• I resisted to get a pet for my daughter for a while.
• I couldn't resist a 6-week-old kitten named Luna.
• I didn't anticipate how having a cat would help me when my kids are at their dad's house.

At first, I was extremely reluctant to get a pet as a newly divorced mom of two.

Whenever my 7-year-old daughter Vivian asked if we could get a kitten for her birthday, I imagined it would only be more work for me, more money spent, and it would claw at the newly purchased couch. However, just for fun, we scrolled kittens at an animal shelter, and we were both awed by a black kitten who was only 6 weeks old.

At the sight of Luna, I finally caved.

The cat wasn't a burden as I thought

I'll never forget my daughter dashing into my apartment to see her kitten and cuddle it. Luna and Vivian were quite a pair during their first week together. The next week, it was just me and Luna, and it hit me: as a divorced parent, splitting time with my kids week to week, I would see Luna much more than my daughter would.

To my surprise, I realized a cat wasn't a burden; caring for Luna was exactly what I needed to lower my stress and distract my heartache when I missed my kids.

Luna has become my constant companion I didn't know I needed. During the last two and half years, she has become, the therapy cat I didn't know I needed, making me smile when I'm lonely and bringing out my nurturing energy and playfulness.

When she was little, she kneaded my chest and fell asleep on me. I stayed still as we lay together, which reminded me of holding an infant. Luna has her own toy box, she chases feathers and mouse-shaped toys, but mostly, she likes chewing on my daughter's hair ties that have fallen on the bathroom floor.

Now Luna is bigger and rests next to my leg while I sleep, as though guarding me and always nearby. I will admit waking up with Luna by my side and her tail brushing against my leg as a sweet hello that brings new joy to my day.

She keeps me company when the house is empty

When I return from dropping my kids off at their dad's home, a heavy sadness slumps my shoulders, but when I open the door to my apartment and say, "Luna," she is usually already waiting by the door. Knowing she is waiting there for me melts my heart.

Filling her food dish, tidying up her litter box, and giving her a treat helps to simmer the ache I carry and my longing for my kids a little bit. Playing a toss game with those hair ties for her to catch with her paws reminds me of playing with my kids in the park when they were little.

I'll admit, when my kids aren't here, I talk to Luna throughout the day. Saying things like "Good morning, Luna." "Come on, Luna, let's go get some coffee." and "Luna, I'll be back. I'm going to run errands." It might sound corny, but I can feel my body relax and feel calmer in her presence.

I know during my terrible divorce I would have loved to have Luna's eyes and whiskers to look at and soft fur to pet, her cuteness would have made me feel less lonely when my family was breaking apart.

Until Luna, I didn't know caring for a pet could uplift my mood each day. Becoming a cat person has become something I now love, and I only wish we had adopted one sooner.

• Will Smith previously credited his creative relationship with Alfonso Ribeiro with helping "transform" his life.
• The pair starred together in the classic '90s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
• Ribeiro has now shared an insight into one acting tip that made a lasting impression on Smith.

"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star Alfonso Ribeiro has opened up on his creative relationship with Will Smith.

Appearing on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" this week, Ribeiro spoke about how he and the Oscar-winning actor created comedy gold on the classic '90s sitcom after Smith credited Ribeiro with helping change his life in a 2024 appearance on Vice's "Black Comedy in America."

In the December Vice episode, Smith heaped praise on Ribeiro's work ethic when they were rehearsing the show and shed light on a key acting tip Ribeiro gave him.

"Nobody commits as hard as Alf," Smith said. "We call it the 'comedic limb.' You know where you're going to try this joke, and you're going go out there with it, and you're going to risk it all. And one of his big things, why he would commit so hard with the lines, he says, 'You commit so the writers can know it doesn't work.'"

Ribeiro, who played Carlton Banks, the preppy cousin of Smith's character in the show, told Hudson that it was "wonderful" to hear Smith's comments.

"Will is my brother for life and our friendship and bond has now withstood the time of four or five decades. He's absolutely the best," the 53-year-old continued, adding: "Part of it's true."

"I believe that part of what I received on 'Fresh Prince' was because of the hard work that I would put in. Going 100% in all rehearsals allowed writers to write better lines for me," he said.

He went on: "Other actors may not give 100%, and then you're on show night, and that joke that didn't work on Tuesday is still there on Friday, but because you never showed them it didn't work they kept it in the script, and then it bombed flat on the night."

Ribeiro added that he strived to have such an attitude not just with his work but with his entire life. "Anything less than being 100% just doesn't make sense to me."

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" ran for six seasons between 1990 and 1996 and helped launch Smith's acting career.

The show was rebooted as "Bel-Air" on Peacock in 2022, with Jabari Banks taking on the main role as Will and Olly Sholotan playing Carlton.

• Ahead of St. Patrick's Day, I visited McSorley's Old Ale House, which was established in 1854.
• I was surprised by the inexpensive prices and the quality of the food.
• I was also surprised by how it made me feel pride as an Irish American. 

I've lived in New York City for almost six years, but I have never been to McSorley's, the oldest Irish pub in the city.

Not only is McSorley's the most historic Irish tavern in New York, but it's also often called the oldest Irish tavern in America that's still in operation. Established in 1854, McSorley's is celebrating its 171st anniversary this year, and it is certainly the place to go around St. Patrick's Day. 

Though famous, McSorley's hasn't always been on the right side of history. The New York Times reported that women have only been allowed inside the bar since 1970, when two members of the National Organization for Women sued the bar for violating the equal-protection ordinance of the 14th Amendment.

I wanted to visit the bar given its rich history and connection to my heritage. My grandparents were first-generation Irish immigrants who later moved to England. That fact, in combination with my very Irish name, makes me proud of the close connection to my heritage.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my visit to McSorley's in 2023. If you choose to visit yourself, here are some things that might surprise you about the oldest Irish bar in the country. 

I was surprised by McSorley's location in a very modern section of the East Village.

While I expected to find McSorley's on a quaint cobblestone street given its history, it's located in a built-up section of the East Village on East 7th Street, by Astor Place.

I actually lived around the corner for a semester in college. This part of the East Village has very little old-world charm, thanks to its high-rise buildings, businesses, and chain restaurants, despite being just a stone's throw away from one of the city's most historic establishments. 

However, when Irish immigrant John McSorley founded the ale house in the 1850s, it was in a prime location close to a transportation hub for horse carriages and a busy market.

McSorley's is cash-only, which I learned when I arrived. There's an ATM right out front.

It's pretty standard at any cash-only bar or restaurant in New York City to find an ATM either inside or just outside the door.

I was pleased that they had an ATM available so close by, but I couldn't spy any signs inside that made it immediately apparent it was cash-only — I didn't suss it out until I saw everyone else paying in cash.

I expected to find a lot of Irish pub food, and I did, but McSorley's also had distinctly American foods like hot dogs and hamburgers.

The menu at McSorley's is limited, but they have quite a few fan-favorite menu items, from burgers and a fried chicken sandwich to more traditional items like corned beef hash and chili. 

I was also surprised by how low the prices were at McSorley's compared to what I usually pay in New York City. I ordered a hamburger and fries for $10, and two beers for $8. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the burger — I just wish the cheese had been more melted.

When I visited McSorley's, the bar was teeming with people and there were very few places to sit. I'm always a little hesitant about ordering bar food — you just never know what you're going to get, especially from places popular with tourists — but I was surprised by how much I liked the burger. 

The beef patty was juicy and large, while the onions and tomatoes tasted very fresh. The fries were also piping hot when I received them and deliciously crispy. The only downside, in my opinion, was that the cheese on the cheeseburger wasn't melted on the patty. 

However, for $10, I was pleased with my dinner. 

McSorley's has two options for alcoholic drinks — light or dark beer — and they serve two at a time per person.

I paid $8 for two beers, a light and a dark ale, which I was surprised by. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but even that seemed pretty inexpensive to me.

The beer prices have crept up over the years, of course.

When Business Insider's Sarah Jacobs visited in 2017, the beer cost $5.50. She noted that it cost only a dime per mug in 1940 and 35 cents for two half-pints in 1966.

Other guests also appeared to be surprised by their orders. When one guest ordered a light and a dark beer for himself and someone else, they seemed surprised when they were each handed two beers. The bartender explained they always give people two beers each.

The beers are much smaller than your average pint. Eater reported that each mug holds roughly 6 ounces per glass — a US pint holds 16 ounces — which makes each drink easier to finish and carry around the bar.

I enjoyed both the light and the dark ale, though I preferred the light. They went down smoothly, and I could see why someone would want two at a time. 

In addition to the low prices and historic feel, part of McSorley's charm is the lack of choice. In a city like New York, I'm accustomed to lengthy drink menus with steep prices. I actually enjoyed the lack of choice, which made ordering fast and simple.

I was also surprised by just how much history was crammed onto every inch of the walls.

Almost every inch of the walls was adorned with old photos, newspaper clippings, pictures of Irish American presidents, and festive St. Patrick's Day decorations.

The bar also houses a few other historical mementos, like Houdini's handcuffs and World War I-era wishbones dangling from a gas lamp above it.

I could have spent hours looking at every piece of art and history, and it made me feel proud of my Irish heritage. It felt as if I were in a living time capsule, surrounded by people who were there for a great time in one of the city's most historic spots.

The bartender who served me was Irish, making for an even more authentic experience.

Despite how busy the bar was, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly and fast service I received from the bar staff and bouncer.

If you're looking for an immersive experience, you can't feel much closer to Ireland anywhere other than McSorley's. 

If you're unable to grab a spot inside, the restaurant has plenty of outdoor seating.

I wasn't surprised that when I visited a few days before St. Patrick's Day in 2023, finding a spot to sit inside the restaurant at prime time was a little difficult. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that as the night went on and it turned 8 p.m., tables started to open up. 

There was also a large outdoor dining area set up on the street outside, so finding a place to sit on busy days like St. Patrick's Day shouldn't be completely out of the question. 

Overall, I was most surprised by how visiting McSorley's made me feel connected to my Irish roots.

Before going to McSorley's myself, I half-expected to find a rowdy group of drunk people dressed up for St. Patrick's Day and drinking overpriced beer. What I experienced couldn't have been more different than my expectations.

There was a strong sense of pride and camaraderie in the bar, with customers happy to let others through to the bar, introduce themselves, or tip their Irish bartenders. I felt more connected to my own Irish heritage than I have in years, and proud of the role Irish people have played throughout history in this country and in New York City. 

As I made my way home, I thought to myself that I hoped McSorley's would be open for another 170 years. All I know is that they've made a returning customer out of me. 

