• The Bureau of Labor Statistics will not release an October jobs report due to the government shutdown.
• Lack of data collection during the shutdown halted the report.
• November's jobs data release is delayed to December 16, and will include some data from October.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Wednesday that it will not release an October jobs report, citing a lack of data collection during the government shutdown.

BLS said it could not collect household data from the Current Population Survey, "which is not able to be retroactively collected." That information is central to the monthly jobs report and is used to calculate the unemployment rate.

The collection period for November 2025 data will also be extended, BLS announced, and extra processing time will be added. The Bureau will now release data on December 16, rather than the originally scheduled December 5. That report will also include data on job creation in October from the business establishment survey.

The government shutdown lasted for a record 43 days, impacting funding and operations across all agencies.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

• First lady Melania Trump is keeping a relatively low profile during President Trump's second term.
• She divides her time between homes in Florida, New York, and DC.
• She most recently welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to a state dinner.

It's a refrain dating back to the first Trump White House: Where's Melania?

First lady Melania Trump, who remained an enigmatic figure during President Donald Trump's first term, has kept an even lower profile during his second.

Ahead of the inauguration, Melania Trump told Fox News that she planned to divide her time between the White House, Trump Tower in New York City, and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

This schedule has made her an infrequent White House presence, with a select few appearances at public events each month, although September was a busier time for public appearances for the first lady, thanks in large part to the Trumps' state visit to the UK.

The first lady's recent muted fashion choices could also indicate her desire to remain out of the spotlight. At White House events, she has largely appeared wearing neutral basics in beige, cream, and gray. It's a departure from the bold outfits she often chose during Donald Trump's first term.

A spokesperson for the Office of the First Lady declined to comment.

Take a look at the first lady's White House activities and appearances thus far.

January 20: Melania Trump attended the inauguration.

Melania Trump held the Bible as Donald Trump was sworn in for his second non-consecutive term, and the couple danced together at several inaugural balls later that evening.

For the swearing-in ceremony, Melania Trump wore a navy coat and skirt by Adam Lippes, an American designer. She accessorized with a matching wide-brimmed hat by Eric Javits.

Her black-and-white inaugural gown was designed by Hervé Pierre.

January 21: The president and first lady joined Vice President JD Vance and Usha Vance at the National Day of Prayer Service.

The service, the last of Donald Trump's inaugural events, was held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

January 24: Melania Trump and Donald Trump visited California and North Carolina to survey damage caused by natural disasters.

Melania Trump joined Donald Trump to visit Los Angeles in the aftermath of multiple wildfires and neighborhoods in North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Together, they met with first responders and residents who had lost their homes and businesses. Melania Trump was photographed hugging and shaking hands with those affected by the natural disasters.

February 22: Donald Trump and Melania Trump hosted the National Governors Association dinner at the White House.

Melania Trump wore a black Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo, similar to the outfit she chose for her official White House portrait, while posing for photos with governors from across the US.

Donald Trump thanked Melania Trump in his speech, saying that she "made the evening beautiful."

March 3: She participated in a roundtable discussion on the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act targeting revenge porn.

"TAKE IT DOWN" is an acronym for "Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks."

The act criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes, and requires websites to remove them.

"Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm," Melania Trump said in her opening remarks.

She wore a tan three-piece suit by Ralph Lauren with a black tie.

March 4: Melania Trump attended Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress.

The first lady's guests included the families of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was fatally shot during an assassination attempt against Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Laken Riley, who was killed by a man who had entered the US illegally.

Melania Trump wore a gray skirt suit by Dior.

April 1: She attended the International Women of Courage Awards.

Melania Trump, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presented awards to several notable women in a ceremony held at the State Department. She wore a leopard-print coat designed by Milly Park.

"These extraordinary women illuminate the transformative power of love in shaping our world," she said in her remarks at the event. "Their journeys remind us that true courage is born from a deep commitment to others, showing that love fuels the call for justice."

April 21: She appeared alongside Donald Trump at the White House Easter Egg Roll.

Melania Trump read the book "Bunny with a Big Heart" to a group of children at the event while wearing a cream Mackage trench coat.

April 25: Donald Trump and Melania Trump departed the White House together to travel to Pope Francis' funeral.

The president and first lady were among several world leaders who attended the late pope's funeral in Vatican City.

May 8: She hosted an event for military mothers and unveiled a US postage stamp honoring Barbara Bush at the White House.

"I applaud Mrs. Bush's mark defending our society's vital need for women across all avenues, whether CEO or homemaker," Melania Trump said at the unveiling. "We have, can, and will build better families and run innovative businesses at the same time, ultimately shaping a brighter future."

She wore a white suit jacket paired with a black pencil skirt.

May 19: Melania Trump spoke at the signing ceremony for the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act in the Rose Garden.

The bill, which was first presented to Congress in 2024 before Donald Trump took office, received widespread bipartisan support.

"Artificial intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation: sweet, addictive, and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children," Melania Trump said in her remarks at the signing ceremony.

The first lady wore a gray Prada suit for the event.

