• Eight sitting members of Congress have died since November 2022.
• Every single one of them was a Democrat.
• The party has been wrestling with age and gerontocracy for years.

In the last two and a half years, eight sitting members of the House or Senate have died in office. Every time, it's been a Democrat.

Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, died on Wednesday at 75, after a battle with esophageal cancer.

He's the third House Democrat to die in the last three months. If Democrats had gained a narrow 1 or 2-seat majority in 2024, they would have lost it by now.

The streak of Democratic deaths could just be something of a coincidence. After all, there are plenty of elderly and diminished Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

But Democrats do tend to be older than Republicans, on average. A report from FiscalNote found that in the last Congress, the average House Democrat was six years older than the average House Republican, while the gap was seven years in he upper chamber.

There are some potential structural reasons for this as well, including the seniority system, which Democrats tend to employ more than Republicans.

The deaths are just another data point in a long-running conversation that's been raging within the Democratic Party for years about age and gerontocracy, which culminated last year in President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the presidential race after a disastrous debate performance.

Since then, Democrats in particular have been taking age more seriously, including when it comes to who's serving in important committee positions. Connolly notably beat back a challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in December for the Oversight position he's now vacated.

Here's the full list of Democratic lawmakers who have died in office since November 2022:

• Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia
• Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona
• Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas
• Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey
• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas
• Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California
• Rep. Donald McEachin of Virginia

• Palisade, Colorado, has become one of my favorite towns after moving to Denver four years ago.
• It's home to striking nature and more than 30 wineries.
• I've visited a handful of times, and still haven't explored all the town has to offer.

I thought I'd have to head to California's Napa Valley for wine and cross the Utah state border for canyons. For peaches, I assumed I'd have to make my way South to somewhere like Georgia.

Then, I discovered Palisade, Colorado. The small town four hours west of Denver has become one of my favorite Colorado towns after living in the state for four years.

While it has all the outdoor activities I love — hiking, camping, biking, and rafting — it also stands out for its wineries, vineyards, and farms.

Palisade is home to something I don't find everywhere in Colorado — vineyards

Most of my weekends in Colorado are spent camping. I'll head west from my home in Denver, searching for mountains, dispersed campsites, and glorious hikes.

Thankfully, the state is full of options. While living in Colorado, I've explored dozens of mountain towns, visited new national parks, and stumbled upon historic sites like former mining towns.

Being in the mountains never gets old, but finding new activities keeps camping trips from feeling repetitive.

So, when I crave an experience other than shopping on Main Street and hiking up a mountain, I head to Palisade for wine.

The small Colorado town is known as the state's wine country. It's home to over 30 wineries, and the region's desert climate creates an ideal environment for growing grapes.

When it comes to the wine itself, Palisade doesn't specialize in just one variety. Instead, you'll find everything from rosé to cabernet franc and riesling.

I've visited the town a few times, and my favorite way to explore is on a bike. Some lodges, campsites, and businesses offer daily bike rentals, which means I can check off a handful of wineries in a day. Other tour operators have shuttles, horse-drawn carriages, and limos that take visitors wine hopping across the town.

Regardless of how you get to each winery, most have breathtaking views of grape vines with Colorado's Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain, as the backdrop. It's a view that's hard to beat.

Beyond wineries, Palisade has accessible nature

Sure, wine is the town's main appeal, but that just scratches the surface of how I spend a weekend in Palisade.

Surrounding the small town is stunning nature. The area is more arid than the nearby Rocky Mountains, which means the terrain includes canyon systems, plateaus, and rusty red stone. In some hiking areas, you'll find wild horses, and in others, you'll find canyons overlooking the Colorado River.

During hot summer months, paddleboarding and rafting are popular activities.

There's also plenty of camping. While there are a couple of RV resorts and state parks with amenity-filled campsites, the region also has primitive camping around the Grand Mesa.

Palisade is a hidden gem

While plenty of people in Colorado have heard of Palisade, when I step outside my Denver bubble, I've learned it's a hidden gem — one I'm still exploring since I haven't discovered all the town has to offer.

While I've stopped by small farm stands to pick up fresh fruit and jams, I haven't picked peaches yet. Palisade is one of Colorado's top peach producers, and during harvest seasons, nearby farms will welcome visitors to their orchards for peach picking.

I'm also itching to return for the town's annual bluegrass festival with national artists and local musicians.

There are also restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and vineyards I've eyed from past trips.

So, while there are plenty of small Colorado towns I've yet to visit, I'm always willing to return to Palisade and shake up the traditional weekend camping trip.

• I drove three hours to visit one of the last-remaining KFC buffets in the world.
• The $13 meal included chicken, side dishes, desserts, and a few items not on the regular menu.
• I was pleasantly surprised by the meal, but wished this location offered mac and cheese as a side.

During an eight-hour drive from northern Delaware to Charlotte, North Carolina, my girlfriend's voice broke my glassy-eyed daze.

"Did that sign say KFC Buffet?" she asked.

My immediate reaction was disbelief, that maybe we'd been driving too long and hallucinated it — but a quick Google search confirmed that the KFC buffet was real. Although I couldn't find much about it online, according to an article from Mashed, they seemed to be most popular in the '80s before fizzling out after a decade or so.

During my research, I also stumbled across a Facebook group called "KFC Buffet Aficionados," where fans of the restaurant answer questions about the buffets and keep a map of all the remaining locations in North America.

There aren't many left in the world, but there is one pretty famous location in Tokyo. Turns out, the nearest one to my house is even closer than the one we originally passed.

So, my girlfriend and I took a three-hour drive to Dunn, North Carolina, to see what a KFC buffet is like.

Inside, the restaurant looked like any other KFC I'd been to.

We arrived tired and hungry on a Saturday night to a mostly empty parking lot. A small blue sign advertised that the location did indeed offer buffet-style dining.

On the inside, it looked no different than any other KFC I'd been to, save the approximately 8-foot-long self-serve buffet set up next to the cashier.

I ordered two buffet dinners at the counter.

I ordered two buffet dinners and was handed back two plastic trays: both complete with a large, three-section Styrofoam plate, a smaller dessert plate, a small soft-drink cup, and a spork.

My total before tax was $26, making the cost of one buffet dinner at this location $13.

The buffet had a nice mix of familiar favorites and special offerings.

The buffet offered much of what you might get at KFC when ordering a family meal: fried or grilled chicken pieces, and some of the signature sides like biscuits, green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

The biggest disappointment was that the buffet didn't have my favorite side dish — mac and cheese.

However, there were also a few items that weren't on the regular menu, like rice and beans, collard greens, and fried okra, to name a few.

What surprised me most was the selection of fried chicken gizzards and livers. These were also offered as a regular menu item at this location, which is something that I hadn't seen at the numerous KFC's I'd been to up north.

The food was pretty good.

For the most part, everything I ate was hot and tasted fresh and flavorful. The chicken was just as crispy as any other piece of KFC chicken I'd had.

My favorite side was the fried okra, which was crunchy but not overcooked.

My girlfriend also insisted I try the fried chicken gizzards and liver. I had never had them before and decidedly did not enjoy eating even the smallest bites of either.

I enjoyed the apple cobbler for dessert.

In my opinion, the crowning item of the evening was the apple cobbler — a gooey mixture of apple chunks, pie crust, and sugar. It was one of a few dessert options like Jell-O, pudding, and fruit.

The cinnamon-apple filling might have been one of the strongest scents from the entire buffet.

Thankfully, it tasted as good as it smelled. I would go as far to say it tasted homemade. Was it worth the three-hour drive, though? Probably not.

I'd recommend stopping at a KFC buffet location.

Overall, this definitely wasn't the worst buffet I'd ever been to, but somehow, it wasn't the best experience I've ever had at KFC, either.

However, this was mostly due to the absence of notable menu items like the mac and cheese. Looking back, though, I could've easily ordered it from the standard menu for an additional charge.

At the end of the day, I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh-tasting, flavorful food, and I'd definitely recommend it to others, especially for the price.

• TikTok Shop employees are bracing for layoffs after the company said it's making personnel changes.
• The company sent an email to e-commerce staffers telling them to work from home today.
• TikTok Shop sales have been slumping amid global tariffs and broader economic uncertainty.

TikTok Shop employees in the US are bracing for layoffs after the company told staffers to work from home Wednesday ahead of "organizational and personnel changes," per a memo viewed by Business Insider.

The moves are expected to impact employees who work in US operations and global key accounts, a team that works with large brands.

The company said it was making the changes after "careful analysis of how to create more efficient operating models for the team's long-term growth," according to the memo, which was sent by e-commerce executive Mu Qing.

Employees began receiving emails that their roles were affected on Wednesday morning.

BI was not able to determine the scale of employees who would be affected by the changes. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bloomberg earlier reported on the memo.

TikTok's US e-commerce business has been off to a rocky start this year, as sales have slumped amid global tariffs and broader economic uncertainty. Employees previously told BI that daily US sales from foreign sellers, many based in China where tariffs skyrocketed in April, contributed to a broader sales drop-off on the platform starting in late March.

TikTok's coming personnel changes follow a round of job cuts in April when it restructured its e-commerce governance and experience team, BI previously reported.

TikTok Shop's growth in the US is a big priority at ByteDance, which sees hundreds of billions in annual sales on its Chinese sister app, Douyin. But even before its more recent sales slump, the US e-commerce business failed to meet many of its performance goals in 2024, company leaders told staffers during a February all-hands.

Over the past year and a half, TikTok has shaken up its leadership structure across the company, giving greater oversight to some Chinese and Singaporean leaders in departments including Shop.

TikTok's US future is up in the air due to a divest-or-ban law that requires ByteDance to give up majority ownership of its US app.

TikTok has until June 19 to find a new owner, though President Donald Trump may extend that deadline. During a recent press appearance, he said he had a warm spot in his heart for TikTok.

Read the full memo sent to e-commerce staffers telling them to stay home ahead of personnel changes:

Over the past month, I have taken the opportunity to learn and evaluate how best to support US business in meeting the opportunities and challenges ahead of us.

We have undergone careful analysis of how to create more efficient operating models for the team's long-term growth and, as a result, will be communicating organizational and personnel changes to the e-Commerce US operations, US operations center, and global key accounts teams beginning early on Wednesday, May 21 (PT).

Our goal is to communicate with employees swiftly and with as much clarity as possible. All updates will be made via your company email, followed by HRBP outreach.

To best facilitate these conversations, it is recommended that you work remotely on Wednesday, May 21.

We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding as we navigate these difficult discussions. We are committed to supporting our teams throughout this transition with as much compassion and support as possible.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at @danwhateley.94. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• A personal trainer in his 50s got back in shape after colon cancer treatment with simple workouts.
• His routine includes rucking, walking with a weighted pack to build muscle and endurance in less time.
• He recommends shorter, more consistent workouts instead of exhausting yourself for long-term gains.

Shorter workouts could be the key to getting in shape and staying that way into your 50s and beyond, according to a personal trainer who learned to work smarter instead of harder.

Bill Maeda, 56, said recovering from a health crisis taught him that short, simple, and consistent is key to building muscle and fitness long-term.

"My raw horsepower is less than it was 10 or more years ago, but I don't care," he told. "The difference is now, I'm moving better, and it's fun."

Inspired by Bruce Lee to start training at 8 years old, Maeda had been a personal trainer for decades, even landed a few movie roles with his muscular physique. But in 2012, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in his early 40s, requiring major emergency surgery and half a year of chemotherapy.

Recovering from cancer made him realize that focusing on his physique over his health was like building a nice car without proper brakes or steering.

"I wanted a strong frame. I wanted a powerful engine, but I spent so much time building this car, I forgot how to drive it. That's what I'm doing now," he said.

Maeda slowly rebuilt his fitness, one rep at a time, and said shorter and simpler can be better for long-term gains.

Build a foundation on the basics: deadlifts, squats, push-ups

Maeda's current workouts on social media often feature unusual exercises, but he said most people shouldn't do complicated workouts unless they've mastered the basics. You don't need elaborate movement to build muscle, and the risk of injury can increase as an exercise become more intricate.

"Well into my forties, I didn't do anything fancy. It was deadlifts, squats, kettlebell swings, just a lot of very fundamental movements," Maeda said. "Those are what built my physical base, what people see now, the muscle I carry."

To gain muscle and strength, focus on progressive overload, performing the same exercises over time with gradually increasing weight.

From there, you can explore variations of exercise to keep workouts fun and challenging while improving mobility, agility, and balance.

"I do less of that heavy basic lifting because of the time I have now, I'd rather put it towards movements that spread the stress of what I'm doing more evenly throughout my body," Maeda said.

Work out in less time by rucking

One regular part of Maeda's fitness routine is rucking, or walking with weight. He typically carries a 45-pound backpack for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week, while walking his dogs.

He first starting rucking as he was slowly rebuilding his endurance after colon cancer. He began with short walks wearing a backpack full of bricks and added weight (and better gear through his partnership with fitness brand GORUCK) over time.

Building muscle and endurance comes from challenging your body over time. Rucking provides a convenient way to work the muscles during activities that are already a part of a routine, like walking dogs or taking a hike.

For Maeda, it added an extra challenge without taking more time out of his day.

"It got me to a point where just walking seemed like a total waste of time," he said. "If I'm doing something that often and I can just put a 45-pound backpack on, that's a lot of minutes under load."

Ending a workout early can pay off

In his younger years, Maeda embraced the "no pain, no gain" mindset of tough exercise, but now warns against it.

"I don't personally recommend programs that are aggressive and based on sucking it up and willpower. Life is hard enough," Maeda said.

He said it's better not to be completely exhausted after exercise, so you're energized and excited for the next workout, even if that means cutting your workout short.

"Consistency over days is way more important than a hard weekend warrior workout that means you're sore for the rest of the week," he said.

Try this no-equipment workout for beginners

Maeda recommends starting with a workout you can do at home.

To complete his "exercise ladder," do:

• one squat, one push-up;
• two squats, two push-ups;
• three squats, three push-ups;
• continue up to five reps, or until the next set starts to feel daunting.

Over time, you can repeat the workout, aiming to reach a higher number of reps as you progress, or change up the exercises (doing lunges and pull-ups, or single-leg deadlifts and burpees).

• A United Airlines passenger says she was injured when a suitcase fell on her.
• The lawsuit says the flight crew should have intervened or assisted so that it was stowed properly.
• Eugenia Lyashenko has suffered from stress and depression since the incident, it adds.

A passenger is suing United Airlines, saying flight attendants should have helped put heavy luggage in the overhead bin.

Eugenia Lyashenko was flying from Boston to London in June 2023, per the lawsuit filed last Friday in the Massachusetts US District Court.

She was sitting in an aisle seat when another passenger's "heavy roller suitcase" fell from the open overhead bin, the suit says.

The lawsuit alleged that Lyashenko suffered serious head, neck, and back injuries after being struck by the suitcase.

"United should not have allowed other passengers to struggle with stowing heavy roller suitcases in the overhead bins without intervening to ensure that it was done properly and safely," it stated.

It added that the crew's failure to assist in storing the luggage contributed to Lyashenko's injuries.

As a result of the incident, she has since been unable to sit or stand for extended periods, and "suffered great pain, agony and mental anguish, stress, depression," the complaint says.

United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lyashenko's attorneys sought unspecified compensatory damages under the Montreal Convention.

The treaty stipulated that airlines are liable for any passenger injuries on board an aircraft, or while boarding or deplaning, unless they can prove the passenger was negligent.

It says damages can be as high as about $175,000.

The Montreal Convention is often cited in airline lawsuits, such as when a Ryanair passenger broke her leg after falling down the aircraft's steps. She was awarded $33,000 in compensation.

And last year, a Delta Air Lines passenger said he broke a rib after his armrest collapsed when he leaned on it.

