• I made eggplant Parmesan using recipes from Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, and Ina Garten.
• Flay's recipe was the most complex and time-consuming, but I ended up loving it the most.
• I would still make De Laurentiis' and Garten's recipes again on days when I have less time to cook.

Lately, I've wanted to incorporate more eggplant into my diet, but I haven't found a recipe that I really love yet. With the high cost of groceries, I want to ensure I'm not spending money to make a meal that I'm not crazy about.

That's why I decided to try a few eggplant Parmesan recipes from some of my favorite celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, and Ina Garten.

Here's how the three recipes stacked up.

Bobby Flay’s eggplant Parmesan recipe was daunting from the start.

When I first saw Bobby Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe, I knew it would be an all-day affair. Not only does it involve making your own sauce, but it also requires making and drying out the breadcrumbs, breading the eggplant, and finally, deep frying it.

This recipe took longer than the stated time.

The recipe didn't account for the time it took to do things like dry out the bread before making it into breadcrumbs, chop all the veggies and herbs, or roast red peppers for the sauce.

Even after cutting the recipe down to one-third of the original amount since I was the only person eating the meal, it still took nearly four hours to finish making it.

It was quite tedious to make Flay's version of eggplant Parmesan.

Before starting, I roasted some red peppers in the oven. Then, I had to dry out the bread, pulverize it into crumbs with a food processor, and dry out the crumbs for the eggplant breading. The crumbs were mixed with herbs, salt, and pepper to finish.

While the breadcrumbs were drying out in the oven, I also began making the sauce, which was started in a large pot, blitzed in the food processor, and then left to simmer while I fried the eggplant.

After all that, I still had to layer the sauce, eggplant, cheese, and fresh basil and bake the whole thing in the oven.

It was difficult handling all the tasks at once.

It was a bit frustrating to handle so many overlapping tasks in a small kitchen. I have to admit, though, everything looked and smelled amazing as it was cooking.

The breaded eggplant looked golden and crispy while frying, and the smell of the homemade roasted-red-pepper sauce was incredible.

From my first bite, I knew this recipe was worth making again.

Despite the long preparation time, this dish was worth the time and effort. The sauce had a good balance of sweetness, acidity, and fresh flavor from the herbs, and I loved the twist of adding roasted-red peppers. The four different cheeses, added in layers, also made it incredibly rich.

After frying and then baking, the eggplant turned out so soft that it just melted in my mouth. This, plus the cheesy layers, was balanced out by the slight crisp from the golden-brown cheese on top and the breading on the eggplant.

I will definitely make Flay's recipe again for a special meal.

My only complaint is that because the eggplant was fried, this didn't reheat well. In the future, it would definitely be worth making again for a special meal. However, I would probably make the breadcrumbs and sauce in advance to avoid tackling so many tasks at once.

The recipe from Giada De Laurentiis was surprisingly simple.

After spending a full afternoon working on Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe, it was such a relief to see the short ingredient list — including premade sauce and breadcrumbs — in the eggplant Parmesan recipe by Giada De Laurentiis.

Although I was excited to tackle an easier recipe, I wondered if something that could be made so quickly with so many premade ingredients would be any good.

I had to sub the type of eggplant, but the process was otherwise seamless.

My local grocery store doesn't sell Japanese eggplant, which is typically narrower and slightly sweeter than American eggplant.

For this recipe, I decided to substitute it with American eggplant, which is what I used in the other eggplant Parmesan dishes I tested.

De Laurentiis' eggplant Parmesan was quick and easy to make.

Aside from not having the right eggplant, this meal was easy to make.

I sliced the eggplant lengthwise to make slabs. Then, I scored the eggplant, coated it in oil and salt, and roasted it briefly in the oven.

After that, I simply had to top the eggplant with some jarred marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella, and a quick crumble made from panko breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmesan, and oil. I returned the pan to the oven for just 12 minutes before it was ready.

This is a great option for quick, weeknight dinners.

Because it took less than 45 minutes to prepare, De Laurentiis' eggplant Parmesan recipe will be one I turn to again on busier days when I want a nicer dinner.

It still tasted great, with a crispy topping and tender eggplant. I also liked the heat from the red-pepper flakes added at the end and the freshness from the torn basil.

Also, it had far less cheese than any of the other eggplant Parmesan recipes I tried. I love cheese, but it's nice to have an option where I could still taste the eggplant.

Ina Garten’s eggplant Parmesan recipe balanced homemade elements with shortcuts.

The eggplant Parmesan recipe from Ina Garten was a middle-ground of the other two extremes.

It didn't take as long as Flay's or as short as De Laurentiis' dishes to prepare, and while it had some homemade touches, like the breadcrumb topping, it also made use of premade ingredients, like marinara sauce.

The dish comes together more like a lasagna or casserole.

Rather than a slab of eggplant topped with sauce and cheese, Garten's recipe layers half-slices of roasted eggplant, sauce, cheese, and basil before topping everything with breadcrumbs.

I started by slicing the eggplant into semi-circle pieces, brushing both sides with oil, and then coating the eggplant in salt, pepper, and dried oregano.

The dish baked for about 25 minutes, and I turned the slices over 15 minutes into the baking time.

I topped the dish with breadcrumbs before putting it back in the oven.

The breadcrumbs, made from a country-style bread loaf, were combined with fresh garlic, fresh parsley, and olive oil. The garlic alone made this part smell incredible.

I layered the baking dish with jarred marinara sauce, eggplant slices, fresh basil, and three different kinds of cheese: freshly sliced mozzarella, freshly grated Parmesan, and some garlic-and-herb goat cheese.

After three layers, I topped this dish off with the breadcrumbs and returned it to the oven.

Although the goat cheese was a little overwhelming, this was an amazing eggplant Parmesan recipe.

I couldn't wait to dig into this meal when I smelled it baking. It smelled so garlicky and delicious, and it came out with a golden, crispy-breadcrumb topping and plenty of bubbling sauce and cheese. The eggplant turned out very soft and melted in my mouth, and the dish was gooey from all the cheese.

While I liked the tanginess and herby flavors from the goat cheese, I thought it was a little overpowering. I'd probably use about half as much next time.

All three recipes were good enough to make again, but Flay’s turned out to be my favorite.

It was hard to choose a favorite between Flay's and Garten's recipes. Although it took a long time to make, I ended up loving Flay's eggplant Parmesan recipe the most. Next time, I'll make some of the components in advance to make the process feel easier.

As much as I enjoyed the taste of Flay's fried eggplant Parmesan dish, I'll need to reserve it for weekends or gatherings when I have more time to cook.

For days when I am short on time, I wouldn't mind making De Laurentiis' recipe again. It was quick and easy but still tasted great.

On a normal night, when I'm not rushed for time or looking to spend several hours cooking, I'd turn to Garten's crispy, gooey eggplant parm.

• I've been a teacher for five years. I usually save all my projects and errands for summer break.
• I used to feel guilty for getting two months off while most full-time workers don't. 
• This year, I'm shortening my to-do list and using my summer to rest and spend time with my family. 

I've been a teacher for five years, and I'm finally done turning my summer break into something far from relaxing.

With my job, I know I'll have two months off when the school year ends, so I used to try to make the most of it by cramming my calendar with projects and errands.

Summer was for tasks and DIYs I was too drained to do on weeknights and weekends during the year since teaching took up so much energy.

It was for appointments that must take place during business hours, ones I felt too guilty to take time off of work for. After all, most full-time workers don't get a guaranteed two months off like me.

But by the time summer hit, I'd be stuck with a massive to-do list — and it's not like the season started as an endless empty calendar.

During this time off, many teachers must complete several days of professional development, and most of us spend a lot of time preparing our classrooms and planning for the next school year.

Some teachers don't have summers off at all. According to a recent survey conducted by We Are Teachers, 49% of teachers in the US work a second job during summer break. Many of us are also parents who take on our family's primary childcare duties, too.

Although I love spending extra time with my son, I'm basically switching from working mom to stay-at-home parent every summer, and it doesn't exactly feel like a break.

This year, I've had enough. I really need the summer to recuperate from teaching — and I don't want to feel guilty about it.

Adjusting the way I spend my summer means changing how I use my time all year

I feel immense pressure to show up as my best self for my students every day. But to do that, I have to take care of other parts of my life during the school year and actually rest during summer break.

I'm done pushing my basic needs and self-care management to only two months out of the year.

Maybe if I care for myself during the school year better I'll burn out less often — after all, some data suggests K to 12 teachers have the highest burnout rates in the US.

There's no reason I shouldn't be able to take advantage of vacation days, weeknights, and weekends like folks who work through the year without summers off.

Moving forward, I'll try not to feel guilty for using PTO during school hours for the occasional doctor's appointment. I'm going to push myself to run errands after work and complete small home projects on weekends here and there, too.

Maybe I'll even outsource some chores, like preparing dinner, or ask my husband to pitch in more when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

A large part of why I chose to be a teacher was so I'd have the same time off as my son while he's school-age. I want to make the most of my summer by spending quality time with him.

I've prioritized my to-do list so I can take time to rest

Although I still feel I should use my break wisely, I'm shifting my perspective on what it means for my time to be well-spent.

This year, I reevaluated my summer to-do list and determined what would be most helpful to accomplish and which things don't really need to happen.

For example, organizing my desk at home is an important task that will help my school year run more smoothly. But I don't need to paint every bathroom in my house this summer just because I'm craving pops of color.

As I've let myself take these kinds of home projects off of the summer list, I can breathe a little bit easier. Plus, I've caught myself enjoying the planning process much more.

Looking for design ideas in books and online has been exciting — and far more relaxing than tackling a DIY project in between errands I waited months to run.

• Democrats on Capitol Hill are struggling over how to deal with Biden.
• One lawmaker says a "plurality" of House Democrats want him out, but accept that he's staying.
• But some are pointedly refusing to take Biden's "no" for an answer.

One by one, Democratic members of Congress began to stream out of the Democratic National Committee's headquarters on Tuesday morning. Most of them said nothing, offering stone-faced expressions to the more than 60 reporters, some of them from foreign outlets, who had braved the heat and humidity to stake out the closest thing one might get to a "smoke-filled room" in the year 2024.

House Democrats had convened to discuss Biden's future. That's why we were outside the sandstone-colored walls of the DNC, where lawmakers can more freely discuss political matters, rather than in an air-conditioned hallway outside the Capitol basement conference room where these weekly meetings typically take place.

Gaggles spilled into a narrow road already clogged with cars prepared to whisk lawmakers away. Cries of "out of the street!" from nearby security officers pierced the muggy July air. It was chaotic. I check the temperature: It's 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It's only going to get hotter. "This is the worst stakeout ever," a photographer exclaims. The sweat starts to flow. One staffer, waiting to pick up their boss, remarks to me that there may be a stench in the hallways of the Capitol later.

Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee tells reporters that his colleagues are not on the same page. "We're not even in the same book," he barks. Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania dons a pair of large blue headphones, shaking her head as she walks back toward the Capitol. Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, one of the few who has publicly called for Biden to go, awkwardly fields questions from at least 20 reporters as he unlocks his bike. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, among the dozens of lawmakers who have publicly raised concerns about President Joe Biden's viability, slips behind the wheel of a blue Tesla and makes his escape.

If any consensus among lawmakers was immediately apparent, it was that it's time to pipe down, to stop feeding the press with the public waffling, the embarrassing leaks, and even the anonymous quotes that have filled Capitol Hill reporters' stories in the days since Biden's awful debate performance.

"I have heard that repeatedly for the last week: If you feel so strongly about something, put your damn name on it," one House Democrat, granted anonymity because they've all just been told to shut up, told me later on Tuesday.

An uneasy paralysis seems to have set in on Capitol Hill. The number of Democratic lawmakers publicly calling for Biden to withdraw remains in the single digits. The dam that many expected to break remains intact. Scores of Democrats, including members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, have reaffirmed their support for the president. Another cohort is proclaiming their "concerns" with the president's candidacy, offering them the necessary wiggling room to fall back in line while offering less-than-clear instructions on how Biden can achieve that. Some are insisting that Biden will "make the right decision" even though he says he's already made his decision.

A second House Democrat, also granted anonymity, said that "deep divisions" remain within the caucus over Biden and that a "plurality" of House Democrats would like to see a change to the top of the ticket, but that lawmakers have started to accept that the president won't step aside.

"People think it's a fait accompli," the lawmaker said. "He's survived. Absent him having a performance again like the debate, he's going to be the nominee."

The lawmaker went on to suggest that "they'll limit him" — "they" being the president's own campaign staffers and White House deputies — after the conclusion of this week's NATO summit in Washington, DC. "I think he'll survive to the convention if he just limits himself, at this point."

But that's not what the "concerned" crowd wants. Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio, an early adopter of that position, told me that he wants to see Biden "off-prompter, calling into radio shows, TV shows, going to rallies, talking to reporters, talking to voters."

"It is an opportunity that materializes every hour," Landsman said. "That is where I think the majority of Americans are. They want to understand that the person who is going to be running against Trump can do that."

Meanwhile, Rep. Dean Phillips, the Minnesota congressman who gave up his seat to wage a quixotic primary challenge against Biden almost exclusively over the age issue, acknowledged that he may have been right, and that some of his colleagues had told him that. Of course, he did it with the appropriate amount of solemnity.

"If this is vindication, vindication has never been so unfulfilling," Phillips said on the Capitol steps, stopping short of issuing a drop-out call himself.

'You think he's made his decision, that can be your opinion'

Hours later on the other side of the Capitol, Democratic senators are gathered in the other proverbial smoke-filled room: Their weekly lunch in the Mike Mansfield caucus room, named for the Montana senator who led the upper chamber as it passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and President Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" programs. The stench I'd been warned about — the distinct miasma of body odor — permeates the Ohio Clock Corridor, just outside the room. One could even say the vibes were rancid. Senate Republican leaders are delivering their weekly remarks to the cameras, at times struggling to be heard over the din. In the throng of reporters and staffers, I spot an aide to a Democratic senator. He appears less than thrilled. "I'd like to walk myself into the sea," he tells me.

Democratic senators start to file out. Much like their House counterparts, they're expressionless and mostly unwilling to talk, bolting as quickly as they can from the caucus room to the Senate floor. Much like the crowded street outside the DNC, it's a bit chaotic. "Clear a path!" yell press gallery staffers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer takes to the mics with Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both from Washington state, in tow. The lunch ran 45 minutes longer than usual. The trio spend 10 minutes talking up a trio of abortion-related bills pertaining to abortion rights that the Senate lacks the votes to pass. They'd much rather be talking about this issue than Biden. The assembled reporters, joined by several more TV cameras than usual, struggle to avoid looking impatient.

It's time for questions. Schumer calls on ABC's Rachel Scott, saying that he wants "to call on a woman first" since we're "talking about abortion." Scott asks if the Democratic leader is confident that Biden can win in November and serve for the next four years. "As I've said before, I'm with Joe," he replies. Schumer reiterates that phrase after two more questions about Biden, including one from CNN's Manu Raju about whether Schumer agrees with Murray's Monday evening statement that Biden "must seriously consider the best way to preserve his incredible legacy and secure it for the future." Murray had conveniently walked away less than 20 seconds earlier. "As I've said before, I'm with Joe," Schumer repeats, ending the press conference after just four questions.

It would later emerge that Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Michael Bennet of Colorado all said during the lunch that they believe Biden will lose to Trump in November. Bennet went public with his concerns on CNN later that night.

The truth is, there are no smoke-filled rooms. The Democratic Party is not especially centralized, particularly at this moment. No one can make Biden leave without it being his decision, perhaps as the result of public pressure from majorities of Democrats in each chamber. No one person can really decide what comes after that, whether it's a coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris or a free vote of the nearly 4,700 delegates to the Democratic convention in mid-August.

The president is dug in, but his political prospects seem to fluctuate by the hour, crashing and soaring on successive days as lawmakers either re-proclaim their allegiance to him or join the ranks of the dissenters. On Tuesday afternoon, hours after House Democrats' DNC meeting, Rep. Mikie Sherill of New Jersey became the seventh to call for Biden to step down. The discussion on Capitol Hill doesn't feel quite over. Democrats aren't taking "no" for an answer.

In the face of the paralysis, an emerging strategy seems to be emerging: Nudge Biden out, but make it look like his decision.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi took this tack on MNSBC on Wednesday morning, saying that it's "up to the president to decide if he is going to run" but that "time is running short."

It's also the approach taken by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who faces reelection this November in a state that could be vulnerable if Biden remains the nominee, according to recent polling. On Monday, Kaine said at an event in Richmond that Biden will "put country over self" as he makes the decision that he's apparently already made. "If he has doubts he'll level with the American public… he's going to do what's right for the country," Kaine said.

The president, of course has insisted that he has made his decision, and that he will remain the nominee. I asked Kaine at the Capitol on Tuesday if he thought Biden had made a final decision.

"Yeah, I don't know that you should necessarily assume that about Biden," Kaine said. I pressed him a bit more. After all, Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday re-affirming what he had been saying publicly for days: He's not going anywhere, enough already. In a subsequent interview on MSNBC, the president even dared his doubters to challenge him at the Democratic convention.

"You think he's made his decision, that can be your opinion, but I'm just saying that I would be careful to make an assumption," Kaine said. "It's a little bit beyond the evidence."

• Airbnb host A. Jay Allee had over 2,000 images of guests on his personal devices, authorities said.
• Allee finished his prison sentence, but some former guests worry their images could leak online.
• Airbnb banned indoor security cameras in April, but hosts and guests have long debated their use.

In the quiet Hill Country town of Comfort, Texas, Airbnb host A. Jay Allee welcomed guests to a rural retreat. Over the years, he received glowing reviews from vacationers and earned Superhost status.

During that time, he also secretly recorded images of his guests, according to a CNN investigation into the use of cameras inside short-term rentals. In February 2023, he pleaded guilty to six counts of invasive visual recording in Kendall County District Court.

Local police said that Allee accumulated over 2,000 images of guests in various stages of sleep and undress, even children. Some people photographed were even engaging in private sexual acts.

The case is part of an ongoing debate about the appropriateness of cameras at short-term rentals, which include rooms and homes listed on Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. Airbnb banned indoor security cameras in April.

Last year, before the ban, some hosts told Business Insider that they needed cameras for their own security and reassurance that their property wasn't being damaged. Some travelers, however, posted on social media that they feared hosts skirting rules to invade their privacy — even though, at that time, all security cameras had to be disclosed in the listings.

Airbnb said that less than 0.1% of stays globally last year were involved in a safety report for any reason.

"When we do receive an allegation, we take appropriate, swift action, which can include removing hosts and listings that violate the policy," an Airbnb spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider.

Allee was released from jail this past February after a one-year sentence.

His victims told CNN they felt shocked and spooked.

David Wyzynajtys, who stayed at Allee's property in July 2021, told CNN that discovering the cameras inside the home was the "scariest moment" of his life. After changing his clothes for the evening, Wyzynajtys saw the hidden cameras plugged into the wall, pointed directly at the bed.

Wyzynajtys and his girlfriend fled the property and drove 10 miles away, according to CNN. The next day, he contacted law enforcement after receiving what he described as a "negligent" response from Airbnb.

Some of Allee's victims fear that sensitive images and videos of them could be shared on the internet.

One woman, who told CNN she was recorded having sex with her husband at Allee's property, said "What is made into digital content is forever."

• A combination of inflation and wedding costs caused me to start dipping into my savings more.
• Amanda Clayman, a financial therapist, helped me create an approachable plan for budgeting.
• Looking at my finances was actually a relief, and I'm excited to try out a few ways to save.

When my fiancé and I decided to elope abroad, we thought it'd be a way to still have a beautiful ceremony and honeymoon trip in one, at a fraction of the cost of a New York City wedding.

While it'll still be a lot cheaper than renting out a restaurant or bar like we originally planned, I didn't anticipate all the costs that would add up. A combination of wedding deposits, inflation, and my laissez-faire spending habits meant I was unexpectedly dipping into my savings.

I knew I needed to budget if I wanted to keep the money I worked hard to save. To learn how, I spoke to Amanda Clayman, a financial therapist who hosts Fresh Produce Media's Audible series "Emotional Investment." In the style of a traditional therapy session, she asked me questions about my relationship with money to unpack my biggest roadblocks to saving.

I wrote down a few ideas on how I could assess my spending habits, which Clayman approved of. Then, I tracked specific habits and my overall spending over the last six months to create a realistic budget going forward.

The next step was to create a plan and attempt to budget for a month — something I tried many times but found too daunting. It ended up reassuring me about my spending habits and helping me find small, new ways to save.

Tracking only one factor made it easier to spot patterns

One of the biggest takeaways from my session with Clayman is that I'm a people-pleaser. I knew that before, but I didn't realize how much it influenced my spending habits. As Clayman herself did in her 20s, I'm accustomed to throwing down my card at dinners, regardless of whether others ordered more or if I didn't really want multiple appetizers.

Mapping out my social spending helped me zoom in on where I already know I spend the most since I'm usually good at saying no to unnecessary expenses otherwise.

I also saw that social outings aren't the only place I overspend. I tend to buy a lot of gifts and like to treat friends and family, but stubbornly invented a rule in my head that a present has to be $50 to "count." I reassessed where I might be slightly overdoing it and where I could scale back without feeling cheap or inconsiderate.

Clayman had a great tip: instead of berating myself when I look at my credit card charges, she invited me to "remember and in fact almost luxuriate in the things that you love about spending," whether a dinner with friends recharges me or a cocktail date night with my partner makes us feel more connected. That way, I could "capture that spirit in other kinds of activities that in the next month might be a little bit more budget-friendly."

I didn't lose as much money as I thought

As Clayman suggested, I reviewed my spending over the last six months and conducted a year-over-year comparison between June 2024 and June 2023.

Examining my activity, I lost a little over $1,200. When I factor in the money automatically accrued in my high-yield and CD accounts, it drops to about $870. Comparing this June to last June, when I went on a trip to Italy, I actually spent around $300 less.

Tracking my weekly spending also helped me celebrate a win: I paid off a huge statement without dipping into my savings at all.

While losing money is not ideal, I also didn't squander the thousands I thought I did. Clayman said budgeting via auto-save features and apps, which I use, can make the process more disengaging and confusing. Because I kept sending Venmo payments back and forth as well as adding savings only to take them away again, I always felt like I was draining all my money.

The wedding in particular involved a lot of pre-paid expenses that seemed to come up every month. Going forward, Clayman said we can create a post-wedding timeline for more serious savings.

Budgeting ties into my other goals

I initially reached out to Clayman because I wanted to save more for my future, particularly for my future children.

But I also wanted to be a person who doesn't take money for granted, even when I feel more financially secure. While I love traveling and trying out new restaurants, I don't want vacation and Aperol spritzes to define my personality (at least, not all of it).

Clayman said that budgeting isn't just about mechanically capping off how much you spend. It's about having a clear-eyed view of your spending and confronting the parts of yourself that might be self-sabotaging.

"That little bit of discomfort is purposeful," she said. "It helps when you are doing something that's bringing your authentic self more vulnerably and honestly out."

There's been so much I've wanted to change, even before budgeting came into the equation. I've wanted to drink less. I've wanted to cook more, especially when hosting friends. I've wanted to get into a craft like pottery, where I could even make more personal gifts. Mostly, I've just wanted to be someone who can say "no" to plans that burn me out.

Doing my best to adhere to a 50-30-20 budget pushes me to be more inventive about how I socialize. Being upfront about saving also helps me brainstorm lower-budget plans.

Clayman said that mindset is vital when you try to save. Seeing this as an opportunity to become a more honest and creative person makes budgeting feel less like a punishment or chore. Instead of limiting me, it shows me where I can keep growing.

• Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said it's up to Biden to decide if he'll continue his reelection bid.
• But the former speaker seemingly didn't give a definitive endorsement of him staying in the race.
• "I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that's the way it is," she said on MSNBC.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said it's up to President Joe Biden to decide whether he'll proceed with his reelection bid, but added that "time in running short" for the Democratic incumbent.

While speaking on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Pelosi — known for her blunt and straightforward nature — seemingly declined to give a firm endorsement of Biden continuing with his campaign.

"It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," she said on the program. "We're all encouraging him to to make that decision. Because time is running short."

She added: "I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that's the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with."

Pelosi has long been a major political ally of Biden, helping shepherd key pieces of legislation like the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act through Congress earlier in his term.

But Biden's post-debate standing represents one of the most difficult periods of his political career, as many Democrats remain dismayed by his performance against former President Donald Trump.

While several House Democrats have called on Biden to step aside as the party's nominee, no sitting Democratic senator has publicly asked him to do so. But several allies — from Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to Jon Tester of Montana — have called on Biden to demonstrate to the electorate that he'd be able to effectively wage campaign.

After days of Democratic unrest, Biden earlier this week emphatically insisted that he wouldn't end his campaign.

But during the MSNBC interview, Pelosi said that she wanted to circle back to discussions about Biden's candidacy after the NATO summit being held in Washington. As Biden hosts world leaders in the nation's capital over the next several days, other Democratic leaders will also be closely watching to see how he performs on such a highly visible stage.

"Let's just hold off," she said. "Whatever you're thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don't have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week."

According to New York Magazine, there's a new status symbol dog for the very rich. It's not a Goldendoodle (or any doodle mix) — or even anything you can fit in a purse.

It's a guard dog—specifically, a guard dog trained by Svalinn, a Montana-based breeder and training outfit that specializes in "protection dogs." (Its website says it avoids the negative connotation of the term "attack dog.")

The Svalinn dogs are bred as a mix of German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, and Belgian Malinois on a ranch in Montana. They cost around $150,00 each. (New York Magazine's Ben Ryder Howe talked to a couple who own two, and the dogs are said to also be loyal and friendly, not just for standing guard.)

But it might be worth it to buy now — a representative for Svalinn told Business Insider that they're expecting prices to rise over the next few years because of the increased costs of the two- to three-year training.

And hey, can you really put a price on a furry best friend? (Yes, apparently).

• Menards home-improvement stores earned John Menard Jr. his $22.2 billion fortune.
• The Midwest chain is different from other stores, with mail-in rebates and no installation services.
• I visited a Menards in Milwaukee and was surprised by its size and enormous selection.

If you've spent any time in the Midwest, chances are the "Save big money at Menards" jingle is permanently embedded in your brain.

Menards, the home-improvement chain founded by John Menard Jr., is known for its discounted prices, mail-in rebates, and quirky Midwestern charm. The company helped Menard Jr. achieve billionaire status with a net worth of $22.2 billion, according to Forbes, making him the richest person in the state of Wisconsin.

Last year, Menards earned $13.4 billion in revenue, Forbes reported, making it the third-largest home-improvement chain in the US behind Home Depot and Lowe's.

During a trip to my hometown in Wisconsin in May, I accompanied my dad, a frequent Menards shopper, on one of his trips to see what has made it such a successful business.

As the founder of home-improvement retailer Menards, John Menard Jr. is Wisconsin's richest billionaire with a net worth of $22.2 billion.

Menard Jr. is the 89th richest person in the world, Forbes reported.

After spending a summer constructing pole buildings to put himself through college at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, he started a construction company in 1958, according to Menards' official website. That led him to the building-materials business, and he opened the first Menards retail location in 1964.

Now with over 300 locations across 15 Midwestern states, the chain sells a wide variety of home-improvement tools and building materials as well as appliances, lighting, furniture, and groceries.

Menard Jr. is a controversial figure known for his frugality and iron-handed management style. A 2007 Milwaukee magazine profile reported that managers are fined $100 for every minute a store opens late, and Forbes reports that even top executives are still required to clock in.

In 1997, Menard Jr. was fined over $1.5 million and pleaded no contest to charges regarding illegal hazardous waste disposal. Prosecutors alleged he used his personal pickup truck to take dangerous chemicals from the business to deposit them in his household trash, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Menards paid another $2 million in 2005 for violating state water-pollution laws in Wisconsin.

His personal conduct has also come under scrutiny with a 2013 lawsuit alleging he pressured the wife of one of his business partners to have sex with him and fired her husband when she refused. Menard Jr. denied any inappropriate conduct, his attorney told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Menard Jr. is also an avid race-car enthusiast, sponsoring Menards race cars at NASCAR and IndyCar events.

I visited a Menards store in Milwaukee for the first time.

The Menards store I visited in Milwaukee's Northridge neighborhood spans a whopping 162,300 square feet, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

In the parking lot, Menards pickup trucks were available to rent to bring home large purchases.

The pickup trucks cost $18.95 for the first 75 minutes, $6 for each additional 15 minutes, and 50 cents for each mile driven, according to the Menards website.

I was surprised to find one-way gates at the entrance to help prevent theft.

Most stores I visit in the Midwest don't have extensive security measures. When I compared shopping at Target in New York City and Wisconsin, I found the New York location featured "secured shelves" and locked cases, while even limited-supply items were kept on open shelves in the Midwest.

Menard Jr. is known to be serious about anti-theft measures. He set a policy that store managers cannot build their own houses to prevent them from stealing supplies, Milwaukee magazine reported.

Walking in, I was immediately shocked by how large the store was.

The aisles seemed to go on forever.

Our first stop was the grocery section, which sold snacks, beverages, and other basics.

Menards didn't have a produce section, but it did have a refrigerated section with gallons of milk and frozen food.

