Dumb Delta Zeta

Omigod, Delta Zeta national swept out the undesirables at the DePauw University chapter. The ostensible reason was a lack of commitment to recruiting. However, as the New York Times reported:

"The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men — conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit."

A spokesman for DZ headquarters said the organization's overarching concern was the “enrichment of student life at DePauw.”

Does anyone have Elle's phone number?

More Corporate Miscreants

Most Americans believe in capitalism because they know it offers the most opportunity and individual freedom. That, not class anger, is why regular folks hate corporate leaders who lie, cheat and steal.

I'm no different. But what really drives me nuts is the arrogance and stupidity of the corpo-thieves, something I noted in an earlier post.

Now, I come across the story of Gary Min who pleaded guilty to stealing an estimated $400 million in DuPont technology. There's no evidence that Min tried to transfer the information to anyone, but he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. In contrast, pioneer corporate thief Michael Miliken emerged from two years in prison with $500 million in the bank. That's the dumb part.

Then there's the arrogance factor. According to The Wall Street Journal, prosecutors are considering filing criminal charges against former Broadcom CFO William Ruehle (photo above) who emailed a colleague:

"I VERY strongly recommend that these options be priced as of December 24."

As the newspaper noted: "Broadcom's share price rose 23% between the two dates. The pretense that the options had been granted on the earlier date made them extra valuable."

If nothing else, Ruehle should be convicted of being too lazy to pick up the phone.

Barack Obama and Foreign Policy

The news media should stop using foreign policy experience as a factor when judging Barack Obama's viability as a presidential candidate.

The last president with any pre-election credentials in that arena was George H.W. Bush, who earned them as the director of central intelligence, UN ambassador and chief of the liason office to the Peoples Republic of China. And it was domestic issues, not foreign relations, that saw him out of office after one term.

Prior to Bush's election in 1989, the last president with important international political experience was Dwight D. Eisenhower, first elected in 1952 and the former supreme commander of allied armies in Europe during World War II.

While increasingly important in today's world, expertise in foreign relations has always been a secondary consideration for American voters when choosing a president. None of the other candidates on the political stage today have meaningful international experience so raising it as an issue in Obama's case is unfair.

My Thought Crimes

I am acquainted with more than one Saudi citizen who (to put it mildly) questions the U.S. government’s foreign policy in the Middle East.

I once shared a meal with two members of the Chinese Communist Party.

I have attended social events alongside drug addicts, Iranians, illegal immigrants and people carrying guns.

I believe it is wrong for my Internet service provider to cooperate with the National Security Agency in monitoring calls, emails, and anything else that travels along phone lines.

I believe it is unconstitutional to throw people into prison simply to coerce them into giving up information. That includes news reporters.

Now that I’ve posted this and the tags below, I wonder who might knock on my door.

This could be interesting.

Truth and Consequences for Joe Biden

Joseph Biden was correct when he said Barack Obama is the first viable African-American presidential candidate. It is equally correct to say that his mush-mouthed way of making that point demonstrates Joseph Biden is not a viable presidential candidate.

Mary Cheney Speaks the Truth

“This is a baby. This is a blessing from God. It is not a political statement. It is not a prop to be used in a debate, on either side of a political issue. It is my child.”

-- Vice presidential daughter Mary Cheney, a lesbian, responding to comments on her decision to become pregnant.

Hillary's Contribution to History

Will Hillary Rodham Clinton will be elected president of the United States? I'm on the fence.

Here's Why Not:
The women's vote will go against her because she is hanging in there with Bill and the visceral notion that a woman won't be strong enough.

Here's Why:
She is brilliant, seasoned, tough and credentialed. The other announced Democratic candidates are just trying to position themselves as players and voters see that. She also has one of the most popular presidents in American history on her side.

The Republicans? McCain is too old so it's a Bob Dole election for the GOP.

Hillary's Contribution:
She will be noted as the first credible female candidate for the presidency. And that's just a start.

Wookie's Gotta Get Out More

"I couldn't believe that anyone could do that to a Yale student."

-- Wookie Kim commenting about the assault on fellow Elis travelling in San Francisco. (SF Chronicle.)

I Agree With Rocco

“What I don’t understand is who the president is listening to. If vets, military brass, the Baker Committee, the international community and now most voters say it’s time to get out, then in my view it’s time to get out.”

-- Rocco Polidoro, a Republican from Clifton, Penn., on Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq. (New York Times)

Enough With The Execution Debate

The Iraqi government says its decision to hang two of Saddam's convicted cronies is irrevocable. The pundits will once again decry what they believe is an injustice. I don't get it.

1. Yes, the death penalty is wrong, stupid, and accomplishes nothing. Why anyone would expect the Iraqis to agree with that statement is beyond me.

2. Yes, their trial was a sham. So were the Nuremburg and Tokyo trials after World War II.

3. Yes, Saddam's execution was undignified. By definition, all executions are undignified.

Man On The Street Economics

The gurus say economic growth will slow in 2007 but not so dramatically that a recession will bite. I am more optimistic.

Of couse, my way of measuring economic health is less sophisticated than the methods used by the pros.

First, I navigate to craigslist and check out postings for jobs highly sensitive to economic ups and downs, such as those in PR and advertising. The number of offered positions is growing, so companies are confident.

Then, I walk down the main drag near my home in Palo Alto to see if fast-food restaurants and carwashes sport "now hiring" signs. The banners are flying, so folks with only basic job skills can find jobs paying more than $10 an hour.

