Author: openjargon

• Baltic countries are facing intensifying Russian hybrid warfare threats.
• Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are strong supporters of Ukraine.
• Officials in these nations have repeatedly raised concerns about Russian hybrid warfare operations.

The three Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have been at the forefront of the conflict between the West and Russia since the latter's invasion of Ukraine.

Staunch supporters of Ukraine, they – along with Denmark – have given the most aid to Kyiv in relation to their GDP and have been pushing for strict sanctions on Moscow.

Although they are members of NATO and the EU, the Baltics are in a precarious position. Bordering Russia or its ally Belarus, they are small and were part of the Soviet Union until its collapse. Furthermore, over 20% of the population of Estonia and Latvia and 5% of Lithuania are ethnically Russian.

All of this has put them in Moscow's crosshairs. Russia seems to be employing unconventional methods against them that blur the line between war and peace and fall into what is called the "gray zone."

In July 2023, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressed his concern about the possibility of such Russian attacks. "There are hybrid threats. But we never know what kind of hybrid situation may happen. We have witnessed them before as well," he said.

NATO has also cautioned against intensifying Russian hybrid warfare in the region and in the rest of Europe that could include "disinformation, sabotage, acts of violence, cyber and electronic interference, and other hybrid operations."

Targeting the Baltics

Indeed, a year later in May 2024, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blamed the Baltics for severing most of their ties with Russia, adding, "We will also respond to the hostile actions of the Baltic states with asymmetrical measures, primarily in the economic and transit spheres."

Moscow is suspected of following through with its threats.

In May, a leaked Russian proposal outlined plans to redraw Russia's territorial waters with Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Petrov said the proposal wasn't politically motivated but implied it was required to ensure Russia's security amid escalating regional tensions.

Although the proposal was deleted a day after it leaked, the following day several buoys demarcating the territorial waters between Russia and Estonia on the Narva River were removed by the Russian coast guard.

Estonian high officials urged calm, but Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis was more pointed: "Another Russian hybrid operation is underway, this time attempting to spread fear, uncertainty and doubt about their intentions in the Baltic Sea," Landsbergis said in response.

Additionally, there has recently been increased jamming of the satellite navigation systems of commercial aircraft in region, which appears to be originating from within Russian territory. Although it is not clear whether the disruption is intentional, Tallinn and Vilnius have accused Moscow.

Russia and Belarus have also been accused by EU officials of pushing migrants towards the border of Lithuania and neighboring Poland and using them as hybrid weapons. Lithuania temporarily closed off some of its border crossings with Belarus in response, and Poland deployed troops to the border. The Baltics and Poland are prepared to close off their borders in the event of a major migrant push from Belarus.

All three Baltic countries have been targeted by influence operations. Estonia has seen a rise in sabotages that included damage to an undersea gas pipeline and telecommunications cables between it and Finland. Espionage, cyber attacks, and election tampering are also a concern, with Estonia having arrested the most Russian agents per capita in the EU.

Destabilization is the point

Hybrid warfare can use various tools – including military, informational, economic, civilian, and others – but it falls short of overt military action.

Its purpose is to destabilize a country's government, institutions, or population while often preventing attribution back to the perpetrator – occasionally, a purposeful and targeted action may even appear to be a random event.

Although hybrid warfare is not a new strategy, nor one employed exclusively by Russia and its allies, it has received increased attention following Russia's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea as Moscow used a variety of military and non-military tools, which were described as hybrid, to capture the peninsula without meaningful Ukrainian resistance.

The murky nature of hybrid warfare can make it hard to identify and address potential threats. Yet, the Baltic countries are prioritizing hybrid threats and fortifying their institutions in response.

Tellingly, Latvia, in its 2016 National Defense Concept – the country's overarching defense strategy – named hybrid threats and Russia as the main threats to its security for the first time.

And last week, writing alongside his Polish and Czech colleagues, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed "deep concern" over Russian hybrid threats.

"We will act individually and collectively to address these actions, boost our resilience and continue to coordinate closely to ensure that the Alliance and Allies are prepared to deter and defend against hybrid actions or attacks," he said.

• Elon Musk sees universal basic income as a necessary response to automation eliminating human jobs.
• The Tesla chief predicts there will be "universal high income" that will give people more free time.
• Here are Musk's eight best UBI quotes, including that people should spend the cash as they wish.

One of the biggest champions of universal basic income (UBI) is Elon Musk, who expects it to become necessary when robots evict humans from their jobs.

UBI typically refers to making recurring cash payments to all adults in a population, regardless of their wealth or employment status, and with no restrictions on how they spend the money.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X, envisions a world of self-driving vehicles and other artificially intelligent machines replacing humans in work settings and performing virtually all physical and mental labor.

He's suggested that will give people more freedom in how they spend their time and money — and predicted the AI-powered economy will be so productive that everyone will receive not just a basic income but a high one.

