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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
Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund and private equity firm Silver Lake are pouring vast resources into their $55 bln acquisition of the ‘FC' videogame developer. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how the record deal turns received M&A wisdom on its head. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt-out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
... We have a large game developer go private. Nintendo doing more nintendo things and what makes a good remake? http://www.joystickandmouse.com http://shop.joystickandmouse.com Show Notes Electronic Arts has recently confirmed that an investor group composed of Silver Lake, Affinity Partners, and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will acquire it for around $55 billion. This consortium will acquire 100% of EA, which will no longer be listed on the stock market after the transaction is finished. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/electronic-arts-go-private-55-billion-deal-with-pif-silver-lake-2025-09-29/ https://gamerant.com/electronic-arts-acquired-saudi-arabia-private-55-billion/ https://www.google.com/search?q=games+produced+by+ea&oq=games+produced+by+ea&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTINCAEQABjwBRieBhjIBjIICAIQABgWGB4yCAgDEAAYFhgeMggIBBAAGBYYHjIICAUQABgWGB4yCAgGEAAYFhgeMggIBxAAGBYYHjIICAgQABgWGB4yCAgJEAAYFhge0gEINjQ0OWoxajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 In a world filled with remakes, remasters, ports, and mods, the quest for a truly definitive version of a game is a lost cause--and yet, that's precisely what makes the medium so interesting. Let's discuss if it is OK to change a game during the remake. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-there-a-right-way-to-play-a-video-game/1100-6535092/ Last week, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company received a U.S. patent on summoning a character and letting it fight another. Yep, you heard that right. A system that has been in video games for years was just pattened by Nintendo. https://www.gamesradar.com/games/pokemon/this-nintendo-patent-was-apparently-granted-without-a-patent-examiner-looking-at-a-single-game-ip-expert-says-concerns-hundreds-of-games-could-be-affected-by-pokemon-summoning-patent-granted-amid-palworld-lawsuit-are-valid/ https://gamesfray.com/last-week-nintendo-and-the-pokemon-company-received-a-u-s-patent-on-summoning-a-character-and-letting-it-fight-another/#397patent The latest Nintendo Direct was filled with a ton of exciting announcements for both Switch and Switch 2, and it also gave us a glimpse into how Nintendo will be celebrating Super Mario Bros.' 40th anniversary next year! Here's all the announcements. https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-direct-september-2025-live-updates-everything-announced https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/heres-everything-announced-during-todays-nintendo-direct/
SummaryIn this episode, the crew discusses the recent acquisition of EA by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion, exploring the implications for the gaming industry, including concerns over microtransactions, the future of EA as a private entity, and the potential impact on gaming culture. The conversation also delves into the struggles of Xbox, the pricing of Game Pass, and the importance of supporting indie developers in a rapidly changing gaming landscape.Join the newsletterChapters00:00 The EA Acquisition: A Game Changer18:58 Xbox's Price Hikes and Future Concerns27:52 The Impact of Subscription Models on Gaming29:14 The State of Xbox and Its Challenges30:58 The Evolution of Game Demos and Betas33:14 Understanding Silent Hill: Themes and Misconceptions37:25 The Future of Gaming: Critical Thinking and Community Expectations43:03 The Decline of Xbox and Market ReactionsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/gzchopshop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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
Send us a textIn this episode...--> Electronic Arts is being acquired for $55 billion by an investor consortium consisting of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners.--> Microsoft has announced another Xbox Game Pass price hike, with the Ultimate tier increasing 50% to $30/month.--> Resident Evil: Requiem's devs say they can't tell if the game is actually scary anymore.--> Also: Top 3 New Releases, Not-So-Gaming History 101We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw- Get creative with Pixel Pond production company at pixelpondllc.com- Visit Absolutely the Best Podcast: A Work in Progress at linktr.ee/absolutelythebest**Use this link to get a $20 credit when you upgrade to a paid podcast hosting plan on Buzzsprout! buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1884378Hosts: donniegretro, retrogamebrews, wrytersviewOpening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli TakanenPatron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretroClosing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli TakanenSupport the show
This week, there's a lot of discussion about the Tokyo Game Show, Epic pulling controversial Peacemaker dance emote, and Minecraft entering The Copper Age. News: EA to be acquired by Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55bn Halo Studios revealing more on next projects at next month's World Championship event Let us know what you think.
