Burdzzz

“And what does the money machine eat?…..It eats Quality and and shits out Quantity” William S. Burroughs (He/Him) opinions are my own (or someone else’s)

[David Blain 🇨🇦🗳🇨🇦 @beachmagoo]

We asked for
“Water not Coal”

We got
“Coal not water”

The UCP failed Albertans.
https://t.co/0bJwPJx6hi

[Payal Kushwaha @payalpixel]

Manager: why the work is not completed on time?

[dennis @dennismacelroy]

Drank 6 beers. Feel amazing. Surely 6 more will double this feeling

[𝓚𝓻𝓲𝓼 ✦ @Kristosavage2]

At a weed store you can say, "I want something to help me sleep that won't make me wonder if my back door is unlocked," and they will take you seriously, think hard about it, and then say something like, "Have you tried Ooga Booga Skywalker Cake?"

[Courtney Theriault @cspotweet]

NEW:

Corb Lund officially files a judicial review challenging the Chief Electoral Officer’s decision to deem the Water Not Coal Citizens’ Initiative unsuccessful.

The reasons? He argues the decision was unreasonable, procedurally unfair, and inconsistent with the purpose of Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act.

[Martyn Ziegler @martynziegler]

This is actually real:

[Jon Meddings @JMeddings]

So this is the other thing that upsets me over this.

We all pay taxes for h/c. We all subsidize the resources that provide it.

But only those able to pay extra $ will be able to easily access the system.

This is the general public subsidizing the wealthy.

Canadian??

[Amara Nwankpa @Nwankpa_A]

What Infantino is proposing is interesting. In principle, it makes sense to separate the commercial business of football from the regulation of the game. That is generally regarded as good governance.

The problem is that there is no independent regulator to insulate. FIFA is its 211 member associations. And those same members have been offered a share of the proceeds from the sale they are being asked to approve.

FIFA's defence is that investors will hold only a minority, non-controlling stake with no operational role. That may be true, but it misses the point. A fiduciary interest does not have to intervene to shape decisions. It constrains them. Every future decision on the calendar, competition frequency, tournament format, or even how much a safeguard is allowed to cost, will now have to account for a stakeholder whose financial interests carry legal weight. No direct interference is required.

Now consider who does not have standing. Not FIFPRO. Not the fans. Not the residents of host cities. Not even the players, who represent their countries for honour rather than as employees, cannot be transferred between nations, cannot negotiate the terms under which they play, and cannot realistically refuse selection. Yet it is their unmarketed commitment that is being valued at twenty billion dollars. This structure creates the only stakeholder in football with a legally enforceable claim on the game: American Investors.

Every other stakeholder has relied on representation rather than enforceable rights. FIFA represents its member associations, and the member associations are expected to represent the interests of the game. That chain has always been imperfect, but it was the closest thing football had to accountability.

Now that chain of representation has been priced. Forty million for a yes vote. Ten million for a no vote. The duty a federation owes its own players is placed in direct tension with a financial payment contingent on approving the transaction. That is not a conflict of interest FIFA must manage. It is one FIFA has deliberately created.

Finally, consider the sequence. The vote takes place at Congress in Morocco in March but the funding commitment must be made by September. A conflicted decision-maker is being asked to decide quickly. That should concern everyone.

[Nicklas Degn @NicklasDegn]

Tysklands fodboldpræsident - og medlem af FIFAs de facto bestyrelse - bekræfter, at FIFA Council ikke blev informeret om Infantinos plan om en ny selskabskonstruktion.

Det rejser et meget vigtigt spørgsmål: hvilke reelle fodboldpersoner, udover Infantino, har været inde over?

[Declan Hill @declan_hill]

This is the end.

The proposed plan to sell off a section of FIFA to a group of investors led by Donald Trump’s son-in-law is the end of the credibility of Gianni Infantino’s FIFA.

How can we take such an organization seriously?

Remember the Folarin Balogun red card scandal where Donald Trump phoned up Gianni to get the one game suspension overturned. How does that decision seem to you, now you know there was a proposed ten-billion-dollars deal between the two men?

More at: https://t.co/oxVy5PBBSF

[Sarmo @sarm0161]

“Can the trainer and jockey of every single fucking horse please come to the stewards room”

[UEFA @UEFA]

Further UEFA statement on FIFA plans: ⬇️

[Katy E 🇨🇦🇺🇦 @MargTokar]

Do you know what this means Alberta? This is your govt spending your money to hide the truth from you.
Your systemically corrupt govt.

[Ben Jacobs @JacobsBen]

Gianni Infantino has created an arbitrary 53-day deadline to force through Member Association votes on contentious plans to sell FIFA stakes under a new subsidiary.

He calls this period a “democratic process”, but it’s one that is rushed and lacks transparency, and yet it has somehow still felt in the works for some time. So why are so many confederations blindsided? Clearly this soft launch, with investors in place, hasn’t happened overnight.

If there is a genuine period of consultation and debate then Infantino has to frequently face media and engage repeatedly with stakeholders and fans not just appear from his own FIFA-branded ‘Oval Office’, or only communicate/defend his position via Instagram slides.

We have a FIFA President telling everyone to “meditate, pray and watch a football game” while engaging in a pre-funded corporate coup driven by greed not a love for the game.

Infantino can argue if the vote passes that’s just democracy at play, but it’s hardly the case if those voting don’t have the full facts and are rushed into a decision skewed by a $40m funding promise.

Let’s not forget what Infantino himself said on the ill-fated European Super League: “There is a lot to throw away for maybe a short-term financial gain.”

FIFA’s new plans, also supported by Super League-backers JP Morgan, are arguably offering precisely what Infantino warned against in 2021.

[Zenith Zalapski @nitwitschool]

Sorry, person with cancer, Betsy the rich hypochondriac ordered all the scans in our hospital today. You'll have to wait until Monday.

[Ben Jacobs @JacobsBen]

FIFA confirm highly controversial plans to form FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new body that would oversee commercial rights and operational delivery. It requires private stakeholders and funding. UEFA are strongly opposed, viewing it as FIFA President Gianni Infantino selling stakes in the game.

It is understood Infantino is in line to be commissioner, likely after his expected election for one more term.

FIFA will seek to raise capital of up to USD 4.2 billion and have approached Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital as one potential key investor.

FIFA say "outside investors will have only a minority stake in FFE and will not play any operational role".

FIFA also argue this is all with the intent of expanding "football development funding to over USD 10 billion", and is subject to approval by the 2011 Member Associations, who will have a period of consultation to discuss plans.

FIFA add they will retain sole control of FFE and "exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions."

In addition, FIFA hope to establish the FIFA Fast Forward Programme (FFFP). Under this plan, all 211 Member Associations will be given the opportunity to participate and "access up to USD 20 million in one-off capital".

J.P. Morgan are working in partnership with FIFA on the project.

UEFA will not support FFE. In a statement they say, "None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell."

[Gerry Varty @gerryvarty]

Hey, Alberta! Anybody STILL confused at why your electric bills are so high?

It's pipelines and shipping.

Sound familiar?

Now.. do you think a data Centres that will use as much as the city of Edmonton will help or hurt that?

https://t.co/W0RPaT7FVV

#abpoli #ableg

[Raksha @caraksha103]

If you don’t whisper “What the fuck” to your email at least 5 times a day, are you even in corporate?

[Sharif Haji @SharifHajiMLA]

Today’s announcement of private pay preventative services won't solve wait times. It will make them worse.

Danielle Smith & her UCP government have given up on fixing public health care.

They have thrown in the towel and are asking us to pay instead.
https://t.co/nQdTxf0fOp

[bears 🧸 @wydbear]

What?