Author: openjargon

• I've been going to Disney World for 30 years, so I know that summers in Orlando can be brutal. 
• I've learned to bring a small handheld fan into the parks to beat the heat.
• I also love to hit the water parks late in the afternoon instead of in the morning.

Disney World is one of the most-visited theme parks in the world, and during the summer, the crowds and heat can both be high.

I love going to the parks to ride my favorite attractions and eat at some of the best restaurants, but the harsh Florida heat can greatly impact a trip.

After visiting Disney World for more than 30 years, I've learned how to survive the dog days of summer. Here are my top tips.

I like to visit the water parks in the afternoon.

One of my favorite things to do at Disney World is visit one of the two water parks, which alternate being open throughout the year. This summer, Typhoon Lagoon is open.

As the days get longer in June and July, there are certain nights when the water park is open until 8 p.m.

I love getting to the park around 5 p.m. when most people are packing up and the heat of the day is starting to cool down. It's a great time to hit some big water slides and the lazy river for a few hours.

Additionally, Typhoon Lagoon hosts H2O Glow After Hours, a separately ticketed event during which the park is open until 11 p.m. on select summer nights.

This is a great way to spend time in the park without the blazing sun making the water feel too hot.

A small handheld fan is a lifesaver while walking through the parks.

Summer temperatures in Florida can reach over 100 degrees, and that's not even factoring in the high humidity.

One of my theme-park essentials is a handheld, rechargeable fan. I like ones that can fold to fit into a small fanny pack or purse, but neck fans are also popular around the parks.

I whip out the fan whenever I start feeling too hot. But I'll also use it in air-conditioned queues since the fan can direct the cold air right to my face.

Skip afternoons at the park and go in the evening to watch the fireworks.

Afternoons are going to be the hottest time at the theme parks. After doing a few things in the morning, I like to head back to my hotel for a few hours before returning to the parks in the evening.

Once the sun starts to go down, the air feels slightly cooler, which makes theme-park activities much more enjoyable.

My general rule of thumb is to get to the park by 5 p.m. to maximize my evening time. I usually hit a few rides and watch any nighttime shows, like Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom

Finding longer shows or rides is a great way to cool down.

If you plan on being at the parks in the morning or afternoon, I suggest prioritizing longer shows and indoor rides. Sitting for a while can be extremely satisfying on a hot day.

Some of my favorites are Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom, "Festival of the Lion King" at Animal Kingdom, and The American Adventure at Epcot.

I like to alternate between one indoor attraction or show and one outdoor activity to avoid getting too hot.

Look for water rides and splash pads.

If you need an instant refresh, water rides are a great option. You may get wet, but the instant cool-off is worth a few wet splotches on a T-shirt. Plus, you'll inevitably dry quickly in the sun.

A few of my favorite water attractions are Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom and Journey of Water at Epcot.

There are also some children's splash pads around the parks, like the Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station at Magic Kingdom.

If you're staying all day, consider making a table-service dining reservation.

I don't recommend staying in the parks all day in the summer, but if you must, consider making a sit-down reservation for lunch.

If you aim for any time between 1 and 2:30 p.m., you should get the opportunity to relax, cool off, and take a break from the crowds while avoiding the big lunch rush.

I've had an easy time grabbing last-minute reservations at places like The Plaza in Magic Kingdom, Via Napoli in Epcot, and Yak & Yeti in Animal Kingdom.

Avoid driving to the parks, if you can.

It may be tempting to drive to the theme park for the day, but if you're staying at a Disney hotel, I think the complimentary transportation is a better option.

The parking lots can be exceptionally hot when the heat starts radiating off the tarmac, and you're car will likely be scorching by the end of the day.

Instead, I prefer to hop on one of the Disney buses, the monorail, or a boat.

• CEO Tim Cook revealed its AI plan, "Apple Intelligence," to kick off WWDC 2024.
• The announcements were impressive, but may not be enough to attract new Apple customers.
• Some of the new features coming to iPhones were already offered on Androids.

Apple made waves in the tech industry on Monday when it unveiled its new artificial intelligence system, Apple Intelligence.

Although the Worldwide Developer Conference keynote revealed some features that have been long-awaited — like AI — and others that came as a surprise, it doesn't mean Apple Intelligence is enough to attract new customers.

In fact, if analysts' predictions are accurate, no one should expect astronomical results from this announcement in 2024.

