👾 Paying ransom to Las Vegas hackers

Happy Friday! It’s September 15 — people are talking about the Las Vegas casino cyber attacks, being friends with someone who has kids, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

👾 In the news: Las Vegas cyber attacks

Two major Las Vegas resorts and casinos fell victim to cyberattacks. One paid ransom to the hackers, and the other didn't. What was the right call?

👾 MGM said it experienced by a “cybersecurity issue”, but CNN said it sounds more like a full-fledged cyber attack by hackers. The FBI is investigating — the “Scattered Spider” hacker group might be the perpetrators.

👾 Caesars Entertainment was attacked, too, wrote Axios. But it seems they paid a ransom (potentially $30m, according to the WSJ) to keep their devices and hotels up and running — unlike MGM, who is still experiencing outages.

👾 Vegas Slots Online thinks Caesars was right to pay the hackers off. MGM employees say the resort could be out of commission for weeks.

👾 But Forbes said the FBI advises companies not to pay — it just encourages hackers to keep doing what they're doing!

👾 Either way, Vegas Starfish says people staying in MGM resorts are still grappling with the attack: Phones, elevators, and slots are all out of order.

🤰 Cultural trend: Do kids ruin friendships?

Can childless adults stay friends with new parents, or do kids get in the way?

🤰 The Cut shared the story of a childless woman who said her friends with a newborn child became distant, and the friendship withered away. It seems like the only thing new parents can talk about is their kids.

🤰 Romper thinks the disconnect happens naturally because your routines become very different. Your parent-friend will have a new set of priorities.

🤰 Glamour Mag blames the parent-friends: They make their childless friends feel like outsiders. But both parties have to make concessions — and if the friendship is worth it, you’ll power through.

🤰 But BabySparks says nobody is to blame. This experience is common, so don't feel bad about it. Accept the new dynamic and continue to grow together!

Quick hits

🏛️ Special counsel David Weiss indicted Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, on three gun charges. (CNN)

🚗 After contract talks between union leaders and automakers failed, 13k US auto workers went on strike. (AP News)

⚾ Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer has a low-grade muscle strain and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. (SI)

🏀 Kevin Porter Jr. of the Rockets was arrested on felony assault and strangulation charges. He allegedly attacked his girlfriend at a hotel. (ESPN)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)