Secret Microphones, the Green New Deal, and Emoji

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Niantic Is Tweaking Pokémon Go to Settle a Lawsuit with Angry Homeowners

Adi Robertson | The Verge | Tweeted by Jennifer Huddleston Skees

The developer of Pokémon Go settled a lawsuit with people who claimed the game encouraged people to trespass on their property, resulting in players blocking their driveways with cars, peering into their windows, and littering or damaging property.

Capitalism’s Cold War

Kevin D. Williamson | National Review | Tweeted by Matthew Mitchell

New York City’s carrot-and-stick routine with Amazon–offering them large handouts then chastising their business practices–is a good indicator that the city is not prepared for the balance of power to shift away from politics and toward capital.

Google Says the Built-In Microphone It Never Told Nest Users about Was 'Never Supposed to Be a Secret'

Nick Bastone | Business Insider | Retweeted by Alex Tabarrok

After announcing Nest Secure users could use Google Assistant on their devices, Google faced backlash for excluding the presence of a microphone in the device’s technical specifications.

Georgetown Wants to Raze 210 Acres of Trees to Meet Green-Energy Goals. Environmentalists Are Crying Foul.

Rachel Chason | The Washington Post | Tweeted by Brent Skorup

In an effort to cut their greenhouse emissions in half, Georgetown University has planned to clear cut 210 acres of trees. Environmental activists are appealing to the county and state to stop the project.

The Nightmare Fairyland of the Green New Dealers

Richard M. Ebeling | American Institute for Economic Research | Shared by Donald Boudreaux

Without any sense of scarcity or societal costs, proponents of the Green New Deal are proposing an end without fully thinking through the means.

America Can’t Afford Paid Leave

Christine Sandefur and Frayda Levin | The Daily Caller | Tweeted by Veronique de Rugy

States across the country are passing legislation for paid family leave, but they are quickly learning the same lesson as private businesses: extending paid leave comes with a cost.

Emoji Are Showing up in Court Cases Exponentially, and Courts Aren’t Prepared

Dami Lee | The Verge | Shared by Tyler Cowen

As emoji become more common in messaging, how they are displayed and interpreted are playing a growing role in US court opinions. Courts’ filing systems aren’t prepared for this new form of communication.

Trump's Tariffs Have Helped Steel Companies. Workers Are Still Waiting.

Katie Lobosco | CNN | Tweeted by Christine McDaniel

Executives and union leaders claim tariffs have revitalized the steel industry, but job growth has been minimal so far and at the expense of consumers.

Preserving Permissionless Innovation

Neil Chilson | Morning Consult | Retweeted by Adam Thierer

In a country where the internet has thrived under an innovation-friendly approach to regulation, lawmakers should be wary of slowing or even stopping the prosperity technological innovation has provided with heavy-handed regulations.

Aging in Place–with Someone Else

Alissa Walker | Curbed | Retweeted by Salim Furth

The Los Angeles area boasts a high and rising cost of living, which has prompted one nonprofit to match senior citizens with younger roommates to allow them to continue living in their house.