#Tesla Legal Issues

[evehiclesaura]

EEOC Files Federal Case Against Tesla for Racial Harassment: Report

In an unprecedented legal move, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has initiated a federal lawsuit against Tesla, the electric vehicle pioneer. The allegations focus on the treatment of Black employees at Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California, and involve claims of racial harassment and exposure to offensive symbols. The lawsuit has far-reaching implications, not only for…

[old-skulls]

hot take i fucking hate bethesda survival mode. no i don’t want to walk everywhere and starve to death or die every five minutes in general, i just want to be reminded to eat food and sleep for roleplaying purposes

post canceled what the fuck are these suggested tags

[sufficientlylargen]

I mean, "ghostwriter" seems to cover a pretty wide set of things, ranging from "J. Random Writer and K. Alfred Famousguy collaborated on this book, and J did more of the writing but it was published as 'By K. Famousguy (with J. Writer)'" all the way to "J wrote this book entirely on their own and it was published as 'By K. Famousguy' with no mention of J whatsoever, and K and J both signed NDAs promising to never reveal the truth", and I think the ethics of these different cases differ widely.

But I don't think it's unreasonable to argue that ''telling readers person K wrote this book when they didn't" is unethical regardless of whether

K paid OpenAI to write it

K paid another human to write it

Another human paid K to pretend they wrote it, or

K bartered with Satan, who wrote it

We all agree, right?

AI to write your novel is wrong

A bargain with a demon to write your novel is okay

[opencommunion]

"The story of  'John Doe 1' of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is tucked in a lawsuit filed five years ago against several U.S. tech companies, including Tesla, the world’s largest electric vehicle producer. In a country where the earth hides its treasures beneath its surface, those who chip away at its bounty pay an unfair price. As a pre-teen, his family could no longer afford to pay his $6 monthly school fee, leaving him with one option: a life working underground in a tunnel, digging for cobalt rocks.  But soon after he began working for roughly two U.S. dollars per day, the child was buried alive under the rubble of a collapsed mine tunnel. His body was never recovered. 

The nation, fractured by war, disease, and famine, has seen more than 6 million people die since the mid-1990s, making the conflict the deadliest since World War II. But, in recent years, the death and destruction have been aided by the growing number of electric vehicles humming down American streets. In 2022, the U.S., the world’s third-largest importer of cobalt, spent nearly $525 million on the mineral, much of which came from the Congo.

As America’s dependence on the Congo has grown, Black-led labor and environmental organizers here in the U.S. have worked to build a transnational solidarity movement. Activists also say that the inequities faced in the Congo relate to those that Black Americans experience. And thanks in part to social media, the desire to better understand what’s happening in the Congo has grown in the past 10 years. In some ways, the Black Lives Matter movement first took root in the Congo after the uprising in Ferguson in 2014, advocates say. And since the murder of George Floyd and the outrage over the Gaza war, there has been an uptick in Congolese and Black American groups working on solidarity campaigns.

Throughout it all, the inequities faced by Congolese people and Black Americans show how the supply chain highlights similar patterns of exploitation and disenfranchisement. ... While the American South has picked up about two-thirds of the electric vehicle production jobs, Black workers there are more likely to work in non-unionized warehouses, receiving less pay and protections. The White House has also failed to share data that definitively proves whether Black workers are receiving these jobs, rather than them just being placed near Black communities. 'Automakers are moving their EV manufacturing and operations to the South in hopes of exploiting low labor costs and making higher profits,' explained Yterenickia Bell, an at-large council member in Clarkston, Georgia, last year. While Georgia has been targeted for investment by the Biden administration, workers are 'refusing to stand idly by and let them repeat a cycle that harms Black communities and working families.'

... Of the 255,000 Congolese mining for cobalt, 40,000 are children. They are not only exposed to physical threats but environmental ones. Cobalt mining pollutes critical water sources, plus the air and land. It is linked to respiratory illnesses, food insecurity, and violence. Still, in March, a U.S. court ruled on the case, finding that American companies could not be held liable for child labor in the Congo, even as they helped intensify the prevalence. ... Recently, the push for mining in the Congo has reached new heights because of a rift in China-U.S. relations regarding EV production. Earlier this month, the Biden administration issued a 100% tariff on Chinese-produced EVs to deter their purchase in the U.S. Currently, China owns about 80% of the legal mines in the Congo, but tens of thousands of Congolese work in 'artisanal' mines outside these facilities, where there are no rules or regulations, and where the U.S. gets much of its cobalt imports.  'Cobalt mining is the slave farm perfected,' wrote Siddharth Kara last year in the award-winning investigative book Cobalt Red: How The Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives. 'It is a system of absolute exploitation for absolute profit.' While it is the world’s richest country in terms of wealth from natural resources, Congo is among the poorest in terms of life outcomes. Of the 201 countries recognized by the World Bank Group, it has the 191st lowest life expectancy."

[mariacallous]

In 2024, wealth concentration rose to an all-time high. According to Forbes’ Billionaires List, not only are there more billionaires than ever—2,781—but those billionaires are also richer than ever, with an aggregate worth of $14.2 trillion. This is a trend that looks set to continue unabated. A recent report from the financial data company Altrata estimated that about 1.2 million individuals who are worth more than $5 million will pass on a collective wealth of almost $31 trillion over the next decade.

Discontentment and concern over the consequences of extreme wealth in our society is growing. Senator Bernie Sanders, for instance, stated that the “obscene level of income and wealth inequality in America is a profoundly moral issue.” In a joint op-ed for CNN in 2023, Democratic congresswoman Barbara Lee and Disney heiress Abigail Disney wrote that “extreme wealth inequality is a threat to our economy and democracy.” In 2024, when the board of Tesla put to vote a $56 billion pay package for Elon Musk, some major shareholders voted against it, declaring that such a compensation level was “absurd” and “ridiculous.”

In 2025, the fight against rising wealth inequality will be high on the political agenda. In July 2024, the G20—the world’s 20 biggest economies—agreed to work on a proposal by Brazil to introduce a new global “billionaire tax” that would levy a 2 percent tax on assets worth more than $1 billion. This would raise an estimated $250 billion a year. While this specific proposal was not endorsed in the Rio declaration, the G20 countries agreed that the super rich should be taxed more.

Progressive politicians won’t be the only ones trying to address this problem. In 2025, millionaires themselves will increasingly mobilize and put pressure on political leaders. One such movement is Patriotic Millionaires, a nonpartisan group of multimillionaires who are already publicly campaigning and privately lobbying the American Congress for a guaranteed living wage for all, a fair tax system, and the protection of equal representation. “Millionaires and large corporations—who have benefited most from our country’s assets—should pay a larger percentage of the tab for running the country,” reads their value statement. Members include Abigail Disney, former BlackRock executive Morris Pearl, legal scholar Lawrence Lessig, screenwriter Norman Lear, and investor Lawrence Benenson.

Another example is TaxMeNow, a lobby group founded in 2021 by young multimillionaires in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland which also advocates for higher wealth taxation. Its most famous member is the 32-year old Marlene Engelhorn, descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn, founder of German pharma giant BASF. She recently set up a council made up of 50 randomly selected Austrian citizens to decide what should happen to her €25 million inheritance. “I have inherited a fortune, and therefore power, without having done anything for it,” she said in a statement. “If politicians don’t do their job and redistribute, then I have to redistribute my wealth myself.”

Earlier this year, Patriotic Millionaires, TaxMeNow, Oxfam, and another activist group called Millionaires For Humanity formed a coalition called Proud to Pay More, and addressed a letter to global leaders during the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Signed by hundreds of high-net-worth individuals—including heiress Valerie Rockefeller, actor Simon Pegg, and filmmaker Richard Curtis—the letter stated: “We all know that ‘trickle down economics’ has not translated into reality. Instead it has given us stagnating wages, crumbling infrastructure, failing public services, and destabilized the very institution of democracy.” It concluded: “We ask you to take this necessary and inevitable step before it’s too late. Make your countries proud. Tax extreme wealth.” In 2025, thanks to the nascent movement of activist millionaires, these calls will grow even louder.

[netscapenavigator-official]

People in the notes of my post about Tesla removing the gear selectors from its new cars, asking how that's even legal, clearly have no idea just how incompetent and slow-paced the NHTSA is.

Halogen headlights weren't legal until 1979.

Composite headlights (the uniquely designed ones that aren't the old-school circle or square ones you see on older cars) weren't legal until 1984.

Adaptive High Beams (Matrix Headlights) were only recently legalized, in 2022; and the regulations and testing procedures in order to approve them are so haphazard and over-complicated compared to Europe's that not a single automaker has even made them available.

Side Curtain airbags still are not mandated in the United States.

Turn Signals can be red in the U.S., as opposed to the statistically safer amber which is mandatory in Europe.

Making that worse, those red turn signals are allowed to share lamps with the brake lights. This means if you have your turn signal on, 1/3 of your brake lights can’t do their job because they're too busy doing another job.

There is no law in the United States dictating that an electric car must put on its brake lights when Regen braking. In fact, the law specifically states that only the friction brakes are required to activate brake lights. You can bring a Hyundai Ioniq 5 & 6, Kia EV6, Genesis GV60, and many other EVs to a rapid, complete stop without ever activating the brake lights.

Early model Chevrolet Bolt EVs and some Mercedes-Benz EVs will activate the brake lights appropriately when slowing down, but will deactivate their brake lights once they've come to a complete stop, allowing the car to sit at a standstill in the road without any indicator that it isn't traveling at the same speed as you are.

It's completely up to the automaker to decide how (or even if) to implement regen brake lighting. EVs and Hybrids have been around since the late 1990s and this still hasn't changed.

The US government STILL only evaluates a vehicles crash safety by crash testing it at 35 mph into a flat wall and t-boning it with a barrier representing a 3,000 lb sedan. They don't do an offset frontal test or a truck-barrier side test like the IIHS has been doing for private insurance companies for over a decade.

The NHTSA performs ZERO pedestrian crash safety tests like EuroNCAP does.

Oh, and on the topic of gear selectors, those aren't regulated at all. Here are some examples from modern cars, both electric and not:

BMW i3 & Nissan LEAF (Electric):

Toyota Prius (Hybrid) & Honda Clarity (Plug-in Hybrid):

RAM 1500 & Cadillac Escalade (Gasoline):

The automotive rules of the American government are pure chaos, and that’s if they're even there at all. If you're seriously asking how Tesla can allow a car to select reverse on its own, and then put the manual override in the touch screen, I mean, that's just scratching the surface.

If you wanna learn more, Technology Connections on YouTube has some great videos on the Turn Signal issue, the EV Regen brake light issue, and the history of the headlight regulations. I highly recommend you check them out because it truly puts into perspective just how awful the NHTSA is at doing its one job: keeping safety standards up-to-date.

[theabstruseone]

Wait, he ranked the price of Twitter by 20 billion? Weren’t the rumours that he was looking to tank Twitter then sell off its assets?

The problem is you can find all sorts of rumors. He bought Twitter to wreck it, he bought Twitter to turn it into the X App he failed at pitching at PayPal, he bought Twitter to destroy the public square and undermine democracy, he bought Twitter as part of a deal with Mark Zuckerberg to destroy Twitter and leave Facebook as the only viable social media platform, he bought Twitter to appears the grey aliens in their war against the lizard people on behalf of the Illuminati.

The thing is...Elon Musk did NOT want to buy Twitter. He had to be sued and forced to buy the company.

He ran his mouth because he was angry he wasn't getting his way like the rich asshole he is, basically saying "If you don't do what I say I'll just buy the place and make you." And because he'd already bought shares of the company as part of this strongarm tactic, he was legally responsible for buying the company. And at his stupid-ass $54.20 offer that added over $150 million to the price just to add the $0.20 to the price because 420 blaze it and he is a child.

Add in that Tesla and SpaceX only function because they're Musk-proofed themselves. There are layers between the manic whims of the spoiled manchild that prevent him from running around yanking wires out of stuff to see what breaks like he's allegedly done at Twitter (technically it was turning off servers to see who panicked accord to reports but seriously, that's the sort of shit he's doing).

There doesn't need to be any grand conspiracy or ulterior motive other than the racist misogynist homophobic asshole who refuses to be told "no" is throwing a massive temper tantrum because his ex-wives hate him, his children hate him, he was forced to buy the company, and he got kicked out of PayPal 20 years ago and hasn't gotten over the bruised ego since then.

Do you REALLY think the guy who got so mad the President of the United States issuing an official statement from the White House got more attention than him so had the engineers boost his ranking in the algorithm enough so that he dominated everybody's feeds for a day to get more attention on him could actually plot a real conspiracy?

Or does Occam's Razor say he's just a privileged little shit who is indulging in his racism and transphobia while pandering to the fascist sycophants who keep licking his boots?

[girlactionfigure]

🔘 Wednesday - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

▪️HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT - HAMAS COMMITTED A SYSTEMATIC ASSAULT AGAINST CIVILIANS.. The report condemned what the rights organization said were various war crimes and crimes against humanity, including “deliberate and indiscriminate attacks against civilians,” the use of civilians as human shields, and cruel and inhumane treatment, finding Hamas complicit with Oct. 7 war crimes. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/17/october-7-crimes-against-humanity-war-crimes-hamas-led-groups

.. HAMAS - NO WE DIDN’T.. “We reject the lies contained in the Human Rights Watch report, the blatant bias for Israel and the lack of professionalism and credibility, and demand they withdraw it and apologize for it.​​​​“

▪️HEZBOLLAH THREATENS.. “The first step will be the launch of about 10,000 thousand missiles to military targets as far as south Israel. The second stage the Air Force is disabled. The third stage is a ground invasion towards settlements near the fence, killing and taking hostages.”

▪️HEZBOLLAH LEADER SAYS.. “fighting is a custom and honor (for us) martyrdom (is) from god."

▪️SMUGGLING TUNNELS.. The IDF believes it will take many more months to complete the search for Hamas's cross-border smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border. So far, around 25 tunnels have been located. Combat engineers are currently meticulously sweeping the entire Gaza-Egypt border area in Rafah, while expanding the Philadelphi border corridor by demolishing structures within about 800 meters of the border.

▪️SICK CRIME & RUMORS.. a mother killed her young son yesterday in some kind of mental break. Rumors immediately swirled that the mother was a survivor of the Oct. 7 massacre. Bituach Leumi: this is untrue.

▪️SOCIETAL CONFLICT.. Last night a bus of soldiers returning from Gaza was, weirdly, diverted through Meah Shearim, the most ultra of ultra-orthodox neighborhoods in Israel. On seeing a bus of soldiers, the locals began to harass and pelt the bus - perhaps assuming they are coming to haul them away to the army.

▪️PROTEST - ANTI-ATTORNEY GENERAL.. Activists of the "If You Want" movement came this morning to demonstrate in front of the home of the Legal Adviser to the Government, Gali Beharev-Mara, in protest of the normalization of violations of public order.

