The Boring Company offers extra $15M for San Antonio Loop
The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority says Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has offered an additional $15 million to finance the San Antonio Loop, increasing its initial offer of $27 million to $45 million to support the first phase of the project. Alamo RMA:
That’s a lot of money that’s not coming from taxpayers to improve community transportation. I don’t see anybody else coming and giving us $50 million that’s not funding by taxpayers in some way, shape or form..
The 7.6 mile tunnel is expected to generate a net revenue of $25 million per year from 112,000 commuters daily, with fares between $10 to $13 per passenger.
Tesla expects ‘high volume’ of deliveries, asks staff to help
In an email to staff, the car company says it is expecting a high volume of deliveries in Q3 and asks all employees, even those who don’t work in the sales and delivery department, to help with delivery tasks, include moving vehicles around, washing and preparing vehicles, delivering vehicles directly to customers, and answering customer questions on delivery day.
We will be delivering a very high volume of vehicles to eagerly waiting customers during the final days of Q3. To help ensure we can delight as many customers as possible, the delivery team is requesting additional support with key delivery-execution tasks.
Twitter lawyers: Musk destroyed Andreessen evidence
Twitter’s lawyers have accused Musk of destruction of evidence, citing a screenshot of a conversation between Musk and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen on Signal, a messaging app that includes a feature that deletes messages after some time.
Musk deleted these messages because he anticipated litigation and he knew that they would undermine his counterclaims and defenses.
The same court filing also showed that Musk exchanged multiple text messages with Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison, starting May 12 through 12:20 a.m. on May 13, which was just hours before he announced that he was pausing his attempt to acquire the social media company.
Twitter’s legal team has complained that despite a subpeona, the Tesla CEO has not really provided the relevant text messages between Musk and Ellison.
Both Ellison and Andreessen have backed Musk’s attempt to acquire Twitter. Andreessen’s VC firm, Andreessen Horowitz, backed Musk with $400 million, while Ellison was one of 19 investors who committed a whopping $7.14 billion for the potential acquisition.
Musk shares idea for men’s cologne
Musk shares an idea for a men’s cologne on Twitter.
“Burnt Hair” – Scent for Men by Singed
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 27, 2022
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 27, 2022
Musk: NASA asteroid mission like Will Smith’s Chris Rock Oscars slap
Musk posts a meme, superimposing NASA’s logo on Will Smith striking Chris Rock’s face covered with an image of the asteroid Dimorphos, mirroring the impact of the DART asteroid redirection test, which hit the space rock at 14,000 mph.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 27, 2022
Twitter: Musk’s fake account claim ‘not supported’
During discovery for the upcoming trial, lawyers for Twitter say Musk’s review of Twitter’s accounts by his advisers do not back up his allegation that the number of fake users was “wildly higher” than 5% as he claimed when he said he was ending the Twitter takeover deal in July. Musk claimed Twitter had misled him, allowing him to walk away without penalty from the deal. The lawyer says that two documents created by the two data scientists employed by Musk estimated that the number of fake accounts on the platform at 5.3% and 11%.
None of these analyses so far as we can tell remotely supported what Mr. Musk told Twitter and told the world in the termination letter.
Musk files to end SEC ‘muzzle’
Musk asks for the term in his his 2018 consent decree with the SEC, that requires a company lawyer to pre-approve his Twitter communication, to be thrown out, arguing that it is “contrary to the American principles of free speech and open debate”.
The consent decree required Musk to step down as Tesla’s chairman; elect two new members to the company’s board; pay a $20 million penalty, plus a further $20 million form Tesla; establish a new committee of independent directors; and put in place additional controls and procedures to oversee Musk’s communications.
In April, after requesting the agreement be abolished, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman refused to throw out the decree because Musk entered the terms of the decree “knowingly and willingly.” This time, Musk’s attorneys argue that the SEC’s review has become more invasive:
Under the shadow of the consent decree, the SEC has increasingly surveilled, policed, and attempted to curb Mr. Musk’s protected speech that does not touch upon the federal securities laws. Any objective served by the pre-approval provision has been served.