This story was originally published in March 2023, and most recently updated on March 13, 2025.

• Ultra-processed foods are often marketed with misleading claims to seem healthier, a researcher says.
• Labels like 'low fat' and 'low calorie' can be a red flag that foods are full of additives.
• Being skeptical of health claims can help you get the most of out grocery shopping for a nutritious diet.

Grocery shopping can be a minefield of faux health foods that are biting into your budget and damaging your long-term health.

That's why, when Dr. Tim Spector is walking down the food aisle, he keeps his eyes peeled for red flags — things that sound healthy, but are quite the opposite.

Spector, a medical doctor and professor of epidemiology at King's College London, co-founded the science and nutrition company ZOE, which gives members nutrition advice, among other features.

He took a particular interest in nutrition research after he had a mini-stroke in 2011. He was just 53, and felt pretty healthy, but he began to take a closer look at his eating habits.

"I said, 'I need to change what I'm doing and do massive research to work out what I should be eating, what I should be doing, health-wise to keep me living longer,'" Spector, co-founder of the science and nutrition company ZOE, told Business Insider.

Now, he has made it his mission to help consumers spot "health halos" — misleading advertising on ultra-processed foods making them seem nutritious when they can be detrimental to your health.

Here are four red flags he looks for that can help you spot dubious claims at the grocery store, and how to stock your kitchen with healthier options instead.

1. 'Low-fat' foods have extra additives

Spector said he steers clear of anything labeled "low-fat," which includes margarine and butter substitutes, yogurts, and other dairy.

Low-fat products have a long history in the fad diet industry. The craze really took off in the 1980s because of concerns that saturated fat could worsen heart health and cholesterol levels. Companies selling low-fat substitutes for popular foods also cashed in on the myth that eating more dietary fat causes you to gain more body fat.

The problem is, trimming the fat from a food has a major catch. Since fat brings flavor and texture to food, swapping it out means adding sugars, starches, and binding agent so the final product is still appetizing.

That's good news for manufacturers, who saved money by using lower-cost additives, but bad news for consumers, who are now missing out on some heart-healthy fats that naturally occur in foods, and eating more preservatives instead.

The extra refined carbohydrates that are added in place of fats can wreck havoc on our health, raising the risk of heart disease and messing with metabolic health.

"Big food loved it because it was cheaper to have these sort of fat replacements than actually paying for the natural fat got in our diets," Spector said.

If you're trying to watch your cholesterol levels, Spector said skip the low-fat products. Instead, he avoids cooking oils and spreads, and uses extra virgin olive oil, which offers a dose of beneficial fatty acids and polyphenols.

He also buys full-fat butter, since emerging research suggests that the fat in dairy products can have a protective effect, potentially reducing risk of illness and promoting healthy aging.

2. 'Low-calorie' can be misleading

Labeling products as low in calories is a marketing ploy which often signals a food is ultra-processed and loaded with additives, Spector said.

"It means they've tampered with it. They have probably taken out some sugar and added artificial sweeteners to disguise how much sugar is in there," Spector said.

Many low- or no-calorie artificial sweeteners are no better for your health than sugar, according to a 2022 study.

For example, consuming aspartame, the no-calorie sweetener used in many diet sodas, carries some of the same health risks as excess sugar, like higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It may also cause you to eat more as the sweet taste prompts your body to expect a boost of energy that never arrives.

Spector has another gripe with the low-calorie label: calories alone aren't a good indication of whether a food is nutritious, he said. It's more important to focus on the nutrients in your food than one siloed metric. Plus, research suggests calorie labels can be off by as much as 20%.

"Calories are completely the wrong way to summarize a food. They're not accurate. They're not useful, as most people cannot follow a calorie-restricted diet or calorie count reliably," Spector said.

3. 'Added vitamins' tend to be low-quality nutrition

It's pretty common for food packages to declare "added vitamins" or "added minerals" — from cereals to juice to milk.

However, while getting an extra boost of vitamins and minerals in your food may seem like a bonus, it's another sneaky way to disguise processing, Spector said.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to have a long shelf life, with a hyper-palatable flavor and texture, tempting you to keep eating. That manufacturing process strips out naturally-occurring nutrients like vitamins and minerals. By law, manufacturers have to add them back in, Spector explained.

That's why Spector is not so impressed by foods advertised as "fortified" with vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins and minerals are most effective in the form of whole foods, since they're in larger quantities and in higher-quality form, easier for the body to absorb and use than the manufactured, isolated version.

4. Be wary of claims like 'immune-boosting' or 'gut healthy'

Food manufacturers will often hype up the appeal of their products by adding very small amounts of ingredients with promising nutritional benefits, even if the doses aren't large enough to do much good. In the supplement world, this is called "fairy dusting."

"You can claim immune health by adding a microscopic amount of zinc into it; gut health with a bit of manganese… all sorts of nonsense," Spector said

Misleading health claims also includes labels that advertise added fiber, since you may not be getting an effective dose.

"Big food doesn't make money out of fiber. There's no big fiber lobby. It's just quiet cheap, and it's healthy. And of course, it fills you up. So you eat less of it," Spector said.

The easiest way to navigate food labels is to check the actual quantities of ingredients and serving sizes, to make sure you're getting what you want, Spector said. Not all processed foods are created equal, since certain types of processing can retain the nutrients you want.

Spector's approach to getting enough nutrients is to aim to eat 30 different plants per week, including things like nuts, seeds, spices, coffee, and even high-quality chocolate.

• Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez are releasing a joint album, "I Said I Love You First," this month.
• Blanco has produced and written songs for major artists like Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, and Katy Perry.
• He has earned 11 Grammy nominations.

If Chappell Roan is your favorite artist's favorite artist, Benny Blanco is their favorite producer.

Take it from Grammy-nominated artist Halsey, who told iHeart Radio in 2017, "He's incredible. He's a genius and he's responsible for a lot of everyone's favorite pop songs whether they know it or not."

Blanco, whose real name is Benjamin Levin, has been a force in the music industry for nearly two decades as a producer, songwriter, and artist in his own right, creating songs for stars like Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, and even his fiancée, Selena Gomez.

Throughout his career, Blanco has earned 11 Grammy nominations for categories like album of the year, song of the year, and producer of the year, non-classical. He's also won five BMI Songwriter of the Year awards, was iHeart Radio's producer of the year in 2017, and earned the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.

"My job is to be a therapist, that's my job more than even a musician," Blanco told Daniel Wall's "Behind The Wall" podcast in 2024, adding that "being a producer sometimes is like being a spotter at the gym."

Ahead of the release of his latest project, a joint album with Gomez called "I Said I Love You First," on March 21, here's a look back at some of the most iconic songs in his discography.

"Circus" — Britney Spears (2008)

Early in Blanco's career, he was mentored by producer Dr. Luke (full name Lukasz Gottwald) who signed him to his production company, Kasz Money Productions.

In a July 2018 episode of "The Zach Sang Show," Blanco said he learned how to produce pop music from producers like Gottwald and Max Martin.

"From those guys, I learned so much about how to write songs and how to craft the perfect pop hook," he said.

One of Blanco's early projects with Dr. Luke was Britney Spears' 2008 hit "Circus," which they wrote with fellow producer and songwriter Claude Kelly. Blanco was only 20 years old at the time of its release.

"Circus" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Tik Tok" — Kesha (2009)

Also in 2008, Blanco and Dr. Luke worked together to write and record Kesha's "Tik Tok."

Kesha told Vulture in 2024 that she was encouraged to make the lyrics of the song "dumber."

"After I wrote them, I was like, 'This is too dumb, right? It doesn't make sense to brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniel's.' But I remember Benny Blanco was like, 'No, it's sick. Just don't overthink it.' That's what we ended up with," she said.

The song was certified 12x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has more than one billion streams on Spotify.

In 2014, Kesha sued Dr. Luke, alleging he had drugged and raped her, and psychologically abused her during their working relationship. They settled the suit, and his subsequent countersuit for defamation, in 2023. Gottwald denied the accusations and was never charged with a crime.

"Teenage Dream" — Katy Perry (2010)

Blanco told the "Behind the Wall" podcast that it took eight days to write the lyrics to "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.

"There's a version that says like, 'Before you know it, you're just a mom in a minivan' and it was all about like coming of age," he said, adding, "We just changed it like a million times."

Perry, Blanco, Bonnie McKee, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin were all songwriters on the project, while Blanco, Dr. Luke, and Martin produced it.

The rewrites paid off, as "Teenage Dream" was certified Diamond by the RIAA and was Perry's second-consecutive No. 1 single after "California Gurls," which Blanco also helped produce.

"Diamonds" — Rihanna (2012)

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Rihanna singing "Diamonds," but that's exactly what Blanco, Sia, and Stargate (a Norwegian songwriting and production duo) had in mind when they wrote and produced their demo in the early 2010s.

Blanco told "The Howard Stern Show" in 2024 that they originally wanted to give the song to Kanye West or Eminem. "But then, once Rihanna sang it, I was like 'Oh my God, this is something,'" he said.

But getting the song finished came down to a mad rush; Blanco told The Source in October 2012, "We had one day to finish it. We didn't even have her vocals yet. We had to finish all the music around it without even having her vocals, and I was like 'There's no way this is happening.' Then, we get the song the next day, we had to mix the song the same day and master it and then it was out like a few days later."

"Diamonds" was released in September 2012 as the lead single on Rihanna's seventh studio album, "Unapologetic," and went on to become her 12th No. 1 single — tying Madonna and the Supremes — and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.

"Payphone" — Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa (2012)

After achieving massive mainstream success with "Moves Like Jagger," Blanco teamed up with Maroon 5 again in 2012 for the song "Payphone," featuring Wiz Khalifa.

In 2012, Blanco told Rolling Stone, "I love when things don't make sense," adding, "I like when bands dip into a whole different genre."

In 2013, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine told The New York Times, "It's almost as if [Blanco] has the Midas touch in putting the right people together at the right time to create a musical moment. He's about the collaboration. And he's so good at nailing down who does everything best."

"Payphone" was a commercial success and was nominated for the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance in 2013, but ultimately lost to Gotye and Kimbra for "Somebody That I Used to Know."

"Happier" — Ed Sheeran (2017)

Blanco was a key collaborator on Sheeran's third studio album, "Divide" (2017), which included hits like "Shape of You," "Castle on the Hill," and "Happier."

After starting the song with Ryan Tedder, Blanco and Sheeran continued to write and produce "Happier" on a cruise ship — Blanco has a fear of flying — from New York to London.

Filmmaker Murray Cummings documented the process in the 2018 documentary "Songwriter," capturing Sheeran and Blanco recording vocals and brainstorming lyrics in a studio on the ship.

"Love Yourself" — Justin Bieber (2015)

Speaking of Ed Sheeran, he and Blanco also wrote "Love Yourself" while working on "Divide."

Blanco told "The Howard Stern Show" they wrote the song on a tour bus from Canada to the US, and that it was inspired by Sheeran's lack of wanting to discuss his personal life in a song.

However, Blanco famously changed the original lyrics of the song from "F— Yourself" to "Love Yourself."

"I don't like to curse unless it's really important to curse in the song," he said, adding, "I wanna leave a little bit up to the audience, 'cause you know you're saying go f— yourself, you don't have to say it."

Ultimately, the pair gave the song to Justin Bieber, who was finishing his album "Purpose."

"Same Old Love" — Selena Gomez (2015)

Long before Gomez and Blanco started dating, the pair worked together on the 2015 hit "Same Old Love."

The song was largely written by fellow pop star Charli XCX and Ross Golan, though producers Blanco and Stargate contributed to the lyrics, too.

Charli XCX told Grazia in 2016 that she actually wished she'd kept the song for herself, "But then, I kind of realised it was actually the perfect home for that song because coming from [Gomez], it meant kind of a lot more than coming from me."

"Now or Never" — Halsey (2017)

In 2017, Halsey spoke with iHeart Radio about creating "Now or Never," the lead single from her album, "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom."

"Benny Blanco and I did 'Now or Never' together and he is one of my favorite people in the whole world," she said, adding, "When he and I were working together, he had a lot of faith in me and he knew that he could pull a really really incredible song out of me, and he was so respectful of me."

The song went on to be certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA and Halsey was included in Blanco's debut single, "Eastside," with Khalid in 2018.

"Issues" — Julia Michaels (2017)

In 2017, Julia Michaels told Billboard's "How It Went Down" series that she wrote "Issues" with Justin Tranter, Blanco, and Stargate in about an hour after getting into a fight with her boyfriend.

"I just thought, well I've got issues and he's got 'em, too, and it's really crazy that nobody's written a song like this because everybody goes through something like this," she said, adding, "Once we figured out that that was the concept, words just kind of flew out of me 'cause I was so in it."

"It was the first time in my life that I kept a song for myself," Michaels added.

Similar to Blanco, Michaels has had a prolific career as a songwriter in addition to her work as a solo artist; some of her writing credits include Justin Bieber's "Sorry," Hailee Steinfeld's "Love Myself," and Fifth Harmony's "Miss Movin' On." More recently, she contributed to songs on Sabrina Carpenter's album, "Short n' Sweet."

Blanco and Stargate produced the song, which was nominated for song of the year at the Grammys in 2018.

• The 2000s saw the release of lots of iconic romantic comedies.
• Fan favorites like "A Cinderella Story" and "She's The Man" didn't receive high praise from critics.
• However, most critics enjoyed films like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Knocked Up."

Nothing screams the 2000s quite like a romantic comedy. The decade boasted a huge lineup of this genre of films, some of which were received better than others.

Although critics did not enjoy all of them equally, many have proved to be fun time capsules of the decade.

Here are 18 rom-coms to watch if you're feeling nostalgic for the early aughts, ranked from worst to best.

Critics didn't love "A Cinderella Story" (2004) as much as audiences did.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Summary: While working at her stepmother's (Jennifer Coolidge) diner, shy Sam (Hilary Duff) forms an anonymous online relationship with the popular boy Austin (Chad Michael Murray) — and hopes to impress him at the school dance.

The divide between the audience and critic scores couldn't have been clearer for "A Cinderella Story" — sitting at 53% and 11%, respectively.

Although many critics called the film formulaic, they did acknowledge it was a good choice for younger audiences.

"'A Cinderella Story' doesn't break any new ground, but it's a well-acted little breeze of a film — perfect if you're a 12-year-old girl," Richard Roeper wrote in a review for Ebert & Roeper.

Despite being a critical misfire, "Failure To Launch" (2006) has prevailed as a date-night movie staple.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Summary: Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) makes a living dating men in arrested development, helping them to move on with their lives. However, she meets her toughest case yet when Tripp's (Matthew McConaughey) parents challenge her to get their son out of the house.

When "Failure to Launch" first hit theaters, critics largely found it more "quirky" than charming — but its legacy as a decent date-night movie has prevailed.

"Once in a while, it's just nice to have romance and comedy come together in a pleasant surprise," Jeanne Kaplan wrote in a review for Kaplan vs. Kaplan.

Some critics felt "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (2004) lacked the original film's coming-of-age charm.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

Summary: While still adjusting to life as princess of Genovia, Mia (Anne Hathaway) learns that she must marry within 30 days to become queen, leading to complications with one of her top suitors: Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine).

At the end of the day, the sequel didn't score as well with critics as the original. However, viewers seemed satisfied with this addition to the "Princess Diaries" universe.

"Fans of the first 'Princess Diaries' will find enough laughs and diamonds in the rough to sustain them," Winda Benedetti wrote for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Although the film didn't earn rave reviews, critics adored Reese Witherspoon's performance in "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 38%

Summary: New York fashion designer Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) must confront her past when she returns to Alabama to finalize her divorce from high school sweetheart Jake (Josh Lucas) — before marrying her fiancé (Patrick Dempsey).

For a fun date-night movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" was a catch. In the eyes of critics, however, the plot seemed to run a bit thin.

"With Witherspoon's charisma and the infectious efforts of a supporting cast, it's hard not to like this trifling little stroll down memory lane — but not impossible," Jonathan R. Perry wrote in a review for the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Despite calling the film formulaic, critics liked Katherine Heigl's performance in "27 Dresses" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

Summary: Jane (Katherine Heigl) is always a bridesmaid, never a bride. But when her sister Tess (Malin Akerman) steals the man she secretly loves, she begins to question her identity as a bridesmaid. All the while, a reporter (James Marsden) tries to convince her that there's more to life than playing a supporting role for others.

Funny, flirty, and inoffensive, critics predicted "27 Dresses" would have a long shelf life as a familiar favorite.

"Predictable but utterly engaging, '27 Dresses' will likely be remembered as the film that made Katherine Heigl an A-list star," Chris Kaltenbach wrote for the Baltimore Sun.

Even if the story felt a bit predictable, critics couldn't help but fall for the stars of "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Summary: Advice columnist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) takes on a new piece about how to get a man to leave you in 10 days. Meanwhile, Ben Berry (McConaughey) gets pulled into a bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him in the same span of time.

Despite some familiar footing in the plotline, critics said that "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" prevailed in the chemistry of its leads.

In a review for Premiere Magazine, Kelly Borgeson wrote that the film "pokes fun at relationship stereotypes in a way that, while not exactly clever, is pretty amusing — due in large part to the talented leads."

Critics were underwhelmed by "She's The Man" (2006), but thought Amanda Bynes still stole the show.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

Summary: Viola (Amanda Bynes) is obsessed with soccer, but no one will take her seriously. Seizing a chance to prove others wrong, she disguises herself to steal a slot at her twin brother's boarding school, only to fall for the handsome Duke (Channing Tatum).

"She's The Man" was another romantic comedy with a wide disparity between critics and fans, earning an audience score of 79%. However, critics still gave Bynes props for her comedic acting performance.

"'She's The Man' is foremost an excellent showcase for Bynes," Jeffrey Westhoff wrote for the Northwest Herald.

Despite a mixed reception, "50 First Dates" (2004) stole the hearts of many critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Summary: After a traumatic accident, Lucy's (Drew Barrymore) short-term memory resets every day. But that doesn't stop Henry (Adam Sandler) from trying to woo her time and time again.

"50 First Dates" yielded mixed reviews from critics — with some distracted by the "gross-out humor" — but overall, it was one of the more sincere rom-com entries of the 2000s.

"The spark between the stars and a surprisingly thoughtful screenplay ensures that, despite the odd gross-out misstep, this is a sweet, warm, and funny romantic comedy," Nev Pierce wrote for BBC.com.

The storyline may have been a bit over-the-top, but Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock had great chemistry in "The Proposal" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Summary: While facing deportation, Canadian book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) forces her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into an engagement of convenience — but then finds she might be falling in love with him.

The over-the-top premise may have been hard for some critics to swallow, but many were pleasantly surprised by the hidden sweetness at the heart of the film.

In a review for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mack Bates called the film "surprisingly charming and smartly executed."

"Last Holiday" (2006) earned praise for Queen Latifah's central performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Summary: Shy saleswoman Georgia (Queen Latifah) is thrown for a loop when she's diagnosed with a terminal illness. As she jets around Europe to cross off items on her bucket list, Georgia finds herself pining for her crush, Sean (LL Cool J).

Like many rom-coms of the 2000s, "Last Holiday" succeeded not by the high craft of its storytelling, but by the likability of its stars.

"It's the perfect feel-good story blessed by the comedic timing of Queen Latifah and the adorable face of LL Cool J," Ella Riley-Adams wrote in a 2019 review for Vogue.

"Music and Lyrics" (2007) was a quirky, likable rom-com.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: 80's pop has-been Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) scores a chance at a career comeback when superstar Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) asks him to write a song for her. However, Fletcher has writer's block until he finds unexpected inspiration in his "plant lady," Sophie (Barrymore).

Praised for being a feel-good romantic comedy, "Music and Lyrics" was probably never going to win an Academy Award — but it did win over the hearts of many critics.

"Good-natured, melodic, and sweet as can be, 'Music and Lyrics' is like listening to your favorite '80s compilation: It just plain makes you feel good," Linda Cook wrote for the Quad City Times.

Critics loved Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo in "13 Going on 30" (2004).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

Summary: After wishing she was "thirty, flirty, and thriving" on a teary-eyed 13th birthday, Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) wakes up to find herself magically transformed into a 30-year-old woman. However, she finds life won't be the same until she can reconnect with her childhood friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo).

Despite plot contrivances, "13 Going on 30" proved so touching that even critics admitted to warming to the sweet premise.

In a review for the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Mark Collette wrote that the film is "sickeningly cute, surprisingly energetic, and alarmingly clever."

Will Smith found success in his first rom-com, "Hitch" (2005).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Summary: Dating coach Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) seems to have romance down to a tee until tabloid reporter Sara Melas (Eva Mendes) makes him rethink his entire approach to dating.