▪️WHY NOT MORE ULTRA-ORTHODOX CONSCRIPTIONS? Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Knesset members ask why the IDF doesn’t issue conscription orders to all yeshivas students of age? The IDF replies: "The conscription bureau doesn't know how to take in more." (( The IDF for years avoiding creating programs for this segment of society. ))

▪️NO CYBERTRUCKS FOR ISRAEL? The Ministry of Transport forbids Tesla's Cybertruck, to be tested or driven on Israeli roads. The amazing reason - the vehicle is (lightly) bulletproof. In Israel, a special permit is required to import a bulletproof vehicle, and the Cybertruck did not receive such a permit.

⭕ OVER 80 ROCKETS FIRED BY HEZBOLLAH towards Mt. Meron and surrounding areas last night, another 15+ FIRED AT NAHARIYA area.

♦️COUNTER-TERROR OPS - JENIN.. Arab channels show apparent special forces operating in Jenin with firefights.

♦️COUNTER-TERROR OPS - KALKILYA.. Firefight.

♦️SIGNIFICANT TARGETED AIRSTRIKES in CENTRAL GAZA overnight.

[yourreddancer]

Elizabeth Warren asks Trump to set conflict-of-interest rules for Musk

The letter from the Massachusetts senator comes as the tech tycoon has taken a prominent role inside Trump’s orbit

By Michael Scherer

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) wrote a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Monday to request clear and transparent conflict-of-interest rules that would bind Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, during his role as a top Trump adviser.

The letter sent by email from the Democrat’s Senate office to Trump’s transition team notes that regular members of the Trump Vance 2025 Transition Team operate under an ethics policy that requires them to “avoid both actual and apparent conflicts of interest.” Those rules, which have been published by the General Services Administration, include prohibition from transition team members working “on particular matters involving specific parties that affect” their interests.

Musk, who is worth $474 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, spent more than $250 million to help elect Trump president and has since embraced the label “first buddy” to describe his role. He has been a frequent presence at Trump’s side, advising on government formation and taking a lead role in a new effort to cut federal spending. It is not clear what ethics rules, if any, Musk, has agreed to follow in his role as a Trump adviser.

“Putting Mr. Musk in a position to influence billions of dollars of government contracts and regulatory enforcement without a stringent conflict of interest agreement in place is an invitation for corruption on a scale not seen in our lifetimes,” Warren wrote. “As your Transition Team Ethics Plan makes clear, the role of government is not to line the pockets of the wealthiest Americans; a strong, enforceable ethics plan for the world’s richest man is a necessary first step for delivering on that promise.”

Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the transition, did not address Musk’s ethics commitments in her response to the letter. She instead addressed Warren with a derogatory nickname that Trump has used to describe Warren because of her claims to having some Native American ancestry.

“President Trump has assembled the most impressive and qualified team of innovators, entrepreneurs, and geniuses to advise and staff our government,” Leavitt said in a statement. “Pocahontas can play political games and send toothless letters, but the Trump-Vance transition will continue to be held to the highest ethical and legal standards possible — a standard unfamiliar to a career politician whose societal impact is 1/1024th of Elon Musk’s.”

During the presidential campaign, Musk became a top surrogate for Trump, holding events in Pennsylvania, making media appearances and staging a high-profile cash giveaway to encourage voter engagement. Trump promised if elected to accelerate federal plans to land a mission on Mars, a major priority of Musk’s rocket company Space X. Tesla, another company Musk runs, receives federal funding for its electric vehicle charging stations, and several of his companies have significant regulatory issues before the government.

The National Highway Safety Administration is investigating Tesla for several pedestrian accidents. Musk recently posted a response to a “settlement demand” from the Securities and Exchange Commission for potential securities fraud. Other Musk enterprises, including the satellite internet provider Starlink and brain implant company Neuralink have separate contracts and regulatory issues before the federal government.

Federal employees are generally prohibited by law from acting on particular matters that affect their own financial interests. There are also federal conflict-of-interest statutes that apply to members of certain federal advisory committees.

In a recent interview with Time magazine, Trump was asked whether he considered Musk’s role as an adviser a conflict of interest, given the substantial government interests of companies he owns.

“I think that Elon puts the country long before his company,” Trump answered. “He considers this to be his most important project, and he wanted to do it.”

The Warren letter asks the Trump team 14 questions about the rules governing Musk, his associates and others involved in the Department of Government Efficiency project that Trump has asked Musk to lead. The questions concern what ethics rules Musk has agreed to and whether he has agreed to recuse himself from any matters.

“Moving forward, will he recuse himself from matters affecting Tesla, Space X, X, or any other company he owns or in which he has a substantial investment?” Warren asks at one point.

“Currently, the American public has no way of knowing whether the advice that he is whispering to you in secret is good for the country — or merely good for his own bottom line,” Warren wrote.

[beardedmrbean]

NEW YORK (AP) — A man charged with fraud for claiming to own a storied Manhattan hotel where he had been living rent-free for years has been found unfit to stand trial, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Doctors examining Mickey Barreto deemed he's not mentally competent to face criminal charges, and prosecutors confirmed the results during a court hearing Wednesday, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.

Judge Cori Weston gave Barreto until Nov. 13. to find suitable inpatient psychiatric care, Bragg's office said.

