samhexum

Elon Musk’s fortune has now surpassed the $150 billion mark. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, already the world’s second-richest man, reached the milestone Monday after Tesla shares surged more than 5 percent to a new, all-time high. The electric automaker’s stock has been on a tear since mid-November when the S&P 500 index announced that it would include Tesla in December. Shares of Tesla are up 54 percent since Nov. 16. With his $151.1 billion net worth, Elon Musk is now more than $20 billion ahead of No. 3 Bill Gates, who has a $129 billion fortune, and $45 billion ahead of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who Musk originally passed the day after the S&P’s announcement. After adding more than $120 billion to his net worth in 2020 alone, Musk now plays second fiddle only to Jeff Bezos, who is the richest man on earth with a net worth pegged at $185 billion. Musk’s Tesla 170.4 million Tesla shares are worth more than $108 billion, with the rest of his fortune coming from additional Tesla options as well as his holdings in rocket company SpaceX and drilling company Boring, according to data from Bloomberg. The upward trajectory could continue ahead of Tesla’s Dec. 21 debut in the benchmark index because big investment funds that duplicate the S&P’s holdings must buy Tesla shares to accurately track its performance. Shares of Tesla were trading up 59 percent Monday afternoon, at $634.24.

An NYU student lost her bid to finish out the semester after getting suspended for attending a boat party where coronavirus rules weren’t being followed, a judge ruled Monday. Freshman Nicole Rosenberg sued the university last week, claiming that it unfairly suspended her for the remainder of the fall semester for attending a boat party that she didn’t know ahead of time wouldn’t be enforcing COVID guidelines. “There is one week left of class. [Rosenberg] has been out for 2½ weeks and she needs to return to class in order that she does not lose the ¾ of the semester that she has done,” Rosenberg’s lawyer Karen Edler argued during a Manhattan Supreme Court video hearing Monday. “Pending the decision, harm is immediate and it is irreparable,” Edler told the judge. But granting the stay “undermines NYU’s ability to enforce its policy strictly and NYU is enforcing its policy strictly here because it’s trying to keep the university community healthy … and to keep being able to have on-campus classes,” NYU lawyer Ira Feinberg responded later in the hearing. Justice Carol Edmead denied Rosenberg’s emergency request to allow her to finish the last week of classes since the judge found her lawsuit wasn’t likely to succeed. “The court is denying an application for an interim stay,” Edmead said. “The court’s view is that the lack of the ability of the petitioner to show likelihood of success on the merits outweighs the irreparable harm factor.” “There are six days left in the semester … that we are talking about loss of school time,” Edmead said adding that she plans to rule on the entire case very quickly. The 18-year-old claimed that she attended the 21-and-over Oct. 15 boat ride only after her two friends she attended with told her the ride would be following mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines. By the time Rosenberg realized people weren’t following COVID rules on the lower level of the boat, it was too late for her to get off, so she and her two friends stayed on the upper level, where they maintained distancing from others and wore masks. But NYU said it didn’t buy Rosenberg’s story that she really believed the boat party would be following pandemic guidelines for a slew of reasons including that the cruise wasn’t starting until 10:30 at night, it was leaving from a secret port and it would have DJs on board playing music. “The notion that they expected a sedate socially distanced cruise around Manhattan is, to our point of view, not credible,” Feinberg said earlier in the hearing.

Wendy Williams revealed on her show Monday morning that her mother, Shirley Skinner Williams, has died. Williams, 56, said her mom passed away “many, many, many, many weeks ago” surrounded by her family. “You know how you lose track of the day and time? All I know was it was a long time ago,” the daytime talk show host, holding back tears, shared. “The five of us, my mom, dad, my siblings, the five of us – she will always be here.” The author noted that her mom, who often appeared on her daughter’s eponymous talk show, died “beautifully and peacefully and surrounded by love. She didn’t suffer, thank God.” She did not reveal the cause of death. Williams described her relationship with her mom as “that of two teenage girls” and said they became closer when she left for college. “Gone is the best mother, the best girlfriend that a girl could ever have,” Williams said. Shirley worked as a teacher in New Jersey. She’s survived by her husband, Thomas Williams Sr., as well as her children, Wendy, Wanda and Thomas Williams.