Smith's first-ever rom-com proved to be a success, with critics largely finding the film witty and endearing.

"It is smarter than your average rom-com and boasts some genuine pathos towards the end," Lisa Rose wrote in a review for the Newark Star-Ledger.

"Definitely, Maybe" (2008) broke the rom-com formula in a creative way.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Summary: New Yorker Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the throes of divorce when his daughter (Abigail Breslin) asks him what his life was like before marriage. The story rewinds to recount the three great loves of his life.

With a clever premise and enchanting leads, critics were largely surprised by the refreshing concept of "Definitely, Maybe."

"'Definitely, Maybe' has the 'meet cute,' but it also has all the things that can come after — the awkward moments, the scary possibility of hope, the comforts of sadness, the tough talks, the ugly partings, the hard-won reconciliations," James Rocchi wrote in a review for Cinematical.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002) was sweet and relatable.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Summary: Toula's (Nia Vardalos) constantly growing family is overjoyed when she finally gets engaged to Ian (John Corbett), even though he's not Greek.

Critics knew instantly that "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" would become a rom-com classic.

"It is a romantic comedy in the best classic Hollywood style, albeit one with some sharp writing and genuinely human as well as funny moments," Andrea Chase wrote for Killer Movie Reviews.

Critics praised Renée Zellweger's performance in "Bridget Jones's Diary" (2001).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: 32-year-old Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) sets several New Year's resolutions in her diary and slowly realizes that love can unravel even the best-laid plans.

Critics said Zellweger's central performance grounded the film, making it even more likable than they could have predicted.

In a review for CNN.com, Paul Clinton wrote, "Renée Zellweger is dazzling as the irrepressible star of 'Bridget Jones's Diary.'"

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008) was called wildly funny and unexpectedly sweet.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Summary: After music composer Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is dumped by his famous girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), he flies to Hawaii to get over her — only to find her vacationing there with her new boyfriend (Russell Brand).

Between the reliability of the dialogue and the chemistry of the lead cast, many critics enjoyed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

"Like 'Knocked Up' and 'Superbad' before it, 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' is a return to the rarest of adult comedies, one with a heart," Michael A. Smith wrote in a review for Nolan's Pop Culture.

Critics couldn't get enough of the sharp humor in "Knocked Up" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Summary: After a one-night stand with slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), hardworking journalist Alison Scott (Heigl) faces an unexpected pregnancy and decides to let him prove he's capable of fatherhood.

Hailed as hilarious, clever, and surprisingly sincere, "Knocked Up" proved to be one of the most critically acclaimed romantic comedies of the 2000s.

"Ultimately, it's a refreshing, amusing, and surprisingly touching comedy," Francesca Rudkin wrote for the New Zealand Herald.

• Canada is reviewing its contract with Lockheed Martin for F-35 fighter jets, the country's Defense Minister said.
• The review comes amid rising tensions between Ottawa and Washington.
• It comes after Portugal said it was also reconsidering purchasing the jet.

Canada is reviewing its contract with US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin to purchase F-35 fighter jets, its defense minister said on Friday.

Speaking to CBC, Bill Blair said he had spoken with newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney and that they were now looking at "other alternatives" to the F-35.

"It was the fighter jet identified by our air force as the platform that they required, but we are also examining other alternatives," Blair said.

"Whether we need all of those fighter jets to be F-35s or if there might be alternatives, the prime minister has asked me to go and examine those things and have discussions with other sources, particularly where there may be opportunities to assemble those fighter jets in Canada," he added.

Canada finalized a contract in 2023 to purchase 88 F-35 jets for C$19 billion (around $13.2 billion), with the first aircraft expected to be delivered to the F-35 training center at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona in 2026. The jet is set to arrive in Canada in 2028.

Lockheed Martin beat out Sweden's Saab — maker of the Gripen E jet — and Boeing — which produces the F/A-18 Super Hornet — to secure the contract.

Blair's comments came just a day after Portugal announced that it was also reconsidering purchasing the F-35.

Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo told local outlet Público on Thursday that he was wary of replacing older US-made F-16 fighter jets with F-35s in the wake of President Donald Trump's recent policy shifts.

Melo said Trump's unpredictability with regard to his stance on NATO meant Portugal had to weigh up other options, adding: "We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices."

Business Insider has contacted the Canadian Defense Ministry and Lockheed Martin for comment.

Blair's announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Ottawa and Washington over Trump's repeated tariff threats and comments about adopting Canada as the 51st US state.

Trump's moves have led to an outpouring of patriotism in Canada and seen some locals push back by abandoning US consumer brands in favor of Canadian alternatives.

• DraftKings is expanding original games for its online casino.
• It's modeling the user experience after Netflix and the way it delivers recommendations.
• DraftKings' online casino business grew 21% year over year in the fourth quarter.

DraftKings is modeling its online casino experience after Netflix as it expands its focus on original games.

Chief Product Officer Corey Gottlieb said Netflix's content recommendations inspired his team at DraftKings. He spoke this week at Next.io's Next Summit, a gambling conference in New York.

Netflix's app is known for surfacing shows and movies based on what users have watched, grouping titles in unique categories, and putting highlights, like new releases or Christmas movies around the holidays, at the top of the homepage.

Swiping through DraftKings' casino app, users can similarly find "lobbies" with carousels of games. They include the top 10 slots or table games, titles that are "only at DraftKings," recently played games, suggested games for a particular user, and games grouped by themes like "spin the wheel." The app even has an "Easter Hunt" section right now with spring-themed games like "Charmed Rabbits" and "Celtic Gold."

"It was really modeled after Netflix from a content delivery perspective," Gottlieb said. "This next-gen lobby product we've created essentially allows our operators to manage dozens of lobbies concurrently with one another, and every lobby is themed."

Gottlieb said there are also lobbies tailored for different types of bettors like VIPs and casual gamers.

The Netflix model is part of DraftKings' merchandising strategy, one of three pillars of its product plan that also includes in-house content and gamification.

DraftKings has doubled down on original content to propel its casino business. Gottlieb said the company now produces 110 original titles through its casino studio, which made up about half of the amount wagered on its casino games last year, a metric known as handle. That was out of the thousands of games it offers.

While online casino gambling is legal in a small portion of the US, the business is key to DraftKings' future because of its growth potential. DraftKings acquired Golden Nugget Online Gaming and software company Blue Ribbon a few years ago to pave its entry into the space. It's also bet on adjacent areas like digital lottery through the purchase of Jackpocket.

DraftKings' revenue from its online casino, referred to as igaming, grew about 21% year over year in the fourth quarter to $426 million, according to a financial presentation. Overall revenue for the period was up 13% year over year.

DraftKings is developing more of its own games and betting markets

Gottlieb said producing in-house content is part of a larger plan to create more originals across its business, including the sportsbook.

It's creating more of its own bets, rather than relying on third parties for live betting or same-game parlays on different outcomes within a game.

"We have made a major investment both in bringing new content to market," and in "bringing that content in-house," Gottlieb said, referring to betting markets.

He said this gives DraftKings more control over areas like pricing and the types of bets it offers, helping the company stand out in a "very redundant" marketplace.

Gottlieb said that by the end of 2025, all DraftKings' live and in-game betting content will be in-house.

"The goal for us initially was, how do we just sort of reduce a third-party dependency, create some cost savings?" Gottlieb said. "And what we sort of found our way into was a fully functional end-to-end studio with everything from game development to in-house."

• For our 30th wedding anniversary, we renewed our vows in Hawaii.
• We stayed at a hotel that offers guests a free vow-renewal ceremony on the beach.
• It was a romantic experience that I highly recommend.

My husband and I were very young when we got married in a small ceremony at City Hall in New York City. Thirty years and two kids later, we're still going strong.

To celebrate our anniversary, we thought it'd be wonderful to renew our vows somewhere beautiful on a vacation. We chose Hawaii.

Although far from our home in NYC, it holds a special place in our hearts as the place we went on our honeymoon — and we'd been dreaming of going back.

Our vow renewal ended up being even better than I'd expected.

As OUTRIGGER Reef hotel guests, the simple renewal didn't cost us extra

While researching our options online, I found that OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort offered a vow renewal free of charge for guests every Tuesday and Friday.

I was surprised, as other hotels I'd seen were charging hundreds of dollars for renewals. The resort's website said all I needed to do was send an email to reserve a spot for the 8 a.m. ceremony. So, I did.

It took place on a nearby public beach area. When we checked in on Sunday, we learned we'd be sharing our Tuesday vow renewal with another couple at the resort who'd also signed up.

A staff member at the reception desk told us that it's tradition for my husband and I to present each other with a flower lei at the ceremony, available for purchase in the hotel lobby or at numerous flower shops in the neighborhood.

Fortunately, the resort has a range of complimentary daily programming on its weekly activities calendar, and one event was a lei-making class.

On Monday, my do-it-yourself husband created flower garlands for us to exchange at the ceremony. Our room had a mini-fridge, perfect for keeping the blooms fresh until the next morning.

Our vow renewal on the beach was even better than I imagined

We were still jet-lagged and awoke early Tuesday morning, with plenty of time for a cup of Kona coffee before the ceremony.

The sun was bright but gentle as we headed down to the beautiful beach in front of the hotel.

The wedding organizer at the resort greeted us and introduced us to the Australian couple also renewing their vows. They had traveled with their family, who were also present for the ceremony.

Next, the organizer introduced us to the officiant, hula dancer, and ukulele player who'd be helping to bring our ceremony to life.

We took off our shoes and walked toward the ocean until the warm water tickled our toes. Waves and tropical birdsong were the soundtrack to the ceremony.

Our officiant taught us how to do the "Hawaiian kiss," where we faced each other, foreheads and noses touching.

He also explained that placing the lei around each other's necks symbolized the transfer of love. In both Hawaiian and English, he said a few short vows about how lucky we were to be in love, and we repeated these to each other in English.

My husband and I placed the florals around each other's necks and kissed Hawaiian-style as the hula dancer swayed and the ukulele player serenaded us.

The experience was short but impactful

Lastly, the officiant handed us a vow-renewal certificate with our names printed on it. The entire experience was over by 8:45 a.m.

A professional photographer took photos throughout the ceremony that were available for purchase, but we didn't feel pressured to buy them. The organizer had also snapped images of us during the ceremony, as did the family of the Australian couple.

Beyond our hotel stay, our vow renewal didn't cost a cent. However, the memory is priceless.

The casual ceremony felt powerful and intimate, despite the fact that we were on a public beach. I was surprised that I even cried.

