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Musk, Ramaswamy spar with Trump supporters over H-1B work visasIf you've been in the Wollongong music scene - or even just watched TV - over the years, you've probably heard something recorded at Main Street Studios. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading Hundreds of Wollongong bands would have the phrase - "recorded at Main Street Studios " - printed somewhere on the CDs they'd sell at gigs. At least back in the days before streaming. But in addition to helping to make a lasting aural record of the local scene, Main Street was also the place where a load of jingles were laid down. Some will still remember the old Southern Classic Cars radio jingle, perhaps Mr Spudley's Vegie Patch and the infamous Computer Town ad, ("Windang Road at Windang") - they all came from Main Street. After just over 40 years of recording the city's music first at Corrimal and then Fairy Meadow the studio is closing its doors. Main Street started way back in 1980 when Rob Specogna and friends Michael Fix, Paul Coombes and Nick Mazxone decided to set it up in a shed in his backyard. "I turned around to the guys and said, 'okay, you've got the gear, he's got the tape recorder, I've got the space. Let's put it in here'," Specogna said. "Let's form something because the Illawarra needs something. Nobody else is doing any recording for the bands locally, so let's create the space and make it work." Specogna had been involved in the local music scene at the time, playing bass in bands since 1974. In 1978, a local band, East Coast Music, lost its sound guy and asked if Specogna wanted to take over. "I would have been just out of school and I had started an electronics course," he said. "So I said 'yeah, I'd be interested in learning about sound'. From that point on, I never looked back at playing anymore. I just kept on working in the sound field." He was involved at Main Street until around 2009 and recorded bands, including well-known acts like Tumbleweed, Proton Energy Pills, The Unheard and Segression. "Oh my God, we easily recorded literally hundreds of bands and all genres," he said. "Not only did we work in the rock genre at that point in time, but I would do choirs, I would do little orchestral recordings and some of them are even on-location in places as well where we go and actually record them. "We ended up getting quite a lot of folk bands coming through, so a lot of my stuff is still being played on Vox FM." He also worked in the studio with comedian Rodney Rude. "I ended up working with Rodney Rude because Rodney had a number of albums that he needed editing at that point in time," he said. "And this is going back before digital; the editing back in those days was all tape. So it was a case of having the skill of finding the parts, putting it together, cutting it with a razor blade. "And that's how we made the actual albums. That was a lot of fun. A lot of stress, too." His two-and-a-bit decades spent recording at Main Street were a very enjoyable part of his life, more fun than a so-called "real" job. "My accountant often saw what I was doing as more of a lifestyle business than it was an actual making a lot of money type business," he said. "I was doing with my life what I enjoyed doing and I was working and making it able to have some money for me to be able to do that work. "If you can find a job that you really enjoy and can make money from it, then why would you not do it?" The enjoyment faded with the introduction of MP3s posted online. They had all the fancy gear in the studio to record a great sound, and that quality just couldn't be heard when a song was compressed to an MP3. Also, artists would come in and record and then expect him to "fix it up in the computer", rather than just performing better. "I started feeling, this was not really what I signed up for," he said. "I loved recording an artist and obviously capturing the best sound that you possibly could. For it then to end up on some sort of shitty little MP3 player was definitely not something that I thought was good." He left Main Street around 2009, and the operation was taken over by Adam Jordan, who had been working there since 2004. Jordan remembered being "thrown in the deep end" and having to learn how to use recording software like Pro Tools in an era before YouTube videos were around that could explain everything. For him, recording was a combination of two things he loved. "For me as a kid, what I liked to do was listen to music and pull things apart and try to put them back together," Jordan said. "So I feel like doing the studio thing is exactly what that is. A band comes in with their song, 'Okay, let's pull it apart. How can we put it back together and make it better than what it was?'." Jordan was thrilled to see some artists turn up in the studio and instantly know they would go on to do something big. "Over 20 years, you see someone that's come in when they were in high school and go, 'oh, you've got something good', and then they move on, and then they become something better," he said. "I like seeing The Vanns at the moment, seeing them get out there doing well because they started off doing things here when they were in high school and that sort of thing. "Same as Hockey Dad; those guys had come through in different bands, you know, before being Hockey Dad, and then they did some Hockey Dad stuff here as well." Jordan said the development of technology that allows bands to record at home did lead to a drop-off in business at Main Street. But it came back when people realised there were just things they couldn't do at home, like recording the drums. Now, Jordan encourages bands to record a demo ahead of time in the studio, because it streamlines the whole process. "I would have a listen [to the demo] and it would kind of take out almost like the first half of the day of work," he said. "Let's go from there as opposed to when I used to have to go to a rehearsal room to watch a band and then try to dissect it there and then." He does admit to missing the days when bands released physical CDs that better replicated the sound quality he had recorded, as opposed to the trend of a "release" meaning nothing more than posting the songs to a streaming platform. "So three days later, they're like 'hey, check out our EP, ' posting it on Facebook or wherever, and their friends and family would listen, and then that would be it," he said. "I'm like, why did we just go and spend 70 hours working on this thing? You guys wrote the songs, we put all of this effort into it and then you just go, 'oh, here's our recording' and then nothing. "I miss those days of the CDs. Things with bands getting vinyl, it's a return of a 'thing' and things have to sound good to be on vinyl." Jordan has decided to close Main Street Studios. He's been storing away the equipment he wants to keep and looking to sell the rest. The storage of equipment shows that he hasn't given up recording; he just wants to do it differentlyand he wants it to be fun, citing the case of recording the band Shot to Pieces at Bermagui. "It wasn't in the studio, there was this big house with a Queenslander verandah," he said. "The drum kit was on the verandah and there were the doors that you would just open and close. If they needed more foldback on the drums, we just open the doors, need less then we'd close it, with the band in a massive lounge room. "We'd get up in the morning, they would rehearse, we'd have lunch. Then after lunch, we'd actually do the recording. "And it is probably one of the best experiences I've ever had. So now it's like, if I'm going to record, I just want that experience over and over again." Part of the legacy of Main Street Studios, as Jordan saw it, was it gave people a shot at immortality, of having this piece of them still surviving on CD or vinyl long after they're gone. "With recording, I want something that's good so you can then go, 'I was 20 when I did this and the band broke up. I'm now married, I've got kids'," he said. Then their kid will pick up a guitar and it's like, 'oh, I used to play in a band, check this out'. They put it on and it still sounds good. They will still be proud of it X number of years later. "So let's spend the time and effort to make this good because when you're gone, that can still exist." I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading. I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading. More from Latest News Newsletters & Alerts DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. 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Composer of ‘El cervecero’ surprises by meeting with Cueva after asking him to pay 200,000 solesWILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Newby had 16 points in UNC Wilmington's 76-61 victory over Appalachian State on Saturday night. Newby also added six assists for the Seahawks (5-2). Nolan Hodge added 15 points while shooting 6 for 10, including 2 for 5 from beyond the arc and had six rebounds. Harlan Obioha had 12 points and shot 5 of 5 from the field and 2 of 5 from the free-throw line. The Mountaineers (5-3) were led in scoring by CJ Huntley, who finished with 17 points. Jalil Beaubrun added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Appalachian State. Alonzo Dodd had 11 points. UNC Wilmington took the lead with 15:43 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 44-33 at halftime, with Hodge racking up 15 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .None

The former Coronation Street star had two stints on the show, finishing seventh in 2012 before taking part in a special South Africa all-stars spin-off 11 years later. Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, is the latest in a series of Corrie actors and actresses to appear on the ITV show, and Helen is backing her former co-star to thrive. "Alan is someone I've known since I was really little, and will be great in the jungle," she said in an interview associated with WhichBingo. "When you're in Coronation Street; there's such a social aspect of being part of the show and you meet people from all walks of life. Helen when she starred in I'm a Celebrity... South Africa (Image: ITV) "You hang around for such a long time with people of different ages and different backgrounds, so it really puts you in good stead for appearing on a show like I'm A Celeb. "I definitely think it's done that for me in my life. So, Alan will be great socially, and he's got a lot about him as a person too. "He knows it's hard. He will definitely be able to do the trials and is a very grounded person as well. He'll be a team player and will smash it." Flanagan will also be keeping a close eye on Tulisa Contostavlos, revealing her affection for the N-Dubz singer. Alan Halsall in I'm a Celeb (Image: ITV) She said: "I love Tulisa. I have seen lots of her social media stuff; I know her, and she's a really lovely girl. "I think she will do fab in it and is genuinely a nice person as well." Appearing on I'm A Celeb can be a punishing ordeal, and the 34-year-old admits to... James Hilsum

