David Lidsky's Blog, page 21

Why The Golden Girls offers a perfect blueprint for modern retirement

Sharing a home like the Golden Girls did in the beloved 1980s sitcom can offer significant financial and psychological benefits to contemporary adults.

As a small child in the 1980s, I tuned in weekly to see the hilarious antics of the Golden Girls. I loved seeing the friendship and support between the three 50-something housemates of Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose (Betty White), and Dorothy (Bea Arthur), while the affectionate bickering between Dorothy and her unfiltered 80-something mother Sophia (Estelle Getty) always struck me as mother-daughter relationship goals.

The 5 best coats for fall’s tricky transitional weather

Some days you’re hot. Some days you’re cold. These jackets handle early fall’s fluctuating temps so you feel just right.

It’s that time of year. Fall is around the corner, but it still feels like summer on some days. In an age of global warming, this transitional season is likely to stretch out longer than it did before.

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival represents everything wrong with the stand-up economy

In an era when star comedians expect massive paydays, the craft has become more about taking money from power than speaking truth to it.

Every comedian on the path to stardom will inevitably have to do shows they aren’t proud of.

Pokémon and Theo Von both featured in DHS videos without permission

Neither Von nor the Pokémon Co. International was made aware of their featuring roles before the content began circulating on social media.

The official X account of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been testing out a new social media strategy that no one asked for—as a meme lord. 

Starbucks CTO resigns, but its AI overhaul is still brewing

The resignation comes as Starbucks announced more layoffs Friday and as the CEO pushes a tech revamp in stores.

Starbucks’s chief technology officer Deb Hall Lefevre resigned without a permanent replacement, according to an internal memo sent to corporate staff on Monday, seen by Reuters. 

Wall Street rebounds after a 3-day slump, boosted by PCE report

The S&P 500 added 0.2%, as 4 out of every 5 stocks within the index climbed after a crucial report showed inflation accelerated slightly last month.

Most U.S. stocks are rising Friday after a report showed that inflation is behaving roughly as economists expected, even if it’s still high.

Social Security payments will see a big change next week: What you need to know about the September 30 update

The Social Security Administration will no longer issue these kinds of checks, starting Tuesday. Here’s what retirees will need to do to collect benefits.

Starting next week on Tuesday, September 30, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will no longer issue paper checks for benefit payments, and instead move exclusively to electronic payments: either direct deposit or a prepaid debit card.

Fed’s favored inflation gauge climbs slightly in August

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index was up 2.7% in August compared with a year earlier.

The Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge accelerated slightly in August from a year earlier.

Building Braindate

Christine Renaud, cofounder and CEO of Braindate, shares how her app is transforming networking into meaningful, purpose-driven conversations.

Christine Renaud, cofounder and CEO of Braindate, shares how her app is transforming networking into meaningful, purpose-driven conversations.

Ikea in the crosshairs as Trump adds 50% furniture tariffs

With 90% of its products imported, Ikea faces steep costs under the latest U.S. trade crackdown.

Don’t look now, but President Trump just issued more sweeping tariffs. This latest round stands to affect two groups particularly hard: homeowners and furniture and home furnishing companies. That’s because the new round of Trump’s tariffs will see up to 50% fees applied to kitchen cabinets and upholstered furniture imported into the United States. Here’s what you need to know.