• A NATO research group examines how the alliance could respond to potential crisis scenarios.
• It provides NATO leaders and decision-makers with analyses and recommendations.
• BI spoke with the group's director about her team's work and the scenario she's most worried about.

A NATO research group has been examining some of the most potentially catastrophic scenarios facing the alliance, including a possible Russian attack.

The NATO Defense College in Rome looks for early signs, dubbed "weak signals," that could lead to significant events that threaten the alliance.

"We're looking for something that changes, that takes a different direction than expected or anticipated," Florence Gaub, the director of the Research Division at the Defense College, told Business Insider.

Here are some of the potential scenarios Gaub's team is studying.

Strategic foresight

The Research Division's daily work includes library research, interviews with NATO officers, brainstorming sessions, and scenario exercises with NATO and member-state officials to identify these so-called weak signals and devise potential responses.

"The weak signal is, of course, in strategic foresight, the holy grail because if you spot a trend very early, you buy yourself a lot more time to respond to it," Gaub said. "Scenarios also have the benefit of decreasing the element of surprise and reducing response time."

Such work has become increasingly important in recent years as NATO has faced a rapidly evolving security environment, with the Russia-Ukraine war looming on its eastern flank, President Donald Trump's return to the White House raising questions over the US's future in the alliance, and China's ever-expanding global influence.

Gaub said her team's current areas of research included the potential detonation of a nuclear warhead in space, panic triggered by speculation of a DNA-gene-editing bioweapon, a war between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile, Russia using acoustic weapons against peacekeeping forces stationed in Ukraine, and Russia testing NATO with a missile attack on one of its members bordering the Black Sea.

While some may say such scenarios seem unlikely, Gaub pointed to the "What if Russia and China became allies" scenario exercise held by the EU Institute for Security Studies at the 2020 Munich Security Conference.

At the time, "a lot of Europeans and Americans were saying, 'That will never happen,'" Gaub, who previously served as deputy director at the EUISS, said. But people in Asia and Russia were saying, "'It's already happening,'" she added.

Two years later, Russia and China signed a "no-limits" partnership.

The Research Division is also working on a scenario exercise in the Indo-Pacific, but Gaub declined to provide further details due to its classified nature.

While most of the division's reports are published on its website, some publications and briefings are classified to avoid triggering "unnecessary drama" and pushback and to ensure that Beijing and Moscow do not have easy access to them.

One such example is a scenario looking at how Russia may imagine a nuclear war. Gaub said releasing a report on this subject would "unnecessarily" scare the general public and that it would nevertheless be a difficult scenario to write on, given that the only historical precedents — the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 — occurred when the US was the only nuclear power.

"The world that we live in now, with more than one nuclear power, changes the game," Gaub said. "If one state uses a nuclear weapon, it will confront the situation where other countries with nuclear weapons can respond. That makes the scenarios so much more speculative."

The Russian threat

Gaub's main concern at present is that a Russian hybrid attack on a NATO member state could prompt the triggering of the alliance's Article 5 — which stipulates that an armed attack against one or more alliance members in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all — but that allies would not respond.

Russia is suspected of having carried out dozens of hybrid attacks on NATO in recent years, ranging from arson and signal jamming to assassination attempts and hacks.

No member state has so far triggered NATO's Article 5 in response to such attacks, which Gaub said were "increasing" and "becoming more and more aggressive."

"The one thing everybody at NATO is afraid of is calling the day on Article 5 and discovering that not all allies are on board," she added.

Such fears may have been heightened in recent months as Trump, who has repeatedly criticized European NATO members' defense spending, has said that the US would not defend allies who didn't pay enough for their own defense.

The most effective way to undermine NATO's cohesion is to engineer a situation that is "ambiguous to outsiders" and "clear to insiders," causing disagreements within the alliance, Gaub continued. "Then, you have the perfect storm."

She added that her team was not a "prediction machine," although she said its forecasts were more than 60% accurate.

"We should never raise the expectation that we're going to be accurate on everything, especially when you're looking at black swan scenarios," Gaub said. "We're in the business of low probability, high impact, so ideally, none of what we see potentially happening should happen."

• On the surface, Costco and Sam's Club have a lot of similarities.
• A deeper look reveals some notable differences between the two brands' customer profiles.
• For example, Numerator data indicates wealthy urban shoppers are more likely to be members of Costco than Sam's Club.

On the surface, Costco and Sam's Club have a lot of similarities.

Both are sprawling warehouses stocked with palletized displays of bulk goods at bargain prices. Both charge an annual membership fee to access the deals. Both were directly inspired by the visionary entrepreneur Sol Price's original club stores.

However, digging a little deeper into consumer data reveals some notable differences between the two brands' customer profiles.

For starters, the typical Costco shopper spends nearly twice as much a year and visits more than 50% more frequently than Sam's Club members do, according to 2024 data from consumer analytics firm Numerator.

The typical Costco shopper visits about 32 times a year and spends a total of $3,086, while the typical Sam's Club shopper makes 20 trips and spends $1,583 in a year, according to Numerator.

As part of their overall retail budget, Costco shoppers spend roughly one in eight of their dollars at warehouse stores, which is almost 65% higher than the overall US average.

That wallet share is a bit lower for the typical Sam's Club member, who spends about one in 12 of their dollars at wholesale clubs — still higher than the US average by about 13%.

Costco shoppers also tend to be wealthier — earning more than $125,000 household income on average — while Sam's Club shoppers tend to have more mid-range incomes of between $40,000 and $125,000. Even so, Sam's Club members are slightly more likely to be homeowners than Costco members, Numerator finds.

And while both chains are unsurprisingly popular in the suburbs, Sam's Club is more popular among rural households and Costco has more strength with city dwellers, according to Numerator.

The data indicates that both chains tend to be equally popular among shoppers who identify as white. Walmart-owned Sam's Club is slightly favored by shoppers who identify as Black or Hispanic/Latino.

Meanwhile, Costco is exceptionally popular among Asian-identifying households, who are nearly twice as likely to shop there as at a typical retail brand.

Costco shoppers are also much more interested in organic foods than their Sam's Club counterparts.

In terms of age, Sam's Club shoppers skew slightly older than Costco shoppers, though Gen X shoppers are equal fans of both.

Kantar retail analyst Gina Logan told Business Insider that Gen Z and Alpha shoppers are increasingly seeing the appeal of the club store model, which could bring down the average customer age at both chains.

And 2024 was a big year for Sam's Club that saw the rollout of new AI-powered checkout technology and the grand opening of its first new store in seven years.

Sam's Club also managed to snatch the top ranking for customer satisfaction in retail from longtime winner Costco earlier this year.

Lastly, both chains are seeing a strong start to 2025, with visits up more than 7% from last year — double the increases for Walmart and Target — according to foot traffic data from Placer.ai.

Numerator's data indicates nearly half of American households shop at either Costco or Sam's Club at least once in the past year, underscoring that US shoppers love finding a good deal.

• Increasing narrowbody flights between North America and Europe are changing how people fly.
• Newer single-aisle planes are versatile with cheaper operating costs than widebodies.
• American and United will fly new routes with future A321XLRs and introduce new business classes.

Your next ride across the Atlantic may be smaller than you expected.

Several airlines are flying more narrow-body planes between North America and Europe this year — a shift from larger widebodies that have historically dominated transoceanic routes.

Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium shows that about 56,500 transatlantic narrowbody flights are scheduled in 2025, a 50% increase from 2019.

Although some people may see the strategy as counterintuitive — as fewer seats mean less revenue potential — narrowbodies are cheaper to operate than a widebody and are easier to fill on lower-demand but still profitable routes.

European planemaker Airbus is trailblazing this transatlantic trend. In 2018, it launched the extended-range Airbus A321neoLR to make long-haul flights more efficient than its previous generation options.

Airbus took its strategy one step further when its "extra long range" A321XLR launched in November. The Boeing 737 Max has less range than its Airbus rivals but is still used by a handful of carriers across the Atlantic.

The growing trend is changing how people fly to Europe. Smaller jets can be cozier and boast competitive fares due to their cheaper costs, and their fewer passengers mean faster boarding and deplaning times.

Transatlantic narrowbody flying is becoming mainstream.

Passengers can fly the A320/A321neo family between North America and Europe on JetBlue Airways, Canada's Air Transat, French airline La Compagnie, Ireland's Aer Lingus, Iceland's Play, Spain's Iberia, Azores Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, and TAP Air Portugal.

Air Canada, United Airlines, and WestJet use the Boeing 737 Max 8 on transatlantic journeys. Air Greenland will lease previous-generation 737s this summer to capitalize on demand to mainland Europe.

United and Delta Air Lines fly the Boeing 757 across the pond, though Delta only has two routes to Iceland from Detroit and Minneapolis. Icelandair flies the A321neo, the 737 Max, and the 757 from Reykjavik.

There are pros and cons of the smaller cabins.

Many travelers may enjoy the smaller cabin and, subsequently, fewer passengers when flying across the Atlantic. This allows for quicker on-and-off on either side of the pond, and the meal service is faster.

However, some people may not like the fewer lavatories. Iberia's A321XLR, for example, has three bathrooms shared among 168 economy passengers, and there is little room in the aft cabin to queue.

Bigger cabins also offer more space for travelers to stretch their legs or alleviate claustrophobia. Others may simply prefer the grandiose jets historically tied to long-haul flights, like the famous Boeing 747.

Travelers still have access to lie-flat business-class seats.

Many carriers, such as JetBlue, United, Aer Lingus, Iberia, La Compagnie, SAS, and TAP, have installed high-priced lie-flat seats to generate more revenue on lower-capacity planes.

JetBlue's A321LR, for example, has 24 door-equipped Mint seats, which take up nearly a third of the cabin. Iberia has a less premium-heavy A321XLR but still offers 14 semi-private lie-flat seats.

United outfitted its long-haul Boeing 757s with a version of its Polaris business class. United and American plan to install new lie-flat premium cabins on their future A321XLRs.

Some airlines have premium recliners instead.

Icelandair, which recently received its first A321LR to replace its fleet of Boeing 757s, has installed premium economy loungers instead of lie-flat business on its narrowbodies.

Air Canada, Azores, WestJet, Air Transat, and Delta similarly offer reclining premium economy or business seats. United's 737 Max has first-class loungers.

Air Greenland, Play, and La Compagnie are unique outliers.

Air Greenland's leased 737s will only have regular economy seats. The planes won't have premium or business cabins.

Budget carrier Play flies no-frills Airbus narrowbody planes between the US and mainland Europe via Iceland. Extras like bags are a fee. The strategy boasts less comfort in exchange for cheaper fares.

