Culture of greed
Kim, Help save the world. Kill yourself Greed is good. The last two posts say it all about the state of America, we won't help each other or the environment it's all about the money. I've got mine so go f@#&k yourselves. I'm sure these two clowns idolize these CEO's that steal from the hardworking Americans that make these companies what they are. What a sad state we are in kim... Mike D., don't be discousraged...those two clowns don't represent America, they just represent a good portion of the Rocky Mountain News' readership. Remember, it is known for catering to a largely Republican audience. And apparently, today's Republican is one heartless s.o.b. I don't think greed has a particular party. It's all about thinking of only how full your pockets can get at the expense of anyone who gets in your way. No morals, ethics or conscience. Money seems to be the most important thing in life these days, replacing any thread of moral conscience. It is at the root of illegal immigration ( we can use them as packhorses and pay them very little while large profits are made by the fat cats: why do you think the cries of the people are being ignored?), people are being robbed of their retirement savings while the CEO's are rewarded time and time again for their bad behavior and the list goes on. I don't think greed has a particular party. It's all about thinking of only how full your pockets can get at the expense of anyone who gets in your way. No morals, ethics or conscience. Money seems to be the most important thing in life these days, replacing any thread of moral conscience. It is at the root of illegal immigration ( we can use them as packhorses and pay them very little while large profits are made by the fat cats: why do you think the cries of the people are being ignored?), people are being robbed of their retirement savings while the CEO's are rewarded time and time again for their bad behavior. A CEO is caught ripping off the company and he's given a mulimillion dollar severance deal. The list goes on... And as one of those heartless s.o.b's, if I want to spend my money on a $90 steak, I will. The real problem isn't spending $90.00 on a steak, if people want to treat themselves more power to you. It is the robbing of the working America, taking away life savings and companies going under while the CEO walks with 40 million. Where does that money come from? It comes from the employees trying to build a future for themselves and invseting back in the companies they feel will take care of them. Now that is the crime.. Go enjoy that $90.00 steak most probably deserve it... ssdd - you can buy all the $90 steaks you want to, but I hope you choke on them if you ripped people off to get where you are. And as one of those heartless s.o.b's, if I want to spend my money on a $90 steak, I will. Posted by ssdd on August 13, 2007 04:38 PM Fine dude but you materialistic pigs won't get the Roan Plateau without a fight and your children will curse you for your wasteful ways. Your self-indulgent consumerism is the antithesis of the teachings of Jesus Christ and Mother Theresa would look at the sterile state of your consumer obsessed soul and pity you. Eat your steak and step over the Lazarus' of the world ssdd. If this is your moral superiority over progressives then you can have it. I prefer the blessed and the meek who will inherit what is left after your excessive gluttony has run its course. You people are about as moral as a Marlboro commercial. Wes Lighten up, Dude. Everyone can't be a living saint like you. Many aspire, but few achieve... Relax, folks, I was one of the clowns that got ripped off by Nasty Joe's greed, not one of the takers. I'm not defending him. However, it was mytwosense calling me names, and yes, I do work hard for my money and don't intend to just give it away. Raised my kids, too, without handouts, so I don't think everyone else's kids are my responsbility. And you know what, Wes, I don't believe I asked for your diatribe. So quit making assumptions about my morality. Sure is fun to watch the holier than thou lefties get their panties in a twist. Thanks for the chuckles, Wes; always nice to see the true inner self bubble gently to the surface. Tzn Cant we all just get along? Rodney King my fellow Americans, i would like to enjoy a $90 steak but i would rather save my money and make it myself, cause i know if you want to do something right you have to do it yourself, no one out there will help you except yourself.. i was house less from the time i was 16 til i was 22, traveled all over North America and lived out of a backpack(all of this was my choice). i wanted to see what it was like to see America as my hippie parents did when they were that age, and like them i did not wait for handouts and hold a sign on a corner to get money, i worked and i worked hard for my money and food , all i am saying is that if you want to feed homeless people go ahead that is your decision as it is theirs to be on the streets, i pulled myself up and out of the gutter and now live in a really nice house have a