In the US, union pension funds collectively manage roughly $8 trillion in worker savings. Sweden's Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies...

Most people value honesty and try to practice it in their daily lives. In fact, research shows that a majority of people do a pretty good job and are honest most of the time.But there are certain situations where it's hard to be as truthful as you'd like. For example, when the truth has the potential to hurt someone's feelings, does being honest become cruel?There may be a way to dole out necessary, genuine feedback even when it's tough for the receiver to hear, according to inspirational speaker Simon Sinek. Being honest with our friends is difficult, but crucial. Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash Sinek, an author and expert in leadership training, recently appeared on a podcast with Dr. Becky, a clinical psychologist and one of the most prominent voices in the parenting advice space. She's often called the "millennial parent whisperer" for her uncanny ability to tap into the struggles of modern parents and offer solutions.Dr. Becky spoke with Sinek about a conundrum most parents have faced, and one that anyone who has ever had a meaningful friendship or romantic relationship can relate to: what should you do if someone asks for your opinion, but that opinion is likely to sound cruel?You might struggle to find the right words when your kid plays poorly in sports or asks for your opinion on a drawing that, let's face it, isn't great. You can always lie, but our brains don't like that solution. Lying doesn't feel good, especially when it's someone you care about. Besides, honest feedback is how you help your kids learn and how you help your friends grow.Sinek provided another relatable example:"I went to see a friend's performance. It was easily the worst thing I've ever seen in my life. At the end of the show, my friend comes out, she comes running up to me with a big smile on her face, and she says 'What did you think?'"Here's where Sinek applies his golden rule: meet facts with facts, and meet emotions with emotions. In other words, "never bring facts to an emotional gunfight.""I can't bring facts to an emotional state," Sinek said of the scenario. Instead, he brings his emotions to match those of his friend. He's excited, he's encouraging, and he says things that are true without making himself feel icky:"It was so amazing to see you on the stage. True. I've never seen you do your thing before. True. I'm so glad I came to see you. True."He decided to save his more critical feedback of the show for another time, when he and his friend can have a level-headed conversation, if she wants to hear it. In his case, a few days later, she did."I had a rational conversation in a rational setting," he said. "But you cannot have a rational conversation in an emotional setting." See on Instagram The clip featuring Dr. Becky and Sinek struck a nerve with commenters, many of whom were eager to apply the idea to their own relationships, whether with their kids or other adults. Commenters wrote:"Relationships 101 that is so easy to miss. I'll bet I'm successful at this 10% of the time. But getting better!""This is golden information thank you.""I like this. It's a good mantra. Is this the place to be real or should reality wait for rationality""This is straight nervous system science. When someone's emotionally activated, their body is prioritizing safety over accuracy. The prefrontal cortex goes offline, threat-detection goes online, and even 'truth' can feel like an attack. So the skill isn't just honesty. It's timing."However, others were more skeptical of the advice. In the scenario involving his friend's performance, some questioned whether Sinek needed to offer negative feedback about the show at all."Guaranteed that second conversation didn't actually go down well. Look at the skepticism on Dr Becky's face too"The key element of the story is that Sinek's friend made it clear she was ready to hear his full opinion of the show. And if she knows him well, she likely had a good sense of what she was signing up for. On the other side of the equation, all of us have the right to choose whether we want to receive that kind of tough honesty from our friends. (At work, we may not have a choice.)"This is the reason I have declined the conversation that starts with 'can I give you feedback?' And I am like NO WAY!" one user suggested. "No" is almost always an option. And it goes the other way, too: you don't need to offer "constructive criticism" or harsh honesty when it isn't solicited. Keeping it to yourself isn't lying. - YouTube www.youtube.com That second conversation was probably still uncomfortable. But other experts agree that the ability for friends, family members, and trusted colleagues to give tough feedback ultimately fuels growth and makes relationships stronger.Ilene Strauss Cohen, PhD, wrote in Psychology Today:"Speaking beneficially and delivering tactful feedback eliminates the chance of causing unnecessary hurt. It also creates a happier environment filled with opportunities to grow. When we communicate authentically, kindly, constructively, and consistently about what we believe in, we can create richer and more meaningful relationships. It isn't easy to apply this strategy when we're angry or hurt, but our relationships will give us plenty of opportunities to practice."

