David Lidsky's Blog, page 372

Climate change intensified floods in Central Europe, scientists say

The floods killed 24 people, damaged bridges, submerged cars, and left towns without power and in need of significant infrastructure repairs.

Human-caused climate change doubled the likelihood and intensified the heavy rains that led to devastating flooding in Central Europe earlier this month, a new flash study found.

‘More interested in the tax cut’: A frank explanation as to why Silicon Valley investors are backing Republicans this election year

A discussion at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York last week looked at the connection between a stable democracy and a strong economy.

Over the past several election cycles, each election has been seemingly more meaningful and impactful than the last. And 2024’s presidential election is no different.

OpenAI CTO Mira Murati announces she is leaving—the AI startup’s latest high-level departure

‘There’s never an ideal time to step away from a place one cherishes, yet this moment feels right,’ Murati wrote in a statement she shared on X.

OpenAI CTO Mira Murati said Wednesday that she is leaving the high-profile artificial intelligence company after six and a half years.

Musk, X ask judge to dismiss Don Lemon’s lawsuit over a canceled partnership

The former CNN anchor claims he was defrauded by the cancellation of a partnership on the social media platform following a contentious interview.

Elon Musk and X asked a federal judge to dismiss former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s lawsuit claiming they defrauded him by canceling a partnership on the social media platform following a contentious interview.

California avocado growers oppose U.S. handing over pest inspections to Mexico

Only the Mexican states of Michoacán and Jalisco are certified to export avocados to the U.S.

California avocado growers are fuming this week about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government.

X’s first transparency report since Musk’s takeover is finally out

The report shows X removed millions of posts and accounts from the site.

Social media platform X on Wednesday published its first transparency report since the company was purchased by Elon Musk. The report, which details content moderation practices, shows the company has removed millions of posts and accounts from the site in the first half of the year.

Meta Connect 2024: Here are the most exciting hardware updates, from Orion to Quest

The social media giant’s push into artificial intelligence and the metaverse took center stage at the developer-centric event.

Meta hosted its annual Connect conference on Wednesday, which highlighted the social media giant’s push into its artificial intelligence and metaverse ambitions. CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage at the developer-centric event to reveal a slew of new hardware and AI features.

A guide to greenwashing: How to spot and dispel it

Learn to properly identify sustainable products, and empower designers to promote a circular economy.

A significant 68% of U.S. executives admit that their company has engaged in greenwashing—misleading consumers about the environmental benefits of their products or practices. While sustainability often evokes images of renewable energy and electric cars, climate is not the only factor to look at in terms of environmental sustainability. Human health, ecosystem health, circularity, and social health and equity are equally important considerations.

TikTok removes Russian state media accounts ahead of U.S. election

The U.S. Department of Justice has said that Moscow remains the primary threat to elections.

TikTok has removed accounts associated with Russian state media for engaging in “covert influence operations” ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Donald Trump wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. Could that work?

Americans have more than $1 trillion in credit card debt. Could putting a ceiling on credit card interest rates help?

With the 2024 presidential race getting close to the home stretch, both candidates are throwing out ideas about how to handle the economy. Kamala Harris is expected to roll out new economic policy proposals Wednesday. And former president Donald Trump, last week, pledged he would instate a temporary 10% cap on credit card interest rates if reelected.