Boeing resumes production at Seattle plants after strike


By AFP
December 10, 2024

Boeing workers shown just after union leaders announced November 4 that the contract was ratified, ending a more than 50-day strike - Copyright AFP/File Jason Redmond

Boeing has resumed production on the 737 MAX after a nearly three-month stoppage due to a lengthy labor strike in the Seattle region.

The company’s Renton factory resumed production on the 737 MAX on Friday, Boeing said. Its Everett facility, where the 767, 777 and 777X are produced, will resume operations in the coming days.

The two plants were shuttered for more than seven weeks after some 33,000 workers with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751 voted down an initial contract offer in September.

On November 4, workers ratified a revised proposal, setting the stage for a resumption of work.

Boeing said it has been working “methodically” to ensure a safe restoration of activity.

US air safety regulators have stepped up oversight of the company following several incidents, including a mid-flight Alaska Airlines panel blowout that required an emergency landing in January.

“Over the last several weeks, we dedicated time toward training and certifications, ensuring parts and tools are ready and completing work on airplanes in inventory to prepare to resume production at pre-stoppage rates,” Boeing said.

The statement came as Boeing disclosed that it made 13 new plane deliveries in November, including nine MAX jets produced before the strike.

But Boeing’s deliveries have lagged its historic trend, pinching revenues. Boeing has delivered just 318 jets in all through the first 11 months of the year.

In 2023, it delivered 528 planes. In 2018, Boeing delivered 806 planes.

Boeing’s travails have dented its financial outlook, resulting in the company raising more than $20 billion in new stock offerings this fall and trimming its workforce by 10 percent.

In recent weeks Boeing notified 4,700 US workers that they will be laid off, including nearly 2,600 in the Seattle region, according to figures compiled by AFP.

Biden says Trump economic plan will be ‘disaster’

“President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,”

By AFP
December 10, 2024

President Joe Biden said US consumers would pay the price for the tariffs that Donald Trump has vowed to slap on US neighbors Mexico and Canada and on Asia-Pacific rival China - Copyright AFP Richard A. Brooks

Danny KEMP

Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Tuesday branded his successor Donald Trump’s economic plans a “disaster,” in a speech hailing his own legacy.

Biden said Trump’s threats to slap huge tariffs on imports were a “major mistake” and challenged Trump to build on what he said were the successes of his own administration.

The lame-duck president’s speech comes after Trump won a second term largely on the back of US voters’ anger at high costs of living under Democrats.

“I pray to God the president-elect throws away Project 2025. I think it’d be an economic disaster for us and the region,” Biden said at the Brookings Institution in Washington, referring to a conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration.

Coughing frequently because of a cold, Biden said US consumers would pay the price for the tariffs that Trump has vowed to slap on US neighbors Mexico and Canada and on Asia-Pacific rival China.

Together they are the three biggest US trading partners.

“I believe this approach is a major mistake,” Biden added.

At a separate event Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Trump’s tariffs could “derail the progress that we’ve made on inflation, and have adverse consequences on growth.”

She warned at the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council Summit that sweeping tariffs could raise prices significantly for US consumers and pile pressure on companies which rely on imports.



– Shadow president –



The White House touted Biden’s speech as a “major address on his economic legacy” as the 82-year-old looks to the history books with fewer than six weeks left in office.

Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race against Trump in July due to concerns about his age and passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump comfortably defeated at the November polls.

Trump’s inauguration is not until January 20, but he has already become something of a shadow president, making pronouncements on the economy and foreign policy and being feted by world leaders.

Biden has kept a relatively low profile, but he came out swinging in defense of his own record before an audience of economists.

He contrasted his “middle-out, bottom-up economic playbook” with what he called Trump’s failed promise of “trickle-down economics” in which tax cuts for the wealthy are supposed to boost incomes.

Biden also touted achievements including the US economy’s recovery from the Covid pandemic and his huge investments in green technology and industry.

“President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,” said Biden.

But the departing president said he regretted not signing his name to Covid stimulus checks sent out to Americans, like Trump had done.

Biden ended his speech with a broader plea for US leadership in a troubled world, even as Trump has repeatedly signaled his intention to take a more isolationist stance.

“If we do not lead the world, what nation leads the world?” he said.


Trump’s tariff plans may ‘derail’ US inflation progress: Yellen


By AFP
December 10, 2024


US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that President-elect Donald Trump's sweeping tariff proposals could raise prices for consumers and pressure firms - Copyright AFP/File Allison ROBBERT

US President-elect Donald Trump’s proposals to impose sweeping tariffs on imports could counter earlier efforts to cool inflation, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday, warning that consumer prices could rise.

Her comments at the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council Summit come as Trump has vowed broad tariffs of at least 10 percent on all imports, and higher rates on goods from China, Canada and Mexico.

Imposing broad-based tariffs could “raise prices significantly for American consumers and create cost pressures on firms” which rely on imported goods, Yellen said when asked about Trump’s plans.

She cautioned that this could weigh on the competitiveness of certain sectors and increase costs to households.

“This is a strategy I worry could derail the progress that we’ve made on inflation, and have adverse consequences on growth,” she said.

But she defended efforts by President Joe Biden’s administration to impose targeted tariffs on Chinese goods to counter unfair trade practices by Beijing.

She has previously raised concern over China’s industrial overcapacity — which risks a flood of underpriced goods into global markets and could undermine the development of key US industries.

On Tuesday, Yellen also expressed regret that the United States has not made more progress on the country’s deficit, saying she believes it “needs to be brought down, especially now that we’re in an environment of higher interest rates.”

She stressed the importance of an independent Federal Reserve too, saying that countries perform better economically when central banks are allowed to exercise their best judgment without political influence.

Trump has said that he would like “at least” a say over setting the Fed’s interest rate.

“I think it’s a mistake to become involved in commenting on the Fed and certainly taking steps to compromise its independence,” said Yellen.

“I believe it tends to undermine the confidence of financial markets and, ultimately, of Americans in an important institution,” she added.

Yellen noted that she has spoken with Trump’s Treasury chief nominee, billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, congratulating him on his nomination

US courts block Kroger’s $25 bn supermarket mega-merger


“Today’s win protects competition in the grocery market, which will prevent prices from rising even more” 

By AFP
December 10, 2024


Kroger, the supermarket giant which owns Food 4 Less among other grocery brands, was blocked by a US judge in its proposed merger with rival chain Albertsons - Copyright AFP Richard A. Brooks

Two US courts ruled against supermarket giant Kroger’s planned $24.6 billion acquisition of rival chain Albertsons on Tuesday, dealing an existential threat to the merger in a win for the Federal Trade Commission, which had argued the deal would harm consumers.

The first order implemented a temporary block after a three-week federal trial in Portland, Oregon, a significant blow to what would have been one of the largest retail grocery deals in US history.

“Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits and the equities weigh in favor of an injunction,” US District Judge Adrienne Watson wrote in a court filing confirming the preliminary injunction, which delays the deal but does not kill it.

Later on Tuesday, a Washington state court also ruled on the merger, permanently blocking the transaction, according to US legal trade publication Law360.

It was not immediately clear how the two rulings from differing jurisdictions — the former a federal ruling, the latter at the state level — would work.

The FTC had argued the acquisition would lead to higher prices for groceries and other essential household items for millions of Americans.

The Oregon judge rejected the companies’ arguments that the merger would generate billions in cost savings and lead to lower prices for consumers, finding these claims were “neither merger-specific nor verifiable.”

A Kroger spokesperson said in a statement that the company was “disappointed” by the rulings, arguing the judges overlooked “the substantial evidence” presented in court.

“Through its proposed merger with Albertsons, Kroger would invest more than $1 billion in lower grocery prices, invest an additional $1 billion in higher grocery worker wages, and invest an additional $1.3 billion to improve Albertsons stores,” the spokesperson said.

Albertsons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


– ‘Back to the drawing board’ –


“Today’s win protects competition in the grocery market, which will prevent prices from rising even more,” FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar wrote in a statement shared with AFP after the injunction was granted.

The injunction makes clear, he added, “that strong, reality-based antitrust enforcement delivers real results for consumers, workers, and small businesses.”

At the close of the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, shares of Kroger were up 5.1 percent, while Albertson shares fell 2.3 percent.

In a statement, the Biden administration praised the judge’s decision.

“The Kroger-Albertsons merger would have been the biggest supermarket merger in history — raising grocery prices for consumers and lowering wages for workers,” National Economic Council Deputy Director Jon Donenberg said in a statement.

“Our Administration is proud to stand up against big corporate mergers that increase prices, undermine workers, and hurt small businesses,” he added.

“The Kroger-Albertsons deal always faced an uphill battle in its bid for approval,” GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders wrote in a note to clients. “While some of the FTC’s arguments were debatable, it operated from a position of strength.”

