Leona Helmsley Dead at 85

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ahh come on guys, something made her that way, it was a time with lots of talk about the imaginary glass ceiling for women's careers. I have no doubt she was hell on wheels to work for, but something MUST of happened to her along the way. she didnt take any guff either even the clip on the new's had the part about the carpet in the hotel, when the Mgr told her it was being repaired, IIRC her reply was something like how do you repair dirt? The Helmsley's reportedly gave lots of $, to charitable causes, E.Tonight just said she donated $5 mill to New York after 09/11, and another $5 mill for Katrina relief.
 
Gosh, in that photo above she looks like a Russian Man in winter!
I think the reason people feel the way they do about her is that she definately thought she was better than everyone else. I still remember the ads in Time, Newsweek, etc. for her hotel where she said she was a "princess" or a "queen" of something? And that if you stay at Helmsley Plaza you'd be treated like royalty too!

And of course, the "Only Little People Pay Taxes" comments certainly twisted knickers all over the country. She certainly did strike a chord with the public, in the wrong way!
 
You Know

While the late Mrs. Helmsley would never win any awards for "lady like' behaviour, what of it? When a man behaves as Mrs. H did it is all slaps on the back and "atta boy"; when a woman does not fit a certian mould she is a bitch. Mr. H knew what he was getting in a wife and Mrs. H. more then did her share of heavy lifting in that marraige, helping propel Hemsley's various properties,including the hotels into major sucesses.

A man walks in and tells someone to do something, people jump; a woman is supposed to say " I know you are busy now, but could you.. I mean if you don't mind.. that is if it is not too much trouble.. could you...? Get real! Bottom line is that if I'm paying your salary and tell you I want something done it does not matter how I say it, just do the damn thing. Don't like it? Please don't tarnish the shine on the door handle as it hits you on the behind as you go out the door.

As for being the "Queen of Mean", what many forget is that it was because of the standards set by Mrs.Helmsey that a certian caliber of guest stayed at Helmsey hotels.

A man with drive and ambition is a "go-getter", while a woman of the same qualities is a "bitch".
 
Sorry, I don't give anyone, man or woman, an "atta boy" for
acting like a jerk. Just as she might not have wanted to
share the world with "the little people", I'm not interested
in sharing it (or at least my space) with people who can't
generally show respect for others. (Yes, it's possible we
can all go over the edge sometime with frustration, but to
make it a character trait is not my idea of a good life.)
 
I'll be just as glad when Donald Trump dies.

I don't give 'Atta-Boys' to horrible persons of either gender. I believe in equality. You can be a good or a bad person, regardless of sex, race, religion, wealth, etc.

-kevin
 
I always felt sorry for Leona Helmsley in one respect, that being the "trial by media" she was given. That isn't in the Constitution, and really isn't fair. On the other hand, there has always seemed to be quite a lot of evidence that she looked on those who didn't measure up to her very high standards with nothing but condescension and ugliness. There is no excuse for that. Most importantly, there was more than enough evidence for a court of law to convict her of some serious cheating on her taxes, and that should appal everyone who pays their fair share. Regardless of whether or not she actually said that famous line about "only little people pay taxes", her actions spoke for her.
 
In No Way Shape Or Form ...

was Leona Helmsley's actions respectable. It's the underhanded way she did things that made her what she was. And got her the reputation that she deserved!

Would a man sue his son's widow just to make a buck when he already had millions in the bank?

Would a man get away with yelling and screaming at an employee in public be considered respectable? Heck no.

Yet Helmsley nickel-and-dimed merchants on her personal purchases, stiffed contractors who worked on her Connecticut home and terrorized both menial and executive help at her homes and hotels.

Leona Helmsley earned the "bitch" title all on her own with her actions. The lady obviously never learned the finer points of doing business on a higher level.

Not to be quibbly, but there are plenty of other women in high levels at corporations across the country. Not all of them are considered bitches.
 
Power corrupts.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

There is a way to make "go to hell" sound like poetry and "I love you" sound harsh. She apparently may not have had the gift of gab.

I've met more than one woman boss that has behaved like a ruthless steam-roller. (and not the diesel variety either). Can you say over-compensation?

Believe me, one of them would have been pushed right out the of a window in the suite we worked in in the Empire State Buidlng that Leona managed, only my attorney advised against it. My own boss was SO evil that she was ignored as mentally defective.

You have not lived until a female boss has stuck her finger your face and called you a "worthless piece of sh-t" out loud and in front of all. Later that day the president of the company called me into his office to see if I was OK and asked. "Do you know why you don't see her in a short skirt? Because her b@lls would show." The president was a stoic stereotypical German. He really was behaving out-of-character to console me. That is how bad she was.

Never ask an accountant to violate the law. Missy got fired, and we all partied afterwards.

Business is business. Personal attacks are not acceptable.
Some just go TOO far. Luckily for her she was evil all around. I would not have been able to successfully sue, said my attorney. And trust me litigation is not my style.

P.S. G-d bless my ex's grandfather. English not so good, but when a woman gives him the finger his response without missin a beat is "Put it to good use, stick it in your p.... honey." Kills me every time.
 
Anyone have a bucket of water?

....and why was I called that?

