Author: Editor

James Hardaway has a reputation among his friends and family for being a reviews guy. Before making a big purchase, he’ll check Wirecutter and Consumer Reports, do a drive-by of Reddit, and see what’s being said on YouTube. He’s an avid film fan, and he eagerly combs through Rotten Tomatoes scores and media writeups ahead of new releases to make sure he’s in tune with the cultural moment. He feels that if he’s not doing his homework, he may not be making the best use of his money.Still, Hardaway, a 38-year-old manufacturing manager in Texas, isn’t sure if all the…

Hank Green, one of the internet’s most steadfast and reliable content creators, said he’s slowing down production after fans criticized him for using AI.In addition to his personal account, Green hosts the educational YouTube channels SciShow and Crash Course. SciShow is a collection of YouTube channels focused on different scientific disciplines, while Crash Course offers videos that break down topics like Latin American literature and reading statistics.He also created the Vlogbrothers YouTube channel with his brother, John Green. Green said in a lengthy Reddit comment on Friday that fans can expect fewer YouTube videos for the foreseeable future.”Expect less hankschannel.…

Wealthy homeowners who might be subject to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax just got more time to avoid it.Mamdani and Department of Finance Commissioner Richard Lee announced on Saturday that the deadline for homeowners to submit an exemption application has been extended to September 18. That’s four weeks past the original August 21 deadline.”The extension gives homeowners additional time to establish that the property is their primary residence or demonstrate they are not subject to the surcharge,” a press release said. “It also provides more time for homeowners to receive assistance from the Department of Finance and…

Billy Pritchard loves a deal.The Lafayette, Louisiana-based real-estate broker, 46, found his niche buying and flipping foreclosed homes after buying his first foreclosed home one year into his real estate career.”It was at a really good price range where I probably wouldn’t have to put a ton of money into it,” Pritchard told Business Insider. “But it was a kind of house that a lot of people don’t like to touch because it’s on piers, and there were rotten beams, joists underneath, and you had to get it leveled and replace all the subfloor.”Taking those risks paid off for Pritchard,…

Lottery jackpots continue to climb to staggering heights, with the Powerball jackpot for Saturday’s drawing now sitting at an estimated $707 million.Although billion-dollar prizes remain rare, they’ve become far more common over the past decade.The Christmas Eve Powerball jackpot of $1.817 billion was the second-largest lottery prize in US history, while the biggest lottery prize in US history remains the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California in November 2022.Factors such as rising interest rates, updated game rules (including lower odds), and higher-priced tickets have contributed to the recent surge in billion-dollar jackpots.Jackpocket compiled a list of the biggest prizes…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brian Majewski and Teresa Green, co-founders of One Final Message. It has been edited for length and clarity.Back when people still had genuine conversations on X (then, Twitter), I connected with people I’d never met in real life. I knew some of them struggled with mental health, and one day a person I’d become close with just disappeared.My mind immediately went to the worst-case scenarios, but I had no way to check on them to see if they were OK — we were only connected somewhat anonymously online.I started thinking, what…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leandro Brandão Guimarães. It has been edited for length and clarity.When I first started operating on children as a pediatric ear, nose, and throat doctor 15 years ago, I remember personally struggling watching children enter the operating room with me. They were scared and often crying. Sometimes, they were screaming.It was policy that parents couldn’t enter the operating room with us, which added to the children’s distress.It bothered me a lot, especially once I had my own two children, and I started considering how I could make it easier for kids.I…

Every state has its pros and cons — but which one came out on top?US News & World Report released its annual list of the best states to live in, evaluating each in eight categories: education, healthcare, the economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, the natural environment, and crime and corrections. The categories are weighted differently based on a survey of 25,000 Americans that asked what they care most about.US News & World Report senior data editor Evan Comen told Business Insider that since the categories aren’t evenly weighted, a state excelling in one category doesn’t guarantee a high overall ranking…

Best Buy is at a critical juncture as the consumer electronics retailer aims to revitalize its performance under incoming CEO Jason Bonfig, who spoke exclusively with CNBC about his strategy for the company.The company has been struggling with slumping sales over the past few years, which it has attributed to lower consumer confidence, less tech innovation and a slower housing market. In an effort to refresh its products, improve the customer experience and drive more sales, the retailer announced Bonfig will succeed current CEO Corie Barry this fall.As he prepares to take the helm, Bonfig has said he’s focused on…

“Do you want caviar?”Servers floated around a renovated pencil factory in Brooklyn with holsters carrying caviar and crackers around their waists, while internet stars mingled.The soiree, hosted by Time magazine, celebrated the publication’s second annual “Time100” list of content creators. The woman of the hour: Alix Earle, one of the magazine’s latest cover stars. Earle was recording interviews on the red carpet.  Sydney Bradley/BI When I arrived at the function, Earle was giving a red carpet interview. Later, while I was in line for the bathroom, I had to wait my turn to sneak behind a photographer having an impromptu photo shoot…