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NYC warns of hourslong delays at Newark over staffing shortages, says a full ground stoppage is possible

Man at Newark Liberty Airport
Airports are experiencing delays and disruptions amid the US government shutdown.
  • Ground delays are slowing travel at Newark Liberty International Airport.
  • Airports are experiencing delays and disruptions amid the government shutdown.
  • A shortage of air traffic controllers is affecting operations.

A shortage of air traffic controllers on Sunday led to ground delays at Newark Airport, according to New York City officials, who warned the delays could spread to nearby airports like JFK and LaGuardia.

Inbound flights to Newark are delayed an average of 218 minutes, according to the FAA and FlightAware.

On Sunday morning, the NYC Emergency Management agency wrote on X that the airport is under a ground delay program due to staffing shortages in its control tower.

“FAA planning notes show a possibility of a full ground stop later if staffing shortages or demand increases,” the post said. It also said that delays at Newark “often spread to JFK and LaGuardia, so travelers flying to, from, or through NYC should expect schedule changes, gate holds, and missed connections.”

The government shutdown, which began on October 1, has led to flight delays and disruptions at airports nationwide due to a certified air traffic controller shortage. Although controllers received partial pay during the first few weeks of the government shutdown, those paychecks ended on October 28, meaning they’re working without pay as the holiday rush nears.

“They’re confronted with a decision: Do I put food on my kids’ table, do I put gas in the car, do I pay my rent, or do I go to work and not get paid? They’re making decisions,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I’ve encouraged them all to come to work. I want them to come to work, but they’re making life decisions that they shouldn’t have to make.”

The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a labor union, echoed that sentiment in a statement published Friday.

“This situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work,” NATCA President Nick Daniels said. “The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown.”

On October 30, FlightAware launched a “Misery Map” to help travelers track delays and cancellations. Early Sunday afternoon, the map showed 51 delays out of Newark and six cancellations. Denver International and O’Hare International in Chicago both showed over 50 delays.

Newark and the FAA did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for a comment.

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2 suspects in the daring Louvre jewelry heist were convicted of theft together in 2015: Paris prosecutor

Police at the Louvre Museum
The iconic museum was hit by a heist that lasted seven minutes.
  • Two suspects in the Louvre jewelry heist had a previous theft conviction together, the Paris prosecutor said.
  • Laure Beccuau said they had both been convicted in a theft case in 2015 in Paris.
  • French police have made a number of arrests as part of an investigation into the Louvre heist.

Two of the suspects in last month’s daring Louvre jewelry heist had a previous theft conviction together, the Paris prosecutor has said.

Speaking to France Info on Sunday, Laure Beccuau said the two men had long criminal records, including a 2015 conviction in a theft case.

“What’s interesting about these criminal records, is when we compare them, we see that they were involved in the same theft case for which they were convicted in 2015 in Paris,” she said.

Four people — three men and one woman all in their thirties — have been charged in connection with the Louvre heist, which saw thieves break into the iconic museum’s Galerie d’Apollon and make off with several pieces of “priceless” jewelry.

Authorities say the thieves gained access to the museum using a truck with a lift system and an angle grinder to breach a window. They are said to have then targeted several display cases before escaping on motor scooters.

Beccuau said that those in custody were “clearly local people” who “lived more or less in Seine-Saint-Denis,” an area just north of the French capital.

She previously told BFM TV that around 60 investigators had been mobilized to track down the thieves, adding that authorities had “total determination” to recover the stolen items, which include royal jewels from the First and Second French Empires.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has said that the state had “failed” to protect one of its most famous landmarks.

Speaking on France Inter radio, Darmanin said: “We cannot completely secure all locations, but what is certain is that we have failed, since it is possible to set up a freight elevator in the middle of a Paris street, lift people up in a matter of minutes to steal priceless jewelry, and give France a terrible image.”

Read the original article on Business Insider

The most famous local sandwich from every state

philly cheesesteak sandwich
Each state has its own signature sandwich, from grilled cheese to a burger known as the Jucy Lucy.
  • Each state has its own signature sandwich, from a grilled cheese to something called a Jucy Lucy.
  • Indiana claims to have the best pork tenderloin sandwich in the nation.
  • Illinois is known for the Horseshoe, an open-face sandwich topped with fries and cheese sauce.

If you’re heading out on a road trip this fall or holiday season, why not try a famous local sandwich?

In honor of National Sandwich Day on November 3, Business Insider found the most famous local sandwiches in every state, and while some may be up for debate, every sandwich on this list is worth trying at least once.

Plus, with grocery prices rising and restaurant entrées facing potential price hikes, sandwiches, which are often among the least expensive items on the menu, could be a more affordable option.

These are America’s most famous local sandwiches, from a classic grilled cheese to something called a Horseshoe.

ALABAMA: A chicken sandwich with white barbecue sauce
chicken sandwich with white bbq sauce on a paper plate
A chicken sandwich with white barbecue sauce.

Alabama’s famous white barbecue sauce — invented by a pitmaster in Decatur, Alabama, in the 1920s before becoming a popular choice across the state — is creamy and tangy, made with mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper.

ALASKA: A wild Alaskan salmon sandwich
a salmon sandwich with arugula and tomato
A salmon sandwich.

Alaska’s salmon is said to be the freshest, pinkest salmon around. The state is the top producer of wild salmon in the world.

ARIZONA: Frybread tacos
frybread tacos with salsa and sour cream
Frybread tacos.

Also known as “Navajo tacos,” these are popular in Arizona. The fried dough is topped with traditional taco fillings like meat, beans, and cheese.

ARKANSAS: A deep-fried catfish sandwich
catfish sandwich with fries on a plate
A deep-fried catfish sandwich.

Caught locally and tucked between two buttered buns, the deep-fried catfish sandwich is best paired with a side of fries and slaw.

CALIFORNIA: An avocado club sandwich
avocado club sandwich.
An avocado club sandwich.

Though the famed French Dip originated in this sunny state, California is best known for its avocados. Try one of California’s fresh avocado club sandwiches to see why.

COLORADO: A Denver sandwich
Denver sandwich
A Denver sandwich.

You’ve heard of the Denver omelet, but have you heard of the Denver sandwich? It’s a traditional Denver omelet filled with diced ham, onions, and green bell peppers, and then stuck between pieces of toast. Extra points if you add ham and hash browns.

CONNECTICUT: A Connecticut hamburger
Connecticut hamburger on a plate with two patties
A Connecticut hamburger.

Connecticut is known for its non-traditional hamburgers, which are served on white toast with a choice of onion, tomato, or cheese, but no condiments. Try one at Louis’ Lunch in New Haven.

DELAWARE: A soft-shell fried crab sandwich
soft-shell crab sandwich
A soft-shell crab sandwich.

Anyone visiting this seafood-obsessed state should try a soft-shell fried crab sandwich topped with coleslaw and leafy greens.

FLORIDA: A Cuban sandwich
cuban sandwich cut in half and stacked on top of one another on a plate
A Cuban sandwich.

The Sunshine State is known for its Cuban sandwich, which features generous portions of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on two slices of Cuban bread.

GEORGIA: A fried chicken sandwich
fried chicken sandwich on a bun with lettuce
A fried chicken sandwich.

Those visiting Georgia — the original home of Chick-fil-A — should partake in a classic fried chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and spicy mayo.

HAWAII: A Kālua-style pork sandwich
pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw
A Kālua-style pork sandwich.

Kālua-style pork is common fare at most luaus, but the slow-roasted and shredded meat is also amazing on sandwiches. Try yours with pineapple coleslaw for an extra Hawaiian punch.

IDAHO: The “Meat Your Maker” sandwich
meat your maker sandwich from idaho
The “Meat Your Maker.”

The Best Sandwich Shack in Idaho really lives up to its name. Locals swear by the “Meat Your Maker” — a combo of steak, Italian sausage, bacon, and more.

ILLINOIS: A Horseshoe sandwich
Horseshoe sandwich
A Horseshoe sandwich.

Illinois is known for an open-faced sandwich called the Horseshoe, made with thick-sliced toasted bread, your choice of meat, and topped with french fries and a secret cheese sauce.

INDIANA: A Hoosier sandwich
pork tenderloin sandwich with tomato and lettuce on a white plate
A Hoosier sandwich.

Indiana claims to have the best pork tenderloin in the nation. Put it to the test by tasting a Hoosier sandwich, or a breaded tenderloin on bread.

Purists insist on trying it with only a few dill pickles and some mustard, but you can also get it with lettuce, tomato, and other fixings.