On the other end of the spectrum, La Compagnie equips its A321LRs exclusively with lie-flat business class. The seats are basic compared to JetBlue or Iberia, but the fares start at a $2,500 roundtrip.

Airlines can fly more niche nonstop flights.

The 5,400-mile-ranged A321XLR — which can fly about 800 miles further than the A321LR — unlocks markets that its narrowbody predecessors couldn't physically reach or would be unprofitable with a widebody.

United plans to fly the A321XLR to new destinations like North Africa, and North Italy come 2026, while Aer Lingus plans to launch two new nonstops between Dublin and Nashville, and Indianapolis this spring.

The Boeing 737 Max is already used on a handful of unique nonstop flights. For example, United flies the plane seasonally to Ponta Delgada in the Portuguese Azores and is launching it on new routes to Nuuk, Greenland, and Madeira, Portugal, this summer.

The nonstops save time while still offering competitive fares.

Google Flights shows a nonstop roundtrip ticket on United between Newark and Madeira in July costs about $1,200.

The same one-stop flight on TAP via Lisbon — which would take double the time — is about $1,100. The prices vary through the summer but the few hundred price difference is the common theme.

Iberia's A321XLR nonstop flight between Washington, DC, and Madrid is regularly the same price or cheaper than United's widebody option. Aer Lingus' future nonstop between Dublin and Nashville is typically at least $1,000 roundtrip this summer.

One-stop flights on competitors are priced higher or lower depending on the day — meaning some travelers could snag a good Aer Lingus deal if their travel plans are flexible.

• When leaving jobs in the past, relationships with work friends have always fizzled out.
• I decided to be more intentional with my friend Kate, who I met at work.
• When I left the company we met at, we remained close, even though we've never met in person.

Whenever I've left a job, the relationship with my work bestie, someone I talked to daily, would wither away to the occasional Instagram comment or a half-hearted "we should catch up soon" that never actually happened. It was frustrating to realize workplace camaraderie is often fleeting. We job hop. We get busy. And if you work remotely, like I do, the barrier to friendship is even higher. There's only so much small talk I can handle on Zoom before I log off.

But then I met Kate. And for the first time, I realized that being intentional about a work friendship could change its trajectory.

We became close at work, but I left the company

I started my first copywriting job in 2021, and Kate was the SEO editor. At first, we bonded over the work itself, a shared love for writing long-form brand articles, tweaking headlines, and figuring out how to make our work topics interesting. But what really pushed us into work bestie status, like most people, was venting about a shared dislike for a certain coworker. That sealed the deal. Bond set, we continued to grow closer.

Then, I decided to leave the company. And while I was excited for what was next, I worried that, like so many other work friendships, this one would fade into the background of my professional past, leaving me to feel weird about missing someone I'd never spent time with outside Slack. That's probably how it would've gone if we hadn't made the conscious and slightly unusual decision to set up standing FaceTime chats.

It started as a way to keep in touch professionally — quick check-ins about where we were working, what projects we were tackling, and who we should connect each other with. But over time, it evolved into a work-adjacent relationship that is part mentorship, part friendship, and part professional partnership.

Our calls stretch beyond career updates. We talk about creative pursuits — me writing my debut novel, Kate going back to school to study arboriculture (which, yes, means trees). We dissect our personal and professional frustrations, feeling stuck or burnout. We've faced layoffs, promotion denials, and the stress of not knowing what we want next. Through it all, Kate has been my sounding board, offering advice, encouragement, and, most importantly, the reminder that I'm not alone in navigating work and life.

And the funny thing? We've never met in person, and it's been three years.

We've kept up virtually so far, but our friendship is very real

Our friendship exists entirely through screens and texts. We joke about it often, how strange it is that we know so much about each other's lives but have never shared a meal, never walked down the street together, never hugged hello or goodbye. "One day I'll visit Portland," I always say. "And I want to visit New York," Kate replies.

I know it will happen eventually. And when it does, it'll feel like a natural next step — not the beginning of our friendship, but just another chapter. Because even though we've never been in the same place at the same time, our relationship is real.

Most work friendships fizzle out, but this one didn't because we treated it like any other meaningful relationship that involved effort, time, and intentionality. And because of that, I've started approaching all my work friendships differently. I no longer assume they'll fade the moment someone moves on. Now, I make the first move — I send the text, schedule the catch-up call, and find ways to keep the connection alive. Sometimes, I feel even closer to the people I once spent 40 hours a week with.

• Layoffs led by DOGE have pushed thousands of federal workers into the job market.
• Job seekers with government experience might want to focus on skills that are valuable to companies.
• Be ready to share ways you've succeeded in your work, a career expert told BI.

Federal workers hoping to jump into the private sector might need to adopt a new skill: translation.

That's because it can be difficult for those in business to understand what it's like to work inside a sometimes mazelike government structure and what skills it requires.

Recruiters and career coaches told Business Insider that many federal workers have the know-how to succeed in private industry, yet they might struggle to make that clear.

Carrie Soave, who runs a career consulting firm in Detroit, said she was once a federal worker herself.

Soave told BI it can be tricky for government workers to convey to corporate human resources departments and hiring managers the value of their experience if it's buried under acronyms or hard-to-decipher job descriptions.

Instead, she encourages job seekers to think, "What is your success story?"

Cataloging those wins is becoming increasingly important as the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory group run by Elon Musk, ushers in sweeping cuts to the federal workforce.

Telling a story

Leigh Henderson, who has nearly two decades of experience in corporate HR, told BI that erstwhile federal workers will struggle if they don't talk about their time in government in ways that resonate in a business setting.

"Companies want problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and leaders who can navigate complexity," she said. The good news is that government workers often have those strengths "in spades."

"The key is telling that story in a way that makes hiring managers listen," she said.

One example: A résumé for a federal worker might run a half-dozen more pages or more. In the private sector, a maximum of two pages is often the norm.

Amanda Augustine, a career coach with Careerminds, told BI that job seekers should remember that everything from their résumés to their LinkedIn profiles are, essentially, marketing documents.

Augustine said workers should make clear the skills they were using and how they leveraged those skills to create positive outcomes.

Fighting stigma

DOGE-led job cuts have pushed layoffs to their highest level since the pandemic, and more positions will likely be cut. DOGE has said that the reductions, in part, have targeted "low performers," a narrative that some federal employees have pushed back on.

Still, any stigma could prove challenging for one-time government staffers, said Ken Crowell, founder of EmployTest, which creates assessments for job candidates.

Tropes about bureaucrats and inefficiency could emerge as a headwind, he told BI.

"We can talk about fair and not fair, but you know, at a personal level, it's going to be tough for them to get through," Crowell said.

Still, he said many former government workers have vast experience and substantive leadership and management skills that employers would be foolish to dismiss out of turn.

Where the jobs might be

Farah Sharghi, a recruiter turned career coach, said where federal workers wind up in the private sector often depends on their skills.

"You could have somebody who works for a regulatory body, and then they go work for the type of companies that they regulated," she said.

Henderson, the longtime corporate HR worker, said former federal workers could do well in industries that involve complex operations and heavy regulation and security — including healthcare, defense, and logistics.

She said consulting firms often prize government workers' abilities to navigate bureaucracy and compliance protocols.

Henderson expects workers from some government agencies to appear especially attractive to employers. These include cybersecurity and IT pros who've worked in agencies like the Department of Defense because of a broad "arms race" for cybersecurity talent, she said.

"Government-trained professionals often bring top-tier experience in threat detection, risk assessment, and infrastructure security," Henderson said.

Time to reskill

Workers in highly specific roles, however, might need to add to their skills if their experience doesn't directly translate to a corporate setting. Henderson said policy analysts, compliance officers, and administrative specialists could face a tough time converting that experience to private industry.

She said workers might need to adjust to expectations that can be different in private industry than in government.

That's one area where so-called soft skills can come into play, Henderson said.

"Adaptability, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management will be critical for making that transition smoothly," she said.

• BI visited a facility in Kyiv where Ukrainian soldiers use virtual simulators to train for combat.
• One soldier training on air defense weapons said it helps him gain muscle memory with the system.
• The founder of the company making the simulators believes future training will be entirely virtual.

A quiet, sunny day is suddenly interrupted by the hum of a Russian drone. Moments later, another appears. Then another. Suddenly, they're crisscrossing in the sky as cruise missiles soar overhead. It is fast becoming impossible to shoot everything down.

This overwhelming scenario is one that Ukraine's defenders have faced repeatedly over the past three years of war, but when Business Insider experienced it, the Russian attack wasn't real.

BI recently visited a training center in Kyiv where Ukrainian forces from across the military use highly immersive virtual reality simulators to get ready for a fight — engaging lethal Russian threats like drones, missiles, and aircraft.

Ukrainian technology company PSS by Logics7 makes these simulators. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops have used the company's systems to sharpen their combat skills and train for real-life battles, ones in which failing to shoot down an enemy threat can have deadly consequences.

"Future training systems will be only in virtual space," PSS founder Igor Belov told BI in an interview. "We do it right now."

The training simulators offer Ukrainian soldiers a cheaper and faster training process. They get the same feel for the weapon without expending valuable ammunition. It's also a safer way to practice and learn, as Russia has demonstrated that it will launch deadly strikes on Ukraine's training grounds.

BI observed Ukrainian soldiers training on the American-made .50-caliber M2 Browning machine gun and FIM-92 Stinger, and Soviet-era 9K38 Igla. The training weapons mimic the real deal in appearance, weight, and touch, so the soldiers develop strong muscle memory habits and become familiar with the systems.

The Browning is a popular weapon for Ukrainian mobile air defense units tasked with shooting down Russian drones like the Shahed-136, Iranian-made loitering munitions; Russia also has its own domestically produced version. The heavy machine guns are often mounted in the beds of ordinary pickup trucks. The Stinger and Igla, meanwhile, are man-portable air-defense systems, or MANPADS. These shoulder-launched weapons can fire missiles at higher-threat targets like planes, helicopters, and even cruise missiles.

The soldiers wear virtual-reality goggles and are placed in simulated battlefield scenarios. An operator can customize the combat experience, such as having drones attack from different directions or changing the weather to a low-visibility fog, making it significantly more challenging to spot and defend against threats.

Igor said the simulators make the soldiers more effective in actual combat scenarios, and the soldiers can attest to that.

Vitaliy, a Ukrainian soldier in an anti-aircraft unit, told BI through a translator that there's a clear difference between the simulation and firing a real gun on the battlefield. But the VR experience helps provide that muscle memory and feel that makes it easier to use the weapons in real life.

