Donald Trump pushed back against claims made by Liz Cheney about his well-being after Jan. 6, 2021.
In a Truth Social post, Trump rejected any notion that he wasn’t eating after leaving the White House.
Trump in the post said he was “angry” and was actually “eating too much” at the time.
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Former President Donald Trump on Monday said he had been “eating too much” and wasn’t depressed in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, refuting claims made by former Rep. Liz Cheney about his well-being at the time.
In an early-morning post on Truth Social, Trump blasted the ex-Wyoming congresswoman as “crazy” and pushed back against comments made in her forthcoming book, “Oath and Honor,” where she alleged that then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had traveled to Mar-a-Lago to see the former president because his staffers were concerned that he wasn’t eating.
“I was not depressed, I WAS ANGRY, and it was not that I was not eating, it was that I was eating too much,” he wrote. “But that’s not why Keven McCarthy was there. He was at Mar-a-Lago to get my support, and to bring the Republican Party together – Only good intentions.”
Trump then proceeded to blast Cheney over her 2022 GOP primary loss to now-Rep. Harriet Hageman, before accusing her of working with others on the House January 6 panel to “delete and destroy the evidence and findings of the committee.”
Cheney in her book wrote that she questioned why McCarthy, who at the time was angling to flip the House in 2022 and assume the speakership, had made the decision to travel to South Florida to see Trump.
“Mar-a-Lago? What the hell, Kevin?” Cheney asked McCarthy at the time.
“They’re really worried,” McCarthy told Cheney, who at the time was the chair of the House Republican Conference. “Trump’s not eating, so they asked me to come see him.”
“Yeah, he’s really depressed,” McCarthy added, according to the book.
Cheney, who once consulted with the Trump White House on legislative matters as a member of GOP leadership, is now one of the most vocal conservative critics of the former president’s 2024 campaign.
During a Monday interview on NBC’s “Today,” Cheney said that if the election choices are between President Joe Biden and Trump, then it’ll be a vote on the preservation of democracy in the country.
Cheney’s forthcoming book will be released on Tuesday.
A US warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack in the Red Sea on Sunday.
Yemen’s Houthi rebel military claimed credit for the attack, though didn’t mention a US ship.
The Houthis have said they would attack ships aligned with Israel until the Gaza conflict ends.
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An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said. Yemen’s Houthi rebels later claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel, but did not acknowledge targeting a US Navy vessel.
The attack potentially marked a significant escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon told The Associated Press.
The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. It remained unclear what damage, if any, the vessels sustained in the attacks.
The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.
The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attacks, saying the first vessel was hit by a missile and the second by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He said the ships ignored warnings from Houthi officials prior to the attack.
Saree did not mention any US warship being involved in the attack.
“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and Gulf of Aden) until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops,” Saree said. “The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or those associated with Israelis that they will become a legitimate target if they violate what is stated in this statement.”
Saree identified the first vessel attacked as the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer, which is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers. The second was a Panamanian-flagged container ship called Number 9, which is linked to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. Managers for the two vessels could not be immediately reached for comment.
Israeli media identified Ungar as the son of Israeli shipping billionaire Abraham “Rami” Ungar.
The Houthis have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel amid the war.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.
Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce briefly halted fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.
Earlier in November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.
However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that destroyed three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.
The US, Australia, and the UK will use AI to counter China’s growing military assertiveness in the Pacific.
The move is part of the Aukus Pillar II alliance between the countries.
The US has reported a spike in aggressive behavior by China.
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The US, UK, and Australia have unveiled new plans to trial the use of AI to track Chinese submarines in the Pacific.
Speaking on Friday at a joint meeting in Mountain View, California, defense leaders from each country announced two new plans under Aukus Pillar II, a trilateral security arrangement set up in 2021 that aims to “help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
One of the new efforts announced was the use of advanced AI on patrol aircraft — including the US’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which is equipped for anti-submarine warfare — to process information from underwater detection devices used by each country.
Data processed by AI will enable the three countries to track Chinese submarines with more speed and accuracy.
“These joint advances will allow for timely high-volume data exploitation, improving our anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” they said in a joint statement.
The P-8A poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft will be equipped with AI-powered tools to help tackle rising Chinese aggression.
MLADEN ANTONOV / Getty
AI algorithms and machine learning will also be used to “enhance force protection, precision targeting, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”
In addition to AI, the three countries said they were collaborating in other technological areas such as quantum technologies, electronic warfare, and hypersonic weapons.
Speaking at the press conference, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that China’s rising aggression had increased the need for collaboration.
Just weeks ago a team of Australian naval divers were injured by a Chinese warship’s sonar weapon, despite making their presence known to the vessel’s crew.
“This is unsafe and unprofessional conduct,” Marles said about the incident, per The Guardian. “The safety and wellbeing of our [Australian Defence Force] personnel continues to be our utmost priority.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner,” he added.
The Pentagon’s recent China Military Power Report noted a significant concern “of an operational incident or miscalculation spiraling into crisis or conflict.”
US consumers are responding in diverging ways to an uncertain economic outlook.
While some are “doom spending” — mindlessly spending money — others are looking for ways to save.
The economy needs these “doom savers,” even though they could cause headaches for some businesses.
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There’s a lot to be anxious about.
In response to uncertainty, some people turn to “doomscrolling,” or mindlessly swiping through a bottomless social media feed. <ore than a quarter of Americans say they’re turning to the financial equivalent — doom spending — to quell their concerns.
If the antidote to “doomscrolling” is putting down the phone, then the opposite of “doom spending” might well be putting down the credit card in favor of “doom saving.” Many consumers are doing just that.
Data from retailers and from the US government indicate a cohort of increasingly cautious consumers is growing, even as many continue to spend “like drunken sailors,” in the words of JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon.
And while the Intuit report that coined the “doom spending” neologism noted that a troubling 22% of Americans have no savings at all. Millennials and Gen Z survey respondents, in particular, report they are blowing cash (or promising to pay later) for stuff that makes them feel a little better, for now at least.
Still, roughly half of Americans have at least $2,000 in the bank.
That’s admittedly not great, but several signs point to a more mindful approach to money taking hold in some households.
For starters, US economic data released Thursday show a slight increase in personal savings, which has been in decline in recent months. The rate is still very low, and it will take a few more months to see a real trend.
Meanwhile, retailers like Walmart and Target said in November that consumer spending was continuing to crack under the pressure of high interest rates, persistent inflation, and other factors like October’s resumption of student loan repayments.
“This year, we’ve seen more and more consumers delaying their spending until the last moment,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said. “Guests who previously bought sweatshirts or denim in August or September are deciding to wait until the weather turns cold before making a purchase.”
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon even indicated that the recovery of supply and softening of consumer demand could lead to price reductions on the grocery aisle.
Both retailers, as well as several others, also noted that shoppers are trying to stretch their dollars further and are increasingly selective about the deals they’re willing to spend on.
Spending on discounts and deals is, of course, not saving — it’s still spending — but the mindset of “doom saving” is about responding to uncertainty by trying to conserve a finite resource.
Looking at Black Friday last week, shoppers responded strongly to deep discounts from retailers.
Most consumers are sick of high prices, according to a recent Morning Consult survey, but more than a third of respondents said they’d be okay with a recession if that’s what it took to get inflation to come down.
Interestingly, even though these more cautious consumers could squeeze some companies’ sales growth, the economy as a whole could seriously use a dose of their frugality.
In other words, “doom spending,” like its older siblings “revenge spending” and “stimulus spending,” is a key driver of the continuing inflation that has yet to be successfully reined in.
Spending less and saving more —doom saving, so to speak — might not be as entertaining as hedonistic consumption, but it should help curb the price increases that still pose a real risk to the economy.
While teens on social media are adopting wired headphones as a “vintage” trend, there are many reasons why many people are still opting for wired earbuds and headphones as opposed to wireless and Bluetooth listening devices.
Airpods first hit the market in 2016, and since then, millions have ditched the long-standing wired earbuds and made the switch to the new modern craze, which generated Apple Inc. $38.3 billion in net sales from September 2020 to September 2021. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Lily-Rose Depp, and Zoë Kravitz have been photographed in their sleek streetwear styles, rocking a pair of good old-fashioned wired headphones, prompting fans and followers worldwide to recreate this new “vintage” trend themselves.
However, there are several reasons why many believe wired is the way to go, as you will discover upon reading further in this article.
