Author: openjargon

• The G7 summit is exposing a crisis of Western authority, experts say.
• Far-right parties are gaining ground in several countries, and leadership appears to be weakened. 
• Many leaders at the G7 summit face uncertain political futures.

The G7 summit has long been a showcase of global leadership and power.

The world's seven largest "advanced" economies — the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK — gather each year to discuss issues such as the economy, security, and trade.

But 2024's group of leaders appears to be one of the weakest that has attended the summit for some time.

As Politico noted, many of the attendees are distracted by domestic issues that are threatening their authority and grip on power.

This year's cohort shows that there is a "crisis of Western authority," according to Inderjeet Parmar, a professor of international politics at City University of London.

A threat to power

Political instability and uncertainty are rampant, from the recent surge of support for the far-right at the EU Parliamentary elections to the controversies on both sides of the US presidential campaign.

Among those facing challenges to his authority is France's president, Emmanuel Macron. He is just days away from a snap election, which many think could end his current coalition.

Macron called the election after a big win for his rival Marine Le Pen's National Rally party at the European parliamentary elections. Macron's centrist alliance secured a 14.6% vote compared to the far-right National Rally's staggering 31.4%.

Similarly, German chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats party recently suffered an embarrassing blow after the center-right party, Christian Democrats, rallied enough seats to sweep past the Social Democrats at the European elections.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, appears to be on course for a heavy election loss next month.

Andrew Payne, a City University of London lecturer in foreign policy, told Business Insider that it would be difficult for some leaders to make "credible commitments on trade, sanctions, or any other issue of international significance" at this year's summit.

"When you're not sure if the person across the table is still going to be in office next month, or next year, you might think twice about striking a long-term agreement," Payne said.

Meanwhile, the US' global reputation has suffered in recent months. Donald Trump and Hunter Biden's respective criminal convictions have undermined the country's brand, regardless of who wins the Oval Office in the upcoming election, according to Payne and Parmar.

"The USA, as the world's pivotal state, at the heart of the G7 and its liberal international order, has candidates for the White House in November who are unpopular, and one of them is a convicted felon leading what is a far-right political party that threatens to wreak vengeance on its political opponents," Parmar said.

'Brittle at best'

Payne argued that some of the G7 leaders aren't outright weak; rather, they face circumstances that threaten their authority.

"This is largely the same group of leaders that initiated or maintained an unprecedentedly strong response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, for example," Payne said.

"But in a democracy, leaders are only as strong as their domestic foundations allow them to be, however bold their foreign policy visions may be. And right now, the domestic foundations of most of the G7 leaders are brittle at best," he added.

• Warning: Major spoilers for "Perfect Match" season two, episodes eight and nine.
• Harry Jowsey is in hot water with Jessica Vestal after being accused of kissing another contestant.
• Here's what we know about the kissing scandal involving Melinda Berry.

The strongest couple in "Perfect Match" season two is under threat in the latest episodes after Harry Jowsey was accused of kissing another contestant.

Since episode three, Harry has been obsessed with Jessica Vestal, and the pair has become one of the more consistent couples of the season. Harry has said on multiple occasions that he wants to marry Jessica.

But in episode eight, Harry seems to return to his playboy ways when the male contestants are gifted with a boys only party. When they get to their destination, they are joined by a group of female contestants who are trying to tempt men away from their original partners.

This is a new addition to "Perfect Match" and could be an attempt by the producers to replicate the Casa Amor format from "Love Island." It tests contestants' loyalty and adds more drama to reality dating series.

It's a success, immediately creating tension in four of the five original couples.

Harry and Melinda Berry, who was eliminated in episode 7, begin flirting with each other, and Harry offers to carry her twice. The second time is when Harry allegedly kisses Melinda.

The "kiss" apparently happens off-camera, turning the incident into an argument between Melinda, who is adamant that the kiss happened, and Harry, who says it didn't.

The next day, Melinda tells Jessica that she and Harry kissed, causing a big fight between the three contestants.

Here's what we know so far about the kissing scandal between Melinda and Harry.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight: Melinda and Holly say the kiss happened off-screen

Frustratingly, "Perfect Match" never reveals if the kiss happens in the episodes released on June 14. Either it occurred off-camera or the producers have decided to withhold the footage.

But we do have some potential witnesses. In episode eight, Holly Scarfone and Justin Assada were talking to each other right next to where the kiss is thought to have happened.

Holly is actually the first person to claim they kissed.

Justin says: "Woah, what's going on there? huh"

Holly replies: "Boys' day. They kissed."

The camera also pivots to Stevan Ditter, who seems to be looking in the direction of Harry and Melinda.

Stevan and Justin both say they didn't see anything, though they could be trying to defend their friend.

The camera then goes back to Melinda and Harry, and Harry begins to talk about his great relationship with Jessica.

When Melinda mentions the kiss, Harry denies it, laughs without looking directly at her, and walks away.

Harry doubles down when they get to the rest of the group, saying that Melinda is making up the kiss to boost her fame.

"No one saw it," he tells the rest of the group. "That was fake news. I did not kiss her. Where's the video evidence?"

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight: Harry doesn't mention the kiss when he first sees Jessica

Later in the episode, the original couples return to the house, and Jessica finds Harry crying in his bed.

Harry tells Jessica he hasn't been the best example for her or her daughter Autumn.

Harry says he was too playful during the boys' party and carried Melinda to the toilet at one point in the day. Harry never mentions a kiss and instead accuses Melinda of trying to lie about what happened earlier in the day.

Jessica and Harry have a brief argument, as she doesn't initially believe him but Jessica eventually forgives him.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight-nine: Jessica tells Melinda off for telling everyone about the alleged kiss

At the end of episode eight, the female contestants from the "boys' party" arrive in the house to give them an opportunity to steal any of the men.

All the women decide to congregate around a table to reveal if any of the men cheated during the boys' day out. Melinda immediately tells Jessica that she and Harry kissed three times the day before.

"He just kissed me," Melinda says. "And then does it again, so I kissed him back."

Harry and Dom Gabriel walk past, so Jessica asks Harry to comment on Melinda's story. Harry again denies kissing Melinda, saying that no one saw anything.

Melinda then turns to Brittan Byrd, who was nearby during the incident, to support her claim. Brittan says Melinda's makeup was on his nose.

Jessica begins questioning Melinda's motives for kissing Harry and not telling her this information privately.

The pair argue over this for a minute before Jessica says she will ask for both sides of the story before deciding whether to stay with Harry.

Meanwhile, Harry walks away and complains about the situation to Dom. Harry tells Dom that Melinda set up the conversation about the kiss and says Melinda was the one who tried to initiate a kiss, but he turned away.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode nine: Melinda says Harry also said he wanted to have sex with her

Jessica spends most of episode nine asking multiple contestants about what she should do about the Harry situation.

It is not the first time Harry's loyalty has been questioned. Harry has a poor dating track record, and multiple contestants have brought this up to Jessica.

Jessica speaks to Alara Taneri, Stevan, Dom, and Bryton Constantin, who all defend Harry. Jessica also speaks to Harry for his side of the story.

Harry denies the kiss but adds another element to the story.

"I did look at her stomach, and I said, 'It'd look good if you were pregnant.' But it was not in that sense," Harry says.

When Melinda speaks to Jessica privately later in the episode, Melinda says Harry wanted to have sex with her.

"He was like, 'I'm 30 years old. I'm ready for some babies.' He goes, 'You ready for some babies? I'll put a baby in you,'" Melinda says. "He goes, 'They'll come out handsome and tall and athletic.'"

'Perfect Match' season two, episode nine: Jessica confronts Harry

Harry and Jessica sit down again at the end of the episode to discuss the kissing incident.

Harry says he has been vomiting all evening because of the stress of the situation and apologizes again for the incident. However, Jessica is still not convinced Harry is telling the whole truth.

The episode ends with Harry making another plea for Jessica to match with him.

"Perfect Match" fans will likely find out Jessica's decision when the season two finale premieres on Netflix on June 21.

Stay tuned for more information on whether Harry did kiss Melinda.

• Costco has made headlines selling gold bars from Swiss and South African refineries.
• Collectors are tracking a dozen or so other gold and silver products the company has sold.
• The range of items costs anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $7,500.

By now most folks have heard that Costco sells a lot of gold.

But while the coverage has focused largely on gold bars from Swiss and South African refineries, the wholesale club's precious metals offering is much bigger.

Due to the speed at which these items sell out and the peculiarities of Costco.com's listings, it can be difficult to find details without knowing exactly what you're looking for. Members must log in to see prices for in-stock, members-only items.

As a workaround, collectors are tracking a dozen or so other gold and silver products the company has sold on a relatively new subreddit, where they bookmark online links and share tips about local warehouses with supply.

Based on spot prices and past comments, the items cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars (for a tube of silver coins) to more than $7,500 (for 100-gram bars of 24-karat gold) — a range of price points that is likely to appeal to experienced and novice investors alike.

While Costco tends to sell gold bars at a very low markup from the market's spot price, coins from the US Mint and Canadian Mint see a slightly higher premium due to their popularity with collectors.

As of Thursday, one-ounce gold American Eagle and American Buffalo coins were available for $2,399 each, while the gold spot price was $2,300.

In addition, a 20-pack of one-ounce silver US Eagle coins was available for $689, and a set of 25 one-ounce silver coins from the Canadian Mint was priced at $809, compared with a silver spot price of $29 per ounce.

Even though Costco doesn't make much profit from its gold business, the company is likely content to keep it up for a few reasons.

Pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars in sales through Costco.com is a relatively easy way for the company to show strong e-commerce revenue growth.

Plus, the items' exclusivity is yet another way to keep existing members happy and attract new sign-ups.

• To fight inflation, I'm earning more money with side hustles and diversifying my investments.
• Even though I'm making more money now, I'm not spending more money.
• This article is part of "My Financial Life," a series helping people live and spend better.

As someone who grew up without financial stability, I've been motivated to create a safety net for myself. I have a deep understanding of how money problems can affect one's quality of life. Breaking the cycle of poverty and growing my nest egg have always been goals of mine.

I've found ways to stay ahead of inflation and build my wealth so that my net worth can grow and I don't have to worry when I have a financial setback. I've been able to leave toxic work environments, make decisions not based entirely on money, and even take a year off from work to travel through South America.

Most importantly, however, my approach to money has allowed me to feel safe and secure for the first time in my life.

1. I take on a variety of side hustles to grow my income

One way I've managed to stay ahead of inflation is by taking on side hustles. Diversifying my income has allowed me to continuously increase the amount I earn, which has provided extra money to save and invest each month.

I target this money toward specific goals — like paying off student loans or saving up an emergency fund — and I always have one or two side hustles I can focus on if something happens to my primary job.

2. I diversify my investments to beat inflation

When I started my financial journey, I kept my money in a high-yield savings account until I had enough for an emergency fund. These accounts typically accrue far more interest than traditional savings accounts, helping savings keep pace with inflation.

In addition to keeping money I'll need in the next year or two in an HYSA, I've diversified my assets to allow my money to work for me. The majority of my wealth is invested in index funds and exchange-traded funds. Because these funds tend to provide solid returns, this money has grown exponentially and provided the largest growth in my nest egg.

I've also invested in I bonds. Though their interest rates can vary and are sometimes below the rate of inflation, they can offer incredible value. In 2022, for example, the interest rate was 9.62%, which was a great time to buy $10,000 worth — the maximum amount allowed a year.

3. I don't spend more money even though I make more money

Finally, I've maintained frugal habits even as my salary and net worth have grown. While I went from making about $10,000 the first year I was working to about $100,000 during my last school year as an educator, I haven't experienced significant lifestyle inflation.

I've continued using credit-card rewards, couponing, and shopping sales, and I've avoided spending too much on a house or getting a car loan I don't need. It's easier to stay ahead of inflation when I'm not buying more than I need and when I'm using resources like coupons to my advantage.

I'm planning for early retirement and living my best life now

All these strategies have allowed me to continue to grow my wealth beyond what I thought was possible when I was a child. This has provided me with a safety net I can rely on when things go awry.

When I found myself in a toxic work environment a few years ago, for example, I was able to quit without knowing for sure what would come next. I had the flexibility to make the choice that was right for me without having to worry about how I'd make it work financially — the ultimate luxury, and one I had been working toward my entire life.

Setting my finances up in a way that has allowed me to have a sense of financial freedom has been liberating. I have enough money now that I can take time off from work and live on my savings and investments for a while if necessary, and I'm on track to retire early — hopefully by my mid-50s.

• Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russia's air defenses in Crimea, per reports.
• The attacks could make Crimea untenable as a military staging ground, one US think tank said.
• But they're not a silver bullet to end Russia's occupation of the region, experts said.

Ukraine's sustained attacks against Russia's air defenses could make occupied Crimea untenable as a military staging ground, war analysts said.

In an assessment on Thursday, the Institute for the Study of War think tank said that Ukraine's repeated strikes on military targets in the region were forcing Russia to commit new air defenses.

But further strikes, it said, could make it impossible for Russia to prepare or launch attacks from the annexed peninsula.

Ukraine has repeatedly hit Russia's air defenses in Crimea over the last few months, with attacks intensifying this week.

According to reports, one Russian S-400 "Triumf" and two S-300 air-defense missile systems were targeted overnight on Sunday into Monday, with suggestions that Ukraine used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS.

Two days later, Ukraine launched another missile strike, hitting an S-300 missile system and two S-400 missile systems in Crimea, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

It declined to say what type of missiles were used, but the Institute for the Study of War said they were "likely" ATACMS.

The strikes seemed to show that Ukraine's older, Western-supplied missiles can get around even Russia's most sophisticated air defense systems, experts told BI this week.

Forbes reached a similar conclusion on Wednesday, saying Russia's S-400 missile systems can't defend nearby Russian troops or even themselves.

The development could be a major problem for Russia, which has used Crimea as a supply route for bringing troops and gear to the front lines in Ukraine.

There are already signs that the country is looking to other routes.

Russia has also placed an S-500 missile system in Crimea to protect its air defenses, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's defense intelligence directorate, said this week, per a translation by the ISW.

But despite Ukraine's recent successes, its campaign of long-range air strikes won't be the silver bullet that ends Russia's occupation of Crimea, military experts told BI.

Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia Programme, told BI that Ukraine's "slow-motion successes" with air and naval operations appear to be making the peninsula "less and less" tenable for Russian forces.

However, Giles said limited information from open sources makes it difficult to gauge Russia's air-defense capabilities and the extent to which Russian troops are exposed in the region.

"You get the impression that Russia is continuing to deliver new systems to Crimea, and they're being knocked down as swiftly as they're being set up," he said. "But it takes a much more detailed assessment of what's going on to actually establish the real picture."

Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute, said that Crimea is mostly out of range of Ukrainian artillery, and even rocket artillery like HIMARS.

He said Russia may have to make some tough decisions if it needs to replace lost air defenses, which might mean thinning out defenses elsewhere, but air strikes alone won't be enough to push Russian forces out of Crimea.

"It would take a significant Ukrainian ground push," he said, "to create the kind of pressure."

And given Crimea's tactical and political significance, Russian forces "aren't going to withdraw without a major fight," he added.

"The kind of casualties they would need to suffer to consider this can only really be inflicted on their ground forces by a Ukrainian ground assault and a large volume of artillery or close-in fire," he said.

James Black, assistant director of defense research at RAND Europe, made a similar point, saying Russian troops are unlikely to withdraw from Crimea unless their position is rendered untenable.

"Crimea is clearly a major strategic and political priority for the Kremlin, and any withdrawal of Russian forces from the peninsula would be a serious embarrassment for President Putin and his military leadership, both domestically and abroad," he said.

Anthony Michael Hall has spent most of his life in front of the camera, and he has the stories to prove it.

Some of them are downright enviable. He hung out with comedy legends Chevy Chase and John Candy while filming his first starring role in "National Lampoon's Vacation," became the muse of 1980s auteur John Hughes with "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles," and was the youngest "Saturday Night Live" cast member ever after joining the show at 17.

But some of them are less so. Hall's 1986 film "Out of Bounds," his attempt at becoming a dramatic leading man, was a flop. He was part of what's regarded as one of the worst "Saturday Night Live" seasons of all time. Hard-partying forced him to step away from Hollywood.

It's enough stories for a lifetime — and all of that happened by his mid-20s.

Now 56 and with the dreaded transition from teen star to adult actor decades behind him, Hall has added many more memorable roles to his credits: he played Bill Gates in the 1999 TV movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley," popped up in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight," and went toe-to-toe with Michael Myers in "Halloween Kills." Soon, he'll add another to the list: a sleazy politician who gets on Jessica Alba's bad side in the Netflix action movie "Trigger Warning," out June 21.

For the latest interview in Business Insider's "Role Play" series, Hall opens up about his partying days, why he turned down the lead role in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket," and his plan to make a "Succession"-like comedy series with his good friend Robert Downey Jr.

On hitting puberty during reshoots of 'National Lampoon's Vacation' and meeting John Candy

"National Lampoon's Vacation" was your first movie, and the ending was reshot. As a kid, was it strange to do a reshoot?

We did the reshoot for "Vacation" six or nine months later. The funny thing is that puberty had fully kicked in for me. I'm literally seven inches taller. So if you look at the movie closely, you'll see that my hair is darker, and I got taller and skinnier. The first day on set for the reshoot, I see Chevy, and he sees that I have one or two giant pimples, and he goes, "If you're going blind, you're doing it right." He was just messing with me because, seeing how I looked, he guessed I had started masturbating. Chevy was like that. 

And the other thing was I learned John Candy was going to be part of the reshoots. I used to watch "SCTV," so I loved him, and one of the sketches he used to do was the Schmenge brothers with Eugene Levy, they were Polish variety show hosts. So I brought that to John's attention, and he said, "We're going to make you an honorary Schmenge, Michael," he would talk to me like his Schmenge character. That's how cool he was. He really was like Uncle Buck. 

On doing 10 auditions for 'Sixteen Candles' and casting John Cusack himself

Is it true you did 10 auditions for the Ted role in "Sixteen Candles"?

I think so. It was in that range. 

Was John Hughes at all of them?

I believe he was at all of them. As well as Jackie Burch, the casting director. But the thing was that with every successive round of audition, they would add more executives from the studio showing up. 

So you would feel good if the room filled up more and more.

Exactly. I felt I was getting closer to landing the job because they kept asking me to come back and do the same scenes, and there would be more and more people. 

Do you think you and John clicked through that process, or was it not until filming started?

I think it was actually through the audition. Because I felt like he was rooting for me. 

Is it true that you were the one who cast John Cusack for the role of Bryce, one of Ted's geek friends?

Yes. And that was at John Hughes' direction. He literally said that to me one day. He said, "They are going to be your buddies in the movie, so I want you to cast them." I was stunned. I was a 15-year-old kid. I couldn't believe he said that. So I cast John and Darren Harris. 

By the time "The Breakfast Club" came out, you were one of the biggest teen stars in Hollywood. What was that like for you?

I was excited and stunned. I think when it started to kick in for me was even before that, it was when we had screenings of "Sixteen Candles." I remember John was doing post-production on "Sixteen Candles," and he wanted to show it to me. I went to the Waldorf Astoria with my father to see John, and he showed it to us on VHS in his beautiful penthouse suite. I remember tripping out because I was watching the movie, and I really laughed and thought it was funny. That marks the beginning of when I felt something was starting for me. 

By the time "The Breakfast Club" came around, he had called me at home. This is six or eight months later because he did "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," and "Weird Science" consecutively. My parents gave me the phone, and he just told me about the movie and my part, and that's how I got involved with that. We would always call each other and talk over the phone, just as friends. 

On wild nights out while making 'Weird Science' and starring on 'SNL' simultaneously

We have to talk about 1984 to 1986 because that is a defining moment in your life and career. You were on "Saturday Night Live" as the youngest cast member ever at 17 years old. You were finishing up "Weird Science," and were looking to do your first dramatic role with "Out of Bounds" after declining to play the lead in Hughes' "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

You were living in the Chateau Marmont with a giant billboard of "Weird Science" right outside your window. You were flying back to New York weekly for "SNL." And, on either coast, you were partying with the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Mike Tyson. What the heck was life like for you then?

Dude, it's like you were there the way you just described that! That was startling. No, it was incredible for me. I remember taking a meeting to do "Out of Bounds," and at that point, I felt personally I was riding the crest of these three John Hughes movies, and I was loving it, but part of me wanted to move forward, and that's why I chose that film. It was a chance to step in a new direction after three comedies. And, yes, I was going back and forth to New York to do "SNL" because my deal for the 1985 season was not like the other cast members — I only did like 13 or 14 episodes while everyone else did 20-22. It was a whirlwind. 

A whirlwind for sure. Looking back, did you burn both ends of the candle?

It was a lot to deal with, absolutely. And we're talking about the age of 15 to 20. I'd done all those films and "SNL," and truthfully, yeah, those were my partying days. I grew up in Manhattan, so it wasn't something I had to reach for. It was always right there. I certainly had my wild nights. But I feel by the time I was in my mid-20s it shifted because I had to reinvest in my craft and take it seriously and rebuild. 

On his biggest career regret and working with Tim Burton on 'Edward Scissorhands'

I have to bring up one more thing from this time span: Stanley Kubrick calls you to play the lead in "Full Metal Jacket."

Oh, shit. Yeah.

Is it true that there was a nine-month negotiating period to determine whether you were going to sign on for the role of Joker?

That's right. 

But set the record straight, because you have said different things over the years: Did you walk away because of the money being offered, or was it the character and the amount of time you'd have to dedicate to the role?

Here's the thing: I remember I had to go to Kubrick's lawyer's house, who lived in the Bel Air section of Beverly Hills. I was with my father. He escorted me into his kitchen, and I sat down and read a script that was numbered because Kubrick was extremely private, and I read "Full Metal Jacket." But it was such a long and drawn-out process. At one point, I remember the lawyer calling my father, and Kubrick had a question for my father; he wanted to know if he had read a book called "Nuclear Negotiations," because that's how long these talks were going. 

But to answer your question, and it's a good one, I think it was about not just the money but what it represented. He really wasn't giving me a legitimate deal. And because I did my research, I knew that I'd be working for a year on that movie. In fact, I happened to run into Matthew Modine a year and a half later, and I asked him, "How long did you guys shoot?" And he was like, "54 weeks." 

So it was about the money. We couldn't come to an agreement on the deal and that's ultimately why I walked away. If I have anything close to a regret in my career, it would be not doing that movie. But I'm not a person who lives with regret, so I feel I grew from that experience. And I wound up having a conversation with him after all that. 

With Kubrick?

Yeah. It was really interesting. He basically told me he had a lot of budgetary restraints, and I talked to him about that. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but I was able to have two conversations with the man: at the beginning, when he offered me the role and he talked about his influences like Chaplin and Russian films, and then at the end. The whole thing was an interesting experience. 

You took some time off after "Out of Bounds" and reemerged as the bully Jim in Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands." Was it a confidence boost for you when that movie became a hit?

It totally was. I remember I got a meeting in New York with Tim. I was super stoked to see him. A modern-day Walt Disney. He was super laid back at the meeting. He was soft-spoken and really chill. And I was in my early 20s by then and had another growth spurt, so I think he loved that coming off the John Hughes movies and people knowing me as the geek from those, he thought it would be interesting to cast me in that Jim role. Basically, to go against type. 

We shot in the Tampa area. I'll never forget: I went into his office, and he had all the drawings for "The Nightmare Before Christmas" on the wall. So he was thinking about that even though he was in production on "Scissorhands." And he would come so alive once he was on set. He's so calm and reserved, but on set, a switch flips and he comes to life. 

On Christopher Nolan's on-set uniform and developing a 'Succession'-like TV series with Robert Downey Jr.

You have worked with many greats. How do you compare Christopher Nolan when you worked with him on "The Dark Night"?

He's up there. Hughes. Burton. Nolan, I love, too. With the scale and the scope of the movie, I always just went with what was on the page; I never tried to improvise. I remember on set, he always wore the same thing: jeans, a vest, and a lengthy jacket. He looked like a conductor. He had a uniform, it seemed. He was kind of like a pied piper because, with every shot, there would be a trail of four or five people behind him.

I heard you and Robert Downey Jr. developing something together.

We are. I can tell you that we are in development; it's been years. We wrote a TV series together, we're calling it "Singularity," and it's based on an idea Downey had. It's taken a while because, at a certain point, we had to change things because it wound up being too similar to "Succession." What I mean by that is I would have played one of three sons, and the father was this tycoon industrialist. It's more of a comedic tone than "Succession," but it mirrored it too much, so we had to change things. Downey and I actually had a Zoom session the other day with a top producer who will hopefully come on board. 

Would Downey be on camera alongside you?

He is willing to do that. He might direct the pilot and some other episodes along with being in it. 

Would you direct some episodes? 

I would love to. This is really Downey's idea, so he's committed to being a part of it. 

You've had so many different eras of your career. Is there anything else you still want to try?

Writer-director. I've written something that I really want to make. I would star and direct it. It has been a passion and desire for me to do that for many years now. It's the next evolution in my career, being behind the camera. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

• Armenia announced this week that it will leave the Russia-led CSTO, seen as Putin's rival to NATO.
• Experts say Putin wants the alliance to project Russian power, meaning Armenia's decision is a blow.
• Armenia may see this as a power play, but one expert warned it doesn't have much leverage.

Armenia's announcement that it's going to leave a Russia-led alliance that was set up to rival NATO is a blow to the image Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to project, experts told Business Insider.

Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister of Armenia, one of six member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, said on Wednesday that his country is leaving the alliance, after growing increasingly frustrated.

The decision, particularly from a country so much smaller and weaker than Russia, is unlikely to go down well in the Kremlin.

In fact, experts say it's the opposite of what Putin hoped to achieve with the alliance.

The CSTO is important to Russia

The CSTO, established in 2002, is made up of countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. It is widely viewed as Putin's attempt to establish a NATO rival, one that it leads.

"Putin sees himself almost like this 19th-century style great statesman," Davis Ellison, an analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, told BI.

But, he said, it's difficult to reconcile the idea that you're a great power — with a sphere of influence — when a country the size of Armenia "breaks away from you very publicly over your foreign policy behavior."

"That's a circle that cannot be squared," he said.

Armenia's announcement is "ultimately pretty significant from a political sense for Russia," he added.

Alexander Cooley, a former Soviet states expert at Columbia University, told BI last year that Russia sees leading organizations like the CSTO as part of its "self-identification as a great power."

The alliance is not very important globally, he said: "I don't think it ever struck anybody as a very effective organization." But leading it is still important to Putin as, in Putin's mind, "great powers lead alliances and organizations."

Thomas Graham, cofounder of Yale University's Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies program, said that the CSTO was created "in part so that Russia could claim that it was leading a multilateral effort."

"But it was also meant to solidify Russia's position as the ultimate guarantor of security in the former Soviet space," he told BI.

Armenia snubbing Russia

Pashinyan's announcement came after months of snubs against Putin, and criticism of the CSTO in general.

Pashinyan was visibly frustrated when Russia did not send troops to help his country last year during clashes with Azerbaijan, despite the CSTO having a NATO-like agreement where members should come to the aid of each other if attacked.

He called the response "depressing" and "hugely damaging to the CSTO's image both in our country and abroad."

Since then, Armenia has said it's "not Russia's ally" in the war in Ukraine, has bought Western weapons, and has held military exercises with the US.

But Armenia will have a tough future

Graham suggested that Armenia's latest move was a power play "to see if it can get a more favorable set of relations with Moscow," and more support in its clashes with neighboring Azerbaijan.

But he said that Armenia doesn't have enough external support to get what it wants.

"Moscow may pay a bit more attention, but I think at the end of the day, Moscow's calculation is that Armenia doesn't really have many other places to go," he told BI.

"It can flirt with the West, but it will never get the type of support out of the West that can replace what Moscow can provide," he said, adding: "Armenia is not going to get a lot of high-level attention in Washington."

Armenia, like CSTO members Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, is also still economically dependent on Russia, Graham said.

And he said it can't expect support from the other member states, particularly as Armenia is not as close to some of them as they are with each other and Russia.

Russia may also retaliate by interfering with its domestic politics, he said.

While the situation may be embarrassing for Putin, when it comes to responding to Armenia he does have a lot of room to maneuver, Graham added, "in part because there aren't any other countries that want to intervene in a significant way."

• We want to have a wedding in our home state, Florida, without ostracizing our queer friends.
• Our LGBTQ+ friends said they don't feel safe traveling to Florida, and we won't make them do so.
• So, we're having one wedding in Florida and one in New York. 

In 2022, I was directing at a theater in Ithaca, New York, when my partner surprised me with a marriage proposal.

At the end of a breezy hike to the foot of Businessman's Lunch Falls, sitting on a sun-warmed rock in the middle of the creek, they popped the question. I said yes.

But as we began thinking about our future wedding, we had a conundrum: Our family lives in Florida, and we'd love to get married there … but most of our queer friends have recently moved out of the state for their own safety and well-being.

Having a wedding in Florida is important to us — but it's become a difficult place to exist as a queer person

Despite moving to New York City in 2022, we both grew up in Florida and couldn't imagine having our wedding anywhere else.

The state's sunshine, flora, and fauna make us feel fully at home, and we have many family members in Florida who can no longer travel.

But before we moved, Gov. Ron DeSantis passed what's been nicknamed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which limits teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida schools.

My partner and I — who both use they/them pronouns — were teaching at the New College of Florida at the time and were worried how this would impact our jobs and our lives.

We moved north with a grim understanding of where things were headed politically in Sarasota, and many of our Floridian LGBTQ+ colleagues would follow suit in the months to follow.

Shortly after we left Florida, DeSantis overhauled New College, turning the liberal-arts school into a bastion of conservative politics.

As we started to plan our wedding, we checked in with queer and trans friends, most of whom have sought refuge from Florida's fraught sociopolitical climate.

They helped us realize how much fear and anger there is in our community surrounding traveling southward. Most told us they outright refused to set foot in Florida — not even for a wedding.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with a destination wedding, so long as that destination isn't the same place your friends all just worked so hard to escape from to ensure their rights to life, love, and healthcare.

Our solution is to have 2 weddings: one in Florida and one in New York

As queer people — queer citizens — we have the burden to navigate our competing desires: to celebrate amid family in an ecosystem we cherish and to keep our queer community and ourselves feeling joyous, and more importantly, safe.

We would never ask a loved one to travel where they don't feel welcome. But we also refuse to let conservative politics stop us from celebrating our love amid some of the most beautiful nature on the planet in Florida.

With all of this to consider, we began to plan two weddings: one in Florida with local family and friends and one in New York City for our northern communities — especially those who can't imagine going back to a state that no longer feels safe for folks who once called it home.

We'll have one wedding in Orlando this fall and the other in New York next spring.

We want our community to feel like they can actually celebrate at our wedding — but this only happens when everyone gathered feels safe, not targeted by local politics because of who they are.

I hope our two weddings make everyone feel comfortable, loved, and seen. Isn't that what making a marriage is all about?

• I was one of the first to ride the all-new Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction at Magic Kingdom. 
• I loved the highly advanced animatronics of characters like Tiana and Mama Odie.
• The queue is a great spot to spot hidden details of the attraction.

In 2020, Disney announced it would close the popular but controversial Splash Mountain at both Disney World and Disneyland.

There was plenty of upset and backlash from fans of the classic ride. But its story was based on the 1946 movie "Songs of the South," which has been criticized for featuring a racist representation of the American Old South.

In its place, Disney created a new "Princess and the Frog"-themed water ride called Tiana's Bayou Adventure, with the company's first Black princess front and center.

I got a chance to ride the new Magic Kingdom attraction early as part of a media preview event ahead of its official opening on June 28. Here's what it's like.

There is a large outdoor queue that leads into the main section of the line.

Before loading into the log-style ride vehicles, a large outdoor queue area snakes around a concrete plaza.

This largely unshaded outdoor area can get very hot, so I'd bring a handheld fan or an umbrella during the summer months to help keep cool.

Just before heading inside, I spotted Tiana's delivery truck decorated in Mardi Gras colors.

The indoor queue was cute and full of Easter eggs.

After walking through the outdoor line, I reached the covered indoor section of the queue, which was almost cuter than the actual attraction.

I loved all of the hidden details. But one of the first things I saw was a newspaper folded up on a wooden table. The headline read, "Princess Tiana throws a Mardi Gras Party for all of New Orleans."

This was my first big clue for what to expect from the ride itself.

The queue area featured a nod to Splash Mountain.

Just past the table, on the shelf above the desk, there's a little Easter egg paying tribute to Splash Mountain: fox, bear, and bunny tchotchkes placed together as a nod to Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and Brer Rabbit.

My favorite part of the queue was seeing the gumbo recipe on the wall.

If you've ever watched "The Princess and the Frog," you'll know that gumbo, a stew-like dish that's famous in New Orleans, is a big part of the story.

I loved seeing a framed copy of Tiana's dad's famous recipe on the wall of the queue. I snapped a picture just to try out the recipe myself.

Waiting in line was a full sensory experience.

Just past the gumbo recipe, I peeked into Tiana's kitchen, where a plate of beignets was covered in powdered sugar on the table.

It even smelled like powdered sugar inside the kitchen.

After a few more minutes of waiting, it was finally time to ride.

The log-style ride vehicles for Tiana's Bayou Adventure looked very similar to the ones from Splash Mountain — I wouldn't be surprised if they just recycled the old ones.

They each have four rows that can comfortably fit two adults each. I got a seat in the back row of the log.

The ride was full of new animatronic characters and animals.

After the first lift hill, I got my first look at the impressive new animatronics that Disney created for the attraction, which is set a year after "The Princess and the Frog" ends.

Princess Tiana welcomed us to the bayou and let us know what to bring to the party.

Other characters from the movie made an appearance as well.

The ride continued down into the bayou past Louis and Mama Odie from the movie.

Throughout the ride, there were familiar songs from the movie. But there was also an all-new song called "Special Spice," sung by Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana.

The big drop was as thrilling as ever.

The most famous part of Splash Mountain was probably the big drop into the briar patch, and that track remained the same for the reimagined water ride.

Luckily, in the back of the log, I didn't get very wet throughout the ride, including the big drop.

There were so many cute details throughout the ride.

My favorite part of the ride was the final scene, where all the characters gather for a big celebration.

Each of the critters we passed during the ride is now playing music for the party. One of my favorite details was seeing Gritty, the rabbit, playing the washboard, which is actually the license plate from Tiana's truck outside.

I'd definitely wait to ride this again.

I only ended up riding Tiana's Bayou Adventure once during the preview event. Although it's not my favorite ride at Disney World (that spot belongs to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind), it's great to have something new.

I also loved everything the Disney creatives did to make the attraction feel like it was plucked right out of New Orleans.

When Tiana's Bayou Adventure officially opens at the end of the month, Magic Kingdom will only offer a virtual queue, as has been the case for other recent rides. But you can also purchase Genie+ or an Individual Lighting Lane to ride.

The minimum height requirement is 40 inches. The ride doesn't have scary story elements, but some parts are dark, and the big drop could be too much for younger kids.

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

• Gen X is feeling the sting of inflation more than other generations.
• A new TransUnion study shows Gen X is planing the greatest cutbacks in discretionary spending.
• More than half of Gen Xers said their income wasn't matching the pace of rising prices.

With the Federal Reserve Bank holding interest rates steady, inflation worries continue to rise. And no group is feeling the pinch more than Generation X.

Sixty-four percent of Gen Xers have cut back on discretionary spending like dining out and travel in the last three months, the highest percentage of any generation, according to TransUnion's consumer pulse study published on June 12. TransUnion surveyed 3,000 adults between April 29 and May 8 in partnership with third-party research firm Dynata.

Overall, 84% of respondents cited inflation for everyday goods like groceries and gas as a top concern, a 5% increase from the same period in the previous year. Interest rate worries also climbed to 46%, up from 41% a year ago.

This inflation concern has many Americans believing that their paychecks are not keeping up with their costs of living. Gen X — who were born between 1965 and 1980 — is struggling the most, with 56% indicating their income isn't matching the pace of rising prices, the highest for any generation.

This comes at a time when many Gen Xers are already feeling financial pressure. According to a Business Insider and YouGov survey of over 1,800 US adults in July, 50% of Gen Xers do not feel financially secure even though they are at the height of their earning potential. It was also the generation least likely to feel somewhat or very financially secure.

In addition to inflation pressure, Gen X is responsible for 38% of the debt in the US despite representing about 20% of the US population, according to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances.

Gen X feels less optimistic about money than other generations

Gen X also has a more dire view of the economy in general.

While all generations listed inflation as their biggest concern regarding household finances — ranging from 77% for Gen Z respondents to 90% for baby boomers — many Gen Xers are also worried that the country is heading toward a recession. Half of this cohort named this as their second-biggest concern.

What's more, 47% of Gen Xers feel optimistic about household finances in the next 12 months. That was well behind Gen Z and millennials, at 65% and 64%, respectively. Boomers were more evenly split at 49%.

Additionally, more than one-third of Gen X respondents anticipate canceling subscriptions and memberships, and one in four plan to cancel or reduce digital services.

As inflation concerns rise, Gen X is being hit the hardest, as they deal with high debt levels and insufficient income growth to match cost-of-living increases. 

"Consumers are facing distinct challenges when taking into account today's high inflation and interest rate environment," said Charlie Wise, senior vice president and head of global research and consulting at TransUnion, in the company's press release. "As the cost of living continues to increase, we are seeing clear behavioral changes, with those being 'inflation concerned' more likely to cut back on discretionary spending and cancel subscriptions or memberships."

Are you a Gen Xer who has needed to adjust your budget and spending habits and is willing to talk about how? Reach out to this reporter at cgaines@businessinsider.com.