Photo: D. Paul Graham, ‘G650 Takeoff Runway 19’, Savannah International Airport, Circa 2020

“Monday 5 Things”™….. If I Had A Million Dollars …..

This morning may give you some insight into how somewhat peculiar thought patterns in my brain work. Trolling around Spotify on an early morning in Florida last week, I came across a play list of Toronto’s ‘Barenaked Ladies’. For the balance of the week, I hummed and sung “If I Had A $1,000,000”. I recalled wonderful memories of these guys busking on the streets of Toronto and Montreal in the 80’s and then watching them in concerts in the 90’s while dozens of boxes of Kraft Dinner were thrown on stage during this song. But that’s another story; if you haven’t heard the song, take a listen.

And this is where the peculiar thought patterns take flight. Hang in here – I promise I’ll eventually get to the real points of this morning’s M5T. From 1988 I went to 2022. In today’s dollars the BNL’s million dollars would be worth just over $2,400,000. Inflation in 1988 was 4.14%. This month it’s more than double at 8.54%. Insert grrrrr emoji here. From there I listened to a podcast from the Brookings Institute called ‘Dollars & Sense’ about shifts in globalization. You’ll see in a moment where that took me.

Mea Culpa for a rather long-winded preamble for a Monday morning. If you made it this far, I leave you with some distinctly ironic names (which I did not make up – you can Google them) of finance professionals to hopefully start your week with a titter instead of fretting over the inflation rate.

1. Money, Money, Money.

David Dollar. Dollar hosts the aforementioned ‘Dollar & Sense’ Podcast and is a senior fellow with the Foreign Policy and Global Economy at the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution. He worked for the World Bank for 20 years and from 2009 to 2013 was the Economic & Financial Emissary to China for the US Treasury.

2. Cash is King.

Art Cashin. The 82 year old is a legendary New York Stock Exchange trader and Director of Floor Operations for UBS and still provides commentary for cable news. He started working right out of high school in 1959, does not have a college degree, and has no social media presence. It is said that his net worth was well over what the BNL wished for. He is the chairman of the fund named ‘NYSE Fallen Hero’s” established after 9/11.

3. It’s All About Risk.

Hamish Risk. Risk is a founding member of Substantive Research in London England and  currently is the Head of Research Discovery. He previously was Head of Content Management for Deutsche Bank’s Institutional Client Group.

4. Richie Rich.

Rich Ricci. Ricci had to ‘retire’ from his role of Head of Investment Banking, Barclays Bank, shortly after his boss and CEO, whose last name is Diamond, was fired. Ricci was a larger-than-life investment banker who made a fortune for and at Barclays.

5. Supply & Demand.

Nicholas Econimides. Econimides is Professor of Economics, at the Kaufman Management Center at NYU Stern. He spends his day thinking and lecturing about the structure of financial markets, network industries, microeconomics of the global economy and telecom economics and digital convergence. Just light reading I’m sure.

Here’s to starting this week with a bit of a chuckle, your own million dollars, Kraft Dinner and Dijon ketchups. Take a listen to the BNL; buy some art, a Picasso or a Garfunkel, but please don’t buy real fur coats or real green dresses because that’s cruel.

© 2022 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

For over 10 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T ™.  Each Monday, Paul shares his observations, thoughts and passions on people, life, and culture.

You can find M5T each Monday here on www.southmag.com and by friending D. Paul Graham on Facebook. Paul is a contributing photographer to South Magazine. His photographic work can also be found on Instagram @dpgraham and at www.imageGRAHAM.com . Your feedback is always welcome. Email Paul at dpg@imagegraham.com