Author: openjargon

• It's often said that you can buy anything at Costco, and that includes 22-inch chicken statues.
• A comically proportioned steel garden chicken has apparently struck a chord with Costco shoppers.
• The $38 product unexpectedly sold out online, leaving some Costco fans feeling left out.

If there are two things Costco is well known for, it's finding items you didn't know you wanted, and selling a lot of chickens.

This week, those two things converged — in a way — when the company unexpectedly sold out of a 22-inch tall garden statue of a rooster.

So, while the comically proportioned steel bird wasn't $5 (and obviously isn't edible), the $38 price tag was arguably a bargain, compared with comparable offerings from other online sellers.

Several Reddit users said they ordered the chicken only to be informed that the item had been oversold and the order canceled.

"We regret to inform you that the item you had ordered, 1793860 STEEL CHICKEN, has been accidentally oversold and we are unable to fulfill your order," Costco said to one shopper, in an email that was shared with Business Insider.

In a follow-up note, the company said she would receive a $10 Costco Shop card "as compensation for your inconvenience."

"I'm super bummed! Honestly, I'd rather have the chicken than an extra $10," she said in a Reddit post about the experience.

Soon other users began posting (and boasting) about the chickens they were able to buy, with many making comparisons to the feathered sidekick Hei-Hei from the Disney film Moana.

As of Friday, the steel chicken has not yet made its way to eBay and Facebook Marketplace, but we wouldn't be surprised if the early enthusiasm leads to some resales while shoppers wait for a restock.

• iPhone owners are uploading photos of their outfits to the Notes app on their phones.
• The Gen Z viral style hack is helping people to remember and plan their looks.
• Here's which iPhone features to use if you want to try it.

Gen Z fashionistas are taking closet organization into their own hands — and using a simple iPhone feature to do it.

While Pinterest boards offer style inspiration, some young people are using the Notes app instead. There, they can upload photos of their own wardrobe and outfits and plan looks based on clothes they already have.

One big benefit: There aren't any special apps or tools to download. This closet-organizing hack is doable with an up-to-date iOS device.

It's unclear who was the first to figure it out, but it was popularized by influencer Morgan Riddle in 2023. It's particularly helpful when planning outfits for a vacation, and many people break them down by location or occasion.

TikTokers praise the hack for helping them remember their favorite outfits and plan for trips. Some compared it to dress-up toys like Polly Pocket or the changeable avatar skins in the video game Fortnite.

Here's how to make your own version of Cher Horowitz's closet from the "Clueless" movie.

Start in your Photos app

You can either try on potential outfits or use photos you've already taken, but you'll want to use full-body pictures of yourself.

Pro tip: For the best results, choose images in which you're the main focus and the only one in the photo.

Once you've chosen your first picture, press down on your body until it's highlighted with a glowing outline and a list of options at the top. Then, press "copy."

Now head to the Notes app

Once you've copied the outfit, open the Notes app and select a note to paste your image onto. You can use a generic title like "Outfits" or name your note based on a trip or occasion.

Press anywhere on the empty note to paste your outfit. It'll probably take up most of the note at first, but don't worry.

To shrink it down and make room for more pictures, press the three dots in the top right corner of the note. When the options come up, press "attachment view," then select "set all to small." That should make your images smaller. You can do this after adding all of your attachments, but doing it after the first one made it easier for me to organize them.

Repeat and customize it based on your needs

Once you've uploaded all of your ensembles, it's time to organize them how you see fit. Since I'm not going on a trip soon, I sorted some past outfits based on which season they're best suited for.

You could also sort them by a particular aesthetic or the type of event to which they'd be worn.

As someone who tends to plan her outfits about an hour before walking out of the door in them, I was skeptical of this hack.

However, being able to keep a record of my favorite looks from over the years has made this a useful tool.

I might not want to repeat my 'fits, but having them side by side is giving me new inspo on how to mix and match my clothes.

• An orange alert for heavy rainfall has been issued in Mumbai for the coming days.
• The weather warning coincides with the Ambani wedding, featuring a star-studded guest list.
• Over half the flights arriving in Mumbai on Friday are delayed, and Air India is warning travelers to leave extra time.

Heavy rain could put a dampener on the celebrations of Anant Ambani and his wife-to-be, Radhika Merchant at their lavish wedding in Mumbai this weekend.

