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Elon Musk’s long-awaited diner and drive-in opened Monday in Hollywood, California. And, even though the venue didn’t open until 4:20 pm, customers were lined up early to get in.The Tesla Diner & Drive-In is many things in one. The venue includes a diner, a drive-in movie theatre, as well as a charging station. It also manages to be both futuristic and retro, and it is definitely over the top.In addition to charging Teslas, customers can enjoy hamburgers, milkshakes, and other classic diner food which comes in Cybertruck-like boxes. Two 45-foot LED movie screens, which sync with Tesla speakers, hope to attract movie-goers to the scene. In typical Musk-fashion, the venue looks a bit like a spaceship perhaps a hint that the experience aims to be out of this world. There is, of course, tons of Tesla-branded merchandise on site, as well as an Optimus robot. On Monday, a Cybertruck wrapped with DOGE vehicle wrap was spotted parked at a charging station. Just before the opening, Musk was already projecting the project to be a huge success. If our retro-futuristic diner turns out well, which I think it will, @Tesla will establish these in major cities around the world, as well as at Supercharger sites on long distance routes, the CEO posted on X. Burgers are hot, but Tesla salesand Musks imageare cooling While the lines of excited customers seemed to imply excitement over the opening, it’s tough to miss that it comes amid a fair amount of public scrutiny of the Tesla CEO. Musk’s work with DOGE, an organization that facilitated mass layoffs and gutted funding for vital organizations like Medicare and Medicaid, the National Institute of Health, national parks, and more, has made him an even more polarizing figure than he already was. More recently, Musk fell out of favor with President Trump, resulting in the head of DOGE being ousted from his government role. A feud played out publicly, with the two men posting pointed attacks on social media. Musk blasted Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” and just weeks ago, Trump said he was even mulling potentially deporting the Tesla CEO. And, while Elon Musk himself has been the subject of tons of scrutiny over his work in DOGE, the role may have impacted the Tesla brand, too. Tesla sales have slumped this year, too. From April to June, sales fell to 384,122 a more than 13% drop from 443,956 in the same period last year. Musk has acknowledged that sales have slumped but brushed off bigger worries that the brand is doomed. “The stock wouldnt be trading near all-time highs if things werent in good shape, he said while speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in May. Still, given the Hollywood location, the showiness of the venue, and the multi-purposed nature of the facility, consumers may just put aside their distaste for the CEO long enough to enjoy it. Burgers, fries, and movies are not hard sells, after all. The lines outside of Musk’s new venue certainly show that people are excited. Still, it’s hard to say whether the enthusiasm will hold. In April, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives slashed Tesla projections and noted at the time that Musk’s government work had done irreversible damage to his brand, adding that Teslas are not just a car, but have “become a political symbol globally.”
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E-Commerce
From boycotts to tariffs, it’s fair to say Target has had a rough year so far, and now customers may not be happy with this change to a favorite shopping perk. Starting on July 28, the mega-retailer is altering its price match policy, which for nearly a decade, gave customers a refund if they bought an item at Target and found the identical item for less at either “Target.com, Amazon, Walmart, or with Target Circle” within two weeks of the purchase. Customers who request and receive the price match get the difference between what they paid and what the item cost elsewhere. Going forward, the new policy will only apply to the same item bought from another Target store or the Target website, not from a competitor retailer. How can I request a price match from Target? To make use of the current price match policy before it ends, or to request a price match with items from other Target stores or the website for in-store purchases, customers must provide proof of the lower price to Guest Services at their local Target store. For Target.com or Target app purchases, call Guest Services at 1-800-591-3869. Target by the numbers As Fast Company reported, after explosive sales growth in 2021 and 2022, the mega-retailer has been flatlining. In 2023, net sales dropped $1.7 billion, or 1.6%, and declined again in 2024, though comparative year-to-year sales were up about 1% (2023 was a 53-week year). In May, Target reported first quarter earnings, including net sales of $23.8 billion compared with $24.5 billion in 2024. The company cut its annual sales projections and said it expects a low-single-digit decline for 2025, after projecting a 1% increase for sales in March. Target has a current market capitalization of $48.34 billion.
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E-Commerce
In 2017, the Trump administration cut the United Statess ties with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) completely for the first time since 1984. Then, the administration accused the international agency of holding anti-Israel bias for a multitude of reasons, including the naming of Hebron, as a “Palestinian city and certified UNESCO site. Now, the administration has announced its second leave from UNESCO after the United States returned to the agency under the Biden administration in 2023. The reasons remain the same since the initial leave with White House spokesperson, Tammy Bruce citing that UNESCOs work advances divisive social and cultural causes and that the agencys ideological agenda for international development is at odds with our America First foreign policy. UNESCOs part in America The agency aims to promote cooperation in areas including education, science, culture, and communication to foster peace worldwide. According to UNESCO, their main focuses include: Promoting quality education and science Building fair and inclusive societies Protecting heritage and fostering creativity Supporting information literacy Empowering equality With 194 member states, including the United States as of current, It is also responsible for assigning World Heritage Sites, including Americas 26 UNESCO-designated sites. Ranging from National Parks to the Statue of Liberty, these sites are protected as part of an international treaty, and are generally recognized as belonging to everyone versus one, sovereign state. Unwoke-ifying education, science, and culture The White Houses press release cites UNESCOs decision to recognize and admit the State of Palestine as a member in 2011, as a major part of what they see as anti-Israel rhetoric. In response to the Trump administrations claims, UNESCO released a statement saying that these claims widely “contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism. In the statement, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO says this news doesn’t come as a shock as a shock, and that ultimately, theyve been preparing for the U.S.s expected leave. In February, Trump issued an executive order requiring the review of any organizations providing international support that received U.S. funding. This is the third official UN agency the U.S. has withdrawn from since Trumps second inauguration, including the World Health Organization in January and the Human Rights Council in February. Each one, with the administration attributing the cuts to efficiency concerns and anti-American, woke culture. The effect on cutting costs As of 2023, the U.S. promised to pay roughly $600 million in back dues, as prior to the first leave of the agency, the country contributed to roughly 22% of their funding. In recent years, we have undertaken major structural reforms and diversified our funding sources, Azoulay said. Thanks to the efforts made by the Organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the Organization’s total budget compared to 40% for some United Nations entities; while at the same time, UNESCOs overall budget has steadily increased. The agency says voluntary contributions have doubled since 2018, and that ultimately, the decision to leave the agency will result in difficulties for American communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, gaining Creative City status, and working with University Chairs program. However, the Paris-based agency does not expect layoffs at this time, and says they will continue to work with private American partners including those in the academic and non-profit spaces. UNESCO’s purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, Azoulay wrote. And the United States of America is and will always be welcome.
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E-Commerce
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