If this is indeed how business in general is run, then that, my friend, is the problem. You seem to be under the impression that it is impossible to be both a good businessman and a good human being. That may very well be true, but if so, it speaks volumes, doesn't it?

But I do not agree. There are plenty of businesses that do quite well simply by providing quality products and by compensating their employees with good salaries and benefits. Many of them are family owned and have not gone public, so that pretty well obviates take-overs. When they need money for any reason, they get bank loans. That way, they maintain control. They are, of course, alert to whatever the competition is doing and make adjustments, but rather than compromise, they have faith that there are a sufficient number of customers who are willing to pay a bit more for better quality and good customer service. They are in it for the long haul, not the quick kill, and customers know that. Also, there are companies that finance their own pension plans and are relatively immune to the vagaries of the stock market.

It's really quite simple, Teribus. What's more important, profit or people? If it weren't for people, where would the profit come from?

Now, as far as unbridled greed is concerned, there are also companies such as Bechtel and Halliburton, with CEOs and board members in the government (in violation of conflict of interest laws), who drum up business by getting the United States to destroy the infrastructure of another country so they can be awarded non-competitive contracts to rebuild that infrastructure at the expense of the American taxpayer. The fact that thousands of people are killed in the process of drumming up this business is incidental, of course. "You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs." Well, that makes for a pretty bitter omelet.

Don Firth