Babak Hodjat was behind the tech that became Siri.
Lukas Schulze/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images
Babak Hodjat is one of the inventors of the tech that led to Siri.
Hodjat said Apple was obsessed with the "look and feel" of Siri, rather than the overall user experience.
He thinks making Siri primarily a voice-only assistant was a misstep by Apple.
Apple's voice assistant Siri gave it a considerable head start in the chatbot race. So why has Apple never had a ChatGPT-style breakthrough in the new AI era?
Babak Hodjat, one of the inventors of the backend natural language processing technology that led to the development of Siri, has a theory. He thinks Apple didn't capitalize on its early lead with the voice assistant because the company was too narrowly focused on its visual appeal rather than the quality of users' interactions with it.
"They would be nitpicky about the look and feel of Siri," Hodjat told Business Insider in an interview at the Web Summit conference in Lisbon this month.
Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.
The original idea and technology behind Siri dates back to the late 1990s. Hodjat was the chief technology officer at a startup called Dejima, which he cofounded with friends from Kyushu University, in Japan. Dejima invented and patented agent-oriented technology that became part of the basis for a large-scale US government-funded AI research project called CALO, or Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes. In 2007, a group of engineers from the project — which didn't include Hodjat — created a startup called Siri to commercialize the technology. Three years later, Apple acquired Siri and then rolled it out for mass-market use in iPhones in 2011. Hodjat wasn't involved with Siri after the Apple acquisition.
Hodjat is now the chief AI officer at the professional services firm Cognizant, where he is responsible for a team of AI scientists and researchers within the company's innovation labs.
In Hodjat's view, as an outside observer, the initial rollout of Siri primarily as a voice assistant was also a misstep. Apple did place more emphasis on the ability to "type to Siri" when it introduced its Apple Intelligence AI system last year.
"When we started at Dejima, modality to us was secondary. You can talk, you can type, it depends on where you are, and how you're interacting," Hodjat said.
Trying to have a conversation aloud with an inanimate object, such as a phone, can make some people feel uncomfortable, he added.
"It is surprisingly easier to talk to your car, maybe because it moves and its headlights look like eyes, than it is to your fridge," Hodjat said.
While there might be some discomfort, voice assistants on devices such as smartphones, wearables, and speakers are expected to reach 148.7 million users this year, according to a forecast from the research firm EMARKETER, a sister company of Business Insider. Siri is forecast to notch up around 87.3 million users in 2025, per EMARKETER's May forecast.
Despite the wide adoption, Apple has struggled to upgrade Siri for the AI age. Apple was forced to delay a planned overhaul of Siri earlier this year. Now, the company is nearing a deal to have Google's Gemini model handle some of Siri's features, Bloomberg reported this month, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
Hodjat said a Gemini deal would be a "smart move" for Apple, "but only if they stay with it."
"They keep changing their minds on this thing," he said.
As the sequel to last year's hit "Wicked" and an adaptation of the Broadway show's shorter second act, it has blander material to work with: There's nothing as touchingas the Ozdust Ballroom dance scene, or as delightful as "Popular," or as exhilaratingas our green-skinned heroine Elphaba belting out "Defying Gravity."
Director Jon M. Chu must have known this on some level. For the sequel, he's gone out of his way to fluff up the narrative for the denouement, add new songs, invent backstory, and give his actors more emotionally tender scenes to chew on.
The problem is that in doing so, he focused too much of his attention on one character: Ariana Grande's Glinda.
Chu isn't hiding the fact that he was so inspired by Grande's performance that he reshaped the sequel in her image, inserting her into musical numbers where she hadn't existed before and even adding more backstory scenes for her character in reshoots. In Chu's vision, Glinda is the emotional core.
"In a weird way, she took the reins and I had to follow her and just capture it as much as I could," he told The New York Times.
But for all Chu's talk of how Grande naturally drew the spotlight, the movie's fixation on the Good Witch feels structurally ham-handed and thematically misguided.
Grande's comedic chops are underused, while her dramatic chops are overused
Ariana Grande as Glinda in 'Wicked: For Good."
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Grande won over theater nerds and critics alike with her finely tuned operatic vocals and knack for physical comedy in 2024's "Wicked."
In "Wicked: For Good," Grande still shines brightest while singing and cracking jokes. In her best scenes — as when Glinda tests her vehicular bubble for the first time, or when she tries to fist-fight Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) in Munchkinland — she brings color and lightness to the bleaker turns of Act II, which include glimpses of animal abuse and low-grade body horror. (Let's just say Dorothy's friends are not as whimsically resigned to their strange fates as they are in "The Wizard of Oz.")
The problem is that "Wicked: For Good" is not satisfied with using Grande as comedic relief or, more necessarily, as a foil to Erivo's ethical outlaw. Instead, in repeated attempts to justify Glinda's selfishness as its own kind of bravery, it forces Grande into the foreground.
The movie spends a lot of time lingering on close-up shots of Grande's tear-stained face. It adds doting flashbacks to Glinda's childhood (she was showered with love and expensive gifts, but still yearned for magic most of all, so it's meant to be tragic, I guess?), and gives her a new solo, "The Girl in the Bubble," the film's penultimate musical number.
The timing suggests that "The Girl in the Bubble" is intended to be the film's introspective centerpiece, the tearjerker that sells Glinda's heroic arc: "All that's required to live in a dream is endlessly closing your eyes," she sings mournfully. Of course, this is the same revelation Glinda has been having (and then cyclically repressing) for nearly five hours' worth of screen time; she just had yet to say it out loud.
There's no question that Grande is a capable balladeer, and she delivers the song as convincingly as she can. Nevertheless, "The Girl in the Bubble" is a lifeless tune — I couldn't hum a single bar after leaving the movie theater — not to mention that it has the misfortune of following Erivo's hair-raising rendition of "No Good Deed," the film's actual centerpiece, when Elphaba collapses under the weight of her own reputation and explodes like a supernova.
Erivo is the true star of 'Wicked: For Good'
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in "Wicked: For Good."
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Plenty of reviewers have lavished praise on Grande's performance. "A radiant Ariana Grande owns the continuation of Jon M. Chu's musical marathon," goes The Hollywood Reporter's headline, while Variety proclaims, "It's Ariana Grande's time to shine." Vulture's Bilge Ebiri noted how the film is "bending toward her every chance it gets."
It's not that reviewers are wrong about Grande's impressive debut as a dramatic actor. It's that she never should have been positioned as the film's focal point to begin with.
"Wicked" is ultimately Elphaba's story, and both halves of the adaptation rightfully belong to Erivo. Her ability to transition from naive schoolgirl in part one to an indignant, embodied sorceress in part two — without losing the sensitive heart that makes Elphaba so compelling — is the feat that reviewers should be applauding. In "Wicked: For Good," she even portrays that duality within a single sequence, veering from righteous fury to cautious optimism and back again, all while Jeff Goldblum's Wizard bounces around the screen singing "Wonderful."
Like Grande, Erivo is also given a new solo. Unlike "The Girl in the Bubble," which rehashes what we already know about Glinda's inner turmoil, "No Place Like Home" is a memorable addition that adds depth and realism to Elphaba's motivations.
"No Place Like Home" explores Elphaba's determination to fight for a future she believes in, despite being ostracized from birth. "Why do I love this place," she wonders aloud, "that's never loved me?" She realizes that Oz is her home, and it's more than just a scrap of land that can be swapped out for any other. "It's a promise, an idea," she sings, "And I want to help make it come true." She faces a complicated, heartbreaking reality that many will find relatable — especially in an era of militarized deportations and deflated American Dreams.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in "Wicked: For Good."
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Glinda, who's always been loved by her fellow Ozians, is rewarded handsomely by the film's end. She keeps her privilege, her popularity, and her pink gowns. (That's not a spoiler — we see this play out in the very first scene of "Wicked," while the Munchkins are celebrating Elphaba's downfall.) But "Wicked: For Good" can't help but go even further than its source material, giving Glinda one more significant reward in the film's final minutes, as one last reminder that she's the only witch left to root for.
All these additions make Glinda's arc in "Wicked: For Good" feel like a betrayal of the story's key themes, which warn us not to worship those in power, especially if their stories seem too good to be true.
Or perhaps Glinda being heralded as the savior of Oz — and Grande as the heart of this film — brings the story full circle. As the Wizard prophetically tells Elphaba, an appealing brand is easier to sell than reality.
Ukraine needs to fight back against Russia without wasting its limited ammunition.
Oleg Palchyk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
A former Western trainer who worked with Ukrainian troops said the hardest thing to teach was fire control.
He said the Ukrainians often want to shoot until the Russians give up, rather than conserve ammo.
He also said the Ukrainian army has many strengths.
One of the toughest lessons for Western military instructors to teach Ukrainian soldiers has been fire discipline — holding fire and conserving ammunition instead of unloading relentlessly at Russian forces, a former training leader told Business Insider.
Maj. Maguire, a UK military officer who spoke to Business Insider on the condition that only his rank and last name be used, said that when he was working with the UK-led training program for Ukrainian soldiers, troops in training had a "massive tendency" to unleash everything at opposing forces.
The attitude, he said, was that if you see a Russian, "you shoot them," and you don't stop until they're dead or they surrender. Ukraine's defense ministry did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Thousands of rounds of small arms ammunition might be fired down range in a matter of minutes, "and clearly that's not sustainable," Maguire said, sharing that this was "the biggest thing I think we gave them" — helping the Ukrainians identify and communicate clear targets and then measuring the correct response.
He said that this kind of control and coordination was "the hardest thing we found to train them in."
The training didn't eliminate this tendency, though; it merely redirected it. "When they needed to send it, they were far more aggressive in their aggressive use of offensive firepower than I think any Western army might be," Maguire said.
Ukraine has suffered shortages of ammunition and key types of weaponry.
Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Operation Interflex has trained more than 56,000 Ukrainians. It is led by the UK with support from 13 partner nations, including Canada, Australia, and Denmark.
The training is provided to both new recruits and Ukrainian soldiers with prior combat experience fighting against Russia. Last year, Maguire led a subgroup that trained experienced fighters while also producing reports for the UK and its allies on battlefield tactics observed in Ukraine and the lessons Western forces could draw from them.
Limited ammo
Col. Boardman, the commanding officer of the UK-led training program Operation Interflex, previously told Business Insider under the same conditions that the training is designed to make sure that Ukrainian soldiers make every shot count.
"The Ukrainians don't have the luxury of a huge amount of ammunition in the way the Russians do," he said. As a result, Ukraine needs to "make best use of the ammunition they've got."
Ukraine has faced shortages of ammunition and other weapons throughout the war. Western war aid has often been delayed — and in some cases halted — amid concerns about stockpiles and political debates in countries like the US. Ukraine's defense industry has boomed and expanded rapidly, but it still can't produce everything the military needs.
It is a stark contrast to the kinds of conflicts Western militaries have fought in recent decades, counterinsurgencies and campaigns against terrorism, where they enjoyed overwhelming advantages in both the quantity and sophistication of equipment.
Maguire said Ukrainian troops had an aggressiveness that surpassed what he's seen in Western troops, noting that Western armies haven't fought a large-scale, high-intensity war in a long time.
Ukraine has had to fight without many of the advantages that Western armies have enjoyed, like quickly getting care to wounded troops. Because there's a possibility the West could face similar hardships in a future fight, it's learning from the Ukrainians even as it provides training for them in their fight against Russia.
Lessons from Ukraine
Western militaries are watching this war closely. Maguire said the UK military has learned many lessons from Ukraine, both from observing the war and its aid to it, as well as through its interactions with Ukrainian soldiers during Operation Interflex.
The UK-Led Operation Interflex gives training to both new Ukrainian recruits and soldiers that have experience in the war.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images
Maguire said the British Army has already adopted a range of lessons from the Ukrainians, from how to employ drones and trenches to how quickly troops should advance.
He said that the Ukrainian soldiers are often "far more comfortable in taking tactical risks." They are "far happier taking levels of tactical risk, and consequently they're just able to show a bit more imagination," he said, describing many of the Ukrainian officers as "less indoctrinated" in military rules and norms.
"I think that we took from the Ukrainians that they have a much greater tactical imagination than we do," Maguire said.
That creativity often impressed the trainers. When planning an ambush, the major recalled, Ukrainian officers came up with what he described as "the most tactically brilliant plan I could think of," using the terrain in ways he hadn't even considered and showing confidence in departing from standard doctrine.
Those leading Operation Interflex recognize that many Ukrainian trainees have more battlefield experience than the Western instructors. Boardman previously told Business Insider that the program draws on Ukrainian combat experience, blending their battle-tested methods with NATO doctrine to create tactics greater than the sum of their parts.
Maguire said that training Ukrainians who had been involved in high-intensity war "could be quite intimidating for us" as there are some areas where "they are much better than us."
Ultimately, he said, that didn't get in the way of helping them understand and become better soldiers and leaders. When meeting new Ukrainian trainees, he said, he would explain: "We're not here to impose our doctrine on you. We're just here to show you different ways of doing things."
Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine, dates back to 1927 and is renowned for its burger and fried chicken sandwich.
Gordon Chibroski/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
From Revolutionary War-era inns to classic diners, every state has restaurants with stories.
The '76 House in Tappan, New York, was the site of key moments during the Revolutionary War.
The White Horse Tavern in Rhode Island dates back to 1673.
If you want to dine like it's 1899, look no further than these historic restaurants.
From 17th-century taverns to classic dining cars, enduring historic restaurants are scattered across the United States, each with its own rich history.
Business Insider identified the oldest continuously operating restaurants across the country. Some date back to before the United States was even founded and are packed full of historic charm, as well as comfort-food bites like traditional turkey dinners, burgers, and more.
While some historic restaurants are more upscale, others are far more casual, roadside stops.
Here are the oldest restaurants in every state.
ALABAMA: Payne's Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain, Scottsboro
Debbie C./Yelp
This old-fashioned restaurant dates back to 1869. Whether you sit in a booth or right at the soda fountain, you'll feel like you've gone back in time at Payne's Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain.
Classic menu items include chicken melts and ice cream sundaes.
ALASKA: The Historic Skagway Inn, Skagway
Laurie V./Yelp
Olivia's Bistro at the Historic Skagway Inn in southeast Alaska dates back to 1897. The charming inn specializes in local seafood, offering dishes such as smoked salmon puff pastry and elk meatballs.
ARIZONA: The Palace Restaurant and Saloon, Prescott
Steve D./Yelp
This frontier saloon has served locals and tourists alike since the 1870s.
The Palace Restaurant and Saloon serves lunch, dinner, and drinks in an authentic rustic fashion. History buffs also love the Western-themed dinner theater.
ARKANSAS: Oark General Store, Oark
Joey V./Yelp
The Oark General Store has been a popular roadside stop since it opened in 1890. Today, the store still sells gasoline and groceries, but it is also famous for its daily breakfast and burgers.
CALIFORNIA: Tadich Grill, San Francisco
Tadich Grill/Yelp
Tadich Grill serves classic San Francisco cuisine, featuring seafood cioppino and a variety of fish dishes. The restaurant first opened in 1849, and it's been in the same family since the late 1920s, SFist reported.
