Author: openjargon

• The season 3 finale of FX's "The Bear" teases more episodes to come.
• The show was reportedly renewed for a fourth season in March. 
• Contrary to reports, seasons 3 and 4 weren't filmed back to back.

FX will be serving up more episodes of "The Bear."

Season three of the Emmy-winning series, centered on chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto's (Jeremy Allen White) mission to transform his family's beef shop into an upscale fine-dining restaurant, was released on Wednesday night. The 10-episode season concludes with a title card that reads, "To be continued."

Although the network has yet to make an official announcement, multiple outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, reported earlier this year that "The Bear" was quietly renewed for a fourth season.

Here's everything we know so far.

Some scenes for season 4 were already filmed

In March, THR and Deadline reported that seasons three and four would be filmed back to back. According to the publications, this production change was meant to keep the show's release timeline intact and accommodate the cast's availability.

However, during a season three virtual press conference attended by Business Insider, the cast hedged when a reporter asked if seasons three and four were filmed back to back.

"We did something like that," White said.

"Yeah, a little version of it, sort of. But not exactly," Edebiri added.

Days later, The Playlist reported that season four wasn't filmed in its entirety because the scripts weren't ready.

FX confirmed to the publication that seasons three and four weren't filmed uninterrupted, but some parts for the next installment were shot.

There's no season 4 release date yet

Since its premiere in summer 2022, a new season of "The Bear" has been consistently released every year. If the show maintains that pace, season four will likely come out sometime in 2026.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

• Warren Buffett revealed he owns about $600 million of assets apart from Berkshire Hathaway stock.
• The investor said his Berkshire A shares, worth $127 billion, represent 99.5% of his net worth.
• He likely keeps most of his remaining wealth in his personal portfolio of stocks and bonds.

Warren Buffett just revealed he has about $600 million of personal wealth outside of his Berkshire Hathaway stock.

The famed investor and Berkshire CEO announced on Friday that he's donated another $5.3 billion of his company's shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four of his family's foundations. He noted that the gifts, based on their value when received, total around $55 billion over the last 18 years.

"I have no debts and my remaining A shares are worth about $127 billion, roughly 99½% of my net worth," he added.

Buffett's comment suggests the remaining 0.5% or about $600 million of his fortune is in other assets. The financial guru owns about $1 million of Berkshire's cheaper B shares, and his Omaha home is worth an estimated $1.4 million.

Even if Buffett possesses other physical assets worth a few million dollars, it seems likely his personal portfolio of stocks and bonds accounts for the bulk of his non-Berkshire wealth.

After all, he's personally owned at least $80 million worth of just three stocks — Wells Fargo, Walmart, and Johnson & Johnson — in years past, ProPublica reported last year based on leaked Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data.

Buffett also sold at least $466 million of stock between 2000 and 2019, and disposed of bonds worth much more, ProPublica said. The story pointed to a personal portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars just a few years back.

The investor's latest hint supports that idea. It also helps explain how Buffett can afford to only collect a $100,000 salary from Berkshire, and return half that amount to the company each year.

Buffett likely earns meaningful amounts of stock dividends and bond income from his personal holdings, which spares him from having to sell Berkshire shares to pay his bills.

• From high-quality food to top-notch healthcare, pet owners want the best for their furry friends.
• Some homebuilders are adding tubs and showers just for pets — and buyers are intrigued.
• Adding pet amenities helps homebuilders stand out in a sluggish real-estate market. 

For many people, their four-legged friends aren't just pets — they're family.

Many pet owners spare no expense for their furry friends, whether investing in high-quality food or custom-built habitats. Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars to ensure their happiness and well-being.

While healthcare and food constitute the majority of pet owner expenses, a new trend has emerged: dedicated pet wash stations.

These built-in showers, exclusively designed for bathing and showering animals, are becoming a common feature in many newly built homes nationwide.

They often look like human showers or tubs but include specialized features. For instance, some have a low-profile entryway that allows dogs to enter and exit easily without requiring owners to lift or bend excessively. Some have shower heads with extended hoses for better reach and flexibility.

Depending on the level of luxury, pet wash stations can cost homeowners between $400 and $2,000 to DIY, according to home-maintenance site The Spruce. Recognizing the demand for this amenity, many builders now include them in their newly-built homes.

Homebuilders are now catering to dogs and other pets in their designs

At last week's National Association of Real Estate Editors conference, Sanju Surtani, a vice president of sales at homebuilder Highland Homes, told a crowd of attendees that pet wash stations are becoming more popular as builders design homes to cater to "multi-species living."

"One in five households acquired a pet during COVID, so we are creating designated areas for furry family members," Surtani said. "We've got spotlight showers and living spaces for pets. This is something that's now being integrated into utility spaces as well."

Feelings of isolation and yearning for companionship arose during the pandemic, prompting millions of Americans to welcome a pet into their homes. This trend has persisted even as the world recovers, with adoption rates remaining high. According to data from the American Pet Products Association, 86.9 million US households are home to at least one pet as of 2024.

A contributing factor to the increasing number of Americans pursuing pet ownership may also be the declining birth rate in the US, as more couples choose to postpone starting a family or opt not to have children at all.

Actually, there's a specific term for such couples: DINKWAD — double income, no kids, with a dog. These households often enjoy higher incomes and have greater financial flexibility.

During a period of low buyer demand and fewer home sales, competition among homebuilders has intensified. Therefore, it's not surprising that many are enhancing their appeal by incorporating tailored features like pet wash stations into their builds.

Highland Homes has integrated "puppy spas'' into some builds. These rooms feature built-in kennels, storage for supplies, and animal-wash stations, providing homeowners with a convenient alternative to taking their dogs to the groomers.

