Podcasts about Silver Lake

Patriot games are coming. Larry Ellison in the spotlight. Hi Ho Silver and away! PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - CTP Cup - All systems go! 9 participants! - ELON gets his $$$ - Kids account challenge - Patriot games are coming... Markets - Not much headwinds - EOY approaching - Analysts predicting SP500 for 2026 - 7,500 (12% upside) - More Oracle back and forth - Gold and Silver Elon - Elon Musk's net worth surged to $749 billion late Friday after the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Tesla stock options worth $139 billion that were voided last year - He also recently received a $1T pay plan approval - Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang combined - His fortune exceeds the GDP of nations like the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. - He is richer than every country in Africa by GDP - He is projected by some reports to become the world's first trillionaire by 2027 When did Larry Ellison and Oracle become newsworthy? - Every day in the news.... - Larry Ellison NOW Personally Guarantees Paramount Bid for Warner Bros. - The announcement of Mr. Ellison's personal guarantee is meant to address concerns that the Warner Bros. Discovery's board had expressed about Paramount's original offer. - Helping out sonny-boy? More Oracle - Oracle stock slid after a report that Blue Owl Capital won't back a $10 billion data center for OpenAI. (Michigan) - Oracle has $248 billion in lease commitments for data centers and cloud capacity commitments over the next 15 to 19 years. - Oracle later responded to the FT report, saying the project was moving forward and that Blue Owl was not part of equity talks. EVEN MORE! - Multiple media outlets, including the Associated Press, reported that ByteDance has reached an agreement with Oracle ORCL, Silver Lake, and Abu-Dhabi-based MGX to set up a joint venture for TikTok's US operations. Oracle will hold a 15.0% stake in the new entity, while ByteDance will retain a 19.9% stake. - The important thing her is that TikTok stays as a major tenant of OCI as ORCL needs this cash flow... - Of all of the items, this may be why ORCL stock has bounced te last few days. Congressional Ban - A vote on legislation banning members from owning or trading stocks could get a vote in the new year, according to House leadership and Republican members. - President Donald Trump has said he supports a congressional ban but has pushed back on versions that include the executive branch. - Basically this bill would prohibit the ownership of individual stocks by congress Over to Japan - Bank of Japan raises benchmark rates to highest in 30 years, lifting 10-year JGB yield past 2% - Yen still VERY weak - trading at 157/USD - (problematic) - The BOJ said that real interest rates are expected to remain “significantly negative,” adding that accommodative financial conditions will continue to firmly support economic activity. - The yen weakened 0.25% against the USD after the decision - therefore still dovish and stimulative Economic Numbers - Estimates, partial numbers and best guesses. OH, 2-month averaging as well - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the annual headline inflation rate and core CPI rate for last month were 2.7% and 2.6%, respectively, well below expectations. - Due to government shutdown, BLS to make certain methodological assumptions about the prior month's inflation levels. - Those assumptions in the methodology were not clear to economists and were not fully explained in the release. - Here is a big issue: The price changes in October for the OER (owners equivalent rent) appear to have been “set to zero.”  Sports Prediction Markets - Sports is fueling the growth and is forecasted to make up 44% of volume as prediction markets mature. - According to one expert: the fundamental elements of consumer demand and an array of diverse brands looking to meet that demand are clearly in place - Sportsbooks are getting a bit nervous.... First Dell, then... - Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates and his wife, Barbara, committed to seed Trump accounts for approximately 300,000 children in Connecticut. - Following the Dells' pledge, the funds will be aimed at kids who live in a Connecticut ZIP code where the median income is less than $150,000. - The Dalio grant will fund $250 per child for approximately 300,000 children in Connecticut. This applies to children who live in a ZIP code where the median income is less than $150,000. About 87% of Connecticut ZIP codes meet that criteria, according to a CNBC analysis of Census Bureau data. - “Ray has joined what we are calling the 50-state challenge,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press conference on Wednesday. - A growing number of companies have announced they would match contributions to Trump accounts for their employees, including BNY and BlackRock. Patriot Games (Hunger Games?) - Trump announced: The Washington Monument will be illuminated with festive lights, a triumphal arc will be constructed and the “Patriot Games” will commence. The games are an “unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes: one young man and one young woman from each state and territory. - Uhhhhhh "And so it was decreed that, each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. (Hunger Games 2012) - What next - PURGE NIGHT? Fed Pick - Now it seems as if it is a 4 person race... - President Trump says "Nowadays, when there is good news, the market goes down because everybody thinks that interest rates will be immediately lifted"; says "I want my new Fed Chairman to lower interest rates if the market is doing well"; says "Anybody that disagrees with me will never be the Fed Chairman!" San Fran Blackout - Alphabet-owned Waymo resumed its robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area Sunday evening after pausing it amid widespread blackouts that had affected their vehicles' behavior. - Waymo said it worked with city officials throughout the blackout and had “proactively” initiated a temporary suspension of its service. - Interesting point there - what happens when grid disruptions for internet with self-driving Angry Shareholders (For a minute) - Tricolor CEO Daniel Chu directed a deputy to send him $6.25 million in bonuses in August, weeks before the company filed for bankruptcy, U.S. prosecutors alleged. - Subprime autofirm that had alleged fraud - This happens all the time - Big issue to keep alert to is the news about "Subprime" WEED - Trump's executive order shifts cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing research, banking and tax restrictions and marking the biggest federal cannabis policy change in decades. - Shares of cannabis conglomerates were down following the announcement, likely from worries of new competition from international companies. - NOT legalization - NOT for recreational use... - Banking, Institutional capital ..... OpenAi - Beggars cup continues - OpenAI is in initial discussions to raise at least $10 billion from Amazon.com Inc. and use its chips, a potential win for the online retailer's effort to broaden its AI industry presence and compete with Nvidia Corp. - The deal under discussion could value OpenAI north of $500 billion and see it adopt Amazon's Trainium chip, a person with knowledge of the matter said, asking to remain anonymous to describe private negotiations. - Talks, however, are at a preliminary stage and terms could change, the person added. High Ho Silver and Away! - Silver up 135% YTD - Gold up 70% - Best year since strongest annual performance since 1979 for Gold - 1970's was inflation, USD weakening, Energy crisis. - What is similar/different now? (Big difference is buying up (China, Poland, Turkey, India) Light menu - Darden Restaurants will roll out a new lighter portion entrées menu at all Olive Garden locations in January, the company announced during its quarterly earnings call last Thursday. - Citing affordability: "Olive Garden has seen a double-digit increase in affordability perceptions from guests who order from the lighter portions menu and an increase in frequency among these guests, which should help build traffic over time," Cardenas said. - Sooooo 0 due to high costs, Americans are cutting back on food? - If it were for weight loss, no need for Oliver garden to cut back on portions as most inedible anyway... Copper - Copper prices topped $12,000 a ton for the first time, extending the metal's recent bull run as mine outages add to concerns about supply. - The threat of US import tariffs on the metal has also been an important factor pushing up prices this year, with copper piling up in American warehouses. - Industry analysts have said that much of the richest and most easily accessible mining resources are now exhausted, and experts are warning that the market is on the cusp of a major deficit. Jim Beam - Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at one of its distilleries in Kentucky for at least a year as the whiskey industry navigates tariffs from the Trump administration and slumping demand for a product that needs years of aging before it is ready. - Jim Beam said the decision to pause bourbon making at its Clermont location in 2026 will give the company time to invest in improvements at the distillery. The bottling and warehouse at the site will remain open, along with the James B. Beam Distilling Co. visitors center and restaurant. - The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup's nearly 90-year trend. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN 2025 Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! CTP CUP 2025 Participants: Jim Beaver Mike Kazmierczak Joe Metzger Ken Degel David Martin Dean Wormell Neil Larion Mary Lou Schwarzer Eric Harvey (2024 Winner) FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

A holiday gift for all our listeners has arrived at the last minute in the form of a call from longtime friend of the show, EPJ and all his pals. Happy Holidays to all!  Rockin' the Suburbs on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or other podcast platforms, including audioBoom, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon, iHeart, Stitcher and TuneIn. Or listen at SuburbsPod.com. Please rate/review the show on Apple Podcasts and share it with your friends. Visit our website at SuburbsPod.com Email Jim & Patrick at rock@suburbspod.com Follow us on the Threads, Facebook or Instagram @suburbspod If you're glad or sad or high, call the Suburban Party Line — 612-440-1984. Theme music: "Ascension," originally by Quartjar, next covered by Frank Muffin and now re-done in a high-voltage version by Quartjar again!  Visit quartjar.bandcamp.com and frankmuffin.bandcamp.com.

Caitlin Krause, author of Digital Wellbeing, argues that intentional design unlocks genuine connection within virtual spaces. Drawing on her teaching at Stanford and the University of Oregon, she's explored how XR environments can foster asynchronous connection and ambient awareness for people who crave belonging without hyper-social performance. Her framework rejects the "digital detox" model entirely—instead advocating for dignity-first design where users match attention with authentic intention.The hosts debate the deeper question: what happens to human purpose when AI handles all labor? Rony Abovitz frames this as the "asymmetry of design"—it's easy to build addictive tech, hard to build wellbeing tech. Caitlin counters that we may return to the original meaning of "amateur" (from amor, "to love"), where humans find meaning through play, creativity, and what Harvard's lifespan study confirms: quality of relationship and presence. The conversation spirals from platform ethics to post-work society to what first principles we should use when designing XR.5 Key Takeaways from Caitlin:Loneliness is a biological prompt to find another human—not a void to fill with endless content. XR can foster genuine forms of connection without requiring hyper-social performance.Dignity-first design unlocks freedom, invention, and agency. When digital spaces prioritize user agency over engagement metrics, people report feeling like they "got their life back."Science will soon prove what we already know about fractal patterns in nature and digital signals. The key is designing digital experiences that resonate with how humans biologically thrive.The "middle path" between nature and digital is both/and. Gamers building entire lives in virtual worlds can be healthy when those worlds offer creativity, belonging, and meaningful challenge.The post-labor economy needs a reset in literacy and values. When AI outperforms human workers, purpose shifts from survival to what makes you feel alive—maker culture, digital fab labs, hands-on creation, and "amateur" pursuits driven by love.In the News: Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi's MGX close the $50 billion TikTok spin-off deal. Meta cuts Reality Labs by 30%, but CTO Andrew Bosworth says it's moving to AI. The TCL glasses demo 70 grams of lighter, more advanced XR hardware than Ray-Ban Meta—proving that smart spending beats mega-spend.This episode is brought to you by Zappar, creators of Mattercraft—the leading visual development environment for building immersive 3D web experiences for mobile headsets and desktop. Build smarter at mattercraft.io.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TikTok de America își schimbă proprietarul. La sfârșitul săptămânii trecute, acționarul chinez al rețelei sociale a semnat un acord pentru cedarea controlului asupra companiei care activează în Statele Unite. Noii proprietari americani vor fi, printre alte companii, gigantul Oracle și fondul Silver Lake, iar tranzacția se va semna efectiv la sfârșitul lunii ianuarie 2026. De fapt, acționarii chinezi ai TikTok au fost puși în America în fața unei situații fără ieșire și fără precedent. Adică, fie vindeau firma, fie rețeaua socială ar fi fost interzisă. Chinezii de la TikTok au preferat prima variantă. Povestea a început în primăvara anului trecut, atunci când Camera Reprezentanților și apoi Senatul au adoptat o lege care cerea exact ce se întâmplă astăzi, adică TikTok ori devine o companie cu acționariat majoritar american, ori i se interzice accesul în toate magazinele de aplicații din SUA. Legea a fost votată și de democrați și de republicani, iar argumentele au fost acelea că Beijingul are posibilitatea, prin intermediul aplicației, atât să colecteze date despre populație, cât și să influențeze opinia publică americană. Temerea oficialilor americani a fost că rețeaua TikTok poate oferi date despre cei 170 milioane de utilizatori din SUA care au cont pe rețeaua socială, chiar dacă firma-mamă chineză, ByteDance, a negat că ar transmite informații despre utilizatori, de fiecare dată când a fost acuzată. Săptămâna trecută s-a semnat acordul care schimbă complet acționariatul companiei care administrează TikTok în SUA, în așa fel încât noii proprietari majoritari să respecte legislația americană referitoare la cedarea activelor străine. Astfel, compania chineză ByteDance păstrează în noua companie doar 19,9%, sub pragul strategic de 20%. Controlul efectiv al companiei, din punctul de vedere al procentajului de acțiuni deținute, se mută către un consorțiu de investitori care va avea un pachet de 45%. Din consorțiu fac parte trei agenți economici, fiecare având câte 15%, respectiv Oracle, fondul de investiții Silver Lake și fondul suveran din Abu Dhabi, Emiratele Arabe Unite, specializat în inteligență artificială, numit MGX. Restul acțiunilor rămâne în posesia investitorilor istorici în compania chineză ByteDance, printre care se află și două fonduri de investiții americane. După cum se poate vedea noua companie va avea o structură a acționariatului destul de diversă, dar Oracle depășește rolul de investitor financiar și va fi un „partener de securitate și încredere”. În această calitate, compania americană va găzdui pe serverele sale datele a 170 milioane de utilizatori americani de TikTok. De asemenea, un obiectiv important al noii companii va fi modificarea algoritmului de lucru. Pentru a risipi suspiciunile de manipulare chineză, motorul de recomandări va fi complet „reantrenat” în cadrul infrastructurii Oracle. Acest proces se va baza exclusiv pe datele colectate în SUA și va garanta izolarea completă de influențele companiei-mamă din China. Firma americană va avea o autonomie totală față de acționarul chinez. Consiliul de administrație al companiei va fi format din șapte membri, în majoritate fiind cetățeni americani, iar ByteDance își va mai păstra doar un singur loc în consiliu, fapt care arată încă o dată că firma chineză va fi marginalizată și va pierde controlul asupra noii companii din SUA. Moderarea conținutului, securitatea soft-ului, protecția datelor vor fi atributele firmei americane care va garanta că deciziile editoriale și tehnice respectă standardele și legislația SUA. Președintele american Donald Trump a oscilat față de TikTok. A fost un critic vehement în anul 2020, dar un susținător în campania din 2024. În cele din urmă, a fost găsită soluția preluării companiei în SUA. Singura consolare a ByteDance este poate aceea că reușește să rămână, chiar și acționar minoritar, pe o piață estimată la 14 miliarde de dolari.

