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XCR1250

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    Can I borrow a hundred?

    in Current Events

    Posted

    Donald Trump just got another $1.8 billion worth of Trump Media stock

    CNN Business
    MATT EGAN, CNN
    April 30, 2024 at 5:42 PM
     
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    Brendan McDermid/Pool/Reuters

    Former President Donald Trump just landed another $1.8 billion worth of stock in the corporate owner of Truth Social.

    Trump Media & Technology Group disclosed the windfall for Trump in a filing Tuesday, saying the former president has received another 36 million shares in the company.

    That bonus, known as “earnout” shares, was triggered by the company’s share price staying above certain levels.

    Trump Media said in the filing that on April 26 it officially determined the performance criteria “had been satisfied” and Trump was “subsequently issued the Earnout Shares.”

    At current prices, those new shares are valued at approximately $1.8 billion on paper – though the share price has been extremely volatile.

    Trump now holds an even more dominant stake in Trump Media, amounting to 114.75 million shares, or 64.9% of the total outstanding.

    According to SEC filings, the full earnout of 40 million shares to pre-merger shareholders would be paid if the company’s dollar volume-weighted average price equaled or exceeded $17.50 for any 20 trading days within any 30-day trading period beginning on March 25.

     

    Tuesday, April 23 marked the 20th trading day for Trump Media, and the stock has not traded below that $17.50 level at any point during that timeframe.

    The value of Trump’s stake in the company – and his net worth overall – has swung wildly in recent weeks in tandem with the volatile share price.

    The earnout shares Trump just received are subject to lock-up restrictions that prevent insiders from selling or even borrowing against their stock for months, according to filings.

    Even if Trump is able to get around the lock-up agreement, experts say it would be challenging for him to quickly sell his stake without crashing the stock price. Trump is not just the chairman and most popular user on Truth Social, he is by far the largest shareholder.

    Trump Media’s share price has been subject to extreme turbulence.

    It peaked at $66 on March 27, its second day as a public company. The stock crashed to a post-merger low of $22.84 on April 16 and has since more than doubled to nearly $50.

    Even though Trump Media plunged since late March, it never came close to breaching levels that would have threatened this bonus.

    For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com

    Tesla costs the least; German brands the most, in CR’s exclusive analysis

    in Current Events

    Posted

     

       
    in Mobility

     

     

    Electric cars have hit the brakes across the U.S., with brands like Tesla sinking in sales figures. However, this situation has ceased to be a mystery since we learned about the new water engine, the first of its kind in history. You know what makes it special? Not only its 400 hp, but also that it is a more efficient option than hydrogen in any environment.

     

    New water engine: EVs and conventional hydrogen will be soon replaced

    AVL, an Austrian automotive engineering company, has developed an innovative hydrogen combustion engine that could revolutionize motorsports and transportation. Their 400 horsepower prototype engine can run on hydrogen fuel with zero CO2 emissions, providing performance comparable to tradicional ICE.

    Unlike other hydrogen engines that run on fuel cells, AVL’s technology utilizes direct hydrogen injection into the combustion chamber. This allows the engine to operate much like a conventional petrol or diesel engine, but fueled by hydrogen. The technology builds upon AVL’s decades of experience in high-performance powertrain.

     

    Early testing shows tremendous promise for racing applications. Motorsports provide an ideal testing ground for developing hydrogen engine technology that could eventually make its way to road cars. AVL’s hydrogen engine offers drivers the sound, emotion and excitement of combustion engines.

    This breakthrough demonstrates that high-performance vehicles do not need to sacrifice driving experience in the transition to cleaner energy. AVL’s hydrogen engine technology could pave the way for the motorsport and automotive industries to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically.

     

    AVL hydrogen engine, a new prototype arrives to change everything

    The AVL hydrogen engine is based on internal combustion engine (ICE) technology, but with key differences compared to conventional gasoline or diesel engines. Whereas normal ICEs burn gasoline or diesel fuel, AVL’s engine burns hydrogen gas to generate power.

    Hydrogen gas is injected into the combustion chamber, then compressed and ignited by a spark plug, just like in a gasoline engine. This combustion of hydrogen and air drives the pistons up and down to produce rotational power. The main byproduct emitted from the exhaust is water vapor rather than carbon dioxide.

