One document references a $30,000 payment. The allegations were never proven. I would absolutely listen to a podcast about this, if someone were to report it out and make one. Would also be a great magazine article.

This led to an internal CIA investigation into the possibility that the agency itself was paying Hunt to write these novels, apparently as part of some attempt to influence public opinion about the agency and U.S. intelligence.

Back in the 1960s, a specialist in U.S. intelligence literature, Walter Pforzheimer, did some sleuthing to figure out that future Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt was writing spy novels under a pseudonym, David St. John. The novels featured "America's most ingenious spy, playboy Peter Ward."

Interesting, can you remember which podcast the ads are on? Would be fun to hear.

The earnings call is under way now. Our full story is here: www.geekwire.com/2025/amazons...

4/ The company reported 1,556,000 full- and part-time employees as of Dec. 31, up 2% year-over-year. (This number does not include contractors or temporary personnel hired for seasonal work.) This chart always fascinates me for the story it tells over time.

3/ Sales by major segment:
Online Stores = $75.5B, up 7.1%.
Third-party seller services = $47.5B, up 9%.
Advertising = $17.3B, up 18%.
Subscriptions, including Prime = $11.5B, up 9.7%.
Physical stores = $5.6B, up 8%.

2/ AWS growth was slightly lower than expected, with sales of $28.8 billion, up 19%, vs. expectations of 19.3%. Although AWS sales ($28.8B) were ~15% of Amazon's total sales ($187.8B), operating profits ($10.6B) were >50% of Amazon's overall op. profits of $21.2B for the quarter.

1/ Amazon beat expectations with $187.8B in net sales, up 10%, and came in well ahead on the bottom line, with earnings of $1.86 per share, vs. expectations of $1.48. Quarterly profits surpassed $20 billion for the first time, up more than 88% from a year ago.

Thanks for thinking of me.

Here's the backstory and a podcast episode with more: www.geekwire.com/2025/from-im...

Here is the Dr. Rhythm.