#ev battery stock

[asiafundmanagers27]

EV stock: Did You Check Out Chinese Ev Makers?

EV stock, especially China’s, are capturing investor attention as the nation leads the charge in the electric vehicle revolution. Innovative technologies and robust market demand are driving exponential growth. Backed by favourable government policies and expanding charging infrastructure, these stocks offer enticing investment prospects. Visit: https://bit.ly/3IWzzrv

[apieinvestavimapaprastai]

From Desert Fertilizers to EV Batteries: How ICL Group Quietly Became a $7.5 Billion Powerhouse – and Why Its Stock Could Bloom

#Discover ICL Group ’s stock forecast, dividend strategy, and role in sustainable green energy. Why analysts see a buying opportunity #SustainableInvesting #ICLGroupLtd #ICL #Sustainableagriculturestocks #EVbatterymaterialsstocks #ICLGroupstockanalysis

In a world grappling with food shortages and a green energy revolution, ICL Group Ltd (NYSE: ICL) has emerged as an unsung hero. This Israeli-born titan, once known for mining Dead Sea potash, now straddles two megatrends: *feeding the planet* and *powering its electric future*. But with its stock rebounding off recent lows and a dividend yield topping 5%, is now the time to buy? Let’s dig into…

[rfantennaindia]

[iww-gnv]

New York CNN — Tesla has beaten back previous efforts by workers to unionize – but the United Auto Workers hopes a successful strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis could help it organize at Tesla. UAW membership has declined in recent decades, and the auto industry is moving to electric vehicles. EV battery and production plants thus far in the United States are mostly non-union. To grow, the UAW will have to make inroads at EV plants. “Tesla is the biggest threat in the long term to UAW wages and benefits. UAW doesn’t have any choice but to take on [Tesla],” said John Logan, a professor of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University. Tesla controls around 60% of the electric vehicle market in the United States, and Detroit and foreign automakers in the South are racing to catch up. Tesla workers earn on average about $55 an hour in wages and benefits, compared to $66 to $71 an hour at Detroit’s Big Three, according to industry estimates. Workers have attempted to organize at Tesla at least three different times. But the company, led by Elon Musk, has been difficult for unions to break into because of weak protections for labor organizing in the United States; Tesla’s aggressive tactics; and Tesla’s strategy of granting factory workers stock options, a rarity in the auto industry. “Tesla will go to extraordinary lengths to prevent unions,” Logan said. Tesla did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

[mightyflamethrower]

Biden’s ironically named Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was supposed to create millions of green jobs and launch the “sustainable power” industry.

Subsidies flowed to support electric vehicles, wind farms, and solar energy.  We have been covering the slowdown in the EV market, and residents of the East Coast are questioning all the promises made by the wind energy companies after the Vineyard Wind blade failure.

Now, it’s time to turn our attention to solar power. SunPower, the company that provides solar panels to many Californian homes in the sunny Coachella Valley area, filed for bankruptcy this week.

It is the latest development in a saga that has seen the company facing numerous serious and seemingly escalating challenges over the past several months, including allegations about executives’ misconduct related to the company’s financial statements and a recent decision that SunPower would no longer offer new solar leases. Days after the latter announcement, Coachella Valley-based Renova Energy, which markets and installs SunPower systems, said it was ending its partnership with SunPower and temporarily pausing operations after not receiving required payments from SunPower. SunPower’s executive chairman wrote in a letter posted on the company’s website on Monday that the company had reached an agreement to sell certain divisions of its business and suggested it was looking for one or more buyers to take on the rest, including the company’s responsibilities to maintain solar systems it has previously sold or leased.

It is important to note that SunPower was the industry’s “darling” to understand the magnitude of this development.

Founded in 1985 by a Stanford professor, SunPower was, for the past two decades, a darling of the solar industry. The company helped build America’s biggest solar plant, called Solar Star and located near Rosamond, California, and has installed solar panels on more than 100,000 homes. The company’s stock price has fluctuated dramatically, peaking during the solar stock frenzy of late 2007. As recently as January 2021, SunPower’s valuation momentarily reached $10 billion, buoyed by the expansion of its residential solar panels program. But since then, the company’s value has cratered — and this year, its situation became particularly dire.

It is also important to note that earlier this month, the bankruptcy of a solar-powered company in South Florida created an array of problems on the South Coast of California. Subcontractors are scrambling to find ways to guarantee payment for work on homes with equipment from the firm.

