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☆ Opinion: The problem with Beyoncé’s ‘Jolene’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s hardly my place to conclude how much of Beyoncé’s riff on “Jolene” is autobiographical, but I think we can safely assume she wants us to guess. That approach applies perfectly to country music (though she insists “Cowboy Carter” is “a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” not a country album). In “Daughter,” the track that follows “Jolene” on “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé continues on the theme of adultery. Whether or not Beyoncé’s “Jolene” has anything to do with her real life — or anyone’s — I think it’s a mistake to see it as a departure from Parton’s version. For someone cycling through the stages of post-cheating grief, Beyoncé’s “Jolene” reads like the “anger” prequel to Dolly’s “bargaining” “Jolene.” As listeners, the point isn’t to imitate either of them, or to know the roots of every phrase.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, CNN —, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas, Beyoncé’s, Dolly Parton’s, Jolene, ”, Cowboy Carter, Jolene — she’s, Parton, “, Beyoncé, don’t, ” Beyoncé, Azealia Banks, Jay, I’m, Tina, Jolene ”, Cowboy Carter ”, Dolly, Becky, Z, She’s, Becky ”, coos Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN Locations: London, Houston, Louisiana

☆ Activist Elliott calls for a big buyback at Mitsui Fudosan — 3 ways the company may create value
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Business: Mitsui Fudosan is a Japan-based company engaged in the real estate business. Even as a commercial real estate company, Mitsui Fudosan does possess some brand power, which translates to premium pricing power. Mitsui Fudosan is grappling with a low valuation and return on equity in absolute terms and relative to peers. Right now, Mitsui Fudosan has 0.65 times price to adjusted book value (for real estate companies) and the lowest ROE among its peers. There are three things Mitsui Fudosan can do right away to create value for shareholders.

Persons: Elliott, Palliser, ROE, debatably, Dai, Takashi Ueda, Ken Squire Organizations: Mitsui Fudosan, Mitsui Home, Mitsui, Nikkei, Oriental Land Company, Tokyo, Mitsui Fudosan's, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Keisei Rail, Dai Nippon Printing, Dai Nippon, Services, 13D Locations: Japan, COOs, ValueAct, OLC, OLC .

Tina Kotek said she was committed to developing a transparent roadmap for exploring offshore wind opportunities with the input of coastal and tribal communities. As a next step, BOEM said it will prepare an environmental assessment on the potential impacts of leasing offshore wind farms. The offshore wind industry in the U.S. is growing after lagging behind Europe for decades. The first auction of leases to develop commercial-scale floating farms was held in 2022, for five sites off the coast of California. The administration has set a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 using traditional technology that secures wind turbines to the ocean floor.

Persons: Tina Kotek, ” Kotek, ” BOEM, Brad Kneaper, BOEM, Joe Biden Organizations: of Ocean Energy Management, Oregon Gov, Tribal Locations: PORTLAND, Oregon, Coos Bay, Brookings, California, Coos, Lower Umpqua, U.S, New York

“How to Have Sex” is not didactic, however, which is what makes it so effective. And it starts out so fun, like a more innocent and realistic “Spring Breakers.”Parties on screen rarely feel as fun as they’re supposed to — the joy often looks a little forced. This is something Skye makes her feel self-conscious about while also trying to push her to get rid of on the trip. There is a hard turning point when things stop being fun in “How to Have Sex,” when one morning Tara is missing from both hotel rooms. “How to Have Sex,” a MUBI release in select North American theaters Friday, has not been rated by the Motion Picture Association.

Persons: Molly Manning Walker, Mia McKenna, Bruce, Enva Lewis, Lara Peake, Walker, Romeo, Badger, Shaun Thomas, Tara, He’s, Skye, Paddy, Samuel Bottomley, you’ve, she’s, McKenna Organizations: MTV Beach, Motion Locations: Skye, Greece

☆ Here’s how activist Elliott could build shareholder value amicably at Phillips 66
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Business: Phillips 66 is an energy manufacturing and logistics company. Percentage Ownership: n/a Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor. On Wednesday, Elliott sent a letter to Phillips 66, announcing that it has taken a $1 billion stake and is seeking up to two board seats. While we do not generalize like that, it is hard to imagine a more amicable and constructive activist campaign than what Elliott is proposing at Phillips 66. When implemented, Phillips 66 saw costs increase relative to peers, burning shareholders' confidence in the management team's ability to achieve its goals.