Because it’s trendy
Bluetooth earbuds and wireless headphones were the hot trend for a while due to how new modern and unique they were but eventually, they became something that everybody had, which led to people, particularly teens, not wanting to appear “basic.” There is nothing more common than the wish to be remarkable.
“In short, AirPods have become too widespread to be cool,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. “So, perhaps inevitably, contrarian trendsetters are reviving some ancient technology: corded headphones.”
Thousands of videos on TikTok have shown various “trend forecasters” explaining why this “vintage” trend is coming back, as well as fashion professionals adding to the analysis. Lisa Z. Morgan, head of the apparel design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, said that a sense of nostalgia is part of what’s fueling the revival.
“There’s a very wistful look back to times that appear to be simpler, there’s no doubt about it,” Morgan said. “There’s a sense of nostalgia [from teens] for a time that I don’t think they’ve even experienced, which is quite curious … I think they see these photographs and images from magazines and music and culture.”
Because of the sound quality
Despite all the discourse around wired earbuds making a comeback due to the latest fashion trend, there are other reasons why people opt for wired earphones. Many highly regard the quality of the craftsmanship of something that plugs in directly to your device versus having to stream the sound via Bluetooth. It is true that wireless earbuds are very convenient in not having to deal with a cable, but their evolution towards good sound quality is yet to be on par with wired headphones.
Using wired headphones, which are directly attached to your device, mitigates any potential connectivity or Bluetooth issues that you may experience with wireless headphones. Analog signals are used in wired headphones to deliver excellent sound quality, which can handle more data than digital signals like Bluetooth. The audio won’t have to go through so much processing to reach you, making for a much cleaner, crisper audio in its full resolution.
Because wired earbuds and headphone manufacturers won’t have to spend as much money on creating wireless technologies, they’ll be able to concentrate their efforts (and resources) on what counts most: sound quality. The analog signals used in wired headphones can handle more data than Bluetooth signals, avoiding any risk of audio compression and making for a much clearer sound.
Because of the price
Wired earbuds are generally cheaper because it is much more costly to make wireless earbuds than their corded counterparts. Manufacturers inflate their bill of materials for wireless buds, which in turn makes the product more expensive.
They don’t require charging
Having another device to charge periodically is a big inconvenience in this day and age, where almost every product comes with a battery. With wired earbuds, you won’t have to worry about losing your music or your podcast halfway through your flight. You can just plug and play without any care in the way.
They are less likely to be lost
Many Bluetooth earbud devices come with a little charger/carrying case. Not only is it tiny and easy to misplace, but the earbuds themselves are minuscule little pieces that could easily fall out of your ear while sleeping on a plane, or sweating during an intense exercise. The risk of getting your AirPods stolen is much higher than wired headphones because not only of their small, portable size, but also because they have been a hot commodity since their release in 2016, despite current trends changing the norm.
In general, they are a better investment
People are sporting AirPods everywhere you go. Some are listening to music, others to the hottest new podcasts, while others are simply wearing them to avoid having to chat with strangers. They’ve become as much a part of our daily lives as the original iPod earphones did 20 years ago.
Despite the inconvenience of cables getting in the way, in the end, wired earbuds and headphones are a greater investment because not only are they cheaper, but they have better sound quality, are less likely to be lost or stolen, don’t require charging, and, of course, you can keep up with the latest trend of bringing “vintage” back.
Chick-fil-A, one of the most successful fast food chains in the US, is entering showbiz.
The chain is hiring an “entertainment producer,” according to a job posting on its website.
The new entertainment app, PLAY, will feature scripted and non-scripted programming.
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Chick-fil-A is going Hollywood.
The Atlanta-based fast-food chain, owned by the wealthy Cathy family, is set to launch a family-focused entertainment app called PLAY, according to a job posting for an “entertainment producer” listed on the chain’s website.
Programming on the app includes scripted audio, podcasts, and video series.
“This original programming is intended for Chick-fil-A’s soon-to-be launched PLAY entertainment app and may include scripted podcasts and audio adventures, original animation, reality and game shows, and other live-action scripted or non-scripted programming,” the job posting states, adding that the preferred candidate should have six years or more experience in show running or writing for a kids/family series.
The entertainment producer is expected to work with content creators who produce podcasts, live-action scripted video entertainment, animation, game shows, reality, or other non-scripted shows, according to the job duties of the position.
