Tech startups and giants such as Google and Facebook may provide employees with all the healthful coconut water and seaweed snacks they can handle, but if their employees are reaching past the good stuff and just scarfing down corn chips and Diet Coke at their desks all day, all is not well. Garbage in, garbage out — as the programmers say. Studies show that 70% of Americans 20 and older are overweight; more than one-third (38%) are obese. In the late 1970s, just 15% of Americans had reached obesity. In a generation, the average amount of daily calories people consume has increased dramatically, and much of that added intake comes at work, a place where perpetual grazing and hours of sedentary activity are the norm. That has significant downsides for both personal and psychological health. A healthy meal can make anyone feel inspired and productive; a crummy one leads to fatigue and stress. Obesity is associated with increased absenteeism and reduced productivity … [Read more...] about Employers like Facebook and Google get serious about feeding workers healthier food
3,000 Google employees ‘sign letter protesting company’s work with the Pentagon’
More than 3,000 Google employees have reportedly signed a letter protesting the company’s work with the Pentagon that could help with drone strikes. The letter, obtained by The New York Times, includes the line: “We believe that Google should not be in the business of war”. Dozens of senior engineers have added their name to the letter, which has been circulating internally for weeks. It calls on the company to stop working on Project Maven, a Pentagon pilot programme that uses artificial intelligence to analyse video imagery. Those signing the letter, which is addressed to Sundar Pichai, the Google chief executive, also want a promise that the company will never “build warfare technology”. The clash emphasises the challenges Google faces to live up to its motto – “don't be evil” – in a world of rapidly advancing technology. The letter has reportedly garnered more than 3,100 signatures from … [Read more...] about 3,000 Google employees ‘sign letter protesting company’s work with the Pentagon’
Emmanuel Macron compares ‘too big to be governed’ Google and Facebook to oil barons
Emmanuel Macron has suggested that Facebook and Google are “too big to be governed” and compared their dominance to that of the oil barons in the early 20th century, saying they may have to be dismantled. The French president’s comments are among the most forceful from a Western leader on the subject of the two companies’ growing influence, which is coming under increased scrutiny from regulators. “At a point of time, your government, your people, may say: ‘Wake up. They are too big.’,” Mr Macron told Wired magazine. “Not just too big to fail, but too big to be governed. Which is brand new.” He added that governments may choose to break up the companies, saying: “At this point, you may choose... Register or log in to view this and other Technology Intelligence articles. It's free and easy to do. Access brilliant stories, features and analysis Sign up to our exclusive Technology Intelligence daily newsletter … [Read more...] about Emmanuel Macron compares ‘too big to be governed’ Google and Facebook to oil barons
5 Google search tricks that will give you so much more in the world of web
Most of us spend huge chunks of our time surfing the WWW, but very few of us know the tricks that make searching easier – speed up your browsing with these nifty search bar hacks 1. Search within a specific website Whether you’re an uber fan of a publication like the Telegraph or you recently read something earth-shattering and want to find it again to share it with your friends, you can refine your search to a specific domain to save time. Simply drop the desired web address into the search bar in front of site: and append your keyphrase (following a space). So if I wanted to know what the Telegraph has to say about the US president’s bizarre and frankly childlike eating habits, I would search like this: 2. Search for a whole phrase, exactly how you like it This is super-useful if, like me, your brain is more inclined to remember a few odd, abstract song lyrics rather than the whole track title. If your query is more than a few words long, the search engine … [Read more...] about 5 Google search tricks that will give you so much more in the world of web
The Ultimate L.A. Farmers Market Guide + Google Map!
Farmers markets have been in Los Angeles for decades, long before the trend took off nationally. (The pioneering Santa Monica market, a favorite among local chefs, started in 1981.)As anyone knows who frequents the dozens of markets all over this city, they're a pivotal aspect of life here. Unlike other parts of the country, we have them year-round, with the kind of produce that brings out not only locals but also restaurant suppliers from colder states. Farmers markets are our version of the European town square, where we shop for dinner, check in with farmers, maybe grab a coffee and a pretzel croissant with friends.To make things easier, we've compiled a current list and map of L.A. farmers markets. It's both an interactive Google map and an itemized list, organized first by day of week and then alphabetically. A note: Markets change, days and hours fluctuate, locations shift. Also, remember that market dates that fall on holidays are likely to be closed or have different schedules. … [Read more...] about The Ultimate L.A. Farmers Market Guide + Google Map!