• I traveled from New York to Miami and back in Amtrak sleeper cars. Each ride was 30 hours.
• For 60 hours of train travel, I brought a carry-on duffel bag and my camera backpack.
• I was glad I brought some odor-eliminating spray, but I regret forgetting flip-flops for the shower.

For a weeklong trip to Florida in 2021, I traveled round-trip from New York to Miami on Amtrak trains. Each ride was about 30 hours long, and my tickets included a private room with a bed, access to a bathroom, and complimentary meals.

On my way to Miami, I booked a roomette, a 20-square-foot private space with two seats across from each other, a table that folded out in between, and a bed above the seats that pulled down. The seats also pulled out into a bed. Some Roomettes also include a toilet and sink.

On my way home, I booked an Amtrak bedroom. It's twice the size of a roomette with an additional chair and a shower.

Knowing I'd be staying overnight in sleeper cars, I packed some travel essentials I thought would be helpful for sleeping, eating, working, and relaxing on a train. I tried my best to ensure my duffel bag and backpack included all the items I'd ever want to ensure a comfortable and entertaining 60 hours of travel. But I regretted leaving some items behind.

I packed a duffel bag and my camera backpack, both of which I kept with me on the trains.

I had the option to check a bag, but I decided to keep all my belongings with me throughout the trip.

Since each ride was an overnight trip, I was glad I packed a comfortable outfit separately from my clothes for the rest of my trip so they were easy to find in my bag.

I packed comfy pants and shorts since I was traveling south to warmer temperatures. 

I was grateful I packed various forms of entertainment, especially some that didn't require an internet connection, which could sometimes be spotty.

I brought a Nintendo Switch, a tablet, and a book to pass the time. I made sure to download a bunch of podcast episodes to my phone in case I lost service and internet at any point during the trip.

I always keep a disinfecting spray with me to make sure the surfaces I use are clean.

Even though Amtrak sanitizes rooms between visitors, according to its website, bringing my own disinfectant gave me peace of mind and made me feel more comfortable relaxing in my rooms.

Every time I travel, I also pack some Vitamin C for an immunity boost.

This packing tip comes from my mom. She always brought some sort of immunity-boosting chewable to protect us from germs while traveling. And as Business Insider previously reported, Vitamin C can help your immune system fight off some infections.

One of the most important items I brought was my comfiest pair of shoes — they feel like pillows under your feet.

I picked up these memory foam babies at T.J. Maxx for only $20. They slipped on and off very easily, which was great for leaving my room quickly with shoes on.

I tried to make the train feel like home, and at home, I dance pretty much all day, so I'm glad I brought a pair of headphones with me.

I took frequent dance breaks in my room, where I closed the curtains and blasted music in my ears. This, of course, required a pair of headphones. 

While I danced throughout the day, I was glad I could listen to music as loudly as I wanted without bothering my neighbors.

I was especially glad I brought my odor-eliminating Poo Pourri spray with me when I saw that my Roomette's toilet was next to my seat.

In some roomettes (mine included), a side table swings open to reveal a toilet. Above, there's a folding sink and mirror. 

I may have had a bigger problem with having a toilet so close to my bed, but thankfully, I had packed some Poo Pourri, a spray that goes in the toilet just before you poop to eliminate odors.

While my train tickets included meals, I was glad I brought my own snacks for the in-between times.

I thought many of my meals on the train were decent, but there were times, like when I tried and disliked a salmon dish, that I was thankful for this bag of trail mix with my favorite ingredient, coconut chips.

But it turns out that I also missed a few key things when packing. While I'm glad I brought a water bottle, I wish I'd brought a smaller one that would fit in Amtrak's cupholders.

An Amtrak attendant brought me disposable water bottles every few hours, but I was still glad I brought my own pre-filled water bottle.

But my bottle was too wide for the provided cupholders, which were just big enough for 12-ounce bottles. So, I wish I had brought a smaller reusable water bottle.

One thing I missed the most on this trip was medication for motion sickness. Both train rides felt as bumpy as a flight when the seat belt sign is on.

I figured this would only be temporary, but I thought the whole ride was shaky. I ended up feeling motion sickness for the majority of both trips and kicking myself for not bringing any remedies.

On my way home, I stayed in a bedroom with a private shower. I would have used it, but I forgot my flip-flops to keep my feet safe from germs.

I planned on showering during my 30-hour ride home from Miami, but I decided not to when I realized I had forgotten my flip-flops. I usually wear them in public showers, since experts told BI that it's pretty easy to pick up germs from places where many people have walked barefoot.

Since there weren't many visible outlets in the rooms, I wished I had packed a couple of outlet splitters to charge more than a few devices at a time.

I only saw a couple of sets of outlets in the rooms. With several devices to plug in, I should have brought an outlet splitter or two. 

For the same reason, my portable charging battery would have come in handy had I remembered to bring it.

I could have sworn I packed this and was so disappointed when I wanted to use it.

I usually bring my neck pillow when I fly, but I didn't think to take it on my Amtrak trek, since my tickets came with beds. But I think it would have made the waking hours more comfortable.

This specific neck pillow wraps around 1.5 times, making adjusting to various long-term sitting situations easy. 

While the train beds and blankets were much more comfortable than I expected, the pillows weren't as cushy as the ones I had at home. So I wish I'd brought my own.

The bed on the Amtrak was firm and slightly cushy on top, just the way I like a bed. But when I was drifting off to sleep each night, I thought of my fluffy, dense, soft pillows at home. 

• Bob Iger has been heading one of the world's largest entertainment companies for nearly two decades.
• The House of Mouse boss stepped down as Disney CEO in February 2020 only to return in 2022.
• Here's a look at his wealth, spending, and career, from a lowly position at ABC to Disney CEO.

Bob Iger has added another line to his résumé: Controlling owner of the world's most valuable women's sports team. 

Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, have taken a controlling stake in the Los Angeles women's soccer team Angel City FC in a deal that values the team at $250 million.

Perhaps most important on his résumé, though, is his tenure as the CEO of Disney.

Iger started his entertainment career in 1974 as a studio supervisor at ABC and climbed up the showbiz ranks to lead one of the most powerful businesses in the world.