The PLAY app is geared toward entertaining families and children.
The content must match the “vision, heartbeat, and positioning of the Chick-fil-A brand,” according to the job posting.
“The Chick-fil-A brand has a very specific and nuanced approach, and content will need to be carefully and thoughtfully brought to life in such a way that audiences both internal and external can quickly say, ‘That feels like Chick-fil-A.’”
Chick-fil-A is known for its conservative beliefs. The brand is closed on Sundays so workers can spend time with family. As described on its website, part of its purpose is “to glorify God.” In the past, the company donated to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations. But in 2019, the chain stopped contributing to these types of organizations after facing public backlash.
Chick-fil-A didn’t respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
PLAY content would not be the chain’s first venture into showbiz. Chick-fil-A recently released the latest installment of its original animated short series, called “Stories of Evergreen Hills,” which the company describes as “a fantastical animated universe where kindness is more than a mere friendly gesture. It’s the central purpose of the world and the mission of its heroes.”
It’s unclear when the app will launch or if it will be integrated with Chick-fil-A’s 11-year-old mobile app, whose loyalty arm has 50 million members. That’s more than Chipotle’s 36 million members.
The entertainment producer will manage writers, actors, casting directors, artists, and showrunners. The salary range was not listed.
Are you a Chick-fil-A insider with insight to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at nluna@insider.com or via Signal encrypted at 714-875-6218.
Private Branch Exchange, most commonly known as PBX is a way to describe an office telephone system in an office that allows users to not only put calls on hold, but allows to users to transfer calls ,merge calls in conferences for example or offers higher security on calls. These kind of systems are available on analog phone service and on VoIP services and they are customizable and today we will discuss the best headsets for different models of desk phones that are compatible with PBX systems.
Thanks to the headset port located on the back, you can easily plug in a corded headset on the back and activate its use by pressing the headset key on the phone. These desk phones support corded and wireless headsets:
The Jabra 2300 is one of the best corded headsets on the market for your desk phone. With noise canceling microphone, Kevlar reinforcement and comfortable headband, making a great option for a corded headset compatible with your VVX desk phone. The large foam ear cushions can be replaced with leatherette for better comfort for all day use. Thanks to the Quick Disconnect connection, it allows the user to step away from the desk and take the headset with them, so no longer need to put on/off constantly.
Plantronics offers the HW520 corded headset for people looking a solution and if they wear hearing aids, the HW520 is Telecoil Hearing Aid compatible, coming with a discrete microphone boom arm and covering both ears in a true binaural stereo sound quality, meaning that the sound of the call can be heard on both ear cups. The HW520 headset can be customizable with bigger ear cushions that would cover the whole ear instead of staying on the ear, making it an alternative for loud environments.
The Plantronics CS540 is the top seller wireless headset for your Polycom desk phone. The headset offers a range of up to 350 feet on line of sight and offering a convertible wearing style, so can be worn over the head or over the ear. With a more discrete microphone boom arm and being one of the lightest wireless headset on the market. You can answer your Polycom desk phone from the distance, thanks to the remote answer included. Just tap your headset from the distance and you will answer the call, no need to go back to the desk or even ouch the phone.
Cisco desk phones offers compatibility with corded headsets and wireless as well. Special consideration for wireless headsets is if the phone has a sidecar you will need to get an extra extension so the cables for the remote answer to reach the base of the wireless headset.
Plantronics offers the H81N headset compatible with Cisco desk phones, this is an over the ear wearing style corded headset, similar to the ones used in dispatch agencies. The H81N offers noise canceling microphone with a bendable microphone boom arm and with different adjustments on the earpiece that directs the sound to the ear canal, useful to find a comfortable position for all day use. We have the Quick Disconnect connector from Plantronics allowing users to step away and take the headset with them. Offering 3 way support for the perfect fit.
Poly offers the Savi 7310 wireless headset compatible with Cisco desk phones and allowing users to use it with their computer at the same time. With a range of up to 400 feet and a higher encryption chip for a more secure connection while on a call. The Savi 7310 comes with the remote answer for the Cisco, if need to answer the call from the distance, simply press the Answer key on the headset. The Savi 7310 comes with USB-A and USB-C cables so can be used with any computer or laptop. Acoustic Fence technology can be found in the bendable microphone boom arm and with a talk time of up to 13 hours in a single charge.
