DD
MM
YYYY

PAGES

DD
MM
YYYY

spot_img

PAGES

Home Blog Page 5060

Elon Musk Must Learn from Diochi, The Palm Wine Tapper, Who Never Tells All He Sees on Palm Trees

2

In Igbo tradition, elders will remind villagers that just like Diochi, the palm wine tapper, it is only a fool who tells everything he sees while on top of a palm tree! What that axiom is postulating is this: there are powers you have or things you can say, but sometimes, not saying or exercising that power will serve the society better.

Many centuries ago, in England, a queen in a bid to save the kingdom alive, decided not to reveal to England a major family issue she had with the king. Rather, we described it and put it inside a wall, hoping that whenever the palace was being renovated, someone would know what happened. It was a painful thing for the queen but she, like Diochi, did not want to say everything she saw on top of the palm tree.

That brings me to Elon Musk’s new playbook on Twitter: “Months after Elon Musk made a move to acquire Twitter for $44 billion, the Tesla chief executive said on Friday he is terminating the deal over the social media firm’s inability to provide him with accurate information about the number of fake accounts on its platform.”

People, Elon Musk is not fair to Twitter. He is asking for a solution which may not have an answer: Twitter had told him that bot should be in the range of 5%. But Musk pushed that it was above 20% or so. Twitter gave him a copy of its datasets to make its own call. Magically, Musk’s team could not ascertain. In other words, this is not pure physics because there are REAL humans who are actually bots when you see how they use Twitter!

Elon Musk has tons of money but he needs to behave in better ways. His actions on Twitter should be challenged in the court; as Twitter fades, Tesla valuation is rising as investors believe that he would now focus on Tesla and other empires. But who can tell Twitter small investors that Diochi is abusing his privilege by sharing all the village secrets to everyone? Diochi is a powerful man on that palm tree – he sees women taking baths in the village stream, sees women helping others during childbirth even on the way to farm (Uzoji), etc.

And the community expects him to hold those secrets. Elon Musk and his money must respect society and I support Twitter’s plan to sue him: ‘“The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement,” tweeted Twitter’s chairman, Bret Taylor. “We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery.”’

Twitter had maintained that the information it provided to Musk about the number of users on the platform is accurate, and allowing him access to the company’s data as he requested, will mean exposing private data of users. However, the company succumbed last month, allowing Musk access to its “firehose”, a repository of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets.

Musk’s decision to halt the deal means he was not satisfied with the firehose data. But there is belief that the decision may have been informed by pressure from Tesla shareholders. Tesla has lost more than $billions billion since Musk announced his decision to purchase Twitter, prompting the electric vehicle company’s shareholders to take a legal action against the CEO.

[…]

However, while Musk’s decision to back out of the deal will yield good fortune for Tesla and bad one for Twitter, it is going to result in a long legal battle. Tesla’s shares rose 14.51% to close at $752.29 on Friday while Twitter stocks fell 6% in extended trading and it’s expected to plunge further in the coming days.

Of course, Musk is not doing these things because he is the most decent CEO in America. He is simply playing games with micro investors in Twitter. He has got some issues even in Tesla.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has tacitly acknowledged having a romantic relationship with a subordinate employee, conduct that led to forced departures for at least three other high-profile chief executives in recent years and which may have violated Tesla’s own code of conduct, experts say.

Musk silently welcomed twins last November with Shivon Zilis, according to court records obtained by Business Insider. Zilis is currently the director of operations and special projects at Neuralink, which was cofounded by Musk in 2016. Before Neuralink, Zilis also spent two years at Tesla as a project director. “Doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis,” Musk tweeted Thursday, following a report that he had twins from his relationship with Zilis.

From 2017 to August 2019, Zilis was an employee at Tesla. Although it’s not clear when Musk and Zilis began their romantic relationship, if it started while Zilis was at Tesla, it “would be a gross violation” of Tesla’s code of business ethics, says Jeffrey Sonnenfield, senior dean of leadership studies at Yale University.

Comment on LinkedIn Feed

Comment: Just leaving this here before sleeping off. By the way, I saw many Twitter spaces and headlines from major media calling his bid to buy Twitter wrongful etc. Some said there needs to be an instrument created/activated to stop that bid. Not sure there’s any one way to this though…

My Response: That is the Musk’s Way. But as he smiles and laughs, he is destroying retirement accounts of many. I am not sure he understands that. Twitter is a public company and deserves respect.

