Latest news with #TeslaCybertrucks
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I denounce my celebrity-ness': Shaquille O'Neal bluntly destroys fame culture with unfiltered take on ego, money, and status
Image via David L. Nemec /Getty Images Shaquille O'Neal has never fit into a box, and he's making sure no one tries to put him in one now. The four-time NBA champion and longtime Inside the NBA mainstay has made it clear he wants nothing to do with the 'celebrity' tag, even as his post-playing career has made him one of the most recognizable figures in sports media. As the beloved TNT show closes a defining chapter, O'Neal is now gearing up for a new era—one he says won't pull any punches. Shaquille O'Neal turns down the celebrity label to stay true to his roots Shaquille O'Neal has built an empire through dominance, charisma, and candor but don't call him a celebrity. In a statement originally made during a 2021 interview with the New York Post, O'Neal didn't mince words when rejecting the label that's often attached to athletes of his stature. 'These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don't want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I'm done with it,' he declared. Shaq explained his position further, calling out what he sees as detachment and ego among those in the public eye. 'I don't want to be in that category. Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don't call me that anymore,' he said. 'These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That's never been me.' For the Hall of Famer, humility has always been the foundation. 'I came from nothing. Just because I made it doesn't mean I'm bigger than you or smarter than you… just because I have more money doesn't mean I'm better than you. I've never been that way and I never will be.' As Inside the NBA ends, Shaquille O'Neal sets his sights on the next takeover As TNT's era with the NBA comes to a close, so does a legendary run for Inside the NBA, a show as beloved for its basketball analysis as its chemistry and chaos. Shaq, who was part of the on-air team with Ernie Johnson , Kenny Smith , and Charles Barkley , made it clear that wherever they go next, they're coming in with force. 'To that new network we're coming to—we ain't coming to F*** around,' Shaq declared on air. 'We're kicking a**, we're taking names, and we're taking over.' While ESPN prepares to welcome the iconic crew, O'Neal's words are a warning and a promise. 'I love you guys and I appreciate you guys, but hey we're coming to take over that next network, too.' Longtime host Ernie Johnson shared heartfelt reflections on the team's journey: 'If I had written the script, the NBA and TNT would have been together forever… Gratitude is the operative word for me.' Also Read: Shaquille O'Neal reveals why he got rid of his two Tesla Cybertrucks, says he treats his cars like his 'girlfriends' Shaquille O'Neal's journey has always defied convention—from his dominance on the hardwood to his bold, unfiltered voice in sports media. As he closes one chapter and steps into the next, he's sticking to the values that made him a fan favorite: authenticity, humility, and a refusal to chase empty fame. Celebrity? Not interested. Spotlight? Only if it stands for something real.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mexican state unrolls Tesla Cybertrucks to fight drug crime
Representative Image GUADALAJARA: A Mexican state plagued by drug-related violence has launched a fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks to patrol the streets, authorities said Thursday. The western state of Jalisco is a hotbed of criminal violence, home to one of Mexico's most powerful drug trafficking groups, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which was designated a terrorist organization by US President Donald Trump. The futuristic, tortoise-shaped pickups are part of a $51 million investment to buy more than 690 new vehicles, including 200 motorbikes, Jalisco state governor Pablo Lemus said. Security is a top priority for Jalisco authorities ahead of the 2026 World Cup, when state capital Guadalajara will host four matches. One of the Cybertrucks, which are made by billionaire Elon Musk's firm Tesla, was used this week to arrest two police officers who tried to recruit two young people for a drug trafficking gang, Jalisco Security Secretary Juan Pablo Hernandez told AFP. The vehicles are equipped with satellite internet provided by Musk's Starlink, which allows "quick access to information wherever we are," Hernandez said. This is particularly useful to authorities patrolling Jalisco's often violent rural areas. Dozens of curious onlookers took photos next to the slick, angular vehicles complete with police insignia on display in Guadalajara on Thursday. More than 127,000 people are registered as missing in Mexico, most of them since 2006 when the government declared war on drug trafficking groups. By state, Jalisco has the highest number of missing persons cases, with more than 15,000.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Tesla Cybertruck Joins Police Fleet In Mexico Ahead Of 2026 FIFA World Cup
As Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Jalisco is upgrading its security by adding Tesla Cybertrucks to its police fleet. These electric vehicles will help ensure safety during the event. The police have introduced three specially equipped Cybertrucks for patrol in busy tourist areas during the tournament. The Cybertruck was seen covered in a matte black wrap and displayed the usual police markings. Red and blue flashing lights are built into the front and back bumpers, as well as the sides. While the local police haven't shared any interior photos, they likely have the necessary equipment for patrolling and enforcing the law. These Cybertrucks are just a small part of a larger group of new vehicles being introduced by the state. Also Read: Nissan Magnite CNG Vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx CNG: What Should You Buy? Jalisco's government will deliver 678 vehicles for its security forces. This includes three modified Tesla Cybertrucks. Recently, one of the Cybertrucks was spotted on the streets alongside two police Ford F-Series trucks. Mayor Pablo Lemus Navarro aims to improve safety ahead of the World Cup. Some residents showed concern about the spending but Governor Pablo Lemus supports the investment. He believes it is essential to update public security infrastructure, as the Cybertruck will be used for intelligence work, searches, detentions, and crime prevention throughout the state. Mexico is not the only country using the Cybertruck for police work. Earlier this year, Las Vegas announced it would be receiving 10 Cybertrucks, donated by an anonymous supporter. Some will be used by SWAT teams, while others will patrol the streets. The 2026 Football World Cup will be hosted by Mexico, the USA, and Canada, with 48 teams participating. The event is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos: rivals for space, trucks, satellite dominance
Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, two of the world's richest individuals, compete with each other in more ways than one. Musk's SpaceX and Bezos' Blue Origin might be their most well-known rivalry; however, it isn't the only one the pair of billionaires have. Satellites and electric trucks are also areas of competition for them. Tesla, the electric vehicle (EV) maker that Musk has run for nearly 17 years, began selling its Cybertruck in late 2023. Tesla first unveiled plans to build the electric truck in 2019. Ahead of its debut, Musk told analysts and investors the Cybertruck is "an amazing product" and "potentially our best product ever." There were nearly 38,970 sales of Tesla Cybertrucks in 2024, Cox Automotive's Kelly Blue Book estimated. In this year's first quarter, Tesla had an estimated 6,400 sales of Cybertrucks. Last month, Slate Auto announced that an electric truck is set to make its debut on the market late next year. Its price tag, after federal incentives, is expected to be below $20,000. Read On The Fox Business App The company, backed by Bezos, described its upcoming truck as a "simplified EV 2-seat pickup" that will feature crank windows and HVAC knobs on its dashboard. Customers will be able to personalize the truck with over 100 accessories or make it a five-seat SUV, according to the company. Jeff Bezos-backed Automaker Unveils Affordable Ev Pickup Truck Slate was born from Re:Build Manufacturing, a company founded by Jeff Wilke, the former CEO of Amazon's worldwide consumer business. Slate received $111 million in Series A funding in 2023 (under the name Re:Car), according to a regulatory filing. Melinda Lewison, who manages Jeff Bezos' family office, is listed as a director in the filing. SpaceX and Amazon are both in the broadband satellite business, with Musk's space company doing so through Starlink and the Bezos-founded tech giant via its Project Kuiper. Starlink's impressive constellation includes thousands of satellites. The internet that they help facilitate is available in many places around the world. SpaceX has conducted many Starlink missions this month, carrying satellites into low-Earth orbit. Meanwhile, Amazon aims for Project Kuiper's "first-generation satellite system" to have over 3,200 satellites. The company has 80-plus launches of Project Kuiper satellites in the pipeline. Amazon Takes First Step Toward Satellite Internet Service With Successful Launch Project Kuiper is meant to "provide fast, affordable broadband to communities around the world that are currently unserved or underserved by traditional internet and communications options," the e-commerce giant has said. Its internet is slated to go live later in 2025. Amazon's first set of Project Kuiper satellites successfully reached low-Earth orbit late last month. The 27 satellites were transported by a rocket from United Launch Alliance in a mission called KA-01. Amazon said on