• Michael and Susan Dell have pledged to invest $6.25 billion to support the futures of American children.
• "Susan and I believe the smartest investment we can make is in children," Michael Dell wrote in a post on X.
• Here's who's eligible for the money.

Michael and Susan Dell have committed to paying $250 into the accounts of 25 million American children.

The $6.25 billion donation, which comes from the Dells' charitable fund and was announced on Tuesday, is designed to "help families feel supported from the start and encourage them to keep saving as their children grow," Michael Dell told CNBC in an interview.

The Dells have partnered with the Invest America initiative, a federal program that aims to help families and employers put children on a stronger financial path into adulthood. The program is better known as "Trump Accounts."

In order to qualify for the money the Dells are pledging, the child must:

• Be 10 years or younger
• Have been born before January 1, 2025
• Live in a ZIP code where the median income is $150,000 or less

Parents with children who meet the criteria will simply have to open a Trump Account to automatically receive a grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the couple told CNBC.

"Susan and I believe the smartest investment we can make is in children," Michael Dell wrote in a post on X. In a video accompanying the post, the couple encouraged US citizens to contribute to the accounts.

"The real power of these accounts is that anyone can contribute, parents, friends, relatives. Everyone can help shape a child's future," said Susan Dell in the video.

"To parents and caregivers, stay tuned and get ready to activate your child's account," she said. "Every contribution can grow over the years, just like your child."

"Together we can make possibility something that every child can count on," added Michael Dell.

The Dells' donation will sit alongside the broader "Trump Accounts" investment initiative being run by Invest America. The program is part of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Trump Accounts is the administration's plan to give a federal grant of $1,000 to US citizens born from the beginning of 2025 through 2028 and allow parents to contribute up to $5,000 a year. The initiative will begin on July 4, 2026.

Michael Dell, the founder and chairman of the computer company Dell, is the eleventh-richest person in the world. As of Monday's market close, his fortune was worth $148 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

• I was laid off from my software development job in September 2024.
• Months later, at the age of 37, I was diagnosed with lymphoma.
• After months of treatment while parenting eight children ages 4 to 19, I rang the cancer-free bell.

In September 2024, I lost my job as a software developer. After nearly two years with the company, I was let go due to "reduction of workforce." My husband still worked full time, but losing half of our household income hit hard, especially with eight kids ranging from 4 to 19 years old.

I told myself we'd be OK. I thought it would be easy to find another job. We'd tighten our belts. Then I got sick.

I blamed stress for symptoms that were actually cancer

After Christmas, I started to feel off. I caught the flu and was sick for about six weeks, and then I developed shingles right after. I could not catch a break. I kept thinking it was just stress.

Things took a turn in late March. I found a lump in my groin the size of a grape overnight. My adductor muscle also felt tight, so I thought it was a pulled muscle at the time, likely from working out at the gym. A month later, I finally saw a doctor who was able to feel the lump and told me it was most likely an inguinal hernia and sent me to a surgeon.

During the waiting period for the appointment, the lump grew to the size of a plum, and it became increasingly difficult to walk. The pain worsened by the day until May 4th, when I finally went to the emergency room.

I was diagnosed with cancer at 37

When the doctor finally came in to tell me the results of the CT scan, he told me it wasn't a hernia, but that it was several swollen lymph nodes. The ER doctor dropped the "C" word — cancer. That night, I spent alone overnight in the hospital, 37 years old, convinced my life was ending. All I could think about was my eight children and husband.

When I came home the next evening to tell our kids, our car ended up getting repossessed in the driveway because we had fallen behind in payments. I lost all my medication from the hospital that I had been sent home with. I was able to recover them the next morning, but talk about bad luck.

That moment hit so hard. The job loss, the diagnosis, the financial freefall. It felt like the absolute bottom.

I had to keep going

May became a blur of medical appointments. Each test mapped the location of the cancer's spread. The biopsy confirmed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, and the PET scan revealed where it had spread.

After getting my port installed, I started chemotherapy on June 5th, with eight children still needing to be fed, homework checked and reassured that their mom would be OK.

During all of this, my husband became everything. He was juggling full time work while managing our household when I was undergoing active treatment.

Asking for help was harder than chemotherapy

We had to swallow our pride and use every available resource. Food banks, school district assistance programs, we were going anywhere that could help.

For someone who had always worked and provided, it felt like a failure at first. I realized that these safety nets are put in place for those who truly need assistance.

On September 18th, 2025, I got to ring the bell that I was cancer-free. On October 21st, my PET scan came back clean with no evidence of disease. I'm still processing what happened to me over the past year. I'm not the same person I was in September 2024.

I learned that symptoms dismissed as "just stress" need to be taken seriously. That pride can literally kill you if it keeps you from seeking help. That our children are more resilient than we give them credit for, but also more aware than we'd like to admit.

I learned that in today's world, you can do everything right — work hard, support your family — and still end up having one layoff or one diagnosis away from your life changing drastically.

• As Florida locals, we've been on many staycations, but our trip to Rosemary Beach is our favorite.
• The walkable town has beautiful architecture, plus great beaches, restaurants, and boutiques.
• Our whole family had a great time visiting Florida's 30A area and would happily return.

Living in Florida means planning a solid staycation is pretty easy.

When friends or family would visit us in Tallahassee in the spring, we'd plan an easy local trip to any number of nearby beach towns or cities just a short drive from our house.

For a long time, our go-to trip was heading south and joining countless other tourists in popular cities, like Fort Lauderdale or Miami. This year, for my in-laws' annual visit in March, we decided to try something different and head west.

I was sold on checking out 30A, a charming stretch along Florida's Emerald Coast between Destin and Panama City Beach, after seeing tons of videos on my social feeds about it.

From there, we settled on a little town in 30A called Rosemary Beach — and we ended up having one of the best vacations of our lives.

Rosemary Beach is beautiful, walkable, and laid-back

Rosemary Beach is one of several charming communities in 30A.

It stands out for its architecture, which feels distinctly European-inspired, from the gas lanterns to the cobblestone streets. However, the many palm trees ensure it still feels like Florida.

I'd describe Rosemary Beach's vibe as relaxed, a far cry from the hustle and bustle typically found in bigger cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

The small town is very walkable, making it especially convenient for families. We were traveling with our then-2-year-old and were easily able to get around to playgrounds, boutiques, restaurants, and the beach without ever needing to get in our car.

There are dozens of rental properties just a short distance from the main downtown area, and we stayed in a villa by the Amphitheater at St. Augustine Green.

Though we seemed far from the beach, it still only took us about a 15-minute walk to get from our spot to the water. We were also able to access private beaches available only to those staying in a Rosemary Beach property.

During the earlier part of the day, we often found the beach moderately empty, allowing us to quietly take in the stunning white sand and crisp blue water.

Our villa's prime location also provided us with easy access to tons of entertainment options at the Amphitheater, ranging from magic shows and movies to live stage productions and concerts.

We had a lot of great bites in the area

Rosemary Beach has several great dining spots, and one of my favorites was La Crema, a Spanish restaurant known for its tapas and chocolate desserts.

Our group has varying food preferences, so this was a great place to pick up a few different dishes to share. My daughter especially loved La Crema's chocolate fondue, served with marshmallows, cake, and strawberries.

We all enjoyed Cowgirl Kitchen, a more laid-back option we could visit after spending time at the beach. Its family-friendly menu features tacos, sandwiches, and salads — and we especially loved the queso.

When it was just my husband and me, we headed to Gallion's, which is adults-only during dinner service. It felt like an old-school supper club with a more modern aesthetic, and I loved the coastal cuisine, as well as the selection of cocktails and mocktails.

The two of us also went to the seafood restaurant Pescado for dinner and drinks. Its rooftop bar is the place to head to for prime sunset viewing since it overlooks the beach.

Lastly, we stopped at Amavida Coffee Roasters every morning. Though there are a few places to grab a cup of joe in Rosemary Beach, this local Florida café was my favorite for iced coffee and baked goods.

There are some great shops in Rosemary Beach, too

There are endless shopping spots in the area, but my top pick is The Hidden Lantern Bookshop. It's the perfect cutesy place to find a beach read.

We spotted a lot of brand-new releases for adults and enjoyed exploring the massive kids' section with my daughter.

Patchouli's is also a must-visit boutique in the area. I loved its huge selection of popular makeup and skincare brands, like Ilia Beauty and Maya Chia, plus its own line of handmade soaps, essential oils, and candles.

I also enjoyed stopping by Rosemary Beach Trading Co. to pick up some especially cute souvenirs and merchandise.

All in all, we'd happily return to this area

Fort Lauderdale and Miami are still great travel destinations for those who want buzzy nightlife, big hotels, and a more typical "spring break" experience with other adults.

However, Rosemary Beach feels like the ideal spot for a more relaxed multigenerational family trip.

It was hard to beat the convenience of being able to walk just about anywhere, which also contributed to the town's pleasantly relaxed pace. We also enjoyed the quiet mornings on the beach, leisurely strolls downtown, and dinners with a view of the sunset.

Our trip was great, and I'm glad we found a new place that I could picture our family visiting again and again for years to come.

It wasn't our typical Florida staycation — it was better.

• A slow cooker or Crock-Pot can be a valuable yet underutilized tool in your kitchen.
• A slow cooker can make many cozy comfort foods, from stews to simple soups and roasted meats.
• Meats like brisket and short ribs become tender when made in a slow cooker.

There's nothing better than coming home to the comforting aroma of beef stew or pasta sauce simmering in a Crock-Pot, especially on cozy days in the fall and winter.

As the weather turns even cooler, it's the perfect time to bring out your Crock-Pot or slow cooker to prepare hearty meals that cook on their own during the workday.

Business Insider spoke with chefs and cookbook authors about their favorite comforting slow-cooker meals, from hearty beef stews and chowders to brisket, and researched celebrity chefs' go-to Crock-Pot dishes. 

Here are 17 cozy comfort-food dishes you can make in a slow cooker, according to chefs.

Short ribs become extra tender when slow-cooked.

Short ribs are one of cookbook author Kim Laidlaw's favorite things to make in a Crock-Pot, and they're a go-to on a chilly day.

In her cookbook, "Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals," Laidlaw gives multiple different recipes for short ribs, and she recommends trying them for a meal featuring other sides.

"If you do them in a slow cooker, then the meat is out of the way," she told Business Insider. "Then, you can focus on other side dishes like polenta or risotto."

Stew is one of those slow-cooker meals where you can practically toss in the ingredients and walk away.

Beef, turkey, or chicken stew is a perfect stick-to-your-bones meal during the fall or winter months.

"Beef stew is really nice in the slow cooker," Laidlaw said. "That's something I grew up on with the slow cooker, and it's just as good today."

But stew is also hassle-free.

"Slow cookers are perfect in the winter for soups and stews," Laidlaw said. "The best part is that you can set it in the morning and walk away."

Corn chowder is another simple meal you can make with a few inexpensive ingredients.

If you make this chowder in the fall, you can use in-season fresh corn as is suggested in this celebrity chef-approved Martha Stewart recipe, found on the chef's website.

However, you can also take the easy route by choosing canned corn from the store. The chowder is flavorful yet light and uses heartwarming ingredients like heavy cream, bacon, and baby red potatoes.

Brisket is another meat that becomes super tender in a slow cooker.

Laidlaw's recipe for slow-cooked braised brisket includes garlic, onion, dry red wine, carrot, and chicken or beef stock, with a chimichurri sauce.

"Brisket is a natural partner for the slow cooker, as a gentle braise renders it meltingly tender," Laidlaw writes in "Everyday Slow Cooking."

Ribs can also be made in a Crock-Pot.

"Ribs do really well in the slow cooker, and you can always stick them under the broiler in the end to crisp them up," Laidlaw said.

Bolognese sauce is another great way to utilize your Crock-Pot.

"Bolognese is great because you can cook it for a long time," Laidlaw said. "You just have to remember that the sauce doesn't evaporate the same as it would if you were doing it on the stove. You definitely need to compensate and put less liquid in the pot if you're using a slow cooker."

You can also make mac and cheese in a slow cooker.

Celebrity chef Martha Stewart's recipe for slow-cooker mac and cheese is not only easy to make but super delicious and perfect for the fall and winter seasons.

"It is important to use pungent cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, mixed with a little Gruyere or pecorino Romano for extra bite, since the white sauce and pasta will absorb a lot of flavor," Stewart writes.

Chicken stock and broth are two kitchen staples you can make in a Crock-Pot.

Hugh Acheson's slow-cooker chicken broth is pretty simple — all you'll need is a whole chicken, salt, garlic cloves, white onions, carrots, celery, and a few seasonings to taste. 

You can find the full recipe for Acheson's chicken broth in his book, "The Chef and the Slow Cooker."

You can also make chicken soup in a slow cooker.

"A simple soup with Thai chilis, coconut milk, and lime is just wickedly good," Acheson said.

The recipe for Acheson's slow cooker chicken soup with chiles, coconut milk, and lime can be found here on Garden & Gun. Or, if you're feeling a little more adventurous, Acheson also said a slow cooker is a perfect way to make delicious chicken and dumplings.

Meatballs are another warming meal to make in a slow cooker.

Acheson points out that not only are meatballs, like the veal meatballs he includes in his book, easy and delicious to make, but they're a comforting, kid-friendly option you can make in a slow cooker.

"Slow cookers are not necessarily the best tool for cooking for one — they work so much better for nourishing an entire family," he said.

Acheson said his go-to slow-cooker meal on a cool day is lentil soup with a little sour cream.

"I usually go for something that won't take too long," Acheson said. "Usually, I go for a lentil soup with Tuscan kale and a little sour cream and herbs on top. To me, that's the type of food you want as you're watching the snow fall down."

The recipe for Acheson's lentil soup with Tuscan kale can be found here on Cup of Jo.

Acheson also points out that large batches of soup are great for the next day.

Braised and pulled chicken is another great way to use your Crock-Pot.

One of the benefits of using a slow cooker is starting with a basic protein and jazzing it up.

From Mexican food-inspired spices to Indian simmer sauces, there are tons of ways to transform simple braised or pulled chicken dishes into something show-stopping.

This recipe from Delish tells you how to make slow-cooker barbecue pulled chicken.

Pork shoulder is a slow-cooker staple you can use in a number of dishes.

"One dish I think is so versatile is pork shoulder in a slow cooker with broth and a little salt and pepper," Laidlaw said. "I just braise that and then you can turn into so many different things."

Laidlaw said that using a pork shoulder, you can make everything from pulled-pork sliders to carnitas tacos or burritos.

You can also prepare a leg of lamb in the slow cooker, but you might want to sear it first.

"Leg of lamb is so good as it breaks down in the slow cooker," Acheson said. "Cooking in the slow cooker and then finishing another way is going to make sure your meat is at its best. Whether that means re-searing the meat or throwing it under the broiler, you might want to think about other steps to really finish off your meal."

Laidlaw added, "Recipes that have you throw everything in without any prep ahead are not nearly as good or as flavorful as the ones that do. Taking ten minutes to brown the meat before you put it in or getting the onions started goes a long way to making your meals more delicious."

You can also make poached or braised fish in the slow cooker.

"It's really about rethinking recipes and figuring out how to do it in the slow cooker," Acheson said.

One of the "best recipes" Acheson said he uses from his book is one for a braised catfish stew, the recipe for which can be found on Garden & Gun.

"It's got this long-cooking, beautiful broth that's just a vision at the end," he told Business Insider. "It's got chilies, peppers, and mace — big flavors. It just works perfectly. When slow cooking, you really want to choose a dish that works well simmering potentially all day."

Goat shoulder is another delicious meal you can make in a Crock-Pot.

"These days, goat shoulder doesn't have that gamey taste it might have had before," Acheson said. "When you're talking about cooking a large piece of meat, a slow cooker is a great place to start."

You can even make a comforting dessert like cheesecake in a Crock-Pot.

One of the desserts Laidlaw includes in her book "Everyday Slow Cooking" is for gingersnap-brandy cheesecake, which would be perfect as a treat on a cold day or even a holiday dessert.

• I tried on similar pairs of wide-leg jeans at Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Gap.
• All three Gap Inc. stores had decent offerings, but my favorite jeans came from Banana Republic.
• However, I also thought the pair from Old Navy was great for the price.

Cooler temperatures have arrived, but my favorite part of the fall-to-winter transition is the style: cozy knits, chic boots, and layers that make every outfit feel effortlessly elevated. But of course, no wardrobe is complete without a good pair of jeans.

Wide-leg silhouettes continue to trend, but I have yet to find a pair that hits all the marks: a flattering fit, high-quality fabric, and a classic yet versatile wash.

So, I turned to Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy (all under the Gap Inc. umbrella) to search for the perfect pair. Here's how it went.

I started at Old Navy, which had a great selection of denim styles.

As someone on a budget, I appreciate that Old Navy offers a wide range of affordable pieces that don't sacrifice on style.

The first thing I noticed upon walking into the store was the expansive denim display near the front entrance. Jeans were neatly folded on well-organized shelves and separated by silhouette, making it easy to find what I was looking for.

I grabbed a pair of wide-leg, high-rise jeans in a medium wash that seemed fitting for the darker tones of the season.

I liked how these jeans fit me, but the material around the zipper was odd.

These jeans were long on me and would need to be hemmed, but I loved the overall fit and shape of the denim. I also appreciated the dynamic look of the wash, as it was slightly faded on the thighs and darker along the hems.

However, it seemed as though the material around the zipper didn't overlap properly, which made it appear as though the fly was down.

I also really appreciated the reasonable price point.

The material (63% cotton, 30% recycled polyester, 6% recycled cotton, and 1% spandex) felt soft and comfortable on my body, but didn't seem to be of the highest quality.

Although I prefer denim made with a higher percentage of cotton, I'd consider this option based on the low price. The jeans were originally marked at $37, but they were on sale for $28 during my visit, which I thought was an incredible deal for a stylish pair of pants.

This style was a high contender, but I decided to try my luck at the other retailers before making a decision.

Next, I went to Banana Republic.

I love Banana Republic's elevated aesthetic, so I was excited to explore the brand's denim collection.

When I walked in, I noticed the jeans were neatly folded on shelves, and the store felt chic and luxurious. However, the styles were scattered throughout the store, and the labels were small, making it a little more difficult to find what I was looking for.

Once I spotted the wide-leg silhouettes, I grabbed a pair of similar high-rise, wide-leg jeans with a slightly lighter wash. The store didn't have my exact size in stock, so I sized up.

It's also worth noting that despite my best efforts, I couldn't find the exact pair I tried on on the Banana Republic website after my visit.

These jeans were comfortable and flattering.

My first impression upon trying these jeans on was that I loved the overall style.

They featured a medium wash that was slightly distressed throughout, creating an effortlessly cool look, especially when paired with the slouchy silhouette.

The shape of the pants was also flattering on my backside and legs, which is always a plus.

In my opinion, the Banana Republic jeans would be a worthy investment.

When I looked at the tag, I noticed this pair was made of 74% cotton, 25% lyocell, and 1% spandex/elastane. With the highest percentage of cotton of the pairs I tried on, they were comfortable and breathable while still holding their structure and shape.

At $120, the Banana Republic jeans cost significantly more than those of the other retailers I visited. But in my opinion, a good pair of jeans is always a worthwhile investment. With the proper sizing, this pair is something I'd wear regularly for a long time.

I went to Gap for my final attempt at finding a great pair of denim.

Lately, I've shopped at Gap for everything from a stylish fall sweater to work-friendly pants. So, I was hopeful I'd be able to find a nice pair of jeans there.

When I walked into my local store, I found a sizable section of denim on shelves with large labels. However, I could only find one wide-leg style — the mid-rise baggy jeans, which have an extra-wide and slouchy silhouette.

When I tried the Gap jeans on, I didn't think they were flattering on my body.

This pair of jeans was oversized in the legs and length, and if it were available in-store, I would've tried on a size down. However, I did appreciate the light wash, which was classic and still had some dimension.

Overall, these were comfortable and breathable, with fabric made from 55% cotton, 40% lyocell, and 5% recycled cotton.

However, I thought the style was unflattering and overwhelmed my body type. Based on the fit, wash, comfort, and style, these were my least favorite pair of jeans out of the three options, especially considering the $90 price tag.

I'd be most likely to invest in the pair from Banana Republic.

At the end of the day, I thought all three options I tried on were decent.

The price for the Old Navy pair was hard to beat, but overall, my favorite jeans were from Banana Republic.

• Elon Musk predicts AI will make most job skills obsolete within 20 years.
• Still, he values college for social growth and broad learning, he said.
• Experts urge young people to develop critical thinking and leadership skills that AI can't replace.

Elon Musk thinks the age of human labor is coming to an end, but he's still happy for his kids to go to college.

In a conversation with investor and podcaster Nikhil Kamath, posted on Sunday, the billionaire painted a future where AI and robotics transform society so dramatically that traditional skills — even highly technical ones — may become irrelevant.

"AI and robotics is a supersonic tsunami. This is really going to be the most radical change that we've ever seen," Musk said.

At one point, he described a world less than two decades away where work becomes optional because machines can do nearly everything society needs.

"My prediction is, in less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional," he said.

Even his own children — several of whom he said are technologically adept — recognize how quickly their skills could be overtaken by AI, Musk said.

"They agree that AI will probably make their skills unnecessary in the future, but they still want to go to college."

Musk's ambivalence toward higher education

Despite his long-running skepticism about the value of formal education — he said that college is "not for learning" but for proving you can "do your chores" in 2020 — Musk took a more balanced stance here.

"I don't think you have to go to college," he told Kamath, adding that he sees higher education more as a social environment than a skills factory.

"If you want to go to college for social reasons, I think that's a reason to go — to be around people your own age in a learning environment," he said.

"If you do, just try to learn as much as possible across a wide range of subjects," he added.

A growing divide

Professors and researchers are navigating the rise of AI and its impact on learning.

Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told Business Insider last week that AI hasn't made learning irrelevant — it has revealed how shallow and mechanized much of higher education already is, and how urgently it needs reinvention.

Anastasia Berg, an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of California, Irvine, has similarly warned that overreliance on AI is eroding foundational abilities, leaving junior workers unable to function without digital hand-holding.

For younger workers in particular, several researchers say that the safest bet is not to step back from skill-building but to double down on the abilities AI can't easily replace.

James Ransom, a research fellow at University College London, told Business Insider last week that Gen Z should stop fixating on job titles and instead understand the tasks inside those roles — then show how they can supervise and scale AI more effectively than their peers.

Mark Cuban, meanwhile, believes students who learn to use AI critically will become sharper thinkers and stronger leaders, not less capable ones.

And finance veteran Quentin Nason told Business Insider in October that shrinking entry-level roles and AI-driven hiring make it more urgent than ever for young people to build real-world skills, like entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

• We moved from a Utah city with about 95,000 residents to a small town in Wyoming with about 1,000.
• Moving helped us save money, but we also had to live further from family and get used to the cold.
• We used money we saved for a down payment on land in Washington, where we plan to build a home.

The moment my wife and I finished earning our college degrees, we were ready to leave Utah.

We'd been living in Orem, a city with about 95,000 residents, while attending school nearby. Now that we weren't tied down to the area, we wanted to move elsewhere — ideally, someplace cheaper.

I'd started working as a remote freelance writer, so we were flexible on location and interested in seeing where my modest income would stretch furthest.

Most of all, we wanted to live somewhere that would help us save for a down payment on our first home. Eventually, these goals led us to a tiny town in Wyoming.

Wyoming's Bridger Valley offered lower rent, taxes, and gas prices

After learning about our moving plans, my wife's aunt suggested looking in Bridger Valley, where she and her husband lived. We're glad we did.

Located on the southwestern tip of Wyoming by the Utah border, the area had a lot of relatively affordable rentals, and we settled on an apartment in its small town of Mountain Valley.

Our rent was $650 a month — nearly half of what our existing lease would've renewed at for about the same living space. Both apartments were two-bedroom, one-bathroom units in a fourplex.

Over the next two years, we discovered other financial benefits of living in Wyoming, such as not having to pay a state income tax or sales tax on most groceries. Even gas was significantly cheaper here than it was in Orem.

As a result, we were able to save more of our income each month.

But living in a small Wyoming town also had its drawbacks

Mountain View has a population of just over 1,000, and many residents work at one of the nearby trona mines, making them a hardy group. I felt like an outlier as a remote worker, and I only met one other person who worked from home while we lived here.

Meanwhile, though we were only a two-hour drive from my wife's family in Utah, it was far enough that we saw them much less — maybe five or six times a year.

Compared to Orem, there were also fewer amenities: We had a gas station, a grocery store, a bowling alley, a tiny library, a handful of restaurants, and little else. However, we didn't mind much, especially since we made good friends at church and in the community.

The hardest part was the cold. Winter weather in the area basically lasts half the year, from about November to April, and temperatures regularly drop below freezing.

On occasion, the freeway connecting Mountain View to Utah was even closed due to dangerously icy road conditions. We stayed indoors a lot and missed Utah's milder winters.

After 2 years, we'd saved enough to buy land in Washington, where we plan to build our first home

Our move ultimately paid off.

During our time in Wyoming, we saved $20,000 to put toward just over an acre of land near my family in rural Washington.

Today, we own the land outright as we prepare to have our first home built on it. In the meantime, we're living in my parents' newly renovated ADU nearby.

Looking back, those cold Wyoming winters and quiet weekends were worth it. We traded convenience and proximity to family for financial breathing room — and in two years, that breathing room helped us buy real estate.

Plus, we came to love so much about remote small-town living, like its slower pace of life and the friends we made. For us, it was exactly the sacrifice we needed to make homeownership possible.

• Russia and Ukraine have increasingly turned to small drones controlled by fiber-optic cables.
• These drones are leaving their fiber-optic cables strewn across the battlefield.
• A Ukrainian special operator said it is forcing soldiers to move with caution.

Small unjammable drones controlled by fiber-optic cables have become so integral to Russian and Ukrainian combat operations that they are leaving trails of cabling everywhere, turning areas of the battlefield into a tangled web.

As a counter to extensive electronic warfare, fiber-optic drones are becoming increasingly prevalent on both sides. And with sprawling cables stretched across the battlefield, soldiers are moving with greater caution.

"You see the little webs, and you never know — is it from the fiber-optic drone? Or it's a part of a booby trap," Khyzhak, a Ukrainian special operator who for security reasons could only be identified by his call sign ("Predator" in Ukrainian), told Business Insider. Mines and traps have also been prominent threats in this war.

Earlier in the war, first-person-view (FPV) drones — small quadcopter-style drones fielded by both Russia and Ukraine that often carry explosive warheads — relied on radio-frequency connections. However, both sides quickly figured out how to use signal jamming to stop them.

In response, Russia and Ukraine began developing fiber-optic FPV drones that connected to their pilots using spools of long, thin cables. The cables preserved a steady link and made the quadcopters resistant to traditional electronic warfare tactics.

The best chance that soldiers have to stop the fiber-optic drones is by shooting them out of the sky, but that requires precision, quick reaction times, and a lot of luck.

The fiber-optic cables that provide these drones with their greatest advantage are also their greatest vulnerability, as they can get tangled in the environment and bring the flight to an abrupt stop. And even if they don't get tangled, the cabling is still left draped across the battlefield after use.

Khyzhak, a soldier in the 4th Ranger Regiment, a Ukrainian special operations unit modeled after its US Army counterparts, said it is very common to see fiber-optic cables everywhere because there are more and more of these drones in use, and the cables frequently get stuck in trees and fields.

The 4th Ranger Regiment shared combat footage earlier this month showing Khyzhak, along with two other operators and their driver, narrowly avoiding a Russian fiber-optic drone strike while speeding back to base after a front-line mission.

The footage shows fiber-optic cables strewn in the field next to the road and even on Khyzhak's gun.

"It was everywhere," he recalled, speaking about the September incident, where the driver skillfully maneuvered out of the path of the Russian drone, which detonated on the side of the road.

Other video footage taken from the battlefield shows how fiber-optic cables crisscross like spider webs, sometimes only visible in direct sunlight or when viewed from a certain angle.

Khyzhak said the cables are particularly annoying during nighttime missions, when special operators can't use a lot of light. He described them as a "tactical issue."

Soldiers can't always tell right away if it's a harmless fiber-optic cable or something far more dangerous, like a booby trap. This forces them to think carefully about whether they should call an engineer, destroy the web with explosives, halt, or proceed forward.

It can definitely slow down the mission, Khyzhak said, and becomes a bigger concern the closer special operators get to the front lines, or if they're working covertly in Russian-held territory.

Ukraine and Russia have expanded production of fiber-optic drones over the past year, and both sides are racing to develop variants that can fly farther across the front lines.

Russia, for instance, has begun to employ fiber-optic drones with a 50-kilometer (31-mile) range, which exceeds the distance that most known variants can travel. Cable length typically limits their range to between 10 and 25 kilometers (roughly 6 and 15 miles).

In Ukraine, fiber-optic drones have become such a threat to critical supply routes that soldiers have covered the roads with netting to protect vehicles from attacks, although it doesn't always guarantee their safety.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's defense industry is developing new countermeasures to defend against these drones. The innovations have also caught the attention of NATO leadership, which has been using lessons from the war to inform its own military planning.

• Sanders and NYC mayor-elect Mamdani joined striking Starbucks workers on a Brooklyn picket line.
• Their visit comes as Starbucks faces a record $38.9 million settlement over worker-rights violations.
• Mamdani slammed CEO Brian Niccol's record pay, saying baristas are "striking for the bare minimum."

Starbucks baristas on an open-ended strike in Brooklyn got the kind of star power most labor actions can only dream of.

Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani showed up to walk the picket line alongside them on Monday, lending momentum to a movement energized by a historic legal win.

New York City announced on Monday a $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks for what officials described as "systematic violations" of the city's Fair Workweek Law.

A multi-year investigation by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection found the coffee giant committed more than 500,000 violations across 300 stores, including arbitrarily slashing hours, unpredictable schedules, and keeping baristas involuntarily part-time.

More than 15,000 baristas in the city are now set to receive restitution checks as soon as this winter.

Against that backdrop, Sanders and Mamdani joined striking workers outside a Brooklyn Starbucks store, posing for photos and blasting the company's labor practices.

Starbucks could not be reached for immediate comment.

Scroll to see photos from the Brooklyn picket line.

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani joined the picket line on Monday

The strike — which began on Red Cup Day, historically one of Starbucks' busiest sales days where customers can get a free reusable cup with their order — has already spread to dozens of stores nationwide.

The union has warned that the work stoppage could expand to more than 500 stores if negotiations continue to stall.

Sen. Bernie Sanders marches with Starbucks strikers

Sanders, a longtime champion of labor rights, voiced support for workers demanding stable schedules and a living wage.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke to the press

Mamdani, who urged New Yorkers to boycott Starbucks during the strike last month, used the moment to reaffirm his intentions for the mayoralty.

In one photograph he shared on social media, he appeared to be holding a sign that read: "No contract, no Starbucks."

'Glad to be on the right side of the picket line with them'

Mamdani has highlighted the pay gap driving worker frustration.

In a post on X on Monday, he contrasted the company's record executive compensation with what striking baristas say are basic demands for stability and respect.

"Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol made $95 million last year. His workers are striking for the bare minimum. Glad to be on the right side of the picket line with them," Mamdani wrote.

"We are continuing to fight back against Starbucks' greed"

In a press release announcing the city's settlement, a Workers United union boss called it a "major victory."

"It shows the power baristas have when we stand together and demand change," Kai Fritz — a New York City Starbucks worker — said, which was also included in the press release. "We are continuing to fight back against Starbucks' greed and will not stop until we have a fair contract that ensures the support and protections we need to thrive."

• Melania Trump's 2025 White House Christmas decorations are more traditional than in past years.
• Donald Trump, meanwhile, has made dramatic White House design changes during his second term.
• The first lady appears to be playing it safe, while the president is doing anything but.

Gone are the bare white branches and blood-red forests that once adorned the halls of the White House in December. Instead, they've been replaced with classic Christmas trees and standard-issue garlands.

While first lady Melania Trump's Christmas decorations leaned more avant-garde in her first term, during a visit to the White House on Monday, I saw she has taken a more traditional approach in her second term as first lady.

Now, President Donald Trump is the one making dramatic White House design choices.

This year, the first lady chose to decorate the White House around the theme of "Home Is Where The Heart Is," drawing inspiration from the nostalgia of childhood toys and the transformative symbolism of butterflies, according to the 2025 "Christmas at the White House" guidebook.

Her signature detail is the red bows that appear on the 75 wreaths in the White House windows, a more conventional choice in line with past first ladies' holiday displays.

Melania Trump's yuletide aesthetic plays it safe — an approach that has been reflected in other areas of her life.

Her fashion choices have been noticeably more muted than the outfits she wore during her first term as first lady. She often opts for skirt suits in gray and beige with only the occasional vibrant piece, a departure from her statement-making and sometimes controversial style during the first Trump administration.

She also told Fox News in January that instead of residing at the White House full time, she planned to divide her time between Washington, DC, Trump Tower in New York City, and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, making her public appearances more infrequent.

Contrasting styles on display

While Melania Trump keeps a lower profile at the White House, Donald Trump's is doing anything but.

In addition to adding numerous gold embellishments to the Oval Office and portraits of himself to the Cross Hall, he oversaw the demolition of the entire East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

This disparity was evident when I visited the White House to view the Christmas decorations on Monday.

The absence of the East Entrance and East Colonnade, due to the demolition of the East Wing, left the first lady with a smaller canvas to decorate.

The halls lined with Christmas trees and garlands chosen by Melania Trump were certainly beautiful. The decor featured "Be Best" ornaments in a nod to her initiative focused on children's wellness and AI-generated, 3D printed ornaments in recognition of her Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge.

The piece of decor that attracted the largest crowd was one of Donald Trump's design contributions: a portrait by artist Marc Lipp depicting the president with his fist in the air after surviving an assassination attempt.

Melania Trump may have been the one to deck the halls, but it was Donald Trump who seemed to steal the show.