Elon Musk Backs Out of $44 Billion Twitter Acquisition Deal

0

Months after Elon Musk made a move to acquire Twitter for $44 billion, the Tesla chief executive said on Friday he is terminating the deal over the social media firm’s inability to provide him with accurate information about the number of fake accounts on its platform.

Musk said Twitter’s refusal to provide all information he requested violated part of the deal’s agreement, as it is necessary for the company’s business performance. “Mr. Musk is terminating the Merger Agreement because Twitter is in material breach of multiple provisions of that Agreement, appears to have made false and misleading representations upon which Mr. Musk relied when entering into the Merger Agreement, and is likely to suffer a Company Material Adverse Effect,” Musk’s lawyers wrote in a letter to Twitter’s Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde.

After purchasing more than 9% Twitter shares in April, Musk had moved for a hostile takeover of the platform in a bid to promote free speech and to make the company more profitable for shareholders.

But the agreement involves Twitter supplying Musk with information on the number of users on the platform. He had threatened to pull out of the deal unless the company provides proof to back up its claim that spam and bot accounts are less than 5%.

Twitter had maintained that the information it provided to Musk about the number of users on the platform is accurate, and allowing him access to the company’s data as he requested, will mean exposing private data of users. However, the company succumbed last month, allowing Musk access to its “firehose”, a repository of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets.

Musk’s decision to halt the deal means he was not satisfied with the firehose data. But there is belief that the decision may have been informed by pressure from Tesla shareholders. Tesla has lost more than $400 billion since Musk announced his decision to purchase Twitter, prompting the electric vehicle company’s shareholders to take a legal action against the CEO.

However, while Musk’s decision to back out of the deal will yield good fortune for Tesla and bad one for Twitter, it is going to result in a long legal battle. Tesla’s shares rose 14.51% to close at $752.29 on Friday while Twitter stocks fell 6% in extended trading and it’s expected to plunge further in the coming days.

Twitter has said in response it is going to take a legal action against Musk.

“The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement,” tweeted Twitter’s chairman, Bret Taylor. “We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery.”

The deal’s agreement requires that Musk pay a $1 billion breakup fee, if he opts out the deal – unless Twitter breaches any part of the agreement. Musk has claimed that Twitter’s unwillingness to provide him with accurate data gives him the right to walk away from the deal without having to pay the penalty.

Apple Leading Commitment To Protect Users From Targeted Mercenary Spyware With “Lock Down Mode” Feature

0

If there is one thing Apple does best, is by regularly improving security on its device to ensure the maximum safety of its users. No wonder the brand is often the most preferred choice of users among other brands.

The company is always making it difficult for hackers to find vulnerabilities on its iOS-powered devices. Recently, the company is previewing a groundbreaking security capability that offers specialized additional protection to users who may be at risk of highly targeted cyber attacks from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.

Apple is introducing a new security feature to its device called “Lockdown mode”. This is a free feature that will strengthen its user’s Iphone, Ipad, and Macbook, making it very hard for hackers to compromise their devices through highly targeted attacks.

The lockdown mode is not yet available as it is set to be released with iOS16, IpadOS16, and macOS Ventura. For users who face grave targeted threats to their digital security, this feature will come in very handy as it offers extreme protection.

With so many security features on its device, it is safe to say that Apple makes one of the most secure mobile devices in the market. This recent “lockdown mode” feature shows the company’s unwavering commitment to protecting its users from sophisticated attacks.

To show how committed they are to ensuring its user’s safety, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture, Ivan Krstic disclosed that they will continue to work tirelessly to protect its users, which includes continuing to design defenses specifically for its users as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world, doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these attacks.

The Lockdown mode feature was developed not necessarily for every iPhone user, but rather for users with occupations like journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, all of which need the lockdown mode because of who they are and what they do.

The Lockdown mode includes the following protection features;

  • Apple Services: Incoming invitations and service requests which include face-time calls, are blocked if the user has not previously sent the indicator a call or request.
  • Messages: Most message attachment types other than images are blocked, and some features, like link previews, are disabled.
  • Wired connections with a computer or accessory are blocked when iPhone is locked
  • Web Browsing: Certain complex web technologies, like just-in-time (JIT) javascript compilations, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted side from lockdown mode.
  • Configuration Profiles cannot be installed and the device cannot enroll into mobile device management (MDM) while lockdown mode is turned on.

To further ensure the safety of the Lockdown mode, Apple has established a new category within the Apple security Bounty program that will reward researchers who find lockdown mode bypasses and help improve its projection.

That One Vote Can Change A Nation

1

Congratulations Labour Party, you are set now, just as PDP. We’re getting closer to phase two. We hope APC will conclude its own process very soon with the definitive vice presidential aspirant. I expect Obi & Ahmed to make its case just as Atiku & Okowa will do. When Tinubu announces his running mate, we will welcome the duo also.

As that happens, I have a message to all young people: show civility and look unto the future and make the right call. I can promise you that whoever becomes the President of Nigeria will have zero impact in my life and those of my generation; Nigeria settled us very well. But at your time, Nigeria is weak, dysfunctional and largely lost. But there is an opportunity for a new beginning; you all can architect that future.

To get that future, avoid the tribalization of this important national mission. The politicians are seeding problems with some devilish statements. That an Umuahia boy is excited about Obi does not mean he is doing so because Obi is from the Southeast. He is a fan of Obi because he finds vision in Obi. If a Yoruba boy is excited about Tinubu, respect that. I expect you to respect Atiku’s supporters also. Understand that Nigeria’s challenges are not tribalized or regionalized; everyone’s a victim. But we can all be winners if we make the right decisions.

More than 70% of your senior political leaders do not use the Nigerian healthcare system. And their children do not attend our universities. And when they graduate, they now import them into CBN, LNG, etc which have “dollarized” certificates – yes, foreign degrees are superior and they cut you out! Sure – I get those privileges myself and that is the revealing aspect. Get your PVC so that when the election time comes, you will be ready to  change the future. 

See this election as destiny-reshaping. You are all smart young people; I expect you all to get your PVC and make the right call. A few years ago, I went to my former school’s hospital and saw a sitting Nigerian president in the waiting room; possibly he came for a routine check and was waiting for a nurse.

Get your PVC, you cannot miss the 2023 project!

SMEs – The Backbone of Nigeria Economy

0

The United Nations industrial development organization (UNIDO) recently disclosed that small and medium-scale enterprises account for 96 percent of all business activities in Nigeria.

The regional director of UNIDO, Mr. Jean Bakole disclosed that the MSME sector in Nigeria currently contributes about 50 percent of the GDP, and has provided over 48 percent of all employment opportunities in the country.

Unfortunately, despite the major roles these SMEs play in the country’s economy, they are still faced with a myriad of challenges that stifles their growth. Nigeria is home to approximately 40 million MSMEs that are employing 87.9 percent of the labor force.

Small and Medium enterprises play major roles in most economies, most especially in developing countries. They account for the majority of businesses globally and are major contributors to job creation and global economic development.

According to an estimation by Worldbank, 600 million jobs will be needed by 2030 to absorb the growing global workforce, which is why SMEs development should be a top priority for many governments around the world. In most emerging markets, most formal jobs are generated by SMEs which see them create 7 out of 10 jobs.

However, the operation of SMEs in most countries, with Nigeria inclusive, is not usually smooth. One major challenge these SMEs face is lack of access to finance to grow their business.

Among other problems are stiff competition from larger companies, low capacity utilization, lack of management strategies, difficulties in sourcing raw materials, etc. Due to these tons of problems that are currently ravaging the SMEs ecosystem, most of them in Nigeria die within their first five years of existence, while only about five to ten percent survive, thrive, and grow to maturity.

No doubt the unstable policies of the government has also caused some of these SMEs to crumble, also not forgetting multiple taxations that have been a problem, especially given the role of tax consultants and agents hired by the local governments.

They tax these SMEs on everything in their bid to generate revenue without considering its adverse effects on these businesses. The government must understand that the growth of SMEs is very pivotal to the growth of the economy, therefore they should be given a conducive environment to run their businesses, as anything that stifles or poses a challenge to their growth should be jettisoned.

In every economy in the world, it is an established fact globally that SMEs play a very vital role in economies which is why they are often referred to as the engine of economies. Since one major problem of these SMEs is access to finance, therefore there is a strong need for the government to intervene in funding these businesses by making credit facilities available to all sectors of SMEs.

These SMEs have for years called on the government for support, and it is ideal that the government heed to their call. The government keeps talking about tackling the high unemployment rate in the country which rose from 27.1 percent to 33 percent in the second quarter of 2020.

One thing they must understand is that once these SMEs are properly funded, the issue of unemployment among youths will be drastically reduced, because these SMEs in Nigeria account for 84 percent of employment in the country.

Also, as much as the government is saddled with the responsibility of creating an enabling environment for SMEs with financial support, big organizations can also play a role by supporting these SMEs either through funds or partnership. Once problems challenging these SMEs are tackled, Nigeria’s economy will no doubt experience a massive turn around.