Author: Aron Solomon

As first appeared in The Western Journal By Aron Solomon How are the plaintiffs’ lawyers doing so far in the Elon Musk class action? It would be an accurate characterization to say that they are doing a good but not great job so far. The lawyers for the plaintiffs need to prove two things to the jury for their claim to succeed. First, that Elon Musk deliberately deceived investors when he tweeted that he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private at $420 per share, and then followed up, mere hours later, that a deal was imminent. Second, that the shareholders…

As first appeared in NewsBreak By Aron Solomon For those who follow the world of coffee, you’ll know that we are in what is known as the “third wave,” a term used to describe the current state of the specialty coffee industry. The first wave of coffee was focused on convenience and speed, with mass-produced instant coffee being a major player in this time period. The second wave saw higher-quality beans and brewing methods coming into play, but it was still primarily aimed at the mainstream consumer. Third-wave coffee represents something more: it’s about taking advantage of the best beans available,…

As first appeared in The Western Journal By Aron Solomon If Elon Musk tweets it, is it true? This is more than a rhetorical question this week with Musk on the stand in a federal courtroom in San Francisco to defend against a class-action claim that he deceived shareholders by tweeting that he had funding locked up at $420 per share to take Tesla private. As Bloomberg reported on Monday, in his first minutes on the witness stand Friday, the renowned entrepreneur and prolific Twitter user offered a remarkably modest assessment of his influence on the social media network that he now owns: “Just because…

As first appeared in NewsBreak By Aron Solomon Erik Pavia wants to save your life. To say that there are a lot of startups these days would be an understatement. But, from my perspective, having advised hundreds of startups over the years, it seems that far too many are working on something that doesn’t help regular people and that we can’t even understand. Pantheon is different. Co-founded by Pavia and Sean Dunford, Pantheon is asserting itself in a meaningful startup vertical that we can all understand: one that helps us live healthier (and, hopefully, longer) lives. Born and raised in El Paso,…

As first appeared in DC Journal By Aron Solomon A jury in New York recently ruled against Adidas, refusing to award the German sporting goods giant the $8 million it sought in damages against designer Thom Browne. Adidas, founded in 1949 by Adolf Dassler, began producing sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The company’s name combines its founder’s nickname, “Adi,” and the first three letters of his last name, “Das.” Adidas quickly gained a reputation for producing high-quality athletic footwear, and by the 1960s, the company was sponsoring major sports teams and athletes around the world. Today,…

As first appeared in The Western Journal By Aron Solomon Just over a year ago, I wrote about how remarkable it was that the state of New Mexico had not yet filed criminal charges against Alec Baldwin regarding the death of Halyna Hutchins. Hutchins, born in Ukraine, was pronounced dead at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque on Oct. 21, 2021, as a result of Baldwin shooting her upon the discharge of an old-fashioned revolver. On Thursday morning, Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a written statement shared with the media, “After a thorough review of the evidence and the…

As first appeared in The Western Journal By Aron Solomon On Tuesday, in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco, lawyers representing Elon Musk and aggrieved Tesla shareholders began selecting members of a critically important jury. The trial is a class action based on Musk’s statement, as expressed in a 2018 tweet, that funding was “secured” to take Tesla private. The trial will determine whether Musk’s tweets were fraudulent and whether he should be held liable for damages suffered by shareholders as a result of their reliance on his public statements. This legal action could have significant implications for Musk and…

As first appeared in NewsBreak By Aron Solomon Quick quiz: What do Elizabeth Holmes and Charlie Javice have in common? They were both Forbes 30 Under 30, and both may be felons, leading some on social media to suggest that Forbes should change the program name to “30 Under 30 Years to Life.” Charlie Javice is a financial technology entrepreneur and the founder of Frank, a student loan startup that provides a platform for student loan refinancing and repayment. Frank was acquired by JP Morgan in 2021 for $175 million. Meanwhile, Javice is now facing a civil lawsuit and will almost certainly…

As first appeared in Boxscore By Aron Solomon Monday night’s loss to the Cowboys was definitely not the pinnacle of Brady’s GOAT-ness, but for all of those hypothesizing this morning that this might be the end, let’s review just how accomplished this 45-year-old legend has been over the past decades. Tom Brady was drafted as a quarterback in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL draft, 199th overall. At that time, Drew Bledsoe was entrenched as starting quarterback for the Patriots, having led them to an AFC Championship Game appearance in 1996 and being named NFL Comeback Player of the Year…

From dodgy batteries to scary stories in the media, the bicycle industry faces technical and regulatory challenges. By Scott Mace The bicycle industry is undergoing a renaissance and inflection point, spurred on by innovations in electric bicycles, or ebikes. But the industry faces safety questions that threaten to short-circuit the growth of ebikes. At the CABDA West show in early January 2023, an expert engineer briefed bicycle dealers and shop owners about these safety questions, and challenged them to get more involved as controversies swirl. In a short time, evolution of ebikes has come a long way, thanks to innovative…