Thank you for another thought-provoking article. Whether readers agree with every conclusion or not, you've highlighted an important issue that deserves public discussion: the growing concentration of influence across technology, finance, artificial intelligence, and media.
Throughout my work on election transparency, I've learned that confidence is never built on trust alone—it is built on transparency and the public's ability to verify. That principle applies well beyond elections. When institutions become larger, more complex, and more interconnected, independent scrutiny becomes even more important.
Healthy democracies depend on competitive markets, a free and independent press, and systems that the public can verify rather than simply trust. Whatever happens with Oracle, AI, or media ownership, I hope this encourages more people to ask thoughtful questions and demand greater transparency from every powerful institution—not because we assume wrongdoing, but because openness builds confidence.
"Trust is strengthened by transparency and verification—not by asking the public to accept conclusions on faith." John R Brakey
"Karma names the pattern rather than the mechanism-character meeting consequence" Clarity. Thank you! Karma, like gravity, "Is A Law!" 😊 I studied Physics while teaching yoga and it still amazes me how the Laws of Physics relate to our actual everyday experiences. Like gravity, it's inevitable. Though I'll admit it seems more gratifying when we are around to watch.
It is a dark smudge on my working career, having worked for Oracle implementing their software for nearly 20 years. Knowing that I contributed to Larry Ellison’s financial success and enabled the crazy bastard to wreak havoc on our nation is hard to swallow.
Each new generation of MBAs reinvents business fraud from first principles.
The only difference is whether the regulators have enough teeth to stop them.
As for the Chinese models, if anything, those benefited from the US banning the export of advanced chips to China. It forced China to build models that could work comparably well to the US models on worse hardware, and when those models then were run on the hardware available elsewhere, no wonder they start performing better. (Of course, this presupposes that generative AI produces anything of value, which I do not accept and indeed hold the opposite view, that generative AI actively harms humanity and it should be seared from existence.)
"Heads, no product. Tails, no pricing power."
And if the coin lands on its edge, people come to their senses and recognize this endeavour for the insult to, and betrayal of, humanity it plainly is and reject it entirely.
"the cable channel the president most wanted delivered to friendly hands"
I hope whoever is in charge next in the US has the guts to do massive forced divestiture for all the rich MAGA, well, I can't think of a mild enough noun that still expresses how I feel about them.
Thanks so much Mike. Some encouraging news. Ellison is a true POS. In addition to all his horrific history, he also has an obsession with mass surveillance.
I fear a “too big to fail” moment though. If Dems get control, they must get a principled, smart and experienced team to manage the fallout without us paying the bill. Warren, Kahn, etc. No bailouts for individuals- ever.
I am a few years younger than king Larry and remember his use of business practices unseen since the oil monopolies. In the 1980’s he ravenously destroyed oracle distributors and then tricked them to come back only to do it again.
Good luck with your shorting! Hopefully this will continue to give you the FYM to say exactly what you believe. Your forthrightness is most appreciated.
"Larry Ellison didn’t write a check for $45 billion because he loves Game of Thrones. He helped engineer the TikTok deal. Oracle runs the digital backbone of American commerce and government. Now add streaming habits, news consumption, social behavior, search history. That’s not a media empire. That’s a surveillance architecture with a content library attached."
So glad the Elison junior takeover of Warner is being thwarted! Now that we know it is financed by junk bonds, I hope it doesn’t happen! And I have a tiny stake in this fight: I bought big ATT a few years ago and got some WBD stock as a bonus 😎I’m not selling it and hope NOT to make a profit because of the Elisons filthy money 💰 Man those guys are the kings of enshitification! Already they are doing it to CBS news! 😡
And the wheels go 'round and 'round.... grinding extremely fine. Thanks for elucidating the grand economic ponzi scheme that is frontier AI, as well as the machinations of Larry Ellison. I never did trust that guy -- or Oracle. SELECT $$$ FROM Investors WHERE Status = 'Gullible'
Thank you for another thought-provoking article. Whether readers agree with every conclusion or not, you've highlighted an important issue that deserves public discussion: the growing concentration of influence across technology, finance, artificial intelligence, and media.
Throughout my work on election transparency, I've learned that confidence is never built on trust alone—it is built on transparency and the public's ability to verify. That principle applies well beyond elections. When institutions become larger, more complex, and more interconnected, independent scrutiny becomes even more important.
Healthy democracies depend on competitive markets, a free and independent press, and systems that the public can verify rather than simply trust. Whatever happens with Oracle, AI, or media ownership, I hope this encourages more people to ask thoughtful questions and demand greater transparency from every powerful institution—not because we assume wrongdoing, but because openness builds confidence.
