30 మే, 2025

"[Musk] told people he was taking so much ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, that it was affecting his bladder, a known effect of chronic use."

"He took Ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. And he traveled with a daily medication box that held about 20 pills, including ones with the markings of the stimulant Adderall, according to a photo of the box and people who have seen it. It is unclear whether Mr. Musk, 53, was taking drugs when he became a fixture at the White House this year and was handed the power to slash the federal bureaucracy. But he has exhibited erratic behavior, insulting cabinet members, gesturing like a Nazi and garbling his answers in a staged interview."

From "On the Campaign Trail, Elon Musk Juggled Drugs and Family Drama/As Mr. Musk entered President Trump’s orbit, his private life grew increasingly tumultuous and his drug use was more intense than previously known."

In March 2024, Musk that the ketamine was prescribed — for depression — and that he only took a small amount. The FDA "has formally approved the use of ketamine only as an anesthetic in medical procedures," but "doctors with a special license may prescribe it for psychiatric disorders." But: "The drug has psychedelic properties and can cause dissociation from reality. Chronic use can lead to addiction and problems with bladder pain and control."

The NYT article reveals a text message he wrote last May: "There are at least half a dozen initiatives of significance to take me down.... The Biden administration views me as the #2 threat after Trump. I can’t be president, but I can help Trump defeat Biden and I will."

After he bounced around on stage at a Trump rally on October 5, he texted: "I’m feeling more optimistic after tonight.... Tomorrow we unleash the anomaly in the matrix.... This is not something on the chessboard, so they will be quite surprised... 'Lasers' from space."

104 కామెంట్‌లు:

Once written, twice... చెప్పారు...

It is wild that it is an open secret that Elon is whacked out on Donkey Dust. But that fits in with the crazy reality of Trump’s Washington.

Leland చెప్పారు...

Joe is sharp as a tack. We were told so by the White House. So you can believe us when we tell you what is in Musk’s medicine box.

Eric the Fruit Bat చెప్పారు...
ఈ కామెంట్‌ను రచయిత తీసివేశారు.
Dave Begley చెప్పారు...

The Left attacks Musk as a drug user. That’s rich.

Mary E. Glynn చెప్పారు...

Distracting gossip.
Why don't you care about the Israeli hostages, ann? Current news bores you?

Lloyd W. Robertson చెప్పారు...

Again, JFK, hero of the boomers.

rehajm చెప్పారు...

Are those Musk quotes/tweets/x’s supposed to be evidence of his drug use? They seem entirely rational. Perhaps the accusers have a distorted view reality due to their preferred TDS medications, prescribed or illicit…

Aggie చెప్పారు...

Suddenly, we're worried about drug use in the White House and have concerns about people with erratic behavior, close to the President. Not that ketamine is illegal, or anything.

Iman చెప్పారు...

The Yew Nork Times doing what it’s known for: spreading the bullshit. When you’re in a hole, keep digging, Proggies!

Ann Althouse చెప్పారు...

Sorry I've used up all my free links for the NYT this month. There's much more in this article, especially about his mania for having as many children as possible and the attitude of the various women who've worked with him on this project.

The Times claims many sources, and I would invite you to read the article and speculate about whether these women are among them. There are various legal disputes arising out of the shared children.

Ann Althouse చెప్పారు...

Yes, I'd like to see an equally aggressive NYT article about the drugs that were used to make Joe Biden presentable. Didn't they get it right for the State of the Union and wrong for the debate? Etc. etc.

Enigma చెప్పారు...

NYT smears someone outside of their control. That's not news. NYT is the "papering over" cover-up publication "of record." Compare and contrast with NYT's (lack of) coverage of Hunter Biden's drug use and Joe's mental health and Hillary's balance issues and Bill Clinton's refusal to release his (apparent STD/STI) medical records.

Ann Althouse చెప్పారు...

Also, Trump is strongly opposed to drugs, as the story goes, and I think the story is credible. How did he react to Musk? I don't believe the story that the 2 men became inseparable best friends.

Musk bringing that boy named X to various events, as if Musk were the most fatherly father in the land — was Trump into that?

Bob B చెప్పారు...

I understand my local library has moved its collection of the NYTs to the fiction area.

rehajm చెప్పారు...

