded role that included checking receipts and processing refunds.

The store's "Always" marketing slogan was relatively new, having been introduced in 1989.
A woman with two children shops at a Walmart store.
Walmart stores offer savings.

Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis via Getty Images

Since the 1970s, Walmart has followed its "every day low prices" strategy, or EDLP, which offers lower prices on products year-round rather than only during special sales or promos.

In 2008, the "Always" slogan was updated to its current iteration, "Save money. Live better."

In 1991, a roll of Sparkle paper towels cost 67 cents at Walmart.
Customers shop at Walmart in the 1990s.
Customers at Walmart in the 1990s.

Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis via Getty Images

In 2025, a two-pack of Sparkle paper towels costs $2.97 at Walmart, or about $1.49 per roll.

Kathie Lee Gifford, then the cohost of "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee," launched a Walmart clothing line in 1995.
A Kathy Lee Gifford line of clothing at Walmart in the 1990s.
Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line at Walmart.

James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

Walmart's growth was not without controversy.

Gifford and Walmart came under scrutiny when National Labor Committee director Charles Kernaghan testified in a 1996 congressional hearing that Gifford's clothing line was produced by child laborers in sweatshops in Honduras.

"I immediately called Walmart and said this is obscene if this is happening," Gifford said on an episode of "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee." "They said, 'That happened months ago, we found out about it and took care of it.'"

Gifford later testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights to advocate for better oversight of working conditions to prevent child labor.

"I believe this committee has the means to formulate real and substantive change as to how garments are made for the American consumer," she told lawmakers.

The incident sparked increased awareness of and advocacy for corporate responsibility policies. In subsequent years, Walmart also adopted new standards focused on ethical manufacturing and sustainability abroad.

The chain became a premier Black Friday and holiday shopping destination.
Black Friday at Walmart in the 1990s.
Black Friday at Walmart.

Daniel Hulshizer/AP

On Black Friday in 1998, customers lined up outside Walmart stores at 3 a.m. to secure popular '90s toys such as Furbies.

As Walmart grew into the largest and most profitable retailer in the world, its shareholders meetings became star-studded events.
A 1992 Walmart shareholders meeting.
Helen Walton, the widow of Walmart founder Sam Walton, at the 1992 Walmart shareholders meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Danny Johnston/AP

Celebrity guests at Walmart's shareholders meetings included Reba McEntire, Chet Atkins, Lee Greenwood, and Bill and Hillary Clinton, when they were the governor and first lady of Arkansas. The company also invited employees from across the US.

The 1992 shareholders meeting featured a crowd of 15,000 audience members, AP reported.

Walmart expanded into Canada, China, and the UK in the '90s, cementing the brand as a global mainstay.
A Walmart in Beijing, China.
A Walmart in Beijing.

Cancan Chu/Getty Images

Walmart acquired 122 Woolco stores in Canada in 1994, opened its first locations in China in 1996, and acquired Asda in the UK in 1998.

As of 2025, Walmart operates 10,600 stores in 19 countries with 2.1 million employees worldwide, according to its official website.

Read the original article on Business Insider

17 people you didn't know had a Grammy

2 February 2025 at 06:42
martin luther king jr
Martin Luther King Jr. is a Grammy winner.

Santi Visalli/Getty images

  • Steve Martin has five Grammys for comedy and bluegrass music.
  • Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have won Grammys for their audiobooks.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. and Carrie Fisher were awarded posthumous spoken-word Grammys.

When you think of music's biggest night, you probably picture artists like BeyoncΓ© and Paul McCartney, two of the top Grammy winners of all time.

But it's not just singers and musicians who are honored by the Recording Academy. Comedians, politicians, and activists have also taken home Grammy awards.

Here are 17 people you might be surprised to learn have won big at the Grammys.

Lily Tomlin won a Grammy for best comedy recording.
Lily Tomlin at the Grammys in 1979
Lily Tomlin.

Ron Galella/WireImage/Getty Images

Actor and former stand-up comic Lily Tomlin took home a Grammy for best comedy recording in 1972 for her album "This Is A Recording." The album features her performance as telephone operator Ernestine, one of the most iconic characters she created.

Tomlin has been nominated a total of five times.

