Jun. 25, 2007 - 21:43MDT

SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE ?

A few quotes here from an article by Erica Heath in the Rocky Mountain News of Friday, June 23, 2007.

Her article is titled,

"CEOs WITH EXORBITANT PAY DESERVE CELEBRITY TREATMENT"

"The big dogs have always left mere mortals in the dust, and it's been getting dustier. A recent congressional report notes that that CEOs now make about 179 times as much as their average rank-and-file employee. In 1994 the ratio was a mere 90 to 1."

"A more recently noted phenomenon is the growing gap between the top rungs. The New York Times cited a recent sudy that compared the difference in pay between the top and third highest executives at the nation's biggest companies. Four years ago, the top guy earned about 80 percent more than the No. 3 executive. More recent reports show the gap is now about 260 percent."

Further on she says, "Nobody has managed to stop the Yankees from trying to spend their way to glory every year, so I don't see this platinum CEO trend changing anytime soon, pending legislation and grumpy shareholders not withstanding. If the rest of us have to put up with this spectacle, the least we can expect is a little entertainment."

"If CEOs expect to be treated like brad Pitt and A-Rod, they should get the full package. I propose that if an executive accepts a compensation worth twice what anybody else in his company receives, he must agree to a number of special conditions, including the following: He will be hounded by paparazzi at every turn. The tabloid press will declare open season on his personal life, and he must submit to regular drug tests. He will be required to pose shirtless for photographers."

"Business people tend to enjoy their privacy, so this kind of treatment would be one step up from torture. With luck, it might encourage a few executives to decline unseemly salaries."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I doubt that last sentence of hers -- declining exhorbitant pay is not a natural thing, I think.

Grabbing the Golden Yo-Yo, holding on and riding it to the top seems to be the dream of even greedy poor folks I guess. Especially with the prospect of the "Golden Parachute" to ease the way down as their company disappears beneath the waves.

Tickles me to the max, envisioning some of those bloated plutocrats who only appear on the society pages in a favorable light being followed by the paparazzi, their cameras flashing right and left as they fire embarassing questions at the poor beleaguered darlin's. And the tabloids could have a field day exploring the peccadillos and love nests of the rich and famous.

Some brilliant person could dream up a scoring system for the biggies too. Points for most bucks lost, most unwise decisions costing so many millions - - oh the list could be endless.

Somebody might come up with a Fantasy Corporate Game as well.

Wouldn't it be a treat to a magic chef to cook up a hot SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE ? . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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