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☆ A couple hasn't paid for flights since 2018 and lives in homes for free. Here's how they quit their corporate jobs for house-sitting gigs all over the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Marco Ilagan, 42, and Fran Cassaniti, 30, left their jobs at Accenture to travel in 2018. The couple live in other people's homes for free in return for looking after their pets. The couple needed to look after a dog and a cockatiel called Tweetie who would fly free around the house. They also spent four months looking after two relaxed German Shepherds in a beach retreat in Grenada, as the retired owners would go sailing during the winter months. They are currently driving it in Costa Rica, where they will spend the next four months looking after two dogs and ticking off those goals they created.

Persons: Marco Ilagan, Fran Cassaniti, Ilagan, they'd, Instagram, Cassaniti, Tweetie, They've, they've, hasn't Organizations: Accenture, Service, Thrones Locations: Wall, Silicon, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chicago , Illinois, India, Thailand, Brazil, Krabi, Philippines, Hawaii, Anchorage , Alaska, TrustedHousesitters, Utah, Grenada, Chicago, Florida, Scotland, Inveraray, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, England, Ireland, Europe, America, Cozumel , Mexico, Mexico, US, Texas, Belize, Costa Rica

☆ 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

☆ Chipotle CEO says the 'Autocado' robot prototype makes workers' jobs easier
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol sat down with CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday to discuss the Mexican fast food chain's earnings and the "Autocado" robot prototype. "And, frankly, our supply chain team, our operators, have done a great job of managing labor, managing costs along the way." Niccol also touted Chipotle's "Autocado" robot prototype. He said the 'Autocado' not only makes workers' jobs easier, but it allows them to recover faster if they find they haven't prepared enough guacamole for the day. "We challenged our team to come up with a robotic or an automated solution, and we've got one that's a prototype, it's the 'Autocado,'" Niccol said.

Persons: Brian Niccol, CNBC's Jim Cramer, Niccol, Chipotle, he'd, prepping, we've

☆ Meet the $1 billion water-recycling startup helping the likes of Coca-Cola, BMW, and TSMC curb their usage and clamp down on pollution
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The water-recycling firm Gradiant became one of the first in the space to be valued at $1 billion. Bajpayee's Gradiant helps industrial businesses get this under control by treating and recycling used water. Gradiant has raised over $400 million from investors to date and counts BMW, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. as customers. "If you think about it, ever since the industrial revolution, we've just been taking water from nature," Bajpayee told Insider. Bajpayee added that the company used fewer and, "in some cases," no chemicals in its treatments.

Persons: Gradiant, Anurag Bajpayee, we've, Bajpayee, MIT spinout, Iris, Extantia, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lindsey Higgins, Higgins Organizations: BMW, Cola, Pfizer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, MIT, Synthesis Locations: Microsoft's, South America

☆ Chipotle tests a robot to speed up guacamole production
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Ellie Stevens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Your Chipotle guacamole may soon be prepared by a robot. Meet “Autocado,” a Chipotle robot designed to perform the more tedious tasks of creating the chain’s guacamole, including cutting, coring and peeling avocados. But Chipotle (CMG) said this “collaborative robot” will not eliminate jobs, but, instead, employees will work with the robot to speed up guacamole production. For its design, Chipotle partnered with Vebu Labs, a robotics startup in California, to analyze the preparation process at various Chipotle restaurants and identify the most time-consuming tasks for employees. And Chipotle is already testing “Chippy,” a robotic kitchen assistant that uses artificial intelligence to make tortilla chips to dip in Autocado’s guacamole.

Persons: “ Autocado, Chipotle, Curt Garner, ”, Patrick T Organizations: CNN, Technology, Grill Inc, Fallon, Bloomberg, Getty, ., Vebu Labs Locations: El Segundo , California, U.S, California, Vebu, guacamole

☆ Chipotle is hiring a robot to do a task employees hate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Avocado prep is one of Chipotle employees' least favorite responsibilities, Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer at Chipotle, told CNBC. Chipotle's robot could also help alleviate lingering labor shortages that have swept across the restaurant industry. Last year Chipotle started testing the chip-making robot Chippy, which was intentionally designed to make imperfect tortilla chips. To develop the Autocado robot, Chipotle worked with Vebu Labs, a food industry robotics startup. Future investments could include farming and supply chain innovations, as well as advanced robotics, Chipotle said in a press release.

Persons: Chipotle, Curt Garner, Chipotle isn't, Taco Bell Organizations: Service, Grill, Technology, CNBC, Brands, National Restaurant Association, Miso Robotics, White Castle, Buffalo Wild Wings, Vebu Labs Locations: Wall, Silicon, Irvine , California, Vebu

☆ Chipotle tests robot that can prepare avocados to make guacamole faster
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Avocados sliced, cored and peeled by the Autocado robot created by Chipotle and Vebu Labs. The fast-casual chain developed the collaborative robot, or cobot, in partnership with Vebu Labs, a California-based robotics startup. Chipotle Mexican Grill has developed a robot that can cut, core and peel avocados used in its guacamole as the restaurant industry faces a sustained labor shortage. To prepare avocados using the Autocado, Chipotle employees load up the device with a full case of the ripe fruit. Preparing avocados for guacamole routinely ranks as one of employees' least favorite tasks, Garner said.

Persons: Carl's, Chipotle, Curt Garner, Garner, Vebu, It's, We've, we'll Organizations: Vebu Labs, baristas, CNBC, Employees, guacamole, Miso Robotics Locations: Naperville , Illinois, California, Vebu

☆ Are sports drinks good or bad for you? A medical analyst explains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Dr. Leana Wen: It’s important to distinguish between sports drinks and energy drinks. There are also energy drinks that are often, and unfortunately, confused with sports drinks. Those consuming energy drinks instead of sports drinks or water may become dehydrated. This could be because of confusion between sports drinks and energy drinks, so people should be careful to choose the beverage that’s appropriate for their purpose. And really distinguish between sports drinks that replenish electrolytes and fluids versus energy drinks.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Leana Wen, Wen, I’d Organizations: CNN, US Food and Drug Administration, Prime Energy, Red Bulls, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Energy, US Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Academy of Pediatrics, Getty, Endurance

☆ How to spice up your pantry the Mediterranean way
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Susan Puckett | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But it was the tart, earthy, tingly, subtly sweet notes provided by the sumac and Aleppo pepper that made such a lasting impression. Extra-virgin olive oil, yogurt and feta cheese are dietary mainstays, along with seasonal produce, legumes, whole grains and lean proteins. Made from deep-red Halaby chile peppers, Aleppo pepper is named for the Syrian city where it once grew in abundance. Dukkah, a blend of nuts, seeds and warm spices, makes a savory, crunchy topping on everything from soups to salads. Baharat is just one of a combination of warm spices that can punch up a chicken dish the Mediterranean way.

Persons: CNN —, Suzy Karadsheh, Ionut Groza, ”, ” Michelle Lee, Karadsheh, el hanout, ” Karadsheh, “, It’s, ” Susan Puckett Organizations: CNN, Karadsheh, The Atlanta Locations: Aleppo, Atlanta, Eastern, Europe, North Africa, Syria, Turkey

☆ Meet the typical Australian millennial: They're delaying marriage and kids, have $16,000 in student debt, and their housing woes sparked political change.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Delaying kids and priced out of homes, the typical Australian millennial looks similar to Americans. Student debt averages $16,000, and the government doesn't collect until you reach a certain income. Australian millennials have also empowered a political party, the Greens, with their housing woes. In 2017, 60 Minutes Australia asked Melbourne real-estate mogul Tim Gurner if Australian millennials were forever locked out of the housing market. Also frustratingly locked out of the housing market, Australian millennial voters have pushed a third-party, the Greens, into a seat at the table.

Persons: Tim Gurner, —, doesn't, frustratingly Organizations: Greens, Service, Australia, Melbourne, Census Bureau Locations: Wall, Silicon, Australia, United States

☆ Goldman's 'Rule of 10' for investing and stocks meeting that criteria today
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman Sachs has a "Rule of 10" for investing that could serve traders well as they head into the second half of the year. While the poor market breadth this year was significant, Goldman Sachs said the trend is typical of most recent years. According to Goldman Sachs, it's vital to identify those names that can lead the market. Now, Goldman Sachs has updated its "Rule of 10" screen to not only identify those stocks posting faster-than-average sales growth, but net income too. Intuit is also expected to post strong net income growth of 15% through 2025, coupled with sales growth of 13% per annum.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Kostin, Kostin, Chipotle, Fortinet, Paycom Organizations: Bank of America, Intuit Locations: Fortinet, TurboTax

