Atlanta’s Livability Score Plummets Due to Riots
This week, a global livability study says Atlanta fell in the rankings due to riots. Ah…okay. Also, as part of the ongoing Amazon charade, Atlanta will apparently offer the company $1 billion in incentives to locate their HQ2 campus in the downtown gulch. And Atlanta officials are finally treating public signs like works of art that actually try to inform people of rules.
Forty Percent of Land in America is Dedicated to Cows
Weekly Links: America dedicates 40% of its land to raising and feeding livestock, California’s Carr Fire may have produced an actual fire tornado with winds of 150 mph, and an intriguing map shows that the land that now comprises modern day Atlanta was a nexus point for three major Native American communities.
So You Want to Mine an Asteroid?
Much like harvesting natural resources on Earth, mining asteroids presents a number of socioeconomic and normal destruction-of-Earth issues, though we do have a good set of rules and regulations designed to address those issues. Oh wait, we meant *don’t have.
Uber Says It Can’t Be Regulated Because NYC Is Bad At Urban Planning
This week, New York wants to cap ridesharing vehicles to reduce traffic congestion, but Uber claims it’s immune from regulation because New York is bad at urban planning. If only that logic worked for the rest of us. Also, Los Angeles thinks it’s found a way to store excess solar and wind energy – by harnessing the power of the Hoover Dam. Plus, the story of the property in Manhattan that’s the size of a pizza slice and London could have had a futuristic pod system built on top of the Thames.
You Probably Shouldn’t Ride Your Scooter on the Highway, Despite Atlanta’s Recommendation
This week, Atlanta holds a meeting on dockless scooters after posting a bizarre Facebook message. Also, the number of reported hate crimes continues to rise and a record number of Americans now believe that humans are influencing global warming. **Update, we now know the post was from a satirical account, but we’ve maintained the original article title for consistency.
The Supreme Court Can’t Solve the Water Wars
The Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Florida v. Georgia shows why we shouldn’t ask the justices to create critical water policy.
The Blockchain Will Save Private Property Rights
“Documenting property ownership” is perhaps one of the most boring phrases one could mutter, but it’s a critical component of a free, democratic society that is lacking in developing countries – the blockchain wants to help. Plus, National Geographic is opening its archive of amazing maps, the Chesapeake Bay is ready to give you seafood again, and descendants of the famous Isaac Newton apple tree are spread across the world.
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Florida in Water Wars Case
The Court rejected the special master’s recommendation that the suit be dismissed, giving Florida the opportunity to show that the Court can craft a helpful and workable decree apportioning water between Georgia and Florida.