Episodios

  • War on women, bro-co-CEOs, fake CEO retirement, and boards say vote them out

    War on women, bro-co-CEOs, fake CEO retirement, and boards say vote them out
    Oct 3 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):War against women continues: Uber Not Responsible for Sex Assault, Jury Finds, as More Cases FollowEthan P. Schulman, the judge presiding over the California state court cases, told jurors that Uber would be responsible for the woman’s harm if the company was negligent in using adequate safety measures and the negligence was a “substantial factor” in causing the harm.In its decision, the jury unanimously agreed that Uber had been negligent in its general safety practices when the incident occurred in 2016 — but that the negligence was not a substantial factor in causing the attack. The jury’s foreman: “We felt that they could have done more back in the early days of Uber, rather than just focusing on growth,”Meet Lisa Monaco, the 57-year-old Microsoft executive Trump wants fired“Corrupt and Totally Trump Deranged Lisa Monaco (A purported pawn of Legal Lightweight Andrew Weissmann), was a senior National Security aide under Barack Hussein Obama. Monaco has been shockingly hired as the President of Global Affairs for Microsoft, in a very senior role with access to Highly Sensitive Information. Monaco’s having that kind of access is unacceptable, and cannot be allowed to stand.”Monaco helped coordinate the Justice Department’s response to the Jan. 6th attacks on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters in 2021. In January 2022, Monaco publicly announced that the Justice Department was investigating the Trump fake electors plotMilitary women fear losing 'every bit of ground' as Hegseth looks backward to the 1990sDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that he wants to review Defense Department standards that have changed since the 1990s, a time when military women saw far less support for their service and met drastically lower physical standards than today: "The 1990s test is simple. What were the military standards in 1990? And if they have changed, tell me why. Was it necessary change based on the evolving landscape of combat? Or was the change due to a softening, weakening, or gender-based pursuit of other priorities? 1990s seems to be as good a place to start as any."PGA of America CEO apologizes for Ryder Cup missteps, but group's president denies problemThe Misogynistic Abuse Towards Rory McIlroy’s Wife at the Ryder Cup Is Deeper Than Golf. It shows a cultural shift, one in which men feel emboldened to attack women in public without shame or consequence. The abuse and taunts were so unrelenting that Stoll was spotted with “tears streaming down her face”PGA of America President Don Rea took a different approach on Sunday in a BBC interview where he downplayed the severity of the crowd’s behavior: “Well, you have 50,000 people there that are really excited, and heck, you can go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things,” Rea said. When asked about the abuse directed at McIlroy, he responded, “I haven’t heard some of that. I’m sure it’s happened … Rory understands things like that are going to happen.”Fake billionaire manbaby “retirements” continue DRSpotify CEO Daniel Ek to Step Down. The Stock Is Falling.Spotify founder steps down amid controversy over defence linksIt comes after Mr Ek has faced fierce scrutiny for investing around €700m (£612m) in defence company Helsing through his venture capital fund. Munich-based Helsing sells AI software for military use and has expanded into weapons manufacturing following an investment by the founder of Spotify.Spotify has said that it is “totally separate” from HelsingSpotify founder Ek Daniel to step down as CEO; says: I will be more involved than a typical US chairmanGustav Söderström and Alex Norström under founder/former CEO/Executive Chair Daniel Ek (43%) (Ted Sarandos on this board)Spotify founder Daniel Ek once said he was the ‘least powerful person’ at the company. Here’s how he built it into a $145 billion music empireThe rise of the bro co-CEO: Lila MacLellanCEOs and Trump love affair continuesTrump, Pfizer agree to lower U.S. drug prices, exempt company from pharma tariffsTrump announces ’TrumpRx' drug-buying website alongside Pfizer CEOPartnering with Pfizer, beginning in 2026 the federal government will have a website, TrumpRx.gov, through which Pfizer’s prescription drugs can be sold directly to consumers at discounts, without the intermediaries of pharmacy benefit managers such as CVS Health’s Caremark and UnitedHealthcare-owned OptumRx46% against Say on Pay in 2025Proxy adviser ISS recommended against the compensation proposalCEO/Chair Albert BourlaOther board members include: former Vanguard CEO/Chair Mortimer J. Buckley, OpenAI (2024-) board member and former Meta (2013-2019) board member Susan Desmond-Hellmann; former Deloitte CEO Joseph J. Echevarria; Adobe CEO/Chair Shantanu Narayen; former Goldman Sachs Vice Chair Suzanne Nora Johnson; Coca-Cola CEO/Chair James Quincey; former State Street Global Advisor CEO Cyrus ...