IOWA: A Tavern or “loose meat” sandwich
Tavern sandwich with pickles on a bun
A Tavern sandwich.

It’s made with unseasoned ground beef, sauteed onions, and sometimes topped with pickles, ketchup, or mustard on a bun.

KANSAS: “Runza” or “bierocks”
runza
“Runza” or “bierocks.”

“Runza” or “bierocks” are a bun-shaped bread pocket filled with beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. The recipe was spread by German immigrants to the Midwest.

KENTUCKY: A Hot Brown sandwich
Hot Brown sandwich with bacon chicken and cream sauce in foil wrapper
A Hot Brown with bacon, chicken, and cream sauce.

It consists of an open-faced sandwich with turkey and bacon covered in cheesy Mornay sauce and baked or broiled until the sauce begins to brown.

LOUISIANA: A po’boy
po boy sandwich with fried shrimp on a plate
A po’ boy.

The classic po’boy is made with French bread and roast beef or fried seafood. A “dressed” po’boy has lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, onions, and hot or regular mustard.

MAINE: A lobster roll
A lobster roll and chips at Tap & Barrel.
A lobster roll and chips at Tap & Barrel.

What else would you order in Maine but a classic lobster roll? Served on a lightly grilled bun and filled with steamed and buttered lobster, these sandwiches taste like summer.

MARYLAND: A crab-cake sandwich
Crab cake sandwich with fries
Crab cake sandwich.

You can find some of America’s freshest crabs in Maryland. Try a crab cake sandwich on a buttered bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion.

MASSACHUSETTS: A Fluffernutter
fluffernutter sandwiches piled on top of a plate
Fluffernutter sandwich.

If you’ve never tried the Fluffernutter sammie, you’re missing out.

It’s made with soft white bread topped with peanut butter and marshmallow Fluff, which was invented by Archibald Query of Somerville, Massachusetts.

MICHIGAN: A corned beef sandwich
corned beef sandwich from zingermans deli
A corned beef sandwich from Zingerman’s Deli.

Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor is known for its corned beef sandwiches, especially the Oswald’s Mile High, which is made with corned beef and yellow mustard on double-baked, hand-sliced Jewish rye bread.

MINNESOTA: A Jucy Lucy
The Jucy Lucy Matt's Bar burger
The Jucy Lucy from Matt’s Bar.

Though the war over which restaurant invented it continues, Minnesota is the official home of the Jucy Lucy — a burger cooked with cheese on the inside that oozes out at the first bite.

MISSISSIPPI: A pig-ear sandwich
pig ear sandwich
A pig ear sandwich.

It consists of two tender pig ears served on a small bun with mustard, slaw, and hot sauce.

MISSOURI: A Gerber sandwich
Gerber Sandwich on a plate
Gerber sandwich.

Feast on Missouri’s famous Gerber, an open-faced sandwich with French bread, garlic butter, ham, provolone, and paprika, and then perfectly toasted.

MONTANA: A PB&J with huckleberry jam
peanut butter and jelly sandwich halves stacked on a plate
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Montana is known for its huckleberries, which grow in the wild during the summer and fall seasons. Try its famous huckleberry jam for a delicious PB&J.

NEBRASKA: A Reuben
reuben sandwich in newspaper wrapping with pickle on the side
Reuben sandwich.

It’s made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing, and is best served on rye bread.

NEVADA: A Heart Attack Grill burger
heart attack grill burger
A Heart Attack Grill burger.

Some variations contain five burger patties with bacon and, of course, a side of fries.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: A fried ham and cheese Monte Cristo drizzled with syrup
monte cristo sandwich on a plate
A fried Monte Cristo sandwich.

One of the proudest accomplishments of this state is its delicious maple syrup. Order a fried ham and cheese Monte Cristo drizzled with it for the ultimate breakfast sammie.

NEW JERSEY: A Jersey breakfast sandwich
new jersey taylor ham sandwich on a white background
Jersey breakfast sandwich.

Stop by any Garden State diner and try the signature Jersey breakfast sandwich. It’s thick-cut Taylor ham (or pork roll) with egg and American cheese on a hard Kaiser roll or bagel.

NEW MEXICO: A green chile cheeseburger
Green chile cheeseburger Buckhorn Tavern NM
A green chile cheeseburger.

