Elon Musk, What's up with that dude?

AD1184

Celestial

Elon Musk gets into Twitter spat with Volodymyr Zelensky after saying Ukraine should stay NEUTRAL in war with Russia to 'seek peace' - as German ambassador tells him to 'f**k off'

Elon Musk has become embroiled in a Twitter spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after claiming the country should remain 'neutral' in the war against Russia – as a diplomat told him to 'f*** off'. The Tesla CEO made a series of remarks, claiming he only wanted 'peace' between the countries after Russian invaded Ukraine unprovoked eight months ago. He claims the peace deal should include a recognition that Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, is 'formally a part of Russia.' Crimea has been recognized as a part of Ukraine by the US and other allies since Russian invaded and conducted a referendum. The world's richest man acknowledged that the referendum was 'questionable', quickly hitting back to say it should be done under the supervision of the UN or another 'trusted entity'. Billionaire Musk has been hit with a huge backlash online, claiming his 'peace' deal is 'highly likely to be the outcome', adding 'just a question of how many die before then.'

Elon Musk gets into Twitter spat with Ukrainian President Zelensky over war with Russia
The west's response to the Ukraine war is a paroxysm of liberal fanaticism, undertaken without democratic consent and without honest public debate. Britain's championing of the cause was transparently to distract the press and the public from the then-prime minister's domestic difficulties. It is destroying Europe economically and its people are suffering with rampant inflation, job losses, and fuel poverty. Literally thousands of people are going to die across Europe this winter due to fuel poverty, and that figure will be much higher if there are significant power cuts, the risk of which has been greatly increased by the sanctions. Incidentally, the US economy, although experiencing some (comparatively lesser) difficulties, stands to gain many long-term benefits at the expense of Europe as a result of the war and the western sanctions regime in place (U.S. manufacturing is experiencing a rebound, with companies adding workers amid high consumer demand for products. -NY Times). The US is also the country that undertook most of the manoeuvring that created the conditions for conflict. Germany has the most to lose, and is losing big. All for a patch of Eastern European rust belt.

The liberals are now the party of war. They see war as a moral good, rather than something to be avoided at great cost, because the costs of war are so much greater. They relish the thought of conflict with Russia--a stupid conflict born of nothing, and certainly not principle, given the good relations we have with comparable and worse regimes around the world--and spur on the Ukrainians as willing proxies. I cannot imagine this situation being greeted in the same way a generation ago, with the rulers of Europe and their American masters pouring fuel on the fire, and dragging the west so close to the brink of open conflict with Russia, instead of encouraging the belligerents to seek a compromised peace with one another.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Ah, yes, Munich syndrome: the delusional belief that the latest enemy is Hitler, the sufferer imagines himself to be Churchill, and that anyone calling for restraint is Chamberlain.
I’m saying if you don’t stand up to a bully right away you pay for it. Let’s see the UK invaded and call for restraint.

Restraint forfeited the Crimea
 
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nivek

As Above So Below
The US is also the country that undertook most of the manoeuvring that created the conditions for conflict.

NATO expansion and the US have indeed created the conditions for this war and the US in particular have instigated this conflict...Should Russia have responded by invading Ukraine, I don't think so, however, backing Russia into a corner leaves them with few choices in their eyes...If the West really wanted peace in the region then Ukraine should have remained neutral, no EU membership and no NATO membership, peaceful coexistence should have been the priority...

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nivek

As Above So Below
Literally thousands of people are going to die across Europe this winter due to fuel poverty, and that figure will be much higher if there are significant power cuts, the risk of which has been greatly increased by the sanctions.
If not millions...

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AD1184

Celestial
I’m saying if you don’t stand up to a bully right away you pay for it. Let’s see the UK invaded and call for restraint.
In your scenario, Britain would be one of the belligerents in a conflict, and not an outsider, so does not offer a strong parallel. Nevertheless, if the choice is hypothetically between near-total destruction and massive deaths on one hand, and being occupied or partially annexed by a culturally similar nation on the other, then it might be the better option to run up the white flag, or at least to seek a negotiated peace. Say, if a militarily stronger France had already annexed the Isle of Wight, and was supporting a breakaway republic in the county of Kent, and then launched an invasion across the Kentish border. It might be better to try and seek a negotiated settlement if one was available, rather than to aver that we would reconquer Kent and the Isle of Wight.

I could envision Britain's putative allies calling for restraint, or only lukewarm support, but the degree of support depends entirely on what the interests of those allies are in the hypothetical conflict, not on brotherly love between friends. British territory was invaded and occupied by Argentina in 1982. Britain's allies were not particularly concerned. The NATO agreement provided a get-out for providing assistance as it only covers territory north of the Tropic of Cancer (and it provides a get-out in all conflicts, regardless of where they take place, by other clauses). Then again, it also did not forbid them from giving their support. Reagan announced a policy of US impartiality in that conflict, as the US does not have real allies, just interests.

Ukraine is but a pawn of the US, being sacrificed to the end of weakening and destabilizing Russia. It is not an unprovoked invasion by Russia, but is the culmination of three decades of American manoeuvring in the region. The initial aggression in this conflict was Ukraine's US-backed mob overthrow of its lawfully elected government to install an openly pro-western one in 2014. A covert proxy war was effectively initiated against Russia at that point by the Obama administration. The Russians knew this and so responded in kind by annexing Crimea and arming proxies in the east of Ukraine. So who is the real bully? Maybe Russia is a regional bully, but that does not mean that I ought rightly to side with a bigger, global bully when it provokes a lesser, weaker one.

There is little to admire about the Russian state, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it presented no threat to British national interests in the region of Ukraine (because Britain does not have any), and it was not, and is not, in danger of invading here.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
No argument about US interference or NATO expansion. In the current political climate there will be no answers about exactly what sort of exploitation that had been been happening in Ukraine that led to this. If you have to ask why it’s always about money. This isn’t the Cold War and the need for an iron curtain or getting rid of Nazis or keeping the Red Army from rolling over Europe. The Black Sea has massive energy deposits, I’ve heard Rex Tillertson speak about that.

As we found out and are unlikely to learn from invasion always precipitates humanitarian crisis. Even if justified Russia opened Pandora’s Box
 

Standingstones

Celestial
All these European countries decided to purchase Russian oil and gas. I guess they never gave a thought that dealing with Putin would ever backfire. Now all these countries are looking at a very cold winter. The US has reserves of oil but we find it cheaper to purchase from countries like Canada.

It seems like the news organizations are trying to stir up the possibility that a nuclear war is imminent. The stories I read are taken from the viewpoint of Russia. What is rarely mentioned is that the Western countries have nuclear weapons that rival Russia. A few tactical warheads could lead to an escalation of nuclear war. I guess will find out what Putin has planned in the next few weeks.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Frankly, Europe is not my daily concern. We all have our fish to fry, don’t we ? As Obi Wan would point out, the truths we cling to depend on our point of view.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

Electric vehicles are exploding from water damage after Hurricane Ian, top Florida official warns

A top Florida state official warned Thursday that firefighters have battled a number of fires caused by electric vehicle (EV) batteries waterlogged from Hurricane Ian.

EV batteries that have been waterlogged in the wake of the hurricane are at risk of corrosion, which could lead to unexpected fires, according to Jimmy Patronis, the state's top financial officer and fire marshal.

"There’s a ton of EVs disabled from Ian. As those batteries corrode, fires start," Patronis tweeted Thursday. "That’s a new challenge that our firefighters haven’t faced before. At least on this kind of scale."

"It takes special training and understanding of EVs to ensure these fires are put out quickly and safely," he continued in a follow-up tweet.


View: https://twitter.com/JimmyPatronis/status/1578050503279316992


(More on the link)

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nivek

As Above So Below

Elon Musk blames woke colleges for turning his transgender daughter Vivian, 18, against him - and accuses America's elite institutions of teaching 'full-on communism'

Elon Musk has blamed America's woke colleges for turning his transgender daughter Vivian against him. In a new interview with the Financial Times, the world's richest man blamed 'neo-Marxists' in elite schools and universities for the estrangement between him and his daughter. He added: 'It's full-on communism . . . and a general sentiment that if you're rich, you're evil.' It is unclear where Vivian goes to school, and Musk offered no further details on his allegation. Woke students seeking to ban and censor views they consider offensive have gained a foothold in many liberal schools and universities across the US. The long-form interview was part of the newspaper's Lunch with the FT series. During the Q&A, Musk also touched on issues relating to Donald Trump's social network and politics in general. Musk, the father of nine, appeared to shrug off having a relationship with Vivian by saying: 'It may change, but I have very good relationships with all the others. Can't win them all.'

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Standingstones

Celestial
Musk is right about one thing. Comedians and speakers don’t like to go to college campuses due to the woke situations you find there. I can’t blame them.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

Elon Musk Sends Dire Warning About Russia-Ukraine War

(Excerpt)

Starlink has thus made the richest man in the world one of the most influential personalities in the world. But that status has just faltered after the Techno King presented a perceived pro-Russian peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.

This plan, unveiled and submitted to the vote of Twitter users on October 3, asks kyiv to recognize as Russian the Crimea and the Donbas, two Ukrainian regions annexed and occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian authorities must also renounce their desire to join NATO and the European Union.

“Dumb” was the reaction of US senator Lindsey Graham. On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelensky considered it a capitulation, and said Musk has become pro-Russian. The serial entrepreneur seemed surprised by these harsh criticisms.

He tried in vain to explain that his peace plan was realistic. He explained that he fears that the conflict could turn into a total war with the possibility of a nuclear war which would have enormous consequences for Ukraine and the world.

The richest man in the world continues to insist. He seems to believe that this conflict is escalating. He now fears that we are now moving towards the most worrying option for the whole world: a nuclear war.

"Nuclear war probability is rising rapidly," the billionaire warned on Oct. 9.

