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  • Elon Musk Creates Small Submarine to Helped Trapped Thailand Kids

    Elon Musk Creates Small Submarine to Helped Trapped Thailand Kids

    On Saturday, July 7th, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that his company was working on a small submersible that might be useful in helping to rescue the trapped soccer team in Thailand. At the time of this writing, scuba divers have already rescued eight of the twelve trapped soccer players. Musk, however, went ahead with the production of the submersible, saying it may yet help in the rescue effort. In any event, such a vessel could be helpful in future scenarios like this, should another rescue need to be undertaken.

    The Trapped Team

    The team became trapped in the cave while exploring it after a soccer match. While they were inside the cave, monsoon rains surprised them and flooded significant portions of the cave, trapping them inside. They were trapped in the cave on June 23rd, which means they’ve been trapped for nearly two weeks at the time of this writing. On Friday, July 6th, one of the volunteer rescue workers, a former Thai Navy SEAL, died during the rescue effort. This has underscored just how dangerous the rescue effort is, and how much peril the boys are in.

    The Submersible Created by Elon Musk and SpaceX

    The submersible was created from the liquid oxygen transfer tube of a Falcon rocket. The idea behind the vessel is that it could be an alternative for divers to try if conventional rescue methods prove ineffective. For instance, if any of the boys are too tired or not aware enough to swim on their own. In such a case, the vessel could allow even an unconscious passenger to be pulled to safety by divers.

    However, the presence of such a large, metal vessel could prove dangerous to both the divers and the passenger. The cramped cave has some choke points so narrow that divers have to remove their oxygen tanks to slip through. While the tank might be just narrow enough to slip through, it could cause some complications.

    As the team has already rescued most of the boys, it seems their strategy is working. Thankfully, they have access to this technology now, should it be needed. Here’s hoping everyone is safely rescued, and no more of the rescue team is hurt in the effort.

    Feature Image Credit: SpaceX

  • Elon Musk Claims Sabotage of Tesla Model 3 Production

    Elon Musk Claims Sabotage of Tesla Model 3 Production

    The Tesla Model 3 has been a hotly-anticipated vehicle. However, prospective owners have been stymied by the car’s notorious production shortages. However, it seems that circumstances out of Tesla’s control may have led to some of their recent troubles. In an email obtained by CNBC, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed an unnamed employee has been actively working to sabotage production of the electric vehicles.  

    Betrayal from Within, or Corporate Sabotage? 

    Musk claims in the email, which was sent to all Tesla employees, that the unnamed employee is guilty of a wide range of sabotage efforts. Those efforts include directly tampering with code related to production systems and the leaking of confidential information to third parties. According to the email, the employee had become hostile to the company following the company’s refusal to promote them.  

    Musk, however, further elaborates that the sabotage was likely more to do with competitors than a personal vendetta. In the email the Tesla CEO reminds his employees that oil and gas companies are known for their underhandedness. As such, blame for these willful acts of sabotage may well lay at the feet of one of those companies. While the employee in question may have truly been disgruntled with the company, a hefty sum of cash from an oil company could have galvanized them to commit such acts. 

    Other Troubles for Tesla 

    The electric car manufacturer has had their share of other production issues. For instance, just this week, the company reported its fifth factory fire in the Model 3 production facility. In light of the news that sabotage from within is being fielded, that high number of fires could be further evidence.  

    Maybe Tesla’s production issues can truly be ascribed to sabotage by the infamously-malicious oil industry. Then, their difficulties shipping Model 3’s are much more forgivable. If these allegations are true, here’s hoping the culprits are brought to justice. If these allegations aren’t true, then the question still stands: what is going on at Tesla? 

  • Elon Musk’s Boring Company Selected to Build Tunnel in Chicago

    Elon Musk’s Boring Company Selected to Build Tunnel in Chicago

    Chicago’s downtown area is notably difficult to get to from the airport. O’Hare International is extremely busy, and traffic back and forth from there to Downtown Chicago is a nightmare any time of day. Obviously fed up with the gridlock, the Chicago city government has selected The Boring Company to build a tunnel from O’Hare to Block 37. Locals know downtown’s Block 37 as the Loop. 

    A Huge Win for the Boring Company 

    Until this point, the Boring Company’s biggest claims to fame were the concept tunnels underneath LA and Elon Musk owning it. This tunnel, if successful, could work as a template for future projects like it in other cities. Musk’s concept of a multilayered, car-centric network still seems rather far-off. A more grounded approach like this tunnel, however, seems to be a great starting point.  

    How the Company Was Chosen 

    Chicago had an open period of “Requests for Qualification,” and Boring passed through two rounds of such requests. Chicago maintained that the tunnel project was to not cost tax payers any money, for one thing. Another request was that it be capable of conveying passengers from the Loop to O’Hare in less than 20 minutes. Finally, Chicago requested that a ride on one of the tunnel cars cost less than a comparable taxi ride. It seems that Musk’s company fit all criteria, as Chicago has decided to go ahead with them. 

    A Few Details 

    The company has stated that the tunnel cars will travel between 125-150 MPH, meaning they can take passengers downtown in about 12 minutes. That’s a huge step up from the normal time to commute via car. It was also reported that cars would leave from both stations once about every 30 seconds, meaning you’re never waiting to board a car. While the exact costs and length of the construction are still to be negotiated, it seems Chicago is eager to have the project underway.  

