Cheech

If you get this, congrats, you're a flaming nerd

No, it's PUBLIC business regulation. The only businesses the SEC has jurisdiction over are publicly traded businesses. These are businesses that can and do have a significant amount of third-party investment vis-a-vis 401k's, pension funds, and the like. If you believe that the free market is working as it relates to executive compensation, then you must be thrilled that billions of dollars of bailout money went to Merrill Lynch, since that was the old free-market compensation system at work in it's purest form. PRIVATE businesses aren't regulated because they do not sell securities or ownership stock, or if they do they are not on the open market.

I'm not going to debate Obama's "free pass." I agree with you on that point. I will argue that there was voter manipulation in both elections from 2000 and 2004. I really don't think there is a person alive that wouldn't say the Florida recount was a complete clusterf*ck. Add that to the fact that Bush was not elected by a popular margin of Americans, and that leaves the door wide open to voter fraud and error. As for 2004, as any IT security person will tell you, the Diebold voting machines were HORRIBLY designed and coded. When I can take the key form my desk drawer here and open the lock on a Diebold machine, swap the CF cards to insert a virus that can make the votes whatever I want them to be, that's a horribly bad design. I really don't believe it's a coincidence that Blackwell was Sec. of State at that time, although I have no basis to prove that opinion. However, since Blackwell was kicked out, the voting machines have dramatically improved in time for the 08 elections and I believe that these were run a hell of a lot better than the last.

As someone who has money invested in a 401k, I am by extension an investor in hundreds of companies. As a result of this, I, by your argument, am a schmuck. As a matter of fact, this is WORSE than being an actual stockholder, seeing as I take on the risk/reward (losses vs. gains) but none of the aforementioned rights in stock ownership. Tell that to the pensioner that just saw 50% of their savings evaporate. What protections do they have? This argument is invalid. The underlying (simplistic) purpose of a business is to make money by providing goods or services. Government does not do this. However, if you want to split hairs, the last time in recent memory the government "made money" is the end of the Clinton years. I have to head out to Bellaire to pick up a tire balancer.. I'll be back later. Peace!! I look forward to continuing this.

No, selling your stock is simply divesting your ownership stake in the company. The compensation committee on the board determine executive pay, not the stockholders. Sure, the stockholders can elect board members, but how many times have you seen an entire board get upended? Just fixating on compensation, the underlying problem here is that everyone sits on everyone else's board. If I sit on your comp. committee and give you a raise or stock options, I'm sure there's a quid pro quo that you'll do the same for me because you're on my board. I point to Bob Nardelli at Home Depot, the guy ran off with 250M while posting reduced earnings. The only way you will effect real change here is to tie compensation with performance. In today's climate, that simply does not happen. Japan has it right, if you lose money during the year or maybe even a half-year, you are dishonored and the best option for you is to quit. False analogy. You have direct, personal control over which car you buy, you do not have direct, personal control over the compensation contracts that are drafted. Most of the time when you find out about them is after they are in force, so even if you were to be successful in voting that person out, they still get a chunk from early termination. Agreed. GM's entire business plan was flawed. What are you getting at? What would your solution be? It's patently obvious that the steady deregulation of the Reagan years on (especially the last 8) caused this mess to begin with. Do you seriously believe that giving one person 250 million dollars for declining company performance is in the best interest of shareholders or corporate America in general?

Just got home, the evening turned out beautifully. Great seeing everyone again, and good meeting new people.

I'm leaving the house now.

The irony here is that PBR sells like hotcakes in Portland. You're literally swimming in excellent microbrews, and you can find a PBR on tap virtually anywhere. A truly glorious place.

remind me next time I see you to buy you a REAL beer. I just got back from 2 weeks in Portland, my beer snobbery is in full effect.

Put me down too.

Wait, the Stig lives in Ohio?

Good luck selling it, you may want to tell your friend that the KBB on it is 6500. Nice looking gixxer though.

Good luck with that. We'll see how it fleshes out, as that dude said it's on the way to Valley View bike night, I'm sure they'll have their pick of sport vs. HD's. I firmly expect for the sportbikes to get shafted, AGAIN.

that's an excellent point, it's either 271 or some major highway that goes through there to get to Valley View. I wish these people would figure how to balance their own goddamn budgets without resorting to shaking down taxpayers.

We make those seats, I recognize them from my office! Pretty comfy, especially if you get to sit in them for 8 hours a day.

Indeed, this all seems pretty arbitrary. Now if you chopped your pipe off, that's a different story. I would love to know what the decibel level is they're using as the threshold, and how they are measuring it.

I hope I see 10 Harley's with screaming eagle exhausts pulled over. I know I'll see 10 sportbikes with slipons instead, but it's good to dream. Those guys get a free pass on everything.

Disclaimer: I'm a Yankees fan. I thought these were too good.

He loves the cock.

Yep. It was so good I even had a cigar afterwards.

If you were on the plane we went up in you might have a different story. I saw duct tape in one or two spots. Got so scared I jumped out halfway through.

Just taken last weekend 12,000 feet and dropping like a rock. I'm on the bottom.

I was looking for your ass at the party, I had cash in hand to pay you back Suppose I deserve that...

I just so happen to have tomorrow off, and the rain isn't supposed to start until late afternoon if at all (10% chance). Anyone else down for a little cruise?

I'm going to try to make it, won't be putting the Kat on the dyno (I'll get laughed off ) Initial weather reports aren't looking too good, 50% chance of rain. I know, it's Ohio and that's 4 days off, but something to consider. QS&L's at 30%.