Tag: News

• Former Wall Street executive Leona Qi is now president of the private aviation company VistaJet US.
• Her advice for asking for raises or promotions is to demonstrate your worth with data and facts.
• Women in particular shouldn't be afraid to ask for what they deserve, she said.

Leona Qi knows a thing or two about leveling up. After a decade of working on Wall Street, she transitioned to the private aviation industry, becoming the managing director of Global Jet Capital before taking on her current role as the president of VistaJet US.

For those hoping to level up their own careers by asking for a raise or a promotion, Qi's career advice echoes what other experts have previously shared with Business Insider: demonstrate your exceptional achievements and value to the company with quantifiable data.

"You can't just ask for more. You have to present why, you have to present your value to the business," Qi told BI. "Whether you're asking about a title, promotion, or maybe more money, I always think you need to be very good at what you do and presenting the facts."

It also helps, Qi said, to have a genuine interest and passion in the work you do.

"I see a lot of young people nowadays starting at a job because they want a job or they need a job. They have no obvious interest in the job that they're in," she said. "Money is obviously important, but I think it's very important to find one that is your passion and then to put in the hard work."

'Don't be afraid to ask for what you deserve'

As someone who's risen to the highest levels in the male-dominated fields of finance and aviation, Qi is especially interested in helping women advance their careers.

A 2023 "Women in the Workplace" report by McKinsey & Company and Lean In found that women hold only 28% of C-suite positions across industries. Since many of those who fly on private jets are C-suite finance executives, VistaJet's client base is largely male.

Qi has made it her goal to grow VistaJet's client base from 5% women to 25% — a target that becomes more attainable as more women climb the corporate ladder by securing raises and promotions.

"Ultimately, when you're really good at something, I think the results show," Qi said. "But for women specifically, don't be afraid to ask for what you deserve."

• Japan is a society that's still in love with cash — and vending machines.
• Its decision to start issuing new banknotes has sparked a problem.
• Almost 80% of Japan's vending machines won't be ready to accept the new notes.

In many ways Japan is a country that's firmly embraced technology, yet it still remains attached to good old-fashioned cash.

Shops scattered along the Zelkova-lined avenue of Tokyo's Omotesando and the boutique shopping district of Ginza are no strangers to locals and tourists waving their credit cards. Still, cash remains king in several other locations.

Hole-in-the-wall izakayas (traditional bars), ryokan (traditional inns), and Shinto shrines often accept cash only. Sure, dense urban sprawls like Tokyo or the Kansai region's Osaka are card-friendly, but carrying physical yen is recommended when venturing beyond major cities.

Those carrying cash in Japan anytime soon, though, may want to double-check the type of bills in their wallets.

This week, Japan started issuing new banknotes for the first time in 20 years in an effort to combat counterfeit money. The only problem is that they might not be accepted everywhere.

Take Japan's millions of vending machines. They are big business in Japan, offering everything from hot coffee and beer to wagyu and hot sauce. Though some accept card payments, those that take cash may not accept Japan's new banknotes.

The Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association recently said that almost 80% of the country's machines would need upgrades to accept the new notes, per comments reported by Reuters. Parking ticket machines and others would also need a fix.

The issue is that Japan's retro machines aren't designed to process the new notes, which boast high-tech specs incorporated to help determine authenticity.

They include portraits of historic figures as 3D holograms — a world-first, according to the Bank of Japan — designed to rotate when a note is titled. Getting Japan's aged machines ready for these new notes will now take time, and money.

In April, the Bank of Japan said that despite the growth in cashless payments, it expects "the demand for cash, which can be readily used by anyone, anywhere, and at any time," to "likely continue to play a significant role as a means of payment."

The banknote issues come at a peculiar time. Tourists have been flocking to Japan this year to take advantage of a weak yen, which hit a 38-year low against the US dollar this week.

Travel guides often tell tourists to carry cash. If they're stopping by a vending machine there anytime soon, they may want to check first if their bills will work.

• Ukraine has used sea drones to devastating effect against Russia's far superior Black Sea Fleet.
• Drones could 'radically' change naval warfare, Pavlo Lakiychuk told the Kyiv Independent.
• He said they pose a threat to larger navies and give smaller navies a chance to turn the tide.

Sea drones could radically change naval warfare, giving smaller navies a chance to "flip the chessboard," a retired Ukrainian naval officer told the Kyiv Independent.

Pavlo Lakiychuk told the outlet that sea drones present a "serious" threat to modern navies, which have spent billions creating enormous, supposedly "impenetrable killing" weapons.

For those nations that lack the resources to create their own large, ocean-going fleets, "this is a chance to flip the chessboard," he added.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has made significant strides in naval warfare, upgrading its naval drones, innovating their use, and deploying them to devastating effect against Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

It needed to look to solutions like this because it doesn't have a navy of its own.

In February, the UK's Ministry of Defence said Ukraine had "almost certainly" sunk the Russian corvette Ivanovets using naval drones.

They also played a key role in taking out an estimated third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the UK MOD said a month later.

In addition, Ukraine has used them to lay mines, which to date have damaged four Russian warships in the Black Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported last week.

