I don't often disagree with your comments, rick, but on this comment I do disagree. I regard special dividends as a cop-out. Increasing the dividend imposes future discipline on a company's management and board of directors, puts them in figurative hand cuffs, if you like. Cutting a dividend is traumatic for a CEO and the board, almost a near-death experience. It can even be a career-ending move for the hapless CEO who does it.