Naval cadets taking a swim around a training ship in 1916.
Mirrorpix | Getty Images
The UK's Royal Navy has relaxed its entry requirements due to recruitment problems.
New recruits no longer need to prove swimming proficiency prior to joining.
This change aims to streamline enlistment, but internal critics called it a "race to the bottom."
The UK's Royal Navy has relaxed its entry requirements for new recruits, no longer requiring them to demonstrate swimming proficiency prior to joining, Sky News reported.
A source within the defense community told the publication that the change was "a sign of true desperation to increase recruitment numbers" to the service, which was once the world's most powerful navy.
It exemplifies how the Royal Navy, the most feared world sea power in the 19th and early 20th centuries, is struggling to stay fit for purpose in the 21st century.
A Royal Navy spokesperson rebuffed claims of lowered standards, telling Sky News that all recruits would still undergo a swim test during training.
The spokesperson said the adjustment aims to remove barriers for non-swimmers or weak swimmers, streamlining the enlistment process without compromising operational readiness.
But the Sky source argued that such a move could lead to prolonged training periods.
Concerns have also been raised about the potential need for additional swimming instructors to accommodate the influx of recruits requiring remedial training, the UK news outlet reported.
"I absolutely get that there is a growing issue around young people being able to swim and therefore, maintaining the swim test could be seen as reducing the 'pool of eligible candidates,'' but at what point do we say enough is enough?" they continued.
They added that there was "outrage, unadulterated utter outrage" over the move internally. "It's a race to the bottom — literally the bottom."
Business Insider contacted the Royal Navy for comment.
"We need to get back towards 80,000, 90,000 regular forces, we need to grow the reserve force – 30,000 is not enough even if that 30,000 were real, which I don't believe it is – we have to significantly grow the reserve force," MP Danny Kruger said.
Embarrassing setbacks
HMS Queen Elizabeth
British Royal Navy
Alongside struggles to recruit new candidates, the Royal Navy's fleet has suffered several recent setbacks.
In February, the Royal Navy's flagship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, was forced to withdraw from NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender, the alliance's largest military exercise since the Cold War, after an issue with one of its propellers was discovered at the last minute.
In 2022, its sister ship, the HMS Prince of Wales, broke down around the Isle of Wight off mainland England's south coast after experiencing a similar problem.
"There is a dissonance between the UK's military ambitions and its capabilities," Richard Barrons, former head of Britain's armed forces, said, per the Financial Times. "The risk is that we get drawn into a conflict and can't sustain our presence, and this exposes a strategic weakness
Russia's growing partnership with China isn't going to fade, a think-tank director said.
That's because Moscow's alliance with Beijing checks off three big goals for Putin.
The West should consider enforcing economic sanctions on China as well, he said.
Russia's no-limits partnership with China is here to stay, as tying Moscow's economy to Beijing's is the only option Vladimir Putin has to sustain his war and his antagonism toward the West, according to Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
In an op-ed for Foreign Affairs, the think-tank director pointed to Russia and China's economies becoming increasingly intertwined since Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The two nations scaled up their trade partnership to a record $240 billion last year, partly because China has snapped up key Russian commodities while the West has shunned trade with Moscow. Meanwhile, Russia has bought up huge amounts of Chinese goods as it becomes increasingly isolated from the global economy.
Russia is keen to keep its alliance with China, Gabuev said, as the partnership "emphatically" helps Russia with three of its goals: helping it win its war against Ukraine, helping its ailing economy, and helping the nation push back against the West for its support for Ukraine.
Those are key incentives for Russia to continue its partnership with China, even as Beijing appears to be holding an advantage over Moscow as a trade partner. Its economy is larger and still maintaining a connection with the West, while some Russian trade is struggling under Western sanctions.
"Russia is now locking itself into vassalage to China," Gabuev said. "A couple years down the road, Beijing will be more able to dictate the terms of the economic, technological, and regional cooperation with Moscow. The Kremlin is not blind to this prospect, but it does not have much choice as long as Putin needs Chinese support to fight his war in Ukraine, which has become an obsession."
A lasting partnership between Moscow and Beijing suggests that the West needs to consider enforcing economic sanctions on China similar those imposed on Russia, Gabuev added. He noted that the current situation differed from the past when the US was able to step in and offer China strategic deals during the Cold War.
"Indeed, the deepening of this partnership is one of the most consequential results of the Ukrainian tragedy. Moscow and Beijing may never sign a formal alliance, but the evolution of their relationship in the years ahead will increasingly affect the world and challenge the West," he said. "US officials cannot extend a deal … to either Moscow or Beijing at this point. Any hopes of peeling them away from each other are nothing more than wishful thinking," Gabuev added.
Other political affairs experts have also noted potential risks stemming from Russia and China's growing ties, especially amid rising geopolitical concerns around the world.
