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• Princess Cruises says its new Sun Princess and upcoming Star Princess will have all-inclusive cabins.
• Guests who've booked the new Sanctuary Collection category would get an inclusive package and private lounge.
• It's a move that could appeal to ultra-luxury cruisers.

If you want to go on an all-inclusive vacation at sea, you no longer need to book an ultra-luxury, ultra-expensive cruise line.

Just sail on Princess Cruises' new ship instead.

In October, Princess says its two-month-old Sun Princess will debut in the US with the company's first-ever Sanctuary Collection, an adult-only lounge exclusive to guests who've booked one of the collection's high-end cabins. These luxurious accommodations comprise 10% of the ship's 2,157 staterooms, including all its suites.

But the Sanctuary's biggest perk arguably isn't the lounge's private pool and restaurant — it's the all-inclusiveness, a rarity among mass-market cruise lines.

It's the Carnival Corp. brand's latest appeal to ultra-luxury cruisers

Mass-market cruise lines like Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian typically follow the "budget airline" strategy: charge a cheap base fare and offer plenty of irresistible up-charged amenities (like specialty restaurants, as is the case of Sun Princess).

It's a stark contrast to the high-end cruise industry, where all-inclusivity is often considered the standard.

For example, luxury cruise line Explora Journey's fare includes alcoholic beverages, WiFi, and access to the spa — amenities that would typically cost extra on ships like Sun Princess. On Regent Seven Seas, all this, plus excursions, pre-cruise hotels, and roundtrip flights are also included in the cost to sail.

Over the last few years, Princess has begun following in these high-end cruise lines' foosteps.

In 2022, it launched Princess Premier, an optional inclusive package covering amenities like WiFi, drinks, some upcharged restaurants, and workout classes. It's the same package Sanctuary Collection guests would get, along with the private restaurant and adult-only lounge with cabanas, a pool, and private events.

The exclusive lounge concept is nothing new. Royal Caribbean's two largest cruise liners have a "neighborhood" exclusive to suite guests. The same applies to Norwegian, Celebrity, and MSC Cruises' vessels.

However, while these competing retreats offer perks like drink packages, WiFi, or private restaurants, none are as "inclusive" as Princess'.

In 2024, Sun Princess' Sanctuary cabins start at more than $3,000 per person for a weeklong Caribbean cruise in mid-December. To compare, the cheapest interior cabin for the same itinerary starts shy of $700 per person.

The cruise line says its next ship, Star Princess, which will debut in late September 2025, will also carry the Sanctuary Collection.

Following in the footsteps of high-end, all-inclusive cruise lines could be a wise decision for Princess. These luxury vacations at sea have become increasingly popular as travelers continue to spend big on their trips.

Like Princess, expedition cruise company HX recently shifted to an all-inclusive model as well.

Back on dry land, hotel giants like Hyatt and Marriott have also seen a boom in these "everything free" resorts.

Apparently, every vacationer — whether on water or solid ground — just wants one thing: stress-free poolside lounging with bottomless drinks.

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• Film studio Skydance is vying to buy Shari Redstone's controlling stake in Paramount.
• Its latest bid includes a premium for shareholders and a $3 billion cash injection.
• Sources close to the deal told BI how much Redstone may get and what Paramount would look like.

Paramount's CEO Bob Bakish was ousted on Monday night. His exit bodes well for film studio Skydance Media, which is vying to buy Shari Redstone's controlling stake in the entertainment giant.

Skydance Media and its largest private-equity backer RedBird Capital Partners have been wooing Paramount for the better part of a year. The Skydance consortium, including fellow Skydance investor KKR, submitted a revised offer on Sunday. It includes a $3 billion cash injection, most of which would pay off shareholders, and the rest going toward paying off debt, according to two people close to the negotiations.

The pressure is on. There is little wiggle room with this new bid as the consortium has already made significant concessions to meet the demands of the committee in charge of recommending the deal to the board, according to one of the sources. Skydance's exclusive negotiating period ends on May 3. If both parties agree on the broad strokes of the deal, extending this window is an option. However, if it falls through, another bidder is reportedly on deck: private equity titan Apollo.

