Business Pants

Free Float Media Inc.
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Whether you love business news or feel like you’re supposed to know it but hate it, Business Pants is business news for humans. Snarky and irreverent, deeply researched and factual, a podcast devoted to market quirks and the humans that make up companies. Investing isn’t a what, it’s a who.

  1. 10H AGO

    Brian Cornell and Target’s silence, Bill Ackman’s fat mouth, and the manbaby economy

    Story of the Week (DR): Target silent after federal immigration agents arrest Twin Cities employees, operate near stores DR Press Release, January 14, 2026: Target Expands Its Style Offerings with Exclusive Bedding Collection from Acclaimed Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent Quote from the investors page: “Together, Target’s purpose-driven team of more than 400,000 works daily to help all families discover the joy of everyday life.” Brian Cornell, Chair and Chief Executive Officer Bill Ackman defends donation to ICE officer who shot Minnesota woman: 'Presumed innocent until proven guilty' Chipotle clarifies Bill Ackman 'not affiliated' with chain after billionaire's ICE agent donation Ford worker suspended for calling Trump 'pedophile protector' has 'no regrets' for 'embarrassing' president Suspended Michigan autoworker who heckled Trump gets outpouring of donations Grok blocked from undressing images in places where it’s illegal after global backlash I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app Grok was finally updated to stop undressing women and children, X Safety says Grok Is Getting Access to Classified Military Networks Elon Musk's xAI probed by California DOJ over Grok's deepfake explicit images Elon Musk’s X Under UK Investigation Over Grok’s Sexualized A.I. Images Opposition to Elon Musk’s AI Stripping Clothing Off Children Is Nearly Universal, Polling Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk's Grok over sexually explicit deepfakes Ashly St Clair, the conservative influencer who had Musk’s baby, just sued Xai for sexualizing her - after saying in 2024 that X and Musk were “essential” to free speech, that Musk was the only one doing it, and that, “Truly, the only things they will ban are things that are against the law”... oops? Trump canceled or stopped enforcement against 166 corporations in his first year. Many of them were donors New analysis finds federal agencies halted or limited enforcement and prosecution, including many involving companies and individuals with ties to President Donald Trump Ripple, the cryptocurrency company behind XRP, donated $4.9 million — among the largest donation — to Trump's inauguration events. Shortly afterward, the Securities and Exchange Commission withdrew an appeal seeking nearly $2 billion in penalties against the company, settling instead for $125 million. After he and his wife donated $1.8 million to Trump's reelection, Trevor Milton — the CEO of electric vehicle startup Nikola, who was convicted in 2023 of defrauding investors — received a presidential pardon wiping out over $660 million in restitution. Milton’s legal team included Attorney General Pam Bondi’s brother, Brad Bondi. Amazon was facing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit for allegedly discriminating against pregnant workers. After Trump signed an April 2025 executive order directing agencies not to rely on disparate impact analysis — an important tool for proving discrimination — the EEOC then dismissed the case. The report details how Amazon donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, made another $1 million in-kind donation by streaming the inauguration on Amazon Video, and is backing Trump's $300 million “Golden Ballroom” in the White House's East Wing. The company also announced a deal to stream The Apprentice, resulting in "unspecified" payments to Trump, who starred in and executive-produced the show. The company reportedly also paid $28 million to first lady Melania Trump for a documentary. What’s more, Attorney General Pam Bondi worked as a registered lobbyist for Amazon in 2020 and 2021, while Trump ally Brian Ballard lobbied on Amazon's behalf in 2024. Trump tries to reduce CEO pay and halt billions in stock buybacks at defense contractors Trump threatens to sideline Exxon from Venezuela's oil: 'They're playing too cute’ Justice department opens investigation into Jerome Powell as Trump ramps up campaign against Federal Reserve Fed chair accuses DoJ of threatening criminal charges over building renovation projects because central bank defied Trump’s interest rate demands Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR): DR: MacKenzie Scott is using her $26 billion philanthropy push to rescue organizations in danger after the Trump administration’s funding cuts MM: RFK Jr.’s Health Department Is Studying Health Effects of Cellphones Not that there are any doctors there, or that anything they do anymore is science, BUT THIS IS GREAT Even if they end up with spurious research that says “your cellphone and wifi will give you ballsack cancer”, it means less phones, less online, and happier humans with human friends and going outside more Assholiest of the Week (MM): Brian Cornell “That could have been one of my Target team members”. “We have to be the role models that drive change and our voice is important. And we’ve got to make sure that we represent our company principles, our values, our company purpose on the issues that are important to our teams.” “The eyes of America, and the eyes of the world were on Minneapolis.” “As a Target team, we’ve huddled, we’ve consoled, we’ve witnessed horrific scenes similar to what’s playing out now and wept that not enough is changing. And as a team we’ve vowed to face pain with purpose.” “We’ve got to stand up and do more” Oh, wait, that’s not when ICE shot a woman without due process or outside of every protocol?  That was when there was a lot of money in saying “we’re for DEI” and every other CEO put out the same statement?  Ahhh… maybe one of your board members should say something…  Derica Rice flipped on DEI at Disney, probably not him Dmitri Stockton flipped on DEI at both Deere and Black & Decker, probably not him… Grace Puma is on the board of Phillips 66 who wants in on Venezuelan oil, probably not her… Christine Leahy is the CEO of CDW who has had 11bn of government contracts in the last decade, and 270m+ last year, so probably not her… David Abney is on the board of Northrup Grumman… Monica Lozano was on Disney…  Brian Cornell and Michael Fidelke run the board… That leaves a minority of directors who MIGHT have said something!   Bill Ackman DR  The woman shot in the face was apparently NOT innocent until proven guilty, or at least Bill can’t find a way to get her any money because “her GoFundMe had closed”... also, she’s dead Ackman needs to get punched in the mouth - no one should care what he thinks about anything, every, at all.  He’s the worst kind of blowhard - has he ever offered a full throated defense of a blank person?  A woman he’s not married to who’s not on Fox News?  Does he ever admit he’s wrong, biased, or a f*****g hypocrite?  Oh, but he says we all are?  Shut. Your. Mouth. But Ackman is part of a bigger problem - at this point you are either aiding ICE’s tactics, which have crossed fully into unaccountable personal army of the US dictator, or you’re not aiding them. ICE abetting includes:  AT&T Booz Allen Hamilton Comcast Dell General Dynamics L3Harris Technologies Motorola Solutions Men from Stanford saying they love people who didn’t go to school Google’s Sergey Brin admits he’s hiring ‘tons’ of workers without degrees: ‘They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner’ Go hire some homeless people, too Headliniest of the Week DR: Tech Billionaire Forced to Rename Humongous Yacht After Realizing It Spelled Something Horrible Backwards Larry Ellison: “Izanami.” MM: Opposition to Elon Musk’s AI Stripping Clothing Off Children Is Nearly Universal, Polling Shows NEARLY 96 percent said they shouldn’t be able to generate “undressed” images of minors only wearing clothing like underwear So… should they release the names and addresses of the 4%? MM: Jamie Dimon slams DOJ probe of Jerome Powell, warning investigation could stoke inflation Not says, SLAMS Who Won the Week? DR: Acclaimed Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent and his new Exclusive Bedding Collection at Target MM: Rhode Island - 350,000 homes will be powered by wind despite Trump’s make believe “radar interference” Predictions DR: Target lazily repurposes its October 20, 2025 news feature “Target’s Partnership with RICE — fueling a more inclusive economy” to “Target’s Partnership with ICE — fueling a more exclusive economy” MM: Brian Cornell, after seeing the error in his ways, is seen outside of ICE officer Jonathan Ross’s house kneeling in solidarity and burning gay pride merchandise as a tribute

