This Machine Kills - Patreon Preview – 414. Deus Ex Zuck

After chatting about Ed’s trip to Greece, we turn our sights on the incredible amount of money that Mark Zuckerberg is spending to poach big names from across the tech sector and assemble the greatest crossover event in AI history. What could possibly make this level of investment into creating the Meta Superintelligence Lab a worthwhile endeavor? We lay out the Meta logic as it seems to be playing out. ••• Here’s What Mark Zuckerberg Is Offering Top AI Talent https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-meta-offer-top-ai-talent-300-million/ ••• Here Is Everyone Mark Zuckerberg Has Hired So Far for Meta’s ‘Superintelligence’ Team https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-welcomes-superintelligence-team/ ••• Zuckerberg Leads AI Recruitment Blitz Armed With $100 Million Pay Packages https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-recruiting-mark-zuckerberg-5c231f75 ••• Meta held talks to buy Thinking Machines, Perplexity, and Safe Superintelligence https://www.theverge.com/command-line-newsletter/690720/meta-buy-thinking-machines-perplexity-safe-superintelligence ••• Meta Wins Blockbuster AI Copyright Case—but There’s a Catch https://www.wired.com/story/meta-scores-victory-ai-copyright-case/ ••• 'A Black Hole of Energy Use': Meta's Massive AI Data Center Is Stressing Out a Louisiana Community https://www.404media.co/a-black-hole-of-energy-use-metas-massive-ai-data-center-is-stressing-out-a-louisiana-community/ Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)

CBS News Roundup - 07/16/2025 | World News Roundup Late Edition

Former Vice President Mike Pence says the Trump administration should release all the Epstein files. President Trump continues feud with Fed Chair Powell, but retreats from threats to fire him. Fall River, Massachusetts Fire Chief believes no foul play was involved in deadly assisted living home fire. CBS News Correspondent Christopher Cruise Keiper with tonight's World News Roundup.

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PBS News Hour - World - Syria and Druze minority agree to new ceasefire after Israeli strikes on Damascus

Some Syrian military units are withdrawing from the southern city of Suwayda after days of deadly fighting. Secretary of State Rubio announced late Wednesday that all parties, including Israel, agreed to a ceasefire. But the day began with Israeli strikes in Syria's capital, part of an operation it claimed was to protect a minority group in Syria it considers an ally. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

PBS News Hour - World - News Wrap: 2nd party exits Netanyahu’s parliament coalition, leaving him with a minority

In our news wrap Wednesday, a second party in Israel exited Netanyahu's coalition, leaving him with a minority in parliament, an American aid organization in Gaza says 20 Palestinians died in a crowd surge at one of its distribution sites today and President Trump lashed out at his own supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and called it a "big hoax." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

PBS News Hour - World - Palestinian American ambushed on family land and killed by Israeli settlers, cousin says

The U.S. is demanding accountability amid a surge in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians. On Friday, a 20-year-old Palestinian American was beaten to death in the West Bank. Saifullah Musallet is now the fifth American to be killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war in Gaza began. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Musallett's cousin, Nizar Milbes. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Gist - The Great Lantern Fly Freakout: Is That BS?

Sadie Dingfelder returns to assess the national stomp-fest against lantern flies and asks: did it do anything, or was it all buggage and bluster? Then, a deep dive into the Supreme Court’s CASA ruling on nationwide injunctions, and how a seemingly dramatic limitation on judicial power proved to be less than world-shifting in practice. Finally, Trump disavows Epstein file disclosure demands, setting off a civil war within MAGA media as conspiratorial cracks widen and cranks rage. Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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The Source - VIA focuses on improving service with frequency and growing ridership

Via metropolitan transit is moving on the development of mass transportation. There are the Green and Silver advanced rapid transit lines. The Better Bus Plan looks to boost frequency on key routes. What is Transit Oriented Development (TOD)? What is the long-term vision for VIA?array(3) { [0]=> string(20) "https://www.tpr.org/" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }

PBS News Hour - Art Beat - ‘John and Jim’ symphony honors marriage equality with its future increasingly in doubt

Ten years ago, marriage equality became the law of the land when the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case that state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. A symphony piece now honors the love story of Jim Obergefell and husband John, and how the fight to prevent an overturn of the case continues. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Power-Hungry Data Centers Gobble Up Illinois’ Energy, Water

They use up massive amounts of electricity and water, strain state resources, and get hundreds of millions of dollars in tax subsidies. So what benefits do data centers actually bring to Illinois residents? Reset digs into this question with Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of Citizens Utility Board, and Brett Chase, environmental reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Consider This from NPR - Tariffs are a tax. Are you already paying it?

It's been over three months since President Trump announced very big across-the-board tariffs on imports from nearly every territory on Earth–including uninhabited islands. It's a move he said would revitalize the U.S. economy.

Since that splashy White House announcement, the tariff rates have been a wildly moving target. Ratcheted up - then back down - on China, specifically.

Overlaid with global product-specific tariffs on categories like automobiles and copper. Partially paused after the stock market tanked.

Through it all, the tariff rate has remained at or well-above 10 percent on nearly every good imported to the U.S.

And if you've listened to NPR's reporting since April, you'll have heard many voices make one particular prediction over and over again – that American consumers will pay the price.

If American consumers are going to pay for the tariffs, the question is: when ?

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