Let the workers take the rap--The agriculture department is pressing ahead with an "experimental" inspection program to spot contaminated and bruised chickens. Company employees inspect the poultry and the federal inspectors inspect the inspectors. At five of 11 chicken plants, a Congressional committee found more contamination than previously.

Chainsaw needed oil--Albert "Chainsaw" Dunlop (he gained the title by his ruthless capacity to slash payrolls of troubled companies) is ready to cough up $15 million to shareholders at bankrupt Sunbeam appliances where he cooked the books to conceal losses. Earlier, a damage payment to Sunbeam shareholders of $110 million was agreed to by the company's auditor--the Andersen accounting firm that won headlines by shredding Enron records.

Note to Mr. D--If Dunlop can fake Canadian residency, he's eligible to share cash being dispensed by Canada's Dunlop Tire. To promote their brand name, the company set up a $25,000 fund to be divided equally among all Canadians named Dunlop who legally change their names to "Dunlop Tire." How about an "Albert Chainsaw Dunlop Tire."

Pst--Ex vice prez Gore was the keynote speaker at a New Delhi, India, conference sponsored by the magazine, India Today. He spoke on the condition that the press be kept out. Later, participants confided to reporters that Gore confided to them he supported the U.S. war against Afghanistan. He also urged that India take further steps to allow foreign investments.

Nervous?--After completing an internal auditing of company books, Homestore.com booted seven employees.

Sweet--The Los Angeles city council voted to continue a $3,500 a month housing allowance for David Wiggins, the top dog at the Department of Water and Power. That's in addition to his annual wage of $284,000. The housing perk was initially granted when Wiggins relocated to Los Angeles to take the job on a temporary basis.

How delicate--A 3,000 gallon spill of raw human sewage hit Little Corona Beach in the Orange County, California, coastline. It was the second such mishap in January. A delicately worded press release ruled the area off-limits until it was no longer "tainted."

Thought for the week--"Companies come and go. It's part of the genius of capitalism."--Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill musing on the fate of Enron.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home