I'm so sick of hearing about how bad the economy is around here. The facts are very simple:

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

"Bonuses on Wall Street surge 14 percent"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071221/ap_on_bi_ge/wall_street_bonuses

"Four of the biggest U.S. investment banks — Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Bear Stearns Cos. — will pay out about $49.6 billion in compensation this year. Of that, bonuses are traditionally estimated to represent 60 percent, or almost $30 billion."

"Further, some of those executives have even agreed to forgo their bonuses this year to reflect the poor performance. Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and Bear Stearns CEO Jimmy Cayne won't be collecting their payouts.

Mack received no cash bonus a year ago but received stock and options worth an estimated $40.2 million, well above his $800,000 base pay. Cayne received a bonus of $33.6 million in 2006 and base pay of $250,000.

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein reportedly is in line for a bonus of up to $70 million this year, as the nation's largest investment bank has largely navigated past any mortgage-related losses. Lehman Brothers' CEO Richard Fuld was granted a $35 million stock bonus for 2007, up 4 percent from last year.

There had been some predictions the increase in bonuses would have been significantly higher. However, layoffs and top managers giving up their bonuses have curtailed that."

You people are such fucking cry-baby liars. I mean, it has to be painful to see all of these lay-offs. You have no idea of the pain. Nevertheless, people, the economy is BOOOOOOOMING. 14% increase, baby. And you'll also note their generosity: only an $800,000 base pay? I mean, come on, a little bonus barely gets him what he's actually worth.

Oh, yeah, obviously :sarcasm:

[iamjoy]

1. Bonuses For Crappy Performance

With the subprime meltdown, why are these CEOs getting a bonus?

It's so unfair. When the company does well, the CEO takes the credit and gets rewarded (often they do well for laying off or cutting pay of low wage workers). When the company does poorly - the CEO gets a bonus because...

:shrug:

[Egalitariat]

3. I thought the CEOs (for subprime-pummelled companies) weren't taking bonuses

I know that Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley's CEOs are getting zilch.

[Toots]

2. Gee and you didn't even mention Exxon

Exxon which for the last several years has had Net Profits of OVER one hundred million dollars per DAY I will say again Net Profits that is profit that is after ALL expenses have been paid. Money that goes directly in the pocket. OVER One hundred Million Dollars Per DAY Per friggin' DAY...........Gas has tripled in price since Bush* Cabal took over America

[tbyg52]

5. I've been noticing oil prices/gas prices, a little, lately

They do *not* go in lockstep. You can't tell me it's not manipulated for political gain as well as financial gain.

[undeterred]

4. Ladies, isn't there a Learing Annex class on meeting rich men?

I think its called "gold-digging" or something like that. There must be a lot of opportunities there.
:sarcasm: