Musk: Twitter’s ad revenue down ~50%
Musk says Twitter has a “negative cash flow” and its advertising revenue has declined by about 50% amid a “heavy debt load” as competition between Twitter and Threads intensifies. This comes just as Twitter began paying content creators for posting advertisements. Some users are reporting payouts of over $100,000, and Musk himself says Twitter will pay creators $5 million through its first block of payments. It is unclear, though, which kinds of posts or which users are eligible for advertising payments, and some users have criticized the platform’s payout program.
We’re still negative cash flow, due to ~50% drop in advertising revenue plus heavy debt load. Need to reach positive cash flow before we have the luxury of anything else.
We’re still negative cash flow, due to ~50% drop in advertising revenue plus heavy debt load. Need to reach positive cash flow before we have the luxury of anything else.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 15, 2023
Ukraine security agency: Starlink puts Ukrainian soldiers at ‘increased risk’
A Ukraine security agency says Starlink, which has helped Ukraine keep its battlefield communications live, puts Ukrainian soldiers at “increased risk” from cyber-spies who belong to a Russian-led espionage group in occupied Crimea. The group has been known to Western security agencies for almost a decade. After a Russia sympathizer was jailed for plotting to disrupt Western arms supplies by blowing up transport infrastructure, Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) urged soldiers to install advanced anti-hacker software, saying:
Computers located outside the [computer security] protection perimeter, in particular those that use Starlink terminals to access the Internet, are at increased risk.
The CERT-UA warning comes as the agency shed fresh light on the actions of an espionage-focused hacker gang known in the West as Gamaredon, whose members were described by CERT-UA as “former ‘officers’ of the State Security Service of Ukraine” who “betrayed their military oath and began to serve the FSB [spy agency] of Russia.” (The SSSU says Gamaredon is led by five Russian intelligence agency officers.) Immediately before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Gamaredon “tried to compromise a Western government entity in Ukraine” according to US cyber security company Palo Alto Networks.
Musk announces formation of xAI
Musk announces the formation of a company called xAI. The startup is geared toward artificial intelligence and employs several engineers who have worked for companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Along with the amount of funding it has, xAI’s specific objectives are unclear, as is exactly what it will focus on regarding AI. The company’s website says its goal “is to understand the true nature of the universe,” but adds that more information will be forthcoming “over the next couple of weeks and months.” Musk:
Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality
Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2023
Glass house investigation: outcome unknown
The outcome of the probe by Tesla’s board into whether Musk misused the company’s clout to secure special glass for a personal building project (“Project 42”) remains unknown, according to “insiders” at the company. The investigation was launched after a top Musk advisor at Tesla ordered millions of dollars worth of specialized glass for the projected mansion. Nor has the glass-walled residence been constructed, despite the plans for it dating back to at least 2022. Sources at Tesla say they do not know the project’s status, and neither Musk nor any board members have commented about the matter.
SpaceX breaks reusable rocket launch record
SpaceX breaks its own record, after successfully completing a 16th mission with a reusable rocket. The company launches 22 Starlink satellites aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It is the 16th launch and landing for the B1058 Falcon 9 rocket booster. SpaceX says it hopes the booster can be used a further four times before finally being scrapped. There are now more than 4,000 active Starlink satellites in orbit around Earth, delivering high-speed internet to users. After the satellites are deployed, Musk writes on Twitter:
Looks like we can increase Raptor thrust by ~20 per cent to reach 9,000 tons (20 million lbs) of force at sea level… And deliver over 200 tons of payload to a useful orbit with full and rapid reusability. Fifty rockets flying every three days on average enables over a megaton of payload to orbit per year – enough to build a self-sustaining city on Mars.
Musk proposes ‘dick measuring contest’ with Zuckerberg
After calling him a “cuck” on Twitter, Musk proposes a “dick measuring contest” with Zuckerberg, adding a ruler emoji to his tweet.
I propose a literal dick measuring contest.
I propose a literal dick measuring contest 📏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2023
Musk: ‘Zuck is a cuck’
Replying to screenshots of Zuckerberg laughing at burger chain Wendy’s telling him to go into space to ‘really make Musk mad’, Musk replies:
Zuck is a cuck.
In US slang, a ‘cuck’ is a weak or servile man, that is often used as a contemptuous term for a man with progressive political views. It has its roots in cuckold, a term for a man who watches his wife having sex with another man.