Barreto had been receiving outpatient treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues, but doctors concluded after a recent evaluation that he did not fully understand the criminal proceedings, the New York Times first reported.

Barreto dismissed the allegations of a drug problem to some “partying,” and said prosecutors are trying to have him hospitalized because they did not have a strong case against him. He does see some upside.

“It went from being unfriendly, ‘He’s a criminal,’ to oh, they don’t talk about crime anymore. Now the main thing is, like, ‘Oh, poor thing. Finally, we convinced him to go seek treatment,’” Barreto told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Brian Hutchinson, an attorney for Barreto, didn't immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment. But during Wednesday's hearing, he said he planned to ask his client's current treatment provider to accept him, the Times reported.

In February, prosecutors charged Barreto with 24 counts, including felony fraud and criminal contempt.

They say he forged a deed to the New Yorker Hotel purporting to transfer ownership of the entire building to him.

He then tried to charge one of the hotel's tenants rent and demanded the hotel’s bank transfer its accounts to him, among other steps.

Barreto started living at the hotel in 2018 after arguing in court that he had paid about $200 for a one-night stay and therefore had tenant’s rights, based on a quirk of the city's housing laws and the fact that the hotel failed to send a lawyer to a key hearing.

Barreto has said he lived at the hotel without paying any rent because the building’s owners, the Unification Church, never wanted to negotiate a lease with him, but they also couldn’t legally kick him out.

Now, his criminal case may be steering him toward a sort of loophole.

“So if you ask me if it’s a better thing, in a way it is. Because I’m not being treated as a criminal but I’m treated like a nutjob,” Barreto told the AP.

Built in 1930, the hulking Art Deco structure and its huge red “New Yorker” sign is an oft-photographed landmark in midtown Manhattan.

Muhammad Ali and other famous boxers stayed there when they had bouts at nearby Madison Square Garden, about a block away. Inventor Nikola Tesla even lived in one of its more than 1,000 rooms for a decade. And NBC broadcasted from its Terrace Room.

But the New Yorker closed as a hotel in 1972 and was used for years for church purposes before part of the building reopened as a hotel in 1994.

[frank-olivier]

The Promise of Free Energy: Unlocking a Sustainable Future

The concept of free energy, also known as zero-point energy or radiant energy, has captivated the imagination of scientists, inventors, and visionaries for decades. It presents a revolutionary idea that challenges our current energy paradigm and offers a promising solution to the global energy crisis and environmental degradation. However, the path to realizing the potential of free energy has been fraught with suppression, skepticism, and vested interests.

Free energy, as a concept, holds immense potential for addressing the world's energy needs. The idea that an infinite and limitless source of energy exists, which can be tapped into without depletion or environmental harm, is indeed alluring. This concept has its roots in the work of pioneers like Nikola Tesla, who envisioned a world powered by wireless energy transmission and the harnessing of the universe's abundant energy. One of the most compelling aspects of free energy is its ability to provide clean, abundant, and affordable energy to every corner of the globe. With the current reliance on finite energy sources such as fossil fuels, coal, and nuclear power, we face significant environmental and social challenges. The extraction and combustion of these resources contribute to climate change, air and water pollution, and social inequality. Free energy, if realized, could eliminate these issues by offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. Moreover, free energy has the potential to transform our relationship with the environment. With an infinite energy supply, we could address pressing issues like drought, air pollution, and resource depletion. Desalination of seawater, purification of air, and sustainable agricultural practices could become more feasible, leading to a healthier and more resilient planet.

Despite the promising potential of free energy, its development and adoption have faced significant obstacles. The film highlights the suppression of free energy technologies, citing numerous cases of black shelving, national security orders, patent seizures, financial entanglements, and legal battles. These instances of suppression have hindered the progress of free energy research and prevented the widespread adoption of these technologies. The suppression of free energy can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, powerful corporations and governments have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. The fossil fuel industry, in particular, has a strong hold on the energy sector, and the transition to free energy would disrupt their business models and profits. This resistance to change is evident in the film's mention of media manipulation and the shaping of public perception by intelligence operatives. Secondly, the scientific community's skepticism and adherence to established paradigms play a role in the suppression of free energy. The concept of free energy challenges the fundamental laws of thermodynamics, which state that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. Scientists and engineers may be hesitant to embrace these technologies due to the perceived violation of these laws and the need for a paradigm shift in their thinking.

To unlock the promise of free energy and create a sustainable future, several improvements and actions are necessary: Encourage open-source development and collaboration among inventors, researchers, and scientists working on free energy technologies. By sharing knowledge, resources, and findings, we can accelerate the development process and foster a community of innovation. This approach can help overcome the barriers of suppression and skepticism, as it allows for greater transparency and peer review. Address the systemic issues that allow cartels and corporations to control the energy sector. Advocate for regulatory reforms, antitrust measures, and increased transparency to level the playing field for all energy technologies. This will ensure that free energy technologies have a fair chance to compete and be adopted. Educate the public about the potential benefits of free energy and the need for a paradigm shift in energy production. Address the myths and misconceptions surrounding free energy, and provide accurate information to foster public support and engagement. A well-informed public can demand and support the development and adoption of sustainable energy solutions. As we transition to free energy, it is crucial to consider the social and economic impacts on workers in the fossil fuel industry. Enlist their support and provide retraining and reskilling opportunities to ensure a just and equitable transition. This approach will help build a more inclusive and sustainable society, where no one is left behind. Promote the development and adoption of decentralized energy systems, such as local energy generators powered by free energy technologies. This approach can reduce our reliance on centralized power stations and power lines, increasing energy security and reducing pollution. It also empowers individuals and communities to take control of their energy production and consumption.

