Maybe it's the frustration of wating for the Rhode Island Supreme Court to release its ruling. Maybe it's just the silliness of the whole thing, the two trials, pile on of motions, and the possibility of a third trial. Whatever, lead paint watchers have reached the tipping point of verbal indiscretion. Here is some of it.
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Wall Street Guru:
"Well, there's not much the paint companies can do about the prices of the raw materials. But their whole problem was when they decided to not put on any defense. I still don't understand that thinking. Maybe they thought if we show how unconcerned we think this suit is the jury will figure it's frivolous and dismiss it. I'll quote another person: This was the worst decision since Queeg decided to after Moby Dick."
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Ohio Resident:
"I wonder if those jurors lose sleep at night. Jane, you said that they were going to follow the post-verdict in the newspapers. Their heads must have snapped backwards when they read how the Justices at the Rhode Island Supreme Court seemed to view the plaintiff's case."
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A Second Wall Street Guru:
"Right now the stock for Sherwin-Williams is at around 46, which means it's closing at about where it was 2 years ago. If the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruling is bad, it's deja vu all over again. If it's good, the stock will have a nice bounce. Probably will wind up around 50, after the dust settles.
"But forget all the above if the oil prices keep going up. All bets are off on what stocks will do in general or what the paint companies' stocks will do. The oil is killing us all and the Asians and the Indonesians are finally getting it and cutting subsidies which will cause some demand destruction.
"Two problems remain. If Europe raises rates this week the dollar tanks even more and oil gets more expensive. The other is the almost certainty that somewhere in the Mideast or Africa there is going to be major unrest and cause an oil shortage. I think those are the 2 biggest triggers right now.
"If Iran said today they were going to forgo nuclear weapons and allow inspections and play nice, it would drop the iol $20. If Nigeria made peace with the rebels and Iraq got some major world oil companies in there to get production up where it should be, that would be another $10-15 down and if the Saudis got their new field on line and increased to 11 million barrels a day we could bery easily go back to $100 barrels and that's with the weak dollar. Now get the dollar back and all the above happen and we are back at $80. The chances of that happening is 100-to-1.
"Of course, if Israel goes and blows up Iran's Nuclear facilties, there will be war in the area for years and Saudia Arabia will have to take sides, in my opinion. Then we shall see what we are made of. If we finally do what we have to do to get off the reliance on foreign oil. I think actually that will be the least of our worries if the whole Mideast blows up."
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A MatchMaker from Eastern Europe:
"I predict you will propose to one of those smart defense attorneys and settle down ghostwriting briefs for him."
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Recently Axed Partner from a Washington D.C. Law Firm:
You were right. Don't bring in new business and you're gone. I thought my work would count for everything. I remain in shock."
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