A cheeseburger is one thing, but a green chile cheeseburger takes it to a whole other level. This state’s signature vegetable adds a major kick to this classic American dish.

NEW YORK: A pastrami sandwich on rye
katz's deli

There’s nothing more NYC than a pastrami sandwich from Katz’s Delicatessen in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The famous deli, which opened its doors in 1888, is one of the city’s oldest delis and arguably the most famous deli in the country

Scores of celebrities and politicians have frequented the restaurant over the years, and it was even featured in the classic 1989 romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally.”

Katz’s is where the iconic “I’ll have what she’s having” scene took place.

NORTH CAROLINA: A pulled-pork sandwich
pulled pork sandwich on a wooden board with barbecue sauce
Pulled pork.

Just like Hawaii, one of North Carolina’s best sandwiches is pulled pork, but make sure to smother it in a tangy, vinegar-based barbecue sauce.

NORTH DAKOTA: Smørbrød
smorrebrod sandwich
Smørbrød.

This state’s huge Scandinavian population loves their Smørbrød, a classic open-faced sandwich commonly made with rye bread, roast beef, Gravlax (a type of salmon), butter, lettuce, Jarlsberg cheese, pickled herring, hard-boiled eggs, honey mustard, or cucumber.

OHIO: A Polish boy
cleveland polish boy hot dogs with fries on a wooden board
Polish boys.

Not to be confused with Louisiana’s po’ boy, Ohio’s Polish boy is a sausage sandwich native to Cleveland. It has a link of kielbasa covered with a layer of french fries, barbecue or hot sauce, and coleslaw, all on a bun.

OKLAHOMA: A chicken-fried steak sandwich
chicken fried steak sandwich
A chicken-fried steak sandwich.

What’s better than chicken-fried steak? That same breaded and fried steak on a hamburger bun with your choice of condiments.

OREGON: A falafel pita
falafel pita
A falafel pita.

Portland is known for its delicious vegan food. Falafel pitas, in particular, are a popular choice, packed to the brim with veggies and hummus.

PENNSYLVANIA: A Philly cheesesteak
philly cheesesteak sandwich on a roll
Philly cheesesteak.

The state’s most famous food by far is the classic Philly cheesesteak.

Thinly cut steak handsomely topped with cheese on a roll is delicious by itself, but don’t be afraid to add sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, pepper, or ketchup.

RHODE ISLAND: A Dynamite sandwich
dynamite sandwich sloppy joe on blue plate
A Dynamite sandwich.

This tiny state is home to a very big sandwich. The Dynamite, which hails from Woonsocket, is a sloppy Joe burger made with onions, bell peppers, and celery. Be careful — it is spicy.

SOUTH CAROLINA: A tuna melt
tuna melt with crinkle fries on a plate
A tuna melt.

People say the tuna melt was born in 1965 in South Carolina at the Woolworth’s lunch counter. Head there and see for yourself why this simple delicacy is a Charleston classic.

SOUTH DAKOTA: A walleye sandwich
walleye sandwich with fruit on the side
A walleye sandwich.

South Dakota’s walleye is next level, so it’s no surprise that the state is known for its walleye sandwiches. When the flaky fish is fried to perfection, it will melt in your mouth.

TENNESSEE: A Fluffernutter
Fluffernutter sandwich with fluff dripping out
A Fluffernutter.

Sink your teeth into Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich, made with peanut butter, banana, and bacon. Just be careful — the mix of salty, sweet, and savory is highly addictive.

TEXAS: A brisket sandwich
brisket sandwich on a bun with fries
A brisket sandwich.

Barbecue brisket is Texas’s national dish, so try yours on some hardy, homemade bread with or without onions and bell peppers.

UTAH: A pastrami burger
pastrami burgers on a plate
Pastrami burgers from Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City.

When in Utah, it’s perfectly acceptable to dig into a burger topped with a quarter-pound of thin-sliced pastrami.

“Pastrami burgers,” which originated at Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City, are slathered with a Thousand Island-style sauce as well as tomatoes, shaved lettuce, and onions.

VERMONT: A Vermonter
vermonter sandwich with turkey and ham on a red plate
A Vermonter sandwich.

The “Vermonter” takes advantage of its state’s freshest ingredients, like turkey, ham, Vermont cheddar cheese, green apples, and honey mustard.

