Did you know U.S. AI data centers have had 100% bonus depreciation since 2025?

That lets them retroactively write off the entire cost of their machinery and equipment from their taxable income. No wonder they've been building like mad.

Want the full picture?

Read our report: https://aidatacentermap.org/
—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

Big thanks to everyone who participated in the first Reclaim Our Future day of action against AI Data centers!

We had dozens of actions today in the US and a couple in the UK. Stay tuned for pictures.

This was our first effort focusing on this singular issue that I see uniting left, right, center, apolitical and politically homeless people.

I also want to share that I have been disappointed as I found that there are many big groups and organizations who are taking on the data center issue who do not share the interest in a united non-partisan movement. Some groups didn't respond to our inquires for collaboration, others have made it clear they only want to work with "their side", and some seem to be directly opposed to communication and collaboration.

Nevertheless, I remain committed to working with those who are fighting data center development, especially those who recognize the role data centers are playing in the construction of the Technocratic surveillance state.

The future is too important to get trapped in factionalism, ego traps, and ignorance. Working together is key.

Cheers to those focused on that mission as we build the better world we know is possible!

📂 Want alternative news? Check out these channels 📢

#TBOT is now part of GeopoliticsLive, a collection of channels covering geopolitics, politics, global news, economy, and more. All English speaking! Stay informed.

Whether you're seeking in-depth analysis, breaking news, or expert insights, our catalog has got you covered.

👉 ADD CHANNELS

⚡️Copper, Energy & The Lost Practices

Matt shares how copper, once used throughout history, energizes water and health. From electroculture to ancient cookware, he explains how old wisdom was lost and why it’s time to bring it back.

🎥 Watch the full interview here
🌱 Learn more about Cultivate Elevate

➡️ We’re building our community on SimpleX. Be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

Hyperscale vs. Gigascale Data Centers

Did you know modern hyperscale centers and the emerging gigascale centers dwarf traditional ones in power use?

Imagine a single AI server the size of a fridge consuming the power of 1,000 homes!

✨ Read the full report here
📚 Watch the AI Data Center Ecology webinar

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

Did you know data‑center sites are typically sited just a few miles from urban areas, often clustered together to share power and water infrastructure?

That proximity puts massive strain on local water and energy grids—some of the largest centers under construction now draw as much power as millions of homes.

Find more information: https://aidatacentermap.org/

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

Why Are China's AI Data Centers Sitting Empty?

China is leading in AI adoption, but what most people don’t know is that a shocking 80% of their AI data centers are sitting completely empty.

In this discussion with Dr. Kaufman, I break down how overinvestment in the wrong things has led to a bubble and that consumer demand just isn’t there - despite all the hype.

🎥 Watch the full interview here

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

📂 Want alternative news? Check out these channels 📢

#TBOT is now part of GeopoliticsLive, a collection of channels covering geopolitics, politics, global news, economy, and more. All English speaking! Stay informed.

Whether you're seeking in-depth analysis, breaking news, or expert insights, our catalog has got you covered.

👉 ADD CHANNELS

What is PUE and why does it matter?

In this clip from our AI Data Center Ecology webinar, we dive into power usage effectiveness (PUE), and why it might be a meaningless metric.

Even efficient data centers can consume as much power as millions of homes—and that’s what hits your bill!

✨ Read the full report here
📚 Watch the AI Data Center Ecology webinar

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

⚡️ How Data Centers Slip In and Get Approved

Most data centers quietly negotiate with local officials long before the public hears a word. With minimal notice, yard signs for rezoning pop up, and tax breaks follow. Often, towns hope for growth—but who really benefits?

🎥 Watch the full interview here
📖 Read the full AI Data Center Ecology Report

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

🎒 Back-to-School Sale

This school year is set to bring more surveillance and tracking to the classroom and home than ever before.

That’s why our Back-to-School Sale is here. Equip yourself or the student in your life with privacy-focused phones and laptops while saving up to $449.

👉 Shop the sale:
https://abovephone.com/school/

Sale ends August 31.

Sustaining the City by Draining the Countryside

While critiques of Indian agriculture have long focused on the crisis of commercial cash crops and the corporatisation of wheat and paddy procurement, this focus creates a significant oversight. By treating the state-backed system as the universal standard, such analyses overlook the reality of the vast majority of smallholders—those growing pulses, millets and rain-fed crops who were never integrated into formal procurement to begin with.

Consider the micro-farm in the foothills of Uttarakhand. A family tends a modest plot: a dozen goats, backyard poultry supplying fresh eggs and a handful of citrus and mango trees—one lemon tree alone yielding…...

Read full article ...

https://off-guardian.org/2026/08/13/sustaining-the-city-by-draining-the-countryside/

xmpp (modẊ) LocalCrop

> A free, open source local farm and farmers market finder built on public USDA data.

https://codeberg.org/colem/LocalCrop

https://localcrop.cmcdaniel.xyz
(enable JavaScript and WebGL)

⚡️The Illusion of Healing

Many treatments focus on suppressing symptoms rather than addressing what created them in the first place.
When the outward expression of illness is suppressed, it can create the illusion that the person is no longer unwell, while the underlying root cause remains.

Ayurveda asks us to look deeper and focus on actual healing rather than symptom management.

Book a consultation with Nicole:
https://newleafsac.com/appointments

📺 Watch on Substack
👉 Subscribe to Real World Ayurveda

The Independent Media Alliance Announces AI Transparency Pledge

Derrick Broze, Whitney Webb, and Ryan Cristian announce the new Independent Media Alliance AI Transparency Pledge.

Registering the Chickens: Animal Passports & Drones Hit 8+ Countries [VIDEO]

Countries across multiple continents are rapidly rolling out mandatory animal registration, digital IDs, passports, and aerial surveillance of farms and private land.

Though they cite different excuses, the net result is the same: all backyard flocks and livestock are being pulled into centralized databases that can be queried and enforced in real time.

This is happening in "lock step" as a push is made to map and control livestock and food production worldwide.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXMHV1etZkE
Substack: https://unshadowed.substack.com/p/registering-the-chickens-animal-passports

Finding Alternatives to Big Tech

In this clip, journalist Derrick Broze discusses the technology side of exit and build, why it's important to find tools that align with our values outside of the monopoly of companies like Google and Apple, and shares some resources for doing just that.

Watch the whole speech: Bringing Liberation 2030 to Life – The 2026 Activation Tour – NYC

⏩ @TheConsciousResistance

⚡️ People Power vs. AI Expansion

Trillions are being spent on AI data centers that threaten land, water, and resources. But the real solution is community action—by contributing to Above’s interactive map, we can coordinate and resist together.

🎥 Watch the full interview here
📖 Read the full AI Data Center Ecology Report

—
@abovephone
Website | Substack | X

📚 “Free” School Devices Are Anything But Free

School-issued devices can include monitoring software that tracks keystrokes, browser activity, location, and more—inside and outside the classroom.

At Above, we believe learning should stay focused on the material, not on who’s watching.

Choose a privacy-first alternative and save on Above Phones and Above Books through August 31.

👉 https://abovephone.com/school/