A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Darth Sidious]

and even Cars 2 made quite a bit of money

Yup, I was going to add that it was really the only critically unsuccessful movie. To the contrary of the post I quoted it was widely believed to be lambasted because it was a sequel. Pixar should do original content and the occasional sequel if they have a truly amazing story.

 

[Reddog]

Is there a menu available to view yet for the place?

 

[wdisney9000]

Again, I know this is part of the "larger issue", but I feel like the bigger picture is being missed by focusing on... literally just a maybe missing picture.

Why not focus on the missing 800 million dollars instead?

If there is no picture of Iger in front of a completed SDL, then sure, I'll raise my brow. But he'll be there plastered on the media circuit, just like always.

I added some captions that truly capture the moment.

 

[WildcatDen]

That was almost heaven if you had said West Virginia!

When I think West Virginia, only one thing comes to mind. . . Ned Beatty. Nuff Said. . .

 

[WildcatDen]

I look nothing like dolly parton. But i can cover Jolene if you'd like.

Is that the name of the left one or the right one?

 

[PhotoDave219]

When I think West Virginia, only one thing comes to mind. . . Ned Beatty. Nuff Said. . .

I prefer gator to deliverance.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

No, I'm sure you don't. I'm also sure you haven't been actively trying to get Bob Iger's wife removed from her position at USC. You likely live a far different life than I do ... that's fine. But if you don't believe that Fortune 500 companies can and do gain access to computers of those they feel are threatening their interests, then ... well you are just plain naive and nothing that I or anyone else says will make a difference.

But you harass the family members of Disney staff. Trying to do as much damage as possible in their professional environment. Libelling and slandering not merely Disney employees, but their relatives. To their colleagues, students, competitors. And yet Disney sues neither you nor this website (hope Steve's got a good legal insurance!). That should show TWDC does not care. So why would they commit grave felonies to keep track of your posts here?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Disney is not alone. In 2014, S&P 500 companies spent over $550 billion on stock buybacks.

Cash rich companies used to invest in research & development, new technologies, and capital projects, creating millions of jobs in the process. Now companies spend those hundreds of billions buying back their own stock, effectively stuffing that cash in a mattress.

You want to know why Wall Street is booming while the middle class is struggling?

Look no further than stock buybacks.

Are the stock buyback increases by TWDC below or above the overall increase in stock buybacks for S&P 500 companies? Or at least for comparable corporations.

Also, if TWDC stock buyback follows a general trend, which it apparently does, then the comparison between Eisner and Iger is rendered meaningless, both merely acting in line with common practices, responding to broader economic and financial realities.

 

[asianway]

But you harass the family members of Disney staff. Trying to do as much damage as possible in their professional environment. Libelling and slandering not merely Disney employees, but their relatives. To their colleagues, students, competitors. And yet Disney sues neither you nor this website (hope Steve's got a good legal insurance!). That should show TWDC does not care. So why would they commit grave felonies to keep track of your posts here?

It's not libel or slander if it's true.

 

[ford91exploder]

Are the stock buyback increases by TWDC below or above the overall increase in stock buybacks for S&P 500 companies? Or at least for comparable corporations.

Also, if TWDC stock buyback follows a general trend, which it apparently does, then the comparison between Eisner and Iger is rendered meaningless, both merely acting in line with common practices, responding to broader economic and financial realities.

The buybacks from TWDC far exceed the usual levels of buybacks on any of the major indexes, TWDC has repurchased over 25% of outstanding shares since Iger assumed the helm.

This keeps the stock 'looking' good on a EPS basis but a more realistic picture would be EPS during Eisner years vs EPS during Iger with the repurchases normalized so EPS during the each executive's tenure could be realistically compared.

 

[Phil12]

But to get even on Disney staff you harass their family members. Trying to do as much damage as possible in their professional environment. Libelling and slandering relatives of TWDC staff to their colleagues, students, competitors. And yet Disney sues neither you nor this website (hope Steve's got a good legal insurance!). That should conclusively proof TWDC does not care. So why would they hack any computers to keep track of your posts here?

Let's assume for a moment that a computer hacker has intruded upon my system. What's the worse they could do? How could they "shut me up" as Spirit has said? They could cause my hard drive to fail, they could use encryption based ransom-ware to extort money from me, they could silently spy on me and gain information such as my contacts, credit card numbers and steal my identity and they could redirect my computer connections to prevent me from logging on to my favorite sites.

Why would a Fortune 500 company engage in felonious cybercrime to gain such trivial information? They would know that simple regular backups of my hard drives would prevent all of the above scenarios except for the identity theft. If a Fortune 500 company stole my identity, what would they do with it? Would they sign me up for an endless number of useless magazine subscriptions? Would they steal all the money in my meager bank account? Would they redirect the DVD's I get from the Disney Movie Club to one of Bob Iger's super secret retirement homes?

Call me naïve if you wish but cybercrime is serious and I don't think any Fortune 500 company would risk their reputation or the criminal penalties to track some anonymous source that speculates about all manner of unsubstantiated improprieties.

 

[Phil12]

It's not libel or slander if it's true.

But if it is not supported by accurate facts it may not be protected speech.

 

[ford91exploder]

Let's assume for a moment that a computer hacker has intruded upon my system. What's the worse they could do? How could they "shut me up" as Spirit has said? They could cause my hard drive to fail, they could use encryption based ransom-ware to extort money from me, they could silently spy on me and gain information such as my contacts, credit card numbers and steal my identity and they could redirect my computer connections to prevent me from logging on to my favorite sites.

