twt_retwt / Fariz

running 140% on caffeine

[twt_retwt / Fariz @acedriver]

@putrajayacorp sensor lampu isyarat lintasan jalan kaki di hadapan SK Presint 11(2) tak berfungsi pagi ni, sukar untuk pelajar sekolah melintas.

[twt_retwt / Fariz @acedriver]

@KemPendidikan dah boleh buat aktiviti sukan ke waktu panas terik ni? Ada pertandingan ragbi sekolah kat padang depan Alamanda ni. Pukul 2 petang suhu 33°c tapi panasnya mcm 39°c

[Lee Seng Foo🇲🇾李成富 @sengfoo88]

First time seeing a Malaysian being early.

[twt_retwt / Fariz @acedriver]

@F1BigData Maybe FIA pay to host it here instead

[BonkDaCarnivore @BonkDaCarnivore]

Time for a lesson in economics! It's so rare I get to do these these days with how upside down everything is.

$NFLX is paying $27.50 for $WBD. $PSKY was offering $30. Warner is taking Netflix's lower offer. People who don't understand economics are crying foul at this, stating Warner is taking the lesser offer to create a "woke monopoly" (whatever the hell that means anymore).

But shareholder value isn't measured in purely the premium paid on an equity to acquire the assets. It's measured in future returns and the health of the company.

First, let's look at the size of the 2 companies. Paramount Skydance ("Skydance") has a market cap of 14.75 billion dollars. Remember this number, it becomes important in a second. Netflix has a market cap of 425 billion, making $NFLX approximately 29 times bigger than Paramount.

Netflix has an amazing balance sheet with only 14 billion in debt on the books in spite of its MUCH larger size relative to Skydance - which has about 15 billion in debt on its books. Remember that Skydance's market cap is only 14.75 billion, so they actually owe more in debt than the company is worth. So right out of the gate, Netflix is, by far, the healthier company.

If WBD had accepted Skydance's bid of $30 per share, all cash, Skydance's debt would have ballooned to almost 90 billion dollars thanks in large part to its acquisition of Paramount (and a bribe to Trump, don't forget that) just a couple of months ago. The combined worth of Skydance and Warner would only be about 75 billion. Meaning it would be even more underwater.

So if Warner's goal is to merge with an entity that can protect the Warner brand and the IP it holds rather than sell it off for parts to try and stay afloat, the Skydance offer needed to be dismissed out of hand.

Then we look under the hood. Again, Skydance was offering $30 all cash (financed by a ton more debt). $NFLX's offer was a combination of cash ($23.50 a share) and about $4.15 in $NFLX equity, collared to a current depressed share price driven by the recent split of $NFLX shares. Netflix itself is an incredibly strong brand and almost always one of the best performers on the market. Meaning that it's entirely probable by the time this deal closes that the value of the $NFLX equity provided in this deal would make the sum total of the deal to Netflix well in excess of $30 per share like Skydance is offering (with no guarantee Skydance would even be able to raise the capital to complete the purchase)

Which brings us to the most important parts:

1) We already saw this after Skydance acquired Paramount - the first thing they did was implement thousands of layoffs in an effort to trim 3 billion dollars of expenses off the books, because Skydance couldn't afford to keep Paramount fully operational. If Skydance were to buy Warner, you could expect an exacerbated repeat of that. Meaning Warner jobs would be heavily on the chopping block. And

2) Skydance at that point would be leveraged to the hilt as a result of these 2 studio acquisitions...so where, exactly, are they going to get the capital in order to fund theatrical ventures that these days can run a quarter of a billion dollars? You think Skydance is going to have the money to create a series of DC superhero movies (the most expensive of all because of all the CGI)? NOT A CHANCE! Skydance would have to drastically reduce its portfolio offerings and very likely sell some of the brand IP under the Warner logo just to make ends meet. In effect, a corporate raidership job where they sold the most valuable assets for parts and then pocketed the money as they saddled $PSKY with an ever growing debt load they'd never be able to repay. Absolutely ZERO shareholder value in the Skydance offer.

Meanwhile, $NFLX doesn't actually have a lot of its own IP, but certainly has the capital necessary to make a splash in that space. Further, taking the Netflix offer over Skydance's maintains competition in the space. Since Skydance already has an enormous amount of studio IP, consolidation of that would be bad for the consumer. In Netflix's case, that competition is maintained because Netflix is essentially entering into a competitive space it didn't exist in previously. The number of competitors in the space remains at 3 - Paramount, Warner, and MGM (which Amazon recently acquired). The Skydance offer is actually the one that drives monopolistic practice, not prevents it.

Back in my VC days, it was incredibly routine for the offer we'd put in for a series/seed round of a startup to not be the most lucrative on paper, but was almost always the best offer for the company in question - because there was more to the offer than simply the check that was being written; it was the support, infrastructure, expertise and guidance that we could offer over the higher dollar offer by a competing firm. Smart companies almost always took our lower bids over more cash upfront because they knew we were better equipped to guide them through the turbulent waters of growth and see to it that they achieved more value on the other end. I sometimes talk about a farm tech company that my firm was bidding against JD Vance's firm back in the day. JD's firm offered more money upfront, but had no support infrastructure. The company in question ended up taking the offer from Vance's firm over ours, and proceeded to waste away into oblivion because all they got was the cash - they couldn't succeed operationally. Meanwhile, we went out and found another startup in the same space, and successfully guided it to a healthy offering. To this day, it's in a much more robust and successful space. Thankfully for that company, the leaders of the org saw the value beyond just the size of the check. My history is littered with those stories.

So, dear reader, the TL:DR if you made it this far: Netflix offers fewer job cuts, more growth of the Warner studio, less risk to investors, higher growth potential, stability, and maintains competition that is beneficial to consumers. Judging offers purely by number is a remedial viewpoint for those who don't understand structure of economy. Using organizational economic foundations, it's demonstrably true that $27.50 is more than $30.

Congratulations to Netflix on the acquisition, and congratulations to the board, employees, and shareholders of Warner Discovery (of which I am one) on making the right choice.

[Google @Google]

Our annual Year in Search looks back at what the world searched for — the moments that sparked global curiosity. Get a sneak peek at the 2025 #YearInSearch video before it drops 👀

Explore more of the year’s trending searches on our website → https://t.co/A0xlF5YbDu

[👾 @TheAmirulHakimi]

ICYMI, sebenarnya sangat sangat jarang untuk berlaku tropical cyclone (TC) kat Selat Melaka sebab meteorological rule of thumb is that cyclone/hurricane/typhoon CANNOT form very close to the Equator due to zero Coriolis force (storms cannot spin) EXCEPT Typhoon Vamei (2001) yang—

[Android @Android]

Sharing moments shouldn’t depend on the phone you have. Starting today with the Pixel 10 family, Quick Share now works with AirDrop, making secure file transfers between Android phones and iPhones more seamless. This builds on our commitment to cross-OS compatibility to bridge the gap between ecosystems. 

We built this feature with security top of mind from day one.

Learn more ↓

https://t.co/I6iarYxQvL

[Flare 🔥 @FlareEzzano]

☝🏾

[Ooi Beng Cheang @luxentX]

I finally found the US-Malaysia trade deal with the full appendix with details. Highlighting here some of the details I find interesting 👇🏻

1. Article 1.2: Sales and Services Tax (SST) Malaysia shall exclude U.S. exports of agricultural and seafood products from Malaysia’s consumption tax (currently the SST). - Interesting, so possibility of US Strawberries and canned fish from US no SST then.

2. Article 2.1: Motor Vehicle and Parts
Malaysia shall─ (a) accept vehicles and vehicle parts that are manufactured and sold in the United States and comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and U.S. emissions standards
- Are we accepting US left hand cars without further inspections now?

3. Article 2.4: Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals
1. Malaysia shall accept a prior approval or clearance that is issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as sufficient evidence that a medical device manufactured in the United States meets Malaysia’s requirements for marketing authorization, and shall not require market authorization for low-risk medical devices where marketing authorization is not required by the FDA.
- as mentioned before, I think is good for Malaysian consumers as it gives faster access to US drugs and medical devices.

4. Article 2.5: Halal Certification for Industrial Goods.
Malaysia shall allow the usage of a halal logo issued by any U.S. Halal certifier designated by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (“JAKIM”)
- This is not very different from how JAKIM recognizes halal logos from other countries. Wondering what is the recognised halal logos from the US now?

5. Article 2.13: Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs)5 1. Recognizing the importance of establishing science- and risk-based MRLs, in cases where Malaysia has not established an MRL, Malaysia shall recognize and accept the corresponding U.S. tolerances.
- I wonder what are the MRLs that Malaysia does not monitor that the US monitors?

