Monday, January 20, 2025

Big Finance, Big Tech AI Titans Ride Next Wave of “Generative Biology”‘ Colonization at COP16

The COP16 biodiversity conference included Big Tech pushing black box “generative biology” AI-created DNA and related financial markets

Jay Bhattacharya, Trump’s Pick to Head the NIH, Is a Eugenicist Charlatan

Putting on my hazmat suit…

Links 12/1/2024

Book Review: The Many Bounties of Collaboration in Nature

What would make a critical mass of Americans, marinating in a rugged individualist culture, want to become their neighbors’ keepers?

Links 11/30/2024

Rob Urie: Update on US Missiles, Ukraine, and Russian Response

More on the Russian counter to US/NATO long-range missile strikes into Russia and where the escalation threatens to go.

“The Upside of Climate Pessimism”

Seriously, WTF is wrong with optimists? Why are they so bent on stamping out pessimism?

2:00PM Water Cooler 11/29/2024

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Did it really take $500,000 to make Al Sharpton “friendly”? Sanders on the Four Freedoms (and Norman Rockwell); Another day, another Boeing airworthiness directive. ALso, COMAC ~

Links 11/29/2024

An Example from Switzerland: Neuchâtel Becomes Second Canton to Enshrine Right to “Offline Life” in Constitution

“It is a question of having access to all the services of the State without having a computer, smartphone or tablet.”

Amazon Inside Job? Phishing for Government ID

Are Amazon insiders trying to defraud customers? It’s hard to come up with another explanation for a recent attempt.

Links 11/28/2024

Inflation Re-Accelerates Despite Plunging Gasoline Prices as “Core Services” PCE Price Index Hits 7-Month High

Core services inflation is the biggie and going the wrong way. The Fed is already talking down the pace of rate cuts.

Can Desalination Quench Agriculture’s Thirst?

Small decentralized desalination plants hold the promise of low enough cost to use on brackish agricultural water.

2:00PM Water Cooler 11/27/2024

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Blame cannons thunder after Kamala campaign team podcast; Investigation into attempts to assassinate Trump seem curiously silent; Boeing delivery, layoff woes ~