David Lidsky's Blog, page 89

Colombian gangs are using social media to recruit children, the U.N. warns

Rebel groups are posting flashy videos on TikTok and Facebook to recruit minors with promises of money, luxury, and even cosmetic surgery, fueling violence and drug trafficking across the country.

Colombian gangs are using social media to reach and recruit children, the United Nations has warned.

The Senate budget bill would essentially kill wind and solar development

By eliminating credits and adding fees for projects that use components from China, the current bill could have drastic consequences for the U.S.’s clean energy transition—and even the existing grid.

From the outset, President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act was always going to be bad for renewables (and U.S. energy consumers), because it rolled back clean energy tax credits that have spurred billions of dollars of investments into technology like wind, solar, batteries, and electric vehicles. 

The battle for Orlando: How Epic Universe could impact Disney World theme park attendance

Will the region’s newest theme park in 25 years lure families away from Disney—or simply cannibalize other Universal parks? Here’s what experts say.

It’s been over 60 years since Walt Disney took a fateful flight over an undeveloped section of central Florida and decided that he wanted to put a sprawling theme park there. Today, the Orlando metro area is the most-visited destination in the United States, with its tourism industry generating an economic impact of more than $92 billion in 2023.

Mystery lunch meat: 150,000 pounds of bologna recalled due to ‘undeclared’ chicken, beef, or pork contents

The recall impacts seven different kinds of bologna from New Jersey-based Gaiser’s European Style Provisions. Here’s what to know.

If you’re planning on making a bologna sandwich anytime soon, you might want to stop and check your meat first. On June 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a recall notice for almost 150,000 pounds of lunch meat due to “undeclared” meat content.

Joby Aviation stock soars: Flying taxi company completes first successful test flights in Dubai; launch set for 2026

Joby’s eVTOL aircraft can shorten a 45-minute car ride to a 12-minute trip within the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai just took one step closer to its goal of launching electric air taxis in early 2026.

Cato Networks secures $359 million in latest funding round

The Israeli cybersecurity firm is valued at more than $4.8 billion.

Israel’s Cato Networks said on Monday it had raised $359 million in a funding round, valuing the cybersecurity firm at more than $4.8 billion, as investors bet on growing demand for artificial intelligence-driven security and networking solutions.

New MIT tech turns desert air into safe drinking water

Hydrogel domes tested in Death Valley could be scaled up to supply entire households worldwide.

An innovative and potentially impactful new device can turn air into drinkable water, even in the driest climates.

Senate debates revised state AI regulation ban

A revised version released last week would only restrict states regulating AI from tapping a new $500 million fund to support AI infrastructure.

Two key U.S. Republican senators agreed to a revised federal moratorium on state regulation of artificial intelligence to five years and to allow states to adopt rules on child online safety and protecting artists’ images or likelinesses.

Start your day right with these digital productivity tools

From morning planners to slide generators, these apps, devices, and routines help me stay present and productive.

This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here.

These three underrated features make ChatGPT way better

Quietly essential tools that tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Often lost in the generally breathless coverage of generative AI, ChatGPT sports a few genuinely useful features that aren’t quite so obvious.