Subscribe now and choose from over 30 free gifts worth up to £49 - Plus get £25 to spend in our shop
I was wondering about the wisdom of paying top dollar for a company just after someone's cloned its product really cheaply and legally?
His toxic behaviour is hurting him financially. Will be interesting to see if he backs off or doubles down.
His toxic behaviour is hurting him financially. Will be interesting to see if he backs off or doubles down.
There are many other factors to take into account WRT those sales numbers. I'd imagine that in both Spain and the UK, a significant number of those BYD orders are from rental firms getting ready for the new registrations - BYD have very little presence in the UK. Tesla are also in the process of rolling out the new Model Y, so many who might have ordered one will wait for the new one. I dislike Musk as much as the next guy and whilst i'm sure there are some knock on effects from his behaviour, it may not be as much as we'd like to think.
The irony of billionaires trying to remove the basis for their wealth is not lost on some
https://emptycity.substack.com/p/the-paradox-of-the-billionaires-saying
Looking at the short term valuation of X, or Tesla... or user numbers or sale figures... is underestimating a man who understands the power that's up for grabs longer term... in America, in Europe... and in future countries elsewhere.
Is it just me who thinks Musk wanting to buy OpenAi now he seems to be getting access to all sorts of US data could be a dangerous/worrying combination for someone to own/have. God knows what he could do with that combination.
Anything he damn well wants! Like Diaper Don, he’s a malignant narcissist, who has a deep rooted belief that he can just take anything that catches his eye with zero repercussions. And so far, I’m not seeing anything that makes me think otherwise.
An excellent DAG piece, sandwich. Thanks for posting.
Looking at these pics and the body language makes it pretty clear to my eyes who is in charge. And it isn't the elected president.....
BBC News - Elon Musk denies 'hostile takeover' of government in White House debut
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp820y16xvlo
Tesla are also in the process of rolling out the new Model Y, so many who might have ordered one will wait for the new one.
Yep, people would be hanging back to get the new version , was announced mid jan first deliveries are due in march and was sort of expected sometime this year.
Theres definitely going to be people who won’t buy and a whole lot more that will be vocal about it, but wouldn’t be potential buyers anyway.
I'm sure he’ll make up the losses elsewhere.
Not sure he’s seen how successful it’s went for other Trump Collaborators. 🙂
I suspect you have it wrong...trump is collaborating with Musk, not the way you have it...
I suspect you have it wrong...trump is collaborating with Musk, not the way you have it...
Can you imagine the cryptobro meltdown if a female member of government had their kid on their shoulders during a press briefing from the Whitehouse?
Musk will gut departments, install completely compromised hard right nuts in key roles, declare victory against wasteful spending and DEI 🙄 and just as with austerity here, the poorest will suffer the most leaving damage that takes years to fully be realised and making future even more fertile ground for moronic populism
Watched Musk at the White House...Very strong Roy and Renee vibes
There was a TV show which predicted the lurch of the US towards the right a few years ago called The Man in the High Castle.
Ignore, new forum problems.
God knows what he could do with that combination.
I honestly don't think he's going to do anything with the data. He just wants the power. He wants to be seen to be the cool tough guy. As far as he's concerned he's already the king of the world, he has no need for your data other than to simply have it. A bigger risk is him giving it to someone else who does have a plan for it.
Not sure he’s seen how successful it’s went for other Trump Collaborators.
As several people have already mentioned, I am not sure Trump is really in charge anymore, I am sure he thinks he is, but some serious people with dangerous ideas have worked out how to play him, his narcissism is the conduit for their plans and it is working. They have got intellectual and ideological lightweights desperate for attention and wealth heading most of the major branches of government, idiots in the Trump mould easily bought, controlled and manipulated.
It is happening here as well, people like Wes Streeting, SKS is an ideological wasteland touting cutting "red tape" for growth (how quickly the lessons from the Grenfell inquiry have been brushed aside by those in power). The same patterns and financial controls of major political parties is also being repeated in Germany with the SDP, the CDU/CSU and of course the AFD all promising, cuts to services, lower taxes for the wealthy while scapegoating immigrants for the problems created by austerity.