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Meta, Apple, Uber, Target, SoFi, Nike, Amazon, GM and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here are Friday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley said in a note Friday that it sees several reasons for share outperformance. Morgan Stanley upgrades Evotech to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the drug discovery and development company is well-positioned for artificial intelligence. As such we are upgrading to Market Perform with a $44 price target." Morgan Stanley reiterates Snowflake as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's bullish heading into the company's upcoming investor day. Barclays reiterates Uber as overweight Barclays raised its price target on Uber to $70 per share from $57 and says it's well-positioned.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Apple, Stephens, KeyBanc, Wells, Armour, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Valvoline, underperform SVB, Wayfair, Snowflake, it's, Uber, Roth, Bernstein, Jefferies Organizations: Deutsche Bank, Nike, Sovos Brands, UAA, Outsized NA, JPMorgan, Global Products, Securities, Bed, Barclays, Amazon, Citi, General Motors Locations: China, Italian, downgrades, EBITDA

☆ ‘Asteroid City’ Review: Our Town and Country
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Manohla Dargis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“Asteroid City,” the latest from Wes Anderson, is filled with the assiduous visuals, mythic faces and charming curiosities that you expect from this singular filmmaker. It’s partly set in 1955 in a fictional Southwest town, a lonely four corners with a diner, gas station and motor inn. Palm trees and cactuses stipple the town, and reddish buttes rise in the distance. It opens in black-and-white on an unnamed television host (Bryan Cranston, severe and mustachioed) in a studio. It looks like a film, a meticulous, detailed, visually balanced wide-screen Wes Anderson one.

Persons: Wes Anderson, Anderson, Bryan Cranston, that’s, Edward Norton, Thornton Wilder’s, John Deere, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda, Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody Organizations: Tilda Swinton Locations: Southwest, Asteroid

☆ Target wants shoppers to think of it for groceries as retailer braces for leaner spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The big-box retailer also hopes by drawing shoppers for essentials like gallons of milk, it can nudge purchases of discretionary items that shoppers otherwise would not have bought. A 'Tarzhay' spin on groceriesOn a recent trip to a Minneapolis area grocery store, Gomez surveyed displays of colorful fruits and vegetables. In each of the past two fiscal years, Target has had double-digit sales growth in the food and beverage category. Target's grocery sales matter more as shoppers pull back in other areas. Grocery competition gets tougherCompetition for grocery shoppers has heated up, especially as consumers stretch their budgets.

☆ Six innovations that can help feed the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Mark Tutton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN asked three experts to outline the innovations that can help increase food production without harming the planet. Insect proteinSingapore-based Insectta uses black soldier fly larvae to convert organic food waste into fertilizer and animal feed. The maggots are fed food waste, such as the byproducts of soybean factories and breweries. Don Emmert/AFP/Getty ImagesMadramootoo says that a wholescapes approach can also be applied to food production in urban and peri-urban areas – the spaces immediately surrounding a city. “In congested peri-urban areas, we can use vertical farms in warehouses or abandoned buildings, for example, to produce food.

☆ Fruit growers arrested for using illegal wells in drought-hit Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

During a four-year investigation, authorities uncovered more than 250 illegal wells, bore holes and ponds in the Axarquia area in Andalusia, which has been hit by drought since 2021. Spain is Europe's biggest producer of tropical fruit, which requires large volumes of water. Producers estimate that avocado production will drop by 25% this year due to high temperatures and a lack of water. Spain registered the driest and warmest April since records began, according to the national weather agency AEMET. The average water level in reservoirs in Catalonia and Andalusia - the worst hit areas - stands at around 25%.

☆ Dozens of fruit growers arrested in Spain over illegal wells as drought grips the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Al Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Spanish police have arrested 26 people in recent months for an alleged scheme to use water from illegal wells to grow subtropical fruit, as the country grapples with damaging heat and drought. Spanish police officers document illegal water pipes in Malaga province, Spain in this screen grab from an undated handout video. Authorities’ investigation into the alleged illegal wells scheme began with a complaint to the Civil Guard’s environmental investigative unit four years ago. Later various growers told authorities they also detected illegal use of water, Spanish police said. The 26 people arrested have been arraigned before the magistrate there in recent months and released, with charges pending, the Malaga Civil Guard press office told CNN.

