Tag Archives: Elon Musk

A closer look at Waymo and Tesla

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Slate’s Henry Grabar takes a closer look at how the two main robotaxi ventures differ in approach and likely effect. Waymo is now clocking more than 250,000 paid rides a week, on track to double last year’s total. It currently … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The weather folks are doing their best

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hold space in your hearts for them, because our safety depends to some extent on their success. With hurricane season underway and an above-normal activity forecast, some National Weather Service offices like Houston — where as many as 44% of positions are vacant … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The stakes of the Tesla robotaxi debut in Austin sure are higher now

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck, Elmo. You’re gonna need it. Tesla’s long-awaited entry into the robotaxi market — expected later this month — is coming to Austin, Texas, which has emerged as a key battleground for self-driving technology. CEO Elon Musk wrote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s more than just FEMA

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The 2025 hurricane season is underway. It won’t be just the storms that determine how bad it is. FEMA leads the federal response when disaster strikes. It coordinates rescue efforts, provides temporary housing and medical help, and offers financial assistance to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The case against rooting for Tesla to fail

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From Inside Climate News. While some people may be pleased to see Tesla and Musk struggle, and most of the damage was self-inflicted, Tesla’s swoon is probably bad for the U.S. EV market. It helps to have a sense of … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Tesla robotaxis to arrive in Austin in June

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t use them, I say. Make Elon cry. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company will have robotaxis on the streets of Austin, Texas, by the end of June. In an interview with CNBC’s David Faber on Tuesday at … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla robotaxis to arrive in Austin in June

How can we stand all this winning?

Posted on May 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Item 1: More than 1 million people count on Houston-area food pantries, which are staring down empty shelves after losing $11 million in federal funding. Until recently, 100 tractor-trailers full of federally-funded food pulled up each month to the Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who cares about weather disasters?

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not the Trump administration. The Trump administration’s steep staff cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) triggered shutdowns of several climate-related programs Thursday. Perhaps most notably, the NOAA announced it would be shuttering the “billion-dollar weather and climate disasters” database … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who cares about weather disasters?

Harris County claims early victory in lawsuit over mass federal layoffs

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

First round to the good guys, but there’s a lot more to happen. Harris County was among local governments and others claiming victory Saturday after a judge halted the Trump administration’s efforts to lay off federal employees. The county, local … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County claims early victory in lawsuit over mass federal layoffs

Harris County gets in on another lawsuit over federal funding cuts

Posted on May 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Keep fighting. Harris County has filed a third lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration, challenging its overhaul of the federal government and a slew of federal workforce cuts. The county is suing along with a coalition of other local government … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County gets in on another lawsuit over federal funding cuts

Waymo brings its self-driving tech to Toyota

Posted on May 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I just like to keep an eye on the driverless car scene. Alphabet-owned Waymo and Toyota on Tuesday announced a preliminary partnership to explore bringing robotaxi tech to personally-owned vehicles. “The companies will explore how to leverage Waymo’s autonomous technology … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Waymo brings its self-driving tech to Toyota

Starbase Soon-To-Be-A-City

Posted on April 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I guess we’re all assuming this will pass. Nearly 10 years after SpaceX, Elon Musk’s effort to colonize Mars, began operating in a small community in Cameron County just a few miles inland of the Gulf Coast, employees who live … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On weather balloons

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Another possibly bad omen for the hurricane season. Due to staffing constraints, as a result of recent budget cuts and retirements, the National Weather Service has announced a series of suspensions involving weather balloon launches in recent weeks. On February … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on On weather balloons

Smaller number of federal buildings on the chopping block

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Progress? I dunno. Less than two weeks after posting – and abruptly pulling down – a list of federally owned office buildings to be sold, the U.S. General Services Administration has released a much shorter list that includes one property in Houston. A … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Smaller number of federal buildings on the chopping block

Make America hungry again

Posted on March 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They’re working on it. The San Antonio Food Bank expects to lose $3 million due to federal funding cuts, leaving officials at the nonprofit saying they’re not sure how they’ll make up for that shortfall and that they are worried … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Make America hungry again

The federal buildings that may or may not get sold

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who can even tell with these incompetent wannabe evildoers? The General Services Administration, landlord for federal government, said Tuesday it planned to sell more than 440 buildings across the U.S., including three in Houston and 21 others in Texas. The … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The federal buildings that may or may not get sold

“A bigger threat to U.S. federal government information systems than China”