May 9 that it has "continued to have a nominal start to the mission with all systems and subsystems onboard operating as planned. SpaceX and Blue Origin have been in a heated space race for quite some time. Musk's space company's Falcon 9 rocket has been flying for years, carrying satellites to orbit, helping bring astronauts to the International Space Station, and bring them home. Another rocket that SpaceX is developing, called Starship, is slated to conduct its ninth test flight soon. It is ultimately meant to "carry both crew and cargo to Earth Orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond," the company has said. Competitor Blue Origin has conducted 31 missions with its New Shepard rocket program. Starbase, Home To Elon Musk's Spacex, To Officially Become A Texas City A dozen of its New Shephard missions have brought humans to the Karmin Line, which demarcates the edge of space, in tourism flights. Its planned 13th human flight was announced by Blue Origin last week. The Bezos-founded company is also working on a two-stage New Glenn rocket, which achieved its first launch in mid-January. The company has described the rocket as crucial to its "efforts to establish sustained human presence on the Moon, harness in-space resources, provide multi-mission, multi-orbit mobility through Blue Right, and establish destinations in low Earth orbit." New Glenn has orders with NASA, Project Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile and other firms. SpaceX and Blue Origin have both won various contracts with the federal government, including ones for lunar landers, missions to the Moon and for national security, among other things. Matthew Kazin and Stephen Sorace contributed to this article source: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos: rivals for space, trucks, satellite dominance Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fear, hope and loathing in Elon Musk's new city: ‘It's the wild, wild west and the future'
Along a flat coastal highway in south-east Texas, surrounded by wetlands and open plains, the artefacts of a new American oligarchy appear in quick succession. Three towering rockets stand upright on the horizon. A fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks speeds by. A large mural of the Shiba Inu 'doge' dog stares ahead, its arms crossed. There is a 4-metre-tall (12ft) bust of the world's richest person, painted in bronze, facing a dusty roadside. 'ELON aka MemeLord', a plaque beneath reads. It's not exactly romantic poetry, but the whole scene reminds me of the sonnet by Shelley: 'Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!' While old Ozymandias may have seen his fiefdoms crumble, Elon Musk's empire is possibly only just beginning. Here in Cameron County, on the southern tip of the Lone Star state, where Google Maps proudly displays the newly declared 'Gulf of America' just offshore, Musk has situated his self-described mission to save humanity and populate Mars. Just a few miles from his painted bust is the Starbase industrial complex, a rocket-manufacturing facility and launch arena, which commands the vista for miles. It is also the site of the multibillionaire's latest venture to acquire even more political power. Fresh from an extended stay in Washington as the de facto leader of the government-slashing, conflict-of-interest-riddled, so-called 'department of government efficiency' (Doge), Musk has returned in time to see Starbase become its own city. We are here shortly before the vote, where there is little doubt that the 280 eligible voters (the vast majority of whom are employed by or connected to Musk's space exploration company SpaceX) will approve the incorporation of a new, 4 sq km (1.6 sq mile) municipality. There remain many questions about why the company, which did not respond to any of my written questions and interview requests, would move for such recognition. It brings limited local powers, including the ability to impose minor property taxes and grant building permits, as well as the mandate to create its own fire department and – to some alarm – police department. And yet, as the US lurches further into what many describe as an era of norm-shattering digital dystopia under the second presidency of Donald Trump, the goings-on here, in this remote enclave by the US-Mexico border, already bring a sense of grisly prescience. As we pull off the highway into the Starbase neighbourhood (Boca Chica village, before the vote), we are trailed almost instantly by two white security trucks with flashing yellow lights. We drive along the main residential drag, where dozens of shiny, silver Airstream trailers – housing for SpaceX staff – sit in neat symmetry. We pass the newly renamed 'Memes Street' (formerly it was Weems Street), marked with a black street sign accompanied by a small image of Musk's pioneering Starship rocket. On the adjacent LBJ Boulevard, lined with modest homes and customised Cybertrucks parked outside, we pass what is reportedly Musk's personal residence, a small bungalow winged by a high black fence. As I get out, I chat with the security guard who has trailed us for the past five minutes. He informs me with a smile that while the roads may be public, if I step on to the front lawns of any of the homes, he'll seek to have me arrested. 'It's private property,' he says. Time to leave. While downtown Starbase may be a little averse to visitors, it's a different story in the ranchlands outside. Musk founded the facility in late 2014, and its rapid expansion in recent years has drawn a small platoon of Mars obsessives to the area. A few miles away from the production site, at a staging location seen in the distance, a Starship rocket is preparing for a static engine test. Clouds of vapour cascade from the 170ft vehicle, and small groups of awestruck spectators congregate at intervals on the roadside. Many are livestreamers and photographers who document the minutiae of Starbase's activities in extraordinary detail; surveying the serial numbers of components, the progress of launchpad construction and the particulars of planning documents, to assess when the next Starship launch is likely to take place. 'When you're standing here it's a weird combination of the wild, wild west and the brand new future,' says a livestreamer named Caesar G, who works for an independent YouTube channel called NASASpaceflight, which has 1.32 million subscribers. He's focusing a long lens camera on the testing taking place a few miles away, arms flailing with excitement. 'Take the politics out of everything,' he says. 'This is the coolest thing that's going on, engineering-wise. We are catching rockets!' While there is no doubt that the midair mechanical capture of a 232ft rocket booster, as happened here first in October of last year, is an extraordinary technological achievement, I do wonder how it is possible to distinguish it from politics, given the company's owner is also accused of making a fascist salute during Donald Trump's second inauguration. Shaun Gisler, a self-described 'aerospace histographer', who is also livestreaming at the roadside, chimes in on this point. 'He's accused of a lot of things,' Gisler says. 'A lot of that is just white noise. I'm looking at the result out here and I'm seeing success. We're hoping this gets to a point where it becomes so big, it helps bridge the [political] gap.' The full engine test does not happen for another five hours, but both men are committed to waiting out in the humidity to film it. We drive a little farther inland to meet with Anthony Gomez, a manager of the Rocket Ranch campground, which caters to hundreds of travelling space tourists every year. Gomez moved here in 2021, abandoning his life in Florida to witness what he believes are the beginnings of a programme that will save humanity. We head to a viewing platform which commands an uninterrupted view of the launchpads and is fronted by a fire trench designed to protect visitors in the wake of a catastrophic rocket explosion. He wells up describing the feeling of watching a takeoff here. 'Every cell and molecule is shaking with some form of elation,' he says. 'It is overwhelming. It's the apex of human technology. And when that thing takes off, somehow that is communicated. Somehow that information is delivered into your heart.' At the ranch, a cabin displays fragments of recovered Starship debris, and a large mural recreates Michelangelo's 'The Creation of Adam', replacing God's finger with one belonging to a Tesla humanoid robot named Optimus. We are meeting just days after a federal budget proposal by the Trump administration advances crippling cuts to low-income housing assistance while greenlighting a $1bn investment in Mars programmes, which is likely to benefit Musk. Gomez, who does not identify as a Trump supporter, is unfazed by the apparent cronyism, arguing that homelessness is 'the average human's responsibility', not that of the government. Plus, he argues, space exploration may one day allow us to retrieve gold- and platinum-encrusted asteroids to cure global poverty. 'There are asteroids floating around in space that can make the entire world wealthy,' he claims. He acknowledges that the technology to receive such a planetary boon is probably centuries away, but argues that the new private space race should 'give people a focus of hope'. It can be hard to unpick the politics here; a mixture of right-leaning libertarianism that feels largely mainstream, and visions of a tech utopia that seem more grounded in science fiction than reality. 'If you want to take people to Mars, it's going to include everyone on Earth,' Gomez says when I ask about Musk's clear nods to white nationalism. 