John Dilsaver

Retired from physics/mathematics education, loved it, miss it a lot. Currently spending time blacksmithing, general metal machining, forestry, MAGA MAHA+++

[Race 🕊️ @multiplanet1]

Elon Musk was asked why SpaceX barely files patents.

His answer flips everything business schools teach about protecting ideas.

"Patents are a recipe book for your competitors."

The room expected the standard answer. Patents protect innovation. Patents are moats. Every startup lawyer's first advice is file, file, file.

He explained why that's backwards for SpaceX. A patent is a public document. You file one, and you've published your engineering solution to the entire planet, with diagrams. Your only protection is your ability to sue whoever copies it. His primary long term competitors are in China. He said suing there would be pointless, so a patent filing would simply be handing over the blueprints with extra steps.

So SpaceX protects almost nothing on paper. The protection is velocity. By the time anyone reverse engineers the current rocket, SpaceX is two generations ahead. The moat isn't a document. The moat is speed.

Think about what that reveals. He'd rather rely on outrunning everyone forever than on a legal system defending yesterday's work. Most companies protect the past. He decided the past isn't worth protecting because he's never going back to it.

Secrets are for companies that stopped moving. If your advantage needs a lawyer to survive, it was never an advantage. It was a head start you wasted.

[Marcus House @MarcusHouse]

Beautiful view of FORTE now it has arrived at Christmas Island. It is preparing to partially submerge, have Ship 40 floated on top, and will rise again to come back to Texas. Bring her home! 🫶

Big thanks again to Chris Bray out there on site for us!
https://t.co/H4M9h14Wh0

[American™ @1776_13]

On July 2, 1982, a 33-year-old truck driver named Larry Walters tied 42 helium weather balloons to a Sears lawn chair, strapped on a parachute, packed a BB gun, sandwiches, and a six-pack… and cut the rope.

He expected to float a few hundred feet over his San Pedro backyard.

Instead he shot up like a rocket to 16,000 feet — straight into the main approach path for LAX.

Two airline pilots radioed the tower: they had just passed a man in a lawn chair holding a gun at 16,000 feet.

For 45 minutes he floated over Los Angeles, freezing, too scared to shoot more balloons. Finally he started popping them one by one and came down tangled in power lines in Long Beach, blacking out part of the neighborhood.

When police asked why he did it, he said:

“A man can’t just sit around.”

FAA fined him $4,000. America turned him into a folk hero — Lawnchair Larry.

True story.

[Robbie Mouton @mcgmouton57]

I wouldn't mind trying one out. At a cost of $128,000, it's really not too bad. I don't know about the safety record, but sure seems fun!

[Siqi Chen @blader]

my 11 year old is taking a public speaking class

they each had to speak on a random topic

today she got 'dinosaurs'

... and ran out of things to say with 30 seconds left

so she says: "and now please join me in a moment of silence for all those dead dinosaurs"

💀

proud dad

[Bill Mitchell @mitchellvii]

I see no reason within 5 years to even have actors anymore. And special effects? AI can do anything.

Have you seen these AI movies? They are very good.

[Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley]

Tomorrow Barbara & I celebrate 72yrs of marriage 2nite we hv dinner at Hickory House in Waterloo where we went when we were dating

[Mila Joy @Milajoy]

Holy craaap!

It is being reported that Fulton County, GA certified over 17,000 votes in the 2020 election for which there was no ballot!

Trump lost Georgia by just over 11,000 votes.

Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger are going to need good lawyers.

They are about to FO.

[John Dilsaver @john_dilsaver]

@Avatrode Yes, excellent.

[Lawrence 4.68e+3 🔋 @Avatrode]

When I’m 85 and my relatives all tell me I’m too old to stay in my home and I should go to assisted living…
I’ll say: Screw that. I’ve got Tesla Optimus.

Here’s how Optimus is being built to help senior citizens stay independent, safe, and thriving in their own homes:

Home Services
Full laundry cycle (sort, wash, fold, put away)
Cleaning, vacuuming, wiping surfaces, taking out the trash
Simple meal prep, light cooking, and serving food/drinks
Receiving packages, unpacking groceries, organizing the house
Light chores and smart-home control

Human / Physical Assistance
Helping stand up and transfer safely
Walking support and fall prevention (walking beside you)
Assisting with dressing and daily routines
Fetching items from high shelves or the floor
Carrying heavy objects so you don’t risk injury

Medical Capabilities
Medication reminders and management
Instant fall detection + automatic alerts to family and emergency services
Health monitoring and vital data sharing
Support for telehealth visits right in the living room
24/7 basic care support powered by Grok AI

Companionship & Everything Else
Real conversations (any language or personality via Grok)
Combating loneliness with chats, games, and mental stimulation
Home security monitoring
Facilitating video calls with family through the robot
Learning your routines and preferences for truly personal help

No forced move to the old folks home. Just independence, dignity, and a tireless companion that never sleeps.
The future of aging in place looks like this. 🚀

[Clinton @614clinton]

I washed my wife's truck this morning, and after doing so
I sat down and had a cold beer.
The day was really quite beautiful, and the drink facilitated some deep thinking.
My wife walked by and asked me what I was doing,
and I said, "Nothing." instead of saying "just thinking" because she then would have asked, "About what?"
At that point I would have had to explain that men are deep thinkers, which would lead to other questions.
Finally, I pondered an age old question: Is giving birth more painful than getting kicked in the groin?
Well, after another beer, and some more heavy thinking, I have come up with an answer.
Getting kicked in the groin is more painful than having a baby. Here is the reason for my thinking:
A year or so after giving birth, a woman will often say, "It might be nice to have another child."
But you never hear a guy say, "You know, I think I would like another kick in the groin."
I rest my case.
Time for another beer. Then maybe a nap.

[Old Salty Marine @BamaSaltyMarine]

A desperate woman was about to jump off a cliff.

An old homeless man passing by said, "Well, since you'll be gone by in a few minutes anyway, how about a quickie before you go?" She yelled, NO! You disgusting old man.

He shrugged and said, Fine, I'll just wait for you at the bottom.

She didn't jump.

Moral of the story, Counseling Works!

Sometimes all you need is the right kind…

[John Dilsaver @john_dilsaver]

Will AI fragment the movie industry, complete movies from AI, no need to pay expensive actors?

[John Dilsaver @john_dilsaver]

@Real_Ames Yeah, me.

[Nahtahn @fw_nahtahn]

I used to see the same man sitting outside a bakery in Manchester every morning.

Same bench.

Same newspaper.

Same cup of tea.

One morning, I finally asked him why he came so early.

He smiled and said, “My wife used to meet me here before work.”

I asked where she was.

He looked down at his tea.

“She passed away two years ago.”

I apologized, but he shook his head.

“Don’t apologize. I had 46 good years with her.”

That answer surprised me.

Most people I had seen grieving talked about what they had lost.

He talked about what he had been given.

He told me they met when they were 19, got married young, struggled with money, raised three children, and spent most of their lives worrying about things that seemed important at the time.

Then he laughed.

“You know what I regret?”

I asked what.

“Worrying so much about money when I had everything I actually needed sitting beside me.”

I didn’t know what to say.

He finished his tea and stood up.

Before leaving, he said:

“Don’t wait until someone is gone to realize how lucky you were to have them.”

I went home thinking about that for the rest of the day.

We spend so much of our lives chasing more.

More money.

More success.

More things.

Meanwhile, someone we love might simply want another ordinary morning with us.

Sometimes you don’t realize you’re living the good days until they’re already memories.

[Mike Bales 🫡🇺🇸 @MikeBales]

I asked my wife if she would wear gloves if she didn’t have any hands. She said no. I asked her if she would wear socks if she had no feet. She said no. So I asked her why she was wearing a bra.

Visiting hours are from 4-6. 😖

[Old Salty Marine @BamaSaltyMarine]

A trucker came into a Truck Stop Cafe’ and placed his order.

He said I want three flat tyres, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards.

The brand new blonde waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, went to the kitchen and said to the cook. This guy out there just ordered three flat tyres, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards.....

What does he think this place is a car parts shop?

'No,' the cook said. Three flat tyres mean three pancakes; a pair of headlights is two eggs sunny side up; and a pair of running boards... are 2 slices of crisp bacon!

Oh... OK!, said the blonde.

She thought about it for a moment and then spooned up a bowl of beans and gave it to the customer.

The trucker asked, What are the beans for, Blondie?'

She replied, I thought while you were waiting for the flat tyres, headlights and running boards, you might as well gas up! ....

[Whole Mars Catalog @wholemars]

Wireless charging for EVs is really exciting.

Imagine just falling asleep on a road trip, and your self-driving car can stop to charge and get back on the road entirely on its own.

Imagine never having to remember to plug in.

In fact, people in apartments who don’t have a place to park won’t even have to worry about charging. The car can just go charge itself and be ready the next time the owner needs it.

This technology will accelerate EV adoption once it’s available at a reasonable price. And it’s already an SAE standard, which should in theory make all brands of wireless charger and wireless charging EV compatible with each other.

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Bull sees a show-jumping horse and decides he can do it too