Andersen Consulting was indicted for obstruction of justice, lost 150 blue-chip clients, and has just laid off a quarter of their workforce. Some employees got the news by email, or voicemail. Everybody says, "Those poor employees... they shouldn't be punished for the actions of a few individuals." Others respond, "they knew what was going on at that company. They saw those shredders running." Well, obviously they had nothing to do with it. Unless they were on the Enron team, they were totally removed from the issue. They're losing their jobs because Andersen is losing all of its business.

But wait, wait wait! Andersen Consulting has allowed clients to overstate revenues to mislead investors before, AND gotten busted for it, AND helped those clients to tank, the clients being Waste Management and Sunbeam circa 1997. Oh ho ho! What's this? Another investigation into Global Crossing accusing the exact same thing! What's going on? Do they have a commercial that only plays during golf tournaments that says, "Executive officer? Looking for a way to make out like a bandit while dicking over your shareholders and employees alike? It's the American dream, and it's possible with Andersen Consulting"?!?!?!

Hey, next time your employer is in court three times in five years for the same crimes, consider that illegal business practices are bad for your company's reputation and thus their client base. Maybe, just maybe, the company that you picked to look good on your resume might make you look like an idiot or a criminal by association (when I was a copy jockey in a college town, I copied cover letters to Andersen more than ANY other employer... it was the holy grail of post-grad jobs. I hope every one of those smug business-school daterapers is being escorted by security to a cab with their framed motivational poster in a box right this moment). Maybe if you pick an employer without a long rap sheet of illegal activity, be it environment-poisoning, customer-killing, genocide-sponsoring, you name it- maybe then people will feel a little sorrier for you if you get laid off. Until then, SUCKS TO BE YOU!