Latest news with #Trudy
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CEO breaks down ROI of $16,000 office-Corgi; techie says, ‘Now I know why I am still an intern'
Startups are known for their quirky office culture, but Corgi Insurance , part of Y Combinator 's Summer 2024 batch (YC S24), has taken the cake — or rather, the kibble. A recent LinkedIn post by software engineer Derrick Ha has taken the internet by surprose, not for a new tech innovation or fundraising milestone, but for the company's most unexpectedly strategic asset: a corgi named Trudy. In the post, Ha wrote, "I asked Nico Laqua (my CEO) why we have a $16,000 office dog . His answer shocked me." The response from CEO Nico Laqua was equal parts hilarious and thought-provoking: "It's because the dog is high ROI . Everything we do here at Corgi Insurance is high leverage." As unusual as it sounds, Laqua wasn't joking. He broke down the dog's contribution to the company's productivity in surprisingly logical terms — and it wasn't just puppy love. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo A Corgi-Led Culture of High Leverage Trudy, the beloved office corgi, isn't just a pet; she's a catalyst for productivity and morale. According to Laqua, engineers at the startup come to the office earlier just to play with her — a routine that's resulted in a 10% boost in productivity. The pup also reportedly contributes to stress reduction among engineers working seven days a week, offering an additional 3% productivity lift. And then there are the mandatory 15-minute dog walks, which Laqua says help improve focus, accounting for another 5% gain. While the math may be a bit fuzzy, the sentiment certainly isn't. In an industry often consumed by output, deadlines, and burnout, the idea that a dog could foster happier, more focused employees offers a refreshing pivot. You Might Also Like: Miracle! Golden Retriever's death-defying escape from a moving train will stun you. Video goes viral Ha, still an intern at the company, concluded humorously: 'I didn't know Trudy was so integral to our office culture, but after Nico's ROI analysis, I now understand why I'm still an intern.' According to Laqua, engineers at the startup come to the office earlier just to play with her — a routine that's resulted in a 10% boost in productivity. (Image: LinkedIn/ Sahil Jagtap) Trudy Takes Over the Internet As expected, the internet did not stay silent. One user crowned Trudy the 'Director of Napping and Treats,' while another quipped, 'Who knew a corgi could be a secret productivity weapon? Props to Nico for turning belly rubs and walkies into a full-on ROI pitch.' Another comment joked, 'My dog asked if he could intern,' capturing the whimsical mood of the post and the many others who began to see the logic in Laqua's unorthodox approach to productivity. You Might Also Like: Tech startup brings in golden retriever as chief happiness officer, and the internet melts: 'He's got the best perks in the company' When Workplaces Go to the Dogs and Win In an age where companies are rethinking everything from hybrid models to four-day workweeks, Corgi Insurance's approach suggests that sometimes the answer to workplace efficiency isn't in the cloud — it's on a leash. Trudy represents a softer, more humane way of working: one that values joy, companionship, and emotional well-being. As more startups seek to balance hustle with health, maybe Trudy isn't just a corgi — maybe she's the future of workplace culture .
NBC News
03-07-2025
- Health
- NBC News
‘A slap in the face': Georgia and Arkansas' Medicaid work rules may preview the road ahead
President Donald Trump is expected to sign into law on Friday his sprawling domestic policy bill, which includes nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans. Dubbed the 'big, beautiful bill,' the new legislation will extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and make up for them in part by slashing federal Medicaid funding, introducing copays for some services and — for the first time — implementing nationwide Medicaid work requirements. The final version of the bill didn't include an estimate of coverage losses, but an earlier Congressional Budget Office report projected that about 11 million people could lose their health coverage and become uninsured by 2034 because of the program cuts. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and the states, which usually mandate that applicants meet certain criteria, such as low income, disability or caregiving status. Only two states have implemented Medicaid work requirements: Arkansas in 2018, and Georgia in 2023. Georgia's program, called Pathways to Coverage, remains in effect. Over the 10 months Arkansas's work requirement was in place, more than 18,000 people in the state lost Medicaid coverage. Georgia hasn't done a good job keeping track of how many have lost coverage, but enrollment remains low, said Leighton Ku, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. When people lose Medicaid coverage, they view it as 'sort of a slap in the face,' Ku said. 'When your income is down, when you're unemployed, that's when you lose everything,' he said. 'When you're most in need. That's when you lose your food assistance, that's when you lose your health insurance coverage.' Kendall Rogers, 40, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, is currently looking for a job after losing his Medicaid coverage earlier this year due to the state's work requirements, according to his mom, Trudy Rogers, 59. The change means Trudy now has to take care of herself for long portions of the day. She has fibromyalgia and nerve problems in her back that make it difficult for her to get around. Kendall was caring for her nearly full time, Trudy said, but Georgia's work requirements don't offer exemptions for caregivers of older adults. She called the new requirements 'an insult not only to him, but to me.' 'Because now he's forced to go out and look for work and I need him to stay around the house,' she said. Covered in red tape To justify the cuts, Republicans have argued that they're not taking Medicaid from those who are rightfully entitled to it — such as, they say, single mothers or the disabled — but from 'young, able-bodied men' who they say are abusing the system. 'If you clean that up and short it up, you save a lot of money, and you return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing video games all day,' House Speaker Mike Johnson said in April. But as seen in Georgia and Arkansas, that's not who is largely impacted. Cynthia Gibson, director of the Georgia Legal Services Program's Health Law Unit, which helps appeal Medicaid denials, said that many people in the state lose coverage not because they aren't working, but because they aren't aware of the new rules or face administrative issues like missed paperwork or not receiving notices. Others, like Kendall, are caring for family members but don't qualify for exemptions. Likewise, in Arkansas, only 3% or 4% of the people on Medicaid in 2018 weren't working and did not qualify for the exemptions under the state program, said Dr. Benjamin Sommers, a physician and health economist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sommers published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2019 looking at the impact of Arkansas' work requirements. For the other roughly 96% of people on Medicaid in the state, his research found about40% were working the required 80 hours a month under the state program. The rest either had medical conditions that prevented them from working or had other responsibilities, such as school or caring for a family member. Implementing work requirements also didn't result in a higher employment rate — one of the arguments used by Arkansas officials in favor of the new work rules. 'Most people, almost everybody, was already doing what [the state] wanted them to do,' he said. Very few were 'the proverbial, on the couch, video game story that we're hearing from some of the supporters.' Most commonly, Gibson said, people aren't actually aware that they've lost coverage until they go see their doctor. 'And that creates kind of a panic,' she said. 'Sometimes they may have something really important scheduled that the doctors won't do when they run their insurance and find out they no longer have coverage.' Gibson said the people most often impacted by the work requirement are those in noncorporate jobs, including independent workers — like Uber drivers or delivery workers — who don't receive regular pay stubs and can't meet Georgia's work verification requirements. Others affected include people with certain disabilities that don't qualify for exemptions as well as caregivers of children or elderly relatives. The costs of not having coverage People who lose coverage often avoid going to the doctor or getting medical care unless it's an emergency, because they don't want to accumulate debt, she said. 'They just don't get treatment, they don't go to the doctor,' she said. Heather Payne, a 53-year-old from Dalton, Georgia, couldn't avoid medical care after she had a series of debilitating strokes in 2022. Unable to work, she was told she didn't qualify for an Affordable Care Act plan and didn't qualify for Georgia's Medicaid program because she was a childless adult. She later enrolled in classes to become a nurse practitioner — a career she could pursue despite her disability. By that point, the state's work requirement had gone into effect. However, Payne was told she still didn't qualify for Medicaid because she wasn't taking enough credit hours. She couldn't afford to take more. To pay for her medical bills, she burned through her $40,000 in savings and is now in collections for tens of thousands of dollars. 'When you have a problem, there's no help for you,' she said. 'It makes you feel as though society doesn't care what happens to you.' Dimitris Terrell, 49, of Clarkston, also worries her 24-year-old son, Justin Anderson, could start to accumulate debt following changes to Georgia's Medicaid program. Anderson doesn't work but has Medicaid coverage because he has Crohn's disease, a bowel disease that can cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Terrell says her son started having to pay large copays last year, after the state began charging copays for prescription drugs and certain services. Anderson has paid over $400 out of pocket on doctors visits and hundreds of dollars for the dentist, neither of which he could afford, his mother said. She also worries about him losing coverage — either because he would no longer qualify or because of missed paperwork. 'He's pretty sad and shocked,' Terrell said. 'He said, 'like, Mama, I don't understand why I have to pay.''
Daily Record
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Golden Girls actress Lynn Hamilton dies aged 95
American also starred in sitcom Sanford and Son and the The Waltons Actress Lynn Hamilton, best known for her roles in Sanford and Son, The Golden Girls and the The Waltons has died aged 95. Her former manager and publicist, Rev. Calvin Carson, confirmed she died peacefully on Thursday of natural causes in her Chicago home. In a statement, he said: 'Without profound gratitude and admiration, we celebrate the extraordinary life of iconic actress Alzenia 'Lynn' Hamilton-Jenkins, whose remarkable legacy continues to uplift and inspire. 'Her illustrious career, spanning over five decades, has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment, motivating audiences across the globe through her work as a model, stage, film and television actress.' The post said that her 'captivating performances' continue to 'inspire new generations'. The statement added that Lynn was the recipient of the NAACP Award. It described the achievement as a 'testament to her outstanding contributions' to the industry. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Lynn starred as Verdie Foster in the Waltons, with her having appeared on the CBS show from 1973 to 1981. The character becomes friends with the titular family and is said to have featured in more than a dozen episodes. The Mirror reports that she is also credited with playing Trudy in an episode of the Golden Girls in 1988. Trudy was introduced as the aunt of Lorraine Wagner (Rosalind Cash), who married Michael Zbornak (Scott Jacoby), the son of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur). She also appeared in numerous other shows over the course of her career. Her credits include playing cousin Georgia Anderson in Roots: The Next Generation in 1979 and Judge P. Fulton in the Practice from 1997 to 2002. Lynn is said to have also worked alongside her late husband Frank S. Jenkins, who died aged 89 in 2014, over the years. She had married the poet and playwright in 1964. Their partnership was referred to as a 'shining example of creativity, love and dedication' in the statement released this weekened. Tributes were paid to Lynn on social media. One person wrote on X: 'Oh no, what a loss. She was wonderful in everything she did. Rest in peace, Lynn Hamilton.' Another said: 'Lynn Hamilton brought dignity and grace to her memorable performances. Rest in Peace.'
Cambrian News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Cambrian News
Mid Wales shopkeeper hosts picnic to mark VE Day
Allwyn's Director of Commercial Partnerships and Retail Sales, Alison Acquaye-Acford, said: 'We're delighted to see that Trudy is continuing her excellent work in the community by spending her Local Retail Champions prize money on community initiatives. We know she really prioritises her community and this is clear to see from all her work. And not only does she support her community in her own generous and kind-hearted ways, but simply by selling National Lottery tickets, she's helping to raise around £30 million every week for Good Causes which goes to projects in Trudy's community and communities across the UK.'
Cambrian News
24-04-2025
- Business
- Cambrian News
Well-loved Llanidloes newsagents named 'Best Shop' in Mid-Wales
Trudy said: 'I particularly feel really proud at being awarded Best Mid Wales Shop as it was nominated by the public and the community voted for us, so a true community award, I'm doing a 'happy dance' in my head!