    55 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Silence on Minnesota, public oil company graft, Grok’s children problem, where are investors

    Let's start with the Bad News? The ICE game 3 UnitedHealth Group Minnetonka 41 Target Minneapolis 105 U.S. Bancorp; IR site not working: Minneapolis 108 Best Buy Richfield 115 CHS Inver Grove Heights 174 3M Maplewood 216 General Mills Golden Valley 230 Ameriprise Financial Minneapolis Anthony Saglimbene, Chief Market Strategist, Ameriprise Financial: Is Corporate America Up For Its First Big Test Of 2026? 1/12/2026 “geopolitical and Washington headlines have increased risk, from developments in Venezuela to broader policy noise, including the pending International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) decision which didn’t occur last week, affordability proposals in Washington, and unexpected policies and executive orders that could impact housing and defense companies” 233 C.H. Robinson Eden Prairie 262 Land O'Lakes Arden Hills 274 Ecolab St. Paul 319 Xcel Energy Minneapolis 352 Hormel Foods Austin 388 Thrivent Financial Minneapolis The Good Game The oil CEO who stood up to Trump is a follower of the disciplined ‘Exxon way’ with a history of blunt statements Big Oil executives met at the White House to discuss investing billions to revive Venezuela’s oil industry. Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods pushed back, calling Venezuela “uninvestable” without long-term reforms. President Trump reacted angrily, calling Exxon “too cute” and signaling he may exclude the company from Venezuela. Woods declined to appease Trump at the expense of Exxon shareholders. Analysts said Exxon stock would likely have fallen if it committed billions to Venezuela’s uneconomic, high-risk environment. Veteran analyst Jim Wicklund said Woods was the only executive willing to speak plainly. Industry has little urgency to return to Venezuela, and no deal can offset the extreme political risk. Even sweeter terms wouldn’t change the math: political risk outweighs potential rewards by “a factor of 10.” Microsoft Pledges to Pay More for Electricity, Drawing Praise From Trump A senior Microsoft executive on Tuesday addressed the impact data centers have on the electrical costs for home consumers, an increasingly touchy subject that became a political hot button in November’s elections. In a blog post ahead of a speech on artificial intelligence, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, reiterated that Microsoft wants to pay for the electricity its data center use and avoid affecting everyday customers. “We’ll ask utilities and public commissions to set our rates high enough to cover the electricity costs for our data centers,” Mr. Smith wrote. US Judge Allows Orsted to Resume $5 Billion Rhode Island Offshore Wind Project Halted by Trump Revolution Wind is a $5 billion development co-owned by Orsted that aims to deliver renewable power to Rhode Island and Connecticut. It is the first of five offshore wind projects paused by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in late December over what officials described as radar interference risks identified by the Department of Defense. Trump tries to reduce CEO pay and halt billions in stock buybacks at defense contractors The executive order is creating a “new, government-mandated form of ESG,” referring to the environmental, social, and governance framework that grew prominent in recent years and prodded CEOs to focus on their companies’ broader stakeholder impact and not just shareholders. Ironically, the prioritization of ESG was derided as “woke” by critics and the administration has been generally hostile toward ESG. The defense contractor order is conceptually similar in that it prods companies to prioritize a customer over maximizing value for shareholders. President Donald Trump signed an executive order zeroing in on pay packages for executives at large defense contractors deemed to have underperformed on existing government contracts while chasing newer, bigger deals, according to the White House. At the same time, the order claims, these companies have bought back billions in stock, enriching both shareholders and executives. “Effective immediately, they are not permitted in any way, shape, or form to pay dividends or buy back stock, until such time as they are able to produce a superior product, on time and on budget,” the order, titled “Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting,” states. The order further directs the Secretary of War to identify contractors that have underperformed the terms of their deals with the government and hatch a plan to resolve delays and production issues. If the resolution plan is insufficient, according to the secretary, future contracts will include provisions banning stock buybacks and dividends and will prohibit tying pay to “short-term financial metrics” such as free cash flow or earnings per share. Trump elaborated in a post on his messaging platform Truth Social last week, railing against pay packages in the defense industry, claiming they are “exorbitant and unjustifiable” given the delays in delivering military equipment. Until those issues are remediated, “no Executive should be allowed to make in excess of $5 Million Dollars which, as high as it sounds, is a mere fraction of what they are making now,” the president wrote. US oil lobby group backs repeal of climate rule for vehicles, not power plants The American Petroleum Institute supports the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to repeal the foundation of greenhouse gas regulations for vehicles but not for power plants and other stationary industrial facilities. "We would not support repealing the endangerment finding for stationary sources," API President Mike Sommers told reporters, adding that the trade group believes it has "the greatest standing" from a regulatory perspective and it is clear the EPA has authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from those sources. Judge: Trump violated Fifth Amendment by ending energy grants in only blue states Court Rules Trump DOE Violated the Constitution When It Cancelled Clean Energy Funding in Specific States Administration Action Violated Constitutional Guarantee to Equal Protection Under the Law Norway Pushes Electric Vehicles to Nearly All New Car Sales in 2025 Electric vehicles accounted for 95.9 percent of all new car registrations in Norway in 2025, rising to almost 98 percent in December, placing the country far ahead of global peers. A mix of targeted tax relief for low cost electric vehicles and rising charges on petrol and diesel cars has reshaped consumer demand and manufacturer strategy. Norway’s approach contrasts with the wider European Union, where weaker demand has prompted a rollback of the planned 2035 ban on internal combustion engine vehicles. Meet autistic Barbie: the newest Mattel doll launched in line intended to celebrate diversity Mattel said it developed the autistic doll over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and better media representation of people with autism The eyes of the new Barbie shift slightly to the side to represent how some people with autism sometimes avoid direct eye contact, he said. The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel. The development team debated whether to dress the doll in a tight or a loose-fitting outfit, Pervez said. Some autistic people wear loose clothes because they are sensitive to the feel of fabric seams, while others wear figure-hugging garments to give them a sense of where their bodies are, he said. The team ended up choosing an A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. The doll also wears flat shoes to promote stability and ease of movement, according to Mattel. Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones and a pink tablet modeled after the devices some autistic people who struggle to speak use to communicate. Elon Musk’s X Under UK Investigation Over Grok’s Sexualized A.I. Images A British regulator said it had started a formal investigation into Mr. Musk’s chatbot over the spread of illegal images. Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk's Grok over sexually explicit deepfakes Meta removes nearly 550,000 social media accounts under Australian age ban This new crash test dummy could keep women safer in car accidents While regulators have been testing crash impacts for decades, there’s a dearth of data on women, who face a higher risk of death in auto accidents. In November, regulators unveiled THOR-05F — short for “Test device for Human Occupant Restraint, 5th-percentile Female” — the first crash test dummy specifically based on a woman’s body. Elon Musk's Lawsuit Accusing ChatGPT-Maker OpenAI Of Betraying Its Nonprofit Mission Can Go To Trial, Judge Rules ‍ ‍ Trump calls for 1-year 10% cap on credit card interest rates This is a mistake President': Bill Ackman responds to Trump's call for a one-year 10% cap on credit card interest Activist investors set record number of campaigns in 2025 Last year's number of attacks marked a nearly 5% increase over 2024 and eclipsed the previous record of 249 made in 2018, the data showed.

