Posted on 02/22/2018 10:33:47 AM PST by nickcarraway
It’s been awhile since billionaire Bill Gates had to grocery shop among us plebs, so you’ll forgive him if he’s a little disconnected from the price of common items.
The Microsoft co-founder appeared on “Ellen” yesterday, where the daytime host had him guessing costs of supermarket sundries like Rice-a-Roni, pizza rolls and forbidden snack-du-jour Tide Pods.
SNIP
Gates pegged Rice-a-Roni at $5 (it’s $1). He thought a container of Tide Pods cost $4. Please, it’s $19.97. After guessing an exorbitantly high cost for Totino’s Pizza Rolls, the audience took pity on him and pointed him to a more on-the-nose answer of $8 (they’re $8.98).
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
But he knows to the tenth of a cent the labor costs of a factory in China to manufacture computer components or a software mill in India to crank out his product.
Criminy! Who eats that junk? Almost $9 for Pizza Rolls?
Obviously Bill Gates needs to get in contact with Nancy Pelosi.
In his defense, I don’t think I’d have done any better. They should have asked him about the price of ammo. Or pork rinds. Or mud flaps for his pickup.
I wouldn’t get most of that stuff and I shop weekly.
Those things are awesome with ranch dressing!
How long has it been since Mr. Gates has done his own shopping?
They shoulda asked him the price of Jet A and landing fees at Davos.
I have no idea of the prices of these things either.
I don’t shop in grocery stores much. My caring wife takes on that burden for the family!
I have no idea how much groceries and stuff cost. I don’t do that part of the home duties. Even if I do pick up stuff I don’t know what it costs. I just grab it and go.
I do know that a gallon of detergent is about ten bucks because I occasionally get some at Menards.
I shop plenty but I don’t buy any of that crap.
Thanks nickcarraway. No wonder he thinks his taxes are too low.
“I have no idea how much groceries and stuff cost. I don’t do that part of the home duties. Even if I do pick up stuff I don’t know what it costs. I just grab it and go.”
Same here.
Good on him.
If I had billions I wouldn’t know the price of those things either.
I would however likely know how much a 10,000 SF home on the coast of Hawaii cost, or how much the latest Lamborghini was going for.
George HW Bush didn’t know what a gallon of milk cost back in late 80”s, and they HAMMERED him over it. This guy Gates will skate...
If a conservative R would have said this in a town hall, CNN would pound them mercilessly.
That’s the big bag, and around here I’m not sure it’s quite that high. The small package is often on sale a $1, and one box of those is just about all I can take. Eating some takes me back to a younger age and simpler time. And a much thinner time, too.
I used to tell people that an easy way to imagine what being a consumer is like if you were to earn $1,000,000 a year is to simply pick any item, from a hamburger to a house, and remove a zero from the price (I’m assuming a family income of $100,000 as the “peasant” income comparison).
Are you interested in a loaded pizza for your party? Peasants pay $35. You pay $3.50.
How about a $60,000 pickup? That will cost you $6,000. Or how about an exotic $200,000 car? That will run you the price of a medium quality Kia or $20,000.
And for ten million a year, just lop off another zero.
This really does give some nice perspective. It an also be used to get a feel for what people that make less than you pay for things, relative to their income level, though the math is more complicated when comparing a $200,000 income to a $60,000 income.
Criminy! Who eats that junk? Almost $9 for Pizza Rolls?
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Criminy! Who eats that junk? Almost $20 for Tide Pods?
There's an old story from many years ago (perhaps apocryphal) about a fellow waiting in the 10 items or fewer line at the supermarket. The guy ahead of him keeps rummaging through his pockets, holding up the line. He finally states, "I know I have a 50¢ coupon for that here somewhere." He turns around partially while searching his pockets and those behind him in line recognize Bill Gates.
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