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Happy Saturday! After deciding to move to Bali on a cold NYC day, one couple is selling their tropical escape. See inside their rustic-luxury villa on the market for $1.89 million.

On the agenda:

• Travel agents are so back.
• Inside America's fastest-growing city.
• Our guide to finding the right cruise line.
• The best foods to keep your brain healthy.

But first: A chat with "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Rob McElhenney.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

Rob McElhenney's many hats

Rob McElhenney breezed into a sun-lit photoshoot studio in Culver City, Los Angeles. He was running behind schedule, but he was ready.

Looking at McElhenney on set while we shot Business Insider's latest digital cover story, you would've never guessed his morning started with a flat tire. McElhenney was charming, engaged, and curious.

It's those qualities that have turned the actor into a multihyphenate. Not only is he the creator of "Always Sunny," but he also co-owns Wrexham AFC, the oldest English football club in Wales. His ownership of the team is documented on his other hit show, "Welcome to Wrexham," which recently ended its third season.

McElhenny now has his sights set on something bigger, and he lays out his ambitious new plan in our profile, written by Samantha Rollins and Lucia Moses.

His "Wrexham" costar and co-owner, Ryan Reynolds, says McElhenney is the one to bet on.

"If you need to overcome a problem or manifest a miracle, tell Rob it's impossible," he told BI.

Travel agents are back

Following the pandemic-era lockdowns, people are hungry for travel. Millennials and Gen Zers in particular are fueling a travel boom — but they don't want to plan their own trips.

Instead of booking online themselves, 38% of Gen Z and millennial respondents said they preferred using a travel agent. The interest in having someone else plan a vacation is returning travel agents to their '90s glory.

How travel agents came roaring back.

Everyone's moving to Texas

Movers from all corners of the US are flocking to Celina, Texas, a small town about 41 miles north of Dallas. You won't find a bustling shopping mall in Celina, but it does have one commodity in abundance: newly built-homes.

Major cities in Texas have long spearheaded the state's rampant population growth, but smaller, lesser-known spots like Celina are now taking the lead. That's partly because they offer what many big cities can't: low costs, a chill lifestyle, and homes.

Inside America's fastest growing city.

The right cruise for you

Thinking of booking a cruise? It's important to remember that not all cruises are created equal.

Each cruise line has amenities, entertainment, and experiences tailored to specific cruisers. For example: Carnival is good for families, while Cunard is a high-end option for mature travelers.

An avid cruiser explains.

Also read:

• I always book rooms near staircases on cruises. If you pick the right part of the ship, your vacation will be way better.

Food for thought (literally)

According to Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and professional chef, you can eat your way to a younger, healthier brain.

Naidoo told BI that what you eat can significantly boost your brain power and mood. She also shared the seven foods for a healthy brain — and gut — that are always on her grocery list.

See all the foods that make her list.

What we're watching this weekend

"House of the Dragon": Season 2 of HBO's "Game of Thrones" prequel premieres Sunday.

"Bridgerton": Netflix's hit romantic drama released the (extremely steamy) second half of its third season.

"Monkey Man": Dev Patel's directorial debut, an action thriller about an underground street fighter, is now streaming.

See the full list

Deals we love

• Designer swimwear sale: Summersalt is holding a 30% off sale featuring its stylish and supportive one-pieces, bikinis, and more.

  Save on concerts and live events: Get $20 off tickets to your next music festival, concert, or sporting event with our exclusive discount from Vivid Seats.

  These shoes are made for walking: And that's just what we did. More than 50 miles later, here are the top 10 walking shoes for women.

More of this week's top reads:

• The 48 best gifts you can still give Dad this Father's Day.
• This one cheap, simple amenity should be in every hotel room.
• What it's like growing up in Lithuania, the happiest place on Earth for people under 30.
• I don't like dogs, and it's messing up my dating life.
• My group of 12 paid $35,000 for an all-inclusive week in a huge villa.
• What to do if a fellow airplane passenger insists you switch seats.
• We're having two weddings so our queer friends don't have to go to Florida.
• Review: Staying at the Waldorf Astoria in Rome.

• Inside a 5-star hotel in Panama City's richest neighborhood.

  ---

  The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor-in-chief, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London.

• Kayla Corbitt is a military wife and nonprofit founder who turned down a job because of childcare.
• She spent $5,000 for four months' worth of part-time daycare services while she searched for work.
• Corbit says many military families need help with navigating the childcare system.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kayla Corbitt, a 35-year-old nonprofit founder and military wife from San Antonio, Texas, about having to turn down a job because of childcare. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I had my first child in 2018 when my husband, who is in the military, and I lived on a military base in Italy. We were planning to move back to the United States, so I began learning about childcare programs for military families in the US. I found a program called the 90-day Looking-for-Work program that would cover childcare for 90 days while I looked for a job.

My goal was to look for a job once we returned to the US and get childcare funding from the DoD. We couldn't afford daycare without it.

In April 2019, we moved back to the US into the DMV area. I felt confident about moving back and resettling in the US. We had to spend a couple thousand dollars to relocate, but we had about $8,000 left in savings when we got approved for the 90-day "Looking for Work" childcare subsidy.

Thirty days after I enrolled my son into daycare, I found out the center hadn't been getting paid. I went back and forth with the program for another three months while my child attended daycare centers that turned out to be no longer approved by the program.

Eventually, my family was denied reimbursement. We spent almost all of the savings we had left on daycare costs.

I got a job offer but couldn't accept it because of childcare issues

For four months, my husband and I paid out of pocket for the daycare center while waiting to get approved. We used up about $5,000 of our savings, paying $834 a month for part-time childcare in addition to the downpayment and other fees.

In the meantime, I got a job offer. I went through the hiring process, including the interview and background check with a company that is a contractor for the DoD. They offered me $40,000 a year for the job. However, after being continuously denied for the daycare center and spending all our savings on childcare, I declined the job offer to stay home with my child.

