Business optimism declines among CEOs

[lovuian]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051006/bs_nm/economy_ceos_dc

KIAWAH ISLAND, South Carolina (Reuters) - High energy prices, a lack of pricing power and a steady rise in interest rates have taken a toll on business optimism among the chief executives of large multinational companies, according to a survey released on Thursday.

snip...

Nearly two-thirds of the CEOs surveyed expect the federal funds rate -- the rate banks charge each other on overnight loans -- to be at or above 4 percent by the end of 2006. At its last policy meeting two weeks ago, the Federal Reserve raised the fed funds rate by a quarter percentage point to 3.75 percent. It was the 11th straight increase in a series of hikes that started in mid-2004, when the rate stood at 1 percent, its lowest level since 1958
snip...

(and heres the punchline)

More than 76.5 percent of respondents said the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act were excessive. The act was aimed at tightening corporate governance and requires CEOs to certify their companies' financial statements.

more...

Ya that Sarbanes Oxley is the only thing keeping you guys on your toes!!!

[Trillo]

1. Well, CEOs, better give yourselves another raise. nt

[acmavm]

2. Golly, how much of the mess we're in is their fault? Along with their

flunkies in the senate and congress?

They should be asking us about our optomism. I'm pretty optomistic that if they can weaken the rules about their accountability in any way they will.

[acmavm]

3. Golly, how much of the mess we're in is their fault? Along with their

and congress?

They should be asking us about our optomism. I'm pretty optomistic that if they can weaken the rules about their accountability in any way they will.

[LynnTheDem]

4. Oooh better give the richest 1% more tax cuts!!! TRICKLE DOWN!

Heh. The mentally handicapped know better...why don't republicans?

[Bullshot]

5. Ole Limpballs is gonna take these CEOs to the woodshed.

He was just railing against people who are giving negative outlooks on the economy. The current record energy prices shouldn't change our way of thinking on how much we spend this Christmas or the type of vehicles we drive according to the radio simpleton.

[Cobalt Violet]

6. Why do the rich continue to vote against their own economic interest?

People always accuse the poor of this. But these rich bastards have done the same. HA HA!

[no_hypocrisy]

7. With all their collective MBAs, it's amazing that these geniuses did not

see this coming.

Since * stole the first election, CEOs have enjoyed a situation where they could eat all the candy, cake, and ice cream they wanted and didn't expect anything bad to happen, like a tummyache. * and Tom DeLay kept giving them tax breaks, less pesky regulations, government handouts, the government as another part of their corporations, etc.

But they didn't count on "Acts of God", stuff they couldn't control like Peak Oil, hurricanes, bird flu, bursting real estate bubbles, consumer confidence, investment anywhere-but-here (e.g., Euros, gold), etc. And they minimalized the impacts of losing a federal surplus and getting a horrendous deficit ("brazilians" of dollars) and foreign interests controlling our fate through our debt (t-bills).

Now, the CEOs are facing "challenges" they couldn't control and some they created. And we all are punished for their greed, myopia (short-sightedness), and desire to "screw the poor" after making more of them.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. DUPE

[Bob3]

9. you know - if these guys are losing optimism

with the game rigged so much in their favor it ain't funny - things have to be god awful. Which I suppose they are.

[Mandate My Ass]

10. GMTA

You can only cook the books so much. Even the most clever pyramid scheme will fall apart sooner or later because those on the bottom are tapped out. Or this could be the foreshadowing that they're going to begin laying off and outsourcing even more jobs.

[lovuian]

11. Even India and China workers want higher wages!!!

They are running out of places to go for cheaper wages!!!
And the Bush party is over!!!

[MADem]

12. Yep, pay down your credit cards, curb your spending, hunker down

and weatherproof your home, keep your car in good repair and limit your trips, get ready to eat beans and watch TV for a fancy weekend get-together.

I see it getting WAY worse before it gets better.

[TexasLawyer]

13. and get a burglar alarm

or buy a dog with a loud bark. I think things will get way worse, too.

[MADem]

14. Yep, when poverty goes up, so does crime....

[ninkasi]

15. Exactly...

This is what my husband and I have been doing for some time. Tomorrow, by the way, we're having red beans and rice...yum. I was raised by parents who lived through the Great Depression, and saving money was a way of life for them. I learned a lot, and am glad I did.

[MADem]

16. Separated at birth?? Toss some recaito in there, very tasty!! n/t

[ninkasi]

17. Anything with cilentro is good...

I usually grow my own, but was unable to this past year. It has been due to health reasons, but there have been many Thanksgivings when the dressing was seasoned with the sage I grew myself. We know well how to survive.

[MADem]

18. I make my own and freeze it

A bit of a pain in the ass, getting out the food processor, but if you do a big load of it in bulk, and stick it in ice cube trays, then toss them in a freezer bag, you can grab out a few blocks and have yer rice and beans in no time.

But even if you buy it in the jar, it still adds a load of flavor for not too much cash. Three cheers for GOYA!

[ninkasi]

19. Try it with cilantro and basil, too

I do both, and add a few drops of olive oil to the food processor, it makes getting it out easier. There's nothing better in winter than cooking a big batch of spaghetti sauce, then adding a cube of basil. It brings the scent of summer into the kitchen.
Same goes with cilantro and beans. I LOVE Goya, too.

[MADem]

20. I never thought of cubing the basil like I do the recaito

I do basil whole in a sprayed casing of ice, then shove the encased leaves in a sack, but really, it would be just as easy to process it ahead in cubes.

I do the oil thing too when I make the cubes of recaito!

[Rainscents]

21. I been doing lot of stocking up with foods, rice, beans, meat,

can and jar foods. My friends all think I am a nut for stocking up! I was raised in Orphanage in Korea, so, I know what is like to have no foods. I been preparing for this since last year. I can see it coming where people will be going hungry because they have no jobs and no place to live.

[MADem]

22. Sensible, in these times

Between the terra and the bird flu, to say nothing of a cold winter, it isn't a bad idea to have supplies on hand...

[tanyev]

23. Hey, CEOs, you voted for it!

I have no tears to waste on you.

[CountAllVotes]

24. how anyone can invest in the stock market right now

is completely beyond me.

The DOW is going to crash and crash hard!

Watch out below!

:kick: