Can you help me move?
Thanks to the 2,500 who've already done this, can more people help? A request, plus 7 other things worth knowing today.
I know things look out of order today; I wanted to include that message above before heading into the 7 other things …
7 things worth knowing today
I've included a few items here over the last year or so about how the U.S. military has had a hard time meeting its recruiting quotas. Apparently the services embraced Discord as a platform on which a lot of younger Gen Z people hang out, even hosting a 17,000-member group to talk about video games and Army careers. But, the allegation that the biggest military secrets leak in 10 years came as a result of the same platform has them wondering if this was such a good idea. (Washington Post)
California's three biggest utility companies have a proposal: Flat fees for monthly electric bills, but you pay more if your income is higher. I have zero idea what this is supposed to address, as a person making under $28k and thus paying $15/month is likely simply using a lot less electricity than someone making $180k and paying $85, who likely lives in a bigger house, etc. (KTLA)
Higher interest rates, much higher sticker prices, and longer rate terms are combining to create a tsunami in which an entire class of car-buyer who once would have bought less expensive cars is being pushed out of the new car market altogether. (CNN)
How can self-driving cars and human drivers coexist on the highway? A new tech proposal: Add a fourth color light to traffic signals, that would always give the robots the right of way over people. (You can probably tell I don’t like this idea.) (Business Insider)
Former President Trump reportedly raised $18.8 million for his election bid in the first quarter of 2023. I wouldn't be inclined to include this kind of story, except to point out that his campaign says it raised $15.4 million of that in the last two weeks—which is after he was indicted in New York. (Politico)
A former GrubHub driver (but also an aspiring actor/writer/comedian) named Raef Lawson spent eight years battling the company in court, and finally won last week, walking away with a whopping $65 verdict, to cover overtime he wasn't paid. More important than the financial outcome here, though, is the legal precedent the case sets. The ruling could have big implications for how “gig economy” companies like Grubhub, Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have to treat their workers in the California. (Gizmodo)
A Belgian newspaper says it did a study and determined that Uber has a policy of charging riders more if it can tell that their phone's battery is low (one might guess this is because they're less likely to be able to look for other options when their phone has that little red icon in the corner). Uber denies it. (Vice)
Thanks for reading. Photo by Nick van den Berg on Unsplash. Please help me move!
Oh yeah, one more thing about the guy who is alleged to have leaked secrets:
I don’t care what side of the political spectrum you sit on. Leaking government secrets makes you a traitor. I’m sure it makes for great movies. But, that’s just the movies. This is real life.
We all pay the price for traitors.
Helping someone move has never been easier. Glad I could help😊.