The subsequent verdicts were even more unreliable. Talking about heartfelt confessions -- can't wrap my head around that -- just speechless.
Jodie Foster got caught up innocently, and her career almost wasted away. If not for Silence of the Lambs, she might not have gotten back on track.
William White's security company suddenly got busy. The big boss could get into trouble, what's there to skimp on? If you get taken out, all the money in the world doesn't matter.
On the surface, this security company wasn't under William White, but everyone knew the truth. He was just protecting his reputation, didn't want to make money that way.
Though expensive, their equipment and personnel were first-rate. Nothing much to say there; better to spend money while you can, might not have the chance later.
The richer you are, the more fearful of death. That's the same everywhere, and as for gun control, that's just laughable.
The big boss got shot, and you don't rush to get a gun to protect yourself?
...
William White guessed right. Within hours, various lobbying firms were appearing in major media, not to stop reports, just to ask them to keep it measured.
Filson didn't expect their efficiency. Initially, editors didn't understand, but now they do. This group is not to be trifled with.
They didn't know because they were nobodies. With little influence, unless you go overboard, no one bothers about you.
"Boss, the other side agreed to the lobbyists' persuasion."
"Heh, nothing left unchecked! Alright, that worry's settled."
Even Wall Street was worried he'd act out. The Rifle Association wasn't a group you'd want to cross -- stay away from their turf, they don't care how many die.
Turns out, their worry was unnecessary. This decision wasn't up to editors; without William White's backing, they wouldn't dare even if given guts.
"William, what do you think about this matter?"
"Not sure, depends on recovery. Based on my staff's reports, doesn't seem too bad."
"Oh, got it."
Bush Jr. naturally knew William White had his intelligence sources, just cross-referencing, really.
...
For Wall Street, today was just awful. The new boss had only been in office for just over two months, and if things went badly, there might be another change in leadership.
The fellow was pretty old already, and who knew how long he could hold on without any major health issues? Even if he managed to come through this time, his health status was questionable.
Although there were reports claiming he had passed the critical stage, the source of this information was quite official, and the real situation was difficult to ascertain in the short term.
For Wall Street, uncertainty was the most frightening thing. No investor liked this kind of uncertainty.
Although stocks didn't plunge dramatically, they had lost the possibility of rising. If there weren't any positive news in the short term, a downturn seemed inevitable.
Luckily, there was no incident with the suspect this time. If someone had knocked him off mysteriously, it would have been a real mess.
Didn't the guy who took out Kennedy get silenced too? In the end, those who knew too much either died or fled, and the case just faded away.
For the general public, it was just a big news item. For those conglomerates and investment banks, it was a bolt from the blue.
What about the 401(k) plan, the Star Wars program? If all of these disappeared, it would be big trouble. Don't even talk about being completely derailed; even a delay of a year or two would be unacceptable since their production lines were about to grow moldy.
Don't be surprised; these were decided before taking office. Otherwise, who would be willing to throw money at you? Do you really think their money grows on trees?
...
Regarding whether the economy would get worse, William White said he wasn't worried. "Go ahead and stir things up. It's not like I'm not making money."
Of course, he was raking it in. Comic book sales had already exceeded 15 million copies. It was a pace that could stress out the competition.
The advertising effect was good, but everyone knew that a price increase next year was inevitable. The year-end advertising bids would definitely be a fierce battle.
..
"Give it to him, we agree, extend the time."
Since most banks couldn't hold on, a few had no better choice. In the current environment, getting back the principal would be considered lucky, so why bother thinking about anything else?
As for repayment ability, they weren't worried at all. The companies had monthly cash flows in the hundreds of millions. The banks surely understood the benefits there.
Why didn't the reports show profits?
Well, they were lucky there were no huge losses. If the boss didn't cut taxes, they might just take off at any minute.
Don't think it's a joke. If you dared to mess with the gaming consoles like last time, that guy would definitely pack up and leave.
Through this event, the conglomerates realized one thing: they couldn't move their assets, but William White was different. Although he would suffer significant losses too, it would be within an acceptable range.
Steel plants? Oil fields? Defense factories?
How do you move those? You can't just sell them.
As for whether to dabble in the entertainment industry?
The conglomerates have always had their fingers in these pies, but unfortunately, most of their investments flopped, and those that managed to scrape by didn't even come close to being profitable.
...
"Boss, since the banks have eased up, the problem shouldn't be too big now, right?"
"It should be mostly settled. Everyone's tired, hoping this transaction can energize the market a bit."
Investment banks loved mergers for good reasons. Besides the hefty commissions, the growth in related stocks brought them plenty of benefits.
With huge funds buying entertainment companies, market investors naturally paid attention to related stocks. The market had always been like this: when a giant emerges, there will naturally be forces that follow.
...
"Michael, with terms this good, you're still hesitating? This can't be compared to some vice president position."
"Mark, are you sure he'll succeed in the acquisition? Disney's not in a great spot; they need something big to happen."
"Let me tell you, Michael, the banks have already compromised. Now it's just a question of price. Do you think he's short of money?"
Michael Eisner was surprised that William White had his eye on him.
If anyone in Hollywood was most troublesome, that guy was undoubtedly William White. First, he had plenty of cash, and financially competing with him was a death wish.
Secondly, his movies were actually good. Whether they liked it or not, they all went to see his films, if only to understand where the gap was.
You could say these last couple of years were like William White's one-man show. The most frightening part was that he was incredibly young. If he kept this pace, no one would stand to gain.
Alright, Michael Eisner was tempted.
*****
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