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Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, EP talks to Dierdre about a sales pitch meeting hosted by the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office where Flock Safety pitched their drone products meant to respond to 911 calls. Then, Andrea Cunliffe speaks with Veronica Rountree, founder of the anti-violence “Mother to Son” project, about violence, challenges to social solutions, representation in government, and the importance of the VOTE. Later on, Hugh Johnson joins us to discuss the weeks weather and the recent tornado watch. After that, Bashir Chedrawee the founder of Simone's Kitchen talks to Jasmeet Kaur about his migration story from Lebanon and how his experiences inspired the founding of his restaurant. Finally, Arbor Mae talks with Collar City Pride about the documentary film “1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture” which they will be screened at The Sanctuary for Independent Media on Thursday June 25th about the origins of the anti-gay Christian movement.
Seattle reopens I-5 for World Cup, then bans the cars. This makes no sense. Concession prices at the World Cup are insane. A German soccer fan is endearing himself with social media with his newfound love of the American South. // LongForm: GUEST: Chief Legal Officer for Flock Safety on if the technology is keeping us safe or creating a surveillance state. // Quick Hit: Bob Ferguson says he will not suspend the gas tax.
Gov. Mike DeWine is urging Ohio lawmakers to permanently end the death penalty, saying the issue should go before voters if the legislature declines to act. DeWine has postponed every scheduled execution since taking office in 2019 and has said the moratorium stems partly from pharmaceutical companies' opposition to the use of their drugs in lethal injections. However, some prosecutors and lawmakers who support the death penalty dispute that justification. The Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a voter engagement group for left-leaning and progressive causes, was raided by the FBI. Board member Prentiss Haney said agents searched the organization's Northeast Ohio offices, questioned staff and associates and in some cases seized laptops and other electronic devices. Several Democratic members of Congress, including Ohio U.S. Reps. Emilia Sykes and Joyce Beatty, have criticized the raid and expressed support for the organization. Cleveland City Council members voiced strong skepticism about Mayor Justin Bibb's proposal to extend the city's contract with surveillance camera company Flock Safety, questioning whether the system justifies its cost. A council committee voted against the extension, though the measure could still advance. Cleveland has about 100 Flock cameras and has paid $250,000 annually for the program since 2023. Ohio lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and nights before non-school days with parental and school approval. Current law bars 14- and 15-year-olds from working past 7 p.m. during the school year. The measure follows Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of a broader proposal last year. Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster said he negotiated the change between him, DeWine and the Ohio Restaurant Association. We will discuss these topics and other news of the week on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Guests: - Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau - Anna Huntsman, Akron/Canton Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Zaria Johnson, Environment Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
After attending Flock Safety's 'Drones as First Responders' sales pitch at the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office, Dierdre Shea shared her response.
Data shows that rentals in Seattle are actually lower than normal during the World Cup with the exception of one match. Edmonds has pulled the plug on their Flock Safety cameras. // Guest: Carly Duke with Lavish Roots, a Burien-based catering company that technically laid off 263 workers at Meta offices, but jobs aren’t actually lost. // The reaction to Karmelo Anthony’s conviction is getting more ridiculous by the minute.
Seattle is expanding its program that reimburses businesses dealing with crime and vandalism, but the city is still missing one key piece of the puzzle. A Seattle restaurant is worried about paid parking coming to its neighborhood. Social Security recipients are being required to enroll for electronic payments as the agency ditches paper checks. // LongForm: GUEST: Chief Legal Officer for Flock Safety on if the technology is keeping us safe or creating a surveillance state. // Quick Hit: Bob Ferguson says he will not suspend the gas tax.
Presented here, unedited or trimmed, is a recording of GVPD's community meeting about Flock Safety's automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. Although the audio quality of the recording is poor, KVMR News has published it here as a service to members of the public who were unable to attend. The meeting's various parts have been marked to allow listeners to navigate to the segment that interests them most.
We kick this one off some host lore about a guy who ended a friendship over the What the Bleep Do We Know? movie. It only goes downhill from there. For some reason, I kept calling Representative Anna Paulina Luna "Rep. Lujan". There's no excuse for my behavior and I'll be docking my own pay for this episode. Then while we were talking about the Sazan Island project (Epstein Island II) that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are setting up in the Mediterranean, Jules repeated some TikTok disinfo about the Albanian prime minister's house being set on fire. The protests against them building a resort on a protected island are very real but the prime minister's house is intact and unburned. I'm docking his pay for the episode as well. Hunter Biden's art sales and Trump's effort to turn all of Washington D.C. into America's front yard with an old Camaro on cinder blocks also come up. If you make it through all that, we spend the better part of the episode getting into some of the abuses and allegations of abuse committed by Flock Safety cameras. We also talk about how in the bag some small town mayors and council members are for Flock. Some of the articles we abused for this episode: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/05/17/citys-ai-license-plate-cameras-led-an-uproar-state-emergency/ https://www.banderabulletin.com/article/3093,council-votes-to-terminate-flock-safety-contract https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/virginia-police-used-flock-cameras-track-driver-safety-lawsuit-surveil-rcna230399 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/effs-investigations-expose-flock-safetys-surveillance-abuses-2025-review https://www.atlasofsurveillance.org/ https://www.404media.co/buspatrol-put-ai-cameras-in-tens-of-thousands-of-school-buses-now-they-want-to-give-cops-access/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust_in_the_Netherlands
Welcome to your weekly UAS News Update, We have four stories for you this week: the FAA publishes TFRs for the 2026 World Cup, North Dakota cuts BVLOS waiver times down to just 23 days, Flock Safety pushes the limits of police drone cameras, and a Walmart drone delivery pad sparks a local zoning fight in North Carolina. Let's get to it.First up this week, the FAA has officially published the venue list, dates, and airspace dimensions for the FIFA World Cup 2026 flight restrictions. If you're flying in any of the host cities, you'll want to pay attention to this.Eleven U.S. stadiums are getting three-nautical-mile radius restriction up to 3,000 feet above ground level on every match day. Twelve fan festivals are getting a tighter one-nautical-mile ring up to 1,000 feet, and several of these stay active continuously for weeks! In addition, hotels and practice sites are also getting a 1NM TFRs, even in cities that won't be hosting games. This is a reminder that LAANC authorization buys you absolutely NO exemption inside an active TFR, this is for both Part 107 operators and Recreational pilots. The FAA is also using their DETER program to fast-track enforcement.Next up, North Dakota has managed to cut Beyond Visual Line of Sight waiver times from months down to just 23 business days. This is happening through the state's Vantis network, which covers