    59 min

  3. JAN 9

    2026 Predictions: corporate governance ghosting, CEO retentions, mass labor movements

    Damion 2026 Predictions The "Ghost Board" Movement Following the 2025 retreat from ESG, a major S&P 500 company (likely in the energy or defense sector) will successfully petition to keep its director bios private for "national security” or “personal safety reasons" Trend starts at a Big Data company using China as an excuse with a single, government-connected director whose identity is kept secret for “national security reasons” By mid-2026, "blind governance" becomes a trend where investors vote for directors identified only by a serial number and a list of "alpha-generating achievements" The “Ghost Board” movement ultimately backfires as shareholders start to vote against subpar achievements BlackRock and State Street scrap public stewardship for private, encrypted channels with board chairs—Welcome to Dark Governance The 100% Variable Pay CEO CEO Pay routinely targets $1B+ packages, using 100% “at-risk” pay as an excuse The Rise of "Corporate Sovereignty" Zones Think the SpaceX "Starbase" model: a major tech or manufacturing firm will strike a deal with a poor red state (like West Virginia or Mississippi, et al) to create a "Special Innovation District" or some other made up name like Advanced Innovation Zone Strategic Innovation Corridor Freedom Technology District Anti-DEI, Pro-ROI Innovation Park Inside these zones, the company provides the police, the utilities, and the "credits/scrip" used at the grocery store This revival of the 19th-century company town uses the excuse of "infrastructure efficiency" or “ESG-free zone” The Death of the “Public” Annual Meeting After the 2025 proxy season proved shareholders could still be annoying, companies codify mandatory virtual-only AI moderators pre-screen questions for “civility” and “relevance,” eliminating most investor dissent Shareholders wishing to speak must demonstrate ownership of $1M+—because democracy is not for impoverished nuns Elon Musk formally steps back from day-to-day operations at Tesla but calls it an “AI-enabled leadership leverage” and not a full resignation and thus keeps his pay package, with full board approval. Multiple large companies stop using the word “independent” in director bios, replacing it with “objective” or “experienced” or “industry-aligned” or “deeply informed.” Like Europe, board chairs increasingly become the primary public voice on operational and governance issues instead of CEOs, leading to a significant increase in chair pay. A sharp increase in director pay follows due to “heightened complexity and security issues.” The Jay Hoag effect: companies start to exclude attendance data from proxy statements. A company ties massive NEO bonuses to “AI adoption speed,” which becomes completely discretionary and unmeasurable. Starts in Big Data and then happens everywhere Matt 2026 Predictions Will happen: Sam Altman is caught lying to investors (and no one cares) 30% of the S&P 500 will seek to implement a “retail voting” program by the fall Highest retail vote companies: Tesla (~30%), Intel (~30%), AT&T (~30%), Exxon (~30%), Apple (~30%), Pfizer (~30%), Verizon (~25%) - real paragons of board independence Companies where executives are suggesting college degrees or elite college degrees are “stupid” do not stop hiring largely from pools of people who have college degrees and/or went to elite colleges 25% of CEO pay packages in the US move to “3 year vesting, pretend moonshot, billion plus, no clawback, no strings” Jay Hoag will not be voted off the Netflix board In the absence of engagement, precatory proposals, or other shareholder rights, there is one thing for shareholders left: vote no on director campaigns from NON ACTIVISTS (by which I mean institutional investors / pension funds with less than 5% or 13G filers) Specifically - there will be a 150% increase in exempt solicitations At least 10% of US large cap companies will have AI “board advisors” - bots that advise boards on legal and governance issues Could happen: Mass labor movement The 2025 “badge of honor” that was layoffs, the absolute bonanza of CEO pay, the explosion of “AI billionaires” and “AI took your job” stories, and the attempt to crush labor rights will escalate into the first violent confrontation between employees and their corporate overlords Widespread strikes will hit, but in the least likely of places: tech and finance, where employees are replaced with AI faster than in other sectors Natural outgrowth of the “it’s someone else’s fault” movement - everything is someone else’s fault, not management’s fault, with the primary culprit of lazy employees - we fired you and it’s your fault, not ours The anti-woke go woke and realize how much data they don’t have, but need, to be anti-woke At least 1 large company announces it will no longer produce any employee metrics at all, not the count of employees, the names of executives (except where demanded by regulation), or any information that people work there With Oracle pioneering the co-Vice Chair and co-CEO roles on the board, and Target pioneering the underperforming executive chair, we see the first round of “Co-Executive Chairs” where the new ex-CEO stays on the board just under the old ex-CEO Seems absurd, but entirely possible: The first billion dollar option pay package for a non-executive director (7 year vest, zero at risk for performance) JPMorgan’s new AI proxy voting robot starts an activist campaign seeking to vote out the Tesla board A US board pays a “retention bonus” worth $20m in options due to the threat of Trump administration intervention and the CEO is close with the administration Exxon will add “shareholder demands” as a risk in their annual report

