I had kids in my 20s, 30s and 40s. While my body took longer to recover the older I got, I also learned to enjoy little things more. I've learned that there is no "right" age for when to have kids. Parenting is one of those experiences that somehow gets better and harder with age. When I had babies in my 20s, I was young and optimistic I figured I could handle anything. By my 30s, I had a few more kids, a lot more chaos, and maybe just a little less mental bandwidth. But then, when I was 40, I surprised myself and decided to have one more.Here's the thing: being a parent is an adventure, and no matter how many kids you have or how old you are, the ride never gets predictable. Some parts are way harder than they used to be, and others are way sweeter. Pregnancy at 40 was hardLet me just start by saying that pregnancy at 40 is not for the faint of heart. At least, it wasn't for me. The first big difference I noticed was the exhaustion. Sure, I was tired with my other pregnancies, but this time, it felt like I had been hit by a truck every time I got out of bed. I used to bounce back quickly after a long day of work and chasing toddlers. At 40, it felt like I needed a recovery plan just to survive a trip to the grocery store. The baby bump wasn't as perky as it used to be, and my back wasn't as forgiving when I bent over to tie my shoes. Every movement felt like a yoga class I hadn't signed up for.The doctor's appointments also took a bit more effort. Not just the regular ones I had extra blood tests, ultrasounds, and "advanced maternal age" reminders. Some days, I feel like I'm moving at a toddler's pace just to keep up. My knees and ankles creak. My energy levels are more in line with someone preparing for a nap than chasing after a baby the only thing I asked Santa for Christmas was uninterrupted sleep. I can't tell you how often I've looked at my husband and said, "I'm too old for this!" And yet, when that baby smiles at me when I hear that little giggle, I remember exactly why I'm doing it.The biggest challenge isn't just physical, though. I remember juggling a newborn with work and life in my 20s, thinking I was some kind of superwoman. In my 20s, I was ready to conquer the world with a baby in one hand and a coffee in the other. Now, at 40, I'm hoping to conquer the laundry pile before the baby wakes up.I savor motherhoodEven with all the challenges, I wouldn't change it for the world. Sure, my body doesn't bounce back as quickly, but my heart is bigger than ever. Having a baby at 40 means you appreciate the little things even more the snuggles, the baby smells, and the fact that you don't have to Google "how to get a baby to sleep" every five minutes because, well, you already know the tricks.I've also realized that I'm in a different place mentally. Parenting at this stage isn't about surviving it's about savoring. The late-night wake-ups that used to drain me now feel like a special chance for one-on-one snuggles and quiet connection. I'm not running on fumes the way I did in my 20s. I've learned to enjoy the slow moments, the quiet nights, and the chaos, too. Because when you're older, you know that all the crazy is part of the beautiful mess.There's no "right" age to have a kid. The journey might be a little more challenging the older you get, but it's also much more rewarding.

