Stmichael said:

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Enrico Pallazzo said:

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Been in Fortune 100 a long time, and in that time have done a number of RIFs. That said, one thing that always holds true is that I've never fired any of our better people. You find a spot for those folks.

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As measured by what, the ones who sacrifice their family life and spend 60-80 hours a week in the office? If living in my cubicle is the measure of what makes a "good" employee, I'll take my chances with whatever rises out of the ashes of the post commie apocalypse. My responsibility as a father and husband is more than to be a bank account.

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Nope. My most productive ones have always been those driving improvement and efficiency, not grinding longer days. They are just better at getting the job done reliably. And I'm my own example - VP and financially set to retire very comfortably in a few gears at 55, but I coached both kids' softball teams for 8 years, play golf once a week, have A&M season tickets that I use to visit my kids at school, etc. Knowing how to prioritize and drive improvements goes a long way.

hph6203 said:

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Starlink will ultimately make AT&T's subscriber base look quaint. They are about to surpass them in broadband subscribers (on pace to do so around October). Their Starship and v3 Starlink satellites will be able to double their bandwidth capacity in 15ish launches at a fraction of the cost. In conjunction with V3 they will launch Starlink as the backbone to cellphone providers across the globe, as well as compete for subscribers in their own right.

Take AT&T, double their subscribers, cut their costs, and exclude 90 years of bureaucratic bloat. That's the Starlink business long term.

Since their initial filing of their S1 SpaceX added $26 billion in annual contracts from Google and Anthropic. The amount they're receiving in a single year is more than the amount spent on building the compute capacity. The promise of SpaceX is taking what is a bespoke construction challenge with heavy regulatory burden, building data centers, and turning it into an assembly line process.


I think SpaceX is early to their $2T valuation, but also think people who buy today and hold for a decade will be happy with their purchase. Not too dissimilar to people who bought Tesla at its IPO price. Probably not quite as good of a return.

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I still get a cheap iPhone, right?

Ag with kids said:

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I still get a cheap iPhone, right?

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Are there still 5 yr old Chinese kids at FoxConn, making them? Yes? Then...."Yep!".

Stmichael said:

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Nice deflection. Care to explain to me what exactly investors in Tesla and SpaceX got for their collective $75 billion dollars on Friday? Because they purchased a total of 5% of a company that lost $4.9 billion last year. In fact, they posted a loss of $4.3 billion in 2023, and only profited $0.9 billion in 2024.

Stack that up against companies like AT&T or Visa. See how they compare and tell me what, other than hype and promises, is keeping that bubble from popping.

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SpaceX is 6-12 months away from perfecting reusability for a launch platform that will take 100 tons into orbit at a time. Once they hit these targets, the cost to take a kilogram to orbit will be $300-600. For comparison, it was $50-60k for the space shuttle (so a 99% reduction). Additional cost improvements are on tap that could reduce it by ANOTHER 50%+. So we're talking $150/kg, which is a price that lets you send a 1 ton satellite to orbit for a quarter million bucks.

SpaceX's "competition" charges $2.5B per flight for a much smaller rocket (space launch system) or just blew up on the launch pad (blue origin). In other words, for the foreseeable future, SpaceX has a complete monopoly at a price that opens space for myriad use cases that weren't previously feasible (eg the orbital data centers). If you think a company like that deserves to be valued like freaking AT&T, I don't think we can have a serious, nuanced conversation.

Also, the AI "albatross" has turned into a serious cash cow almost overnight. After the Google and Anthropic deals, SpaceX is now the 4th largest cloud provider on earth. Those deals are now generating $30B+/year, and if the company can make the space data centers happen, they'll probably shoot to number one.

For anybody interested, this is a great discussion of SpaceX's various business segments and prospects. The guys are fan boys, but they're smart as hell and very analytical.

infinity ag said:

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Another opinion, from our favorite socialist.

Read the comments.

Reason #1,000,000,000,000 why we should tax the rich. https://t.co/ELgIUwwXns

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) June 12, 2026

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What a novel concept, tax the rich.

In the history of the USA, the rich have never been taxed...that's why they're rich.

The level of outright lies and propaganda spewed by Islamic terrorist mayors and other radical leftists is downright criminal when it comes to taxes and 'the rich'. And 10's of millions of Americans buy the lies. They truly believe 'the rich' (and oil companies) don't pay taxes of any sort.

