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mostlysignssomeportents · 3 months

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Cleantech has an enshittification problem

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

EVs won't save the planet. Ultimately, the material bill for billions of individual vehicles and the unavoidable geometry of more cars-more traffic-more roads-greater distances-more cars dictate that the future of our cities and planet requires public transit – lots of it.

But no matter how much public transit we install, there's always going to be some personal vehicles on the road, and not just bikes, ebikes and scooters. Between deliveries, accessibility, and stubbornly low-density regions, there's going to be a lot of cars, vans and trucks on the road for the foreseeable future, and these should be electric.

Beyond that irreducible minimum of personal vehicles, there's the fact that individuals can't install their own public transit system; in places that lack the political will or means to create working transit, EVs are a way for people to significantly reduce their personal emissions.

In policy circles, EV adoption is treated as a logistical and financial issue, so governments have focused on making EVs affordable and increasing the density of charging stations. As an EV owner, I can affirm that affordability and logistics were important concerns when we were shopping for a car.

But there's a third EV problem that is almost entirely off policy radar: enshittification.

An EV is a rolling computer in a fancy case with a squishy person inside of it. While this can sound scary, there are lots of cool implications for this. For example, your EV could download your local power company's tariff schedule and preferentially charge itself when the rates are lowest; they could also coordinate with the utility to reduce charging when loads are peaking. You can start them with your phone. Your repair technician can run extensive remote diagnostics on them and help you solve many problems from the road. New features can be delivered over the air.

That's just for starters, but there's so much more in the future. After all, the signal virtue of a digital computer is its flexibility. The only computer we know how to make is the Turing complete, universal, Von Neumann machine, which can run every valid program. If a feature is computationally tractable – from automated parallel parking to advanced collision prevention – it can run on a car.

The problem is that this digital flexibility presents a moral hazard to EV manufacturers. EVs are designed to make any kind of unauthorized, owner-selected modification into an IP rights violation ("IP" in this case is "any law that lets me control the conduct of my customers or competitors"):

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

EVs are also designed so that the manufacturer can unilaterally exert control over them or alter their operation. EVs – even more than conventional vehicles – are designed to be remotely killswitched in order to help manufacturers and dealers pressure people into paying their car notes on time:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Manufacturers can reach into your car and change how much of your battery you can access:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

They can lock your car and have it send its location to a repo man, then greet him by blinking its lights, honking its horn, and pulling out of its parking space:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/03/18/tesla-allegedly-remotely-unlocks-model-3-owners-car-uses-smart-summon-to-help-repo-agent/

And of course, they can detect when you've asked independent mechanic to service your car and then punish you by degrading its functionality:

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2024/06/26/two-of-eight-claims-in-tesla-anti-trust-lawsuit-will-move-forward/

This is "twiddling" – unilaterally and irreversibly altering the functionality of a product or service, secure in the knowledge that IP law will prevent anyone from twiddling back by restoring the gadget to a preferred configuration:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

The thing is, for an EV, twiddling is the best case scenario. As bad as it is for the company that made your EV to change how it works whenever they feel like picking your pocket, that's infinitely preferable to the manufacturer going bankrupt and bricking your car.

That's what just happened to owners of Fisker EVs, cars that cost $40-70k. Cars are long-term purchases. An EV should last 12-20 years, or even longer if you pay to swap the battery pack. Fisker was founded in 2016 and shipped its first Ocean SUV in 2023. The company is now bankrupt:

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker called its vehicles "software-based cars" and they weren't kidding. Without continuous software updates and server access, those Fisker Ocean SUVs are turning into bricks. What's more, the company designed the car from the ground up to make any kind of independent service and support into a felony, by wrapping the whole thing in overlapping layers of IP. That means that no one can step in with a module that jailbreaks the Fisker and drops in an alternative firmware that will keep the fleet rolling.

This is the third EV risk – not just finance, not just charger infrastructure, but the possibility that any whizzy, cool new EV company will go bust and brick your $70k cleantech investment, irreversibly transforming your car into 5,500 lb worth of e-waste.

This confers a huge advantage onto the big automakers like VW, Kia, Ford, etc. Tesla gets a pass, too, because it achieved critical mass before people started to wise up to the risk of twiddling and bricking. If you're making a serious investment in a product you expect to use for 20 years, are you really gonna buy it from a two-year old startup with six months' capital in the bank?

The incumbency advantage here means that the big automakers won't have any reason to sink a lot of money into R&D, because they won't have to worry about hungry startups with cool new ideas eating their lunches. They can maintain the cozy cartel that has seen cars stagnate for decades, with the majority of "innovation" taking the form of shitty, extractive and ill-starred ideas like touchscreen controls and an accelerator pedal that you have to rent by the month:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/23474969/mercedes-car-subscription-faster-acceleration-feature-price

Put that way, it's clear that this isn't an EV problem, it's a cleantech problem. Cleantech has all the problems of EVs: it requires a large capital expenditure, it will be "smart," and it is expected to last for decades. That's rooftop solar, heat-pumps, smart thermostat sensor arrays, and home storage batteries.

