Extra, Extra
Dock Pay: “The White House had faced mounting pressure from House Republicans and hundreds of industry groups to intervene. They warned of widespread harm to supply chains and the broader economy if the strike was allowed to continue. But President Biden repeatedly vowed to let the collective bargaining process play out.” It was the right move. Port strikes end with deal on wages, averting economic disaster. (So there’s no need to panic buy toilet paper. Oh, and there never was a need. But after 2020, no one can really blame you if you scored a few rolls.) And the economic hits just keep coming. US adds a robust 254,000 jobs and unemployment dips to 4.1% in sign of still-sturdy labor market.
+ Houthis Targeted: “The U.S. military struck more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, going after weapons systems, bases and other equipment belonging to the Iranian-backed rebels.” (Israel isn’t the only country that seems to be a lot less concerned about Iran’s responses.) Meanwhile, Israel targets potential Hezbollah successor in Beirut airstrike.
+ Ploy Stick: “After decades of relying on buttons, switches, and toggles, the Pentagon has embraced simple, ergonomic video-game-style controllers already familiar to millions of potential recruits.” Wired: This Video Game Controller Has Become the US Military’s Weapon of Choice. (Now I finally realize why my wife has been playing Zelda for all these years. I’m clearly in danger.)
+ The Defiant One: “I am convinced you would do it all over again if you could. You’re as defiant as any defendant this court has ever seen.” Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme. (Turns out trying to overturn elections is actually a crime…)
+ Elon’s Transition: “People close to Musk said his estrangement from his daughter, which he blames on ‘woke’ indoctrination, led to his political awakening as a Republican … “I lost my son, essentially…So I vowed to destroy the woke mind virus after that, and we’re making some progress.'” (In addition to being dangerous, Elon Musk’s transition to being a falsehood spreading leader of the far right is quite sad.) WSJ (Gift Article): Elon Musk Gave Tens of Millions to Republican Causes Far Earlier Than Previously Known.
+ College Drop-in: “As kids settle in at college, moms and dads used to monitoring them struggle on the sidelines.” WSJ (Gift Article): Surveillance Parents Face the Ultimate Firewall: Freshman Year. (We recently dropped off my son at college. He, however, forgot to turn off location on his phone. So our stalking continues unabated. During Family Weekend, my wife and I just have to avoid making it obvious that we already know our way around campus.)
