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…