Quitting in Style

For some who are on the way out the door, there's no holding back. Ex-Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith's eye-opening column in the New York Times on March 14 is just the latest example. Smith claimed the bank no longer puts customer interests first: "Today, if you make enough money for the firm (and are not currently an ax murderer) you will be promoted into a position of influence," Smith wrote. (The bank later responded.) What follows are some other famous examples of people who went out with a bang.