There’s something about the delicious creature comforts from our childhood that stick with us throughout life. Maybe it’s a tasty recipe passed down from a relative, or a whiff of a certain food brings back memories of coming home from school and heating up leftovers? Whatever it is, it’s universal.So when a person recently took to Reddit to ask, “What is a very common meal that is associated with childhood in your country?” it wasn’t surprising that it got nearly 800 responses in less than a week. People from all over the globe posted their childhood "common” dish, many accompanied by mouth-watering photos.Portugal Caldo Verde Soup (or Collard Green Soup) A bowl of Caldo Verde soupPhoto Credit: Reddit, @WutCompadriA Redditor shared this hearty-looking bowl of soup. Many in the comments were instantly brought back to yesteryear. One writes, “Omg. I’m not Portuguese but dated one and grew with my Portuguese friends. Caldo Verde is sooooooooo good.”Another notes, “Grandma used to make that.”RecipeINGREDIENTS1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4-inch (6-mm) coins1 large Spanish onion, dicedkosher salt2 garlic cloves, sliced; don’t be afraid to go for a third or fourth. We Portuguese love their garlic6 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (I prefer Yukon Gold, as they are similar to Portugal’s yellow potatoes)8 cups cold water, or half homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth, and half water1 pound collard greens or kale, stems removed, leaves cut into very, very thin slicesfreshly ground black or white pepperDIRECTIONSIn a large pot over medium heat, warm the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.Add the 10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes.Remove the sausage slices with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate, making sure they drain well into the pot; its fat will flavor the soup.Dump the 1 large Spanish onion into the pot. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the 2 garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more.Plonk in the 6 medium potatoes, add the 8 cups cold water (or a combo of water and chicken stock), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool slightly.When the caldo verde has cooled a little, purée it using an immersion blender or a food processor. (Tradition demands that one slice—and only one slice—of chouriço is added to each bowl, although some cooks like to add half the sausage to the soup before puréeing. It’s your choice. And that one-slice thing? To hell with it!)Add the 1 pound collard greens or kale to the soup, bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed, and freshly ground black or white pepper.Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and garnish with the remaining slices of chouriço. Comer agora!IndiaPotato Smiley The comfort food Potato Smileys from India.Photo Credit: Reddit, @Muted-Elk6963And yes, that’s what they’re called. (Though a Redditor with the user name Muted-Elk6963 specifically called them “Potato Smiley Thingies.”)The name alone brought joy to the comment section from all over the world. From Finland, someone writes, “This made me laugh. Your friend is a genius.” And a commenter from Australia shares, “This is the most unexpected one here for me. Potato smileys unite us all!”RecipeINGREDIENTSPotato – 1 large boiledCheese – 2 tbsp. grated. I used parmesan; you can use anySalt to tasteChili powder / Pepper powder – ½ tspOregano – ½ tsp optionalCorn flour / Cornstarch – 2 to 3 tbsp. or more as neededOil for deep fryingDIRECTIONSTake boiled potatoes and grate them. Now take them in a bowl along with all the other ingredients except cornflour and oil.Mix this really well.Now add in cornflour and mix well. Shape it into dough.Put this dough in the fridge and let it rest and chill for 1 hour.Now divide the dough into equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball.Take a ball, flatten it out. Now use a straw to make two eyes and a spoon to make a smile.Heat oil for deep frying. Drop the smiles in hot oil and fry till it is crispy.Drain on paper towel.Serve with ketchup.Singapore Congee (or Rice Porridge) A bowl of mouth-watering Congee. Photo Credit: Reddit, @VincentVan_DoughA person in Thailand joins in to say, “We love that in Thailand too, often paired with fried dough.”RecipeINGREDIENTSWhite rice: (I usually use medium-grain white rice, but any kind of rice can be turned into congee.)Toppings: This basic recipe keeps things simple with sliced scallion greens