Investment Watch Blog

From Axios: While U.S. companies continue to vigorously seek new workers, growth in openings for some hard-core digitalized jobs — projected to be among the most prominent work in the future economy — have sharply slowed, according to a new report. Quick take: The reported weakening in hiring may reflect the general U.S. economic slowdown. But, amid … Read more

From the Wall Street Journal: Robots are making their way into New York City’s restaurants. A growing number of dining spots throughout town are using machines to prepare all manner of food and drink, in many cases replacing the employees who would normally handle the task. Think gizmos that can do everything from slice a sushi … Read more

Democracy Depends on the Consent of the Losers: What happens if Donald Trump is defeated? Supporters of losing candidates tend to lose faith in democracy and democratic institutions, even after elections that aren’t particularly contentious. When your preferred politician or party loses, in other words, resentment is inevitable. This is why the democratic bargain is … Read more

via issuesinsights: Take a look at the eight other cities that beat Baltimore on Orkin’s rattiest cities list. What do they all have in common? We’ll, let’s see: Chicago hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1931. Philadelphia last saw a Republican mayor in 1952, Detroit in 1962. San Francisco has been Democrat-controlled since 1964. Washington, D.C., … Read more

Albany, N.Y. (WHAM/AP) – A new law signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday decriminalizes marijuana use in New York. Under the new legislation, the penalty for unlawful possession of marijuana will be reduced to a violation punishable by a fine. The penalty is $50 for possessing less than an ounce of pot or a … Read more

via arstechnica: While consumers and experts alike wonder if Facebook’s size and outsized global market power are what allow it to play fast and loose with user data and privacy, Wu and Hemphill argue a much more basic case of good old-fashioned unfair anticompetitive behavior. Through “serial defensive acquisitions,” they say, Facebook has prevented competitors from … Read more

via nysun: fraud of the Steele Dossier, and many unsavory financial questions; President Obama remains somewhat popular but is a rather withdrawn figure. In these circumstances, the frolicsome Democratic Left has made the running, and as usually happens, the more strenuous factions of the party out of the White House have the most energy, which in … Read more

via spectator: University of Pennsylvania Professor of Law Amy Wax was subjected to a smear campaign following her remarks at the National Conservatism Conference on July 15, 2019. A writer for the website Vox, Zach Beauchamp, characterized Wax’s statements on immigration as ‘an outright argument for white supremacy.’ The founder of the conference, Yoram Hazony, quickly denied Beauchamp’s allegation. … Read more

#BREAKING At least 52 dead in Brazil prison clash, official says pic.twitter.com/QvGqvOUEG8 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 29, 2019 At least 52 people have been killed in a prison riot in Brazil which saw rival gangs battle for five hours, officials say. Gang members from one prison block invaded another part of Altamira jail … Read more

Self-checkout theft has become so widespread that a whole lingo has sprung up to describe its tactics. Ringing up a T-bone ($13.99/lb) with a code for a cheap ($0.49/lb) variety of produce is “the banana trick.” If a can of Illy espresso leaves the conveyor belt without being scanned, that’s called “the pass around.” “The … Read more

Facebook’s ‘Like’ button might not appear to be one of the internet’s most complex tools, but there’s more to the little upturned thumb than meets the eye. Some companies, for instance, use that Like button on their websites as a plugin, and on Monday Europe’s top court decided that they are jointly responsible with Facebook for … Read more