Iraq Security Forces kill at least 28 protesters after Iranian consulate burned

A day after Iraqi protesters in the holy city of Najaf burned the Iranian consulate to the ground, Iraqi security forces came out in force using increasingly violent tactics that included shooting live ammunition into crowds of protest

 

Many casualties 

 

 At least 28 were killed. A recent article reports: At least 24 people died when troops opened fire on demonstrators who blocked a bridge in the southern city of Nassiriya before dawn on Thursday. Medical sources said dozens of others were wounded.Four others were killed in the capital Baghdad, where security forces opened fire with live ammunition and rubber bullets against protesters near a bridge over the Tigris river."

 

 Iraqi government resorting to more force to remain in power The Iraqi government has constantly ordered security forces to be more aggressive against protesters. The government appears to believe that only sheer force will keep them in power. However the protests have been ongoing for some time with deaths leading not to less but more protests.  

 

The attack on the Iranian consulate A recent article reports: "In Najaf, a city of ancient pilgrimage shrines that serves as seat of Iraq's powerful Shi'ite clergy, the Iranian consulate was reduced to a charred ruin after it was stormed overnight. Protesters accused the Iraqi authorities of turning against their own people to defend Iran. "All the riot police in Najaf and the security forces started shooting at us as if we were burning Iraq as a whole," a protester who witnessed the burning of the consulate told Reuters, asking that he not be identified. Another protester, Ali, described the attack on the consulate as "a brave act and a reaction from the Iraqi people. We don't want the Iranians." But he predicted more violence: "There will be revenge from Iran, I'm sure. They're still here and the security forces are going to keep shooting at us.""

 

 Protesters complaints A common complaint of protesters is that the Iraqi government is too influenced by foreign governments. Iran has been a strong supporter of the existing government even though some prominent Shiite clerics such as Al-Sistani and al-Sadr have supported the demands of the protesters. Anti-Iran sentiments no doubt led to the burning of the Iranian consulate.

  

The protests began back in early October 

 

  Wikipedia describes the protests: The 2019 Iraqi protests, also nicknamed the Tishreen Revolution[9] and 2019 Iraqi Intifada, are an ongoing series of protests that consisted of demonstrations, marches, sit-ins and civil disobedience. They started on 1 October 2019, a date which was set by civil activists on social media, spreading over the central and southern provinces of Iraq, to protest 16 years of corruption, unemployment and inefficient public services, before they escalated into calls to overthrow the administration and to stop Iranian intervention in Iraq. The Iraqi government has been accused of using bullets, snipers, hot water and tear gas against protesters.[10] The protests stopped on 8 October and resumed on 24 October. "

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Tesla's Elon Musk promised to donate $1 million to a tree charity although he had no ready access to cash

 Tesla's Elon Musk has promised that he will donate $1 million dollars or a dollar per tree to a You Tube climate change fundraising effort by Jimmy "Mr. Beast" Donaldson, even though in sworn testimony Musk says he has no ready access to cash.

The #TeamTrees challenge The project uses the Hash Tag #TeamTrees: "More than 600 YouTubers are teaming up to take on one of the biggest fundraising challenges the platform has ever seen: raising $20 million by the end of the year to plant 20 million trees." Jimmy Donaldson more commonly known as MrBeast was born on May 7, 1998) is a US-based You Tuber whose history is described by WIkipedia: "Donaldson began YouTube in 2012[4] at age 13, under the handle "MrBeast6000"; his early content ranged from Let's Plays to "videos estimating the wealth of other YouTubers".[5] However, his videos remained in relative obscurity — averaging around a thousand views each – until the release of his 2017 "counting to 100,000" video that "earned tens of thousands of views in just a few days".[5] As of October 2019, Donaldson has over 25 million subscribers on YouTube and is managed by the Dallas-based talent management company Night Media.[4]" 

 

 Musk encouraged to donate by a Tesla fan The program is also partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation. Donaldson has already raised more than $6 million. Musk was prodded into making a donation by Marques Brownlee who has already made a large donation. Brownlee is a strong Tesla fan and has even interviewed Musk. Brownlee is another prominent You Tuber: "Marques K. Brownlee (/mɑːrˈkɛz ˈkiːθ ˈbraʊnliː/ mar-KEZ KEETH BROWN-lee; born December 3, 1993), also known professionally as MKBHD, is an American YouTuber, best known for his technology-focused videos. The channel, whose name is a concatenation of MKB (Brownlee's initials) and HD (for high-definition),[4] has over 9 million subscribers and over 1.40 billion total video views. In August 2013, Vic Gundotra, former Senior Vice President, Social for Google,[5][6] called Brownlee "the best technology reviewer on the planet right now".[4][7] During one of the 2016 Democratic presidential primary debates that was cosponsored by YouTube, Brownlee asked the candidates, by video, whether tech companies and the government can find a middle ground over encryption while considering rights to privacy and national security.[8]" The other day Musk asked about the type of trees being planted. Donaldson noted that the trees are being planted on every continent except Antartica and the type of trees planted will depend upon the location of the planting. When Brownlee added that the project was partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation. Musk replied that the program sounded legitimate and he pledged to donate one million trees. Wikipedia describes the Arbor Day Foundation: "The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization founded in 1972 in Nebraska, United States, by John Rosenow. It is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to tree planting.[1] The Foundation's stated corporate mission is "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees."[2] The Foundation programs are supported by members, donors, and corporate sponsors that share the same vision of a healthier and greener world.[2]" Musk did follow through in the past on a promise to help install UV water filtration systems for the water fountains of schools in Flint Michingan during the water crisis there.

