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Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (8149)	8/2/2000 5:10:36 PM
From: chic_hearne	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 436258

Cobalt, the $145 billion verdict was the best thing that could have happened to the tobacco companies. It's such a ridiculous amount they'll never end up paying it, if any at all. In MO's case, they are the biggest food producer in the US. The gov can't force them to pay because that will raise food prices. They need the div or the investors will leave. The only way to get them to pay is to break up the company, in which case you'd probably end up better off anyway (unlocking Kraft, Miller, etc.). This is a much more complicated issue than I'm making it, but the div is pretty safe IMO.