You seem to be under the impression that we are not understanding the situation you are describing. We understand it perfectly well. There's a lot of experience on this board and we are telling you flat out that it's illegal. It's not a gray area. It's not a matter of interpretation. It's illegal. Just because some dirtbag operations do it doesn't make it legal. I've worked for some of those dirtbags, they like to read creative interpretations into the regs. But from the FAA's perspective this is established and has been for decades. Did you read the article I posted? Operators *and* pilots have been violated for doing *exactly* as you describe. Every time you accept an assignment under such a system you are putting your certificate and very future at risk. Believe that.
Here is a link to just one such legal interpretation from the FAA. There are many. It couldn't be any clearer.
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...rpretation.pdf