We're excited for the new, compact 2015 Jeep Renegade. But, will it go off-road? We called up Jeep's chief engineer and asked. He gave us exclusive, never-before-seen specs and details. The Renegade is an all-new Jeep, based on the parent company's new "Small Wide" platform, also used by the Fiat 500L. It's scheduled to go on-sale this December. Advertisement We're excited about it because, as a subcompact or "B Segment" vehicle, it promises to provide the frugality and urban practicality of a small car with the adventure capability of, well…a Jeep. Living in a city — Los Angeles — a small car makes a ton of sense for me. I need good fuel economy, a car that's easy to park and, since I spend all my money on motorcycles and camping, a low price is a big help too. But, I also spend virtually every weekend out in the mountains or desert, so I need a car that can make it down a difficult dirt road that may be washed out, full of deep sand or covered in slippery … [Read more...] about Will The 2015 Jeep Renegade Be Any Good Off-Road?
Good reasons for job change
Amazon Says It Will Retrain Workers It’s Automating Out of Jobs. But Does ‘Upskilling’ Even Work?
Amazon made waves when it announced late last week that it planned to spend $700 million to retrain one-third of its U.S. workforce—100,000 employees—as part of its ‘Upskilling 2025’ initiative. The sizable commitment, which the Wall Street Journal notes is “among the biggest corporate retraining initiatives” yet announced, will fund pilot programs, classes, and tuition fees for employees. “The American workforce is changing,” Amazon’s announcement proclaims, and “there’s a greater need for technical skills in the workplace than ever before.” Translation: We will be automating your job soon, and if you want to keep a decent paying gig here, study up. As is often the case when the online retail giant makes a sweeping, headline-grabbing announcement, we’re left with at least as many questions as answers. The first among them being: Is upskilling—or retraining, or reskilling—that many employees even … [Read more...] about Amazon Says It Will Retrain Workers It’s Automating Out of Jobs. But Does ‘Upskilling’ Even Work?
Aziz Ansari becomes the Malcolm Gladwell of stand-up comedy. (And that’s a good thing.)
The definitive Aziz Ansari facial expression has introduced each episode of Parks And Recreation since the start of that show’s stellar third season: Mouth agape, eyes agog. It’s a look that shows the exaggerated emotional spectrum of his character Tom Haverford—if Ansari narrowed his mouth a smidge and opened his eyes a few more millimeters, it could just as easily display complete and utter terror. Advertisement The fine distinctions between wide-eyed wonder and wide-eyed horror factor heavily into Ansari’s newest stand-up special, Buried Alive. The actor and comedian has kept his eyes, ears, and mind open for the past year and change, and it’s produced some of his freshest material in years. Buried Alive is a spectacularly entertaining hour-plus of stand-up, but it’s also an intriguing bit of cultural anthropology. Throughout the special, Ansari asks questions—as a character within his routines and to the members of his … [Read more...] about Aziz Ansari becomes the Malcolm Gladwell of stand-up comedy. (And that’s a good thing.)
Automakers Are Cutting Jobs To Invest In Electric Cars: Report
Automakers are cutting costs (and jobs) to invest in electric cars, the Trump administration continues its fight with California over emissions regulations, Tesla boss Elon Musk is in court over a dumb Twitter comment, and FCA’s getting sued by seemingly everyone. All of this and more in The Morning Shift for Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. 1st Gear: Automakers Are Cutting Jobs To Invest In Electric Vehicle Technology: Report “Carmakers Shed 80,000 Jobs as Electric Shift Upends Industry,” writes Bloomberg in a new story about the massive restructuring happening in the automotive industry. It’s just one of many recent stories covering how a shift towards electrification is putting strain on automakers and their employees. Advertisement From the story: All told, carmakers are eliminating more than 80,000 jobs during the coming years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News. Although the cuts are concentrated in Germany, the U.S. and the U.K., faster-growing … [Read more...] about Automakers Are Cutting Jobs To Invest In Electric Cars: Report
How To Do Hallucinogens Without Freaking Out
The first time I ever ate mushrooms I did just about everything wrong. I ate mine about two or three hours after everyone else. It was dark. We watched Full Metal Jacket. At some point, I wandered out by myself to stand on an icy Lake Tahoe pier and look at the stars. (That decision wasn’t all bad.) Since we were staying in one of those condo developments where there’s like 50 buildings that all look the exact same, I got lost on the way back. It was very cold. Advertisement At some other point, I went up to the otherwise unoccupied second floor of the condo, locked myself in the bathroom and stood in front of a mirror waving my arms around trying to see tracers since that was basically the only thing I thought I could expect from taking hallucinogens. When that didn’t work out I took a bath. Jesus. And yet, somehow it all worked out. I mean, it was fun, and very apparent that the drugs I was on were not only causing me to experience some pretty interesting visual … [Read more...] about How To Do Hallucinogens Without Freaking Out