CDUB98 said:

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I've worked in the EPC world nearly my entire career. It is not a career for the faint of heart.

But, you know what, even with all of my personal faults, I've never been laid off or fired. Why? My attitude. I show up. I work hard. I contribute to the team. I perform. I managed to show up to my kid's games and events, volunteer coached her basketball team, and managed to get an Master's in there too.

It hasn't always been easy either I've had some rough years. Really rough. It's kind of rough right now.

I've seen a lot of people come and go in this industry, but a defining factor in those let go was almost always attitude, and you seem like you have a bad one. Maybe stop blaming rich people and take a hard look in the mirror.

Your desire to bring everyone else down to your level of misery is unbelievably selfish.

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I worked for an oil major, but sat in the offices of Fluor, Bechtel, Jacobs, and S&B in Houston, and Burns and Mac in KC. I saw a LOT of people come and go.

lb3 said:

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Texas12&0 said:

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Desert Ag said:

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With Starbase in Boca Chica, Solar panel manufacturing in Bastop and proposed Terafab in Grimes County, I'm thinking Kyle Field at X Stadium has a nice ring to it.

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Kyle Field at Space X Stadium.

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Elon joked about wanting to build his own university. The Texas Institute for Technology and Science. TITS for short.

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*assumes intellectual pose*

I am interested in applying to your Institute.

Do you have any literature about your study programs and campus? What is the typical attire for a day of study there?

I am a well rounded student with many interests: I play the bongos, I enjoy Mounds candy, make designer jugs for sale on Etsy, and grow melons in my garden.

I think I am the perfect candidate for study at your fine institute.

I appreciate you keeping me abreast of the status of my application.

Kindest Regards,

--Dr. Mephisto

CDUB98 said:

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I've worked in the EPC world nearly my entire career. It is not a career for the faint of heart.

But, you know what, even with all of my personal faults, I've never been laid off or fired. Why? My attitude. I show up. I work hard. I contribute to the team. I perform. I managed to show up to my kid's games and events, volunteer coached her basketball team, and managed to get an Master's in there too.

It hasn't always been easy either I've had some rough years. Really rough. It's kind of rough right now.

I've seen a lot of people come and go in this industry, but a defining factor in those let go was almost always attitude, and you seem like you have a bad one. Maybe stop blaming rich people and take a hard look in the mirror.

Your desire to bring everyone else down to your level of misery is unbelievably selfish.

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Exactly. I've had to fire multiple employees who were great at their job, but had horrible attitudes that created a toxic work environment. I can't say if this is an example of that, but every time I had to let one go they act all shocked like they were untouchable. Because they know that they are good at what they do, but had no clue that there's more to a job than being good at what's in the job description. Being good at your job doesn't make you a good member of a team, and for me they're easy to say goodbye too.

Addition by subtraction is absolutely a thing that many who think they're important don't understand. No one is untouchable.

Bro is already at 1.4 Trillion.

So easy to make a trillion dollars.... once you make your first trillion of course.

Logos Stick said:

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Jealousy and envy are at the heart of liberalism.

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You only left out pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath and sloth and you'd have the Democrat Party Platform

infinity ag said:

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Bro is already at 1.4 Trillion.

So easy to make a trillion dollars.... once you make your first trillion of course.

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So what?

He earned every bit of it.

This story reminded me of one of our old @TheBabylonBee articles. pic.twitter.com/QkS6su302s

— Kyle Mann (@The_Kyle_Mann) June 16, 2026

japantiger said:

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Logos Stick said:

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Jealousy and envy are at the heart of liberalism.

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You only left out pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath and sloth and you'd have the Democrat Party Platform

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That sounds like the name of a liberal law firm. Pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath, and sloth, attorneys at law.

Kaiser von Wilhelm said:

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CDUB98 said:

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I've worked in the EPC world nearly my entire career. It is not a career for the faint of heart.

But, you know what, even with all of my personal faults, I've never been laid off or fired. Why? My attitude. I show up. I work hard. I contribute to the team. I perform. I managed to show up to my kid's games and events, volunteer coached her basketball team, and managed to get an Master's in there too.

It hasn't always been easy either I've had some rough years. Really rough. It's kind of rough right now.

I've seen a lot of people come and go in this industry, but a defining factor in those let go was almost always attitude, and you seem like you have a bad one. Maybe stop blaming rich people and take a hard look in the mirror.

Your desire to bring everyone else down to your level of misery is unbelievably selfish.