Because I dared say "NO" to her corrupt request.

Let me tell you what every three-year-old should already know You can't always get what you want when you want it. So be life. Deal with it.

I am your servant from 9 to 5. but you don't own any part of me. Period.

Be gone or I'll drop a house on you too. UGH
 
Sorry, L, but I must disagree. That kind of behavior that Mrs H exhibited freely was unacceptable. And in my book it would be unacceptable by anyone, male or female. It is one thing to be demanding, another to launch personal attacks and terrorize.

Interesting tidbit from Cindy Adams' column in the New York Post last night. Apparently at one time, she and Leona were on friendly terms. Then during Leona's impending incarceration, she herself insisted, no mandated that when Cindy went to Florida to visit her ailing mother that she bring her to Leona's Palm Beach compound to use the facilities and relax. The thought being that since Leona couldn't go down, the place would be vacant, except for some employees. Things went swimmingly until one of the employees reported to Leona that a couple of the health care workers who attended the old lady appeared to be gay.

Cindy reported that Leona went absolutely balllistic, screaming that she would NOT allow HOMOSEXUALS in her cabana and proceeded to have the local marshalls escort all off the premises as trespassers. Never spoke to Cindy Adams again either.

Yup, Mrs H. certainly gets a big "atta boy" from me on that one!!

And by the way, I loathe Jack Welsh as well.
 
Why do women or people who have too much plastic surgery look like cartoon characters of themselves?

This Leona woman looked like Jimmy Hoffa after they dug him up 50 years later, buried face down,and on a very good day, and that was after she had all the work done.

She should have spent her anger berating her plastic surgeon, her makeup butcher and her hairdresser/weedeater operator instead of her husband's hotel employees.

I stayed in her hotels, she leaves a very filthy toilet, and the wooden hangers are made in Brazil by underage children, the little people.

She makes Cruella DeVille look like Mother Theresa on Prozac.

What a bitch. I hope they buried her face down so the dogs don't howl too much what with her face being only 6 feet under.
 
Jack Welsh

Yes, another fine example of a human being. The list of those
could get very long these days.
 
my take....

"When a man behaves as Mrs. H did it is all slaps on the back and "atta boy"; when a woman does not fit a certian mould she is a bitch".~ Lauderess...

I couldn't agree more with this statement. While I certainly don't excuse the behavior of Leona Helmsley, we do live in a country that has different standards for men and women, especially in the workplace or leadership roles.
Prime example, Martha Stewart. Convicted of making false statements to federal investigators and insider trading, then serves a 5 month prison sentence. Scooter Libby, Cheney's former "Chief of Staff", is convicted of obstruction of justice,perjury and false statements, 4 counts mind you..will never serve ONE day in prison. Thanks to President Bush!

Hillary Clinton, love or hate her, is another example. She has to prove she is strong enough to lead our country and do and say things other less qualified candidates, (ex. Giuliani) don't have to do.

Lastly, in 2007, women still make 70 cents to every dollar a man makes for the same job. Years ago it was said the reason men make more is because they are supporting families. That doesn't hold true anymore in today's America. Many women are raising children on their own, alot with no help from their ex husbands.

People should be treated equally across the board..regardless of sex,race,sexual orientation, physical handicap..etc.
 
Well, maybe

There are small-minded people in this country who are of the "atta boy" and "bitch" persuasion. More than there should be.
But there are others who are not.

Martha Stewart, belonged in jail. Lots of corporate men should
be there too. Libby is a totally different story. Bush did
that only to keep him from spilling the beans on the rest of
the criminals in the White House.

I could care less if Hillary proves she's "tough" enough.
We've had enough of cowboy politics.

And women should earn the same as men (or vice versa) for
doing the same job.
 
A bitch is not a strong woman. A strong woman is not a bitch. You have to work for both of them to tell the difference. There is a way to get someone to work without belittling them, name calling, begging or saying "if it wouldn't trouble you, would you mind doing..". Just on the aside, after a June 2006 car accident, and a year leave of absense, I resigned my position because of one too many manbitch and womanbitch that treated me like garbage after 27 years of faithful service. Mr. Ingle and his Nazi Regime of alcoholic partybuds are more than I can handle emotionally or mentally, or physically. One stupid manc__t laid me out for filth three times in one day. Ingle stabbed him in the back four months later, and he was out the door. Victory for me. Mr. Pont had comitted one infraction too many, but trashing me was not one of them. Karma caught him for me.
 
~Lastly, in 2007, women still make 70 cents to every dollar a man makes for the same job.

"Salary commensurate with experience."

ah yes..... but does a man's resume have a 5, 10, 15, 20 year gap in it for the time he took away from the workforce to raise a family? Will a man call in sick every time the child has a ballet recital?

Newton's laws of thermo-dynamics: For every action there is an equal and oppisite reaction. I'm not saying good/bad fair/unfair. I'm saying perhaps statistics can't quantify other factors that are not discussed.

And we all know that statistics can be interpreted and/or presented to say anyting you want them to say. They also can't show cause-and-effect; only correlations.

Is it at all possible that women get jobs that men who are more qualified don't get, perhaps to fill a quota? Then if performance wanes or falls-short why would salary be the same?
 

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