The business principles you express are exactly the problem, Teribus. I have failed to recognize nothing. Suffice it to say that the companies that put quality of product or service and welfare of employees at the top of their list of priorities wind up with a solid and reliable customer base and a corps of loyal, hard working employees. They do very well in the marketplace year after year, decade after decade, thank you. And they provide steady, long-term growth to their shareholders. Oftentimes they don't make headlines. But they do make a steady profit.

Perhaps they are not of any great interest to those who only want a quick killing in the stock market, but then, investors like that are hit-and-run only, and are often a detriment rather than a benefit to any business that plans on still being around beyond the next quarterly report. My "idealistic picture" is one of real, existing businesses that make a steady and consistent profit and will still be around many years from now—not those that flare like a meteor and are suddenly eclipsed in a burst of headlines as their officers and some of their stockholders go to prison.

Fix your attention on the product, the service, and the people who work for you, and the profits will take care of themselves, Teribus. Many pretty wealty businessment have found that to be a good, solid business principle. Call it "idealistic" if you wish, but they call it 1) easily achieved; 2) simple decency; and 3) good business.

Don Firth