Vitaliy, who is identified only by his first name for security purposes, said training on the Stinger is easier than the Igla because the American launcher provides its operator with two chances to hit a target, whereas the Soviet system only gives one. He has been in combat before, but the training helps him keep his edge.

Soldiers serving in a mobile air defense unit on the outskirts of Kyiv told BI in a separate interview that simulator training helped them hone their skills on the Browning machine gun.

At the facility in Kyiv, this reporter tested the Browning simulator. It was manageable at first to shoot down a few slow-moving Shahed drones traveling in a straight line, leading the airborne threats by aiming just a little ahead of the drone to ensure the interception was perfectly timed.

But as more drones came in from different directions, it got more complicated. Eventually, cruise missiles were added into the mix, and the complex attack became completely overwhelming.

PSS offers soldiers plenty of other weapons for Ukrainian soldiers to train with beyond air defense, such as drones, small arms, or anti-tank weapons, like the Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon, or NLAW.

The simulator service is offered to the Ukrainian military at no cost as it wages war against the Russian invasion force, but Igor said PSS can still sell its product and wants to put it on the international market for foreign militaries to try.

"This system can be the main system for training in the whole world," Igor said. "It's necessary to develop as fast as we can."

VR and AR training is a highly sought-after training capability. Ukraine is not the only military that uses augmented reality to train on different weapons. Last year, this reporter visited a facility at Oklahoma's Fort Sill, where American soldiers practice with Stinger simulators just like the Ukrainians. BI has also previously participated in augmented-reality room-clearing exercises at what is now Fort Barfoot.

• I became a dad when I was in my late 40s and knew the decision meant I'd be an older parent.
• There are plenty of benefits, and a few challenges, as well.
• I'm not as energetic as when I was younger, but being when them lets me relive my childhood.

My wife and I decided to have our first child when I was in my late 40s, and I knew what I was getting myself into. Before I was a writer, I was an elementary school teacher for more than a decade. I witnessed firsthand when an older parent would come into the classroom to pick up their child, and the rest of the students would mistakenly think it was actually their grandparent picking them up.

Those parents usually just laughed off the mistake, but I'd be willing to bet a few of them occasionally felt hurt and isolated.

And now here I am. I am 50 years old with two young toddlers, and I myself am just a year or two away from likely being mistaken for their grandfather.

My wife and I met when I was 41

I didn't have my first date with my future wife until I was 41 years old. Then, after we were married, we had to go through IVF for a year, but we lucked out by having good embryos, which later turned out to be Ellie and Jack. We're quite a bit older than parents who had similar-age children, but we felt up to the task.

I have less energy than I would have if I'd had kids earlier

Those who are 50 and older realize things change when you get to this age. You can literally go to sleep at night completely healthy and then wake up in the morning with some sort of injury. It's all very strange.

But guess what? My kids don't care that I somehow pulled a hamstring while I was dreaming. They want me on the floor playing with them or running after them as they pedal their bikes down the street.

They want me to know all the characters in "Bluey" and to be able to sing along with "The Wiggles." No excuses. Perhaps younger parents are more up-to-date on some of these things, but I still look back fondly on "Scooby Doo" and other shows from my childhood.

We're more stable than when we were younger in a few ways

We are much more financially stable than we were when we were younger. Money isn't as much of an issue any longer. Plus, I can still remember being 25 and trying to figure out how to be an adult myself. Back then, I still ate cereal several times a day! Most of the time nowadays, I feel like I have the adulting thing down.

Plus, I would like to think I have more patience than I used to. If one of my kids is misbehaving or having a tough day in general, it is easier to wait out the storm and help them through it.

I get to relive my childhood through them

Something that I also never really considered when having children so late in life was that I would be reliving my childhood through them. I'm sharing with them what we used to do as kids back in the "old days."

There are times when I feel ancient, like explaining to them that phones used to hang on walls and didn't have screens with fancy apps built into them. But there are times when I also feel like a young kid again, as we play house and discuss which superheroes are the most powerful.

As you get older, you reflect back on your life. I get to educate my kids on the old television shows I used to love, the children's books I read over and over, and I share life lessons with them that took me decades to learn.

Time moves differently now that I'm a parent

As I spend each moment with little Ellie and Jack, I do realize that I probably will have less time with them than younger parents. Jack will be just graduating from high school when I am officially a senior citizen.

Am I going to meet my grandchildren someday? God only knows. But I do want my kids to remember as much as they can so they can share memories with their own children if I am not around.

I am doing my best to ensure the memories do not fade too much over time. I have written a couple of widely-available children's books that use situations that our family has encountered.

I have no regrets

There are days when the children wake me up at 5 a.m. and want to play. There are weeks when I do not get the opportunity to talk to another adult. But when I am on my deathbed someday, I won't regret not being able to sleep in late. I am not going to wish I had a chance to catch up on the latest shows and movies. I am going to be thinking of my children and hoping I did my best with them.

• Fears of a recession are top of mind amid Trump's trade wars and stock market dips.
• Trump's tariffs and economic policies have heightened uncertainty.
• Leading thinkers are keeping tabs on the topic. Here's who to read to keep up.

With dips in the stock market and President Donald Trump's escalating trade wars, recession fear is on everyone's mind.

There's been no official recession call yet for 2025, but economists and financial analysts told Business Insider that they are taking a close look at US employment rates, household income levels, and other indicators of economic health.

For American consumers, a financial downturn could mean widespread unemployment, decreased spending, and a decline in the value of assets like homes and retirement accounts, among other impacts.

Here's some of the most insightful commentary BI has seen on recessions — and tips on how to evaluate if we are in one.

Former Fed economist Claudia Sahm's "Stay-At-Home Macro" newsletter

DOGE recession?

DOGE has adopted a "move fast and break things" approach, which amplifies the recession risks in two key ways. First, it concentrates the economic effects temporally, and second, it creates uncertainty that can weigh on growth and employment…Will the next recession be the DOGE recession? Probably not, but the ingredients are there: mass layoffs of federal government workers, large cuts in government contracts and grants, a rapid pace, and heightened uncertainty about who will be affected.

Economist Cristian deRitis on Moody's "Inside Economics" podcast

Sharing the Angst

It's not as though I can, as an automaker or manufacturer, make long-term plans based on policy that's changing so rapidly. So the natural response to that type of uncertainty is to pause, is to pull back, and that could certainly lead to slower growth and even eventually recession if it starts to spiral out of control, right? If consumers start to really pull back on spending, businesses pull back on their hiring, on their employment, that leads to lower income, and so on and so forth. So I think there's a real risk here that the uncertainty injected by the tariffs, even beyond the tariffs themselves, could do some real economic damage.

Economics professor Justin Wolfers

Two Reasons for Optimism About the Economy

While I'm convinced that our current recession talk is premature, I'm no blind optimist. America's biggest economic threat is the chaos sown by an unpredictable White House. Tariffs are on except when they're off; DOGE cuts with a chain saw and keeps hitting arteries; fiscal discipline has gone missing; and rule by executive order has left nearly the entire Trump agenda tied up in court. At the same time, Mr. Trump's whims are rewiring the postwar world order.

If there's not something to scare you on that list, you're not paying attention. Perhaps this is the point in the horror movie when you wake up and realize that the real threat is coming from inside the house. Indeed, that fear may be what catalyzes the next recession. It just hasn't started yet.

Former chief economist Jared Bernstein's newsletter

Trump Declined to Rule out a Recession! He's Right (Lutnick's Wrong).

Normal people just want to know how all this chaotic economic policy is affecting their lives, the prices they face, interest rates, jobs, and their living standards…if you want to worry more about recession, I'm with you, though the odds are still relatively low.

Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather

Recession risk is rising, but how do I know if we're in a recession?

Fairweather wrote on Bluesky that in simple data, leading indicators of a recession include an inverted yield curve, stock market crash, weakening consumer and business sentiment, and rising unemployment claims, as well as more dire signs that come later like declining personal income and weakening GDP. She added that "some warning signs are flashing, but major recession indicators aren't confirming it yet."

Professor of Public Policy and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich's newsletter

The Trump Slump is now

Over the weekend, Trump refused to rule out a recession this year, telling Fox News there will be a "period of transition, because what we're doing is very big."

Well, yes, if "very big" means destroying much of the federal government, allying with Putin against our traditional allies, and putting high tariff walls around America.

The cost of living — the single biggest problem identified by consumers over the last several years — is going up, not down. Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum, and his threatened 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, are playing havoc with supply chains inside and outside America.

Senior economist Dean Baker's column at the Center for Economic and Policy Research

The Trump-Musk Recession: Because They Can

And of course, we had the 2020 recession because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now Donald Trump is threatening us with a recession — not because of something that is any way unavoidable, but rather because as president he has the power to bring on a recession.

While a recession may not be fully baked into the cards at this point, the risk is evident and it's almost entirely coming from Donald Trump's policies. First and foremost are the costs associated with his import taxes (tariffs), or at least the threat of tariffs.

Economic policy researcher Skanda Amarnath's column at Employee America

Narrow Job Gains vs Reversion Effects From Weather, Seasonals & Natural Disasters

On the other hand, we are expecting to see underlying slowing in sectors that have powered our narrow set of job gains, like healthcare, state and local government, social assistance, without much real "cyclical" sector offset. We are still dealing with a historically narrow job market in which only a narrow set of sectors are contributing to payroll growth, something you typically only see coincide with rising unemployment and recessions.

• The secondhand luxury watch market has been on a decline since 2022.
• Still, one study contends that luxury watches like Rolexes have less volatility.
• The study also found that high-end watches saw more average annual returns than real estate.

In a period of tariff whiplash and geopolitical uncertainty pushing the S&P 500 into a stock market correction, the luxury watch could stand the test of time.

A recent study by two Swiss finance professors contends that luxury watches saw less market volatility than real estate, stocks, and "fixed income" or bonds when examining various indices that track the performance of those assets between January 2019 and September 2024.

The study's findings suggested that high-end timepieces could be an "attractive option" for investors looking to diversify their portfolios because they have a low correlation with the stock market, making them lower-risk investments.

"The watch market's volatility (3.90% annual volatility) and range are the lowest of any asset class," the study, which was published February 24 on Social Science Research Network, said. "The closest asset class in terms of risk is fixed income, with a volatility of 5 to 8%."