and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. But the beautiful thing about congee is that it’s really a blank canvas in terms of how you choose to flavor it. You can add pork floss, reheated leftovers, or whatever you desire.DIRECTIONSWash the rice. White rice will always have some starch on the outside of each grain.Washing it off leads to a silkier, creamier congee. If you don’t properly wash your rice, your congee could become really slimy and sticky, which won’t get you the same light mouthfeel that properly cooked congee has.Boil the rice in a good amount of water. I do one cup of rice to eight cups of water, but everyone has a different ratio that they use. Simmer until the rice is plump and tender, and the congee has thickened up considerably.Czech RepublicSemolina Porridge with Cocoa and Butter Semolina porridge with cocoa and butter, a dish served as comfort in the Czech Republic.Photo Credit: Reddit, @Fr0st-F0x“Heaven on a plate,” writes Reddit user @Fr0st-F0x.Another concurs that they have a similar comfort food in their home country of Slovenia.RecipeINGREDIENTS½ cup water2.5 cups milk at room temperature½ teaspoon cinnamon½ cup semolina2 teaspoons butter2 teaspoons honey or any other sweetener to tasteDIRECTIONSAdd water in a small saucepan, add the cinnamon stick, and bring to a boil.Add the milk to bring down the temperature of the water, then add the semolina slowly while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.Simmer gently and stir frequently to prevent the porridge from sticking until the semolina becomes tender with a porridge consistency.Stir in the butter and simmer until the porridge reaches your desired consistency.Serve and top with some fruits, then drizzle some honey over it or add any other sweetener.Switzerland Coquillettes au Jambon or With Frankfurt Sausage Coquillettes au jambon is ready to eat in Switzerland.Photo Credit: Reddit, @MediumDistinct9801Over in Switzerland, MediumDistinct9807 shares a picture of this delicious-looking meal. Another Redditor observes, “That’s so French-German of you.”RecipeINGREDIENTS240 g of coquillettes or macaroni pasta2 large slices of white ham, sliced in 2 cm rectangles100 g of grated Comté, Gruyère, Emmental cheese30 g of grated Parmesan cheese3 tbsp of heavy/double cream50 g of unsalted butterParsley, finely choppedTruffle oil optionalDIRECTIONSPut a pan of water on to boil and season it lightly.Add your pasta and let it cook according to the instructions on the packet.Once tender, drain the pasta and put it back in the pot, ideally with a splash of pasta water.On the lowest possible heat, add the ham and cream and stir to combine. Add your cheese and stir until melted. Add the parsley and truffle oil, if using, and serve immediately.Australia Fairy Bread A plate of colorful fairy bread in Australia. Photo Credit: Reddit, @Rowvan This delightful candy-sprinkled bread looks a perfect dish after a fun night out. An American adds, “The American equivalent would be toast with butter and a pile of white sugar and cinnamon powder.”RecipeINGREDIENTS8 slices white bread, with crusts trimmed¼ cup butter or margarine, softened¼ cup multicolored candy sprinklesDIRECTIONSSpread margarine onto slices of bread.Cover with sprinkles.Cut into triangles to serve.Estonia Ühepajatoit ÜhepajatoitPhoto Credit: Reddit, @TheGodofGlitchWhen someone asks how this is made, the OP of the photo (@GodofGlitch) writes, “It’s a one-pot meal (can also be called Estonian hotpot). It has veggies, meat, and water.”RecipeINGREDIENTS600 g meat. I prefer pork sirloin4 carrots1 onion4 potatoeshalf of a small cabbage(peas, beans, tomato….)salt, pepper, oilDIRECTIONSHeat up oil and put into the hot oil meat, sliced into cubes.Fry for a short time, until the pieces are lightly browned.Add carrots and onion, blanch.Add ca. 1/2 cup of hot water. Let braise, do not boil!Cut cabbage and potatoes into slices. When carrots are semi-soft, add cabbage and potatoes and more hot water. Do not boil!Stew until soft. Season with salt, pepper.BrazilPasta and Hot Dogs in Tomato Sauce Pasta and hot dogs in tomato sauce is a creature comfort for many Brazilians.Photo Credit: Reddit, @TheMageofMothsThis was a bit of a shock, but Redditors back up the claim. “Nothing is more Brazilian in childhood than eating macaroni with sausage.”RecipeINGREDIENTSHot dogsButterOnion — yellow or white onion is what you’re looking for here. Don’t use a red or purple onion.Garlic — freshly minced, please and thank you. OR, of course!Short pasta — I used rotelle, but any short pasta works. You can use anything like penne, cavatappi, fiorelli, chiocciole, macaroni, farfalle, fusili, to name a few.Marinara sauce — in my best Ina Garten voice store-bought is fine, haha. Just note that some brands of marinara may be thicker than others, and if that’s the case, you may need to add a bit more water to the IP to avoid the burning warning.Heavy creamOlivesFresh parsleyParmesan cheese — the parmesan cheese is totally optional, but topping your macaroni and hot dogs with some cheese will really complete the dish! You can even transfer the finished dish straight out of the pot to an oven-safe dish, add other cheeses, then broil it for a minute or two until the cheese bubbles. Now you’ve got yourself a hot dog casserole!DIRECTIONSPrep your ingredients. This means chopping the onion, garlic, olives, hot dogs, parsley, etc. You can shred the cheese at this point, too.Set your electric pressure cooker on the sauté mode.Melt the butter, and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.Turn off the pot.Add the hot dogs, the pasta, the olives, and the marinara sauce to the Instant Pot.Pour the water into the marinara jar to help remove any leftover marinara from the inside of the jar. Give it a shake, and pour it into the pot, along with the cream.Give everything a nice stir, and make sure that most of everything is submerged in liquid, like in the image below.Close the pot and turn on manual mode for 6 minutes.After 6 minutes, release the pressure manually, and open the lid carefully.Add the chopped parsley, and give it another big stir.To serve, top it off with more parsley and some grated parmesan cheese, if you want.

Artificial intelligence promises to completely upend just about every facet of modern life, from how we work to education, medical care, and the design and manufacture of everyday goods. On a deeper level, it will also change how we see ourselves as humans, placing greater value on the uniquely human skills that no computer can replicate, no matter how powerful the server.One person who knows a great deal about that is Jensen Huang, the president and CEO of NVIDIA, a company that designs and manufactures chips for accelerated computing and AI data centers. Fortune has named Huang one of the world's best CEOs for his leadership and innovation.Recently, he appeared on the A Bit Personal podcast with Jodi Shelton, who posed a big question: "Who is the smartest person you've ever met?" NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang.via Raysonho/Wikimedia CommonsWho is the smartest person Huang ever met?At first, the question sounds like a softball. Of course, Huang might be expected to name someone with exceptional technical talent or a keen eye for design and engineering. He could even point to an important scientist or a tech leader, such as Steve Jobs. Instead, Huang argues that the most intelligent people today are those whose skills can't be duplicated by AI. View this post on Instagram A post shared by A Bit Personal Podcast (@abitpersonalpod)"I know what people are thinking, the definition of smart is somebody who's intelligent solves [technical] problems," Huang responded. "But I find that's a commodity and we're not about to prove that artificial intelligence is able to handle that part easiest, right?" He added that software engineers were once widely seen as the most intelligent, but AI is now challenging that idea.Huang says truly intelligent people know the "unknowables""I think long term ... and my personal definition of smart is someone who sits at that intersection of being technically astute but [has] human empathy," Huang said. "And having the ability to infer the unspoken around the corners. The unknowables. People who are able to see around corners are truly, truly smart. To be able to preempt problems before they show up, just because you feel the vibe. And the vibe came from a combination of data analysis, first principle life experience, wisdom, sensing other people, that vibe. That's smart. I think it's gonna be the future definition of smart, and that person might actually score horribly on the SAT." NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang speaking in 2023.via Wikimedia CommonsThe podcast's Instagram post received hundreds of comments. "This is a very smart answer to make everyone sound like they have a chance of being smartest person," one popular commenter wrote. Another joked, "Bro knows he's the smartest person he's ever met."Ultimately, as we enter the AI era, it's becoming clear that the edge humans have isn't processing power, but the skills that make us most human: empathy, perception, wisdom, emotional intelligence, and the ability to read the room at both micro and macro levels. Huang understands that true human intelligence, something that can't be created in a data center, is, for now, still the most valuable asset of all.Watch the full podcast interview below: - YouTube www.youtube.com

Welcoming a child into the world and your family is a momentous occasion, and one that should be handled with great care. In some places in the world, it is treated as such. The medical care you might need is available and affordable, the expense of caring for a newborn baby isn't a concern, and you can relish the magical newborn time as you begin the physical recovery from childbirth in relative peace and comfort. In some places, that's the way birth goes. A video from @Anima_Honey compares having a baby in the U.S. vs. having a baby in France, and we see the stark difference between a system that prioritizes profits over a system that prioritizes people. In the U.S. birth, the mom is pushed out of the room because it is needed for someone else. She is charged an exorbitant fee because, even though the hospital was in her insurance network, the doctor and anesthesiologist were not. She is hurried back to work to pay for the hospital bills because she doesn't have any guaranteed paid maternity leave. Meanwhile, in France, the mom not only gets three days in the hospital all paid for, but she also receives a birth grant and other social security funds to help cover the expenses of having a child. - YouTube www.youtube.com Americans in the comments shared their birth experiences, making it painfully clear that the video is not exaggerating:"My son and I were in the hospital 3 days... he was in the NICU for 24 hours...our bill was $40,000 with no insurance and after discharge the finance dept said I needed to pay $20,000 before leaving, I laughed and said 'Nobody has that kind of money on them, including millionaires.'""I had a rough birth and was kicked out of the room and the pediatrician who NEEDED to see my baby was out of network and cost almost $1000. She saw my baby for 5 min!!! It’s nuts this healthcare system.""As a NICU Mom who is still paying off my daughter's hospital birth 2 years ago, and just battled with our insurance company to cover her recent surgery this resonated with me. Our health system is SO BROKEN. There is not enough support for parents. Especially NICU parents! My husband and I couldn’t even get the therapy we needed paid for after all the birth trauma from our daughter’s near-death experience. It’s not right." NICU care can be extremely costly without full insurance coverage. Photo credit: Canva"That bit about some providers were in network but others weren't is so true. They act like you get to choose each provider in the room and not the doctor or hospital themselves. When you go to a hospital you don't vet everyone that walks in your room. Crazy!""Speaking as someone who works in insurance, this is chillingly accurate. You can go to a hospital that's in network, but your rendering provider may be out of network, same with the anesthesiologist. I tell patients to check with their insurance to verify if the doctors are in network as well, but even then, the bill could still be sky high, depending on how the insurance plan is set up."What giving birth is like in other countries People from other countries shared their own experiences with childbirth where they live, which further highlighted what an outlier the U.S. is on this front. Check out what is possible:"Same in Trinidad and Tobago. Free pre-natal, delivery and post-natal care, 8 weeks paid maternity leave and a maternity grant.""In Sweden, you don’t pay for giving birth and every parent gets 180 days from work. And every month until the child is 16 we get childsupport." Having a baby shouldn't leave you worried about paying hospital bills.Photo credit: Canva"In Germany you don't have to pay anything. But you or the father of the child can stay home for up to 3 years, getting parental allowance. And you get child allowance.""In India we have 6 months maternity leave, and hospitals take care of you until necessary mostly minimum 3 days.""In Canada we dont pay anything for delivery, 365 days maternity leave with half salary or one and half year whatever you want, your job is secured, paid $500 per child until they turn 16.""In Costa Rica you get your maternity leave 1 month before delivery and 3 months later. Public hospitals treat you like a human being for free..""Well in Slovakia you have 8 months of paid maternity leave and then paid parental leave till your baby is 3 years old (all from social services) and you stay in hospital until you two are ready to leave (4-7 days if you are alright) also you dont pay anything for delivering a baby and you are entitled for almost 900€ from social services, because you gave birth to a human." Maternity care looks quite different in other countries. Photo credit: Canva"In México you don't have to pay anything as well in public hospitals. They give you maternity leave plus your full salary while taking your maternity leave, moreover it has recently approved the paternity leave for both parents to bond with their newborn.""In Romania the mother can stay at home 2 years with 85% of her salary. Free medical care during birth."Seeing the contrast between childbirth experiences in the U.S. and most other nations around the world is eye-opening. While some of us might feel enraged by our system in comparison with other places around the world, we can also celebrate knowing what is actually possible. It's easy to normalize what's normal to us, but there's nothing objectively normal about the way maternal care functions and the way maternity leave is handled in the American system. What can we learn from these other countries about how to make our system better? Let's encourage our legislators to find out and advocate for the changes that put people before profits.

There’s no such thing as a casual Bridgerton fan and the creators of Bridgerton know it. So, as the latest season approached, it was announced that one lucky winner (or “diamond of the season,” better yet) would mark the occasion with the surprise of a lifetime. That winner was a woman named Sarah from County Durham, England. According to Sarah's bestie Hannah, who nominated her, Sarah works with kids struggling with trauma and mental health issues and takes care of her disabled sister.In addition, Sarah "absolutely 100 percent is Bridgerton’s number one fan,” says Hannah.Win a chance to go to Bridgerton season 4 premiere via NetflixUK byu/Debt-Mysterious inBridgertonNetflixAssuming she’s applying for a quiz show, Sarah gushes about how she identifies with Penelope Featherington, even dying her hair to match Penelope’s reddish-gold locks. She also mentioned that she would “climb Luke Newton like a tree” before giggling, “this isn't [going to be] shown to anybody, is it?”In the promo clip, we hear Lady Whistledown's voice saying “a most elaborate ruse” was prepared, and let’s just say that truer words were never spoken. Thinking she and Hannah are on the way to a first aid course for work, Sarah completely misses clues being strewn upon the path, like the voice of Luke Newton announcing an incoming train, a passing carriage, and a wig shop featuring Queen Charlotte’s famously flamboyant bouffants. Sarah even naively agrees to sign in with a feather quill, which is adorable. Finally, once the “class” assembles, the “teacher” asks Sarah to come up to the front and write her favorite TV show on a whiteboard. As soon as she does, the walls magically come apart to reveal an extravagant ballroom with Regency-clad dancers like a scene from the series that she can, quite literally, waltz into. - YouTube www.youtube.com Clearly at this point, Sarah (make that “Lady Sarah”) is stunned. But the gifts just keep on coming. She is then asked to make her way to the throne, where she is honored as a “most deserving and admirable person,” and told that “in celebration” of all she has done, she and Hannah will be attending the Paris premiere. Understandably, Sarah cannot contain herself at this point. Between gasps and tears, she jokes, “I think I’m going to have a heart attack.”The next clip we see is her and Hannah both looking fabulous in Paris as Lady Whistledown’s voice says, “ a reminder that fairytales do not belong solely in make-believe.” - YouTube www.youtube.com Everything about this is just so lovely, from the truly impressive attention to detail to seeing how delighted Sarah was to have her dreams come true. It's certainly the little spark of joy we all need right now. You can now stream Bridgerton Season 4, Part 1 on Netflix. Part 2 drops February 26th.

"I just wanted her to feel comfortable". The post Aretha Franklin “didn’t have a clue” who Eurythmics were when she recorded a hit single with them first appeared on Far Out Magazine.