The term “gig economy” entered the popular lexicon a few years ago, referring to new industries that rely on technology and non-employee workers, such as the Uber and Lyft rides-on-call services. In fact, however, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Californians work as “independent contractors,” ranging from emergency room...
US Steps Up Winter-Warfare Training as Global Threat Shifts
MARINE MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER — Hunkered down behind a wall of snow, two U.S. Marines melt slush to make drinking water after spending the night digging out a defensive position high in the Sierra Nevada. Their laminated targeting map is wedged into the ice just below the machine gun....
White House Pushed Saudi Nuclear Power Plan, Report Says
WASHINGTON — Senior White House officials pushed a project to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia despite the objections of ethics and national security officials, according to a new congressional report citing whistleblowers within the administration. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns that Saudi Arabia could develop nuclear...
Walters: 'Dr. Newsom' Wants to Cure State's Tech Disease
One of the great mysteries of California politics is why, in a state that boasts of its digital innovation, its government has such a miserable record on using technology. We’ve seen an endless litany of technology projects that run up enormous costs but fail to deliver promised efficiencies, or in...
San Joaquin Memorial To Build $5 Million STEAM Center in 2019
San Joaquin Memorial High School will break ground next year on a new, state-of-the-art STEAM center. The new 10,000 square-foot center is slated to open in the 2020-2021 school year on the north side of the school's science building, said Kenyeih Williams, the director of advancement at SJM. "It will serve as...
Tesla’s Autopilot Drives Better Than You, Statistically
NEW YORK — When it's machine versus man, it's more likely you'll be exchanging insurance information with man, according to data released by the electric-car maker Tesla. In the first quarterly report on the safety of its autonomous vehicles, Tesla said it recorded one accident for every 3.34 million miles...
In a Small Space, Saroyan Is Reborn Thanks to Technology
It was well above 100 degrees the afternoon I visited the William Saroyan House Museum a couple blocks from where I grew up. Sweat poured from electricians and carpenters racing against a tight deadline to transform the 1,228 square-foot home built by Oscar Spano in 1964 into a suitable tribute to...
Triumph of the iPhone: Apple Cracks Trillion-Dollar Mark
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is the world's first publicly traded company to be valued at $1 trillion, the financial fruit of stylish technology that has redefined what we expect from our gadgets. The milestone reached Thursday marks the latest triumph of a trend-setting company that two mavericks named Steve started...
Who Is Fresno State's Top Dog? Hint: She Researches Important Stuff.
Educator and academic researcher Safiya Umoja Noble and 14 other Fresno State alumni will be celebrated for their accomplishments Oct. 26 at the Fresno State Alumni Association’s Top Dog Alumni Awards Gala at the Save Mart Center. Noble will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award for her efforts in social justice,...
5G Promises Blazing Fast Speeds and Smarter Cities
The capabilities of the wireless devices we use every day for entertainment, staying in touch and managing so many other aspects of our daily lives is about to take a quantum leap forward. The rollout of 5G technology has begun, promising future speeds up to 1000 times faster than the...