The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for the Maharashtra region, where Mumbai is situated, due to the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next five days.

Anant Ambani, the son of India's richest person, Mukesh Ambani, is celebrating his ceremony across an opulent three days of festivities, with a star-studded guest list including Kim Kardashian and John Kerry, the former US secretary of state, according to CNBC TV-18, which obtained the guest list from event organizers.

After a string of extravagant celebrations beginning in March, billionaire Ambani's youngest child will marry Radhika Merchant, the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, both pharmaceutical tycoons, in Mumbai.

The weather warning is attributed to a monsoon trough and cyclonic circulation over the state of Maharashtra. Heavy rain is common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September.

Mumbai recorded almost 30 centimeters of rain in a single day earlier in the week, Bloomberg reported.

An orange warning is an "alert" under the IMD's system, and according to the Times of India, it can include weather that disrupts transport and travel, lowered visibility, and, in some areas, can cause landslips.

Heavy rain on Friday caused some roads in the city to flood, the Times of India reported.

Due to the heavy rains, Air India issued an important update in a post on X on Friday, encouraging passengers to depart early to the airport to avoid delays.

"Flights to and from Mumbai are getting affected due to heavy rains," the post said.

"Guests are advised to start early for the airport, as slow traffic and waterlogging may delay movement."

The Press Trust of India uploaded a video to X showing waterlogging following heavy rainfall at terminal two of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the airport's terminal for international flights.

According to data from FlightRadar24, as of 12 p.m. ET Friday, around 57% of flights arriving in Mumbai had been delayed, while around 79% of departures were late.

• If you're thinking of taking a road trip this summer, there's a must-see road in every state. 
• Among them, Florida's Oversea Highway offers scenic views of piercing blue waters.
• The Valley of Fire Highway in Nevada travels through the Mojave Desert.

The American Automobile Association, or AAA, is expecting record-high numbers of summer road trips in 2024, with over 75% of American adults planning to hit the road for vacation this summer, according to a survey conducted by The Vacationer.

US gas prices have decreased to a national average of $3.538 as of July 12 after soaring to an average of $4.059 per gallon in 2022, making long drives more affordable for consumers.

WalletHub named Texas the best state for summer road trips, but all 50 states offer scenic drives. Take a look at the prettiest road to drive in every state.

ALABAMA: State Road 9

Driving through Talladega National Forest along State Road 9 will give you bucolic views of tree-covered hills and small mountains, Alabama Byways reported. There are also several small side roads off the highway that lead to waterfalls and walking trails.

ALASKA: Alaska Route 3

Denali National Park is known for being home to North America's tallest peak. Driving on Interstate A-3 offers stunning views of the mountains, wildlife, and greenery throughout the park. 

ARIZONA: The Apache Trail

The Apache Trail is one of Arizona's oldest highways. The partially unpaved drive takes you through stunning canyons, desert scenes, and geologic formations just outside of Phoenix. 

A 5-mile section of the road has been closed since 2019 due to damage from a wildfire, AZ Central reported.

ARKANSAS: The Pig Trail Scenic Byway

The Pig Trail Scenic Byway takes you through canopies of greenery in spring and summer and stunning fall foliage in autumn. The road winds its way through the Ozark Mountains and is a favorite among motorcyclists, according to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism.

CALIFORNIA: The Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous drives in the world, and for good reason. The cliffside drive on State Route 1 offers epic vistas and stunning views of the Pacific, and if you take the road long enough, you'll pass the famous redwoods and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

COLORADO: The Trail Ridge Road

The Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park was specifically designed for optimal views — drivers and passengers can enjoy stunning panoramas from every turn.

CONNECTICUT: Route 169

There are several back roads, interstates, and byways that show off Connecticut's incredible autumn colors, but Route 169 might be the best. The small, two-lane road passes through quaint towns and offers stunning views of the state's famous fall foliage.

DELAWARE: Brandywine Valley

Delaware's Brandywine Valley along the I-95 corridor makes for a unique road trip by offering a glimpse into history. The 1777 Battle of the Brandywine took place in its rolling hills when George Washington and his army faced British General William Howe, National Geographic reported. It is also dotted with picture-perfect mansions and gardens.  

