Energy Suckers
May. 25th, 2006 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eggwardsSo, except for the sentencing, the Enron trial is pretty much wrapped up, and Mr. Skilling and Mr. Lay are going to jail for what should be a long time. It's interesting how they tried to prove that the downfall of the nation's then seventh largest company was the result of a few bad decisions, or negligence on the part of Mr. Lay who apparently became CEO of this company without the ability to observe or act. That's called a figurehead, and even though there are some out there, they wouldn't be running a company for long.
No, what it was was people who got greedy, and learned all the loophole tricks of the time. They instructed a workforce to make these moves, and the workforce went along with it because they were reaping in the bounty.
Houston benefitted greatly from Enron, as their workers had disposable income, bout expensive houses and lofts, and ate at the best restaurants. I remember after Enron collapsed, the midtown housing market fell and several downtown businesses closed because the out of work employees could no longer afford to go there.
Enron left it's mark on Houston. Not only was there the familiar "E" logo that appeared on the nightly news for weeks, but much of the arts community, public events, and even a YMCA branch named for Mr. Lay, changed the town. That money has dried up as well, and one keeps wondering when that "Y" will change it's name. After the fall, Mrs. Lay even opened a shop to sell extra belongings for cash for the upcoming trial.
Some will say Enron was a lesson, but I'm sure we'll see some of the same old stuff the next time a group of guys think their smart and can develop a get rich system, not knowing what kind of turbulence they'll create in their wake. Greed's just not something people shy away from often.
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Oh, so I found out my friend Pete (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
trapezebear) is in the Advocate this month with his chosen family of four. It's the Advocate's big polyamory issue (Matty, take note), and of course we all knew that gay marriage would lead to this, didn't we?
Of course, how do I find out about this? Not from Pete, or even from LJ, but from the American Family Association (AFA)! Yes, the AFA in their fight against Ford Motors has decided to email their supporters (and anyone else on the list) to tell them what an outrage this is, and that Ford is just flaunting it in the faces of right-minded Americans.
They provided a link to captured pages of the magazine, showing the Ford and Volvo ads closely linked not only to Homosexuality, but the unnatural state of more than one of them living together!
Shocking I tell you, though it is good to see Pete again, in 2-D form.
What scares me is that Donald Wildmon subscribes to the Advocate - or at least picks it up at Barnes and Noble.
I say we get him a subscription to A Bear's Life.
No, what it was was people who got greedy, and learned all the loophole tricks of the time. They instructed a workforce to make these moves, and the workforce went along with it because they were reaping in the bounty.
Houston benefitted greatly from Enron, as their workers had disposable income, bout expensive houses and lofts, and ate at the best restaurants. I remember after Enron collapsed, the midtown housing market fell and several downtown businesses closed because the out of work employees could no longer afford to go there.
Enron left it's mark on Houston. Not only was there the familiar "E" logo that appeared on the nightly news for weeks, but much of the arts community, public events, and even a YMCA branch named for Mr. Lay, changed the town. That money has dried up as well, and one keeps wondering when that "Y" will change it's name. After the fall, Mrs. Lay even opened a shop to sell extra belongings for cash for the upcoming trial.
Some will say Enron was a lesson, but I'm sure we'll see some of the same old stuff the next time a group of guys think their smart and can develop a get rich system, not knowing what kind of turbulence they'll create in their wake. Greed's just not something people shy away from often.
________________________
Oh, so I found out my friend Pete (
trapezebear) is in the Advocate this month with his chosen family of four. It's the Advocate's big polyamory issue (Matty, take note), and of course we all knew that gay marriage would lead to this, didn't we?Of course, how do I find out about this? Not from Pete, or even from LJ, but from the American Family Association (AFA)! Yes, the AFA in their fight against Ford Motors has decided to email their supporters (and anyone else on the list) to tell them what an outrage this is, and that Ford is just flaunting it in the faces of right-minded Americans.
They provided a link to captured pages of the magazine, showing the Ford and Volvo ads closely linked not only to Homosexuality, but the unnatural state of more than one of them living together!
Shocking I tell you, though it is good to see Pete again, in 2-D form.
What scares me is that Donald Wildmon subscribes to the Advocate - or at least picks it up at Barnes and Noble.
I say we get him a subscription to A Bear's Life.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 06:18 am (UTC)The last time I was in Houston was September 2002, one year after the Enron debacle. I wanted to take a picture of the logo at the headquarters but I was unable to find the building. It is sad to see a city go from high to low in several months. At the same time, Sept. 2002 was the start of the Houston Texans and the light rail system was in the early stages of construction.
Polyamory and the AFA:
Are you familar with the movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice? Without giving too much of the plot away, the song "What The World Needs Now Is Love" was one of the main songs in the film. I wish the AFA would get a clue.
I wonder if Wildmon & Co. spends their free time chatting on sites like gay.com, bear411 or biggercity to get their information.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 06:25 pm (UTC)I know that polyamory isn't just limited to the gays. Still, the gay community is much more open about relationships that involve sex just by being who we are, so I guess it's just something that comes up more.
I think Wildmon, Dobson and Co. read all sorts of kind, and their shame at doing so drives their rage. It's a very problematic problem of monitoring what you say you are against, but still, you must be compelled in some way, right?
no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 02:07 pm (UTC)I love that they think that their little "Ford boycott" is actually driving down the stock of Ford. Couldn't be gas-price backlash, or anything like that, no.
"Let's boycott an American company because they advertise. I'm patriotic now for sure!"
no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 06:29 pm (UTC)Ford's problems are the same as GM's, and the stockholder's know it. they voted overwhelmingly against removing anti discrimination and partner benefits from Ford's HR policies. If anyone should be concerned about the company, it's the stockholders. They don't seem to think it's those damn, dirty gays.
Note the AFA hasn't been saying "Buy GM" as a counter, have they?
no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 03:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 06:20 pm (UTC)