Brig Gen Ivan Lukashevych, the mastermind behind Ukraine's fleet of naval drones, told The Journal that Ukraine now aims to deploy squads of up to 20 sea drones that can replicate the abilities of a single warship.

At the same time, The Financial Times' Ukraine correspondent said in an X post in May that Sea Baby naval drones, one of the main drones Ukraine has used at sea, are being mounted with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, citing an unnamed Ukrainian intelligence official.

The official said they'd been used to strike Russian positions in occupied Mykolaiv.

In his comments to the Kyiv Independent, Lakiychuk said that Ukraine's naval drones have "caught the Russian fleet by surprise."

He added that "the era of unmanned robotic systems is coming," and that sooner or later they "will send modern colossi to the dustbin of history."

In that situation, he said, "the Russian Black Sea Fleet is no longer a survivor."

• President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have been married for 47 years.
• Joe had to propose five times before she said yes. They eventually married in 1977. 
• They have been at each other's sides through celebrations and challenges.

Over the course of their 47-year marriage, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have celebrated triumphant victories and milestones as well as setbacks and devastating losses.

Jill has continued to champion her husband's 2024 reelection campaign despite his disastrous debate performance that raised further questions about his age and fitness for a second term.

The president often refers to Jill as "the love of my life and the life of my love." Here's a timeline of their love story.

This story was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2022 and again in 2024.

1975: Joe Biden's brother introduced him to Jill Taylor Jacobs.

Joe was a 33-year-old US senator, and Jill was a 24-year-old college senior. Both had been married before. Joe's wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972, leaving him a widower with two sons, and Jill and her husband filed for divorce in her junior year. 

"I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, 'God, this is never going to work, not in a million years,'" Jill told Vogue. "He was nine years older than I am! But we went out to see 'A Man and a Woman' at the movie theater in Philadelphia, and we really hit it off."

When she got home from the date, Jill told Vogue, she called her mother and said, "Mom, I finally met a gentleman."

1977: The couple married after Joe proposed five times.

"I said, 'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet,'" Jill told Vogue of Joe Biden's proposals. "Because by that time, of course, I had fallen in love with the boys, and I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother. So I had to be 100 percent sure."

When she did eventually agree to marry him, they held their wedding ceremony at the United Nations chapel and a reception lunch at Sign of the Dove in New York City. They took sons Beau and Hunter on their honeymoon.

1981: The couple welcomed daughter Ashley.

In a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Jill said that Ashley's birth made the family "complete."

June 1987: When Joe announced his candidacy for president, Jill was by his side.

He announced his presidential run in Wilmington, Delaware.

September 1987: They presented a united front when he withdrew from the race.

His short-lived campaign had been enveloped in scandal, with allegations of plagiarizing his speeches and exaggerating his academic records from college and law school, The New York Times reported.

"'I made some mistakes,'' he said as he announced the end of his campaign.

The New York Times described Jill's face as "a study in dejection." Jill later wrote about controlling her emotions in her memoir "Where The Light Enters."

"As a political spouse, I've found that my stoicism often serves me well," she wrote. "In 1988, when Joe's first presidential campaign started to look bleak, people were constantly looking for cracks in our team. We all felt scrutinized, but I refused to show weakness."

1988: Joe had two brain aneurysms. The couple posed outside the hospital when he was discharged after the first of two operations.

Joe had a pulmonary embolism later that year as he recovered. In her book, Jill writes about watching as "EMTs carried him down the steps of our house on a stretcher."

January 2007: Jill earned her PhD in education from the University of Delaware. At the graduation, Joe handed Jill her doctorate.

She became Dr. Jill Biden.

July 2007: Joe wrote about his love for Jill in his memoir, "Promises to Keep."

"She gave me back my life," he wrote. "She made me start to think my family might be whole again."

2008: Barack Obama chose Joe as his running mate, and the two families developed a close bond.

The "bromance" between the two politicians went viral.

2009: Jill held the family's Bible when her husband was sworn in as vice president.

Joe supported her career, too. She made history as the first known second lady to hold a full-time job, teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College.

"As second lady, she was teaching full time for eight years, 15 credits a semester," Joe said in a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

"I said, 'I know I can do both jobs,'" she said.

She encouraged students to call her "Dr. B.," The Los Angeles Times reported. 

February 2010: On Valentine's Day, Joe surprised her with a tree swing marked with a commemorative plaque on the grounds of the vice president's residence.

The plaque reads "Joe loves Jill. Valentine's Day 2010."

March 2010: They took diplomatic trips together, such as their visit to Israel.

They took other trips together, such as attending the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

September 2012: Jill elicited giggles when she told a crowd in New Hampshire, "I've seen Joe up close."

An ABC News camera panned to Joe, who could be seen laughing good-naturedly at the unintended double entendre as the audience cheered.

"It's in my remarks, really," she said, before continuing with her speech amid chuckles from the crowd.

September 2012: At the Democratic National Convention, Jill spoke about Joe's support for her career and his strength in the face of loss.

"After Joe was elected vice president, people started questioning whether I could keep teaching," she said. "Not Joe. He was there standing by my side saying 'Of course you should. It's who you are, Jill.'"

