Who here can afford to tear down a $12 million dollar mansion?

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Wasteful, but at least some of those millions will now be going into the pockets of the local tradesmen who build that new mansion.
 
Charli, I don't think it's so much having a screw loose as much as it's just plain selfish. I have been wanting to do a film about humanity, and human nature. So I have been researching ALOT of stuff. When I see clips of starving kids and people dying because of no shelter, food, or access to medicine. Then read stories like this, it really is tough to swallow. I mean, yeah it's her money. She can spend it anyway she likes. But if you want to impress me, donate that 12 miliion to helping people. Heck, or even helping animals for that matter. Thats what impresses me. Not how much they can waste on a house they will be living at two weeks a year.

I remember seeing a show years ago about Oprah having gold plumbing pipes, and gold sinks in her house and yacht, and thought WOW, big deal. Why use silver instead, and donate the money saved to give back to helping others. I guess we'll see in the end which really mattered huh? Of course thats a small example, but you get my point. I could go on all day about this subject.
 
Terry - it's the bomb, really! But nothing compared to screenwriting. That will always be my first love. So Terry, have you torn any mansions down lately?
 
maranfilms said:
Charli, I don't think it's so much having a screw loose as much as it's just plain selfish. I have been wanting to do a film about humanity, and human nature. So I have been researching ALOT of stuff. When I see clips of starving kids and people dying because of no shelter, food, or access to medicine. Then read stories like this, it really is tough to swallow. I mean, yeah it's her money. She can spend it anyway she likes. But if you want to impress me, donate that 12 miliion to helping people. Heck, or even helping animals for that matter. Thats what impresses me. Not how much they can waste on a house they will be living at two weeks a year.

I remember seeing a show years ago about Oprah having gold plumbing pipes, and gold sinks in her house and yacht, and thought WOW, big deal. Why use silver instead, and donate the money saved to give back to helping others. I guess we'll see in the end which really mattered huh? Of course thats a small example, but you get my point. I could go on all day about this subject.
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I agree.

It is completely sickening to hear of the over the top pointless "let's just blow a s**t-ton of money" escapades of the ridiculously filthy rich. Especially the ones that don't really do much of anything to earn all those millions and billions.

Batutta said:
Wasteful, but at least some of those millions will now be going into the pockets of the local tradesmen who build that new mansion.
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Sadly that is about the only small little ray of light I see in a ridiculous story like this one.

Oh, and awesome Bob avatar there Batutta. I have been thinking of rewatching Twin Peaks from start to finish soon. That and I just bought the entire DVD set of the awesome old school anime series Robotech. So Robotech and Twin Peaks. Is that too weird of a combo to watch over the next few weeks? It just might be...
 
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maranfilms said:
Charli, I don't think it's so much having a screw loose as much as it's just plain selfish. I have been wanting to do a film about humanity, and human nature. So I have been researching ALOT of stuff. When I see clips of starving kids and people dying because of no shelter, food, or access to medicine. Then read stories like this, it really is tough to swallow. I mean, yeah it's her money. She can spend it anyway she likes. But if you want to impress me, donate that 12 miliion to helping people. Heck, or even helping animals for that matter. Thats what impresses me. Not how much they can waste on a house they will be living at two weeks a year.

I remember seeing a show years ago about Oprah having gold plumbing pipes, and gold sinks in her house and yacht, and thought WOW, big deal. Why use silver instead, and donate the money saved to give back to helping others. I guess we'll see in the end which really mattered huh? Of course thats a small example, but you get my point. I could go on all day about this subject.
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If there was a way to high-five someone on this forum you'd be getting one right now. :thumbsup:
 
Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the house was built in 1932 and perhaps it just wasn't worth renovating. Maybe now she can build a 'green friendly' home? These houses on the ocean front really take a beating from the elements....just saying....
 
Yeah, it's a bit much, but when it really comes down to it, it's not the house that's worth so much money, a lot of it is the land it's on.
 
I'm not trying to get political...

It's their money, and they can do as they please. Whether they build the house or not, children will still die in Africa. It's the same reason why I give derisive looks to people when I throw away food and get the proverbial, "You're going to go throw that away? Children are starving in Africa right now..." - whether I throw away something or not, children will still die in Africa.

Sure, donating to charity would probably be more socially commendable than rebuilding a mansion, but no one tells you what to do with your few hundreds or thousands when you get something nice for yourself; but the big ticket expenses of people with more money tend to get a lot of flak because they could be doing so much more with that money that we could with ours - like saving children in Africa. Just because they have more doesn't make their money any less theirs and any more "society's," etc. Why should the very rich have to concern themselves with impressing you with how much good they can do with their money just because they have more money?

Like others mentioned, this is money spent inside the walls of America, which creates jobs, increases the GDP, and provides opportunities - good for that country. Like Zaza said, we don't know the whole story, but this house will likely be more efficient - maybe even "green" - because it is newer. No one would lose sleep if you decided to buy a lot, demolish the house, and start over. But when the very rich do it, it's selfish?

I think there's a bit of a double standard here.
 
Zaza - do you think she recycled the materials? She also never mentioned the house was old, just that it didn't "suit her." People can do what they want with their money, just celebrities go crazy spending is all I'm saying. Then again, it's all relative, isn't it?
 
Nektonic said:
Oh, and awesome Bob avatar there Batutta. I have been thinking of rewatching Twin Peaks from start to finish soon.
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They just showed up on Netfilx streaming in Canada and I've been on a marathon. Never saw the whole series straight through. I saw the short first season when it first aired, then a few second season episodes, so it's almost like watching a new show. In HD too, which is a treat. Those first 14-15 episodes, straight through the death of Laura's killer, is the best stretch of programming to ever air on network television. Loved every second. Once the show lost that focusing element it kind of fell apart.
 
The land factors into the cost of the house as well.
It's probably a 2 million dollar house and to her that's change.
So she figures 'Hey why not tear it down and put what I want here?'
In the end she's only wasted about 3-4 million tearing it down and rebuilding it.
And lets face it, The original home was pretty ugly.
 
Kit Hannah said:
Yeah, it's a bit much, but when it really comes down to it, it's not the house that's worth so much money, a lot of it is the land it's on.
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Yup, that's what I was thinking too. I'm sure she pulled out most of the interiors ( i hope !)
 
Jordan Scott Price said:
It's their money, and they can do as they please. Whether they build the house or not, children will still die in Africa.
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Your comment reminds me of the starfish story. A boy is walking on the beach with his father and there are thousands of starfishes stranded on the beach. The boy reaches down and throws one back into the ocean. The father says, "What difference does that make? Look at how many will still die." and the boy says, "It made a difference to that one." $12m would save thousands of children's lives. That's a pretty good start.

Nobody here is telling people what they must do with their money. People have the right to spend their money however they want. But, just as they have the right to their choices, we all have the right to question those choices. Free will goes both ways.

There's nothing wrong with being comfortable. Having a nice home and a nice car. Treating yourself to something for a job well done. But, somewhere along the way to happiness, a line is crossed. A line between being comfortable and being excessive. Moderate and binge. Responsible and irresponsible. When I see what is required to make some people happy ($2,000 for sunglasses or $300k on a car) it doesn't impress me, it makes me sad for those people. The people that impress me the most are the ones who have a lot of money but still live a simple life. They're happy driving the same car they've had for 20 years and living in the same home they grew up in. Unfortunately, in these times of excess, people like that are becoming extinct.

To quote some smart guys, "The world has enough to fulfill our needs but not our greed." -Gandhi

and "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." -Spock :thumbsup:

Here is a great TED lecture about "Why are we happy and not happy?". Some pretty cool information in it.

 
"The people that impress me the most are the ones who have a lot of money but still live a simple life. They're happy driving the same car they've had for 20 years and living in the same home they grew up in. Unfortunately, in these times of excess, people like that are becoming extinct."


There are hundreds of these people out there- they just don't get any press. Read a book called, "The Millionaire Next Door".
 
ZazaCast said:
Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the house was built in 1932 and perhaps it just wasn't worth renovating. Maybe now she can build a 'green friendly' home? These houses on the ocean front really take a beating from the elements....just saying....
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The voice of reason.

Old houses suck. Heh heh.
 
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