March 2, 2007
FOUR FOR FRIDAY
Q1 - Your Paycheck: If you could receive your entire paycheck in the form of a gift card, which retail store or restaurant's gift card would you choose?
Q2 - 911 Tapes : We have all heard them on the radio or television: 911 recordings between emergency dispatch and citizens in harm's way. Do you think 911 recordings should be made available to the public?
Q3 ñ What Would it Take: How much money would it take for you to eat nothing but McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's for 30 consecutive days?
Q4 - Scandal: Yesterday, federal officials in the U.S. broke up one of the largest Wall Street insider trading rings since the 1980s. Thirteen people, including executives and brokers at Morgan Stanley, UBS Securities, Bear Stearns, and Bank of America Securities, have been indicted for schemes that netted high worth individuals millions of dollars. Earlier in the week, an allegedly illicit steroid distribution network, which authorities are saying is responsible for Internet sales of performance-enhancing drugs nationwide, was broken up by the Albany County (NY) District Attorneyís office. Customers reportedly included Los Angeles Angels baseball player Gary Matthews Jr., numerous high school and collage athletes, a former Mr. Universe bodybuilding champion, and former heavyweight-boxing champion Evander Holyfield. Which concerns you more: Insider trading on Wall Street or the illegal use of performance enhancing drugs by amateur and professional athletes alike?
Posted by Mikal at March 2, 2007 7:56 AM
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1. Paycheck - Shoot. The stupid side of my brain wants to say NewEgg.com, but the logical side says a grocery store so I can still eat.
2. 911 Tapes - Sure. I enjoy hearing them on reality cop shows. Then again, I might change my mind when they play the tape of me nervously begging for the police to hurry up, and I crap my pants.
3. Eating Fast Food - Well, I've eaten at fast food restaurants for 30 consecutive days on several occassions I imagine, but all day every day? Hmm... Well, the free food side of it would be enticing. I'd probably accept $500 (roughly what it would cost to eat at these joints three times a day for 30 days, and a little extra for the pain and suffering). But I'd throw a number of around $1,500 out there to start my reverse auction.
4. Insider Trading or Steroids - I think I'd prefer steroids. Let those athletes screw themselves up. I feel like insider trading has a potential to mess up a much larger number of people. On the other hand, is it really better to have a bunch of people running loose who are really strong and anger easily? Hmmm...
Q1 - My Paycheck: I would choose The Sharper Image store or Amazon. I could shop both places from now till the end of time and always be happy with the section.
Q2 - 911 Tapes: Honestly, I can live without them. If they went away tomorrow, I would never miss them or wonder about them. However, I do have to admit listening to them when they appear. 911 recordings are snapshots of situations that I have never been in myself, and they do tend to fascinate me from time to time.
Q3 - What Would it Take: Not much, I'll tell you that. I love fast food (too much in fact for my own good). That being said, I'd do it for around $1,500. If anyone reading this wants to get 15 people to pony up 100 bones a piece, or 30 people to shoe in for 50 a piece, let's get it on!
Q4 - Scandals: Wall Street, hands down. I could care less if athletes choose to use performance-enhancing drugs. All of us should be very concerned about insider trading. Remember, Wall Street is the system that many of our elected officials want us to pour our Social Security funds into.
1. I'd prefer to have my paycheck in the form of a VISA or American Express gift card. That way, I could use it at any number of places. (See, I cheated the question. As Leo used to say, on "West Wing," 'Don't accept the premise of the question.')
2. Yes, 911 emergency audio tapes should be made public. All public proceedings and events should, in my humble opinion. If we'd stop being so litigious as a society, this wouldn't be so controversial.
3. I'd probably eat at fast food places for 30 consecutive days for the price of the food plus the price of a personal trainer for about 3 or 4 months. That way, I wouldn't put on the weight and I'd get in shape, too.
4. Insider trading bothers me more than athletes taking steroids and performance enhancing drugs. I think of all the Enron employees, who were just regular middle class folks: their pensions, retirements, and stocks are gone.
My Paycheck: I would have to choose Barnes & Noble because I love to read. Plus I could get a cranberry muffin and an almond steamer every once in a while to sustain my life.
911 Tapes: I think 911 tapes should be made available to the public. I believe that the people atking the calls are paid with tax dollars and I think any job paid with public tax dollars should be made open to public observation and scrutiny. After all, we are paying for it.
Fast Food: It would take about $7,500 to get me to eat fast food every meal for 30 days. I feel horrible when I eat there one meal. I can't imagine how bad I would feel if I were a repeat offender. Plus it almost killed Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me. No thanks. I choose life.
Scandal: Insider Trading concerns me much more. When those peolple are making millions of dollars in the stock market, normal investors like you and me are collectively losing millions. Not to mention that another stock market crash could cause another great depression. Let the athletes have their roids because I love to watch the World's Strongest Man contests.
1 | 'Could' is the wrong word, but if i 'had' to take my paycheck in a gift card I'd do it at Costco. A gift card isn't going to pay my bills, but I could blow the card on anything there, and return it for cash. Cash will pay my bills.
2 | Really I don't feel too strongly either way. Sure, make them public, but the way the news outlets present them is too sensationalized. I've actually made three 911 calls in the past 12 months and given the situations, wouldn't care if the calls were public. However, it is the overly traumatic calls associated with big news events that the public wants to hear, and I feel for those involved who have to relive the situation each time the recording is replayed.
3 | To be restricted to McD's for 30 days would require over $1 million. BK I'd do for $100,000 but Wendy's I'd do for nothing if someone else is buying.
4 | A no-brainerólet athletes who are stupid enough to use these substances jack themselves up. Cheating in sports poses a far lesser public threat than cheating in the global market.
1) Iíd probably just go for a Wal-Mart gift card. That way I could get food and a bunch of other stuff tooóand I could get it at ìeveryday low prices.î
2) Iíd say leave them public, but I donít really care too much one way or the other.
3) Iíd do it for just the cost of the food.
4) Insider trading is a much bigger concern for me. Not only does it affect my personal investments, it can affect the economy as a whole.
Q1 - Your Paycheck: I'm gonna have to go with some sort of a monster store, like Sam's Club or Costco or Super Target or something...somewhere I could get almost anything I'd ever need.
Q2 - 911 Tapes: I would not make these tapes public. If I were in an emergency situation and called 911 in a frenzy, there's no way I'd want the whole world to be able to hear my panicked state. Also, I'd hate to have to listen to the terror in my voice over and over again, and wouldn't want anyone else to be able to hear it at all.
Q3 - What Would It Take: Probably about as much as Morgan Spurlock made with his documentary, at least for McDonald's. I'd need somewhat less for Burger King, and probably very little more than the cost of food for Wendy's.
Q4 - Scandal: While they're both problems, I don't see why people give so much attention to either of these 'scandalous' activities. Maybe that's because I'm too young to see why these are such big deals, or maybe I just don't care about Wall Street or sports, who knows? Personally, I think that the steroids could potentially make sports more interesting...Sosa v. BigMac Home Run Race anyone? So I'd say I'm marginally more concerned about insider trading.
1. Amazon or Books A Million
2. I don't really care to listen to them, but as has been pointed out above, they are funded by teh public at large and should be available as a matter of public record. I think that the problem is more one of irresponsible use of these recordings to titilate or boost ratings by news organizations.
3. I dunno. Maybe $50,000. I love food way too much to subject myself to nothing but that for a month.
4. Wall Street. Their actions can have far-reaching effects for potentially every person on the planet, whether they are investors or not. I couldn't care less if some idiot wants to pollute their body with performance enhancing drugs since they are only hurting themselves and the sport they claim to love.
q1: CompUSA
q2: no !
q3: $100000
q4: insider trading !
1. Paycheck - At this point, www.newegg.com
2. 911 Tapes - Absolutely NOT.
3. What would it take - I've never watched that special that Spurlock did, but given the size I am now it would have to be enough to pay for a Gym membership for at least 5 years.
4. Scandal - Wow that's a tough call. As a parent I would have to say the drug issue becuase of how our children tend to idolize sports figures. As a citizen I would say the Wall Street issue due to the economical impact that it could possibly have.
1. Nordstrom, of course!
2. I've never really thought about it. I don't think I'd even pay attention to them if they were available to the public.
3. Well, I'd probably try to make the most out of it. However, I'd probably be okay to do it b/c I would be able to drink as much diet coke as I want. And, I secretly love McDonald's! Their snack wraps are the bomb.com! And, Wendy's has really good yogurt.
4. I am more concerned about insider trading. I think that for the economy's sake, it is important to establish and maintain honest business practices. As far as steriods are concerned. I don't really care. Yes, they probably shouldn't do it. However, its their choice to ruin their bodies. Plus, it makes sports a little more exciting.
Q1 - I would probably go with Wally-World. My sister won't shop there because after interning there, she thinks they are sexist profiteers, but she's kind of a hippy anyway, and sadly when I go in there and pass the greeters at the door, it reminds me to keep saving for retirement.
Q2 - Sure. It's kinda like the train wreck you can't look away from, but I also think that burying history won't change it.
Q3 - Crap! People get paid for that! I've been doing for years for nothing!
Q4 - I would go with insider trading. Damn, I hate Martha Stewart! It actually affects more people I think though, although I have to admit I was probably the victim of roid rage a few times back in high school, so if you asked me back then it may have been different.
Q1-Your paycheck: I work for one reason: to make my husband happy and less stressed. With this in mind if my paycheck was not going into bills I would get it in the form of a best buy certificate and let him put it toward that home theather system his is always going on about. Heh.
Q2-911 Tapes: When things are not made availible to the public scivvy things begin to happen. It is like you don't have to report to anyone so it must not be wrong. Granteed that is not the case for everyone but it does open up that door. So they most definately should be made availible to the public, however I don't believe they should be broadcast on TV or Radio like sports scores. If news people would like to reference them so be it but show a little respect and don't broadcast them.
Q3-What would it take: $900 for the cost of food, $3,600 for the cost of gym fees, trainer, and motivation to work of all that grossness, another $2,400 for missing work cuz I'm sick out of my mind from the filth of fast food, $5,000 in court fees, and then plian old pain and suffering, I have a friend who gives me free food from McDs now and 90% of the time I turn him down cuz I just don't eat fast food. SO a total of a minimum of....$111,900. And that goes for any of the fast food places.
Q4-Scandel: In my personal opinion the world would be a better place without pro sports at all. Just imagine people who like sports play them, not just watch them, heh. So the quicker they eliminate themselves and gain less repect from the public the better. The stock market on the other hand leaves people in a state of panic and for some reason that makes people do everything they can to make the situation worse...aka the great depressions...the more trust people have in the economy and stock market, the better it does, and we all like the results of that.
i like chris's style of answers
q1: bike shop or ski shop
q2: ummm...i'm leaning to public
q3: i foresee that causing a LOT of pain but it is only a month $25,000
q4: i'd have to agree with everyone else wall street is a bigger concern--though stu brings up an intersting point
1. I am not going to lie I would want a gift certificate from Betos. That way I could eat all of the greasy goodness I could possibly eat.
2. Yes, I am fascinated to hear and see how different individuals handle crisis situations. I think that some valuable information would be lost if they were not made public.
3. Free food is free food. I eat out everyday so I would be down with eating at all three.
4. I am going to go with Insider Trading. I guess because I am selfish. Insider trading affects me but athletes using steroids does not do much to affect me.
1) Target. My wife has turned me into a Targetaholic. But don't tell anyone :).
2) Nowadays, almost everything on the news is more about shock value, the soap opera effect, and commercial sponsors and less about actual journalism. News has also become too intrusive, exploiting human pain and suffering in order to hold interest in the news program longer. The 911 recordings for the Trolley Square killings in Salt Lake, for example, may deepen appreciation for the events of the day, but the recordings also present real people screaming, huddling in fear, panicked, and extremely afraid. That's not incredibly informative journalism, and I feel almost like I'm invading those people's privacy by sharing such a personal, scary moment. So no more of those recordings, please.
3) I've seen Supersize Me, and thus have little desire to do something like that to myself. However, for 30 days, I can be bought for a price. Give me a cool $3,000 in cash, and I'll do 'er.
4) Dang. Good question. I'd probably say steroid use. It seems like more lives would hang in the balance than with insider trading, but I could be wrong.
Q1: Assuming that everyday expenses like bills were covered in some other way, I'd like to play with my money at Best Buy.
Q2: Generally the recordings that are braodcast are not informative, they just carry emotional impact. Considering how little I watch or listen to news programs and the amount of cynicism I keep on hand for any time I do, I think a ban on broadcast just might force actual facts to be reported. As for the matter of public record, I think I have to agree with tax dollar funding means they should be available.
Q3: John S is pretty much right on. I can survive McDonalds and Burger King, but I would enjoy Wendy's.
Q4: In terms of how much they impact me personally, there is no question that the insider trading has greater effect. My portfolio is negatively impacted by these kinds of actions, but my enjoyment of sports is based on the competition and everyone is cheating.
A1 - mmmm. This question just got me really excited. I can tell you that it would not be Wal-Mart. Of course considering that I could switch it up each pay check and not be limited to just one store, becuase then I would have to think practical, and that is not as fun. But I would have to go with Nordstroms. Sure I might starve that month, but they have a coffee bar. I am not sure which restuarnt I would choose, because I live variety, and wouldnt want to limit myself to just one place.
A2 - No. I dont really know why I feel that way, but I do. I wouldnt care to listen to them, and some people call and are scared and vulnerable, and why would we want to exploit that?
A3 - Ok, it would have to be Wendys, and it cost roughly 12.00 per day
A4 - Both, dishonesty is the worse thing ever. If you want to destroy a good thing, be dishonest. I feel that both are dishonest in their own way.
Q1 - Your Paycheck: REI. Only because the JerEI doesn't support gift cards yet.
Q2 - 911 Tapes: Yes. Depending on the content.
Q3 ñ What Would it Take: After watching SuperSize Me, it would probably take a good amount of money. Say $10,000. At least that way I can afford the full body scan to determine how many years of my life I lost.
Q4 - Scandal: Wall Street by a mile. That's messing with a free market system that A LOT of people trust in their hard earned dollars in. Professional sports are full of cheats anyway, just depends on to what level.
1. Meijer{?}, for the food factor..kids have to eat or someplace that has food and other "fun" things.
2. I'd ban 'em... what a bad thing to listen up close and personal to peoples problems. ~yuck!~
3. Billions of dollars... I don't eat there now.
4. Insider Trading... ban 'em! They hurt all of us. Illegal drugs just hurt the people that take them.
Borders: Coffee, read, snacks, music, coffee, another snack more coffee. then die.
911 tapes aren't interesting. Maybe just ones made by public officials or celebrities that call in, that would be cool.
just the price for food.
Insider trading, they should go to state prison as fresh fish for hardened criminals. I think sports officials should legalize performance enhancers, athletes might think twice after kidney failure.
1. Amazon and the grocery store. Notice I put the online book retailer first.
2. Um, I haven't heard them. But I'd say to make them available if there's something to be learned from them.
3. I avoid all fast food restaurants like the plague. It would take a heck of a lot of money to make me eat at one of those places for a month.
4. Wall street--because it affects many people. Performance enhancing drugs just affect the people taking them.
1. Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com.
2. What is the purpose of airing 911 recordings? We didn't have them in the past and the world didn't stop spinning. I think they play them for ratings and sensationalism.
3. A lot. Fast food restaurants will kill you. I'd need at least $10k, and then I'd just eat the salads which are the least artery clogging meals there.
4. I could care less about what athletes choose to pump into their bodies. Insider trading is more important to be concerned about. I don't like or respect anyone who steals or cheats.
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