Category Archives: Bidness

Fritz Schranck writes about taxation terminology, and points to this article at More Than Zero about “dead peasant” insurance, also known as Corporate Owned Life Insurance, or COLIs. He talks about their tax benefits for corporations, then tackles the “insurable … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Houston energy trader Dynegy saw its stock plummet and its bond ratings lowered when lower earnings and an SEC review of a natural gas deal. They’re also taking a $300 million charge related to their communications business. Reading the story, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Would it surprise you to learn that the Enron subsidy Portland General bought life insurance policies on its employees and that 75% of the payouts were used as long-term compensation for managers, directors, and top officials? I didn’t think so. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Wal-Mart is praised far and wide, including in blogdom, for its innovation, its selection, its low prices, and its shareholder value. Indeed, Wal-Mart is now ranked first in the Fortune 500 for all of these reasons. Turns out Wal-Mart is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Jon Jerome has a long post about racism which stemmed from a conversation with a coworker. (Note: Jon’s been having some hosting problems, so try hitting Refresh if you get a “this page cannot be displayed” error.) He lays out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Chronicle technology columnist Dwight Silverman calls the proposed HP buyout of Compaq a bad deal all around. Continue reading →

I happened across a copy of Fast Company magazine today, and inside found this interesting article about a British TV show in which corporate CEOs are invited to spend time doing a low-level job within their company and are filmed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune lauds Tom DeLay for all his help to the airline industry after 9/11. There are many ways that one can be snarky about this sort of thing, but I’ll settle for the one that’s closest … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Federal Trade Commission is considering a national no-call registry that would appear to put some real restrictions on telemarketers. The Direct Marketing Association hates it, so this must be good. Says their spokesbeing: “The government may be overstepping its … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Europe’s first brothel for women has gone bankrupt. Wonder how many of those 17 analysts the WSJ refers to above rated this stock a “buy”? Continue reading →

Formerly bankrupt dot-com Internet Advisory Corp is in talks to buy notorious New York nudie bar Scores and take it public. “We are charting a new course for the company,” Internet Advisory’s Chairman and Chief Executive Richard Goldring said. ”We … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The sensible and oft-cited Virginia Postrel touches on the debate between Large Soulless Chain Bookstores and Small Touchy-Feely Mom and Pop Bookstores. A recent article in The Atlantic came out firmly in favor of the large chains. Postrel cites a … Continue reading → Continue reading →