Nice work when you can get it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.

13 February 2025, 19:20

Magine Enigam

Bury it in the fine print.

https://time.com/7221880/state...ctric-vehicles-musk/

State Department Removes Tesla’s Name From Planned $400M Contract Amid Musk Scrutiny
4 minute read

(first paragraph)

The State Department was planning to buy $400 million worth of “Armored Tesla” later this year, according to its 2025 procurement forecast, a document outlining projections of anticipated contracts, which was published in December. But after reports emerged on Wednesday of the potential for conflict of interest given Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s prominent role in the Trump Administration, the document was updated, removing mention of Tesla and changing the line item to “Armored Electric Vehicles” instead.

*************
“Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” George Orwell, 1984
https://www.google.com/search?...sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Degenerate 1:1
1 Then Trump said, "Let Us re-make a Nation in MY Image, after My likeness, to rule over everything in the Nation, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it".

Degenerate 1:2
2 Then Trump said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay on your behalf."

Degenerate 1:3
3 "My Kingdom come, My will be done."

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis

O.J. Trump aka Trumpism's Founding Farter, aka Farter Martyr.

"Be careful. When a democracy is sick, fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health." - Albert Camus

13 February 2025, 19:57

Bill Leeper

I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

13 February 2025, 20:00

ledvm

quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

https://x.com/arifleischer/sta...808970971246765?s=46

13 February 2025, 20:03

Saeed

Tesla is basically bankrupt.

Musk paid Trump election over $500 millions.

He reaping the rewards!

13 February 2025, 20:03

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
Anyone else building a similar product in the USA?

Nobody wants the things, they can't handle mud, rust if you wash them and they have a higher fatality rate than Ford Pintos did, so thankfully, no.

13 February 2025, 20:15

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

His companies get $8 million/day from their 100+ Federal contracts.

35% of all his revenue is from the Federal government.

13 February 2025, 20:25

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

His companies get $8 million/day from their 100+ Federal contracts.

35% of all his revenue is from the Federal government.

I kind of like rockets that complete missions for a huge reduction in cost compared to legacy, human capsules that work,

Oh, heck, and SpaceX has more launches on a REUSED booster than all other competitors combined during the lifetime of SpaceX

I also kinda like not having to hitch a ride with Russians to get Americans into space

Now.. do Boeing

13 February 2025, 20:30

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

His companies get $8 million/day from their 100+ Federal contracts.

35% of all his revenue is from the Federal government.

I kind of like rockets that complete missions for a huge reduction in cost compared to legacy, human capsules that work,

Oh, heck, and SpaceX has more launches on a REUSED booster than all other competitors combined during the lifetime of SpaceX

I also kinda like not having to hitch a ride with Russians to get Americans into space

Now.. do Boeing

Had Republicans funded NASA like they are SpaceX we would be flying a next-gen shuttle.

13 February 2025, 20:33

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

His companies get $8 million/day from their 100+ Federal contracts.

35% of all his revenue is from the Federal government.

I kind of like rockets that complete missions for a huge reduction in cost compared to legacy, human capsules that work,

Oh, heck, and SpaceX has more launches on a REUSED booster than all other competitors combined during the lifetime of SpaceX

I also kinda like not having to hitch a ride with Russians to get Americans into space

Now.. do Boeing

Had Republicans funded NASA like they are SpaceX we would be flying a next-gen shuttle.

You spelled Obama wrong

13 February 2025, 20:36

jeffeosso

But, by all means, don't let facts alter your world view, as you have a perfect score so far

13 February 2025, 20:37

LHeym500

quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
Anyone else building a similar product in the USA?

A tone else a government department head?

13 February 2025, 20:39

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by LHeym500:
quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
Anyone else building a similar product in the USA?

A tone else a government department head?

Huh?

13 February 2025, 20:42

Aspen Hill Adventures

Well, at least we can see how well the government has been "wisely" spending taxpayers money.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

https://foreignaffairs.house.g...ack&utm_medium=email

$15 million for condoms to the Taliban through USAID.

$446,700 to promote the expansion of atheism in Nepal through the State Department.

$1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups in West and Central Africa through the State Department.

$14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at the southern border through the State Department.

$20,600 for a drag show in Ecuador through the State Department.

$47,020 for a transgender opera in Colombia through the State Department.

$32,000 for an LGBTQ-centered comic book in Peru through the State Department.

$55,750 for a climate change presentation warning about the impact of climate change in Argentina to be led by female and LGBT journalists through the StateDepartment.

$3,315,446 for “being LGBTQ in the Caribbean” through USAID.

$7,071.58 for a BIPOC speaker series in Canada through the State Department.

$80,000 for an LGBTQ community center in Bratislava, Slovakia through the State Department.

$3.2 million to help Tunisian migrants readjust to life in Tunisia after deportation through the State Department.

$16,500 to foster a “united and equal queer-feminist discourse in Albanian society” through the State Department.

$10,000 to pressure Lithuanian corporations to promote “DEI values” through the State Department.

$8,000 to promote DEI among LGBTQ groups in Cyprus through the State Department.

$1.5 million to promote job opportunities for LGBTQ individuals in Serbia through USAID.

$70,884 to create a U.S.-Irish musical to promote DEI in Ireland through the State Department.

$39,652 to host seminars at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on gender identity and racial equality through the State Department.

$425,622 to help Indonesian coffee companies become more climate and gender friendly through USAID.
``````````

Oh, and FEMA’s CFO, 3 Others Fired Over $59 Million Payout for Illegal Immigrant Housing

13 February 2025, 20:56

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
quote:
Originally posted by Jefffive:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I mentioned, in another thread, I heard that Musk is getting 8 million dollars per day for his DOGE "work". The source was MSNBC, so it is suspect. Is there any verification from another source? Bill.

His companies get $8 million/day from their 100+ Federal contracts.

35% of all his revenue is from the Federal government.

I kind of like rockets that complete missions for a huge reduction in cost compared to legacy, human capsules that work,

Oh, heck, and SpaceX has more launches on a REUSED booster than all other competitors combined during the lifetime of SpaceX

I also kinda like not having to hitch a ride with Russians to get Americans into space

Now.. do Boeing

Had Republicans funded NASA like they are SpaceX we would be flying a next-gen shuttle.

Oh, I have to hit this one again.

I realize not everyone went to elite high school less than a mile from JSC.... but i didn't think it was local secret knowledge that
1 nasa BUYS, not builds, equipment
2 there is no government program that is more efficient than private sector
3 crew dragon and cargo dragon were developed at nasa request

The same chuckleheads that built the latest Boeing space debacle (at MULTPLES OF COST than spacex) built the shuttles... Boeing built the orbiter

But, hey, who am I to know, i only grew up in space city, where nearly every job was space industry or oil and gas....

The per launch cost of the space shuttle was 450 million, 2011 dollars

Cost per launch of a falcon 9?
70million

Cost of a saturn V launch, adjusted for today dollar. 1.45 BBBBBBBillion dollars

Darn that Elon, saving us 100s of millions per launch, he must be a cheater... 99.98% success rate? See, if he charged full price he could still be better than the succeasrate of all precious commercial launch vehicles

Dang, he's saving billions by meeting a free market demand....

Blahahahahhaha

13 February 2025, 21:39

jdollar

Is the DOD going to build charging stations on the fly as troops move forward( or backward) on the fly? And what powers the charging stations as they move? Fairy dust, perhaps?? Reinventing the wheel comes to mind. Of course, Musk will make out like a bandit no matter what happens. Must be great to have friends in high places. Ever heard of cronyism??

13 February 2025, 21:46

TomP

I idly wonder what kind of armor for what kind of threat, and how much it weighs.
Surely someone knows about this hot topic...

13 February 2025, 22:14

crbutler

I kind of question the need for uparmored cyber trucks, but it seems that the state department feels that its personnel need to be chauffeured around in vehicles that are bulletproof.

EV’s have great torque and acceleration. Endurance not so much. Embassies have electricity and generators… so all the EV vehicle would be useful for is commuter type trips in whatever capital they are in.

Add in the way Tesla operates and you also have a potential for electronic hacking vulnerability.

I also question safety in a third world environment with weight restrictions (good luck getting one of these to not break an improvised bridge or sink in to a mud road).

Under Biden’s green mandate the cyber truck order makes some sense.

They are rather restrictive in extreme use for high risk operations- but may well make sense in Europe where your main threat is dealing with gun armed terrorists and criminals. The base cyber truck is what? Close to $100,000 a piece? Uparmoring and customizing probably multiplies the cost x4-5 so you are looking at a fleet of what, 1000 worldwide? Heck State probably uses that many just in DC.

I think it’s justifiable but not optimal.

I don’t see POTUS being chauffeured around in a cyber truck. Too small, too heavy, and too much vulnerability to hacking.

13 February 2025, 22:21

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by jdollar:
Is the DOD going to build charging stations on the fly as troops move forward( or backward) on the fly? And what powers the charging stations as they move? Fairy dust, perhaps?? Reinventing the wheel comes to mind. Of course, Musk will make out like a bandit no matter what happens. Must be great to have friends in high places. Ever heard of cronyism??

It has to be on the level, Elon Musk has a watchdog making sure he has no conflicts of interest. The guy's always there no matter where Musk is or what he's doing, even goes to the crapper with him.

13 February 2025, 23:25

jeffeosso

Opps.. we forgot the details and updates

The 400m was from December.. who was potus then? Dang

13 February 2025, 23:36

JTEX

quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Opps.. we forgot the details and updates

The 400m was from December.. who was potus then? Dang

That does make a bit of a difference......

.

13 February 2025, 23:52

Bill Leeper

Thanks for the clarification. MSNBC made it sound like he was personally getting paid. I suspected there was some BS there but didn't have the ambition to do my own investigation! Sensationalism, I guess. Hard to believe, coming from the left. Bill

15 February 2025, 22:08

wymple

quote:
Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
Well, at least we can see how well the government has been "wisely" spending taxpayers money.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

https://foreignaffairs.house.g...ack&utm_medium=email

$15 million for condoms to the Taliban through USAID.

$446,700 to promote the expansion of atheism in Nepal through the State Department.

$1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups in West and Central Africa through the State Department.

$14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at the southern border through the State Department.

$20,600 for a drag show in Ecuador through the State Department.

$47,020 for a transgender opera in Colombia through the State Department.

$32,000 for an LGBTQ-centered comic book in Peru through the State Department.

$55,750 for a climate change presentation warning about the impact of climate change in Argentina to be led by female and LGBT journalists through the StateDepartment.

$3,315,446 for “being LGBTQ in the Caribbean” through USAID.

$7,071.58 for a BIPOC speaker series in Canada through the State Department.

$80,000 for an LGBTQ community center in Bratislava, Slovakia through the State Department.

$3.2 million to help Tunisian migrants readjust to life in Tunisia after deportation through the State Department.

$16,500 to foster a “united and equal queer-feminist discourse in Albanian society” through the State Department.

$10,000 to pressure Lithuanian corporations to promote “DEI values” through the State Department.

$8,000 to promote DEI among LGBTQ groups in Cyprus through the State Department.

$1.5 million to promote job opportunities for LGBTQ individuals in Serbia through USAID.

$70,884 to create a U.S.-Irish musical to promote DEI in Ireland through the State Department.

$39,652 to host seminars at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on gender identity and racial equality through the State Department.

$425,622 to help Indonesian coffee companies become more climate and gender friendly through USAID.
``````````

Oh, and FEMA’s CFO, 3 Others Fired Over $59 Million Payout for Illegal Immigrant Housing

The very 1st item on your list is an outright lie, so.......