COLORADO: The Buckhorn Exchange, Denver
Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant/Yelp
First opened in 1893, the Buckhorn Exchange is one of the oldest steakhouses in the US. Guests may come for the menu, but they stay for the unique décor, which includes a large collection of taxidermied animals.
CONNECTICUT: The Griswold Inn, Essex
The Griswold Inn.
James Kirkikis/Shutterstock
In addition to providing lodging, The Griswold Inn offers a charming restaurant and taproom. The inn has been operating since 1776 in the small Connecticut town of Essex.
Popular menu items include clam chowder and the 1776 sausage sampler, which features puff pastry and Dijon mustard.
DELAWARE: Kelly's Logan House, Wilmington
Haley G/Yelp
Aside from being the oldest restaurant in Delaware, Kelly's Logan House has also been the go-to spot for St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Wilmington for over 150 years, according to the restaurant's website.
The Irish bar and restaurant specializes in comforting pub food, including everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to pork nachos.
FLORIDA: Columbia Restaurant, Tampa
Ron S./Yelp
Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Florida, was founded by Cuban immigrants in 1905. Their original menu specialties included Cuban coffee and sandwiches, and the menu has since evolved.
Customers love the devil crab croquettes and other samplings from the restaurant's tapas menu.
GEORGIA: The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Thomasville
Ophelia B./Yelp
The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar has been serving families for over 100 years in southwestern Georgia.
The restaurant's menu has maintained a distinctly Greek influence over the years, thanks to its many Greek owners.
Since its founding, the restaurant has served family-style pork chops.
IDAHO: The Snake Pit, Kingston
Cheryl R./Yelp
Located in a rustic wooden building, the Snake Pit has seen its fair share of change over the course of its nearly 145-year history.
Since the restaurant opened in 1880, it has gone through several different names and owners, as reported by the North Idaho Business Journal, although it is still a hub for travelers visiting the Coeur d'Alene National Forest.
ILLINOIS: The Village Tavern, Long Grove
Andie W/Yelp
The Village Tavern in Long Grove, Illinois, has been a local favorite since 1847. Visitors can still rely on the restaurant for comfort food, featuring items like onion rings and a Reuben sandwich.
INDIANA: The Log Inn, Haubstadt
Mary Kate A./Yelp
The Log Inn prides itself on the fact that President Abraham Lincoln once visited the restaurant in 1844.
Aside from a helpful dose of history, the restaurant is also known for its menu of American comfort foods, including homemade pies.
IOWA: Breitbach's Country Dining, Balltown
Sam M./Yelp
Breitbach's Country Dining takes family dining seriously. The restaurant has been in the same family for six generations.
The Breitbachs also take their food very seriously. Their deep-fried pork tenderloin has even earned a spot on the Iowa Pork Association's Pork Tenderloin Trail.
KANSAS: Hays House 1857, Council Grove
Andreas M./Yelp
Hays House was founded by Seth Hays, the great-grandson of explorer Daniel Boone, in 1857.
From then on, the establishment was a popular restaurant and trading post for the local area. Customers will still get a historic feel when they walk through the doors.
KENTUCKY: The Old Talbott Tavern, Bardstown
Roland S./Yelp
The Old Talbott Tavern has offered food and shelter to travelers since the late 1700s (it was built in 1779). According to the tavern's website, it was particularly popular among people traveling west by stagecoach — even pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone reportedly stopped there during his travels.
On its website, the tavern claims to have a long history of "ghost encounters" and "has always been known for the ghostly stories told by the locals and some guests."
LOUISIANA: Antoine's Restaurant, New Orleans
Antoine's Restaurant/Yelp
Antoine's Restaurant, established in 1840, has evolved into one of New Orleans' most popular brunch destinations.
In addition to specials like oysters Rockefeller and lamb chops with port demi-glace, the historic restaurant provides a luxurious atmosphere perfect for anyone looking to explore the Big Easy.
MAINE: Palace Diner, Biddeford
Gordon Chibroski/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine, may be small, but it is entirely worth the cramped quarters. The restaurant, housed in an old train dining car, has been operating since 1927.
Visitors flock to the unique restaurant for classic diner breakfast, fried chicken sandwich, and other diner specialties in a vintage atmosphere.
MARYLAND: Middleton Tavern in Annapolis
TJ B./Yelp
Nothing says Maryland cuisine quite like seafood, and Middleton Tavern has it down to an art. Located in the quaint marina city of Annapolis, Middleton Tavern has been open since 1750.
The restaurant serves traditional Maryland fare, including crab cakes and mussels, as well as a variety of other American and seafood favorites.
MASSACHUSETTS: Warren Tavern, Charlestown
Marie E./Yelp
Massachusetts is filled with early American history, and the Warren Tavern in Charlestown is no exception. The restaurant has been in operation since 1780, and the historic presence remains strong.
Even the menu has a historic flair, including a burger called the "Sons of Liberty Burger."
MICHIGAN: The White Horse Inn, Metamora
Michigan H./Yelp
The White Horse Inn began serving customers in 1850 and has been providing cozy getaways during even the coldest Michigan winters ever since.
Classic menu items include ribeye steak and fish fry.
MINNESOTA: Hubbel House, Mantorville
The exterior of Hubbel House.
Justin S./Yelp
The Hubbel House has been serving customers since 1854, five years before Minnesota was officially granted statehood.
History still plays a significant role in the restaurant's operation, as some of its dining rooms are named after famous historical figures.
In addition to enjoying a variety of meat-focused comfort dishes, customers can also explore historical documents and artifacts while at the restaurant.
MISSISSIPPI: Weidmann's, Meridian
Ryan G./Yelp
Weidmann's restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi, was founded by an immigrant from Switzerland in 1870. Since then, the restaurant has been a staple in the local community.
According to the restaurant's website, staff still put a jar of peanut butter and crackers on every table, a tradition they've been practicing since the butter shortages of World War II.
MISSOURI: J Huston Tavern, Arrow Rock
J Huston Tavern/Yelp
If you're looking for a classic meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and, of course, a biscuit, look no further than the J Huston Tavern.
Founded in 1834, the tavern began as a family home that eventually started offering food and lodging for travelers in the area. The restaurant is still known for its warm hospitality.
MONTANA: Pekin Noodle Parlor, Butte
Jess J./Yelp
The Pekin Noodle Parlor was founded by immigrants in 1911 and takes pride in being one of the first Chinese-American restaurants in the US.
Customers can choose from a wide variety of Chinese dishes as well as classic American sandwiches at this hybrid restaurant.
NEBRASKA: Glur's Tavern, Columbus
Scott M./Yelp
Glur's Tavern has remained true to its historic roots, which date back to 1876. Now, the restaurant is a family favorite known for its burgers, but in its early days, the tavern was frequented by the old Western hero Buffalo Bill.
NEVADA: The Martin Hotel, Winnemucca
Dinner at The Martin Hotel.
Kay H./Yelp
The Martin Hotel in Winnemucca, Nevada, is a unique eatery that has been open since 1898, specializing in Basque dishes.
The restaurant continues to serve up dishes like pork loin simmered with garlic and pimentos.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Hancock Inn, Hancock
Hancock Inn/Yelp
The Hancock Inn is a bed and breakfast with classic New England charm. The historic inn has been open since 1789.
The inn's restaurant serves classic dishes, including steak frites, grilled short ribs, and salmon.
NEW JERSEY: The Black Horse Tavern and Pub, Mendham
Black Horse Tavern and Pub/Yelp
The Black Horse Tavern and Pub in Mendham, New Jersey, prides itself on having been in business for over 270 years.
Originally a stagecoach house in the mid-1700s, the restaurant now specializes in American comfort food.
NEW MEXICO: El Farol, Santa Fe
Dale Z./Yelp
El Farol is a historic restaurant and bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico, dating back to 1835, that specializes in tapas, steaks, and paella.
NEW YORK: The '76 House, Tappan
Risa S./Yelp
The '76 House, which was established in 1686, holds a special place in American history since the restaurant bore witness to crucial moments of the Revolutionary War.
According to the restaurant's website, the '76 House acted as a prison for Major John Andre, a spy who worked alongside the famous traitor Benedict Arnold, until he was executed.
NORTH CAROLINA: Carolina Coffee Shop, Chapel Hill
Jerry F./Yelp
Located in the charming college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the Carolina Coffee Shop has been a local institution for over 100 years.
While it's labeled a coffee shop, the establishment also serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even has a thriving bar scene.
NORTH DAKOTA: Peacock Alley, Bismarck
C N./Yelp
Peacock Alley is a classic American-style bar and grill that opened in 1933 in the historic Paterson Hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota, just as Prohibition ended in the US.
OHIO: The Golden Lamb, Lebanon
12 US presidents have stayed at the Golden Lamb Hotel.
Destiny B./Yelp
In addition to being the state's oldest restaurant, the Golden Lamb is also the oldest hotel in Ohio.
The establishment first opened in 1803. Its on-site restaurant is known for its signature turkey dinner with sage sausage and apple dressing, seasonal vegetables, cranberry chutney, and mashed potatoes.
OKLAHOMA: Cattlemen's Steakhouse, Oklahoma City
Dan B./Yelp
When it first opened in 1910, Cattlemen's Steakhouse was most popular among ranchers, cowboys, and cattle haulers.
Over 100 years later, customers still enjoy hearty meals from the classic restaurant that has served famous clientele, from President George H.W. Bush to Reba McEntire.
OREGON: Huber's Cafe, Portland
The interior of Hubers Cafe.
Hubers Cafe/Yelp
Huber's Cafe first opened in Portland in 1879, although the restaurant has been serving customers at its current location since 1910.
In its early days, the historic restaurant was renowned for its tradition of serving complimentary turkey sandwiches and coleslaw to patrons who purchased drinks.
Now, you'll have to pay for your turkey sandwich, but the classic dish is still a restaurant specialty.
PENNSYLVANIA: Dobbin House Tavern, Gettysburg
Dobbin House Tavern.
Jeff F./Yelp
While other restaurants may have opened their doors as boarding houses or inns, the Dobbin House Tavern is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the state of Pennsylvania.
Dobbin House Tavern in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has officially become the oldest restaurant in the state, following the permanent closure of two other historic restaurants — The Stockyard Inn and the Revere Tavern — in recent years.
RHODE ISLAND: The White Horse Tavern, Newport
The exterior of the White Horse Tavern.
Mark O./Yelp
The White Horse Tavern is not only the oldest restaurant in Rhode Island but also one of the oldest in the country.
The historic restaurant, housed in a red barn, dates back to 1673 and is filled with history. According to the restaurant's website, The White Horse Tavern is also acknowledged as the 10th oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world.
The restaurant stays true to its roots, maintaining a menu that focuses on local products like honey, cheese, and seafood.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Henry's On The Market, Charleston
The exterior of Henry's House.
Marilyn B./Yelp
According to its website, Henry's On The Market "was the only place to be in Charleston" from 1932 to 1960.
While the restaurant has gone through various transformations over the years, it's also a popular spot for live music and features a rooftop bar and dance lounge.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Legends Steakhouse, Deadwood
Dinner at Legends Steakhouse.
Juan M./Yelp
Located in the Franklin Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, Legends Steakhouse lives up to its name.
The hotel and restaurant, which date back to 1903, have hosted President Theodore Roosevelt and other important historical figures.
TENNESSEE: Varallo's, Nashville
Michael C./Yelp
Varallo's is one of the few remaining "chili parlors" in the US. The 120-year-old, old-school restaurant is still going strong, offering three varieties of chili: classic, spaghetti, and tamale.
TEXAS: The Stagecoach Inn, Salado
The exterior of the Stagecoach Inn.
Stagecoach Inn/Yelp
When it opened up shop in 1852, the Stagecoach Inn was, as its name suggests, a popular stop for traveling stagecoaches.
The historic inn has honored its history with its classic, cozy southwestern design.
UTAH: Hi-Mountain, Kamas
Allison N./Yelp
This classic convenience store and restaurant combination is ideal for those seeking a quintessential American meal.
From bacon cheeseburgers to milkshakes, Hi-Mountain in Kamas, Utah — which opened as a confectionery in the early 1900s — is a local go-to for comfort food in an old-school setting.
VERMONT: Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester
Ye Olde Tavern/Yelp
As its name suggests, Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester, Vermont, boasts a rich history dating back to 1790.
The historic restaurant specializes in New England cuisine, such as lobster bisque and traditional pot roast.
VIRGINIA: The Red Fox Tavern, Middleburg
Kevin R./Yelp
Located in a charming stone building in Middleburg, Virginia, The Red Fox Tavern dates back to 1728.
The restaurant now welcomes both locals and travelers who enjoy comforting dishes, such as rack of lamb and seared sea scallops.
WASHINGTON: Horseshoe Cafe, Bellingham
Burger from the Horseshoe Cafe.
Horseshoe Cafe/Yelp
Since 1886, the Horseshoe Cafe in Bellingham, Washington, has been a local favorite. From chicken and waffles to burgers, this restaurant has been serving up comfort food for over 130 years.
WEST VIRGINIA: North End Tavern & Brewery, Parkersburg
Google Maps
The North End Tavern & Brewery has been in business since 1899. In addition to serving pub food, this restaurant also serves beer from its very own brewery.
WISCONSIN: Red Circle Inn & Bistro, Nashotah
Jeannie Y./Yelp
Located in a stately home that opened in 1848, The Red Circle Inn & Bistro is a cozy escape in Nashotah, Wisconsin.
Among the historic restaurant's menu items are chicken marsala, beef strogonoff, and braised pork shank.
WYOMING: Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits, Hartville
Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits is the oldest bar in Wyoming.
Courtesy Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits
The name of this restaurant reveals a great deal about its extensive history in Wyoming. Since it first opened in 1862, Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits has been a local favorite.
Today, locals and travelers still enjoy the rustic bar and classic menu.
Madeleine Diamond contributed to an earlier version of this story.
Sir Christopher Ball started running marathons at 67.
Courtesy of Sir Christopher Ball
Sir Christopher Ball began running in his 60s and, at 67, ran his first marathon.
He is now in his 90s and continues to run marathons.
He says that mindset, exercise, diet, and reducing stress have enabled him to live healthily.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sir Christopher Ball. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In the few years before my 70th birthday, my doctor informed me I had become a bit overweight and had high blood pressure. This came as a shock to me, considering I thought I was healthy and fit for my age. She urged me to lose weight, saying I needed to eat less and exercise more.
I'd always been a fairly active person. Raised during World War II, when our food was rationed, I learned early on to eat only what I needed and never to excess.
After joining the Army, I stayed fit during my service, always marching and running about. Despite my age, I remained active even after retirement, but I clearly needed to do more to maintain a healthy weight.
I started running
I easily could have ignored the doctor's advice, resigning myself to the fact that I only had a few more years left to live anyway, but I didn't want just a few years more — I wanted to live until well over 100.
The only way to live that long would be to take my doctor seriously. I decided I would focus on running, as it felt a bit boring to eat less food.
My daughter took me to a running shop, and I quickly selected a pair of running shoes that were very comfortable.
The staff person helping me said, "You don't think I'm going to let you buy those shoes without seeing you run in them first?" She made me run outside in them, me in my suit and these new shoes. I told her one day, I hoped to run a marathon, and she sold me a book that would go on to become my Bible, called "The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer."
Although my first run was difficult, I quickly got up to 10 miles and decided I could definitely run a marathon, which I did later that year, when I was 67.
I had a heart attack in my 70s
I worked my way up to running back-to-back marathons, one on a Monday and then on Tuesday, and then to seven marathons in one week, and finally, 10 marathons in 10 days.
The weight dropped as a result of all the running I was doing.
In my late 70s, I suffered a heart attack and then had to have a triple bypass. It obviously slowed me down for some time, but I tried to see it as a fascinating setback, rather than an end to my running — it was part of having a positive mindset. I started running again, slowly but surely.
Part of the reason I think I have aged well is down to mindset. In my later years, I've always looked on the bright side, seeking a silver lining in every cloud, and I've enjoyed life.
Meeting and talking to positive people has hugely helped to maintain this positive outlook. It doesn't necessarily come naturally — several people in my family actually suffered from depression — so it's something I have to actively work against.
I switched my diet to vegan
My granddaughters asked why I ate animals. They said it wasn't kind to eat animals and that raising animals to eat wasn't good for the planet. It was following these conversations that I began eating a vegan diet. I didn't expect such health benefits, but eating this way, alongside exercise, enabled me to maintain my weight.
In addition to moving, eating well, and maintaining a positive mindset, I've made sure to plan projects, connect with people regularly (including my wife), and take daily cold showers, all while reducing stress whenever possible.
I'm still running, although I haven't planned to run another marathon. Instead, I've planned to run 10K on 10 successive days.
When I talk to others about how they, too, can live long and well, I encourage them to make the process gradual. Set reasonable goals and plan stages to work through to meet the goal. It isn't a competition with other people — it's about living your best life while you still have it.
Breakups can feel sudden. But oftentimes the signs were always there.
That appears to be the case with the Marriott-Sonder split. The short-term rental's blowup with the hotel giant, followed by its bankruptcy, was particularly shocking for its customers.
Lawsuits, sloppy accounting, and a slew of executive departures and failed bailouts indicate issues were bubbling long before last week's dramatic divorce, writes BI's Maddie Berg, Natalie Musumeci, and Kelsey Vlamis.
That's not much solace for those who got caught in the crossfire.
Interestingly, insiders positioned the Marriott deal in August 2024 as a lifeline. But the startup also said it limited the young company.
On the one hand, people familiar with Sonder's finances told BI the Marriott deal, and the initial money that came from it, kept the company afloat.
But teaming up also resulted in massive headaches integrating Sonder's tech stack with Marriott's, Sonder said.
The Marriott-Sonder partnership is another gravestone in the cemetery of David-and-Goliath teamups.
They can come in different shapes and sizes (outright acquisitions, strategic investments, branded partnerships), but their approach is typically the same: pair a scrappy, nimble startup with a powerful established brand. The idea is to achieve the best of both worlds.
That's a lot easier said than done.
Sometimes, the two sides can't find enough common ground to make it work (Ford-Rivian). Other times, the startup isn't what it originally portrayed itself to be (JPMorgan-Frank).
Even with all the potential downsides, though, these types of deals won't go away. While the IPO window has slightly cracked open, many startups are still electing to stay private for longer than they used to. (It's worth noting Sonder went public and still faced these issues as its stock flatlined.)
And funding is proving difficult for any company that doesn't feature "AI" prominently in its pitch.
That means the majority of startups' best option for an exit will be with a bigger player.
And while that's a risk for both sides — as evident by the Marriott-Sonder debacle — it's one they might have to continue to take.
The USS New Jersey is the longest, fastest, and most decorated battleship in US history.
It served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, and the Persian Gulf.
The battleship is now a floating museum in Camden, New Jersey.
The USS New Jersey is a battleship of superlatives.
Fastest battleship ever built? Check. The ship's fastest speed was a record-setting 35.2 knots, or a little over 40 miles per hour, in 1968.
Longest battleship ever built? Check. At 887 feet and 7 inches long, the USS New Jersey is almost three football fields long, and 5 feet longer than the Titanic.
Most-decorated battleship in US history? Check, again. The USS New Jersey earned 19 battle stars throughout its career.
Originally built for combat in World War II, the USS New Jersey was so powerful and irreplaceable that the Navy kept recommissioning it until the 1990s. After it was decommissioned for the last time, it was transformed into a museum based in its namesake state where visitors can explore spaces such as the combat engagement center, officers' staterooms, and gun turrets.
Just don't expect to be able to see the entire ship.
"I've been here eight years now," Ryan Szimanski, curator of Battleship New Jersey, told Business Insider. "I still have not been in all 1,600 rooms."
Take a look inside the USS New Jersey.
First commissioned in 1943, the USS New Jersey served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, and the Persian Gulf.
Off the coast of Vietnam: The USS New Jersey, the Navy's only active battle ship, fires her nine 16 inch battery towards a target in Vietnam in this photo released by the Defense Dept. 5/9. It was the first time since the ship's recommissioning that all nine guns were fired simultaneously. The New Jersey returned to its home port of Long Beach, Calif., 5/5. 5/9/1969
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
The 45,000-ton ship cost around $150 million to build in the 1940s, or around $2 billion in 2025 when adjusted for inflation.
President Ronald Reagan recommissioned the battleship for the final time in 1982 as part of his 600-ship Navy initiative to expand the military.
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA -DECEMBER 28: President Ronald Reagan speaks during re-commissioning ceremony of the USS New Jersey at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, December 28, 1982 in Long Beach, California. It is the Battleship's 4th re-commissioning, California.
Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images
Reagan was the first sitting president to commission a battleship.
After serving in Lebanon and the Persian Gulf, it was decommissioned for the final time in 1991. The ship opened to the public as a museum in 2001.
The fastest, longest, and most decorated battleship in history is now a floating museum in Camden, New Jersey.
The USS New Jersey battleship.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The museum, operated by Battleship New Jersey, offers daily self-guided and guided tours. Self-guided tours for adults cost $30, while guided tours cost $40. Tickets can be purchased through Battleship New Jersey.
The walkway leading to the USS New Jersey is lined with monuments honoring the battleship's numerous deployments.
The USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The USS New Jersey's shore bombardment capabilities made it irreplaceable from World War II through the 1980s.
"Even though aircraft carriers rendered battleships obsolete nominally in World War II, in the '50s, they bring the ship back. In the '60s, they bring the ship back. In the '80s, they bring the ship back. Because to this day, we haven't developed a platform that can cheaply provide that shore bombardment," Szimanski said.
I met curator Ryan Szimanski on the 55,000-square-foot deck of the ship, where I got my first look at the enormous 16-inch guns.
Mark 7 16-inch/50-caliber gun barrels on the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Mark 7 16-inch guns were last fired in combat on February 26, 1984, during the Lebanese Civil War.
They're called 16-inch guns because they could fire 16-inch shells — the actual barrels themselves are 66.7 feet long. The explosive rounds weighed 1,900 pounds and armor-piercing rounds weighed 2,700 pounds — about the same as a Kia Soul.
The 16-inch guns could hit targets up to 23 miles away.
M2 Browning machine guns mounted on the deck featured a 2,000-yard firing range. The USS New Jersey had eight on board.
A replica M2 Browning machine gun mounted on the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
"Pull the trigger on that," Szimanski said, pointing to a M2 Browning machine gun on the deck.
Far be it from me to disobey a direct order. I squeezed the trigger, unleashing the sound effect of firing 485 to 635 rounds per minute.
This particular gun was a replica, but visitors to the USS New Jersey can fire blanks from its 5-inch or 40mm saluting guns upon making a donation to the museum.
