Nice job, Forbes

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/13/mexico.forbes.list/index.html

We really have lost our way.

 

Import/Export business. What's the big deal?

 

God bless NAFTA.

 

I don't have a lot of use for Forbes, but don't kill the messenger.

 

Ben, they create the list.

 

m_v, I understand that . . . the $$$$ joys of the drug trade are a prevailing reality.

The Mexican government's laughable spinning of the situation speaks volumes.

 

He's thinking of quitting the exporting and just focusing on the importing.

 

They never said everyone on the list came about their fortune through legal means. A billionare is a billionare, even if they are the head of a drug syndicate.

I'm sure even the heads of Enron and all of those other now evil companies that duped America out of billions of dollars even made the list at one time.

 

You're right, Beef...but did we know then how they made their money?
This is blatant condoning of what the drug lord does.

 

Have you read the Forbes stories on this guy? I just did, and it sure doesn't sound like they're condoning anything he does -- merely reporting that his net worth is estimated at more than a billion.

In fact, Forbes calls him Mexico's most wanted man and says that while others on the list have criminal records, he's the only one with a $5 million price on his head. It quotes an expert saying, "He clearly is a sociopath and willing to engage in high levels of violence." It points out he was convicted of homicide and that his brother and son have been murdered and that he is beginning to be squeezed by rival gangs. The story wonders how much longer he can elude authorities as they crack down on the drug trade.

Actually, it looks like for the most part they've done a pretty good job of not glamorizing this guy. I'm not sure why this condones anything. All they've done is report that he's made a ton of money (which apparently is not breaking news). It's just a list of the richest people, and like it or not, he's one of them. Put the story in the New York Times, and most people would probably call it decent journalism.

Here's the link:

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0330/102-cocaine-king.html

 

Seems to me Forbes is not "honoring" the wealthy; they're just reporting the stats. We shouldn't assume that all the people rich enough to make their list are therefore virtuous.

If film.com's list of top-grossing movies happens to include a Michael Moore documentary, are you going to protest that film.com shouldn't be glorifying that slob? If an enumeration of top-paid athletes includes A-Rod, are you going to insist that cheaters should be left off such lists?

 

A lot of sanctimonious bullshit going on here.