Martell Spy
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Posts posted by Martell Spy
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Three cheers for the Delaware judge who stood up to Elon Musk
At last: a judgment that injects a dose of sanity into the process of handing out executive rewards
QuoteStep two was to ask, given the controlling status, whether the incentive package was fair. Delaware courts can shift the burden of proof when a transaction is approved by a “fully informed” vote of other shareholders, but that’s where Tesla and the defendants started to fall down. The company’s proposal “inaccurately described key directors as independent and misleadingly omitted details about the process”.
The judge is surely spot-on about the lack of independence. Ira Ehrenpreis, the lead director negotiating for Tesla, had a 15-year business relationship with Musk. Another member of the working group, Antonio Gracias, had a 20-year one and regularly went on holiday with Musk’s family. A third member was the company’s general counsel, Todd Maron, who was Musk’s former divorce lawyer and “whose admiration for Musk moved him to tears during his deposition”. That set-up just looks too cosy.
It was also a reason why McCormick concluded that the process behind the award was “deeply flawed”. In essence, Musk proposed the size and structure of his potential rewards and the compensation committee achieved concessions that weren’t true concessions in the judge’s view.Thus the argument moved on to the fairness of the award in terms of price. The board members argued that they wanted to set Tesla up for transformational growth and that Musk’s continued leadership was essential. McCormick knocked down the “high level” appeal of that argument with a series of commonsense points. First, given Musk’s one-fifth stake, he already had “every incentive” to attempt transformation because a $50bn increase in Tesla’s market value would be worth $10bn to him. Second, he had no plan to leave. Third, the incentive scheme didn’t even require him to devote a set amount of time to Tesla.
“Swept up by the rhetoric of ‘all upside’, or perhaps starry eyed by Musk’s superstar appeal, the board never asked the $55.8bn question: was the plan even necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?” asked the judge. Yes, that’s the nub of it. In being so lavish, the directors short-changed ordinary shareholders.
- Rippounet, JGP and kissdbyfire
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EU approves €50B Ukraine aid as Viktor Orbán folds
The deal on Ukraine aid comes after a small group of leaders persuaded Hungary’s PM to drop his veto on the funding package.https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-gets-eu-aid-as-orban-folds/
QuoteEuropean Union leaders on Thursday reached a deal to provide €50 billion in aid to Ukraine — and they were in unanimous agreement after some leaders persuaded the sole holdout, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to drop his veto.
“All 27 leaders agreed on an additional €50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget,” European Council President Charles Michel wrote on X, a few minutes after the formal start of the Council meeting on Thursday.
“This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was “grateful” to Charles Michel and EU leaders for establishing the €50 billion Ukraine Facility.“It is very important that the decision was made by all 27 leaders, which once again proves strong EU unity,” Zelenskyy tweeted.
“Continued EU financial support for Ukraine will strengthen long-term economic and financial stability, which is no less important than military assistance and sanctions pressure on Russia,” he added.
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I also have a lot of dreams about floods. In one of them the flood was caused by angry whales that were spitting water out their mouth to make the sea levels rise.
One of the strangest dreams I've ever had, possibly the strangest, involved a whale. I don't remember the exact year when I had it, but I was probably like 12 which would put it at 1988.
I was at a beach, there was other people there, and this enormous whale rose up out of the water. I don't think it was a very realistic whale sighting at all. The whale was nearly as long as the beach. I don't recall if people were running or what, but I just remember freezing in fear. (I've had that feeling in other dreams and they are often the most memorable ones, I have a ghost dream like that)
And then I heard a voice in my head, very deep, say "Leviathan comes in 99." I think that was it. The dream ended there. So, I've always been an atheist, even when I was a small child, so I mostly doubted it was anything. But it was also a very powerful experience. I did keep it in mind as 1999 was coming up. Absolutely nothing happened that year, at least to me. Very dull, yet enjoyable year.
I had been exposed to religious when I was very young, so that was probably the source. They even had books with very gorgeous color drawings and there was one with Jonah and the whale. So, that was probably the actual source of the dream.
- Darryk and kissdbyfire
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Sinema’s fundraising plummets as reelection decision deadline nears
The Arizona independent is raising less and less each quarter.https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/30/kyrsten-sinema-donations-00138738
QuoteSen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) fundraising cratered to her lowest quarterly total yet this cycle as she stares down an April deadline to file for reelection.
