Affirm beats on earnings and revenue in fiscal first quarter.

Airbnb reported third-quarter earnings Thursday that showed revenue up 10% year over year.

AppLovin was already the best-performing tech stock of 2024, and that was before the stock popped on a big earnings beat.

Caroline Ellison, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges tied to the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, is beginning her two-year prison sentence.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk poured at least $130 million into a pro-Trump campaign effort after an assassination attempt on the former president in July.

The mocapd Robert Zemeckis film featured pioneering work by Sony Pictures Imageworks.Sure, a lot of people remember The Polar Express because of the Uncanny Valley. But the film (celebrating its 20th anniversary right now) was arguably one of the big game changers in the way it approached motion capture and virtual cinematography, thanks to the efforts of director Robert Zemeckis, visual effects supervisor Ken Ralston and the team at Sony Pictures Imageworks.The technical artistry of the film is packaged up in an extremely insightful behind the scenes document publicly available from Imageworks website. It was presented as a course at SIGGRAPH 2005 and titled From Mocap to Movie: The Polar Express, presented by Rob Bredow, Albert Hastings, David Schaub, Daniel Kramer and Rob Engle.Inside youll find a wealth of information about the motion capture process, animation, virtual cinematography, effects, lighting, stereo and moreeven the original optical flow test for the film is covered.I think its a fascinating read, and an important one in the history of motion capture and virtual production. Remember, the film came out in 2004; Avatar (which took performance capture much futher, of course, came out in 2009). Over the years, SIGGRAPH courses have been an invaluable resource for discovering the history of tools and techniques at visual effects studios. I love that this resource for The Polar Express exists.The post The Polar Express is 20. Heres a fantastic behind the scenes document anyone can access appeared first on befores & afters.

A new manager has hit the ground running. He lurks around every corner, catching employees whenever they stop to chat, talk on their phones, or take a moment to scroll through social media posts.Still stinging from the managers reprimand one morning, Elaine complains to her coworker, Connor. I never see him hassle you, she says. How do you avoid getting in his crosshairs?Simple, replies Connor. I do nothing faster.What do you mean?Connor smiles.I move purposefully from place to place, looking extremely busy without doing any work at all.Lets face it: In a world spinning at light speed, who has time to wait for real results to determine progress, productivity, or success? Its no surprise that weve become increasingly dependent on benchmarks and short-term goals. And, by doing so, weve created a vicious circle in which we rely on incomplete data to project hypothetical results, and then base our decisions on those projections to produce more unreliable data.What should be obvious is that the less sound our systems of evaluation are, the easier it is for unethical or unmotivated players to game those systems. One particularly deceptive form of behavior easily overlooked is this weeks entry into the Ethical Lexicon:Snudge (snudj) verbTo be stingy or miserly.To cheat or fudge.To snuggle or nestle.To appear thoughtful and purposeful while accomplishing nothing of value.At first glance, these definitions seem unrelated to one another. But miserliness is essentially a manifestation of greed, which is a likely motivator for cheating or fudging, and which encourages drawing inward to protectively hold close ones acquired possessions, wealth, or nest egg.Rather than using ones resources of time, industry, and creativity for the benefit of an employereven while collecting a paycheck to do just thatthe snudging employee hoards his talents and energy for his own selfish indulgences, expending minimal effort to look productive rather than actually being productive.In this, snudgers in workplaces the world over find dependable allies in their smartphones and tablets. Simply lean into your device, furrow your brow, and peer intently at the screen. Coworkers and bosses have no way of knowing whether youre busy contemplating the next step in your current project or checking out a new watering hole for your next after-hours drink.The sad truth is that snudging is ultimately unfulfilling. On the one hand, there might be a certain wicked pleasure in taking home a days pay without having done a days work. But time spent flying under the radar provides no genuine satisfaction since theres no sense of accomplishment to make each day meaningful.Therefore, the question that employees like Connor need to ask themselves is this: What do I want from my job? Do I want to collect a paycheck by exerting minimal effort, or do I want to utilize my potential by contributing to a worthwhile enterprise?The question employers need to ask themselves becomes: Am I providing an environment in which my employees see themselves as partners in a higher mission so they feel driven to devote themselves to our collective success?A Jewish parable illustrates the point:A fellow walks into a shop one afternoon and is immediately greeted by a young employee.His name tag identifies him as Josh.How can I help you today? Josh asks.He quickly and politely answers the customers questions, guides him to where he can find what hes looking for, and then seems to vanish, reappearing moments later on the other side of the shop to help another customer.Josh seems to be everywhere at once, stepping up to do whatever needs to be done without being asked or instructed. The visitor watches in wonder until he eventually notices a second employee who is the antithesis of the first. This worker shuffles along without energy or direction, takes no initiative, and moves slowly into action only when prodded by the owner.The visitor cant help pointing out the contrast to another customer. Its no surprise, really, hes told. The slacker hes just a high school kid who wants to make a few bucks for pocket money. But Josh well, hes the owners son.We dont need to hire family members to find eager and enthusiastic workers. Leaders need to make employees feel like theyre part of a community, have a stake in the organization, and are valued and appreciated for their contributions.When leaders give their people not only a paycheck but a sense of purpose and responsibility, they will never have to worry about employees snudging their way through work day after day.

In the years since the pandemic upended how we all work, many employers have returned to the office, often opting for a hybrid model that grants their employees some flexibility to work from home. But over the last few months, tech companies like Amazon and a number of big banks, including Citigroup, have taken these mandates a step further, requiring five days in the office again.In contrast, Spotify introduced a Work from Anywhere policy in 2021 and has embraced being a distributed-first company, allowing employees to work out of an office or remotelyor a mix of both.While the decision to adopt this policy was accelerated by the pandemic, it was a long time coming. As Spotify expanded across dozens of countries and offices, it had prompted conversations among executive leadership about the companys work culture. As soon as youre on more than two floors, [or] dont fit in one office, [or] are in more than one country, you are actually distributed, says Katarina Berg, the chief human resources officer at Spotify. We all, together with the rest of the world, had a big trial during the pandemic, and that fast-forwarded a couple of things. But the conversation started five years before the pandemic.Berg says her team had a few working theories about how a more flexible policy would benefit the company. They felt like Spotify would be able to attract talent from new placeslike Atlanta, where the company does not have an officeand hold onto employees who were looking for more flexibility. Even back in 2019, one thing that came up in their employee engagement surveys was that people valued flexibility. We have very talented people internally that we look to retain and keep and grow with Spotify, Berg says. Were also looking to compete with other companies for the best new talent. And how are we going to solve for that? [Offering] them flexibility.Three years after Spotify made this policy official, the split of people working remotely and those working out of the offices is more or less equal. But the companys rate of attrition has been cut in half, and the average time it takes to fill an open position has gone from 48 days to 41 days. When it comes to hiring, Spotify has also drawn more diverse candidates. We can see that diversity is going up across multiple dimensions in the hiring pipelines, as well as the interview slates once we get further on in the interview process, says Alexander Westerdahl, who works with Berg on the HR team. The push for returning to the office has often centered on worker productivityor at least the appearance of itbut Spotify has found that metrics like efficiency, engagement, and wellbeing have either remained steady or increased since the company embraced its Work from Anywhere policy.While Berg and other Spotify leaders remain bullish about a flexible model, their approach is not without its challenges. Building company culture can be especially hard when your workforce is distributedand as many companies learned during the pandemic, hybrid collaboration can be tricky. Theres something that happens when people meet face to face, and you look somebody in the eye, Berg says. Its easier to work on things that are quite difficult and very complex. Many workplaces have imposed strict return to office requirements in an attempt to facilitate this kind of collaboration. Spotify has found ways to bring its employees together in an intentional way through events like Core Week; once a year, teams convene at one of the companys offices to discuss strategy and big-picture planningand have some fun, Berg says. Spotify hosts several company-wide events as well, like Spotifest, a music festival exclusively for its employees, and Intro Days, which brings employees to the companys headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. In an effort to address burnout and mental wellbeing, the company also introduced Wellness Week in 2021, an annual occurrence during which the entire company shuts down to allow employees to recharge.Still, Bergs team recognizes that certain groups of workers may benefit from spending more time in the office, at least initially. There [are] two categories of individuals that struggle a bit more than others in this way of working, Westerdahl says. The first one is people that are new to the labor market. With recent college graduates and other hires who are new to the workforce, Spotify does require that they spend a year working out of an office. When a year has passed, they can move to another location, or they can work from home, if thats what they desire, he adds. Spotify also encourages managers to onboard new hires in person when possible, regardless of their experience in the workforce.With this model, Spotify has also found that employees sometimes want to come into the office since its on their own termswhether to meet colleagues, or to drop by a listening lounge session. In some cases, when employees who work from home have expressed feeling lonely, Bergs team has suggested coming into the office for a change of pace. It might seem very strange that our advice is: Why dont you try to come into the office? Berg says. I think 10 [times] out of 10, they [say], Oh yes, I forgot that I could go into the office and I could see people, and then I get much more energized.As Spotify has acclimated to Work from Anywhere, Berg says it has been invaluable to receive regular feedback from employees about what is and isnt working. It might have been easier for Spotify to simply return to the old model of in-person work, as so many other companies have since the pandemic receded. But Berg says this approach to work is consistent with Spotifys culture and desire to foster trust among its employees. The question we got most from external people when we launched was: So what [will] happen with productivity and efficiency? she says. And that was never an issue for us. Because again, if you dare to be a trust-based company, its not about that.

The 2024 election results have laid bare a stark reality: Americans arent buying the rosy economic picture painted by recent job market numbers. Despite headlines touting low unemployment and thousands of new jobs, voters rejected the optimism and made it clear that they feel the economy doesnt feel nearly as healthy as the numbers suggest. While official data shows growth in sectors like healthcare and local government, the daily experience of rising costs and economic uncertainty tells a different story.Beneath the surface of these encouraging statistics lies a more complex and challenging reality for both consumers and businesses. Long-term employmentlonger than 27 weekslooms for over a million Americans. Natural disasters like Hurricane Helene and recent strikes at mega employers like Boeing stir uncertainty. Not to mention companies hesitating to hire as they anticipate the effects of rate cuts and an evolving economy.Looking deeply into the job market numbers today, its pertinent to air caution at the boldly positive trends and read between the lines (of data).Finding facts in the numbersDespite conflicting reports, the underlying data tells a more complex story. The true health of the economy seems to be masked by the surface-level statistics. Recent PCE data indicates that core inflation remains stubbornly high, suggesting that there are still underlying issues that may not be apparent from the headline employment numbers. Adding to these concerns, October brought significant downward revisions to previous employment reports. August and September job market numbers lowered by a combined 112,000 positions. Augusts revision was particularly telling. The downward adjustment of 81,000 jobs was actually larger than the final reported gain of 78,000 jobs for that month. These substantial revisions often signal underlying labor market weakness not captured in initial reports.Consumers, faced with continuing inflation and rising costs of living, are being stretched thin. This can be seen via decreased sales in industries such as auto repaircar owners pinching pennies by making simple fixes themselvesand decreased loan performance in American borrowers. When the bare minimum, like