SpaceX fires employees who blasted Elon Musk in scathing open letter: Report



SpaceX reportedly fired the employees who helped write a scathing open letter hitting out at CEO Elon Musk, the Washington Post has reported.

What are the details?

The outlet reported that the letter was "critical" of Musk's Twitter behavior.

"In an email to employees Thursday reviewed by The Washington Post, the rocket company’s president, Gwynne Shotwell, said the letter 'made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied [sic]' and pressured into signing a document that did not reflect their views," the Post shared.

The workers, Shotwell added, were terminated. She did not specify the number of employees that lost their jobs as a result of the letter.

The outlet reported that Shotwell said the letter "threatened to derail SpaceX's focus on several key tasks" including at least three launches.

“We have 3 launches within 37 hours for critical satellites this weekend, we have to support the astronauts we delivered to the [International Space Station] and get cargo Dragon [SpaceX’s unmanned flight capsule] back to flight-ready, and after receiving environmental approval early this week, we are on the cusp of the first orbital launch attempt of Starship,” Shotwell said. “We have too much critical work to accomplish and no need for this kind of overreaching activism — our current leadership team is more dedicated to ensuring we have a great and ever-improving work environment than any I have seen in my 35-year career.”

Shotwell added, "Please stay focused on the SpaceX mission, and use your time at work to do your best work. This is how we will get to Mars."

What was in the open letter?

The letter, which was shared across the internet, criticized Musk's online — and sometimes offline — behavior is a "frequent source of distraction and embarrassment" to those in the company.

The letter requested SpaceX employees to sign the letter and encouraged them to discuss their personal experiences at the company and with Musk, demanding that executives "publicly address and condemn Elon's harmful Twitter behavior."

“SpaceX must swiftly and explicitly separate itself from Elon’s personal brand,” a portion of the letter stated, later adding, "The collaboration we need to make life multiplanetary is incompatible with a culture that treats employees as consumable resources. Our unique position requires us to consider how our actions today will shape the experiences of individuals beyond our planet. Is the culture we are fostering now the one which we aim to bring to Mars and beyond?”

Shaquille O'Neal pays huge $25,000 bill for every patron at a Manhattan restaurant: Report



NBA star Shaquille O'Neal reportedly paid the tabs of all restaurant patrons at a Manhattan eatery on Sunday night.

The tab, according to reports, came to more than $25,000.

What are the details?

The good deed unfolded at the Jue Lan Club in New York City after the basketball legend arrived at the restaurant.

According to Bleacher Report, O'Neal "proceeded to purchase dinner for the eatery's entire staff along with covering all of his fellow diner's [sic] bills, which he told restaurant workers to only reveal to the customers after he left the establishment." The bill covered approximately 40 tables, according to reports.

A source told the New York Post that Shaq "left them the biggest tip they've ever received." The restaurant, which specializes in Asian fare, features an expansive menu with offerings ranging in price from $12 to $40 and upward.

Complex has reported that the basketball legend has a net worth of more than $400 million.

O'Neal has yet to speak out on the reports at the time of publication.

Anything else to know about this?

In 2017, O'Neal said that he enjoys gracious tipping and helping out those in the hardworking service industry.

"When I'm at restaurants, I am a big tipper," he told late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel during an interview about his propensity toward generosity. "I like to show people my appreciation. So when they come up to the table, I say, 'The quicker I get my order, the bigger your tip will be.' And then the food will come fast."

He added that he'll even sometimes ask servers to name their price — and pointed out that some aren't terribly shy about stating their needs.

"When we get ready to leave, I’ll ask them, 'What do you want?' And the most someone said was $4,000. And I said, 'OK. No problem,'" he recalled.

New CNN boss demands network quit labeling all news as 'breaking': Report



Chris Licht, CNN's new head, has reportedly demanded that the network stop labeling all of its news "breaking news."

What are the details?

According to a Thursday Axios report, Licht — who took the reins from Jeff Zucker after his February resignation — has insisted that the company relies too heavily on referring to all of its news as "breaking."

In a memo obtained by the outlet, Licht reportedly said, "We are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our viewers," and said that the related complaints from "people both inside and outside the organization" are tired of the "breaking news" banner.

“You’ve already seen far less of the ‘Breaking News’ banner across our programming,” Licht wrote and directed the network to use the banner for only the most important news developments. "It has become such a fixture on every channel and network that its impact has become lost on the audience."

According to the report, CNN bureau chief Sam Feist has begun overhauling the guidelines for the network's stylebook.

"It certainly will need tweaks, so we are open to feedback, but this is a great starting point to try to make 'Breaking News' mean something BIG is happening," Licht reportedly wrote in the communication.

He allegedly added that it is of utmost importance that the embattled network takes the time to focus on "informing" — presumably rather than inflaming or editorializing — the audience.

"The tenor of our voice holistically has to reflect that," the communication continued. "[W]e must be vital, relevant, and respected – and how we show up for our audiences, in every story, in every part of the country, and around the world, matters."

Neither CNN nor Licht himself have issued any public statements on the leaked memo or its authenticity at the time of this reporting.

Elon Musk tells Tesla executives to fully return to in-person work — or resign: Report



Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly directed all executives taking advantage of telework benefits to return to their offices immediately — or resign from their positions.

What are the details?

According to a report from Bloomberg, Musk sent a Tuesday email addressing his aversion to working from home or in a hybrid capacity.

"Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla," the message read. "This is less than we ask of factory workers."

"If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will receive and approve these exceptions directly," the message continued.

It concluded, “Moreover, the 'office' must be a main Tesla office, not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties, for example being responsible for Fremont factory human relations, but having your office be in another state."

The message went viral when shared on Twitter.

\u201cElon to Tesla team: no more remote work\u201d
— Whole Mars Catalog (@Whole Mars Catalog) 1654046353

What else is there to know about this?

Musk on Wednesday responded to a screenshot of the message, which was captioned, "[H]ey elon a lot of people are talking about this leaked email, any additional comment to people who think coming into work is an antiquated concept?"

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote, "They should pretend to work somewhere else."

Bloomberg reported that Musk sent a follow-up message confirming the policy.

The message read, "The more senior you are, the more visible must be your presence. That is why I lived in the factory so much — so that those on the line could see me working alongside him. If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt."

"There are of course companies that don't require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product?" the message continued. "It's been a while."

The message concluded, "Tesla has and will create and actually manufacture the most exciting and meaningful products of any company on Earth. This will not happen by phoning it in."

\u201c@WholeMarsBlog He sent a follow-up to everyone confirming the company-wide policy.\u201d
— Whole Mars Catalog (@Whole Mars Catalog) 1654046353

Authorities discover more than 70 missing children in 'Operation Lost Souls'



At least 70 missing children have been recovered over a period of three weeks during "Operation Lost Souls," WLBT-TV has reported.

What are the details?

Homeland Security Investigations El Paso has reported that most of the missing children were found in western Texas and Mexico, in places such as Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Odessa, and Ciudad Juarez.

According to the station, many recovered children were between the ages of 10 and 17 years old, and some were victims of sex trafficking and abuse.

In a statement on the grand finding, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Deputy Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho said, "Operation Lost Souls exemplifies Homeland Security Investigations’ commitment to protecting the public from crimes of victimization. In this case, we are looking out for our children — our community’s most precious resource. HSI is committed to continue working with our law enforcement partners to locate, recover and help missing children heal while ensuring that perpetrators are held responsible for these heinous crimes and brought to justice."

Department of Public Safety Major Matthew Mull told KABC-TV, "At the Department of Public Safety, teamwork is one of our core values. We are grateful for all of our law enforcement partners who participated in this operation and who work around the clock every day to protect our communities, including our youth."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement noted that a press conference announcing the rescued children took place on May 25 and coincided with National Missing Children’s Day, adding that some of the agencies involved in the operation included HSI Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Attache Office, West Texas Anti-Gang Center, Texas Highway Patrol, El Paso Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, and more.

Anyone who possesses information on instances of human trafficking is encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

Preschool uses flashcards depicting pregnant man to teach children about colors: Report



A North Carolina preschool teacher reportedly used LGBTQ+ flashcards to teach children about colors, Fox News has reported. One of the cards, according to the report, included a photo of a pregnant man.

What are the details?

North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R) published the findings on his website, where he wrote that the flashcards appeared at Ballentine Elementary School in Wake County, North Carolina.

Republican State Rep. Erin Paré — who said she received a photo of the flashcards from one of her constituents — blasted the move, and said that public schools should only be using "age-appropriate materials."

"[T]hese flashcards clearly do not meet that standard for a pre-school classroom," Paré insisted.

According to the report, Paré reached out to the school to determine the photos' authenticity and learned that the principal would take "swift action" in investigating their origin. Upon investigation, Moore's website pointed out, the administrator located the flashcards inside the unnamed teacher's classroom.

"The principal confirmed that the flashcards were not part of approved curriculum and that she was unaware that they were being used," Moore's website added. "The principal immediately took possession of the cards, contacted the WCPSS area superintendent, and engaged human resources. The principal expressed appreciation for the constituent’s information via Rep. Paré, as she would not have known about the flashcards otherwise."

\u201cFlash Cards Depicting Pregnant Man Used in WCPSS Preschool Classroom in House District 37 https://t.co/KpnbngXMrv via @ErinforNC #ncpol #ncga\u201d
— Speaker Tim Moore (@Speaker Tim Moore) 1653683767

What else?

In a further statement on the incident, Paré said, “I am grateful that a concerned constituent reached out and that this issue is being addressed in a swift and professional manner by Ballentine Elementary School."

“Schools should only be using age-appropriate materials, and these flashcards clearly do not meet that standard for a pre-school classroom. I hope schools across Wake County and the State of North Carolina will follow the example of Ballentine and respond swiftly when a parent expresses concern and ensure that materials like this are not being used to teach young students," she added.

Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul arrested for drunk driving, charged with DUI following crash



Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has been arrested for drunk driving and has been charged with DUI.

What are the details?

Multiple reports state that authorities charged Pelosi's husband with one count of driving under the influence and a second charge for driving with a blood-alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher.

Paul was reportedly attempting to cross California state route 29 in his Porsche late on Saturday when he collided with a male driving a Jeep.

The California Highway Patrol reported that there were no injuries in connection with the incident.

Following the crash, authorities booked Paul into the Napa County Detention Center on misdemeanor charges around midnight. He was released early Sunday morning on $5,000 bail.

A spokesperson for the California lawmaker said that neither she nor her husband would be speaking out on the incident.

“The speaker will not be commenting on this private matter which occurred while she was on the East Coast,” her spokesperson, Drew Hammill, said in a statement to the press.

The House Speaker was visiting Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, to deliver the graduating class commencement.

She tweeted a live stream link of the ceremony, and captioned it, "Join me live @BrownUniversity as I deliver the Commencement Oration to 2022 graduates and receive an honorary doctorate degree." Her tweet was spammed with reports and questions about her husband's arrest.

\u201cJoin me live @BrownUniversity as I deliver the Commencement Oration to 2022 graduates and receive an honorary doctorate degree. https://t.co/uBhdzJyOej\u201d
— Nancy Pelosi (@Nancy Pelosi) 1653847188

Man learns the hard way that he should check for snakes before sitting on the toilet



A Malaysian man got the surprise of a lifetime when a snake crawled out of his toilet bowl and bit him on the buttocks as he sat playing video games on his phone.

What are the details?

The man, 28-year-old Sabri Tazali, said that he was minding his own business in late March when the snake lunged out of the toilet and latched on to his buttocks.

The Star reported that Tazali immediately jumped from the toilet seat and yanked the snake from his backside. He became so panicked that he ran directly through his bathroom door in a bid to flee from the reptile and seek medical treatment.

"When I wanted to open the door I panicked and accidentally broke the door," he explained.

The snake, which was reported to be a python, was reportedly not venomous, and Tazali needed only a tetanus shot following the ambush.

Weeks later, however, the attack remained in the forefront of his mind — and he ultimately discovered pieces of the viper's teeth stuck in his backside.

"After two weeks, I checked the wound area," he said. "There were still (parts) of the snake's teeth, which probably broke because I forcibly pulled it off me."

He added that he remains "traumatized" by the incident and admitted that he initially avoided using his toilet for two weeks, instead opting to use a nearby public bathroom to do his business.

This is hardly the first time a snake has popped out of a toilet bowl.

In 2021, a 65-year-old man in Austria found out the hard way that he had a five-foot snake inside his cistern.

He said that he was sitting on the toilet when he felt a "tweak" in the area of his genitals. Sure enough, when he jumped up, he saw a shockingly large snake inside his toilet. He reportedly suffered only minor injuries, but likely will remember the incident for the rest of his life.

Fans shred comedian John Mulaney for being a 'transphobe.' Why? Because Dave Chappelle opened for him.



Fans say that comedian and former "Saturday Night Live" writer John Mulaney is transphobic — all because comedian Dave Chappelle opened for him ahead of a recent set.

What are the details?

Mulaney is apparently being branded transphobic by association after Chappelle — who has been accused of transphobia for joking about the transgender community — opened for the comedian ahead of a Friday show in Columbus, Ohio.

Fans who attended the show took their grievances to social media, where they castigated Mulaney for allowing Chappelle to associate with the show.

One user, @boobeoisie, went viral for remarks about the show.

The user wrote, "Tell me why I just went to the John Mulaney show and Dave Chappelle was a surprise opener and made not only a transphobic joke but a homophobic one."

Another fan said that they felt "ambushed" by Chappelle's appearance.

"[M]y favorite part of tonight was when dave chappelle ambushed us at the john mulaney show, told a bunch of transphobic jokes, a massive stadium of people laughed, and then john mulaney hugged him at the end," the user wrote.

One user — who identified as transgender — added, "Pretty disappointed in John Mulaney, saw him tonight and yeah, he was funny, but he gave Dave Chapelle the platform to make some transphobic jokes. Also very disheartening to hear a crowd of 12,000 around you (a trans person) laughing at transphobic jokes. Thanks Columbus."

Another wrote, "John Mulaney is not only responsible for platforming DC, but for yet another wave of cis a**holes yelling at trans people that we're overreacting and we deserve this treatment and cruelty. F***in sucks!!

One offended attendee told BuzzFeed News that Chappelle's jokes were "low-hanging fruit" for a "red state like Ohio."

"[Chappelle] was punching down on an already marginalized and institutionally abused community,” the fan told the outlet. “It was embarrassing seeing a revered man in his craft become so tacky and boomer-esque.”

The fan added, “It, unfortunately, makes sense — it was a low-hanging fruit of a joke in a red state like Ohio. In the end, he told the upset audience members to relax. The obvious grasp at trying to receive backlash and act shocked that he did receive ... it was embarrassing.”

Finance guru Dave Ramsey blasts 'horrible and evil' student loans — but adds that student debt should not be forgiven



Christian finance guru Dave Ramsey says that the United States needs to stop making student debt — but that doesn't mean that he believes in loan forgiveness.

What are the details?

Last week, Ramsey tweeted that people shouldn't create student loan debt at all — and instead opt to pay cash for higher education and attend community college or trade school.

He wrote, "Maybe before we forgive student loan debt, we should stop allowing student loan debt..."

Maybe before we forgive student loan debt, we should stop allowing student loan debt...
— Dave Ramsey (@Dave Ramsey) 1652193720

He expounded on that remark with Insider and said that politicians like President Joe Biden are being "intellectually dishonest" when talking about forgiving student loans, but continuing to allow students and their families to continue taking them.

"If we believe student loans are so horrible and evil, which I do, then we should stop making them," Ramsey reasoned. "It's intellectually dishonest for politicians to run around talking about forgiving student loans while they're still making them."

Insider reported that Ramsey previously added that student debt cancellation was nothing more than "hogwash" and that saying canceling the debt would stimulate the economy is simply "smoke and mirrors."

Ramsey added that students intent on pursuing higher education should, instead, pay cash for college and university, or attend community colleges or trade schools.

What else is there to know about this?

In October, Ramsey told Fox Business that the very idea of student loan forgiveness is a scam.

"98% of the people that applied for that so far have not gotten forgiveness, only 2% – that's known as a scam," Ramsey said at the time. "If you become disabled, you have always gotten your student loans canceled. ... If you got defrauded by a school that went out of business, you get that student loan canceled."

"The [loan] cancellation that [Democrats] are all bragging about — that doesn't work," he insisted.

Ramsey continued, "America put its nose in the air and snubbed anyone who didn't get a four-year degree for the last five generations. ... It became a thing that if you didn't go to college, you weren't going to be successful," insisting that the notion is a "culture-wide con."

"The victims are 18-year-olds in this, and it's sad," Ramsey continued. "They're delaying having kids. They're delaying getting married. They're delaying buying houses because they're swamped and covered up and overwhelmed with this debt that they signed up for and did what everybody told them to do."

He concluded, "It's an irony of ironies that in America, we're stupid about education."