Steve Martin has five Grammys across multiple categories.
Songwriters Edie Brickell and Steve Martin at the 2014 Grammy Awards.
Songwriters Edie Brickell and Steve Martin at the Grammy Awards.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Since 1978, actor and comedian Steve Martin has won a total of five Grammys. In addition to two awards for best comedy album, Martin, who is also a bluegrass musician, has garnered a handful of music awards for his country and roots tunes.

Most recently, Martin's track "Love Has Come For You" won a Grammy for best American roots song at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014. He was also nominated in 2015 and 2017.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson has a spoken-word Grammy for his work in HIV/AIDS prevention advocacy.
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Johnson won a spoken-word Grammy at the 35th Annual Awards for "What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS." The basketball legend, who announced in 1991 that he had been diagnosed with HIV, has been a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

Zach Braff won a Grammy for the "Garden State" soundtrack.
Zach Braff holds a Grammy award
Zach Braff, winner of best soundtrack compilation for "Garden State."

Steve Grayson/WireImage for The Recording Academy/Getty Images

"Garden State," Zach Braff's 2004 directorial debut, attracted a cult following. Part of the film's appeal is its indie-driven soundtrack, which earned Braff, who starred in the movie with Natalie Portman, a Grammy at the 47th award show.

Bill Clinton has won two Grammy awards.
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Clinton won his first Grammy in 2004 in the category of best spoken-word album for children for his narration of "Peter and the Wolf: Wolf Tracks." He won another Grammy for the audiobook narration of his memoir, "My Life," in 2005.

He was nominated twice more for narrating his subsequent books, "Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World" and "Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy."

Hillary Rodham Clinton has also won a spoken-word Grammy.
Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Grammy Awards.
Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Grammy Awards.

Dave Allocca/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Hillary Rodham Clinton won a spoken-word Grammy in 1997 for "It Takes a Village," her non-fiction book about the future of children in America.

She was nominated again in the same category in 2004 for her White House memoir, "Living History."

"Weird Al" Yankovic's comedic songs have won him multiple Grammys.
Weird Al Yankovic accepts the Grammy for best comedy album in 2004.
Weird Al Yankovic accepted the Grammy for best comedy album in 2004.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

For someone whose musical career is predicated on parody, "Weird Al" has made it big. In fact, the singer, who is known for hits like "Eat It" and "eBay," has five Grammys and 17 nominations to his name.

Stephen Colbert has two Grammys.
Stephen Colbert poses in the press room at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010.
Stephen Colbert at the Grammy Awards.

Michael Tran/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Late-night host Stephen Colbert has won two Grammys out of his three nominations.

At the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010, Colbert won best comedy album for "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" Then, at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014, the recording of his book "America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't" won a spoken-word award.

Martin Luther King Jr. was posthumously awarded a spoken-word Grammy.
Martin Luther King Jr. holding his Nobel Peace Prize.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Associated Press

Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches made American history, but you might not know that the minister and activist was posthumously awarded a Grammy. In 1971, King was honored with a spoken word award for his anti-war speech "Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam."

Two of his more famous addresses, "I Have a Dream" and "We Shall Overcome," were also nominated for Grammys.

Barack Obama has won two spoken-word Grammys for his memoirs.
barack obama
Barack Obama.

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama won spoken-word Grammys for narrating the recordings of his books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream." He was nominated again in 2022 for narrating the audiobook of his presidential memoir, "A Promised Land."

Michelle Obama has also won two spoken-word Grammys for her memoirs.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama.

Jim Young/Reuters

The former first lady's audiobook for her memoir "Becoming" won a spoken-word Grammy award in 2020. She won again in 2024 for "The Light We Carry."

Orson Welles won three spoken-word Grammys.
Actor and director Orson Welles in 1951.
Orson Welles.

Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Filmmaker Orson Welles won three spoken-word Grammys. The first was for "Great American Documents," for which he read the Declaration of Independence. He also won the award for his masterpiece "Citizen Kane" and for the sci-fi radio play "Donovan's Brain."

Maya Angelou has three spoken-word Grammys.
Poet Maya Angelou poses at Radio City Music Hall during the Grammy Awards.
Maya Angelou at the Grammy Awards.

Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

In 1994, American poet Maya Angelou won her first spoken-word Grammy award for "On the Pulse of Morning," which she wrote for Bill Clinton's inauguration. She also won the award for her poetry collection "Phenomenal Woman" and for the autobiography "A Song Flung Up to Heaven."

Betty White also won a spoken-word Grammy.
Betty White in 2012
Betty White.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Betty White won a Grammy at the 54th Annual Awards in 2012. The "Golden Girls" actor received a spoken-word award for her autobiography, "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)."

Carrie Fisher won a posthumous spoken-word Grammy.
carrie fisher
Carrie Fisher.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

At the 60th Annual Awards in 2018, Carrie Fisher was posthumously awarded a spoken-word Grammy for her memoir, "The Princess Diarist."

Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line" earned him a Grammy.
joaquin phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Joaquin Phoenix starred in the 2005 musical biopic "Walk the Line" as Johnny Cash. Phoenix's portrayal of the country singer earned him a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack for visual media.

Jimmy Carter has won three Grammys and could posthumously win a fourth this year.
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The former president has won Grammys for best spoken-word album for three of his books: "Faith β€” A Journey For All," "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety" and "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis."

Carter, who died at the age of 100 in December, is nominated again at the 2025 Grammys for the audiobook "Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration."

Read the original article on Business Insider

9 politicians you didn't know won Grammy awards — and 7 who have been nominated

1 February 2025 at 06:18
Michelle Obama at the Grammys in 2019 alongside Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez
Michelle Obama (center) at the 2019 Grammy Awards with Alicia Keys (left) and Jennifer Lopez (right).

Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

  • The 2025 Grammy Awards will air on Sunday, February 2 at 8 p.m. on CBS and Paramount Plus.
  • Presidents, first ladies, and senators have been recognized for their recording achievements.
  • Jimmy Carter was nominated for the 10th time this year.

In addition to winning elections, some politicians have also won Grammy awards.

Presidents, first ladies, and members of Congress have been recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for their achievements in recorded sound.

At the 67th Grammy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter is up for best spoken-word album, his 10th Grammy nomination. Carter, who died in December, became the oldest nominee in Grammys history when he was nominated in November at age 100.

Here are nine politicians you may not have known were Grammy winners β€” and seven more who have been nominated.

Jimmy Carter won three Grammys for best spoken-word album and is posthumously nominated again this year.
Former US President Jimmy Carter.
Jimmy Carter.

Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Jimmy Carter has been nominated 10 times for best spoken-word album, according to the Grammys' official website. He won for the recordings of his books "Faith β€” A Journey For All" in 2019, "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety" in 2016, and "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis" in 2007.

This year, the former president is nominated in the best spoken-word album category for "Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration."

Michelle Obama has won two spoken-word Grammy awards.
Michelle Obama at the Grammys in 2019 alongside Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez
Michelle Obama (center) at the 2019 Grammy Awards with Alicia Keys (left) and Jennifer Lopez (right).

Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The former first lady's audiobook for her memoir "Becoming" won best spoken-word album in 2020. In 2024, she won again for the recording of her latest book, "The Light We Carry."

Barack Obama also has two Grammys.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/File/AP

The recordings of Obama's books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" won best spoken-word album in 2006 and 2008, respectively. His presidential memoir audiobook, "A Promised Land," was also nominated in 2022.

Sen. Bernie Sanders received his second Grammy nomination in 2024.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders.

Susan Walsh/AP

In 2018, Sanders was nominated for best spoken-word album for "Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In" along with actor Mark Ruffalo, who narrated parts of the audiobook. The pair lost to Carrie Fisher, who won a posthumous award for her memoir "The Princess Diarist."

In 2024, Sanders was nominated in the same category for his audiobook, "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's audiobook for her memoir, "A Fighting Chance," was nominated for best spoken-word album at the 2015 Grammys.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren.

Robert F. Bukaty/AP Images

Warren lost the award to "Diary of a Mad Diva" by Joan Rivers.

Bill Clinton has two spoken-word Grammys, one for a children's book and one for his memoir.
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Clinton's narration of the children's book "Peter and the Wolf: Wolf Tracks" earned him his first Grammy in 2004. The following year, he won best spoken-word album for the audiobook of his presidential memoir, "My Life."

He received two other Grammy nominations for his recordings of "Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World" and "Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy."