FLORIDA: The Overseas Highway

To get to the southernmost point of the continental US you have to take Florida's Seven Mile Bridge to The Keys. You'll be surrounded by piercing blue water for your entire drive on the Overseas Highway. 

GEORGIA: US 41

The Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway travels along several roads, the best of which is US 41. The route takes drivers through Chattahoochee National Forest and offers can't-miss views of the Cohutta Mountains, according to the scenic byway's official website.

HAWAII: Hana Highway

The Hana Highway in Hawaii is another one of America's most iconic roads. The coastal highway takes over 600 twists and turns along the outskirts of Maui, according to Hawaii Guide. You'll see waterfalls, rainforests, and dramatic cliff sides.

IDAHO: Sawtooth Scenic Byway

The Sawtooth Scenic Byway takes cars driving northbound on State Highway 75 into Sun Valley, a region famous for its many resorts and its white-capped mountains, according to the Idaho Department of Commerce.

ILLINOIS: Lake Shore Drive

Chicago traffic may be a bit tedious, but Lake Shore Drive will offer a view like no other. With the big cityscape on one side and the Lake Michigan shoreline on the other, you'll get the best of both worlds. 

INDIANA: Highway 36

Parke County is the covered bridge capital of the world, and takes a lot of pride in its 31 covered bridges, many of which are from the 1800s, according to the Parke County Convention and Visitors Commission. Highway 36 is the perfect road from which to explore this historic infrastructure.

IOWA: Loess Hills, Interstate 29

Iowa's vast plains might seem repetitive, but Loess Hills along Interstate 29 gives drivers a unique look into rural America. The route is dotted with small towns, state forests, and museums, according to a guide published by the Iowa Legislature and Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development.

KANSAS: Interstate 70

Kansas' Castle Rock is an off-road attraction just off the seemingly endless Interstate 70. The small detour offers some much-needed excitement if you're on a cross-state road trip through the plains. 

KENTUCKY: Route 77

One of the best parts of Route 77 in Kentucky is the 900-foot, one-lane Nada Tunnel, according to the travel guide website Hiking in the Smokeys.

LOUISIANA: Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street in New Orleans is one of the most iconic streets in the world. You can easily drive through it during the day, but be wary of party-goers and tourists at night.

MAINE: Park Loop Road

Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park is a 27-mile drive along the coast and through the park, which takes fall foliage to a new level every autumn. 

MARYLAND: Old Frederick Road

The Loys Station bridge is a historic, 90-foot-long covered bridge that you can still drive through, according to the Tourism Council of Frederick County. It's located on Old Frederick Road just south of Route 77.

 

MASSACHUSETTS: Route 6

Massachusetts' Route 6 starts at the very tip of cozy Cape Cod. The road takes drivers through the southern part of the state until it reaches Providence, Rhode Island. 

MICHIGAN: M-77

Taking M-77 into Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will lead straight to the south shore of Lake Superior. The relaxing drive will provide a bright, colorful scene during the spring and summertime, or a deep cascade of orange and red hues in the fall. 

MINNESOTA: US 10

US 10 in Minnesota takes you through a variety of landscapes. It's part of the Great River Road, which offers stunning views of the Mississippi River before continuing into Minneapolis, where you can see the state's grandest city skyline. 

MISSISSIPPI: Great River Road

For scenic views of the Mississippi River, take the aptly named Great River Road. It'll drive you over, under, and alongside the river until Minnesota if you stay on it long enough. 

MISSOURI: Route 66

The iconic Route 66 makes its way through Missouri and past a quaint town named Devil's Elbow. A rusting bridge named the Devil's Elbow Bridge takes travelers over the Big Piney River and through scenic bluffs, according to the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau.

MONTANA: Beartooth Highway

Beartooth Highway makes its way into Yellowstone National Park, thus providing picturesque views of the world-famous vistas the park is internationally famous for.

NEBRASKA: Highway 61

Highway 61 in Nebraska propels drivers into true American farmland. There's not a lot of action on this drive, but it will give you a good look into the classic Midwest agricultural scene. 

NEVADA: Valley of Fire Highway

The Valley of Fire Highway travels through the Mojave Desert for a little over 10 miles. The fiery red formations are a stunning sight, and several parking areas are available if you want to see them up close, according to Travel Nevada.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Kancamagus Highway

New England's fall foliage is world famous. See it in all its glory on New Hampshire's Kancamagus Highway. 

NEW JERSEY: Palisades Parkway

Located just over Manhattan's George Washington Bridge, the Palisades Parkway features views of New York City's famous skyline and New Jersey's scenic cliffs overlooking the Hudson River.

NEW MEXICO: The High Road To Taos

The High Road to Taos is a scenic, winding drive that runs through several small Pueblo Indian villages, according to New Mexico's Tourism Department. It offers a glimpse into the high desert and the lives of those who live in it.

NEW YORK: Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway

Driving through the Adirondacks is much more relaxing than navigating the crowded streets of the Big Apple. The Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway, also known as State Route 431, shows off the surrounding peaks as you make your way up Whiteface Mountain, according to its official website.

NORTH CAROLINA: Blue Ridge Parkway

Visiting North Carolina without taking a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway would be a huge mistake. The Lynn Cove Viaduct, which wraps around Grandfather Mountain, is easily the best part of the entire drive. 

NORTH DAKOTA: Interstate 94

The endless plains of North Dakota become more dynamic at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where the badlands begin. You can catch a glimpse of them from Interstate 94, or take a detour on one of the side roads. 

OHIO: Buckeye Falls Drive

Sharon Woods may seem like a hotspot for hiking and other outdoor activities, but it also offers a scenic drive in the fall. Cruise down the tree-lined Buckeye Falls Drive for a breathtaking break. 

OKLAHOMA: Highway 49

Highway 49 leads right to the Wichita Mountains. Watch out for free-range buffalo, which are known to crowd the roads here, as well as other wildlife, according to the National Scenic Byway Foundation. 

OREGON: US 101

Similar to California's Pacific Coast Highway, US 101 in Oregon travels along the Pacific coast, and offers over 300 miles of seaside driving and rugged cliffs, according to Oregon.com.

PENNSYLVANIA: US Route 30

US Route 30 will take you straight through several Amish and Mennonite towns and into Lancaster, one of America's oldest Amish communities. Don't be surprised if most of the traffic consists of horse-drawn carriages.

RHODE ISLAND: Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive in Newport will take you through the Ocean Drive Historic District past the many ostentatious homes built here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it was a favorite spot to summer for the wealthy. If your legs need a stretch, take a stroll down Cliff Walk. 

 

SOUTH CAROLINA: Botany Bay Boulevard

South Carolina's Botany Bay on Edisto Island is one of the most famous roads in the South. Its canopied trees make for a stunningly shaded — and super Instagrammable — drive.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Needles Highway

Needles Highway, or Highway 87, is named for the granite "needles" along its route. But be prepared to take it slow — the road, which is in Custer State Park, includes 14 miles of tunnels and turns, according to the Custer State Park Resort.

TENNESSEE: Tail of the Dragon

The Tail of the Dragon attracts many motorcyclists and driving enthusiasts thanks to the 318 curves that snake along the 11-mile, two-lane road, according to RoadTrippers.

TEXAS: Highway 118

Big Bend National Park, which sits on the border of Mexico, can be seen by driving on Highway 118. You'll travel through a stone tunnel and get epic views of the Chisos Mountains. 

UTAH: US Route 163

US Route 163 is also known as the road to Monument Valley. The highway cuts straight through the center of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

VERMONT: Route 100

Route 100 travels nearly the entire length of Vermont and is famous for its fall foliage.

VIRGINIA: Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park runs along the ridge of the mountains for 105 miles — pretty much the entire length of the park. Its views are some of the best in the state.

WASHINGTON: Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive

Loop around Olympic National Park, and get breathtaking scenery that ranges from mountains to forests to the ocean, as well as several different ecosystems.

 

 

WEST VIRGINIA: New River Gorge Bridge

The New River Gorge Bridge allows cars to continue on US 19 over the New River. The 3,030-foot bridge is the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the US, according to the National Park Service. It offers breathtaking views of the surrounding Appalachian Mountains.

 

WISCONSIN: US 61

US 61 runs along the Mississippi River offering stunning views of the northern parts of the river. 

There's also the Lake Superior Byway, which runs on Highway 13 and shows off Wisconsin's quaint, northernmost towns and the Lake Superior shoreline they all share.

