Latest news with #Allie
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dave Ramsey Caller Discovers Her Boyfriend Hid $80,000 In Credit Card Debt. Now He's Asking Her To Co-Sign A $100,000 Loan On His Home
A woman from Raleigh, North Carolina, called into 'The Ramsey Show' recently with a jaw-dropping financial dilemma. Allie, who has been with her boyfriend for over a decade, recently learned he secretly racked up $80,000 in credit card debt. Now, he wants her to co-sign a $100,000 home equity line of credit on a house she doesn't even own. He Took Care Of Her After A Tragedy, Now She's Paying All The Bills Allie said she only discovered the debt when her boyfriend hit a financial wall. "He hit the end of the rope," she told co-hosts George Kamel and Jade Warshaw. That's when she learned he had maxed out every credit card. He also still owes $40,000 in student loans. Don't Miss: Accredited Investors: Grab Pre-IPO Shares of the AI Company Powering Hasbro, Sephora & MGM— 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can His spending problem? Classic cars. Allie explained that he runs a restoration shop but is terrible at managing the business side. "He sees a car he wants, he gets it. He cycles through like three or four sports cars a year," she said. Despite living with him for the last two years, her name isn't on the mortgage. He recently asked her to co-sign a $100,000 home equity line of credit, or HELOC, so he could pay off the credit card debt. Allie immediately knew that was a bad idea. "If he takes one of those sports cars and wraps her around a telephone pole, I'm stuck with his debt for the rest of my life," she said. Allie admitted she briefly considered helping because of what he did for her in the past. After a devastating car accident left her with spinal injuries and a traumatic brain injury, Allie lost her house, car, job and life savings. Her health insurance company sued her to recover the $500,000 they had spent on her care. With nowhere else to go, she moved in with her boyfriend, who helped her recover. But now, she's the one carrying the financial burden. "I'm currently paying all of our bills," she said. "Because he has nothing to pay them with." Trending: $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. Not Married, No Ring, No Security Kamel and Warshaw were straightforward: she should not feel guilty or obligated to co-sign anything. "If somebody does something out of an act of generosity, they're not looking to be paid back," Warshaw said. They also pointed out how financially risky her situation has become. "You're paying his bills and you're broke," Kamel told her. "You're not really gaining as much as you think." Allie revealed she now earns about $35,000 a year, down from $70,000 before her injuries. Her health limitations keep her from taking more physically demanding jobs. And she said she feels trapped because she doesn't make enough to afford a place of her own. Still, she admitted that if she had more money, she would leave the relationship. Kamel and Warshaw encouraged her to keep searching for a rental or roommate situation. "There's a bunch of great girls out there who would love a great roommate like Allie who can pay her fair share," Kamel said. "He has chosen his obsession over you." Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement —?Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Dave Ramsey Caller Discovers Her Boyfriend Hid $80,000 In Credit Card Debt. Now He's Asking Her To Co-Sign A $100,000 Loan On His Home originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
ChatGPT launches AI study assistant. Can it challenge test-prep cos' dominance?