FAMILY GUY took a jab at the Astros tonight. The Griffins – Peter, Lois, Meg and Stewie – are watching TV from the couch when the Astros dig begins. “ESPN now returns to our 30 for 30 documentary on the Houston Astros cheating scandal,” a narrator from the TV says. The show cuts to a former player being interviewed inside the Baseball Hall of Fame. The former player says, “We knew the Astros were stealing signals. Someone was back there banging on a trash can, we just couldn’t figure out who.” Then, a team picture of the Astros flashes on the screen with Oscar the Grouch sitting in his trash can with an Astros cap on the trash can lid right there in the middle of the team photo. The narrator continues, “Several players were interviewed by the league, but none would reveal the mastermind of this garbage can scheme.” The show's Twitter account even posted the clip and made sure the Astros saw it by tagging the club and tweeting, "Hey @Astros, how much you payin' Oscar the Grouch?" That's about all Hal Steinbrenner does, besides setting the budget each season. Or didn't you hear George died a long time ago? Arte Moreno of the Angels is the most notorious buttinsky among owners now... he's the one who decided on his own to offer that brilliant Pujols contract, and I believe he was also behind the equally-successful trade to acquire Josh 'Size-17 feet' Hamilton. Peter Angelos didn't allow the Orioles front office to scout and draft talent from Latin America for years. Jerry Reinsdorf just personally made the decision to hire his friend, 76-year-old Tony LaRussa, to manage the up-and-coming Chisox. And, of course, the Wilpons are gone and best forgotten. How to handle owner Arte Moreno? Three tips for new Los Angeles Angels GM Perry Minasian Buster Olney ESPN Senior Writer It's Arte Moreno's prerogative, as owner of the Los Angeles Angels, to jump into his team's baseball operations decisions anytime he chooses. He amassed the fortune necessary to buy the franchise, and it's his money that funds the paychecks of Mike Trout, manager Joe Maddon and new general manager Perry Minasian. To say that baseball owners at least occasionally get involved in the business of roster-building is basically redundant. But even by that loose industry standard, Moreno has a reputation for being a tough boss, for sometimes being the wrench in the decision-making, executing some deals himself (the signing of Albert Pujols, for example) and calling off others (like when he nixed the deal for the Dodgers' Joc Pederson last winter). It'll be up to Minasian to get his work done within Arte's universe... https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/30450338/how-handle-owner-arte-moreno-three-tips-new-los-angeles-angels-gm-perry-minasian

A former professional boxer is a prime suspect in the bludgeoning murder of her husband, whose body was found inside their apartment in Switzerland. Brazil-born bruiser Viviane Obenauf, 34, is suspected of clobbering her hubby “with a blunt object” inside the home they shared, the UK’s Daily Star reported. She was arrested last week after the victim, identified only as 61-year-old “Thomas,” was found dead of “massive injuries” sustained during a “violent assault,” Swiss police said. Obenauf — who fought in three world title bouts during her career — held a 14-6 record and two World Boxing Federation international titles before she retired last year. She got married on Jan. 25 and opened up a gym in the Swiss town of Interlaken, where she lived with her husband, the owner of a restaurant there, according to local newspaper Blick. Police were spotted searching the gym, as well as the couple’s apartment, located above Thomas’ eatery “Des Alpes.” The former featherweight has been arrested at least once before — for allegedly punching a man who tried to grope her as she celebrated her 30th birthday in London in 2016, the local report said. She spent several hours in jail on the night of that incident. A man who said he’d previously dated the fighter told Blick he wasn’t surprised his ex was back behind bars. “She always had two faces. It’s like flicking a switch,” he said.

