Elon Musk needs to be stopped.

[ViceLikeEye]

Originally Posted by SynchroDub

He's a very dangerous person, and it wouldn't surprise me if he provides his technology to Putin, the Iranian or the Afghanistan Taleban regimen.

Hopefully we'll then consider him a traitor, terrorist, or an existential threat. Maybe he'll meet a SEAL Team's sniper bullet. Or it might be someone who lost a son in Afghanistan, to the Taliban. Maybe it'll be a solo retired Marine, who's just had enough of Electric Jesus' shit. You never know.

This isn't the movies. If Musk wants to be a Bond villain, he'll pay the price, if he acts against the interest of the free world. In other words, "Fuck around and find out", or "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes". But again, hopefully we, as a society, are not too far down the drain, to realize this guy is the polar opposite of altruistic and he only wants to feed his own ego; Gaining more power, wealth and cult followers, by any means necessary.

[ellpieski]

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

Yeah. You'd think, wouldn't you? Coz good ol' Elon, he's Murican thru-an-thru.

Only Musk also chose to shut down Ukraine's access to basic satellite tech, massively hampering their war effort and putting him quite firmly in the Pro-Putin camp, which is where Iran is.

That man is a wannabe Bond villain. He doesn't give a flying fuck about anyone's agenda but his own.

You have a lot to learn. Educate yourself. Even unreliable wikipedia knows more. Turns out your statement is egregiously wrong, as there was absolutely NO SHUTDOWN OF BASIC SATELLITE TECH.

You will also have to explain how Musk providing free Starlink for the first year of the conflict, when Ukraine was desperate for internet access, was a pro-putin action. Your statement makes no sense when illuminated by indisputable historical fact.

Free internet for Ukraine is massively ANTI-putin.

Blocking the use of smuggled terminals was even more ANTI Putin.

Initially, SpaceX provided and funded Starlink services to Ukraine largely on their own.[7][8][9] As of June 2023 Starlink expenses for Ukraine are covered by the US Department of Defense through a contract with SpaceX.[10] SpaceX executives have declined to extend Starlink availability to Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine like Crimea.[11][6] This was criticized by Ukraine as it prevented them from carrying out military operations in those areas.[12][13][14] Despite this, Starlink is considered to have become a reliable partner to Ukraine in the war,[15] and has become a substitute for modern encrypted real-time communication in warfare.[16]

In 2022, Elon Musk denied a Ukrainian request to extend Starlink's coverage up to Crimea during an attack on a Crimean port due to US sanctions on Russia.[17] This event was widely reported in 2023 as an erroneous claim that Musk "turned off" Starlink coverage in Crimea.[18][19] SpaceX executives said numerous times that Starlink needed to remain a civilian network;[20][21][11] in late 2022, as Starlink was being used as a tool in combat in Ukraine, SpaceX announced Starshield, a Starlink-like program designed for government customers.[22][20]

In Russia, the use of Starlink to attack Russian targets has been criticized by government officials. Russia's military has repeatedly tried to disrupt Starlink services in Ukraine.[23][10] The Russian military reportedly also used to use Starlink with smuggled terminals.[24] This unauthorized Starlink use was eventually blocked.[15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starli...-Ukrainian_War

[ellpieski]

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

Fun fact for all those in USA banging the "patriotism" drum in the same rhythm as they bang the anti Iran drum.

Iran's entire military satellite system runs on Elon Musk's Star Link

This is yet another completely wrong statement.

Starlink is getting smuggled into Iran for anti-government protestors to use, NOT the Iranian government. Starlink is an alternate to state run internet.

Hate Musk all you want, but Starlink is supporting freedom fighters, not the Theocrats in this case.

The historical truth is 100% in disagreement with your statement. TIME magazine and its army of fact checkers have determined that you are completely wrong. Instead of being pleased that he is aiding the protestors, it is you that is aiding the oppressive Iranian mullahs by spreading falsehoods about those who aid the protestors.

It is not Musk who should be stopped, but you.

The arrival of the first dishes inside the Islamic Republic was confirmed to TIME on Friday by an activist working on the project from the United States. A video snippet circulating on social media earlier in the day showed a Starlink receiver searching for signal on a rooftop said to be in Tehran. The activist, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, declined to say how many of the devices were now in the country.

“It’s safer not to say anything about the numbers. I don’t want them to know what to look for, the scale,” he said, referring to Iran’s security services. “Let them wonder.”