Wealthy travelers are increasingly booking luxury train vacations.High-end suites often include amenities like bottomless Champagne, butlers, and private bathrooms.A night on Belmond's iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express starts at about $4,370 per person.Vintage luxury is making a comeback. Not just with clothes, but with a particularly beloved mode of transit trains.Set to debut in April, Italy's La Dolce Vita Orient Express would offer guests luxuries like a stylish lounge, Champagne buckets from Giobagnara (which can command more than $500 each), and meals curated by the chef of Rome's three-Michelin-starred La Pergola.Expect dishes like calamari carpaccio and lamb with artichoke and truffle shavings for lunch, no less. Orient Express's La Dolce Vita trains, shown in a render, would launch in April 2025. Courtesy of Orient Express Italy "It's all a bit pricey, but we're determined to put all the finest stuff made in Italy on board this train," Samy Ghachem, the coming train's general manager, told Business Insider.La Dolce Vita Orient Express is not to be confused with Belmond's iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, best known for its sumptuously restored century-old carriages. Both trains are helping lay the tracks for a revitalized rail renaissance characterized by surging demand and increasingly high-end amenities.Luxury train bookings are going loco-motive Glacier Express' Excellence Class guests have amenities like an exclusive bar, a five-course meal, and window seats. Glacier Express Train-focused tour company Railbookers had been experiencing double-digital growth before 2020. However, after the pandemic and the subsequent boom in "slow travel," popularity started going express.Frank Marini, president and CEO of Railbookers Group, told BI that 2023 and 2024 have consecutively been the company's best-performing years, with no signs of slowing down. During this period, Railbookers also saw a 68% spike in luxury-level bookings."It keeps snowballing," Marini said. "We see passengers that have come back traveling with us on a lot of luxury rail, and they're like, 'well, where else is there luxury rail?'" Rocky Mountaineer's GoldLeaf-level travelers have upgrades like a two-level coach with a glass dome. Rocky Mountaineer Unlike bus tours or flights, the vacation experience doesn't begin when you arrive at your destination. Instead, like cruises, it starts when passengers board.And unlike their at-sea counterparts, trains are one of the most eco-friendly ways to travel.Plus, the amenities can be as lavish as a five-star hotel. Guests traveling Canadian Via Rail's Prestige Class have enhancements like a butler and a private bathroom with heated floors. Gold-level US and Canada's Rocky Mountaineer travelers get a dining room, an open-air viewing platform, and glass dome lounges.On Belmond's Andean Explorer, based in Peru, suite guests slumber in 141-square-foot bedrooms with private bathrooms and lounges. Suites on the Andean Explorer include a double bed, wardrobe, and private bathroom. Courtesy of Belmond Such luxury comes at a cost, of course.Andrew Channell, Railbookers Group's senior vice president of product and operation, estimates a typical multi-day luxury train trip, but not of the highest-end tier, could cost around $3,000 per person and day.And then there's the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express, where a one-night journey from Venice, Italy, to Paris starts at about $4,370 per person for a basic cabin with a shared bathroom.The train's most luxurious Grand Suites come with a private restroom (plus upgrades like bottomless bubbles) for about four times the cost.They are, after all, a "rich and famous-type bucket list item," Julie Durso, a travel manager for agency Scott Dunn Private, told BI. Venice-Simplon Orient Express' six Grand Suites are themed after different cities on the route. The Venice, Italy-themed cabin has elements of Italian Baroque and Renaissance design. Belmond Gary Franklin, Belmond's senior vice president of trains and cruises, told BI that reservations for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express spiked 10% from 2023 to 2024. The Grand Suites are often the first accommodations to be booked.To adapt to this swell in demand, the train which only accommodates about 100 passengers now operates a longer season than before the COVID-19 pandemic."The popularity of train travel is seeing a renaissance," Franklin said, adding that bookings for Belmond's five soon to be six other trains also increased. This includes a 25% boost for the Royal Scotsman, which was almost fully booked through 2024. (A two-night roundtrip Edinburgh, Scotland journey on the high-end locomotive starts at about $5,940 per person.)Full steam ahead on luxury Venice Simplon-Orient Express' Istanbul-themed Grand Suite has plush embroidered rugs and interiors that remind of the Grand Bazaar in Turkey. Courtesy of Belmond Popular commercial travel companies, like airlines and cruise lines, often offer cheap, low-tier options to capture more guests. Think interior cabins on cruises and basic economy seats on airlines.Belmond is taking the opposite approach by enticing wealthy travelers with increasingly luxurious add-ons.In 2024, the company introduced two Grand Suites to the 40-year-old Royal Scotsman. The addition was "exceptionally well-received," Franklin said so much so that Belmond plans to add more in 2025.The train had previously been updated in 2023 with a Dior-branded spa carriage, now also available on the recently relaunched Eastern and Oriental Express."We all lead these very frenetic lives," Franklin said. "This is an opportunity to slow down, look out the window at the incredible scenery, and come together with fellow travelers in a nice luxurious environment with great food and beverage." Belmond's relaunched the Eastern and Oriental Express in Malaysia in 2024. The high-end train includes amenities like a Dior spa. Belmond Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars for a night on Belmond's trains. However, the financial barrier isn't deterring travelers from their luxury vacation dreams.According to Marni, all of Railbooker's conventional train bookings now include some touch of extravagance, such as a cabin upgrade, a night's stay at a high-end hotel, or an exclusive excursion. This "little luxuries" trend, as he calls it, only started a few years ago.Or, if you're rail-y in the mood to splurge, you could request Belmond's new L'Observatoire suite. The skylight-lit moving hotel room spans the entire carriage hidden tearoom and marble bathroom with a tub included all for about $101,515 a night.Sounds pretty train-quil, doesn't it?

