Town of Franklin Passes Data Center Moratorium Following Packed Public Hearing

Executive Summary

The public hearing on a temporary one-year moratorium on new data center development within the Town of Franklin’s planning jurisdiction (town limits + ETJ) drew the largest crowd of the meeting and strong community engagement.

Mayor Guffey, Council members, Town Attorney John Henning, Jr., and staff explained that the town currently lacks zoning definitions or regulations for data centers, creating legal vulnerability. A moratorium provides time to study impacts (water consumption, power demand, noise, light pollution, traffic, compatibility with surrounding uses) and craft protective zoning rules. Council members unanimously expressed opposition to data centers in Franklin, citing incompatibility with the town’s character, family-friendly priorities, water resources, and quality of life. They noted legal limits on outright bans and encouraged residents to also engage Macon County commissioners and state legislators.

Public comment was overwhelmingly opposed to data centers, raising concerns about massive water and electricity use, constant noise/light/heat, minimal permanent jobs (often just security/maintenance), environmental risks (including PFAS in wastewater), impact on tourism/dark skies/wildlife, and the speculative nature of the AI boom. Speakers urged the town to use the moratorium year to make data centers “virtually impossible” through strict zoning.

After the hearing, the council unanimously adopted the moratorium ordinance, with Michael Lewis making the motion and Travis Higdon seconding.

Data Center Moratorium Public Hearing (07-06-2026) | Macon Media



New Outlets Present

Macon Media (Bobby) Macon Sense (Morgan and Amy) the Franklin Press (Mia)

Candidates for Office Present

Caleb Brown (NC House District 120)
Russ Lunn (County Commissioner District 1)

Mayor Stacy Guffey noted the large turnout and stated no council member wants a data center in Franklin. He explained the hearing was placed later in the agenda so the public could observe how the board operates.

Town Attorney John Henning, Jr. provided the legal foundation: NC case law prevents simply banning undefined uses. Without regulations, the town would be in a weak position if an application arrived. The moratorium (allowed by statute for up to one year) gives time to study health/safety/welfare impacts and write zoning rules addressing noise, water use (data centers can’t drain town resources), power generation (avoid diesel generators), and land-use compatibility. He stressed there are currently no applications.

Robbie Tompa noted that data centers take from family, jobs, recreation, and visitors; the goal is to make them “dang near impossible” legally.
Rita Salain: Will do everything possible to prevent one; residents should also speak to county commissioners and state legislators (Gillespie/Corbin).
Travis Higdon (and others): Hard “no” on anything that harms rivers, peace/quiet, or the community.
Joe Collins reminded those present that they will do everything in their power to prevent a data center from being built in the town's jurisdiction.

Mayor Guffey and others emphasized the board’s commitment, legal constraints from the state legislature, the need to engage the county (ETJ only covers ~3 miles), and fairness to staff (e.g., Town Manager Amie Owens had been criticized on social media for simply identifying parcels large enough for a data center — she was warning the board, not supporting development).

The mayor invited public comment (limited to ~3 minutes) and stressed personal availability (phone number shared).

Public Comments

Judy Hartley: Supported the moratorium. Noted existing blighted properties (old Kmart/Ingles) should be prioritized for stable jobs instead. Highlighted data centers’ huge water/electricity use, noise from generators, light pollution, toxic waste, and very few permanent jobs. Urged using the one-year period to find a legal way to say “no.” Planned to attend county commissioners meeting.

Rob (REJ / James?): Tech worker background. Described data centers as repeating extractive patterns of coal/oil industries (deforestation, water overdraft, PFAS pollution, noise/light/heat affecting sleep miles away). Minimal jobs (often just a couple dozen permanent staff). Warned of AI financial bubble (referenced isAIprofitableyet.com) and risk of stranded assets. Thanked council for standing against them.

Matt Jackson (Realtor): Buyers do not ask for data centers — they are a deterrent. Urged passing the moratorium and then using the year to amend the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to make large/high-impact (and small) data centers a prohibited use in Franklin and ETJ. “Franklin should stay a place of rivers and ridgelines, not data centers.”

Michael Scarborough (40+ years in IT): Technology changes rapidly (Moore’s Law); a data center built today may have only ~10-year useful life. Tax benefits often negotiated away; jobs are mostly low-paying security/maintenance (IT work is remote). Better to have something like an Amazon distribution center for real jobs/tax base.

