Security

Tesla Crushed by Nio Firefly Mini EV in Safety Tests

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The news about rankings comes from the China Insurance Automotive Safety Index.

In C-IASI’s evaluation, scores range from P, M, A, G, to G+ from lowest to highest.

With that range in mind:

…Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model 3 received a lower M rating in crashworthiness and repair economy in the latest evaluation…

Tesla has a “lower M” rating for crashworthiness. That is the bottom, although apparently still not a P.

In stark contrast:

Nio Firefly has topped the latest safety ratings

Firefly achieved all four ratings at G or the higher G+ … making it the safest small car in the evaluation, the Nio sub-brand announced today.

The model received a G rating for crashworthiness and repair economy, and a higher G+ rating for occupant protection, pedestrian protection, and safety assist…

The Firefly team achieved high safety through smart overall vehicle design, powerful hardware capabilities, and high-quality materials, Jin said.

Separately, Firefly said in an article published yesterday on its mobile app that the model is equipped with nine airbags, more than the eight in the BMW X7 and the seven in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Nine airbags and fourteen speakers, for what it’s worth. The tiny car is loaded, and has an estimated cost of just $30K.

See if you can find and name all nine airbags in the Firefly

NIO Firefly

  • Brand: 蔚来 (NIO)
  • Model: 萤火虫 (Firefly)
  • Vehicle ID: NAL7000BSEVV1
  • Type: 轿车 (Sedan)
  • Manufacturer: 蔚来汽车科技（安徽）有限公司 (NIO Automotive Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.)
  • Ratings: G, G+, G+, G+

Tesla Model 3

  • Brand: 特斯拉 (Tesla)
  • Model: Model 3
  • Vehicle ID: TSL7000BELVAR7
  • Type: 轿车 (Sedan)
  • Manufacturer: 特斯拉(上海)有限公司 (Tesla (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.)
  • Ratings: M, G, G, G
Security

CA Tesla Kills One in “Veered” Crash Into a Tree

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It’s the same story over and over again. A sudden unexplained veered Tesla Kills someone.

The driver of a Tesla sedan was killed early Monday when the car crashed into a tree in Monterey County and caught fire, authorities said.

The California Highway Patrol said in a press release that the white Tesla was heading south on River Road north of Chualar River Road south of Salinas at about 1:41 a.m. when it veered left and off the roadway for an unknown reason. The car crashed into a tree and caught fire; the driver was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP said.

Poetry, Security

Musical Genius Tom Lehrer Passes Away at 97

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The New York Times has the buried lede:

As popular as his songs were, Mr. Lehrer never felt entirely comfortable performing them. “I don’t feel the need for anonymous affection,” he told The New York Times in 2000. “If they buy my records, I love that. But I don’t think I need people in the dark applauding.”

Lehrer’s Genius was unmistakable, and his devotion to helping others instead of simply amassing attention, is what made him such a super hero. Think about the phrase “free time” in this obituary.

A math prodigy, Lehrer studied mathematics at Harvard at age 15, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1946. He earned his master’s at Harvard the following year. He also worked on a doctorate there and at Columbia University, but never completed his Ph.D. thesis.

While in school, Lehrer wrote songs in his free time, and eventually recorded his first solo album, Songs of Tom Lehrer, in 1953. The release became a surprise hit and led him to perform at nightclubs and venues across the country.

Imagine all the free time of a teenager getting his graduate degree from Harvard in the 1940s. He was a true genius and an American hero, the kind that was always giving to others and yet never wanted the attention he deserved.

In October 2020, Lehrer released all music and lyrics he had ever written into the public domain. In November 2022, he formally relinquished the copyright, performing, and recording rights to his songs, and established a website to host recordings and printable copies of his sheet music for download. He added that the website “will be shut down at some point in the not too distant future, so if you want to download anything, don’t wait too long.” As of July 2025, the website is still operational.

Some say Lehrer stopped performing after Henry Kissinger had won the Nobel Peace Prize, stating simply that satire was now obsolete.

I’m not interested in promoting myself, or revealing to total strangers anything about me. That’s not my job. I read some of these things with people who will tell you about their abortions, and their affairs and their divorces and their breakdowns and their parents, and why are they doing that? And I’m sure if you asked them how much money they made last year, they’d tell you it’s none of your business.

His witicisms about risk and safety are legend.

“When I was in college, there were certain words you couldn’t say in front of a girl,” he writes in the sleeve notes for the new collection. “Now you can say them, but you can’t say ‘girl’. “

Security

Canadian Police Say Tesla Cybertruck Easily Damaged by Small Rocks

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This is quite literally the thing the Tesla CEO promised would never happen.

On the morning of July 13, 2025, it was reported that at 11:05 p.m. the previous evening, an unknown male suspect threw rocks at the windshield of a parked Tesla Cybertruck, resulting in more than $3000 in damage.

Police should be arresting the Tesla CEO for fraud.

Elon Musk’s shadow can be seen beneath the “shatterproof” glass that was shattered by his assistant as proof of … constant fraud.