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Sorry, we live in a world where News Corp has been at the epicenter of cultivating "Merchants of Doubt"[1] when it comes to anthropogenic climate change. Anyone

Sorry, we live in a world where News Corp has been at the epicenter of cultivating "Merchants of Doubt"[1] when it comes to anthropogenic climate change. Anyone tied up in that universe deserves skepticism if not outright rejection for the unbelievable damage they have wielded on society's ability to address climate change. The cost to society is enormous, and their grandchildren and grandchildren's children will pay. Even if James Murdoch is entirely amoral and more of an abacus-bean-shifter (i.e., money guy), we must recognize that the reason why an electric car company like Tesla even exists is because of headstrong founders and employees who demanded a sustainable form of transport that was not just excellent among electric cars, but one of the greatest cars. In a way, money guys getting into Tesla is validation of the mainstream viability of sustainable transport, but we are still in a fragile state where all kinds of forces are aligning themselves against Tesla. We still need people ideologically committed to a rapid sustainable transition. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_of_Doubt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_of_Doubt

verelo 8y ago
Climate change / fear / drama in general, all sell news papers for Murdoch. I'm sure they'll capitalize on this sooner or later, it's a shame for now it seems the focus has been on getting people elected that seem hell bent on making the situation worse. Or maybe that's just part of the plan all along?
- TaylorAlexander 8y ago
  I mean I think it makes the situation better for the various cronies in control of the administration. A guy focused on “deals” is a godsend for moneyed interests who just want to get their way.
archgoon 8y ago
From another commenter. > threeseed > James Murdoch has been on the board for a while and is very good friends with Elon Musk. So this brings a sympathetic chairman who isn't going to crack down on Musk's erratic behaviour. It seems a bit late to be concerned about this guy wielding influence at Tesla.
- ridicter 8y ago
  Yes, I just saw this. I hope it's true. I remember seeing an interview about 5 years ago that featured both Elon Musk and Bob Lutz, vice chairman of GM. In the interview, Musk was incredibly deferential to Lutz and talked about his respect for Lutz and considered him a friend. They were very cordial. Nevertheless, Lutz has been on the record for many, many years as lambasting Tesla, it ambitious and sustainable aims, and its business model. So hopefully it's a real friend and not a keep-your-enemies-closer friend. Or maybe either is fine.
  - icebraining 8y ago
    Boxers can admire each other and still bash each other's brains out. Lutz lambasts Tesla because he's on the other side of the ring; Murdoch isn't.
    - ridicter 8y ago
      I should add: Lutz is a climate change denier. [1] He has spent a lot of energy sowing skepticism towards the IPCC and anthropogenic climate change, calling it a "crock of shit." His antagonism towards Tesla goes deeper than just that of business competitors. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klgp_qDiRhQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klgp_qDiRhQ
- threeseed 8y ago
  Almost every board has some sympathetic board members. Very different story for that person to be chairman. Especially when the intent of the SEC agreement was that there was to be objective oversight of Musk.
JamesBarney 8y ago
I don't know his exact political leanings but he looks to be more liberal than his father. His wife for instance works for the Clinton Climate Initiative.
- hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
  Wow, actually just looked at her Twitter feed, it's pretty hardcore anti-Republican. Their Thanksgivings must be interesting.
ballooney 8y ago
His performance at the Leveson inquiry in the UK a few years ago confirmed him to be utter slime. Terrible news for Tesla if you value truth and integrity, and doesn’t do much to dispell the valuation-pyramid-scheme, spin-ever-grander-stories criticism that is often levelled at them.
- pfschell 8y ago
  Murdoch was already on Tesla's board of directors. This is simply a promotion.
adwhit 8y ago
Are electric cars genuinely seen as part of the solution to climate change? Surely there is no place for cars in our utopian green future, they are terribly inefficient means of transportation and completely anti-social and anti-urban. The future is in advanced metro systems, high speed rail, cycling etc. In this future, cars would become decided niche. I had never thought of Tesla being one of the 'good guys', especially with Musk's backward - even reactionary - views on public transport.[1] It hadn't occurred to me that this might not be mainstream thought. https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-awkward-dislike-mass-transit/ https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-awkward-dislike-mass-t...
- btilly 8y ago
  In most of the country, per passenger, per person transported a mile, cars are more efficient than public transportation. Electric cars take less than half the energy per mile driven. So they definitely have a role. The reason why is that a bus has to run whether or not it has passengers on it. A lot of empty buses without passengers are running around all day and night in most metro areas. So yes, public transit makes a lot of sense where it makes sense. But it only makes sense within a relatively small number of very dense cities.
  - samfisher83 8y ago
    Can you please cite your sources. According to this article as long as you have about 11 people on a bus its more efficient. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2012/11/can-we-please-stop-pretending-cars-are-greener-transit/3960/ https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2012/11/can-we-please...
    - telotortium 8y ago
      In my experience, in most US cities where I've taken the bus, having even 11 people on the bus is not that common, especially later at night. Probably Uber Pool would more efficient than the vast majority of night buses, at least, in the US, and self-driving cars using a similar system even more efficient.
- 8y ago
nirelBRACIT0S 8y ago
Elon Musk must leave, I saw him smoking a joint
api 8y ago
Fox could be pushing an anti-AGW agenda for numerous reasons, not the least of which is in response to the affinities of their viewer base. They're a media company, so their job is to pander to some group of viewers to get ratings. The tail could be wagging the dog. Media is entertainment to sell ads and nothing more.

verelo 8y ago

Climate change / fear / drama in general, all sell news papers for Murdoch. I'm sure they'll capitalize on this sooner or later, it's a shame for now it seems the focus has been on getting people elected that seem hell bent on making the situation worse. Or maybe that's just part of the plan all along?

TaylorAlexander 8y ago
I mean I think it makes the situation better for the various cronies in control of the administration. A guy focused on “deals” is a godsend for moneyed interests who just want to get their way.

archgoon 8y ago

From another commenter. > threeseed > James Murdoch has been on the board for a while and is very good friends with Elon Musk. So this brings a sympathetic chairman who isn't going to crack down on Musk's erratic behaviour. It seems a bit late to be concerned about this guy wielding influence at Tesla.

ridicter 8y ago
Yes, I just saw this. I hope it's true. I remember seeing an interview about 5 years ago that featured both Elon Musk and Bob Lutz, vice chairman of GM. In the interview, Musk was incredibly deferential to Lutz and talked about his respect for Lutz and considered him a friend. They were very cordial. Nevertheless, Lutz has been on the record for many, many years as lambasting Tesla, it ambitious and sustainable aims, and its business model. So hopefully it's a real friend and not a keep-your-enemies-closer friend. Or maybe either is fine.
- icebraining 8y ago
  Boxers can admire each other and still bash each other's brains out. Lutz lambasts Tesla because he's on the other side of the ring; Murdoch isn't.
  - ridicter 8y ago
    I should add: Lutz is a climate change denier. [1] He has spent a lot of energy sowing skepticism towards the IPCC and anthropogenic climate change, calling it a "crock of shit." His antagonism towards Tesla goes deeper than just that of business competitors. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klgp_qDiRhQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klgp_qDiRhQ
threeseed 8y ago
Almost every board has some sympathetic board members. Very different story for that person to be chairman. Especially when the intent of the SEC agreement was that there was to be objective oversight of Musk.

JamesBarney 8y ago

I don't know his exact political leanings but he looks to be more liberal than his father. His wife for instance works for the Clinton Climate Initiative.

hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
Wow, actually just looked at her Twitter feed, it's pretty hardcore anti-Republican. Their Thanksgivings must be interesting.

ballooney 8y ago

His performance at the Leveson inquiry in the UK a few years ago confirmed him to be utter slime. Terrible news for Tesla if you value truth and integrity, and doesn’t do much to dispell the valuation-pyramid-scheme, spin-ever-grander-stories criticism that is often levelled at them.

pfschell 8y ago
Murdoch was already on Tesla's board of directors. This is simply a promotion.

adwhit 8y ago

Are electric cars genuinely seen as part of the solution to climate change? Surely there is no place for cars in our utopian green future, they are terribly inefficient means of transportation and completely anti-social and anti-urban. The future is in advanced metro systems, high speed rail, cycling etc. In this future, cars would become decided niche. I had never thought of Tesla being one of the 'good guys', especially with Musk's backward - even reactionary - views on public transport.[1] It hadn't occurred to me that this might not be mainstream thought. https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-awkward-dislike-mass-transit/ https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-awkward-dislike-mass-t...

btilly 8y ago
In most of the country, per passenger, per person transported a mile, cars are more efficient than public transportation. Electric cars take less than half the energy per mile driven. So they definitely have a role. The reason why is that a bus has to run whether or not it has passengers on it. A lot of empty buses without passengers are running around all day and night in most metro areas. So yes, public transit makes a lot of sense where it makes sense. But it only makes sense within a relatively small number of very dense cities.
- samfisher83 8y ago
  Can you please cite your sources. According to this article as long as you have about 11 people on a bus its more efficient. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2012/11/can-we-please-stop-pretending-cars-are-greener-transit/3960/ https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2012/11/can-we-please...
  - telotortium 8y ago
    In my experience, in most US cities where I've taken the bus, having even 11 people on the bus is not that common, especially later at night. Probably Uber Pool would more efficient than the vast majority of night buses, at least, in the US, and self-driving cars using a similar system even more efficient.
8y ago

nirelBRACIT0S 8y ago

Elon Musk must leave, I saw him smoking a joint

api 8y ago

Fox could be pushing an anti-AGW agenda for numerous reasons, not the least of which is in response to the affinities of their viewer base. They're a media company, so their job is to pander to some group of viewers to get ratings. The tail could be wagging the dog. Media is entertainment to sell ads and nothing more.