---

Exactly. I've had to fire multiple employees who were great at their job, but had horrible attitudes that created a toxic work environment. I can't say if this is an example of that, but every time I had to let one go they act all shocked like they were untouchable. Because they know that they are good at what they do, but had no clue that there's more to a job than being good at what's in the job description. Being good at your job doesn't make you a good member of a team, and for me they're easy to say goodbye too.

Addition by subtraction is absolutely a thing that many who think they're important don't understand. No one is untouchable.

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Yep. Anyone who's had a toxic individual on your team can relate. One person can kill an entire team. I've lived it and removed a gal that was this way.

I've also had the opposite situation where HR refused to remove a toxic female who was causing inappropriate havoc not only on my team but across the entire department. That crazy ***** had insane reach and impact to be able to do that.

HRBP to me: "Suck it up; she's not going anywhere."
Me to HRBP: "Get out of my office then and don't come back."

Fun times in corporate.

Rapier108 said:

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infinity ag said:

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Bro is already at 1.4 Trillion.

So easy to make a trillion dollars.... once you make your first trillion of course.

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So what?

He earned every bit of it.

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Yes he did, but why are you jumping up to defend him?
He is rich enough to defend himself.

Is it defending Elon or just calling out your insane obsession?

Viper16 said:

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SECond2noneAgs said:

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*World's first traceable trillionaire

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Probably so..........

I do think that French guy Louis XIV, the Sun King, had a nickel or two in the bank when the Palace of Versailles was completed.

It would be nice to know what his net worth was in today's dollars.

Maybe we have an Aggie wizard that can convert it.

TIA

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Mansa Musa, Augustus, Akbar, and Shenzong may also have been trillionaire-equivalents in their day.

It's difficult to define because the economies were so different, records are incomplete or exaggerated, and many rulers didn't separate their personal finances from the national treasury.

As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

The Sun said:

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Is it defending Elon or just calling out your insane obsession?

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I just openly and heartily doffed my hat to Elon for his great achievement that no human has done before.

What else do you want me to do?

Probably for as long as musk is the dominant shareholder with a controlling interest

japantiger said:

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Logos Stick said:

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Jealousy and envy are at the heart of liberalism.

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You only left out pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath and sloth and you'd have the Democrat Party Platform

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They even dedicate an entire month to "pride".

94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

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One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

infinity ag said:

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94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

---

One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

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To escape libtopia.

infinity ag said:

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94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

---

One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

---

Why did we go to the moon?

Why are we going to the moon again?

What's the ROI?

Because we're American AF!

Ag with kids said:

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infinity ag said:

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94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

---

One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

---

Why did we go to the moon?

Why are we going to the moon again?

What's the ROI?

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Because it was the Cold War and the country wanted to show that it could technologically outdo the USSR.

I'm not sure what the reason to do it now is, though.

Ag with kids said:

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infinity ag said:

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94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

---

One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

---

Why did we go to the moon?

Why are we going to the moon again?

What's the ROI?

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Huge difference, which I already pointed out.

BonfireNerd04 said:

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Ag with kids said:

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infinity ag said:

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94chem said:

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As SpaceX, and Musk, are now wealthier than most of the world's governments, yet SpaceX is publicly traded, it will be quite interesting to see how long it takes for SpaceX to abandon its purely altruistic bluster. While colonization of Mars is a useful R&D project because of the science that will be done, it is a total boondoggle of a business venture, one that shareholders of any Fortune 500 company wouldn't tolerate. StarLink is the cash cow here. How long will they be able to fool investors into something that won't happen for generations, if ever, and even if it does, will be a proof-of-concept?

---

One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

---

Why did we go to the moon?

Why are we going to the moon again?

What's the ROI?

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Because it was the Cold War and the country wanted to show that it could technologically outdo the USSR.

I'm not sure what the reason to do it now is, though.

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I know...I was being a smartass to him...

BigRobSA said:

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infinity ag said:

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One thing I don't understand here.

Why do we want to go to Mars?

1. Just for fun to see if we can do it
2. To get raw materials/minerals that we are in short supply of on Earth
3. To get future H1Bs visas for Mars in case we get overrun by foreigners who will steal all our jobs so we can be the first to steal Martian jobs before the Indians do.

Why? What is the business case? Is this going to make money?

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And THIS is why you're not a CEO.

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I don't see any answers from you.

Just a snarky nothing reply.

Got any insights?