RANT: Tesla and other EV’s should be considered a national disgrace

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11668015/Devastating-photos-cobalt-mines-Democratic-Republic-Congo-power-Apple-Tesla-more.html

The shaming images that show where our iPhones, laptops and Tesla cars REALLY come from: The truth about the Congolese mines where kids are paid $2-a-day to dig for cobalt

  •     Images from the Shabara mine and others in the Democratic Republic of Congo show young children mining  
  •     They dig for cobalt, the chemical element that is used in almost every tech product on the market today 
  •     Apple, Tesla, Samsung and Microsoft are the other end of the complex supply chain  

By Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter For Dailymail.Com
Published: 08:24 EST, 30 January 2023 | Updated: 09:14 EST, 30 January 2023

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For years, big tech companies like Apple and Tesla have assured the customers of their glossy stores and showrooms that all their goods are ethically sourced and sold. 

But a new series of images taken from inside mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 90 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined and used to make the batteries that power our tech-led lives, raise uncomfortable questions. 

Cobalt is the chemical element found in almost every tech gadget that uses a lithium-powered battery on the market today – a smartphone, tablet or laptop requires a few grams of it, while an electric vehicle requires 10kg.

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Sorry, but this is a national disgrace.  And, all EV’s should be scorned.

I’m speechless.

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TECHNOLOGY: Driverless anything will dramatically disrupt the economy

Saturday, February 13, 2016

http://observer.com/2016/02/why-driverless-cars-will-screech-to-a-halt/

OPINION
Why Driverless Cars Will Screech to a Halt
The liability and regulatory issues involved in letting a 3000 pound death machine steer itself with no human at the controls remain huge
By Steven Hill • 02/09/16 8:42am

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Elon Musk’s Tesla recently became the latest big shot company to enter the self-driving car sweepstakes. Mr. Musk recently announced the hiring of software architecture veteran Jim Keller, who previously had played key roles at Apple and AMD, to lead its Autopilot Engineering team. Tesla’s move follows the recently announced partnership between General Motors and Lyft, in which the automaker is investing $500 million in the ridesharing company as part of a joint venture to develop self-driving cars.

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I wouldn’t mind having a “driverless car”. 

I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime.

It will hugely disrupt the economy. Hard to imagine all the impacts.

Great for the senior citizens who should no longer be driving.

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Elon Musk’s Tesla recently became the latest big shot company to enter the self-driving car sweepstakes. Mr. Musk recently announced the hiring of software architecture veteran Jim Keller, who previously had played key roles at Apple and AMD, to lead its Autopilot Engineering team. Tesla’s move follows the recently announced partnership between General Motors and Lyft, in which the automaker is investing $500 million in the ridesharing company as part of a joint venture to develop self-driving cars.

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INTERESTING: Maybe there’s some money to be made in solar after all?

Friday, May 8, 2015

http://readwrite.com/2015/05/01/tesla-energy-powerwall-backup-battery

Tesla‘s Powerwall: Why You Should Care Even If You Don’t Have Home Solar
Greater energy independence at a smaller cost.
BRIAN P. RUBIN MAY 1, 2015

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The U.S Energy Information Administration says that the average American home consumes about 11,000kWh per year, or about 30kWh per day. So if an average user wants to get completely off the grid, it would only take three 10kWh Powerwall units—at a total of $10,500, not counting the cost of installation, solar cells and a pricey DC/AC inverter—for that to become feasible. It may sound like a lot of money on paper, but considering the long term energy saving benefits, it’s a steal.

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Interesting concept and idea.

Maybe for my shore house? 

Put the solar panels on the roof. It gets a lot of sun year round. If you can sell the power back to the township /JCPL, then maybe the old “white elephant” could pay for some of its “freight”.

Heaven forbid, maybe it could even show a profit?

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Posted by reinkefj