If Ukraine is any guide, however, establishing a “replacement internet” will require at least several thousand of the compact, rooftop receivers. The goal is twofold—to allow protestors to communicate among themselves, and to ensure that the world continues to have a window on the confrontation with a theocratic regime with a history of brutally putting down peaceful protests, especially when it can do so unseen. In 2019, Iranian authorities almost completely shut down the internet for a week while the country’s security forces used live fire to end a wave of spontaneous protests after a fuel price hike.

http://time.com/6223999/starlink-iran-elon-musk/

[BooBootheBear]

Originally Posted by ViceLikeEye

I'd say the only saving grace is, Musk is not American; Which a lot of people still don't know, just like they don't know he's not a car or rocket engineer, nor is he a neuroscientist/neurobiologist; Just like Twitter, he bought his way into 'his' companies. However, that doesn't stop him from going balls-deep in politics; Because he has access to money, political sway and tech, and politicians want to use him like a cum rag. Simply put, he's an unelected official, without a leash and that's why he's even more dangerous than he was, over three years ago.

Originally South African, then a Canadian Citizen, he became a full US Citizen in 2002 and Murica embraced him fully because he has wads of cash and that makes him good in their eyes. Same bullshit notion that has allowed Trump to float to the top. People keep forgetting it's not only cream that floats.

Musk had one good idea. Paypal. It earned him a mint. The rest is smoke and mirrors that only succeeds once he takes his hands off the wheel and lets others drive. SpaceX was an absolute clusterfuck until NASA basically seconded all their engineers and scientists to work there. TESLA was and is a clusterfuck of missed deadlines and broken promises now being superseded not only by European and Japanese car giants but by the Chinese and Indian motor industries. Since he took over Twitter it's lost a fortune and turned into a shitpit of conspiracy theories, fascism, racism, and misogyny.

He gets away with it because of his perceived wealth which in my view is only testament to the fact that he is more willing and capable of screwing everyone over than the other guy.

The proposed cage match between him and Zuckerberg would have been the only time i would ever have rooted for someone from Facebook but he piked that as well and now never mentions it.

His sudden alignment with Trump is one of THE great backflips of all time and it's not the thought process of a conspiracy theorist to wonder what shitty deal those two megalomaniacs ave conjured up between them, but given both their performances over the last decade do you honestly believe their motives are the good of mankind?

People like that make me think that COVID wasn't nearly successful enough, and mourn the fact that recent hurricanes are not the beginning of some Day After Tomorrow scenario of the Earth doing what Ray Bradbury proposed 40 years ago. Solving 90% of the world's problems by eliminating 70% of its human (or inhuman as the case may be) population.

Oh yes. Starlink in Iran. According to pro Musk propaganda it was supposed to aid protestors. These are worth a read

http://cse.engin.umich.edu/stories/visiting-researcher-assesses-starlink-as-path-to-avoid-government-censorship

http://middleeasteye.net/news/iran-elon-musk-starlink-plan-questions-than-answers

So not worth a carrot to the protestors.
The Iranian police and military are reported to find it most useful however as a means of tracing and crushing dissenters. And Ukraine remains excluded from the system hamstringing their fight against Russia's invasion.

No one man should ever have that much power without checks and balances.

[ellpieski]

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

Originally South African, then a Canadian Citizen, he became a full US Citizen in 2002 and Murica embraced him fully because he has wads of cash and that makes him good in their eyes.
People like that make me think that COVID wasn't nearly successful enough, ....................................

Regurgitating repeated hate for Musk does not address the previously posted falsehoods.

Musk did not engage in pro putin activity as was alleged. Ukaines basic satellite tech was never shut down

Starlink does NOT guide Iranian military missile systems as was falsely stated.

Feel free to retract the false statements anytime.

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

Oh yes. Starlink in Iran. According to pro Musk propaganda it was supposed to aid protestors. These are worth a read

http://cse.engin.umich.edu/stories/visiting-researcher-assesses-starlink-as-path-to-avoid-government-censorship

http://middleeasteye.net/news/iran-elon-musk-starlink-plan-questions-than-answers

Thanks for these articles. The source material verifies the veracity of the TIME article. But read the second one closely, as it contradicts itself within the body of the article with reference to ground stations.

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

So not worth a carrot to the protestors.
The Iranian police and military are reported to find it most useful however as a means of tracing and crushing dissenters. And Ukraine remains excluded from the system hamstringing their fight against Russia's invasion.

From a two year old article, a completely incorrect conclusion. AI provides a concise and current summary of Starlink in Iran today.