VIRGINIA: A grilled ham and cheese
grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.

There’s almost nothing more classic than a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and Virginia is known for its excellent cheeses and succulent ham.

WASHINGTON: Bánh mì
banh mi pork sandwich on a baguette
Bánh mì.

Due to its large Vietnamese community, Seattle is home to some of the best bánh mì sandwiches in America.

The inexpensive staple is usually made with pate, bright, crunchy vegetable slaw, fish sauce, and sliced jalapeño pepper or fresh cilantro.

WASHINGTON, DC: A chili half-smoke
chili half-smoke hot dog in a tray with potato chips
A chili half-smoke.

Stop into Ben’s Chili Bowl and order a chili half-smoke, a half-pork, half-beef smoked sausage served on a warm steamed bun with mustard, onions, and spicy homemade chili sauce.

WEST VIRGINIA: An apple and turkey sandwich
turkey and apple sandwich on a plate
An apple and turkey sandwich.

Make a delicious apple and turkey sandwich with West Virginia’s Golden Delicious apples. Cheese and apples sound like a weird combo, but it’s worth it.

WISCONSIN: A sausage roll or brat bun
bratwurst with sauerkraut on a bun
Grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut on a bun.

This Midwestern state has a large German immigrant population, so it’s no surprise that its most famous sandwich contains classic bratwurst. Eat the sausage roll topped with mustard, sauerkraut, and cheese curds — another thing for which Wisconsin is well-known.

WYOMING: A bison meatball sandwich
meatball sub with melted cheese
A bison meatball sandwich.

Wide-open Wyoming is where the buffalo roam … and occasionally appear on menus. Try a bison meatball sandwich when you’re here to taste the state’s most famous meat.

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I gave birth to triplets when I was 41 and my husband was 49. There are benefits and drawbacks to being a parent of 3 at an older age.

The author and her husband pose with their identical triplets.
The author and her husband were both in their 40s when they found out that she was pregnant with triplets.
  • My husband and I had identical triplets in our 40s, which shocked us both.
  • Caring for triplets without the help of a village can be challenging, especially when you’re older.
  • Our past struggles with infertility make us grateful that we have three healthy children.

“Are you their grandmother?”

When I was growing up, I hated this question. My mother was 40 when she adopted me and my twin sister. She kept her grey hair short so it was an honest, if not cringeworthy, mistake.

You might think I’d start my family earlier to avoid a similar situation, but I had big dreams. I moved from Texas to New York City to attend theater school. During that time, I was cast in a terrible Shakespeare play where I met David, a handsome British tennis coach, and we fell in love. We headed to Hollywood, where my screenwriting and novel career took off. Nine years later, David and I were married, and I got pregnant right away. At 33, it seemed like the perfect age to start our family.

Unfortunately, I had a miscarriage. Then, after a year with no baby luck, we saw a fertility doctor. This resulted in another year of tests that culminated in my unexplained infertility diagnosis.

At 36, I began IVF treatment. We had a few setbacks with another loss and COVID. We decided to undergo one more round of IVF, and then we’d reevaluate our next steps. To our surprise, our five-year fertility journey and that last embryo resulted in the surprise of a lifetime: Not one. Not two. But three babies. Identical triplets.

I was 41 when they were born. David was 49. I’d been worried about being too old to be a mom to one child. Now I needed the energy for three.

While we love our girls more than anything, there are benefits and drawbacks to being older parents that are often overlooked.

We’re glad we lived our young-adult lives well

My husband and I spent our 20s and 30s going to the best restaurants and bars, traveling, and enjoying a carefree life with plenty of disposable income. I’m grateful for that time.

The author and her husband.
The author, shown with her husband, said they were able to enjoy TK

These days, things are quite different. We work a lot to afford our larger family, and weekends consist of trips to Costco, playgrounds, and birthday parties. We love it because we’re not longing for something else and are able to be fully present, enjoying our fun and not-so-fun parenting adventures.

Time has given us the gift of patience

Being older has allowed us to develop patience that we may not have had at the beginning of our relationship. By the time the triplets arrived, we’d endured career and mental health challenges and buried at least one parent.

Having triplet preemies who needed us 24/7 or navigating level-ten meltdowns because a banana wasn’t peeled correctly felt not easy, but manageable.

Most days, we remind ourselves to laugh and remember the chaos won’t last forever.

