Weekend edition—Hong Kong seen, Boeing diverted, silver mined

A year ago, the trial of the “Umbrella Nine” began in Hong Kong, but there were no mass protests. Two scholars and a reverend were among those prosecuted for rallying people to commit civil disobedience in 2014, in a public demand for genuine democracy, but the city was placid, seemingly resigned to a lawmaker disqualified here, a protester imprisoned there. [Quartz Daily Brief]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! A year ago,[the trial of the “Umbrella Nine” began]( in Hong Kong, but there were no mass protests. Two scholars and a reverend were among those prosecuted for rallying people to commit civil disobedience in 2014, in a[public demand for genuine democracy]( but the city was placid, seemingly resigned to a lawmaker disqualified here, a protester imprisoned there. A year on we marvel at how clueless we were. The city was not quiet—it was seething. And scenes from recent days show how deep the anger and disappointment runs. Young men and women furiously dig up bricks and build little Stonehenges on the city’s most trafficked roads. University students find masonry tips online to erect walls and barricade their campuses. Smoke billows as police and students[pelt tear gas and Molotov cocktails]( respectively, at one another. Are these warriors the same young people who seemed entirely absorbed by the flickering screens of their phones just a year ago? The media has been chastised for glorifying the protesters—particularly as some have turned to more violent actions. Nobody condones attacks such as the[setting on fire of a man]( who argued with pro-democracy protesters. But the criticism misses what has moved many observers: the sight of young people driven by faith in democratic ideals. There had been cynicism about whether the US Senate would follow the[House’s example]( and pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which people in the territory have been lobbying for as evidence that the US stands with Hong Kong. The increasing tension prompted the Senate to finally (and unanimously) [pass it this week]( and a reconciled bill will soon be before Donald Trump. Amid trade talks with China, the US president [might veto it](. Congress [can override him]( if he does. The law, which institutes annual checks of Hong Kong’s autonomy, may not be able to hold back the slow whittling away of the territory’s arm’s-length relationship with Beijing. But its passage reminds US lawmakers what it means to be driven by the highest ideals, even as they say to every Hong Kong protester: We see you. —Tripti Lahiri Sponsor content by EY Company culture is a boardroom priority. It’s up to leaders at all levels to define and implement culture, but boards must hold them accountable. [Here are five ways]( boards can influence and shape corporate culture. FIVE THINGS ON QUARTZ WE ESPECIALLY LIKED A good mix. In India, companies are obsessed with hiring students from top engineering and business schools. These elite graduates bring a lot to the table, but they also represent a narrow section of society, and a lack of diversity in employees is detrimental to a firm’s growth. [Diksha Madhok writes]( that fast-growing businesses should also look for people from no-name colleges because they know what it is to fail and have varied experiences. Quantity, not quality. America’s super-low unemployment rate suggests a strong labor market and a healthy economy. But it’s hard to square this data with widespread anecdotes of struggling workers. A new indicator measuring job quality—the number of jobs that offer higher-than-average income versus those providing less—helps resolve this paradox, [writes Gwynn Guilford](. The index reveals how over the last 30 years, the US economy has shifted toward creating far more bad jobs than good ones. Mining for “silver.” Facebook’s anemic enforcement of its ad rules has real-world consequences. Jeremy B. Merrill and Hanna Kozlowska [found ads microtargeting conservative seniors]( in the US and warning of an impending “account freeze” and the “deep state.” The scheme helped a company accused of breaking laws in several states sell gold and silver coins at high markups. Now Facebook says the ads, for which it accepted $3 million, violated its policies—cold comfort to those duped. Cash crop. While many places around the world are becoming more tolerant of weed, in China trafficking marijuana can lead to a death sentence. Yet in the country’s Yunnan province, farmers are growing more cannabis than ever, thanks to the provincial government loosening restrictions on CBD (the versatile extract that doesn’t get you high). In a Quartz member exclusive, [Nikhil Sonnad shows]( what China’s relationship with cannabis reveals about its economy. Fore! Before becoming president, Donald Trump routinely criticized Barack Obama for golfing too much. Trump, though, has already spent far more time on the links than his predecessor did over eight years in office. What’s more, [writes Justin Rohrlich]( he’s done so almost exclusively at his own clubs, spending over $100 million along the way (hosting the Secret Service isn’t cheap). Trump golf cart rentals have now cost US taxpayers more than $500,000. FIVE THINGS ELSEWHERE THAT MADE US SMARTER Off course. With the 737 Max still grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes, Boeing is under intense pressure from investors and regulators alike. For the Atlantic, [Jerry Useem traces]( the company’s crisis back to when it moved its headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. That, he explains, ultimately divorced management from the engineering culture that fueled Boeing’s ascent. With executives and engineers estranged, the plane maker lost its bearings—and is now paying the price. A reshaped world. While consumers traditionally lugged home the goods they bought at shops—making them a part of a supply chain—products increasingly show up on our doorsteps shortly after we’ve made a few clicks on Amazon. As [Samanth Subramanian writes]( in the Guardian, online retail has succeeded in making us shop more while thinking less about how our purchases reach us, even as they exert an “unseen, transformative pressure” on cities, infrastructure, and companies themselves. Around the bloc. Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull the US out of the North American Free Trade Agreement if lawmakers don’t ratify his replacement for it, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. For Reuters, [Nick Carey ponders]( the impact this would have on General Motors, focusing specifically on the parts that go into its engines, noting the many times they cross the two borders before going into the final product. Dreaming of you. For as long as there have been sex symbols, there have been people fantasizing about having sex with them. These days, though, it’s easy to make, sell, and get off to 3D avatars of celebrities and other real people, without them ever giving consent, as Samantha Cole and Emanuel Maiberg [write for Vice’s Motherboard](. The two explore the online forums and marketplaces where this is already happening—and the legal and ethical concerns that ensue. Model tourists. It used to be that people traveled abroad to experience new cultures and learn history. These days, they increasingly do so to spice up their Instagram feeds. Many tour operators are responding accordingly, offering photographers and itineraries designed specifically to produce pics worthy of social media, as [Harriet Torry explains]( in the Wall Street Journal. Guides might still recount the historical details of certain landmarks, but participants are usually too busy checking photos to listen. Our best wishes for a relaxing but thought-filled weekend. Please send any news, comments, unscripted travel pics, and presidential golf carts to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by[downloading our app]( and[becoming a member](. Today’s Weekend Brief was brought to you by Steve Mollman and Annaliese Griffin. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here to sign up.]( Want to advertise in the Quartz Daily Brief? Send us an email at ads@qz.com. To unsubscribe from the Quartz Daily Brief, [click here](.