Identity theft and online impersonation have become common, posing a significant threat to our privacy and security. One such alarming case involves a scammer on Facebook who has been using the name and identity of Gail Alfar to deceive unsuspecting users. Despite numerous reports and complaints, Facebook has failed to take down the fraudulent account.
Facebook Refuses To Take Down A Scammer Who Goes By My Name
If you use Facebook and see a post by Gail Alfar then read this post: There is a scammer who is stealing my identity and impersonating me on Facebook and scamming people. Facebook refuses to take this down.
I do NOT use Facebook and would never ask you to connect with me there Someone is impersonating me on WhatsApp and making fake accounts on other platforms to ask you to contact them.
THIS IS NOT ME
The subscriber who informed me this was happening, told me there were “11 pages of text history on messenger” and that he was devasted when the scammer got upset and it threw him in a tail spin.
“Oh my gosh there is soo much. You are going to be floored. The person even reposted pictures as if you were active as well! They had me believe you were coming with two Tesla engineers, I had set up a private jet (a friend is owner of a charter company) and the pilot would drive you all in a Tesla from airport to the accommodations I had arranged.”
Here are a few screenshots of the imposter.
Here is the conversation I had with a subscriber on X who details the horrors by the scammer.
Three Ways that Elon Musk’s X protects users from impersonation.
Robust Reporting System: X makes it easier for users to report impersonators and fake accounts by providing a straightforward reporting process. This allows for quicker removal of such accounts, reducing the potential harm they can cause.
Visible ID Verification: X offers a visible ID verification feature, allowing users to easily identify verified accounts. This helps to distinguish between genuine accounts and potential impersonators, providing an additional layer of security for users.
Enhanced Privacy Settings: X provides users with more granular privacy controls, allowing them to better manage their personal information and who can see their posts. This makes it harder for impersonators to gather information about their targets and reduces the risk of identity theft.
The case of the Facebook scammer impersonating me, Gail Alfar, is a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the online world. As we continue to rely heavily on digital platforms for communication and information sharing, it is crucial for both users and social media companies to take proactive steps to prevent and combat identity theft. By staying vigilant, reporting suspicious activities, and raising awareness, we can work together to create a safer online environment for everyone.
A Look into the Future of Finance and Social Media
In an interview from last July 2023 with Zuby, Elon Musk shared his vision for X. Elon explained that X is not just a social media platform, but will become an all-encompassing financial services company that aims to greatly improve the way money and information are exchanged.
The current financial system is slow, insecure, and expensive. X will address these issues by creating a real-time, high-security, cost-efficient database for money. This would be achieved through the use of advanced engineering and technology and the elimination of redundant systems like bank branches and ATMs.
By focusing on efficiency, security, and cost-effectiveness, Elon believes X has the potential to become the major player in the global financial system, possibly accounting for half of it. This will be a significant shift from traditional banking as we know it, as X would operate faster, and more securely.
As we look forward to 2024, it is clear that Elon is on the fast track to revolutionizing the way we handle money and information. With Elon’s ambitious vision and dedication to the best technology, the future of finance and social media is closer than we may think.
Enjoy this part of the interview with Zuby
Zuby: 𝕏 is something you’ve been having in mind for a long amount of time.
Elon: Yes, 20 years.
Zuby: Tell me the story about 𝕏.
Elon: Way back in the day the idea was for X or X dot com to be an all-encompassing financial services company or, kind of like, in an information theory way, to be the most efficient database for the information that is money.
The way that money currently works is, from a practical standpoint, it’s still mostly run on mainframes. that is, it’s still a thing with banks, and it is mostly written in COBAL, it is still mostly batch processing. So actually, the financial system is very slow. it’s not secure. You’ve got all these heterogeneous complex databases.
So, if you have a real-time, margins database, that’s just, like fundamentally more efficient. And it does not have all of the expenses of bank buildings all over the place, and bank branches, and ATMs, which are increasingly kind of redundant. You can operate way more efficiently.
And so, essentially, if done right, X would serve people’s financial, needs to such a degree that, over time, it would become maybe half of the global financial system.
Zuby: Wow
E: Or some big number, I’m not sure what the number is, but pretty big. It would be, by far, the biggest financial institution. But, like I said, not really in the way that people are used to thinking about banks.
Just the most efficient database for the thing that is money. With the least amount of fraud, everything is real-time, and if it involves money in any way, it can be dealt with seamlessly in one location.
In addition, we’ve got this, sort of, social media outlet, which is also information. Its people share information of various kinds, whether it’s text, videos, pictures, voice.
*pause* (Elon gazes into thought for a long moment)
Elon: And so both money and what we call social media, are really information exchange.
And so there’s potential there to make a product that is really quite compelling, like, combines all these things, simplifies people’s lives, and is more cost-efficient for the average person. you’ll have a minimum number of fees and whatnot. So I think there’s a lot of potential to create, kind of, the ultimate App, system, website, whatever.
My thoughts
Elon moves fast. He has made improvements in how we think of energy production, energy storage, and transportation. Elon has completely overturned the antiquated space flight system of one-time-use rockets. Elon is a force of goodness for the earth and all humanity. When he talks about our stumbling, cumbersome, antiquated financial system I envision weighted lines of code in COBOL. I see the huge levels of breaches of security and I know, in my heart, that Elon is right. We all need a better system to handle money. If the man who is building Starship is doing this, I am all for it. What shakes me is the ability he has to envision what will work best for people. There is a look in his eye, and a pause in the interview, where you just know… we’ll see this come to pass.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to Gail Alfar. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support X and Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on Earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
FOR MEDIA USE ONLY News media is welcome to use my material in connection with a story or article. By downloading any content I create, you understand and hereby agree and represent that: (1) you are a member of the news media; (2) use of the content is in connection with a story or an article appearing in newspapers, periodicals, digital publications or television; (3) all images and rights thereto remain the property Gail Alfar.; and (4) use of the image is not for publication covers, advertising, promotion or otherwise for commercial purposes. Furthermore, use of any and all images and content appearing on this page must each include the notice “Courtesy of Gail Alfar” Use of materials copied from this website is at your own risk. You must obtain prior written consent from Gail Alfar for uses that exceed the above parameters.
I listened to Cathie Wood interview Elon Musk today. Here’s my takeaway and a brief synopsis of the interview. I hope you will also listen to the full interview.
Mainstream Media Misinformation About X and Tesla
Elon Musk spoke about how the mainstream media must create articles that create “clicks.” This is, he explained, not the same as what is seen on the X app. X is claimed to be dying by the mainstream media, but X actually has more views and traffic than websites. X is thriving through rapid advancements in technology.
He also explained he could have taken Tesla private, and funding was secured, but he chose not to. Cathie Wood was one of the people who advised him not to take Tesla private.
Twitter, or X is a private company. Cathie explained how important freedom of speech is for people.
Elon explained on the X Space that when information is shared on X, it is shared directly by experts themselves. This group mind, or collective consciousness, is reporting information into the system, consuming it, and giving their opinion in real-time. There is, Elon explains, noise in the system, which is devious from the truth. He said, “for any given crime there are 3 stories, the victim, the perpetrator and the truth.”
He said we can aspire to the truth and have the least amount of error. He hopes to get as many people as possible to share the most accurate information, and create the best scenario for the most accurate information to be shared.
Creators Are the Heart of X
Elon said that creators are being paid, and when they post interesting and accurate things they get that reward. Boring posts are not rewarded, since they generate fewer views.
Regarding bots on X, Elon said that you can raise the cost of bots and trolls in order to control them. Bots can be limited by an increased cost, but they will likely never disappear. Elon explained that the small monthly payment on X raises the cost of bots by 1000 or 10,000 orders of magnitude. He said it would be hard to have more bots when valid credit cards are required. Elon predicts that any given social network that does not implement this, will be swarmed by bots. Cathie explained that she experienced a bot takeover on Instagram.
X as a Financial Platform
Cathie asked if X will turn into a financial platform. Elon said he is waiting for final approvals to come through for money transmitter licenses. Since CA and NY are not yet approved, it is taking time to happen, although almost all states have approved licenses outside of NY or CA. He hopes all approvals will come through by at least mid-2024.
Public vs. Private Companies
Elon explained that when a company is public, it is a burden. He urges companies not to go public unless they have to.
Elon said that at SpaceX he can take more high risks because the company is private. At the end of a quarter, SpaceX does not have to worry about numbers. This allows more freedom for success. He said that at Tesla, he and the team go to great lengths to end each quarter with a high success rate. He said he has personally spent up to 6 New Year’s Eve’s at Tesla Delivery Centers himself.
Elon also said it was a good thing to give access to Tesla Stock to small private investors, although it takes more time to manage a public company than a private company.
Regarding Tesla, Elon said he does think it is good to have allies or investors, and it establishes a reality check on the valuation of the company. He says he can also provide stock to employees at Tesla, and this helps people gain liquidity. Elon wants to award employees stock, and this has helped people become millionaires. Tesla has likely created more millionaires than any other company. Cathie Wood agreed.
Bitcoin
Elon said he does not spend much time thinking about cryptocurrency. He said fiat currency is fine, as long as the money supply is predictable and provided the government does not debase the money supply. He says he thinks of it like an information system where you want to minimize noise. You want to minimize inflation. You want to have a quick transaction time. You want less fraud. He mentioned the ancient Sumerians and their money system.
The ancient Sumerian money system in a nutshell was based on the barter system, where goods and services were directly exchanged without the use of currency. However, as trade and commerce grew, a more sophisticated system was needed. The Sumerians eventually developed a system of weights and measures to standardize the value of goods, using silver and barley as the primary mediums of exchange.
Problems arose as the system was not very efficient, and it was difficult to determine the exact value of goods and services. This led to disputes and conflicts, which were often resolved through the intervention of the temple or the state. Despite these issues, the Sumerian money system laid the foundation for the development of more advanced monetary systems in the future.
