🐤 The giant sucking sound

🏦 Markets: A new trading week started yesterday with all eyes on a trove of quarterly earnings reports set to drop over the course of just a few days. Friday’s bullish tendencies carried through the weekend as all three major indexes finished the day higher on Monday, led by the Nasdaq Composite, which was up about 2% as of Wall Street’s closing bell.

In addition to anticipating corporate financial reports, traders are also looking forward to new details about the Federal Reserve’s rate-hiking effort to bring down inflation ahead of its upcoming meeting.

🍫 “An indefinite pause”: Depending on how closely you follow candy-related news, you might have noticed some controversy surrounding the humble M&Ms brand. A culture war of sorts has broken out around the “spokescandies” used to advertise them, with some on the right criticizing the decision to replace the green M&M’s gogo boots with sensible shoes and some liberals applauding the release of a limited-edition “all-female” bag. It’s all become too much for the company, which recently confirmed that it would take “an indefinite pause from the spokescandies” and use comedic actress Maya Rudolph in advertisements. That sounds like a decision that could unite Americans on both sides of the aisle.

💻 More job cuts: The tech industry’s recent string of layoff announcements continued with Spotify’s recent decision to eliminate about 6% of its workforce. With just under 10,000 employees, the move will leave nearly 600 workers out of a job. CO Daniel Elk cited “a challenging economic environment” as the chief factor, stressing the importance of “efficiency” in running the music streaming platform. Those impacted by the layoff were reportedly informed on Monday and would be eligible for an average of five months’ pay and health benefits as part of their severance packages. Despite bringing in more than $10 billion in revenue in 2021, expansion investments meant that Spotify ended the year with a loss instead of a profit.

🎢 One last splash: After more than 30 years as one of Walt Disney World’s most popular attractions, the Splash Mountain ride welcomed its last riders on Monday. The ride is being revamped to remove references to the controversial 1946 film “Song of the South.” The live-action/animated movie has been criticized by some modern audiences for the perceived use of racial stereotypes. A new ride, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” is expected to open in the same spot next year. It will be based on the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog.” Throughout the day on Monday, park visitors were waiting three or more hours to take one last plunge on Splash Mountain.

🏈 Eyeing a franchise: Billionaire Jeff Bezos might be best known for founding Amazon, but he’s also been the owner of the Washington Post for a number of years. Now, it appears that he might try to sell the newspaper in order to facilitate a major new purchase: the Washington Commanders. One factor that might stand in the way of his possible plans to be an NFL team owner is the fact that the Post has provided some unflattering coverage of current Commanders owner Dan Snyder. Some folks have even speculated that Bezos geared the paper’s editorial stance on the issue in order to pressure Snyder to sell the franchise. Word is that Snyder isn’t interested in selling the team to Bezos as long as he still owns the Post. One insider opined: “I think Bezos’ people could go to Dan and say as a gesture of goodwill, ‘We are selling the paper.’ I think that would go a long way with Dan.”

As the world faces the possibility of an environmental disaster due in large part to the release of carbon and pollutants into the atmosphere, many people and organizations have proposed some seemingly far-fetched ideas for addressing the root problem.

One plan that sounds deceptively simple is now cleared for the next stage of development.

An environmental vacuum cleaner

Climeworks, a company based in Switzerland, has touted its proprietary technology for some time. In the broadest terms, it relies on a process by which carbon dioxide is essentially sucked out of the air and transported to subterranean facilities.

While the company has expressed confidence in its ability to carry out the inventive climate solution, the real test comes from third-party entities. An independent group recently conducted an audit and gave Climeworks the OK to continue moving forward with its plans.

One facility in Iceland already exists

According to Climeworks executive Christoph Beuttler, verification by a third-party auditor will allow for a significant expansion of the company’s existing footprint. For now, just one commercial plant provides this so-called “direct air capture.”

That facility is located in Iceland and relies on contributions from private companies — Shopify, Microsoft, and Stripe — to remove pollutants from the atmosphere as part of a carbon offset program.

Pursuing big plans for the future

Although ongoing programs such as planting new forests can have a significant impact on our ability to capture carbon from the air, Beuttler stressed that Climeworks is interested in an even more sustainable and quantifiable solution.

"We need a standard, because a ton of carbon dioxide removed by Climeworks is not the same as, for example, afforestation,” he said. “Maybe the trees burn or decompose. They may not last 1,000 years or even 100 years, let alone millennia like what we do."

Although there are still dining halls in many private companies across the U.S., their relevance has declined significantly over the course of the past several generations. There are several reasons for the change, including the fact that companies have largely left big-city headquarters in favor of suburban landscapes.

Nevertheless, employees require food during the workday — and if the traditional cafeteria isn’t the answer, it’s up to modern companies to come up with a modern solution.

Tech firms lead the way

Even amid layoffs, tech companies still account for a significant chunk of the nation’s workforce, and they’ve often been leaders in the redevelopment of the typical office.

While firms like Facebook and Google have long been known for offering a range of innovative, if not indulgent, perks, they are now taking a fresh look at how they provide food for their respective staffs.

Here are some of the notable changes in many workplaces:

• Large spaces are being divided into smaller areas with unique atmospheres.
• Companies are offering more authentic cuisine from cultures around the world.
• Eateries cater to health-conscious employees as well as vegetarian or vegan needs.
• Energy efficiency and waste reduction keep environmentalism at the forefront.

What do workers really want?

While it’s easy to see the changing expectations and desires of today’s workforce reflected in some modern corporate dining rooms, it’s important to gauge the prevailing sentiment to determine how things will continue to evolve.

Many employees are choosing to skip meal time entirely if it means a shorter workday. Others say they want something more than just the standard fare offered by any generic company.

Despite the changes, experts say one thing remains constant: Offering employees a place to eat signals that they are part of an organization that values them and wants to foster connectivity.

There are countless positive characteristics that people can possess that can brighten the lives of those around them. When it comes to what is most important for a person’s own health, however, psychologists have determined that three qualities — zest, hope, and self-regulation — stand out as among the most effective.

New study makes the case

It might seem like common sense that traits like generosity, bravery, and kindness can have a positive impact, but what makes some characteristics more important than others?

According to researchers who published their findings in a new Journal of Research in Personality report, qualities associated with morality seem to serve as the most fundamental features on which a person’s identity is built. Study author Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska noted that this is a chief reason for an emphasis on morality among philosophers and religious groups.

After analyzing nearly 60,000 study participants in 159 nations, the experts were prepared to deliver their results.

Different traits, different benefits

As it turns out, there appears to be a significant difference in how specific characteristics are manifested in the lives of individuals. Those who are hoping to lead a healthier life, for example, are advised to focus on zest, curiosity, self-regulation, gratitude, and consistency.

If you’re hoping to find more purpose in your life, the study found that spirituality and perseverance are especially beneficial. Of course, zest, curiosity, and hope will also help in this pursuit.

Some traits, such as beauty and humor, can have negative connotations, including smoking or drinking alcohol.

The takeaway

As Weziak-Bialowolska explained, it’s all about how you use your character strengths, noting that overusing the trait of judgment “may contribute to negativity towards oneself and one’s habits,” adding that you “might become trapped in negative vicious cycles of thinking and feeling that characterize several mental disorders.”