Calls for Biden to drop out have increased following a recent US special counsel report.
That doesn’t appear likely to happen anytime soon, especially after pushback from the DNC chair.
He said the idea of usurping the nomination from Biden and then winning is “certifiably insane.”
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The chairman of the Democratic National Committee said the idea of replacing President Joe Biden as the party’s candidate and winning the election in November is “certifiably crazy actually.”
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison made the comment in a late-night reply Monday on X to a Biden-supporting poster who said it’s “insane and frankly stupid” to think the party would “usurp the nomination” from Biden and choose a replacement behind closed doors, especially one who’s not current-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Calls for Biden to remove himself from the 2024 presidential race have risen in recent weeks following US special counsel Robert Hur’s report saying he shouldn’t be charged for crimes related to mishandled confidential documents, specifically citing his old age and poor memory.
Nevertheless, Super Tuesday, where roughly a third of the nation’s Democratic delegates will be doled out, is fast approaching. Biden and his campaign have not indicated he’ll drop out of the race anytime soon, meaning he could amass a majority of the delegates in due time and become the party’s presumptive nominee.
If Biden then chooses to step away from the election — or if the Democratic Party decides it wants to put someone else onto the ballot — the party’s running out of feasible replacement options.
Should Biden leave the race when he’s already built up a sizable delegate lead, the 2024 Democratic National Convention would then become “contested,” meaning no active candidate won a majority of the delegates. In that scenario, the delegates previously bound to support Biden could change their votes to a different candidate.
That hasn’t happened, though, since Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson said he wouldn’t run for reelection in 1968 after winning the New Hampshire primary in late March of that year.
The 1968 contested convention was chaotic — even dangerous at times — and the Democratic candidate chosen, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, lost in November by 110 electoral votes.
A recent poll from Emerson College in mid-February revealed Biden trailing Trump in support by 2 percentage points. When presented with alternative possible Democratic candidates against Trump, however, all but Vice President Kamala Harris trailed the former president by double digits.
Wall Street giants like JPMorgan, State Street, and Pimco recently exited Climate Action 100+.
Other finance firms have walked back climate-friendly pledges and initiatives.
This shift comes amid increasing criticism of “woke capitalism” and scrutiny of ESG investing.
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Some Wall Street giants, many of which have spent the last few years pledging to fight climate change through corporate responsibility, are now retreating from some of their environmental initiatives.
Large financial institutions including investment bank JPMorgan, asset manager State Street, and investment management firm Pimco have in the last few days pulled out of Climate Action 100+, a group of hundreds of institutional investors that collectively push large companies to address climate issues.
The departures are a stark change for finance firms that have previously spent years working to improve their public images by loudly championing the fight against climate crisis, The New York Times reported.
Indeed, big banks and asset managers previously built up teams in a bet that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing was a good bet — both morally and economically.
In recent months, however, many financial intuitions have come under more fire from Republicans criticizing their climate work, framing it and other ESG initiatives as “woke capitalism,” Politico reported. Regulators, meanwhile, have begun looking more closely at firms offering ESG products.
Other concerns included that clients may disapprove of the work and sue, or that this many large companies working together to pressure change in other companies could fly in the face of antitrust regulations, the New York Times said.
Founded in 2017, Climate Action 100+ initially launched as a five-year initiative that in 2022 was extended until 2030. The coalition brings together more than 700 members with more than $68 trillion in assets under management to persuade public companies to increase shareholder value by improving climate crisis governance, cutting emissions, and strengthening climate-related financial disclosures, according to its website.
In its new phase launched in 2022, Climate Action 100+ shifted its focus from pushing companies to improve their financial disclosures to pushing companies to introduce more climate-friendly business operations and reduce their net carbon emissions.
Following the departures of JPMorgan, State Street, and Pimco, financial investors including Neuberger Berman, William Blair Investment Management, and Wellington Management remain members of Climate Action 100+, whose targeted companies include American Airlines, Chevron, and Procter & Gamble.
Other finance giants have similarly stepped back from previous environmentally friendly initiatives, The New York Times reported. They include BlackRock, which scaled back its participation with Climate Action 100+ in recent weeks, as well as Bank of America, which walked back a pledge to stop financing coal.
Older residents at a UK care home received Valentine’s Day cards from a firm of funeral directors.
Family members called the incident insensitive and said it caused confusion and disappointment.
One 80-year-old resident is being moved from the home due to the incident.
Residents of a care home for older people in the UK were shocked to open Valentine’s Day cards that turned out to be from a firm of funeral directors, the Sun reports.