“For both firms, it is now a case of putting this distraction behind them and going back to the drawing board,” he added.

German VW workers kick off second round of strikes


By AFP
December 9, 2024


Volkswagen and unions have been locked in bitter talks since the company said in September it was considering closing factories in Germany for the first time in its history - Copyright AFP STRINGER

Thousands of Volkswagen workers walked out on Monday in the second round of strikes in the escalating conflict between unions and management over the German carmaker’s drastic savings plans.

The four-hour work stoppage was called at nine Volkswagen factories across the country.

The action is twice the length of the first “warning strike” organised by union IG Metall last week, which saw some 100,000 workers down tools.

The walkout was timed to coincide with the latest round of negotiations between unions and management over VW’s savings plan.

The two sides have been locked in bitter talks since Volkswagen said in September it was considering closing factories in Germany for the first time in its history.

The situation at the group’s eponymous Volkswagen brand is “serious” according to executives, with drastic action needed to put the company on a sustainable footing.

The auto manufacturer has struggled with the switch to electric vehicles as it battles high costs at home and rising competition from Chinese carmakers.

According to unions, management has laid out plans to close at least three plants in Germany, where the Volkswagen brand employs some 120,000 people.

Worker representatives have vehemently opposed the plan to close sites in Germany and threatened the group with massive industrial action.

Unions presented a cost-cutting plan to management, which they said would save the car maker 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion).

But management has rejected the proposals, saying they did not add up to a “sustainable solution”.

“We need to find further potential (for savings)… this is the only way we can finance our investments,” Volkswagen negotiator Arne Meiswinkel said Monday.

Volkswagen’s “insistence on maximalist positions” had “destroyed trust” among workers, IG Metall negotiator Thorsten Groeger said ahead of talks.

He added that if VW showed a willingness to compromise, it would be “possible that we can find solutions before Christmas” in just over two weeks.

Pushback against Volkswagen’s plans has also come from Germany’s political leadership.

“Closing factories would not be the right way,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Funke media group over the weekend.

“Precisely because the bad decisions of management have contributed to the situation, that would not be ok,” said the Social Democrat, who is battling to save his job in elections slated for February.

Ecuadoran workers accuse ‘monster’ Japanese company of exploitation


By AFP
December 10, 2024


Maria Guerrero gave an emotional account of her experience on a Furukawa plantation - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Michael M. Santiago

Ex-employees of a Japanese textile company in Ecuador told Tuesday of their dire living and working conditions, after the country’s constitutional court ruled the firm kept its staff in a slave-like setting.

Some gave birth to children in unsanitary and overcrowded camps, while others were denied proper medical attention after work-related injuries, according to testimonies given at a news conference in Quito.

Justices last week ordered the company, Furukawa, to pay $120,000 to each of the 342 victims — a total of around $41 million. It will also have to make a public apology to them.

As of 2021, Furukawa’s plantations for abaca — a fine plant fiber — covered almost 23,000 hectares spread over three provinces on the Pacific coast, where the majority of the population is Black.

“We have been confronting the monster that is Furukawa,” Segundo Ordonez, a 59-year-old farmer, told Tuesday’s meeting at the headquarters of Ecuador’s Ecumenical Human Rights Commission (CEDHU).

He recalled a lack of medical attention on the plantations, where nine people died in work-related accidents.

“A friend was cut, we were working in a downpour. That was the most anger I felt, seeing him shedding blood like an animal and nobody doing anything,” Ordonez said.

Maria Guerrero recounted that her parents took her and six siblings to the Furukawa crops when she was two years old. She knew no other place for three decades and met her husband there, with whom she had seven children.

“I gave birth to all my children in the company, I did not have a postpartum check-up or a medical check-up during my pregnancy. It is something I will always carry in my heart as a wound,” the 39-year-old said.

Furukawa contested the constitutional court’s decision, arguing that there were inconsistencies and asking for a downward revision of the financial compensation ordered, which it deemed impossible to comply with.

‘Huge demand’: Portugal dreams of becoming medical cannabis hub


By AFP
December 10, 2024


A Tilray worker seals cannabis flowers in a bag at their Portugal farm

 - Copyright AFP EVARISTO SA

TILRAY IS A CANADIAN CANNIBIS COMPANY TRADED ON THE TSX

Thomas CABRAL

“We should be the new El Dorado of medical cannabis production,” said agronomist Jose Martins as dozens of workers harvested marijuana in bright sunshine at a farm in southeastern Portugal.

