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☆ Amazon's RTO backlash, Google's desk-sharing: Big companies clash with employees over the future of work
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Cindy Perman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced recently that employees would be expected to return to the office three days a week in the spring. In less than a week, 14,000 employees had joined the Slack channel and a petition started circulating, demanding the company retract the policy. General Motors, Starbucks, Apple and Twitter are among other big companies that have started calling employees back to the office. Employees resist RTO mandatesEmployers are doing their best to really sell RTO, marketing it to employees using words like collaboration, socialization and free snacks. Employees are a lot happier if they work from home one or two days a week so that boosts recruitment and retention.

☆ FDA advisors recommend Pfizer RSV vaccine for older adults, despite possible Guillain-Barre risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The vote followed concerns at the FDA and among advisory committee members about two cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome among about 20,000 vaccine recipients. The FDA has asked Pfizer to conduct a safety study on Guillain-Barre syndrome, which the company has agreed to do. There currently is no approved RSV vaccine for the elderly. Pfizer's vaccine contains both strains of RSV, which circulate at the same time during fall and winter. Dr. David Kaslow, a senior official in the FDA's vaccine division, said safety monitoring will be "critically important" if Pfizer's RSV vaccine is approved.

☆ Googlers are begrudgingly testing Bard and making memes out of their new task.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Since it's a tough time in the tech industry right now, I hope this resonates with some of you, too. Thomas Maxwell/InsiderGooglers are begrudgingly testing their company's ChatGPT competitor. CEO Sundar Pichai asked every employee to spend multiple hours testing Google's new chatbot Bard. They were tasked with improving Bard by asking it questions and flagging bad answers, in addition to their normal responsibilities. Some made memes from the conversations they've had with Bard, continuing a trend of internally mocking the chatbot.

☆ The white-gold, black-blue dress controversy raised scientific questions about visual perception, but the way our eyes and brains work explain the illusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Dina Spector | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Depending on whom you ask, this dress might be black and blue or white and gold. Some people saw a blue and black dress, while others saw a white and gold dress. It makes the blue part look white and the black part look gold. In other words, our individual sensitivity to the blue background lighting of the photo is changing how we see the object in the image. The blue bars are the same at the top, bottom, and middle but appear to change color (look darker) as your eyes move down the figure.

☆ The mortgage rate you get depends partly on your credit score. Here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Yet the interest rate that any particular buyer is able to qualify for depends at least partly on their credit score — meaning you have some control over whether you're able to get the best available rate, experts say. "The score impacts practically everything: loan approval, interest rate, monthly mortgage insurance premiums … and ultimately their payment," said Al Bingham, a credit expert and mortgage loan officer with Momentum Loans. The higher your score, the lower the interest rate you'll be charged. For illustration only: On a $300,000, fixed-rate 30-year mortgage, the average rate is 6.41% (as of Thursday) if your credit score is in the 760-to-850 range, according to FICO. "Improving your credit score really comes down to the fundamentals," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate.

☆ She's visited 63 countries by herself — and now coaches others on how to travel solo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Lucy Handley | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

She's visited 63 countries alone, she said, and now coaches others on how to go solo. She said people enjoy solo travel because they don't need to take anyone else's interests into account. Group toursGroup tours are another popular option for solo travelers. It has added more single-occupancy cabins with no single supplement, which are extra fees that solo travelers are sometimes charged to stay in a room by themselves. Solo travel tipsHoffman offered advice for people who are traveling alone.

☆ You're a sucker if you trust ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Matt Turner | Dave Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But first: Adam Rogers, a senior tech correspondent at Insider, breaks down why ChatGPT is for suckers. Well, social scientists don't really know why anyone believes anything, from kooky stuff they read on Twitter to closely held ideals. Faced with those conditions, Gen Z has adapted to a new normal: When in doubt, find a new job. It has rankled some of the academics and advocates whose work helped kick off the psychedelics renaissance in the first place. Insider spoke to more than a dozen industry participants to chart its rise and its role in the psychedelics boom.

☆ A 27-year-old real-estate investor who rehabbed 7 Austin properties last year is now targeting San Antonio, where homes can cost less than $100,000. Here are 3 reasons it's the next big investor hot s
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

San Antonio. You can buy homes for relatively cheap"A lot of people have overlooked San Antonio," Crenshaw said. January data from Redfin pegs the median home price in San Antonio at $255,000, which is less than half of Austin's $530,000. San Antonio — the fastest-growing large city in the nation between 2020 and 2021, gaining nearly 14,000 people, per census data — remains attractive to newcomers. Relocators get affordability in San Antonio, Crenshaw said, without sacrificing exciting nightlife and other big-city attractions such as museums and professional sports teams like the NBA's Spurs.

