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I spent 5 days in the Great Smoky Mountains with just a backpack. Here are 9 items I'm glad I packed and 1 thing I didn't need.

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A backpack was all Business Insider's reporter needed for a five-day trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Joey Hadden/Business Insider I traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains in 2023 and packed just a backpack.  I was glad I brought layers, my camera, and a physical copy of a good book.  I wish I had left my iPad behind. I usually travel with just a backpack .  From short trips to two-week adventures , I find it's easiest to get around and keep track of my belongings when I pack light. But my five-day trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in April 2023 was my first time backpacking in a natural environment, so I called in an expert's help. I worked with Millie Bentley , a capsule-wardrobe stylist , to pack as efficiently as possible. Bentley helped me select the ideal attire for hiking, camping, and exploring nearby towns on foot with a rainy forecast , all while taking photos. Looking back, I had everything I needed for this trip, thanks to my previous experiences and Ben...

Kevin Hartz’s A* just closed its third fund with $450 million

Early-stage venture firm A* Capital just took the wraps off its $450 million Fund III. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/BPoMJTK via IFTTT

The original names of 16 iconic US cities, and how they got them

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New York City was known as New Amsterdam when it was a Dutch settlement. Marcio.Duarte/Shutterstock US cities like New York and Los Angeles have long and storied histories. Major cities once had names such as Flagler, Jernigan, and Yerba Buena. A coin toss determined the name of Portland, Oregon, while Boston was named after a British town. New York City wasn't always a densely packed metropolis of subways and skyscrapers, just as Los Angeles wasn't always a sprawling concrete city. Throughout their histories, US cities have undergone massive changes, from their residents and leaders to their size, shape, and infrastructure. Native Americans inhabited the regions around most cities before being driven out by European settlers, and the new cities often saw changes in rulers afterward. But among some cities' biggest changes are their names themselves. The area that eventually became Jacksonville , Florida, was at different points controlled by the Native Americans, French, ...

Anthropic says ‘evil’ portrayals of AI were responsible for Claude’s blackmail attempts

Fictional portrayals of artificial intelligence can have a real effect on AI models, according to Anthropic. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/ZXOiBAa via IFTTT

My closest friendships came from motherhood. They didn't last.

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The author doesn't speak to her mom friends anymore. Courtesy of the author I formed deep friendships through my children's lives. Distance and life changes made it harder to maintain those bonds. I still value those friendships, even as they've faded. At 5 a.m. every Thursday morning, my phone pings with a text from my friend. This early morning communication is a yearslong tradition that began when we lived in the same time zone. My 5 a.m. is her 8 a.m., a much more reasonable hour for a check-in. She and I met through our children. She has four — two girls and two boys. I have five — four boys and one girl. They are close in age, so she and I spent a lot of time together at school functions , sports competitions, and kid-themed social gatherings. When she was diagnosed with cancer , I kept her company as she recovered from grueling treatments. She accompanied me to a few of my own medical procedures. She, overhearing me tell a nurse how much I weighed, cemented our frie...

I couldn't afford housing near my job. I pay $650 to live with a 77-year-old and help her with chores.

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Kayla Mazza and Honey Donegan at their home in southern Vermont. Courtesy of Ben DiFlorio/HomeShare Vermont Kayla Mazza rents a room in Honey Donegan's home after working with a nonprofit arranging matches. She pays a reduced rent of $650 to help with Donegan's finances and occasionally does chores. The 31-year-old analyst and the 77-year-old nanny get along well and enjoy sharing the space. This interview is based on a conversation with data analyst and systems manager Kayla Mazza, 31, of Windsor County, Vermont. It has been edited for length and clarity. Every night, at 7 p.m., my housemate, Honey Donegan, 77, and I sit down to watch Jeopardy in her den. Friday night is often movie night. It's a lovely bonding experience, despite the 46-year age gap. Honey and I first met in March 2023, but our friendship has gotten stronger by the day since I moved into her home. A few months before, I'd landed a job at a nonprofit near Honey's town, an hour's commute from m...

GM agrees to pay $12.75M in California driver privacy settlement

General Motors has reached a privacy-related settlement with a group of law enforcement agencies led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/HNylndZ via IFTTT