"MONACO’s - FRUGALISTA IDEAS"

I was hoping that in these dark times Monaco would curb the excess of the riches – a period when one shouldn’t spend for anything unless one has to. Instead, we have entered an era in which people with money continue to spend it as if tomorrow will never come – Monaco anyway….

In this Age of Grotesque, houses or Condos in Monaco are on the market at exceedingly ridiculous prices and, because they’re not selling, are being rented at equally absurd amounts and believe it or not - spending at top restaurants is going absolutely Bananas to say the least. All this while Average Joe like me scrapes by and worries about keeping jobs.

How can people in Monaco today spend huge sums for yachts, houses and parties (even they’re doing it more quitely) and can look in the mirror? I thought the days of Elton John 2million pounds birthday fete were truly “Passe”, that the bursting of the subprime bubble and shame of that Madoff (The Infamous NASDAQ stock Exchange Chairman) and his ilk – You know the one who milked and swindle money from ordinary people so he could buy French Chateaux, private plane etc – had put a firm lid on excess but Not a chance, Take Monaco house on the Market for 65 million – absolutely ridiculous … It’s exterior looks classic but inside its a prime example of hideous décor: orange and purple walls,?? Give me a break… I can’t really fault the builder, I think in his view – he’s just offering what the public wants – like a modern PT Barnum, ha ha ha.. But so far he has proved right – there are few in the areas of the same and they sold like hotcakes. Let’s face it, rather than our dealing with new era of restraint and frugality, money remains everything at least here in Monaco.

But all this money desperate to be spent isn’t the only grotesquerie – just pick up a newspaper or read on the internet and the headlines filled with grotesque thing after another - More than 26% of Americans are now sadly obese because they can’t give up fast food or bother to exercise; the Michael Jackson memorial service apparently drew more than 30 million viewers even after two weeks worth of coverage and the best stomach churning is when I read in British Mail headline that read, Young Meat Butchers with sets of different Knives are becoming Sex Symbols with one fan, claiming “What’s sexy?” Apparently, Dangerous is sometimes sexy and they are generally big guys with knives and who are covered with blood.

It’s enough to make me a VEGAN… Carrots, anyone???