"Trust is strengthened by transparency and verification—not by asking the public to accept conclusions on faith." John R Brakey
"Karma names the pattern rather than the mechanism-character meeting consequence" Clarity. Thank you! Karma, like gravity, "Is A Law!" 😊 I studied Physics while teaching yoga and it still amazes me how the Laws of Physics relate to our actual everyday experiences. Like gravity, it's inevitable. Though I'll admit it seems more gratifying when we are around to watch.
It is a dark smudge on my working career, having worked for Oracle implementing their software for nearly 20 years. Knowing that I contributed to Larry Ellison’s financial success and enabled the crazy bastard to wreak havoc on our nation is hard to swallow.
I salute your courage to acknowledge this.
Thank you, Daniel. It’s been gnawing at me.
Each new generation of MBAs reinvents business fraud from first principles.
The only difference is whether the regulators have enough teeth to stop them.
As for the Chinese models, if anything, those benefited from the US banning the export of advanced chips to China. It forced China to build models that could work comparably well to the US models on worse hardware, and when those models then were run on the hardware available elsewhere, no wonder they start performing better. (Of course, this presupposes that generative AI produces anything of value, which I do not accept and indeed hold the opposite view, that generative AI actively harms humanity and it should be seared from existence.)
"Heads, no product. Tails, no pricing power."
And if the coin lands on its edge, people come to their senses and recognize this endeavour for the insult to, and betrayal of, humanity it plainly is and reject it entirely.
"the cable channel the president most wanted delivered to friendly hands"
I hope whoever is in charge next in the US has the guts to do massive forced divestiture for all the rich MAGA, well, I can't think of a mild enough noun that still expresses how I feel about them.
It's a shame that ordinary people get sucked down with a sinking ship.
Wow. This is not a profound comment I grant. Just WOW.
I lost 1/2 my retirement in’ 08 at age 55 . No time to recoup.
Sympathies to all.
Reading this article about the evil Ellisons losing much of their fortune made me smile.
Thanks so much Mike. Some encouraging news. Ellison is a true POS. In addition to all his horrific history, he also has an obsession with mass surveillance.
I fear a “too big to fail” moment though. If Dems get control, they must get a principled, smart and experienced team to manage the fallout without us paying the bill. Warren, Kahn, etc. No bailouts for individuals- ever.
Mike. Excellent work. Much appreciated
I am a few years younger than king Larry and remember his use of business practices unseen since the oil monopolies. In the 1980’s he ravenously destroyed oracle distributors and then tricked them to come back only to do it again.
Karma always wins.
Good luck with your shorting! Hopefully this will continue to give you the FYM to say exactly what you believe. Your forthrightness is most appreciated.
Did you also short SPCX & TSLA?
No. ORCL is my only short position. I opened it late last year. It is currently very much in the money.
House of Ellison you say? Indeed. ..my piece from here in Hollywood on March 1st.
https://controlaltpersuade.substack.com/p/the-house-of-ellison?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2m4rv5
"Larry Ellison didn’t write a check for $45 billion because he loves Game of Thrones. He helped engineer the TikTok deal. Oracle runs the digital backbone of American commerce and government. Now add streaming habits, news consumption, social behavior, search history. That’s not a media empire. That’s a surveillance architecture with a content library attached."
So glad the Elison junior takeover of Warner is being thwarted! Now that we know it is financed by junk bonds, I hope it doesn’t happen! And I have a tiny stake in this fight: I bought big ATT a few years ago and got some WBD stock as a bonus 😎I’m not selling it and hope NOT to make a profit because of the Elisons filthy money 💰 Man those guys are the kings of enshitification! Already they are doing it to CBS news! 😡
And the wheels go 'round and 'round.... grinding extremely fine. Thanks for elucidating the grand economic ponzi scheme that is frontier AI, as well as the machinations of Larry Ellison. I never did trust that guy -- or Oracle. SELECT $$$ FROM Investors WHERE Status = 'Gullible'
Now Ross Douhat is joining the sinking ship of See BS ( good one! )
I love that for him ❤️ If I could bring myself to watch it (which I probably can't or won't), it would/will be a pleasure to watch the fallout . . . 🌞
I wont watch. I stopped reading him long ago. An intellectually dishonest man.
I unsubscribed ages ago. Can't bear the feeble “both-sidism” in the face of venality, cruelty, and extreme corruption.
Glad to see more folks identifying the “Enron at scale” parallels here.
Error 40.4 billion...we're sorry the promised value is not found. Over use of proxy financing has caused his broken link with reality.
LMAO 🤣 🌞