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Geoff › Likes
ID cards and RFID tracking make UK feel like the Soviet Union | Technology | guardian.co.uk - http://www.guardian.co.uk/technol...
Geoff liked this
"Once again, it seems as though the Doctorows may have to leave Europe. The identity card I'm to be issued when I renew my visa is intended to be linked to all my daily activities: my medical care, my use of transit, my banking and finance, my tax – a single identifier that will track me through time and space, forever. The dossier thus gathered on me will be managed by the same agencies that have lost (literally) tens of millions' worth of records on British people in the past year alone. ... immigrants are only the first stage of a universal rollout of mandatory biometric RFID identity cards. ... Not me, though. If the government of the day when I renew my visa in 2010 requires that I carry these papers as a condition of residence, the Doctorows will again leave their country and find a freer one. My wife – born here, raised here, with family here – is with me. We won't raise our British daughter in the database nation. It's not safe."
- David Smith
AIG's ex-CEO refuses $22 million severance payout: report: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance - http://biz.yahoo.com/rb...
Alex Hammer, Ryan, Mike Reynolds and 46 other people liked this
(Reuters) - American International Group Inc's (NYSE:AIG - News) former Chief Executive Robert Willumstad has rejected a $22 million severance payment, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the decision. Willumstad e-mailed his successor, Edward Liddy, of his decision to forego the severance since he was not able to execute the restructuring plan he had developed, the paper said.
- Thomas Hawk
from Bookmarklet
Finally someone with some sense of ethics involved in this whole affair.
- Robert Scoble
Wow. That is a classy move.
- Shawn Farner
It's certainly good PR, but somehow I doubt he's hurting for cash...
- Bob M. Montgomery
from twhirl
Bob, I am sure you right but it has not stopped folks like Carly F from HP from taking the money. To me it demonstrates a degree of character, honor and ethics not seen often enough.
- R. Ferguson
He's been soaking up millions for so long, I think he can afford not to take the severance.
- rowlikeagirl, hecho en eu
Probably not hurting for cash, but it's still probably hard to walk away from $22 million that you have coming to you contractually speaking. I hadn't heard of anyone else walking away from that kind of money.
- Thomas Hawk
I don't really care if he isn't hurting for cash...that's a classy move if it's true.
- Kamath (नमः)
Rare enough to be praised. Perhaps Wall Street golden boys are starting to realize that they never, ever deserved the obscene amount of money they were paid.
- Antoine Bertier
I never actually thought I'd see this happen. I suppose it opens him up for a whole ton of job offers now.
- Kenton
Looks like 10,000 in Lehman's NY office get to share $2.5 billion though. http://www.independent.co.uk/news...
- Thomas Hawk
In the same spirit, Bush and Cheney should resign in disgrace, having failed utterly.
- Dave Winer
Maybe he was trying to avoid a lynching?
- Internet's Tad
Hey, I'm glad he did it, and it is rare, but I guess I'm just too cynical to raise a monument to him just yet. However, if it sets an example for the future, than it can only be good. Somehow, though, I doubt it'll change the culture of corporate robber barons and golden parachutes. One can hope.
- Bob M. Montgomery
from twhirl
Maybe trying to avoid FBI investigation in CEO's role in failure by buying Jail Free card, after raking in hundred of millions in salary/perks, probably will end up in jail anyways.
- imran
@tad yes, lynching by pushing all those money in paper form down the throat - I have no doubt there would be a queue among those who had their mortgage "downsized" recently :)
- A.T.
Wake me up when one of these guys talks about returning the millions and billions in bonuses they were paid out during the run up to this mess. Foregoing a golden parachute is the very least they ought to be doing.
- Eric P
Certainly seems like a classy act to me, regardless of his present wealth. Without a doubt it sets a good example. Thanks for pointing to this, Thomas.
- J. McConnell
Don't judge a book by its cover. This is one "selfless" act in a long line of acts. I'd bet this move was purely political, of the PR variety.
- Sergio Cruz
New Clarins Skin Spa….. - http://sallyinnorfolk.com/2008...
Geoff liked this
Great post can't wait for the massage!
- Geoff
from Alert Thingy
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