(More on the link)

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pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Musk says SpaceX cannot keep funding Ukraine Starlink

Musk says SpaceX cannot keep funding Ukraine Starlink​


A woman on her mobile phone near wreckage in Ukraine
Image source, Reuters
Elon Musk has said his rocket firm SpaceX cannot continue indefinitely paying for Ukraine's Starlink internet service in his latest spat with Kyiv.
In February, the world's richest man activated his company's satellite internet system in Ukraine to keep its military and people online.
But last month the Tesla owner asked the Pentagon to fund the programme instead of him, according to US media.
He recently provoked Kyiv's ire by suggesting it cede territory.
"SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely," Mr Musk tweeted on Friday, referring to his space company that makes the Starlink system.
Starlink works by providing broadband internet through a network of satellites. It has proven vital for Ukraine's military as it fights to retake Ukrainian land from Russia.

Ukraine credited Starlink this week with helping to reboot its infrastructure in key areas following more than 100 Russian missile strikes.
A Starlink terminal seen providing Kharkiv, Ukraine, with internet last month
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

A Starlink terminal seen providing Kharkiv, Ukraine, with internet last month
But the programme costs $20m (£18m) per month to maintain, according to Mr Musk. He recently said SpaceX had spent $80m so far to keep Ukraine online.
"In addition to terminals, we have to create, launch, maintain & replenish satellites & ground stations," he wrote on Twitter.
"We've also had to defend against cyberattacks & jamming, which are getting harder."
Ukraine's vice-Prime Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, downplayed tensions with Mr Musk, writing on Twitter that the billionaire "is among the world's top private donors supporting Ukraine".
"Starlink is an essential element of our critical infrastructure," he wrote.

A Ukrainian presidential advisor said that Ukraine will find a solution to keep Starlink working.
Earlier this month, Mr Musk tweeted out a proposal that Ukraine accept Russia's annexation of Crimea and allow referendums in Ukrainian regions invaded by Moscow.
The Kremlin responded positively to the overture.
But Ukraine's outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, posted a tweet telling Mr Musk to go away, using a swear word.
Responding on Friday to a post referring to the ambassador's remark, Mr Musk said: "We're just following his recommendation."
Moscow recently declared four more Ukrainian regions to be part of Russia, following so-called referendums denounced as fraudulent by Kyiv and its Western allies. Russia does not fully control any of the four regions.

Mr Musk has also suggested the world should "formally" recognise Crimea - illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014 - as part of Russia.
This week, Mr Musk denied that he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin before releasing his Twitter poll.
"I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space," he tweeted.
That statement came after a think tank researcher claimed Mr Musk had personally told him about the alleged conversation.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Musk says SpaceX cannot keep funding Ukraine Starlink

Musk says SpaceX cannot keep funding Ukraine Starlink​


A woman on her mobile phone near wreckage in Ukraine
Image source, Reuters
Elon Musk has said his rocket firm SpaceX cannot continue indefinitely paying for Ukraine's Starlink internet service in his latest spat with Kyiv.
In February, the world's richest man activated his company's satellite internet system in Ukraine to keep its military and people online.
But last month the Tesla owner asked the Pentagon to fund the programme instead of him, according to US media.
He recently provoked Kyiv's ire by suggesting it cede territory.
"SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely," Mr Musk tweeted on Friday, referring to his space company that makes the Starlink system.
Starlink works by providing broadband internet through a network of satellites. It has proven vital for Ukraine's military as it fights to retake Ukrainian land from Russia.

Ukraine credited Starlink this week with helping to reboot its infrastructure in key areas following more than 100 Russian missile strikes.
A Starlink terminal seen providing Kharkiv, Ukraine, with internet last month
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

A Starlink terminal seen providing Kharkiv, Ukraine, with internet last month
But the programme costs $20m (£18m) per month to maintain, according to Mr Musk. He recently said SpaceX had spent $80m so far to keep Ukraine online.
"In addition to terminals, we have to create, launch, maintain & replenish satellites & ground stations," he wrote on Twitter.
"We've also had to defend against cyberattacks & jamming, which are getting harder."
Ukraine's vice-Prime Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, downplayed tensions with Mr Musk, writing on Twitter that the billionaire "is among the world's top private donors supporting Ukraine".
"Starlink is an essential element of our critical infrastructure," he wrote.

A Ukrainian presidential advisor said that Ukraine will find a solution to keep Starlink working.
Earlier this month, Mr Musk tweeted out a proposal that Ukraine accept Russia's annexation of Crimea and allow referendums in Ukrainian regions invaded by Moscow.
The Kremlin responded positively to the overture.
But Ukraine's outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, posted a tweet telling Mr Musk to go away, using a swear word.
Responding on Friday to a post referring to the ambassador's remark, Mr Musk said: "We're just following his recommendation."
Moscow recently declared four more Ukrainian regions to be part of Russia, following so-called referendums denounced as fraudulent by Kyiv and its Western allies. Russia does not fully control any of the four regions.

Mr Musk has also suggested the world should "formally" recognise Crimea - illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014 - as part of Russia.
This week, Mr Musk denied that he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin before releasing his Twitter poll.
"I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space," he tweeted.
That statement came after a think tank researcher claimed Mr Musk had personally told him about the alleged conversation.

The Ukrainian government basically told Elon Musk to F off when he posted his opinion to making peace with Russia...I guess he's taken their suggestion...

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