Category Archives: Elon Musk

But Muskism has earlier origins, too, including in Mr. Musks own biography. Much of Muskism is descended from the technocracy movement that flourished in North America in the 1930s and that had as a leader Mr. Musks grandfather Joshua N. Haldeman, an ardent anti-communist. Like Muskism, technocracy took its inspiration from science fiction and rested on the conviction that technology and engineering can solve all political, social and economic problems. Technocrats, as they called themselves, didnt trust democracy or politicians, capitalism or currency. Also, they objected to personal names: One technocrat was introduced at a rally as 1x1809x56. Elon Musks youngest son is named X A-12.

Mr. Musks grandfather, an adventurer, moved his family from Canada to South Africa in 1950, two years after the start of the apartheid regime. In the 1960s, South Africa recruited immigrants by billing itself as a lavish, sun-soaked, custom-made, whites-only paradise. Elon Musk was born in Pretoria in 1971. (To be clear, Elon Musk was a child of apartheid, not an author of it. He also left South Africa at 17 to avoid being conscripted into the military that enforced it.)

As a teenager, he read Douglas Adamss The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; he plans to name the first SpaceX rocket to Mars after the crucial spaceship in the story, the Heart of Gold. Hitchhikers Guide doesnt have a metaverse, but it does have a planet called Magrathea, whose inhabitants build an enormous computer to ask it a question about life, the universe and everything. After millions of years, it answers, Forty-two. Mr. Musk says that the book taught him that if you can properly phrase the question, then the answer is the easy part. But that is not the only lesson of Hitchhikers Guide, which also didnt start out as a book. Adams wrote it for BBC Radio 4, and, starting in 1978, it was broadcasted all over the world including to Pretoria.

Far back in the mists of ancient time, in the great and glorious days of the former galactic empire, life was wild, rich and, on the whole, tax-free, the narrator intones at the beginning of an early episode. Many men, of course, became extremely rich, but this was perfectly natural and nothing to be ashamed of because no one was really poor, at least, no one worth speaking of. Hitchhikers Guide, in other words, is an extended and very, very funny indictment of economic inequality, a science-fiction tradition that stretches all the way back to the dystopias of H.G. Wells, a socialist.

Early science fiction emerged during an era of imperialism: Stories about traveling to other worlds were generally stories about the British Empire. As Cecil Rhodes himself said, I would annex the planets if I could. The best early science fiction offered a critique of imperialism. Wells began his 1898 novel, War of the Worlds, in which Martians invade Earth, by remarking on British colonial expansion into Tasmania, writing that the Tasmanians, in spite of their human likeness, were entirely swept out of existence in a war of extermination waged by European immigrants, in the space of 50 years. Are we such apostles of mercy as to complain if the Martians warred in the same spirit? Wells wasnt justifying Martians; he was indicting the British.

Douglas Adams was to South Africa what H.G. Wells was to the British Empire. The U.N. General Assembly denounced apartheid as violating international law in 1973. Three years later, police officers opened fire on thousands of Black schoolchildren during a protest in Soweto, an atrocity extensively reported on by the BBC.

Adams wrote Hitchhikers Guide for the BBC in 1977. It takes particular aim at the mega-rich, with their privately owned rockets, establishing colonies on other planets. For these extremely rich merchants, life eventually became rather dull, and it seemed that none of the worlds they settled on was entirely satisfactory, the narrator says. Either the climate wasnt quite right in the later part of the afternoon or the day was half an hour too long or the sea was just the wrong shade of pink. And thus were created the conditions for a staggering new form of industry: custom-made, luxury planet building.

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Opinion | Elon Musk Is Building a Sci-Fi World, and the Rest of Us Are Trapped in It - The New York Times

Frank Rogers went to Teslas service center near the Dominion in 2018 and took his first-ever spin in an all-electric Model 3.

The thing that attracted me first was the technology, and when I got behind the wheel, it was the thrill of the ride, said Rogers, CEO of a small-business services firm. Its like being on a roller coaster, but you can control how fast you go.

A self-described computer geek, Rogers rushed home to buy one on the electric car makers website, carefully selecting the color, type of wheels, interior design and battery options.

Three months later, Rogers received his blue Model 3 with the 30-day temporary license plate tags at his home. A Tesla-contracted broker in the Dallas area helped him secure his registration and license plates.