 

WYOMING: Beartooth Highway

Wyoming's section of Beartooth Highway runs on US 212 and is dotted with wildlife, mountain views, and scenic plateaus.

• Democratic donors are reportedly freezing $90 million in pledged donations to a Biden super PAC.
• The donors plan to withhold the cash unless Biden steps aside, sources told the NYT.
• Already, some megadonors and Hollywood bigwigs have publicly pressured Biden to end his campaign.

Donors told a leading Biden super PAC that they're pausing around $90 million of promised funds unless the president steps aside, two sources told the New York Times. Some of the pledges were going to stretch into the eight-figures.

Future Forward is the biggest super PAC supporting Biden and declined to comment on the fallout. A spokesperson did tell The Times that the PAC expects donors to return once the uncertainty about the campaign sorts itself out. Biden, for one, seems sorted — he is digging in his heels about staying in the race, but Democrats are reluctant to accept his answer.

The withheld donations illustrate the depth of the president's post-debate woes and upward battle. Though the campaign touted huge June fundraising numbers to try and assuage spooked Democrats, it is gearing up for a tough money cycle in July.

Some huge donors and longtime Hollywood supporters have already asked the president to end his campaign. The president's consequential press conference following the NATO summit did little to soothe Democrats' anxieties, but did not tank his reelection bid, either. Several more congressional Democrats publicly asked him to pass the torch following the presser.

Even Biden's own campaign staff seems to understand the depth of his current crisis. His analytics team reportedly conducted a survey measuring Kamala Harris' performance in a head-to-head battle against Donald Trump.

While Biden has tried to brush off calls for him to step down as elitist or out-of-touch with everyday Americans, new polling indicates broad concern with his campaign. And elitist or not, Democrats need money to run a campaign, especially as Republicans have eroded their cash advantage.

• Google will offer its dark web report for free starting in late July.
• Previously a Google One feature, the report looks for data tied to you from past data breaches or hacks.
• Users can access the report via Google's "Results about you" tool to monitor and remove data.

Google is making its dark web report, which monitors data breaches, free for users starting late July.

The feature helps you track whether your personal details, such as your name, address, phone number, and email, have been leaked in online data breaches.

The report used to require a Google One membership, but it will no longer be available through the subscription service starting in July. Moving forward, it will be available in "Results about you," which is a feature that lets users find and remove results that contain their personal information, like home address, phone number, or email address.

Google launched the "Results about you" tool in 2022 to facilitate users' requests to remove their information. Since then, Google has updated the tool so that users are alerted when their personal contact information is found in Google search results.

To get Google's dark web report:

• Navigate to Google's "Results about you" page
• Click "Get Started"
• Type in your full name, address, phone number, and email. If you have multiple associated responses, you can try up to three versions for each. (Google says on the page that the contact information you insert is not shared or used to personalize your Google experience.)
• Once you plug in your information, set your notification settings to receive alerts over email or through the Google app. Then a screen will pop up saying it's "checking for any search results that match your name and contact info."

The process takes a few hours and alerts you when it's complete.

New results will appear within "Results to review," where users can request removal for results that include their personal information. You can also request to remove results when you use Search by selecting the menu icon next to a result with your contact information and clicking "Remove result."

Google reviews all requests to ensure they meet the removal requirements, which can take a few days. That includes checking the information and webpage to ensure they aren't owned by a government or educational institution.

The latest move is another effort from Google to enhance consumers' data and privacy protections. In addition to slowly pushing out the removal of web cookies, Google also developed its Privacy Sandbox. The collection of technologies is intended to protect consumers while still helping companies to advertise.

The move also comes about a month after a leaked copy of an internal Google database revealed thousands of privacy-related incidents and concerns from 2013 to 2018.

• A millennial couple spent 17,000 euros, or about $18,400, remodeling an old apartment in Rome.
• When they shared the renovation on social media, they were shocked to hear from many critics. 
• Some people said they "destroyed" the home's vintage vibe, but the couple defended their choices.

Flavio Fabiani knew he had his work cut out for him when he stepped into the apartment in Rome's colorful, bar-lined neighborhood of Pigneto.

The fully furnished home had been abandoned for 12 years with the windows flung open, so leaves and dust coated the floors, walls, chairs, cabinets, and sofas, said Fabiani, a 27-year-old architect.

He'd inherited the 785-square-foot, one-bedroom home from his late aunt, who had struggled with dementia in her final years. Wardrobes housed bags within bags, and near-life-size dolls lay propped up on a chaise lounge, evidence of her tendency to hoard.

The worst was the only bathroom. There, Fabiani was greeted by a sea of cockroaches that had crawled up through pipes that hadn't been flushed out in over a decade.

Renovating the apartment on the third floor of a 14-unit building without a functioning elevator was going to be no easy feat — especially as his first solo project as an architect.

From May to August, he worked alongside contractors to turn it into a home fit for him and his longtime girlfriend, Victoria Craparotta, whom he met in 2019 on a study abroad program in Malaga, Spain. The project cost him roughly 17,000 euros, or around $18,400.

Nearly a year later, Craparotta decided to share the renovation in a lighthearted TikTok video with before-and-after footage.

Neither Craparotta, a 26-year-old e-commerce lead originally from Canada, nor Fabiani expected to get what they called "death threats" from TikTok commenters critical of their decision to modernize the home.

Comments on the clip, which has racked up over 7.4 million views, ranged from people who claimed they "destroyed the house" to users who told them they'd turned it into an "Airbnb" devoid of personality.

"We were shocked by the reaction," Fabiani said.

Major changes included knocking down two walls separating the tiny kitchen and the living space to create an open-plan layout, digging up the floors to install a new heating system, and installing double-paned windows to increase energy efficiency.

Less cumbersome tasks included removing green kitchen tiles and painting some of the beige walls shades of plum purple and sage green.

They also replaced some of the old furniture, like carpets and mirrors, that some members of Fabiani's family wanted to keep for themselves.

"I am still quite surprised at how dramatic people can be over a renovation," Craparotta said.

The couple suspects their critics don't have much experience with renovations

Craparotta and Fabiani's most outspoken critics seem to believe they didn't think twice about saving the home's old-timey aesthetic.

But the couple told Business Insider that's a gross oversimplification.

First, as twentysomethings, they couldn't afford to restore it in the way their critics would have preferred with their budget.

Moreover, the couple was required to modernize parts of the apartment to receive a tax incentive (known as a "superbonus") the Italian government issues to renovators who make homes more energy-efficient and sustainable.

Money aside, they said the vintage aesthetic their critics were raving about them protecting is pretty common for "nonnas" (Italian for "grandmothers").

But among younger Italians, it's standard practice to remodel apartment in old buildings like theirs, which was constructed in 1956.

"A lot of our friends have done similar renovations where they're gutting these 'nonna homes' and making them more modern," Craparotta said.

"Not even my mother would have lived in that house, and she's, like, 60," Fabiani added.

When it came to furniture, Fabiani and Craparotta said their critics were quick to assume the furniture they saw in the TikTok's "before" footage was vintage.

But in reality, they said, most of the pieces in the apartment were cheap replicas that an antique dealer told them had "zero" value. They ended up giving away some of it for free and kept a few pieces they liked.

Americans seem fascinated with old homes, they said

Craparotta and Fabiani said their experience taught them that Americans, particularly young Americans, seem much more nostalgic about old architecture and home design than Italians of similar ages.

"This video went mainly viral in the US, where there aren't a lot of historical homes, and people have very strong ideas about saving them," Craparotta said.

She has a point — most of the oldest homes still standing in the US date back to the 17th century, while in Italy, some ancient towns thousands of years old are still inhabited.

Since owning a slice of history is less common in the US than in Italy, Fabiani said he believes Americans put a lot more "value" into maintaining old homes.

"I'm used to vintage things," he said. "For me, this is not anymore a rarity."

Many young Americans seem intrigued by the prospect of living in an old home. In 2022, the National Association of Realtors found that over 80% of millennials in the US were willing to buy a "fixer-upper that needs major repair."

Craparotta and Fabiani aren't the only ones to get heat for updating an old home.

A young couple renovating a starter home in Rhode Island told BI in May that they received "flak" online for making their 1950s bathroom, covered with bubblegum-pink tile, more neutral.

For Fabiani and Craparotta, modernizing the apartment reflects who they are: a young couple who don't want to live in an apartment from a bygone era in Italy.

Instead of a closed-concept apartment where it would've been impossible for more than one person to cook in the kitchen — an activity they enjoy doing together — they wanted it to be a space where they could welcome friends and family for big dinners and parties.