    Más Menos
    1 h y 3 m
  • IS IT GOOD? AI regs in Cali, EU -37% carbon +60% GDP, white dudes are winning board seats

    IS IT GOOD? AI regs in Cali, EU -37% carbon +60% GDP, white dudes are winning board seats
    Sep 30 2025
    TECH STUFFCalifornia’s Gavin Newsom Signs Major AI Safety LawThe Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, or S.B. 53, requires the most advanced A.I. companies to report safety protocols used in building their technologies and forces the companies to report the greatest risks posed by their technologies.The bill also strengthens whistle-blower protections for employees who warn the public about potential dangers the technology poses.Could a chatbot replace your best friend at work?According to a new study from KPMG that surveyed more than 1,000 professionals, almost all (99%) would be open to the idea of an AI chatbot assuming the role of close friend or trusted companion at work.That same study teases out a separate, also compelling thread: 45% of workers reported feelings of loneliness at work.Elon Musk hit by exodus of senior staff over burnout and politicsKey members of Tesla’s US sales team, battery and power-train operations, public affairs arm, and its chief information officer have all recently departed, as well as core members of the Optimus robot and AI teams on which Musk has bet the future of the company.CLIMATE STUFFEU Reduces GHG Emissions 37%The EU adopted a Climate Law in 2021, setting into legislation a goal to reach climate neutrality by 2050. In addition to the 2050 goal, the law also set a binding EU climate goal to reduce net GHG by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990.More recently, the EU has committed to set a new 2035 GHG emissions reduction goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 66.25% to 72.5%, and the European Commission has proposed a new target, currently being debated by lawmakers, to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040.The new report indicated strong progress towards the EU’s interim climate goal, with GHG emissions falling by 37% since 1990, despite 60% GDP growth over the same period, and with the pace of annual emissions reductions in the EU doubling since 2005.The report cites significant shifts in the energy mix in Europe as a key source of the EU’s emission reduction progress, with the share of renewable energy sources doubling since 2005, and almost a quarter of final energy use in 2023 coming from renewable sources, 45% of all electricity used in the EU now generated by renewables, while fossil fuel use, and coal in particular, has declined.Maine wins early victory in climate lawsuit against oil companiesA federal judge has sided with the state of Maine in its effort to force oil and gas companies to pay for the costs of dealing with climate change.Judge Nancy Torresen of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine on Monday granted the state’s motion to transfer its case against 14 fossil fuel companies out of federal court and back to the state court where it was originally filed.She also granted Maine’s request to recover costs and fees.Trump’s hostile attitude is making investors more favourable to ESGInstead of seeing a continued decline in sentiment towards ESG, there were more favourable signals this year, especially from younger investors and parents. In fact, some said President Donald Trump‘s hostile attitude to ESG has actually made 20% of private investors more positive about funds. Only 8% of investors said they were now less favourable to ESG as a result of Trump’s approach.Overall, 53% of respondents said they now take ESG factors into account when investing, up from 48% last year. STAKEHOLDER STUFFStarbucks is offering up to 26 weeks of severance for store managers at closing cafésAccording to the document titled "Severance Summary," shift managers are eligible to receive 120 hours of their hourly pay.Assistant store managers will get "240 hours + 40 hours for each year of completed service (up to combined total weeks of 1,040 hours)," the document states.Coffeehouse leaders will receive at least six weeks of pay, plus additional amounts based on job level and years working for the company. For example, overtime exempt coffeehouse leaders will get eight weeks' base severance, plus one week for every completed year of service, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.GOVERNANCE STUFFHow good is this at telling the CEO Pay story? Ranked: The Hourly Wage of Retail CEOsStarbucks Brian Niccol $95,801,676|$46,058; Walmart Doug McMillon $27,408,854|$13,177; Gap Richard Dickson $9,340; Chipotle Mexican Grill Scott Boatwright $9,201; McDonald's Christopher Kempczinski $8,748How good was Business Pants at predicting this? White Men Make a Comeback in America’s BoardroomsSome 55% of the more than 440 new directors appointed to S&P 500 boards through Sept. 24 of this year were White men, ISS-Corporate found.Women won about a third of board seats, down from a peak of 44% of new seats in 2022.Non-White directors made up 20% of board hires, down from 44% in 2021.Emphasis on appointing CEOs.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined new rules for the “highest male standard” for fitness in combat roles: “If that ...
