It’s a rather unassuming site for an Abbey Road-style photo activation. To the random observer, no good reason announces itself to explain why tourists from all over Canada and the U.S. would flock to the red-brick facade on Toronto’s bustling Queen Street to take ecstatic selfies beneath an oval sign that reads “Rivoli” in a scribbly font. The tourists keep showing up anyway. [Photo: PaulMcKinnon/Getty Images] While the combination restaurant/ pool hall/concert venue has hosted performers like Robin Williams, Amy Winehouse, and Adele over its 45-year history, the Rivoli has only lately become a tourist mecca, thanks to a fictional…
Author: Staff Writer
For many real estate investors, the journey starts with an opportunity: an inherited property, a smart purchase, a long-term bet on appreciation or cash flow. Then another opportunity follows. And before long, what began as a single investment becomes something more meaningful. I’ve seen this evolution up close. As the cofounder and CEO of a property management software company, I’ve worked with thousands of independent rental owners over the past decade. What stands out is how the role of a rental business owner evolves over time. Strong results come from how those properties are run: how expenses are managed, how…
Memorial Day is behind us, which means the summer travel season has officially arrived. Over the next three months, millions of Americans will take their annual vacations, both domestically and internationally. But as people plan these trips, they seem to be encountering more scams than ever. Here are the most common scams right now—and easy ways to protect yourself and your wallet. The top 7 travel scams right now According to a report from cybersecurity firm McAfee earlier this month, these are the top 7 types of travel scams travelers are most likely to fall for: Fake travel deals or…
These days, music is everywhere. You can call up practically any recorded song at any moment with a quick flick of your favorite fingie and nary an extra cent spent. And yet, for all the convenience modern streaming services give us, something intangible is lost compared to the way we used to listen to music. As a lifelong music fan, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I miss from the “good ol’ days” of our pre-Spotify/YouTube Music/[insert your own preferred streaming service] listening experiences. And I’ve realized, among other things, part of what I miss is the rich…
When I was about 8 years old, in response to the ubiquitous question of what I wanted to be when I grew up, I responded, “I want to be happy!” The adults chuckled and my inquisitor did not ask any follow-up questions. But my mother later pulled me aside to tell me that being happy wasn’t always something we mere mortals had perfect control over. Mom wanted to prepare me for the reality that happiness couldn’t be planned for or worked toward, like becoming a writer (my usual response to grownups asking about my future career goals). Happiness wasn’t something…
Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. Zillow economists just published their updated 12-month forecast, projecting that U.S. home prices—as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index—will shift down 0.1% from April 2026 to April 2027. That’s a tiny downward revision from its 12-month national forecast published in April (+0.1%) and its 12-month national forecast published in March (+0.5%). U.S. home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, are currently up 0.7% year over year. Zillow’s latest 12-month outlook (-0.1%) expects national home prices to remain near that…
This article is republished with permission from Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. The U.S. military is pushing to demonstrate high-energy laser weapons engineered for fielding at scale in the next two years, according to the U.S. Defense Department’s top science and technology official. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee on May 19, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, Emil Michael, told lawmakers that the science of laser weapons “is largely done.” He said the Pentagon is focused on addressing the engineering challenges that come with transforming…
Decision time is near for millions of federal student loan borrowers who will need to pick a new repayment plan starting July 1. Due to the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025, repayment plans for student loans will look different, requiring borrowers to choose from just two options: a Repayment Assistance Plan and a Tiered Standard Plan. For those who do not choose in time, the government will make a decision for them. Among those affected are the roughly 7 million loan holders enrolled in Saving for a Valuable Education (SAVE), the Biden-era repayment program. The income-driven plan…
The rarity of events and celebrations such as milestone birthdays and cosmic happenings makes them special. The phrase “once in a blue moon” exists because it is not an everyday occurrence. This year, May has not one but two full moons lighting up the night sky, the second of which is going down tonight, in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 31. Illumination reaches its peak at 4:45 a.m. ET. But this is also considered a micromoon. Here’s everything you need to know before you stargaze. What is a blue moon? This has nothing to do with color. There…
Americans don’t need a press release to know that inflation is rising. Gasoline is above $4 per gallon amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of key price data on May 28 underscores why policymakers are worried these pressures could spread into the broader economy. The report offered a mixed but still uncomfortable picture. The month-to-month rise was softer than expected, but the change year over year still points to concern: a 3.8% jump from a year earlier, the fastest pace since 2021, and a less volatile index that…