"A lot of people see Italy as this idyllic place and that it's all vintage," Craparotta said. "We're younger people. We don't want to live in a house that looks like it's from the 1800s."

• A report from the Pew Research Center found that Biden and Trump are seen as equally "embarrassing."
• Of those polled, 63% said each nominee was humiliating
• Voters diverge on other aspects of Trump and Biden's personal conduct, like mean-spiritedness.

A new report from the Pew Research Center asked many of the typical questions: how do Biden and Trump fare in a head-to-head battle, which candidate is seen as mentally sharper, where do voters stand on policy issues. But it also asked respondents about the cringe-worthiness of each candidate and found that they're tied.

According to the report, 63% of those polled find both Biden and Trump "embarrassing." On top of that, at least ⅓ of each candidate's supporters say their own nominee is humiliating, with 37% of Biden supporters saying so compared to 33% of Trump supporters.

While most supporters agree with their candidate on the issues, there are gaps in how voters view Biden and Trump's personal conduct. More Americans think that Biden is honest and cares about ordinary Americans' needs, but Trump is seen as far more mentally sharp.

Voters, however, view Trump as sharp in other respects as well, with 64% saying that he is "mean-spirited" compared to 31% for Biden.

The question of embarrassment comes as NATO allies consider the implications of another Trump presidency and America's standing on the global stage. Regardless of where the current candidates stand on substantive policy, a majority of Americans don't seem to take much pride in their seemingly "embarrassing" options.

Between flubs and misspeaks, Biden showed in-depth knowledge of world affairs. Was his speech enough to save his campaign? Here are the highlights.

• OpenAI has shared a new five-level scale to mark progress toward artificial general intelligence.
• The company told employees it was nearing AI systems that could reason, Bloomberg reported. 
• Experts say systems that can reason would be a "very significant" jump.

OpenAI has a new scale to mark its progress toward artificial general intelligence, or AGI.

According to a Bloomberg report, the company behind ChatGPT shared the new five-level classification system with employees at an all-hands meeting on Tuesday.

The scale ranked AI systems by levels of intelligence, from chatbots at level one, to AI systems that could do the work of entire organizations at level five.

Execs reportedly told staffers they believed OpenAI was at level one, defined as AI with conversational language skills, but was nearing level two, identified as "reasoners" with human-level problem-solving.

Progress to the next level is a sign that OpenAI chief Sam Altman is inching closer to his stated ambition of creating AGI, or AI systems that can match or surpass human capabilities across a wide range of cognitive tasks.

It's a mission that has turned into a high-stakes race against competitors since the launch of ChatGPT, as billions of dollars of investment have poured into companies vying to reach the same goal first.

Altman has said he expects major progress toward AGI will be achieved by the end of the decade.

A big deal

John Burden, a research fellow at the University of Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, told Business Insider the jump from existing systems to those that could reason would be "very significant."

"If we do get some AI systems that can reason soon, I cannot understate how big of a deal that would be — we're talking about systems that would be able to come to conclusions that we don't like," he said.

Burden added developing AI systems to this level runs the risk of the machines "reasoning past us," something that could have consequences for the workforce.

"If these systems can reason as well as humans, they're probably going to be a lot cheaper than humans to keep employed," he said.

An OpenAI representative told Bloomberg the scale also included "Agent" and "Innovator" levels, which classified AI systems by their ability to take action and aid in invention.

However, the validity of the scale itself is also up for debate.

Just a mirage?

Burden said the tech industry still appeared to be hovering at level one, which covers the chatbots now available. He added that the jump from the second level to three and five was "essentially trivial."

"Whatever Sam Altman wants to say to generate hype, we're still just at level one," he said. "We've got AI systems that appear to do a tiny bit of reasoning, but it's not clear if it's just a mirage."

It's also unclear whether the top end of the scale is even possible.

"The top level of the scale, where an AI that can do the work of an organization, requires many other human skills beyond just reasoning," Hannah Kirk, an AI researcher at the University of Oxford, told BI.

"The ability to coordinate, not just reason, is incredibly important to move you up these levels," she said. "There's going to be many more elements of coordination, or more social intelligence aspects that are very important to moving up these levels beyond just cognitive intelligence."

Representatives for OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.