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Former Twitter exec says a mercurial Musk rules by ‘gut’
A fired Twitter product manager said Elon Musk ran the company newly renamed X by instinct not data, surrounded by sycophants with his mood changing unpredictably. Esther Crawford, whose picture sleeping in a Twitter office late last year made her a viral sensation, shared her thoughts on Wednesday in a lengthy post at X. "I disagree with many of his decisions and am surprised by his willingness to burn so much down, but with enough money and time, something new and innovative may emerge," Crawford said in the post. Crawford joined Twitter when it bought her startup in 2020, before Musk bought the social media platform for $44 billion. "In person Elon is oddly charming and he's genuinely funny," Crawford said. "The challenge is his personality and demeanor can turn on a dime going from excited to angry." Twitter employees feared being called into meetings with him or having to deliver negative news, according to Crawford. "At times it felt like the inner circle was too zealous and fanatical in their unwavering support of everything he said," Crawford wrote. "Product and business decisions were nearly always the result of him following his gut instinct, and he didn't seem compelled to seek out or rely on a lot of data or expertise to inform it." Musk seemed to trust random feedback and Twitter polls more than employees working to solve problems at the company, according to Crawford. "His boldness, passion and storytelling is inspiring, but his lack of process and empathy is painful." Musk has proven success tackling engineering problems, but a social networking platform requires emotional intelligence, Crawford said. She did not spare the previous management, calling it "bloated" and "soft and entitled" where "teams could spend months building a feature and then some last-minute kerfuffle meant it'd get killed for being too risky." Musk killed off the Twitter logo this week, replacing the world-recognized blue bird with a white X. After buying Twitter, Musk had said that he wanted to create a super-app inspired by China's WeChat, which would function as a social media platform and offer messaging and payments. Since Musk bought Twitter last October, the platform's advertising business has collapsed as marketers soured on Musk's management style and mass firings at the company that gutted content moderation. In response, the billionaire has moved toward building a subscriber base and pay model in a search for new revenue. Many users and advertisers alike have responded adversely to the social media site's new charges for previously free services, its changes to content moderation, and the return of previously banned right-wing accounts. The post Former Twitter exec says a mercurial Musk rules by ‘gut’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Twitter website replaces bird logo with X
Twitter launched its new logo on Monday, replacing the blue bird with a white X on a black background as the Elon Musk-owned company moves toward rebranding as X. The social media network's website showed the company's new logo, but its URL was still showing as twitter.com and the blue "Tweet" button was visible, suggesting the rebrand was not yet finalized. Musk and the company's new chief executive Linda Yaccarino announced the rebranding Sunday, saying the company would be renamed X and move later into payments, banking, and commerce. Founded in 2006, Twitter takes its name from the sound of birds chattering, and it has used avian branding since its early days, when the company bought a stock symbol of a light blue bird for $15, according to the design website Creative Bloq. Musk changed his profile picture late Sunday to the company's new logo, which he described as "minimalist art deco," and updated his Twitter bio to "X.com," which now redirects to twitter.com. He also tweeted that under the site's new identity, a post would be called "an X." Musk had already named Twitter's parent company the X Corporation and has said his takeover of the social media giant was "an accelerant to creating X, the everything app" -- a reference to the X.com company he founded in 1999, a later version of which went on to become online payments giant PayPal. Such an app could still function as a social media platform and also include messaging and mobile payments. Musk had previously said he wanted to create a super-app modeled on China's WeChat, a social media platform that also offers messaging and mobile payments. "You basically live on WeChat in China because it's so usable and helpful to daily life, and I think if we can achieve that, or even get close to that at Twitter, it would be an immense success," he told a company town hall meeting in June last year. The new logo was projected onto the facade of Twitter's San Francisco headquarters on Sunday night. "Powered by AI, X will connect us in ways we're just beginning to imagine," Yaccarino tweeted earlier. Yaccarino, a former advertising sales executive at NBCUniversal who Musk hired last month to be Twitter's CEO, said the social media platform was on the cusp of broadening its scope. "X is the future state of unlimited interactivity – centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities." Simon Kemp, CEO of digital consultancy Kepios, said he was skeptical that Twitter could evolve into a super-app. "Given how Musk has treated Twitter's own employees since the acquisition, I don't imagine many developers will rush to build third-party apps to integrate into the Twitter ecosystem unless Musk can offer outstanding incentives, and that'll be extra tricky given the company's existing debt." But he also said the platform had the potential to become "a great (global and paid) news aggregator." New revenue streams Since Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion last October, the platform's advertising business has partially collapsed as marketers soured on Musk's management style and mass firings at the company that gutted content moderation. In response, the billionaire SpaceX boss has moved toward introducing payments and commerce through the platform in a search for new revenue. Twitter is thought to have around 200 million daily active users, but it has suffered repeated technical failures since Musk sacked much of its staff. Many users and advertisers alike have responded adversely to the social media site's new charges for previously free services, its changes to content moderation, and the return of previously banned right-wing accounts. Musk said this month that Twitter had lost roughly half of its advertising revenue since he took control. Facebook parent Meta also launched its text-based platform this month, called Threads, which has up to 150 million users according to some estimates. But the amount of time users spend on the rival app has plummeted in the weeks since its launch, according to data from market analysis firm Sensor Tower. The post Twitter website replaces bird logo with X appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Joys of life’: Hong Kong food traditions endure in city of flux
by Saad Sayeed and Holmes Chan Hong Kong, China | AFP Bent over a low bench in his cluttered Hong Kong workshop, dark-framed glasses perched on his nose, Lui Ming deftly assembles a bamboo steamer, a utensil essential to Cantonese cooking. It's a craft the 93-year-old has been perfecting for seven decades, and steamers like his are an indispensable part of yum cha, the Cantonese brunch involving tea and dim sum -- perhaps the most prized culinary ritual in the city. The circular bamboo baskets are ferried in small trolleys around yum cha restaurants, filled with bite-sized dumplings and other delicacies. "My only hobbies are yum cha and Cantonese opera," Lui tells AFP while twisting thin strips of bamboo to build the single most important dim sum-making tool. "Those are the joys of my life." Hong Kong is equally acclaimed for its fine dining restaurants and its street-side eateries, and the enduring use of handwoven steamers in both is part of a set of unique food traditions that have shaped its culinary landscape for generations. As in many modern metropoles, the flow of commerce in the finance hub brings constant change, but Hong Kong’s cuisine remains wedded to a network of traditions that residents view as staunch markers of local identity. "Bamboo steamers absorb moisture and there won't be condensation (on the lid)," Lui explains, adding that metal or plastic versions would never pass as part of an authentic yum cha experience in Hong Kong. But he does add steel around the bamboo rim to make his steamers more durable and improve insulation, an innovation he says he pioneered. "For steaming buns, there is no substitute." - Hong Kong institutions - Liu's shop is located on Shanghai Street, a historic stretch of road in Hong Kong's Kowloon district that is a treasure trove of kitchenware and utensils. One block north is Chan Chi Kee cutlery -- a family-run Hong Kong institution more than 100 years old. Retired craftsman Mr. Chan, who is part of the clan that runs the shop and now in his 80s, spends much of his time there. He started forging cleavers when he was around 15 years old as part of the already-established family business. "I was given a piece of metal and shaped it into a knife," he says, giving only his surname. "It was on the mountainside in the squatter huts... But eventually there was not enough space -- they built housing there." Today, Chinese chefs from around the world visit Chan Chi Kee's storefront on Shanghai Street to buy handcrafted cleavers and woks. "At least 80 percent of Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong use our knives," Chan tells AFP. But rising property prices and the city's shift away from manufacturing has pushed the bulk of production for the knives, woks and steamers to Guangzhou, China -- though a small select stock is still "Made in Hong Kong". Increased wages have also contributed to soaring costs, says Wong Yan-wai, a dried seafood trader for over three decades. "Most dried seafood is not processed in Hong Kong because of the high cost," Wong, 53, tells AFP. The fresh seafood is caught across the world and dried on-site -- in South Africa, Japan, Brazil and Australia -- before being shipped to Wong's shop on Des Voeux Road. More colloquially known as "Dried Seafood Street", it and its neighbouring side streets are home to nearly 200 vendors hawking dried scallops, bird's nest, abalone, sea cucumber and more. Pulling out a dried fish bladder from an ornate gold box, Wong says it is priced at 168,000 Hong Kong dollars ($21,500) due to its age and size. "For businesses that do well, they can make 800 million to a billion Hong Kong dollars a year in revenue." - 'Modernise Cantonese