Good Bad Billionaire Coming soon: Good Bad Dead Billionaire
We're back – but with a difference! Find out how some of the world's most famous dead billionaires made their money. Meet five billionaires who helped build the United States of America. First up: oil tycoon John D Rockefeller, the world's first billionaire. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng also revisit the lives of motor magnate Henry Ford, the aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Hetty Green - once dubbed 'The Witch of Wall Street'. These iconic billionaires may be dead, but their fingerprints are everywhere in modern industry - in business trusts, IPOs, and mass production. They did it all first, but how did they make their billions?
Season 4 of Good Bad Dead billionaire starts on Monday 7 July 2025.
And this season, we really want to know what you think - are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.co.uk or send a voice message or text to 001 917 686 1176. Don't forget to leave your name. We might read your comments out.
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The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
Florida condo owners will get financial relief under a new law
Florida condominium residents grappling with the steep cost of building improvements will get some financial relief under a new bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday. The new measure gives condo homeowner associations more flexibility in how to build up their reserve funds and eases some requirements for safety assessments. Approval came the day before the fourth anniversary of the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South, which killed 98 people in Surfside in 2021. The new law goes into effect July 1 and is aimed at reforming a condo safety law passed in 2022 in the wake of that disaster. Speaking at Monday's bill signing in Clearwater, Republican state Sen. Ed Hooper said the 2022 law was meant to ensure there was never another collapse like Surfside. In retrospect, he said some of the requirements enacted were probably an overreaction, which lawmakers are now hoping to correct. 'Now it's time to make the change,' Hooper said. 'Elderly people are losing their condos because they could not afford to make the increase in their monthly HOA fees. That's just wrong.' Condo owners in Florida faced rising costs under the 2022 law, which requires condo associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs. In the aftermath of the Surfside disaster, some residents were caught off guard by hefty fees levied to cover years of deferred maintenance expenses required to bring their buildings into compliance with the 2022 legislation. The mounting costs to cover renovations and build up reserve funds have strained residents in the condo haven of South Florida, especially retirees and those living on fixed incomes. Condo owners along the state's southwest coast have taken the extra hit of last year's back-to-back hurricanes, which clobbered waterfront communities in the Tampa Bay area and forced additional renovations and repairs. 'It's a full-time job for me keeping track of this,' condo owner Earle Cooper said of the repairs to his building in Belleair. 'Hurricanes just multiply the problems.' The new measure allows certain condo associations to fund their reserves through a loan or line of credit. It also gives residents greater flexibility to pause payments into their reserve funds while they prioritize needed repairs and extends the deadline for associations to complete structural integrity studies. Some smaller buildings will be exempt from having to do those analyses. 'I think that this will provide relief,' DeSantis said. 'But to the extent that there needs to be some cleanup next year when the legislature reconvenes, we got to be willing to do that.' ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Times
41 minutes ago
- Times
Tesla needs robotaxis to be a hit but rivals are picking up fares
'This image might be in textbooks at some point,' wrote a Tesla super-fan beneath a picture of Elon Musk and his team at the carmaker launching robotaxis in Austin, Texas, at the weekend. 'Kinda just the beginning of post-driving civilisation. Second only to space because it basically rewrites daily life on earth, commuting, cities, car ownership, jobs, time, autonomy. The ripple effects are f***ing civilisational,' they gushed. Dan Ives, a tech analyst and Tesla evangelist, was equally breathless, saying: 'We view this autonomous chapter as one of the most important for Musk and Tesla in its history as a company' — one that could add $1 trillion to its valuation. On Monday the share price jumped by 8 per cent as excitement grew at what the launch could mean: Tesla's valuation rests on its potential in robotics and autonomous vehicles rather than the here and now of selling EVs. It has been a bumpy ride. Issues with Tesla's 'full self-driving' software have included phantom braking and breaking traffic rules. This has forced recalls, triggered official investigations and eroded consumer and investor confidence. The competition is stiff and better established. Wayve, a British company, is making strides in autonomous driving technology, while in the US and China, Alphabet's Waymo and Baidu's Apollo Go cabs are already on the road. Waymo launched in San Francisco three years ago and makes 250,000 driverless journeys a week. It has applied for a licence in New York. Life at Tesla has been tough. Musk's failed bromance with President Trump damaged the brand and slowed sales, while safety checks and recalls for models such as the Cybertruck sapped morale. There have also been mass lay-offs as cheaper electric cars make headway. Despite the enthusiasm of believers, the Texas launch was not the big bang Musk hoped for. Only a select few were given invitations to try the fleet of 20 cabs in service, which had safety drivers in the passenger seat, hands on knees, poised to step in if needed. Musk is talking up a rosy future, saying there will be 'hundreds of thousands, if not over a million Teslas doing self-driving in the US' by the end of next year. His argument is that Tesla's advantage lies in its ability to make the cars itself: it has huge production