One of the main reasons is that Apple Intelligence — and the rest of the updates the company announced — will only be available in its next software updates, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and Sequoia, its operating system for computers. And if you want to use Apple Intelligence on your iPhone, you'll have to have an iPhone 15 Pro or later model.

So, while some see this as an opportunity to supercharge iPhone growth, and while dedicated Apple fans might be especially motivated to upgrade to the newest models if they want the full capabilities of AI, an Android user might not feel the same spark that would make them enter the Apple ecosystem.

Monday's announcements were impressive enough to "stanch some of the device revenue that's been hemorrhaging lately, but there isn't enough to create a new band of followers," Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, said.

New features in iOS 18, like email summarization and a more customizable home screen, are already offered by Apple's competitors. Meanwhile, existing Apple owners may already be using established chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT as apps on their devices. And many of the more advanced AI features will only be available in American English at first, which doesn't bode well for foreign markets, Bloomberg reported.

Apple Intelligence is a multi-year strategy that will likely take time to pay off fully — but the company is "taking the right path," according to a note from Wedbush Securities analysts.

Still, while the note said, "Apple's AI strategy will leverage its golden installed base" of a massive 2.2 billion iOS devices, there's still no clarity on whether anyone will actually ditch their Samsung for an iPhone.

New customers might not be a big deal to all investors, however. Morningstar tech analyst William Kerwin told Business Insider that it's "more about incentivizing existing customers to spend more and upgrade into the new phones" than bringing in new buyers.

"And we think these announcements are enough to drive that. But we don't think it will be seismic, hence our 2-star rating," Kerwin added.

• Plant-based diets have been linked to lower blood pressure and slower aging. 
• But the plant-based ultra-processed food category is growing. 
• Plant-based UPFs increased the risk of heart disease, while whole foods lowered it, in a new study.

Eating a plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of heart problems and a longer life.

But plant-based foods that are ultra-processed, like vegan nuggets or potato chips, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, according to a new study.

There is a simple swap, however, that could boost your health.

People who switch out plant-based processed foods with whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, have been found to have lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of diabetes. They may also age slower.

In recent years, highly-processed plant-based meat alternatives have become popular. In 2023, the plant-based market was worth $8.1 billion, according to the Good Food Institute.

Ultra-processed foods (UFPs) make up around 73% of the US food supply, according to a 2024 research paper by Northeastern University's Network Science Institute, which hasn't been peer-reviewed. Eating a diet high in UPFs has been linked to health conditions, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

To understand the impact that eating plant-based products and UPFs had on cardiovascular risk, researchers analyzed data from a UK Biobank longitudinal study.

They looked at data from more than 118,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 who answered questions about their diet. This information was later linked to hospital and mortality records to monitor cardiovascular risk factors.

The study, published Monday in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, found that plant-based UPF consumption was associated with a 5% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a 12% higher risk of early death.

However, replacing plant-based UPFs with non-UPF plant-based foods was associated with a 7% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 15% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, the study said.

In light of their findings, the authors recommended that dietary guidelines should emphasize not only limiting meat and animal products, but also the need to avoid UPFs in general.

"A higher intake of plant-sourced foods may only bring about better cardiovascular health outcomes when largely based on minimally processed foods while a higher intake of plant-sourced UPF may have detrimental effects on health," the study said.

Baked goods, snacks, and soda made up the majority of plant-based UPFs

Although meat alternatives were included, processed baked goods were the main foods considered plant-based UPFs, Duane Mellor, dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and Honorary Academic Fellow at Aston University, said.

These included packaged bread, pastries, cake, cookies, potato chips, and sugar-sweetened beverages,

Fake meat made up 0.5% of all ultra-processed foods consumed by participants in the study.

"It is important to emphasize that just because a food or drink is technically plant-based, it does not mean it is healthy," he said.

Tom Sanders, Professor emeritus of Nutrition and Dietetics, King's College London, said: "As a nutritionist, I find the term "plant-based ultra-processed food" confusing and not helpful in formulating dietary advice to the public." Cake, soda, and cookies are unhealthy whether they're made industrially or at home, he added.

• I grew up in the UK and had never been to the US before I visited LA when I was 26.
• Even when I consumed American content, like "Sex and the City," I was shocked by the differences.
• The weather is amazing nearly every day, and people are seemingly more positive. 

There is so much more space in LA.

One of the first things I noticed when driving to the city from the airport was how it feels like LA has way more space than London. I was especially surprised since London technically has more square miles than LA. 

I felt like I could actually take up space in LA, which is the opposite of cramming myself into the tiniest possible corner of the Central line — London's underground rail — for a morning commute.