Persons: Phillips, Elliott, Mark Lashier, Ken Squire Organizations: Phillips, Chevron Phillips Chemical, Valero Energy, Marathon Petroleum, Valero, 13D Locations: Chevron, U.S, Europe, COOs

Walsh died Nov. 12 at his home in Myrtle Point, Oregon, his daughter, Elizabeth Walsh, said Monday. “I knew we were making history,” Walsh told The World newspaper of Coos Bay, Oregon, in 2010. “There was an opportunity to pioneer,” Walsh told The World. It wasn’t until later they told us what they had in store.”Walsh was born Nov. 2, 1931, in Berkeley, California. Walsh traveled the world, including many trips to Antarctica, where the Walsh Spur pointed rock is named in his honor.

Persons: Don Walsh, Mariana Trench —, Walsh, Elizabeth Walsh, Jacques Piccard, Mariana Trench, “, ” Walsh, ” Piccard, Piccard, “ Walsh, Kurt Rothenhaus, Kelly, Don’t, ”, “ He’s, Kelly Walsh, Victor Vescovo, ” Vescovo, Don Walsh’s, Joan, ___ Thiessen Organizations: U.S . Navy, Navy, U.S . Naval Academy, University of Southern, Public, U.S . State Department, Naval, Dallas, Twitter Locations: Myrtle Point , Oregon, U.S, Swiss, Trieste, Guam, Pacific, Coos Bay , Oregon, San Diego, Berkeley , California, Texas, University of Southern California, Antarctica, Kelly, Anchorage , Alaska

☆ Activist Elliott makes inroads at Catalent to build value. Here’s what could happen next
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

This segment also handles the formulation, development and manufacturing for parenteral dose forms, including vials and prefilled syringes. Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor, particularly in the technology sector. While as an activist Elliott will do whatever it feels is necessary to enhance shareholder value, in the past the firm has made significant use of the strategy of offering to acquire its portfolio companies as the best catalyst to enhance shareholder value. Like Catalent, Syneos is an outsourced pharma solutions company: It outsources R&D for pharmaceutical companies, whereas Catalent outsources manufacturing. If this does turn from a strategic review to an operational review, there is no guarantee that he keeps his job.

Persons: Catalent, there's, Elliott, Steven Barg, Frank D'Amelio, Stephanie Okey, Michelle Ryan, Johnson, Barg, Ryan, John Greisch, There's, Danaher, Alessandro Maselli, Ken Squire Organizations: Oral Technologies, Clinical, Pfizer, Rom Holdings, Bloomberg, Merck, Citrix Systems, Nielsen Holdings, Square, Veritas Capital, Syneos Health, 13D Locations: COOs, North America

☆ Hip-hop stars and financial luminaries: Ritholtz Wealth Management redesigns the investment conference
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Surf City USA —for a financial conference. A financial conference on a beach? Reinventing the financial conferenceWelcome to FutureProof, billed as "the largest gathering of top-tier wealth management professionals, CEOs, CTOs, COOs, and fast-growing financial advisors." It's the brainchild of Barry Ritholtz, co-founder, chairman, and chief investment officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management, and CEO Josh Brown. "Coming out of the pandemic, it was obvious to us that the traditional financial conference was past its sell-by date," Ritholtz told me.

Persons: Tang, Redman, They're, Jeremy Siegel, Jeff Kleintop, Charles Schwab, Emily Roland, John Hancock, Cliff Asness, Jeff Gundlach, maven Jan van Eck, Barry Ritholtz, Josh Brown, Ritholtz, FutureProof, You'll, Goldman, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, RIAs, Dan Ives, Scott Wapner, Siegel, Morningstar, Christine Benz, Jeffrey Ptak, Ben Johnson, podcasters Michael Batnick, Ben Carlson, Wu, Tang Clan Organizations: Wharton, Ritholtz Wealth Management, Chiropractic, Health, Investment Advisors, CNBC, Financial Locations: Huntington Beach , CA, Huntington Beach , California, Surf, Huntington Beach, AQR, DoubleLine, FutureProof, COOs, Wells, Wedbush, Young

☆ Constellation Brands is in the midst of a transformation. How activist Elliott may build value
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor, particularly in the technology sector. Constellation Brands produces and markets beer, wine and spirits, but it's essentially a beer company with 85% of its revenue coming from beer sales. Moreover, it is not just a niche beer business anymore. First, the company has traded at a discount because of the dual-class share structure that allowed the Sands family to control Constellation. This leaves a core beer business that can now be operated without unnecessary distractions.

Persons: Elliott, William T, Giles, –, Luca Zaramella, Sands, Bill Newlands, Rob Sands, missteps, Ken Squire Organizations: Constellation, Mondelez, Constellation Brands, Modelo Especial, Anheuser, Busch, Modelo, Coors, Budweiser, Eastern Seaboard, 13D Locations: COOs, U.S, Mexicali, Mexico

☆ Activist investor Elliott is back at NRG Energy. Here’s how the firm plans to build value
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor, particularly in the technology sector. In January 2017, the firm filed a 13D on NRG with a plan centered around operational improvements and portfolio actions. As part of its plan, Elliott suggested that NRG focus on its core businesses by reducing costs, monetizing non-core assets to simplify its portfolio and paying down debt. To effectively oversee this plan, Elliott believes that the board needs new independent directors with expertise in the power and energy industry. "Strong management will be key to the success of the Repower NRG Plan," and "significant changes are needed."

Persons: Elliott, Vivint, Jim Collins, Collins, Ken Squire Organizations: NRG, 13D Locations: COOs, Texas

☆ Elliott proposes adding new directors to Goodyear’s board. How a margin-boosting plan might unfold
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

To implement its plan, Elliott is recommending adding five new directors to the board. Six members of the 12-person board (including CEO Richard Kramer) have served on the board for 11+ years. This, along with the underperformance and tenure of many directors makes for a compelling case for serious board reconstitution. Based on its history, we would expect this to be a diversified and qualified group of industry and professional directors with one Elliott executive. Elliott right now is working amicably with management and recommending potential directors as opposed to threatening to nominate their own slate of directors.

☆ Goldman Sachs is making a slew of leadership changes in its investment bank. See the key moves here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Carter Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman has internally announced a slew of leadership changes in its investment bank. Goldman's Aasem Khalil will take on Posnett's role as global head of investment banking services. A fresh face will now lead one of Wall Street's most powerful investment banking groups. She ultimately served as co-COO of TMT and head of Internet investment banking before being appointed head of investment banking services. Succeeding Posnett as head of global investment banking services is Aasem Khalil, a Goldman partner and 26-year veteran of the Wall Street bank.

☆ What do AI art generators think a CEO looks like? Most of the time a white guy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New research suggests that AI image generators reflect racial and gender bias in their outputs. AI tool DALL-E 2 was found to link white men with 'CEO' or 'director' 97% of the time. The study found 97% of DALL-E 2's images of positions of authority — like "CEO" or "director" — depicted white men. These biases can have real-world consequences now that image companies are launching their own generative AI tools, per the researchers. Even though AI companies have made efforts to "debias" their tools, "they have yet to be extensively tested," Luccioni said.

The conforming mortgage borrowing limit is $726,200 for all Oregon counties. If you'd like to get an FHA mortgage, the maximum borrowing amount varies per county. In Oregon, some counties have higher FHA borrowing limits than others. Oregon borrowing limits in 2022 for conforming and FHA mortgages by countyTake note, Clackamas County, Columbia County, Hood River County, Multnomah County, Washington County, and Yamhill County have the highest FHA mortgage borrowing limits in Oregon. How to determine if a conforming, jumbo, or FHA mortgage is right for youAn FHA mortgage is a government-backed loan with more lenient eligibility requirements than conforming loans.

The Buffalo Airport, which has been closed since Dec. 23, was expected to reopen on Wednesday morning, according to a tweet. A little more than 1,400 energy customers in New York state were without power Wednesday morning — amounting to only 0.02% of the state — according to PowerOutage.us. Storms to batter the West CoastMeanwhile, a total of five separate storm systems will impact the West through next Monday. Oregon State Parks announced emergency closures for Ecola and Cape Meares because of high winds and the potential for falling trees. Colusa and Mendocino counties had 650 and just over 700 power outages as of Wednesday morning, respectively, according to PowerOutage.us.

The global job cuts at the London-headquartered bank will fall across several business units and geographical locations and result in the loss of at least 200 positions, mostly with the title of Chief Operating Officer (COO), the sources said. HSBC, which used to position itself as the world's local bank, employs many COOs because country and business lines have their own separate COO, the sources said. The lender has been shrinking its sprawling global business for several years, downsizing in many regions and exiting some countries entirely as it tries to improve shareholder returns. The initiative, codenamed Project Banyan, follows HSBC's last major redundancy plan in 2020, which targeted up to 35,000 job cuts globally across all staffing levels. Three separate sources confirmed job cuts were underway, as HSBC joins a chorus of other western banks axing staff as a bleak global economic outlook weighs on business, consumer and investment banking revenues.

☆ Fact Check-New Hampshire officials say reporting error for U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan votes was due to typo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A typo - not election fraud - caused inaccurate vote totals to be reported in Coos County in New Hampshire for U.S. The New Hampshire Department of State details election results by county and reported that Hassan received a total of 332,193 votes against Bolduc’s 275,928 votes (select excel beside “United States Senator”) (here). Maggie Hassan Wins 1,100 Votes from Town with Population Under 700” and said: “These days we elect dead people and more votes are casted than there are people! The town referenced in the article is Columbia, in Coos County, which has a population of 659 according to the 2020 U.S. Census (here). While the New Hampshire Secretary of State originally reported that Maggie Hassan received 1,106 votes in Columbia, Coos County, state and town officials told Reuters it was due to a typo and the number has since been corrected.

☆ Chief revenue and sales officers can earn up to $290,000 in a startup. Here's what the roles involve — and the key skills you need to land them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Nina Anika Klotz | Nathan Rennolds | Business Insider Deutschland | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chief revenue and sales officers are C-suite executives who are in charge of sales and marketing. Simon Vogt is a cofounder and the chief sales officer, or CSO, of &Charge, an electric-mobility startup. "I've always liked working with people," Sascha Koppe, the chief revenue officer, or CRO, of 1Komma5°, a climate-technology startup, said. She told Insider that CROs focus on sales, marketing, and customer service. Salaries"Regardless of the title, revenue board roles in sales, marketing, or growth are compensated much like CEOs and COOs," van Hettinga said.

☆ Cryptovoxels is an artist-dominated metaverse featuring wearable blunts and eclectic locales like the Temple of Doge. Here's why OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer named it one of his favorite growing NFT proje
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-25 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

As the self-described "first non-engineer hire" to join Cryptovoxels, Robinson was brought on to fix these kinds of user nuisances. As part of the next rollout of features, Robinson tells me that Cryptovoxels will allow users to sell custom dances. According to Robinson, users can make money in other ways, like selling mini-game scripts and renting land for events like dances or NFT collection releases. For some reason, the Cryptovoxels world is also abundant with shrines, like the ancient Greece-inspired Frenetik Temple and the Jedi-themed Dark Junction. It's reminiscent of attending a presentation in the real world, except instead of pinning name tags to our shirts, they're superimposed over our heads in large white letters.

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