I saw the Enron movie yesterday "The Smartest Guys in the Room"

[catzies]

NBA Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban produced it! Seeing his name in the credits was a bit of a shock. I have no idea where his politics lie and if he's partisan that would be a bit of a bummer, because this is not a partisan issue.

I'm going to email Cuban & ask him about it. I've emailed him before & he answered, so my fingers are crossed he will again. I know he did partly because he has the money & that's what filmmakers need, but I'd like to know if he felt a particular sympathy for the subject matter as well.

It was a primer for anyone who didn't follow the unfolding details from 5 years ago. So in that fact, I was slightly disappointed, because I didn't learn anything new.

It was hard taking notes in the theater too, and not everyone on screen was identified. I have to Google & find out who the woman was who was at the ISO during the rolling blackouts because I didn't catch her name.

Californians are (or, should be) aware of and outraged by the manipulations Enron was able to perpetuate in the market in both a moral vacuum and an incomplete deregulated environment. We were screwed out of billions and we were gamed politically as well.

We'll never get that money back, even when people do see through the Governator because Cheney got away with locking up his energy papers. More than the Iraq War was worked out at that meeting, you know.

Ken Lay's trial begins in Jan. 2006.

[catzies]

1. MARK CUBAN EMAILED ME BACK

From: "mark cuban" <[email protected]>
To: **********************
Subject: RE: Ask Mark Cuban/The Enron movie


I thought the story needed to be told so that its not repeated.


Those guys were crooks.


m
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FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:kick:

[Lisa]

6. that's all I need to know!

This movie is going on my "must buy" list as soon as it's released on DVD -- for my public library's film collection. This way a lot of people will get to see it, so the warning can be spread.

[DBoon]

2. Saw it a couple of weeks ago

My short conclusions

1. Ayn Rand is the source of an incredible amount of evil in today's world. She gave the philosophical and "ethical" justification for what Enron did and for what other modern robber barons are doing. Her "greed is good" free market fundamentalism has completely destroyed our social contract. The irony of Enron presenting an award to Alan Greenspan (a faithful follower of Ayn Rand) did not escape me.

2. Having worked for a competitor of Arthur Anderson, the cut-throat unethical (and illegal) behavior seemed sadly familiar. Sending to Calgary an employee who fields a critical query at a staff meeting happens more frequently than I would like to admit. Rewarding high-performing sales staff for ethically dubious behavior is very common.

[Helga Scow Stern]

3. I am jealous! I want to see this movie, but it is so far available in only

a few cities.

[Hamlette]

4. for more information, read Conspiracy of Fools

I'm not quite half way through and there is tons of stuff I didn't know...it's by Kurt Eichenwald.

[catzies]

5. Come to Camarillo! It's at our little "art house" theatre and only $5

:hi: