The Weekly Spill (In Shorts)
Welcome to The Weekly Spill—Silicon Bay Partners’ regularly scheduled download of thoughts, takes, and the occasional side-eye at the world as it actually is (not just as it’s pitched in a deck). Each week, we sift through the noise across current events, politics, startups, and financial markets to bring you what matters—and what’s just pretending to.
We aim to keep things light, even when the topics aren’t. That means a bit of satire where it’s earned, a bit of skepticism where it’s called for, and a commitment to staying grounded in facts even when opinions sneak in through the side door. We won’t always be non-judgmental—but we will always try to be clear-eyed.
Think of this as your informed, occasionally irreverent briefing for the week ahead. Read it for insight, stay for perspective, and feel free to disagree—that’s o.k. too. Fair warning: Sometimes we spill more than once a week!
Trump Admin Spent $11B Telling Workers Not To Work
A report finds the Trump administration cost the American taxpayer $11 billion by telling workers not to work under Elon Musk-inspired efforts to gut the federal workforce last year. The Office of Personnel Management initiated the Deferred Resignation Program on January 28, 2025, after Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency sent the now-infamous “fork in the road” email to federal employees, allowing them to resign and continue to receive pay through September 30, 2025. Apparently, this administration loves to spend like a drunken sailor.
Chili’s Is On Fire! The Untold Story Of The Biggest, Most Viral Restaurant Turnaround In Years
This shift back to the brand’s maximalist roots is the brainchild of Kevin Hochman, who became CEO of Brinker International (parent company of Chili’s and Maggiano’s Little Italy) in 2022. A veteran of Procter & Gamble and Yum Brands—where he pulled double duty as president of both KFC North America and Pizza Hut—Hochman has spent his tenure at Chili’s executing what Evercore analyst David Palmer calls “the best turnaround story of all time in restaurants.”
Mamdani Looking Into Legality Of Arresting Netanyahu In NYC During UN Assembly
Mayor Mamdani is exploring the possibility of arresting Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrives in New York City in September for the United Nations General Assembly.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said on a New York Times show. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court and what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”