It's fair to assume that Her Royal Highness the Queen of England has just about anything anyone could ever want. The British royal family may be land-rich and relatively cash-poor, but the key word there is "relatively"-the Windsors don't want for much.

 

So what do you get for the sovereign who has everything? Mere cost, no matter how precious the gift, won't impress Elizabeth II. Thought and creativity, on the other hand, just might count for a lot.

 

Our new president recently banked on that premise, giving Her Royal Highness a custom-inscribed $249 iPod that came loaded with songs, pictures from her 2007 visit to the White House, and a few accessories. Her Majesty was also given a rare musical songbook signed by Richard Rodgers. Music on the iPod includes such gems as "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," just to name a few... More >> ..

We usually reserve "dollar dollar bill" references for catchy lyrics to iTunes' top songs, but the public's attention to Benjamins has gone political. Waves of shock rippled through media outlets when news surfaced that Sarah Palin and Cindy McCain had squandered hundreds of thousands of dollars on dainty business suits by top designers. Barack Obama and John McCain both called out to the common man-Joe the Plumber and the like-and painted dramatic pictures of health care costs that sometimes differed by a margin of a thousand bucks. Even Oprah joined the election numbers game, revealing that she had selected her inaugural dress well in advance for an undisclosed amount that could presumably jumpstart Wall Street again.
Money has been a focus in this year's unprecedented election (except, of course, when it came to Michelle Obama's unfortunately disposable J. Crew outfit). By the time Americans rocked the vote on November 4, the presidential election had cost over a billion dollars... More >> ..

Sometimes I wonder about the most basic aspects of the lives of people as socially endowed as the Queen of England. Is her toilet paper decorated with a da Vinci fresco, or is it just extra-thick double ply from Costco? When she sneezes, do doves soar upward and trumpets sound to excuse her, or does a lowly servant squeak a simple "bless you?" Even small things like paper clips and coffee mugs make me wonder whether everything she touches is gold-plated-or maybe she enjoys the simplicity of those things that we mortals consider mundane.

With international markets plummeting, a world divided by war is finally finding unity in a common lack of cash. Now even Queen Elizabeth is feeling the pinch, proving that the woman I thought sweated rubies is more proletarian than I had originally believed. According to French news agency FTP, the Queen's usual $60 million yearly budget has been curtailed, forcing Her Majesty to reduce spending... More >> ..

Barack Obama once told the media, "I don't care if it leaves me penniless; the only reason I work is to make sure my children have the best education possible." With his family relocated to Washington, D.C. in the wake of the President-elect's upcoming inauguration, Obama's two girls have started their reign as the new First Kids on the block. Facing a price tag of about $30,000 a year each to educate little Malia and Sasha, Mr. Obama will soon need some good old-fashioned change to pay their way through school.
    
In all of First Family history, only President Jimmy Carter chose to send his daughter, Amy, to D.C. public schools, which have long been notorious for their poor quality. Malia and Sasha Obama are following in the footsteps of other First Children, however, and are now attending Sidwell Friends School, a Quaker establishment located on Wisconsin Avenue. Secret Service personnel will swarm the building each day to ensure that President Obama's daughters are safe, taking extra precautions to protect the young girls from peers and parents who could potentially leak information, photos, or video to the press... More >> ..

President Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday will be the most expensive in American history: the $150 million price tag dwarfs the inauguration budgets of Presidents Bush and Clinton combined.

I know what you're thinking. How can such a phenomenal price tag be justified during a depression? Well, Obama's star status is luring an estimated two million people-possibly more-to descend on Washington, D.C. this week, hiking costs for adequate security, public transportation, and, of course, Portajohns. Expected stars include Rihanna, Beyoncé, Oprah, Tom Hanks, Sting, and others. Although these glitterati will most likely not be fighting the hoi polloi for access to the bathroom facilities, take note-there will be just one restroom for every 6,000 people! Women coiffing for the trip at a top Beverly Hills salon were recently overheard sharing their secret weapon . . . Depends.

The federal government had budgeted $49 million for the inauguration, an amount in line with the cost of previous inaugurations... More >> ..

A recent ad on Craigslist with the subject "Need Sarah Palin lookalike ASAP for adult film" has generated a lot of buzz. Think about it: this could be the ultimate role for you budding actresses out there. It seems that Larry Flynt was the person behind the ad's posting, and offered up $3000 for the role, just over the average going rate in the industry for such a film. Flynt was quoted as saying "Look, Palin's not that extraordinary looking. With a little make up and prosthetics anyone can look like Winnie the Pooh." Palin has yet to comment. I'm sure she has much more important issues to stay on top of (no pun intended).

The five-bedroom house at 55 Kailuana Place in Kailua in Honolulu County will soon be renting for more money than the other homes in its ritzy tropical 'hood. That's because the man known as BHO and his Chicago posse (with whom he has vowed to stay in touch via Blackberry) stayed there in December during his final vacation before becoming President. The home, valued at $9,000,000, was rented to the Obamas for $3,500 per day, but because the President stayed at the estate and likely touched everything from the toilets to the forks, that price will skyrocket for future guests. The Castle Point estate sits on Kailua Beach, which Obama may have frequented as a child. The estate features
"quality furnishings, a gourmet kitchen with granite, a weight room with a TV/DVD player, and wireless Internet."

This vacation was pure R&R time for Obama, sheltered from the high-impact decision making that is now his life... More >> ..

Once a fierce supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, politically active singer Barbara Streisand, like many others, was forced to switch allegiance to Senator Barack Obama when he won the Democratic ticket for presidency. In Streisand's case, this newfound loyalty is being tested quite a bit sooner than November.

Next week, Barbara Streisand will sing for Senator Obama at a fundraiser split between the Greystone Mansion and the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. No word on whether the Senator really wants to hear the "Funny Girl" belt out show tunes, but he'll no doubt accept the check that comes with it. If guests want to dine at the fundraiser, combined tickets for dinner and the concert cost $28,500 per person. Those that prefer to eat in and come just to hear Barbara can pay a mere $2,500. If all goes as planned, 700+ attendees will attend, contributing a meaty $9 million to the blue elephants, making this the largest Democratic fundraiser for this election to date... More >> ..

Once Sarah Palin was chosen to run alongside McCain as his vice presidential candidate, the Republican National Committee coughed up an astounding $150,000 to clothe the ever-so-hot Sarah P. Known as a "political hottie," Palin made sure to live up to her moniker with shopping sprees in New York, St. Louis, and Minneapolis. Palin walked into the Saks stores in New York and St. Louis and dropped a reported $49,425.
At the GOP National Convention, Palin made sure to find some time to escape from the politics and do some more shopping. A stone's throw from the convention was a Neiman Marcus. Sarah walked in, shopped, and spent a whopping $75,062. I guess the state of the economy isn't exactly taking its toll on the "maverick's" little helper.

But it's not just clothes that Palin is blowing her wad on: her hair and makeup total quite a bill, as well. According to the RNC, Palin spent $4,716 in September alone... More >> ..