• I've been visiting Disney World for over 30 years and usually stay at a hotel on the property. 
• I've spent a night at all five value resorts, and only some of them are worth the lower price.
• If I had to pick one (almost) perfect budget hotel, it would be Disney's Pop Century Resort.

As a Disney World annual passholder, I've been lucky enough to stay at every hotel on the property.

I love splurging on moderate or deluxe properties, but it can easily cost a family of three close to $10,000 to spend five days at the park while staying at a deluxe resort. When it comes down to it, the Disney value resorts are usually the best option for my vacation budget.

There are five different value resorts at Disney World: All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, Pop Century, and Art of Animation.

Now that I've checked all of them off of my to-stay list, I can confidently say there are only two I'd book again, and only when the price is right.

Here's my take on each value resort.

I only stay at All-Star Movies if I find an extra cheap room.

Three All-Star Resorts share a property at Disney: All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, and All-Star Music.

I normally don't stay at any of them, but I book Movies occasionally if I can find an extra-cheap room with my Florida-resident or annual-passholder discount.

Disney's All-Star Movies puts guests right in the heart of their favorite Disney films. I love walking through the outdoor common areas and seeing massive statues of characters like Buzz Lightyear and Woody from "Toy Story" and Pongo and Perdy from "101 Dalmatians."

Since the hotel isn't connected to any Disney transportation except for the complimentary buses, I try to have a car when I stay here to make getting to the parks easier.

All-Star Sports is a nice spot for sports fans, but it seems a little outdated to me.

I love the sports theming at All-Star Sports, especially the football area where kids can run around on a turf field. But the overall vibe of the resort feels outdated to me.

Even if I could get a good deal on a room here, I'd rather spend a little more money to stay at Pop Century or a moderate resort.

All-Star Music is my least favorite of the All-Star resorts.

My least favorite All-Star property is Disney's All-Star Music.

I get the appeal for families on a budget because the deals tend to be pretty good. But I just don't love the theming.

It's also located between Sports and Movies, so finding parking in the shared lots can be hard. That gets annoying when I already have to rely on my car since there aren't many free transportation options.

Pop Century is my favorite value resort because of the price and location.

If I could only stay at one value resort again, I'd choose Disney's Pop Century.

I love the larger-than-life decade-specific theming of the buildings, and the nostalgic nods to the past in the lobby are fun to look through.

It's also usually pretty easy to find a good deal, with stays often dipping below $200 a night.

In addition to saving me money, Pop Century has easy access to Hollywood Studios and Epcot via the Disney Skyliner gondolas, saving me time on trips to the parks.

Art of Animation is great for families, but the price can be a little steep.

Disney's Art of Animation has special family suites for up to six people, which is ideal for bigger groups traveling together. But the resort is priced more like a moderate (or even deluxe) Disney hotel and only has the value amenities.

Family-suite rates start at $623 a night. For comparison, rooms at Disney's Wilderness Lodge start at $552 a night.

Of course, the Wilderness Lodge rooms only sleep four people. But if your family is smaller, staying at the deluxe resort could be more cost-efficient. Plus, you get access to more upscale amenities.

Even Art of Animation's standard four-person room rates start at $292. For just a few more dollars a night, I'd rather stay at a moderate resort like Coronado Springs or Port Orleans. Those rates start at $302 and $307, respectively.

• President Joe Biden's debate performance was near-universally criticized.
• Media outlets and commentators described Biden's performance as "disastrous" and "sad."
• Here's an overview of the media reactions to Biden's bad debate performance.

President Joe Biden's historically bad debate performance on Thursday night was received so poorly that there's serious talk among America's commentariat that he could, or should, or needs to be replaced.

US media outlets were blunt in their assessment, featuring Biden's fumbling performance prominently in front-page headlines and scathing opinion pieces.

Here's an overview of some of the reactions to Thursday night's CNN debate:

The New York Times

As journalist Brian Stelter pointed out on X, there appeared to be a consensus from The New York Times Opinion desk on how Biden fared.

Opinion writers wrote that Biden is too old, had an "uncharacteristically bad night," and had "terrible delivery."

The one that's likely to hurt Biden the most is from columnist Thomas L. Friedman, a friend of his, who penned the opinion piece: "President Biden Is a Good Man and a Good President. He Must Bow Out of the Race."

Friedman said in the piece that he has been a friend of Biden's since they traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan after 9/11.

"I watched the Biden-Trump debate alone in a Lisbon hotel room, and it made me weep," he wrote, saying that it showed that Biden has "no business" running for reelection.

New York Post

The New York Post's front page called the performance "JUST SAD."

It continued: "Prez mumbles, stumbles, freezes in train wreck debate vs. Trump."

The Post's editorial board's article called the performance "embarrassing," going so far as to say that "millions just witnessed the end of a presidency live on television."

The Washington Post

The Washington Post's front page went with: "Biden struggles in testy debate."

The analysis described the president's voice as "thin and raspy" and said Biden appeared to lose focus.

The Post's Editorial Board, meanwhile, described the debate as "ninety minutes of pain," with Biden struggling to speak with authority and having a "weak" presentation style.

Perhaps more generously than other outlets, it described the president as having "his moments."

Fox News

Fox News' Mark Penn said "It will be hard for the president to recover from his performance," in an opinion piece titled "Joe Biden's debate gamble backfires."

Liz Peek, also writing for Fox News, described Biden's performance as shocking the nation and as "an astonishing disaster."

She wrote: "Indeed, it is impossible to imagine that anyone who tuned into the first 2024 presidential debate could vote for Joe Biden to serve another term."

