#Futurist, strategist, writer, geek, entrepreneur, speaker, editor https://nitter.cf/t.co/5YX3xt8W1Z
South Africa
Joined July 2008
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Doug Vining retweeted
South Africans suffer from delusions of grandeur. We'll watch other African countries surpass us, reveling in our own ideological greatness, so intoxicated by the fantasy of our moral superiority that we've become completely detached from reality. It's mental.
We'll clap as our industries collapse, our economy crumbles. Yet we'll stand proudly among the ruins, congratulating ourselves on how enlightened we've become, utterly convinced that everyone else is the problem.
Watching the online community cope with the loss of access to AGOA is real. The ideologues always have an excuse for everything.
It's just 1%. We export to larger numbers to Europe.
These are half-truth explanations you'd expect from them, none of which are economically sound. No surprise there.
The greatest threat is not the loss of AGOA.
It's economies of scale. That does not only affect us in relation to the US market. It affects us in all markets.
Manufacturing costs rise when export volumes fall, and the knock-on effect is that it makes us less competitive globally.
That's the immediate danger, which is not quantifiable right now. It will take some time before we see the real damage.
The long-term threat is investment.
If a factory's export opportunities diminish, it becomes harder to justify new investment.
Attempting to isolate the damage to percentages of market share based on US-dependent product lines is not a true reflection of the damage. The knock-on effect spills into other markets, and until the numbers come in, we have no idea if we've shut the doors on many of those too.
Job loss is inevitable.
Doug Vining retweeted
Tesla FSD has reached 17 billion miles driven.
Hereโs the cumulative milestones since 2020:
โข 2020: ~5 million
โข 2021: ~11 million
โข 2022: ~91 million
โข 2023: ~761 million
โข 2024: ~3 billion
โข 2025: ~7.2 billion
โข 2026 (May 3): 10 billion
โข 2026 (June 9): 11 billion
โข 2026 (July 17): 12 billion
โข 2026 (Aug 3): 13 billion
โข 2026 (Aug 27): 14 billion
โข 2026 (Sept 29): 15 billion
โข 2026 (Oct 26): 16.7 billion
โข 2026 (Nov 2): 17 billion
FSD is up to 9x safer than humans driving according to U.S. safety data. These numbers are about to explode.
Doug Vining retweeted
today i learned that Elon is getting into space drugs
it's called Starfall and it's basically a flying drug lab
> drug companies pack their ingredients into a 10-foot-wide capsule
> a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carries it into orbit
> the drugs grow on their own with nobody on board
> then the capsule falls back to Earth and parachutes into the Pacific
the reason they go through all that hassle is that drugs come out way better when theyโre made in space
because the tiny crystals theyโre made of grow evenly up there instead of lumpy like they do on Earth
take Keytruda, the best-selling drug in the world
scientists grew its crystals on the space station, which helped turn it from a 2-hour IV drip into a 1-minute shot
and the craziest part is that some medicine might only be possible to develop up there
for example: scientists couldn't get clean crystals of a key Duchenne muscular dystrophy protein on Earth
but the ones grown in space finally showed its shape and led to a new drug that went into human trials
so i think space will unlock a whole new class of drugs that are impossible to make on Earth
And don't forget John Beddington. Mindbullet:
โPERFECT STORMโ OF SHORTAGES AVERTED
futureworld.org/insights/minโฆ
20 years ago, Nicholas Stern wrongly predicted that climate change would cause immense economic losses from extreme weather events
Now, we know he was wrong
Ironically, but not surprisingly, The Guardian celebrates him for being right
rogerpielkejr.substack.com/pโฆ
If you've never driven one you don't understand. It's a fantastic vehicle just not a mainstream crowd pleaser. Ahead of its time.
Itโs time to be honest about the Cybertruck.
It was never going to be a mass-market success in my opinion.
Itโs too big, too divisive and isnโt aesthetically pleasing enough to be a market leader.
And now itโs been cancelled in Australia and New Zealand.
Iโm a massive supporter of Tesla, often being called the usual โfanboyโ names, but Iโve never understood the Cybertruck.
Itโs enormous, expensive, and looks like something designed by a child with a ruler.
Yes, itโs technologically impressive.
But being different doesnโt automatically make something a good product.
The reality is that US sales were around 20,000 in 2025, and estimates suggest just 11,586 were sold in the first nine months of 2026.
Now Tesla has officially cancelled plans to sell it in Australia and New Zealand, refunding customers who placed deposits almost SEVEN YEARS AGO.
Europe isnโt looking promising either.
The problem with the Cybertruck is simple.
Tesla built a vehicle that attracts enormous attention but has a relatively limited market.
Something people photograph when they see one.
But that doesnโt mean millions of people want to own one.
Sometimes, a bad idea is just a bad idea.
Doug Vining retweeted
As an american, I spent 3 weeks in the gold coast earlier this month and rented a Model 3 with FSD on Turo. It saved me the agonizing stress of navigating and driving on the opposite side of the road. Drove me flawlessly everywhere.
Doug Vining retweeted
Mercedes sold its Tesla stake for $780 million. that same 4 percent is worth about $56 billion today.
in the clip below Musk explains how Mercedes ended up there. the US government gave Tesla almost $500 million, and he is asked directly whether that loan saved the company. he says no.
what saved it was a $50 million check from Daimler in May 2009. all of Tesla was worth $550 million then.
"they were the only ones. there was no other company, no other entity of any kind from which we could get investments."
Tesla repaid the government's $500 million with interest and a prepayment penalty, ten years early. he sent a thank you note with it.
"i don't like having a lot of debt. the taxpayers supported Tesla, we ought to repay them as soon as we can."
Mercedes turned $50 million into $780 million and walked away in 2014.
so was that a great investment - or the most expensive mistake in car industry history?
Press Compile. Receive Machine. / When manufacturing becomes software, almost anything can become a product. #Mindbullets : News from the Future
futureworld.org/insights/minโฆ
@Futureworld_Int
Doug Vining retweeted
ืืืคืฉืชื ืืช ืืงืืข ืืื ืื ืจืืช - ืืกืืฃ ืกืืฃ ืืฆืืชื ืืืชื. ืืืื ืจืืฉืื, ืืืจื ืืืืืืืช, ืคืจืื ืก 2 ืฉืืืจื ืืชืื ืฉื 12 ืืงืืช ืืฉื ืดืืื ืืืืืืืชืด ืฉืืจืืชื, ืขื ืืขื ืืืื ืงืจืืื ืืช - ืืจืืืช ืคืฉืื ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืืืืืช ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืืืืืช ืฉื ืืื ืฉืืช. ืื ื ืืืืจ ืฉืฆืคืืชื ืืื ืืจืืชืง - ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืืื. ืจืืืื ืฉื ืืื ืืืื: ืืฉืืจื ืืกืชืขืจืช ืื ืกืืื, ืืช ืืืจืื ื ืืืืื ืฉืืืืงืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืคืืช ืขืื ืืื ื ืื ืื ืืืืืข, ืื ืฉืื ืฉืฉืืืจืื ืดืคืืืืืด ืืื ืืืขืืฃ ืขื ืืฉืืืจืื, ืื ืืืืื, ืืืื, ืืฆืชืืช ืืื ืืืืฉืื ืืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืฉ ืืชืืืืจืช ืืืช ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืฆืืขื, ืืชืืืื ืืืืืฉืจ ืขื ืืืืจืช ืืื ืืืืื ืฉืื. ืืื ืจืืขืื ืืืืืืืืื ืืื ืืจืชืงืื. ืื ื ืืืืจ ืฉืฆืคืืชื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืชื ืืืืชื ืจืืข ืืื ืื ื ืฆืืคื. ืื ืืืืืืืื ืืืื. ืืืื ืืืื ืืืขืฉื. ืขืจืืื ืืืื. ืืกืื ื ืืืจ ืืกืื ืฉืืืจ ืงืฉื ืืจืืืช ืืืื. ืืฆืจืคืช, ืืืืืจืืช ืืืืฉืืช ืืื ื ืกืืคืืจ ืืชืืฉ ืฉื ืคืืจื ื ืืืืช ืืฉืืื ืขื ืคื ื ืฉืขืชืืื ืขื ืคืจืกืืืืช ืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืขื ืืจืืืืช ืืืชื ื ืืืจืืช ืืืืืื ืฉื ื ืจืืืืืื ืืืคืืช. 12 ืืงืืช ืฉื ืชืืขืื, ืืืขื ืืื ืงืจืืื ืืช ืื ืืืจ ืืืื ืืืฆื ืืืคื. ืืจืื ืืืื ื ืืืดื ืืืืืืจื ืฆืจืคืชืืช ืฉื ืืฉืืช ืืืฆื ืฉืขื ืืืื.