Residents of Whitegates Care Centre in Surrey received cards adorned with red hearts and bows from T.H. Sanders & Sons Funeral Directors, a funeral firm located in Staines, a market town near the care home.
One family member of a resident told the Sun that the ill-received incident would have caused the residents “great confusion, upset and disappointment as often they are here after losing their life-long partners.”
Another relative called the move an “insensitive attempt to woo new customers.”
An 80-year-old woman living in the care home is set to be moved by her son, who is outraged by the incident.
The woman’s son said he was fortunately able to intercept the card and hide it from her before she opened it, as it would have devastated her.
“It’s appalling for funeral directors to be trying to attract new customers by targeting vulnerable elderly people,” he told the Sun.
The home, which offers 51 bedrooms, has rates that start at $1,640 a week.
T. H. Sanders is part of the Dignity Funeral Directors group, which told the Sun they “deeply regret any unintended distress.”
A spokesperson from the care home told the Sun that they are “deeply embedded within the local community, and we value the support and engagement of all our neighbors, including T.H. Sanders.”
“Residents were thrilled to receive the Valentine’s Day cards, and they all had a lovely day celebrating,” they said.
Whitegates declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.
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Young workers are pushing back against Dave Ramsey‘s financial advice on TikTok.
They say that Ramsey’s “debt-free” mantra is outdated and neglects the value of self-care.
Others say his homebuying tips aren’t realistic amid skyrocketing prices.
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Dave Ramsey lacks clout with Gen Z.
The 63-year-old host of the financial talk show, “The Dave Ramsey Show,” has attracted scores of followers over the years with a simple mantra — live debt-free.
But amid rising costs of living, skyrocketing home prices, and mounting student debt, young workers are bucking the advice of America’s favorite financial guru.
They’re calling his tips outdated and even a little depressing in videos on TikTok. The trend, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, has racked up millions of views on TikTok under the hashtag #daveramseywouldntapprove.
“I’d rather be caffeinated than depressed with $6.”
One of Ramsey’s maxims is to stop your “coffee habit.” He says that if you want to live debt-free, stop spending $4 on a latte every morning.
“You’ll spend $63 in a month. You’ll spend $766.50 in a year. You’ll spend $22,995 over the course of 30 years,” Ramsey’s financial advice company, Ramsey Solutions, writes in a post on its website.
But younger generations say that lattes (which average about $6 these days) are key to their mental and physical well-being.
“Self-care is extremely important and if that means buying a $6 coffee every day, do it,” Jarrod Benson, a 32-year-old comedian from Orlando told Business Insider over TikTok. “I’d rather be caffeinated than depressed with $6.”
Benson’s comments come as many young workers grow disillusioned with corporate America and adopt an attitude of working to live.
“This is particularly true in the West. They have seen the legacy of all these broken promises. In the old days and in many parts of the West, they would promise you if you worked for 30 years, you have this defined benefit pension, you have retiree medical care, etc. None of that exists today,” Ravin Jesuthasan, a future-of-work expert and global leader at consulting firm Mercer, previously told BI.
You can’t buy a house with “$50 and a pack of strawberries.”
Gen Z workers said Ramsey’s advice also doesn’t cut it when making long-term investments, like buying a house.
One of Ramsey’s top tips for buying a house is to pay for it upfront in cash and avoid taking out a mortgage. While Ramsey has acknowledged this is a daunting task, he outlines a game plan for how someone might save up to $100,000 in cash to buy a home on the Ramsey Solutions website.
“Divide $100,000 by the amount you can save each month to determine how long it will take to get there,” he writes, alongside a list of equations to help people figure out how they might get there between two to eight years.
But younger workers say buying a home in cash isn’t feasible when home prices are skyrocketing nationwide. The median home price in the United States is about $363,000 now and upwards of a million in some of the country’s priciest cities.
“It’s mind-boggling that the older generation that bought 4-bedroom homes for $50 and a pack of strawberries continues to lecture younger people on money management,” Josh Benson, a 28-year-old from Dallas working in the financial industry, told BI over TikTok.
Younger generations began questioning Ramsey’s advice on homebuying even before the anti-Ramsay rhetoric began trending on TikTok.
On the one hand, buying a house in cash only seemed feasible for the wealthy, she said. At the same time, by taking a hard line against credit card debt, she said Ramsey “stigmatizes legitimate paths forward.” She realized that a strong credit score from years of responsible credit use was one of the best ways to secure a mortgage loan.
Dave Ramsey did not immediately respond to BI’s request for comment.
