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The UAW takes an L in Alabama... [Advertisement] May 18, 2024 [View Online]( | [Sign Up]( | [Shop]( [Morning Brew]( PRESENTED BY [Jarrow Formulas]( Good morning. If you plan on sending an emoji this weekend, be aware that your recipient might have no idea what you’re trying to convey. A new survey from Preply found that more than 80% of Americans were confused by someone else’s use of an emoji. And the three most confusing emoji are: - - - Half of you think that means “phew, escaped a fancy event.” The other half thinks that means “just farted on my nails, hehe.” And you’re both right. —Matty Merritt, Sam Klebanov, Molly Liebergall, Abby Rubenstein, Neal Freyman MARKETS Nasdaq $16,685.97 -0.07% S&P $5,303.27 +0.12% Dow $40,003.59 +0.34% 10-Year 4.420% +4.0 bps Bitcoin $66,890.60 +2.47% Reddit $62.04 +10.04% Data is provided by *Stock data as of market close. [Here's what these numbers mean.]( - Markets: The Dow kept the good times rolling yesterday, closing above 40,000 for the [first time]( after briefly crossing the milestone the day before and clinching its fifth winning week. Reddit shot up after announcing a partnership with OpenAI that lets the AI train on your posts and gives Reddit advertising dollars and the ability to use the tech to make new tools.  LABOR [Alabama Mercedes-Benz factory votes no on unionizing]( [Mercedes Benz logo in front of building]( Greenberg/Getty Images In a blow to the United Auto Workers’ (UAW) organizing momentum in the South, workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama [voted]( yesterday against unionizing. It was a close one: The final tally after 5,075 ballots were counted showed that only 597 votes kept the facility from becoming the first auto factory in the fiercely anti-union state to join the UAW. The UAW was hoping the high of last month’s successful union vote at a Volkswagen factory in Tennessee and the favorable contracts it won from Detroit’s Big Three after the summer’s strikes would help propel it to a victory in Alabama. Plus, a double whammy win would have given the organization and its new president, Shawn Fain, some much-needed juice for the $40 million campaign it launched to reinvigorate organized labor in the historically union-averse South. But an Alabama win was always an especially tall order: - Alabama is one of 27 “right-to-work” states which allow employees to work at a unionized location without having to actually join the union - Alabama residents have a 7.5% union membership rate, which is [2.5%]( lower than the rest of the country, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opposition was strong The UAW faced so many hurdles at the Mercedes plant you’d think it was training for Paris this summer. Mercedes, unlike VW, took the offense in preventing a union, according to workers and pro-union organizers. - The company hung “vote no” signs around the plant and hired anti-union firms. - An assembly worker [told]( ABC News that the company even had towels and hats made urging workers to vote against unionizing. Plus, everyone from a local pastor to football coaching legend [Nick Saban]( pushed back against the union’s campaign. Gov. Kay Ivey also joined six other state governors in a letter saying unionization would threaten the growth of the auto industry in the South. Looking ahead…Both sides have five business days to file an objection to the vote, which experts say the UAW is likely to do because the vote was so close.—MM PRESENTED BY JARROW FORMULAS [Go with your gut]( [Jarrow Formulas]( Can’t find an effective probiotic? It’s the types of strains that matter. Jarrow Formulas’® [Jarro-Dophilus® EPS]( features eight carefully picked, clinically-studied strains that support gut health (+ help relieve occasional bloating).* While some brands use generic or filler strains of bacteria in their probiotics to boost their CFU count, Jarrow Formulas’® Jarro-Dophilus® EPS uses strains [backed by clinical research]( that work together to support gut health.* Best of all? Their proprietary coating helps ensure that more strains actually make it all the way to your gut, so that friendly bacteria goes where it's needed most. Jarrow Formulas® combines superior science and quality ingredients to create smarter formulas that support the gut.