Hertz to purchase 175,000 General Motors EVs over the next five years

Hertz is once again growing its EV fleet, announcing Tuesday that it has struck a deal with General Motors to purchase 175,000 electric vehicles from the automaker's Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and BrightDrop brands over the next five years. Customers will see the first offerings, namely the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, arrive on Hertz lots beginning in the first quarter next year.The deal, which runs through 2027, will bring a wide variety of models to Hertz's growing EV herd. Between now and 2027, the rental company expects its customers to drive about 8 billion miles in said EVs, preventing an estimated 3.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released.
— (Engadget) (September 20)   (Pocket)

A filmmaker is hiring influencers to drag Elon Musk online - USA TODAY

As the richest man on earth and one of the world's most aggressive internet users, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is often subject to online ridicule. Now, a filmmaker is offering to pay influencers to professionally drag the billionaire for a film about distracted driving.
— (USA Today) (September 25)   (Pocket)

Musk says Starlink will be activated in Iran in response to US Secretary of State statement

Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO, and CEO of electric car manufacturer Tesla said on Friday that he would be activating the firm's satellite internet service Starlink in Iran. This is a response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that the United States took action "to advance internet freedom and the free flow of information" to Iranians.
— (Interesting Engineering) (September 24)   (Pocket)

Musk-Twitter legal battle: Tesla CEO accuses the social media platform of security lapses in court filing

File photo: Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends the opening of the Tesla factory Berlin Brandenburg in Gruenheide, Germany Photograph:( AFP )
— (WION) (September 15)   (Pocket)

Nearly a week after Hurricane Fiona, half of Puerto Rico still without power

He noted that Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority and Luma, a private company that took over the island’s power transmission and distribution last year, also have not released basic information such as details of the damage to the electricity grid.
— (PBS) (September 24)   (Pocket)

Rescue crews in Puerto Rico struggle to reach residents cut off by Fiona

President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to assist with recovery efforts in the areas affected by deadly Hurricane Fiona, the White House announced Wednesday evening.Driving the news: Local officials told AP Wednesday they were having difficulty trying to reach stranded residents days after Fiona swept through, cutting off areas in "at least six municipalities" after triggering heavy rains, mudslides and flooding that destroyed bridges, roads and property. The remains of a bridge over Rio Grande de Arecibo on Thursday after Hurricane Fiona swept through, unleashing heavy rains and extensive flooding. Satellite image: ©2022 Maxar TechnologiesThe big picture: Fiona knocked out power to the entire island, and Gov.
— (Axios) (September 22)   (Pocket)

Puerto Rico's vulnerability to hurricanes is magnified by weak government and bureaucratic roadblocks

A worker cuts an electricity pole downed by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 18, 2022. AP Photo/Stephanie RojaFive years after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona has killed at least four people, caused widespread flooding and left hundreds of thousands of residents without water or power. Maria caused extensive damage to Puerto Rico’s power grid in 2017 that left many residents without electricity for months. Rebuilding it has been hampered by technical, political and financial challenges. Carlos A. Suárez and Fernando Tormos-Aponte are social scientists who study Latin American politics and environmental justice. They explain some of the factors that have hindered efforts to recover from Maria and prepare for ...
— (The Conversation) (September 21)   (Pocket)

Millions in Caribbean left without power and water in wake of Cat 3 Hurricane Fiona

Antonio Perez Miranda looks to his his house damaged by the mud left by the river “Rio de la Plata” overflowing in the San Jose de Toa Baja caused by Hurricane Fiona that passed by Puerto Rico on Monday September 18, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022.
— (Miami Herald) (September 20)   (Pocket)

How Puerto Rico is faring after Hurricane Fiona brought catastrophic floods - NPR

Floodwaters are starting to recede in some places, but other parts are still facing threats of flash floods, mudslides and collapsed bridges. Much of the island is also still without power, and a lot of people don't have drinking water. It could be days or longer before all that is restored.
— (NPR) (September 20)   (Pocket)

Puerto Rico suffering from lack of power and clean water after Hurricane Fiona

A major part of Puerto Rico was left without power or proper drinking water in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. The hurricane, that struck the island on Sunday, caused a lot of damage to the infrastructure as major roads were left submerged and a number of bridges collapsed. While the storm did lose its intensity over time, the people in the emergency shelters all around Puerto Rico are still reeling from the impact.
— (WION) (September 20)   (Pocket)

Furious Fiona Wreaks Havoc In Caribbean As Bermuda Could Be Next

Furious Fiona Wreaks Havoc In Caribbean As Bermuda Could Be Next Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon with winds exceeding 85 mph, plunging the entire Caribbean island and unincorporated US territory intocomplete darkness. Now the hurricane is wreaking havoc in the Dominican Republic and could wallop Bermuda by the end of the week. "The damages that we are seeing are catastrophic," Puerto Rico's governor, Pedro Pierluisi, said. My God, Puerto Rico 💔pic.twitter.com/WU3H1wc1vS — Nina Turner (@ninaturner) September 18, 2022 Severe flooding in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 right now as Hurricane Fiona moves in. Over 2 feet of rain expected.
— (ZeroHedge Opinion) (September 19)   (Pocket)

@NPRinskeep: The population of Puerto Rico is 3.25 million. That's greater than the population of 20 U.S. states. For comparison, imagine all of Nevada without power (3.2m), all of Iowa without power (3.1m), or all of Alaska, Hawaii and Montana (700k + 1.4m + 1.1.m).

@bgraulau: Almost 800k are still without power in Puerto Rico on day 6 after hurricane Fiona. Last night, Luma reported that more than 56% of clients now had electricity. This morning that percentage is back down to 46% after a failure with a transmission line, according to Luma.

Apple updates iOS 16 to fix shaky iPhone 14 Pro camera and copy-paste issues

Apple released its latest iPhone lineup and mobile platforms earlier this month, and a couple of annoying bugs quickly made themselves known to users. The good news is that the tech giant has quickly whipped up patches to fix the issues and has now released them as part of the iOS 16.0.2 update. One of the problems the update solves is the iPhone 14 Pro's compatibility troubles with third-party apps that use its camera, such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.Users found that when they fire up those apps and use the device's rear cam, the camera view shakes on screen and the phone emanates grinding and rattling noises.
— (Engadget) (September 23)   (Pocket)

Is the iPhone 14 Worth the Upgrade? How It Compares to Apple's Older Phones - CNET

Is the iPhone 14 Worth the Upgrade? How It Compares to Apple's Older PhonesCNETiPhone 14 Pro Max review: This is the biggest and best of everything in an iPhoneTechRadariPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: We Put Their Cameras to the TestCNETView
— (CNET) (September 24)   (Pocket)

iPhone 14 Pro Max review: Apple's best gets better

Year-over-year iPhone upgrades tend to lean on a three-pronged approach — camera upgrades, new processor, and a new tentpole feature. The iPhone 14 Pro lineup goes well beyond that, with at least six significant upgrades and multiple other new features.
— (Insider) (September 21)   (Pocket)

Apple set to issue fix for iPhone 14 Pro 'shaking uncontrollably'

Some users of the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max report that their phone starts to shake and even rattle when they try to take pictures using popular apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
— (ZDNet) (September 19)   (Pocket)

The Best iPhone 14 Cases and Accessories

So you've got a sparkly new iPhone 14. Hooray! The worst thing that can happen right now? An accidental drop that cracks the beautiful screen. Sad trombone. But wait! There's a chance you can prevent such a thing from happening. A case doesn't guarantee protection, but it raises the chances of your iPhone walking away unscathed. Throw in a screen protector and those odds increase. We've been testing several iPhone 14 cases and accessories—for the entire lineup, from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 14 Pro Max—and these are our favorites. 
— (Wired) (September 17)   (Pocket)

Apple event, Obama White House portrait, student loan debt, COVID-19 vaccine. It's Wednesday's news. - USA TODAY

Brand spankin' new iPhones and Apple Watches and AirPods, oh my! On Wednesday, Apple unveiled its latest products during its annual event from its California headquarters. The big news: The iPhone 14, Plus, Pro and Pro Max will be on sale soon. The super-popular AirPods Pro got some innovative updates, CEO Tim Cook also announced, including touch controls. The Apple Watch Ultra was also revealed. It's made to handle rugged activities – but it's not cheap, starting at $799. On the more budget-friendly side, the Apple Watch SE, starting at $249, also got an update. Release dates + everything Apple announced at the event.
— (USA Today) (September 7)   (Pocket)

@Fosudo: If you have the iPhone 13 Pro Max, I wouldn’t recommend upgrading to the 14 Pro Max. Unless you want the Dynamic Lagos Island notch.

Report: Kliavkoff Explains Why UCLA-Big Ten Move Should Be Blocked

The board specifically discussed whether they should block UCLA’s move from the Pac-12. UCLA reportedly did not inform the board ahead of the decision announced on June 30. California governor Gavin Newsom previously expressed his disappointment in UCLA’s lack of transparency.
— (Sports Illustrated) (September 23)   (Pocket)

California governor travels to Texas amid feud with GOP

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will travel to Texas on Saturday, venturing into the territory of one of his chief political foils while seeking to boost his own profile amid a noncompetitive reelection campaign back home.
— (Washington Times) (September 24)   (Pocket)

DeSantis Crushes Gubernatorial Fundraising Record

DeSantis Crushes Gubernatorial Fundraising Record Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' political operation has raised $177.4 million through Sept. 9, breaking the all-time fundraising record for a US governor's campaign, and trailing a 2010 record for fundraising + self-financing held by former Ebay and Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman by just over $1 million. According to financial disclosures filed Friday analyzed by OpenSecrets, the Republican governor's reelection campaign has raised more than $31.4 million since January 2021, while his state-level PAC, Friends of Ron DeSantis, has raised $146 million since January 2019. And while DeSantis has downplayed rumors of a potential 2024 presidential run as media speculation, he has been touring battleground states, sparring with California Governor ...
— (ZeroHedge Opinion) (September 17)   (Pocket)

California Governor signs child privacy law requiring online age checks

Get ready for face scans, expanded surveillance, violated rights, and more, say critics California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed AB 2273, legislation designed to protect children's online privacy by demanding information from everyone.…
— (The Register) (September 16)   (Pocket)

A new California law will require social media platforms to add more 'protections' for children

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a new bill that could upend how social media platforms deal with underage users. The bill, known as AB 2273, “requires online platforms to consider the best interest of child users and to default to privacy and safety settings that protect children’s mental and physical health and wellbeing,” according to a press release from Newsom’s office.The law, which won’t go into effect until July of 2024, is meant to place further restrictions on the type of data that platforms can collect from children. From Newsom’s press release: “AB 2273 prohibits companies that provide online services, products or features likely to be accessed by children from using a child’s personal ...
— (Engadget) (September 15)   (Pocket)

Roundtable: This week's heat wave and California's climate future - KPBS

S1: It's the end of a heat wave that almost brought a return of California's rolling blackouts with demand for energy setting new records. What are we learning about the work and sacrifice needed to meet our future climate goals ? And how can we better care for those most at risk ? I'm Matt Hoffman and this is KPBS Roundtable. This has been stark , unprecedented record breaking week. We started with flex alerts as early as last Wednesday. We thought we'd be done by now. This heat wave now looks to be extended into this weekend. We'll start seeing some cooling on Saturday and Sunday , but over the next two days , we're still ...
— (PBS) (September 9)   (Pocket)

California Inches Forward on Housing - City Journal

The California legislature’s ongoing efforts to remove impediments to the construction of needed new housing took a major step forward in late August with the passage of new legislation. If two specific bills are signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, they will be useful tools in a long-term battle over housing supply. But because of the bills’ complex and perhaps infeasible provisions and the many opportunities they offer for stalling tactics by recalcitrant municipalities, a supply-driven solution to the state’s housing crisis may face a longer, more difficult path to fruition than some hope.
— (City Journal) (September 7)   (Pocket)

Why did Mark Cuban call the historic Ethereum merge 'a non-event'?

To him, Ethereum’s value remains within its smart contract capabilities. Smart contracts are collections of code that execute a set of instructions on-chain and power the major applications that make Ethereum so popular—including major decentralized finance platforms to nonfungible tokens.
— (Fortune) (September 20)   (Pocket)

Ethereum Merge signals end of GPU shortage, but not necessarily high prices

What a mine field Analysis Gamers may not have to fight off cryptocurrency miners or pay scalped prices to get their hands on a GPU now, especially if they're willing to pick up an Nvidia 30-series or AMD 6000-series card…
— (The Register) (September 24)   (Pocket)

Cryptoverse: After Merge, ether heads for a $20 billion Shanghai splurge - Reuters

Cryptoverse: After Merge, ether heads for a $20 billion Shanghai splurgeReutersEthereum drops more than 17% after 'way overhyped' MergeTechCrunchCrypto Investors Yanked Money From ETH Products Despite a Smooth Ethereum MergeCoinDeskOdd Lots Podcast: What Was the Ethereum Merge?BloombergHow Ethereum Traders Actually Played the MergeDecrypt
— (Reuters) (September 20)   (Pocket)

Ethereum's Merge is completed. Here's what to watch next - MarketWatch

Enjoyed the Ethereum Merge watch party last night? Welcome back to Distributed Ledger, our weekly crypto newsletter that reaches your inbox every Thursday. I’m Frances Yue, crypto reporter at MarketWatch. I’ll walk you through what’s next as the Merge is completed.
— (Market Watch) (September 15)   (Pocket)

Ethereum's 'Merge' Is Complete; Next Comes The 'Surge', 'Verge', 'Purge', & 'Splurge'

As CoinTelegraph reports, the Merge can be seen as reinventing the laws of physics, according to Buterin. PoW operates with the usage of real-world functionalities such as electricity, hardware and computers. Whereas with PoS, everything is virtualized, “basically letting us create a simulated universe that has its own laws of physics.”
— (ZeroHedge Opinion) (September 15)   (Pocket)

Crypto Markets Brace for Historic Upgrade of Ethereum Blockchain - Bloomberg

Crypto Markets Brace for Historic Upgrade of Ethereum BlockchainBloombergEthereum blockchain slashes energy use with 'Merge' software upgradeReutersEthereum's Launch of 'The Merge' Hopes to Add Sustainability to BlockchainStratfor WorldviewThe Ethereum Merge Is Done, Opening a New Era for the Second-Biggest BlockchainCoinDeskThe Ethereum Merge: What It Is and Why It Is Important
— (Bloomberg) (September 15)   (Pocket)

Ethereum completes the 'merge' that will make its crypto transactions greener - Engadget

Ethereum completes the 'merge' that will make its crypto transactions greenerEngadgetEthereum's massive software upgrade just went live — here's what it doesCNBCEthereum’s Long-Awaited ‘Merge’ Reaches the Finish LineThe New York TimesEthereum Is MergingBloombergThe 'merge' has arrived — Wednesday is your last chance to buy ether before historic makeoverCNBC
— (Engadget) (September 15)   (Pocket)

The Real Impact of the Grand Theft Auto and Diablo Leaks

On September 17, a user called teapotuberhacker went to a Grand Theft Auto forum with what they claimed were 90 clips from Rockstar Games’ next big presumed hit, Grand Theft Auto VI. “[It’s] possible I could leak more data soon, GTA 5 and 6 source code and assets, GTA 6 testing build,” they wrote.
— (Wired) (September 20)   (Pocket)

Kaser Focus: Who stole Grand Theft Auto VI?

Another bizarre week of 2022 in the bag. I’m not saying this has been a bad year, but oof, it’s been the most. What happened this week? Goodness gracious. A hacker got hold of footage of Rockstar’s in-development game and published it online. Logitech is making a Steam Deck competitor. And apparently it’s time to revisit Cyberpunk 2077? Like I said, bizarre week.
— (VentureBeat) (September 23)   (Pocket)

Report: 17-Year-Old Arrested On Suspicion Of Being Hacker Behind GTA VI Leak

Today, London City Police announced they had arrested a 17-year-old from Oxfordshire Thursday evening. While the police have yet to confirm why, it’s been reported that the teen was arrested in connection with the recent Uber and Grand Theft Auto VI leaks. The suspect remains in City Police custody at this time.
— (Kotaku) (September 23)   (Pocket)

Grand Theft Auto VI Leak Reveals Early Gameplay, Rockstar Acknowledges Network Intrusion - CNET

The developer confirms its confidential information was illegally downloaded after an unprecedented leak reveals early footage of its next video game in action.
— (CNET) (September 19)   (Pocket)

Rockstar confirms gigantic 'Grand Theft Auto VI' leak - Engadget

Rockstar confirms gigantic 'Grand Theft Auto VI' leakEngadgetWhy Saints Row is Trending on TwitterGameRantGTA 6 leak confirmed real, one of the biggest leaks in gaming historyTweakTownGrand Theft Auto VI' leak sends Take-Two stock lowerYahoo FinanceRockstar Responds To 'Illegal' GTA 6 Leak As The Messy Aftermath ContinuesKotaku
— (Engadget) (September 19)   (Pocket)