Business Pants – 2023-03-10

Live. That's not very excited. Hey, oh hey, live from your ESG toothbrush holder. It's a business pants Friday. Show here at the March 9th. No, March 10th Studios. How do I get that wrong? Featuring Ari the data Queen. Jesse the money Whisperer. And Bs man Matti. Who was not technically here with us, but has he's remote. Where is he a conference? Is he sent in his tape, he's turned into an nft. On today's weekly wrap-up. Walgreens sucks. Yeah, Florida sucks. Wow, the Portuguese government doesn't suck. They're the only ones not sucking right now and that's all I have. I don't know. Oh cheese. Are you coming? We need you to come in strong for this one. You get yours up today. Ari. All right, you ready? Yeah. Let's get to it. The story of the week. Walgreens won't sell abortion pills even in states, where abortion is technically still illegal. This is not across the entire country, this isn't 20 some odd State and the Republican states, the red States, let's be clear. Is this the only drug that refusing to sell now? Great question actually I don't know maybe there. Are they gonna cut cold medicine next? Eventually, right. Because like, like God, take care of your cold. Yeah, allergy meds. That's not excellent. If you have allergies, that's not excellent. You Governor Newsom of California has already responded saying that we are done ending a 54 million dollar contract with Walgreens, doesn't Walgreens have a female CEO, what the heck is going on. So, we covered this extensively on Monday is actually a fascinating situation. A fascinating to me, only, I looked at her now, that's why I know, like this. That's why, well, this this actually proves to me, the our data board saber metrics, which is for sale, and we'll soon be available on some kind of public platform. This proves to me that it is effective. I looked at our data and the data told me that this the CEO is Roz Brewer, and the data that I was looking at told me that there was a majority female influence on the board of Walgreens and I, I just couldn't believe it. I everything my life is left to at this point told me that it can't be possible that the majority of influence in this board is women and they may just terrible decision. So I kept staring at it because I just didn't believe it. And then I started to dig into it and I noticed and re helped me out with this. We noticed and error a data error from one of our data vendors. And as it turns out, I was right. My Spidey Sense was accurate. We fixed the error. It was a error about the shareholdings of the chairs Stefano Pacino and as it turns out, he controls the influence on This board by a wide margin one. Italian, man, controls the influence at Walgreens. He is Walgreens. He is Walgreens refusing to sell this pill and beyond that, he has so much power that he. There's a very strange situation at Walgreens where he's actually married to the CEO. I've never seen that before. I can't believe HR allowed that, right? So he has an unusual amount of influence at this company and I'm glad that I didn't just take the data at face value. And I'm glad that my intuition about male versus female leadership is accurate because this, this told me something anyway, that's what our data showed us is that there is a man, Italian man in charge of Walgreens. I don't, that's the first story was big enough this week and women's and women's bodies, I guess too to boot in those 20 States, I agree with you. Ari the outrage around, this issue is not nearly large enough, just like the outrage around another issue. In one of my stories of the week about female leadership, another point that I don't get why there's not more outraged about, but I'll get to that in a second. Also we really broke this down on the newsletter so if you're interested, you got to sign up. Yeah, because I agree. We're breaking down the date and some really cool ways for once. All agree with you Jesse because nobody else has picked up on this side, note of this story, they either just talk about Walgreens as this nameless entity, or they refer to Roz Brewer, or is making the decision, but I think we're proving here. It's a little bit more complicated than that. For sure number two, story of the week. This is another nerdy one in our kind of wheelhouse Boeing CEO. Dave Calhoun, he missed his 7 million dollar bonus completely missed it. Oh but still got a raise. This is the state of CEO pay in this country. Still got raised again remarkable. I just mind blowing to me. I love CEO tears. Why did he miss the 7 million dollar bonus report on this check? Yes, just terrible. Yeah, they missed the prophet they got a raise. They missed talking about like Billy in. Yeah, he truly his job and this is the I mean profit, right? That's the one thing that most people can agree on seems important prophet and he got a raise. Okay. Well, so they were like, we're taking your bonus way, but don't worry, but but what Matt reported on is that they're all interconnected 100% of the board is connected. So, That's why they can't they can't punish their friends like of course it's not all about Matt Jesse. Number three, story of the week. In honor of international, women's day, we had full coverage on Wednesday covering a whole assortment of data. But here are the things that stood out to me, women are. This is one of the headlines. Women are consistently overqualified for top management jobs, but they're still getting shut out. And there's reporting at a Moody's at this gender Piquet app could cost the world economy, seven trillion dollars. What, what does that mean? It means that that wealth disparity is not entering into the economy. Is that way of stating that? I wasn't sure what. That 7 trillion was measuring, if it was measuring impact to companies because they're not getting these qualified people or if it was measuring competition trickling down. Yeah, I imagine it's just it's accumulated. Well, okay. He was 7 trillion dollars is a lot now, do we get people to care about it? Yeah, I don't know that number seems like it would be enough. That's 7% of a total World economy because of the gender pay Gap. This is the one that gets me. I feel like I'm the only one in this ESG world that still is completely triggered by this. The latest data shows that women made up 15% of all S&P 500 named executive officer. So this is the top five highest paid Executives at a company usually including CEO, CFO CEO, so only 15%. And this number has grown, only six percentage points over a 10-year span, wow. And even more disheartening only represent 6% of all CEOs, a number that's grown. Only two percentage points over that same 10 years. I don't get why. This is something that more people aren't just completely triggered by. I find this Absolutely nuts. Yeah, as we have proven here, the data would suggest Ari that women's presence on corporate boards has grown considerably over the last 10 years, I think up to around 30%, now in the US, just but there, but their executive leadership has not grown in our data shows that when you look at the amount of influence they have on these boards, it shows that it's less it's lower than their actual body, calendar actual presence on the board. I think the board boxes being checked. About fraud fraud for every extra woman on the board. Fraud goes down what four percentage points. Yeah, one of these articles mentioned research from Morningstar showing stronger long-term share price performance and lower risk. Among companies in the UK that had greater than 50%, female representation on boards and management teams. It doesn't matter that makes so much sense though. Like, women are like, we have the capacity to look longer term and not just look at what's directly in front of us. Because they have to they've been sort of forced to by our culture. This is this enrages me this, you're right Ivory though. Yes, it shouldn't matter, your right arm as prime minister Trudeau said very well in Canada. When asked why half the cabinet was women? He said it's what did he says like it's 2020 or I don't remember what year that was. He's like it's 2018. I mean what are we talking about here? You're asking me why? Finally my fourth story of the week are just apologies. There's some good apologies. This week, Elon Musk apologizes for mocking and firing a Twitter executive with muscular dystrophies. So this is even for Elon this is this this is like a another level of ugly. On Twitter, he was mocking him on Twitter. So there was a executive in Scandinavia, I believe who couldn't even figure out if he was laid off. And then Elon Musk started to make fun of him for not working and pretending that he was disabled and it was just ugly, it was just nasty, even for Elon, okay? Yeah. And it sounds like a bunch of lawyers told Elon that you should probably apologize for that. Like, even for you, this is ridiculously terrible Congress. We you guys we got to go over this apology because it's bad. Okay, go ahead. I would like to apologize to Halle for my misunderstanding of his situation musk tweeted. It was based on things. I was told that were untrue or in some cases, true but not meaningful. So he's putting the blame entirely on other people that have given him false information. Not on the fact that he, whatever information he was told, he is making fun of someone who is not able-bodied. What? That's not an apology. Elon's version of leadership is truly terrible. It's almost just simply not an apology but also his idea of leadership is that he's okay with the fame. He's okay with the money and the power, but he doesn't feel that he's needs to act like a leader or consult, write his team. His head of HR, whoever to actually care about this situation, he just doesn't, he just simply doesn't care. I mean, I guess that's the takeaway here, who else is apologize? I think Volkswagen said, they're sorry for child carjacking Fiasco. And finally, the Norfolk Southern CEO testified at Congress this week saying he's deeply, sorry for the Ohio train derailment. But yet the reports are that. He's not really giving any specifics how he's actually going to rectify the situation, he's just deeply. Sorry. He also skipped the second town hall meeting this week. Oh, this guy. Was he afraid for his, for his physical safety? Yeah, this time, he didn't mention safety. It, I think the subtext there are, he doesn't really care. Right? Right. Okay. There's the four stories I already have. Matt's vote last Don't tell. Okay. Okay this is my brain with matzo vote. Okay like oh I like the idea of you recognizing that Matt poisoned your brain so International women's day obviously you know, every God every headline was women washed and if you put that in the context of Walgreens being like, we're not gonna sell these abortion pills. And even though abortions legal here, right? Like what it doesn't make any sense. I think the story of the week is the fact that the Walgreens story is not bigger than it should be. Yeah, I like that. So I want to go Walgreens, Okay, I like the Walgreens story as well because I wrote, I've written extensively about it now. Well, through Damien and his address. Yeah, boy, I gotta go with women. I gotta go with the fact that Women made up 15% of named executive officers and that's just six percentage points increase in 10 years. That is unacceptable like It's crazy, Matt's vote, he agrees with you Jesse. Whoo, so we're right Ari and he has a prediction. He says that this is the last International women's day. That anyone talks about the percentage of women in leadership positions because they all buy board sabermetrics and realize women have no power. Those two topics really are intertwined? Are they not? Yes, although it's ironic the irony of it. What Walgreens is led by a woman but then again that our data proves that she doesn't have any influence, it's all yeah, it is intertwined because it's not just putting women into these named positions. Right. That's not enough. We have to actually trust to them to make decisions. So, yes, you know, we gotta, we have to give them the influence as well. So not only that but just having, you know, a woman around doesn't really solve it, right? Having one or two is 2023. And as we proven many many times, women are actually more qualified than men for these positions. So if anything we should be at least at 50/50, right? That's the story of the week. Depressing depressing. Sorry that the non triggered reactions to the stats. Coming out of international women's day, all right. What's next? All right I think I'm up. Yeah. You want to you want to take over good list of the week? Are the data Queen? Of the week. Here we go. Number Portugal CEO fired by government over illegal severance pay. Okay, I haven't followed this one. During a press conference on Monday, Portuguese Finance Minister announced the news of both the CEO and the chairman of TAP Air, which is a state owned Airline, by the way. Okay. Which is why the government could fire them. Sure, we're fired over an incident involving former board member, Alexander Reese and giving her half a million euros in San Francisco. When she resigned with two years left on her contract. Now, This is, this is the ironic part of the story Alexandria Ruiz. She joined, tap are in 2017 and she's described the article as having an active involvement in the airline's restructuring, which including late, which included laying off, 3,000 people and cutting wages in an attempt to return to profit. Now, with two years left of her contract, she was like, okay, 3,000 people, you know, unemployed we're gonna cut your wages, but I want, I don't want to work anymore. So I'm gonna ask for a 1.5 million year Euros in San Francisco. She resigned early before 100 over and asked for servers back in. Wow, that was quite, that's a returning a profit for you. Does the article say why she only has to pay back a half a million at? She was only awarded half a million after negotiations, from one place. Oh, okay. She didn't get the one point five. She didn't get the 1.5. She was Awarded half a million euros and now the government. Stalled this. Made is making her pay back the money and fire. The CEO and chair of table bear. Oh, which I think is, oh, and they're getting fired without getting Severance Bay. They pointed that out in the article, which is pretty cool. And I don't think it happens very often. So what do you think she already used the half mil on? Oh yeah, that sucks. The Italian Italian hand painted kitchen tiles. I guess. This is what happens when your prime minister. Antonio Costa is a member of the Socialist Party. I guess this is. Oh, so that's another story. Thank you. What else you got? Now, we have Illinois, paid leave for all workers. Act is poised to pass. It did pass the Government Chambers. But now the governor has signed and it's going to give paid time off for nearly all workers in the state. This would take a fact Jane first of the coming year and this Law requires employers of any size to provide employees with a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year. That can be used for any reason. Okay, that's the important thing here is just, any reason, it doesn't have to be related to healthcare and this is a victory like I mean, right? Because this is only the third state in the country. That's why, you know, cushy are lives are in these corporate jobs, these office jobs. I think that that the victory here is five, they're getting five flex days essentially like yeah, we're all we're all accustomed to get in these benefits. I mean, just try not to be depressed. Keep going. Sorry. And the Article, they interviewed somebody in the service industry. For example, it was a waitress and, you know, she said in the past, yeah, she's been able to take the time off, you know, if her child was sick, but then she had to work a double the following day to make up for the lack of pay, right? So it will impact a lot of workers in her situation, right. The service industry is huge. So I was a glad for those Illinois workers. Yeah, two things. The governor of Illinois, JB pritzker. We actually, we've talked just her. Yeah, family. Yeah, his sister Penny pritzker came up in one of the one of our who the f is this games, their their heirs to the highest Hotel Fortune. But he had some incredibly stirring Choice words against Walgreens. Oh yeah. Yeah, it sounds like he's English for a higher office in just covering just cares. I mean, you could, look at that way. Is it frustrating though? That we can't tell. I think he doesn't matter. Yeah, that's even. That's even a debate. We're like. But is he actually nice? Does he actually care? The other thing I'm going to add here? Is that I see that one of those other states that offers leave is Main and, and the reason why I bring up not because I live in Maine, but because it comes from our great governor, who is a woman Sweet. I'm just saying that I'm just saying. Look, what happened? Janet Mills. Look what happens. Thank you, Janet. All right. And lastly, I picked this because I'll just read the headline. Oh, I'm glad you picked this one. A GOP war on what? Most Americans view the term as a positive USA Today. If I slash if I don't know how to say it whole finds. So we talked we discuss about the wolf course a lot, right? All these politicians doing all these things, Against. Whoa Investing For example, right? Trying to make it illegal or sue people over it. What in fact, this poll shows that most Americans don't actually view this term as a negative. It says it found that 56% of Americans. Say woke means being aware of social injustice, not being overly politically correct. That means anyway. I don't even know what that means to be overly politically correct. Like like a In the butt, like a stickler for every single thing, right? It just generally means being aware why your weirdness, but, do you know why groups that are systematically picked on become annoying? Because it's a, it's a tactic to, like to claw back. Some rights that so, get over it. This poll. The 56% of Americans does not only include three fourths of Democrats, but more importantly, it's also more than the third of Republicans. Wow, well on that. Here's the, here's the one thing that actually makes me feel good about America. I think it's only one thing left is that I do truly believe that when you get beyond the rhetoric of, you know, the Donald Trump's and the run to Santa's. And if you actually let everybody vote in the country, it's not a lot of people vote. I think by a wide majority, you would see that people do support these types of policies are pro-choice would would not put people. Like, let's not forget the Donald Trump lost the vote to Hillary by three million votes and then lost to Biden by 8 million vote. I just I don't think our country actually is reflective of these types of people despite the world thinking that that's the case. So this does make me feel a little. I'm glad you picked out this one already. Yeah, I like this one. So these are the three tap are seeing some consequences by the government, Illinois, workers, glimpse of Hope and interesting pool from USA Today. And Jesse, you want to go with the poll because I like Illinois, but it's just poised to pass. And there's a whole year for this. Well, eight, ten months for this to go downward. So I'm going with the poll because that's sweet, which you go with the pole. Oh, I see what you're saying. You're going the woke poll, you're feeling you want to feel good about Americans today. I like, yeah, I want to feel good about Americans and I want to feel good about Americans feeling good about ESG and woke next, because that's how we make money that's convincing. Actually, I was gonna go, I was gonna go directly to To TAP Air, Portugal. I mean that doesn't really affect us all that much, it's cool. It's a cool precedent, but he's also a socialist. So yeah, the reason why I'm gonna pick that is just because it's just gonna it's just sort of well, the both. They're both actually very relevant to our show. I don't know. I'm gonna pick that one because it's unusual to see. This like right in our world just never see satisfying. Yeah? Right a CEO. handing over a bullshit severance check to a friend, is something that we Ostensibly complain about constantly. So it is, it's just kind of refreshing to see someone being held responsible for this level of nonsense without severance pay. So, that's my vote. Matt comes in agreeing with me. He says, I love the story, mostly because Ari, with love it. If the tap are board member all. So had to reimburse the money, they won't refund from the pandemic trip. Are we supposed to take? Is that true? Are you? Has heard me on the phone with tap are countless times still test. Claw, my money back. So tap are pleased. If you're listening to this, I'm, you know, Maybe that half mil that Alexander Reece has to return. I can get my 1000 dollars. Well, maybe you should say that again after they pick a new CEO because I don't know who's listening to you right now. They've named a new CEO. Not that I saw an article now. Can you or can you reuse the that money for other travel? There is no money. They'd never gave me money. No. But can you use it as a voucher to go to just go somewhere? Cool. I don't have a voucher if they had not sure I would have been really happy. I have nothing got it, okay. All right. Move. Okay, okay, good leads to the week. CEO actually fired for, you know, handing out money to a crony. Yeah. And for not giving them That money. Moving on as holy is the week. Matt miscarry, he has sent in his tape. What he's where is he? That a conference? That we know. We're gonna plug the conference anyone. Plug it. Does anyone know the natural name of it? He's being a brown today. I know that I don't University friends name. It's ours, as icon ESG data, and regulation panel, good. So if you live in the Providence area, get your butt over there. All right, everybody shut up because it's my turn for asshole of the week. All right, you got three options. First up, it's Stefano pessina. Damian already covered this early of this week, he is the executive chair of Walgreens here. The headlines Walgreens won't sell abortion pills in these states even though abortion is legal there. While greens vows to sell abortion pills, everywhere it legally can vows. While greens mixed messaging on abortion pills landed it in the political Crossfire and it's clarifications may not be enough to avoid a boycott and we're done. California. Governor Gavin Newsom ends 54 million Walgreens contract over abortion pill. Dispute, Walgreens looks like it's run by Ross Brewer and a powerful force of women. Including Janice babiak from Ernst & Young Ginger. Graham from Amherst farmer, Valerie Jarrett from the Obama Foundation. Nancy schlitte. Shing, I can't say that from Henry Ford but it's really run by Stefano pessina. The executive chair who owns 67% of the firms influence, given he owned 17% of the company shares and he's married to an executive at the company and he's been there for 300 years. So If you're angry about Walgreens, abortion stance, send your angry letters to Stefano pessina. Not Roz Brewer. He's the white male billionaire who is likely behind the decision to Cave to the conservative vagina. Hating, American Taliban. Next. Florida again, Florida this time for two reasons. First up is the legislative session. Covered this earlier this week too. In no particular order, concealed carry without a permit or training. That's what they have up for grabs defund, education through school, vouchers, allow death sentences, without unanimous, juries lower legal standards for suing the media restrict abortion more than it already is banned gender studies entirely from public universities prohibit public universities from spending money of any kind on anything that quote espouses diversity equity and inclusion espouses. What if I want to diversify my portfolio does that espouse diversity in my portfolio? Banning entirely diversity in equity programs at public universities? That wouldn't be so surprising. Except they on. Ironically made discriminatory statements about race sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation a category of free speech. So feel free to say the n-word, but do not use a pronoun. That doesn't correspond to quote immutable, biological traits because that is banned. And all. So they're going to extend don't say gay to 8th grade, they're gonna wait for you to hit puberty before. You can't talk about your sexual orientation of any kind. And then the second reason Florida is in the news. Is this headline? DeSantis appointee to new Disney oversight board, suggested tap water could turn people gay. That's right. When the Santa's revoked Disney special status, the municipality is now run by a DeSantis appointed oversight board. And he put on that board. This guy Ron Perry and Orlando based former pastor and CEO of a group called The Gathering, which is a Christian Ministry focused on Outreach to men. A man Gathering man Gathering So that guy thinks tap water can turn you gay amongst other conspiracy theories, there are over 100 large publicly traded companies in Florida, and you only need to get the fuck out of there. Because otherwise, you're just all complicit at this point and third last. Volkswagen. Damien covered last week in