The independent Arizona senator raised just $595,000 in the final three months of 2023, according to a report filed by her campaign with the Federal Election Commission late Tuesday. That is less than one-fifth of the total that her main Democratic challenger, Rep. Ruben Gallego, said his campaign raised during the same period. Her likely Republican challenger, Kari Lake, reported raising $2 million.
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Retired conservative federal judge urges Supreme Court to disqualify Trump from office
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/29/politics/luttig-conway-supreme-court-trump-insurrection/index.html
QuoteA former conservative federal appellate judge is urging the Supreme Court to keep Donald Trump off the ballot, arguing the ex-president’s effort to cling to power after his 2020 election loss was “broader” than South Carolina’s secession from the US that triggered the Civil War.
“Mr. Trump tried to prevent the newly-elected President Biden from governing anywhere in the United States. The South Carolina secession prevented the newly-elected President Lincoln from governing only in that State,” J. Michael Luttig, a former judge on the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals, told the justices in a friend-of-the-court brief filed Monday.
“Trump incited, and therefore engaged in, an armed insurrection against the Constitution’s express and foundational mandates that require the peaceful transfer of executive power to a newly-elected President,” the brief said. “In doing so, Mr. Trump disqualified himself under Section 3 (of the Constitution).”
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48 minutes ago, LongRider said:
One of my nieces teaches sexual health for high school and college students and she spent some time in Texas in the 90s. She could barely believe the level of ignorance of sex and sexual issues in the high schools and colleges there. She came from an East Coast liberal Quaker family and had attended private Quaker schools for all her primary ed and was just appalled.
Also, the so called 'abstinence education' was in full swing there at the time. The kids knew nothing-nothing about sex because the parents don't mention it, the schools don't teach reality-based sex ed and the churches are nightmares for teenagers. She got so disgusted she left Texas to move back East.
I'm thankful every day that I'm not in Texas. If the privatized electric grid wasn't bad enough, I'd wonder what new healthcare area the state was going to come interfere in. It's not like a bunch of meddlers are going to stop.
Anguish lingers as transgender kids’ families seek medical care outside Texas — and fight a state ban
Quote“I thought to myself, ‘Why am I so scared? I’m not in Texas anymore,’” she recalled to CNN. “I kept telling myself, ‘You’re not in Texas anymore, it’s OK.’”
The mother’s panic traced, she said, to why her family and others have spent untold money, time and emotional energy routinely commuting from Texas or moving away entirely: They want to give their transgender children the kind of gender-affirming treatment that’s deemed safe, effective and potentially lifesaving by many major medical groups but has been banned by a new state law that can make these families feel unwelcome – and even targeted – more broadly in the state, several told CNN.
- LongRider, Zorral and kissdbyfire
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EU threatens to silence Hungary if it blocks Ukrainian funds
Leaders may consider invoking the “nuclear option” of kicking Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán out of the EU voting process.QuoteBRUSSELS — There’s a Hungarian saying for when things are not going well: “It is under the frog’s ass.”
And things sure won’t go well for Hungary if it attempts to thwart European leaders when they meet next week to approve a vital €50 billion lifeline to Ukraine as it enters a third year of war with Russia.
After years of a softly-softly approach with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, this time European diplomats are giving signals that the “nuclear option” — kicking Budapest out of the EU voting process — is no longer unthinkable if he imperils the security of Ukraine, an EU candidate country.
If the EU were to use its so-called Article 7 — the most serious political sanction on a member country that involves suspending its right to vote on EU decisions — Orb´án really would be well and truly under the frog’s ass.
“That [saying] pretty much sums up where the trust between Orbán and other leaders is,” said an EU official who, like others quoted in this piece, was granted anonymity to speak about corroding internal dynamics.
Five European officials and diplomats said other countries in the bloc are ready to make a move against Budapest in what would be a historic move for leaders who rely on cohesion and unanimity.
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Exclusive: House ethics probe of Gaetz seeks information from DOJ and woman who allegedly had sex with congressman as a minor
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/house-ethics-matt-gaetz/index.html
QuoteThe House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Matt Gaetz has reached out to the woman whom the congressman allegedly had sexual relations with when she was a 17-year-old minor, according to a source familiar with the committee’s work.
The outreach, which has not previously been reported, is a sign that the GOP-led committee’s investigation into the Florida Republican has recently expanded to include questioning around allegations of sex crimes.
Sources said the committee also has reached out to the Justice Department requesting materials from its investigation into Gaetz, which included allegations of lobbying violations, sex-trafficking and possible obstruction of justice. The federal probe, which also included allegations he had sex with a minor, concluded in 2023 with no charges brought against the congressman.
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Donald Trump has a big problem ahead
A whole swath of GOP voters appears firmly committed to not voting for Trump in November.https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/23/trump-moderate-republicans-problem-00137112
QuoteDonald Trump has a problem no matter what happens in New Hampshire on Tuesday night: There’s a whole swath of the Republican electorate and a good chunk of independents who appear firmly committed to not voting for him in November if he becomes the nominee.
It’s an issue that became starkly apparent in polling ahead of the Iowa caucuses, when an NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of voters in that state found that fully 43 percent of Nikki Haley supporters said they would back President Joe Biden over Trump. And it’s a dynamic that has been on vivid display as the campaign shifted this week to New Hampshire.
“I can’t vote for Trump. He’s a crook. He’s too corrupt,” said Scott Simeone, 64, an independent voter from Amherst, who backed Trump in 2016 and 2020. “I voted for him, and I didn’t realize he’s as corrupt as he is.” -
7 minutes ago, Zorral said:
And one did nearly kill her husband.
Yeah, that is the incident I was talking about. He went there for her.
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Saw an episode of "The Curse" and it looks terrific. It's a dark comedy and a trainwreck. Benny Safdie is really excellent as this very cynical producer that works with the main character couple.
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2 hours ago, kissdbyfire said:
Is he confusing Haley with Pelosi? Not that Pelosi was in charge of security (I think she had something to do w/ the Capitol Police but that’s all, and I’m not even sure of this). But Mango has accused Pelosi of failing on Jan 6 “b/c she was in charge of security”. I mean, this little fuck up is worse than mistaking E. Jean Carroll for Marla Maples!
Pretty dangerous thing, given a Trumpist wacko tried to literally go after Pelosi.
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‘We’re sucking wind’: McHenry slams Johnson’s work as speaker
“He needs to widen the group of advisers he has. The loudest members of our conference should not dictate the strategic course of a smart majority,” Patrick McHenry said.https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/18/mchenry-johnson-speaker-00136468
QuoteMcHenry, who served as acting speaker after McCarthy was voted out last year, specifically cited Johnson‘s decision to split government funding bills into two packages and advance stopgap spending legislation.
That was “an active choice to extend the pain and create suffering,” McHenry said. “By us not executing the deal in December, we’ve cost the Defense Department four and a half billion dollars a month — out of an active choice by House Republicans. I think it’s a faulty choice. I think it’s a bad choice.”
There is no point in pushing the votes down the road, he said, because “the votes are going to be the same.”
“To draw out the calendar doesn’t actually help produce political wins, and it’s not actually shown to create policy wins,” McHenry said. “I’m here for policy wins.”
He said Johnson needs to accept that “Republicans control one-third of the negotiations,” so “we’re going to not get 100 percent of the wins.”
Continuing down this path could eventually cost Republicans the majority, McHenry said.
“If we keep extending the pain, creating more suffering, we will pay the price at the ballot box,” he said. “At this point, we’re sucking wind because we can’t get past the main object in the road. ... We need to get the hell out of the way. Cut the best deals we can get and then get on with the political year.”
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Ha, I was thinking about this. Can you explain why so many outlets are talking about it like it was a massive win for Mango?
The margin doesn't matter at all. The main reason Iowa matters at all is it can become a bragging point to win it. Even then it doesn't matter that much. It's pretty typical for a conservative candidate to win it then go on to lose later.
It doesn't matter to Trump at all as a victory, he didn't need it. It mattered to De Satan, so his chances just went from .02 to 0.00. He is no Ted Cruz and that's a sad position to be in.
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17 minutes ago, Darryk said:
Anyone have any recommendations for relaxed city-builders? My favorites in the old days were Dungeon Keeper and Settlers.
