What would you do with $400M?

ExxonMobil's Chief Executive Lee Raymond is getting a sweet retirement package.

$400 million dollars.

Since becoming chief executive in 1993, Mr Raymond had become infamous for his dismissive response to environmental lobbyists at previous annual meetings. He has funnelled $19m of Exxon's money to groups that question the science of global warming. His package of pension and perks includes a bodyguard, a car and driver, and use of a company jet, plus a $1m-a-year deal to stay on as a consultant.

How obscene. Aside from the fact that this overbloated retirement package is indicative of the windfall profits the oil industry enjoys while the rest of us have to take our bikes to work or ride the bus in order to save some money on gas, who the hell needs $400 million dollars? I mean, give me just 10% of that, and I'd be set for life.

Oh, and let's not forget that Raymond has been dubbed the "Darth Vader of Global Warming" because of Exxon's vehement opposition to the Kyoto treaty as well as reluctance to look into alternative energy sources [emphasis mine]:

Exxpose Exxon is encouraging consumers to boycott Exxon Mobil's service stations, which include the Esso brand. The coalition includes Friends of the Earth, the Union of Concerned Scientists and Greenpeace, which has disrupted Exxon board meetings and speeches by Mr Raymond over several years.

Ben Stewart, of Greenpeace UK, said: "Exxon bosses are the Darth Vaders of global warming. They have run a 50-year-long campaign of dirty tricks designed to block action on the greatest threat to humanity. In years to come, the campaign by this company will be regarded as nothing less than a crime. There are striking parallels with the propaganda campaigns run by tobacco companies in the Sixties, but the damage done by this company could be much greater." Richard Heede, of Climate Mitigation Services - whose Friends of the Earth-commissioned report attempted to calculate Exxon's total carbon dioxide and methane emissions, plus those of end customers burning its oil and gas - said Exxon was still responsible for at least 500 million tons of carbon a year.

The timing of this stupid-ass compensation package couldn't be better, seeing as how Gore's An Inconvenient Truth has just come out and is just starting to open up in more theatres nationwide. I'm hoping that the war on global warming picks up momentum.