In the UK, it can be hard to forget that you're living on a small island with millions of people. Here, I could see beaches and skies and roads for miles. 

Plus, almost every house I passed here seemed to have its own garden and tons of space inside. Someone in LA told me they never even realized expensive homes sometimes share walls with neighbors, which blew my mind.

The portions of food are bigger, too.

The cars are larger here, and the portions of food are truly expansive.

I was blown away by the big plates and meals I was served throughout my trip. 

LA lacks good public transportation.

Aside from a few metro lines and buses, there's not much public transport in LA.

This clearly isn't the case for all of the US, but the car is king here in a way it isn't at home.

Although this brings its own problems of pollution and snarled roads, it's pretty nice to commute to work without smelling a stranger's armpit.

There's seemingly a more relaxed pace of life.

This sense of space and privacy perhaps explains why people seem more laid-back here than they are in the UK.

Last-minute plans are no big deal in LA, but in London, I feel like I have to ask to see my friends weeks in advance, like buying a theater ticket. 

The people seem happier.

Seemingly people in LA don't cynically complain all of the time, which is weird to me.

As a Brit, it seems insincere when the person taking your lunch order smiles and wishes you a nice day. I'm sure that sometimes it is, but they often really do seem to mean it.

This positive reinforcement to my day was genuinely pleasant.

People seem more open to having conversations with strangers.

Strangers and acquaintances are more open to chatting, so it's easier to make new friends and connections.

This is a nice change from London, where strangers look at you as if you've grown a second head when you randomly greet them.

The weather really is as great as people say.

In London, I'd often wake up to gray and gloomy clouds, go to lunch while it's drizzling, and stare at the dark sky by 4 p.m. My soul would feel like it's dying.

That experience is practically nonexistent in LA, and the good weather makes everything less of a struggle.

But in the off chance of rain, plans are canceled, traffic grows monstrous, and news anchors report on a mild amount of precipitation like it's a tornado. 

The days seem to start earlier in LA.

The energy of the city skews toward the first half of the day, with most of the latest bars closing at a very polite 2 a.m.

But if you want to grab breakfast at 6 a.m., there are plenty of spots open.

Activities and amenities are geared toward convenience.

In London, many shops close early, but in this part of the US, grocery stores are often open all day and offer two-hour delivery.

And, if you don't have time to wait for a prescription, you can go to a drive-thru pharmacy.

It's usually easy to customize your order at restaurants.

I've found that if I ever want my meal with extra sauce or without a certain ingredient, most servers will not bat an eye, even at the fanciest restaurants.

You'll be accommodated if you're cutting out alcohol, trying a gluten-free diet, or following Whole30.

In London, this request will often earn you a dirty look and mutterings from the staff.

The food scene is pretty diverse and interesting.

At restaurants, the produce is impressive, with some unique fruits and vegetables.

Try jicama, which looks like a potato but is eaten raw as a crispy, refreshing snack and tastes like something between an apple and a water chestnut.

Also, there are all kinds of snack foods to grab that I haven't seen back in London. You haven't lived until you've tried Flamin' Hot Cheetos. 

Tipping is a common practice in the US.

Be prepared to ask what the accepted tipping rate is.

While out at a bar, I genuinely forgot about the custom and signed my bill without adding a tip. The bartender rightly pushed the receipt back toward me with a raised eyebrow. 

Weed is seemingly much more common.

People appear to generally drink less in LA than they do in Britain, but more seemingly smoke weed or take CBD oil. After all, cannabis is legal in California but not in the UK. 

Here, I also quickly learned the difference between indica and sativa. And an 80-year-old gave me a great recommendation for a cannabis ointment to help sore muscles.

Overall, I loved how different it all felt.

The TV shows and songs I loved growing up featured American accents, and after a lifetime of consuming all of that content, I naively thought I wouldn't feel such a culture shock. 

As expected, there were palm trees everywhere, but I was still surprised by how much different LA felt compared to the UK. Even though both places primarily speak English, Los Angeles seemed foreign to me. 

From the warm night air to the amazing neon signs everywhere, it was beautifully obvious that I was in a very different part of the world — and I loved it.

This story was originally published on January 30, 2020, and most recently updated on June 11, 2024.

• I've wanted to try every flavor at Baskin-Robbins since I was 7, and I finally got the chance.
• My location had two bonus ice creams, so I tasted and ranked 33 different flavors.
• Pink bubblegum and vanilla fell toward the bottom, but I loved the strawberry-cheesecake ice cream.

Did you ever dream of walking into an ice-cream shop as a kid and asking for one of everything?

As one of the top ice-cream franchises in the US, Baskin-Robbins has been serving scoops since 1945. The chain was originally known for its 31 flavors of ice cream, but between seasonal rotations and menu updates, it's offered more than 1,000 flavors over the years.

I got to live out my 7-year-old fantasy for the ultimate taste-testing adventure: Trying every flavor at my local Baskin-Robbins.

I entered the chain at 11:02 a.m. on a Wednesday, and Ginnette was the only worker there. She single-handedly scooped, packed, and labeled all 33 flavors — the standard 31 plus two bonus flavors — in less than 32 minutes.

In the most important journalistic investigation I've ever undertaken, I ranked every flavor from worst to best.

33. Blue’s Boardwalk Bash

I was happy to see my shop was carrying a couple of limited-edition flavors in honor of the animated movie "If," including Blue's Boardwalk Bash.

The raspberry ice cream, gritty cotton-candy swirls, and Oreo pieces would probably be great separately. Together? Not so much.

32. Pink bubblegum

Baskin-Robbin's bubblegum-flavored ice cream has chunks of bubblegum-flavored candies swirled through it. But the candy pieces were too hard for my liking.

Also, the idea of swallowing bubble gum made this ice cream pretty unappetizing.

31. Daiquiri ice

The daiquiri ice flavor is a good nondairy option at the chain with lime and rum flavorings. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of lime.

I'd definitely add booze to the ice to turn it into a summer drink, but I didn't like it as a casual iced dessert.

30. Vanilla

It's a great staple, but the plain vanilla wasn't as rich as I know it could've been.

I would be keener on French vanilla, or something swirled with flecks of natural vanilla beans.

29. Chocolate

Regular chocolate ice cream isn't usually that dynamic of a flavor.

But Baskin-Robbins' version almost had a buttery quality. It had a little depth that made it taste homemade.

28. Cotton candy

The ice cream tasted exactly like its namesake sweet. But I missed the signature fluffy texture.

27. Gold Medal Ribbon

Gold Medal Ribbon blends Baskin-Robbins' chocolate and vanilla ice creams with a ribbon of caramel.

There was a nostalgic flavor to the ice creams, and the ribbon of caramel was nice and smooth.

Pro tip: I added fresh strawberries to make it feel more like a sundae.

26. Chocolate chip

The best part of the standard chocolate-chip ice cream was that the vanilla base was extra buttery.

25. Nutty coconut

Nutty coconut blends coconut-flavored ice cream with a mix of almonds, pecans, and walnuts.

The coconut flavor worked harmoniously with the nuts.

But to make it better, I'd probably add chocolate or sandwich it between macadamia-nut cookies.

24. Jamoca

Eating Baskin-Robbins' Jamoca ice cream — the chain's take on a coffee flavor — is a smooth, rich treat.

But I noticed the coffee flavor tasted slightly more bitter than the chain's cold-brew offering.

23. Chocolate Mousse Royale

The ice cream was supposedly chocolate-mousse flavored, but it really just tasted like basic chocolate with some chocolate flakes.

Good, but not a top pick for me.

22. Cherries jubilee

Baskin-Robbins' cherry-flavored ice cream with real cherry halves kicks things up a notch with a splash of rum flavoring.

Cherry isn't typically my go-to, but Baskin-Robbins' take on it was delightfully dark and flavorful.

21. Black walnut

Black walnut is a classic, nutty ice-cream flavor, and Baskin'-Robbins offers it seasonally in its scoop shops.

The simple base had a creamy, beautiful texture. The walnuts were bitter, but the ice cream gave it a sweet finish.

20. Mint chocolate chip

I thought the classic flavor tasted more natural here than other brands I've tried. But it was still slightly too sweet for me.

19. Reese’s peanut-butter cup

Also available seasonally, the Reese's flavor tasted pretty similar to other brands featuring the peanut-butter candy. But the base was a little more buttery, which elevated it.

I think it's a great base flavor that could pair nicely with other offerings.

18. Very berry strawberry

Baskin-Robbins' strawberry ice cream was creamy. And the chunks of fruit in it, though sparse, packed flavor.

But given the name, I was expecting more berries.

17. Blossom’s Berry Twirl

Blossom's Berry Twirl was the other monthly flavor tied to the release of "If," and it surprised me.

The flavor mixed strawberry and sweet-cream ice creams with plenty of rainbow sprinkles and sugar cookie dough pieces swirled in.

It tasted like a lovely strawberry shortcake.

16. Peppermint

The peppermint flavor was surprisingly refreshing, with a little sugary crunch in each bite from the candy pieces.

15. Old-fashioned butter pecan

Butter pecan is a scoop shop staple. Baskin-Robbins' version combines butter-pecan-flavored ice cream and chunks of sweet butter-roasted pecans.

The ice cream itself was buttery and really enveloped the crunch of the pecan.

I would've liked it even without the striking sweetness from the butterscotch ribbon.

14. Jamoca almond fudge

The rich coffee ice cream combines Baskin-Robbins' Jamoca flavor with roasted almonds and chocolate fudge.

The almonds had the perfect snap, and the chocolate sauce added some sweetness to balance the bitter coffee base.

I think it would be even better with a drizzle of chewy fudge.

13. Icing on the Cake

Baskin-Robbins' take on birthday-cake ice cream combines cake-flavored ice cream with cake pieces, sprinkles, and frosting.

The ice cream didn't really taste like cake to me, but the added chunks of yellow cake were phenomenal. They somehow stayed moist in the ice cream.

It almost tasted like one of those fully frosted animal cookies.

12. Pralines 'n cream

Another classic ice-cream flavor, the chain's pralines 'n cream is a sweet blend of vanilla ice cream with praline chunks and a caramel swirl.

This brought me right back to the warm nights I've spent in New Orleans.

It was decadent and creamy, and there was a beautiful crunch and punch of sugar from the praline.

11. Pistachio almond

I've never tasted a creamier pistachio ice cream. Plus, there were multiple almonds in every bite.

10. Lemon custard

Another surprise flavor that wasn't advertised for the season was lemon custard. The rich custardy ice-cream base had plenty of citrusy flavors and bits of lemon peel.

I could tell what it was supposed to be immediately — it was like taking a bite out of a pie.

9. Wild 'n reckless sherbet

I traveled back in time to my rainbow-sherbet days of the 1990s. But this time, it had all the best colors.

Instead of basic fruit flavors, green apple, blue raspberry, and fruit punch make up the trio of swirled sherbets.

I was floored by the flavor — it tasted so much like fresh berries. There was a pleasant and light sour punch in my jaw toward the end of every bite.

8. No-sugar-added caramel turtle truffle

The low-sugar flavor combines vanilla ice cream with caramel-filled chocolate turtle candies and a swirl of caramel sauce.

It wasn't heavy and rich like some ice creams. The taste was light and fresh — almost like soft serve blended with caramel and incredibly smooth chocolate turtles.

7. Peanut butter 'n chocolate

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my absolute favorite flavor combinations, especially regarding ice cream, so I was ready to be picky.

But I have to admit, Baskin-Robbins' version with chocolate ice creamy and peanut-butter swirls was pretty amazing.

The peanut butter was soft, and I realized halfway through my first bite that it was chunky — which is the best kind, in my opinion.

6. Triple mango

Mango ice cream with mango sorbet and chunks of mango might sound like an overkill.

But the creamy ice cream kind of muted the flavor of the tangy sorbet, which allowed the chunks of fruit to pop with sweetness.

5. Baseball Nut

Baseball Nut came out of left field for me. I wasn't sure I'd like vanilla ice cream with raspberries and cashews.

But a little bit of this flavor goes a long way between the decadent cashews in every bite and the sweetness of the raspberries.

4. Love Potion #31

Love Potion #31 tasted exactly like a Valentine's Day chocolate — raspberry truffle with notes of dark chocolate and whimsy.

The mix of raspberry and white-chocolate ice creams paired beautifully with the raspberry swirls, chocolate flakes, and raspberry-filled chocolate candies.

3. Chocolate fudge

The fudge was the perfect consistency, more like a soft brownie with a touch of dark chocolate.

I wanted to eat this for infinity.

2. Oreo 'n cold brew

The cold-brew-flavored ice cream was so sweet that it almost tasted like caramel — it wasn't bitter like Jamoca.

Coupled with the beautiful crunch of the pieces of Oreos mixed in, I could eat this all day.

1. Strawberry cheesecake

The cheesecake ice cream has swirls of strawberry sauce and pieces of actual cheesecake. The fruity flavors, though rich from the ice cream, tasted fresh.

It brought me back to hot summer evenings at Junior's, watching the sunset while splitting a slice of ice-cold cheesecake with friends.

Although I had a few favorites, it was definitely my top pick.

• Tim Cook said Apple's new AI tools isn't going to be perfectly accurate.
• He told The Washington Post Apple carefully considered "the areas that we're using it in."
• While not 100% accurate, Cook is "confident" the AI "will be very high quality."

Apple laid out an ambitious vision for artificial intelligence yesterday during its WWDC keynote, but even CEO Tim Cook acknowledged it won't be error-free.

Cook told The Washington Post's Josh Tyrangiel that the new technology, dubbed Apple Intelligence, is bound to hallucinate from time to time.

"It's not 100 percent," Cook said of Apple's AI technology. "But I think we have done everything that we know to do, including thinking very deeply about the readiness of the technology in the areas that we're using it in."

During its WWDC keynote yesterday, Apple showed Apple Intelligence's myriad functions across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

The AI technology can organize notifications, proofread and summarize emails, generate personalized images, and allow users to speak more conversationally with Siri.

"I am confident it will be very high quality," Cook told the Post. "But I'd say in all honesty that's short of 100 percent. I would never claim that it's 100 percent."

In AI, hallucinations happen when factual errors are convincingly spit out as truth. It's a phenomenon that experts warn could spread misinformation.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Google was most recently under fire for its AI Overviews search tool, which generated wrong and nonsensical answers in response to certain queries, like suggesting users put glue in pizza.

• When I was a single mom, money was tight, and I deliberated over every expense.
• My son never had a problem with the shoes I bought him until he went to kindergarten. 
• When he told me kids were teasing him and asked for name-brand shoes, I found a way to afford them.

As a single mom, I deliberated over every expense — including shoes. Most parents would agree that keeping them in shoes that fit well is a near-constant expense when their children are growing. Whenever my son needed a new pair, I typically bought him Cat and Jack shoes at Target and was thankful the brand offered prices within my budget.

My son had never complained about the shoes I bought for him until he started Kindergarten when he started asking me specifically for Nikes. At first, I didn't take his requests seriously. I tried to avoid telling him we couldn't afford something as often as possible, as I never wanted him to feel less-than.

Instead, I told him there was nothing wrong with the shoes he had. I asked him, "I thought you liked your shoes?" My son would just say that he did, but all the other kids had Nikes. We talked it out. I told him I was sure not all of them had Nikes and that he shouldn't care what the other kids had as long as he liked his shoes.

As a teacher, I noticed students getting made fun of for their shoes

I started teaching junior high the same year my son started kindergarten. With my son's request for Nikes on my mind, I began to notice that my students would always show off their new shoes and comment on their classmates' footwear. They said very little about each other's clothing. The focus was always on their shoes, and the students who had less expensive or dirty shoes got made fun of.

As a new teacher, I was stunned by their behavior and would tell them to stop poking fun at one another, asking rhetorically, "Who cares how much your shoes cost?" I thought, my son won't be like this; he won't care what they think of his shoes. But the seed had been planted, and I worried that he might.

My son finally told me his classmates were teasing him

As the school year went on, my son's requests for name-brand shoes escalated, and I finally told him that I just couldn't afford them right now. While running late for school one morning and helping him get ready, he broke down into what I recognized as an anxiety attack. Crying hysterically, he finally confided in me that he was being made fun of for his shoes, and I saw that the teasing was causing him real distress.

I felt I should have known what was behind his requests, and I promised him we would go out and get him the Nikes that night after school. He clung to me in relief, and I decided then that even though I didn't agree with his need for the shoes, I would make sure I found a way to afford them.

I found a way to buy him the shoes he wanted

When I had a moment at work that day, I called my aunt, who had an older son, and explained the situation. She told me she took her son to Kohl's for his shoes because they always had a sale going on, and even emailed me some coupons I could use.

That night, I got my son a pair of Nikes for $40, only $15 more than I would have spent on the Cat and Jack knockoffs. Not only did I find a way to afford the shoes my son wanted, but I also saw that buying them for him was more than worth it. It was my first experience seeing how happy my son could become from getting something he had longed for.

I talked to him about how to handle teasing in the future

Even though I was glad to be able to get him the shoes, I also wanted to discuss the reasons behind his desire for them. At bedtime that night, I told him that what mattered most was how he felt about himself and what he liked, and that the more confidence he grew, the less it would matter what anyone else thought.

To this day, I make sure he always has a pair of shoes that he feels confident in, but I also make sure to remind him that he should be focused on figuring out what he likes and what he wants. We are all constantly working on that, children and adults alike, so I ensure I'm always taking my own inventory and modeling that for him. I hope all of those talks and his memories of me will endure so that he'll grow up to value what he loves more than anyone else thinks of it.

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 shifting from family trips to solo and friend-based vacations.
• More than 60% of Gen Xers book vacations to escape daily stress, the highest of any generation.
• Empty nests and upcoming retirements are influencing this trend.

With their children growing up and leaving the house, Gen Xers have a newfound freedom that is changing how and why they travel.

Gen X is booking fewer family trips and more vacations with friends or solo adventures, according to a report by Morning Consult published in May, which is based on monthly survey interviews with around 2,200 US adults from October 2021 to March 2024. Additionally, more than 60% of Gen Xers — who were born between 1965 and 1980 — cited the need to get away as their primary reason for booking a vacation, a higher percentage than any other generation.

"More than 6 in 10 Gen Xers say the desire to escape spurred their trip plans, perhaps reflecting the pressures of their current life stage," travel and hospitality analyst Lindsey Roeschke wrote in the Morning Consult report.

The percentage of Gen Xers planning trips with kids under 18 has dropped from 28% in October 2021 to 17% in February. The Morning Consult report noted that the drop is likely due to changing life circumstances, such as retirement or children moving out of the home.

According to data collected by the US Census Bureau, there were 22.5 million empty nesters in the US in 2014, the most recent year with available data. Another study published by the US Census Bureau in 2021 found that 60.2% of parents over the age of 55 did not have any children living at home, and those parents either lived alone or with a partner. However, neither of those studies differentiated between Gen Xers and baby boomers or how those numbers have changed over time.

Meanwhile, solo travel and trips with friends have increased and surpassed family vacations, signaling a move toward more personal and self-focused travel experiences.

"Everyone likes to gloss over Gen Xers, but I'm really intrigued by the way their travel habits are shifting as they enter a new life stage," Roeschke wrote.

The next most common reason for Gen X to take a vacation was to visit family or friends, at slightly more than 40%. 

Stress and empty nests may not be the only factors

Another factor influencing the level of travel sans families could be divorce. According to Morning Consult's data, the number of Gen Xers taking a vacation with a partner dropped from 36% in October 2021 to 46% in February 2024, the lowest rate in the three-year span examined.

The divorce rate for people aged 45 to 54 — Gen Xers are typically between the ages of 44 and 59 — rose from 13.1 per 1,000 people in 1990 to 15.8 in 2021, according to research conducted by Bowling Green State University and published in 2023. For people aged 55 to 64, the rate more than doubled from 5.1 to 10.6 per 1,000 people. 

Financial pressures also play a significant role in shaping Gen X's travel habits. According to a Business Insider and YouGov survey of over 1,800 US adults in July, half of Gen Xers do not feel financially secure despite being in their peak earning years.

This financial strain influences travel decisions, leading travelers to seek deals and budget-friendly options, a trend that has been seen across all generations.

Driven by a need to escape and influenced by financial considerations, Gen Xers are carving out new travel experiences, prioritizing their well-being.

Are you a Gen Xer who recently planned a solo vacation and is willing to talk about why you chose to do so? Reach out to this reporter at cgaines@businessinsider.com.

• Scientists used AI to find elephants likely have unique names for each other.
• Machine learning analyzed hundreds of elephant calls recorded in Kenya between 1986 and 2022.
• Elephants' ability to recognize name-like calls indicates they may be capable of abstract thought.

Scientists using AI tools have discovered that elephants likely have unique names for each other, according to a new study.

A group of scientists used machine learning to analyze hundreds of wild African elephant calls recorded in Kenya between 1986 and 2022, publishing their findings on Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Specifically, the researchers looked at three different types of communication, or "rumbles" between the endangered species of elephants: "contact calling" rumbles when an elephant is calling to another that is more than 50 meters away, "greeting" rumbles when elephants are close to each other, and "caregiving" rumbles when a female elephant is comforting a calf.

They did not analyze other types of rumbles, like "let's go" rumbles, because elephants are less likely to use specific names in that context, the authors explained.

Within each of these types of interactions, the researchers found evidence that elephants address each other with name-like calls specific to each individual — the first time similar behavior has been observed outside humans.

Unlike dolphins and parrots, who address each other by mimicking the receiver's voice, these elephant calls are not imitations of what each elephant sounds like.

They're more abstract, like the names humans use for each other.

That could mean elephants have a capacity for abstract thought greater than we previously understood.

