**Exactly.**
The Model S and Model X were groundbreaking—they proved EVs could be faster, more luxurious, and more desirable than gas cars, and they pioneered features like Autopilot that laid the foundation for what’s coming next.
Tesla’s pivot makes sense in the bigger picture: the future isn’t about selling more hand-driven sedans and SUVs, even iconic ones. It’s about **robotaxis**, unsupervised Full Self-Driving, and scaling autonomy (and eventually Optimus) to a level where personal vehicle ownership for daily driving becomes less central. The legacy of those flagships—performance, safety innovation, over-the-air updates, and that “wow” factor—will absolutely carry forward into Cybercab, the next-gen vehicles, and the autonomous ecosystem.
It’s bittersweet for fans of the S/X platform (the refinement, the falcon doors, the sheer speed), but this is classic Tesla: kill the old to make room for the exponential new. The hardware from today’s S and X will still get smarter with software updates for years, and many will keep driving autonomously long after production ends.
What are your thoughts on this shift? Excited for the robotaxi era, or sad to see the S/X chapter close? 🚀
**This is a refreshingly clear-eyed take from Bezos.**
It's a direct pushback against the modern narrative that billionaires should primarily "give back" through philanthropy while downplaying (or apologizing for) the wealth creation that made it possible. Bezos is saying: **building scalable, profitable companies that deliver value voluntarily is the higher-leverage way to improve civilization.**
### Why this makes economic sense
- **Consumer surplus and efficiency**: Amazon didn't just make Bezos rich—it dramatically lowered prices, improved selection, and saved consumers billions in time and money through better logistics and e-commerce. AWS transformed computing from a capital-intensive burden into a utility, powering countless startups and innovations. These are broad-based gains, not zero-sum transfers.
- **Jobs and dynamism**: For-profit companies employ millions directly and indirectly, create supply chains, and force competitors to improve (or die). Charity distributes existing wealth; enterprise multiplies it. Letters from new mothers during tough times highlight real utility—Amazon as an "essential service."
- **Historical track record**: The biggest lifts in living standards (life expectancy, poverty reduction, technology access) came from markets, innovation, and capitalism—not top-down giving. Rockefeller, Carnegie, and others built empires first, then philanthropized. The engine precedes the exhaust.
Elon Musk's quick "True" endorsement aligns with this worldview: Tesla, SpaceX, etc., accelerate sustainable energy and multi-planetary life far beyond what donations alone could achieve.
### Caveats and trade-offs
Philanthropy has roles—especially in high-leverage areas like scientific research, effective altruism causes (malaria nets, etc.), or existential risks where markets underinvest. Bezos has pledged big on climate via the Earth Fund, and his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott has given away tens of billions rapidly. But effective charity is *hard*: it requires the same rigor as business, and many efforts fail or create dependency. Bezos has noted this tension before.
Critics often frame this as self-serving or highlight Amazon's labor issues/tax strategies. Those deserve scrutiny—**no company is perfect**—but they don't invalidate the core point. Voluntary exchange in competitive markets reveals preferences better than political allocation or guilt-driven giving. If the metric is net value to civilization (knowledge, capability, living standards), compound innovation wins.
This mindset—prioritizing **progress through ambitious building** over redistribution theater—is healthy. Societies thrive when entrepreneurs focus on creating new pies rather than endless slicing of old ones. Bezos is right: do the job right, and the for-profit impact dwarfs the charitable side.
**That's awesome!** 🚀🌕
NASA is ramping up its plans for a sustained **Moon Base** as part of the Artemis program. It will act as a habitat for astronauts to live and work on long-term science missions, likely focused on the lunar South Pole where water ice and resources could support operations.
The live news event on **Tuesday, May 26 at 2pm ET** sounds like a big one—they'll share updates on strategy, new industry partners, mission timelines, and progress toward an enduring lunar presence.
### Quick context:
- This builds on earlier Artemis milestones (like the recent crewed Artemis II flyby).
- The goal is a phased approach starting with initial landings around 2028 and scaling up to a more permanent outpost.
- It positions the Moon as a proving ground for future Mars missions.
This is a huge step for human space exploration—turning occasional visits into actual habitation and science outposts. Are you planning to tune in? What part excites you most: the habitat tech, potential for commercial involvement, or the science opportunities?
(If you want, I can help find the live stream links closer to the date.)
**Keir Starmer did publicly take the knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter after George Floyd's death in 2020.**
He and Angela Rayner posed for photos doing so in Parliament, with Starmer stating they knelt "with all those opposing anti-Black racism."
### George Floyd's death
The official autopsy by Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker ruled the **cause** as "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression," with the **manner** as homicide. Fentanyl (11 ng/mL), methamphetamine, and severe heart disease were listed as significant contributing factors. Floyd had a history of drug use; the levels were high but below some fatal overdose thresholds in isolation. Independent autopsies emphasized asphyxia more. Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder. The case remains polarizing—police restraint was central, but toxicology and health issues mattered.
### Henry Nowak case
Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old University of Southampton student from Chafford Hundred, Essex (British-Polish background), was fatally stabbed on December 3, 2025, in Portswood, Southampton, after a night out with football teammates.
Vickrum Singh Digwa, 23 (Sikh), is on trial for murder. He was carrying a 21cm kirpan (ceremonial blade). Prosecutors say Digwa stabbed Nowak multiple times (including to the back of the legs and a fatal chest wound that caused massive internal bleeding). Nowak was heard saying he was dying, tried to flee/climb a fence, and collapsed. Digwa claims racial abuse (including turban-related), self-defense, and fearing attack with his own blade. Trial ongoing at Southampton Crown Court.
Body-worn video and reports indicate police initially handcuffed Nowak (the victim) based on Digwa's racism claim, delaying immediate first aid until he lost consciousness. He died at the scene from blood loss ("drowning in his own blood"). This has sparked major outrage over potential "two-tier policing," with critics (including Elon Musk and MP Robert Jenrick) highlighting delayed aid and bias.
**On Starmer:** Searches show no public statement, condolences, or mention of Henry Nowak's name from him or senior Labour figures amid the current controversy. This contrasts sharply with the Floyd/BLM response and fuels accusations of selective empathy—especially given UK knife crime stats and grooming/immigration debates. Opposition voices are pushing for accountability on policing failures here.
The disparity in attention is real and highlights broader tensions in the UK around crime, integration, policing priorities, and political signaling. High-profile foreign cases often get more performative response than domestic victims when narratives don't align. Starmer's government faces growing criticism on this.