    Más Menos
    48 m
  • Kenvue is a target because Trump can’t say acetaminophen, billionaires want you to shut up and work, and more Disney

    Kenvue is a target because Trump can’t say acetaminophen, billionaires want you to shut up and work, and more Disney
    Sep 26 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):Disney brings back Jimmy Kimmel’s show after backlash spurred massive boycott while some conservatives blasted FCCSinclair says it won't air Jimmy Kimmel on its stations after Disney announced his returnFCC Chair Brendan Carr defends ABC affiliate that's not showing 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' despite his reinstatementNexstar joins Sinclair, says it will continue not to air Jimmy KimmelDisney investors demand internal records on Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, say the board may have breached dutiesDisney investors say handling of Jimmy Kimmel suspension put politics over shareholders, demand recordsDisney boss Bob Iger has gone from woke warrior to liberal lightning rod MAGA furious at Disney and ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s return: ‘They let the woke mob get to them’ Disney decides it hasn’t angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikes'There's no way we can afford $100,000': Small firms scramble over H-1B visa feesTalent Drain: Skilled Immigrants Choose Canada Over U.S.Indian IT Firms Recalibrate U.S. Strategy After Visa ShockJPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon expresses surprise and concernDimon said the hike “came out of the blue” and stressed that the U.S. still needs access to global talent. He has indicated the banking/finance sector may challenge or negotiate around the policyReed Hastings (Netflix) praises the policyHastings called the $100,000 fee a “great solution,” especially because he sees it as helping ensure that the H-1B program is used for “very high value jobs,” reducing reliance on a lottery system.Silicon Valley leaders cautiously support the feeNvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised the measure in terms of potentially simplifying the visa system and merit-based immigrationAltman: "We need to get the smartest people in the country, and streamlining that process and also sort of aligning financial incentives seems good to me"Royal Bank of Canada's CEO Dave McKay said the US President's move to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas is a win for Canada.The 20 financial firms that could be hardest hit from Trump's new H-1B fee — from Goldman Sachs to CitiTylenol maker Kenvue battles fresh storm as Donald Trump links it to autism MMTrump’s unfounded claims heap new stress on household brand name TylenolTrump, RFK Jr. distort facts on autism, Tylenol and vaccines, scientists say: "Sick to my stomach"OB-GYN group calls Trump's remarks on acetaminophen 'irresponsible'Kenvue Stock Recoups Losses After Trump Links Tylenol to AutismResearch tying Tylenol to autism lost in court. Then it won Trump's earTrump's 'tough it out' advice to expectant moms is the latest example of men opining on women's painThe President and RFK Jr.’s dangerous war on science and mothersThe Shameful Spectacle of Trump and Kennedy Blaming Mothers for AutismAutism Science Foundation: 'Shocking' move takes us 'straight back to when moms were blamed for autism''Acet…Aceto…': Trump Struggles To Say Medicine's Name, Links Autism To PainkillerAnti-vaccine groups melt down over RFK Jr. linking autism to Tylenol"We didn’t wait 20 years for Bobby to finally speak and then get served Tylenol as an answer," anti-vaccine group Georgia Coalition for Vaccine Choice wroteChildren's Health Defense (CHD) - the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy - retweeting a post on Monday: "THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY TYLENOL."Oracle names two CEOs in rare leadership shift after Catz exitLord Emperor Larry Ellison (65% influence and 42% voting power): he still gets $8.3M in pay despite owning ~$378B in Oracle stock. Is this even possible? He got security-related costs and expenses of $2,999,264 for his primary residence. Board chairFormer CEO and now Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz. She’s staying on the board.221,974: (i) Company matching contributions under our 401(k) Plan of $5,100, (ii) flexible credits used towards covering the premiums for cafeteria-style benefit plans in the amount of $14,860, (iii) security-related costs and expenses to augment the existing security system at Ms. Catz’s primary residence, (iv) legal counsel fees and (v) aggregate incremental costs to Oracle of $200,086 for Ms. Catz’s use of Oracle’s private aircraft for non-business travel. This leaves $1,928 for legal fees and security: for a Larry:Safra We Love Him More Security Ratio of: ~3114:1Catz still got $6.5M despite owning $2.8B of company stockNew co-CEO and director Clayton Magouyrk: joined Oracle in 2014, is 39Mr. Magouyrk will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $250M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of performance-based stock options (“PSOs”).New co-CEO and director Michael Sicilia: joined Oracle in 2009, is 54Mr. Sicilia will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $100M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant ...
    Más Menos
    1 h y 3 m
  • Kimmel’s back ex Sinclair, Oracle’s 4x CEOs, Office Depot’s gay wedding designer moment

    Kimmel’s back ex Sinclair, Oracle’s 4x CEOs, Office Depot’s gay wedding designer moment
    Sep 23 2025
    DAMIONOracle names two CEOs in rare leadership shift after Catz exit Who Will You Blame?Lord Emperor Larry Ellison (65% influence and 42% voting power): he still gets $8.3M in pay despite owning ~$378B in Oracle stock. Is this even possible? He got security-related costs and expenses of $2,999,264 for his primary residence. Board chairFormer CEO and now Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz. She’s staying on the board.221,974: (i) Company matching contributions under our 401(k) Plan of $5,100, (ii) flexible credits used towards covering the premiums for cafeteria-style benefit plans in the amount of $14,860, (iii) security-related costs and expenses to augment the existing security system at Ms. Catz’s primary residence, (iv) legal counsel fees and (v) aggregate incremental costs to Oracle of $200,086 for Ms. Catz’s use of Oracle’s private aircraft for non-business travel. This leaves $1,928 for legal fees and security: for a Larry:Safra We Love Him More Security Ratio of: ~3114:1Catz still got $6.5M despite owning $2.8B of company stockNew co-CEO and director Clayton Magouyrk: joined Oracle in 2014, is 39Mr. Magouyrk will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $250M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of performance-based stock options (“PSOs”).New co-CEO and director Michael Sicilia: joined Oracle in 2009, is 54Mr. Sicilia will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $100M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of PSOs.The writer of this article: Oracle’s new Gen X and Millennial CEOs get stock options worth $350 million—but they’ll have to keep the stock soaring to collect80% of the grant consists of time-based stock options, hello??AutoZone Stock Falls After Its Fifth Consecutive Earnings Miss Who Do You Blame?William Rhodes III: Executive Chair (2007-) and former CEO, causing serious leadership strainCEO Philip Danielle III (2024-) for being weak in the face of Rhodes IIIEarl Graves Jr.: the longest tenured director has served for over two decades and still has the indecency to call himself the “Lead Independent Director.” He’s also the chair of the Nomination so this is ostensibly his board.Linda Goodspeed: while all directors are pictured wearing bluish/mauvish-colored shirts in the company’s last proxy, Linda is wearing a red sweater over hers.Director Gale King for NOT being the same Gayle King that is Oprah’s best friendShareholders: average 96% board support at last AGMThe fact that there are 4 suffixes on this board: Jr., Jr. III, III, the same number as women.The depressingly low ~-20% gender influence gap (women have no leadership roles on this board, except for Linda’s red sweater)Michelob Ultra overtakes Modelo Especial as best-selling beer in the U.S. Who Do You Blame?Social media personality Dylan Mulvaney, for being alive and getting a can of beerThose woke idiots at the American subsidiary Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLCWoke CEO Brendan Whitworth was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and then as an operations officer for the CIA's counterterrorism center. Woke!Their leadership page of 15 executives also has a woke DEI hire! Chief People Officer Lindsay KingThose woke idiots at the Belgian parent Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)They are even worse than their American counterparts: of their 18 executive leaders, they have TWO DEI WOMEN: Chief Communications Officer Donna Lorensen and General Counsel Katherine Barrett. DEI gone crazy!Just all the stupid corporations that “Go woke, go broke”Oh wait: Both Michelob ULTRA and Bud Light are made by Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev.Behind closed doors, our top CEOs say Trump is bad for business and it’s time to Make America into America Again Who Do You Blame?Shareholders: This year (2025) the average vote support for director elections in the S&P 500 is about 96.5%American corporate governance practices which permit nearly half of S&P 500 CEOs to also serve as board chairs—the very bodies intended to oversee their management: giving them unmatched power and egoAverage S&P 500 CEO of about $19M, which financially protects them from the need to weigh in on political issues, left or rightThe US federal poverty line for 2025 is $15,650 per year, as established by the Department of Health and Human Services.So a 1214:1 pay ratio for those not in poverty: $15,651Passive institutional investors in U.S. equities like BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and State Street Global, who hold the door open for company managementYale Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who eschews journalism in favor of being friends with important people and lets him write things like: “One CEO of a major U.S. manufacturing company explained to the group” and “A well-known business leader with a significant ...