Starlink in Iran Today
Based on the provided search results, here is a summary of Starlink's presence in Iran:

Activated in September 2022: Starlink was activated in Iran without Iranian government permission, but with permission from the US government, in response to Iranian censorship during protests against compulsory hijab.
Approximately 100 Starlink satellites active: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced in December 2022 that around 100 Starlink satellites were active in Iran.
800 Starlink internet devices imported: An Iranian official stated in January 2023 that around 800 Starlink satellite internet receivers had been imported to Iran, with plans for further use in the future.
Iranian government complaint to ITU: In 2023, the Iranian government filed a complaint with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) against SpaceX for unauthorized Starlink operation in Iran. The ITU initially ruled in favor of Iran, but SpaceX appealed and the case remains ongoing.
Current Status: As of today (Thursday, October 17, 2024), it appears that Starlink is still operational in Iran, with approximately 100 active satellites and around 800 imported internet devices. However, the Iranian government’s complaint to the ITU and the ongoing dispute may impact the future of Starlink’s presence in the country.

Note: The availability and accessibility of Starlink in Iran may vary depending on the location and the Iranian government’s actions. Additionally, the situation is subject to change as the dispute with the ITU and the Iranian government continues.

An increase from 100 to 800 smuggled units shows that the protestors that use them have found them to be much more useful than "a carrot", considering their very lives are on the line when using these devices, with or without a ground station. The Iranian police seem to be much less effective at finding them than you suggest as the numbers are increasing, not decreasing. Your lack of sympathy and complete disregard for their plight is astonishing.

[ViceLikeEye]

Originally Posted by BooBootheBear

Originally South African, then a Canadian Citizen, he became a full US Citizen in 2002 and Murica embraced him fully because he has wads of cash and that makes him good in their eyes.

I know. I only meant that he cannot be POTUS, since he's not a natural-born US citizen. And thank fuck for that.

But as I said before, that doesn't stop him from going "Full Retard" and balls-deep in governments, or getting used like a cum rag (that he is), because of his tech, etc.

I don't actually think he has "wads" of cash. Is he rich? Yes. However, I think most of his wealth is in stocks, because he's hyping his shit companies, with promises; Which either take years beyond what he promises, before they come to fruition and/or they're not what he originally promised (capabilities, price, etc), or these promises simply never see the light of day. He often gets TONS of money in government grants for these projects (which increases hype and his stock prices) and he doesn't return the money when the project is scrapped. Musk can do this, because he's a cult leader, with a large fucking following of unquestioning, unwavering sheep. Musk has used this promise strategy for the better part of a decade, pumping his stocks, all the while.

By the way, a two seat taxi? That's fucking retarded. If your goal was to reduce road congestion, maybe consider more seats per car!! Wanna take your family of three or four to the airport, dinner, or go out with your friends for a drink? Fuck you, get two (or more) taxis. So the goal is to sell more taxis, not reduce road congestion. Another non-altruistic move from Electric Jesus. Oh, and do you really want to get in a vehicle with no real FSD, AKA "autopilot", which does NOT have any controls, like, I don't know, a fucking steering wheel or brakes? Fuck off, Musk. It'll be interesting to see the crash reports, if that POS ever sees the light of day, because he won't be able to blame crashes on the owner/operator/driver, like he's done in the past, because the taxi doesn't have controls, other than his "FSD". Musk even says you can fall asleep, until you get to your destination. Hard fucking pass.

[SynchroDub]

Originally Posted by ViceLikeEye

Oh, and do you really want to get in a vehicle with no real FSD, AKA "autopilot", which does NOT have any controls, like, I don't know, a fucking steering wheel or brakes? Fuck off, Musk. It'll be interesting to see the crash reports, if that POS ever sees the light of day, because he won't be able to blame crashes on the owner/operator/driver, like he's done in the past, because the taxi doesn't have controls, other than his "FSD". Musk even says you can fall asleep, until you get to your destination. Hard fucking pass.

Fuck no, LOL.
I'd rather take a flight on a retired, old and rusty Qantas/Delta 747/767 abandoned in some desert, with a team of good pilots, than put myself and others in danger thanks to a vehicle that doesn't fucking work correctly.

At least I know that with a full week inspection the thing can still fly from A to B, with no problems.
Boeing knew what they were doing with the 747 and 767.
Can't say the same about the 787 (Lithium batteries catching fire, and other problems), which feels "cheap", in comparison to the 747/767 and 777.
But, still.

A NASA/Boeing, or Ford, Chrysler, Chevrolet, Range Rover, JEEP, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan (to remain IT) product is many times better than a Tesla/Space X junk.
There are MANY years of serious engineering behind all these products.

[RedMage]

As someone who has never been technically gifted and therefore never kept up with Tech news Elon Musk had mostly been off my radar. The first time I'd heard of him is when he tried to name one of his children a non-name.

As he's popped in more and more he strikes me as neither a good person or an intelligent one; just another example of failing upwards.

He and Trump are perfect examples of the rich needing to be taxed to pay their fair share ...or be eaten.