Jabra offers its top headset on the Jabra 75 Stereo for people with multiple devices in the need of a wireless headset. With a range of up to 490 feet and Jabra’s advanced noise cancelation technology, built in busy light and easy to find call controls such as the mute as well. The base can be plugged to Cisco desk phone, 2 USB corded computers and 2 Bluetooth enable devices paired to the base directly. The touchscreen can be used to customize the functions of the headset and offers useful information regarding the headset.
Depending on the model of Avaya some models require special cables for corded headsets or proper remote answer adapters. For the next ones we will discuss Avaya J100 or 9600 family.
The Biz 1500 Duo is a stereo corded headset, compatible with certain models of Avaya as they require a special frequency for Avaya J100, 1600, 9600 desk phones. Covering both ears in a budget friendly package. This headset comes with everything needed and easy to use as plug and play. Noise canceling microphone can be found on the Biz 1500 and with Quick Disconnect connector as well, letting to step out of the desk while wearing the headset. With a 2 year manufacturer warranty included, making it one of the best options for daily corded use headset.
Plantronics comes to the game with its Savi 8240, as a convertible wireless headset that can be worn over the head, the ear or behind the neck. This headset offers multi connectivity as it will work with the Avaya J100, the computer and a Bluetooth enable device as the base has built in Bluetooth. With a compact and lightweight design and a talk time of up to 7 hours in a single charge and a range of up to 590 feet. Noise canceling microphone in a discrete boom arm with new relocated volume controls compared with the previous generation.
Jabra offers the Engage 65 Mono as an alternative compatible with Avaya J100s desk phones and compatible with a desktop computer at the same time. Advanced noise canceling microphones can be found in the boom arm, built in busy lights turn on when on a call, as this feature is useful on an open office scenario. Fully compatible with the mayor UC platforms and applications. Easy to use call controllers on the headset and with a range of up to 490 feet and talk time of up to 13 hours in one single charge.
The next options are available for some selected Yealink desk phones as Yealink offer different models of corded and cordless phones. The newer Yealink desk phones will have a USB port that in most cases would be enable to receive a USB headset.
Plantronics offers the HW710 corded headset as the upper scale corded headset of the EncorePro family, with leatherette ear cushions and a retractable microphone boom arm. An elegant design and comfortable design welcomes the user and offering HD wideband audio for the user, making it an alternative for corded headset on the best quality available in the market. The headband is lightweight, built in with reinforced–nylon composite materials, meaning that the headset will last longer and offer longevity.
Plantronics has the Savi 7210 for Yealink desk phones covering one ear with an over the head headband and being Telecoil Hearing Aid compatible. Designed for people wanting a wireless headset for their Yealink desk phone and compatible with their hearing aids, this headset comes with the remote answer for the Yealink and offering a range of up to 400 feet with an easy to install and use interface. The Savi 7210 offers a talk time of up to 12 hours and a comfortable leatherette ear cushion, paddling on the headband and pad can be found on it.
Jabra offers the well known Pro 920 as a wireless headset for the Yealink desk phones, this headset comes with the remote answer for the Yealink. Covering one ear with an over the head headband and offering a range of up to 325 feet and an impressive battery time of up to 36 hours on standby with a full charge. Fast charging can be found on the Pro 920, meaning that can get a full charge on the headset in less than 3 hours. The remote answer allows the user to answer the call of the Yealink desk phone from the distance without the need to walk back or touch the phone.
These are some examples for desk phones on a PBX system, however the more models the come out the more difficult that can turn in getting a proper headset as it can get a little overwhelming. For a full list of headsets for PBX phones click HERE.
For additional offers feel free to call us and we will recommend the best solution for your case. 877-999-3838
Apple also included lists of the most followed and most shared podcasts.
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Choosing a new podcast to start can be a daunting task, with thousands of options to consider. If you need some background noise while you finish up some housework, why not try a fan favorite?
Apple shared a roundup on Tuesday of the most popular podcasts of 2023. These numbers came from data from Apple listeners in over 100 countries.
Apple included lists of the top 10 free and subscriber channels, most shared shows and episodes, top new shows, and most followed shows. But today, we will be focusing on the top 10 podcasts overall, according to Apple.