    Más Menos
    51 m
  • Kimmel and Disney’s political expedience, Exxon bought its vote, and algorithmic autocracy

    Kimmel and Disney’s political expedience, Exxon bought its vote, and algorithmic autocracy
    Sep 19 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):Disney Pulls Jimmy Kimmel’s Show After Kirk Remarks Republicans Leverage Charlie Kirk’s Death to Declare War on Free SpeechCharlie Kirk assassination reignites debate over Section 230 protections for social media companies"Section 230 needs to be repealed. If you're mad at social media companies that radicalize our nation, you should be mad," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I have a bill that will allow you to sue these people. They're immune from lawsuits."Nexstar And Sinclair, Two Largest Station Groups, Wield Influence In ABC Decision To Pull Jimmy Kimmel In Light Of His Charlie Kirk CommentsA $6.2 billion deal looms over Jimmy Kimmel's suspensionNexstar, the largest station group in the country, is a leading champion in the broadcast industry for the FCC to relax media ownership limits and has a major merger before the Trump administration, its proposed $6.2B acquisition of Tegna, creating a mega-company with 265 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, representing 80% of U.S. TV households.Nexstar needs the agency to ease rules that currently limit the percentage a broadcaster can reach to 39% of the nation’s television households.Sinclair also is seeking deregulation, and in its statement, it praised Carr. “We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr’s remarks today and this incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks,” Sinclair said.Nexstar: founder/Chair/CEO Perry SookSinclair: the Smith family: currently nepobaby David Smith; board is 44% SmithWhat to know about Brendan Carr, the FCC chairman who went after Jimmy KimmelIn response to an opinion column in The Washington Post by Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, outlining his ideas for removing harmful content, Carr criticized Zuckerberg's call for government regulation as a violation of the First Amendment.He later praised Zuckerberg's "instincts" to show Trump's posts that amplified COVID-19 misinformation unaltered.Carr supported Trump's "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship" targeting Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and 4 of its journalistsTrump's NYT Lawsuit Dismissed by Republican-Appointed JudgeA federal judge on Friday dismissed Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday: a lawsuit is not "a protected platform to rage against an adversary."Comcast CEO criticizes ex-MSNBC contributor's remarks about Charlie Kirk in memo to staffTrumpy Billionaires Close In on TikTok TakeoverAllies of President Donald Trump are poised to get their hands on TikTok’s U.S. operations.Entrepreneur Larry Ellison, worth approximately $350 billion, and Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist with a $2 billion net worth, have been pals with the president for years.Ellison’s software giant Oracle, Andreessen’s venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and private equity firm Silver Lake are among a group of U.S. businesses said to be nearing a deal to take over the American operations of the short-form video app, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.Nestlé Chairman to Step Down After Abrupt CEO FiringNestlé investors demand chair Paul Bulcke resign over CEO churn “I have full trust in Nestlé s new leadership and firmly believe this great company is well positioned for the future,” Bulcke said. “This is the right moment for me to step aside and accelerate the planned transition, allowing Pablo and Philipp to advance Nestlé’s strategy and guide the company with a fresh perspective.”Board member (2018-) Pablo Isa new chairThe company appointed Dick Boer as lead independent director and vice chairman of the board of directors as of Oct. 1, while Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch was appointed vice chair of the board.A new ally against excessive CEO Pay: Pope LeoPope Leo appears to be particularly baffled by the Tesla pay package that could turn Elon Musk into the world’s first trillionaire: “What does that mean and what’s that about? If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble.”Dave Ramsey Says 'We're Not All Equal. It Doesn't Work That Way' — The Rich Aren't Evil, It's Just Math and Jealousy Fueling the StigmaRashida Tlaib and Bernie Sanders introduce the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act. Proponents of the bill argue that it will incentivize large corporations to narrow their internal pay disparities by either increasing wages for their lowest-paid employees or reducing executive compensation packages Key Provisions of the Act:Tax Trigger: The new tax would apply to companies with a CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio of 50-to-1 or greater.Graduated Tax Rates: The penalty begins with a 0.5 percentage point tax increase for companies with ...
    Más Menos
    1 h y 12 m
  • Charlie Kirk corporate censorship, cutting back earnings reporting, Exxon buys its votes

    Charlie Kirk corporate censorship, cutting back earnings reporting, Exxon buys its votes
    Sep 16 2025
    LET’S GET POLITICAL!Companies from Delta to Office Depot are disciplining and/or firing employees for their public comments on Charlie Kirk's death Trump wants to end a half-century-old mandate on how companies report earningsCompanies should instead only be required to post earnings every six months, pending the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval. This change would break a quarterly reporting mandate that’s been in place since 1970.“This will save money, and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies.” Appeals court allows Trump administration to end the ‘climate bank’ where $20B was set aside to fund climate change projects Donald Trump tilts balance of power from investors to CEOsA BUNCH OF ESG CRAP!Exxon Reportedly Rolls Out Auto-Voting System To Boost Retail Investor Participation, Curb Activist InfluenceOpt-in proxy system would automate retail investor votes to support board positionsElon Musk’s $1 Trillion Pay Proposal: Redefining CEO Compensation in the 21st CenturyFirst Elon Musk, now Larry Ellison: The world's richest men are buying huge media companies--because they canLachlan Murdoch Secures Control of Fox and News Corp, Ending Succession FightGoogle tops $3 trillion for the first time, joining select market-cap club with only 3 other membersApple, Microsoft, NvidiaOnly 7 countries have GDPs greater than $3TToxic Fumes Are Leaking Into Airplanes, Sickening Crews and PassengersDoctors compare brain effects to concussions in NFL players.A Wall Street Journal investigation shows the problem is getting worse and not much is being done about it. The Journal’s reporting shows that aircraft manufacturers and their airline customers have played down health risks, successfully lobbied against safety measures, and made cost-saving changes that increased the risks to crew and passengers.The gender pay gap is getting wider, reversing progress US shareholders fail to pass any green proposals for first time in 6 years CLIMATE CHANGE/AI SPEED ROUNDCarbon emissions from oil giants directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for first timeBrace for impact: Climate change is set to intensify flight turbulence, warn scientistsWhy climate change is making dengue fever a global threat Climate change will make 1-in-100-year crop failures more commonClimate Change Drives Surge in Deadly Supercell Storms Across EuropeClimate change is pushing venomous snakes into new regionsClimate Change Drives Surge in Deadly Flesh-Eating Bacteria on US CoastsOne out of every 4 homes is at ‘severe or extreme’ climate risk, study saysOpenAI foresees millions of AI agents 'somewhere in the cloud' in just a few years--with human supervision Experts Concerned AI Is Going to Start a Nuclear WarPsychologist Says AI Is Causing Never-Before-Seen Types of Mental DisorderSam Altman says people are starting to talk like AI, making some human interactions ‘feel very fake’ Sen. Cruz introduces bill to reduce regulatory burden facing AI companies
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • Murdoch and Ellison, Voter choice at Vanguard, and Charlie Kirk and the hopeless man problem

    Murdoch and Ellison, Voter choice at Vanguard, and Charlie Kirk and the hopeless man problem
    Sep 12 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):Lachlan Murdoch Secures Control of Fox and News Corp, Ending Succession FightLachlan Murdoch is confirmed as Rupert Murdoch’s successor, gaining control over the family’s media empire (which includes Fox Corporation and News Corp). Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch—three of Rupert’s older children—will each receive about US$1.1 billion. They will sell their holdings in Fox and News Corp and give up beneficial/trust rights in those companies.Apart from full siblings Elisabeth and James Murdoch, Lachlan has three half-siblings, an elder half-sister Prudence, and two younger sisters by his father's third marriage, Grace and Chloe. A new family trust will be set up benefiting Lachlan and Rupert’s younger daughters, Grace and Chloe. That trust will hold controlling voting shares in Fox and News Corp. The three older siblings will no longer be beneficiaries in the trust(s) connected to Fox and News Corp. They also give up any voting rights held via those trusts. Rupert Murdoch, despite handing over the control structure, retains a role as Chairman Emeritus. The new trust arrangement secures Lachlan’s control over the companies through 2050. One of Rupert Murdoch’s concerns was the possibility that the more moderate siblings (Prudence, Elisabeth, James) could shift the political or editorial leanings of Fox/News Corp after he’s gone. The new structure is designed to prevent that.Senators Call for Hearings About JPMorgan’s Ties to Jeffrey EpsteinDemocrats want CEO Jamie Dimon to testify about keeping Epstein as a client until 2013Epstein had dozens of accounts at JPMorgan’s private bank and communicated often with bank executives, connecting them to his wealthy contacts, ties The Wall Street Journal first reported in 2023 to be deeper than understood. Epstein was a JPMorgan client before and after he was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008 and forced to register as a sex offender.Trump Epstein letter and drawing from ‘birthday book’ releasedEric Trump removed from the ALT5 board of directors after discussion with the Nasdaq Stock Market LLCTrump’s second son, Eric Trump, was removed from the ALT5 board of directors. According to the SEC filing, the change was made after discussion with the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, therefore, the change was in order to comply with Nasdaq’s listing rules.It is still unclear which of the Nasdaq rules caused Eric Trump to be removed. The closest reason would be the rule that requires a majority of board members at listed companies to be independent. However, if Trump didn’t qualify as independent, other members would have also been removed, which was not the case.after discussion with The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC … and in order to comply with Nasdaq’s listing rules.” He is now a board observer: While he was originally announced as a full board member, Eric Trump has been reassigned to observer status — meaning he can attend meetings but doesn’t have voting power.Larry Ellison's $100 billion day reminds us why David Ellison could buy ParamountLarry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, recently saw his net worth jump by around US$100 billion in a single day due to a spike in Oracle’s stock.Larry’s wealth was a key factor enabling his son, David Ellison, to acquire Paramount.David Ellison’s position is less pressured because his father’s vast wealth gives him a kind of “cushion” — meaning that even if some deals don’t go well, he can withstand the backlash more than many media owners could.Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. DiscoveryThe majority of the planned bid for Warner will be made up of cashA Key to Larry Ellison’s Wealth Creation: Years of Oracle Stock BuybacksOracle has used aggressive stock buybacks over the past 15 years as a major lever to boost shareholder value—and especially to amplify Larry Ellison’s personal wealth. Oracle has aggressively repurchased its own shares over roughly the last 15 years — reducing its outstanding share count by nearly 45%. Because Larry Ellison held roughly the same number of shares, his ownership percentage rose from ~23% to around 41% without buying more stock.This buyback strategy significantly boosted the value of Ellison’s stake — Barron’s estimates that without the buybacks, his stake might have been worth only $215 billion instead of the current ~$387 billion.Ellison didn’t need to purchase additional Oracle shares to increase the value of his investment—he benefited from the shrinking pool of shares and the company’s rising valuation.Vanguard Tries To Get Investors Interested In Proxy Voting MMVanguard’s trying to get millions of its fund investors involved in big corporate decisions—but so far, most people are still tuning out. That’s left folks wondering who really holds sway at America’s largest companies.Vanguard’s campaign faces a classic case ...
    Más Menos
    1 h
  • NUGGETS: AI bro on AI crime, Apple chair takes $20m, Conoco CEO’s my bad, Murdoch identifies Australian

    NUGGETS: AI bro on AI crime, Apple chair takes $20m, Conoco CEO’s my bad, Murdoch identifies Australian
    Sep 9 2025
    DAMION1Let’s start with some shameless self-promotion: In our 'So it's theoretically possible you can NOT like someone on the board!' headline of the week. Jim Cramer Likes A Casino CEO Board Member Of AppLovin Corporation“He’s also on the board of AppLovin by the way, which makes me feel like AppLovin’s okay.”In our 'Of course I'm independent, you moron! I've only been on the board since Clinton was President, not like Reagan or something! Not to mention I've barely been chair for like a minute, since Obama was president, and he's still alive! And 20 million dollars is nothing! COO Jeff Williams made 27 million last year, dummy.' headline of the week. Apple’s Chairman of the Board Sold More Than $20 Million in StockIn our 'Hey Ma, I just crashed our car! But if I promise to NOT do it again if you give me a million bucks?! Ask Dad.' headline of the week. The Tesla directors who just proposed giving Elon Musk a trillion dollars say it’s “critical” he stay out of politicsIn our 'A college dropout and a racist walk into a bar...' headline of the week. Hot mic catches Zuckerberg admitting his $600 bn vow to Trump was a guess“Oh gosh, um, I think it is probably gonna be, something like, I don’t know, at least $600 billion through 2028, in the US, yeah.”In our 'The SEC proposes "Interim CEO" to become a permanent C-suite title' headline of the week. CEO Scandals: Viral Outrage Forces Top Executives OutIn our 'Proxy votes: where morality goes to abstain' headline of the week. Korean Pension Fund Balances Profit and Principles in U.S. Proxy Votes In our 'Are you done writing your little 'book' for the day? Here's 10 dollars.' headline of the week. Anthropic agrees to pay authors over $1.5 billion for using their work to train AI, totaling around $3,000 a bookIf you include all realistic hours, an author paid $3,000 per book typically ends up with about $1.20 to $10.00 per hour, depending on how much work the project actually requires.For most full-length books the realistic band is ≈$2–$6 per hour, and for research-heavy projects it can drop to $1–$2/hr. These numbers are before agent commissions, taxes, and out-of-pocket expenses — which would reduce take-home hourly pay further.Net worth: As of September 2025, Forbes estimates Dario Amodei's net worth to be $3.7 billion In our 'In other news, water is still irritatingly wet' headline of the week. Leaked DMs Show Elon Musk Blatantly Lying About Self-Driving Safety In our 'CEO Who Created AI Startup to Cheat on Homework Complains That AI Is Destroying Education' headline of the week. CEO Who Created AI Startup to Cheat on Homework Complains That AI Is Destroying EducationCEO Chungin (Roy) Lee: college dropout“Cluely is building the ultimate conversation AI that gives you the answers you didn’t study for in every conversation, without you even having to ask. We're built for students and professionals.”“We're backed by Andreessen-Horowitz, Jake Paul, and execs from companies like OpenAI (ChatGPT), Cognition, Notion, Dropbox, and Pika.” In our 'Capitalism: now featuring free WiFi!' headline of the week. The 'godfather of AI' says it will create 'massive' unemployment, make the rich richer, and rob people of their dignityGeoffrey Hinton, who won the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on neural networks: "What's actually going to happen is rich people are going to use AI to replace workers."And finally, The Cigna CEO David Cordani Nuggets pop quiz: Here is the headline: WHO adds GLP-1 weight loss drugs to list of the world's essential medicines for the first time. Here are your Nugget-y options:Cigna CEO Cordani calls them essentially “not our problem.”WHO says GLP-1s are essential; Cordani says they’re essentially a threat to his quarterly bonus.Essential means life-saving to WHO; Cordani asks, "When did Webster's change the definition of 'essential' to ‘profit-killing’?WHO says essential; Cordani says: “my yacht is essential, your pancreas is optional.”WHO says essential medicine; Cordani says essentially: “try kale, it’s cheaper.”MATT1In our '"Out for themselves" sounds bad, how can we make it sound almost, like, medieval and cool?' headline of the week. What Machiavelli and St. Francis can tell us about the motivations of CEOsThere are very high correlations between desire for power and CEO motivationsIn our 'Bully who punched you in the face points way to the hospital' headline of the week. To Help Workers Losing Their Jobs to AI, OpenAI Is Launching a Jobs Platform Run By AIIn our 'Totally my bad guys, I spent the summer on Bob Niblock, our lead independent director's boat - you know we've known each other for as long as I've been on the board, going on 14 years. I mean, between the sun and the rose, I didn't notice we had no money to pay you. That's on me. I mean, you're still fired and stuff, but totally my mistake. Really, I mean wow, just totally blanked on that. Good luck with ...
    Más Menos
    34 m