Surtani told Business Insider that in today's expensive real estate market, those who can still afford to move don't want to compromise on their new home and its amenities.

"Now more than ever, if people are going to sacrifice selling their home and move into something else, there has to be a good reason," she said.

• NASA conducted a new tabletop simulation of discovering a large asteroid headed for Earth.
• Experts feared Congress wouldn't fund a mission to an asteroid with a 72% chance of impacting Earth.
• This hypothetical scenario highlights a challenge in addressing any future impact threat: politics.

NASA recently brought together about 100 experts to pretend that an asteroid was heading for Earth.

The tabletop simulation presented a hypothetical scenario in which cities like Dallas, Washington, DC, and Madrid were at risk of a large asteroid impact.

"A large asteroid impact is potentially the only natural disaster humanity has the technology to predict years in advance and take action to prevent," Lindley Johnson, a NASA planetary defense officer emeritus, said in a press release.

But it wasn't clear that they could prevent such a catastrophe — even with 14 years to figure it out.

The simulation revealed that technology wasn't the problem that could ultimately doom a city, region, or entire country. It was politics.

"I know what I would prefer [to do], but Congress will tell us to wait," one participant said of their asteroid-response plan, in a selection of anonymized comments in NASA's summary of the exercise, published on June 20.

"The most important item of the morning was the discussion involving the political nature of the decision-making," another participant said.

Congress may not move fast enough

NASA has conducted nearly a dozen tabletop simulations since 2013. This one happened in May and included participants from the US State Department, FEMA, and the space agencies of Europe, the UK, Japan, and Canada.

Past exercises showed that, in order to save the world, NASA would need at least five years' notice that an asteroid was headed toward us, maybe even 10 years.

This time the simulators learned that, even when they had plenty of time, they might not be able to launch their preferred anti-asteroid offensive.

That's because they didn't think Congress would approve funding for a critical space mission to study the asteroid "unless impact became certain," NASA's summary said.

A major part of the simulation was figuring out how to impress the "seriousness" of the situation upon Congress and other leadership, Johnson said.

What's more, the 14-year timeline spanned multiple budget cycles and presidential elections. At any of those junctures, the president, Congress, or NASA's own leadership could change priorities and disrupt the asteroid plan.

The most likely incoming asteroid scenario

Here are the hypothetical conditions the participants were given in this year's exercise: Scientists have determined a 72% chance of this asteroid impacting Earth in 14 years. It could strike anywhere across a swath of North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The asteroid's size was unclear. It could be anywhere from 60 to 800 meters (half a mile) wide — possibly big enough to devastate an entire country.

All that uncertainty made this "a very realistic scenario," Richard Binzel, a planetary scientist at MIT who specializes in potentially hazardous asteroids, but did not participate in the simulation, told Business Insider.

"In fact, it's the most likely type of scenario we will face, where an asteroid is discovered and we have limited information," Binzel said.

Options for preventing an asteroid impact include shooting the asteroid with lasers, launching a nuclear bomb at it, or simply smacking a space probe into it to nudge it away from Earth.

NASA has tested one of those options in a mission that punched an asteroid and dramatically changed its path in 2022, just to prove the technique could work.

In the simulation, experts wanted more information to understand their anti-asteroid options.

Unfortunately, the fictional space rock was about to pass behind the sun and disappear from view for seven months. To avoid wasting precious time, scientists would have to send a spacecraft to the asteroid to learn more about it.

That's where they feared politics would get in the way. Participants weren't sure Congress would fund the mission unless the asteroid was a certain threat — not a 72% chance of threat.

So far, NASA has not discovered any large asteroids on track to impact Earth.

But scientists have identified fewer than 11,000 near-Earth asteroids that are at least 140 meters (460 feet) wide — big enough to crush a city. They believe there are 15,000 of them in our vicinity, meaning more than a quarter of city killers remain undiscovered.

NASA could plan a mission just in case

Binzel says NASA could get political and bureaucratic barriers out of the way now, before any asteroid threats are identified, by developing a reconnaissance mission to have on standby.

"It's an adult thing to do that can protect us from becoming surprised," he said.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine made a similar recommendation in its last decadal survey of planetary science priorities.

In that 2022 report, the Academies said that NASA should "develop an approach for a rapid-response, flyby" spacecraft to closely study newly-discovered threats. That way, it could launch a reconnaissance mission in less than three years if it became necessary. The Academies also recommended a demonstration to practice reconnaissance on a real asteroid.

So why isn't NASA working on that right now?

"It's not in the budget," Binzel said.

First NASA has to make a proposal for such a mission, with a thumbs up from the White House, and then Congress would have to authorize and fund it.

"If there's an asteroid out there with our name on it, it's already there," Binzel said. "Fortunately, the chance in the next century or so is incredibly small. But it's not zero."

• Ending a franchise places high pressure on creators to satisfy fans and resolve storylines.
• Some high-grossing films like "The Rise of Skywalker" failed to meet fan expectations.
• But "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2" killed it.

When trying to end a franchise on a successful note, the pressure is on.

Fans will almost always be unsatisfied unless every question is answered or if their favorite characters don't end up in a good place by the end of the story.

For every quality franchise-capper, there's one that didn't quite stick the landing with fans — even ones that make $1 billion at the box office, like "Jurassic World Dominion" or "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

Here are some franchises that we think aced the ending … and some that could've used a little more work.

Warning: This list contains spoilers for some of these franchises.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2" gave us the climactic showdown we'd been waiting for for 10 years.

From the moment we first laid eyes on 11-year-old Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," we knew it would be hard to eventually say goodbye.

Ten years and seven movies later, the time came to see Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Co.'s final adventure as they battled the evil Lord Voldemort.