10. Stuff You Should Know
The Stuff You Should Know Podcast is hosted by Josh Clark, left, and Chuck Bryant, right.
Denise Truscello
“Stuff You Should Know” will, according to Apple Podcasts, teach you everything you need to know about science, history, religion, crime, and more. The podcast has been running since 2008 and has 2,000 episodes.
The SYSK podcast is hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. Clark also made a podcast called “The End of The World with Josh Clark.” Byrant worked in both film and as a professional writer before joining SYSK.
9. Hidden Brain
With over 37,000 reviews, it’s no wonder that Hidden Brain made Apple’s top 10 list.
Apple Podcasts
“Hidden Brain” is a podcast by NPR that describes itself as exploring “unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and questions that lie at the heart of our complex and changing world,” according to its website. It analyzes intangible concepts like gratitude, death, pain, and grief.
The podcast is hosted by Shankar Vedantam, a journalist and author who previously worked for The Washington Post before joining NPR.
8. Huberman Lab
Huberman is a Stanford neurologist, but he’s best known for his podcast, Huberman Lab, where he talks about all things health and wellness.
Chance Yeh
Huberman Lab is hosted by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. It is the top health and fitness-related podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, according to the podcast’s website.
Huberman Lab explores different health-related topics like fitness, mental health, sleep, and supplements. The podcast has featured countless health experts and recently featured Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
Even though the podcast only made eighth place on this list, it was in first place on Apple Podcasts’s list of most-followed shows. It was also Apple’s fourth most shared podcast.
7. Up First
NPR, short for National Public Radio, has made the top 10 list for its brief summaries of daily news.
Drew Angerer
“Up First” is a daily podcast produced by NPR. The podcast is a 10-minute summary of some of the top news stories of the day.
Released every morning, 6 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. on weekends, the podcast is meant to help listeners start their day off on a more informed note.
6. Morbid
Morbid is a true crime and horror podcast hosted by sister duo Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley.
Morbid podcast/Wondery
One of the genres to top this year’s list was true crime, and “Morbid” is no exception. “Morbid”, which is part of the podcast publishing platform Wondery, focuses on true crime, history, and horror.
“Morbid” is hosted by sister duo Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley, according to the podcast’s webpage. Urquhart is an autopsy technician with a background in criminal justice, psychology, and biology who also wrote the thriller novel “The Butcher and The Wren.” Kelley works as a hairdresser and lives in Boston.
5. This American Life
Glass began his reporting career with NPR in 1978, before beginning his work with This American Life in 2006.
Astrid Stawiarz
“This American Life” is a public radio podcast hosted by Ira Glass that focuses on mixing journalism with entertainment, according to the podcast’s website. The podcast, which puts out a new episode every Sunday, gets over 4 million weekly listeners.
The show is a collaborative production with WBEZ Chicago that’s sent out to stations by Public Radio Exchange — PRX. Glass began his career in reporting in 1978, when he began interning with NPR, before working on “This American Life” in 2006, according to Britannica.
4. SmartLess
The SmartLess podcast is hosted by Jason Bateman (left), Will Arnett (left), and Sean Hayes.
“SmartLess” is a weekly podcast hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. “SmartLess” focuses on using comedy and shared experiences to connect people from “all walks of life,” according to the podcast’s website.
In every episode, one of the hosts also invites a surprise guest for the other two hosts onto the show. The podcast began in July 2020, and the three actors have been longterm friends.
The podcast has hosted a long list of well-known guests including Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Aniston, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler.
3. Dateline NBC
NBC Dateline got over 66 million viewers in 2023 Q3, but its podcast adaptation is also a hit.
NurPhoto
“Dateline NBC” is a long-running series that focuses on crime, mysteries, documentaries, and in-depth reporting. According to Nielsen Media Research reported by NBC, “Dateline” was the most-watched news magazine during the third quarter of 2023, with over 66 million viewers.
“Dateline NBC” may be best known for its TV series, but the podcast adaptation is apparently also a hit with fans, coming in third place on Apple’s top 10 list.
2. The Daily
The Daily is a podcast by The New York Times that goes out five days a week and recaps the top stories of the morning.