An alliance between China, Russia, and North Korea could pose a "significant threat" to the world's financial system and security, Bruce Klingner, a research fellow for a Washington, DC-based think-tank wrote in a recent note.
Dubai's skyline and a stock image of a child studying.
Getty Images
A 25-year-old private tutor told BI about his experiences working in the UAE.
He said he had taught the children of some of Dubai's richest people.
One of his pupils paid him $3,000 to do his homework, he said.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a 25-year-old private tutor and academic governor in Dubai. They were granted anonymity to speak freely about their experiences. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. The names of children have been removed to protect their identity.
I moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2020 to work for an international tutoring agency.
I've since taught children from some of Dubai's most elite families — millionaires and billionaires who had made their money from oil investments, tech startups, and other entrepreneurial ventures.
A view of the Dubai skyline from Maiden Shanghai restaurant.
Catherine Boudreau/Business Insider
One of the families I taught lived in one of Dubai's most expensive apartments, which boasted an art room, a massage room, a gym, and a cinema. It was spread over five floors and also had a private elevator and guard dogs on the door.
Families like these often had dozens of staff, including security, maids, drivers, cooks, nannies, and, of course, tutors.
The parents often weren't around, but those I did encounter were almost always friendly to me.
I had most contact with the nannies, who were at the children's beck and call.
They would cook me dinner and bring me drinks, and I almost felt like I was a part of the family, sort of like a big brother.
One of my younger pupils had his own bespoke classroom in the family house — it was better equipped than anything you'd ever see in a normal school.
Having finished an arts and crafts class with him one time, I said we needed to clean up the mess.
"Absolutely not," he said. "I do not pay you to clean. I pay her to clean," as he pointed at the nanny.
With another child, who was around seven at the time, we had been studying birds in biology and he demanded we get an owl to observe it.
The next time I went to the house, an owl was perched on the kitchen counter.
Another student was told by his brother to "not bother doing any work" because "Dad would sort it out." He then paid me $3,000 to do his homework for him.
But this was normal behavior in Dubai, as the kids were used to extreme wealth.
The families would give me with gifts
These sorts of financial "incentives" were by no means rare.
Sometimes, the parents would go to great lengths to start a bidding war with one another.
If they knew I would be at one client's house at a time they wanted, they would offer to pay double, triple, or even more to convince me to come to them instead.
And each time I thought I'd seen it all, the job would find new ways of surprising me.
One time, my car broke down, and I turned up late for a lesson with one of my regular pupils. I told the mother the reason I was late, and the next time I had a class with that child, she gave me $7,000 in cash to pay for repairs.
The same family gave me a huge tip of more than $20,000 at the end of the year.
I spent the summer sailing the Italian coast on a yacht
Last summer, I was hired to look after two brothers, who were four and six years old. Their family had planned a trip on their private yacht and were looking to sail along the Italian coast for two months.
A few weeks after signing the contract, I found myself in a speedboat heading across the Mediterranean toward a superyacht the size of a ferry.
As I joined my new employers on the deck, uniformed staff offered Champagne (although I was not allowed to drink while working), and I spent the next few months jet-skiing, paddle-boarding, touring vineyards, and eating expensive foods.
This family was from Russia, and there was a marked difference in the way they treated me, often wanting to keep me out of sight.
While they partied on the upper levels, I was told to stay below deck.
They had hired me to be a kind of glorified babysitter for their kids, playing with them and keeping them entertained while speaking English to them.
For the Russian elite, having someone who speaks English with a native accent is a big boasting point.
Perhaps one of the funnier moments was when we returned to their villa on the south coast of France. On either side of the front door were two stone busts of the father's face.
Jayne Ashton moved from California to Arizona for political reasons. She lasted three months before moving back to her home state.
Courtesy of Jayne Ashton/Getty Images
Jayne Ashton, 63, is a native Californian with conservative politics.
She moved to Arizona around 2017 to flee California's liberal politics.
But she only stayed three months before realizing there's no place like home.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jayne Ashton, a 63-year-old retired police dispatcher who moved from Homeland, California, to Benson, Arizona, in 2017 to escape California's liberal politics and be closer to family. She only stayed in Arizona for three months before realizing she wanted to return home to California.
Jayne: I'm a born and raised Californian, originally from Bloomington in San Bernadino County. I stayed there until I was in my 20s.
I eventually settled in Homeland, California, where I lived for about 25 years. I reared my daughter there with my ex-husband and commuted 87 miles one way each day. I owned a home and lived on an acre and a half. I took my daughter to school with a pony and cart every day.
You see, California isn't what people think it is. When you say you're from California, they think of LA, San Francisco, and San Diego. But California is so vast. You can live out rural and live just as good as if you lived in Tennessee.
I'm a conservative and I'm always trying to hold down the red in this crazy state. I'm a retired police dispatcher and believe crime needs to be punished, and I don't think it is here in California.
It was politics and crime that initially got me thinking about leaving California around 2016 and 2017. The increase in high-density housing and traffic throughout the state played a part too.