New Delhi: India's edtech firms as well as traditional coaching centres may have some serious competition coming from the unstoppable rise of artificial intelligence, as Big Tech pushes to showcase AI as a formidable study assistant for students preparing for coveted jobs and top engineering colleges. OpenAI, the world's most prominent artificial intelligence startup, on Tuesday launched a 'study mode' on its ubiquitous generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. With a focus on competitive examinations including India's most popular ones such as engineering and medical entrance tests, the company agreed that ChatGPT's study mode will likely overlap with India's education-tech startups—thereby giving it access to a large, potentially monetizable base of students in the country. Leah Belsky, vice president of education at OpenAI, said the company has used 'some" questionnaires and study materials of competitive examinations such as the engineering entrance tests for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) as part of preparing the student-centric study mode. 'We also tested study mode on top core-curriculum examinations such as for India's IITs, as well as other examinations across India, to assess its performance," Belsky said. While OpenAI did not offer any specific benchmark or ranking figures for the study mode in reference to India's education ecosystem—except that the mode 'performs very, very well", Belsky added that the goal for the student-specific mode was to 'create a general-purpose study assistant that works irrespective of universities and courses." 'We also collaborated with leading researchers and institutes across India while creating study mode, and we'll be sharing the results of these evaluations soon," she said. Kashyap Kompella, veteran AI analyst, trainer and founder of consultancy firm RPA2AI Research, said the study mode will have to handle India's language divide, but 'the one key problem it can solve is India's lack of trained teachers at scale even at the last mile". 'Edtech startups digitized education about a decade ago, but per-student personalization remained out of their ambit. Modes like this on ChatGPT can accurately personalize education for students at scale, but concerns will remain on the possibility of misuse of these tools. The key trick will be too train and enable teachers to make the most of such AI tools—a 'teach mode', perhaps," he added. Ed-tech firms specializing in test preparation for competitive examinations are likely to see increased competition as more AI companies launch similar assistants. 37-year-old test-prep firm Allen Career Institute, for instance, offers a similar preparation assistant 'Allie' through a proprietary software platform. Still, it won't be a cakewalk for AI tools to replace human interface, which is immensely valued in a country like India, some experts said. 'It's unlikely that such AI tools will take away substantial business from India's education specialists, since their prowess lies in offering human oversight toward a student's career preparation. Parents, especially from India's middle-class, are unlikely to have students readily bank on ChatGPT to prepare for IITs. It can be an also-there option, but is unlikely to take over the market," a senior industry executive close to a top test-prep firm told Mint, requesting anonymity since they had not used ChatGPT's study mode as yet. Study mode can be accessed even on ChatGPT's free tier, but will come with usage restrictions such as long response times in peak usage hours, and limited memory of conversations. But, for now, the company does not plan to introduce a student-specific pricing model. ChatGPT's base subscription tier, 'Plus', costs ₹1,999 ($23) per month in India. To be sure, OpenAI also has an education-specific 'ChatGPT Edu' for universities to adopt—which would give its students access to the platform for free, but at a group pricing for the institution itself. Study mode is separate from this. OpenAI's announcement comes as Big Tech firms in Silicon Valley are on a lookout for ways to get consumers accustomed to AI. In May this year, Google launched a video-centric foundational AI model, Veo 3, designed to let any user create videos with text prompts. Plans for the service are priced onward of ₹1,950 ($22) per month in India. Microsoft, meanwhile, is integrating its OpenAI-backed Copilot into all new Windows-powered laptops—also priced at ₹2,000 per month for a single person. Jibu Elias, responsible computing lead for India at Mozilla Foundation, added that it is 'to the best interests of Big Tech and the makers of AI to have more students and people in general becoming used to their AI ecosystems right from an early stage." This, Elias added, could be a key factor for companies seeking ways to rope in users into their AI ecosystems at an early stage—much like the consumer technology battle among companies through the first 15 years of 2000s.
Time Out
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Catch classic movies under the greenhouse canopy at SAMA Garden
It's not quite the end of summer, but the heat has slackened just enough to entertain the idea of sitting outside – not to sweat, but to settle in. On August 1-3, SAMA Garden offers a three-night escape from the indoors, swapping streaming queues for open-air screens beneath a gently lit dome and a canopy of leaves. What's on offer is less about spectacle and more about atmosphere. A garden cinema, framed by soft lights and easy company, where you're welcome to bring a date, a friend or even your dog (they've thought of everything – there's a pet-friendly zone with ample space for snoots and tails). Each ticket, priced at B550, includes a film, a snack-and-drink bundle and access to what may be the most indulgent detail of the evening – a complimentary 15-minute massage, courtesy of Divana, available only for those who register via Line@SAMA Garden at least a day before. The screening schedule leans into comfort. No high-stakes thrillers, no sudden death. Just gently plotted narratives, a bit of romance, a touch of nostalgia and the occasional tear. Film schedule Friday August 1, 6:30pm - The Intern Ben, a retired widower full of life, signs up as a senior intern at a booming fashion startup founded by the ambitious Jules. He's not just there to learn the ropes, but soon becomes a quiet force of wisdom and warmth for everyone around him. Saturday August 2, 5:30pm - 10 Things I Hate About You Kat is a beautiful and intelligent girl, which means that not many men are interested in her. Unfortunately, her younger sister, Bianca, is forbidden from having a boyfriend before her. Therefore, a little plan is needed to help the older sister experience love for the first time. The path of Kat and the handsome young man Patrick finally crosses, but the question is, will she open her heart to him? Saturday August 2, 8.40pm - Cast Away Chuck, a fast-paced executive, finds himself stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. In solitude, with only a volleyball for company, he battles the rawest forces of nature – and his own mind. Sunday August 3, 7:30pm - Wonder Auggie, a boy born with facial differences, steps into school for the very first time. In a world full of stares and whispers, he navigates challenges, makes unexpected friendships, and teaches everyone around him a powerful lesson in compassion. Sunday August 3, 8:40pm - The Notebook Noah and Allie fall in love during the summer, but their romance is hindered by Allie's parents due to their different social status. At the same time, Noah has to serve in World War II. Afterward, Allie meets Hammond Jr., a wealthy young man, and she prepares to marry him. Will fate bring them back together?
Vox
13-07-2025
- Health
- Vox
Why doctors are finally taking IUD pain seriously
IUDs are becoming more popular. Now, can we make them less painful? Getty Images IUDs have been a promising breakthrough in birth control, offering both convenience and effectiveness, and their use has exploded over the past few decades. But that progress has often come with some (painful) trade-offs. Vox senior reporter Allie Volpe has been digging into why medicine has been slow to catch up to the pain that IUD insertions can cause and doctors' plans to make the process for more palatable for patients in the future. It is a big reproductive rights story, at a time when those rights are increasingly under threat. I sat down and chatted with Allie about it. Allie, are IUDs becoming more popular? What do people like about them? They're definitely more popular. Just over 6 million people, or 8.4 percent of contraceptive users between the ages of 15 and 49, use IUDs. It's actually the fourth most popular form of birth control. No. 1 is tubal ligation or, as people refer to it, getting your tubes tied. The pill is No. 2, condoms are No. 3, and IUDs are No. 4. That's a huge increase from the mid-'90s when just 1 percent of birth control users used IUDs. Today, Explained Understand the world with a daily explainer, plus the most compelling stories of the day. Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. People really like the IUD. It's a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing. Once you get past the act of placing it, you have it for anywhere from three to 10 years, depending on the type you have. Both do the same thing: They prevent the sperm and egg from meeting. A lot of people report less cramping on their periods, lighter periods, or even no periods in general. That's a huge draw for people who often have painful periods or endometriosis. It's a good way to treat those things. I think a lot of people have the perception of IUDs as a quick, painless insertion that's not really a big deal. Is that accurate? It depends on who you talk to, right? It is quick. It is all over within a matter of minutes unless you're getting anesthesia, which would make the process longer. And for some people, it's historically not been all that uncomfortable. But for others, it's really uncomfortable. Pain is very personal, and it's hard to pinpoint what pain actually is. Some people are like, 'Yup, didn't really feel it.' Others are like, 'I've had multiple children, and this is more painful than childbirth.' What we've been seeing over the last couple of years is those people coming on social media talking about their experiences with painful IUD insertions. Why do you think that misconception persists? Why do even doctors misunderstand the pain that their patients are going through? Women's pain in medicine has long been minimized. There's been reporting over the last couple of years about medical gaslighting, not just in gynecological procedures but across the board. Women will come in with a problem. And for decades, centuries, they've just been written off as being hysterical. Specifically, when it comes to IUDs, as more people got them, you started to hear more stories about these being very painful. It's a numbers game — more people get them, more people are going to have problems — but also a medical history game. You're writing about this now because things do seem to be changing. What's going on? One of the OB-GYNs I talked to said, 'I've been placing IUDs for like 37 years. It's not like I didn't mention that it would be painful, but I just tried not to bring it up. Because if a patient expects something's going to be painful, it's going to be more painful than they really thought.' These conversations about pain were not really happening until recently. Within the last year, the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists both released recommendations telling doctors to talk to their patients about pain management during IUD placement. Related Why gynecologists think IUDs are the best contraceptive For a while, there just wasn't really good research that pointed to methods that might help during this procedure because the pain can come at multiple points. But these groups are urging doctors to talk to their patients about not only taking ibuprofen to manage the pain after the procedure but also using topical creams or an anesthetic shot during the procedure to reduce discomfort. What questions should patients be asking their doctor? All of the OB-GYNs I talked to really stressed this: Talk to your doctor before your appointment. Because if you walk in the day of, there's not really a lot they can do. So, as you're making this appointment, discuss your concerns with your doctor. Tell them if you're concerned about pain or if you have any past history that might make this procedure more difficult for you. Ask, 'What can you offer me?' Ask as many questions as you want. If you don't feel satisfied with the options they have — like if you really want a paracervical block but your doctor doesn't offer it — ask if they have recommendations for another provider that will. Then start to talk through a plan with your provider. What medications will they give you pre-appointment? Some doctors now are giving people Xanax to chill out before the IUD insertion. They will probably often tell you to take ibuprofen beforehand. Ask what they will use during the procedure. Make sure you have that clear plan written out ahead of time.
Irish Examiner
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Book review: Distorted view of reality is a common theme
In Marni Appleton's short story Positive Vibes, Lia sees girls sitting at the tables outside the café where she works 'phones in hands, hunched over themselves as though they'd like to fold up flat and slip away entirely'. The scene encapsulates how technology dominates and diminishes the characters throughout Appleton's promising short story collection, I Hope You're Happy. On a school tour, girls ostracise a classmate by cropping her from a group photo so that 'only her arm remained, strung up in thin air like a dead thing'. A woman who becomes obsessed with a work colleague after a sexual encounter checks his Facebook page and Twitter feed every day to forge a sense of closeness with him. In the title story, Chloe intentionally doesn't block her estranged confidant Ana from her social media profiles because Chloe wants her posts to demonstrate that the dissolution of their friendship hasn't dented the vivacity of her life — and knows Ana is addicted to using the apps. The collection's 11 stories are mostly populated by millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) and Gen Zers (born between 1997 and 2012). All Appleton's protagonists are female. The English author presents us with a glimpse of sexually fluid, uncertain, and hedonistic characters. Some snort cocaine off the back of their iPhones while others engage in threesomes. They're often in precarious employment, overwhelmed ('Doing nothing…no longer seemed an option'), and tentatively trying to negotiate the complications of strained relationships and rapidly-evolving social mores. They believe in manifesting and, perhaps inevitably, one of the book's epigraphs is from Taylor Swift ('Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first'). Appleton's writing has appeared in the Irish literary journal Banshee, among others. Shifting between the first and third person, her stories forensically dissect the subtle power dynamics of relationships and are frequently embossed with striking images. For instance, a teenager waiting outside a station sees her mother's white Toyota Prius among a cluster of black cabs as a 'swan in a huddle of ducklings'. That observation comes from the narrator, Allie, of Road Trip, a story that illuminates an important theme in the collection: Appleton's depiction of outsiders at the centre of her stories. In a frightening chronicle of neglect, Allie's irascible mother punishes Allie by shoving her out of a stationary car onto the side of the road and then drives away. 'No one is expecting me anywhere,' the narrator believes as she walks towards home. 'No one is expecting anything from me.' If the men in this collection are portrayed as, at best, virtue signallers and, at worst, perpetrators of coercive control, some of the female characters are equally adept at sabotaging one of their own. Female friends turn 'inward' to exclude a disloyal classmate for kissing the boyfriend of a group member before they deliver their misogynistic judgement on the betrayal: 'it's so much worse when a girl does it.' Body image is a recurring anxiety in the book and receives its most articulate expression in The Mirror Test. Melissa concedes she is always looking at herself in any available surface — a phone screen, a mirror, a train window — but doesn't recognise the person in the reflection. 'She is cruel and detached … It is true people hate her — that's the price she pays — but their envy, a weight, also lights her up.' The stories anatomise how technology and, particularly, social media distort its characters' view of themselves, but the collection also emphasises their culpability in this degradation. 'I know that anything I've lost,' one character suggests, 'has been given away freely.' Read More Book review: Do not put this book on hold