May 20: Melania Trump hosted a Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day event for children in the Kennedy Garden.

The first lady greeted the children of White House staffers as they participated in an arts-and-crafts activity.

"It is always special to see children's creativity and spirit on display, especially here at the White House where so many hardworking men and women support the success of our nation every day," she said in a White House statement.

She wore a white Dolce & Gabbana button-down shirt and a patterned skirt by Michael Kors.

May 21: She spoke at the Senate Spouses Luncheon held at the National Gallery of Art.

Melania Trump, wearing a white skirt suit, spoke about her Be Best platform, which focuses on children's well-being, and her Fostering the Future initiative, which supports children transitioning out of foster care.

"Together, we will uplift and empower our children, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive," the first lady wrote in a post on X. "Let's continue this vital mission and inspire a brighter future for all!"

June 11: She accompanied Donald Trump to the opening night of "Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center.

Melania Trump wore a black midi dress designed by Bottega Veneta, while Donald Trump wore a black tuxedo.

Second lady Usha Vance and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s wife Cheryl Hines wore midi dresses similar to Melania Trump's.

June 12: She greeted attendees at the Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House.

Melania Trump shook hands and took selfies with members of Congress and their families at the annual White House event. She paired a basic white shirt with vibrant floral pants by Dolce & Gabbana.

June 14: Melania Trump attended the US Army's 250th anniversary parade alongside Donald Trump.

The military parade featured 150 Army vehicles, 50 aircraft, and around 6,600 troops in uniform making their way down Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, to mark the US Army's historic anniversary. June 14 was also Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

Melania Trump escorted Donald Trump onstage for his remarks at the event, but did not issue any statement of her own. She wore a pinstriped ivory skirt suit by Adam Lippes.

July 3: She visited Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, ahead of July Fourth.

After arriving at the hospital carrying toys for children, the first lady chatted with patients, took part in July Fourth-themed crafts, and visited the hospital's healing garden, which features a rose bush from the White House.

July 4: Melania Trump appeared beside her husband at Fourth of July events at the White House.

The first couple watched the July Fourth fireworks display from the White House. They also hosted a military family picnic on the South Lawn earlier in the day.

Also that day, Donald Trump signed his tax and spending bill, which he dubbed his "Big Beautiful Bill," after it was passed by the House of Representatives on July 3.

She wore a white shirtdress by Thom Browne.

July 11: The president and first lady visited central Texas towns devastated by flash flooding.

The first couple visited Texas a week after the Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes as rain battered the region, leaving more than 130 dead. The Trumps met with families of victims, first responders, and local officials.

"It's a horrible thing, it's a horrible thing," Donald Trump told the press as he departed the White House on July 11. "Nobody can even believe it — that much water that fast."

At a press conference in Texas, Melania Trump said, "My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls — deepest sympathy from all of us to the community, to everybody who lost a loved one. We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you."

July 13: They attended the FIFA Club World Cup final, which Melania Trump watched from behind a striking pair of Dior sunglasses.

Donald Trump and Melania Trump watched Chelsea defeat Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Donald Trump, who received both cheers and boos at the game, called it "a great match."

Melania Trump watched the game from behind her bright-white Dior sunglasses, which resembled the Vuarnet glasses worn by Sam Altman at Sun Valley just days earlier. She wore them with a black-and-white Michael Kors outfit.

September 4: Melania Trump attended a meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education.

The task force was created in April as part of Donald Trump's executive order, "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education For American Youth."

"Our future is no longer science fiction," Melania Trump said at the meeting. "During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children — empowering, but with watchful guidance."

The first lady wore a gray striped suit with a white shirt and belt.

September 4: After her task force meeting, she joined Donald Trump for a White House dinner with tech and business leaders.

The guest list included Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Tim Cook among over a dozen tech and AI executives. Elon Musk was not in attendance, though he sent a representative to the event.

During the dinner, Altman called Donald Trump a "pro-business, pro-innovation president," and Cook thanked the president for "helping companies around the world" and the first lady for "focusing on education."

Melania Trump changed into a black outfit for the gathering.

September 11: The president and first lady attended a ceremony at the Pentagon on the 24th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

They observed a moment of silence in memory of those who were killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

September 16: She joined Donald Trump on a state visit to the UK.

Donald Trump and Melania Trump disembarked from Air Force One at London Stansted Airport and were greeted by British soldiers and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

September 17: They received a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

A horse-drawn carriage ride transported them to Windsor Castle, where troops were assembled in a Guard of Honor. Afterward, they viewed items from the Royal Collection and toured St George's Chapel.

Melania Trump accessorized her Dior skirt suit with a purple hat that matched Donald Trump's tie.

September 17: Later that evening, Melania Trump wore a yellow Carolina Herrera gown to a state banquet at St George's Hall.

Donald Trump was escorted into dinner by King Charles, and Queen Camilla entered with Melania Trump.

September 18: Charles and Camilla said farewell to Donald Trump and Melania Trump on the final day of their state visit.

"He's a great gentleman and a great king," Donald Trump said of Charles after their formal goodbye at Windsor Castle.

