Money in the News
By Steve Gillman
You can get the usual news in your paper or on one of the
cable news networks. We have some of that here too, but we also
have the more uncommon news items related to money here, starting
with...
The Largest Lawsuit Ever?
A woman from Staten Island is suing the city of West Brighton
for $900 trillion. She says that they put her children in foster
care without a proper justification. Since $900 trillion is more
that the annual economic output of the entire world, it seems
likely that the suit will be dismissed or the claim amount reduced.
Do You Have Change for a Million?
A man in North Carolina was shopping at Walmart and tried
to pay for his $476 in purchases with a million-dollar bill.
He insisted it was real, and police were called. He is now in
jail. The $100-bill is the largest currently in circulation in
the United States. Notes for higher amounts were discontinued
in 1969.
What is Ambergris?
Your clues: it comes from the intestines of one of the largest
animals on the planet; it is worth almost half as much as gold;
it is found laying around in certain locales; and there is a
new page all about how to cash in on this here:
Ambergris
Hunter
Wages Are Falling
The Washington Post recently reported that half of all the
workers in the United States made less than $26,364 in 2010--the
lowest median wage so far reported for this century if you adjust
the figure for inflation. Perhaps it is time to think about starting
that business?
Most Borrowing Ever?
The newsletter, Independent Living, recently reported that
the Treasury Department has announced that in the first quarter
of 2012 it will borrow at least $541 billion. This is almost
an all-time record. In the last quarter of 2008 borrowing topped
$569 billion during the financial panic. Watch for the value
of the dollar to drop at some point if this borrowing continues.
Make Money as a Reality TV Star?
There seems to be an endless supply of new reality TV shows,
and you might be able to cash in by getting a part on one. On
February 8, 2012 an article on ThePennyHoarder.com listed 12
shows that were casting. These included "Women of South
Boston," "Jersey Shore," "The Biggest Loser,"
and "Love in the Wild." That last one will throw you
into a jungle with other singles, apparently just to see what
happens.
Audit a Liquor Store for Extra Income
If you are under the age of 25 and need some extra cash, you
might try becoming a liquor store auditor. No, you won;t have
to look at the books in the back room. This auditing is about
ID-checking policies. You will be paid to go into store undercover
to see if the cashier asks you for your identification. Then
you'll fill out a short report on your experience. You generally
make about $20 to $30 for each liquor store you visit. The last
time I checked, the companies Corporate Research and TrendSource
were hiring for these positions, but you can check with other
outfits which hire "mystery shoppers."
Want more money news and unusual ways to make money? Be sure
to sign up for the Unusual Ways Newsletter (the subscription
form should be to the right).
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