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Friday, February 28, 2025
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
D.C. U.S. attorney’s Operation Whirlwind’ targets Democratic ‘threats’ - The Washington Post
Wait. On Monday Trump's people declared that Elon is NOT running DOGE. He is a senior advisor to Trump, with "no greater authority than other senior White House advisers."
And yet the DC U.S. Attorney under Trump states that DOGE staff work for Elon. Martin's letter to Garcia included the comment "sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk … and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry. … We take threats against public officials very seriously. I look forward to your cooperation."
It sure would be nice if the Administration could decide who is doing what inside and outside the White House.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/19/trump-justice-operation-whirlwind-democrats/
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
NYTimes: As Trump ‘Exports’ Deportees, Hundreds Are Trapped in Panama Hotel
They arrived at the United States border from around the world, hoping to seek asylum. Instead, they were detained, shackled and flown by the U.S. military to a faraway country, Panama.
They were stripped of their passports and most of their cellphones, they said, and then locked in a hotel, barred from seeing lawyers and told they would soon be sent to a makeshift camp near the Panamanian jungle.
At the hotel, at least one person tried to commit suicide, according to several migrants. Another broke his leg trying to escape. A third sent a plaintive missive from a hidden cellphone: "Only a miracle can save us."
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/world/americas/trump-migrant-deportation-panama.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Monday, February 17, 2025
Question for Grok2:
Why does the tesla cybertruck perform so poorly in off road conditions and snow? Is there a design flaw that needs to be addressed?
The Tesla Cybertruck's performance in off-road and snowy conditions has been criticized for several reasons, pointing to potential design and implementation flaws:
1. **Tire Choice and Traction:**
- The Cybertruck comes with Goodyear Wrangler Territory RT tires which are not optimized for snowy or muddy conditions. They lack the deep tread necessary for superior traction in snow or mud. Posts on X mention that these tires are not triple peak snow-rated, suggesting they're not ideal for heavy snow or ice, which impacts performance in winter conditions.
2. **Weight Distribution and Ground Clearance:**
- Despite having good ground clearance, the Cybertruck's heavy weight due to its battery pack can sometimes be a disadvantage on slippery or uneven surfaces. The distribution of this weight might not always favor traction in off-road scenarios, especially if the tires aren't suited for the task.
3. **Design of Headlights and Visibility:**
- In snowy conditions, visibility issues arise from the design of the Cybertruck's front. The recessed headlights can collect snow, significantly reducing visibility. This has been a noted design flaw where the aesthetic choice of a flat, angular design leads to practical problems in snow.
4. **Traction Control and Differential Locking:**
- There have been reports of incomplete or non-functional features like electronic locking differentials at the time of delivery. These are crucial for off-road performance as they help in distributing torque effectively when traction is poor. Even though updates have been promised, the initial lack of these features could explain some of the poor performances seen.
5. **Software and Driving Modes:**
- While the Cybertruck has various driving modes, including settings for slippery surfaces, the application of these modes seems to be less effective than anticipated. There's mention of upcoming updates that aim to improve off-road capabilities, suggesting that the current software might not be fully optimized for diverse conditions.
6. **User Experience and Expectations:**
- Many initial buyers might not be seasoned off-road drivers, leading to improper use of the vehicle in challenging conditions. This can exacerbate perceived weaknesses, as the Cybertruck might require a different approach to off-roading compared to traditional vehicles.
In summary, the Cybertruck's performance issues in off-road and snowy conditions seem to stem from a combination of its tire capabilities, design choices affecting visibility and traction, and possibly incomplete or under-optimized software features at launch. Addressing these could involve:
- Fitting or recommending more appropriate tires for off-road and winter conditions.
- Revising the front-end design to mitigate snow accumulation on lights.
- Enhancing traction control and ensuring all promised features like differential locks are fully functional.
- Improving software to better manage torque distribution and vehicle dynamics in varied terrains.
These changes could significantly improve the Cybertruck's reputation and performance in adverse conditions.
NYTimes: Top Social Security Official Leaves After Musk Team Seeks Data Access
Speaking at the White House last week, Mr. Musk asserted without providing evidence that a cursory examination of the Social Security Administration found that people listed in its systems as being 150 years old were receiving benefits. And in a post on X on Saturday evening, Mr. Musk posted an image that he said was from a Social Security database that he suggested indicated dead people were collecting payments.
Martin O'Malley, who served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration in the Biden administration, said in an interview that the claims of Mr. Musk and his team about the agency were not true.
"They're just making" things up, he said, referring to Mr. Musk's suggestion that more than a million people in the Social Security database are in the 150 to 159 age range.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/social-security-musk-team-access.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Monday, February 10, 2025
Trump Orders NASA to Purge All Mentions of Women in Leadership On Its Websites
The list of verboten terms includes "DEIA," "accessibility," "indigenous people," "environmental justice," and finally: "anything specifically targeting women," such as "women in leadership, etc."
Welcome to Gilead, I guess…
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Saturday, February 8, 2025
OpenCore Legacy Patcher
https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/
What is OpenCore?
OpenCore is a sophisticated boot loader used to inject and patch data in memory, instead of on disk. This means that we're able to achieve a near-native experience on many unsupported Macs.
- We recommend viewing the OpenCore Patcher Terminology Page if you have questions.
- For troubleshooting, join the OpenCore Patcher Paradise Discord Server and see our Troubleshooting Page.
https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
The Washington Post - USPS suspends package service from China as Trump’s tariffs kick in
The U.S. Postal Service's decision may block or delay parcels from retailers including Shein and Temu from entering the United States.
By Jacob Bogage and Jaclyn Peiser
"The one consistency of Trump's trade war is the lack of foresight. This would be easily avoidable if anyone knew what they were doing, and proves yet again why our trade policy must come from the Congress," Rep. Richard E. Neal (Massachusetts), the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, told The Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/04/usps-suspends-china-packages-shein-temu/
Monday, February 3, 2025
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