Anschutz and AEG
I've gone for a sniff around the web to see what I could turn up about Anschutz. By all account he is quite the tycoon, with fingers in rather a lot of pies.
The profile on Reference for Business is worth skimming.
Elsewhere, Buyblue.org notes
"Regal Entertainment is the largest theater company in the U.S. having the Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theatres and United Artists Theatre brands. In terms of the top three executives and political action committees, Regal Entertainment gave no money to political candidates, but the majority owner Philip Anschutz has given a lot to conservative causes over the years. With a net worth of $5 billion, he has given plenty to the Republican party, intelligent design and anti-gay causes". He is a long term friend of Bob Dole and contributed to his campaigns.
Nerve.com does not like him very much, and notes he was named Fortune's "Greediest Executive" for 1999.
Elsewhere I've discovered that he bought property in Liberal, Kansas - given his politics you'd need a heart of stone not to snigger. Still, my favourite find is a reference to the wretched Dome on the AEG Worldwide website:
"The O2 will be the focal point for music and entertainment for all of the U.K. and Europe and will feature an arena, retail shops, restaurants, music clubs and theatres".
Reminds me of the usage claims made in the prospectus for Eurotunnel - they reckoned on a huge share of all UK/continent travel, including destinations like Greece and Spain. Yes, really.
The profile on Reference for Business is worth skimming.
Elsewhere, Buyblue.org notes
"Regal Entertainment is the largest theater company in the U.S. having the Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theatres and United Artists Theatre brands. In terms of the top three executives and political action committees, Regal Entertainment gave no money to political candidates, but the majority owner Philip Anschutz has given a lot to conservative causes over the years. With a net worth of $5 billion, he has given plenty to the Republican party, intelligent design and anti-gay causes". He is a long term friend of Bob Dole and contributed to his campaigns.
Nerve.com does not like him very much, and notes he was named Fortune's "Greediest Executive" for 1999.
Elsewhere I've discovered that he bought property in Liberal, Kansas - given his politics you'd need a heart of stone not to snigger. Still, my favourite find is a reference to the wretched Dome on the AEG Worldwide website:
"The O2 will be the focal point for music and entertainment for all of the U.K. and Europe and will feature an arena, retail shops, restaurants, music clubs and theatres".
Reminds me of the usage claims made in the prospectus for Eurotunnel - they reckoned on a huge share of all UK/continent travel, including destinations like Greece and Spain. Yes, really.
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on Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 4:02 pm.
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Well, Croydonian, billionaires who are plan to influence mulitsquillion dollar decisions of lawmakers do not give gifts of Western boots that cost $295. I think we can all agree on that. John Prescott is a fat-faced liar.
Ten thousand dollars minimum; mark my words. In fact, probably more, as they were $10,000 around 10 years ago. Same with the belt. I will bet you it has a buckle with his name - Greedy Liar - wrought in silver.
The best Western wear, worn by the rich in the Southwest, is very, very costly. Some of those boots are simply beautiful. In Houston and Dallas, it is not unusual at all to see a man in a well-tailored business suit and wearing not shoes, but Western boots. They look really good!
I make you right there - I don't suppose Anschutz sent one of his flunkies off to Wal-Mart.
I guess the thing with Texans, Arizonans and so on is that western wear is completely natural for them to sport, in a way that it wouldn't be elsewhere in the US. I think they must be among the few business people in the developed world who don't dress indentikit fashion.
Yes, in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and probably Colorado (you would know, Croydonian, as you've been there) - wearing Western boots with a (very expensive) business suit is not considered worthy of comment. By the same token, businessmen in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, etc., will also put on a Stetson for walking under the glaring sun from office to parking lot, etc. Not everyone, to be sure, but it's not at all noteworthy. They look damn' fine. Or fah'n.
A little later, I am going to call a friend of mine who used to be the CFO for one of the most expensive Western wear stores in the Southwest and ask what he thinks top end, handmade boots and belts would go for today. I'll be it's more than $10,000. I'll post here when I know.
Fat, lying Prescott thinks he can get away with it because the Brits have no familiarity - and why should they? - with the traditions of the American West. "Cowboy outfit", as the papers write in their naiveté. Oh, shudder!
You are right: boots for $295 would be Wal-Mart. That wouldn't buy you too much influence for gambling franchises in the Dome.
Wandering around in San An in the midday sun without a hat would be pretty daft.
I'll be very interested in whatever you can find out on the pricing front.
My friend has been out of the Western wear industry for 20 years, and not being a patron himself, he's never kept up on prices, I'm afraid.
He agrees,though, that $295 would get a pair of ready-made boots in Wal-Mart. He thinks today, a pair of handmade boots with fancy stitching and made of the finest leather or ostrich skin could cost $8,000 or more.
But Lardbutt failed to declare these expensive gifts to the Commons registry. Then when, 11 months later,he was forced to do so, he lied about their value.
Why did he not ask Anshutz's office to give him a receipt at the time, if he was mindful of his duty to declare presents from interested parties? When, 11 months later, it came out that he had taken gifts from the man who wants the gambling concession in the Millenium Dome, why didn't he pick up the phone and call Anshutz's office? He has little enough to do, after all. He could have found the time. That phone call would have been the most productive part of his day.
If he didn't know how much they were worth, how could he have declared them going through British Customs? Or did he not declare around $15,000 - $20,000 worth of merchandise? Did he do the Cherie Shimmy through the Green Chanel?
Is he now going to have to pay duty on these goods? Did Cherie ever pay duty on $20,000 worth of free designer clothes from DKNY? If not, we need a Red Channel, a Green Channel and a Nomenklatura Channel.
Thanks for that Verity.
Given that Prescott has been an MP for 36 years, it is inconceivable that he didn't know the rules. His entry in the Entry of Members' Interests is remarkably thin.
I wonder if he and Lady Macbeth are covered by diplomatic immunity etc and if so whether they use diplomatic bags?
From the Beeb's site today: "Mr Prescott is currently in Turkey for the opening of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline."
Why? What is his role? Are they afraid it will spring a leak and they'll need a big fat bung?
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