*By Carlo Versano*
Overworked and stressed-out? Take a cue from the top tech firms in Silicon Valley and start a mindfulness practice. Even five minutes a day of meditation can make a difference in overall stress levels ー at least, that's how much Gelong Thubten said he tells his students do initially.
Thubten, a Buddhist monk and educator, is often recruited by firms like [Google](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0wg1Pv0pfM) and [Marvel Studios](https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/how-buddhist-monk-helping-biggest-12157973) to teach mindfulness to executives, engineers, actors, and just about anyone who buckles under the strain of the modern world.
Thubten also speaks at prisons and schools. He said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar that the techniques of mindfulness are the same whether you're a billionaire CEO or incarcerated.
"It's something you can do on your own," he said. "The mind is the mind."
Mindfulness has reached trend status in corporate America, but its simplicity makes it an ideal coping mechanism for anyone, regardless of industry.
"The stress levels have gone so high," Thubten said. And technology has only made matters worse.
"Nowadays people are eating their lunch and looking at other people eating their lunch on social media," he added.
Thubten focuses on teaching his students to carve out "tiny moments of mindful connection throughout the day" in addition to a home practice. During these "tiny drop-ins," the student is instructed to focus on his or her senses, awareness of breathing, and body, and prime the mind to be more conducive to a state of awareness.
To that end, Thubten developed an app, Samten, to guide users on their "mindful moments." Thubten said he's well aware of the irony contained in developing a technology product to help people who are stressed by technology. Still, he said, it's an attempt to bring his teachings beyond the boardrooms and into the lives of people who could use some "mindful moments" in their days.
That is, almost everyone.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-buddhist-monk-teaching-mindfulness-in-major-tech-companies).
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue. Dresser will oversee global revenue strategy and help businesses integrate AI into daily operations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized improving ChatGPT, which now has over 800 million weekly users. Despite its success, OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability. The company earns money from premium ChatGPT subscriptions but hasn't ventured into advertising. Altman had recently announced delays in developing new products like AI agents and a personal assistant.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
