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☆ Disneyland performers complain about painful costumes, low pay, and inflexible management as part of push to unionize
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Disneyland performers in California say they have to deal with painful costumes and low pay. The claims surfaced in a video by More Perfect Union as part of a unionization push. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementPerformers at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, say they are made to wear painful costumes, receive inadequate pay, and face challenges with inflexible management. Three workers made these claims in a video published on the labor movement platform More Perfect Union as part of a campaign by park employees to unionize.

Persons: — Organizations: More, Union, Actors ' Equity Association, Service, Equity, Magic, Business Locations: California, Anaheim , California

☆ An AI-powered adtech startup wants to automate the busy work in ad operations. Read the pitch deck it used to raise $3 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Thousands of ad operations professionals log in daily to several different adtech platforms, setting campaigns live, tinkering with budgets and targeting, and producing reports. AdvertisementThe no-code platform allows users to use natural-language prompts to configure different "autopilots" across the various platforms they use. An ad-operations professional at a streaming company might use PilotDesk to automate tasks related to managing orders, campaign tracking, and post-campaign reporting. Check out the key slides from the pitch deck that helped PilotDesk secure $3 million in seed funding.

Persons: —, PilotDesk, Joe Hirsch, Hirsch, Phil Herget, Herget Organizations: Service, Business, Google, Labor, Ardent Venture Partners, Roster Capital, Ardent

☆ 'Bridgerton' star Jonathan Bailey reveals he came up with the idea for Kanthony's season 3 premiere kiss during dance rehearsals with Simone Ashley
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewKanthony may no longer be the central focus of "Bridgerton," but stars Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley are still feeding the fandom. Meanwhile, Anthony Bridgerton (Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Ashley), the main couple of the previous season, return to town still basking in the glow of their recent honeymoon. Jonathan Bailey as Anthony on the season three premiere of "Bridgerton." NetflixDuring the season three premiere, Kate and Anthony decide to delay their duties of running the Bridgerton household in favor of extending their honeymoon. "Bridgerton" season three, part one is now streaming on Netflix.

Persons: —, Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley, Colin Bridgerton, Luke Newton, Penelope Featherington's, Nicola Coughlan, Anthony Bridgerton, Bailey, Kate Sharma, Ashley, Anthony, Kate, Danbury's, Simone, Jonny, Jess Brownell, Brownell Organizations: Service, Business, Netflix Locations: New York City

☆ A new mantra for AI models: 'good enough' is good enough
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In particular, it beat OpenAI's GPT 3.5, a model that was released two years earlier, an eternity in AI years. This new, leaner model will cost users only 35 cents per million tokens, compared with $7 per million for the Gemini 1.5 Pro model. But it remains to be seen if state-of-the-art is actually a good business model. said the founder and CEO of one seed-stage startup that's training new AI models, "but then, you know, as businesses, what you also want to do is what is good enough." As AI models get bigger and gobble up more money and computing resources, there are often diminishing returns in terms of performance.

Persons: —, Databricks, Ali Ghodsi, Ghodsi, Claude, it'll, Morgan Stanley, Martin Kon, Kon, OpenAI Organizations: Service, Business, Companies, Google, Gemini, Microsoft, Apple

☆ Putin wouldn't have invaded Ukraine when he did if he'd had AI tools, says Anduril founder Palmer Luckey
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Anduril founder Palmer Luckey believes the technology will lead to better decision-making and fewer blunders. Putin wouldn't have invaded Ukraine when he did if AI had helped him strategize, Luckey told Bloomberg. But Anduril founder Palmer Luckey believes the technology will improve war for everyone. "AI is going to be a tool to put all the cards on the table for everyone," Luckey told Bloomberg's Emily Chang in the latest episode of "The Circuit." "My hope is that you're going to have dictators who make better decisions because even they have better information from AI."