Natalia McElroy and many subsequent speakers echoed concerns about water, noise, minimal jobs, impact on tourism/heritage, and the need for strict zoning. Multiple residents stressed showing up at county commission meetings (next one noted as Tuesday) and contacting state legislators. Some shared personal stories about why they chose Franklin (peace, nature, family).

Broader themes from public: Data centers are 24/7 operations with security lighting, generators, and unknown long-term waste impacts. They conflict with the town’s vision for family-friendly, tourism-based, high-quality-of-life community. Strong appreciation for the council’s proactive stance and transparency.

Closing Council Remarks and Vote

Mayor Guffey closed the hearing, thanking everyone for civil, engaged participation and noting the rare unity across political lines on protecting the community.

Motion to adopt the temporary moratorium ordinance was made, seconded, and carried unanimously (hands raised; 6-0). The board then took a short recess.

The hearing demonstrated strong community-council alignment against data centers and a clear mandate to use the moratorium year aggressively to strengthen local regulations.

---

Support Macon Media

• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at Facebook Subscription
• Become a Patron: patreon.com/MaconMedia
• PayPal: paypal.me/MaconMedia

Published at 6:00am on Monday, July 06, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins

Read More

NCDPI releases guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in schools

Image Credit: MikeMacMarketing at Wikimedia Commons

PRESS RELEASE (01-16-2024)

NC DEPT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) recently released a guidebook for the use of generative artificial intelligence in public schools.

NCDPI is the fourth state education department in the nation to issue guidance to its schools on the use of this cutting-edge technology.

“Generative artificial intelligence is playing a growing and significant role in our society. At NCDPI, we’re committed to preparing our students both to meet the challenges of this rapidly changing technology and become innovators in the field of computer science,” said State Superintendent Catherine Truitt. “We also believe that, when implemented thoughtfully and responsibly, generative AI has the power to revolutionize student learning and better prepare North Carolina’s students for the jobs of tomorrow.”

The guidebook includes an initial set of recommendations that will be expanded in the coming months. Districts are encouraged to create accompanying guidelines that are specific to their schools.

The state guidebook says that AI literacy should be infused into all grade levels and curriculum areas. It also stresses the importance of incorporating AI into the classroom responsibly — using it as a tool to aid in learning.

For example, teachers can use AI to automate administrative tasks, analyze student performance data and suggest teaching methods for varying learning styles. The time saved from these applications could give teachers more time to work directly with students, ultimately improving learning outcomes.

From a student perspective, generative AI can be a driver in closing the digital divide and promoting equity. Non-native English speaking students may benefit from AI-based translation services, while voice-to-text and text-to-voice tools could make life easier for students with physical challenges or learning disabilities.

The guidebook also discusses some common concerns surrounding AI, such as cheating and the protection of student data.

NCDPI’s Office of Digital Teaching and Learning worked with the organization AI for Education to create a framework for ethically implementing AI. The “EVERY framework” is an acronym that gives guidance to North Carolina public schools for “How to Use AI Responsibly EVERY Time:”

• EVALUATE the initial output to see if it meets the intended purpose and your needs.
• VERIFY facts, figures, quotes, and data using reliable sources to ensure there are no hallucinations or bias.
• EDIT your prompt and ask follow up questions to have the AI improve its output.
• REVISE the results to reflect your unique needs, style, and/or tone. AI output is a great starting point, but shouldn’t be a final product.
• YOU are ultimately responsible for everything you create with AI. Always be transparent about if and how you used AI.

Familiarizing students with using AI is key for preparing them for the workforce. The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report 2023” found that AI and machine learning specialists will be the fastest-growing occupation in the next five years, with a 40% growth trajectory and the creation of one million new jobs. Furthermore, the report found that 75% of companies plan to implement generative AI by 2027.

“Empowering learners to understand these technologies is essential,” said NCDPI’s Chief Information Officer Dr. Vanessa Wrenn. “The power of AI tools for education, community engagement and deeper learning will continue to drive innovation and policy. North Carolina is proud to be among one of the first states in the nation to provide guidance to teachers and schools, as we know that AI can be used by educators to support their daily work while transforming students’ learning in the classroom.”