food and gas, are breaking the bank, buyers tend to cut costs where they can, but its not a sustainable fix.Household debt is also rising, with mortgage debts at the top of the list at a $77 billion increase. Not only are Americans trying to save where they can, but theyre also trying to pay off debts and stay afloat. Many indicators, such as small business retail sales appearing up 2.1% year over year, try to tell a different story, but this lags as a hint to how the economy is really doing compared to the average consumer. The average American will continue to spend, often with credit, until they cant anymore, and this already seems to be happening given rising debts and increasing delinquency rates in both the credit and mortgage sectors.Add in the fact that most companies, especially in tech, arent hiring right now, and you dont have a great outlook. Whether its fear of what the election will do to the economy, trimming staff to avoid mass layoffs in the event of a recession, or just remaining stagnant, companies just arent hiring like they were two years ago. In fact, over half of the jobs cut in August were in the tech sector, at nearly 40,000, as companies hone in on revenue and start to incorporate new technologies.Work in the era of AIPerhaps the most impactful of this new technology is artificial intelligence (AI). AI is already reshaping roles across sectors, automating routine tasks in banking, logistics, and even some healthcare roles. While certain jobsespecially those requiring social skills and creativitywill always need the human touch, AIs rapid adoption is reshaping expectations around future labor demand.In fact, 73% of companies are already using AI in some way, shape, or form, and big players are predicting it could be a game changer for data, redefinition of workflow, and how employees interact with their work and one another.While automation may not immediately result in layoffs, it will reshape how jobs are performed, particularly in sectors such as construction, healthcare, and business. And until we know more about what work looks like in the era of AI, the transition period might have growing pains as we navigate new technology amidst everything else.Just like computers replaced typewriters, and typewriters replaced handwriting before that, more jobs and more productivity will likely emerge with the advancement of AI technologies. This will take time and adaptation for consumers and companies alikewith work as we know it changing day by day, the hiring and hirees are both forced to adapt.Bracing for challengeThis isnt all to say were doomed and theres no hope for the labor marketrather, caution in the face of good news regarding the employment market is recommended. Recent proposals from influential figures add another layer of uncertainty to the employment outlook. Elon Musks proposed $2 trillion government spending cut plan, which he admits would cause some temporary hardship, could significantly impact the labor market. While proponents argue these cuts would target inefficiencies, such dramatic spending reductions would likely affect employment across multiple sectors, particularly in government-adjacent industries. 2025 will be an important year for job market numbers to grow at this pivotal point, and its up to key players like the Fed to nail the landing to avoid a full-blown recession.The impact on the economy is real, and while examining reports at face value shows good news, the reality is we may be heading towards a more challenging time for employment. In an era of rapid change, the numbers tell a deeper storyone that demands vigilance, adaptability, and a willingness to look beyond the headlines.

I love coffee. Maybe too much. I used to drink up to four cups of Nespresso a morningthe darkest roast I could find. I looked forward to my first cup, and by the third, I knew I shouldnt head to the kitchen to make the fourth, but I dont always listen to my better judgment. Turns out, each of those pods has as much as 100 milligrams of caffeine. That can add up pretty quick.So, when my former colleague, author Jeff Pearlman, shared on Twitter that he had given up caffeine in August, I wondered if I should, too. Heres what happened when I gave up caffeine.Why I decided to give up caffeineI pay the price for that 400 mg of Nespresso-based caffeine. I usually started to feel jittery, and if I didnt eat breakfast, my stomach would feel upset.As a former heavy coffee drinker, Pearlman also hated how it made him feel. I dig the initial buzz, he told me. But then Id drink and drink and drink, and by 3 p.m., Id need a nap. It made my hands shaky and my mind race. I work in coffee shops a lot, so it came with the turf. But after a while, I needed to shift.Pearlman switched to decaf and said it was shockingly easy to give up caffeine. Didnt miss it much, he says. Hes not 100% done with coffee, he adds. Sometimes, if theres a flavored caffeinated coffee that I like, Ill go 