2013: When Obama won a second term, Jill held the Bible again when Joe was sworn in at the inauguration.

As they had in 2009, they danced together at more inaugural balls.

2015: Tragedy struck when their son Beau Biden died of brain cancer.

Still reeling from the loss, Joe decided not to run for president in 2016.

2019: Jill released her own book, "Where The Light Enters," in which she wrote about falling in love with Joe in the early days of their relationship.

"After the disappointment of my divorce, I never wanted to feel so out of control of my heart again," she wrote. "But in the months that Joe and I were dating, that desire ran up against a new reality: I was falling in love."

April 2019: When Joe entered the 2020 presidential race, Jill became an important voice in his campaign.

For the first time since 1981, she took a break from teaching to help him on the campaign trail.

December 2019: In an unusual campaign stop moment, Joe nibbled on his wife's finger as she spoke to a crowd in Iowa.

Jill was gesturing behind herself as she spoke, barely missing Joe's face as he pretended to dodge. Joe then leaned forward while her arm was outstretched and bit down on the tip of her index finger. She appeared to laugh it off.

Jill later reposted a video on X of the hosts of "The View" discussing the moment, where Meghan McCain said, "I thought it was silly, and they clearly still love each other and are playful," and replied, "Guilty, we do still love each other!"

March 2020: Jill fought off protesters who stormed the stage on Super Tuesday, leading Joe to joke, "I'm probably the only candidate running for president whose wife is my Secret Service."

"Whoa, you don't screw around with a Philly girl, I'll tell you what," he said after the protesters were removed from the stage. "I thought I heard on the news on the way over that the committee in charge of Secret Service decided they have to start providing Secret Service for us. I think that's because they're afraid Jill's going to hurt someone. I tell you what man, I married way above my station."

August 2020: Jill delivered a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention from the high school classroom in Delaware where she used to teach English.

"Love makes us flexible and resilient," she said in the speech. "It allows us to become more than ourselves, together, and though it can't protect us from the sorrows of life, it gives us refuge, a home. How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole: with love and understanding and with small acts of kindness."

November 2020: Joe won the presidential election, and called himself "Jill's husband" in his victory speech.

"Jill's a mom — a military mom — and an educator," he said. "She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does — it's who she is. For America's educators, this is a great day: You're going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great first lady."

December 2020: After a Wall Street Journal op-ed urged her to drop her "Dr" title since she's not a medical doctor, Jill remained proud of her doctorate, and Joe backed her up.

In an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," they responded to the controversy.

"That was such a surprise," Jill said of the op-ed. "It was really the tone of it. He called me 'kiddo,' and one of the things I'm most proud of is my doctorate. I mean, I've worked so hard for it. And Joe came when I defended my thesis."

"I got to hand her her doctorate on the stage at the University of Delaware," Joe added.

Colbert jokingly asked if Joe ever wanted to "get out a length of pool chain and go full corn pop" on people who criticize Jill's academic achievements. As he began to answer, Jill interjected with "No! The answer is no!" Joe then quipped, "I've been suppressing my Irishness for a long time."

January 2020: Jill held the Biden family Bible for Joe's inauguration as president of the United States.

The Biden family Bible dates back to 1893. He has used it for his swearing-in ceremonies as a US senator and as vice president. 

April 2021: Joe stopped to pick a dandelion for Jill on the White House lawn as they boarded Marine One.

The president and first lady were traveling to Atlanta for a rally in Plains, Georgia, to meet with former president Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter.

As they were boarding Marine One on the White House Ellipse, the president bent down and picked a dandelion for his wife. Jill stopped to accept the flower, and she held on to it as she boarded the helicopter.

December 2021: They welcomed a new German shepherd puppy, Commander.

The Bidens entered the White House with two German shepherds, Champ and Major. Champ passed away at the age of 13 in June 2021, and Major was rehomed due to behavioral issues. 

The Bidens also adopted a cat, Willow, in January 2022.

Commander was moved out of the White House in October 2023 after numerous biting incidents.

February 2022: Jill was spotted wearing a corsage from Joe in a sweet Valentine's Day tradition.

While exiting Marine One on Valentine's Day, the first lady was photographed wearing a corsage of what appeared to be white gardenias, her favorite flower.

In an interview with People magazine shortly after Joe took office, Jill shared that the corsages began as a Valentine's Day tradition, and that he had surprised her with a corsage of gardenias at the inauguration.

"I don't know when it started — a long, long time ago. I think it was for Valentine's Day," she said. "I love gardenias and so Joe would buy me a wrist corsage of gardenias. I wore it to school to teach!"

Joe also shared a sweet Valentine's Day message for his wife.

"You're the love of my life and the life of my love, Jilly. Happy Valentine's Day," he wrote on X.

May 2022: In a cover story for Harper's Bazaar, Jill said she and Joe fight over text, or "fext," to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail.

Jill, who appeared on the June-July cover of Harper's Bazaar, told the magazine that she and Biden fight via text in what they call "fexting" to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail — a method they've used since Biden served as vice president.

In one particularly heated exchange, Biden reminded her that presidential communications like texts and emails are kept as part of a historical record of each presidency.

"Joe said, 'You realize that's going to go down in history. There will be a record of that,'" she told Harper's Bazaar. "I won't tell you what I called him that time."

While they do occasionally "fext," Jill also spoke about supporting her husband's work during his presidency.

"I try to be a support for Joe because I don't know how many people are saying to him, 'That was great. That was brilliant.' I try to be that person for him," she said. "Some days, I see Joe and I'm just like, 'I don't know how you're doing it.' It's the pandemic and then it's the war and then it's the economy and then it's the gas prices. You feel like you're being slammed."

June 2022: They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.

The Bidens celebrated their anniversary at their beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. During their trip, Joe fell off his bike but quickly got back up and chatted with reporters. A White House spokesperson said that the president did not require medical attention.

2023: Joe announced he would run for reelection in 2024.

Jill's support was widely regarded as a determining factor in Joe's decision to run again in 2024.

South Carolina Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a former state party chairman and Biden 2020 finance committee member, told Business Insider in 2022 that "Joe Biden wouldn't have run in '20 if Jill Biden had not wanted him to run and he won't run in '24 if Jill Biden doesn't want him to run."

2024: Jill defended Joe after his disastrous presidential debate against Donald Trump.

During the first presidential debate of 2024, Joe spoke with a hoarse voice, offered convoluted answers, and appeared disoriented at times. His poor performance sparked panic among Democrats about whether he should stay in the race.

Jill defended Joe in the face of widespread criticism, telling Vogue that the Biden family "will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he's been president. We will continue to fight."

"When he gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and that's what we're doing today," Jill said at a New York City fundraiser the day after the debate.

Joe also acknowledged that his age has impacted his debate performance, but remained firm in his commitment to stay in the race.

"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," he said during a rally the day after the debate. "I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done."

• Professor Joan Sabaté has spent decades studying how eating plants impacts our health.
• He's discovered some serious health benefits linked to nut, berry, and avocado consumption. 
• His daily diet prioritizes fresh produce, while avoiding ultra-processed fare.

Joan Sabaté is admittedly "nutty" about good health and nutrition.

Not only does he live in America's only longevity "Blue Zone," this nutrition buff and director of the Center for Nutrition, Lifestyle and Disease Prevention at Loma Linda University has also spent decades investigating how different foods — especially unprocessed plants — can influence health.

In the 1990s, he was the first nutrition researcher to discover that while walnuts contain small amounts of saturated fat, they are actually good for your heart — a finding that surprised him, and upended American Heart Association recommendations. Later, he helped author the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

He understands that healthy eating isn't only about achieving the right balance of macronutrients — protein, carbs, and fat — but that there is a bigger "total package" of nutrition benefits that are naturally occurring in foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables.

Already, he's found compelling evidence that nuts, beans, avocados, and berries are all health-boosting foods that can lower the odds of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart issues.

He is now investigating how certain plant foods might impact our immune system, potentially enhancing the body's ability to fight off infections like the common cold or COVID.

"I think there are, in many plant foods, still things that have to be studied and discovered," he said.

He shared his general practices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Business Insider while admitting that his diet "is not sophisticated," and mainly involves avoiding ultra-processed foods.

Breakfast is a two-ingredient 'smoothie' made from leftovers

Sabaté always likes to keep nuts like walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts around the house, and he puts a few handfuls into his blender each morning, along with about two cups of whatever fruit happens to be the ripest on his Southern California table. This is an easy way for him to quickly get a couple of servings of vitamin-rich fruit and a couple of servings of protein-heavy nuts into his day.

It's not always the most photogenic meal, but he doesn't mind, because he's not "showing off" this breakfast to any friends or colleagues.

"No, I eat this at home," he said.

Sometimes, the mix is too thick to pour into a glass and he eats this "smoothie" with a bowl and spoon while he's getting ready to tackle his day. Occasionally, he'll add a plop of yogurt or sprinkling of cacao nibs on top.

Lunch is three core ingredients, plus olive oil

In traditional Spanish fashion, the biggest meal of Sabaté's day is usually lunch, where "we eat a pot of beans."

One of his favorites is "a typical Catalan dish that is beans and broccoli," but he likes to sample a wide variety of beans to keep things interesting.

"In the Loma Linda market there are at least 20 different types of beans," he said.

At its essence, his lunch is always "a legume, a vegetable, and then bread."

"Mediteranneans, we love bread — bread with olive oil," Sabaté said.

Scientists suspect that one of the key reasons that Mediterranean diets are so often associated with long, healthy lives and strong minds is because they're loaded with olive oil, which has long been associated with better heart health, fewer type 2 diabetes cases, less inflammation, and lower overall mortality.

Dinner is usually pretty insignificant, but if he goes out to eat, he might have some fish

For Sabaté and his wife, dinner is typically an afterthought.

"We try to have either no supper or light supper," he said.

If breakfast is hearty enough, he'll do a late lunch and perhaps skip having a third meal altogether. Other days, dinner is "maybe a salad, and that's it."

Leafy salad greens are great for your gut, and they're loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as plenty of fiber and magnesium.

At home, his meal plan is generally vegetarian and fairly low-dairy, but Sabaté isn't opposed to having some omega-3-rich fish when he goes out to eat. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that we can typically only get from animal products like meat, eggs, dairy, or fish. Vegetarians and vegans can supplement their diet with pills or try algae.

• Gen Z is known for sharing their fashion opinions online, often to the dismay of millennials.
• BI spoke to stylists and millennials Aisya Washington and Payton Dale for their takes on Gen Z looks.
• They said Golden Goose sneakers and kitten heels are some of Gen Z's worst shoe trends.

Take one look at the internet, and you'll likely learn there's another fashion item that Gen Z has declared outdated or uncool — usually to the dismay of millennials.

Born from 1997 to 2012, Gen Z has apparently outlawed everything from skinny jeans and Adidas Superstars to front-tucked shirts and no-show socks in a display of fashion power that can only be likened to Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada."

But what if the narrative was flipped?

Business Insider spoke to millennial fashion stylists Aisya Washington and Payton Dale to learn more about their opinions on Gen Z's worst trends, starting with shoes.

Here's what they had to say.

Golden Goose sneakers are overpriced and overrated.

Golden Goose sneakers are a favorite of Gen Z, but Washington said she's not a fan of the juxtaposition between people's pristine outfits and the "dirty" sneakers, especially when the shoes can retail for upwards of $500.

She added that there also seems to be a disconnect between Gen Z's interest in sustainability and thrifting, and their willingness to purchase luxury sneakers.

"It kind of just doesn't give the same message to me," Washington said.

But the one thing Gen Z doesn't lack is confidence.

"I might not necessarily love the look, but I respect it because you're gonna wear it regardless," Washington said. "I'm here for that because everything I'm saying can be null and void if you have an inner sense of fashion."

Some designer shoes can lack the quality of older models and are too trend-specific.

Accessories have long been promoted as a more accessible entry point to luxury goods. Unfortunately, according to the stylists, luxury prices and names don't always equal luxury quality.

Dale told BI she purchased a pair of Gucci platform loafers in 2023 that scuffed on her first night wearing them. Meanwhile, her vintage Gucci loafers from the '80s "look brand new."

To Dale, purchasing from luxury brands in 2024 indicates "you're paying for Instagram likes, you're paying for TikTok likes. You're paying to show off at this point."

She said fashion cycles also move significantly faster than they used to, which has led to momentary trends and corresponding designer pieces. She pointed to the hot-pink Valentino Garavani Tan-Go Platform Pump, which originally retailed for $1,400, and was ubiquitous during the "Barbie" craze of 2022-2023.

"They really pimped out that Valentino shoe. They were like, 'We're going to give this to every single person on Earth,'" Dale said. "But because we have access to every photo all over the world, at every time, people were burned out in a month."

"The way that fashion is set up now, it's not sustainable in any way, shape, or form," she added.

The Nike AlphaFly is meant for professional runners, not fashion.

Washington's gripe isn't with all sneakers, but rather "racing shoes" like the Nike Alphafly. "I just don't think sneakers look great with everything," she said.

More specifically, Washington said she isn't a fan of pairing bulky sneakers with more dainty pieces like a prairie skirt.

"I just get confused," she added.

Instead, Washington said sleek sneaker options are better for high-fashion looks or suits compared with running shoes because they don't interfere with an outfit's silhouette.

"I'm very much so a silhouette person, so the shoe shouldn't be in competition with the pants," she said. "What is the fascination with the chunky shoe over a sleek shoe is my question."

She added, "They look comfortable though. So I'm like, maybe we're going comfort over full aesthetic."

Hiking seems to be Gen Z's equivalent to millennials' snowboarding obsession.

"In the 2000s, people were wearing snowboard gear, and no one was snowboarding," Washington said. "No one was using the goggles, right, so it was just a prop."

So it's possible hiking boots are Gen Z's version of the trend.

"I don't know why running, hiking, all of those sneakers are now super popular with high fashion," she said, adding, "But hey, if you want to buy expensive hiker shoes and you're not hiking, that is on you."

Kitten heels are an unfortunate staple of the "office siren" trend.

BI previously reported that the "office siren" is a "corporate aesthetic" characterized by '90s and 2000s styles like pencil skirts and red lipstick.

For Dale, the kitten heel being back is "how I know we're in trouble."

She theorized that the return of the kitten heel's popularity is tied to companies' efforts to have employees return to the office; as BI previously reported, a number of major companies like Amazon, Apple, and Disney have implemented return-to-work mandates.

"The kitten heel being back shows me that they are desperate for every single person to get back in the office," Dale said.

Washington agreed, saying she thinks the trend has something to do with trying to make offices cooler. "Like, 'Oh, I have this cute outfit. Where am I going to go with it? To work,'" she said.

But Dale finds the trend problematic and suggests it could be pressuring young female graduates into thinking they need to dress a certain way in the workplace.

Comfort doesn't quite make up for the quirkiness of the Tabi.

Maison Margiela took inspiration for its split-toe shoe from the traditional Japanese Tabi work shoe, which has roots in the 15th century, Vogue reported.

