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Technology Stocks : Corel Corp. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mr. Bean who wrote (3386)	10/30/1997 10:21:00 PM
From: Scott Volmar	Respond to of 9798

Mr. Bean, I give you credit. You still have your sense of humor. As you ask Eveline about the moral tolerance in Europe, yesterday's L.A. Times reported that the Danish Lutheran Church has agreed to sanction, perform, and recognize same sex marriages. I too would love to hear Eveline's response to your question. Maybe Dr. Cowpland, like me, is a laboratory rat, and can learn. Is there still time? Scott

To: Mr. Bean who wrote (3386)	11/2/1997 7:23:00 PM
From: Eveline Bernard	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9798

What do I, as a European woman, think about Cowpland's exhibition of glitter and wealth? Bean, Your question made me laugh, though (or because) I expected it. First of all: Especially in matters like this, I think it is hard to find an average European woman. There are big differences between the European countries with respect to ethics and the woman's role. I myself have no ambition for the role of Mrs. Cowpland, but I think many Dutch women will like it, while lots of others will condemn it as role-confirming (sexist) behavior. Second, I do not feel myself to be the average Dutch woman. Unlike in Canada and the USA in Nederland it is highly unusual for a woman to be interested, educated and experienced in beta science and engineering to a degree as mine. Nederland is a very backward country in this respect, even more backward as Belgium, France, Poland and Indonesia (randomly chosen). This consequently means that I am a bit estranged from the world and thinking of the `average Dutch woman'. But I can try to answer your question by describing how I think the media in Nederland would react. The media in Nederland treat different groups of public personality's different. The showbiz people are followed in the pulp magazines and every new love, every, gala, every woo and joy, all the new dresses, cars and mansions are described at great length, sometimes with, but mostly without condemn. They have no privacy at all. I think in this environment the way Mrs. Cowpland was dressed would be highly approved. The politicians and business people are left alone in their private life, as long as they stick to certain rules. The most important rule is: Keep low profile, keep it sober for the outside world. Austerity is still an important virtue to be demonstrated for a businessman and a politician in Nederland. Of course those people often are not austere at all, but as long as they do not expose it it is OK with the media. When a businessman does show off too much, he is burned down by the media, as was demonstrated many times in history. Remember Willem Smit, owner of former Datex (an IT company with 800 employees in 1990). He exposed too much of his personal wealth, caused envy, was accused of stock trade with foreknowledge, was acquitted, but burned down by the media and the company with him. They had to take the firm away from the stock exchange by selling it. Datex is merged into Getronics now, the name disappeared. The sexual behavior of politicians and businessmen is no issue in the Dutch media. For instance, it was common knowledge that the former Dutch prime minister (Lubbers, married, with children) had a mistress, and where in Den Haag she lived. Still, you would never read a word about it. The press in Nederland does not write about sexual preferences, certainly not in a disapproving way. That makes it possible for Dutch members of the parliament to be chairman of, e.g., a charity organization for Aids victims. Royalty takes a place between showbiz and politics. The crown prince is followed in his private life, but they do not dare burn him down. What do we learn of this? First, being a businessman, Cowpland would certainly be burned down by the media in Nederland, for his extreme exposure of wealth and lack of austerity. Secondly, If Corel was Dutch, it had to be merged into a bigger company, mainly because of Cowpland's behavior. It would not be able to recover from the bad publicity in any other way. Eveline