Posts

Showing posts from December, 2024

Starbucks went through big changes in 2024. The coffee chain could transform even more next year.

Image
Starbucks welcomed CEO Brian Niccol in September. Spencer Platt/Getty Starbucks underwent many changes this year, and more are likely coming in 2025. New CEO Brian Niccol will face choices about Starbucks' unionized stores and its China business. Starbucks faced slumping sales and dealt with activist investors in 2024. Signs that Starbucks needed a turnaround mounted in 2024. It might get one in 2025. Starbucks' sales had slowed and even lost ground in the first half of this year. Customers and employees pointed to operational challenges for the company, such as a lengthy menu and an explosion of mobile orders. There were even two activist investors with stakes in Starbucks this summer. Then, in August, the coffee chain surprised investors by saying that Brian Niccol would take over as its CEO, replacing Laxman Narasimhan, who had held the job for roughly a year and a half. Niccol was known for turning around the Mexican grill chain Chipotle after a food poison...

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had 4 kids and 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Meet their family.

Image
A portrait of President Jimmy Carter and his extended family. Left to right: his daughter-in-law Judy Carter, grandson Jason James Carter; son Jack Carter, daughter in law Annette Carter, son Jeff Carter, wife Rosalynn Carter, daughter Amy Carter, Jimmy Carter, daughter-in-law Caron Griffin Carter holding James Earl Carter IV, and son Chip Carter. CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at 100 years old.   Former first lady Rosalynn Carter died in 2023 at the age of 96. Together, they had four children and 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter were married for 77 years before the former first lady's death on November 19, 2023 at the age of 96. Jimmy Carter lived to be 100 years old before his death on Sunday. Together, they shared four children, 11 grandchildren (one grandson died in 2018), and 14 great-grandchildren.  Meet the Carter family. Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Smith Cart...

Crypto industry groups sue IRS over broker reporting rule

Three crypto industry groups — the DeFi Education Fund, the Blockchain Association, and the Texas Blockchain Council — are suing the Internal Revenue Service to block new regulations that require decentralized finance (DeFi) entities to report customer information. The IRS has been finalizing crypto tax regulations as part of the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/oJmFOU7 via IFTTT

When I got my first job, my dad gave me 2 pieces of advice. 10 years later, I'm still using them.

Image
The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information. Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate products and services to help you make smart decisions with your money. Jennifer Streaks. Jennifer Streaks/Insider When I got my first job, I was ready to spend my new income on a new apartment and a new car.  After my dad stressed the importance of saving, I decided to focus on different financial goals. I created the habit of saving and understanding the difference between needs and wants.  After a successful run in graduate school, I got my first job. As with most people who had been students for a long time, I thought that salary looked like a lot of money. I graduate...

I grew up going to Disney World at least once a year. Now, I bring my kids, and it feels like all the magic is gone.

Image
The author's kids (not pictured) are experiencing a different Disney World compared to his as a kid. Handout/Getty Images I loved going to Disney World as a kid, experiencing the freedom of the parks. Now that I bring my kids, we feel bogged down by apps, crowds, and restrictions. My kids don't know what they're missing, but the parks have changed so much for me. Visiting Disney World was an annual experience of my youth. For decades, my family would spend a long October weekend at the Fort Wilderness camping resort. We'd run around the parks and skip through the numerous resorts and restaurants sprinkled throughout the Lake Buena Vista campus. The Disney parks somehow felt futuristic and cutting-edge while also being nostalgic and magical. The trips made such an impression that I still find myself every September doing house chores with the animated "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" playing in the background or watching YouTube videos of park workers sett...

'Gladiator II' director Ridley Scott says he 'wouldn't advise' vacationing in Malta, angering a government that paid $48 million for him to film there

Image
Directors Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott discussed "Gladiator II." Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures Ridley Scott has advised against vacationing in Malta, a film location for "Gladiator II." Politicians in Malta are not happy about it. Malta paid the "Gladiator II" producers $48 million for filming there. Director Ridley Scott has advised people to avoid visiting Malta, one of the filming locations for his action flick, " Gladiator II ." His remark upset politicians in Malta , where a local incentive funneled millions in rebates to the movie's production company. "I wouldn't advise going there on holiday," Scott said during a discussion in front of a live audience with director Christopher Nolan earlier this month. "I would not go back there on holiday." "Gladiator II" received a €46.7 million — about $48 million — rebate for working in the country, according to the Times ...

Google CEO says AI model Gemini will the company’s ‘biggest focus’ in 2025

CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly told Google employees that 2025 will be a “critical” year for the company. CNBC reports that it obtained audio from a December 18 strategy meeting where Pichai and other executives put on ugly holiday sweaters and laid out their priorities for the coming year. “I think 2025 will be critical,” Pichai […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/awK56di via IFTTT

I decided not to study abroad in college because I wanted to stay with my boyfriend on campus. It was my sliding doors moment.

Image
The author (not pictured) regrets not studying abroad as a college student. Halfpoint Images/Getty Images When I was a college student, I decided to skip studying abroad. There were many reasons, but mainly, I wanted to stay with my boyfriend and roommate on campus. Now, as a mother of two, I regret that decision to travel freely at a young age. I went to a liberal arts college that felt, at times, like a four-year sleepaway camp. After spending high school studying, not dating, and having no social life, college was a dream come true. During freshman year , I snagged a great roommate, several lifelong friends, and a boyfriend. When it came time to decide if I should study abroad, it was sophomore year, and I was still going strong with my roommate, friends, and boyfriend. I didn't want to leave them, so I decided not to study abroad . I'm big on accepting my past decisions, but this one, to decline the opportunity to study abroad, is one of my persisting regrets. ...

The most comfortable boots for women, according to rigorous testing

Image
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Rebecca Strong There are a few things I firmly believe someone can never have too much of, wardrobe-wise: well-fitting jeans, timeless white sneakers, and comfortable boots. But I know all too well that the latter can be a little harder to come by. I'd estimate that I've owned nearly 100 pairs of boots over the course of my lifetime so far, and not all of them were kind to my feet. These days, comfort is everything to me. Maybe I was willing to put up with aching arches or blistered heels just for the sake of looking cute in my 20s, but that's just not so anymore. Knowing that fall was fast approaching, I recently made it my mission to find the most comfortable boots. And to determine the winners, I put every pair to the test by wearing them for a full 9-to-5 work day. From waterproof lace-up boots and leather riding boots to chunky lug-sole Chelsea boots and suede heeled ...

Where to watch Doctor Who Christmas Special free: Stream new episode anywhere

Image
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor Who BBC/Bad Wolf/Nwaka Okparaeke Whovians, rejoice! Another year, another Doctor Who Christmas Special. We've put together everything you need to know about where to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special around the world, including a free streaming option. The Doctor Who holiday special has become a time-honored tradition and highly-anticipated part of the Christmas holiday, where fans can tune in to see the latest shenanigans that the beloved Time Lord has gotten up to. Last year's Doctor Who Christmas Special introduced audiences to the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), who got his own debut first season this spring. This year's holiday episode, titled "Doctor Who: Joy to the World," follows the Doctor's adventures alongside Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan (of Derry Girls and Bridgerton fame), who meets the Doctor after checking int...

All the key players in the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni saga, from the actors to their publicists and lawyers

Image
Blake Lively; Justin Baldoni. Lia Toby/Getty Images, James Devaney/Getty Images Blake Lively filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni's ex-publicist Stephanie Jones also sued his current publicists for orchestrating a campaign against Lively. Here's a breakdown of everyone involved in the saga. While the film " It Ends With Us " has already come and gone from theaters — grossing over $350 million globally along the way — the drama is still unfolding. Speculation over tensions among the film's actors began brewing over the summer, when costars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni did not interact with each other during the press tour. Around the same time, Lively faced online backlash for her lighthearted promotion of the film, which tackles topics like domestic violence, and past controversies, including a resurfaced 2016 interview . But a recent bombshell legal complaint from Lively accused Baldoni of...

A running list of Elon Musk's wins and losses in Washington since Trump's election

Image
Elon Musk has racked up some wins — and some losses — since becoming a major MAGA power player. AP Photo/Matt Rourke Elon Musk went all-in to get Trump elected. Now, he's trying to shake up Washington. He's racked up some wins so far. But some of the limits of his influence are coming into view. Here's a running list of Musk's wins and losses since Trump was reelected. Since pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into helping President-elect Donald Trump win the 2024 election, Elon Musk has emerged as a major Washington power player. Musk has the ear of the incoming president , is set to co-lead a " Department of Government Efficiency " initiative with Vivek Ramaswamy , and has already demonstrated an ability to influence the course of major legislation . He hasn't won every single time, though. Musk's brash style has clashed at times with how Washington typically works, and he's encountered some losses here and there. Here's a ...