Podcast
Business Pants
Hosted by Free Float Media Inc. · EN
Whether you love business news or feel like you’re supposed to know it but hate it, Business Pants is business news for humans. Snarky and irreverent, deeply researched and factual, a podcast devoted to market quirks and the humans that make up companies. Investing isn’t a what, it’s a who.
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Epstein execs, Target’s new forceful boss, Disney new CEO, SpaceX mashups, and Pfizer’s inspiration
Feb 300:38:14Tap to summarizeIn our 'We officially don't care anymore' headline of the week.Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘Wild’ Dinner With Epstein Revealed in FilesJeffrey Epstein emails reveal extensive ties with top Goldman Sachs lawyerFormer Windows 8 boss recruited Epstein to help negotiate his messy Microsoft exitCBS News weighs firing Peter Attia in wake of Jeffrey Epstein emails - Bari Weiss reluctant to ax himJeffrey Epstein asked for Snow White costume weeks before Jes Staley emailBrad Karp Says He Regrets Interactions with EpsteinARMI board says it plans to review Kamen’s ties to EpsteinElon Musk Emailed Extensively With Jeffrey Epstein, Asking to Visit His Notorious IslandDOJ Epstein release outlines ties with Boulder restaurateur Kimbal MuskGoogle co-founder [Sergey Brin] had long relationship with Maxwell and visited Epstein’s islandEpstein Files Reveal Peter Thiel’s Elaborate Dietary RestrictionsEpstein contacted women for Steve Tisch, co-owner of the GiantsEmails flesh out warm relationship between Epstein and Richard BransonCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick planned a trip to Epstein’s island in 2012The Tech Elites in the Epstein FilesReid Hoffman (2,658 Files)Bill Gates (2,592 Files)Peter Thiel (2,281 Files)Elon Musk (1,116 Files)Larry Page (314 Files)Sergey Brin (294 Files)Mark Zuckerberg (282 Files)Jeff Bezos (196 Files)Eric Schmidt (193 Files)DAMION1In our 'If Musk can manipulate the market with fake promises why can't I?' headline of the week. Nvidia's CEO says $100B pledge for OpenAI was 'never a commitment' ***************In our 'Anybody but Bob Chapek or a woman or a woman named Bob Chapek' headline of the week. Disney names parks boss Josh D’Amaro as its next CEO to succeed Bob IgerIn our 'Congratulations, shareholders—your vote has been forwarded to the Illusion of Control department' headline of the week. Reclaiming the vote. What the rise of pass-through voting means for banks*************** In our 'I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, he did say he would "listen closely" AND "guests want great design, real value and experiences that delight"' headline of the week. In his day one message, Target’s new CEO ignored the elephant in the room. People noticed.*************** In our 'Forget those assholes, we're curing baldness' headline of the week. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative cut 70 jobs as the Meta CEO’s philanthropy goes all in on mission to ‘cure or prevent all disease’*************** In our 'But forget that shit, Go Seahawks!' headline of the week. Microsoft AI CEO says Moltbook shows how convincing AI can be mistaken for consciousness*************** In our 'Finally, a business model built entirely on who CEOs can control better' headline of the week. CEO of $1.25 billion AI company says he hires Gen Z because they’re ‘less biased’ than older generations—too much knowledge is actually bad, he warns*************** In our 'Asshole Oligarch finds an even less regulated jurisdiction than Texas' headline of the week. Elon Musk's SpaceX acquiring AI startup xAI ahead of potential IPO*************** In our 'Truth Has Side Effects' headline of the week. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla’s best leadership advice: Being optimistic is better than being right*************** In our 'Target CEO gives Seminar on Moral Silence' headline of the week. German FA slaps down proposal to boycott World Cup as Trump rebuke: ‘debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public’*************** MATT1In our 'Report: Elon Musk will earn a 10% merger fee for negotiating with himself during merger talks' headline of the week. Elon Musk's SpaceX acquiring AI startup xAI ahead of potential IPO“My estimate is that within 2 to 3 years, the lowest cost way to generate AI compute will be in space,” Musk wrote. Using my Musk calculator (which calibrates for the fact that Musk said in 2016 he would land on Mars in 2022, but now is shooting for 2030 but more like 2050, and also that we needed to colonize Mars immediately before the sun swallows the earth... in 2 billion years), that means AI space compute could be anywhere from 10 to 400 years awayIn our 'They somehow misspelled both "restauranter" AND "brother"' headline of the week. <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2026/02/02/kim...
Transcribe →CEOs on ICE, the SEC kills small investors, the manchild economy, and AI navel gazers
Jan 3001:02:36Tap to summarizeStory of the Week (DR):Trump's ICE tactics force CEOs to choose between staying silent and risking White House backlash MMCEOs of Target and Minnesota’s Biggest Companies Call for ‘De-Escalation’ After ShootingMinnesota workers pressure employers to take action against ICE operationsCEOs, long silent on Trump’s immigration crackdown, seem to hit their breaking point over killing of Alex Pretti in MinnesotaTarget's incoming CEO tells staff violence in Minneapolis is 'incredibly painful' – without naming Trump or ICEJan 28: Target Unveils Largest Spring Beauty Assortment Ever — Making Trend-Driven, Expert-Backed Beauty More AccessibleTech's top CEOs mum after ICE killings, while leaders like Reid Hoffman, Yann LeCun speak outICE is going too far': Sam Altman, Jamie Dimon, and more CEOs on the unrest in MinnesotaReid Hoffman says business leaders are wrong to stay silent about the Trump administrationApple's Cook says he's 'heartbroken' by Minneapolis events and has spoken with TrumpCompanies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdownMeta blocks links to ICE List across Facebook, Instagram, and ThreadsAs Big Tech CEOs speak up about violence in Minneapolis, 1 in 3 corporate leaders think ICE tensions are ‘not relevant to their business’How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters AreAgents use facial recognition, social media monitoring and other tech tools not only to identify undocumented immigrants but also to track protesters, current and former officials said.Freefloatanalytics data blast:Palantir Technologies: Continues to be a primary partner. In 2025, they were awarded a $30 million contract to build "ImmigrationOS," a platform designed to provide "near real-time visibility" on individuals for the purpose of streamlining apprehensions and tracking self-deportations. Gender Influence Gap -26%RELX: LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Provides ICE with investigative databases used to track, vet, and target individuals. Their current contract is valued at over $22 million. Gender Influence Gap -24%Thomson Reuters: Supplies ICE with access to massive databases, including over 20 billion license plate scans. This data allows agents to track vehicle movement history and identify where individuals may be living or working. Gender Influence Gap -28%Clearview AI: Recently signed a $3.75 million contract (September 2025) to provide facial recognition technology. While officially limited to certain types of investigations, procurement records suggest its use is expanding. Gender Influence Infinity% (no women on advisory board; Hal Lambert and Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs)King “Bumps”JPMorgan’s Dimon sees 10.3% pay bump to $43MDisney CEO Bob Iger’s Pay Increased 11.5% to $45.8 Million in 2025Goldman Sachs hikes CEO David Solomon's pay 21% to record $47 millionWells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf Gets 28% Pay Boost to $40 MillionWhy Starbucks is letting Brian Niccol use the company plane for more personal travel“Following a security review of risks, the Starbucks board of directors made the decision to enhance security measures for Brian,” a company spokesperson said. “This included a decision by the board to require Brian to use private aircraft for all travel.”$96M in 2024; $31M in 2024, including temporary housing expenses in the amount of $371,536; and security expenses in the amount of $1,142,700; and $997,392 in expenses related to his use of Starbucks aircraft for commuting and personal usemedian employee: $17,279. CEO Pay ratio 1,794 to 1 (January 1st: 10:10am)Temporary housing expense ratio: 22:1The docu-bribe: At ‘Melania’ Premiere, the President Sees ‘Glamour’ and Others See GraftAmazon paid Melania Trump’s production company $40 million for the movie an...
Transcribe →The feckless Minnesota CEO response: George Floyd vs. Alex Pretti
Jan 2801:00:19Tap to summarizeAt the beginning of December 2026: ICE announced an enforcement surge in the Twin Cities.January 6, 2026: DHS announced what it called the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, sending 2,000 agents to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. January 7, 2026: ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shoots Renée Nicole GoodJanuary 8–14, 2026: Protests, vigils, and marches continue in Minneapolis against ICE and Operation Metro SurgeJanuary 13, 2026: ‘Madness’: two US citizens violently detained by ICE in Minnesota, officials say. Two Target employees forced to the ground, then into SUV, then dumped in different parking lotJanuary 14, 2026: A different ICE agent shoots and injures a man in north Minneapolis; the man survives after being shot in the leg. This second shooting further intensifies public anger and calls for an end to the federal surgeJanuary 17, 2026: National Anger Spills Into Target Stores, AgainJanuary 22, 2026: Target Store Staff Are Skipping Work Over ICE's Crackdown in MinnesotaJanuary 23, 2026: A statewide Day of Truth & Freedom / Minnesota general strike is held, described as the first U.S. general strike in about 80 years, explicitly targeting ICE operations and Operation Metro Surge. On that day, many workers, businesses, schools, and institutions in Minneapolis and across Minnesota participate in work stoppages, marches, and large rallies against federal immigration enforcement.January 24, 2026: Federal Border Patrol agents assigned to the metro surge shoot and kill Alex Jeffrey PrettiJanuary 25, 2026: The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce released this letter on behalf of more than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies today.Eight people have died in dealings with ICE so far in 2026. Keith Porter, Parady La, Heber Sanchaz Domínguez, Victor Manuel Diaz, Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, and Geraldo Lunas Campos. The high-profile fatal shootings follow the deaths of at least 32 people in ICE custody in 2025 – the highest number since 2004.Minnesota CEOs Seek De-Escalation After Border Police Shooting“The business community in Minnesota prides itself in providing leadership and solving problems to ensure a strong and vibrant state. The recent challenges facing our state have created widespread disruption and tragic loss of life. For the past several weeks, representatives of Minnesota’s business community have been working every day behind the scenes with federal, state and local officials to advance real solutions. These efforts have included close communication with the Governor, the White House, the Vice President and local mayors. There are ways for us to come together to foster progress. With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions. We have been working for generations to build a strong and vibrant state here in Minnesota and will do so in the months and years ahead with equal and even greater commitment. In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future. “3M – William Brown, Chairman and CEOAmeriprise Financial – James Cracchiolo, Chairman and CEOAPi Group – Russell Becker, CEOBest Buy – Corie Barry, CEO C.H. Robinson – Dave Bozeman, President and CEODeluxe Corporation – Barry McCarthy, President and CEODonaldson Company, Inc. – Tod Carpenter, Chairman and CEOEcolab – Christophe Beck, Chairman and CEOGeneral Mills – Jeff Harmening, Chairman and CEOH.B. Fuller – On behalf of our entire organization [CEO Celeste Mastin]Hormel – Jeff Ettinger, Interim CEOMedtronic – Geoff Martha, CEO and ChairmannVent – Beth Wozniak, Chair and CEO Patterson Companies – Robert Rajalingam, CEOPentair – John L. Stauch, President and CEOPiper Sandler – Chad Abraham, Chairman and CEOSleep Number – Linda Findley, CEO (4/2025)Solventum – Bryan Hanson, CEOSPS Commerce – Chad Collins, CEO SunOpta – Brian Kocher, CEOTarget – Michael Fiddelke, Incoming CEO Tennant Company – Dave Huml, CEOThe Toro Company – Rick Olson, Chairman and CEOU.S. Bancorp – Gunjan Kedia, CEOWinnebago Industries – Michael Happe, CEOXcel Energy – Bob Frenzel, Chairman and CEO Keith Rabois, Managing director of Khosla Ventures: “no law enforcement has shot an innocent person. illegals are committing violent crimes everyday.”Khosla Ventures: “We prefer brutal honesty to hypocritical politeness.”“Technology and innovation have reshaped our world and disrupted the way we all live and work. The future may not be knowable, but it is inventable—and it belongs to those who dare to imagine what’s possible.”Managing Directors: 5 dudes (3 stanford; 3 harvard)Founder Vinod Khosla: “I agree with @EthanChoi7. Macho ICE vigilan...
Transcribe →Jamie Dimon is non-binary, Chip Wilson hates Chip Wilson at LULU, anti-woke winning the proxy
Jan 2300:58:01Tap to summarizeStory of the Week (DR):CEOs are finding their blowhard whistles?Jamie Dimon is done being ‘binary’: On Trump’s ‘economic disaster’ credit card plan, foreign policy, and NATOJamie Dimon issues rare CEO criticism of Trump's immigration policy: 'I don’t like what I’m seeing'JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said Trump's proposed 10% cap on credit card rates would be an 'economic disaster'Jamie Dimon issues rare CEO criticism of Trump's immigration policy: 'I don’t like what I’mOf course… Trump sues ‘woke’ JP Morgan for $5bn over debanking Nestlé chief blames Trump for company going quiet on sustainabilityAmazon CEO Jassy says Trump's tariffs have started to 'creep' into prices Ryanair CEO rips Trump as a 'liar' who is 'historically wrong'Of course… Minneapolis ICE Standoff Has Become the Political Issue CEOs Can’t IgnoreEmployees in Minnesota are afraid to show up to workTarget in Your Town: How We’re Showing Up in Communities from Coast to CoastLast "statement:" Target Statement on Texas Floods (July 8, 2025)And two new dudes on the board:John Hoke, former Chief Innovation Officer at NIKESteve Bratspies, former CEO of HanesBrandsSome stakeholder wins?Trump administration drops appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges Trump administration concedes DOGE team may have misused Social Security dataJamie Dimon tells Davos: ‘You didn’t do a particularly good job making the world a better place’Jamie Dimon says government should have power to intervene in AI-driven mass layoffsRollout of AI may need to be slowed to ‘save society’, says JP Morgan bossSalesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches'BlackRock’s billionaire CEO warns AI could be capitalism’s next big failure after 30 years of unsustainable inequality after the Cold WarBlackRock CEO says capitalism isn't spreading the wealth – and AI might not eitherBrett Kavanaugh says letting Trump fire Lisa Cook ‘would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve’A majority of millionaires say extreme wealth is a threat to democracyAmazon Joins Microsoft In Pledge To Self-Fund Power Grids, While CEO Andy Jassy Questions OpenAI's 'Ambitious' SpendingThe board matters??Lululemon founder Chip Wilson blames board for 'total operational failure' in Get Low launch [more later]Early 2026 season proxy indicators MMApple: 1 SHPNational Center for Public Policy Research: China Entanglement AuditExcluded: National Legal and Policy Center: Financial Impact of Renewable Energy Implementation<a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001744489/000174448926000013/dis-20260122.htm#ifcfea0fc29334580a60f9d30def4...
Transcribe →IS IT GOOD? AI regs in Cali, EU -37% carbon +60% GDP, white dudes are winning board seats
Sep 3000:48:23Tap to summarizeTECH 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 means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.”Qantas cutting CEO pay signals new era of cyber accountabilityIn early September, the board of Australia-based Qantas Airways voted to penalize CEO Vanessa Hudson and other top ex...
Transcribe →Kenvue is a target because Trump can’t say acetaminophen, billionaires want you to shut up and work, and more Disney
Sep 2601:02:51Tap to summarizeStory 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 Def...
Transcribe →Kimmel’s back ex Sinclair, Oracle’s 4x CEOs, Office Depot’s gay wedding designer moment
Sep 2300:51:12Tap to summarizeDAMIONOracle 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 manufacturing footprint in the U.S. and abroad told the group” and “The head of a major U.S. multinational investment bank”The protected class continues30-year-old billionaire college dropout recommends at least one year in higher education Who Do You Blame?The protected CEO billionaire classElon Musk says college is “not for learning, but mostly for fun” and doesn’t require degrees at Tesla/SpaceXPeter Thiel: created the Thiel Fellowship, paying young people to drop out of collegeMark Zuckerberg: In a 2025 interv...
Transcribe →Kimmel and Disney’s political expedience, Exxon bought its vote, and algorithmic autocracy
Sep 1901:12:07Tap to summarizeStory 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 c...
Transcribe →Charlie Kirk corporate censorship, cutting back earnings reporting, Exxon buys its votes
Sep 1600:38:55Tap to summarizeLET’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
Transcribe →Murdoch and Ellison, Voter choice at Vanguard, and Charlie Kirk and the hopeless man problem
Sep 1201:00:25Tap to summarizeStory 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 of 'rational apathy', where most index fund investors skip shareholder votes because it feels like a hassle with little impact on their own wallets.Even though Vanguard’s Voting Choice program doubled participation to 82,000 people and tripled the dollar value voted to $9 billion, that’s tiny compared to the company’s 50 million investors and $11 trillion in assets.Studies from Duke, Florida, and Columbia universities show just how overwhelming the sheer number of ballot measures can be—making most people pick broad voting policies, like mainstream or anti-ESG, instead of poring over each decision.While reformers hope wider voting can democratize the system, the early results point the other way: individuals often skip votes or side with management, letting company leaders keep their grip. In fact, last year’s Tesla shareholder votes would have failed if Vanguard’s index funds had voted like individuals.Financial Services Committee Examines the Shareholder Proposal Process and Proxy Advisory Firms<p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wr...
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