6. Article 2.15: Definitions for Alcoholic Beverages Malaysia shall conduct an independent impact assessment with a view to expanding Malaysia’s current definitions for alcoholic beverages to include U.S. malt-based and spirit-based readyto-drink products by the end of 2028.
- something for those who want to drink alcohol from the US.

7. Article 2.18: Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy Malaysia shall take steps to increase enforcement against notorious markets for counterfeiting and piracy within its territory.
- not the word 'increase enforcement'. Will there increased patrols in Jalan Petaling and the blocking of torrent downloads?

8. Article 2.19: Submarine Cable Repair Malaysia shall ensure Malaysia’s exemption to the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 [Ordinance 70/1952] is permanent, so that non-Malaysian ships are able to conduct submarine cable repairs in Malaysian waters.
- this was once a heavily debate issue between MCA and DAP. Now US have stepped in to settle it.

9. Article 2.20: Broadcasting Malaysia shall remove the requirement in broadcast licensing agreements that broadcast stations devote 80 percent of terrestrial airtime to local Malaysian programming, and Malaysia shall allow broadcasting of foreign programming during prime time.
- As a former TV producer, I can tell you that this is ultimately benefit Indonesian, South Korean and Chinese producers. Market has shifted away from US programming. Syndicated shows from the US are expensive and there is low returns from ADEX. Anyway, good to hear you can start a new TV station with entirely foreign content (no news content too possibly)

10. Article 2.21: Adoption and Implementation of Good Regulatory Practices
conduct public consultations for proposed regulatory measures in a transparent manner; allow adequate time for interested persons, domestic and foreign, to submit comments, taking into account the complexity or possible impact of the proposed regulation; and give consideration to comments received;
- I find this amusing as it's one of the most common complaints about Malaysian regulators. Not enough consultations with all parties. Americans had to put it in an agreement.

11. Article 2.22: Labor Laws and Other Measures
To protect internationally recognized labor rights, Malaysia shall─ (a) within two years of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, amend its Trade Unions Act 1959 [Act 262] to allow migrant workers to hold elected union office without prior authorization; and (b) implement regulations under the Industrial Relations Act 1967 [Act 177], including with respect to Section 12A, that specify the manner to obtain sole bargaining rights.
- this is significant, foreign workers can now joint or form their own unions without approval. Good for them as they can take part in Collective Agreement negotiations too.

12. To facilitate the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor, Malaysia shall─ (a) prohibit the charging of recruitment fees and related costs to workers in Malaysia and, where applicable, prior to their migration to Malaysia. The law may provide that such recruitment fees and related costs be paid by employers.
- this has been mentioned previously before, but now that the Americans have put it in trade agreement - employers (and their agents) can't charge a recruitment fee for their foreign workers. Often, foreign workers take up huge loans just to get a job in Malaysia.

13. expand efforts to inform migrant workers of their rights under Malaysia’s labor law, including their right to maintain access to their passports at any time, and their options for legal recourse against exploitation.
- again, this is really important to prevent human rights abuses of foreign workers.

14. Article 2.25: Illegal Logging and Associated Trade
strengthen prosecution of forest sector offenses under Malaysia’s laws and regulations, including by increasing the training and number of enforcement and prosecution personnel
- Again, Americans are telling Malaysia that more needs to be done to protect its own forrest from illegal logging with better enforcement.

15. Article 3.1: Regulation of Social Media Platforms and Cloud Providers
1. Malaysia shall remove the requirement for U.S. social media platforms and cloud providers to contribute six percent of their revenue generated in Malaysia to a domestic fund in order to operate in Malaysia.
2. Malaysia shall administer its domestic laws and regulations for social media platforms and cloud providers in a transparent, impartial, and non-discriminatory manner, and in accordance with the principles of due process.
- if the Americans are not contributing 6%, will the other companies like Tiktok be exempt too?
- Also, the word 'non-discriminatory' is up for debate as Malaysia has different views on LGBT and what it considers fake news.

16. Article 3.2: Domain Name System (DNS) Traffic Malaysia shall repeal or permanently suspend the directive redirecting all DNS traffic to local DNS services.
- Looks like no more DNS censorship by MCMC. All the complaints has made the Americans take notice. Harder to block gambling and fake news sites now (and torrents too!)

17. Article 5.3: Export Controls
Malaysia, through its domestic regulatory process, shall screen and share its customs and transaction data related to U.S.-origin or U.S.-controlled items to identify transactions of concern to U.S. authorities, including BIS or its surrogate, and shall adopt and implement measures to prevent and address violations of U.S. export controls.
- Malaysia now has to share its data with US customs. Americans want to know if we are trading with countries on their banned list.

18. Article 6.2: Critical Minerals
1. Malaysia shall refrain from banning critical mineral exports to the United States and shall eliminate any rare earth element export quotas to the United States. 2. Malaysia shall commit to the expedient development of its rare earth and critical minerals sector in partnership with U.S. companies to ensure secure and diversified supply chains. Malaysia shall provide greater certainty for companies involved in critical mineral extraction, including granting extended operating licenses with a focus on enhancing their technical capabilities, creating certainty for businesses to increase production capacity, and supporting operational growth.
3. Malaysia agrees to encourage a supply of rare earth magnets on terms favorable to the United States, subject to mutually agreed upon arrangements. Malaysia shall not impose restrictions on the sale of rare earth magnets to U.S. companies.
- Malaysian govt already said it will not export raw rare earth and it has to be processed here in Malaysia first. Note that US now says we can't block the export to the US, this is in case there is a sudden global shortage or in future Malaysia wants to use it entirely for ourself.

Overall, the Trade deal covers quite a lot of things that are considered 'good' for Malaysia in terms of protecting workers rights and also the environment.
you can read the full list here:
https://t.co/NbrrPJBI3O

[George Russell @GeorgeRussell63]

Haven’t watched F1 cars on track in years, so found a way to sneak into the stands while Fred was driving my car 🎭🤣

[vids that go hard @vidsthatgohard]

This is too good man😭😭

[Richard Ker @richardker]

I live in a developing nation called Malaysia. Some of you might not know where exactly it is. We’re a small country of 34 million, formed in 1963, not even 100 years old.

Maybe you’ve heard of the Petronas Twin Towers. If not, chances are you’ve probably never heard much about us at all.

We’re kind of the underdog of countries. Multilingual. Multi-cultural. Still figuring things out.

But today feels like a win for Malaysians.

While fuel prices are high around the world, here our price is RM1.99 per litre (about US$0.42). It even dropped by RM0.06 beginning today for eligible Malaysians.

For some, that may not sound like much but for millions of Malaysians, every cent matters. And it’s possible because the government subsidises fuel and because we produce oil ourselves.

This is managed under a program called BUDI95 as you can see from the screenshot. It’s a targeted subsidy scheme where eligible Malaysians receive a 300-litre quota of petrol per month at the subsidised price.

To access it, we use our national ID card (with a built-in electronic chip), which verifies our identity at the pump. The system is also integrated with cashless apps, making the whole process seamless.

(Our ID card can also be used to pay for parking, highway tolls, metro, trains etc).

So today, I can pull up to a station, use my ID card and refuel with a benefit that helps millions of Malaysians keep daily costs manageable.

I share this because:

(a) My audience comes from all around the world and no international media outlet will ever report this. 😂

(b) My point isn’t to brag, but to show how even small, developing nations can innovate and progress.

To my fellow Malaysians: congratulations on this historic day.

Sometimes, being the underdog means we quietly make things work. And that’s something worth celebrating.

And by the way, next year is Visit Malaysia Year 2026. If you’re curious to know more about us, just head over to YouTube.

You’ll find countless travellers who’ve discovered how special this country really is.

[PlayStation @PlayStation]

Sound on for 30 years of nostalgia 🔊

[ConcernedApe @ConcernedApe]

Okay, I revealed this at the concert last night and now the cat's out of the bag, so I will confirm for everyone: There will be a Stardew Valley 1.7 update. No release date, no estimate. But it's happening

[Made by Google @madebygoogle]

10 generations in the making.
Look for #Pixel10 in 10 days at #MadeByGoogle: https://t.co/VxzWRaYodH

[Digital Foundry @digitalfoundry]

We're excited and proud to announce that Digital Foundry is now fully independent, having parted ways amicably with IGN. In this DF Direct Special, we share our thoughts and aspirations for the future of the channel: https://t.co/mJFyrb1YNa

[McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team @McLarenF1]

200 wins and counting 🧡

#McLaren | #NeverStopRacing

[SCS Software @SCSsoftware]

We’re excited to reveal our first planned DLC for the upcoming Road Trip module in American Truck Simulator! 🙌

Introducing the @Ford Car Pack, featuring some of the most iconic vehicles to grace American roads 🇺🇸

Read more about this pack: https://t.co/tD2gprMi1B

[CIA @CIA]

Artifact of the Week: Coins Left at the Statue of Nathan Hale

Learn more: https://t.co/bhyUFYvkDC