Technology

Elon Musk’s first month of destroying America will cost us decades

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2025

Elon Musk’s first month of destroying America will cost us decades

Let’s pause and look at what the Elon Musk administration has done so far.

There’s been a lot of panic about the immediate but somewhat abstract constitutional crisis as Elon Musk’s misleadingly-named Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) rips the government apart. And as much fun as we all are having watching Congress render itself irrelevant and wondering whether the courts even matter, there’s a concrete nightmare looming. Mass unemployment, the defunding of crucial social programs, and just plain incompetence mean that America, as we know it, is already in for hard times.

The degree to which we have failed not merely ourselves but also our children and grandchildren is breathtaking

The scale of destruction in the past four weeks starts at the Soviet devotion to Lysenkoist biological theories, and at maximum, is the American version of Mao’s Cultural Revolution: a disastrous triumph of ideological purity over basic reality. I am not sure it has occurred to the majority of people that we are about to make a Great Leap Forward and destroy our prosperous, relatively peaceful society.

Musk has, in the short term, set us up for a shock to the economy from both unemployment and frozen government grants. This will be felt more or less immediately.

But the long-term costs will be measured in decades. The degree to which we have failed not merely ourselves but also our children and grandchildren is breathtaking. Musk projects — such as undercutting practical preparations for possible disasters and dismantling an educational and scientific system so good that our actual enemies send their children to us for college — combine with disastrous Trump policies like mass deportation to undermine American society. And by alienating our longtime allies and cozying up to Russia, we set ourselves up to be a pariah state.

Let’s start with the federal workers. How many federal workers has Elon Musk fired? As of Valentine’s Day, Reuters figured 10,000. That number is almost certainly higher now. Many of the “probationary” employees he targeted were, in fact, quite senior — people who had just gotten promoted or who had been working for government contractors and then transitioned to working for the government itself. Often, these people were military veterans. Another 75,000 have taken a buyout from the Musk regime.

Kansas City, Missouri, for instance, doesn’t have enough jobs to absorb all its ex-federal workers

Among those fired: hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees, including air traffic controllers that keep flying safe. Over 1,000 people from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides healthcare to vets. On top of these specifics lies the basic fact that unemployed people have less money to spend in the rest of the economy. The pain might be most visible in reputationally liberal areas like the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. But it’s widespread — Kansas City, Missouri, for instance, doesn’t have enough jobs to absorb all its ex-federal workers. There are laid-off workers in Illinois, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Florida — in fact, all over the US.

It gets worse, because the recent pause in federal spending — driven first by an executive order from President Donald Trump and now by the chaos of DOGE — threatens the stability of many, many more people. Take, for instance, farmers and ranchers. They’re Trump voters, mostly, but this may push many of them into bankruptcy, since they depended on government programs to pay for farm upgrades they already made. The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, means that an agricultural buyer who dropped $2 billion into the sector is now gone. Rural areas broadly rely on federal funding, of course.

It gets worse. Acts of aggression toward our trading partners mean that Canadians are starting to avoid US products. The EU is considering an import block on soybeans. That’s fewer places for farmers and ranchers to sell their products. America might not give a good goddamn about science or scientists, but cutting their funds also hits hospitals, which guarantees worse patient care.

Did you think I was done? I haven’t even gotten to the existential disasters. The Department of Agriculture has fired, it says accidentally, a number of people working on bird flu. (The agency is now attempting to rehire those workers.) Because the Musk regime froze all communications, there was no word from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on bird flu for weeks.

There’s no considered plan, just careless mass destruction — and Musk’s desire to control everything, whatever the risks

There are other things to fear. DOGE reportedly fired a bunch of nuclear workers before realizing that they were, in fact, quite necessary, and then struggled to rehire them. Oops! Good thing that’s only nuclear weapons. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.

DOGE isn’t yet inside the CDC, where all the dangerous microbes are kept, but they’re aiming at it. Also, the CDC has access to all electronic healthcare records — so if, let’s say, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. decides he wants to ship everyone on psych meds to a work farm, a thing he has proposed, he can do that.

The Trump administration, obviously, would have done some of this damage without Musk — he wasn’t leading the initial federal spending freeze or bringing in witless cronies, like RFK, Brendan Carr, and Kash Patel, with their own idiotic agendas. But DOGE has targeted a shocking sweep of basic government services with an unprecedented level of slash-and-burn nihilism. There’s no considered plan, just careless mass destruction — and Musk’s desire to control everything, whatever the risks.