The whole western world has a big problem with the increasing power of the oligarchs, Trump is just a symptom. IMO it is the biggest problem we now face.
Definitely looks like the US is properly screwed for the foreseeable future - question is how far the contagion spreads into the UK and Europe. It's worryingly easy to imagine this being repeated in the UK, with Farage's mob opening up the gates to the robber barons.
Looking at these pics and the body language makes it pretty clear to my eyes who is in charge. And it isn't the elected president.....
BBC News - Elon Musk denies 'hostile takeover' of government in White House debut
There was a TV show which predicted the lurch of the US towards the right a few years ago called The Man in the High Castle.
High Castle was alternate history where Axis powers developed nuclear weapons first and that ended the war differently with USA being split between Japan and Germany.
You thinking of Handmaid's Tale?
Here’s the President, with his handler, and the handler’s dad…
You thinking of Handmaid's Tale?
I think he's thinking of The Plot Against America by Philip Roth which was made into a mini series a couple of years ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plot_Against_America_(miniseries)
Elon Musk's kid telling the 'leader of the free world' to STFU in the Oval Office is quite something.
Seems clear that being carried around on Elon's shoulders all day has him listening to some 'interesting' conversations and that perhaps Grandpa Napisan isn't being described in complimentary terms when he's not around. Or maybe even when he is. He certainly looks shot to pieces mentally.
Very interesting and scary article from the Guardian here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/12/trump-lawless-president
TL:DR - Trump, Vance and Musk can pretty much do what they want and there is nothing anyone can do to stop them. A view I've held for a while. Anyone thinking the grown-ups are waiting in the wings to rush in to the classroom and stop these toddlers drawing on all the walls and breaking everyone's toys is in for a rude awakening.
It’s amazing isn’t it? When Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament I remember reading an article that said that as we have no written constitution, government relied on the ‘good chap’ theory that people in power would stick to the ‘rules’. Obviously Johnson, as a pound shop Trump, wasn’t a ‘good chap’ and didn’t give a flying **** about the rules.
Bur we’re always being told that the American written Constitution is a watertight guard against the abuse of power. I think we can now all see that for the fanciful load of old bollocks it is.
It looks like it’s been just as dependent on the ‘good chap’ theory as ours, and neither are capable of dealing with populist demagogues
I think this proved that the US president is above US law :
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpqld79pxeqo
And the remarkable thing is that the United States prides itself on how their system of checks allegedly stops the abuse of power. Because apparently an all-powerful government is particularly undesirable.
Luckily they still have their guns so if it comes to it they will be well armed to deal with an out of control government with the obvious problem being that a lot of people like Trump so civil war it is then.
Trump is commander in chief and controls the military and all on grid communications. In addition, Musk controls the primary offgrid communication system used in the US.
I don't think a civil war would last very long (or is ever likely to happen).
Anyone else hear Eric Schmidt on Radio4 this morning? He described the possible threat from AI (while also talking down regulation around it), but completely missed that the "individual" that could pose a risk might not be a dodgy looking geezer from a far off place... but "someone" inside his own country.
Musk's boy geniuses running DOGE left their database unsecured.
https://www.404media.co/anyone-can-push-updates-to-the-doge-gov-website-2/
Just to bump this back up.. lest we forget.. and keep a tally of DOGE flipaboutery..
Nuclear stockpile staff fired (then attempted to rehire but they don't have contact details and have locked them out of federal email systems - doh!)
Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) staff fired (basically the staff that do the jobs supporting the critical jobs)
Two things Thing One. I think we can all officially retire "move fast and break things" as something that never needs to be said out loud by anyone ever again, and thing two; Chesterton's fence...GK Chesterton introduced the notion thusly: If on a walk you come across a fence that seemingly serves no purpose, and is obstructing your way, don't start tearing it down until you know exactly why it's there in the first place.
Musk's boy geniuses running DOGE left their database unsecured.
I really, really hope that everyone who had access to that site pillaged it for everything they could possibly get their grubby paws on! ☠️
That was Bannon at the CPAC conference being attended by the Honourable Member for Clacton?
At what point does attending conferences with wannabe black shirts become a matter for Parliament?
No question that IS a Nazi salute.
'So Mr Musk...please list your achievements over the past week'
'Well I've singlehandedly managed to xxxx the Tesla brand..how about that??'
And now the German elections are out of the way, he's buddying up to the Spanish far right (we were in Catalunya around the time of elections there, and the Vox posters were alarming)
https://bsky.app/profile/sturdyalex.bsky.social/post/3liu64cugsc2v
The things I don't get is why nationalist/populist politicians seem quite cheerful about being told what to do by forriners, and also why this isn't a massive attack line for their opponents ("He's Musk's puppet").
Elon Musk's kid telling the 'leader of the free world' to STFU in the Oval Office is quite something.
'Eggs' is a weird name for a kid.
Elon Musk's kid telling the 'leader of the free world' to STFU in the Oval Office is quite something.
'Eggs' is a weird name for a kid.
Well, it is for a boy.
'Eggs' is a weird name for a kid.
For us I would agree.
For the muskrat it would be a remarkably normal choice.
The danger with Musk is that he's very very good at getting organisations to do what he wants.
With the whole of the US government now under his control, I've no doubt he will make it 'efficient' at doing what he wants it to, I expect his chosen industries will do very nicely.
What he will do to things he thinks dont matter, welfare, drug treatment, environmental regs, things like park management (that's already seeing trails closed) the fate of immigrants....
I believe Musk receives $8m/day from the uS government.
The things I don't get is why nationalist/populist politicians seem quite cheerful about being told what to do by forriners, and also why this isn't a massive attack line for their opponents ("He's Musk's puppet").
Because the centrists are also taking the oligarchy money and don't want to upset their financial apple cart. It is quite clear the damage the oligarchy is now having on the whole of western politics, and any Government not making financial political funding legislation a high priority, and any party not campaigning for that change is on the take.
In Germany the left and the greens did raise those concerns, and the right and the centrists attacked them for those comments.
BBC reporting that Musk has contacted the AfD leader to congratulate them.....
Rugby on the radio this weekend was talking about the need to deconstruct the myth around certain players; Antoine Dupont is nowhere near as scary if you call him Tony Bridge, who sounds like an accountant.
So likewise, I shall be reading any further references to you know who as Alan Bumsmell. And I haven't got a substitute for Donald yet but a Trump is a small involuntary fart.
I haven't got a substitute for Donald yet
Ducky?
Although mockery has failed to have any impact on his actions, so I don't think it works in this case.
Tesla sales in UK down 45% & down 50% in EU according to BBC, and shares down 9%
Tesla sales in UK down 45% & down 50% in EU according to BBC, and shares down 9%
Best place to hit a billionaire is in the pocket
Good, hope the cesspit known as x is wiped out.
It'd be interesting to know how much he depends on the Tesla share price (and accounts vary on this) but:
- Tesla is essentially a meme stock (hugely over-) valued based on his 'genius'
- As a company it makes less from selling cars than it does from selling CO2 credits to Stellantis (Jeep), who are making their own electric cars now, and it's not clear that said CO2 credits will survive Trump
- He doesn't like not being the world's richest man
Ironically, the Tesla share price did well during the Biden administration (which was very pro electric vehicle). It surged after the election, but now seems to be heading back down.
BBC News - Elon Musk denies 'hostile takeover' of government in White House debut
It's not for Elon to deny. Its young master Musk who is threatening the takeover.
Apparently during 'bring your kids to work day'* in the Oval Office young master EGGS told Trump to shut up and said 'You're not the President and you should go away'
Out of the mouths of babes.
How long til we have an 'Eggs! Musk!' thread?