Elon continued, explaining that the real economy is goods and services, not money. Growing productivity leads to prosperity.
Robotaxi
He thinks that productivity will be improved with robotics and AI. In a passenger car, you see very little use of the car. If you have a fully autonomous car, the cost is the same, but it can be used for about 1/3 of the hours in a week, so then you now have the same asset having 5 times the utility. He explained Tesla can upgrade the fleet, and overnight increase the asset value of the fleet.
“Once you take away the pain of driving, people will go more places,” explained Elon. He said people will watch movies, and be able to use their phones legally in the cars.
Tunnels
Elon said the solution to traffic is also tunnels. He hopes regulations will not bog down progress with the Boring Company.
Rules and Regulations
There needs to be, said Elon, a way to reduce regulations. California and New York have too many regulations. It can take you several months just get a permit to change the tiles in your bathroom in California. There needs to be a way, he said, to reduce regulations, although Texas and Florida are much better than most states. He explained that even China has a growth of rules and regulations.
“You can think of [excessive regulations and laws] like Gulliver’s Travels…
If the nation is Gulliver, it’s being tied down by one little regulatory string at a time. Eventually you have millions of strings and then the giant can’t move.
So I think there needs to be something where we delete rules, regulations, and laws. If all we do is add them, eventually we will be able to do nothing” - Elon Musk
Roanoke
Elon explained that if there had been social media during the time of Roanoke, then people may have stopped exploring.
Roanoke was a colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 16th century on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina. The colony was intended to be the first permanent English settlement in the New World. However, the colonists faced many challenges, including a lack of food and supplies, conflicts with the native population, and harsh weather conditions.
The exact fate of the Roanoke colonists is not known, as they mysteriously disappeared and their ultimate fate remains a mystery to this day. However, one theory is that they may have died of starvation. The colony was plagued by a lack of food and supplies, and the colonists were not well-prepared for the harsh conditions they faced. They may have also been unable to obtain food from the native population or through hunting and fishing due to conflicts or lack of knowledge of the local environment.
The lack of food and resources may have ultimately led to the deaths of the Roanoke colonists, though this is just one theory among many regarding their fate. The mystery of what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke continues to intrigue people to this day.
Roanoke was a colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 16th century on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina. The colony was intended to be the first permanent English settlement in the New World. However, the colonists faced many challenges, including a lack of food and supplies, conflicts with the native population, and harsh weather conditions.
The exact fate of the Roanoke colonists is not known, as they mysteriously disappeared and their ultimate fate remains a mystery to this day. However, one theory is that they may have died of starvation. The colony was plagued by a lack of food and supplies, and the colonists were not well-prepared for the harsh conditions they faced. They may have also been unable to obtain food from the native population or through hunting and fishing due to conflicts or lack of knowledge of the local environment.
The lack of food and resources may have ultimately led to the deaths of the Roanoke colonists, though this is just one theory among many regarding their fate. The mystery of what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke continues to intrigue people to this day.
Artificial Intelligence
Elon explained that he helped to found OpenAI. Larry Page was not taking AI Safety seriously, so he had to leave OpenAI. He said he favors open source. For example, the X platform is all open-sourced. Nothing is hidden. He said there is very little code. He said closed source is not that far ahead of open source.
Grok
A goal for Grok is to be the funniest AI. Grok is great at roasting.
Elon thinks Grok will also be a truth improver. He hopes Grok will acknowledge error, and that people will tend towards Grok because it is aiming for maximum accuracy. Elon says because X is also aiming for accuracy, other platforms are also starting to aim for that.
Transformers and Diffusion
Tesla is the leader in real-world AI. To make FSD work, you need baby AGI in the car. Reality is messy and complicated. He said everything comes down to different layers of transformers and diffusion.
Elon said that transformers are transformational and are being widely used now. Diffusion is also very important. Elon said that memory has already been outsourced to computers. Our phones already record events better than humans can. A fundamental ratio is that of biological to digital. He said that we already have more digital than biological. Elon said that human compute is a flat line whereas digital compute is exponential. He explained that 99% of all compute will be digital over biological within one year. Elon said his own memory is terrible. Elon said that computers have not yet discovered fundamental physics and have not yet invented any useful technologies. Only humans have done these things.
Elon hopes that AI will one day be able to invent new technologies.
Elon: “Who should be president in 2032? Transformers or Diffusion?”
Elon explained that the rule that Tesla cars should stop fully at stop signs is part of the law, but almost no humans do this. He said Tesla had to select the rare cases where humans actually do full stops, since almost no humans do this. This was one rare example where Tesla disagreed with NHTSA. The media paints Elon as a lawbreaking maverick. He said that 99.99% of the laws are abided by. He said that his companies are incredibly law-abiding. He looks forward to showing regulators that Tesla FSD is massively safer than a human driver.