Though he retired as CEO in 2020, Bob Iger returned to the role in a shocking shakeup two years later. Iger stepped down as CEO in February 2020 but stayed on as executive chairman until December 2021, when he retired, albeit ultimately briefly.

Iger has amassed a sizeable personal fortune across his 15 years and counting as CEO.

Forbes reported in 2019 that Iger had a net worth of $690 million, which is thought to be higher than that of Disney heiress Abigail Disney, who said that year that she's worth about $120 million. Iger, meanwhile, received $31.6 million in total compensation in 2023, or 595 times what the median Disney employee makes.

Here's what we know about Iger's life and career rise, including how he makes and spends his multimillion-dollar fortune:

Iger was born Robert Allen Iger in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in the small town of Oceanside, New York.

"I am very lucky," Iger told Laurene Powell Jobs at The Atlantic Festival in Washington in 2019. "I was a lower middle class kid or middle class. My father had manic depression so he had trouble holding a job. I started as a $150-a-week employee at ABC 45 years ago and rose up to be CEO of this company. It is a great story, but it is not necessarily because I was extraordinary."

He attended Ithaca College where he graduated magna cum lade in 1973 with a degree in Television and Radio.

At Ithaca College, Iger hosted a campus television show called "Campus Probe." He graduated originally wanting to be a news anchor and briefly worked as a local weatherman in Ithaca, New York.

In 1974, Iger joined ABC, working in New York City. He wrote in his memoir "The Ride of a Lifetime" that he did "menial labor" for basically every show ABC produced out of Manhattan at the time.

Iger wrote in his book that he got his first job at ABC because of his uncle, who was in the hospital for eye surgery. His uncle was in the room next to someone who claimed to be a top executive at ABC, who said he would give the younger Iger a job.

Iger took the "top executive" up on his offer, though he quickly realized that the person was not a "top executive" but instead a lower-level one. Still, the person ran a small department at ABC known as Production Services and was able to secure Iger an interview with the department.

At age 23, Iger was brought on as a "studio supervisor."

But after a confrontation with his boss, Iger was almost fired and forced to look for a new job. Soon after, he moved over to a position at ABC Sports.

Iger has said that one of his bosses accused Iger of spreading rumors about him, causing the young Iger to almost be fired.

"He told me I wasn't promotable and I had two weeks to find another job somewhere in the company or I was gone," Iger recalled at the UCLA Awards Gala in 2013. "Fortunately, I was able to find another job in the company. They didn't think I wasn't promotable, I guess."

He worked his way up the ABC Sports ladder, working closely with Roone Arledge, "a relentless perfectionist," who was the head of ABC Sports at the time.

Iger wrote in his book that Arledge was the person who taught him the mantra which would follow Iger for the rest of his life: "Innovate or die."

Iger went on to become the vice president of ABC Sports.

ABC was later sold to Capital Cities Communications for $3.5 billion in a deal finalized in 1986.

Shortly after, Tom Murphy and Dan Burke — the heads of Capital Cities/ABC — tapped Iger to become the head of ABC Entertainment, and Iger moved to Los Angeles.

Iger wrote in his memoir that the constant traveling put strain on his first marriage, to Kathleen Susan. Eventually, the two divorced. They have two daughters.

While at the helm of ABC Entertainment, Iger was the one who took a chance and put David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" on air.

The critically-acclaimed series was cancelled after two seasons, but Iger wrote in his book that the risk he took putting it on television caught the attention of other famed directors such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. 

Iger and Lucas then developed a show based on the Indiana Jones franchise, which was cancelled after two seasons. But, Iger wrote in his book, Lucas never forgot the risk Iger took on his show, and he remembered it years later when he decided to sell Lucasfilm to Disney.

In 1993, Iger became president of ABC Network's Television Group.

 When Burke retired, Iger was tapped to replace him as president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC.

 

In 1995, Iger married journalist Willow Bay who, at the time, was a stand-in weekend news anchor on Good Morning America, and was poised to take over for then-full time host Joan Lunden.

Iger and Bay became engaged in 1995. But after Disney agreed to buy Capital Cities/ABC that same year, Iger had quick decisions to make.

At that time, he wrote in his memoir, he had been commuting weekly to Los Angeles to meet his new Disney colleagues. He knew that after the acquisition was approved, he and Bay would not have much time to honeymoon. So, they quickly married later that same year.

"Willow and I also knew we'd have no chance for a honeymoon once the deal closed," he wrote. "We radically shortened our engagement and got married in early October 1995."

They are still married and have two children together.

In 1996, The Walt Disney Company bought Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion, and renamed it ABC, Inc.

Iger wrote in his memoir that he heavily considered walking away from Disney at this point. But as part of the Disney-ABC merger, Iger agreed to run a media division at Disney for five years.

In 1999, Iger became the president of Disney International, the business division overseeing Disney's global operations. A year later, he was tapped to become the COO of Disney, working directly under then-CEO Michael Eisner.

Forbes reported that between 1994 and 1999, Eisner made $631 million. In the year 1997 alone, Eisner reportedly made more than $550 million. Over the years, Eisner invested his Disney money and became a billionaire by 2008 — perhaps predicting a financial path Iger may follow.

In the early 2000s, tensions began to brew between Eisner and Disney heir Roy E. Disney. After Eisner stepped down, Iger became the CEO of the Walt Disney Company in 2005.

Iger wrote in his book that, despite being the COO and thereby second in command behind Eisner, his promotion to CEO was not a guarantee. If anything, he wrote, many had associated him with the turbulence of Eisner's era and wanted an outsider for the job. Iger said he campaigned for months until he was officially named CEO in 2005. 

Forbes reported in 2019 that in his first year as CEO, Iger made $22 million, a salary which did not include the stock options worth $2.9 million.

One of Iger's first major moves as CEO was to rebuild Disney's relationship with Pixar. At the time, the relationship between Disney and Pixar was strained, and Iger felt the future of Disney Animation relied on repairing it.

Before he officially became the CEO of Disney, he called to inform Steve Jobs — who was the majority shareholder in Pixar — that he was being appointed CEO and shared his hope they could discuss working together in the future. From there, the two began to slowly work on repairing the fraught relationship between the two companies. 

Iger wrote in his memoir that he felt Disney needed Pixar to help enter the future of animation. Pixar at the time was using technologies to produce content that had never been seen before, Iger wrote in his book.