Everybody was telling me California was going downhill and I needed to move. I was concerned the state was going to tax my retirement, which didn't end up happening. But I had a family member in Benson, Arizona, about an hour east of Tuscon.
So, I sold my house and I moved. It seemed like a mass exit at the time, so I felt the need to do it too. It was almost like fleeing sheep.
I chose Arizona because it was only a six-hour drive from California. But even as I was leaving, I was thinking it was a big mistake.
Benson, Arizona is in the middle of nowhere.
There's nothing out there but a Walmart, an Ace Hardware, and a Safeway. And there's only so much you can buy at Walmart.
I'm a vegetarian. I haven't eaten meat since 1969 and I was starving in Arizona. I would have to drive an hour to Tuscon to go to Whole Foods to get any food I was used to. People would say: "You're a weirdo. You've got to eat meat." In California, you can find vegetarian places all day long.
Benson, Arizona is located about an hour east of Tucson.
Paul Harris
I had money from selling my house and I initially wanted to buy a place in Arizona. But the houses I looked at fell through on inspection and I thankfully never did.
The state was good for me politically. A lot of people had the same beliefs as I do. But I don't live politics every day, and they did. I have it in the back of my mind but it's not a driving force for me.
People would always say to me: "Oh, you're a Californian? Well, I hope you don't bring your beliefs here." There was always some derogatory comment. They wanted to bitch about California. They don't want us there.
I'm also religious and I missed my church. I just wasn't happy. It was a dark cloud over me. I missed California every day. I only lasted three months in Arizona before moving back home.
When you're born and raised in California, you need to be in California.
It's like the Beach Boy's song, California Girls. It's an instilled trait. Californians don't always love other Californians, but we love California.
I ended up buying a house in Hemet, in Riverside County. It was all boarded up. It didn't have any electricity. It was horrible. But I was glad to be home. I'd rather live in a shitty part of California than live out of the state ever again.
I ended up living there for five years. I fixed up the house to some extent, sold it, and made a profit. Then I got the heck out of there and came to Tehachapi, where I've wanted to live since 1999.
Tehachapi is a lost treasure. It's one of the last conservative strongholds in Southern California. We have elk and deer and fox and everything. It's beautiful.
Ashton recently moved to Tehachapi, which she described as a hidden gem.
Matt Blank
California has a reputation for being very liberal. But if you were born in a place like Tehachapi or Clovis, you're so far from someone who was raised in LA. It's a very different mindset. We're more of a country-western-cowboy-cattle-type of people.
It doesn't necessarily bother me that everyone else in the country thinks of California as being only Los Angeles or San Francisco. I know what I believe and what I stand for. People shouldn't judge California by its big cities.
I love the beauty of the state and the stable weather. You can go to the beach in an hour, you can go to the mountains in an hour, you can go to the desert in an hour. You can't beat the topography.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Drew Angerer and Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
At a Pennsylvania rally, Donald Trump appeared to endorse his supporters, chanting, "Genocide Joe."
"Genocide Joe" was coined by Pro-Palestine supporters to protest US support for Israel's Gaza siege.
Trump also said: "God bless the people of Israel."
At a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Donald Trump appeared to endorse some of his supporters who were chant "genocide Joe," in reference to President Joe Biden's handling of the Middle East conflict.
"They're not wrong," Trump said, "He's done everything wrong."
The "genocide Joe" moniker was coined by Pro-Palestinian supporters protesting against Israel's attack on Gaza and the perceived unstinting support Biden has shown toward the Israel Defense Forces siege of the enclave that has left over 33,000 dead, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
However, at the rally, Trump also expressed his support for the Jewish state. "God bless the people of Israel. They are under attack right now," he said.
The GOP frontrunner went on to say that the overnight drone and missile attacks on Israel by Iran were the result of the Biden administration's "weakness" on the world stage.
The attack would not have happened if he were still in office, he said.
On Saturday night, in retaliation for a deadly attack on an Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month, Tehran launched a barrage of over 300 missile and drone strikes against Israel.
The US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the US military had intercepted dozens of missiles and drones. The UK, France, and Jordan have also said they came to Israel's aid.
TRUMP: "America prays for Israel. We send our absolute support to everyone in harms way. This is an attack that would not have happened." pic.twitter.com/o2wrXLpLjb
Trump repeated well-worn attack lines against Biden at the rally, calling him "crooked Joe" and a "demented tyrant," going as far as to say that "everything he touches turns to shit."
Biden has cut short his weekend trip to his Delaware beach home, returning to the White House Saturday to meet with his national security team on events in the Middle East.
JUST IN: Trump referring to Biden says, “Everything he touches turns to shit.” WATCH pic.twitter.com/vQZjdcCc1I
Trump also criticized the president for the price of gas and the "border bloodbath," with immigrants coming "from prisons, from mental institutions, they're coming from all over the world."