Click here to read the AI Guidebook issued by NCDPI. This resource will be updated regularly.

---END PRESS RELEASE---

In the interest of transparency, Macon Media has downloaded the current version of the document and embedded it below and you can download the original version at this link.

Read More

Map Developer Updates Street View Maps Will Include Information on Roundabout Construction

A mapping car equipped with multiple cameras from Here technologies drove through Franklin earlier this afternoon in a quest to capture regional roads in North Carolina and update points of interest that have had recent construction and verify user changes to their maps. The driver said that he was in Franklin specifically to capture the new bridge and the mark the location of the new roundabout construction to include in their maps. He said the maps would also be updated after the construction of the roundabouts was complete. The driver said the company had their own maps that could be accessed via a laptop or desktop, as well as apps for smartphones that included voice navigation so drivers could get directions hands-free while driving. Their maps also include a traffic layer that uses data collected from app users to determine areas where traffic congestion has slowed down traffic.



Following is a list of some of their consumer-level products:

WeGo Map [LINK]

Map Creator [LINK]

Android App [LINK] 

Apple App [LINK]





About the Company

Here Technologies is a company that provides mapping and location data and related services to individuals and companies. Here captures location content such as road networks, buildings, parks and traffic patterns. It then sells or licenses that mapping content, along with navigation services and location solutions to other businesses such as Alpine, Garmin, BMW, Oracle and Amazon.com. In addition, Here provides platform services to smartphones. It provides location services through its own Here applications, and also for GIS and government clients and other providers, such as Bing, Facebook and Yahoo! Maps and has maps in nearly 200 countries, offers voice guided navigation in 94 countries, provides live traffic information in 33 countries and has indoor maps available for about 49,000 unique buildings in 45 countries. The company is also working on self-driving technology.

Source: Wikipedia


CROWDFUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.

Patreon Subscriber History May 2014 to Present




Become a Patron!
If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only.

Thank You to the people who have been sending in donations and those businesses who are underwriting coverage of news and events. You have kept Macon Media online.

Published at 4:30pm on Thursday, March 14, 2019

Read More

Live Coverage of the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Flight Launch Video and Screenshots Added

SpaceX Live Webcast



UPDATES (in reverse chronological order)

**March 18, 2018**

Falcon Heavy and Starman



**3:58 pm**

A view of the SpaceX Starman kitted out on the SpaceX spacesuit and sitting in the Tesla Roadster.





**4:10 pm** 

Here is a replay of the launch.




**4:53 pm** 

Both side boosters have successfully landed

**3:45 pm** 

The launch is a success!

**3:15 pm** 

Added Live SpaceS webcast to top of page so people don't have to scroll forever to reach it.

**3:02 pm**

Center Core filled, two side cores have reached RP-1 kerosene fueling topping targets! No issues.

**2:50 pm**

Everyday stronaut is now live




xxx

**1:20 pm** 

Launch delay to 20:05 UTS (3:05 pm Eastern) due to upper atmosphere winds.


**12:52 pm** 

For those of you who want to listen to public safety radio traffic, here is Kennedy Space Center Communications. On this feed, you can hear
KSC Tower, NASA weather aircraft, and support aircraft. https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/705/web

**12:02 pm**

Launch pushed back an hour to 2:30 pm per Elon Musk: Upper atmosphere winds currently 20% above max allowable load. Holding for an hour to allow winds to diminish.

Upper atmosphere winds currently 20% above max allowable load. Holding for an hour to allow winds to diminish. #FalconHeavy

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 6, 2018

Today is the day of the much-anticipated Falcon Heavy Demo Flight. If all goes well, the new rocket designed and built by SpaceX will launch from Cape Canaveral sometime after 1 pm. The launch window is from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The demonstration flight will be using two recycled Falcon 9 boosters and a beefed-up Falcon 9 for the core booster as the first stage. All components of the first stage are supposed to return to earth for re-use in a future flight. The two outer Falcon 9s will return simultaneously to the SpaceX landing pads and the core booster will land on the autonomous drone barge " Of Course I Still Love You" in the Atlantic Ocean. The barge is named after a planet-sized Culture starship which first appears in Ian Banks' "The Player of Games" science fiction novel. SpaceX also operates another barge ship also named after another Culture starship and it is called, "Just Read the Instructions."