About a mile later, I drop into my favorite hangout, La Bodeguita del Medio. Difficulty finding a spot at the bar before 6 p.m. on Friday means people have plenty of discretionary income and are willing to spend it. There was a big crowd last night.

A couple of minutes online, a brisk walk and a comforting cocktail. It usually works.

Women in Power

The most interesting facet of Nancy Pelosi's election as Speaker of the House of Representatives is that she is now second in line of succession to the presidency.

If Hillary Clinton is elected the 44th president, the two most powerful elected officials in the most powerful nation in the world will be women.

Honest Accounting

Matt Miller wrote in Fortune about a way to make corporate financial results more transparent as well as erode the notion that social benefits, particularly healthcare, should be tied to employment.

Called age-based earnings, it would require companies to calculate the average age of its workforce and put the resulting health insurance and pension liabilities on their balance sheets before figuring out profits.

Some argue that would accelerate the switch to 401(k) plans from pensions. However, that notion has already achieved unstoppable momentum.

The real benefit would be a more realistic picture of a company's future. That's essential to folks who invest their retirment savings in the stock market -- which means just about everyone.

The Trembling Fourth Estate

The fact that some news media have decided to call the civil war in Iraq a civil war has been certified as a newsworthy event.

It is as if they are declaring themselves brave to describe the conflict in a way objectionable to the Bush administration. Even at that, some, such as the editor of The New York Times, say they will use the dreaded phrase "sparingly." They consider this a bold move worthy of notice but it demonstrates a subservience to the government and demeans the First Amendment.

Stupidity Is No Defense

The Wall Street Journal today chronicles the resignations of two more corporate executives who guaranteed themselves big profits by backdating options grants. This time it was Mark King, CEO of Affiliated Computer Services Inc., and Warren Edwards, the company's CFO.

Edwards lawyer says, "He engaged in no intentional misconduct and acted in good faith at all times in connection with the company's longstanding and historic options granting practices." King’s lawyer says, "He acted at all times in good faith and did not engage in any intentional misconduct."

These lads were running a $5.4 billion corporation. Now they declare they were too dumb or too naïve to understand that backdating option grants is illegal unless fully and promptly disclosed to shareholders.

Where's My Raise?

Those who drink alcohol earn 10 percent to 14 percent more at their jobs than nondrinkers, according to a Reason Foundation report by economists Bethany Peters and Edward Stringham. “Social drinking builds social capital,” said Stringham, a San Jose State University economics professor. “Social drinkers are networking, building relationships and adding contacts to their BlackBerries that result in bigger paychecks.”

Men who drink earn 10 percent more than those who don’t, and women drinkers earn 14 percent more than nondrinkers. Men who visit bars at least once per month see an income boost of 7 percent; however, the same is not true for women, according to the study.

-- Staffing Industry Report, Nov. 10, 2006

What Civil War?

At least 75 corpses have been found in the Baghdad area since Monday morning, authorities said today, most of them bound, riddled with bullets, and showing signs of torture. . . .

In addition, at least five bombs exploded in the capital area, killing at least 14 civilians and 6 policemen, and injuring 23 people.
-- The New York Times

Our commanders and diplomats on the ground believe that Iraq has not descended into a civil war.
-- President George W. Bush

Dennis Hastert in the Private Sector

Let’s say Dennis Hastert is the CEO of a $1 billlion, publicly traded corporation. He is informed that one of his most visible executives is sending “inappropriate” emails to a teenage boy.

Hastert instructs one of his aides to tell the errant executive to stop sending the emails.

Unfortunately, the bad boy exec not only doesn’t stop, but ratchets up the sexual content of the emails. Eventually, some of his missives hit the press and scandal erupts.

Hastert's knowledge of the issue also is reported. The company’s share price tumbles, employee morale plummets, and customers wonder if they want to do business with a company so poorly managed.

Hastert is asked in for a chat with the board.

Chairman: What steps did you take after the admonishment?

Hastert: I assumed that he would obey my instructions.

Chairman: You didn’t speak to him directly, follow up in any way, instruct anyone else to follow up and report back or take any other steps to resolve or monitor this potentially explosive situation.

Hastert: Obviously I was wrong.

Chairman: Yes, Dennis, you were. Please excuse us now because we have a personnel matter to discuss. Keep yourself available.

The End is Near

Starbucks Corp. on Thursday said it plans to eventually have 40,000 stores, raising its previous target by 10,000 locations.
-- The Wall Street Journal

Mark Foley and the GOP

Should we show at least a soupcon of compassion for Mark Foley, disgraced ex-congressman, proto-pederast and, he says, alcoholic? Only on one point, his agonized refusal to admit his homosexuality.

As for the GOP leadership, well, it's hypocrisy of a far more cynical sort.

Basic human compassion for Foley is qualified only because there is no information about whether he ever had sex with boys. Fringe arguments from NAMBLA aside, orientation aside, sex with adolescents is wrong and illegal.

But we shouldn't wait to condemn the House GOP leadership. It knew months ago of Foley's emails and simply brushed away his "inappropriate" writings with a "knock it off." After all, he was a solid conservative vote and a mortal lock for a seventh term.

Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republicans defend their cynicism by saying they knew Foley was acting improperly, but they never saw any emails about "stripping down" or using the word "horny."

Republicans have already lost any claim to fiscal conservatism. Now their conerstone of family values is crumbling. All that's left is their plan to bring God into government. Given their track record, the next scandal will probably involve satanic rituals in the members' cloakroom.