Foreign Investors FTW! ... or FML?

This made me laugh out loud this morning*. For a rather nice blog analysis of what is going on, this post from Forbes seemed particularly informative and well-written.

So due to the hype around the deal, GS will not be letting US investors in on the party due to a rather fun interpretation of an SEC regulation (I guess the SEC does do something other than allow pyramid schemes, and use government money to watch naughty videos at work). Which is to say that Facebook will become increasingly foreign owned *dramatic chord*. Alright, honestly I could care less about where the owners of Facebook reside (I also don't care about what companies own loading docks, security firms, car dealerships, beer manufacturers, etc.), but I'm wondering if a Budweiser style protest or lawsuit is going to come from this.

Not worried about the privacy thing. Highly doubt all that personal data will wind up in share-holder hands. No that's the juicy apple that GS gets.

And for all of you who think international trade/finance is a horrible thing and we should all "Buy American", just think: Facebook isn't just using Indian/Chinese/Korean programmers anymore. They will probably now be financed and partially owned by Saudis, Chinese, Germans, Norwegians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Japanese... people who do not look and think like you, and are all probably dirty commies/socialists. And all those advertising dollars Facebook makes from your information are leaking out of the US to support their economies at the cost of yours**! So if you use Facebook, you are supporting the downfall of the USA and the rise of the dreaded "rest of the world!"

*I swear someday I will stop ranting about Facebook and start ranting about corn subsidies again. I know you all miss it.
**You should all know this argument is BS by now, and if you don't: shame on you.

UPDATE: "I Love These Guys."
Alright, really good article at the WSJ on this. My silly "foreign scare" blasting aside, after reading this article I was reminded of the Congressional hearings that GS went through with regards to the financial crisis (for those of you with sensitive ears, you should know that there is some foul language in this government hearing):



Maybe US investors are dodging a bullet. Maybe that Facebook is one $$$$ty deal.