The country is fast becoming a European hub for medical cannabis, with its warm temperate subtropical climate — often compared to California’s — making it an ideal place to grow the plant.

“No other country in Europe has better environmental conditions,” Martins told AFP at the plantation, which is surrounded by razor wire and infrared cameras.

Set in hills near Serpa dotted with olive trees and cork oaks, the 5.4-hectare (13.3-acre) farm owned by the Portuguese pharmaceutical company FAI Therapeutic produces around 30 tonnes of cannabis flowers a year.

They set up two years ago after a flood of foreign cannabis producers were drawn to Portugal because of its favourable climate and legislation.

More than 60 companies are currently authorised to grow, produce or distribute medical cannabis products there, with 170 more having applied for permission.

Portugal exported some 12 tonnes of cannabis-based medical products last year, mainly to Germany — Europe’s largest market — as well as to Poland, Spain and Australia, according to the national drugs agency, Inframed.

– High standards –

But the industry has even higher ambitions.

“Portugal is clearly at the forefront of European countries producing cannabis for medical use,” said Jose Tempero, the medical director at Tilray, a Canadian multinational that set up a cannabis farm near the central town of Cantanhede in 2019, straight after Portugal legalised marijuana-based medicines.

The farm has its own labs and processing and packaging sites, with its cannabis oil selling as far afield as Latin America.

The Portuguese boom is fuelled by growing global demand for medical cannabis for chronic pain, the side effects of cancer therapy, some forms of epilepsy and other ailments.

Around 50 nations have so far approved the use of cannabis-based medicines, and that number is expected to rise.

The global medical cannabis market is expected to grow to over $65 billion by 2030 from $16.6 billion last year, according consulting firm Grand View Research.

“There is a huge demand from patients,” said Bernard Babel, the head of German cannabis pharmaceutical firm Avextra, which set up part of its business in Portugal.

Portugal’s rising importance in the emerging industry down to more than its sunny climate, however.

Babel said it has “very good regulatory framework” thanks to its 2019 legislation which sets well-defined quality standards, he added.

– ‘Growing acceptance’ –

Pedro Ferraz da Costa, CEO of the Iberfar Group, the parent firm of the Serpa farm, said these regulations reassure international customers “that the products leaving the country offer safety guarantees”.

While Portugal may be at the forefront of medical cannabis production in Europe, patients in the country complain they have difficulty obtaining the drugs since many doctors are still reluctant to prescribe them and their cost is not fully covered by state healthcare.

“There is a lack of information” within the medical profession in this “very conservative” country, said Lara Silva, whose six-year-old daughter suffers from a serious form of epilepsy that has hampered her motor and cognitive development.

When she decided to treat her daughter with CBD, a derivative of cannabis two years ago, she said she had to order it from Spain.

Tilray’s Tempero said medical marijuana still suffers from a certain “stigma” but he sees “a growing acceptance of cannabis beyond its recreational use”.

Op-Ed: Brain rot — Is the Oxford University Press word of the year too honest?


By Paul Wallis

DIGITAL JOURNAL
December 10, 2024


Australian legislation could force social media firms to take steps to prevent those under 16 years of age from accessing platforms such as X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Michael M. Santiago

“Brain rot” is the effect of too much information. Doomscrolling is one of the symptoms. According to The Guardian, this 20-plus-year-old expression is finally getting proper recognition.

It’s hard to argue that most of the “information” is anything but rot. The sheer scale and scope of bot-babble is a statistician’s horror story. The brain rot experience is extremely stressful and destructive.

That’s not quite the whole story. As a notation on a tombstone, “brain rot” would be very appropriate. As The Guardian article points out, this utter drivel is also linked to profit; we all know how well that works out.

There are a few flaws in the general theory of brain rot, though, despite the United States, X, FOX News, and similar irreproachable fountains of fecal fabrication.

The major flaw is a hard fact of marketing and advertising, and it also applies to social media and mainstream fantasyland.

In advertising, the brain automatically turns off about 95% of the advertising it sees. The information is either irrelevant or simply useless.

For example – Non-existent pet-eating Ohioans aren’t exactly urgent information.

This turnoff process then evolves into actual aversion. The sources are irritating if identified as serial offenders. People start to actively dislike the sources.

These sources can also easily discredit themselves, although that can take time.

At this point, 5% at most of the information is getting through to the audience. That’s a problem for the source. One counter to this underwhelming level of performance is repetition. Just keep on lying, in effect.

However, with today’s fashionable non-stick human brains, even that message may not stay in place too long.

Brain rot in one sense can solve itself. At a certain level of irritation, the negative reaction to information swamps its source.

One of the quick ways of infuriating anyone is to tell a person with a problem that they don’t have a problem. Try telling them it doesn’t hurt when it does.

Peer group psychology is prevalent in misinformation. The information works on the lowest common denominator. American psychology is one of the great exponents of peer group psychology, and it works all too well.

It’s how kids are taught to fit in with people they can’t stand in places they detest. It’s highly oppressive.

“Public opinion” is easy to selectively misrepresent on the same basis. Someone else thinks something, so if you’re in the same demographic, you must think that, too. You all have to fit in, like corpses in a mass grave.

It’s utter garbage, of course, and always has been, but they’re selling it.

I’ve always found peer group psychology extremely repulsive. I think people who respond to it are extremely naïve.

It’s exceptionally common on social media. Hordes of people fearlessly agreeing with each other. There’s nothing at all likely about any number of humans agreeing so much with each other about anything.

As an expression, “brain rot” is right on the money. It’s a rotting edifice of total nonsense. It’s doing untold damage to humanity, and nobody has the guts to shut it down.

The question is what happens when brains refuse to rot? Peer groups can react negatively, too, and violently.

Exactly how dumb can you afford people to be? The bottom of the barrel is making noises already.


Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.

INFOMERCIAL

Northwest Alberta to become home to world’s largest AI data centre

NATURAL GAS POWERED JUST LIKE OUR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION


By Chris Hogg
December 10, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

Image courtesy O'Leary Ventures

Plans for a $70-billion project to build the world’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) data centre were unveiled today, marking a bold step in Alberta’s push to become a global leader in AI innovation.

Dubbed “Wonder Valley,” the proposed data centre is set to be built in the Municipal District of Greenview, an area south and east of Grande Prairie.

The ambitious initiative led by O’Leary Ventures in collaboration with the Municipal District of Greenview, aims to position Alberta as a hub for advanced AI infrastructure and innovation

.

Image courtesy O’Leary Ventures

Integrating provincial strategy with global demand

The announcement follows Alberta’s recent strategy, “Powering the Future of Artificial Intelligence,” unveiled to establish the province as North America’s premier AI data centre hub.

Alberta Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish emphasized that the province’s energy resources, competitive tax environment, and cold climate provide a compelling case for such developments.

Global demand for AI data centres is expected to triple by 2030, driven by increasing reliance on machine learning, natural language processing, and other AI technologies.

Wonder Valley is positioned to capitalize on this demand with a vision of creating 7.5 gigawatts of low-cost power over the next decade.

Phase one, estimated at $2 billion, would produce 1.4 gigawatts, with subsequent expansions adding one gigawatt annually​.

Powering the data centre boom

Energy management is a critical focus for the project.

Wonder Valley plans to utilize natural gas and geothermal energy to power its hyperscale data centres.

Alberta’s government is collaborating with infrastructure providers to modernize regulations and ensure that both on-grid and off-grid energy systems can meet the demands of these massive data centres without impacting energy affordability for Albertans​.

While details are not yet known on which companies are involved in the project, CSV Midstream Solutions stated late Monday night it had collaborated with O’Leary Ventures.

KEVIN O' LEARY (MR. WONDERFUL HIS NOM DE GUERRE) FORMER CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE, 

DUAL US CANADA CITIZEN BENEFITING FROM OUR PUBLIC HEALTHCARE WHILE LIVING AND WORKING IN THE US INCLUDING ON SHARK TANK ON CNBC

“CSV Midstream is proud to collaborate with O’Leary Ventures and the M.D. of Greenview to help facilitate this unique project in the province, creating lasting benefits for the surrounding communities, Alberta, and Canada,” the company said on LinkedIn.
Economic and social impact

Beyond its technological and energy ambitions, Wonder Valley will bring substantial economic benefits if it rolls out as described.

Thousands of jobs are expected during construction and operation, alongside increased tax revenues for the region. O’Leary Ventures has committed to working with Indigenous communities, emphasizing partnerships that create mutual benefits and respect the land’s historical and cultural significance

.

This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.