☆ Why Should Charles III Be King?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Tanya Gold | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

King Charles(Francis Xavier,Professor X) III Prof. King Charles III, a telepath and the leader of the X-Men, is powerfully gifted, like the real Charles III (a noted gardener and watercolorist). King Charlize (Theron) III Charlize III is a gifted actor, which all good monarchs need to be, and an extraordinarily beautiful woman. King Charles III, theMadame Tussauds waxwork Wax Charles III lives in Madame Tussauds on Baker Street, and more people met him in 2022 — 2.5 million — than the real king will meet during his whole reign. King Charlie (Sheen) III Another actor, who has the advantage of already being from a famous dynasty: his father played Jed Bartlet, the philosopher king from “The West Wing.” King Charlie (Sheen) III would be handsome but not as handsome as King Charlize (Theron). King Charles (Dickens) III could not function in a country with failing public services and a system that taxes earnings, not wealth.

☆ Chipotle’s CFO on Avocado Prices, Inflation and TikTok-Inspired Menu Items
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Lower-than-expected avocado costs have helped Chipotle Mexican Grill’s margins, offsetting higher costs for other items such as oils and tortillas. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesChipotle Mexican Grill ’s shares hit a record high last week after the fast-food chain reported first-quarter results that beat analysts’ expectations. Quarterly and comparable sales were up, and its restaurant-level operating margin improved by roughly 25%. One reason behind the results: avocados.

☆ 2023's 'Clean 15': These are the fruits and veggies with the least pesticides—and how to include them in your daily diet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

You may have heard of the "Dirty Dozen," but what about the "Clean Fifteen"? Just as fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides are listed, non-organic produce items with significantly less pesticide residues are also ranked by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that primarily focuses on making the environment healthier. Each list in EWG's 2023 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce is based on federal data of over 46,000 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables that were tested for pesticides. Unlike strawberries and spinach, which topped the "Dirty Dozen," avocados and sweet corn landed the top two spots in the "Clean Fifteen." Pineapples and cabbage also made the list.

☆ Harvard gut doctor: Avoid these 8 foods if you always feel bloated after eating—what to eat instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Dr. Jacqueline Wolf | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But one common cause is related to what we eat, particularly foods that are poorly absorbed by the gut. Carbonation can cause bloating, so opt for flat water or vegetable juices. Black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, pinto beans and soy beans are most likely to give you gas. Stevia and monk fruit extract are healthier and less likely to cause gas or bloating. GrainsFoods that contain gluten can cause bloating in people who are intolerant.

As emergency doctors, here are seven longevity snacks we eat to stay healthy, full and energized all day:1. HummusChickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, are high in fiber and a great source of plant-based protein. Studies have found that adding it to your diet can help protect against heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. A 2016 study found that eating more monounsaturated fat reduced the risk of premature death due to disease, compared with eating more carbohydrates. Olives are often soaked in brine, and over time, snacks high in salt can lead to increased blood pressure.

☆ Life Is So Expensive That Price Nostalgia Is Now a Thing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Joe Pinsker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

People used to talk wistfully about how movie tickets were $3 in the 1980s, or how a Big Mac cost a couple of bucks in the 1990s. Now they are nostalgic for the prices of just a few years ago. Russell Max Simon watched inflation play out in the cost of the avocados he likes to put on top of his breakfast. A 41-year-old marketing consultant in Rumney, N.H., Mr. Simon was dismayed to see their price climb from $1 each in early 2021 to $2.50 one year later.

☆ Life Is So Expensive, People Are Nostalgic for 2021
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Joe Pinsker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Dirty Dozen list: Which fruits and vegetables could contain pesticides
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Each year, a rotating list of produce is tested by USDA staffers who wash, peel or scrub fruits and vegetables as consumers would before the food is examined for 251 different pesticides. Kale, collard and mustard greens contained the largest number of different pesticides — 103 types — followed by hot and bell peppers at 101. Concerned consumers can consider choosing conventionally grown vegetables and fruits from the EWG’s Clean 15, a list of crops that tested lowest in pesticides, the report said. When last tested in 2014, blueberries contained over 50 different pesticides. Testing in 2020 and 2021 found 54 different pesticides — about the same amount.

Persons: nutritionists, Kale, collard, ”, Jane Houlihan, Houlihan, Ian Berry, Alexis Temkin, ” Temkin, we’re, ” Chris Novak, ” Novak, Bryan Hitchcock, Temkin, “, “ Steer Organizations: CNN, Environmental, Produce, US Department of Agriculture, USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, Healthy, American Academy of Pediatrics, Futures, EPA, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, CropLife, Food Technologists, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: CropLife America

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