Persons: Palmer Luckey, Putin wouldn't, strategize, Luckey, —, Emily Chang Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Business Locations: Ukraine

☆ Looks like Elon Musk's belated 40th birthday present to Mark Zuckerberg is reviving that bizarre cage match bet
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Turns out, if you're Elon Musk, the biggest birthday present you can gift to a tech world nemesis may just be yourself. All of this is to say that one day after Mark Zuckerberg's 40th birthday, Elon Musk is back on their old beef, bringing up that fight he challenged Zuckerberg to last year. "I'm up for a cage match if he is lol," Musk said in an X post on June 20, 2023. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023Zuckerberg, however, said Musk never made it clear when they were scheduled to glove up and face off in the ring. Advertisement"Zuck is a chicken," he wrote in an X post on August 13.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg's, Zuckerberg, I've, Musk, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, I’ve, ake, lear, ince, ade Organizations: Service, Business, ust Locations: lon, usk, lade

☆ BofA banker whose death shook Wall Street was looking for new job and willing to take a lower salary for better hours, recruiter says: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Related storiesA new report from Reuters released Wednesday raised more questions about the hours Lukenas may have been logging leading up to his untimely death. Walters said Lukenas told him he was putting in more than 100 hours a week at Bank of America. "He made a comment saying like, 'Hey, I'll trade hours of sleep for a 10% (pay) cut,'" Walters told Reuters. Walters said he told Lukenas that was excessive, even by Wall Street's standards. Prior to Lukenas' death, he had been participating on deal work related to UMB's $2 billion all-stock acquisition of Heartland Financial USA — a transaction that was announced in late April.

Persons: —, Wall, Leo Lukenas III, Lukenas, Douglas Walters, Walters, GrayFox Organizations: Service, of America, Army, Bank of America, Business, Reuters, New, Office, GrayFox, BI, Heartland Financial, Vets Locations: New York

☆ I'm an American mom living in Germany. Here schools days are shorter and there are more vacations throughout the year.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Naomi Kaye Honova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewI'm an American living in Germany with my family, and it's been fascinating to observe the differences in elementary school between the US and Germany. German elementary school is 4 yearsIn Germany, kids go straight from preschool (which is called Kindergarten in Germany) to elementary school; there is no year of Kindergarten as Americans know it. German elementary school ends in fourth grade. AdvertisementThere are many more short-term vacationsFor many kids in Germany, the elementary school day is very short compared to an American school day. When I drop my younger kids off at preschool, I see hordes of elementary school kids en route to school sans grownups.

Persons: —, I've, you'll, doesn't Organizations: Service, Business, School, — Locations: Germany, Bavaria

☆ Samsung just released a 43-second response to the 'crush' ad Apple was lambasted for last week
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Sarah Gray | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Samsung released a 43-second response to Apple's lambasted "crush" advertisement. Apple's advertisement for its new iPad Pro received swift backlash last week. Samsung's ad seems to pick up where Apple's left off amid crushed creative tools and a hydraulic press. That's Samsung's message in a new spot that trolls Apple's iPad Pro "crush" ad, which caused an internet meltdown last week. In Apple's ad, creative tools — paint, instruments, etc.

Persons: Apple's, —, Katie Notopoulos Organizations: Samsung, Pro, Service, Business

☆ Home prices in these 22 cities are set to surge the most in the US in the next 12 months, according to Zillow
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

US home prices are set to rise by 1.6% over the next 12 months, Zillow forecasts. Factors include population growth, mortgage rates, and cost of construction supplies, and more. AdvertisementHome prices in the US are set to rise by 1.6% on average over the next 12 months, according to Zillow forecasts. In a recent analysis, financial information site SmartAsset compiled Zillow's price growth forecasts for 192 US metropolitan areas over the next year. Below, we've listed 22 cities where Zillow expects to see the largest price growth through the end of March 2025.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Neither Russia nor China wants the Ukraine war to end, but for different reasons
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussian President Vladimir Putin is on a two-day visit to China, and he's bringing along a large trade delegation. But Russia has also become increasingly reliant on China since it started the war in Ukraine. For instance, Russia is now "exporting raw materials to China while China sends finished goods, especially cars, to Russia — the latter at the expense of Russia's indigenous auto industry," she added. However, some analysts say China has more to gain from a continuing war. China and Russia are forging a partnership increasingly reminiscent of a great power alliance," wrote Michta.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, It's, Putin, Xi —, Michta, Russia —, Europe —, China's Organizations: Service, Business, Center for, Bilateral, West, Center, Global Energy, Columbia University, Kyiv —, US Army Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Siberia, Europe, Beijing

☆ MrBeast has broken the curse of influencer success
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementSome attribute it to dumb luck, but others think Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson has changed content creation forever and set a new standard for what content creators can aspire to. Importantly, he is changing how influencers are viewed by traditional media. Jamie Nudelman, a social media growth expert at the digital marketing consultancy Viral Marketing Stars, told Business Insider that Donaldson has become "more powerful than traditional media." Advertisement"Truthfully, Amazon Prime needs MrBeast more than MrBeast needs Amazon Prime," he said. "Most content creators ride on a trend and then get stuck in it," Nudelman said.

Persons: —, Jimmy, MrBeast, Donaldson, MrBeast Donaldson, YouTube's, Jamie Nudelman, Justin Bieber, Liza Koshy, Bo Burnham, Rachel Pedersen, James Charles, Shane Dawson, Jaclyn Hill, Nudelman, It's, influencers, Pedersen, Liz Germain, Germain, Donaldson obsesses, it's, he's Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon Prime, Amazon, Jeffree, Super Locations: tatters

☆ Cressida Cowper is getting a redemption arc in 'Bridgerton' season 3. Here's how it differs from the books.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"Bridgerton" season three is making a big change to the former villain Cressida Cowper. AdvertisementIn the books, Cressida marries before Penelope and Colin's love storyJessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper and Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton in "Bridgerton" season three. Liam Daniel / NetflixCressida appears in two "Bridgerton" books: "The Viscount Who Loved Me," which was source material for season two, and in "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton," which underpins season three. In "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton," Cressida is a vain, mean bully of London society. Cressida pretends to be Lady Whistledown and later blackmails PenelopeJoanna Bobin as Lady Cowper and Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper in "Bridgerton" season 3.

Persons: —, Bridgerton, Cressida Cowper, Jessica Madsen, Daphne Bridgerton, Phoebe Dynevor, Penelope Featherington, Nicola Coughlan, Cressida, Eloise Bridgerton, Claudia Jessie, Julia Quinn, Eloise, Penelope, Liam Daniel, Netflix Cressida, Twombley, Whistledown, Penelope Joanna Bobin, Lady Cowper, Lady, Lady Whistledown's, Queen Charlotte, Danbury, Colin Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown, Colin, Luke Newton, Netflix Madsen, Jess Brownell, Jess, they're, " Madsen, Madsen Organizations: Service, Netflix, Business, Lady Danbury

☆ Budget-minded homebuyers should look in these 23 cities where down payments are plummeting, even in an unaffordable housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Affordability remains a headacheHome affordability has taken a huge hit since the pandemic as mortgage rates, property prices, and — by extension — down payments have surged. Mortgage rates have since more than doubled at over 7%, and houses cost over $70,000 more at $332,000. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is now roughly triple the 2.7% rate it was at in early 2021. The savings rate in the late 2010s was around 6.5% of disposable income, and it spiked early in the pandemic due to a surge of government stimulus. 23 cities where down payments are down meaningfullyAlthough affordability is limited as mortgage rates, home prices, and down payments have risen, there are still dozens of cities where the cost of buying a house is headed lower.

Persons: —, Hannah Jones, Realtor.com, Freddie Mac, they'd, Jones Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Realtor.com

☆ After 3 years in Thailand, I moved back to New York. It didn't feel like home anymore, so I took off again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Elizabeth Lavis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewAs I tucked into a bowl of wisp-thin Thai rice noodles studded with bok choy and sprinkled with fried garlic, all I could do was wax poetic about Buffalo wings. My favorite basket always came from a local dive bar in Western New York, 15 miles from Niagara Falls. I missed reliable transportation, manageable bugs, the change of seasons, my friends and family, and the Great Lakes comfort food I'd been pining for. I even realized that my definition of comfort food had changed. AdvertisementWhen I left for Thailand almost a decade ago, I imagined that I'd be going back to my "real life" after six months.

Persons: —, bok choy, Chang, Garth Brooks, Reuben, Koh Samui, I'd, who's, Uber, Costa Rica Elizabeth Lavis, gallo pinto Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Western New York, Niagara Falls, Thailand, Buffalo, Gulf, Thai, Laos, Costa Rica, Coast, Linzano, Bangkok

☆ Elon Musk axed the entire Tesla Supercharger team after their division chief defied orders and said no to more layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTesla CEO Elon Musk made the snap decision to fire the entire Supercharger team after its division chief refused to make further layoffs happen, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The billionaire said in an email to staff on April 29 that he was dissolving the entire team behind Tesla's charging infrastructure, per The Information. AdvertisementRepresentatives for Tesla, Musk, and Tinucci didn't respond to Reuters' request for comment. The Tesla chief moved quickly to assuage concerns, and assured investors that Tesla's Supercharger network isn't going anywhere. A slowdown in the rollout of Tesla's charging infrastructure would thus be a setback for Biden's clean-energy agenda.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Musk, Rebecca Tinucci, Tinucci, Tesla's, Tesla, Mercedes Benz, haven't, Aaron Luque, Joe Organizations: Service, Reuters, Bloomberg, Business, Tesla, The, Motors, Ford, Politico, BI

☆ Biden's tariffs don't loosen China's grip on one key mineral in the EV economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House decided to delay by two years tariffs on graphite, a key metal in EV lithium-ion batteries that helps them store energy. But a senior Biden administration official said during a call with reporters that some tariffs would kick in in 2026 to allow battery supply chains to transition. However, those batteries can still source graphite from China until at least 2027 under the Biden administration's policy. Beyond graphite, other tariffs that Biden slapped on China's green tech are mostly symbolic. But steeper taxes on batteries this year could affect US automakers such as Ford and Tesla, which import from China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Gene Berdichevsky, Berdichevsky, Sila, EVs, Biden Organizations: Service, White, Business, US Department of Energy, Mercedes, Benz, Manufacturing, Biden, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: China, Washington ,, Moses Lake , Washington, Southeast Asia

☆ Billionaire real estate investor Frank McCourt wants to buy TikTok — but he's not interested in the algorithm
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewReal estate mogul Frank McCourt is the latest person to raise his hand to try to acquire TikTok's US business. Related stories"We thought this was a really fantastic opportunity to accelerate the creation of an alternative internet," McCourt told the Associated Press. McCourt wants to change TikTok's basic business to an open-source model that allows users and creators more control over their data. McCourt told the New York Times that he doesn't want the algorithm. "We doubt very much that China would sell TikTok with the algorithm," McCourt told the Times.

Persons: —, Frank McCourt, McCourt, Kirkland, Ellis, TikTok, Forbes, Tim Berners, Lee, TikTok . McCourt, Eric Schmidt, Steven Mnuchin, he's Organizations: Service, Guggenheim Securities, Business, Associated Press, Liberty, Los Angeles Dodgers, Big Tech, New York Times, Times Locations: China

☆ Moms are flocking to use desks that have cribs attached. They say it allows them to balance motherhood with their careers.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kelly Burch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"I'll try to time it so I can feed her, put her down in the play desk area, and do some work that doesn't involve calls." The work and play desk is a sort of cubicle designed for parents and children. AdvertisementMaegan Moore uses the play desk at Worplayce Courtesy of Maegan MooreMoore doesn't use the desk for long stretches of time — about an hour or two is her current limit. That setup more accurately matches the lives of many modern working parents, Crystal said. Decoupling work and kids from these arbitrary 9-to-5 work days or 9-to-3 day care days is the first step to making a life that works for you," she said.

Persons: —, Maegan Moore, Eleanor, it's, Moore, Maegan Moore Moore, That's, Bethany Crystal, Crystal, she's, I've Organizations: Service, mothering, Business, Montessori Locations: New York, Virginia, Sydney, Manhattan

☆ Another of the world's best airlines is giving its staff a huge bonus after a 2nd year of record profits
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Singapore Airlines staff will receive bonuses worth nearly eight months of salary, per Bloomberg. It comes days after Emirates also announced record profits and reports of a five-month salary bonus. AdvertisementSingapore Airlines is giving staff a bonus worth almost eight months of their salary, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The carrier — one of just 10 in the world rated five stars by Skytrax — posted record profits for the second year running. It reported a net profit of 2.68 billion Singapore dollars ($1.99 billion) for the last fiscal year.

Persons: —, Skytrax — Organizations: Singapore Airlines, Bloomberg, Emirates, Service, Business

☆ I left JPMorgan and escaped the 'golden handcuffs.' I have no regrets.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I started working in a towering office building in London, and I felt completely out of my depth. In 2016, I was about to move into an area I didn't want to work in when JPMorgan headhunted me. I had been stuck in golden handcuffs, but I was lucky that I didn't have some of the financial pressures other people have, like children. But I get much more of a sense of purpose from my work and feel like I am supporting people. If you left a high-paying career and would like to share your story, email Ella Hopkins at ehopkins@businessinsider.com.

Persons: —, Lucy Puttergill, It's, JPMorgan headhunted, I'd, I've, weren't, Gabor Mate, Ella Hopkins Organizations: Service, JPMorgan, Citi, Business, impressiveness, Mexico City Locations: South Africa, London, Italy, South America, Mexico, Cape Town , South Africa, ehopkins@businessinsider.com

☆ The US Secretary of State gave a war-time rock performance at a bar in Kyiv, leaving some Ukrainians scratching their heads
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Slinging a crimson electric guitar onto his shoulder, Blinken told the crowd he knew they were facing a "really, really difficult time." So much of the world is with you and they're fighting not just for a free Ukraine, but for the free world. "For ten years, we've been explaining to the free world that we are defending it too," he wrote. Residents self-evacuate from a multi-story residential building hit by a Russian UMPB D-30 glide bomb on May 14, 2024 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The lyrics of "Rockin' in the Free World" are often seen as a criticism of American patriotism and George H.W.

Persons: —, Antony Blinken, Neil Young's, Blinken, Ukraine, Antony, Muddy Waters, Bohdan Yaremenko, Trump, he's, we've, Oleg Simoroz, Valeriy, it's, Matviyenko, Yevhen, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Illia Ponomarenko, George H.W, Bush, Donald Trump, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Biden Organizations: Service, Business, U.S, US State Department, Blinken, Music Diplomacy Initiative, Facebook, AFP, Ukrainian NGO Agency, Getty Images, Ukrainian, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Kyiv, Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Soviet Union, State Department Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Kharkiv, United States, Muddy, Ukrainian, Russia, KABs, Sumy, Getty Images Russia, Polina, Soviet

☆ Actor who plays Martha in 'Baby Reindeer' says she avoided knowing about the real stalker, and it's a 'shame' viewers have become 'armchair detectives'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Eammon Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewJessica Gunning, the actor who plays Martha Scott in "Baby Reindeer," said she "avoid" knowing about the real woman her character was based on. Since it was released in April, "Baby Reindeer" has blown up, and has been watched over 60 million times, according to Netflix. The buzz grew as audiences tried to find the real woman who Scott was based on. Like Richard said when he posted that message on social media, that's not the point of our show." AdvertisementTrue crime shows like "Baby Reindeer" blur the line between entertainment and reality, something that Gunning understands.

Persons: —, Jessica Gunning, Martha Scott, Richard Gadd, Scott, Fiona Harvey, Piers Morgan, Gadd, Gunning, Harvey, I've, I'm, Richard, that's, Sean Foley, That's Organizations: Service, Business, Netflix, Hollywood

☆ Google's AI updates could spark chaos for web creators — and be a death blow for some startups
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Google's new AI products may be making some start-ups nervous. An AI-enhanced Google Search and email assistant could threaten smaller AI companies. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementGoogle has new AI products — and they might be making some start-ups nervous. The announcements were followed by social media chatter claiming Google's new launches would "kill" email and browser-based agents, including Perplexity AI.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Google, Business

☆ Why Netflix is adding more subscribers every year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy Netflix is adding more subscribers every yearMark Mahaney, Evercore ISI head of internet research, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss Netflix as the streaming giant announced that it has amassed 40 million users for its ad-supported plan, its plan to stream NFL games on Christmas Day, and more.

Persons: Mark Mahaney Organizations: Netflix

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