Comment Re:Ended in data, not failure. (Score 2) 280
Catching the booster alone was a big deal because that had not been done before, only second stage.
This was the third time they recovered the booster, not the first.
Comment Re:'The Farthest' (Score 1) 28
Also, 'It's Quieter in the Twilight'.
Comment First step (Score 5, Funny) 77
towards our ultimate goal: the saber-tooth squirrel!
Comment This just in (Score 3, Funny) 142
the estate of John Cage will sue all of these artists for copyright infringement of his work 4'33".
Submission + - Musk to "fix" Community Notes for contradicting Trump (arstechnica.com)
smooth wombat writes: The man who espouses "free speech" has announced he will be "fixing" Community Notes on Twitter because they repeatedly contradict what Trump says. He claims a cabal of governments and media are using Notes to game the system.
Musk's attack on Community Notes is somewhat surprising. Although he has always maintained that Community Notes aren't "perfect," he has defended Community Notes through multiple European Union probes challenging their effectiveness and declared that the goal of the crowdsourcing effort was to make X "by far the best source of truth on Earth." At CES 2025, X CEO Linda Yaccarino bragged that Community Notes are "good for the world."
Yaccarino invited audience members to "think about it as this global collective consciousness keeping each other accountable at global scale in real time," but just one month later, Musk is suddenly casting doubts on that characterization while the European Union continues to probe X.
Perhaps most significantly, Musk previously insisted as recently as last year that Community Notes could not be manipulated, even by Musk. He strongly disputed a 2024 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate that claimed that toxic X users were downranking accurate notes that they personally disagreed with, claiming any attempt at gaming Community Notes would stick out like a "neon sore thumb."
Musk's attack on Community Notes is somewhat surprising. Although he has always maintained that Community Notes aren't "perfect," he has defended Community Notes through multiple European Union probes challenging their effectiveness and declared that the goal of the crowdsourcing effort was to make X "by far the best source of truth on Earth." At CES 2025, X CEO Linda Yaccarino bragged that Community Notes are "good for the world."
Yaccarino invited audience members to "think about it as this global collective consciousness keeping each other accountable at global scale in real time," but just one month later, Musk is suddenly casting doubts on that characterization while the European Union continues to probe X.
Perhaps most significantly, Musk previously insisted as recently as last year that Community Notes could not be manipulated, even by Musk. He strongly disputed a 2024 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate that claimed that toxic X users were downranking accurate notes that they personally disagreed with, claiming any attempt at gaming Community Notes would stick out like a "neon sore thumb."
Comment Re:Gated community mentality is not reassuring (Score 1) 50
Old situation: you have a mailbox. Anyone who needs to send you information, can send it to that mailbox.
New situation: every company that needs to send you information creates its own mailbox, forcing you to spend time manually checking dozens to hundreds of mailboxes in order to get all the information you need.
The new situation is worse.
Submission + - Elon Musk has confirmed he wants to put the U.S. Treasury on a blockchain (forbes.com)
ArchieBunker writes: Musk, the Tesla billionaire-turned-government-cost-cutter, is leading the so-called Doge department of government efficiency, proposed by Trump’s Commerce department nominee Howard Lutnick to “rip the waste out of our $6.5 trillion budget.”
Now, as fears emerge Trump’s administration is “dangerously” undermining the U.S. dollar, Musk has confirmed he wants to put the U.S. Treasury on a blockchain, the technology that underpins bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies—including Musk’s pet project dogecoin.
"Career Treasury officials are breaking the law every hour of every day by approving payments that are fraudulent or do not match the funding laws passed by Congress," Musk posted to X, referencing part of the United States code which outlines how some government payments are approved. “This needs to stop now!”
Replying to X influencer Mario Nawfal who asked: "Should the Treasury be put on the blockchain so this doesn’t happen," Musk replied: “Yes!”
Earlier, the New York Times reported Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent handed Doge department officials access to the payment system which sends out money to the tune of $5 trillion per year on behalf of the entire federal government on Friday, citing anonymous sources.
Last week, Musk held discussions about using the blockchain technology to save money, it was reported by Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources.
Unnamed people close to Musk told the financial newswire that there's been talk of using a blockchain to track federal spending, secure data, make payments and manage buildings.
It is unclear if Musk plans on using an existing blockchain, such as bitcoin's, ethereum's, dogecoin's or one of thousands of smaller blockchains which have their own cryptocurrencies, or if he would rather create a new, purpose built blockchain.