 

 Musk's cash problem A recent article notes Tesla is involved in a defamation suit launched by a UK diver Vernon Unsworth: " ...in a recent court filing, Musk told lawyers representing Unsworth that, despite his massive stock holdings in Tesla and SpaceX, he was financially illiquid, according to The Los Angeles Times. That means his insurer, American International Group Inc., may get involved in any potential court settlement or financial payout as a result of the case. It also means it’s an open question whether Musk has the cash on hand to help MrBeast plant all those trees for charity."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Tesla's Elon Musk announces new solar roof

Elon Musk announced a redesign of Tesla's solar roof tiles named the Solar Glass Roof. The roof will cost around $42,500 for an area of 2,000 square feet of roof with 10kW of solar capacity. There will be a tax credit of about $21.25 per square foot.

The price of the roof will vary not only by size but also location. The roof will come with a 25-year warranty. It will be offered in a dark tempered glass finish at the start but Musk said he hoped to introduce new designs every six to nine months. The roofs are further described with prices at a company website.  

 

This is Tesla's third try a solar roof design The third version of Tesla's solar roof the company claims should be cheaper and easier to install then the second version that Tesla is at present selling. With the second version Musk said that Tesla was basically trying not to lose money on each installation. The second version needed additional work done after arriving at a home. In effect construction was finished at installation. The second version was not worth scaling Musk claimed. In fact Musk more or less admitted that his first two versions of solar roofs didn't gain wide adoption or really work. However, Musk thinks that his third version is worth scaling as the new tiles are larger and more power dense. He said they will help roofs come alive. Musk said: “I think in the future, it will be odd for roofs to not gather energy.” Musk points out that the Solar Roof will make financial sense only for new houses or replacement roofs. If a roof is more than five years from needing to be replaced it would make more sense just to purchase standard solar panel setups Musk said. Nevertheless, Musk pointed out that the new roofs cost less than an average roof costs together with solar panels.

 

 Musk needs a win on the solar side of his business Musk spent $2.6 billion acquiring Solar City in November of 2016. Yet in the second quarter of 2019 Tesla sold fewer panels than in any quarter since it bought Solar City. In the third quarter there was just a marginal increase in sales even though Tesla has slashed prices and begun a rental plan. In August, Tesla was sued by Walmart after several stores had fires allegedly caused by the company's solar panels. Tesla also faces a lawsuit by some of its large investors over the purchase of Solar City: "Newly unsealed court documents show why a number of large Tesla investors, including some pension funds, believe its $2.6 billion acquisition of Solar City in 2016 never should have happened. The documents are an opening brief in a shareholders’ lawsuit against Tesla over the acquisition, but were previously heavily redacted."  

 

Musk optimistic about new roofs Musk noted: “It’s been quite hard to get to this point. This was a quite a difficult product because roofs have to last for a long time. And then when you add electrification to the roof it gets even more difficult." However, Musk says the new roof will be simpler and quicker to install than previous versions. The goal is to install 1,000 roofs per week in the next few months. Musk was optimistic claiming that the global market for his Solar Glass Roof was 100 million homes. He is hiring a lot of installers and outside installation companies hoping he can improve on installation.

US Treasury Dept. issues new regulations on humanitarian trade with Iran

The US Treasury Dept, has announced a system of permissible trade with Iran that it claims will ease the shipment of food and medicine into the country for humanitarian reasons.

Regulations in effect will restrict humanitarian aid

Although there has never been any legal basis for restricting humanitarian aid according to US law, US hostility and sanctions against Iran have in fact made it all but impossible to ship anything to the country without incurring the wrath of the US including blocked access to bank financing.

A recent article claims: "The move announced Friday addresses concerns by aid groups and others that sanctions prevented shipments of food and medicine that were traditionally allowed to countries under sanctions.President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. a nuclear agreement with Iran and reinstated sanctions last year."

Brian Hook of the US State Department said: "A new humanitarian channel will make it easier for foreign governments, financial institutions and private companies to engage in legitimate humanitarian trade on behalf of the Iranian people while reducing the risk that money ends up in the wrong hands."

However, several non-governmental aid organizations (NGOs) said that the new regulations were likely to make it even more difficult to send humanitarian aid shipments to Iran.

The new regulations

The new regulations demand that institutions sending aid to Iran send "substantial and unprecedented" information including all invoices and details of all customers, and whether any of them were on UN, US, or EU blacklists. Some analysts are predicting that no bankers will be willing to accept these new conditions and as a result aid will be further impeded.

Criticism of the regulations

A former Obama official was critical of the regulations: "Brian O'Toole, a senior Treasury Department adviser dealing with sanctions under former president Barack Obama, said the measure looked like it was aimed more at gathering intelligence than helping ordinary Iranians and expected many foreign banks would be unable to provide the level of detail required."I think this is going to have a chilling effect. It will have the exact opposite effect of what they're claiming it will," said O'Toole, now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank."

O'Toole, also claimed that the regulations looked like they were aimed at countering INSTEX, a channel set up by EU countries to skirt unilateral US sanctions.

The National Iranian American Council was also critical of the new regulations claiming that they would make humanitarian trade more difficult:"The Trump administration has sounded the death knell for humanitarian trade with Iran," the Iranian American group said in a statement...Let's be clear: There is unlikely to be a single banker in the world that will accept these conditions and participate in the trade..The Trump administration is surely aware of this fact, and its humanitarian channel should be viewed as nothing more than farce."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

$76 billlion of proposed $716 billion defense budget to be spent on classified spending

The proposed defense budget for 2020 is $716 billion an increase of about 5 percent from 2019 to 2020 or nearly 11 percent of the requested funds. This amounts to about $76 billion.

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Few details given about classified spending

Naturally military officials say they cant talk about issues such as spending on classified aircraft, space, and missile projects lest this provide an advantage to America's enemies. However some critics such Adam Smith, the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee complain that the secrecy leads to excessive but hidden spending, lack of oversight, waste, and lowering of public trust about how taxpayer money is spent.

Yet one group does talk about US government classifieds spending: "But there is one group of people talking about classified spending: the executives of America’s largest defense firms. In recent months, what defense contractors call “restricted” projects have become a hot topic on quarterly earnings calls with Wall Street analysts. Firms also tout the increase in classified contracts in annual reports and regulatory filings." While the executive and corporate reports do not disclose details of these "restricted" projects they feature in quarterly earnings calls by Wall Street analysts. Companies also tout any increases in classified contracts in their annual reports and even regulatory filings.

Firms boast about getting classified contracts

Raytheon's 2018 annual report boasts about record classified bookings of almost $7 billion a hike of 46 percent in just one year and representing a full 19 percent of company total revenues. As a recent article notes: "U.S. weapons maker Raytheon Company (RTN.N) reported better-than-expected third-quarter profit on Thursday and raised its full-year earnings and sales outlook, helped by higher demand for space programs, weapons and missile warning systems."

Northrop Grumman's 2018 annual report attributes part of a $1 billion increase in its Aerospace Systems division revenue to a higher sale of restricted manned aircraft sales. Northrop is building a new stealth bomber for the US Air Force a highly classified program.

US secrecy is increasing

A recent article notes: "Since the National Defense Strategy, the one that predicted great power competition, came out last year, there’s been more secrecy around what the Pentagon is up to, so not to clue China or Russia in on weapons projects. This seems increasingly the case when it comes to space, aircraft, and intelligence-related work."

Vice Admiral Stuart Munsch deputy chief of naval operations notes at a September news conference the response to China and Russia as strategic competitors:“As a result of that, we are restoring some behaviors that used to be second nature to us when we did have have a comprehensive adversary before. I think increasingly you’ll see that we are more guarded in talking about our capabilities and our intentions simply because any revealing of those things is exploited by potential adversary.”

President Trump is encouraging less transparency as well: "President Trump, in a nationally televised Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, instructed acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to withhold classified battlefield reports from inspectors general, a move that brought objections from transparency advocates." Given the position of Trump one cannot expect military officials to cut down on the number of classified projects but to classify more in order to avoid scrutiny by watchdogs.

However, William Hartung, who directs the Arms and Security Project of the Center for International Policy is critical of increased classification. Hartnung claims that increasing classification of defense projects makes it almost impossible to have any independent assessment of whether spending on projects makes sense or is efficient. There is a tendency to keep projects flowing with fewer controls internally than used to be common. Classification Harnung claims should be used sparingly and not become a cover for ill-conceived investments.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Pentagon officials said to be making plans for a quick withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan

(Oct 22)Pentagon officials are quoted by NBC news as claiming they are engaged in prudent planning for a quick withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan should US President Trump decide to do so.

Pentagon officials concerned about Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw in Syria

Trump's decision to withdraw from parts of Syria and to move a number into Iraq apparently caught them by surprise. The officials want to be ready for a withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, military officials typically tend to drag their feet on decisions they do not like. Trump has rejected the recent agreement in principle reached with the Taliban. It would seem unlikely but possible that he would withdraw completely without an agreement of the Taliban with the US and also with Afghan representatives on power sharing. However, the US has been in Afghanistan about 18 years now.

Trump has long campaigned on removing US troops from what he regards as unnecessary wars but there are a number of hawks in his administration who will oppose the President's moves. Some officials consider the planning a dress rehearsal for a pullout from Afghanistan.

A recent article reports: "The contingency planning is ongoing, the officials said, and includes the possibility that Trump orders all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan within weeks. Officials cautioned, however, that the planning is a precaution and there is currently no directive from the White House to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan." Defense Secretary Mark Esper insists that there has been no policy change in Afghanistan.

Esper claims counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan will continue

Esper claimed: “Counterterrorism operations remain critical to our efforts to achieving peace and ensuring terrorist organizations cannot find safe haven in Afghanistan,” said Esper in a joint press briefing with acting Interior Minister Andarabi, Minister of Defense Assadullah Khalid, and Gen. Scott Miller, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Esper hailed the contribution of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) in providing security for the recent presidential elections in Afghanistan and said that the ANDSF is playing a key role to protect the Afghan people from the senseless violence of the Taliban and terrorist groups.“Regardless of the outcome of the election, our security partnership with Afghanistan will remain strong. Our mission in Afghanistan has not changed, we continue to conduct counterterrorism operations while supporting the development of the ANDSF,” said Esper.

However, Trump can often make quick decisions that his officials seem not to have been aware of and so perhaps the withdrawal plans are prudent as officials claim.

The Syria pullout that will see a number of troops deployed to Iraq will nevertheless leave some troops within Syria but not near the border with Turkey in the safe zone demanded by Turkey.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Wing owned by Alphabet delivers by drone in Christiansburg Virginia

(Oct. 18)The drone delivery company Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet (formerly Google) is now delivering not only health care products but also snacks to residents of Christiansburg Virgina.

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The company received recent approval for deliveries from the federal government and has teamed up with major companies such as FedEx and Walgreens. Wing claims it is the first commercial drone delivery service in the US.

Earlier this year, Wing became one of the first operators to be certified as a commercial air carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration that allows it to delivers goods to persons miles away and much beyond the drone operator's line of sight.

A recent article notes: " With an expanded Air Carrier Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Wing today became the first company to operate a commercial air delivery service via drone directly to homes in the United States. Wing’s FAA permissions are the first to allow multiple pilots to oversee multiple unmanned aircraft making commercial deliveries simultaneously to the general public, paving the way for the most advanced drone delivery service in the nation."

Wing

Wikipedia describes Wing: "Wing is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. that develops technology of drone-based delivery of freight. The company completed their first real-world deliveries in 2014.[1] The company has offices in Australia, the United States and Finland[citation needed]. In July 2018, Project Wing changed from Google X to become an independent Alphabet company.[2] As of January 2019, Wing began delivering take-out food and beverages out of its test facility in Bonython, Australia as part of a pilot program.[3] In April 2019 Wing became the first drone delivery company to receive a Air operator's certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to allow it to operate as an airline in the USA.[4]"

How the system works. The appended promotional video gives a good picture of exactly how the system works.

The company says it hopes to replace deliveries that are now made by car or truck in order to reduce traffic on the city's roads. It also is a speedy delivery mode for anyone who has limited mobility options. Wing promises that its deliveries will take place within minutes of an order being place as long the customer lives in Christiansburg's "designated delivery zones". There are no extra fees for the drone deliveries.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Swagtron introduces 3 new electric bikes

Swagtron the e-bike manufacturer is expanding its lineup of affordable e-bikes. All three of the new bikes are in the classic cruiser style with upright U-shaped handlebars and frames that mimic the sweeping lines of vintage beach bikes.

Cruiser bikes are suitable for casual city driving but look best drifting down a beach sand-covered trail or boardwalk. The upright style will appeal to those who do not desire to be hunched over handlebars and who do not worry about speed and aerodynamics. The bikes also come with Shimano 7-speed drive trains that makes it much easier to climb steep hills.

If the new bikes are much like the EB12 city bike that Swagtron released earlier this year the new bikes will be fun and affordable entry e-bikes that will be suitable for a large variety of buyers.

The EB 12

A recent article notes that although Swagtron may not make the best e-bikes, it makes quite good bikes at a very affordable price. The EB12 is Swagtron's first venture into the full-size e-bike: "The Swagtron EB12 looks almost like any standard pedal bike, save for the 270 Wh battery mounted on the rear rack. Tucked into the hub on the rear wheel is a 250 W geared hub motor.

Together, the battery and motor help the bike reach a maximum of 28 miles (45 km) of range and top speed of 16 mph (26 km/h)."

There is a rigid steel fork up front giving the bike an old-time feel. Weight limit for the rider is 264 pounds or 120 kg. The bike itself weight 39.4 pounds or 17.8 kilograms. This is quite light for an electric bike. Unlike many electric bikes the Swagtron boast a seven gear shifter.

The new e-bikes

The new models are the Eb9, EB10, and EBll. Each model has a 250-watt rear hub motor and a rear-rack mounted 36 volt battery. The battery can be locked as well as removable. Swagtron sells replacement batteries separately in case you need to swap one out while on the go because of the limited range.

The EB9 can reach up to 16.5 miles per hour. The EB10 and EB11 are a bit slower at 15.3 mph. This is rather slower than the majority of Class 2 e-bikes that typcially can reach 20 miles per hour. However, the Swagtron bikes are also much cheaper than most other bikes. The range of the EB9 is 28 miles versus 26 miles for the E10 and E11.

Swagtron e-bikes are lighter than many e-bikes making them easier to carry if need be. However, their e-bikes are lighter because they have smaller motors and batteries and so run slower. However, they are still heavy enough with the EB9 at 41.66 lbs, and both the EB10 and EB11 at 50.7 pounds.

Price

There are not many good e-bikes below one thousand dollars. The promotional price is $999 for each of the three the same price at the EB12. When the promotional price ends they will each sell for $1,111. They can be purchased at the company website, Amazon or select retailers. Tips on buying an e-bike can be found at the Verge.

The appended video reviews the earlier EB12.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Harley Davidson has temporarily suspended production of it electric bike

Harley-Davidson has temporarily stopped the manufacture and even shipping of its first electric motorcycle the LiveWire due to difficulty with the bike's charging equipment.

Bikes are safe to ride but should not be charged at home outlets

Customers who have the $30,000 dollar LiveWire are requested to only charge their bikes at dealerships indicating there is some issue with charging them in lower-voltage outlets such as are found in most homes.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the problem: "Harley-Davidson Inc... has stopped production and deliveries of its first electric motorcycle after discovering a problem related to the vehicle’s charging equipment, a major setback for a product the company is counting on to rejuvenate sales.The motorcycle maker said it has suspended production of the LiveWire model as it conducts tests to investigate the problem. The company said Monday that the tests were progressing well but didn’t say when production would resume."

The LiveWire

Harley-Davidson's only electric bike was introduced as a concept motorcycle back in 2014. After being in limbo for a few years the LiveWire was introduced in production-ready in November 2018. The bikes began shipping only in September this year.

The company considers the LiveWire as key to the company's initiative to appeal to new and younger riders as the business has been flagging since the last recession. However, the bike is a good $10,000 above the most expensive electric motorcycles now on the market.

The company comment on the issue

The company statement on the charging issue gives no hint of when the problem will be solved or the bikes go back into production: "As we lead in the electrification of motorcycles, we have delivered our first LiveWire motorcycles to authorized LiveWire dealers. We recently discovered a non-standard condition during a final quality check; stopped production and deliveries; and began additional testing and analysis, which is progressing well. We are in close contact with our LiveWire dealers and customers and have assured them they can continue to ride LiveWire motorcycles. As usual, we’re keeping high quality as our top priority."

Other electric vehicle makers also having problems

In June this ear Audi issued a recall order of its E-Tron electric SUV because of concerns about battery fires: "Audi has announced a voluntary recall on the E-Tron, the company’s first all-electric car, because of a risk for battery fires. The German automaker says the recall covers around 540 E-Trons in the United States, or about half of what Audi has sold since the car’s launch in April."

Just a few weeks after Audi's recall the Chinese startup NIO recalled its first electric SUV after a few vehicles had caught fire.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Uber acquires Cornershop and enters the crowded grocery delivery market

Uber the ride-haling company has moved into the highly competitive world of only grocery deliveries. It has acquired a startup called Cornershop for an undisclosed sum. The deal will help the company expand beyond its core ride-haling business..

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Cornershop

A recent article describes the delivery firm: "Cornershop, founded in 2015, is currently active in Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Canada, and it’s headquartered in Santiago. In a statement, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company would seek to “scale their vision, and look forward to working with them to bring grocery delivery to millions of consumers on the Uber platform.” That will mean eventually launching the service in the US, though the deal is still subject to regulatory approval."

The CEO and founder of Cornershop was optimistic about the deal:" “In 2015 we started Cornershop with primarily the Latin American market in mind and we couldn't be more excited to work with Uber to help us take that mission much further,” said Oskar Hjertonsson, Founder and CEO, Cornershop. “Uber is the perfect partner as we embark on our quest to bring our unique flavor of on-demand groceries from incredible retail partners to many more countries around the world.""

Cornershop will still operate under its current leadership but will report to a board where Uber has majority representation.

Uber will face stiff competition

Huge companies such as Amazon, Instacart and Postmates are all competing for market share in the area and are up against major grocery chain such as Kroger and Walmart. Online purchases are still only 3 percent of US grocery sales. According to a recent survey customers worry about being overcharged or experiencing late deliveries.

Uber launching second try at delivery service

The Cornershop deal will see Uber enter the delivery market for the second time. In 2014 Uber Rush was launched but it was never able to expand beyond the large cities New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. It shut down in 2018.

Uber wants to be considered as a market place

Uber wants to be an "operating system" for cities and grocery delivery seems a part of that. Recently CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an interview: “I think we’re going to look at a lot of categories going forward and some of them we will fulfill through our own internal services. But I do think that you should think about Uber as a marketplace.”

Previously published in the Digital Journal

A Spanish court is investigating a security firm suspected of spying for the US on Assange while he was in Ecuadorean embassy in London

The Spanish National Court is investigating a Spanish security firm, Undercover Global, suspected of spying on Julian Assange for the US while Assange was inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London UK. The investigation was made public this Wednesday.

The investigation was triggered by a newspaper report El Pais

The El Pais report claimed: "... Undercover Global owner David Morales allegedly directed the surveillance and was personally responsible for making a deal with the CIA. Morales is reported to have asked employees to keep his firm's collaboration with the US secret. Undercover Global installed microphones in several parts of Assange's quarters, using things like the embassy's fire extinguishers. The firm also put surveillance systems in the embassy's female toilets, a place where Assange's lawyers would meet amid fears that conference rooms were bugged. A streaming system was also allegedly installed, which would allow US officials to directly access Assange's meetings in real time."

The court document was dated August 7. The company and Morales are also being probed for bribery and money laundering according to the document. The court claimed it had opened the investigation after a complaint was made by Assange's lawyers. Perhaps the El Pais report contributed to the complaint. The court said: “Meetings which Assange held with his lawyers, as well as medical visits and those of other nature were recorded.” The recorded information was then made available both to Ecuadorean and US intelligence services. Morales is also said to have made frequent trips to the US to personally deliver hard drives containing the recordings.

Morales said to have paid to ensure there were no negative reports

The court said that Morales paid $22,000 a month in cash to the head of security at the embassy to make sure that there were no negative reports about the Undercover Global operations that could result in the firm losing its contract.

Morales arrested last month

Morales was actually arrested on Sept. 17 but has been conditionally released according to judicial sources. Morales must report to a judge every 15 days and has had his passport confiscated.

Background

Assange had taken refuge in the London Ecuadorean embassy in 2012. He claimed to be fleeing what he called a politically motivated extradition order to be returned to Sweden to answer questions on an alleged sexual assault. Assange stayed in the embassy right up until April of this year when Ecuador allowed UK police to drag him out. He was then sentenced to serve 50 weeks in a maximum security UK jail for breaching his bail conditions when he sought asylum in the embassy.

Assange is also subject to a US extradition request. In the US he faces a total of 18 charges. Most relate to obtaining and disseminating classified information by publishing military documents through the Wikileaks website. The appended video showing a helicopter attack that killed two Reuter's personnel is one example of his publications.

Observations

The fact that the US chose a firm which is suspected of bribery and money laundering shows the lack of any oversight of those responsible for making such decisions. The choice of such a firm is liable to end up sullying the reputation of the US beyond that of choosing to spy on Assange. Ecuador comes out looking even worse as it has been shown to hire security officials who can be bribed.

The fact that meetings of Assange with his lawyers were recorded and delivered to US authorities should make it abundantly clear that Assange cannot face a fair trial in the US. The UK courts must surely deny the US extradition order. If they do not it would be a travesty of UK justice.

The UK seems already be treating Assange unjustly by retaining him in jail while he awaits his extradition hearing: "The WikiLeaks founder would have been released from HMP Belmarsh on 22 September, Westminster magistrates court heard on Friday, but he was told he would be kept in jail because of “substantial grounds” for believing he would abscond again."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Uber the ride-hailing company launches Uber Pet for those who want their pet to ride along with them

(Oct.  10)The ride-hailing company Uber is experimenting with a new feature that is designed to reduce cancellations from customers who want to bring their pet on a ride. The new feature Uber Pet will be offered in select cities beginning this October 16th.

Uber service now predictable

Prior to the introduction of Uber Pet bringing a dog or cat along with an Uber ride was unpredictable. Uber recommended that customers contact their drivers before trying to bring along their pets but perhaps many did not follow this advice. A common complaint of Uber drivers is that they often encounter customers with surprise pets.

Why some drivers do not want pets

Many people have allergies to cat and dog hair. A driver with allergies can hardly be expected to pick up customers with pets to which he or she is allergic. Other drivers object to having to clean up hair left by animals. This could be particularly bad if the animal is shedding.

How Uber Pet works

Before selecting their ride there will be among the list of options Uber Pet. There will be a surcharge of $3 to $5 upfront when the option is selected in the app. Driver's who do not want to carry pets can opt out in the preferences section of the driver app. If they opt in the company says they will receive a "significant portion" of the surcharge added to their regular earnings.

Service animals are exempt from the surcharge

In accordance with federal and state law service animals are allowed to ride at all times at no extra cost as is reflected in Uber's policy: " In accordance with Uber's policies, service animals are permitted to accompany riders at all times. If you're traveling with a pet that's not a service animal, drivers may choose whether or not to allow the pet in their vehicle.If you're planning to ride with a pet that's not a service animal, it's good practice to contact the driver who accepted your ride request to let them know. You can use the Uber app to send a text message or call your driver.Please help drivers keep vehicles clean for all riders by bringing a carrier or blanket to reduce the risk of damage or mess. Some drivers may keep a blanket or other covering in the trunk of their vehicle."

Uber Pet will be available to all customers starting on October 16th in the following cities: Austin, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay. If successful no doubt Uber Pet will be applied further afield.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Software update by Tesla to prevent battery fires may have reduced battery range

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a software update that e-car manufacturer Tesla shipped earlier this year. The update was intended to solve a potential problem associated with a few reported battery fires.

The software update appears to have decreased range of some vehicles

A few Tesla owners are even suing Tesla over the issue. The NHTSA received a 'defect petition" in September from a lawyer who represents some of the aggrieved Tesla owners.

A defect petition is filed

A recent article reports the filing: "A defect petition submitted to NHTSA by consumer attorney Edward Chen prompted the investigation. Chen filed the petition on behalf of Tesla owners, including his client David Rasmussen, after Tesla pushed over-the-air software updates to some vehicles, which reduced the range the electric cars could travel on a single charge, owners said.The petition complained that the software updates, which started in May 2019, were not an appropriate fix for batteries that could ignite in non-crash scenarios."

Chen claimed that Tesla used its software update to mask and cover-up potentially widespread and dangerous issues with batteries in some of their vehicles. Tesla has not immediately commented on the petition and investigation.

After investigation NHTSA has to issue a recall or publish findings

Another recent article explains how defect petitions are dealt with: "Defect petitions require more information than the typical complaints the NHTSA receives. Crucially, they also force the agency to act more conclusively: following the investigation, the NHTSA has to either issue a recall for cars affected by the alleged defects, or else publish its findings on the federal register explaining the decision not to."

Tesla's explanation of the update

Tesla issued the over-the-air update in May saying it was out of an abundance of caution after two fires in Asia the were highly publicized fires: " In April, an older Model S seemingly spontaneously combusted while sitting unused in a parking structure in Shanghai. The fire was caught by security cameras, and the footage quickly went viral. Tesla sent a team to investigate the fire, but has not released any findings. Just this week, another Model S caught fire in a parking lot in Hong Kong, shortly after the owner had charged the car. "

At the time, Tesla admitted that the update would change some setting in the battery management software governing charging and thermal controls of the cars. However, the company did not note that the changes could negatively effect the range of the cars on a single charge.

Chen wrote to the Department of Transportation and NHTSA: “For most owners, it was shortly discovered after updating their cars that the cars had suffered from a sudden and significant decrease in the amount of rated miles available."

There have been some reports of range drop-off following the update, but they are not widespread. The NHTSA will need to thoroughly investigate exactly what Tesla did in the update and determine how it might effect the battery.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Uber opens New York helicopter service to all account members

(Oct. 3)Earlier in 2019, Uber the ride-hailing company began to offer helicopter trips from downtown Manhattan to the J.F. Kennedy International Airport but only to select passengers.

The trips beginning at a cost of $200 per person are now being offered to anyone with an Uber account.

Service includes Uber rides to helipads and then to the airport

Trips are only from the helipad located in lower Manhattan. You will need to take an Uber trip to the pad and then an eight minute helicopter ride to the airport itself. The trip is available Monday through Friday but during the afternoon rush hour only. Depending on demand prices can rise as high as $225 per person.

Uber gathering data for expansion of its air taxi business

Uber hopes the data from its New York project will aid it to develop a full air taxi business by 2023 using lightweight electric aircraft. However, these aircraft are yet to be produced for commercial service so that Uber is using the helicopters for now.

Uber Copter is operated by a company called HeliFlite, a company that also provides flights between Manhattan and the Hamptons. The Hamptons are a popular summer destination for well-off New Yorkers: "The Hamptons, part of the East End of Long Island, comprise a group of villages and hamlets in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton, which together form the South Fork of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. The Hamptons form a popular seaside resort and one of the historical summer colonies of the northeastern United States."

Eric Allison, who heads up Uber Elevate said of the Manhattan service: “This is our first step to what will become a future Uber Air network."

Company bills the services as a time saver

Uber sees its service as a time-saver for those wanting to get to the JF Kennedy airport during rush hour: "Including the time it takes an Uber car to transport customers to the helipad in Manhattan, Uber hopes that Uber Copter will bring total transport times between NYC and JFK down to as little as half an hour. That compares with the one hour it typically takes the drive the route, which can take up to two hours or longer in the city’s bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic. The Long Island Railroad, meanwhile, typically takes between 50 and 75 minutes to make the journey."

The time saving depends upon where one is in New York obviously. A Reuters reporter noted: "Uber says the service is intended to reduce travel times, but when Reuters tried Copter on Wednesday, a trip from its Midtown office to the airport took 70 minutes, including a subway ride downtown and two Uber rides to and from the heliport. That’s about the same time it would have taken by regular taxi in moderate traffic." However, Uber pointed out that the outbound service to JFK is only available to Uber customers who are in the vicinity of the helipad. At any rate, the Reuters trial shows that only if one is near the helipad will one save much time from using the service. However, the Reuters trial was also only when traffic was moderate. When traffic was heavy the savings in time would be more. The appended video shows a person actually using the service.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Kitty Hawk unveils a third electric aircraft the Heaviside or HVSD

Kitty Hawk and electric flight startup company which is backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, has unveiled a third aircraft called Heaviside or HVSD. It is claimed to be 100 times more quiet than a helicopter.

HVSD has an extended range

The company claims the HVSD can travel 55 miles from San Jose to San Francisco in just 15 minutes. It is said to have a range of about 100 miles which is a considerable range for an electric aircraft as the weight of the batteries needed limit the range of such craft.

Company provides no details on the battery and power-train of the HVSD

We do know from photographs that the orange and black vehicle has vertical takeoff and landing capacities (VTOL) provided by eight rotors. A company website describes the HVSD: "Project Heaviside is Kitty Hawk’s latest high-performance electric VTOL vehicle. It is designed to be fast, small and exceedingly quiet, taking advantage of new possibilities to free people from traffic. The Heaviside vehicle is roughly 100 times quieter than a regular helicopter. Once in the air, the vehicle blends into the background noise of a city or suburb, barely discernible to the human ear. Heaviside can travel from San Jose to San Francisco in 15 minutes and uses less than half the energy of a car."