I don't know if you remember, but after communism fell, there was an attempted military coup when tanks rolled into Red Square. That was the day my friend and I got our visas from the Russian government. We started out in Leningrad, less than a week before it reverted back to St. Petersburg. We had a private car, driver, and guide (cheaply, from a tour company that was trying to get established) and one day on a drive to see a cathedral out of town, we were stopped for speeding. My friend and I thought we were going to wind up in the gulag. The food was so awful (other than McDonald's and Pizza Hut) that one day we stopped in a fancier hotel than the one we were staying at to look for postcards in the gift shop, and suddenly I heard my friend cry out "SAM! They have coke! They have Twix bars!" We feasted that night. And don't get me started on the toilet paper...

But have any of you ever been to Russia? I was there after communism fell, but before the USSR actually split up.

Armed man ‘adjusting his pants’ accidentally discharges gun inside Atlanta mall A man walking into the Neiman Marcus store at an Atlanta mall Saturday night accidentally set off his gun while he was “adjusting his pants,” according to police. The gunshot rang out through the Lenox Square mall around 6 p.m. Saturday, Sgt. John Chafee told the Daily News Sunday. Witnesses initially told police there may have been a “dispute” between two people, but officers confirmed that no such fight happened. Instead, the armed man fired the “accidental” discharge while adjusting, Chafee said. No one was injured, but the man fled the scene and has not been identified or located. “We urge gun owners to be responsible and we would recommend they leave their firearms at home while they are out shopping in public areas,” Chafee said. “Instances like this are unacceptable and we expect more from those who choose to carry firearms. Gun ownership is a responsibility no one should take lightly.”

Fort Bragg soldier, 21, who disappeared in May was decapitated, autopsy says They needed an autopsy to determine that?!?!?! :eek::eek:

The entire NBA is anxiously waiting to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign a contract extension before the 12/21 deadline. Today was his birthday; the whole Bucks team sang Happy Birthday to him at practice, then 2 of his closest pals on the team gave him the perfect present... a set of fancy pens. As for myself, I usually just call my long-lost twin brother Jeff Stryker. We were born on the same day.

How about a loyalty program? 5% off after 5 hires, 10% after 10. Try a state with a lot of Republican congressmen. ?

About 150 General Motor Co. dealers are parting ways with Cadillac instead of investing in costly upgrades required to sell electric cars, according to FOX Business. GM recently gave the dealers the choice: accept a buyout ranging from $300,000 to more than $1 million to exit the brand or spend about $200,000 to upgrade their dealerships for the sale of electric vehicles. About 17% of Cadillac’s 880 US dealerships agreed to take the offer to end their franchise agreements for the luxury brand, because many of them own other GM brands like Chevrolet and Buick and don’t sell many Cadillacs. That decision illustrates that even as the value of electric vehicles rises, many car industry insiders remain skeptical about selling and investing in the products. Dealers are weighing costly facility investments like electrical-system upgrades against uncertainty about demand for the vehicles, which now account for about 2% of U.S. vehicle sales. Some retailers say they are putting off orders of electric models, worried they will sit too long on their lots. Even in markets where electric vehicles are more popular, like San Francisco, dealers say the lack of commuting during the pandemic has led to a drop off in demand for cars like GM’s Chevrolet Bolt. Cadillac global brand chief Rory Harvey confirmed that the company offered buyouts to dealers, but declined to specify how many had taken them or the value of the offers. “The future dealer requirements are a logical and necessary next step on our path towards electrification,” Mr. Harvey said. Those who aren’t ready to make that commitment are getting fair compensation for exiting the brand, he added. As plug-in models take up more space in showrooms, they are also likely to reshape the economics of running a dealership, analysts and executives say. Electric vehicles have fewer components and require less frequent maintenance, for example, posing a threat to dealers’ parts and service business, a key profit source. Cadillac is set to play a central role in GM’s electric-vehicle push, which is among the most aggressive of legacy auto makers. The nation’s largest car company last month said it would boost its spending on electrics, as well as driverless-car development, by more than a third compared with previous plans, up to $27 billion by mid-decade. That represents the majority of GM’s planned capital spending, even though electrics account for only about 2% of its global sales today. Minnesota Cadillac dealer Todd Snell said he views the upfront costs for electric cars as an investment in the future, even if he is uncertain how quickly sales will take off, especially in his farming community. “I’m not 100% convinced electric cars will be the silver bullet everyone says they will be, but I do think they will become an important part of the business,” Mr. Snell said. “We’re looking to get bigger and, hopefully, be around for the future.” Cadillac will get first dibs on electric-vehicle innovations as the company rolls them out, and its dealerships could feature plug-in models only by 2030, GM executives have said. The brand’s first all-electric model, a sporty crossover SUV called the Lyriq, is scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2022. Executives hope it will be the beginning of a new image for the brand, which dominated the luxury market as recently as the 1990’s. Cadillac dealer Claude Burns plans to spend the money to sell electric vehicles but he is unsure how quickly he will be able to recoup his investment, which he figures will end up being less than $200,000. But he also noted the growing number of Teslas — which are marketed directly to customers without a dealership — on the roadways around his South Carolina community. “It looks to me like to me this electric-vehicle market might be fixing to take off,” he said. “So I decided I’m going to hang with Cadillac.” A friend in college told me FORD stood for Fix Or Repair Daily or Found On Road Dead.

or the inferior version...

1. Invest early in Microsoft. 2. Invest early in Apple. 3. Invest early in Amazon. Bonus advice... any of the decisions you're going to make in the next 40 years, DON'T DO IT! But if you don't have either, make sure your personality is exceptionally sparkling, and your bank account is exceptionally large.

http://synd.imgsrv.uclick.com/comics/cl/2020/cl201206.jpg

Roald Dahl’s family quietly issues apology for late author’s anti-Semitism The family of Roald Dahl, who penned the children’s classics “Matilda” and “James and the Giant Peach,” has quietly apologized for the late writer’s “prejudiced” anti-Semitic comments. Dahl, who died at age 74 in 1990, had made offensive declarations in several interviews, including a 1983 interview with The New Statesman, reports The Sunday Times of London. “There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity, maybe it’s a kind of lack of generosity towards non-Jews. I mean, there’s always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere,” Dahl said. “Even a stinker like Hitler didn’t just pick on them for no reason.” In 1990, Dahl told The Independent: “I’m certainly anti-Israeli and I’ve become anti-Semitic in as much as that you get a Jewish person in another country like England strongly supporting Zionism.” Even some of Dahl’s characters are considered anti-Semitic portrayals, including the large-nosed child snatcher he added in his screenplay of Ian Fleming’s classic “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Dahl’s relatives posted their apology on the author’s website. The statement isn’t dated and wasn’t sent to any Jewish groups or promoted publicly. “The Dahl family and the Roald Dahl Story Company deeply apologise [sic] for the lasting and understandable hurt caused by some of Roald Dahl’s statements. Those prejudiced remarks are incomprehensible to us and stand in marked contrast to the man we knew…,” the apology reads. “We hope that, just as he did at his best, at his absolute worst, Roald Dahl can help remind us of the lasting impact of words.” In a statement to the Sunday Times, the family members acknowledged both their love for Dahl and the pain he caused. “Apologising [sic] for the words of a much-loved grandparent is a challenging thing to do, but made more difficult when the words are so hurtful to an entire community. We loved Roald, but we passionately disagree with his anti-Semitic comments….These comments do not reflect what we see in his work – a desire for the acceptance of everyone equally – and were entirely unacceptable. We are truly sorry.”

He was 73.

Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

Schmidt and Nico have decided to be each other's designated safe partner for sex during the pandemic. Covid is probably going to eventually kill Meredith Grey, but it has reinvigorated GREY'S ANATOMY. It has been quite good so far. I guessed tonight's return-from-the-dead character, though.

Nah, he was actually a nice guy. ? ? 4 questions, took about a minute.