Fermi Paradox
Elon also spoke about the famous Fermi Paradox. he said he may die in 40-50 years, and we should think of this time, today, as the first time the window is open to make people multi-planetary. We need to take advantage of this time to make life multi-planetary. We want the tiny candle of consciousness to be preserved, to not go out.
Elon mentioned the diagram on the Starlink router. It is a homing transfer diagram from Earth to Mars. He said, “Starlink is the means by which earth becomes multi-planetary.”
Cathie thanked Elon saying “the world will thank Elon Musk for years and years to come.”
How Would The Next Generation Be Inspired?
Elon said he thinks that anyone with a company providing goods and services is doing great. He said all people should try to be useful, even though it is very difficult to do this. “Really, just try to be useful, making goods and services that make lives better.” He also said that if you need encouragement to start a company, then don’t do it, the “probability of failure is too high then.”
Cathie Wood thanked Elon Musk for the X Space.
My Thoughts
Cathie Wood was a wonderful gracious and respectful host of the X Space. She allowed Elon Musk to talk and brought along very good questions. I hope everyone will listen to the interview and be inspired by Elon’s kind words. Some of the reassuring things I took away were:
1) A good feeling that to make a difference in the future, you do not have to be a massive success like Elon – he makes it clear how valuable it is to simply provide a service or a good. For example, as a Nurse, I am valuable to be providing a service to heal others and when you build something (like a Raptor at SpaceX, for example) you are also helping the future to be better.
2) Elon cares immensely about making humans multi-planetary. He is a visionary who knows how small the window is to make us multi-planetary. He is, therefore, serious about getting Starship to orbit, to Moon, and to Mars. This gives me peace of mind. It should, hopefully, also give millions of others hope.
• Perhaps the biggest tech update to 𝕏 is that Grok AI has been rolled out to ALL Premium + users in North America. What a great deal! Roasts with fair doses of humor and sarcasm are being enjoyed!
• Soon, bookmarks will be searchable. This is fantastic if you’re like me, and created too many bookmarks.
• You can embed video and broadcast players directly into your website or app. Simply copy and paste the post url to your website, blog, or App. This will link more users on the web to 𝕏 – the #1 news App!
• If you find yourself scrolling through your For You tab, 𝕏 is now recommending new Communities for you to join. If you post in your Community, you may also cross post to all your followers! What did you join so far? I joined Johnna Crider’s rock stoned community!
• If you are a Premium user on 𝕏 you can now build an expanded bio! This is on both web and iOS. The biggest competition to this is LiinkedIn. 𝕏 is fast becoming the BEST place for companies to find talent!
• If you run a small business, and do not want to spend $1000/month, 𝕏 offers a “Basic” Tier for Verified organizations at a lower rate. Basic Tier doesn’t include 2x Boost, Affiliations, or Hiring.
There’s no denying that 𝕏 has vastly improved since Elon Musk purchased it. These are just a few of the technological advances from the past week. Looking overall, it’s amazing to watch capabilities advance with such speed, and with far less employees with far more talent than ever known in all the years of legacy Twitter. Check out Johnna’s Rocks & Minerals community on X at @JohnnaCrider1 and for a very cool bio example see the one by @alx complete with 𝕏 links! A great example of keeping content on 𝕏 .
July 24, 2023, at the X HQ in SF, a giant pink hashtag with a bird on it, was moved out.
The end of the birds.
Removing the birds, and changing the signage is less important than the incredible changes that Elon Musk brought.
They say sunlight is the best disinfectant. Elon brought that sunlight. The Twitter Files are a gift to humanity. All are worth reading, absorbing, and learning from.
Elon found a way to take control of a large & financially failing company — and save it. I am impressed with the strategic moves he made to transform X into a startup.
Finding the best engineers for the job at X is critical. If you look at Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink the Boring company, you might think that was thoroughly enough for one man to achieve in his lifetime.
This is why Twitter could not be something Elon “bought” but rather “X” be something that he started. From that stemmed what may be one of the most important companies of our time: xAI.
I asked one of my sons what he would want to talk about with Elon if he could meet him. “Time management. How does he manage his time? How does he achieve doing so much? I would like to know his methods.”
Once in a rare while, a very rare while, humanity throughout history is given a gift. Elon Musk is one of those gifts.
If you enjoyed this article, follow and subscribe to Gail Alfar on X at @gailalfaratx
Welcome to my blog! Relax, pour yourself a hot chocolate, and join me to learn about the New X Terms of Service.
I just read through the first new Terms of Service Summary from X. These terms are exciting because most agreements, up until now, were mostly holdovers from the days of the old “Twitter.”
The birds are free now, and there are new terms soon to be in effect! I will make this a quick read for you – under 2 minutes, to be exact. But don’t let the brevity fool you; these rules are pretty serious stuff. They will go into effect Sept 29, 2023.
SUMMARY OF X’S TERMS
Let’s get straight to the point with key takeaways:
Ads Are Part of the Package: When you use X, continue to expect some ads. In return for using X’s platform, X will show you some ads.