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Brian Krebs assesses the DOGE madness from a cybersecurity perspective. The Trump administration has fired at least 130 employees at the federal government’s foremost cybersecurity body  — the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Those dismissals reportedly included CISA staff dedicated to securing U.S. elections, … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “A bigger threat to U.S. federal government information systems than China”

If you get the chance to attend a Congressional town hall, do so

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Look at all the fun you can have. About two dozen demonstrators greeted 3rd District Congressman Keith Self at a town hall in the Collin College Conference Center in Wylie. “Do your job!” chanted the crowd carrying signs including “Dump … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We better not have a disaster this year

Posted on March 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We will not be able to recover from it as things stand right now. After a series of severe hurricanes hit the Texas Gulf Coast and other U.S. coastlines last summer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was nearing its limits. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

How’s that response to bird flu going?

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Keep your expectations low, that’s my advice. Newly confirmed U.S. Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins is facing an early test as she leads the effort to tamp down on the country’s bird flu outbreak, which has decimated dairy and poultry farmers … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How’s that response to bird flu going?

Muskian rampage could close hundreds of federal buildings in Texas

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Look around, here today and maybe gone tomorrow. Billionaire Elon Musk’s chainsaw diet for the U.S. government could shutter near 450 federal offices across Texas that do anything from assisting ailing veterans to answering questions about retirement and disability benefits, … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Solar For All grants caught in a trap

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They can’t get out, at least not at this time. More than $400 million in federal funding for Texas-based organizations to implement clean energy programs remains frozen, jeopardizing efforts to expand access to rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems in … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Solar For All grants caught in a trap

Starbase City gets its vote

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Company town incoming. Cameron County’s top elected official on Wednesday signed an order clearing the way for an election that would allow employees of SpaceX’s South Texas launch site to make it the county’s newest city. The order, signed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Starbase City gets its vote

Is this the end of the penny?

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It could be. President Donald Trump says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin. “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Is this the end of the penny?

From the “We got ghosted by Elmo’s airport tunnels” department

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Never ever trust anything that guy says. It’s been three years since a Bexar County agency gave the nod for an underground tunnel between the airport and downtown San Antonio. It now appears those plans have been tanked, but not … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Always consider the source. Tesla Inc. fleshed out plans to launch a robotaxi business Elon Musk is counting on to help usher in next phase of growth, after the company posted quarterly earnings that missed estimates. The electric-car maker expects … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Tesla seeks permit for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants this? Tesla is in early talks with the authorities in the city of Austin, Texas, about its autonomous vehicle technology, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. A Tesla employee has been in touch with the city’s autonomous vehicle task … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla seeks permit for robotaxi service in Austin

Elon Musk has been busy making Austin dirtier

Posted on December 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good reporting from the Wall Street Journal. Elon Musk made big promises to Wall Street about Tesla’s new Model Y SUV in 2022, and the company was ramping up its production in Austin, Texas, when environmental problems threatened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Somehow, the Boca Chica land swap is off

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I only found out about this now because this story, dated November 14, was either never on the Houston Chronicle homepage or was missed by me when it was, until it was on Page One of the December 16 print … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Somehow, the Boca Chica land swap is off

Starbase City

Posted on December 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Elon Musk would like his own company town, please. SpaceX’s goal is to colonize Mars. But first, it wants to create an official city in Texas. Employees living on the site of SpaceX’s operations in South Texas are requesting a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Look for driverless cars to get fast-tracked

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Something to keep an eye on. President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team plans to create a federal framework for fully self-driving vehicles, Bloomberg reported citing sources. Should new regulations permit vehicles without human controls, it could provide a significant benefit to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Look for driverless cars to get fast-tracked

Cards Against Humanity against Elon Musk

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We live in such strange times. The game company Cards Against Humanity is suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX for $15 million, accusing the corporation that launches rockets from Texas of illegally trespassing on South Texas land and destroying property. The lawsuit, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A brief robotaxi update

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Cruise is back on the streets, but with human drivers for the time being. Cruise has announced that it’s resuming tests for its fleet of self-driving taxis in Phoenix, Arizona , though not with passengers just yet. The autonomous vehicle … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A brief robotaxi update

Lawsuit filed to stop the Boca Chica land swap

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. A coalition of Rio Grande Valley organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, seeking to block the state agency from pursuing a land swap with Elon Musk’s SpaceX spacecraft company. Last month, the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed to stop the Boca Chica land swap