On New Years Eve, Americas most prominent nativist declared that the nation needs more immigrants. We need competent people, we need smart people coming into our country, President-elect Donald Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, we need a lot of people coming in.It may sound as though Trump was just visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. But it was actually extremely online white nationalists who triggered the president-elects rhetorical shift on immigration.On December 22, Trump named the venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as a senior adviser for artificial intelligence. The racist provocateur and Trump insider Laura Loomer condemned Krishnans selection because the Indian-American investor had recently called for increasing skilled immigration. In Loomers telling, Krishnan wants to let more foreign students come to the US and take jobs that should be given to American STEM students.This sparked a bitter intra-MAGA debate over high-skill immigration in general, and the H-1B visa which gives temporary legal status to highly educated immigrant workers employed by American companies in particular. The tech right, led by Elon Musk, insisted that ensuring Silicon Valleys access to top global talent was in Americas national interest, much to the chagrin of Loomer, Steve Bannon, and other ultranationalist Trump supporters.Both factions in this debate gravitated toward the ugliest possible arguments for their respective positions. One can make reasonable criticisms of the H-1B visa system, which plausibly reduces wages and employment opportunities for native-born tech professionals. But Loomer preferred to argue that the program enables third world invaders from India to steal the American dream from white Europeans. Renowned populist Vivek Ramaswamy, meanwhile, defended high-skill immigration on the grounds that US tech firms need access to foreign labor because working-class Americans are culturally deficient.This said, in between portraying most of their countrymen as untalented and lazy, Musk and company voiced some laudable sentiments. The Tesla CEO posted on X that Anyone of any race, creed or nationality who came to America and worked like hell to contribute to this country will forever have my respect, and reiterated his belief that We should greatly increase legal immigration of anyone who is hard-working, honest and loves America. Musk further implied that opponents of such immigration effectively want America to lose for their own personal gain. Trump proceeded to signal sympathy with Musks perspective, both on Truth Social and in remarks to the press.Trump and Musk are right to suggest that increasing legal immigration is in Americas national interest. But their conception of worthwhile immigration is much too narrow. Both have argued that America specifically needs highly skilled and superlatively talented immigrants while demonizing less educated and lower-income migrants, including some who came to the United States legally. Yet an immigration policy that truly put America first would also allow more of these low-skill workers into the country.For one thing, the most technically and entrepreneurially gifted immigrants are not always easy to identify before theyve arrived in the United States: Throughout US history, immigrant families have had higher rates of upward mobility than native-born ones, such that the children of low-income migrants often ascend to high-skill positions. Indeed, some of the nations tech titans, such as WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, came from such humble origins.More importantly, though, the United States is a rapidly aging country that will need to welcome a steadily increasing number of immigrants in order to avert population decline and the myriad economic problems that attend it. If America needs more prime-age workers to design its software or train its AI, it also needs them to care for its elderly, build its houses, pick its crops, and perform countless other unglamorous but essential tasks. If Trump wishes to maximize the long-term prosperity of existing American citizens, he will open his big beautiful door to workers with a wide variety of skill sets. A graying America needs more peopleThe United States is getting old. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Americans 65 years or older increased by nearly 40 percent. As a result, seniors comprised a record-high 17.3 percent of the US population in 2022. This presents America with large, long-term challenges. An older population is one that requires more medical services. And it will be more difficult for the economy to adequately provide such health care if the ratio of retirees to working-age Americans steadily rises: This means the US will need to provide more medical care with a smaller labor force.Similarly, if the share of Americans collecting Social Security benefits rises while the share paying into the program declines it will become more and more difficult to finance old-age pensions for the nations seniors. Meanwhile, if current demographic trends continue unabated, the overall population will decline by centurys end as deaths outpace births. And population reductions are associated with lower economic growth and productivity. America is far from alone in facing these demographic challenges. Although many nations have sought to increase their populations through various pro-natalist policies including the provision of generous social welfare benefits for parents none have had much of an impact. The only policy that reliably and substantially slows population decline is expanding immigration. To no small extent, the medium-prosperity of the United States therefore hinges on its capacity to bring in more prime-age workers. The Census Bureaus 2023 projections make this reality plain. The agency examined what would happen to the US population in the coming decades in different immigration policy scenarios. It found that if the United States were to end all immigration, the US population would be 32.2 percent smaller in 2100 than it had been in 2022. Under a high immigration scenario, by contrast, the population would be 30.6 percent larger. Immigration also greatly improved Americas demographic structure in the bureaus modeling. Absent immigration, more than 35 percent of Americans would be over 65 years old by 2100; in the high-immigration scenario, that figure is just 27.4 percent.Even in the near term, immigration levels will have a profound impact on the nations demographic health. Without immigration, Americas prime-age labor force would drop by 5 percent between 2022 and 2035. With high levels of immigration, that labor force would grow by 5 percent over the same period. All this means that America needs more workers in the prime years of their lives. It is unlikely that the United States could fully sate its economys appetite for younger laborers with gifted foreign engineers alone. And in any case, the US specifically needs many more workers with less rarified skill sets. America is suffering from a shortage of laborers in health care occupations that require only a high school diploma, such as home health care aides and pharmacy technicians. By 2040, the country is on track to have 355,000 fewer direct care workers than the economy will demand, according to an analysis from the Niskanen Center. Immigrants are much more likely than other Americans to be willing to perform the difficult and unglamorous tasks that home care requires: While foreign-born Americans account for roughly 14 percent of the overall population, they comprise 27.7 percent of the health aide labor force, according to the American Immigration Council.Immigrants are similarly indispensable to mitigating labor shortages in construction, among other vital industries. To be sure, it is possible for very large influxes of foreign-born laborers to reduce the bargaining power of native-born workers in certain sectors, at least temporarily. But in the aggregate, studies have consistently found that immigrants do not reduce wages or job opportunities for native-born workers, even in the short term. In the long run, meanwhile, increasing immigration is indispensable for sustaining Americas economic growth and thus, delivering wage gains and generous entitlement benefits to native-born workers. Of course, in a world where fertility rates are falling almost everywhere, immigration is not a permanent solution to demographic decline. But the longer America can delay its populations contraction, the more technologically advanced it will be when it ultimately confronts it. Presumably, it will be a bit easier to deal with a rapidly shrinking prime-age labor force in a world of superintelligent AI and cheap, highly dexterous robots than in our present reality.Dont count on Trump to put America firstIts far from clear whether Trumps holiday season foray into cosmopolitanism will have any policy implications at all. If the president-elect puts his governing agenda where Musks mouth is, this will likely amount to little more than a relaxation of some restrictions on H-1B visas. By all appearances, the incoming administration is far more attentive to the labor needs of Silicon Valley oligarchs than to those of the American economy writ large.Those who are genuinely interested in ensuring Americas long-term prosperity must recognize that there is more than one type of desirable immigrant. Although some right-wing populists suggest otherwise, you dont need a college degree to perform indispensable work.