Good Morning. Palantir installed free nicotine-pouch vending machines to boost productivity, then founders got addicted. We explain why tech traded coffee for stimulants.

We also include Epcot's viral drinking challenge, stealth RTO tactics, Walz's $9B fraud scandal (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).

Tech companies including Palantir Technologies installed free nicotine-pouch vending machines in offices this year. The pouches, tucked between gums and cheeks, come in flavors like mango and mint. Austin founder Alex Cohen bought them after his engineers requested them, then became addicted himself using 2-3 daily (WSJ).

Medical researchers consider pouches less harmful than cigarettes but warn they cause addiction and higher blood pressure. University of Wisconsin's Dr. Michael Fiore notes they could create addiction in non-users. Pouches don't cause cancer but increase heart attack and stroke risks.

The trend reflects Silicon Valley's hypercompetitive AI environment where workers seek productivity edges through bio-hacker culture and largely unproven health optimization methods. Peter Thiel says “Nicotine raises your IQ 10 points.” And Alex Hormozi uses it to stay productive.

Walmart's mobile app and website experienced a brief outage Tuesday morning. More than 6,500 customers reported problems around 7 a.m. ET, according to Downdetector. Nearly 75% had mobile app issues while 25% experienced website problems.

Some customers reported checkout difficulties or inability to complete purchases. The outage affected thousands trying to use Walmart's digital platforms. A company spokesperson confirmed the brief early morning disruption.

Walmart confirmed all systems were quickly restored. The company's WalmartHelp account recommended users experiencing continued issues try uninstalling and reinstalling the app or clearing cache and cookies on the website.

Companies employ "hybrid creep" strategies to increase office attendance without explicit mandates. The approach ties promotions to in-office presence and increases employee surveillance. HR consultant Jaye Johnson explains: promoting employees who exceed attendance requirements signals new standards.

Office attendance continues rising despite fewer new mandates. Kastle Systems reports over 50% weekly average attendance, with year-over-year gains for six consecutive months. JLL data shows Friday attendance reached 56%.

Work-from-home Mondays and Fridays are eroding as workers respond to unspoken pressures. Improved tracking through mobile-phone location data reduces "coffee badging" workarounds where employees briefly appeared then left (how AI plays a roll).

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For these, make batches ahead. Nobody wants a designated bartender at midnight.

Not feeling the January 1 hangover? Try these mocktails instead.

▲ US Dollar drops 9.5% against major currencies marking steepest annual decline since 2017 amid Fed cuts

▲ Epcot's drinking challenge amasses tens of millions of views as bartenders manage intoxicated guests at family park

▲ Meta Platforms acquires AI startup Manus for over $2B in first major Chinese-rooted tech deal

▲ Chinese submarines travel beneath Arctic ice for first time positioning nuclear threats closer to US targets

▲ Tim Walz faces GOP resignation calls over alleged $9B federal fraud scheme in Minnesota programs

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