Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are on a roll. The Silicon Valley start-up’s stock price has nearly doubled in recent months after rising 400% last year. Consumer Reports named Tesla’s luxury Model S the best overall car of the year. And the company is unveiling plans for a $5 billion ‘gigafactory’ to produce lithium ion batteries in the desert southwest. Under consideration for a … Continue reading Tesla’s Battery Magic
Zimbabwe is entering an unsteady transition politically and economically. Robert Mugabe, its sole leader since independence in 1980, turns 90 on February 21st. He can’t live forever. Who will follow Mugabe and what course will his successors steer? After four years of gradual improvement, the economy is again deteriorating. Money is in short supply. Workers are losing jobs. Government is starved of tax revenue because … Continue reading Zimbabwe’s Transition to What?
WASHINGTON, DC: Tesla Motors is on a roll. Last year its share price quadrupled and it sold over 20,000 cars. There’s a waiting list for every four-door sedan that rolls out of the Fremont, California plant. But with a single factory and a more complicated SUV expected down the line later this year, can Tesla nearly double production as planned? Other potholes include batteries, dealer … Continue reading Potholes Ahead for Tesla
EAST LANSING, MI: On a snowy Sunday in mid-Michigan, 9,000 people came out to watch the Michigan State women’s basketball team play Big Ten rival Penn State. Admittedly, the crowd was somewhat swollen by 2,000 free tickets handed out to local Girl Scouts. But typically over 6,000 spectators show up for each of the 15 or so home games that the MSU women play from … Continue reading Michigan State Women’s Basketball and Title IX
For the first time in a decade there is optimism in Detroit. Not only is the blighted city slowly beginning a turn around, the industry that gave it life is restructured and fit, having climbed back from near collapse in 2009. In 2013 US brands accounted for 46% of domestic sales, outselling their Japanese, Korean and German competitors. Light vehicle sales climbed to 15.6 million, … Continue reading Optimism in Detroit as Autos Lead Recovery
Barry D. Wood 