The Daily Valet. - 5/12/23, Friday
✔️ What Happens Now?
Friday, May 12th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
On a scale of 1 to “TGIF”, how happy are you at your current job?
Today’s Big Story
Uncertainty at the Border
Minutes After Title 42 Expired, Scenes of Anxiety and Weariness Along the Southern Border
The pandemic border restrictions known as Title 42 ended just before midnight last night, lifting a policy that had sharply limited access to asylum since March 2020. And the New York Times reports that there was relative calm and a sense of uncertainty along the United States-Mexico border early Friday morning.But what will happen next is anyone's guess. U.S. officials were striving to maintain order along the border on Thursday as migrants quietly waded across the Rio Grande, lined up at international bridges, filled immigration processing centers and huddled in makeshift camps in American border towns. In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that authorities were “prepared for this transition.”U.S. Customs and Border Protection has in recent days been holding up to 28,000 migrants at its facilities, far beyond its stated capacity and in what appeared to be a record, two federal officials told Reuters. Now that Title 42 is lifted, the tens of thousands of people who have been waiting in Mexico can no longer be turned away or deported without a screening for asylum claims. That means they'll enter the country and be placed in detention centers as they go through a process called expedited removal, which includes a credible fear interview. Those who are deemed to have valid claims will be allowed to stay in the country as their cases make their way through immigration court. Those who are not will be deported.Government officials are expecting as many as 13,000 people to cross the border each day—up from about 6,000 on a typical busy day. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a big, border package on Thursday evening, but since the proposal is full of former President Trump's most controversial policies, it's unlikely to go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.But the Biden administration has an arsenal of strategies in order to avoid a chaotic situation on the border (as best as they can). That includes rolling out new, stricter policy measures that includes a new asylum rule that will largely bar migrants who passed through another country from seeking asylum in the U.S. and a ban on reentry for at least five years for anyone apprehended under Title 8 authority.
Meanwhile:
New York state and the city of Chicago have issued emergency declarations as they, along with Philadelphia, grapple with new busloads of migrants from Texas.
Job Satisfaction Hits a Record High
Labor shortages and shifting expectations lead to improvement for millions, survey shows
We seem to be living in an era of Greats and Quiets. There are Resignations and Quittings, Loud Leaves and Bare Minimum Mondays—not to mention a bunch of other labor market lingo aimed at capturing a particular zeitgeist of our volitale professional state. So this news may surprise you: Most people are actually pretty happy at work.Job satisfaction in the U.S. hit a 36-year high in 2022, according to a survey by the Conference Board. The business research organization found that 62.3% of American workers were satisfied with their jobs, compared to 56.8% in 2020. What's more, that's the highest level of satisfaction since they began surveying American employees on their careers in 1987.Among the happiest workers: people who voluntarily switched jobs during the pandemic and individuals working in hybrid roles with a mix of in-person and remote work. But the data is divided, too. Quartz reports that women were nearly four points behind men in job satisfaction (with 60.1% of women satisfied with their jobs, in contrast to 64% of men). In fact, for women, every component of job satisfaction was lower than it was for men. Even happiness on the job, apparently, has a gender problem.
FYI:
Of the 26 measures the Conference Board polled workers on, the biggest year-over-year increases in satisfaction came from work-life balance and workload.
AI Keeps Popping Up in More Places
It goes beyond the rise of deepfakes and ChatGPT
Sure it's in our chatbots, self-driving cars and funny images and deepfake videos. But now the robots are coming for your music and right-swipes. The AI panic seemed to have reached its zenith a couple months ago, when more than 1,000 technology experts signed an open letter warning that artificial intelligences poses “profound risks to society and humanity.”But now, as TV writers strike for protections against it, AI is suddenly popping up in a slew of unexpected places. The sweep of AI on dating apps has been especially swift. This week, screenshots of “weird” Hinge profiles went viral on Twitter. And an influencer who created an AI version of herself to sell as a “virtual girlfriend” says it's gone rogue and she's now working around the clock to stop it from saying overly explicit things.According to Pitchfork, AI tools will—and already are—changing how music is made. Spotify has purged thousands of AI tracks and a scammer was caught selling fake, AI-generated Frank Ocean “leaks.” Shawn Everett, the Grammy-winning engineer and producer compares the advent of AI in music to the advent of the electric guitar or sampling.
Meanwhile:
Not everything we call AI is actually ‘artificial intelligence’. Here’s what you need to know.
Michael Jordan Has an Invite-Only Golf Club
And everything about the design references the legendary athlete's Time in the NBA
I knew Michael Jordan had “f#@k you money,” I just didn't know it was like this. But on the financial scoreboard, MJ is still the clear champ—and the gap is growing. Since he was drafted in 1984, Jordan has earned an estimated $2.37 billion. That's more than any other athlete in the history of sports.So why not build your own personal golf course? Located in Hobe Sound, Florida, Grove XXIII opened in late 2019, but it's only now that we're getting a glimpse inside. According to Architectural Digest, the private golf club includes an 18-hole course, a main clubhouse, a gatehouse, a learning facility and a practice range. There are even drones that deliver snacks and beverages to members during play.What's really cool is that the whole place is an homage to the man and his legendary career without being over-the-top. The clubhouse appears to hover over the course, mimicking Jordan's signature hang time, while the entrace features perforated carbon fiber and glass frit panels that cast shadows reminicient of the elephant leather pattern on the OG Jordan sneakers. As for who's gotten an invite, the member list is a who's who of celebrities and professional athletes, from former president Barack Obama and Mark Wahlberg to Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley.
FYI:
The course has a clever design layout that creates a unique dilemma for visitors, especially pro players.
In Other News
NBCU ad chief Linda Yaccarino is now in talks to the lead.
Have you heard about ...
A Weekend Pairing
‘The Great’ + Chanoine Frères Champagne
There are dozens of period pieces on TV these days, but none seem to revel in such a brazen approach to the genre as the boisterous comedy, The Great. The satirical drama follows the rise of Catherine the Great from an idealistic outsider to the longest reigning female ruler in Russia's history. The 10-episode third season drops in all of its raunchy glory today on Hulu. In case you need a refresher, Collider has a guide on Empress Catherine (played by Elle Fanning) and her husband, Peter III (Nicholas Hoult).This season promises to be the most complicated yet for the couple. They’re now dealing with parenthood as Catherine grows into her role as ruler. While the monarchs have an abiding love for one another, Peter's many transgressions and Catherine's attempts to murder him are a lot for any lovebirds to sweep under the rug. Surprising alliances will begin, some will end, and, as is the way with The Great, all sorts of shenanigans will go down along the way. And so far, critics are loving it—the A.V. Club is calling the show “comedy gold” while Entertainment Weekly says it’s “more twisted than ever.”
Pair It With
We definitely need something regal to pair with this show and Wine Enthusiast confirms that bottles of Chanoine Frères, one of France’s oldest Champagne houses, actually graced the tables of the real Czarina Catherine II, better known as Catherine the Great. Today, the bottle is relatively affordable and has a light, easy-drinking quality with notes of citrus and fresh apples.
Also Worth a Watch:
‘The Mother’ on Netflix and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ on Disney+
Shopping
What We’re Buying
a bottle opener
Spring and summer are perfect for drinks by the pool or on the patio. This stainless steel bottle opener is made in the USA, and the wavy profile not only looks chic but gives you a better grip.
Get It:
Ripple bottle opener, $60 / $48 by Craighill
Morning Motto
Keep it simple.
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