CNN

In an article about the key takeaways from the debate, CNN, which hosted the event, said: "Biden's age problem just got a lot worse."

Stephen Collinson, a senior reporter for CNN Politics, wrote: "If Joe Biden loses November's election, history will record that it took just 10 minutes to destroy a presidency."

The headline described his performance as "disastrous," throwing his reelection bid into "crisis."

The Wall Street Journal

The front page of The Wall Street Journal went with the headline: "Biden, Trump Clash in Debate On Economy, Border, Abortion."

An article by Molly Ball, The Journal's senior political correspondent, offered the headline: "Biden's Disastrous Night Stands to Alter Course of the Election."

In it, Ball wrote that there "was little denying that, while an argument could be made for the incumbent and his record, Biden fell far short of making it convincingly."

Columnist Peggy Noonan, in an opinion piece, called it an "unmitigated disaster" for Biden and the "worst night for an incumbent in history."

The Financial Times

The headline for an opinion piece by Ed Luce, a columnist for the FT, was: "It is not too late for Joe Biden to go."

It started with a devastating line: "The best that can be said of Joe Biden's stumbling debate performance was that it took place in June."

Commentators

There were also calls for Biden to withdraw his candidacy from prominent political commentators.

The journalist and pollster Nate Silver wrote in a blog post: "Joe Biden should drop out."

He said the debate went worse than he could have ever imagined, adding: "It's time for Biden to consider what's best for his party, what's best for the country and what's best for his legacy — and that isn't seeking the presidency until he's 86."

Noah Smith, the American blogger, also offered a bleak assessment of the debate performance. He wrote, "It's difficult to overstate how bad Joe Biden looked in the first presidential debate."

He argued that Trump is now the clear frontrunner for the presidency, which means it's "time to think hard about what a second Trump term could mean."

And podcaster Joe Klein did not mince his words in his summary of Biden's debate performance.

"It was worse than disastrous. It was sad, it was humiliating," he wrote. "Biden looked like a hospice patient who got lost on his way to the bathroom."

• I live near Disney World and typically visit the theme parks and resorts about four times a week. 
• I usually skip Sci-Fi Dine-In at Hollywood Studios and Flame Tree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom. 
• I also don't think Pecos Bill in Magic Kingdom or Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot are worth it. 

I live a couple of minutes from Disney World and visit the parks about four times a week. Although I enjoy the attractions and entertainment, one of my favorite things to do on the property is eat. 

I've dined at about 60% of the restaurants at Disney World (both table service and quick service), and there are hits and misses.

Here's a list of places I usually skip. 

Magic Kingdom 

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

Although Pecos Bill offers slightly more than just burgers and fries with its menu of Mexican-inspired favorites like nachos and rice bowls, I still don't love the food.

I recently gave this quick-service restaurant another go. I ordered the chicken bowl and was pretty disappointed. 

But this restaurant does serve delicious seasonal treats, so I pop in from time to time to try those. 

Tony's Town Square Restaurant

Tony's Town Square Restaurant may offer great views of Disney's Festival of Fantasy Parade, but that's not enough to entice me to pay upwards of $26 for a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. 

If seeing the parade from a good spot without having to wait hours is a priority to you though, you may benefit from booking a reservation at Tony's around parade time. 

Columbia Harbour House

Although I occasionally eat at Columbia Harbour House, I usually only find myself ordering something here if I need to retreat from the sun. It's an air-conditioned restaurant with lots of seating. 

I would much rather go over to Gaston's Tavern for the ham-and-cheese sandwich.

If you're a seafood fan, you may enjoy Columbia Harbour House as the menu has several options. I don't frequently eat seafood, so I usually stick to chicken tenders and fries.

Hollywood Studios

Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano

To be fair, I've only dined here once when I was a child. But I remember that it was one of the most underwhelming dining experiences I've had at Disney. I usually enjoy a plate of chicken Parmesan or spaghetti, but not from here. 

I remember having a kind and attentive server and appreciating the neat theming, though. It makes guests feel as though they're dining inside a grandmother's kitchen, which feels very comforting. 

I'd recommend visiting Tutto Gusto or Tutto Italia at Epcot if you're wanting some high-quality Italian cuisine at Disney World. 

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

If you're a first-time visitor or have never been to Sci-Fi Dine-In, I'd recommend going once for the ambiance. The restaurant is themed like a 1950s drive-in, and you get to eat in a car while watching a movie.  

The menu consists largely of all-American favorites, like burgers, chicken-salad sandwiches, and pan-seared chicken pasta. But I find the food to be average and a bit overpriced for what it is.

PizzeRizzo

Whenever I'm at Hollywood Studios, I almost never consider going to PizzeRizzo. Hollywood Studios has so much other delicious food, so I don't find spending the money on pizza to be worth it. 

But if you're a big pizza fan, you'll probably like it.  

The dance-floor dining room on the second floor is a fun place to spend time with friends and family while getting out of the sun.  

Epcot

Coral Reef Restaurant

Coral Reef used to be my go-to restaurant at Epcot. I enjoyed the orange-glazed sustainable salmon and the chocolate wave dessert. 

But I haven't had the same experience in recent years. 

If you're traveling with children or like aquariums, it's probably still worth a visit since the restaurant provides views of a large fish tank.

Garden Grill

Garden Grill provides guests with some of the lengthiest and highest-quality character interactions on the property. It's nice that guests can say hello and snap a photo with Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Chip, and Dale without waiting. 

But the food could be better, especially for $55 an adult. If you enjoy Southern comfort food like spoon bread, barbecue-roasted chicken, and macaroni and cheese you'll probably like it more than me. 

I also wish the dessert was something other than a berry shortcake. But servers have given me sugar cookies as an alternative upon request.

Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Yorkshire County Fish Shop is only an occasional stop for me as someone who doesn't normally eat fried food.

It's a more limited quick-service dining location. But if you're a big fish-and-chips fan, I think you'll enjoy it. Its $13 offering is also cheaper than the $26 fish and chips next door at Rose & Crown.

Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue

Although the onion-ring basket at Flame Tree Barbecue is delicious, I don't think it's worth eating here. There's no indoor seating and there are usually lots of birds that fly about and sometimes try taking food. 

I would much rather eat at Satu'li Canteen for an indoor and more pleasurable dining experience (especially on a hot day) despite how good the food at Flame Tree Barbecue is. 

Disney World resorts

Boma

Although Boma at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge serves breakfast and dinner, I've only dined there for dinner. 

I can't express how delicious the food is at Boma — it's some of the best food I've had at Disney World. The dinner buffet serves tabbouleh, lamb bobotie, and sweet-corn pudding. 

Unfortunately, it was a one-and-done for me because of the price tag. I can't justify paying $54 an adult for a non-character-dining dinner buffet.

But if you're someone who enjoys desserts, that was my favorite part of the buffet, especially the famous zebra domes.

This story was originally published in June 2023 and most recently updated on June 28, 2024.

• Employers are prioritizing entry-level workers with generative AI skills.
• Job descriptions mentioning generative AI have tripled on Handshake's portal over the past year.
• But students are hesitant to use the technology for more than personal tasks.

There was a time when you needed a polished résumé, stellar interview skills, and a long list of contacts to land a job straight out of college. Now, you might only need to know how to prompt a chatbot.

Employers are prioritizing entry-level workers with generative AI skills amid rapid advances in the technology. On the student job and internship portal Handshake, the number of job descriptions that mention generative AI tools has more than tripled over the past year.

According to a recent survey from Microsoft, 71% of business leaders said they were more willing to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them. About 77% of leaders said AI will help early career workers take on more responsibilities.

Yet students don't see AI as a ticket to full-time employment. According to Handshake's data, most students are still using the technology for personal tasks or fun. One recent graduate told Handshake they were "hesitant to use generative AI because it doesn't seem 'officially' accepted or commonplace yet, and I would feel lazy and guilty for using it to do work for me."

The corporate world, however, is rushing to use AI in part because it can take on the tasks no one else wants to do. So it's up to schools to help students embrace the technology, Valerie Capers Workman, the chief talent officer at Handshake, told Business Insider. "I believe that in three years, every role will require tech skills, regardless of the field," she said. "So it's more critical than ever that institutions and employers support upskilling and provide training opportunities."

• The Supreme Court overturned a Ninth Circuit ruling restricting the removal of homeless encampments.
• Governments can now bar people from sleeping on the street, even when shelter beds aren't available.
• Homeless rights advocates argue that criminalizing homelessness won't solve the issue.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that it's constitutional for local governments to fine people for sleeping in public places, even when there isn't sufficient shelter space.

The case — City of Grants Pass v. Johnson — is the most consequential the court has decided dealing with homelessness in decades. The decision was authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was joined by the Court's five other conservatives. The three liberal justices dissented.

The case comes out of Grants Pass, Oregon, where local officials were prevented from clearing a homeless encampment by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rulings in Martin v. Boise and Johnson v. Grants Pass requiring local governments to have sufficient shelter beds available before forcing unhoused people off the streets.

The appeals court — which controls nine western states, including California — decided in both cases that removing people living on the street without providing alternative shelter violates the Eighth Amendment's protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

The Supreme Court's ruling found that laws regulating sleeping in public places don't constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

State and federal court cases on the legality of clearing homeless encampments reflect a debate between some governments who say they need more authority to protect public safety and address homelessness and advocates who argue authorities are exacerbating the problem by criminalizing homelessness.

While conservatives have led the charge in pushing to overturn the Ninth Circuit's decision, some prominent Democratic leaders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also pushed to overturn the 9th Circuit ruling. California — which is home to 12% of the US population — has struggled to deal with rapidly rising homelessness and is now home to 30% of people experiencing homelessness and half of the unsheltered population in the US.

In an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court, Newsom argued that the 9th Circuit ruling forces local elected officials "to abandon efforts to make the spaces occupied by unhoused people safer for those within and near them."

An increasing number of cities and states across the country have passed laws — often anti-camping ordinances — similar to that in Grants Pass. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March that bans people from camping in public places. Critics say the state isn't providing enough funding for services, including shelters and addiction treatment.

Critics say criminalizing homelessness doesn't address its root causes — and actually makes the problem worse.

"If you are living outside and are impoverished, a ticket or a fee is probably something you can't afford, and then you have unpaid tickets, which impacts your credit rating, which makes it harder to find a place to live," Jesse Rabinowitz, communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center, previously told Business Insider. "Or you get arrested and then you have a criminal record, which both makes it harder to get a job and harder to get an apartment."

There are several proven pathways to alleviating homelessness, including, most importantly, building more housing. Researchers say other key policy solutions include removing barriers to shelter construction and tenants' rights, creating crisis response systems that don't involve the police, strengthening housing and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people, and increasing government support of public spaces.

• President Joe Biden's reelection bid has the strong backing of most elected Democrats.
• But Democrats are fuming after Biden's disastrous debate performance. 
• In the unlikely event that Biden left the race, an array of Democrats would be in the mix to lead the party.

President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance has reignited the conversation over whether he should step aside before the November election.

David Axelrod, a former Obama White House senior advisor, immediately sounded the alarm after Biden's 90-minute faceoff with Trump ended.

"I think there was a sense of shock actually on how he came out at the beginning of this debate," Axelrod said on CNN.

Axelrod added, "there are going to be discussions about if he should continue."

Technically, there is still time for Democrats to pick another nominee to take on Trump. There are even ways they could wrestle the nomination away from the president ahead of the August Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Still, Biden is unlikely to leave the race. He has repeatedly said it is fair to question his age but has defended his record. As of now, he remains the only Democrat to have defeated Trump. It may be theoretically possible to force him aside, but the drama of such a move could make the chaotic 1968 convention look quaint.

But who could be a Biden successor if such a scenario were to occur?

Vice President Kamala Harris

Harris, by many measures, would be a natural successor to Biden.

As vice president, she's worked closely with Biden on things as varied as voting rights and foreign policy. She was previously a San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, and California senator and is a historic figure in her own right as the first Black, Indian American, and female vice president.

And she has become the face of the administration's challenge to the raft of GOP-crafted abortion restrictions following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

But Harris previously launched a 2020 presidential bid that seemed promising but fell flat with voters over time. (She eventually ended her campaign before the start of the primaries and caucuses.)

As vice president, Harris has been heavily praised by Biden. But her office struggled with turnover and reports of dysfunction earlier in her term. She has also had to contend with less-than-ideal approval ratings, which have raised concerns among some Democrats about her electability as the party also looks to 2028 — when she'd be a potential frontrunner, given her positive marks with Black voters and young voters.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California

Gov. Gavin Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor who was also California's lieutenant governor, leads the most populated state in the country and, in recent years, has become one of Biden's most prominent Democratic surrogates.

In the immediate aftermath of the debate, Newsom questioned Democrats who jettison Biden over a bad night.

"You don't turn your back because of one performance," Newsom said on MSNBC where he was representing the Biden campaign. "What kind of party does that?"

Alex Wagner presses Gov. Gavin Newsom on questions about whether Biden should step down.

Newsom: “You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?”

“This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.” pic.twitter.com/J5G9XGNYWn

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 28, 2024

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

California is often used as a foil by national Republicans to contrast with the conservative policies of states such as Florida and Texas. But Newsom has been outspoken in not only promoting the Golden State but touting Democratic policy stances and legislative wins — and he's not afraid to take his arguments straight to the GOP.

As governor, Newsom has taken on more moderate stances in recent years on issues involving labor and tackling homelessness in his state.

Newsom's political trajectory could collide with that of Harris, his fellow Bay Area native, but they've long maintained a strong working relationship, and the governor has been highly complimentary of her work with Biden.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the two-term governor of battleground Michigan, is accustomed to tough political fights. And over the course of her governorship, she has won a lot of those battles: Democrats in recent years have performed strongly in the Wolverine State, holding every top statewide office and flipping control of the state legislature in the 2022 midterm elections.

When Whitmer ran for reelection in 2022 against the Republican Tudor Dixon, she won by nearly 11 points, reflective of her broad appeal with the electorate in a state where the margins are often tight.

This fall, Michigan is expected to be one of the closest states in the country in the presidential race. And Whitmer, a former state lawmaker and ex-prosecutor, is set to be a critical voice for the Biden campaign across Michigan.

The governor has encouraged Biden to speak more forcefully about abortion rights, an issue that has galvanized many voters — but especially women — across the country after Roe was overturned.

In a potential field without Biden, Whitmer's Midwestern background, strong alliance with organized labor, and moderate appeal could make her a strong contender. But she would also be a new face in a contest that will probably feature Trump on the GOP side.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who's served in the Senate since 2007, ran for president in 2020 and made a surprisingly strong finish in the New Hampshire primary — even outperforming Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts at the time.

But her campaign wasn't able to get the sort of momentum it needed in the South Carolina primary for her to continue her bid, and she exited the race.

Still, Klobuchar would be a candidate to watch in an open field, as she boosted her national presence in the primary and could point to a long-standing record of bipartisan accomplishments representing Minnesota in the Senate.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey

Sen. Cory Booker also ran for president in 2020, ending his campaign in January that year.

But the former Newark mayor has been a national figure for years and is seen as a likely 2028 contender.

He could easily jump-start a potential 2028 campaign in South Carolina, as he campaigned throughout the state in 2019 and 2020.

In the scenario that Democrats would have to choose a candidate other than Biden, he would probably be a part of the conversation.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina

Gov. Roy Cooper isn't a big name among Democratic voters outside North Carolina, at least not yet. The former state lawmaker, onetime North Carolina attorney general, and current two-term governor rose through the ranks of government and, along the way, navigated political divides that would bedevil most politicians.

In a GOP-leaning state where Democratic candidates have to compete on tricky terrain, Cooper, a moderate, has come out on top.

Democrats have not tapped a Southern governor as their presidential nominee since Bill Clinton in 1992. Looking to the future, probably in 2028, Cooper is someone who's poised to be on the minds of many in the party.

Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland

Gov. Wes Moore, an Army veteran who's also a Rhodes Scholar, was first elected to the governorship in 2022. He has focused heavily on tackling issues such as child poverty and housing affordability, two of the most vexing public-policy challenges for leaders on both the state and federal levels.

One of Moore's major pushes is to reshape how patriotism is defined in politics, as he told Business Insider during his first gubernatorial campaign that one party or movement couldn't claim the idea as their own.

