Don't be dumb

By: Scott Ard
Topics

The motto of Google gods Larry Page and Sergey Brin has been "Don't be evil." Perhaps that should be tweaked following a series of questionable decisions by the Google co-founders.

The latest gaffe that has the business press all hot and bothered is an interview Brin and Page gave to Playboy just days before their gargantuan IPO. You can't really blame media for piling on--it's not often a bunch of W-2 wage slaves gets to write about a misstep that threatens to temporarily keep nine zeroes off the net worth of a couple 30-somethings. All while being able to expense an issue of Playboy.

Here are some of the better write-ups:

• The Securities and Exchange Commission will be examining the September issue of Playboy even more closely than normal. The reason? The appearance of a pair of boobs at a particularly sensitive time.
The Register

• Boys will be boys, but when those boys are about to sell a $36 billion technology enterprise to the public, investors generally hope adolescence can be put on hold.
TheStreet.com

• In all this my heart goes out to Scarlett Keegan. Who? Well, Miss September 2004, of course. Will she even be noticed, smack dab in the middle of the page-turning controversies? She's a redhead aspiring to become a Bond girl. Her turnoffs include cheesy pickup lines. You know, like "Do you want in on the Google IPO?"
Motley Fool

• It is often said there's nothing worse than a woman scorned. Well, possibly there is: beware an investment banker denied his juicy fees.
Time Online

• Coming on the back of a mistake involving the sale of shares to staff, Google's IPO is looking a little stiffed.
The Inquirer

• A series of missteps has made the firm appear to be both exactly the immature, "socially responsible" corporate maverick portrayed in its original eccentric prospectus and feared by pragmatic investors, and a parody of that vision.
Australian IT

CNET Editor in Chief Scott Ard has been a journalist for more than 20 years and an early tech adopter for even longer. Those two passions led him to editing one of the first tech sections for a daily newspaper in the mid 1990s, and to joining CNET part-time in 1996 and full-time a few years later.
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by SkirtLifter September 14, 2009 12:54 PM EDT: by sjc_1 September 14, 2009 10:40 AM EDT
Lehman was largely caused by Henry Paulson's personal animosity towards the CEO at Lehman. They had been rivals for years when Paulson was at Goldman.
____________

Goldman Sachs has damn-near a monopoly, remember, Bear Stearns was allowed to fail also.

Goldman Sachs is flourishing as its alumni are now Gov't appointees. The other entities in the equation are The Federal Reserve & The Treasury. Many Goldman alumni are Treasury & Fed players also.

This Trifecta of Nepotism dubbed "Gov't Sachs", with Goldman alumni in The Federal Reserve, Treasury, and key high ranking Gov't posts, has cemented this powerful GS fraternity as the true wielders of US financial power and wealth.

I know this is a mouthful but sjc_1 will get it.

All you partisan fools that think the dems or the reps are to blame can continue your inane bickering, some blaming Bush-Cheny, Some blaming the POTUS, and never even glimpsing true machinery moving our financial markets.

The above mentioned Nepotistic Fraternity is an evil force wielding the Trinity of financial power. The Federal Reserve, Treasury, and Gov't owned Wall Street power houses.

I didn't even mention rating companies, credit markets, or commodity markets.

Have a good day all...

GS Alumni:
Former treasury secretary Hank Paulson
Paulson's bailout chief Neel Kashkari
Interim Treasury investment officer Reuben Jeffrey

Dan Jester, Steve Shafran, Edward C. Forst, and Robert K. Steel are Key Treasury players.

Key New York Federal Reserve players Stephen Friedman (head of the New York Fed board of governors, who sat on Goldman's board and owned a substantial stake in Goldman while he was making official decisions. William C. Dudley (head of the New York Fed's unit that buys and sells government securities), and E. Gerald Corrigan (charged with convening a group to analyze risk on Wall Street)

Ref: http://www.examiner.com/x-8198-Economic-Policy-Examiner~y2009m5d6-Goldman-Sachs-alumni-hold-many-of-the-top-government-positions; Reply to this comment


by credibility2 September 14, 2009 12:32 PM EDT: Unless reforms be made to apply to both Wall St. and Main St., reckless behavior will continue in both sectors.; Reply to this comment

by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:31 AM EDT

by chonder2 September 14, 2009 11:27 AM EDT
woe-You just wrote the repub platform for next year!
==============

Chonder2. I have to share something with you that I have noticed. The post above from you was addressed to me but under anothers comments. You are constantly doing that. I mean I am not mad about it but I find it curious that several times you have claimed someone elses post as mine, as you did in this case.

