Starbase residents voted to be the city of Spacex. Now a letter has reached the right to their property

In May, the residents of the small community that surrounded the SpaceX headquarters in Boca Chica, southeast of Texas, carried out A historical vote. An overwhelming mass was done in favor of constituting the city of Starbase, which most or less became that Elon Musk’s company became “almost” owner of the enclave, with levels of autonomy Never seen until now. That’s why, The letter That has just arrived at residents has been a surprise. Urban experiment. The transformation of the former Texano of Boca Chica village in the corporate city of Starbase represents much more than a simple name change. Conceived as the epicenter of Spacex’s space operations and, as we said, vmostly For a large -compound population for company employees, Starbase has now moved to a new phase of territorial reorganization. The problem. Than a disseminated memorandum by him city ​​administratorKent Myers, warns many residents who could “lose the right to continue using their property for current use” due to a rezoning proposal that will be debated on June 23. He Document is explicit: Those who have land in the affected area could be forced to modify or abandon them if they do not conform to the new urban plan. The city plans to become a mixed area of ​​residences, offices and services, although in practice the development model is almost exclusively oriented to support the Spacex expansion and its launch facilities. City-business. They counted in Fortune That the Starbase Urban Project recovers, with technologically sophisticated, but politically disturbing features, the model of the old ones “Company Towns“North American: cities where the owner company was also the employer, regulator and in many sovereign spaces of space. In fact, the current mayor, Robert Peden12 -year -old veteran in Spacex, and the majority of the electorate It is composed of company workers. This structure creates a fusion between civil governance and corporate objectives, where the public interest is subordinated to the industrial plan of a single entity. In this context, key decisions such as rezoning, mobility restrictions or access to common goods such as beaches are no longer settled in a Public Square open, but within the perimeter of a private logic protected by local legal structures. Public space restriction. One of the most visible consequences of Spacex’s advance in Starbase has been the progressive Restriction of access to Boca Chica Beacha coastal strip of great environmental and spiritual value, especially for the Carrizo/Comecrudo tribe. With the argument of guaranteeing security during the releases, the restrictions have been multiplied, and recently the Texas Senate approved legislation which allows local authorities to close the beach during the week and limit their use during weekends. Ecological organizations They have denounced That, under the security pretext, a “system designed to give them a de facto private beach is consolidating.” The appropriation of a public good for corporate purposes awakens criticism and calls into question the compatibility between economic investment promises and collective rights. Global implications. It is the last of the legs that appears with the drift that is taking the case of Starbase. Its consolidation not only constitutes a local experiment, but also A possible model For future business colonies with functional sovereignty aspirations. Fortune explained that if a coastal settlement can be transformed into A corporate municipality With the right to issue land use, condition the permanence of non -affiliated residents and manage public infrastructure Like a beachdoors are also opened to an advanced form of territorial privatization. In a world where megacorporations such as Spacex, Tesla or X (yes, all of Musk) concentrate each time More economic power And symbolic, Starbase could serve General trial For similar projects in other regions with lax regulations. If you want also and put to think about Musk keyif the promise is that these cities are platforms for interplanetary expansion, the Texan experience suggests that, before conquering Mars, the conquest can begin with the political geography of the Earth. Image | Alexander Hatley In Xataka | Texas has a new city. Until a few days ago, it was only Spacex’s base in Boca Chica In Xataka | Leaving California is just the first step: Spacex has started the procedures to create an independent city in Texas

Putin has ordered to launch a Russian version of Eurovision. The last time the nation voted on lighting the light of the living room

In geopolitics, very few things are left to chance, much less if what it is about is to extol the national values. Let’s put as an example Europe and “your” Eurovisionthat strange mixture of cultural exaltation of the peoples of the continent through music, a formula Martian that continues to awaken passions and quite the opposite for decades. In fact, even Russia has signed up for the formula. It is called interview, and in reality its history is older. Relive Russian music. As we said, Vladimir Putin has ordered the return of the Musical Interview contestthe ancient Soviet response to Eurovision, After the exclusion of the nation of the European contest in 2022 Due to the invasion of Ukraine. The event, which will apparently will be held in Moscow this fall, seeks to promote cultural and humanitarian cooperation among the allied countries of Russia, with the participation of nations such as Brazil, China, India and Cuba. The origin of interview. Released in 1977 in the middle of the Cold War, Interview It developed as A platform to promote cultural unity within the communist bloc and compete with the popularity that Eurovision already had then. It was also sought to show aval after Stalin’s death. However, if the event is remembered for something, it was for an unusual event. A peculiar vote. The lack of phones in Soviet homes forced The implementation of an unprecedented voting method: The spectators had to light the light of their house if they liked a song, or remain dark if not, allowing the electric company to register the consumption peaks and determine the winner. The success of the program resulted in surreal situations, with much of the nation in the dark at times, or totally illuminated. During its four editions, The contest managed to attract non -European countries like Cuba and Mongolia (or Finland, who was the only country he can say with “pride” that he has participated in the fever Kitsch In both blocks), standing out as a propaganda event that sought to project an image of diversity within the socialist block. End to the first stage of interview. The sunset came as the Soviet Union began to weaken at the beginning of the 80s. The contest was canceled in 1981 And since 1984 it would be Polish television TVP that resumed the organization of the festival With the old name of Sopot. In 2009, Putin proposed to restart interviewthis time between Russia, China and the countries of Central Asia, mostly members of the Shanghai cooperation organization, although it did not crystallize. Eurovision and rupture with Russia. From his first participation in Eurovision in 1994, Russia became one of the most competitive nations of the contest, although achieving its only victory in 2008 with Dima Bilan. However, Kremlin’s rejection of the evolution of the festival, where messages of diversity and visibility LGBTQ+ have won prominence, led to great tensions. Conchita Wursst’s victory in 2014 marked a breakdown: while Europe celebrated its inclusion message, In Russia the reaction was outragedwith Putin and his allies condemning the “moral degeneration” of the contest. As we said, the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 sealed the definitive exclusion of Russia, which has now promoted the search for its own alternative. The “new” interview. The Guardian told this week That unlike the current Eurovision, which celebrates diversity and inclusion, this “remake” interview will adopt a conservative approach. Planning documents have revealed that Artists must respect “traditional spiritual and family values” and avoid any political content or “humiliate the honor and dignity of society.” In fact, Russian officials have affirmed that the contest will serve to promote “real music”, as opposed to what they consider “false” Western influences. International support and doubts. Apparently, Putin has discussed the initiative with Xi Jinping, receiving the support of Chinawhich suggests that the program could become an emblematic event for the geopolitical alliances of Russia. That said, doubts persist about its success, since Moscow has failed in previous initiatives to replace Western events, Like friendship gameswhich sought to rival the Olympic Games. In a world where entertainment is a weapon of mass influence, Putin’s commitment to a festival with its own seal is a declaration of intentions: Russia not only wants to challenge the West in the military and geopolitical field, but also in the cultural. That Eurovision is prepared. Image | Flowcomm, Serge Serebro In Xataka | Film rooms are becoming “show rooms” of all kinds. The best example: Eurovision In Xataka | China is filling with Russia products. The problem is that many of these products come from China itself

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