Even though Maison Margiela's iteration of the shoe debuted in 1988, it's having a major moment now. Vogue said it "defined 2023," with many celebrities, including Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, and Cardi B, being seen in a pair.

But Washington isn't convinced.

"The toe stresses me out," she said. "I don't like that on a boot. I don't like it on a flat. I don't like it on a loafer."

"I've seen people wear them and OK, I'm like, 'OK, it's cute.' It's just not a universal cute thing to me," she added. "I heard that they're very comfortable, so if nothing else, that's great."

Dale said they're "objectively a work of art" for their ability to function when they shouldn't. And she noted that while they're not her style, the pair she tried on was "wildly comfortable."

"They shouldn't be, but they are," she said.

Rombaut did not need to blend ballet core and athleisure with the Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats.

Ballet flats are one of this year's hottest shoe trends, seen on everyone from Hailey Bieber and Meghan Markle to Sofia Richie Grainge and Olivia Rodrigo.

But a more unexpected variation has risen in popularity: the ballerina sneaker.

Rombaut's Silver Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats originally sold for $415 as an SSense exclusive, and other variations from the brand also retail for upwards of $400.

"I get the point it's supposed to be a sneaker and a ballet flat, but did we need it?" Washington said.

Gen Z probably should've let cowboy boots stay in Nashville.

Dale, who's located in Nashville, said "it's so weird" seeing items like cowboy boots, cutoff shorts, and oversized hats "trickle into the mainstream."

But what's different with Gen Z is their ability to experiment with fashion on a much larger platform than millennials ever had.

"I feel bad for Gen Z because they're trying to figure out who they are, they're trying to see what sticks," she said. "But they're doing it to hundreds of thousands of people every day and then everything that they do is up for criticism."

"So I never want to tell the girl that she's going to regret wearing the cowboy boots and the trucker hat, but she will," Dale added.

Millennials on the other hand, "had the privilege" of trying out trends privately, she said.

"The big thing that everyone needs to think about is why are you wearing these?" she said. "If it doesn't pique your genuine curiosity and you're just like, 'Oh, well, I guess that's what we're doing,' that's when it's never a good idea to wear a trend."

• Early in my career, a boss told me I was "too direct" and my coworkers couldn't handle me.
• I didn't want to hide my greatest strength as an assertive person.
• I eventually learned when to be direct and when to balance it out with politeness. 

Early on in my human resources career, my boss made a comment that stuck with me: "You're really direct, and many people aren't going to know how to handle you."

I felt numb. I knew that about myself, but what do I do with that critique? I mean, he was direct, too, and people figured out how to handle him. Why am I different? Was it really just because I'm a woman? The thought track, "Are you being so direct that they can't handle it? Will they think you're rude?" ran like ticker tape through my mind for years. It still runs through my mind in social situations, when coaching my clients, and even when writing this essay.

My boss wasn't the last person to give me this feedback. I heard it again in corporate meeting rooms and during training sessions from colleagues, direct reports, and future managers.

After years of working in human resources, I finally learned to view my directness as a competitive advantage in business. If I hadn't learned to blend direct communication with empathy and compassion, it might have developed into an approach that was detrimental to my career and relationships.

I learned how to balance my assertiveness with my politeness

As an HR director, I used my "tell it like it is" style to communicate the good, bad, and ugly to the CEO regarding change and managing acquisitions. I also had to be honest with him about what decisions would not sit well with employees. My ability to remain unemotional during massive organizational transitions allowed me to counsel and encourage others through their anger, resistance, and tears.

My assertiveness became a strength for me, but I understood it was a turn-off for many. I didn't want to lose that strength by hiding it, so I eventually learned to develop situational savviness.

Being situationally savvy doesn't mean you abandon the unique quirks that make you — you. It means you are confident and flexible in your skills, approach, and tone while using your emotional intelligence to drive positive outcomes.

To do this, it's important to identify circumstances where this trait is beneficial. For instance, I can identify that my directness allows me to tackle hard challenges that many people shy away from. Next, I need to recognize scenarios where this trait can be harmful. In my case, being too direct with new acquaintances or colleagues can backfire and ignite negative reactions from those around me.

The key here is to identify situations where I can balance my directness with the politeness I developed to overcompensate for it. Instead of "hiding" my directness, I can practice both directness and politeness.

This tool can be applied to any trait you have been criticized for and the behavior you've developed to counter it. If you have been told you are too sensitive and you've worked to balance that with more objectiveness, situational savviness means assessing how to be both sensitive and objective. If you are "too assertive" and you've been building behaviors to temper it, you can focus on how to be both assertive and agreeable.

For example, among close friends and loved ones, I do not have to spend a lot of time figuring out how to tone down my directness. However, if I am presenting a training to new people, I will make an effort to balance my candidness with my values of love or respect. Instead of jumping straight into feedback, as I might with a trusted colleague, I will highlight the strengths and admirable qualities of their approach first.

This balance helped me excel in my career

For a long time, I believed that I had to "hide" my directness from people at work. Not only was this ineffective but it had dire consequences on my confidence and overall morale at work.

Luckily, I am now able to identify when I can fully embrace my directness and when I should tone it down.

Acquiring situational savviness allowed me to thrive in my career — initially as a corporate leader and now as an entrepreneur.