Follow the Rules: It’s vital to adhere to the User Agreement you sign, and all applicable laws when posting content or using X. You’re responsible for your actions on X. If you’re running a business on X, ensure your marketing practices align with both the platform’s rules and local advertising regulations.
No Sneaky Workarounds: X’s new Terms contain a stricter prohibition on scraping of the site’s data. X means business when it says you should only use the interfaces they provide. Scraping, trying to outsmart technical limitations, or any attempts to disrupt services are a big no-no.
X Holds the Cards: X has the authority to take action if you breach these terms. This can range from removing content to limiting visibility, restricting access, or, in severe cases, pursuing legal action.
Intellectual Property Licenses: You still own your content, and you grant X a license to share it with the world. X also provides you with a license to use their software to enjoy their services.
Use at Your Own Risk: X offers services “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE.” They disclaim all warranties and responsibilities. Keep in mind that you may encounter offensive or harmful content, and the platform’s services can change or be discontinued at any time. Understand that X does its best to provide a positive experience, but you should exercise caution and report any problematic content, using the X reporting system that accompanies every post.
Limited Liability: While you have remedies and redress mechanisms, X’s liability is limited. For certain types of damages, X won’t be liable at all, and their aggregate liability will not exceed $100 USD or the amount paid X in the past six months for the services in question.
WHY DATA SCRAPING IS A PROBLEM
I’ll illustrate why data scraping is likely against X’s rules, consider this scenario: Imagine a user scrapes sensitive information from X’s platform and uses it for malicious purposes. This could include stealing user data, spreading false information, or even engaging in identity theft. Such actions not only harm individual users but also compromise the integrity of the platform and the community. By prohibiting data scraping, I see X as protecting your privacy and ensuring a safe and secure environment for all.
Don’t Forget Privacy
These new Terms of Service also include X’s Privacy Policy, which you can find linked below.
MY THOUGHTS
Many big name accounts are still not verified, and currently, they often don’t display ads in their many replies. Ad revenue sharing is for people who pay for X premium. Under these new terms, I interpret that Ads could start appearing in all replies. As always, only VERIFIED accounts count toward Ad revenue sharing.
X needs to operate in a way to be (eventually) perpetually sustaining and profitable. In other words, X must protect itself from harm. These terms, a first for X, are also designed to maintain a fair and secure digital environment for you and all X users. Ultimately, you want to have a majority of unregrettable user minutes, while knowing your data is secure.
Article is by Gail Alfar, please credit accordingly.
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any legal interpretation of X policies and you should read through them yourself for accuracy and always follow your local regulations first.
(Austin, Texas) Trying to keep up with Elon Musk is like running a relay race with no end. Today he advised top officials in Washington DC at the AI Insight forum while yesterday he spoke at the All-In Summit.
This blog post is about X and How the algorithm rewards creators who post long content that engages people.
Elon at All-In Summit
Elon explained how the algorithm flows to support creators who post longform articles as well as creators who post longer videos.
If you think about it, it’s very logical. When a short post is looked at and scrolled past quickly on X, it does not account for much time spent, so naturally it will not be something that contributes to many unregrettable user minutes. It may occupy two seconds of a person’s time, but no more. The impact it will have will be low. If I scroll constantly on X, I may regret it because I am not pausing to read an informative article or watch a finely crafted video.
When I paused to watch the hour long podcast on X with Lex Friedman and Walter Isaacson, I walked away enriched and enlightened and feeling great. This is a wonderful example of unregretted time spent on X. If that’s the only thing someone did that day on the app, I think they will be quite happy because there’s so much new information to be learned from Lex Friedman’s podcast. Therefore, that material or rather, that video will be algorithmically promoted more on the app than a three second video.
Optimizing User Time On X
This is how Elon explained it on All-In,
“We are trying to optimize for user time on the platform, what it naturally means, is that posting content that somebody looks at longer is going to get higher priority than content that is short. This is because the system is aspiring to maximize on regretted user minutes. So, if we’re succeeding, you want to spend more time on the platform and after having spent that time, you don’t want to regret it.”
Elon explained that he would like people to spend time on X in order to both learn new things and to be entertained, rather than spend time that is later regretted. In contrast, people say they regret excessive time spent on TikTok. X should aspire to be different.
He went on to explain that
“When you are optimizing for unregretted user minutes, the more content you post on the platform, the more reach that thing will get, because the system is seeing the users spending more time on the platform, because they’re seeing that you’re watching a long podcast or reading a longform article, or watching some video. That’s going to take a lot more time than, say, if you link to a video elsewhere, or link to an article elsewhere. That means you spent less time on the platform, so the system will not exclude it, but will give it less attention.”
Elon also emphasized that the algorithm that does this will be Open Source. Anybody should be able to recreate the same results using the algorithm that they see being created on the X app.
This kind of transparency generates trust and allows users to not only understand how the X app works, but it builds curiosity into the process. Some of the finest computer engineers are working on these algorithms, and being able to see their work, nicely presented, and cleaned up for the public, is a fantastic education in algorithmic programming.