Here are Musk's eight best quotes about UBI, lightly edited for length and clarity:

1. "There's a pretty good chance we end up with a universal basic income, or something like that, due to automation. I'm not sure what else one would do. I think that is what would happen. People will have time to do other things, more complex things, more interesting things. Certainly more leisure time." (CNBC, November 4, 2016).
2. "I think we'll end up doing universal basic income. It's going to be necessary. There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better. I want to be clear: These are not things I wish will happen — these are things I think probably will happen." (World Government Summit in Dubai, February 13, 2017)
3. "Universal income will be necessary over time if AI takes over most human jobs. Also think there should be a universal basic income that doesn't change even if you get a job. Productivity should be rewarded." (X posts, June 15 and June 20, 2018)
4. "I'm in *favor* of universal basic income. Goal of government should be to maximize the happiness of the people. Giving each person money allows them to decide what meets their needs, rather than the blunt tool of legislation, which creates self-serving special interests. If we do a stimulus at all, it should just be direct payments to consumers." (X post, July 24, 2020)
5. "The $1400 is mostly good imo (UBI lite), as the people get to choose how the money is spent, but the rest is mostly net bad for the people as a whole." (Commenting on pandemic stimulus in a X post, March 6, 2021)
6. "What is the economy at its foundation? It is labor. So what happens when there is no shortage of labor? This is why I think long-term, there will need to be universal basic income." (AI Day, August 2021)
7. "There will be universal high income, not basic, in a positive AI future. No scarcity, except that which we define to be scarce. In that scenario, everyone can have whatever goods & services they want. It is less clear how we will find meaning in a world where work is optional. (X post, December 25, 2023)
8. "In a benign scenario, probably none of us will have a job. There would be universal high income. There would be no shortage of goods and services. The question will really be one of meaning: if a computer can do, and the robots can do, everything better than you, does your life have meaning? I do think there's perhaps still a role for humans in that we may give AI meaning." (VivaTech, May 23, 2024).

• My son has been going to summer camp for years now, and is always away for his birthday. 
• It was hard the first time, but he was ready for this independence. 
• I get to see his birthday celebrations through the camp's app. 

Two years ago, I packed bags and bins full of clothing and toiletries, and my son left for his first summer at sleepaway camp. Three weeks later, he celebrated his 11th birthday with his new camp friends, away from home and without family.

At the end of his four-week camp session, when he told me camp was his favorite place on Earth, it sunk in that I'd never be with him on his birthday again. At first, I was heartbroken.

I love celebrating his birthday

I remember his first birthday like it was yesterday. Friends and family gathered in our home as we sang Happy Birthday and indulged in his first birthday cake. Not quite walking yet, I couldn't imagine how his birthdays would change in only a decade — how the toddler in my arms would become the teen driving a go-kart 150 miles away from home.

In the years following that first birthday, we threw many parties. From the bowling alley to the karate dojo to a magician's stage, we celebrated my son on his special day because that's what you do when children turn another year older. Often, he'd awaken to a room filled with balloons. But sometimes, traditions change.

As a mother, it was already hard to let go for the first time. I wanted him nearby so I could ensure he was happy, healthy, and safe. I worried he wouldn't brush his teeth, get sick, or like the food. Even worse, I was concerned he'd miss us during quiet nights as he lay awake in bed.

My son was ready for independence

As I packed his belongings, I remembered my own summers at sleepover camp, and I overwhelmingly recalled being homesick and wanting to go home. The day that stuck out most was my 13th birthday when I snuck to the payphone to call my parents. "Please come get me," I begged, even though I'd independently chosen to go back another summer. My own childhood emotions came rushing back, impeding me from sending my son off with ease.

But he was a different child altogether. He was ready.

My son heard about summer camp from the moment he could communicate. My husband went to the same camp himself and later worked there as a counselor. Stories of late-night firepits, hikes into the wilderness, and ziplining through the trees have been told in our home since my son could talk. My husband remains friends with some staff members, which gives my son a sense of community when he's away. Before he even arrived on day one, camp felt like a second home to him. No wonder he chooses to be away on his birthday each year.

I saw photos of his birthday on an app

That first summer away, I saw pictures from his birthday the following day on the Campanion app — the app where pictures of campers are uploaded daily. I waited anxiously, wanting to know if he'd had a special day because he'd never turn 11 again. It felt surreal to see pictures of my son's birthday celebration — one I didn't plan or attend myself. As pictures began to load, it felt like a piece of me was missing, but his smile made everything seem right.

From a birthday t-shirt to spinning the birthday wheel for a prize to birthday cake for his entire bunk, the day was equally as special as any birthday at home. As I scrolled through pictures, there was no doubt in my mind he was happy. He was celebrated by his counselors, friends, and the entire camp, and that made being away from him on his special day a little easier for me.

For him, it was the best birthday yet.

I've learned to accept that we can celebrate early. Last summer, we threw a surprise party in our yard with his closest friends the week before he left for camp. This summer, we'll celebrate with a sendoff dinner at his favorite restaurant with family.

With a little creative planning, I make his birthday special, even though I'm not there. Each summer, I pack a box with presents to be opened on his birthday and send a celebratory activity for his bunk. For his 11th birthday, they had a water gun fight that spanned across the entire camp and on his 12th birthday, they attended dinner with stick-on mustaches and festive hats. I have my work cut out for me, but I hope to make each camp birthday stand out from the last.

As a mother, it's my job to help my son thrive until he can do so on his own — and right now, that means letting him be away on his birthday every summer. Camp has given him independence, confidence, and friendships for a lifetime, and there's nowhere else he'd rather be on his birthday than his favorite place on Earth.

• Houthi footage appeared to show sea drones attacking a cargo ship.
• A Greek-owned coal carrier attacked by the militant group sank, a UK maritime agency said.
• A British-owned vessel sank earlier this year following another Houthi attack.

Footage released by Yemen's Houthi rebels appears to show the militant group attacking a cargo ship in the Red Sea with sea drones.

In the video, unmanned surface vehicles (USV) can be seen striking a large ship, causing it to tip slightly onto its side and sit low in the water.

Business Insider could not independently verify the video. However, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) later reported that a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned coal carrier was believed to have sunk.

UKMTO is linked to the UK's Royal Navy.

The UKMTO said on Tuesday: "Military authorities report maritime debris and oil sighted in the last reported location."

"The vessel is believed to have sunk," it added.

The US Navy confirmed that the vessel had been attacked by Iranian-backed Houthis using a USV and that sailors from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had airlifted the crew to safety on June 15.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that the attack on the cargo carrier killed "a crew member who hailed from the Philippines."

Following the attack, US Central Command announced that its forces had destroyed two Houthi USVs, one uncrewed aerial system launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, and seven Houthi radars.

"It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels," CENTCOM said in a statement posted to X.

The MV Tutor is the second ship that the Houthis have successfully sunk this year. The British-owned Rubymar sank in the Red Sea after it was struck by a missile fired by the group.

Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea corridor and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones as part of a campaign that aims to put pressure on Israel and the West over the war in Gaza.

The attacks have forced shipping vessels to take longer and more costly routes around the southern tip of Africa.

Experts have said that the US Navy is facing its most intense combat since World War II as it battles the Houthi threat in the region.

"This is the most sustained combat that the US Navy has seen since World War II — easily, no question," Bryan Clark, a former Navy submariner and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told the Associated Press.

"We're sort of on the verge of the Houthis being able to mount the kinds of attacks that the US can't stop every time, and then we will start to see substantial damage," he added.

Between October 17 and the start of May, the Houthis attacked commercial vessels at least 53 times, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

• USS Constitution is the only remaining US Navy ship to have sunk an enemy warship in battle.
• It is also the oldest commissioned warship in the world that's still afloat, and it's full of history.
• Business Insider embarked on the 226-year-old frigate for a recent underway in the Boston Harbor.

With sea shanties blaring on the loudspeaker and onlookers taking pictures from the shore, USS Constitution slowly pulled away from the pier on a blistering hot day in mid-June.

This US Navy warship, at well over 200 years old, is not like the sea service's other ships, though. It is basically a floating museum, but with a bit of a twist. Unlike others, it hasn't been decommissioned.

The Constitution, known as America's Ship of State, needed a tugboat's assistance for the entirety of an hours-long underway in the Boston Harbor to honor women veterans of the US armed forces. When it sets sail, the tall ship moves slowly, escorted by police boats and the Coast Guard and helicopters circling overhead.

Aboard are hundreds of people — veterans, active-duty personnel, and their family members.

As the warship sailed the harbor, a 21-gun salute — blanks fired from two of the many heavy cannons — rang out, filling the lower deck with smoke that reeked of something like sulfur, an element of gunpowder. People cheered and filmed the celebratory occasion. The Constitution may be old, but it can still put on a show.

The heavy frigate was launched in 1797 shortly after President George Washington authorized the creation of a Navy. During the War of 1812, the Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" because British cannonballs seemingly could not penetrate the ship's wooden hull.

It is the oldest commissioned warship in the world that's still afloat, and after the much newer guided-missile frigate USS Simpson was decommissioned in 2015, Old Ironsides became the only remaining vessel in the Navy to have sunk an enemy warship in battle — a feat carried over from the War of 1812 against the British.

"Over her 226 years, she's seen a lot," Lt. Cdr. Robert Dreitz, the ship's executive officer, told Business Insider during the underway. "But she is currently, in our fleet, the only ship that has had actual ship-to-ship engagement. Everything else has been over-the-horizon."

A love for history

The Constitution was retired from active service in 1881 after a storied career, but naval officers and crew still serve aboard the ship — now a museum that occasionally sets sail — at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston.

Back in 1812, there were around 450 officers, sailors, and Marines aboard the Constitution. Today, it consists of three officers and around 80 enlisted Navy sailors — a mix of fleet returnees, meaning they've done previous tours, and individuals straight from boot camp.

Col. Taona Enriquez, a commander at nearby Hanscom Air Force Base, where some Constitution crewmembers live, said sailors come to work on the ship because of its historical significance.

"History is what we came from," Enriquez said. "Much like we stand on shoulders of our veterans before us, the new destroyers are standing on the shoulders of the USS Constitution."

The sailors tend to agree with this sentiment, but it's not easy to get here. Dreitz said it's "extremely competitive" for sailors to work on the Constitution. They have to apply, and then they're screened and later interviewed to make sure they're a good fit.

"I do very much so enjoy history, so I thought this would be a great place to continue to grow in my Navy career," said HM Andre Flamini.

Flamini has worked as a medic during his three years with the old warship, but he also does pretty much anything else needed. Tasks can range from training crew members to working the cannons.

He applied to work on the Constitution during the Covid-19 pandemic, when order selection for sea duty wasn't great. He thought this looked like a "cool and interesting" opportunity to pursue.

"I think the history and heritage of the Navy is important to a lot of us here — should be important to every single one of us, actually," Flamini said, adding that "being able to see where we come from, and where the Navy's going, has always interested me and everyone else on board."

Unlike Flamini, who's a fleet returnee, SN Alec Morris applied to join the Constitution right from boot camp. A recruit division commander had told him at the time that if he planned on spending time in the military, the ship was a great place to be.

"It's a huge resume-builder — you're going to learn a lot, you're going to get a lot of mentorship," Morris said, reflecting on what the commander told him over two-and-a-half years ago. "And everything he said was absolutely correct."

Bridging 'the old and the new'

The history and legacy of the Constitution don't just stay confined to the ship. They're reflected in Navy operations today.

Dreitz said the missions that the Constitution performed more than 200 years ago — protecting the freedom of navigation — are similar to those in which the Navy is currently engaged.

His remarks specifically alluded to the turbulent waters of the Middle East, thousands of miles away from Boston, where US ships have spent some eight months defending the shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from relentless attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Back in its prime, the Constitution defended American shipping in a tense period of at-sea confrontations with France and against the infamous Barbary pirates.

The circumstances and technology are obviously different; the Houthis, for instance, are firing missiles and drones instead of cannons, and the American warships are significantly more modern and advanced than the Constitution.

However, for the Navy, the goal of protecting merchant vessels overseas has remained a constant through the years.

"She bridges the gap between the old and the new," Dreitz said of the Constitution.

• I'm a former TV chef who spends $150 on tasty ingredients and cooking shortcuts at Costco each week.
• The Minsley cooked rice and Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce can effortlessly upgrade meals.
• I also grab ingredients like Kerrygold butter and Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Before the first season of my aspireTV series, "Butter + Brown," I trained with a chef whose husband was a corporate executive at Costco.

In my mind, Costco was for folks who loved pre-seasoned meat, Kirkland Signature-branded alcohol, and birthday cakes. However, I couldn't have been more wrong.

This chef gave me the inside scoop on the best items from the store, and since then, I've joined the nearly 35 million customers who have an executive Costco membership. I use my membership to stock up on ingredients for family dinners and quick meals.

Here are 11 items I always get on a $150 budget at my Los Angeles Costco.

The Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is perfect for baking and making excellent sauces.

European-made butter in bulk is an instant "yes" for me. The quality of butter I use in baked goods or sauces can change the dish's outcome, so I always pick up two boxes of Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter to keep in my fridge.

European butter is also typically higher in butterfat than its American counterparts, which can make food taste richer and more flavorful.

Costco carries a salted version, which is my favorite. A pack of Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter costs $14.50 at my Costco.

My kids eat the I Heart Hydros hydroponic strawberries at every meal.

I can't speak for everyone else's children, but mine eat fruit like it's going out of style. These hydroponic strawberries, which are grown without soil, have been a mainstay in my cart lately.

One major plus of these berries is their taste, which is sweeter and juicier than many other options I've tried. I can't say if they're better for your health, but they're full of flavor and are a big hit at my house.

The hydroponic strawberries cost $6 per case at my store.

The Sun Fresh green seedless grapes are perfect for lunches and freezing. 

My pantry is stocked with snacks, ranging from veggie chips to cookies and Doritos. However, I also require my daughters to take fruit in their school lunches.

At Costco, I can find a variety of grapes, from black seedless and cotton candy to table varieties. I typically buy one container for the fridge and another for the freezer.

A 3-pound package of grapes costs $8.50 at my location.

I grab precooked rice for when I need a quick meal at home.

Like most people, chefs try to find ways to save time in the kitchen. I focus on figuring out what to feed my family for dinner, and for myself, I keep it simple.

The Minsley organic cooked brown rice is great alongside quickly seared salmon or grilled chicken. For $9, I bought a box containing six bowls of rice.

I like to satisfy my soda cravings with Poppi.

Before Poppi drinks, I hadn't had an orange soda in about five or six years. I was intrigued when I heard about the brand "bringing soda back." And they did, with a vengeance.

Now, I pick up a variety pack with cherry-limeade, orange, and strawberry-lemon flavors. With only 4 to 5 grams of sugar per serving, these sodas pair perfectly with lunch.

I bought a case containing 15 cans of Poppi for $20.

My husband drinks at least four cups of coffee daily, so Horizon Organic half-and-half is necessary.

Years ago, my husband slung espresso cups behind the counter at Peet's Coffee. Though he's moved on from that job, he hasn't left his coffee obsession behind.

This half-gallon carton of Horizon Organic half-and-half ensures we have enough for the coffee enthusiast (and me, the tea girl). At my location, a carton costs $6.90.

We need to have a lot of Peet's Coffee on hand as well.

I also get a bag of Peet's Coffee when I'm at Costco — I choose the Major Dickason's Blend, a dark-roast coffee with a rich flavor. This brew is full-bodied, bold, and not at all bitter.