• Biden described himself as the "first black woman" in an interview with Wurd radio station.
• It comes just days after Biden's disastrous debate with former US president Donald Trump.
• Biden said he needs to get more sleep and stop holding events after 8 p.m., according to reports.

Joe Biden's argument that his disastrous debate performance last week was a one-off is seemingly falling apart.

In his latest verbal slip-up, the president said he is "proud" to be the first "black woman to serve with a black president."

The 81-year-old president made the gaffe during an interview with Philadelphia's Wurd radio station, apparently confusing himself with his vice-president Kamala Harris.

"By the way, I'm proud to be, as I said, the first vice-president, first black woman…to serve with a black president," he said

It comes just days after Biden's debate with former US president Donald Trump, which was marked by verbal gaffes and confusing statements.

Biden is now facing increasing pressure to drop out of the presidential race. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed one in three Democrats favored Biden quitting.

The Biden camp has offered multiple explanations for the president's slurred words, nonsensical phrases, and vacant stares, including jet lag, a cold, and incompetent aides.

But donors have publicly voiced their concerns with what they say are Biden's age-related problems.

On Thursday, millionaire heiress Abigail Disney announced that she would stop donations to the Democratic Party until they "pulled Biden from the top of the ticket".

Her statements echoed that of Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings, who told The New York Times that "Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous."

Biden has admitted to supporters he does not speak as "smoothly" or "debate as well" as he used to, but has publicly vowed to fight on.

Axios, citing people close to the president, said Biden worked best between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and struggled to function outside of that window.

His press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, admitted to reporters that "he's a little slower than he used to be."

Meanwhile, a clip obtained by the Daily Beast showed Trump discussing the performance on a golf course, where he called Biden a "broken down pile of crap."

Biden told the governors he needs to get more sleep and stop holding events after 8 p.m., according to CNN and The New York Times.

Biden's campaign didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider about the reports.

On Friday, Biden's mental acuity will be scrutinized when he sits for an interview with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos, who used to be head of communications at the White House during Bill Clinton's presidency.

Biden's previous interactions with Stephanopolous include a rare sit-down appearance in 2021, where he defended the US decision to pull its troops from Afghanistan.

• Neither my husband or myself wear wedding rings and people are often surprised to find out.
• We've been together for 13 years, have two kids and a puppy together.
• I do have an engagement ring but don't wear often because I'm not a fan of wearing jewelry.

When I meet people, they're usually surprised to find out I'm married. That's because I don't wear a wedding ring. Don't fault me, though — neither does my husband.

Contrary to popular belief, we do this not because we are looking for free drinks or scandalous trysts. We just don't feel like wearing them. For us, it has worked — for 13 years, with two kids and a new puppy.

People don't always understand

Some may find this difficult to understand, as rings that symbolize marital commitment are deeply rooted in many cultures.

When I mention my husband, most people just look at my left index finger. I catch a familiar look for a split second.

"Why don't you wear a ring if you're married?" I've been asked so many times.

I live in the suburbs of Boston, where people generally follow and stick to tradition. But I'm originally from Colorado, and people there are more relaxed about such things. I know several couples from home who choose not to wear wedding rings. This may be because they do extreme sports regularly, or it's just not the same thing as it feels here on the East Coast, where everyone loves to sport their multi-carat rocks.

Back in Colorado, people have never noticed, like they do here in Boston.

I've been at work and colleagues have asked with genuine curiosity and perplexion why I don't wear a ring. Does my husband wear one? Am I not enraged that he doesn't? They seem especially confused when I answer that I don't care he doesn't want to wear one.

My husband did propose with a ring

I do have an engagement ring, and I am glad he got me one. I love it even though it isn't what I pictured it would be when I was young. If I had an endless supply of money, I still wouldn't change it. It's a symbol of what we've gone through.

My husband proposed on a sunny afternoon in May. We had spent the day at Cheesman Park in Denver and walked to a wine bar nearby. I was not expecting it, but he pulled out a diamond ring and asked if I would marry him.

When we got married, we signed the paperwork and said we'd have a reception later. But he got a job in another city so our energy suddenly went to relocating. So, I suppose that not wearing a wedding ring is partly that the ritual of getting married got interrupted. After the move, our lives started anew, and we never quite got back to planning and organizing what would have been the initial traditions of our life together.

I don't love rings in general

Ultimately, I don't find wearing rings or other jewelry comfortable for long periods. As a writer, I'm on the computer for hours a day and rings and other jewelry get in the way of typing.

Also, I've become more casual as I've gotten older. Like jewelry, I probably wear makeup three or four times a year. I never want to invest the time on it.

Perhaps it's a combination of having two kids and going through the pandemic. There aren't as many events or outings I go to post-pandemic that require getting dressed up, which is when I'd typically wear jewelry. And if I am going to spend time on my appearance, nine times out of 10, it's going to be at the gym because that's where I get the benefits of health and fitness.

• Kendrick Lamar has released a music video for his commercially successful Drake diss track, "Not Like Us."
• The song was originally released during his diss track war with Drake in May.
• Here are all the moments that seem to reference Kendrick's beef with Drake.

