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Sex sells, but does it when the price of almost everything has gone up?

Sex worker Jenna Love is a Sydney, Australia-based escort, and shes currently watching her industry adapt to these strained financial times.

When you are a sex worker, you are relying on people having a disposable income, so Ms. Love saw the cost of living crisis coming from a mile away.

We feel the pinch with this stuff quite early on, she said.

Theres no denying that plenty of people are financially strapped at the moment.

The US also continues to grapple with inflation, with the rate currently at nearly 3%.

People are cutting back on expenses, with a recent CNBC and Morning Consult Poll finding that 92% of US consumers are spending less.

So where does that leave sex workers?

If people cant justify mince, can they justify paying for intimacy? The answer is complicated.

Ms. Loves unique job gives her insight into the general vibe of wealth in Australia. For instance, she flagged when the building industry was drying up way before anyone was writing about construction companies collapsing.

She simply noticed she was booking less appointments with tradies paying in cash.

She also flagged early the trend of Gen Z staying at home longer after chatting with her younger clients.

People in their twenties, they dont see how they could move out.

Given Ms Love makes a living by dealing with people and often people at their most vulnerable shes very aware of how the cost of living is impacting her clients, and therefore her and the sex industry in Australia.

Across the broader sex industry, Ms Love knows from speaking with other sex workers that times are tough, and people arent making the money they used to.

People are pretty worried.

If you have regulars, you will get through, but if you arent established, its a real struggle, she told news.com.au.

The nature of sex work is to make yourself seem desirable and in-demand.

Its basic marketing, but it means you are never going to see an escort reveal shes having trouble getting enough private bookings to make rent, and that means even when things are tough, the sex industry looks misleadingly glamorous.

Lots of people in my industry are struggling at the moment, I speak to women who are getting only one booking a month, she said.

You arent going to put on your marketing that you are doing really poorly. We have got to put out this image that we are really successful.

For every OnlyFans success story, Ms Love knows plenty of sex workers who are currently barely making rent.

A spokesman from Scarlet Alliance, the Australian Sex Workers Association Sex workers, confirmed that sex workers are feeling the pinch during the cost of living crisis.

We face the same inflationary pressures as all other workers including increasing costs for food, mortgages or rents, electricity, and so on.

The spokesman said sex workers are in a more vulnerable position than other Aussie workers.

Due to stigma, discrimination, and criminalization in some states and territories, sex workers may find it harder to access government and other supports. We saw this during the COVID-19 response, and we encourage any sex worker doing it tough to get in touch with their local sex worker organization for support and appropriate referrals.

Ms Love explains shes in a lucky position in the industry because shes an established sex worker and has regulars, but even shes noticed a shift in her demand and bookings.

Yes, she has her regulars, but some have cut back from coming once a week to once a month or fortnight.

Theres been a reduction, she tells news.com.au.

I used to be heavily booked and have a waitlist, and Im not in that position these days. But I do still have enough bookings.

A single hour spent with Ms Love will set you back $600 ($420 USD), but shes not planning to lower her rates.

Remember the price of tomatoes?

While she understands if clients cant afford to keep visiting her, shes not prepared to lower her costs at a time when all her personal bills are going up.

She does offer a cuddles and chat option, which is only $250 ($165 USD) per hour, but that service involves no sex.

It was an idea that stemmed from the pandemic when she realised how many people were just starved of touch, and something shes kept on as the cost of living pressures increase.

It was also in my mind because things were starting to get tough for us all, well, most of us besides the 1 per cent.

So does she think sex work is drying up? Well, no.

Ms Love thinks there will always be a demand for intimacy and human connection, but the bigger question is will Aussies keep being able to pay for it?

Sex sells, but you have to be able to afford it.

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Environment

Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

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Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

President Trump has nominated Jonathan Morrison to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Morrison has previously criticized and tussled with Tesla in his previous role at NHTSA.

Morrison is now Trump’s nominee to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is in charge of regulating the auto industry in the US.

The attorney was the agency’s Chief Counsel during Trump’s first term, and he had a few disputes with Tesla during that time.

In September 2018, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its Tesla Model 3 crash test results, and the EV got five-star safety ratings in every category.

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Tesla interpreted the data from the test and claimed that Model 3 achieved “the lowest probability of injury of any vehicle ever tested by NHTSA“.

Morrison sent Tesla a cease-and-desist letter over the claim, arguing that it was misleading.

The lawyers also subpoenaed Tesla to get data about a specific crash in 2019.

Next week, Morrison is expected to have his confirmation hearing in the Senate and could take up his role shortly after.

The nomination is significant in the context of the current feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Trump.

Musk has been criticizing Trump and his allies over their recently passed budget and tax bill, which is expected to significantly increase the federal government’s debt and eliminate virtually all subsidies to electric vehicles and renewable energy, potentially harming Tesla.

Trump has warned Musk that he could go directly after his companies and NHTSA would be the top vehicle for that when it comes to Tesla.

The agency had already launched several investigations into Tesla over the years, with the largest one examining Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program and several fatal crashes related to the ADAS system.

Electrek’s Take

Most NHTSA probes into Tesla have resulted in slaps on the wrist at best, but this FSD probe involves several fatal crashes, and even though it started under the Biden administration, it could potentially ramp up under Trump, especially amid his feud with Musk.

On the one hand, it’s disheartening to see the US reach this point, where feuds between billionaires and elected officials are settled through regulatory agencies. Still, at the same time, Musk did buy the election for Trump, so he created this situation in the first place, and there are serious concerns about how safe FSD is.

At the very least, I would hope that NHTSA will start to force Tesla to release all its FSD crash and disengagement data.

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Environment

A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

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A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

You might remember the GEM as a quirky little electric microcar that’s been cruising through campuses, resorts, and planned communities for years. But now, it’s taking on a more serious job – saving lives. Waev Inc., the maker behind the long-running GEM electric vehicle line, has just unveiled the GEM Ambulance, a purpose-built, all-electric, street-legal low-speed vehicle (LSV) designed specifically for emergency medical services.

While it might not replace a full-size ambulance on high-speed highways, this new electric responder is tailor-made for the dense environments where conventional ambulances often struggle: college campuses, sporting events, entertainment venues, airports, and more. With a top speed of 25 mph, it’s built for maneuverability, safety, and zero-emission performance in pedestrian-heavy areas.

“The GEM Ambulance fills a critical gap in medical response – delivering the ideal balance of agility and safety EMS teams need in crowded settings,” said Byron Dudley, Vice President at Waev Inc.

The new GEM Ambulance is built on the same proven electric platform that has powered GEM vehicles for over 25 years. It’s a highly refined LSV that combines practical engineering with professional-grade EMS functionality. In partnership with emergency equipment supplier QTAC, Waev integrated a skid-mounted EMS system that includes secure patient transport, attendant seating, optional oxygen and IV mounts, and rugged PolyTough™ construction designed to handle demanding conditions.

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Unlike golf carts or UTV-based setups that have been DIYed into emergency vehicles, the GEM Ambulance offers a more stable, comfortable, and professional platform. The EMS skid is positioned between the wheels for better weight distribution, and the vehicle’s low deck height and rear step-up provide easy access for patients and personnel alike.

The GEM Ambulance doesn’t skimp on emergency essentials either. It’s equipped with a 360-degree red emergency lighting system, an SAE Class 1-compliant siren with multiple sound patterns, a public address system, turn signals, LED headlights and taillights, and even a pedestrian noise emitter for quiet zones. A backup camera and full 360° sightlines give drivers added confidence when navigating tight environments.

And since it’s 100% electric, there’s no tailpipe emissions to worry about when operating indoors or in crowded spaces. Maintenance is minimal thanks to GEM’s maintenance-free batteries, regenerative braking, and corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. There’s even a seven-year warranty on the lithium-ion battery option.

The biggest surprise might be the price. According to Waev, the GEM Ambulance can cost up to 80% less than a traditional ambulance and 50% less than electric trucks or UTV-based alternatives. Plus, with operating costs of just $0.03 per mile, it promises long-term savings with no fuel, no fluids, and no downtime from engine servicing.

With applications ranging from college campuses and amusement parks to military installations and warehouse sites, the GEM Ambulance could be a game-changer for localized EMS response. It’s available now through GEM’s nationwide dealer network and can also be purchased through government contracts like Sourcewell, Texas BuyBoard, and GSA procurement channels.

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Technology

Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

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Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

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Microsoft‘s Outlook email service malfunctioned for several hours Wednesday and Thursday, prompting some people to post on social media about the inability to reach their virtual mailboxes.

The issue began at 6:20 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, according to a dashboard the software company maintains. It affected Outlook.com as well as Outlook mobile apps and desktop programs.

At 12:21 ET the Microsoft 365 Status account posted that it was rolling out a fix.

“Our configuration changes have effectively resolved impact in targeted infrastructure. We’re now deploying the changes worldwide to resolve impact for all users,” Microsoft said in an X post on Thursday afternoon.

The company’s status page said “most impacted users will experience relief within the next two hours,” and that it was continuing to monitor the service.

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On social media, some people reported that Outlook was functioning properly after hours of users posting about problems.

Some posts included screenshots of Outlook that said “something went wrong.” 

With hundreds of millions of active users, Outlook is important, although Apple and Google‘s email clients are more popular, according to data from analytics company Litmus

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