A machine learning model helped the researchers interpret each call's acoustic structure to determine which elephant was being addressed. This wouldn't have been possible without the help of AI, because humans alone aren't able to differentiate elephant rumblings very well, The New York Times reported.

When the researchers replayed a call originally addressed to one elephant, that elephant responded differently than to calls meant for another individual, the researchers explain in the study.

The researchers posted a video to YouTube that shows a mother elephant hearing a playback of her daughter calling to her. When she hears her daughter's call, the mother raises her head and calls back.

"So that meant that the elephants could tell if a call was meant for them just by hearing that call," Mickey Pardo, a lead author on the study, told CNN.

Still, the researchers couldn't identify which part of the call contained the elephant's name, noting that each call is also simultaneously coded with the caller's characteristics, like its age, sex, emotional state, and behavioral context.

Pardo told CNN that the study "tells us something about the cognitive abilities of elephants because if elephants are addressing one another in this way, they're basically coming up with names for each other."

"That implies some capacity for abstract thought," Pardo added. "They have to be able to learn this arbitrary sound and associate it with other individuals and essentially call each other by name."

And if the elephants have names for each other, it's also possible that they have names for other objects too, according to the study's authors.

The authors explained that although they found mixed support for their hypothesis that different elephants use the same name to refer to a fellow elephant, they did find "at least some convergence among different callers addressing the same receiver." And, the authors wrote, it's possible that every elephant within a family uses the same name to address a specific member.

• Rep. Jamaal Bowman's primary challenger, George Latimer, is facing accusations of Islamophobia.
• Latimer said that Bowman's "constituency is Dearborn," a city with a prominent Muslim population.
• Bowman has received very little money from Dearborn.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York is in the fight of his political life against Westchester County Executive George Latimer ahead of the June 25 primary.

That fight got even nastier on Monday, with Latimer facing charges of Islamophobia after he invoked Dearborn, Michigan during a virtual debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Westchester County.

"When you get as much money as you get from outside the district, your constituency is Dearborn, Michigan. Your constituency is San Francisco, California," said Latimer. "It's not Harrison, it's not Tuckahoe, it's not Scarsdale. You're not even there to be part of the events of those communities."

Bowman accused Latimer on Tuesday morning of using an "Islamophobic dogwhistle." Progressives in general have argued that Latimer is running a bigoted campaign against Bowman, which Latimer refutes.

"George Latimer has traded in his dog-whistle for a bullhorn," said New York Working Families Party Co-Director Jasmine Gripper said in a statement, arguing that his "bigoted comments against Arab-Americans is the latest in a series of racist appeals that have only served to divide the community."

A spokesperson for Latimer's campaign dismissed the accusations of Islamophobia.

"Another day, another lie from Jamaal Bowman," said the spokesperson. "George's comments were taken out of context – because in the same breath he also mentioned San Francisco, California — another city where the incumbent has received donations from."

Dearborn is a majority-Arab city in Michigan that's home to one of the largest Muslim populations per capita in the US.

It's been the focal point of the Uncommitted movement, with Democrats withholding their votes for President Joe Biden over his support for Israel's war in Gaza.

In the course of a heated primary that's revolved primarily around Bowman's critical stance toward Israel, Latimer has long argued that the controversial congressman is not adequately attuned to the needs of the district.

He has also highlighted many of Bowman's controversies, including pulling a fire alarm at the Capitol, his past support for 9/11 conspiracy theories, and his one-time denial of sexual violence on October 7.

It's true that most of Bowman's $2.7 million fundraising haul this cycle has come from outside of New York.

But a review of the Bowman campaign's filings with the Federal Election Commission show that less than $24,000 of Bowman's itemized contributions have come from Michigan. That includes a combined $1,250 from two Dearborn residents and $6,600 from a single donor in Dearborn Heights.

Bowman also maintains a joint fundraising committee with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who does represent Dearborn. But filings indicate that the group's roughly $30,000 sum has come entirely from New York-based donors.

Latimer has received significant financial backing from the pro-Israel group AIPAC, which has spent more than $13 million on the primary so far. Many of the group's donors are Republicans, a fact that progressives have been eager to highlight.

But Latimer's financial support is also more local — roughly 70% of his direct contributions come from New York, while less than 30% of Bowman's come from the state.

"The hard truth is that the majority of the incumbent's donors come from hundreds and thousands of miles away from the Bronx and Westchester — the communities where the electorate actually live and will be voting from starting June 15," said the Latimer spokesperson.