Thread: Date Night : Broadway Show & Dinner in NYC

I honestly cant stand the fact that they waste air time on talking so much about his life. I hardly ever see what he is supposed to be doing for his country. Here so many people are having a very hard time making ends met and he just spent our money to have a good time. Am I the only one who thought his wife didnt look too happy when they came home? Also thought it funny how they said he took the small air force one which saved money except for the fact they took 3 of them I am sure that didnt save anything

I heard on the radio that 'date night' cost about $250,000 for 2 people and I believe it was overnight (I recall hearing they came back Saturday morning).....

~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

One of the items discussed was AIG’s expenditure of $440,000 for a corporate retreat at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort in Dana Point, Calif., about midway between Los Angeles and San Diego. These funds were spent on Sept. 22, a week after the Federal Reserve extended an $85 billion emergency loan to AIG to keep it from going bankrupt due to insurance liabilities.

According to the receipt from the St. Regis, the eight-day company retreat was a lavish one -- $139,000 was spent on hotel rooms, while even more money -- $147,301 -- was spent on banquets. Another $23,380 was spent on undisclosed spa treatments and another $6,939 was spent on golf. A full $9,980 was spent on room service and food and cocktails at the hotel lounge.


AIG Executives blow 440,000

http://www.bigbigforums.com/news-inf...37;24440%2C000

Wells Fargo & Co. abruptly reconsidered a pricey Las Vegas casino junket Tuesday after a torrent of criticism that it was misusing $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money.

The company initially defended the trip after The Associated Press reported the company had booked 12 nights at the Wynn Las Vegas and its sister hotel, the Encore Las Vegas, beginning Friday. But within hours lawmakers on Capitol Hill had scorned the bank, and the company said it was reconsidering.

The conference is a Wells Fargo tradition. Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.

"I was amazed with just how lavish it was," said Debra Rickard, a former Wells Fargo mortgage employee from Colorado who attended the events regularly until she left the company in 2004. "We stayed in top hotels, the entertainment was just unbelievable, and there were awards — you got plaques or trophies."

Because of the bailout and the recession, other banks have canceled employee outings, including Morgan Stanley, which informed employees Monday that an appreciation trip to Monte Carlo was off. Wells Fargo, however, has not.

"Recognition events are still part of our culture," spokeswoman Melissa Murray said Tuesday afternoon. "It's really important that our team members are still valued and recognized."

Corporate retreats have attracted criticism since the bank bailout last fall. Congress scolded insurance giant American International Group Inc. for spending $440,000 on spa treatments for executives just days after the company took $85 billion from taxpayers. AIG has since canceled all such outings.

http://www.bigbigforums.com/news-inf...d#post96106162

BBFers had lots to say about that spending and it wasn't $125,00 a head per night......

In all cases, they are using tax payers money........

White House: Obamas earn $5.5 million in 2009
12 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The White House says President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle made $5.5 million last year and paid nearly $1.8 million in federal income tax.

The Obamas gave $329,000 to charities. That included $50,000 each to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.

The president also donated his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award to 10 charities.

The White House said the vast majority of the Obamas' income was from sales of the president's books. The president released his 2009 tax return Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100415/...NsawNwcmludA--