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Are you missing some ashes? An urn was recently discovered in the back of an Uber in the Kansas City metro area and nobody can quite figure out who it might belong to, according to a new report from Fox4 in Kansas City.I dont know what to do with this. Son found this urn in a Uber, Erin Hayden wrote on Facebook on Dec. 28, 2024. Hayden writes that her son asked the Uber driver if it was his urn and he confirmed it wasnt. The driver also didnt seem to know whose it could be since he drives so many people each day. Its tiny and obviously been loved as the blue finish is rubbing off does anyone know what we should do with this? Hayden wrote. Son was in Overland Park when he found it but Uber had been all over KC. Son found it Thursday. The Uber was in Kansas City, Kansas at the time the urn was discovered by the passenger but its unclear how far the Uber driver had been traveling. And the way it was discovered (with a flashlight by a passenger) suggests it couldve been there for some time. Fox4 News in Kansas City spoke with Ty Haden, who actually found the urn.I hopped out of the Uber and just to make sure we didnt leave anything so we didnt have to have the Uber come back, Hayden said. I whipped on the flashlight and found a couple of items, but I just I grabbed them up.Hayden said he messaged his friends to make sure it wasnt their urn. And he has no idea what to do about it now. Its a pretty big item, especially its probably sentimental to somebody, Hayden said. Ty Hayden is serving in the military and stationed in Florida so he left the urn with his mother back in the Kansas City area, according to Fox4. Anyone who may know who the urn belongs to is encouraged to contact Erin Hayden on Facebook. And while her post has been shared over 200 times, nobody has come forward yet with any ideas.Its well-loved, so someones been carrying it around. If it was my parent or my child or whoever it would be, I would want to have it back home, Hayden told Fox4. Hayden said theyll hold onto the urn and keep it on the shelf until somebody claims it.

Got What It Takes to Reimagine Real Estate and Urban Life, the Harvard Way?Sponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of HarvardThe Advanced Management Development Program (AMDP) stands as Harvard's premier leadership program for seasoned real estate professionals and executives, offering a unique opportunity to reshape perspectives on the evolving built environment. Tailored for high-level practitioners and firm leaders, the program spans just one year, with five weeks spent on Harvard's campus, culminating in the coveted title of Harvard alum. As one recent graduate aptly put it, "I would describe the program as a crash course in how to think differently and most importantly a chance to meet inspiring classmates who are looking to do the same thing."Save this picture!A key highlight of the AMDP is its rich, global network. Participants hail from all corners of the world and represent a wide array of sectors within the built environment, each a seasoned leader in their respective fields. This dynamic, international cohort creates an unparalleled learning environment where diverse perspectives converge. Over the course of the year, participants dive deep into core real estate functions, discover cutting-edge strategies for leading change, and expand their horizons through a comprehensive curriculum that offers: a comprehensive understanding of core real estate functions; new approaches for leading change; a broader grasp of areas including strategy, leadership, planning & design, development, technology and finance. During the three on-campus terms, the case study method is the primary form of instruction, and participants attend an average of fifteen 90-minute interactive sessions per week in leadership, development, finance, planning and design, technology, and strategy. Participants learn from world-class Harvard faculty and industry experts.Save this picture!Save this picture!The program also features two intensive projects that bring the program's teaching to life: the Team Project and the Independent Project. The Team Project is an academic exercise employing professional experience and class learning. Participants are divided into teams and compete to solve complex development problems in real-world locales.Problems for the Team Project are as diverse as the redevelopment of dying shopping malls in Denver and Los Angeles or brownfield sites on Staten Island to exploring possibilities for the city of Toronto or the East Boston waterfront. The project begins during Term 1 and culminates with an intensive design charrette, where teams present their proposals to a jury panel during Term 2.Save this picture!Save this picture!The Independent Project is a unique opportunity for participants to integrate their new learning from the AMDP with their aspirations for themselves, their organizations, and their communities. The Independent Projects are individual, but the work will be developed, reviewed, and discussed with two coaches, who are available to provide advice and answer questions. The Independent Project work takes place between Term 2 and 3, culminating with individual presentations