And just as with EVs, policymakers have focused on infrastructure and affordability without paying any attention to the enshittification risks. Your rooftop solar will likely be controlled via a Solaredge box – a terrible technology that stops working if it can't reach the internet for a protracted period (that's right, your home solar stops working if the grid fails!).

I found this out the hard way during the covid lockdowns, when Solaredge terminated its 3G cellular contract and notified me that I would have to replace the modem in my system or it would stop working. This was at the height of the supply-chain crisis and there was a long waiting list for any replacement modems, with wifi cards (that used your home internet rather than a cellular connection) completely sold out for most of a year.

There are good reasons to connect rooftop solar arrays to the internet – it's not just so that Solaredge can enshittify my service. Solar arrays that coordinate with the grid can make it much easier and safer to manage a grid that was designed for centralized power production and is being retrofitted for distributed generation, one roof at a time.

But when the imperatives of extraction and efficiency go to war, extraction always wins. After all, the Solaredge system is already in place and solar installers are largely ignorant of, and indifferent to, the reasons that a homeowner might want to directly control and monitor their system via local controls that don't roundtrip through the cloud.

Somewhere in the hindbrain of any prospective solar purchaser is the experience with bricked and enshittified "smart" gadgets, and the knowledge that anything they buy from a cool startup with lots of great ideas for improving production, monitoring, and/or costs poses the risk of having your 20 year investment bricked after just a few years – and, thanks to the extractive imperative, no one will be able to step in and restore your ex-solar array to good working order.

I make the majority of my living from books, which means that my pay is very "lumpy" – I get large sums when I publish a book and very little in between. For many years, I've used these payments to make big purchases, rather than financing them over long periods where I can't predict my income. We've used my book payments to put in solar, then an induction stove, then a battery. We used one to buy out the lease on our EV. And just a month ago, we used the money from my upcoming Enshittification book to put in a heat pump (with enough left over to pay for a pair of long-overdue cataract surgeries, scheduled for the fall).

When we started shopping for heat pumps, it was clear that this was a very exciting sector. First of all, heat pumps are kind of magic, so efficient and effective it's almost surreal. But beyond the basic tech – which has been around since the late 1940s – there is a vast ferment of cool digital features coming from exciting and innovative startups.

By nature, I'm the kid of person who likes these digital features. I started out as a computer programmer, and while I haven't written production code since the previous millennium, I've been in and around the tech industry for my whole adult life. But when it came time to buy a heat-pump – an investment that I expected to last for 20 years or more – there was no way I was going to buy one of these cool new digitally enhanced pumps, no matter how much the reviewers loved them. Sure, they'd work well, but it's precisely because I'm so knowledgeable about high tech that I could see that they would fail very, very badly.

You may think EVs are bullshit, and they are – though there will always be room for some personal vehicles, and it's better for people in transit deserts to drive EVs than gas-guzzlers. You may think rooftop solar is a dead-end and be all-in on utility scale solar (I think we need both, especially given the grid-disrupting extreme climate events on our horizon). But there's still a wide range of cleantech – induction tops, heat pumps, smart thermostats – that are capital intensive, have a long duty cycle, and have good reasons to be digitized and networked.

Take home storage batteries: your utility can push its rate card to your battery every time they change their prices, and your battery can use that information to decide when to let your house tap into the grid, and when to switch over to powering your home with the solar you've stored up during the day. This is a very old and proven pattern in tech: the old Fidonet BBS network used a version of this, with each BBS timing its calls to other nodes to coincide with the cheapest long-distance rates, so that messages for distant systems could be passed on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FidoNet

Cleantech is a very dynamic sector, even if its triumphs are largely unheralded. There's a quiet revolution underway in generation, storage and transmission of renewable power, and a complimentary revolution in power-consumption in vehicles and homes:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/12/s-curve/#anything-that-cant-go-on-forever-eventually-stops

But cleantech is too important to leave to the incumbents, who are addicted to enshittification and planned obsolescence. These giant, financialized firms lack the discipline and culture to make products that have the features – and cost savings – to make them appealing to the very wide range of buyers who must transition as soon as possible, for the sake of the very planet.

It's not enough for our policymakers to focus on financing and infrastructure barriers to cleantech adoption. We also need a policy-level response to enshittification.

Ideally, every cleantech device would be designed so that it was impossible to enshittify – which would also make it impossible to brick:

Based on free software (best), or with source code escrowed with a trustee who must release the code if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

All patents in a royalty-free patent-pool (best); or in a trust that will release them into a royalty-free pool if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

No parts-pairing or other DRM permitted (best); or with parts-pairing utilities available to all parties on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best);

All diagnostic and error codes in the public domain, with all codes in the clear within the device (best); or with decoding utilities available on demand to all comers on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best).

There's an obvious business objection to this: it will reduce investment in innovative cleantech because investors will perceive these restrictions as limits on the expected profits of their portfolio companies. It's true: these measures are designed to prevent rent-extraction and other enshittificatory practices by cleantech companies, and to the extent that investors are counting on enshittification rents, this might prevent them from investing.

But that has to be balanced against the way that a general prohibition on enshittificatory practices will inspire consumer confidence in innovative and novel cleantech products, because buyers will know that their investments will be protected over the whole expected lifespan of the product, even if the startup goes bust (nearly every startup goes bust). These measures mean that a company with a cool product will have a much larger customer-base to sell to. Those additional sales more than offset the loss of expected revenue from cheating and screwing your customers by twiddling them to death.

There's also an obvious legal objection to this: creating these policies will require a huge amount of action from Congress and the executive branch, a whole whack of new rules and laws to make them happen, and each will attract court-challenges.

That's also true, though it shouldn't stop us from trying to get legal reforms. As a matter of public policy, it's terrible and fucked up that companies can enshittify the things we buy and leave us with no remedy.

However, we don't have to wait for legal reform to make this work. We can take a shortcut with procurement – the things governments buy with public money. The feds, the states and localities buy a lot of cleantech: for public facilities, for public housing, for public use. Prudent public policy dictates that governments should refuse to buy any tech unless it is designed to be enshittification-resistant.

This is an old and honorable tradition in policymaking. Lincoln insisted that the rifles he bought for the Union Army come with interoperable tooling and ammo, for obvious reasons. No one wants to be the Commander in Chief who shows up on the battlefield and says, "Sorry, boys, war's postponed, our sole supplier decided to stop making ammunition."

By creating a market for enshittification-proof cleantech, governments can ensure that the public always has the option of buying an EV that can't be bricked even if the maker goes bust, a heat-pump whose digital features can be replaced or maintained by a third party of your choosing, a solar controller that coordinates with the grid in ways that serve their owners – not the manufacturers' shareholders.

We're going to have to change a lot to survive the coming years. Sure, there's a lot of scary ways that things can go wrong, but there's plenty about our world that should change, and plenty of ways those changes could be for the better. It's not enough for policymakers to focus on ensuring that we can afford to buy whatever badly thought-through, extractive tech the biggest companies want to foist on us – we also need a focus on making cleantech fit for purpose, truly smart, reliable and resilient.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

Image: 臺灣古寫真上色 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raid_on_Kagi_City_1945.jpg

Grendelkhan (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ground_mounted_solar_panels.gk.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

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scentedpeachlandcreator · 8 months

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DON'T EVER SETTLE FOR LESS!

So here's a quick story that happened to me that made me realize that i shouldn't settle for less when manifesting my desire.

QUICK KINDA SUCCESS STORY:

Last year, i decided to manifest a phone since i haven't had one. I wanted an iPhone 14 pro max, so i decided the color, the model and the storage, so i started affirming and persisting that i have an iPhone 14 pro max. Still, the thing is that i thought “hmm…i don't think i deserve this phone it too expensive and i can't afford it” that THE MISTAKE I MADE because i thought that i didn’t deserve it or it was too impossible to have. Still, the good thing is that it made my strict parents agreeing on buying me a phone (they were really against it lol) but i ended up with an oppo, i wasn’t satisfied with what i got, i haven’t got what i wanted because of my stupid limiting beliefs. and the second mistake is that i kept switching between affirming for an phone 14 and another phone, which confused my subconscious for sure.

ᘏ so what i’m trying to say is that no matter what don’t ever settle for less because you think it impossible to have or it is too illogical, you deserve everything and more.

‹ ᪤︎💭 𖥦 and these are the post that opened my eyes and made me understand what i meant:

★I hope y’all understand that you deserve manifesting a billion-dollar mansion, a Tesla or Mercedes car, an expensive setup, to become a millionaire, a famous influencer, and many more, this also includes manifesting illogical supernatural things.

Remember :

YOU'RE LIMITLESS!

and

FUCK THE 3D, THE IMAGINATION MATTERS.

so happy manifesting!

#loa #how to manifest #law of assumption #law of manifestation #void state #loa success #loa assumptions #loa tumblr

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hamdank77 · 26 days

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The Ultimate Guide to Electric Cars: Best Choices, Affordable Options, and Everything You Need to Know

Top Picks for Electric Vehicles in 2024

A number of variables need to be taken into account while selecting the best electric car, including performance, design, technology, and range. Here are some of the standout models for 2024:

1. Tesla Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid is a benchmark in the electric car market. With a range of over 390 miles and a 0-60 mph time of just 1.99 seconds, it sets the standard for luxury and performance in the EV segment.

Range: 390+ miles

Top Speed: 200 mph

Key Features: Autopilot, Full Self-Driving capability, 1,020 horsepower

2. Lucid Air

The Lucid Air is a luxury electric sedan that combines futuristic design with remarkable performance. With a range of up to 520 miles, it currently offers the longest range of any EV on the market.

Range: Up to 520 miles

Top Speed: 168 mph

Key Features: Lucid DreamDrive, spacious interior, 1,111 horsepower in the Dream Edition

3. Porsche Taycan

For those seeking a sports car experience, the Porsche Taycan delivers with its iconic handling and design. Available in several variants, the Taycan offers an exhilarating driving experience with rapid acceleration.

Range: Up to 256 miles

Top Speed: 161 mph

Key Features: Porsche Electric Sport Sound, 800-volt architecture, advanced regenerative braking

Cheapest Electric Cars: Affordable EV Options

Electric cars are becoming increasingly affordable, making them accessible to a broader audience. Here are some of the best budget-friendly electric cars:

1. Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is one of the most popular and affordable electric cars on the market. It’s ideal for city driving and offers a solid range for daily commutes.

Range: Up to 149 miles

Starting Price: ,800

Key Features: ProPILOT Assist, e-Pedal, affordable maintenance costs

2. Chevrolet Bolt EV

The Chevrolet Bolt EV is a compact electric car that offers a surprising amount of range and features for its price point.

Range: Up to 259 miles

Starting Price: ,000

Key Features: DC fast charging capability, roomy interior, high safety ratings

3. Hyundai Kona Electric

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a subcompact SUV that blends affordability with functionality, offering an impressive range for its class.

Range: Up to 258 miles

Starting Price: ,000

Key Features: 8-inch touchscreen, regenerative braking, adaptive cruise control

Best Electric SUVs: Top Performers in the SUV Segment

SUVs remain one of the most popular vehicle types, and the electric SUV segment is growing rapidly. Here are the best electric SUVs to consider:

1. Tesla Model Y

The Tesla Model Y is a versatile electric SUV that combines the performance and technology of the Model 3 with more cargo space and an elevated driving position.

Range: Up to 330 miles

Top Speed: 135 mph

Key Features: Dual motor all-wheel drive, panoramic glass roof, Autopilot

2. Ford Mustang Mach-E

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a bold new entry into the electric SUV market, blending the iconic Mustang design with modern electric performance.

Range: Up to 300 miles

Top Speed: 124 mph

Key Features: Ford Co-Pilot360, 15.5-inch touchscreen, Mustang-inspired design

3. Audi e-tron

The Audi e-tron is a premium electric SUV that offers a luxurious interior and smooth, quiet driving experience.

Range: Up to 222 miles

Top Speed: 124 mph

Key Features: Quattro all-wheel drive, Virtual Cockpit, adaptive air suspension

Electric Cars for Sale: Where to Find the Best Deals

Finding the right electric car at the best price requires a bit of research. Here are some top places to look for electric cars for sale:

1. Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Programs

Many automakers offer certified pre-owned programs for their electric vehicles. These programs typically include a thorough inspection and warranty coverage, making them an excellent choice for budget-conscious buyers.

2. Online Marketplaces

Websites like Autotrader, Cars.com, and Carvana offer a wide selection of new and used electric vehicles. These platforms allow you to compare prices, read reviews, and even purchase vehicles online.

3. Dealerships

Local dealerships often have a selection of electric cars, especially in areas where EVs are more popular. Visiting a dealership allows you to test drive the vehicle and speak with a salesperson about available incentives.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Powering Your EV

One of the most critical aspects of owning an electric car is understanding how and where to charge it. Electric vehicle charging stations are becoming more prevalent, but it’s essential to know the types and locations of these stations.

1. Types of Charging Stations

Level 1 Charging: Uses a standard 120-volt outlet. It’s the slowest option, providing about 2-5 miles of range per hour of charging.

Level 2 Charging: Requires a 240-volt outlet, similar to what is used for large appliances like dryers. It provides about 10-60 miles of range per hour.

DC Fast Charging: These stations provide the fastest charge, delivering 60-100 miles of range in about 20 minutes.

2. Finding Charging Stations

Apps like PlugShare, ChargePoint, and Tesla’s own Supercharger network can help you locate charging stations near you. Many modern EVs also have built-in navigation systems that display nearby charging stations.

3. Home Charging Solutions

Installing a home charging station is a convenient option for many EV owners. Level 2 home chargers are the most popular and can be installed in your garage or driveway, allowing you to charge your vehicle overnight.

Electric Vehicles' Future

With developments in battery technology, autonomous driving features, and sustainable materials, the electric vehicle market is growing quickly.

1. Technology of Batteries

Electric vehicle (EV) range, charging times, and overall efficiency may all be significantly increased by further research into solid-state batteries and other cutting-edge technology.

2. Self-Driving Cars

Automakers are making significant investments in autonomous driving technology. The prospect of autonomous vehicles is growing because to initiatives like Tesla's Full Self-Driving Package and other comparable technologies.

3. Ecological viability

There is a growing emphasis on recycling materials and lowering the carbon footprint of manufacturing processes in the creation of electric vehicles, making the process more sustainable. Manufacturers who are spearheading the development of more environmentally friendly production techniques are Tesla and Rivian.