food' - Ten minutes away, ArChan Chan deftly flips dried shrimp in a carbon steel Chan Chi Kee wok to make her version of the classic Cantonese dish known as stir-fry king. The 37-year-old chef at Ho Lee Fook, located in the glitzy Central district, is one of the city's most celebrated women chefs and among a handful of young innovators redefining Cantonese food. "One of the biggest challenges I have is how to modernise Cantonese food," ArChan says. The answer lies in sourcing quality ingredients while making small tweaks to dishes' flavour profiles, such as adding fermented aged garlic soy to a classic razor clam dish. In her sleek kitchen, Archan lifts the lid of a bamboo steamer to unveil three glistening vegetable dumplings, ready to be served. "There is such a big wealth of knowledge," she tells AFP. "I want to be able to learn and absorb as much as possible and just to pass it on." © Agence France-Presse The post ‘Joys of life’: Hong Kong food traditions endure in city of flux appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
In China, they found a strange bird with a skull almost like that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex
The theory that birds descended from dinosaurs is now widely accepted. It is also understood that this transition includes some of the most dramatic morphological,.....»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»
Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
Manila [Philippines], March 28 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has announced decisive measures to protect his country's sovereignty and maritime rights while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marcos, known as Bongbong, said that the measures, aimed at addressing what he said is the "open, unabating, and illegal" actions by China's Coast.....»»
China urges ROK to stay prudent on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM
BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- China urges the Republic of Korea (ROK) to stay prudent when it comes to the South China Sea issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday. Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when responding to a media query about ROK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's biased and unfactual comments on the South China Sea issue over the past few days. "China.....»»
Chinese Diplomat Liu Jianchao Meets With Singapore s Leaders
singapore - Liu Jianchao, the senior diplomat widely expected to become China's next foreign minister, said "the world needs connectivity, not decoupling," during a four-day visit to Singapore.Liu, who heads the international department of the Communist Party, was in the city-state to meet with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the country's incoming leader, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.During a s.....»»
Philippines’s Marcos pledges action in response to China’s ‘dangerous attacks’
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines has issued a strong statement in response to recent confrontations in the South China Sea, stating that the country.....»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»
China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
MANILA, Philippines — China continued to blame the Philippines and its ally, the United States, for the continued tensions in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down a dangerous path. READ: No letup in Chinese water cannon attacks.....»»
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS.....»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said. .....»»
Pentagon chief reaffirms support after latest China aggression in WPS
Austin emphasized US support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in a phone call with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Wednesday. .....»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»
FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy’s claims on ‘manipulated’ West Philippine Sea videos
The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines strongly rejected and condemned yesterday China’s “false and baseless” claims that journalists manipulate videosthey recorded in the South China Sea to present the Philippines as a victim......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
Opinion - South China Sea- Philippines must softly manage disputes or miss out economically
Manilas assertive transparency strategy is touted as a model for managing maritime disputes but it diminishes key economic opportunities. As Chinese investment pours into other Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines must reduce geopolitical risks without acquiescing to Beijing......»»
India backs Philippines in dispute with China
New Delhi has drawn a strong response from Beijing after reiterating its support for Manila in a territorial dispute India has "firmly reiterated" its support for the Philippines and its "national sovereignty," as Manila remains locked in a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ten.....»»
India backs Philippines in sea dispute with China
New Delhi has drawn a strong response from Beijing after reiterating its support for Manila in a territorial dispute India has "firmly reiterated" its support for the Philippines and its "national sovereignty," as Manila remains locked in a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ten.....»»