Another weekend, another good report about this summer’s highest grossing movie. Yes, “The Dark Knight” remains on top at 26 million dollars. So far, it has box-office receipts of 441.5 million dollars. According to the Monday (8/11/08) AP entertainment report, the top 10 movies pulled in 106.6 million dollars over the weekend.
Maybe I’m beating the dead horse here, I don’t know. And I really don’t have anything against a Batman movie – although how many times do we have to see Batman beat the Joker? No, my point really doesn’t have anything to do with the movies, other than they are entertainment and, therefore, a use of discretionary spending. In other words, after we have paid for our mortgage or rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, and any legal debts, then we can pay to go to the movies. Or a concert. Or MP3 tunes. Or the golf course. Or Disneyland.
Yet, headlines scream that the American economy has tanked. Without the “change and hope” plan of a particular political party’s candidate (why is my mind clanging “switch and bait?” Freudian slip?) to correct all of the disastrous policy decisions of the current administration, Americans are doomed to the Greatest Depression. Foreclosures, record gasoline prices, increasing food costs, business failures, layoffs, unaffordable health care. We’re doomed! DOOMED, I tell you!
Until you turn from the front page of the NY Times to the entertainment section. There, once again, we breathe a sigh of relief, for all is right with the world. At, say, $12 per ticket, about 37 million Americans have been able to see “The Dark Knight.” Thank the government for our tax rebate check. Those Big Media front pages had me worried there for a minute. No matter how far behind we are with the house payment, we can by golly still escape nasty reality and plunk the food money down on Big Entertainment. Big Oil hasn’t won yet! They’re gonna have to do better than this!
Friends, before you start your panic mode over the American economy – which is certainly not in the greatest shape right now by any stretch – take a look at the entertainment section or wait for the entertainment report on CNN, etc. You know we’re in trouble when there are no lines for movies or iPhones or tennis shoes or whatever silly fad is drawing us like moths to a flame. Panic does us no good; rational thinking and common-sense decision-making do us a lot of good. Meet your necessary financial obligations first – including a savings plan – and then go spend some on fun. Or help out someone else in real financial trouble. Try this, and you will probably weather most financial storms that come along. And don’t forget TNSTAAFL – There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
The photo? Waiting in line for the movie. What else?
Maybe I’m beating the dead horse here, I don’t know. And I really don’t have anything against a Batman movie – although how many times do we have to see Batman beat the Joker? No, my point really doesn’t have anything to do with the movies, other than they are entertainment and, therefore, a use of discretionary spending. In other words, after we have paid for our mortgage or rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, and any legal debts, then we can pay to go to the movies. Or a concert. Or MP3 tunes. Or the golf course. Or Disneyland.
Yet, headlines scream that the American economy has tanked. Without the “change and hope” plan of a particular political party’s candidate (why is my mind clanging “switch and bait?” Freudian slip?) to correct all of the disastrous policy decisions of the current administration, Americans are doomed to the Greatest Depression. Foreclosures, record gasoline prices, increasing food costs, business failures, layoffs, unaffordable health care. We’re doomed! DOOMED, I tell you!
Until you turn from the front page of the NY Times to the entertainment section. There, once again, we breathe a sigh of relief, for all is right with the world. At, say, $12 per ticket, about 37 million Americans have been able to see “The Dark Knight.” Thank the government for our tax rebate check. Those Big Media front pages had me worried there for a minute. No matter how far behind we are with the house payment, we can by golly still escape nasty reality and plunk the food money down on Big Entertainment. Big Oil hasn’t won yet! They’re gonna have to do better than this!
Friends, before you start your panic mode over the American economy – which is certainly not in the greatest shape right now by any stretch – take a look at the entertainment section or wait for the entertainment report on CNN, etc. You know we’re in trouble when there are no lines for movies or iPhones or tennis shoes or whatever silly fad is drawing us like moths to a flame. Panic does us no good; rational thinking and common-sense decision-making do us a lot of good. Meet your necessary financial obligations first – including a savings plan – and then go spend some on fun. Or help out someone else in real financial trouble. Try this, and you will probably weather most financial storms that come along. And don’t forget TNSTAAFL – There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
The photo? Waiting in line for the movie. What else?
No comments:
Post a Comment