Musk Droppings (2 Viewers)

[Huntn]

SpaceX’s Starship explodes in second failure for Musk’s Mars program

Back-to-back mishaps indicate big setbacks for program to launch satellites and send humans to the moon and Mars

www.theguardian.com

The failure comes just more than a month after the company’s seventh Starship flight also ended in an explosive failure. The back-to-back mishaps occurred in early mission phases that SpaceX has easily surpassed previously, indicating serious setbacks for a program Musk has sought to speed up this year.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Extreme wealth has always played a role in democracies. Money has always talked, especially in the US.

Years ago, Lawrence Lessig, the great legal scholar, calculated that most of the campaign funding for members of Congress and aspiring politicians came from one-twentieth of the richest 1% of Americans – about 150,000 people.

This is about the same number as those who are named “Lester” and explains the title of his book: The USA Is Lesterland.

But that particular corruption of American politics only involved billionaires like the Koch brothers playing organ-grinders to congressional monkeys.

The obscene wealth generated by the tech industry has catapulted a new organ-grinder into the heart of the machine. He was able to pay his way in with a spare quarter of a billion dollars that he happened to have lying around.

And now the wretched citizens of the US find themselves living in Muskland.

At the time he made the decision to ensure that Trump got elected, Musk was estimated to be worth $244bn.

That didn’t mean, of course, that he had that amount of hard cash in his possession, just that he owned millions of shares in a number of companies that he had founded which were judged by investors to be valuable liquid assets that could be sold if necessary.

Hold on to that thought: it may come in useful.……

It might be a small consolation, but Elon Musk is getting poorer by the day | John Naughton

As his goons root through the innards of the US government, Tesla sales are plummeting, the cars are being defaced and owners are ashamed

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dragon]

In Denmark, donations to political parties are regulated by the Political Party Financing Act, which is designed to ensure transparency and prevent undue influence on the political system. Here are some of the key points:

• Public Disclosure of Larger Donations: Donations exceeding 2,000 DKK (approximately $300) must be publicly disclosed, including both the donor's name and the amount donated. This transparency allows both the public and authorities to monitor significant contributions.
• Limitations on Anonymous Donations: Anonymous donations are only allowed if the amount is below 2,000 DKK (about $300). Larger donations must be attributable to a specific donor to prevent hidden influences.
• Prohibition of Foreign Donations: Donations from foreign sources are generally prohibited, ensuring that there is no unacceptable foreign influence on Danish politics.
• Ongoing Reporting: Political parties are required to continuously report and document all received donations along with their financial accounts. This requirement helps authorities track the flow of money and ensure compliance with the law.

These rules are intended to protect democracy by ensuring that political decisions are made free from hidden financial interests, while also giving voters clear insight into who is financially supporting the political parties.

 

[nolaspe]

In Denmark, donations to political parties are regulated by the Political Party Financing Act, which is designed to ensure transparency and prevent undue influence on the political system. Here are some of the key points:

• Public Disclosure of Larger Donations: Donations exceeding 2,000 DKK (approximately $300) must be publicly disclosed, including both the donor's name and the amount donated. This transparency allows both the public and authorities to monitor significant contributions.
• Limitations on Anonymous Donations: Anonymous donations are only allowed if the amount is below 2,000 DKK (about $300). Larger donations must be attributable to a specific donor to prevent hidden influences.
• Prohibition of Foreign Donations: Donations from foreign sources are generally prohibited, ensuring that there is no unacceptable foreign influence on Danish politics.
• Ongoing Reporting: Political parties are required to continuously report and document all received donations along with their financial accounts. This requirement helps authorities track the flow of money and ensure compliance with the law.

These rules are intended to protect democracy by ensuring that political decisions are made free from hidden financial interests, while also giving voters clear insight into who is financially supporting the political parties.

Wait, wut? Actual election laws are being upheld somewhere? What sorcery is this?

Sigh. I want off this garbage timeline that I didn't ask to be a part of...