Does too much money make it THAT much harder to keep it in your pants?

[gzsfrk]

So for those who don't know, I work for HP. Well we just find out today that our CEO, Mark Hurd, was forced to resign (http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15700217) over a sexual harassment lawsuit which led to an investigation that--even though it "exonerated" him internally of being guilty of sexual harassment, found that he had engaged in an improper sexual relationship with a female contractor, and that he had then further compromised his position by falsifying expense reports to cover the payments the company was making to his mistress for work not actually rendered.

I mean, SERIOUSLY. This man has been paid over $100 million in compensation by HP in just the last 3-4 years. And yet he:

1. Is stupid enough to put himself in a position that was obviously a conflict of interest.

2. Falsified company expense reports so as to funnel company money to the woman.

As for number 1, I get it that you don't necessarily have to be a genius to get put into place as a CEO; rather, there's more advantage in being a member of a good country club than there is in having graduated Summa Cum Laude from an Ivy School. Stupid as that is, I get it.

But number 2? MARK! You're making TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. If you want to finance a mistress, why on EARTH did you feel compelled to do it on HP's dime? Not only is it wrong, but it's STUPID because it's so ridiculously risky! CRIPES!!! Did the woman infect you with brain devouring herpes the first time you had sex with her?

And this comes on the heels of idiots like Tiger Woods, Eliot Spitzer, Bill Clinton, and countless other men who give up EVERYTHING in the way of reputation and future potential (if not financial security, since most of them could never work another day in their life and still buy a BMW a day from now till they die and not run out of cash)--all for some effervescent sexual gratification.

I mean, don't get me wrong--sex is awesome. But it's not the only awesome thing, and it's certainly not worth risking or outright LOSING everything else in your life just to satisfy that urge.

I remember watching a Futurama episode a long while back, the one where Fry falls in love with a Lucy Liu bot, and in order to convince him to stop the relationship, the Professor and the others show him the "DON'T DATE ROBOTS" video. In it, it makes the claim that all of humanity's achievements--civilization, technology, industry--were nothing but an ongoing effort to impress the opposite sex in an effort to HAVE sex. And of course they presented it in a funny way, but the fact is, lots of people out there, successful men in particular, act like this is the case. Like the entire effort of their life's work is predicated upon getting that ultimate piece of poon. It would be ridiculous and laughable if the morbid reality wasn't that so many out there actually live their life this way.

Personally, I blame a hypersexualized culture that begins indoctrinating kids at an increasingly early age to think that being sexually accepted and active is life's penultimate achievement. And that's sad, because again--while sex is this wonderful, incredible experience, so are other things like discovery, achieving success, and committing an honorable or selfless act.

To wrap this up, if you're a guy who becomes rich and/or powerful, and then proceeds to risk and/or lose everything you've accomplished just to get your funky tap on, then you are an idiot who is completely underserving of the success with which you've been blessed.

Ok... I'm done now. Sorry for running on so long, but I am really pissed and flabbergasted at our ex-CEO right now.

[White667]

So uh, you work for HP?

I'd like to A. Complain about my laptop and B. Ask for any freebies you got layin' around? Comonnnn? =P

[Syl]

What is love?
Baby don't hurt me...
...don't hurt me, no more.

[Sion]

Who could have guessed that everything fails when women monetize their vagina and lead men on to bleed money out of them? Thank feminism for "empowering" them I suppose.

History proves that men go crazy unless they surround themselves with submissive women. This is an increasing problem in todays world, and it's no coincidence that while this is happening, since women's liberation, women have also been less and less happy with their lives.

[Syl]

Sion, you are a sad, sad human being if you think that's the truth.

[gzsfrk]

I just heard today that Hurd's severance package is going to come to around $28 million. TWENTY EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS--for getting effectively fired over an improper sexual relationship with a contractor and FALSIFYING EXPENSE REPORTS. Do you know how many of my co-workers--good people who did an honest, effective job--have been layed off by Hurd's aggressive cost reduction over the past 2 years that that much money could have paid for?

That's it... The laws for corporation (and specifically those related to executive compensation) HAVE to be reformed. When you can BREAK THE LAW and still get an exorbitant payout to exit the company, then said law is as flaccid and ineffective as a billy club made out of jello. Garbage... the entire lot of them in upper management--pure garbage.

[gzsfrk]

Sion, you are a sad, sad human being if you think that's the truth.

Didn't you know? Sion is into secular progressive shariah. Here's a picture of him and one of his lady friends:

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/01_04/GothRP2201_468x665.jpg

Ok, not really. But I'll bet he and the guy in this article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-509713/Im-human-pet-The-Goth-teenager-fiance-walks-dog-lead.html) would have plenty to talk about over a beer. :)

[Anenome]

secular progressive shariah
Lol! Omg, that's so funny :P Although, I think Sion would make his leashed-lady walk on all fours >_>

I think this whole thing you're talking about is more related to the psychological effects of obtaining of success and wealth. When a person experiences great success they fell empowered, as if they can do no wrong. We even see this with Bobby Kotick. He's still using the hard-nosed tactics that got him to his current position. But eventually you hit the wall that is reality and it comes crashing down, as with Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton--and Obama's policies >_>

[Anenome]

As for that girl in that picture:

The music technology student had this defence of her lifestyle.

"I am a pet, I generally act animal like and I lead a really easy life," she said.

"I don't cook or clean and I don't go anywhere without Dani. It might seem strange but it makes us both happy. It's my culture and my choice. It isn't hurting anyone."

It's not too hard to imagine why a girl would do this in the first place, owing to certain defects of self-respect and the like, but it's not something that can last long-term if you ask me. Lots of divorces are caused by disagreement with the roles that you find yourself playing in a marriage.

[Sion]

Sion, you are a sad, sad human being if you think that's the truth.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6395879.ece

Sociologists can try to spin to "why" to this evidence any way they can, but deep down, everyone knows women are more happy when they just need to worry about the kitchen and bedroom.

[TeeCakes]

gzsfrk, I wouldn't feel too annoyed at the severance package the sloppy adulterer is getting. 95% of that will probably be going straight to the wife and kids after the divorce is final.

But yeah, being rich and/or famous means you pretty much don't need to bother following the rules us normal saps do. When you don't have to rely on social interaction for work/day-to-day livelihood you take away its power to enforce the golden rule.

[Anenome]

It was pretty hilarious when Snooki got drunk recently and started screaming at police officers, "Don't you know who I am?!"