Trump concluded, "If we don't win this election, this country is finished."
On Monday, Trump's hush money trial is due to begin jury selection. The former president faces allegations he falsified 34 business records to cover up a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election.
In a Friday press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump told reporters he plans to testify in the trial, which he called a "scam" and "witch hunt."
"I'm testifying. I tell the truth. All I can do is tell the truth; the truth is they have no case," he said.
I hardly ever run into traffic in Athens, but it's normal to sit on the clogged freeway in LA.
I spent the first few years of my life in Greece and then moved to the US.
But just like the influx of travelers helping to set record-breaking tourism numbers on the islands, I couldn't stay away from my beautiful birth country for long.
I currently split my time between Los Angeles and Athens for work — six months in the US and the other half of the year in Greece.
Now that I've been going back and forth between the countries for a few years, I've noticed a lot of stark differences.
I find Greek people much blunter than Americans.
Greece's social culture is different from what I've experienced in LA.
Joanna Kalafatis
I know that Greek people can come across as rude, especially to tourists. But being overly polite or smiley with strangers isn't part of the nation's social culture.
I actually appreciate knowing where I stand with people when I'm in Greece. I get much more constructive criticism and real talk from friends.
On the other hand, people in the US tend to smile and offer some degree of friendliness and politeness — whether they're interacting with customer-service workers, strangers, or friends.
I can party all night (and into the morning) in Athens.
The clubs in Greece stay open very late.
Joanna Kalafatis
Angelenos already knew LA shuts down relatively early for a major city. Most places close by 2 a.m. largely due to the time regulations on serving alcohol.
In Athens, I can easily stay out until 4 a.m. And if I'm willing to head out to the club district or one of the many bouzoukias (clubs with live music), I can stretch the night out even longer.
Beach life is handled very differently.
The beaches aren't secluded from shops and restaurants in Greece.
But Greeks tend to build cafés and bars very close to the shoreline, so there are always refreshments close by — even if I question the environmental effects of having infrastructure so close to the water.
In LA, if I go to the beach with friends, I pack coolers like I'm camping because we usually can't get any food or drink service on the sand.
LA has more regulations for recreation and public space.
There are only certain times when people are supposed to be allowed on the public beaches in LA.
Joanna Kalafatis
In LA, it feels like everything involving recreation — including going to the beach — is regulated.
You usually can't have glass containers, alcohol, animals, or loud music in recreational areas. And if you stay too late, it might be considered loitering.
In Athens, I pass young people drinking beers in a city square, skateboarding around public parks, and hanging out until 2 or 3 a.m. That's pretty much impossible to do in LA without getting some sort of side-eye or written warning.
LA's streets are much wider.
Some of the streets in Athens are crowded and narrow.
Joanna Kalafatis
Geographical differences aside, LA streets, businesses, and even parking spaces feel massive compared to Greek standards. I frequently park in Greece with barely an inch to spare between my bumper and my neighbor's.
Many of the bigger cars I see in LA wouldn't fit on some of Athens' central streets.
What Greek people consider bad traffic is amusing to me now.
Traffic is the norm in LA.
Joanna Kalafatis
Athens has a few central thoroughfares that can get pretty clogged during rush hour. But most of the time I drive on the city's highways, I don't have to slow down even once for traffic.
In LA, it's hard to find a time when the freeways aren't clogged — unless it's 1 a.m.
Athens has a lot more foot traffic.
I walk more when I'm in Greece.
Joanna Kalafatis
Athens' city center is very walkable, as are many of its more suburban neighborhoods. It's not uncommon to come across pedestrian-only streets and central squares lined with lively bars, restaurants, shops, and cafés.
I love seeing more people out and about on the streets. Most of the sidewalks lining LA boulevards (when they exist at all) seem deserted because of the city's deep car culture.
Restaurant service works very differently.
My dinners out in Greece usually last longer.
Joanna Kalafatis
Getting the check at restaurants in Greece can frustratingly take forever. Plus, restaurants frequently serve free dessert or fruit at the end of a meal, extending my time there.
Although service in the US is much faster and generally friendlier, it can also feel hurried toward the end of a meal. Servers will continuously remind me that they've left the bill on the table.
That said, I kind of understand the difference. US servers generally rely on tips (which requires more turnover), but Greek servers tend to care more about their hourly wage.
But first: The trial ofO.J. Simpson, who died last week, left a mark on America.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: O.J. Simpson shows the jury a new pair of Aris extra-large gloves, similar to the gloves found at the Bundy and Rockingham crime scene 21 June 1995, during his double murder trial in Los Angeles,CA. Deputy Sheriff Roland Jex(L) and Prosecutor Christopher Darden (R) look on.
VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images
This week's dispatch
O.J.'s impact
O.J. Simpson died this week — a couple months before the 30th anniversary of his famous police chase. That chase, and Simpson's subsequent murder trial, changed media forever.