The promise of free energy is a compelling vision for a sustainable future. However, realizing this potential requires a critical analysis of the challenges and a proactive approach to overcoming them.

"The Lost Century" by Dr. Steven Greer is a documentary film that focuses on the suppression of advanced energy and propulsion technologies, as well as the potential existence of extraterrestrial life and the government's involvement in covering up these matters. Dr. Greer is a medical doctor and UFO researcher who founded The Disclosure Project, which aims to disclose information about UFOs and advanced energy technologies. The documentary has received mixed responses, with some praising its efforts to bring attention to these topics and encourage open discussion, while others have criticized its claims and the lack of concrete evidence presented. As with any documentary, it's essential to approach the information presented in "The Lost Century" with a critical eye and consider multiple perspectives on these complex and often controversial subjects.

The Lost Century (Michael Mazzola, 2023)

Thursday, November 7, 2024

[wolfliving]

Will the entire car brick?

(...)

Fisker vehicle owners’ questions are mostly practical. Fisker began shipping the Ocean, its electric SUV—priced to start at $41,000 and ranging up to $70,0000—last year. Immediately, the vehicles were found to have serious build quality shortcomings and software issues, including a less-than-responsive central touchscreen. (WIRED’s reviewer declined to rate the vehicle entirely, calling it “just not ready yet.”)

Owners reported that some of the most serious issues, including a difficult-to-use brake hold and Bluetooth connectivity problems, were ironed out through software updates. But owners sometimes complained that it was tricky to get their vehicles serviced or repaired, because there weren’t enough certified Fisker repairers and technicians. Fisker initially launched with a Tesla-like “direct to consumer” model that eschewed the traditional “middleman” dealerships often seen in the US. But in January, the company began to sign dealerships to a new Fisker network, citing ballooning costs associated with the direct model.

Even now, as the carcass of Fisker gets picked over, the EVs still have niggling problems—window cracks, dysfunctional key fobs, sudden connectivity blackouts—and will unquestionably need servicing and spare parts to keep them running into the future. Without Fisker, the company, to provide that, what are owners to do?

The FOA is still in the early stages of figuring it out. A small band of volunteers have worked around the clock to define the problems owners might face down the road—legal questions about their vehicle financing; issues with the car’s app; finding parts—and start solving them. These people have full-time jobs, too. De Bardi, for example, who lives in the UK and has headed up the European owners’ efforts, is also the CTO of a telecommunications firm....

[bluef00t]

speaking of Atomic Robo and Hellboy, one similarity they have that I've always thought was interesting outside of all the staple pulp stuff was the "government granted human status." it's more of a point of tension for Robo than it is for Hellboy (as far as I remember), but do you have any thoughts on it? It feels kind of unnecessary cause I don't think it would really stop them from doing what they do if they didn't have it, but it is an interesting bit of lore that's unique to them.

Answering this and the related asks under the cut:

(annoying pedant voice) really, everyone's legal human status is "government granted". But I get what you mean. I suspect it's a byproduct of needing a ~super durable ageless inhuman~ protagonist who can still move around the world the way any human character could. And you're right, it's almost an afterthought in Hellboy.

I suppose it's largely genre: fantasy horror focuses on the spiritual and science fiction focuses on the material. For Hellboy, the true battle for his humanity is over his soul, his destiny, which are very tangible concepts in his world! Does he have the free will to live as a man when he was created and summoned as a pawn to bring about Ragnarok? Even he isn't sure, and the question upsets him as much as it does anyone in charge of him.

Logical issues like voting + property rights are more relevant to Robo's world. Tech is regulated by some major government agencies, covering his life's work and his body. Robo is sure he's a person in every way that matters; that's not a point of debate. But starting Tesladyne was made possible by deliberate PR + legal decisions recognizing him as Tesla's heir rather than his property.

It's interesting, placing these side-by-side. Usually fictional robots are the face of predetermined purpose (and the struggle to transcend that) while demons are figures of chaotic freedom (and clever navigation through rules and deals which bind them). But Hellboy is rewarded for filling a role he was practically raised for; Robo takes a rather Faustian bargain behind his dad's back. Those swapped patterns recur all over both series' humor and drama.

I guess government-granted humanity has been a point of tension for both—in Conqueror Worm, Hellboy quits the BPRD over how they treat another nonhuman agent as dangerous and disposable, and in Savage Sword of Dr. Dinosaur, the media circus around the missing WMDs includes a call to reclassify Robo as a weapon—but there's never a moment where losing human status is an actual threat. It's not like the "war on terror" has any trouble dehumanizing actual humans; and let's be honest, Hellboy has MUCH bigger problems on his hands. (Hand?)

That's something Alan has in common with Hellboy. "Does the government think you're a person?" kind of takes a back seat to "so are you going to end the world when you grow up?"

Robo's vamps are functionally just fast zombies while Hellboy gets the full package of classical vampire lore. Though they both have exceptions, Rex Cannon as a pretentious scheming science vampire and those Nazi experiments as mindless infected fantasy vampires.

Vampires are a pretty broad pulp category though and there are WAY wackier enemy similarities, like, both comics I mentioned last section end with a giant Worm-that-looks-like-a-caterpillar erupting out of the ground?

Every time I think about the overlap, particularly in the early volumes, I remember this (Q&A with Clevinger on somethingawful)

I don't know if this is funnier if he means the '04 or '08 movie, since Scott Wegener is doing such an obvious Mignola pastiche on the first couple issues. Like, was that resignation, or a "oh I just assumed we were on the same page about that" moment. Also, interesting to cite Shadow from Beyond Time as the point of divergence from Hellboy, since that's the most Lovecraft that Atomic Robo has ever gotten. But I'd say the same thing. Maybe the similar enemy makes the differing approach that much more obvious.

Right, this question was about vampires. Pour one out for every Hellboy enemy with a world-takeover plan who got interrupted by Rasputin's Kaiju Ragnarok Hell World Extravaganza. You know, it really takes guts to end your world and mean it.

I like it a lot!

I'm not 100% sure what "genuine" means to you. "Authentic" in style? The Lobster and Jack Tarot are such direct homages that I'd only have a miniseries' worth of interest in them alone before I hit the "why am I not reading an actual period comic, again?" point. But they're quite fun as archetypes of genre history for our main character to look up to.

(I almost said "to have as a role model", but maybe not. The Lobster and Jack Tarot are definitely played as shooting in the face first, asking questions never.)

To extend their adventures to the modern day, the Hellboy/Atomic Robo/Tom Strong style of neo-pulp protagonist ends up a bit super-human. (Really, they're just continuing the pulp tradition of constantly surviving things that should definitely kill a normal person.) But they avoid the kiiinda condescending attitude some superhero authors have towards unpowered pulp-homage mentors, maybe because they're inheriting not just an aesthetic or idealized sense of justice, but the whole adventure philosophy. Their new abilities aren't here to make the old guard obsolete.

Not that they don't get a bit of genre shock. Lobster Johnson the proto-superhero dies trying to stop a crazy Lovecraft fantasy Nazi scheme—but death in the world of Hellboy is not as simple as "failure", and becomes a part of the fantasy-horror landscape himself when he helps out Abe in the 21st century. Jack Tarot the crime-fighter spends an embarrassed climax scene tied up and dumbfounded by the sci-fi nonsense he stumbled into, but Helen picks up right where he left off. Actually, Robo's world is friendly to a number of genre heroes—the Sparrow, the She-Devils, and the Science Team Super Five.

Maybe by "genuine" you meant "real in-world"? In that case, I actually like that they play both sides. A bit of the pulp magic is stored in the medium and the funny ways that kids latch onto fiction before they know how to sort it out from reality.

I also appreciate that the net is thrown wider than just comics: Hellboy reads pulp periodicals and was in a crappy B movie once (though that's not exactly a happy memory), while Robo as a 1920s kid is into radio plays. (I wonder how he feels about the rise of podcasts?)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don't think my brain really reads things "out loud". I can say if a voice sounds wrong to me, but I never know what's right until I hear it. I can at least say that pre-WWII Robo has a more boyish golly-gee-willikers tone in my head.

Weird side note, but half this post has been weird side notes so I might as well say it: I found the Atomic Robo Nuts and Bolts podcast and was not prepared for what either artist or writer sounded like. Based on online presence alone (and, okay, maybe my personal stereotypes of comic writers vs artists) I would have guessed they were the other way around entirely. Even knowing now, Martin and Louis still don't have "voices" in my head!

[mightyflamethrower]

A robotic malfunction at Tesla’s Giga Texas factory resulted in a violent encounter where an engineer was attacked by one of the company’s robots, resulting in significant injuries and leaving a ‘trail of blood.’

According to the Daily Mail, while working on software programming for non-functional Tesla robots, the engineer was suddenly pinned against a surface by a robot tasked with manipulating aluminum car components, with its metal claws inflicted an injury that left an ‘open wound’ on the worker’s left hand.

“Two of the robots, which cut car parts from freshly cast pieces of aluminum, were disabled so the engineer and his teammates could safely work on the machines. A third one, which grabbed and moved the car parts, was inadvertently left operational, according to two people who watched it happen. As that robot ran through its normal motions, it pinned the engineer against a surface, pushing its claws into his body and drawing blood from his back and his arm, the two people said,” The Information reported.

Quick action was taken by Tesla workers who intervened and triggered the emergency shutdown button to halt the malfunctioning robot and prevent further injury to the engineer.

This incident came to light through a 2021 injury report filed to Travis County and federal regulators, which Daily Mail reviewed. Tesla is legally required to report such incidents to ensure the continuation of state-provided tax incentives.

Despite claims by Tesla that the engineer did not require time off following the event, an attorney representing the factory’s contract laborers suggests otherwise. Evidence hints at possible underreporting of workplace accidents, casting doubt on the official records.

Daily Mail reported:

The injury report, which Tesla must submit to authorities by law to maintain its lucrative tax breaks in Texas, claimed the engineer did not require time off of work. But one attorney who represents Tesla’s Giga Texas contract workers has told DailyMail.com she believes, based on her conversations with workers there, that the amount of injuries suffered at the factory is going underreported. This underreporting, the attorney said, even included the September 28, 2021 death of a construction worker, who had been contracted to help build the factory itself. ‘My advice would be to read that report with a grain of salt,’ the attorney, Hannah Alexander of the nonprofit Workers Defense Project, told DailyMail.com. ‘We’ve had multiple workers who were injured,’ Alexander said, ‘and one worker who died, whose injuries or death are not in these reports that Tesla is supposed to be accurately completing and submitting to the county in order to get tax incentives.’

Elon Musk has yet to issue a formal statement in response to these allegations.

Just recently, Tesla revealed the second generation of its humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2.

Optimus Gen 2 stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches and weighs in at a light 121 pounds, shedding 22 pounds from the first model. It’s not just its frame that’s been upgraded; this robot can reach speeds up to 5 mph, which is a substantial 30% increase in velocity.

[unpluggedfinancial]

Understanding Bitcoin: A Deep Dive

Introduction

Bitcoin has become a buzzword in the financial world, often hailed as the future of money. But what exactly is Bitcoin, and why should you care? This post aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Bitcoin, its origins, how it works, its advantages and challenges, and its role in the current and future financial landscape.

History of Bitcoin

Bitcoin was introduced in 2008 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto through a whitepaper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System." The first Bitcoin transaction occurred in 2009, marking the birth of the first decentralized cryptocurrency. Early adopters were primarily tech enthusiasts and libertarians, who saw Bitcoin as a revolutionary way to conduct transactions without relying on traditional financial institutions.

How Bitcoin Works

Bitcoin operates on a technology called blockchain, a decentralized ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers. Here's a simplified breakdown:

Blockchain Technology: The blockchain is a public ledger that records every Bitcoin transaction ever made. It is maintained by a network of nodes (computers) that validate and record transactions.

Mining: New Bitcoins are created through a process called mining, where powerful computers solve complex mathematical problems. Miners are rewarded with newly created Bitcoins for their efforts. Mining involves solving cryptographic puzzles, which ensures the security and integrity of the blockchain. This process is energy-intensive and requires significant computational power.

Supply Cap: Bitcoin has a fixed supply cap of 21 million coins, meaning that no more than 21 million Bitcoins will ever be created. This scarcity is designed to increase the value of Bitcoin over time as demand grows.

Halving: Approximately every four years, the reward for mining new blocks is halved, an event known as "halving." This reduces the rate at which new Bitcoins are created, further ensuring scarcity. The most recent halving occurred on April 19, 2024, reducing the block reward from 6.25 to 3.125 Bitcoins.

Advantages of Bitcoin

Decentralization: Bitcoin is not controlled by any single entity, making it resistant to censorship and interference.

Security: The cryptographic nature of Bitcoin provides a high level of security, making it difficult to counterfeit or double-spend.

Financial Inclusion: Bitcoin provides access to financial services for the unbanked and underbanked populations, particularly in regions with unstable financial systems.

Challenges and Criticisms

Volatility: Bitcoin's price is highly volatile, making it a risky investment and a challenging medium of exchange for everyday transactions.

Regulatory Concerns: Governments and regulatory bodies are still grappling with how to regulate Bitcoin, leading to uncertainty and potential legal issues.

Environmental Impact: Bitcoin mining consumes a significant amount of energy, raising concerns about its environmental footprint.

Current Financial Landscape

Bitcoin has come a long way since its inception, gaining acceptance from businesses and institutions worldwide. It is often compared to traditional fiat currencies, with debates focusing on its potential to replace or complement existing financial systems. Major companies like Tesla and Square have invested in Bitcoin, while countries like El Salvador have adopted it as legal tender.

Future of Bitcoin

The future of Bitcoin is a topic of much speculation. Some see it becoming a mainstream currency, while others believe it will remain a niche asset. Technological advancements, such as the Lightning Network, aim to improve Bitcoin's scalability and transaction speed. As the world moves towards digital finance, Bitcoin's role will likely continue to evolve.

Conclusion

Bitcoin represents a groundbreaking innovation in the world of finance. Its decentralized nature, security features, and potential for financial inclusion make it a significant player in the current and future financial landscape. However, challenges like volatility, regulatory concerns, and environmental impact cannot be overlooked. Understanding Bitcoin is crucial for anyone interested in the future of money.

Additional Resources

Further Reading:

"Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" by Satoshi Nakamoto

"The Bitcoin Standard" by Saifedean Ammous

Videos and Documentaries:

"Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It"

"Banking on Bitcoin"

Influential Voices in the Bitcoin Community:

Andreas M. Antonopoulos

Michael Saylor

Caitlin Long