Tesla wants ‘thousands of humanoid robots’ within its factories
A Tesla job listing for a mechatronic technician says the company wants thousands of humanoid robots in its factories:
Tesla is on a path to build humanoid bi-pedal robots at scale to automate repetitive and boring tasks. Most importantly, you will see your work repeatedly shipped to and utilized by thousands of Humanoid Robots within our factories.
The company’s Autopilot Division aims to hire 20 software and firmware engineers, deep learning scientists, actuator technicians, and internships, to work on its Optimus humanoid robot. Musk wants the robot to work beyond car production and do household chores and care work in millions of households.
Musk teases Tesla AI Day 2
Musk teases Tesla’s second AI Day, which will showcase the company’s artificial intelligence programs. The event runs from 5 to 11pm PST on September 30, 2022.
There will be lots of technical detail & cool hardware demos.
Expected technology reverals include the Hardware 4 computer and The Tesla Bot. He also responds to a Twitter user that, despite the expectation of a luckwarm response by the media:
AI/robotics engineers who understand what problems need to be solved will like what they see. As well as advanced chip & supercomputer engineers for next-gen training & inference. Note, this event is meant for recruiting AI & robotics engineers, so will be highly technical.
Pretty much. AI/robotics engineers who understand what problems need to be solved will like what they see.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 29, 2022
Musk: Waterproof Cybertruck can cross rivers, lakes
Musk says the Cybertruck will be able to cross rivers, lakes, and seas, because it will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat. The Cybertruck would need to be able to scale the 6.5-mile float from Starbase to South Padre Island for SpaceX-related logistics activities. Musk did not disclose any indication of how the Cybertruck would be propelled, nor did he give any estimates as to what speed he would expect it to travel, although the Cybertruck as a boat would likely travel between 5 and 10 knots.
Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes & even seas that aren’t too choppy.
Needs be able to get from Starbase to South Padre Island, which requires crossing the channel
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 29, 2022
Government agencies mock floating Cybertruck
Musk’s claim that Cybertruck will be able to ‘serve briefly as a boat’ is mocked by two government agencies.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources responded with a photo of a submerged car and said:
Our derelict vessel crews are begging you to understand that anything that “serves briefly as a boat” should not be used as a boat.
Our derelict vessel crews are begging you to understand that anything that “serves briefly as a boat” should not be used as a boat https://t.co/lcrunbf1DJ pic.twitter.com/j2eL5tGcJZ
— Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources (@waDNR) September 29, 2022
And, after a Twitter user suggests Cybertruck would put the San Francisco Bay Ferry out of business, they responded:
Announcement: to prepare for the inevitability of the Nintendo 64 floatie truck flotilla rendering us obsolete, we’re adding little wheels to our ferries. Landboat will be able to serve brief as a bus, so it can cross bridges, parking lots and highways that are not too congested
Announcement: to prepare for the inevitability of the Nintendo 64 floatie truck flotilla rendering us obsolete, we're adding little wheels to our ferries. Landboat will be able to serve brief as a bus, so it can cross bridges, parking lots and highways that are not too congested.
— San Francisco Bay Ferry (@SFBayFerry) September 29, 2022
Dorsey wanted Musk on Twitter’s board, but directors were too ‘risk averse’
According to texts revealed in discovery, Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, tried to get Elon Musk on Twitter’s board, but could not do so because he claimed the company’s directors were too risk averse. In a text message to Musk on March 26, Dorsey wrote:
The board is just super risk averse and saw adding you as more risk.
Dorsey said he thought the board’s approach “was completely stupid and backwards.” But said his power was limited because he only had one vote, and 3% of company, and no dual class shares. A little over a week later, Musk announced plans to join the board, before he decided to make an offer to buy the company.
University refuses to release injured Neuralink monkey photos
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) advocacy group says its request for 371 photos of monkeys that were subjected to Neuralink brain implant technology experiments, which took place at US Davis’s veterinary lab facilities, has been refused by the university, which says they are proprietary. Earlier this year, Neuralink said that a fifth of the 23 rhesus macaques monkeys it used to test its brain-hacking implants had been euthanized after developing infections and malfunctions. Neuralink paid UC Davis $1.4 million to use its facilities between 2017 and 2020. PCRM:
UC Davis thinks the public is too stupid to know what they’re looking at. But it’s clear the university is simply trying to hide from taxpayers the fact that it partnered with Elon Musk to conduct experiments in which animals suffered and died.
Musk reveals Optimus Robot
Musk unveils the humanoid Telsa Optimus Robot at Tesla AI Day. He shows a walking production prototype, plus one that uses Tesla actuators. Musk says the robot will be produced at scale and will cost less than a family car.
We’ve designed it using the same discipline that we use when designing the car, which is to design it for manufacturing, so it’s possible to make the robot at high volume at low cost, with high reliability. That’s incredibly important. We’ve all seen very impressive humanoid robot demonstrations. But what are they missing? They’re missing a brain. They don’t have the intelligence to navigate the world by themselves. They’re also very expensive and made in low volume, whereas Optimus is an extremely capable robot, but it’s made in very high volume, ultimately millions of units. It’s expected to cost much less than a car, probably less than $20,000.
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 1, 2022
Musk offers Starlink satellites to Florida
Florida Governor DeSantis says Musk has agreed to provide Starlink to help in response to Hurricane Ian in areas of Southwest Florida still without power and internet after the superstorm. SpaceX plans to send 120 “large Starlink units” to Florida, which will serve as satellite dishes to distribute internet connections to devices within a 13-mile radius. Use by search and rescue crews will be prioritized. Starlink is covering all costs. DeSantis:
We are working with Elon Musk and Starlink satellite. They are positioning those Starlink satellites to provide good coverage in Southwest Florida and other affected areas.
Elon Musk sends Starlink satellites to storm-battered Florida counties https://t.co/iy0YkuxZjN pic.twitter.com/GR4Mq01C33
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) October 1, 2022
Advice to younger self: ‘Stop and smell the roses’
At Tesla’s AI Day, Musk is asked what advice he would give to his younger self. In addition to saying he would join Tesla; Musk says he would try to expose himself to as many smart people as possible and read a lot of books.
I think there is some merit to just also just not being necessarily too intense, like enjoying the moment a bit more. I would say to 20 something me to stop and smell the roses occasionally probably would be a good idea.
Recalling an incident when SpaceX was developing the Falcon 1 rocket on a beautiful island, he said that during the entire time he didn’t have a drink on the beach,
I should have had a drink on the beach. That would have been fine.
Musk responds to Pope’s call for Ukraine peace
Musk responds to the Pope’s call for peace over the Russian-Ukraine war.
War always gives ample reason for vengeance for all sides. Only by overcoming this instinct can there be peace.
War always gives ample reason for vengeance for all sides. Only by overcoming this instinct can there be peace.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2022
Posts Ukraine-Russia peace deal proposal and poll
Musk posts a Twitter poll to gauge support for what he claims is a likely outcome of the seven-month Ukraine-Russia conflict.
- That the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, which Russia annexed by force in 2014, be permanently given to Russia and guaranteed a permanent water supply.
- That the four regions of eastern Ukraine where Russia held sham referendums last month before illegally annexing the land be put to new referendums, this time organized by the United Nations.
- That Ukraine should be forced to remain “neutral@ accomplishing the long-term Kremlin goal of barring Ukraine from joining the NATO defensive alliance.
Musk also says that his proposal is the likely solution and that a “possible, albeit unlikely octcome from this conflict is nuclear war”.
This is highly likely to be the outcome in the end – just a question of how many die before then
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022
Ukrainian ambassador tells Musk to ‘F– off’
After Musk posts that three likely outcomes of the Ukraine War would be: Crimea be given permanently to Russia; that the four areas annexed by Russia after sham referendums in September 2020, be given new UN-monitored referendums; and that Ukraine should remain neutral and not join NATO, Melnyk, Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, says:
F— off is my very diplomatic reply to you. The only outcome is that now no Ukrainian will EVER buy your f…ing tesla crap. So good luck to you.
Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk
— Andrij Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022
Zelensky posts poll in response to Musk’s Ukraine tweets
Ukraine’s president Zelensky responds to Musk’s Ukraine statements by posting a poll of his own, asking:
Which @elonmusk do you like more? One who supports Ukraine or One who supports Russia?
Musk reposnds, saying he ‘very much supports’ Ukraine:
I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.
I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2022