• US Navy planes recently carried out history's "largest airstrike" from an aircraft carrier, a top US admiral said.
• The bombardment targeted terrorist groups in Somalia, said the acting chief of naval operations.
• The carrier USS Harry S. Truman spent months engaged in combat operations in the Middle East.

US Navy planes recently launched the largest-ever airstrike from an aircraft carrier, dropping 125,000 pounds of ordnance, a top admiral said this week.

The USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group "launched the largest airstrike in the history of the world — 125,000 pounds — from a single aircraft carrier into Somalia," Adm. James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations, said on Monday.

A defense official told Business Insider the operation — a single bombing run involving around 16 F/A-18 Super Hornets — occurred on February 1 while the Truman was operating in the Red Sea.

US Africa Command said in February that airstrikes at the start of the month targeted senior ISIS-Somalia leadership in a series of cave complexes. The military assessed that over a dozen terror operatives were killed. Kilby's comments this week shed more light on the bombardment.

US forces have executed dozens of airstrikes this year against ISIS and Al Qaeda affiliate group al-Shabaab in Somalia. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence considers both groups to be a threat to American interests.

The Truman carrier strike group recently left the Red Sea and is participating in NATO maritime exercises in the Mediterranean Sea before heading back to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.

The strike group, consisting of the carrier and several other warships, deployed last fall and spent months operating in the Middle East, where it was a pillar of US combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that were paused earlier this month.

Kilby, speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event, said the Truman strike group engaged 160 drones and missiles that the Houthis had fired at Israel, the Navy, or shipping lanes. He also said the ships carried out 670 strikes in Yemen, targeting rebel assets.

The munitions used in these engagements could include a mix of surface-to-air missiles, land-attack missiles, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface bombs, and air-launched standoff weapons. Multiple carriers have been a part of operations against the Houthis, expending significant amounts of ordnance to curb the group's attacks.

"We've seen an increase in how the Houthis are acting," Kilby said. "Sometimes, I hear people speak dismissively of them. They're not China, but they are a threat. And they are hunting our ships."

The Truman has had an eventful deployment. In December, one of the warships in its strike group accidentally shot down an F/A-18, which is estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece, over the Red Sea. The military described the engagement as an "apparent case of friendly fire."

Several weeks later, in mid-February, the Truman collided with a commercial vessel in the Mediterranean. The aircraft carrier suffered some damage, and the incident led to the firing of its commanding officer.

In late April, with Truman back in the Red Sea, an F/A-18 and a tow tractor fell overboard from the carrier's hangar bay. A sailor had to jump from the cockpit just before the fighter jet went into the water.

And just over a week later, in early May, an F/A-18 was landing on the flight deck when Truman's arresting cables failed, sending the jet overboard. The two aviators safely ejected and were rescued from the water.

• This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.
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Good morning! We recently tested Tesla's Full-Self Driving software against Waymo's robotaxis, with the former making one big mistake. Turns out Tesla CEO Elon Musk wasn't a big fan of our test. However, he said the company's soon-to-be-launched robotaxis will avoid certain areas of Austin if the company deems them unsafe.

In today's big story, we're hitting some of the highlights from Google's big annual developer conference, including a major update to Search and a new tool that could upend Hollywood.

What's on deck

Markets: What was long considered the safest corner of the market is no longer looking so secure.

Tech: An exclusive conversation with Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri.

Business: Millennials aren't ready to inherit their parents' homes. There's a whole industry devoted to easing the handoff.

But first, we're entering AI Mode.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Search's AI era

Google Search is getting an AI-powered makeover.

The search engine will be more conversational and eventually include an AI assistant as it looks to fend off competition from high-profile startups like OpenAI and Anthropic. AI Mode, set to roll out this week, will open up in a new tab and allow users to ask follow-up or more complex questions.

The update came at Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O, where the tech giant gave the clearest picture yet of how it sees its crown jewel keeping pace in a world dominated by AI, writes BI's Hugh Langley.

We always knew this was where things were headed. From the moment ChatGPT broke onto the scene in late 2022, there were rumbles about Search's future. Chatbots were viewed as a potential alternative for navigating the internet.

That put Google in a tricky situation. Search could benefit from AI, but there's also the risk of upsetting the company's golden goose.

At last year's I/O, Google offered a glimpse into the change users could expect from AI. Behind a catchy phrase — "Google will do the Googling for you" — the company showed off its AI Overviews feature you're probably familiar with.

But even with Search's initial AI adoption, smaller AI competitors were making serious progress. An Apple executive said AI engines were eating into Google's market share.

Google quickly denied Search was in trouble, but AI's impact is undeniable.

Which brings us to Tuesday's announcement, which Google Search head Liz Reid called "a glimpse of what's to come in Search overall."

Google also did a bit of its own disrupting.

The tech giant unveiled Flow, a new AI-powered moviemaking tool. BI's Alistair Barr has the rundown on what Flow can do and why traditional studios should be nervous.

(If you want to read more of Alistair — and you should — you can subscribe to his weekly newsletter Tech Memo, which comes out every Friday and focuses on Big Tech.)

To be clear, Google is pitching Flow as a tool for studios, not a threat to them. But it's easy to see how it could make one uneasy. The millions invested into high production-value storytelling doesn't look as good if you can do the same thing with AI for a fraction of the cost.

Of course, the studios could adopt the tech to help them work more efficiently and stay ahead of the competition.

Just ask Google.

3 things in markets

1. Bye-bye, bond safety. The bond market has had a rough few months, but after Moody's recently downgraded US debt, many Wall Street titans are questioning bonds' safety. The advice for investors is simple, but unnerving: Don't count on bonds to shield you during times of volatility.

2. The prize for Bridgewater's new research competition: $25K and a job interview. The hedge fund is crowdsourcing ideas on positioning itself in the new global economic order. Contestants can submit predictions on how countries' protectionist policies impact the global economy — and five could win big.

3. Crypto regulation is one step closer to becoming law. The GENIUS Act is headed for Senate debate as bitcoin is poised for a record high. Here's what to know about the bill, which is focused on creating rules around stablecoins.

3 things in tech

1. Instagram is all about … privacy? Instagram boss Adam Mosseri told BI's Peter Kafka about the "paradigm shift" from users' public posting to private sharing. He also talked about the app's push into messaging, why it shows recommended posts, Threads' origin story, and more.

2. Tech's new hiring playbook: age before beauty. Silicon Valley used to idolize youth, but now, big and little tech companies are looking for more experienced workers. AI is a big reason, since it's taking over more junior tasks. Younger engineers now have to hustle harder than ever.

3. To hype or hide AI? Investors love to hear about a company's AI ambitions, but customers hate it. Duolingo is the latest company to learn this after its CEO doubled down on its AI vision, sparking major backlash. This tension over AI has tech CEOs walking a tightrope.

3 things in business

1. Boomer home dilemma. America is on the precipice of a major wealth transfer through home ownership. Millennials stand to gain, but there are lots of kinks that could make them unprepared to inherit. Companies like Flock Homes may have the answer.

2. Elon Musk goes all in on tech, less so on politics. Musk told an interviewer in Qatar he'll still be Tesla's CEO in five years and would stop only "if I'm dead." He also isn't budging on his legal battle with Sam Altman's OpenAI, which he accused of abandoning its nonprofit mission. However, Musk is scaling back political spending, saying he's "done enough."

3. Why Walmart is raising prices and Home Depot isn't. Last week, Walmart said it would raise prices over tariffs, but on Tuesday, Home Depot announced it wouldn't, saying it would rely on other "levers" to avoid increasing prices. Here's four reasons why the retail giants are looking at new import costs differently.