Simpson had been a star athlete at the University of Southern California, a running back in the NFL, and a Hollywood star. But it was his arrest for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, that would change American culture forever.
Simpson was ordered to turn himself in to the police, and was then spotted on an interstate in a white Ford Bronco. An estimated 95 million watched the ensuing chase.
A year later, 150 million would watch the jury declare a shocking not guilty verdict. Robert Kardashian helped defend Simpson, putting the family in the spotlight for the first time.
Simpson was later found liable for the wrongful deaths of Simpson and Goldman by a civil jury. He was sent to prison in 2008 for armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy.
The car chase and trial presaged the media culture to come. It cemented the role of rolling cable news channels packed with talking heads. Michael Socolow, a professor, told CNN that the trial convinced Rupert Murdoch to launch Fox News in 1996.
The trial put camera crews inside the courtroom. It was the original true crime show. It was infotainment. It was America's first reality TV obsession.
iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI
Retirement dread
Instead of looking forward to life without work, the thought of retirement has become anxiety-inducing for many people.
Whereas it used to be that workers would receive money from plans like pensions after they retire, the onus is now on them to pay into funds like IRAs and 401(k)s. With more responsibility resting on workers, many feel unprepared to retire comfortably.
Big-time apartment owners have a secret weapon: RealPage, a company that sells software to property managers to help them set rents and juice their profits.
Its algorithm tells landlords exactly how much rent they should charge for units in their buildings. It claims it can help clients "outpace the market" — but a new lawsuit accuses the company of price fixing.
Banks, hedge funds, and private equity firms are searching for more tech talent, particularly in artificial intelligence. Some AI-focused gigs can pull in $2 million compensation packages.
BI spoke with five recruiters, each of whom shared the hottest jobs Wall Street firms are hiring for.
In November, Spotify celebrated its annual Wrapped campaign by splashing out on a glitzy party in London. Sam Smith and Charli XCX performed at the event, which was attended by staff and celebrities alike.
Four days later, the company laid off 1,500 employees. Some Spotify staff told BI the company is spending too much on lavish events, especially as it looks to cut even more costs.
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.
Kai Cowan has been using the FrontHouz app since 2023.
Kai Cowan
Kai Cowan uses FrontHouz, a staffing platform, to balance gig work with family responsibilities.
The flexible scheduling allows Cowan to waitress and bartend while pursuing her passion for dance.
Cowan's earnings from using FrontHouz regularly average more than $5,500 monthly.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kai Cowan, a 24-year-old gig worker in Atlanta. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I'm a waitress, hostess, and bartender in Atlanta. I pursued a degree in dance for one year but dropped out to gain experience. I then spent a few years working in retail and hospitality until the restaurant I worked at shut down due to COVID-19.
In September 2020, my dance career picked up, and I'm now balancing my work with caring for my aunt, who recently became disabled. To manage my responsibilities, I pick up shifts through FrontHouz, a staffing platform for hospitality workers that allows for flexible scheduling.
This balance has been crucial for me to continue working while being there for my family.
I first discovered FrontHouz when I met the founder
I met the CEO of FrontHouz, Starr Douglas, in February 2023. I worked at a restaurant that often had slow days and was unhappy with my schedule. This meeting was a turning point for me.
I ordered at a bar downtown and couldn't resist telling the bartender to take his time and that I also bartended up the street. Starr overheard me ordering and told me about FrontHouz. I took her card and kept in communication with her.
I decided to sign up for FrontHouz and applied online, which was a straightforward process. After submitting my application, there was a waiting period while my account was reviewed and approved. There was no fee to apply, which made the decision to join even easier.
On an average week, I put in between 20 and 30 hours
FrontHouz allows me to work for employers who may have never had the time to look through my résumé. When a restaurant has a call-off or just needs extra help, they put it in a request on FrontHouz. I'm often requested due to my high rating on the platform, but gigs are listed for workers to pick up on a first-come, first-served basis.
The "pre-shift training" feature teaches me the specifics of each establishment before I start a shift. It provides a 360-degree view of each establishment and its menus, cocktails, seating charts, weekly specials, and more.
My shifts mainly involve serving or bartending, though I occasionally take on busser or hostess roles. The variety is one of the things I love about this platform — I get to work in different settings like upscale event centers, bars, and fine dining restaurants. I also appreciate having control of my own schedule and being able to develop a network with the people I meet on the shifts.
One challenge is that shifts can sometimes be scarce as local restaurants continue to join the platform, and the platform isn't available nationwide yet.
I average more than $5,500 a month
It's been rewarding financially as well. FrontHouz doesn't take a cut from my pay and instead charges restaurants to use the app.
Since I've been using the app more regularly for the past six months, my earnings break down to an average of more than $5,500 a month. I work around 22 shifts a month.
The flexible schedule has allowed me to care for my aunt while simultaneously pursuing dancing, acting, modeling, and social media management.
Here's my best advice for making the most money
It's essential to have a professional profile that details all your previous experience to attract higher-end venues. If you can travel, expanding your job search radius by X miles or more could also significantly increase the number of available gigs.
Checking the FrontHouz app at specific times, like each morning or before a dinner rush, is a strategic move. This is often when new shifts are posted, giving you the advantage of being among the first to apply.
Promptness in picking up shifts is crucial; if you find a suitable shift, it's wise to secure it quickly to avoid missing out on the opportunity. Restaurant shifts are usually posted a week in advance, but it's not uncommon for a last-minute shift to pop up for the same night.
Consider dedicating specific days or nights to FrontHouz shifts, particularly when restaurants are busier, like special event nights or popular weekly specials (think: Taco Tuesday or Sunday brunch). This approach not only increases your chances of consistent work but also aligns your availability with potentially higher-earning shifts.
Jury selection begins Monday in Manhattan for Donald Trump's first criminal trial.
Things won't really heat up, though, until Stormy Daniels takes the stand in the next few weeks.
Legal experts predict prosecutors will ask her about that night in Tahoe with Trump.
Yes, Stormy Daniels will go there.
And when she does, as legal experts believe she must, it will be the most dramatic and surreal moment in a historic event that's already dramatic and surreal: the first-ever criminal trial of a former president.
Sometime in the next few weeks, Daniels — an exotic dancer, porn star, and adult entertainment entrepreneur — will be called to the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom.
Experts predict that under oath, and with Donald Trump watching from the defense table, she will testify that she had sex with the then-Apprentice star in 2006, in his Lake Tahoe hotel suite.
The daytime drama-worthy tawdriness won't end there.
Trump — who has steadfastly denied a sexual encounter, and who calls Daniels a "horseface" and a liar —is promising to testify, and may well attempt to attack her himself if he thinks his lawyers fail to do an adequate job.
"The defense is going to do their best to discredit every part of the prosecution story," predicted Ron Kuby, a veteran Manhattan defense lawyer.
"Starting with that foundation. And the foundation of the case is that they had sex."
A court sketch of Donald Trump in court in Manhattan for a pretrial hearing in his hush money case.
Jane Rosenberg
What's sex got to do with it?
The Trump hush money trial, from a strictly penal-code standpoint, is a dry disagreement over purportedly cooked books.
The indictment alleges 34 Trump Organization business records were falsified to hide other crimes, including campaign finance and tax offenses.
"There's nothing more boring than testimony about business ledger entries," Kuby noted.
But prosecutors say Trump's books were cooked for the least boring of reasons: to hide a $130,000 payment that kept 2016 voters in the dark about what Daniels says happened in that Tahoe hotel.
Daniels will have no choice but talk just a little dirty. Prosecutors will steer her toward the topic, during her direct examination, as a matter of strategy.
"I would say PG-13," Kuby predicted of the testimony.
"The money is called 'hush money' for a reason," said former Manhattan financial crimes prosecutor Diana Florence.
"Jurors will want to hear about what was being hushed. If you don't, they'll be in the deliberations room, and they'll wonder why no one is saying what happened. It would be a distraction," she added.
"You need to tell the story," she said.
Stormy Daniels, in her documentary, "Stormy."
Peacock
Telling a story is especially important in a case alleging that the hush money took a circuitous route from Trump to Daniels.
There were shell companies, a year's worth of phony invoices, a non-disclosure agreement, and secret side letters locked away in safes, prosecutors say.
"You have to answer the question for jurors of why Trump — why the then-president of the United States — would go to such lengths to cover this up," Florence said.
How would the testimony go?
"I imagine the prosecution is going to take her through it in the least salacious way possible," Kuby said.
"It's in their interest to not make this a spectacle," he added. "I think we're going to have references to sex having happened, which is less salacious than descriptions of sex happening."
Florence prosecuted scores of cases involving falsified business records before going into private practice. She expects prosecutors will start by walking Daniels through the basics of her biography.
Daniels, given name Stephanie Clifford, would be asked to describe growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and starting a career in adult entertainment with exotic dancing gigs at local nightclubs.
"I am now directing your attention to 2006," the prosecutor might then say.
"It'll be discreet and tailored, just to complete the narrative, which is what we called it," Florence predicted.
"Did you have a relationship with him?" she said the prosecutor might ask.
"Then she'll say 'No, It was just one night.' And then you fast forward to 2015, or whatever," Florence predicted.
Donald Trump at his hush-money arraignment with attorneys Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles.
Reuters/Timothy A. Clary
"You have to put it all out there," said the former prosecutor. "She has to explain why she had an agent, why she was trying to sell her story. You have to explain the whole background."
Just not all of the whole background.
Daniels' testimony won't be as graphic as her 60 Minutes interview, when she told 22 million viewers that Trump didn't use a condom.