At what point does the New York Times become a tabloid?
…one taken over by twenty somethings working from their tiny rooms at home? You probably don’t remember when Hef died and there was this ragged little group of kids what looked like the dumbest DC comic superhero group or something, supposedly gathered to rescue the mag from what it was…anyways, I imagine the kids at NYT are those lids without the charisma, with a distant owner not giving a damn…until the next election cycle, when the paper will be tasked with gathering what’s left of their supporters…

Ann Althouse చెప్పారు...

You know who was hopped up on drugs? Hitler.

https://x.com/i/grok/share/23MICEc3Q94xr4H94zw8Ixees

Wilbur చెప్పారు...

A few thoughts:

They bring up the Nazi salute hoax as evidence of his bizarre behavior. That should tell us something there.

When ketamine was the latest rage in Miami (10 years ago) I were told by law enforcement it was a horse tranquilizer.

Trump may have liked Musk in spite of his drug usage, and likely was not aware of it.

boatbuilder చెప్పారు...

They lost me at "Nazi salute." Shitheads.

Musk is a unique man, a genius and an oddball.* This is news? This is the politics of personal destruction.

*As is Trump.

This will have no effect on either man.

Quayle చెప్పారు...

"It is unclear whether Mr. Musk..."

The "It is unclear" boilerplate journalism weasel wording.

wendybar చెప్పారు...

Now tell NYT to investigate what they shot Biden up with.

rehajm చెప్పారు...

He smoked weed on camera!!! Then they let him in The White House! Druggie!!!….uh, when do we get our own Joe Rogan?🙁🍸🥣🥞

- bubble over every NYT subscriber’s head this morning

wendybar చెప్పారు...

It wasn't Elon's cocaine that was found IN the White House. Funny, how they can't figure out who brought that in...

gilbar చెప్పారు...

it's IMPORTANT, to BELIEVE *ANYTHING* if it's in the NYTs
they would NOT have put it there if they didn't want you to Believe it

boatbuilder చెప్పారు...

The NYT article reveals a text message he wrote last May: "There are at least half a dozen initiatives of significance to take me down.... The Biden administration views me as the #2 threat after Trump. I can’t be president, but I can help Trump defeat Biden and I will."

To the Times, this is evidence that Musk is only supporting Trump to advance his own interests. To normal people, this is evidence of sanity.

Old and slow చెప్పారు...

I used to be a heavy drug user. I took ketamine one time in my life, and there will never be a second time. Total disassociation from reality. I've done lots of different psychedelics, I've smoked toad venom (loved it!), but ketamine was a bridge too far for me. On the other hand, I'm certainly no Elon Musk. If he can do that shit while managing the rest of his crazy life, maybe he really isn't human.

Leland చెప్పారు...

The thing about Musk having many children with multiple women is true. The financial arrangement for them is also pretty well known, as is his motivation behind all of it. It certainly is non-Puritan behavior but not illegal. One can call it immoral, but Musk isn’t hiding his plans from these willing women. It is hard for me to find Musk’s behavior unacceptable while progressive women want to have sex with Luigi Mangione. I think Musk is offering a healthier alternative.

Lawnerd చెప్పారు...

If Musk is doing drugs give me some too. One of the most successful men on the planet is doing drugs, seems like he can handle them at least gauged by his accomplishments.

Spiros చెప్పారు...

RFK Jr. also is doing drugs -- anabolic steroids. According to the internet. these drugs "can also cause mania, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, and violent behavior." RFK is next.

Breezy చెప్పారు...

So much anonymity in the sourcing and speculation in the writing…. I wonder if Musk will sue for defamation over this.

rehajm చెప్పారు...

It’s fun to go back and forth about how stupid NYT has become and letting the discussion devolve into bothsidesism and all but it’s important to remember why they attack Musk- it’s because he’s exposed the corrupt scheme to transfer united states treasury/taxpayer billions to the coffers of various democrat party supporters engaged in all manner of political operations. I really wanna know if tax money is paying for the Palestinian's pricey DC PR firm…

Amadeus 48 చెప్పారు...

They lost me at "gesturing like a Nazi". Go to the tape. It wasn't gesturing like a Nazi.

J L Oliver చెప్పారు...

Stay tuned. Looks like an incoming Oval Office presser with Prez and Elon. The drama continues.

rehajm చెప్పారు...

…given the political losses they’re taking, the left should be dar more depressed than they are but here they are defiant, manic, almost giddy from their own words. Proof they’re all on max doses of Lexapro and alprazolam, according to sources…

Iman చెప్పారు...

Luigi Mangione? Now THERE’S an oxygen thief.

Never comments చెప్పారు...

These continual extracts from the NYT are tiresome in the sense that they are so skewed and so careless in mixing fact, observation, conjecture, opinion and outright fabrications that it is reality based fiction. The mixture of different substance is often in one sentence as in the last one quoted "But he has exhibited erratic behavior, insulting cabinet members, gesturing like a Nazi and garbling his answers in a staged interview". "Erratic" = opinion, "insulting" = conjecture, "Nazi" = conjecture, "garbling" = fabrication. It is simply too much work to parse anything political in the NYT that it is essentially worthless other then as a semantics and bias extraction exercise.

Dave Begley చెప్పారు...

I really wish that the editor and publisher of the NYT would read the comments to the Althouse blog.

Howard (not that Howard) చెప్పారు...

I've heard it from reliable lipreaders that he actually says "My heil goes out to you."

RCOCEAN II చెప్పారు...

If the source aren't named I have no desire to read it. The NYT's just makes shits up. They're a propganda organ, not an objective news organization.

This is just another hit piece on Musk. As he stated, he's Target no. 2 after Trump. My suspicion is that once the FBI under Patel started to investigate Biden's use of Cocaine in the white house and FBI/DOJ cover it up, that the far-left MSM would strike back.

So, they've given the Democrats their talking point: "Musk was using drugs in the white house too. So there. Nananaya!"

Biden got on knees for some Israeli in the white house. We were told that was because she had 10 kids, and he was so impressed. The MSM thought that was cute. But if Musk wants to have kids, that's "Weird" and "Strange".

And when was the MSM and democrats ever against drug use? LOL. THey've been promoting it my entire life!

RCOCEAN II చెప్పారు...

BTW, what is about modern society that so many people are "depressed"? And need treatement.

wild chicken చెప్పారు...

Gee is everyone in the hustling classes juicing? If it's not Adderall it's testosterone or SSRI's or ketamine or benzos or a cocktail of Everything. All I had was caffeine and booze.

I'd like to go back in time and "succeed"'the way these fuckers are doing it. Oh, and can i get some "accommodations" too?

Bob Boyd చెప్పారు...

rehajm said..."it’s important to remember why they attack Musk..."
That's it.

Musk clearly functions at a very high level. Kamala seems drunk all the time. The NYT backed Kamala, so...

FormerLawClerk చెప్పారు...

"You know who was hopped up on drugs? Hitler."

So was John F. Kennedy. He was a meth addict and had doctors shooting him up even before debates, such as with Richard Nixon.

It almost got out after an incident at the Carlisle Hotel, but the Secret Service managed to contain him after he stripped naked and ran through the halls paranoid that they were trying to kill him.

They did, eventually.

Laslo Spatula చెప్పారు...

Oh no. That changes everything.

I am Laslo.

BUMBLE BEE చెప్పారు...

Hey. It worked when Duranty did it. Not so much about peeing on the bed. But, hey, Madison is a majic land.

Deep State Reformer చెప్పారు...

Somehow the New York Times has obtained detailed information about Mr Musk's prescription pharmaceutical use but they didn't notice (or report) that Joe Biden was a walking corpse for 4 years? Go figure? FTP and and everything they write.

chuck చెప్పారు...

gesturing like a Nazi I'm typing this like a Nazi would, with my fingers.

BUMBLE BEE చెప్పారు...

Forget about it Jake, it's the New York Times.

Wince చెప్పారు...

You could see on Musk’s face over the last week that he knew this NYT hit piece was coming.

Why did the NYT wait until the end of Musk’s limited tenure with DOGE to drop this story?

Eva Marie చెప్పారు...

Hitler took drugs? O no!

jaydub చెప్పారు...

The NYT, rather than key a Tesla, elected to key Musk's reputation. Unlikely to be any more effective than Tesla keying.

Tina Trent చెప్పారు...

I seriously doubt there are many young reporters at the Times who don't have prescriptions for adderol and other mood-altering drugs. But ketamine? Spend more time with your children instead.

Trump abstaining from ever drinking or drugging should also be acknowledged more.

