Sunday, March 5, 2006

Enron

Next week Andrew Fastow, the key prosecuting witness's opportunity to
tell his story, and hopefully put behind bars Kenneth Lay and Jeffery
Skilling -- and himself of course. Lifestyles will be dramatically
altered from customed private jets to sharing a cell with Bubba.
Check out the book or DVD, 'Enron, The smartest Guys in the Room'.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/104715.asp

90 comments:

secondave MSN said...

Ex Enron CFO Fastow testifies today. Not much news on this trial,
especially with the threat of the nuclear proliferation of oil-rich
Iran filling up the front pages.
Second Avenue.

secondave MSN said...

Fast Andy Fastow crying on the stand. He allowed his wife to do a year
in prison for tax evasion, b/c it would have harmed his case if he came
clean at the time she was convicted. True love.
I think these phd wizards of Wall Street could teach the mob a thing or
two.
Second Avenue.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/24hour/front/story/3221609p-11944782c.html

secondave MSN said...

Not sure if anyone here at V.C. is really interested in business, but
just in case, below is a site devoted to the Enron Trial.
Second Avenue.

http://www.chron.com/news/specials/enron/

popdog0 MSN said...

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winnie3ave MSN said...

PopdogO... Welcome to the club. Many of us got screwed by our employers. The higher ups made their millions by telling us how wonderful the company was. Even the independant analyists were telling us how good things were.  They told us to continue to buy stock in the company...or matched our contribution with company stock. But guess who was selling that stock to us at inflated prices. YUP......The dirty buggers that were telling us to buy. Oh well. It could be worse. At least we had the opportunity. Our parents never had that chance. They didn't really make enough money in those days to save much. Winston Allison

les__f MSN said...

Hi Winnie ,.Our Parents would most likely not have 'gambled' with their hard earned dough,.....as they saw first hand the Depression,.......and the crash,....So I would think that for the most part they would have been more discerning,........   My oldman always said the Best way to Double your money,.....is to Fold it in Half and put it back in Your Pocket..................hahahahahah  He might have had something there,............

popdog0 MSN said...

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mom1945-linda MSN said...

popdog     Oh my!!!!!!!!  The Sally Ann down on Notre Dame brought back a lot of memories for me.  I remember they had big tables and the clothes were just thrown on them higgelty-piggelty.  I seem to remember a couple of floors of "stuff", and my mom used to take me there for the whole day (it seemed like a whole day...but of course when your young time means nothing).   Thanks a million for that memory.  Sometimes I find myself reaching for memories of my mom, don't want her to fade from my mind, now that she's no longer with us.   Cheers.

popdog0 MSN said...

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kungfu MSN said...

HI pop , I remember the Sally Ann ( as we used to call it ) on Notre Dame, and your right there was lots of stuff , I remember my mother buying me an overcoat , I was about 13 at the time , it hung down to the floor , but she insisted I would grow into it one day , then I joined the Canadian Navy at 17 , and was issued an over coat , I would not wear the bast..d , cause I hated over coats , I would rather freeze , however my mom , was just trying to be practical , today , my  grandkids go skiing , hockey , with real new equipment and have no idea what I am talking about, but believe y me  I would NEVER trade; my Verdun upbringing , I shall always consider myself a Verdunite . Jimmy

kungfu MSN said...

I realize tht is a long way , from Enron , the biggest theft from the average people ever in the world that is known, it and other terrible things regarding money and the working class make me realize that if you are looking for JUSTICE in this world , your living on the wrong planet   jim

popdog0 MSN said...

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mom1945-linda MSN said...

I remember coming home from the Sally Ann and it was like Christmas all over again.... new clothes, new shoes, new toys, yada, yada, yada (well new to me anyway).  I particularly remember sitting for hours with my nan or mom and unpicking old clothes for the material, then transforming the material into brand new to me stuff! I remember lusting (ya...lusting) after a dolly pram, but my mom said "NO", and can't say I blame her, it was in pretty rough shape.  But, lo and behold, that Christmas guess what was under the tree for me.....the dolly pram.  She had my dad go back to the Sally Ann and buy it, then he painted and perked it up.    It didn't matter that the toys were old, scratched and perhaps broken, they were little treasures weren't they?   Cheers.

popdog0 MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...

