Got $25? Go to Vegas this Memorial Day weekend!

What can $25 buy you? Well, in this economy a one-night stay at the Sahara in Vegas!


Reverse inflation is in full effect on luxuries like hotel rooms. The Sahara in Vegas may not be the prettiest or chic'est hotel but it's a major bargain. In fact, it could be cheaper now than back in 1952 since room rates are being frozen until July at $25 a night!

To put the current economy in perspective this Memorial Day weekend holiday Virgin was offering the lowest fares I've ever seen! For $107 you could get a round-trip LAX-SFO?! It used to be that for a one-way tix! My, how things have changed.

Vanguard report on Vegas today

The pound in the shitter

This weekend I told folks to starting going to Europe cause it's hella cheap...For once in a decade earning the dollar seems to be worth something...!

I'm king of deflation

"...Pushing the world into an economic spiral" that's what I'm doing by holding off on my purchases as prices get squeezed. I hear on the radio that, as I hold off from spending, I'm causing all manner of companies to tighten their belts until they starve. Yes, s-t-a-r-v-e!

Some things can't wait...$77 for Xmas shipping at the post office, $21 for a haircut, $45 for groceries...oh, an that dope Hit + Run t-shirt for $10 even though it's winter in LA. But, that new mobile phone can certainly be postponed (well, until I lose this one or RIM sort out the bugs in the Storm :) ) Yep, I'm at least the prince of deflation.

One essential that's always defied logic is gas (petrol). Right now it's at its lowest price since I arrived in the States four+ years ago. So why am I only only filling up 1/2 a tank at a time? Because prices are falling. This past weekend I paid $1.95 for a gallon of 91 premium. The week before it was $2.05, the week before that....you get it. Tread lightly my friends.

Save the cheerleader, save the world!

To some people the Labour party is their hero...here's a wonderful gaff where UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, confuses himself with Heroes TV show's Peter Petrelli..."Save the cheerleader, save the world..!"

Can you debate with the best of 'em?

Even Bond can't save Aston Martin

I was excited to see the (awfully titled) new Bond film, "Quantum of Solace". It kept the pace started by "Casino Royale", but the storyline got a bit fragmented. And, although we all love Aston Martins, the opening car chase scene couldn't compete with the acrobatic wow-factor of the parkour stunts in "Casino Royale!" Respect to the French...



0-60 in 4.1 seconds The thing that I remember most about the "Quantum of Solace" was the news the day after my cinema jaunt...Aston Martin announced it laid off 600 workers in Warwickshire, UK. That's 1/3 of its workforce! Even the rich are postponing their luxury toys?! Wow.

It's biting...airfares and hotels drop prices

It's the holiday season, but from the emails I've received this week it seems the poor economy's taking a chunk out of the travel bookings and holiday cheer!

This month, Farecast tells me that despite holiday travel costing ~35% more than last year (probably due to increased gas prices) something odd has happened at the end of October. There's been a turnaround as fares have dropped as we enter the holiday and Christmas season and fares have actually fallen below last year's prices?! Now, it's safe to assume lower oil prices ($50 a barrel now from its peak of $145) may be the reason, but the truth is consumer confidence is at an all-time-low!

And connected to this squeeze is a tightening of the belt that's even affecting Vegas vacations. The hotels are already taking action. For CES in January 09, the hotels are cutting their losses and have dropped their prices by <$75. Even so, right now I think I'm going to skip CES and use the company's money more conservatively. So, no AVN either ;) The end of a tradition!

See below Can you can guess where the price line will plot from now until the end of 2008?

Bargain hunters...

Apple, Ebay, Google, Microsoft, RIM...take your pick. I did.