10 things in tech: Bezos in space (forever?), Instacart hires, Shopify exodus

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1. More than 70,000 people want Jeff Bezos to stay in space. Thousands of people have signed petitions to stop the Amazon exec from returning to Earth after his trip to space next month. Why they're signing a petition titled "Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth."

2. Texas power companies raised customers' smart thermostats in the middle of a heat wave. Regulators asked residents to conserve energy during the hot spell - but in some cases, the power companies did it for them. How customers unknowingly allowed the companies to raise the temperature.

3. Instacart is poaching top execs from major companies as it mulls a direct listing. An Uber marketing exec is joining as its new VP of brand and marketing, and sources say Facebook's former ad sales boss is in talks to join Instacart. More on that here.

4. An Amazon warehouse destroys 130,000 items - including Macbooks, face masks, and TVs - per week. According to an investigative report, the Scottish warehouse destroys millions of unsold products every year. Here's what you need to know.

5. WeWork posted its best sales since its botched IPO in 2019. But even as workers are slowly returning to WeWork's spaces, the companies' own offices are barely half full. Get the full rundown here.

6. Amazon Prime Day deals aren't always the best option when you need them now. We put together a list of retailers that are offering in-store pick-up options for the items you need ASAP. Here's our list.

7. The viral "Honey Badger Don't Care'' video is being sold as an NFT. We spoke with the clip's creator, who said he was auctioning it as an NFT to honor his friend who died. Watch the viral video.

8. Amazon is reportedly buying 1,000 autonomous truck-driving systems. The purchase could pave the way for the company to one day ditch drivers. Read up on Amazon's latest technology.

9. At least 20 executives have left Shopify in the last year. Despite a year of stellar growth for the e-commerce platform, Shopify has seen a wave of executive turnover. Here's a list of the departures and where they're headed next.

10. These 17 Uber execs are leading the ride-hail giant's battles against Lyft and DoorDash. The execs are responsible for making sure Uber can grow its product offerings and revenue while keeping costs under control. Meet them here.

Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.

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