New Zealand Considering Increasing Maximum Residue Level of Glyphosate in Wheat, Barley and Oats by 100X
April 9th, 2025Update: This Just Greeted Me at the Grocery Store
For Real pic.twitter.com/oVl2m46soH
— cryptogon (@cryptogon) April 10, 2025
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“New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle says an increase of maximum residue levels of glyphosate found in food won’t mean it is unsafe.”
Via: Farmers Weekly:
New Zealand Food Safety is proposing to increase the maximum residue level for glyphosate in some grains and peas.
In an ongoing consultation the proposal is to increase the maximum residue level (MRL) from the current default of 0.1 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg in wheat, barley and oats; and 6 mg/kg in dry field peas.
Research Credit: AM
China Raising Tariff on U.S. Goods to 84%
April 9th, 2025Via: Yahoo!Finance:
China said it will raise its tariff on US goods to 84%, retaliating to the hefty new tariffs on its imports that kicked in on Wednesday.
The move came after the Trump administration followed through on a threat to add a 50% tariff on Chinese goods, in addition to 34% reciprocal tariffs, raising the overall tariff rate on Chinese goods to 104%. The steep new duties on China and 184 other US trading partners took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Beijing’s move marks further deterioration in US-China trade relations, after China vowed on Tuesday to “fight to the end” in the renewed trade war.
Did Scientists Create a Dire Wolf by Gene Editing a Common Gray Wolf?
April 8th, 2025[???]
Via: Time:
The dire wolf once roamed an American range that extended as far south as Venezuela and as far north as Canada, but not a single one has been seen in over 10,000 years, when the species went extinct. Plenty of dire wolf remains have been discovered across the Americas, however, and that presented an opportunity for a company named Colossal Biosciences.
Relying on deft genetic engineering and ancient, preserved DNA, Colossal scientists deciphered the dire wolf genome, rewrote the genetic code of the common gray wolf to match it, and, using domestic dogs as surrogate mothers, brought Romulus, Remus, and their sister, 2-month-old Khaleesi, into the world during three separate births last fall and this winter—effectively for the first time de-extincting a line of beasts whose live gene pool long ago vanished.
San Francisco: Traffic Fines Based on Income
April 7th, 2025Via: The Gateway Pundit:
San Francisco launched a controversial new traffic camera program through which residents with low incomes or receiving government assistance will receive substantial discounts in fines.
City authorities turned on 33 new cameras last month, according to KABC-TV in Los Angeles, yet they will not give out citations for the first two months of the program. Instead, drivers will receive warnings during that time.
Once citations do start, however, the income level of the driver will determine how much he or she will pay.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency revealed on its website that the fees, as mandated by state legislation, differ quite a bit based on poverty level.
For example, drivers caught going between 11 and 15 miles per hour over the speed limit will ordinarily receive $50 fees, but if they are “low-income,” they will pay $25, and if they are on “public assistance,” the fee will drop to $10.
That pattern extends into much higher fines.
The normal fee for driving between 16 and 25 miles per hour too fast is $100 for most people, but it is $50 for “low-income” and $20 for “public assistance.”
The rate for anyone going 26 miles per hour or more over the speed limit increases to $200, but it drops to $100 and $40 respectively for less privileged drivers.
Anyone going more than 100 miles per hour can expect to be fined a whopping $500, unless they happen to be “low-income” or are on “public assistance,” after which the fees once more fall to $250 and $100 respectively.
Hyundai to Expand Robot Fleet with Tens of Thousands Atlas Units from Boston Dynamics
April 7th, 2025About the workers in all the new factories being built in the U.S…
Via: Interesting Engineering:
Hyundai unveiled a $21 billion investment plan in the U.S., which includes $6 billion aimed at fostering innovation and expanding strategic partnerships. As per the agreement, Hyundai will purchase tens of thousands of robots, supporting Boston Dynamics’ growth and its goal of becoming a global leader in advanced mobile robotics.
The Computer that Runs on Human Neurons
April 6th, 2025I’ve posted about this before. I think it’s worth monitoring closely because my guess is that this (or something like it) is how a disorderly advance in AI could happen.
Via: El País:
Lab-grown brain cells are the basis for the functioning of the CL1, which has been announced as the first commercially-sold biological computer. This machine promises to unravel information-processing in the brain. The CL1 has been designed for the purpose of drug development, by studying how neurons react to certain compounds. It will also help scientists and medical laboratories understand how neurons process information and how real-time learning works. The computer will also offer insight into the mechanisms that trigger some neurodegenerative and cognitive diseases.
“We think that, since we’re experiencing a push for computers to have artificial intelligence, then there really must be an interest in understanding how intelligence arises, which is biological in origin. Because the only generalized intelligence we know of is that of humans and animals,” says Hon Weng Chong, in a video call with EL PAÍS. He’s the founder and director of Cortical Labs, the Australian company that’s behind the new device.
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“When neurons are cultured, they typically don’t receive data; they’re simply arranged in a dish, emitting and collecting their own electrical activity. But that’s not what actually happens naturally inside a living being. So, we created a system that allows us to build simulations that neurons can process,” Chong explains.
To keep this hybrid organism alive, the CL1 has an internal structure that regulates the flow of gases, pumps and temperature. The device has a futuristic design, with a rectangular shape and a weight of almost 13 pounds. It measures just over 20 inches long and six inches wide. The top is transparent, allowing you to see the cables and tiny tubes that make the computer work. On the front, a touchscreen provides information about the system’s status, such as temperature.
The cells are fed a nutrient-rich solution that reaches them through filtration units. Specifically, two filtration cartridges, with a membrane that separates clean fluid from waste. Since some proteins are trapped in the membrane, maintenance is required every six months to prevent the neurons from dying.
“We try to mimic what the body does: keep them well-nourished, eliminate waste and keep them at the right temperature. It shouldn’t be too hot or too cold, around 37 degrees Celsius [98ºF], which is body temperature. We also have to maintain the correct pH levels, so it’s neither too acidic nor too alkaline,” Chong details.
On the operational side of things, the CL1 operates with a biological intelligence system called bioS, which allows users to execute code through neurons and perform computing tasks. The connection between the organic and technological parts is achieved through a microprocessor that acts as an interface, receiving and sending electrical impulses to the nerve cells.
A Vapor Sprayed Over Human Populations? Are We Talking About the Past?
April 6th, 2025Via: The 5th Kind:
Israeli Army Organizes ‘Hiking Tours’ for Jewish Settlers in Occupied Syria
April 6th, 2025Via: The Cradle:
The Israeli army is organizing hiking tours for civilians inside recently occupied Syrian territory during the upcoming Passover holiday, according to Israeli media reports.
The tours, coordinated by the Israeli military’s Northern Command and 210th Division alongside the “Friends on Excursions” group, are supported by the Golan Heights Settlements Council and the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority.
Participants, who must receive special permits, will be escorted by Israeli troops as they travel up to 2.5 kilometers into Syrian land, near the village of Maaraba. Tour highlights include visits to Wadi al-Ruqad (a tributary of the Yarmouk River), the Hejaz Railway Tunnel, and the Shebaa Farms – a contested strip of Lebanese territory occupied by Israel at the base of Mount Hermon.
Though registration has closed, the army said additional tours may be offered depending on security. The excursions mark the first Israeli civilian presence in areas of Syria recently taken over by Israeli forces following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Professor Filippo Biondi, The Scientist Investigating Structures Below Giza Plateau
April 5th, 2025Via: Project Unity:
Flashback to January: Warren Buffett’s $325 Billion Cash Pile
April 4th, 2025I don’t know how many times I’ve posted about Warren Buffett amassing hundreds of billions of dollars in cash, in anticipation of a major correction in stocks, but it’s a lot.
He knew that valuations had gotten insane, which essentially rigged the market to blow.
I wonder if he also knew that Trump would light the fuse?
Via: Investopedia:
A key chart value investors like Buffett use could help us narrow down the options: the S&P 500 index’s historic price-to-earnings ratio. That’s because it now sits 67% above its historical norm and almost 50% above its early 2022 value. This remarkable deviation could be a major reason that the famed Oracle of Omaha could be storing cash.
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The chart for the S&P 500’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio since 2022 tells a striking story about the stock market. It tells us investors are paying $30 for each dollar of earnings for the trailing 12 months, far above the historical median of 17.9.3
In other words, investors are paying almost $30 for each dollar of corporate earnings when, historically, they’ve paid 40% less. We’ve focused the chart on the run-up in the P/E ratio since early 2022; since then, it’s ballooned 50%.
Thus, this chart could provide a stark warning that stock prices are being driven more by investor optimism than the underlying value of these stocks, exactly the kind of market condition that Buffett has said makes him keep his “elephant gun” of cash at the ready.