Birches చెప్పారు...

I know everyone thinks Musk wants to have as many children as possible and there is evidence that is true, but the direct evidence is Ashley St Clair who tried to get pregnant by Musk for a payday. The woman that has two kids with him and met with Modi doesn't seem to have any problems with their relationship. His other baby mamas seem like they were very active relationships. He's not any different than Nick Cannon then.

Krumhorn చెప్పారు...

Musk was a darling of the lefties…until he was perceived to have departed the ideological fold. That would account for the otherwise unaccountable statements of so-called former friends in the article.

The lefties are nasty little shits.

- Krumhorn

Peachy చెప్పారు...

How do these lying leftwing Soviet democreeps in the hack Soviet press - know any of this stuff?

They don't. they lie.

Peachy చెప్పారు...

"It is unclear whether Mr. Musk..."

Proof the lying Soviet Democrat a-holes in the media are liars.

Peachy చెప్పారు...

The Democrat Party Soviet Press is a Tabloid.

Not Illinois Resident చెప్పారు...

Musk is a member of the Autistic Spectrum tribe. Many of these people do rely on medical cocktail to keep them reasonably functional for purposes of gainful employment. We know several young AS men who are medicated and employed full-time, wouldn't be able to navigate their work- world without the meds.

Dr Weevil చెప్పారు...

Is it true that "Trump is strongly opposed to drugs" (AA, 6:41am)? For himself, yes, including alcohol. And he's very much in favor of enforcing the laws against illegal drugs, e.g. cutting off the flow of fentanyl and cocaine across the border. But when has he ever objected to other people using legal drugs? He's no Mormon! Has he ever said anything about the states that have legalized marijuana? My impression is that he's a Federalist on drugs, as well as abortion.

Peachy చెప్పారు...

Do the Soviet democrat media liars have access to Musk's private health care?
If so - where is the proof?

Oh right - lying a-hole democratic loyalist Soviets don't need proof. They have lies.

Rocco చెప్పారు...

Lawnerd said...
If Musk is doing drugs give me some too. One of the most successful men on the planet is doing drugs, seems like he can handle them at least gauged by his accomplishments.

The problem with doing drugs is that you think you’re turning into Elon Musk, but you’re really just Aimo Koivunen at best.

Rocco చెప్పారు...

At what point does the New York Times become a tabloid?

Should be past tense, not present.

Deep State Reformer చెప్పారు...

"This conservative obsession with Tapper, however, points to a larger problem in conservative media: It still [sic] parasitically lives on its larger, liberal host. Megyn Kelly, the Daily Wire, National Review and the various websites [I] all exist to engage with the latest leftist trigger: waiting, as it were, to scream about the latest woke outrage.[/i]
The Conservative Media™ use Wrecker Media sources as out rage porn to draw their readership in.
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/web/robert-novak-and-the-problem-of-contemporary-conservative-media/

Ficta చెప్పారు...

I read Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land decades ago. I'm currently nearly done rereading it. I'm surprised all the book clubs in America aren't reading it right now. If you want to understand Elon Musk, start with Stranger in a Strange Land, it's clearly a foundational text for him.

Dude1394 చెప్పారు...

The ubiquitous NYTimes hit piece on republicans. It worth a moments thought, because they have been straight out lying for more than 8 years.

Iman చెప్పారు...

"It is unclear whether Mr. Musk..."

And a big problem with this article is that it can’t be unread.

Josephbleau చెప్పారు...

Ok, if musk took drugs illegally he should be charged, along with everyone else in the country who does. But we don’t have to stop listening to Dylan and Jerry Garcia’s music because they were drugged out and we don’t have to ignore the disgusting waste and corruption that Elon found.

The US government was a serious source of danger to the world when crazy Beiden was running the show, and democrats did not care. Stupid Miley wet his pants over imaginary Trump fear dreams.

Inserting the “ You know who was hopped up on drugs? Hitler” is fine, but seems gratuitous. Hitler did more than take drugs. People who take drugs are still responsible for their actions. Is anyone saying musk is a mass murderer?

Iman చెప్పారు...

“You know who was hopped up on drugs? Hitler.”

Oh noes!!! Please let us know if and when Musk starts pounding teh podium and invades Poland!

Josephbleau చెప్పారు...

I would propose that all congresspeople, all Senate approved executive officers, the President and VP, and all Military Officers take public drug tests each month.

Josephbleau చెప్పారు...

And if they did do testing I would bet $1mm that someone would fake trumps test to show positive.

Peachy చెప్పారు...

Funny how the left become Drug prudes is they can use it to smear someone.

boatbuilder చెప్పారు...

The problem with doing drugs is that you think you’re turning into Elon Musk, but you’re really just Aimo Koivunen at best.

"I spent ten years down there smokin' that pachucka weed
I was Rip Van Winkle but I thought I was Apollo Creed"

The Gourds--Tex Mex Mile

Achilles చెప్పారు...

Once written, twice... said...
It is wild that it is an open secret that Elon is whacked out on Donkey Dust. But that fits in with the crazy reality of Trump’s Washington.

But not Biden's Washington.

Oh wait... You are just a degenerate person with the moral compass of an insect.

These people belong in a country like China where people of such low virtue can live in a police state where they belong.

boatbuilder చెప్పారు...

Hey Laslo--I watched your movie, and I very much enjoyed it. It seemed to be both parody and homage. Very well done.

Bob Boyd చెప్పారు...

Donkey Dust. That's funny. Haven't heard that before.
You know what will mess you up worse than Donkey Dust?
Donkey Trust.
Don't do it.
Just say no.

Anne in Rockwall, TX చెప్పారు...

Laslo!!!!

Leland చెప్పారు...

But when has he ever objected to other people using legal drugs?

When he signed "Right to try" legislation during his first term. Oh wait, that was making it legal to use drugs that had yet to fully vetted by the FDA, if you and your physician thought it might help. Which means Trump was consistent with both the Covid vaccine and Ivermectin. Hmm, seems like Trump is a bit liberal on what people can do with their body, even if he prefers not to do it to his.

Jamie చెప్పారు...

I thought - like TTrent and wildchicken above - that it was common knowledge that every person under, say, 50 in Washington has a script* for Adderall, for their "ADHD."

The stories about Musk and ketamine have been around for a long time. I don't know the truth of them. But given his actual output, I'm reminded anew of Ann Coulter's comment when Rush Limbaugh's addiction to painkillers became known: "He really did have half his brain tied behind his back." (For the one or two people who don't know, the rest of that reference, from Limbaugh himself, was "just to make it fair.")

*People shorten "prescription" to "script" when I think it should be "scrip," based on pronunciation. But I am sticking with conventional usage so people don't think it's a typo. I generate enough of those for real.

FullMoon చెప్పారు...

boatbuilder said...
The problem with doing drugs is that you think you’re turning into Elon Musk, but you’re really just Aimo Koivunen at best.

"I spent ten years down there smokin' that pachucka weed
I was Rip Van Winkle but I thought I was Apollo Creed"


1987 Marijuana Drug PSA "Eddie, did you even look for a job today? Ma no" TV Commercial
.

Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...

Even George Will predicted at the outset: “ The world’s richest man is about to get a free public education.”

Trump promised to work with “only the best people”, who’d bring private sector effectiveness to those losers in the public sector. What a disaster DOGE has been. Imagine an exec in the private sector in charge of delivering a $2 billion revenue target and coming back with $30-$150m instead (depending on how generously you count). He’d be forever unemployable.

Especially funny from a guy who runs businesses which are basically about farming subsidies, tax breaks and direct contracts with the government.

Charlie చెప్పారు...

Why can't we simply have a no-nonsense regular guy running the government? Ya know, like Tim Walz!

Rusty చెప్పారు...

Oh, my!.............................................anyway.

Sally327 చెప్పారు...

Matthew Perry (actor from the tv show "Friends") killed himself using ketamine. Which had been prescribed to him by a doctor as well although I think he got a dealer on the side to get him enough to do the job. But why would a doctor prescribe it to him in the first place, being a supposedly recovering drug addict and all. Wealthy, famous people, there's always someone willing to write you a scrip or score for you. Just hope Elon Musk gets it together.

Peachy చెప్పారు...

Funny how the left become Drug prudes IF they can use it to smear someone.

*fixed

Peachy చెప్పారు...

The Soviet Left's non stop war on Musk continues.

Oh - and F U Tampon Tim. You lost - loser.

JAORE చెప్పారు...

"Yes, I'd like to see an equally aggressive NYT article about the drugs that were used to make Joe Biden presentable."

And I'd like to be young, rich and handsome. But we both know that ain't gonna happen.

Bruce Hayden చెప్పారు...

“To the Times, this is evidence that Musk is only supporting Trump to advance his own interests. To normal people, this is evidence of sanity.”

So, Musk dies, and all of a sudden, half the people on the Forbes 25 have the same last name (his). If his fortune were divided equally among his kids, they would all be centabillionaires. Worse than all the billionaires after Sam Walton died.

Bruce Hayden చెప్పారు...

“To the Times, this is evidence that Musk is only supporting Trump to advance his own interests. To normal people, this is evidence of sanity.”

And he accomplished that. X/Twitter is safe from govt takeover or control, and the federal government is no longer screwing with his launch schedules, just because they could, and he had fired all their censors at X.

bagoh20 చెప్పారు...

The NYT? Really? Again? Was The Bat Boy on the front page?
You can't take the NYT seriously without a bad case of Gell-Mann amnesia. There are other excuses, but I'm trying to be kind.

Earnest Prole చెప్పారు...

I love everyone here getting huffy about stuff everyone knows to be true, and indeed, what Musk himself has talked semi-openly about.

Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...

Musk’s pivot away from Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill is not a principled stand: it’s damage control after his $250 million "investment" in a strongman administration cratered Tesla’s stock, alienated core customers, and tarnished his global business interests.

This is an old story: Musk’s trajectory chillingly parallels that of Henri Deterding, Shell’s imperial CEO from 1900 to 1936. As Georges Bornes documents in "Henri Deterding: Le sulfureux fondateur de la Shell" (2022), Deterding wrapped his support for Hitler in the language of “efficiency,” “order,” and anti-communist crusading . . . much like Musk justifies his own war on “wokeism” and his cynical calls for budget cuts.

Deterding’s millions bankrolled Europe’s slide into fascism; Musk’s actions risk doing the same by undermining democratic institutions and regulatory frameworks essential for climate action, public safety, and economic fairness.

Musk’s businesses have been propped up by public subsidies for years:

• Tesla’s rise was underwritten by government EV credits.

• SpaceX thrives on NASA and Pentagon contracts.

• Starlink’s ambitions hinge on public broadband funds.

• The $42 billion rural broadband scheme, the Iron Dome expansion, and deregulation spree during DOGE’s brief tenure were not governance reforms . . . they were windfalls for Musk’s empire.

Musk’s criticism of Trump’s budget is not a moral awakening: it is a PR pivot to salvage influence in a new cycle. The pattern is clear: push for deregulation, scapegoat the vulnerable, profit off state contracts, and retreat when the backlash threatens the brand.

Leland చెప్పారు...

• SpaceX thrives on NASA and Pentagon contracts.

Putin was thriving on NASA contracts until SpaceX provided them an alternative. Further, United Space Alliance thrived on building expendable and expensive rockets for NASA and the Pentagon, until SpaceX provided them a cheaper and more dependable alternative.

Quit being a Putin stooge.

TeaBagHag చెప్పారు...

Reality show pitch; Hunter Biden and Elon Musk take superhero doses of drugs and compete against each other in American gladiator type hijinks,, while high as fuck.

Scott Patton చెప్పారు...

Old and slow said...
"I used to be a heavy drug user. I took ketamine one time in my life, and there will never be a second time."
What would it have been like if you only took about 10% of the dose, or even less?
I know someone who only smoked weed once or twice in their mid/late teens, then in their mid 30s (around 2005) she sat down and smoked a very potent joint, hit for hit with a chronic user. She thought the world was going to end. As they say, sometimes "quantity has a quality all its own".

Old and slow చెప్పారు...

Scott Patton, I agree with what you are saying. The poison is in the dose. I THOUGHT that I was taking a very small amount. I was wrong... but it truly was shocking.

Bruce Hayden చెప్పారు...

• Tesla’s rise was underwritten by government EV credits.

Don’t look at us. It was your side that pushed EVs so hard. That’s what your side wanted - EV proliferation. Tesla just built better EVs, and most everyone knew it.

• SpaceX thrives on NASA and Pentagon contracts.

Well, SpaceX is the low cost launcher, by a significant margin. NASA, Pentagon, etc can find other launch providers. But not guaranteed to get the payloads in orbit, as quickly, reliably, or anywhere as cheaply. They had over half the launches last year, world wide, and even more by tonnage. And by the end of the year, they should be commercially launching their massive, reusable, Starship. They are planning on test flights every 3-4 weeks, until then. That’s going to make their price advantage over everyone else that much larger.

• Starlink’s ambitions hinge on public broadband funds.

Not even close. I am thinking of putting in a StarLink dish this summer. In PHX, I have 2 fiber feeds, with a 2x3 mux with load leveling and fail over. I have one fiber feed in MT, it’s probably gone if we lose power. The house has a Generac generator that will get the fiber feed into the house, but that doesn’t help between the house and the central office. With the Generac, combined with StarLink, we’ll have Internet even in an extended power outage. Use the same 2x3 mux, with the fiber, of course. And, yes, the fiber was where the public broadcast funds went in rural MT. The thing is, StarLink is price competitive already with fiber. It may, right now, be a tad slower, but is probably more reliable. But that’s likely to change with SpaceX’s Starship’s “Pez Dispenser” communications satellite launcher (one of the things that failed in Tuesday’s Starship 9 test flight). Instead of launching maybe a dozen comm satellites at a time, they will be launching over 50 at a time.

Then there is cellular. They are now working with T Mobile to provide cell service, world wide, over their PCS band. We still have decent sized cellular dead spots in NW MT. Not much longer. We are facing nationwide (except maybe for distant parts of AK) cell phone service, at commercial cell phone prices. Except for in the biggest cities, like NYC, with their numbers of very tall buildings. But the T Mobile cell towers will cover that. And the mainline cell companies are not going to be able to compete, because their incremental cost of additional coverage is going exponential, with added transmitters covering fewer and fewer customers, but costing more and more.

Old and slow చెప్పారు...

I'm no fan of Tea Bag Hag (to put it kindly), but her idea of a drug fueled battle between Hunter and Elon made me laugh. Hunter would probably wipe the floor with Musk.

loudogblog చెప్పారు...

The minute that the author said that Musk was "gesturing like a Nazi" they lost all credibility that their article would be, in the least bit, accurate.

Bruce Hayden చెప్పారు...

“Well, SpaceX is the low cost launcher, by a significant margin. NASA, Pentagon, etc can find other launch providers. But not guaranteed to get the payloads in orbit, as quickly, reliably, or anywhere as cheaply.”

Let me clarify a bit. The one party trying the hardest to keep up with SpaceX in terms of reusability, cost per launch, etc, are the ChiComs. While Biden and the Dems may have happily given them USG business, including Pentagon launches, that just ain’t gonna happen with a Republican in the WH or controlling one or both houses of Congress. And ChiCom competition is why it was critical for both Musk and the US to eliminate the ability of Deep State bureaucrats to shut down. Or greatly delay Starship test launches, just because they could, and Musk fired all the X/Twitter censors that had been doing heavy duty censoring for the Democrats.

Josephbleau చెప్పారు...

All the weirdos here think that everyone from the ngo democrat rich to BLM should get free money but Elon can’t sell low cost services that the government desperately needs because he should not get government contracts. He got a contract to go save Boeing’s ass when they could not bring their own employees back from space. 40 billion was allocated by Beiden for rural internet, Elon did not get a dime. But he was the one who could have saturated rural America with all the service needed.

I am always amazed at the raw thoughtless stupidity of some folks.

Jim at చెప్పారు...

gesturing like a Nazi

Stopped reading right there.

Lazarus చెప్పారు...

How do we know all this about Musk's medicaments, when we never learned anything about Biden's?

TeaBagHag చెప్పారు...

lol, Lazurus!
Maybe because taking old people medicine for your heart and prostate isn’t as noteworthy as someone zonked out of their gourd on psychedelics and big cat tranquilizers, shitting the bed all over the place in front of god and everyone, with his DOGE scam and then scuttling back to his opium den with his tail between his sad little legs.

Josephbleau చెప్పారు...

The only reply I have to weirdo posts is the classical “Behold!”

Bruce Hayden చెప్పారు...

Ever wonder why the richest man on the planet keeps getting richer? Visualizing SpaceX's Stunning Global Lead As 'Made-In America' Rockets Dominate

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