In other news the 5 biggest cuts DOGE triumphantly announced last week have all been canned and quietly deleted. Yet somehow the total of cuts/saving they're claiming they've made has managed to go up rather than down.
* obviously every day is bring youre kids to work day for Trump.
I've a colleague whose contract is due up for his Tesla. He really likes the car, but is torn. Really doesn't want to be associated with Musk's company. He potentially want's to buy the car. I did suggest you can get a sticker that says 'I bought this car before Musk became an idiot".
I did suggest you can get a sticker that says 'I bought this car before Musk became an idiot".
Difficult as that was before Tesla cars existed
Tesla’s stock value is dropping through the floor, sales in Europe have dropped around 45% and now posters like this one are appearing; you can get a pdf file from a gofundme to print your own. All sorts of fun and mischief can be had for a small contribution… 🤣
I've just read that he's fathered yet another child. Not the one that was revealed last week. That was number 13. Number 14 has just been announced.
Tesla’s stock value is dropping through the floor
Hardly. Tesla shares are $100 higher than they were a year ago.
Tesla shares are $100 higher than they were a year ago.
Their price/earnings ratio is an order of magnitude higher than traditional car companies like Toyota. I think that's because institutional investors assume that it will become the dominant player in the EV market, so future earnings will justify the stratospheric price. However, if Tesla doesn't grow massively, they will dump it and its price will collapse. If people avoid buying used Teslas out of dislike of Musk, there will be a glut of used Teslas on the market going at bargain prices. That will have a flow-on effect on their sales of new cars even for customers who like Musk.
I think that's because institutional investors assume that it will become the dominant player in the EV market
Tesla is already the dominant player in the EV market.
I think that's because institutional investors assume that it will become the dominant player in the EV market
Tesla is already the dominant player in the EV market.
Isn’t BYD bigger?
I saw a group of fellow cyclists “heil” an aggressively driven Tesla today.
This made me smile 😃.
Isn’t BYD bigger?
BYD have more EV sales but they count PHEV sales as EVs so subtract those and Tesla lead in pure BEV sales.
Tesla is already the dominant player in the EV market.
They have to stay that way as the market grows. In a growing market, market share is the essential thing, short-term profitability doesn't matter. For example, if the market is growing by 10% per year, compounded over 20 years, that's 670% growth. A company that is dominant now will be a minnow in 20 years if they don't maintain market share. Tesla's share price now doesn't reflect their profitability now, it represents the expectation that they will be the dominant player in 20 years time. A sales decline of 50% in a market of 500 million consumers is a huge red flag. If Musk can't turn that around, the board will have to think about replacing him.
I think that's because institutional investors assume that it will become the dominant player in the EV market
LOL
Tesla is entirely underpinned by sucking at the govt teat. With Musk at the helm of govt spending, you can be sure that the firehose of subsidy will only increase.
LOL at "dominant player". It's not in the car business, it's in the subsidy business.
The big thing is full-self-drive, which will allow robotaxis. Other companies use Lidar, Tesla uses cameras. There is skepticism that Tesla will ever meet Musk's bold claims about FSD unless they ditch the cameras for Lidar.
Hardly. Tesla shares are $100 higher than they were a year ago.
You could get a job at a newspaper with dodgy statistics like that!
Bunch of Teslas burned in suspected arson.
sales of new cars even for customers who like Musk.
I think in the current climate, the overlap in the Venn diagram of "liking Musk" and "wanting an EV" will be a very small area
You could get a job at a newspaper with dodgy statistics like that!
Its and entirely accurate observation and I was replying to the comment about the share price dropping through the floor which clearly it hasn't.
If Musk can't turn that around, the board will have to think about replacing him.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
Says everything about the cult of Tesla
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
I wonder if they are quite so keen now that the share price has dropped 28% in a month, Elon seems to be spending more time on DOGE than Tesla and his friend in the White House has added 25% to the cost of most of their imported components, and inevitably pushed up the cost US Exported cars too… it’s great to have friends in high places.