Oct30th2008
So, here we go. Next week is the first Tuesday of November that follows the first Monday. I personally am looking forward to Jon Stewart’s coverage.
Our world as we know it will get shaped and have its course charted for at least the next two years (that is until the winner of this election starts campaigning for their second term two years from now). This should be interesting. I love how this is being labeled the most important election ever. Aren’t they all? I mean, we are only deciding who the “leader” of the free world is going to be. All eyes are upon the US. Vegas has Obama as the late favorite, but he wasn’t always the front runner (McCain - 3-1 and Obama was 8-1). I wonder if there is an over/under on the “time” it will be called and by whom? Fox? ABC?
What is going to sway your vote? Is it the need for change? Is it your liberal vs conservative views? Is it Biden vs Palin? Are you going to cross party lines or stay with your team?
I personally, am going to be glad when it is over. Let’s get going. Let’s move on. I’m a little tired of the cat fights on television - reminds me of two sorority girls fighting. We have an economy that is hanging on by dental floss, a lame duck president (has anyone seen Waldo lately?), and lots of bitter US citizens screaming for action. But what is this election really about? Joe the Plumber keeping more of his paycheck? The rich giving up more of the money they earned (or inherited)? When it comes down to it, is this election any different than the ones before? I don’t know anyone that says - “yeah, I’d like to keep less money”.
Those of you who know me, know that I really don’t care about politics, I do care about action. Whoever wins, just get to it and fulfill your promises.
Oct7th2008
So, it has been done. All our trusted government officials have sold off our future for a bucket of money that will douse the immediate fire, for the time being. I decided to confer with my staff on what else we could do with $700B:
- I’ll make movies with Cameron Diaz and Angelina Jolie, in the same flick (combined $30M salary). They would have to appear in a sheer number that would make most porn actors quake - 23,333 films
- I could treat everyone in the WORLD who is of legal drinking age to the prix fixe meal at Grammercy Tavern, including a decent bottle of wine and a nice 20% tip - comes to a pallateable $132 per person.
- We could buy every house in the state of Georgia, and still have $100B left over to establish our own government
- We could give a computer to every kid in the US. 17″ MacBook Pros. Complete with free shipping and AppleCare.
- I could by a fleet of B-2 Bombers (the stealth variety) for my facebook friends to play with (who am I kidding, I don’t have 500 Fb friends!). But where would I put those 500 jets? Well, I still would have enough left over for 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. Ahhh… the good life. McHales Navy anyone?
- Speaking of film, I could start my own production company and crank out 4700 blockbuster (only by budget) films. All my friends with the “screenplay of their lives” in their head would now be financed. Each carrying a price tag of $150M.
- I could become the financier of every major sporting league in the US. This cash could pay the combined player salaries of the NHL, NBA, MLB and NFL for 76 years. And I would cut anyone who complained about their contract or that they were disrespected by a $5M/year salary. My rules.
- Every seat for every game at Fenway park for the next 4400 years. And that of course includes a couple World Series Titles.
- Last but not least, I beleive we could use this money democratically. In 2004, we had 225M people eligible to vote. Why don’t we give them a check after voting? Sure, its bribing for a turnout, but I’m sure a few people could find the ballot box if they knew a $3100 check was waiting on them.
So, you see, I believe this money could be used a lot better than to bail out a couple financial knuckleheads at AIG (and some other places). The sad part, is they will never learn. What they have will never be taken from them. Of course, after they learned of the buyout, the AIG execs decided the best way to celebrate their windfall was to drop $500k on a spa & golf retreat. Sad… At least you could have bought 233M hours with Eliot Spitzers mistress Kristen.