A plaque on the deck memorialized Robert Herman Oesterwind, the only USS New Jersey crew member ever killed in combat.
A plaque memorializing a fallen crew member of the USS New Jersey.
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During the Korean War in 1951, Oesterwind was fatally wounded by shrapnel from a North Korean shell while attacking a North Korean transportation hub. Though the shell didn't break through the ship's armor, three other sailors were wounded, and parts of the ship sustained superficial damage.
The museum offers four color-coded tour routes focused on different aspects of the ship, ranging from five to 45 minutes each.
The green tour route on board the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The green line serves as the introductory tour, bringing visitors through crew members' bunks, the officers' wardroom, the captain's cabin, and museum exhibit spaces.
The red line focuses on weapons and navigation, with stops like the combat engagement center and missile deck.
The yellow line features an inside look at the crew's life on board, highlighting the library, barber shop, and laundry facilities.
Finally, the blue line tour, titled "Into the Citadel," includes the engine rooms, a 16-inch turret barbette, and the World War II-era radio room.
Szimanski guided me through a combination of these routes for a broader look at the ship, but if you do all four as they're laid out, it's 1 ½ miles long and covers 200 of the ship's 1,600 rooms.
Our first stop was the enlisted berthing, where crew members slept in narrow bunks.
Enlisted berthing on the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The USS New Jersey was designed to hold 2,000 crew members, but during War War II, there were 2,700 sailors on board. When there weren't enough bunks, sailors slept in hammocks.
By the end of the ship's career, the crew was down to around 1,600.
The crew members who slept in communal spaces like this were often lower-ranking sailors who were newer to the Navy, such as the gunner's mates who operated the ship's 16-inch guns.
The museum's signing wall offers a chance for past crew members to add their signatures to the ship.
The signing wall on board the USS New Jersey.
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Around 3,000 former crew members have visited the museum since it opened in 2001, Szimanski said.
Officers ate their meals in the ward room.
The wardroom.
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Officers were seated by rank and only began eating once the executive officer, or XO, gave the signal.
Officers' meals were served on china with silver cutlery and linen tablecloths.
A table setting in the wardroom.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Unlike enlisted crew members, officers paid for all of their meals.
The museum restored the admiral's stateroom with the help of its last occupant, Adm. J. Paul Reason.
The admiral's stateroom.
Battleship New Jersey
Reason was the first Black four-star admiral in the US Navy. From 1989 to 1990, he commanded Battle Group Romeo, of which the USS New Jersey was the flagship, in the Persian Gulf.
Admirals used the stateroom as a lounge, workspace, and dining room.
A desk in the admiral's stateroom.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Reason told the museum that he read classified information at a desk in his bedroom, but otherwise spent most of his time working at a larger desk in the stateroom.
The desk in the USS New Jersey's stateroom was taken from another 1980s-era ship at the Navy Yard.
Commanding officers used the adjacent captain's in-port cabin to entertain foreign dignitaries.
The captain's in-port cabin.
Battleship New Jersey
The spacious room was meant to impress foreign leaders … and intimidate them.
"It's very specifically placed right here so that when dignitaries come across the gangway, they have to walk past the gun turrets to get here," Szimanski said.
The cabin also featured about one-third of the ship's silver service.
Silver Service in the captain's in-port cabin.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Another third of the silver service is on display at the New Jersey governor's mansion in Princeton, while the remaining third's whereabouts are unknown.
Next, we visited the combat engagement center, which Szimanski called "the best volunteer restoration on the entire ship."
The combat engagement center.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Combat Engagement Center, or CEC, was added to the USS New Jersey when the ship was recommissioned in the 1980s. It featured more modern equipment such as the Tomahawk Weapons System for launching Tomahawk missiles, and sensors including Air Search and Surface Search radars.
Volunteers worked to make the CEC as realistic as possible with screens showing mock-ups of how the computers functioned. Much of this equipment is still used on modern Navy ships.
The Navy will neither confirm nor deny if the USS New Jersey carried nuclear missiles, but a label on one of the consoles provided a notable clue.
A keyhole reading "Nuclear perm to fire" in the combat engagement center.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
"We haven't figured out with 100% certainty that we carried nuclear weapons, but we were certainly nuclear-capable," Szimanski said.
The museum also displayed a key with a tag reading "Nuclear PTF," which stands for "permission to fire."
Keys in the combat engagement center.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
About two years ago, a new staff member was cleaning out a predecessor's office and found a box of keys. Upon closer examination, the museum realized the keys had brass tags that read "nuclear PTF," which stands for "permission to fire."
When museum staffers tested the keys in the "nuclear perm to fire" lock in the combat engagement center, they fit inside.
"The Navy just left the original keys on board, the museum had them, and we didn't know we had them for over 20 years," Szimanski said.
Admirals commanded the ship from the admiral's bridge.
A chair in the admiral's bridge.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
A ladder leads from the admiral's state room up to the admiral's bridge for easy access. The four chairs in this space were reserved exclusively for the use of admirals.
The five stars adorning the deck were a tribute to Adm. William Halsey Jr., the fourth and final five-star admiral in the US Navy.
Five stars on the admiral's bridge.
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A New Jersey native, Halsey chose the USS New Jersey to be his flagship. He commanded the Navy's 3rd Fleet in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944, the largest naval battle of World War II and believed by many to be the largest naval battle in history.
Only four officers have ever been promoted to five-star fleet admiral in the history of the Navy. Since Halsey held the title, no other officer has been promoted to that level.
During combat, the captain commanded the ship from the conning tower protected by thick armor and a 4,000-pound bank vault door.
The conning tower.
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The conning tower's armor was over 17 inches thick, the thickest single piece of armor plate on the entire ship.
The helm, which steered the ship, was located inside the conning tower. The captain could also communicate with crew members in the engine room about the ship's speed.
If the conning tower was damaged or destroyed during battle, there were three other places on board where the ship could be steered from. Contingencies upon contingencies were crucial.
"That's the real genius of this ship, the level of redundancy that they built in," Szimanski said. "Okay, you might be able to shoot through this and knock that out, but we've got four backups or six backups. We've found one system so far that has at least 46 different backups."
The highest point of the tour, the USS New Jersey's open bridge, provided the best view of the 16-inch guns and the bow of the ship.
The view from the admiral's bridge.
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The USS New Jersey measures 11 stories high.
Visible across the Delaware River, the Independence Seaport Museum houses two more historic vessels: the USS Olympia, the oldest steep warship still afloat in the world, and the USS Becuna, a World War II Balao-class submarine.
It took a crew of 77 people to operate the 16-inch guns from each of the ship's three gun turrets.
Missiles on the USS New Jersey.
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The museum offers special 90-minute in-depth tours of Turret II, spanning five stories.
In the plotting room, an electromechanical analog computer called the Mark 8 Rangekeeper was used to aim the 16-inch guns.
The Mark 8 Rangekeeper.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Mark 8 Rangekeeper could calculate where a target would be when the projectile arrived while accounting for factors such as the Earth's rotation, known as the Coriolis effect.
The USS New Jersey has the last Mark 8 Rangekeeper in the world that still works.
"My favorite thing about the computer is in the 1980s, they looked at replacing it with a modern digital computer and they chose not to," Szimanski said. "The modern computer was as accurate, but it wasn't more accurate, so why waste the money? Plus, if we lose power because we've been hit by the enemy, the modern computer dies. This one has a hand crank as a backup. You just pick the lowest-ranking sailor in the room."
One of the coolest parts of the entire tour was the ability to pull the trigger on the 16-inch guns with booming sound effects.
Triggers for the 16-inch guns on the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
A screen also showed video footage of the guns firing, making it feel even more realistic.
