Shareholder Resolutions

As a (trivially small) shareholder of Kraft Foods Inc., I received an automated notice from ProxyVote.com which would allow me to cast my votes on four resolutions prior to the annual shareholders' general meeting.

The first three questions were relatively commonplace: voting in a slate of directors, approving the non-director employee stock benefit plan and approving an outside auditor. The fourth one was the first I've directly encountered, although I've heard of such resolutions previously:

04 . DISSOCIATION FROM THE 2006 AND ALL FUTURE SO-CALLED "GAY GAMES"
Directors Recommend: AGAINST
__ For __ Against __ Abstain

I voted against this resolution. While I'm not convinced that sponsorship of any sporting event actually enhances shareholder value in a meaningful way (unless it is a direct manufacturer of goods used in that particular sport), I see this kind of resolution as a means of encouraging homophobic elements, creating momentum to a less tolerant society and an opening to future resolutions to do away with domestic partner benefits, equal employment treatment and more. I'm happy the current directors urged voting against the resolution, although I wish I could know more about their particular motivation... I'd like to think it's about workplace equality rather than, say, simple resistance to outside interference in their personal fiefdom.

Has anyone else directly encountered resolutions like this? I'm curious is there is a centrally organized campaign against the Gay Games in particular, as opposed to the usual ultra-rightist swipe against all persons not white, male, straight, rich & Republican.

Shareholder Resolutions

As a (trivially small) shareholder of Kraft Foods Inc., I received an automated notice from ProxyVote.com which would allow me to cast my votes on four resolutions prior to the annual shareholders' general meeting.

The first three questions were relatively commonplace: voting in a slate of directors, approving the non-director employee stock benefit plan and approving an outside auditor. The fourth one was the first I've directly encountered, although I've heard of such resolutions previously:

04 . DISSOCIATION FROM THE 2006 AND ALL FUTURE SO-CALLED "GAY GAMES"
Directors Recommend: AGAINST
__ For __ Against __ Abstain

I voted against this resolution. While I'm not convinced that sponsorship of any sporting event actually enhances shareholder value in a meaningful way (unless it is a direct manufacturer of goods used in that particular sport), I see this kind of resolution as a means of encouraging homophobic elements, creating momentum to a less tolerant society and an opening to future resolutions to do away with domestic partner benefits, equal employment treatment and more. I'm happy the current directors urged voting against the resolution, although I wish I could know more about their particular motivation... I'd like to think it's about workplace equality rather than, say, simple resistance to outside interference in their personal fiefdom.

Has anyone else directly encountered resolutions like this? I'm curious is there is a centrally organized campaign against the Gay Games in particular, as opposed to the usual ultra-rightist swipe against all persons not white, male, straight, rich & Republican.

Yesterday

The pain in my lower back eased gradually through the course of yesterday. I wasn't aware of it at all while calling square dancing in Baltimore last night, despite sitting for the 45 minute drive each way and standing for most of a two hour stretch during the performance.

This morning, I'm still aware of a minor twinge where there used to be biting pain but that's all. I won't be running any marathons for a while and lifting of heavy objects will be resisted for the next few days, but I think everything is more or less back where it should be without medical intervention. A massage would probably be a good idea, to soothe my currently minor stress if nothing else.

Square dance calling last night went very well, largely for two reasons: (a) I practised at home since I had very little else I could do, and (b) I cheated.

( Club Night Details )

Yesterday

The pain in my lower back eased gradually through the course of yesterday. I wasn't aware of it at all while calling square dancing in Baltimore last night, despite sitting for the 45 minute drive each way and standing for most of a two hour stretch during the performance.

This morning, I'm still aware of a minor twinge where there used to be biting pain but that's all. I won't be running any marathons for a while and lifting of heavy objects will be resisted for the next few days, but I think everything is more or less back where it should be without medical intervention. A massage would probably be a good idea, to soothe my currently minor stress if nothing else.

Square dance calling last night went very well, largely for two reasons: (a) I practised at home since I had very little else I could do, and (b) I cheated.

( Club Night Details )

Holy Retail!

Kent & I went out to do a little grocery shopping tonight, largely so that we had semi-healthy snacks for our pending weekend in Pennsylvania for square dancing.

While checking through the spice display to see if there's some arrangement of organic molecules not yet in Kent's collection :-^, he pointed out the price for saffron. The package, weighing 0.004 ounces costs $2.79. What caught my eye was the unit price: this comes to $637.71 per pound!

I will never complain about the price of a gallon of gasoline again.

Holy Retail!

Kent & I went out to do a little grocery shopping tonight, largely so that we had semi-healthy snacks for our pending weekend in Pennsylvania for square dancing.

While checking through the spice display to see if there's some arrangement of organic molecules not yet in Kent's collection :-^, he pointed out the price for saffron. The package, weighing 0.004 ounces costs $2.79. What caught my eye was the unit price: this comes to $637.71 per pound!

I will never complain about the price of a gallon of gasoline again.