My husband's income barely met our needs, so I needed a job, but I couldn't afford to pay any more money out of pocket for the daycare center.

We lost so much money while trying to find an approved daycare center that we ended up living paycheck to paycheck for a year.

My family had to take out a $2,000 loan

After about a year, we had to take out an Army Emergency Relief loan for $2,350. This is a loan given to military families for financial assistance. It was a shameful experience.

Since we couldn't get approved for the 90-Day Looking-for-Work program, I applied to another childcare subsidy program for military families, the MCCYN+ program. We got approved by this program and began looking for daycare centers that it would approve. I also began applying for more jobs.

In September 2020, I finally found a daycare center that qualified for a military assistance program. This time, I knew I couldn't rely on the information on the DoD website, so I became an expert on daycare certifications and the vetting process.

Around the same time, I got another job offer. I coordinated starting the new job and getting the new daycare center approved so that I wouldn't have to pay out of pocket and could start saving money.

Many military families need help with childcare

I accepted my new job offer and was hired as a contractor for the Military Family Readiness System. I helped military families find resources to improve their lives during that time. Once I started working, we could repay the loan and save again.

Because I became an expert in this situation, I began advocating for other military families. I founded a nonprofit, Operation Childcare Project, where we conduct case management for military and veteran families who need help understanding and navigating childcare.

Many military families like mine need help with childcare. My case is not unique.

If you have a unique childcare experience or hack and want to share your story, please email Manseen Logan at mlogan@businessinsider.com

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

Welcome back to our Sunday edition. Happy Father's Day to those celebrating.

There are YouTubers, and then there's MrBeast. While many aspire to make a little money from the platform, Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, makes a lot: Court documents reveal he expects to make $700 million in revenue this year.

On the agenda today:

• After years of languishing, Abercrombie is back from the dead.
• Meta VPs are getting squeezed out amid a "permanent" efficiency mode.
• An NYC luxury developer's empire is starting to show cracks.
• It's time to stop having "emotional check-ins" at work.

But first: Why Apple might have the best hand in AI.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

Apple's intelligence

Another week, another AI-focused tech event. First there was OpenAI's spring update, then Google I/O, and then Microsoft Build. Last week, Apple joined the fray.

The tech giant's WWDC event didn't disappoint. CEO Tim Cook unveiled Apple Intelligence, a generative AI system partly powered by ChatGPT (for now). Wall Street cheered, making Apple the most valuable US company for a period.

Some of the smartest minds in tech applauded Apple's strategy. Why?

For one, Apple is applying artificial intelligence to a narrower set of quotidian tasks. As Katie Notopoulos noted, it appears to be a kinder, gentler AI. (On the other hand, a whole bunch of startups have reason to be fearful.)

Assuming Apple Intelligence works as intended, there will be even more reason to switch to or stay with Apple. It could also drive hardware upgrades and push revenue per user higher.

It also emerged that Apple is not paying OpenAI for the ChatGPT integration. Apple gets the benefits for its users while OpenAI foots the bill for the computing costs. Apple also stressed the door is still open to working with Google, giving it leverage to play OpenAI and Google off against each other. It's a power move that demonstrates Apple's incredible reach.

Add it all together, and, as Linette Lopez writes, Apple may be the one Big Tech company getting AI right.

Abercrombie has returned

In a time where fashion fads are faster than ever and many brands are struggling, Abercrombie & Fitch has executed a remarkable turnaround.

The clothing brand, once known for its dark, cologne-drenched stores and attractive employees, languished for a decade. But it's recently begun wooing millennial and Gen Z shoppers — and Wall Street is loving it, too.

How Abercrombie rose from the dead.

Meta VPs on the chopping block

Mark Zuckerberg's efficiency strategy is hitting Meta's upper ranks. The company is looking to trim the number of VPs from over 300 to about 250, three people told BI.

That means executives aren't safe from high performance standards and intense head-to-head evaluations. Mid-year performance reviews and "stack ranking" are just a few of the hurdles facing VPs.

The effects of Zuck's "permanent" efficiency.

A luxury developer's big challenges

Michael Shvo made a name for himself first as a broker, then as a developer of glitzy projects in New York City.

Shvo has long had a Midas touch. Over the past few years he's snapped up roughly $3 billion of US property with the help of German investors. But a soft real estate market and a trail of angry business partners and customers are threatening to thwart his big plans.

The cracks in Shvo's empire are starting to show.

Your manager is not your therapist

In a 2023 survey, nearly half of Gen Zers said they're fine talking about mental health at the office. Managers have said their young employees have no qualms about openly discussing it.

There's just one problem: A workplace overly focused on mental health isn't always a recipe for better mental-health outcomes. In fact, some researchers think talking about your struggles too much can actually make them worse.

What Gen Z gets wrong about the workplace.

This week's quote:

"Get in asap, we're going to Pluto."

A Redditor's post to r/WallStreetBets in 2020, as chronicled by a new book on the GameStop frenzy.

More of this week's top reads:

• Clarence Thomas raised him "as a son." Now he's facing 25-plus years on weapons and drug charges.
• Millennium is backing Coatue star Aaron Weiner's new hedge fund.
• The age of geriatric millionaires is upon us.
• An overemployed Gen Zer describes the sacrifices of trying to reach FIRE status.
• All-powerful CEOs wrecked the tech industry. Here's who can save it.
• Meet 60 of the top angel investors who back B2B startups.
• A list of all the biggest cases and investigations on Elon Musk's docket.
• America's real geographic divide is between bosses and their employees.

• Inside Henrik Fisker's second failed automotive startup.

  ---

  The Insider Today team: Matt Turner, deputy editor-in-chief, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• Season three of "Bridgerton" focuses on Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington's romance.
• The finale, released on Thursday, sets up several future storylines.
• Here's where Colin, Penelope, and more members of the ton end up.

Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for season three, part two of "Bridgerton."

The second half of "Bridgerton" season three aired on Thursday, bringing Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington's friends-to-lovers romance to a close.

