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The most curious thing about the 80s is that theyve only just happened. The boom without the bust (as yet); public broadcastings capitulation to cable and satellite; pockets of conspicuous consumption that make the Mark I 80s look like Stalinist Russia; and most important, the realisation of the Thatcherite dream of mass share ownership. With impeccable timing, Channel 4 are marking the arrival of the 80s with a new daytime game show called Show Me The Money.{QQ}
This is how Channel 4 describes it: Ordinary people with a flair for finance play the city whizkids at their own game. Five teams of private investors are given an imaginary 100,000 to build their own portfolio of shares. Every week, each team must sell one of their stocks and invest in a new one. If the value of their shares drops by a fifth or more, theyre off the show.{QQ}
To add to the excitement, it says here, every day the head of one of Britains companies is invited to talk to the team. They have 60 seconds to convince the prospective shareholders that their company is worth investing in.{QQ}
The ultimate compliment that can be paid to any human pursuit is to have a daytime TV format created around...