The Daily Populous

Tuesday July 9th, 2019 morning edition

image for Amazon staff will strike during Prime Day over working conditions

It's not certain how Amazon will respond.

Although Amazon isn't likely to face a major disruption due to the sheer number of fulfillment centers in the US, the strike could draw attention to ongoing worries that Amazon is demanding too much from its staff and putting them on a tight leash.

There are also concerns about the potential aftermath of the strike.

Amazon workers recently filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that the tech giant's staffing vendor, Integrity Staffing Solutions, retaliated against strikers by firing one organizer and deducting strike time from their quarterly leave allowance.

Amazon said it hadn't seen the complaints, but they suggest that the strikers are risking punishment if they dare step away.

Update 7/8 5:57PM ET: An Amazon spokesperson claims the company "already" offers what workers are asking for, including "excellent pay" and "great employment opportunities."

This probably won't have the strikers changing their minds, but you can read the full statement below. »

Recreational marijuana legalization tied to decline in teens using pot, study says

Authored by edition.cnn.com

The data showed that marijuana use among high schoolers was not statistically associated with medical marijuana laws, but there was a link with recreational marijuana laws.

"Because many recreational marijuana laws have been passed so recently, we do observe limited post-treatment data for some of these states," Anderson said.

"Given the legalization, we need more education around marijuana or cannabis use for youth and we don't really have a lot of education. »

Dems to pursue criminal contempt for William Barr, Wilbur Ross over census

Authored by politico.com
image for

| Samantha Maldonado/AP Photo congress Dems to pursue criminal contempt for William Barr, Wilbur Ross over census.

House Democratic leaders plan to move forward with criminal contempt proceedings against Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for defying congressional subpoenas for documents related to the 2020 census, senior Democratic aides said Monday.

Being held in contempt by Congress will be an embarrassment for the Trump administration officials but it won’t lead to many tangible consequences. »

Inside Starshot, the audacious plan to shoot tiny ships to Alpha Centauri

Authored by technologyreview.com
image for

He outlined his plan to build a laser so powerful that it could accelerate tiny spacecraft to 20% of the speed of light, getting them to Alpha Centauri in just 20 years.

Direct the beam onto highly reflective light sails attached to spacecraft weighing less than a gram and already in orbit.

Or a long-term, far-out project that can’t be sustained long enough for the nonexistent technologies it requires to be built. »