As is standard with the series, these two got their happily ever after. But what happened to everyone else?

Here's a breakdown of where each prominent character wound up at the end of the season.

Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington get married and have a baby.

After traveling for a couple of months, Colin (Luke Newton) returns to the ton with more swagger and confidence, quickly becoming one of the most eligible bachelors of the season. Meanwhile, Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), after overhearing Colin's unkind comments last season, has put her longtime, unrequited crush on him aside to focus on finding a husband and getting out of the Featherington house.

Colin offers to give Penelope lessons in charm to attract suitors, but in doing so, he finally develops romantic feelings for her. After a steamy makeout in a carriage during episode five, they immediately get engaged.

But Penelope's Lady Whistledown secret threatens their relationship. During episode six, Colin catches Penelope delivering a new issue to the printer. Despite being angry with Penelope about her Lady Whistledown persona, he goes through with the wedding anyway, claiming it's out of honor since the two had already had sex.

Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), who pretends to be Lady Whistledown for the reward, also finds out Penelope's secret and attempts to blackmail her. Penelope comes up with a smarter plan. Instead, she sends Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) a letter as Lady Whistledown and asks if she could address the public herself and plead her case.

Penelope is unmasked as Lady Whistledown at the ball and says that she was careless with the power she gained from writing as Whistledown but would be more responsible if the queen allowed her to continue. The queen doesn't punish Penelope and Colin ends up forgiving her — and admitting that he was envious of her success and bravery.

The epilogue, which takes place months later, reveals that Penelope gave birth to a baby boy and Colin published a book about his travels, called "Traveling With Myself."

The finale ends with Penelope retiring her literary persona, and formally introducing herself as Penelope Bridgerton in her column.

Kate and Anthony move to India ahead of the birth of their first child.

Kanthony's season three storyline focuses on the couple enjoying marital bliss and trying to produce an heir. After extending their honeymoon to prioritize their own happiness, Kate (Simone Ashley) returns to the ton pregnant with the couple's first child.

In part two, after the Polin wedding, Kate talks about missing India and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) tells her that he'd like to see her home country soon, before their baby is born. Then, he comes up with the idea for them to move to India.

Kate is a bit unsure at first, but Anthony explains that he wants their child to grow up as a Sharma and know their history.

Because the journey takes months, Kate and Anthony leave town shortly after so they can prepare for their baby's birth in India.

Benedict Bridgerton decides that he's not ready to settle down yet and wants to keep exploring his freedom.

Season three of "Bridgerton" introduces Benedict's (Luke Thompson) new love interest, a forward-thinking widow named Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New). They end up having a casual relationship and she introduces Benedict to another of her friends, Paul, who has been intimate with both men and women.

In part two, Benedict has a threesome with Tilley and Paul. But Benedict and Tilley's romance comes to an end because she develops deeper feelings and wants to be more than friends with him. Although Benedict thinks Tilley is "extraordinary," he's not ready for a serious relationship because she opened him up to new, freeing experiences and he doesn't want to give that up yet.

"The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know," Benedict tells Eloise. "It feels right now that the next thing I might learn may change me entirely."

Little does Benedict know that his life is going to change soon, in the next season of "Bridgerton."

The season three finale includes a scene heavily implying that Benedict's love story will be the focus of season four. During a conversation with Eloise, she says that she'll return to town in time for their mom's masquerade ball.

"I will be there, hiding out behind a mask, avoiding eligible ladies like the plague," Benedict retorts.

Francesca Bridgerton marries John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin, and moves to Scotland.

Francesca (Hannah Dodd), the third-eldest Bridgerton daughter, became more prominent in season three after making her debut in society.

She's more shy and introverted than her siblings but forms an instant connection with a similarly reserved man named John Stirling (Victor Alli). After getting married at the Bridgerton house during a small ceremony, Francesca and John prepare to relocate to his primary estate in Scotland.

Francesca explains to her mom that moving to a quieter, more peaceful place will allow her to get to know herself better and learn who she is.

The finale also plants the seeds for the major component of Francesca's story — her eventual romance with John's cousin. At the final ball of the season, Francesca is introduced to John's cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) and immediately gets flustered in front of her. Francesca is last seen heading to Scotland in a carriage with John, Michaela, and Eloise.

In Quinn's book series, Francesca is married to John for a short amount of time before he dies unexpectedly. His cousin, Michael Stirling, becomes the new earl. Years later, Francesca and Michael reconnect and get married.

Eloise joins Francesa and John in Scotland so she can see more of the world.

Season three kicks off with Eloise forming an unexpected friendship with Cressida and trying to fit in with the other ladies of the ton after the Lady Whistledown debacle last season.

Despite Eloise and Penelope's friendship being on the rocks, she keeps her Lady Whistledown identity a secret — until she learns of Penelope and Colin's engagement at the start of part two.

During episode five, Eloise tells Penelope that she must reveal her Lady Whistledown secret to Colin by midnight. Just as the clock strikes 12 a.m. at Colin and Penelope's engagement party, Cressida interrupts and announces that she's the mystery writer.

Eloise later implores Penelope to stop writing Whistledown issues, because she can't continue the ruse while married to Colin. But Colin ends up finding out Penelope's secret on his own. After foiling Cressida's plan to blackmail Penelope, Eloise and Penelope slowly repair their friendship.

However, in the finale, during a conversation with Benedict, Eloise says that she feels "directionless" and has spent most of her life in Mayfair or at Aubrey Hall. She concludes that if she wants to make a change in the world, she has to see more of it and meet new people.

Eloise decides to travel to Scotland with Francesca and John so she can have some adventures before returning to town next season.

Lady Danbury makes amends with her brother, Lord Marcus Anderson.

When Lady Danbury's (Adjoa Andoh) younger brother Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) arrives in town during part one, she's not friendly or welcoming to him. It's later revealed that she holds a grudge against him because he snitched on her to their father and prevented her from escaping the night before her wedding to Lord Danbury. Because Marcus betrayed Agatha, she became distrustful of him and distanced herself.