* [Support your gut health]( *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. WORLD [Tour de headlines](#) [Damage from a storm in Houston]Kirk Sides, Houston Chronicle/Getty Images Severe storm in Houston knocks out power, kills at least seven. Thunderstorms that unexpectedly brought 100-mile-per-hour winds to Houston Thursday night left at least seven people dead and knocked out power to 900,000 homes and businesses. As of yesterday, some 650,000 remained without power across the area, many of whom might not see it restored for [weeks](. Gov. Greg Abbott said the state’s utility commission was working with energy providers to get power back as quickly as possible, with temperatures expected to reach the 90s this weekend. OpenAI got rid of its long-term AI risk team. Someday, after the robots overthrow us, yesterday might be a day we look back on ruefully as the day OpenAI reportedly [revealed]( that it dissolved the “superalignment team” assembled last year to safeguard against the existential risks posed by future powerful AI. The decision to stop having a standalone team focused on these risks comes after the departure of OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever following his participation in the failed effort to oust CEO Sam Altman and the resignation of researcher Jan Leike, who said on X that “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products.” China pledges $42 billion to fix property crisis. China unveiled [aggressive measures]( aimed at propping up its real estate sector, which is being crushed by debt and dragging the country’s economy down with it. They include relaxing mortgage rules and encouraging local governments to buy up unsold homes and turn them into affordable housing. Investors liked what they saw, boosting shares of Chinese property developers, but it remains to be seen whether these steps will be enough to curb the issues that have plagued the industry. INTERNATIONAL [Chaos on French soil thousands of miles from Paris]( [New Caledonia riots]( Mayeur/Getty Images France is scrambling to quell violent unrest in its overseas territory New Caledonia, a South Pacific archipelago with about 270,000 residents. It sent 1,000 police to the islands earlier this week where [anarchic protests]( erupted over a proposed change to the electoral system that critics say would weaken indigenous influence. New Caledonia has been part of France since 1853, and the majority of locals voted to remain so in a series of recent referendums, but many continue to advocate for a national divorce. The turmoil began after France passed a measure to grant local voting rights to anyone who’s lived on the islands for at least 10 years—a change many indigenous New Caledonians, known as Kanaks, opposed believing it would diminish the prospects for independence. On top of multiple deaths, the riots have wreaked economic havoc: - Looting and the destruction of local businesses added up to an estimated $217 million in damage, per the New Caledonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. - Street mayhem disrupted mines that make New Caledonia a major supplier of nickel, a metal used in electric batteries. For now…The situation calmed a bit after France imposed a curfew and blocked TikTok in the territory, a [controversial move]( that makes it the first EU country to shutter the app.—SK TOGETHER WITH RESORTPASS [Resortpass]( You deserve a daycation. ResortPass offers exclusive day passes to luxury hotel pools, cabanas, spas, and more…[without the need for an overnight stay](. This means you can get that much needed break without the hassles of traveling. Day passes start at $25. New customers: [Use code 20RPMB24]( to save $20 on bookings $100+ before May 25. SPORTS [World’s No.1 golfer arrested en route to PGA tourney]( [Scottie Scheffler mugshot and photo of him on the course]( Metro Police Department, Andrew Redington/Getty Images Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world and the overwhelming favorite to win this weekend’s PGA Championship, was [arrested]( yesterday morning on the way to the tournament’s second round at Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville, Kentucky. He’s charged with felony second-degree assault on a police officer plus three misdemeanors for a traffic-related incident. What happened? An unrelated overnight accident rerouted traffic and led to big slowdowns around the tournament grounds, which Scheffler said contributed to a “big misunderstanding” with police over where he was supposed to drive. Here’s the play-by-play: - Scheffler drove around his lane and toward the gates of Valhalla, past a detective directing traffic who then “attempted to attach himself to Scheffler’s car,” according to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who [witnessed]( the incident. - Scheffler drove another 10 to 20 yards before stopping and exiting the car, Darlington said. Police say the clinging detective went to the hospital for non-serious injuries and *checks notes* [ruined]( his $80 uniform pants. Quick turnaround: After getting booked at 7:28am, Scheffler said he stretched in his jail cell, got released without bail, and returned to Valhalla about an hour before his 10:08am tee time. He was greeted with cheers and unbelievably expeditious [T-shirts]( showing his mugshot or stamped with “Free Scottie.” Scheffler is currently in contention to win.—ML GRAB BAG [Key performance indicators](#) [Paul McCartney]Harry Durrant / Getty Images Stat: Paul McCartney may still believe that all you need is love, but now he’s also got 1 billion pounds ($1.27 billion), according to the annual Sunday Times Rich List. That makes the former Beatle the UK’s [first billionaire musician](. And while you might have assumed McCartney’s had that kind of cash since before fellow recently minted music billionaire Taylor Swift was born, the Sunday Times reports that the octogenarian McCartney and his wife, Nancy Shevell, just joined the club this year thanks to a 50 million pound jump in their net worth. The boost to their bank account came from his Got Back tour, his iconic back catalog growing in value, and Beyoncé’s “Blackbird” cover. Quote: “The Church needs clear procedures.” As with Shrimp Jesus, you may not want to believe everything you see online about a weeping statue of the Virgin Mary. To combat the speed and range at which hoaxes can spread in the internet era, the Vatican issued new [comprehensive guidelines]( for how the Catholic Church will evaluate faith-based claims of supernatural phenomena, replacing rules set in 1978. Though the Church said the new procedures “are not intended to control or (even less) stifle the Spirit,” they lay out six conclusions that bishops can come to when investigating—and none of them include explicitly verifying the phenomenon as supernatural. But older determinations of that kind will still be considered valid. Read: Nobody knows how to make money on Broadway any more. ([Vulture]( NEWS [What else is brewing](#) - [The Israeli army]( said it had found the bodies of three hostages killed during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including 22-year-old Shani Louk, whose image was widely shared after the incident. - [GameStop]( stock plunged yesterday after the recently reinvigorated meme stock filed to sell 45 million new shares and revealed that sales were down last quarter. - [Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito]( is facing calls to recuse himself from cases involving the January 6, 2021 riot after reports that an upside down American flag was flown outside his home in sympathy with Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” movement. - [A surveillance video]( obtained by CNN appears to show Diddy assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. - [Microsoft]( reportedly plans to release the next Call of Duty on its subscription service the day it drops, a change from how Activision sold the popular game that could leave hundreds of millions of dollars in game sales on the table. - [Jerome Powell]( chair of the Federal Reserve and Grateful Dead fan, has tested positive for Covid. But the economy needn’t worry because he’s working from home. - [The reviews]( are in for Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed epic Megalopolis, and they’re…mixed. RECS Go old school: A new [Google setting]( lets you see just links again. Watch: Dan Toomey [investigates Miami]( “the Wall Street of the South.” Play: This game gives you a product and lets you guess [who exports it](. Experience dino disappointment: A Canadian city’s attempt to [set a world record]( for people in dinosaur costumes failed because too many people showed up to count. A day away: Kickoff your summer poolside with ResortPass. Get exclusive [day-pass access]( to over 1,300 hotels and resorts for as little as $25. [Book your mini-getaway]( *A message from our sponsor. GAMES [The puzzle section](#) Brew Crossword: Mary’s served up one of her most clever crosswords yet for you this Saturday morning. [Check it out here]( bring your appetite. Open House Welcome to Open House, the only newsletter section that is living proof wallpaper is not dead. We’ll give you a few facts about a listing and you try to guess the price. [Saint Paul, MN home with a lot of wallpaper, exposed beans, carpeted stairs. Outdoor pool and concrete patio.]Zillow Today’s [home]( is in Saint Paul, MN and is 3,766-square feet of painstakingly designed interior all wrapped up in lush greenery. The house’s exterior is great for anyone looking for an excuse to stand outside with a hose. Amenities include: - 4 beds, 4 baths - Carpeted stairs - Wall of old scary tools How much for the midwestern castle? SHARE THE BREW [Share Morning Brew]( with your friends, acquire free Brew swag, and then acquire more friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag. We’re saying we’ll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link. Your referral count: 0 [Click to Share]( Or copy & paste your referral link to others: [morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=4904f90a]( ANSWER $1.4 million Word of the Day Today’s Word of the Day is: octogenarian, meaning “a person whose age is between 80 and 89.” Thanks to Harriet from Emery, South Dakota, for the old but good suggestion. Submit another [Word of the Day here](. Written by [Neal Freyman]( [Abigail Rubenstein]( [Matty Merritt]( Sam Klebanov, and [Molly Liebergall]( Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. Interested in podcasts? - Check out ours [here]( [ADVERTISE]( // [CAREERS]( // [SHOP]( // [FAQ]( Update your email preferences or unsubscribe [here](. View our privacy policy [here](. Copyright © 2024 Morning Brew. All rights reserved. 22 W 19th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011