our nuggets. That Volkswagen pregnant, mom was run over trying to stop a car theft with the toddler inside, the Carthage was her Volkswagen. And here's what, here's here's the, the not shot while searching for the stolen vehicle. And endangered child Sheriff's detectives were able to call Volkswagen Carnet, which is their GPS tracker and attempt to track the vehicle. Now, remember, there's a 2 year old in the car. Kidnapped. At this point they're trying to track the vehicle officials said there was a delay and Volkswagen Carnet would not track the vehicle with the child inside until they receive payment to reactivate the tracking device in the stolen vehicle. Volkswagen was trying to bribe, someone to find their kidnapped child and the headline this week VW says, sorry for child carjacking Fiasco makes safety service free. Oh sorry, sorry about your Your kidnapped child that we wouldn't track. So there you three options. You've got Stefano pessina Florida again, and again and Volkswagen vote away. He's got really good side, think about that. Just think about that at Volkswagen, I just can't, I can't wrap my head around that one. That's I almost can't deal with, Who Made Who, who made that decision. I think they blamed it on a like a third party vendor that, you know, that the rules were very bureaucracy for you that you had to pay off blah, blah blah. And I think that the third party didn't, you know, didn't override it because blah blah. You know, it's all over, right? It's really difficult for me to choose between that and all of them awful Floridian. This is what that's one of the things that scares me the most about like a capitalist Society because that you have to that you have to pay for things like extra safety. Is always irritated me. I remember there was a service called OnStar. On GM cars. And again, you had to pay if you're in some kind of life threatening crash on Star would help you. But again, you had to pay extra for this. And what worries me is that we're gonna be at a point in the future where you'll have to pay for your fire department, or you have to pay for the police to show off, or maybe you get a better fire department. If, if you have more money or blah, I often think about how insurance doesn't cover ambulance rides. and at which point in my emergency, would I say, okay, should I say 1500 dollars and drive myself to the hospital or should I just call the ambulance? Oh, you know, well, I don't have that thought anymore but yeah, back when I was in college I definitely thought that. Yeah. All right, so those are the three stories. I think Matt is actually better. When he's not here, just sending in tapes. He's, she's more. Yeah, I can't even pick one. Anyone want to, I will I'll vote if no one's ready. I'm gonna say. You know, the Florida thing is just such an utter disaster, but, you know, it's such a disaster and I don't want you to say that. It's just another Florida thing because no, I picked Florida out of the nation. Like, how, what point can we just do that? I'm ready for. I, you know, everyone's bored of hearing me say it up here but I'm ready for New England. We just do taxes while we're at it. Like, here's my point about Florida. Is that technically? It's still part of some kind of democracy. So, you know, these policies are can be affected by the voter. So I don't know how it really I don't know how we cover it here at business pants. It's more seems like more of a political issue, but Matt's, right? If you're a company, maintaining any kind of headquarters in a state like Florida. And you're not either speaking out or doing something or leaving, I don't understand you. And here's the other news I saw yesterday that is even more depressing, is that, Florida is the number one state where people are moving to, oh well, I did. See. A headline that said, it's one of the best to retire, which we obviously have known. But like, why, why would you hateful place like that? What I also know of people that have moved for political reasons out of Florida. Okay. Which well, which should happen, right? But, like all, so if they're all moving out then they're not making change within the state. They're just like, well, this is a disaster. So I don't know. I can't blame them for moving, but it's all like, We need some people to stay and then make true like vote in a quarter. So, that won't be my vote as much as I'm just like, it's Soul. Crushing, they might hate going on down there, but I'll just stick to our The type of stuff we cover our Show Business pants, in our company board, super metrics Etc, and say the asshole. The week is definitely Stefano pessina. This A not only to restrict the use of abortion pills and states where it's legal. But really anywhere I mean, Walgreens just to even just a play this political game. You're you're a Healthcare Company. You know you sell drugs to men and women like how? I don't know, I just that you would stop doing this before the police showed up and the Supreme Court and everyone like restrict putting handcuffs on you to stop selling them that they would preemptively do that. To me is just it's just it's horrifying I'm horrified by it honestly. So that's my vote to find a casino. I agree. Oh well, I'm also agree and I wish I had, we could hear, I mean, was there even a discussion people within Walgreens? How are they not walking out over this? Yes, it's a tough one, right? I think with this is like a problem, a lot of his face in America too because we have sometimes we have so Our choices are so limited right in where I live. I think it's really CVS or Walgreens. I don't know that I have another option. So what, so I'm already preparing, there's a Walgreens, you know, a walk away from me. That's where I get my my that's where I do my Pharmacy nonsense and I'm already gonna, I'm gonna switch out, but What do I do? If CVS joins this or what? Then do I do? I don't even know. I mean anyway, I mean, you sweat you. I mean well yeah, then you're like choosing, whether you go to like Target or Walmart for your Pharmacy, which isn't anything about that? That's true. This there are super I think our henna for. Yeah. Right. I'm about to cover Target in a little while they're not. Okay. Well I guess we need more independent pharmacies as what just he's really trying to say. All right, clean sweep asshole of the week, us to find a casino Walgreens, Jesse. Is of the week. I have I have some good ones. So my first exhausting of exhausting of the week, is kind of a follow-up or a continuation of one of my headlines. Last week, if you recall, I enlightened all of us on how we were wiping ourselves with forever chemicals, in our toilet paper. Okay, well, we laughed about it. We had some fun with it. I gave a recommendation for cleaner, toilet paper, but here's another headline. Dangerous forever. Chemicals were found in turf at the Philadelphia. Phillies old stadium after six former players died of the same cancer investigation. Fine. So there are attributing it directly to that turf. I'll continue. Have to. That death is a serious and likely outcome of these chemicals and they're so new, they're relatively new that like, we're just now seeing studies of what they can do when they accumulate and that's why, you know, were we should be taking this seriously, so it's in Turf again. It's in nonstick, pans pots and pans that were using, it's in tons of beauty products, and personal. Like creams and all of that stuff. So it's in everything. So, anyways, the Philadelphia Inquirer Wanted to investigate this after six players have died from the same cancer. So they bought pieces of astro turf which they could do online. They hired a lab and independent lab to test for 70. Different pifas Polly purr and Polly floral Alkali, substances forever chemicals. They found 16 pee fuzz in the turf so 16 out of the 70 the turf used in the stadium. We're recorded temps are regularly over 100 degrees in the summer, and they're playing a lot of their games during that point could release chemical Vapors that could be inhaled by the players. So it's not a huge jump to say that this is happening especially in these hotter temperatures. So, of course, the fillies, the team responded to the report saying several brain. Cancer, experts have told the organization that there's no proven link, but the rate at which people levels were found in over 500, Philly players who played on the turf for years is three times higher than the average rate, okay? So there is not a direct link there. They have not been able to directly link it because there's not a ton of research on pfas. Like I said, because they're so relatively new to being added to products. But I'm just saying, get off the turf. Stop. Replacing our living breathing Fields our children's filled with Turf because That's happening. Yeah, our high schoolers are playing on Turf now, so stop doing that and stop wiping your ass with PIFA, replace it. You know, there are two things I truly don't understand about sports one. Is that I don't understand how these Rich business owners still get taxpayer dollars to help them build their stupid stadiums. I don't I just I'll forever not understand that one but the second one is the turf. Like I don't I just don't get a general. Why you can't hire a landscaping crew to just like water? The grass and keep it nice. I don't, I don't get the turf and yeah, I because it's also proven to cause more injuries, right? Right. Yeah. All kinds of negative things associated with the turf. I anyway. And like in our town it was this huge thing when we were in high school that our turf are fielders are placed and it's like, okay you're actively destroying a living piece of the earth and putting Turf on it. And now just now we're realizing that having kids Sliding all over. This thing is actually really detrimental to their health. Our skin is super absorbent. So if you think that the chemicals that you're citing all over, there's chemicals coming out of it. It's not affecting you. It most certainly is and they're seeing it with people that are on these turfs day after day after day long-term exposure. So anyways had to follow up on that. This is a new headline and I think that we're just gonna see more and more and more of these studies coming out and I think everyone needs to be very careful about what you're using. You know, it's cool to have nonstick pans but like at what cost and you know there are other Alternatives out there. You just have to do a little bit of searching and a little bit of research. Yeah, just clean this stuff that sticks to your pan off. I'll get off my soapbox now. Know this is your this year entitled to this. So book, you're the exhausting this queen. It's fine. Yeah. So what else next? Next headline is or this is my take Mammoth retailer encourages over consumption by allowing drive up returns. I don't get this one Target in the seriously, so Target is Target is allowing returns to, you know, how during the pandemic, a lot of businesses have the drive up little lands to pick up. I love it now they're allowing returns. But that means that they have to send out an employee to do the work because like you can pick up and it's already bagged and they just bring it out to. But now there's like an exchange of goods or you know. So the headline is that Employees. Target employees. Say they are overworked and dreading the arrival of drive up returns. So somebody is going to hurt or killed doing. Yes. But there are already doing drive up. What, why is it that like, yeah, tell me why it's different than because I have actually used the. I love the very rare times that I have to go to the mall. I hate that. That's way different. I like pulling up and having in this door, they bagol the things they know what's happening. They just give you the thing, right? It's over to you easy, translate they go out there for a return, they have no idea. Like you know, supposedly this is what the customer is saying they're returning. They don't know what they're gonna get there, are you? Yes, that's part of it. They're arguing that it's susceptible to scams and also that they just simply don't have enough staff to be sending like, right? Think about the timing of this. Like, they just don't have enough staff to be sending people out and dealing with all the BS that people are going to try to get away with returning and see, like have been a dream job for me. When I was a teenager, because I would have very, because to go outside, I would have been, I would have a very most of my jobs. I worked in restaurants, typically just the idea that you could go outside and kind of very slowly walked to the car, That's what I would not win. Why people are waiting my? Yeah, true, and my perspective too. Is that like don't you think this promotes laziness and like, yes, sense of like urgency culture that we have that we have like our time is so important and Mindless overconsumption like if we're able to just return things with no consequence and someone comes out and waits on us as we return shit that we bought that we didn't need in the first place, like Target is one of those places that people go. And like swept up and they're like Jesse Target, first of all, I don't I've never understood the. I'm sure you guys have the same down in Connecticut, you know, like your local Duncan with the line is like 25 cars. Deep? How could people don't just pull up and walk in and get the? I don't get that. Like why don't they just get out of line and go, brother coffee. Second thing is I wonder how you can feel about this Jesse doesn't this actually, By showing up to the store with a return but doing it from your car. Isn't this better for the consumer because then they're not they don't have to go into the store. And they might not be drawn to buying more shit, right? Like you want but traffic, right. I don't get why Target wouldn't want to pull them inside to buy more stuff. I think people are chopping Target online now because like they also make it really easy to like write throw stuff in your cart and pick it up. Sure. So I mean who's to say they're not doing that and then also being like, oh, this didn't work well because at least, if you're in the store, wouldn't you think that going in the store actually? I mean, at least you're not because sometimes when you shop online you're like, oh I'll buy two sizes because I don't know what it's gonna be, and I'll just turn it. I'm, I mean, yeah, not me either. I'm just like, you just made that up and just made that up there. But I mean, I don't buy clothes at Target. Absolutely. Oh, look, no, it's not. Oh, dare you. I don't like the labor policies. Anyway. All right. So I hear you. I'm just saying, like, maybe they're just over consuming because they know that they could do the return and the return super easy. Now, someone could wait on them, whatever I'm exhausted by it, I don't know what else exhausted by. Okay, as a social. Were you? Oh my god. What you got? Yeah, I don't know. Okay so there is Has semi new dating app on the scene. We I didn't know about it. Curious, if either of you have heard of it but probably not because it's for Jen's ears, it's called snack. Never, first of all, that's the name of that. That's okay. So snatch is one of the snack. Yeah, newer dating apps released in 2021 and snack, is jumping on the AI bandwagon and allowing users to create AI, trained avatars of themselves and this Avatar will go out into snacks. Virtual dating world to chat with other users and then if you're Avatar thinks, it could be a match making this decision for you. It comes back and reports to you so that you can decide to start real humidity here conversation. But how is this different than just matching up your likes and dislikes, is it just like a cutesy way of doing that? I don't know, I the fact that you could train an avatar and think that it's going to be an actual representation of you and also bypass. So, here's my take on this. Sure connection is essential for human beings. Essential there have been tons of studies recently, especially after the pandemic showing that social connection. Is a greater lack of social connection is a greater detrimental health and obesity smoking high blood pressure Etc. You know why am I stuck out here in this this office? Well you're an introvert. You might need a little less than most going into the office. You're gonna, you're gonna see you'll see when you come visit us for two days you're gonna be like, I need to do this more often. A lot of us, I'm not going to, but also here's my other. Take vulnerability is essential too like having to put yourself out there and initiate dating and go on a first date. Like this is important like read some Bernie Brown and you'll know how important vulnerability is to your development. In fact, brene, if you're listening, please go to snack and work with these Founders and fix this. That's right. That's my call Jesse. Let me ask you, have you ever did you ever used dating apps? know, I, you're not even the right, I have and this is just too like, weed the The Duds, right? Like this is what this is supposed to do weed. The Duds weed, the really? Yeah, I mean, what's on their profile? But Ari, what if you are a dud, what if you could imagine that 90% of the people are dud? So don't, aren't they allowed to date each other? How about avatars, how do you trust your avatar? Like, I just don't, I find just really interesting. How can you are in convo with them and read them out? People have those during the time I agree having FaceTime like first date facetimes and then you go outside somewhere and you date. Cool. That's great. A way to automate that, right? Like this is how interest this, you know, like This is so crazy to me. Do you get to do? You get to see the that interaction? Do they send you the video of that? Well, I don't know how it works but it says they go out. You train them. They go out and they like to avatars go back to you. Two and again cars are going into this virtual reality. God knows what they're having some exchange and then they're reporting back to you. Oh, I think this is a match based on how you trained me. I love words. It's worth your time. I love what just freaking try it. Our time is, not that freaking valuable. Do you? That's what Jesse says because she's never tried dating apps like Okay Cupid. When it was like a thing like back in college but I was in college. I was meeting people. Organically. What ever? Write exactly. Just so charismatic, this doesn't mean I went on, I went on a couple dates based on it and guess what? They were a little weird and a little uncomfortable but I learned about I learned more about myself and what I didn't want and now it was important, no offense to college students but to use a dating app at College. I mean you can't you can't meet people. It was a very end. We were feeling sad about graduating. I don't know. Don't Ask. But anyways, I don't think, I don't know this one. Are you gonna start the boat? Because I don't think you like this one. I like this one. I don't know why I think. full, spend a lot of time going on really bad first dates and having those, you know, Connection facetimes, and people get frustrated. And you know, But why you try this out? Why not, why should they be going on a bad? First Dates? If they're, if they're picking people from like their context, like, from like that? They, you know, that they know have similar interests. I don't understand. I think so. There's because they're dating randomly people know, like, on paper you look a certain way and dads will go Avatar people, right? And people will like, will train your their avatars falsely too and they'll get through, but right. I think, I think this is interesting. Anyway, what's your vote? What do you exhausted by? I am so exhausted, by drive up returns, really? Yeah, that really bothers me. That's, that are giving people brain. Oh, Jesse, I'm gonna help you out. I, that's what I'm exhausted by. I'm this the whole. Yeah, and FDA is just not protecting. I can't even talk about this because this whole cancer called the not cancel, culture, the cancer culture. That's the only Important one is the cancer culture because the cancer culture does not exist, but this whole cancer culture created from things like this and the additives in our food. Yeah, it's I'm exhausted by its terrible. Terrible. That's my vote. So my husband's employer is a jet engine manufacturer and he's been doing. He's been involved with testing recently and people whose full-time job is to like set up the engines for tests and stuff. Like people who are very close to that engines running. Yeah. Five of them have died from the same cancer. Oh, pancreatic are you supposed to be talking about this on air? I don't know, I didn't say where he worked. She doesn't have an NBA worked at the public library in Springfield, Massachusetts. When he told me that it was like, well, is that company doing anything to Like testing and I guess they're not. You better lock your doors tonight. Matt bow is, you'll be happy to hear. Jesse is the social media the snack. So, yeah, I would say that this is right. All right, we're right says that this is more exhausting. The oh, he says, what is more exhausting? Is that? The founder is a woman and it feels like she's Tech growing out to compete. That's his wife, she created it because she sick of sifting through the dead Jessie. What what? We have a three-way tie? What is the most? I gotta go pee fuzz on this guy. Oh, check your toilet papers. So before we get out of here, let me sum up. The most exhausting story is the all the Plastics, all the chemicals to the weeks to follow over a Walgreens taking away women's abortion pills goodness of the week, the government of Portugal, firing the CEO of TAP Air for a little Will Severance handout and the story of the week, all the data coming out of international women's day, that no one really seems to pay attention to, unfortunately. I don't know why you wouldn't pay attention to that stuff before we get out of here. Does anybody have any winners of the week? Ah, this week, man, I don't have any Jesse me because I'm engaged. Oh, I win Damien doesn't doesn't care for this. No, I do care about this, but the odd thing is that I already knew like a month ago, she was getting married. So when she told me this week that she was engaged, I was really confused quite honestly. So you've been calling Rob? My husband for like months, so that's right. But I also was sort of and we've been talking about your wedding plans. Yeah, I know we've been discussing getting married but it's still fun and exciting to be surprised with a proposal, right? But I don't understand how you feeling a wedding before the proposal. How were you before the proposal designing? The Saying so the ring took a little time okay whatever I don't understand and we had the trip planned the trip already existed Matt's winner of the week is CEO Boeing. Dave Calhoun who reported is getting a raise despite completely missing out on his annual bonus. Be completely mediocre and get a cool day, cool. My winner of the week is I say with a question mark, I don't know what's gonna happen, but I'm saying maybe at CVS, I'm like, waiting to see what happens here for CVS and that gets us to our predictions. My prediction is that I'm hoping this is like a hopeful prediction. Usually I don't do these. Is that CVS CEO Karen Lynch says something or does something like in the right direction here? I according to our data, despite the fact that Karen Lynch is a CEO CVS, the overall influence at the board there is still only 33% female, but this is better than Walgreens where it's not controlled by a single man. So there's some hope over there at CBS all so, I wanted to point out that she's a trustee at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and Hartford, that's where you. So maybe a few weeks ago, yeah, maybe you can go back and find her and tell her to do the right thing. Yeah so that's my permission. I will read Matt's prediction It says, in 2027. When Dave Calhoun turned, 70 Boeing will vote to make the mandatory minimum retirement age for CEOs, 120 years old and give Calhoun a 72 billion dollar retention bonus, so that he'll stay on the CEO after he's dead. I like that Boeing's boardroom effectively becomes a sequel to Weekend at Bernie's. That's Matt's prediction Jessie. My prediction is that Mackenzie Scott's gonna sweep in and save East Palestine because obviously Norfolk Southern interests going to interesting? Yeah, yet again, a woman saving the day. I predict that Target will roll out this drive up, return stuff, and cancel it after his a total disaster before we get out of here. If you haven't listened to the two show, the business pants corporate theater, they do a, they actually cover Target Corporation. They have a pretty ridiculous sketch about the gift card scams going over there at Target featuring a really funny phone call between the Target CEO and his mother. So, if you haven't checked out download Tuesday's episode, that's it. That's the show. Anyone else have anything they want to say? No. Someone say goodbye for us because I hate saying goodbye someone take it over for me. Come on. Just Thanks for listening. Sunday. Whispered David braless and me are the data Queen. Oh and Matt through through voice drop. Bye everybody.