Good Bad Billionaire - Sir James Dyson: Sucking up the cash

A blocked vacuum cleaner led to a billion-dollar idea for British inventor Sir James Dyson. After studying art, then reinventing the wheelbarrow, Dyson struck gold with his iconic bagless vacuum, but only after years of effort.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to the entrepreneur’s youth in post-War Norfolk and discover a childhood marked by tragedy. From his years as a jobless inventor, frustrated by existing technology, Dyson’s story is one of innovation, ambition and risk, with legal battles once leaving him on the verge of bankruptcy. But the engineer’s determination and obsession with perfection paid off, with his company now worth billions. The Dyson name has become synonymous not only with vacuum cleaners, but also fans, heaters, hand dryers and hairdryers. He’s even started his own engineering university. Simon and Zing look back at Dyson’s success story and find out how he made his fortune, before deciding if they think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

The Economics of Everyday Things - 85. Executive Recruiters

When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network.  

 

  • SOURCES:
    • Julian Ha, partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles.
    • Jane Stevenson, global vice chair of board and CEO services at Korn Ferry.

 

Chapo Trap House - 919 – Abruendance Agenda feat. Madinah Wilson-Anton & Matt Bruenig (3/24/25)

Delaware state rep Madinah Wilson-Anton returns to the show to brief us on Elon Musk’s attempts to rewrite the state laws of Delaware to help him secure a $50 billion+ compensation package. We discuss the “race to the bottom” in state business laws, and the new wave of assaults on basic legal legitimacy in pursuit of complete oligarchical control. Then, Matt Bruenig joins us to discuss the hot new word on all the wonks’ lips: ABUNDANCE. We review the Abundance Agenda, Matt gives us his takes on the policies, and we evaluate the Abundance potential as a viable organizing principle for the moribund Democratic party. Check out NLRB Edge, Matt’s labor law newsletter: https://www.nlrbedge.com/

Consider This from NPR - How an obscure legal theory shaped the immunity decision and Trump’s second term

In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court held that the president has "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution" for official acts.

To reach that conclusion, the High Court grappled with this question: how much power a president should have?

And some legal scholars say the ruling draws on the unitary executive theory — which, in its most extreme interpretation, gives the president sole authority over the executive branch.

But did it pave the way for Trump's second term and the constitutional questions it's raised: From the dismantling of federal agencies established by Congress to the deportation migrants to third party countries without due process?

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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Consider This from NPR - How an obscure legal theory shaped the immunity decision and Trump’s second term

In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court held that the president has "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution" for official acts.

To reach that conclusion, the High Court grappled with this question: how much power a president should have?

And some legal scholars say the ruling draws on the unitary executive theory — which, in its most extreme interpretation, gives the president sole authority over the executive branch.

But did it pave the way for Trump's second term and the constitutional questions it's raised: From the dismantling of federal agencies established by Congress to the deportation migrants to third party countries without due process?

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Consider This from NPR - How an obscure legal theory shaped the immunity decision and Trump’s second term

In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court held that the president has "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution" for official acts.

To reach that conclusion, the High Court grappled with this question: how much power a president should have?

And some legal scholars say the ruling draws on the unitary executive theory — which, in its most extreme interpretation, gives the president sole authority over the executive branch.

But did it pave the way for Trump's second term and the constitutional questions it's raised: From the dismantling of federal agencies established by Congress to the deportation migrants to third party countries without due process?

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The Daily - The Sunday Read: ‘What I Found on the 365-Mile Trail of a Lost Folk Hero’

Sometime in the 1850s or ’60s, at a terrible moment in U.S. history, a strange man seemed to sprout, out of nowhere, into the rocky landscape between New York City and Hartford, Conn. The word “strange” hardly captures his strangeness. He was rough and hairy, and he wandered around on back roads, sleeping in caves. Above all, he refused to explain himself. As one newspaper put it: “He is a mystery, and a very greasy and ill-odored one.” Other papers referred to him as “the animal” or (just throwing up their hands) “this uncouth and unkempt ‘What is it?’”

But the strangest thing about the stranger was his suit.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The Daily Signal - How Democrats Lost America’s Trust: David Harsanyi on “The Rise of BlueAnon”

Author and columnist David Harsanyi joins The Daily Signal to discuss his book "The Rise of BlueAnon: How the Democrats Became the Party of Conspiracy Theorists."

In this thought-provoking conversation with Rob Bluey, Harsanyi explains why Democrats have embraced conspiracy theories, analyzes the collapse of institutional trust in America, and shares his perspective on faith's crucial role in our society.

Harsanyi argues that Democrats resort to conspiracy theories to avoid substantive debate, with the Russia collusion narrative being "the most effective conspiracy theory perhaps in political history." He discusses the modern media landscape, why Americans have lost trust in legacy institutions, and offers candid insights about the dangers of government replacing the role of faith and private charity in American life.

The conversation also touches on Trump's administration, DOGE, college campus protests, and Harsanyi's new Substack newsletter where he continues to provide analysis beyond his regular columns: https://davidharsanyi.substack.com/

Subscribe to The Daily Signal for more interviews with thought leaders on the critical issues facing America.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Cruciferous Vegetables (Encore)

One of the most common food items consumed today are cruciferous vegetables. Even if you aren’t familiar with the term, you almost certainly have consumed some before, and there is a good chance you do so on a regular basis. 


What many people don’t know is that these vegetables are actually rather modern. 


Early neolithic humans never ate broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts because humans invented these foods. 


Learn more about cruciferous vegetables and where they came from on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.


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