Since January of 2017, Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump have run their father’s real-estate empire as “co-CEOs,” as lawyers for New York’s attorney general like to call it.
Donald Trump Jr. oversaw the company’s property portfolio. Eric Trump helmed day-to-day operations. Both held power of attorney for their father as Trump Organization executive vice presidents.
But the state sought far lower penalties for the two sons — five-year bans on their ever running a real estate company in New York again — compared to the permanent ban the state had sought for their father.
On Friday, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron set far lower bans for Trump and his sons.
An appeal will almost certainly put these penalties on hold for many months to come. But under the verdict, Trump is banned for three years from “serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York.
His two sons are banned for just two years.
Eric Trump looks on as former US President Donald Trump.
KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images
And though their father is on the hook for the bulk of the $364 million in penalties — the bill comes to $355 million for Trump himself — the sons must only pay $4 million each.
The comparative wrist slap comes despite both brothers having downplayed —Attorney General Letitia James has said they demonstrably tried to hide — their roles in their father’s fuzzy net-worth math for years.
The brothers’ bad behavior continued even as the state’s fraud investigation played out for five years, as the two signed documents, answered emails, and attended meetings relating to that math, the judge found.
Engoron had telegraphed his intention to go easier on Trump’s two eldest sons during closing arguments last month.
“You spend all this time to prove that they know that there were financial statements, they signed them, they were responsible for them,” the judge said, interrupting one of James’ lawyers, Andrew Amer.
“What evidence do you have — and I just haven’t seen it — that they knew that there was fraud?” the judge asked.
“I don’t see the evidence,” the judge added.
A “head in the sand” fraud defense
Maybe the sons had their heads in the sand, Amer responded then. So what?
“Is that a defense?” the state lawyer asked the judge.
“If you have the responsibility,” he continued, “and you have the information that is within your access to understand if you are fulfilling your responsibility and instead you stick your head in the sand and don’t do anything to fulfill that responsibility, the law says that’s not a defense.
“And you can infer you have an intent to defraud,” Amer added. “They can’t say I didn’t bother to pay any attention to it. That is not a defense.”
What did Eric do wrong?
Eric Trump had done the remarkable in taking the witness stand back in early November. He claimed that until 2019, he had no idea his father ever even issued net-worth statements.
It’s a claim that Amer called in closings “some of the most incredible testimony in the whole trial, which is saying a lot.”
“I was focused on pouring concrete,” Eric Trump had said in a pre-trial deposition, during which he pleaded the Fifth some 500 times.
But a decade ago, Eric Trump helped fill three years of Trump’s financial statements with hundreds of millions of dollars in utterly imaginary net worth, the AG said.
That bogus net worth was for up to nine proposed McMansions Eric Trump hoped to build on his father’s Seven Springs property in upstate New York. Eric Trump knew the McMansions could never be built, the AG said, because he was there at the zoning board meetings where the plans were turned down.
Eric Trump also signed a 2021 agreement with the accounting firm Whitley Penn, accepting responsibility for the accuracy of a financial statement the AG says exaggerated Trump’s net worth by nearly $2 billion.
Defense lawyers countered that there is no evidence in the record that either Eric Trump or Don Trump, Jr. had any direct involvement in the actual preparation or use of their father’s net worth statements.
And what did Jr. do?
Like his little brother, Don Trump, Jr., was guarded when called to the witness stand. He said he couldn’t remember key details concerning the business, including whether he worked on his father’s net worth statements.
But there was no disputing his signature was on multiple documents, called “guarantor compliance certificates,” between 2017 and 2021 certifying on Trump’s behalf that the net-worth statements fairly represent his financial condition.
Donald Trump Jr. in New York court for his family’s civil fraud trial.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Ivanka Trump was removed as a defendant in the lawsuit in an appellate court decision last summer.
Because she stopped working on Trump Organization deals when she began working for her father in the White House, Ivanka Trump was beyond the reach of the statute of limitations.
Donald Trump remained involved in the company even while he was president. Eric and Don Trump, Jr. — along with executives Allen Weisselberg (since convicted in a separate criminal trial) and Jeff McConney — ran the company on a day-to-day basis while the elder Trump was in office.
Barron and Tiffany Trump were not implicated in the case at all.
In the litigation with the New York attorney general’s office, Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. have been primarily represented by Clifford S. Robert. His law firm, Robert & Robert, received $5.3 million in donor funds from Trump-controlled political action committees in 2023 — more than any other law firm.
A New Zealand Army soldier tries a US military MRE — or Meal, Ready-to-Eat — and compares it to New Zealand MREs. An MRE is designed to sustain soldiers during training or an operation while food-service facilities are inaccessible.
Sam, a bombardier serving in the New Zealand Army’s 16th Field Regiment, asked us not to use his full name for operational-security reasons.
While much of the American MRE Sam tries resembles a New Zealand MRE, he shared some terms that many Americans may not be familiar with, such as “scroggin.” We asked Sam to heat up an MRE’s main course of creamy spinach fettuccine using the flameless ration bag. He also reveals what he plans to eat once he’s back home in New Zealand.
In November 2023, the New Zealand Army participated in the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercise hosted by the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii.
The improved audio quality over Bluetooth in this age is primarily thanks to the development of better codecs. Now, we have Bluetooth earphones with quasi-lossless streaming. But what are these codecs, and why do we have them to thank for the massive leaps in our Bluetooth streaming?
In this article, we embark on a deep and informative dive into Bluetooth codecs and how they impact our audio quality in this age. Keep reading for a well-rounded perspective on how codecs relate to audio quality.
The Common Types of Bluetooth Codecs
Bluetooth codecs encode and decode audio with various types of compression to transmit as much information within the accessible bandwidth and speed as possible. The codecs are distinguished based on bits, bit rates, and sampling rates. Moreover, the higher the number, the better the quality. On that note, there are about four significant codecs in the industry.
SBC, or subband codec
AAC
AptX
LDAC
The codecs are responsible for the seamless transmission of audio signals. The most basic codec is SBC, which offers the lowest quality. A step above SBC are AAC and AptX. Both of them are popular. AptX is the best option for Androids, while AAC is the best for iPhones.
Comparing the Available Bluetooth Codecs
If you love knowing what fuses to form what you hear, the codec is an essential place to start. There are different types of Bluetooth codecs, and understanding how they compare is imperative. With that in mind, we highlight how all four significant codecs compare in terms of latency, sampling rates, and other crucial factors:
SBC
Bit Depth: 16-bit
Bit Rate: 328Kbps
Sampling Rate: Up to 48kHz
SBC has high latency, so it is not ideal for gaming. It is also the default codec. Most low-cost gear supports SBC, and for devices, it is the option to fall back on when higher codecs aren’t available. The codec is not awful, though. It is capable of better audio quality than CD audio. All Bluetooth devices support SBC. SBC is for when you are caught between a rock and a hard place and have no better choice.
AAC
Bit Depth: Up to 24-bit
Bit Rate: Up to 320Kbps
Sampling Rate: 44.1kHz
AAC has a higher bit depth than SBC but is lower in the other audio aspects. Regardless, SBC performs worse than AAC, thanks to its better compression algorithm. Apple devices can run this codec optimally, which is a significant step up. However, it has high latency, which is not ideal for gaming. While you can use AAC on Android phones, the OS doesn’t process it well, leading to quality loss.
AptX
Bit Depth: 16-bit (AptX); Up to 24 bits (AptX HD)
Sampling Rate: 48kHz (AptX); 48kHz (AptX HD)
Bit Rate: Up to 384Kbps (AptX); 576Kbps (AptX HD)
A series of AptX codecs exist. There’s the standard AptX, low latency AptX LL, and AptX HD. These options have their specific purposes. And if you are an audiophile, AptX HD provides a spectacular experience with its bit rate reaching insane levels.
LDAC
Bit Depth: Up to 24-bit
Sampling Rate: Up to 96kHz
Bit Rate: Up to 990Kbps
LDAC maxes out all the audio specs on Bluetooth streaming. It offers an exceptional audio experience. However, one of its major drawbacks is that it shares specs with much lower codecs when it has a fallback. One of the ways that AptX HD surpasses LDAC is by staying on a consistent bit rate, ensuring your audio experience is undeterred. Apple devices don’t support LDAC, and like many of the options on this list, it has high latency.
Match Mobile Devices with Codec Support
Codec significantly affects the audio quality you get via Bluetooth. However, the headphones must support the phone’s codec to reach their full potential.
For Apple, the best codec is AAC. Using headphones that don’t support AAC leads to experiencing SBC audio quality. Hence, as an iPhone user, you should use headphones that support AAC. But don’t fret; they are one of the most common options available.
Android users should pay close attention to their headphone codec support. You won’t get the best audio quality if they only have AAC and SBC support. Instead, pair up with AptX and higher. But also consider the codec your phone supports. You can adjust the Bluetooth codec on your Android phone. Go to settings and click System > Developer Options > Bluetooth Audio Codec.
Key Takeaway
Codec plays a significant role in the audio quality that your Bluetooth device produces. The higher the codec, the better your auditory experience. If you are an audiophile, consider getting headphones that support high-end codecs.
Several hundred employees in the division will be laid off, per the Journal. The cuts represent about 1% of the total wealth-management division.
The wealth-management division has seen some slowing down in recent months. Net new assets in the division, which helps customers manage their investments and money, are down about 8% from a year ago, and revenue in the fourth quarter was flat compared to last year, according to the Journal.
While sources close to the layoffs told the Journal that financial advisors aren’t expected to be impacted by the layoffs, managing directors and non-customer-facing employees should be getting notices if they’re affected.
A company spokesperson declined to comment in response to Business Insider’s request.
This story is developing, check back for more information.
Under renewed management, Air India has vowed to improve its reputation, which has been plagued by broken seats and filthy planes.
Among its most important projects is improving the experience for its premium passengers, particularly those flying business class on its brand-new Airbus A350.
The plane started flying in January on domestic routes in India, with international routes still yet to be announced — though it’s likely customers can expect the US as a destination.
I toured Air India’s new A350 product in Hyderabad last month after flying its legacy Boeing 777 business class from New York to Delhi to see the improvements, and it’s a night and day difference.
When Badgley Mischka took over the Starrett-Lehigh Building in New York City, one thing was clear: quiet luxury is here to stay.
Influencers, celebrities, and friends of the designers packed into the industrial venue on Saturday, carrying designer purses in hand and wearing chic coats on their backs.
“Gossip Girl” star Kelly Rutherford mingled with Jonathan Cheban of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” fame, and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton shared a bench with model Madisin Rian.
The duo behind the brand — Mark Badgley and James Mischka — greeted such guests via notes left on each seat, explaining how the fall 2024 line was inspired by the luxury and reality of living in New York City.
“This collection is about the precision and drama of Park Avenue glass towers and the velvet-lined floral cocoons in their lobbies,” the note read. “It is a dance we love to do, of control and extravagance.”
With that in mind, it’s probably not surprising that those in attendance told Business Insider that they’re in line with Badgley Mischka — luxury is best served subtly.
A model walks the Badgley Mischka runway during New York Fashion Week.
Amanda Krause/Business Insider
“Quiet luxury speaks for itself. I feel like less is more,” influencer Daisy Marquez told BI.
Elizabeth Woods, the mom and manager of Jordyn Woods, agreed. Because she usually prefers shopping on a budget, she doesn’t flaunt her more expensive pieces when she wears them.
“I’m always quiet luxury,” she said while pointing to her Cartier glasses, which were a gift from her daughter Jordyn.
Elizabeth Woods attends the Badgley Mischka runway show during New York Fashion Week.
Amanda Krause/Business Insider
And Dhaval Bhanusali, the dermatologist behind Hailey Bieber’s skincare line Rhode, was right there with her.
“I think there’s a fine appreciation for art that’s important, but a lot of times, you don’t necessarily have to shout it from the rooftops,” he said. “I will always go with quiet luxury.”
The loud rise of quiet luxury
A few months into 2023, quiet luxury emerged as a major trend.
Thomaï Serdari, the director of the fashion and luxury MBA program at NYU’s Stern School of Business, previously told BI that the trend consists of “the highest quality” clothing that’s timeless, sophisticated, and simple.
Think neutral colors and thick fabrics. Now pair them with classic accessories: gold jewelry, black sunglasses, and leather purses. You’ve got yourself the ultimate quiet-luxury look.
Some also describe it as the “old money” aesthetic, or dressing like a wealthy fashion icon from decades past. Members of Gen Z, like Sofia Richie, are especially fond of the style.
Sofia Richie in New York City on September 9, 2023.
Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
Of course, it hasn’t risen to the top without competition. Though quiet-luxury status symbols are everywhere in 2024, some fashion fans are making the case for loud luxury looks — or outfits that feature logos, out-there silhouettes, and bolder colors more prominently.
“Quiet luxury had its moment, and the moment has passed,” costume designer and stylist Molly Farrell-Savage told BI. “I’m from Connecticut, where quiet luxury is the thing, so I just see so much that I’m over it.”
But even fashion fans who understand loud luxury say it’s still not the best look.
Eva Marcille, a former “America’s Next Top Model” winner and “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star, told BI that quiet luxury will always remain the ultimate sign of style.
“I think people want to go loud luxury because, after COVID and everything that’s happened, there’s fashion from two seasons that we couldn’t wear,” Marcille said. “But less is more. It’s still all about simplicity.”