Written ByChris Hogg
Chris is an award-winning entrepreneur who has worked in publishing, digital media, broadcasting, advertising, social media & marketing, data and analytics. Chris is a partner in the media company Digital Journal, content marketing and brand storytelling firm Digital Journal Group, and Canada's leading digital transformation and innovation event, the mesh conference. He covers innovation impact where technology intersections with business, media and marketing. Chris is a member of Digital Journal's Insight Forum.

AI's Energy Appetite Sparks Global Power Grid Concerns

By Haley Zaremba - Dec 06, 2024, 6:00 PM CST

The exponential growth of AI and data centers is driving a massive surge in global energy demand, straining power grids and raising concerns about energy security.

Investors remain optimistic about AI's potential despite the challenges, but there is growing scrutiny around ESG practices and the need for sustainable energy solutions.

A rapid expansion of clean energy infrastructure, including nuclear power, is crucial to meet AI's energy needs and mitigate its environmental impact.



AI is reshaping the global energy market, and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. Machine learning and natural language processing require massive amounts of energy-hungry computing power, and as the industry grows it is already placing a major strain on energy grids around the world. But while there are serious concerns for the economic and environmental impact of the technology’s insatiable energy demand, AI remains a huge investment priority for both the public and the private sector. It’s clear that AI is here to stay, and contingency plans for global energy security are urgently needed.

The global data center market is expected to be valued at around USD $300 billion in 2024, with a projected average compound annual growth rate of about 10% over the next five years, driven almost entirely by the growth of artificial intelligence, according to analysis by TMT Finance.

Law firm DLA Piper recently surveyed 176 senior executives from the data center sector, and found that “70 percent of investors expect to see funding continue to rise for bit barn projects, including debt,” according to a summary report from The Register. “This is despite almost every single one of them – 98 percent of respondents – voicing concerns about the availability and reliability of power to supply those projects,” the summation went on to say.

Indeed, the DLA Piper report found that responsible governance concerns have risen sharply in priority across the sector. Seventy percent of executives surveyed said that they “expect increased scrutiny around ESG practices, particularly regarding the integration of renewable energy and advancements in energy-efficient technologies.” ESG, or ‘environmental, social, and governance’ refers to an investing principle that values social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and good governance.

Balancing AI-driven data center demand with competing energy, water needs is a critical piece of responsible investment and governance, as runaway data center construction could lead to energy shortages, skyrocketing energy prices, and sharply increased greenhouse gas production. Already, the annual power consumption of AI is more than most entire countries – only 16 nations consume more energy in a year than AI. “The almost overnight surge in electricity demand from data centers is now outstripping the available power supply in many parts of the world,” Bloomberg reported back in June.

Some countries, such as Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are already facing serious problems with producing enough energy to power their already-planned data centers. In the United States, a recent scientific study found that unless the government invests billions of dollars in generation and transmission capacity over the next few years to meet demand surges from data centers, Americans can expect their energy costs to go up by as much as 70 percent.

Due to the currently insufficient infrastructure, data centers are already facing years-long bottlenecks for connecting to the grid. The Register reports that “utility companies in the US are being flooded with power delivery requests for sites marked for data center construction, but that they are unable to fulfill many of these until the 2030s.” What’s more, many of those utilities are demanding that those project investors pay large upfront non-refundable payments in order to fulfill the projects’ massive infrastructural needs.

Despite the challenges, AI investors remain undeterred. The growth of the sector is inevitable, but will need to be reigned in by governance frameworks to avoid disastrous consequences for the grid, the climate, and the consumer. There are some ambitious plans for making AI less energy-intensive, including through future-facing tech innovations like quantum computing and industry-disrupting algorithms. But until those ideas become reality, what we need is a whole lot more clean energy in a hurry. A rapid buildout of clean energy resources – including nuclear fission and possibly even nuclear fusion – is paramount to balancing this unstoppable market force.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

Facebook owner Meta seeks up to 4 GW nuclear capacity

Wednesday, 4 December 2024

Meta is the latest tech company to seek nuclear as an energy source for its growing data needs as it seeks proposals for as much as 4 GW of nuclear capacity in the USA by the early 2030s.

Data centre operators are seeking clear, and 24/7 power sources (Image: Generic data centre representation)

The company, which includes Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp among its brands, is releasing a request for proposals "to identify nuclear energy developers to help us meet our AI innovation and sustainability objectives".

The target is between 1 and 4 GW of new nuclear generation capacity in the USA. "We are seeking developers with strong community engagement, development, and permitting, and execution expertise that have development opportunities for new nuclear energy resources - either small modular reactors or larger nuclear reactors," the notice announcing the request for proposals (RFP) says. 

It adds "we are taking an open approach with this RFP so we can partner with others across the industry to bring new nuclear energy to the grid". Qualification to be considered closes on 3 January with initial RFP proposals due by 7 February.

In a blog post providing further background, it says: "We are looking to identify developers that can help accelerate the availability of new nuclear generators and create sufficient scale to achieve material cost reductions by deploying multiple units, both to provide for Meta’s future energy needs and to advance broader industry decarbonisation. We believe working with partners who will ultimately permit, design, engineer, finance, construct, and operate these power plants will ensure the long-term thinking necessary to accelerate nuclear technology."

Meta says that nuclear energy is more capital intensive, takes longer to develop, has more regulatory requirements and has a longer operational life so "we need to engage nuclear energy projects earlier in their development lifecycle and consider their operational requirements when designing a contract. And, as scaling deployments of nuclear technology offers the best chance of rapidly reducing cost, engaging with a partner across projects and locations will allow us to ensure that we can deploy strategically".

The decision of the Facebook-owner to bring on its own nuclear energy supply follows in the footsteps of fellow tech giants Microsoft, Google and Amazon, and is the result of the vast energy needs required for huge and growing data centres with artificial intelligence developments set to push those energy requirements even higher. As with renewables, nuclear provides carbon free power, but crucially it also provides that power round-the-clock, which is a key requirement of data centres.

 

After a divisive election, most U.S. adults ready to avoid politics this holiday

More than 7 in 10 U.S. adults hope to avoid political discussions with family over the holidays

American Psychological Association

A majority of U.S. adults hope to avoid political discussions during the holidays and, in some cases, family members they disagree with, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.

More than 7 in 10 adults (72%) said they hope to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays. And while 65% of adults said they were not worried that political discussions would hurt their relationships with their family members during the holidays, nearly 2 in 5 adults (39%) said they were stressed by the thought of politics coming up at holiday gatherings.

Perhaps to evade uncomfortable conversations altogether, nearly 2 in 5 adults (38%) said that they are avoiding family they disagree with over the holidays. Younger adults were significantly more likely than adults 65 or older to say they plan to avoid family over the holidays (45% adults ages 18-34, 47% ages 35-44, 42% ages 45-54, and 32% ages 55-64 vs. 23% ages 65+).

“Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, many Americans faced prolonged worry and uncertainty, which can significantly impact our well-being and relationships,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. “Avoiding conflict is not the same as coping with stress. If we distance ourselves from others due to anticipated disagreements, we risk losing the relationships and communities that are crucial for our well-being, especially during stressful times.”

Before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, APA’s 2024 Stress in America™ survey revealed that more than three-quarters of adults (77%) said the future of the nation was a significant source of stress in their lives. To see how that may have changed after the election, The Harris Poll conducted a survey on behalf of APA among more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18+ between Nov. 25 and 27, 2024.

The survey found that more than one-third of adults (35%) said they are more stressed about the future of the nation now than they were leading up to the election and another third of adults said they are now less stressed (32%). A quarter of adults (24%) said their stress about the future of the nation was unchanged and 9% said they were not stressed about the future of the nation then or now.

Adults who said they are more stressed about the future of the nation than they were before the election were also more likely than those who are less stressed to say that they hope to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays (80% vs 65%) and that they were stressed by the thought of politics coming up at holiday gatherings (50% vs. 33%).

More than 4 in 5 adults (83%) agreed that the holidays are a time to forget political differences, regardless of whether their preferred candidate won or lost the election (84% and 82%, respectively), or if they felt more or less stressed about the future of our nation now than they did leading up to the election (81% and 85%). More than 7 in 10 adults (71%) said that celebrating the holidays this year will be a welcome distraction from their stress.

“Despite the tensions leading up to the election, people have consistently shown that they value meaningful relationships with friends and family over political disagreements,” said Evans. “While conversations around politics and other sensitive topics can be challenging, seeking to understand different perspectives can strengthen and enrich our relationships.”

For people who would like to connect with people who do not share their political views, APA offered the following advice to manage sensitive conversations:

• Be open and kind. Listen and ask questions to help you understand the other person, not to craft a counterargument.
• Find areas where you agree. You may disagree about certain topics but share the same underlying values.
• Accept that you may not change the other person’s mind. Instead, use the conversation as an opportunity to speak about your own experiences.
• Remember that the holidays are about bringing people together, not driving them apart, and focus on good memories that you and your family members have in common.
• Know when to end the conversation. If you find yourself getting worked up, try taking deep breaths, changing the topic of conversation or suggesting another activity – but reinforce that you value the relationship you share with the other person.