Grocery items at Menards were significantly cheaper than local grocery chains.

For example, a family-size box of Honey Bunches of Oats cost $4.93 at Menards. At Metro Market, a Midwestern grocery chain, the same box cost $6.29. I see why my dad swears by it.

I came across some unique products I'd never seen before, like Hydrox sandwich cookies.

Oreos were created as an imitation of Hydrox cookies but eventually superseded them in popularity, making Hydrox look like the knockoff. I'd never even heard of Hydrox cookies until I saw them at Menards.

Menard Jr.'s involvement in racing was evident in the packaging of the locally brewed Sprecher root beer.

The root beer was labeled as the official craft soda of the Automobile Racing Club of America's Menards Series. A 24-pack cost $19.99.

Some aisles also featured photos of Menards race cars.

Menard Jr.'s son, Paul Menard, raced in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The lighting section glowed with lightbulbs, chandeliers, and other fixtures.

The items also featured QR codes to scan for online shopping.

Counters, cabinets, and bathroom vanities looked ready to install.

Unlike other home-improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, Menards doesn't offer installation services. Instead, it directs customers to local service providers so the store doesn't act as a competitor to the contractors who shop there.

The lumberyard was big enough for multiple semi-trucks to load up on supplies.

Milwaukee magazine reported that Menard Jr. used to recycle wood scraps and heat stores with the leftovers.

The outdoor-living section sold an impressive array of furniture.

The section also included grills, gazebos, and swing sets.

With spring arriving, the garden center was in full bloom.

The gardening section sold potted plants as well as seeds, soil, outdoor decor, and gardening tools.

Menards had a little bit of everything, including shelves of "As Seen On TV" products.

The section featured Mike Lindell's MyPillow, Ped Egg callus removers, and portable handheld fans, among other items.

It even sold its own swag.

I could see how Menards, a family-owned Midwestern brand, would inspire the kind of loyalty that would make people want to wear its hats.

Another characteristic of shopping at Menards is its mail-in rebate.

On the day I visited, Menards was offering an 11% rebate in the form of a merchandise credit check if you mailed in a receipt and a completed form. The rebate percentage fluctuates, but the system is a hallmark of the Menards shopping experience and helps keep its prices even lower.

While I'm not a DIY-er myself, I was impressed by Menards' low prices, huge stock, and unique policies.

Even long after I left the store, I couldn't get the "Save big money at Menards" jingle out of my head.

• Costco hourly workers in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada are getting raises later this month.
• Pay at both ends of the scale will increase by $1 per hour, CEO Ron Vachris said in a memo obtained by BI.
• The raise follows several increases in recent years as Costco tries to stay competitive on wages.

Costco has long been one of the highest-paying employers in retail — a reputation on track to continue as hourly workers in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada are scheduled for raises later this month.

In a memo to employees on Monday obtained by Business Insider, CEO Ron Vachris said pay for service assistants, service clerks and meat cutters at both ends of the wage scale will increase by $1 per hour.

That brings the starting wage for those roles to $19.50 per hour — a gain of 5.4% for the lowest earners.

Vachris said the raises will take effect July 22 and are part of the company's "efforts to ensure our hourly wages remain highly competitive in the industry."

The median Costco employee made $50,202 in wages and benefits last year —better than those at Walmart, who earned $27,136, and Target, who earned $25,993.

Costco said in the memo that incremental steps on the wage scale, determined by seniority, will increase by 50 cents.

The company did not respond to BI's request for comment ahead of publication, but one source told BI the raise applies to nearly all hourly employees, with top-end clerks set to earn $30.15 per hour.

The raise follows several increases in recent years, including a 50-cent hike in March.

The wholesale club delivered two hikes in 2021, with then-CEO Craig Jelinek saying higher wages are "good business" that helps reduce turnover.

You can read the Costco CEO's memo to workers below:

Increases to Hourly Wage Scales
To: All U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada employees
From: Ron Vachris

As part of our continuing efforts to ensure our hourly wages remain highly competitive in the industry, effective July 22, 2024, we will adjust hourly wage scales for employees in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada as follows:

• Starting rates for Service Assistants, Service Clerks and Meat Cutters will increase by $1.00/hour.
• Top-of-scale rates for Service Assistants, Service Clerks and Meat Cutters will increase by $1.00/hour.
• All other steps on these hourly scales will increase by $0.50/hour.

Please contact your GM or Payroll Clerk with any questions.
Thank you for all you do for Costco and for each other

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Halfway through the week! Have an extra $22 million lying around? Check out this newly listed ranch in Montana, which was once home to a Soviet Union pilot who defected to the West.

In today's big story, we're looking at why pricing is so weird these days.

What's on deck:

• Markets: Forget AI. JPMorgan says these three sectors could offer gains like "coiled springs."
• Tech: Staff say Tesla prioritizes VIP data to train its self-driving cars.
• Business: Beige begone. Colorful, wacky homes are in.

But first, that costs how much?!

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

The age of wild price swings

If the cost of living in America is giving you whiplash right now, you're not alone.

Over the past few years, we've (perhaps begrudgingly) grown accustomed to dynamic pricing. Whether it's the cost of Ubers, airline tickets, or popular artists' concerts, prices that fluctuate based on market conditions are the new norm.

But after a few years of infecting big-ticket items, writes Business Insider's Emily Stewart, wildly varying prices are coming to everyday items — and it's driving Americans crazy.

Remember Wendy's "dynamic pricing" fiasco? The fast-food chain botched the rollout of its new variable price model and had to insist it wouldn't be used to charge more during peak hours. More recently, Walmart introduced digital price tags, which some people said could be used for variable pricing. (Walmart said its "everyday low price" strategy isn't changing.)

And when prices aren't fluctuating, they're simply higher: Everything from fast food to new homes has shot up in price since the pandemic.

The result can be maddening, especially when we can clearly remember a time when prices felt more reasonable. The constantly changing costs have consumers feeling a sense of price fatigue, Emily writes.

Sometimes, the only way out is through.

How do you begin to fix — or even just accept — such astronomical pricing? Emily writes that most economists agree that government-mandated price-fixing isn't the way to go about it. And while inflation is getting better, the potential of it getting worse again still looms.

Then there's the problem of AI-powered price gouging.

BI recently reported that companies use artificial intelligence to figure out how much you make, where you're located, and what kind of mood you're in — and use it to calculate exactly how much you'd be willing to pay for something.

And you can't fight algorithms that know you better than you know yourself.

So, as Emily writes, you can't fault anyone for feeling a certain sense of doom and gloom about the economy. Heck, some people have come to feel like the middle-class American dream is out of reach entirely.

In times like this, she says, the only way to get used to such high prices is to try to forget what those numbers were in 2019.

3 things in markets

1. Forget AI — look into these three underbought areas. Investors are still caught up in the artificial intelligence frenzy, but unrealized upside exists in the semiconductor, rail and parcel, and home improvement sectors. According to JPMorgan, they could offer gains like "coiled springs."
2. EV stocks roar to life. Electric vehicle stocks are soaring as second-quarter deliveries trounced Wall Street estimates. Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Group have all seen major rebounds, a promising sign for the sector.
3. How to avoid a recession. Artificial intelligence, immigration, and rich people will save the US economy from a decline, according to Michael Arone, a State Street investment strategist.

3 things in tech

1. Not all self-driving cars are created equal. Tesla employees were told to prioritize data from self-driving cars belonging to Elon Musk and other VIPs. Current and former staffers say the result was excessive attention to routes frequented by high-profile drivers — and an uneven use of Tesla's resources.
2. "Fightertown, USA" gets an AI revamp. San Diego was once home to a Navy pilot program that inspired the movie "Top Gun." Four decades later, defense tech startups are bringing the aviation boom back, with a twist: The new aircraft don't have pilots at all. They're powered by AI.
3. TikTok's music AI chatbot could help it take on Spotify. The new AI assistant, Tonik, can curate a specific playlist based on any mood, help users discover new music, and more. BI tested it out last month and was pretty impressed — but it still has some work to do.

3 things in business

1. Wacky homes are all the rage. Thanks to the viral Instagram account "Zillow Gone Wild," kooky, colorful, and maximalist homes are having a moment. Distaste for cookie-cutter houses and exasperation with the age of beige drive demand for homes with a lot more flavor.
2. The world's richest people are flocking to Idaho. Billionaires are swarming Sun Valley for an annual summit of the rich, and their private jets are overwhelming the ski town's tiny airport. An official guest list of the "summer camp for billionaires" isn't public, but we have some ideas about who's attending.
3. Sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer for that flying car. Pivotal, the flying-car venture backed by Google cofounder Larry Page, delayed its first shipments to customers by another nine months. It now expects to deliver the airborne autos in spring 2025.

In other news

• Kamala Harris is in a tough spot.
• A Wall Street analyst who wrote a blistering open letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy last year now sees big improvements.
• Pressure is mounting on Biden to take a cognitive test. It could be a 'slippery slope' for future presidents, experts say.
• Software security startup Chainguard is raising a new funding round at a $1.1 billion valuation, sources say.
• Beware, Elon Musk — BYD just took its next step to world domination.
• Days after his big Biden interview, George Stephanopoulos says the man won't make it through 4 more years in office.
• Meta and TikTok are the top choices for brands looking to find new customers — but Snap could be more cost-effective.
• Dyson is laying off about 1,000 workers amid 'fierce and competitive global markets.'
• A former Wall Street Journal reporter said she was put on a PIP after requests to work remotely. Now she's suing the news outlet.
• Multimillionaire real estate brothers facing sexual assault accusations are now the focus of an FBI probe.

What's happening today

• President Biden meets new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party trounced incumbent Rishi Sunak's Conservatives in last week's election.
• Fed Chair Jerome Powell presents the Semiannual Monetary Policy report in Congress.
• Samsung hosts a Galaxy Unpacked event, featuring new product launches.

The Insider Today team: Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.