57 Replies to “Mischief Is Important”

  1. So when is President Trump getting his account back?

    And when are the ChiComs, Islamists and Ukrainian Nazis getting booted?

  3. Elon Musk intends to re-make Twitter as a truly democratic, free speech platform. The left will greet any such moves with calls for violence against Musk, his family, and his employees.

    His name now tops the left’s enemies list, above that of President Trump.

    1. We don’t know what he intends. But it’s bound to be interesting.

      I saw a comment on the Twitters saying that the right doesn’t appreciate what being a “free-speech absolutist” means, and I tend to agree. Where I diverge is that most on the right are grown-up enough to engage and debate, rather than shout down and destroy. If he goes full-freedom (assuming he can push the leviathan in that direction), we’re going to see stuff we hate and are uncomfortable seeing. I don’t think we’re prepared enough, mostly because we’ve just been focused enough on getting around the censorship without being able to see beyond it.

      Where I fail in that regard is that I’m a weak debater, not a master one. So it’s sometimes easy to drag me into an emotional response. I know what I know, and I know what I think to be true, but it’s sometimes quite difficult for me to be able to “cite my sources”, especially when that turns out to be “personal experience” and/or “I heard that….”

      At any rate, following this story quite eagerly.

  4. Apart from his stupid cars and wasteful rockets, I kinda like the guy…he’s one of the saner, new high tech super rich. Like Clint Eastwood and Jon Voight who are politically Hollywood oddities, I’m thinking Musk must be a silent Trump/DeSantis supporter. He can’t be vocal about it for sure because Tesla buyers are loony tunes Gaia worshiping lefties.

      1. And the end usage is? To entertain idiots with too much money to spare? Don’t get me wrong, I’m capitalist, that doesn’t mean I would cheer a guy who would invent a spaghetti strainer with no holes in it. The universe is too vast for mortal carbon life to explore for any possible positive gains for humanity or for our planet. The furthest we’ll go is Mars, maybe and we already know there’s no green men living there.The only discoveries were the proof that no gravity atrophy’s muscles and that space rocks have the same basic elements found on Earth.
        I suppose you would consider giving your name to live in a tin can on Mars for the rest of your life?
        Planet Earth is a miracle of life and our only home. Go to YouTube and watch « The privileged planet » for an excellent overview.

        1. SpaceX has succeeded in reducing launch costs by, in some cases, a factor of 10 or more. Companies like United Launch Alliance and Arianespace are scrambling to make it cheaper.

          It also started the competition for smallsat launchers. RocketLab was one of the first and, perhaps, the best-known. That company has proven to be successful in sending smaller payloads to orbit. Similarly, Virgin Orbit is doing well (and definitely much better than Virgin Galactic), using a refurbished Boeing 747 to lift the booster to launch its booster.

          Blue Origin is a bit iffy at the moment. Things may change now that Jeff Bezos has sacked BO’s manager. So far, it’s managed a few manned suborbital flights, but it’s succeeded in making spaceflight accessible to ordinary people. Yes, they have to be well-off to afford the tickets right now, but the same thing happened with airlines 90 years ago.

          Compare that with NASA’s white elephant, the Space Launch System with its Orion spacecraft. That project’s been underway for some 20 years and is way over budget. Worse is that it’s being done at taxpayer expense.

          1. So eventually, most people will be able to afford going up in space; earth orbiting for a few minutes and come back down to the same spot…now that’s fruitful for human betterment!
            For now, all this waste of time temporarily creates jobs I guess but here is a good job creator:
            – open up oil and gas exploration so to reduce and deregulate carbon energy prices so that more jobs in other sectors like farming are created so that prosperity occurs for millions on this beautiful planet…let’s plant more satellites maybe but that’s about all space is good for us mortals.

          2. The resources available in the asteroid belt dwarf what we can get our hands on here on Earth.
            Eventually there will be O’Niel Cylinders and what have you in space.

          3. MG:

            People will eventually live and work in space. There will be permanent habitations and factories out there. The moon itself can provide many of the materials that will be needed.

            As Robert Heinlein once remarked, “Once you’re in earth orbit, you’re halfway to anywhere in the solar system.”

          4. BAD
            There will be no permanent habitats until such a time as a rotating station is built.
            Factories, OTOH, can be run on shifts.

        2. Metalguru- Musk has a successful satellite based internet. The Ukrainian forces and government use it.

          And Musk advocates more oil and gas drilling, even though it hurts Tesla. He has also said electric generating capacity will need to double, if autos go full electric.

