Wednesday October 15, 2008, 12:24 am
Four top AIG executives flipped U.S. taxpayers the bird by spending $86,000 on a partridge hunt at an English country manor as the feds gave their struggling firm billions to stay afloat.

The heedless hunters and their guests traipsed through the fields in tweed knickers, firing at defenseless birds and later washing down pigeon breasts and halibut with "the finest wines taxpayers' money can buy," the London-based News of the World newspaper reported.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 12:37 am
RELATED: AIG BIG SHOTS GET $500G VACATIONS ON TAXPAYERS' DIME

Preil wasn't the least bit embarrassed that AIG, which got its first $85 billion bailout from the feds last month, needed taxpayer money to stay in business. The hunting trip came the week AIG got a second loan of $37.5 billion.

"We should be on an even keel in two years," he reportedly said.

Another AIG executive, Alvaro Mengotti, "slurped fine wine" while dispensing advice on surviving the financial crisis. "Invest your money in gold," he reportedly said.

The AIG hunting party stayed at Plumber Manor, a 17th century country house in scenic Dorset, southwest of London. In four days, they racked up a $17,500 bill for food and rooms.

Priel and a German businessman identified by the paper as Stefan Nill flew in from Frankfurt by private jet costing another $17,500, the paper reported.

Mengotti flew in from Spain and was driven to the hotel in one of the fleet of limos that cost $8,750, the paper said.
Also with them was a client of Preil's identified by the paper as "Herr W. Underburg."

AIG spokesman Joe Norton confirmed Tuesday the hunt happened. He said "it was planned months (ago)," though he admitted it should have been cancelled.

"AIG's priority is to continue to focus on maximizing the value of the business so we can repay the federal reserve loan."

AIG got spanked last month after it was revealed that top executives spent $500,000 at a swanky California resort after the failing insurer got it's first infusion of bailout bucks.

Last week, AIG cancelled another junket to another expensive California resort for AIG agents after word leaked out.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 12:41 am

Chairman Edward Liddy needs to make it CRYSTAL CLEAR to executives at all levels of his company that they will be FIRED, without any form of severence pay, if they continue these indulgences -- whether they were planned weeks, months, or even years ago. The game has changed at AIG and whether these execs are in NY, London, Spain, or Asia is now irrelevant. This is a global crisis and the time of excess is OVER.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 2:29 pm
This is not the time to indulge while the average person suffers from their insubordinance. What thoughtless evil little beings they are. How riduculous Blue. This makes me furious. But not as much as how little will be done about it.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 2:33 pm
Remember tis: "And for God's sake, stop labeling yourself and others as "liberals" or "conservatives." Those labels are meaningless. There's only the super-rich and the rest of us. There's only predators and prey."

Meltdown : Economist James Galbraith shows how (neo)conservatives engineered financial free-fall

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 2:54 pm
Now this makes me furious! Exactly Mae, "What thoughtless evil little beings they are"! Thank you Blue.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 3:31 pm
Noted and thanks Blue. What selfish, greedy, arrogant people they are. Shame on them all!

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 5:18 pm
F-ck it. Let's just murder them all in their beds, OK?

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 5:38 pm
JERKS, all of them. Both for taking advantage of taxpayer money AND for hunting. We should all petition our half dead Congress and Senate to bring them up on charges....the money was stolen. And. previous plans don't count, they could have been cancelled. That's what poor people do....thanks, Blue.

Wednesday October 15, 2008, 8:37 pm
Politics in the Zeros: Spread the meme. Republicans are the party that wrecked America. John McCain’s long history with bank failures and financial scandals makes him uniquely ‘qualified’ to speak to the current crisis.

The next time a Republican friend says McCain is ready to Regulate the financial world... Refer them to ProgressiveAccounting.org
for a really long list of all the DEREGULATION McCain has supported over the past 26 years to get us into this mess.

Then suggest a vote for Obama.

Thursday October 16, 2008, 10:24 am
It was like rubbing the tax payers faces in bs.Theres no excuse for these pampering luxuries or golden parachutes as they call them.Ordinary people have to struggle through hard times.Why should these people be given not only a free ride but limo service?? I am voting for Obama in hopes of seeing some real change over the next 4 years.

Friday October 17, 2008, 9:54 am
Remember this: "There's only the super-rich and the rest of us. There's only predators and prey."

Meltdown : Economist James Galbraith shows how (neo)conservatives engineered financial free-fall

Sunday October 19, 2008, 8:27 pm
It's time to POP those golden parachutes and let the Fat Cats free fall this time.