Meanwhile, homeowners are regretting their misplaced trust in eco-activists and city officials.

The business — Electriq Power Inc. — was putting solar panels and batteries on Santa Barbara rooftops at no expense to homeowners and with the blessings of the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. But then Electriq filed Chapter 7 on May 3, freezing all its operations. This prompted one of its subcontractors, Axiom 360 of Grover Beach, to place mechanics liens on homes for which it had yet to be paid. This preserves Axiom’s options for full payment of its installation work and is not unusual among contractors. But for homeowners who didn’t expect any financial outlay, it came as a shock, especially as the recording notice lists foreclosure in 90 days among the penalties. “You’re helping the environment. You’re not paying high rates to Southern California Edison,” said homeowner Randy Freed, explaining why he signed on to Electriq’s PoweredUp Goleta program. He was pleased with the savings in the solar array and storage batteries, but then he received the mechanics lien in June. The possibility of foreclosure was unanticipated, Freed said, and he’d relied on the cities’ endorsements. “It’s a great program; we’ve checked them out,” he recalled the cities saying on a postcard he received.

Hot Air's Beege Welborne takes an in-depth look at the cascade of warnings that indicate SunPower and the residential solar market are in serious trouble. She also hits on a point that is true for all green energy schemes: Today’s technology cannot keep up with the promises being made about tomorrow.

The technology side still hasn’t ironed itself out and may never with as saturated as the market is. With interest rates as high as they are and home prices through the roof, no one wants to pay a fortune for something that’s not rock solid. …That “sustainable” growth is only possible once all the artificial supports are knocked away and the technology proves viable and worth the cost once and for all.

Of course, the solar industry isn’t helped by the fact that the cost savings for customers aren’t quite as lavish as originally promised.

[maringlechan]

Journaling~~ 2025

Hello 2025!

Here to put down whats happened over the last few days and journal for Jan 1st bc i really wanna try and do as much journaling/recalling events as much as i possibly can this year.

Let's start from last week around Christmas eve/day on Tuesday/Wednesday. Christmas eve i was out shopping for last minute things but didnt really do much for the day.

Christmas day was spent with morning at my moms house at 10am and we all showed up late TT. A nice chill morning with brekkie and mimosas. Mom and Gabe did a brekkie bar that had eggs, potatoes, cheese, bacon, and their little sausage and cream cheese croissants. We played our usual bingo game and i won the last game! The prize was $100!!! Stayed at their house watching Christmas movies until dinner at Uncle Jon's house at 5pm. Stayed there for a bit too for dinner. Uncle made brisket, sliced potato stacks, and so many dessert cookies that Heather and grandma Cheryl made. Packed leftovers and made it home for a quiet rest of the night.

Stayed home to finish out the week as i waited for Morgan to come home from his parents house. He didnt get back until Saturday the 28th. He left down to visit them the 23rd. Since on the 22nd, he was getting gifts for his sisters. He finally came home on Saturday the 28th and i couldnt wait to see him!

I was hanging out with drew on Sunday, just running around doing stuff since i was bored and wanted to see Morgan that night too. I ended up going to his place and when i was about to leave at like 11:30pm, Seven wouldnt start! I tried letting the battery restart by disconnecting the plug sparks on it (probs not the right words). Couldnt get Seven to start to spent the night and waited til morning.

I felt so bad since morgan wanted to have a bit of time to be writing on his story a bit more. But we still had a nice day and made chilled with youtube, gaming, and cooking as I had Seven worked on. I ended up having to call a tow truck and have him towed to the Firestone that was just down the street. I asked them to do an oil change, since I knew he needed one, and also do a battery check and replace whatever they needed to to get him running.

Seven got fixed and Morgan said he wanted me to stay the night tomorrow night. So, I asked Drew if it was ok for me to stay over and he said yes! I stayed over and we had a charcuterie board with the smoked cheeses and summer sausage my mom gave me for christmas. He showed me some ZB1, his latest fav boy group. We watched some old family guy episodes and then played both of the new board games i got, Tippy the Dragon and Pop the Pirate! They were pretty fun! We went to sleep pretty late and had to get up early since Seven wasnt parked in an ideal spot.

We woke up at 7am and left shortly after to avoid getting a ticket. We wanted to eat at this place in Tukwila called, Jony's. It looks like a small mom and pop shop in the corner of the plaza where the 711 is across from the Taco Bell. They ended up not being open so we opted for Neighborhood Cafe, which was a Filipino Cafe next to the Indian Curry Palace which is where me and Morgan usually get our indian food. The food was a little over sweet and mid for both of our dishes. I got a latte with oatmilk, avocado toast (arugula, tomato, avocado, feta cheese) and banana bread french toast (banana slices on banana bread drizzled with syrup). Drew got the chicken fried steak and an ube biscuit. Drew thought it was all very mid. It was a cute little place though. Might take morgan if he thinks the menu looks good!

After that we went to Target, Barnes & Noble and then the mall. I bought my Lion King windbreaker jacket i was looking for, but still didn't get it in the ideal size of a Large. Got a medium instead since it was out of stock everywhere. Didnt really find much else so we went to Auburn instead. We went to the outlet mall and Drew found 2 sets of the little plague doctor plushies that hes been collecting ever since i gave him the original plague doctor in a boo basket. He was looking for a Knuckles plush too! We found one at Spencers, but the plague doctors were ones he wanted a lot more.

After that it was Muckleshoot Casino! I used my bingo win and pulled out about $80. I was up a few hundred until I lost it all TT. Drew was up for a bit too but it sounds like he broke even by the time that we left for the night. Dropped off Drew and then went to Morgans for the night, it was new years eve!!

We stayed up til shortly after midnight and called it a night. We drank a little bit and smoked a little bit but nothing too crazy. We did fall asleep on the futon though and didn't get to the den to sleep until like 4:30 in the morning TT.

We had a lazy wakeup at about 8ish with some <3333 before making brekkie. We had the new coffee i got that was a Lion King anniversary coffee that was cinnamon and brown sugar flavored. We also made chinese broccoli and ate as Morgan played God of War Ragnarok. We drank coffee in our new christmas tree mugs i bought us.

Morgan then opened up all his presents shortly after and i felt kind of bad that i had gotten him a few things since he looked shocked and said he felt bad that he didnt get anything. I never expected him too though, giving gifts is just another way I like to say, I love you to him. I'm gonna try and not do so much gift giving and try other things that show Morgan i love him a lot besides gifts. He really likes acts of service (like when im doing the dishes for him or offer to help out in the kitchen).

After that the rest of the day was pretty chill with just youtube and a run to the store for Ezelles and dairy queen for a sweet treat. We had the chicken curry i helped make the day before so I wanted something else to eat. I ended up leaving my sweet treat in the freezer and didnt realize until i got home! TT He said he'd come by for a kitty sleepover on Sunday <3

I left Morgans at around 9ish and stopped at Drew's since when we went shopping last, he left his new Sabrina Carpenter album and body wash in the car. We chatted a little bit then I went home.

Here i am now writing this journal entry just to make sure its done for the first day of january!!

Anyways, heres to 2025! <3

[e-carlease]

The new Model 3 EV will be well-stocked in specification with Performance design, sports seats, adaptive suspension, adaptive damping, ventilated seats, 20” Warp alloys, performance brakes, 15.4” centre touchscreen, 8” second row display in the back, studio sound quality with the 17-sepaker system (including dual subwoofers and amplifiers), phone key integration, wireless phone charging, glass roof, carbon fibre details inside, navigation and Track Mode. The Enhanced Autopilot (at £3,400) adds navigation on Autopilot and auto lane change with the Full Self-driving Capability (at £6,800) adding more autonomous driving including traffic light and stop control.

On colours, select from Pearl White, Deep Blue, Solid Black, Ultra Red and the new Stealth Grey. Only the 20” alloys are available. But you can select your own interior choice with the standard black or the chargeable white available. Other than your dedicated charge point, you are good to go.

But how does the Model 3 Performance perform? This AWD Saloon will have a 75 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 3.3 seconds, 163 mph top speeds and 461 kW (or 618hp). Expect a combined winter range of 235 miles with warmer weather allowing for 325 miles – a 285 mile combined. On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 8 hour and 15 mins 0 – 100% charging times with the 250 kW DC maximum allowing 27 minute 10 – 80% times. A cargo volume of 594L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 152 mpg. It also no confirmed Bidirectional capabilities yet. The Heat Pump is standard.

[warningsine]

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-lay-off-more-than-10-its-staff-electrek-reports-2024-04-15/

BERLIN, April 15 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab is laying off more than 10% of its global workforce, an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday shows, as it grapples with falling sales and an intensifying price war for electric vehicles (EVs).

"About every five years, we need to reorganize and streamline the company for the next phase of growth," CEO Elon Musk commented in a post on X. Two senior leaders, battery development chief Drew Baglino and vice president for public policy Rohan Patel, also announced their departures, drawing posts of thanks from Musk although some investors were concerned.

Musk last announced a round of job cuts in 2022, after telling executives he had a "super bad feeling" about the economy. Still, Tesla headcount has risen from around 100,000 in late 2021 to over 140,000 in late 2023, according to filings with U.S. regulators.

Baglino was a Tesla veteran and one of four members, along with Musk, of the leadership team listed on the company's investor relations website.

Scott Acheychek, CEO of Rex Shares - which manages ETFs with high exposure to Tesla stock - described the headcount reductions as strategic, but Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, deemed the departures of the senior executives as "the larger negative signal today" that Tesla's growth was in trouble.

Less than a year ago, Tesla's chief financial officer, Zach Kirkhorn, left the company, fueling concerns about succession planning.

Tesla shares closed 5.6% lower at $161.48 on Monday. Shares of EV makers Rivian Automotive (RIVN.O), opens new tab, Lucid Group (LCID.O), opens new tab and VinFast Auto also dropped between 2.4% and 9.4%.

"As we prepare the company for our next phase of growth, it is extremely important to look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity," Musk said in the memo sent to all staff.

"As part of this effort, we have done a thorough review of the organization and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally," it said.

Reuters saw an email sent to at least three U.S. employees notifying them their dismissal was effective immediately.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MASS MARKET

The layoffs follow an exclusive Reuters report on April 5 that Tesla had cancelled a long-promised inexpensive car, expected to cost $25,000, that investors have been counting on to drive mass-market growth. Musk had said the car, known as the Model 2, would start production in late 2025.

Shortly after the story published, Musk posted "Reuters is lying" on his social media site X, without detailing any inaccuracies. He has not commented on the car since, leaving investors and analysts to speculate on its future.

Tech publication Electrek, which first reported, opens new tab the latest job cuts, said on Monday that the inexpensive car project had been defunded and that many people working on it had been laid off.

Reuters also reported on April 5 that Tesla would shift its focus to self-driving robotaxis built on the same small-car platform. Musk posted on X that evening: "Tesla Robotaxi unveil on 8/8," with no further details.

Tesla could be years away from releasing a fully autonomous vehicle with regulatory approval, according to experts in self-driving cars and regulation.

Tesla shares have fallen about 33% so far this year, underperforming legacy automakers such as Toyota Motor (7203.T), opens new tab and General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab, whose shares have rallied 45% and about 20% respectively.

Energy major BP (BP.L), opens new tab has also cut more than a tenth of the workforce in its EV charging business after a bet on rapid growth in commercial EV fleets did not pay off, Reuters reported on Monday, underscoring the broader impact of slowing EV demand.

WORKS COUNCIL

A newly elected works council of labour representatives at Tesla's German plant was not informed or consulted ahead of the announcement to staff, said Dirk Schulze, head of the IG Metall union in the region.

"It is the legal obligation of management not only to inform the works council but to consult with it on how jobs can be secured," Schulze said.

Analysts from Gartner and Hargreaves Lansdown said the cuts were a sign of cost pressures as the carmaker invests in new models and artificial intelligence.

Tesla reported this month that its global vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell for the first time in nearly four years, as price cuts failed to stir demand.

The EV maker has been slow to refresh its aging models as high interest rates have sapped consumer appetite for big-ticket items, while rivals in China, the world's largest auto market, are rolling out cheaper models.

China's BYD (002594.SZ), opens new tab briefly overtook the U.S. company as the world's largest EV maker in the fourth quarter, and new entrant Xiaomi (1810.HK), opens new tab has garnered substantial positive press.

Tesla is gearing up to start sales in India, the world's third-largest auto market, this year, producing cars in Germany for export to India and scouting locations for showrooms and service hubs in major cities.

Tesla recorded a gross profit margin of 17.6% in the fourth quarter, the lowest in more than four years.