Kendrick Lamar seems to be mocking Drake again with his new music video for his diss track "Not Like Us."

The two major hip-hop stars were embroiled in a diss track war in April and early May after Lamar publicly called out Drake and J. Cole in a verse on "Like That" for Future and Metro Boomin's album "We Don't Trust You" in March.

Neither rapper has released a new diss track since May 5, but Lamar is still fuelling the beef.

On Thursday, the "Not Like Us" video became the first music video Lamar released for his Drake diss tracks.

The video is filled with cameos, including his longtime partner Whitney Alford and their two children.

The video seems to be Lamar's second victory lap after he performed four of his five diss tracks and rapped "Not Like Us" five times in a row at his Juneteenth concert last month.

At first, hip-hop fans were excited about Lamar and Drake's rap beef, believing it was a friendly competition between some of the genre's most notable stars. Rap beef can help artists boost streams and sales and prove they are worthy of acclaim in the hip-hop world.

But Drake and Lamar's beef soon turned vicious when both stars made unverified allegations of sexual assault, pedophilia, and domestic abuse against each other.

After a week of back-to-back diss tracks, Drake seemed to drop out of the beef after the release of "The Heart Part 6" on May 5. But Lamar just keeps going.

Here are all the moments in the "Not Like Us" music video that seems to reference the rap beef.

Compton Courthouse is shown multiple times.

The "Not Like Us" music video features multiple shots of the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Compton, California, and scenes of Lamar and fans outside the court.

In the first verse of the song, Kendrick calls Drake a pedophile, and showing the courthouse could be a nod to that.

In May, Variety reported that the cover art for "Not Like Us" was an aerial view of Drake's mansion near Toronto with pins on the building, resembling those used on sex offender maps.

Drake denied the pedophilia allegations in "The Heart Part 6," saying he's "too famous" to have sex with underaged women and he would be arrested for it.

Lamar teases a new song at the beginning of the track.

Before the "Not Like Us" beat begins, a new track plays where Lamar raps about reincarnation.

Could this be another track directed at Drake, or is Lamar teasing a song for an upcoming album, indicating that he is moving on from the beef?

Tommy the Clown, DeMar DeRozan, and Black Hippy make cameos in the song.

Tommy the Clown, DeMar DeRozan, and Black Hippy rap group members Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock are some of the many cameos in the music video. They also appeared onstage during Lamar's Juneteenth concert last month and are figures of the West Coast hip-hop community.

In the diss track "Taylor Made Freestyle," released in April, Drake uses AI-generated vocals of Snoop Dogg and the late Tupac Shakur to question Lamar's position as a representative of the West Coast rap scene.

Lamar challenged this idea by getting figures from the West Coast community to publicly support him in the video. Lamar likely filmed "Not Like Us" in Compton landmarks, such as Tam's Burgers, for a similar reason.

Lamar appears to take a shot at Drake's label, OVO.

Early in the video, Lamar hits a pinata shaped like an owl, the logo of Drake's record label, OVO.

A caption at the bottom of a screen reads, "Disclaimer: No OVhoes were harmed in making this video."

"Ov-ho" is a term Lamar uses in "Not Like Us" to mock Drake and his label.

This scene seems to be a direct reference to Lamar and Drake's diss track fight.

At the end of the video, Lamar stares at a real-life owl and puts it in a cage, suggesting that Lamar thinks he has defeated Drake.

The cage could symbolize Lamar's attempt to ostracize Drake from the hip-hop community with the rap beef.

Lamar references Drake's first diss track, "Push Ups."

In Drake's first diss track, "Push-ups," the rapper uses the exercise as a metaphor to mock Lamar's alleged deal with his former label, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). Drake claimed the label took 50% of profits from Lamar's songs.

Lamar and TDE never responded to this allegation.

A representative for Lamar and TDE did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.

In one scene of the "Not Like Us" music video, Lamar is seen doing push-ups on cinder blocks, appearing to reference the track.

Lamar may also be suggesting that Drake should be in prison. The layout of the room, the small bed, and Lamar's tracksuit outfit all seem to reference a prison cell. At this point of the song, Lamar also makes the pedophile allegations.

TDE CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and producer Mustard also make cameos.

Partway during the video, Lamar stands next to Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, the CEO of TDE, and later hugs him. This may be another way of Lamar addressing Drake's allegations that TDE exploited the "Humble" rapper. When the pair hug, they prove there's no beef between Lamar and TDE.

Mustard, the producer of "Not Like Us," makes a cameo alongside Lamar when they drive to Tam's Burgers.

Lamar appears to address Drake's allegations about his longtime partner Whitney and their children

Whitney Alford, Lamar's longtime partner, and their two children are the final major cameo in the "Not Like Us" music video.

In his diss tracks "Family Matters" and "The Heart Part 6," Drake claims that Lamar domestically abused Alford. Drake also claimed that Dave Free, the cofounder of Lamar's company PGLang, is the biological father of one of Lamar's kids.

Lamar has not directly addressed either allegation. But Alford and his two children appear in the music video, and Free got a director credit at the end of the video.

Lamar seems to suggest there is no drama between him and Alford or Free.