'Why would you have any specific hate towards anybody?' There are, of course, many expert scientific critics of Musk's highly ambitious Mars plan, which has humans reaching the planet before the end of this decade. How would astronauts be protected from cosmic radiation during the journey and while exploring the red planet? How would Starship refuel for a return trip? Can SpaceX even get Starship to orbit Earth in the first place? (The last two launches have ended in explosive failure.) But perhaps the most pressing question is why humanity would want to spend trillions of dollars on such a project while pervasive crises on Earth persist. You don't need to look far in Cameron County to see this rammed home. This is a low-income, majority Latino community of just over 400,000 people, where almost a quarter of residents live below the poverty line. In the county's main population hub, Brownsville, disdain for the Starbase facility and its impending city status seems to be the predominant view. While Musk's foundation has made charitable donations to the local school system and downtown revitalisation efforts, many people I speak to have seen little positive impact. Some complain that their homes shake during launches. Others say that the arrival of heavy industry has beaten up the county highways with little sign of repair. More object to ongoing gentrification. Josette Cruz, a local organiser and lifelong Brownsville resident, points to soaring housing costs associated with an influx of new residents tied to SpaceX expansion and increased tourism. Her rent, she says, has risen from $725 a month to an almost unaffordable $1,000 in just a few years. Realtor signs now spring up in her neighbourhood with images of cartoon rockets. 'The fact that people can come here and say, 'We're going to have our own election, we're going to build our own town', what kind of mentality says that, if not one that is rooted in a colonial, settler mindset?' she says, shrugging. 'They want to go to Mars to colonise it.' We take a trip back out past the Starbase facility to Boca Chica beach, a public state park just a few hundred feet from the Starship launch pads. The juxtaposition here is stark. Warnings not to disturb the nesting grounds of the critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle are stationed across the beach entrance, framed by the giant launch pads and frantic construction work just metres away. In September last year SpaceX was fined almost $150,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency for spewing hundreds of thousands of gallons of polluted wastewater on to the surrounding wetlands after rocket launches. It is a charge the company has continued to deny. Using a low-income community for experimental rocket testing is another example of environmental racism We meet local environmentalist Bekah Hinojosa, who in 2022 was arrested by local police over alleged involvement in the graffiti found on a Musk-sponsored mural in Brownsville. The three words, written in blue, read: 'gentrified stop spaceX'. Hinojosa was apprehended in her pyjamas after plain-clothed officers arrived at her doorstep. Three years later, having pleaded not guilty to a class three misdemeanor, she is still awaiting a trial date. Like many generational residents, Hinojosa's family have visited this beach for decades, coming to fish at the shoreline and enjoy the tranquillity. But every launch now means a beach closure, and many fear the incorporation of Starbase city will lead to further restrictions on access. 'Using a low-income community for experimental rocket testing is another example of environmental racism,' she says, as a group of sandpiper birds paddle in the surf nearby. 'Billionaires should not own a beach. We will continue speaking up because, for us, it's about continuing to exist here.' Just coming down to the water's edge can now feel like an act of resistance, it seems. The morning of the Starbase vote brings with it dark skies and torrential rain. We make a final trip to the complex and stand in the drizzle outside the polling station. It's a cafeteria open only to SpaceX employees, but a small huddle of journalists seems to keep the security guards away this time. Most voters say they have been told by their employer not to talk to the press. But a stroke of luck allows us to meet one of the handful of residents who cast a ballot in opposition. She is one of the few hold-out residents, still living in a privately owned home on Memes Street. I can only imagine what it must be like to have your permanent address changed to a sophomoric joke. 'I was here before SpaceX and I have no loyalty issues,' she says after casting her ballot and declining to be named. I ask how she feels about populating Mars. She grimaces and walks away. The vote ends up passing by a majority of 212 to six. A 97% margin. The city's new mayor, Robert Peden, is a SpaceX vice-president. He ran unopposed. Three days later the Federal Aviation Authority, an agency previously purged by Doge, approves an aggressive new SpaceX flight programme that will allow the company to quintuple its annual launches from five to 25. The next Starship is scheduled to take off later this week. Its hulking steel shell glistens in the rain as we drive away.