For more information on the survey findings, visit the Stress in America webpage.

 
METHODOLOGY

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association from Nov. 25-27, 2024, among 2,083 U.S. adults ages 18+. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the full sample data is accurate to within ±2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. A full methodology is available.

The 2024 Stress in America™ survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of APA between Aug. 1–23, 2024, among 3,305 adults ages 18+ who reside in the U.S. that serves as a nationally representative sample. In addition to the national sample, oversamples were collected to allow for subgroup analysis within race/ethnicity groups. Sample sizes across the national and oversamples are as follows: 801 Black adults, 855 Hispanic adults and 804 Asian adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. A full methodology can be found here.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s membership includes over 157,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.

 

Family income predicts adult problems more than neighborhood poverty

Oxford University Press USA

A new paper in the Journal of Public Health, published by Oxford University Press, finds that household income in early childhood is a stronger and more consistent predictor for several major health-related problems for 17-year-olds than growing up in a poor neighborhood. The neighborhood was a slightly stronger predictor for obesity only.

The Index of Multiple Deprivation, which assesses neighborhoods in the United Kingdom according to factors including unemployment, low levels of education, crime, and barriers to housing and services, has been used widely as a measure of deficiency over the past two decades to guide UK policymakers on health disparities.

The success of the index is due, in part, to its ready availability and linkage to administrative health and other datasets in the country. Household income, however, is the primary indicator of socioeconomic status and is strongly associated with health. Yet household income is challenging for researchers to measure and link to routine health data.

Public health research and prevention policies often use the Index of Multiple Deprivation to try to represent individual socio-economic status. However, the index is a blunt instrument for guiding policies to reduce health inequalities. That’s because some 62% of the poorest households in the United Kingdom live outside the most deprived 20% of neighborhoods. The index also fails to capture the fact that household income is highly responsive to policy changes directly affecting income, such as on wages, benefits, and household costs.

Researchers here used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a nationally representative retrospective cohort study following people born in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2002. The first survey in 2001–02 included 18,819 children, followed in subsequent surveys until they reached age 18.

The researchers found that overall, 36.8% of the adolescents surveyed at age 17 achieved poor academic outcomes, 15.3% experienced psychological distress, 7.9% reported poor health, 10.3% were regular smokers, and 18.7% were obese.

The prevalence of all adverse outcomes was characterized by apparent inequality gradients in household income—moving from the richest to the poorest group, the prevalence

of adverse outcomes increased. Poor academic achievement, followed by smoking, exhibited the steepest income inequality gradients consistently across all neighborhood groups. Poor health also showed consistent inequality gradients in income.

But adverse outcomes exhibited moderate to no inequality gradient in neighbourhood groups within each quintile of household income. For example, the prevalence of poor academic achievement showed a moderate inequality gradient across the three middle-income quintiles, indicating that both income and neighbourhood deprivation contribute to poor academic achievement. However, children in the poorest income quintile demonstrated similarly poor attainment regardless of whether they resided in the least or most deprived neighborhoods. Those in the highest income quintile experienced the lowest rates of poor attainment in all neighborhood groups, with minimal variation within the high-income quintile according to neighborhood deprivation levels.

“The Index of Multiple Deprivation is widely used over the last two decades to guide UK policymakers on health disparities,” said Premila Webster, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Health. “However, authors of this article have shown that this is a relatively blunt instrument. Family income is a stronger and more consistent predictor for several major health-related problems for 17-year-olds.”

The paper, “Does household income predict health and educational outcomes in childhood better than neighbourhood deprivation?” is available (at midnight on December 10th) at https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdae283.

Direct correspondence to:
Ieva Skarda
Research Fellow, Center for Health Economics
University of York
YO10 5DD UNITED KINGDOM
ieva.skarda@york.ac.uk

To request a copy of the study, please contact:
Daniel Luzer 
daniel.luzer@oup.com

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Journal

Journal of Public Health

DOI

10.1093/pubmed/fdae283 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Does household income predict health and educational outcomes in childhood better than neighbourhood deprivation?

Article Publication Date

10-Dec-2024

COI Statement

Authors Richard Cookson and Ieva Skarda received support from the UK Prevention Research Partnership. Author Ruth Gilbert receives support from Health Data Research UK.