Hillary Clinton attended the Grammys in 1997 to accept her award for best spoken-word album.
Hillary Clinton at the Grammys in 1997
Hillary Clinton at the Grammys.

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

The then-first lady won a Grammy for the recording of her nonfiction book, "It Takes A Village." She was nominated again in 2004 for the audiobook of her memoir, "Living History."

Al Gore's audiobook for "An Inconvenient Truth" won best spoken-word album in 2009.
Al Gore and Queen Latifah at the Grammys in 2007
Al Gore and Queen Latifah at the Grammys.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The former vice president's audiobook was read by actors Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon, and Blair Underwood, according to its listing on Audible.

Al Franken has won two Grammys: one for best comedy album and one for best spoken-word album.
Al Franken speaks in 2011
Al Franken.

Paul Morigi/WireImage for NARAS

The former Minnesota senator, who rose to fame as a comedian before entering politics, won best comedy album in 1997 and best spoken-word album in 2004. He has been nominated seven times.

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who represented the District of Columbia in the Senate, won a Grammy for best spoken-word recording.
U.S. civil rights activist Jesse Jackson speaks to reporters in Havana September 29, 2013.  REUTERS/Desmond Boylan
Jesse Jackson.

Thomson Reuters

Jackson advocated for DC statehood in an unpaid Senate position known as a "shadow senator" from 1991 to 1997. He was also appointed as a special envoy to Africa by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

In 1989, Jackson won a spoken-word Grammy for a recorded address entitled "Speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson." He was nominated in the same category in 1985 for "Our Time Has Come."

His musical talents were also recognized at the 22nd Grammy Awards in 1980, when his gospel album "Push For Excellence" was nominated for best contemporary soul gospel performance.

Richard Nixon was nominated for best spoken-word recording in 1979 for his televised interviews with journalist David Frost.
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon.

AP Images

In what became known as "Frost/Nixon" or "the Nixon interviews," the former president sat down with Frost to discuss his presidency and role in the Watergate scandal. The Grammy-nominated interviews were watched by 45 million people, the BBC reported.

Former Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen won a Grammy for a recording of his poem "Gallant Men."
Sen. Everett M. Dirsen, Republican from Illinois, speaks in front of several microphones.
Everett Dirksen.

Bettmann/Getty Images

A Republican senator from Illinois, Dirksen took home the Grammy for best spoken word, drama, or documentary recording in 1968. He was also nominated in 1971 for his spoken-word album "Everett Dirksen's America."

Harry Truman was nominated for a Grammy in 1978.
President Harry Truman in 1945.
Harry Truman.

MPI/Getty

"The Truman Tapes," a series of recorded interviews with Ben Gradus, was nominated for best spoken-word recording at the 20th Grammy Awards.

Former Sen. Sam Ervin recorded a Grammy-nominated album, "Senator Sam at Home."
Senator Sam Ervin
Sam Ervin.

Marion S. Trikosko/PhotoQuest/Getty Images

The album, a mix of stories, jokes, and pop music covers, was nominated for best spoken-word recording at the 17th Grammy Awards in 1975.

In 1965, John F. Kennedy received a posthumous Grammy nomination.
President John F. Kennedy speaks at a press conference August 1, 1963.
John F. Kennedy.

National Archive/Getty Images

Editor Bill Adler's book "The Kennedy Wit," a compilation of the former president's quotes and humorous quips, became a bestseller in 1964, the year after his assassination, according to Goodreads.

On the recorded version, Kennedy was listed as an artist along with narrator David Brinkley and Adlai Stevenson, who provided an introduction. The album was nominated for best documentary, spoken word, or drama recording.

Ultimately, the cast of the BBC show "That Was The Week That Was" won the category for its tribute to Kennedy.

Former presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson received two Grammy nominations.
Adlai Stevenson speaks at the 1956 Democratic National Convention
Adlai Stevenson.

Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

Stevenson served as governor of Illinois and ran twice for president as the Democratic nominee in 1952 and 1956.

He was nominated for his first Grammy in 1965 for his contribution to "The Kennedy Wit." He was nominated again in 1967 for "The Stevenson Wit," a similar album featuring selections from his "speeches, press conferences, and off-the-cuff remarks," according to the album cover.

Read the original article on Business Insider

11 times Melania Trump broke White House traditions and defied expectations of the first lady role

31 January 2025 at 09:42
Melania Trump wearing sunglasses
Melania Trump.

Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images

  • First lady Melania Trump strayed from White House traditions during Donald Trump's first term.
  • She didn't move to the White House right away in 2016 and arrived at events separately from Trump.
  • She has indicated she will not live at the White House full time during her husband's second term.

In many ways, Melania Trump was a traditional first lady during her husband's first term as president.

She wore a ball gown to the inauguration and donated it to the National Museum of American History's "First Ladies" exhibit. She took up the cause of children's wellness with her "Be Best" campaign. She led White House restoration projects, renovating the Rose Garden and designing a new rug for the Diplomatic Reception Room.

However, the fiercely private first lady also remained something of an enigma and made the role her own by straying from presidential protocol and long-held White House traditions.

Melania Trump is once again serving as FLOTUS now that President Donald Trump has begun his second, non-consecutive term. Having been largely absent from the 2024 campaign trail, her exact level of White House involvement remains to be seen. However, her new official White House portrait suggests she's "ready to embrace her position," its photographer told BI.

Here's how Melania Trump has defied expectations as first lady thus far.

The Office of Melania Trump and representatives for the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.

Melania Trump made occasional appearances during Trump's presidential campaigns but largely remained out of the spotlight.
Former US President Donald Trump joins former First Lady Melania Trump onstage during a campaign rally.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at a 2024 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

First ladies often act as representatives of their husbands' campaigns, traveling the country to deliver speeches and meet voters at events. During all of Trump's presidential campaigns, Melania was noticeably absent, making only occasional appearances.

The New York Times reported in 2023 that while Melania Trump privately supported Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, she rejected his offers to campaign with him.

When asked about Melania Trump's absence, Donald Trump told "Meet the Press" in 2023 that he likes to keep her away from the campaign trail because "it's so nasty and so mean."

"She's a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much," he said of his wife.

When Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, Melania Trump didn't move into the White House right away.
Melania Trump waves from a stage as Donald Trump stands next to her.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at an inaugural ball.

Kevin Dietsch - Pool/Getty Images

While Donald Trump moved into the White House after the inauguration, he told reporters that Melania Trump stayed behind in New York with their then-10-year-old son, Barron Trump, so that he could finish out the school year.

Washington Post reporter Mary Jordan wrote in her book, "The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump," that Melania Trump also used the time to renegotiate her prenuptial agreement.

In 2018, Melania Trump arrived at the State of the Union address in a separate motorcade.
Melania Trump arrives for the State of the Union in 2018.
Melania Trump at the 2018 State of the Union.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

In January 2018, The Wall Street Journal broke the news that one of Donald Trump's lawyers, Michael Cohen, transferred a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to keep her from speaking about their alleged 2006 affair.

After reports emerged of Donald Trump's alleged affair, which he denied, Melania Trump backed out of a trip to Switzerland and other public engagements. She also arrived at the 2018 State of the Union address in a separate motorcade in a break from the tradition of presidents and their spouses arriving together.

Melania Trump's then-director of communications, Stephanie Grisham, said that the first lady did not travel with her husband because she was accompanying the guests of honor, the BBC reported.

Donald Trump was later found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up the payment to Daniels. After the hush-money trial reached its verdict in May, Donald Trump continued to deny the affair and called the trial a "witch hunt."

Melania Trump broke protocol again weeks later by arriving at Marine One separately from Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Marine One
Donald Trump outside Marine One in 2018.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

After The New Yorker published a report detailing a former Playmate's alleged affair with Donald Trump, which he denied took place, Melania Trump once again did not appear publicly by her husband's side.

Instead of taking the traditional walk with Donald Trump across the White House lawn, she arrived at the presidential helicopter in a separate vehicle.

"With her schedule, it was easier to meet him on the plane," Grisham told CNN of Melania Trump's separate route.

Melania Trump's White House Christmas decorations broke the mold of traditional holiday decor.
Melania Trump's White House Christmas decorations.
Melania Trump's White House Christmas decorations.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

For her first Christmas in the White House in 2017, Melania Trump lined the East Colonnade with bare white branches that cast shadows on the hall. In 2018, she filled the East Colonnade with dark-red trees that garnered comparisons to costumes in the dystopian TV series "The Handmaid's Tale." The following year, clear acrylic panels lined the hall, and her final White House Christmas featured potted plants.