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iamrupalihere · 2 months

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The Evolution of Automobiles: A Journey Through Time

Introduction

The history of automobiles is a fascinating tale of innovation, determination, and human ingenuity. From the earliest steam-powered contraptions to the sleek electric vehicles of today, cars have shaped our lives, economies, and landscapes. Let’s embark on a journey through time to explore the milestones, inventors, and revolutions that define the world of automobiles.

1. The Pioneers

a. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot and the Steam Carriage (1769)

In a small workshop in France, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first self-propelled vehicle. His steam-powered carriage, known as the “Fardier à vapeur,” could carry passengers and cargo. Although slow and cumbersome, it marked the birth of the automobile.

b. Karl Benz and the Benz Patent-Motorwagen (1886)

Fast-forward to the late 19th century. Karl Benz, a German engineer, unveiled the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. It was the first true automobile powered by an internal combustion engine running on gasoline. With three wheels, a single-cylinder engine, and a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph), the Motorwagen revolutionized transportation.

2. The Model T Era

a. Henry Ford and the Model T (1908)

Henry Ford’s vision was to make cars accessible to everyone. In 1908, he introduced the Model T, an affordable, mass-produced vehicle. The assembly line revolutionized manufacturing, and soon, millions of Model Ts rolled off the production line. The car became a symbol of progress and freedom.

3. The Roaring Twenties and Streamlined Designs

a. Art Deco and Streamlining

The 1920s witnessed a shift in car design. Art Deco influences brought elegance and symmetry to automobile aesthetics. Streamlining, inspired by aviation, emphasized sleek curves and aerodynamic shapes. Cars like the Chrysler Airflow and the Bugatti Type 57 exemplified this trend.

4. Post-War Boom and Muscle Cars

a. Post-World War II Boom

After World War II, car production soared. Families embraced sedans like the Chevrolet Bel Air and the Ford Fairlane. The 1950s saw tailfins, chrome, and optimism. Drive-in theaters and roadside diners became part of the American dream.

b. Muscle Cars and Horsepower Wars

The 1960s brought muscle cars—powerful, V8-engine beasts. The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Charger ruled the streets. The horsepower wars escalated, and drag racing became a cultural phenomenon.

5. Environmental Concerns and Innovations

a. Oil Crisis and Compact Cars

The 1970s oil crisis shifted priorities. Compact cars like the Volkswagen Beetle and Toyota Corolla gained popularity. Fuel efficiency and emissions control became critical.

b. Hybrid and Electric Cars

In the 21st century, environmental awareness led to hybrid and electric vehicles. The Toyota Prius pioneered hybrid technology, while Tesla’s electric cars redefined performance and sustainability.

6. The Road Ahead: Autonomous Vehicles and Beyond

a. Autonomous Driving

Self-driving cars are no longer science fiction. Companies like Waymo and Tesla are pushing the boundaries of autonomy. The future promises safer roads and shared mobility.

b. Sustainability and Beyond

As we move forward, sustainability remains paramount. Hydrogen fuel cells, solar-powered cars, and urban mobility solutions will shape the next chapters in automotive history.

Conclusion

From steam carriages to electric supercars, the automobile’s evolution mirrors our progress as a society. Each turn of the wheel brings new challenges, innovations, and dreams. So, fasten your seatbelt—we’re still on an exhilarating ride

#automobile #car #automotive #car insurance #vehicle #car care products #cars #monsoon #headlight

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astra-galaxie · 2 months

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😺💔🪢🌟😶💄❤️‍🔥🫂 for Derek Stone please

Derek Stone! (Or, as I have the habit of writing, Darek!) It's been a long time since I've focused on him, but he’s one of the first characters we meet in Pacific Bay, and I think he’s a well-written character!

That being said, let’s see what headcanons I have for him!

😺 An animal related headcanon

Derek’s favourite animal is sharks (though he'd never say that around Trevor Fin as he doesn't want the guy thinking that's an invitation to ramble to him about the creatures!). Living in Ocean Shore allows him to see sharks up close through cage dives. While he's not stupid enough to go out into the water while sharks are in it without the cage, Derek enjoys watching the predator of the sea prowl the water with only its dorsal fin visible.

💔 An angsty headcanon

Derek developed severe breathing problems following his time in The Wastes. Despite wearing a respirator and taking Tesla's anti-radiation pills, Derek didn't leave The Wastes unscathed. Now, he suffers from chronic asthma attacks and doctors suspect his breathing will continue to get worse and have deemed him high risk of developing lung cancer later in life due to the radiation exposure.

🪢 A headcanon about their family

His grandparents were immigrants from Romania on his father's side. His real name is Derek Dumitrescu, but he goes by Stone on the streets to protect his family. He might be mixed up in some bad crowds, but that doesn't mean he wants his family to be punished for his crimes!

(HC brought to you by the fact that Derek was initially named “Derek Dumitrescu” in a promo artwork before officially appearing as “Derek Stone” in the game.

🌟 A headcanon about their desires/wishes

Before his life of drugs and crime, Derek dreamed of being a professional race car driver. But he couldn't afford to become one, which led to him selling drugs to earn and save up money. This eventually led him to be introduced to street racing, and Derek quickly fell in love with the high-stakes sport. A part of him still wants to go professional one day, but for now, Derek enjoys the money he makes and the fancy cars he gets to ride without all the extra weight of protective equipment.

😶 A random headcanon

Derek loves neon lights and things that glow in the dark. It's why he's rarely seen without his glow stick necklace, even in the daylight. He's got several neon decorations around his house and even customized his car to have neon details and undercarriage lights. He also loves throwing black light parties and watching people’s clothes, accessories and makeup glow.

💄 An appearance headcanon

Derek pierced his own ear when he was a teenager. It was done as a dare during a party, and he has never been one to back down from a challenge. Thankfully, it didn't get infected, and Derek kept the pricing. He has more pricings on his body, but the ear one is the one he always has something in.

❤️‍🔥 A romantic headcanon

Derek used to have a girlfriend whom he was planning on proposing to. She was a local model who loved surfing in Ocean Shore and the only person Derek ever considered marrying. Sadly, she died due to an overdose after a rival dealer sold her and her friends a bad batch. Derek tried to save her, but she died in his arms before the paramedics arrived. After she died, Derek never let another person into his heart as much as he'd let her and stuck with one-night stands and casual relationships.

🫂 A friendship headcanon

Derek doesn't have many people he would actually call his friends. While he has people he parties with, street races with, and gets high with, that doesn't automatically make them his friends. Those whom Derek actually considers his friends are treated well and get special privileges, like riding in his cars or smoking and drinking from his private supply.

I hope I was able to do Derek justice with these headcanons and that you enjoyed them!

Thank you for the request!

#criminal case #criminal case pacific bay #derek stone #headcanons #ask

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awesome-casuallyfamouscollector · 1 year

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Overall, EV sales increased by 66% year over year in the 1st quarter, and they increased by 162% if you compare to the 1st quarter of 2021. In volume terms, that was growth of almost 100,000 units and more than 150,000 units, respectively.

What about the actual model leaders? Which models are shining amid the sales boom?

It will surprise no one that the Q1 sales chart is topped by a certain Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3. They have dominated US electric vehicle sales essentially since their arrival. The low-cost Chevy Bolt EV/EUV is a clear third(..)

#ev sales #very good news #ev adoption #affordable ev #Tesla Model Y #Tesla Model 3 #electric car #electric vehicle #USA #fossil fuel phase-out #russian defeat #trump's defeat

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anonymusbosch · 1 year

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have seen the "you really bought a tesla?" post a couple times now and it's another one of those things that I think people often have misconceptions about

1. the cheapest Tesla (model 3) was the world's bestselling electric car from 2018 to 2020, when it was ousted by the 2nd-cheapest Tesla (model Y). the model Y was the single best selling car in the world in the first quarter of 2023. they are very popular.

2. the cheapest Tesla is $40,240 new. with the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles, a price tag of $32,740 puts it on par with the Honda Odyssey minivan's base price or with slightly nicer trims of SUVs like the Subaru Outback or Toyota RAV4, and only about $100 more than a new Prius Prime. People in California may also qualify for an additional $2000-$5000 rebate for buying one, bringing the price down to $27,740 - just $1000 more than a new Toyota Camry.

3. the concerns about safety are often weighted against an incorrect baseline - so far, current data show that electric vehicles aren't more likely to catch fire in an accident than gas vehicles and are actually less likely to do so (but this is difficult to get solid data on. there's a bunch of articles reporting on a study by an insurance company showing a massive reduction in fire risk but the underlying data are highly suspicious).

4. the big point of distrust that I think is grounded: recalls. some of the 22 (22!) model 3 recalls are ~trivial, like "the driver's side sun visor may be missing the airbag warning sticker", but some are more serious, like "the airbags might not be correctly connected to the car." it seems like a lot of the issues have been addressed on the current (2023-2027) line, but the recurring problems with things ranging from minor software issues to pretty serious function issues are good cause for concern. None of the ones I've read about seem as severe as Toyota's "oops the accelerator gets stuck and your car can't stop moving forward" recall or Ford's "oops the engine explodes" recalls [plural], and even the worst ones are on par with things we've seen before especially from US automakers (glaring at Ford, GM, and Ford again). Ford and GM are both guilty of continuing to use known bad parts for >5 years with (in one case) thousands of fires and (in another) over a hundred deaths. moreover, GM's Bolt EV is under a 100% recall for the 2017-2022 model years for high fire risk and Ford recalled over 100,000 hybrids for fire risk - so is Tesla worse than GM or Ford? I don't know if I'd say that, but I'd really want a car I buy to live up to a higher standard.

in short, the most popular teslas by a huge margin are the two most affordable ones, which are fairly accessible to consumers (especially in California). the risk of a tesla exploding or catching on fire is not, as far as I can tell, higher than other cars (and it appears to be less likely per million miles traveled than some other EVs on the market). teslas still have a bunch of quality issues, and they still have some stupid design choices - but you can easily buy a shittier car for a lot more money, particularly an American-made one.