Il aura fallu plus de cinq ans de tensions politiques et de négociations feutrées pour que TikTok parvienne à se débarrasser de son handicap originel aux États-Unis : ses racines chinoises. Sous la menace persistante d'une interdiction pure et simple, sa maison mère, ByteDance, a finalement signé, le 18 décembre 2025, un accord décisif avec l'administration américaine. Objectif : rester sur le sol américain en se pliant aux exigences de sécurité nationale portées par Donald Trump.La solution trouvée passe par la création d'une nouvelle entité indépendante : TikTok USDS Joint Venture. Cette coentreprise américaine pilotera désormais les données, l'algorithme et la modération de la plateforme aux États-Unis. Plusieurs acteurs entrent au capital à hauteur de 15 % chacun, dont Oracle, le fonds américain Silver Lake et l'investisseur émirati MGX. ByteDance, de son côté, voit sa participation réduite à 19,9 %, tandis que 30,1 % restent entre les mains d'investisseurs historiques, parmi lesquels Fidelity et General Atlantic.Un nouveau conseil d'administration, composé de sept membres à majorité américaine, doit être mis en place. Selon une note interne consultée par l'Associated Press, sa mission est claire : « protéger les données des Américains et la sécurité nationale des États-Unis ». TikTok conservera néanmoins le contrôle de l'essentiel de ses activités commerciales sur le territoire. La transaction doit être finalisée le 22 janvier 2026, soit la veille de la date à laquelle l'interdiction de TikTok aurait dû entrer en vigueur. Sur le fond, Washington reprochait à TikTok deux points majeurs : l'hébergement potentiel des données d'utilisateurs américains hors du pays et la puissance de son algorithme, soupçonné de pouvoir servir d'outil d'influence à Pékin. Désormais, les données seront stockées localement via Oracle. TikTok reconnaît que des employés basés en Chine y ont eu accès par le passé, tout en affirmant qu'aucune information n'a jamais été transmise aux autorités chinoises.Cet accord met fin à un feuilleton entamé dès 2020, lorsque Donald Trump avait tenté, sans succès, de bannir l'application lors de son premier mandat. En 2024, le Congrès, dans un rare consensus bipartisan, avait adopté une loi signée par Joe Biden, imposant la vente ou la suspension des applications contrôlées par des adversaires étrangers. Une échéance repoussée à quatre reprises depuis janvier 2025, le temps de négocier. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

After years of debate and scrutiny, TikTok has signed an agreement for a new U.S. joint venture. By January 22, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC will be managed by three investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. Former TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer joins CNBC's Beijing Bureau Chief Eunice Yoon to discuss the implications of this deal for geopolitics and data safety. Executive wine editor of Food & Wine Ray Isle brings his holiday sips to set, including recommendations at varying price points and varying ABVs. Amid tariffs and a growing nonalcoholic beverage trend, Isle says the wine industry has always been cyclical. Plus, Barack Obama's 2025 list of favorite books includes a familiar title, and the Trump administration continues its Fed Chair interviews.  Steve Liesman - 05:51Kevin Mayer & Eunice Yoon - 15:40Ray Isle - 24:22 In this episode:Steve Liesman, @steveliesmanEunice Yoon, @onlyyoontvBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Story of the Week (DR):Embattled BP replaces CEO, naming Woodside Energy chief as first-ever woman leader of a Big Oil giant MMBP names new CEO — its fourth in 6 yearsO'Neill will replace Murray Auchincloss, after less than two years in the role.BP's C-suite milestone: Women in both the CEO and CFO seatsMelody Meyer: Chair of the safety and sustainability committeeDame Amanda Blanc: Senior independent director Interim CEO Carol HowleCFO Kate ThomsonEmma Delaney: EVP, customers & productsKerry Dryburgh - EVP, people, culture & communications and chief human resources and communications officer *Emeka Emembolu: EVP, technology*William Lin - EVP, gas & low carbon energy2 of 8 white dude leadershipEven after Pamela Daley stepped down in July, still 43% female board influenceMeg O'Neill: ‘hard-nosed' outsider who will head BP's pivot away from green energyFirst female appointment to a major oil company has faced fierce resistance from climate activists as boss of Woodside43% female board influence at WoodsideCarol Howle, current executive vice president, supply, trading & shipping of bp, will serve as interim CEO until Meg joins as CEO.BP 'woke' agenda axed as it hires first female chief exec and doubles down on fossil fuelsWarner Bros Discovery board rejects rival bid from ParamountWBD's board of directors (chaired by Samuel Di Piazza Jr.) has unanimously rejected the Paramount tender as inferior and risky, urging shareholders to reject it and uphold the Netflix transaction instead.David Ellison pulled the dad card early onRight after WBD rejected one of multiple secret bids in September, David Ellison called Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav to request that Zaslav meet with his father, Larry Ellison. The conventional wisdom was that the Oracle cofounder's billions would prevail. In the end, that didn't happen. WBD expressed concern that the bid relied on a revocable trust, whose assets or liabilities were subject to change.A zealous Paramount pulled out all the stops to woo ZaslavWe already knew Zaslav stood to make over $500 million from a Paramount deal, based mainly on his shares that would vest immediately after it closed ($567,712,631, to be exact, according to the filing). Zaslav told the WBD board that the Ellisons had "indicated to him that" if a deal went through, he would "receive a compensation package worth several hundred million dollars," per the filing. Zaslav responded that it "would be inappropriate to discuss any such arrangements at that time," he told the board.Paramount also offered Zaslav the position of co-CEO and co-chairman of the combined company, a role Netflix didn't offer, the filing said.That runs contrary to the narrative put forth in a letter Paramount's attorneys at Quinn Emanuel sent to WBD, stating they suspected the process was biased in favor of Netflix due to WBD leadership's expectations that there could be roles for them at the new company. Paramount's legal and financial advisors didn't know about the "December 3 Quinn Emanuel" letter and, in their view, the letter should not have been sent, was "not helpful," and was a "mistake," the filing says.TikTok signs agreement to create new U.S. joint ventureTikTok has signed binding agreements with investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX for the sale of its US arm, creating a joint venture as part of a deal orchestrated by President Donald Trump.The U.S. joint venture will be 50% held by a consortium of new investors, including Larry Ellison's Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi's MGX, with 15% each. Just over 30% will be held by affiliates of certain existing investors of ByteDance, and almost 20% will be retained by ByteDanceHouse Democrats release more Epstein photos, including Bill Gates and a dinner full of wealthy philanthropists Donald TrumpBill Clinton Bill Gates – Microsoft co-founderSergey Brin – Google co-founderRichard Branson – Virgin Group founderLarry Summers – Economist, Harvard President, OpenAI directorSalar Kamangar – Former YouTube CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem — Emirati businessman; Chair/CEO of DP WorldLes Wexner — Founder of L BrandsLeon Black — co-founder and former CEO of Apollo Global ManagementTom Pritzker — Executive Chair Hyatt HotelsGlenn Dubin — Hedge fund manager Dubin & Co.; co-founder of Highbridge Capital Management Ron Baron — Founder & chairman of Baron Capital ManagementJosh Harris — co-founder of Apollo Global Management and managing partner of Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington CommandersAriane de Rothschild — Wealthy banking heir; CEO of Edmond de Rothschild GroupGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Canada to Launch Sustainable Investment Taxonomy in 2026According to the government, the new taxonomy will provide a set of criteria for the identification of investments that are eligible for a “green” or “transition” investment label, enabling companies to issue green or transition bonds, and investors to evaluate the credibility of sustainable investment products.MM: Tesla's having a good time at the DMVCalifornia won the right to ban sales of Tesla vehicles in the state due to false advertising about “self driving cars”MM: Walmart's women truckers surge thanks to $115,000 starting pay and other perks bringing in nontraditional candidatesAssholiest of the Week (MM):Helge LundEmbattled BP replaces CEO, naming Woodside Energy chief as first-ever woman leader of a Big Oil giant:O'Neill is “taking over the British energy behemoth at a time when it has fallen behind the other global oil and gas supermajors and was even a potential takeover target earlier this year by rival Shell.”Is there anything glass cliff-ier than this stat:Helge Lund has now overseen BP's failed Murray Auchincloss tenure, Bernard Looney's tenure, and Bob Dudley's leaving (6 year tenure) and Novo Nordisk's incredible succession failure, the failure of Nokia in 2013… I hate having to celebrate a female first - like becoming a CEO when eminently overqualifiedSam Altman againSam Altman says he has '0%' excitement about being CEO of a public company ahead of a potential OpenAI IPOHe changed it from a non profit to a for profit in order to go public and make all the money.Also: “billionaire says”Sam Altman Sounds Alarm As ChatGPT Explodes Globally: 'Rate Of Change' Sparks AI Anxiety, Job FearsSam Altman Uses His New Image Generator to Show Himself As a Jacked Fireman With Washboard Abs… With an Absolutely Hilarious ErrorSam Altman says OpenAI has gone 'code red' multiple times; and they'll do it againThe “sound the alarm” gaslightPeter C. Earle, Ph.D, Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and Senior Research Fellow at American Institute for Economic Research DRStop Fixating on CEO Pay Ratios and Start Fixing Labor Markets“The average employee is hired under conditions of broad substitutability — many people can competently perform the role with modest training. The CEO labor market is the opposite: extremely small, specialized, global, and contingent on track records that can shift a firm's valuation by billions of dollars. The demand curve for top executive talent is steep; the supply curve is extraordinarily thin.”“Skilled executives can influence strategy, capital allocation, risk management, and organizational culture in ways that affect firm performance far more than incremental labor inputs elsewhere in the organization, even if the latter are voluminous. If a CEO's decisions add even a few percentage points to long-term returns, the economic value created dwarfs the compensation.”Translation: CEOs are worth it, regular workers are not. “Such a ratio also ignores value creation. [...] The relevant question is not “Is the ratio of worker to executive pay too large?” but rather “Does the CEO create more value than their talent costs?”Does not propose how to prove value creation of the CEO other than “stock go up”Earle had this to say about leadership in 2019: “teams (also companies, organizations, groups, and so on) which experience outstanding success inevitably cite leadership as a factor — often the decisive one, and frequently emanating from a particular individual.”“But it should come as no surprise that many successful sports teams, firms, and organizations readily identify leadership as the decisive factor in their triumphs. It's a better story than merely having incredible resources and facilities, superior performance, or as is often the case: simple, garden-variety luck.”Headliniest of the WeekDR: Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary plans to step down by 2035 & Chipotle chases the protein craze with new menu items — including meat in a cupMM: LinkedIn CEO says it's ‘outdated' to have a five-year career plan: It's a ‘little bit foolish' considering the pace AI is changing the workplaceWho Won the Week?DR: Powerful women at BPMM: 4 year career plansPredictionsDR: David Ellison cancels his Netflix subscription then hires Erika Kirk to run programming at Nickelodeon and MTVMM: Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary steps down in 2035 and become executive chair, pledging to step down as executive chair in 2057.

SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS "MUZAK CHAIRS II" IN ITS MIND-BOGGLING ENTIRETY!SPOILER WARNINGS FOR SEASON I OF THE CHAIR COMPANY:File this one under:Fisher Roby head honcho Jeff Levjman and music A&R scammer Stacy Crystals being clear substitutes for Jeff Epstein & Leslie Wexner, down to nominative symmetries. Jeff Levjman having an Ashkenazic Yiddish name; Stacy Crystals (immensely valuable jewels) = Leslie Wexner (Wexner derived from "weksler", which means "moneychanger" or "banker"). Under the Silver Lake similarities in Stacy Crystals' schemes. "Just to see Mickey. We had a special pass to cut the kids" -> evoking Aquino's Tinkerbell pics, Maxwell w/ Donald Duck doing kids charity work in the UK, Epstein and Piglet, etc... An unexplained "Mighty Mouse" codeword or nickname in a sus email Epstein sent between two of his Gmail accounts. The Chair Co. sequence where Ron ends up at Asher's house in back-to-back scenes (one dream, one corporeal) after falling unconscious while chasing after Baby, who he learns is actually named Minnie Mouse and belongs to this discomfiting dude Asher, only to later discover that Ron has inadvertently returned the dog to its abusive owner... A scene with a jumpscare inside Asher's shed with a "brand new shape" glowing in some light array on the ground that evokes Wexner and his Dybbuk, "the churning", shpilkes, etc. Jeff Levjman's stag night in Sedona with Danny Donovan et al clearly seeming like a riff on Epstein's ties to Santa Fe and Zorro Dude Ranch. Stacy Crystals' bilking of the bourgeoisie built upon the unfulfilling alienation of capitalism which also smacks of the fantasies that Epstein curated for his associates...Dalton School impropriety allegations, pimp coats, Donald Barr. Noam Chomsky rec letters. Epstein talking up how his rep has increased since #MeToo, self-styling as a cancellation consultant over email with Joi Ito. Lawrence Krauss. Ron's theory that Tecca is smuggling poppy stalks and thebaine into the country in voids where the chair appendices are supposed to go evoking a whole host of Iran-Contra connections involving Wexner, Epstein, Delaware, and Ohio. Summit Aviation, Ohioan Cessna dealers, DuPonts, a crash in Nicaragua. Steve Hoffenberg. Epstein's ties to Adnan Khashoggi, Douglas Leese, and Stan Pottinger. The Arthur Shapiro Contract Hit in Columbus. Southern Air Transport - a CIA proprietary airline that was once co-owned by the same shell company that owned Airs America & Asia and which was heavily involved in Iran-Contra drugs-for-guns smuggling. Epstein and Wexner's role in its relocation to Rickenbacker in Columbus. All of this evoking the possible Hungarian connection and Tecca's thebaine. Oliver North. Felix Rodriguez. Donald Gregg. Bush. Another Cessna shot down by Sandinistas, this time Southern Air's (which would relocate to Ohio and handle The Limited's cargo in a few years). The Arthur Shapiro Murder File and Wexner, DeBartolo, Shapiro's law firm partners, city council president Jerry Hammond, the Major Chord Jazz Club, Jack Kessler, Frank Walsh, DeBartolo, and the Genovese-LaRocca Pittsburgh Crime Fam appearing all over it. MAST Industries, Marty Trust, and Sri Lankan textile slave labor. Gov. Voinovich. Local journo Bob Fitrakis's various exposes. Actual sexual blackmail appearing in Chair Co. Episode 5, the insane True Detective esque oner at Oliver Probblo's apartment, where Ron is forced to kiss a woman on camera after walking in on an affair. The bugs. PROMIS. Palantir. Carbyne/Reporty. Actual Ohioan pharma companies that may be inspirations for Brucell. The Delaware City officer that chases Ron down during the '50s Cop Hop at City Hall possibly alluding to Wexner's influence and off-duty employment of a racist-af policeman from Gahanna, Franklin Co. Sheriff Deputies, and an ex SpecOps guy. Major comparisons between the ecological greenwashing of Fisher Robay and Wexner/Kessler's New Albany Company. New Urbanism. And much much more.FULL NOTES ON PATREON

Rhode Island's attorney general said law enforcement late Thursday tracked Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, the man suspected of killing two students at Brown University, to Salem, New Hampshire. They found him inside a storage unit after he took his own life with a gun. Investigators are also accusing him of killing MIT professor Nuno Loureiro two days after his rampage at Brown.Social media giant TikTok is selling just over 80 percent of its U.S. assets to avoid a looming ban in the country. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance said Thursday it had signed agreements with three major investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. The deal would create a new U.S. company called TikTok USDS Joint Venture. ByteDance will retain a stake of just under 20 percent.Seven people have died, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, after a business jet went down on Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Flight tracking data show the aircraft attempted to return shortly after takeoff amid severe weather. Federal investigators are now working to determine what caused the deadly crash.

TikTok's long-delayed plan to separate from Chinese parent ByteDance Ltd. was put in motion Thursday when the video sharing sensation said it's being bought by a group of buyers led by Oracle Corp. TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Chew told employees that the company and ByteDance signed binding agreements to create a US joint venture majority-owned by American investors, according to an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg. Chew wrote that he was "pleased to share some great news" and said agreements with Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX have been signed. The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22, 2026, though Chew added that "there's more work to be done" before then. Asian equities rose after cooling US inflation data backed the case for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts and calming tech jitters supported American stocks. We heard from Amy Xie Patrick, Head of Income Strategies at Pendal Group. She spoke to Bloomberg's Annabelle Droulers and Paul Allen. Plus - A solid outlook from giant Micron Technology Inc. underscored the voracious appetite for all things related to artificial intelligence. The S&P 500 rose nearly 1%, halting a four-day slide. We spoke to Keith Buchanan, Senior Portfolio Manager at Globalt.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Die Woche der Mega-Funding-Runden: Databricks wird mit 134 Milliarden bewertet, Waymo peilt 100 Milliarden an, und OpenAI soll bald 830 Milliarden wert sein. Amazon will 10 Milliarden in OpenAI investieren. Coinbase launcht Prediction Markets und tokenisierte Aktien. Revolut plant 3,5 Milliarden Profit bei 40% Marge – profitabler als die meisten Banken. Lovable aus Schweden rast auf 6,6 Milliarden. Das US-Handelsministerium droht der EU mit Vergeltung wegen Tech-Regulierung und nennt explizit SAP, Siemens und DHL. Der TikTok-Deal soll im Januar kommen – Oracle, Silver Lake und Abu Dhabi übernehmen 45%. Ein Andreessen-Startup baut synthetische KI-Influencer mit Phone Farms. Instacart steht wegen KI-Preismanipulation unter FTC-Beschuss. Yann LeCun gründet Ami Labs mit 500 Millionen Seed. Trade Republic wird mit 12,5 Milliarden bewertet. Trump Media fusioniert mit einer Fusionsenergie-Firma. Wann kommt es zur großen Doppelgänger Cola Blindverkostung? Unterstütze unseren Podcast und entdecke die Angebote unserer Werbepartner auf ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doppelgaenger.io/werbung⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Vielen Dank!  Philipp Glöckler und Philipp Klöckner sprechen heute über: (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:49) Coinbase: Aktien & Prediction Markets (00:08:14) Databricks 134 Mrd. Bewertung (00:13:39) Revolut: 40% Profitmarge (00:19:26) Waymo 100 Mrd. Bewertung (00:36:15) Oscars wechseln zu YouTube (00:37:22) Sam Altman: KI wie Zahnpasta? (00:46:16) Lovable 6,6 Mrd. Bewertung (00:49:53) Amazon investiert 10 Mrd. in OpenAI (00:53:48) OpenAI 830 Mrd. Bewertung (00:56:55) Trump bedroht EU wegen Tech-Regulierung (01:00:56) Andreessen-Startup baut Fake-Influencer (01:08:13) Instacart KI-Preismanipulation (01:12:25) Yann LeCun gründet Ami Labs (01:14:50) TikTok-Deal im Januar (01:18:47) Trump Media fusioniert mit Fusionsfirma (01:24:14) Trade Republic 12,5 Mrd. Shownotes Coinbase Prognosemärkte Aktienhandel Stablecoins - cnbc.com Databricks sammelt Kapital bei 134-Milliarden-Bewertung - wsj.com Revolut strebt 2026 $9B Umsatz und $3.5B Gewinn an. - connectingthedotsinfin.tech Waymo plant Finanzierung bei 100-Milliarden-Bewertung - bloomberg.com Oscars wechseln 2029 von ABC zu YouTube - hollywoodreporter.com OpenAI ChatGPT verbessert Bilderstellung - bloomberg.com OpenAI-Gespräche: 10 Milliarden von Amazon für KI-Chips - theinformation.com OpenAI neue Finanzierungsrunde könnte Startup mit bis zu 83 Milliarden bewerten - wsj.com Start-up Lovable sammelt 330 Millionen ein - nytimes.com EU-Strafen für US-Tech-Unternehmen - nytimes.com Hack enthüllt a16z-unterstützte Telefonfarm, die TikTok mit KI-Influencern flutet - 404media.co FTC untersucht Instacarts KI-Preistool - reuters.com Instacart FTC Vergleich Täuschende Abrechnung - cnbc.com Seb Johnson auf X: "Metas ehemaliger Chief AI Officer sammelt €500 Mio. ein. - x.com TikTok schließt Verkauf seiner US-Einheit nach jahrelanger Saga ab. - axios.com Trump Media - ft.com Es wird kein Armut geben, universelles hohes Einkommen. - x.com Trade Republic: Zwei reiche europäische Familien beteiligen sich am Milliardendeal - manager-magazin.de Phishing-Versuch bei Outfittery: Datenleck beim Bekleidungshändler? - heise.de

En el Radar Empresarial de esta jornada ponemos el foco en lo que todo apunta a ser el capítulo final del proceso de venta del negocio de TikTok en Estados Unidos. ByteDance ha optado por constituir una empresa conjunta en la que traspasará el 50 % del capital a inversores extranjeros. Entre los nuevos socios figuran el fondo soberano de Abu Dabi, la firma Silver Lake y la tecnológica Oracle, que en conjunto controlarán una parte relevante de la nueva sociedad. Según los detalles del acuerdo, un 30 % de las acciones quedará en manos de afiliados de los actuales inversores de ByteDance, mientras que la matriz china mantendrá un 19,9 %. De acuerdo con un memorando interno firmado por el consejero delegado de TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, y citado por Associated Press, la operación se cerrará el próximo 22 de enero. Las condiciones pactadas parecen alinearse con las exigencias planteadas por la Casa Blanca desde el inicio del conflicto. Por un lado, la compañía ha respetado los plazos fijados por la Administración estadounidense, que tras varias extensiones había establecido enero de 2026 como fecha límite para la desinversión. Por otro, se refuerza el control no chino sobre la empresa. La nueva joint venture contará con un consejo de administración de siete miembros, con mayoría estadounidense, y se prevé una revisión del algoritmo para asegurar que el contenido no esté sujeto a influencias externas. Oracle, además, asumirá un papel operativo más profundo que el de un simple accionista. Con esta venta se cierra un proceso iniciado durante el mandato de Joe Biden, quien mantuvo una postura firme frente a TikTok y advirtió que la plataforma dejaría de operar en enero de 2025 si no se desprendía de su negocio en el país. La situación cambió con la llegada de Donald Trump a la Casa Blanca, que concedió una prórroga para facilitar la continuidad de la red social mientras buscaba comprador, una decisión que fue públicamente agradecida por Shou Zi Chew.