The deal would be worth roughly $32 billion, according to the source, with the value of Paramount and its $15 billion in debt making up the lion's share. The proposal values Skydance, which would merge with Paramount, at $5 billion.

Paramount did not reply to a request for comment in time for publication. At Tuesday's earnings call, executives took no questions and instead played the "Mission: Impossible" theme on a loop. (Skydance is a co-producer on the Tom Cruise-helmed spy movies).

Here's what we know about the deal, how much Redstone would get, and what a new Paramount would look like.

The money

The Skydance consortium sweetened their bid by offering to buy shares at a premium of nearly 30% from $11 per share, according to the two sources. Paramount stock traded at that amount in mid-April before merger talks boosted the price.

This concession comes after shareholder complaints that the deal left common shareholders in the cold, including from investor Mario Gabelli. Second to Redstone, his funds own the most voting shares. Ex-CEO Bakish had opposed the merger for shareholder dilution, CNBC previously reported.

Heiress Redstone's compensation is still being negotiated, according to one of the sources. Redstone controls Paramount through her family's holding business, National Amusements. That said, she would likely receive less than $2 billion for her controlling stake, a smaller sum than first offered.

The players

Skydance is owned by David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison. The Santa Monica, California-based studio successfully co-produced the "Top Gun" reboot with Paramount. Skydance has branched into animated features including "Luck" on Apple TV+ and video games.

Aside from the Ellison family, Skydance's largest shareholder is RedBird, a New York City-based private equity firm with $10 billion in assets. RedBird has been an investor in Skydance since 2020, including its most recent round in 2022, which was led by KKR and the Ellisons.

RedBird's founder and chief executive is Gerry Cardinale, a former Goldman Sachs partner who made his name as the banker to the New York Yankees and the NFL. He is known for leveraging intellectual property, whether it's television rights or movie franchises, to create bigger businesses as well as his relationship savvy, according to 27 colleagues who spoke to Business Insider in 2022.

Many of RedBird's business partnerships date back to his Goldman days. Skydance has partnered with the NFL to launch a production arm for scripted and unscripted sports content.

What Paramount would look like after a Skydance merger

Paramount has installed a trio of leaders to replace Bakish in the interim. If the company accepts the bid, David Ellison will be installed as CEO, according to the two sources. Jeff Shell, ex-NBCUniversal CEO and current chairman of sports media at RedBird, would report to Ellison as president.

Under the agreement, the combined company would stay public, two sources close to the negotiation said. The deal would not break up Paramount, which includes broadcaster CBS and cable networks MTV and Nickelodeon.

Restructuring Paramount's balance sheet is one half of the equation, one of the individuals said. Combining Skydance's and Paramount's libraries and studios would benefit both, as shown with the successful "Top Gun" co-production, they said. Skydance already has the rights to produce and finance other films based on Paramount franchises including Transformers.

A new Paramount could also take better advantage of working with streaming services to finance new projects. For instance, Skydance has an Apple TV+ contract. Another RedBird portfolio company, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Artists' Equity, has a partnership with Amazon Studios.

Keeping Paramount public sets the Skydance bid apart from Apollo's potential offer, according to one of the sources. Apollo has reportedly partnered with Sony on a potential all-cash $26 billion offer that would take Paramount private. (Apollo did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.)

There are also questions as to whether Paramount would stay whole under Apollo and Sony. Apollo previously offered $11 billion just for Paramount's movie studio, the Wall Street Journal reported in March. Paramount would have been left with its lower-performing cable channels and struggling streaming service, and the bid went nowhere.

The $26 billion offer is for the entire company, but Sony's Japanese ownership may pose an obstacle to retaining US broadcast stations.

Sony and Apollo have yet to make an official bid. With Skydance's exclusivity window ending soon, they may be waiting in the wings.

Editor's note: KKR is the largest shareholder of Business Insider's parent company Axel Springer.