decent car and have a job where i make around 48 k a year, so i can enjoy a $90 steak if i want and i feel damn good about it, and for the republican comment someone left, demoncrats are just as greedy , there is no political bias for greed , it is human nature , i clawed my way to where i am at and i dont plan on stopping here , to me there is only one direction and that is up and it is endless your local Conservative Atheist Hoimaha...... But But ,what about the children? eat them Uh oh, my halo is slipping...I love steak! If the United States is to survive, some very big key players will have place the future of the nation ahead of cheap offshore labor. We must produce something other than information on US soil or we will collapse into poverty. If the captains of industry who started here in America are loyal to their country, they will have to steer their giant multinational ships in a corse that assures her survival. We have to ask of our leaders and our very rich (Sometimes one in the same.) to sacrifice for the good of the nation. It is funny how that sounds utterly impossible. People seem to place profit above all else these days. I am not talking about redistribution of wealth, but a re-dedication in the hearts of wealthy people to help protect the future of the nation that gave them the oppertunity to become so wealthy. It is my hope that one day it will become popular in the board room to ask, "Is this good for America?" Truthy You speak with wisdom. However, the concept of greed has taken hold of the hearts and minds of the country. Everything is geared toward the immediate rewards of the now and present bottom line performance. If it's cheaper to produce a widget offshore, or if it's better for the bottom line to hire cheap illegal immigrant slave labor, that's the way they'll go. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. It's assumed that for as long big business generates profitable results the stock market, financial markets and general economy will take care of themselves. The Labor Department, traditionally under both parties, only counts among the unemployed those receiving unemployment benefits. Ergo, one finishes their eligibility period for collecting unemployment they are no longer considered unemployed, but employed. Therefore, we are currently showing an unemployment rate of approximately 4.7%. Many private estimates reflect that REAL unemployment is somewhere in the range of 12 to 18%, and steadily rising. That "real range" includes those who's unemployment benefits have run out and might be finding occasional day work (i.e., 7 to 14 days a month); or, short term contract work (i.e., a hi tech worker contracting, usually without benefits, for 3 to 4 months out of a year). And not included are those seriously underemployed (i.e., a former mid level manager who made in the $40 to $50K range before his department was outsourced and he now works for $18 to $20K as an assistant manager of a gas station). I'm retiring as an economist for a large multinational corporation. For the last several years this has been one of my primary points of focus. Rather than heed the early warning signs of this decay and start evaluations as to how to change course, the emphasis has been to continue to expand international production in order to bring cheaper, more affordable products into the consumer market in order to still profit in an environment of shrinking discretionary consumer dollars of the middle and working class. With outsourcing, cheap illegal immigrant slave labor and HB visas, profit margins are remaining high enough that the "captains of industry", as you call them, are not concerned about the long term prospects of our own economic base. The profitability allows industry to ASSUME that what's good for business is good for the country -- a the majority of politicians of both parties embrace that assumption. The economic bubble is steadily, if not rapidly, approaching a bursting point. The greed and subsequent consequences we are witnessing in the subprime lending market is but the beginning. The Feds are pouring money, in the billions (new money, newly "printed") into the financial markets to stave off a depression generating collapse. Until your "captains of industry" realize they are not commanding the good ship Lollipop and start investing in the domestic industrial infrastructure, nothing is going to change. Since NAFTA implementation the focus of business and government has been globalization with an false underlying assumption that our economy would prosper proportionately. But, our prospering has been limited to the upper end of the economic scale, with a steady decline in upper middle class down. Greed: n. An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth. What a stupid, subjective word. In the definition we have other subjective words like: excessive, needs, and deserves. One man's greed is another's ambition. To reflect directly to what I was saying about pressure on the economic markets; this announced by WalMArt: Tuesday , August 14, 2007 NEW YORK — Earnings per share