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(C|Net)   FA on Twitter, FO with a shiatload of national security reviews   (cnet.com) divider line
36
    More: Dumbass, Vladimir Putin, Elon Musk's business ventures, US officials, Al-Waleed bin Talal, national security reviews, US government, White House, Musk's suggestion  
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3166 clicks; posted to Main » and Politics » on 21 Oct 2022 at 9:50 AM (21 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



36 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
Farking Clown Shoes [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 9:46:20 AM  
Could this be the beginning of the end of Phony Stark?

Stay tuned...
 
strathmeyer
2022-10-21 9:52:27 AM  
It'll be nice if this starts to ramp up once the Jan6 stuff starts to conclude so that there's always something interesting in the news.
 
inglixthemad
2022-10-21 9:52:36 AM  
Elon Musk, War Profiteering? W-T-F!
Youtube 3qGg6wiXoSc
 
I hereby demand that I be given a Fark account [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-21 9:53:13 AM  
Hmm...

"While discussions are still at an early stage, one possibility the US government and intelligence community have for reviewing Musk's business ventures is through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a secretive government panel that reviews mergers that could result in a foreign company controlling an American business. A CFIUS review is often enough to quash a deal."

So, Musk is being friendly to the Russians both because he's an authoritarian asshole and he's trying to get a CIFUS review to kill his incredibly stupid purchase of Twitter so he doesn't go broke paying $52 a share for it.
 
SpockYouOut [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-21 9:53:45 AM  
Oh, he could lose all of his nat sec & space x contracts, too.
 
mongbiohazard
2022-10-21 9:54:41 AM  
FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.
 
DON.MAC [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-21 9:55:33 AM  

I hereby demand that I be given a Fark account: So, Musk is being friendly to the Russians both because he's an authoritarian asshole and he's trying to get a CIFUS review to kill his incredibly stupid purchase of Twitter so he doesn't go broke paying $52 a share for it.


They could approve the twitter deal and end the SpaceX deals.  It could end the ability for other US companies to buy green credits from Tesla.
 
inglixthemad
2022-10-21 9:58:34 AM  

DON.MAC: I hereby demand that I be given a Fark account: So, Musk is being friendly to the Russians both because he's an authoritarian asshole and he's trying to get a CIFUS review to kill his incredibly stupid purchase of Twitter so he doesn't go broke paying $52 a share for it.

They could approve the twitter deal and end the SpaceX deals.  It could end the ability for other US companies to buy green credits from Tesla.


AKA he ends up out of leadership because otherwise SpaceX and Tesla are dead.
 
Night Train to Wakanda
2022-10-21 9:59:57 AM  
fark this asshole.

He owes Twitters board millions and millions, and now need to be exposed as the filthy farking Putinista prophylactic he is. He wore his skin like a condom and has him farking exposed as a foreign agent that evil pile of shiat.

I hope space X crashes and burns now.
I hope Tesla goes bankrupt.
I hope skylink backfires and exposes you to liability.

This farkhead needs to top riding the shoulders of his intellectual superiors.
 
Dead for Tax Reasons
2022-10-21 10:00:22 AM  
Particularly concerning are his plans to buy Twitter with a group of foreign investors.


Fark user imageView Full Size
 
berylman [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 10:03:47 AM  
If Musk had any damn sense he would just shut up or stick to something innocuous like lima bean casserole recipes. Money and power corrupts and absolute money and power corrupts absolutely. He's at end stage megalomania now
 
Russ1642
2022-10-21 10:08:20 AM  

mongbiohazard: FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.


He's been charging them waaaaay more than normal rates too.
 
BitwiseShift
2022-10-21 10:11:48 AM  
Do it before Elon runs for president.
 
ThighsofGlory
2022-10-21 10:14:25 AM  

strathmeyer: It'll be nice if this starts to ramp up once the Jan6 stuff starts to conclude so that there's always something interesting in the news.


Not that we'll get to see it, mind you.
 
ThighsofGlory
2022-10-21 10:15:46 AM  

mongbiohazard: FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.


And we're paying the Ukranians. It's the circle of life.
 
backhand.slap.of.reason
2022-10-21 10:19:02 AM  
Charge him as an unregistered foreign agent.  Nationalize SpaceX.  Forfeit Twitter.  Problems solved.
 
El_Dan
2022-10-21 10:23:30 AM  
What's the concern, that he's going to allow a bunch of Russian trolls on to Twitter?
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 10:30:09 AM  

Dead for Tax Reasons: Particularly concerning are his plans to buy Twitter with a group of foreign investors.


[Fark user image image 717x529]


Fantastic post.

Also
Farkers/UsGov when Elon supports Ukraine with Internet: Oh wow, what a hero

Farkers/UsGov when Elon says supporting Ukraine with Internet is too expensive and they should try to end the war: Oh wow, he's literally worse than Hitler. Let's regulate his ass.

Elon when you ask him to stop Tweeting about geopolitical conflicts:

Fark user imageView Full Size
 
TyrantII
2022-10-21 10:32:33 AM  
It be ironic If the government bails him out of that shiatty deal.

Difficulty: not farking over spaceX.
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 10:40:58 AM  

TyrantII: It be ironic If the government bails him out of that shiatty deal.

Difficulty: not farking over spaceX.


Yes because once the Gov starts regulating you for "national security", they also start subsidizing you for lost revenue for following thier directions.

It's definitely not a win-win because you'll also have to hire secret government liaisons/spies/underbosses to direct your company. No company wants that.
 
Reverend J
2022-10-21 10:42:56 AM  

BitwiseShift: Do it before Elon runs for president.


Ummm...either you're being sarcastic or you have no idea how the U.S. government works, and this being the internet I can't tell.
 
xalres
2022-10-21 11:08:10 AM  
Best not to get on the wrong side of the higher tiers of our national security apparatus. That big (legit)scary three letter agency has hounded stronger men than him into suicide.
 
MadHatter500 [OhFark]
2022-10-21 11:08:37 AM  

Wine Sipping Elitist: TyrantII: It be ironic If the government bails him out of that shiatty deal.

Difficulty: not farking over spaceX.

Yes because once the Gov starts regulating you for "national security", they also start subsidizing you for lost revenue for following thier directions.

It's definitely not a win-win because you'll also have to hire secret government liaisons/spies/underbosses to direct your company. No company wants that.


You clearly haven't worked for a beltway bandit.  Even the shareholders are "secret government liaisons/spies/underbosses".  And yes, everyone in the company wants that.  It can lead to some very confusing conversations.  "Was that for your day job or your consulting gig?"  "Honestly, I'm not sure any longer..."
 
BoothbyTCD
2022-10-21 11:10:21 AM  

BitwiseShift: Do it before Elon runs for president.


That would be a neat trick for a non-natural-born citizen.
 
xalres
2022-10-21 11:18:14 AM  
I don't know one way or t'other about whether billionaires existing is ethical or not, but this man has the means to literally end world hunger, and hire enough security to ensure help gets to the people it needs to, and not even notice the money's missing, and he just chooses not to. I don't know what you'd call it but that is not a good person. Maaaaaybe we should reexamine a system that allows that much wealth and power to be concentrated in one horrible narcissistic little sociopath.
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 11:23:14 AM  

MadHatter500: Wine Sipping Elitist: TyrantII: It be ironic If the government bails him out of that shiatty deal.

Difficulty: not farking over spaceX.

Yes because once the Gov starts regulating you for "national security", they also start subsidizing you for lost revenue for following thier directions.

It's definitely not a win-win because you'll also have to hire secret government liaisons/spies/underbosses to direct your company. No company wants that.

You clearly haven't worked for a beltway bandit.  Even the shareholders are "secret government liaisons/spies/underbosses".  And yes, everyone in the company wants that.  It can lead to some very confusing conversations.  "Was that for your day job or your consulting gig?"  "Honestly, I'm not sure any longer..."


Lol I agree and disagree. Yes, some people/companies want it because it's a guaranteed gig to suck off the government teet forever. But the actual owners think long and hard about choosing directions at that fork in the road.

Personally I'd rather not. You get sudden new friends and hot foreign women are interested in you that spark paranoia.

