ENRON execs in deep poopoo?

[Sir Kenyth]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MagiK:



Sir K, that comment does a disservice to every hardworking american who ever managed to be successful without "screwing" his fellow man to do it. Not every rich man, not even MOST rich people (defined as having more than a $1,000,000 net worth) did anything illegal, imoral or wrong to get that way. Dont be to cynical about everybody because of other peoples actions. Ive been moderately successful and while I do not have a networth of $1,000,000 im on a track to be at least half way there before I retire and I KNOW I have never used or abused anyone in my quest for success.

---

Sorry if I offend Magik. Blanket statements like my first sentence seem to do that. I keep forgetting.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sir Kenyth:


Sorry if I offend Magik. Blanket statements like my first sentence seem to do that. I keep forgetting.

---

I wasn't offended [img]smile.gif[/img] I just think it is bad enough that some people here think that if you are successful that you are lower than pond scum [img]smile.gif[/img] so I just wanted to point out that you may have made too broad a generalization [img]smile.gif[/img] Anyhoooo no harm no foul! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Thoran]

I agree with MagiK to a point... although I think that not as many people get rich from just hard work as we'd like to think. In my experience wealth comes from one of the following:

Luck - Being at the right place at the right time - could be the true #1 reason. Two people doing the exact same thing can end up with wildly different outcomes. I think maybe the reason for this is that to become rich means taking big risks for most of us, and many will lose that gamble.

Willingness to Screw your fellow man - I think this is an enabler to wealth. I tend to think it's pretty hard to strike it rich unless someone else is losing in the process (unless it's due to Luck above).

Brilliance at something - Not too many of us can pull this one... but sports stars, inventers, the cream of the crop of many professions will make a lot of money.

I think hard work will tend to assist you in taking advantage of an opportunity when it arises... but most people work hard and most people are not rich.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thoran:
I agree with MagiK to a point... although I think that not as many people get rich from just hard work as we'd like to think. In my experience wealth comes from one of the following:

Luck - Being at the right place at the right time - could be the true #1 reason. Two people doing the exact same thing can end up with wildly different outcomes. I think maybe the reason for this is that to become rich means taking big risks for most of us, and many will lose that gamble.

Willingness to Screw your fellow man - I think this is an enabler to wealth. I tend to think it's pretty hard to strike it rich unless someone else is losing in the process (unless it's due to Luck above).

Brilliance at something - Not too many of us can pull this one... but sports stars, inventers, the cream of the crop of many professions will make a lot of money.

I think hard work will tend to assist you in taking advantage of an opportunity when it arises... but most people work hard and most people are not rich.

---

Thoran I still think you are associating too heavily the screwing over orther people thing, I know quite a few "wealthy" people and almost all of them are great people, they are nice decent human beings who thought ahead, planned their moves and were better at what they did than their competitors...this planning ahead is often seen from the outside as "luck" I personally have had truely awesome luck in my life [img]smile.gif[/img] (for example the only time I was ever fired from a job...when I walked into the house that night I had a message on my answering machine with a job offer for 50% more than what I was making at the job I had just been fired from)

The people I know all have very nice homes and like to show that they are doiing well...but to a man they all contribute to charities, both in time and in money, some set up programs at their business to assist in helping people who are just starting out to get ahead and I don't know any of them who care what race or religion you are..if you can do the work well and have a good work ethic they want you as an employee.

Wealthy people aren't all the bastards that the media and the losers want you to believe...it is very easy to say....ohh well, I am as good as he is, he just screwed people over to get his position...its much harder to admit..I may not be as smart or good at what I do as I think I am.

[Lavindathar]

Is Enron some big US company? and what does it do?

Sorry for being "ignorant", ive just not heard of it, except someone mentioned it on the board!

[Ronn_Bman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lavindathar:
Is Enron some big US company? and what does it do?

Sorry for being "ignorant", ive just not heard of it, except someone mentioned it on the board!

---

It's was the 7th largest company in the US.

It's the largest US company to ever file for bankruptcy protection.

It was initially focused on energy companies, but had been spreading out and in the process made itself seem more valuable than it was by making contracts with the circle of companies it owned to make it appear as if they were doing lots of business. Basically they were making deals "on paper" with themselves.

They did this to raise the price of the stock. They were losing money faster than they made it. Much faster. It's basically worthless today, and those who had their retirement plans/fund in the company have lost everything.

I'm sure someone could sum it up a bit more clearly, but I think that's close.

[ 02-08-2002: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]