from continuing operations were 72 cents per share before a gain of 4 cents. Analysts on average were expecting 76 cents, according to Reuters Estimates. Chief Executive Lee Scott blamed the disappointing performance on economic pressure around the world. "It is no secret that many customers are running out of money toward the end of the month," Scott said on a recorded conference call, adding that higher fuel prices, interest rates, utility costs and "more financial pressure" are hurting sales in its international market, including Mexico and Canada. With more than 127 million customers visiting a Wal-Mart store or a Sam's Club location in America every week, Wal-Mart is considered a barometer of the health of the U.S. retail sector. Even with reported strong profits, they weren't high enough to satisfy the big financial players. Why weren't they higher -- as they announced, their customer base (the general population) is under increasing financial pressure. Mike: Greed per say is not bad at all. Greed to a point of blinding oneself to the damage being done to the market which is providing satiation, fulfillment of that greed is bad. Destroying or severely damaging the capital market which is your customer base will ultimately diminish your earning and profit capacity. A truly objective greedy entrepreneur will endeavor to fine tune the market he's addressing in order to nurture stability and growth of the market, providing him with ever increasing profits. With the sole emphasis currently being on bottom line gratification the market side of the equation is being left to fend for itself rather unsuccessfully. Totally milking a market for all it's worth as quickly as possible is akin to shooting yourself in the foot midway through a cross country marathon. You still have to walk forward on the damaged foot or sit static, barely subsisting, or possibly perish (i.e., the American automotive, textile and steel industries). I It's bad enough for people to be greedy and selfish, but even worse for them to take pride in being that way. Although I think we will need a lot more emphasis on compassion and understanding of others if we are ever to reduce violence and suffering, I agree with MyTwoSense that the posters whose selfishness is their main contribution in life hardly represent what Americans in general think. What goes on in the gutter does not reflect what is happening on the street. Truth Wishful thinking on your part, but contrary to human nature. It really doesn't matter what Americans in general think as the golden rule applies: he who has the gold rules. The more autonomy we give politicians, the more autonomy they give their big business benefactors and the more the American people in general are squeezed for all their worth. The golden goose has always been the consumer with the spending power to purchase both the necessities and toys of life. The golden goose has had their collective diet restricted via outsourcing and artificially suppressed wages for those industries remaining. Unless the geese are fed the production of golden eggs is going to continue to erode. I spent ALL DAY trying to speak with someone in this country from AT&T. ALWAYS one gets an automated menu, then is directed to mostly India for any assistance. I even attempted to speak to someone at headquarters in NEW YORK. They don't even answer the phone there! Are there any humans in these big corporations anymore??? And does anyone work HERE? It's all about profit and nothing about giving a speck of care about the customer. SHAME. "Truth Wishful thinking on your part, but contrary to human nature." That describes all of Truth's posts. c, Doesn't it tick you off when all you need to make is a simple phone call and it takes 20 minutes just to get a real person? I think it's a conspiracy among the cell phone companies to keep people on the phone as long as they can to waste their minutes. Of course not everyone makes calls on cell phones,but I am so frustrated trying to call a business and get the automated phone run-a-round. Automated phones should be banned. If a business can't hire people to do the job,then they shouldn't be in business. Maybe the AMA can help get them banned because it sure raises your blood pressure ,which is harmful to your health. Can I Get an Amen! Agree with you on every point. Something must be done! Maybe the businesses are in kahoots with the pharmacuticals??? I think I'm going to have to up my blood pressure medication dosage.
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Any Lib
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), the world's largest retailer, reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit and cut its full-year earnings forecast Tuesday, saying its customers remain under economic pressure...
Here is what really gets me ticked. Have you ever had to say your name or account number to an automated machine. You say your number and they repeat it back to you and it's wrong,then you say it again slower and more loudly and then they say can you repeat the number they didn't understand!