THE WALL STREET JOURNAL just distributed an interesting yet disturbing news alert.  It seems that Whole Foods’ CEO posted comments about his company and competitors on Yahoo’s stock forums for the past eight years.  Under a pseudonym.

This is just plain dirty. 

I admit that despite my time in the trenches, I tend to be naive about things like honor and sportsmanship.  But this really grates, especially since THE NEW YORK TIMES made this guy sound like such an example for the rest of us.  He was even quoted as saying, "love is the only reality."  I’d like a copy of the dictionary this guy is using.

Furthermore.  Now we not only have the question of how much content in speeches and blogs is actually conceived by executives, we find out we have one high-profile guy who spends his time on message boards trashing the competition.  This kills me.  A lot of these so-called leaders leave it to inexperienced minions or conniving PR agencies to draft content that they then get up and read or publish in a blog.  Now we have one who has the time to horse around on message boards.  In my book, this is gaming the system.  And I hope he broke some law.  And I hope the Big They enforce it.

Meanwhile, I had gotten tired of Whole Foods anyway, after a brief return last fall.  Between the precious prices and the patronizing messages, I figured that other folks could pay for the limousines.  Whole Paycheck indeed.  Yet again, we have a guy who makes up his own rules while pontificating about what the rest of us should be doing, including the US Government.  I’ll buy my fancy chocolate elsewhere, folks.

I don’t like to get personal on this blog, mainly because it’s largely unnecessary.  We can find ways to address our problems and issues without resorting to trashing other people.  I want you to know this post is not random shouting, nor is it personal.  I’m just sick and tired of being lectured by people who only look in the mirror to see if their pores are too large for the camera.  People, we have to start thinking about whom we define as successful and what we are measuring.  It’s got to be more than financial prowess,  strategic voodoo and shell games.

If this turns out to be something different from what the JOURNAL is reporting, I’ll be the first to apologize.  But if the paper is right, let’s find a rule that this narcissist broke and go after him.