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Day: April 29, 2022

$17 Million Per Year

The lawyer whose role it was to be Twitter’s chief censor might just be on her way to collecting a pink slip if new owner Elon Musk has his way.

Vijaya Gadde, who earned $17 million last year as Twitter’s top legal counsel, could be on the chopping block as Musk is reportedly planning to slash jobs and reduce executive pay as he looks to secure financing for his Twitter bid.

After disclosing plans to acquire the company earlier this month, Musk expressed “no confidence” in Twitter’s current management — which doesn’t bode well for their future once he takes the helm later this year.

$17 million. One employee’s salary.

Makes you want to know the other salaries of Twitter’s existing management. I’ve said that Silicon Valley pay is crazy. But does the average American really know how crazy? They’re getting a look at it now. Will Elon expose the outrageous pay rates for other Twits in leadership? Unlikely given his net worth. But if more stories like the one above are written in the coming days, we’ll likely end up getting a peek into more than just take-home pay.

I wonder what those unqualified board members get paid?

At least Twitter is fun again.

Looking Back: Civil War II

In 2014, I wrote this:

We’re on the brink of a second Civil War in America, and there will be no winner.

So, we’re now 8 years from this post, and I think I’m closer to being right than I’ve ever been. Right and Left are hundreds of miles apart from one another – on COVID, on race, on politics, on wokeism…heck, Republicans now hate Disney. I couldn’t have predicted that. Uncle Joe can’t do anything to change where America is. In fact, he’s divided us further than Trump ever did.

Meanwhile, China and Russia watch us. They must love seeing us eat each other alive.

So, in 2022, I’ll say it again. We’re on the brink of a second Civil War in America. Will it be in 2022? 2024?

Netflix Rocket Ship Slowly Falls to Earth

I’ve followed certain Netflix employees on LinkedIn and through Rand’s Leadership Slack channel. For years, the place seemed like “heaven on earth” for people smart enough to be employed there. Great compensation. Great severance (if you don’t work out). Seemed to be the ultimate place to work (along with Apple, and Google). The culture had the typical Silicon Valley elitist atmosphere. So, it’s fascinating to watch now as Netflix experiences their first major subscriber loss in years. This adjustment has had some employees wondering why the party is over. Compensation plans are changing. Teams are being cut. Confidence about the future is waning.

All the weeping and gnashing of teeth seems typical of the millennial coder who lives in an alternate universe where a mid-six-figure salary is adequate but not great. Couple that with free food, free laundry, free haircuts, and, well, almost free everything, and these individuals are accumulating life expectations that can’t possibly be sustained.