Poor Whores

It occurred to me while reading about the Plaza Hotel, that except for individuals like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and sovereign nations, that A BILLION BUCKS IS A LOT OF MONEY. That is what the total cost of the Plaza Hotel was - $675 million to purchase and $400 million to renovate. How do you make a return on that kind of money? Easy in New York City with a landmark property on Central Park. Start by renting rooms at $1000 per night. Sell off 182 rooms as condos (only 80 are now rented as hotel rooms). Read my story about the hotel here. The photo is of the corner lobby and its champagne bar with color-changing glassware display.
I am perplexed by wealth. I have met wealthy individuals and they are not all extraordinary individuals like Steve Jobs of Apple, Muhammad Yunus or Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google. Successful individuals appear to some combination of skills, instincts and personality traits - I think pure chutzpah is one of them. And then there are the elements of luck, opportunity and willingness to act on that opportunity.
Some may feel that a love of money and a complete lack of scruples is all that separates them from success. Selling out is the key phrase. That if they adopted the mindset of a whore, riches would flow towards them - but their honesty and goodness keeps them in the middle or under class. I don't think that is really true - I have met many who are willing to do anything for money and their lives are a testament to bungling failure. So for me, the mystery remains, because although there are dishonest, unscrupulous businessmen and rich call girls, there are also many honorable millionaires/billionaires and poor whores ...