September 18: Melania Trump visited Queen Mary's Dolls' House with Queen Camilla and Frogmore Gardens with Kate Middleton.

Melania Trump changed from a tan skirt suit to a tan jacket and cream slacks, which were better suited for playing lawn games with children from the Scouts' Squirrels program at Frogmore Gardens.

September 23: The first lady launched a new project at the United Nations General Assembly.

Back in the US, Melania Trump launched a global coalition called "Fostering the Future Together" dedicated to "enhancing the well-being of children through the promotion of education, innovation, and technology," the White House said.

October 5: She joined Donald Trump to mark the Navy's 250th anniversary.

The president and first lady greeted sailors and observed demonstrations during a visit to the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Virginia.

October 10: Melania Trump spoke about her connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin that helped reunite displaced children.

Melania Trump wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin in August, urging him to end the war in Ukraine to restore the "melodic laughter" of children displaced by the conflict.

In October, she announced that her "open channel of communication" with Putin had helped reunite eight Ukrainian children with their families.

October 30: The president and first lady handed out candy at the White House for Halloween.

Neither dressed up in a Halloween costume — Donald Trump wore one of his signature red hats, and Melania Trump wore a brown coat with orange trim by Marni.

November 13: Melania Trump launched a new "Fostering the Future" initiative.

In the East Room of the White House, President Trump signed an executive order intended to strengthen the foster care system as part of Melania Trump's new "Fostering the Future" initiative.

The program, an offshoot of the first lady's "Be Best" campaign, seeks to improve opportunities for young people in foster care, including connecting them with educational and employment resources.

"This Executive Order, 'Fostering the Future for American Children and Families' gives me tremendous pride," Melania Trump wrote on X. "It is both, empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful."

November 18: Melania Trump and the president welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to a state dinner.

The couple welcomed the prince, who had met with President Trump earlier in the day, to a state dinner at the White House.

The first lady wore a floor-length Elie Saab gown in what The New York Times dubbed "Saudi green," noting it was a similar hue to the green of Saudi Arabia's flag.

• Michael Fiddelke will be Target's new CEO, starting February 1.
• He joined the company as a finance intern in 2003 and has been with the company ever since.
• He previously worked in merchandising and HR, and has been CFO and COO.

Target's new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, is the latest intern to rise to the top job.

The retailer announced in August that Fiddelke — currently the chief operating officer — would succeed Brian Cornell on February 1, more than two decades after Fiddelke joined as an intern.

"I've been fortunate to serve in a broad range of roles and functions over my 20 years here," Fiddelke said at the time. "I've learned from every one of these experiences, with each giving me a deeper appreciation for the specific ways that Target is special and strategically distinct in a crowded retail landscape."

Fiddelke, 49, grew up in Iowa, where his first job was waking up before dawn to do chores on the family farm. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in industrial engineering in 1999, he got a job with Deloitte.

He later left his role at the Big Four firm to pursue an MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, during which he joined Target as a finance intern.

He got his first permanent position as an analyst in the financial unit in 2004.

Since then, he's worked for Target's merchandising, finance, operations, and human resources. He was chief financial officer from 2019 to 2024, when he became chief operating officer.

In that job, Fiddelke was tasked with overseeing Target's nearly 2,000 stores throughout the US, including leading its global supply chain network, fulfillment services, network capacity planning, enterprise operations, and delivery services.

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Fiddelke sits on the boards of the Minnesota Children's Museum and Shipt, a personal shopping and delivery service owned by Target.

When the company announced its first-quarter results in May, it said Fiddelke would lead a "multi-year Enterprise Acceleration Office" tasked with delivering $2 billion of efficiencies across the company, which has lost out to rivals as more customers have shifted to budget alternatives like Walmart.

Fiddelke said in August that his work with the acceleration office has given him a fresh perspective on where the company is now and how it needs to grow.

Addressing a group of summer interns two months ago, Fiddelke's advice was, "Be relentlessly curious. Slow down and ask questions. Embrace feedback. And make the most of the moment by making connections at Target and with your fellow interns."

Fiddelke says his top priority is getting Target 'back to growth as quickly as possible'

In the quarter following his announcement, Fiddelke has wasted no time setting in motion several key strategies aimed at improving the company's performance.

Even though he won't officially assume the role until February 1, when CEO Cornell steps down, Fiddelke led Target's third-quarter earnings call.

"We're far from satisfied with our current results, and we won't be satisfied until we're operating at our full potential," he said.

On the call, he said Target will increase its annual capital expenditures from $4 billion to $5 billion to invest in remodeling and refreshing its store fleet, including the biggest changes to its merchandise assortment and floor plans that the company has seen in nearly a decade.

The company also announced a partnership with OpenAI to include a Target shopping app in ChatGPT that will allow shoppers to order multiple items for pickup or delivery using simple conversational language.

In addition, Fiddelke led the testing of a new way for stores in a common geography to fulfill e-commerce orders, which rolls out to 35 more markets this year.

The moves are part of Fiddelke's three-part strategy to get Target back on track, including a renewed focus on a "style and design North Star," an elevated and consistent shopping experience, and stronger investments in technology throughout the organization.