We signed the documents sent to us and it was pretty much hands-off, he said. But it took about three more months to get the plates.

He had to return to Teslas far North Side service center three times to pick up new temporary license tags.

Earlier this year, his wife went online to buy a Tesla Model Y. But without a broker, Rogers said, it was a fiasco, with her driving to several drivers license branch locations to obtain plates. It was just not knowing where to go.

Rogers suspects Tesla buyers in Texas wouldnt experience such hassles if the automaker could sell its vehicles directly to consumers. But it cant. Texas law requires auto manufacturers to sell their cars, trucks and SUVs through franchised dealerships.

Texas customers must buy Tesla vehicles on the companys website and fill out paperwork through email.

Here, Tesla remains limited to operating showrooms and service centers, such as the Dominion location. Employees offer test drives out of these sleek, Apple Store-inspired storefronts, but they cant discuss pricing with potential car buyers or help with services most dealerships provide, like getting plates and registration.

If Tesla could have helped us out to figure out where to go it wouldve been easier, just like dealerships, Rogers said. But with Tesla not being able to sell in Texas, that was on us to do.

Selling directly to buyers over the internet is the heart of Teslas distribution model, and co-founder and CEO Elon Musk doesnt appear to be budging on that front.

And partnering with third-party dealerships is seemingly out of the question; in fact, Tesla has been trying to tear down franchise dealership laws across the country.

Though Tesla has managed to overturn such laws in other states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, it has repeatedly failed in Texas.

But Tesla may be playing a stronger hand in Texas than ever before. The company is building a $1.1 billion Cybertruck plant in Austin, and Musk announced Oct. 7 that its moving its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to the state capital.

Given the size of Teslas investment here in addition to the Texas operations of SpaceX, Musks other major venture will Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers finally consider upending the dealership law?

Tech entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning got Tesla rolling in 2003, with Musk largely bankrolling the company with part of the $180 million hed made from the 2002 sale of PayPal which he co-founded to Ebay. The idea was to start with a luxury all-electric roadster, perfect its carmaking skills and eventually sell less expensive electric vehicles to the masses.

Its succeeding. In its third quarter, Tesla sold a record-breaking 241,000 electric vehicles, despite tangles in its supply chain.

Yet traditional dealerships across the country and lawmakers who protect them are resisting Teslas direct-to-consumer push. Texas is one of nearly 25 states that either ban automakers from cutting dealerships out of the picture or put restrictions on manufacturers sales directly to their customers.

What were asking for from the Texas Legislature is really simple, Musk said in 2013 when Tesla first attempted to undo the franchise law. Let us sell our cars directly to the people of Texas like were able to do in most of the country.

The Texas Automobile Dealers Association fended off the bill that year and fought follow-up legislation in the past four sessions. The organization represents more than 1,200 dealerships across the state, many of whose owners are rich and politically connected in their communities.

This is really the perfect battle as these two interests collide, said Raji Srinivasan, an associate dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Looking to take emissions-free vehicles into the mainstream, Musk has introduced a disruptive technology to the traditional car model, she said. And its internet-driven sales system is as much a challenge to traditional dealerships as its sought-after electric vehicles are to major automakers.

April Ancira, chairwoman of both the Texas and San Antonio auto dealer associations, testified against Tesla-backed bills in the latest legislative session.

Its not that Tesla itself is so frightening, she said. Its just that we would hate to see one thing cause the demise of the backbone of America: family-owned, midsized businesses that are engaged in their communities and are great for their consumers considering the competitive pricing.

As the vice president of the Ancira Auto Group in San Antonio, Ancira said she supports Teslas plan to move its headquarters to Texas. But she said shes baffled by the companys decision to forgo the franchise model, in which automakers can use dealerships to have a mass distribution point without having to put up all of the capital and all of the risk on it.

She wonders whether Musk would ever change his mind and partner with dealerships.

I dont know a dealer out there who wouldnt raise their hand, Ancira said. If he said lets do the dealership thing, Id say, Where do you want me to build?

State Sen. Jos Menndez said he has always been consistent on my opposition to changing the law for one manufacturer. In past legislative sessions, the San Antonio Democrat worked across the political aisle to prevent the Big Three automakers and now Tesla from killing the state dealership law.