In other news

• Google cofounder Sergey Brin shares why he's back at the company 'pretty much every day now' to work on AI.
• Inside Asia's biggest tech trade show, where Nvidia's 'Jensen' is the hottest name drop.
• Musk bashes Bill Gates' comments on USAID: 'Show us any evidence.'
• Google turns to Warby Parker to develop smart glasses, competing with Meta's Ray-Bans.
• Wall Street investors share three predictions for what could make or break the stock market's recent rebound.
• The unsolicited 'offers flooded in' for red-hot legal tech startup Legora's new funding round.
• Not quite the American dream: Renting is becoming a better deal, even if you're wealthy or a retiree.
• YouTube is going to new lengths to nab an Emmy.

What's happening today

• Target, Zoom, and Lowe's report earnings.

  ---

The Business Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

• More graduates are applying for jobs at companies with fewer than 250 employees, a careers platform said.
• Job postings on Handshake have decreased by 15% in the past year.
• The number of job applications from graduates per vacancy has jumped by 30% year-on-year.

The class of 2025 is taking a closer look at smaller companies.

According to California-based career platform Handshake, more than a third of job applications from upcoming graduates have gone to companies with fewer than 250 employees. That's up from about a quarter of seniors two years ago.

With preparing for college during the pandemic, a wave of mass layoffs, and the rise of artificial intelligence, this year's graduating class has faced more than its fair share of challenges.

Now, they're trying to enter a job market showing significant cracks. While unemployment rates are relatively low, the number of job openings has been declining.

Handshake said job postings on its platform were down 15% over the past year, while the number of applications per job had increased by 30%.

The platform surveyed 2,871 students on bachelor's
degree courses at 658 institutions and found 56% of students were either "somewhat" or "very" pessimistic about starting their careers in this economy.

When asked how they felt overall about the job market, the one-word response used the most frequently was "competitive," followed by "difficult," "stressful," and "scary," Handshake said.

That may be a fair assessment of the situation. As of March, the average student graduating this summer had submitted 21% more job applications on Handshake than their counterparts last year. In 2024, there was an average of 13.6 applications per student; this year, it was 16.5.

Students are also reevaluating their goals. Of the 57% of graduates who started college with a "dream job" in mind, less than half have the same aim now.

Location is more important to this class than salary, with 73% reporting they would be more likely to apply for a job in their desired location, and 63% saying they are more motivated by a high starting salary.

Concern about the consequences of generative AI has also risen. Nearly 80% of graduating students expect to use AI in the workplace, but 62% are at least slightly concerned about how these tools will affect job prospects, compared with 44% just two years ago.

• The US Air Force has been tasked with modifying a jet gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar.
• Critics have flagged cost and ethical concerns over accepting the plane.
• Some estimate it could cost up to $1 billion to retrofit it as part of the Air Force One fleet.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the US Air Force to begin plans to convert a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet gifted to President Donald Trump by the Qatari royal family.

The plane is set to be used as part of Air Force One, but the development comes amid mounting concerns over the cost and ethical implications of accepting such a large gift from a foreign country.

"The Secretary of Defense has directed the Air Force to basically start planning to modify the aircraft," newly appointed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told a Senate Armed Services committee hearing on Tuesday, per Defense One.

But Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Ilinois flagged the potential cost of converting the jet during the hearing, saying it could cost up to $1 billion to ensure it was capable of operating as part of the Air Force One fleet.

"Far from saving money, this unconstitutional action will not only cost our nation its dignity, but it will force taxpayers to waste over a billion dollars to overhaul this particular aircraft, when we currently have not one, but two, fully operational and fully capable Air Force One aircraft," Duckworth said.

Duckworth also expressed concerns that corners could be cut to get the plane into service before Trump's second term comes to an end.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that Qatar had gifted him the jet to serve as Air Force One. It is the most expensive gift to a US president in history.

"It's a great gesture from Qatar," Trump told reporters. "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'"

However, accepting the gift has prompted a bipartisan backlash, with Democrats and some Republicans saying it violates long-standing rules about presidents accepting expensive gifts from foreign leaders.

In a press briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rebutted suggestions the plane was a gift to Trump, saying it had been donated to the US Air Force by the Qatari royal family and was being "retrofitted to the highest standards" to serve as an Air Force One plane.

She did not give details on how long the process would take.

Experts told NBC News last week that converting the plane to serve as Air Force One would involve installing multiple top-secret systems at an estimated cost of around $1 billion.

There are two planes operating as part of the Air Force One fleet, with Trump scrapping a contract for a new plane in his first term, before renegotiating it.

Boeing is currently contracted to convert two 747 jets to serve as part of the fleet, but the project has encountered delays, and the first plane isn't expected to be ready until 2027.

• A South Korean F-35A that crash-landed in 2022 has been revived thanks to an intriguing new procedure.
• Engineers removed and reattached its wings so it could be moved to a maintenance site.
• This operation is now part of the F-35 program's standard maintenance protocols.

An F-35A stealth fighter jet that crash-landed on its belly in 2022 has been given a new lease of life thanks to a dramatic operation to remove and then reattach its wings.

The South Korean air force aircraft made headlines three years ago after a catastrophic mid-flight bird strike caused an F-35 pilot to make a "belly landing," or gear-up landing, at Seosan Air Base, near the country's eastern coast.

The South Korean pilot walked away from the high-risk maneuver unharmed, but the damage left the Lockheed Martin fifth-generation fighter unfit for service.

Local media reported a year after the bird-strike incident that South Korea was considering dumping the fighter after estimated repair costs to get the jet flying again following its unfortunate run-in with an eagle could be almost the price of a new F-35.

According to the F-35 Joint Program Office, a new plan was then devised with South Korea's air force to repurpose the jet as a training platform at the country's dedicated F-35 maintenance facility.

However, transporting it there would be prohibitively costly and difficult, the JPO said.

The air base and the maintenance facility are roughly 60 miles apart, making it a tough overland journey for the aircraft and its 35-foot wingspan.

The JPO, with South Korea's approval, opted for a novel approach to this problem, and US Air Force, US Navy, and Lockheed Martin personnel gathered in South Korea to work with the local military to remove the jet's wings before transfer and then reattach them on-site at the new location.

"This was a significant challenge, as it was the first attempt at removing F-35 wings as part of a concept demonstration," said Matt Trodden, the F-35 Lightning Support Team Aircraft Crash Recovery Lead Engineer, in a statement.

The process — never conducted before on an F-35A — has now been adopted as part of the F-35 program's standard heavy maintenance, repair, and reuse protocols.

The project took inspiration from an earlier repair project dubbed "Frankenbird" or "Frankenjet" which saw two damaged F-35s fused together into a fully operational aircraft.

Initiated in 2023, the project — led by engineers from manufacturer Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force — resulted in a successful test flight with the jet earlier this year.

Salvage operations of this kind could help mitigate the cost of losing an F-35, which has an estimated price tag of over $80 million for the A variant that South Korea flies. The jet comes in three different variants: the internal gun-equipped As, the Bs with a lift van for short takeoff and vertical landing, and Cs for carrier operations.

The "Frankenbird," by contrast, cost around $6 million to cobble together, and it is due back into operational service this year.

South Korea took delivery of its first F-35A Lighting II in 2019. It now operates roughly 40 of them, with a plan to have a fleet of 60 by 2028, according to the manufacturer.

• Target reported sliding sales in its first quarter to May 3.
• CEO Brian Cornell said sales "fell short of our expectations" in a "highly challenging environment."
• Cornell also said post-tariff price increases would be a "last resort."

Target sales fell sharply in the three months to May 3, in a period marked by its decision to roll back DEI initiatives in January.

In an earnings call Wednesday, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the reaction to the DEI changes was one of several "additional headwinds" that had an adverse impact on sales, but the company could not quantify the amount.

Business Insider reported in March that consumer analytics firm Numerator found customer foot traffic and market share had shifted from Target to Costco, particularly among shoppers who value DEI.

With respect to tariffs, chief commercial officer Rick Gomez said on the earnings call that "adjusting prices" was one of several steps the company was taking to manage new import costs.

Comparable sales fell by 3.8%, store traffic was down 2.4% and average transaction size decreased 1.4%.

Store-originated sales declined 5.7% and were partially offset by 4.7% growth in digital sales, led by a 36% surge in same-day delivery via Target Circle 360.

"We have many levers to use in mitigating the impact of tariffs and price is the very last resort," Cornell said.

Some alternatives to price hikes include sourcing more products from the US rather than China, negotiating with suppliers, adjusting the timing of deliveries, and eliminating products from the retail assortment, Gomez said.

Bullseye's Playground vow

Gomez also said about half of the products Target sells are sourced in the US, and that it's on track to reduce its share of exports from China to 25% from 60% back in 2017.

In addition, he highlighted the low-price section at the front of the store, known as Bullseye's Playground.

"We have made a commitment to keep those at $1, $3, and $5," Gomez said. "It's important to the brand, and it's important to the guests."

Looking ahead, Target said it expects a low-single-digit decline in sales for the full year.

Stock fell more than 6% in premarket trading and was down 28% this year at Tuesday's close.

It also announced an "acceleration office" led by former CFO Michael Fiddelke aimed at speeding up strategic execution and reversing recent declines.

Amy Tu, the chief legal and compliance officer, and the Christina Henningon, chief strategy and growth officer, are both leaving the company.

Net income rose $62 million to $1.04 billion for the period.

• Sam Altman has said robots will soon take on everyday jobs in the real world.
• The OpenAI CEO told Bloomberg that society isn't prepared for the coming "humanoid robots moment."
• He said it will feel "very sci-fi," and that it is coming soon.

Sam Altman has said that, while people worry about AI replacing white-collar jobs, something else will catch them off guard.

In a Bloomberg interview that aired Tuesday, the OpenAI CEO said that "the world isn't ready for" humanoid robots walking down the street.

"I don't think the world has really had the humanoid robots moment yet," he said.

He said people could soon be walking down the street and seeing "like seven robots that walk past you doing things or whatever. It's gonna feel very sci-fi."

And he said that moment isn't "very far away."

"I don't think that's very far away from like a visceral, like, 'Oh man, this is gonna do a lot of things that people used to do,'" he said.

He said this prospect was a marked contrast to people who have "maybe abstractly thought" of AI betting at specific tasks like programming and customer support.

In February, OpenAI signed a deal with Figure AI, a startup developing humanoid robots designed to "help in everyday life." Figure said its robot, Figure-01, is built for manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail jobs.

"AI is, for sure, going to change a lot of jobs, totally take some jobs away, create a bunch of new ones," Altman told Bloomberg.

He said OpenAI has "always tried to be super honest about what we think the impact may be, realizing that we'll be wrong on a lot of details."

"I think I am way too self-aware of my own limitations to sit here and try to say I can, like, tell you what's on the other side of that wormhole," he added.

• I spent two nights at the Four Seasons Tamarindo, a luxury resort south of Mexico's Puerto Vallarta.
• It was my first time staying at a Four Seasons resort.
• I was surprised by a complimentary cooking class and how the property caters to families.

"This is our 'White Lotus' moment," I whispered to my travel partner as the gates to the Four Seasons Tamarindo opened.

For the next two nights, we searched for our version of Victoria Ratliff and Rick Hatchett as we explored the enormous property on Mexico's Pacific Coast.

By the end of the trip, we feared we were becoming characters ourselves as daily fresh-pressed juices became the expectation, and golf cart rides to our suite were the norm.

I guess that's what happens when you spend too long at a luxury resort, and the Four Seasons Tamarindo in Mexico made it easy to slip into that role.

I've been lucky enough to stay at boutique luxury properties around the world, but I'd yet to cross a Four Seasons off my list.

That changed on a recent trip to Costalegre, Mexico, where I experienced the brand firsthand in a cliffside one-bedroom suite with an infinity pool. The resort's entry-level room starts at about $1,000 a night, and a cliffside suite typically ranges between $1,500 and $3,800, depending on the view and time of year. Business Insider received a media rate for the stay.

During my two-night stay, I gained a better understanding of how Four Seasons earned its reputation for luxury.

I assumed the location would be impressive, yet I was still blown away.

With 129 properties worldwide, a Four Seasons stay can feature a private island in the Maldives or a luxury safari in the Serengeti.

Impressive locations go hand and hand with the brand, so I figured the Tamarindo property would be beautiful — especially considering where the property is situated.

The Four Seasons Tamarindo is a hidden gem on Mexico's Pacific Coast and is not easy to reach. The resort is about four hours south of Puerto Vallarta and one and a half hours northwest of Manzanillo.

When guests arrive, it all starts with a dramatic entrance. I still had a 15-minute drive from the entrance gate to the resort. I navigated winding roads surrounded by thick jungle. There wasn't water in sight as I passed rows of agave and spotted birds singing from nearby trees.

Then, the property came into view. An open-air lobby featured infinity pools that stretched out to a rocky coastline.

For the next two days, I discovered striking ocean views at practically every part of the resort, from the golf course to the on-site restaurants.

It was clear that the location was a highlight of the property.

A calendar of complimentary activities was a welcome surprise.

It was tempting to jam-pack my day with activities at the Four Seasons. I eyed a morning snorkeling excursion and debated if I could make it back in time for a farm tour. Later in the afternoon, I planned to join a workshop on fermented drinks. The next day, my schedule included a cooking class.

The best part was that all these events were complimentary. While the luxury resort comes with luxury prices, it was refreshing to know that I could fill my day with experiences that wouldn't add to my travel budget.

That seems to be a common theme across a handful of other Four Seasons properties. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai offers ukulele lessons, lei-making classes, and Hawaiian quilting. At Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, guests can join vineyard yoga sessions and cocktail-making classes.

Everything is on the property, so you never have to leave.

Alba Garcia, the director of rooms at the Four Seasons Tamarindo, and Barbara Cervantes, the property's marketing manager, told me that the resort is designed to offer an authentic Mexican experience without needing to leave the resort.

There are Mexican menus created by award-winning chefs, activities diving into traditional drinks like tepache, a fermented drink made from pineapples, and activities that explore the surrounding nature.

While I'd still argue that an afternoon trip to the seaside town of Barra de Navidad — 40 minutes away— is worth the trek, the Four Seasons made it hard to leave, offering every experience I could have wanted right on the property.

Award-winning chefs behind hotel menus proved to be some of the best bites I had during my trip.

I would typically opt to leave a resort and head into town for local foods, but the Four Seasons' menus surprised me.

Some of the best bites I had during my weeklong trip were at the property. Morning pastries came from the well-known Rosetta restaurant in Mexico City, and the tacos from the casual Nacho restaurant were incredible. I tried foods I'd never seen, like a tuna chorizo, and stuffed myself at the expansive breakfast buffet.

While the property felt ideal for couples, it also had families in mind.

A place with striking infinity pools, pastel sunsets, and private rooms screams romance.

Both Garcia and Cervantes agreed that the ideal vacationer for Four Seasons Tamarindo is likely a couple, but I was surprised by how much thought had also gone into creating an experience for families.

One of the three infinity pools is dedicated to families with giant pool floaties. There's also a daily arts and crafts session and an exclusive event for teens each evening.

Regardless of age, it seemed hard not to enjoy a day at the resort.

The welcoming staff was a highlight as well.

Alan Reyes pulled over on his golf cart to show me a calabash tree, which grows fruit used for maraca instruments. Twenty minutes later, we were tasting honey from Melipona stingless bees.

As someone who loves the outdoors, it was thrilling to have resort staff eager to answer my pesky questions about the plants and animals living and growing on the 3,000-acre property.

Hours later, it was shocking to watch Garcia share so much joy behind her job as rooms director.

When my rental car's tire was flat, a crowd of workers arrived with an air compressor to get me back on the road.

While I expect hotel staff to be kind and welcoming at a luxury resort, I appreciated how the employees at the Four Seasons went beyond expectations.

• The FAA is reducing the number of flights at Newark Liberty International Airport.
• It comes after runway construction, technology outages, and staffing shortages have caused disruption.
• There have been four equipment outages in three weeks at Newark.

