Elon Musk has taken ownership of Twitter Inc TWTR-N with brutal efficiency, firing top executives but providing little clarity over how he will achieve the ambitions he has outlined for the influential social media platform.

“The bird is freed,” he tweeted after he completed his $44-billion acquisition on Thursday, referencing Twitter’s bird logo in an apparent nod to his desire to see the company have fewer limits on content that can be posted.

The CEO of electric car maker Tesla Inc and self-described free speech absolutist has, however, also said he wants to prevent the platform from becoming an echo chamber for hate and division.

Other goals include wanting to “defeat” spam bots on Twitter and make the algorithms that determine how content is presented to its users publicly available.

Yet Musk has not offered details on how he will achieve all this and who will run the company. He has said he plans to cut jobs, leaving Twitter’s 7,500 employees fretting about their future. He also said on Thursday he did not buy Twitter to make more money but “to try to help humanity whom I love.”

Less that 10 per cent of 266 Twitter employees who participated in a poll on messaging app Blindly expected to still have their jobs in three months. Blind allows employees to air grievances anonymously after they sign up with corporate emails.

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover: a timeline

Musk fired Twitter Chief Executive Parag Agrawal, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal and legal affairs and policy chief Vijaya Gadde, according to people familiar with the matter. He had accused them of misleading him and Twitter investors over the number of fake accounts on the platform.

Agrawal and Segal were in Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters when the deal closed and were escorted out, the sources added.

Musk, who also runs rocket company SpaceX, plans to become Twitter’s interim CEO according to a person familiar with the matter and following an earlier report by Reuters. Musk also plans to scrap permanent bans on users, Bloomberg said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Twitter, Musk and the executives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Before closing the deal, Musk walked into Twitter’s headquarters on Wednesday with a big grin and a porcelain sink, subsequently tweeting “let that sink in.” He changed his Twitter profile description to “Chief Twit.”

Musk said in May he would reverse Twitter’s ban on Donald Trump, who’s account was removed after the attack on the US Capitol. A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, but the former US president previously said he won’t return to the platform and has instead launched his own social media app, Truth Social.

Musk tried to calm Twitter employee fears that major layoffs are coming and assured advertisers that his past criticism of Twitter’s content moderation rules would not harm its appeal.

“Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!” Musk said in an open letter to advertisers on Thursday.

As news of the deal spread, some Twitter users were quick to flag their willingness to walk away.

“I will be happy to leave in a heartbeat if Musk, well, acts as we all expect him to,” said a user with the @mustlovedogsxo account.

European regulators also reiterated past warnings that, under Musk’s leadership, Twitter must still abide by the region’s Digital Services Act, which levies hefty fines on companies if they do not control illegal content.

“In Europe, the bird will fly by our EU rules,” EU industry chief Thierry Breton tweeted on Friday morning.

European Parliament lawmaker and civil rights proponent Patrick Breyer suggested people look for alternatives where privacy is a priority.

“Twitter already knows our personalities dangerously well due to its pervasive surveillance of our every click. Now this knowledge will be falling into Musk’s hands.”

Musk has indicated he sees Twitter as a foundation for creating a “super app” that offers everything from money transfers to shopping and ride-hailing.

But Twitter is struggling to engage its most active users who are vital to the business. These “heavy tweeters” account for less than 10 per cent of monthly overall users but generate 90 per cent of all tweets and half of global revenue.

Musk will face a challenge building revenue “given that the controversial opinions he appears to want to give more of a free rein to are often unpalatable to advertisers,” said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter.

The deal’s road to fruition was full of twists and turns that sowed doubt over whether it would happen at all. It began on April 4, when Musk disclosed a 9.2 per cent Twitter stake, becoming the company’s largest shareholder.

The world’s richest person then agreed to join Twitter’s board, only to balk at the last minute and offer to buy the company instead for $54.20 per share.

Over the course of just one weekend later in April, the two sides reached a deal without Musk carrying out any due diligence on the company’s confidential information.

