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Money Matters -- Giuliani's Pieces of Silver, Louisville Convention Center's Monopoly Policy on Catering, Louisville's Arena

1.          Mayor Giuliani strikes another blow for ego over common sense!  New York's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, returned a Saudi's donation of $10 million dollars to aid the victims of the Sept. 11 attack, because he thought the donor was too sympathetic to the attackers.  If Giuliani had been more concerned about the victims of the attack and less concerned about his own popularity, he would have taken the $10 million and used it to benefit the victims.  And if the victims of the attack did not need the money, there are plenty of other good causes that could have made good use of it.  Who cares what the donor thought -- at least some good could have been done with his money.  After all, even Judas' thirty pieces of silver were used to buy a cemetery for poor people.  What will the Saudi do with his money now -- donate it to the Taliban?

2.          Louisville's Mayor Armstrong and County Judge Jackson have placed large advertisements recommending that local businesses have their conventions at the local convention center.  Bring the money home to Louisville, they say.  But when it comes to hiring a caterer for your convention at the fairgrounds or the convention center, you will not be free to choose a local caterer.  The centers have a contract with a single, out-of-state caterer to provide all the food.  What ever happened to free market competition?  Don't expect to find it at the convention center!  (See http://www.mastersons.com for more info.)

3.      It seems that the idea of a taxpayer-funded basketball arena in Louisville never dies!  Now, the young professionals are promoting the proposal.  Of course, professional sports would be a wonderful addition to the city, but, like any other endeavor, it needs to pay for itself -- the taxpayers should not be forced to fund it.  It's time for the young professionals to behave as the adults they claim to be.  Let them form a corporation and then voluntarily invest their own money to build the arena!  Surely the young professionals understand the concept of private enterprise.  Or do they think the taxpayers should be forced to take over from mommy and daddy and continue paying their allowance?