DOGE is said to be seeking access to detailed financial records about every American taxpayer. Musk also wants access to Notify.gov, which contains everyone’s phone numbers, along with details such as whether they receive Medicaid. A Social Security chief resigned rather than let Musk into those systems. He reportedly has access to bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal details as part of the “God mode” access granted to DOGE. So far, this access has only been confirmed at USAID — but it’s not difficult to imagine that it’s been granted elsewhere, too. Oh, DOGE is apparently now inside CISA, indiscriminately hacking away at staff. No way that can possibly expose sensitive information to the US’s adversaries, of which there seem to be an increasing number lately.

At no previous point in my lifetime has a sitting president had to appear on television and tell the public that he is not being manipulated by a scheming vizier

How organized is DOGE? Well, they’re struggling to keep straight whether a contract is worth $8 million or $8 billion. This isn’t an operation targeting government waste. It’s about destroying anyone and anything that might be targeted toward having a functioning society — effete goals like feeding the hungry, stopping climate change, and caring for the sick. DOGE relies on operatives’ elite mastery of the Ctrl + F shortcut and their fierce commitment to anti-“woke” Silicon Valley supremacy. Who needs government expertise when you’ve got ideological conviction, right? Destroying bourgeois experts has never led to bad results!

The military was one of the last DOGE holdouts, but lists have already been submitted for layoffs there — supplemented by plans from TV personality and drunkard Pete Hegseth, who is for some reason the defense secretary, to fire generals and other senior staff, possibly as soon as this week.

You may, at this point, be wondering, “What about Donald Trump?” It is perhaps worth noting that at no previous point in my lifetime has a sitting president had to appear on television and tell the public that he is not being manipulated by a scheming vizier. Not even George W. Bush had to do that, and plenty of people were suspicious of Dick Cheney.

Anyway, Trump shares many of Musk’s goals and has spent his free time dismantling the Pax Americana while sanctioning overseas concentration camps for refugees and dubbing himself a king. If Trump decides to try wresting back control of domestic politics from Musk, the destruction will continue — albeit perhaps with fewer people named “Big Balls.”

The Purge is being declared, but only for Trump supporters

Of course, if Musk and Trump turn on each other, that could wreak its own havoc. Sure, Musk has control of all the payments systems, everyone’s personal data, and a bunch of other sensitive stuff, but Trump also has, you know, an army.

Beside atrocities like blocking AIDS relief and the Panamanian jungle concentration camps, attacks on the rule of law might seem a little dry. Who cares that the disgraced mayor of New York may skate on corruption charges in an open quid pro quo arrangement? But let me make it practical: the Purge is being declared, but only for Trump supporters. Any illegal or violent activity they engage in will be excused, especially if it targets Trump or Musk’s supposed enemies. Pardoning January 6th rioters was just the start.

As all this happens, the putative opposition party is still watching SNL, voting to confirm picks for the Trump / Musk regime, and tweeting weird shit about inflation. Aside from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — who is presently being threatened by Trump’s border czar for informing people of their rights — there has barely been pushback. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, perhaps the most lukewarm Democrat in existence, has nevertheless managed to make one of the strongest showings in the party by slamming the “king” comments. Certainly, there’s resistance from some Americans. People have been annoying their elected officials and protesting fairly continuously.

But many more people are simply tuning out — trying to pretend this isn’t happening. Well, it’s a matter of time before all this comes for them: the potential recession; the impoverished dystopia; the sicker, worse America.

Put it all together. We are in the process of being rendered unemployed, sick, helpless, and fearful of a law that works nakedly in the interest of Musk’s power. I still believe it is possible to stop what is in motion, but the window is closing. It has only been a month. Think of what a year will bring — and what we will lose.

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Technology

Intel and LG Display may have beaten Apple and Qualcomm with the best laptop battery life ever

Published

10 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Intel and LG Display may have beaten Apple and Qualcomm with the best laptop battery life ever

Just how little power might it consume? Notebookcheck has tested a version of the laptop with that LG Display screen and a new Intel Panther Lake chip — and it appears to be the most efficient laptop that’s ever gone through its Wi-Fi web browsing test. At idle, the Core Ultra 325 laptop drew as little as 1.5 watts, and lasted nearly 27 hours of web browsing despite only housing a 70 watt-hour pack. That’s well shy of the 99.5Wh Dell has sometimes crammed into its 16-inch models.

