Potter's Weal

Washington Post: Business
Zoom went down for hours, disrupting schools and businesses
The outages hit remote workers and online classrooms reliant on the videoconferencing platform

Zoom has become a crucial part of life for schools, businesses and organizations since the pandemic. In this image, members of the Vermont House of Representatives convened a parliamentary session in April on the videoconferencing network.

By Hamza Shaban
August 24, 2020 at 4:43 p.m. EDT

Zoom outages disrupted meetings and classes around the country Monday, highlighting Americans’ growing reliance on video software to keep things running during the pandemic.

After roughly four hours, the company confirmed it had resolved an issue that kept some users from being able to join Zoom meetings and webinars. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience,” the company said in a statement.

Zoom first said it was experiencing partial outages on its status page, which it began investigating before 9 a.m. Eastern time. It’s unclear how many users were affected; clients in North America and parts of Europe have reported problems, according to the website Downdetector. The platform was back in working order by midday.

Zoom and other videoconferencing tools have become crucial during the public health crisis, a form of connection for business, school and social groups when face-to-face interactions are discouraged or prohibited because of the coronavirus. Its stock has more than tripled since the beginning of the year.

Zoom does not disclose the total number of daily active users on its service, a key metric that technology companies and analysts use to measure the size and growth of a platform. But the company reported in April that it has 300 million daily meeting participants, although people in multiple meetings could be counted more than once by that metric. By comparison, Google Meet claims more than 100 million daily meeting participants. And Microsoft reported in the spring that its communications platform Teams has 75 million daily active users.

The surge in video conferencing underscores the massive shift to working from home that has been greatly accelerated by the pandemic. In 2010, less than 10 percent of American workers worked at least part time from home, the Census Bureau found. Now, according Stanford economics professor Nicholas Bloom, a remarkable 42 percent of the U.S. labor force works from home full time.

“It really shows just how important this kind of technology is and how this technology has, generally speaking, enabled us to pretty seamlessly transition to working from home,” said Julie Samuels, executive director of Tech: NYC, a group that represents New York-based technology firms. “If the pandemic had struck even 10 years go, it’s inconceivable how we would have functioned, and I think this morning kind of indicated that.”

She cautioned, however, that no matter how great the technology is, there are inherent limitations, especially when it comes to simulating in-person collaboration, like in classrooms for young children. Essential service workers employed by grocery stores and hospitals also don’t have the option of working from home.

Zoom’s technical issues interrupted the first day of virtual classes for many schools, colleges and universities. Since the pandemic shuttered campuses in March, the platform has been adapted by educators who teach everyone from squirmy preschoolers to doctoral students.

Atlanta Public Schools, which has more than 50,000 students, was set to start the school year virtually Monday, but struggled with Zoom problems. So did Durham Public Schools in North Carolina and Pennsylvania State University, which has nearly 100,000 students. All told, more than 100,000 K-12 schools use Zoom at no cost for online learning.

“We have resolved an issue that caused some users to be unable to start and join Zoom Meetings and Webinars or manage aspects of their account on the Zoom website,” Zoom said. On social media the company has been responding to people’s complaints with similar messages.

Zoom’s phone and chat services were not impacted by the outages, the company noted. The disruption was tied to an authentication problem with the company’s website.

As with previous outages of office productivity software, like the workplace chat service Slack, the disruption was met with frustration but also exuberance. Without Zoom, there can be no meetings, at least some people hoped. And as working, learning and socializing from home has dragged on for many Americans, so has the burden of appearing “camera-ready,” of having strangers gaze into people’s most intimate spaces, and of carrying on simulated social interactions without physical and tactile feedback, which can be exhausting in its own way.

Staff writer Moriah Balingit contributed to this report.
62 Comments at

Hamza Shaban
Hamza Shaban is a technology reporter for The Washington Post. Previously, he covered tech policy for BuzzFeed. Follow

Fascinating article about the current status of Caneel Bay, the former keystone property of the Rockefeller family owned RockResorts, linked directly to Laurance Rockefeller’s acquisition of the St. John properties that were donated to the US Government to become the Virgin Islands National Park.

The second lesson in this article is the long time disruptions which are on-going from the hurricane devastation of Irma and Maria, THREE years ago, 2017.

This article from the Washington Post <https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/these-countries-are-accepting-american-travelers-remote-work-trips/?utm_campaign=wp_by_the_way&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_bytheway > may offer ideas for small islands with low Covid-19 infection rates.