( MENAFN - Gulf Times) US President-elect Donald trump has filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok the day before his January 20 inauguration if it is not sold by its Chinese owner ByteDance. “In light of the novelty and difficulty of this case, the court should consider staying the statutory deadline to grant more breathing space to address these issues,” Trump's legal team wrote, to give him“the opportunity to pursue a Political resolution”. Trump was fiercely opposed to TikTok during his 2017-21 first term, and tried in vain to ban the video app on national security grounds. The Republican voiced concerns – echoed by political rivals – that the Chinese government might tap into US TikTok users' data or manipulate what they see on the platform. US officials had also voiced alarm over the popularity of the video-sharing app with young people, alleging that its parent company is subservient to Beijing and that the app is used to spread propaganda, claims denied by the company and the Chinese government. Trump called for a US company to buy TikTok, with the government sharing in the sale price, and his successor Joe Biden went one stage further – signing a law to ban the app for the same reasons. Trump has now, however, reversed course. At a press conference last week, Trump said he has“a warm spot” for TikTok and that his administration would take a look at the app and the potential ban. Earlier this month, the president-elect met TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Recently, Trump told Bloomberg he had changed his mind about the app:“Now (that) I'm thinking about it, I'm for TikTok, because you need competition.” “If you don't have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram – and that's, you know, that's Zuckerberg,” he added. Facebook, founded by Mark Zuckerberg and part of his Meta tech empire, was among the social media networks that banned Trump after attacks by his supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The ban was driven by concerns that he would use the platform to promote more violence. Those bans on major social media platforms were later lifted. In the brief filed on Friday, Trump's lawyer made it clear the president-elect did not take a position on the legal merits of the current case. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute,” John Sauer wrote in the amicus curiae – or“friend of the court” – brief. “Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, thus permitting President Trump's incoming Administration the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.” A coalition of free speech groups – including the American Civil Liberties Union – also filed a separate brief to the Supreme Court opposing enforcement of the law, citing censorship concerns. “Such a ban is unprecedented in our country and, if it goes into effect, will cause a far-reaching disruption in Americans' ability to engage with the content and audiences of their choice online,” the rights groups' filing read, in part. The US apex court agreed last week to hear TikTok's appeal against Biden's move to force its owner to divest from it or face a ban. With oral arguments scheduled for January 10, the case would have to be heard at a breakneck speed. TikTok argues that the law, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, violates its First Amendment free speech rights. AFP, among more than a dozen other fact-checking organisations, is paid by TikTok in several countries to verify videos that potentially contain false information. TikTok has more than 170mn US users. Bytedance has previously said the Justice Department has misstated its ties to China, arguing its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the United States on cloud servers operated by Oracle Corp while content moderation decisions that affect US users are made in the United States as well. MENAFN28122024000067011011ID1109038239 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

DURHAM, N.C., Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chimerix CMRX , today announced that on December 2, 2024, the Compensation Committee of Chimerix's Board of Directors granted inducement awards to three new employees of non-statutory stock options to purchase up to a total of 385,000 shares of Chimerix's common stock. The Compensation Committee of Chimerix's Board of Directors approved the awards as an inducement material to the new employees' employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing rule 5635(c)(4). The stock options have an exercise price per share equal to Chimerix's closing trading price as of the grant date. The stock options have a 10-year term and will vest over four years, with one-fourth vesting on the one-year anniversary of the date of hire and the remaining three-fourths vesting over the following three years in equal monthly installments. The stock options are subject to the terms of Chimerix's 2024 Equity Incentive Plan but were granted outside of the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. Chimerix is a biopharmaceutical company with a mission to develop medicines that meaningfully improve and extend the lives of patients facing deadly diseases. The Company's most advanced clinical-stage development program, dordaviprone (ONC201), is in development for H3 K27M-mutant glioma. The Company is conducting Phase 1 dose escalation studies of ONC206 to evaluate safety and PK data. CONTACTS: Will O'Connor Stern Investor Relations 212-362-1200 ir@chimerix.com will@sternir.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Notre Dame turns offense loose in easy win over Le Moyne