Her avant-garde Christmas decorations garnered some criticism, while others praised her unconventional choices.

"Everyone has a different taste," Melania said of the critical responses to her Christmas decorations at a town hall event hosted by Liberty University in 2018.

In a speech at the First Baptist Church in Dallas in 2021, Donald Trump said that Melania Trump "didn't get exactly a fair shake" when it came to her Christmas decor choices.

"She would make the most beautiful Christmas decorations," he said. "And I remember she made these magnificent red trees, and the media said, 'Oh, that's terrible.'"

While first ladies have long used clothing to send subtle messages, Melania Trump's "I really don't care, do u?" jacket seemed more overt.
Melania Trump wears a green jacket that says "I really don't care. Do U?"
Melania Trump's infamous jacket.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Throughout US history, first ladies have chosen outfits with deeper meanings that reflect their values. Laura Bush wore red to help bring awareness to the dangers of heart disease. Michelle Obama chose to highlight up-and-coming designers from underrepresented backgrounds. Jill Biden appeared at campaign events wearing boots emblazoned with the word "vote."

Melania Trump's "I really don't care, do u?" jacket, worn while traveling to visit immigrant children at the US-Mexico border in 2018, seemed an unusually combative wardrobe choice for a first lady.

Melania Trump wrote in her 2024 memoir that her press secretary wouldn't let her clarify that the jacket's message was directed at the media.

"The media claimed the jacket meant I did not care about the children or the border, which was clearly not true," she wrote.

When Joe Biden won the 2020 election, she didn't invite Jill Biden to the White House as Michelle Obama had done for her.
Melania Trump and Michelle Obama at the White House.
Melania Trump and Michelle Obama at the White House.

Chuck Kennedy/The White House

After Donald Trump won the 2016 election, the Obamas hosted the Trumps at the White House in a long-held tradition ensuring a smooth transition of power.

While Barack Obama and Donald Trump met in the Oval Office, Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the Yellow Oval Room and discussed raising children in the White House.

When Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, he refused to concede and did not invite the Bidens to visit the White House ahead of the inauguration.

The Trumps skipped Joe Biden's inauguration, opting to fly to Mar-a-Lago instead.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump leave the White House on Biden's inauguration day.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump did not attend Joe Biden's inauguration.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Outgoing presidents and first ladies have traditionally attended presidential inaugurations even after painful defeats.

Upon leaving the White House, Donald Trump and Melania Trump skipped Joe Biden's inauguration, held their own farewell ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, and flew to their Palm Beach home.

Unlike previous years, she attended only the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention and did not deliver a speech.
Melania Trump at the RNC, wearing a red skirt suit.
Melania Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Melania Trump delivered speeches at the 2016 and 2020 conventions. In 2024, she only attended the final day of the Republican National Convention and did not speak.

After Donald Trump won the 2024 election, Melania Trump declined Jill Biden's invitation for tea at the White House, citing a scheduling conflict with her book tour.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden meet at the White House.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the White House.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump accepted Joe Biden's invitation to meet at the White House as part of Joe Biden's pledge to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. However, Melania Trump, who released her memoir, "Melania," in October 2024, turned down the first lady's offer to meet for tea.

"Mrs. Trump will not be attending today's meeting at the White House," Melania Trump's office wrote in a statement on X. "Her husband's return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success. In this instance, several unnamed sources in the media continue to provide false, misleading, and inaccurate information. Be discerning with your source of news."

Before the inauguration, Melania Trump indicated that she may not live at the White House full time during her husband's second term.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at an inaugural ball.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump on Inauguration Day.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

In November, CNN reported that Melania Trump was "unlikely" to move into the White House full time.

A week before the inauguration in January, when asked by Ainsley Earhardt of Fox News about her plans, Melania Trump said that she would primarily live at the White House, but would also divide her time between Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago.

"I will be in the White House," she said. "And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach."

She added that her "first priority" was to be a mom, first lady, and wife and to "serve the country."

Read the original article on Business Insider

❌
❌