# Having too much money can also ruin your life!



## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Here's a classic case of having too much wealth at your disposal in life.
<from online sources>
"ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - A millionaire convicted of second-degree murder for the shooting death of his wife in their Isleworth, Florida, mansion in 2009 was *sentenced on Friday to 30 years in prison*.

At the September trial of Bob Ward,* 63*, jurors heard a 911 call in which he told dispatchers that he had shot his wife, Diane. _His lawyers said that Diane Ward was killed when the couple struggled over a gun and it accidentally discharged. His lawyers also said that Diane Ward might have been suicidal._" 

Carve sez: Aw,trust the lawyers...er liers, to come up with an explanation when there obviously wasn't one. 


"State experts calculated that Diane Ward was shot in the face from a distance of 18 inches, and testified that it would have been impossible for her to do that. Prosecutors said that she had not seemed suicidal in conversations that day with friends and family, and had just opened a Facebook account."

Carve wants to know: so did Diane have a multi-million dollar life insurance policy naming her husband as sole beneficiary? 

"Bob Ward was reported to have been under stress at the time of the shooting from a business bankruptcy and *home foreclosure*. The year before the shooting, Ward filed for bankruptcy protection for his real estate development company and stopped making *$17,000-monthly mortgage payments on his home*, according to news reports at the time of the shooting. _The seven-bedroom estate was listed for sale at the time for more than $5 million._"

Carve sez: "Too much house for a couple with no children living at home.
Typical American excess and greed!

"
Isleworth, where the couple lived, is a gated subdivision near Orlando known for a car accident involving Tiger Woods, also in 2009. Woods' accident triggered the revelation of several extramarital affairs and led to his divorce."

Carve sez: Having too much money can ruin a man's life in many ways! 
In the case of Tiger..driving with yer gf/lover attending to yer..ahem..personal
and private needs..can lead to collisions in life in many ways!


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

As the Notorious BIG said, "Mo money, mo problems."

Money is certainly not a guarantee of happiness, but like in the other thread, money is just an excuse; it's about the people behind the money. They were consumed with greed. It didn't really matter if they were rich or poor, their personal greed ate them up to the point that this sad story happened.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

financialnoob said:


> As the Notorious BIG said, "Mo money, mo problems."
> 
> Money is certainly not a guarantee of happiness, but like in the other thread, money is just an excuse; it's about the people behind the money. They were consumed with greed. It didn't really matter if they were rich or poor, *their personal greed ate them up to the point that this sad story happened*.


So what is the equivalent Aesops fable in this sad story?

Is this the way America, "the arsenal of democracy" is heading?

<from online sources>
First government

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were the first constitution of the United States of America. *The problem with the United States *government under the Articles of Confederation was, in the words of George Washington, "*no money"*.]

*Congress could print money, but by 1786, the money was useless*. Congress could borrow money, but could not pay it back.
No state paid all of their U.S. taxes; Georgia paid nothing. Some few paid an amount equal to interest on the national debt owed to their citizens, but no more. No interest was paid on debt owed foreign governments. By 1786, the United States would default on the dates the principal came due.
<end>

Hmmm..that was 1786..after the revolutionary war..when they declared independence....now fast forward 225 years to 2011..

<from online sources>
The (US) public debt has increased by over $500 billion each year since fiscal year 2003, with increases of $1 trillion in 2008, $1.9 trillion in 2009, and $1.7 trillion in 2010*As of December 8, 2011 the gross debt was $15.05 trillion, of which $10.39 trillion was held by the public and $4.66 trillion was intragovernmental holdings. The annual gross domestic product (GDP) to the end of June 2011 was $15.003 trillion (July 29, 2011 estimate), with total public debt outstanding at a ratio of 100% of GDP, and debt held by the public at 69% of GDP.

Hmmm..the more things change the more they stay the same...

America..the founding fathers in their declaration of independence from King George (the tax man)..wrote..

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "

So in providing a constitution that all can live by, several amendments were added..the RIGHT for every citizen to bear arms..and in most cases against each other, and not necessarily foreign enemies.

BACK TO THE STORY OF BOB and DIANE, two kids
from the heartland....sounds like a John Mellancamp song?

So Bob Ward, being created equal to his wife (Diane) in exercising his right to life, liberty and pursuit of HAPPINESS...his pursuit of wealth..which came crashing down around him when the "Freddie-Macs and Mini-Mae's" collapsed around him, and saw his FLA real estate values plummet to the value of undeveloped "swamp land".. probably devised a clever scheme that the cops would believe..or so he thought...as a way out..
because...he and his wife had the right to bear arms and possess guns....

Bob: How can I get myself out of this financial quagmire? I WAS a millionare on paper a few months ago...now it's all come crashing down around me, and I don't have enough credit left to put gas in my Rolls Royce!

Diane: Bob, you idiot..I told you not to borrow on margin! Remember what happened in '29?

Bob: Taking a shoe box off the top shelf of the hall closet.....opening the lid and pulling out a pistol..."Diane!" is this yours..or mine? 

Diane: Coming over to have a closer look at it and Bob all of a sudden is pointing it at her face...
"Bob!" put that gun down! You are scaring me with that look on your face!" You hear me?

Bob: "What look do you mean Diane?...All I'm trying to do is to establish IF we put any bullets in this thing a few months ago, when we bought it to "protect us" !...
..pulling back on the trigger (accidently of course)...
<gun goes off!>...Bang!!!! 

Bob: Oh! Oh! I guess it WAS loaded..I'll call 911 and my lawyer too! *


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Of course if they were in love, they could survive without all the trappings of stuff.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

kcowan said:


> Of course *if they were in love*, they could survive without all the trappings of stuff.


Ah yes..that's starting to make a bit of sense out of this tragedy 

*With apologies to Paul Simon’s “50 ways to leave your lover”*
The problem is all inside your head
She said to me
The answer is easy if you
Take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle
To be free…..
There must be fifty ways
To leave your money.

She said it's really not my habit
To intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning
Won't be lost or misconstrued
But I'll repeat myself
At the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways
To leave your money
[CHORUS:]
Note: Substitute Bob for the following names..because Bob doesn’t quite rhyme with these meaningful lyrics) 

You just slip out of sight, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free……
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free….

She said it grieves me so
To see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do
To make you smile again
I said I appreciate that
And would you please explain
About the fifty ways to leave your money

She said why don't we both
Just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning
You'll begin to see the light, 

When she said she’ll probably miss me holding her tight,
Then I realized she probably was right
There must be at least fifty ways
To.... leave your lover
Fifty ways to KILL your lover


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