Lifestyle
Space Hero Extraordinaire: Elon Musk
Anyone that can break the cycle of bureaucracy and nay-sayers to get a country focused on things that are super important, things like clean energy and planetary exploration, is a hero in my book. For Elon Musk and the few others like him, wanting something “too bad” isn’t a weakness because the very things you want require that kind of commitment to be attainable. The proof of that concept? Four words: “The Falcon has landed.”

Just Another Dreamer
When I was a kid, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be an astronaut. I just knew it was my “calling”. I fed my space addiction as much as the school’s library would allow me to, and I couldn’t even fathom why every other kid in my grade didn’t want the same thing. I still remember laughing when one of them said he didn’t know who Neil Armstrong was, thinking it was a joke, and then being completely floored when he asked me why he should care about some “old” dude.

Columbia Commander Eileen Collins by NASA on The Commons is provided with no known copyright restrictions.
I was a total geek. I have no problem admitting that. I had even managed to convince my parents to send me to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama where I was selected to be my session’s shuttle commander. This was years before Eileen Collins had become the first female shuttle commander, so it was a big deal to me.
One day, another student told me that I would never become an astronaut because I wanted it “too bad”. I still hate that she was right, but I really can’t hate the reasons why it came to be true. Genetics are genetics, and not meeting a five-foot-four threshold combined with not having twenty-twenty vision are more or less non-starters for the space cowboy wannabes out there. Then life happened, I went down another path (or seven), and the shuttle program was shut down before I ever got the opportunity to see a launch in person.
Mars and Musk for the “Win”

Apollo 8 Liftoff View by Project Apollo Archive is provided as part of the public domain.
When I finally made it to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it was the same week the very last shuttle had landed. As I stood in the bleachers where hundreds of others had sat to watch rockets take to the sky, gazing out at the launch pad that had held so much human spirit on it, I suddenly felt it again. The “calling”, renewed now with a slightly different purpose. Then I turned to my mostly disinterested brother and said, “Mike, this is my manifesto. One day, I’m going to be part of the effort that takes man to Mars. I got here too late for the moon and too late for the shuttle, but I’m not gonna give up. It’s too much a part of who I am, even today.” He laughed at me, of course, and probably rolled his eyes, but I wasn’t watching him. I was dreaming again.

The Final Shuttle by Brent Newhall is licensed under CC by 2.0.
That’s where Elon Musk came in for me. Cool rich guy does cool stuff with his money in an attempt to go cool places with his rockets, right? No, not really. It wasn’t that simple. I will even admit it took me a fairly long time to actually follow what he was doing. The words “commercial” and “space” just didn’t really mesh well together in my head. What could a business mentality really bring to the spirit of human space exploration that was pure enough to be worthy?
It took an interview with Elon on an episode of StarTalk Radio, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson (your personal astrophysicist), to finally “get” what was special about him. This guy’s main concern in life was advancing humanity. It really seemed to me that money was a means to an end for him, not the end itself, and that was something I could respect in a big way. After that, it didn’t take very long for fascination to set in, and now I consider him to be one of my heroes.

OnInnovation Interview: Elon Musk by OnInnovation is licensed under CC by ND 2.0.
“Hero” is a word that tends to be thrown around a lot, but I think in this case it is definitely deserved. It’s about breaking the cycle. The space industry is heavy with bureaucracy, inefficiency that drives high costs, and “big guys” happy to stand in the way of any other “guys” hoping to get in on the action. New technology means less job security for those doing things the way it has always been done, and long-standing relationships between the “big guys” and NASA have kept the “little guys” focused mostly on space tourism rather than pure scientific pursuit or pushing the boundaries of what can be done and where we can go.
Elon Musk: Space Hero Extraordinaire
Enter Elon Musk with SpaceX. He decides he’s going to launch rockets that are better, cheaper, flown more often, and with Mars as the ultimate goal. Shockingly, it doesn’t entirely even matter to him whether he succeeds or not. It’s just that important and must be tried. He didn’t get into the space business to make money; he got in for sake of all of us.