Following Musk's take over of Twitter, which he then renamed X, Musk also debated adding blockchain technology to the platform before ditching the idea, text messages between Musk and his brother Kimbal revealed in 2022.
Now, as fears emerge Trump’s administration is “dangerously” undermining the U.S. dollar, Musk has confirmed he wants to put the U.S. Treasury on a blockchain, the technology that underpins bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies—including Musk’s pet project dogecoin.
"Career Treasury officials are breaking the law every hour of every day by approving payments that are fraudulent or do not match the funding laws passed by Congress," Musk posted to X, referencing part of the United States code which outlines how some government payments are approved. “This needs to stop now!”
Replying to X influencer Mario Nawfal who asked: "Should the Treasury be put on the blockchain so this doesn’t happen," Musk replied: “Yes!”
Earlier, the New York Times reported Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent handed Doge department officials access to the payment system which sends out money to the tune of $5 trillion per year on behalf of the entire federal government on Friday, citing anonymous sources.
Last week, Musk held discussions about using the blockchain technology to save money, it was reported by Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources.
Unnamed people close to Musk told the financial newswire that there's been talk of using a blockchain to track federal spending, secure data, make payments and manage buildings.
It is unclear if Musk plans on using an existing blockchain, such as bitcoin's, ethereum's, dogecoin's or one of thousands of smaller blockchains which have their own cryptocurrencies, or if he would rather create a new, purpose built blockchain.
Following Musk's take over of Twitter, which he then renamed X, Musk also debated adding blockchain technology to the platform before ditching the idea, text messages between Musk and his brother Kimbal revealed in 2022.
Submission + - Musk Shows Us What Actual Government Censorship On Social Media Looks Like (techdirt.com)
theweatherelectric writes: Self proclaimed "free speech absolutist" Elon Musk is now suppressing free speech on Twitter. Over the weekend, Wired reported on the inexperienced twenty-somethings between 19 and 24 working for Musk who have been given unprecedented access to sensitive government systems.
When someone posted these government employees’ names on Twitter, Musk first declared it “criminal” to name government employees (it isn't) and then he followed it up by having the comment removed.
When someone posted these government employees’ names on Twitter, Musk first declared it “criminal” to name government employees (it isn't) and then he followed it up by having the comment removed.
Submission + - UK Team Invents Self-Healing Road Surface To Prevent Potholes (theguardian.com)
An anonymous reader writes: For all motorists, but perhaps the Ferrari-collecting rocker Rod Stewart in particular, it will be music to the ears: researchers have developed a road surface that heals when it cracks, preventing potholes without a need for human intervention.
The international team devised a self-healing bitumen that mends cracks as they form by fusing the asphalt back together. In laboratory tests, pieces of the material repaired small fractures within an hour of them first appearing. “When you close the cracks you prevent potholes forming in the future and extend the lifespan of the road,” said Dr Jose Norambuena-Contreras, a researcher on the project at Swansea University. “We can extend the surface lifespan by 30%.”
Potholes typically start from small surface cracks that form under the weight of traffic. These allow water to seep into the road surface, where it causes more damage through cycles of freezing and thawing. Bitumen, the sticky black substance used in asphalt, becomes susceptible to cracking when it hardens through oxidation. To make the self-healing bitumen, the researchers mixed in tiny porous plant spores soaked in recycled oils. When the road surface is compressed by passing traffic, it squeezes the spores, which release their oil into any nearby cracks. The oils soften the bitumen enough for it to flow and seal the cracks. Working with researchers at King’s College London and Google Cloud, the scientists used machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to model the movement of organic molecules in bitumen and simulate the behaviour of the self-healing material to see how it responded to newly formed cracks. The material could be scaled up for use on British roads in a couple of years, the researchers believe.
Potholes typically start from small surface cracks that form under the weight of traffic. These allow water to seep into the road surface, where it causes more damage through cycles of freezing and thawing. Bitumen, the sticky black substance used in asphalt, becomes susceptible to cracking when it hardens through oxidation. To make the self-healing bitumen, the researchers mixed in tiny porous plant spores soaked in recycled oils. When the road surface is compressed by passing traffic, it squeezes the spores, which release their oil into any nearby cracks. The oils soften the bitumen enough for it to flow and seal the cracks. Working with researchers at King’s College London and Google Cloud, the scientists used machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to model the movement of organic molecules in bitumen and simulate the behaviour of the self-healing material to see how it responded to newly formed cracks. The material could be scaled up for use on British roads in a couple of years, the researchers believe.
Submission + - Techdirt: A Coup Is In Progress In America (techdirt.com) 4
An anonymous reader writes: A coup is underway in the United States, and we must stop pretending otherwise. The signs are unmistakable and accelerating: in just the past 48 hours, Elon Musk’s DOGE commission has seized control of Treasury payment systems and gained unauthorized access to classified USAID materials, while security officials who followed protocols were removed. Career civil servants across agencies are being systematically purged for having followed legal requirements during previous administrations. The president openly declares he won’t enforce laws he dislikes, while Congress watches in complicit silence. This isn’t happening through tanks in the streets or soldiers at government buildings—it’s occurring through the systematic dismantling of constitutional governance and its replacement with a system of personal loyalty to private interests. Those who resist are being removed, while those who enable this transformation are being rewarded with unprecedented control over government functions. The time for euphemisms and careful hedging has passed. We are watching, in real time, the conversion of constitutional democracy into something darker and more dangerous. To pretend otherwise isn’t prudence—it’s complicity.
Submission + - Musk says he 'deleted' IRS easy filing team (rawstory.com)
echo123 writes: Musk says he 'deleted' IRS easy filing team that let Americans file taxes for free online
= = = = =
In a post on X, unelected government official Elon Musk revealed that he has cut the staff of the Internal Revenue Service that oversaw the system that allows Americans to file their taxes for free easily on its website.
A right-wing MAGA influencer called the "direct file" tax program a "far left government wide computer office" that was "built by Elizabeth Warren."
He claimed, "Direct file puts the government in charge of preparing people's tax returns for them," he claimed.
Musk responded by saying, "That group has been deleted."
Thus far, the website remains active.
The Treasury Department said on its website, "Direct File is a historic new IRS service that allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and file their tax return online, for free, including access to help from dedicated IRS Direct File customer support representatives."
It was available in both Spanish and English and wasn't a mandatory program for anyone. Those who didn't trust the system could still fill out their taxes by hand and mail them.
= = = = =
In a post on X, unelected government official Elon Musk revealed that he has cut the staff of the Internal Revenue Service that oversaw the system that allows Americans to file their taxes for free easily on its website.
A right-wing MAGA influencer called the "direct file" tax program a "far left government wide computer office" that was "built by Elizabeth Warren."
He claimed, "Direct file puts the government in charge of preparing people's tax returns for them," he claimed.
Musk responded by saying, "That group has been deleted."
Thus far, the website remains active.
The Treasury Department said on its website, "Direct File is a historic new IRS service that allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and file their tax return online, for free, including access to help from dedicated IRS Direct File customer support representatives."
It was available in both Spanish and English and wasn't a mandatory program for anyone. Those who didn't trust the system could still fill out their taxes by hand and mail them.
Submission + - California Reservoir Dams Opened At Trump's Order 2
Petersko writes: At the order of the President, 2.2 billion gallons of water were released from reservoirs in Central California on Friday. The goal, according to his posts on Truth Social, was to provide water to "farmers throughout the state, and to Los Angeles."
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03...
"There are two major problems, water experts said: The newly released water will not flow to Los Angeles, and it is being wasted by being released during the wet winter season."
“They were holding extra water in those reservoirs because of the risk that it would be a dry summer,” Heather Cooley, director of research for California water policy organization the Pacific Institute. “This puts agriculture at risk of insufficient water during the summer months.”
According to Trump, an additional 3 billion gallons will follow.
"The US Army Corps of Engineers and the White House did not respond to CNN’s request for comment."
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03...
"There are two major problems, water experts said: The newly released water will not flow to Los Angeles, and it is being wasted by being released during the wet winter season."
“They were holding extra water in those reservoirs because of the risk that it would be a dry summer,” Heather Cooley, director of research for California water policy organization the Pacific Institute. “This puts agriculture at risk of insufficient water during the summer months.”
According to Trump, an additional 3 billion gallons will follow.
"The US Army Corps of Engineers and the White House did not respond to CNN’s request for comment."
Comment The second version will look like this (Score 1) 75
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Comment Re:Misrepresentation (Score 3, Informative) 118
Yet the reward of that effort was the massive protest in Tiananmen that forced the government to forcible crackdown
no, they were not "forced" to do that. They chose to do that, instead of a civil response to the demands of the protesters.
Comment Re:Will they rebuild the battery storage? (Score 1) 113
Shocking, more like.
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