Corsair MP700 Elite 2 TB NVMe SSD reviewJared 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 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.” ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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More than 700 people have received food parcels from Hamilton district foodbank this month during the charity’s “busiest time of the year” – and they have been supplemented with hundreds of donated toys and gifts over the festive season. A total of 716 adults and children were given food and toiletries up to December 23, with staff and volunteers continuing to hand out vital supplies on Christmas Eve to ensure all those in need of support had vital assistance. They were also able to give families a total of 550 Christmas parcels containing generously-donated treats, games, books and gift cards, at what foodbank representatives describe as “the busiest time of the year”. Staff and volunteers kindly welcomed the Hamilton Advertiser’s photographer to their Cadzow Street warehouse in the run-up to Christmas as they sorted through the additional gift donations, as well as their vital year-round stocks of food and cupboard staples making up the much-needed parcels containing at least three days’ worth of food supplies. Hamilton district foodbank manager Isobel Graham said: “It’s been extremely busy and our volunteers were amazing. The most challenging times can bring out the best in people, our community has proved that. “A massive thank you to all our dedicated team who have worked tirelessly throughout the year under exceptionally difficult circumstances, especially so in the last few weeks, and to all the extra volunteers who gave their time during the festive season, our amazing donors and the Salvation Army who continue to provide their help and support.” Foodbank representatives issued a total of 7332 parcels from April 1 this year until the start of this week – with more than a third of those going to children – and say they are expecting a further increase in demand for their services due to the increasing cost of living and rising energy prices. Now they say several items are low in stock, such as tinned custard, tinned rice pudding, UHT milk, diluting juice, pasta or noodle snacks and jam, and are asking for generous local residents to help replenish their shelves either by donating directly at their local bases or using their new online shop. Isobel said: “Winter can always be a tough time of year for individuals and families on low incomes; we see an increase in services which is to be expected and already we’re noticing our supplies dwindling which is why we are calling on the kind-hearted people of Hamilton to donate as and when they can. “Demand is higher than usual for foodbanks with the cost of living crisis – people have to choose between fuel or food. No-one in Hamilton should need a foodbank’s help and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all; tackling poverty is crucial to our community. “We’re dedicated to ensuring that people in our community without enough money for food are able to access emergency support. Our vital work has only been possible in the past year because of the incredible generosity shown by local people in donating food, time and funds.” Hamilton district foodbank has also partnered with website Give Today to allow supporters to donate much-needed stock directly via their online shop at www.givetoday.co.uk/hamiltondistrictfoodbank/ and Isobel added: “Every donation, no matter what size, makes a real difference.” The foodbank distributed a total of 11,448 emergency food supplies in 2023/2024, up from 10,332 the previous year; and its running costs are also raised locally to cover costs such as warehouse space, utilities and insurances. Offers of help with funding are welcome and local businesses, organisations and individuals interested in supporting the foodbank’s work can find out more at https://hamiltondistrict.foodbank.org.uk/ *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had been enjoying a lot of hype for his play this season. He hadn't faced pressure like he has today against the Seattle Seahawks , though. Murray just came up pure cheeks in a high-leverage situation in the third quarter. It started with an incredible effort play by cornerback Devon Witherspoon , who peeled off his man and then pressured Murray all the way to the sideline. In a panic, Murray threw the ball in the general direction of Seattle's end zone. Coby Bryant did the rest. Watch. Kyler Murray throws pick-6 to Coby Bryant HOUSE CALL FOR COBY 🎱 pic.twitter.com/hiQNjq1uzw That's a huge swing play, resulting in a 10-point lead for Seattle after Jason Myers missed the extra point attempt. From a broader perspective, the home crowd is louder than it's been in a long time for a big game and the Seahawks defense looks like it's finally respectable again. Everyone in the NFC except the Detroit Lions are officially on notice. More Seahawks stories Seahawks predicted to trade for $275 million star quarterback in 2025 ex-Seahawks punter Jon Ryan shares his take on Aaron Rodgers critics PFF projects Seahawks draft massive Minnesota OT in 2025 NFL draftLast season, the Los Angeles Chargers notched a rare win for the franchise in Foxborough, Mass. Another one Saturday will clinch a playoff berth. The Chargers blanked a lowly New England squad 6-0 in December 2023 to move to 2-12 all-time in Foxborough, including the postseason. The previous victory came in 2005 when the franchise was located in San Diego. Drew Brees was the team's quarterback and LaDainian Tomlinson was the NFL's best running back. In other words, wins in Foxborough have been tough to come by for the Chargers. All of that is ancient history to first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, who's expected the Chargers (9-6) to win at least 10 games this season. "We've still got games to win," Harbaugh told reporters. "Nine wins can get you in the playoffs but you need help. Ten wins, most years, can and this year I think it would. Eleven usually gets you in." Los Angeles currently fits in as the sixth seed in the AFC after beating the Broncos 34-27 on Dec. 19 to sweep this season's two-game series with Denver. After the Patriots, the Chargers close the regular season at the Las Vegas Raiders. Quarterback Justin Herbert has 18 touchdown passes against three interceptions, though two of the picks have come in the past two games. New England tight end Hunter Henry, who played alongside then-rookie Herbert in 2020 for the Chargers, is not surprised at Herbert's season-long efficiency. "He was killing it his rookie year, but just the growth that he's continued to have," Henry said. "He has all the tools, strong arm and makes every throw. He's mobile, he can extend plays, he can run. He just presents a lot of challenges for defense. He's a special, special player." The Patriots (3-12) have lost five straight games while breaking in rookie quarterback Drake Maye (14 touchdowns, 10 interceptions). Maye has thrown a touchdown pass in seven straight games to tie Jim Plunkett (1971) for the longest streak by a rookie in franchise history. He has completed 67.6 percent of his passes, just behind the rookie record set by Dak Prescott (67.8) of the Dallas Cowboys in 2016. But Maye also has thrown an interception in seven straight games as he learns on the fly. "Drake is a competitor, and he's always going to try to go out there and make plays," New England coach Jerod Mayo said. "I think just the way that he's played, how well he's played this year, oftentimes we forget that he's a rookie quarterback. Those are lessons learned. "I've been very upfront about this -- the intangible with Drake, besides his even demeanor, is he's learned from his mistakes, and I expect that to continue going forward." Regardless of the opposing quarterback's experience, the Chargers are not taking anything for granted. "It's a playoff game, no different than the last one, man," star pass rusher Khalil Mack said. "By any means necessary. We got to do everything we can to win the game." The Chargers could have running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) back after opening his 21-day practice window on Monday. He has missed the past four games. Dobbins was listed as limited Tuesday and Wednesday, practiced in full on Thursday and was deemed questionable to play. Fellow running back Gus Edwards (ankle), though, was limited for two days before not practicing Thursday and being ruled out. Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (hip) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) will also miss Saturday's game, while defensive back Elijah Molden (knee) and tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Hayden Hurst (illness) are questionable. The Patriots ruled out cornerback Marcus Jones (hip). Ten players are considered questionable, including safeties Kyle Dugger (ankle/quadriceps) and Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), center Ben Brown (concussion), leading tackler Jahlani Tavai (groin) and fellow linebacker Anfernee Jennings (knee). --Field Level Media