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Technology Stocks : Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Koligman who wrote (56959)	2/1/2002 1:16:36 AM
From: Eric	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 77397

John Actually WCOM is worth quite a bit. I smell the Baby Bells looking to scoop this one up here. It's just too attractive at these levels. Microsoft has tons of cash. I don't know of any other publicly traded company that has as much cash and short term investments as Microsoft. Now there are a few Softies who didn't execute their options correctly and they are paying a steep price with the IRS..... Eric

To: John Koligman who wrote (56959)	2/1/2002 10:18:45 AM
From: Stock Farmer	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 77397

Must agree that the prickly corners of the concept poke uncomfortably in the mind. So I hear you about the "it's not fair" part. Which brings to mind my Dad's infuriating saying: "where in your contract does it say life shall be fair?" What is this thing "fair", anyway? The top-flight CEOs have all (at one time or another) gained considerable financial weight by munching from the corporate cookie jar. Find me CEOs who haven't turned considerable talent towards enriching themselves and I'll show you charities. Or candidates for replacement. Shareholders praise the same skill when it is directed on their behalf. The idea that we would expect someone to do for us what we would condemn them doing for themselves... well, that too sticks uncomfortably in the folds of my mind. Where individuals differ is in the degree of audacity. Rather outrageous for a guy to come from some inkblot west of nowhere to take over MCI, using nothing but the value of what he would be worth if he succeeded as collateral. Wow! Should we expect him to be timid when he makes his three wishes to the Perk Fairy? Nah, we can wince. We can look at that and shake our heads (I did, even though I posted a reply back to you). But if we also shook our heads in amazement and wonder as WCOM was formed (I did), and praised him for our advantage, what wouldn't be fair would be for us to shake our fingers at the same man for using the same skill to his advantage. Of course, this doesn't excuse the moral judgement of "going too far". Which fine grey line I draw closer to the laws of the land than to altruism, and always within an existence proof of "for just cause" reasoning. Because in closing I'd also observe that those of us who would seek to profit in the market... well, we should spend a little time in contemplation before lamenting the unfairness of it all. Hopefully, Cisco's current price is unfair. Right? John