ืืื ืืืขืื ืืขืืืืื ืืืืืืื ืฉื ืฆืจืคืช, ื-ืกื-ืืณื-ืื ืฉืื ืกืื ืฉื ืดืืกืชืืจืืชืด ืืืืืจื-ืฉืืืื ืืช. ืืื ืขื ืืขื ืืืื ืืืจ (ืกื-ืืฃ-ืื-ืื) ืืืื ืืขืื ืขื ืืฉืืืืจ ืฉื ืืืชืื ืืื ืฉืืืจืชืืช ืืื. ืื ืืื ืืจืื ืฉื ืืช ืคืจืฆืืคื ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืดืืืืืด ืืื ืืื ืงืฉืงืืฉืื ืืืื ืืชืืืคืืคืืช ืืืื ืคืืืืจืื.
ืขืืฉืื ืื ืืืจืฉืื ืื ืจืง ืืช ืคืืืืจืื ืฉื ืืืืืฉ ืืืชืืง - ืืืจื ืืืืืก - ืืื ืืช ืคืืืืจืื ืฉื ืื ืฆืืืช ืืืืฉืืช ืฉื ืืืืืืจื ืืื.
ืืชื ืงืืืืื? **ืืขืื ืขืืืืื**, ืฉืืืจืฉืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืขืจืืฅ ืืฆืืืืจื ืืฆืจืคืชื - ืืคืืจื ืฆืืืช ืฉืื ืื ืืขืื ืืืืื ืืชืื ืฉืืื ื ืืจืืื. ืืชืื ืฉืื ืืจืื ืืฉืืืื - ืืืฆืืื ืคืืกืืืืช ืืืืืืื ืืืื ืืฃ ื ืงืืืช ืขืืื ืื ืชืืืื.
ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืงืืฆืื ื ืืขืืื ืขื ืจืืืื ืืืืจืืืืช ืื ืื, ืืืื, - ืืืฆืืืืช ืขืฆืื ืืืื ืืืฉืืจืื ืืืชื. ืื ืืื ืื ืืช ืืืชืื ืืื ืดืคืจืืคืื ืืืด. ืื ืืืจืืฉื ืืืืืื ืืื, ืืฆืืจืคื ืื ืืืืจื ืืจืืืณ - ื ืฉืืืช ืืืจืืื ืืขืืชืื ืืื ืกื-ืื-ืืณื. ืืืืื ืชื, ืืืืืจ ืืดืืชืืจืืจืืช ืืืืืืืช ืืืืชื ื ืฉืืืชืด. ืื ืืขืื ืืขืืืืื ืืืืื ืืฆืืจืคื ืขืื ืงืืืืช ืขืืชืื ืืื ืืืืจืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืืขื ืงืืืฉ.
ืื ืืืช ืืขืจืืฅ ืืฆืืืืจื ืคืจืื ืก 2 ืฉืฉืืืจื ืืช ืืืืงื ืืื - ืืืืจื ืืืืฆืื ืกืื ืฉื ืดืืื ืงืืืคืืด - ืืืืขืช ืืชื ืฆืืืช ืื ืืืืขืชืช ืฉืื ืืื ืืฆืจื ืขื ืื ืฉืืชืืื ืืช ืื ืืื ืืชืื ืดืงืื ืืงืกืืด ืืืชืจ ืจืื. ืืืืืจ ืฉืื ืืฉื ืฉื ืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืจืื ืืื ืฉืื ืฉืฆืืคืื ืืืกืื ืืืจืชืง ืืื - ืื ืขืืืื ืืืฉืื ืื ืืืจืืืฉ.
ืื ื ืืชื ืืื ืืฉืคืื ืืขืฆืืื. ืืื ืฉืืืฉืื ืืขืื ืืช ืื ืืืืืืืจ:
The future of global car companies, the Chinese invasion, and how legacy auto needs to reinvent itself.
Read the whole post:
57 Million Unwanted Cars Are Dragging Down Big Auto | Doug Vining
lnkd.in/p/dZnQA5Qu
Doug Vining retweeted
"Scenario two: Elon wins with the Republicans. And this deathly project gets dismantled. Not reformed, not slowed down. Dismantled. Every network, every unelected structure, brought into the light. And we finally do what history never had the courage to do: the Nuremberg of communism. The great moral and historical trial of an ideology that killed tens of millions of people and is still trying to sneak back in through the back door. There is no third way. No lukewarm scenario. The coming decade will decide. Pick your side while you still have the right to."
I only see two scenarios.
Scenario one: the Democrats take back power. Remember what Elon said in 2024: "If he loses, I'm f*cked. How long do you think my prison sentence is going to be?" Everyone laughed. Read those documents again and tell me he was joking. If a movement that pre-writes the criteria for declaring an elected government illegitimate comes back to power, there's a very strong chance Elon gets persecuted. Him, X, and everyone who dared to speak up. And the world that follows is 1984 with GPUs. A hyper-class owning all the means of production: AI, robots, data, energy. The rest of humanity locked into a form of techno-feudal slavery, on a drip, surveilled, docile. Communism always promised equality and delivered a nomenklatura. With AI, the nomenklatura won't even need the people anymore.
Scenario two: Elon wins with the Republicans. And this deathly project gets dismantled. Not reformed, not slowed down. Dismantled. Every network, every unelected structure, brought into the light. And we finally do what history never had the courage to do: the Nuremberg of communism. The great moral and historical trial of an ideology that killed tens of millions of people and is still trying to sneak back in through the back door.
There is no third way.
No lukewarm scenario.
The coming decade will decide.
Pick your side while you still have the right to.
Doug Vining retweeted
This is for all the writers ( and want to be writers) in this beautiful community ๐โ๐ผ๐ฉโ๐ป๐จ๐ปโ๐ป๐. This gave me some serious guffaws and I hope it does for you as well ๐๐ผ๐. Happy writing โ๐ผ๐๐ผ. @LouDPhillips @DzintraSullivan @ChrisBohjalian @therealSIR3 @hwinkler4real @AuthorFleur @donnacox1021 @drdoomed01 @jameshealyjr
Unlike. ๐ Degrowthers are anti-human.
Doug Vining retweeted
Iโve spent a few days thinking about the Tesla Roadster reveal and landed somewhere I havenโt seen much discussion. Iโm neither a Tesla fanboy nor a Tesla hater. And I couldnโt care less whether what we saw technically qualifies as a flying car. Three takeaways: (1) The risk of that live demonstration going horribly wrong was real. Almost no CEO would willingly expose their company to that kind of public humiliation for a product with so little financial upside. Elon did. (2) That willingness to attempt the seemingly impossible is what makes Tesla special. Itโs also arguably Elonโs greatest contribution to America. Heโs helped bring back something weโve lost. The American spirit of chasing big scary ideas that most people think are impossible. That mindset is spreading across a new generation of founders and its long term impact on Americaโs future could dwarf anything Tesla ever sells. I think this is deeply underappreciated. (3) Can we just acknowledge how insanely cool that moment was? Weโve reached a strange place culturally where even extraordinary feats of human ingenuity immediately become arguments about why they donโt count. Not everything needs to be a debate. Sometimes we should just be able to stand back together and marvel at what humans are capable of. Iโve been both bullish and critical of Teslaโs ambitions over the years. But watching Elon and his team push the boundaries of whatโs possible reminds me why Iโm glad we have him. Whether the Roadster ever makes Tesla a dollar or impacts $TSLA stock price is almost beside the point. We need more people willing to risk failure in pursuit of things the rest of us think are impossible. Because when they succeed we all win.