That’s more battery life than Notebookcheck has gotten out of any MacBook or MacBook Pro, and apparently more than all but two other laptops since it started running this test in 2014. And of those two laptops, one relied on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chip, a larger 84Wh battery, and a mere 60Hz screen — while the other had two batteries for a total of 149Wh and a 60Hz screen as well.

I should caution you that we typically see much less battery life in an actual workday than we do in fixed battery life tests. But compared to other laptops, this Dell + Intel + LG Display combo seems like the new battery life champ. Note that Dell also sells it with a higher-res tandem OLED screen, though. To get the best battery life, you’ll need to settle for 1920 x 1200, no OLED, and no touchscreen.

While Dell may deserve a lot of credit as the system integrator, this tech may not be exclusive to Dell for long. LG Display announced that it’s become the first in the world to mass-produce a 1–120Hz laptop LCD panel (which it’s branding as Oxide 1Hz), and plans to mass-produce an OLED version in 2027. Intel, too, isn’t just working with one display vendor: last October, it announced it was working with Chinese panel maker BOE on 1Hz refresh rate computers too.

Technology

Spring clean your digital footprint: Why retirees are scam targets

Published

11 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Spring clean your digital footprint: Why retirees are scam targets

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Every spring, many of us follow the same routine. We replace the batteries in our smoke detectors, clean out the garage and organize paperwork while reviewing finances. These habits exist for a reason. Regular maintenance helps prevent small risks from turning into bigger problems.

However, there is one area most people rarely check: their digital exposure. Just like a home, your online presence collects clutter over time. If you do not clean it up regularly, it becomes much easier for strangers to find and use your personal information.

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DO YOU KNOW THE TRUE COST OF IDENTITY THEFT?

Your personal information can quietly spread across dozens of people-search and data broker websites without you realizing it. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Where your personal information appears online

Think about how many places your personal information exists today:

Public property records
Utility and service databases
Marketing lists
People-search websites
Data broker profiles.

Each time you move, sign up for a service or update a subscription, that information may get copied and resold across multiple databases.

Over time, dozens, sometimes hundreds, of websites may end up listing details such as:

Your home address
Phone numbers
Past addresses
Names of relatives
Property ownership records.

For retirees and homeowners, these details can make you particularly visible online. And unfortunately, scammers know exactly where to look.

Why does tax season increase personal data exposure

Spring is a major data collection season. During tax season, financial institutions, service providers and government agencies process enormous amounts of information.

That includes:

Address confirmations
Income reporting
Property and mortgage updates
Retirement account activity.

Much of this data eventually becomes part of public records or commercial databases. Data brokers actively monitor these updates. When new information appears, they refresh and rebuild personal profiles. That means your digital footprint can quietly grow — even if you haven’t shared anything new online.

How data brokers update your personal profile

The first quarter of the year is one of the busiest periods for data brokers. Why? Because many major databases update around the same time:

Property records are updated after year-end filings
Utility and service provider records refresh
Marketing databases ingest new consumer lists
Public records from courts and local governments get indexed
Data brokers purchase or scrape this information and add it to existing profiles. In other words, your profile isn’t static. It’s constantly evolving.

THE EMAIL TRICK THAT REVEALS YOUR HIDDEN ONLINE ACCOUNTS

Each move, subscription or public record update can add new details to your growing digital footprint. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why data broker opt-outs often don’t last

Many people start the year with good intentions. They search their name online, find a few people-search websites and submit opt-out requests. That is a great first step. However, many people later discover a frustrating reality. Manual opt-outs often do not last.

There are three main reasons.

Data brokers continuously collect new records: Even if a broker removes your information today, new public records may appear next month when their system refreshes, and your profile can be rebuilt automatically.

Multiple brokers share and resell data: If one company deletes your listing, another broker may still have it—and may resell it back into the ecosystem. Your information spreads like copies of a document.

Some opt-outs expire: Certain websites only remove data temporarily. Months later, listings quietly reappear. Unless you check regularly, you may never notice.

