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Zoom Has ‘Zoom Fatigue,’ Requires Workers to Return to the Office (Maria)

The author writes, “A video-conferencing company might be the last business anyone would expect to force employees to return to the office. That’s why a series of shocked reports followed Zoom’s announcement that any employees living ‘within 50 miles of a Zoom office’ must now work in the office ‘at least two days a week.’ Starting this month and continuing through September, Zoom’s decision to bring employees back to offices could impact many of the company’s 7,400 employees, The New York Times reported.” 

Amazon Faces Reckoning Over Worker Safety After Blocking Inspectors (Reader Steve)

From The Seattle Times: “While the injury rate at Amazon warehouses has declined, the extent of that decline and how the company compares with the rest of the industry is hotly contested. A coalition of labor unions that analyzed 2022 regulatory data found the overall injury rate at Amazon was 7 injuries per 100 workers in 2022, 70% higher than the rate at non-Amazon warehouses.”

Inside the DeSantis Doc That Showtime Didn’t Want You to See (Dana)

From The Daily Beast: “When executives at Showtime pulled a Vice documentary exploring Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ experiences with Guantanamo Bay detainees, it was hard to ignore the timing: It was one day after DeSantis officially declared for president. The Daily Beast has obtained a transcript of that unaired documentary, The Guantanamo Candidate. … Among a number of insights into DeSantis’ past, the transcript features interviews with former prisoners and a former Naval staff sergeant-turned-Gitmo whistleblower who overlapped with DeSantis. All three allege inhumane treatment at the hands of the U.S. government, with the detainees directly implicating DeSantis — at the time, a junior-level military legal adviser — in approving and overseeing brutal measures.”

The Cloud Is a Prison. Can the Local-First Software Movement Set Us Free? (Sean)

From Wired: “Tired of relying on Big Tech to enable collaboration, peer-to-peer enthusiasts are creating a new model that cuts out the middleman. (That’s you, Google.)”

Yosemite Is Being Loved to Death (Laura)

The author writes, “Millions of visitors from around the world descend on Yosemite national park each year, spurred by the promise of awe-inspiring views, towering trees, and the chance to escape the hum of city life into nature. But by the time the morning sun begins to glint off of its celebrated granite slabs, the mountain roads snaking into Yosemite valley — the most popular destination — are already filled with a churning gridlock.”

Want to Live Longer? Play With Your Grandkids. It’s Good for Them, Too. (Russ)

The author writes, “Helping to raise your grandchildren is a workout, and routine tasks such as lifting, carrying and following younger children around all day or night can be pretty strenuous. But research suggests that grandparents who play regularly with grandkids stay active and healthy longer and — bonus points — live longer.”

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