In my spare time, I can drive for Uber, or Lyft, or Via, or Gett. I can pick up website design jobs off Thumbtack or eLance. I can pick up a writing gig off Fiverr. I can deliver stuff with Postmates of TaskRabbit. I can transcribe audio with BabbleType. And so on.

I have those choices. And each and every one of those is an example of the "gig economy". I'm not obligated to do any of those. I do them WHEN and IF I feel like it. Of course, that's too cool and too nice. But moreover, that's dangerous. That kind of work creates a mindset that's focused on skills and abilities, instead of blind attendance 9-5. That's a mindset that makes me learn additional skills, so I can maximize my per-hour earnings. That's a mindset that wants to guarantee my own financial future, instead of hoping for the thrice-broke Social Security system to still be there several decades later.

Needless to say, the LAST thing our government, or the corporations, want, is a generation of people who think for themselves and motivate themselves.

100% wrong. You don't have to have an Uber-provided (leased) phone. You can install the Uber Partner app on any Android or IOS phone or tablet. 100% correct. The reason Uber is fighting for a "new category of workers" (see previous /. article) is because they want to officially dictate terms of contractor-customer interaction, while at the same time not paying any benefits that are due to employees.

Re the non-compete, Uber cannot force drivers to drive only for Uber. Most drivers I've talked to, use Uber and Lyft, as well as other TNCs such as Via and Gett, if they're available in their city. In other words, the driver may have 2-4 apps open at the same time, and whichever one gives him a ping 1st, that's the one he will go with.

Some limo drivers have their base radio for the base calls, and a phone with Uber and/or Lyft. If they get a base call, they go offline on the apps, and take care of the base call.

The goal is to have as little downtime as possible, and to avoid DWAD (Driving Without A Destination).

Some of the full-time, experienced drivers, even have multiple cell phones set up, each running 1 or 2 apps. This way, they can avoid overloading the phone (Uber alone eats ~360 MB of RAM, Lyft adds another 200 or so - overheating and battery issues are commonplace), and they can tap online/offline on individual screens.

For example, the driver could be finishing up an Uber trip, and 2-3 minutes away from the drop-off, turn on Lyft. Until he drops off the Uber passenger & rates them, he's effectively "offline" as far as Uber is concerned, but now he has an extra 2-3 minutes of "scan time" to possibly get a Lyft ping (while he still has the Uber passenger in the car). If he doesn't get a Lyft ping, after he drops off the Uber pax, he's back online with Uber and is now available on both networks.

You cannot have 2 pax in the same car from 2 different TNC's, that's a HUGE violation of TOS, but if you're smart about it, you can multiplex your availability to different TNC's by and have a (very slight) edge over other drivers.

One of the most prevalent complaints on Uber driver forums is that while Uber claims that the drivers are "independent contractors", there are a LOT of things Uber requires that cross the "employee vs contractor" line.

• Hand out business cards for Lyft / Via / Gett / other ridesharing services? Summary deactivation
• Ask for tips or have a sign along the lines of "Tips are not required, but are appreciated"? Summary deactivation
• Accept less than 90% of trips? Ineligible for guaranteed rates, incentives, and other bonuses
• Complain about Uber and they find out? Summary deactivation.
• ...and a few more, but you get the idea.

Uber wants to have all the benefits of having independent contractors, but all the advantages of being able to dictate the terms of their performance. It's that simple.

Not 100% correct. Drivers can accept or "pass" (there's no "decline" option, you just let the timer run out w/o touching the screen) whatever rides they want. The "acceptance rate" (Uber's exact term) comes into play for things like guaranteed payouts, promotions, or incentives. If you want to get the "guaranteed rate", you have to accept 90% or more of the offered trips, and you must have at least 1 ride per hour. However, if you're a part-timer sitting at home doing something else, you have the option to pass on rides if they don't fit your personal preferences.

The 2nd Amendment does not extend to things like howitzers, jetfighters, or nuclear weapons. Here's why. The specific wording of the 2nd Amendment grants the right to "bear" "arms".
The definition of "firearm" is "a portable gun, being a barreled weapon that launches one or more projectiles often driven by the action of an explosive force". This specifically EXCLUDES things like tanks, F-15 jetfighters, or nuclear/biological/chemical weapons.
To "bear" is to "be able to carry or hold". This EXCLUDES things like howitzers, SAWs, and other crew-served weapons. If you can't lift it, it's technically not covered by #2A.
So, no, the 2nd Amendment doesn't give you the right to own weapons of mass destruction, or anything that requires a support system / multiple people. However, other than that, anything you can hold & operate individually, that can be selectively targeted at a single person or object (i.e. NOT bazookas), should be OK.