Well the Enron thread went over like a lead smoke meat sandwich.
My union ( I'm retired), had a president in the 80s who raped the
union. The guys rallied together. We filed a federal suit and had the
union busting rules reversed to a large extent. Justice was served.
Reminds me of the halcyon days of that greedy bastard Jean Drapeau, the
ex mayor of Montreal. Underground gambling casinos etc.
Second Avenue.

guy5479 MSN said...

Second Avenue, I think you should get your facts right, Jean Drapeau along with Pacific (Pax) Plante then Lucien Saulnier are the ones who cleaned up the city.As a matter of fact, Pax Plante had to move to south America as the underworld had a price on his head. Guy

mom1945-linda MSN said...

SecondAve   Thanks for giving us the site "in case anybody here at V.C. is interested".  Guess some people must have checked in out, but don't really give a hoot enough to comment on it.   We all, in our own way, handled whatever came our way and then got on with life. And this thread has gone on to be whatever it is....which in this case reverted back to memories of Verdun and our youth.  (and let's not forget good old Sally Ann).   Cheers.

secondave MSN said...

Under Drapeau's eye, I was able to play the pinball machines in the
point for money, and when I was older 16 I visited one casino uptown
just off St. catherine Street - fancy place.
Second Avenue.

bubbacut MSN said...

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bubbacut MSN said...

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sandy19465 MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...


March 09, 2006
Wrapping up with Raptor

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've finished the end of the week," said Judge
Sim Lake, telling jurors he would see them on Monday morning.

Seconds before, Petrocelli announced he would pass the witness to Ken
Lay's attorney, Mike Ramsey, who told the judge he expected to finish
up with Fastow in just a few hours.

The day finished much more quietly than it did on Wednesday, when drama
surpassed evidence as Petrocelli went toe-to-toe with Fastow for his
misdeeds at Enron.

Today, there was less show, more evidence.

Petrocelli went to great lengths to prove to jurors that the deals and
partnerships Fastow ran were legitimate business undertakings. The
rest? Scams perpetrated by Fastow without the knowledge of his bosses,
Lay and Skilling.

LJM partnerships? Legit, according to Petrocelli, who suggested to
jurors that special purpose entities like LJM are perfectly legal.
Fastow agreed, but said that they were only if they were run properly.

Prosecutors maintain Fastow had an obvious conflict of interest because
he ran the partnerships while he was CFO. Enron, including its board,
approved his dual-hat role.

Petrocelli finished his cross-examination with the so-called Raptor
arrangement, which was a vehicle used to take pieces of a business that
were doing poorly and essentially hide them from investors and the
public.

Fastow acknowledged that for awhile he explored marketing the idea to
other businesses. Major companies, including Aeon of Chicago and GE
Corp., had expressed interest in how the Raptors worked.

Fastow said he even traveled to Chicago and discussed the Raptors with
Aeon executives.

"The point here there was nothing sinister . . . you were prepared to
market it on a national scope?" said Petrocelli.

Fastow said even though the Raptors idea was "pursued agressively" by
GE, he and his lieutenant, Michael Kopper, decided it was too risky.

"We thought this was not a good structure to have out there," said
Fastow, because "then they would understand what we were doing at
Enron."

multipurposeutensil MSN said...

The Salvation Army was also a regular shooping place for my Mom also, and I was never ashamed to wear something that she bought there. When a smaller store opened on the corner of Verdun and Desmarchais, we thought this was a Godsend as now we could walk whenever we wanted to. I used to enjoy buying National Geographic Magazines for 25 cents I believe.........................mpu  

guy5479 MSN said...

Second Avenue, Looks like I will have to defend Jean Drapeau's administration. He brought us Expo 67, modern highways, the subway and cleaned up the city. It is impossible to get rid of all the undesireables, not even Toronto the good, so referring to him as a bastard is uncalled for.  Guy

bubbacut MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...

Drapeau was mayor twice I just discovered, so it probably was his first
term when he was in bed with the devil. I was living elsewhere before
his second term, when he apparently turned over a new leaf.
I read some interesting tidbits about Camillien Houde as well.
Second Avenue.