In the weeks that followed, Musk had second thoughts. He complained publicly about Twitter’s spam accounts and his lawyers then accused Twitter of not complying with his requests for information on the subject.

The acrimony resulted in Musk telling Twitter on July 8 he was terminating the deal. Four days later, Twitter sued Musk to force him to complete the acquisition.

By then, the stock market had plunged on concerns about a potential recession. Twitter accused Musk of buyer’s remorse, arguing he wanted out of the deal because he thought he was overpaid. Most legal analysts thought Twitter would likely prevail in court.

On Oct. 4, Musk performs another U-turn, offering to complete the deal as promised. He managed to do that, just one day ahead of a deadline to avoid going to trial.

Twitter shares ended trade on Thursday up 0.3 per cent at $53.86, just under the agreed price. The stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

The post Elon Musk fires prime Twitter executives, declares the ‘hen is freed’ appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Dave Chappelle asked the crowd at his comedy show to “make some noise for the world’s richest man.”

They did. Lots of booing.

It was a rather uncomfortable appearance for Elon Musk, Twitter’s new owner, at Chappelle’s show with Chris Rock on Sunday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco. At the end of the show, Chappelle was talking about the need to get along and communicate with people with different viewpoints and perspectives.

He invited Musk onstage. The billionaire obliged, wearing an “I Love Twitter” T-shirt. Loud boos filled the arena – along with some cheers, too.

Chappelle joked to Musk: “Sounds like some of those people you fired.” As the boos continued to ring out, the comic pointed out that “All you people are booing, and I’m just pointing out the obvious — are in terrible seats.”

Twitter is going through massive changes since Musk took over the social media platform, with the first few weeks of tenure seeing widespread layoffs and the restoration of several blocked accounts, including those of former president Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The other performers from the night, including Rock, Donnell Rawlings from “Chappelle’s Show” and the hip hop group Black Star, came up on stage to say goodnight, while Musk also stayed on stage. Chappelle asked Musk to repeat Rawlings’ catch phrase from their classic show – “I’m rich b—-” Rawlings went first, and then Musk complied.

That’s when Chappelle asked the crowd not to boo Musk as he needs him to open up the first comedy club on Mars. He also asked Musk if he could help Black Star’s Talib Kweli, who Chappelle said had been banned from Twitter.

Musk, who bought Twitter for $44 billion in October, responded by saying: “Twitter customer service here.”

He stayed onstage and shook hands with many of the performers. Attendees had been required to lock up their phones during the show, but a few videos of the encounter made their way online.

The post Loud Boos Greet Elon Musk at San Francisco Occasion – GV Wire appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

As Elon Musk’s “hardcore” ultimatum spurred a mass exodus of Twitter’s remaining workers on Thursday night, “someone across the street” from the company’s San Francisco headquarters took it upon themselves to troll the mogul with a number of projected messages, according to NBC Bay Area. The news ticker-style taunts called Musk, among other things, a “bankruptcy baby,” “supreme parasite,” “petulant pimple,” “apartheid profiteer,” “space Karen,” and “mediocre manchild,” according to footage of the projections. Gia Vang, an NBC Bay Area reporter, attributed the messages to an individual calling themself “a projection activist.” It was not immediately clear who or what was behind the messages, but they resembled similar insults thrown up in the same place on the building’s exterior by projection artist Alan Marling on Nov. 7. In an email, Marling told SFGate at the time that “ as humans we have a moral duty to defend our neighbors against hate speech and white supremacy,” both of which he accused Musk of amplifying through Twitter. Just after 11 pm Eastern time on Thursday, Musk tweeted, “And… we just hit another all-time high in Twitter usage lol,” adding, in reference to an earlier meme, “Let that sink in…”

The post Elon Musk Trolled as ‘House Karen’ in Message Projected on Twitter’s San Francisco Headquarters appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Tesla may soon be bringing an HVAC with a HEPA filter on its systems in the future, which Elon Musk recently talked about online with a fan asking for the technology. The tech CEO said that this device is already on the “future product list” of the company’s future ventures, which is highly applicable in Austin, Texas.

Tesla HVAC with HEPA Filter for Better Air Quality

(Photo : Michael Fortsch on Unsplash )

Tesla may have something other than clean energy in its future ventures, especially with an upcoming focus on a product that is somehow different from its current releases. A Twitter user asked the tech CEO regarding the possibility of having an HVAC with a HEPA filter that would help him with his allergies, and it is something that the fan asks from Tesla.

HVAC is heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in one system, primarily for ducts in public places like malls, restaurants, gyms, coliseums, stadiums, and more. The user asked if it could be applicable as a device, something that Tesla or Elon Musk would make available from its devices that debut to the public.

The focus is to improve air quality, which would help avoid allergies to the air.

Read So: Tesla FSD Beta v11 Update Offers Single Software Stack for Highway, City Driving! Elon Musk Not Hyping the Upgrade?

Tesla HVAC: Musk Says it’s on the Future List

It’s on the future product list. Especially important in places like Austin, which has next-level amounts of pollen in the air.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 18, 2022

The tech CEO replied to the tweet and said it is already on the future product list, which the company is already working on alongside the top executive. Musk said that it is “especially important” for Austin and other places that suffer from the same situation, particularly with “next-level” pollen in the air.

It may be a device that the company would work on, as its electric vehicles have already adapted HEPA filters for its HVAC system.

Tesla and its Many Ventures on Tech

There are many technological advancements to Tesla’s releases, and it does not end with its electric vehicle ventures that bring the world clean energy transportation for mobility. One of the top focuses of the company is its power delivery for all. It includes a Virtual Power Plant that the company will answer with Powerwalls that will send electricity to the grid.

Another of Tesla’s focus is to bring more features to its electric vehicle that the drivers or passengers may use along the drive, and it would help them with entertainment and access to the many possibilities with it. Its latest addition to its infotainment system is the Steam Integration, which would allow the platform to run and bring its games to the car’s radios.

Now, there would be a different focus for Tesla and Elon Musk as it aims to enter something that would border on health technology which will be integrated into its innovations. However, Musk did not clarify whether this venture would be for the house as an appliance or in addition to its electric vehicles and HVAC system.

Related Article: Tesla Model Y, Model X Arrive at the Mount Everest Base Camp After Four Days

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by Isaiah Richard

ⓒ 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

The post Tesla to Create HVAC with HEPA Filter, Elon Musk Confirms on Future Merchandise Listing appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The purchase of Twitter for $44 billion by Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk on Monday fueled worry by Twitter employees and others that the company could be moved out of state, or at least out of San Francisco, where the company has been headquartered since its founded in 2006.

https://californiaglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/44-Billion-Twitter-Sale-to-Elon-Musk-Ignites-Fears-Company-May-Be-Moved-Out-of-San- Francisco-California-Globe-042522.mp3

Press play to hear a narrated version of this storypresented by AudioHopper.

Neither Musk nor any Twitter executive said anything about a potential move on Monday, with Musk focusing solely on the sale and assuming fears to users that he would use the platform as a way to limit-free speech despite being an advocate of free speech expansions on Twitter, would reinstate former President Donald Trump to Twitter, or other actions that would greatly change the platform. In a statement on Monday, Musk maintained his commitment to free speech, as well as improving the social media platform.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Musk said on Monday. “Twitter has tremendous potential — I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it. I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans. Even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means.”

Musk’s words quieted some critics, with the buyout causing Twitter’s stock to jump up over 5% before the bell on Monday. Other fears were also lessoned following the Twitter boards announcement that they rigorously assed Musk’s offer, with Twitter Board chair Bret Taylor noting on Monday that “The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon’s proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing. The deal was best path forward for Twitter’s stockholders.”

However, for many Twitter employees, the question about Musk’s commitment to California remained in the air.

“There’s no way we’re moving to a hellhole like Texas,” said a group of four Twitter employees in a Globe interview on Monday. “Everyone here is completely on edge after it was announced today. I mean, we’ve been this way for a while with Musk coming in and out of being on the board or trying to buy us. But now that it has happened, and considering that Musk has moved so much he had in California out of state, we are very concerned.”

Concern of a move outside of San Francisco

In the past, Musk has had a mixed relationship with California. He personally moved from California to Texas in 2020, moving Tesla’s headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin late last year and SpaceX expanding into Texas. However, he has also shown remarkable commitment to the state, keeping the Space X headquarters in Hawthorne, improving the Tesla plant in Fremont, and building a new factory in Lathrop. Many in the tech industry have noted that Musk has hinted about moving Twitter out of San Francisco in the past.

“Musk has said before that he wants to turn Twitter’s HQ into a homeless shelter,” said Anthony Ferry, a San Francisco tech consultant, to the Globe on Monday. “He even reiterated on Twitter that he was serious. That’s not exactly concrete, but it is a red flag.”

“Plus many in Texas are trying to get Musk to move them in. Governor [Greg] Abbott tweeted to Musk earlier today to move them to Texas. So this isn’t just speculation. This is an active movement. If I was someone in power here in San Francisco I would be incredibly worried. Twitter is one of the main companies here for tech. If they were gone, many would start panicking.”

.@elonmusk. Bring Twitter to Texas to join Tesla, SpaceX & the Boring company.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 25, 2022

Twitter employees were also concerned.

“Beyond Musk taking over here, we’re worried just what he will do here now,” said “Saanvi,” one of the four Twitter employees interviewed, to the Globe. “We all have lives here now and like living here. No one really wants to go.”

Another employee, “David,” immediately added, “It may sound like we’re just exaggerating things, but we aren’t. We aren’t in some bubble. No one wants a move. And you can bet that the city doesn’t want them to go too. There’s a lot of taxes riding on Twitter here, as well as Twitter being an important part of the economy. California loose Twitter, there goes another big company as well as a lot in taxes and many well-paid employees.”

“If we don’t quit before,” added a third employee. “If there is a move, some of us might just move on elsewhere here rather than go there. This is something no one wants but Musk might. And if he does, well, remember when Boeing was moved out of Seattle and then tanked in Chicago because of the brain drain and all the mistakes with it? A lot of parallels here is all I’m saying.”

As of Monday, Musk nor anyone else in Twitter has mentioned a possible move, with no other city reporting on a move outside of speculation.

The post $44 Billion Twitter Sale to Elon Musk Ignites Fears Firm Could Be Moved Out of San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis scoffed at efforts to bring Twitter to the state.
• DeSantis stated that a Twitter HQ in Florida would drive up the cost of living.
• Twitter’s headquarters are in San Francisco but it has received calls from other states to move.

Loading Something is loading.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis discouraged Twitter from bringing its headquarters to the state following Elon Musk’s privatization of the platform, Jacksonville outlet News4JAX reported.

At a press conference Monday, DeSantis said the company will bring between $15 and $20 million in profit to the state when Musk is officially the owner of the platform due to the state’s investment in Twitter. But he said actually welcoming the company into the state would result in a higher cost of living for residents of the Sunshine State.

“In Florida, I think we’ve done very well, particularly over the last few years, attracting businesses that are producing things,” DeSantis said. “Importing some tech company from San Francisco has not been high on our list. I think that what happens is they’ll tend to come in, they drive up the cost of living for everybody else. Yeah, they enjoy our lower taxes but you know, what is what are they really providing?”

Twitter approved Musk’s offer to buy the company for $43 billion outright on April 25. Musk has received calls from lawmakers and constituents of different states to move the Twitter headquarters from San Francisco.

Opposite DeSantis, some Florida lawmakers and residents have encouraged Musk to relocate to Florida.

“Join me in inviting @elonmusk to move @Twitter to the freest state in the nation! Florida would benefit the company as a whole — we have no state

income tax

and the perfect business climate. It’s time to book a one way (SIC) ticket,” Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said in a tweet.

—Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) April 29, 2022

Patronis has created a website where residents can sign their names in approval of the relocation.

In Texas, Congressman Tan Parker said that he would “roll out the red carpet” for Musk if he moved the company’s headquarters there. Texas is home to many of Musk’s companies including Tesla, SpaceX, and the Boring Company.

Musk has stated that he does not own a home and frequently stays at friends’ houses.

“This is a guy that has succeeded in almost every enterprise he’s ever done. And so he will, our state will benefit, we will get, I think $15, $20 million profit from our pension fund. But then he will make that company more valuable, I have no doubt about it,” DeSantis said at the news conference.

DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

The post DeSantis Takes Dig at Elon Musk, Discouraging Twitter HQ Transferring to Florida appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Elon Musk is so impressed with his cars’ HVAC system that he’s considering upscaling it to a home system.

One thing true Musk fans know is that Tesla doesn’t advertise its products, but the impressiveness of their air conditioning system has the billionaire seriously considering buying advertising space. Reported inversely.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to yours Facebook or Twitter Feed to stay up to date.

One day we will make a super efficient HVAC with Hepa filters

— Elon Musk the 2nd (@elonmusk) September 11, 2020

“Oh man, a super energy efficient, quiet and air-purifying home air conditioner would be awesome. We designed it for the car, but it can be scaled up for home use.” Musk tweeted.

“Most people have no idea how good the Tesla air purification system is. Literally 10x better than any other car. Maybe we should advertise informatively so people know things like this exist,” he added.

In the now infamous, meme-filled interview with Joe RoganMusk explained to Rogan that the problem with home use and wasting energy isn’t leaving the lights or the TV on, it’s the heat these products generate.

In most homes, 41 percent of the energy in the country is used for heating, according to the energy information management. In the mid-Atlantic (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia) are more than half.

READ MORE STORIES FROM AMERICA IN TRANSITION

MAJOR ELECTRICAL COMPANIES CHALLENGE BIDEN TO CUT EMISSIONS BY 80 PERCENT WITHIN 10 YEARS

ALL NEW US VEHICLES COULD BE MANDATORY TO BE ELECTRIC BY 2035, NEW STUDY SAYS

OFFICIAL UNVEILS PLAN TO TURN NEW YORK CITY INTO A WIND ENERGY MANUFACTURING CENTER

JAGUAR GOES FULLY ELECTRIC, LAND ROVER GOES MAJORLY ELECTRIC

PEPSI targets net-zero emissions by 2040

DOMINION SUBMITS PLANS FOR LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT IN THE UNITED STATES

The post Elon Musk contemplating making HVAC models for properties appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Elon Musk appears to be keeping his promise to “not own a house”.

Last year, SpaceX’s CEO tweeted that he was selling all of his real estate to dump “almost all of his physical possessions”. By the end of the year, he had given up four of his Bel Air residences for a combined total of $ 62 million. Now, Musk is reportedly on the verge of ditching the last lot in his portfolio: a San Francisco area mansion that was last listed for $ 32 million.

One of the living areas

Photo: Bernard André

Musk originally listed the 16,000-square-foot home for $ 35 million last year, a number that would make a significant profit since he originally paid $ 23.3 million for the house, according to real estate records. It was in the months following his initial announcement that it would give up all of its own assets, in and out of the market.

A floor

Photo: Bernard André

The historic residence was originally built around 1912; It was designed by the architectural firm Bliss & Faville. It has since been renovated to meet modern standards – the grand ballroom, dining room, and kitchens have all been redesigned.

The dining room

Photo: Bernard André

It is a total of seven beds, seven baths on a spacious 47 acre lot. In the dining area there is a “hidden” cocktail room, which is accessible via a retractable wall made of library shelves. Other perks include wine and whiskey cellars in the basement, as well as a separate room for flower arrangements. The master suite, on the other hand, has its own fireplace, two walk-in wardrobes and two full bathrooms – one of which has a free-standing bathtub. Outside there is a pool and gazebo for entertainment and a separate three-car garage.

The house combines living inside and outside

Photo: Bernard André

The property is currently on a conditional offer, meaning Musk has accepted a buyer’s initial proposal, according to the New York Post. All in all, there is still a chance the deal will fail, in which case the billionaire’s last major piece of land would still be up for grabs.

The living room

Photo: Bernard André

Where does Musk live now? He tweeted in June that he currently lives in Boca Chica, near the SpaceX campus, in about $ 50,000 worth of rented apartment. Talk about living below your means.

See more photos of the San Francisco area residence below:

One of the bedrooms

Photo: Bernard André

One of the primary bathrooms

Photo: Bernard André

The walk-in closet

Photo: Bernard André

The post Elon Musk Has Reportedly Bought His $32 Million San Francisco House – Robb Report appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

On Wednesday, the news satire website Babylon Bee posted a video interview with Elon Musk, providing insights into his personal life and business activities.

Image Alliance | Getty Images

One of the first topics covered was Musk’s move from Silicon Valley to Texas. While there are “certainly many aspects” of California that he likes (namely, its friends), the state has too many negatives to warrant a stay.

“Some of my best friends are in California. I miss many aspects of California, especially my friends. [California is] nice, and there are a lot of cool things, “Musk said in an interview.” But it gets harder and harder to get things done. California used to be the land of opportunity, and now it’s the land of over-regulation, excessive litigation, over-taxation, and scorn.

Related: Tesla aims to become an artificial intelligence robotics company

Musk’s move to Texas took over a year. In May 2020, the Tesla CEO tweeted that he would be relocating the company’s headquarters and future programs after California officials refused to allow the automaker to reopen its Fremont plant during the pandemic. Earlier this month, Musk sold his last San Francisco home for $ 30 million.

The billionaire touched on other topics in the interview, including his criticism of the Metaverse and a tweet he made about starting a candy company (which we shouldn’t expect anytime soon).

Related: Elon Musk: You don’t need a college degree to work at Tesla

The post Elon Musk Talks About Lacking His Besties After Transferring to Texas appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Tesla will be relocating its headquarters from the Bay Area to Austin, Texas at some point in the near future, and CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to take another blow at San Francisco on his way out.

In response to a Fox News article about a special Tuesday election in Austin to restore law enforcement funding after it was cut last summer, Musk tweeted, “Austin should be his city, not a copycat in San Francisco.”

Austin should be his city, not an imitator of San Francisco

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2021

Interestingly, after the George Floyd protests last summer, Austin went much further than San Francisco in “police discovery”.

In August 2020, Austin City Council decided to cut $ 150 million from its $ 434 police budget in 2021 – while San Francisco cut $ 80 million over two years. San Francisco has an annual police budget of around $ 700 million, meaning SF saw a 6% annual drop in police funding while Austin saw a whopping 35% drop.

Homicides have increased year over year in both cities, with Austin seeing a much larger increase (71%, according to the Fox News article) than San Francisco (5%, according to the city’s crime dashboard). Because homicides are the least likely to go unreported, some view statistics as the best measure of a city’s rising crime rate.

In response to rising murder rates and a Texas law signed by Governor Greg Abbott punishing cities that cut police budgets, Austin City Council voted in August to bring funding back to pre-summer 2020 levels.

The special elections on Tuesday will take place on a separate voting measure called Proposition A, in which the city would have to employ two police officers per 1,000 residents and provide incentives to hire officials who speak other languages ​​in addition to English.

The post Elon Musk tells Austin to not be a San Francisco ‘copycat’ appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.