"I refuse to let anybody try to wrestle that away," Moore told BI in an October 2022 interview, "or claim that they have a higher stake or some higher claim to it than I or my family or people who I served with or my community members."

The governor, seen by many as a potential 2028 contender, has been a strong political ally of both Biden and Harris.

While Moore may be relatively new to elective politics, his profile only continues to grow within the Democratic Party.

Correction: February 23, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated one of President Joe Biden's arguments for why he should be reelected. He has touted low national unemployment numbers, not low national employment numbers.

• Grandmother-of-two Karyn Bennett is a fixture at skate parks in her native Sydney.
• The 57-year-old took up skateboarding less than two years ago.
• She broke her foot and her shoulder in two places but is determined not to quit the energetic sport.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karyn Bennett. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Nothing beats your adrenalin rush when you do a seven-foot drop on your skateboard.

My latest jump was my biggest accomplishment to date. My heart was pounding, but I faced the fear. Some people prefer ground tricks — like kicks and flips. I gravitate toward dropping.

I'm proud to challenge the stereotype of the older woman who is scared of taking risks, especially in sports. I'm turning 58 in August.

My daughter, Brittany, 31, introduced me to skateboarding in the fall of 2022. She was new to it, too. "Why don't we try it together, Mom?" she said. "It could be fun."

My daughter and I push our limits

At first, I could barely stand on my cruiser board, but we'd go to netball courts in our home city of Sydney and roll around. From there, we visited an indoor skate center, where they'd set up little rails and obstacles, mostly for kids.

We watched with our boards under our arms. "This is cool, but I've got no idea what to do," I told the guys who ran the place. They literally took us by the hands and coached us on the moves.

It lit the spark. Brittany and I like challenges, and we were up for the experience. By pushing our limits, we kept getting better.

Balance is a massive factor. If you don't have balance, it messes up your timing, and you will probably fall.

I found out the hard way. I broke my shoulder in two places just a month or so after getting into the sport.

Our friends took us to a skate park, and we were rolling up this bank. They were doing a trick called a Rock to Fakie, "Come on, Kaz, you can do it," they said. Well, I couldn't. I was fearful and made a mistake.

In skateboarding, if you overthink something, you can rough yourself up. I fell on my shoulder and broke it in two places.

Skateboarding is my primary joy and passion

But I rallied in a matter of weeks. I'd get on the board and roll. People said, "What are you doing? Are you crazy?" But I'm very stubborn. As soon as I got the all clear from the doctor, I was away again.

I had my second nasty accident in February 2023. I was rolling off an eight-foot ramp and collided with a BMX biker who came straight down in front of me. I rolled my ankle and broke my foot.

It was called a Jones fracture, but the tendon tears caused me the most pain. I rested up — but not for long.

Britt and I kept at it. It's a difficult sport, but skateboarding has become our primary joy and passion. We go at least twice a week and can stay for six or seven hours at a time. I live and breathe it.

We post videos of our progress on Instagram, but I'm my greatest critic. A couple of my videos have gone viral, and I scolded Brittany. "Why did you put that one up?" I said. "It's embarrassing." How I see myself is never good enough. But the beauty of the sport is there's always room for improvement.

Britt is my biggest motivator

I get a bit of attention when I skate. I've heard people say, "Look at that grandma go!" I've got two grandchildren and think it's funny.

I feel incredibly fit because I'm using muscle groups I didn't even know existed. I'll be skateboarding well into the next decade. I would need to be completely incapacitated not to.

As for Britt, she is my biggest motivator. We've always been close, but skateboarding has brought us closer. We're conquering it together.

Do you have a powerful story about an activity you pursued in later life that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Please send details to jridley@businessinsider.com

• Rudy Giuliani is dropping coin on polyester ties and pizza, bankruptcy records show.
• Unfortunately for his creditors, he's spending more money than in previous months.
• Some of the financial disclosures that Giuliani prepared himself don't add up.

Now we know what it looks like when Rudy Giuliani tightens his belt.

The former New York City mayor disclosed excruciating details of his financial life with a series of bankruptcy court filings this week, detailing a month of his income and spending.

Unfortunately for Giuliani's creditors looking to satisfy his $153 million in debt, he spent more in May — the month covered in the disclosures — than in previous months.

The most eye-popping expenses include pricy restaurant bills while he evaded being served a criminal indictment for his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona. They also include quite a few Amazon purchases, including cheap ties and "deep bronze" tanning lotion.

Giuliani earned $61,717 in income in May and spent about $33,000. The spending is thousands of dollars higher than in previous months, which creditors have already complained is irresponsibly excessive.

For the first time, Giuliani disclosed the financial details of Giuliani Communications, the company he owns that produces his video livestreams on social media.

It, too, is operating in the red — especially since his radio show was canceled last month.

In response to questions about her work for Giuliani Communications, Maria Ryan, the company's president, discussed theories about coronavirus vaccines and said she was "very disappointed" in Business Insider.

Giuliani has an Amazon habit

Giuliani's largest expense is the $12,000 monthly maintenance fee for his New York City co-op, which Giuliani is trying to sell. The 80-year-old with no dependents also seems to spend hundreds of dollars each month on groceries.

Several of the exhibits included in Tuesday's cache of filings detail Giuliani's spending on Amazon. To compile them, Giuliani appeared to take photos of his laptop showing each Amazon order and then added them to a black-and-white PDF before submitting them to court.

They show expenses you would expect from a social media vlogger, including a tripod and USB cables.

They also include personal items, including coffee (Giuliani appears to be fond of illy), socks, and a lot of neckties.

On May 7, Giuliani spent $22.98 on a 6-pack of "Men's Necktie Classic Silk Tie Woven Jacquard Neck Ties," which comprised a filibuster-proof majority of the nine ties he ordered from Amazon that month.

"The ties aren't silk, but I expected that to be a lie, so it was kind of baked in to the price," one Amazon reviewer wrote.

Photos on the Amazon listing do not show a fabric composition tag. A tag in a photo for another tie from the same brand on eBay says it's made from 100% polyester. Listings for other ties from the same brand on AliExpress and Shein show they are made from 100% polyester.

That comes to a very good deal of less than $4 per tie. But it's not clear why Giuliani, who has worked at the highest levels of politics and law — he was a personal attorney to Donald Trump during his presidency and served as the US Attorney in Manhattan — needed new ties.

Giuliani also spent about $13 on a 6-ounce bottle of "Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Moisturizer + Bronzer, Self Tanner, Deep Bronze, for Natural-Looking Tan."

Hopefully, he was satisfied. Giuliani has had problems with cosmetics in the past.

Giuliani's financial statements also show multiple Amazon purchases in the $3-10 range, appearing to show he purchased movies or TV episodes for streaming. The documents filed to court don't disclose what he watched.

While Giuliani was evading service for a criminal indictment from Arizona on election interference charges — he was eventually served on May 17 and posted a $10,000 bond — he racked up pricey restaurant bills in Palm Beach, where he owns a condominium apartment. For dinner on May 9, he dropped $167 at a restaurant called Bricktop's. The next day, $113 for a meal at City Pizza. And the day after that, another $119 at the Italian joint Bice.

Mysteriously, Giuliani — who, again, has no dependents — appears to have two different bills each marked as a "Telephone expense." His AT&T bill is $228, and he pays Verizon $256 per month.

Some numbers don't add up

Much to the consternation of creditors, retirement funds such as Individual Retirement Accounts are generally protected from bankruptcy proceedings. But creditors accuse Giuliani of using money from it irresponsibly.

For the first time, Giuliani disclosed that his IRA at Citi — which forms the bulk of his net worth — had a balance of about $2.5 million in 2022.

But the numbers in a table he provided in a Tuesday filing showing its disbursements don't seem to add up.

According to the filing, Giuliani withdrew $1.8 million from the account between 2022 and 2023.

That should have left him with a balance of about $700,000 at the start of 2024, when he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But Citi bank documents filed to court show a balance of over $1 million.

It's not clear what caused the discrepancy. Neither Giuliani's spokesperson nor his bankruptcy lawyers immediately responded to a request for comment.

In previous filings, lawyers for Giuliani said he withdrew heavily from his retirement account over the past several years to build up Giuliani Communications, the company that produces his video blogs, where he discusses politics.

Giuliani's vlogging company is operating in the red

Balance of Nature, a vitamin supplements company, was Giuliani Communications' biggest sponsor in May, paying the company $11,500.

Giuliani Communications also made $1,200 from MyPillow, the bedding company owned by Mike Lindell, another election conspiracy theorist who has been the subject of numerous defamation lawsuits.

Newsmax, which hosts one of Giuliani's shows, paid $8,300 that month. And he made another $2,200 from X, formerly known as Twitter, where he livestreams.

Giuliani's biggest payment came from WABC, the New York radio station owned by Republican billionaire and grocery store mogul John Catsimatidis, which paid him $15,000 per month.

That income is now gone. The station dropped Giuliani in that month after he continued to push false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

On a monthly basis, Giuliani Communications spends more money than it makes — even before the WABC cancellation.

Giuliani pays himself $45,000 each month, exceeding the company's combined income (Giuliani Communications had about $200,000 left on its balance sheet in May).

He also pays $10,000 per month to Maria Ryan, Giuliani's reported girlfriend who also serves as the company's president and recently brokered a deal with a coffee company to sell "Rudy's Coffee."

In an email to Business Insider responding to a question about her salary, Ryan, who previously worked in healthcare administration, said she took a reduced salary to work for Giuliani and said "there are people who still do not know the truth about the origins of Covid 19."

"I took a large pay cut to join Giuliani Communications," she wrote. "I did it because as an American 🇺🇸 I saw the censorship during the pandemic."

"I am very disappointed in you. There are no real journalists left," she added later in her email. "You are attacking me why? Because I am President of Giuliani communications."

"Please leave me alone. I am a grandmother of five and they are traumatized by you," she continued.

The filings come at a perilous time for Giuliani. The federal bankruptcy judge overseeing his case is considering whether to appoint a bankruptcy trustee, who would be able to control his financial life without encumbrance.

Nearly all of Giuliani's debt comes from a $148 million jury judgment against him in a defamation lawsuit brought by two Georgia election workers, who he falsely claimed manipulated ballots.

The bankruptcy process has halted them from enforcing the judgment and seizing his assets outright. Giuliani's lawyers have asked the bankruptcy judge to hit the pause button on the Chapter 11 process while he pursues appeals in the defamation litigation.

"Unbelievably, Mr. Giuliani continues to spend state, party, and judicial resources in pursuit of an appeal that would be fully briefed by now had he himself not chosen to seek chapter 11 reorganization instead," lawyers for the Georgia workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, wrote in a letter filed to court Wednesday. "This is one more demonstration among many that Mr. Giuliani cannot be trusted to manage his own bankruptcy."

Giuliani's lawyers have said he's struggling to pay for an accountant to put together the monthly bankruptcy reports, which has led to hiccups in past filings.