more than 5,000 square miles of managed airspace. They recently activated the FAA's Federal Radar Enclave, which feeds the network the exact same real-time radar data that federal air traffic controllers use. Because the network handles the detect-and-avoid safety case, operators who join inherit that approval work instead of starting from scratch. Frontier Precision just joined as an operator, and their waiver covers any NDAA-compliant platform under 55 pounds flying within the Vantis service volumes.In our third story this week, Flock Safety is pushing the camera specs on its American-made Alpha drone as the Drone as First Responder market heats up. Flock claims the Alpha's gimbaled camera can read a vehicle license plate from up to 2,000 feet away. The payload combines multi-sensor optics, high-definition thermal imaging, low-light sensors, and a laser rangefinder. If you aren't familiar, the Alpha tops out at 60 mph and claims a flight time of up to 45 minutes. It also features a dual battery-swapping dock with climate control that gets the drone airborne again in under 90 seconds. In addition, the drone is designed and assembled in Atlanta, Georgia, and is fully NDAA-compliant. Last up, a Walmart drone delivery pad has turned into a major zoning fight in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Walmart wants to build a small drone launch area in the parking lot of its Denver, North Carolina store to expand its Wing-operated delivery service. However, more than 200 neighbors have signed a petition to stop it, citing concerns over privacy, noise, and wildlife. The Wing delivery drones are hybrid aircraft that take off vertically and then fly on fixed wings. They weigh about 11 pounds and carry a 2.5-pound payload, though a newer model can carry up to 5 pounds. They cruise at 60 mph at about 150 feet above the ground with a 6-mile radius. When they arrive, they don't land, but instead hover at about 23 feet and lower the package on a tether. While the FAA already governs the airspace and has cleared this kind of delivery, local county commissioners control the land-use zoning for the launchpad itself.That's it for this week, see you next week for Post flight where we'll discuss these stories uncensored, live Q&A on Monday, and News update on Friday! https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/flock-alpha-camera-drone-dfr-push/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/north-dakota-bvlos-waivers-23/https://dronexl.co/2026/05/31/faa-publishes-world-cup-tfr-venue-list/https://dronexl.co/2026/06/02/walmart-drone-pad-zoning-fight-in-nc/
Here's your local news for Thursday, May 28, 2026:We find out why Fitchburg alders decided on Tuesday to cut ties with a controversial surveillance tech company,Take a deep dive into Madison's public water system,Detail a legal case that cemented the federal government's regulatory control over the Wisconsin National Guard,Examine a fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,Talk creative spaces and community with a local artist,And much more.
The cities of Cleveland and Brook Park settled a long-standing disagreement this week that will clear the way for the Cleveland to redevelop the I-X Center. For decades, the two cities had been involved in a dispute over land involving a never-built runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Cuyahoga County and the city's pro sports teams want to ask voters to increase the current "sin tax" to help pay for the ever-growing list of repairs at sports arenas and stadiums. Currently, Cuyahoga County taxes liquor and cigarettes to pay for that upkeep but the amount generated is insufficient to keep up with the needs. A coalition calling itself "Flock No" is demanding that the city cut ties with Flock Safety, a surveillance company that contracts to provide automatic license plate readers to cities and towns. Cleveland currently has a contract with Flock that is up for renewal. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik says his administration will roll out legislation soon to improve housing in the city. Additional housing initiatives will be presented by the city's first-ever civic assembly, Unify Akron, according to Malik. The topic was a focus of Malik's State of the City speech on Tuesday. And a proposed Cleveland City Council ordinance may increase the penalties for threatening behaviors toward healthcare workers in the city's hospital systems. The legislation would make it a first-degree misdemeanor to menace a hospital worker and requires at least a three-day jail sentence if the menacing occurs while on the job. These stories and more will be part of this week's discussion on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Guests: - Kabir Bhatia, Sr. Reporter, Arts & Culture, Ideastream Public Media - Michelle Jarboe, Reporter, News 5 Cleveland, WEWS - Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau
Central Texas Gun Works Owner Michael Cargill joins the show, the Austin ISD has moved its budget discussion to June 4th, claiming they need more time to come up with solutions to address the projected $181 million budget deficit and Flock Safety is hoping to convince the Austin City Council to lift the ban on automated license plate readers in the wake of the shooting spree this past weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Jason Shuman, General Partner at Primary Ventures, New York's largest dedicated seed fund. With a journey that spans from raising money for a nonprofit at eight years old to driving Uber at night while sourcing deals like Latch, Jason's experience offers valuable insights for founders, especially those navigating the challenges of building companies in the AI era.Jason shares his entrepreneurial beginnings, the painful lessons from shutting down his DTC footwear brand Category5, and how that shaped his investing philosophy at Primary. He also discusses why software-only moats are dead, how Primary's 60-person impact team delivers customers (not just capital), and the firm's unique incubation model that backs founders only after the wedge is validated. From vertical AI to hardware-activated agent networks, Jason dives into the key principles he follows in his investing and why he still believes backing great founders beats incubating anything.Whether you're interested in AI, venture capital, or building deep-tech companies, Jason's story provides inspiration and practical wisdom.From Sick Kid to Serial Founder: Jason's Origin Story (01:53)* Growing up outside Boston with a family of entrepreneurs and a mother who was a therapist* Being diagnosed with primary immune deficiency as a child and becoming a spokesperson for the Jeffrey Modell Foundation at age eight* Why a life lived with urgency became the defining trait of his careerBuilding and Winding Down Category5 (05:33)* Launching a direct-to-consumer boat shoe brand while still in college - before Shopify was good and when Facebook ads were cheap* The hard realization that a brand without a visual cue has a ceiling, and why he saw the Allbirds story coming* Hitting his quarter-life crisis at 23, burning out, and what he learned from the processBreaking Into Venture: Sourcing Deals While Driving Uber (11:38)* How Jason made money driving Uber nights while sourcing deals during the day in 2014* Building a bridge between Boston founders and New York VCs - one warm intro at a time* The story of Latch: why a B2B mortise lock for apartment buildings, with near-perfect logo retention and CapEx billing, was the first deal he ever sourcedWorking with Mark Gerson and the Family Office Years (16:17)* Meeting Mark Gerson at a dinner, not knowing who he was, and getting a cold call months later* The lessons in trust, urgency, and delegation he learned running the family office* Backing AI sales enablement, AI accounting, and robotics in 2015 - and why being too early is almost always better than being too lateJoining Primary: The Case for Concentrated Seed (21:14)* Why Jason chose a principal role at a six-person, $190M AUM Primary over a partner title elsewhere* What he saw in founders Ben and Brad that others were missing - the depth of diligence, the buttoned-up fundraising, the point of view* How Primary has scaled from $190M to $1.6B AUM while staying obsessively focused on seedPrimary's Differentiated Model: Impact, Incubation, and the 60-Person Team (25:56)* The three things companies need most - customers, people, and capital - and how the Impact team