Philippe Weisskopf, assistant professor of finance who co-authored the paper with his colleague at EHL Hospitality Business School, Philippe Masset, told Business Insider in an interview that one caveat to the findings is that luxury watches are illiquid, meaning people aren't selling off their watches as quickly as they could with stocks.

"There are not that many transactions, and this kind of artificially lowers the risk a little bit," Weisskopf said, adding that he and his colleague tried to account for this issue by excluding data that looked at daily price movements.

Returns from luxury watches also tell a mixed story.

"Overall, the watch market (5.68% annual return) underperformed equities (12.85%) and gold (13.06%) but outperformed fixed income (negative returns) and real estate (3.14%)," the study said.

Some brands, however, came close to the average annual returns seen on the MSCI World Index, which the study used as a measure of global stock market performance.

Audemars Piguet showed 11.68% in average annual returns, whereas stocks showed 12.85% in annual returns. Patek Philippe showed average annual returns of 10.92%, according to the study.

Weisskopf notes that brand knowledge and knowledge of specific models within brands are crucial when looking into luxury watch investments.

The Rolex Recession

The study's conclusion factors in the decline of the secondhand watch market in the past three years.

The resale market saw a huge boom in 2022, with the price of a secondhand Rolex Daytona climbing to its peak in March of that year at $48,500 — a nearly 228% markup from its retail price of $14,800 in 2023, according to WatchCharts.

Today, the estimated cost of a resale Daytona would be $27,052 WatchCharts data showed. That still represents about an 83% price increase.

Weisskopf's study said brands like Rolex and Vacheron Constantin showed a return of more than 50% after 2022.

"Meanwhile, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, which are the best-performing brands, tripled in price between 2019 and 2022," the study said. "However, the two brands roughly doubled over the total period (i.e. from January 2019 to September 2024)."

Weisskopf noted during the interview that although the paper's findings point to luxury watches as a better long-term investment, the study should not be taken as investment advice.

"From a financial economist point of view, I'd say I don't see how the watch market could turn around a lot right now if you look at what's happening throughout this globe, politically, geopolitically, economically speaking," he said. "I think, right now, a lot of people are rather paying a bit more attention to where they put their money. So I don't think it's going to go up. Is it going to stabilize? Maybe."

• A scientist tested out 15 buzzy longevity hacks to see if they made him feel healthier.
• John Tregoning tried things including calorie restriction, microbiome testing, and exercising more.
• He kept up with exercising more, drinking less, and eating more vegetarian meals instead of red meat.

As he neared his 47th birthday, John Tregoning could no longer ignore the signs that he wasn't a spring chicken anymore.

He had to hold his phone further and further away from his face to read it, and the pile of hair he left behind at the hairdresser was markedly more gray than blond.

"The period of denial was finally over," Tregoning, a professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London who has been a clinical researcher for 25 years, told Business Insider.

Entering middle age, he began to wrestle with the idea of his own mortality, and whether there was anything he could do to delay it, or at least make his journey more pleasant.

So he did what comes naturally to him when faced with a problem — a series of experiments.

Tregoning researched the latest buzzy longevity hacks. Although it would be almost impossible to pinpoint whether they were extending his life, he wanted to see which were the most sustainable and made him feel healthier.

He ruled out anything that didn't have at least a large clinical trial supporting its efficacy, and focused on interventions that would prevent diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are responsible for 74% of all deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

He landed on a list of around 15 lifestyle changes, medical tests, and treatments that are said to boost longevity.

They were: gene sequencing, whole-body blood analysis, an ECG, more exercise, cold water swimming, eating beetroot, eating less salt, dry January and alcohol replacement, eating less red meat and more vegetables, brain training apps, sleeping more, a calorie restriction diet, eating more fiber, microbiome sequencing, and drinking more water.

He documented his experience in his book "Live Forever? A Curious Scientist's Guide to Wellness, Ageing and Death."

He said his approach of experimenting on himself "is definitely more illustrative than scientific" because his findings are anecdotal. But he deemed anything that he continued to do after the experiment was over long-term a success.

Tregoning shared the three longevity treatments he stuck with.

Exercising more

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As the heart is a muscle, working it through exercise makes it stronger and better able to pump blood around the body more efficiently, Tregoning wrote. So he decided to be more active in the name of heart health.

Tregoning said that a year after setting himself the goal of exercising more, he still's at it. He likes to fit exercise into his commute, so he'll often get off the train a stop or two early and run the rest of the way. He also goes on runs with his daughter.

Exercise also provides many health benefits that indirectly help the heart, he wrote, such as lowering body weight, reducing cortisol levels, and burning glucose. It also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer.

Drinking less alcohol

Alcohol can damage the body in many ways, including causing certain types of cancer, contributing to heart failure and strokes by increasing blood pressure, and liver disease, Tregoning wrote.

Tregoning attempted Dry January but didn't make it to the end. He has, however, continued to be more conscious of how much he drinks and records "no drink days" on an app, which he finds motivating.

Eating more vegetarian meals (and less red meat)

Eating a diet high in red and processed meat has been linked to a higher risk of colon cancer while piling your plate up with high-fiber foods such as leafy greens and seeds appears to lower the risk.

Eating meat can, in part, be counterbalanced with fiber, Tregoning wrote, by promoting smooth digestion and regular poops, which means the meat is in contact with the colon for less time.

Instead of cutting red meat out altogether, which didn't feel realistic, Tregoning decided to add more vegetarian meals to his weekly repertoire. His favorites are three-bean chili, vegetable curry, and tomato pasta.

He said that he still eats two vegetarian meals a week a year after ending the experiment.

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Happy Saturday! Feeling too busy to work out? One 37-year-old mom lost 100 pounds by using this three-step strategy. Sounds simple enough!

On the agenda:

• Young people with colon cancer share the early signs that doctors misdiagnosed.
• A new luxury development in Manhattan is offering amenities — for a steep price tag.
• We tested out the new hottest water bottle to see if it's worth the hype.
• Patricia Arquette has a message for anyone looking for "Severance" spoilers.

But first: Ready, set, spring clean.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

It's time to sweep into spring

Do you feel it? I'm talking about the warmer weather, the sun shining just a little bit longer, and the winter blues going away. We're enjoying the first signs of spring, and it feels reaaaally good.

With spring also comes a chance to renew your personal space. Not to give you too much homework, but it's time to spring clean.

Thankfully, BI's Life team has been all over the decluttering trend — and has spoken to many professionals and families who make this seemingly uphill task quite easy.

If you want to get started this weekend, declutter expert Sonia Weiser has three tips:

1. Start with your drawers and closets. You want to tackle anything that's actually used for storage first: bookshelves, medicine cabinets, and even your desk.
2. "Divide it by what you want to keep, what you want to donate or give to someone you know, and what you want to trash," Weiser says.
3. If you find it hard to let go, ask an impartial friend to help you decide what to keep and what to toss.

For more tips, read Weiser's advice on decluttering with ease.

Colon cancer misdiagnosis

Colon cancer is on the rise, especially among young people. Early symptoms can be mild and resemble other digestive issues like IBS or celiac disease — sometimes leading to misdiagnosis in the early stages.

For doctors, diagnosing young patients is a tricky tightrope to walk. Colonoscopies cost around $2,000 on average, so doctors typically won't urge young people to get them unless they have serious symptoms or a family history of cancer.

Here's what to know.

$750,000 for a parking spot, anyone?

New York City real estate is a beast, and $1 million doesn't always get you very far. One new luxury development is proof.

In the West Village, 80 Clarkson's most expensive unit is priced at $63 million. Buyers can pay additional big bucks for all the perks, like a $1 million private wine cellar — and don't forget to budget for a parking spot.

The cost of luxury living.

What's the buzz about Bink?

Bink is the latest brand to enter the water bottle craze, taking over the spot previously held by Owala and Stanley cups. The silicone-covered glass bottles are all over Instagram and pilates studios.

But beyond the aesthetics, are they worth the hype? BI's Amanda Krause tested one out and found them to be better than her Stanley — but not by much.

Don't expect it to fit your car's cupholder.

No 'Severance' spoilers here

Fans of the hit HBO show know Patricia Arquette as the guarded Harmony Cobel. But her acting career spans an array of TV and film projects, and she's a voice for equality in Hollywood.

In the latest installment of BI's Role Play series, Arquette wants you to know that she doesn't care if you're on the edge of your seat watching the new season. She thinks you should stay right there.

Plus, the advice she got from Martin Scorsese.

What we're watching this weekend

• "The Electric State": Chris Pratt and "Stranger Things" star Millie Bobby Brown team up for Netflix's new sci-fi adventure movie.
• "Moana 2": The sequel to the beloved 2016 animated movie is now available on Disney+ after breaking Thanksgiving box office records.
• "The Wheel of Time": Prime Video's popular fantasy series is back for season three.

See the full list

What to shop

• Bras you won't hate: What if we told you that you don't have to sacrifice comfort in exchange for supporting a large chest? We've rounded up the best bralettes for large busts that do both, including plus-size-inclusive options.
• Neutral basics with a twist: All the "it" girls have been sporting this brand around NYC, so we put it to the test. After trying out some of the most popular designs, we broke down all the ways they got it right in our Marcella review.
• Sleep Awareness Week: We're near the end of Sleep Week, but it's not too late to score some incredible deals from our favorite brands. Mattresses, pillows, sheets, and pajamas are on sale — peep our roundup of the best Sleep Week deals.

More of this week's top reads:

• I moved my young family to Europe. Our expenses are about the same, but our quality of life is so much better.
• A woman realized she could work out to live longer, not just look better. 3 simple things helped her make exercise a fun, daily habit.
• I spent a night at an all-inclusive resort on an island off the coast of Africa. My private villa cost $900 a night and was worth every penny.
• I traveled first class on Amtrak for the first time. The most luxurious perk wasn't even on the train.
• We're two of America's top real-estate agents. Here's where wealthy people are moving.
• 3 high-protein, high-fiber recipes that boost gut health and aren't ultra-processed — by a doctor who specializes in nutrition.
• A James Bond expert shares the one thing Amazon should focus on to get 007 right — and the one thing it should avoid.
• I make my own sourdough bread to save money on groceries. Here are 5 things I wish I'd known before I started.
• From AI strollers to 'smart socks,' millennials are obsessed with high-tech baby gear.
• A retired Wall Street manager started exercising at 70, lost 35 pounds, and fixed his back pain. Here are his 3 tips for getting fit.
• My only parenting regret is using funny filters on most of my daughter's baby photos.
• How Meghan Trainor spends her 5 to 9 — from couples therapy to nerding out about protein.

The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City (on paternity leave). Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.