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• Trump has plans for at least a 10% universal tariff on US imports, he told Time Magazine.
• He argues that such a levy wouldn't lead to increased inflation.
• But research from the bipartisan Tax Foundation suggests otherwise, and says Trump's 2018 trade war was also economically damaging.

Former President Donald Trump has made it no secret that he plans to build a wall of tariffs around the US, with higher rates applied to those he sees standing in the way of American trade.

If elected, his proposed measures include a 10% universal duty on all imports headed into the country, though Trump recently told Time Magazine this figure could reach even higher. 

China could face a tariff as high as 60%, which Trump argues will bring back production to US shores.

"I call it a ring around the country … A reciprocal tax also," the Republican candidate said in a wide-ranging interview with the outlet. "And if we do that, the numbers are staggering."

But historical precedence has shown that tariffs can lead to surging inflation, something the Time interviewer brought up to Trump, who was quick to shrug it off.

"I don't believe it will have much of an effect because they're making so much money off of us," he said. "I also don't believe that the costs will go up that much."

The non-partisan Tax Foundation would beg to differ. Their research shows that duties on imports force traders to either raise their prices or pull their product entirely, which also pushes prices higher because supply is diminished.

Further, tariffs also boost the cost of parts and materials, adding price pressure on the final product, even if made in the US, the foundation found.

But Trump refutes this: "I don't believe it'll be inflation. I think it'll be lack of loss for our country."

In his view, countries such as China, India, and Brazil take advantage of the US, by barring American products while at the same time looking to boost domestic production of these same goods.

"I think what happens is you build. What happens to get out of the whole situation is you end up building, instead of having your product brought in from China, because of that additional cost, you end up making the product in the United States," he added later. 

Still, when taking a look at Trump's 2018 tariff policies against Beijing, price hikes are among the lasting consequences. Tax Foundation estimates that the tariffs then imposed have amounted to an $80 billion tax increase on Americans.

"Look, I took in billions of dollars from China. Nobody else ever did anything on China," Trump explained. "I also let people know what the threat of China was. China was going along making $500 to $600 billion a year and nobody was ever even mentioning it until I came along."

To be sure, a majority of Trump's restrictions have stayed in place under the current Biden administration; the institute calculated that these remaining tariffs could reduce long-run GDP by 0.21%.

More tariffs under Trump could be poorly timed, as US monetary policy is already struggling to clamp down on current inflation levels. Recent hotter-than-expected data has even amplified worries of a stagflationary scenario, in which the Federal Reserve would have to raise interest rates to pressure down pricing.

But Trump allies are reported to be discussing ways in which the former president could take control of the central bank, in an effort to ensure lower rates. However, any attempt to threaten Fed independence would risk an investor backlash, Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff recently said.

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• On Tuesday night, the NYPD entered Columbia University to break up ongoing protests.
• Other press couldn't go on campus, so the student radio station was the only source of on-the-ground reporting.
• Tens of thousands of people tuned into WKCR's radio broadcast for breaking news. 

On Tuesday night, as the police entered the Columbia University campus and arrested 300 protesters, I did something I don't usually do to get breaking news: I turned off the TV, I closed X, and I turned on the radio.

WKCR 89.9 FM, Columbia's student radio station, was broadcasting live from inside the campus about what was happening as the NYPD arrived.

Outside news outlets weren't allowed onto campus, which is gated. So that meant Columbia's own student journalists were the only on-the-ground reporters.

The Columbia Daily Spectator, the student newspaper, has been doing an admirable job reporting on an ongoing event that has attracted major national attention. But on Tuesday night, the nature of the breaking news event as the NYPD marched past the campus gates around 9:30 p.m. meant that it was the radio station's turn to shine.

The radio broadcast was anchored by a young woman who deftly tossed to reporters in the field and the studio. Under such extreme circumstances, it was a highly professional affair — and the reporters were careful with their words and facts. But there were also moments when the field reporters sounded scared, and you could hear a lot of commotion in the background.

Social media, specifically live video, has been a game changer for covering protests and large social actions. A decade ago, the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, were live-streamed on early platforms like Ustream or Livestream. By the mid-2010s, all the social platforms went all-in on livestreaming — encouraging the more banal, like an exploding watermelon.

A few years later, Twitter Live and Instagram Live were important parts of documenting the 2020 George Floyd protests and the January 6 riot. And audio streams like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces started to garner big audiences.

But in the situation at Columbia, all those new-tech platforms fell short — and what worked was the nearly century-old platform of an over-the-air radio signal. (I left messages for the radio station but didn't hear back — likely because the students are taking a well-deserved break, which they referenced in an X post. And as of Wednesday morning, the station was back to playing its regular jazz music.)

The world tuned into the radio station — with a caveat. Word spread over X to tune into WKCR either on the real radio band or via its online streams. I live outside the station's signal, and its online stream was glitchy due to high demand, so I tuned in via its Instagram Live. Hasan Piker played part of the radio broadcast during a livestream on his popular Twitch channel, where more than 33,000 people concurrently tuned in to listen. Tech platforms helped support a tiny radio signal to reach a national audience of people who wanted to hear real reporting on what was going on.

X used to be the best place for real-time news events and reporting, and it still is if you compare it to, say, Threads. But Elon Musk's systematic dismantling of the old Twitter means everything feels less reliable. The old blue-check verification system gave people some sense that an account posting a video or information was probably reliable; the paid blue-check system does not. Scrolling through my X feed last night was disorienting and confusing.

The actual events on the Columbia campus on Tuesday night are, of course, more important than the fact that its radio station went viral. But for a moment, I'd like to set aside the actual substance of the campus protest and the police action.

Moments like Tuesday night are critical to understanding the world, and it is important to consider the medium of the news in these moments —how it travels, who it reaches, and what technology touches and shapes it.

And so, for one night, a small college radio station that usually plays jazz and classical music with a handful of student journalists was the medium for telling the biggest news story in the country.

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• If you didn't hear your iPhone alarm go off lately, it might not have just been you oversleeping.
• Some iPhone users say their alarms haven't been sounding recently.
• Apple is reportedly working on a fix, but for now here's what you should check in your settings.

If you slept through your iPhone alarm recently, it might not have necessarily been your fault.

Some iPhone users say their alarms haven't been working lately, taking to social media to vent — with some saying they were late to work or school after multiple alarms they'd set didn't go off.

Apple did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment but the company told The Today Show it's aware of an issue leading some iPhones to not play sounds during an alarm and that it's working on fixing the problem.

In the meantime, there are a few things you can try that might help solve the problem.

In your phone's settings, go to Face ID & Passcode and scroll to Attention Aware Features. This feature detects if the user is paying attention to their phone and may lower the volume of sounds if it thinks you're looking at your phone, so you'll want to make sure it's toggled off in case.

In settings, you can also turn your volume up under Sound & Haptics. On this page, there's also Change with Buttons, which allows you to adjust the volume of your ringer and alerts using the volume buttons; you might want to turn this off to keep yourself from accidentally lowering your alert volume.

For now, at least you can point to others saying they experienced alarm issues if your boss asks what happened.

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• As the 2024 presidential election approaches, polled election officials said the threats are piling up.
• Seven in ten local election officials said they think the dangers have increased since 2020.
• It's led to many officials reportedly leaving the job entirely as a result.

With about six months until the presidential elections in November, more than a third of polled election officials said they've experienced "threats, harassment, or abuse" while on the job, a new report revealed.

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law published its yearly "Local Election Officials Survey" on Wednesday. The survey, which was filled out by 11,678 election officials between late February and March, revealed an increase in reported threats on the job.

Four in 10 respondents reported their offices had bolstered their physical security since 2020, with 41% noting they had "participated in or led security trainings." However, that didn't stop on-the-job dangers from continuing to stack up: 38% of officials still reported having been threatened, harassed, or abused because of their jobs.

Officials also believe things are getting worse, with 70% of those polled saying they think the threats have increased since 2020 election.

Among election officials who said they'd been threatened on the job, roughly 60% said the threat occurred in person, while 61% reported threats over the phone. Some also reported being concerned about the risk of their personal information being posted online in a threatening manner.

Twelve percent more respondents in 2024 said they know someone who left their job over safety concerns compared to 2023.

Threats against election officials and poll workers have been well-documented in recent years. The most high-profile example is that of Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, who received hundreds of threats after then-President Donald Trump's campaign spread lies that they had manipulated ballots.

Both testified before the House's January 6 Committee and later won $148 million from Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, though he's struggled to come up with the money.

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• The US Navy used its SM-3 missile interceptor in combat for the first time last month.
• Now, the sea service's top civilian official says the US will need more of them in the future. 
• His comments referenced the American "deterrence mission in the Indo-Pacific," a nod toward China.

The US Navy will need a lot more of its SM-3 missile, an interceptor that only recently scored its first-ever kill, to counter Pacific threats like China, the sea service's top civilian official said on Wednesday.

Last month, American warships operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea fired the Standard Missile 3, or SM-3, to engage Iranian ballistic missiles that Tehran fired as part of a massive and unprecedented attack on Israel. The incident marked the first time that this interceptor was used in combat.

These "SM-3s will be needed in greater numbers in the future," Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday during a budget hearing for the coming fiscal year.

"Given the operations that took place in defense of Israel here recently, where some were fired, and very effectively so, I think given the future threat and our deterrence mission in the Indo-Pacific, we are going to need more SM-3s in the future," Del Toro added.

The SM-3 is an element of the Navy's highly advanced Aegis Combat System that can be fired from a warship's vertical-launching system.

The weapon uses a kinetic kill vehicle to hit and destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of flight and is capable of exo-atmospheric intercepts. Kills in space are particularly difficult missions that the Navy's other air-defense systems aren't capable of achieving.

There are multiple SM-3 variants. Block I interceptors were first fielded nearly 20 years ago, and the missiles have seen dozens of tests over the past two decades.

The Missile Defense Agency's budget request for FY25 cuts procurement of SM-3 Block IB variant, which became operational a decade ago. During Wednesday's hearing, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson referred to this variant as the Navy's "primary defense against tactical ballistic missiles for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense" weapons system.

Del Toro responded to Wilson's concerns by suggesting that decisions to cut production "were made before recent operations," saying he thinks "that we're going to have to relook that in order to add more SM-3s in the future."

The Navy secretary's remarks about the SM-3s and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region come amid fears that the US and China may clash one day as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.

Should Washington and Beijing go to war at some point in the future, the maritime domain would likely be a key battleground, putting the Navy at risk given China's theater missiles.

China is expanding its already formidable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, which could pose a tremendous threat to US aircraft carriers and other warships operating in the region during a potential future conflict. Interceptors like the SM-3 would allow American naval forces to counter some of these threats.

The Navy, however, is already getting a taste of what it's like to battle anti-ship ballistic missiles. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels became the first international actors to fire such weapons in combat last year as part of their ongoing attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. US forces have intercepted scores of these missiles over the past few months.

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• College students are increasingly targeted by job recruitment scammers, the FTC warned.
• Scammers use fake listings and pose as recruiters to steal money and identities.
• Major job boards like LinkedIn are adding steps to verify professional recruiters.

College students can feel a lot of pressure to join the workforce as soon as possible — and scammers have been increasingly trying to take advantage of that.

Students on the hunt for new jobs or internships, especially virtual ones they can work part-time during the school year, are being targeted by criminals posing as job recruiters, according to a recent warning issued by the FTC.

The agency warned that "if a new employer mails your first paycheck before you even start working, that's your cue to stop — it's a scam."

Those scammers use various tactics to lure in would-be applicants, using fake job listings, fraudulent email addresses and even dropping familiar names like that of a trusted mentor or faculty member.

Sometimes, the scammers are just looking for a quick cash payout. But they can also target a college student's identity or bank information.

Scammers often approach victims about remote positions, using the virtual communication as a front to obscure their identities, and the cost of setting up a home office as pretext.

"Scammers post ads for fake jobs for personal assistants on common job sites and social media. Or they might send emails that look like they're from someone in your community, like a professor or an office at your college," the FTC said.