          Find another tech billionaire calling for more oil and gas drilling.

          1. Deplorable Rupert and HiHo,
            Please explain to us the cost and life benefits of having humans in space factories and/or live there other than « we can do it » like say, walking on the moon…It’s like moving humans away from living in the Mediterranean or California for the South Pole or the Sahara desert except space is even worse than that. At least, there’s gravity and oxygen in those very hostile to humans areas.
            As for Robert Heinlein’s remark, it’s the same as saying, once you sail the oceans you can go anywhere in those bodies of water…NOT!…and that’s not even leaving Earth.
            Me thinks you guys watched too much Star Trek growing up.
            Small c Conservative,
            I’m with you except private transportation will never go full electric.

          2. OK MG:
            OK, if we can crash the price of platinum and gold with a nice asteroid, we can have cheap hydrogen fuel cells, basically re-chargeable batteries with 50x the energy density of li-ion cells, use gold electroplating on cars and other products instead of zinc galvanizing for rust-proofing…
            That’s just two world-changing things off the top of my head.

          3. MG:

            The permanent settlement of space is inevitable. It won’t be motivated not by curiosity but by the pursuit of opportunity. That pursuit will have its origin in two desires.

            One is the desire for freedom, a chance to create one’s destiny, to build a society in keeping with one’s beliefs. The other is the desire to make money either by extracting and processing resources or by supplying equipment for doing so.

          4. *
            Dear Metalhead…
            If we succeed in blowing up the planet… which is looking increasingly likely,
            that will be the end of the human race (and I’m not saying whether that’s
            objectively a good or bad thing.)

            If you think humanity should continue, maybe you should consider the
            phrase, ‘eggs in one basket.’

            *

        3. Metal Guru..
          That is “Crab Bucket thinking”.
          Considering just what we currently know of this universe,having all of “man” on this one rock,is begging disaster..
          Waiting for the asteroid,ring any bells.
          Yes maybe too much scifi,but we need frontiers,it is a part of our nature.
          Without a hostile new environment to challenge us,we will turn inward..
          Most likely engaging in greater and more horrific war than we have ever imagined..
          If past cycles are any indicator.
          Today we have the tools,but lack the desire..
          Lounging at the bottom of this gravity well,watching the asteroids speed by.
          Pretty stupid behaviour,when we can see the craters and reconstruct the life that lived before them.

          Yes I was a believer..I wanted to retire to the moon habitats,1/6 gravity and a use for skilled people no longer caring about genetic damage..
          Forward!..
          Instead?
          We are shaping up for open war.
          Takers versus Makers.
          With no thought of quarter.

          Lovely.

          1. Me thinks you guys watched too much Star Trek growing up.

            Yup. The number of soi-disant conservatives who can’t seem to figure out that Star Trek was a children’s show being used to covertly push Roddenberry’s leftist politics, and had nothing to do with science, is legion.

            Bruce Sterling is no conservative but at least he’s sane:

            I’ll believe in people settling Mars at about the same time I see people setting the Gobi Desert. The Gobi Desert is about a thousand times as hospitable as Mars and five hundred times cheaper and easier to reach. Nobody ever writes “Gobi Desert Opera” because, well, it’s just kind of plonkingly obvious that there’s no good reason to go there and live. It’s ugly, it’s inhospitable and there’s no way to make it pay. Mars is just the same, really. We just romanticize it because it’s so hard to reach.

    2. I’d say his Space ventures are on a hell of a lot better Footing than NASA by a long shot.

      Wastefull..??
      No at all – given his boosters can Land standing straight up..??
      Now would I buy one of his vehicles – nope, I’d rather a 3 yr old gelding.

      I too like this guy – a no Bullshit Billionaire with an Opinion.!!
      May he obliterate the Twatter Left….
      Let them build their own echo chamber.

      1. Regardless of his ventures , the man inspires humanity to move forward.
        What is the point of living on this Rock if you can’t dream big.
        I would say that pretty much the whole evolution of mankind has been to provide for women and make their lives more comfortable.

        It really is all about Man getting LAID ( perpetuating the species ) that propels us ahead.
        Think about it.

  5. I’m not so sure Musk is altruistic, but he’s good at playing both sides of the fence.

  6. If that “battery break through*” ever happens.
    Musk will be seen as genius.
    Until it does electric cars,as practical transport,are wishful thinking.
    Given the state of our governments,I have to rethink my objections to Musk’s Subsidy Mining ventures.
    Maybe that money is better in his hands.
    Seems the tax payers are too stupid to prevent government robbing us of the money in the first place.

    * 200 years and waiting.

    1. John, there will be no DC battery breakthroughs, the technological advances have pretty much hit the ceiling now…it is also proven mathematically that there is about enough of rare earths materials on the whole planet to replace about 25 to 30 % of all carbon vehicles…battery powered cars are a pipe dream that satisfies the Gaia worshippers only. I am sure Musk knows all of this…but he his a capitalist first and not a prophet exposing man’s stupidity.

      1. There are other battery technologies in the pipeline that could increase energy densities by as much as 10x.
        Still no good for cars because of charging times, but still useful.
        It took Li-ion tech 25 years to hit the market.

        1. If a state subsidy for a given activity exists, it would be unfair to the shareholders not to take advantage of it.
          Do you ever drive on roads? Then you are taking advantage of a state subsidy.
          Do you have a landline phone in rural Canada? Then you are taking advantage of a state subsidy.
          Also, as far as net subsidy use is concerned, Musk has paid more in taxes in one year than he ever got in subsidies. He is also making high speed internet available all over the planet with his Starlink company.
          Musk, like Trump, is actually making tangible goods and services, and getting very rich thereby.

      4. *
        “the technological advances have pretty much hit the ceiling now”

        I’m sure that’s what folk were saying back in the day of Socrates or even
        Thomas Edison. You obviously consider yourself the smartest kid in the
        room.

        *

      5. Tesla exists for Mars. Internal combustion engines won’t work there, gotta be electric.

    2. Everybody’s gonna be living on a golf course now … with a fancy Tesla golf cart in the garage … good for short “virtuous” trips to the grocery store.

    1. But having a 9.2% shareholder suing for billions because a company is playing politics to the detriment of shareholders is problematic. Many boards have been controlled with interests smaller than 9.2%.

      1. scar
        I was about to point hat fact out to Greg. Musk could lead a shareholder revolt, as most people like to make $$$$$$, and not loose it to stupidity, even lefties are like that.

        1. Scar, GYM, I hadn’t considered the lawsuit factor. Very good point, perhaps there’s a little hope after all.

  8. We should be supportive of Mr. Musk’s move. But this is a rare case of a somewhat middle-of-the-road oligarch protesting against a leftist mega-tech corporation. Mega-tech corporations are dominated by left-wing anti-democratic oligarchs.

    1. David
      Now you put right wing STUPIDITY on full display. Like for many , purity is the only excepted out come, for you. Learn to take small mercies as they come along,and learn to quit complaining because they don’t meet your “purity” test!

  10. One twitter twit wants Musk to start a replacement platform:
    // one where free speech and adhering to free speech is given top priority, one where propaganda is very minimal. //
    Let’s see him square THAT circle.

  12. Apparently Kate’s not so subtle warning to ‘Doug’, re ad hominem attacks, fell on other deaf ears.
    Personally, I’m fed up with these moronic personal attacks.

      1. No; I prefer that posters heed the multiple warnings from our Hostess. Is that such an obstacle to discussion?
        If YOU prefer to carry on with the personal attacks perhaps you should take it up with Kate(?)…

  13. OK, so he’s not a majority shareholder. But owning just over 9% gives him considerable clout at the annual general meeting as his votes will definitely count. Boards of directors tend to pay attention to owners of such large blocks of shares.

    1. Perhaps, as lefties abandon their shares because of Musk, Musk can grab them up in a nice positive feedback loop, until he hits 51%

    2. So, what’s the magic number wherein a serious bloc of votes not owned by Musk, throw in their lot with his play?
      Any idea what %age of the shares are held by institutions and pension funds?
      Just curious.

  16. I am so sick of progressive scum taking over things built by others and turning them into weapons to distribute and enforce their opinions.
    Dorsey has even said he is a bit sick about what Twitter has become.

    About time that normal people began to fight back, using all the dirty tactics of the progressives, and then some.

  18. BUT

    “State Dept Launch New Division to “Support U.S. Values Associated With Cyberspace”
    April 4, 2022 | Sundance | 39 Comments

    Whenever the United States government launches a new control agency from within the State Dept./CIA mission, we can always be assured it is not in the best interests of domestic policy. ”

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/04/04/state-dept-launch-new-division-to-support-u-s-values-associated-with-cyberspace/

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