    1h 8m

  4. JAN 6

    Venezuela oil exec takeover, Musk’s child exploitation, rich people are richer, and blowhards predict stuff

    Pick the headline that best describes the story: Venezuela Trump’s Hint to Oil Executives Weeks Before Maduro Ouster: ‘Get Ready’ Maduro overthrow could help these U.S. oil companies recover assets seized by Venezuela Trump makes it clear shocking Venezuelan regime change is largely about oil: ‘They stole our oil … We’re going to make a lot of money’ US oil giants mum after Trump says they’ll spend billions in Venezuela US oil companies gain after capture of Venezuela's Maduro A group of about 20 US investors is already planning a trip to Venezuela in March Maduro falls, Bitcoin rises: The 1,671% surge that hit before Wall Street woke up AI-generated content spreads after Maduro’s removal — blurring fact and fiction Elon Elon Musk’s X faces probes in Europe, India, Malaysia after Grok generated explicit images of women and children Elon Musk’s X faces regulatory probes in Europe, India and Malaysia after its Grok chatbot began generating deepfake explicit images, some depicting child sex abuse. Elon Musk After His Grok AI Did Disgusting Things to Literal Children: “Way Funnier” Elon Musk's Grok AI faces government backlash after it was used to create sexualized images of women and minors Musk's xAI faces backlash after Grok generates sexualized images of children on X Woman felt 'dehumanised' after Musk's Grok AI used to digitally remove her clothes Elon Musk plans 'high-volume production' of Neuralink brain chips and says he wants to automate the surgical procedure Tesla Loses EV Crown to BYD After Second Annual Sales Drop AI Children Tech Giants Pushing AI Into Schools Is a Huge, Ethically Bankrupt Experiment on Innocent Children That Will Likely End in Disaster Children Falling Apart as They Become Addicted to AI OpenAI’s child exploitation reports increased sharply this year Psychosis Doctors Say AI Use Is Almost Certainly Linked to Developing Psychosis Woman Suffers AI Psychosis After Obsessively Generating AI Images of Herself Man Describes How ChatGPT Led Him Straight Into Psychosis AI Godfather Warns That It’s Starting to Show Signs of Self-Preservation Disturbing Messages Show ChatGPT Encouraging a Murder, Lawsuit Alleges OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Make ChatGPT “Prioritize” Advertisers in Conversation Billionaires The world's richest people just had their best year yet AI boom adds more than half a trillion dollars to wealth of US tech barons in 2025 There are more self-made billionaires under 30 than ever before—11 of them have made the ultra-wealthy club in the last 3 months thanks to AI Jamie Dimon made $770 million last year. 2026 could be even better for banks Easing rules and a rebound in dealmaking are reshaping the landscape for U.S. banks, with bigger profits likely ahead Threat of California Billionaire Tax Draws Criticism From Ultrawealthy Bill Ackman slams California wealth tax as ‘expropriation’ of private property Bill Ackman Blasts Ro Khanna For Defending Billionaire Tax: 'Lost His Way' Peter Thiel and Larry Page are preparing to flee California in case the state passes a billionaire wealth tax, report says Tech billionaires threaten to flee California over proposed 5% wealth tax Bari Weiss yanking a 60 Minutes story is censorship by oligarchy Speed Round Dumb or Good Rating (1-10) Dumb 2 former Hinge execs are building an app to make it easier to plan hangouts with your friends 10 Boeing (BA) CEO “is a Nonsense Guy,” Says Jim Cramer 2 Some men may downplay climate change risks to avoid appearing feminine 0 New research provides evidence that men who are concerned about maintaining a traditional masculine image may be less likely to express concern about climate change. The findings suggest that acknowledging environmental problems is psychologically linked to traits such as warmth and compassion. These traits are stereotypically associated with femininity in many cultures. Consequently, men who feel pressure to prove their manhood may avoid environmentalist attitudes to protect their gender identity. The study was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. CEO of local public company to step down after nearly 10 years 9 Malcolm Gladwell tells young people if they want a STEM degree, ‘don’t go to Harvard.’ You may end up at the bottom of your class and drop out 6 OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says he is ‘envious’ of Gen Z college dropouts who have the ‘mental space’ and time to build new startups 9 This 22-year-old college dropout with an AI powered YouTube empire makes $700,000 a year and works just 2 hours a day  1 Trump Mobile says its first-ever smartphone is delayed, and the government shutdown is to blame 3 The college-to-office path is dead: CEO of the world’s biggest recruiter says Gen Z grads need to consider trade jobs with no degree required  4 ChatGPT gets ‘anxiety’ from violent user inputs, so researchers are teaching the chatbot mindfulness techniques to ‘soothe’ it 7 Good? Minimum wage just went up in 19 states—workers in one state are getting a $2 an hour raise 8 Judge says Trump administration must continue funding consumer watchdog Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 5 Angry town halls nationwide find a new villain: the data center driving up your electricity bill while fueling job-killing AI 8 Bernie Sanders and Ron DeSantis speak out against data center boom. It's a bad sign for AI industry 9 Mitt Romney says the U.S. is on a cliff—and taxing the rich is now necessary ‘given the magnitude of our national debt’ 7 Microsoft CEO Begs Users to Stop Calling It “Slop” 10 Man Operating Robot Accidentally Makes It Kick Him Directly in the Nutsack 9 MATT1 WE MISSED THE PREDICTIONS: Crypto:  Tom Lee Predicts $250K Ethereum Price as BitMine Adds to $13 Billion Stash,  Grayscale Predicts Bitcoin Will Reach New All-Time High by March 2026 Stocks:  Every Wall Street Analyst Now Predicts a Stock Rally in 2026 - EVERY! AI:  ‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton predicts 2026 will see the technology get even better and gain the ability to ‘replace many other jobs’,  Amazon’s Alexa chief predicts an end to doom scrolling: the next generation is ‘going to just think differently’,  In 2026 CFOs predict AI transformation, not just efficiency gains As millions of Gen Zers face unemployment, CEOs of Amazon, Walmart, and McDonald’s say opportunity is still there—if you have the right mindset - I PREDICT NOT HAVING A JOB IS YOUR OWN FAULT Oily oil:  Oil experts predict slight rise in gas prices as global tensions mount Blowhards:  Elon Musk predicts double-digit US growth by 2026,  Treasury Secretary predicts historic merger could make 2026 a ‘very good year’  Trump advisor predicts Miami will dethrone NYC as financial capital under new progressive mayor OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman says in 10 years’ time college graduates will be working ‘some completely new, exciting, super well-paid’ job in space

