For years AT&T was a very predictable company... a company that prided ourselves on the past -- and in many cases let the past be prologue.

Times have changed. The idea of working for the same company until you're 65 is quaint, but not common.

A million dollars doesn't get you that kind of street talk that you're looking for in terms of publicity, in terms of promotion, so you have to top $1 million, as ridiculous as it sounds, to have people talk about it.

Our experience is probably not that much different from other companies.

I've seen executives at that level leave already, and I would expect that to continue throughout this winter.

The veterans seem to feel they are not getting as much under the cash-balance plan... and in some cases, that's probably true.