Analysts have been skeptical that an internal CEO hire would address Target's persistent problems, as well as the highly influential role that Cornell could play as executive chairman.

Cornell told the analyst call on Wednesday that he is focused on supporting Fiddelke's transition.

"While we're not there yet, I'm confident we're on the right path, and Michael is the right person to lead the next chapter of Target's growth," he said.

• Investors shouldn't worry this much about rapid GPU depreciation.
• Older GPUs remain useful and profitable for six years or more in AI data centers.
• Cloud providers use older GPUs for diverse AI workloads, extending their useful lifespan.

Dour warnings of an AI bubble have rocked markets in recent weeks. At least one big concern is misplaced, though.

Back in March, I told you about depreciation risks for some AI companies, including CoreWeave. In August, Jim Chanos, the guy who shorted Enron, shared similar concerns.

The big worry centers on GPUs, the chips needed to train and run AI models. As new GPUs come out, older ones get less valuable, through obsolescence and wear and tear. Cloud companies must use depreciation to reduce the value of these assets over a period that reflects reality. The faster the depreciation, the bigger the hit to earnings.

Investors have begun to worry that GPUs only have useful lives of one or two years, while cloud providers depreciate the value of these assets over five or six years. An accounting mismatch like this could set the AI industry up for a nasty earnings hit in a few years.

This view has become almost a consensus on Wall Street now. It's one of the main pieces of evidence for the argument that we're in a huge AI bubble. The problem is that it's wrong: Even as Nvidia rolls out new GPU architectures every 18 months or less, GPUs aren't aging out nearly as fast as some investors fear.

"GPUs can profitably run for about 6 years," Stacy Rasgon, a leading chip analyst at Bernstein, wrote in a research report on Monday. "The depreciation accounting of most major hyperscalers is reasonable."

Healthy margins

The cost of operating a GPU in an AI data center is "very low" compared to market prices for renting GPUs via the cloud. That makes the "contribution margins" of running old GPUs for longer quite high, Rasgon and his fellow analyst at Bernstein noted. (Contribution margins measure revenue left over after variable costs. It's a common way product profitability is assessed and business decisions are made).

"Even with meaningful improvements in price/performance with each GPU generation, vendors can make comfortable margins on 5-year-old A100s, in turn implying a 5-6 year depreciation lifespan is reasonable," the analysts added, referring to Nvidia's A100 chips, which came out in 2020.

Seven to eight years

To find out why these GPUs are so valuable for so long, it pays to speak with the people who actually run these components at scale inside AI datacenters.

Matt Rowe, senior director of strategic business development at AI cloud provider Lambda, said recently that the effective lifespan of GPUs can stretch to seven or eight years.

While most firms still use a six-year depreciation schedule for accounting purposes, warranty extensions and redeployment strategies are extending their useful life, he told Bernstein.

Warranty contracts are often overlooked by observers worrying about depreciation, Rowe explained. These warranties typically last five years, so if GPUs fail, they are replaced with new ones, extending the life of the overall GPU fleet.

He also noted that Amazon Web Services offered very early generations of GPUs, such as K80s, P100s, and V100s. These all lasted well beyond six years.

Nvidia's H100 GPUs, which debuted in 2022, are still running well inside Lambda data centers. Utilization is above 85% and Lambda hasn't cut its on-demand public cloud pricing for this GPU in more than 12 months, Rowe noted.

"We all think seven to eight years is possible," Rowe said.

Crusoe's experience

I chatted this week with Erwan Menard, SVP of product management at Crusoe, which is developing the huge Stargate data center complex in Texas. Before joining Crusoe, Menard helped build Google's Vertex AI cloud service, so he's a real hands-on expert.

Menard described a lifecycle where GPUs migrate from cutting-edge AI model training jobs to less demanding inference workloads.

When creating a new state-of-the-art model, you need the latest and greatest GPU from Nvidia.

Then, you have to run these top models, a process called inference. That requires powerful GPUs, but not the latest ones.

Beyond that, there are thousands of different, valuable AI workloads that can run well on older GPUs, according to Menard. That means there are many GPUs that are multiple years old in Crusoe's fleet and are still actively used and profitable.

"Because there's a large diversity of models to solve many different problems, there's a lot of room to use GPUs for a long time, just transitioning them from one type of job to the next," Menard told me. "It's actually a widely accepted view in the industry."

Free versus paid

AI cloud companies consider user expectations and budget to help them decide which GPUs to use. To illustrate, Menard described an example of an AI service that has a free tier and a paid version.

"You may decide that for the freemium version you're going to use an AI model that can be inferenced on older, cheaper hardware with lower performance," he said.

That's likely good enough to create an initial experience for users. Then, some customers might migrate to the paid version. At that point, you tap into a more powerful AI model that requires newer GPUs to deliver a superior user experience.

"We see a lot of these opportunities," Menard said. "Not everything is a nail requiring one single mega-model running on the latest and greatest GPU."