☆ 5 reasons to get the Chase Freedom Unlimited
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Holly Johnson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Exceptional earning rates for the first yearThe Chase Freedom Unlimited isn’t currently offering a traditional sign-up bonus. Combine with a premium Chase travel card for even better redemptionsIf you already have a premium Chase travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, there’s another good reason to pick up the Chase Freedom Unlimited. That means you could get as much as 1.5 cents per point if you combine your Chase Freedom Unlimited rewards with a Chase Sapphire Reserve. If your flight is interrupted or cancelled due to severe weather or other eligible reasons, the Chase Freedom Unlimited can help cover unanticipated expenses. Why you shouldn’t get the Chase Freedom UnlimitedClearly, there are plenty of reasons to sign up for the Chase Freedom Unlimited, but why wouldn’t you want it?

☆ Amazon's pledge to become 'Earth's Best Employer' is failing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I get a lot of satisfaction out of what I do, but I'd love to work for the world's best employer. What would the best employer in the world look like? While we ponder these imponderables, I can tell you that it's probably not Amazon — despite its flashy 2021 pledge to become "Earth's Best Employer." Amazon is fumbling its "Earth's Best Employer" pledge. CEO Andy Jassy even once admitted that the definition of Earth's Best Employer is "subjective."

We're initiating a position in Palo Alto Networks (PANW), buying 125 shares at roughly $175 each. PANW 1Y mountain Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 1-year performance We're starting a position in Palo Alto Networks because of its leadership in cybersecurity. Thanks to management's push for profitability, Palo Alto Networks has delivered two consecutive quarters of GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) profitability. Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn | Istock | Getty ImagesWe're initiating a position in Palo Alto Networks (PANW), buying 125 shares at roughly $175 each. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 1-year performance

☆ Elder financial fraud is a $3 billion-a-year problem. This bill in Congress aims to help prevent it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Seb_ra | Istock | Getty ImagesA bill that's pending in the Senate aims to battle a persistent danger to older adults and other vulnerable individuals: financial exploitation. The bill would "provide folks on the front line with the tools necessary to help prevent exploitation," Jennings said. Called the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act of 2023 and sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., the bill cleared the House last month in a unanimous bipartisan vote. watch nowA nearly identical version of the bill that cleared the House in 2021 ended up languishing in the Senate. Older adults with cognitive challenges are the most vulnerable to exploitation and may have up to twice as much stolen than those without those issues.

☆ Biden administration is making a big change to student loan repayment. What borrowers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Currently, after 20 years of payments on undergraduate student loans, any leftover debt is forgiven on the existing REPAYE Plan. However, under the Biden administration's proposal, those with original student loan balances of $12,000 or less may get their loans forgiven after just 10 years. watch nowPreviously, a borrower who made $40,000 a year would have a monthly student loan payment of around $151. The new option should be available to borrowers with undergraduate and graduate student loans, although undergraduate borrowers will have lower payments. Once the new REPAYE Plan is available, borrowers can call their student loan servicer to enroll in the option, or apply at StudentAid.gov.

☆ How a family's struggle to help their son gave rise to controversial $400 million psychedelics giant Compass Pathways
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Today, Compass Pathways, the for-profit company they launched in 2016, is a Nasdaq-listed firm worth about $400 million. Compass Pathways Show lessIt could also boost the dozens of psychedelics companies inspired by Compass that have been formed in recent years. Insider spoke with more than a dozen industry participants to chart the rise of Compass Pathways and its role in the psychedelics boom. He recalled the 2018 Quartz article that detailed the growing alarm around Compass Pathways' "magic mushroom monopoly." Were it not for his decision to take a break from college, and his parents' efforts to find a treatment, Compass Pathways might not exist.

☆ Seen Big Ben already? Here's a Londoner's guide to visiting other parts of the city
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Central London's City of Westminster is its political heart, while the City of London is where the capital's financial decisions happen. But be warned: Several paths across Hyde Park are pedestrian-only, and police often fine people who cycle on them. The City of London is a blend of old and new, with St Paul's Cathedral close to skyscrapers as well as Roman ruins. While north London has Hampstead Heath, south of the river is Richmond Park, which dwarfs its northern counterpart in size. There's also a branch in central London's Covent Garden — the flower-filled restaurant The Petersham — that has an sit-down deli and bar.

☆ Promoting FTX was their side hustle. Now they’re left to pick up the pieces
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Kateryna Onyshchuk | Istock | Getty ImagesThe first time Gabriel Trompiz heard about the FTX student ambassador program was through a LinkedIn message. Trompiz promptly applied through the link he was sent and became an FTX campus ambassador shortly afterward. So you teach them about cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology and most importantly the benefits of using FTX," he told CNBC's Make It. Elsewhere in Nigeria, Imran Yahya was an FTX campus ambassador at Bayero University. I was like, I was part of the people saying FTX was too big to fail Fortunate Atueyi Former FTX Student Ambassador

☆ Digital health's funding slump isn't a death sentence. Here's what startups are doing to stand out to investors.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It's getting harder for digital-health startups to get investor attention. Fewer digital-health startups are fundraising, and the ones that are will be held to higher standards than before, investors told Insider. This year, a smaller group of digital-health startups is beginning to stand out. "It's been amazing to watch what this business has accomplished," she told Insider. Quantum is already earning enough to fund itself, Zane Burke, the CEO of Quantum, told Insider.

☆ Goldman Sachs partners are pissed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Matt Turner | Dave Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On the agenda today:But first: Lara O'Reilly, our senior correspondent covering the advertising industry, looks ahead to the Super Bowl. Insider's Aki Ito breaks down why grandiose job titles like "senior executive vice president" are suddenly all the rage. According to a new study, early-career job titles have changed drastically in the past few years. While it's not clear how widespread this discontent is — Goldman has some 400 partners — some partners are already talking about who might replace CEO David Solomon if it comes to that. Inside the drama at Goldman SachsRead more:Tyler Le/InsiderGoogle's search engine is about to change.

☆ As Social Security's full retirement age moves to 67, some experts say it should not go higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pekic | E+ | Getty ImagesMore than 1 million people recently took to the streets in France to protest an increase in the country's standard retirement age. The full retirement age for Social Security, when workers are eligible for 100% of the benefits they've earned, is transitioning to age 67. Based on their proposal, people born in 1978 or later would have a full retirement age of 70. watch nowThe Republicans also propose raising Medicare's eligibility age to coincide with the Social Security full retirement age and then indexing that age to life expectancy. "I think that's about as far as you can go," Munnell said of the age 67 full retirement age that is getting phased in now.

☆ Pre-tax vs. Roth 401(k): Deciding which to use for retirement is trickier than you think
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Prathanchorruangsak | Istock | Getty ImagesWhether you're starting a new job or updating retirement savings goals, you may need to choose between pre-tax or Roth 401(k) contributions — and the choice may be more complex than you think. While pre-tax 401(k) deposits offer an upfront tax break, the funds grow tax-deferred, meaning you'll owe levies upon withdrawal. By contrast, Roth 401(k) contributions happen after taxes, but your future earnings grow tax-free. Experts say these expected changes may also factor into the pre-tax vs. Roth contributions analysis. Plus, recent changes from Secure 2.0 have made Roth 401(k) contributions more appealing for some investors, she said.

☆ Including this on your resume could be the key to getting hired
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Cindy Perman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

When you think about your resume, you tend to think of including your experience, job responsibilities, education, etc. "Skills are the most important factor when it comes to landing a job right now," LinkedIn career expert Blair Heitmann recently told CNBC Make It. Some of your skills you can work into bullets under experience but for the rest, include them under the skills section of your resume. But what exactly are soft skills? "If you don't have key skills … in the skills section, it's really unlikely that your profile is coming up," Durham said.

☆ Killer whales moms spend more time with their sons than daughters, and it may be threatening their survival
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Southern Resident killer whales take care of their sons much longer than their daughters. Killer whale sons need their mom throughout their livesA Southern Resident killer whale and a calf. Among Southern Resident killer whales — a small population that spend the summer and fall off the coast of Washington state — daughters will learn pretty quickly how to fend for themselves. To care for their sons, moms have fewer babiesTwo Southern Resident killer whales. Southern Resident killer whales only feed on Chinook salmon, which is a tiny prey for a big lumbering male.

☆ Gen Z workers have fueled job title inflation. It was perfectly timed with the Great Resignation.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

I'm a Gen Z worker, and to some extent, I understand why millennial bosses find us daunting (here's Insider's guide to dealing with Gen Z workers, btw). That power fuels a lot of Gen Z stereotypes: doing things our own way, valuing work-life balance, and not having job loyalty. Burton/Getty images; Robyn Phelps/InsiderGen Z + Great Resignation = overinflated job titles. Here's what to know:My brilliant colleague Aki Ito breaks down how some job titles have become overinflated, like "senior executive vice president." Title inflation also appeases Gen Z.

☆ When it makes sense to buy extra paper Series I bonds with your tax refund, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Jetcityimage | Istock | Getty ImagesIf you're trying to max out the yearly purchase limit for Series I bonds, your tax refund offers an opportunity to buy even more. While the annual purchase limit is generally $10,000 per person for electronic I bonds, you can buy another $5,000 in paper I bonds with your tax refund. Buying paper I bonds with your tax refund may make sense if you're eager to purchase as much as possible, said Ken Tumin, senior industry analyst at LendingTree and founder of DepositAccounts.com, a website that tracks I bonds, among other assets. Downsides of paper I bondsKeil said it's also important to consider the downsides of purchasing paper I bonds tied to your tax return. What's more, paper I bonds must be converted to electronic form before redemption.

☆ China's people shortage is a grim omen for the rest of the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Matt Turner | Dave Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

We're merging with our daily Insider Today newsletter, so we'll be known as the Insider Today: Sunday Edition moving forward. On the agenda today:Up first: It was a big week for tech earnings. Senior tech reporter Diamond Naga Siu, who writes our 10 Things in Tech newsletter, is here to break it all down. Apple meanwhile retained its crown as the only Big Tech giant that hasn't conducted mass layoffs within the past year. That means reining in costs, stripping back perks, and upending the office culture that's defined the world of Big Tech for so long.

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