These 4 countries are accepting American travelers for remote-work trips
Digital nomads don’t have many options during the pandemic, but a few nations are welcoming working travelers.

By Natalie B. Compton
July 27

The pandemic has proved challenging for digital nomads, people who travel the world working remotely. With countries closing their borders and air travel heavily restricted, working abroad has become extremely difficult if not totally impossible for Americans.

And as some destinations begin to allow foreign visitors, travelers from the United States may still be banned because of the America’s escalating number of coronavirus cases.

But there are exceptions. While the State Department and health officials still recommend Americans avoid all international travel, some countries are welcoming working travelers, including Americans, back again despite the pandemic’s continuing spread.

[With the pandemic shutting borders, digital nomads find it harder to roam]
Estonia

Launching on Aug. 1 after years of development, the Republic of Estonia’s digital nomad visa will allow foreigners to stay in Estonia for up to a year.

Applicants must have a gross monthly salary of 3,000 euros (about $3,530) or more from a remote work job to be considered for the visa, which is an extension of Estonia’s e-Residency program for foreign entrepreneurs.

“We saw that there was kind of a lack of opportunities for [digital nomads], so we wanted Estonia to solve the problem,” Ott Vatter, the managing director of e-Residency, told The Washington Post. “Estonia aims to be the hub for these kinds of new entrepreneurs that we see trending globally.”

Since the Estonian Parliament authorized the program in June, international applicants mostly from the United States, Canada, Russia and Asia completed the online request for either a Type C short stay visa, or a Type D long stay visa.

At this time, Estonia is not allowing Americans to visit the country for tourism, but they are allowed in for the purpose of work or study. On arrival, foreigners must quarantine in self-isolation for 14 days.

[Thinking about a remote-work trip? Consider these tips first.]

Barbados

Shortly after reopening its borders to international travel, Barbados launched a program that allows visitors, including Americans, to stay on the Caribbean island visa-free for up to one year.

Called the “Barbados Welcome Stamp,” the program was created to bring remote workers to the country.

“The aim is to attract remote workers, with a bill to be introduced in Parliament by the government that will remove the local income taxes that normally kick in after six months,” The Post reported.

The online application fee is $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for families. Applicants must certify they earn an annual income of $50,000 or have the means to support themselves during their time in Barbados.

Those traveling to Barbados for remote work or pleasure during the pandemic must follow new travel protocols.

[Where can Americans travel to in the Caribbean?]

Georgia

On July 16, the country of Georgia announced a new program for foreigners to work remotely from the country.

“Georgia has the image of an epidemiologically safe country in the world and we want to use this opportunity,” the country’s minister of economy, Natia Turnava, said in a statement. “We are talking about opening the border in a way to protect the health of our citizens, but, on the other hand, to bring to Georgia citizens of all countries who can work remotely.”

Applicants must provide proof of employment and give their consent to quarantine in self-isolation for 14 days to be considered for the program. Applications should be available soon.

American travelers are not allowed into Georgia at this time unless they’re granted a long-term visa of at least six months, traveling for business with a special permit or are the spouse of a Georgian citizen.

Jamaica

Travelers from the United States are allowed to visit Jamaica. However, the entry requirements vary depending on their home state.

All Americans must have an approved Travel Authorization ahead of their trip, or they won’t be allowed to travel to Jamaica.

At this time, visitors from Florida, Arizona, Texas and New York are classified as high-risk states by the Jamaican government and are required to provide a proof of negative covid-19 PCR tests from an accredited lab to receive a travel authorization.

People who identify as business travelers in their Travel Authorization application will be given a test for the novel coronavirus on arrival to Jamaica.

“We have worked with IATA to ensure that it is a part of the airline check-in protocols that if you’re coming to Jamaica you have to produce this authorization,” said Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism.

White says that while most travelers are given a 30-day visa on arrival, they can apply for a longer stay visa to enjoy more of what Jamaica has to offer digital nomads.

“There’s so much history and folklore around Jamaica. Anyone who is a nomad traveler … will be able to write a storybook about spending an extended time in Jamaica,” White said.

This article from the on-line Washington Post <https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/these-countries-are-accepting-american-travelers-remote-work-trips/ utm_campaign=wp_by_the_way&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_bytheway > highlights the kind of niche marketing that islands should be working to develop, given the relative safety of small islands.

These 4 countries are accepting American travelers for remote-work trips

Digital nomads don’t have many options during the pandemic, but a few nations are welcoming working travelers.