Why would a Fortune 500 company engage in felonious cybercrime to gain such trivial information? They would know that simple regular backups of my hard drives would prevent all of the above scenarios except for the identity theft. If a Fortune 500 company stole my identity, what would they do with it? Would they sign me up for an endless number of useless magazine subscriptions? Would they steal all the money in my meager bank account? Would they redirect the DVD's I get from the Disney Movie Club to one of Bob Iger's super secret retirement homes?

Call me naïve if you wish but cybercrime is serious and I don't think any Fortune 500 company would risk their reputation or the criminal penalties to track some anonymous source that speculates about all manner of unsubstantiated improprieties.

They could put a rootkit on your system so they would have credentials for ALL your accounts and access to all of your financial information, You FAR underestimate what a competent hacker can do, Just imagine your retirement cashed out and the proceeds wire transferred to the Russian Federation or any other place beyond the reach of law enforcement. Oh and the best part about that is you would be liable for the taxes on that theft, IRS does not care that it was cashed out by a theif - only that it was cashed out.

 

[ford91exploder]

But if it is not supported by accurate facts it may not be protected speech.

If it was not Disney's lawyers would have been here long ago with a C&D for Steve

 

[Nubs70]

Isn't this true with any growth stock? Not all stocks are income stocks. DIS has a dividend yield about in line with Apple. Most people are buying these particular stocks for price appreciation, not dividends.

Buying back shares and paying dividends are both ways to return capital to shareholders. Buybacks end up with a more favorable tax treatment for anyone who holds the shares more than a year. They also make options more valuable so it's not surprising that corporate American is in love with stock Buybacks.

My point is that returns are only realized when the stock is sold and cash is in hand.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Let's assume for a moment that a computer hacker has intruded upon my system. What's the worse they could do? How could they "shut me up" as Spirit has said? They could cause my hard drive to fail, they could use encryption based ransom-ware to extort money from me, they could silently spy on me and gain information such as my contacts, credit card numbers and steal my identity and they could redirect my computer connections to prevent me from logging on to my favorite sites.

Why would a Fortune 500 company engage in felonious cybercrime to gain such trivial information? They would know that simple regular backups of my hard drives would prevent all of the above scenarios except for the identity theft. If a Fortune 500 company stole my identity, what would they do with it? Would they sign me up for an endless number of useless magazine subscriptions? Would they steal all the money in my meager bank account? Would they redirect the DVD's I get from the Disney Movie Club to one of Bob Iger's super secret retirement homes?

Call me naïve if you wish but cybercrime is serious and I don't think any Fortune 500 company would risk their reputation or the criminal penalties to track some anonymous source that speculates about all manner of unsubstantiated improprieties.

Actually the worst a computer hacker to do is to steal your personal information & empty your bank accounts I commit massive amounts of fraud.

And I don't think he any fortune 500 company would be involved either, I agree with you there.

The Chinese though? It's happened before.

 

[Phil12]

They could put a rootkit on your system so they would have credentials for ALL your accounts and access to all of your financial information, You FAR underestimate what a competent hacker can do, Just imagine your retirement cashed out and the proceeds wire transferred to the Russian Federation or any other place beyond the reach of law enforcement. Oh and the best part about that is you would be liable for the taxes on that theft, IRS does not care that it was cashed out by a theif - only that it was cashed out.

Indeed, I realize the possibilities. But I wasn't talking about Russian Federation hackers. I was sticking to the premise that a Fortune 500 company (such as a media company) might have some sort of vendetta against me. And you correctly point out that most hackers realize that being in a place beyond the reach of law enforcement is important. I wonder how many Fortune 500 companies have Russian Federation counterparts?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Blue Ocean Strategy is back
http://qz.com/366601/this-is-how-cirque-du-soleil-reinvented-the-circus/

 

[Cesar R M]

Indeed, I realize the possibilities. But I wasn't talking about Russian Federation hackers. I was sticking to the premise that a Fortune 500 company (such as a media company) might have some sort of vendetta against me. And you correctly point out that most hackers realize that being in a place beyond the reach of law enforcement is important. I wonder how many Fortune 500 companies have Russian Federation counterparts?

it doesnt explicitly need Russian counterparts.

There are many areas with very weak tech laws.

Pretty sure most latinamerica, India, middle Easter countries, almost all ex soviet union countries and African nations are havens for Internet criminals.

 

[Cesar R M]

Are the stock buyback increases by TWDC below or above the overall increase in stock buybacks for S&P 500 companies? Or at least for comparable corporations.

Also, if TWDC stock buyback follows a general trend, which it apparently does, then the comparison between Eisner and Iger is rendered meaningless, both merely acting in line with common practices, responding to broader economic and financial realities.

Dunno.. "common practices" can be an oximoron. Anyone remembers the Ponzi Schemes?
The Dot com collapse?

Pretty sure the big explosion in the Housing market is another fine example of how "follow the others" is NOT always the good thing to do.
The difference is: the top "elite" will always have a magical umbrella of corporation bribery, political favours and separated investments when the thing comes crashing down.

I'm pretty sure that if EVER TWDC crashes down, the current top will be covered in money, leaving the lower investors with gigantic loses.

*edit*
fixed some typos.