Gary Hershorn
Podcasts hosted by news organizations dominated this year’s list, so it’s no surprise that “The Daily,” a podcast by The New York Times, took second place.
“The Daily,” is a 20-minute podcast that goes out every day Monday-Friday. It’s hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise. The podcast gives listeners an overview of the day’s top story.
1. Crime Junkie
Ashley Flowers has been hosting Crime Junkie since 2017. She also founded the podcast production company Audiochuck and authored a fictional crime novel called All Good People Here.
NBC
“Crime Junkie” is a podcast focused on covering true crime cases and was Apple’s most popular podcast in 2023. The Crime Junkie team has also donated $643,000 to family members of victims and to several nonprofit organizations, according to the podcast’s website.
The podcast began in 2017. It’s hosted by Ashley Flowers, who founded the podcast production company Audiochuck, along with Brit Prawat, who used to work for a private investigator.
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Diem Nguyen recently bought a home near San Francisco without using a real-estate broker.
She is in the minority: More than 85% of American homebuyers this year used an agent.
Buying without a realtor might save you a little cash, but it can be risky for inexperienced buyers.
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In October, Diem Nguyen bought a home in the San Francisco Bay Area for $1.6 million — without a realtor.
The 36-year-old tech worker used Aalto, a home-buying and selling website that looks at first glance like Zillow or Redfin. House hunters can browse on-the-market and off-market homes in certain parts of California, see market data, and even submit offers.
The best part: Buyers get up to 1.5% of the purchase price as cash back — for Nguyen, $24,000 — to cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or increase their offer price, according to Aalto’s website.
Because Nguyen had bought a home in the same area in 2021, as well as other investment properties in the Midwest, she and her partner decided they didn’t need the additional hand-holding a broker provides.
“We didn’t need a lot of guidance with bidding or the discovery process this time,” Nguyen told Business Insider.
But Nguyen is in the minority. About 88% of homebuyers this year used a real-estate agent, Zillow found. Most buyers use a realtor because it’s relatively risk-free. First, there’s no cost to them: Sellers tend to pay 4% to 6% of the purchase price to their broker, who splits the commission with the buyer’s agent. Second, new or inexperienced buyers may benefit from the guidance a veteran realtor can offer, from referrals to mortgage lenders to help discerning whether an asking price is outrageously high or suspiciously low.
If nothing else, working with an expert can quell the anxiety that comes along with buying a home.
But now a slate of class-action lawsuits against the country’s biggest professional organization for real-estate agents and several brokerages — accusing them of conspiring to keep home prices, and their own commissions, high — might alter how, and how much, agents are paid. The suits could also result in more buyers and sellers opting to forgo a broker for their transactions.
Here’s the story of one person who did it, and a summary of the pros, cons, and risks.
Have you bought a home without a real-estate agent? Email reporter Jordan Pandy at jpandy@businessinsider.com with your story.
Buying a home without a realtor has pros and cons
Nguyen said she felt confident navigating Northern California’s housing market because she had done it once before.
“We’re very comfortable with the Bay Area,” she said. “We have friends who own houses in the Bay, too, so we know roughly what to expect.”
The cash back Aalto offered was another incentive for Nguyen to forge ahead without a broker. (Aalto does have a team of real-estate agents working behind the scenes, but they are salaried rather than paid by commission. Aalto makes money by charging sellers a fee of 1% of the purchase price of their home.)
Buyers passing up a realtor sometimes do so because they believe they’ll pay less for the home, according to a blog post from lender Rocket Mortgage. The sellers, they believe, will save money on the commissions they’d otherwise pay to the agents, and either come down during negotiations over the price of the home or pass that savings onto buyers in other ways.
But as real-estate and personal-finance experts Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin wrote in the Washington Post in 2020, buyers working without a broker may overpay, buy the wrong home, glean incorrect information when relying solely on Googling, or skip an inspection.
Real-estate agents do more than just find a home on Zillow, Glink and Tamkin said in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: They can help answer questions about the market and paint a fuller picture of the property you plan to buy.
For Nguyen, choosing to buy without broker representation ended well for her, but it might not for everyone. She prefers newer homes, which tend to come with fewer maintenance issues and costs.
“If I am really into a unique older home, I might look for a good traditional agent who would be able to give us way more advice,” Nguyen said. “I think it depends on the buyer.”