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
In this episode of the Market Maker podcast, we dive into the largest leveraged buyout in history - Electronic Arts going private in a $55 billion all-cash deal led by Saudi Arabia's PIF, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. What does this blockbuster transaction say about the future of gaming, geopolitics, and private capital?We also unpack Jefferies' record-breaking Q3 performance as dealmaking makes a comeback. Is this a lead indicator for bulge bracket banks like Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan?Finally, we look at why London has dropped out of the top 20 global IPO markets for the first time in decades. With capital increasingly flowing to the US, what can the UK do to reclaim its financial edge?From LBO mechanics and corporate strategy misfires to the intersection of AI, finance, and global power plays, this is an episode packed with insight for anyone tracking markets, banking, and business strategy.(00:00) Intro & Themes in Focus(02:25) US Gov Shutdown & Market Impact(09:26) Coca-Cola's Costa Coffee Misstep(14:02) Biggest Leverage Buyout Ever(19:33) Saudi's Gaming Investment Strategy(27:16) EA Deal Breakdown(31:44) Strategic Themes in EA Deal(34:49) Jeffries' Record & Insights(39:14) London's IPO Market Decline(44:24) Fixing London's Financial Scene****Take part in a free Markets Finance Accelerator Simulation Find out more about AmplifyME and our work in attraction, training and assessments for leading financial and academic institutions all over the world.
This week, there's a lot of discussion about the Tokyo Game Show, Epic pulling controversial Peacemaker dance emote, and Minecraft entering The Copper Age. News: EA to be acquired by Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55bn Halo Studios revealing more on next projects at next month's World Championship event Let us […] The post Episode 764: EA Goes Private first appeared on .
Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:Nintendo Singapore has been established https://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/en/2025/250930.htmlXbox Game Pass Ultimate gets 50% price hike https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/10/01/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-premium-essential-plans/EA is being acquired by Saudi Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929186526/en/EA-Announces-Agreement-to-be-Acquired-by-PIF-Silver-Lake-and-Affinity-Partners-for-%2455-BillionImpact context https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/09/how-private-ownership-will-change-electronic-arts/Saudi Arabia's history of game investment https://x.com/stephentotilo/status/1973075756625359262Bitmap Books opens preorder for The Definitive Book of SNES RPGs Vol. 1 https://www.bitmapbooks.com/products/the-definitive-book-of-snes-rpgs-vol-1Ananta is every video game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdkDD5nVxIE Questions from Discord:
¡Apoya Reconectados, decide y participa en todos los sorteos! ✅ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reconectados Jabote está de vuelta y su maratón de montañas rusas no le impide plantarnos cara sobre algunos de los debates de las anteriores semanas. Pero además de eso, hablamos largo y tendido sobre Hades 2, porque puede que vaya a ser el candidato a GOTY que mejor ha hecho los deberes hasta este momento. Aunque también interrogamos a Paula sobre qué le está pareciendo Jurassic World Evolution 3 después de haber ido a Londres a probarlo, y todo apunta a que puede ser uno de los mejores juegos de gestión de parques de los últimos años. Además, diseccionamos Baby Steps y reflexionamos sobre esos juegos que se incuban con vistas a que los streamers griten y hagan el ridículo en pantalla. También hay espacio para valorar ese pack de Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 anunciado en el último Nintendo Direct y para saber qué tal ha salido Dying Light The Beast. Pero la realidad es que el programa viene marcado por las últimas noticias, sobre todo por la compra de EA por parte del Fondo de Inversión Pública de Arabía Saudí, Silver Lake y Affinity Partners, dirigido por Jared Kosher, el yerno de Trump. Sin pasar por alto el bombazo que ha supuesto el incremento de precio de Game Pass Ultimate, que hace que el servicio de suscripción sea menos atractivo, o los movimientos empresariales de Ubisoft con Tencent. ¡Gracias por seguirnos una semana más! (00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:14) - Hades II (00:36:41) - Dying Light The Beast (00:46:42) - Baby Steps (01:00:16) - Preview Jurassic World Evolution 3 (01:11:06) - Mario Galaxy 1+2 (01:22:39) - Noticias de la semana (02:05:45) - Despedida Compra más barato en nuestro enlace de Instant Gaming: https://www.instant-gaming.com/es/?igr=reconectados ¡Sigue nuestro canal de Twitch! ✅ Suscríbete a Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/reconectados ¡Únete a nuestro grupo de Telegram de ofertas! ✅ Canal de ofertas: https://t.me/ofertasvideojuegosreco ¡Escucha Reconectados cada semana: Jueves 07:00am! Ivoox: https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-reconectados-videojuegos_sq_f1467878_1.html Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TzgUfUZppavUlKeRreIXL Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/reconectados-videojuegos/id1304330116 ¡Síguenos en redes sociales! Twitter: @ReconectadosPod Jabote: @Jabote22 Manu: @ManuGmn Paula: @paulacroft02 Borja: @borjaruete Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReconectadosPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reconectadospod/
