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Business Pants

Business Pants

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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.

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  • Goldman wipes DEI, AI will wipe white collar work, platforms censor ICE critics, and merit is a gaslight

    Goldman wipes DEI, AI will wipe white collar work, platforms censor ICE critics, and merit is a gaslight
    Feb 20 2026
    The scary (Dystopia)Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AIAI Will Destroy Millions of White Collars Jobs in the Coming Months, Andrew Yang Warns, Driving Surge of Personal BankruptciesRing cancels Flock deal after dystopian Super Bowl ad prompts mass outrageAmazon and Flock Safety have ended a partnership that would’ve given law enforcement access to a vast web of Ring cameras. The decision came after Amazon faced substantial backlash for airing a Super Bowl ad that was meant to be warm and fuzzy, but instead came across as disturbing and dystopian.Ring’s Founder Knows You Hated That Super Bowl Ad. Since the commercial aired, Jamie Siminoff has been trying to quell an outcry over privacy concerns with his doorbell cameras.Platforms bend over backward to help DHS censor ICE critics, advocates say MMAnthropic is clashing with the Pentagon over AI useAnthropic’s relationship with the Department of Defense is “under review” as the two sides negotiate over how the company’s AI models can be used.The startup wants assurance that its models will not be used for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.The DOD wants to use Anthropic’s models “for all lawful use cases” without limitationDavid Sacks, the venture capitalist serving as the administration’s AI and crypto czar, has accused Anthropic of supporting “woke AI” because of its stance on regulation.Our Big Data OverlordsMeta Begins $65 Million Election Push to Advance A.I. AgendaMark Zuckerberg faces jury in landmark trial over alleged youth harm linked to social mediaThe lawsuit, K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al., was filed by a 20-year-old California woman identified by her initials. She alleges that Meta and other tech companies deliberately engineered their platforms to hook young users, contributing to her depression and suicidal thoughts, and seeks to hold them accountable.Regarding Instagram’s enforcement efforts, plaintiffs asked whether Meta removed all 4 million under-13 users the company had identified on the platform in 2018. Zuckerberg responded that while the company did not remove all of them, it had implemented tools to detect and address underage accounts and was working to improve those systems.According to reports, Zuckerberg has not directly answered the central question of the case: whether Instagram is addictive. The plaintiff’s attorney, Mark Lanier, asked if people tend to use something more if it’s addictive. “I’m not sure what to say to that,” Zuckerberg said. “I don’t think that applies here.”He said he believes in the “basic assumption” that “if something is valuable, people will use it more because it’s useful to them.”When he was asked about his compensation, Zuckerberg said he has pledged to give “almost all” of his money to charity, focusing on scientific research. Lanier asked him how much money he has pledged to victims impacted by social media, to which Zuckerberg replied, “I disagree with the characterization of your question.”Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-BansMeta Adding Facial Recognition to Its Smart Glasses That Identifies People in Real Time, Hoping the Public Is Too Distracted by Political Turmoil to Care MMApple sued by West Virginia for alleged failure to stop child sexual abuse material on iCloud, iOS devicesSpaceX said to weigh dual-class IPO shares to empower MuskMacron Blasts Social Media’s Free Speech Defense as ‘Bullshit’The stupid (ESG edition)Goldman Sachs to Drop D.E.I. Criteria for Board Members MMThe move would be the Wall Street firm’s latest retreat from diversity mandates that its chief executive, David Solomon, had once made a priority.The decision is a result of a deal that Goldman struck with the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit group that has been pressuring numerous companies to drop diversity, equity and inclusion mandates, the people said.As part of its agreement with Goldman, the National Legal and Policy Center, which has a small investment in the bank, withdrew a shareholder proposal demanding that diversity criteria for the board be dropped.In March 2019, Mr. Solomon, his top deputy John Waldron and the firm’s chief financial officer at the time, Stephen M. Scherr, declared diversity and inclusion “a top priority.”“When we unite around a common goal, we make progress together,” the men wrote in an email to the staff. They said they would “improve each year” toward goals that included a new recruiting class comprising “50 percent women, 11 percent Black professionals and 14 percent Hispanic/Latino professionals in the Americas, and 9 percent Black professionals in the U.K.”The next year, Mr. Solomon said Goldman would no longer take a company public in the United States or Europe unless it had at least one “diverse” board member. By 2021, a company would need at least two diverse board members in...
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    1 Std.
  • 2026 continues the bro-IPOs, plus OpenAI’s curious sexual discrimination firing

    2026 continues the bro-IPOs, plus OpenAI’s curious sexual discrimination firing
    Feb 11 2026
    The 2026 IPO Quiz: Since January 1, 2026How many companies?20How many total founders?34How many female founders?2: Cassandra Curtis and Jennifer GarnerHow many companies have female founders?1: Once Upon a FarmHow many companies with only female founders?0Once Upon a Farm: J. Garner, J. Foraker, C. Curtis, A. RazCo-founded in 2015 by Cassandra Curtis and Ari RazIn 2017, Jennifer Garner joined as a co-founder and “Chief Brand Officer”, alongside CEO John ForakerMost represented industry?Healthcare (5), including Pharma, Biotech, and AI Biotech How many are already down from their offer price (as of 10:45am)?17How many female chairs?1: Shoushana Ohanessian: VenHub GlobalHow many female CFOs?1: Cantor Equity VI: Jane Novak (F)How many female CEOsZeroHow many directly associated with Epstein Island?1: Cantor Equity VI: Cantor was founded over 75 years ago and was led by Howard W. Lutnick from 1992 until February 2025 when he became the United States Secretary of CommerceSon Brandon G. Lutnick CEO/ChairTrump Commerce Sec. Lutnick admits visiting Epstein island during family vacationHow many boards have ZERO male directors?ZEROHow many boards of zero female directors?Only six!How many with one? Only six!How many boards with at least 30% women? 4AgomAb Therapeutics 2/6 33%Green Circle Tech 2/5 40%Once Upon a Farm 4/9 44% (CEO/Chair, CFO, Nominating Committee chair, Compensation Committee chair = MEN)VenHub GlobalTotal percentage of women?18%BONUS HEADLINES QUIZKraft Heinz pauses work to split the company as new CEO says ‘challenges are fixable’What were the two new companies?Strategic Flavor Holdings Co. and North Atlantic Provisions Co.Global Taste Elevation Co. and North American Grocery Co.North Atlantic Snack Holdings and Strategic Grocery Development GroupInternational Flavor Solutions Co. and United Continental Grocery Co.Universal Taste Logistics Co. and North American Food Alignment Co.Proxy Voting: Asset Managers Increased Their Support for Management in 2025What percentage of management resolutions did the Big Three index managers support in the 2025 proxy year? Hint, it’s up 3% since 2023.99% (98.7%), up from 96% in 2023Top 10 U.S. asset managers in 2025? 98%Top 50 U.S. asset managers in 2025? 96%What percentage of shareholder resolutions did the Big Three index managers support in the 2025 proxy year? Hint, it’s down 1.5%.7.5%True or False: in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, A google lawyer said this to Jurors yesterday: “It’s not social media addiction when it’s not social media and it’s not an addiction.”True or False: xAI cofounder Jimmy Ba, the second cofounder [Tony Wu] to depart xAI in less than 48 hours, said this yesterday: "It's time to recalibrate my gradient on the big picture. 2026 is gonna be insane and likely the busiest (and most consequential) year for the future of our species."According to a new report from the WSJ, why did OpenAI fire Executive Ryan Beiermeister?sexual discriminationWhat’s the story behind the story?Ryan Beiermeister, one of OpenAI’s top safety executives, a vice president leading OpenAI’s product policy team, was accused of sexual discrimination against a male employee after she voiced opposition to the controversial rollout of AI erotica in its ChatGPT product saying that she opposed adult mode, worried it would have harmful effects for users, and that she believed OpenAI’s mechanisms to stop child-exploitation content weren’t effective enough, and that the company couldn’t sufficiently wall off adult content from teens.Beiermeister started a peer-mentorship program for women at OpenAI in early 2025.
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    46 Min.
  • Epstein (non)accountability, Disney’s shiny CEO toy, Nike vs. EEOC, Texas oil blacklist is illegal

