Necktie knockers argue that a piece of fabric dangling under your chin – a trend that dates back to the 17th century – is just a pointless piece of decoration.
Had an American company won Aynak, some Afghans noted wryly, critics inevitably would have accused the United States of waging war to seize the country's mineral wealth.
But by the end of 2009, Ms. Simmons was under fire for having sat on Goldman's compensation committee; how could she have let those enormous bonus payouts pass unremarked?