ElectricSavant,Quote from niceneasy:
If you are feeling at all sympathetic to skilling or lay - you just don't understand the whole story. As for the "world out there that none of us are qualified to comment on" - i'd disagree with that as well.
These guys wrote off-balance sheet deals for no other reason than to eliminate losses and raise cash to fund operations and fabricate the illusion of earnings growth. It's one thing to use creative accounting practices to massage earnings or whatever - but this was outright stealing from peter to pay paul type of behaviour.
They bullied, manipulated, and conned billions of dollars from banks, investment funds and the like. It was deliberate, calculated and there is no defense for their actions except those baked up by their over paid laywers. As a direct result of their actions - 50+ thousand people lost their livelihoods and their retirement savings. In addition, they destroyed economies, credibility of markets and the repercussions of their stupidity are still being felt.
That is the gist of it. Please feel qualified to comment on it now.