While some book fans weren't too pleased with some of the changes made from the books to the movies, it's hard to deny the power of seeing Harry finally figure out Voldemort's master plan and beat him, and then to see that our core trio has made it into adulthood and have become parents.

For '80s and '90s kids, these characters grew up with them, and saying farewell was difficult but satisfying.

"Before Midnight" capped off the best — and perhaps only — romance trilogy of all time.

Director Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy follows Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), two strangers who met in Vienna in 1995 in "Before Sunrise." They make plans to meet up in six months, but it's revealed nine years later in "Before Sunset" that the reunion didn't happen.

Instead, in 2004, Céline attends a reading of Jesse's novel he wrote about their time together. While the film does end with Jesse missing his plane, their relationship is left romantically ambiguous.

That is, until 2013's "Before Midnight," which catches up with the couple another nine years later, when it's revealed they've gotten married and had twin girls.

It's the first time viewers really got to see what Jesse and Céline are like together — it's not perfect, but that's what makes it so real and powerful.

If "Before Sunset" is the last we see of these two — and it seems like it is because the next nine-year interval would have been 2022 — we're happy with the time we spent with them.

"The Dark Knight Rises" wasn't perfect, but it was nice to see Bruce Wayne happy for once.

Nothing was going to live up to "The Dark Knight," especially after Heath Ledger's death in 2008.

However, Tom Hardy did turn in an iconic performance in "The Dark Knight Rises" as Bane, a psychopathic anarchist determined to blow Gotham to smithereens. In 2012, it was hard to go anywhere without hearing someone doing their best Bane impression.

The plot of this movie doesn't really make any sense, and the twist involving Miranda Tate's true identity is underwhelming, but it's almost impossible for any Christopher Nolan movie to be bad.

The ending, which sees Bruce fake his death, leave his Bat possessions to John Blake (full name Robin John Blake), and then take a European vacation with Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is just sweet. Try to watch the moment when Alfred sees Bruce is actually alive and well at an Italian café without getting emotional.

"War for the Planet of the Apes" concluded Caesar's three-film arc beautifully, if not bittersweetly.

We've decided that "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011), "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (2014), and "War for the Planet of the Apes" (2017) are their own little franchise, since they're not connected to the original '60s franchise, and the recent "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" takes place hundreds of years in the future.

If you tune in to these three films, you'll see the complete collapse of human society coinciding with the rise of Caesar, a super-intelligent ape played masterfully by Andy Serkis. Caesar is a better leader than almost anyone, real or fictional, as he's wise, open-minded, and dedicated to keeping his family safe.

Watching him evolve over these three movies is a gift, and while he doesn't have what most might call a traditionally happy ending, he does end the series at peace.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is epic.

"The Return of the King," released in 2003, won a record-breaking 11 Academy Awards upon its release: best picture, director, adapted screenplay, art direction, costume design, film editing, makeup, original score, original song, sound mixing, and visual effects.

Even the Academy agreed that the power of this film, which concluded the long and arduous journey of Frodo and Sam to destroy the ring at Mordor, cannot be denied.

It doesn't matter that this movie has at least three separate endings; we'll gladly take them all to spend more time with Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf … the list goes on.

"Blade Runner 2049" is one of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century.

The ending of the original 1982 "Blade Runner" has been debated since it was released: Was Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, a replicant (a realistic android) or not?

You might think that "Blade Runner 2049," released in 2017 would answer that pressing question. And you'd be wrong.

Instead, "Blade Runner 2049" focuses on a new blade runner, K (Ryan Gosling), who is revealed to be a replicant almost immediately. He begins to question his own reality and memories, and goes on a mission to find the long-missing Deckard to get answers.

While this movie doesn't answer every question from the original, the story is compelling, the visuals are stunning, and it's always a treat to see Ford on screen.

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2" ended with an epilogue showing us Katniss and Peeta would be OK.

After the success of the two-part "Harry Potter" finale, many other YA adaptations tried the same move, including "The Hunger Games," which split the final book, "Mockingjay," into two films.

The second film, released in 2015, finally saw a full-on civil war break out in the dystopian country of Panem. Our heroine Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, confronted her nemesis President Snow, played by the late great Donald Sutherland, and also learned that not everyone on the side of the rebellion was good, either.

The final confrontation, in which Katniss chooses whether to execute Snow or his replacement, President Coin (Julianne Moore), is one of the most tense scenes in the entire franchise.

Just like in the book, the film ends with an epilogue showing that Katniss and Peeta, while traumatized, will keep living in spite of the tragedies around them.

On the other hand, we'll never know what happens to Tris because "Allegiant" was never supposed to be the final film in the "Divergent" series.

The "Divergent" trilogy is perhaps one of the worst YA adaptations of all time, and it's not only because it wasn't supposed to just be a trilogy.

"Divergent" is based on the book series of the same name, and the movie adaptation was a clear move to capitalize on the success of another dystopian franchise, "The Hunger Games."

But the mythology is confusing, the characters aren't likable, and the enemy isn't compelling.

The last film, 2016's "Allegiant," did so poorly at the box office — it made $179 million on a $110 budget, according to Deadline — that the final film was ultimately canceled.

That was an unfortunate decision for fans since the film ends on a cliffhanger.

The less we think about "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," the better.

What else is there to say about "Rise of Skywalker," which follows up the great "Last Jedi" by dismantling almost every plot point it made?

After taking an encouraging step into the future, "The Rise of Skywalker" turns the franchise's focus back into the past, involving Palpatine, who somehow returned after his death in "Return of the Jedi."

The discourse around "Star Wars" has become toxic in the 21st century, and we're ready for a new series that ditches the Skywalkers, the Solos, and the Palpatines for good.

You could call "Dark Phoenix" or "The New Mutants" the last 21st Century Fox "X-Men" movie. Neither one was great.

Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, finally getting ownership of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four so they could be integrated into the MCU.

But before that could happen, the final Fox "X-Men" movies had to be released. First up, the distressing "Dark Phoenix," which is the second ill-fated attempt to adapt the Phoenix Saga to the big screen from the comics.

Fans didn't get enough time with Sophie Turner's Jean Grey to care about her descent into madness, nor did they care about Tye Sheridan's Cyclops' attempts to help her.

The real bright spot of these movies was the relationship between James McAvoy's Professor X and Michael Fassbender's Magneto — and Magneto doesn't even enter this film until the one-hour mark. It's disappointing that this was our farewell to this version of these characters.

But technically, the last "X-Men" film released by Fox was 2020's "New Mutants," which was delayed time and time again and finally dumped during the pandemic. However, it's also disappointing — it doesn't have anything to do with our established characters.

Why did they decide to conclude the "Jurassic World" trilogy with a film that barely has any dinosaurs in it?

The final "Jurassic World" movie (for now) was "Jurassic World Dominion," which was released in 2022.

It brought back legacy characters Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), and Alan Grant (Sam Neill), which was a relief since the characters played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were so bland, we forgot their names immediately after seeing the movie.

There are dinosaurs in this movie, but not many. Instead, the main antagonist of this movie is a swarm of giant locusts. Yes, locusts.

According to Deadline, there's going to be another "Jurassic World" movie starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Mahershala Ali, so hopefully it's a better story than this was.

The last-ever DCEU movie was "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," which makes us sad.

The DCEU (the DC Extended Universe) was just never able to compete with the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). There were 15 films in the DCEU, and none of them (except maybe "Wonder Woman") came close to the level of quality over at Marvel.

That's why Warner Bros. tapped James Gunn and Peter Safran to restart the entire thing with the DCU (DC Universe), which will launch in 2025 with "Superman."

That means that the last DCEU movie we ever got was 2023's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," which is perfectly fine, but does nothing to wrap up the many loose ends of the DCEU.

"Spider-Man 3" set us up perfectly for a fourth movie, but it wasn't meant to be.

"Spider-Man 3," released in 2007, ends with Peter and MJ tentatively getting back together while mourning the death of their mutual friend Harry Osborn. We were invested in what was next for Peter and MJ as they reckoned with what had happened over the course of the previous film.

Also, Dr. Curt Connors was a character in two of these movies without ever turning into his villainous comic counterpart, the Lizard. We're still waiting for that payoff.

We got some closure when Tobey Maguire's version of Peter appeared in the 2022 film "Spider-Man: No Way Home," but we want more.

The last time we'll see Captain Jack Sparrow is most likely "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," which is bleak.

We'd argue that "Pirates of the Caribbean" should've ended after the third film, "At World's End," in 2007.

The next film, "On Stranger Tides," ditched most of the familiar characters, which is a problem — Jack is better when he's a zany side character doing his own thing, while characters like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann have their own arcs and carry the emotional weight of the story.

"Dead Men Tell No Tales," released in 2017, learned from that lesson by bringing back Captain Barbossa and introducing Henry (the son of Will and Elizabeth) and his love interest, Carina.

Unfortunately, neither Henry nor Carina is that compelling, and Depp seems like he's operating on autopilot in his fifth outing as Captain Jack.

According to Entertainment Weekly, producer Jerry Bruckheimer is still hopeful that a sixth movie starring Depp will be made, in addition to a female-focused reboot starring Margot Robbie.

We should've let the Connor family rest after "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Instead, we got four more bad films, ending with "Terminator: Dark Fate."

"Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," both directed by James Cameron, are two of the best action movies of all time.

"Judgment Day" also ends on a definitive note, with our heroes preventing the evil computer system known as Skynet from ever being invented.

Of course, Hollywood couldn't let it end there. "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" made it clear that none of what happened in "Judgment Day" mattered — the machines were still coming.

"Terminator Salvation" is sort of a prequel, but also semi-ignores everything about the other movies. And "Terminator Genisys" fully ignores all the events of the previous films and is yet another reboot.

Finally, after the poor performances and receptions of these sequels, we arrive at 2019's "Terminator: Dark Fate," which yet again ignores everything that happened after "Judgment Day" and reunites stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.

"Dark Fate" is certainly better than the three previous films, but it was ultimately unnecessary and, according to Screen Rant, was a huge box-office bomb.

Our opinion is that this franchise needs to be over.

• Supreme Court overturns Chevron doctrine, curtailing federal regulatory power.
• Chevron doctrine allowed federal agencies to interpret ambiguous laws like the Clean Air Act.
• Biden's climate policies, including limits on power plant emissions, could face threats.

The Supreme Court on Friday overturned a decades-long legal precedent that has empowered the federal government to regulate the environment and other issues, unleashing a potential threat to President Joe Biden's climate policies.

The court overruled the Chevron doctrine, one of the most important principles guiding federal regulation for the past 40 years. It held that when the laws that Congress writes are ambiguous, courts should defer to federal agencies' interpretation, as long as it's reasonable.

Now, however, it could be harder for agencies to address a wide range of policy areas, including the environment, health, and labor and employment. Chief Justice John Roberts authored the decision, joined by five conservative justices. The three liberal justices dissented.

The ruling lands as President Joe Biden has raced to finalize a flurry of rules to combat climate change. Over the last year, the Environmental Protection Agency has set stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, power plants, and oil and gas infrastructure. The agency for the first time put limits on toxic "forever chemicals," also known as PFAS, in drinking water. All of those regulations are the targets of lawsuits from Republican-led states, the fossil-fuel industry, or other businesses.

Legal analysts widely expected the Supreme Court's decision. The Chevron doctrine has long been a target of business groups and conservatives who argued it allows federal bureaucrats to overstep their authority on issues related not only to the environment but also to broad swaths of the economy, such as workplace safety, telecom, and finance.

The Supreme Court's conservative supermajority is similarly skeptical of federal agencies' power, as past rulings have shown.

On Thursday, the court put a temporary hold on the EPA's plan to reduce air pollution from power plants and pipelines that blow across state lines while a lawsuit plays out in a lower court. Last year, the Supreme Court significantly narrowed how many wetlands EPA can regulate to keep them clean. In 2022, the court limited the EPA's ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, leading the Biden administration to issue another plan under the Clean Air Act that it hopes can withstand legal challenges.

How did this case end up at the Supreme Court?

The plea to overturn the Chevron doctrine came to the court in two cases — Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless Inc. v. Department of Commerce. These cases involved commercial fishermen who opposed fees they had to pay to have federal observers aboard their vessels to prevent overfishing.

The lawyers representing the commercial fisherman are from the Cause of Action Institute, a nonprofit group in the libertarian network built by Charles Koch, the petrochemicals billionaire who has advocated for deregulation.

They argued the Chevron doctrine injures small businesses and individuals who have little power to influence federal agencies.

Both the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the US Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit — citing the Chevron doctrine — upheld the rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service that requires herring fisherman to pay for observers on their boats.

• Uber and Lyft drivers struggle with inconsistent tipping despite efforts to improve service.
• Drivers are trying new strategies such as offering cold water or investing in carwash subscriptions.
• Some drivers told BI that they feel like their attempts to improve the ride experience go unnoticed.

Christina, an Uber and Lyft driver in Las Vegas, said about half of her passengers tip on a good day. But she feels tipping is inconsistent and that sometimes her efforts to please customers go unnoticed.

She keeps a clean car, has a bubbly personality, and tries to connect with passengers by asking questions, she told Business Insider. But she's not always super talkative. When she looks in the mirror and sees a passenger on their phone, she takes that as a cue to stay quiet.

"I think when a customer feels closer to you as a person — that they could see themselves in the position of the driver — then they are more likely to tip," said Christina, who asked to use her first name for fear of professional repercussions. "However that still doesn't guarantee a tip because I've had fantastic rides and conversations, and they give me a compliment but no money."

When her mother was dying a few years ago, Christina sometimes mentioned it in conversation, which drove up tips. Still, she sometimes sees herself having to fight for tips. Some riders have told her they don't know how to tip, forcing her to show them on the app. Some international passengers don't tip, she said, because they don't understand tipping culture. And others don't view driving as a legitimate job compared to other service roles.

Christina isn't alone. Drivers, riders, and gig economy experts told BI that historical tipping norms, rising fares, inconsistent driver service and the fact that Uber originally launched without a tipping feature could be contributing to lower tips. However, while many drivers are testing new strategies to increase the frequency of receiving tips, others are giving up. Some told BI they've stopped going the extra mile because their prior efforts rarely paid off.

"While tipping culture in restaurants is fairly well-established in the United States at this point, it's still evolving when it comes to rideshares, and many riders may not understand the financial realities of rideshare driving," Nick Leighton, an etiquette expert and co-host of the podcast Were You Raised By Wolves, told Business Insider via email."This may explain why there's so much inconsistency currently in when or how much riders choose to tip."

Ride-hailing drivers told Business Insider that customer tips are hard to come by. An analysis of over 500,000 US gig drivers provided to BI by Gridwise, a data-analytics company that helps drivers track their earnings, found that 28% of Uber and Lyft trips got tips in the first half of this year, compared to over 70% of food-delivery and grocery trips.

To be sure, some drivers have fared better when it comes to securing customer tips. In the second half of 2023, Lyft said the median US driver earned about $31 per hour of engaged time — en route to pick up a passenger or had one in their vehicle. The company said these earnings included a median tip of $2.41 per engaged hour.

Meanwhile, an Uber spokesperson told BI in May that across the US, drivers are "earning more than $30 an hour while engaged on the app." Uber said that over the last four years, ride-hailing tipping frequency and the average tip size have roughly doubled — adding that the average ride-hailing tip amount rose nearly 10% over the past six months.

Nine ride-hailing drivers shared what strategies have helped them land tips and why sometimes providing good service is not worth the effort. Some drivers requested partial anonymity due to fear of professional repercussions.

How drivers try to maximize tips

Stuart R., 55, recently stopped driving for Uber and Lyft. He reluctantly returned to work in IT, as he struggled to make ends meet driving full-time. Still, he said tips helped him stay afloat after burning out from his previous job.

He maintained a 4.99 driver rating in Austin and said he frequently got tips for simple things such as greeting passengers, assisting with luggage, and keeping his car "immaculately" clean. He found he got better tips when he practiced "safe humor," or joking with passengers without mentioning politics.

Additionally, he had signage hanging from headrests noting that tips were greatly appreciated. Still, he said, even keeping cool water on hot days or engaging in deep conversations with passengers was never a guarantee of a tip.

Being helpful to tourists has been an effective strategy for Marilyn Cassady, a five-star Uber and Lyft driver in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, who drives a few days a week to supplement her Social Security income. She said she gets tips for nearly 50% of her rides. Cassady said female passengers are often relieved to have a female driver and tip more. Still, she acknowledges there's only so much she can do. Sometimes, the app's navigation falters, she said, which can delay some rides and result in lower tips.

"There are some days when I don't see any tips at all," Cassady said.

Some drivers like Jillian, 67, who drives in Santa Clarita, California, have a simple solution for getting more tips — asking riders directly. Before riders get out, she asks them nicely if they could leave a tip.

However, it's not a perfect strategy. She's recently gotten a lot of $1 tips and, despite keeping her car in mint condition, she can work for six to eight hours without a tip.

