disturbing the comfortable

There are rising tides that lift everything and rising tides that are very selective—like wealth...

Just as there are more poor people than ever, more citizens without health-care, there are more millionaires, multi-millionaires, and billionaires than ever. An awful lot of the rich didn't start out digging ditches or selling newspapers.

Welcome to Richistan, USA

Guardian (UK)
July 22, 2007
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2131974,00.html


· There are 7.5 million households in America worth up
to $10m. A further two million are worth $10m-$100m and
thousands are worth more than $100m.

· There is now a two-year waiting list for 200ft
yachts. If put end to end, the boats on that list,
which cost $50m each, would be 15 miles long.

· Sebonack Golf Club in the Hamptons, Long Island,
charges $650,000 for membership. That doesn't include
the $12,000 annual dues, or tips for caddies.

· Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have a
private Boeing 767.

· John D. Rockefeller was America's first billionaire.
Adjusted for inflation, he had $14bn - less than the
net worth of each of Sam Walton's five children today.
There were 13 US billionaires in 1985. Now there are
more than 1,000. There are as many millionaires in
North Carolina as in India.

· 'Affluent' is Richistani for 'not really rich'.
According to Frank, you need about $10m to be
considered entry-level rich.