The Daily Valet. - 11/6/19, Wednesday
✔️ A Whole Lot of Switching Is Going On
Wednesday, November 6th Edition
Would you work harder for regular three-day weekends?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Yeah, About That Testimony ...
A key witness in the impeachment inquiry revises his testimony, confirming his involvement in a quid pro quo
Gordon Sondland, the American ambassador to the European Union, revised the testimony he gave to investigators last month, admitting he told a top Ukraine official that US military aid was, in fact, contingent on the country publicly committing to investigations requested by President Trump.
Sondland said testimony by other witnesses had “refreshed my recollection.” His revised statement, along with a transcript of his testimony, was released today by impeachment investigators. Lawmakers also released the testimony of Kurt Volker, the former special envoy to Ukraine.
Volker’s transcript shows that, via text, he sent a Ukrainian official the script that the White House wanted President Volodymyr Zelensky to read, including announcing an investigation into Burisma (the energy company that employed Hunter Biden), along with a conspiracy theory about the 2016 election. Volker directed the Ukrainian officials to state “Special attention should be paid to the problem of interference in the political processes of the United States ... I want to declare that this is unacceptable. We intend to initiate and complete a transparent and unbiased investigation of all available facts ...”
The statements add to the testimony of other high-ranking officials who reiterated to lawmakers that security assistance was used to try to compel the Ukrainians to open investigations that might help Trump in 2020.
Importantly, though—and the Washington Post notes that this is key—Sondland doesn’t say this directive came from Trump. He instead says he was acting on his presumption. And that could certainly help provide a layer of insulation for the president.
Brutal Killing in Mexico Raises Questions
An ambush in broad daylight leaves three women and six children dead
The massacre yesterday of three Mormon women and six children, all American citizens who were longtime residents of Mexico, shocked authorities on both sides of the border who are used to dealing with cartel violence.
The victims, who were dual U.S.-Mexican citizens, were reportedly traveling between the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua when their vehicles were attacked by unidentified criminal groups, who shot into their cars. One woman was shot at close range in the chest. One child was shot in the back. Several others—including 6-month-old twins—were burned beyond recognition when the vehicle caught fire.
Several children survived the attack, which Mexico's Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said could have been a mistaken identity between "conflicting groups in the area." But coming closely on the heels of two other prominent episodes of violence, the ambush horrified a nation reeling from a record-high number of murders. And it added to the pressure on Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to fulfill the promise he made when he took office nearly a year ago: that he would curb suck brutal killings.
Shouldn’t a “thank you” be appreciated and said without shouting? Soon you’ll find out.
Less Work, More Productivity
Experimenting with a four-day workweek proved to be most successful in Japan
This is probably the most excited I've been about a piece of news from Microsoft ... since maybe Windows 95. NPR reports on how workers at Microsoft Japan enjoyed experimenting with a shortened workweek over the summer. They put in the usual hours four days a week and then enjoyed a three-day weekend. And the result, the company says, was a productivity boost of 40%.
For the workers, they got paid for five days and only had to work four. For the company, they discovered efficiency wins like lower electricity costs and savings on supplies—workers printed nearly 60 percent fewer pages over experimental weeks.
It makes perfect sense, right? When you know your time is crunched, you ensure that you're getting everything done in order to finish on time. That's what happened here. And because time became a premium, the company also put its meetings on a diet.
Of course, I doubt this will take off here in the States, but dang ... regular three-day weekends and shorter meetings? Sure sounds like a civilized way to work.
↦ Your Assignment: Show this newsletter to your boss and bring up the idea of such an experiment at your workplace.
A Significant Shift at the Polls Yesterday
Historically red states go blue
Democrats completed Virginia’s historic partisan shift from red to blue on Tuesday, winning majorities in both chambers of the legislature and consolidating power across state government for the first time in a generation.
Election officials reported unusually high turnout in races that served as an opening salvo in next year’s presidential showdown, reports the Washington Post. A revolt against the president in Virginia’s rapidly growing suburbs, which tend to vote more with Republicans, helped remake the state’s political map.
And in deep-red Kentucky, where Republicans struggled to overcome President Trump’s growing unpopularity in the suburbs, Democrat Andy Beshear was narrowly leading incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin, with all precincts reporting. Though, as we prep this newsletter, the Associated Press hasn’t officially called the race and Bevin hasn’t yet conceded.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Does a Robot Clean Your House?
Roomba's super-smart, self-emptying bot-vac is getting better and better
Do you have a Roomba? I don't ... but I'm not responsible for vacuuming our house. If I were, I'd definitely consider outsourcing the task to the little roving sucker and let it sweep up my place while we're gone for the day.
Apparently, those bot-vacs are becoming increasingly more popular. iRobot, the maker of the Roomba and the company that first introduced the concept, continues to lead the pack. To date, the brand has sold more than 25 million Roombas worldwide.
Wired just reviewed their latest model, the s9, and said the super-smart, self-emptying robot-vac "just keeps getting better at cleaning and navigating, as well as sucking the money out of your wallet." That's because it's Wifi-enabled, can quickly learn the layout of your home without getting stuck on dog toys or shoe laces and keeps the air clean while using a proprietary AllergenLock dust bags. But such convenient and consistent cleaning doesn't come cheap.
↦ Shop: Wifi-Connected iRobot Roomba s9, $1,099.99 at Target
What They’re Saying
Rain, snow, sleet or hail. All of these can be handled with the right outerwear but what about your shoes? Don't let your sneakers, lace-ups or boots slosh through puddles and snow without protection. Now's the time to snag one of these easy-to-use repellents, all on the cheap and Prime-ready through Amazon. Herewith, the best reviewed bottles to try.
/ 255 reviews
“I bought this specifically for a pair of velvet loafers. I wasn't disappointed. Half an hour after I put them on for the first time my dog stood on my foot. The big dirty print washed off with a damp cloth leaving it looking new. I keep a can around for all my dress shoes now.”
↦ Get It $11.64 / $6.94 at Amazon
/ 30 reviews
“It didn't discolor suede in any way and water rolls off instantly! My boots were completely dry. I've used other products that either discolored the suede or didn't waterproof them very well. This product met my every expectation and I'll definitely buy it again.”
↦ Get It $19.99 at Amazon
/ 130 reviews
“It's a great spray that fully waterproofed the woven parts of my BearPaw snow boots. I would highly recommend for waterproofing. Just know that several coats will do you better than just one.”
↦ Get It $12.99 at Amazon
Today’s Deals
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Morning Motto
Put that focus to good use.
↦ Follow: @thegoodquote
That’s all for today...
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