And it won't be anywhere as descriptive as in her book, Full Disclosure, where she mentions both "Yeti pubes" and Toad — otherwise known as "the mushroom character in Mario Kart"
"None of that's coming in," Florence said, with a laugh, of Daniels' hush money testimony.
"Nobody wants to go there."
And then Trump goes bonkers?
Trump has a difficult time remaining quiet while watching a woman testify unpleasantly against him.
This has happened just one time before, and it didn't go well.
In January, a Manhattan federal judge threatened to kick Trump out of the courtroom when he was overheard at the defense table, complaining that his rape and defamation accuser, E. Jean Carroll, was telling tales on the witness stand.
"Mr. Trump has been loudly saying things, including that the witness is lying and noting that she has suddenly got her memory back," Carroll attorney Shawn Crowley told Judge Lewis Kaplan.
"It's loud enough that some of us here are hearing it."
A still from the Peacock documentary, "Stormy."
Peacock
This time, too, Trump will be warned, by both the judge and his lawyers, against any outbursts, particularly when Daniels is on the stand.
He could face a contempt-of-court finding, fines, and even a little time in jail if he ignores the judge's orders to not disrupt the trial.
"He has very seasoned lawyers who I expect, at least behind closed doors, are going to tell him that any 'performance' is going to hinder your interests here," said Florence.
"He might think he knows better," she added.
Trump will very likely demand that his lawyers aggressively cross-examine Daniels, at least for show.
Daniels be up to the task, Kuby predicted.
"I think Stormy Daniels has shown she can handle herself," he said. "She can also handle other people," he joked.
"Game on, Tiny"
Daniels boasts no fear of Trump. When he called her "Horseface" and a "total con job" in tweets from 2018, she one-upped him.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present your president," she tweeted in response.
"In addition to his…umm…shortcomings, he has demonstrated his incompetence, hatred of women and lack of self control on Twitter AGAIN! And perhaps a penchant for bestiality," she tweeted, in a callback to Trump's "horseface" slurs.
"Game on, Tiny," she taunted.
Donald Trump attends a hearing in his felony hush money case in Manhattan.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
"From all appearances, she's going to be a witness who is extraordinarily difficult to control on cross," Kuby said.
The defense would be wise to walk her through the times, back in 2018, when she stuck to her hush money agreement, and publicly denied having sex with Trump, including in at least one signed statement.
"They should take her specifically through each time, 'This is what you said here? Now you're saying that's a lie? Is this what you said there? Now you're saying that was a lie?' One by one," Kuby said.
"And then just let it go. Which I'm sure Trump is not going to just let that go," he said.
The defense could also ask Daniels about "all the pejorative things she's said about Trump" since that first "Tiny," in 2018, including in her podcast, on social media, and in last month's Peacock documentary, Stormy.
"But then you get a longer redirect examination," Kuby said.
"The prosecution is allowed to ask, then, why she made those statements and then the whole Trump campaign to discredit her comes into play," he said.
"With somebody like Ms. Clifford, less is more. Even if Trump is somebody who always wants more and more and more," Kuby said.
"The thing is, he's not the only performer who's going to be in that courtroom. And between his act and her act, frankly I prefer hers — as will the jury."
Mallory Harcourt and her family the day they purchased their Model X in 2018.
Mallory Harcourt
Tesla is on trial over a negligence lawsuit brought by a mom whose toddler hit her with her Model X.
The California mom alleges in the lawsuit that the 2018 Model X was "defective" in its design.
Tesla has argued the mother is to blame and that the Model X's design likely saved her life.
Is Tesla to blame for a toddler crashing his family's Model X SUV into his pregnant mother, injuring her?
That's what a California jury will soon weigh in a civil trial that could raise questions about the vehicle's safety features and force Elon Musk's electric car company to pay out hefty monetary damages.
Opening statements in the trial, taking place in a Santa Clara County courtroom, are expected to begin this week.
California mom alleges that the Tesla Model X was 'defective'
In 2019, California mother Mallory Harcourt filed a lawsuit against Tesla over the incident, accusing it of negligence, consumer fraud, and product liability. Harcourt alleges in the suit that her brand-new 2018 Model X SUV was "defective" in its design because her 2-year-old son managed to start the vehicle and hit her with it outside of the family's Santa Barbara home on December 27, 2018.
The mother, who was eight months pregnant with her second child at the time, was left pinned to a wall in her garage when the vehicle accelerated, according to the lawsuit. Harcourt suffered broken bones and gave birth to her daughter prematurely through a broken pelvis about a week later, court documents say.
"Mallory's injuries healed over time, but her pain is permanent," Harcourt's attorneys wrote in an April 8 legal brief.
"No one could reasonably expect a two-year-old who climbs into the floorboard of a vehicle that is in Park with its parking brake on to be able to cause the vehicle to start, shift out of Park and into Drive and move," the lawyers added. "Such a vehicle is defective."
The Tesla dashboard.