[asiafundmanagers27]

China's Electric Vehicle Market: Powering the Future with Cleaner Energy

China's EV stocks are revolutionising the automotive industry. With a booming market and strong government support, companies are driving innovation and sustainable mobility. From advanced technologies to expanding charging infrastructure, China is leading the global transition towards electric vehicles.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.12

Holidays

Anne Frank Day

Bedstraw Day (French Republic)

Blue Galaxy Day

Children’s Day (Haiti)

Crowded Nest Syndrome Day

Dia dos Namorados (Brazil)

Flag Day (Brazil; New Zealand)

Ghost in the Machine Day

Grimace Day

Helsinki Day (Finland)

Idol Day

Indiana Jones Day

International Adobo Day

International DDX3X Day

International Dubbing Day

International Shia Day

Interracial Marriage Day

June 12 Commemoration (Lagos State, Nigeria)

Lancaster Day (UK)

Little League Girls Baseball Day

Lover’s Day (Japan)

Loving Day

Magic Day

Man of Steel Day

Mother’s Day (Luxembourg)

National Automotive Service Professionals Day

National Black Men Don’t Cheat Day

National Button Battery Awareness Day

National Cancer Thriver Day

National Chiropractic Health Assistant Day (Canada)

National Control Room Worker’s Day

National Cougar Day

National Dairy Goat Awareness Day

National Dame Day

National Esther Day

National Great Dane Day

National Harm Reduction Day (Canada)

National Hospital at Home Patients Day

National Magic Day

National X Day

Orlando United Day (Florida)

Peace Day (Kosovo)

Perfect Game Day

Portland Trail Blazers Day (Oregon)

Pulse Remembrance Day

Queen’s Birthday (Pitcairn Islands, Tuvalu)

Railway Day (Japan)

Red Rose Day

Rock Around the Clock Day

Russia Day (Russia)

Science Day (Turkmenistan)

Senior Race Day (Isle of Man)

Sharon Needles Day (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

612 Day (Minnesota)

Spoonful of Sugar Day

Spousal Abuse Day

State Protection Service Day (Poland)

Stock Market Employees Day (Ukraine)

Superman Day

Swiss Army Knife Day

Tear Down This Wall Day

Valentine’s Day (Brazil)

Welsh Bands T-Shirt Day (UK)

We Remember 612 Day (Hong Kong)

Women’s Veterans Day

World Day Against Child Labour (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chuy’s National Taco Day

International Cachaca Day

International Falafel Day

National Apple Cinnamon Muffin Day

National Jerky Day

Peanut Butter Cookie Day

Pink Spaghetti Day

Poultry Day

Independence & Related Days

Act of Settlement Day (UK; 1701)

Bill of Rights Day (Virginia; 1776)

Chaco Armistice Day (Paraguay)

Constitution Day (Turks & Caicos Island)

Democracy Day (Nigeria)

Philippines (from Spain, 1898)

2nd Wednesday in June

National Time Out Day [2nd Wednesday]

Worshipful Company of Vintners of the City of London Annual Procession [2nd Wednesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 12 (2nd Full Week)

California State Parks Week (thru 6.16)

International Listening Association Week (thru 6.16)

Raggedy Ann and Andy Days (thru 6.13)

Festivals Beginning June 12, 2024

Emmett Cherry Festival (Emmett, Idaho) [thru 6.15]

Ice Cream Days (Le Mars, Iowa) [thru 6.15]

Mattituck Strawberry Festival (Mattituck, New York) [thru 6.16]

North by Northeast [NXNE] (Toronto, Canada) [thru 6.16]

San Diego County Fair (Del Mar, California) [thru 7.7]

Taste of London (London, UK) [thru 6.16]

Teapot Day (Tea, South Dakota) [thru 6.15]

W. C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival (Henderson, Kentucky) [thru 6.15]

Feast Days

Adriaen van Stalbemt (Artology)

St. Anthony’s Day Eve (Portugal)

Antonina (Christian; Martyr)

Bannocks Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor and Nazarius (Christian; Martyrs)

Be More Paranoid Day (Pastafarian)

Bob Katz (Muppetism)

St. Charles Borromeo (Positivist; Saint)

Dave Berg (Artology)

Egon Schiele (Artology)

Enmegahbowh (Episcopal Church)

Eskil of Sweden (Christian; Martyr)

Feast of the Blessed Polish Martyrs of World War II

Festival of Mut (Ancient Egypt)

First Ecumenical Council (Lutheran)

Gaspar Bertoni (Christian; Saint)

Gerard Hoffnung Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Gin Day (Pastafarian)

Guy of Cortona (Christian; Saint)

Henry Scott Tuke (Artology)

Hildegard Burjan (Christian; Blessed)

Johanna Spyri (Writerism)

John of Sahagún (Christian; Saint)

Korean Rice Farmers Stream Hair Washing Day (Everyday Wicca)

Len Wein (Artology)

Leo III, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Media Ver VII (Pagan)

Odulf (Christian; Saint)

Onuphrius (Christian; Saint)

Peter of Mount Athos (Christian; Saint)

Sparky Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Ternan, Bishop of the Picts (Christian; Saint)

Zeus’ Day (Ancient Greece)

108 Martyrs of World War II (Christian)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Shavuot, Day 2 (Judaism) [6-7 Sivan] (a.k.a. …

Feast of the Harvest

Feast of Weeks

Festival of Weeks

First-Fruit festival

Wheat Harvest

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 163 [38 of 72]

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [34 of 57]

Premieres

Admission Free (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

All About Dogs (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1942)

Andy Warhol’s Blue Movie (a.k.a. Fuck; Adult Film; 1969)

Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman (Children’s Book; 1960)

The Brighter Buccaneer, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories; 1933) [Saint #12]

Bullet Park, by John Cheever (Novel; 1969)

Can’t Hardly Wait (Film; 1998)

Chesapeake, by James A. Michener (Historical Novel; 1978)

Chuck Berry Is On Top, by Chuck Berry (Album; 1959)

Clash of the Titans (Film; 1981)

Cleopatra (Film; 1963)

Clockwork Angels, by Rush (Album; 2012)

Coming Up for Air, by George Orwell (Novel; 1939)

Deep Throat (Adult Film; 1972)

Donald’s Garden (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Donovan’s Reef (Film; 1963)

Farmer Al Falfa’s Bedtime Story (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1932)

Food, Inc. (Documentary Film; 2009)

Foundation and Empire, by Isaac Asimov (Novel; 1952) [Foundation #2]

Go Bo Diddly, by Bo Diddly (Album; 1959)

History of the World: Part 1 (Film; 1981)

The Horse Soldiers (Film; 1959)

I’ll Chase the Blues Away, recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Song; 1935)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot (Science Book; 2010)

Jurassic World (Film; 2015)

Line of Duty (BBC TV Series; 2012)

Love and Kisses, recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Song; 1935)

Mariah Carey, by Mariah Carey (Album; 1990)

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Film; 2015)

Moon (Film; 2009)

Palestrina, by Hans Pfitzner (Opera; 1917)

Predator (Film; 1987)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Film; 1981)

Rhapsody in Blue, by George Gershwin (Orchestral Jazz; 1924)

The Sailor’s Home (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1936)

She’s Not There, recorded by The Zombies (Song; 1964)

Some Time in New York City, by John Lennon (Album; 1972)

Speedway (Film; 1968)

Superman vs. The Elite (Animated WB Film; 2012)

Surfer Girl, recorded by The Beach Boys (Song; 1963)

Swingers (Film; 1997)

Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, by Blink-182 (Album; 2001)

Testimony of Two Men, by Taylor Caldwell (Novel; 1968)

Toreadorable (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1953)

2 Cool 4 Skool, by BTS (Album; 2013)

The Witches of Eastwick (Film; 1987)

Today’s Name Days

Florinda, Guido, Leo (Austria)

Bazilid, Gašpar, Leon (Croatia)

Antonie (Czech Republic)

Balisius (Denmark)

Eskel, Esko (Estonia)

Esko (Finland)

Guy (France)

Florinda, Guido, Leo (Germany)

Onoufrios (Greece)

Villő (Hungary)

Basilide, Guido, Onofrio (Italy)

Ija, Narda, Nora (Latvia)

Anupras, Dovė, Kristijonas, Kristis, Ramūnas (Lithuania)

Sigfrid, Sigrid, Siri (Norway)

Antonina, Bazyli, Jan, Leon, Onufry, Wyszemir (Poland)

Onufrie, Pavel, Petru (România)

Zlatko (Slovakia)

Juan, Onofre (Spain)

Eskil (Sweden)

Onopriy (Ukraine)

Ahmad, Ahmed, Aisha, Asia, Mohamed, Mohammad, Mohammed (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 164 of 2024; 202 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 24 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 4 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 7 (Ding-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 6 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 5 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 14 Blue; Sevenday [14 of 30]

Julian: 30 May 2024

Moon: 36%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 23 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Charles Borromeo]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 86 of 92)

Week: 2nd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 23 of 31)

[mariacallous]

Editor's Note: This piece was originally published by The American Prospect.

