Makan

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5785682

Let's hope it goes through. 🙏🙏

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5776986

From the article below (more in the comments):

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Games Workshop, the creators of Warhammer, have found themselves at the center of a drama that even Tzeentch might envy. But this time, it’s not about rule changes, lore retcons, or miniature prices—it’s about money. A good chunk of shareholders, like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity, recently raised their proverbial pitchforks over executive pay raises that could rival the vaults of the Imperial Palace. Let’s break down exactly why Games Workshop’s AGM (Annual General Meeting) looks to have turned into an intense session of “Who’s getting paid too much?”

What Sparked the Shareholder Backlash?

Imagine you’re a loyal shareholder. You love the company; you love the lore (or maybe just the dividends.) Then you notice your favorite game’s CEO, Kevin Rountree, is now earning close to three times what he made just four years ago. Not bad, right? Unlike last year’s hefty payout, there’s no new massive surprise dividend this year to sweeten the deal for you. For nearly 25% of the shareholders, this may have felt like a power move from the board while their wallets stayed the same.

Summary of the 2024 AGM Voting Results

At the 2024 AGM, shareholders were given the chance to vote on resolutions, including two particularly spicy ones, Resolutions 10 and 11. The problem? We don’t actually know what they were about specifically (because nothing’s ever that simple). However, when almost a quarter of your shareholders object to something, you might want to pay attention. The board said they’d “check in” on the matter in about six months. Sounds like a long cooldown, doesn’t it?

Let’s face it—when people see the phrase “executive pay hike,” it tends to stir feelings. And when that increase more than doubles the salary of key figures in the company (not to mention even higher jumps for non-executive directors), shareholders begin to question the fairness of the power balance.

The Role of Major Institutional Investors (Fidelity, Vanguard, BlackRock)

Financial titans. Fidelity, Vanguard, BlackRock—names that could almost be mistaken for rival factions in a new Warhammer expansion. These big players control vast chunks of shares, and they’re not the type to be amused by excessive pay hikes without corresponding gains. When institutions this large feel their investments aren’t being properly managed, even Space Marines couldn’t save you from the incoming pushback.

Kevin Rountree’s Salary: A Significant Jump Since 2020

Speaking of big moves on the battlefield, Kevin Rountree has been leveling up faster than an overfed Tyranid. Back in 2020, Rountree’s base salary was around £700,000. By 2024, he’s knocking on the door of £2 million annually. That’s quite the pay rise—especially when you add another £2 million in stock at his disposal. It’s the kind of reward you’d expect after single-handedly slaying a dragon (or managing a tabletop empire). But in the eyes of some, this rate of salary increase may seem like a special character in the rulebook getting too many overpowered abilities at once.

CEO Compensation Tripled in 4 Years

Rountree’s income has tripled in four short years. That’s right—threefold in the time it takes for a typical Warhammer edition to come and go. When you see a leap like that, eyebrows tend to raise faster than the point costs in a new codex. While Games Workshop has undoubtedly been successful, some shareholders might be wondering if it’s necessary for the CEO’s pay to inflate quite so aggressively, especially when dividends don’t seem to be flying in as frequently as some would hope.

Rountree’s £2 million package includes his base salary, bonuses, and a little something extra in stock awards. Bonuses doubled between 2020 and 2021 when the latest remuneration policy was given the green light. With his base salary and bonuses alone, the man is pulling in enough to buy more than a few Battleforces every year (and maybe even have some extra for Forgeworld minis).

Impact of the Remuneration Policy Approved in 2021

That brings us to the 2021 remuneration policy—the mystical document that opened the vaults of the empire for Rountree and the board of directors. This policy essentially sets the guidelines for how executives get paid, and once approved, it led to significant salary increases. While it clearly worked for some (looking at you, Rountree), a growing group of shareholders seem to be questioning if it went too far. Perhaps the salary buffs have become a little unbalanced, and like any game, a rebalance might be in order.

Board Member Pay Raises: The Source of Shareholder Concern?

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5741068

Aaaaarrrgh

Avast! ye mateys

Get yer doubloons here, scallywags

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5680856

I'm just surprised that we're at the point where even Legal Eagle is spinning this story.

Makes me worried for how this New Cold War will affect the country.

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5680856

I'm just surprised that we're at the point where even Legal Eagle is spinning this story.

Makes me worried for how this New Cold War will affect the country.

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5666821

Deus Ex 4, anyone?

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5666821

Deus Ex 4, anyone?

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5665856

This honest-to-God looks pretty 'ight.

I might get it...

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5607117

What I said last time:

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Calling all Autistic comrades!

And calling all neurodivergent comrades!

We will be going through Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism by Robert Chapman. You can purchase the book through this hyperlink here or here or even here (but preferably through the first two links as I want to support the publisher).

The first two chapters are:

Chapter 1. Rise of the machines

and

Chapter 2. The invention of normality

There's also the Preface and Introduction.

Every week, we'll go through two chapters, at least, every week, but if you want, we can go through it bi-weekly (as in, every two weeks, to be precise). I don't think it deserves to be monthly as it's a rather short book. It's about 165 pages of actual text and the rest of the book is supplementary pages, such as References and Works Cited. Otherwise, give your general thoughts down below.

My thoughts:

I'm near the end of the book. I like that Robert Chapman takes issue with Judy Singer and some of her comments later on. But also, regarding the first two chapters, I felt that they were really compelling and helped set up the general interest in the matter at hand. I felt that it does well in terms of getting the reader to understand why normativity is a negative feature of capitalism, even if it may have been preferable to the pseudo-science of the feudal era. The feudal era's views on mind and body are interesting, though, and more in line with reality, where there is no obsession with a "normative slate" (my words) and instead, everyone is literally different, more or less, from each other. Not sure how to explain it in my own words, but I think as children, we all kinda thought this before we had concepts of what was "right and normal" and what was "wrong and harmful." The relation to Das Kapital and Marx in the second chapter are also pretty interesting as well.

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What I say this time:

The next two chapters are:

Chapter 3. Galton's paradigm

and

Chapter 4. The eugenics movement

The info about Francis Galton was interesting and it's no surprise that he helped found psychiatry, looking back on it all. Emil Kraepelin (a name that I didn't exactly recognize) was also fond of Francis Galton and probably carried the eugenicist approach with him. In sum, Kraepelin wanted to "winnow" people out so they wouldn't "mix" with the other races and wanted to expand on Galton's "scientific" study of intelligence and encompass every aspect of the human mind in his research. Also, the leading power of psychiatry was Germany which, well, certainly became more important later. And according to the first page of chapter 4, Winston Churchill was a big proponent of eugenicist psychiatry. The word normalcy also started to appear with Warren G. Harding's Presidential run in 1920.

My overall thoughts are that this book excels in bringing people up to speed on the history of psychology, psychiatry, and neurodiversity and capitalism from a Marxist point-of-view. Definitely well-worth the read. I highly recommend it.

Here are some questions to help guide you when giving your thoughts down below:

What, and how much, did you learn from the last two chapters?

and

What did you find most interesting from them and what would you like to be elaborated on more?

So same questions as last time, but they work here, in this case.

Join me in this book club that I've set up and I'll tag you all as needed.

Anywho, fire away!

(Make sure to invite others!)

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5600161

Thoughts on this book?

Thoughts on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit?

I might watch The Rings of Power but I've heard mixed things on it. What do you all think of it?

Mostly though: I'm hoping that some people here can expand on what I'm reading so far.

'Cause honestly, I do like what I'm reading, I do, and that's because I genuinely like the mythological tone that the world-building takes. And Numenor as an "Atlantis" is a fine way to do things, but honestly, I doubt they'll be able to do much with it in whatever Amazon property they decide to make of it (which, I mean, is fine). I wonder if there are other shows or serials besides The Rings of Power that are coming out? Either way: I really like the beginning and how everything started with music and song.

Your thoughts?

Thoughts on this book?

Thoughts on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit?

I might watch The Rings of Power but I've heard mixed things on it. What do you all think of it?

Mostly though: I'm hoping that some people here can expand on what I'm reading so far.

'Cause honestly, I do like what I'm reading, I do, and that's because I genuinely like the mythological tone that the world-building takes. And Numenor as an "Atlantis" is a fine way to do things, but honestly, I doubt they'll be able to do much with it in whatever Amazon property they decide to make of it (which, I mean, is fine). I wonder if there are other shows or serials besides The Rings of Power that are coming out? Either way: I really like the beginning and how everything started with music and song.

Your thoughts?

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5599990

A new browser with a "new engine" apparently ("that being chromium, gecko and webkit" according to one comment).

Your overall thoughts on it? The video is less than 20 minutes so far. Looks 'ight so far too, afaik. But I'm no expert.