Gas Prices, rising steadily already and promising to reach all-time highs this summer, are already resulting in the usual spate of stories about oil company profiteering.

The retirement package of outgoing Exxon chairman Lee Raymond isn't helping.

Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes.

I am not exactly the kind of guy who protests during World Bank meetings, and I am fully cognizant of the economics of gas prices and annoyed at the routine grandstanding of politicians whenever gas prices get a little high. Yet, I find no way to defend the excessive compensation lavished on top corporate officers. In my view, its just plain theft from the shareholders and I just don't know how it manages to continue.

The title of this post comes from an old farside cartoon where one buck deer notes the target painted on the hide of his buddy. I thought of it because if anyone has a big target on its back, its Exxon, the world's biggest corporation, with a monster 36 billion dollar profit last year and recepient of the undying hatred and resentment of Democrats everywhere. They've been to congressional hearings to defend their profits (which are in my view, reasonable), pricing and business policies, but they still don't seem to "get it" that they are in the crosshairs and that this kind of behavior is about as smart as wandering into deer camp with a Boone & Crocket rack on your head.

Nice pension Mr Raymond. Good luck with that.