I dont think Mr. Musk decided to move his headquarters to Texas because it was going to buy favor with legislators, Menndez said. Because if that was his thinking, hes wrong.

Neither Abbott nor Musk responded to requests for comment for this story. Tesla did not respond to questions as of press time, either.

Tesla has employed a plethora of lobbyists for nearly a decade trying to influence legislators, but theyve fallen short because the franchise dealership model is not broken, Menndez said.

He cited the economic benefits of local dealerships. San Antonios 78 dealers, he said, employ 8,700 workers who make an average annual salary of $69,000, with an overall payroll of $600 million.

With all due respect, Mr. Musk, the state of Texas has gone over 150 years just fine without having to accommodate you, he said. Im sure well do just fine if you choose not to play by the rules.

Menndez said he is a huge fan of the Tesla products and offered an olive branch, of sorts.

The day that Mr. Musk chooses to play by the rules that we have in Texas is the day that Ill look at purchasing a Model S, but not anytime before, he said.

Back at his San Antonio business, Frank Rogers said he expects lawmakers to continue icing out Tesla.

Its the Big Three that are keeping those other manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, he said. Its a union thing. Its a politics thing. Its nothing about how good the cars are and how much people like the cars.

Rogers said he could not imagine Musk partnering with a franchised dealership, since his whole philosophy is to move the world toward sustainable energy, and I dont think hed park his car alongside a gas-powered car.

Michael Danberry, president of the Tesla Owners Club of San Antonio, said the company-sanctioned group has garnered 246 members since forming last year. Other Tesla owners groups exist in Austin, Houston and North Texas.

After retiring from the Army, Danberry test-drove his first Tesla in Kansas City, Mo., in 2017.

The test drive is what will hook you, he said. It just goes. Theres no sound. No shifting. Its just a quiet go.

Danberry placed an online order from the Tesla showroom for a Model S. Two years later, he and his family had moved to Dripping Springs, just outside Austin, when his wife, Carla who also retired from the Army bought a Model X over the internet. She had the same hassles Frank Rogers and his wife experienced.

In Texas, they can show you a car and they can deliver the car, but they cant sell you the car, Danberry said.

The club president said he supports Teslas mission to create an entire sustainable energy ecosystem, adding: Tesla is more than a car company theyre a technology company.

Teslas have become a common sight on Texas roadways, particularly in metro areas which means the states dealership law hasnt stopped buyers like Danberry. But he worries that the law and similar ones in other states may hinder startup electric vehicle makers such as Rivian and Lucid, both based in California.

These new vehicle manufacturers dont want to follow the dealership model, he said. They shouldnt have to follow the dealership model.

Srinivasan, the UT professor, said lawmakers in various states, including Texas and Connecticut, have aligned with franchise dealers, which she described as traditional interests.

Still, she believes Texans someday will be able to legally buy Teslas directly from the company, saying, Its a question of time.

As for Ancira, she said she is 99 percent sure the law wont change in the next Legislature. But shes concerned about legislative sessions further out, as more dealer-friendly lawmakers such as state Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, retire.

You get put in the spot where you need to retell your story to ensure that theres no disconnect from one session to another and build those relationships on a continuous basis as those players begin to change, she said. Were concerned. But were trying to stay on top of this as best as we can.

eric.killelea@express-news.net

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Teslas Texas problem: The perfect battle between Elon Musk and Lone Star States auto dealers and the lawmakers who protect them - mySA

Elon Musks wealth is epic, and this week Forbes identified him as the first person worth more than $300 billion. But he isnt giving most of it away to a single cause, contrary to recent social media posts.

A viral Instagram post says, "Elon Musk to donate $250 billion for reparations to African Americans in U.S."

The post, which appears as a video scrolling through what looks like the top of an internet news story, was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

But this claim originated on a site called Viral Cocaine, where the "about us" section says that it is "a satirical news blog about everything hip hop, celebrities and urban folklore, because who wants to hear the truth when a lie is more entertaining."

On the website, the original story about Musk is marked as satire, though that label is not visible on the Instagram post.