This is a list of mayors of the City of Montreal in the Province of
Quebec, Canada.

* 1832 - 1836: Jacques Viger (first mayor)
* 1836 - 1840: No mayor
* 1840 - 1842: Peter McGill
* 1842 - 1844: Joseph Bourret
* 1844 - 1846: James Ferrier
* 1846 - 1847: John Easton Mills
* 1847 - 1849: Joseph Bourret
* 1849 - 1851: Édouard-Raymond Fabre
* 1851 - 1854: Charles Wilson (first elected mayor)
* 1854 - 1856: Wolfred Nelson
* 1856 - 1858: Henry Starnes
* 1858 - 1862: Charles-S챕raphin Rodier
* 1862 - 1866: Jean-Louis Beaudry
* 1866 - 1868: Henry Starnes
* 1868 - 1871: William Workman
* 1871 - 1873: Charles-Joseph Coursol
* 1873 - 1873: Francis Cassidy
* 1873 - 1875: Aldis Bernard
* 1875 - 1877: William H. Hingston
* 1877 - 1879: Jean-Louis Beaudry
* 1879 - 1881: S챕v챔re Rivard
* 1881 - 1885: Jean-Louis Beaudry
* 1885 - 1887: Honor챕 Beaugrand
* 1887 - 1889: John Joseph Caldwell Abbott (future Prime Minister of
Canada)
* 1889 - 1891: Jacques Grenier
* 1891 - 1893: James McShane
* 1893 - 1894: Alphonse Desjardins (not the same person as Mouvement
Desjardins founder)
* 1894 - 1896: J.-O. Villeneuve
* 1896 - 1898: Richard Wilson-Smith
* 1898 - 1902: Raymond Pr챕fontaine
* 1902 - 1904: James Cochrane
* 1904 - 1906: Hormidas Laporte
* 1906 - 1908: Henry Archer Ekers
* 1908 - 1910: Louis Payette
* 1910 - 1912: James John Edmund Guerin
* 1912 - 1914: Louis-A. Lavall챕e
* 1914 - 1924: M챕d챕ric Martin
* 1924 - 1926: Charles Duquette
* 1926 - 1928: M챕d챕ric Martin
* 1928 - 1932: Camillien Houde
* 1932 - 1934: Fernand Rinfret
* 1934 - 1936: Camillien Houde
* 1936 - 1938: Adh챕mar Raynault
* 1938 - 1940: Camillien Houde
* 1940 - 1944: Adh챕mar Raynault
* 1944 - 1954: Camillien Houde
* 1954 - 1957: Jean Drapeau
* 1957 - 1960: Sarto Fournier
* 1960 - 1986: Jean Drapeau
* 1986 - 1994: Jean Dor챕
* 1994 - 2001: Pierre Bourque
* 2001 - today: G챕rald Tremblay


secondave MSN said...

I reread a few chapters of 'City Unique', Montreal Days and Nights in
the 1940s and 50s.
By William Weintraub.
Jean Drapeau was a young idealistic lawyer who was instrumental in the
clean up of the city before he became mayor. I am wrong apparently, and
I take my accusations back.
I have to wonder though, how a 16 year old has the wherewithal to find
his way to a major casino uptown, and the police haven't a clue. Oh
well, many moons ago.
Second Avenue.


mom1945-linda MSN said...

SecondAve   Here's something that maybe you should think about before making such strong accusations about others:   "Happy people evaluate themselves, unhappy people evaluate others." ........William Glasser

secondave MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...

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bubbacut MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

Hope noone here is repeating the investment strategy of owning Nortel,.as per an article in this morning's Toronto Star ,they have lost $2.2Billion in the forth quarter............I would imagine the Execs,will now get a Bonus.............hahahahaha http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1141988122371&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154   ..........also in the same paper a few articles below the Nortel one ,.is a mention of Canada's newest Billionaire..........and he did by starting the 'on-line gambling' so there should be a wake up call for the heavy gambler,......odds are against you getting rich (Remember fold it in half and put it back in your pocket)  or it ends up in the Bookies Pocket http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1141944646084&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home   ..........Have Fun & Remember Verdun

popdog0 MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

I've got a breadmaker for sale.........I'll take the first $20 dollars or $20,000.......your choice ...................this could be a great investment or a poor one,..same as the real world. if bread hits $250 /loaf,....I'm giving up white bread,......

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popdog0 MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

I think everyones heard the wheel barrow story   a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread.
........... http://home.wanadoo.nl/cclinks/abtf/wheelb~1.html   I would doubt if it could ever happen again,....the dollar hasn't been backed by a Gold Standard since the 70's...........No Country has enough Gold to actually support it's papermoney,......and collapse would happen to a normal person if they6  spent more than they take in,....but in Country's I seriously doubt that it would be allowed to happen,........The US spent Russia into Bankruptcy,...and as it turns out so far it is to Russia's benefit,as they now recieve mega billions on an ongoing basis,to maintain their country's infrastructure,...the USA is supporting a lot of Country's around the world,.....but everything is so intertwined that no one country could afford to have anything happen to any other country,..China has bought up a very large portion of the American Debt,........and so collapse is very unlikely,as it would not be to anyones benefit But if the Doom & Gloom scenario cdoes come to pass,...........then I'm raising the price on my Breadmaker,....to one Billion ,...........the only problem I can see now is where would anyone get the 'Dough' to actually buy it & then Use it................hahahahaha  http://home.wanadoo.nl/cclinks/abtf/wheelb~1.html     Haver Fun & Remember Verdun ps:         the Sky is Falling , the Sky is Falling........................

popdog0 MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

Billion Mark      Money Money Money..............have a look for yourself http://www.joelscoins.com/exhibger2.htm            Wheel Barrows were rarely used as people preferred suitcases,........at least that's what this article says,.....Have a Read if German Inflation is of interest.......   Breadmaker going up as we speak,......(what's e-bays address)............hahahahah

les__f MSN said...

Look what it would buy OCTOBER 1923

1 Billion Mark, October 20, 1923 Reichsbanknote
Would buy 쩐 Pound of Meat, 3 eggs or 1/6 Pound of Butter
Bread is 670 Million Mark a loaf. Upon being paid, workers would rush to stores to buy anything they could get, as they knew the prices would be higher in a matter of hours. UPRISINGS, CAUSED IN PART BY THE CONTINUING INFLATION, BREAK OUT THROUGHOUT GERMANY.
_______________________________________Have Fun & Remember Verdun

popdog0 MSN said...

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beeaired MSN said...

Wheelbarrow joke?.....Fellow would take a wheelbarrow cross the border,,all that was in it was load of stones,,daily he would do this,,years passed by and as he was not able to wheel the barrow any longer, he announced the reason he was pushing the wheelbarrow over the border.                     He was smuggling the wheelbarrows over the border,,,,,,

les__f MSN said...

A related story to that one beeaired (more related to earlier story's actually) but the story goes that;p  This guy wheels his ,wheel barrow down to the store to buy a loaf of bread,...and goes into the store to get the owner to come out and take the money,.....but when he goes back outside,...the Money has been dumped into the gutter ,......and someone Stole the Wheel Barrow     )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))hf&rv

secondave MSN said...

Pop Dog,
You are correct sir. I bought oil common stock many years ago, and now
I am somewhat financially secure b/c of it. I began with Dome Petroleum
of Canada (my ex worked there in accounting), and I ended up through
buyouts & takeovers, with British Petroleum. Luck of the Irish on this
one. I did eat it in the 80s holding 8000 shares of Pan Am -- ouch!
No pain no glory.
Second Avenue

"Kwitchyerbellyakin."
- Irish saying

popdog0 MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...

Thanks for the truthful words of wisdom. May I add:
Do not get comfortable 'living a lie',
whether it is a marriage, career or a lifestyle.

I'll try to keep the hundreds of VC members up to date next week of the
events of the Enron trial. I find the matter very exciting, as do a few
who email me privately. If anyone is depressed or angry over this topic
please do not read this thread.
Second Avenue.

"Kwitchyerbellyakin."
- Irish saying

popdog0 MSN said...

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winnie3ave MSN said...


How about Robert Maxwell. He would buy companies that had large amounts in their pension funds. He would come in as a "white knight'. The employees would be so gratefull that he came in, bought the company, and saved their jobs. That didn't last long., because the first thing he did, unknown to the employees, was take all the money out of their pension funds.

popdog0 MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

Theft  is Theft   regardless of whose doing it,.....be the workers,....or the managment   ......................................................Have Fun & Remember Verdun

bubbacut MSN said...

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popdog0 MSN said...

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kungfu MSN said...

re:Montreal "little sandbox,' I try hard not to interfere with other peoples opinions , however you hit a nerve, do you realize that this little "sand box"  is still being paid for by the people of Montreal , who helped put , Montreal and CANADA on the Map , as one of the best if not the best Countries in the World . You have done a disservice to our Couintry , I always support you and others , but don't you dare call anything in OUR  country a" little sandbox ", Yours Truly  , Jim Nairn

bubbacut MSN said...

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popdog0 MSN said...

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kungfu MSN said...

Sorry , I misunderstood you , I also pay taxes , I did not mean to be unkind , just did not  want anyone to think we do not love our country , and on 2nd thought I am wrong on being so assertive, I enjoy your posts and your contributions to this site , after all , we are basicallly Verdun Canadians , hang tough pal    Jimmy

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redmond2349 MSN said...

Here's a link to check out U.S.A. economy. http://us.altermedia.info/category/economy/ Steve

bubbacut MSN said...

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redmond2349 MSN said...

Looking for stocks......but beware. http://www.stockstars.com/ Steve

redmond2349 MSN said...

Walter there are too many of those companies now that they are under bidding just for the work.And they just pass the code.It's hard now to find a good company like yours to do the job right.It's hard and you know it your a Verdunite. Steve

popdog0 MSN said...

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redmond2349 MSN said...

Walter for sure I know a little the guy I was working for the past years called me the other day to tell me the contract for flushing and the other for tree watering he was under bid by a few pennies.The rest is history. Steve

popdog0 MSN said...

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secondave MSN said...


THE DONKEY AUCTION

A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an
old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the
next day.

The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have
some bad news, the donkey died."

Kenny replied, "Well that's OK. Just give me my money back."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

Kenny said, "OK then, just load the donkey."

The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him?"

Kenny, "I'm going to raffle him off."

Farmer, " You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

Kenny, "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened
with that dead donkey?"

Kenny replied, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars
apiece, and made a profit of $998.00."

Farmer, "Didn't anyone complain?"

Kenny, " Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back."

Kenny grew up and eventually became the chairman of Enron.




popdog0 MSN said...

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redmond2349 MSN said...

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popdog0 MSN said...

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redmond2349 MSN said...

Walter....my skills are limited.Wouldn't be able to stay at a desk too long.I worked driving truck back in Montreal.I need change of scenery or I'll be in the Douglas. Steve

popdog0 MSN said...

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les__f MSN said...

Hi Popdog,.......Thanks for the recomendation of  Rich Dad,Poor Dad                                    I have just placed two of his books on Hold,..from my local library,...I will read them and let you know what I thought,.....sounds like they may be valuable books to read,.......Btw : Robert Kiyosaki,    has several books available ,at this time (at least in this library out here),...all are basically the same title ,with and addition on the end of   Rich Dad Poor Dad,..... for teens,what the rich teach their kids about money, also,  one titled for self employed business owners,..... and several others,...the Theme of course is $$$$$$ ,.....so I will lookforward to reading some of these .I have as mentioned just put 2 of them on hold,. He also has one of his books on a CD ,..so it may be one I can listen to in the car,...or at home of course...... ......We have a great library here ,....as I'm sure they do everywhere,.....and you can search the library's substantial holdings ,right on-line,....and order books or put them on hold,and they will call you or e-mail me to let me know when they are ready for pick up..........                                Thanks Again for the tip:                     .................Have Fun & Remember Verdun.............

redmond1949 MSN said...

Popdog you got e-mail . Steve

popdog0 MSN said...

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redmond2349 MSN said...

Walter I got the one you had on your profile. Okay for me try redsf_mond@yahoo.com