70% decaf, 30% of the flavored kind. Just for taste, texture. But its been overall easy. No headaches, no urgings.So after contemplating it for a few months, I decided to give it a try.What happened when I gave up caffeineSome of the short-term effects of caffeine withdrawal can include:HeadachesTirednessFatigue and lethargyIrritabilityBlurred visionDecreased contentment and well-beingLess motivationLike Pearlman, it was easier than I thought to give up caffeine. I love the taste of coffee and drink mine black. So switching to decaf pods did the trick. Unlike Pearlman, though, I had side effects. On the first day, I experienced a bad headache..The headache experience, which is very common, is a sign of withdrawal from the caffeine dependency, says Kara Fitzgerald, author of Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better. Its temporary but can really be tough to plow through and keeps many of us searching for a caffeine fix to avoid withdrawal.I also felt tired all day for the first two weeks. Thats because going caffeine-free can make you sluggish at first, reducing your energy and your ability to focus, says Hayley Miller, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Persona, a personalized vitamin and supplement company. The good news is, this will be short-livedthanks to the human bodys amazing ability to adapt. You can expect to regain your mental clarity and focus within a few weeks of quitting.Long-Term Effects of Giving Up CaffeineIt took time, but my focus eventually evened out and seemed to be more consistent throughout the day instead of peaking in the morning and waning in the afternoon.I also slept better. I only had caffeine in the morning, and the fact that it could impact my sleep surprised me. You discovered the best benefits by far of going caffeine-free, says Fitzgerald. Given that it is a potent stimulant, readily entering into the brain and blocking adenosine receptors, the number one benefit of stopping is improved sleep.Fitzgerald says the caffeine half-life is on average five hours. Its longer for some of us who have slower biotransformation enzymes, she explains. This means that to completely clear caffeine from the body, it can take over 10 hours. Its not surprising it influences sleep. Those of us who are slow metabolizers can have additional problems, including higher blood sugar and blood pressure, altered tolerance to exercise, and increased risk of nonfatal heart attacks. (She says that direct-to-consumer genetic tests like 23andMe may be able to tell you if you metabolize caffeine quickly or not.)Quitting coffee has another benefit: Since caffeine is a diureticmeaning it speeds up urine productionyoull find this change will cut down your trips to the bathroom, says Miller. Even better, going caffeine-free could actually improve your nutrition by helping your body absorb B vitamins and other important nutrients. In other words, quitting coffee could help you get more from your food.Pros of CaffeineWhile Fitzgerald says the evidence is still being scientifically teased out, caffeine might be a longevity agent. It looks to be in fruit flies, mice, and worms, she says. Human studies are lacking. Its also thought to be neuroprotective in moderate intake in humans, [meaning it] is protective against age-related illness like dementia or Parkinsons.Looking beyond caffeine to the vehicle that the caffeine is found in, such as coffee or tea, youll find that both drinks are hailed for containing phytochemicals that are also beneficial.When we look at human studies of coffee drinkers, we see that they tend to live longercaffeinated coffee or not, says Fitzgerald. I personally love my daily morning coffee ritual and appreciate those beneficial phytochemicals. I dont have it after the morning hour unless its the occasional decaf, which allows me to sleep well at night.Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and Miller says its a great way to get a burst of energy in the morning and to fight the midday blues. But too much of anything is never good, she says. You should never drink more than the equivalent to about four cups of coffee a day.Can giving up caffeine change your life?Its been a month into my experiment, and to be honest, Im not sure if Ill go back. I love the quality of sleep I now have, but I do miss that little burst of energy caffeine gave me. I might try an occasional cup or a mix of regular and decaf to see what happens.Miller says the decision to go caffeine-free should depend on your lifestyle and your reasons for using it. If you drink coffee for the taste or because you love a latte at the local coffee shop, then quitting probably isnt necessary, she says. If youre relying on caffeine to power through your day, there may be other things at play: Your sleep quality, stress levels, or nutrition may be affecting your ability to stay alert and focused. Its better to manage your energy through lifestyle choices than to lean on that cup of Joe.