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☆ Insider Today: Tech's biggest lie
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In recent years, some members of Congress have lacked a basic understanding of technology, let alone something as complex as generative AI. Marc Benioff spent much of the annual Dreamforce conference sounding the alarms on how untrustworthy generative AI is right now. Marc Benioff spent much of the annual Dreamforce conference sounding the alarms on how untrustworthy generative AI is right now. It's International Equal Pay Day. The UN General Assembly created this day in 2019 with "equal pay for work of equal value" in mind.

Persons: Mark Sumersett, isn't, Simon Simard, Daron Acemoglu, Insider's Aki Ito, Acemoglu, hasn't, Aki, It's, Nat Friedman, Rebecca Zisser, Peter Brown, Marc Benioff, Salesforce, Greg Johnson, Gary Reyes, Janette Beckman, Getty, Johnny Nunez, Lynn Goldsmith, Dakarai Akil, Tupac, Akon, Sean Kingston, Gucci Mane, There's, Carly Pearce, Valter Longo, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, MIT, Renaissance Technologies, Bloomberg Beta, McAfee, Oakland Tribune Staff, Interscope Records, Academy of Country, FOX, UN, Assembly, Getty Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

☆ The next big challenge for bosses: Find the perfect balance between rigid 9-to-5ers and employees who want a more flexible schedule
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementA new Gallup poll released last Friday found a disconnect between want workers want and what bosses think they want. But in a survey of Fortune 500 chief human resource offices, they found a mismatch between what CHROs think employees want for their work schedule and what employees actually want. "For the past couple years, leaders have been working hard to woo remote workers back into the office," Pendell said. "That's likely put blender types in the forefront of their minds, even if blenders aren't necessarily the same as remote workers." When managers don't account for the work style preferences of their workers, it can lead to mismatches that can harm an organization's productivity.

Persons: Ryan Pendell, Gallup, they'd, Pendell, blenders Organizations: Service, Gallup, Fortune Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ JCPenney CEO: Working families are struggling to get by as inflation bites
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —JCPenney CEO Marc Rosen sees plenty of evidence that working-class families are struggling. “And that customer is facing a tougher economic environment.”The JCPenney CEO pointed to the snowballing effect inflation has had on family budgets, noting that the typical household is spending about $700 more per month than they did two years ago for the same goods and services. He pointed to strong private brand sales for apparel as well as for home goods like cookware and small appliances such as blenders and toasters. The JCPenney CEO wouldn’t directly answer whether the department store plans to return to the public markets through an initial public offering. “We think there are a lot of advantages right now to being a private company,” Rosen said, noting that JCPenney’s owners are reinvesting in the company and are taking a “long-term perspective” on that investment.

Persons: Marc Rosen, Liz Claiborne, Rosen, ” Rosen, delinquencies, “, JCPenney, wouldn’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, “, JCPenney, New York Federal Reserve, ” Bank of America, Simon Property Group, Brookfield Asset Management Locations: New York

☆ Stephen King won't forbid AI from training on his writing, and he's not afraid of AI ... yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

King said that he's not opposed to programmers using his works to teach AI about creativity. Thousands of other authors have objected to their work being used in AI without permission. Uploading the works of others to computers, or "state-of-the-art digital blenders" as he put it, can teach AI how to produce better art. AdvertisementAdvertisementKing said that forbidding programmers from using his to teach AI is essentially pointless. Or a Luddite trying to stop industrial progress by hammering a steam loom to pieces," King wrote.

Persons: Stephen King, King, he's, Margaret Atwood, James Patterson, Sam Altman, OpenAI, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, King Canute Organizations: The Atlantic, Morning, Authors, Apple

☆ Starbucks' $1.25 cold foam is the chain's most popular drinks add-on, and one of its most expensive. This is how it's made.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It's made by frothing nonfat cold milk and is added to iced drinks like cold brews. While some drinks come with cold foam on top as standard, such as some of its flavored cold brews, customers can opt to add it to other cold drinks for $1.25. Currently there are six flavors of cold foam available – chocolate cream, cinnamon sweet cream, matcha cream, salted caramel cream, vanilla sweet cream, and white chocolate macadamia cream. Tim Hortons in the US, for example, sells set chilled drinks with cold foam and also has the option for customers to add it to some of its other cold drinks. Dunkin' started selling sweet cold foam in February 2021, and has since launched it in a number of time-limited flavors including brown sugar and salted caramel.

Persons: It's, Tim Hortons, Dunkin, Olivia Vaughn, Heinz Kraft Organizations: Service, New York Times, Starbucks, Maxwell, Aldi Locations: Wall, Silicon, Seattle

☆ Walmart raises full-year earnings forecast as grocery, online growth fuel higher sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It said adjusted earnings per share for the year will range between $6.36 and $6.46. That compares with its prior guidance for consolidated net sales gains of 3.5% and an adjusted earnings per share range of between $6.10 and $6.20. Transactions increased by 2.9% and the average ticket rose by 3.4% for Walmart U.S.Same-store sales for Walmart U.S. grew by 6.4% in the second quarter, excluding fuel, compared with the year-ago period. Sales for Walmart Connect, the company's advertising business in the U.S., grew 36% year over year. In the grocery department at Walmart U.S., sales of private labels rose 9% year over year.

Persons: John David Rainey, Rainey, Doug McMillon, Judith McKenna, Kath McLay, Chris Nicholas, " Rainey, Walmart's, John Furner Organizations: Walmart, Walmart U.S, CNBC, Sam's, Walmart Connect Locations: U.S

☆ Three ways Walmart and Target are diverging as consumers watch their wallets
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Target followed that pattern in the second quarter. E-commerce sales rose 24% for Walmart U.S. in the second quarter. Both retailers pointed to curbside pickup as a major driver of online sales — a key differentiator from competitor Amazon. Walmart chalked up online sales gains to store pickup and delivery, as well as more advertising revenue. Sales of frequency categories, such as food and beauty items, weren't enough to offset weaker discretionary sales at the retailer.

Persons: Rainey, Christina Hennington, That's, Target's Hennington, Taylor Swift, Stanley tumblers, Chip, Joanna Gaines Organizations: Wal, Rogers, Getty, Walmart, Walmart U.S, Amazon Locations: Rogers , Arkansas, Tenleytown, Washington, DC

☆ Walmart vs Target: When it comes to groceries it's not really a competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Walmart posted surprisingly strong sales growth in the last quarter, while Target reported a decline. As shoppers increasingly prioritize essentials, one in four US grocery dollars are spent at Walmart. When Walmart's grocery sales are combined with those of its subsidiary warehouse club Sam's Club, the total approaches a third of total US grocery spending. Target meanwhile accounts for 3% of grocery dollars, or about a tenth of Walmart Inc., per Numerator. Target sells those things too, of course, but if shoppers are already heading to Walmart for groceries, they may not want to make a second stop.

Persons: headwind, Walmart's, John David Rainey, Rainey, Target's, Sara Batchelder, Neil Saunders Organizations: Walmart, Target, Service, Costco, Walmart —, Kroger, Albertsons, Sam's Club, Walmart Inc, Target's Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ It's the hottest cold drink at Starbucks – and it barely contains any coffee
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cold beverages, especially Refreshers, are driving sales at Starbucks. Starbucks Refreshers, a popular line of fruity drinks infused with green coffee extract, usually sell more in the afternoon. "This includes this summer's launch of our Starbucks Refreshers frozen beverages," Narasimhan said. Cold foam, the fastest-growing add-on at Starbucks, can be added to Refreshers, and Starbucks is rolling out "faster and easier to use" cold foam blenders "to meet the summer demand for Starbucks Refreshers frozen beverages," Narasimhan said. "The new blenders support the additional growth of cold foam, the fastest-growing customization at Starbucks," the CEO said.

Persons: they've, Laxman Narasimhan, Narasimhan, Rachel Ruggeri, Refreshers Organizations: Starbucks, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon, Refreshers

☆ U.S. fast-food chains add automation to boost speed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Kailyn Rhone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

With mass shortages of low-cost labor due to the pandemic, chains shifted to technology investments in their kitchens to fill the gap. The addition of automation tools in restaurant chains could cut down on wait times, driving higher consumer engagement and increasing sales for the rest of the year, restaurant executives say. Thirty-six percent of 1,000 U.S. people told HungerRush in a survey in May that they believed major restaurant chains don’t have enough staff to take orders, prepare food, and handle deliveries. Last year, Domino's Pizza Enterprises announced an automated pizza prep device in partnership with Picnic Works, a Seattle-based food-automation startup. "Anytime there's new automation, it creates new kinds of jobs," said Gaurav Kachhawa, chief product officer at Gupshup, a conversational messaging platform.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Rachel Ruggeri, HungerRush, Aaron Nilsson, Chipotle, Brian Niccol, Domino's, Gaurav Kachhawa, It's, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Siren, Starbucks, National Restaurant Association, Society, Pizza Enterprises, Picnic, Kailyn, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Michigan, Colorado, Houston, Seattle, Indiana, Indiana , Illinois, Wisconsin

☆ Cold drinks are hotter than ever at Starbucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cold beverages continue to be a fan favorite at Starbucks. Cold foam is the fastest growing add-on at Starbucks. But today, cold drinks are hotter than ever at that coffeehouse chain. Cold drinks accounted for 75% of beverage sales in the company's third quarter. Cold foam, in fact, is the fastest-growing add-on at Starbucks, he said.

Persons: We're, Laxman Narasimhan, Rachel Ruggeri, rollouts, Narasimhan, Ruggeri, That's Organizations: Starbucks . Food, Service, Starbucks Locations: Wall, Silicon, America

☆ Best Gifts for the Tea Lovers in Your Life
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Sarah Rose | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

For masterful measuringOMABETA Portable Kitchen Tea Scale $16 at AmazonAs with baking, you will get best results when measuring tea leaves by weight rather than the spoonful. “Some teas are tightly rolled while others are fluffy and light,” explains Ben Marcus-Willers, of Red Blossom Tea Company, a San Francisco-based tea company that sells to consumers as well as Michelin three-star chefs. Desains suggests a porcelain tea pot clad in stainless steel to keep a quality tea warm for hours. Alternately, make a tea concentrate by doubling the amount of tea leaves in hot tea, then pouring it over ice. Tea will always taste best fresh and warm, and its taste will change—“often for the worse,” Kroesen notes—as it cools.

Persons: Sarah Rose, ”, “, Abigail St, Clair, St, Maria Uspenski, Ben Marcus, Willers, Steve Schwartz, Ottilie Cunningham, Fortnum, Mason, Alex Monroe, Franck Desains, Joshua Kaiser, Milwaukee’s Rishi, —, Cindy Sherman, Madame de Pompadour, French King Louis XV, Heidi Johannsen Stewart, Van, Brandon Friedman, Obama, ” Friedman, “ Matcha, Catherine Jue, Tekuno, Emeric Harney, Harney, Ravi Kroesen, Smith, Orla Kiely, Jessie Dean Organizations: Amazon, Tea Bella Tea Company, Red, Red Blossom Tea, Michelin, Blossom, Art, Mariages Freres, Desains, MET, Bellocq, Metropolitan Museum of, 187th, Tea, Asheville Tea Company Locations: China, Tampa , Fla, Clair, Darjeeling, it’s, Boulder, Colo, Red Blossom, San Francisco, chai In India, Los Angeles, Paris, Brooklyn, U.S, Iraq, Afghanistan, Dallas, New York, Portland ,, North Carolina

☆ 33 non-Prime Day Alternative Sales to Shop from Walmart, Macy’s & More
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Bellamy Richardson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +20 min

For these two days, take 25% off select items as well as 15% off select beauty products by using the code CYBER at checkout. Everlane Best of SaleThe deal: Various discounts sitewideLooking to add some classic summer essentials to your wardrobe for the warmer weather? Lands’ End High-Summer SaleThe deal: 50% offHeading to the beach and need a new swimsuit? Our Place Summer SaleThe deal: 20% off select itemsFrom now through July 12, upgrade your cookware collection and take 20% off select items from Our Place for its Summer Sale. Sephora Top Skincare SaleThe deal: Up to 50% off top skincare itemsYou can save up to 50% off top skincare picks through July 15.

Persons: Bellamy Richardson, Alex Mill, “, Cabeau, Peter Thomas Roth, Huckberry, Ripstop, Macy’s, Michael Kors, you’ve, Samsonite, Spinner —, —, LUNA, Pearl Pink, Kate Somerville, grillers, Gray Organizations: Amazon, Amazon Prime, USA, GOLS, Stainless Steel, Macbook, Walmart, Target, Samsung, LG, Sony, LG Smart, Brooklinen, Cabeau, Soho, Rockies, Black, Nike, Nike Air Max, Saks, Saks Fifth, Sale, Sun, Dyson, Lenovo, Thermoworks, Savings, Urban, Big Deal, Urban Outfitters, Party Locations: California, Kalamata, Bone, Zion, Black, Caribbean, Tres, Wayfair, White

MediaNews Group | The Riverside Press-Enterprise via Getty ImagesOf the many acts that can get an Amazon merchant kicked off the site, few are as devastating as selling stolen goods. But suspended sellers, who spent years building their businesses on Amazon, told CNBC they had no idea they were selling stolen products. In an email to CNBC, Amazon said it's working with authorities and doesn't comment "on matters that are the subject of active law enforcement investigations." Tracing the stolen goods supply chainIn tracing the supply chain for suspended sellers, some patterns started to emerge. "Chances are stolen goods or similar ASINs/serial numbers are being bled in to every supply line," the employee wrote.

Persons: Levoit humidifiers, Frank —, Frank, Kenzo Sobrie, Dyson, blenders, they'd, Joe Quinlivan, Sellers, they've, Chris McCabe, Ricky Sala, what's, Sala, he'd, Tien Ngo, Ngo, Stride, Daniel Acker, ASINs, Armen Babayan, illicitly, Babayan, KZ, Juniper, couldn't, Cameron Webb, Kevin Cole, didn't, He's, Sobrie Organizations: MediaNews, Riverside Press, Enterprise, Getty, Amazon, CNBC, Retailers, LG, KZ International, California, Patrol, KZ, CHP, Amazon.com Inc, Amazon Robotics, Bloomberg, Oregon Prep Center, Facebook, FBI, Washington State Office, Ngo Wholesale Distributors, Ngo, Co, Wholesale, Los, Juniper Holdings, Telegram Locations: Eastvale , California, KZ's, Huntington Beach , California, Westborough , Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Miami, The Miami, New York, Washington, Santa Fe Springs, Los Angeles County, Garden Grove, Orange County, California, Huntington Beach, California , Florida, New Jersey

☆ This 51-year-old pays $725 a month to live in a 'tiny home on wheels’ in someone's backyard—take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Jen Gressett | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

When I saw a trend of tiny houses on social media, I was immediately intrigued and decided to go for it. Today, I live in a 520-square-foot house with a modern farmhouse interior, and I have a community of 160,000 followers on Instagram, where I share tips about the tiny house lifestyle. How I built my tiny home on wheelsIn 2019, I bought a tiny house shell from a local builder for $45,000. So I reached out to a different builder, MitchCraft Tiny Homes, to take over the project in June 2020. Photo: Jen GressettYour tiny space can be whatever you want it to be.

☆ In Beijing, French business community welcomes Macron's overtures
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, April 6 (Reuters) - Among the French business executives travelling to Beijing with President Emmanuel Macron, the mood was cautiously sanguine on the thawing post-pandemic trade prospects with China, with some rejecting American-led calls for 'decoupling'. It shows the business community is supported by the president, it's very important vis-à-vis the Chinese authorities," Thierry de la Tour d'Artaise, chairman of French appliance group SEB (SEBF.PA), told Reuters. The size of Macron's business delegation was criticised by some commentators, though. "Three-quarters of the delegation are business leaders: the goal is first and foremost to sign contracts," Raphael Glucksmann, a left-wing member of the European parliament, wrote on Twitter ahead of Macron's visit. Operating in China still presented challenges for French businesses, China-based French expats said.

Very little green hydrogen, or hydrogen produced from green energy sources, exists today, as most current hydrogen is made using natural gas, and known as blue hydrogen. But several firms have committed to scaling up green hydrogen output over the coming decade, using solar or wind energy to power electrolysers that will split water into its constituent parts, hydrogen and oxygen. In turn, that should drive the cost of renewable-powered electrolysis below that of other forms of hydrogen production, and allow for a rapid global surge in green hydrogen output. FEASIBLE FUTUREWhile industry analysts can see a viable path to greater hydrogen supply, it is less clear how the demand side pans out. Such businesses are more likely to receive government support for energy system overhauls than factories due to their importance to the local and international economy.

☆ The 10 Best Wayfair Deals to Shop This Presidents Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

By Madeline DiamondPlenty of Presidents Day deals are live right now at Wayfair. Keep reading for our top picks from Wayfair‘s Presidents Day sale; we’ll be updating throughout the week to help you stay on top of the latest deals. They’re all on sale right now, but the best deal is on the rose gold version, which is currently discounted to just $80. A comfortable desk chair (that isn’t an eyesore) is a great place to start, especially while standout options are on sale for Presidents Day. Plus see our guide for more tips on shopping for an ergonomic desk chair.

☆ If You Love Fire Pits and Wood-Fired Pizzas, Get Ready
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

By Leslie YazelWhen I first heard about the Solo Stove Pi Fire pizza oven, I scoffed. You use semolina or cornmeal on the oven’s pizza stone for easy sliding in and out, and in about 8 minutes, you have great tasting wood-fired pizza. It’s perfect for the crucial rotation of the pie and it’s sized exactly for the Pi oven. That tool, combined with the wide “mouth” of the oven, makes rotating the pie easier than with tabletop pizza ovens I’ve tried. If you’ve read this and you’re still thinking, eh, too much time commitment for me, then this wildly-popular, high-quality pizza oven may be a great fit for your needs.

In our guide to the best blenders, the Vitamix 5200 was chosen as the best blender overall. Check out the best Black Friday sales on Vitamix blenders and other kitchen tools below. Black Friday Vitamix deals: Top discountsBest Black Friday Vitamix dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Vitamix 5200 Blender The Vitamix 5200 is an easy-to-use, easy-to-clean blender with the power and speed variation to handle any task. Usually priced close to $600, it's on sale for $399; a stellar discount if you're looking for a Vitamix blender.

☆ Starbucks Is Rethinking Almost Everything, Including How to Make Frappuccinos
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Heather Haddon | Photographs Meron Menghistab For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SEATTLE—Behind a secure door at Starbucks Corp. headquarters lies a technology lab where the chain is plotting its renewal. That includes rethinking the onerous path its baristas must take to make a Frappuccino. Inside the 20,000-square-foot space called the Tryer Center, baristas working in a mock-up of a Starbucks cafe walked back and forth between refrigerators, blenders and syrups to make a single blended coffee topped with cold foam and caramel drizzle. They asked if the company could build kitchens that bring the equipment closer together and make syrup pumps, milk dispensers and ice bins that work better.

☆ How mole sauce is made with a tool as old as human civilization
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Caroline Mishelle Aghajanian | Amelia Kosciulek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Evangelina Aquino Luis is a chef in Oaxaca, Mexico, who makes special mole for families in mourning. She grinds chiles, spices, and other ingredients with a traditional stone called a metate. These ancient tools have become less popular in the household with the rise of modern-day blenders. Loading Something is loading. We visit chef Evangelina Aquino Luis of Nana Vira in Oaxaca to see how she makes her chichilo mole for funerals.

☆ How United Airlines expects electric planes to change the way passengers make travel decisions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

As electric cars and SUVs move toward 5% of the new-car market in the U.S. and 9% globally, few airlines have made any major push toward electric planes. Sustainability plans being pursued by American Airlines , Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines barely mention electric planes. "Go back to the 1990s, there were hundreds of small aircraft serving a lot of communities that have now lost service." "There are literally dozens of companies that wouldn't have worked that are now viable startups that you'll hear about United Airlines and United Ventures investing in in the coming months." Most likely, electric planes will serve small markets, hydrogen-powered planes will serve medium-sized passenger loads, and SAF-powered jet engines will serve major cities.

☆ Buyer beware: Some Amazon Prime Day deals may not be what they seem, according to a new study
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new study warns that Amazon deals might be price hikes in disguise. When you consider vacuum cleaners, for example, the addition of a list price was accompanied by a price hike 22% of the time. One day, a "List Price" of $300 pops up on the page with a slash through it. List prices are based on amounts Amazon customers recently paid and other retailers recently charged, Amazon said. Still, the study's authors warned that consumers shouldn't always take Amazon deals at face value.

After Ukrainian forces stage ambushes and cut off the key access route to the capital, Russian soldiers tell their relatives that the military strategy is failing. … That’s what we’re fucking going to do, it seems. “Frankly speaking, nobody understands why we have to fight this war," Sergey tells his girlfriend. Replay‘I’ll quit at once.’Frustrated by continuous setbacks and fearing for their lives, Russian soldiers say they are fed up with the military. As quickly as they came, the Russian soldiers in northern Kyiv withdrew, regrouped and pivoted east, where Russian-backed separatists have been waging war for over eight years.

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