After the rocket coasts in orbit for a bit, it will fire off the second stage again and head out to pass near Mars with Elon Musk's Midnight Cherry Red Tesla Roadster onboard. A press kit detailing the timing of events is posted below the videos.

A couple of videos that explain more about this flight are posted below, then there are a number of video players embedded that will have live video of the launch if you are unable to get to a TV where you are when the big event takes place.


Falcon Heavy Launch, What Should We Expect?




Falcon Heavy Animation



Live Coverage of the launch (multiple channels are listed)


SpaceX



Time



PBS News HOur




Julian Danzer




Florida Cam

 Press Kit

February 2018 Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission 

Mission Overview 

SpaceX is targeting launch of the Falcon Heavy demonstration mission on Tuesday, February 6 from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The primary launch window opens at 1:30 p.m. EST, or 18:30 UTC, and closes at 4:00 p.m. EST, or 21:00 UTC. A backup launch window opens on Wednesday, February 7 at 1:30 p.m. EST, or 18:30 UTC, and closes at 4:00 p.m. EST, or 21:00 UTC. 

When Falcon Heavy lifts off, it will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two, with the ability to lift more than twice the payload of the next vehicle, at one-third the cost. Only the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, delivered more payload to orbit. Three cores make up the first stage of Falcon Heavy. The side cores, or boosters, are connected to the center core at its base and at the vehicle’s interstage. With a total of 27 Merlin engines, Falcon Heavy’s three cores are capable of generating more than 5 million pounds of thrust. 

For this test flight, Falcon Heavy’s two side cores are both flight-proven. One launched the Thaicom 8 satellite in May 2016 and the other supported the CRS-9 mission in July 2016. SpaceX will attempt to land all three of Falcon Heavy’s first stage cores during this test. Following booster separation, Falcon Heavy’s two side cores will attempt to land at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Falcon Heavy’s center core will attempt to land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The payload for Falcon Heavy’s demonstration mission is SpaceX CEO and Lead Designer Elon Musk’s midnight-cherry Tesla Roadster. Demonstration missions like this one typically carry steel or concrete blocks as mass simulators, but SpaceX decided it would be more worthwhile to launch something fun and without irreplaceable sentimental value: a red Roadster for the red planet. Following launch, Falcon Heavy’s second stage will attempt to place the Roadster into a precessing Earth-Mars elliptical orbit around the sun. It’s important to remember that this mission is a test flight. Even if we do not complete all of the experimental milestones that are being attempted during this test, we will still be gathering critical data throughout the mission. Ultimately, a successful demonstration mission will be measured by the quality of information we can gather to improve the launch vehicle for our existing and future customers. 

February 2018 Mission Timeline (all times approximate) 

COUNTDOWN Hour/Min/Sec Events 

- 01:28:00 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load 

- 01:25:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading underway 

- 00:45:00 LOX (liquid oxygen) loading underway 

- 00:07:00 Falcon Heavy begins engine chill prior to launch 

- 00:01:00 Flight computer commanded to begin final prelaunch checks 

- 00:01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins 

- 00:00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch 

- 00:00:05 Engine controller commands side booster engine ignition sequence to start 

- 00:00:03 Engine controller commands center core engine ignition sequence to start 

- 00:00:00 Falcon Heavy liftoff 

LAUNCH, LANDINGS AND ORBITAL INSERTION Hour/Min/Sec Events 

00:01:06 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) 

00:02:29 Booster engine cutoff (BECO) 

00:02:33 Side cores separate from center core 00:02:50 Side cores begin boostback burn 

00:03:04 Center core engine shutdown/main engine cutoff (MECO) 

00:03:07 Center core and 2nd stage separate 

00:03:15 2nd stage engine starts 

00:03:24 Center core begins boostback burn 

00:03:49 Fairing deployment 

00:06:41 Side cores begin entry burn 

00:06:47 Center core begins entry burn 

00:07:58 Side core landings 

00:08:19 Center core landing 

00:08:31 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1) 

00:28:22 2nd stage engine restarts 

00:28:52 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2) Mission continues on an experimental long coast and third stage two burn to target a precessing Earth-Mars elliptical orbit around the sun 

Launch Facility Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida Built to support the Apollo program in the 1960s, LC-39A supported many of the Apollo missions, including the first Saturn V launch (Apollo 4), and Apollo 11, which sent the first humans to the surface of the moon. In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease with NASA for the use of LC-39A. Since then, the company has made significant upgrades to modernize the pad’s structures and ground systems, while also preserving its important heritage. Extensive modifications to LC-39A have been made to support launches of both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. 

DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response.

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.

CROWD FUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month.

If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only. Macon Media rewards early sponsors/underwriters with lifetime guaranteed low rates while newer sponsors/underwriters pay higher rates based on the date they first support Macon Media.

Thank You to the people who have been sending in donations and those businesses who are underwriting coverage of news and events. You have kept Macon Media online. You have made it possible for Macon Media to begin purchasing state of the art equipment and begin work on building a real website with features not employed by any local news outlets.

You can find out more information on how to do that and some of what I plan to accomplish if I reach certain levels of funding at https://www.patreon.com/MaconMedia

Read More

Press Release: NCDOT Proposes Drone-Based Medical Supply Delivery

RALEIGH – A drone may save your life someday.

The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation has submitted a proposal to be a part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Drone Integration Pilot Program (IPP). If accepted, part of this proposal would bring unmanned medical supply delivery and the jobs that come with it, to the state.

The primary focus of NCDOT’s proposal is working with global drone delivery companies, such as Matternet and Zipline, to set up a network of medical distribution centers that can use drones to make medical deliveries. These companies currently only operate overseas.

Blood and other supplies currently travel by courier to hospitals and testing facilities. With drones, medical providers would get the test results and supplies they need much faster.

“We’re really excited that drone technology may allow doctors and hospitals to save more lives in North Carolina soon,” said N.C. Director of Aviation Bobby Walston. “We’ve been researching and investing in drone technology for years at NCDOT. This proposal represents the next big step for us as we remain a national leader in the UAS field.”

The FAA is also interested in integrating drones and manned aircraft safely, so NCDOT has partnered with existing UAS software companies like AirMap and Raleigh-based PrecisionHawk to develop Unmanned Traffic Management system that track drones as they fly.

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) IPP is a three-year program designed to safely test innovative small UAS operations in partnership with state, local and tribal governments. The goal is to generate data and knowledge for future UAS policymaking, specifically to learn about conducting complex unmanned operations outside of the current regulatory structure.

NCDOT will find out by May of this year if the proposal has been accepted by the FAA.

***NCDOT***

Learn more about the program on the FAA website. [LINK]



DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response. 

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.

Published at 10:16 am on February 5, 2018

xx

Read More

Macon County Weather Forecast for August 22, 2013

Since Facebook now offers the option to embed posts from their platform, here goes one for testing purposes from my local weather and public safety page:

Post by Macon County Public Safety, Road Conditions and Weather Updates.

This could be a very powerful tool and a way to overcome some problems I've been wrestling with concerning how to build my news site.

Read More

The Linux Action Show: Wrath of Cron

Here is one of my favorite Linux Podcasts, The Linux Action Show, which is part of the Jupiter Broadcasing network of shows.


An overview of cron, the little soldier in your computer performing duties for you every single day. Plus our ideas to play with cron, and the powerful things it's used for in the Enterprise.

Plus Steam officially launches for Linux, and Valve turns on the love lamp for Linux gamers. Munich responds to Microsoft's outrageous study, Ubuntu Phone images are on the way, a look at Chrome OS's recent successes...

AND SO MUCH MORE! 

All this week on The Linux Action Show!

Show notes & Download: http://bit.ly/las248

Read More

Leo Laporte Keynote at the 2013 New Media Expo

Here is a very profound keynote given by +Leo Laporte of +TWiT TV at CES earlier this week. 

I watch a lot of the TWIT-TV shows via my +Roku.

Read More

Alternatives to Instagram

Instagram just set off a bomb inside its new privacy policy and terms of service. New wording essentially makes it possible to turn people’s photos posted after Jan. 16 using Instagram into advertisements. In other words, that sutro-toned picture of your beloved Lhasa apso freshly coiffed after her grooming might well become an ad for Classy Canine Dog Salon.

Source: Forbes||Did You Really Think Facebook Wouldn't Turn Your Instagram Photos Into Ads?


For those who are upset about Instagram's new TOS, please consider these alternatives:

Flickr. I think this is the best option for most people, and the one with the most promise.

It has both free and paid options. I use the paid option and have been very happy with it since 2007 or so.

My profile over there is http://www.flickr.com/photos/thunder-pig/

Another option is Photobucket, which I've used since 2005. They have both free and paid options and I use the paid option because it is the service I use to host nearly all the photos for my blog. You can also upload videos, too and I used it to host videos before Youtube came along.

http://photobucket.com/

You might also consider Picasa. I have an account, but don't use it very much even though I have unlimited bandwidth because I am a member of Google Plus.

http://picasa.google.com/

And then there is Google Plus. I have, as far as I know, unlimited bandwidth there, too. It also allows you to upload from your phone.

https://plus.google.com/photos/101706295300435696596/albums

And the bonus? All of the above sites acknowledge that YOU own your photos. What an amazing concept!

Read More

IBM Demonstrates Feasibility of Silicon Nanophotonics for Chip Manufacturing

IBM has announced that it is ready to mass produce a new class of computer chips that utilize both copper and optic fiber routing of information on the same computer chip. A single CMOS-based nanophotonic transceiver is capable of converting data between electric and optical with virtually no latency, handling a data connection of more than 25 gigabits per second. Depending on the application, hundreds of transceivers could be integrated into a single CMOS chip, pushing terabits of data over fiber-optic connections between processors, memory, and storage systems optically over distances ranging from two centimeters to two kilometers. Here is the press release:

On December 10, 2012 IBM announced a breakthrough optical communication technology which has been verified in a manufacturing environment. The technology – called “silicon nanophotonics” – uses light instead of electrical signals to transfer information for future computing systems, thus allowing large volumes of data to be moved fast between computer chips in servers, large data-centers, and supercomputers via pulses of light.

The technology breakthrough allows the integration of different optical components side-by-side with electrical circuits on a single silicon chip, for the first time, in standard 90nm semiconductor fabrication. The new features of the technology include a variety of silicon nanophotonics components, such as modulators, germanium photodetectors and ultra-compact wavelength-division multiplexers to be integrated with high-performance analog and digital CMOS circuitry.

The use of a standard chip manufacturing process will alleviate high cost of traditional interconnects. Single-chip optical communications transceivers can now be manufactured in a standard CMOS foundry, rather than assembled from multiple parts made with expensive compound semiconductor technology.

Furthermore, dense integration of optical circuits capable of transmitting and receiving at high data rates will solve the limitations of congested data traffic in current interconnects. IBM’s CMOS nanophotonics technology demonstrates transceivers to exceed the 25Gbps data rate. In addition, the technology is capable of feeding a number of parallel optical data streams into a single fiber by utilizing compact on-chip wavelength-division multiplexing devices. The ability to multiplex large data streams at high data rates will allow future scaling of optical communications capable of delivering terabytes of data between distant parts of computer systems.

I wonder how long it will take these new chips to become integrated into data centers and how long it will take them to find their way into consumer devices.

Read More

Black Marble added to Google Maps

Google Earth has added the recently released Earth at Night 2012 to Google Maps and you can explore the imagery to see how your area looks at night.

The above photo is of the area where I live, with my residence marked with a red marker. The photo below is an annotated version of that with the major cities labelled.

Check it out for yourself at Google Maps.

Source: Google Maps

**update** 
More info, including the KML File, is available at the Earth Observatory.

Read More

This Week in Tech #383: Mennonite Madness

Here is TWIT-TV's weekly show that discusses the week in tech...


Hosts: Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Jolie O'Dell, and John C. Dvorak.

Tim Cook talks, G4 Esquire, assassins everywhere, Ingress data mine, badge lust, and more.

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/twit.

Running time:: 2:08:49

Read More

This Week in Tech #382: The Pump and Dump

Third world cloud, PR $, Chromebook push, fly-touch, vacuum-packed gadgets, and more.
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Tim Stevens, Mike Elgan, and John C. Dvorak.
Running time: 1:59:06

See the show page for more information.

