830 Matching Annotations
  1. Sep 2020
    1. Customers in the U.S. can request early access to Amazon Halo. The Amazon Halo Band and a six-month Halo membership are currently available at an introductory price of $64.99, regularly priced at $99.99. The membership will automatically renew at the end of six months for $3.99 per month. Non-members can use the Amazon Halo Band, but will only be able to use its basic features including steps, sleep time and heart rate. The Amazon Halo Band is available in three color combinations: black and onyx, winter and silver, and blush and rose gold. Customers can also buy additional bands for an extra cost.

      How much is it?

    2. Tone: Surprisingly, this is not muscle tone, but a measure of a person’s social and emotional well-being. Amazon Halo uses machine learning to analyze a person’s energy and positivity in their voice to better understand how they sound to others.

      What is "tone" in the Halo system?

    1. It charges everyone more than it does now for some services, which would be a gift to its competitors such as UPS and FedEx. It values “efficiency” over getting the mail out to every address every day. It’s less reliable, less certain, and eventually, less highly regarded.

      Why benefits would DeJoy get from helping USPS competitors? (The answer isn't here.)

    2. But to most people, it looks like the intentional debilitation of an American treasure, to fulfill a free-market fantasy from which no part of government, no matter how important, is safe.

      What is the answer to the question, "Why is this bigger than the post office?"

    3. “Now I understand you bring private sector expertise,” Lynch continued. “I guess we couldn’t find a government worker who could screw it up this fast.”

      Why do you think that this paragraph was added to the article?

    4. raising package rates, particularly when delivering the last mile on behalf of big retailers; setting higher prices for service in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico; curbing discounts for nonprofits; requiring election ballots to use first-class postage;

      What do you think the underlying purpose of these changes is?

      Why would Republicans prefer to privatize the post office?

    5. “If mail is being delayed, said Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), it is because of “anarchists laying siege to cities all over the country.” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said that it’s Democrats who are trying to slow the mail, so when Trump wins the election the counting can be dragged out for weeks afterward.

      What do you think of these Republican arguments?

    6. But last week, in the face of public pressure that has made him the most famous postmaster general in memory, DeJoy announced that he was suspending the policy changes until after the election, to make sure mail ballots will be delivered on time.

      Is he going to reverse the changes he's made?

      Do you believe him that he is "suspending the policy changes until after the election??

    1. "It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world," Trump wrote on Twitter. "They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus is NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form. They are working closely with us to get rid of it. WE WILL PREVAIL TOGETHER!"

      Does this statement convince you that the only reason he calls it the "China virus" because it started in China?

    2. “[It’s] not just the hostile things he’s said, it's the outcomes as a result of that — the anti-Asian discriminatory attitude that it creates ... and allows those people who are racially biased to begin with to feel free,” Kurzban told The Hill. “Because they see the president of the country doing it, they may feel free to go out and not only say horrible things but to actually do things and some of this has already had consequences.”

      According to this article, what consequences does Trump's rhetoric have?

    3. Asian Americans face discrimination not only in the form of violence but economically as well, with the public afraid to work with or purchase from their businesses.

      What forms of discrimination do Asians experience?

    4. Trump has repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus,” “Wuhan virus,” and other dehumanizing rhetoric. Instead of apologizing and retracting his offensive words, Trump has defended his statements, claiming they were not racist. "Cause it comes from China. It's not racist at all, no, not at all. It comes from China, that's why. I want to be accurate," Trump said according to CNN.

      What is Trump's rationale for using this rhetoric?

      How do you think he feels about China? Why?

    5. The 60-second ad has already been shared on social media and is expected to air on local stations in Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan, and Wisconsin leading up to the presidential election.

      Why do you think that the ad is being run in those states?

    6. As Donald Trump and his administration continue to fuel this fire by using language like the “Kung Flu” to refer to COVID-19, Asian Americans continue to face discrimination both in their homes and in public.

      Why do you think people are angry with Asians?

      Do you think this is racist?

      Is Trump making this worse? If so, how?