Announcements: Policy 29 Oct 2008Seasonal Parties
I would like to inform you that we will not be holding our annual Seasonal parties this year. I know this might come as a disappointment to many of you, who look forward to the opportunity to relax among colleagues and celebrate a year of hard work and accomplishment. Perhaps more than any other year, you can be proud of your achievements despite extreme market conditions. Your focus, resilience, and attention to clients have allowed us to outperform the competition and continue to build the business as a result. The acquisition of the North American businesses of Lehman Brothers and the UK authorities' recent endorsement of our current capital strength and future capital raising plans would not have been possible without that performance. However, in the current difficult environment for our industry and for the economy as a whole, which affects not just financial services firms but our clients as well, it is not appropriate for us to do anything that might be seen as inappropriate by any of our stakeholders. We have therefore decided that there will be no firmwide or departmental Seasonal parties funded by the firm this year.
The exception is our children's Seasonal parties, which are held in several locations around the world. The last 12 months have had a big impact on all our families as you have all worked particularly hard to help us navigate through the turbulent environment. These events for our children are a small token of thanks for their support and forbearance. Details will be communicated shortly in each location, where such an event is held.Thank you again for your hard work and focus on our clients.
Rich Ricci
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:48PM
God bless the Children - FIRST!
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:51PM
next comes news that bonuses will be 10% of last year's numbers, so as not to "do anything that might be seen as inappropriate by any of our stakeholders."
watch.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:52PM
Richie Rich, seriously?
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:52PM
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:56PM
not even BYOB?
:*****(
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:58PM
not even BYOB?
:*****(
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 1:59PM
Seriously, who gives a shit? If the highlight of your year is seeing co-workers get hammered and make out in a corner (don't get me wrong this is fun) than I'm just sorry. Holiday parties generally suck, not just the "firm wide" ones where the grunts can come but all of them. Sure, IBD or Credit Trading might have a nice party at some swank place but I spend more time with my co-workers than my dog, wife, kids & bed combined. Loosing one more evening of forced bonding = good times.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:00PM
not even BYOB?
:*****(
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:01PM
"Your Christmas present this year is your job. Have a Merry xMas!"
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:01PM
"it is not appropriate for us to do anything that might be seen as inappropriate"
who is this clown?
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:01PM
"However, in the current difficult environment for our industry and for the economy as a whole, which affects not just financial services firms but our clients as well, it is not appropriate for us to do anything that might be seen as inappropriate by any of our stakeholders."
...like handing out bonuses.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:03PM
@7
Obviously couldn't get the drunk back office gold-digger whore to make out with him at last year's party
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:07PM
OMG! What was his parents thinking?
Rich Richie, Richie Rich
Fuck this shit. Take his ass
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:10PM
Two words: OPEN BAR! Yeah, "children's party" my *ss.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:10PM
I heard they were just afraid that Fuld might show up drunk wearing a Santa Claus suit, pull a gun on the crowd and make off with the ham.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:14PM
@ 15, it was the god damn smoked salmon you dolt, get it right!
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:16PM
Barclay, (too big to beg) going hat in hand to Russia, yet. Wonder if terrorist OAO Sberbank will shutter for Russian Wall street holday in the future.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:20PM
It's a good move. I'd bet people would rather have larger bonuses than wasting money on this self-aggrandizing bullshit.
If only my shop were this prudent.
Posted by american bandersnatch , Oct 29, 2008 2:29PM
The holiday party serves a valuable function. It lets my wife see that the women in my office are generally unattractive and the late nights / weekends are no cause for alarm.
Posted by GinNTonic , Oct 29, 2008 2:30PM
When the Banks came for my bonus,
I remained silent;
I was just going to waste it on blow and h00kers.
When they cut my Seamless allowance,
I remained silent;
Seamless made me fata$$ anyways.
When they came for the Christmas party,
I did not speak out;
Who likes open bar anyways?
When they came for my coworkers,
I remained silent;
Better them than me.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:33PM
@19--I think I porked your wife in the mens room last year. Post her photo so I can be sure, I think I gave her a few STDs. You dont have to worry about STDs being cured as they are forever, what a gift!!
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:42PM
We are going to have a childrens party still, maybe it will help to take the sting out of the fact that you will be getting 25% of last years number and wont be able to afford presents. Ba Humbug
Richie Rich
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:50PM
i heard they were going to exclude Northwestern MBA's and realized that's half the firm
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 2:55PM
#12 pricless
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:09PM
Barf-Lays.....if you really want to demoralize your staff any further, cutting the X-Mas party is not going to do it! Drunken frat-boy scene year after year, it was getting tired anyway.
Kept running into Fuld in the Men's room powdering his nose.
warning to Richie Rich: Just don't touch the Meth dealer in the mailroom, and under no circumstance should you fuck with the bottle, lap dance & titty allowances. Then you'll be looking at all out war, my friend.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:20PM
@16 Thank you.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:31PM
@21 - Fckn hysterical !!!
Posted by PhilSeltzer , Oct 29, 2008 3:42PM
20 - Well done. Scary, but well done.
Lehman/not Barclays/noone's RE Funds 3:30 conf call has yet to start. Still trying to find something positive to say? "Are you my mommy" perhaps?
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:42PM
sentences #2, 3, 4, and 5 = bullshit
http://www.weeklyta.blogspot.com
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:49PM
Nice to see management is beginning to get it. Time to keep a low profile.
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 3:59PM
ATTN ALL PHONEY BANKERS:
SEC FILILNGS FOR WELLS FARGO (Any) show no Quarterly/Annual reports.
AINT'T REAL
http://sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&company=Wells%20Fargo&owner=include&start=160&count=40
Posted by guest , Oct 29, 2008 5:56PM
I guess they'll just have to crash the Duke & Duke Christmas party.
Posted by guest , Oct 30, 2008 4:01AM
@15 Fuld is Jewish, he'd have to be really drunk to run off with a ham.
Posted by guest , Oct 30, 2008 10:17AM
@33 - maybe you should trade places with 15 and see how you manage.
Posted by guest , Oct 30, 2008 11:04AM
Ricci succeeded Paul Idzik as Barcap's COO. Idzik had it written into his contract that he had no obligation to attend office parties. So the new man is merely extending his predecessor's policy a tad. Farewell to all those groaning tables of re-heated muck aka party food. Hats off to the man: just make sure you never, ever allow these things back into our lives again.
Posted by guest , Nov 03, 2008 2:05PM
is carney kidding with this shit?
http://www.clusterstock.com/2008/11/barclays-cancels-christmas
Posted by guest , Dec 15, 2008 2:05PM
Is asian reporter Trisha Takanawa on CNBC now?