The record-holding length of the USS New Jersey became apparent when looking down Broadway, the ship's longest passageway.
Broadway on the USS New Jersey.
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The hallway featured equipment such as oxygen breathing apparatuses and doors leading to fire rooms and engine rooms.
The USS New Jersey had eight boilers, each with nine burners.
A boiler on board the USS New Jersey.
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In the fire room, crew members controlled how much fuel was being pumped into the burners by changing the fuel nozzles. This was done every four hours or every time the ship changed speed.
The Navy added air conditioning to the rest of the ship in the 1980s, but there was no point in trying to cool off the boiler room, which could reach temperatures of 120 degrees.
The fire room also featured an escape trunk in case of emergencies.
The escape trunk.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
If a torpedo from an enemy ship penetrated the ship's multiple layers of steel — three layers on the bottom and five on the sides — crew members in the fire room could make a quick escape via this four-story ladder.
In the engine room, the throttle board served as the ship's gas pedal, utilizing the steam created in the boiler room.
The throttle board.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
With a top speed of 35.2 knots, or a little over 40 miles per hour, the USS New Jersey still holds the record for the fastest battleship anywhere in the world because the Navy never built another class of battleship after the Iowa class.
The USS New Jersey also had eight radio rooms, many of which still broadcast thanks to the efforts of volunteers.
The radio room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
"We are not allowed to run our radar, because if we did, all of the cable TV within 50 miles would go out," Szimanski said.
Next, we visited the crew's mess, where meals were much less formal than in the officer's ward room.
The chow-line.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Enlisted crew members were served in buffet-style lines on metal trays, unlike officers who ate on china and silver.
The ship served four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight rations known as "midrats" since the crew worked around the clock.
The crew mess.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Enlisted crew members could choose between the meal of the day, which would have been entrees like ginger pot roast or steak and lobster, or fast-food-style items such as pizza, hot dogs, and cheeseburgers, which were always available.
They had around 12 minutes to eat their meals. Since the crew was so large, they ate in at least three shifts.
The chapel was added to the ship in the 1980s.
The chapel on board the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The USS New Jersey usually had two chaplains on board — one Protestant and one Catholic — but the chapel was a non-denominational space that held worship services for other faiths, as well.
The USS New Jersey's library was also under the jurisdiction of the chaplain, who was in charge of crew morale.
The library.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The library held around 6,000 books.
The ship had two barbershops, one for enlisted sailors and one for officers.
A barbershop on board the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Male crew members' hair was not allowed to be any longer than 3 inches.
Laundry was a constant chore aboard the USS New Jersey.
Steawm presses in the ship's laundry area.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The ship's washing machines could wash 100 pounds of uniforms per load, and the dryers held 50 pounds each.
The steam presses used auxiliary steam from the ship's boilers to iron uniforms.
Crew members who broke the rules would be given extra work, docked pay, or confined to the ship's jail known as the brig.
The brig on board the USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
In the brig, prisoners received one ration of bread and water per day and had to be escorted to the bathroom by a Marine.
Back up on the flight deck, the museum displayed a Kaman SH-2 Seasprite helicopter, which the ship used to gather intelligence in the 1980s.
A helicopter on the USS New Jersey's flight deck.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The USS New Jersey carried different aircraft throughout its years of service.
During World War II, it deployed Kingfisher and Seahawk seaplanes to monitor the aim of the 16-inch guns. Helicopters replaced seaplanes in the Korean War, when a Sikorsky HO3S-1 Dragonfly helicopter known as the "Jersey Bounce" assisted with search-and-rescue missions. In the 1980s, the Seasprite helicopter was used to detect submarines and deliver supplies.
The Navy no longer builds or uses battleships, but President Donald Trump has expressed interest in reviving them.
President Donald Trump spoke at the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2020.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Why did the Navy phase out battleships? Szimanski said the answer was simple: Battleships have large-caliber guns and thick armor, but neither can withstand the impact of missiles.
However, President Donald Trump has expressed interest in bringing battleships back. At the September all-hands meeting called by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth featuring 800 military leaders, Trump said that he'd spoken to Navy Secretary John Phelan and that it's "something we're seriously considering."
"Some people would say, 'No, that's old technology.' I don't know. I don't think it's old technology when you look at those guns," Trump said.
In a statement to Business Insider, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said that "President Trump is prioritizing this vital industry to strengthen our country's economic and national security — including by securing a historic $43 billion shipbuilding investment in the Working Families Tax Cut."
The Navy referred Business Insider to the Office of the Secretary of War, which did not respond to a request for comment.
Since the Navy stopped building battleships, the USS New Jersey's role has been divided among several vessels, but not fully replaced.
The USS New Jersey.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Destroyers are equipped with high-range guns and missiles. Long-range strikes are carried out by aircraft carriers. And submarines have filled the role of anti-surface warships. However, there's no vessel that can execute shore bombardment as effectively and efficiently as battleships did with their large artillery.
That's why the USS New Jersey was brought out of retirement again and again after World War II — and why it would still serve as a crucial asset if the need arose.
"If we got into another first-class shooting war, there's a strong chance that they would fire me and bring the ship back," Szimanski said. "There isn't a replacement."
Update: November 3, 2025 — This story has been updated to include a statement from the White House.
My partner and I took an overnight train ride from London to Scotland on the Caledonian Sleeper.
We splurged on the Caledonian double en-suite, which came with a shower, a toilet, and a bed.
I didn't get much sleep, but this beat a flight. I'd do it again, but only under a few conditions.
In my opinion, there's something alluring about the idea of an overnight train ride — watching picturesque scenery while winding down with a dram of whisky, then being rocked to sleep by the motion of the carriage, resting until you wake up at your destination.
At least, that's what I envisioned when my partner and I booked our tickets on the Caledonian Sleeper, a famous train that links London with several destinations in Scotland.
We took the eight-hour route from London Euston to Glasgow and booked the most expensive suite option. Here's what our overnight train journey was like.
Although we decided to splurge on a suite, several tiers are available for booking.
1.1
Emily Garnham
We booked the priciest room, a Caledonian double en-suite for £445, about $587, one way.
Our room tier includes station lounge access, priority boarding, priority access to the club car, and breakfast on board (served to our room or in the club car).
When we booked, the second most expensive option was the club en-suite room with twin bunk beds and similar perks, priced at about £420 for two travelers.
There's also a classic room with twin bunk beds and a washbasin that would've been about £330 for two. There's no breakfast included in this tier, but travelers can pay extra for it and have it delivered via the included room service.
Lastly, we could've gone with the cheapest option — two seats in the coach car for £168. Though they offer adjustable headrests and footrests, these seats only recline 10 degrees … and I doubted our ability to sleep in a sitting position.
At the start of our trip, we made the most of the free snacks and drinks in the station lounge.
1.3 Station Lounge London Euston
Emily Garnham
We arrived at Euston at 21:30 — well ahead of our departure at 23:30 — to check in, get our cabin keycard, and explore the station lounge.
It felt a bit busy at times, but there were enough seats for everyone. The two roomy showers and bathrooms off the lounge seemed to be in near-constant use.
We appreciated the help-yourself bar with tea, coffee, and soft drinks, including Irn-Bru — a bright-orange soda that's considered one of Scotland's national drinks. Plus, there were complimentary cookies, cakes, and chips.
We could've also purchased alcoholic drinks and other hot meals and snacks while in the lounge.
Once we boarded, we quickly located our compact double room.
1.9
Emily Garnham
Luckily, getting to our room was pretty easy.
However, the corridors on the train felt really narrow — probably to maximize the space in the rooms — so I was glad we'd only brought backpacks with us.