is built around them* How a VC firm's email address can deliver a 25X higher outbound conversion rate than a startup's own SDRs* The “glass ball” monthly review process: triaging the highest-priority risks across the portfolio before anything breaksWhy Platform Is Broken - and What Primary Does Instead (31:36)* Why most VC platform teams are set up to fail: too few people, too many companies, treated as second-class* Primary's Impact team is run by former C-suite executives from multi-hundred-million-dollar ARR companies* The shift to AI-native operating inside the platform team - and what that means for portfolio companiesVertical AI, Hardware Agents, and Why Software Moats Are Dead (42:09)* Why Jason is spending more time on physical-world businesses than pure software right now* The wedge vs. system of record debate: why jaw-dropping UX and fast customer acquisition beat “10X better” enterprise replacements every time* Hardware-activated agent networks: how cheap cameras, sensors, and downstream automation are eating vertical workflows - and why Flock Safety is the modelWhat Jason Looks for in Founders Today (50:07)* The qualities that define the founders Jason is most excited to back: urgency, learning velocity, customer obsession, and the ability to sell product and equity* Why he would always rather back a great founder than incubate a company himself* Where incubation and inbound sourcing sit in his priorities heading into the new fundAbout Jason ShumanJason Shuman is a General Partner at Primary Ventures, New York's largest dedicated seed fund with over $1.6 billion in AUM. A former founder himself, Jason built Category5, a direct-to-consumer footwear brand, before transitioning to venture capital. At Primary, he leads investments in vertical AI, hardware-enabled systems, and incubation, and has been part of building one of the most differentiated seed platforms in the industry. His portfolio includes companies like Latch, Dandy, and several active incubations. He is known for his operator-first investment approach, his conviction in hardware-activated agent networks, and his belief that software-only moats are no longer enough.Connect with Jason Shuman on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonshumanVisit Primary Ventures website: https://www.primary.vc/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com
There have been so many moving parts related to Flock's automatic license plate reader technology in Troy, NY. On May 19, 2026 the administration in association with the city council put out an updated Flock Safety ALPR Policy. In this next segment, Elizabeth Press speaks to Dierdre Shea to get the activists' take on the new policy, the pending legislation and the Council's lawsuit with the administration over the mayor's declaration of a state of emergency to get the Flock Safety contract renewed.
This Week In Startups is made possible by:Vanta - Vanta.com/TWISTSentry - Sentry.io/TWISTDeel - Deel.com/TWISTToday's show:AI is the villain of the 2026 commencement cycle, with business luminaries — including Eric Schmidt — booed for discussing or praising the technology. As students graduate into a job market forcibly reshaped by AI, increasingly negative public polling on the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on society is clearly not missing the mark.Jason and Alex then discussed The Information's reporting that Anthropic and OpenAI earn nearly 90% of all startup AI revenue, a Stanford student's viral essay regarding their time at the university in a post-ChatGPT world, Flock Safety's impressive (and worrying) web of cameras, and the upcoming Mark II AI bookmark. The episode closes with questions from our live audience!TWIST Links:Bounty website https://www.thisweekinstartups.com/bountySidebar bounty challenge https://www.notion.so/launch1/5K-Bounty-Create-Sidebar-App-for-Podcasts-34150ff313d280adbd8ed6204676513cAnnotated.com bounty challenge https://annotated.lovable.app/Timestamps:0:00 TWiST All-Stars summer lineup announcement2:43 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off!5:08 Eric Schmidt booed at University of Arizona commencement8:57 Why Gen Z feels "double-crossed" by AI leaders10:10 Deel - Founders scale faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes, hire anyone anywhere, get visas handled fast, and get back to building. Visit https://deel.com/twist to learn more.15:22 Is this AI's Vietnam moment? The anti-war parallel18:04 Theo Baker's NYT essay on Stanford's AI cheating culture19:24 Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST22:30 Why Jason says everyone should start a company28:59 Anthropic + OpenAI capture 89% of AI startup revenue30:17 Vanta: Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist31:57 Are token sales a duopoly? Negative gross margins debate35:17 Risk of building app-layer startups on top of foundation models38:22 Inside Tracker bounty update: AI sidebar + Annotated.com41:18 Mark II: the $159 AI bookmark Alex wants49:31 Flock Safety solves Austin shooting via Manor PD53:39 DeFlock map and the geography of surveillance in Texas1:03:42 Noti Gang: AI for filing patents1:05:45 Noti Gang: Running AI models locally on Mac StudiosSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
David Ulevitch speaks with Col. Jeffrey Glover and Rahul Sidhu about how AI, drones, and sensor networks are reshaping public safety and what it takes to bring new technology into law enforcement at scale. As departments face staffing shortages, burnout, and rising complexity, they examine how the right tools can make officers more effective, safer, and better supported. The conversation covers how drone-as-first-responder programs are changing the speed and safety of emergency response, from high-risk warrant service to Amber Alert pursuits. Glover describes how Arizona DPS is building a full technology ecosystem around its officers, including body-worn camera analytics for burnout detection, brain scan wellness checks, and international intelligence-sharing partnerships ahead of FIFA and the Olympics. Sidhu explains how Flock Safety's layered sensor network — license plate readers, gunshot detection, and drone dispatch — is turning reactive policing into proactive, data-driven response. They also discuss what founders get wrong when building for law enforcement, why spending time on the beat matters more than any product spec, and how the next decade will fundamentally change the skills required to be a police officer in America. Resources: Follow Col. Jeffrey Glover on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-glover-mpa-83310416/ Follow Rahul on X: https://x.com/rahul Follow David on X: https://x.com/davidu Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Do you know that we are (still) in a state of emergency in Troy? On April 1st the mayor declared a state of emergency to renew the Flock Safety ALPR camera contract. The Troy City Council is suing the administration over it. In this segment, City Council President, Sue Steele discusses both the lawsuit and pending legislation related to Flock Safety. As of time of airing this story, one update is that it is actually unclear if the administration will allow the Troy Police to join the Council on May 21, 2026.
On today's newscast: Silt Town Council votes to end its contract with the camera surveillance company Flock Safety, a midwife is part of a class action lawsuit against the state, water projections for the Colorado River are worsening, Bonfire Coffee plans a grand opening, and more.
Starting with 2027 model year vehicles, federal law requires infrared eye-tracking cameras in every new car — already quietly installed in test drives, already capable of bricking the vehicle if the AI decides you're too angry to drive. Eric Peters of ericpetersautos.com connects this to the broader permission-society being built through the AI Act, the GUARD Act, and Flock Safety's private surveillance network that feeds license plate data to government while bypassing the Fourth Amendment entirely. Trump, Peters argues, has delivered the WEF agenda more effectively than any Democrat could — killing fossil fuel affordability, crushing his own blue-collar base with a war tax disguised as an oil embargo, and copying China's corporate-state fusion model. The only way out, Peters says, is the same thing that cracked COVID mandates: mass non-compliance, before the opt-out window closes permanently. Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.
115,000 new jobs were added to the economy last month. There is a strong possibility that Kamala Harris will run again in the 2028 presidential race. The United States has fired upon and disabled two Iranian tankers attempting to evade the blockade. President Trump referred to the ongoing exchange of fire between Iran and the USA as just a "love tap." Trump also criticized Nancy Pelosi, claiming she represents everything wrong with politics in Washington, D.C. Governor Ron DeSantis commented on Mayor Mamdani's video targeting billionaires, specifically Ken Griffin. Governor Hochul claims there is a budget deal in NYC, but is there really? Mark interviews Roger Friedman from Showbiz 411. The Rolling Stones are in NYC, celebrating their 62nd year as a band! Roger shares insights on some of the band's new songs, provides updates on the progress of The Devil Wears Prada 2 film, discusses the Michael Jackson movie's box office performance, and gives an overview of how Broadway is currently faring in NYC. Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology. Mark interviews Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Bruce provides an update on his campaign. He also emphasizes his commitment to lowering taxes and electric bills and criticizes Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul for raising taxes. Governor Hochul's restrictions on purchasing gas from certain areas are causing difficulties for many New Yorkers. Bruce discusses his actions as Nassau County Executive to remove violent migrants with ICE. He also addresses how driving billionaires out of certain cities can impact tax rates and job creation.
Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology. Mark takes your calls! Mark interviews Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Bruce provides an update on his campaign. He also emphasizes his commitment to lowering taxes and electric bills and criticizes Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul for raising taxes. Governor Hochul's restrictions on purchasing gas from certain areas are causing difficulties for many New Yorkers. Bruce discusses his actions as Nassau County Executive to remove violent migrants with ICE. He also addresses how driving billionaires out of certain cities can impact tax rates and job creation.
Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology.
Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology. Mark takes your calls! Mark interviews Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Bruce provides an update on his campaign. He also emphasizes his commitment to lowering taxes and electric bills and criticizes Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul for raising taxes. Governor Hochul's restrictions on purchasing gas from certain areas are causing difficulties for many New Yorkers. Bruce discusses his actions as Nassau County Executive to remove violent migrants with ICE. He also addresses how driving billionaires out of certain cities can impact tax rates and job creation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
115,000 new jobs were added to the economy last month. There is a strong possibility that Kamala Harris will run again in the 2028 presidential race. The United States has fired upon and disabled two Iranian tankers attempting to evade the blockade. President Trump referred to the ongoing exchange of fire between Iran and the USA as just a "love tap." Trump also criticized Nancy Pelosi, claiming she represents everything wrong with politics in Washington, D.C. Governor Ron DeSantis commented on Mayor Mamdani's video targeting billionaires, specifically Ken Griffin. Governor Hochul claims there is a budget deal in NYC, but is there really? Mark interviews Roger Friedman from Showbiz 411. The Rolling Stones are in NYC, celebrating their 62nd year as a band! Roger shares insights on some of the band's new songs, provides updates on the progress of The Devil Wears Prada 2 film, discusses the Michael Jackson movie's box office performance, and gives an overview of how Broadway is currently faring in NYC. Governor Kathy Hochul remains firm on keeping ICE out of New York City through new legislation, while Border Czar Tom Homan supports ICE continuing to patrol the city. Mark shares new research showing that eating eggs regularly can lower your risk of certain health issues. Marco Rubio visited the Vatican and brought Pope Leo a special gift. Mark discusses whether a deal with Iran will actually happen, noting that it might not. Private company Flock Safety is collecting large amounts of data using speed camera technology. Mark interviews Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Bruce provides an update on his campaign. He also emphasizes his commitment to lowering taxes and electric bills and criticizes Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul for raising taxes. Governor Hochul's restrictions on purchasing gas from certain areas are causing difficulties for many New Yorkers. Bruce discusses his actions as Nassau County Executive to remove violent migrants with ICE. He also addresses how driving billionaires out of certain cities can impact tax rates and job creation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Starting with 2027 model year vehicles, federal law requires infrared eye-tracking cameras in every new car — already quietly installed in test drives, already capable of bricking the vehicle if the AI decides you're too angry to drive. Eric Peters of ericpetersautos.com connects this to the broader permission-society being built through the AI Act, the GUARD Act, and Flock Safety's private surveillance network that feeds license plate data to government while bypassing the Fourth Amendment entirely. Trump, Peters argues, has delivered the WEF agenda more effectively than any Democrat could — killing fossil fuel affordability, crushing his own blue-collar base with a war tax disguised as an oil embargo, and copying China's corporate-state fusion model. The only way out, Peters says, is the same thing that cracked COVID mandates: mass non-compliance, before the opt-out window closes permanently. Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.
Read more from VPM News: FBI searches Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas' office, businesses in Portsmouth Community groups question Richmond police's use of Flock Safety cameras Other links: VCU expands nursing programs as Virginia faces statewide shortage (WRIC) Menhaden board punts vote to increase Virginia reduction fishery quota restrictions (Virginia Mercury) Historic USS Gerald Ford deployment takes toll on military families (WHRO) City asks court to throw out water crisis lawsuit filed by former DPU director (The Richmonder) As Virginia Supreme Court weighs redistricting ruling, another appeal appears (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* *This outlet uses a paywall. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.
Today we talk about a guy in Colorado who's trapped in a time loop movie of unwarranted traffic stops because of Big Computer. It's a silly anecdote connected to the growing privacy and law enforcement nightmare that is Flock Safety, and how cities and counties across the U.S. have helped set up “Netflix for Stalkers.” Do you want to livestream a child's gymnastics class in Georgia? Flock is the service for you.This is a special bonus episode of Weekly Skews. If you would like to get more Skews in your life, subscribe to our Patreon for just $5 a month for Patreon exclusive episodes released every other week. https://www.weeklyskews.com/moreWeekly Skews is brought to you by Fast Growing Trees. Right now, they have great deals on spring planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get TWENTY PERCENT OFF their first purchase when using the code SKEW at checkout.Visit https://www.fastgrowingtrees.com/skew and use the code SKEWThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% https://www.betterhelp.com/skews Weekly Skews is brought to you by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.If you believe religious freedom is supposed to protect everybody, not be weaponized to turn away good families, visit https://www.au.org/crooked to learn more and become a member today.
In this episode, we're diving into the world of surveillance and the Surveillance Accountability Act. Lauren Bobert and Thomas Massey are taking on the government's use of FLOCK Safety, a system that's collecting over 20 billion data points every month. We're discussing the implications of this technology, from its potential to solve crimes to the concerns about privacy and the Fourth Amendment. The conversation touches on the importance of accountability and the role of the government in regulating surveillance. We're exploring the complexities of this issue and the potential consequences of unchecked government power.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Alan's Soap https://AlansSoaps.com/ToddHonor John's memory and the legacy he created for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle. Get one bar of each of his favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeEpisode Links:For over 10 years every major LOTTERY jackpot across America was RIGGED by the one man hired to make sure it wasn't. UK Biobank Failures Expose the Permanent Cost of Sharing Genetic and Medical Records The promise of secure custodianship has failed 198 times in eleven months, and the volunteers who signed up in 2006 cannot take their DNA back. Federal law says new cars after 2026 must monitor drivers and shut down if the car disapproves. Your dashboard should not be judge, jury, and executioner. @RepScottPerry, @RepChipRoy offered an amendment to defund the automobile kill switch mandate. Here's our debate A YouTuber exposed that Flock Safety, the company with over 90,000 surveillance cameras across the US. is badly compromised. He discovered many of their cameras are live-streaming directly to the open internet with almost no security… Ford trucks are building a surveillance AND detainment system in the trucks you buy but NEVER really own. The Rockefeller University's US patent for remote modulation of cellular activities using ferritin nanoparticle compositions, which utilizes radio frequency waves to stimulate injected nanoparticles (like mRNA-based systems) inside the body, enabling remote control management of cellular function
Do Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Requests in Troy, NY actually produce useful information? One Troy resident is trying to use this law to obtain information related to how Flock Safety technology is being used in the Capital Region. In this interview Heather Crimmins talks with HMM producer Elizabeth Press about some of the FOIL requests she has submitted, the lack of information the requests have produced thus far, and why this is an important transparency tool.
This segment features Dan Haley, Chief Legal Officer of Flock Safety, discussing how license plate reader systems operate in local communities. He explains how LPR cameras capture vehicle data on public roads, how the information is stored locally for a limited time, and how law enforcement can access it during active investigations. The conversation addresses common privacy concerns, misconceptions about national tracking databases, and how jurisdictions control data sharing. Haley also emphasizes the technology's role in reducing crime and aiding police investigations across thousands of municipalities nationwide. Hashtags: #LicensePlateReaders #FlockSafety #PrivacyDebate #SurveillanceTech #LawEnforcement #CrimePrevention #DataSecurity #CivilLiberties
Hour 4 opens with a discussion on widespread license plate reader technology and concerns about privacy as Flock Safety's system is explained in detail. The show then shifts into a heated medical segment examining vaccine scheduling disputes, insurance incentives, and COVID-era treatment debates with a local physician weighing in on controversial care decisions. The hour closes with retirement planning guidance focused on managing market volatility, protecting income in retirement, and deciding when to take Social Security, alongside promotion of a local financial planning event. Hashtags: #Surveillance #Privacy #Vaccines #Healthcare #COVID19 #Retirement #SocialSecurity #Investing #FinancialPlanning #Economy
This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, April 21st, 2026. In today's newscast, Pat Wall from the Bloomington Democratic Socialists of America says that while he applauds the mayor for not renewing one contract with Flock Safety, the fight against surveillance is not over yet. More in today's feature report. Also coming up in …
April 13, 2026Have you had your dose of The Daily MoJo today? Download our app HERE"It's In The Water | The Daily MoJo Ep:041326"This episode of The Daily Mojo, hosted by Brad Staggs, delves into a range of critical topics. Discussions include the controversial use of Flock Safety cameras and data, alongside an examination of spacecraft recovery processes, questioning official narratives. The program also touches upon current events, political commentary, and community initiatives, all presented with a focus on common sense.Phil Bell's Morning Update - Why are we bothering with NATO at this point?: HEREThe Way I See It - Ron's Wonky Perspective: Iran can't see the big picture: HEREOur affiliate partners:EMP Shield - Figuring out the odds of a devastating EMP attack on the United States is impossible, but as with any disaster, the chances are NOT ZERO, and could happen any day. This decade has proven that the weird and unexpected is right around the corner. Be prepared - protect your home, vehicle, even your generator - with EMP Shield. You'll save money and protect what's important at the same time!ProtectMyMoJo.com Be prepared! Not scared. Need some Ivermection? Some Hydroxychloroquine? Don't have a doctor who fancies your crazy ideas? We have good news - Dr. Stella Immanuel has teamed up with The Daily MoJo to keep you healthy and happy all year long! Not only can she provide you with those necessary prophylactics, but StellasMoJo.com has plenty of other things to keep you and your body in tip-top shape. Use Promo Code: DailyMoJo to save $$Take care of your body - it's the only one you'll get and it's your temple! We've partnered with Sugar Creek Goods to help you care for yourself in an all-natural way. And in this case, "all natural" doesn't mean it doesn't work! Save 15% on your order with promo code "DailyMojo" at SmellMyMoJo.comCBD is almost everywhere you look these days, so the answer isn't so much where can you get it, it's more about - where can you get the CBD products that actually work!? Certainly, NOT at the gas station! Patriots Relief says it all in the name, and you can save an incredible 40% with the promo code "DailyMojo" at GetMoJoCBD.com!Romika Designs is an awesome American small business that specializes in creating laser-engraved gifts and awards for you, your family, and your employees. Want something special for someone special? Find exactly what you want at MoJoLaserPros.com There have been a lot of imitators, but there's only OG – American Pride Roasters Coffee. It was first and remains the best roaster of fine coffee beans from around the world. You like coffee? You'll love American Pride – from the heart of the heartland – Des Moines, Iowa. AmericanPrideRoasters.com Find great deals on American-made products at MoJoMyPillow.com. Mike Lindell – a true patriot in our eyes – puts his money where his mouth (and products) is/are. Find tremendous deals at MoJoMyPillow.com – Promo Code: MoJo50 Life gets messy – sometimes really messy. Be ready for the next mess with survival food and tools from My Patriot Supply. A 25 year shelf life and fantastic variety are just the beginning of the long list of reasons to get your emergency rations at PrepareWithMoJo50.comStay ConnectedWATCH The Daily Mojo LIVE 7-9a CT: www.TheDailyMojo.com Rumble: HEREOr just LISTEN:The Daily MoJo ChannelBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-daily-mojo-with-brad-staggs--3085897/support.
Black mothers and other women of color continue to face serious health disparities during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Georgia has one of the highest Black maternal mortality rates in the nation. To bring awareness and work towards solutions, Black Mamas Matter Alliance is hosting the 9th annual Black Maternal Health Week. The event runs through April 11–17, and this year’s theme is "Rooted in Joy & Justice." On today’s “Closer Look,” we hear from Angela Aina, the co-founder and executive director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Then, Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based surveillance company, is facing increasing community pushback as it secures contracts with law enforcement agencies across the country. Flock cameras can be found across metro Atlanta – including in Chamblee, where the police department recently opened its Real-Time Crime Center. Among Flock’s loudest critics is Benn Jordan, who worked with technology experts and journalists to expose security vulnerabilities. Plus, Kathleen Bertrand, a celebrated Atlanta jazz vocalist and writer, recently became the focus of study for a group of Clark Atlanta University music students. Alongside her longtime musical director, Phil Davis—who also chairs the university’s music department—Bertrand will be featured in CAU’s Artist Showcase. On this edition of “Closer Look,” listen as they discuss this special event and their love of music. The CAU Jazztet Artist Showcase is free and will take place on April 16 at 7 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, Dave and Ben look into two stories. The first involves how cyberwarfare has become increasingly privatized and the dangers this trend can pose. The second looks into Flock Safety cameras and why cities in Georgia are looking to potentially shut down the company's systems. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney. Links to today's stories: Flock camera privacy concerns. The perils of privatized cyberwarfare. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's Caveat Briefing covers a recent major FBI breach that could have potentially exposed sensitive law enforcement data. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on April 08, 2026. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Git commands I run before reading any codeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47687273&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:56): I ported Mac OS X to the Nintendo WiiOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691730&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:23): Veracrypt project updateOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47686549&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:50): US cities are axing Flock Safety surveillance technologyOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47689237&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:17): Škoda DuoBell: A bicycle bell that penetrates noise-cancelling headphonesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47687248&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:44): Microsoft terminates VeraCrypt account, halting Windows updatesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47690977&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:11): They're made out of meat (1991)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47688678&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:38): ML promises to be profoundly weirdOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47689648&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:05): LittleSnitch for LinuxOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47697870&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:32): OpenAI says its new model GPT-2 is too dangerous to release (2019)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47684326&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
First, Mark Dunlea speaks with Paul Stewart of the Underground Railroad Education Center about a lawsuit filed by the organization against the National Endowment for the Humanities following their federal grant cancellation as a result of anti-DEI retaliation. Then, Moses Nagel brings us coverage from the recent No Kings protest in Albany. He talks to protesters about their signs. Later on, retired national weather meteorologist Hugh Johnson joins us to give a recap of the weather this past March and the worrying signs of an acceleration of global warming. After that, as part of the weekly series Everybody Moves, we hear from Jamar as he shares with us his immigration story to the Capital District from Jamaica. Finally, Elizabeth Press spoke to City Council President Sue Steele about Mayor Montello's Public Safety emergency declaration in an effort to push through the renewal of the Flock Safety contract. Co-hosts: Lennox Apudo and Sean Bernyk Engineer: Kalix Sausville
Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello had declared a public safety emergency on April 1, 2026 to pay for the renewal of the Flock Safety contract. Hudson Mohawk Magazine producer Elizabeth Press spoke to City Council President Sue Steele about what this means and the council's hopes for moving forward. The next city council meeting is Thursday, April 9th.
Sheriff Swanks sends "intimidating" unprompted 70+ emails / Judge upholds Seattle’s record $30.5M verdict in CHOP / Artemis II rocket takes off in preparation for launch to moon // WA cities react to Flock Safety camera laws // WOULD YOU RATHER??
Read more from VPM News: Chesterfield residents, civil liberties groups question Flock Safety contract Other links: 'Rise of the Legion' documents Norfolk State band's history and sound (WHRO) Traffic signals near VCU flipped in favor of students: 'It made me nervous' (WTVR) Planned Parenthood presses Virginia to restore state funding for contraception program (Virginia Mercury) Signs at two Richmond sites flagged as part of Trump order to ‘focus on the greatness' in U.S. history (The Richmonder) Federal judge finds Trump violated free speech by ordering NPR defunded (NPR) Nonprofit trust buys Pamplin Historical Park in Dinwiddie for $11M (The Progress-Index)* Our newly award-winning work: Entering the Ring and Building Bonds at Richmond Pro Wrestling Undoing Ruin's Jessy Woodke Is on a Mission to Spread Native Plants Central Virginia Medicaid recipients advocate for program Virginia's access to Medicaid cut after federal funding freeze Virginia community health centers close over federal funding access Danville residents worry Medicaid cuts could lead to homelessness, death Idleness and Boredom Richmond's Dual-Language Immersion Program Is Growing on Southside VCU Changed Scholarship for Descendants of the Enslaved to Align With Anti-DEI Policies *This outlet uses a paywall.
In this episode, previously aired on Cheeky Pint, Garrett Langley describes how a stolen gun in his Atlanta neighborhood led him to build Flock Safety, now deployed in more than 6,000 cities and involved in clearing over a million crimes last year. He covers how the product has evolved from license plate cameras to drones, real-time 911 integration, and an AI-powered orchestration layer for city safety. Resources: Follow Garrett Langley on X: https://twitter.com/glangley Follow John Collison on X: https://twitter.com/collision Listen to Cheeky Pint: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcoWp8pBTM3BxiPMHCj0YJ4wvGbUOYZIG Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Flock Safety says their cameras have never been hacked. Benn Jordan and Jason Koebler watched themselves on one from their homes. This week: a deep dive into the vulnerabilities, the no-opt-out tracking, and a simple question: Does any of it makes us safer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Free Thought Project podcast, we are joined by Lee Camp, the "most censored comedian in America" and a relentless investigative journalist who has spent decades using satire and hard-hitting reporting to expose the corporate and imperial rot at the heart of the American empire. Despite facing egregious cancellation and deplatformage, Lee has remained a defiant voice for peace, and today he joins Matt, Jason, and Don to dismantle the propaganda currently fueling the fire in Iran. We dive deep into the geopolitical machinery, with Lee providing the historical context of the Iran conflict and its direct ties to the preservation of the petrodollar. We discuss how this entire roadmap was laid out nearly two decades ago by General Wesley Clark, who famously revealed the Pentagon's plan to "take out seven countries in five years"—a plan that is reaching its final, most dangerous stage today. The conversation moves into the disturbing reports of US military commanders reportedly telling troops that the invasion is a "biblically-sanctioned" event and that President Trump is a messianic figure ushering in Armageddon. The domestic consequences are just as grim; we discuss the recent arrest of Marine veteran Brian McGinnis, who had his arm broken by Capitol Police while protesting the war, and examine the "tyrannical mindset" of modern policing. From the expansion of the surveillance state via Ring cameras and Flock Safety license plate readers to the "unity" found when an anti-war Leftist and Anarchist-Libertarians find common ground, this episode is a roadmap for how we pierce the partisan veil and withdraw our consent from the war machine. (Length: 1:04:59) Click Here to Support TFTP. Connect with Lee Camp: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/LeeCamp
This week we talk about mass surveillance, smart doorbells, and the Patriot Stack.We also discuss Amazon, Alexa, and the Super Bowl.Recommended Book: Red Moon by Benjamin PercyTranscriptIn 2002, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the US government created a new agency—the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, operating under the auspices of the US Department of Homeland Security, which was also formed that year for the same general reason, to defend against 9/11-style attacks in the future.As with a whole lot of what was done in the years following the 9/11 attacks, a lot of what this agency, and its larger department did could be construed as a sort of overcompensation by a government and a people who were reeling from the first real, large-scale attack within their borders from a foreign entity in a very long time. It was a horrific event, everyone felt very vulnerable and scared, and consequently the US government could do a lot of things that typically would not have had the public's support, like rewiring how airports and flying works in the country, creating all sorts of new hurdles and imposing layers of what's often called security theater, to make people feel safe.While the TSA was meant to handle things on the front-lines of air transportation, though, X-raying and patting-down and creating a significant new friction for everyone wanting to get on a plane, ICE was meant to address another purported issue: that of people coming into the US from elsewhere, illegally, and then sticking around long enough to cause trouble. More specifically, ICE was meant to help improve public safety by strictly enforcing at times lax immigration laws, by tracking down and expelling illegal immigrants from the country; the theory being that some would-be terrorists may have snuck into the US and might be getting ready to kill US citizens from within our own borders.There's not a lot of evidence to support that assertion—the vast majority of terrorism that happens in the US is conducted by citizens, mostly those adhering to a far-right or other extremist ideologies. But that hasn't moved the needle on public perception of the issue, which still predominantly leans toward stricter border controls and more assiduous moderation of non-citizens within US borders—for all sorts of reasons, not just security ones.What I'd like to talk about today is an offshoot of the war on terror and this vigilance about immigrants in the US, and how during the second Trump administration, tech companies have been entangling themselves with immigration-enforcement agencies like ICE to create sophisticated surveillance networks.—In mid-July of 2025, the US Department of Defense signed one of its largest contracts in its history with a tech company called Palantir Technologies. Palantir was founded and is run by billionaire Peter Thiel, who among other things is generally considered to be the reason JD Vance was chosen to be Trump's second-term Vice President. He's also generally considered to be one of, if not the main figure behind the so-called Patriot Tech movement, which consists of companies like SpaceX, Anduril, and OpenAI, all of which are connected by a web of funding arms and people who have cross-pollinated between major US tech companies and US agencies, in many cases stepping into government positions that put them in charge of the regulatory bodies that set the rules for the industries in which they worked.As a consequence of this setup and this cross-pollination, the US government now has a bunch of contracts with these entities, which has been good for the companies' bottom lines and led to reduced government regulations, and in exchange the companies are increasingly cozy with the government and its many agencies, toeing the line more than they would have previously, and offering a lot more cooperation and collaboration with the government, as well.This is especially true when it comes to data collection and surveillance, and a great deal of that sort of information and media is funneled into entities like Palantir, which aggregate and crunch it for meaning, and then send predictions and assumptions, and make services like facial-recognition technologies predicated on their vast database, available to police and ICE agents, among others such entities.There has been increasingly stiff pushback against this melding of the tech world with the government—which has always been there to some degree, but which has become even more entwined than usual, of late—and that pushback is international, even long-time allies like Canada and the EU making moves to develop their own replacements for Amazon and Google and OpenAI due to these issues, and the heightened unpredictability and chaos of the US in recent years, but it's also evident within the US, due in part to Trump's moves while in office, but also the on-the-ground realities in places like Minneapolis, where ICE agents have been brutalizing and blackbagging people, sometimes illegal immigrants, sometimes US citizens, usually non-white US citizens, and the ICE agents are being rewarded, getting bonuses, for beating up and kidnapping and in some cases murdering people, whether or not any of these people are actually criminals—and it's illegal to do that kind of thing even if they are criminals, by the way.All of which sets the scene for what happened following the Super Bowl, this year.Ring is a home security and smart home device company that is best known for its line of smart doorbells, but which also makes all sorts of security cameras and other alarm system devices.Even though smart doorbells, complete with cameras and other sorts of functionality, existed before Ring, this company basically created the smart doorbell industry as it exists today back in 2014, when it received a round of equity investment and changed its named from Doorbot to Ring. It was bought by Amazon four years later, in 2018, for a billion dollars.One of Ring's premier features is related to its camera: you can use your phone or other smart home device to see who's at your door when they ring the bell, but it can also be set to record when it detects movement, which makes it easy to check and see who stole your Amazon package from your porch when you weren't at home, for instance, and resultingly Ring door camera footage has become fundamental to reporting, and on occasion pursuing, some types of crime.As a direct result of that utility, Ring introduced its Neighbors service in mid-2018, this service serving as a sort of social network that allows Ring device users to discuss local issues, especially those related to safety and security, anonymously, while also allowing them to share photos and videos taken by their devices. This service also created relationships with local law enforcement, and allowed police to jump onto the network and request footage from Ring customers, if they thought these doorbell cams might have photos or video of someone escaping with a stolen car, for instance, which might then help the police catch that crook.It's generally assumed that Amazon probably bought Ring, at least in part, to entrench itself as the lord of the internet of things world, as it launched its Amazon Sidewalk platform in 2020, which allowed all Amazon devices, including Ring devices, to share a wireless mesh network, all of them communicating with each other and all using Amazon's Alexa as an interface.In 2023, Ring was sued by the FTC for $5.8 million because it allowed its employees and contractors to access private videos by failing to have basic security and privacy features in place—so not only could any Ring employee view their customer's private video feeds, hackers could easily access all this media and data, as well. Just one example surfaced in that lawsuit shows that a Ring employee viewed thousands of video recordings of at least 81 different female users over the course of a few months in 2017.So Amazon was building a surveillance network that worked really well, in the sense that it was predicated on popular, at times quite useful devices that people seemed to love, but which was also quite leaky, giving all sorts of people access to these supposedly private feeds, and it was shared with law enforcement via that social network. It's also been alleged that Ring (and Amazon) have used users' footage without further permission for things like facial recognition and AI training. Their partnership with police agencies also allegedly created incentives for the police to encourage citizens to buy Ring cams and other security devices for their homes, creating perverse incentives. And again, these devices connect wirelessly to other internet of things devices, expanding their reach and the potential for abuse of collected user data.In late 2025, Ring announced a new partnership with Flock Safety, a company that's best known for its security offerings, including automated license plate readers and gunshot detector systems.These are mass surveillance tools used by some governments and law enforcement entities, and they use cameras and microphones to capture license plates, people's faces, and sounds that might be gunfire and aggregate that data to be used by police, neighborhood associations, and in some cases private property owners.This sort