News and Updates: Pope Leo XIV rejected a proposal to create an AI-powered “virtual pope,” calling the idea of a digital clone horrifying. He warned that deepfakes, automation, and artificial substitutes erode trust, strip dignity from work, and risk turning life into “an empty, cold shell.” His stance echoes concerns as layoffs at Microsoft and Salesforce mount amid AI adoption. OpenAI released its first major study on ChatGPT usage, showing that over 70% of queries are non-work-related, with people mainly seeking tutoring, how-to guidance, brainstorming, and writing help. Only 4% of consumer queries involve coding, with writing far more dominant. Work-related use centers on information gathering and decision-making. Adoption is now global, especially in low- and middle-income countries, with 10% of adults worldwide estimated to use ChatGPT. A preliminary deal to keep TikTok in the U.S. has been reached: existing investors and new U.S. backers, including Oracle and Silver Lake, will control about 80%. ByteDance's stake drops below 20% to comply with U.S. law. Oracle will safeguard U.S. user data, while the recommendation algorithm will be licensed, retrained under U.S. oversight, and cut off from Beijing's influence. The U.S. government is also set to receive a multibillion-dollar facilitation fee. The European Commission is considering scrapping the cookie consent banner requirement, part of the 2009 e-Privacy Directive. Alternatives include setting preferences once at the browser level or exempting “technically necessary” cookies. Any change would fold into GDPR, but privacy advocates are likely to resist. Samsung has begun testing ads on its Family Hub smart refrigerators in the U.S. Despite previously denying plans, a software update now pushes “promotions and curated ads” to fridge screens when idle. Samsung calls it a pilot to “strengthen value,” but users blasted the move as another step in the company's “screens everywhere” strategy.
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,
Seduta in forte rialzo per Pirelli dopo le indiscrezioni Reuters su un possibile disimpegno di Sinochem, che detiene il 37% del capitale, disposto a valutare offerte con premio di mercato. L’ipotesi si inserisce negli sforzi del governo italiano per risolvere i nodi di governance. La notizia segue l’archiviazione del procedimento sul golden power da parte di Palazzo Chigi e l’avvio di un dialogo tra governo, Pirelli e azionisti. Lo stallo tra parte italiana e soci cinesi ha già creato tensioni, con il bilancio 2024 e la trimestrale bocciati e l’AD Casaluci che ha parlato di rischi per lo sviluppo del gruppo. La contesa riguarda la perdita del controllo da parte dei cinesi, mai accettata da Sinochem, e i vincoli americani che vedono ancora troppa influenza cinese in Pirelli. Tra le soluzioni possibili, la riduzione della quota cinese o una revisione della governance. Per Mediobanca l’indiscrezione è positiva perché il mercato percepisce la governance come debolezza e la cessione totale o parziale della quota Sinochem appare la via più probabile. Intermonte evidenzia che il tema è già consolidato tra gli investitori, ma ora emerge come volontà di Sinochem. L’uscita, pur ostacolata dalla richiesta di premio, viene ritenuta probabile anche grazie alla crescita della quota di Camfin al 27,4% con target 29,9%. Entrambi gli analisti mantengono rating “Outperform” con target price a 7,3 euro. Ne parliamo con Marigia Mangano, Il Sole 24 Ore.Irpef senza sconti oltre i 50mila euro: escluso il 7% che paga il 45% del gettito. Il rapporto Itinerari previdenziali-Cida mostra una forte concentrazione del gettito Irpef: il 27% dei contribuenti paga il 76,9% dell’imposta, mentre quasi metà dei cittadini versa appena il 5,64%. La manovra di bilancio prevede la sterilizzazione del taglio Irpef dal 35 al 33% per i redditi fino a 50mila euro, escludendo 3 milioni di contribuenti (7,1% del totale) che però garantiscono il 44,3% del gettito. Il tema si intreccia con il dibattito sul ceto medio, indicato dal governo nella fascia tra 28mila e 50mila euro. In Italia la soglia dei 50mila resta quella che individua i “ricchi”, con aliquota marginale al 43%, ben più bassa nei livelli di reddito in cui scatta rispetto a Germania e Francia. L’Osservatorio guidato da Brambilla