The number of flights permitted at Newark Liberty International Airport is being reduced amid rising delays, the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Tuesday.

Passengers have experienced delays of up to five hours as the airport struggles with technology outages, air traffic control staffing, and runway construction.

With runway construction continuing daily until June 15, Newark will be limited to 28 departures and 28 arrivals per hour.

After that date, construction will also continue on Saturdays until the end of the year.

Outside the construction period, the FAA ordered a maximum hourly rate of 34 departures and arrivals until October 25.

Newark, one of the three main airports serving New York City, can typically handle 77 movements an hour.

"Our goal is to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System," said acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau.

Tuesday's interim order comes after the FAA spoke with airlines in one-on-one meetings last week.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has called for the FAA to reduce flights at Newark since the chaos began.

The airline operates about 70% of the flights at Newark, which is a key hub for United.

Kirby also backed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's plan to invest in technology upgrades for the airspace system and to "supercharge" the hiring of air traffic controllers.

The situation at Newark came to a head on April 28 when there was an equipment outage at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides planes in and out of the New Jersey airport.

Controllers were briefly left unable to see where planes were on the radar or communicate with their pilots.

Several controllers were put on trauma leave as a result, worsening the staff shortage. Earlier this month, there was a day with just three controllers on duty instead of the expected 14.

The target for air traffic controllers for the Newark area is 38 certified professional controllers. There are presently 24 controllers, or 63% of the target, the FAA said.

There were also four communications outages within three weeks.

• The luxury ski hub of Park City is the most expensive city in Utah.
• It's home to world-class skiing, slope-side mansions, and five-star public bathrooms.
• I spotted signs of wealth all around Park City, from the downtown area to the ski slopes.

In Park City, Utah, large estates dot world-class ski slopes on epic mountain ranges, locals are decked out in expensive winter sports gear, and the richest of residents have spas in their houses and more bathrooms than bedrooms.

The 20-square-mile ski town east of Salt Lake City has 8,000 residents, many of whom live in luxury.

According to a Realtor.com study published in April, 84060 (Park City) is the most expensive ZIP code in the state, with a median listing price of roughly $3.5 million.

I spent one day in Park City in January to get a taste of how millionaires live and vacation in this popular ski hub. Wandering from the downtown streets to the slopes, I clocked five signs of wealth.

Perhaps the most obvious sign of wealth in Park City, Utah, is the ski-in, ski-out housing.

Park City's most expensive listing on Realtor.com is a $39 million mansion with 9 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, and ski-in, ski-out access.

Real-estate agent Derrik Carlson, who has lived in Park City for over 20 years and began selling homes in the area in 2012, told me that many of his clients buy houses in the Colony and Deer Valley, as well as the Canyons, located in Park City's 84098 ZIP code. All three neighborhoods are popular choices for incoming residents who want direct access to the slopes.

"You just go right out the door and pop on your skis, and you're on the slopes," he said.

The luxury amenities in these homes go beyond skiing. Many have lap pools, spas with saunas and massage rooms, and even movie theaters.

It might not scream wealth like a fleet of fancy cars, but the free public transit felt like a luxury you wouldn't find just anywhere.

Living in NYC, free public transportation is a luxury I'm not used to. In addition to the city's free bus system, I found another costless ride that felt like an activity.

At the St. Regis Deer Valley, a free funicular takes patrons to the slopes at Deer Valley Mountain Resort. And you don't have to be a hotel guest to use it.

I marveled at the views as the wide-windowed car trekked up the mountain. At the top, there was an outdoor lounge overlooking the slopes. From the deck with firepits and glass walls, skiers sliding down the trails looked like toy action figures in the distance.

In downtown Park City, I found more upscale public amenities.

Downtown Park City was full of shops, restaurants, and public courtyards where I found large, electric lit firepits that were round and made of stone. Wide benches surrounded each pit.

It was a pleasant place to warm up and rest.

I also saw a public bathroom in downtown Park City — a rarity for a New Yorker. Although I didn't go inside, I checked Google Maps and found that most public restrooms in Park City have five-star reviews.

I also saw private dining globes on outdoor restaurant decks.

Winters are harsh in Park City, so it made sense to me that the wealthy would want to enjoy the views without the weather. Park City has many restaurants with private, heated igloos and Alpenglobes. These enclosed spaces are designed to give guests views of the mountains and night skies while feasting with friends and family.

The experience isn't cheap. The Alpenglobes I saw at Butcher's Chop House & Bar cost about $100 to book, with a minimum dinner bill of $500, according to the restaurant's website.

If dinner in a globe isn't your vibe, you'll find plenty of fine dining establishments along Main Street.

The downtown area also housed luxury boutiques and celebrity-loved shops.

The downtown streets were lined with art galleries and upscale boutique stores selling fashion lines from international designers, locally made goods, and luxury furniture and decor.

The store I instantly recognized was Kemo Sabe — a celebrity-loved western apparel brand with other stores in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and Texas.

Kemo Sabe is best known for its hats that cost up to $900, as seen on icons from the Kardashians to Rihanna and Shania Twain. The hats can cost thousands with customizations like leather and diamond bands.

In Park City, it's almost impossible to forget you're in a wealth enclave.

After spending just one day in the affluent ski town, I found signs of wealth and luxury around nearly every corner.

• My sister and I moved to Las Vegas with only what we could fit in our car.
• When we moved into our Las Vegas apartment, we had no furniture, pots, silverware, or even a bed.
• We furnished our entire apartment for under $200. Here's how we did it.

When my sister, an aspiring dancer, asked me to move from North Carolina to Las Vegas with her, I didn't hesitate. "Hell yeah!" I said excitedly.

Then, reality set in.

It took exactly one afternoon for us to realize that moving companies and shipping fees would cost thousands of dollars — thousands that we didn't have.

Our best option was to leave our materials behind, except for what we could fit in our shared 2012 Toyota Camry, and embrace what Las Vegas had to offer.

We couldn't wait to begin.

Fast-forward a few months, and I'm sitting in our new apartment, which we've fully furnished for under $200 — a fraction of what it would have cost to haul everything from North Carolina. We even designed it with a cottagecore theme that I love.

There's no big secret to how we did it. We thrifted basically everything. However, I went a step further and waited for specials, scoured different locations for the best deals, and wasn't above dumpster diving.

How we used thrift store deals to stock up for cheap

Call it coincidence or divine intervention, but the Airbnb we temporarily rented until we could find a full-time apartment happened to be conveniently located close to a Las Vegas thrifting icon: the Opportunity Village Thrift Store.

We saw it on the first day we arrived in Vegas, and it became our first official stop after securing our apartment. It happened to be on a Monday, when the store had specially tagged items for $0.99.

We bought bundles of hangers, bed sheets, comforters, and pillows, all $0.99 each. We filled our entire kitchen with glasses, forks, knives, plates, pots, and pans, also $0.99 each. In the span of a few hours, we had a fully stocked kitchen for under $25.

My favorite bargain is a set of beautiful pots, adorned with strawberries. We cook in them nearly every single day.

Beyond the Opportunity Village Thrift Store, Goodwill also has a network of stores throughout Las Vegas. They have deals like 50% off specially tagged items every day of the week.

We combed through each Goodwill location, scouring for cheap furniture that could fit in our car. One of our treks rewarded us with a $5 TV stand and two $8 bar-side chairs. (We brought the TV with us from North Carolina.)

We found more deals on Facebook Marketplace

Unlike thrifting, which depends heavily on luck, I searched for exactly what I wanted on Facebook Marketplace and filtered by price and day posted.

Early on, I realized that filtering for day-of postings was the go-to strategy. Facebook Marketplace is all about being first. Sometimes, I messaged people an hour after they had posted, only for the item to be claimed.

Aside from the deals, an extra perk I discovered about Facebook Marketplace is that it led me to pockets of Vegas off the beaten path.

I found a $5 swivel office chair (essential to remote work) in one of the upscale Summerlin neighborhoods, which needed a gate code, which I got from the seller. She was a kind, elderly woman looking to downsize, and I never would have met her or glimpsed this part of Vegas, otherwise.

I also traveled up north to pick up a $10 foldable desk and spotted several must-try restaurants, like the famous Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant, KoMex. My sister and I checked them out later after we got settled.

We found our mattresses on Facebook Marketplace, too. We each paid roughly $25 for our used queen-sized mattresses, plus $10 for delivery, since we couldn't fit them in our car. While it was the most expensive secondhand item we bought, it was still a steal.

Some of my favorite finds are curbside gems

While the strawberry pots and bar stools are great, many of my favorite items were free. While exploring my new neighborhood, I quickly discovered the delights of dumpster-diving.

On my daily walks, I transform into a curbside-pirate, visiting the dumpsters in the nearby neighborhoods whenever I can.

One gem I found was a beautiful suede chair in perfect condition for my sister's desk.

I also discovered two mirrors — one with ornate wire art and a standing mirror with only a little paint damage.

Furnishing my new life in Vegas wasn't only an exercise in savvy budgeting; it taught me that building a new life takes patience and an open mind.

Just like it took time to find the right pieces for the right price, it also took time to discover my go-to coffee shop, find my favorite restaurants, and make new friends. But I wouldn't trade any of my second-hand items, or the stories that came with them.

• When my kids were young, I wanted to stay home with them and be there for their firsts.
• Now that they're older, I want to return to a full-time position.
• The gap in my résumé is an obstacle, and I also want flexible hours.

Before having my first child in 2020, I worked every weekend and many holidays as an award-winning television reporter. The combination of motherhood and the pandemic inspired me to stay home with my children instead of sending them to day care as infants. Fortunately, my husband's career took off at the same time, allowing us to have that option.

Now I have two kids — a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter — and like many mothers, I've always struggled to find the right balance between spending quality time with my kids and wanting to excel in my profession.

I stayed home with my kids when they were young

Initially, I thought I'd return to work when my son was 1, but finding childcare was difficult. It was hard for me to focus on the job search without it, and shortly after starting the job search, I learned I was pregnant again. My pregnancy and a lack of suitable day care with open spots led me to continue staying home, working on occasional freelance projects.

I enjoyed spending the first two years of my son's life at home with him, nursing him around the clock and being there for his first words and steps. I wanted to give my daughter the same undivided attention. So, a few months after she was born, our son started day care. We figured he could learn how to socialize and make friends while also learning from people who've devoted their lives to early childhood education.

The years flew by. We bonded through nursing on demand, and I enjoyed witnessing her learn to walk and talk. I took her to storytime at the library and saw such joy in her eyes as she interacted with other children. By the time my daughter was 2, we decided to send her to day care as well. I knew she was ready — and frankly, I was ready to re-enter the workforce and take my career to the next level.

But finding an affordable day care with an open spot was like finding a needle in a haystack. I lucked out, and she started going to day care for about six hours a day. I've had to increase my freelance projects to pay for it, which has left me with little time to apply for jobs.

I'm enjoying the flexibility freelancing offers, but now that my kids are older, I desire higher pay, benefits, and dependable income. It's an unstable field, and it's hard to make the same amount of money freelancing as I did in my reporting career without working excessive hours, so I've started to casually look for full-time remote roles.

However, this time around, I'm prioritizing a better work-life balance. I want the flexibility to tend to my children when needed, whether they're sick, have a half-day at school, or are out for spring or winter breaks.

It's a competitive job market, and the gap in my résumé is an obstacle

With the numerous layoffs in the news industry, finding remote positions is extremely competitive, even for a veteran journalist like myself, who is bilingual, college-educated, and a Fulbright alum. Often, I'll see that positions on LinkedIn receive hundreds of applications within a day of being posted. Before quitting my previous reporting role, I don't think I fully comprehended how difficult it'd be to re-enter the workforce.

The gap in my résumé also feels daunting. Should I put stay-at-home mom on my résumé, or should I just list the freelance projects I've worked on? During the application process, I've struggled to explain the varied transferable skills and experience I've acquired since leaving my full-time position.

I've done everything from writing for national publications to self-publishing my second book. I blog about my travels and create content for Instagram. I delved into marketing by pitching and promoting my book and blog for two daytime television shows. I've also acquired management skills as chairperson of our family reunion board of directors and fundraised to host two 100-person weekend-long events. But how do I succinctly capture that and previous working experience in a résumé or during a phone interview?

I've wondered if stating I'm self-employed sends my résumé into the rejection pile. Finding full-time employment after taking a break to care for my children has been harder than I envisioned. But, I'm confident the right position will come along, one that utilizes my talents, piques my interest, and pays me at least the same salary I made before, while also allowing me to spend nights, weekends, and holidays with my children.

• Daliana Liu was a data scientist at Amazon and a startup before leaving to start her own business.
• She now works as a coach for data scientists looking to accelerate their careers and brand.
• Liu said she still gets cold DMs from recruiters at Meta and OpenAI because of her online presence.

This as-told-to-essay is based on a conversation with Daliana Liu, a data scientist and career coach. Business Insider has verified Liu's employment with documents. It's been edited for length and clarity.

After finishing my undergraduate math degree at a college in China, I moved to California to get my Master's in Statistics at the University of California, Irvine.

In January 2014, I started working at a startup, before being recruited by Amazon a little over a year later as a business intelligence engineer.

I started at Amazon in Seattle, working on an A/B testing platform for their retail website. I created various statistical analyses and reports and supported product managers.

I trained employees on how to use A/B testing to make better product decisions, eventually starting my own newsletter for Amazon employees to share experiment insights from across teams.

An internal Amazon newsletter was my first content creation

The newsletter was my initial content creation. I learned to create engaging titles and make my writing concise and interesting.

During that time, I began writing on Medium about technical data science. Once, I wrote a viral post about saving money by picking the right month to start renting an apartment. It was exciting to help people make better decisions using data.

I started posting to LinkedIn in 2019. I wanted to share the unfiltered truth about being a data scientist and getting a job at Amazon, after seeing misleading posts about the industry. A couple of my posts blew up, but the majority of my following was organic from posting regularly. I now have nearly 300,000 followers on LinkedIn.

I then started a public newsletter. I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur and thought having public channels would help me find investors in the future.

I moved up the ranks at Amazon and started a podcast

In December 2020, I moved to San Francisco to work for Amazon Web Services as a machine learning engineer. I got promoted to senior data scientist in 2021 and had to work with a lot of external customers.

I read books about communication and influencing stakeholders. I wanted learn good communication for my own leadership within the company, as well as our clients.

In 2021, I launched a podcast interviewing data scientists on their day-to-day work, how they tackle technical problems, and their career journeys.

One of the guests I interviewed invited me to a dinner with his CEO, who offered me a job to work as a data scientist for his startup, Predibase. I quit Amazon in June 2022 to work at the startup.

During the year I worked at Predibase, I continued to experiment with my podcast while also creating a career course for data scientists, teaching them essential communication and influencing skills.

Between 2021 and 2023, when I posted weekly episodes, my podcast had 50,000 subscribers across platforms. My startup job supported me in pursuing a side business, and I started making income from sponsorship and events through the podcast. I started getting sponsorship in March 2023.

I quit Big Tech to start my own business

As much as I loved working in tech, I always wanted to do something of my own. Once I got to the point I had business contracts in place for my podcast, a plan for my course, and some savings, I decided to quit my job and start my own business in September 2023.

Around the time I quit the startup, a VC firm tried to recruit me for a platform community growth role because they like my content and the podcast I built. I didn't take the job because I wanted to focus on my own business.

I now have a career accelerator course teaching data scientists communication skills, how to get promoted, and how to build their brands.

Being a thought leader opens job opportunties

While working for Amazon and the startup, I had recruiters from top companies like Apple and Netflix getting in touch. Even after leaving Big Tech, I still get messages from people at companies like OpenAI and Meta trying to recruit me.

They mention they like my experience in data science which they can see from my LinkedIn. They can also see my Medium blog and my podcast. I was able to get jobs through my podcast and recruiters often reference my content creation when they've reached out.

It's very important in this job market to be a builder, and a great way to demonstrate that is to publish blog posts or create a demo for recruiters to stand out.

I think Big Tech companies value my technical skills and industry thought leadership, which I post about on blogs and LinkedIn. Having a large following makes it easier for these recruiters to find and trust me.

Startups and VC funds seem to value both my technical skills and content creation skills, also that I've built a community.

By publishing my thoughts, I've opened myself up to data science roles, as well as developed transferable skills. If my path as a thought leader doesn't work out, I think it would be easy for me to find a job in data science, marketing, or a community role.

I'm not tempted to return to tech or startups. There's uncertainty as an entrepreneur, but I get to choose my clients and projects. I can take time off and travel. I'm not married or a parent yet, but when that time comes, I want the freedom to be fully present.

• Why does Instagram want to show you stuff it thinks you'll like instead of letting you pick for yourself?
• And why is Instagram focused on getting people to share photos and videos privately?
• The two ideas are connected, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri explains: Normal people simply aren't sharing as much in public as they used to.

Adam Mosseri's official title is head of Instagram, Meta's massive photo and video app. He also runs Threads, the Twitter clone the company launched two years ago.

Unofficially, he's become one of Meta's chief explainers, frequently jumping on social media to defend and proselytize on behalf of his employer.

So when I got a chance to interview Mosseri, I had a long list of questions about… lots of things: I wanted to know how Mosseri felt about the company's recent pivot to Trump-friendly policies, and how he looked at TikTok, and a million other things. I didn't have enough time to get to everything, but I got to a lot of it, and you can hear our whole conversation on my Channels podcast.

In the edited excerpt below, Mosseri and I go over some big-picture stuff that tells you a lot about the current state of social media: Like why Instagram, Facebook and every other social media platform rely on algorithms to show you stuff they thinks you like, instead of relying on users to program their own experience. And why the company is gung-ho on getting users to privately send each other photos and videos, instead of its initial focus — getting them to post stuff on a public feed.

And I also wanted to know about the backstory behind Threads — the text-based social network it launched just as Elon Musk was taking over Twitter. Mosseri was happy to talk about all of it.

Peter Kafka: In the first few years of social media feeds, users would see a list of everything that everyone they were following had posted, in chronological order. Now, the standard at every app is a curated, algorithmic feed. Why does everyone who runs a social media product think that's better?

Adam Mosseri: It's because it's the only way to grow these experiences.

The amount of content people post publicly in feeds is going down across the entire industry, because people are moving more and more sharing to stories — which you could argue is a different kind of feed — but even more into messaging, group chats, one-on-one chats.

On Instagram, there are way more photos and videos shared into DMs than into stories, and way more photos and videos are shared into stories than into the feed. So if the amount of content you have to rank is decreasing — how engaging the feed is is also just decreasing. It's just getting worse.

We show recommendations because you might follow 200 accounts and one in 10 of them posted. So we've [only] got 20 things [to show you]. And we can reorder those 20 things 20 factorial ways, but that's only so much upside.

Whereas if we look at the billion things posted in a given day and we find something you're interested in, there's more upside.

Instagram has been encouraging messaging. It's something you've been talking about for a while. It's something users were doing on their own, and now you guys are responding to it?

Oh yeah. It's a paradigm shift.

The thing you hear is that people are going to chats because they feel like that's safer or they can have more candor. But are regular people literally thinking about how their posts are gonna be received? Is there some other reason people are sharing more privately versus publicly?

The foundational reason is that there are more things that you would feel comfortable saying to somebody one-on-one than things you would feel comfortable sharing publicly.

This is a weirdly sad example, but you could think of sharing in-feed as standing on top of your roof, yelling something at a hundred people, and hoping that 20 people hear it. There's some things I would do that for. But the average thing — the amount of things I would say to you on a phone call, my wife on a phone call, my best friend on a phone call — there's a lot more of those things. I think that's the most important reason.

How does that shift affect the business of Meta?

It moves more and more of that friend content into private experiences. And then the question is, can you either make those private sharing experiences symbiotic with the ones that we monetize — like feed and stories? Or can you monetize those experiences directly?

For Instagram, the thing that has been amazing is that we have leaned into video in a way that actually grows messaging. When I worked on the Facebook app, we leaned a lot into video in 2014, 15, 16. We were very focused on trying to catch up with YouTube, and growing video grew the amount of time spent in the Facebook app — but it decreased everything else. It decreased messages, comments, likes, and revenue — because there's less ads per minute.

[But] with Reels on Instagram, because they're short and because they're entertaining… I'll see a standup comic doing a bit that I love and I'll send it to my brother, because I know he's going to enjoy it.

Or I'll see a piece on politics and I'll send it to you. Because I think you might be interested in it. And then you and I talk, maybe you look at your feed, maybe you engage with something else. Maybe you send that to somebody else.

So there is a private messaging part of the experience, [but] we've managed to build it in a way that's very symbiotic with the public context — like feed and stories and reels, which we monetize directly with ads.

We're going to show you engaging stuff, you're going engage in it, and we'll be able to monetize your eyeballs like we always have — and then you'll share it with other people.

It's a positive feedback loop. And it's important particularly for Instagram because we are about connecting with your friends over creative things. I mean, for some people, we might be a pure entertainment-based or public content-based app. But we want friend content to continue to be a core part of the experience for most users.

And this allows Instagram to stay social, but still grow as a business.

I wanted to ask you about the Threads origin story. I didn't realize that it was originally supposed to be a feature within Instagram.

We were talking about different ways to compete more directly with Twitter…

Why? I know that back around 2010, the two services were fiercely competitive. And then basically that competition stopped, because you guys just lapped Twitter over and over and you won. There were many more people who wanted to engage in a Facebook and Instagram-like experience than they did on Twitter.

So why bother going back to Twitter?

I think Twitter's a great app in a lot of ways. I use Twitter a lot, still. I think it's better for public conversations.

Even though it's not the biggest app, there's a lot of cultural relevance. There's a lot of really vibrant, amazing communities there — NBA Twitter, black Twitter there. There's these insular networks like VC Twitter and crypto Twitter.

And part of what we care about at Instagram is being a place where creatives do their thing.

And the initial thought was to bolt it onto Instagram?

Around that time we really accelerated our work on broadcast channels on WhatsApp and on Instagram and on Messenger — which by the way, are a big deal in a lot of the rest of the world, particularly popularized by Telegram. We looked at and had a bunch of designs for building something like Threads as a tab into Instagram. And we did consider and ended up building a separate app, and there were a lot of contentious debates.

What did you want to do? Where did you want what's now called Threads to live?

I was excited about channels. But Mark [Zuckerberg] made the point — and I agreed with him — that channels are not going to be a place where you keep up with tons and tons of culturally relevant people. They're going to be a place where you subscribe to the five or 10 you care about most.

I was more bullish on building something within Instagram. Mark's point was that a separate app will be harder — but if it was successful, it would be a more valuable thing to create in the world.

A lot of what Mark does is anchor us really high. And no matter how strong a year we have, the question is always — how can we do better?

It was late. I was in Italy for my anniversary with my wife, and [Mark's] like, "Well, if you were gonna do something bigger, what would you do?"

So I was riffing and I kind of pitched a version of Threads: We'll lean on Instagram's strength with creators. We'll use Instagram identity. You can bootstrap it with [Instragram's social] graph, but we'll focus on basic replies and threads. I called it Textagram as a joke. Which unfortunately stuck as a name for months before I managed to kill it.

And Mark's like, "Yeah, that's a good idea. We should do that." And I was like, "I don't think we should do that." And in the classic Mark move, he said, "OK. But if you don't do it, I'll have somebody else do it, and it'll be built on Instagram."

And I said, "OK. Sounds like I'm signed up." So he gets the credit.