10.27.05

The Futility of “Just Voting ‘No’” – October 27, 2005

Posted in Blogroll at 2:21 pm

Yesterday I received a breakdown of the votes cast in the News Corp. AGM. Of the 1,029,579,988 shares eligible to be voted, more than 816 million were voted, but more than 552 million of these were cast on behalf of the controlling group of Rupert Murdoch with his ally the Saudi prince Al Walid, and sometime rival John Malone adding his support. Of the minority shareholders, 264 million shares were voted, with from 43% to 51% voting to 'Withhold' from the four directors and 62% voting against Read more [...]

10.24.05

News Corp: Written in Wind and Running Water- October 24, 2005

Posted in Blogroll at 2:29 pm

Over 2,000 years ago, the Latin poet Catullus, betrayed by his mistress, made the sour observation that "what a woman in passion tells her lover should be written in wind and running water." Down through the centuries, many lovers of both sexes, disappointed by promises unkept, have echoed these sentiments. Nonetheless, it took deliberate action on the part of all the Common Law legislatures—so-called "heartbalm statutes"—to make such lovers' promises unenforceable at law. But now Read more [...]