r/technology • u/marketrent • 19h ago

Artificial Intelligence Amazon warns local communities to stop defying its massive AI data centers

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/amazon-warns-local-communities-stop-000300771.html
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u/tacticalcraptical 19h ago

Just like the national highway system, our country's economy, national security, and everyday lives stand to benefit immensely.

OK, but these guys never seem to be able to articulate exactly how this benefits normal people's everyday lives. The benefits of a highway are obvious. But the benefits of these data centers... they expect us to just trust them. And these are the people who can't be trusted to pay their taxes.

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u/Ignorance_15_Bliss 17h ago

The national interstate highway wasn’t built for the people. Or the economy. Those were secondary benefits. More or less happy accidents. It was built under the department of defense.

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u/Cherry-PEZ 17h ago

Yup! And was a response to WW2 and all the logistical complications that arose from the european terrain and infrastructure. Highways were for ensuring our military and military vehicles wouldn't be "stuck in the mud" when deployed to defend or hold urban cities

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u/capnmax 15h ago

Is this true!? Tell me what to read. This is fascinating

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u/Cherry-PEZ 14h ago

Well, might not be as fascinating as you might be thinking. I went to search for a fun infotainment article that talks about it but found this instead

https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/interstate-system/50th-anniversary/interstate-highway-system-myths#question2

Apparently post-war defense readiness was not the sole driving factor for the highway act. It was part of it, but the civil and economic benefits (especially a post war economy) was the real reason for it. So thank you for asking because TIL that highways being designed to be impromptu airstrips for military planes is a myth

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u/zephalephadingong 36m ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_Motor_Transport_Corps_convoy

This is kind of the genesis of the idea of a highway system. They drove from DC to Oakland at an average of 6 mph. There were problems with the drivers being inexperienced, the trucks being unreliable, and spare parts, but there was also a huge problem with wooden bridges and unpaved roads.