Open-source + older GPUs

Some AI services are less compute-intensive and can be run on open-source models, such as Alibaba's Qwen, DeepSeek, or Meta's Llama offerings. One example is speech-to-text services (such as the transcription service I used to transcribe my interview with Menard).

Older or less-capable models can be run on older GPUs, while still providing valuable intelligence for AI services that customers will pay for. (Business Insider pays for those transcriptions, for instance).

As more startups embrace cheaper open-source models, older GPUs could actually be used even more. "An open model may be absolutely great and give a more cost-competitive structure," Menard said.

Older GPUs are cheaper

Older GPUs use more energy to produce the same amount of intelligence, so another investor concern is that newer GPUs will always be preferred—aggravating this depreciation problem.

That's actually not true either, according to Menard. Older GPUs are cheaper to buy, so the fact that they consume more energy doesn't change the fact that older GPUs are often cheaper to run, when all costs are taken into account.

"The driver for a given GPU is going to be cost, first and foremost," he explained. "So we go to the older ones because they're cheaper."

What's an L40?

So, I asked Menard for an example of an old GPU that Crusoe uses. He described new modular data centers Crusoe has built that are powered by recycled EV batteries from the startup Redwood Materials.

"I can put L40s from Nvidia in these data centers," Menard said. "Because the whole deployment is energy-first in its design, I'm going to be able to make an impact."

I hadn't heard of L40s and had to ask him what they were.

"That's an old GPU," he said, laughing.

Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com.

• My family and I tried and ranked five brands of jarred pickles to see which one we liked best.
• We didn't like the Vlasic pickles and thought they had an unpleasant aftertaste.
• We thought Claussen's kosher dill pickles were the best option by far.

Everyone in my family of four enjoys pickles, but I don't normally give much thought as to which brand to buy.

However, in an effort to be more intentional about my purchases, I recently bought and tasted five brands of supermarket dill pickles to see which ones we liked best.

Here's how they stacked up from worst to first.

We ranked the Vlasic pickles last due to their aftertaste.

The Vlasic kosher dill baby pickles at my local supermarket cost about $6 for a 16-ounce container, making them the most expensive per ounce of the pickles I tried.

They had a nice crunch to them, and although they initially had a mild and pleasant briny flavor, there was an off-putting aftertaste. As a result, my entire family placed these at the bottom of the list.

In fact, the taste was so unpleasant that I bought a second jar from a different supermarket to see if the first one was an anomaly. It was not.

I wouldn't seek out the 365 pickles from Whole Foods again.

I grabbed a 16-ounce jar of 365 organic kosher baby dill pickles from Whole Foods for $5.

When I took a bite, however, I didn't think these pickles were as good as some of the others I tried. They weren't especially crunchy, and I didn't love the flavor. I also thought they were heavy on garlic and lacked the crisp, vinegary bite I seek in good pickles.

I'd eat them again if someone served them to me, but I'd opt for other brands if I were shopping for my family.

To be fair, these were my 7-year-old's favorite, but he's by far the most averse to spicy foods in our family.

Trader Joe's kosher dill pickles were OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them again.

The Trader Joe's kosher dill pickles were the least expensive of the group, at $3 for a well-stuffed 24-ounce jar.

These pickles had a satisfying snap with each bite but a fairly mild vinegar flavor and some seasoning resembling caraway, which felt unfamiliar. They also didn't have the palate-cleansing zest I sometimes want.

Overall, they tasted like something you'd serve on a cheese board rather than with a cheeseburger.

I'd buy these again — especially considering the price — if I were shopping at Trader Joe's and needed pickles. However, they're not something I'd go out of my way for.

I'd buy the Mt. Olive pickles again for the sake of nostalgia.

I took home a 24-ounce jar of Mt. Olive dill-pickle spears that was on sale for $4 (about $2 off the supermarket's usual price).

I wasn't sure if I'd ever bought a jar of Mt. Olive pickles before, but when I opened it, I recognized the smell immediately — these were the pickles that came with every sandwich at a popular and delicious deli near where I went to college.

They were a touch mushy and didn't have much crunch, but they won me over with their assertive, classic pickle flavor, which was so tangy it was almost spicy.

I might buy them again if I start feeling nostalgic for that sandwich shop or am looking for a budget-friendly option.

Claussen is my new favorite pickle brand.

Claussen's kosher dill pickles cost $7 for a 32-ounce jar at my local supermarket. These pickles were the only of the five brands I tried that came from the grocer's refrigerated section.

Having to refrigerate the Claussen pickles made them slightly less convenient to store, but they were so much better than the other pickles we tasted. Vibrant with dill, they were crunchy without being heavy and had a bright vinegary tang.

My wife, our 4-year-old, and I all ranked this as the best pickle by far — so far superior to the others that the extra cost was easily justified.

I'll definitely seek out Claussen whenever I'm buying pickles at the supermarket in the future.

This story was originally published on January 7, 2025, and most recently updated on November 19, 2025.

• My husband and I didn't have many assets, so we didn't think a will was something we needed.
• After his death, I decided I needed a will to protect my daughter if something ever happened to me.
• I was able to find a straightforward online service that simplified the process.

I wish I could say my husband and I were young and foolish, but we weren't that young. We just never considered writing wills.

Who needs those? Grandparents. People in their 80s whose adult children are going to argue over who gets the favorite painting or the glassware. We had one young child and nothing to our names. We were carefree.

Sure, we had a house. More accurately, we had a mortgage. We had a checking account and retirement accounts (though, after several moves and medical expenses, they would not have supported more than a few months of retirement). Neither of us had life insurance.

My husband was 42 when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. We walked through all of the paperwork connected to that diagnosis in slow motion: hospital bills, out-of-network acknowledgements for radiation, disability, and eventually power of attorney and hospice care.

We were so caught up in the paperwork involved in active dying that it didn't occur to us to make plans for what could happen after he was gone.

It's not about the possessions, it's about the child

Months after my husband's death, I had a phone conversation with my dad. He asked what I had in place for my daughter in case anything happened to me.

Nothing. I had nothing formal in place. Just an understanding with my best friend that she'd swoop in and care for my daughter if needed.

My dad, it turns out, assumed that my daughter would be moving to live with other family friends if something happened to me. He said it as if it were a done deal.

That's when it hit me. I didn't just need a plan to pass tangible things along to my daughter. I needed a will to outline how she'd grow up in my absence. The idea of her growing up with our very good, but not ideologically aligned, friends terrified me. They'd never let her explore. They'd shut down crazy ideas. They'd squash her imagination. I panicked.

Sometimes, an emotional response can lead to a rational plan

For the first time in my life, I was beginning to see why having a will might be a good idea. I spent some time on internet searches and found an inexpensive, basic will-creation package. Similar to how online tax software services work, users answer questions, and the relevant forms are populated accordingly.

In answering those questions, I realized that I did actually have a few assets that needed to be conveyed. I learned that, while my daughter was listed as a beneficiary on some accounts, probate can slow the process of transferring those funds to the beneficiary. A clear, simple will and power-of-attorney document could provide direction and ease the transition.

It took more than one session on my computer to complete the process. I had to collect account numbers and signatures, and then have the document notarized and send a copy to the person who agreed to be my power of attorney. In total, the process took me around five hours to complete. Now I can say that this time was well spent.

I did this for her

I'll admit, I had to think about death and the future in short bursts because the idea of my daughter being without both parents was overwhelming to me. However, the idea of her being without both parents and having to go through more steps and paperwork gave me the motivation to complete the task.

There's a lot of paperwork and process involved after a death. If I can remove one step, one barrier to her moving forward, just by writing a will, I want to do that for my daughter.

• I typically plan all our family vacations, but recently, I let my father-in-law take charge.
• Although it was hard for me to let go of the reins, it turned out to be one of my favorite trips.
• He did things a little differently than I would have, but it was nice to be able to relax.

As a travel writer, I consider myself a vacation expert — which means I like to be in control when planning family trips.

However, as the self-appointed trip director, I find the self-inflicted pressure to curate the perfect trip can get overwhelming.

For a recent family vacation, though, my father-in-law did the planning, including choosing the destination: Alvor, Portugal. It made perfect sense, as he'd been there several times with my mother-in-law, so he was familiar with the destination. Plus, he's retired, so he had more time to plan.

Although I struggled to let go of the reins, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and relaxing family vacations I've been on.

Alvor wasn't a destination I would've chosen, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it

Alvor is a small, former fishing village on the southern coast of Portugal. Although it's gorgeous, I was worried there wouldn't be enough for my kids to do.

If I were planning the trip myself, I probably would've chosen somewhere like Lagos, which is bigger and more lively. However, I knew I had to relinquish control and trust that my father-in-law would lead us in the right direction.

During the trip, though, I ended up loving the laidback locale. It felt authentically Portuguese, with whitewashed buildings lining its narrow, cobbled streets, and an estuary below, dotted with colorful boats.

We also ate at some great seafood restaurants, and I thought the prices were reasonable compared to what I'm used to back home in New York.

Surprisingly, despite its small size, the town center had some great shops and places to get ice cream, so my kids were happy, too. The experience definitely reminded me of the importance of not judging a book by its cover.

I usually book smaller hotels, but I really enjoyed staying at a larger chain resort

When traveling, I typically book smaller, independent hotels because I prefer a low-key atmosphere. For this trip, however, my father-in-law booked Pestana Alvor Praia, a large chain resort situated on a cliff overlooking a golden sand beach.

And as it turns out, it was perfect for traveling with a large group. The resort had great facilities with tennis courts, a gym, and a mini-golf course, which made it ideal for our family, especially my teens.

The only downside was that it was a bit of a trek to get to the town center. The positive, though? Although I would have loved to have been closer to the action, it was good for my wallet — because it limited my kids' opportunities to shop.

My father-in-law created the perfect relaxed agenda

When I'm in charge of planning a vacation, finding activities that appeal to everyone is what I find most stressful. I can sometimes spend hours researching the perfect activities and restaurants, even when we're away, which takes away from the enjoyment of the actual trip.

Other than prebooking restaurant reservations, I was thankful that my father-in-law kept our days wide open — a smart move, given the big age range (7 to 75) to accommodate.

It meant we could relax by the pool whenever we wanted, but also mix in group outings like visiting the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina in nearby Portimão, or trips to the waterpark and tubing for our thrill-seeking kids. Meanwhile, my in-laws opted for more relaxing pursuits, like going for long walks.

That balance gave everyone the space they needed. Plus, we weren't together 24/7, which, as any family knows, can be a bit much.

I also got to bond with my oldest daughter before she left for college

My daughter left for college a few weeks after we returned home, so the trip also provided the perfect opportunity for the two of us to do something special together.

Having someone else in charge meant I didn't have to constantly worry about everyone else all the time. Instead, I had time to do what I wanted.

While my in-laws hung out with my younger daughter, we went on a boat cruise to see dolphins and sea caves, including the famous Benagil Cave. Being able to spend one-on-one time with her on a magical trip like this was unforgettable.

Unlike most family vacations, I didn't have to worry about a thing on this trip, thanks to my father-in-law's impeccable planning — it was bliss.

Through this experience, I've learned that my need to plan everything often holds me back from truly relaxing and being present with my kids. My plan for the future is to let someone else take over the planning — occasionally, anyway.

• I booked a business-class ticket on a Via Rail Canada train from Toronto to Montreal in 2022.
• For $200, I sat in a business-class seat with two tables and complimentary meal and drink service.
• I thought it was nicer than most US trains I've been on, and I'd gladly ride again.

I've spent 200 hours traveling roughly 6,000 miles on trains over the last four years, from 30-hour overnight rides to quick, three-hour journeys. 

I've taken trains in the US from the Northeast to the Southwest, into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and between the European countries of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Along the way, I've tried out a wide range of seating options, from business and first classes to shared bunks and private cabins. 

In August of 2022, I spent six hours traveling in business class from Toronto to Montreal on Via Rail, Canada's main railroad system. It was my first time using Via Rail, and I was surprised by all the business-class offerings, from comfy seats to snacks and meals.

It was better than my business-class Amtrak experiences in the US — and totally worth the $200 ticket.

Similar to Amtrak, Via Rail is one of the most accessible and popular ways to travel by train in Canada.

ViaRail serves more than 400 stations in eight provinces across Canada, with economy seating, business class, and sleeper accommodations.

My journey began at Toronto's Union Station on a cloudy summer morning.

I arrived at 7 a.m. for my 8:30 a.m. train to Montreal.

I arrived early because my business-class ticket included access to an exclusive lounge at the station with plenty of seating and free refreshments.

Via Rail's lounges are available to passengers traveling in business class, sleeper plus, prestige, and VIA Rail Premier members traveling in economy.

Amtrak has lounges at select stations, too, but they're only free to access for first-class passengers.

The lounge was mostly empty on a Friday morning.

I thought it was a quiet and peaceful place to enjoy a coffee and get some work done.

Around 8 a.m., I made my way to the track where my train was boarding.

My business-class ticket came with priority boarding, so I was able to skip a long line of passengers.

When I got to my assigned single seat, I was surprised to find a side table and a tray table that pulled out in front of me.

No train I've ever been on in the US has offered two tables per passenger.

Throughout the trip, I used the side table to hold my coffee while working and to store my laptop while taking work breaks. Beneath the side table, a conveniently placed outlet charged my devices.

Right away, I thought my Via Rail seat was one of the most comfortable I'd ever experienced on a train.

The Toronto Star reported that Via Rail business-class seats are 18.5 inches wide with a 39-inch seat pitch. 

An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that its business-class seats are about an inch wider than Via Rail's, with an additional three inches of legroom, but I don't think they're nearly as comfortable.

Unlike most Amtrak seats I've booked, the top of my Via Rail seat was curved, allowing me to rest my head in a comfortable position for lounging.

The seats reclined, too, just like in the US. This made them even more comfortable.

I also noticed that, unlike on my rides with Amtrak, Via Rail's seat back compartments held a safety pamphlet.

Like every flight I've ever taken, there were directions for what to do in an emergency situation. I found this comforting.

Shortly after leaving, a train attendant came around with a complimentary drink service.

I ordered a coffee.

Then, it was time for breakfast. Unlike Amtrak's business-class fares, Via Rail's ticket comes with complimentary meals brought to your seat.

The train served a warm bagel with cream cheese. It was no New York bagel, but it was decent and filled me up.

An hour later, an attendant returned with savory snack packs filled with nuts, pretzels, and crackers.

Then, train attendants came around again with warm hand wipes before lunch service, which I thought was a nice touch.

Lunch was another business-class perk. The menu was announced over the loudspeaker. The entrée choices were trout, chicken, or pasta.

I went with the pasta. It was a rigatoni dish with a side of corn salad, a hard roll, and carrot bread for dessert. The meal was better than I expected, with an al dente cook on the pasta. I also thought it was much better than the pasta I've tried on Amtrak trains.

After lunch, I went to the bathroom and was impressed by how clean it was compared to most train bathrooms I've used.

I often find overflowing trash cans in train bathrooms, but VIA Rail's looked like it had been cleaned recently.

Due to some delays at stops along the way, the train arrived in Montreal about an hour later than scheduled at 2:30 p.m.

While I thought this was frustrating, at least I was comfortable.

Even though we were late, I found business-class train travel more comfortable and pleasant in Canada than in the US.

This six-hour business-class ride cost $200, while a 10-hour Amtrak business-class ride booked around the same time cost $163. Although it was more expensive, I think the Via Rail ride was worth the additional cost since I found it to be so comfortable.

Now, I want to explore more of Canada by train.

• Brett Johnson made millions committing identity theft for a living before joining the Secret Service as a consultant.
• The three rising cyber threats that alarm him most — deepfakes, scam farms, and synthetic IDs — are driven by AI.
• He offers six ways to protect against fraud, including freezing your credit and setting up alerts.

Brett Johnson spent over a decade breaking into systems, stealing identities, and selling stolen credit cards on the dark web. He stole millions of dollars, often making over $100,000 a month through tax-return identity theft.

He's worked with the Secret Service and private companies as a consultant to help stop the kinds of crimes he once perpetrated. He told Business Insider's Carter Thallon in a recent interview that the crime world he helped invent is mutating into something harder to see — and almost impossible to stop.

Cybercrime is becoming increasingly organized, and that's a problem, he said. The next wave of cybercrime will come from entire operations powered by artificial intelligence, where machines write the scams, fake the evidence, and even talk to the victims in real time.

Here are the three rising cyber threats that alarm him most.

1. The deepfake problem is only beginning

Johnson said deepfakes that convincingly mimic real people will become central to online fraud. Criminals already use them to forge voice messages and fake live video calls. Soon, this technology will make it impossible to trust what we see or hear online, Johnson said.

"In order for me to defraud you, I have to get you to trust me," he said. However, deepfakes enable criminals to essentially bypass the effort of gaining trust by posing as an already trustworthy person, accelerating the process of victimizing you.

One finance clerk, last year, for example, was conned into approving overseas transfers amounting to more than $25 million, Shubham Agarwal reported for BI. The clerk had been instructed to do so during a video call that turned out to be full of deepfakes recreations of his real coworkers, including the organization's chief financial officer.

"We get to the point where we're no longer able to trust anything that we see or hear in an online environment, and that becomes really dangerous," he said.

That threat is compounded by the speed of AI tools, which can mimic speech patterns, create realistic faces, and write messages tailored to a target's personality.

2. Scam farms that run like corporations

Gone are the days when fraudsters acted alone, Johnson said. Scam farms are becoming the new norm.

Scam farms are buildings packed with workers — who are often trafficked or forced into slave labor — running simultaneous cons.

Some of these operations specialize in "pig butchering," long-term relationship scams that drain victims' savings.

That's exactly what happened to Ahmet Tozal, who recently told BI's Matthew Loh of a relationship he built with a supposed woman online.

Over several weeks, the woman convinced him to invest over a year's worth of his wages into a cryptocurrency that didn't exist. He ultimately had to move from Turkey to Uzbekistan alone to find a higher salary to support his family.

These scam farms are structured businesses, with workers rotating shifts and supervisors overseeing them. "That's something we didn't see back then," Johnson said about the time he was scamming people in the 90s and early 00s.

"Back then, you did see criminals working together, networking in a co-op type fashion. But these days it's much more organized," he added.

3. The rise of synthetic identities

The same automation fueling deepfakes is driving identity fraud to a new level.

Johnson calls synthetic identity fraud — a blend of real and fake personal data used to create a new digital person — the No. 1 form of identity theft in the world.

It's especially concerning because "synthetic fraud is almost invisible because that person doesn't really exist," he said, adding that "it's 80% of all new account fraud. It's 20% of all credit card chargebacks, 5% of all credit card debt. It's huge."

Once a fake identity establishes credit, it can be used to open bank accounts, apply for loans, or facilitate money laundering. Banks often discover the fraud only after the accounts vanish. If synthetic IDs continue to rise, it could make fraud detection exponentially harder.

How to protect yourself from fraud

Fraud is easier to achieve now than ever before. "A criminal now doesn't have to understand any aspect of the crime. They can immediately buy tutorials, take live instruction classes, buy anything that they need online, and immediately start being successful and profitable at crime," Johnson said.

So it's important to know how to protect yourself. Johnson told BI's Manseen Logan earlier this year, six ways to lower your risk of hacking:

1. Practice situational awareness online: Understand that every online platform has predators.
2. Freeze the credit of everyone in your home, not just you: This can immediately stop any new account fraud.
3. Place alerts on accounts where you can, so you know whenever they are used.
4. Follow good password security: Never use the same password for any accounts.
5. Set up multifactor authentication: When used with other tools, this can significantly boost your security.
6. Careful what you share on social media: Scammers can easily pull sensitive information like your birthday and your mother's maiden name and use it to try to hack you.