Posts Tagged ‘Bloomberg’

Being a Billionaire’s Daughter

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011


(© Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a kid with a horse and a dream and a billion dollar inheritance, now’s your chance to find out. Georgina Bloomberg, the 28-year-old daughter of the mayor of New York City, has just published a young adult book that is technically a work of fiction, but clearly based on her life in the inner circle of Manhattan heiresses.

While it’s not fair to read too far into Georgina’s life based on her book, there are some interesting themes – mostly around the unwanted fame that comes with wealth and good old arguments with dad. What do you do when your father’s fortune allows you to excel at an expensive sport – horse riding – but his business sensibility dismisses it as a career because it doesn’t pay?

It’s kind of nice to see that the tension between parents who want the best for their children and the children who want to follow their bliss is pretty much universal. No matter what your net worth.

Still trying to find your bliss? Watch our interviews with Pretty Young Professional or Ron from CareerCore to get started!

Soda No Longer Covered By Food Stamps

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sometimes known as Nanny Bloomberg, but that’s not entirely fair…

  • In an effort to fight the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the mayor of New York City and the governor of New York State have teamed up to get sugary drinks out of the hands of low-income residents. Bloomberg has already won smoking bans in restaurants and bars, and junk food bans in public schools.
  • They’ve asked the federal government to ban the sale of soda and other sugary drinks to New York City residents using food stamps. Cigarettes and alcohol are already off-limits to these customers.
  • The ban will serve as a two-year experiment to see whether reducing availability of sugary drinks reduces obesity and diabetes rates, as well as overall sales of sugary drinks. Bloomberg recently tried to add a tax on all sugary drinks, but his proposal was defeated by industry lobbyists.

Facts & Figures

  • 1.7 million city residents currently receive food stamps.
  • An estimated $135 million in federal food aid is used to purchase sugary drinks.
  • Approximately 40% of kids from kindergarten through eighth grade and 60% adults in NYC are overweight or obese.
  • Drinking one sugary drink per day increases a child’s likelihood of being obese by 60%.

Best Quote

“We’re saying you can’t use a government-subsidized health program to do it.” – Jessica Scaperotti, Mayoral Press Aide, insisting the mayor is not trying to prevent poor New Yorkers from purchasing sugary drinks