S1E1 - 'Monkey Business' || Show notes: U.S. Senate budget deal, most vexing words of 2012, and outlandish price tags for New York City real estate. || Show transcript below. ||

|| Show transcript ||
(Jack) Hello, and welcome to 'Monkey Business' for January 1, 2013. Here's what we're reading today with our morning coffee:

Members of the U.S. Senate have agreed on a budget deal that temporarily delays spending cuts, and puts off tax hikes for all but some of the wealthiest Americans. In their sights are households with incomes greater than 450,000 U.S. dollars annually.

In a late-night New Year's Eve session, the bill was approved by a vote of 89 to 8 at about 2 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, with the majority of representatives of both political parties supporting the change.

The move nudges the U.S. economy back from the edge of a 'fiscal cliff,' but additional changes might be in the offing, to rein in budget deficits that've seen U.S. debt spiral to $16.4 trillion.

The debate next goes to the House (U.S. House of Representatives).

[Additional reading - Budget deal in play]
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For more on that story, just browse the links in the infobox. This will be the story to watch, since U.S. stock exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq, AMEX, all options exchanges) are closed today for New Year's Day.

And, over to Marcel, for Nearly News.

(Marcel) Lake Superior State University, in Michigan (United States) releases an annual list of words people never want to hear again.

One of 2012's most annoying phrases, according to votes at the university's site, is 'fiscal cliff.' It came in number one on the list of phrases that language lovers most want to see disappear, never to be heard from again.

Also not so much a fan of the fiscal cliff - although in this case, due to obliviousness - are the future buyers of three bits of New York City real estate.

What fiscal cliff? They know not of this - not when the price ticket for any of these three properties is between 95 and 100 million U.S. dollars.

The most absurdly expensive Manhattan listings of 2012 are a home in the Sherry-Netherland on Fifth Avenue and a property at 15 Central Park West, both for listed for $95 million, and the Woolworth Mansion - a bargain at $90 million, no?

The most expensive listing of the year is a penthouse on West 56th Street, for 100 million U.S. dollars - it features 135 windows, a wine cellar, and 360-degree views.

Of course, for a 360-degree view, you can always just...turn around. Voila. For free.

You can browse a gallery of images in the link in the infobox. Do you know, they've also provided floor plan maps of the properties.

That's considerate. For 95 million, a property should at least come with a map for when you forget where you are.

There are seven bedrooms and seven baths in the co-op? How nice for absent-minded people; if you fall down somewhere after a night ringing in the new year - like me - and you're totally lost somewhere in your own house, then just...stay there.

Then when your guests want to find you, they can ring you on their phone:

'Where are you now?'
'Somewhere.'

[Additional reading - Real estate - NYC's most expensive (2012)]
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[Additional reading - Most overused words or phrases (2012)]
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(Marcel) You can find links and more details for all of these stories, just check the show notes for this episode in the infobox below.

And that's today's 'Monkey Business.' Take care, folks. Because it's a jungle out there. (TM)

|| Technical and Misc. ||
Broadcast date: January 1, 2013
Music/Stock clips: Buyout license
Production: 'Monkey Business' show
Puppet maker (art commission): PJ's Puppets: [ Ссылка ]

- Love,
Jack and Marcel

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