Coronavirus: Start-ups use Zoom app to lay off staff

[SheltieLover]

[link:https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52091615|

Tech start-ups worldwide are cutting jobs as the coronavirus pandemic undermines their ability to make money.

To make matters worse for staff, they are not being told face to face.

Electric scooter-maker Bird axed about 400 posts on Friday, about 30% of its staff. And the Californian company used a Zoom conference call to tell them.

Zoom can connect up to 1,000 users on a single call - but many of the workers were unable to log on and found out via messages from colleagues posted online.

More at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. Was discussing just this yesterday with a neighbor over the fence

Companies are going to find they need less staff, need less overhead (offices with break rooms, cubicles, etc) and can save themselves a whole lot of money. Education will follow along with more distance learning and fewer buildings. The society predicted by Andrew Yang is coming much, much faster than anyone realized. We need Universal Basic Income and need it yesterday.

[SheltieLover]

2. Yup!

I'm sure K-12's will demand kids return for fall resurgence of covid. Fkn idiots!

Have you read Maxine Water's proposal for stimulus? Among other things, $2k / month through this crisis. I love Auntie Maxine! I hope Joe appoints her AG! I would 💗LOVE💗 to see her sink her teeth into dump & his cabal.

If they don't do this, much of our population will be homeless. Not that repukes care. They are, no doubt, rubbing their hands gleefully in anticipation of grabbing up cheap foreclosures during depression. 🤬🤬🤬

TBH, I think Yang, like Warren, was too smart for the average American to appreciate. 💔

[Celerity]

3. Waters will never be AG, she only has a bachelors in sociology, no law degree. nt

[SheltieLover]

4. WTF'S the diff at this point?

So called president has a kindergarten-level education! 😳

I know what you mean, though. I absolutely adore her. I'm a no bullshit person myself, so lots of resonance here with her going right at him! 😍

[Celerity]

5. She doesnt need to be the AG to have a go at Trump as much as she wants.

And the difference is the only people who will be confirmed as US AG's will always have a law degree and extensive legal experience (like Kamala Harris for instance.)

[SheltieLover]

6. Yes, I know.

I suppose Harris could do it. Never been a big fan of hers. Schiff would be fabulous, though. 😍

[Celerity]

7. Schiff would be great. I thinks Harris is i the top 3 fro VP. I am fine with anyone in terms of VP

except Klobuchar. I personally have pushed Stacey Abrams for over a year, but I am not sure if she is even in the top 5 now. She deffo has the highest upside of the top 10 (superb speaker, loads of charisma, compelling backstory, puts GA in play more than any other out of the top 10, etc etc) but I think , in this COVID-tainted election ecosphere, he lack of federal experience may hurt her chances. I would be very, very happy with Susan Rice, but I do not know if the risk-adverse Biden will want to re-open the Benghazi tin of beans that no doubt will occur from the Rethug cesspool should he tap her for the position.

I know it will NEVER happen, but if we really want to put Trump to the sword, Michelle Obama would be his VP. But again, zero chance ever she does it I think, ever. She has made it clear as crystal for years she hates the whole political fever swamp.

[Igel]

8. We will.

The problem is that the kids that aren't motivated aren't motivated.

We went distance learning. I have 140 kids that are on level, juniors and seniors. One senior's has checked out of 80. Maybe 20 juniors.

None of them had less than a 90 before break.

In other words, I've replicated the findings from scores of studies. Keeping students engaged online is hard. The ones that engage and stay engaged are typically high achievers, either because they're interested, self-disciplined, or their parents enforce discipline.

Now, you know that achievement gap that people keep talking about?

Here's another wrinkle. PE credit's required in most districts. Online sports? Nah. Nerds of the world, celebrate.

Even better: Agriculture, automotive, computer maintenance, carpentry, cosmetology, even many of the advanced sciences like anatomy and microbiology (and on-level sciences, like chemistry and even biology) aren't good online. FFA with a virtual goat? Not the same. And the class where the kids design and make clothing? Remember the cardboard figures where you could put pictures of different clothing over them? The machinist classes fail.

Now, try testing when the kids are at home. The AP tests this year are 45 minutes free response and open book/notes. Why? No fact-based test works. You see a question, even if your computer's locked down you have a phone or another computer. Even essays ... So many on-line courses that require essays are met by entrepreneurs who have banks of essays just for those courses, all behind a paywall so that it's hard to see them unless you pay. Students pay. Teachers don't. And if you front your business as a "teachers helping teachers" site--"Here are a lot of sample essays to help guide you, teacher!"--districts won't block them from class. Much less get parents to block them.

We won't get into the nutritional or day-care aspect of school.

[dalton99a]

11. +1. Student attrition in online courses is a big problem

And cheating.

There is a reason employers avoid hiring people with online degrees

[crickets]

12. Eye-opening for those who haven't had to think it through. Thanks for the info. nt

[ffr]

9. What next, Dear John Zoom sessions?

[dalton99a]

10. Tech start-ups dependent on travel and hospitality industries are so screwed