Enron: But how do you really feel?

Here's a gem I just ran across from the latest Harper's magazine (which, by the way, just won twice at the National Magazine Awards -- congrats!).

The following are Houston residents' responses to the question, "What words come to mind when you hear the name Jeff Skilling?" Skilling, you'll recall, is the former CEO of Enron who is being tried on charges of fraud and insider trading.

Pig. Snake. A snake is slithery and sneaky. A pig is dirty. Anybody that would do what he did is dirty.

Evil. He is an evil person.

The words "bad person" come to mind when I hear the name Jeff Skilling. Those people with Enron -- I think they should all be hanged.

Darth Vader.

Liar. Lecherous. Fraud. Thief. He stole from employees. He is a crook and a criminal.

Unscrupulous, despicable, and deceiving.

He is the devil. He is a sorry son of a gun who is only out for himself.

I have only two words to explain all of the people involved in Enron and I will not expand further: economic terrorists.

Crook, asshole, no good, thief.

Al Qaeda.

Jeff Skilling is a bastard.

Seems the people of Houston know rampant corporate greed and destruction when they see it.

Also: if you haven't yet checked out Harpers' excellent new Washington Babylon blog, do it. It's written by Ken Silverstein, one of the best investigative reporters in the business.