Archive for the 'Economy' Category
Flying Taxis to be Trialled in New Zealand
March 13th, 2018They have their doomsteads here, so… Via: Radio New Zealand: A network of self-piloted, flying taxis will be trialled in New Zealand, in a partnership with the government. Airways, New Zealand’s air navigation service provider confirmed the trial and said it will develop a nationwide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) traffic management system which will integrate […]
California Bullet Train Boondoggle
March 11th, 2018Via: Los Angeles Times: The price of the California bullet train project jumped sharply Friday when the state rail authority announced that the cost of connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco would be $77.3 billion and could rise as high as $98.1 billion — an uptick of at least $13 billion from estimates two years […]
The Massive Prize Luring Miners to the Stars
March 11th, 2018The sci-fi fan in me decided to post this one, but, no, this isn’t going to solve peak cobalt, or peak-whatever anytime soon. Via: Bloomberg: Sending a spacecraft to the far reaches of our solar system to mine asteroids might seem like an improbable ambition best left to science fiction. But it’s inching closer to […]
Tepco’s ‘Ice Wall’ Fails to Freeze Fukushima’s Toxic Water Buildup
March 8th, 2018Mmm hmm. This was treated like comedy gold on Cryptogon when it was announced. And now, not only has it not worked, but the problem is worse. Via: Reuters: A costly “ice wall” is failing to keep groundwater from seeping into the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, data from operator Tokyo Electric Power Co shows, […]
Self Driving Uber Trucks Start Shuttling Goods Across Arizona
March 6th, 2018Via: USA Today: Uber has been sending self-driving trucks on delivery runs across Arizona since November, the first step in what promises to be a freight transportation revolution that could radically reshape the jobs of long-haul truckers. After testing its technology earlier in 2017, Uber began contracting with trucking companies to use its own autonomous […]
42% of Americans Have Less Than $10,000 Stashed Away for Retirement [???]
March 6th, 2018Can this possibly be right? Via: CNBC: At this rate, retirement is more of a fantasy than a reality for many people in this country. About 42 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for when they retire, according to a study by GoBankingRates released Tuesday. The No. 1 reason most people cited for […]
Is Google Going Underground With Hypersonic Tech?
March 6th, 2018Via: IEEE: Google is carrying out research on hypersonics, probably for new technologies to slash the cost of geothermal energy and tunneling. It could also be acquiring a Washington-based startup called HyperSciences that has already built prototype devices. … The technology being developed by HyperSciences should make it cheaper to reach much higher temperatures even […]
Uber and Lyft Drivers’ Median Hourly Wage Is Just $3.37 (Update: Author Admits Flaws)
March 5th, 2018Update: Uber, Lyft Drivers Might Make More than $3.73/Hour, MIT Paper Author Says Via: USA Today: After a working paper published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology claimed 74% of Uber and Lyft drivers take home less than minimum wage, the paper’s author said his analysis might be wrong. The paper suggested median profit for […]
‘Dorm Living for Professionals Comes to San Francisco’
March 5th, 2018The New York Times is promoting Khrushchyovka-style living in San Francisco for $1,400 to $2,400 a month. Via: New York Times: Shared bathrooms at the end of the hall and having no individual kitchen or living room is becoming less weird for some of the city’s workers thanks to Starcity, a new development company that […]
Dumping U.S. Debt, a Possible Weapon in Global Trade War
March 2nd, 2018Via: Reuters: U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to slap stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum has rattled financial markets and stirred fears that some trading partners might retaliate by dumping U.S. Treasuries. Should China, Japan and other nations, which have recycled their trade dollars through their Treasuries holdings, suddenly decide to whittle them down, […]
