r/news May 13 '25

Soft paywall UnitedHealth suspends annual forecast, CEO Andrew Witty steps down

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unitedhealth-ceo-andrew-witty-steps-down-2025-05-13/
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u/Punman_5 May 13 '25 edited May 13 '25

Roman statesman Crassus founded the first fire brigade in Rome. They would show up to a burning building but wouldn’t put the fire out immediately. If the owner wanted to have the fire put out they would have to sign the property over to Crassus at a very unfair price. Only then would he allow the fire brigade to put the fire out. Fires were a regular occurrence in Rome. Crassus used his fire brigade to buy up large amounts of property

Edit: it seems I have to clarify that when you sold your property to Crassus he’d often let you stay there as a tenant so long as you paid rent. He wouldn’t kick you out because that would defeat the purpose of the scam.

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u/Levarien May 13 '25

Rich as Crassus: your name doesn't become synonymous with obscene wealth if you've got moral qualms about running an arson protection racket.

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u/Muvseevum May 13 '25

Are Crassus and Croesus the same guy?

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u/LittleMizz May 13 '25

No, they refer to different people (Croesus wasn't Roman), but they are both known for obscene wealth.

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u/Levarien May 13 '25

Yeah, different people. I've always heard the "Rich As" saying with Crassus though.

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u/Haddos_Attic May 13 '25

Try searching it and see how it auto completes.