Thanks to the clean energy revolution, batteries are no longer in the public eye just in the form of that unstoppable bunny in TV ads. Batteries—like computer chips, electric vehicles, solar panels, and other hardware—are having a moment.

Last fall, with funding from 2021’s mammoth bipartisan infrastructure law, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded nearly $3 billion in grants to 20 manufacturers of electric vehicle (EV) battery components in 20 states. That’s just a portion of the taxpayer money appropriated to dramatically expand battery production and enlarge the EV supply chain in the U.S., which is, in turn, a small part of the trillion-dollar surge in federal investment.

In February, the Commerce Department announced the terms of competition for $39 billion in federal subsidies for manufacturers to expand domestic production of semiconductors. Among other conditions, the CHIPS Incentives Program limits stock buybacks and requires applicants to provide the child care that’s so crucial to enabling more women to work in manufacturing.

The question now is how these big bets to expand advanced manufacturing and boost research and development in America—taken together, what the Biden administration calls our country’s “new industrial strategy”—will create broadly shared economic gains, including good jobs, for workers and communities across the country.

This “how” is not without controversy, to put it mildly. Beyond the conservative critics who have lambasted the child care requirement and other conditions, influential liberal voices have aired serious skepticism as well. In a recent column (and clever pop culture mash-up), Ezra Klein of The New York Times decried “everything-bagel liberalism” that pursues “everything everywhere all at once.” But he, too, lumps everything together—from permitting requirements confronting nonprofit housing developers to these new, conditional industrial-policy incentives meant to embed meaningful economic opportunity for workers and communities into the DNA of some of the world’s most important and massively subsidized growth industries. Klein—whom we agree with on many things—gets it wrong when it comes to CHIPS and other promising government efforts to chart a new course.

Advocates have worked for decades in many parts of the country on how to make the economy work for all, on a foundation of good jobs and racial and gender equity. From that work, one essential lesson emerges: Attaching clear, consistently enforced expectations to public investment is indispensable. And with the enactment of last year’s landmark legislation, public officials now have a once-in-a-generation set of tools and resources to do this. The “how,” however, remains an open question, especially for jobs outside of construction.

For much of the past half-century, America’s dominant economic paradigm held that free markets and freewheeling capital alone have created the nation’s critical industries and enabled them to flourish. That paradigm denied the important role that government plays in shaping the nation’s economy. Indeed, innovation has long required and received government-backed R&D, contracts, and other investments in discovery and commercialization. Today, that investment is also focused on the making of a lot of stuff: batteries, electric vehicles, charging stations, computer chips that put the brains in all that hardware, and more. So how did we approach that challenge for the past few decades, given that influential economists and political leaders across the political spectrum often questioned whether America needed manufacturing at all?

Consider the evolution of the DOE and how it impacts our economy and communities. Created with a wartime sense of urgency—to address the energy crisis of the 1970s—the DOE quickly found itself in the crosshairs of American politics, especially as high gas prices receded and renewable energy seemed a pipe dream. For years, the DOE was a favorite target for those keen to attack public investment and many of the other tools of entrepreneurial government. By that we mean, as economist Mariana Mazzucato argues in her book “Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism,” a government that is both equipped and directed to help solve national challenges—not just address market failures and economic calamities.

Despite the lack of broader political support, the DOE quietly became a vital source of the R&D dollars that helped develop new technologies. Thanks to the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008, the agency also became an important supplier of the financing that, in principle, could have helped turn great ideas into great companies that committed to good jobs in addition to great products.

Famously, the DOE bet $465 million in taxpayer dollars, in the form of a direct loan, on the ambitious domestic production plans of Tesla, now the world’s most valuable car company. That was well before the private capital markets were ready to make that bet on a largely unproven company and its first major factory in Fremont, Calif.

The DOE’s investment in Tesla paid off in terms of demonstrating the viability of mass-produced electric vehicles. But in terms of generating good jobs and racial and gender equity in this critically important new industry, the investment proved to be a bust. The company leads all carmakers in the U.S. in workplace safety violations—as Forbes put it, “racking up more infractions and fines in the last three years than all other automakers in the U.S. combined.” CEO Elon Musk has fought workers’ attempts to unionize by spying on them, firing organizers, and refusing to stop anti-union social media attacks. The company is also being sued by the state of California for alleged widespread anti-Black racism, and by several women for alleged sexual harassment.

There’s a moral to this story: Tesla may be the world’s biggest example of how much harder it is for government to push for high-road labor standards after a company has grown with the help of taxpayer financing. If something important is not part of the deal up front, it tends not to happen.

Tesla is not alone. Particularly in the South and many rural areas around the country, even in ostensibly pro-labor states such as California, innovative manufacturers are mass-producing low-quality jobs. The good manufacturing job is mostly gone, outside of the less than 10% that are unionized. There is, therefore, no guarantee that a significant chunk of the publicly supported clean and high-tech production jobs will pay much more than minimum wage or that they will provide opportunity for training and advancement.

That is, unless certain choices are made to incentivize and embed good jobs and equity into the deals.

[colitco]

🔥 St George Expands Global Footprint with 100% Acquisition of Advanced Niobium-REE Araxá Project in Brazil 🔥

St George Mining (ASX: SGQ) has completed its acquisition of the Araxá Niobium-REE Project in Brazil, securing full ownership of a world-class asset in one of the most significant Niobium-producing regions globally. The acquisition, finalised on February 26, 2025, strengthens the company’s position in the high-growth niobium and rare earths sector, key materials in EVs, aerospace, and clean energy technologies.

🔹 A Strategic Move into Critical Metals

✅ Prime Niobium District – Araxá is located in Brazil’s premier niobium region, adjacent to CBMM, which controls approximately 80% of global niobium supply. ✅ Exceptional High-Grade Resource – Historical drilling has confirmed grades reaching 8% Nb₂O₅ and 33% TREO, with mineralisation starting at the surface. ✅ Significant Expansion Potential—Although only 10% of the project area has been closely drilled, substantial resource growth opportunities remain, with mineralisation confirmed at depths of 800m. ✅ Development Acceleration – St George is progressing toward a JORC-compliant resource in H1 2025 and plans to restart a pilot plant for sample niobium and rare earth production. ✅ Financial Strength – The company completed a $20 million capital raise, with Xinhai Group investing A$8 million to support the project’s development. ✅ Government-Backed Fast-Track Permitting—A recently signed MoU with the State of Minas Gerais aims to expedite regulatory approvals, aligning with Latin Resources (ASX: LRS) accelerated licensing success. ✅ Established Mining Infrastructure – The project is located in a well-developed mining hub, with existing roads, power, and a skilled workforce, allowing for a low-cost, open-pit mining operation. ✅ Industry Partnerships—St George has signed agreements with Xinhai Group, Liaoning Fangda (a steelmaking leader), and SKI Hong Kong (a ferroalloy trading firm) to drive project development.

📢 Investor Outlook – A Major Entry into the Critical Metals Market

Niobium is crucial in aerospace, superconductors, and high-strength steel, while rare earths are vital for battery technologies and clean energy solutions. With increasing demand and growing government efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains, St George is well-positioned to become a key global supplier. 💡 Current Stock Price: $0.019 – With permitting on an accelerated track, drilling expansion underway, and production planning in progress, St George presents a compelling opportunity for investors in 2025 and beyond.

🔗 More Details: https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02918677-6A1253335

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. Investors should conduct their research before making any financial decisions.

[mightyflamethrower]

Jul122024

Fire Blankets Required at EV Charging Stations

Electric vehicles are such a good idea, they require massive (strategically targeted) subsidies and strongarming from the government to get anyone to buy them. They are so safe that fire blankets are needed at EV charging stations:

The city of Milton [Georgia] will now place fire blankets at its non-residential electric vehicle charging stations. … Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshall Alex Fortner told the council the measure was a “proactive attempt” to limit the damage if an electric vehicle catches on fire. According to Fortner, cars with lithium-ion batteries can need up to 30,000 gallons of water if they catch fire. That’s 60 times as many as the average vehicle with a combustion engine.

What a great time to buy stock in whatever company makes fire blankets. The Biden Regime is building 500,000 mostly unwanted charging stations at an estimated cost to us of $400,000,000,000.00.

Some might worry that forcing everyone into EVs will burden a destabilized electrical grid that will be under increasing stress as Democrats incrementally impose inefficient green energy. Actually, the reverse is true; the government can use EVs to take energy out of our cars. Naturally, California has been out front on this.