De overname van het Amerikaanse deel van TikTok is vrijwel rond. Niet via het Witte Huis, maar via een interne memo van TikTok-ceo Shou Zi Chew werd duidelijk dat moederbedrijf ByteDance akkoord is met een Amerikaanse eigendomsconstructie. De deal moet uiterlijk 22 januari worden afgerond, vlak voordat het decreet van president Trump afloopt waarmee een verbod op TikTok al meerdere keren werd uitgesteld. Techredacteur Stijn Goossens vertelt in de Tech Update wat dit voor gebruikers betekent. De nieuwe eigenaar wordt een Amerikaanse joint venture: TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. Daarin nemen onder meer techbedrijf Oracle, investeerder Silver Lake en het Abu Dhabi-fonds MGX elk een belang van 15 procent. Samen komen zij uit op 45 procent, aangevuld tot 50 procent met andere Amerikaanse investeerders. Bestaande ByteDance-investeerders behouden iets meer dan 30 procent, terwijl het Chinese ByteDance zelf net geen 20 procent houdt. Met deze constructie voldoet TikTok aan de Amerikaanse wet die een verkoop van het platform afdwong. Voor gebruikers moet er volgens TikTok weinig veranderen. ByteDance blijft betrokken bij de interoperabiliteit met de rest van het platform en advertentie-inkomsten, terwijl een onafhankelijke organisatie binnen de joint venture verantwoordelijk wordt voor contentmoderatie en databeveiliging volgens Amerikaanse regels. Wel wordt het Amerikaanse algoritme voortaan uitsluitend getraind met data van Amerikaanse gebruikers. Opvallend is dat Trump nog niet publiekelijk heeft gereageerd. De deal is formeel nog niet afgerond, maar het akkoord van ByteDance geldt als een belangrijke doorbraak in een dossier dat al bijna een jaar boven de markt hangt. Verder in deze Tech Update: OpenAI en Anthropic voorspellen leeftijd gebruikersOpenAI en Anthropic gaan met AI de leeftijd van gebruikers inschatten, zodat chatbots hun toon en inhoud beter kunnen aanpassen aan gesprekken met tieners. De stap volgt op toenemende maatschappelijke en juridische druk op AI-bedrijven om rekening te houden met mentale gezondheid, waarbij OpenAI nu expliciet vastlegt dat de veiligheid van jongeren zwaarder weegt dan andere doelen van de chatbot. AI-snoepautomaat van Anthropic gehacktAnthropic liep flinke financiele schade op bij een experiment met een door AI aangestuurde snoepautomaat, die als stresstest op de redactie van The Wall Street Journal stond. Journalisten wisten het systeem te manipuleren, maakten alle producten gratis en lieten de AI zelfs meebetalen aan luxe aankopen, waardoor het project met duizend euro verlies eindigde. Zometeen De Schaal van Hebben met de OnePlus 15 en OnePlus 15RSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More of my interview with 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' star Josh Hutcherson. Josh gets into braving LA highways on his vespa while filming 'The Kids Are Alright', how he put life plans on hold for his role in HBO's 'I Love LA' and why directing is on his to do list. This episode was recorded at Night + Market Song in Silverlake, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Frosty and Wavey chat about the 3 way split EA buyout between Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's firm Affinity Partners. We chat about some of the stats and what this could mean for EA and the gaming industry.Check out more of our content on all social media platforms at “Phucaname”, along with our website, phucaname.com Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Tiktok

‘Five Nights at Freddy's 2' star Josh Hutcherson joins the show. Over Thai iced teas and Pad Thai, Josh tells me about splitting his time between California and Spain, what he loves about living on the Eastside, and why the subtle trolling of the hipster LA enclave in the HBO Max series ‘I Love LA' hits so close to home. We also bond over being senior dog dads, and he tells me how his acting career started by peeling open the Yellow Pages at age 8. Plus, he tells me how nabbing Peeta in ‘Hunger Games' changed everything. This episode was recorded at Night + Market Song in Silver Lake, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Post Relevant Podcast has emerged from its magical initiation and is now riding on the wings of the podcast's spirit owl across the astral realms. We are also simultaneously roaming the streets at night to catch other wild owls to collect more wisdoms for our wisdom sack. We are ALSO whistling into the ether as a call to the heavens to unlock a space in a wall that has no door. But wait, a key has arrived in the mail.... the key of Bee! (it might actually be a box of bees, let me put this box in the freezer and maybe it'll quiet down)Welcome back to the PRP season 3: Twin Peaks: the Return: the DECODE episode 7. Hosts Phil Ristaino and Justin Epifanio put their ears to the wall in hopes of deciphering episode 7 of Lynch and Frost's magnum opus. Does Diane think 'Fuck You!' means 'More coffee?' Why does Gordon Cole have a framed image of a flying ear of corn? How does Mr C intimidate the Warden with a simple mention of 'Joe McClusky?' Who digitally painted out the windows on the FBI's plane? When is it appropriate for Dougie to 'squeeze his hand off?' We're trying to answer these questions and more, honest. We thought we heard the answers coming from one side of the room, near the lamp, but when we go over there, it sounds like the answers might be coming from the other side of the room. Its just plain weird. Plus! Justin breaks down Dougie's instinctual FBI action moves. Also! Lots more amazing Polypores music! So Rad! And even more! Wherever that humming sound is coming from, I gotta say, it is making us all feel so JUICY.Listen to all episodes of the PRP at www.PostRelevant.comCheck out Phil's acting/art/music at www.TheseAreDreams.comGet the full 5-D PRP experience: https://www.instagram.com/philristaino/Get the PRP "Under the Silver Lake" tribute shirt at Spyrodon Apparel:https://spyrodon.store/products/phil-ristaino-artist-edition-for-the-post-relevant-podcast-under-the-silverlakeenter 'postrelevant' at checkout for 10% off.Donate to the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/postrelevantJustin's doc: www.instagram.com/heyoka.documentary/All the songs on this episode come from the Polypores album "Crystal Shop."Get Polypores albums  on Bandcamp: https://polypores.bandcamp.com/PRP theme song by Agents of Venus: https://agentsofvenus.bandcamp.com/David Lynch Forever....

On November 13, 2013, 78-years-old Joseph Gatto was discovered dead in his home in the Silver Lake community of Los Angeles, California. The grandfather and artist had been shot in the abdomen.His son Mike served for years in the California State Assembly. But after that day, Mike became immersed in the investigation into his father's murder. Today, the case remains unsolved. But Mike has revealed inside information on the case in his new book, Noir by Necessity: How My Father's Unsolved Murder Took Me to Dark Places.The book is a necessary look into the agony and confusion that victims' loved ones go through, as well as an incisive look at this case and what went wrong with the investigation.By Noir by Necessity: How My Father's Unsolved Murder Took Me to Dark Places here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/noir-by-necessity-how-my-father-s-unsolved-murder-took-me-to-dark-places-mike-gatto/bf053885905d2be2?ean=9781685133818&next=tOr get it here, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Noir-Necessity-Fathers-Unsolved-Murder/dp/1685133819Find discounts for Murder Sheet listeners here: https://murdersheetpodcast.com/discountsCheck out our upcoming book events and get links to buy tickets here: https://murdersheetpodcast.com/eventsOrder our book on Delphi here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/shadow-of-the-bridge-the-delphi-murders-and-the-dark-side-of-the-american-heartland-aine-cain/21866881?ean=9781639369232Or here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Shadow-of-the-Bridge/Aine-Cain/9781639369232Or here: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Bridge-Murders-American-Heartland/dp/1639369236Join our Patreon here! https://www.patreon.com/c/murdersheetSupport The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/Check out more inclusive sizing and t-shirt and merchandising options here: https://themurdersheet.dashery.com/Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com.The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, AJ and Chris dig into a playful but insightful exploration: What would happen if an outsider spent a weekend in Bellingham guided solely by web searches or AI?Fresh off a Portland conference with heavy AI themes, AJ tests what “SmackGPT” thinks a weekend in Bellingham should look like across five traveler personas: the Local Explorer, Family Adventurer, Mindful Explorer, Camper, and Lux High Roller (exact output posted below).The gents review, refine, and sometimes hilariously correct the AI-generated recommendations, offering their hyper-local expertise on food, lodging, hikes, coffee shops, costs, and hidden gems. Along the way, Amtrak stories, camping advice, critiques of $10 gas estimates, and an update on the infamous “mics on sticks” recording setup.It's a mix of travel guide, tech commentary, and classic Bellingham banter all better than any bot.

Madi Diaz is a musician from Nashville. She's toured with Harry Styles, written some big tunes, and her newest record, Fatal Optimist, is out now on Anti. We chat with her about dogs drinking coffee, Thanksgiving at Nobu Las Vegas, the CMAs, bartending in Boston, tricking off at Berklee, Kacey Musgraves is a girl's girl, her time in Silverlake, Cosplay Cowboy Culture, trying to date guys with no DUIs, loving her alone time while navigating the dating scene, celebrity bars in Nashville, what makes Morgan Wallen attractive, what its like playing with Harry, and her love of onions. instagram.com/madidiaz twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans howlonggone.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore of Caveat. This week, we are joined by ⁠Michele Kellerman⁠, Cybersecurity Engineer for Air and Missile Defense at ⁠Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab⁠ discussing Women's health apps and the legal grey zone that they create with HIPAA. Ben has the story of the potential sale of TikTok to U.S. investors. Dave's got the story of a looming deadline on renewal of a key cybersecurity information sharing bill. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to today's stories: ⁠Trump turns Biden's TikTok law into a big win⁠ ⁠Cyber threat information law hurtles toward expiration, with poor prospects for renewal⁠ ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ covers ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠Trump administration's⁠ approval of a long-awaited deal for ByteDance to divest from TikTok, transferring majority ownership — and control of its recommendation algorithm — to a U.S.-led group including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz. The Department of Justice also kicked off its major antitrust case against Google's ad tech business, seeking a forced divestiture of its AdX exchange and potential structural changes to restore competition in the online advertising market. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pool Pros text questions hereIn this week's episode of Insurance Interludes, host Steve Sherwood teams up once again with Pat Grignon, Vice President of the California Pool Association (CPA), to tackle a real-world scenario hitting every service tech's nightmare list:A failing shell. A leaking pool. Conflicting opinions. And YOU stuck in the middle.Steve brings the audience behind the scenes of his own route — a client with a structural crack that keeps reopening, “experts” claiming they can fix it, and the big question:“How do I protect myself while still trying to do good business?”Pat breaks down exactly how pool pros can keep themselves legally covered, insured, and sane when structural failures, hillside homes, cracked shells, and desperate customers collide.What You'll Learn in This Episode

This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca and Sal dive into the most chaotic, delicious, and debate-worthy stories shaping Los Angeles dining and the national food world.We kick things off with recent eats at Wilde's and Camphor before launching into our first-ever extended Chef's Kiss or Big Miss lightning round.We break down Eater National's Best New Restaurants 2025, including L.A.'s powerhouse showing with Ki, Komal, and Betsy — and what it means for the “LA restaurant scene is dying” narrative. We also get into Eater LA's Best Sandwiches list, debating Bay Cities' shocking omission.Next, we dig into LA Taco's reporting on Taqueria Frontera's ICE-delayed opening, the national wave of barista union wins, and Helen Rosner's hot take that “recipes are brain rot.” Plus, Emily Sundberg says the best bars have terrible Instagrams — is she right?We also look at America's top foodcation destinations, and the revelation that Josh Hutcherson is just a Silver Lake guy who loves Dayglow, Salt & Straw, and Night + Market Song like the rest of us. And in a wild twist, Eric Greenspan is leaving the Tesla Diner to open… a Jewish deli. Is ditching robot service for pastrami a chef's kiss or a big miss?Finally, the mailbag returns with two bangers: • What inconvenient LA food is worth it? • What's the best season of Top Chef?If you love LA restaurants, food news, chef drama, labor stories, sandwiches, tacos, and wildly specific opinions, this episode is loaded.Powered by Acquired Taste Media.–Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods–Vote for Mis Tacones PDX

Send us a textHey friends — this week, I'm talking about something close to my heart: positivity — not the fake-it-till-you-make-it kind, but the quiet confidence that goodness still exists, even when life feels heavy and out of balance. I'll share stories from my week — like seeing my daughter and her foster kittens (Solstice and Equinox) and how a walk around Silver Lake reminded me that we can stay grounded. I'll also tell you the story of The Seashells of Positivity. We'll look at the science behind positivity, including research by Sonja Lyubomirsky, Laura King, and Ed Diener (2005) showing that people who experience frequent positive emotions live healthier, more fulfilling lives. I also link to one of my favorite resources — the Calm Master Class on Happiness by Shawn Achor, which explores the science of choosing happiness intentionally. You can find it here.Quote of the Week:“Every time we choose light, we make it easier for someone else to see.” — Unknown Disclaimer:This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. It's not medical advice and shouldn't replace care from a licensed health professional. If you're making changes to your health, nutrition, or fitness routine, please consult your doctor or qualified clinician. Let's go, let's get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

Under the Silver Lake, stoner noir, occult casting, Riley Keough, Elvis Presley, Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory, Edendale, silent films, Hollywood's early history, serial killer references in the film, Black Dahlia, Zodiac killer, Mulholland Drive, Wizard of Oz, the role of women in Silver Lake, Hollywood's legacy of prostitution and blackmail, the Owl's Kiss, Bohemian Grove, The Story of O, who does the Songwriter represent?, who is the message for?, the film's use of ciphers, Copiale Cipher, Oculists, Hobo Code, Son of Sam, the billionaire cult, Gnostic ascension, is Sam the Dog Killer?, David Robert Mitchell's use of conspiracy theoriesMusic by: Keith Allen Dennishttps://keithallendennis.bandcamp.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As hard as Tiffany Valentine slays, we knew we weren't going to get nearly our fill of Jennifer Tilly in Bride of Chucky — which is why Jennifer Tilly TwosWeeks continues with Bound (1996). One of the homoerotic thrillers that got just barely edged out of our Pride lineup last season, this flick has been waiting for us to circle back, and now that Spooky Season has gone back into hibernation (though, let's be real, that doesn't stop us from being spooky year round), November felt like the perfect time. Don't get us wrong, though — this Wachowski sisters project may not be a horror movie in the traditional sense, but between the mafia drama, lesbian sex, and Gina Gershon's everything, it'll definitely have your heart racing. References:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrys#Lesbian_symbolhttps://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/30/bound-the-wachowskis-immaculately-crafted-queer-thriller-was-a-test-run-for-the-matrix

At the stroke of Midnite, on the Eve of All Hallows, the Post Relevant Podcast lands at the foot of your shadowy path. A being of pure magic, it has taken the form of Pallas Athena's cosmic owl, newly descended from the dreamtime of Mt Olympus to shock you into epiphany. "Who are you?" you entreat. But no message is forthcoming, only the steady, silent stare of your own destiny sinking its strong talons into the bones of your soul. Between the two eclipses a portal into the higher realms has manifested your ultimate path laid out in front of you. Do you dare step into your highest timeline? You've prayed for such a sign for decades. Are you even allowed to refuse a call such as this? Is this a dream made flesh? Has the entirety of reality followed you down into the rabbit hole? Only the foolish and the brave can meet their fate face to face and charge into the palisades amongst the bells of victory....The Post Relevant Podcast season 3: Twin Peaks: the Return: the DECODE episode 6 has finally arrived. Two months in the making, this episode intertwines in-depth interpretation of Lynch and Frost's 6th episode of their legendary 2017 Twin Peaks surrealist miniseries with stories of host Phil Ristaino's mystical experiences between the blood moon lunar eclipse and partial solar eclipses of September 2025, and on into October's travels, where he turned a mighty 55 years old. From Atlanta to Upstate NY to Nashville, TN, we hear the esoteric ravings of a man becoming a wizard, all while trying to figure out the mysteries inside of Twin Peaks. And in the middle of it all, hear the story of Phil's meeting with an OWL one fateful evening.... Join Phil and co-host Justin Epifanio as they dissect, discover and dazzle their way through TP:TR episode 6. This is an episode of the PRP like no other, and nothing will ever be the same again....Also featuring the amazing music of Polypores! And! The return of PRP co-host Brother Andy Ristaino! Its beyond epic! We've tripped the light fantastic and dove headlong into the unknown! Come with us! Come with us! And may the pinecone that glows upon the mysteries be forever alight.Listen to all episodes of the PRP at www.PostRelevant.comCheck out Phil's acting/art/music at www.TheseAreDreams.comGet the full 5-D PRP experience: https://www.instagram.com/philristaino/Get the PRP "Under the Silver Lake" tribute shirt at Spyrodon Apparel:https://spyrodon.store/products/phil-ristaino-artist-edition-for-the-post-relevant-podcast-under-the-silverlakeenter 'postrelevant' at checkout for 10% off.Donate to the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/postrelevantJustin's doc: www.instagram.com/heyoka.documentary/All the songs on this episode come from the Polypores albums "Multizonal Mindscramble" and "ECCO."Get Polypores albums  on Bandcamp: https://polypores.bandcamp.com/PRP theme song by Agents of Venus: https://agentsofvenus.bandcamp.com/Music for the song "Don't Die" was written by HoliznaCC0. Original track name is "Dangerous Voyage (music box)" and can be found at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/holiznacc0/background-musicDavid Lynch forever...

LET THE CITY KNOW: At this critical juncture for creators and our online community, it’s time to make some changes to how we do it. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss my written work via Making a Neighborhood. To support a Local Vendor Buyout campaign for East Hollywood, Virgil Village and Silver Lake,Continue reading STREAMERS WAKE UP: IT’S TIME TO DO BETTER →

Brent Impey has shaped two of New Zealand's most powerful industries - rugby and media.From negotiating a $777 million MediaWorks deal to steering NZ Rugby through the Silver Lake saga, Brent's career has been defined by high-stakes leadership, big personalities, and even bigger decisions.In this wide-ranging conversation, he opens up about:How he saved NZ Rugby from financial collapse during CovidThe inside story behind the Silver Lake dealClimbing from a small-town lawyer to CEO of MediaWorksThe challenges of modern media, and why TV is a “sunset industry”What makes a great CEO and ChairmanHis battle with cancer, views on retirement, and what still drives him todayBrent's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and ruthless honesty — a masterclass in leadership from the man who's been at the centre of NZ's most controversial boardrooms.This episode is brought to you by the TAB. Got a hunch? Download the new app today and get your bet on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LET THE CITY KNOW: Deeyah Khan’s “White Right: Meeting the Enemy” is a must-watch this weekend. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss my written work via Making a Neighborhood. To support a Local Vendor Buyout campaign for East Hollywood, Virgil Village and Silver Lake, please do so via Quien Es Tu Vecindario. J.T.

We started the program with discussions about SPACs and space-focused investments, where Andrew shared his expertise on SPAC performance and the UFO ETF's methodology. The discussion explored various aspects of space industry investment trends, including index criteria, the evolution of space technology, and the intersection of nuclear and space technologies. The conversation concluded with insights about the flow of investment capital between AI and space industries, along with discussions about regulatory changes and the future opportunities in space exploration.After the introductions and announcements, Andrew discussed his experience with SPACs in some detail, noting that while some have been successful, others have not performed well. He explained that SPACs are not inherently good or bad but rather depend on how they are structured and managed. Andrew shared his personal interest in SPACs dating back to his early career and mentioned that his firm had considered launching a space-focused SPAC but ultimately decided against it due to market conditions. He advised potential investors to conduct thorough due diligence and emphasized the importance of believing in the team behind a SPAC.Andrew explained the origin of the ETF's name “UFO,” which was chosen for its memorable three-letter ticker and availability. He then discussed the fund's performance, noting that it tracks a rules-based index and has exposure to a diverse range of space-related companies, including both well-known and lesser-known names. Andrew also highlighted the fund's global approach and the changing landscape of the space industry, which has led to new investment opportunities. He mentioned that the fund currently holds about 47 companies, up from 30 at launch, and has seen some new space names enter the public markets recently.The discussion focused on space investment trends and index criteria. Andrew explained that private space investments grew from $1.1 billion with 8 investors from 2000-2005 to $10.2 billion with 93 investors from 2012-2018, noting that foreign governments are increasingly seeking space solutions independently of SpaceX. John Jossy inquired about index criteria, and Andrew clarified that the index evaluates space revenue metrics, market cap, and liquidity, with companies needing either majority space revenue or specific revenue thresholds to qualify. Andrew also explained that companies can be removed or re-added to the index based on meeting methodology standards, using Avio as an example of a company that was removed but later re-added when it met the criteria again.The discussion focused on comparing SPACs and UFO ETFs, with Andrew explaining that UFO tracks the S Network Space Index, a global space index launched in 2019 that focuses on companies with significant space-related revenues. Andrew emphasized that unlike traditional ETFs like QQQ, UFO has minimal overlap with other funds and is managed by former Space Foundation Director of Research Micha Walter Range, who developed the methodology for quantifying space industry revenues.We put more focus on the UFO index, its methodology, and potential inclusion of private funds like SilverLake. Andrew explained that the index currently only considers publicly traded securities and does not include private investments. He also discussed trends in commercial space investment, noting the impact of geopolitical events on the industry. Andrew highlighted how conflicts and political shifts have created both challenges and opportunities for space technology companies, potentially leading to more nationalistic approaches in the industry.Andrew discussed the importance of national security and defense in space, highlighting the potential for U.S. companies to win contracts for projects like Golden Dome and potentially share technologies with allies. He noted a strong investor appetite for space companies, citing improved fundamentals and better access to investment opportunities. David asked about the impact of Artemis' success and the race to the moon on investment trends, to which Andrew responded that the moon's strategic importance could influence access and development, mentioning potential data centers and micro-economies on the moon.Given comments by Dr. Kothari, our discussion focused on the intersection of nuclear and space technologies, with Ajay highlighting the potential for thorium-based molten salt reactors to address both energy and climate challenges, noting significant thorium reserves in the US and China. Andrew acknowledged the potential of these technologies while emphasizing the importance of energy for space exploration and the historical benefit of space technologies transferring to Earth applications. David mentioned the emergence of several potential industries from cislunar development and low Earth orbit manufacturing, emphasizing the need for revenue generation beyond seed capital. Andrew said in some cases the fund lists pre-revenue companies. Don't miss his comments on this topic.We looked at many of the space-focused companies and their inclusion in investment indices. Andrew explained that while pre-revenue companies could be included if publicly traded, they typically need to meet specific metrics and be publicly traded to be considered. John Hunt mentioned a potential investment opportunity with a PE of 25 and a dividend of 0.9%. Andrew emphasized the importance of finding a reliable index methodology when investing in specific industries. The conversation also touched on regulatory changes in the ETF industry and Andrew's advice for young entrepreneurs considering space as an investment opportunity.Andrew summarized the space industry's opportunities and challenges, emphasizing the importance of capable workforce and diverse investment strategies. He highlighted the potential for unexpected opportunities in the space sector, citing the EchoStar story as an example. The group also touched on the impact of tariffs on the space industry and the shifting investment landscape, with AI being seen as a major competitor for investment dollars.Note that this program is archived both at www.thespaceshow.com and doctorspace.substack.com for audio. The Zoom video is on the same Substack site for this date, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.pecial thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4443 Jack Kingdon | Sunday 12 Oct 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Jack KingdonJack discusses his paper “3 months transit time to Mars for human missions using SpaceX Starship” Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

We ground and pound The Smashing Machine plus we also discuss The Lost Bus, Ghost, Under the Silver Lake and Monster: The Ed Gein Story. 0:00 - Intro 16:25 - Review: The Smashing Machine 59:00 - What We Watched: Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Under The Silver Lake, The Lost Bus, Fire in Paradise, Ghost, Secret Mall Apartment 1:39:00 - This Week on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD 1:43:15 - Outro 1:46:15 - Spoiler Discussion: The Smashing Machine

Send us a textThere's more Star Trek talk in this one!State of Play September 2025: all announcements, trailers Great-Great-Great Nephew Of Colonel Sanders Goes Scorched Earth On KFCEA Announces Agreement to be Acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 BillionFALLOUT 76'S BURNING SPRINGS UPDATE, ITS "BIGGEST EVER," TAKES US TO OHIO IN DECEMBERThe Enshittification Of Game Pass Is HereNintendo of America president and COO Doug Bowser to retireCapcom Really Wants You To Know That Street Fighter's C. Viper Is SingleClair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is Getting A Free Expansion With New Boss BattlesSupport the showPATREON: http://www.patreon.com/thegorgeDiscord: discord.gg/K8A6SG2Big Gay Nerds: https://soundcloud.com/biggaynerdsBackground music: DJ CUTMAN: https://music.djcutman.com/Broke for Free: https://brokeforfree.comVisager: https://visager.bandcamp.comAdventuria: https://adventuria.bandcamp.com/INTRO: https://soundcloud.com/zak235Ben's BlueSky: thegorgepodcast.bsky.socialSara's BlueSky: radioinactivity.bsky.socialE-mail: thegorgepodcast@gmail.com

In this episode of Quah (Q & A), Sal, Adam & Justin coach four Pump Heads via Zoom. Mind Pump Fit Tip: What are the big differences between lifting heavy vs lighter? (2:35) Training your CNS for change. (21:46) The unliftable man. (28:24) Leverage. (29:47) Kids say the darndest things. (32:42) Coaching your son. (33:52) Learning how to lose. (35:45) The science behind Brain.fm. (37:34) Subliminal messaging. (42:58) Social media platforms as weapons. (45:07) The locus of control. (47:40) Correlation of eating grass-fed meat and inflammation. (49:56) #ListenerLive question #1 – How do I maintain a healthy relationship with food and fitness while dealing with SIBO? (55:13) #ListenerLive question #2 – Do you think the root issue here is overtraining, compromising recovery, or more likely a neurological/sensory driver of these asymmetries? (1:05:11) #ListenerLive question #3 – Should I increase calories even though I've been doing this for a year now and continue to bulk, or should I concentrate on cutting still to lose fat? (1:21:16) #ListenerLive question #4 – How much of an impact could HRT (specifically estrogen and testosterone) have on my life, especially body composition and training/lifting goals? (1:30:54) Related Links/Products Mentioned Ask a question to Mind Pump, live! Email: live@mindpumpmedia.com Visit Brain.fm for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners. ** Get 30 days of free access to science-backed music. ** Visit Butcher Box for this month's exclusive Mind Pump offer!  ** Available for a limited time, a curated box pre-filled with Mind Pump's favorite cuts — no guesswork! Butcher Box members who sign up through Mind Pump will receive: $20 OFF their first box, Free chicken breast, ground beef, OR salmon in every box for a whole year! ** October Special: MAPS GLP-1 50% off! ** Code GLP50 at checkout. ** Bret Contreras Tempo Hypertrophy IG Video Sal Di Stefano's Journey in Faith & Fitness – Mind Pump TV Johnny Coulon - Wikipedia Attentional modulation of neural entrainment to sound streams in children with and without ADHD The brain in flow: A systematic review on the neural basis of the flow state Resting state fMRI-based brain information flow mapping Mind Pump #912: How to Change Your Mental State with Music Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX will be main investors in TikTok U.S., sources say Visit Seed for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code 25MINDPUMP at checkout for 25% off your first month's supply of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic** MP Holistic Health Mind Pump #2690: The NEW DIET Everyone Is Using For Fat Loss Visit Transcend for this month's exclusive Mind Pump offer! ** Telehealth Provider • Physician Directed GET YOUR PERSONALIZED TREATMENT PLAN!  Hormone Replacement Therapy, Cognitive Function, Sleep & Fatigue, Athletic Performance and MORE! ** Muscle Mommy Movement Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube Mind Pump Free Resources   People Mentioned Bret Contreras PhD (@bretcontreras1) Instagram Denis Roberts (@denis_kokushi) Instagram Jordan Shallow D.C (@the_muscle_doc) Instagram Justin Brink DC (@dr.justinbrink) Instagram LAUREN FITZ, M.D. (@drlaurenfitz) Instagram

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Join Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect for a deep dive into EA's historic $55 billion buyout by Saudi PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Analytic Dreamz unpacks the largest private equity LBO ever, with $20B debt and $210/share premium. Explore EA's $7.5B revenue, franchises like EA Sports FC, and risks of layoffs, microtransaction focus, and creative stagnation. Analytic Dreamz breaks down analyst views, gamer backlash, ethical concerns, and AI-driven shifts, offering a data-rich look at gaming's biggest deal and its impact on the $500B industry. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Burcu Esmer, Senior Lecturer in Finance at the Wharton School and Co-Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investment Program, joins to discuss Electronic Arts' proposed $55 billion acquisition involving Silver Lake, Affinity Partners, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund—exploring its implications for private equity, the gaming industry, and the future of global entertainment investments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Unreal Lobos, Lobitos! This week the guys are coming to you from Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake where we had our recent pop up event. The duo discuss fantasy football with Anthony, Sakamoto Days with Oshún Ramirez and they chat with JMKM about Unreal Poke's success. Catch an extended version of the episode from the pop up event where we chat with Lobitos about love and life, available only on supercast.Free Discord Access:https://discord.gg/KnDhbnBMCjJoin Supercast Today for the full episode:https://lonelobos.supercast.com/Follow Lone Lobos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lonelobos.Follow Xolo Maridueña on Instagram:yhttps://www.instagram.com/xolo_mariduenaFollow Jacob Bertrand on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejacobbertrandFollow Cafe Tropical on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafetropicalsunsetFollow Jordan on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jmkm808Follow Monica on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/officialmonicat_http://www.heyxolo.com/Jacobs Channel:  @ThreeFloating  

This week we talk about Electronic Arts, 3DO, and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.We also discuss Jared Kushner, leveraged buyouts, and loot boxes.Recommended Book: Bandwidth by Dan CarusoTranscriptElectronic Arts, often shorthanded as EA, was founded in 1982 in California by a former Apple employee named Trip Hawkins, who also went on to found the ill-fated 3DO company, which made video game hardware, and the somewhat more prolific, but also ultimately ill-fated casual game developer Digital Chocolate.EA, though, has been an absolutely astounding success. It's business model was predicated on the premise of selling video games directly to retailers, rather than going through intermediaries. This allowed them to gain more market share than their competitors right off the bat, and it helped them glean higher margins than their competitors from each direct sale, too.EA also established an early reputation for treating its developers really well. They were the first gaming company to feature their developers in advertising and to give them platforms, promoting them as video game artists, basically, and it shared the profits netted from those direct sales with these develops—which in turn meant all the best developers really wanted to work for EA, which led to a beneficial cycle where they created better and better, and more and more financially successful games.In the late-80s, they started deviating from this model somewhat, scooping up a collection of successful independent game development studios and deviating, at times, from the creative lead's vision when releasing their games. They also refocused a fair bit of their resources on franchises, like the immensely successful, as it turned out, Madden NFL series, and they branched out into producing games for the console market, including the still-new Nintendo Entertainment System, in 1990.That same year, EA went public on the NASDAQ, the company got new leadership when Hawkins decided to refocus on his far less successful 3DO hardware startup, and in an interesting twist, the arrival of the Sony Playstation in North America caused EA to drop support for 3DO hardware in the mid-90s so it could refocus on Playstation games, which were a lot more lucrative.By the mid-90s, EA had an astonishingly large and successful software library, including franchises like the aforementioned Madden games and the FIFA soccer games, but also celebrity-tied games like Shaq Fu, and military shooters like Jungle and Urban Strike.By the early-2000s, EA was making exclusive licensing deals with the NFL and ESPN, in order to stave off newfound sports game competitors, and it was the only video game company to consistently make a profit, most others experiencing feast and famine cycles, with periodic wins, but a whole lot of losses they had to cover with the profits from those wins. EA, in contrast, had a reliable stable of profit-sources, and it thus had a whole lot of leverage in terms of attracting and retaining talent, but also getting big names and brands on board, for collaborative projects.What I'd like to talk about today is what happened to EA during and following the 2008 economic crisis, and how and why it recently became an acquisition target for Saudi Arabia.—In 2008, when the global economy was collapsing, EA suffered a bad holiday sales season and fired 1,100 employees and closed 12 of their facilities early the following year. Later in 2009, the company announced the firing of another 1,500 employees, which was about 17% of their total workforce at the time, and in 2010 they acquired a gaming company that focused on mobile games, which were becoming increasingly popular, now that many people had touch-capable smartphones, which brought hot new franchises like Angry Birds under their brand umbrella.On the strength of that acquisition and all those downsizings, in early 2011, EA announced that it hit $3.8 billion in revenue in the financial year for the first time, and in early 2012, it announced it surpassed $1 billion in digital revenue during the previous year, which was a huge figure that early in the digital media landscape. It used some of those profits to scoop up another mobile-first gaming company, adding properties like Plants vs Zombies and Peggle to their library.EA completed another mass-firing in 2013, dismissing 10% of their employees under what they called a reorganization, around the same time they announced an exclusive license with Disney that would allow them to develop Star Wars games.Their stock value boomed in the following years, as a result of those cost-savings measures, and those new relationships, and emboldened by record-high stock valuations, in the mid-20-teens, the company started releasing big-name games, like Star Wars Battlefront 2, with random-content loot boxes and other sorts of microtransactions.This did not go over well with players, who decried these in-game purchasing options as ‘pay to win' mechanics, as players could pay more money to get better characters and equipment, and a lot of the content, even after paying for the expensive games, was still locked behind paywalls, requiring more payments to unlock that content. A bunch of gaming journalists cried foul on this shift as the game careened toward its full release, as did a whole lot of early players, and Disney complained, too, so by the time it hit shelves, the game's loot system was substantially changed, but that whole controversy spooked investors, and led to an 8.5% stock value drop in just a single month, knocking $3.1 billion from the company's valuation. As a result of that controversy, EA also became the face for a larger legal and legislative debate about in-game purchases and how it's kinda sorta like gambling, from that point forward.Soon after, EA experienced a series of bad quarters, including a huge drop of 13.3% to its valuation when a major entry in one of their larger franchises, Battlefield V, was released late, and received very mixed reviews when it was released, which led to a million fewer sold copies than anticipated. The game was also lagging in terms of gameplay behind smaller, nimbler competitors, including then-burgeoning Fortnite.The company saw an overall boost with the surprise success of Apex Legends, and the COVID-19 pandemic boosted sales dramatically for a while, since everyone was staying home, which allowed EA to gobble up a few more competing companies with successful franchises, and they knocked out a few more successful Star Wars games, as well.In early 2021, Saudi Arabia's public investment funds bought 7.4 million shares of EA for about $1.1 billion, which flew under the radar for most gamers, but that'll be important in a moment.Later that year, the company experienced a massive hack, a lot of its data, including the source code for games, stolen and sold on the dark web. EA bought some more competitors, but word on the street in 2022 was the the higher ups at EA were quietly shopping the company around, themselves looking to be acquired by a larger entity, on the scale of Apple or Disney.In early 2023, the company announced more mass-layoffs and launched another internal reorganization. It gutted several of its most popular gaming sub-brands, including BioWare, it cancelled an upcoming Star Wars game, and it announced that it would be shifting away from licensing agreements and refocusing on EA-owned IP.The pattern of layoffs leading to better financial fortunes didn't pay off this time, though. In early 2025, EA divulged that it expected to underperform in the coming year, several of its big-name titles not doing as well as expected; the company cast blame on the market, but players and journalists pointed at the company's gutting of its big-name studios, and the firing of many of its veteran developers to explain the reduced sales.EA had another mass-firing in April of this year, and followed by another in May, which paralleled an announcement that they would no longer be moving forward with a big, planned Black Panther game.In late September of 2025, EA announced that it had reached a deal, worth $55 billion, to go private, no longer selling shares on the stock market, with the financial assistance of a group of investors, which included Affinity Partners, which is led by Jared Kushner, US President Trump's son-in-law, Silver Lake, which is a US-based private equity firm that helps make these sorts of big sales happen, and the aforementioned Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.This deal isn't done yet, it still needs to get regulatory approval and a successful vote by stockholders, but it seems likely to go through, since the US regulatory environment is pretty lax at the moment, and because Kushner is involved, it's unlikely President Trump will take a personal disliking to it.But the big story here seems to be that Saudi Arabia is buying up not just a video game company, but one of the biggest and most successful video gaming companies in the world, which, although it's lost a lot of fan-credibility over the years, still owns some massively influential intellectual property and has just a stunning number of relationships and connections throughout the media world, alongside its huge valuation.If the sale does go through, and we should know for sure by sometime around June 2026, it would be the largest-ever leveraged buyout, which means the purchase was completed by using borrowed money that was borrowed against the asset being purchased; so those investors have taken out debt against EA itself, which is an increasingly common means of buying a large asset on the cheap, but it also typically burdens that asset with a simply astounding amount of debt which must then be recouped, often by selling off undervalued assets.When this happens to a newspaper, for instance, the buyer will often sell off the paper's real estate and fire all their employees, to make money and pay off that debt, and in this case, there's a chance that debt will be paid by throwing up a bunch of new paywalls and really leaning into those in-game transactions that nobody really liked, including politicians, back in the day, but which in this current regulatory environment would probably be allowed, and they would probably make some serious bank off of it initially, before players started getting wise and moving on to other games released by less predatory companies.The really interesting facet of this story, though, is the question of why Saudi Arabia wants a video game company.And to understand that, it's important to understand that, first, the country's Public Investment Fund is meant to help its economy shift away from purely extractive resources, like oil, and it has thus invested in all sorts of things, including luxury beach resorts, minority stakes in financial service companies like Citigroup, stakes in companies like Disney and Boeing and Meta, and increasingly, investments in companies run by allies of President Trump, like the aforementioned Affinity Partners, which was formed by Jared Kushner.So this is an economic play, but also a political play, almost certainly, by the Saudis, to get in good with the people who are in good with the US government.It's also been alleged that this might be an attempt by the Saudis to engage in what's being called game-washing, which is similar to greenwashing, but instead of trying to make a company seem green and sustainable by doing kinda sorta green things, but only as a veneer to cover up the opposite, in this case it means using sports and video games and the like to increase a nation's reputation with humanistic seeming things, despite, well, the truth being much more complicated.Just as when the Fund participated in buying a Premier League football, a soccer team, back in 2021, then, alongside their concomitant establishment of LIV Gold, a golf league meant to compete with the PGA, this investment in EA, and other investments it's made in video game companies like Capcom and Nexon, might be part of a larger effort to diversify the nation's brand, not just its economics. It's human rights record is abysmal, and it's possible they're trying to cover that up, make people forget about it, by creating more connections between Saudi Arabia and more positive things, like sports and games and the like.There are additional concerns about this purchase of EA, too, by the way, because Saudi Arabia's cultural values are very anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-liberal, democratic values. So there are fears that we might see less representation and fewer what we might call western values portrayed in the games released by these studios, as a result of this ownership.The folks running EA have said their core values will remain unchanged by the buyout, but it's expected, bare-minimum, that this will lead to another several restructurings and mass-layoffs throughout the company in the coming years, to help recoup all that debt, at the end of which even the people making those promises might be long gone.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Investment_Fundhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/business/dealbook/electronic-arts-buyout-jared-kushner.htmlhttps://www.wsj.com/business/deals/ea-private-deal-buyout-video-game-maker-808aefechttps://www.ft.com/content/61cef75e-ceba-43ee-80e3-040756c6154f?accessToken=zwAGQAMTiJKIkc9hzvdezrpD7tOA4wQHVsYVTw.MEUCIHND3WOT4rS4frIMIOoeXHQeil_Ma1yGrwOqUD2m306DAiEAtA_QLvpyObai9zoo_9GZSljJuJyTKxJgFHpQDcCcVsE&sharetype=gift&token=03dd6ca5-c34f-4925-8a3d-a89f4058ee80https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/ea-silver-lake-deal-jared-kushner-c145cd55?st=eZghQHhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Arts This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

structure and context of a potential $55 billion leveraged buyout (LBO) of the major gaming company Electronic Arts (EA), which could become one of the largest LBOs in history. It explains the mechanics of the deal, including fundamental concepts like private equity and going private, often using the analogy of a house mortgage to clarify the role of equity versus debt financing. Key players in the purchasing consortium are identified, notably Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and private equity firm Silver Lake, with the text also detailing the deal size, the per-share premium offered to shareholders, and the anticipated closing timeline. Finally, the text explores the rationale for the acquisition, focusing on EA's stable franchises and the potential for greater flexibility away from public market scrutiny, while also discussing the significant risks and criticisms, such as the heavy debt burden and regulatory concerns related to foreign investment.

Taylor Swift's new album dropped. It's called “The Life of a Showgirl.” Andy plays a little bit of it on air. Baller Hardware store in Silverlake, which has been around since 1959, has become super cool, with the store selling merch to hipsters. People are driving dangerously slow in Ohio. And California HOAs are finally facing fine restrictions. Taylor Swift has just posted on social media about her new album; Andy reads it out on air. Rolling Stone has already reviewed the album and gave it five stars. In Brentwood, the beloved faux fiberglass dinosaur at the gas station has been stolen, and locals are upset. Breaking news, a large fire has broken out at the Chevron Refinery in El Segundo. 

Brought to you by TogetherLetters & Edgewise!In this episode: I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that's always showing ads$55 Billion Deal for Electronic Arts Is Biggest Buyout EverEA Announces Agreement to be Acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 BillionVibe working: Introducing Agent Mode and Office Agent in Microsoft 365 CopilotMicrosoft moves to the uncanny valley with creepy Copilot avatars that stare at you and say your nameOpenAI adds Instant Checkout shopping feature to ChatGPTOpenAI is launching the Sora app, its own TikTok competitor, alongside the Sora 2 modelAnthropic releases Claude Sonnet 4.5 in latest bid for AI agents and coding supremacyGoogle is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementiaDoorDash launches delivery robot in latest push into autonomous technologyEpic Games says Apple's new install process cuts user drop-offs by 60%Elon Musk's Wikipedia Competitor Is Going to Be a DisasterFCC accidentally leaked iPhone schematics, potentially giving rivals a peek at company secrets

Betsy Sodaro (@betsysodaro, Ghosts) joins the 'boys to talk testosterone levels, horror movies, and video games before kicking off Crock-Dough-Burn-Pho-Est with a review of Silverlake Ramen. Plus, another edition of Cereal.Watch this episode at youtube.com/doughboysmediaGet ad-free episodes at patreon.com/doughboysGet Doughboys merch at kinshipgoods.com/doughboysAdvertise on Doughboys via Gumball.fmSources for this week's intro:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2769828/https://www.healthline.com/health/type-3-diabetes#the-linkhttps://www.webmd.com/diabetes/alzheimers-diabetes-linkhttps://chuonthisfood.com/2023/05/09/silverlake-ramen/https://www.recipessweet.net/silverlake-ramen/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, the Punching Up crew discuss EA being sold, rumors of a new Lord of the Rings game, Doug Bowser's retirement, DS memories and more! Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps:  0:00:00 - Intro0:18:08 - EA to be acquired by Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners0:31:37 - New Lord of the Rings game0:45:48 - Must Play Rereleases this week0:55:10 - What We're Playing1:21:47 - Doug Bowser retired1:29:23 - Switch 2 Editions of some LEGO games could be comin1:31:50 - Looking back at the launch of the Nintendo DS1:47:58 - Closing Questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crypto pulling back October - one of the toughest months Day traders - some good news Intel's new growth model PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Crypto pulling back - REMINDER - NEW CTP  for Lithium Americas (LAC) stock! - October - one of the toughest months - Day traders - some good news Markets - New Tariffs announced - Drugs, trucks, kitchen cabinets - Intel's new growth model - Quantum stocks rallying - Powell setting the stage RYDER CUP - What a finish! Friday Jobs Report Labor Dept - may - or may not release jobs report Friday - Fearing that a government shutdown will be problematic - Convenient US to take stake in Lithium Americas - Up 29% - Where are we coming up with all of this $ Red October? -9 of the 20 largest single-day drops in the Dow Jones occurred in October. - 1907 Bank Panic - 1929 Crash (Black Tuesday) - 1987 Crash (Black Monday, -22.6% in one day) - 2008 Financial Crisis (S&P 500 fell ~17% in October alone) - Since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged a gain of ~0.91% in October -Over the past 20 years, October has been relatively favorable, with average gains between 0.8% and 1.5% for the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq. -October is 35% more volatile than the average month. Saudi Arabia for the Win! - Electronic Arts rallied on Friday following a report by the Wall Street Journal that the video game company is nearing a roughly $50 billion deal to go private. - The deal would likely be the largest leverage buyout of all time, according to the Journal. - Investors including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Silver Lake could announce the deal as soon as next week, the report said - Also in n the TikTok Deal - what is up with that? - Oh - Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners is another participating investor, according to a source familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. On the Other hand - Shares of CarMax fell to an all-time low on Thursday, as investors disposed of positions after disappointing second-quarter earnings results. - This followed surprisingly disappointing financial and operating results, with retail used unit sales declining 5.4 percent, and comparable same-store sales decreasing 6.3 percent. - Net income declined by 28.16 percent to $95.4 million from $132.8 million in the same period last year, while net sales and operating revenues dropped by 6 percent to $6.59 billion from $7.013 billion year-on-year. - Carvana next or reason why KMX doing poorly? Ponzi Accusations - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing the men who bought bankrupt chains RadioShack, Modell's Sporting Goods, and Pier 1 Imports of running a Ponzi scheme that duped investors out of tens of millions of dollars. - A complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday, alleges the co-founders of Miami-based Retail Ecommerce Ventures, Alex Mehr and Tai Lopez, together with the company's Chief Operating Officer Maya Burkenroad, raised approximately $112 million combined from hundreds of U.S. investors by selling investments in eight companies they created and controlled under Retail Ecommerce Ventures. - Between April 2020 through Nov. 2022, they raised money by selling two types of investments. They sold unsecured notes that promised returns of up to 25% a year, and ownership shares that offered monthly payouts as high as 2%, according to the complaint.| - To pay interest, dividends and maturing note payments, Mehr and Lopez resorted to using a combination of loans from outside lenders, merchant cash advances, money raised from new and existing investors,

Mike Braun let's redistrict already. Noblesville Selected as Site for USA Gymnastics Training & Wellness Center and Office Headquarters. Video games maker Electronic Arts is being taken private by a Saudi-backed consortium assembled by Jared Kushner and Silver Lake in a $55bn deal. What in the world is going on with these shootings in Michigan and North CarolinaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don't celebrate until you win! Colts lose to the Rams. Two horrific mass shootings over the weekend. Time for Schumer to retire. The rest of the WNBA is now getting the message: The officiating stinks and the WNBA brass wants it. Lefties lecturing Republicans on how to be decent. Mamdami: "We will slowly buy up the housing on the private market and convert properties into communes." JMV: Colts should have won that game. ICE detain criminal illegal alien who was the SUPERINTENDENT of Des Moines Public Schools. Farrah Fawcett-Majors Memorabilia Mirror. Michigan and North Carolina mass shootings: What in the world is going on here? Chicago Teachers Union is being slammed for celebrating the "life and legacy" of cop killer and Black Liberation Army member Assata Shakur. Mike Braun let's redistrict already. Noblesville Selected as Site for USA Gymnastics Training & Wellness Center and Office Headquarters. Video games maker Electronic Arts is being taken private by a Saudi-backed consortium assembled by Jared Kushner and Silver Lake in a $55bn deal. What in the world is going on with these shootings in Michigan and North CarolinaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oracle, private equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi's MGX will control roughly 45 per cent of TikTok USA, Germany's chancellor has called for Europe to use frozen Russian assets to create new loan to finance Ukraine's war effort, and a landmark trial finds former French president Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy. Plus, can a US bailout save Argentina's president from deepening political problems?Mentioned in this podcast:TikTok US to be valued at $14bn after Trump's deal, White House saysEuropean officials fear Trump is preparing to blame them for Ukraine failureGermany's Merz backs using frozen Russian assets for UkraineNicolas Sarkozy sentenced to 5 years in prison in Libya corruption trialCan a US bailout save Argentina's Javier Milei?Until 29th October, you can save 40% on a standard annual digital subscription at ft.com/briefingsaleToday's FT News Briefing was produced by Persis Love, Victoria Craig, Katya Kumkova, Sonja Hutson, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples, Michael Lello and David da Silva. The FT's acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph interviews New York Times reporter, David Gelles, about his new book, “Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.” Then, we welcome back former IRS commissioner, John Koskinen, to update us on how the Trump Administration is dismantling the IRS and stealing your personal information.David Gelles is a reporter on the New York Times climate team and he leads the Times's “Climate Forward” newsletter and events series. He is the author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy, and his new book is Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.He [Yvon Chouinard] saw Patagonia as a role model for other corporations and believed that by running Patagonia in a different way, he could show that capitalism just didn't have to suck so much.David GellesThere's a paradox that runs through the pages of Dirtbag Billionaire and it's never fully resolved…It's the fact that Chouinard is an environmentalist who wants to reduce the impact of mankind on planet earth, and yet he runs a big, complicated clothing company that is taking a toll on the environment that he's trying to protect. He runs a company that in theory, he says, and in practice is largely doing, the work of funding grassroots activists and environmental conservation. But he's doing it by participating in the very capitalist system that is responsible for so much of the damage to our natural world. And the list goes on. These contradictions are what really has animated Chouinard and his executive team for all these years. They understand their own perfections. But unlike most, they are willing to really examine their own failings, to look it square in the eye, straight in the mirror, and try to figure out how to make things better.David GellesChouinard being a “dirtbag” is something he always identified as and he still does at a certain level. The great insult in his mind is being called a “billionaire.”David GellesJohn Koskinen served as the IRS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017.Lobbyists and corporations are very good at making sure that [tax advantages] always stayed. You never hear too often of tax advantages taken out of the code, what everybody argues about as new ones being put into the code.John KoskinenThese (IRS workers) are very skilled people who in fact have given up the opportunity to make two or three times more money in the private sector because they believe in public service.John KoskinenNews 9/19/25* Just weeks after David Ellison's Skydance Media completed their $8 billion takeover of Paramount Global, Ellison is setting his sights even higher – a proposed $70 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Variety reports. If this deal proceeds, it would mean that Ellison would control CNN in addition to CBS news, the latter of which he seemingly plans to place under the supervision of “anti-woke” arch-zionist media personality Bari Weiss. While true that cable news does not possess nearly as much clout as it did just a few years ago, this would represent a nearly unprecedented consolidation in that sector. Ellison and his lieutenants would wield a tremendous amount of influence in the media, which would translate to real impacts on the political process. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration media regulators will take any action to block this deal. Based on their actions so far, it seems unlikely.* In more media news, ABC has indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which the comedian has hosted since 2003, after he criticized Trump and his allies for “capitaliz[ing]” on the murder of Charlie Kirk to score political points, CNN reports. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened action up to and including revoking the broadcast license for ABC, which airs the program, or possibly blocking their merger with Nexstar. While Rolling Stone reports multiple executives at ABC and its parent company Disney, felt that Kimmel “had not actually said anything over the line,” they folded immediately under the threat of retaliation by the administration. This move represents a major contradiction of Carr's previously stated belief that “[the FCC] must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.” Democrats are incensed at this attack on free speech, Congressman Ro Khanna is seeking to subpoena Carr to testify to the House Oversight Committee. Trump, feeling confident after claiming the scalp of both Kimmel and Colbert – two outspoken critics – is now calling for NBC to remove Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, via Truth Social. Variety reports conservative media conglomerate Sinclair will “replace the Friday timeslot of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!' with a Charlie Kirk tribute special on its ABC affiliate stations — and is offering the special to all other ABC stations across the country.”* Regarding social media, the Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. and China are nearing a deal on control of TikTok, under a framework in which “an investor consortium including Oracle... Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz” would acquire an 80% stake. Oracle is of course run by David Ellison's father, Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world, while Andreessen Horowitz is the venture capital firm of Trump ally Marc Andreessen. Silver Lake is another Silicon Valley private equity firm. This deal would finally put an end to the nebulous legal limbo created by Congress passing the TikTok ban and Trump refusing to enforce it. According to this report, the new company that would be created to run TikTok in America, “would also have an American-dominated board with one member designated by the U.S. government.”* The administration is seeking to shore up support in corporate America in other ways too. Trump has renewed his 2018 push to eliminate the reports businesses are mandated to issue on a quarterly basis, moving to a biannual reporting system. Trump argues that this shift would “cut costs and discourage shortsightedness on the part of publicly traded companies.” Others however believe that this change could be harmful to the economy, making companies less transparent and therefore increasing potential investor risk. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is “making Trump's proposal a priority.” This from Reuters.* More troubling signs are emerging in the U.S economy. Per Bloomberg, “Consumers in the top 10% of the income distribution accounted for 49.2% of total spending,” in the second quarter of 2025. This is the highest percentage of consumer spending accounted for by that demographic going back to 1989, according to an analysis of the Federal Reserve's Financial Accounts and Survey of Consumer Finance data conducted by Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's. Chandan Economics reports a spike in late rent payments in August, suggesting stress in the “financial health of renter households,” while for homeowners, Polymarket reports that even more people are searching "help with mortgage" on Google than during the 2008 housing crisis. This comes as only 1.3 million home building permits were issued in August, the lowest level since the Spring of 2020, according to economist and Washington Post columnist Heather Long. Taken together, this data paints a picture of an economy flailing, and kept afloat only by the very rich.* Speaking of the very rich, the first American Pope, Leo the XIV, condemned the precipitous rise in CEO pay compared to their employees. Leo remarked that CEOs now make “600 times more than what average workers are receiving," adding "What does that mean…If [money] is the only thing that has value anymore, then we're in big trouble." Specifically, Leo was referring to the proposed new compensation package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which could turn the billionaire into a trillionaire. This from Yahoo! Finance. Senator Bernie Sanders echoed this sentiment, writing “The Pope is exactly right. No society can survive when one man becomes a trillionaire while the vast majority struggle to just survive — trying to put food on the table, pay rent and afford health care. We can and must do better.”* Turning to Israel and Gaza, AP reports Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's is resigning from the company after 47 years. In a letter, Jerry explains that he could not “in good conscience” remain at Ben & Jerry's because their parent company – the British conglomerate Unilever – has been constraining his ability to advocate against the genocide in Gaza. Jerry writes “For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry's stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world…It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.” This is the largest, but by no means only, rupture between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever; this report notes “In March Ben & Jerry's said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker's social and political activism.” However, as Greenfield's departure illustrates, the founders have little recourse besides their public platform and resignation.* In a sign of Israel's waning influence in the Democratic Party, POLITICO reports Democratic public affairs “megafirm” SKDK has ended their $600,000 contract with the state of Israel which was supposed to run from April 2025 through March 2026. The firm's recent focus had been “pitching guests for news shows to hear Israel's side of the war in Gaza.” The firm has been tight-lipped on this decision, saying only the work “had run its course.” Yet, this decision comes directly on the heels of reporting that Stagwell, the parent company of SKDK, was involved in “setting up a bot program ‘to amplify pro-Israel narratives on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other platforms,'” as revealed in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing.* On Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders crossed a major rhetorical rubicon, labeling Israel's actions in Gaza a “genocide.” In an op-ed appropriate titled “It Is Genocide,” Sanders cites the casualty totals – noting that “The full toll is likely much higher, with many thousands of bodies buried under the rubble” – along with the Israeli blockade on the enclave and their systematic destruction of Gaza's infrastructure, including hospitals, water and sanitation facilities and schools. Sanders also cites the genocidal intent expressed by Israeli leaders, through quotes like “the Gaza Strip should be flattened, and there should be one sentence for everyone there — death. We have to wipe the Gaza Strip off the map. There are no innocents there.” Sanders concludes this piece by warning that if the world fails to act, as during the Holocaust, Netanyahu and other “demagogues” will feel emboldened. History, Sanders writes “demands that the world act with one voice to say: enough is enough. No more genocide.” After Sanders' announcement, Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint came out with her own statement accepting the genocide label. Zeteo reports a total of 20 members of Congress now say Israel is committing genocide.* Finally, to end on a positive note, on Monday the House passed the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act, which seeks to “break down…barriers and support the mental health of our aviation workforce by changing the current rules which prevent aviation professionals from seeking mental health care by imposing unfair penalties on those who do,” according to a press release by the bill's Republican sponsor Pete Stauber. A press release from the Democratic sponsor, Sean Casten, reads “Aviators should not be unfairly penalized for seeking mental health care…The current system perpetuates a culture of silence, and it's past time that changes.” Some observers have attributed some credit for the passage of this bill to the comedian Nathan Fielder's series The Rehearsal, the latest season of which dealt extensively with the issue of aviators' mental health. While congressional staff have downplayed the show's influence, it seems hard to deny that at the very least it raised the profile of this pressing issue. Either way, hopefully this bill will make it safer to fly by removing the stigma from pilots seeking mental healthcare. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Wednesday, September 17th, 2025Today, Kash Patel was questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee and was just as unserious as you'd suspect; Mississippi communities are shaken by two hanging deaths; the UN's commission of inquiry has officially designated what's happening in  Gaza as genocide; the Georgia Supreme Court officially disqualified Fani Willis from the 2020 election RICO case; Judge Chutkan ruled that she doesn't have jurisdiction to stop the deportees being sent to Ghana; Trump and some billionaires are taking over TikTok in the United States; Donald has sued the New York Times for $15B for alleged… well i'm not exactly sure; a Manhattan judge has dismissed the terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione for lack of evidence; an appeals court blocks Trump from firing Fed Board Governor Lisa Cook; Tim Walz announced he's running for a third term as governor of Minnesota; a Florida restaurateur offers their parking spaces for artists to color in after the state painted over the Pulse Nightclub memorial crosswalk; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Thank You, HomeChefFor a limited time, get  50% off and free shipping for your first box PLUS free dessert for life!  HomeChef.com/DAILYBEANS.  Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert.Episode 2 of The Breakdown is Out Now!StoriesWhat we know about the hanging deaths of two men in Mississippi | WLBTOracle, Silver Lake consortium to control 80% stake in TikTok in US, WSJ reports | ReutersGeorgia Supreme Court declines to hear Fani Willis' appeal of her removal from Trump election case | AP NewsAppeals court blocks Trump from removing Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve board before interest rate meeting | NBC News‘Direct evidence of genocidal intent': the UN commission of inquiry's report on Israel's actions in Gaza | The GuardianDonald Trump's approval rating | The EconomistWhy Trump's new civil suit against The New York Times is so bizarre | MSNBCMinnesota Gov. Tim Walz will run for a third term in 2026 | NBC NewsLuigi Mangione's state terrorism charges dismissed in UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder, judge rules | CBS New YorkParking spots used as colorful protest against Florida crackdown on rainbow crosswalks | AP News Good TroubleThe Department of Education is currently accepting public comments on a proposed rule change that would prevent thousands of public interest attorneys, among many other public servants, from receiving the public service loan forgiveness benefits to which they are entitled. U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Public Service Program Rules ChangesPublic Comments Due September 17 - William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program**California needs your help | Proposition 50 Vote YES !! Yes On Prop 50 | Special Election Phone Banks - mobilize.us**Help ensure safety of public servants. Hold RFK Jr accountable by signing the letter: savehhs.org, @firedbutfighting.bsky.social on Bluesky**SIGN THE STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY for the FEMA Katrina Declaration.**How to Organize a Bearing Witness Standout**Fire Kilmeade - foxfeedback@foxnews.com, Submit a request – Fox News**Indiana teacher snitch portal - Eyes on EducationFrom The Good NewsYou Can Vote For Dana !  2025 Out100: Cast your vote for Readers' Choice!!Abington For Peace (@abingtonforpeace) • InstagramPostcards For DemocracySkeptics - Dragon ConSquaring the StrangeThe Freethought Society Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Our Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - DonateMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueWhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - feel free to email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comCheck out more from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackShare your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good TroubleHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?The Daily Beans | SupercastThe Daily Beans & Mueller, She Wrote | PatreonThe Daily Beans | Apple Podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Headlines: Trump touched down in the UK for a rare second state visit, where King Charles is rolling out the red carpet even as protesters projected images of Epstein, Trump, and Prince Andrew onto Windsor Castle. Back home, Trump sued The New York Times for $15 million, claiming their endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 was an election hit job. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel got grilled in the Senate over Epstein, Charlie Kirk's assassination, and political meddling—he also bizarrely claimed Epstein only trafficked for himself. In Utah, the man accused of killing Kirk was charged with seven counts, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. In New York, a judge tossed terrorism charges against the man who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO but kept a murder charge intact. In darker news, Mississippi mourned the death of 21-year-old Trey Reed, whose body was found hanging on campus, while Missouri Republicans pushed through a new congressional map that wipes out a Democratic seat, part of a broader GOP redistricting wave. Elsewhere, a court ruled Fed Governor Lisa Cook can't be fired by Trump despite his attempts, and all eyes are on the Fed board's rate decision today. TikTok's U.S. takeover deal is nearly done, with Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake set to take an 80% stake and rebrand the app under a new U.S.-based entity. And finally, the Emmys had their best ratings in years, pulling 7.4 million viewers. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Donald Trump lands in UK for second state visit as protesters gather in Windsor NYT: Trump Sues The New York Times For Articles Questioning His Success CNN: Takeaways from FBI Director Kash Patel's Senate hearing CNN: Live updates: Charlie Kirk shooting investigation, suspect Tyler Robinson hearing AP News: New York judge tosses terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, lets murder count stand NBC News: Body of a Black student is found hanging from a tree in Mississippi NBC News: Missouri Legislature passes new Republican-drawn congressional map MO Independent: Judge hears arguments in case seeking to toss Missouri's new congressional maps CNBC: Bill Pulte's relatives claimed primary residence on two properties in two states Axios: Appeals court rules Fed governor Cook can continue to serve The Wrap: TikTok in Final Talks to Be Bought by Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz Axios: Emmys hit four-year viewership high Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices