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Politics : The Trump Presidency -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/6/2025 12:40:19 PM
From: Qone01 Recommendation

Recommended By
Wharf Rat

  Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 361851
 
There is no doubt Tesla is being damaged as a result of Musk's involvement in eliminating waste in government. It is stupid behavior on the part of the left, but it is what you guys do best.
That's why any idiot knows that becoming political when you are the face of your business.

Always ends in disaster. You are going to piss off half of your customers no matter which side left or right.

Musk in all his genius decided to piss off the left, where at least 70% of tesla's customer base is.



To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/6/2025 1:00:53 PM
From: Thomas M.  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 361851
 
Kathie Lee Gifford Reveals the Incredible Story of How President Trump Saved Her and Her Newborn Daughter from a “Psychopathic Murderer”

watch the interview: instagram.com

Members of the corporate media ignore President Trump’s stories of heroism and generosity toward his fellow human beings. One recent tale, though, may be the most unbelievable story of all, and it comes from a somewhat surprising source.

Earlier this month, legendary TV presenter Kathie Lee Gifford sat down with Sage Steele to discuss her Christian faith, family and her incredible career. Toward the beginning of their interview, she surprised Steele with an astonishing story revealing how Trump saved her and her newborn daughter from a “psychopathic murderer” just over three decades ago.

This is a story she had never before shared with anyone.

“31 years ago…I was supposed to be going to host the ‘Miss America’ pageant. The FBI called my husband, and they said, ‘Mr. Gifford, we have a problem. There’s this guy. This is a very, very bad human being. Was a psychopathic murderer…a rapist and murderer. And he’s coming to get your wife,'” she explained to Steele.

Gifford, who had just months ago given birth to her daughter Cassidy, went on to say the stalker had r*ped and tortured his aunt though she fortunately had managed to escape and contact the police. After tormenting his relative, he turned his attention to Gifford.

“He left. He stole her keys and told her, ‘Now I’m going to go after Kathie Lee,'” she revealed.

The FBI then asked her then-husband to keep his schedule and hers. But Mr. Gifford would not agree until he made one phone call.

“And he called Donald,” Kathie Lee Gifford said.

Gifford went on to explain that she had always stayed at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, which is how her family knew him.

“Frank called Donald and said, ‘Donald, we’ve got this situation,'” Gifford recalled.

“And this is why I will love this man for my whole life,” she explained while crying. “He said, ‘Frank, don’t you worry about it. I’ve got your girls. I’ve got your girls. And don’t you worry.'”

“And so Frank called back the FBI and said, ‘I called Donald Trump. He says he’s going to take care of my wife and my daughter.'”

Trump later called Gifford, who was unaware of the danger to herself, and told her that he was sending his helicopter to take her to his hotel, which left Gifford shocked, and she tried to talk him out of it. But Trump remained firm.

“I said, ‘Donald, why? He said, “Because you’ve had a baby,’ Gifford said. “I said, ‘Donald, women have babies every day. It’s no big deal. Thank you. But it’s no big deal.’

“And he goes, ‘No, congratulations. So happy for you … I’m sending my helicopter for you and your baby and your nanny.'”

After she arrived in Atlantic City, Gifford revealed that “four major, major, members of Trump’s security team” came to greet her.

‘They said, ‘Mrs. Gifford, Mr. Trump wants you to know that we’re here for you,'” Gifford said. “I didn’t know what they were talking about!”

Gifford explained that she had just had a baby and that “more and more” security guards arrived to protect her in the days leading up to the pageant. She was also stunned that a guy stood outside her hotel room the whole week.

“I just never thought about it, you know?” she said. “I’m just stupid. But he never said a word. Nobody said a word to me.”

But she discovered why Trump went to such great lengths to protect her when she went downstairs and read the newspaper. The truth absolutely shocked her.

“It (newspaper headline) said ‘Kathie Lee Gifford, Death Threat.’ And I went, ‘What!'” she explained.

She then grew defiant and used colorful language when speaking to the pageant organizers, determined to proceed regardless of any potential danger.

“And then I understood everything,” Gifford continued. “I understood what Donald had done. I understood what Frank had done to try to say, you know, not be afraid and all of that.”

Gifford went to the pageant and was taken home a different route. She also later realized that an FBI officer had been protecting her then 3-year-old son Cody at her Connecticut home.

The following day, Gifford received the news every victim prays for. While she and Cody were at a local theater watching a movie, she was informed by the FBI that the stalker had been arrested.

“In the middle of the movie, one of the FBI guys comes over and goes, ‘Mrs. Gifford, we got this son of a b***h,'” she recalled, “I said, ‘Thank you so much.'”

thegatewaypundit.com

Tom



To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/6/2025 1:16:54 PM
From: Sam  Respond to of 361851
 
No, Tesla hasn't been damaged by Musk's involvement. Tesla purest source of profits these days is carbon credits. As long Trump permits them to flow, Tesla will probably be OK.

January 30, 2025 Updated: January 30, 2025
Tesla’s Carbon Credit Revenue Soars to $2.76 Billion Amid Profit Drop
By Jennifer L
carboncredits.com

Tesla’s profits took a hit in 2024, dropping 23%. But one revenue stream kept surging—carbon credit sales. The carmaker reached a new record in selling regulatory credits, recording a 54% jump from 2023. As the EV market evolves and emissions rules tighten, can Tesla keep profiting from carbon credits?

Tesla’s 2024 Performance: Profits Slide, Credits Rise Tesla wrapped up 2024 with another year of declining profits, reporting $8.4 billion in net income attributable to common stockholders—a 23% drop from 2023 and a steep 40% decline from its 2022 record of $14.1 billion.

In Q4 alone, Tesla generated $25.7 billion in revenue, missing analyst expectations of $27.3 billion. Despite this, the company’s annual revenue still saw a slight 1% increase, reaching $97.7 billion.

In terms of delivery, Tesla delivered 1.78 million vehicles in 2024, a 1% drop and its first year-over-year decline. Rising competition, shifting demand, and economic conditions may be impacting the company’s growth.

Chart from Yahoo

Looking ahead, Tesla expects its core vehicle business to return to growth in 2025. It also announced plans to begin production of its driverless “Cybercab” taxi and more affordable EV models in the first half of the year.

  • While Tesla shares initially dropped 5% after the earnings release, they later rebounded by 3% as investors reacted to the company’s long-term growth plans.
Analysts remain cautiously optimistic, predicting an 80% surge in free cash flow by 2025 and a further 50% rise in 2026. While Tesla’s profits declined, one revenue stream remained a powerful lifeline— carbon credit sales.

Tesla’s Carbon Credit Boom: How Emissions Trading Kept Cash Flowing In Q4 2024 alone, Tesla earned $692 million from selling regulatory credits or carbon credits, accounting for nearly 30% of its quarterly net income of $2.33 billion.

More impressively, the company’s total carbon credit revenue for 2024 surged to $2.76 billion, marking a 54% year-over-year increase from $1.79 billion in 2023. This substantial boost underscores the ongoing demand for emissions credits as legacy automakers struggle to meet regulatory targets.



Source of data: Tesla Since 2017, Tesla’s total earnings from these transactions have soared to over $10.4 billion. It has become one of the most lucrative aspects of its business.

This revenue comes at a minimal cost to Tesla, making it a near-pure profit stream. Unlike other automakers that must purchase credits to comply with emissions regulations, Tesla generates them simply by selling zero-emission vehicles.

Amid declines in profit margins, the sharp rise in carbon credit revenue came to the rescue, highlighting the importance of this business model to Tesla’s financial health.

Defying Expectations: The Carbon Credit Market’s Resilience

Many analysts once predicted that Tesla’s carbon credit windfall would shrink as other automakers ramped up EV production. In 2020, then-CFO Zachary Kirkhorn warned investors against relying too heavily on regulatory credit revenue.

Yet, contrary to expectations, Tesla’s earnings from this segment have remained strong, surpassing previous records and hitting new highs.

This resilience is due in part to the slow transition of legacy automakers to electric vehicles. While companies like Ford and General Motors have made strides in EV production, many still rely on Tesla’s credits to meet tightening emissions standards in the U.S., Europe, and China.

With increasingly stringent regulations worldwide—such as the European Union’s plan to ban new gasoline and diesel car sales by 2035—the demand for carbon credits is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

In fact, Tesla’s carbon credits are helping automakers meet strict EU emission targets. Companies like Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, Mazda, and Subaru buy Tesla’s credits to offset their emissions and avoid hefty fines.


With EU regulators imposing penalties of up to €300 million per missed EV sales percentage, pooling with Tesla provides a financial lifeline. This strategy enables automakers to comply while transitioning to electric models, ensuring a smoother shift toward sustainability.

Meanwhile, stricter emissions rules in Europe and the U.K., combined with increased federal funding for EV infrastructure in the U.S., could accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles across the industry. If competitors produce enough zero-emission vehicles to meet compliance requirements, Tesla’s carbon credit revenue could decline.




To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/6/2025 1:28:14 PM
From: bustersmith  Respond to of 361851
 

...There is no doubt Tesla is being damaged as a result of Musk's involvement in eliminating waste in government. It is stupid behavior on the part of the left...

SO IT'S THE LEFTS FAULT THE GUY IS AN ASSHAT

Why not make Tesla the car of choice for all Rubes. You know... call it a Mandate.



To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/6/2025 7:13:43 PM
From: Wharf Rat2 Recommendations

Recommended By
bentway
rdkflorida2

  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 361851
 
"There is no doubt Tesla is being damaged as a result of Musk's involvement in eliminating waste in government. "

There is even less doubt that Elmo isn't eliminating waste. He's just cutting stuff he doesn't like.

==

"A campaign of lies against Musk has (Nazi) has been carried out"
This isn't an "I love you from my heart" face; it's a "Fuck America, Heil Hitler" one.

==



"These vandals seem to be acting out more like the ANTIFA idiots than anything else. If you want to associate yourselves with that it is on you."
Rat continues to believe in non-violence, and that vandalism is a form of violence.

--

Extreme Temperature Diary- Thursday March 6th, 2025/ Main Topic: The New Climate Trend For 2025- ‘Greenhushing’ – Guy On Climate

Dear Diary. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil…and if we ignore it, it might go away. That is the new stance on climate change that many corporations are doing in response to Trump going into this year. Mention of climate change is also being scrubbed from government websites. I ran across “greenhushing” from my friend Bob Henson, who does a marvelous job at writing for Yale Climate Connections, that pointed to a new Bloomberg article introducing this new phrase. Some companies are not advertising about what they are doing to fight climate change in fear of blowback from Trump and conservatives supporting fossil fuel agendas.

I’ve often heard from climate scientists like Katherine Hayhoe that talking about climate change is one of our best weapons to help spur people who do make up corporations to address the crisis. If we stay quite and companies greenhush, all is lost.

So, what are we to do? Call your representative and join protest groups that are willing to March in the streets, if possible, against Trump’s climate policies.

Here is that Bloomberg article:

bloomberg.com

Illustration by Melcher Oosterman

Green

Cleaner Tech

Trump’s Return Prompts Companies to Stifle Climate Talk With ‘Greenhushing’Businesses that used to tout carbon-cutting are switching their message: “This isn’t a good time to put a red flag in front of the bull.”By Coco Liu and Olivia Rudgard

March 4, 2025 at 4:00 AM EST

As the chief executive officer of Caelux, Scott Graybeal runs a technology startup in Baldwin Park, California, that makes high-efficiency glass for solar panels. For years, climate change had been a crucial part of Graybeal’s business conversations — until Donald Trump was re-elected last November.

“We have very quickly shifted gears to the other type of conversations,” Graybeal says. By that, he means to downplay his company’s role in producing carbon-free electricity and instead, highlight its contributions outside sustainability, such as domestic job creation, onshore manufacturing and energy independence — all of which resonate with the new administration’s priorities.

“It is not being manipulative; it is the actual truth,” says Graybeal of his new talking points. “With any messaging, you have to tailor your message to the audience and to gain the most receptivity you can.”

In the first month of his second term, President Trump pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement, froze funding for green projects, fired staff from agencies that do climate work and targeted agencies’ climate-related programs and language. Against that backdrop, Graybeal and other US executives are dropping the mention of “climate change” in meetings, even as they continue developing or deploying climate-friendly solutions.

Read more: Trump Ends Climate Work Inside Agency That Responds to Disasters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, DC. FEMA managers were instructed to compile a list of staff working on climate change for potential dismissal.Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg

Meanwhile, companies in Europe are also trying to keep their climate actions away from public sight, in an attempt to avoid accusations that they’re overstating their environmental claims. All of this has accelerated a phenomenon known as “greenhushing”: the inverse of greenwashing, when companies exaggerate their green bona fides.

In 2024, 63 out of the 100 largest publicly listed firms in Britain were under-promoting their work in environmental protection, according to an analysis by the Manchester, UK-based research firm Connected Impact, which examined the differences between what companies disclosed in public filings and what they presented in promotional materials. When it came to US companies, the researchers found the desire for staying unnoticed was even greater — as many as 67 major public and private firms resorted to greenhushing.

“People were under-communicating and under-promoting what they were doing,” said Lucy Walton, chief executive officer of Connected Impact. “We will perhaps see a widening of that gap in the coming year.”

Jennifer Holmgren, chief executive officer of LanzaTech Global Inc., is also recalibrating her message under shifting political winds. Illinois-based LanzaTech specializes in capturing carbon dioxide from emitters and converting the gas into feedstock for chemical production. While her company’s technology prevents planet-warming CO2 from entering the atmosphere, Holmgren says she will talk more about job creation and economic growth, rather than emissions reduction, over the next four years.

Jennifer HolmgrenPhotographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

“I think we have to stop talking about, ‘Everything we do is climate change,’ because it’s almost like there’s a visceral reaction to those words,” Holmgren says. “This isn’t a good time to put a red flag in front of the bull.”

This comes as some big corporations have already scaled back their climate commitments, due in large part to concerns over their financial performance and operational challenges. The US leadership change further propels that retreat. In January, the six largest banks in the US cut ties with the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a United Nations-backed initiative that encourages financial institutions to zero out their greenhouse gas emissions. And for companies that haven’t changed course, fewer are willing to publicly display their interest in decarbonization.

Read more: Wells Fargo Drops Targets Slammed by US Energy Secretary Wright

Matthew Blain is a principal of Voyager, a US venture firm that has bankrolled climate tech startups serving heavy-emitting industries. While many of those emitters continue to explore low-carbon technologies to prepare for what Blain describes as “the economy of tomorrow,” he says they have become “increasingly nervous and hesitant to talk about the work they’re doing from a climate perspective.”

Along with the fear of political blowback, worries about reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny weigh on companies, especially outside the US. In Europe, where tackling climate change is still on governments’ agendas, researchers say companies are pulling away from publicizing their climate efforts due to the risk of being seen as greenwashers.

Unilever Plc, the British consumer group, has fallen afoul of UK regulators over alleged greenwashing and has faced consumer backlash. Last year the company announced it was watering down some of its environmental promises. Executives were being “cautious and possibly scared by greenwashing investigations,” a Unilever shareholder told Bloomberg News at the time. Meanwhile, regulators across Europe have further stepped up a crackdown on greenwashing — in the UK, it could result in a penalty of up to 10% of a company’s global annual turnover.

Recyclable plastic bottles of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise inside the Unilever PLC factory in Burton upon Trent, UK, on Feb. 5.Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

“People are so frightened of doing the wrong thing, potentially accidentally greenwashing without intending to,” says Walton. The divergent political climate on opposite sides of the Atlantic also makes promoting green credentials particularly fraught for large global corporations. However, silence risks damaging trust, she says, and could confuse consumers who have watched companies go from making frequent and enthusiastic pledges and disclosures to saying very little.

Some industry observers say greenhushing is a positive tactic if it helps decarbonization continue in difficult circumstances.

Companies are “smart to play whichever cards are most likely to win at any given moment,” says Edward Maibach, a professor specializing in climate change communication at George Mason University. “The most important thing is that their products succeed in the marketplace so that we can bring the fossil fuel era to a rapid close.”

Maibach adds: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”



To: i-node who wrote (325152)3/7/2025 6:58:43 AM
From: Lane3  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 361851
 
There is no doubt Tesla is being damaged as a result of Musk's involvement in eliminating waste in government.
I'm adding correlation to analogy and metaphor on the list of concepts that many people just don't get but feel good using anyway.