Zuck is a cuck
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2023
Musk’s ketamine use ‘could jeopardize security clearance’
Musk’s ketamine use could prompt an investigation into his security clearance for SpaceX and Tesla. It was reported that Musk microdoses ketamine for depression, and takes full doses of ketamine at parties. He has also tweeted approvingly of ketamine use to treat depression. Two national security attorneys say drug use is typically grounds for the government to revoke someone’s security clearance. They expect to see the federal agency in charge of security clearances investigate Musk’s use of ketamine, which is a schedule III drug, meaning it can be legally prescribed under federal law. One of the attorneys says:
[S]omeone who takes a cavalier approach to drug use may take a cavalier approach to the handling of classified information.
Musk does not respond to a request for comment. There is no evidence that the government has opened a review of Musk’s clearance.
Musk: Tesla could achieve ‘full self-driving’ this year
Musk says Tesla could realize “full self-driving” vehicles “later this year.” During the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, the entrepreneur says via video link that although he has been wrong in previous predictions about autonomous driving, he feels like Tesla is closer to it than ever.
In terms of where Tesla is at this stage, I think we are very close to achieving full self-driving without human supervision. This is only speculation, but I think we’ll achieve full self-driving, maybe what you would call four or five, I think later this year. I feel like we’re closer to it than we ever have been.
No one is further along in General autonomy than Tesla
"Tesla will achieve full self driving later this year." Elon Musk
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) July 7, 2023
Musk sues lawyers who represented Twitter against him
Arguing that the bill is too high, Musk sues the lawyers who represented Twitter (now “X Corp”) in its suit against him for trying to abandon his $44 billion takeover offer in 2022. (Filed in the Superior Court of California, the case is X Corp. v. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz [CGC-23-607461].) Hoping to get back part of the $90 million Twitter paid Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (WLRK), X Corp alleges that the law firm tried to “fundamentally alter its fee arrangement” toward the end of its representation of Twitter in order to get an “improper bonus payment in violation of its fiduciary and ethical obligations to its client.” The complaint says that the board had been surprised about the fees and alleges that the firm was “at the center of a spending spree” by Twitter’s departing executives. It says those executives:
ran up the tab at Twitter by, among other things, facilitating the improper payment of substantial gifts to preferred law firms like Wachtell on top of the firms’ full hourly billings by designating tens of millions of dollars in handouts to the firms as ‘success’ or ‘project’ fees.
Tesla delivers record number of cars after price cuts
Tesla says it delivered a record number of vehicles for the three months from April to June, delivering 466,140 vehicles, 80% higher than last year. The company says it lowered prices in markets including the US, UK and China to compete with rival manufacturers. The company is due to report its financial results for the second quarter on 19 July. Musk,
We’re not ‘starting a price war’, we’re just lowering prices to enable affordability at scale.
Twitter users complain after Musk limits numbers of posts they can read
Musk says that, due to AI companies scraping Twitter for data, rate limits will be placed on users that will only allow them to view a restricted number of tweets. Initially, Musk sets the limits to 6000 posts/day for verified accounts, 600 posts for unverified acounts and 300 posts/day for new unverified accounts. Six hours later he later updates the rate limits to 8000 posts/day for verified users, 800 for verified, and shortly thereafter increases it to 10,000 for vervified users and 1000 for unverified.
To address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits: – Verified accounts are limited to reading 6000 posts/day – Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day – New unverified accounts to 300/day
Now to 10k, 1k & 0.5k
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2023
Many users, who were not aware of the change, complained that they could not access tweets and were seeing a ‘rate limite exceeded’ message instead.
I was on this site for 5 mins and got this.
Thanks for my time back. I might be done. pic.twitter.com/1L0oFK5oJk
— Steve Cavendish (@scavendish) July 1, 2023
Musk, Zuckerberg invited to fight at the Colosseum
Italy’s minister of culture reaches out to Zuckerberg and Musk to offer them to have their fight at the Colosseum. Musk tweets:
Some chance fight happens in Colosseum. Need to work on my endurance
and posts a clip from the movie “The Life of Brian”. It is not clear where in the Colosseum the fight could actually take place. While it could once hold tens of thousands of people, it can no longer host more than a few hundred people inside special temporary seating, and it has hosted few large events in recent times.
Need to work on my endurancehttps://t.co/jjh7uxfwC6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2023
Musk’s mother disapproves of Zuckerberg cage fight
Maye Musk disapproves her son’s proposed cage fight with Zuckerberg and asks Musk’s followers to stop encouraging this match. On a tweet showcasing Musk training for the fight, she replied:
Sorry, I can’t click a like on this
Sorry, I can’t click a like on this.🫣🧐 https://t.co/iYzs9ub2Yb
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) June 28, 2023
Sparring partner ‘extremely impressed’ by Musk’s strength
After practising with Musk, Fridman, who holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, says:
I did an impromptu training session with Elon Musk for a few hours yesterday. I’m extremely impressed with his strength, power, and skill, on the feet and on the ground. It was epic.”
Musk replies:
That was fun!