This might be a tight squeeze for anyone trying to wheel bigger suitcases. On the bright side, though, they won't have far to go as all rooms seem to be fairly close to a carriage door.
Our first impression of the room was quite positive.
1.6
Emily Garnham
As soon as we opened the door to our room, we saw a neatly made double bed with pristine-looking white sheets.
Arranged on top of it were Scottish treats — including an Arran Sense of Scotland toiletries set and honeycomb chocolate — plus sleep kits containing earplugs and fetching tartan eye masks.
The room didn't have much decor beyond a framed graphic and a bit of wallpaper, but I'd probably describe it as "modern business hotel with accents of tweed."
It was nice to control the lights and have plenty of outlets.
2.0
Emily Garnham
The rooms felt well equipped with free WiFi, several USB ports and power sockets, control panels to adjust the room's temperature and dim the lights, coat hooks, and under-bed storage for stowing bags.
The space felt compact yet cleverly designed.
1.8
Emily Garnham
We found our sink located by the bed (beneath the window) and our private en-suite bathroom (stocked with hand and bath towels) behind a small door.
I wish our window had been bigger, but my visions of gazing at rolling landscapes from my bed in the morning didn't work out anyway because it was too dark out during our trip.
We traveled in early November and didn't see daylight until we hit the outskirts of Glasgow.
We began our journey with a nightcap in the club car.
2.4
Emily Garnham
We left our bags in the room and headed to the club car in the next carriage for a drink.
The club car features cozy booths and swivel seats, functioning as a lounge with table service for dining, drinking, and unwinding. It's not available to those travelling in coach seats, and priority access is given to those staying in our cabin class or a club room.
Fortunately, the car wasn't busy at all when we visited, and we had our pick of seats to choose from.
We didn't want to eat that late at night, but our drinks went down well.
2.7
Emily Garnham
The onboard menu has a decent selection of mains, desserts, drinks, and light bites for an additional cost. It was especially nice to see Scottish-style fare like haggis, neeps and tatties, and a venison stew on offer.
Neither of us could stomach food that late, so we opted to check out the wine list instead. We paid extra for small bottles of wine and prosecco, which were lovely.
We also placed our breakfast order for the next morning.
2.6
Emily Garnham
Before bed, we filled out cards to choose which breakfast we wanted the next morning and handed them in to the staff.
A full Scottish cooked breakfast was available alongside options such as pancakes with fruit and yogurt, bacon and sausage sandwiches, and porridge pots.
Eventually, we headed to bed for the night.
2.8
Emily Garnham
We'd chosen the double room over bunks because we're both tall—6'0" and 6'3" —and my partner has broad shoulders.
However, walls surround the bed on three sides, and with my partner on the fourth, I felt uncomfortably boxed in.
On the bright side, the double bed was complete with a Glencraft mattress, literally fit for royalty. (The Scottish company has supplied mattresses to the British Royal family's Balmoral Castle for years.)
I did get some sleep, but it was broken and fitful. I woke up at least a dozen times throughout the eight-hour train ride. The complimentary earplugs and eye mask were a godsend.
In the morning, I showered in our en-suite bathroom.
2.2
Emily Garnham
I tried taking a photo of our shower area, but it seemed impossible due to the room's angle and how the door opened inward, obscuring the view of what was inside.
Even so, the bathroom felt cleverly designed to switch from a toilet to a shower wet room with the closing of a lid that creates a shelf on which you can sit while showering. I chose to stand, and I still had plenty of space.
The water was hot, the pressure felt surprisingly decent, and the Arran toiletries smelled heavenly.
Then, we enjoyed hot coffee and a tasty breakfast.
2.9
Emily Garnham
Though we could've had our breakfast delivered to our room, we opted to eat in the club car, hoping we might enjoy some nice views through its large windows.
Unfortunately, it was still quite dark out, and rain obscured the little we could see even more.
Still, we enjoyed drinking our hot coffee and tucking into deliciously crispy bacon and sausage sandwiches with ketchup and brown sauce.
We were grateful for the extra half hour we got to disembark.
3.0 glasglow central station
Emily Garnham
Our train arrived at Glasgow Central on time at 07:30, but we were given until 08:00 to get off.
We took advantage of this buffer because, frankly, we both felt wiped out after a night of broken sleep.
After this ride, I really see the appeal of this train.
3.1
Emily Garnham
I understand why the Caledonian Sleeper is a popular and sensible option for business travelers.
After all, it's extremely efficient to travel while you sleep (provided you can sleep). The late departure and early arrival mean your workday, or time at home before you travel, is maximized.
Some people also prefer to book the sleeper because it can be cheaper than booking a standard train ticket and a hotel room. However, this isn't always the case.
For example, the night after our ride, we booked a room at Novotel in central Glasgow, 15 minutes' walk from the train station, for £123 — and our stay included breakfast. The next morning, we could've taken the standard off-peak train from Glasgow to London for around £166.
All in all, that's over £150 less than we'd pay for a suite on the sleeper train.
However, this may not be the case if you're taking the overnight train in the other direction from Glasgow to London, where central hotel rooms are typically far more expensive.
Ultimately, I'm glad I tried this train ride.
2.5
Emily Garnham
Though flying might've taken me under two hours and cost less than £200 a ticket, I prefer the ease and simplicity of the sleeper train.
It was nice to stretch my legs and avoid the stress of navigating airport security and packing for budget-friendly flights.
This route has also long been on my wish list, and I had quite the adventure. However, because the ticket is priced so high, I'm not exactly in any hurry to re-book.
If I decide to splurge on this suite on the Caledonian Sleeper again, I'll travel alone so I can sleep diagonally across the double bed and be more comfortable.
I'll also try to travel in the summer when the days are longer — hopefully then I could enjoy some of the panoramic views I was sad to miss.
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David Chang, American chef and restaurateur, founded the Momofuku restaurant group.
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Gen Z is drinking less alcohol, and it's hurting restaurants.
Michelin-starred chef David Chang says it's an "existential threat" to the industry.
Restaurants face rising costs and shifting consumer trends, compounding industry challenges.
A top restaurateur has a plea for Gen Z: please drink up.
Momofuku founder David Chang says America's youth isn't drinking alcohol in the same way as earlier generations, and it has become the "real existential threat" to the restaurant industry.
"Kids just don't drink anymore," Chang said in an interview with TBPN talk-show hosts John Coogan and Jordi Hays this week.
"They are never going to know what it is like to wake up at 3 p.m. in the afternoon and be like: 'Shit, I left my credit card in that bar.'"
Gen Z not getting drunk is a problem for restaurants, he said, where the sales ratio is generally about 70% food to 30% beverages. "Something is going to give when you are down 18% on beverage sales," he said, citing average sales numbers across the restaurant industry.
According to a Gallup survey from August, the percentage of young adults — Gen Z and some millennials — who say they are drinking alcohol fell by 9% between 2023 and 2025.
There isn't a single clear reason this is happening. Though the growing focus on health and wellness and the rising cost of alcohol both play leading parts.
The decline in alcohol consumption is concerning for an industry that's already feeling the heat from a cash-strapped consumer eating out less to save money.
"Consumer sentiment is in a very bad place," Phil Kafarakis, CEO of IFMA, The Food Away From Home Association, told Business Insider.
Restaurants are grappling with rising ingredient costs, higher labor costs, and fickle consumers.
And with declining beverage sales, they are going to need to recoup costs elsewhere.
"I don't have an answer," Chang said. "Food needs to get more expensive," he added, "but that comes across as terrible… because it's already expensive."
Kafarakis expects there to be somewhat of a reckoning as we head into the new year, with more restaurant closures coming.
"This whole thing is really becoming a tsunami of sorts that really doesn't look like it's going to slow down," Kafarakis said.