Penny-pinching gimmickry going hog wild over value and responsibilty to dedicated clients defined the intial impulse, and it became a complete sorry debacle, and in many ways remains so.

But the FA's have really stepped up a notch or two or three over what things were at NWA, and there are obviously 'corporate' attempts to standardize care and responsibility that continue to improve and standardize the post-merger product, despite any underlying ruthless rationales. Though, unfortunately, the wicked marriage with Amex is a sick, sick cultural, financial, aesthetic, and existential curse that makes life miserable for everybody.