"If you apply, they'll mail you a check to deposit at your bank. Then, they'll ask you to send some of the money to another account," the agency added. "They tell you a convincing story, but the check is fake and the whole thing is a scam. The check will eventually bounce and the bank will want you to repay the money you withdrew."

The Wall Street Journal recently interviewed students who had encountered scammers during their job hunts.

One college senior told the Journal that he received an offer for a data analyst internship, apparently from an email associated with a real company. But after a Microsoft Teams interview — conducted entirely over chat with the supposed "hiring manager" — he received a check to cover the cost of a laptop and software.

The student deposited the check into his bank account and sent the money to a vendor the company had directed him to pay, before realizing that the check had bounced and he had spent $1,745 of his own money, the Journal reported.

Major recruiting and staffing firms have issued warnings about the practice — especially since their names are being co-opted by scammers to make their "offers" seem more credible. One Houston-based company, Murray Resources, told the Journal that it had received over 100 complaints in March from victims of scammers claiming to represent the firm.

"Murray Resources does not use WhatsApp and we do not text candidates unless we have already been in contact and received their prior permission to do so," the company said on its website.

Earlier this month, LinkedIn took steps against recruiting scams by launching a verification feature for recruiters. Indeed warns that users should be on the lookout for positions that seem "too good to be true."

The FTC says that job seekers who are contacted for a prospective opportunity should always do their homework about the job and the recruiter — if it's a job at a university office, for example, they should contact the department directly to confirm the details.

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• As an interior designer, I have a few tricks to replace a lot of outdated living-room trends.
• Word art can look tacky and plastic outlet covers don't show much personality. 
• DVD collections and too much lighting can take away from the relaxed feel a living room should have.

Movie and book collections need to go — or be concealed.

Though your stack of limited-edition DVDs can be a great conversation starter, they're going to make your room look busy and overwhelming.

Giant stacks of books or movies can be visually distracting but a storage solution will give your space a less cluttered atmosphere and make the room more relaxing.

A good storage solution for movies and books is also a great way to visually conceal the items while keeping them in one desired location. Many bookshelves or media stands have closed fronts with drawers or doors to conceal miscellaneous items.

There's such a thing as too much lighting.

Though I love a well-lit room, I certainly have a pet peeve for too much lighting. Walking into a room that has a ceiling light, recessed can lighting, and accent and floor lamps can feel overwhelming and unnecessary.

I think lamps are a must in terms of function but not decor — you should have attractive lamps that serve a purpose, not overpower a space.

If you're worried your room isn't bright enough, purchase dimmable bulbs, which can be adjusted when ample light is and isn't desired.

Consider the scale of your room when you're getting a sofa.

It's important to consider scale when mapping out any space. If your living room has a sofa that's too large, it can make the room feel small. In turn, having a sofa that's too small will make the room look empty.

If you're concerned about selecting a sofa that's too big or small, gather some specs and tape where you'd want the piece of furniture to go on the floor to get an idea of how much space it will occupy.

You can also go with a modular-sofa option that can be reconfigured based on how you want to build your seating. Slightly moving smaller pieces around to change a layout or placing them in a whole new space would also be easier than moving an entire sofa around.

Get rid of outdated prints and colors.

Trendy prints and colors change yearly but you can stay up-to-date with neutral-toned furniture and finishes and different accent pieces.

Neutrals are relaxing so having them as the main colors in a room creates an opportunity to build some contrast and visual interest through colorful decor pieces. Replacing outdated prints through pillows and blankets is one of the easiest living-room face-lifts.

Refreshing a space with updated textures and layers is also easy and affordable, considering that buying a $25 pillow is much less taxing than repainting an entire room.

 

Word art and letters all over the wall can look too busy.

Who knew that words spelled out on a wall would be such a decor trend? I've seen just about every word in the English language spelled out on people's walls with letters from Hobby Lobby or HomeGoods but they can make a wall look too busy. 

If you're having trouble coming up with ideas for wall decor, check out Pinterest for unique solutions that don't involve spelling out your family's last name.

Consider a family photo collage, tapestries, macromeres, paintings, or mirrors.

You don't need overpowering window treatments.

Heavy window treatments are outdated and unnecessary, especially since sheer curtains are lightweight alternatives that still have some texture. If blocking out light is a priority, skip sheer curtains and go for black-out shades, which can be as thin as linen.

I also think valances scream 1970s and short or choppy curtains that float a foot or so off the ground cut the line of sight and make a wall seem shorter than it is.

I'm tired of seeing white plastic blinds as well since, to me, they scream "first college apartment." If you prefer blinds, roller shades or wood options are a much better look.

Plastic light switches and outlet covers can be updated.

Another pet peeve of mine is outlet and light-switch covers being an afterthought. I've seen homes that have thousands of dollars worth of renovations with outlets concealed by plastic covers you can find at a dollar store.

Updating plastic covers to something more luxe is one of the easiest things you can do to impact your living space. There are some great options on Amazon, or if you're like me and must see and touch items, Menards also carries a good selection.

I think covers that pair nicely with the current architecture and have a finish matching the trim used throughout the home would look more cohesive. I also like it when the covers are painted the same color as the walls because it gives a really seamless look.

Gray isn't always the answer.

Though all design trends come back, I hope the use of gray will take a while to make its next round. Homes with a gray sofas, plank flooring, curtains, and throw blankets and charcoal accent pillows can look dull. The color of a space can change your mood so why not have a color that promotes comfort instead of one that embodies dullness?

Gray can come off as stark and overly commercial but warmer tones feel relaxed and inviting. Luckily, I see a lot more browns and warm neutrals used in design projects lately. 

This being said, I appreciate gray tones with other contrasting finishes. Adding warmer colors next to gray pieces can create a contrasting yet refreshing color palette.

Invest in durable fabrics.

With today's technology, purchasing easy-to-clean fabrics is a no-brainer. Though classic linen and velvet are staples used for decades, you can achieve a similar look with treated fabrics.

For example, some fabric companies are plasticizing their materials to make them as stain-resistant and durable as acrylic and outdoor fabrics to give a classic look while being able to withstand kids and pets. 

Acrylic fabric options such as Sunbrella or Perennials are also great, durable options. Since they're easy to clean, these fabrics open the door up to bringing in light colors like whites and creams.

Steer clear of shiny paint finishes.

I think a high- or semi-gloss paint finish gives a shiny and almost oily look to a wall. Though this shiny paint is easy to clean, you can achieve similar results with a satin finish and avoid an overly reflective look.

A more subdued wall finish can let the furniture and art make a statement without competing with a shiny wall. Minimal sheen is also easier on the eyes and gives the overall aesthetic of the space a more relaxed tone, which, in a residential space especially, is necessary.

This story was originally published on October 1, 2022, and most recently updated on May 1, 2024.

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• I tested Tesla's brand new Cybertruck. 
• The electric truck is fun to drive and turns heads everywhere it goes. 
• But some small oversights made the expensive product feel rushed. 

The Cybertruck is unlike anything I've ever driven.

Even before I got behind the wheel, its metallic angles screamed uniqueness from across a parking lot. On the road, it drew gaping looks from other drivers, while pedestrians chased it down for photos.

Inside the truck, things only got more quirky. It had all the standard Tesla features, like a massive screen for controlling almost everything, a card (or phone) that acts as the key, voice control, and a yoke-shaped steering wheel.

But a few features stuck out to me and felt surprisingly rushed — especially in the company's newest and most highly anticipated product yet.

Are they all dealbreakers? Probably not. But for a price tag of more than $100,000, potential customers are allowed to be a little discerning, even if the main draw here is aesthetics and completely over-the-top specs.

These seven features annoyed me in my three-day jaunt around central Texas:

The Cybertruck's massive windshield doesn't mesh well with the Texas sun.

The Cybertruck's windshield is massive and more horizontal than many other vehicles. In the Texas sun, this didn't mesh well with the truck's all-black interior.

Driving in direct sunlight, any part of my arm or leg that was exposed and not getting direct ventilation was uncomfortable, and I knew cranking the air conditioning would drain battery life.

Inconveniently, the controls for the AC vents are buried in a settings menu on the main screen. No simple, one-motion adjustment of an air vent here — this is the future!

Charging also got hot. It was barely spring when I tested out the Cybertruck, and within three hours of charging in the direct sunlight, temperatures inside had climbed to more than 130 degrees.

Luckily, Elon Musk has tried to counter this somewhat with remote AC and window controls, and "dog mode."

I questioned whether anyone tested the sun visors.

Like most cars, the upper part of the Cybertruck's windshield has extra tint to help with glare. But unlike most cars, the Cybertruck's sun visor leaves some windshield exposed when unfolded for use — and plenty of sun can still wreak havoc.

Don't forget your sunglasses! They won't just be to look cool.

Want to fast charge on a non-Tesla plug? Good luck.

I learned the hard way that charging infrastructure in this country is still a long way from perfect. All Tesla cars come with an adapter for some slow charger plugs, as was the case in my Turo rental.

But newer fast chargers not run by Tesla usually feature a plug known as CCS, which was basically the industry standard before a big switch to Tesla's plugs last year by most automakers.

To charge at one of those, you'll need a different adapter that Tesla sells for $250. However, it specifically does not work with the Cybertruck because of its protruding plastic fenders. Some other Tesla models require a service appointment to make it work.

Of the more than 40,000 public fast-charging plugs in the US, more than 60% are Tesla, according to data from the Department of Energy. Tesla's plugs are the clear winner here, but not being able to use any others could certainly be a headache.

The truck lacks door handles in the ceiling.

What are nervous passengers supposed to grab while warning you of brake lights ahead?!

For a truck designed to excite, there's a surprising lack of "oh shit handles" for surprised passengers to grip during a terrified yelp while accelerating from 0 to 100-and-god-knows-what in a matter of seconds.

It's like a roller coaster, except there also isn't room to fully extend your hands in the air either.

To be fair, the backseat still has requisite hooks for hanging garments. No handle there, either.

You better hope the automatic suspension adjustment to "entry" height when parking is enough. These standard handles are about accessibility.

The wheel covers are easily damaged.

Wheel covers are a ubiquitous part of nearly every single electric vehicle. They improve aerodynamics by reducing drag, which helps range. In some cases, they look cool too.

But unlike in some other Tesla models, the Cybertruck's plastic wheel covers extend beyond the tire. Even the lightest scrape of a curb is noticeable.

Aesthetics aside, when you combine the truck's massive footprint and less-than-nimble maneuvering with tight spaces, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

Here's a close-up of the damage from the lightest of brushes with a curb.

Sure, the buyers of a $100,000 truck are probably going to have a garage. But what about the trendy restaurant downtown with only street parking? Are you going to trust the valet with this?

Traffic-aware cruise control was far from perfect.

This rental Cybertruck didn't have Autopilot or Full Self-Driving yet, despite having all the necessary hardware. Still, I'm not sure I would have trusted it based on one incident alone.

Let's set the scene:

I was cruising down a highway at more than 70 miles per hour when I approached a flashing yellow light that warned of an intersection ahead. The truck suddenly started beeping incessantly and braking, despite no actual change in the road ahead.

To be fair, Tesla does say in its manual that traffic-light and stop-sign control is a beta feature that "may also stop at green lights."

I appreciate the robo-concern, but the hiccup shows how many of these so-called edge cases will need to be conquered before true self-driving software can exist at any meaningful scale.

Beware, children, of the death frunk.

This frunk is not safe.

I placed a carrot on the open frunk's frame to test the sensitivity of the lid as it closed. The door sliced cleanly through the carrot.

I'm far from the first person to use a faux-finger carrot in the front-trunk's closing mechanism. It still was unsettling to see in person.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_TeO7F5vA?feature=oembed&w=560&h=315]

Most other cars have automatic sensors to detect a rogue body part in the way of a closing trunk or frunk, but apparently not the Cybertruck. Watch out for those fingers!

Hey, at least it has a button for opening from the inside in case you are stuck or kidnapped (as required by law).

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