Latest news with #RocketMan
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Memo to Musk
You got plenty to worry about Musk has left the DOGE building. It's hard to say who's happier – Musk himself, or his baiters – but odds are, Vivek Ramaswamy marked the day with a platter of cheese enchiladas. Like taxes and death, Musk's exit was a given. US law allowed him a maximum of 130 days, and he left with one remaining. As an EV maker, he knows the importance of reserve charge. And range anxiety is a terrible thing. You aim to drive $2tn out of the federal budget but stall at $160bn. That's 8% mission accomplished. Poor, but better than a hat-trick of SpaceX's Starship failures in five months. So, Musk should pull over and take stock. On the net worth front, allying with Trump has been good for him. Yes, some Teslas were burnt, and Tesla stock nosedived, but it's much higher than at this time last year, and Musk is about $175bn richer than he was at the same time. And while he's leaving after describing Trump's Big Beautiful Bill as disappointing, Trump's not nursing a grudge – 'He will, always, be with us…Elon is terrific.' That means, govt contracts for SpaceX won't dry up, and Lil X can pick his nose in the Oval Office. What Musk should worry about is BYD's fast-charging tech, Tesla's falling sales, bursting Starships, and Neuralink's competition. Nobody will remember Musk as Trump's beancounter, but as 'Rocket Man' – who once went shopping for Russian ICBMs to launch satellites – he has better odds. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Elton John slams UK copyright law proposal
British pop legend Elton John branded the UK government "absolute losers" on Sunday over planned copyright law changes that would hand exemptions to tech firms, reported AFP. In a blistering interview broadcast by the BBC, Rocket Man star John said he felt "incredibly betrayed" and accused the government of preparing to "rob young people of their legacy and their income". The changes which he branded "criminal" would allow tech firms to use creators' content freely unless the rights holders opt out. But John, 78, who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in his decades-long career, said young artists did not have the resources "to fight big tech". He said he was not against artificial intelligence (AI) but that when it came to music and creativity a line should be drawn. The government's Data (Use and Access) Bill is currently going through parliament. The parliament's upper house supported an amendment designed to ensure copyright holders would have to give permission over whether their work was used and, in turn, see what elements had been taken, by who and when. But on Wednesday MPs in the lower house, in which the Labour government has a huge majority, voted down the changes. If the government's planned changes to copyright laws went ahead they would be "committing theft, thievery on a high scale", John told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the government needs to "get the balance right" with copyright and AI while noting that the technology represented "a huge opportunity". "They have no right to sell us down the river," John added, urging Starmer to "wise up" and "see sense". More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn released a silent album in February to protest at the proposed changes, saying they would legalise music theft.
Daily Tribune
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Elton John blasts UK government over ‘criminal' copyright plans
British pop legend Elton John branded the UK government 'absolute losers' on Sunday over planned copyright law changes that would hand exemptions to tech firms. In a blistering interview broadcast by the BBC, 'Rocket Man' star John said he felt 'incredibly betrayed' and accused the government of preparing to 'rob young people of their legacy and their income'. The changes which he branded 'criminal' would allow tech firms to use creators' content freely unless the rights holders opt out. But John, 78, who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in his decades-long career, said young artists did not have the resources 'to fight big tech'. He said he was not against artificial intelligence (AI) but that when it came to music and creativity a line should be drawn. The government 's Data (Use and Access) Bill is currently going through parliament. The parliament's upper house supported an amendment designed to ensure copyright holders would have to give permission over whether their work was used and, in turn, see what elements had been taken, by who and when. But on Wednesday MPs in the lower house, in which the Labour government has a huge majority, voted down the changes. If the government's planned changes to copyright laws went ahead they would be 'committing theft, thievery on a high scale', John told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. 'The government are just being absolute losers and I'm very angry about it,' John said, blasting Technology Secretary Peter Kyle as a 'bit of a moron'. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the government needs to 'get the balance right' with copyright and AI while noting that the technology represented 'a huge opportunity'. 'They have no right to sell us down the river,' John added, urging Starmer to 'wise up' and 'see sense'. More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn released a silent album in February to protest at the proposed changes, saying they would legalise music theft. Earlier this month, writers and musicians including John and Bush also condemned the proposals as a 'wholesale giveaway' to Silicon Valley in a letter to The Times newspaper. Other signatories included musicians Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Sting, and writers Kazuo Ishiguro, Michael Morpurgo and Helen Fielding. A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said the bill was focused on 'unlocking the secure and effective use of data for the public interest –- boosting the economy by an estimated £10 billion over the course of the next 10 years'.
Kuwait Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Elton John blasts UK government over 'criminal' copyright plans
British pop legend Elton John branded the UK government "absolute losers" on Sunday over planned copyright law changes that would hand exemptions to tech firms. In a blistering interview broadcast by the BBC, "Rocket Man" star John said he felt "incredibly betrayed" and accused the government of preparing to "rob young people of their legacy and their income". The changes which he branded "criminal" would allow tech firms to use creators' content freely unless the rights holders opt out. But John, 78, who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in his decades-long career, said young artists did not have the resources "to fight big tech". He said he was not against artificial intelligence (AI) but that when it came to music and creativity a line should be drawn. The government's Data (Use and Access) Bill is currently going through parliament. The parliament's upper house supported an amendment designed to ensure copyright holders would have to give permission over whether their work was used and, in turn, see what elements had been taken, by who and when. But on Wednesday MPs in the lower house, in which the Labour government has a huge majority, voted down the changes. If the government's planned changes to copyright laws went ahead they would be "committing theft, thievery on a high scale", John told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. "The government are just being absolute losers and I'm very angry about it," John said, blasting Technology Secretary Peter Kyle as a "bit of a moron". Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the government needs to "get the balance right" with copyright and AI while noting that the technology represented "a huge opportunity". "They have no right to sell us down the river," John added, urging Starmer to "wise up" and "see sense". More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn released a silent album in February to protest at the proposed changes, saying they would legalise music theft. Earlier this month, writers and musicians including John and Bush also condemned the proposals as a "wholesale giveaway" to Silicon Valley in a letter to The Times newspaper. Other signatories included musicians Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Sting, and writers Kazuo Ishiguro, Michael Morpurgo and Helen Fielding. A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said the bill was focused on "unlocking the secure and effective use of data for the public interest –- boosting the economy by an estimated £10 billion over the course of the next 10 years". - AFP
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Elton John blasts U.K. government over 'criminal' copyright plans
British pop legend Elton John branded the U.K. government "absolute losers" on Sunday (May 18, 2025) over planned copyright law changes that would hand exemptions to tech firms. In a blistering interview broadcast by the BBC, "Rocket Man" star Mr. John said he felt "incredibly betrayed" and accused the government of preparing to "rob young people of their legacy and their income". The changes which he branded "criminal" would allow tech firms to use creators' content freely unless the rights holders opt out. But Mr. John, 78, who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in his decades-long career, said young artists did not have the resources "to fight big tech". He said he was not against artificial intelligence (AI) but that when it came to music and creativity a line should be drawn. The government's Data (Use and Access) Bill is currently going through parliament. The parliament's upper house supported an amendment designed to ensure copyright holders would have to give permission over whether their work was used and, in turn, see what elements had been taken, by who and when. But on Wednesday (May 14, 2025) MPs in the lower house, in which the Labour government has a huge majority, voted down the changes. If the government's planned changes to copyright laws went ahead they would be "committing theft, thievery on a high scale", John told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. "The government are just being absolute losers and I'm very angry about it," Mr. John said, blasting Technology Secretary Peter Kyle as a "bit of a moron". Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the government needs to "get the balance right" with copyright and AI while noting that the technology represented "a huge opportunity". "They have no right to sell us down the river," Mr. John added, urging Mr. Starmer to "wise up" and "see sense". More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn released a silent album in February to protest at the proposed changes, saying they would legalise music theft. Earlier this month, writers and musicians including Mr. John and Bush also condemned the proposals as a "wholesale giveaway" to Silicon Valley in a letter to The Times newspaper. Other signatories included musicians Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Sting, and writers Kazuo Ishiguro, Michael Morpurgo and Helen Fielding. A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said the bill was focused on "unlocking the secure and effective use of data for the public interest — boosting the economy by an estimated £10 billion over the course of the next 10 years".