Earlier filings were compiled by Joseph Ricci, an accountant whose firm was paid $4,000 by Giuliani Communications in May. Ricci has since declined to work on the banruptcy, Giuliani's lawyers have said.

The most recent reports name Giuliani himself as the party "responsible" for compiling them.

One of Giuliani's monthly expenses includes Merry Maids, a home cleaning service. Giuliani paid $195, which is pretty good for a 2,200-square-foot 3-bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Confusingly, Giuliani was billed twice for the service on the same day, on May 3, which shows why it's always a good idea to double-check your bills.

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
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Happy Friday! Democrats are freaking out following Joe Biden's performance in the first US presidential debate last night. Donald Trump fired off a number of lies and misleading statements, but the debate was still a complete disaster for Biden.

In today's big story, we're looking at how young people are booking their summer vacations, finances be damned.

What's on deck:

• Markets: Imposter syndrome is an asset for this tech banker.
• Tech: Tech CEOs explain why layoffs are plaguing the industry.
• Business: It turns out nice employees finish last.

But first, just charge it.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Destination debt

Buy the ticket, take the ride… go into crippling debt?

Summer is in full swing, and Independence Day is approaching. That means plenty of people are entering vacation mode. But these trips also put a good chunk of young people into debt, writes Business Insider's John Towfighi.

Surveys from Credit Karma, Bankrate, and Bank of America show Gen Zers and millennials are willing to go on summer vacation at all costs… literally.

Almost half of millennials surveyed (47%) were willing to take on debt to fund their travel plans, with Gen Z not far behind (42%). (However, it's not just young people. A third of Americans were happy to swipe their way to their next trip, according to Bankrate's report.)

Multiple surveys also found young people are willing to put travel plans ahead of their financial goals. In fairness, you'll always be saving for something, but you can't frolic on the Amalfi Coast in your 20s forever.

To be clear, we're not talking about a couple of overdraft fees to make it through a long weekend on the beach.

Almost a quarter of young people surveyed by Credit Karma expected to rack up $2,000 in debt this summer. And about 10% of that group were willing to push it even further, surpassing $4,000 in summer debt.

Fueling your summer vacation with debt isn't a great idea, but it's easy to see how young people can fall into that trap.

This is, after all, a country built on debt. When the government can't stop borrowing money, it's no wonder its citizens feel so comfortable doing it.

The summer is also prime time for the bane of most people's finances: weddings. Bachelor and bachelorette parties can be a particular drag. In 2023, one app estimated the typical bachelorette attendee spends $1,200 per party.

But even if exercising your credit limit might feel like a necessary evil these days, it's a particularly bad time to do it.

The average credit card interest rate is above 24% right now! So what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but the charges you piled up to get there will stay with you for a while, thanks to interest.

That's not to say you should be a homebody this summer. There are plenty of ways to travel on a budget. Maybe you do a tiny bit of work while you're there, or perhaps you don't pay to pick your seat (the middle's not so bad).

Whatever the case, just be able to afford it.

3 things in markets

1. How imposter syndrome fueled a tech banker's rise on Wall Street. As a college kid, Rob Chisholm was turned off by Wall Street's cutthroat reputation. But today, he's at the center of some of the biggest deals shaping the tech landscape. He got candid about dealing with imposter syndrome and offered advice for bankers trying to stay true to themselves.
2. TIMBER! Lumber prices are dropping. With peak home-building season coming up flat due to a lack of demand, lumber prices are down 24% from their mid-March peak. It's a sharp 180 from the start of the year when lumber brokers thought business would boom to address the housing shortage.
3. Trump's policies could be disastrous for the economy, experts warn. A group of Nobel Prize-winning economists led by Joseph Stiglitz sounded the alarm on the economic consequences of a second Trump administration. Stiglitz told BI exactly how Trump's second coming could result in higher inflation, worse inequality, and a broader economic slowdown.

3 things in tech

1. OpenAI's head start fizzles. Though ChatGPT launched OpenAI to the forefront of an intense AI arms race, the company has struggled to maintain that momentum. It's getting harder to match the buzz created by ChatGPT's initial launch — and OpenAI's rivals are catching up.
2. What's driving Big Tech's relentless cuts, according to its CEOs. Leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai are blaming tech layoffs on overhiring and a shift toward a smaller workforce. Others say they're restructuring to prioritize AI development.
3. AI will help — not hurt — livestreaming, Twitch CEO says. Contrary to the fear that AI could displace creators, Twitch's Dan Clancy is confident AI will actually help them. He said it's because viewers are looking for a human connection, something AI alone can't deliver.

3 things in business

1. Nice workers finish last. A TikToker went viral after sharing a work theory: people who are both good at their jobs and a pleasure to work with will never get promoted past junior levels. Cynical as that sounds, she may be onto something. Experts say "performance punishment" is a real thing.
2. Amazon Prime + Gigi = advertising win. Gigi, a new adtech startup, wants to help brands with streaming TV ads on Amazon. Working together could help boost Amazon's rise in TV advertising.
3. The Supreme Court had a big week. In a ruling on Thursday, the country's highest court dealt a blow to the SEC by severely limiting the way it pursues financial fraud cases. It also nixed a $7 billion bankruptcy plan for Purdue Pharma that protected the Sackler family from further lawsuits.

In other news

• A crisis comms expert says now is Gavin Newsom's chance to get what he wants: the presidency.
• Summer camps are cracking down on 'Sephora Kids' by banning luxury skincare products.
• I'm delighted by this car dealership's parody of 'The Office'.
• Billionaire Joe Ricketts' latest drama is right out of 'Yellowstone.'
• A Tesla driver says he crashed his brand new Cybertruck after the brakes stopped working.
• The 'worst moment' of Sam Altman's OpenAI ousting happened just before midnight, Airbnb CEO said.
• Patagonia gave 90 staff a choice — relocate across the US or leave the company. They've got 3 days to decide.
• Arizona Iced Tea founder explains why he's bucked the inflation trend and never raised its iconic 99-cent price in 32 years.
• Roaring Kitty post of a dog sparks brief rally in shares of Chewy and Petco.

What's happening today

• Iranian presidential election: Four candidates vie to succeed former President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a plane crash in May.
• Glastonbury festival begins in the UK with Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA headlining.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• A steep shortage of homes has created a serious housing crisis across the country.
• Record numbers of Americans are spending more than they can afford on their mortgage or rent.
• Biden and Trump offer divergent approaches to federal housing policy.

The US is facing a housing crisis. A severe shortage of homes, high interest rates, and elevated building costs mean record numbers of Americans are spending more than they can afford on housing and are homeless.

The economy will likely be a central focus of this week's first presidential debate. Former President Donald Trump has promised to attack President Joe Biden specifically on inflation. And Trump has repeatedly accused his successor of not doing enough to keep housing costs in check.

Since taking office, Biden has pursued a grab bag of policies to incentivize affordable home construction and preservation, loosen regulations that restrict home construction, and subsidize homeownership and the cost of renting. As president, Trump proposed massive cuts to federal housing assistance for the neediest households and rolled back some fair housing policies, while urging states and cities to pursue some zoning reform — a goal that progressives also tend to support.

There have been some bipartisan efforts at the federal level to address the housing crisis. Generally, Republicans tend to be content with states and local governments controlling housing policy, while Democrats are traditionally more supportive of federal subsidies and intervention.

But lawmakers across the ideological spectrum are quick to concede the country is facing a crisis. Home prices have risen 47% since the pandemic, mortgage interest rates are hovering around 7%, and over half of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, making them cost-burdened, according to a new Harvard report on the state of US housing. Even as the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, demand and prices have stayed high, keeping housing inflation stubbornly elevated.

Americans are increasingly concerned about it. US adults listed housing costs as their second-most pressing financial issue in a recent Gallup poll. The concern is bipartisan, although more pronounced among Democrats. Three in four US adults — 83% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans — say the lack of affordable homes is a "significant" problem.

Where Biden stands

As president, Biden has pushed a series of pro-housing policies and generally come out in favor of more federal participation in housing policy.

Among those policy pushes was the "Housing Supply Action" plan, which leverages federal grants and loans to incentivize states and cities to loosen land use regulations and facilitate new construction. The administration has also pushed a slew of initiatives to boost the supply of affordable housing, including encouraging the conversion of office buildings into homes with billions of dollars in federal grants and loans and boosting support for manufactured housing.

Biden's fiscal year 2025 budget proposal, which represents a sort of wish list of the administration's priorities but would require action from an often-gridlocked Congress to become law, includes $258 billion for housing initiatives, including tax credits for first-time homebuyers, homeowners who sell their starter homes, and those who build or renovate starter homes, and an expansion of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and housing choice vouchers for renters.

Biden has discussed housing in the State of the Union and on the campaign trail, including in Nevada, which is facing a particularly severe affordability crisis. "If inflation keeps coming down — and it's predicted to do that — mortgage rates are going to come down as well, but I'm not going to wait," he said during a speech in Las Vegas in March.

In another indication that the White House is centering housing policy as the election nears, Vice President Kamala Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this week announced $85 million in funding for 21 cities to subsidize affordable housing development and the construction of supportive infrastructure, including power lines and water mains.

Some of Biden's farthest-reaching policies were cut from the Inflation Reduction Act, and still others are unlikely to make it through Congress, where Republicans have opposed the vast majority of Democrats' housing proposals.

While some housing policy experts have praised the Biden administration's policies, many of the same experts say its actions haven't gone far enough to address the crisis.

Where Trump stands

As president, Trump didn't pursue as many policies directly intended to make housing more affordable. While in office, Trump's proposed budgets included significant cuts to agencies that provide federal housing subsidies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development. His proposed 2021 budget would have cut housing assistance and community development aid — including shrinking the housing voucher program and slashing funds for public housing — by about 15%, not factoring in inflation, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Trump rolled back certain fair housing protections, including imposing a higher bar for proving housing discrimination and eliminating an Obama-era rule designed to reduce racial segregation. Trump claimed Biden wanted to "abolish" the suburbs and assured suburbanites they would "no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood" after he dismantled the Obama rule, which Biden later restored. The Trump administration also created "Opportunity Zones," designed to incentivize businesses to invest in low-income neighborhoods. But the program has done little to boost affordable housing.

Trump hasn't talked much about housing policy on the campaign trail, despite arguing that Biden hasn't done enough to control housing costs. Last year, he unveiled a vague proposal in a video posted to Truth Social to build up to 10 new American cities on federal land as a way to give American families "a new shot at homeownership."

In another video titled "Ending the Nightmare of the Homeless, Drug Addicts, and Dangerously Deranged," Trump said he would "ban urban camping" in an effort to criminalize unsheltered homelessness. Trump has also promised to crack down on immigration, which his campaign argues would relieve pressure on the housing market. Campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to NPR that Trump would "stop the unstainable invasion of illegal aliens which is driving up housing costs, cut taxes for American families, [and] eliminate costly regulations."