The inconsistency is working against some drivers

Alex Santiago, a 48-year-old Uber driver in northern Virginia, used to dress business casual and catered music to passengers. But after years of inconsistent tips, he stopped trying so hard.

Some days, he drives with slippers on. Other days, he listens to podcasts he wants to hear. He displays signs stating what passengers can't do, such as eating or talking on speaker. After making these changes, he said he hasn't seen tips decline.

"I'm not providing amenities such as water and games — I don't run a day care, I drive a car," Santiago said.

He's realized tipping patterns are often inconsistent, even though he still aims to provide good service — he keeps his car clean with a $35 monthly subscription to a carwash, and he always helps riders with luggage.

"There are days where I'll get zero tips on 20 rides, then there are days I get tipped eight out of 20 rides," Santiago said.

Jason S., 50, said the frequency and quantity of tips he's received fell during the pandemic. He estimates between a third to half of riders tipped pre-pandemic, but now he's lucky if it's one in six. He suspects increasing rates for riders has reduced tips, as he hasn't changed his driving habits. Those who tip likely always tip regardless of service, he said.

"I used to look at tips as extra, now I desperately need those tips to keep my hourly up," Jason said. "I used to be able to earn anywhere from $32 an hour up to as much as $55 an hour with good bonuses. Now if I hit $25 an hour, it's a miracle."

He thinks there's nothing he can do differently to maximize tips. People rarely request music and he said most riders will turn down candy or drinks.

"One extra good-quality ride with me is probably not going to make the difference to a person who doesn't want to tip anyway to all of a sudden deciding, 'I better tip this guy,'" Jason said.

For some drivers, trying to get tips can backfire.

Andre Kingston, 50, said passengers sometimes reprimand her for trying too hard to get tips. The Detroit-based driver said she'd gotten one-star reviews for "talking too much" or not being polite, even though she says she always greets people and asks them for their music selection.

"It is the talking accusations that hurt the worst," Kingston said. "They make me not want to talk to others. They make me afraid to open my mouth."

Low tipping levels have led Jason, a 49-year-old ride-hailing driver in Phoenix, to no longer provide the same level of service.

"I used to open doors for everyone and adjust the seats for everyone and offer whatever music request any passenger wanted and engaged in whatever conversation the passengers wanted to engage in," he told BI. "But I don't get tipped for it anymore, and I'm over it."

He said his new strategy is to not accept rides that pay him below $20, even though this has lowered his acceptance rate and made him ineligible for Uber's driver rewards program.

"I can no longer accept cheaper rides and hope for a tip to get me there," he said.

Are you a gig driver who is struggling to make ends meet? Are you driving into your retirement years? Reach out to these reporters at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com or jzinkula@businessinsider.com.

• I'm from Rome, Italy, and always see tourists visiting the same crowded sites.
• The Colosseum and Vatican are must-sees for first-time visitors, but the city has more to offer.
• Check out the impressive Stadium of Domitian, Largo di Torre Argentina, or Castel Sant'Angelo.

Growing up in Rome, I've become accustomed to skirting the hundreds-thick crowds that form outside iconic monuments like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums — the Eternal City is, after all, one of the most popular cities to visit in the world.

Although I believe both monuments are must-sees for first-time visitors, the Italian city is home to many other sites that are just as historic and awe-inspiring.

Plus, with Italy's tourism numbers already hitting record levels last year, avoiding crowds will likely be as important as ever this summer.

On your next trip to Rome, forgo the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums and check out these underrated, less crowded monuments instead.

Palazzo Altemps

Located steps away from the iconic Piazza Navona square is Palazzo Altemps, a 15th-century aristocratic villa that was inhabited by the Altemps family for centuries.

It may look plain from the outside, but inside, there is a large courtyard framed by marble statues and rooms and ceilings decorated with ornate frescoes and mosaics.

Palazzo Altemps also houses a large collection of ancient Roman and Greek sculptures that once belonged to several Roman noble families.

I've noticed very few people there the times I've visited, and it felt like I had the entire palazzo to myself despite it being in one of the city's busiest areas.

Baths of Diocletian

If you've ever wondered how the Romans bathed, then the Baths of Diocletian are a must-see site.

The massive archeological complex, located near the Termini train station, was built by the emperor Maximian between 298 and 306 CE.

At its height, the roughly 32-acre complex could welcome up to 3,000 people. Today, the area comprises the remains of the baths, a museum, and a church and charterhouse.

Much of the space is open to the elements, so I would recommend only visiting on a nice day.

Trajan's Market

Trajan's Market, widely considered to be the world's first covered shopping mall, is one of my favorite ancient Roman sites in the city because of its history and well-preserved state.

It sits squarely along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, a long road stretching from the Colosseum to Piazza Venezia.

Built by Emperor Trajan around 105 CE, the multi-level structure once housed a library, offices, and shops.

The remains of wall frescoes and geometric floor mosaics can still be seen in the ground-floor stalls. At the top of the structure is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Rome.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Towering over the Tiber River just outside of the Vatican City is Castel Sant' Angelo. The ancient structure was originally built as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian around 139 CE.

Over the centuries it was used as a fortress, military barracks, and a prison, the remains of which can still be seen inside today.

I've been visiting the site since I was little, and love the panoramic view of the Tiber River and the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica from its top, especially at sunset.

I also enjoy the structure's small, open-air café and restaurant overlooking the scenery, which is ideal for those who may need a break from all the sightseeing.

Largo di Torre Argentina

Positioned in the center of one of the city's busiest intersections is a small archaeological area made infamous for being the location of Julius Caesar's assassination.

The archaeological complex holds the remains of four temples and a theater dating back to the Republican period.

The archaeological area also serves as a cat sanctuary for the city's strays — it's not uncommon to see groups of them lounging around the ruins. They're cared for by local volunteers who accept donations by way of an Adoption at a Distance program.

Parco degli Acquedotti

The Parco degli Acquedotti, or the Park of the Aqueducts, extends for nearly 600 acres just outside of Rome.

Also a popular spot for cycling, dog-walking, and picnics, the massive park comprises the remains of ancient Roman aqueducts that carried fresh drinking water from the mountains and into the city.

It's one of my favorite places to visit on warm spring or summer days for a walk and to escape the city for a bit, and it's particularly beautiful at sunset.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

This museum in Rome's historic center houses the city's largest private collection, which was assembled by the Doria, Pamphilj, Landi, and Aldobrandini families.

The palace is currently owned by the Doria Pamphilj family and is located just off Piazza Venezia, on the trendy Via del Corso.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj is known for its ornate, frescoed walls and antique furnishings, as well as a large collection of oil paintings and sculptures from masters such as Velàzquez, Caravaggio, and Bernini.

Villa Medici

The mid-16th century Villa Medici is a haven for art lovers.

The villa is atop Pincio Hill, which offers one of the most romantic panoramic views. It sits on many acres of green area, including various Renaissance-style gardens decorated with pine trees, flower beds, obelisks, and fountains.

Although Villa Medici is famous for housing thousands of historic drawings, prints, sculptures, tapestries, and furniture pieces collected by noble families over the centuries, its crown jewel is its decorative arts library.

Stadium of Domitian

About 15 feet below Piazza Navona lie the nearly 2,000-year-old ruins of the Stadium of Domitian. It once housed Roman athletics and gladiator games and is thought to have seated at least 30,000 people.

This is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked ancient Roman sites in Rome, likely because its unassuming entrance is tucked away and easy to miss.

As it's underground and much cooler, it's one of my favorite sites to visit during the city's scorching summers.

• A median-income household must make a $128,000 down payment to comfortably afford a typical US home.
• It takes about 12 years to save that, rising to 36 years for a down payment in pricey Los Angeles.
• We've used Zillow data to rank 50 major metro areas by the number of years of saving needed.

It would take 12 years for a median-income household to save up the nearly $128,000 down payment needed to comfortably afford a typical US home costing $360,000, Zillow estimates in an analysis that lays bare the affordability crisis.

Zillow found the typical Pittsburgh home only costs about $217,000, meaning a median-income household could take out a mortgage with zero money down and still afford the monthly payments. That was true for the median home nationally five years ago, when home prices were half as high, and mortgage rates were around 4% versus 7% today.

In contrast, the real estate marketplace said that to afford a typical San Jose home costing $1.6 million, a median-income household would have to save for over 36 years to make the $1.3 million down payment needed.

Zillow assumed that households can save 10% of their monthly income and earn a 4% yearly return. It defined an affordable monthly payment as no more than 30% of the household's monthly income.

We've ranked 50 major metro areas by the number of years of saving required for a median-income household to afford the down payment on a typical home in each. They're ordered from the fewest years to the most, and assume no down payment assistance:

50. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Typical home value: $217,285

Required down payment: $0 (0%)

Years of saving: 0

49. St. Louis, Missouri

Typical home value: $253,559

Required down payment: $10,773 (4.2%)

Years of saving: 1.2

48. Birmingham, Alabama

Typical home value: $255,033

Required down payment: $19,406 (7.6%)

Years of saving: 2.4

47. Detroit, Michigan

Typical home value: $254,325

Required down payment: $24,132 (9.5%)

Years of saving: 2.8

46. Buffalo, New York

Typical home value: $262,616

Required down payment: N/A

Years of saving: N/A

45. Indianapolis, Indiana

Typical home value: $282,396

Required down payment: $27,570 (9.8%)

Years of saving: 3.1

44. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Typical home value: $235,815

Required down payment: $31,331 (13.3%)

Years of saving: 3.9

43. Cleveland, Ohio

Typical home value: $230,536

Required down payment: $31,551 (13.7%)

Years of saving: 4

42. Memphis, Tennessee

Typical home value: $242,519

Required down payment: $30,852 (12.7%)

Years of saving: 4.1

41. Louisville, Kentucky

Typical home value: $258,557

Required down payment: $46,869 (18.1%)

Years of saving: 5.7

40. New Orleans, Louisiana

Typical home value: $241,940

Required down payment: $46,138 (19.1%)

Years of saving: 6

39. Cincinnati, Ohio

Typical home value: $287,721

Required down payment: $59,573 (20.7%)

Years of saving: 6.4

38. Houston, Texas

Typical home value: $310,707

Required down payment: $76,825 (24.7%)

Years of saving: 7.9

37. Kansas City, Missouri

Typical home value: $307,032

Required down payment: $76,273 (24.8%)

Years of saving: 7.9

36. Baltimore, Maryland

Typical home value: $387,914

Required down payment: $100,641 (25.9%)

Years of saving: 8.5

35. Columbus, Ohio

Typical home value: $315,438

Required down payment: $84,215 (26.7%)

Years of saving: 8.5

34. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Typical home value: $378,924

Required down payment: $102,199 (27.0%)

Years of saving: 8.6

33. Chicago, Illinois

Typical home value: $321,897

Required down payment: $95,953 (29.8%)

Years of saving: 8.8

32. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Typical home value: $362,204

Required down payment: $103,471 (28.6%)

Years of saving: 9.2

31. Richmond, Virginia

Typical home value: $372,080

Required down payment: $105,228 (28.3%)

Years of saving: 9.6

30. San Antonio, Texas

Typical home value: $289,511

Required down payment: $92,158 (31.8%)

Years of saving: 9.7

29. Atlanta, Georgia

Typical home value: $387,471

Required down payment: $118,239 (30.5%)

Years of saving: 10.1

28. Jacksonville, Florida

Typical home value: $361,796

Required down payment: $116,974 (32.3%)

Years of saving: 10.8

27. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Typical home value: $351,095

Required down payment: $112,962 (32.2%)

Years of saving: 10.9

26. Hartford, Connecticut

Typical home value: $362,763

Required down payment: $129,585 (35.7%)

Years of saving: 11

25. Washington, DC

Typical home value: $568,862

Required down payment: $188,087 (33.1%)

Years of saving: 11.2

24. Raleigh, North Carolina

Typical home value: $449,514

Required down payment: $152,410 (33.9%)

Years of saving: 11.8

23. Dallas, Texas

Typical home value: $381,104

Required down payment: $152,586 (40.0%)

Years of saving: 12.9

22. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Typical home value: $348,439

Required down payment: $137,086 (39.3%)

Years of saving: 13.4

21. Charlotte, North Carolina

Typical home value: $386,371

Required down payment: $149,041 (38.6%)

Years of saving: 13.7

20. Austin, Texas

Typical home value: $466,628

Required down payment: $209,333 (44.9%)

Years of saving: 14.7

19. Phoenix, Arizona

Typical home value: $461,352

Required down payment: $186,012 (40.3%)

Years of saving: 14.8

18. Tampa, Florida

Typical home value: $382,802

Required down payment: $181,195 (47.3%)

Years of saving: 16.6

17. Nashville, Tennessee

Typical home value: $446,180

Required down payment: $203,325 (45.6%)

Years of saving: 16.7

16. Orlando, Florida

Typical home value: $398,881

Required down payment: $192,553 (48.3%)

Years of saving: 17

15. Salt Lake City, Utah

Typical home value: $549,373

Required down payment: $251,131 (45.7%)

Years of saving: 17.1

14. Las Vegas, Nevada

Typical home value: $427,509

Required down payment: $198,306 (46.4%)

Years of saving: 17.6

13. Denver, Colorado

Typical home value: $595,649

Required down payment: $300,970 (50.5%)

Years of saving: 18.7

12. Providence, Rhode Island

Typical home value: $481,911

Required down payment: $257,453 (53.4%)

Years of saving: 19

11. Portland, Oregon

Typical home value: $556,385

Required down payment: $296,427 (53.3%)

Years of saving: 19.8

10. Sacramento, California

Typical home value: $586,875

Required down payment: $337,769 (57.6%)

Years of saving: 21.7

9. Boston, Massachusetts

Typical home value: $701,349

Required down payment: $432,875 (61.7%)

Years of saving: 23.1

8. Riverside, California

Typical home value: $584,710

Required down payment: $358,926 (61.4%)

Years of saving: 23.6

7. Seattle, Washington

Typical home value: $753,414

Required down payment: $462,095 (61.3%)

Years of saving: 23.7

6. Miami, Florida

Typical home value: $490,088

Required down payment: $316,270 (64.5%)

Years of saving: 24.1

5. New York, NY

Typical home value: $657,279

Required down payment: $494,795 (75.3%)

Years of saving: 27.4

4. San Francisco, California

Typical home value: $1.18 million

Required down payment: $887,656 (75.0%)

Years of saving: 31.5

3. San Diego, California

Typical home value: $958,266

Required down payment: $723,527 (75.5%)

Years of saving: 32.5

2. San Jose, California

Typical home value: $1.63 million

Required down payment: $1.32 million (80.9%)

Years of saving: 36.2

1. Los Angeles, California

Typical home value: $962,388

Required down payment: $780,203 (81.1%)

Years of saving: 36.3

United States

Typical home value: $360,681

Required down payment: $127,743 (35.4%)

Years of saving: 12

• Meta will soon showcase its "full holographic" glasses prototype, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
• The prototype will feature advanced augmented reality tech, though it's not yet ready for sale.
• Zuckerberg noted the glasses are distinct from headsets like the Quest, aiming for broader appeal.

Mark Zuckerberg said Meta is "almost ready" to show off its latest augmented-reality prototype — and he sounds excited.

The CEO teased Meta's upcoming "full holographic" glasses during an interview with YouTuber Kane Sutter, also known as Kallaway.

"Every person who I've shown it to so far, their reaction is giddy," he said. "I'm really looking forward to showing that to more people."

The company will likely demonstrate its first version of "true" AR glasses, a project internally referred to as Orion, in the fall during Meta's annual Connect conference, Business Insider's Kali Hays previously reported.

The glasses aren't expected to be available to purchase for quite some time, but showing off the advanced technology could generate hype around Meta's ongoing investment in the space.

"We're focused on building the full consumer version of it rather than selling the prototype," Zuckerberg said.

He revealed that the prototype is "not the most stylish," with likely thicker frames to accommodate the AR technology. However, he assured consumers that it is "unmistakably glasses" and not a headset, like Meta's Quest or Apple's new Vision Pro.

Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth, and head of its Reality Labs division, said last year that the upcoming AR glasses might be "the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain."

Zuckerberg said that since the demand for the Meta Ray-Bans — which include cameras and integrated AI but no displays — exceeded expectations, the company has been focusing on integrating as much AR technology while maintaining the best form factor for modern glasses.

"I would have thought previously that we needed the full holograms for presence," he said "But AI has made such big leaps that I think […] even something that's a simpler product will have more appeal sooner."

Meta has poured billions into its Reality Labs division over the years, which is responsible for its efforts in building advanced products, including its VR and AR wearables and the metaverse software underlying them.

However, Zuckerberg has cautioned that it will take years to start showing meaningful returns.