Chicago Tribune / Getty
Jurors at the trial will hear from Harcourt's attorneys how the mother and her husband purchased a Model X as their family vehicle after seeing advertisements about it being the "safest, quickest, most capable SUV ever," according to the brief.
The incident occurred just four days after the parents bought the Model X, and shortly after Harcourt pulled into their driveway with their son in tow.
"The vehicle automatically shifted into Park and set the parking brake," the brief says.
Harcourt removed her son, identified as B.H., from his car seat and left the driver's door open, it says.
"Mallory realized she had forgotten her house keys at the office and was not able to enter the home," the brief says. "B.H. had a dirty diaper so she decided to change him in the garage."
At some point, the boy "escaped" from his mother and climbed into the vehicle's footwell through the open door, according to the brief.
"He then contacted the brake pedal, which started the car and automatically closed the driver's door. Seconds later, B.H. reached up and touched the gear shift lever on the stalk of the steering wheel, which shifted the car out of Park and into Drive," the brief says.
"B.H. then contacted the accelerator pedal, which caused the car to begin moving forward. From the time B.H. entered the Tesla until it began moving was mere seconds," it continues.
Harcourt saw the Tesla as it was entering the garage, and had "virtually no time to react," the court filing says.
"She moved towards the front of the Tesla hoping the vehicle would recognize her and stop since the Tesla was equipped with technology that she understood would recognize if the vehicle was going to hit something and stop," the brief says.
The Model X then accelerated to over 8 miles-per-hour and struck Harcourt, it says.
"The Tesla picked her up just below her waist and lifted her off the ground, then crushed her against bicycles and various clutter at the back of the garage," the court filing says, adding, that the impact fractured Mallory's pelvis in multiple places, fractured her fibula, and caused a deep puncture wound to her thigh.
Neighbors ultimately helped free Harcourt from the vehicle.
Tesla has placed the blame squarely on the mother
Tesla has argued in court documents that Harcourt is only to blame for the incident and that the Model X's design likely saved her life.
"The evidence will prove that Ms. Harcourt was the sole cause of her injuries and that sophisticated driver assistance features in the Model X saved her and her children from far more serious injuries," Tesla's attorneys wrote in a trial brief filed on April 8 that details how the carmaker will defend itself.
"Ms. Harcourt negligently left her two-year old son unattended in her driveway with access to a vehicle that had two doors open and the keys inside, and for long enough to allow him to get into the vehicle, step on the pedals, and put it into gear," Tesla's attorneys wrote.
Tesla's lawyers said in the court filing that Harcourt then "made the highly extraordinary decision to jump in front of the Model X as it was moving. This entire incident could have been avoided by either keeping watch over the toddler, or, failing that, using the PIN-to-Drive option."
Tesla's PIN-to-drive option is a safety measure that requires the owner to put in a four-digit password in order to drive the vehicle, according to Tesla's website.
"In no uncertain terms, Ms. Harcourt's own actions caused her injuries, and not any defect in Model X's design," Tesla's attorneys wrote.
It was Harcourt's own "poor decisions," Tesla's attorneys wrote, "that put herself, her son and her unborn child at significant risk."
The carmaker's lawyers explained in their brief that the Model X is an all-electric vehicle, and pressing the brake powers it on like turning the key would in a gasoline-powered car.
Harcourt's son "pressed the accelerator pedal, and the Model X moved forward slowly," the lawyers said.
"Ms. Harcourt admits she did not know where her son was at this time, but when she saw the Model X moving into the garage, she — at 8 months' pregnant — nonetheless stepped in front of the vehicle, now claiming she believed that would make it stop."
Tesla's attorneys say that vehicle data shows that the Model X's "Brake Override" and "Obstacle-Aware Acceleration" advanced driver assistance features were activated at the time of the incident, limiting the speed of the SUV, "despite B.H. pressing the accelerator pedal to 100%."
The Model X, the lawyers wrote in the brief, "functioned exactly as designed and very likely saved Ms. Harcourt's life."
Tesla has faced its fair share of safety-related lawsuits
It's far from the first time Tesla's lawyers have appeared in court over safety concerns. Like many automakers, Tesla has faced multiple lawsuits over accidents and the company's potential role in the crashes. Tesla owners have sued the carmaker over anything from battery fires and phantom braking incidents to its driver assist software.
Last year, a woman sued Tesla after her husband's Model 3 allegedly exploded on impact, ultimately causing his death. In 2022 — in what was Tesla's first trial involving a fatal crash —a Florida jury awarded the families of two teens who were killed in an accident involving a Model S $10.5 million.
The jury found Tesla 1% to blame for the crash and the driver and his family 99% to blame. The lawsuit alleged Tesla played a role in the accident by allowing the driver, Barrett Riley, to remove a speed limiter that the family had previously installed on the vehicle. Riley and his passenger had died after the car crashed into a concrete barrier going 116 miles per hour and caught fire.