Iger wanted Disney to be in on it — not just as a distributor for the films, as their previous agreement had stated, but to actually own what Pixar was bringing to the table.

In 2006, Disney announced that it would acquire Pixar for $7.4 billion, making Jobs, the majority shareholder in Pixar at the time, the majority shareholder in Disney.

Iger wrote in his book that the two companies were able to come together after he reached out to Jobs to forge a friendship and address any issues between the two companies. 

Iger and Jobs would go on to have a long friendship until Jobs passed away in 2011. A month after Jobs died, Iger joined the Apple board, where he remained until he stepped down in 2019 ahead of launching Disney+.

In 2009, Iger led Disney's acquisition of Marvel for $4 billion. This gave Disney access to the Marvel comic book library, which was the beginning of the now multibillion-dollar, box office record-breaking Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Iger wrote that part of the reason Marvel CEO Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter was willing to sell the company was because Jobs called Perlmutter to "vouch for" Iger and praised how Iger had handled the Disney-Pixar merger.

Still looking to help Disney expand into the future, in 2012, Iger led Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion. This gave Disney control of not just the Star Wars franchise, but also the Indiana Jones franchise.

Iger said that he knew Lucas was nervous to sell Lucasfim to Disney — mostly because the "Star Wars" creator knew he would be selling his legacy along with it. But eventually, Lucas warmed up to the idea.

Lucas enlisted Kathleen Kennedy to lead Lucasfilm right before the company was sold to Disney. The first Star Wars film made without Lucas was released a few years later, in 2015 — "The Force Awakens," directed by J.J. Abrams.

The company's acquisition spree continued in 2018, when Disney agreed to buy 21st Century Fox. At the time, Fox was owned by billionaire Rupert Murdoch who, after the sale, became one of the largest shareholders in Disney.

Forbes reported in 2019 that, if Murdoch were to cash in all stock available to him from the Disney deal, he'd own about $10.5 billion worth of Disney stock. In addition, Variety reported that collectively, the Murdoch family members were "the largest individual shareholders in Disney."

Iger wrote in his memoir that Murdoch selling the company he had built from scratch was an indicator that the "disruption" threatening the entertainment industry was now inevitable. 

"As [Rupert Murdoch] pondered the future of his company in such a disrupted world, he concluded the smartest thing to do was to sell and give his shareholders and his family a chance to convert its 21st Century Fox stock into Disney stock, believing we were better positioned to withstand the change and, combined, we'd be even stronger," Iger wrote in his book. 

In March 2019, the merger between 21st Century Fox and Disney was completed, with a price tag of $71.3 billion.

This move made Disney the second-largest media company in the world at the time, Forbes reported.

That year, Iger was also named Time's businessperson of the year.

"In a year when the tide has shifted against Big Business, Big Media and Big Tech, Iger has transformed his enormous media company into a gargantuan media and tech business while ensuring that the Walt Disney Co.'s products remain widely beloved," Belinda Luscombe wrote in Time's profile of him. "But for now, for just this moment, Iger is unassailable. He's transformed his company from a stuffy media doyen into a sexy cultural force."

In 2020, Iger — along with Seth MacFarlane and Cicely Tyson, among several others — was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Other inductees that year included the likes of Seth MacFarlane and Cicely Tyson.

In February 2020, Disney announced that Iger would step down as CEO and assume the role of executive chairman until his contract expired on December 31, 2021.

Iger was replaced by Bob Chapek, former chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Product. Iger would forgo his entire salary for the year, and Chapek would similarly take a 50% salary cut amid potential multibillion-dollar revenue losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, Business Insider's Ashley Rodriguez reported.

After a short-lived retirement, Bob Iger returned to Disney.

In November 2022, Disney made the shocking announcement that Iger was back to lead the company for two years, during which he'd work with the board to find a successor.

However, Disney's board in 2023 voted to extend his contract to the end of 2026.

In 2019, he had a net worth of $690 million, per Forbes' estimates.

Forbes reported at the time that Iger's net worth was actually higher than that of Abigail Disney, the Disney heiress, who said in 2019 that she was worth about $120 million.

In March 2020, it was announced that Iger would forgo his salary for the year, as Disney dealt with presumed multibillion-dollar losses due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdowns. His base salary was $3 million in the previous fiscal year and he made $47.5 million in total compensation.

Iger is known among peers for being a very kind leader and has been praised by his contemporaries for the way he has handled the mergers of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

During his first stint as CEO, Iger grew Disney's profits 335% to $260 billion, Business Insider reported.

Forbes also reports that under Iger, Disney created more than 70,000 new jobs. 

"Literally, I have never heard one person say a bad thing about him and I have never seen him be mean," billionaire David Geffen told The New York Times in a profile on Iger. "To be honorable, decent, smart, successful, and a terrific guy is unusual anywhere. But it is most unusual in the entertainment business. He's in a category of one."

Iger's own increasing fortune has paralleled the rise in Disney's value over the years he's been at the helm.

Forbes reported that that Iger's fortune is split between his Disney shares "and cash or other investment from sales of Disney shares over the decades."

According to Forbes, Iger was compensated $65.6 million in 2018, which was 1,424 times the average Disney employee's salary. He had been given another $26.3 million in stock after he successfully closed the Disney-Fox merger and for agreeing to extend his contract until 2021. His initial compensation in 2018 was $39.3 million (not including stock rewards).

In April 2019, Abigail Disney publicly criticized Iger's high pay on Twitter and later wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post elaborating on her thoughts. 

"I'm not arguing that Iger and others do not deserve bonuses. They do," Disney wrote. "They have led the company brilliantly. I am saying that the people who contribute to its success also deserve a share of the profits they have helped make happen."

Most recently, Iger received $31.6 million in total compensation in 2023, or 595 times what the median Disney employee makes.

As Iger is a very private person, not much is known about his spending.

He and his wife bought a home in Brentwood, California, in 2006 from actress Michelle Pfeiffer for about $19 million, the Orlando Sentinel reported that year.

The home reportedly was 7,500 square feet and had five bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a guest house, a tennis court, and a pool. As of a 2018 interview with Vogue, Iger was still living in Brentwood with his wife and their two children.

