A recent survey conducted by the National Independent Venue Association found that 90% of independent music venues face closure if the coronavirus shutdown lasts six months or longer and there’s no federal support provided. Now, a group of 600 artists have signed an open letter calling on Congress to provide the necessary funding and support to keep these venues afloat. A who’s who of prominent musicians have put their name to the letter, everyone from Dave Grohl to Billie Eilish to Willie Nelson to Robert Plant. Other notable signees include André 3000, Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, Kacey Musgraves, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, Trent Reznor, Patti Smith, David Byrne, Earth Wind & Fire, Vampire Weekend, Alice Cooper, Jack Black, Josh Homme, Ozzy Osbourne, Mitski, Maggie Rogers, Conor Oberst, Beach ...
Source: Pool / Getty Intense discussions between opposing elected officials isn’t a new thing but in the era of President Donald Trump, contentious disagreements are becoming the norm. An incident that occurred during a discussion between two congressmen, Rep. Cedric Richmond and Rep. Matt Gaetz, got especially testy but Richmond handled it quite smoothly. During a House Judiciary Committee session, Richmond, a Black Democrat representing Louisiana, took his turn to discuss the finer points of the pending Justice and Policing Act that the House of Representatives will soon vote on. Richmond expressed during his speaking time that the urgency for police reform as it relates to the effect it will have on saving Black lives was met with resistance as he yielded his time for an interjection. G...
Instacart’s tipping system is getting some new scrutiny from Congress. In a pair of letters today, a group of senators led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) raised concerns that the service’s tipping system may be unfair or deceptive and called for a regulatory investigation of the practice. One letter sent to Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta took the service to task for allowing buyers to promise large tips but reduce them to zero after an order is fulfilled. “People are facing unprecedented economic hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the senators wrote, “and so we hope online delivery companies like yours are taking the necessary steps to protect shoppers and prevent unfair and deceptive practices.” Reached for comment, Instacart defended the system, arguing that it typically increases the...