Wes Davis

Former Weekend Editor

Wes DavisOct 14, 2023

There was a lot of union activity in 2023.

The National Labor Relations Board announced yesterday it’s processed 2,594 union formation petitions over the last year. Business Insider reported that’s a 58 percent increase from fiscal year 2021 when the NLRB saw 1,638 such requests.

The board says the 22,448 unfair labor practice cases filed were the highest since 2016. This year has seen big union action like the continuing Hollywood writers strike, as well as efforts at Amazon, Disney, DoorDash, and others.

Unfair Labor Practices Charge Filings Up 10%, Union Petitions Up 3% in Fiscal Year 2023

[National Labor Relations Board]

Wes DavisOct 14, 2023

One more reminder for you: the solar eclipse is happening today.

If you’re lucky enough to have clear skies in parts of the American Southwest or Pacific Northwest, you get a total eclipse at about 12:18PM ET today. Otherwise, check NASA’s interactive map to see how much eclipse you’re getting where you live. The US space agency is also streaming the eclipse live today.

And don’t look right at the eclipse! Check out our handy guide for getting the most out of the spectacle without wrecking your retinas.

Wes DavisOct 11, 2023

How to make a bad first impression.

TechCrunch says that Yepic AI, a UK startup that says it won’t make deepfakes without consent from the person being faked deeply, sent one of TechCrunch’s reporters a pitch that included... two nonconsensual deepfake videos of that very reporter.

When asked, the company’s chief executive reportedly said neither he nor his team made the video — “Our PR team have confirmed the video was created specifically for the journalist to generate awareness of the incredible technology Yepic has created.”

Yepic fail: This startup promised not to make deepfakes without consent, but did anyway | TechCrunch

[TechCrunch]

Wes DavisOct 11, 2023

Read this anxiety-inducing story about how two planes almost collided in Texas.

The New York Times recounts today how, in February, an air traffic controller at Austin’s understaffed airport cleared a FedEx cargo plain to land on an occupied runway.

After descending through the fog, the FedEx pilots saw a Southwest passenger plane, implored it to abort its takeoff (it didn’t), and then cranked their plane back up into the air, narrowly missing the other one.

The FedEx plane, which had three crew members, skimmed less than 100 feet over the other jet. The 128 people aboard Southwest Flight 708 continued on their way to Cancún, Mexico. Passengers were unaware that they had nearly died.

It’s not the only near miss this year.