While Elon was in Washingotn DC, I stayed grounded in Austin and we had rain and cool weather for the first time in months! We’re finally reaching the end of a scorching hot summer. I’m celebrating the cooler weather by writing, my favorite pastime! I am looking forward to September 23, the first day of Fall. Our Texas Summer has outdid itself this year on the heat scale and there’s something really alluring about pumpkin pies and cozy jackets right now, bring on the cold weather!
Austin, Texas in rain.
Article by Gail Alfar, please credit accordingly. Gail writes on X independently, she also writes for WhatsUpX , WhatsUpTesla and Xcelerate.
X is a place to connect with other people, a wonderful way to find up to the secondnews about what’s happening almost anywhere on Earth. The good thing about X is if a post is misleading then directly under it, you will see a Community Note and a link, explaining the context. If you happened to view that post, say, at 6pm and it had no Community Note at that time, then you will receive a notification on X that the post you saw now has a Community Note on it.
In this way, there is no other source for news with more truth than X.
ORGANIZING, STORING
X is free to use and I’d also recommend that once you get established and understand how it works that you try X Premium, which will allow you to store valuable information in multiple bookmarks that you label.
I think of these as my digital file cabinet. I use these files to store information, images, and videos, which would otherwise get lost. I use this information in articles that I write and for research, similar to the old-fashioned galvanized steel file cabinets.
DAILY DOSE OF HUMOR
X is also the right blend of humor, hard-core research, and cutting-edge information from some of the world’s smartest people.
The reason why humor is so important is it provides us with a good balance throughout our day.
X has a default for you tab, and when you update your timeline, you get to see posts from accounts that you may not have been following. Since I like humor, I end up seeing some funny things there alongside my interests (sustainable energy, electric transportation, autonomous driving, and Starship).
YOUR FEEDBACK IS WORTH IT
There’s one more aspect I’d like to emphasize in this short article, and this is that Twitter went through different stages, and in each stage, it was difficult if not impossible to know who worked for Twitter, because they did not tweet, and if they did, we did not know who they were.
What’s interesting about X is that people who work for X who post are often popular on the app, but not in the sense of being sexy or glamorous unless the sexy and glamorous part could only be applied to being great at engineering.
In essence, I think it’s fabulous to see the work that X technologists are doing in real-time, but there’s another twist to this which is outstanding. It’s that you as a user on X can ask questions to X engineers or give them your feedback on how to make the app a better experience.
In fact, if you follow someone on X and you have a question about how it works, I have found that most people on X are ready and willing to help others understand the app better.
As I go about my day, working hard, but also taking sporadic breaks and relaxing, I’m glad to experience X as a stream of consciousness in my life that expands my thinking. I hope my words and experience will help you to explain how X works to your friends and family who might not understand it so well.
JUST POST
The best way to understand it is just to start using it. Start posting your thoughts, and, maybe, let your first post be…
“This is my first post”
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Everything built at Elon Musk’s companies is designed with care, beauty, and the best possible technology.
How do we get from Twitter to 𝕏?
How big is 𝕏, and how many people are aware of the change?
How long will it take to transition from using terminologies related to Twitter, like tweet, retweet, and so on?
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF 𝕏
I wanted to write an article reflecting the thoughts of people I’ve spoken to and heard here on 𝕏. I know you are witnessing Twitter transforming into 𝕏. I felt a strong desire to write to mark this significant event in history.
The first signs of transformation were subtle. Terminology related to Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter began to show up as 𝕏.Corp.
There were and still are multiple occasions in which Elon explains in interviews, conversations, and posts, that 𝕏 will be undergoing great change. Twitter, he has said, “was simply an accelerant to the creation of 𝕏.”
Do you remember when you could go to the website x.com and there would be a tiny little “x” in the upper left-hand corner of a big white void?
Today, when you go to the website, there is an Art Deco 𝕏, with the slogan “Happening Now“ over a more traditional blue background.
THE SLOGAN IN THE APP STORE IS “BLAZE YOUR GLORY!”
“Blaze Your Glory” suggests you will create a path of extraordinary success. You will leave an impact. “Blaze Your Glory” may encourage you to pursue your dreams, overcome obstacles, and leave behind a legacy that inspires others to follow their paths to glory.
A SHINING 𝕏 IN THE NIGHT OVER SF
For one magical night, the 𝕏 headquarters in San Francisco on Market Street had a shining, flashing, Art Deco, “𝕏” gracing the building’s rooftop.
At night, that “𝕏” sent a signal out through the electrons in the air and over the beautiful hills, buildings, neighborhoods, and streets of the city where so many people have left their hearts.
But Elon Musk has chosen to keep 𝕏 headquarters in SF, and not follow the trend to abandon it, relocating the business to Texas.
Change takes a gradual movement and does not happen overnight. I say this because some people are unaware of Twitter‘s transition into 𝕏. My smart, busy daughter that works in Austin wondered what that 𝕏 was on her phone, she had no idea it had changed until I told her. Likewise, my husband wasn’t aware until I told him.
I believe that 𝕏 will take hold in the lives of many people, offering them something that Twitter could not have given them. It will do what “Twitter” never could have done. For one, 𝕏, as Elon Musk has posted, is a place where Creators can make a living,
“People from every corner of the world post incredible content on 𝕏, but often live in tough circumstances, where even a few hundred dollars a month changes their life.”
People that may have been spectators, or never logged into Twitter, will one day become account owners. They will desire the secure payout and pay-in system that we will see on 𝕏.
DELIGHTING USERS WITH THE BEST VALUE
When I use 𝕏, I know that it is built with superior technology and designed to delight the user.
Tesla vehicles are a testament to customer satisfaction and joy over a beautiful product.
𝕏 is similar to Tesla in that the technology behind your experience on 𝕏 will be superior to any other internet product.
𝕏 is designed to delight you and give you more value than what you pay for it.
Elon Musk’s relentless focus on technology and engineering for Space𝕏, Tesla, Boring Co., and Neuralink, has been likened to “magic.” You don’t have to know how it works, it just does!
Elon can visualize, or see where something should go, and if there are no engineers that can do it, he will learn how to do it himself.
I’m excited to watch Twitter transform into 𝕏. It is wonderful, to watch the number of users, and the value that they receive increase. Soon we will forget about the birds, the tweets, and the retweets.
If you enjoyed this article, follow and subscribe to Gail Alfar on X at @gailalfaratx
I had a chance to listen to the first X Spaces hosted by David Sacks and Elon Musk in order to introduce people to presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Author’s Note: X is the new branded name for what was once called “Twitter.” This blog is renamed “What’s Up X?”
Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur and a candidate in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
David Sachs hosted the XSpace and introduced Ramaswamy and then he was welcomed to speak by Elon Musk.
The first topic touched on the meaning of existence, and Ramaswamy mentioned that he’s 37 years old, the first millennial to run for president, and he said that many in his generation are looking for a way to be involved, but when people ask them what it means to be an American, many cannot answer that question. Elon Musk said he thinks young people should aspire to be the good guys.
Turning Fiction into Reality
Elon explained that he grew up watching shows where Americans were the good guys and he thinks people can find meaning in life by trying to understand the nature of the universe. Inventing and building new things is also something he thinks the younger generation can aspire to.
Elon said this is the reason that he is a big fan of expanding the scope and scale of humanity and that consciousness should be expanded, and we should believe that civilization is a good thing and not a bad thing.
Elon made a point that we’ve seen amazing fictional movies and read sci-fi books about the future, and he believes those things should come to pass, and not remain fiction. He believes we should become a multi-planetary species because this gives people purpose and a reason to wake up in the morning and be excited about the future.
Amidst cheerful sounds of Elon’s son, Lil X, playing in the background, Elon spoke about truth, saying that it’s important to believe there’s truth, and we should be aspiring to truth.
Ramaswamy asked what the conditions are that allow people to aspire to truth.
Elon said Earth is not the worst place and we should make it the best place possible, and he’s not thinking of colonizing Mars because Earth will never be a viable option in the future.
Instead, it will be nice to see the fictional life of Star Trek come to pass, where we are a multi-planet species.
Image Courtesy SpaceX of Starship Flame Deflector
How To Address Problems at Schools and Universities
Ramaswamy said that on this planet, he believes a revival (religious) of a sense of grounding and belief in a strong family is important. This led Elon to bring up another interesting point that at many Ivy League and top universities, students are being taught that it is not good to be a patriotic American. He believes it is a grave mistake to teach this to students.
I can attest, as I have a daughter, who works at the University of Texas, Austin, and the American flag is considered offensive, while the LGTBQ+ flag is considered politically correct. David Sachs added that in San Francisco, they ripped Abraham Lincoln’s name off one of the high schools.
Ramaswamy agreed with Elon saying, when students are successful, they are often ashamed of that success, and try to hide it, he says it’s because America has always been number one, and students are taught to believe it is not good to be number one. Ramaswamy said part of America’s role in the world was to provide an example of what is possible when you have a country founded on those ideals, but once you start apologizing to the world for those ideals, there’s a permanent loss of history.
Ramaswamy asked Elon Musk what he would do about it. This was Elon’s answer.
Elon said we should be castigating the schools and universities for doing this to our kids. He advised donors to universities and high schools to rescind their donations and ask for change before they donate again.
It sounded like Elon also was going to say stop sending your kids to those schools if they continue that, but he was cut off by Vivek who said “We want to make sure that America remains a meritocracy where smarts and hard work are rewarded instead of having an elite ruling class.”
Ramaswamy made the point that when students are ashamed of the exceptionalism of America, and when they apologize for being American, it’s like self-flogging. He said it’s like when you wear a burlap hair shirt and beat yourself with a stick. Elon disagreed when Vivek said that the climate movement is a form of self-flogging.
Helping Our Earth’s Climate is Not Far-Right Wing
Elon said that he believes he may have done more for our earth’s climate, than any other individual past or present.
He says he feels it’s extremely bizarre when people label him as a far-right extremist. Elon said that he has literally been pouring blood, sweat, and tears into protecting the environment. He doesn’t understand what these people are talking about when they say that he’s a far-right conservative and he perceives himself to be a moderate, he cares about humans and our civilization, he is not far left, nor far right, but a centrist.
Why Are ESGs (Environmental, Social, Governance) Harmful?
The discussion turned to ESGs. You may already know that ESGs allow companies to be rewarded for woke policies of diversity and inclusion but then exclude many people.
Essentially, both Ramaswamy and Elon agreed that ESGs are harmful not only to companies but for people in the United States.
Elon said that fundamentally people have been misled and they’ve given their savings over to 401(k) plans that rate high on the ESG scale. Elon explained that people are having their money invested in index funds and ESG funds with the hope of the funds gaining in value so that they can have a secure retirement. Contrary to what people think, the voting that happens in these mutual fund environments is not in the best interest of profit nor in the interest of people.
Elon mentioned the names Vanguard, Blackrock, Fidelity, and T Rowe. He said that these companies are lying to shareholders.
Essentially, it’s possible that these mutual fund companies are setting themselves up for one of the largest class action lawsuits ever. This is because they are lying to their shareholders. Elon said it’s because they are breaking the deal with their customers, and they are not maximizing shareholder value.
The Government Monopoly on Violence
Elon also explained that the government is a corporation in the limit. “It is the most important corporation and the biggest and it’s got a monopoly on violence. And so you should say, how much violence do you want the government to do? Not that much, less, generally not more.”
As background, in political philosophy, a monopoly on violence or monopoly on the legal use of force is the property of a political system that is the only entity in its jurisdiction to legitimately use force, and thus the supreme authority of that area.
“As we speak, the flower of Ukrainian youth is dying in trenches.” – Elon Musk
On Ukraine, Elon mentioned we should know that our money is going to help the people of Ukraine, not a handful of oligarchs.
Elon Musk said, sadly,
“There has to be forgiveness, and there has to be some realism. And we have to look at Ukraine and Russia by not turning Russia into a devil and Ukraine into an angel. There are no angels in war.
“The flower of Ukrainian youth is dying in trenches. Why are these boys dying? For what?”
“We should also be sad that there are Russian boys dying in trenches. Why are these young men dying because of disagreements between old men? Why? And entrenched warfare where only a few miles are exchanged? At what price? How many lives per mile is a life worth?
“If you don’t forgive your enemy, you’re stuck in a circle of retribution forever. There has to be forgiveness.”
Ramaswamy said if he was voted into office, he would strike down legislation that President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed into law, which has prevailed ever since. He said he would strike that law down, and most likely it has evolved into something it was never intended to be. He carefully explained that we should be rewarded for the value of our contributions and that it should not be based on any other factors.
I’m unclear which law Ramaswamy plans to strike down, as the Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed by LBJ in 1964, outlawing segregation in businesses such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels.
On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled affirmative action is unconstitutional, ending race-conscious admissions in higher education. He could be referring to Executive Order 11246. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, in 1965 prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin by those organizations receiving federal contracts and subcontracts. This order could legally be struck down by Congress.
Interested in Etymology?
Lightening up the conversation about race, Elon mentioned that he owns etymology.com, which if you link to it, is simply an orange emoji. Elon announced that if there is somebody who would love to expand that, and go hard-core on it, he may be willing to sell it to that person.
FBI/CIA
Another point Elon brought up is that he has met a lot of people who work at the FBI and the CIA, and he stated that he thinks they have a lot of integrity.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, Elon said the discussion with Ramaswamy was important and that many people may agree with his position, and that he likely has won over a lot of people. He added there are a lot of things that sound pro-democracy and are ballot harvesting and are used to hack (votes). He said Goerge Soros is a talented arbitrator and he’s applied that talent monetarily and politically and he figured out that through charitable organizations you can promote a cause with pre-tax money and that doesn’t count in any of the political stuff. It is effective because you do not attack the candidate, just the positions that they hold. Then you hire a big team to harvest ballots from Nursing Homes and all that sort of stuff. “There are real things that have happened. I don’t think we should counter corruption with corruption but there does need to be a get-out-the-vote campaign. Clearly, Republicans need to work harder at winning over voters. Especially in key House and Senate races and Presidency.”
Ramaswamy said this country has blessed him with so much. He said he wants to win the Presidency and has invested mostly his own dollars in his campaign thus far. He says it takes $2B to get elected and he raises money through donors. He invited listeners to donate. His link is on his X account profile.
Elon said it is “Rare to meet a politician that is not an NPC.” referring to Ramaswamy.
Looking over the new Capitol Mall, the Texas Capitol Building and the Austin, Texas skyline. http://art.cvsherman.com
whatsuptwitter.com 