Read More

All About Android Episode 85

Hosts: Jason Howell, Eileen Rivera and Ron Richards

Nexus sells out, Droid DNA, Apple and HTC make up, movie themed games, and more.

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/aaa.

We invite you to check out the full show notes for today's episode here.

Running time: 1:22:01

For even more fun tech shows, please visit Twit TV.

Read More

Linux Action Show: s24e05

It's been a while since I've posted a show from Jupiter Broadcasting, so I'll correct that error right now...

We go hands on with the Steam for Linux beta, look at the big picture, cover the beta lockout workaround, and a timeline from rumors to launch! Plus our observations and thoughts from our tests.

Then: The good news for Nvidia users, a new Linux tablet, a big batch of your emails...

AND SO MUCH MORE!

All this week on, The Linux Action Show!

Show Notes & Download: http://bit.ly/tlas235


These guys put out a plethora of tech related shows and you can find them at Jupiter Broadcasting.

Read More

Tech News Today for 08-07-2012

I watch a lot of the shows that are part of the TWiT TV network of shows, and this one airs daily during the week.


Acer tells Microsoft to stop, Samsung's crisis of design, Facebook allows gambling, and more.

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Guest: Lauren Goode of All Things D

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Tech News Today on Reddit.

Running time: 50:08

Read More

Sketchbot Experiment: Watch a Robot Draw Your Portrait in the Sand

This is a cool thing I found: A robot that will sketch your portrait in the sand.


"The Sketchbots experiment uses getUserMedia to let you take a picture of your face, which is then converted to a line drawing and sent to a robot in the Science Museum in London," Shijing Xian, Software Engineer at Google wrote in a blog post. "The robot then draws out your portrait in a patch of sand, which you can watch live on YouTube and visitors can watch in person at the museum. It's just about as crazy as it sounds, and twice as cool."

Check it out.

Read More

The Asheville Citizen-Times Commits Suicide

Wherein the Asheville Citizen-Times continues down the path of becoming less and less relevant in delivering news content...

An excerpt from the announcement:

The Citizen-Times is about to change the way people read and view our content.


Beginning the first of July, people who do not subscribe to the Citizen-Times will have limited access to our content on smartphones, tablet devices and website.


People who subscribe to the Citizen-Times, however, will continue to receive the print edition delivered to their homes or businesses and also will receive:


• Full access to CITIZEN-TIMES.com.


• The ability to download our mobile apps for iPhone and Android smartphones to view unlimited stories, videos and photographs.


• The option to receive an exact digital replica of the print edition delivered to an email account by 5 a.m. every day.


• Access to an enhanced digital site designed for tablet devices.


Nonsubscribers will be able to view 10 news items a month before they will be prompted to subscribe.


Not all of our content, however, will be metered and count against the 10-per-month limit. We will not limit access to significant breaking news stories, like natural disasters, election results or school closings that happen as a result of snowstorms. These stories will not count against the limit.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

I wish the Asheville Citizen-Times a painful demise.



I also love the blatant lie he tells that the print subscribers have been subsidizing the online version. As a former AC-T Carrier, the money for subscriptions is supposed to go to the carriers, and the paper subsidizes that activity, not the other way around. The paper is essentially given away and the advertisers have supported the paper, both the advertisers of the print edition and the online edition.

What this also tells me is that the paper must be getting a lot of visitors who just read a story or two, then leave. They are thinking that they can capitalize on tricking those people into paying for subscriptions.

The only problem is that once people realize they can live without the Citizen-Times website...they will...and the downward spiral will continue.

Just take a look at their WNC LINC Project that was supposed to be a joint venture between the Citizen-Times and local bloggers:

The Asheville Citizen-Times is one of five news organizations across the country working to develop an information network among local news sites and blogs. The project is funded by a grant administered through American University’s J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism. At WNC LINC, follow progress of the project and learn about what it takes to create a networked regional news and information cooperative.

Most of the local bloggers or "news" websites have not updated their websites in months. The Tuck Reader hasn't been updated since November 2011, the Montford Neighborhood Association website hasn't been updated since February 2010, The Blue Banner has not been updated since March of this year and The Hilltop website been offline for who knows how long.

The only websites which are current is the Ask Asheville static link farm, the Artful Parent and The Appalachian.

Read More