plants, access to real-world driving data and is taking a cheaper camera-only approach rather than using sensors. Tesla spent $10 billion last year on training, data and artificial intelligence computing for driverless cars. Its fleet feeds billions of real-world miles into its Dojo supercomputer daily. Before the start of 2027, the company aims to start production of a two-person Cybercab, without pedals and steering wheel. It will cost less than $30,000. Never short on ambition, Musk has another trick up his sleeve. Tech start-ups love to bill themselves as 'the Uber' or 'the Airbnb' of their sector and Musk dropped both names this weekend when he said Tesla owners will be able to make extra money by adding their vehicles to the company's fleet of robotaxis. Tesla takes a small cut of the fees but they will often be able to earn more than their monthly payment for the car. Tesla will be both the Uber and Airbnb of the autonomous vehicle world. The question is, will all of this help it to overtake its rivals after so long in the slow lane? On a recent speed awareness course (24 in a 20 limit, in case you were wondering), the instructor got us to list the emotions that could affect our driving, such as anger, sadness or anxiety. What is the answer? He wanted to know. 'Driverless cars!' I piped up, to eyerolls from my fellow students. It may be a long way ahead but this is not just about Musk's business. The safety implications of cars driven by emotionless, sober computers are potentially, well, 'civilisational'.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Real Housewives star 'banned' from SoulCycle for performing intimate act with boyfriend DURING class
A former Bravo star was forbidden from returning to a fitness facility due to engaging in a bit too much PDA during an instructed class. A Real Housewives Of New York City castmember was banned from SoulCycle for making out with her boyfriend in the front row according to an upcoming podcast episode of Cult Of Body & Soul. Host Jess Rothschild interviewed a former instructor who alleged that someone on the RHONY cast had been banned according to Page Six on Monday. has reached out to representatives for Bravo and SoulCycle. The former instructor claimed: 'There was a former New York City Real Housewife that was banned from [SoulCycle's East 63rd Street location] because she was talking so loudly throughout the entire class to the point that it was so disruptive.' The fitness teacher did not indicate exactly when the incident who had occurred - or which reality star it was but went on to explain in detail what had happened. They said: 'She was making out with her boyfriend in the front row . . . doing a whole bunch of things up there. 'And then when the studio manager came up to them afterwards and was like "hi" — it wasn't an initial ban — they were like, "just to really establish the rules... if you're in the front row, we really want you following along with the class, we try not to have people talking."' However, the discussion did not end there and resulted in the banishment for the unnamed former RHONY star. The ex-spin teacher explained: 'And this former New York City Real Housewife starts grilling the manager, ripping into her, pulls the whole "Do you know who I am?" situation. 'And the manager ended up calling corporate and that woman ended up being banned.' This is not the only Real Housewives Of New York City news this month as one of it's reboot castmembers announced their departure after being accused of 'weaponizing' a past sexual assault in the season 15 finale. Earlier this month, Brynn Whitfield, 39, revealed stepping away from reality TV as shared the news on social media. 'After a lot of thought, I've made the decision to walk away from reality TV. For now,' she wrote in a lengthy statement posted on her Instagram Stories, adding that she wanted to 'pour every ounce of energy into building Hoppy,' the dating app she co-founded. 'The Real Housewives of New York City will always be one of the most fun, chaotic, and magical chapters of my life. It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise,' she told her fans. 'From day one, I've believed RHONY is a fan's show — we're just temporary custodians of something that truly belongs to the viewers.' 'I hope I made you laugh (a lot), cry (a little) and more than anything — I hope there's a TV in heaven so that Mimi (who LIVED for her shows) could watch me and be proud,' she continued. 'RHONY without you is maybe not something I want to watch ❤️' said a fan after the shocking announcement. 'This is ridiculous. She was the best one on the cast,' wrote another. 'This actually made me sad. I'm excited for your new journey but I don't think the cast will be the same without you,' a die-hard follower stated. The former reality star, listed her reasons for leaving the show in a lengthy statement in her Instagram Stories including her desire to focus on the Hoppy dating app she co-founded 'This is sad because you were so great the first season, not so great the second season but I was hoping to see your redemption arc third season. Good luck to you!!' was another comment referring to the tempestuous season 15 reunion which aired earlier this year. This fan was devastated: 'I am breaking down in tears as I type.' Tension between Whitfield and castmate Ubah Hassan came to a head following allegations Hassan had accused Whitfield of sleeping with someone to be cast on the reality reboot. Her exit doesn't mean Whitfield is departing from her media career altogether. She will still host her podcast, Please See Below, along with publishing a book. Whitfield is not the only cast member to step away from the show. Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, 44, revealed in February she was bowing out after appearing in season 15, saying she wanted to 'focus on my wildly amazing 4 kids, my supportive husband, my business of 20 years, the Female Founder Collective, my podcast and MY BOOK.' She and Whitfield did not get along well after the latter mocked her for having her designs sold at a discount at Nordstrom Rack. 'Listen, she doesn't have to like my stuff. That's fine,' Minkoff conceded in a confessional, before declaring, 'I built a $100 million company.'
