Tech Billionaires Buy 55,000 Acres Outside San Francisco To Start New City
August 27th, 2023Via: ZeroHedge:
The New York Times revealed a group of Silicon Valley billionaires are behind the $800 million in land purchases, or about the size of two San Franciscos, around Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, California.
We previously covered the mysterious Flannery Associates, which has quietly amassed a staggering 55,000-acre farmland portfolio encircling three sides of the military base. The landowners weren’t previously known until now:
Billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz, Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder, venture capitalist and Democratic donor; Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon, investors at the Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm; Patrick and John Collison, the sibling co-founders of the payments company Stripe; Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of the Emerson Collective; and Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, entrepreneurs turned investors. –NYT
Brian Brokaw, a representative of Flannery Associates, stated the investor group is mainly “Californians who believe that Solano County’s and California’s best days are ahead.” He said the group will begin talking with Solano County leaders, residents, and Air Force officials next week.
Birth Control for Pest Species
August 27th, 2023Pest species. *wink*
Via: Guardian:
Conflicts between humans and wildlife are triggering growing numbers of disease outbreaks, road accidents and crop damage. And the problem is likely to get worse unless new, humane measures to curtail animal numbers are developed in the near future, say scientists.
It is a critical environmental issue that will be debated this week at a major conference in Italy where experts will discuss how best to limit numbers of grey squirrels, wild boar, deer, feral goats, pigeons, parakeets and other creatures that are causing widespread ecological damage in many countries.
A key approach to be highlighted at the meeting will be the need to develop contraceptives for animals. These would provide conservationists and farmers with a means to curtail animal numbers in a humane way, say researchers.
Related: Cornell Researchers Developing On-Demand Male Contraceptive
Massive Emergency Alert Test Will Sound Alarms on U.S. Cellphones, TVs and Radios in October
August 27th, 2023Via: USA Today:
This is a test. This is only a test. But it’s going to be one very big test.
On Wednesday, October 4 at 2:20 p.m. ET, every TV, radio and cellphone in the United States should blare out the distinctive, jarring electronic warning tone of an emergency alert, accompanied by a notice along these lines:
“This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
AI Humanoid Pilot to Fly Existing Aircraft [???]
August 26th, 2023Via: ZeroHedge:
South Korean researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) developed “Pibot,” a life-sized humanoid robot that can fly planes and understand complex flight controls.
Flight news website Airways Magazine explains more about Pibot’s capabilities:
As the world continues to adapt to the growing trend of Artificial Intelligence (AI), South Korean scientists have unveiled a humanoid robot capable of piloting an aircraft.
Named Pibot, the life-sized robot, measuring 160 cm tall and weighing in at 65 kg, is capable of gripping the controls, memorizing aircraft manuals, and even responding to emergency situations. It is fitted with multiple cameras capable of monitoring the aircraft’s systems and operational conditions.
Day in the Life of a Japanese Train Conductor
August 26th, 2023There’s a lot of pleasant anachronism here. I can understand why people buy those snacks to keep the railroad alive.
Via: Paolo in Tokyo:
Actual Headline: “Border Patrol Admits It’s Responsible for Open Floodgates in Arizona Border Wall”
August 25th, 2023Via: New York Post:
The US Border Patrol has now admitted it’s responsible for the decision to leave giant flood gates in the border wall wide open — giving thousands of illegal immigrants an easy opportunity to stream into Arizona.
After some initial finger-pointing at other federal agencies, the agency took ownership for making the call.
“USBP makes the final decision on opening gates based on operational conditions and forecasted weather,” the agency said a statement to The Post.
Cartels are exploiting the situation, dropping off migrants by the busload so they can casually walk into the US through the open doors and hand themselves over to border agents, as The Post witnessed firsthand west of remote Lukeville, Ariz., last weekend.
Excessive Social Media Use Is No. 1 Concern For Parents As Kids Head Back To School
August 25th, 2023
Via: Epoch Times:
An increasing number of parents have expressed concern over their children’s digital habits as their kids return to the classroom, findings from a new poll show.
Two-thirds of parents surveyed say overall screen time, followed by social media overuse and internet safety, are major concerns, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
“Children are using digital devices and social media at younger ages, and parents may struggle with how to appropriately monitor use to prevent negative impacts on safety, self-esteem, social connections, and habits that may interfere with sleep and other areas of health,” said Mott Poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Dr. Susan Woolford in a news release.
Florida Surgeon General on Mask Mandates: Refuse to Participate
August 24th, 2023What do you call re-imposing mask policies that have been proven ineffective or restarting lockdowns that are known to cause harm?
You don't call it sanity.
These terrible policies only work with your cooperation. How about refusing to participate…
— Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD (@FLSurgeonGen) August 24, 2023
Walmart Drones To Serve 60,000 Dallas Homes
August 24th, 2023Via: ZeroHedge:
Walmart announced its drone delivery service at two Dallas, Texas, stores is about to take flight in the coming months and serve upwards of 60,000 homes. The mega-retailer, with thousands of stores nationwide, hopes to expand its drone delivery network, currently operating in 36 stores in seven states, as a move to reduce the time and cost of delivering goods to customers on the last mile.
Maui’s Top Emergency Officials Were on a Different Island for FEMA Disaster Training as Flames Flared
August 24th, 2023Via: Daily Mail:
Maui’s top emergency officials were on another island when the wildfires begun, it emerged on Wednesday – and did not join a call about the response until five hours after the blazes broke out.
Dozens of senior bureaucrats were gathering on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, on August 8 for the annual meeting of FEMA coordinators in the Pacific region.
The first fire on Maui, the Upcounty Fire, broke out in the early hours of August 8.
Around 6:40am on that day, a school near Lahaina was evacuated, but an emergency response call was not held until nearly five hours later, at 11am.
The fire was declared ‘contained’ by 9am, CNN reported.
Yet by 3:30pm the fire had spread so significantly around Lahaina that an evacuation order was given for the town, and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, Hawaii’s acting governor, activated Hawaii’s national guard.
