Favorites May 11th 2022: Deficits, Immersion, and Tire Dust

David Watson

May 12

Oryx @oryxspioenkop

I’m going to call this Russian river crossing attempt a failure.

In all, Russia lost 32 armored vehicles, plus a tugboat.

Steven Greenhouse @greenhousenyt

VERY IMPRESSIVE >> The Starbucks workers' union has gone from one store unionized last December to 64 unionized today. Not only that, @SBWorkersUnited now has more than 1,500 workers in their union and more than 250 stores petitioning for union elections. peoplespolicyproject.org/2022/05/11/the…

Wow significantly more success than the Amazon warehouse unionization effort. Maybe the centralization of large warehouses makes it easier to focus anti-union efforts? Does this mean it’s inherently harder in the modern environment to unionize larger workplaces?

Robert Burgess @BobOnMarkets

This is one of the most remarkable charts I have ever seen. The US budget deficit collapsed to18.6% of GDP in early 2021and has fully recovered to 4.9% of GDP. Treasury Dept. data today show the budget deficit has shrunk by $1.6 trillion in the first six months of fiscal 2022

Also, inflation has eroded the real value of the national debt significantly. Now we just have to hope inflation slows down a bit more before the midterms.

Caleb Watney @calebwatney

The founder of TSMC on ramping up semiconductor manufacturing in Taiwan vs the U.S.

You know what a good solution to a dearth of talent is? Allow more high-skill immigration!

Ron Amadeo @RonAmadeo

Google Maps “immersive view” is the ultimate graphics mode for Google Maps

Google Maps “immersive view” is the ultimate graphics mode for Google MapsSimulated cars drive down the roads. Birds fly in the sky. It rains!arstechnica.com

Here's the segment from the video, it's absolutely amazing, I don't know how they're doing it, but my first thought is something like this example from two minute papers.

The War on Cars @TheWarOnCars

The largest source of ocean microplastics? Tire dust.

Neel Dhanesha @neel_dhan

"I think we owe it to my great-grandkids and their great-grandkids to do something about this now.” My latest for @voxdotcom and @Recode, on how the second-largest source of ocean microplastics goes unregulated and unnoticed. https://t.co/WJjFnZKs86

From an LA Times article. Electric cars produce less brake dust (regenerative braking) but more tire dust (batteries are heavy).

Alex Wild @Myrmecos

An explainer of the insane new email & social media law now live in Texas. Written back when reasonable people thought there was no way the law would survive a legal challenge. Except it just did, and now we get to see what happens.

Texas Enacts Social Media Censorship Law to Benefit Anti-Vaxxers & Spammers - Technology & Marketing Law BlogState legislatures are competing with each other to see who can enact the most ill-advised laws to impose censorship on the Internet. Florida made a splash enacting its social media censorship bill SB 7072, only to have a federal district...blog.ericgoldman.org

If it's not struck down by the supreme court, this law goes into effect in December. Popehat: "Oh, you probably thought Republicans were saying they were in favor of all free speech. They mean their free speech."

Tidbits

• Moderna Vaccine for kids as young as 6 months is on track for June approval.

• Thread about a thread about the limits of the concept of induced demand, wherein building new highways doesn't reduce traffic jams. Of course the ideal solution is to just charge for use, the entire concept of 'induced demand' depends on the fact that highways are free to use for cars. The paid lane on 101 doesn't experience traffic from induced demand.

Tugboat for Twitter

Favorites May 11th 2022: Deficits, Immersion, and Tire Dust

Tidbits

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