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rjzimmerman · 4 months

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Excerpt from this story from the New York Times:

Alex Lawrence, a dealer in Salt Lake City who specializes in used electric cars, has seen a change over the last year in the kinds of customers who are coming into his showroom. They used to be well-heeled professionals who could drop $70,000 on a Rivian luxury pickup truck.

Recently, Mr. Lawrence said, customers have been snapping up used Teslas for a little over $20,000, after applying a $4,000 federal tax credit.

“We’re seeing younger people,” Mr. Lawrence said. “We are seeing more blue-collar and entry-level white-collar people. The purchase price of the car has suddenly become in reach.”

Regarded by conservative politicians and other critics as playthings of the liberal elite, electric vehicles are fast becoming more accessible. Prices are falling because of increased competition, lower raw-material costs and more efficient manufacturing. Federal tax credits of up to $7,500 for new electric cars, often augmented by thousands of dollars in state incentives, push prices even lower.

At the same time, technology is improving quickly and making electric vehicles more practical. Cars that can travel more than 300 miles on a fully charged battery are becoming common, and charging times are dropping below 30 minutes. The number of fast chargers, which can top up a battery in less than half an hour, grew 36 percent from April 2023 to April 2024.

Carmakers including Tesla, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, the owner of Jeep, have announced plans for electric vehicles that would sell new for as little as $25,000.

“The E.V. market has hit an inflection point,” said Randy Parker, chief executive of Hyundai Motor America, which will begin producing electric vehicles at a factory in Georgia by the end of the year. “The early adopters have come. They’ve got their cars. Now you’re starting to see us transition to a mass market.”

#electric vehicles

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cerastes · 2 years

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AI is almost cool, but you're right. Right now the only way to actually make it worth your time is to have a small warehouse of machines working together to do anything and that is just way too privately owned and way too beneficial to an individual who obviously wants to use it for money.

If a library or museum had it and was running it on their collection that'd be an entirely different story. They'd probably be able to source their creations correctly too since they have that metadata in abundance. I wonder how Star Trek's holodecks handle that, since holodeck programming is pretty much the same thing as AI Prompt Based Generation.

Besides what I've already said about AI in regards to artistic integrity and how I do not trust techbros to harness any of this tech in any way that could prove altruistic and not aimed exclusively at making money and maybe even NFTs 2 - The Sequel, I do think it's important to point out that the technology behind it is amazing and the applications and implications of advancing AI technology are sincerely intriguing.

For example, with AI art, an animation team could easily and quickly produce in-between frames in key animation, that is, the transition frames and smear frames between more important shots. This would, if implemented properly, alleviate a significant load off the shoulders of animators, and we know animators can use all the help they can get nowadays, in an industry that becomes more and more demanding to its workforce and that is yet so immensely disrespected and underpaid.

An illustrator could also get a lot of reference for their own art. Anatomy, backgrounds, certain poses, objects at different angles, the applications really are there! A writer of a more visual disposition could easily generate a number of assets for internal, personal use only, to help visualize locales, characters, objects, and what have you. With a more specialized model, I believe even sculptors and other more hands-on and physical artforms could definitely benefit as well, especially when you consider the leaps and bounds in 3D printing.

My scathing criticism of AI 'artists' is one thing, because I do not for one second think of anyone as an artist by just putting in a prompt into an AI that then generates an image for them, and that will not change, you didn't create art, you simply used a tool, so don't call yourself an artist for that one, to whoever it may concern, but AI technology in itself is fascinating, and what frustrates me is not the fact that there's an AI that can make visuals easily -- that's honestly fascinating -- rather, it's the fact I do not at any point trust the tech industry to ever respect art in any capacity because they have a track record of not doing so, and the interest in creating an 'art AI' is wholly based on a thinly veiled desire to mass produce for the sake of raking in profits while -- and I insist, bear this in mind -- disguising it as an "accessible tool" that can make anyone an 'artist'.

We have to make sure we don't go durr hurr technology bad, Tesla was a witch, because it's easy to do so and I've seen some bad takes on that regard already, it's ultimately techbros and the tech industry that live on this hardlane bubble of "profit no matter what we destroy or defame". Most everything nowadays starts by techbros selling the ideal of "look how helpful this could be!" and getting a lot of attention on their product, and when it's ready for a stable release, they paygate it behind the kind of money only big private industries can afford, and fuck everyone else.

And hey, that's been a lot of the world of business for a long time, in many, many other regards, but if people expect artists not to make a fuss when techbros look at art and try that shit there, I have no idea what they expect. Which is wholly disrespectful, anyhow, because everyone loves art but hates artists for some reason. Not to sound like a cafe blog for a second, but I do need to point out that during the harshest parts of the pandemic, art is what people turned to in order to assuage themselves. I hope that knowledge stings whoever it may concern.

#zonebooth

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rou-en · 5 months

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lmfao the fuck are you on, a tesla is still very much a symbol of being rich as fuck. shut up and listen to actual poor people for a minute and maybe you'll gain some critical thinking skills. or maybe you'll just go back to being a bootlicker. who knows?

Oh wow another first - anon hate!

Also welcome, it’s very weird to be interacting with people on this hell site after so long, but hello!! To me this is all very hilarious to come about from just venting in tags about Watcher drama but I guess that’s this place for you eh?

I could just have not swiped and answered this one, and tbh I hesitated a bit on the first anon as well, but it does feel exhilarating to be speaking to the void and getting a voice back (any voice in fact!)

But first to this second anon (coz I’d guess from the tone that you’re not the first), I hope you’re doing alright in the real world - that as frustrated and angry as you might be about my take on Teslas (very much a shitty car), you are alright and safe,

Since I seem to have a captive audience (of at least two that I can tell of so far, how novel!), I guess let me soliloquy about thoughts on wealth and the complex nature sometimes of the whole “poor vs rich” dynamic, which is also a bit of why I even waded a little into responding to you amidst watcher drama,

Second anon, I recommend dl;dr (don’t like don’t read) -

I come from a generation where that’s what we did for things we didn’t like. For all I’ve said you’re a captive audience, you’re actually not (again, this is all very funny to me right now I can’t believe this is over ghoul boi drama still jfc) - one person’s opinion will always be just that, an opinion.

I think anon, we might be in different areas of the world, but at least where I live (please check prev tags on the post you were referring to, I’m also too internet-old not to hide in tags as much as I like) it’s become an increasingly common sight to see even soccer moms drive a Tesla, their bloody SUV model is the bane of my existence,

Does that mean everyone can afford them? No. Does it mean a middle-class family could afford them? If they wanted it enough, yes. Does it mean there still aren’t people suffering here from poverty in my part of the world? Sadly, no.

And therein lies an interesting problem (well at least to me as a former economics student) about signalling and truly knowing where in the whole class wars business you’re on, because it does make a difference if you ever have to figure out which rich to eat,

Is the 1% who get to fly on private chartered space flights and book out the whole of Disneyland for themselves (I’m looking at a shitty Amazon CEO there) the first to the guillotine? Oh yes.

But what about everyone else? Are we going to burn everyone who has multiple iPhones? God forbid anyone ever treats themselves to a seven-course degustation? Would not recommend, but I don’t think it guillotine-perfect, and I don’t think everyone that drives a Tesla where I am in the world can begin to count as that,

Those people live a daily life here, second anon, it’s so middle-class here it’s almost funny and why saying to me “Steven owns a Tesla” makes me shrug and go “would not recommend but you do you”,

I understand that can be different to you, because oh, turns out my own thoughts and circumstances can be very different to yours indeed.

Fun fact, I grew up first in a developing country, and had the privilege to move to a “first-world” country because my family was dedicated and sacrificed to make sure I could live the “better life” so to speak,

So I know there’s an inequality in the world when an exchange rate could mean the difference between something being a “rich” vs “normal” thing - I buy a Switch here for about 450 bucks (I saved and then got it on sale) as an achievable treat; for my sister who still lives in my home country, it’s almost two grand and definitely ridiculous to spend on for any normal family,

On one level, where is the fairness in that? But I live with it, and I have to choose some treats or if not what’s the point in life,

What does this all mean in the face of the original ghoul boys/watcher drama that’s occurring now? If anyone has read this for long enough is probably wondering at this point,

(I hope you’re both with me still my two anons, I’ll cherish this even if nothing else ever happens to me on this hell site)

I guess I wanted to try and say: life is complicated, and everyone makes complicated decisions, even your favourite comfort YouTubers,

It means I can only see the exacting vitriol at Steven for liking nice things but not Shane for also liking nice things and wonder whether people are barking up the wrong trees, very racist trees in fact,

It means that I keep thinking of shitposts about when the time comes, we’d likely just start offing our neighbours for being “rich” then anyone actually rich, because we seem to not understand the difference between nice things and things no nice person should have (holding also the complicated element of environment and geopolitics to account),

In the process of writing my first response to anon #1, I did have a moment where I wondered, “what if the Watcher boys did think about this? What if they did have some level of number crunching and still looked into their souls and decided that it wasn’t what they wanted? That they knew they could keep doing what they’re doing now and be financially stable, or risk it because of what they believe?”

I and you or anyone can wonder, can or cannot understand, but I sure as hell wish the Watcher team the best of luck, and like you anon, their days will be safe, content and filled with nice things, because why else would I want anything else for anyone,

That’s my one opinion at least, take that as you will anon on the bootlicking quotient for that - if being someone that would just like us all to take a chill pill is being one, then meh - you’re welcome to your opinion too,

But thanks to anyone that’s somehow come to my Tedtalk that started with my random thoughts on Watcher drama and ended with me finding people are still around (it’s not just all bots huzzah!)

#watcher #seriously many firsts for me today for this hellsite #more than 10 years I’ve been here and I now have proof of life #also I’m sorry I don’t know how to do the read more function send help #also I do know they say not to respond to anon but it’s not every day you know

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