(Washington Post illustration)
By Natalie B. Compton
July 27

The pandemic has proved challenging for digital nomads, people who travel the world working remotely. With countries closing their borders and air travel heavily restricted, working abroad has become extremely difficult if not totally impossible for Americans.

And as some destinations begin to allow foreign visitors, travelers from the United States may still be banned because of the America’s escalating number of coronavirus cases.

But there are exceptions. While the State Department and health officials still recommend Americans avoid all international travel, some countries are welcoming working travelers, including Americans, back again despite the pandemic’s continuing spread.

[With the pandemic shutting borders, digital nomads find it harder to roam]

Estonia

Launching on Aug. 1 after years of development, the Republic of Estonia’s digital nomad visa will allow foreigners to stay in Estonia for up to a year.

Applicants must have a gross monthly salary of 3,000 euros (about $3,530) or more from a remote work job to be considered for the visa, which is an extension of Estonia’s e-Residency program for foreign entrepreneurs.

“We saw that there was kind of a lack of opportunities for [digital nomads], so we wanted Estonia to solve the problem,” Ott Vatter, the managing director of e-Residency, told The Washington Post. “Estonia aims to be the hub for these kinds of new entrepreneurs that we see trending globally.”

Since the Estonian Parliament authorized the program in June, international applicants mostly from the United States, Canada, Russia and Asia completed the online request for either a Type C short stay visa, or a Type D long stay visa.

At this time, Estonia is not allowing Americans to visit the country for tourism, but they are allowed in for the purpose of work or study. On arrival, foreigners must quarantine in self-isolation for 14 days.

[Thinking about a remote-work trip? Consider these tips first.]
Barbados

Shortly after reopening its borders to international travel, Barbados launched a program that allows visitors, including Americans, to stay on the Caribbean island visa-free for up to one year.

Called the “Barbados Welcome Stamp,” the program was created to bring remote workers to the country.

“The aim is to attract remote workers, with a bill to be introduced in Parliament by the government that will remove the local income taxes that normally kick in after six months,” The Post reported.

The online application fee is $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for families. Applicants must certify they earn an annual income of $50,000 or have the means to support themselves during their time in Barbados.

Those traveling to Barbados for remote work or pleasure during the pandemic must follow new travel protocols.

Georgia

(iStock)

On July 16, the country of Georgia announced a new program for foreigners to work remotely from the country.

“Georgia has the image of an epidemiologically safe country in the world and we want to use this opportunity,” the country’s minister of economy, Natia Turnava, said in a statement. “We are talking about opening the border in a way to protect the health of our citizens, but, on the other hand, to bring to Georgia citizens of all countries who can work remotely.”

Applicants must provide proof of employment and give their consent to quarantine in self-isolation for 14 days to be considered for the program. Applications should be available soon.

American travelers are not allowed into Georgia at this time unless they’re granted a long-term visa of at least six months, traveling for business with a special permit or are the spouse of a Georgian citizen.

Jamaica

Travelers from the United States are allowed to visit Jamaica. However, the entry requirements vary depending on their home state.

All Americans must have an approved Travel Authorization ahead of their trip, or they won’t be allowed to travel to Jamaica.

At this time, visitors from Florida, Arizona, Texas and New York are classified as high-risk states by the Jamaican government and are required to provide a proof of negative covid-19 PCR tests from an accredited lab to receive a travel authorization.

People who identify as business travelers in their Travel Authorization application will be given a test for the novel coronavirus on arrival to Jamaica.

“We have worked with IATA to ensure that it is a part of the airline check-in protocols that if you’re coming to Jamaica you have to produce this authorization,” said Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism.

White says that while most travelers are given a 30-day visa on arrival, they can apply for a longer stay visa to enjoy more of what Jamaica has to offer digital nomads.

“There’s so much history and folklore around Jamaica. Anyone who is a nomad traveler … will be able to write a storybook about spending an extended time in Jamaica,” White said.

In a state capital and county seat for 570,000 people, the Annapolis Capital-Gazette can barely manage to publish a 16-page edition, and of that, 1.5 pages are puzzles and 1 page is comics.

Doesn’t seem sustainable.

Walgreens: Looting Cost $75 million — as reported by Bloomberg News

Walgreens: Looting Cost Five One-hundredths of 1 percent of 2019 Revenue or One-tenth of One Percent of Assets — the way we “communists” (otherwise known as Democratic voters) might describe it. Poor babies are bleeding to death.