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Black Rock City, Nev., where the Burning Man debauchery festival is held annually,turned into a swamp this year after heavy rains blasted the desert party and trapped some 73,000 attendees in the “muddy hellhole.”

According to reports, event organizers barred Burning Man attendees from leaving the area because “widespread muddy conditions created treacherous driving conditions.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Burning Man tweeted that all attendees would have to “hunker down” in their campsites because a slow-moving rainstorm is hovering over the area and blasting it with torrential rain.

“Check on your campmates and neighbors to make sure they’re ok, and help them as needed,” Burning Man told attendees. “Take advantage of a moment of calm to connect with campmates and hunker down.”

Not only were the “poors” stopped from leaving Burning Man, but so were the tech cent-millionaires and billionaires who flew there on private jets to party in the desert and who now have no way to leave, even if they wanted to.

“The gate and airport in and out of Black Rock City remain closed. Ingress and egress are halted for the time being, including Burner Express Air and Bus. No driving permitted on playa except for emergency vehicles. If you are in BRC, please shelter in place and stay safe.”

(Related: Remember back in 2019 when Burning Man attendees trashed the desert and created an ecological apocalypse?) Is the Burning Man swamp an omen of what is soon to come for the rest of America?

Seeing as how there is no mobile phone reception or internet at Burning Man, the 73,000 people who are trapped there will have to rely on good old-fashioned smoke signals if they hope to communicate with the outside world that or they will have to borrow a wealthy attendee’s satellite phone, assuming it still has a charge.

Some attendees with satellite phones tweeted photos of their muddy boots along with complaints about having to stay inside their tents all day because of “three inches of slippery mud outside and another inch of rain coming,” to quote one person.

“We haven’t left our tent all day, except to bring a campmate a shovel.”

Others tweeted photos of themselves trudging through the mud with large trash bags covering their bodies. Since the Black Rock Desert is normally dry as a bone and hot, very hot, this time of year, nobody expected a torrential downpour for several days straight.

The following photos show a double rainbow and completely flooded-out campsites, which is a real sight considering how Black Rock City normally looks: Double rainbow sunset. pic.twitter.com/iX6CfRgshe

andrew hyde (@unicorn) September 2, 2023

Perhaps the most disturbing element of the Burning Man disaster this year is the fact that the place is littered with outhouses that are filling up fast, and that cannot be drained as normal.

“With attendees told to conserve food and shelter in place, the road closures mean cleaning and servicing of the thousands of portable toilets used by attendees has been suspended,” reports explain.

One woman tweeted that all of her “45-year-old pals” have been complaining all over Facebook about how this year’s Burning Man was a “total disaster.”

“What did you expect?” this person wrote, adding that everyone at Burning Man who thought they were going to get some summertime desert fun is “now sad as they sit in alkaline mud in Nevada.”

“‘Drowning Man’ is the first thing that came to my mind,” one commenter wrote on a news story about the fiasco, further noting that alkaline mud is not exactly what attendees want to have rubbing against their skin for days on end.

Perhaps the time has come to put an end to Burning Man? Learn more at Twisted.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
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Environment

Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

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Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

President Trump has nominated Jonathan Morrison to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Morrison has previously criticized and tussled with Tesla in his previous role at NHTSA.

Morrison is now Trump’s nominee to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is in charge of regulating the auto industry in the US.

The attorney was the agency’s Chief Counsel during Trump’s first term, and he had a few disputes with Tesla during that time.

In September 2018, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its Tesla Model 3 crash test results, and the EV got five-star safety ratings in every category.

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Tesla interpreted the data from the test and claimed that Model 3 achieved “the lowest probability of injury of any vehicle ever tested by NHTSA“.

Morrison sent Tesla a cease-and-desist letter over the claim, arguing that it was misleading.

The lawyers also subpoenaed Tesla to get data about a specific crash in 2019.

Next week, Morrison is expected to have his confirmation hearing in the Senate and could take up his role shortly after.

The nomination is significant in the context of the current feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Trump.

Musk has been criticizing Trump and his allies over their recently passed budget and tax bill, which is expected to significantly increase the federal government’s debt and eliminate virtually all subsidies to electric vehicles and renewable energy, potentially harming Tesla.

Trump has warned Musk that he could go directly after his companies and NHTSA would be the top vehicle for that when it comes to Tesla.

The agency had already launched several investigations into Tesla over the years, with the largest one examining Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program and several fatal crashes related to the ADAS system.

Electrek’s Take

Most NHTSA probes into Tesla have resulted in slaps on the wrist at best, but this FSD probe involves several fatal crashes, and even though it started under the Biden administration, it could potentially ramp up under Trump, especially amid his feud with Musk.

On the one hand, it’s disheartening to see the US reach this point, where feuds between billionaires and elected officials are settled through regulatory agencies. Still, at the same time, Musk did buy the election for Trump, so he created this situation in the first place, and there are serious concerns about how safe FSD is.

At the very least, I would hope that NHTSA will start to force Tesla to release all its FSD crash and disengagement data.

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Environment

A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

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A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

You might remember the GEM as a quirky little electric microcar that’s been cruising through campuses, resorts, and planned communities for years. But now, it’s taking on a more serious job – saving lives. Waev Inc., the maker behind the long-running GEM electric vehicle line, has just unveiled the GEM Ambulance, a purpose-built, all-electric, street-legal low-speed vehicle (LSV) designed specifically for emergency medical services.

While it might not replace a full-size ambulance on high-speed highways, this new electric responder is tailor-made for the dense environments where conventional ambulances often struggle: college campuses, sporting events, entertainment venues, airports, and more. With a top speed of 25 mph, it’s built for maneuverability, safety, and zero-emission performance in pedestrian-heavy areas.

“The GEM Ambulance fills a critical gap in medical response – delivering the ideal balance of agility and safety EMS teams need in crowded settings,” said Byron Dudley, Vice President at Waev Inc.

The new GEM Ambulance is built on the same proven electric platform that has powered GEM vehicles for over 25 years. It’s a highly refined LSV that combines practical engineering with professional-grade EMS functionality. In partnership with emergency equipment supplier QTAC, Waev integrated a skid-mounted EMS system that includes secure patient transport, attendant seating, optional oxygen and IV mounts, and rugged PolyTough™ construction designed to handle demanding conditions.

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Unlike golf carts or UTV-based setups that have been DIYed into emergency vehicles, the GEM Ambulance offers a more stable, comfortable, and professional platform. The EMS skid is positioned between the wheels for better weight distribution, and the vehicle’s low deck height and rear step-up provide easy access for patients and personnel alike.

The GEM Ambulance doesn’t skimp on emergency essentials either. It’s equipped with a 360-degree red emergency lighting system, an SAE Class 1-compliant siren with multiple sound patterns, a public address system, turn signals, LED headlights and taillights, and even a pedestrian noise emitter for quiet zones. A backup camera and full 360° sightlines give drivers added confidence when navigating tight environments.

And since it’s 100% electric, there’s no tailpipe emissions to worry about when operating indoors or in crowded spaces. Maintenance is minimal thanks to GEM’s maintenance-free batteries, regenerative braking, and corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. There’s even a seven-year warranty on the lithium-ion battery option.

The biggest surprise might be the price. According to Waev, the GEM Ambulance can cost up to 80% less than a traditional ambulance and 50% less than electric trucks or UTV-based alternatives. Plus, with operating costs of just $0.03 per mile, it promises long-term savings with no fuel, no fluids, and no downtime from engine servicing.

With applications ranging from college campuses and amusement parks to military installations and warehouse sites, the GEM Ambulance could be a game-changer for localized EMS response. It’s available now through GEM’s nationwide dealer network and can also be purchased through government contracts like Sourcewell, Texas BuyBoard, and GSA procurement channels.

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Technology

Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

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Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

Omar Marques | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Microsoft‘s Outlook email service malfunctioned for several hours Wednesday and Thursday, prompting some people to post on social media about the inability to reach their virtual mailboxes.

The issue began at 6:20 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, according to a dashboard the software company maintains. It affected Outlook.com as well as Outlook mobile apps and desktop programs.

At 12:21 ET the Microsoft 365 Status account posted that it was rolling out a fix.

“Our configuration changes have effectively resolved impact in targeted infrastructure. We’re now deploying the changes worldwide to resolve impact for all users,” Microsoft said in an X post on Thursday afternoon.

The company’s status page said “most impacted users will experience relief within the next two hours,” and that it was continuing to monitor the service.

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On social media, some people reported that Outlook was functioning properly after hours of users posting about problems.

Some posts included screenshots of Outlook that said “something went wrong.” 

With hundreds of millions of active users, Outlook is important, although Apple and Google‘s email clients are more popular, according to data from analytics company Litmus

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