The Honolulu Police Department in Hawaii is using a $150,000 robot named “Spot” to take the temperatures of homeless people in its effort to combat COVID-19.
Article by Art Moore from our news partners at WND News Center.
Lt. Joseph O’Neal, acting lieutenant of HPD’s community outreach unit, justified the cost, which was borne by pandemic relief funds. He argued a tool that “takes transmission out of the equation” is not “a waste” from a long-term perspective.
KHON-TV in Honolulu reported Spot, a product of Boston Dynamics, is capable of taking a person’s temperature from a distance of seven feet in a fraction of a second.
“It also has two-way communication and can deliver PPE (personal protective equipment), food and water to someone who does test positive for COVID,” the news anchor said.
The Honolulu Police Department said that of the 1,700 people at homeless sites, only 14 have tested positive for COVID-19, or .08%.
KITV-TV in the Hawaii capital reported HPD previously said the need for Spot arose when officers and civilians were being removed from duty to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposures.
Hawaii is using a $150,000 covid robot dog to take "homeless peoples temperature" !!! pic.twitter.com/J8ad9HuPqL
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) October 21, 2021
USA Today reported there are about 500 Spot robots in operation nationwide. Utility companies, for example, use them to inspect high-voltage zones. And equipped with sensors, they monitor construction sites, mines and factories.
Jongwook Kim, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, is concerned about the privacy and civil liberty implications.
“Because these people are houseless it’s considered OK to do that,” he told USA Today. “At some point it will come out again for some different use after the pandemic is over.”
The New York Police Department began using Spot last fall after painting the robot blue and renaming it “Digidog.” A public outcry erupted after it was spotlighted on social media, and the NYPD promptly returned it to its maker.
“This is some Robocop stuff, this is crazy,” said Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y.
Boston Dynamics says it’s trying to do a better job of explaining Spot to the public.
Image via CNET.
Massive Sale on beef. Frozen for today. Freeze-dried for tomorrow. Promo code “jdr” at checkout for 15% off! WholeCows.com
Will America-First News Outlets Make it to 2023?
Things are looking grim for conservative and populist news sites.
There’s something happening behind the scenes at several popular conservative news outlets. 2021 was bad, but 2022 is proving to be disastrous for news sites that aren’t “playing ball” with the corporate media narrative. It’s being said that advertisers are cracking down, forcing some of the biggest ad networks like Google and Yahoo to pull their inventory from conservative outlets. This has had two major effects. First, it has cooled most conservative outlets from discussing “taboo” topics like Pandemic Panic Theater, voter fraud, or The Great Reset. Second, it has isolated those ad networks that aren’t playing ball.
Certain topics are anathema for most ad networks. Speaking out against vaccines or vaccine mandates is a certain path to being demonetized. Highlighting voter fraud in the 2020 and future elections is another instant advertising death penalty. Throw in truthful stories about climate change hysteria, Critical Race Theory, and the border crisis and it’s easy to understand how difficult it is for America-First news outlets to spread the facts, share conservative opinions, and still pay the bills.
Without naming names, I have been told of several news outlets who have been forced to either consolidate with larger organizations or who have backed down on covering certain topics out of fear of being “canceled” by the ad networks. I get it. This is a business for many of us and it’s not very profitable. Those of us who do this for a living are often barely squeaking by, so loss of additional revenue can often mean being forced to make cuts. That means not being able to cover the topics properly. Its a Catch-22: Tell the truth and lose the money necessary to keep telling the truth, or avoid the truth and make enough money to survive. Those who have chosen survival simply aren’t able to spread the truth properly.
We will never avoid the truth. The Lord will provide if it is His will. Our job is simply to share the facts, spread the Gospel, and educate as many Americans as possible while exposing the forces of evil.
To those who have the means, we ask that you please donate. We have options available now, but there is no telling when those options will cancel us. We have our GivingFuel page. There have been many who have been canceled by PayPal, but for now it’s still an option. Your generosity is what keeps these sites running and allows us to get the truth to the masses. We’ve had great success in growing but we know we can do more with your assistance.
Thank you, and God Bless!
JD Rucker
Covid variant BA.5 is spreading. It appears milder but much more contagious and evades natural immunity. Best to boost your immune system with new Z-Dtox and Z-Stack nutraceuticals from our dear friend, the late Dr. Vladimir Zelenko.