    There are challenges associated with burning pure hydrogen gas in an ICE. Hydrogen’s flammability range in air and the combustion speed are different than gasoline. This requires adaptations to the fuel injection system, ignition timing, combustion chamber design, and cooling systems compared to a conventional ICE.

    AVL’s engineers optimized the hydrogen engine’s design for efficiency and power output. This includes running the engine at a higher compression ratio to take advantage of hydrogen’s faster burn rate. The prototype achieves a thermal efficiency over 50% – significantly higher than an equivalent gasoline engine.

    400 hp and extended range: what to expect from this hydrogen engine

    AVL’s prototype hydrogen combustion engine delivers 400 horsepower and was specifically designed and optimized to run on hydrogen fuel. The engine is based on a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder that has been modified to handle the unique properties of hydrogen combustion.

    Some key details about the prototype:

    • It uses direct hydrogen injection into the cylinders for optimal combustion. This allows precise control of the hydrogen-air mixture.

    • The compression ratio was increased to 14:1, higher than a normal gasoline engine. This takes advantage of hydrogen’s higher autoignition temperature.

    • Dedicated engine control software was developed to account for hydrogen’s faster burning speed and wider flammability range compared to gasoline.

    • The cylinder head, pistons, valves and injectors were redesigned to withstand the higher temperatures and pressures of hydrogen combustion.

    • Lightweight materials like aluminum and titanium were used to offset the lower energy density of hydrogen fuel.

    Overall, AVL’s 400hp prototype demonstrates the performance potential of hydrogen in an optimized internal combustion engine. It serves as a platform for further development and is a significant achievement in hydrogen engine technology.

    A 400 hp hydrogen engine is not an invention we see every day, and it is certainly set to revolutionize the roads. In this sense, the only question that remains to be clarified is whether it will work as well in icy environments such as Alaska, where it is difficult to perform the combustion mechanism of this fuel. However, it already leaves electric cars far behind, no doubt about it.

    Tesla costs the least; German brands the most, in CR’s exclusive analysis

    in Current Events

    Posted

    EVs have 79% more reliability problems than gas cars, says Consumer Reports

    Teething problems abound with new electric powertrains.

    JONATHAN M. GITLIN - 11/29/2023, 12:13 PM

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    Widely accepted wisdom has it that electric vehicles are easier to maintain than those with internal combustion powertrains. It seems intuitive—EVs have many fewer moving parts than cars that have to detonate small quantities of hydrocarbon fuel thousands of times a minute. But the data don't really bear out the idea. In fact, according to data collected by Consumer Reports, EVs are significantly less reliable than conventionally powered cars.

    CR is known for buying cars for its own test fleet, but for its annual auto reliability survey, the organization cast a wider net. Specifically, it gathered data from 330,000 owners of vehicles from model year 2000 onwards, and it uses that survey data to generate reliability scores for each vehicle and model year.

    The results are a little inconvenient for the EV evangelist. EVs had 79 percent more reliability problems than a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle, on average. Plug-in hybrids fared even worse; these had 146 percent more issues on average than the conventional alternative. But simpler not-plug-in hybrids bucked this trend, with 26 percent fewer reliability problems than conventionally powered vehicles.

    PHEVs also had the greatest number of potential trouble areas. A conventionally powered car, truck, or SUV has 17 main problem areas, according to CR, including minor stuff like trim rattling and more significant areas like the engine or transmission. PHEVs have all these plus electric motors, a high-voltage traction battery, and charging to contend with.

    Hybrids have 19 potential trouble areas—all the above minus the charging problem—and EVs have just 12, since they go without things like internal combustion engines, fueling systems, or transmissions. (Yes, if you want to be very pedantic you could point out the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT have two-speed transmissions, but no one will be impressed.)

    Electric motors, charging, and battery problems make up most of the EV reliability complaints (and those are charging problems with the car, not with home or public charging hardware). The relative rawness of most EVs on sale is a big factor in this, and CR has some good advice for potential EV buyers: Do not get seduced by that launch edition vehicle.

    "EVs are still in their relative infancy as mainstream vehicles, so it’s really not surprising that manufacturers, by and large, are still working out the kinks. That said, we are seeing signs of movement in the right direction. And as our data has consistently shown, reliability-minded consumers would be best served by forgoing brand new vehicles in their first model year," said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at CR.

    "Hybrids continue to surpass EVs and ICE vehicles for reliability even though hybrids are more complex with gas-powered engines supplemented by an electric drive system. This is because hybrid technology is now over 25 years old and is offered mainly from the most reliable automakers."

    At first, CR's data looks like it's in conflict with one of its earlier reports; in 2020, its data showed that EVs and PHEVs had lifetime maintenance costs that were about twice as cheap as for an internal combustion-powered vehicle. But Fisher noted that the earlier study was looking at cost rather than reliability. Since the EVs and PHEVs were mostly under warranty (and EV powertrain warranties are typically much longer than regular powertrain warranties), many repairs did not cost the owners.

    Who did well?

    Different brands are having different reliability issues. Tesla, despite a legion of horror stories, finds itself very middle of the pack in terms of overall reliability, and in general it builds dependable EV powertrains—less so bodywork, paint/trim, and climate systems. It's the second-highest ranked domestic automaker in CR's list, and its two volume offerings, the Models 3 and Y, have average reliability, according to CR's data and predictions.

    EVs from other automakers mostly tell the opposite story. These brands know how to assemble and paint cars, and they can build climate control systems that don't cause too many headaches. But there are many more complaints about their electric powertrains. CR says that the Ford Mustang Mach-E is a notable bright spot, "which has shown enough improvement in its EV battery and charging system to now be rated average for predicted reliability and is eligible for CR’s recommendation."

    Meanwhile, PHEVs are the worst of both worlds. As an example, the conventionally powered Chrysler Pacifica minivan is one of CR's recommended picks this year, based on its reliability. But the plug-in hybrid Pacifica is well below average, thanks to plenty of problems with its hybrid drivetrain and charging system.

    Those reliability problems affect different manufacturers differently, though. By contrast, Toyota's RAV4 Prime was one of the most reliable vehicles in the entire survey, despite being a PHEV.

    Dem keys Trump supporters truck.

    in Current Events

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, 800renegaderider said:

    What a dumb son of a bitch lol. How do people not realize you can’t get away with crap like that anymore cameras everywhere now.

     


    You got a steal of a deal on that. I wouldn’t even paint a car on the side cash under the table for that cheap. 6k is a very realistic price at a decent shop. The last complete paint job I worked on before the shop started basically only doing insurance collision work fix some dents and rust and paint including jams was 18k bucks and this was 3-4 years ago. Quality materials aren’t cheap neither is labor. Just some prices off the top of my head for materials we use. Gallon of ppg dplf epoxy primer/activator is $500 bucks. Gallon of ppg k38 high build primer/activator $450 bucks. A gallon of ppg paint a lot depends on color and tints used but for example the color I used on my car ford race red gallon in ppg $1200 bucks. Clear coat couple hundred to few hundred depending what you use. 

    Body shop on CTH B here took all the dents out of another truck I had for $100 while I went across the road to Subway, he then came to pick me up at Subway, paintless dent repair.

    Dem keys Trump supporters truck.

    in Current Events

    Posted

    1 minute ago, ViperGTS/Z1 said:

    Lmao 🤣.... pretty sure those days are over.   Had my IROC painted about 30 years ago for about $600. 

      Nowadays, just getting a ding or few stone chips taken care of will cost a grand.    

    Not here, had lots of rust repair and painted on a 2007 Avalanche we wanted to sell, was only $850, a year ago.

    How's the Trump CRIMINAL trial going today?

    in Current Events

    Posted

    The New Republic

    Shocker From Top Conservative Judge: Trump Likely To Skate Completely

    Greg Sargent
    Sat, April 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM CDT·4 min read
    512
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    “I’m profoundly disturbed about the apparent direction of the court,” J. Michael Luttig told me. “I now believe that it is unlikely Trump will ever be tried for the crimes he committed in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.”

    I called Luttig, a former federal judge with extensive conservative credentials, to solicit his reaction to this week’s Supreme Court hearing over Donald Trump’s demand for absolute immunity from prosecution for any crimes related to his insurrection attempt. On Thursday, Luttig posted a thread critiquing the right-wing justices for their apparent openness to Trump’s arguments—but that thread was legalistic and formal, so I figured Luttig had a lot more to say.

    And did he ever. Luttig lacerated the right-wing justices for harboring a “radical vision” of the American presidency, and pronounced himself “gravely” worried that Trump will never face accountability for alleged crimes committed in attempting to destroy U.S. democracy through extensive procedural corruption and the naked incitement of mob violence.

    Luttig’s fear that Trump may very well skate centers on the lines of questioning from the court’s right-wing majority about Special Counsel Jack Smith’s ongoing prosecution of Trump. As many observers noted, those justices appeared largely uninterested in the question before them—whether Trump’s alleged crimes related to the insurrection constituted official presidential acts that are immune from prosecution after leaving office.

    Instead, the justices dwelled on the supposed future consequences of prosecuting presidents for crimes, and seemed to want to place some limits on that eventuality. That suggests the justices will kick the case back to lower courts to determine whether some definition of official presidential acts must be protected (and whether Trump’s specific acts qualify).

    Such a move would almost certainly push Trump’s trial until after the election, and if he wins, he can simply cancel prosecutions of himself. Luttig fears that outcome. But he also worries that even if Trump loses the election, there may well be five Supreme Court votes for siding with Trump’s demand for immunity. Both outcomes would functionally end his prosecution.

    “I believe it is now likely either that Trump will get elected and instruct his attorney general to drop the charges, or that the Supreme Court will grant him immunity from prosecution,” Luttig told me.

    To be sure, some observers think that in the end, five justices will not grant Trump that immunity. In this scenario, a conservative majority could remand the case to lower courts to define official presidential acts that cannot be prosecuted, even as some combination of five or more justices later rules that Trump’s specific actions are still subject to prosecution.

    But Luttig fears that this may be overly optimistic.

    Luttig pointed out that even Chief Justice John Roberts seemed to express some sympathy for the general idea that official presidential acts should be immune from prosecution. He also noted that Justice Brett Kavanaugh praised the pardon of Richard Nixon, and that Justice Neil Gorsuch said that if presidents can be prosecuted, they might pardon themselves before leaving office to protect themselves, which Gorsuch suggested might be legitimate.

    Take all that together, Luttig said, and it’s not hard to see how five right-wing justices could let Trump off. Some could declare that Trump’s actions related to Jan. 6 (the pressure on his vice president to subvert the electoral count and on the Justice Department to create a fake pretext for that) constitute official acts immune from prosecution. Others might hold that the statutes Trump allegedly violated don’t offer a clear statement that they apply to presidents, Luttig said.

    Either way, Trump has already gotten much of what he wants with the all-but-certain delay. And the lines of questioning from the right-wing justices are already deeply alarming, Luttig argued. Justice Samuel Alito, for instance, declared that if presidents must fear prosecution after leaving office, they might prove more prone to resisting the transfer of power, destabilizing the country.

    That’s preposterous, as The New Republic’s Michael Tomasky noted, since there’s never been a bar on post-presidential prosecution throughout U.S. history, yet the only president to aggressively resist that transfer is Donald Trump himself. What’s more, as Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern point out at Slate, the notion also seems to suggest, absurdly, that giving presidents free rein to commit crimes in office, including attempting to destroy democracy at its very foundations, is essential to maintaining democratic stability.

    One might add that when the justices ruled that Trump’s insurrection does not disqualify him from the ballot, they told us that this, too, was necessary to avoid national destabilization. Mysteriously enough, a key ingredient for achieving political stability always seems to involve not holding Trump accountable.

    “The conservative justices’ argument for immunity assumes that Jack Smith’s prosecution of Trump is politically corrupt and seeks a rule that would prevent future presidents from corruptly prosecuting their predecessors,” Luttig said.

    “But such a rule would license all future presidents to commit crimes against the United States while in office with impunity,” Luttig concluded. “Which is exactly what Trump is arguing he’s entitled to do.”

    50,000

    in Current Events

    Posted

    52 minutes ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

    holy shit 

    had some yellow jackets get into an exterior wall above a window at the cottage last year.  that was no treat either.  those weren't treated as humanely.  

     

    Hate those things. Wife can go into anaphylactic shock if she gets stung, has to carry an Epipen.

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