Though big in flavor, it maintains its smoothness as it goes down. We love Peet's, so it's perfect that Costco sells a giant bag we can grind up ourselves. A 32-ounce package of coffee costs $16.90 at my Costco.

Breakfast with three kids can sometimes be chaotic, but ready-to-go bagels make it easy for everyone. 

My girls love bagels. I'm convinced it's the New Yorker in them, and Costco allows them to get their fix.

My kids have different tastes and preferences, so Costco's two-for-$7 deal on Kirkland Signature bagels is the best way to ensure they each have what they like. I usually pick up everything and plain for the kids, and sometimes, I'll grab a cinnamon-raisin pack for myself.

Simply Orange pulp-free orange juice gets a thumbs up from my daughter.

We're big fans of the Simply juices. I usually opt for either the brand's Simply Lemonade, Simply Limeade, or Simply Peach flavors, but at Costco, we get the Simply Orange juice.

Though I'm not a huge orange-juice drinker, my teenager loves to take a small bottle with her to school. A case of Simply Orange juice is $16 at my location.

Serving pasta once a week means there has to be cheese available. 

There isn't a week that goes by without my kids asking for one of my pasta dishes. Whether it's pesto, a simple Bolognese, or a kale-and-sausage dish, each requires a heaping pile of Kirkland Signature Pecorino Romano or the brand's Parmigiano-Reggiano to make it sing.

In my opinion, Costco has excellent wedges that taste just as good as something from a fancy cheesemonger. I bought a block of Pecorino Romano for $16.90 and Parmigiano-Reggiano for $17.10.

I like to stock up on my favorite condiments at Costco.

I'm a self-proclaimed condiment queen. I love a good hot sauce, an aioli, and a great dressing. Though I prefer to make my own, there are moments when I simply don't have the bandwidth to do so.

Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce is handy for salmon-teriyaki cravings, and the Don Pancho cilantro-lime-crema everything sauce is great on tacos.

The Japanese barbecue sauce costs $6.80, and the cilantro-lime-crema sauce is $8 at my location.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

• Drew and Becky Bidlen are college sweethearts who spent three years traveling the US in a van. 
• After the birth of their daughter, they ditched van life to buy a $150,000 old home in Indianapolis.
• The Bidlens are turning the property, which was abandoned by a hoarder, into their forever home.

A life on the road isn't for everyone, but for a while, it was for Becky and Drew Bidlen.

The couple are college sweethearts from the Midwest who met during college in Ohio. After graduation, the Bidlens, now 29, relocated to South Carolina. It was somewhere new for the pair, which awakened an "adventurous spirit" in both of them, Becky told Business Insider.

"Seeing how well that move went, we felt like there were so many places in the US we'd love to live in," she added.

Between 2020 and 2023, they did just that. After selling two cars, their furniture, and other possessions, they converted a cargo van into a tiny home on wheels and spent three years traveling. They wintered in warmer states like Florida and California and spent summers exploring the serene nature of British Columbia and Alberta in Canada.

Van life was filled with "endless possibilities," but the Bidlens knew it wouldn't last forever. Becky, a travel nurse, and Drew, who works in software, eventually wanted to settle down and have kids.

Like many other millennials, a generation drawn to the adventurous spirit and relative affordability of van life, they saved thousands by working remotely, living frugally, and, importantly, not spending a dime on rent.

In 2023, the couple welcomed their daughter, Aurora Mercy. Twelve days later, they found what they were looking for: a historic house in Indianapolis, close to where most of Becky's family still live.

The price was right: only $150,000. The only catch? It was a fixer-upper in every sense of the word. Take a look inside.

The Bidlens' 3,500-square-foot home was last inhabited by a hoarder who left it abandoned for two years.

When the Bidlens first came across their home, listed at $139,000, toward the end of 2023, they thought it was a steal for its size.

The 3,500-square-foot property has a main house with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a library, a sunroom, a garage, a basement, and an attic. In the backyard, there was an additional guesthouse in bad shape, which Becky said was used by a previous owner and their family while the main house was being renovated.

At the time, the couple wasn't looking for anything massive or needing major work. But when Drew went to see it with a friend who had experience renovating homes, he was sold — even though an owner with a tendency to hoard had abandoned it two years prior.

"They both came back from that walk-through jazzed about it, seeing the potential and seeing the price for it," Becky said. "We took on something a bit bigger than we had anticipated, but still felt like it was something we could do."

Given its size and price, Becky and Drew weren't the only ones keen on the house. To show they were serious, they made a higher offer of $150,000.

On the day they closed on the house, Becky said she initially felt "a little sick" about their choice.

Although she's a "dreamer" who has seen some "ugly stuff" in previous homes, Becky couldn't help feeling some trepidation about how much work they were in for with the house.

On the closing day, she said she felt "a little sick" thinking about whether they made the right choice. "I was like, 'What did we just buy? We don't even know what's under all this,'" she recalled.

According to Becky, there were piles of stuff in every room, filled with everything from trash and furniture to gadgets and books.

"Everything was just all mixed together," she said. "You would have a box with some sweaters and then Inuit-carved arts and china."

They didn't want to pay roughly $10,000 for someone to sort and clear all of the items, so Becky and Drew enlisted the help of family and friends. The weekslong process became somewhat of a treasure hunt, as the couple told their volunteers that if they found something they wanted, they could probably keep it.

"My mom took a Waterpik flosser that was new, and she was really excited about it," Becky said.

Beneath the layers of trash, dirt, and a few found treasures was a real issue: mold.

After the couple cleared out all the unsalvageable items, they were left with a few things of value, including jewelry and collections of coins, stamps, and crystals. They plan to get them appraised and decide whether to sell, donate, or keep them.

There's a more urgent problem: The building wasn't properly "winterized" and sustained significant water damage, leading to mold on the first and second floors, Becky said.

"That mold remediation process has been a whole thing," Becky said, adding that they've done most of it themselves after consulting a professional.

She added that the mold is the reason they're still waiting to move into the property, which they hope to finally do in July.

"Everything related to the air quality has been extremely tedious, especially with the mold," she said.

The couple quickly discovered that their house had also been overrun with raccoons, who left "ankle-deep" droppings in the attic.

There was also a raccoon infestation.

"The primary resident in our attic was raccoons," she said. "We don't even know how much were in there, but they left a lot of droppings, like ankle-deep."

The critters also left their mark by burrowing gaping holes in the floors and ceilings.

The Bidlens had renovated the van they lived out of, so they felt prepared to take on a bigger project.

Renovating a house is a much bigger project than fixing up a vehicle, but Becky said turning their van into a home years before served as great practice.

"That was our first introduction to working on projects together, and it was quite challenging, but it was good to learn plumbing, electrical, woodworking, flooring, and insulation," she said.

Fast-forward to 2024, and Becky said they've made almost all the major changes they want to the hoarder home. They replaced all the plumbing and adjusted a wall and beams between the kitchen and the sunroom to make the cooking area brighter and warmer.

They also spent a lot of time salvaging the hardwood floors, some of which have been damaged by water.

After finding an old fire map of the home, Becky said they discovered it once had a wraparound porch, a feature they intend to restore.

"We want to keep as much of the historic charm as possible," Becky said.

The couple's passion for preservation is inspired by their time living in Charleston.

Before their van-life adventure, Becky and Drew lived in Charleston, a city known for protecting old homes. The city's Rainbow Row is a series of 13 colorful houses originally built in the 1700s, Charleston Magazine reports.

"It's all frozen in time," Becky said. "They are just so beautiful and well-maintained."

Seeing these properties struck a chord with the Bidlens, who would venture into open houses whenever they could.

"That's definitely where this dream about restoring a historic home started, just seeing how an entire neighborhood that's been restored so carefully can look beautiful," Becky said.

In their neighborhood in Indianapolis, there are other old homes, some of which are brightly painted.

Becky and Drew are still mulling over the paint choice for the exterior of their home, which is pale pink, but will likely choose something in line with the rest of their neighborhood and similar to the houses they fell in love with in Charleston.

Buying an old house means accepting its history — which includes a few ghost stories.

In the months after the sale, Becky and Drew heard several stories about paranormal activity at their home.

"We got a few different people telling us that it's haunted and sharing different stories," she said. "That did definitely make me question things and feel quite frightened for a little while, not wanting to work in the house alone."

One of the stories involves a family who lived in the house during World War II and heard the voice of a child. Another tale centered on someone who claimed they saw a hazy, smoky figure on the property.

The house, which had several major fires, had been vacant for two years before the Bidlens bought it.

Nevertheless, the couple hasn't witnessed anything out of the ordinary yet.

Becky also finds it comforting that no two people believe the same ghost story about the house — it makes it less likely that any one myth is true.

"That makes me feel a bit reassured," she added.

The couple doesn't regret leaving van life behind to create a forever home.

While Becky said she and Drew look back fondly at their years on the road, they don't regret making the decision to ditch van life and settle down in Indianapolis.

"Both of us love kids and always wanted to start a family," said Becky, noting that living in a van and constantly going from place to place isn't ideal when you're raising children and want them to have weekly routines and a sense of community.

"People do have a nomadic lifestyle while raising kids," she added. "But we had both always pictured raising our kids with our families nearby, within a day's drive."

Becky hopes the home will be ready and safe for them to move in by July. As apprehensive as she was initially, she has no regrets about the house, even after hearing all the ghost stories.

"We love the house, we love the yard," she said. "There's definitely room to grow."

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Welcome back to our Saturday edition! Kylie Kelce and her husband, y'know, the former Philadelphia Eagles power player Jason Kelce, are outnumbered at home. The couple has three girls and are adamant about not letting fame affect their family.

On the agenda:

• Caitlin Clark has become the face of an American culture war.
• A mom explains why she ditched gentle parenting.
• Scientists are working to make ultra-processed foods healthier.
• People are "quiet vacationing." It's not as good as it sounds.

But first: This, not that, vacation edition.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

A hideaway summer

It's no secret overtourism has become a problem. Hot destinations like Venice have implemented fees to visit, while a photo-worthy spot near Mount Fuji erected a barrier to keep tourists from flocking to the area.

If the idea of being shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow tourists gives you summer-vacation dread, don't worry — there's a solution.

There are many hidden-gem destinations perfect for solo travelers looking for peace and quiet, or family-friendly spots that will make everyone feel at home.

If you're looking for an under-the-radar Greecian vacation, why not book a stay in Halkidiki, known for its soft beaches, or Thessaloniki, packed with history?

Have your heart set on a vacation with a European feel? Skip the crowds in Paris and get your French fix in Montreal, Canada.

And if you'd rather stay closer to home, Idaho is a state that often gets overlooked but provides some of the best views, while my home state of Maryland is so much more than crab cakes and football.

Caitlin Clark is a Rorschach test

Clark, a 22-year-old Iowa graduate and women's basketball sensation, has inadvertently become the center of an American culture war.

Clark doesn't talk politics, instead saying she's focused on basketball. But it's getting harder to focus on the game. Some sports commentators are deriding Black players, saying they're bullying Clark. Another compared Clark to Eminem, saying she doesn't get enough credit because she's white.

What it all tells us about the sports-media ecosystem.

No more gentle parenting

This millennial mom always wanted to be the "cool" parent — and gentle parenting seemed to be the way to do it. The method frowns upon punitive tactics, seemingly aligning with what she wanted from motherhood: peacefulness.

But by the time her son approached preschool, it became clear it wasn't working. He was defiant to everyday tasks and struggled to recognize authority. So she gave up gentle parenting.

What she does instead.

Also read:

• Millennials have a favorite parenting style. It isn't working.

Making ultra-processed foods healthy (ish)

Five years ago, nutrition scientist Kevin Hall changed how we view ultra-processed foods. He discovered an ultra-processed diet led to people consuming about an extra 500 calories per day.

His findings kicked off a wave of "clean" eating trends, but Hall wasn't convinced that shunning these convenience foods was the real solution. Now, he's on a mission to develop new recipes for ultra-processed meals in the hopes they'll be healthier.

Inside his latest study.

Work from vacation

There's a new work trend in town that has people working while being out of town. Meet "quiet vacationing" — where people are working while secretly being on full-blown holidays.

It may sound better to answer emails on the beach than at the office. But the idea that people are under so much pressure at work that they can't even tell their boss they're on vacation is a startling reminder of America's broken work culture.

Why "quiet vacationing" is a bad idea.

What we're watching this weekend

• "Tell Them You Love Me": Netflix's new documentary tells the controversial true story of a married white professor and the nonverbal Black student she says she developed a relationship with.
• "Orphan Black: Echoes": The long-awaited spinoff to "Orphan Black" finally premieres this weekend.
• "Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood": The new Max docuseries will look at the public dispute between Swift and Braun.

See the full list.

Deals we love

• Beat the heat: We've tested over a dozen portable air conditioner units to find the best ones for keeping cool during this summer's heat waves.

• Don't forget the sunscreen: Combine two steps with these 10 face moisturizers with SPF — and skip burned lips with a good SPF lip balm.
• Keep these bags by your side: We tested over a dozen purses to find the best crossbody bags for every occasion, whether you're traveling the world or running errands.

More of this week's top reads:

• Your guide to running and rucking — and which to add to your fitness routine.
• Eight ways to stay safe while traveling solo.
• To get swole, Michael B. Jordan recommends yoga and meditation.
• The luxury conglomerate behind Cartier is beating LVMH at its own game.
• Review: Eating at Disney World's only Michelin-starred restaurant.
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop pizza is actually … pretty good?
• Microplastics have been found in penis muscle for the first time.
• People are paying $17,000 a week for Silversea's luxe new cabin. See inside.
• Fertility clinics are targeting Gen Z — and young women are paying the price.

The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief of life, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Grace Lett, associate editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• Rucking is a great workout to build muscle and burn fat.
• I was already rucking to the office once a week, but sometimes had back pain.
• A rucking expert shared tips that upped my speed and worked out my shoulders.

When I first heard of rucking, a workout favored by both Guy Fieri and the Fittest Woman on Earth, I realized I already sort of do it. For the past few years, I've been packing my backpack and walking 3.6 miles from my home to the office once a week, just to get some fresh air.

"Rucking in its simplest form is just walking with weight on your back," Nichele Cihlar, the Director of Training at GORUCK, told Business Insider. She said it's a great workout, whether it's your primary form of exercise or your recovery day routine. I do the latter, using it as a way to still build muscle and burn fat on days I'm not running or weightlifting.

Cihlar, who also rucks on her rest days, said I could amplify the workout by adding more weight. My only reservation was that I've gone heavier before, but ended up with lower back pain.

She shared a few tips on how to maximize weight without hurting yourself, especially if you're using a minimalist work backpack, like I am, instead of an official rucking pack.

Stack magazines to slowly add more weight

My backpack is usually a little heavy on its own: I carry my laptop, charger, Kindle, water bottle, and lunch.

I wanted to add more weight without going too far, since it'd be really awkward to unload a dumbbell in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge.

"I would recommend starting light and then working up from there," Cihlar said. Her father-in-law recently started rucking, and one of her first suggestions for him was to throw in some magazines.

I took some old copies we had lying around the apartment and slid them behind my laptop. I also filled my water bottle, since I usually carry it empty to make the walk easier.

Keep the heavier items towards the top

Cihlar said that your shoulders sometimes feel sore when you start rucking. While that was definitely true for me the first times I walked to work, I'd also feel that lower back ache, sometimes for days afterward. It made me more cautious about adding more weight.

"If you're not using an actual ruck, which holds the weight up high on your back, and you're just loading your backpack, everything falls to the bottom," Cihlar said. "That can cause a little bit more weight tension sitting in your low back."

When packing my bag, I rearranged its contents and piled heavier items, like my lunch and my makeup bag, closer to the top.

I felt a huge difference during the walk. My shoulders were a lot more sore than in the past, while my back felt completely fine.

It made me more confident that I was rucking right. I wasn't trying to pull up my straps like I normally do when my lower back acts up towards the end of the commute. I still hurt, but in the good way!

Always wear supportive shoes

Ok, the real reason I messed up my back isn't exactly a mystery: out of laziness and not wanting to pack extra shoes, I usually walked to work in Doc Martens.

Cihlar said I'd "definitely want a supportive shoe," such as running sneakers to prevent injury. For more seasoned ruckers, she recommended getting real rucking shoes because trainers "break down faster once you start adding that load."

I wore my running shoes and switched to mules at work (which had the bonus of making my pack just a little heavier, too).

No surprises here, but I was able to walk faster than my usual pace, even while bearing a heavier load.

When I first started walking to work, I minimized it and didn't consider it a real workout. I tossed whatever I wanted into my bag and clacked along in heeled boots as if I wasn't a woman in my 30s with mild scoliosis. Alas, not taking it seriously led me to make some (mildly painful) mistakes.

It's exciting to know that a few small tweaks help me make the most of an already lovely commute. Getting my steps in, gaining shoulder strength, and seeing the NYC skyline before all the tourists get there? We can have it all.

• Heather Wilkinson was a surrogate twice and earned $22,500 and $30,000 in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
• Surrogacy is increasing, with the global market valued at $14 billion in 2022.
• Surrogates can now earn $35,000 to $50,000, while intended parents may spend around $200,000 or more.

Heather Wilkinson was at the park visiting with a relatively new friend while their children played, when the friend explained she had babies for other people.

"At first, I thought she was kind of crazy," Wilkinson said of her first impression of surrogacy. But as the friend explained that she'd had easy pregnancies and now she was helping others build their families, Wilkinson thought, "I might be into this crazy idea after all."

More than a decade later, Wilkinson, who is based in Indiana, has been a surrogate twice and currently serves as senior manager of surrogate success at Surrogacy.com.

Surrogacy is on the rise worldwide, with the global surrogacy market worth an estimated $14 billion in 2022, according to market research consultancy Global Market Insights. Traditional surrogacy is when a woman is artificially inseminated, but more common today is gestational surrogacy, in which IVF is used to place a fertilized embryo into a surrogate.

Like her friend, Wilkinson had also had easy pregnancies with her two children.

"I hate to say it because it sounds obnoxious, but I didn't have morning sickness. I didn't get stretch marks. It was the epitome of perfect pregnancies with no issues whatsoever," she said.

When she decided she wanted to help others have children, she ended up going with the same surrogacy agency her friend used: Circle. For her first surrogacy journey, she got matched with a single dad. She was paid $22,500 and delivered the baby in 2014.

"It was an incredible experience," she said. "I remember being in the hospital saying to my husband, 'I know this sounds crazy, but I know that I want to do this again.'"

When Circle reached out to see if she'd be interested in going through the process again, she said "yes." This time, she was matched with a gay couple from Australia.

Her second experience was also a little different, as this time, she was part of what's called a dual journey or a concurrent journey, where there are two separates surrogates hired to carry babies for the same set of intended parents. Though the couple contracted two surrogates, they staggered the pregnancies to not overlap.

"I understand wanting to build your family and wanting to have more than one child," she said, adding that surrogacy journeys can take a lot of time, sometimes two years, and so for some parents, it may make sense to do two at the same time.

This time, Wilkinson delivered in 2016 and was paid $30,000.

Today, Wilkinson said the typical base pay for a first-time surrogate can be anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000.

As for the intended parents, they can pay anywhere from around $200,000 or more to have a child via surrogacy. Other costs that go into the process include legal fees for contracts, clinical bills, and agency fees.

While the price point of surrogacy can make it a luxury, Wilkinson said some people go to great lengths to be able to afford it.

"I've heard of intended parents that are taking out second mortgages on their house or just going through different avenues to afford surrogacy," she said.

Wilkinson said she found the surrogacy experience empowering, and now she's committed to helping other surrogates have fulfilling journeys.

As for deciding to become a surrogate, she said it really comes down to the "why." For her, she said it goes back to her favorite aunt. As a kid, she always wondered why her aunt never had kids of her own. It wasn't until she got older that she realized her aunt had wanted kids but was unable to have them.

"There are tons of people just like my aunt that are equally deserving and equally have that yearning to be a parent," she said. "And that I knew that I could help."

Have a news tip or a story to share about surrogacy? Were you an intended parent in a concurrent surrogacy journey? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.