    53 min

  5. 12/23/2025

    2025 QUIZ: women on boards, ESG regression, DEI rebrands, plus 2026 headline predictions

    2025 REVIEW QUIZ: True or False: Nearly half of directors think their board adds insufficient value. What percentage of directors said their board adds no value at all? A) 10% B) 18% C) 31% D) 69% (nice) True or False: Women run 11% of Fortune 500 companies in 2025. True — 11%. Don’t clap. Women hold 24% of CEO pipeline roles but only ___% of promotions. A) 24% B) 16% C) 8% D) 0%, if the board had its way Which company plans to automate up to 90% of privacy and societal risk reviews using AI? A) OpenAI B) Meta C) Google D) Twitter (sorry, “X”) Why did BlackRock get removed from Texas’ boycott list? A) Legal challenge B) Accounting error C) ESG retreat D) They promised not to say “climate” out loud Why did PepsiCo say it delayed its net-zero target from 2040 to 2050? A) The board miscalculated emissions B) Shareholders voted against climate goals C) A change in climate accounting rules D) “The systems around us” weren’t ready True or False: UK financial regulators scrapped mandatory rules because “DEI paperwork is annoying.” True: UK financial regulators scrapped mandatory DEI rules citing regulatory burden. The new acronym JPMorgan prefers over “DEI” is: D&I EDI DOI “Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion” “Please Stop Asking” Which word even became unsafe during federal climate language purges? A) Sustainability B) Climate C) Resilience D) All of them, coward Which CEO criticized ISS and Glass Lewis as “incompetent”? A) Elon Musk B) Jamie Dimon C) Larry Fink D) All men eventually Which phrase best describes modern CEO accountability? A) Robust B) Improving C) Optional D) Decorative Haw many women have founded and led a Fortune 500 company? one Bonus: Who was that woman? Marion Sandler: Co‑founder and co‑CEO (with her husband Herbert Sandler) of Golden West Financial.  True or False: Board gender diversity plateaued around 30%. True — Progress hit a ceiling and called it success. What % of Russell 3000 boards have 50% women? 6% 15% 22% Enough to declare victory True or False: MI6 appointed its first female chief in 2025. True — MI6 got there before corporate America.  Blaise Metreweli Which ESG metric disappeared first from earnings calls? Diversity statistics Emissions targets Human rights language All of the above, but quietly The most common excuse for oversized boards: Complexity Global reach “We need all these people” Founder feelings Which industry saw the biggest rollback in ESG commitments? Energy Finance Consumer packaged goods Tech pretending it’s neutral What’s the fastest-growing category of CEO compensation? Cash bonuses Stock options Performance shares “Retention” awards for staying What’s the most common DEI rebrand in 2025? Belonging Culture Talent strategy Risk management What actually drives CEO pay upward during stock declines? Peer benchmarking “Retention risk” Board discretion Fear Why are women overrepresented in “glass cliff” roles? Risk tolerance Crisis optics Limited pipeline Convenient scapegoating What is the most accurate definition of “independent director” in 2025? No financial ties No employment ties No visible conflict No intention of rocking the boat Scoring Rubric 23–25 correct: “Governance Adult” You actually listen. Disturbing. 18–22 correct: “Proxy Advisor Apologist” You skimmed. You nodded. You missed the point. 13–17 correct: “Boardroom Vibes Guy” You believe independence is a feeling. 8–12 correct: “CEO Whisperer” You think pay packages are earned and boards try their best. Below 8: “Kimbal Musk” Please stop hosting the show Which of these headlines are most likely to occur in 2026: Elon Musk announces Groxxx69, the latest iteration of Grok AI dedicated entirely to porn, 69, weed, pro wrestling, Call of Duty, and matchbox cars: 2 DoorDash announces a 12 year $8.4bn pay package for CEO Tony Xu: 9 DoorDash announces cutting staff 80% due to AI: 8 Costco Caves to Trump, Cuts DEI: 1 ISS and Glass Lewis announce new zero page voting policy: 5 Brian Cornell resigns from Target board: 7 CEO of McDonald’s refuses to resign after admitting to affair with other executives: 8 Sam Altman says he is terrified: 6 Shareholders overwhelming vote out directors early in proxy season: 9 Tim Cook announces retirement in 2028: 1

    1h 6m

  6. 12/19/2025

    BP’s new CEO (and failed ex-chair), nepo tantrum at WBD, tech bros say life’s not worth it

    Story of the Week (DR): Embattled BP replaces CEO, naming Woodside Energy chief as first-ever woman leader of a Big Oil giant MM BP names new CEO — its fourth in 6 years O’Neill will replace Murray Auchincloss, after less than two years in the role. BP’s C-suite milestone: Women in both the CEO and CFO seats Melody Meyer: Chair of the safety and sustainability committee Dame Amanda Blanc: Senior independent director  Interim CEO Carol Howle CFO Kate Thomson Emma Delaney: EVP, customers & products Kerry Dryburgh - EVP, people, culture & communications and chief human resources and communications officer  *Emeka Emembolu: EVP, technology *William Lin - EVP, gas & low carbon energy 2 of 8 white dude leadership Even after Pamela Daley stepped down in July, still 43% female board influence Meg O’Neill: ‘hard-nosed’ outsider who will head BP’s pivot away from green energy First female appointment to a major oil company has faced fierce resistance from climate activists as boss of Woodside 43% female board influence at Woodside Carol Howle, current executive vice president, supply, trading & shipping of bp, will serve as interim CEO until Meg joins as CEO. BP 'woke' agenda axed as it hires first female chief exec and doubles down on fossil fuels Warner Bros Discovery board rejects rival bid from Paramount WBD’s board of directors (chaired by Samuel Di Piazza Jr.) has unanimously rejected the Paramount tender as inferior and risky, urging shareholders to reject it and uphold the Netflix transaction instead. David Ellison pulled the dad card early on Right after WBD rejected one of multiple secret bids in September, David Ellison called Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav to request that Zaslav meet with his father, Larry Ellison. The conventional wisdom was that the Oracle cofounder's billions would prevail. In the end, that didn't happen. WBD expressed concern that the bid relied on a revocable trust, whose assets or liabilities were subject to change. A zealous Paramount pulled out all the stops to woo Zaslav We already knew Zaslav stood to make over $500 million from a Paramount deal, based mainly on his shares that would vest immediately after it closed ($567,712,631, to be exact, according to the filing). Zaslav told the WBD board that the Ellisons had "indicated to him that" if a deal went through, he would "receive a compensation package worth several hundred million dollars," per the filing. Zaslav responded that it "would be inappropriate to discuss any such arrangements at that time," he told the board. Paramount also offered Zaslav the position of co-CEO and co-chairman of the combined company, a role Netflix didn't offer, the filing said. That runs contrary to the narrative put forth in a letter Paramount's attorneys at Quinn Emanuel sent to WBD, stating they suspected the process was biased in favor of Netflix due to WBD leadership's expectations that there could be roles for them at the new company. Paramount's legal and financial advisors didn't know about the "December 3 Quinn Emanuel" letter and, in their view, the letter should not have been sent, was "not helpful," and was a "mistake," the filing says. TikTok signs agreement to create new U.S. joint venture TikTok has signed binding agreements with investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX for the sale of its US arm, creating a joint venture as part of a deal orchestrated by President Donald Trump. The U.S. joint venture will be 50% held by a consortium of new investors, including Larry Ellison’s Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX, with 15% each. Just over 30% will be held by affiliates of certain existing investors of ByteDance, and almost 20% will be retained by ByteDance House Democrats release more Epstein photos, including Bill Gates and a dinner full of wealthy philanthropists Donald Trump Bill Clinton  Bill Gates – Microsoft co-founder Sergey Brin – Google co-founder Richard Branson – Virgin Group founder Larry Summers – Economist, Harvard President, OpenAI director Salar Kamangar – Former YouTube CEO  Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem — Emirati businessman; Chair/CEO of DP World Les Wexner — Founder of L Brands Leon Black — co-founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management Tom Pritzker — Executive Chair Hyatt Hotels Glenn Dubin — Hedge fund manager Dubin & Co.; co-founder of Highbridge Capital Management  Ron Baron — Founder & chairman of Baron Capital Management Josh Harris — co-founder of Apollo Global Management and managing partner of Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Commanders Ariane de Rothschild — Wealthy banking heir; CEO of Edmond de Rothschild Group Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR): DR: Canada to Launch Sustainable Investment Taxonomy in 2026 According to the government, the new taxonomy will provide a set of criteria for the identification of investments that are eligible for a “green” or “transition” investment label, enabling companies to issue green or transition bonds, and investors to evaluate the credibility of sustainable investment products. MM: Tesla’s having a good time at the DMV California won the right to ban sales of Tesla vehicles in the state due to false advertising about “self driving cars” MM: Walmart’s women truckers surge thanks to $115,000 starting pay and other perks bringing in nontraditional candidates Assholiest of the Week (MM): Helge Lund Embattled BP replaces CEO, naming Woodside Energy chief as first-ever woman leader of a Big Oil giant: O’Neill is “taking over the British energy behemoth at a time when it has fallen behind the other global oil and gas supermajors and was even a potential takeover target earlier this year by rival Shell.” Is there anything glass cliff-ier than this stat: Helge Lund has now overseen BP’s failed Murray Auchincloss tenure, Bernard Looney’s tenure, and Bob Dudley’s leaving (6 year tenure) and Novo Nordisk’s incredible succession failure, the failure of Nokia in 2013… I hate having to celebrate a female first - like becoming a CEO when eminently overqualified Sam Altman again Sam Altman says he has '0%' excitement about being CEO of a public company ahead of a potential OpenAI IPO He changed it from a non profit to a for profit in order to go public and make all the money. Also: “billionaire says” Sam Altman Sounds Alarm As ChatGPT Explodes Globally: 'Rate Of Change' Sparks AI Anxiety, Job Fears Sam Altman Uses His New Image Generator to Show Himself As a Jacked Fireman With Washboard Abs… With an Absolutely Hilarious Error Sam Altman says OpenAI has gone 'code red' multiple times; and they'll do it again The “sound the alarm” gaslight Peter C. Earle, Ph.D, Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and Senior Research Fellow at American Institute for Economic Research DR Stop Fixating on CEO Pay Ratios and Start Fixing Labor Markets “The average employee is hired under conditions of broad substitutability — many people can competently perform the role with modest training. The CEO labor market is the opposite: extremely small, specialized, global, and contingent on track records that can shift a firm’s valuation by billions of dollars. The demand curve for top executive talent is steep; the supply curve is extraordinarily thin.” “Skilled executives can influence strategy, capital allocation, risk management, and organizational culture in ways that affect firm performance far more than incremental labor inputs elsewhere in the organization, even if the latter are voluminous. If a CEO’s decisions add even a few percentage points to long-term returns, the economic value created dwarfs the compensation.” Translation: CEOs are worth it, regular workers are not.  “Such a ratio also ignores value creation. [...] The relevant question is not “Is the ratio of worker to executive pay too large?” but rather “Does the CEO create more value than their talent costs?” Does not propose how to prove value creation of the CEO other than “stock go up” Earle had this to say about leadership in 2019:   “teams (also companies, organizations, groups, and so on) which experience outstanding success inevitably cite leadership as a factor — often the decisive one, and frequently emanating from a particular individual.” “But it should come as no surprise that many successful sports teams, firms, and organizations readily identify leadership as the decisive factor in their triumphs. It’s a better story than merely having incredible resources and facilities, superior performance, or as is often the case: simple, garden-variety luck.” Headliniest of the Week DR: Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary plans to step down by 2035 & Chipotle chases the protein craze with new menu items — including meat in a cup MM: LinkedIn CEO says it’s ‘outdated’ to have a five-year career plan: It’s a ‘little bit foolish’ considering the pace AI is changing the workplace Who Won the Week? DR: Powerful women at BP MM: 4 year career plans Predictions DR: David Ellison cancels his Netflix subscription then hires Erika Kirk to run programming at Nickelodeon and MTV MM: Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary steps down in 2035 and become executive chair, pledging to step down as executive chair in 2057.

