Steve Jobs named CEO of the DecadeFortune has named Apple honcho Steve Jobs as its CEO of the Decade, and has gone all-out in its celebration of all-thing-Steve. Here’s the interactive timeline, celebrity tributes and the obligatory photo gallery.
Business / Players
All-American hero Buffett has a $26.6b rails bet
Warren Buffett has revealed a deal that defines his optimism in America’s future, spending $26.6b to buy out America’s second biggest railroad.
A look behind the detour of Transurban
Transurban is destined to join the worldwide queue of over-valued toll roads mired in debt and based on misleading financial models, writes John Goldberg.
Crikey Says: From WA premier to Wesfarmers lobbyist?
Former WA premier Alan Carpenter joining Wesfarmers as its chief spinner and lobbyist is, in a word, a disgrace.
Talking the Town: Harry M, superstar
Not everyone in this town is wild about Harry M Miller, but he can really pull a crowd, with Lindy Chamberlain, Stuart Diver, Michael Kirby, Marcia Hines, Stuart Wagstaff and many more turning up to a Kings Cross nightclub for the launch of his autobiography last night.
Expansive James Packer goes the full half hour
The man who used to like two-minute chairman addresses went on for half-an-hour at yesterday’s Crown AGM, boasting of PBL’s recent performance and making some pre-emptive attacks against the anti-pokies lobby.
Which dead celebs earn the most from beyond the grave?
Too bad you can’t spend it when you’re dead, because Forbes have released their annual top earning dead celebs list. It’s a surprise number one this year with Yves Saint Laurent beating out the likely favourite Michael Jackson. Well, Le Smoking, is a classic.
Kiernan empire continues to bemuse
The intrigue around the empire of mining entrepreneur Michael Kiernan continues to bemuse, with the cornucopia of companies with which Kiernan associates appearing to spend more time in administration than US-based airlines.
How an Aussie billionaire got entangled in Berlusconi’s tax fraud
It’s a big year for Bruce Gordon of WIN Corporation. His magic touch helped WIN survive the GFC intact, but his business associations with Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi may see him embroiled in legal issues. How will the year pan out?
Chairman of Australian Press Council calls for accountability
Ken McKinnon, the departing boss of the Press Council, is criticising the media for failing to live up to its own rhetoric on ethics, privacy and independence. Namely, the Utegate scandal and fake Pauline Hanson nude photos.
Kiernan: from security guard to larger-than-life mining character
Michael Kiernan, former boss of Consolidated Minerals, remains one of the Australian mining industry’s most colourful figures, having developed for himself a “black widow” reputation in the sector.
Tax Office won’t prosecute Australia’s worst tax cheat
Glenn Wheatley is jailed for $300,000 in tax cheating. Yet an unnamed tax cheat who owed tax totalling $242million gets away with no prosecution, writes Chris Seague.
Wall St insider trading: 10 more could be charged
American financial markets have been stunned by the continuing news flow from the newest insider trading charges on Wall St involving billionaire hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, with reports this morning that another 10 could be charged.
How Ted Turner lost CNN, Jane Fonda and $7 billion
An interview with (former) media mogul Ted Turner, who says he feels “like a dummy” for selling his cable TV channels, which are now worth billions, but he doesn’t have enough cash to get back into the media business.
Mini Disneylands: stores get a crisp makeover
Steve Jobs, who is both Apple boss and on the board of Disney directors, is sprinkling some of his magic fairy dust on the Disney stores, helping to make them more interactive and fun to play in.
Stevens still sees the sunny side up
RBA Governor, Glenn Stevens, has rejected claims that the Australian economy is “too strong”. We may have escaped the global crunch but he’s determined not to fluff the recovery.
Get your batons out ladies, it’s time to start smashing
If Australia’s top companies don’t put more women on their boards then the government should impose quotas, says the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick. Time to get rid of that glass ceiling.
David Epstein’s spin won’t save Qantas
Former ALP hack David Epstein has avoided providing any illumination on the sensitive issues for Qantas shareholders — like why is Perth hosting their next AGM? — but spinning a line is his favourite game.
What to think about Roger Corbett and the Fairfax Board?
Predictably, Roger Corbett is the new chairman of Fairfax. Will he encourage brave hiring and get more into new media? He’d better, writes Margaret Simons.
In a top year for economics, the Nobel goes to …
The award of the Economics Nobel Prize to Elinor Ostrom and Oliver E. Williamson came as a surprise to most economists, but a welcome one for most commentators.
The Nobel Prize for averting future GFCs
The winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics have been announced and it’s not just noteworthy because Elinor Ostrom is the first woman to win. It’s because their work may help prevent future global recessions.
Crikey Says: What Murdoch thinks of the media
The latest piece of measured media commentary from Rupert Murdoch shows him declaring that “the Philistine phase of the digital age is almost over”. Is he making sense?
Rupert the Sun King’s moral posture takes on a slouch
Over the weekend, Rupert Murdoch used some nasty language at the so-called World Media Summit in Beijing to slag off the likes of Google and Yahoo, describing them as content “kleptomaniacs” because they aggregate News Corporation’s content.
Soros spends $1b on a green paint job
Billionaire George Soros has received plenty of positive press for pledging to invest $1 billion in green technology and forming an environmental lobby group. But is lobbying for your investments really philanthropy? Or just rent-seeking?