Citation: ran a electric power company in DC, had an office on G street. Subsequently invited to visit Homeland Security every time I flew somewhere.
 
backhand.slap.of.reason
2022-10-21 11:24:14 AM  

El_Dan: What's the concern, that he's going to allow a bunch of Russian trolls on to Twitter?


I've had a high profile politician beg me to stop spreading rumors on social media.  Don't underestimate its power.  They're super vulnerable out there and would probably give a nut, vas deferens included, to get detractor accounts shut down during primary season.

Well, he was a high profile politician.  Couldn't even win his primary despite holding a Senate seat and being an OG trumpkin.  My subtle rumor campaign probably had zero influence on potential voters, but it was clear from his DMs that it was renting space in his head during a moment when he was under tremendous pressure.  I actually stopped after he contacted me because I felt sorry for him.  Whatever, dude's a dick.

The Biden Administration has been getting accounts critical of his mass infection plan shut down, too.  Musk is purchasing that ability and will no doubt lease it to politicians for preferential treatment.
 
Lsherm [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 11:59:16 AM  

mongbiohazard: FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.


Far be it from me to doubt a farker that doesn't cite any sources at all,  but this doesn't track with any reported history of Starlink in Ukraine. At all:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

USAID paid for a third of the units, Starlink donated the rest, and it looks like Starlink donated operating costs for the first few months. Musk is getting pissy because he wants someone to pony up some money for continued operating costs.

Jesus, I don't want to defend Musk, but you can't just make shiat up.
 
Lsherm [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 1:42:59 PM  

Russ1642: He's been charging them waaaaay more than normal rates too.


You aren't allowed to just make shiat up, either.
 
mongbiohazard
2022-10-21 1:53:25 PM  

Lsherm: mongbiohazard: FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.

Far be it from me to doubt a farker that doesn't cite any sources at all,  but this doesn't track with any reported history of Starlink in Ukraine. At all:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

USAID paid for a third of the units, Starlink donated the rest, and it looks like Starlink donated operating costs for the first few months. Musk is getting pissy because he wants someone to pony up some money for continued operating costs.

Jesus, I don't want to defend Musk, but you can't just make shiat up.


I'm not just making it up.

https://mobile.twitter.com/MelaniePodolyak/status/1580875153726062593

https://mobile.twitter.com/dim0kq/status/1580827171903635456
 
mongbiohazard
2022-10-21 2:12:26 PM  

Lsherm: Russ1642: He's been charging them waaaaay more than normal rates too.

You aren't allowed to just make shiat up, either.


Neither of us are "just making shiat up", and aside from the Ukrainians paying for them the US is quietly paying millions for them too - at inflated rates:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

"But according to documents obtained by The Technology 202, the U.S. federal government is in fact paying millions of dollars for a significant portion of the equipment and for the transportation costs to get it to Ukraine."

"USAID is paying $1,500 for each standard terminal and the accompanying service, documents show. According to the Starlink website, a standard terminal set costs $600, while the monthly service charge costs $110, plus an additional $100 for shipping and handling."
 
Lsherm [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 2:35:42 PM  

mongbiohazard: Lsherm: Russ1642: He's been charging them waaaaay more than normal rates too.

You aren't allowed to just make shiat up, either.

Neither of us are "just making shiat up", and aside from the Ukrainians paying for them the US is quietly paying millions for them too - at inflated rates:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

"But according to documents obtained by The Technology 202, the U.S. federal government is in fact paying millions of dollars for a significant portion of the equipment and for the transportation costs to get it to Ukraine."

"USAID is paying $1,500 for each standard terminal and the accompanying service, documents show. According to the Starlink website, a standard terminal set costs $600, while the monthly service charge costs $110, plus an additional $100 for shipping and handling."


That's the article I linked to! That was from the beginning of the service, and it's for a third of the terminals delivered. Starlink covered the rest, which is exactly what I said!
 
mongbiohazard
2022-10-21 4:16:05 PM  

Lsherm: mongbiohazard: Lsherm: Russ1642: He's been charging them waaaaay more than normal rates too.

You aren't allowed to just make shiat up, either.

Neither of us are "just making shiat up", and aside from the Ukrainians paying for them the US is quietly paying millions for them too - at inflated rates:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

"But according to documents obtained by The Technology 202, the U.S. federal government is in fact paying millions of dollars for a significant portion of the equipment and for the transportation costs to get it to Ukraine."

"USAID is paying $1,500 for each standard terminal and the accompanying service, documents show. According to the Starlink website, a standard terminal set costs $600, while the monthly service charge costs $110, plus an additional $100 for shipping and handling."

That's the article I linked to! That was from the beginning of the service, and it's for a third of the terminals delivered. Starlink covered the rest, which is exactly what I said!


And it's weird that you'd link to that yet say me and the other poster are "making shiat up".
 
Lsherm [TotalFark]
2022-10-21 6:29:00 PM  

mongbiohazard: Lsherm: mongbiohazard: FTFA: and his uncompensated support of Starlink in the region

He's being paid for Starlink by the Ukrainians. They pay him for each dish, and pay him monthly for the service.

Far be it from me to doubt a farker that doesn't cite any sources at all,  but this doesn't track with any reported history of Starlink in Ukraine. At all:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/us-quietly-paying-millions-send-starlink-terminals-ukraine-contrary-spacexs-claims/

USAID paid for a third of the units, Starlink donated the rest, and it looks like Starlink donated operating costs for the first few months. Musk is getting pissy because he wants someone to pony up some money for continued operating costs.

Jesus, I don't want to defend Musk, but you can't just make shiat up.

I'm not just making it up.

https://mobile.twitter.com/MelaniePodolyak/status/1580875153726062593

https://mobile.twitter.com/dim0kq/status/1580827171903635456


I stand corrected. But Ukranians aren't paying for the all of the Starlink services in the country. There's every reason to doubt Musk's numbers, but really, no one else would have them:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1582523481345835008

So a little less than half the terminals (11K out of 25K) in the country are funded. Just because some Ukrainians are paying for Starlink doesn't mean Musk is somehow not losing money. He's being partially paid for Starlink by Ukrainian citizens, presumably ones that have it for home or business service.

If the Post article we've both linked to has correct numbers, the $1500 price tag USAID paid would cover a $600 terminal fee, $100 shipping, and the rest for service. Take away the $100 shipping because they paid that separately, so that's $600 for the terminal and $900 for service. At $110/month for service, that gives you about 8 months of service (assuming no hinky war charges).

The war started in February and this Starlink deal began in earnest at the beginning of April. If the USAID service was prepaid and those numbers are correct, then that service runs out sometime in November. That's why he's biatching now. He wants a new contract, and he wants his donated services to be covered as part of the new contract.

The government has leverage, at least in that they can shiatcan his other contracts if they want to.
 
philodough
2022-10-21 8:00:14 PM  

Night Train to Wakanda: fark this asshole.

He owes Twitters board millions and millions, and now need to be exposed as the filthy farking Putinista prophylactic he is. He wore his skin like a condom and has him farking exposed as a foreign agent that evil pile of shiat.

I hope space X crashes and burns now.
I hope Tesla goes bankrupt.
I hope skylink backfires and exposes you to liability.

This farkhead needs to top riding the shoulders of his intellectual superiors.


Dude. I want you to stop.
Take a deep breath, now tell us how you really feel about Elon.

I'm kidding, he's an asshole. You can go ahead and keep kicking his stupid up and down the streets of the internets all you want.
 
DON.MAC [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-21 8:58:19 PM  
One of the issues with the money figures is the sunk costs are almost all of the expenses.  The early Dishy was assumed to cost about $3,000 so that was a $2,500 loss per dish for the 1st customers.  The newer rectangular ones are much cheaper but the ones sent to Ukraine were often the older round dishy types.    That is the only real expense Elon can winge about.

The satellites are a fixed cost but they head over north east Europe where they aren't doing anything.  If they weren't transmitting data, they would be just coasting.   The uplink stations might have had to have an upgrade but those feed both eastern and western Europe.  The costs of increasing the bandwidth into one of those uplink stations is trivial at around a few dollar a month for the commercial grade packages and cents a month per customer for residential plans.
 
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