During the penultimate episode of the season, Lady Danbury and Marcus discuss their childhood grievances. Marcus explains that the night before her wedding, he was trying to protect his sister from the dangers of the outside world.

Lady Danbury, in turn, says that her life has been so full of joy lately and she was concerned that he'd take it away from her.

Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) also have a heartwarming conversation during which they acknowledge a major plot point from the spin-off show "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story": Lady Danbury having had a secret relationship with Lord Ledger, Violet's dad.

The two women agree that they're adults who are free to do whatever they want. But Lady Danbury also adds that if Violet's blossoming romance with Marcus doesn't end well, she's choosing her friend over her brother.

Violet Bridgerton opens herself up to romance.

During a present-day scene in "Queen Charlotte," Violet told Lady Danbury that her garden was in bloom and she was considering romance again.

Little did Lady Danbury know that Violet would end up developing an attraction to her brother during season three of "Bridgerton."

Violet and Marcus lightly flirt throughout the season, and the finale ends on a promising note for them.

Queen Charlotte finally learns Lady Whistledown's identity.

Like previous seasons of "Bridgerton," Queen Charlotte spends a great deal of time in season three trying to track down Lady Whistledown. This time, however, she turns it into a true ton-wide witch hunt by offering a 5,000-pound prize to the one who unmasks Whistledown.

Cressida claims to be Lady Whistledown in a bid for the prize money, but Queen Charlotte doesn't buy it. After taking tips from members of the ton, she narrows her search to the Bridgerton family specifically.

Eventually, however, Penelope unmasks herself to the Queen, who allows her to plead her case to the ton at the Dankworth-Finch ball in the finale. Miraculously, Queen Charlotte pardons her of all gossip-related crimes.

"She seems humbled. But we will be watching that she remains so," the queen says. "What is life without a little gossip?"

The Featheringtons finally have children of their own.

Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Philippa Featherington (Harriet Cains) host the Dankworth-Finch ball with their husbands — with a financial assist from Penelope — at the end of season three. It's a spectacular affair and the perfect venue for Penelope to reveal her true identity as Lady Whistledown to the ton.

The revelation has an added bonus: Lady Featherington can tell the solicitor from the Crown that the conspicuous amount of money her family came into was from Penelope's writings, removing them from scrutiny.

Months after Penelope's revelation, she, Prudence, and Philippa give birth to children. But in a twist, neither of the elder siblings, who were under significant pressure to produce an heir, has a son. It's Penelope who gives birth to the new Lord Featherington, but Prudence and Philippa seem perfectly content to have given birth to daughters.

Cressida Cowper's dad sends her away to live with her aunt in Wales.

Cressida goes from a mean girl to a full-on antagonist in season three of "Bridgerton."

Desperate to avoid a forced marriage to an older, off-putting man named Lord Greer, Cressida gets the idea to pose as Lady Whistledown and collect the queen's reward. However, Penelope writes a Lady Whistledown issue that discredits Cressida and shows she was lying. After tarnishing her family's reputation, Lord Greer rescinds his marriage offer and Cressida's dad decides to send Cressida to live with her Aunt Joanna.

In one last-ditch effort, Cressida tries to blackmail Penelope so she can use the money to start a better life for herself elsewhere. But Penelope outsmarts her and Cressida is last seen getting into a carriage to Wales.

• When I moved to a new town with my family, I struggled to make friends.
• Most people my age were either busy or didn't want to welcome new people into their lives.
• I joined a gym and met new people; I even started talking to strangers at my local dog park.

A few years back, I uprooted my family and moved to a town where I knew virtually no one. I had plenty of family and friends in my old city but knew no one in my new area. I had to meet new people — or learn to love being alone, buy a cabin out in the woods, and knit sweaters for myself.

At that time, I encountered something that most people struggle with when they get older: Making friends is hard, especially for a middle-aged man like myself.

Back when I was young and in school, I could make new friends easily. All I had to do was say hello, smile, and laugh at a joke. The next thing I knew, we were hanging out, getting dinner, or going to the movies. But as I entered middle age, I noticed the game had changed. It was difficult to make new friends as a married father with two young kids.

I had to ask myself: How do you make new friends later in life?

There were many obstacles in my way

When I first set out to make friends in my new area, I realized there were a few hurdles.

For starters, people my age are busy. They're raising a family, building their careers, and looking toward retirement. They aren't interested in setting aside time to welcome new people into their lives, and it is tough to add new things to a busy life.

Plus, babysitters are needed. If I want to get out of the house, especially with my wife, I must spend money on someone to watch my kids.

I also found that people, especially those in middle age, resist change. It seems they ask themselves: Why should I add you to my friend Rolodex? They're also unwilling to trust strangers and welcome you into their lives.

So, it wasn't easy to make new friends. I struggled, and it was incredibly lonely. More than a few times, I went to the movies alone and ate dinner alone at restaurants. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this, but it wasn't beneficial to my mental wellness.

I had an imaginary friend as a kid, but I didn't want to dig him out again just so that I would have someone to talk to.

I considered meeting people at the bars, but there is a sadness to being middle-aged and still trying to act like you are much younger.

So, I thought I should take my hobbies and interests and focus on those areas to meet quality individuals. If they saw we had similar likes and dislikes, it wouldn't be long before we exchanged numbers. I imagined my witty texts would win them over to becoming my friend for life.

But it took longer than I thought.

I leaned into my hobbies to find my people

I have always been into fitness, so I joined a gym. I am on the muscular side and rock a shaved head, so I later learned from others that I was not the most approachable person in the gym. More than a few times, I was asked if I was a cop — in an unfavorable way. People were steering clear of me as if I was there to arrest them as I was curling.

However, once they learned I was a writer, the friend floodgates opened. Many people chatted me up, told me about their book ideas, and wondered if they had ever read anything I wrote. I finally scored some new friends.

Beyond the gym, I also focused on my love of animals. I took my dog for a walk around town and eventually made some friends. I went to the local dog park and let my four-legged son loose. Before long, he was playing with some new buddies, and I was meeting their owners.

I also joined a local book club to make friends. This path was a bit less successful for me because I could only make it halfway through a Nicholas Sparks book before I had to tap out.

All in all, after a number of months, I made new friends and developed more of my interests. And I finally realized that who cares how many friends you have? It is always quality, not quantity, that matters.

• The Airbus A320 airliner that ditched in the Hudson River in 2009 is now an aviation artifact.
• None of the 155 passengers and crew died during the "Miracle on the Hudson" crash.
• I was blown away when I visited the jet at the Sullenberger Aviation Museum to see the famous plane.

On January 15, 2009, a fully loaded US Airways Airbus A320 plane ditched into the Hudson River after a bird strike caused both engines to fail.

The accident has since been described as the "Miracle on the Hudson" because none of the 155 passengers and crew onboard died.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles were in the cockpit that day and had just seconds to make a life-or-death decision.

Recognizing the aircraft was running on near zero thrust at just 2,800 feet above the densely-populated New York City, Sully saw the river as his only nearby obstacle-free option.

"I couldn't afford to be wrong," Sully said during his testimony in front of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crew's heroism is now cemented in the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, which opened in June and features the real A320 jet as its centerpiece.

As an aviation safety professional turned journalist, I had to visit the plan as soon as I could. I love that it has been given a second life, representing not only the power of bravery and skill but also inspiring future generations to get involved in aviation.

The famous A320 displayed in Charlotte is the real aircraft — not a replica — and is complete with all the damage it suffered in the crash.

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum opened on June 1 and is the second rendition of the exhibit.

The aircraft was first displayed in 2015 in the same location but was stored in 2020 while the museum was renovated and renamed in Sully's honor.

"With this Museum, we have the power to shape and inspire the next generation of innovators through the exploration and wonder of flight and provide equitable access to STEM opportunities," museum President Stephen Saucier told Business Insider.

There's a hole in the nose and extensive breakage along the fuselage and tail.

The aircraft has been maintained as it was after the investigation, including the dents, scrapes, and gaping holes.

I could see writing and numbers on the fuselage where investigators worked on the jet.

The wings were attached to the jet, but the flaps were wrecked from the crash.

The flaps were particularly important in the crash's success because Sully opted not to fully configure them for landing, per the NTSB. According to one of the museum signs, full flaps were part of Airbus' "optimal aircraft configuration" for landing on water.

In a non-emergency landing, the flaps are fully deployed to increase lift at lower speeds as the plane descends. This balances out if you have thrust. However, without thrust on Flight 1549, Sully raised the flaps to prevent a stall, which could have led to an even faster descent rate.

"The choice had to be made quickly because of the extreme time compression," he said in NTSB testimony. "By achieving Flaps 2, we had achieved almost all of the low-speed stall protection that we would've gotten at Flaps 3, but at less drag."

The two destroyed engines are on either side of the aircraft, and the auxiliary power unit, or APU, sits behind.

When Sully realized his engines were gone, he instinctively started the Honeywell-built APU. According to the manufacturer, the unit acted as backup power to control things like altitude, speed, and steering.

"The NTSB concluded that by quickly turning on the APU before called for on the emergency checklist, [Sully] significantly improved the outcome by providing electrical power to the airplane," an information display next to the APU read at the museum.

Visitors cannot go inside the jet, but photos displayed show it looks like a regular aircraft cabin.

Pictures show the blue seats in the typical domestic layout. The cabin looks old and worn, but not as if it was in a serious crash.

According to the museum, the jet's interior is regularly checked for corrosion, considering it was submerged in water for a few days after the accident.

The plane's underbelly took the brunt of the impact, and I could see where it was torn off.

According to the NTSB, the aircraft was descending three times the rate at which the aviation industry said a water landing could happen.

This meant the aircraft's impact on the Hudson was greater than its design allowed, causing part of the frame to collapse and let water seep in.

The damage was extensive, but the aircraft was otherwise surprisingly intact.

Sully had to land the aircraft at a specific angle to avoid flipping or fully breaking apart upon contact with the water. The museum said this included landing at an 11-degree pitch with the wings level.

Sully achieved this despite the high descent rate being beyond the accepted envelope, making the task that much more challenging and a testament to Sully's skill.

"[Skiles] began to call out to me airspeed and altitude as I was looking at the water ahead to help me judge that critical height," Sully said in a 2019 interview with Inc, referring to the specific altitude at which to begin raising the nose for a successful water landing.

Next to the plane was a case of personal belongings donated by the crew and passengers.

Artifacts like cushions, life jackets, seats, clothes, and even Sully and Skiles uniforms have been preserved and put on display.

It was like a time capsule seeing the old Blackberry cell phone and MacBook Pro.

There were also wallets, a finance book, and a fur coat among the inventory of random items that survived the crash.

The most moving element of the exhibit was the film that played on a loop. It told the story of Flight 1549 from takeoff to landing in the Hudson.

The short video has the air traffic control tapes, footage of the rescue, and testimony from passengers, investigators, and first responders.

"Unable," Sully famously told air traffic controller Patrick Harten when he was asked if he could make it back to LaGuardia. "We're going to be in the Hudson.

The comments were raw, and I couldn't help but get emotional. The crew gets a lot of praise, but the passengers also showed incredible bravery.

The aircraft lost power just a few thousand feet above NYC, and the passengers described their feelings as the city skyscrapers started rising above them and they descended into the Hudson.

"What flashed before me was the life that wasn't going to happen, the grandchildren I wouldn't see grow up," passenger Beth McHugh, seat 20C, said.

I can't imagine that fear, but seeing the hope after the fact is inspiring.

"The gift of another day, another year, and if you look at it that way, another lifetime," McHugh said later in the video. "By some miracle, we get to have it."

Flight 1549's rescue was swift, with boats and helicopters approaching within minutes.

The accident happened in January, meaning the passengers survived the water landing but were still in danger of drowning or getting hypothermia in the frigid Hudson waters.

People walked out onto the wings, jumped into rafts, and some tried to swim to shore — anything to survive the 38-degree water.

"My crew took out 24 people," New York Waterways Captain Brittany Catanzard said in the video. "My deckhands were literally grabbing them like fish and putting them onto the deck."

Flight attendants Donna Denta, Sheila Dail, and Doreen Welsh shouted commands as passengers braced for impact.

The three quick-acting flight attendants initiated the evacuation within seconds of landing and, alongside Sully and Skiles, were awarded the keys to the city by New York City Mayor Bloomberg in 2009.

"It took all five of us being trained and doing what we do to make this miracle on Hudson," Welsh said, as quoted in the museum exhibit.

Quoted in the display was a comment from passenger Ben Bostic, seat 20A, who noted the unbelievable response effort.

He said agencies like the NYPD, the American Red Cross, and the FBI, as well as the New York governor and NYC mayor were on the scene.

"I quickly noted that this level of response could probably only happen in NYC post-9/11," Bostic said. "For better or worse, they are "battle" tested for incidents like this."

The plane sat at the bottom of the Hudson for two days before being lifted out and taken to New Jersey for the investigation.

Workers spent 22 hours retrieving the aircraft from the icy waters, which included using a mechanical winch and crane to maneuver the A320 and lift it in one piece.

The aircraft was then moved by barge to New Jersey. According to the museum, passenger luggage was cleaned and returned.

During the investigation, the museum inquired about getting part of the plane but that turned into a donation of the entire jet.

The insurance company donated the A320 to the museum and worked with it and a conservator located in New Jersey to help conserve the plane.

"The goal was the stabilize and preserve the aircraft for museum display while maintaining its historic integrity," the museum said.

It was a monumental task to transport the jet from New Jersey to North Carolina, first arriving in Charlotte in 2011.

Saucier previously told BI that the A320 had to be transferred via road. Its wings and tail were removed for transport.

He said the tiny towns that hosted the jet on its trek to the museum had to move light poles and make other adjustments so the plane could weave through the streets.

The engines were delivered a year later.

The museum said it took three years to reassemble the engines with assistance from volunteers from then-US Airways, which has since merged with American Airlines.

It noted the engines were corroding, having been exposed to the marine environment, and had to undergo extensive conservation treatment to preserve them.

The original exhibit closed in 2019 to make way for the new, and I love the focus on not just the crash but the evolution of aviation safety.

The aviation industry learned a lot from the accident, and the NTSB made recommendations, such as improving life vests and developing better engine testing for bird ingestion.

"[The A320] stands as a carefully preserved tangible reminder of the paramount importance of safety in aviation," read the exhibit.

Most notable was the human factors element, as Sully and Skiles had just seconds to decide how to save the plane.

In a 2019 interview, Sully said he asked Skiles right before the landing if there was anything more they could do. Skiles said, "Actually, not."

"He answered that way because he knew we'd done all we could," noting it wasn't because Skiles was indifferent or had accepted some fate.

"The fact we could have that exchange just before the emergency landing of a lifetime is one of the more remarkable things about this flight and this crew and our diligence, our dedication to never give up."

• I traveled on the TGV Lyria between Paris and Geneva, which can reach 199 mph.
• Tickets can be as cheap as $50 and offer scenic views of the countrside.
• The journey was about as long as a flight but more relaxing and convenient.

France's high-speed trains are among the best in the world, capable of traveling up to 199 miles per hour.

The TGV Lyria is a joint venture between the state-owned rail operators of France and Switzerland. I traveled on one as I returned home to London after a conference in Geneva.

If you book in advance, it can be as cheap as $50 — about the same price as a budget airline flight and usually faster.

Plus, with great views of the countryside and friendly interactions with employees or other passengers, it's a great way to better comprehend the country. Not to mention the convenience of boarding and the relaxed atmosphere of the café car.

Here's what it's like to travel on board.

Last month, I was in Geneva to attend a business aviation conference.

Jeff Bezos owns a $10 million Swiss private jet. See inside the Pilatus PC-24 with its unusual toilet in the galley.

While I flew into the city, I traveled back to London via train — starting with the TGV from Geneva to Paris.

TGV — pronounced in French as tay-zhay-vay — stands for train à grande vitesse, meaning high-speed train.

It's operated by the TGV Duplex, which has 510 seats — 332 in second class and 183 in first.

That's a higher capacity than the 469 seats in British Airways' A380 superjumbo jet.

I booked my seat online and got a QR code ticket, but you can also get one in person at the station. A one-way ticket in advance is as cheap as 47 euros ($50).

At Geneva, the TGV platforms were separate from the rest. I walked through a narrow corridor where two border-control officers stood watching people.

The train arrived about 15 minutes before departure which gave me plenty of time to find the right carriage.

I was impressed by how many luggage racks there were, with one on either side by the carriage entrance…

… As well as one between seats.

There was also space for smaller bags above the seats.

About five minutes before departure, there was an announcement reminding everyone to label their luggage with their name and address.

Helpfully, the announcements were all delivered in French and English.

I was on the lower deck in standard class in a 38-seat car. Tables for groups of four were at the front and back, while the other seats were in pairs.

It was pretty simple to find my seat — around one of the tables — with these numbers and illustrations of aisle or window.

It's easier to move around and get into your seat since the table extends and folds out.

Underneath, there was only one outlet for two seats, which isn't ideal.

The seats also have a recline button on the armrest, and I found them to be much comfier than a typical plane seat.

We set off at a slower speed, enjoying some beautiful views of the eastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

After stopping at a couple of small French towns, the train joined the high-speed line towards Paris where it can reach 199 mph.

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The black line shows the 1 hour 25 minutes it took to reach Bourg-en-Bresse. Onward to Paris was a similar time, another hour and 53 minutes, thanks to the LGV Sud-Est.

After leaving Bourg-en-Bresse the conductor gave the only announcement that wasn't repeated in English — something about us now traveling at high speed and "bon voyage."

A few minutes later, the ticket inspector came by. He was friendly as he scanned my QR code.

Looking out the window, I could tell the train was going much faster. Watching the countryside whizz by was a great sight (even if the windows were a bit dirty).

I've traveled on an Italian high-speed train before, the Frecciarossa, which feels similarly speedy at around 190 mph. Along with the TGV, they feel far more advanced than the 125 mph reached by British trains, while the fastest Amtrak train travels at 150 mph.

Then I went to check out some more of the train, which had some relatively spacious bathrooms.

It had a peg for a jacket or bag, an electric shaver outlet, and a handle that was useful for those bumpy parts of the journey.

The toilets on the upper deck looked to be slightly smaller.

On the upper deck, you can find the TGV Duplex's pièce de résistance…

The café car was impressively modern and bright, with long curved countertops and trash cans underneath.

The menu was pretty extensive, with sandwiches, cheeseburgers, pizzas, and a croque monsieur, among others.

You can also buy tickets for the Paris Métro on board.

I managed to order with my rudimentary French skills, and when I didn't understand the response, the friendly cashier helpfully repeated it in English as well: "Rien d'autre? Anything else?"

I haven't spent much time in France and only remember bits of what I studied at school when I was 14. But thanks to that small interaction I have another phrase that'll stay in my mental dictionary.

There were a couple of spaces with stools …

… but I preferred to stretch my legs a bit and lean against the counter while taking in the landscapes.

Returning to my seat, I had a laptop and a book with me, but I was happier spending much of the journey just listening to my headphones and appreciating the French countryside.

After three hours and 18 minutes, we made it to Paris Gare de Lyon on time. TGV Lyria staff hung around the platform to help people with onward journeys.

It was about the same time as a flight between Geneva and Paris, taking into account the extra time needed for security and traveling from the airport to the city center.

While it would've been quicker to fly directly home to London (the Eurostar was another few hours), I certainly don't have any regrets because it was more relaxing and gave me more time to enjoy the country.

• Greece is building what's billed as Europe's largest and greenest smart city close to Athens.
• Ellinikon's developers say they're trying to construct a "zip-code paradise."
• At the center of the project is the Riviera Tower, set to become Greece's first skyscraper.

Greece is building Europe's largest and greenest smart city in an $8 billion project that's been more than a decade in the making.

Located on the site of a former Athens airport, Ellinikon is set to feature Greece's first skyscraper, a high-end mall, and a sports park.

Its developers told Business Insider they're trying to construct a "zip-code paradise" that merges scenic coastline views with tech-savvy and eco-friendly infrastructure. They're estimating that the project's first phase, which is expected to be completed by 2026, will attract a million new tourists and boost the Greek economy by 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion).

Ellinikon is one of several high-tech new cities being built across the world — although they're typically in China or the Middle East rather than Europe.

Check out these designs for the project.

Ellinikon is being built on the site of Athens' former airport

The smart city gets its name from the disused Ellinikon International Airport 4 miles south of Athens, which closed in 2001. Construction was initially supposed to start in 2008 but was significantly delayed by the global financial crisis that left the Greek economy on the brink of collapse.

It's on the Aegean coast

Work on the project, which developers describe as Europe's biggest urban regeneration project, finally began in July 2020.

Its developers are touting Ellinikon's stunning views of the Aegean Sea. They've made regenerating the two-mile coastal front a priority.

High-end villas

Construction started last year on the Cove Residences, a set of luxury villas. Lamda Development, named as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential companies, says it's already sold 350 coastal-front properties and recently revealed plans to start work on another site called Little Athens, which will have another 1,115 residential units.

Large coastal park is a key part of the development

The idea of opening a metropolitan park on the site of the abandoned airport has been in the works since 2005. The site is 650 acres, a similar size to Alley Pond Park in Queens, New York City.

Riviera Tower will be Greece's first skyscraper

Developers have described the Riviera Tower, which is under construction and will have 180 apartments across 50 floors, as the "crown jewel" of the Ellinikon. At about 650 feet it will be Greece's tallest building and first skyscraper when completed.

The Ellinikon Experience Center aims to showcase the project's history

The smart city's experience center, which opened in 2022, is a restoration of one of the abandoned airport's original hangars. It aims to celebrate the site's history and showcase some of the eco-friendly tech that the site's founders believe will be central to the cities of the future.

Ellinikon will also have a super-luxury shopping district.

Lamda and other contractors have made building the Riviera Galleria, a high-end shopping district that sits next to the Riviera Tower, another priority. The site will be home to 70 leading fashion brands, according to Retail Insight Network.

Greece's prime minister is among the officials to visit the site

Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Ellinikon earlier this year to mark the opening of Lamda's first completed building, a center for disabled people. He's made boosting Greece's economy one of his main priorities as prime minister.

Not all Athenians are thrilled about Ellinikon

Lamda CEO Odisseas Athanasiou has previously said that Ellinikon is "putting Greece on the map for the right reason" — but not all Athenians agree. Some locals fear the project will turn Athens into a "mini-Dubai" full of mega-yachts and casinos, while others have complained about the destruction of historic buildings linked to the old airport.

• The US fight against Yemen's Houthis is its toughest fight since WWII, experts told AP.
• Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea aim to pressure Israel and the West over Gaza.
• US strikes recently destroyed Houthi radars as well as sea and aerial drones.

The US is facing its most intense battle since World War II against Yemen's Houthi rebels, experts say.

"We're sort of on the verge of the Houthis being able to mount the kinds of attacks that the US can't stop every time, and then we will start to see substantial damage," Bryan Clark, a former Navy submariner and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute told the Associated Press.

"If you let it fester, the Houthis are going to get to be a much more capable, competent, experienced force."

"This is the most sustained combat that the US Navy has seen since World War II — easily, no question," he said.

Houthi attacks have been targeting ships in the Red Sea corridor with missiles and drones since October as part of a campaign that aims to put pressure on Israel and the West over the war in Gaza.

Between October 17 and the start of May, the Houthis attacked commercial vessels at least 53 times and have posed a serious threat to naval ships in dozens of other incidents, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

US warships from the US Navy's Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had fired over 500 munitions fighting the Houthis, Business Insider reported on May 23.

This week, the US attacked several Houthi radar sites in response to recent rebel fire that targeted shipping containers and saw one merchant sailor go missing, authorities said Saturday.

US strikes destroyed seven radars within Houthi-controlled territory, the military's Central Command said.

"These radars allow the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping," CENTCOM said in a statement.

US forces also destroyed two Houthi uncrewed surface vessels (USV), or drone boats in the Red Sea, as well as an aerial drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, the statement said.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned last month that the Houthis were likely to remain active "for some time," and the intensity of the combat shows no sign of letting up.

"I don't think people really understand just kind of how deadly serious it is what we're doing and how under threat the ships continue to be," Cmdr. Eric Blomberg with the USS Laboon told the AP.

Sailors often have only a few seconds to confirm an incoming Houthi strike. They have to quickly confer with other ships and then respond by firing at the incoming missiles and drones.

"It is every single day, every single watch, and some of our ships have been out here for seven-plus months doing that," said Capt. David Wroe, the commodore overseeing the guided missile destroyers, told AP.

This exacting environment has put a financial strain on US resources in the region.

Parts of the Eisenhower strike group have already left the Red Sea once to be rearmed and resupplied, and the Pentagon recently extended its deployment for a second time.

Munitions have cost some $1 billion, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro revealed in mid-April, a figure that has certainly increased in the two months since.

"I think, unfortunately, the Biden administration has settled into a rhythm where, because of the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, they feel like they have to do something," Brian Finucane, the senior advisor for the US program at the International Crisis Group, previously told Business Insider.

The Houthis continue to be backed by Iran, and have employed a dangerous mix of anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, one-way attack drones, and uncrewed surface vessels.

Earlier this month, the rebels said they had fired a new solid-fuel missile called the "Palestine" at the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

The missile is believed to be able to fly at hypersonic speeds and resembles one unveiled by Iran earlier this year.

Fabian Hinz, a weapons expert at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote on X that the Palestine missile reassembled the Iranian-developed Fattah 1 and the Kheybarshekan 2, both solid-fuel missiles.

• Jamey and Lauren Bertram's house, worth over $1 million, was posted on Zillow without their consent.
• A scammer listed the house for just $10,000, asking interested buyers to wire $200 to secure a tour.
• Some scammers can target eager buyers in a housing market with few reasonably priced homes for sale.

Picture waking up one day to find your inbox flooded and doorbell ringing with eager buyers all clamoring to purchase your home.

In this sluggish real estate market, it might seem like a dream — that is, if you're actually looking to sell.

For Kansas City homeowners Jamey and Lauren Bertram, the situation turned into a nightmarish ordeal when they realized their 5,300-square-foot home, purchased for around $1 million in 2019, had been falsely listed for sale on Zillow for a mere $10,000.

The Kansas City Star first reported the mixup.

"My wife and I both started getting emails from our friends saying, 'Hey, are you selling your house?' Of course, we're not," Bertram, who LinkedIn says is senior vice president at architecture and engineering firm Burns and McDonnell, told the newspaper. "I didn't know what they were talking about."

According to the Star, when Bertram first saw his home posted on Zillow, featuring images from the 2019 listing, it was for sale at its market value. However, within a few days, the price had been slashed to a fraction of its true worth: $10,000.

The Star quoted the listing description that Bertrams presumed was written by a scammer: "Once a year we sell one or a few of our homes to first time buyers for under $25,000. This is done to bless a family or individual that needs it, but also as a tax write off for us."

The listing description said that real-estate agents, lenders, investors, wholesalers, and attorneys should not inquire further, according to the Kansas City Star. It directed interested buyers to contact an individual named Mandi at a phone number with a Las Vegas area code.

The newspaper said when it tried reaching out to Mandi, it received a response instructing potential buyers to send $200 via an online banking app to the "owner's mom." It claimed a walk-through of the house would be provided, and a refund would be issued to anyone who didn't end up making an offer.

The listing was removed last week, but it wasn't clear how long it was live. Requests for comment to the Bertrams by phone and email was not immediately returned.

These scams are relatively common

Despite their brazenness, real-estate scams are pretty routine.

In 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center saw more than 880,000 complaints about internet scams totaling $12.5 billion in losses. That's a 49% increase in the amount of money reported lost in 2022, according to FBI data that BI's Jordan Pandy cited in March.

Real estate scams are an especially popular internet crime.

According to the FBI, real estate wire fraud is classified as business email compromise (BEC). In the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center's annual report, BEC ranked as the second-costliest crime in 2022, following investment fraud, with reported losses totaling $2.9 billion.

Data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows that in 2023, over 9,500 people from across the country filed complaints of real estate fraud.

Homebuyers are easy prey for scammers right now.

In a housing market burdened by high prices and few available homes, many prospective buyers are eager to secure a good deal. Scammers, motivated by the potential to earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars, can turn to real-estate marketplaces like Zillow. Taking advantage of anonymity, they can create listings with appealing descriptions and unrealistically low prices to lure unsuspecting buyers.

In November, Galen Caldwell told news station KIRO 7 that his million-dollar Seattle home had been listed for sale on Zillow without his consent, priced at $10,245. The incident was connected to the Bertrams' situation by CBS News. In Caldwell's case, too, a scammer told prospective buyers to contact "Mandi" in Las Vegas and send $245 to the seller's mother.

Both Caldwell's and the Bertrams' listings have since been taken down.

But Bertram said that he and his wife are still receiving inquiries from people who want to buy their home.

"I'm kind of stuck here," Bertram told the Kansas City Star. "People want to see the house. It's just a complete scam."