The World's Most Expensive Things
a cranky opinion for
CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY
The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with limited
knowledge on the subject opined. Opposing
opinions are welcome, but are wrong.
Please. As always, no name calling, and that means you, you big stupid
head!
I received an interesting email today
from my good friend and ancient fraternity brother Marty. It is a list of as the title would imply “The
World’s Most Expensive Things.”
Some of the things on the list are
interesting and many may even be understandable.
The International Space Station is the most expensive
object ever made by man. Cost: $150 billion
This seems like a lot of money, but
great inventions and discoveries have always come from exploration, and man’s
curiosity should not be stifled by money.
The most expensive book in the world is the Codex Leicester
of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of scientific writings. Price: $30.8 million
An awful lot of money, but
how do you put a price on history and genius?
The most expensive watch in the world is the A. Lange Sohne
Grand Complication. This immensely precise and complicated (876 hand wrought
parts, 7 complications and 14 functions) watch can only be made by one man, and
it takes him a whole year to make one. Price: $2.5 million dollars.
Crazy? Well that is a lot of money to just know what time it is,
but this is clearly also art and craftsmanship.
How do you put a value on art?
The most expensive private jet in the world is the Airbus
318 Elite. Price: $ 62 million (gas money extra).
I’m having trouble
rationalizing this one, but if you have the dough, are really important, and
need the security and luxury because your time and comfort are so valuable then
maybe…like if you are President of the United States, or CEO of a major
corporation, or a really good golfer.
The most expensive computer in the world is the Milky Way
28243 Supercomputer in Guangzho, China. It would cost $400 million to recreate
I guess this could be
rationalized as expanding science and man’s knowledge, but if they just waited
six months it could probably be bought for $500 and be worn on your wrist.
The most expensive viola in the world, the Stradivarius
MacDonald Viola, made in 1719 and one of only 10 surviving violas made by the
famous master, Luthier. Recently sold for $45 million.
History…art…I guess, but we are starting to get silly here.
The most expensive photograph ever sold was this deceptively plain photo of the Rhein II, created by German artist Andreas Gursky. Price: $4.3 million.
Ummm…please don’t tell the person who bought this that the Emperor is naked.
The most expensive champagne in the world is the Gout de Diamants Champagne. Price: $ 1.2 million. However, it is not merely the liquid that makes it so expensive: the bottle itself has an 18 carat white gold plate with a 19 carat diamond mounted on it.
The most expensive mushroom in the world, an Italian White Alba truffle. Price: $160,406 (for 1.51 kg)
The most expensive Cognac in the world is Henry IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne. Price: $2 million (ie approximately $50,000 per sip).
The most expensive beer in the world is the Antarctic Nail Ale. Price: $1,815 per bottle
Well now we have just “jumped the shark.” These items simply scream “I am rich and stupid.” They make a statement. The statement is I am able to flush money down the toilet for no other reason than to impress you with how stupid wealthy I am.
Now I do not believe in socialism. If you earn a lot of money you should be able to do with it what you want (after taxes and stuff), but you should know that most people will judge you on how you choose to use that wealth.
It might be nice to invest some money in someone’s idea, someone who might be able to make the world a better place if given a little financial help. If the idea fails, what have we lost…a fucking truffle?
It might be nice to send some disadvantaged kids to college. So maybe you have to step down a notch in your champagne; I’ll bet Cristal will taste just fine, and it will still get you laid.
How about skipping a few sips of that cognac and build a couple of homeless shelters instead.
And maybe, just maybe you could stoop to a Miller High Life to quench your thirst and also feed a bunch of people that are really hungry instead of cracking open an eighteen hundred dollar bottle of beer.
Hey, it’s your money, use it how you want, but the only people you are impressing are assholes, and that does not put you in exclusive company.
The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man, and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.
"...the only people you are impressing are assholes..."
ReplyDeleteYup!
I have to agree, who cares if you have this really expensive thing. What would be better is to take the money and use it on people not things. Feed the poor. Build houses for them to live in. I rather see money spent that way than on things that collect dust.
ReplyDeletebetty
I dream of being filthy rich-obscenely wealthy-whatever, but if it ever happens, there's no way I'd waste money on million dollar mushrooms or a two million dollar watch.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your blog. Found you through Betty’s blog. I was intrigued by the name of your blog. I have a feeling that you’re not so cranky after all.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was the 4.3 million dollar photograph. And I immediately thought to myself, “Hey I could do that” and $$$ flashed before my eyes.
Going “down the shore” today. cya!
I used to date a fellow who was a NASA engineer. He worked on a Cray computer, and so all the men had something to talk about at company parties. It looked quite ordinary to me. I agree the majority of the money above could be far better spent.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Everyone wants stacks and stacks of money to buy stacks and stacks of toys. If one can afford to buy those expensive mushrooms and the beer, go at it. If you have the money, you have to do something with it.
ReplyDelete(I suppose)
i totally agree. feed people. shelter people. fund medical research. anything...
ReplyDeleteYou're spot on here. Spot on. There are those that have to show off their wealth. They just can't help themselves.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. :)
If someone invited me on their Airbus, I wouldn't turn them down.
ReplyDeleteYou could ride on mine, except I can't afford one!!
DeleteA Picasso is going on the auction block this week that's expected to fetch over 150 million dollars. That should be on this list. No painting is worth that much, not even one of mine.
ReplyDeleteYep, I find it hard to believe that the intrinsic worth of a mushroom or a beer is quite that much!
ReplyDeleteMost wealthy people who are not out to impress anyone give huge amounts of money anonymously to charities. If you've already build a homeless shelter, go ahead and have any beer you want.
ReplyDeleteIf you are spending it all on these things to impress people, well, then i'm not impressed.
I can possibly understand spending a lot of money on a thing that you really want (plane, picture, watch, etc.) - but food and drink? I just think of where it ends up about 24 hours later. That money for one Antarctic Nail Ale would buy a really nice lens for my camera!
ReplyDeleteGeez, another toughie....I dunno.
ReplyDeleteWhat's worth what to what, eh? Right, what something's worth to who, whom...who knows, eh? And to when, etc. In '73 I would have hung up if you called with an offer of an eight-ball, but later years we would have negotiated...
So, is it worth if it that when you sip the brandy you taste 1789? The grapes that matured the year of the revolution, the lessening in height of some monarchy.....what is that sensation worth?
No answers from here, but I do know I like looking at a couple watches I have, from the 20s and 30's from my dad, watching them move.
I do know I've paid a lot, and a little for things I've wanted, and few have lived up to the prices.
Does this mean I should trade my Grey Poupon for French's? Oh, wait. I already use Save A Lot mustard. Can't get much less expensive than that, unless I become a freegan, and dig it out of a dumpster.
ReplyDeleteIf normal people could figure out how to grow those truffles, we could give the money to poor people so they could start growing their own and give the money to poorer people etc etc
ReplyDeleteSome of those things so seem very over the top. I agree with you that people should be allowed to do as they please with their own money, but you do have to wonder how great some of that stuff even is.
ReplyDelete