That was fun!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 28, 2023
Musk’s father: ‘crazy fight’ is a ‘no-win situation’ for Musk
Musk’s father Errol calls the cage match with Mark Zuckerberg a “crazy fight” and a “no-win situation” for his son. He says the Musk family is worried about it, and thinks Musk has gotten himself into this situation as a result of “high school behavior.” Asked whether Musk can “handle himself,” Errol says his son earned a purple belt in Japanese Karate Association, but “does not know how to go for the kill.”
The thing is if this crazy fight goes ahead, if Elon beats this guy, Elon will be called a bully, being so much heavier and taller, while if he loses the humiliation would be total. It’s a no-win situation for Elon. Wins, he’s a bully. Loses, he’s a loser.
White denies Musk-Zuckerberg fight is a ‘gimmick’
Dana White denies that the Musk-Zuckerberg fight is a “gimmick.” In a video on Twitter, White can be seen wearing a UFC-branded t-shirt with the words ‘ZUCKERBERG -VS- MUSK’ on it. In the video’s comments section, some people suggest that the fight is a publicity stunt, to which White says:
This isn’t a gimmick fight. Gimmick is MMA guys going to Boxing and getting beat. We have seen it already and know how it ends. This is a fight between 2 of the most powerful / richest guys in the world. Who will win? Who has seen this before? NOBODY. It’s also a crossover fight that literally EVERY EVERYONE will watch.
Keep watching MMA vs. Boxer in boxing. Apparently u love those fights even though u KNOW EXACTLY who’s gonna win. All good.
— danawhite (@danawhite) June 25, 2023
Musk: SpaceX ‘six weeks’ away from second Starship launch
In a Twitter Spaces discussion with Vance, Musk says SpaceX is six weeks away from launching their second attempt to reach orbit with their Starship rocket. Despite implementing “well over a thousand” changes since the first attempt the launch will not go ahead unless the Federal Aviation Administration gives it clearance and signs off on the Starship’s self-destruct system which was slow to respond on the first attempt. During the Super Heavy’s maiden flight, a half-dozen engines shut down or never started and the Starship never separated from the Super Heavy first stage. The next test will use ‘hot staging’, which means that the Starship engines will ignite before separation.
We shut down most of the engines on the booster, leaving just a few running and then at the same time, start the engines on the ship, or upper stage
Musk says roughly 1,000 cubic meters of steel-reinforced high-strength concrete will be added to the launchpad to avoid damaging breakup.
On top of that, we have a sort of a steel sandwich, which is basically two thick plates of steel that are welded together with channels going through (with) perforations in the top so it will actually shoot a lot of water out. Think of it like a gigantic upside-down shower head. It’s going to basically blast water upwards while the rocket is over the pad to counteract the massive amount of heat from the booster. The booster is basically like the world’s biggest cutting torch with a massive amount of … heat, but also a massive amount of force.
Musk says the chance of the test getting to orbit is 60%:
I think the probability of this next flight working, getting to orbit, is much higher than the last one. Maybe it’s like 60%. It depends on how well we do at stage separation…In launching, what you’re doing is trying to resolve the unknowns which you cannot know before you launch, or at least we are not smart enough to know. So like I said, what appears to be the biggest risk right now is stage separation.
White: Musk-Zuckerberg ‘cage match’ PPV would cost $100, bring in over $1 billion
White says he spoke with both billionaires about their cage match challenge:
Mark Zuckerberg hit me up first and said ‘is he serious?’
The Tesla CEO told him:
Yeah, I’m dead serious.
White says he is in the early stages of planning the fight, but said the $100 pay=per-view cost would bring three times more revenue than Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather in 2017, which brought in more than $600 million (Mayweather took home $275 million, McGregor 85 million .
This would be the biggest fight ever in the history of the world, bigger than anything that’s ever been done. It would break all pay-per-view records. I think it triples [Mayweather-McGregor]. There’s no limit on what this thing can make. I don’t think either one of them needs the money. These guys would raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charity. If these guys are serious, I make fights that people want to see. That’s what I do for a living.
Biographer: Musk lacks empathy in ‘demon mode’
Musk biographer Walter Isaacson says Musk can enter into “demon mode” to become highly productive. After shadowing the entrepreneur for two years at home and in the workplace, Isaacson says Musk has a “maniacal sense of urgency” and a “dark streak” that can intimidate his employees. He thinks Musk’s criticism of employees is “problematic” about 20% of the time. Isaacson says going into “demon mode” causes Musk to be “dark” and act “with a real lack of empathy,” and says Musk told him that prioritizing empathy to a single person over a larger goal at hand is “egotism.”
He’d go dark and I’d know that he was just going to rip that person apart.