Not quite my cup of tea (although I have played them), but I have a friend that likes that type of game. They liked Cities: Skylines a lot. It sounds kind of like Sim City to me.
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Theo James Embraces the "High" Life in First 'The Gentlemen' Trailer
Guy Ritchie's series also stars Kaya Scodelario and Ray Winstone.The Gentlemen is a Netflix drama sequel to Guy Ritchie's movie that showcases the glitz, glamor, and dirty dealings of the British criminal underworld.
Ray Winstone joins the cast as a career criminal and influential figure in the cannabis empire, adding to the star-studded ensemble.
Guy Ritchie has a busy 2024 ahead with multiple projects, including The Gentlemen, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and Fountain of Youth.QuoteA new member of the British aristocracy is entering the fray in Netflix's new drama The Gentlemen. The streamer shared the first teaser for Guy Ritchie's sequel series which shows the glitz, glamor, and dirty dealings of the "original gangsters." Amidst the action, two-time BAFTA nominee Ray Winstone was unveiled in a starring role, joining Theo James and Kaya Scodelario in the British criminal underworld. Helmed by Ritchie, the series is confirmed to arrive in March.
The Gentlemen takes place in the world of Ritchie's 2019 film starring Matthew McConaughey, though it introduces a host of new players in the cannabis business. At the center of the sequel series is Eddie Horniman (James), The Duke of Halstead who gets sucked into criminal dealings when he discovers the estate he inherited from his father was a cannabis empire. He now has to deal with a cavalcade of gangsters and other shady characters who look to game him and take a piece of that empire for themselves. The brief teaser shows Eddie's arrival on the property and embrace of both the high life and the responsibilities of running an illegal operation. That includes tense dealings with rival criminals, attending lavish parties, taking part in boxing matches, and using force when necessary to keep the culture in order.
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US corporations push to roll back Trump-era tax policies they once endorsed
An agreement is emerging that ties the corporate tax breaks to an increase in support for vulnerable American familieshttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/12/corporation-tax-break-lobby
QuoteTo secure Democratic votes for a legislative package that includes new corporate tax breaks, congressional negotiators are aiming to pair the business priorities with a tax policy designed to help a different, and far less politically connected, constituency.
The American Rescue Plan, a Covid relief package passed by the Democratic-led Congress in early 2021, included a one-year expansion of the size and accessibility of the federal child tax credit, which provides assistance to low-income families with children.
By the following year the credit had helped nearly 3 million children escape poverty –about 2 million more than would have without the expansion, according to the US Census Bureau. The impact was especially pronounced among families of color: The number of Black children in the United States living in poverty fell by 17% between 2009 and 2021.
But the year after the expansion of the credit was allowed to expire, child poverty in America doubled, disproportionately among Black and Hispanic children.
Combining the corporate tax cuts with an expansion of the child tax credit might yield an agreement with enough Democratic support to reach Joe Biden’s desk. But it also suggests that the only way Congress is prepared to help lower-income families is if some of the world’s most profitable corporations get additional tax relief of their own.
“Wealthy corporations and Republican lawmakers in Congress are holding the poorest children in this country hostage in exchange for billions in tax handouts,” Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, told the Guardian in a statement. -
Clive Owen Is Ready to Take on His Enemies in 'Monsieur Spade' Sneak Peek [Exclusive]
The series also stars Alfre Woodard, Rebecca Root, and Cara Bossom.https://collider.com/monsieur-spade-episode-1-sneak-peek/
If there’s one word of advice we’re begging you to take from our exclusive clip of Monsieur Spade, it’s to stay off of Clive Owen’s property! From what we can gather, his character, the detective Sam Spade, runs a tight ship and notices anyone lurking on his long, dirt driveway in the French countryside. The clip reveals a volatile relationship between Owen’s titular protagonist and Stanley Weber’s (Drops of God) Jean-Pierre Devereaux, as Jean-Pierre has been posted up on his motorcycle waiting to run into Sam. Equipped with a message from his friend Philippe (Jonathan Zaccaï), Jean-Pierre seems to want nothing more than to stir the pot. But, to be fair, the clip also reveals that the dashing Monsieur Spade may be trying to seduce Jean-Pierre’s wife, so it’s a little tough to distinguish who the real bad guy is here.
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Great finale. One ep was a bit muddled, but liked much of the season. Great use of the setting. Much better use of Kingpin than in Hawkeye. My main complaint would be DD was almost not in this, it was just a quick cameo. His inclusion was definitely oversold.
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House right flank revolts by sinking rule vote as Speaker Mike Johnson walks tightrope on government funding planhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/01/10/politics/speaker-johnson-funding-fight-right-flank/index.html
QuoteSpeaker Mike Johnson is finding himself once again walking a tightrope between political reality and what can satisfy his right flank, as conservative hardliners staged a rebellion on the House floor Wednesday afternoon.
More than a dozen House Republicans joined all Democrats in sinking a procedural rule vote on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, the second rule vote defeat in Johnson’s 11-week tenure, and coming hours after a heated private GOP conference meeting where Johnson sought to discuss a deal he struck with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on government funding.
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Echo seems great so far. Not as good as a new DD season, but really enjoyable. Liked the local characters and the various stores and scenery were good, too. Loved the train scene. Bit slow to get going, but it takes off nicely.
I'll spoiler tag this out of caution, it's not much of a spoiler.
SpoilerJust like any DD season it's always highly interesting when you see any part of Kingpin's organization. It was nice to see it from this angle.
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6 minutes ago, Conflicting Thought said:
in implemetning neoliberal policy, my understanding is that obama was not the savior everyone was expecting, quite the contrary he governed with wall street, and comited horrible acts agains humanity with the drone bombing, etc. having said that i suposse he is still better than donald fucking trump but the bar is on hell
Because of drone bombings Obama accomplished nothing. That's very weak sauce.
Forget Republican Presidents. Tell us which Democratic party President was better in your lifetime. Are you here to shill for Biden?
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Russia must be held accountable over Ukraine – we should seize its assets
Joseph Stiglitz and Andrew Kosenko
After the EU and US failed to agree aid packages, we must send a clear message to regimes waging warshttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/08/russia-ukraine-seize-assets-us-eu
QuoteAlthough seizing these assets would boost Ukrainian morale and finances, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic are wary. As the New York Times recently reported, top US officials fear that setting such a precedent would deter other countries from depositing their funds at the New York Federal Reserve or holding them in dollars.
But the concern that other governments might become wary of keeping their funds in the US for fear of future seizures overlooks some key points. Seizing Russia’s frozen assets would not affect other countries’ assets or change the incentives of governments that are not planning a major war. Moreover, by not seizing these funds, western countries are signalling that governments waging brutal wars of aggression can violate international law and simultaneously benefit from it to escape the consequences of their actions. Instead, G7 leaders should send a clear message: no country can have it both ways. By deterring other bad actors from violating international law, such seizures could act as a peace-building measure.The supposed negative effect of seizing Russian assets on other countries’ willingness to deposit funds in the US and Europe, were it real, would have become apparent when these funds were frozen in early 2022. Notably, there has been no capital flight from the US or Europe. This is partly because there are few safe alternatives to the established financial system. Assuming that governments do become wary of keeping their assets in the US, Europe, or Japan, where
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Trump and his MAGA allies turn their fire on Haley
The Trump campaign and its allied super PAC are spending a combined $4.5 million on anti-Nikki Haley ads.https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/06/trump-ads-nikki-haley-00134175
QuoteDonald Trump’s political operation is seeking to bury Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign just days before voting starts.
The former president’s campaign is spending millions of dollars on TV ads attacking Haley for the first time. His allies and social media influencers are ramping up efforts to savage her. And at his rally in Iowa on Friday night, Trump lit into her more sharply than at any prior point in the primary.
It’s a major shift in focus nine days before the Iowa caucus.
After spending the last year focusing almost exclusively on tearing down Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Trump apparatus has determined that Haley now requires a greater share of its resources than he does. Trump allies increasingly view the former South Carolina governor — and Trump’s onetime U.N. ambassador — as the last obstacle on his path to the nomination.
Upcoming TV shows/Movies: A Post-Strike World
in Entertainment
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First look at Squid Game season 2 teases a deadly game of cat and mouse
Player 456 is in danger... again.
https://ew.com/squid-game-season-2-first-look-player-456-8557166