Bloomberg [unpaywalled]: Apple touts its network of shredding robots and contractors as a greener way to reuse old gadgets. A lengthy court battle and a Businessweek investigation have cast some light on the recycling industry’s dirty secrets. Few workers at the recycling plant had access to the secure room that some called the “Apple cage.”… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: April 2024
America’s Highest Value International Exports, by State
OnDeck: “The U.S. trade deficit hit nearly $1 trillion in 2022, as America imported some $948.1 billion more than it exported. This $103 billion increase on the previous year’s deficit came as the U.S. and its partners sought to restructure and redefine global supply chains following pandemic disruption and trade barriers with China — with… Continue Reading
Why are American roads so dangerous?
FT.com [no paywall]: “Bad driving is probably playing a bigger role in the fatality rate than larger cars and longer journeys. Car-centrism in the US is clearly part of its road safety problem — it’s about culture more than geography. So committed are Americans to their cars that 63 per cent of people choose to… Continue Reading
America’s AI job hotspots, mapped
Axios: “San Jose, Seattle and San Francisco are the country’s AI job hotspots, a new analysis finds — though some other perhaps more surprising metros round out the top 10. Why it matters: As AI emerges as the hottest new thing in tech, cities outside Silicon Valley have a chance to get in on the… Continue Reading
Microplastics are everywhere — we need to understand how they affect human health
Microplastics are everywhere — we need to understand how they affect human health. Nat Med 30, 913 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02968-x. “As evidence emerges describing the accumulation of small plastic particles in various organs and tissues of the body, a much deeper understanding of the effects of these particles on human health is urgently needed. The world… Continue Reading
Eli Burnstein on the Subtle Nuances of the English Language
Yes, But Can You Really Explain the Difference Between Morals and Ethics? From Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning by Eli Burnstein. Copyright © 2024. Available from Union Square and Co. Continue Reading
Inside Amazon’s Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
WSJ via MSN: “For nearly a decade, workers in a warehouse in Seattle’s Denny Triangle neighborhood have shipped boxes of shoes, beach chairs, Marvel T-shirts and other items to online retail customers across the U.S. The operation, called Big River Services International, sells around $1 million a year of goods through e-commerce marketplaces including eBay,… Continue Reading
How to delete your search history
Proton VPN: “Your search history is a window into your inner life. Anyone with access to it knows what your hobbies and interests are, your sexual orientation and preferences, the things that worry you (for example your medical concerns), your political affiliations, your financial situation, and much more. In this article, we’ll explore why it’s… Continue Reading
375,000 Native Animals Killed by Federal Program in 2023
Center for Biological Diversity: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services reported killing 375,045 native animals in 2023, according to recent data released by the program. The federal wildlife-killing program targets wolves, coyotes, cougars, birds and other wild animals, primarily to benefit the agriculture industry in states like Texas, Colorado and Idaho. According to the… Continue Reading
If you’ve got an EV, Google Maps is about to become much more valuable
Washington Post [no paywall]: “Google has announced new features in its Maps app designed to help electric car drivers find a charge. The updates include a tool to help drivers find nearby chargers with real-time information about availability and charging speed, the ability to find charging stops on longer road trips and more detailed instructions… Continue Reading
Cops can force suspect to unlock phone with thumbprint, US court rules
Ars Technica: “The US Constitution’s Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination does not prohibit police officers from forcing a suspect to unlock a phone with a thumbprint scan, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday. The ruling does not apply to all cases in which biometrics are used to unlock an electronic device but is a significant… Continue Reading
It’s not just you: Reddit is taking over Google
Business Insider [no paywall]: If you think you’ve been seeing an awful lot more Reddit results lately when you search on Google, you’re not imagining things. The internet is in upheaval, and for website owners the rules of “winning” Google Search have never been murkier. Google’s generative AI search engine is coming from one direction.… Continue Reading
