Flock camera and data center opponents rally in Indian Springs

Flock Cameras and Hyperscale Data Centers Are "We The People Versus The Oligarchs and The Big Mules – A Community Discussion at Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church

A community discussion before an audience of half of a hundred was held yesterday at the New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The topic of discussion was "Flock Cameras and Data Centers, what is the concern?" As a bipartisan discussion, the presenters consisted of the well-known Republican advocate, Ann Eubank, and the Chair of the Hoover Democrats, Liz Lane. As well as the managing editor of alpolitics.com, Dr. Bill Chitwood, and the journalist, Alicia Haggermaker. The presenters on both sides of the political aisle agreed that the flock cameras and data centers are two facets of the same issue: We The People versus the oligarchs and the Big Mules. With the "Big Mules" being an Alabama term for the coalition of corporate, industrial, and financial leaders who have often dominated Alabama politics.

Ann Eubank began her presentation by announcing that she has started a new podcast entitled, "Beneath The Surface". Since the proponents of hyperscale data centers often play upon a China hysteria when criticizing those who are concerned about the water draining and power consuming entities, Eubank emphasized that, "China has never paid me one cent." She also emphasized that while U.S. Senator Tuberville dismisses the concerns regarding the huge environmental impact of hyperscale data centers as, "bull crap"; to her it is an "appalling" statement. With Eubank further stating that as a devout Republican, this November she will not vote for Tuberville for Governor of Alabama, but neither can she vote for a Democrat. So what she will do is write in a candidate to vote for.

Eubank also emphasized in her presentation that hyperscale data centers are the data collectors to train AI for the forthcoming surveillance state. Consequently, it is important to keep up the fight against hyperscale data centers through local zoning, local regulations, and applying intense pressure on local politicians. For it is important to, "Save the way that we in America live." And we must fight against the hyperscale data centers so that we do not come under the total control of the five Big Tech giants. Ann Eubank stated that, "We will not allow them to make us slaves."

While Liz Lane stated that she only made a "C" in speech class in college, her focused presentation that brought a full round of applause from the attendees, immediately made it obvious that she has advanced tremendously in speech since her college days. She noted she is a second-generation artist and a mom who is very concerned about hyperscale data centers and surveillance matters. Lane stated that while it seems like these hyperscale data centers just have the ability to do as they please, that is purposefully being done because they, "want us to feel it is impossible, so we stop fighting." With Lane placing an importance on the fact that, "We must keep fighting" when it comes to the hyperscale data centers and flock cameras.

Liz Lane also noted the importance of, "We The People", as our elected officials are supposed to work for us. With Lane also pointing out that every industry has regulations and industry standards, why not the hyperscale data centers? Lane also emphasized that the development of hyperscale data centers is not a race against China, but, "a race to do as much damage as possible before the law catches up" to them. And that it should be, "People over profits every time!"

She noted that as a member of the creative class, she is no longer posting her art on Instagram and other online platforms, for 60% of online traffic isn't even human, anymore. In fact, studies do show that 60% of all online traffic is now comprised of automated software, AI scrapers, and malicious bots. Therefore, Lane is going back to in-person art shows. With an emphasis on how in-person is a way to defeat AI.

Liz Lane also stated that public hearings on high impact developments such as hyperscale data centers should not be the exception, but the rule. There should be no more non-disclosure agreements signed by public officials. With Lane also emphasizing that Alabama is the Amazon of the United States due to the tremendous amount of biodiversity present in Alabama the Beautiful. In fact, the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and surrounding river basins are known for hosting more species of freshwater fish, mussels, snails, crayfish, and turtles, than almost anywhere else in North America. An 82-million-year-old fossilized dinosaur egg that contains an intact embryo was even discovered in 1970 in the chalk beds near Selma, Alabama. With the egg being on permanent display in the Auburn University Museum of Natural History. Liz Lane emphasized that the devastating effects on the environment caused by the free-for-all construction of hyperscale data centers throughout the state, will ruin the biodiverse gem that is Alabama.

Alicia Haggermaker noted that, "The greater the technology, the higher the stakes when we mess up." With Haggermaker emphasizing that hyperscale data centers and flock cameras represent the end game and must be fought against. As many concerned citizens have noted where hyperscale data centers are concerned, much of the technology contained in them will actually be obsolete ere long. With Haggermaker noting that Diamond Quantum Computers are the next level of technology and they don't use the cooling systems that the hyperscale data centers use. Alicia noted that for those who say that hyperscale data centers are the way of the future, the opposite is true. The scale of the hyperscale data centers is not necessary for the things we really need. Something which was also emphasized by Dr. Bill Chitwood in his presentation.

For Chitwood noted that hyperscale data centers use a cloud-based infrastructure, which many companies have decided that they don't want to use for their data storage. As anything in the cloud can be hacked and targeted by open source AI. So rather then rely upon the hyperscale data centers and their cloud-based infrastructure, companies are preferring to use their own small box computers to store their data.

Dr. Chitwood also made a point of letting everyone know that contrary to what Tommy Tuberville says, he has not received any money from China. Not one single check has arrived for him in the mail. However, one reason he is against hyperscale data centers is because of China. For in China, they use the hyperscale data centers to store data that is used in their social credit system. With social credit being a national credit rating and blacklist used by China to track businesses, individuals, and government institutions. With the courts in China using the social credit scoring system to impose penalties against judgment debtors. According to Dr. Chitwood, in China if your, "social credit score is too low, you can't get your money."

Following along in the monetary analysis of hyperscale data centers, Dr. Chitwood noted that the billions of dollars being invested into hyperscale data centers is not going to the people. Rather the real beneficiaries of all of the vast amounts of money being invested into hyperscale data centers are the chip makers. With Taiwan being the country that produces over 90% of the leading-edge logic chips that are used for hyperscale data centers.

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa Attorney, reporter, poet, vocalist, and columnist who writes on politics, current affairs, and fine arts.