Posted on 09/27/2005 5:46:29 AM PDT by eks41
What do you get the Muscovite who has everything? A million-dollar pen? A new head of hair? An island? A suit made, literally, of money?
The excesses of Russia's super-rich went on display this weekend when a "millionaire's fair" opened on the outskirts of Moscow, catering to the ostentatious tastes of the city's 88,000 dollar millionaires and 33 billionaires.
An estimated 7,000 ordinary Muscovites a day paid £20 to get a glimpse of the eccentric lifestyles of the minority who are drowning in oil money. On show were the trappings of the immodest: a helicopter, a Lamborghini, a diamond ring the size of a golf ball, a hair transplant and clothes made from dollar bills. Bryan Ferry serenaded guests.
Yet the display was aimed at inspiring sales, not just envy: organisers said an island had been sold for $10m (£5.6m) that weekend. Many believed the fair was aimed not at established billionaires, but at "new Russians" - the nouveau riche of Russia's economy.
Eyeing up a Hummer jeep was Ksenia Sobchak, a socialite, reality TV hostess, and the daughter of the president's one-time boss, a former St Petersburg mayor. "This little car is not a bad one," she told Associated Press. "I was eager to see her in reality because all of my friends have already ordered it by catalogue, but they have no idea what it looks like."
Are Muskovites residents of Muscow?
There's a little town near here called Moscow, I'll have to ask.
These filthy rich are unbelievable! Something really should be done about this! Russia should become communist!
...oh wait; they already tried that.
So a rich guy buys a helicopter, so what?
The people who work in the helicopter company get paid, the people who supply parts and other services to the helicopter company get paid, the people who provide goods and services like housing and food to the people who work in the helicopter company or who provide goods and services to the helicopter company and its employees get paid, etc. etc. etc.
Communism = shared poverty.
... and with all our 'social' programs, we're headed there if we don't defeat the liberals once and for all.
Muscovite is a mineral. It's a phylosilicate.
In the 80s Soviet times the richest Soviet had a net worth of $20 billion which was way more than any westerners at the time. So really this show does not tell the whole story. Guardian is ignorant or agitates once again with lies which are the best offer for fascist dictatorships...hmmmm...
"Now "Moskovit" means something like "rough ignorant Russian", "Russian barbarian"."
Hey, I resent that.
I knew I could rely on someone called Paleo for that.
How interesting and how not true.
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