Thomas Friedman's World is Flat Broke

via MichaelMoore.com:



November 15th, 2008 9:00 am
Thomas Friedman's World is Flat Broke

By Peter Newcomb / Vanity Fair

It would be easy to dismiss today’s rant (however spot-on it might be) by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman as yet another ideological tirade against the U.S. automobile industry. But based on the bad news coming out of shopping-mall owner General Growth Properties, it is no wonder Friedman is feeling crankier than usual. That’s because the author’s wife, Ann (née Bucksbaum), is an heir to the General Growth fortune. In the past year, the couple—who live in an 11,400-square-foot mansion in Bethesda, Maryland—have watched helplessly as General Growth stock has fallen 99 percent, from a high of $51 to a recent 35 cents a share. The assorted Bucksbaum family trusts, once worth a combined $3.6 billion, are now worth less than $25 million.

But don’t expect Friedman to go from Beirut to Jerusalem begging for money. The distinguished columnist (and former New Establishment member) is still said to get at least $50,000 per speaking engagement on top of the millions he makes writing best-sellers.


http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=12622

How's it feel, Tommy? Remember, all that flat-world stuff is GOOD for all people in GENERAL. But it kinda sucks to be the SPECIFIC dumpee this time, huh?

when you're down to your last $25 million or so.

from the portico of his 11,400 sq ft mansion. No hypocrisy there.

poor guy i feel sorry for him..he has to make do with less than 25 million. who wants to listen to him for 50,000 after he`s lost 50 dollars a share on his own stock!

maybe I think of a mansion as Stately Wayne Manor from Batman.

Looks like a ranch with a 2 car garage to me. And, granted, a tennis court in back.

What do you expect? :rofl: The fat houses are in Potomac, MD and across the river in McLean, Virginia

history teacher when we were studying the the roaring twenties and then the depression.

This was in the late 1950's.

I asked "If there was so much money, where did it go?"

To which she replied - "Right back to where it came from -- thin air."

I didn't understand then, but now I do - we are in for nasty times until money once again becomes "real."