sottolinea come l’Irpef sia ormai sbilanciata, con 1,65% di contribuenti sopra i 100mila euro che coprono oltre il 22% del gettito e quasi metà degli italiani che paga pochissimo o nulla. Il commento è di Alberto Brambilla, presidente di Itinerari previdenziali.Gli Usa entrano ufficialmente in shutdown. Gli Stati Uniti sono entrati nello shutdown per la prima volta in sette anni, con il congelamento di parte dell’amministrazione federale. Lo scontro politico tra repubblicani e democratici al Congresso non ha portato all’approvazione del bilancio: i repubblicani hanno respinto la proposta che includeva il rinnovo dei sussidi Obamacare. Lo stop comporta la sospensione dal lavoro per 750mila dipendenti federali senza stipendio immediato e costi stimati in 400 milioni di dollari al giorno, oltre a ritardi nei trasporti e nella diffusione di dati economici cruciali. Lo shutdown riguarda finanziamenti governativi per 1.700 miliardi di dollari, circa un quarto del bilancio totale. Si teme che la chiusura possa durare più a lungo del passato, mentre cresce il clima di scontro politico. Intanto è stata annunciata l’acquisizione di Electronic Arts per 55 miliardi di dollari da parte di un consorzio che include Silver Lake, il fondo sovrano saudita Pif e Affinity Partners di Jared Kushner, segnando la più grande operazione a debito della storia e alimentando le polemiche sui legami d’affari della famiglia Trump. Interviene Peter Cardillo, Chief Market Economist di Spartan Capital Securities, basato a New York.
Electronic Arts is set to go private in a record-breaking $55 billion buyout, led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake. The deal, which is the largest corporate buyout in history, raises big questions about national security, foreign investment, and the future of one of gaming's biggest publishers.Featured Guest: Aidan Gold, investor, Ensemble VC
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on September 29, 2025. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): F-Droid and Google's developer registration decreeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45409794&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:53): Claude Sonnet 4.5Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45415962&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:16): What if I don't want videos of my hobby time available to the world?Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45412419&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:40): Claude Code 2.0Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45416228&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:03): Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45413481&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:27): What is “good taste” in software engineering?Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45410940&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(08:50): Loadmo.re: design inspiration for unconventional webOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45415207&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:14): DeepSeek-v3.2-ExpOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45412098&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:37): California governor signs AI transparency bill into lawOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45418428&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:01): EA Announces Agreement to be Acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity PartnersOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45413083&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
Ohne Aktien-Zugang ist's schwer? Starte jetzt bei unserem Partner Scalable Capital. Alle weiteren Infos gibt's hier: scalable.capital/oaws. Merger Monday bei EA, Occidental, Genmab und Merus. TotalEnergies und Lufthansa entlassen. Uber und Meta haben große Side-Gigs. Trump mag US-Filme & Cannabis. Moonlake crasht. Lyft (WKN: A2PE38) oder Uber? Wir klären auf. Was haben TikTok, die Software AG, EA, Dell, die UFC und Manchester City gemeinsam? Silver Lake und Egon Durban! Diesen Podcast vom 30.09.2025, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung.
Bienvenidas y bienvenidos a Recarga Activa, el podcast diario de AnaitGames en el que filtramos lo más relevante de la actualidad del videojuego en pildorazos de 15 minutos. Estos son los titulares de hoy: Electronic Arts ha sido adquirida por el Fondo de Inversión Pública saudí, Silver Lake y Affinity Partners por 55.000 millones de dólares CSVI denuncia malas condiciones laborales en MercurySteam Suscríbete para recibir el siguiente episodio en tu gestor de podcasts favorito. Puedes apoyar nuestro proyecto (y acceder a un montón de contenido exclusivo) en Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anaitreload ♫ Sintonía del programa: Senseless, de Johny Grimes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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.
EA is going private in a $55 Billion deal. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake will own the company after the deal closes in Q1 FY27. We discuss what that means, explained how leveraged buyouts work, and share our concerns for the future of EA's workforce and identity. You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise!
-According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the latest Apple silicon is about to hit the assembly lines. In the latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple "is nearing mass production of its next MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and two new Mac monitors." Gurman added that these upgraded products are scheduled for release sometime between the end of this year and the first quarter of next year. -Electronic Arts is close to reaching a $50 billion deal that will turn it into a privately held company. That's according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The video game company filed for an IPO way back in 1990 and has been public ever since, but now a group of investors are in talks with the company to take it private. -Assuming it can turn its Project Orion augmented reality glasses into a real product people can buy, Meta apparently wants to get into robots next. That's according to Sources' Alex Heath, who spoke to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth and reports that much like Apple, Google and Tesla, Meta is researching robotics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Electronic Arts, the company behind blockbuster video games such as the Sims and Madden NFL, has agreed to transfer ownership to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's public investment fund PIF, US private equity firm Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. The $55 billion deal marks the largest leveraged buyout in history. Meanwhile, China is launching a new visa programme to attract young foreign talent, after Washington shocked the tech world with a new $100,000 fee for its H-1B visa.
On this episode of The Six Five Pod, hosts Patrick Moorhead and Daniel Newman discuss the tech news stories that made headlines this week. The handpicked topics for this week are: AI and Infrastructure Investments: Nvidia and OpenAI announce a major AI infrastructure investment. $100 billion phased investment from Nvidia to OpenAI. Pat & Dan discuss the strategic implications and industry reactions. Oracle Leadership Changes: New co-CEOs appointed –nClay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia. Safra Catz becomes Oracle executive vice chair. Hosts analyze this leadership transition and its potential impact. TikTok Developments: Executive order to push final decision on TikTok to mid-December. Potential spin-out authorized, contingent on Chinese agreement. Oracle and Silver Lake are potential key players in the deal. Microsoft's AI Strategy: Microsoft adds Anthropic to Copilot. Discussion on the benefits of model diversity in AI offerings. Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit Highlights: Introduction of X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme chips, focusing on AI capabilities and performance improvements. Plus, a look at Qualcomm's strategic positioning beyond smartphones. Cloudera Event in New York: Patrick's insights from the Cloudera event and a discussion on hybrid multi-cloud fabrics and AI ecosystems. The Flip: Should Apple or TSMC Invest in Intel? Hosts debate this topic with arguments for and against potential investments in Intel. Plus, an analysis of the geopolitical and technological implications. Market Trends and Earnings: Federal Reserve Chair Powell's comments on stock valuations and a discussion on Micron's earnings and the impact of AI on memory demand. Marvell's special presentation and stock performance. For a deeper dive into each topic, please click on the links above. Be sure to subscribe to The Six Five Pod so you never miss an episode.
Videojuegos como 'Los Sims' o 'FIFA' cambian de manos. El gigante EA ha confirmado su venta por 55.000 millones de dólares, en una de las mayores operaciones en metálico de la historia empresarial. Entre los compradores está la empresa del yerno de Donald Trump o el fondo soberano de Arabia Saudí, Silver Lake. ¿Qué hace rentable la operación, el negocio o la influencia? Lo analizamos en Hora 25 de los Negocios.
In today's Daily Fix:Electronic Arts has announced plans to sell itself to a consortium of investors led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners (formed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner). The deal is worth about $55 billion and will be the largest take-private investment in history. Once finalized, EA will no longer be listed on any stock exchange, and stockholders will receive $210 per share in cash. In other news, IGN spoke with Rockstar Games co-founder Dan houser at LA Comic-Con, and he confirmed he had nothing to do with GTA 6. Houser also explained why they never made Bully 2, among other topics discussed. Houser wrote almost every GTA game, including Red Dead Redemption 2, and left Rockstar in 2020. And finally, Fortnite is disabling a Peacemaker emote following the massive plot twist of the recent HBO Peacemaker episode.
En la edición de hoy de Radar Empresarial, se destaca un importante rumor que ha sacudido el mundo financiero: según informa The Wall Street Journal, un consorcio de inversores estaría considerando adquirir Electronic Arts por una suma cercana a los 50.000 millones de dólares. Entre los interesados estarían firmas como Affinity Partners, Silver Lake y el Fondo de Inversión Pública de Arabia Saudí. De concretarse la operación, la compañía dejaría de cotizar en la Bolsa de Nueva York, donde sus acciones repuntaron un 15% tras conocerse la noticia. Aunque ni EA ni los potenciales compradores han hecho declaraciones oficiales, esta posible adquisición tendría repercusiones significativas no solo para la empresa, sino para toda la industria de los videojuegos. El sector vive una etapa de consolidación, con movimientos similares como la compra de Ubisoft por parte de Microsoft por 70.000 millones. Electronic Arts, por su parte, apuesta fuerte por títulos como el esperado Battlefield 6, aunque su producto más rentable sigue siendo la saga FIFA, ahora bajo el nombre de FC 26. Este juego destaca especialmente por su modo en línea, donde los usuarios realizan micropagos para mejorar sus plantillas, una práctica que ha resultado ser mucho más lucrativa que las ventas del propio juego. En 2020, se estimó que EA generó cerca de 3.000 millones de dólares únicamente a través de micropagos en títulos como FIFA y Apex Legends. El creciente interés de Arabia Saudí en este sector no se limita al sportwashing: el país busca posicionarse como un actor clave en la industria. El fondo saudí ya ha invertido en empresas como SNK, creadora de Metal Slug, y Scopely, responsable de éxitos como Monopoly Go, con ingresos superiores a los 5.000 millones de dólares en dos años. La posible compra de EA llega en un momento complejo para la compañía. En marzo, la empresa anunció recortes significativos en su plantilla y canceló al menos dos desarrollos. Además, su CEO, Andrew Wilson, ha sido duramente criticado por la calidad de los últimos lanzamientos y por centrarse excesivamente en los micropagos, una estrategia que muchos consideran que ha desvirtuado la esencia de sus videojuegos.
In our fourth episode of The Rise of A24 series, we are covering the newly minted cult classic Under the Silver Lake (2019) and the art cinema bonanza of L'Avventura (1960)Special Guest - James Adamson, the host of the great Double Reel Podcast, a monthly magazine podcast for the discerning film nerd.A24 had a cult following well before it broke into the mainstream in the 2020s. Their surprise win at the 2017 Oscars for Best Picture with Moonlight put them in the spotlight, but they remained resolutely an arthouse company pre-Covid. That's why their behavior surrounding the marketing and distribution of Under the Silver Lake (2019) is so profoundly bizarre. David Robert Mitchell was coming off his 2015 horror masterpiece It Follows with this twisting absurdist L.A. noir starring Andrew Garfield. The whole affair seemed right in A24's sweet spot. So much so that A24 pre-bought the distribution rights before a single shot was filmed. Then, after the movie played to a muted response at Cannes in 2018, they essentially abandoned it: moving the release date multiple times before finally dumping it onto just two screens in April 2019. What exactly was so unnerving that made A24 bury the film?L'Avventura (1960) had a similarly consequential Cannes premiere in 1960. At its first screening, the audience jeered and booed so loudly that director Michelangelo Antonioni left the theater in tears. Yet later that same week, a group of prominent film critic, led by figures from Cahiers du Cinéma, drafted and signed an open letter defending the film as a bold step forward for cinema. That act of critical solidarity transformed L'Avventura from a public embarrassment into a landmark of cinematic modernism. What began in jeers was quickly reframed as a radical new vision of film art, and its stature has only grown since. Today it stands as one of the undisputed masterpieces of 20th-century cinema, a fixture on “greatest films” lists and a touchstone for generations of directors. Under the Silver Lake, by contrast, never received that critical reprieve, its initial dismissal has lingered, but that has allowed a small, but vocal supporting group to form around the film as it becomes one of the first cult classics of the 2010s.
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.
SUB TO THE PPM PATREON TO HEAR THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANCE RELEASE OF THIS NEARLY 4 HR EPISODE NOW:patreon.com/ParaPowerMappingTo discuss the state of communist and socialist counter-propaganda and indoctrination efforts on TikTok and the possible impacts of the imminent TikTok-Oracle-Fox merger, I'm joined by James Rehwald of MeansTV, the creator of many viral, info-laden, Marxist quote heavy, anti-imperialist TikTok sketches such as:“Join the CIA Today”“The War Machine”“Is Israeli Food Even Real?”“When you ‘vote' the imperialism & fascism away”and more.James is someone whose videos I've garnered enjoyment and edification from for a few years now and I'd been planning to ask him to come on the show for a minute once I became aware we had a mutual appreciation on Twitter, but the combo of the acquisition, Leavitt's comments the other day, and a previous interaction we had re world's sometimes wealthiest man Larry Ellison hastened my decision to hit him up and congealed the idea of attacking these topics together in my mind, and I can think of no one better to do so with.This is also a bit of an impromptu AmerIsraeli Years of Lead and PAWG aka Palantir Apartheid w/ White Gov session spurred forward by said recently assembled Zio·nist consortium's imminent TikTok takeover at Trump and the Israel lobby's behest. The logic behind this episode tying into our ongoing paying of heed to the AmerIsraeli Years of Lead is due to the fact that the Trump admin seems to be using the recent Charlie Kirk assassination / deep event as a pretext for retraining TikTok's algorithm to further suppress leftist content on the platform as illustrated by Press Secretary Leavitt. Said presser also fielded questions regarding Trump's decision to have the Bigfoot-esque, cryptid "insurgent movement" called “antifa” designated a domestic terrorist organization—which is, in its present iteration, mostly a fiction or else a mask donned by Gladioperators.Amongst that and the announcement of the Autism Action Plan (lol), Press Sec Leavitt also spoke to the TikTok acquisition, stating that, if the deal as presently outlined goes through, the app's US operations would be taken over by a majority American owned consortium helmed by vampiric, Bryan Johnson-financing multibillionaire Larry Ellison and populated by a number of Zio·nist national and cybersecurity experts, that Ellison's company Oracle will serve as TikTok's “trusted security provider”, that the servers would all be physically located in the States “without access from China”, and that the algorithm would ultimately be retrained, naturally leading to even more oppressive censorship of leftist and anti-Zionist dissent on the platform.Our convo takes a three-pronged approach (in reverse order):We expend some time and energy ParaPower Mapping the acquisition consortium together and situating it within a larger geo-and-deep political context, laying out the ways in which Ellison, Oracle, Michael Dell, the Murdochs, Fox, Andreessen-Horowitz, and Silver Lake and indirect industry and congressional backers of the Ban-Tok Bill like Alex Karp and Anthony Goldbloom and Rep. Gallagher are marked by deeply entrenched Zio·nist ideology and are inextricably entangled with the gen·ocidal, apartheid EntityWe discuss our TikTok prognoses and what the deal may mean for online anti-hasbara actionAnd I also pick James's brain re his experience as a leftist content creator; how he's harnessed video-making to promulgate postcolonial, anti-Zionist, and Marxist ideology; his writing process and the development of his distinctive, whimsically DIY, Hardboiled Nerf Gun style; and any advice he's willing to give to fellow traveling creatorsSUPPORT JAMES REHWALD:https://www.patreon.com/JamesRehwaldhttps://means.tv/programs/james-rehwaldFULL NOTES ON PATREON
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
A gunman opened fire at an ICE office in Dallas, killing one person and injuring two others before taking his own life. U.S. President Donald Trump plans mass federal worker firings if government shutdown occurs. Argentina's President Javier Milei secures a financial lifeline from the U.S., boosting his reform agenda ahead of midterms. At the UN, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warns of AI-driven arms races and weak global alliances. Plus,Trump to sign an executive order enabling the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to Oracle and Silver Lake. Recommended Read: Nuns in Scotland offer a path to faith and taste of convent life Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lots of tech news to discuss this week. Zuckerberg announced some updates to the Meta glasses lineup, but the live demo didn't work so great. The TikTok US separation deal may finally be nearing completion. Most importantly, Nate has his new iPhone 17 Pro and is ready to discuss. That and so much more, all to help you get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Nates New iPhone 17 Pro (03:30) Best OS 26 Tahoe Feature for Brave Browser (10:50) MAIN TOPIC: Meta has new glasses (12:05) Meta Connect 2025: the 6 biggest announcements Watch the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses fail in Mark Zuckerberg's painful live demo DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: De-glassify iOS 26 (21:55) JUST THE HEADLINES: (28:00) The Wizard of Oz is grossing $2M a day at the Sphere A New Solar Panel Shield Made From Onion Peels Outlasted Industry Plastics in Tests Interlune signs $300M deal to harvest Helium03 for quantum computing from the moon Scandal rocks international stone skipping contest Librarians are being asked to find AI-hallucinated books Astronomers discover previously unknown quasi-moon near Earth Taliban leader bans Wi-Fi in an Afghan province to ‘prevent immorality' TAKES: TikTok's algorithm to be licensed to US joint venture led by Oracle and Silver Lake (30:20) By some measures, TikTok has grown bigger than Facebook or Instagram in the US (31:35) Online marketplace Fiverr to lay off 30% of workforce in AI push (34:20) Inside the Jaguar Land Rover hack: stalled smart factories, outsourced cybersecurity and supply chain woes (35:30) BONUS ODD TAKE: Meet the 2025 Ig Nobel Prize winners (39:20) PICKS OF THE WEEK: Dave: Itsycal (42:45) Nate: iPhone 17 Pro (46:50) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (52:10)
In this episode of the Ad Tech Godpod, host AdTechGod speaks with Hillary Slattery, Senior Director of Product Management at IAB Tech Lab. They discuss Hillary's career journey, the differences between IAB and IAB Tech Lab, the rise of programmatic advertising in CTV, challenges in transparency and data sharing, innovations in live event advertising, the role of curation, and the impact of AI on the advertising industry. Hillary emphasizes the importance of transparency, the need for standards in advertising, and her motivation as a female leader in a technical role. Takeaways Hillary Slattery has a diverse background in ad tech. IAB and IAB Tech Lab serve different but complementary roles. Programmatic advertising in CTV is a growing trend. Transparency in data sharing is a significant challenge. Curation is becoming increasingly important in advertising. AI is reshaping the advertising landscape. Hillary values her role as a female technical lead. The conversations in ad tech are always evolving and interesting. There are legitimate reasons for the lack of transparency from sellers. Hillary is motivated by the impact of her work and the people she collaborates with. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Hillary Slattery and Her Journey 02:36 Understanding IAB and IAB Tech Lab 05:21 Programmatic Advertising and CTV Trends 07:57 Challenges in Transparency and Data Sharing 10:58 Innovations in Live Event Advertising 13:41 The Role of Curation in Advertising 16:38 AI's Impact on the Advertising Industry 19:18 Motivation and Leadership in Ad Tech TikTok's Fate, Rembrandt's Big Bet, and CTV's Transparency Leap This week's episode of The Refresh covers three major developments shaping advertising and adtech: the long-awaited resolution of the TikTok U.S. drama, a notable merger between Rembrandt and Spaceback, and Index Exchange's groundbreaking integration with Grace Note. Host Kate unpacks the details, implications, and what these shifts mean for advertisers, creators, and platforms heading into 2025. 5 Key Highlights: TikTok's U.S. operations are set to spin into a new company with majority American ownership (80%), including Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake, while ByteDance retains 20%. A new TikTok U.S. app is reportedly in testing, requiring users to migrate accounts, raising concerns about logins, content transfers, and algorithm performance. Rembrandt acquired Spaceback, adding scale with 3,000+ advertisers and expanding its AI-driven creative offerings to blend product placements with organic content. The merger reflects broader industry trends: AI-driven “intelligent creative,” creative functions shifting into buying platforms, and the blending of context with content. Index Exchange and Grace Note launched the first integration enabling show-level targeting and reporting in CTV, addressing long-standing transparency challenges for advertisers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Josh and Drusilla discuss the deconstructed giallo fever dream that is The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears. From wiki: “The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears (French: L'étrange couleur des larmes de ton corps) is a 2013 experimental giallo film written and directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. It stars Klaus Tange as a man seeking the whereabouts of his missing wife, only to become entangled in a complicated web of lies and murder.[3] Also discussed: The Studio, Under the Silver Lake (2018), Mel Gibson, giallo, experimental films, and more. NEXT WEEK: Fade to Black (1980) Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/@sisterhyde.bsky.social Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/
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