The HVSD is said to be about one third the size of a Cessna airplane.

The HVSD is quiet compared to regular helicopters. A recent TechCrunch article reports: Unlike a helicopter, the HVSD starts and lifts off in just seconds. There is sound as it lifts off — hitting about 80 decibels — but what’s striking is the brevity. The take-off sound lasts fewer than 10 seconds. As HVSD gains altitude and then circles above us, the only sound is a few engineers and technicians talking nearby. Once Thrun quiets the crew, the noise falls below 40 decibels, which is what a typical, quiet residential neighborhood registers at. HVSD is nearby at about 600 feet of altitude, but it is barely audible as it circles above us. An office with an air conditioning running might be about 50 decibels, Thrun says for comparison.“The calculus here is that this has to be socially acceptable for people,” Thrun says. “There’s a reason why helicopters are not: they’re for rich people and they’re noisy.”" Sebastian Thrun is the CEO of Kitty Hawk.

A helicopter hovering at 1500 feet emits about 80dBA while the HVSD emits just 38 dBA.

The Kitty Hawk aircraft not likely to replace helicopters for now

Some might wonder if the Heavyside (HVSD) could replace conventional helicopters as a taxi service as they are quieter and more fuel efficient. However, there is no word yet on when the aircraft can go into production. Even if they do those announced so far would be almost useless as taxis. The first plane the Flyer was a single seater and the second the Cora is only a two seater while the Heavyside again has room only for the pilot. There is an appended video showing the Flyer.

Electric flight needs a great deal of energy

Even a 100 mile range for the Heavyside, a breakthrough, requires a number of heavy batteries. To meet the challenge aircraft are made very small. The batteries that can provide some Tesla's with a 300 mile range would carry an electric aircraft only a few miles. Unless battery technology improves so as to allow more weight and passengers in electric aircraft Kitty Hawk seems unlikely to be a serious competitor against conventional helicopters in the air taxi business.

Previously published  in the Digital Journal

Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman denies knowledge of torture of female activist

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman denies any knowledge about the allegations of torture of a female activist. The allegations have also been denied by the public prosecutor.

Activist's family bring torture allegations

The family of Loujain al-Hathloul who was arrested in a crackdown last year have alleged that the campaigner has faced repeated torture and sexual harassment while in prison. The family also claims Loujain was threatened with rape. The torture was claimed to be overseen by the Saudi al-Qahtani the Crown Prince's "right-hand' man.

Hathloul is one of ten other women activists who are on trial on charges that are described as bogus by Amnesty International.

Hathioul is one among other detainees who have complained of being subject to electric shocks, flogging, and groping while in detention.

The deal to release Hathloul

An August article reports: "Saudi authorities have offered to release jailed activist Loujain al-Hathloul in exchange for her video testimony denying that she had been tortured and sexually harassed in prison, her family claimed on Tuesday. The Saudi state security has visited my sister in prison recently. They have asked her to... appear on video to deny the torture and harassment," her brother Walid al-Hathloul, who is based in Canada, said on Twitter."That was part of a deal to release her." "

Bin Salman's interview

In an interview on CBS Bin Salman replied when asked whether the torture reports were true said: "If this is correct, it is very heinous. Islam forbids torture. The Saudi laws forbid torture. Human conscience forbids torture." Bin Salman said he would personally follow up on the allegations. The public prosecutor has already ruled that the allegations are false. However, several human rights organizations have claimed to have verified the allegations.

Saudi Arabia's criminal code also prohibits torture but human rights organizations have routinely accused the Saudis of torture.

Bin Salman claims arrested activists have contacts with foreign agencies

Last year in another interview on CBS said: "They have connections with agencies of other countries. They have a network, connection with government people, leaking information for the sake these other governments. Secret intelligence.We have some of them with videos. We can show it to you." However, no such videos were ever released or seen by reporters.

Ironically the arrest of other Hathiloul and other prominent female activists who campaigned for the right of women to drive came just weeks before the government actually lifted the ban on women driving.

UN human rights experts urge that Hathloul be released

The experts released a statement saying: "It is shocking hypocritical that Ms al-Hathloul remains in prison for campaigning to change laws which have since been amended. Indeed, she should never have been imprisoned in the first place for exercising her fundamental rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. In spite of recent improvements in Saudi Arabia's male guardianship laws, it is imperative that the world does not lose sight of the human rights concerns which persist in the country, as human rights defenders have continued to express."

Bin Salman involvement suspected in Khashoggi murder

Wikipedia reports on the murder: "The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, journalist for The Washington Post and former general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel, occurred on 2 October 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey and was perpetrated by agents of the Saudi Arabian government.[4][5] The exact cause of his death is unknown since his body has not been located or examined.[6][7][8] Government officials of several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, believe Khashoggi was murdered. Turkey in particular believes it was premeditated murder, and anonymous Saudi officials have admitted that agents affiliated with the Saudi government killed him.[6][9]"

The Saudis have never admitted that Bin Salman was involved but a critical UN report suggested that he be investigated. The CIA is reported to have concluded that Bin Salman ordered the Khashoggi murder.

US president is a strong supporter of BIn Salman.