during Term 3 to classmates and faculty.The AMDP also allows each participant to explore the subjects most relevant to them and their goals through electives. Topics range from designing more walkable cities to redesigning workplaces in a post-pandemic world, building decarbonization, and the impact of AI on the built environment.Save this picture!Save this picture!Learn more about the Advanced Management Development Program at Harvard here.Image gallerySee allShow lessCite: "Got What It Takes to Reimagine Real Estate and Urban Life, the Harvard Way?" 04 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1021905/design-the-future-harvards-advanced-5-week-leadership-program&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Instalation Border-Crossing / AGENCIA TPBA + Clube + Pianca ArquiteturaSave this picture! Javier Agustin RojasArchitects: AreaArea of this architecture projectArea:17 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 Lead Architects: Thiago de Almeida, Priscila Bellas, Gabriel Biselli, Guilherme Pianca. More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. In response to the 5th Edition of the Biennale Svizzera del Territorio open call Back to the Future, about notions of how architects could operate in a future shaped by a multitude of crises that seem unintelligible, we like to think an essential approach for architecture is to uphold its openness and inclusivity, thereby positioning itself as a mediator.Save this picture!Save this picture!As a tangible manifestation of this approach, the project focuses on the ambiguous condition of the Villa Saroli parks border, particularly the low wall facing Viale Stefano Franscini. Half inside, half outside, we propose installing a 2m by 8m table atop of the wall based on an element of division, a space of conjunction. The table consists of a structure made from recycled wooden beams and is covered with reflective aluminum sheets, creating a peculiar surface that renders both the physical and conceptual boundaries in question ambiguous.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!What was once only a border should now also serve as a meeting area: the table, an elemental object of domestic life and human sociability, with such dimensions, operates as a flexible platform open to various uses: discussions, workshops, lectures, and more.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Lugano, SwitzerlandLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePianca ArquiteturaOfficeClubeOfficeAGENCIA TPBAOfficeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on January 04, 2025Cite: "Instalation Border-Crossing / AGENCIA TPBA + Clube + Pianca Arquitetura" [Instalao Border-Crossing / AGENCIA TPBA + Clube + Pianca Arquitetura] 04 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025077/instalation-border-crossing-agencia-tpba-plus-clube-plus-pianca-arquitetura&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Stack CommerceShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Looking for ways to save big in the new year? Youll love this Costco membership deal, where you can join as a Gold Star Member for $65 and receive a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card.Buy your Costco membership online now because we have a limited amount of these codes available. Then, you could be shopping online instantly or head to more than 500 warehouses around the US to browse groceries, electronics, clothing, seasonal finds, and so much moreall under one roof.But first, lets get you that $20 bonusWe think joining Costco online is more streamlined than signing up in person. While our deal is only valid for new members or those with cards that have expired for over 18 months, this is all you have to do:Provide a valid email address and fill out an online form.Head to your local Costco to pick up your membership card (bring your ID).Within two weeks, youll get your $20 Digital Costco Shop Card to the email you provided at sign-up.Each Gold Star Membership can be used by a Primary Cardholder (thats you) and a Household Cardholder (another adult living at your same address). They get their own membership card, so they can shop at Costco on their own.Unexpected benefits of CostcoWhile you probably know the gist of what Costco sells, youre in for a treat when you discover the full benefits of your membership:Become a Costco Gold Star Member and receive a $20 Digital Costco Shop card while codes last. No coupon is needed to redeem this offer.StackSocial prices subject to change.*Services are provided to Costco members by third parties.Costco 1-Year Gold Star Membership + $20 Digital Costco Shop Card $65See Deal

Researchers from Google and Stanford have created accurate AI replicas of more than 1,000 people.

Using AI training, researchers designed a "robot dog" that moves like a cat, and has no trouble navigating low-gravity environments

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