    Epstein (non)accountability, Disney’s shiny CEO toy, Nike vs. EEOC, Texas oil blacklist is illegal
    Feb 6 2026
    Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE.Story of the Week (DR):Epstein: The tech brosReid Hoffman (2,658 Files)Bill Gates (2,592 Files)Peter Thiel (2,281 Files)Elon Musk (1,116 Files)Kimbal too (100+ files)Larry Page (314 Files)Sergey Brin (294 Files)Mark Zuckerberg (282 Files)Jeff Bezos (196 Files)Eric Schmidt (193 Files)Epstein: the lack of US-based corporate fallout MMHead of firm founded by Mandelson to quit after Epstein releasesBenjamin Wegg-Prosser, the chief executive of the lobbying firm co-founded with Peter Mandelson, has announced his resignation after information in the Jeffrey Epstein files detailed apparent links between the company and the convicted sex offender.‘Ignore It.’ How the Elite Consoled Jeffrey Epstein Over His Crimes.A Revolt Inside Paul Weiss Over the Epstein Files Took Down Brad KarpOn Wednesday, an exclusive group of 10 or so Paul Weiss partners met unbeknown to their longtime chairman, Brad Karp, to discuss whether he could continue to lead the law firm.The partners, who manage the firm and refer to themselves as the “Deciding Group,” were grappling with the release of new emails suggesting Karp had a more extensive relationship with Jeffrey Epstein than they realized, including in the months before the convicted sex offender’s death. Karp led one of the country’s biggest law firms for 18 years and had survived a maelstrom less than a year ago when he struck a first-of-its-kind settlement with President Trump on his firm’s behalf. He wouldn’t survive a second controversy as the firm’s leader. World Economic Forum investigates its CEO over Epstein linksCEO Borge BrendeWasserman Group CEO issues public apology after being mentioned in Epstein filesCasey WassermanPeter Attia, longevity doctor named in Epstein files, no longer listed on advisory board on sleep tech company's websiteBut still at CBS: but Bari Weiss hates cancel cultureElon Musk announces SpaceX’s acquisition of AI startup xAIRecord-Breaking $1.25 Trillion ValuationGoal: Orbital AI Data CentersConsolidation of the "Muskonomy"DisneyJosh D’Amaro (Incoming CEO): Currently the Chairman of Disney Experiences (Parks and Resorts), D’Amaro will officially become CEO on March 18, 2026, following the Annual Shareholder Meeting. He is a 28-year Disney veteran credited with driving the $36 billion revenue growth in the parks segment.Disney's next CEO often dresses like Bob Iger. Is it a good idea to copy your boss's style?Dana Walden (New President & CCO): In a historic move, Walden (formerly Co-Chair of Disney Entertainment) has been named President and Chief Creative Officer. Reporting directly to D'Amaro, she will oversee the creative direction of the entire company, ensuring brand consistency across all storytelling platforms.Same Old Disney: Woke Exec Elevated to Top Position as ‘Head Storyteller’Bob Iger (Senior Advisor): Iger will step down as CEO on March 18 but will remain as a Senior Advisor and Board Member until his formal retirement on December 31, 2026, to ensure an "orderly transition."PayBase SalaryTarget BonusAnnual EquityOne-Time AwardTotal Year 1Josh D’Amaro$2.5M$6.25M$26.25M$9.7M$44.7MDana Walden$3.75M$7.5M$15.75M$5.26M$32.26MGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Judge rules Texas anti-ESG law is unconstitutionalMM: 38% of Companies’ Emissions Trajectories Are Aligned with Global Climate Goals: MSCIAssholiest Triggeringiest of the Week (MM):Nike among the first targeted by EEOC for DEI activity DRThe charge: Specifically, on May 24, 2024, EEOC Commissioner (now Chair) Andrea R. Lucas issued Charge No. 551-2024-04996, alleging that Respondent NIKE may have violated Title VII “by engaging in a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against White employees, applicants, and training program participants in hiring, promotion, demotion, or separation decisions (including selection for layoffs); internship programs; and mentoring, leadership development, and other career development programs.”This is crazy to me: EEOC counsel signatory GWENDOLYN YOUNG REAMS - a black woman who signed off on this lawsuit was the subject of an entire article on the amazing power of Title VII for the civil rights movement in July of 2024. Reams has been at EEOC since 1972, and Biden made her acting general counsel.Trump took over, appointed Andrea Lucas as chair who DEMOTED Reams to Associate General Counsel to make room for Catherine Eschbach, a Federalist Society who has SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE AT A LAW FIRM who got her Bachelor’s in 2010 and her law degree in 2015 (a whole 10 years experience!), but had this to say upon her appointment: “President Trump made clear in his executive order on eliminating DEI that EO 11246 had facilitated federal contractors adopting DEI practices out of step with the requirements of our Nation’s civil rights laws and that, with the rescission of EO 11246, ...
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    1 Std.
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