Privacy : Meta/Facebook insists “All your data is belong to us”
The tech giant was handed the biggest-ever fine for privacy violations in the European Union after being previously warned not to transfer the data of Facebook users in Europe to…
AI: ChatGPT falsely accuses professor of sexual harassment
It all started when UCLA professor and fellow lawyer Eugene Volokh asked ChatGPT if sexual harassment was a problem in American law schools and to provide at least 5 examples…
EVs: Tax credits, buying versus leasing
To take advantage of a tax credit loophole on EVs, some car makers want to do more leasing: Hyundai, Kia and Ford say they will look to increase leasing on…
AI: Are web scrapers now mostly AI data harvesters?
As I see this blog (and others) hammered by web scrapers and crawlers, it occurs to me these may be AI systems harvesting content for training.
Big infrastructure projects are hard
California’s plan is to build an electric train that will connect Los Angeles with the Central Valley and then San Francisco in two hours and 40 minutes. But 15 years…
Demographics: Whittier College sees plunge in enrollment
In recent years, Whittier has seen enrollment plunge 35%, from 1,853 students in 2018 to about 1,200. …. Enrollment downturns — brought on by population declines and rising tuition costs…
Health: Weight and dieting
Thoughts on gaining and losing weight and comments on various “diets”, why they may or may not work, and a possible secret to success.
Demographics: “A Forever Labor Shortage”
The huge demographic shift and low fertility rates have created a huge boon of opportunity for younger workers.
Climate oops: “Lab-grown meat could be 25 times worse for the climate than beef | New Scientist”
Analysis finds the carbon footprint of cultivated meat is likely to be higher than beef if current production methods are scaled up because they are still highly energy-intensive Source: Lab-grown…
Public health: Time to prohibit authoritarian approaches?
Over the past three years, the public has seen first-hand the tremendous power the public health establishment wields. Using emergency power that most people never realized an American government possessed,…
Follow up: Trevor Jacob and his [faked] plane crash
The original stunt: Trevor Jacob and his plane crash – Coldstreams Skeptic As of May 2023, Trevor Jacob admits it was a faked stunt for a promotional opportunity. He also…
Automation: “Digital dining” take out orders ending fast food dining rooms?
McDonald’s and other fast food and fast casual giants are betting on the “digital kitchen” — sleek, compact stores that harness automation and digitalization to have diners ordering through mobile…
Demographics: Oregon school enrollments in decline, schools want more money
Oregon has a fertility rate of 1.39 and a net out migration in recent years. No amount of school funding will magically create more kids.
Tech: Fascinating look at tech salaries across many companies
This analysis looks at tech company median pay scales – which vary widely. Really widely, in part, because some companies mostly employ workers abroad in lower cost countries like India…
Energy: Microsoft contracts with nuclear fusion company
To deliver fusion produced electricity starting in 2028: Microsoft signs nuclear fusion deal as part of sustainability push (axios.com)