‘X’ Logo Installed atop Twitter Building, Spurring San Francisco to Investigate Permit Violation

 Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the downtown San Francisco building that housed what was formally known as Twitter, now rebranded X by owner Elon Musk, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP)
Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the downtown San Francisco building that housed what was formally known as Twitter, now rebranded X by owner Elon Musk, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP)
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‘X’ Logo Installed atop Twitter Building, Spurring San Francisco to Investigate Permit Violation

 Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the downtown San Francisco building that housed what was formally known as Twitter, now rebranded X by owner Elon Musk, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP)
Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the downtown San Francisco building that housed what was formally known as Twitter, now rebranded X by owner Elon Musk, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP)

The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters as owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.

City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.

The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand's iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn't taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.

Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection said earlier this week.

Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.

“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.

Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.

Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X.” The child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.

On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left.



Aramco, BYD Partner to Develop New Energy Vehicle Technologies

Aramco logo/File Photo
Aramco logo/File Photo
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Aramco, BYD Partner to Develop New Energy Vehicle Technologies

Aramco logo/File Photo
Aramco logo/File Photo

Saudi Aramco and BYD, a leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles and power batteries, have agreed to explore closer collaboration on new energy vehicle technologies, Aramco announced in a press release on Monday.
A joint development agreement signed by Saudi Aramco Technologies Company (SATC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Aramco, and BYD aims to foster the development of innovative technologies that enhance efficiency and environmental performance.
According to the release, this collaboration leverages the research and development capabilities of two leading global companies to achieve breakthroughs in new energy vehicles, SPA reported.
Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination Ali A. Al-Meshari stated: "The collaboration between SATC and BYD aims to support improvements and builds on Aramco’s extensive research and development of new energy solutions. Aramco is exploring several ways to optimize transport efficiency, from innovative lower-carbon fuels to advanced powertrain concepts. This work stems from our belief that practical energy transition requires multiple approaches, and we are delighted to collaborate with BYD on this journey."
Senior Vice President of BYD Luo Hongbin said: "We expect that SATC and our cutting-edge R&D capabilities in new energy vehicles will break the boundaries of geography and mindset to incubate solutions that combine highly efficient performance with a lower carbon footprint."