Reply to this comment


by pubsrtoast September 14, 2009 11:44 AM EDT: Chonder2 is often one post off, it is kind of like watching one of those old Godzilla movies where the dubbed in English occurs a few milliseconds before the actors mouth started moving.


by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:24 AM EDT: You know. It's worth noting that the democratic party has in it representatives from all walks of life, not just white, evangelical, militia minded misfit extremists like the republican party.

I realize that that's a generalization. But even so, it's not far from the truth at all.; Reply to this comment

by caliguy55 September 14, 2009 11:23 AM EDT

It's a crying shame that President Barack Obama is putting so much time and effort into making America a better place to live, while his opponents (racist or not) are putting so much time and effort into seeing him fail. I cannot understand all these people (and I know they are truly a small minority), who seem to have so much invested in negative politics. Instead of offering viable alternatives or, perhaps, better alternatives to President Obama's plans, these people do nothing but sit around like birds of prey waiting to swoop down on every opportunity to make sure nothing good is done for our country. Certainly, these people can't be stupid enough (maybe they are) to believe that negativism will give them some kind of political gain in the future. Knowing that people like this always lose in the end gives me some hope for the future. And, I believe that the 2010 elections will once again result in a beating for those so ignorant that they hope our President fails at every effort to improve our lives.

Reply to this comment


by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:28 AM EDT: caliguy55 These extremists are not interested in politics. They are interested in destroying Obama and yes, they are racists and I have all the proof in the world. They are interested in their agenda only. They will attempt to destroy anyone that dares not see things the way they do.

Why do you think so many call them the American Taliban Revolutionary Republican Fascist Party?

by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:19 AM EDT

by Widget101 September 14, 2009 11:13 AM EDT

What is the matter with Democrats that they can't even work with each other????
=========================

Nothing at all. Unlike the republican party, the democratic party is inclusive. We allow all types in our party. What you are seeing is democracy in action. Here is a party that votes on principle, not party platform. So sometimes it takes them a bit to get it right.

But I agree with you on the getting something done here. But really, Obama has ALREADY gotton much done. Think about it.

Can you even name anything that the Obama administration has accomplished already? I can name many things!

Reply to this comment


by Widget101 September 14, 2009 11:22 AM EDT: by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:19 AM EDT

...from your mouth to God's ear....


by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:25 AM EDT: HUH???????


by Widget101 September 14, 2009 11:13 AM EDT: If the Democrats don't get it together and accomplish SOMETHING before the next election - they are going to lose their very slim majority - and that would be a shame only because it would put Republicans back in the drivers seat. And Republicans are nothing but obstructionists when a Democrat holds the presidency.

What is the matter with Democrats that they can't even work with each other????; Reply to this comment

by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 11:06 AM EDT

They erased all of Honorable Majesty's posts! LOL GOOD!

Reply to this comment


by pubsrtoast September 14, 2009 11:41 AM EDT: He'll be back, and he will be packing even more propaganda and mindless drivel.


by woeisme1 September 14, 2009 10:49 AM EDT: by Honorable_Majesty September 14, 2009 8:05 AM EDT
woeisme1 , you are always glad to see Obama push for more government takeover. Why are you so against Freedom ??? Are you an American ???
=======================

Hey everybody. Dishonorable Travesty is just mad because he was'nt the first one on the thread today. He ALWAYS gets mad when he does'nt get the opening line. I got this troll figured out.; Reply to this comment

by clancy49 September 14, 2009 10:25 AM EDT

Predicition: Wall Street Collapses again. Any current investments by private citizens are lost. Headline news for months. Health Reform passes because no one knows it's passing. The news focuses on the new crash that takes the rest of our money. You don't have to be a psychic to know what happens next. With income from health, the government continues on after losing the income from the Post Office, the Military, Social Security, and Medicare. Next, the Federal Reserve wants every bank and every bit of our meager investments and savings to loan back to us. You don't have to be a psychic to know what happens next.

Reply to this comment


by pubsrtoast September 14, 2009 11:34 AM EDT: the government continues on after losing the income from the Post Office, the Military, Social Security, and Medicare.

How does one make a profit with the military? Perhaps we should rent our military out to other countries and it could fight their wars for them. We are kind of doing that anyway only it seems to be the US taxpayer that is getting the bill.