The Igers also previously owned an apartment on the Upper East Side of New York City. The property sold in 2018 for $18.75 million, Business Insider reported.

The Igers' former home has a library, living room views of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park, and four bedrooms, including one master suite with two bathrooms and a walk-in closet.

Iger spends time — and likely money — maintaining his mental and physical health, about which he's notoriously rigorous. He told The New York Times that he wakes up at 4:15 every morning and doesn't touch his phone until he's finished with his morning exercise routine.

Iger has also said that he doesn't eat carbs unless it's pizza, recalling that during his high school years, he worked at his local Pizza Hut.

Iger reportedly has multiple yachts.

He has a 180-foot superyacht called Aquarius, which he wrote about in Vanity Fair in 2014.

He's also having another built, expected to be 30 feet longer, according to The Wall Street Journal.

When he's "off the clock," he travels. Iger is a regular attendee at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. The media conference is a hub for entertainment and tech moguls.

Variety reports that in 2019, Iger attended the conference along with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Shari Redstone, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, and even former Democratic presidential candidate John Hickenlooper.

In 2019, Iger and his wife committed $1 million to launch the Iger-Bay Endowed Scholarship at Iger's alma mater, Ithaca College. The scholarship aims to boost diversity in the media industry.

The scholarship was funded through the proceeds from Iger's memoir.

Iger also spends some of his fortune on vacations. Beyond their business dealings related to Disney and Pixar, Iger was also close personal friends with Jobs and has said the two would vacation together in nearby resorts in Hawaii.

"We vacationed at adjacent Hawaiian hotels a few times and would meet and take long walks on the beach, talking about our wives and kids, about music, about Apple and Disney and the things we might still do together," he wrote in his book. "You don't expect to develop such close friendships late in life, but when I think back on my time as CEO — at the things I'm most grateful for and surprised by — my relationship with Steve is one of them."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Iger has been seen on billionaire David Geffen's yacht. In August 2017, Iger was seen on the yacht with Oprah Winfrey, Diane von Furstenberg, and Diane Sawyer.

Geffen owns a megayacht, known to be a common hang-out spot for celebrities and fellow billionaires, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, during the summer months, as seen on his Instagram page.

The yacht is worth $590 million, as previously reported by Business Insider.

In his personal life, Iger has a set of A-list friends who have been known to rave about him. One of those friends is Winfrey, who has said that if Iger were to run for president, she would not just vote for him but eagerly campaign on his behalf.

"I'll tell you the truth, this is not really where I intended to be tonight," Winfrey said at the Centennial Awards, where Iger was being honored, in 2019. "I was hoping that by this time in early fall, I would be knocking on doors in Des Moines, wearing an 'Iger 2020' T-shirt. Because I really do believe that Bob Iger's guidance and decency is exactly what the country needs right now."

Iger is also close to Jeffrey Katzenberg, cofounder of Dreamworks and former chairman of Walt Disney Studios.

After Comcast bought Dreamworks in 2016 for $3.8 billion, Katzenberg's net worth rose to $900 million. 

Iger and Katzenberg have been friends for years, and Katzenberg is among the group of people who tried to encourage the Disney CEO to run for president.

"No matter how much I begged Bob," Katzenberg said while presenting the Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award to Iger in 2019. "He just wasn't willing to run for president of the United States."

In his memoir, Iger admitted that he once considered running for president, but ultimately decided against it.

"I think the Democratic Party would brand me as just another rich guy who's out of touch with America who doesn't have any sense for what's good for the plight of the people," he told The New York Times in a 2019 profile.

Despite many people — including some major Hollywood players — urging him to run for president in late 2019, Iger publicly remained firm that he had no plans to pursue a presidential campaign.

Iger has also spent his free time involved in politics in the past. Shortly after Donald Trump was elected president, Iger joined Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum.

Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum was a business council created to hear the perspectives of different leaders on how to improve job growth in the US. 

But Iger stepped down from the role in 2017 after Trump announced the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, Variety reported.

Iger announced his resignation from the council in a tweet stating: "As a matter of principle, I've resigned from the President's Council over the #Paris Agreement withdrawal." 

The council, which ultimately disbanded, also included JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, and Stephen A. Schwarzman, the cofounder of private equity firm Blackstone.

In September 2019, however, Iger did outline what would have been the central themes of his campaign, had he decided to run.

"America is gravely in need of optimism, of looking at the future and believing that so many things are going to be all right, or that we as a nation can attack some of the most critical problems of our day," Iger said at The Atlantic Festival in Washington in 2019. "And that could be the environment, that could be income disparity, that could be the technology's impact on the world from a disruption perspective. It could be the cost of education, availability of affordable housing, healthcare. You name it."

Iger's 2020 plans to retire from Disney were derailed by the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2020, Iger announced his plans to retire at the end of his contract term, though the coronavirus pandemic derailed his plan. Disney's board extended Iger's term as chairman to the end of 2021. At the end of his term, Susan Arnold took his place as chairman.

With a $3 million salary in 2019, plus a $21.8 million bonus, $10 million worth of stock awards, and $9.6 million worth of stock options, Iger was consistently one of Hollywood's highest-paid CEOs prior to his departure, Business Insider previously reported.

As Disney's on-again-of-again CEO, Iger fended off challenges to his control of the company.

Iger returned to Disney as the company's CEO following the ouster of his successor, Bob Chapek. His contract was originally set to expire in 2024, but Disney's board in 2023 voted to extend his contract to the end of 2026 — and increased his compensation package by several million dollars.

Upon his return, Iger faced challenges to his control over the company, including from activist investor Nelson Peltz over two board seats. Iger ultimately prevailed. The proxy fight over the seats is estimated to have cost all parties about $70 million.

Iger and Bay most recently bought a controlling stake in the most valuable women's sports team in the world.

In July 2024, Iger and Bay bought a controlling share of Los Angeles women's soccer team Angel City FC for an undisclosed amount in a deal that values the team at $250 million. Iger and Bay replace Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian as Angel City FC's controlling owner.

• Falling prices could bring on a spike in unemployment and wage cuts, according to Paul Krugman.
• The Nobel economist pointed to pressure from consumers to lower high prices.
• The US appears to be entering a soft landing, he said, where inflation eases without a rise in unemployment.

Americans hate high prices — but there's a reason people should hope the cost of goods and services don't drop back to pre-pandemic levels, according to Nobel laureate Paul Krugman.

In an op-ed for The New York Times, the top economist noted that though incomes have grown more than the pace of inflation over the past year, Americans are seemingly still scarred from the spike in inflation in 2022, when consumer price increases peaked around 9%.

But asking for prices to return to their pre-pandemic norm could might not be wise, Krugman said. That's because achieving lower prices would require the US economy to experience a "major episode" of deflation, where consumer prices are outright falling — something that has historically been linked to a sharp rise in unemployment.

Such was the case in the US in the early years of the Great Depression, when economic activity ground to a halt. At its worst, the unemployment rate soared to around 25%, while consumer prices fell as much as 25%, according to Fed data.

'"[T]he historical evidence is clear: Imposing significant deflation on a modern economy leads to very high unemployment," Krugman wrote.

Deflation's effects on the job market are largely because falling prices require a drop in wages. The same phenomenon occurred in Greece during its debt crisis, when wages dropped significantly while employment climbed to a peak of 27%.

"So can we make America affordable again, in the sense of getting prices back to what they were before the pandemic? Almost surely not, nor should we try," Krugman wrote. "It was important that inflation not get entrenched in the economy, and it didn't. Instead, we seem to have achieved what many thought impossible: a soft landing that combines low inflation with low unemployment."

Prices remain higher overall, but the pace of inflation has slowed dramatically over the past few years. Consumer prices grew just 3% year-over-year in June, close to the Fed's 2% price target. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, remains near a historical low of 4.1%.

Wall Street has grown more confident that the economy is poised to see a soft landing — a dream scenario where inflation falls without a significant rise in unemployment or a recession. Still, risks stemming from high interest rates linger, with the New York Fed pricing in a 55% chance the economy could enter a recession by June of next year.

• Amazon launched its AI assistant Rufus to all US customers ahead of Prime Day.
• Rufus suggests product-related queries and can compare different options.
• The chatbot helped educate me on products I'm not familiar with and overall enhanced my experience. 

Amazon finally rolled out its AI assistant Rufus to all US customers after announcing the new feature in February.

The AI-powered assistant is named after an early Amazon employee's dog, and the tool became widely available in the US on July 12 — just in time for Prime Day.

AI shopping assistants are becoming more popular, with various online retailers adding them to their sites. According to an IBM survey released in January, 55% of shoppers are "eager for AI enhancements like virtual assistants."

So how does Rufus work?

Amazon's shopping assistant uses information from listing details, reviews, and Q&As. Customers can search for products based on an activity they're shopping for and ask for specific product recommendations based on categories like age group or occasion.

Rufus can also access current and past orders and answer non-shopping-related questions like other chatbots.

While the tool can provide helpful information, it's not foolproof. The chatbot's bottom warning says its answers are powered by AI and it "may not always get things right."

As an avid online shopper, I was curious how Rufus compared to other AI shopping tools I've tried out — and what better day to test out the tool than Amazon Prime Day?

These are my takeaways.

It suggested product questions before I thought of them

My favorite part about Rufus was that it answered my questions before I had a chance — or even knew — to ask them.

Rufus has a row of questions at the bottom of products that you can scroll through and select. You can click on a specific question or tap the icon all the way on the right to pull up the chatbot and enter a conversation.

This feature was especially helpful when I went to purchase a fan for my bedroom. I wasn't particularly well-versed on what to look for in a bedroom fan but I knew I wanted it to get the job done.

I wouldn't have thought to ask questions about the noise level or whether it oscillates, but these ended up being determining factors for the fan I selected. In other products I browsed through, Rufus suggested prompts that helped me understand the product better.

You need to be specific

I was hoping Rufus would give me a list of similar products on the market when I asked how Fitbit compared to other wearable health devices. But it didn't quite come up with what I was looking for.

I had to specifically ask it whether I should get a Fitbit or Apple Watch for it to give me a rundown on the differences of both. I also asked it about the Oura Ring and it gave me a pretty comprehensive explanation of what the two devices offer and linked both products.

In general, I found that I had to be very specific about what I was looking for. But once I added the details it was missing, Rufus came up with solid results.

It's a game changer for warehouse shopping

The AI assistant has received some lackluster reviews from those who have tried it. I agree that Rufus could be improved in some areas like consistency and depth, but I still find it helpful in its beta stage of testing.

I've tried out a variety of AI tools and assistants, but I usually stick with my go-to chatbot for all AI-related inquiries. I also don't really like to interact with other AI tools that are customer-facing.

But Rufus was a game changer for me and enhanced my shopping experience. When I'm shopping on my favorite clothing site, I don't need a chatbot to guide me through the process. But when I browse through a giant online warehouse like Amazon, a tool like Rufus helps me understand what I'm looking for and what different products can offer me.

By having prompted questions already on the screen while shopping, I was able to ask questions I wouldn't have known to ask in the first place and feel more confident about the product I ordered. With a platform like Amazon, where people come to the site for varied reasons, having a virtual assistant makes the experience way more enjoyable and accessible.

• Kate Middleton attended the Wimbledon Championships men's singles final in London on Sunday.
• It's the second time she's been officially seen in public since revealing her cancer diagnosis.
• Middleton was photographed at the match alongside her daughter Princess Charlotte.

Kate Middleton attended the Wimbledon men's singles final alongside Princess Charlotte on Sunday.

It marked the Princess of Wales's second official public engagement since she announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing "preventative chemotherapy."

She also attended Trooping the Colour, a celebration to mark the monarch's official birthday, last month.

Take a look at the photos from the princess's return to Wimbledon.

Kate was spotted arriving to watch the final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic

The Princess of Wales took a seat in the royal box to watch the match between last year's winner, Carlos Alcaraz, and seven-time Wimbledon champion, Novak Djokovic.

Kate has been the patron of the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since taking over the role from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2016.

The tournament, held in southwest London, has been a staple event in her diary for years. Many spectators look forward to seeing the royal's fashion choices for the event, which also attracts Hollywood stars, international figures, and British national treasures.

For the occasion, she wore a full-length purple dress

Kate opted for a full-length purple dress by Safiyaa London, which featured cap sleeves and a purple and navy tartan brooch shaped like a bow.

The original dress retails for £1,295 (around $1,650).

The princess paired her ensemble with nude pumps and an LK Bennett bag.

The royal completed her look with a pair of gold hoop earrings and gold bangles on her right arm.

Her daughter, Princess Charlotte, joined her at the tennis tournament for the second time

The Princess of Wales made the final day of Wimbledon a family affair, bringing along her daughter Princess Charlotte.

Prince William has traditionally accompanied his wife to Wimbledon, but he has traveled to Berlin to watch England take on Spain in the final of the men's soccer European Championships.

Charlotte, 9, made her first appearance in the royal box at Wimbledon in 2023.

Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, also attended the match

In the royal box, Princess Charlotte sat between her aunt and her mother.

Other celebrities in attendance at the match included Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Kensington Palace announced that Kate would be attending the event the day before

As with Trooping the Color, Kate's attendance at the final was only announced by Kensington Palace the day before.

"The Princess of Wales, Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, will attend the Gentlemen's Singles Final of The Championships, Wimbledon on Sunday 14th July," Kensington Palace shared in a brief statement.

She did not attend the women's singles final between Jasmine Paolini and Barbora Krejčíková on July 13. In previous years, Kate has attended both single finals and presented the winners of each match with their trophies.

The Wimbledon All-England Club issued a statement confirming that chairwoman Debbie Jevans would present the trophy on her behalf.

As with Trooping the Color, Kate's appearance at the Wimbledon final was a welcome surprise

Many thought that Kate would be stepping away from public and royal duties while she undergoes "preventative chemotherapy."

But the princess had previously hinted that she would "join a few public engagements over the summer."

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal," Kate said in a statement.

Kate awarded the trophy to Alcaraz after he beat Djokovic

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the men's final.

Kate left the royal box and appeared on the playing court to present Alcaraz with the coveted trophies. The official Prince and Princess of Wales Instagram account celebrated the event with two posts on Sunday.

"There's nothing quite like The Championships," the first post read.

The second congratulated Alcaraz on his "remarkable victory."

• Biden's support among rank-and-file Democrats is quickly evaporating.
• A new poll found that 65% of Democrats want him to withdraw from the 2024 race.
• Democratic lawmakers continue to question Biden's viability, and 20 have called on him to withdraw.

In the wake of a disastrous debate performance, a series of defiant interviews, and a public dispute among Democrats about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden's support among rank-and-file Democrats has seemingly evaporated.

According to an AP-NORC poll released on Wednesday, 65% of Democrats want him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election so that a different candidate can step forward.

That includes 49% of Black voters, a group that has historically been a source of strength for the president.

No Black lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to step aside yet, though Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri said last week that her office has been flooded with calls from constituents asking her to call on Biden to withdraw.

The poll, which was conducted from July 11-15 and included 1,253 respondents nationwide, also found that 48% of Democrats were not confident in Biden's mental capacity to be an effective president. That's a substantial increase from the 32% of Democrats who said the same in February.

Vice President Kamala Harris, arguably the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in the event that Biden does step aside, also enjoys higher favorability ratings with the general public than the president, according to the poll.

48% of respondents held an unfavorable view of Harris, compared to 58% who said the same of Biden. Meanwhile, 43% held a favorable view of Harris, versus just 38% for Biden.

In the weeks since the debate, Biden has insisted that he will remain in the race, despite 20 congressional Democrats publicly calling for him to withdraw.

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

• As a frequent traveler, I rely on travel credit cards to save money and earn rewards. 
• I love using my Chase United℠ Explorer Card, which comes with a $0 intro for the first year, then $95 annual fee.
• The card gets me perks like priority boarding on United flights, free checked bags, and more.  

Travel credit cards are hotter than ever, with over 41% of Americans having a card that provides travel rewards.  However, with many cards offering lounge access, statement credits, and travel insurance, some cards' annual fees have climbed to nearly $700 a year. 

As a frequent traveler, I have and use a credit card with a high annual fee. However, I've paired it with the United℠ Explorer Card, which has a much lower annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95.

This card, included in Business Insider's guide to the best airline credit cards, offers a surprisingly robust number of benefits, from priority boarding on United flights to statement credits that can be redeemed for a DashPass membership.

Here are some of the perks I get from using my United℠ Explorer Card.

As a United℠ Explorer Card cardholder, I always get priority boarding

Some travelers may not care which boarding group they're in, but I am not one of them. Whether I'm traveling with a carry-on and want to ensure I have space in the overhead compartment or just want to get myself situated and comfortable before a flight, boarding in a priority group is important to me. As a United℠ Explorer Card cardholder, I am always in a priority-boarding group. 

Every four years, I get a statement credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS 

Although traveling can be a test of patience, I've found that having an expedited security process can make the experience much smoother. That's why I love that my United℠ Explorer Card reimburses me for services like TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and NEXUS.

I've traveled with TSA PreCheck for years, and recently became a Global Entry member (which includes PreCheck). Both programs are valid for five years, with PreCheck costing $78 to apply and Global Entry costing $100. 

NEXUS, which allows for expedited entry between the US and Canada, is also valid for five years and costs $50 to apply. 

If I charge the application fee for one of these services to my United℠ Explorer Card, I get reimbursed on my statement once every four years, effectively making the membership free. 

The first checked bag is free for me and a companion on my reservation

Although many people aim to travel using only a carry-on, it's not always possible to do so. Checked bag fees have only increased, with one bag costing $40 to check on United flights.

However, if you're a United℠ Explorer Card cardholder, you and your companion (on the same reservation) get your first bags checked for free when purchasing flights using the card. 

I get two United Club one-time-use lounge passes a year

Airport lounges are popping up everywhere, generally as a benefit of a high-annual-fee credit card or for those flying in first or business classes. But if you want the benefit of a lounge without high spending, the United℠ Explorer Card includes two one-time lounge passes a year for United Club use, which typically cost $59 apiece.

I've used my one-time passes when I have a long layover or a delayed flight to access a United Club for complimentary food, drinks, and a quiet place to wait for my flight. This benefit alone exceeds the entire cost of the card's annual fee.

The card comes with lots of added travel protections

For a card with a low annual fee, the United℠ Explorer Card packs a punch with travel insurance protections. This card includes lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per passenger), trip delay reimbursement (after 12 hours of delay, up to $500 per ticket for unreimbursed expenses), baggage delay insurance (after 6 hours of delay, up to $100 for three days), and trip cancellation or interruption insurance (up to $1,500 per person).

When booking my travel with the United℠ Explorer Card, these perks allow me to travel with much more peace of mind. In fact, I've personally used both the baggage delay and trip delay insurance without any issues. 

I receive 25% back on in-flight purchases

Another benefit I really love is that United℠ Explorer Card cardholders receive 25% back on in-flight purchases on United flights. This includes food, alcoholic beverages, and even WiFi purchases. Since I travel often, this perk makes a huge difference for me. 

The card also comes with a complimentary one-year membership to DashPass 

The United℠ Explorer Card offers one year of complimentary DashPass membership, which can be used on DoorDash and Caviar. The benefit, normally $10 a month, offers various benefits like $0 delivery fees on orders that meet the minimum spend. If you regularly have food delivered at home or while traveling, these fees add up, making the membership a great money-saving benefit. 

I also get primary rental car insurance

I often rent cars during my travels, and having as much coverage as possible when driving them is important to me. The United℠ Explorer Card includes primary rental car insurance coverage. This means that I'm eligible for reimbursement up to the vehicle's actual cash value for theft and collision damage for most rental cars within the US and abroad. With primary coverage, I also don't have to first file a claim with my own auto insurance company.

• All-inclusive packages handle flights and accommodations in one swoop, which can make planning easy.
• But booking separately gives you more control over your stay.
• Planning a vacation is personal, so review all of your options before booking anything. 

From hotels to flights, there's a lot to consider when mulling over maximizing your bottom dollar while still locking down the vacation of your dreams.

Should you book that enticing all-inclusive deal? Or, should you do your own homework and book your trip independently of a vacation package?

Many travelers may consider this question. Before you pack your bags, consider when you should book an all-inclusive vacation and when you should book separately.

All-inclusive packages handle all of your travel plans, which can be very convenient

If you're someone who doesn't like to think about the details too often, then an all-inclusive option could be a good option for you. According to Travelzoo's senior editor Gabe Saglie, booking an all-inclusive vacation package can make the entire trip planning process much easier.

"The convenience of all-inclusive is that it does all of the homework for you. You are presented with this mapped out series of days," Saglie told Business Insider. "It can make the planning aspect of a vacation easier."

Packages can be limiting in terms of what each bundle offers, but not always

When you decide to book separately, you're in control of where you stay, what airline you fly, and the types of activities you engage in. According to Salie, an all-inclusive package does not always offer this flexibility.

"If you go with an all-inclusive vacation package as-is, you need to make sure the package offers what you want or are looking for from your vacation," he said. "Because once you lock that in, that's the experience that you will be having once you arrive."

Saglie noted some all-inclusive packages may be customizable, so make sure to check with the company before you book.

"Usually, I rarely book a vacation package exactly as presented," he said. "I may want to fly another airline because I've got status on that airline, or I'd rather do an adults-only resort and not do the family-friendly hotel, or vice versa."

For a more-localized vacation experience, book the trip on your own

If you're searching for a cozier vibe that integrates you right into the heart of a particular city's culture, then it's best to book your trip on your own. Many all-inclusive packages are limited to certain, standardized hotels and resorts in more popular spots. 

"Nowadays, more travelers are looking to dive a little deeper into a destination on a cultural level because we have access to so many more accommodation options," Saglie told BI. "Sometimes doing it yourself would be the better way to go, simply because those kinds of options aren't readily available yet in the all-inclusive landscape right now."

If you want to stay put in one spot, go the all-inclusive route

All-inclusive vacation packages are great options for travelers who want to stay mostly in one spot.

"Oftentimes, if all you want to do is sit on the beach for three nights, it makes sense to look at all-inclusive packages," said Saglie.

Factor in credit-card points and other travel perks you have access to when deciding how to book

Many travelers redeem credit-card points for flights, hotel stays, and more. Sometimes, these points can be used to pay for an entire trip. In this case, Saglie said it makes more sense to book separately.

"These days, whether you're using credit cards or if you have status with a particular resort chain, sometimes it can be more bang for your buck to cash in on some of those insider perks able to buy airfare with miles or upgrade your resort experience because you've got points," he said. "That can be a pretty effective way of enhancing your trip in a way that may be an all-inclusive package can't or at that same price-point."

But, sometimes, these points can be used to upgrade your all-inclusive packages, too.

Think about the time of year you are planning to travel and compare both options

The time of year will play a big factor in the overall cost of your vacation. You may be able to score a money-saving deal with an all-inclusive package during certain seasons, said Saglie.

"If you are looking to go to a destination during a slow time of the year, like traveling to the Caribbean in the summer or during hurricane season, you're going to be finding some pretty good bargain deals," he told BI. 

If you're looking to book during a low season, it's worth looking into how much it'd cost you to book your resort stay and airfare separately — it could be better than all-inclusive package options. 

If you're looking for a particular type of experience, book your travel yourself

Travelers who are seeking a very specific or unique vacation may be better off booking elements of their trip separately.

"If you're looking for a very specific or special type of experience while you're vacationing, that's when it may make more sense to package the travel yourself. Oftentimes, there are very unique or specialized resorts that may not play ball with a vacation package," he said.

He said this especially applies to adrenaline junkies who might want to zip line in the morning, river raft in the afternoon, and cave dive in the evening. 

"That's the specialized personalized experience where vacation packages may come up short. In this case, you really need to do the legwork yourself," he said. 

One may be more cost-efficient than the other

Sometimes, all-inclusive packages can be a better deal than booking your reservations individually, according to Saglie. This is because travel companies are able to buy up large volumes of hotel rooms and flights at one time and sell them to customers at a discount.

"There's no doubt that vacation companies that put these packages together pass on legitimate savings to travelers," Saglie said. "They are usually buying up hotel rooms or airline seats in bulk so that they are getting these lower rates or getting extras tacked on that they can pass on to customers. Oftentimes, you are looking at some pretty dramatic price-points."

Above all, he recommends exploring all of your options before signing on the dotted line.

"The last thing we want to do is be pigeon-holed into an experience that looked really good and was priced right but at the end of the day wasn't really what you wanted," he added. 