The Georgian president, Salome Zourabichvili, has called the country’s government illegitimate and said she would not leave office when her term ends next month, defying the prime minister as he accused pro-EU opposition forces of plotting revolution. The South Caucasus country was thrown into crisis on Thursday when the prime minister of the Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, said it was halting EU accession talks for the next four years over what it called “blackmail” of Georgia by the bloc, abruptly reversing a long-standing national goal. EU membership is overwhelmingly popular in Georgia, which has the aim of joining the bloc enshrined in its constitution, and the sudden freezing of accession talks has triggered large protests in the mountainous country of 3.7 million people. In an address on Saturday, Zourabichvili, a pro-EU critic of Georgian Dream whose powers are mostly ceremonial, said parliament had no right to elect her successor when her term ends in December, and that she would stay in post. Zourabichvili and other government critics said a 26 October election, in which Georgian Dream won almost 54% of the vote , was rigged, and that the parliament it elected is illegitimate. “There is no legitimate parliament and, therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president. Thus, no inauguration can take place, and my mandate continues until a legitimately elected parliament is formed,” she said. Earlier, Kobakhidze accused opponents of the halt to EU accession of plotting a revolution, along the lines of Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan protest, which ousted a pro-Russian president. “Some people want a repeat of that scenario in Georgia. But there will be no Maidan in Georgia,” Kobakhidze said. The country’s interior ministry said on Saturday it had detained 107 people in the capital, Tbilisi, overnight during a protest in which demonstrators built barricades along the central Rustaveli Avenue and hurled fireworks at riot police, who used water cannon and teargas to disperse them. Georgia’s domestic intelligence agency, the state security service, said “specific political parties” were attempting to “overthrow the government by force”. Many thousands of protesters were gathering late on Saturday in Tbilisi, building barricades outside parliament where there was a large presence of riot police. Local media reported protests in towns and cities throughout the country. Hundreds of employees at Georgia’s foreign, defence, justice and education ministries, and at the central bank, have signed open letters condemning the decision to freeze EU accession talks. Major businesses, including the London-listed banks TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia stated their support for EU accession, while Georgia’s most senior diplomats in Italy and the Netherlands resigned in protest on Saturday, local media reported. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a star of Georgia’s national football team, spoke out in favour of the protesters. “My country hurts, my people hurt – it’s painful and emotional to watch the videos that are circulating, stop the violence and aggression! Georgia deserves Europe today more than ever!” Kvaratskhelia wrote on Facebook on Saturday. Standing outside the parliament building in the capital, where the flags of the EU and Georgia hang side by side, protester Tina Kupreishvili said she wanted Georgia to uphold its constitutional commitment to joining the EU. “The people of Georgia are trying to protect their constitution, trying to protect their country and the state, and they are trying to tell our government that rule of law means everything,” she told Reuters. The halt to EU accession caps months of deteriorating relations between Georgian Dream, which has faced allegations of authoritarian and pro-Russian tendencies, and the west. The party is dominated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire ex-prime minister who adopted increasingly anti-western positions in the run-up to the October election. Both the ruling party and Georgia’s electoral commission say the poll was free and fair. Western countries have called for an investigation into alleged violations. The EU had already said Georgia’s application was stalled owing to laws against “foreign agents” and LGBTQ+ rights that it has described as draconian and pro-Russian. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream has started to build ties with neighbouring Russia, from which Georgia gained independence in 1991. The two countries have no diplomatic ties since a brief war over a Moscow-backed rebel region in 2008 but restored direct flights in 2023, while Moscow lifted visa restrictions on Georgian nationals earlier this year.Committed to compliances, every attack makes us stronger: Gautam Adani

Srinagar Smart City wins Award for Excellence in Sustainable Transport System

Brandon Stroud scores 16 as South Florida knocks off Webber International 106-49Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Ford to give $1 million for Trump inauguration National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | Pressley praises Biden’s death row commutations, urges more action National Politics | Healey vs. ICE: Massachusetts’ sanctuary status under fire But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.