Corporations: Who are they?

[JamesSD]

Overall though, I think the most accurate description of most is Scott Adams. Sometimes evil, sometimes stupid, and occasionally good. Too enwrapped in protecting itself. No justice for the top and the bottom always suffering the most with each bad decision or random whim or neccessary financial decision or financial reality or anything and everything. But at the end of the day, in itself amoral, relying only on people to colour it. Or rather to colour the illusion.

For a corporation is an illusion. It doesn't actually exist and all its good or evil results entirely from the wisdom and empathy of the people who run it and all of those it hires. A corporation is our capitalistic self. All our greed and innovation. What it becomes, what we allow it to become, is the result of us trusting too much that our fellow humans would never do that for mere money.

I agree

 

[Liar]

Liar:
It is VERY impractical, almost impossible for a pension fund manager [Mutual fund manager, hedge fund manager] to day trade for the fund account. The problem is that the number of shares needed to be moved would overwhelm the market. This last is true even in giant corporations such as IBM.

Um.. impractical? Perhaps. Impossible? Apparently not. Because it's exactly what fund managers do. All the time. I've worked for them and I've been a reporter of that market on and off for six years now, and exactly that is what they do: Shift massive amounts of ownership, just five, ten minutes after the publishing of a quatrerly report, because company A chose a policy that prognosed a slightly lesser short term growth then company B. Thus plummeting the market value of the company, as well as cutting deep dents in the stability of their investment budget. So, the company is being punished for choosing a results-later over a revenue-now strategy.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Um.. impractical? Perhaps. Impossible? Apparently not. Because it's exactly what fund managers do. All the time. I've worked for them and I've been a reporter of that market on and off for six years now, and exactly that is what they do: Shift massive amounts of ownership, just five, ten minutes after the publishing of a quatrerly report, because company A chose a policy that prognosed a slightly lesser short term growth then company B. Thus plummeting the market value of the company, as well as cutting deep dents in the stability of their investment budget. So, the company is being punished for choosing a results-later over a revenue-now strategy.

Although I'd disagree with you for the most part, Liar, I know that around quarterly reporting times fund managers do a lot more trading than usual. Beforehand, they need to spruce up the portfolio to put in some "hot" stocks, since the fund holders will be looking for them. If a company misses their earnings, they'll want to dump first, if that's their strategy.

It really depends on the type of fund - some are a lot more active than others, eg, sector funds in a high-growth industry. Those with more of an income-focus will be a lot more conservative, looking more at dividends. Also, short-term vs. long-term cap gains is an issue.

For the most part, pension funds I think are a lot more conservative than mutual funds in general.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

There is a show on the History Channel called "Modern Miracles," and some of them are about how things are made in huge quantities - candy, beer, liquor, and some durable goods too. I know you're havin' fun here, but check it out some time - it's pretty damned impressive.

Have you seen The Corporation...

kidding, but not?


and strangely, I love those mass production shows... that show how everything is made... it's hypnotic...

doh!

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Um.. impractical? Perhaps. Impossible? Apparently not. Because it's exactly what fund managers do. All the time. I've worked for them and I've been a reporter of that market on and off for six years now, and exactly that is what they do: Shift massive amounts of ownership, just five, ten minutes after the publishing of a quatrerly report, because company A chose a policy that prognosed a slightly lesser short term growth then company B. Thus plummeting the market value of the company, as well as cutting deep dents in the stability of their investment budget. So, the company is being punished for choosing a results-later over a revenue-now strategy.

Liar, that does not sound right. I am aware that certain kinds of funds do the private sector's version of the politician's insincere "position taking," which is called "window dressing," where just before the end of the reporting period they shift money into stocks that have done well during the period, giving the impression they were smart enough to be there all along. What you describe sounds implausible - how close were you to those decisions? Also, the "market's" verdict on announcements by companies is varied and hard to predict. Sometimes the share price behaves as you describe, but more often it bounces if in the collective judgement of millions of players the result will be a long-term increase in profitability. "The market" is an amazing information processing machine that is subject to certain vagaries but on balance and over time does get it right. One should not let those vagaries obscure the larger reality.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Actually, truth be told you are being an incredible asshole. I don't particularly mind and I doubt at the end of the day our enumbered friend will be crying on a pillow at the mean words you state. So, you can either continue to be puposefully abrasive or you can grow a pair and apologize when you're being unneccesarily confrontational.

Supporting fiscal conservatism in no way neccesitates being a bastard. But actions like yours make the stereotypes come in to being and make lefties and liberals feel all justified when they think of all republicans as hideous excuses for human beings.

Speaking on behalf of yourself, the late Colly, and Roxanne Appleby and the other fiscal conservatives who grace the boards, I doubt that is what you want in the slightest.

Good day and whatever your deity may be bless.

Gee thanks!

Oh! And bite me!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You're assumptive. You can't judge every single human being by one who has met you. Perhaps all the people like me are not to your liking, because you're such an uptight snob. Ugh. You're like the rich people who say, "Oh yeah, I used to be poor...back then. When we only lived in a Duplex and had basic cable. Oh those horrible, horrible days."

Yeah. Mommy? What the hell? What kind of person completely eliminates opposition by invalidating them as just whiny? Oh boo hoo? Sorry we can't all be like you, oh wise and humble Zeb Carter.

Get off the horse, yah? Perhaps if you hadn't responded to me AT ALL, instead of with your childish insults, I wouldn't be here.

If you look back at my posts you will not find one pejoritive in any of them, although your last couple of posts resorted to name calling. What am I to think when you resort to that? That you're an adult worthy of debate?

So again I say to you, without malice, grow up!

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Anyone else smile when they see people getting bent out of shape or defensive when others argue in the same manner they do?

Anyone?

Bueller?

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Gee thanks!

Oh! And bite me!

Fair enough.

But you're still an asshole and as an asshole I should know. You can pretend in your delusions that you are some martyr or misunderstand genius or some other bizarre trope, but you're not and furthermore you have a total lack of empathy. This makes you seem subhuman and not worth anyone's time. In the end, this sort of life will garauntee a friendless existence. Enjoy it be as it may or if that does not suit you, learn to grow a pair and show at least the tiniest ability to fess up to your own fuckups when called on it. Because here and now, you look as a child and our enumbered friend despite not being entirely mature in their own right is seeming infinitely more mature and grown-up than you and that is sad.

The worst part is that it is people like you who breed the stereotypes, who make it seem like all of conservatism is pathetic low-self-esteemed, empathyless assholes who are so married to their own delusions of grandeur that they no longer believe in personal responsibility.

Again this is not for you. For all I know you are just a worthless asshole who would never consider another person even if they were bleeding to death in front of you. This is for all those who have held conservative views who are incredibly decent human beings. For Colly, for EL, for Roxanne, and the others.

Yeah, yeah, bite me. Yeah yeah, communist flying monkeys etc... As I said it ain't for me and maybe it's not even for you. Hell it's not even for our enumbered friend.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Fair enough.

But you're still an asshole and as an asshole I should know. You can pretend in your delusions that you are some martyr or misunderstand genius or some other bizarre trope, but you're not and furthermore you have a total lack of empathy. This makes you seem subhuman and not worth anyone's time. In the end, this sort of life will garauntee a friendless existence. Enjoy it be as it may or if that does not suit you, learn to grow a pair and show at least the tiniest ability to fess up to your own fuckups when called on it. Because here and now, you look as a child and our enumbered friend despite not being entirely mature in their own right is seeming infinitely more mature and grown-up than you and that is sad.

The worst part is that it is people like you who breed the stereotypes, who make it seem like all of conservatism is pathetic low-self-esteemed, empathyless assholes who are so married to their own delusions of grandeur that they no longer believe in personal responsibility.

Again this is not for you. For all I know you are just a worthless asshole who would never consider another person even if they were bleeding to death in front of you. This is for all those who have held conservative views who are incredibly decent human beings. For Colly, for EL, for Roxanne, and the others.

Yeah, yeah, bite me. Yeah yeah, communist flying monkeys etc... As I said it ain't for me and maybe it's not even for you. Hell it's not even for our enumbered friend.

Ya know, I just don't know how to respond to such vielness, I didn't attack you nor was attacking anyone else, yet you spew pejoratives toward me.

Although I do hold some conservative view I am not nor do I consider myself conservative. Most of what the conseratives believe I feel is bullshit. If I was a true conservative, hardcore conservative, I wouldn't even be here. So until you know all my views on things don't go calling me names.

And as you have done, I to just call them like I see them.