We could not locate any information that indicates Musk has made or will make a donation for reparations, or any single donation larger than $100 million. In response to a challenge from a United Nations official, Musk hinted that he would be willing to donate $6 billion to combat world hunger but has not committed to it.

The Viral Cocaine story includes fabricated quotes that are attributed to people including "Dragon Master Adolph White of the North Carolina Chapter of the Klu Klux Klan," and "Antwan Morehouse of the Atlanta Division of the newly reformed Black Panther Party." We could not locate any record of real people with those names or titles.

The story also falsely states that Musk is worth nearly $1 trillion. He is worth $306.4 billion as of Nov. 2, according to Forbes.

We rate this claim Pants on Fire!

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Elon Musk is not donating the majority of his wealth for reparations - PolitiFact

Elon Musk doesnt think visionaries like him should pay taxes the way little people do. After all, why hand over his money to dull bureaucrats? Theyll just squander it on pedestrian schemes like bailing out Tesla at a crucial point in its development. Musk has his sights set on more important things, like getting humanity to Mars to preserve the light of consciousness.

Billionaires, you see, tend to be surrounded by people who tell them how wonderful they are and would never, ever suggest that theyre making fools of themselves.

But dont you dare make fun of Musk. Billionaires money gives them a lot of political clout enough to block Democratic plans to pay for much-needed social spending with a tax that would have affected only a few hundred people in a nation of more than 300 million. Who knows what they might do if they think people are snickering at them?

Still, the determined and so far successful opposition of incredibly wealthy Americans to any effort to tax them like normal people raises a couple of questions. First, is there anything to their insistence that taxing them would deprive society of their unique contributions? Second, why are people who have more money than anyone can truly enjoy so determined to keep every penny?

On the first question, theres an enduring claim on the right that taxing billionaires will discourage them from doing all the wonderful things they do. For example, Mitt Romney has suggested that taxing capital gains will cause the ultrawealthy to stop creating jobs and buy ranches and paintings instead.

But is there any reason to believe that taxation will cause the rich to go Galt, and deprive us of their genius?

For the uninitiated, going Galt is a reference to Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged, in which taxes and regulation induce wealth creators to withdraw to a hidden stronghold, causing economic and social collapse. Rands magnum opus was, as it happens, published in 1957, during the long aftermath of the New Deal, when both parties accepted the need for highly progressive taxation, strong antitrust policy and a powerful union movement. The book can therefore in part be seen as a commentary on the America of Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, an era during which corporate taxes were more than twice as high as they are now and the top personal tax rate was 91 percent.

So, did the productive members of society go on strike and paralyze the economy? Hardly. In fact, the postwar years were a time of unprecedented prosperity; family incomes, adjusted for inflation, doubled over the course of a generation.

And in case youre wondering, the wealthy didnt manage to dodge all of the taxes being imposed. As a fascinating 1955 Fortune article documented, corporate executives really had come way down in the world compared with their prewar status. But somehow they continued to do their jobs.

OK, so the superrich wont go on strike if forced to pay some taxes. But why are they so concerned about taxes anyway?

Its not as if having to cough up, say, $40 billion would have any visible impact on the ability of an Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos to enjoy lifes pleasures. True, many very wealthy people seem to consider moneymaking a game, in which the goal is to outperform their rivals; but standings in that game wouldnt be affected by a tax all the players have to pay.

What I suspect, although I cant prove it, is that what really drives someone like Musk is an insecure ego. He wants the world to acknowledge his unequaled greatness; taxing him like a $400,000-a-year working Wall Street stiff (my favorite line from the movie Wall Street) would suggest that he isnt a unique treasure, that maybe he indeed doesnt deserve everything he has.

I dont know how many people remember Obama rage, the furious Wall Street backlash against President Barack Obama. While it was partly a response to real changes in tax and regulatory policy Obama did, in fact, significantly raise taxes at the top what really rankled financiers was their sense of having been insulted. Why, he even called some of them fat cats!

Are the very rich pettier than the rest of us? On average, probably yes after all, they can afford it, and the courtiers and flatterers attracted by huge fortunes surely make it harder to keep ones perspective.

The important point, however, is that the pettiness of billionaires comes along with vast power. And the result is that all of us end up paying a steep price for their insecurity.

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Opinion | Elon Musk and the Dangerous Power of Billionaires - The New York Times

Elon Musk has made no secret of his intention to found a settlement on Mars, but his latest venture is to establish a city on Earth. Sited around the SpaceX South Texas launch site at Boca Chica, Musks idea is to call the city Starbase, Texas. It would house all those who work at the launch site, those who intend to fly on the rocket, and be a tourist destination for those wanting to witness the awesome power of a launch.

Eventually, Musk hopes, it will be the point of departure for people travelling to Mars, with each mighty Starship vehicle capable of transporting around 100 people at a time to the Red Planet. As they prepare for their flight, they will require the kind of living space and infrastructure that only a town or city can provide. Hence, transforming the village of Boca Chica into the city of Starship, Texas, may be essential for Musks to realise his vision of space exploration.

Musk began the process of establishing his city in late February/early March 2021 when he officially approached the Cameron County administration. A press release from the County Judges office made it clear that Musk was to abide by all relevant statutes and that any application would ultimately be judged against applicable laws.

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SpaceX announced its intention to build a launch facility at Boca Chica Village, on the US Gulf Coast, in 2014 following an extensive environmental assessment conducted by the US Federal Aviation Authority. Whereas Musk launches his Falcon rockets at sites leased from NASA and the US government, the Boca Chica site is owned by the company. It is right next to the village of Boca Chica, and while most residents sold up to SpaceX and moved away, a few refused the deal. Rather controversially, they must now temporarily evacuate their homes whenever there is a launch and there are many launches being planned.

A Starship rocket is pictured behind a house that remains in Boca Chica, Texas. Reginald Mathalone/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Boca Chica is the home of Musks most audacious space vehicle: the Starship and the giant rocket, called Super Heavy, that will launch it into space. It is unlike anything ever attempted before and, upon completion, will be the most powerful rocket ever launched.

Its a really ambitious project, says Josh Barker, of the National Space Centre, Leicester. It ties into how SpaceX got to where they are, I think theyre not afraid to try things.

As a result, SpaceX are ahead of the curve. Unlike the small crew capsules that space agencies have traditionally used, Starship is a next-generation design. Standing 50 metres tall and 9 metres in diameter, much of its internal space will be living quarters, or converted to carry cargo. The Super Heavy rocket that will take it to space is 70 metres tall, and will be powered initially by 29 Raptor engines, which are also manufactured by SpaceX in Texas.

Stacked one on top of the other, Starship and Super Heavy reach almost 120 metres in height almost ten metres taller than the Saturn V rockets that NASA used to carry astronauts to the Moon in the late 60s/early 70s. It will be capable of generating almost twice the thrust of the NASA Moon rocket. Unlike the Saturn V, which was a single-use spacecraft, everything about Starship and Super Heavy is reusable. Both parts land vertically back on the launch pad at the end of the mission.

The launch sites pace of development has been extraordinarily fast. Major construction work began in earnest in 2016, and the place became ready for test launches in 2019. Such accelerated progress has become something of a trademark for SpaceX, with Musk himself appearing to be a driven individual.

I think he works his staff very, very hard, says Barker, National Space Centre, Leicester, Hes got a very strong work ethic and I think he demands that of his staff as well.

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The first major test flight at Boca Chica took place in December 2020, when a Starship launched into the air to test the vertical landing system. While almost successful, it exploded on contact with the pad. Four more test flights were needed before, on 5 May 2021, a Starship successfully touched down. If the previous tests proved anything, it was how robust the launch site was to explosive mishaps.

SpaceX began referring to the Boca Chica site as Starbase back in March and is now getting ready to launch its first orbital test flight of the Starship and Super Heavy combination.

It has taken the company around 16 months of additional construction to prepare an orbital launch pad at the site. This includes a launch table for the Super Heavy to sit on, a launch tower that will lift the Starship onto the Super Heavy and hold the giant rocket in place before ignition, and a tank farm containing fuel and other liquids that will be pumped to the rocket before launch. A set of giant arms have also been attached to the tower. Known as Mechazilla they will literally catch the returning Super Heavy rocket and stabilise it as it makes its soft landing back on the pad.

Regardless of whether Musks plans to incorporate a city close to the launch site are given the go ahead, Starbase is undoubtedly set to become one of the most important launch sites on Earth. This is because it is from here that the spacecraft that will return astronauts to the Moon will launch.

NASA have selected Starship to be the lunar lander in their Artemis programme. Although the astronauts will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Orion crew capsule they will be in will not be equipped to land on the lunar surface. Instead, an uncrewed Starship will be launched in advance from Boca Chico and placed into a parking orbit around the Moon. It will await the arrival of the Orion capsule, dock with it, and allow the astronauts to transfer over. Then they will pilot the Starship down to the Moons surface and back again when the mission is done.

It will form a dress rehearsal of sorts for Musks eventual aim of Martian exploration. And even thought it still sounds like science fiction, Barker thinks we should not underestimate Musks ambition to reach the Red Planet.

Weve seen that Elon can get things done. He has the drive to do it. I think there is a good chance that he will, says Barker, before adding, Or it will ruin him. And thatll be the end of it.

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Elon Musk is building Starbase, a city with a spaceport to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Here's what's inside - BBC Science Focus Magazine

The worlds richest mans poor sense of humor is exposing how much of a boys club tech still is.

In an Oct. 29 tweet, Musk proposed opening a school called the Texas Institute of Technology and Science. In a thread, he added, it will have epic merch, universally admired. When someone earnestly suggested swapping technology and science so the latter came first (on the premise that technological breakthroughs almost always follow scientific breakthroughs), Musk shot back, Nope, T is def first.

Why? Because if you swapped the letters, the acronym would no longer be TITS.

No, the Tesla and SpaceX founder wasnt sincerely talking about setting up a university (despite what entrepreneurs, political scientists, US senators and politicians, and professional athletes thought). Yes, he was making a boob joke.

I heard sexualizing women is a top-down, systemic issue in tech. Might be wrong though idk, Cher Scarlett, one of the leaders of the AppleToo anti-harassment group at Apple, tweeted sarcastically in response.

Coming from anybody, this sort of a distasteful joke makes for an eye-roll moment. Its childish and immature. But coming from Musk, who has almost 62 million followers on Twitter and is the face of two important tech companies, it is potentially damaging to the entire sector.

Honestly. As a shareholder and customer, this is really a puzzling and disappointing attempt at humor, Eric Wenger, senior director for technology policy and government affairs at Cisco, tweeted in response. We are trying to encourage more women to pursue technology degrees and careers. I cannot see how this helps that effort in any way.

Tesla, where just one in five of the 70,000-plus employees are women, has been criticized for being a hostile workplace in the past. Women there are subject to inappropriate language, whistling, and catcalls, a 2017 lawsuit by engineer AJ Vandermeyden alleged, and other female employees concurred.

At SpaceXwhere the representation of women is even slimmer than it is at Teslathe president and chief operating officer is a woman, Gwynne Shotwell, who in the past has called Musk a great boss who is funny and incredibly fair, almost to a fault.

Musks latest messaging might not change that, but it arguably makes the characterization harder to believe.

Despite studies showing women are good for businessdiversity generates higher revenues, varied ideas, and more effective teamstech leaders havent done enough to foster safe working environments for them. A survey by Accenture and Girls Who Code found that half of the women in tech roles leave their jobs by the time theyre 35, with 37%the largest percentageciting noninclusive company culture as their main reason for quitting.

What possibly could be causing their sensitivity? Well, there are structural issues like techs well-documented gender pay gap. But there also are run-ins with things like Musks boob joke, or that time in 2017 when an Uber board member interrupted a presentation about sexism to make a sexist joke. Unlike Musks tweets, however, these unanticipated (and yet somehow not fully unexpected) interactions usually occur behind closed doors.

In the case of Uber, the board member in question resigned within 12 hoursand then-CEO Travis Kalanick eventually stepped down over allegations of rampant sexism at the firm. At Pinterest, where former chief operating officer Franoise Brougher sued for gender discrimination, the company paid $22.5 million to settle her claims, and donated to charities that support women and underrepresented women in tech.

In most cases, if a boss had made a joke like Musks in an office, it would be grounds for an investigation at least, if not an outright firing.

But Musks crude outburst has played out for the world to see on Twitterand hes been pretty blas about it. Its been three days since his tweet, and neither he nor his companies have addressed the impropriety of it. Luckily, other people have.

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Elon Musk's tweet captures everyday sexism faced by women in STEM - Quartz

James Franco and Elon Musk may soon weigh in on Johnny Depps libel lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

The Spider-Man actor, 43, and the Tesla CEO, 50, were subpoenaed on October 26, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. They were ordered to produce the books, record, electronically stored information and tangible things designated and described including verbal conversations, telephone calls, letters, emails, memoranda [and] reports by January 17, 2022.

The documents request that any communications between the men and Heard, 35, relating to allegations of physical injuries or harm sustained by her as a result of alleged conduct by Depp, 58, and allegations of physical abuse or domestic violence committed by either party be turned over.

Musk is scheduled to be deposed on January 24, 2022, while Franco is scheduled to be deposed on January 26, 2022. Their testimonies will be in connection to the $50 million libel suit Depp filed against Heard in 2019 after she wrote a Washington Post op-ed about domestic violence. Although she did not mention the Pirates of the Caribbean star in the piece, he believes that her accusations caused him to suffer financial losses.

Heard and Depp were married from 2015 to 2017. After filing for divorce, she dated Musk on and off from 2016 to 2018.

The Edward Scissorhands star allegedly accused the Aquaman actress of having an affair with Franco, although she denied her ex-husbands claims. She and the Disaster Artist actor both appeared in 2008s Pineapple Express and 2015s The Adderall Diaries.

Depp lost his court case against The Sun in November 2020 after the British newspaper referred to him as a wife beater in a 2018 article. A judge from the Royal Courts of Justice in London ruled that the piece containing the allegation was substantially true and said that there was sufficient evidence that he physically assaulted Heard at least 12 of the 14 times that she claimed he did. The Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald actor was denied permission to appeal the verdict in March.

The Sweeney Todd star has vehemently denied Heards claims that he was abusive toward her. To harm someone you love? As a kind of bully? No, it didnt, it couldnt even sound like me, he told GQ magazine in his November 2018 cover story.

Ultimately, the truth will come out in all of this and I will be standing on the right side of the roaring rapids. I hope other people will be too, he said, adding: I will never stop fighting. Ill never stop. Theyd have to fking shoot me.

Amid the lengthy legal battle, Heard welcomed her first child, daughter Oonagh, via surrogate in April.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.

With reporting by Diana Cooper

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James Franco and Elon Musk Called to Testify in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Case - Us Weekly

Tesla FSD will have its upgrade for its NN or neural network, which would focus on "improved permanence", says Elon Musk. The current version of the FSD was shown to have excellent control over major traffic situations and roads, as it correctly identifies the stoplight, awaiting its turn to go its way, something that it previously had difficulties with.

(Photo : Screenshot from YouTube/Tesla)

Elon Musk has teased that the FSD would soon have an upgrade of its neural network (NN) that would improve the feature's driving output and safety with regards to autonomous driving. Musk said that the upgrade would have "improved permanence," further explaining that it would have better time and space object permanence.

This only means that Musk wants a better version of the Tesla FSD to come for the public, especially as it aims for the self-driving feature to be available before the end of this year as a public release for all. Furthermore, the Tesla CEO regarded that future upgrades of the company's software would be seen by the public in the finer-grained details.

Read Also: Slower Tesla FSD Beta Updates, Elon Musk Says in Latest Tweet: Will This Change Make It Safer?

Currently, the Tesla FSD features are top-notch and focus on road safety that aids the self-driving program of the company to bring a person from one point to another with only its system. The FSD is one of the first generations of self-driving features, something that brings the service to aid humans. A video shown by Jon Rettinger shows how much the FSD can handle present traffic, and it brings the feature in a good light, meaning that it works as it is intended to be. However, it may be so that Musk knows that it can be improved in the coming releases.

The Tesla FSD Beta is currently at version 10.3.1,and it is the release after the faulty 10.3 that has debuted a system that was not meant for release because of its buggy features. That being said, Tesla has recalled its release and brought out the improved version of 10.3.1 to bring the safest possible release of the said feature.

The FSD has improved throughout the past months, something that it has focused on as it released the public beta a few weeks ago, bringing the driving feature for users. However, for now, the FSD remains a beta for all, and it would only select those which had perfect scores on the assessment made by Tesla to grant the driving feature.

Technology is evolving, and getting stuck with one feature would only cause people's focus to shift and look for other brands to use. Tesla is constantly upgrading the FSD to fit the driving conditions of the present road, something that would help in improving road safety and a better driving experience.

Its neural network plays an important role in controlling its features, bringing an overall improvement to the feature.

Related Article: Tesla FSD: Autonomy for Increasing Road Accidents in US for First Half 2021; Elon Musk Agrees

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Written by Isaiah Richard

2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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Tesla FSD to Upgrade NN with Improved Permanence Says Elon Musk, But What is That? - Tech Times

Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) has a new faux executive team and it is seemingly approved by Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk.

What Happened: Earlier on Tuesday, Dogecoin co-creator Billy Markus posted a tweet addressing meme Twitter handle Greg and informing him that the CEO term for fake Dogecoin company has ended.

Markus said he had consumed a taco and made his decision on the next CEO. In response, Musk proposed himself for the CEO post.

Markus had a completely different idea.

The Tesla CEO proposed the name of his dog Floki as his Dogecoin peer appreciating the pets judgment.

Kabosu, the dog featured on the original Dogecoin meme, was ultimately declared CEO by Markus.

Markus nominated Musk for the fake Chairman of the board position, while Floki got the nomination for the job of President courtesy Markus. Musk replied with a smiling face emoji in response.

See Also: How To Buy Dogecoin (DOGE)

Why It Matters: Kabosu recently turned 16, the internet icon's owner keeps the world updated on her through an Instagram account and a blog.

In September, the original Dogecoin meme featuring Kobasu, turned into a non fungible token or NFT, surged in value after it was fractionalized into 16.9 billion $DOG ERC-20 tokens.

Earlier, another piece of digital art featuring Kobasu the Feisty Doge NFT became the worlds most valuable NFT at $110 million.

While Kobasu may be the latest fake Dogecoin CEO, the meme cryptocurrency is associated with the reinvigorated and very real Dogecoin Foundation which includes Markus, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, core developers Ross Nicoll and Michi Lumin among others.

While Musk said this year he was working with Dogecoin developers and is often viewed as a DOGE bull, he made it clear this year that he is not the project's CEO and his ability to take action is "limited."

Price Action: At press time DOGE traded nearly flat at $0.27 over 24 hours.

Read Next: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Denies His Partner Is Affiliated With Dogecoin Foundation

Photo: Courtesy of Tesla Owners Belgium Club via Flickr

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Elon Musk Asks To Be Made New 'Dogecoin CEO' But Gets Snubbed In Favor Of This Good Girl - Benzinga - Benzinga

New Delhi: Elon Musk-led SpaceX's satellite broadband arm Starlink is planning to explore collaboration with telecom companies in India to expand broadband services in the country with a focus on rural areas, a top company official said on Friday.

Starlink Country Director India at SpaceX Sanjay Bhargava told PTI that discussions with broadband service providers will start once the 12 Phase-1 aspirational districts are identified by the Niti Aayog and the company will see the interest levels of the various players and the USOF (universal service obligation fund).

"I am hoping that we will get a time-bound 100 per cent broadband plan that can serve as a model for other districts but the devil is in the details and there may be many good reasons why one or more broadband providers do not want to collaborate, though to me that seems unlikely," Bhargava said.

Starlink claims to have received over 5,000 pre-orders from India. The company is charging a deposit of USD 99 or 7,350 per customer and claims to deliver data speeds in the range of 50-150 megabits per second in the beta stage.

Bhargava had earlier announced that the company will focus on 10 rural Lok Sabha constituencies to provide internet services for 80 per cent of the Starlink terminals shipped to India.

"At Starlink, we can roll out fast if we have licensing approval and...the starlinks could move to other remote areas," Bhargava said.

In a social media post, Bhargava said the company wants to collaborate with all.

"We want to collaborate with all and have others besides us licensed to provide satellite broadband so that satellite plus terrestrial together can provide 100 per cent broadband, especially in rural districts," he said.

There have been some reports of Starlink mulling manufacturing of terminals to provide satellite broadband services in India but Bhargava said the company is not actively thinking about making terminals for broadband locally.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Elon Musk's Starlink to explore collaboration with Indian telcos for broadband - Mint