    1h 9m

  7. 12/16/2025

    McDonald’s CEO Kempczinski hates you, Tim Cook gets paid, Ryanair’s O’Leary retires (eventually)

    DAMION1 In our 'Oracles are fine but emperors and popes are icky' headline of the week. Charlie Munger Warned That BlackRock Holds Too Much Power And Didn't Want Larry Fink Becoming An 'Emperor' “We have a new bunch of emperors, and they're the people who vote the shares in the index funds. Maybe we can make Larry Fink and the people at Vanguard Pope.” In our 'What we do is totally ok but what they do is totally icky' headline of the week. Schwab CEO Rick Wurster Draws a ‘Bright Line’ Between Investing and Gambling  In our 'Bob Iger Says "Water skiing is the new productivity"' headline of the week. Europe’s Alps on track to lose 97 percent of glaciers by century’s end "Creativity is the new productivity": Iger used this phrase during interviews to reframe how AI is reshaping work and entertainment, suggesting that while AI handles efficiency, human creativity becomes the primary value driver. In our 'You're going to love Will. He's really good at kickball.' headline of the week. Union Pacific Appoints Will to Board of Directors Union Pacific appoints CF Industries CEO Tony Will to board of directors In our 'First they were better at ice cream and now they are better at board independence? Show-offs' headline of the week. Ben & Jerry’s Plans to Set Board-Term Limit, Removing Three Directors MATT1 In our 'Milestones include dinner with tech bros, phone calls with tech bros, giving gold plated fake awards to tech bros, hiring other tech bros' lawyers, and bricking your old phone' headline of the week. Tim Cook’s $74.6M 2024 Pay Ranks 7th Among US CEOs Amid Apple Milestone In our 'To put that into context, Tim Cook is JUST shy of 30 PBS's' headline of the week. Arkansas becomes first state to cut ties with PBS, saying $2.5 million membership dues ‘not feasible’ In our 'Also, climate change will make your backyard irrelevant.' headline of the week. Sorry, six-figure earners: Elon Musk says that money will ‘disappear’ in the future as AI makes work (and salaries) irrelevant In our 'Also fading: cakes on birthdays, barbecues on July 4th, giving thanks on Thanksgiving, and water in water coolers.' headline of the week. The taboo against holiday layoffs is fading. In our 'When 2034 is just too soon.' headline of the week. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary plans to step down by 2035 DAMION2 In our 'Ryanair board is officially told it doesn't matter' headline of the week. Michael O’Leary to Step Down from Ryanair Leadership by 2035 In our 'Hey Ma, Fortune ripped off those dumb dudes at Free Float! Tell Dad!' headline of the week. Apple CEO Tim Cook out-earns the average American’s salary in just 7 hours—to put that into context, he could buy a new $439,000 home in just 2 days In our 'McDonald's median employee delivers blunt reaction to career advice from McDonald's CEO that may 'hurt his feelings' in new Instagram video: "Fuck you and your 1,014:1 pay ratio."' headline of the week. McDonald's CEO delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings' in new Instagram video McDonald's median employee for 2024 had total compensation of $17,492. In 2021, Kempczinski addressed the shootings of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams and 13-year-old Adam Toledo to Lightfoot, who had visited McDonald’s headquarters earlier that day. Kempczinski wrote: “p.s. tragic shootings in last week, both at our restaurant yesterday and with Adam Toldeo [sic]. With both, the parents failed those kids which I know is something you can’t say. Even harder to fix.” In our 'Actor becomes more powerful voice than entire ESG industry' headline of the week. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt wonders why AI companies don’t have to ‘follow any laws’ In our 'Freddy Fiffle and Billy Boffle named as interim CEOs while Donny Duffle has been named independent lead director' headline of the week. Barry Biffle Steps Down as Frontier Airlines CEO MATT2 In our 'Remember, no one cares as much about you as you.  In fact, I don't care at all about you or your career.  I'll take it a step further: I hate you, you're basically the worst.  This might hurt your feelings, but your mother hates you, too.  You might as well be Hitler.  But this is just tough love if you want your career to flourish as a cashier at McDonald's.  Also, you're fired.' headline of the week. McDonald's CEO delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings' in new Instagram video "The advice I would give is: remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do," Kempczinski said. "So this idea that there's somebody out there who's looking out for you, who's going to make sure that you get that opportunity, who puts you in the right thing — great if it happens — but at the end of the day, nobody cares more about your career than you do." In our 'Man who said “You should fire the assholes,” “I have a lot of friends who are Democrats, and they're idiots,” and "I'm not mad at you.  You can be mad at me.  It's a free country, you can walk with your feet." says emotional intelligence and communication are keys in AI future' headline of the week. Jamie Dimon says soft skills like emotional intelligence and communication are vital as AI eliminates roles In our 'Is AI an immigrant?  Does that count?' headline of the week. Rich, western countries face a stark choice: 6-day workweeks or more immigration, top economist warns In our 'Most people aren’t fretting about an AI bubble. What they fear is mass layoffs' headline of the week. ‘A very hostile climate for workers’: US labor movement struggles under Trump In our 'Trump issues executive order 323: the Banning of Woke Sea Grasses' headline of the week. A secret weapon for fighting climate change comes surging back Capturing carbon 35 times faster than the Amazon, seagrasses have faced centuries of decline. Now restoration projects across North America are seeing their meadows quadruple in size.

    33 min

  8. 12/12/2025

    No more proxy advice, Lululemon’s succession, CEOs just sayin, and Apple’s new lawyer

    Story of the Week (DR): 3 from Trump: Trump Orders SEC to Review Proxy Adviser Rules in ESG Rebuke AND Trump signs executive order for single national AI regulation standard, limiting power of states AND Trump says Netflix, WBD deal could be 'problem' as son-in-law Kushner backs Paramount bid Trump directed several federal agencies to tighten regulations on proxy advisers: The S.E.C. was ordered to review rules and guidelines regarding the industry, including revising or rescinding any related to diversity, equity and inclusion (known as D.E.I.) and environment, social and corporate governance (or E.S.G.). The F.T.C. and the attorney general were directed to examine state antitrust investigations into the companies to see if there was a “probable link” between those inquiries and potential violations of federal antitrust law. And the Labor secretary was told to review regulations about the fiduciary duties of proxy advisers and others who advise managers of certain employee retirement accounts. These firms “wield enormous influence over corporate governance matters,” the executive order reads, adding that they “regularly” use their power to “advance and prioritize radical politically motivated agendas” instead of focusing on shareholder returns. CEO Moves: Lululemon Athletica’s C.E.O., Calvin McDonald, will step down as the athleisure clothing maker struggles to turn itself around. MM His tenure had been criticized by the company’s founder, Chip Wilson. The athleisure  retailer said that Calvin McDonald will step down as CEO and board member, effective January 31. Lululemon CFO Meghan Frank and chief commercial officer André Maestrini will serve as interim co-CEOs while the company searches for a new leader. McDonald has served as CEO of Lululemon since 2018, during which time he built the company into a brand powerhouse. But the company has been underperforming for more than a year, with the weakness most apparent in its core North American marke Time to let a woman run Interim co-CEO: CFO Meghan Frank Board chair Marti Morfitt (CEO of River Rock partners, Airborne, and CNS) Director Alison Loehnis (former president and ad interim CEO of Yoox Net-a-porter group) Levi Strauss CEO Michelle Gass Horrible board skills: Economics and Accounting 34% Mechanical 19% Computers and Electronics 12% Sales and Marketing 5% Administrative 5% Coca-Cola names insider Henrique Braun as CEO, replacing James Quincey  Quincey will transition to the role of executive chairman Disney wants you to AI-generate yourself into your favorite Marvel movie The media company is investing $1bn in OpenAI – and allowing its characters to be used in generated videos Tech Billionaires Are Starting Private Cities to Escape the United States Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan shared his vision for the “ultimate exit” by tech industry elites from the “failing” United States. “I think it’s fair to say, in 2025, we have a movement” That movement is the rise of “startup societies,” a pro-corporate, anti-government coalition of tech magnates, libertarian idealists, and neoliberal economic theorists. As the Financial Times notes in new reporting on the phenomenon, the movement is indeed growing. What once was the stuff of dystopian fiction like the Bioshock franchise is now the task of some 120 startup societies throughout the world, each scrambling to erect specially-built cities to court billionaires who feel maligned by organized society. Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR): DR: Eileen Higgins will be Miami's first-ever woman mayor Democrat Eileen Higgins is a sharp contrast to her predecessor, Republican Francis Suarez, who leaned into masculinity politics during his term BS in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico; MBA from Cornell University; country director of the Peace Corps in Belize; foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State; Miami–Dade County Commissioner Republican Francis Suarez: son of former Miami mayor Xavier Suarez; attorney with the law firm Greenspoon Marder, specializing in corporate and real estate transactions DR: U.S. Court Strikes Down “Unlawful” Trump Ban on Wind Energy Projects A U.S. federal court struck down an executive order by President Trump aimed at freezing new wind energy developments across the country, agreeing with a coalition of 18 State Attorneys General that the administration’s order was “arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.” MM: Nintendo’s 98% staff retention rate means the average employee has been there 15 years Assholiest of the Week (MM): Just sayin… RJ Scaringe, who recently got a mini Musk pay package and can afford a secretary: Rivian's CEO said self-driving cars shouldn't just be able to drive, but also run errands for you like a secretary: 5 Joe Lonsdale, Stanford grad: Palantir cofounder calls elite college undergrads a ‘loser generation’ as data reveals rise in students seeking support for disabilities, like ADHD: 7  Palantir Chief Legal Officer went to Stanford undergrad, Harvard for law school - and I bet he’s a good lawyer: Palantir Sues CEO of Rival AI Firm, Alleges Widespread Effort to Poach Employees  Cracker Barrel customers, average age of 340 year old: Cracker Barrel diners are sounding the alarm; here’s what reportedly has them furious: 3 One of those customers, 73-year-old Craig Watkins of Northern California, told the Journal he has watched the chain’s quality fade and wants old staples and original maple syrup restored. "I want pure syrup on pancakes, not that watered-down junk," he said, adding that he brings his own syrup when he visits. Craig, pure maple syrup is WOKE Mark Cuban, billionaire: Billionaire Mark Cuban Says If You Want To Get Rich, Give Things Up—Drink Water Instead Of Coffee, Eat Mac & Cheese Not McDonald's, 'Save Every Penny': 5 Jim Cramer, CEO sycophant: Billionaires Won't Save You,' Says Jim Cramer. 'They're Out For Themselves' And 'Never Apologize For Their Negativity': 5 Jim Cramer on Meta CEO: “Zuckerberg Makes Elon Musk Look Like a Real Softy” Sam Altman, who forgets for 10,000 years babies were raised without AI: Sam Altman makes his late-night debut, says he can't imagine 'figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT': 9 Elon Musk, manbaby: Elon Musk says the E.U. should be 'abolished' Alex Karp, who is trying desperately to stay in headlines: Palantir CEO Says Legalizing War Crimes Would Be Good for Business: 10 Bob Iger word-salading his investment in OpenAI: ‘Creativity is the new productivity’: Bob Iger on why Disney chose to be ‘aggressive,’ adding OpenAI as a $1 billion partner: 7 Honorable mention: Red Pill Apple - People moves: Former Meta CLO joins Apple as new general counsel Jennifer Newstead was at Meta from 2019, prior was an appointee of Trump 1.0 at Department of State and way back is partially credited with drafting the Patriot Act in Bush Jr (the act that allows the US to spy on everyone).   Normally a move like this no one cares about, but shouldn’t we?  This is a new exec with a red pill, eye-in-the-sky history joining a company who literally sells privacy - they did a whole commercial about it that aired for a year She joins as Tim Cook keeps showing up at every bro-fest dinner with Trump, Musk, Huang, and all the other techlords of the universe Headliniest of the Week DR: Woman Hailed as Hero for Smashing Man’s Meta Smart Glasses on Subway DR: Sam Altman makes his late-night debut, says he can't imagine 'figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT' Has he never heard of a library? MM: Project to Resurrect Dead Grandmas Sparks Controversy MM: When David Ellison was 13, his billionaire father Larry bought him a plane. He competed in air shows before leaving it to become a Hollywood executive Who Won the Week? DR: Miami shareholders MM: Miami, who got their first female mayor and the first democrat in 30 years, is overqualified, and was running against a nepo baby Predictions DR: Lululemon still picks a man, because DEI is illegal MM: After reading this headline: Cracker Barrel stock drops after-hours as chain reports losses from 'unique and ongoing headwinds' - Robby Starbuck renames himself Unique and Ongoing Headwind Starbuck.

    57 min
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About

Whether you love business news or feel like you’re supposed to know it but hate it, Business Pants is business news for humans. Snarky and irreverent, deeply researched and factual, a podcast devoted to market quirks and the humans that make up companies. Investing isn’t a what, it’s a who.

Information

  • Creator
    Free Float Media Inc.
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    313
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024, Free Float Media Inc.
  • Show Website
    Business Pants

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