    The most difficult part of these projects isn’t the actual work of moving earth and constructing tunnels. The hardest part is getting through all the regulations and safety protocols that come with digging beneath a city. The Boring Company likely wants to it can complete this project with speed and for a reasonable cost. If it can do that, and the tunnel is safe, they will have made quite the name for themselves. However, if the project is a bust, it might spell disaster for the company and Chicago’s plans. 

  • What Is Going on With Tesla Right Now?

    What Is Going on With Tesla Right Now?

    Tesla—the brainchild of real-life Tony Stark, Elon Musk—has been in the headlines a lot lately. We’re pretty sure Musk isn’t actually building a cyborg dragon, as he Tweeted earlier this week, but he’s certainly been busy. Here’s a roundup of the news you might have missed.

    Record Revenue…and Record Losses

    Although Musk promises that Tesla will be in the black by Q3, the company reported net losses of over $780 million for the first quarter. This is despite also reporting record-setting revenue for the same quarter. The troubled production of the Model 3 (see below) has been a stumbling block for the company.

    Model 3 Production

    Roll-out for the Model 3, the most reasonably priced of Tesla’s electric vehicles, has been anything but smooth. Last year, they only managed to produce 260 cars during Q3. Considering that Musk’s stated goal was 5,000 cars a week, there were obvious problems afoot.

    Production seems to be back on track, however, with April showing a rate of 2,270 cars per week. The goal is still 5,000 per week, a number that Tesla expects to hit before the end of summer.

    Nikola Versus Tesla

    Nikola Motor Company and Tesla have been at odds since day one. Both are named after the legendary inventor, and both are developing electric vehicles. Nikola filed a lawsuit that alleges Tesla’s electric truck infringes on their patents. The truck company is seeking $2 billion in damages, claiming that Tesla’s design has created “confusion in the market” and will “harm Nikola’s ability to attract investors.” Musk has dismissed the lawsuit as baseless.

    Workplace Safety Concerns

    California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) is investigating Tesla’s Fremont factory for evidence of workplace hazards. The factory has been running night and day to hit the ambitious Model 3 production numbers, and reports claim that Tesla has been underreporting injuries on the factory floor. A separate 2016 investigation found that Tesla’s plant had significantly more injuries than the average auto manufacturer.

    Self-Driving Ridesharing

    Self-driving cars are the current Holy Grail for auto companies. Tesla hopes to create an autonomous ridesharing network by the end of next year. Musk described his idea as something of a hybrid between Uber and Airbnb, where you can let others use your car for a fee during times you don’t need it.

    Considering that both Tesla and Uber have been in the news for crashes of their autonomous vehicles, the world might not be ready for this idea.

    Model Y on the Horizon

    Finally, Musk announced that the long-awaited Model Y—a crossover-style vehicle—will go into production sometime in 2020. Model Y will be built at an all-new factory, the site of which has not been decided. This isn’t the first time that Tesla has teased the electric crossover, however, and eager consumers might need to prepare for another pushback.

  • Elon and Boring Co. is at it Again, This Time Its Legos

    Elon and Boring Co. is at it Again, This Time Its Legos

    He’s So Cool

    Elon Musk is out again peddling a new one of a kind merchandise from the Boring Co, which is proving to be anything but boring. He took to twitter earlier to tease at the new must have useless gag gift.  First there was the hat, then the ‘not a flamethrower,’ and now Musk has said that the company will produce and sell large, “lifesize” interlocking bricks created using rock collected while the company’s boring machines dig out tunnels under the earth.

     

    What better way to get rid of the organic waste? turn it in to legos. Apparently these will be “super strong,” but with their middles hollowed out to make them lighter and easier to actually move around and use.

    In his tweet Musk states “New Boring Company merch coming soon. Life size LEGO-like interlocking bricks made from tunneling rock that you can use to create sculptures & buildings. Rated for California seismic loads, so super strong, but bored in the middle, like an aircraft wing spar, so not heavy.” He has already stated that the first kit will be  an ancient Egypt motif, according to Musk, which would provide the parts necessary for putting together iconic Eqyptian archaeological wonders like the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Temple of Horus.

    What Can We Build

    He has not commented on the actual size yet, Im hopping life size or 1/8th scale ? Who wouldn’t want to build a 9 foot Sphinx in there back yard out of Elon Musk’s rock that his tunnel-creating machines excavate from the ground, it would look great next to fire pit and be a real conversation piece, not to mention the HOA fines you would incur… it be worth it just to see Doris’s smug judgmental face.. I digress

    The Boring Company has been drilling holes beneath the headquarters of his rocket company, SpaceX, in LA, as it looks to build a network of underground tunnels for commuters to get around town. All that tunneling leads to excess rock, and you’ve got to do something with it, apparently.

    The Final Thought

    We know it, He has said it, Elon Musk has been chatting about this for a while. He has always wanted find ways to recycle the bedrock it will be removing from its tunnels, with an emphasis on turning them usable bricks.  Musk actually used the term “LEGO-like” when describing the building blocks idea on Twitter. Id worry about legal back lash on anyone else, But Musk can stare off any such litigious suites with a sly inquisitive glance. Yeah hes cool, and he is with out a doubt the “Worlds Most Interesting Man”.