Buying Power

So people buy stuff with money all the time.  Some very rich people buy other people with money, and this happens all the time too.

Just look at the Japanese whaling industry, a veritable case study in corruption and scandal that dates back decades, and apparently the doctrine FIFA has used to conduct business for some time now.  Namely, the liberal use of briefcases and envelopes stuffed with wonga, mainstays of Japanese corruption scandals, found their way to the FIFA trials too.

The following is shamelessely stolen from a website called Deadspin, an american sports site that has suddenly taken an interest in football now that they have a chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of the world (by destroying Sepp Blatter). 

This is taken from court proceedings:

At one point, WARNER also directed Co-Conspirator #14 to fly to Paris, France and accept a briefcase containing bundles of U.S. currency in $10,000 stacks in a hotel room from Co-Conspirator #15, a high­ ranking South African bid committee official. Hours after arriving in Paris, Co-Conspirator #14 boarded a return flight and carried the briefcase back to Trinidad and Tobago, where Co­ Conspirator #14 provided it to WARNER.

And this tidbit showing that envelopes aren't only fashionably in heist movies:

... certain CFU officials, including an official of one of the member associations of a United States territory (“Official #1”), went to the appointed conference room, as directed by the defendant JACK WARNER. The officials were instructed by CFU staff members in the room to enter the room one at a time. Inside the room, CFU staff handed each official an envelope bearing the name of the member association that he represented. Inside each envelope was $40,000 in United States currency.

Prior to entering the conference room, Official #1 was advised that he must enter alone, and could not be accompanied by any other officials from his delegation. Upon receiving his envelope, Official #1 was directed by CFU staff to open it while in the conference room. Official #1 was further instructed not to discuss the payment with anyone.

It's absolutely crazy that people still use briefcases and envelopes to transfer massive wads of cash.  I thought the current trend was backpacks and shoes boxes.  Never trust hollywood, they always lie, their special effects are BS and their grasp of current money trafficking techniques is lacking.

I didn't bother writing about the election because everyone seemed to think it was a foregone conclusion (which, as it turned out, it was) but these new happenings are too funny to overlook.  When he eventually swans off into the sunset (no one actually thinks he's going to prison right?) his will his replacement automatically be the Jordanian prince who was running against him, or will they stage new elections?

In what world would you have thought that a middle eastern prince would be the least corrupt choice in a vote of two?

The Earth is a topsy turvy place.