of technology is incredibly useful to companies like Palantir, which again, aggregates and crunches it, on scale, and then shares that information with police, ICE, and other such agencies.These tools can sometimes help flag areas where guns are being fired or where crimes are being committed, but they're also imperfect and at times biased against some groups of people and areas, and some data show that not only is crime not reduced by the presence of these systems, but there's a fair bit of evidence that this data often falls into the hands of hackers or is used by employees for nefarious, stalkery purposes, as was the case with Ring's cameras. So most civil liberties groups, like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are vehemently against them, but governments like the second Trump administration like them, because they create a surveillance mesh they can tap into and use for, for instance, figuring out where to deploy ICE agents, or, in theory at least, spying on your political enemies or ex-spouses for abuse or blackmail purposes.Ring's late-2025 announcement wasn't widely reported, but in early 2026 the company bought a Super Bowl ad to announce a new feature called Search Party, enabled by their partnership with Flock.The ad showed a neighborhood coming together to find a lost dog, using the web of doorbell cameras on all the homes in the area to track the dog and figure out where it went—all the cameras activated at once to create a surveillance mesh of live footage.This ad landed with a resounding thud,, as to many people it felt more menacing than heartwarming, the new feature overtly raising the potential that government agencies, including ICE, could tap into it to surveil and track their neighbors. The response was so negative that Ring quickly issued a statement saying that it was no longer moving forward with its Flock partnership, attempting to reassure its customers that “integration never launched, so no Ring customer videos were ever send to Flock Safety.”This result is notable in part because it's a rare instance of a major tech company backtracking on a major feature decision due to public backlash, but also because it suggests backlash against ICE is reverberating through other aspects of life and interconnected industries.Ring device users mostly buy these things for their surveillance capabilities, but the increasing, and increasingly hostile and violent acts committed by members of ICE seem to have nudged the conversation so that folks are more worried about these agents than about the porch pirates and other criminals that these devices and this partnership could ostensibly help them identify.It's too early to say what this might mean for the burgeoning patriot stack of tech companies and government agencies, but it does suggest there are limits to what people will put up with, even when those in charge are adhering to a playbook that has typically worked well for them, in the past, and the devices and services they're using to build their surveillance network are otherwise beloved by those who use them.Show Noteshttps://restofworld.org/2026/big-tech-backlash-alternatives-upscrolled/https://europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/trumps-power-switchhttps://www.authoritarian-stack.info/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/realestate/smart-home-cameras-nest-ring-privacy.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/platforms-bend-over-backward-to-help-dhs-censor-ice-critics-advocates-say/https://www.theverge.com/report/879320/ring-flock-partnership-breakup-does-not-fix-problemshttps://www.theverge.com/news/878447/ring-flock-partnership-canceledhttps://www.404media.co/with-ring-american-consumers-built-a-surveillance-dragnet/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Immigration_and_Customs_Enforcementhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/children-of-color-projected-to-be-majority-of-u-s-youth-this-yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_(company)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flock_Safetyhttps://www.wired.com/story/ice-expansion-across-us-at-heres-where-its-going-next/https://www.wired.com/story/social-security-administration-appointment-details-ice/https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-ring-kills-flock-safety-deal-after-super-bowl-ad-uproar/https://www.wired.com/story/ice-crashing-us-court-system-minnesota/https://www.wired.com/story/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-employee-questions-on-ice/https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-ice-forum-where-agents-complain-about-their-jobs/ This is a public episode. 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Is social media addictive by design or just irresistible entertainment? The panel tackles the lawsuit that's dragging tech giants onto the witness stand and how surveillance tech is quietly expanding while lawmakers and users scramble to catch up. Jury told that Meta, Google 'engineered addiction' at landmark US trial Instagram Chief Says Social Media Is Not 'Clinically Addictive' in Landmark Trial Section 230 turns 30 as it faces its biggest tests yet Meta apparently thinks we're too distracted to care about facial recognition and Ray-Bans Amazon Ring's Super Bowl ad sparks backlash amid fears of mass surveillance Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash TikTok is tracking you, even if you don't use the app. Discord backtracks on controversial age verification rollout...kind of Discord/Twitch/Snapchat age verification bypass The DJI Romo robovac had security so poor that this man remotely accessed thousands of them HP's laptop subscriptions are a great deal — for HP FTC Ratchets Up Microsoft Probe, Queries Rivals on Cloud, AI T-Mobile announces its network is now full of AI by rolling out real-time translation Apple's latest attempt to launch the new Siri runs into snags SpaceX Prioritizes Lunar 'Self-Growing City' Over Mars Project, Musk Says Elon Musk declares victory with Medicaid data release Waymo Is Getting DoorDashers to Close Doors on Self Driving Cars Backblaze Drive Stats for 2025 $1.8 million MST3K Kickstarter brings in (almost) everyone from the old show OpenAI Is Nuking Its 4o Model. China's ChatGPT Fans Aren't OK Hideki Sato, designer of all Sega's consoles, has died Byte magazine artist Robert Tinney, who illustrated the birth of PCs, dies at 78 Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Wesley Faulkner, Stacey Higginbotham, and Thomas Germain Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT ZipRecruiter.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit cachefly.com/twit
Amazon is scrapping its partnership with the police surveillance technology company Flock Safety, a roundup of bills in the state legislature ahead of Tuesday's house of origin cutoff, and Monroe's Reptile Zoo is closing its doors after a few extra months of life. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthropic raises the second largest financing round of all time. Other AI players are beginning to show hockey stick revenue growth. Meta wants to add facial recognition to its glasses. Ring pulls back from some recognition partnerships for its camera. And, of course, your Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Anthropic closes $30 billion funding round as cash keeps flowing into top AI startups (CNBC) Enterprise AI startup Cohere tops revenue target as momentum builds to IPO: Investor memo (CNBC) Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses (NYTimes) Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The AI Gold Rush Is Breaking a Silicon Valley Taboo: Cashing Out Before the IPO (WSJ) The New Fabio Is Claude (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-- On the Show -- Dr. Mehmet Oz is urging Americans to get vaccinated against measles amid growing outbreaks, a predictable consequence of vaccine skepticism pushed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the MAHA movement -- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing bipartisan calls to resign after newly released Jeffrey Epstein records contradict his claims about cutting ties with the convicted sex offender -- Donald Trump rants on Truth Social that he will block a new Canada-U.S. bridge unless the U.S. is compensated, accusing Canada of unfair trade, and even absurdly claiming China would eliminate Canadian hockey -- Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs that amount to the largest U.S. tax increase since 1993, raising household costs by over $1,000 a year, driving tariffs to their highest levels since 1946, and cutting GDP -- The Trump administration is drawing a hard line against Democrats' demand that ICE obtain judicial warrants to enter private property as a government shutdown deadline approaches -- In secret, the Trump administration dismantles key nuclear safety safeguards to accelerate new reactor construction -- Amazon's Ring is deepening its ties to police by partnering with Flock Safety and Axon to let users opt in to sharing doorbell footage directly with ICE and other law enforcement -- The Justice Department is moving to dismiss Steve Bannon's Jan. 6 contempt conviction, signaling a broader Trump administration effort to unwind prosecutions of the president's allies -- On the Bonus Show: American optimism plummets, more members of Congress leaving office, Trump deregulates environmental protections, and much more...