DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING "Cost of Freedom Recap" CONTAINS STRONG OPINIONS WHICH ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF THE OPINIONS OF FOX NEWS AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS INVESTMENT ADVICE WHEN MAKING PERSONAL INVESTMENT DECISIONS. IT IS FOX NEWS' POLICY THAT CONTRIBUTORS DISCLOSE POSITIONS THEY HOLD IN STOCKS THEY DISCUSS, THOUGH POSITIONS MAY CHANGE. READERS OF "Cost of Freedom Recap" MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN INVESTMENT DECISIONS.
NEW WORRIES OVER THE GOVT'S SPENDING ON GREEN AGENDA
BEN STEIN: Well I am all in favor of a green agenda. All in favor of trying to get the earth as clean as it can be. If global warming is real I guess it is I would want to do whatever it takes to not get the earth to be too warm for humans and animals and trees. The president is doing Orwellian thought control they are telling people what they have to do. I think educating people about what their choice's are, that's fine. Educating people about what the consequences are if there is a warming planet, that's great but to try and control people's behavior and trying to control it down to very small details that to me is Orwellian mind control and I don't like it.
CHARLIE GASPARINO: First of all let's talk about China. China is subsidizing failure and command control economies can do that. One of the great things about the markets is failure fast. These solar panels obviously do not work to the extent to the people like Adam think they work. Because if they did, guess what, GE would be selling them everyone would. I should also be pointing out that global warming I'm not saying it doesn't exist but the science is still out on it.
AMILYA ANTONETTI: This scares the heck out of me because we are subsidizing his imitative on wanting to build the green market and he's picking the companies that the private sectors pass on over and over again. Why? Because the math doesn't work but he's going to foot the bill and we are at the end.
ADAM LASHINSKY: Well Charles, I don't know how much time I've got to dispute the disinformation that we are giving people here. First of all I admire the effort to match GSA waste porn with the subject we are discussing here since they obviously have nothing to do with each other. So here is an interesting observation for you about first solar which had layoffs because the solar market is getting creamed you know why the solar market is getting creamed? China has a more aggressive green agenda than we do. So, we can't have it both ways. As for the light bulbs we have a long history of codes and standards for a variety of reasons including safety, health and including what the government thinks this is a way to build things and this is one of them.
CITIGROUP SHAREHOLDERS REJECT BIG EXECUTIVE PAY PACKAGES
AMILYA ANTONETTI: They are using their influence. No it's not illegal (responding to Charlie) but is it correct? Do I influence somebody to say, okay financial companies and oil companies are bad but Facebook and technology and Google, they are good.
CHARLIE GASPARINO: If I was a shareholder I would be somewhat outraged at some of the stuff Facebook is doing. By the way I cover Facebook and some of the deals with Wall Street they are the most secretive. You would think this is one of the biggest companies they would boast to be architecture and everything they are incredibly secretive. We should point out, Facebook was not bailed out Citigroup was bailed out they had to issue all of these shares. The reason why shareholders got to vote this down is because it's not a company that is owned by 5 or 6 major institution investors like Morgan Stanley. I don't think James Gorman is going to face this issue he is the CEO. When they vote on his pay package this is hugely diluted because of the financial crisis so many more shareholders are voting and they say this guy doesn't deserve the money.
BEN STEIN: Well, I think Adam nailed it exactly. Facebook is not a public company therefore all the securities laws and all the requirements and regulations and common law doctrine. As to your topic the president it's true the president hammers the oil companies over and over. I don't understand why. The oil companies haven't done anything wrong but they are public companies they are responsible for their stock holders. Facebook is not a public company.
ADAM LASHINSKY: I think that is absolutely true, Silicone Valley is the Beacon of hope on the hill and the oil companies are dirty and the banks steal money from you I mean I think it's actually fairly straight forward having said all that I think this is a really interesting issue and to securities lost issue if you will I think Zuckerberg did absolutely nothing wrong. This is still a private company which he controls by the way. When they do go public, if you don't like that than don't buy the stock. It is like Charlie said a bank that was bailed out that is widely held I think it's extremely appropriate the shareholders should vote on a pay package at Citi, not at Facebook.
STARBUCKS STOPS USING CRUSHED BEETLES AS FOOD COLORING
BEN STEIN: It is astonishing that Americans care so much about the crushing of a beetle. It is almost unbelievable that we really have that much surplus compassion that we have to worry about the crushing of a beetle. There are lots of young children suffering and we are worrying about beetles. The whole subject is disgusting.
ADAM LASHINSKY: One thing I can promise you is, you can say 4 ½ billion Charles as many times as you'd like but none of us have a medical degree. I haven't seen anything to suggest that this isn't safe. So, is this just an opportunity to beat up on the government again or what?
AMILYA ANTONETTI: Well, you know what I understand way back when they smushed them up for Cleopatra's makeup and things didn't actually think I would be drinking them. I am actually surprised when someone like Starbucks would actually have taken that when there are so many alternatives that are natural.
CHARLIE GASPARINO: I don't know what to say, I just can't believe I've drank beetles.
PROFIT POP STOCKS
ADAM LASHINSKY: 3M (MMM) This is a play on a revering economy. It has a healthy dividend, it's not expensive, and it reports earnings next week.
BEN STEIN: Boeing (BA) I've continued to love Boeing, I have for a long time it is an incredibly well managed company. It's just a well run company
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