The kids are testing our stamina

Before kids, I wrote TV scripts during the day and books at night, which convinced me I’d be a pro at managing sleepless nights. It turns out I didn’t factor in all my pre-baby naps and the 10 hours of sleep I was typically getting.

My husband was equally delusional. “As long as I get 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night, I’ll be fine,” he once said to me. Yes, I still make fun of him for that, but we’ve both struggled with exhaustion that hasn’t let up even four years later (our daughters are very early risers!)

While we may not have the energy of 20- or 30-somethings (or the sleep score to match), we’ve found that our enthusiasm for being parents more than makes up for it.

The author with her identical triplets.
The author, shown with her identical triplets, admits that it can be hard to be a parent of three when you don’t have a large village to help out.

Our village doesn’t have many residents

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Unfortunately, both of our parents are gone, and the family we do have works full-time or lives across the country. We’ve had to pay to build our own village of incredible nannies and sitters. We would love to have a larger support system, but we’ve never regretted our decision to wait until we had our children.

There is no perfect timeline for becoming a parent. At 41, I still felt unprepared when the girls were born. The only way to really know if you’re ready is to dive in and expect the unexpected, even if that turns out to be identical triplets.

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I tore my Achilles tendon playing pickleball. I slid into a famous actor’s DMs for advice.

Man resting after surgery
The author tore his Achilles tendon playing pickelball
  • I tore my Achilles tendon while playing pickleball.
  • I joined a club that includes Klay Thompson and Jayson Tatum, Al Gore, and Brad Pitt.
  • I reached out to Sterling K. Brown on Instagram and surprisingly he replied with advice.

I heard the pop first. It sounded like a pickleball thwacking off a paddle, precisely what I was intending to do when I exploded from the set position and backpedaled to return our opponent’s smash.

The pain came next. Like I’d been shot in the lower part of my right calf. As I crumpled to the court, the arch of my foot throbbing in pain, I yelled to my doubles partner, “Shooter?!”

He ran over, his face ashen.

“There’s no shooter, dude,” he said calmly, but with concern. “I’m pretty sure that sound came from inside your leg.”

I had torn my Achilles tendon

At that moment, there on the cold concrete behind our local high school, I knew deep down that a lifelong fear of mine had just become reality: I had torn my Achilles tendon. Subsequent visits to sports medicine and podiatry experts confirmed my sinking suspicion. I had surgery to repair the injury 11 days later.

This makes me the newest member of an elite association that also includes hoopsters like Klay Thompson and Jayson Tatum, former vice president Al Gore, and actor Brad Pitt. I like to call our gang the Achilles Repair Club.

Affiliation with this supergroup is no joke. Every comrade must grapple with a six to nine-month recovery. Physical therapy is a must. In my case, I can’t drive until Thanksgiving.

To put it mildly, the Achilles gang is a fellowship I never expected to join.

It’s been humbling

This isn’t the first time I’ve found myself in this situation. Over the past five years, I’ve unexpectedly added several other groups to the resume: The Divorce Club, the Single Dad Club, and the Pre-diabetes Club, to name a few.

Child drawing on leg cast
The author is a single dad to three daughters.

The experiences have been a mashup of surreal, frustrating, humbling, and empowering. Every time, I’ve found comfort in seeking out knowledge, sympathy, and kinship.

Take the Divorce Club, for example. Like hundreds of thousands of other Americans, I became a card-carrying member of this one during the pandemic. I thought I’d grow old with my wife; the reality of ending a 17-year marriage left me flummoxed and feeling totally adrift.

Thankfully, a psychologist friend was running a weekly online support group for people like me, and connecting with this ragtag raft of recent divorcees provided the perspective and to get me through.

I joined the Single Dad Club during the same stretch as a solo father to three girls. At first the transition was totally overwhelming; every night I’d ask myself, “How the hell am I going to do this?” A mix of library books and bar nights with buddies in the same boat helped me recognize I wasn’t alone — and that I was far more capable than I ever understood.

Years later, after a blood test revealed that my A1C levels were escalating, I found myself a rookie in the Pre-diabetes Club, with the welcome gift of a drug named Metformin. This one was a little tougher for me to wrap my head around; no matter how many Google searches I did, no matter how many academic articles I could read, inching closer to diabetes as I hurtled toward 50 felt scary and inexorably tied to my own mortality.

I DMed an actor for advice

Fast-forward to my induction into the Achilles Repair Club. The night before my surgery, I lay awake in bed, scrolling the AchillesRupture subreddit and not-so-quietly freaking out about the procedure and what would be my first encounter with general anesthesia.

I remembered how much personal connections had helped me manage unexpected challenges in the past, and remembered reading about how Sterling K. Brown showed up at this year’s Emmy Awards on a knee-scooter after an Achilles injury of his own. So I slid into the actor’s DMs and sent him solidarity and best wishes for the months ahead.

Two days later, while I groggily recuperated on the couch, I received a response.

“Sending them right back to you, Matt,” wrote the star of “Paradise, Washington Black,” and “This Is Us.” “The journey is not easy…but it ain’t forever either! Ask for the help that you need (as I tell myself the same thing)!”

Today a printout of this note hangs on the corkboard in my bedroom, a constant inspiration for the months ahead.

Instagram dm printout
The author printed out an Instagram DM for motivation.

Sometimes it seems bizarre to become a card-carrying member of a club you never expected to join. And sometimes, even when you least expect it, feeling like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself is exactly what you need to overcome adversity and slay the day.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Elon Musk fires back at Sam Altman’s posts about trying to cancel a Tesla Roadster order: ‘You received a refund within 24 hours’

Elon Musk and Sam Altman Preview
Elon Musk responded to a recent X post by Sam Altman.
  • Elon Musk criticized Sam Altman over the OpenAI CEO’s online posts about an attempt to cancel a Tesla Roadster reservation.
  • Altman posted screenshots showing he requested a refund for the order, but the email bounced back.
  • Musk said Altman received his refund within 24 hours.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are going tit-for-tat. At the center of their latest online beef is the OpenAI CEO’s reservation for Tesla’s long-delayed Roadster.

Musk took to his social media platform, X, on Saturday to criticize Altman for posting screenshots earlier in the week that showed his attempt to cancel his Roadster order.

“A tale in three acts,” Altman earlier posted, sharing a screenshot of an email from July 2018, confirming a $45,000 payment to reserve the next-generation Tesla Roadster. Additional screenshots Altman posted showed the OpenAI CEO requesting a $50,000 refund and receiving a bounce-back email.

“I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait,” Altman posted on Thursday.

The Tesla CEO said Altman was only telling part of the story — and that he had already received a refund.

“And you forgot to mention act 4, where this issue was fixed and you received a refund within 24 hours. But that is in your nature,” Musk wrote.

Representatives for Tesla and Altman did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

When Musk first unveiled Tesla’s new Roadster in 2017, he said it “will be the fastest production car ever made, period.”

However, the vehicle has experienced delays and has not yet entered production, being listed as “design development” in the company’s most recent quarterly earnings report. Popular YouTuber MKBHD has also said he canceled one of his Tesla Roadster reservations due to the long wait.

During a Friday appearance on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, Musk said the coming vehicle would include “crazy technology.”

“If you took all the James Bond cars and combined them, it’s crazier than that,” Musk said.

Musk said his team is “getting close” to unveiling the latest version of the Roadster, saying the product demo would be “unforgettable.”

Altman and Musk keep bumping heads

Altman and Musk can’t seem to stop trading barbs — both on social media and in the courtroom.

Musk was a cofounder and early financial backer of OpenAI, though he left the company’s board in 2018 and has become critical of Altman’s leadership.

“OpenAI was created as an open source (which is why I named it “Open” AI), non-profit company to serve as a counterweight to Google, but now it has become a closed source, maximum-profit company effectively controlled by Microsoft. Not what I intended at all,” Musk wrote in a 2023 tweet.

One year later, Musk filed a lawsuit against Altman and OpenAI, accusing the startup of violating its nonprofit mission by partnering with Microsoft. Musk’s legal team later filed an injunction against OpenAI to prevent it from becoming a for-profit company, which a spokesperson for OpenAI described as “utterly without merit.”

OpenAI has also posted what it said were Musk’s emails from his earlier involvement with the company, indicating that he previously pushed for OpenAI to merge with Tesla.

Earlier this week, OpenAI said it finished restructuring its operations, which now include its nonprofit division — OpenAI Foundation — overseeing a new public benefit corporation called OpenAI Group PBC.

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