Exploration Imagery by NASA on The Commons is provided with no known copyright restrictions.
To be fair, Elon is not entirely unique in his desire to explore other planets, especially Mars. I remember watching an IMAX film during my week at Space Camp that had fantastic visuals explaining how we could terraform our red neighbor. I even remember thinking, “Oh, great! We do have a plan.” In reality though, we didn’t have a plan, or at least didn’t until Elon’s effect inspired people to demand one.
Anyone that can break the cycle of bureaucracy and nay-sayers to get a country focused on things that are super important, things like clean energy and planetary exploration, is a hero in my book. For Elon Musk and the few others like him, wanting something “too bad” isn’t a weakness because the very things you want require that kind of commitment to be attainable. The proof of that concept? Four words:

CRS-8 first stage landing by SpaceX is part of the public domain.
“The Falcon has landed.”
So that’s my angle, my two cents – whatever you want to call it. With SpaceX and Elon taking so much initiative, our future in the final frontier is finally happening again, and I am excited to both have the opportunity to watch everything unfold and to share my thoughts as it happens. I do plan on joining the effort directly, but more on that later. For now, the headlines are filled with the “next steps”, and there’s much to be said about them.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
Lifestyle
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
Ironically enough, the group’s video ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

Anti-Elon Musk protesters and critics tend to show their disdain for the CEO in various ways, but a recent video from political action group Led By Donkeys definitely takes the cake when it comes to creativity.
Ironially enough, the group’s video also ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.
Tank vs. Tesla
In its video, Led By Donkeys featured Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran who served in the British army during World War II. The veteran stated that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is “using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars.”
He also noted that he had a message for the Tesla CEO: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again.” To emphasize his point, the veteran proceeded to drive a Sherman tank over a blue Tesla Model 3 sedan, which, of course, had a plate that read “Fascism.”
The heavy tank crushed the Model 3’s glass roof and windows, much to the delight of Led By Donkeys’ commenters on its official YouTube channel. But at the end of it all, the aftermath of the anti-Elon Musk demonstration ended up showcasing something positive for the electric vehicle maker.
Tesla Model 3 Tanks the Tank?
As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed. Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.
Considering that a standard M4 Sherman weighs about 66,800 to 84,000 pounds, the Model 3 actually weathered the tank’s assault really well. Granted, the vehicle’s suspension height before the political action group’s demonstration suggests that the Model 3’s high voltage battery had been removed beforehand. But even if it hadn’t been taken off, it seemed like the vehicle’s battery would have survived the heavy ordeal without much incident.
This was highlighted in comments from users on social media platform X, many of whom noted that a person in the Model 3 could very well have survived the ordeal with the Sherman. And that, ultimately, just speaks to the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. There is a reason why Teslas consistently rank among the safest cars on the road, after all.
Lifestyle
Tesla Model 3 driver is using FSD to travel to Mt. Everest Base Camp
The ambitious, nearly 4,000-kilometer (2,485-mile) Tesla FSD journey is being livestreamed on Chinese social media.

Count on Tesla drivers in China to push Full Self Driving (FSD) as far as it could go. As could be seen in videos posted on Chinese social media, a brave Model 3 owner is currently going on an epic journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest on FSD.
Recent posts from the Model 3 driver suggest that the ambitious destination may be within reach.
Epic FSD Journey
As noted by Tesla owner-enthusiast Aaron Li, the journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest spans almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). The journey itself is epic, with stunning vistas and roads that require some drivers to bring oxygen canisters with them. The fact that it is being done using FSD makes it extra impressive.
Based on the videos that have been recently shared, the Model 3 running FSD seems to be nearing the Everest Base Camp. There seems to be a good chance that the Tesla Model 3 may reach its destination this Friday.
Previous Everest Trips
This is not the first time that a Tesla has driven to Mt. Everest’s base camp. That would be a Model 3 that was driven in September 2020. That vehicle, which went on a long 5,500 km (3,400-mile) journey, was manually driven to its destination.
In April 2021, Tesla China announced that it has completed the buildout of 11 Supercharger stations in the picturesque route from Chengdu to Tingri. This route would allow drivers to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Sure enough, in July 2022, Tesla China shared a video of two Teslas—a Model X and Model Y—reaching the Everest base camp without any issues. Numerous other Tesla drivers have since taken on the long, picturesque journey.
Check out this Tesla Model Y’s journey to the Mt. Everest base camp in the video below.
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