Bobco23

Report from Europe: Stocks Up Ahead of Key Earnings Week

Thanks for the remarks on AAUK. It is hard to find timely news on this company.

CEOs Must Bring Investors Along for the Ride (WSJ)

Having worked at senior levels of small and major corporations, I can tell you with complete confidence, there are dozens of highly qualified executives ready to take the helm in the event the current grossly overpaid CEO leaves in a huff over pay. There is no lack of top talent. Let the CEOs walk.

sonearsofar has the answer to the problem, seperate the CEO from the chairman of the BOD and change the way directors are nominated. Companies will not do this voluntarily. The current CEO/Chariman will not allow it. Sadly, the only hope is for the government (ugh) to change the rules for the election of directors. Until that happens, directors will be like minded as those who appoint them (the annual election is a Soviet style scam) and beholding to the CEO for their lucrative positions. Maybe the BAC fiasco will result in some of these needed changes. The government forced separation of the CEO and chairman are a good beginning.

AIG Bonuses Are Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Carthage was not destroyed by its own mercenaries.

1). It did not employ mercenaries and
2) it was destroyed by the Roman army in a progression of 3 wars, which you may recall from your high school history class as the Punic Wars.

The first Punic War was fought from 264-241 BC and resulted in territorial losses for Carthage and reparations. The Second Punic War was fought from 218 to 201 BC and resulted in subjugation and submission to Roman authority as well as greater reparations. The Third Punic War was fought from 149-146 BC at the urging of Cato the Elder and was percipitated by Carthage violating a provision not to take action against aggression without permission from Rome, which they did not get. The citizens of Carthatge fought the Romans in the streets of the city for weeks, but finally succumbed to the superior Roman army. The survivors were sold into slavery, the city burned, and the soil sowed with salt.

There were no Carthaginian mercenaries involved to turn against the citizens of Carthage, although it is likely the Romans had several legions of mercenaries.


On Mar 18 07:49 PM european_pov wrote:

> The argument saying "you have to pay bonuses to keep them" proves
> one point : the top management of financial firms is just made of
> mercenaries. Maybe good at their jobs (?) but absolutely not commited
> to it. The fact that "11 top managers letf AOG despite of the bonuses
> being paid" confirms the point. The fact that "if they leave they
> will work against us" confirms the point. Compare that with the commitment
> and the (far leaner) salaries of doctors, researchers, teachers working
> hard and with passion to increase the nation knowledge; with what
> the guy in the local store earns for the necessary services and goods
> he provides with a smile to his customers. Those pay the bill. Is
> it a good thing to give mercenaries so much power as to make the
> whole system crash ? Remember what happened to the old city of Carthage
> destroyed by its own mercenaries.