This story was originally published on March 4, 2019, and most recently updated on July 17, 2024.

• Shannen Doherty had been open about her desire for children before her death. 
• The "Charmed" actor died on Saturday, following a nine-year battle with cancer. 
• Fertility experts weigh in on how a cancer diagnosis can affect family planning.

Actor Shannen Doherty said she "desperately" wanted to have a child before her death.

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star died on Saturday after a nine-year battle with breast cancer. She was 53 years old.

On a January episode of her podcast "Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty," she shared with her guest, oncologist Lawrence Piro, that she and her then-husband, Kurt Iswarienko, had turned to IVF to try to conceive.

They eventually stopped doing IVF when her chemotherapy induced menopause, she said on the podcast. But Doherty was hopeful that her menstruation would return because she "still wanted to have a baby," Piro said.

"Yeah, desperately," Doherty agreed. "Not only did I want a child for myself, but I wanted it for my husband, I wanted it for a marriage, I wanted him to have that part of himself fulfilled." The pair got married in 2011. Doherty filed for divorce last year.

The "Charmed" actor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She went into remission in 2017, but the cancer returned in 2019 and spread to her bones and brain in 2023, she shared on her Instagram.

Since her diagnosis, Doherty had been open about her desire for motherhood. In 2023, she told People she would "love nothing more than to be a mom."

"I always wanted it," she said. "I look at kids who don't have parents at all, and I think if I adopt a child or whatever it is, any amount of time is better than nothing. Maybe. I don't know."

What experts say about family planning during cancer

There is no simple answer to approaching family planning during a cancer diagnosis, fertility experts told Business Insider.

Every case is different, and the feasibility of having children after cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer and the patient's prognosis, said Dr. Tan Thiam Chye, a consultant OB-GYN at O&G The Women's Medical Specialist in Singapore.

He added that people in that scenario should have extensive discussions with their gynecologist and oncologist.

"Doctors have to ensure that the mother is physically and emotionally healthy to carry the pregnancy. Safety is the top-most priority," he said.

Cancer treatment can often impact fertility as there is high stress on the patient's emotional and physical health, as well as damage to their reproductive cells, he added. In some cases, treatment can lead to transient or permanent menopause.

With advancements like egg freezing, however, people have more options to conceive after cancer treatment, he said.

In addition, people who have been diagnosed with cancer should consider the possibility of passing down mutations in their genes that may cause cancer to their children, said Professor Ng Soon Chye, a fertility specialist and the medical chairman at Sincere IVF Center in Singapore.

"Fortunately, advances have made a world of difference," he told BI. "If [a couple] really wants to try, they shouldn't give up. We've had miracle cases where we thought it was impossible to get pregnant, but yet they managed to."

A representative for Doherty did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

• Florida and Indiana passed laws to ban cellphones during class; New York may join.
• My children go to school in Montclair, New Jersey, and the district is planning to do the same.
• I support the move because, as a teacher, I understand how phones are distractions in the classroom.

Schools seem to quickly be changing the rules around cellphones.

Florida and Indiana have already passed legislation to keep phones out of the classroom during instructional time. New York may soon follow.

My family currently lives in Montclair, New Jersey. I have two children. The youngest is a rising 6th grader, and my older son is a rising 10th grader. Our school district says it plans to pilot a no-phones policy this fall.

Some of our district's teachers already require students to place their phones in clear over-the-door shoe holders when entering the classroom. But now, our district is taking things a step further. They're partnering with a company that supplies magnetic pouches for smartphones. Once the pouch is closed, you can't open it unless you take it to the docking station.

As a mother and educator, I am willing to accept these new cellphone policy changes.

My oldest son has a cellphone

My husband and I planned to give my older son a phone in 8th grade. But then the pandemic hit, and we wanted him to have a way to connect with school friends. So he got a phone when he was 11. But we didn't permit social media.

It wasn't a huge deal because even now, at 15, he's not a big social media kid. Mostly, he texts friends about meeting up for soccer games and checking sports scores. At times, it's been tough because many coaches use Facebook to connect with players.

My younger son is 11. He recently told us he doesn't want a phone because he knows he won't be able to stop streaming Lego videos on YouTube. He's also acutely aware of group chat drama. Earlier this year, a group of kids at his school got caught up in a nasty group chat that included racist and homophobic language. While my son wasn't involved, he observed how these chats can be dangerous and disruptive.

My son isn't alone. School safety experts — like Kenneth Trump, president of National School Safety and Services — say there are many reasons phones don't belong in schools. He writes on his site that smartphones have been used for cyberbullying, starting fights, and making threats against students.

I know firsthand that teens struggle with impulse control

A recent Pew Research Center study found that 72% of high school teachers in the US said cellphones are distracting students in class.

As an educator, I know this struggle intimately. I've taught media writing and journalism for over 15 years at Columbia University, Montclair State, and Seton Hall. I also run an afterschool enrichment course in the same field for elementary students.

I would love it if I didn't have to compete for my university students' attention. Not only are they distracted by screens, but they tend to make many errors when working online. They misspell words and ignore basic grammar rules, like beginning a sentence with a capital letter. I once conducted an experiment and asked them to handwrite their classwork. It was a reading response assignment that required a lot of writing. I was curious if the quality of work would improve. It did.

Occasionally, I have asked my students to put away their phones, but they are sneaky and put them on their laps. I've got the same issue with laptop computers in class. Getting students to pay attention to the lesson in front of them is hard. I tell them I'll upload PowerPoints after class, yet they're still tied to their screens. They'd rather be doing Wordle or Connections or tinkering with other assignments.

I wish my college would ban phones or other electronics in classes, but I know it's a pipe dream.

I'm ready to try a new policy — for my sons and my students

Some parents in my local school district object to a no-phone zone. They worry that they won't be able to reach their child during the day. I can relate to this, but it doesn't keep me up at night.

Other parents want to be able to text their kids about rides home. Do I like being able to text my son during the school day? Of course. I've been known to text my son to remind him of a guitar lesson or a haircut. But is this level of communication necessary? Probably not. And definitely not during bio class.

There's likely no one-size-fits-all solution for reducing cellphone use in school, but as an educator and a parent, I'm willing to test the waters. The haircut reminder can wait.