Why retirees are especially visible online

Retirees often have several characteristics that make their information easier to locate:

Long address histories
Property ownership records
Public professional biographies
Retirement community listings
Estate and probate filings.

None of this is inherently unsafe. But when it’s aggregated across dozens of data broker platforms, it becomes a detailed personal profile.

Scammers use these profiles to identify potential targets for:

Investment scams
Fake government calls
Medicare or benefits fraud
Home repair schemes
Identity theft attempts.

The more complete the profile, the easier it is to craft a convincing story.

Why protecting your online privacy requires ongoing cleanup

Just like home safety, privacy protection works best as an ongoing habit.

Think of it this way: You wouldn’t replace smoke detector batteries once and assume they’ll work forever. The same logic applies to your online data.

Information gets copied, refreshed, and redistributed constantly. That means protecting your digital footprint requires regular monitoring and cleanup.

How to reduce your online exposure

A few simple habits can help reduce your risk:

Periodically search for your name online
Limit sharing of personal details on social media
Be cautious with unsolicited calls or investment offers
Remove your information from people-search sites when possible.

Regularly cleaning up exposed data helps reduce the personal information scammers can use against you. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How data removal services help clean up your online data

The challenge is that there are hundreds of data brokers, and each has its own removal process. Doing it manually can take hours, and the process often has to be repeated. That is why many people turn to automated data removal services.

These services help by submitting opt-out and deletion requests to hundreds of data brokers and people-search websites on your behalf. Instead of contacting each company individually, the service handles the process and continues monitoring databases for new listings that may appear over time.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Spring-cleaning usually focuses on physical spaces. We organize garages, review paperwork and replace smoke detector batteries. But your digital footprint deserves the same attention. Personal information spreads quietly across public records, marketing databases and data broker websites. Over time, these pieces of information can form detailed profiles that strangers can easily find online. For retirees and homeowners, those records often go back decades. Property filings, address histories and public records can make it easier for scammers to identify potential targets. The good news is that protecting your digital footprint does not require advanced technical skills. Simple habits like checking what appears about you online, limiting what you share publicly and regularly removing your information from data broker sites can significantly reduce your exposure. Just like maintaining your home, digital privacy works best as an ongoing habit. A little attention today can prevent much bigger problems tomorrow.

Have you ever searched your name online and been surprised by how much personal information appeared? What steps have you taken to protect your digital footprint? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Woot is offering over 20 percent off Switch 2 controllers and games today

Published

22 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Woot is offering over 20 percent off Switch 2 controllers and games today

Woot is running a day-long sale coinciding with the start of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Many products across multiple tech categories are discounted, including dozens of video games and accessories. What’s more, you can get an extra 20 percent off through 12:59AM ET on March 26th when you use code SAVETWENTY. Also, if you’re a Prime member who links their Amazon account, you’ll get free shipping.

Of the grab bag of products, the Nintendo Switch 2-related discounts stood out the most. For instance, you can get the physical version of Mario Kart World at Woot for $52 ($28 off). If your Switch 2 didn’t already include a digital copy of the exclusive, World is a must-have racing title that’s fun to play alone or with others (my colleague Andrew Webster called it “the perfect launch game” in his review). It includes an open world chock-full of challenges — a series first — or you can race through different course-filled cups, just like in the old days.

Additionally, 8BitDo’s fantastic Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 controllers — both compatible with the Switch 2 and other platforms — currently cost $36 and $37.60, respectively. Considering that both gamepads typically cost over $50 each, the savings are steep enough to consider getting more than one gamepad. The Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 have a similar set of features — rumble, motion controls, TMR joysticks, customizable back paddles, an extra shoulder button, and adjustable triggers — but their button and stick layouts cater to different gamers.

While the Ultimate 2 is arranged like a Switch 2 Pro (which itself is an Xbox-style layout), the Pro 3 is more akin to a PlayStation controller, with sticks close together in the middle. One neat feature of the Pro 3 not found in the Ultimate 2 is the ability to pull off its magnetic buttons and swap their positions, which is handy if you’re switching platforms. Both models also feature a 90-day Woot warranty. Read our Pro 3 review.

If you already own Mario Kart World — or don’t own a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 — there are also plenty of other great deals to choose from, including titles for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S.

Here’s a smattering of favorites: